Droid Life

Another Hint the Pixel 6 Will Have Google "Whitechapel" Chip

Kellen — Fri, 07 May 2021 13:52:46 +0000

The Google Pixel 6 is still the story of the year in my mind. To think that Google (or any company) could finally ditch Qualcomm and use a different mobile chipset in the US is huge news. I couldn't even tell you the last time we saw anything but a Snapdragon chip in a meaningful phone. It was probably an original Galaxy S phone or one of Motorola's early OMAP devices. Thanks to a slip-up by a Googler this week, we might have the first bit of public evidence suggesting that Google is indeed going to be the story to pay attention to by using a custom chip in this year's Pixel phone. You may recall the first story about Google's "whitechapel" or "GS101" chip from a couple of weeks ago? That chip - or at least a reference to it - showed up in AOSP in a code change. Spotted by XDA, the reference happened in a comment between Googlers where they were discussing a "P21" device, which could be code for "Pixel 2021" and the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 XL. A link was then shared to a file that gives away the info we wanted:

https://source.corp.google.com/android/device/google/gs101-sepolicy/whitechapel/vendor/google

That's not the full URL, nor is it public, but you can see the important parts. We get references to both "gs101" and "whitechapel," the two names we believe to be Google's new smartphone chip. Google has since hidden the conversation with this link. While we shouldn't expect Google's first smartphone chip to be a world destroyer, it's an important first step.

READ: Pixel 6 is the story of the year now in Android

Google Isn't Playing With Roku Anymore Over YouTube TV Fight

Kellen — Fri, 07 May 2021 10:48:05 +0000

If you thought we would head into the weekend without any drama, Google and YouTube are here to spice things up. In their ongoing battle with Roku, Google has apparently decided it wants to test how far Roku will take their fight over YouTube TV. Today, Google announced that it will add a YouTube TV shortcut to the YouTube app on Roku to give users a way to access YouTube TV without the actual app. This is quite the move. As you may recall, Roku pulled the YouTube TV app from its store last week while saying several nasty things about Google and their ongoing negotiations. Google fired back by saying that Roku was acting in bad faith and that they "often" engage in shady tactics like this when negotiating with providers. Both statements are quite pointed. With this new shortcut (below), Google is bypassing the need for a YouTube TV app it seems. They are rolling out some sort of update to the YouTube app (which hasn't been pulled) that will enable this functionality over the next few days.

In addition to this shortcut update, Google says that they are talking to their other partners to potentially issue free streaming devices "in case YouTube TV members face any access issues on Roku." In other words, if Roku and Google can't come to an agreement, Google is going to try to give users devices to replace their Roku devices. Good lord. Popcorn popped.

Next Big OnePlus Update Could Introduce a Theme Store

Kellen — Fri, 07 May 2021 08:40:11 +0000

Is a theme store the software feature from OnePlus you thought to be the missing piece? I hope you thought that, because OnePlus is bringing you one with the next big update to their OxygenOS skin. Well, they said they were bringing one, but now they are only exploring. In a forum post this week, OnePlus announced that the topic for their next online Open Ears Forum was a theme store, where OnePlus fans and company representatives could talk about the idea together. At first, OnePlus said the following in that post:

We're adding a Theme Store to OxygenOS with our next major OS update. However, before we do it, we want to discuss it with some of our users, to hear your feedback about this upcoming feature with you, and to get your insights about it.

This morning, that section of the post has been edited to this:

The OxygenOS team is exploring a Theme Store feature idea to be brought to the OS in a future update. However, before we do it, we want to discuss it with some of our users, to hear your feedback about this upcoming feature with you, and to get your insights about it.

See the difference? It initially said that they were indeed "adding" a theme store, but now they have backed up a little bit to only "exploring" the idea. It also said "with our next major OS update," which could have been an acknowledgement of Android 12, and now it reads "to the OS in a future update." Subtle yet meaningful changes here. Either way, a theme store is likely on the way, so that you can customize OxygenOS beyond the included OnePlus colors and icons. I'd imagine we are talking about a theme store in line with Samsung's, where you'll get custom icon shapes, tweaks to general UI elements, and matching wallpapers. OnePlus says this is a "highly-requested feature" and so it makes sense that they would consider adding it. If interested in learning about a OnePlus theme store, you can watch the Open Ears Forum on May 18 at 10AM Eastern.

Google Photos Brings the Share Tab Back

Kellen — Fri, 07 May 2021 08:00:05 +0000

Google Photos is one of the greatest app creations of all time. It impresses me in some way almost every day, whether that's through a weird search that finds exactly what I wanted, the surfacing of memories at just the right time, its organization skills, or the way it allows people to easily share photos with each other. But it has issues, particularly with its current layout that semi-buried all of the sharing experience into a tiny speech bubble in the top left corner. Google is fixing that! In a community post this week, Google says that it is moving the Sharing tab to the bottom navigation bar to make it easy to view and manage all of your shared content. Since that chat bubble shortcut never made much sense, I can tell you that I absolutely love this change. In addition to that move, the Google Photos print store is going to take up that top left corner spot previously occupied by the share area. Google thinks this will make it easier for you to print stuff, but we're really thinking it'll just be easier to ignore all of the times they suggest you print photos. And yes, that means the print store is leaving the Library tab. I see nothing but wins here.

How About a Google Pixel Stand for 50% Off?

Kellen — Fri, 07 May 2021 07:02:10 +0000

The Google Pixel Stand is down to $39.99 today, one of its best prices to date. Providing both smarts and wireless charging for supported Pixel phones, this is one of the few unique accessories for Google's line of phones, but it's normally so expensive that you probably haven't considered buying one. Today might be your day! The Pixel Stand was originally introduced with the Pixel 3, but it also works with the Pixel 4 and Pixel 5, both of which support wireless charging. This little charger from Google features a soft-touch exterior, 10W wireless charging speeds, and props your phone up at an easily-viewable angle. For smarts, the Pixel Stand helps you wake up in the mornings by mimicking the sunrise with your alarm, shows you useful information on screen and gives you easy access to the Google Assistant, and can act as a Google Photos display. It's a useful wireless charger that offers more than your typical $10 charger. B&H Photo has the deal today and no one has matched it just yet. If anyone does, we'll update this post, otherwise hit up B&H.

Shop Pixel Stand at B&H Photo

Twitter Brings in the Big Tips

Kellen — Thu, 06 May 2021 14:08:50 +0000

Twitter really is going to let you pay people for their sweet, sweet Tweets. Today, the social network announced the Tip Jar as a way to both send and receive tips. The Tip Jar on Twitter will live in profiles in a shortcut that could give people multiple ways to pay you. Twitter is already supporting Cash App, Patreon, PayPal, Venmo, and Bandcamp to start. They say they are taking no cut and that Android users can even send tips within Spaces. Well, damn! Alright, so you are ready to become a Reply Guy, go viral, and make serious bank, how do you get started? You might not be able to just yet. Twitter says that "For now, a limited group of people around the world who use Twitter in English can add Tip Jar to their profile and accept tips," and that "this group includes creators, journalists, experts, and nonprofits." At some point "soon," they'll give more people access, we just don't know who or exactly when. If you are in the elite group who has access, head into "Edit Profile" in your Twitter app and look for the "Tip Jar" section to add payment methods. // Twitter

Wear OS Got Itself a New Gboard App!

Kellen — Thu, 06 May 2021 11:44:46 +0000

The future of Wear OS remains unclear and Google has yet to even suggest that anything major will change for the platform any time soon. Sure, we think a biggish spring update is on the way and know that there is at least one meaningful session dedicated to Wear at Google I/O in a couple of weeks. There are even rumors of Samsung switching back to Wear OS for its smartwatches, which would mean a big opportunity for Google's wearable OS. The thing is, after experiencing years of disappointment, I know that all of this could fizzle and it's hard to switch into optimistic mode unless Google shows us something. If there is a bit of light to focus on at the moment, it's the renewed effort in recent weeks to acknowledge that Wear OS still exists. There have been a couple of Tweets here and there, the addition of a UV index to wrists, and now the release of a new Gboard app. That's right, Google released a new app for Wear OS and it's a big one! Gboard is now on Wear OS! In a forum post, Google explains that Gboard for Wear OS gives you multiple input methods, including QWERTY typing, gestures, and voice input. It even has an emoji palette. Google added "enhanced suggestions and corrections," which is handy since typing on a tiny wrist keyboard is damn near impossible to do accurately or efficiently. Multi-language support is here as well!

I know that Wear OS already had a keyboard app that sort of did some of this stuff OK, but this seems like a decent upgrade, right? In the announcement post for Gboard on Wear OS, Google also mentioned that they "can't wait to share what more is in store for Wear OS by Google in 2021!" as if there are bigger plans. Again, not trying to let my excitement get ahead of reality, but you have to love to hear that.

This New Pixel 3 XL for $215 is Happy

Kellen — Thu, 06 May 2021 10:33:42 +0000

Considering a deal on a phone that is several years old and about lose update support is a tricky decision to make. Knowing support might soon be cutoff should cause you to hesitate unless the price is so good you'll be able to stomach the impending end. Today's deal on the Pixel 3 XL falls into that price category. At just $214.99 for a 64GB model or $254.99 for a 128GB model, Woot has the Pixel 3 XL available in brand new condition until they sell out. They are only offering the "Not Pink" version in an unlocked capacity, but are you really that worried about the color? It's more warm white than anything, and the price is stupid good. Put a case on it, man. Woot lists these as "unlocked" and with support for all of the major US carriers, but my guess is that they were once Verizon variants because they do note that the bootloader is locked. That's only going to be an issue for root bro and not you, non-root bro. Again, Google offers 3 years of support for Pixel phones and the Pixel 3 XL's support ends later this year with the launch of Android 12. It will get Android 12 and is a part of the Android 12 Developer Preview program, so don't think it's being left out there. Instead, once it gets 12 followed by a couple of additional security patches, Google will stop supplying updates, likely around October-December. Is the Pixel 3 XL still a good phone in 2021? For $200, I'd say so, if you need a phone for a kid or as a placeholder before you find a more expensive, longer-lasting phone, yeah. Here's our review.

Shop Pixel 3 XL deals at Woot

Google Assistant Family Bells and Broadcasts Get Sweet New Features

Kellen — Thu, 06 May 2021 09:00:04 +0000

My kid may be back at school on a part-time basis now, but for a solid year, like so many kids across this world, he sat at home and we tried our hardest to keep him focused on his schoolwork. The first few months were the hardest, because we had no idea what we were doing. Then, the start of a new school year arrived and Google happened to push out its Google Assistant Family Bell feature at that same time. It changed everything. The added bit of structure helped all of us stay on task, know when meetings or work needed to be done, and laugh at the goofy messages we programmed Assistant to say. Today, Google says that it is expanding the feature set of both Family Bell and Google Assistant Broadcasts. I'm so damn excited.

New Family Bell tricks

Over the coming weeks, Google plans to let you kill a Family Bell that's ringing by shouting "Stop!" at it, just like you would with an alarm or timer. If you have a set schedule of bells like I do, you'll really appreciate this ability. Currently, a Family Bell can only be set to ring on a single device, but that'll change too. Google is going to let you select multiple smart devices to ring when a bell goes off. And finally, Family Bells will now be available in French, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, German, Hindi and Korean.

Broadcast to more devices

For Broadcasts, Google Assistant is adding in more devices to the message you sent. While you have always been able to broadcast a message to the smart home devices you have, Google is expanding this to add phones of the people in your family group. So going forward, if you broadcast a message, it could also send the message to both Android and iOS devices. When the message is received on a phone, the person can respond back too.

Even more new features!

While I'm personally excited about the new Family Bell and Broadcast stuff, Google is adding more. Here is a short list of some of the other new features to try out:

Try saying "Hey Google, tell me a Quidditch Story," to hear a fun new Harry Potter story that was just added. Google is partnering with Pottermore Publishing for additional stories in the future. Also, Assistant is tapping into the "Who Was?" series from Penguin Random House for stories about Ida B. Wells, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and more.
A new trivia game can be fired up by saying "Hey Google, talk to ‘Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?’" You may have seen this elsewhere, but it fits nicely as a smart display experience.
And last, Google says there are some Easter Eggs to look forward to for Mother's Day weekend. Try "Hey Google, Sing the clean up song," "Hey Google, Sing the go to sleep song" or "Hey Google, Sing the brush your teeth song" and see what happens.

// Google

Google Pixel 6 Could Still Get Unlimited Google Photos Storage (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 06 May 2021 08:46:53 +0000

The end of unlimited Google Photos storage is around the corner for almost everyone who isn't a Google Pixel phone owner. Actually, I should be more specific in saying that while owners of the Pixel 1 through Pixel 5 don't have to worry, future Pixel 6 or Pixel 5a owners haven't been given Google's unlimited backup blessing. There is a chance that will change by the time Google gets around to announcing its new phones. A recent update to the Google Photos app, spotted by 9to5Google, includes mentions of a "Storage Saver" option that might be an exclusive to Pixel phones as a way to let them continue backing up without limits. Within the app, Google references Storage Saver as being "free and unlimited," as having "slightly reduced quality," and that it only applies to Pixel phones. In a way, it sounds like the current "High quality" backup option that Pixel phones have, only with better branding. There isn't any sort of mention about this being a guaranteed feature for future Pixel phones, we're just hoping. And in hoping, this could be a big feature add for Google's Pixel line going forward, since people really are mad about Google Photos losing free backups. Google could use this as a reason to suggest buying a Pixel 5a 5G or Pixel 6, since they hadn't previously committed to offering unlimited backups beyond the Pixel 5. UPDATE: A Google spokesperson reached out to clarify "Storage Saver" and suggested that this is all a bunch of nothing. In fact, it's just Google testing different names for their backup options.

There are no changes to what we previously announced regarding Google Photos storage for Pixel devices. We are exploring new names for our Photos backup options and have no plans to introduce additional storage options.

If I were a betting man, I wouldn't be shocked if Google did indeed add unlimited backups for Pixel phones. It really would be a solid selling point.

Twitter Brings in the Big Pics

Kellen — Wed, 05 May 2021 12:40:07 +0000

Twitter is rolling out its "bigger and better images" feature to all users on iOS and Android this week. I'd attempt to describe to you what this means, but the image above says it all. You know how Twitter tends to crop the images that show up in your timeline, forcing you to tap on them to see the full picture? With this change, it appears as if you won't necessarily need to do that. The image on the right shows an image in a longer, less-cropped format to tell you most of the story. If you aren't seeing this, look for an update or kill your Twitter app and re-open it or post a pic and see what happens or...I don't know how to get this. I don't think my Twitter Beta has it yet, so you tell me if it's cool or not. Generally speaking, I don't know how seeing less Tweets on screen could be better, but I'm trying to remain open-minded. https://twitter.com/Twitter/status/1390026628957417473

Galaxy Watch 3 at $170 Off is Good

Kellen — Wed, 05 May 2021 12:06:15 +0000

The Galaxy Watch 3 line from Samsung has been discounted heavily for the past week, but for reasons we don't know and won't complain about, they slashed another $20 off the 45mm model today. You can now get the Galaxy Watch 3 in the bigger size for $170 off.

UPDATE: They added the 41mm model to the deal, so it's $170 off and down to $229!

To get the full $170 off, which drops the watch to a starting price of $259.99, you'll have to want the silver colorway with Bluetooth. The black version is still at $150 off. The 41mm watches are also still $150 off. You should read our review if you are considering this watch. Amazon Deal Link

Google Admits Android Tablets are Perfect for Entertainment, Not Much Else

Kellen — Wed, 05 May 2021 09:26:12 +0000

Android tablets still aren't really that popular, few companies you care about make them, and they are terrible as productivity devices. Like, Android tablets do almost nothing well because the platform hasn't given them the opportunity to. But one area they can shine is in entertainment. They are big dumb screens that can show content, let you play games, and maybe even read a book. Today, Google is hammering all of that home with an announcement for the new Entertainment Space for Android tablets. The Entertainment Space is a "one-stop, personalized home for all of your favorite movies, shows, videos, games and books," we're told. Should the tablet you own get this Entertainment Space, you'll be able to setup profiles for each user in your house and sign-in with all of your streaming accounts to get that super tailored content experience. Rather than hop between apps, this space brings it all to you from multiple sources, sort of like the new Google TV app, only expanded with games and books. Everything is separated into 3 tabs: Watch, Games, and Read. Those are all self explanatory, I'd hope. The Entertainment Space will start to rollout this month to Walmart's onn. tablets before hitting Lenovo, Sharp, and other devices later this year. You'll notice Samsung isn't mentioned and that's probably not a good sign for the Entertainment Space.

Good 5G From Verizon is Still Years Away

Kellen — Wed, 05 May 2021 08:51:45 +0000

US wireless carriers have been hyping the benefits of 5G as far back as 2015, from what I can tell. They told us it would change IoT when that was all the rage, that multi-gigabit speeds were going to be the norm, and that robots would stir the perfect martini while performing open heart surgery in AR with smartwatch. The overhyping of 5G has been exhausting, yet here we are in 2021 and the benefits of 5G that we were promised are still not here. And you know what? They won't be here for years. Verizon made a somewhat splashy announcement today involving its newly acquired C-Band spectrum, how fast it is when aggregated with mmW, and when it might be available to your town. For so many, it might not be until 2024 and beyond. To step back a minute, the C-Band spectrum we're talking about is the mid-band 5G spectrum that Verizon just spent billions on. It's the type of 5G that will cover large areas and produce broadband-level speeds. It's the perfect mix of low-band (nationwide) and mmW 5G. Verizon will incorporate its C-Band spectrum into its 5G Ultra Wideband (5GUWB) tier and ask that you pay extra to use it. It could be worth it, assuming you need gigabit speeds on your phone at all times. The thing is, in today's announcement, Verizon confirmed that they won't make C-Band available until the first quarter of 2022. It will first launch in 46 markets and cover about 100 million people. From there, the plan is to expand throughout 2022 and 2023 to cover 175 million people before further stepping things up in 2024 and beyond to reach 250+ million people. Remember what I said earlier, that companies like Verizon have been hyping 5G and its benefits since at least 2015, yet the plan is for 5G to not reach any sort of awesomeness level until 2022 for a few dozen markets with hopes of it finally touching a good chunk of people in 2024. That's 10 years of hype, man! I'm tired of talking about 5G. I'm tired of listening to people tell me how awesome 5G is when I still haven't even tasted it.

Ummm, Google Just Announced the Pixel Buds A-Series (Updated!)

Kellen — Tue, 04 May 2021 13:47:07 +0000

Forget that last article, Google went ahead and announced the Pixel Buds A today through the official @Android Twitter account. In the Tweet, they said they "have arrived," but we're not exactly sure where yet. They offer "quality sound and quick Bluetooth pairing" and will use the latest Fast Pair experience, which is fun. They come in white on white on white, as you can see in the pictures here. We'll update this if we find out more!

UPDATE: They deleted the Tweet! I guess they haven't arrived.

Google Appears to Have Confirmed "Pixel Buds A-Series" (Updated!)

Kellen — Tue, 04 May 2021 13:29:45 +0000

UPDATE: The official Android Twitter account just Tweeted that they are official and "have arrived." They deleted it pretty quickly, though, so we're still just back to waiting for real release info. More here.

Outside of an early email slip-up, Google has done a remarkable job at keeping its next pair of Pixel Buds under wraps. We believe the next pair to be called Pixel Buds A, but Google hasn't really acknowledged the name anywhere. Well, today they may have. According to an ad (below) that popped up for the Google Store in Germany, we can see that there is a listing for a "New: Pixel Buds A-Series." The ad was spotted by Cashys Blog. We've spent far too long this afternoon trying to replicate the listing and failed, so we'll just have to take their word for it. The rest of the ad doesn't say much other than tell folks they can sign-up to keep informed on them. Clicking on the link provided apparently didn't direct you to the Pixel Buds A-Series page either, likely because it isn't live yet. To recap, we believe the Pixel Buds A-Series will be a more affordable pair of Pixel Buds, come in green and white, and might not have the best feature of the regular Buds. Google I/O has got to be the release for these, right?

AT&T Has New Data-Only 5G Plans for Your Connected Devices

Tim — Tue, 04 May 2021 09:33:58 +0000

Starting today, AT&T has updated DataConnect plans for those looking to connect their connected devices, such as laptops, tablets, or whatever else may need 5G mobile data while out and about. If you didn't already know, AT&T offered 15GB and 35GB options, but now there is also 25GB and 40GB tiers. For pricing, you can get 25GB plan for $50/month or a 40GB plan for $75/month. Take note, these prices are only available when you sign up for auto pay and paperless billing, plus taxes and fees. These plans are available this week on AT&T's website.

AT&T Data-Only Plans

// AT&T

You Have 1 Month Left of Free Google Photos Unlimited Backup

Kellen — Tue, 04 May 2021 09:22:14 +0000

The final countdown for unlimited high quality storage backups to Google Photos has begun. In one month, all of the pictures and videos you upload will count towards your Google storage limit, so you are going to need to make some decisions. When first announced in November of last year, the end date of June 2021 for unlimited backups in Photos seemed so far away, yet here we are. On June 1, Google will end its long-running free storage solution for the world's photo collections. Once next month hits, you will need to decide if sticking with Google Photos and adding storage by signing up for a Google One account is the play or if someone else has a service that might work better. With your Google account, Google already gives you 15GB of space to use across their services. Going forward, the new photos and videos you upload to Google Photos will count towards that storage capacity. Your old stuff won't, but from June 1 and onward, the new stuff will. For some of you, that 15GB of space may last a long time before you'll ever hit the cap and need to consider adding space. For others, you may already be too close and are going to need to find a solution right away. Google One plans will give you extra storage and allow you to keep using Google Photos without hiccup. The current crop of Google One plans start at $2.99/mo for 200GB of storage and go up from there. You can jump to 2TB of storage for $9.99/mo or go as high as 30TB for $149.99/mo. An added cost like that after years of paying nothing is never fun. However, Tim pointed out recently that earning cash from Google's Opinion Rewards app has allowed him to pay for Google Drive (same as Google One) storage for free, basically. Here's that write-up, which you should definitely look at. Of course, there are other options. Amazon Prime members get unlimited full resolution photo storage plus 5GB for video at no extra cost. Since so many of you are Prime members already, this could be a decent option. You can sign-up here. Finally, if you own a Google Pixel phone, you get to keep unlimited storage on some level. If your phone is quite old, you may still get to keep full resolution or "Original quality" backups for a while, but Pixels 1-5 will retain the high quality option for now. Don't own a Pixel phone, well, you are out of luck. Have you made your decision yet?

Samsung Galaxy S8 is Done Getting Updates

Kellen — Mon, 03 May 2021 18:06:48 +0000

Like the Galaxy S7 a year ago, Samsung has pulled update support for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. Both phones have been on a quarterly update schedule for the past 12 months or so, but at a solid 4 years old, Samsung is done providing support to this line. If you are freaking out or about to get mad at Samsung for this, remember that they are the only Android company who provides this many years of updates. The Galaxy S8 and S8+ have been supported or 4 years now, with 3 of the years at the monthly level and the past year at quarterly. Samsung, folks, is the king of Android updates. Not even Google provides 4 years of updates and they make the OS. With the Galaxy S8 now done with updates, the Galaxy S9 will take its place as the oldest still-supported top tier Galaxy S phone. Just remember that it has already been moved to the quarterly schedule and will be done in April 2022, unless Samsung changes it up. Goodbye, purple friend. // Samsung

T-Mobile Galaxy S10 Family Gets One UI 3.1, March Security Update

Tim — Mon, 03 May 2021 15:07:41 +0000

Heads up, Galaxy S10 family owners on T-Mobile. This week, Samsung and T-Mobile are shipping out the March (not April) security patch plus a One 3.1 update to your devices. Yes, that means you Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, and Galaxy S10e owners. Far as we can tell, this is a similar update that rolled out to other Galaxy S10 variants back in March and April. We're not sure if there was a delay with the T-Mobile variants, but according to the changelog, this is indeed the One UI 3.1 update. That means owners will find Enhanced Single Take, Object Eraser, Multi-Mic Recording, Eye Comfort Shield, as well as other changes. For a rundown of One UI 3.1, please read our Galaxy S21 Ultra review. There’s a whole section dedicated to it. Once updated, S10 owners will have software version number G973USQU5GUCG, S10+ will have G975USQU5GUCG, and Galaxy S10e will have G970USQU5GUCG. Have at it. // T-Mobile [2] [3]

The Phones We're Currently Using and Why

Tim — Mon, 03 May 2021 12:09:22 +0000

We were emailed by a reader this week who asked us which phones we are currently using. On a recent episode of the Droid Life Show, I mentioned the fact that I had no idea what phone I'd use following my review of the OnePlus 9. Honestly, I'm not in love with any of the current Android phones on the market. I've been mostly looking to the horizon, with phones from Sony and Google getting most of my interest. However, I do need to be using a phone in the meantime, so now seems like a good time to share what it is. Below, we'll go over what phone we're using and why we're using it. We'd also love for you to do the same in the comments below.

Kellen: Pixel 5

Yeah, yeah, I'm still using the Pixel 5. I don't even think I love it, it's just that all of the other phones on the market piss me off for one reason or another. For example, I'm jealous as hell of Tim's Galaxy S21 Ultra because of the insanely good display, droolworthy camera system, and fun design in that beautiful matte black. But I'd never use that phone because it's the size of a f*cking whale and weighs as much as one too. My gym shorts can't handle that nonsense. Same with the OnePlus 9 Pro! God damn whale. And it's pretty ugly, battery life was trash, and OnePlus can't seem to find an identity that is any sort of appealing at the moment.

READ: I'm sticking with the Pixel 5

Outside of those two phones, what the hell else would I choose? The regular Galaxy S21 sucked. I don't want any part of Motorola's Moto G family. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is excellent, but the weight and awkwardness aren't exactly made for post-pandemic life. LG doesn't exist anymore. Sony takes 6 months to go from phone announcement to release, so I'm waiting there. Ugh. The Pixel 5, bless its little heart, is a great size, has incredible battery life, and features the software experience I prefer on Android. I'm not sure the camera is a king any longer, the display is just OK, and performance is whatever. The Pixel 5 is without a doubt the most boring Android phone available and yet here I am still using it all these months later. I don't think I'd tell any normal person to buy it over several other phones and I can't put it down. What a weird phone. Someone find me something else to use.

Tim: Galaxy S21 Ultra

I'm back on the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Reason being? It gives me the least amount of problems. It has all of the storage and performance I need, has a good camera system, and consuming content is never bad on this jumbo display. It's obviously a great phone, but it's not my software experience of choice. I'd much rather be using a Pixel or OnePlus device, but the Pixel 5 is an arguably mid-range phone with tiny display. Yes, it does have great battery life, but I don't care since charging the Galaxy S21 Ultra is done quite quickly. It certainly doesn't charge as quick as the OnePlus 9, but there's always some pros and cons with each device.

Galaxy S21 Ultra Review: Refined Experience for Less Money

I have been using the OnePlus 9 for the past couple of weeks, but I switched back to the 21 Ultra this past weekend. I was getting subpar battery life from the OnePlus 9. I also have little nitpicky issues with the phone, all of which I cover in my review. The display is my main concern, oddly with its blue filter feature. At night, it takes the display a second or two to realize that I have the blue light filter applied, so my eyes are always bugging out when the phones blasts me with unfiltered light for a moment. Like I said, it's nothing crazy, but it's the little things that add up and irritate me. Going back to the Galaxy S21 Ultra is easy enough. This phone really does everything right, though, it's a freaking monster phone. If Samsung had a smaller sized 21 Ultra model, it'd be the perfect phone. I know I'm asking a lot, but that's what I want. I want an Ultra-specced Galaxy S20 or Pixel 5-sized device. This is why Sony's new devices intrigue me. That company is not afraid to pack the specs, but a huge price tag is associated with that. Oh well, that's what I want. And while I wait for that, I'll be using the Galaxy S21 Ultra. It has the specs, great cameras, gorgeous display, and sexy hardware.

Let us know what phone you're using and why in the comments below!

Twitter Spaces Arrive If You are Cool Enough to Have Followers

Kellen — Mon, 03 May 2021 10:43:18 +0000

Twitter is bringing Spaces to the masses today, because for some reason you are all very interested in hearing the world's garbage audio takes alongside all of the garbage Tweets in a virtual room with random people. This was previously only available to a limited number of Twitter users, but we are getting an expansion today. The new Twitter Spaces are available to "all accounts with 600 or more followers," so you still need to at least be more than a bot account to do this audio thing. Please don't go to that mass follow play where you are hoping people follow you back to boost those numbers. We can tell, guy. Spaces "encourages and unlocks real, open conversations on Twitter with the authenticity and nuance, depth and power only the human voice can bring," Twitter says. They can be intimate with a few people or a much bigger conversation with thousands of folks. As someone who has not (and will not) participate, you'll have to ask someone else if these are cool or not. To get started with Spaces, look at the top of your timeline in the space previously only occupied by Fleets (remember those?). If you see anyone in that area with a purple circle around their picture, it means they are in a Space. Spaces have captions, you can request to speak in one if you aren't hosting, DMs and emoji and those things are there too within. If hosting, you can invite people, add additional speakers, set topics and vibes, mute or remove people, block assholes and report Spaces, and more. Twitter has big plans for Spaces in the future. For example, they plan to let users monetize Spaces with Ticketed Spaces, scheduling and setting reminders for them are coming, and co-hosting and additional accessibility improvements should show up soon enough. // Twitter

May 2021 Android Security Update Now Available for Google Pixel Phones

Kellen — Mon, 03 May 2021 10:05:08 +0000

The May Android security update has arrived for Pixel devices! As is the case each month, your Google Pixel phone will get an update over the next couple of days if it isn't available right away. Currently, we are seeing new 11.0.0 files for Pixel 5 (RQ2A.210505.003), Pixel 4a 5G (RQ2A.210505.003), Pixel 4a (RQ2A.210505.002), Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL (RQ2A.210505.002), Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL (RQ2A.210505.002), and Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL (RQ2A.210505.002). For specifics on builds, here is what you need to know:

It's just one build for each device. These are global builds, so have at them!

Since there was a Pixel Feature Drop as recently as March, this should just be a small update that fixes bugs and includes security goods. If there is something more, we'll be sure to let you know. For now, Google has not provided the list of bug fixes. Google should begin pushing these updates shortly, but if you don’t want to wait for Google and prefer to update manually, you will find each factory 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. Links:

Pixel 6 Could Get UWB For Cool Stuff

Kellen — Mon, 03 May 2021 07:15:10 +0000

UWB is the cool technology of the moment it seems, and Google could be working to include it in its next phone, the Pixel 6. Not familiar with UWB? Well, I can tell you that it's not Verizon's stupidly named 5G UWB. The UWB in each does stand for ultra wideband, but Verizon's has to do with their really fast 5G that you'll never connect to, while UWB (without the 5G) is being used for close proximity location-based stuff. UWB is in Samsung's new SmartTag+, the Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra, as well as Apple's AirTag. In the tag products, UWB allows for someone to precisely track objects down to a few centimeters. In the S21+ and Ultra, Samsung wants you to use UWB to turn your phone into a car key. The use of UWB really is for close location actions. Apple also uses it in the HomePod Mini to let you move music from phone to speaker. Cool, right? Supposed evidence has been shared with both XDA's Mishaal Rahman and 9to5Google that suggests Google will use UWB as well. Both believe a device codenamed "raven" will take advantage of UWB. The long-rumored "raven" device is largely thought to be one of Google's Pixel 6 phones that uses their custom "whitechapel" or "GS101" chip. No one is sure how Google would use UWB in the Pixel 6, since no Nest speakers or hubs have UWB. That sort of eliminates the quick music handoffs like Apple is doing. It could allow for location-based stuff or car keys, I'd guess. Either way, Google testing out the hot tech of the minute is at least noteworthy.

Galaxy SmartTag+ Available in US for $39 a Pop

Tim — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 14:30:51 +0000

Samsung's fancy new Galaxy SmartTag+ is now up for sale in the US, available for purchase directly from Samsung or Amazon, though, Amazon's inventory is essentially wiped out already from what I can tell. These little tags go directly on an item that you can't seem to keep track of and they're pretty awesome. They include AR functionality so you can find lost items using the screen on your phone, while also providing remote control functionality after simple programming. Considering the non-Plus version is $30, the extra $10 seems totally worth it in my eyes. Follow the links below to snag yourself one.

Samsung Link | Amazon Link ($39)

The Pixel Buds are Still $50 Off, Friends

Kellen — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 13:31:06 +0000

The Google Pixel Buds A might be around the corner and so Google is continuing to run with its $50-off deal on the current Pixel Buds (2nd Gen). I know that many of you won't touch these and the reviews over time have not gotten better, but I still kind of like them! Not that you should take my word for anything. Let me explain that. The Pixel Buds are still my favorite fitting earbuds available. There is a level of comfort here that I haven't found in any other earbud and that includes the Galaxy Buds Pro and Jabra Elite series. While those all sound a touch better, you have got to be able to wear your buds for a while, right? The Pixel Buds also have the best touch controls in the game, a clean design that don't make it look like you have large black turds popping out of each ear at all times, and the case is nice. They do sound pretty good too. Of course, there are the connectivity issues that people (I think) still suffer from. My experience with cutouts has been pretty minimal, but that's because I mostly leave my phone sitting on a desk or table while using the Buds vs. carrying my phone in pocket. That seems to be a lot of the issue. So if you fall into my category of use, consider this deal. If you carry your phone in pocket all of the time, ehhhhhh, it could be rough. Shop Google Pixel Buds deals:

Verizon Galaxy Note 9 and Its Old Self Grabs A New Update

Kellen — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 10:12:06 +0000

On this fine Friday, why don't you take your 2+ year-old Galaxy note 9 from Samsung and grab a fresh update. Verizon has made one available with performance improvements and the latest Android security patch. The Note 9, for those not following along, is the oldest Galaxy Note from Samsung still receiving monthly updates. The Galaxy Note 8 was recently removed from the monthly schedule and demoted to quarterly. That leaves the Note 20, Note 10, and Note 9 as the only Notes in this category. This will be the final few months of monthly for the Note 9. This latest build arrives as QP1A.190711.020.N960USQU8FUD1 with the April Android security patch. Again, "performance improvements" are listed, but who knows what that means. Hopefully, your world is a little snappier today. To check for the update, head into Settings>About phone>Software updates>Check for updates. // Verizon

Verizon's Visible is Going to Let You Upgrade Without the Fee

Kellen — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 09:14:49 +0000

Visible is getting into the upgrade game starting next week, where they'll give customers a chance to upgrade without the big fee you might see from someone like, well, Verizon. From May 3, Visible members can upgrade phones from Apple, Samsung, Google (and a few others) when they pay off half of their phone's loan balance. No fees or other costs are supposed to be involved in the process, you'll just need to trade-in your phone for another of the same make and sign-up for another financing deal. This all happens through Affirm (0% APR), which is the financing company you have likely seen across the internet for all sorts of goods. Visible uses them too, and they'll offer the upgrade program with Affirm on phones that are financed at over $100. Again, Apple, Samsung, and Google are the main device makers participating, but there are select Motorola, OnePlus, and ZTE phones available too. If you decide to buy a phone through Visible and then upgrade at the 50% mark, you will send in your old phone to Assurant within 14 days of receiving your new phone. Visible says that they will then pay off the remaining balance for you. Seems pretty straight forward. Not familiar with Visible? They are a prepaid option that's owned by Verizon, so when you use their service, you are actually using Verizon's network. They don't have stores or any sort of physical presence, but their unlimited plan only costs $40. If you have friends in your life, you can have them join you on Visible and pay even less per month. If that all sounds fun, the upgrade action starts on May 3. Shop Visible devices right here.

Roku Did It, They Removed YouTube TV (Updated)

Kellen — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 07:43:00 +0000

The Roku vs. YouTube TV battle continues on as we close out the week, with Roku cranking things up a notch. This morning, Roku removed YouTube TV from their channel store. In a statement provided by a Roku spokesperson, the company tells us that their distribution agreement with YouTube TV has expired and so the app has been removed. Their statement doesn't just talk about app removal, though, and instead goes on to accuse Google of anticompetitive practices, manipulating consumer search results, attempting to force Roku into adopting hardware requirements that would increase costs, and more. Here is that statement:

“We are disappointed that Google has allowed our agreement for the distribution of YouTube TV to expire. Roku has not asked for one dollar of additional financial consideration from Google to renew YouTube TV. We have only asked Google for four simple commitments. First, not to manipulate consumer search results. Second, not to require access to data not available to anyone else. Third, not to leverage their YouTube monopoly to force Roku to accept hardware requirements that would increase consumer costs. Fourth, not to act in a discriminatory and anticompetitive manner against Roku. Because our contract has expired, we have removed YouTube TV from our channel store. To continue to provide our users with a great streaming experience, we are taking the extra step to continue to offer existing subscribers access to YouTube TV on the Roku platform unless Google takes actions that require the full removal of the channel. Because of Google's conduct, new subscriptions will not be available going forward until an agreement is reached. It is well past time for Google to embrace the principles that have made streaming so popular for millions of users by giving consumers control of their streaming experience, by embracing fair competition and by ceasing anticompetitive practices. We believe consumers stand to benefit from Google and Roku reaching a fair agreement that preserves these principles and we remain committed to trying to achieve that goal.”

OK, then! Keep in mind that if you are a Roku user who already had YouTube TV installed, Roku is leaving the app on your system (for now) and you can continue to use it, but if a new user were to go looking for YouTube TV, they would not be able to install it at the moment. Also, there is a chance that Google has heard enough from Roku and kills the app on their platform completely. As a reminder, Google said in a statement earlier this week the following, "Unfortunately, Roku often engages in these types of tactics in their negotiations. We’re disappointed that they chose to make baseless claims while we continue our ongoing negotiations." UPDATE: Google has now posted a response to the YouTube Blog, saying that Roku has "terminated our deal in bad faith amidst our negotiation" and they have "often engaged in this tactic with other streaming providers." Google then laid out 4 ways they believe they have negotiated in good faith:

Our initial conversations started with Roku simply to renew the current terms of their ongoing deal with YouTube TV, which has been in place for several years. Our offer to Roku was simple and still stands: renew the YouTube TV deal under the existing reasonable terms.

However, Roku chose to use this as an opportunity to renegotiate a separate deal encompassing the YouTube main app, which does not expire until December.

Our agreements with partners have technical requirements to ensure a high quality experience on YouTube. Roku requested exceptions that would break the YouTube experience and limit our ability to update YouTube in order to fix issues or add new features. For example, by not supporting open-source video codecs, you wouldn’t be able to watch YouTube in 4K HDR or 8K even if you bought a Roku device that supports that resolution.

We can’t give Roku special treatment at the expense of users. To be clear, we have never, as they have alleged, made any requests to access user data or interfere with search results. This claim is baseless and false.

We'll update this as we have more.

Galaxy Buds Pro at $153 is the One

Kellen — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 09:08:54 +0000

Samsung's Galaxy Buds Pro are really good true wireless earbuds. I know we didn't do a review on them, because we aren't exactly audio bros, but trust me, they are good and might be the best true wireless earbuds you can buy for the money. At $200, they are kind of expensive, though. At $153, well, they are worth jumping on in a hurry. For today only, Woot is hosting a deal on their typical list of goods, but the Galaxy Buds Pro happen to be in the mix for once. Woot already has them dropped to $169.99, which is $30 off. However, if you install the Woot app (I know, I'm sorry) and are an Amazon Prime member you'll save an extra 10%, dropping the Buds Pro to $152.99. Again, the deal here is the Galaxy Buds Pro for almost $50 off if you are an Amazon Prime member and don't mind installing the Woot app for the day.

Shop Galaxy Buds Pro at Woot

Google Play Link: Woot App

Cost Cuts, Expensive Phones Help Sony Mobile Post First Profit in Years

Tim — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 08:47:46 +0000

Sony posted its financial numbers for the fiscal year this week, shocking themselves by turning a profit with its mobile business. I'm not trying to be mean either. They specifically said the results, "exceeded our initial expectations," which is a nice way of saying they weren't expecting to be as successful. Regardless of expectations , this is good, as it means we shouldn't have to worry about Sony becoming the next LG and exiting the smartphone market. That would seriously suck. The numbers for the number nerds: the mobile division posted a profit of JPY 27,671 million, up from a loss of JPY 21,057 million for the same period last year. That's quite the turnaround. How did they do it? They cut costs inside the division and sold phones that are expensive, presumably allowing for higher margins. For units shipped, Sony posted 2.9 million. That's a lot of Xperia phones, and while it's lower that last year's 3.2 million, Sony made up for those losses elsewhere. As for this year, it doesn't appear that Sony provided any real forecast for its mobile division. We can provide our own, though. It's my belief that Sony needs to step up and take over any of LG's market share that they can. We already know Samsung will likely gobble up the majority of those customers, but on paper, I believe the Xperia lineup aligns more with an LG customer's values than Samsung. Sony still puts headphone jacks on their phones. Isn't that what LG fans are all about? Xperia 1 III arrives later this year. // Sony | Xperia Blog

Google Might Care About Wear OS Again

Kellen — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 07:42:50 +0000

The last time Google held its Google I/O conference, one of the lasting memories from the event for those into smartwatches took place on stage during an Android fireside chat. An audience member pointed out to the Android team that there wasn't a single mention of Wear OS scheduled for the entire week of Google-related programming and wondered if it was a dead platform. The response from the Android team didn't leave us with any sort of optimism as they joked about the lack of a Wear OS representative on stage and whether anyone knew where the team was. Fast forward to this year's Google I/O and it appears that Google might care again about Wear OS again. It's been a while and we don't know how much they care, but there is at least a dedicated session to talk about all that is Google's "Wear" platform. That's right, they took out the "OS" in the name of the session. Who knows if it means anything. The session is labeled as "Now is the time: What's new with Wear" and will cover "all that's new for Google's smartwatch platform," including platform updates and a range of new APIs to help developers build for wearables. I know that the description for the session isn't suggesting that a major Wear OS change is coming or that a Pixel Watch is here, but maybe it is teasing more than we typically get. A phrase of "now is the time" hints a bit at a breakthrough or a change worth noting, as if all of the years prior were not the time for Wear OS to shine. I'm probably reading far too deeply in that, but I'm a Wear OS guy, I want it to succeed. Coupling this session with the anticipated spring "platform" update already teased by Google and continued rumors around Samsung's re-entry into the Wear OS space, this might be the first time in a long time that Wear OS should be on your radar. Don't set expectations too high, because we are always disappointed in this space, but there are signs of hope.

Google Makes Travel Amid Ongoing Pandemic a Bit Easier With New Search Tools

Tim — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 15:38:41 +0000

COVID-19, whether you want to believe it or not, rages on across the world. Why? Honestly, because people suck. For those looking to travel and vacation regardless of what's happening around you or for those who are vaccinated and ready to leave the house, Google is making it easier to know all of the COVID restrictions concerning your possible destination. For example, many locations require a quarantine upon arrival. Google's new Search tools are now better able to serve you this information, plus provide updates should it change after your plans have been made.

In addition to the COVID-related info for Search and Maps, Google is also baking in new road trip features. Let's say you choose a destination. Google can now serve you ideas on what to do in between your current location and where you want to be. You can choose hotels for stopping and spending the evening, parks, and other types of locations. These changes are rolling out right now to Google Search and Google Maps. // Google

Google Starts Letting You Teach Names to the Assistant

Kellen — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 15:25:41 +0000

Google Assistant is a powerful tool that can help take care of all sorts of tasks in our day to day lives. One of the best parts of the Assistant is that it can do a lot of stuff without needing much help from you. However, there are times where Assistant might benefit from your input. For example, Google Assistant isn't great with all names, especially those that might have special pronunciations. In a blog post today, Google announced that it will soon let you teach Google Assistant how to say some of those trickier names. In the video below, you can hear a name that Google has no idea how to pronounce, but following a recording by the user of the name, it then learns exactly how it should say it going forward. Google says this new name training feature will rollout over the coming days, and it looks like you'll find it in Assistant settings, then into the blue "You" box area, then "Your people." From that section, you can tap on individuals and look for the new "Name pronunciation" section where you can teach Google the ways. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hw6sywPYY0 // Google

Ad-Supported HBO Max Option Launching in June for $10/Month

Tim — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 13:21:54 +0000

Big news for HBO fans who aren't currently subscribed to HBO Max due to pricing concerns: an ad-supported subscription option is coming this June, discounted at $9.99/month, down from the usual $14.99/month ad-free version. This news stems from a CNBC report that dives deep into the financial ramifications of this move. For instance, it's detailed that distributors share revenue with HBO for subscriptions sold at anywhere from 30%-60%, specifically saying that operators such as Comcast take in nearly $9 of a customer’s current monthly charge of $15. Obviously, a cheaper ad-supported tier means less money for these distributors. Corporate America will take hard cash over free ad inventory any day of the week. This is big news in my eyes. While many may claim HBO Max is pricey, I can honestly say my subscription has paid for itself over and over already, with the latest movies available to me for streaming, plus countless shows that I found myself rewatching all of the time. There's Silicon Valley, Game of Thrones, South Park, and plenty others. Plus, I'm watching Mortal Kombat and Godzilla Vs. Kong without having to deal with the movie theaters. I absolutely love it. Now, even more people can get down with the goodness at a discounted rate, so long as they're cool with ads. If you aren't already on HBO Max, will this new pricing option convince you to try it out? // CNBC

Search Function Finally Comes to Stadia

Tim — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 11:58:07 +0000

There are over a hundred games available on Stadia these days, and with that, it becomes difficult to find exactly what you're looking for. This week, Stadia announced that all web-based users will see a brand new fancy dedicated search bar in the top of the UI, allowing you to quickly discover exactly what you need. As noted, the search bar is only available for web users, not mobile. Additionally, Google specifies that every single user should see this by the end of the week. If you don't see it yet, don't freak out. Be patient. Stadia also noted that other features are in the works. The main thing is an Activity Feed, where users can post gameplay and other gaming things for their Stadia friends to see. No word on when it'll launch, but it's coming. Search to your heart's content. // Stadia

Fossil Gen 5 Wear OS H-MR2 Update is Back

Kellen — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 11:24:03 +0000

Fossil originally began rolling out Wear OS' big H-MR2 update back in December of last year to the Fossil Gen 5 before pulling the update after issues surfaced. The update has been on hold since, but Gen 5 owners found a fresh build waiting for them today that appears to be a fixed version. A number of users in this reddit thread found the update today, which may actually rollout in two parts. A first build of PXE2.201012.028 was spotted before everyone finished on build PXE2.201012.032. If you'd like to check for the update, head into your watch's settings, then System>About>System updates. If it isn't there, this old tapping trick will likely help you force the update through. What's in H-MR2? It's supposed to provide a CPU boost, new screen timeout options, a new brightness screen, a simpler pairing process with new phones, and room for more Tiles.

Google Expands Android's Earthquake Detection Inside and Outside US

Kellen — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 10:08:55 +0000

The Android Earthquake Alerts System that Google launched last year as a warning system to let people know that an earthquake is happening in their location, is expanding both inside and outside the US. Google announced today that Greece and New Zealand are getting access to the Android Earthquake Alert System, which will use detection and alerts capabilities. Once live in those two countries, Google will use accelerometers inside phones to detect seismic waves before sending alerts near the location of a possible quake. Additionally, Google said that alerting (powered by ShakeAlert) will expand to Washington state in May after previously launching in Oregon and California. If you live on the west coast, you will soon be a part of Google's earthquake alert system, unless you turn it off, of course. To see our previous coverage with details on how Android's earthquake detection works, hit up this post and this one. // Google

Video Conferencing Headed to Telegram

Tim — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 09:18:21 +0000

Telegram, arguably the best messaging service currently available, announced this morning that it is soon to launch video conferencing on its platform, a great addition considering many other chat and messagings apps are looking at bolstering their video options. With still many having to socially distance, it's good to have a video chat every now and then. According to the announcement, which is very brief, everything from screen sharing, encryption, noise cancellation capabilities, as well as desktop and tablet support will be included once launched some time in May. Kellen and I recently started using Telegram for our day-to-day operations. We then started a little page on there where we can post important site updates and articles. It's nothing crazy, but we also have a beginnings of an amazing Droid Life sticker pack. You better join us on there.

Join us on Telegram!

Video conferencing is sweet. We'll let you know once it's available.

Dashlane Intros New $3.99/Month Plan With Unlimited Passwords on 2 Devices

Tim — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 08:48:55 +0000

Dashlane has a new plan for those looking to get an inexpensive, yet very usable password manager. Titled the Essentials plan, it offers unlimited password storage on up to two devices, all for the price of $3.99/month or $2.99/month when you pay annually. For many single users, this plan is enough to cover both your desktop/laptop and mobile device. If you're #ForeverAlone, that's not bad. If you need unlimited devices, there is always the Premium plan which offers unlimited device support at $6.49/month.

Plan Pricing

Dashlane also announced that it is offering a monthly billing option on all of its plans. Previously, some plans would apparently need to be paid annually, which isn't as flexible as some customers like. This means you can now choose any plan, Essentials to Family, all at a monthly price. Do you use a password manager? // Dashlane

Google Has "Significant" Goodies Planned for I/O

Kellen — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 07:58:33 +0000

I sat through Alphabet/Google's entire earnings call yesterday hoping an executive would spill the beans on upcoming products, finally talk Pixel sales, or say something we could share back that would be meaningful. None of that happened, but CEO Sundar Pichai did give a decent tease for next month's Google I/O. During remarks, Pichai noted that there will be "significant product updates and announcements" at their free, all-digital developer conference that takes place from May 18-20. And that's it. That's all he said. We could take a bunch of guesses about what he's suggesting here, of course. He could be talking about Android 12 going into beta and showing the world much bigger plans beyond what the first three Developer Previews have given us. He could be talking about Google Photos updates or Assistant news or changes to their Hubs or to Chrome OS or to some Cloud thing or another. He could be talking about Wear OS, which the last time there was an I/O, no one knew if it still existed or not. It seems unlikely that Pichai is talking about the Pixel 5a, since Google pre-announced that and said to expect it when last year's a-series showed up. For those of you who already forgot, the first Pixel 4a arrived in August, not May. Maybe he's talking about the Pixel Buds A? That seems more likely than anything on a hardware front. The supposedly cheaper version of the Pixel Buds would be a fun bonus during a developer week, even if they aren't really a developer-focused device. So anyways, that's what we've got. Google reported big earnings, but the product-related news out of yesterday was just this, that there are "significant" things on the horizon.

Apple's Eddie Cue Really Wanted to Bring iMessage to Android

Kellen — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 16:06:10 +0000

The story of Apple bringing iMessage to Android found additional context today after a bit of further digging into depositions of Apple executives in their lawsuit with Epic surfaced. We know that Epic was able to get Apple to admit that they kept iMessage off of Google's platform because they knew it was a good way to keep users on iPhones, but the longer conversations show that Eddie Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, really wanted to bring their messaging app over. In our previous reporting, we noted that Cue talked about how 2013 was the year they had serious thoughts about iMessage on Android and that it would have had cross-compatibility with iOS. We also believe that my boy, Phil Schiller (along with Craig Federighi), shot it down real quick and that was mostly the end of it. However, in a longer answer from Cue's deposition that The Verge put together, he said that he thought they "really need to bring iMessage to Android" and that they should "go full speed and make this an official project." Cue believed that they could potentially lose the messaging space to Google if they didn't put iMessage on Android and that they should "make it the industry standard." He also wasn't worried about how to monetize it because they have billions upon billions upon billions of dollars in the bank and "it doesn't cost [them] a lot to run." At this point, though, we doubt iMessage will ever come on over and the reason Apple kept it away from Android is likely paying off. iMessage locks people onto iPhones - it just does. They know that and even without adding Android to the mix, they still pretty much own the messaging space, at least in the US. Hey, remember Allo?

OnePlus Watch Re-Stocks Tomorrow if There is Any Chance You Still Wanted One

Kellen — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 11:17:51 +0000

The OnePlus Watch, after being universally ripped by the initial set of reviewers who were blessed with one, supposedly sold out immediately when it went up for sale on April 14. I say "supposedly" because every person I've talked to who opened the OnePlus store on that day, the second it should have been made available, found it out of stock. We never saw it in stock either. Not that the OnePlus Watch isn't a decently-priced wearable that could sellout, especially with that $20 credit that was offered, it's just that I haven't seen many products reviewed this poorly out of the gate in the 12 years I've been doing this. The Surface Duo is up there, so is the Hydrogen One. In other words, there should be some hesitation. The list of complaints from reviewers was so long that OnePlus has already pushed one update to address some and committed to additional bug fixers in the future. The thing can't even show time as a 12-hour clock and the ETA on a fix for that is unknown. A watch that's stuck in a 24-hour format is pretty lol. But if for some reason you are still considering one after learning all of the terribleness of the watch at launch, then I have news for you. Tomorrow, April 28, OnePlus will re-stock the OnePlus Watch. 8AM Pacific (11AM Eastern) is the time to mark on your calendar. You are going to want to ignore the official OnePlus Tweet below, though, as that URL is dead and not actually where you'll buy the OnePlus Watch. The correct OnePlus Watch URL is: oneplus.com/product/oneplus-watch. https://twitter.com/OnePlus_USA/status/1387077908225798144

Google Messages Gets One UI Makeover on Galaxy S21 Devices

Tim — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 10:56:37 +0000

As noted by users on reddit and a writer of XDA, Samsung is rolling out a specialized version of the Google Messages app via a server side change, one with a One UI inspired makeover. In the updated UI, there's the big waste of space portion at the top of the display, which is merely a way to help those using the device with one hand. Other than that, it's the Messages app we all know and appreciate. We already knew that outside of the US, Samsung and Google are besties in terms of messaging. Samsung made Messages the default messenger app on Galaxy S21 devices outside of the US. This UI update only brings the two closer together, which is a good thing. It's unclear if this same UI update will head to other Samsung devices. It seems possible, but Samsung hasn't mentioned it. Anyone seeing this on their Galaxy S21? // XDA

If Only These New Amazon Fire Tablets had Google Play

Tim — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 08:42:49 +0000

Amazon detailed a bunch of new Fire tablets this morning, and while I'm sure they're fine for those totally committed to Amazon's ecosystem, they serve little purpose to us who have given our lives and data over to Google. While these tablets run a forked version of Android, Amazon is quite clear that Google Play is not supported on these tablets, meaning you'll need to get all of your apps and content from the company's own app store. And while there are plenty of sweet apps and games over there, it's not the same. The interesting tablets in the new lineup are the Fire HD 10 and Fire HD 10 Plus. We were just talking about the idea of a Pixel 7 tablet device, and honestly, these Amazon Fire tablets are some of the closest things someone can get to that. They're very barebones in terms of being designed purely for content consumption, but most importantly, they're super cheap. Fire HD 10 starts at only $149 in the ad-supported configuration, offering a 10.1" FHD display, 32GB storage (64GB model available), microSD support, "octa-core" processor, 3GB RAM, and 12-hour battery life. For no ads, the price is $165. Then there's the Fire HD 10 Plus, coming in at $180 with ads ($195 without ads). It features a 10.1" FHD display that is brighter than the last gen's, comes with 4GB RAM, offers 32GB or 64GB of storage (with microSD support), and the same 12-hour battery life as the regular HD 10. If these puppies had access to Google Play, I'd already have one on the coffee table. These are exactly what I'm talking about when I say I want a Pixel 7 or Pixel 10-type tablet device from Google. Both are up for pre-order right now, shipping next month.

Amazon Links: Fire HD 10 | Fire HD 10 Plus

Google is Testing Lens in the Pixel Launcher and We're All for It

Kellen — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 07:57:36 +0000

Google Lens is a handy little app these days, especially as we find ourselves moving forward in a world where we would rather not touch anything. Lens lets you point your phone's camera at all sorts of stuff to learn more, like a restaurant's posted menu or a QR code that could bring one up. Because we're accessing Lens more than ever, Google is toying with the idea of making it more accessible on Pixel phones. Some users have started noticing an extra shortcut baked into their Google Search bar at the bottom of the Pixel Launcher. That shortcut is a Google Lens shortcut sitting next to the Google Assistant button. The idea, as you can imagine, is that this puts you a single screen and tap away from opening Lens and scanning stuff. At first, users were spotting it in Android 12, but others are seeing it in Android 11 as well. We are not seeing it yet on any device, so this could very well be a limited test from Google.

Of course, this tweaks the aesthetic balance of the non-removable search bar on the Pixel Launcher and could annoy some people. After all, if you really want quick access to Google Lens, you could just install the Lens shortcut and then slap it on a home screen. Quickly opening your camera and pointing it at objects can work in many situations as well. And that actually brings up another point here - Google needs to give us way more control over what happens with the Pixel Launcher. Let us turn off that damn "At a Glance" widget at the top! Let us tweak the appearance of that bottom search bar, like you can do when you add the Search widget to other screens. And maybe let us decide if we want Lens and Assistant in that spot at the bottom.

Spotify Launches New Miniplayer for Facebook App

Tim — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 14:00:00 +0000

Spotify is bringing tunes directly to Facebook, launching a miniplayer that lives directly inside of the Facebook app. This means you won't need to switch back and forth between apps to crank those tunes or discover new podcasts. As explained, "Spotify Premium users can discover and experience songs and episodes with full playback directly from Spotify inside the Facebook app on iOS and Android. Spotify Free users can enjoy the same great experience via shuffle mode with accompanying ads from Spotify." Ready to take it for a spin?

Launch the Miniplayer:

Tap the “Play” button on the song you, your friend, family member, or favorite creator shared from Spotify to their Facebook News Feed.
The first time you’re using the miniplayer, you’ll see a consent dialog open—click on “Connect” to continue.
If you’re logged in to Spotify, the apps will automatically switch and playback will start from within the Spotify app. (If you’re not logged in, you will be prompted to do so.)
Spotify keeps playing even if you keep scrolling down your News Feed, but you’ll have control over playback options so you can pause or dismiss the miniplayer.

This new feature is headed out to users in the US starting today. See it in action below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SleLoLTCCkY&ab_channel=DroidLife // Spotify

Spotify Ups Family Plan Pricing in US, Possibly More Plans Soon

Tim — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 10:24:28 +0000

Spotify confirmed this week that it's upping the price of family plans in the US starting April 30, increasing them from $14.99 to $15.99 per month. That's not too bad, considering all other plans remain unaffected... for now. According to The Verge, who received word of the changes directly from Spotify, it's the EU and UK that are soon to see a bunch of increases. The increases are said to also be headed to our shores potentially, too. Those changes are as follows: In the UK, Student pricing is increasing from £4.99 to £5.99/month and Duo pricing is increasing from £12.99 to £13.99/month. Again, for us in the US, it's only the Family plan getting the increase for now. We'll alert you when the other plans get affected, if they do. Dang it. // The Verge

Roku Users May Lose YouTube TV as Company Accuses Google of 'Unfair and Anticompetitive' Requirements

Tim — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 08:58:42 +0000

UPDATE 4/30: Roku did it, they removed YouTube TV from their channel store.

Roku woke up this Monday ready for beef, and honestly, I'm here for it. This morning, the popular streaming box company sent to customers an email straight up blasting Google, accusing it of "unfair and anticompetitive requirements," designed to manipulate user search results and to collect user data. In case any of you are living under a rock, this is Google's modus operandi, so let's say we're not exactly shooketh by these claims. This all apparently stems from Google's negotiations with Roku to keep YouTube TV on the platform, and because Roku values its users very highly, Roku customers may soon lose their access to YouTube TV if Google doesn't change their requirements. Here's the complete message headed out to Roku user inboxes.

We are sending this email to update you on the possibility that Google may take away your access to the YouTube TV channel on Roku. Recent negotiations with Google to carry YouTube TV have broken down because Roku cannot accept Google’s unfair terms as we believe they could harm our users. Ensuring a great streaming experience at an exceptional value is the core of our business. We will always stand up for our users, which is why we cannot accept Google's unfair and anticompetitive requirements to manipulate your search results, impact the usage of your data and ultimately cost you more. While we are deeply disappointed in Google’s decision to use their monopoly power to try and force terms that will directly harm streamers, we remain committed to reaching an agreement with Google that preserves your access to YouTube TV, protects your data and ensures a level playing field for companies to compete. We encourage you to contact Google and urge them to reach an agreement to continue offering YouTube TV on Roku and to follow standard industry practices pledging not to require access to sensitive search data or to manipulate your search results.

This, obviously, is unfortunate to hear. Many people make the conscious decision to use Google services, knowing their data, location history, and everything else is being collected and used against them to sell them stuff. That is Google's business and it's very profitable for them. However, Roku did just use some major fighting words, so it'll be interesting to see if Google claps back. We doubt they will, but it sure would be awesome. Sadly, when the likes of these companies fight, it's the users who suffer. We'll keep you updated on this. Cheers Jonathan!

Anker's Nebula Capsule II Now Comes in Amazing R2-D2 Skin

Tim — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 08:38:01 +0000

Star Wars marketing has infiltrated nearly all aspects of life these days, but sometimes, the products that get mixed in with that branding can be pretty sweet. Take this limited edition Nebula Capsule II from Anker for example. The Nebula Capsule II was already a pretty sweet Android-powered projector device, capable of beaming apps and media on a wall at up to 100" wide with a resolution of 720p. Now it comes in a limited edition R2-D2 skin, essentially upping the cool factor by at least 10. From what we can tell, the Android-powered model of the Capsule II already runs you $580 on Amazon. This R2-D2-themed unit isn't cheap either, costing you $699. That licensing ain't free, folks. The projector does have all of the same features, just in case you are worried about missing something. There's the 100" image projection, 720p resolution, access to Google Cast functionality, up to 4 hours of battery life when unplugged from a wall, as well as the ability to project Princess Leia’s holographic message for Obi-Wan Kenobi. That's pretty darn sweet right there. All of the projection and hardware specs are listed on Amazon if you're interested. Main highlights include 200 ANSI lumens, 30,000 hours of lamp life, 16:9 aspect ratio, four projection modes, HDMI in at 1080p, USB-A in for USB drive support, 2GB RAM, and 8GB storage. Is this the droid you're looking for? /end cheese

Amazon Link ($699)

Telegram Adds 8 New Features in Update, Including Some Just for Android

Kellen — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 08:24:02 +0000

Telegram announced a big list of new features today that you'll see both in mobile apps and on desktop and web clients. From a new Payments 2.0 experience to new additions to voice chats, a better media experience, and fancy animations on Android, there is a lot of new to take in here. The headline from Telegram is this new Payments 2.0 feature, where merchants can now accept payments (and tips) directly in chats on any Telegram app from several payment providers. The idea here is that a participating vendor could be linked within a chat, which you then click through to order pizza or buy a shirt, that sort of thing, without leaving the app. Telegram says they take no commission and store no payment information through this. Merchants can take advantage of this using the Payment API. You'll have to let me know if you find a vendor offering and how smoothly it all works.

The update introduces several new features to voice chats, a trend I refuse to participate in, but that millions of people seem to think is the absolute hotness. The new Telegram lets users schedule a voice chat that will even show a countdown to interested parties, allow for voice chat reminders, and a way to view mini profiles of folks participating in a voice chat. If you'd like to schedule a voice chat on Android, head into the channel or group of the chat, tap the menu button, then, Start Voice chat > Schedule Voice Chat.

On a media front, this new build includes pinch-to-zoom on photos from the chat, so you don't first have to tap on an image to view, then zoom. When in the chat, just pinch out or in on a preview and it'll zoom out to the full screen if you want it to. Additionally, the video player now has better controls for fast-forwarding or rewinding. All you need to do is press and hold the right or left side of the screen to move video in either direction, or you could double-tap to jump 10 seconds at a time. For Android users, Telegram built in better animations when entering or leaving chats and opening the side menu. If you checkout today's blog post from Telegram, you can see these in action (a subtle background motion has been added) and while they aren't dramatically different, we'll take the improvements. Finally, Telegram is introducing two new web clients today called "Web K" and "Web Z." Why two? I have no idea. They claim each is different in some way and both are fully featured. You'll be able to test each by hitting those links below and signing-in to your account. After looking at each, yes, the UI elements are slightly different, but I'm not noticing anything major just yet. We'll have to play around some.

Google Play Link: Telegram (direct download from Telegram) Telegram said that they've pushed this new update to Google Play, but Google told them they are “currently experiencing longer than usual review times due to adjusted work schedules" and so the update isn't live there yet. If you want it now, Telegram always offers a direct download to the latest .apk file that can be sideloaded. I'll let you decide if you want to do that. There is a link above. // Telegram

Samsung's Best All Discounted Today (S21, Buds Pro, Watch 3, and More)

Kellen — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 06:47:22 +0000

All of the top Samsung products available right now have been discounted over at Amazon for the day. Some may be for longer than others, but if you are on the hunt for any of Samsung's newest and best, it's probably on sale at the moment. The best deals include a $250 discount on the 256GB models of the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy S21+. With those price drops, you are looking at starting prices of $999 and $799, which match their 128GB models, yet you get double the storage. The Galaxy Watch 3 is $150 off once again, with starting prices of $249 (41mm) or $279 (45mm). All of Samsung's best ear buds are discounted too, like the Galaxy Buds Pro at $20 off, Buds Live at $40 off, and Buds+ (also) at $40 off. We've started a list of the deals for you below, but if there is something not there that you have had your eye on, I would search for it on Amazon. My guess is that most Samsung things are on sale today.

Shop Samsung's huge Amazon sale:

Android 12's Extra Dim Feature is One of My Favorites

Kellen — Sat, 24 Apr 2021 07:16:45 +0000

Brightness controls are one of those areas of a smartphone review that I often spend an odd amount of time talking about. It must be because I use my phone far too often in dark situations (aka lying in bed), but I can tell you which phones get dark enough and which need a bit of help. Samsung's phones, for example, have excellent brightness range at both the low and high end. OnePlus', not so much. One of Android 12's features called "Extra Dim" aims to address not-dim-enough-displays by allowing the system to further darken beyond what an OEM might have set. This feature was previously called "Reduce Bright Colors" or "Reduce Brightness," but Google has now settled into "Extra Dim" for Developer Preview 3, which I kind of like. As you'll see in the screenshots here, Extra Dim can "make your screen dimmer so it's more comfortable to read." It's there for those times where your "phone's default minimum brightness is still too bright" or when "using your phone in dark situations, like at night or in a dark room before bed." You got me, Google!

To turn it on, there is a quick settings toggle in the quick settings pulldown. To get into settings for it, you can either long-press on that quick settings shortcut or head into Settings>Accessibility>Extra Dim. When in Extra Dim settings, outside of being able to toggle it on or off, you'll find toggles for keeping the setting active when you reboot your phone and also to create another shortcut that involves the volume keys. The most important part is the intensity setting. This is where you get to take your display to the extra dark realm. I suggest dropping your phone's brightness all of the way to its lowest setting and then adjusting the intensity slider. This will help you adjust that lowest level, rather than messing with your medium brightness and then finding your lowest brightness is too dark. I hope that makes sense. This will make your phone incredibly dark, if you want it to be, just so you are aware. I woke up this morning at 4:30AM for some reason and can tell you that it was quite wonderful to use before I was able to pass back out for another hour. Extra Dim, hell yes.

Google Posted a Camera Sample From the Pixel 5a

Kellen — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 15:20:26 +0000

The Google Pixel 5a 5G is a confirmed phone that is 100% not cancelled, we know that because Google told us it was coming in a few months. Today, though, the company gave us a bit of a taste of the new phone's camera capabilities when they posted details of Pixel phones' HDR+ with bracketing capabilities. In a camera sample gallery, the EXIF data for one of the phones clearly says that the image was captured with a Pixel 5a. Why does it matter? It matters because it could have given away the camera setup for the Pixel 5a, assuming this shot was taken with the camera that will land in retail units. The EXIF data shows a 12.2MP shot at f/2.2. If you've taken a picture with the Pixel 5's wide-angle lens, then you'll know that it also shoots at 12.2MP and f/2.2. Assuming it's the same wide-angle camera as the Pixel 5 (and Pixel 4a 5G), then I'd imagine it has been coupled with Google's other 12.2MP main sensor, the one that feels like it has been in their phones for 10 years now. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just familiar and does make some sense. The Google a-series of phones isn't exactly known for breaking new ground and is instead there to fall in at a budget price with cheaper components. Here is the photo by the way (followed by the proof of the EXIF data):

If you are looking for a reason to cast doubt on Google using the same camera setup once again, then I'll point you to the fact that this photo was taken in October of last year. By the time Google launches the Pixel 5a around "when last year’s a-series phone was introduced," it will be close to a year from the moment this photo was taken by a Googler. Does the timing there suggest things could have changed on a camera front? I mean, maybe, but not likely. I would not be surprised at all to find the same camera setup again. All of that aside, if you want to learn about the HDR+ with bracketing in your Pixel 5 or Pixel 4a 5G, you should read this blog post.

Question: What Would It Take to Get You to Buy an Android Tablet?

Kellen — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 11:29:35 +0000

I couldn't tell you the last time we had any meaningful tablet discussions around here, mostly because outside of Samsung, no one makes Android tablets worth having a meaningful discussion about. But then yesterday, Tim created quite the conversation around the idea that Google should make a Pixel 7 tablet. And that brings us today, where it's time we discuss what could get you to buy an Android tablet after ignoring them for all these years. As a long-time hater of the Android tablet and someone who never really bought into the idea that they were necessary, especially with the growing size of phones, I'm happy to report that I've come around on the tablet some. You all know that I love the mini-tablet aspect of the Galaxy Z Fold 2, but I also purchased a Galaxy Tab S7+ at some point over the holiday season when there was a deal, I think. After having owned one for several months now, it's a device I still use almost daily. For the most part, I use it on my faux-Peloton (aka Schwinn IC4) for rides, but it's also become a solid couch companion. Multi-window, a feature I've never touched on a phone, is pretty great on the Tab S7+! If you toss on Good Lock and let it control how app orientation is handled, you can create some pretty powerful and helpful experiences. The display is gorgeous, of course, and performance is mostly OK. The build is nice and the included S Pen is a sweet little added bonus. It really is a good tablet, just never pay full price for one. The Tab S7 is most definitely not without issues, though, and Android still isn't great in tablet form. Samsung has done a lot of work to make it work better, but there are countless apps that don't work or try not to work on tablets. Many are stuck in portrait mode and need to be forced off, few have dedicated tablet experiences or properly adjust to bigger screens, and most of the UI elements (even on the Tab S7) feel like they are just blown up from a phone UI, which is probably exactly the situation. Typing on a tablet also might be the least fun thing on the planet. So anyways, let's get back to the question - what would get you to buy an Android tablet? Do you need someone like Google to do as Tim asks? Do you need something quality that's $200 and not made by Samsung? Do you need to hear Google commit to trying to make Android tablets great? Do you need a foldable that unfolds into a big ass tablet rather than the mini-tab that is the Z Fold? Tell me.

Verizon LG V50 Snags April Security Patch Update

Tim — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 09:19:53 +0000

LG V50 owners on Verizon, an update is headed to you this week, labeled as software build version V450VM20j. Inside, you'll find the latest Android security patch update, that being April's, with that looking like about it. Recently, LG discussed Android updates, which all owners should be thinking about as the company has decided to exit the smartphone market. Just because they're leaving, doesn't mean they can stop supporting their devices. According to LG, V50 is on the list to receive the upcoming Android 12 upgrade at some point, which is a good thing. Any guesses on when it will come? My bet is March-April, 2022, if at all. Go snag that new update, V50 owners. // Verizon

Verizon Offering BOGO Deal for Mother's Day With Notable Limitation

Tim — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 15:29:41 +0000

Mother's Day is coming up, which means tech deals on tech deals for some odd reason. For a limited time, Verizon is hosting a good ol' fashioned BOGO (buy one, get one) deal, so long as you're okay with signing mom up for a select data plan through Big Red and assuming she doesn't have expensive taste. There is a bit of small print to be aware of, though, with Verizon only offering a free phone if its value is below $1000. More plainly, the bill credits Verizon is offering for the 2nd device purchase is limited to $1,000, meaning you'll be left paying the difference should you get mom a phone that costs more than $1000. For example, if you buy her a Galaxy S21 Ultra carrying a retail price of $1200, Verizon will cover the first $1000 and then you'll need to pick up the remaining $200. Same goes for all other devices. Remember you'll also need an eligible Unlimited plan purchase. Should you jump through all of the hoops successfully, mom will be enjoying that sweet new phone. This promotion is now live on Verizon website and in-store.

Get Mom a New Verizon Phone

// Verizon

We Need a Pixel 7 Tablet

Tim — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 12:34:10 +0000

The Android tablet space is in a bad spot. Besides a few Galaxy-branded tablets from Samsung, it's essentially non existent. It's been this way for years, and in my opinion, the last time we had an exciting Android tablet was nearly a decade ago with the Nexus 7 from ASUS and Google. No offense to the Nexus 9 made by HTC, but it wasn't great. There was something really special about that little 7-inch Nexus tablet from 2013, a device I wish would get rebooted into a new Pixel 7 tablet. The timing seems great, considering changes that were just spotted in Developer Preview 3 for Android 12. As we saw, Google is reworking certain portions of the UI to better fit tablet devices, so in my view, we need new and exciting Android tablet devices to take advantage of this momentum. Back when people flew on airplanes, the Nexus 7 was absolutely the perfect size for watching movies and playing games, with larger devices a bit too bulky for that setting at times. The Nexus 7 could easily slip in and out of a bag, making it the ideal travel companion. If Google could recreate that experience, but with updated specs and hardware, I know I'd snag one. Even though I may not be traveling anymore, I wouldn't mind having a tablet live on my coffee table. The only real issue I could foresee with Google attempting to sell tablets is the lack of apps built specifically for them on Android. Even when tablets were all the rage and every OEM was making them, they never really received a lot of great content. For example, there seems to be a lot of enhanced experiences for iPads, where as Android tablets never received special treatment. They were merely a larger screen. These days, I'm not sure we need tablet-catered apps and games. We just need to ensure the existing things we have look good on bigger screens. Totally doable, I'd imagine. Make it happen, Google.

Google Fi Intros New 'Simply Unlimited' Data Plans, as Low as $30/Month for 3+ Lines

Tim — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 11:12:21 +0000

Google Fi introduced a new Simply Unlimited data plan this week, celebrating the service's sixth birthday. Happy birthday, Google Fi! This new plan is all about having unlimited data, with just the basics and no extra nonsense. Pricing for Simply Unlimited starts at $60/month for one line, but then gets less expensive for each line you add. For 2 lines, the price is $45/month, then just $30/month for 3+ lines. As for fine print, these are unlimited data lines, but your data will slow should you go over 22GB of data in a month. Other than that, the plans come with unlimited calls and texts, calls to Canada and Mexico, plus other Google Fi features.

If this interests you, follow the link below and get yourself signed up.

Google Fi Sign-Up

// Google Fi

Developer Details Android 12 DP3's Sweet, Dark Secrets

Tim — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 09:28:32 +0000

On the surface, for non developer people such as ourselves, there are not many front-facing changes inside of Developer Preview 3 for Android 12. However, for those who can code, they can unlock the secrets and detail all of the sweet stuff that Google is working on behind the scenes. Obviously, that's the interesting stuff we want to talk about, so let's check it out. Thanks to @kdrag0n on Twitter, who went through what appears to be many lines of code and things I don't understand, we can get a sense of what Android 12 is going to offer users. And honestly, there's some sweet stuff in here.

An Actual FPS Counter

The game dashboard now displays an actual FPS count, instead of showing the display's refresh rate. As you can see in the screenshot below, on the right side, there's a number value for frames per second, right under the record button. For all you gamer peeps, this is great.

Quick Settings Redesign

The quick settings (QS) menu is getting a big time redesign, with tiles becoming large rounded rectangles. You'll also note they cover most of the screen. Hate it or love it, one awesome addition is a new dedicated power menu button.

Wallpaper-based Theme Engine

We already knew this was coming, but it's still nice to see what it can look like once fully implemented. If you weren't aware, Android 12 should allow for users to have their device's theme based on the wallpaper they are using. For example, setting a darker wallpaper will set a darker system theme. This will certainly be a nice touch.

One-Handed Lock Screen for Tablets

Notification Shade Tablet Layout Change

Fancy Charging Ripple Animation

[video width="308" height="650" mp4="https://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/yGnFscTQjC2sCYLi.mp4"][/video]

This is still only Developer Preview 3, so we're sure to see even more things get enabled and baked into Android 12 in the future. However, it's also possible some of this doesn't make it into the public build. That's the nature of the Developer Previews. What do you think? // @kdrag0n

Montblanc Brings the Summit Lite to the US

Kellen — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 06:00:45 +0000

After launching in select markets at the beginning of the year, Montblanc is now bringing its Summit Lite smartwatch to the US. Filled with old specs and a hefty price tag, this is going to be a tough sell. The Montblanc Summit Lite is built on the Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform, just like the original Summit 2 that we reviewed more than 2.5 years ago. That's noteworthy because Montblanc stood out as the first company to launch a Wear 3100 watch, yet here they are all this time later still pushing a chip that was dated when it debuted. We saw this watch hit the FCC back in October, by the way. That sad bit of background aside, the Summit Lite features a 43mm case, 1.19" round AMOLED display, 400mAh battery, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, 5ATM water resistance, GPS, heartrate monitor, NFC, rotating crown with programmable pushers, and 22mm bands. It has a lot going for it, we just needed the Snapdragon Wear 4100 inside. Montblanc is shipping the watch in either matte black or matte silver recycled aluminum and stainless steel cases. They are pairing the case with rubber or fabric bands in a number of colors to give potential customers several setups to choose from. In software, Montblanc wants you to think about this watch as a health companion. They've included a Cardio Coach that measures your VO2 Max score, a Body Energy app to let you know how much you've got in the tank each day, sleep tracking app, and a stress level tracker. If this sounds like the watch for you, it'll cost you $860 in the US.

Shop Montblanc Summit Lite

Sign-Up for Samsung Unpacked, Save $30 When You Pre-Order 'Most Powerful' Galaxy

Tim — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 15:54:22 +0000

Samsung is looking to boost engagement around its upcoming Unpacked announcement, one we believe is set to focus on Galaxy-branded laptops. To do this, it's offering anyone who signs up for updates concerning the April 28 event $30 off when you pre-order the company's "most powerful Galaxy," the device that's expected to be announced. We can't tell you how good $30 off a mystery product is, and really, this only matters if you fancy yourself buying a new laptop, presumably powered by Windows. The latest intel suggests we can expect the Galaxy Book Pro and Galaxy Book Pro 360, a 2-in-1 design capable of folding and supporting a stylus. If you're into Samsung and into Windows laptops, they'll be worth a look. Should you want that $30 off, follow the link below.

Samsung Unpacked Update Sign-Up

Pixel 5a 5G Likely Running Same Processor as Pixel 5

Kellen — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 14:11:52 +0000

When the Pixel 5a 5G arrives later this year, we really will be wondering how it differs when compared to the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 from last year. The story here of the Pixel 5a 5G so far is that it supposedly looks very similar and now we believe it runs the exact same processor. In the latest Android 12 Developer Preview 3 build, the Pixel 5a 5G was spotted with code that references "barbet" and "sm7250." We know that barbet is the long-rumored codename of the Pixel 5a 5G and that the SM7250 is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765G, which again, is in both the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5. So if the Pixel 5a 5G looks like this and has last year's processor, what's the deal with it? My guess is that it will indeed be very close to the Pixel 5, because these components are a year older and cheaper. And if that's the case, then let's hope they upgrade the display to 90Hz otherwise it would just be another 4a 5G. It may end up being plastic as hell again, but that's fine as long as that price remains in line with other a-series phones. Of course, this isn't that surprising because the story of 2021 is the Pixel 6's supposed Google-made processor. The Pixel 6 is the phone we'll follow as closely as we can and look forward to as the Pixel 5a 5G simply comes along for the ride to enjoy the show.

You Can Now Upload, View 4K Images on Twitter for Android

Tim — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 12:45:03 +0000

Twitter just flipped the switch on Android and iOS devices, allowing users to upload and view images with a resolution of up to 4K. No more complaining about crappy image quality on Twitter, okay? To enable this on your device, head into the app's Data Usage settings menu and select when you want the app to allow for 4K upload and viewing. You can choose Never, WiFi Only, or WiFi & Mobile Data. Totally up to you, but do note, 4K images come with larger file sizes. Watch out for that data plan of yours. Sony device owners with 4K display, today is your day. It's time to rub it in our faces. https://twitter.com/TwitterSupport/status/1384945690304995330

What’s New in Android 12 DP3: The Fun Stuff?

Kellen — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 12:05:00 +0000

The Android 12 Developer Preview 3 is up and running on our in-house Pixel 5 and we've spent a little bit of time poking around now. Is there a lot to show you from it? Nah, most of the changes are the developer-related things we talked about earlier. But we've still found a couple of things! And we'll update this post should we find more.

Volume slider is puffier, might have been from DP2.2. And look at this new separated menu. Cool.

Settings area looks bigger, font-ier and more polished. It's definitely not that Silky Home settings area we found back in the first preview, at least not yet. It may be pulling pieces from it.

Look at this bounce.

The new widget picker's search is handy.

Fonts in the screenshot tool.

MORE COMING. Maybe.

Turn Your Aging Galaxy Devices Into Smart Home Sensors

Tim — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 11:05:13 +0000

Samsung announced this week a new Galaxy Upcycling service for older Galaxy devices, starting with Galaxy S, Galaxy Note, and Galaxy Z series devices dating back to 2018. When enrolled, your old phone turns into a light and sound sensing smart home device, perfect for automatically turning on smart lights and detecting certain sounds for you to be notified about. The way it works is incredibly simple. Should you own a supported device, open up the SmartThings app on your Galaxy phone and then head into SmartThings Labs. From here, you'll enroll your device and then the service essentially repurposes the device's sensors into ones designed for detecting light and sound. Here's a breakdown.

Using an improved AI solution, Galaxy devices can more accurately distinguish sounds in everyday surroundings, and users can choose to save certain sound recordings. For example, if the device detects sounds such as a baby crying, dog barking, cat meowing, or a knock, it will send an alert directly to the user’s smartphone and the user can listen to the recorded sound. Devices can also be used as a light sensor to measure the brightness level of the room. Users can easily set the device to automatically turn on the lights or the TV through SmartThings if the room becomes darker than the preset standard of light.

Due to the continuous draw of power necessary, Samsung details that it has these features with "battery optimization solutions" to help minimize battery usage. However, you'll likely want to keep your new smart home sensor near an outlet, just in case. Samsung also says that the phones will be able to interact with other IoT devices in the SmartThings ecosystem, making your old Galaxy phones a true part of your smart home network. As for which devices are currently supported, Samsung says it's all Galaxy S, Note, and Z phones released from 2018 and up running Android 9+. More devices are said to have support in the future. // Samsung

Android 12 Developer Preview 3 is Now Available!

Kellen — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 10:00:01 +0000

Another build closer to Android 12 beta.

Google dropped the Android 12 Developer Preview 3 on us this morning to help developers further test the newest version of Android before it goes to beta. This is likely the last big preview build before beta too, so testing is going to be important at this stage. In this new Developer Preview 3, Google still isn't ready to talk about any new features that you'll get to play with and is instead still talking about the technical moves developers need to make to their apps. The big highlights here (so far) are customized haptic feedback in apps, "frictionless linking" to apps, and a new app launch animation. Here is the new build info:

Release date: April 21, 2021 Build: SPP3.210325.010 Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A) Security patch level: April 2021 Google Play services: 21.12.12

What's new in Android 12 Developer Preview 3

Improved app launch experience: Google is making the "app startup a more consistent and delightful experience" and has "added a new app launch animation for all apps from the point of launch, a splash screen showing the app icon, and a transition to the app itself." Developers can customize colors, light or dark themes, and exit animations too.
Improved web linking: Google is changing the action that occurs when someone clicks on a link in Android 12. Now, if the links aren't verified through Android App Links, they'll open directly in the phone's default browser instead of the pop-up chooser. Because of that change, Google is making it easier to get links approved for faster opening going forward.
Rich haptic experiences: The buzzes your phone makes are going to be a lot more fun in Android 12 with "informative haptic feedback for UI events, immersive and delightful effects for gaming, and attentional haptics for productivity." Think about gaming controllers and the feedback you get - your phone could do that while running Android 12. For DP3, Google is further expanding the tools to allow for these experiences.
More-flexible backup configurations: Google is improving backup service in Android 12 to give developers "more flexibility and control," with an "updated the XML configuration format so you can now set different rules for cloud backups and device-to-device transfers."
There are additional changes for the Camera2 vendor extensions, video encoding improvements, faster machine learning, quad bayer camera sensor support, and better debugging. Hit that source link below to dive into each change.

We'll definitely install this new build and look for forward-facing features you might enjoy. Stay tuned for more on that front in a separate post. This Preview 3 build is available on the Google Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 3a and 3a XL, and Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. The Android Beta program is not yet available for Android 12, so to get into it, you may need to flash some files. However, if you are already running an Android 12 build, Google will be pushing this DP3 to your phone shortly as an over-the-air update. For instructions on how to install Android Developer Preview 3, head over to this post. // Android Developers Blog

Tough to Beat OnePlus 8 Pro, Free Wireless Earbuds at $599 ($400 Off)

Tim — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 08:43:18 +0000

OnePlus is hosting another huge sale on the OnePlus 8 Pro, bringing it down to only $599 for a limited time with the help of a coupon code. We saw a similar deal last month and we said the same thing then: At $599, this is a really attractive offer and if you're in the market you should absolutely consider it. The model you get for $599 is the 12GB RAM-256GB storage version, in Ultramarine Blue. Both other color options in the 12GB RAM configuration aren't currently in stock and presumably shan't return. As an additional bonus, OnePlus is throwing in a free pair of OnePlus Buds Z wireless earbuds, a $50 value with purchase.

READ: OnePlus 8 Pro review

To get the deal, you’ll hit that link below and add the OnePlus 8 Pro to cart. Then during checkout, look for the voucher/gift code section and click on that. When the voucher pop-up shows, you’ll want to add a new voucher by using code “SPRING8PRO100” and then clicking “confirm.” If done correctly, the price will show with a $400 item discount. Get yourself a phone, friend.

Buy OnePlus 8 Pro

Verizon Galaxy Note 20 Gets Those Same Sweet New Camera Features

Kellen — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 06:54:27 +0000

Verizon and Samsung continue updating their high-end range of Galaxy phones today with the Galaxy Note 20 line as the beneficiary this round. The update for the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and Galaxy Note 20 is the same we have seen for others in recent days, with camera improvements and the April security patch. In this update, which arrives as builds RP1A.200720.012.N981USQU2DUCA (Note 20) and RP1A.200720.012.N986USQU2DUCA (Note 20 Ultra), you'll get access to the Pro camera mode when using the ultra-wide angle lens, mono/backdrop/high-key/low-key effects in portrait shots, and auto night mode in portrait/photo/hyperlapse shots. And again, the April Android security patch is here as well. To check for the update, which already showed up on the Galaxy S20 and Z Fold 2, head into Settings>System updates>Check for system updates. // Verizon

Verizon Galaxy S20 Line Update Includes April Patch, New Camera Features (Update: AT&T, Too)

Tim — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 06:33:27 +0000

An update is rolling out to the Galaxy S20 line on Verizon. Inside, owners will find the latest April security patch, as well as new stuff for your camera app. You gotta love Mondays, yeah? While the April patch is welcomed and appreciated, it's that camera update we're a bit more interested in. According to the changelog, once the update is applied, owners will have the Ultra Wide lens available when in Pro and Pro Video modes. In addition, you can now add High-Key Mono, Low-Key Mono, and Backdrop effects to your Portrait shots. And finally, Auto Night Mode has been added when using the Photo, Portrait, and Hyperlapse modes for when the camera detects low light conditions. Of course, that can be toggled on and off if you find it annoying. Following the update, S20 owners will have software version number G981USQU1DUCA, S20+ will have G986USQU1DUCA, and S20 Ultra will have G988USQU1DUCA.

UPDATE 4/21: Verizon posted new build numbers this week with the same list of changes. It's hard to know what's going on, but if you check for the update now, it should look as follows - Galaxy S20 (G981VSQU1DUD3), Galaxy S20+ (G986USQU1DUD3), Galaxy S20 Ultra (G988USQU1DUD3).

Go get it.

UPDATE: AT&T is now pushing out the same update to the Galaxy S20 family on its network. It's the same security patch, camera features, and build numbers.

// Verizon [2] [3] | AT&T

Verizon Galaxy Z Fold 2 Gets April Security Patch, Camera Features Update

Tim — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 12:58:11 +0000

Galaxy Z Fold 2 owners on Verizon are getting the latest April security patch, labeled as software version number F916USQU1DUCE. On top of that sweet security patch goodness, the device is also receiving the rear camera features update, the same thing that's been rolling out to other high-end Galaxy devices. Once the update is installed, owners will have the Ultra Wide lens available when in Pro and Pro Video modes. In addition, you can now add High-Key Mono, Low-Key Mono, and Backdrop effects to your Portrait shots. And lastly, Auto Night Mode has been added when using the Photo, Portrait, and Hyperlapse modes for when the camera detects low light conditions. If this makes you happy, go download it on your fancy foldable! // Verizon

AUKEY's Latest Deals Include $20 Wireless Earbuds, USB-C Power Banks

Tim — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 11:23:01 +0000

AUKEY is hosting a new round of deals this week, highlighted by wireless earbuds, power banks, wireless chargers, hubs, and so much more. Many of the deals require coupon codes to score the savings, but thankfully for you, we have those. Let's take a look, shall we? Deals available include a dual car charger with Power Delivery priced at $8, a water resistant gaming keyboard for $21, wireless earbuds for $28, a different pair of earbuds for $20, 24W charger for $10, as well as a pretty sweet magnetic car charging phone mount for $10. AUKEY always has some sweet little toys in here, so have a look over the below list. Go get yourself something fun.

Verizon Expands Its Fastest 5G to New Cities

Tim — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 10:15:44 +0000

Verizon announced today that it is expanding its 5G reach, spreading further across this country into metropolitan areas via cell towers for mobile devices and suburban households via 5G Home. More precisely, you'll now find 5G UWB mobile data in New Orleans, Fresno, Riverside, and San Antonio. That brings the total number of 5G UWB markets to 71. If you're interested in 5G Home, you can find that in Riverside, CA starting April 22, as well as Memphis and San Antonio starting May 6. With those additions, 5G Home is now available in a total of 33 cities. On top of that, Verizon is now offering a free Samsung Chromebook 4 to new 5G Home customers. So long as you install and maintain qualifying 5G Home Internet services in good standing for 45 days, you'll be emailed a redemption code for a free Chrome OS machine. But that's not all -- Beginning April 29, Verizon will offer up to $500 to cover early termination fees for customers who leave their current internet provider and switch to 5G Home. This one is a bit crueler and technically carries no cash value. In the fine print, Verizon states that documentation of the ETF (early termination fee) for services from your prior provider must be provided within 90 days after 5G Home installation and the offer will be fulfilled via bill credits. Verizon then details that, "If we or you cancel your 5G Home Internet service within 90 days after installation, the ETF credit will be charged back to your final bill." The 5G Future. We might finally get there some day. // Verizon

OnePlus 9 Lineup Update Includes Charging Stability, Camera Improvements

Tim — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 08:37:44 +0000

OnePlus is shipping an update out to OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro owners, labeled as OxygenOS 11.2.4.4. Inside, there are many goodies to be had, including the latest Android security patch update. Shall we see what else is inside? Beyond the security patch, OnePlus lists improvements for camera stability, sensitivity of the keyboard in the edge area, as well as overall system stability. For the rear cameras, OnePlus says users can expect to see improved image purity and ambience performance, plus improved white balance consistency. Overall, it's a lot of improvements and bumps in overall phone goodness. This OTA is headed out now. In fact, I checked my OnePlus 9 and the update was indeed waiting for me. Go snag it! // OnePlus

TicWatch Pro 3 Finally Gets Its Huge H-MR2 Wear OS Update

Kellen — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 07:44:05 +0000

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 may be the best Wear OS watch on the planet, mostly because it's the only watch running the Snapdragon Wear 4100, but that doesn't excuse the company from being slower than we'd like at providing updates. The big Wear OS H-MR2 update that Google first told us about in August of last year, the update that is supposed to bring true support to that 4100 chip, still isn't on the Pro 3. That seems not great, right? Mobvoi says it has been in testing for months after first telling us in October that it would arrive "very soon." It's now the end of April and it appears we are finally getting the update. A user over at reddit shared what is apparently a Facebook group message from Mobvoi that details the update and its rollout. The first batch of users should have started getting the update yesterday with rollout reaching 100% by April 24. In the update (PMRB.210407.001), new features include an option to disable the long-press of the power button to activate Google Assistant (lol), new screen brightness layout, new weather tile, and a new theater mode. There are also improvements for media volume and ringtone volume, app launcher sorting, UI smoothness, and performance of the Snapdragon Wear 4100 (!). To check for this important update, head into your watch's settings, then System>About>System updates.

Shop TicWatch Pro 3 deals at Amazon

Report: Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 2 Will Have IP Ratings

Tim — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 14:55:12 +0000

Kellen already declared the Pixel 6 the Android storyline of the year, but move over, Google. There's another big story happening. According to SamMobile, the next foldable devices from Samsung, presumably called the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 2, will have IP ratings. This is a pretty big deal, folks. As you may know, an IP (ingress protection) rating is provided to devices that can withstand an amount of dust and/or water. For example, Samsung's latest phones have IP68 ratings, providing plenty of water protection. Unfortunately, with hinges and all of that, no Samsung foldable has launched with an IP rating before and it's always one of those things you need to worry about when carrying around your $2,000 device. Those worries could be a thing of the past with this change. It's unclear what kind of rating we can see from Samsung, but something is better than nothing. Even IP65, which is essentially splash protection, could go a long way at making buyers more comfortable living with their devices. Our only hope is the an IP rating won't lead to a price increase, which certainly wouldn't help get these types of devices adopted by more people. Would an IP rating sway you into foldable territory? // SamMobile

Intelli PowerHub is My Favorite Charging Station, On Sale for $49

Tim — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 12:25:30 +0000

I recently received a PowerHub from Intelli for review, which is a charging station for one's desk. Given many of us are still working from home and attempting to improve our setups, this looked like a neat multi purpose product I should check out. I'm always looking to maximize my power outlets, so the PowerHub looked right up my alley. My hunch was totally correct, as this little thing kicks butt. PowerHub can provide power for up to 6 devices at once via 2 AC outlets, a 10W Qi wireless charging pad, 2 USB-A ports, plus an 18W USB-C port. Considering you only use one outlet to power this station, that's a ton of functionality and completely ideal for my work setup. I plug it into my desk's grommet outlet, wirelessly charge my phone, power one of my desktop monitors, and still have more power to spare. At only $49 (currently on sale, usually it's $69), that's great.

PowerHub Outlets/Ports

18W USB-C with Power Delivery
2x USB-A Ports
10W Qi Wireless Charger
2x A/C Outlets

If you think PowerHub can upgrade your work space, follow the link below and take advantage of that $20 off sale.

Intelli Store Link ($49)

Pixel 5's Best Feature is Still Battery Life

Kellen — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 11:13:18 +0000

The Google Pixel 5 is never going to win any awards and likely isn't the best option for the majority of people looking for a new smartphone. There are phones with bigger and better displays, more advanced camera systems, more software features, and designs with more unique or dazzling personalities. Hell, there are phones that will see updates for longer, which is weird to think. But there is one area that I can't find a phone better in: battery life. After expressing my joy in continuing to use this phone on several occasions now, I'm back to tell you that the battery life on my Pixel 5 is still nothing short of remarkable. It is the most important, if not best feature of Google's highest-end phone from 2020. You see, the Google Pixel 5 gets by with a solid camera that we all know we can trust. It works with its minimal software experience that doesn't try to do too much. It doesn't even feel bad in the hand, because of this weirdly satisfying-to-touch textured back that surrounds this supposedly metal phone. The size is perfect. There is a lot to like even if, as I said above, this isn't close to being the best Android phone available. But all of that aside, I will never not love the fact that as each day passes, I never worry about whether or not this phone will last a day. Actually, that's a bit of a lie and the reason for this post is because yesterday was the first day I had to watch the battery percentage in that top right corner. For whatever reason, my Pixel 5 was put through an excessive amount of use on Sunday. The display stayed on for over an hour straight while I worked out. My kid used it for a long period of time at the taphouse we visited. I did my normal Twitter/Instagram/Google News browsing throughout the morning. There might have been other stuff. All I know is I hit 5% around 9PM and was like, "Whoa, this is a feeling I haven't had in a while and I don't like it." I can say that after all these months because I don't often look at my battery percentage anymore. I've really trained my brain to not have to think about battery life on the Pixel 5. It's a wonderful place to be, but it brings a bit of a shock each time I review a new phone like the Galaxy S21 or OnePlus 9 Pro, both of which were pretty bad in this category. I know that we don't often buy phones solely because of their rated or tested battery life results, but when you own a phone that lasts this long, it creates a base that can be built upon. You get to use your phone more without hesitation on the fun stuff. You can play more games and watch more videos or take more pictures or Tweet extra bad takes without wondering if your phone will make it until you get home or go to bed.

Samsung Reportedly Tweaks Battery Sizes in Good, Bad Ways for Galaxy Watch 4

Kellen — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 10:12:10 +0000

Every time a new rumor pops up that involves the Galaxy Watch 4 from Samsung, I'm glued to my monitor. It's not that Samsung watches are the most interesting of products released each year, but there are serious suggestions from those in the know that Samsung will switch off of Tizen and back to Wear OS. And because Wear OS has been so awful for so long with fewer and fewer players making Wear OS watches, this could be huge for the platform. Not only would it signal an acceptance of Wear OS from the biggest Android maker in the game, it could be a sign that Google finally has plans to make Wear OS something better. Our hope is that there are big improvements in many areas, but one in particular would be battery life. Wear OS watches do not last long unless you put a huge battery in them, like Mobvoi did with the TicWatch Pro 3. If the latest rumor about Samsung's Galaxy Watch 4 line-up is to be believed, we have reasons to be a little worried. Korean outlet The Elec is suggesting today that the Galaxy Watch 4 will come in both 41mm and 45mm sizes, just like the Galaxy Watch 3. For those watches, we'll see a dip in battery size from the Watch 3 to the Watch 4 on the 41mm model (247mAh to 240mAh). On the bigger 45mm Watch 4, we could get an increase from 340mAh to 350mAh. That's a mixed bag of changes and I can't say I like either. Since we don't know the chipset for Samsung's new watches, and we know the Galaxy Watch 3 suffered from poor battery life in our testing, this news doesn't leave me feeling super optimistic about Samsung's return to Wear OS. I would have loved to see big increases in battery size rather than such minimal changes. Smartwatches aren't that fun when you have to worry about battery life and charge them every single day. Here's to hoping for big Wear OS surprises in the coming months. // The Elec

Google Photos Could Soon Help You Find Pictures of Documents

Kellen — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 09:15:52 +0000

There are countless ways to scan documents with your phone's camera, but unless you know those options, the easiest way is always going to be to just take a picture of them. Whether it's a receipt or tax doc or your insurance card, firing up your camera and storing away a picture is as simple as it gets. But how do you find them later? Google Photos looks like it has a plan to help. Spotted in the "Search" tab of Google Photos, at least one user is now seeing a "Documents" section that shows all of the pictures they have taken of, well, documents. Tapping on that section further breaks down the types of documents, from recipes to signs or posters, menus, and receipts. So not only is Google Photos recognizing your pictures as being a document, it's taking the next step in awesomeness by organizing into categories. Google hasn't announced this feature and we aren't seeing it here. I'd assume this is a staged rollout with a server-side switch involved, aka the double-whammy of Google's awful software distribution plans that have sucked all of the life and fun out of Android. Google Play Link: Google Photos

// Android Police

Samsung Foldable Owners Treated to $75 Michelin Star Dessert

Tim — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 08:57:26 +0000

If you own a Samsung foldable device, such as the Galaxy Z Fold 2 or Galaxy Z Flip, you may be aware that there's something called Galaxy Z Premier. This is a members only type of thing for Galaxy Z owners, allowing them to think they're real special for having a phone that goes bendy. Joking aside, Samsung uses this to boost the value of these devices, which isn't a bad thing. People spend a lot of money for these phones, so they deserve a few extra perks. Samsung announced two new benefits for Z Premier this week: an extra 6 months of FoundersCard membership (up to 12 from the original 6), as well as a free dessert box from a two-star Michelin restaurant in NYC. Say, whaaaaaaat? In terms of value, a full 12 months of FoundersClub, which gets people discounts on stuff from shopping to travel, is listed at $595. Not bad. And that Michelin Starred dessert? That's a $75 value, shipped right to you from DANIEL in New York City. If you were aware of these benefits and own a foldable phone from Samsung, check out the dedicated website. There's a lot of stuff you're likely missing out on. To claim these goodies, from your Samsung foldable, ensure you have the Samsung Members app downloaded and then claim the benefits right from inside.

Samsung's Z Premier Link

OnePlus Sends Out Android 11 Hotfix Update to OnePlus 7 and 7T

Kellen — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 07:08:33 +0000

After finally releasing Android 11 on the OnePlus 7, 7 Pro, and 7T months late, OnePlus is now pushing a "hotfix" build that replaces the previous, bug-filled version. The update began rolling out over the weekend and will likely take several days to finish up. Labeled OxygenOS 11.0.2, this new Android 11 update takes care of "unforeseen bugs" found in that original update while also including a newer Android security patch (from March). The changelog for it remains the same and is extensive. OnePlus lists out the new UI skin, new camera UI, all the new ambient display settings, the improved dark mode, and the Shelf changes. It doesn't talk about always-on display (AOD), because for whatever reason, OnePlus can't figure out how to make that work on many phones, even though the rest of the industry was able to years ago. To grab the update, head into your phone's settings menu. // OnePlus [2]

Hey OnePlus 8, I'd Buy You in Green for $420

Kellen — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 07:37:08 +0000

The OnePlus 8, last year's secondary high-end phone from OnePlus, is discounted again today, only this time at Woot. Instead of the $400 you might have paid earlier in the week, you'll now pay $419.99 if you are still interested. The sale this time is on the OnePlus 8 unlocked model with 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, and in the "Glacial Green" colorway. The deal from a few days ago was on the Verizon model, though it was supposedly unlocked. While $20 more than that deal, this is still a killer price for a phone that will work on all carriers. Remember, you get the Snapdragon 865, triple rear camera, 90Hz flat display, 4300mAh battery with super fast wired charging, in-display fingerprint reader, and stereo speakers. The OnePlus 8 was also one of the first phones on the planet to run Android 11, outside of Google's Pixel line. Check out our review of the OnePlus 8 if you haven't.

Shop OnePlus 8 deals at Woot

Verizon Galaxy S10 Lineup Receives April Security Patch, New Camera Features (Update: Moto Phones, Too)

Tim — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 13:30:33 +0000

Verizon announced this week that the Galaxy S10 lineup is receiving the April security patch, as well as a few of the same camera features that rolled out to the Galaxy S20 devices recently. Those camera goodies include ultra wide lens support in Pro and Pro Video camera modes, as well as an Auto Night Mode. Once updated, Galaxy S10 owners will see software version number G973USQU5GUCH, Galaxy S10+ will have G975USQU5GUCH, and the Galaxy S10e will have G970USQU5GUCH. Enjoy, Galaxy S10 family member owners. Update: Motorola Edge+ is also getting the April patch. Software version is labeled as RPBS31.Q1-19-19-11-2-1-4. Same goes for the Motorola Razr, with its version number labeled as QDVS30.106-27-7-10. // Verizon [2] [3]

Droid Life Q&A Sessions: Volume 59 Answers

Tim — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 11:30:41 +0000

As always, we received a ton of great questions for Volume 59 of the DL Q&A Sessions, your chance to ask us whatever may be on your mind. We were asked about the iPhone 13 (future POTY), whether or not we're still enthused with Android, and also about our dinner plans for this evening. Maybe you'd like to join us one evening in the far out future? Hit us up on Twitter and maybe we can make it happen. We were also asked about Ron Offringa, and because Ron is so awesome, he provided us with a lengthy check-in that we think you'll appreciate. Reminder: K is Kellen, T is Tim, and R is Ron.

Is your enthusiasm for Android as strong as ever? Do you wish you could write about something else?

K: It's probably not as strong because companies haven't given us much lately to be enthusiastic about. And maybe that's because everything got too good too quickly that it's now tough to innovate and get people excited. I still enjoy the Android beat when we have new stuff to play with, because I do very much love to dive into tech. I say this often, but Google killed a lot of the fun here by deciding to slow rollout everything instead of giving everyone new updates and apps at once. But yeah, the enthusiasm is hard to find more now than ever. We desperately need something truly big and new from Google because they do drive this bus still. T: Absolutely, nothing has changed with regard to my passion for Android. However, I have found myself curious about other phones, primarily iPhones. And it's not so much that I'm bored with Android, but the iPhone 13 is reported to have some features that I definitely want to see in action (120Hz, always-on display, etc.) As for writing about other subjects, I don't think I'm necessarily qualified to write about anything else. I'll stick to Android, thanks.

What does your work day look like? How has it changed in the recent 12-14 months?

K: Tim and I were prepared for COVID before COVID was a thing. Our work lives for a decade now have taken place at our homes, in home offices, without a bunch of people around or cubicles or meeting rooms. The big change for us has been not traveling to live press events or trade shows. And to be honest, thank f*cking god. Live press events are awful and I wish they'd never return hah. T: My typical work day these days looks the same as it did 10 years ago. I wake up, make coffee, and start writing posts about the latest Android happenings. COVID hasn't changed anything for us, besides the fact that there's been zero travel. I think I can speak for both of us when saying that's been just fine.

Reverse POTY for 2020? (Worst Phone of the Year)

K: Probably OnePlus Nord. As much as I liked it and think it was a good phone, it's the worst because of what happened after it arrived. The fact that it was filled with so many bugs that it needed like 5 updates within the first couple of months to stabilize it was bad enough. The launch of the Nord also led to the end of Carl Pei's run with the company, they stupidly limited its release to only a couple of countries, and then followed up by deciding to make a bunch of other actually sh*tty Nord phones that they sold in the US. So the Nord wasn't the worst phone necessarily, but it kicked off a terrible OnePlus stretch that brought us to the terrible launch of the OnePlus Watch and a couple of lukewarm OnePlus 9 phones. T: We don't review bad phones, so it's hard for me to say which phone was the worst, because I have no personal experience with whatever it may have been. If I was having fun with the question, I'd just say that the RED Hydrogen One stays winning with that award. It was a bad phone. Looking over the reviews I did in 2020, though, I'd say my least favorite of those devices was the Galaxy Z Flip. I'm not saying it was a bad phone, it was simply my least favorite.

Who do you think will be next to leave the Android smartphone space?

K: I think we're pretty locked in with the companies we have. OnePlus has an opportunity now with LG gone, Sony has never given up for some reason, and Google needs to make phones. Samsung is definitely not going anywhere. I'm not sure anyone else makes phones in the US, heh. T: For the US market, I could see Sony giving up and not bothering. They seem to sell phones just fine outside the US, so since they can't seem to line up carrier partners very well and the software updates are super slow, I could definitely see them leaving our shores. Do I want that? Hell no! I love me some Sony phones, but they do have obvious shortcomings in terms of being a US unlocked option.

What are your thoughts on MVNO offerings and what are the best out there?

K: I used to follow that industry, but there are so many that it's impossible to keep up. I see the companies that constantly pay for sponsored spots on other sites and they can suck it unless they want to give me all the money too. T: I don't use them personally, as there's like a billion options and I can't keep them all straight, but they seem good for anyone looking for that good-good deal. What's nice about them is the ability to utilize different networks on the same plan for the best wireless coverage, like a mixture of Verizon and T-Mobile, for example. That seems like a great idea, and honestly, if an MVNO started offering a free year of MLB TV like T-Mobile does, I'd maybe consider it. For now, I gotta stick with my beloved T-Mo plan.

Who do you think will step up after LG's exit?

K: This really is OnePlus' opportunity, but they have made some really questionable decisions lately. I hope they realize that people are quickly souring on their brand and that they'll fix it. Otherwise, a world with only Samsung at the top and Google making its same average devices sounds pretty awful. T: I might've just said Sony could be next to leave the US market, but damn it, I hope they double down and commit even harder to its mobile phone business. Sony's in an amazing spot with great hardware and name recognition. Now we just need carrier deals to offset those high device prices and better software support. Those two things could lead to lots of success if employed properly.

If Wear OS is so terrible, then why is the Android community so anxious for a Pixel Watch? Wouldn't it just be more of the same?

K: I think it's because there's a new opportunity with Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear 4100. I'm telling you, the TicWatch Pro 3 is a really good watch because of that chip and it could lead to some great watches from from other companies, we just need them to try. A Pixel Watch with that chip could also mean Google finally caring about Wear OS and then doing something with the platform to enhance features. We want a Pixel Watch because the idea there is that it moves the platform forward for the first time in years. T: It's because if anyone can make a decent Wear OS watch, we'd hope it would be Google. However, if the Pixel Watch comes and it sucks, I officially declare Wear OS a dead platform and I shan't speak its name ever again. Would it technically be more of the same boring Wear OS? Technically no, since we're assuming there's been lots of work done to the platform behind closed doors by Google and its partners. Along with the Pixel Watch, I expect a revamped platform. Fingers crossed, but my expectations are already low.

Xbox, Playstation, Switch, or PC Gaming?

K: PC T: I was a big Xbox guy, but I think I'll be going PS5 once I can actually buy one.

What are you eating for dinner tonight and what do you wish you could be eating?

K: Since it's Friday, pizza from Cicoria, spicy basil Thai fried rice, or your boy is grilling. T: I think we're doing Chinese tonight. I get the beef & broccoli, plus some chicken chow mein. Delicious.

Will you guys be interested in trying out the new iPhone’s this year?

K: The rumor is that we're getting 120Hz displays in them for the first time, so yeah, that makes them appealing, assuming they stick with the designs of the iPhone 12 too. But since I own an iPad and have to interact with it from time to time, I know I'll hate iOS in 2 hours and wonder wtf I'm doing with an iPhone. T: As I said earlier, the iPhone 13 is shaping up to be the first Apple phone that has interested me in about 7 years or so. We'll probably get one and check it out.

Bonus Question What is Ron up to these days?

R: My wife and I are doing well. We’re both working (she’s a speech-language pathologist and I’m the music director and administrator at our church) and taking care of our boys (James is 3, Thomas is 1, and we have another child on the way). Last weekend I was ordained a deacon in the Anglican Church of North America and in about a year I will be ordained a priest. I recently finished my MA in Classical Theology at Talbot and I’m continuing studies and training in preparation to be a priest. In terms of technology I gave the 3 XL a try when that was released, but the RAM management was so bad I switched back to iOS (I could barely have three apps open without one needing to reload - Kellen and the others who complained about it were totally right on, it was bad). I had the Android itch again more recently and picked up the S21 Ultra, which was a great device that I can easily recommend, but I ended up selling it and switching to an iPhone 12 mini. Part of that was the usual suspects (iMessage, Apple integration, exclusive apps) and part of it was not wanting a gigantic phone anymore. It was weird seeing LG bow out of phones recently - when I was finishing writing at Droid Life I was talking about how Blackberry was doing something different and how exciting that was compared to the usual suspects of ok software and basic hardware. Obviously the reality is people just want a phone. The days of fun designs, risky attempts to gain market share, and hardware keyboards are gone. When I was selling my S21 I tried to activate a handful of old phones to use just in case while I waited for my iPhone to arrive. I pulled out my purple RAZR, Palm Pre 2, Droid Incredible, Nexus S, Touch Pro2, HTC Trophy… none of them ended up working out (you can’t activate 3G devices anymore) and some were very broken in terms of web technology (webOS in particular). It was fun to see those phones again and remember the old days of flashing ROMs on my Droid, swapping out batteries, having new phones release every month… just a totally different world. I jump in to catch a DL show or read the latest news every so often and I remember those old DL days fondly. Moto Money, the Tato Show, Box Fan, I’m not going to get the Moto X but you should… Those were good times. For those who were there with us back in those days - cheers! I hope you all are well.

Samsung's First Folding Tablet Coming Q1 2022 as Galaxy Z Fold Tab

Tim — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 08:50:13 +0000

Samsung's first foldable tablet is reportedly scheduled for launch in Q1 of 2022, said to be called the Galaxy Z Fold Tab. There's not much known about this folding tablet yet, like specs or pricing, but the main takeaway is that it's a "tri-fold" design, which I suppose means there's just more ways for it to break. Just kidding, Samsung's foldables are pretty darn sturdy from our experience. As of right now, Samsung's Z Fold line consists of devices with a single hinge. The reported Z Fold Tab is said to be tri-fold, which I suppose would mean it folds on three hinges? Or is has three panels connected by two hinges? The details are scarce, but the point is that it's a folding tablet and it'll probably be pretty sweet looking. The device is said to feature an improved UTG (ultra thin glass) material for enhanced durability, plus also bring S Pen support which the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is also rumored to have. Essentially, the report says that the Z Fold 3 will be a testbed for many of the Z Fold Tab's features, so here's hoping the Z Fold 3 is a success. Are you ready for Samsung's folding tablet? // GizmoChina

TicWatch Pro 3, Current King of Wear OS, Gets a $45 Discount

Kellen — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 08:29:58 +0000

There aren't many Wear OS watches you should consider buying in 2021. The list of acceptable options mostly includes watches with 1GB RAM at minimum that cost around $100 or watches running the Snapdragon Wear 4100. At the moment, the TicWatch Pro 3 is still the only watch running the 4100 and buzz around it has cooled off enough that Mobvoi is running almost-weekly sales on it, making it the best of all Wear OS watches to buy. Previously, Mobvoi has run limited time lightning deals on the TicWatch Pro 3 where they shaved off 15% for a couple of hours. The last couple of those didn't come close to selling out, though, so now they are simply slashing $45 off in longer deals. Today's new discount includes a coupon you clip at Amazon that drops the price from $299 to $255. Again, it's the same 15% off deal they've hosted regularly in recent months, but this time you don't have to rush over and buy within an hour. We still aren't sure why Mobvoi is the only company using the 4100 chip in a watch. In our review, we noted how big of an improvement it brought in terms of performance, app loading, and battery life. This is the type of chip that could bring Wear OS back from the dead, assuming companies get on board and take another chance with the platform. But since no one else is interested just yet, Mobvoi's TicWatch Pro 3 sits at the top of the list. Take advantage of this deal if you can.

Shop TicWatch Pro 3 deal at Amazon

Suunto 7 Update Will Bring Sleep Tracking, Better Heart Rate Tracking (Updated)

Kellen — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 06:50:09 +0000

The Suunto 7, a serious fitness watch that happens to run Wear OS, is getting a big update in a couple of weeks that brings two features its users have begged for from day 1. The Suunto 7 is finally getting sleep tracking and daily heart rate tracking. The update details were posted to Suunto's support site this week, but they seem unsure of a few things. For example, they didn't include the build number or app version and are suggesting the update won't be ready until April 19. It's odd that they are telling us about it now, but it's also kind of cool that they are giving Suunto 7 owners a bit of a teaser.

UPDATE APRIL 16: Suunto has now provided all of the build numbers and added a note about a new outdoor watch face that will be included. For the builds, we are looking at system update PXDZ.210326.002.A2, while the rest of the apps and services will be updated as you'll see below. The update is still scheduled to be released starting April 19.
- Suunto Wear app – 2.150.0
- Suunto Wear services – 2.112.0
- Suunto Watch faces – 1.13.0
- MDSP – 2.112.0

Suunto is saying to expect both new features and performance improvements as a part of the build. The new features are listed below, and yes, they do indeed mention sleep tracking (with duration and stages), how that sleep (and daily activities and stress) affects body resources, a daily heart rate (with 24-hour graph), and turn-by-turn alerts powered by komoot. This is the big update! It took too long, but we'll take it. Once we know build numbers and have had a chance to grab it, we'll update this post. New Features:

Sleep (duration and stages)
Body resources (see how sleep, daily activity and stress affect your body resources throughout the day)
Daily heart rate (quickly check your current heart rate and follow a 24 hour heart rate graph to see how your heart rate changes throughout the day when you are active and when you rest)
Turn-by-turn alerts powered by komoot (Not available in China)
New Outdoor watch face

Enhancements and fixes:

See information to your next waypoint in map view when using route navigation.

// Suunto

Google Pixel Buds are $50 Off!

Kellen — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 06:17:46 +0000

The Google Pixel Buds (2nd Gen) may not be the ultimate pair of earbuds we all hoped they'd be, but they still offer a set of features to get behind. They are comfortable as hell, their touch controls are the best, they look quite snazzy, and they sound pretty damn good. Sure, their connectivity issues have long-been documented, but if you get lucky and own a pair without as many bugs, they are a solid pair of buds. Today, Google and their retail partners have discounted the Pixel Buds (2nd Gen) by $50, dropping their price to $129. If you can find them in stock (it shouldn't be a problem), you should be able to choose between Clearly White, Almost Black, and Quite Mint colorways. The Oh So Orange model has been discontinued. If you do go shopping for a pair, you won't need a code or anything - this is a straight $50 discount. Is this Google clearing house before the Pixel Buds A arrive? It could be or maybe Google is finally realizing that the only way to move these poorly reviewed Pixel Buds is to offer some regular discounts. Shop Google Pixel Buds deals:

Pixel Buds A Could Lose the Best Feature From the Pixel Buds

Kellen — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 18:01:19 +0000

As Google I/O approaches, don't be surprised if info related to Google's yet-to-be-announced Pixel Buds A shows up in increasing fashion. Google is typically pretty bad at keeping secrets, so it seems like only a matter of days before we know too much. According to a report from 9to5Google, who took a look inside this week's Pixel Buds app update, the latest bit of info suggests that Google may have removed one of the best features from the Pixel Buds (2nd Gen). The updated Pixel Buds app doesn't specifically call out the Pixel Buds A by name, but there are references to two types of Buds within the app, one of which doesn't have swipe forward and backward gestures. Since the 2nd generation model does indeed have those gestures, this new "type" without could be the A-series. If we're removing that front and back gesture, that could mean the touchpads on the Pixel Buds A aren't as nice as those on the regular Pixel Buds. The Pixel Buds (2nd Gen), for those not familiar, have incredibly sensitive and accurate touchpads that let you control volume, open Google Assistant, and change tracks. They are the best earbud touchpads in the business if you ask me (our review!). If Google were to remove those touchpads for the Pixel Buds A, the assumption there has to be that it's a cost cutting move. The A-series for Pixel phones is a cheaper model and it would make sense for Google to copy that idea for A-series Buds. Plus, Google needs to sell a pair of Buds that isn't $180 of disappointment, like the current 2nd generation model. Should this bit of info be accurate, it's unfortunate news for sure. Again, the best feature of the Pixel Buds are the touchpads and losing those in favor of a tap system or being forced to grab your phone to change volume would lessen the expected experience. I guess costs need to be cut.

Yeah, Nest Audio for $69 is a Better Deal

Kellen — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 17:42:32 +0000

For most of the week, Google's Nest Audio speaker has be on sale at every retailer that carries it. Almost everyone has it for $20 off, but Adorama has decided that just wasn't enough. If you want an extra $10.99 off, which brings the price to $69, this is your day. For now, Adorama is only doing the extra discount on the "white" (chalk) Nest Audio and you need to use code "EXTRAOFF10" at checkout. If you forget to add that code, you won't see the full discount to $69. You'll still get the initial $20 off, but you need full promo here. At $69, the Nest Audio is an absolute steal and you may as well buy two. Here's our review of it.

Shop Nest Audio deals at Adorama

Galaxy Fit 2 at $30 is Super Tasty (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 13:12:40 +0000

In February when I talked about how I had ditched smartwatches for a simpler life with a fitness band, the band I switched to after testing several was Samsung's Galaxy Fit 2. Originally priced at $60, I think I paid around $50 for it, which was a good deal at the time. Today, you can grab one for just $30. Amazon currently has the scarlett (red) model at that $29.99 price, while the black model is $49.99. Look, if you have been wondering if a fitness band is a good option to track health with, this is the kind of price that should get you to make a final decision. I can tell you that I tried the Fitbit Inspire 2 and Xiaomi Mi Band 5 during my initial switch and settled on the Galaxy Fit 2. Because this band is made by Samsung, you can sync fitness info to all of the fitness services on the market, Samsung's app is rock solid, and the bugs just aren't there. The Galaxy Fit 2 tracks 24/7 heartrate, sleep, and fitness activities. It's battery lasts a really long time, up to 15 days to be exact. It has a cute little display, sends you notifications, and can take a beating. I wore the thing for 3-4 months and put it through all the sweating - it's still working fine. It doesn't have GPS or NFC, so keep that in mind. I try not to recommend stuff very often, but this is a product I don't think you can go wrong with. UPDATE: Those big meanies jacked the price back up to $49. Hope you got in when it was down.

Shop Galaxy Fit 2 at Amazon

Galaxy Watch 3 is $80 Off, Hopefully Because the Galaxy Watch 4 is Coming

Kellen — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 10:35:11 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 saw an $80 price drop today to a starting price of $319.99. Since this watch line gets regular discounts like this it could mean nothing, but with rumors of a Galaxy Watch 4 picking up steam, I'm going to tell myself we're getting price cuts because new watches are coming. If I'm wrong, whatever. Let me live. To grab the Galaxy Watch 3 for $80 off (our review), head to whichever electronics dealer you love. Samsung has both 41mm and 45mm watches at $80 off, plus they'll give you extra off if you have other goodies to trade-in. Amazon has the deals too, as does Best Buy. The Galaxy Watch 3 is Samsung's fanciest to date, with beautiful displays, rotating bezels, and heavy steel cases. All of the fitness and sleep tracking features are here, as are swappable bands and choices of case color. Samsung did a nice job with the Galaxy Watch 3. To grab one at $80 off, hit those links below.

Shop Galaxy Watch 3 deals at Samsung | Amazon

Thursday Poll: Do You Use a Smart Thermostat?

Tim — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 08:47:04 +0000

Once I installed my first Nest smart thermostat, I knew there was no going back for me. Heck no, I can't go back. It's simply too convenient to have temperature controls on my phone and a voice command away via an integrated smart speaker. In fact, I'd go so far as to say smart thermostats kick ass. They can help save you money on your energy bill, too, which is always super groovy. It wasn't always the case, but these days, smart thermostats can be had for pretty darn cheap, regardless of whether you're into Nest, ecobee, or whichever companies might be getting into the field. Considering you can get a new Nest thermostat for as low as $99 -- probably even cheaper when you consider rebates or other promos from your local energy company -- there's no reason you shouldn't be incorporating this tech into your home. So, do you use a smart thermostat in your home? [poll id="568"]

A OnePlus 8 for $400 is Looking at You, Friend

Kellen — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 08:06:45 +0000

The OnePlus 8 was an excellent almost-flagship choice from 2020 that carried a substantial list of features, with few downsides. In our review, we talked about all the "winning" it managed, even with prices that undercut so many other phones in the business. Today, though, you can grab one for half off because the OnePlus 9 has already arrived to replace it. Companies gotta get rid of stock, you know? At the moment, and likely just for today, B&H Photo is selling the OnePlus 8 for $399, which is $400 off its original price. This happens to be the Verizon model, with awful Verizon 5G check mark on the back, but B&H says it is unlocked and will work elsewhere. It should work just fine on T-Mobile and AT&T LTE. This is a really good deal, just to be clear. The OnePlus 8 has a 6.55" 90Hz display, 128GB storage, 8GB RAM, Snapdragon 865 processor, triple rear cameras, WiFi 6, and so much more. It's also running Android 11 already. B&H has both black and silver models available at the discounted price in today's Deal Zone sale. If you need a solid phone with high-end specs at a price close to Google's mid-range Pixel 4a, you should jump on this.

Shop OnePlus 8 at B&H Photo

Xfinity Mobile Has New Unlimited 5G Plan Pricing, As Low As $30/Month

Tim — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 07:18:38 +0000

Xfinity Mobile announced new unlimited 5G plan pricing this week, plans Comcast says will, "rival those offered by the nation’s 'big three' wireless providers." Considering Xfinity Mobile runs on Verizon's network, this could be worth looking into should the price be right and Verizon be a strong cell option in your area. Unlimited 5G plans still start at $45/month for a single line. However, as you add lines, the per-month price goes down. For two lines, the price is $80/month. Should you go all of the way to four lines, you're looking at just $30/month for each line, bringing the total to $120/month. That's extremely competitive for unlimited 5G data access. New unlimited options will be as follows:

$45 for one line – the lowest entry point for a single line for any Unlimited plan in the industry.
$80 for two lines
$100 for three lines
$120 for four lines

Of course, unlimited data by definition depends on your carrier. For Xfinity Mobile, it means the following. You get a personal hotspot included at 600kbps, you get 480p video streaming, and you'll be tempted to toss in an "HD Pass" for higher-quality cellular service in times with high network traffic. Additionally, your unlimited data will get throttled down to a maximum of 1.5Mbps download and 750kbps upload once you hit 20GB of monthly data use. These plans are now live at Xfinity Mobile.

Shop Xfinity Mobile Unlimited Plans

Celebrate Earth Day With a $99 Nest Thermostat ($30 Off)

Tim — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 13:01:40 +0000

Google is hosting a sale on the latest Nest Thermostat to celebrate Earth Day, bringing the price of the smart thermostat down by $30 to just $99. At that price, it's not bad. In our review, we note that while this thermostat has all of the features and smarts one would expect from Nest, the design is a bit lacking. For example, the circular design isn't put to use as a spinning temperature controller as it is on other models, and instead, there's a touch sensitive strip on the side of the device. Additionally, the front is a mirror, great for checking yourself out, but still not as aesthetically pleasing as past Nest designs. Regardless, it's $99 and if you don't have a smart thermostat in your house by now, you should definitely consider it. You can save the $30 at most major US retailers. Have at it.

Amazon | Google Store Link | Home Depot | Best Buy ($99)

Amazon's New Echo Buds are Priced to Destroy

Kellen — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 11:53:39 +0000

Amazon announced its brand new Echo Buds (2nd Gen) today, a pair of true wireless earbuds that will be very tough for many to compete against with the set of features Amazon is claiming and their starting price. We're talking about earbuds with ANC, a smaller profile, Alexa access, and more at a (limited time) starting price of $99. Compared to the original Echo Buds, this 2nd generation pair features a brand new design that is 20% smaller and offers a "premium audio architecture for crisp, balanced sound, [and] custom-designed Active Noise Cancellation technology." Amazon also threw in wireless charging (for an extra $20), improved the microphones, and kept Amazon Alexa access. These new Echo Buds should be more comfortable with a shortened nozzle and vents that'll relieve pressure (like the Pixel Buds have). As you can see from the image up top, there are several wing and tips to swap out to help get you that perfect fit. And you'll be able to wear them for a while, thanks to 15 hours of total battery life (5 hours on a single charge). Amazon says they are IPX4 rated for a little water resistance too. The ANC (active noise cancellation) is a big deal, because drowning out the world is a key feature of any high-end headphone. But thanks to the starting price of these Echo Buds (2nd Gen), ANC is here without the premium price tag. Amazon says this new ANC cancels twice as much noise as the previous generation and they use the "inner and outer microphones to intelligently estimate sound pressure in your eardrum—which directly correlates to how you hear sound around you—to generate the inverse of that signal and cancel out unwanted noise, helping you stay immersed in your audio." That's kind of neat. The new Echo Buds (2nd Gen) are available for pre-order today at a starting price of $99.99. If you want a wireless charging case with them, add $20. This pricing is only for pre-orders, I'll have you know. Once they launch in May, the price will jump up to $119.

Pre-order Amazon's new Echo Buds (2nd Gen)

Verizon Galaxy Note 10 Update Brings Sweet New Camera Features

Kellen — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 10:47:30 +0000

Earlier in the week, Verizon and AT&T updated their Galaxy S20 lines to include several new camera features, as well as the latest Android security patch. Today, Verizon is doing the same for the Galaxy Note 10 family. The update adds access to the ultra wide lens in the phone when using Pro and Pro Video modes, portrait shots with High-Key Mono, Low-Key Mono, and Backdrop effects, as well as an Auto Night Mode. The April security patch is in there as well. If you own a Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy Note 10+, or Galaxy Note 10+ 5G, be on the lookout for updates with the build numbers of:

Galaxy Note 10: RP1A.200720.012.N970USQU6FUCD
Galaxy Note 10+: RP1A.200720.012.N975USQU6FUCD
Galaxy Note 10+ 5G: RP1A.200720.012.N976VVRU6FUCD

To check for each update, head into Settings>About phone>Software updates>Check for updates. // Verizon

TCL Intros New Lineup of Phones, Including Funky Fold 'n Roll Prototype

Tim — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 10:23:08 +0000

TCL introduced its new lineup of smartphones this morning, consisting of the TCL 20 Pro 5G, TCL 20S, TCL 20L+, and TCL 20L. Here in the US, we'll get the TCL 20S instead of the 20L+, and it's currently unclear if TCL intends to launch the 20L here. The company also teased a real funky (in a good way) looking foldable, but details on that device remain a mystery. The king of TCL's new lineup is the 20 Pro 5G, featuring a 6.67" curved AMOLED display (limited to 60Hz), Snapdragon 750G, 6GB RAM, 256GB storage, microSD support, 4,500mAh battery (18W wired charging + 15W wireless), four rear cameras highlighted by a 48-megapixel Sony IMX582, 3.5mm headphone jack, and Android 11. While those aren't exactly specs we'd label as Pro when compared to phones like the OnePlus 9 Pro, TCL isn't trying to deliver a flagship killer device. Instead, the 20 Pro 5G will likely be priced very competitively in the US, offering 5G connectivity and a sleek design. If you're needing to come in a little lower, there's the TCL 20S, which is a slightly reworked TCL 20L+. This is a good time to tell TCL we don't appreciate their names. They're very confusing. Anyway, the 20S should feature many of the same specs that the 20L+ has, but TCL hasn't exactly confirmed what it will have. The 20L+ has a 6.67" FHD+ display, 6GB RAM, 64-megapixel main camera, and 5,000mAh battery. TCL also took the time to showcase a foldable prototype, with a separate foldable device said to be coming later this year. TCL is labeling this prototype as the Fold 'n Roll. You can view a promo video for it below. It looks cool. We'll let you know pricing and availability is solidified, but expect the 20 Pro 5G to come in around $500. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n99_5pUbTM&ab_channel=Ugeek

Google Assistant Makes Ordering Food Easier, Life for iPhone Owners Too

Kellen — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 09:00:59 +0000

Google shared new helpful features coming to the Google Assistant today, all of which are designed to make your life a little easier. The kinds of ways that can happen are by having the Assistant locate your lost phone, order your takeout faster, and automate all of your smart home gadgets. For phone location, this is actually an iPhone-specific item, but Google has announced that you can now ask the Google Assistant to locate your iPhone and it'll do it. Just say "Hey Google, find my phone" and iPhone owners can enjoy the power that Android phone owners have had for some time. iPhone owners will have to opt-in to receiving notifications and critical alerts from the Google Home app for this to work. In the food takeout department, Google continues to use its Duplex technology to work magic in the ordering game. Now, when you order from a restaurant they have partnered with through Search or Maps and click their "check out" button, Assistant will "automatically navigate the site and fill out your contact and payment details saved in Google Pay and synced to Chrome Autofill." To start, Google has partnered with select restaurant chains and will expand to others later this year. Next up, Google wants you to know about Routines you should consider setting up. For one, the sunrise or sunset Routine for smart home devices is now available globally. Using your location, you can have lights turn on, sprinklers sprinkle, or the tunes play as that sun sets in the west or rises in the east. Additionally, Google is reminding everyone today that Routines are a thing you should use. Just open the Google Home app and tap the "Routines" button up top. From there, you'll find pre-made options to get you going or you can go wild and create your own customer Routines. Routines can do anything from locking your house down as you leave to getting it warmed (or cooled) as you head home on that commute.

// Google

Sony Xperia 1 III and Xperia 5 III Official, Launching This Summer

Tim — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 00:40:02 +0000

Sony made two new Xperia devices official this morning, the Xperia 1 III and Xperia 5 III. We have specs and all of that stuff, but for now, Sony hasn't made exact availability and pricing information available. That'll come later this year when we're closer to launch, which will be this summer. For now, we'll just have to drool at photos and get hyped about these specs. Highlights include 4K 120Hz displays, variable telephoto lenses, and Snapdragon 888 chipsets. Yup, these things will be elite and likely very expensive.

Xperia 1 III

This phone is the ultra flagship monster device, featuring a 6.5” 21:9 CinemaWide 4K HDR OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, Snapdragon 888 processor, 12GB RAM, 256GB storage + microSD support, 4,500mAh battery, 5G support for select US carrier, technically 4 rear camera lenses, and Android 11. Beyond specs, this Xperia 1 III is also loaded with features, as one might expect. Sony packed in a variable telephoto lens on the backside with a Dual PD sensor (a first for a smartphone), real-time Eye AF for humans and animals, an updated Photography Pro feature, 40% louder speakers than what came with last year's Xperia 1 II, new and improved Game Enhancer features (new audio equalizer, optimized VC microphone, and high frame rate recording feature), 360 Reality Audio, plus 30W charging that allows for 50% battery capacity in just 30 minutes. As for the cameras, the Xperia 1 III has three 12-megapixel sensors (f/2.2, f/1.7, f/2.3) all with dual PDAF and two with OIS. Each camera has a different focal length, ranging from 16mm to 105mm, thanks to that variable lens. It can go from 70mm to 105mm, which again, is a first for a smartphone. Lastly, there's a 3D iToF sensor.

Xperia 5 III

What's exciting for this device is that it features a majority of the big brother's specs, but in a smaller package. Kellen, this one is made for you. It has a 6.1" FHD 120Hz display, Snapdragon 888, 8GB RAM, 128GB+ storage, triple rear cameras (with the variable telephoto), headphone jack, stereo speakers, 4,500mAh battery with 30W charging, IP68 rating, and Android 11. It's seriously a little beast phone, just remember it has less RAM, no wireless charging, and there's no 4K display. As far as we know from Sony's press material, all software and other aspects stay the same. Both devices also have metal frames. No cheap plastic will be found on these phones.

Availability

We'll have availability and pricing available from Sony later this year. In the meantime, start saving your money because there's no way these phones will be cheap.

Xperia Mark III Family Specs

[table id=213 /]

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Happening April 28

Tim — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 16:09:54 +0000

Samsung has made its next Unpacked event official, set to take place Wednesday, April 28 ay 10AM EST (7AM Pacific). During this event, we expect Samsung to showcase its new smartwatch (possibly powered by Wear OS), the Galaxy S21 FE, and presumably something else pretty epic because those last two things aren't something we'd label as "most powerful Galaxy" material. Regardless, we're ready for it. Mark your calendars. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pO8y1faTUE&ab_channel=%EC%82%BC%EC%84%B1%EC%A0%84%EC%9E%90%EB%89%B4%EC%8A%A4%EB%A3%B8%5BSamsungNewsroom%5D

Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T Abandon Their Dumb RCS Plans

Kellen — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 15:14:12 +0000

You may not remember the news, but in October of 2019, just as Google was starting to force RCS into its Messages app outside of the US, the big US carriers (Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T) announced an RCS-related venture of their own. Called the Cross Carrier Messaging Initiative (CCMI), the plans were for this group to come up with their own RCS solution that didn't include Google and would also let them rake in additional cash by slapping brands all up in your messaging experience. It sounded awful. We haven't talked about the CCMI since our initial write-up because there hasn't been much to talk about. At one point, CCMI suggested they would create an RCS messaging app for Android that would become the standard across carriers here, but I'm not sure they ever made much progress. Just being honest here, the whole thing always came across as the type of announcement to be used as a bargaining chip to shake down Google in messaging. I don't believe the CCMI was ever a serious solution. Anyways, fast forward to today and the CCMI has disbanded, according to Light Reading. That makes sense since T-Mobile announced a big partnership with Google a couple of weeks ago that included using Google Messages on all Android phones going forward with RCS along for the ride. How could the CCMI function if T-Mobile was opening their arms to Google? Well, the answer is that it would be impossible. When asked for comment, Verizon said that "The owners of the Cross Carrier Messaging Initiative decided to end the joint venture effort," and they all "remain committed to enhancing the messaging experience for customers including growing the availability of RCS." T-Mobile added that they are "committed to delivering RCS interoperability and are working with other providers to make it happen," which probably means they will help Google deliver it to Verizon and AT&T. The end of the CCMI is good news, folks. Carriers, like when they tried to make their own mobile payment system and gave it an unfortunate name, would have made a bad product that would have been nothing more than another way for them to further monetize your monthly service plan. We can hope that Google won't give them that same power. Then again, T-Mobile said their partnership with Google is going to "empower businesses to engage their customers in new ways with Messages, conduct commerce, support and communicate more easily." F*ck.

Mobvoi's New TicWatch GTH Does More Than the OnePlus Watch at Half the Cost

Kellen — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 12:50:10 +0000

Mobvoi announced the TicWatch GTH for the US today, and just to be straight with you, this isn't a wearable we would normally cover. It doesn't run Wear OS and happens to fall in line with the dozens of other semi-smart fitness wearables you can find all over Amazon at reasonable prices. But because today is OnePlus Watch review day, I wanted to show you how OnePlus' first watch compares to the rest of the industry. The TicWatch GTH is 43mm wearable with a metal case, high resolution 1.55" display, Bluetooth 5.0, and all of the sensors you could ask for from a fitness-focused wearable. It has a heart rate monitor, SpO2 sensor, off-body sensor, respiration sensor, and even a skin temperature sensor. If you want to track your health and all of the metrics, this pretty much does it all. The GTH also has 20mm swappable bands, comes in black, lasts up to 10 days on a single charge, and features 5ATM water resistance. The only big item it's missing is GPS, which is a big deal for those who don't bring their phone with them whenever they head out for a run or ride. It runs a custom RTOS (like the OP Watch), does a minimal amount of notifications, reminds you to move, and will actually sync your sleep from watch to app while providing a deep look at your sleep efficiency. This new TicWatch GTH from Mobvoi costs $79.99. If compared to the OnePlus Watch, a device that was universally panned by all testers today, the GTH offers all of the same sensors as OnePlus' watch, but 1-ups it by adding in the skin temperature sensor. The GTH is missing GPS. However, the smaller case size will fit more wrists, the included band should too, and Mobvoi has been doing this long enough that the bugs between watch and companion app that everyone saw on the OnePlus Watch most certainly won't be there. It'll probably even track your steps pretty accurately. As much as I'm trying not to dunk on the OnePlus Watch, the point here is that OnePlus entered an arena where there are countless players who have made a name for themselves, that have fine-tuned their offerings, and who will give you more or the same for far less money. This TicWatch GTH is just one example that happened to be announced today.

Buy Mobvoi's TicWatch GTH from Amazon

Spotify's Car Thing Looks Fun, But Also Seems Pointless. I Want One.

Tim — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 12:34:12 +0000

I have a lot of thoughts about Spotify's new Car Thing, a simple display with a big knob that you attach to your car's dash to play content exclusively from Spotify. Think of Car Thing as you would your current smartphone. From your phone, you can stream music from any service to your Bluetooth or headphone jack equipped vehicle, but with Car Thing, it's just Spotify. It seems kinda pointless, right? If that's true, though, then why do I want one so badly? Car Thing is essentially an experimental product that Spotify is gifting to a select number of Premium users. The chances of any of us getting one seem slim, but if for some reason they're really popular and there's a lot of demand, you might be able to buy one down the road. If you are selected to get one, you'll only pay for shipping, as Spotify is wiping away the suggested retail price of $79. $79 for a Spotify player you put in your car? That's what my phone does, and as you can see, we're right back to the pointless product thought.

The setup seems easy enough. After placing Car Thing where you want it in the car, you hook it up to 12V power (aka your car's old cigarette lighter). Using Bluetooth, you then connect your phone to Car Thing. Lastly, connect your phone to your car stereo via Bluetooth, AUX, or USB cable. Once set up, you can control Spotify playback via Car Thing and you can also speak to Car Thing with its built-in microphones. While it certainly looks cool, I still don't quite get it. If I'm already connecting my phone to the car stereo, then why am I not just using Spotify on my phone? I can already talk to my phone and feed it the same commands as Car Thing. This product is just taking up space, but also giving me a sweet little Spotify player that looks cool. I'm really torn, guys. I want to like it, but I simply don't understand why it needs to exist if it needs a smartphone for its connection to the car. If you want to try to snag one, sign up for the waitlist below.

Join Waitlist

// Spotify

Google Rolling Out New Fast Pair UX, Supports 100+ Bluetooth Devices

Tim — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 11:44:22 +0000

Google's Fast Pair connection software for Bluetooth users is getting an updated, "easier-to-use" layout this week. On top of that, Fast Pair now supports over 100 different Bluetooth devices, making it more widely usable for Android users. If you aren't familiar, Fast Pair is pretty awesome. Whenever you have a supported Bluetooth device around your device, it'll automatically pop up with pair requests and get you listening to tunes in no time at all. With this update, that support is expanding and it'll apparently look better while doing it. Overall, should be sweet. Be on the lookout for the new Fast Pair experience this week. https://twitter.com/Android/status/1382015730191843334

The OnePlus Watch Sounds Like a Giant Mess

Kellen — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 08:40:26 +0000

When OnePlus started to announce the OnePlus Watch in the days leading up to its full reveal, I tried to explain to everyone that this was not a smartwatch and was instead a device with limited smarts that is mostly a fitness tracker. I tried to make that clear as to not get expectations too high for a watch that was always going to fail as a smartwatch. The thing is, these limited smart fitness trackers are a growing market and so I also mentioned that this could be good, as long as it tracked fitness well. After reading the first round of reviews this morning, umm, it apparently isn't great in that department either. So not only does the OnePlus Watch lack the smarts you might get from a Wear OS or Galaxy Watch, it's an average-to-bad fitness tracker. Several reviews also noted the state of the software that OnePlus shipped them for reviews and it sounds like we're going to need several updates to address some glaring bugs. The OnePlus Watch is a big pile of mess. I hate to start with the harshest of the reviews I've had the chance to read through, but Gizmodo calling it "The Worst Smartwatch I've Ever Used" is hard to ignore. The list of complaints from their write-up are quite long, but a lot revolves around bugs between the watch and the OnePlus Health companion app that mostly controls everything. Specifically there, they called it a "fail on a scale that I have never before seen in five years testing and reviewing smartwatches and fitness trackers." OK, then. The OnePlus Watch and its companion app apparently tend to miscount steps by the thousands compared to other trackers or watches, can't currently sync sleep data to the Health app (has to be viewed on the watch), often send notifications hours later in bunches, don't sync notifications between phone and app, and are even more limited in actions than expected. Many of these complaints have all been mentioned again in reviews from Wired, Engadget, and The Verge. There is a theme to bugs and issues with the OnePlus Watch. As far as the health tracking stuff, well, some found heartrate measurements to be accurate enough, though often showing drops that need to catch-up in the middle of a workout. Some found GPS to be OK, while others noted it missing an entire block detour. The auto-tracking feature on the watch isn't great, reminders to move in the middle of the day were lacking, and there are currently only 14 activities that can be tracked, with a later update expected to add more. I don't get the feeling that anyone found the OnePlus Watch to be trustworthy with health and fitness metrics, and that's really bad if you are a fitness tracker. Speaking of updates, that's what OnePlus had to promise a lot, it seems - updates. There are apparently (at least two) updates coming to fix that notification bug, to fix syncing of sleep data to the app, to add more watch faces, and optimize GPS performance. Hopefully, they also fix the 24-hour digital clock bug that won't let you switch to a 12-hour format and the random metric measurements when the person has set it to show imperial. Almost every single piece I've read on the OnePlus Watch this morning pointed out that the 46mm case is way too big. The OnePlus Watch only ships in this one size, so anyone with smaller (or normal) wrists is going to find the fit to be awkward. Others even pointed out that the included band doesn't get tight enough on small wrists, so for testing purposes, they had to slide the watch far up their forearms to get it to track properly. When asked about strap size, OnePlus told Wired that customers could "contact customer service" for a smaller one. Seriously? So the software is filled with bugs, the fitness tracking is all over the board, but mostly not-great, and the size of the watch is far too big for the majority of people. What's good about it? The display is nice, I hear. Battery life is as good as advertised too. That's pretty much it. We were hoping to review the OnePlus Watch, but for whatever reason OnePlus left us out of the initial review group. That meant we were then just going to buy one for testing once it went on sale. After reading these reviews, that sounds like a waste of time. OnePlus has not made a good product here, at least not yet. We may reconsider looking at one in a couple of months after several updates, but until then, we've seen enough. There are far too many good fitness trackers already on the market to consider this newbie that was released in this state.

Google Play Movies & TV App Leaving Roku and Smart TVs, Content Moving to YouTube App

Tim — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 16:05:19 +0000

Google detailed on its support forums recently that a major change is coming to users of Google Play Movies & TV on select platforms, specifically those using the service on Roku, Samsung, LG, and Vizio smart TVs. Starting June 15, that standalone app is going away. Uh oh. Have no fear, though, as Google details you'll find your movies and shows in the official YouTube app. According to them, "Just log in with your Google account in the YouTube app, then you’ll have access to all of your past purchases, and will be able to browse, purchase, and rent new content." There's an entire bullet list of things you need to know apparently.

All of your past purchases will be available on YouTube.
Your Google Play credits can be used on YouTube to make purchases.
Play Family Library purchases can be viewed on YouTube but purchases made on YouTube do not support family sharing. Purchases made from the Google Play Movies & TV website or app will continue to support family sharing.
Your Watchlist is not available on YouTube, but you can set up Playlists.

So while it might sound bad, it's not. Your stuff is just getting moved. Google likes to do this sort of thing. It's not always smooth, but that's Google. // Google Support

Nest Audio Beats Sound Better When $20 Off

Kellen — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 14:10:00 +0000

The Nest Audio, the best Google smart speaker you can buy at the moment, is $20 off everywhere. Instead of paying $100 for one, you can pay $79.99! We've reviewed the newest Google speakers and generally liked them. The Nest Audio sounds great, which is most important, but it also comes in a bunch of fun colors and the weirdest shape, plus it has solid software controls through the Google Home app. We really don't have many complaints, unless you are Tim who found the most random Bluetooth record player on the planet that wouldn't work with them. If that's not you, then Nest Audio is a win! One could argue that at full price ($99.99), this is a great speaker for the money. At a discount, though? Come on, man, you have got to go for it if you don't already own far too many Google smart speakers (like I do).

Shop Nest Audio Deals:

LG Will Try to Update Select Phones With Android 13, But No Promises

Tim — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 13:55:30 +0000

Hey, FYI anyone who bought a select LG phone: Your phone may receive Android 13 at some point. That's cool, right? LG detailed which devices can expect this update hopefully in late 2022 or maybe early 2023, but they don't mention timing and that's our guess based on what we've seen from the company. It all boils down to if LG really wants to be bothered with it. They aren't guaranteeing the updates, let's make that clear. LG phones that can potentially look forward to Android 13 are the Velvet, Velvet LTE, and Wing. Phones that can expect Android 12 are the aforementioned devices, plus the V50, V50S, G8, Q31, Q52, and Q92. Here in the US, those Q devices are branded with a K, but aren't always exact matches. LG also says Android 11 is well under way for most of these devices, if it hasn't already reached you. It should be noted this update was made available to the Korean market, so we're not 100% if that means US variants can expect the same treatment. We can hope so, though. Android 13, that'll be cool. // PhoneArena | LG

Google Pixel Phones Get "Heads Up" Digital Wellbeing Feature

Kellen — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 13:28:21 +0000

Google's Digital Wellbeing is no longer just that random service on your phone you ignore because it tries to limit your digital addiction. It may now save your life. A new feature arrived on Google's Digital Wellbeing platform this week called "Heads Up." If you aren't seeing it yet, that's because it appears to be a Pixel exclusive to start, but I'd imagine it'll rollout to everyone before long. You will also need to be in the Digital Wellbeing beta program. With "Heads Up," your phone will remind you as you head out of the house and start walking that you should probably stop staring at your phone and pay attention to your surroundings. While Google makes it clear this feature "doesn't replace paying attention," I could see it coming in handy! We all get lost in our displays from time to time. The feature can be turned on by heading into Digital Wellbeing on your phone and jumping into the "Reduce interruptions" section. Tapping on it will walk through a quick tutorial that lets you decide if you want "Heads Up" to use your location to better remind you to pay attention as you head out of the house. If you don't, it will at least try to recognize physical activity. What a nifty idea. Google Play Link: Digital Wellbeing

// Google

Droid Life Q&A Sessions: Volume 59

Tim — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 12:32:16 +0000

According to our records, it's been months since we last did a DL Q&A Session. That's just unacceptable, so we're here to fix it. Obviously, a ton has happened since Volume 58. LG's mobile division has called it quits. We've crowned Samsung the King of Android updates. We've deemed the Pixel 6 as the most important Android storyline of the year, and as you might already know, it's only mid-April. During the Q&A Sessions, feel free to ask us anything. It's your chance to pick our brains, with no subject off limits. We can talk Android, Google, sports, politics (please, don't ask about politics), or anything else that might be on your mind. We're open books. This upcoming Friday, we'll compile the questions and get them answered for you in a subsequent post. Have at it!

Galaxy S21 FE Renders Show Off Flat Display, 'Glastic' Backside

Tim — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 08:49:34 +0000

A followup to the very popular Galaxy S20 FE, we're getting our first unofficial look at the Galaxy S21 FE for this year. And wouldn't you know, it looks a lot like the Galaxy 21. We think it'll fit in nicely, but we're still waiting on all of the official details from Samsung, such as pricing and specs. While we wait for the official stuff, we can discuss what's being rumored. So far for specs, we're looking at a flat 6.4-inch AMOLED display with a presumably upped refresh rate, triple rear camera setup, metal frame with "glastic" backside, and a price designed to sway you from OnePlus and Google competition. Last year, the Galaxy S20 FE came in at $699. If Samsung intends to be in that ballpark with another phone that doesn't skimp on specs, this could be yet another winner. I underestimated the Galaxy S20 FE last year. Honestly, I just didn't get it. I felt that folks should just pay a little bit more for the regular S20 or S20+. However, people seemed to love the S20 FE, so I'll be sure to pay close attention to this year's Fan Edition and try to get my hands on one for review. What are you thinking, Samsung fans? // @Onleaks [Voice]

Sweet New Google Photos Video Editor is Here

Kellen — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 08:06:50 +0000

The new video editor that Google first showed us back in February is rolling out to Google Photos on Android this week. Since this is a major improvement to the video editing experience, you might want to take a look now and start playing. When first teased, Google told us these new tools would add cropping, perspective changes, granular edits, and a bunch of filters. Now that the update has hit my phone, I can tell you that they weren't exaggerating. The new tool suite is pretty extensive. You have expected brightness, contrast, saturation, vignette, and shadow controls, as well as skin tone and blue tone settings. You can even markup a video. While I don't shoot a bunch of video with my smartphone, this could get me to. Android has always needed a good video editor that's simple yet powerful and this might be in that realm. To check for it, simply open a video in Google Photos and hit that "Edit" button. I'm seeing the new editor on Photos v5.36.0.365895365. Google Play Link: Google Photos // Android Police

A Pixel 3 for $170 is Just the Toy You Needed Today

Kellen — Sat, 10 Apr 2021 11:11:49 +0000

The Google Pixel 3 might be over two years old and on its last year of updates, but if you could buy a brand new one for $170, it might be a fun toy to keep around to tinker with, to give to a kid as a first phone, or to add to your growing collection, Pixel fanboy. Today is the day you get to decide whether or not that's a smart move. For the moment, Woot is selling brand new Pixel 3 units in "Not Pink" for $170. These really are brand new units, they claim, and with 64GB storage. This is the smaller of the Pixel 3 phones that doesn't have that awful notch. It was a great little phone when released. Since this the Pixel 3's last year for updates, you would be on the lookout for the Android 12 stable update when it hits later this year. After that, you will likely see a couple of additional security patches followed by a final clean-up, bug fixer build before Google calls it quits. Cool with that? That link below has what you need. UPDATE 4/12: Woot may have soldout, but eBay has a very similar deal.

Shop Pixel 3 from Woot

Automatically Record Calls From Unknown Numbers With Google's Phone App

Tim — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 13:22:27 +0000

Code from a Phone app update detailed this past January pointed to the upcoming ability to automatically record calls from phone numbers not saved in your contacts. Well, that feature is apparently very real and rolling out to users of Google's dedicated Phone app right now. Detailed by the good people at XDA, the feature is rolling out, but there is a huge disclaimer with it. Both you and the person calling will need to live in an area where it's legal to record peoples' conversations without their direct consent for the automated portion of this feature to function. In addition, at the start of calls, "Everyone will be notified ahead of time that the call is being recorded." Here's the disclaimer.

You or the other person in your call might be somewhere that requires everyone to consent to being recorded. Everyone will be notified ahead of time that the call is being recorded. It’s up to you to follow laws about recording conversations. Recordings are stored only on your phone.

In the setting menu for the Phone app, users will begin to see a new toggle in the Call Recording menu. When enabled, users can automatically record calls from numbers not in their contacts. Easy enough. Anyone seeing this on their supported devices yet? // XDA

Verizon LG Velvet Gets Android 11!

Tim — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 11:56:54 +0000

Apparently all it took for Velvet to receive Android 11 was LG shutting down its mobile business. In all seriousness though, the Android 11 upgrade is indeed headed out to owners of the device on Verizon, which is great news. It could be the last major update you see for a while, but LG did promise more updates recently. We'll see about that. Inside, with Android 11 onboard, you'll have sweet things like notification bubbles for your messaging apps, an updated camera experience, changes for the settings UI, plus changes to the overall look of the device. You can see other changes to LG's Android 11 build here, as it should be quite similar to what rolled out to the V60. Once updated, you'll have software version G900VM20a. Enjoy, Velvet owners. // Verizon

Google Announces Pixel 5a Because It Hasn't Been Cancelled

Kellen — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 11:37:48 +0000

Google announced the Pixel 5a 5G today, a phone that is most definitely not cancelled and will arrive later this year. The confirmation comes as reports began to surface suggesting that the phone had been axed due to the global chip shortage. It has not been. Those reports were, well, wrong. In a statement to The Verge, Google suggested that the Pixel 5a should show up later this year when last year's a-series phone did:

Pixel 5a 5G is not cancelled. It will be available later this year in the U.S. and Japan and announced in line with when last year’s a-series phone was introduced.

The confusing part here is that we had two Pixel 4a devices last year and they came to us at different times. The Pixel 4a dropped in August and the Pixel 4a 5G came later alongside the Pixel 5 at the end of September. No matter what, we have a couple of month time period to pencil in on the ol' calendars. So yeah, Pixel 5a 5G is most definitely coming this year. Google just told us so.

Podcast: LG Quits.

Kellen — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 08:20:32 +0000

For this episode of the Droid Life Show, the big story of the week is without a doubt LG quitting the smartphone business. As little as LG has meant in recent years, losing a company this big from the game is a big deal. Other than that, we'd love to share thoughts on Apple admitting why it won't bring iMessage to Android, why we think Google making their own chipset for the Pixel 6 is a big deal, and more! Trivia is back as usual again. Who wants a Chromecast with Google TV? We’ll be live at 10:00AM Pacific (1:00PM Eastern).

Thank you to EwinRacing for sponsoring this week’s show. Use promo code “Droidlife” for 30% off your purchase of a gaming chair. See our review of the chairs here.

Take $200 Off the Galaxy S21 Ultra Because You Can

Kellen — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 07:53:06 +0000

The days of the $700-off Galaxy S21 Ultra deal might be behind us now, but that doesn't mean you won't see a steady stream of discounts over the next year leading up to the launch the next Galaxy S phone. As an example, today randomly, Amazon dropped $200 off the Galaxy S21 Ultra. With a $200 discount on the Galaxy S21 Ultra, you are looking at a starting price of $999 for either Phantom Black or Phantom Silver. This price gets you 128GB storage and 12GB RAM, as well as all of this phone's other ridiculous specs. If you are looking for the ultimate phone of 2021 (at least for now), this is the phone to buy. It's large and will force you into the trend of bootcut jeans and "satchels," but when you look at that 120Hz display, snap a few Space Zoom pics, and touch that matte black finish, it will all be worth it. Tim has the review in case you need more on all of that. As a hater of massive phones, I've been so tempted to buy one. Talk me out of it.

Shop Galaxy S21 Ultra at Amazon

Apple Admits Purposely Keeping iMessage Off Android Helps Lock Users In

Kellen — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 18:06:12 +0000

Epic and Apple are preparing to battle it out in court over the App Store (remember that whole Fortnite debacle?), so in the lead-up to that showdown, both sides presented filings where they laid out their cases. In the filing published by Epic, where they spent time deposing prominent Apple executives, they make the case that Apple has taken numerous measures to lock people into their ecosystem. I'd imagine they are suggesting that if Fortnite can't then be accessed outside of the App Store on iOS devices that that's anti-competitive, etc. However, it's the mentions in depositions about iMessage that grabbed our Android attention. There's an entire section in the filing (PDF) about iMessage and how Apple uses it to keep users in their system. Taking it a step further, Apple executives openly admit that they were working on an Android version of iMessage, but decided against it because they had more to gain if iMessage remained off Google's operating system. During the deposition of Eddie Cue, senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, Cue said that in 2013 there were plans to make iMessage for Android where it would have had "cross-compatibility with the iOS platform so that users of both platforms would have been able to exchange messages with one another seamlessly.” Why didn't it happen? During a deposition with Craig Federighi, senior vice president of Software Engineering, he acknowledged that putting "iMessage on Android would simply serve to remove [an] obstacle to iPhone families giving their kids Android phones." That's funny enough, but you get what Apple is thinking - Android phones can be had for super cheap and they would be the ultimate option for kids, assuming the messaging capabilities were right and worked with their parents' phones. By making messaging a mess if a family were to split up operating systems, the thought was that they'd just give in and all buy Apple products. Keeping that in mind, my boy Phil Schiller, now an Apple Fellow, agreed that Android shouldn't get iMessage, but was apparently more blatant in admitting that it's because they want to lock people onto iOS. In a response to an email from a former Apple employee who suggested "the #1 most difficult [reason] to leave the Apple universe app is iMessage. . . iMessage amounts to serious lock-in," Schiller commented that "moving iMessage to Android will hurt us more than help us, this email illustrates why." So for all of the talk over the years about the chances of iMessage coming to Android and everyone assuming Apple wouldn't do it because they knew it kept people on iPhones, we now know that's exactly the truth. // reddit

Why is Google Hiding 'My Apps & Games' in Google Play?

Tim — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 15:42:47 +0000

This is just a quick post to let Google know I don't like the new layout of Google Play. If you saw the news from this morning, it appears that everyone is receiving the UI that I magically received back in late January. Welcome to the club, stinkers. The main thing the UI change does is strip the hamburger menu from the left side and place all of the contents in a new menu that's accessed by hitting your profile photo in the top right. This is the part I don't like. If we were being smart about this, I'd recognize that one of the primary reasons I go into Google Play is to access my list of apps and games. I do this because that's where I go to download app updates. Why did Google not create a dedicated button on the bottom of the UI to quickly access my library of stuff? Instead, the bottom bar is the various sections of Google Play -- Games, Apps, Movies & TV, and Books. In my perfect world, I'd have apps and games under the same tab, then movies, books, and either "Library" or "My Apps" or something along those lines. With the change cemented, we now have to reach to the top of our tall phones and access My Apps & Games from there. I know, I probably sound ridiculous, but I'm just not a fan of this new layout. Heck, I was even fine with the old hamburger menu. You could at least swipe down the side of your phone and drag the menu out. It was kinda cool. That's all gone now. Maybe some of you have had the new UI for the day. What are you thinking so far? Do you mind it? Am I crazy?

Wear OS Adds UV Index to Your Wrist

Kellen — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 10:13:16 +0000

Google is so weird. They make a wearable operating system called Wear OS that we all know is barely supported and has essentially been on life support for some time. It hasn't seen a significant update in years, Google despises it so much they won't even make their own watch for it (Pixel Watch!), and fewer and fewer partners want anything to do with it. But then you get days like this, where the Wear OS Twitter account crawls out of a cave to let us know that changes are inbound. Apparently, we now have UV Index in the weather app! Well that's cool. https://twitter.com/WearOSbyGoogle/status/1380172038896242696 Thankfully, there is some hope on the horizon. We're pretty sure Samsung is returning to Wear OS to give us watches that can show us this UV Index. A company that licensed Motorola's name is likely to bring us new watches that can do the same. And when (if?) those watches show up, it could be alongside a spring Wear OS platform update. Still, we need Google to tell us that big things are coming. Give us the goods, Google.

USPS Shutting Down Informed Delivery Android App This Summer

Tim — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 09:48:27 +0000

In a bit of sad, yet unsurprising news, USPS announced this week that it's shutting down its Informed Delivery apps for Android and iOS. I'm not sure if I should be blaming Postmaster General DeJoy for this, but he seems to be the main reason USPS sucks right now, so yeah, I'm just gonna blame him for it. Be better, DeJoy. If you aren't signed up for Informed Delivery, you're doing mail wrong. Each morning, USPS sends you an email or notification about what pieces of mail will be in your box that day. The post office literally scans your incoming mail and sends you a photo. It's so clutch -- it's how I knew I had a speeding ticket in the mail and I was able to rage about it on Twitter. Seriously, Informed Delivery is awesome. Sign up for it because the email service will continue to operate. It's free. USPS says the shutdown is happening this summer, but rest assured, they confirm that users will still be able to receive Informed Delivery via the USPS Mobile app. RIP, dedicated Informed Delivery app.

Galaxy SmartTag+ Uses AR to Find Your Lost Stuff, Launches April 16

Tim — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 09:10:02 +0000

Samsung detailed the Galaxy SmartTag+ launch this morning, placing a date of April 16 on it. We actually spotted this device earlier in the month, and from a B&H listing, we initially thought the launch would be April 12. We got the price right, though. From what Samsung says, this thing has been tricked out like crazy, offering the ability to locate items using augmented reality (AR), plus providing remote control capabilities after simple programming. Using a mixture of Bluetooth LE and an ultra wideband (UWB) technology, an AR Finder tool can use your smartphone's camera to pinpoint exactly where your lost item is, so long as the SmartTag+ is attached to it. This couples with offline detection, which allows you to locate tags on a map, even if your tag is "far away."

Samsung also baked a remote control into the little tag, allowing users to program a click and hold function for controlling things like a lightbulb in your home. As Samsung details, "Forgot to turn off your bedside lamp but you’ve already left the house? Rather than running back home, you can use your SmartTag+ or SmartTag to turn off the light remotely. Through the SmartThings app, you can choose different functions you would like your tag to complete when you press or hold down the tag button."

Again, SmartTag+ launches April 16 for the price of $39.99. // Samsung

Verizon 5G Home Internet Fires Up in Milwaukee and Tampa

Tim — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 08:36:00 +0000

Verizon's 5G Home Internet service is now available in 30 markets, thanks to the addition of two new markets: Milwaukee and Tampa. If you aren't aware, the highlights for 5G Home include up to 1Gbps speeds, plus the fact that there are no data limits. The downside is that it runs on Verizon's UWB network which is hard to find. You can use Verizon's coverage map to get an idea of maybe where 5G Home is available in these cities, but as you'd expect, it's pretty limited. You'll need to input your address to see if your house is truly covered. If interested, you can get 5G Home service for $50/mo if you're already a Verizon customer. Should you sign-up, Verizon is including a free Stream TV box (it runs Android TV) and 12 months of Discovery+. If interested or want to check your address, hit that link below.

Sign-up for Verizon 5G Home

// Verizon

RIP, Google Play Hamburger Menu.

Kellen — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 07:42:36 +0000

Remember back in January when we showed you a new Google Play store that ditched the hamburger menu and instead put all of its contents behind the account button in the search bar? That's now rolling out to everyone it seems. It's a minor tweak to Google Play that is only shifting the location of items. Now, when you tap on your account button in the top right, a pop-up window will show you shortcuts to "My apps & games" and your Library and payments and Play Pass and Settings and all that. If you aren't seeing the change yet, which started rolling out widely yesterday, try killing Google Play or swiping it away in the app switcher, then re-opening. The first time it makes the change, it will white-out the menu button and then switch you over with a little blue pop-up explaining the change. We're almost done with hamburger menus, folks.

LG Makes Odd Commitment to Updates After Calling It Quits

Kellen — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 07:27:09 +0000

LG called it quits. Days ago. The company told us at the beginning of the week that it is exiting the smartphone business. It will sell through remaining inventory of devices and fulfill manufacturing commitments, but they won't release any new phones. It's over after years of losses. I mention all of that again, because LG made the strangest announcement last night. In a short press release, LG announced that it was committing to a "three year pledge" that would see them provide "up to three iterations of Android operating system updates" to their higher-end devices. Think about that for a second. It's odd, right? The company known for being one of the worst in the business at updating its smartphones, and likely one of the reasons for its years of failures, now wants to update phones regularly and for a long period of time? Where was this? Oh, it was here, at the "Software Upgrade Center," one of our favorite punchlines in the story of LG. So this statement from LG is sort of confusing. They are suggesting that phones in the G Series, V Series, Velvet, and Wing from 2019 forward will be eligible for the "three OS update guarantee." If they mean actual Android versions and not security updates, then well, that's not bad. If that is true and they stick to it (unlike the last time they made this commitment), then that could make buying a current LG phone (if it was super, insanely, for pennies level cheap) worth it. In the end, I have serious doubts that LG will live up to any of this after July when things shut down. They are likely making this statement and commitment because all of their partners across the globe are in contracts with them to sell a number of phones, and well, selling the phones of a company about to close its phone business would be tough. So this should help with that on some level. Breath will not be held. // LG

Verizon Galaxy S21, Galaxy S9 Get Fresh Security Updates

Kellen — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 16:03:32 +0000

Fresh updates are on the way to Verizon's newest and close-to-being-oldest Samsung phones. Both the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S9 families are catching new software this week. For the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra, expect the April Android security patch and builds of RP1A.200720.012.G991USQU2AUC8, RP1A.200720.012.G996USQU2AUC8, and RP1A.200720.012.G998USQU2AUC8. The update doesn't include anything else outside of a reference to vague "performance improvements." As for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, owners will only get the March Android security patch - no performance boosts can be found here. The new builds are QP1A.190711.020.G960USQS9FUC2 and QP1A.190711.020.G965USQS9FUC2. To grab those updates, head into Settings>System updates>Check for system updates. // Verizon [2]

Google Pay's Web Portal Lives On, We Just Don't Know for How Long

Kellen — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 14:56:25 +0000

The old, actually good Google Pay was supposed to shutdown a couple of days ago, along with its sweet little web portal that I use often to send people cash and to check transactions or manage payment methods for my Google account. For whatever reason, it's still alive and Google even changed the warning message at the top from confirming that April 5 was the last day for it to now just a "soon" timeframe. That's good news for those of us who are not at all fans of the new Google Pay. As slick as the new Google Pay app is, I can't say that I'm a fan of it only working on one device at a time, being tied to my phone number more closely than my Google account, adding new fees to instant transfers, and of course, ending the life of the web portal. Look, I know we live in a world where everyone is overly-close to their phones, but tying a payment system to a phone number is a bad idea. You typically can't have a phone number without paying a carrier a monthly service payment, where a Google account sign-in is basically free. You get what I'm saying here, right? But more importantly, a web portal that can be accessed from a computer is always going to be infinitely more efficient than a shitty, tiny mobile app. Some of us still sit on computers all day. You know how easy it is for me to type pay.google.com into a real browser and from a real keyboard, to then two-click a payment to someone? I know one thing, it'll be much more of a pain in the ass to do that same task on a small phone with a virtual keyboard. Anyways, baby rant over - be sure to use the web portal for as long as we can! It's great!

T-Mobile's 5G Home Internet Officially Launches Today

Kellen — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 13:28:11 +0000

Alright, so we just got done talking about T-Mobile's free 5G phones and unlimited 5G data plans, but that wasn't all the company announced today as a part of their newest Uncarrier event. In what could be the bigger deal for many parts of this country, T-Mobile officially launched its T-Home Home Internet today. After first firing up T-Mobile Home Internet back in 2019 and then expanding a couple of times, T-Mobile's at-home broadband service is now available to around 30 million households, which T-Mobile claims makes it one of the largest home broadband providers in the country. The big deal with T-Mobile pushing its own internet service option is the fact that so many people in rural areas don't have options at all. T-Mobile is trying to be one of or the only quality and affordable choices in small rural towns across America. T-Mobile is betting that their 5G network will do he heavy lifting here, but the modem they send out to customers can use both 5G and 4G. I'd imagine that's because they'll need 4G at times, depending on your home's location. For now, T-Mobile Home Internet costs just $60/mo with autopay. That price includes unlimited data with no caps and the cost of the equipment. Most customers should see speeds of around 100Mbps down and setup is done by you within a few minutes. Again, T-Mobile sends customers a 5G/4G modem that can be setup with the help of an app rather than an at-home technician. To get signed-up for T-Mobile Home Internet, hit this link and check for availability. // T-Mobile

Pro Tip: Customize the Appearance of Your Google Search Widget

Tim — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 12:34:57 +0000

I'm probably super late to the party, but did you know you can customize the appearance of the Google Search widget on your home screen? Until this morning, I only thought you could swap between a light and dark theme, based on phone's system settings. From what I can gather, so long as you're not using the built-in Google Search widget from the Pixel Launcher on a Pixel device, you can tweak the appearance of this widget to go along better with your device's theme and wallpaper. Allow me to explain how to do this -- it's quite easy and I'm disappointed I didn't know about this sooner. First, make sure you have the Google Search widget added to your home screen. That's what enables the customization setting inside Google Discover. Once placed where you want it, go inside Google Discover and tap your profile icon in the top right. From here, you'll see a menu of different settings. Drag your eye down to the middle and you should see a "Customize widget" button. Smack that button. Inside this menu, you can tweak the appearance of the widget. You can change between a "G" logo or full "Google" logo, select the shape of the widget, change the color (there are preselected colors and a custom color option), and you can also customize the opacity of the widget. I have mine set more on the see-through side and I'm feeling it quite a bit. As I said earlier, so long as you're not on a Google Pixel device using the built-in Search widget -- the one that's glued to the bottom of the screen -- you should have this setting available to you. However, if you want to use the standalone Search widget on your Pixel device, this will work just fine for you. I've tested this on my OnePlus 9, Galaxy S21 Ultra, and Pixel 5 and can confirm that the option is there. It's probably been there for five years and I just didn't realize it. Either way, I'm happy. What else have you all been hiding from me?

Google I/O is Virtual This Year, Free to Attend on May 18-20

Tim — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 10:18:10 +0000

Last year, Google canned plans for its I/O developer conference because COVID-19 cases were rampant all across the world. This year, even with things cooling down and folks getting vaccinated, no chances for a super spreader event are taking place, so Google has made it official that the event will be 100% virtual and free to attend by all. This news comes from Google's dedicated events page, hidden by some puzzles that were solved by the 9to5Google crew. Thanks for doing the heavy lifting, friends! Once solved, we can see that Google I/O will be virtual, free to attend, and take place between May 18 through May 20. At Google I/O, we can expect plenty of Google and Android news. It wouldn't shock us to see new products, too. We could see new Nest stuff, Android 12 things, plus plenty more. If you care to give the puzzles a go yourself, have at it. // 9to5Google

Android 12 Developer Preview 2.2 Update is Here!

Kellen — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 10:01:54 +0000

Google hit us with another Android 12 Developer Preview 2 build today, this time as DP2.2. This is a bug fixer, like DP2.1, so don't expect a ton of changes like we might see with Developer Preview 3 in a week or so. For changes, Google lists out fixes for a Settings app crash, widgets being removed from home screens, WiFi network passwords not being saved, a weird notification shade activation when typing, videos to be encoded incorrectly when shared, and more. The update is available to all of the same Pixel devices (Pixel 3, Pixel 3a, Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, and Pixel 5). Google says that if you are already running Developer Preview 2 or 2.1, you should get DP2.2 as an over-the-air update. I believe this is the first OTA for Android 12. New DP2.2 build info:

Release date: April 7, 2021 Build: SPP2.210219.018 Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A) Security patch level: April 2021 Google Play services: 21.06.13

Here are some helpful links on this Android 12 DP2.2 update:

Downloads: Factory images | OTA files
Release notes

T-Mobile is Giving Away Free 5G Phones to Everyone

Kellen — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 09:17:10 +0000

T-Mobile held another of its Uncarrier events today and the focus was on getting 5G to everyone in some way. Whether that means unlimited data plans, home internet, or phones, T-Mobile wants you on their network testing out 5G. To help convince you to use 5G, T-Mobile will give you a free 5G phone as long as you trade-in any working phone. Called "The Great Free 5G Upgrade," T-Mobile is telling the world that they'll give everyone a free Samsung Galaxy A32 5G phone. The only requirements are that you trade-in a working phone (it could be a flip phone, yes) and sign-up for one of their postpaid 5G plans. New and existing customers are eligible. What's the catch? Well, as you probably guessed, they aren't giving you a free phone to do with as you please. Instead, this is one of those 24-month bill credit ~~scams~~ contracts that locks you into their service for two years. If you walk away at any time, they could charge you the full amount for the phone ($282). If you want to know whether or not the Samsung A32 is worth owning, here's a write-up on its specs. Thankfully, they are at least giving you a choice of unlimited data to use with 5G, and that includes those who are existing customers (even Sprint customers!). Sprint customers will get upgraded to unlimited on April 18 if they aren't already. The pitch here is somewhat confusing, but basically T-Mobile is saying that you can get into one of their unlimited 5G plans for cheaper than your current plan at Verizon or AT&T or from Sprint. There isn't a new plan or anything...it's all very weird. And that's pretty much it. T-Mobile spent a lot of time talking about its 5G network today because it is way ahead of AT&T and Verizon's networks. To get you using it, they will give you a free low-end 5G phone (with trade-in) where they spread the cost of the phone out over 24 months to keep you paying for monthly service for 2 years. It's not really a great deal. If you want to try T-Mobile, just buy a good phone from them and have at it. Their network is actually pretty good these days. When can you take advantage? I'd love to tell you, but the lengthy press release from T-Mobile gives zero dates. I'd imagine the promo starts right away. // T-Mobile

Samsung's New Galaxy A Line Starts at $109 in US, $499 Galaxy A52 Sounds Solid

Tim — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 08:34:19 +0000

Samsung introduced the US market to its updated Galaxy A line this morning, consisting of five devices: There's the Galaxy A02s that starts at $109, all the way up to the Galaxy A52 for $499. Every single price point in between those two is met by this family of devices, so if a new mid-ranger is on your shopping list, pay close attention. Let's start with the big dog first, the Galaxy A52. For its $499 price, the phone features a 6.5-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, 6GB RAM, 128GB onboard storage, quad rear camera system with OIS, stereo speakers, 5G connectivity, plus an IP67 rating. Samsung also confirmed via a press-only briefing that this phone is eligible to the same update schedule as the Galaxy S phones. Yup, Samsung is the king of Android updates. If you need less expensive, there's the Galaxy A42. It has 5G, a triple camera setup, 6.6" HD+ Super AMOLED display, 4GB RAM, and 128GB storage. The Galaxy A42 will run you $399. What is that, you need cheaper? The least expensive model in the lineup is the Galaxy A02s. It starts at $109, offering a 6.5-inch HD+ display, 2GB RAM, 32GB storage (plus support for expandable) dual cameras, and Fast Charging. If you're looking for the cheapest 5G experience, you'll want the Galaxy A32. It comes with 5G, a 6.5-inch HD+ LCD display, 4GB RAM, and 64GB storage. For that, it's priced at $279. For availability, the Galaxy A42 will be available starting April 8 in the US, followed by the Galaxy A52, A32, and A12 on April 9. Galaxy A02s will be available starting April 29. // Samsung

Time to Save $10 on YouTube TV, T-Mobile Customers

Kellen — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 15:39:17 +0000

As a part of T-Mobile's new partnership with Google, the two are offering a $10/mo discount to YouTube TV for "as long as you are a T-Mobile postpaid wireless voice or home internet customer." That's a big deal for a TV streaming service whose multiple price increases have scared many off and are on the verge of pushing away long time customers, like myself and Tim. Saving $10 off of the $65/mo price might just keep us around for a while longer. Today, that promotion is live for wireless or home internet customers to take advantage of. To get started, you'll head over to t-mobile.com/tvision and click the big "Redeem now" box in the YouTube TV section. From there, T-Mobile will ask for your phone number and login credentials before letting you submit info for the promotion. After filling out all required info, T-Mobile told me it would take up to 3-4 days before I would receive a redemption code to get the $10/mo discount. I'd imagine that's the case for everyone. Already a YouTube TV subscriber? I have bad news for you. You can still sign-up for this $10/mo promo on YouTube TV, but you have to cancel your current subscription first. That, of course, means that you (might) lose all of your DVR content and custom channel setups. Google's support says "Recorded programs in your library will expire after 21 days" and that they'll "save your library preferences in case you want to sign up again later." There's a chance you could save everything if you act quick enough. Signing-up again shouldn't be difficult, you will simply need to recreate your libraries. Why Google and T-Mobile couldn't figure out a way to give us all a discount without this requirement is beyond me. Want a free month plus the $10/mo deal? Cool! If you've never used YouTube TV before, you are eligible for a free month ($65 value) followed by the $10/mo discount. Folks who have previously been on YouTube TV or taken advantage of a trial are out of luck. Limited time offer? According to T-Mobile's terms, this is a 12-month discount where all of the small print suggests the price of $54.99/mo will jump back up to the full $64.99/mo. Specifically, it says that after a trial, users will "then be charged discounted price of $54.99 per month for 12 months before being charged price of $64.99/month or then current monthly subscription price." However, further down the terms, T-Mobile says "After 12 months T-Mobile reserves the right to require billing on your T-Mobile bill to continue $10/mo. discount." And the whole headline for this promotion says "for as long as you're with T-Mobile," so we'll take their word for it for now. This is somewhat of a limited time offer, though, in that you need to sign-up before July 31, 2021. T-Mobile opened up the deal for those interested, but has set that date as the last day for you to redeem. You may not want to hesitate for long. Get yourself cheaper YouTube TV!

All T-Mobile Customers Can Get Philo TV Service for Just $10/Month (50% Off)

Tim — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 14:58:19 +0000

T-Mobile customers, as if your TV streaming prospects weren't already good enough, it's detailed this week that starting today, all postpaid customers on T-Mobile and Sprint are eligible to sign up for Philo at a price of $10/month (for one year), which is 50% off the usual $20/month price. As someone who is currently paying $65/month for YouTube TV, but does have a T-Mobile account, this is tempting. With Philo, you get 60+ channels with unlimited DVR and plenty of on-demand options. So long as Philo has the channels you want, $10/month is helluva deal. I don't have any personal experience with Philo, but it has some pretty big channels and there are add-ons available. To get in on this deal, you'll want to follow the instructions below, detailed from Philo's help page.

Customers go to promotions.t-mobile.com.
Enter their T-Mobile or Sprint phone number and sign in to your account.
Select their phone number from the dropdown and enter the code 2021PHILOP1.
Click Accept Terms.
Enter their name, email address, and confirm their email address and click Continue.

Once you've successfully submitted the request, a message will appear with tracking information while T-Mobile reviews it. You should receive your personalized coupon via text within 3-4 days. New customers can then redeem the code at philo.com/coupon, and existing Philo customers can redeem the code on their Account page. Pretty sweet, right?

I Think Google Just Showed Us the New "Pixel Buds A" in Green

Kellen — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 13:31:02 +0000

We learned just last week that Google was making a new pair of Pixel Buds called "Pixel Buds A" that would likely feature a more affordable price and come in both white and dark green colorways. Since they also stopped through the FCC recently, we get the feeling that Google could look to announce them soon and our gut has essentially been confirmed today because Google included them in an email that was sent to Google Nest owners. The email, which I found in my inbox as "Kellen, your Nest device just got an upgrade," walks through some new features that Google has pushed to smart displays in recent weeks. However, at the bottom, there is an ad for the Google Store and some of the products you can discover. In that section, we see a Pixel 5, Nest Hub Max, "Subscriptions" shortcut, and a pair of earbuds that look a lot like the Pixel Buds (2nd Gen). The thing is, if you look closer, I'm not so sure these aren't the new Pixel Buds A.

For one, the charging light sits up near the top where the case opens. On the current Pixel Buds, that light is actually down at the bottom near the USB-C charging port. But the biggest giveaway might be with a little Photoshop action, where we pulled the colors from the Buds in the picture above. These Buds are dark green, man. Since Google doesn't currently sell a dark green pair of Buds, what else could these be?

Kind of exciting, right? Here's to hoping these have improved connectivity over the current gen Pixel Buds, are more affordable, and don't need 6 software updates out of the gate to improve them.

Tuesday Question: Would You Buy a Sony Phone?

Tim — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 08:51:36 +0000

LG is gone, people. They probably ain't coming back. With that said, it means there's a little bit of market share that someone is going to gobble up, and while most would assume that'll just be Samsung, I'd like to think that a smaller firm has the potential to grow and get phones into the hands of new customers. One of those companies is Sony with its Xperia line. Xperia phones have been getting pumped out annually for years now, and if you look at the specs on these devices, Sony hasn't been wasting anybody's time. Now more than ever, they are worth a look. While the specs and software have only been improving on Sony phones, we can't help but point to the pricing and software update schedule as two main reasons the OEM doesn't see a lot of play in the US. Their phones are just stupid expensive and there are no carrier partners to help offset that cost across contracts or promotions. If you want Sony, you buy unlocked and then pray the company updates your phone in a timely manner. If Sony wants to gain more traction in the US, I think a commitment to better software support would go a very long way at getting folks interested. We've seen similar moves from Samsung and it's one of those highlights that we always point to when you all ask us which phone you should buy next. So let's say the next Sony phone, presumably the Xperia 1 III, has an amazing spec sheet, a relatively good price ($1K-ish), and a commitment from Sony for timely updates -- let's say at least 2 or 3 years major Android version upgrades + 3 to 4 years of security patches. Would you even consider Sony? And if not, why? Is there something that's been keeping you away from Sony? Is it the lack of carrier availability? Pricing? This is your chance, Sony. Let's see what you got!

Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G Get "Stunning" Performance Boosts

Kellen — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 07:52:12 +0000

In this month's security update for Google's Pixel phones, there is a line in the changelog for the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G that says there are "performance optimizations for certain graphics-intensive apps & games." Normally, we would assume that means Google slightly improved performance in ways we probably wouldn't notice, but benchmarks are apparently telling a much different story. Shortly after the update went live, Andreas Proschofsky from Der Standard, noticed results that he described as "stunning." In a 3DMark benchmark, the April Android update on the Pixel 5 helped push the results to a 30-50% better score compared to the same phone running March's update. In addition to the 3DMark results, further testing has apparently showed improved stability or reliability too, which means that even as performance has been bumped, the phone is maintaining that performance without seeing a dropoff. It's hard to say if anyone will notice in real-world or daily usage, but that's a big enough boost that likely will be felt in gaming or another app that might prove to be a resource hog. The new performance hits at or above where other phones running the Pixel 5's Snapdragon 765G hit, so if anything, Google has finally brought its best phones to where they should have been or even slightly above. Pixel 5 gamers out there, let us know what you are seeing. https://twitter.com/suka_hiroaki/status/1379153855024226304

RIP, Google Pay. Hello, Google Pay.

Kellen — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 17:34:25 +0000

Galaxy S9 Drops to Quarterly Update Schedule

Kellen — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 17:26:00 +0000

Now that the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ have finished off their first three years of service, they will drop off of the monthly security update schedule they have been on since launch. Going forward, Samsung's 2018 flagship Galaxy S phones will see quarterly updates. Try not to freak out, Galaxy S9 owner. This is what Samsung does. It happened with the Galaxy S8 last year and the Galaxy S7 before it. The Galaxy Note phones do this too. Samsung has for the longest time provided 3 years of monthly updates followed by a 4th year of quarterly updates. This is all a part of Samsung's best-in-Android update schedule that not even Google matches. Samsung is the only company offering 4 years of updates in the Android game, thus the reason we dubbed them "King of Android updates." Still, a slowdown of updates never feels great and often marks a time to start looking for a replacement. The Galaxy S21 Ultra might be a solid option (review), but after that, the Android market is looking rough. // Samsung

There's Still No YouTube Music App on Wear OS (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 14:41:37 +0000

Back in October, only a few weeks before Google killed off Google Play Music for all remaining users, the company announced that they were releasing a sweet new YouTube Music app for smartwatches. Unfortunately, the watches getting the new app didn't run Android and were instead the Apple Watch. As for Wear OS, well, Google could only tell us to "stay tuned" for news there. Less than two months later, Google ended Google Play Music yet Wear OS users still hadn't heard a thing about YouTube Music coming through to save the day on the music front. We are now 4 months into life without Google Play Music (and even longer for the Wear OS app) and yeah, the same applies - there is no YouTube Music app for Wear OS. You may be wondering why this is such a big deal. For one, a stand-alone YouTube Music app would give Wear OS users access to their music collections from their wrist, let them control playback, and potentially add Casting controls. That's what the Apple Watch version can do at least. For Wear OS users today, the only option to control tunes is through system media controls, which let you control volume pause/play, or skip tracks. But that's pretty limited functionality there. Again, the Apple Watch app gives you library access and Casting controls without ever needing to pull out your phone. We still think Google is making a YouTube Music app for Wear OS, because they haven't said that they aren't. They told us in August of last year that there were plans for YouTube Music and wearables, though they didn't specifically say an app was coming. However, in October, that "stay tuned" message was in reference to us being on the lookout for "additional updates on YouTube Music availability on Wear OS." That sounds like an app, right? Either way, it's April and YouTube Music replaced Google Play Music months and months and months ago without a proper replacement app for Google's wearable operating system. That's bad.

UPDATE: A YouTube spokesperson tells us that they are "actively working on bringing a robust YouTube Music experience to Wear OS" and that they "will share more information as soon as possible."

Google Chat Can be in Your Gmail App Now

Kellen — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 13:08:20 +0000

I'm still not sure that Google has acknowledged the imminent death of Hangouts and the sneaky availability of Google Chat in recent weeks, but the rollout of Chat to more users in more places continues. If you happen to be the most productive human on Earth and need Chat within your Gmail app, it's there for you. This previously rolled out to GSuite users, but Gmail account users can now access Google Chat as a bottom tab in the Gmail app. This is all a part of that big Gmail update from last year that would bring both Chat and Meet into Gmail for Workspace (GSuite) users. Google is bringing it to the masses too. To access the Chat (or Meet) tabs in Gmail, you'll head into your Gmail app, swipe out the side menu and jump into Settings. From there, scroll until you find the "General" section where you should see a box to check called "Chat (Early Access)." Check that, watch the Gmail app refresh, and boom(!) you have Chat in Gmail.

Do you want Chat in Gmail? Hey, you tell me. I've enabled it after ditching Hangouts (and Chat) for Telegram because I feel like I spend enough time in Gmail that having Chat handy would be easier than going to find the Chat app. But that's me.

OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro Getting OxygenOS 11.2.3.3 Update, Just a Bug Fixer

Tim — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 12:33:34 +0000

OnePlus announced an incremental update for the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro this week, labeled as OxygenOS 11.2.3.3. Still based on Android 11, this update is just a small bug fixer and should be making its way to all OnePlus 9 units soon after the rollout completes in India. Highlights for this small update include power consumption performance improvements (Kellen, this is aimed at you), system stability improvements, camera improvements, and network improvements. What's New in OxygenOS 11.2.3.3

System
- Improved the power consumption performance to extend the battery life
- Fixed known issues and improved system stability
Camera
- Improved the shooting and recording experience
Network
- Improved the stability of telecommunication functions
- Improved the WLAN transmission performance and stability

OnePlus 9 owners, how are the new phones treating you? // OnePlus

Share Your LG Smartphone Memories With Us

Tim — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 10:34:11 +0000

In our book, LG will go down as a company that tried and succeeded in many areas of the smartphone, even if it didn't lead to profitability. For example, they gave us the first QHD display on the LG G3. They gave audiophiles Quad DACs. They were either first or at least very early to the Manual camera experience that let us play with all sorts of photography settings. They kept removable batteries for as long as they could. They gave us a leather phone with the LG G4. They attempted modules with the G5, though, that certainly wasn't a success story, but they did try! My point is, LG gave us some sweet memories and were an important figure in the world of Android. Now they're closing shop and we can't help but be a little sad. On Twitter I shared my most fond memory of LG and that's with the G3. I recall beginning the review process and was taking it out on a stroll through a nearby park to test the camera. The first photo I took with the device is probably one of my favorite photos of all time. The black background with the super bright and colorful bug. For 2014, it blew my mind and I was in love with the G3. We want to hear from other LG lovers. Do you have a fond memory you'd like to share? As a note, we don't want this to turn into an LG bash fest, as none of that is constructive at this point and LG's downfall has been well documented. We know, they had less than ideal software and that software was hardly updated. We've talked about it more than once. Share your memories down below in the comments. RIP, LG Mobile.

April 2021 Android Security Update Now Available for Google Pixel

Kellen — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 10:11:21 +0000

Hey, Monday, first one of the month, how are you? Good to hear, because I'm assuming you have a Google Pixel update for us? You do, of course you do. The April Android update is here for Pixel 3, Pixel 3a, Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, and Pixel 5! Currently, we are seeing new 11.0.0 files for Pixel 5 (RQ2A.210405.005), Pixel 4a 5G (RQ2A.210405.005), Pixel 4a (RQ2A.210405.005), Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL (RQ2A.210405.005), Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL (RQ2A.210405.005), and Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL (RQ2A.210405.005, RQ2A.210405.006). For specifics on builds, here is what you need to know:

All of the RQ2A.210405.005 are global builds for almost everyone. Verizon builds for the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G have been held back for the time being and we'll share those once we know what they are. Also, the RQ2A.210405.006 for the Pixel 3 is for Canada.

Since last month brought us a new Pixel Feature Drop, I'm going to assume this month will be minor and simply take care of bugs. Once Google posts the changelog and specifics on build numbers, we'll update this post. Here are the notable changes and fixes:

Google should begin pushing these updates shortly, but if you don’t want to wait for Google and prefer to update manually, you will find each factory 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. Links:

Custom Launchers Get Fancy Android 12 API for Searching Through Device Contents

Tim — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 09:01:00 +0000

We're learning more about a new Android 12 feature this week, one designed specifically to help third-party custom launcher developers enable users to find the data they need in an instant. It's a set of APIs that go under an umbrella called AppSearch, and for all intents and purposes, it appears to mimic Apple's handy dandy Spotlight feature in the sense that you can literally find anything on your device via a search bar. Initially thought to maybe be exclusive to Pixel devices, AppSearch was spotted by the developers of the Niagara Launcher, then detailed a bit more by XDA. From what's explained by the Android development team, it's a fully offline solution, allowing for the retrieval of information from a phone's list of apps, contacts, settings menus, and more.

AppSearch Library Features

A fully offline on-device solution
A set of APIs for applications to index documents and retrieve them via full-text search
APIs for applications to allow the System to display their content on the system UI surfaces
Similarly, APIs for applications to allow the System to share their content with other specified applications.

Being a Mac user myself, I can attest to how good Spotlight is for Apple products. I certainly wouldn't mind having something similar on Android. https://twitter.com/NiagaraLauncher/status/1378344535147872261 // XDA

LG Makes It Official and Exits the Phone Business

Kellen — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 19:06:27 +0000

In a bit of breaking news tonight, LG has indeed confirmed that it will exit the phone business. I repeat, LG is closing its mobile business unit. Through a brief press release, LG said that it will continue to sell phone inventory and "provide service support and software updates for customers of existing mobile products for a period of time which will vary by region." Since you all want to know about your specific area or country, we'll have to wait for that to arrive, if it ever does. LG should finish closing down their mobile unit by July 31. Well, damn. // LG

Pixel 6 is the Story of the Year Now on Android

Kellen — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 09:38:20 +0000

The story that broke on Friday about the possibility of Google ditching Qualcomm for the Pixel 6 because it created its own smartphone processor is about as big as it gets. It is without a doubt the only story of 2021 that really means anything now. Samsung could release a new foldable, LG could announce that it's leaving the game, and Sony could release a king phone in a couple of weeks, but the focus isn't going to shift off of what Google's plans are. To backup for a second, the original story here is that Google has developed a chip called "whitechapel" that will power the Pixel 6, and presumably, all other phones from them in the later half of 2021. They are supposedly working with Samsung Semiconductor on the chip that has a reference number of "GS101" and is likely a part of a "slider" platform too, which has been spotted within the Google Camera app. Additional references to phone codenames of "oriole" and "raven" are tied to all of this, and those codenames happen to be understood as Pixel devices, like the Pixel 6. Since that first story dropped, a supposed 2nd confirmation of the "GS101" chip has surfaced, along with another codename of "dauntless." Mishaal Rahman from XDA believes that "GS101" has a "3 cluster setup with a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit)" and that "dauntless" is some sort of security chip, possibly related to Google's Titan M chip. Additional reporting and speculation by XDA puts this chip as a 5nm octa-core chip with an ARM Mali GPU. It may end up being in the upper mid-range, similar to Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7-series. All of that in mind, there are several reasons this is now the biggest story of 2021. For one, ditching Qualcomm is a major move. The entire Android landscape has basically been stuck with whatever Qualcomm makes each year and then uses whatever features Qualcomm has included from its various platforms. Not that Qualcomm has made bad chips, it's just that innovation in any space could struggle to move when one company controls it all. But another side of this is what Google could do with its own silicon. Are we talking about an expansion of updates because Google is now in control of the entire ecosystem? Right now, Google supplies its Pixel phones with 3 years of OS and security updates. They only recently announced that they would add an additional year of security update support on Android (not Pixel) with the help of Qualcomm, though OS versions would remain at launch version + 3 updates. If Google's Pixel 6 is running their own chip, their own commitment would then be the biggest obstacle stopping them from expanding that to match what Apple does with iOS devices, which has hit 6-years of support on some iPhones. A Google chip could also provide further custom experiences in the camera department. We've already seen Google push a custom Pixel Visual Core chip on devices in the past. Running their own chipset opens up additional possibilities there right at a time where Google is in desperate need of a camera update on Pixel phones. After leading the industry for a number of cycles, the Pixel 5 stayed true to previous devices in that it shipped an aging camera sensor that relied heavily on software to get by. A combination of Google's own processor and an updated camera platform from the company who motivated the industry at large to get better, is a pretty exciting thought. Of course, there's the idea of a Google processor helping shave off some costs to you, the consumer. Right now, Google buys its chips from Qualcomm, who we know is in the business of making enormous profits. As example of how that relationship might not be great, you may recall when Qualcomm shipped the Snapdragon 865 without integrated 5G, so they then forced phone makers to include a 5G modem that jacked up prices on phones? Yeah, Google might be able to do something about that, assuming they've also worked out their plans for network connectivity. More generally speaking, though, Google with its own phone, an operating system it fully controls, and a chip powering it that is all theirs, opens up Android to a world we haven't experienced before. As old as this platform is, this is an area that Android has never gone to and that's interesting enough by itself. This could be big and it might all start with the Pixel 6.

Google Shutdown Inbox 2 Years Ago and I Still Miss It

Kellen — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 09:23:59 +0000

There are few apps that have come and gone over the years that I've truly missed as much as Google's Inbox email app. The blue-toned smarter inbox with intuitive gestures and a more organized layout has been gone for two years now, yet I still wish I could find a way to use it. It was without a doubt my favorite Google app. Fully buying into Inbox was probably a foolish mistake by many of us, especially since it launched as more of an experiment than anything. Google rarely keeps their experiments or smaller-team projects around and it never really made sense for Inbox and Gmail to co-exist, but I couldn't help myself. It was so damn good. Gmail still can't match the way Inbox organized almost everything. The separation of emails by day or week or month made it simple to keep track of older emails you probably put off dealing with, but as a benefit of that organization, it let you batch archive emails too. My morning often started with a quick scan of the emails I actually needed to read followed by a single-tap batch archive of newsletters and other spam-ish stuff. Rather than single-tapping to multi-select or dealing with each email 1-by-1, Inbox brought efficiencies that Gmail hasn't.

The reminders that lived within Inbox were the best implementation of any Google reminder functionality. They simply lived at the top of your inbox, constantly reminding you to deal with them. For reminders now, you either have to open Keep or Assistant or Tasks or who knows what. They all seem far away from email and not easily accessible and I've stopped using Google for them, which is why Inbox putting them front and center made sense because we all spend countless hours each day in our inboxes. The animations too. Man, the animations and gestures to move around were so fun to use. The "Snooze" option in notifications, the freakin' trip bundles (!), and the blue color vs. red were all just great. I wrote about all that was missing from Gmail in this post prior to Google killing Inbox and most of that still applies. Google brought a handful of Inbox's best features to Gmail and certainly improved their most used app, but the little things that mad Inbox truly great never did. I'm still mad. You know what, after admitting above that I was foolish for giving my life over to Inbox, I take it back. The app was around for 5 years! It should still be here! Life was fine with two email apps from Google. Their mega-corp billions could have supported the two for years to come even if it was only to keep me happy. I don't like you anymore, Google. Take that. Hmph!

Verizon Galaxy Note 9 Gets a Fresh Security Patch

Kellen — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 08:18:40 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9, a device closing in on its 4th anniversary, is getting a new update on Verizon this week. The update is minor in that it only brings new security patches, but it's yet another reminder of Samsung's lengthy support schedules for its top tier phones. This phone is still getting monthly updates. The update from Verizon to the Note 9 will bring build QP1A.190711.020.N960USQS8FUC2. Again, all it has is the March Android security patch and nothing else, but that's OK. An aging phone like this typically won't see a bunch of new features, plus it wasn't included in the Android 11 update list - expect similar updates like this until it reaches end of life. To check for the update, head into Settings>About phone>Software updates>Check for updates. // Verizon

Cheapest OnePlus 9 Pro, Most Expensive OnePlus 9 Available in the Future

Kellen — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 17:37:28 +0000

Today is OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro open sales day, which mostly just means that if you want either, you can order and they should ship right away. The thing is, that's not the case for all models of each phone, specifically the cheapest version of the OnePlus 9 Pro and the most expensive version of the OnePlus 9. When these phones went up for pre-order, we were under the impression that you could buy both phones with configurations of 8GB RAM and 128GB storage or 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. But when pre-orders went live, the 12GB-256GB OnePlus 9 was missing, as was the 8GB-128GB OnePlus 9 Pro. We asked OnePlus that day and they told us that all configurations would be available when general sales opened up, which again, is today. Both of those configurations are still missing, so we asked OnePlus what was up. We've been told that the cheapest OnePlus 9 Pro (8GB-128GB, $969) is not currently available at all in North America, but should be at some point in the future. The most expensive OnePlus 9 (12GB-256GB, $829) is supposedly sold out and will return later. I don't remember it ever being available, but that's the story. If your budget was under $1,000 and were waiting for the cheaper OnePlus 9 Pro to keep, I apologize for the bad Friday news.

READ: OnePlus 9 Pro review

Samsung's Super High Trade-In Values are No More

Kellen — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 13:24:22 +0000

We had a good run, Samsung fans, but our time of getting the best values for our trade-ins is done for now. Samsung updated pricing for trade-ins when buying the Galaxy S21 family this week and the bloated values they once gave you are a thing of the past. Up until this week, you could trade-in any Galaxy Note 20 or Galaxy S20 phone and receive an instant discount of $700 off your new Galaxy S21, S21+, or S21 Ultra. Today, the only phone worth $700 is the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. From there, prices drop to $650 (Note 20), $600 (S20 Ultra and Z Fold), $550 (S20+), and $500 for the Galaxy S20. If you own even older phones, like the Galaxy Note 10 or Galaxy S10 lines, you are down to $450 now. Those phones fetched $550 for several months. Samsung still offers the best trade-in program of anyone because of the instant discount they give you, but I sure hope you all took advantage of those launch values. They gave you almost 3 months to do so.

Shop Galaxy S21 family at Samsung's store

Google WiFi Management Gets Rerouted to Google Home App

Tim — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 12:29:51 +0000

Heads up, Google WiFi app users. Control for your networks will soon have a new home, with Google moving to shut down the current Google WiFi app. Soon, you'll need to migrate all of your info over to the Google Home app and there's nothing you can do about it. Sorry. According to information posted by The Verge, there will be two phases to this migration. The first part happens on May 25, with Google disabling most aspects of the Google WiFi app. At that time, all you'll be able to do is check your network status via the app and nothing else. The next step comes in June and that's the complete removal of the Google WiFi app from Google Play. At that point, nothing will work in the app and hopefully everyone will have migrated to Google Home by then. The migration process is easy enough. There's a dedicated "Import Google Wifi network"section in the Google Home app when you go to add a new device to your network, so it should be relatively straightforward for most people. Do note, once you have switched over to Google Home, there is no reversal process, so be sure you're ready to do it. For a complete rundown of migration instructions, follow the Google Support link below. Bye bye, Google WiFi app. // Google Support | The Verge

Get Yourself a New E-WIN Gaming Chair or Desk for 30% Off, Chairs as Low as $139

Tim — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 11:52:54 +0000

In time for Easter or whatever holiday you might be celebrating this time of year, you can grab one of E-WIN's gaming chairs, the same ones Kellen and I use on a daily basis. We've partnered with E-WIN to provide you 30% off your purchase of an E-WIN product, which includes the company's chairs, desks, and other accessories. If you don't know anything about E-WIN gaming chairs, check out my initial review for one of their chairs, posted shortly after the whole world went into lockdown early last year. Using our 30% off Droidlife code at checkout, you can get the same chair I use for only $216, down from its listed price of $309. That's in addition to another nearly 20% off they have on the chair currently. The chair swivels, tilts, goes up and down, is plenty comfy, and also comes with a couple of pillows -- one for your next and one for your lower back.

There's an entire range of gaming chairs to choose from. There are different models that offer different things, and of course, there is no shortage of colors and material options. If you want the least expensive option, you can get a chair for as low as $139. Regardless of what you want, it's 30% off using the code Droidlife for an office gaming chair.

Maybe a Gaming Desk Instead?

E-WIN makes more than just chairs. If you might need a new desk instead of a chair, you can snag one of the company's RGB gaming desks at 30% off using our Droidlife code. The above desk, which features RGB lighting, wireless charging, and even a gosh darn cupholder can be had for only $300, down from its usual $429 price using our code. If you like carbon fiber and shiny lights, that's sweet. If you're maybe an E-WIN super fan of sorts, you can even score the company's own branded massage gun for $139, down from $200. On a personal note, I don't have this one, but a different massage gun and I love it. Highly recommend getting one, even if it's not this one. Have at it.

E-Win Racing Shop Link (Use code "Droidlife" for 30% off)

Pixel 6 Might Run Google's Own Processor, Ditch Qualcomm

Kellen — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 09:29:35 +0000

A Pixel 6 running a Google "Whitechapel" chip?

The dream of every Google Pixel fan has been for Google to take matters into its own hands and develop a processor that its phones and other hardware could run. It would help complete the smartphone puzzle, bring them more in line with Apple's iPhone operation, and let them ditch Qualcomm. Thanks to a new report, we believe this might be the year it happens. Google has reportedly been working on a processor codenamed "Whitechapel," according to 9to5Google, who has viewed documentation with references to both it and upcoming devices. And when I say upcoming devices, I'm talking about a potential Pixel 6, Pixel 5a, and any other new phone from Google coming later this year, possibly in the fall. We don't know details about "Whitechapel" capabilities, but it has been attached to a codename of "Slider" that has been referenced within the Google Camera app. This "Slider" is some sort of shared platform with "Whitechapel" that ties the two to two device codenames of "Raven" and "Oriole." Those names should sound familiar, as at least one is expected to be the Pixel 6, while the other could be a Pixel 5a model or something else. This new "Whitechapel" chip is supposedly referred to as "GS101" and could be built with Samsung Semiconductor and Samsung Exynos components and software. In other words, Samsung may be helping Google with this chip, leaving out Qualcomm. This is, obviously, massive news. We could see Google further customize the Android experience for its Pixel devices with its own chip, plus it could lead to software support far beyond the current 3-year period. One of the things Apple gets so much praise from is the number of years that iPhone models continue to get updates. If Google assumes that level of control, we could see the same from them. You guys, talk to me.

Adios to Microsoft's Cortana on Android and iOS

Tim — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 09:01:07 +0000

Microsoft has been telling folks for some time that Cortana would be going away on Android devices. This week, it finally happened and thankfully it doesn't seem like anyone was effected or even noticed. Cortana was Microsoft's own little Siri/Google Assistant competitor. There was even a smart speaker on the market that used Cortana. Obviously, it didn't quite take off, as Google and Apple's offerings were more widely adopted by the vast majority of smartphone users. Regardless, Cortana will always hold a special place in our hearts. Here is what Microsoft said.

As of March 31, 2021, the Cortana content you created–such as reminders and lists–will no longer function in the Cortana mobile app, but can still be accessed through Cortana in 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.

RIP, Cortana on Android. // Microsoft

Galaxy Z Fold 2 Gets a New Price That's $200 Lower

Kellen — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 07:51:20 +0000

Samsung is dropping the price on its super expensive Galaxy Z Fold 2 foldable today, making it $200 cheaper going forward. Now starting at $1,799, you can own the ultimate couch phone and still have the cash leftover to get yourself a pair of Galaxy Buds Pro or a 3oz cut of 28-day dry aged wagyu ribeye. You will find the Galaxy Z Fold 2 at the new price in both black and bronze models, as well as in unlocked or carrier variants. You can even get the customized hinge colors at $1,799. This is a price cut across the board no matter how you decide to add an almost-$2K phone to your world.

REVIEW: Galaxy Z Fold 2

Samsung has also opened up a referral program for Galaxy Z owners that lets them share a code (you get this code from the Samsung Members app) to get friends and family $100 off a Z device purchase. That referral program gets owners a little bonus back when the code is used. As a Galaxy Z Fold 2 owner, I have a code for you that you are free to use to try and save some cash. Give code "5JRBUSVVEU" a shot at checkout. It should be good for the next month. You buying a new Galaxy Z Fold 2?

Shop Galaxy Z Fold 2

Sony Xperia Announcement Scheduled for April 14

Tim — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 12:44:30 +0000

Sony has updated its banner on YouTube, and wouldn't you know, there's an Xperia announcement on the way! According to the banner, we're looking at an announcement date of April 14 at 16:30 JST. For us in the US, that's bad news. That time equates to 3:30am on the East coast and just after midnight here on the Pacific. Woof! We don't know exactly what Sony has up its sleeve, but there are a few rumored specs for the Xperia 1 III (pronounced Mark 3) that we'd like to hype up. How does a 6.5" 4K OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate sound? What about a standard configuration of 12GB RAM and 256GB storage? Oh yeah, baby. Other specs we're seeing include a 5,000mAh battery, 65W charging, SD slot, headphone jack, and "Cyber-shot" zoom capabilities for the rear camera. Seriously, it might be everything but the kitchen sink in this thing.

Naturally, this phone won't be cheap at all. It's gonna be a pretty penny and it's likely we won't see much carrier support, which means a hefty unlocked price tag. Mark your calendars, people! // sumahodigest

Casio Finally Made a G-SHOCK Wear OS Watch, But is Hiding the Processor

Kellen — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 10:10:49 +0000

Casio, maker of the beloved G-SHOCK watch family, has finally added G-SHOCK branding to a Wear OS smartwatch with the G-SQUAD Pro. Announced today, the watch is everything you'd expect from a G-SHOCK, with massive protection and the unique case design that needs no explanation. The Wear OS side of it brings it into our realm, but we have some worries. First off, the G-SHOCK G-SQUAD Pro (GSW-H1000) will apparently cost $699 and ship in about a month to the US. When it does, assuming you are a G-SHOCK fan, you might be wondering if it'll be worth buying. Here's what you need to know. For specs, it features a 1.2-inch dual layer display with monochrome and color panels with a resolution of 360x360. The dual panel setup should let you use full color modes for app usage and/or drop it back to monochrome for time display. It's shock resistant, good in water to 200 meters, and has GPS, heartrate, compass, and altitude/air pressure sensors. You'll find a microphone, titanium back plate, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC for Google Pay, and three buttons on the right side of the case. The measurements for this tank of a watch are 65.6×56.3×19.5mm. For battery life, Casio is rating it at 1.5 days with "normal" use that includes both displays in action. Should you run it in "Multi Timepiece Mode" that only uses timekeeping and sensors, it could last 1 month. You'll notice I haven't mentioned the processor or RAM and that's because Casio doesn't appear to be interested in disclosing that information. My guess is that we are looking at a Snapdragon Wear 3100. If this was the 4100, Qualcomm or Casio would be hyping the hell out of it, as that would most definitely help generate more buzz. If they ever give up that info, we'll be sure to let you know. Until they do, I would avoid the hell out of this watch. If you decide to ignore that advice and buy one, again, you are looking at $699. The Casio G-SHOCK G-SQUAD Pro comes in three colors: BlackxBlue (GSW-H1000-1), Black (GSW-H1000-1A), and Red (GSW-H1000-1A4).

// Casio

LG to Exit Smartphone Business, Announcement Expected April 5

Tim — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 08:37:57 +0000

It's unofficially official, LG is exiting the smartphone market. After attempts to sell the money losing mobile business to a few potential buyers were unsuccessful, a decision has reportedly been reached that LG Mobile will shut down. An announcement is expected to be made on April 5 to the company's board. In the meantime, the process has begun of getting the mobile businesses' workforce into different parts of LG. To those who pay attention, this comes as no surprise. Reports of this move started early this year, though, it wasn't expected to move so quickly due to the fact that LG teased a very sweet looking rollable device during CES. We at least thought we'd get that. But no, it's not happening now. LG's mobile business has been losing money since 2015. With a track record like that and no end to the bleed in sight, this must be the only way. To us on the outside, how LG minimizes those affected is very important. It's not an employee's fault LG couldn't get it turned around. Both Kellen and I offered our help countless times, but sadly, we never got the call. We kept crying that the software needed to change and that the company needed to focus on updates. They didn't listen. We tried, folks. Ahead of what's to be a sad statement from top brass at LG, relive the good times with out Top 5 LG Phones of All Time. // Korea Times

Samsung SmartTag+ Arrives April 12 for $40

Kellen — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 08:08:27 +0000

As a part of the Galaxy S21 launch, Samsung introduced their first tracking tag called SmartTag. That device featured Bluetooth for location tracking of objects like luggage or your keys, had a price of $30, and shipped for free to anyone who bought the new Galaxy S series phones. That wasn't the only Samsung SmartTag, though. There was another version of the SmartTag called SmartTag+ that was sort of announced, but only given a vague "later this year" release time frame and a $40 price tag. According to at least one retailer, SmartTag+ arrives April 12. This morning, the SmartTag+ cruised through the FCC and B&H Photo is listing it for pre-order at that announced $39.99 price, with a shipping date of April 12. B&H has the black version up for pre-order, but appears to be readying a blue version too. The difference between the SmartTag and SmartTag+ is that the first locates object using Bluetooth while the new Tag+ also uses UWB. UWB offers a more precise location estimate when you are closer. The Tag+ can even use the SmartThings app it connects through to fire up an AR mode to point you in the proper direction. Like the original SmartTag, this new SmartTag+ can be programed to perform smart home duties too, thanks to the built-in button.

Pre-order Samsung SmartTag+ from B&H

Amazon's Bad Android App Now Less Bad With Big UI Update

Kellen — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 07:33:36 +0000

Amazon is a mega-corp with all the money in the world who not only sells everyone else's goods, they often releases their own branded tech products with companion apps. They clearly care about design, user experiences and interfaces, and their world generally looking...nice. But for years (basically since day 1), the Amazon Android app has been bad. It's ugly as hell, functionality always seems like it just barely worked this time and probably won't next, and it rarely receives updates to make anything better. That changes today! We've got a new update available that actually changes some stuff. We are only a couple of weeks removed from getting that new, brown icon, so hey, things are looking up! In the new update, the big change is that you will find the side menu is now a bottom navigation bar. To get around the app, you have home, profile, cart, and menu tabs that get you into various areas. It also appears that a font change or font size change has slipped into pages (like the menu page) and the profile page isn't the one built from 2011 anymore (there are curved buttons). The Whole Foods and Fresh pages now offer what appears to be a somewhat custom overlay when opened. They used to open in the app as just any other Amazon page, but now they have their own branding, color scheme, etc. with search functionality that might work properly and not search throughout all of Amazon (if you know, you know what I mean). The update should be live for all at the link below. Google Play Link: Amazon

Google Maps is Getting Some Sweet New Features in 2021

Tim — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 15:48:56 +0000

Google posted up a big overview of what's coming to Google Maps later this year. There's no solid timeline available for most of them, but they're coming and they're powered by artificial intelligence. Get pumped about it. You may have already heard about Live View, the feature that uses AR to recognize where you are and lead you to where you need to go. Well, Indoor Live View is live now on Android and iOS in a number of malls in Chicago, Long Island, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle. It will also start rolling out in the coming months in select airports, malls, and transit stations in Tokyo and Zurich, with more cities on the way around the globe. Also coming are new layers for the map, both air quality and weather (photoed above). With these layers, users will be able to see real-time data for both air quality (important for anyone living in wildfire or polluted areas), as well as the weather. According to Google, "Data from partners like The Weather Company, AirNow.gov and the Central Pollution Board power these layers that start rolling out on Android and iOS in the coming months. The weather layer will be available globally and the air quality layer will launch in Australia, India, and the U.S., with more countries to come." Google also wants to make it easier to find eco-friendly routes in your city. Using insights from the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab, the company is building a new routing model that optimizes for lower fuel consumption based on factors like road incline and traffic congestion. However, in cases where the eco-friendly route could significantly increase your ETA, Maps will let you compare the relative CO2 impact between routes so you can choose. Eco-friendly routes launch in the US on Android and iOS later this year, with a global expansion on the way. Headed to grocery store listings in Maps and Search, you'll soon be able to see who and how curbside pickups and grocery deliveries are handled and which company manages it. To make the process of ordering for curbside pickup more easy, Google is bringing shopping information to the store's Business Profiles on Maps and Search. That info includes delivery providers, pickup and delivery windows, fees, and order minimums. Google states that it's rolling this out on mobile Search starting with Instacart and Albertsons Cos. stores in the US, with plans to expand to Maps and other partners.

Lastly, just for us Portland, OR residents (be jealous, it's ok!), Google is teaming up with Fred Meyer on a pilot in select stores to make grocery pickup easier. As detailed, "After you place an order for pickup on the store’s app, you can add it to Maps. We’ll send you a notification when it’s time to leave, and let you share your arrival time with the store. Your ETA is continuously updated, based on location and traffic. This helps the store prioritize your order so it’s ready as soon as you get there. Check in on the Google Maps app, and they’ll bring your order right out for a seamless, fast, no-contact pickup." Most of this sounds awesome. It'll all be inside of Google Maps this year. // Google

All the OnePlus 8 Phones Getting Updates

Kellen — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 14:32:17 +0000

OnePlus has caught up on Android 11 updates for some of its older phones, so now we're getting into bug fixing season. The OnePlus 8, OnePlus 8 Pro, and OnePlus 8T all just grabbed an update that has a large fix list. You'll want to grab this one as soon as you can. For US builds, we are looking at 11.0.5.5.IN21AA (OnePlus 8), 11.0.5.5.IN11AA (OnePlus 8 Pro), and 11.0.8.11.KB05AA (OnePlus 8T). They address everything from fingerprint bugs to screenshot issues to lag when recording 4K CINE at 60FPS. They also include the March 2021 Android security patch, right before April hits. For changes, the lists for all three phones are identical:

System
- Optimized the position of the EMERGENCY icon in the lock screen
- Improved the navigation gestures sensitivity during charging
- Fixed the failure issue after changing the customized font
- Fixed the issue that the Splash Screen Information Service may stop working
- Fixed the small probability issue that the language in Provision does not follow the system language
- Fixed the small probability issue that the expanded screenshot may stop working
- Fixed the small probability issue with the Recorder that the recording quality may not meet the expected result
- Fixed the issue that reusing the wrong fingerprint long press to unlock will cause a flash screen
- Fixed the small probability issue that double-tapping is abnormally triggered when typing
- Fixed the failure issue when waking the voice assistance in lock screen by swiping the icon
- Fixed the issue in which home screen time is displayed abnormally when the system language is Arabic
- Updated Android security patch to 2021.03
Camera
- Fixed the lagging issue when playing videos recorded by 4K CINE 60FPS
OnePlus Share (8 & 8 Pro)
- Fixed the issue that files sent by other third-party devices cannot be received
Clock
- Fixed the issue that the alarm clock may not ring as scheduled on workdays

OnePlus tends to roll these out slowly and that rollout started yesterday to a small number of users. You'll want to continue to check every day until you get it by heading into Settings>System>System updates. // OnePlus [2]

OnePlus 9 Pro: First 10 Things to Do!

Kellen — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 12:38:33 +0000

Hey, how's that new OnePlus 9 or OnePlus 9 Pro treating you? Loving that 120Hz display? Is that Hasselblad branded camera the 🐐? Breathing that fresh OxygenOS air? I hope so. If not, we have just the video for you. In our "First 10 Things" tutorial for the OnePlus 9 Series, we dive into all of the secure settings you need to setup, where the important display features are and which to mess with, how to customize everything from your home screen to gestures and the always-on display, a couple of secret Utilities, and more. Like always, this is a long one that includes not only tips and tricks, but lengthy explanation for each setting.

REVIEWS: OnePlus 9 Pro | OnePlus 9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfI9V-eGfBc

Verizon Offering New, Existing Customers Up to $1,000 for Broken Phone Trade-Ins

Tim — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 12:31:25 +0000

Typically, broken phones aren't worth much. However, starting April 1 and only lasting a very limited time, Verizon is offering folks up to $1,000 for their busted devices, whether you're a new or existing customer, so long as that money go towards the purchase of a select 5G smartphone and you sign up for one of its Unlimited plans. For specifics, the fine print states that folks can trade in a cracked or water damaged phone and get up to $1,000 off a 5G phone with a port-in and purchase of select Unlimited plans. Naturally, Verizon uses this time to highlight that its Unlimited plans come with free goodies, such as subscriptions to services like Disney+ and Hulu. Additionally, Play More and Get More Unlimited plan customers can get up to 12 months of Discovery+. We won't know exactly how much each broken phone is worth until the promotion goes live tomorrow. Once it is live, you'll be able to see just how much Verizon is willing to offer you for your broken stuff. Again, broken phone trade-ins usually bring a whole lot less money, but with a promotion like this, it's something to possibly consider. // Verizon

Ding Dong: New Nest Hello Video Doorbell Inbound?

Tim — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 11:02:48 +0000

Following news from the FCC that a mystery “Wireless Streaming Device” from Google is on the way, it's looking likely that we can soon expect a follow-up to the original Nest Hello video doorbell. That device has been on sale since early 2018, so if you ask me, it's about time we get a sequel. The reason for everyone thinking a new Nest Hello is inbound is due to an image of what looks like the backside of a video doorbell, spotted inside of a new build of the official Google Home app. That backside shows a USB-C connection (updated from micro USB on original Nest Hello), and a few screw placements have also been changed. Overall, it's the same shape and we assume it does the same thing.

Nest announced earlier this year that it has new camera plans for 2021, so it's totally possible an updated video doorbell is included in those plans. As a current Nest Hello user, this is exciting. Fingers crossed these come soon. // 9to5Google | The Tape Drive

Google Play Pass is Still Alive, Boasts Over 800 Apps and Games

Kellen — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 09:12:53 +0000

Google Play Pass, the subscription play for Google Play that gets you access to hundreds of apps and games each month with no ads or in-app purchases, has ballooned with a library of more than 800. Google shared the news today by noting that 40 apps and games have been added since February, including titles like Football Manager 2021 ($8.99 value), Flockers ($1.99), Teslagrad ($6.99), and The Gardens Between ($4.99). They also plan on adding Dead Cells ($8.99) later this week. I can't say that I've dipped into Google Play Pass since it first launched in 2019. Knowing now that it has 800 apps and games, it might be time to take another look at it. Anyone been a subscriber? Are you finding value in it? // Google

Utah Launching Mobile Driver's License Pilot This Summer

Tim — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 08:26:03 +0000

They may have weak beer, but Utah appears to be ahead of the curve regarding mobile/digital driver's licenses (mDLs). Announced this week, a pilot program is launching this summer that will allow people to use their mobile phones as their driver's license. No more, "Sorry, officer, I left my wallet at home!" excuses. This is some next-level mobile ID, not just a photo of you on your phone. We obviously can't allow for this concept to be highjacked and taken advantage of by wrongdoers. As detailed, Utah will utilize the ISO 18013-5 standard for mDL, which provides the benefit of cryptographic proof of identity that, "prevents forgery and cannot be achieved by simply showing your phone screen to a clerk at a business." Utah is hoping that this pilot can help build public acceptance of mDL in real-world scenarios such as banking, travel, traffic stops, and restaurant and liquor store transactions that require age verification. Utahns, you may be able to leave their wallet at home soon! You lucky ducks. // mobileDL

OnePlus Explains Why It Didn't Use Wear OS in Its Watch

Kellen — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 08:10:16 +0000

OnePlus is two weeks from releasing their first watch, a product that might turn out to be a solid fitness tracker and timekeeper at a reasonable price. As good of a fitness tracker as it may be, the company is going to struggle to convince many that going this limited smart route was the best decision over using Google's Wear OS. Today, they are trying to explain their reasoning there a bit, though they clearly don't want to dive too deeply into specifics. During a Q&A session, OnePlus' watch product manager ran through a number of topics related to the upcoming OnePlus Watch. Since the watch hasn't touched any wrists yet, the product overviews from OnePlus have been extremely limited, and the device won't go on sale for another two weeks, there is a lot we don't know. After looking through the entire Q&A, we've pulled out some of the important pieces here, the biggest being the decision to not choose Wear OS. Here is that answer:

Another thing I’ve noticed in your comments is questions about why we chose to use the RTOS system instead of Wear OS. When making a decision like this, we always have to weigh the benefits with the challenges to come up with what we think will result in the best user experience. We found that both operating systems had a lot of great things to offer, but some drawbacks as well. So after weighing all of our options, we ended up choosing RTOS primarily because of the ability to better offer our users a longer battery life.

To add some context here, the opening question and answer had to do with battery life on the OnePlus Watch and that it was important because OnePlus' research told them that single-day battery life was the reason most stopped wearing smartwatches. So that's the big sell here - battery life over smarts. We all know that most Wear OS watches last about a day, maybe a little bit longer. And that's apparently all they are open to telling us at the moment. The answer above says a whole lot of nothing, other than they weighed the good and bad (without telling us what those things are) and decided they'd rather give you 14 days of battery life than the ability to access Google Assistant, properly respond to notifications, take action on notifications, install apps from Google Play, access thousands of custom watch faces, etc. Speaking of notifications and being able to interact with them, I noted this in our initial write-up, but there has been some confusion. To set everything straight, OnePlus is confirming that interactions with notifications are indeed extremely limited:

We have a pre-set list to reply to messages conveniently. After an upcoming OTA, we will also have a customized pre-set reply list to let you tailor your own instant replies.

That's it. Pre-set list of reply options, no keyboard, and I'm going to guess this is mostly in SMS with other messaging apps being hit or miss. OnePlus also confirmed the processor setup, how thick the OnePlus Watch is, and that the watch doesn't have an always-on display:

The OnePlus Watch uses a three-chip combination solution - ST32 + Apollo 3 + Cypress. The ST chip has strong performance and is responsible for the interactive interface of the UI. The display is also processed by the ST chip, giving users a smooth system experience. ... It has a unibody design that is only 10.9mm thick. ... We’ve heard many users request the always-on display. We are currently looking at things like how it impacts power consumption and are evaluating the possibility to bring this feature in a future OTA. I’m also interested to know your thoughts about how important AOD is to you, considering that it could increase power consumption by almost 50%. Let us know in the thread below.

So that's the OnePlus Watch! Don't forget that you can save $20 on one by grabbing a voucher before launch. // OnePlus

T-Mobile Customers, Claim Your Free Season of MLB TV Today!

Tim — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 15:46:22 +0000

Baseball's back, folks! Starting today and through April 6, you can claim a free season of MLB TV if you're a T-Mobile customer, Sprint customer, or Metro by T-Mobile customer. Basically, if you give T-Mobile money each month, you're eligible! T-Mobile has been doing this every year for a bit now, and frankly, it's one of the reasons I first signed up for T-Mobile. To claim, you'll simply download the T-Mobile Tuesdays app, redeem the gift, and then walk through the instructions. You either log into or sign up for an MLB TV account, download the MLB app, and then you're off to the ballpark. Take note, over the years, T-Mobile and MLB have been very particular about how you use the service. For example, if you stream the game via a mobile network, make sure it's T-Mobile's network or they'll boot you off the service and revoke the subscription. I've had it happen to me and there's no reversal process. You can cast the games from your phone to your TV and also sign into your account via an Android TV box, but just remember, only use a T-Mobile network if you're watching on your phone while mobile. Enjoy, baseball peeps! Go Giants!

Google Play Link

"Pixel Buds A" Likely Google's Next Earbuds

Kellen — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 14:39:01 +0000

The new Google Pixel Buds that we believe stopped through the FCC recently could very well be a budget-friendly model dubbed "Pixel Buds A." Should that happen, Google would then be following the lead of competitors in offering audio products at multiple price points. According to sources of 9to5Google, Google is currently preparing the Pixel Buds A in two colors: white and green. They should look almost identical to the current Pixel Buds (2nd Gen), but unlike the current model that feature a two-tone colorway (see above) with black ear pieces and a black insert within their case, these new Pixel Buds A colors will dominate all aspects of them. So you will either get white on white on white or green on green on green. Like the current version, these new Pixel Buds A will also feature touch controls and the Google Assistant, leaving us wondering how Google will sell us on differences between the A and 2nd gen models. No news has leaked yet on pricing, although a source of ours did mention these are a budget pair. With the "A" branding, assuming that's to line-up with the Pixel "A" line of phones, like the upcoming Pixel 5a, a lower price to these Pixel Buds would make sense. While we love options, the only thing we really care about is if Google has addressed the numerous hardware issues with their current-gen Pixel Buds.

Google's Stack App Will Scan Documents, Auto Organize Them for You

Tim — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 12:44:38 +0000

Out of Google's Area 120, which is an incubator for ideas, apps, and services, there's a new app called Stack available to those with an Android device in the US. With it, you can scan any sort of document with your phone's camera, then the app can automatically sort and organize (or Stack) said document for you. Now, as what's essentially an alpha/beta type of app, you can expect some errors. As Google details, "It’s early days — our algorithms still get things wrong, but we’re improving them every day." However, should everything be working smoothly, you can scan a receipt, with the app automatically recognizing that it is indeed a receipt and filing it away as such for access later on. This is great for those professionals who travel for work and need to keep track of receipts. Easy! Once things are stacked, copies are filed away to your attached Google Drive account for access later on. Additionally, Stack will identify important information in documents, such as “due date” or “total amount due," and pull it out to make it easier to find and access. On top of that, you can search through the full text of documents -- not just the title -- to quickly find what you need. If you'd like to give Stack a try, follow the link below.

Google Play Link

OnePlus 9 Review: $729 Plastic Phones Can Be Really Good

Tim — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 10:16:50 +0000

New OnePlus phone launches are a very big deal, as we've established that in the Android landscape, you don't have as many options as you used to. With that said, it's important that companies like OnePlus, Samsung, and Google are putting forth a good product, worthy of our money. As we get deeper into the generations of devices, it's clear that flagship phone launches mean two types of devices: a good one (Samsung's Plus/Ultra, OnePlus Pro, etc.) and the cheaper one, such as the standard Galaxy S21 and OnePlus 9. Each phone has a purpose in the lineup, mainly to fulfill a certain price point. The question to me is, does this OnePlus 9 fulfill a role deeper than hitting a low price? I'll obviously get into the nitty gritty below, so let's just dive right into this thing.

Related - OnePlus 9 Pro Review: Camera Delivers, Battery Life Doesn’t

This is our OnePlus 9 review.

What I Like

Specs - At its starting price of $729, this phone has all I'd need on paper. It has the latest Snapdragon chipset from Qualcomm, the 888, it has all the RAM I'd need, it has all of the cameras, it has the 120Hz refresh rate display, it has a large battery, and it has ridiculously fast wired charging. This thing is sweet at that price point. Allow me to provide you with the specifics. The OnePlus 9 has a 6.55" FHD AMOLED (2400x1080, 120Hz) display, Snapdragon 888, 128GB+ storage, 8GB+ RAM, triple rear camera system (primary sensor is the Sony-made IMX689), 4500mAh battery with wired Warp Charge 65T, 15W Qi wireless charging, 802.11ax WiFi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, in-display fingerprint (optical), stereo speakers, alert slider, and OxygenOS 11 at launch (based on Android 11). At $729, this phone has everything average buyers should need and then some. The main highlights just from that list are the charging speeds, the same camera system as the OnePlus 8 Pro from last year (which was awesome), the 120Hz display, and Android 11 at launch, which is nice because we don't need to wait for it and both the 9 and 9 Pro should receive Android 12 timely. Display - OnePlus 9 comes equipped with a 6.55" FHD AMOLED display, capable of 120Hz refresh rate. It's not too big and not too small. In fact, I'd say it's just right. After living with this thing for a couple of weeks, my main takeaway from the display is that while it gets plenty dark, I wish it got a bit brighter. Besides wishing for a bit more brightness, the other takeaway is the refresh rate. Yeah, I'm not sure why more people aren't realizing how important 120Hz is. Like, if the Pixel 6 doesn't have it, I think we should riot. Coupled with that 120Hz, OnePlus' software is as smooth as butter (more on that in a bit), but it's important to note here because I think the software helps the display appear fast to the human eye. Speaking more on the color and contrast, it's a very solid panel, getting plenty dark and recreating rich colors. There's plenty of stuff you can tweak with this display, too. From the settings menu, owners can access Vision Comfort for your night time sleepy eyes, Reading Mode, Ambient Display, advanced calibration settings, and also throttle back the refresh rate if maybe the 120Hz isn't your thing. For being the least expensive option in the new lineup, you've got plenty of choice here and I don't think you'll come across any issues with the display overall. Performance - I've been trying to ensure that everyone knows this about OnePlus phones -- they just hit different. If you're unfamiliar with that phrase, it means something is really good, and when talking about the performance of OnePlus devices, such as the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro, these phones are in a tier of their own. Even with the lower-priced $729 (8GB RAM) option, you'll likely be way smoother than what I see from my Pixel 5 and possibly even my $1300 Galaxy S21 Ultra. I know nothing of the science behind it, but it's what I feel and see when using OnePlus devices. It's smooth! And sure, any phone can be tuned to perform well when it comes to scrolling through apps or whatever, but even gaming, this phone handles it exceptionally well. I'm not doing the hardcore gaming like I used to, but I played the new Crash Bandicoot for a few hours and that was extremely smooth. I also used an app called Solar Smash, which is a graphics-heavy app that simulates different ways to destroy the Earth. It performs flawlessly on this phone, so I'm sure the average person will have no issues with gaming and other various tasks. Editor's Note: I'm now seeing Kellen used the same "hits different" joke in his OnePlus 9 Pro. That means it must be true! Software - Not to be lazy or anything, but I echo everything Kellen touches on with the OnePlus 9 Pro and it's the same exact software experience on that phone as it is on this one. While we're not seeing a bunch of new features with OxygenOS 11 (based on Android 11), OnePlus' software experience is feeling smoother than ever. And with the integration of Google's services, such as Discover and the inclusion of all of Google's apps and OnePlus ditching some of their own, I'm really liking this after having used the Pixel 5 for some time. Below is a quick excerpt from Kellen's software portion. Hopefully he doesn't mind. It highlights one of my favorite little things (custom icon support), but pinpoints that it's not new stuff we're getting in OxygenOS 11, it's just getting a lot better as it matures.

For the OnePlus 9 Pro (v11.2.1.1), we aren’t getting a bunch of new features necessarily. What we do get is a further refined experience with OnePlus’ always-on display, all of the gestures that have been baked in for several years, the options for customizing icons and shapes and fonts and lock screen content, etc. Again, it isn’t a bunch of new stuff, it’s just better on some level.

Battery - Unlike Kellen, I wasn't running into any sort of battery issues with this phone. I get up at about 7AM every day and go to bed around 11PM. I'd be going to bed with around 5 hours of screen on time and a little bit of juice left, no problem. And the thing is, even if I did have issues, this phone charges so stupidly fast.

The 65W Warp charging is ridiculous, there's no other way to put it. You're running low on juice? Plug it in for 10-20 minutes and you've got hours of battery life pumped into your phones. It's pretty damn remarkable and should be one of those things that sways you into buying it. It's absolutely awesome. While you don't get the fast wireless charging speeds like on the OnePlus 9 Pro, I've not been a huge fan of wireless charging, so for me, that's not a dealbreaker. You still get 15W wireless charging on this phone. Not bad at all. Camera - When thinking of the OnePlus 9 camera system, just think of it like the OnePlus 8 Pro. It features the same main sensor from that phone, and from what we already know, that phone has a killer camera. The OnePlus 9 is no different. In total, we have three sensors: 48MP (Sony IMX689) with EIS, ultra-wide 50MP, and a 2MP monochrome camera. We did a lovely little camera comparison between this phone, the Galaxy S21 Ultra, and the Pixel 5. Not too surprisingly, this phone keeps up fine with those devices, and honestly, there's no clear winner from the bunch. For the least expensive option in OnePlus' new lineup of phones, that's awesome. In the camera app, there are all of the modes and options you'd need when out and about. There's a dedicated Portrait mode, Nightscape, Pro, Time Lapse, Panorama, Slow Motion, and Tilt Shift. When snapping shots, I find the camera to be really fast and capable. The colors it picks up seem great and overall contrast mixed with exposure levels are pretty darn spot on. It's not Pixel camera (rich, deep contrast) good, but it's good. The OnePlus 8 Pro also impresses us, so since it's the same shooter as that phone, it's no shock that the OnePlus 9 brings the goods. It'd have been nice to have OnePlus include the new Sony sensor on this device as they did with the OnePlus 9 Pro, but I suppose they need to give people a reason to pay more money. Oh well.

What I Dislike

Little Nit Picky Things That Add Up - This is a very important section. Instead of making different sections for everything I dislike, I'm basically gonna cram it all in here, only because a lot of it is little nit picky things that don't really deserve their own spot. However, when you add these things up, it can be a little frustrating to use this phone. I can't lie, I've wanted to throw this phone against a wall, but that's partly because life has just been hectic lately. It's not your fault, OnePlus 9, but it kinda is. Anyway, let's start with the fingerprint reader. Now that I've reprogrammed it, it's fine. Out of the box, though, after that initial setup, it was trash. Like, so bad. I have no idea why, but it wouldn't recognize my finger to save my life. After a couple of days thinking I had a borked unit, I completely redid the set up and it's working much better. Great, but that's not all. Allow me to make the case that optical sensors are total buns, but not necessarily in the accuracy department. The light the phone has to shine is way too bright. Let's say I'm laying in bed, go to unlock my phone and BOOM, I'm fucking blinded by the little LED they stick in the display to light up your finger. That kinda thing sucks and it's really jarring if you already have the Vision Comfort effect enabled on your display. It just isn't how things should be in the future. For that reason, give me ultrasonic fingerprint sensors over this any day.

What This Phone Typically Looks Like

Next up? This Alert Slider. I love OnePlus' Alert Slider, but this one? Naw, this is no good. The slider itself is way too loose. I'm not even trying to use it and every time I go to take the phone in and out of my pocket, it slides and changes my volume/vibrate/silent settings. I honestly can't stand it. To counter, I just have to be more aware of how I'm handling my phone. On past OnePlus devices, the slider was a bit tougher to slide around, but this one is really light and loose, if that makes sense? It takes hardly any effort to slide it, which to me, isn't ideal. Right next to the Alert Slider is the power button. I can't stand that either. It works fine for turning the display on and off, but I use the power button for its double click to open camera function. But again, this button is way too sensitive and it's constantly opening the camera when I'm not trying to. I had to disable the function because it was irking me so badly. I was like that Thomas the Tank Engine meme -- triggered! Last up is the backside of this phone, the area surrounding the camera specifically. The camera module raises off of the body and the lenses raise off of that area, too. So here's the thing with this -- you get tons of hairs and dust and crap stuck in these little crevices, making this phone really hard to look at some times unless you stay on top of cleaning it. Hard to do that when it's going in pockets all of the time. For this reason, I continue to advocate for flush cameras on the backside of phones. You know who did that? LG. You know what happened to them? RIP. Life's rough, man. It's $729 and Plastic - After seeing a bit of clarification on what exactly is going on here, let me lay it out. The OnePlus 9's frame is plastic. It's a plastic phone. However, the backside of the phone is glass, not plastic. So if you drop it, you can shatter the back of the phone. But again, the frame itself is plastic. What does this mean? Well, it has essentially tricked my mind into thinking that this should be a cheaper phone than $729. It feels cheap. I know that might sound harsh, but by cheap, I mean it's light and doesn't really feel like much in your hand. Now, this might affect you differently than it does me. Coming from a Galaxy S21 Ultra, this phone feels like it weighs 1/10 of that device and my pockets are happy about that. However, will my brain ever think that this light, plastic frame phone is something premium? Probably not. Just in my silly opinion, I wish OnePlus appointed this phone with a metal frame. I'm not sure how it would affect the weight, or more importantly the cost, but if OnePlus wants to be in the premium smartphone game, those additions seem important to me. Software Updates? - Google provides its Pixel phones with timely software updates for 3 years total (both major version updates and monthly security patches). Samsung, the king of Android updates (because we don't count Google), offers updates to its phone for up to 4 years. As for OnePlus, they aren't too bad, typically providing timely updates for the first 12 months after launch, then we see quite a slow down. Using OnePlus' own phones as an example, the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro only received Android 11 this month (March, '21), many months after Google released it to the public for consumption. There was a lengthy beta period for Android 11, so we're not sure what OnePlus was spending its time on. It certainly wasn't updating its not-that-old phones. If you go slightly newer, with the OnePlus 8 line, those devices received Android 11 a few weeks after release. Point being, OnePlus is great at updating newer phones, but once they start releasing phones newer than the one you recently purchased, you'll see your updates start to slow down. This isn't how Google does it and it's not how Samsung does it. With Samsung, we see massive waves of updates, all within a relatively short period. With OnePlus, expect to have a little wait after that initial 12 months of ownership.

Availability and Pricing

Starting at $729 for the 8GB + 128GB model, you can purchase the OnePlus 9 from a few retailers, as well as directly from OnePlus. If you have the chance, we recommend buying the unlocked units, instead of one from T-Mobile, as they tend to receive software updates quicker than carrier variants. If you need to go through T-Mobile for a deal, though, it's fine. For just $100 more, you can completely spec out your OnePlus 9, with the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage model running you $828. If you think you need all of that RAM, then by all means. OnePlus 9 Pricing Breakdown

OnePlus 9 Pro (12GB RAM + 256GB storage): $1069
OnePlus 9 Pro (8GB RAM + 128GB storage): $969
OnePlus 9 (12GB RAM + 256GB storage): $828
OnePlus 9 (8GB RAM + 128GB storage): $729

Videos

Unboxing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxKSh3TTXJc&ab_channel=DroidLife

Gallery

The Verdict

If I'm being honest, I would try to talk people into the OnePlus 9 versus the OnePlus 9 Pro. To me, they're basically the same phone, but you're getting more value from the OnePlus 9. This phone has a great camera setup, an extremely smooth user experience, that super fast wired charging, and good software that may or may not see timely updates after 12 months. At $729, that seems like a steal to me. The Pixel 5 is $699. This OnePlus 9 is $30 more. It's not even a question if software updates aren't a huge priority to you. Get this phone, it's really good. Does it have a few shortcomings? Sure, but I can argue that you're still getting one helluva package with all of the specs you really want and need. Just don't get mad when OnePlus releases the OnePlus 9T later this year. It'll probably be really, really good.

Shop OnePlus 9: Best Buy | OnePlus

Samsung Really Might be Close to Launching Wear OS Watches

Kellen — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 08:49:20 +0000

I'm still not sure my mind is ready to believe it, but the folks who dig deep into software to find hints of upcoming goods are convinced that Samsung really is making Wear OS watches again. In the latest leak of sorts, Samsung has apparently left evidence of the way these watches will connect from the Galaxy Wear app through Wear OS and your phone. The info comes from Max Weinbach, who dug into the latest build of the Galaxy Wear app and found references to two supposed Wear OS watches, the sizes of their cases, and the plugin that ties them together. The latest Galaxy Wear app contains a new plugin called "water" that Weinbach refers to as the new "Samsung wearable/Wear OS compatibility layer." For those who have owned a Samsung wearable or pair of earbuds before, this is likely a similar plugin to the one you had to install when you first connected your device. It's an obnoxious step that Samsung has as a part of their wearable ecosystem, but it probably keeps the Wearable app size down. It looks like their Wear OS watches will need a similar plugin. That "water" plugin has references to "fresh" and "wise" within it, which are the codenames of the watches we believe to be Samsung's new Wear OS watches. The thought here is that Samsung will release Watch Active 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 models running Google's wearable OS. All of these references were accompanied by something Samsung calls "newos." Finally, the Galaxy Wear app mentions 40/41mm and 44/45mm watch sizes as well as Bluetooth and LTE models for these new watches. Sounds about right for a Samsung watch line-up. Y'all as ready as I am for Samsung to save Wear OS? With plugins showing up inside new app versions of Samsung's wearable software, we have to be close, right? https://twitter.com/MaxWinebach/status/1376655830917898242

Verizon 3G Network Will Shut Down End of 2022

Kellen — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 07:40:01 +0000

A couple of months ago, Verizon wasn't ready to put a date on when their 3G network would shut down, following several missed targets, including ones in 2019 and 2020. Today, they've come to grips with the end and have a new date for you to say "goodbye." Verizon has announced that their 3G network will shut off on December 31, 2022. Why the delay? We don't know. However, Verizon did say that since announcing years back that 3G was on the outs, they've transitioned almost all of their 3G customers over to devices powered by 4G LTE or 5G. They put the number at 99%, with a small number still not ready to give up...3G...huh? Who are these people? Verizon is adamant that this is the final date and that it will "not be extended again." When December 31, 2022 arrives, you better be off 3G or you'll simply lose service. Support will also only be able to offer limited support. All customers have been told, business folks have been given transition plans, and there won't be any excuses once the end of next year approaches. Remember 3G? I try not to. // Verizon

T-Mobile Basically Tells Us That Multiple Google Pixel Devices are Coming

Kellen — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 16:12:33 +0000

The big news of the day is without a doubt the new partnership between T-Mobile and Google that will bring the search giant's services and hardware closer to millions of wireless subscribers. The RCS, Google One, and YouTube TV tie-ins that were announced are big, of course, but the mentions from T-Mobile about Google Pixel devices has us pretty excited about the near future. T-Mobile was subtle and careful in what they said today, and yet we're pretty sure they just told us to expect multiple Google Pixel devices. The first comment is in a quote from T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert, where he talked about this new long-term partnership with Google that will see them feature "a broad range of premium Pixel devices." The use of the word "premium" could mean generic speak for the level they believe all Pixel phones to be at, it could mean they are adding the Pixel 5, or maybe there is some mystery device on the horizon. But one thing you need to keep in mind is that T-Mobile currently only sells the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel Buds, as if there are plans for more, including devices that have not yet been announced. I say that in part because the press release mentions T-Mobile soon "including the full suite of Pixel devices," that this partnership will help in "accelerating the Pixel...ecosystem," and they'll "expand the array of Pixel and other Android devices the company will carry." The first part there could mean that T-Mobile will soon add the Pixel 5, but after that, what's left? They aren't going to be "accelerating" anything by adding the 4G-only Pixel 4a, so we should see whatever Google has down the road. Remember that "Pixel" isn't just phones. There are new Google Pixel Buds on the way as well as the Pixel 5a. If a leak from last year plays out, there could be a Pixel 6, Pixel 6 XL, and a Pixel foldable further down the road too. While this may not sound like breaking news, it is pretty close to being confirmation that there are new Pixel devices coming soon, a couple of which we think we know about. T-Mobile might be the best place to grab them.

T-Mobile and Google Team Up for Big Pixel, RCS, and YouTube TV Moves

Kellen — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 13:39:31 +0000

In one of the most unexpected Monday announcements, T-Mobile and Google just dropped all sorts of big partnership news on us. T-Mobile has turned into the ultimate Google fanboy, which means all of the Google products and services are coming your way, T-Mo customer. Going forward, T-Mobile plans to switch all of their Android phones over to Google Messages and adopt RCS, sell all of the future Google Pixel phones, make Google One the recommended backup solution for customers, and get everyone on YouTube TV.

How to turn off RCS "Chat" in Google Messages

For the Google Messages and RCS stuff, it's pretty simple and I think you'll like it. T-Mobile has committed to making Google Messages the default on all Android phones. Not just Google's - all of them. As that happens, they will turn on Rich Communications Services (RCS), to bring all of their customers a better messages experience with higher quality media shares, chat receipts, better group chats, and more. You guys know about RCS. T-Mobile didn't say if they will update older phones to get Google Messages installed or if this is a new phone thing that'll happen going forward. Either way, the push is for Google Messages for everyone. For Google Pixel phones, T-Mobile and Google didn't announce anything other than their commitment to carrying Pixel phones going forward. That should mean all of the Pixel phones that Google offers at one time or another, which we hope then turns into deals and better availability. On a Google One front, the announcement here was similar to the Pixel one in that they didn't say much. Right now, T-Mobile is talking about customers being able to use Google One for backup and storage purposes, so don't be surprised if you are offered a deal on Google One plans in the future. And finally, let's talk YouTube TV. In October of last year, T-Mobile started widely offering their new TVision streaming TV service with a decent price and solid channel line-up. On April 29, they will kill off TVision and instead offer customers YouTube TV subscriptions at a discount. Seriously, it didn't even last a year. With YouTube TV, T-Mobile is offering customers a $10 discount on the monthly price, so you will pay $54.99 instead of the current $64.99. T-Mobile says that "all" T-Mo customers will be eligible for this discount. At some point around April 6, T-Mobile is suggesting that you will be able to get that $10 discount through t-mobile.com/tvision. I should note that the small print says that the discount lasts for 12 months and has to be redeemed by June 30. A lot to take in there! Assuming you are a T-Mobile customer, you have got to love hearing this news. // T-Mobile

I Don't Want to Buy a Giant Phone, But That's All There Is

Kellen — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 13:07:28 +0000

I just wrapped up my review of the OnePlus 9 Pro, and as I do after every phone review, I take a second and ask myself, "Do I want to buy this phone for personal use?" The answer is, no, but not because of the price or software or camera or even the below-average battery life. Nope, all of that I could live with. I don't want the OnePlus 9 Pro for the same reason I gave up on the OnePlus 8 Pro and the 7 Pro and why I won't even touch a Galaxy S21 Ultra: they are all too f*cking big. Is this me whining again? Yes, that's happening too, but I'm feeling like a man with little choice when it comes to smartphones. Besides the fact that only Samsung and OnePlus are making proper flagships these days, my bigger issue is that I'd never buy their phones because I don't want to carry around a tablet whenever I leave the house. Remember when we all mocked the Nexus 6 for living up to its whale of a codename? The OnePlus 9 Pro is taller than it! So is the S21 Ultra! Sure, they have bigger displays with smaller bezels and aren't as wide, but they are still freakin' huge. They are all whales now. I've basically been reduced to buying and using the Pixel 5 at this point. It's still not exactly small, but it's just about right and still manages to house a 6" display. It's crazy to think that a 6" display could be considered small unless you acknowledge that the 6.7"+ crowd has dominated high-end phones for several years. Homies are carrying around Nexus 7 (2021) models at this point and being like, "Do you like my new phone, bruh?" And look, the Pixel 5 is a fine phone! I actually like it a lot. I can also admit that it lacks the best processor, the best cameras, enough storage and RAM, those super neat ultra-fast charging modes, and a 120Hz display. The Pixel 5 is not even close to being a high-end phone in the way that Samsung and OnePlus' newest phones are. The thing is, I want the best of the best in a package that my one hand won't strain to use. I want a phone in a Pixel 5-esque body that has the Snapdragon 888 and 120Hz and 65W charging. I thought the smallest Galaxy S21 might be it, but it pretty much sucks. The new OnePlus 9 could have been the one, yet it's almost as big as the 9 Pro. Which brings up another issue - why do we have one giant "Pro" or "Ultra" model with everything and then a couple of lesser options? That sucks, man. I hate to bring up Apple, but Apple doesn't do that with its top tier phone. You have the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max. They pack almost identical specs outside of items that need changing because of size (like battery capacity). Samsung was doing this for the most part until this year, where they royally screwed up the regular S21 and S21+. Why the change? Anyways, you get my complaint. It's similar to the one I brought up last year when 70% of you told us that you too were over the giant phone craze. The takeaway is pretty basic in that I want all of the goods in a phone that isn't the size of my cat. Copy Apple, everyone. They at least get it.

Galaxy Watch 3 Gets Sleep Score Feature, More Samsung Health Changes

Tim — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 11:45:47 +0000

Verizon and Samsung are shipping out a major update to the Galaxy Watch 3 this week, a smartwatch we have a bit of experience with, plus one that Samsung is no stranger to improving since its initial launch. Once updated, you'll have either firmware version R845 or R855USQU1BUB2. Inside, the changelog details a bunch of new Samsung Health features, including a Sleep Score to see just how well you're zonking out each night, Together feature for syncing up walks with friends, auto workout recognition improvements, plus changes for the Always On Display. It's a good looking update. This update is headed to devices right now, so be on the lookout. // Verizon

OnePlus 9 Pro Review: Camera Delivers, Battery Life Doesn't

Kellen — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 11:16:28 +0000

Prior to writing up this review, I spent some time talking about how the Android landscape in the US at the ultra high-end level of phone has shrunk down to just two players: Samsung and OnePlus. You have Samsung's Ultra phones in both S and Note lines, and then you have whatever the new Pro phone is from OnePlus. Every other serious player has essentially left the arena or isn't putting out phones that can compete. So that means the OnePlus 9 Pro is an incredibly important phone. OnePlus can't screw this up. If they do, Samsung grows that lead even further and we may officially be down to Samsung alone. After spending a number of weeks with the OnePlus 9 Pro, I think I've seen enough to weigh in on whether or not OnePlus rose to the occasion. Let's dive into it with our OnePlus 9 Pro review.

ALSO READ: OnePlus 9 review

What do I like about the OnePlus 9 Pro?

Display. When OnePlus turned their attention to smartphone displays with the OnePlus 7 Pro's 90Hz panel, it set in motion their path to becoming one of the best in the business at presenting pixels to your eyes. Now with the OnePlus 9 Pro, we have a 6.7" QHD AMOLED display at 120Hz and with LTPO, a display technology that tries to lower power consumption. This panel, in case you were curious, is beautiful. It presents what I would consider to be incredibly accurate colors without the need for calibration. While OnePlus gives you plenty of options to tweak the color profile, it looks great out of the box as is. The brightness levels on both ends are very good, with lows helping ease strain on your eyes and brightness good enough for outdoor usage. It has FHD or QHD options, a "Comfort tone" setting to adapt the screen to your environment, reading and comfort and dark modes, and a Hyper Touch setting that tries to "dramatically improve touch response speed." I left that option off for the most part and thought this phone was ridiculously fast as is, so enjoy that extra boost if you use it. This display is big, ultra-responsive, and can be fine-tuned like few other smartphone displays to give you the picture you want. Other than the curved edges that can be somewhat annoying to use, I'm not sure there are flaws to be found here.

Software. When OnePlus first introduced OxygenOS 11 with Android 11, we all got a first look at a heavily skinned version of Android from OnePlus that we weren't expecting. Many have compared it to Samsung's One UI, and yeah, that's probably the best comparison. They tossed in bigger fonts, adopted the one-handed meta, curved some stuff, and left their stockish Android look behind. Some love it, others despise it. As someone who is a fan of One UI, I'm not necessarily offended by the new OxygenOS, as it just seems like the most modern take on a smartphone skin that everyone else is adopting. For the OnePlus 9 Pro (v11.2.1.1), we aren't getting a bunch of new features necessarily. What we do get is a further refined experience with OnePlus' always-on display, all of the gestures that have been baked in for several years, the options for customizing icons and shapes and fonts and lock screen content, etc. Again, it isn't a bunch of new stuff, it's just better on some level. One area I've noticed that OnePlus continues to change in, is with Google apps entering and their own OnePlus apps leaving. They may have changed some of these a while back, but the Google Discover panel is off to the left now and their Shelf is a secondary option you'll probably never find. The Google Phone app is the default, as is Google Messages. There are only a few OnePlus apps left, like their gallery, recorder, and calculator apps. If you want a clean set of apps when you first fire up your phone, few do it as cleanly as OnePlus. Overall, OnePlus didn't give us a brand new software experience on the OnePlus 9 Pro, but it feels more polished than ever. It feels more modern than ever too. It's certainly the most grown-up software to date from them. Performance. Different. That's what the kids would say about the OnePlus 9 Pro's performance, I think. It hits different. Jokes aside, OnePlus really has found a magical touch to smartphone performance. I know that the 120Hz display, Snapdragon 888, 12GB RAM, and super fast UFS3.1 storage are all a big part of the way this phone feels as you use it, but it's worth pointing out that there is a smoothness to animations, swipes, and navigation on OnePlus phones that no one can match. And I'm not talking about a cheesy bounce effect or something along those lines. OnePlus' OxygenOS has a silky motion that's deliberate, without excess. You may remember when I complained about Samsung taking away that "Reduce Animations" option in their One UI 3.1, because it left a bloated visual experience that was more difficult to hide? OnePlus software is the exact opposite. There are animations and pieces of the UI that move, but they do it so precisely as your eyes want it to that it's comforting to watch in action. If there is one thing everyone in this industry should be copying from OnePlus, it's their software smoothness. Camera. I know that the big story for the OnePlus 9 Pro is the camera system and their new partnership with Hasselblad. Just being straight here, but I don't give a shit about the Hasselblad stuff. I know they likely felt the need to partner like this to change some minds about their cameras, so that's good and all. The excessive branding of every little camera-related thing is a bit much. In the end, all we really care about is if the camera system is good. Thankfully, it is. The 48MP main shooter combined with a 50MP wide-angle lens give you the flexibility you need to shoot in various situations. These are high-end sensors from Sony with all of the bells and whistles a $1,000 phone should have. There are additional 8MP telephoto and 2MP monochrome lenses, but let's be honest - you aren't using those in any serious way. For the 9 Pro, it's all about those two big guns. The OnePlus 9 Pro's camera app has all of the options I'd expect, like portrait, nightscape, and pro modes. The pro mode has been fully taken over by Hasselblad branding, if you care. OnePlus even tossed in a goofy tilt-shift mode, as a return to 2012. You can record video at 8K/30fps or go really wild with 4K/120fps, set focus tracking, record in HEVC, shoot macros, etc. During my shooting with the OnePlus 9 Pro, I had both sunny and cloudy days, found some indoor settings, and tested portrait on non-human objects. I shot flowers and the sun and waterfalls and beer and the beach and LEGOs. In almost any of those situations, the photos I captured came out lovely. The camera is fast and available, I only ran into weird shutter lag a couple of times, and generally came away impressed. The only issue I'd point out is in the difference in color profile from the main shooter to the wide-angle. It's pretty obvious that the 50MP wide-angle leaves images with a much more natural look, while the main 48MP sensor can ramp up contrast a bit more than I'd like. Other than that, well done here, OnePlus.

Specs list. Talking about the specs list of a phone is small talk, time filler chatter, but I can't help it with this phone. OnePlus throws so much wild stuff into their phones that you have to give them props. A 6.7" QHD AMOLED display at 120Hz with LTPO, up to 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS3.1 storage, the Snapdragon 888, a 4500mAh battery that can use both 65W wired and 50W wireless charging, a Hasselblad branded camera system, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and an in-display fingerprint reader all have been included here. Sure, the price is high, the battery could be slightly bigger, and the design isn't as snazzy as the S21 Ultra's, but there aren't many other things to complain about. One thing OnePlus does well is bring the goods and they most definitely did again with the OnePlus 9 Pro.

What don't I like about the OnePlus 9 Pro?

Battery life. As many nice things as I've had to say about the OnePlus 9 Pro, this here is a pretty big issue - battery life on this phone is not good at all. Over several weeks of testing, I kept hoping this phone would figure out my usage patterns and come around to lasting longer on a single charge, but it has not. The 4500mAh battery on the OnePlus 9 Pro is a standard size for this level of phone. Sure, the Galaxy S21 Ultra has a 5000mAh battery, but other comparable phones are right around this capacity. The QHD display with 120Hz refresh rate is also a typical feature on this type of phone. So to see battery life this poor is a bit shocking.

My usage shows several days where battery life would drop into the teens (like 16%) at 7:30PM. Now, if that included a screen on time upwards of 5 or 6 hours, I might not be worried. However, my screen on time readings for this phone almost always show between 2.5 and 4 hours, which at this point in my life is on the low end for a day. I can't even count how many times I had to find a charger for the OnePlus 9 Pro in the same day because I was worried it wouldn't last until I went to bed. That's unacceptable. Thankfully, if you do need to charge the phone, you can do so in a few minutes time. The 65W wired charging will get you a full charge from almost nothing in about 40 minutes. The same goes for the new 50W wireless charging that OnePlus included. So that's something you'll have to wrestle with. Do you accept this one glaring issue when almost everything else is as good as it is, knowing you can always charge up without much time? You tell me. Software update questions. As much as I like OnePlus' OxygenOS, even after the big UI overhaul with Android 11, my concern here is in software updates over the long haul. OnePlus tends to be really good at updating their current flagship phone, but after the first year, we start to see the schedule slow down. As an example, the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro both picked up Android 11 about a month after Google released it. For the previous year's OnePlus 7 line, OnePlus ran into some sort of data decryption issue that delayed them for what turned into almost a 6 month period. This could be a 1-off delay, but we should point out the Android 10 update for the OnePlus 6 and 6T also ran into a number of issues that pushed its delivery out months beyond what OnePlus had promised and at least 3 months outside of the OnePlus 7. My worry here is that OnePlus has taken on too many phones. They are continuing to try and support older phones, plus they've added a number of budget phones that already aren't seeing updates in a timely manner. I just need to know if OnePlus is prepared to keep their top customers updated as often as competitors, like Samsung. Availability. If OnePlus wants to be the other player in this Android game at the high-end level, they need to find more carrier partners. You can't only sell your phones at T-Mobile in the US. I know that OnePlus will sell you the OnePlus 9 Pro directly too, but that's just not how most people in the US buy phones. Most people want carrier deals and contracts that get them free phones or phones on the cheap, they don't want to pay $1,000 out of pocket. People here also like the idea of a support presence, like a carrier store where they can take their phone if there is an issue. If anything, I'd love to see OnePlus partner with uBreakiFix as Samsung has to get people same-day repairs should they run into an issue. They need something along those lines to be taken more seriously. Dealing with remote phone repair where you are without a phone for 7-9 days isn't the option customers should get when they buy a $1,000 phone.

Videos

Unboxing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxKSh3TTXJc First 10 Things to Do https://youtu.be/TfI9V-eGfBc

Should you buy the OnePlus 9 Pro?

There really are only two options left in the high-end Android game, so if you want a $1,000 phone that's actually worth buying, you turn to Samsung or OnePlus. For Samsung, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is looking like the ultimate phone of 2021, but that doesn't mean you should ignore the OnePlus 9 Pro. On the OnePlus 9 Pro, OnePlus gave us a really, really good camera system, a display that looks better than you can imagine, software performance few can match, and charging technologies that will blow your mind. The OnePlus 9 Pro isn't perfect, though. Battery life is well below-average, the design of this phone feels somewhat dated, and the long-term software update situation needs improvement. So I know you want me to tell you which of the two to buy and I just don't have an exact answer. I think OnePlus has made really good phones for a while now and the 9 Pro shows their continued maturity. I also think you'd be happy with either phone, you just need to decide how important regular and long-term software updates are.

Shop OnePlus 9 Pro: OnePlus Store | Best Buy

Android 12 Developer Preview 2.1 Update is Live

Tim — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 10:06:53 +0000

Download Android 12 DP 2.1 update for your Pixel

An updated build for Developer Preview 2 of Android 12 is now available for download on select devices, focused completely on fixing what appears to be minor bugs. Specifically, the Android development team states, "This minor update to Android 12 Developer Preview 2 updates WebView to fix an issue that caused some apps to crash."

Release date: March 29, 2021 Build: SPP2.210219.008.A1 Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A) Security patch level: March 2021 Google Play services: 21.06.13

Android 12 DP 2.1 Downloads: Factory Image | OTA For instructions on how to update to DP 1.1, you’ll want to checkout this post. This new update is available to the Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 4a, Pixel 3a, and Pixel 3. // Android Developers

New Google Mystery Streaming Device at FCC has Rechargeable Battery

Kellen — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 07:59:30 +0000

Another new Google device stopped through the FCC this week and it's doing a good job of not revealing exactly what it is. We know it streams, is a media device, and has a rechargeable battery. Are we looking at a portable Nest Audio speaker or maybe a battery-powered Nest Cam? Either would be sweet. The FCC filing shows off a device under model number G3AL9 that is referred to as "Wireless Streaming Device." It doesn't appear to have a display, since the FCC ID will be placed on the back of the device, rather than virtually as an e-label. We know it was tested for Bluetooth LE and 2.4/5GHz WiFi (802.11n), and that's mostly it. The FCC docs call it a "mobile device" and tested its RF exposure to ensure that the public isn't exposed to "energy levels in excess of the Commission's guideline." How could it be portable or mobile? Because it has a rechargeable battery, that's how. It can also be powered by a 5V AC adapter, but the rechargeable battery tells us something. Could this be a portable speaker that works over both Bluetooth and WiFi? Or is it a Nest Cam that finally enters the modern era of wireless security because it can be placed anywhere without the need for a wired power connection? There are mentions of the device being a "slave device" and that one of the tests streamed video to it in "full monitor video mode." Is that a suggestion that it's a video camera of sorts? Maybe! We have a number of questions still and this filing isn't going to answer them. Google is getting better and better at hiding the identity of the devices in runs through the FCC. No matter what, we'll add the model number to our list.

// FCC

Galaxy S21 Ultra is $200 Off and You Get $250 in Credit for Accessories

Kellen — Sun, 28 Mar 2021 08:08:31 +0000

The final day of Samsung's Discover Spring Event is here and the final daily deal is a good one. The Galaxy S21 Ultra is a straight $200 off, plus they'll give you up to $250 in credit to spend on all the accessories to go with it. This is a good one. OK, so there are a couple of things here you need to be aware of. The $200-off discount is only valid on the Phantom Silver model (sorry, matte black fans). Also, the $250 in credits is only there if you don't trade-in a phone and instead just use the $200-off price. That would mean a Galaxy S21 Ultra in Phantom Silver for $999.99 and an extra $250 to buy watches and earbuds and what not. Through this deal, Samsung is discounting a number of accessories, so that $250 in credits goes further than you might think. It could mean a Galaxy Watch 3 LTE for $65 or not paying a penny for 2 pairs of Galaxy Buds Live. The other side of this deal is to take the $200 off and trade-in a phone. Samsung will still give you up to $700 off depending on the phone you trade, like a Galaxy S20 or Note 20. They'll still give you $550 for a Galaxy S10 or Note 10 too. However, if you go the trade-in route, the credit value to spend on accessories drops to $100. The better deal is obviously for those with a good phone to trade, as it significantly drops the price of the Galaxy S21 Ultra. But look, not everyone has a good phone to trade and might want to get a free watch with their S21 Ultra. Either way, this is the final day of this sales event, so make that decision right away.

Shop Galaxy S21 Ultra deals at Samsung

TicWatch Pro 3 Still the Only Wear OS Watch to Consider and It's $45 Off Today

Kellen — Sun, 28 Mar 2021 07:37:11 +0000

Mobvoi appears to be settling into regular discounts on their TicWatch Pro 3 watch, even if they are limited. Today, they are hosting their third this month alone, where they shave off 15% and drop the price to $255. Since this is the only Wear OS watch you should consider buying, consider jumping on it. At $255 (down from $300), the TicWatch Pro 3 is a solid deal. During my review, I pointed out how big of an improvement this watch showed over every other Wear OS watch still running old hardware. Because remember, the TicWatch Pro 3 is still the only watch running Qualcomm's new Snapdragon Wear 4100, which for the first time brings big boosts to performance that you kind of need to see to believe. Battery life on this watch is incredible, the big display, design, and materials used all help create a watch that feels premium on the wrist, and the easily-swappable bands let you make the TicWatch Pro 3 yours. I didn't have many complaints when testing, only that the watch is a bit big for many wrists. This is a limited time lighting deal at Amazon, so you might want to run at it.

Shop TicWatch Pro 3 at Amazon

I Hope You Love Samsung or OnePlus

Kellen — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 15:44:16 +0000

With the launch of the new OnePlus 9 Series this week, Android fans have another couple of phones to choose from that could satisfy their need for a flagship-level experience. Assuming the Galaxy S21 line-up didn't do it back in January, the OnePlus 9 phones are excellent alternatives. Unfortunately, if neither of those families of phones scratched that itch, I'm not sure you have much else to choose from at this level of phone. You may recall in 2019 when Tim talked about how Android, which for years found strength in choice, was quickly becoming a platform with fewer and fewer choices. In 2021, the situation has only gotten worse. At this point, Android in the US is down to just two players battling it out in the ultra-high-end space: Samsung and OnePlus. So if you entered 2021 hoping for the typical series of releases from familiar names, I hate to have to tell you this, but it's not going to happen. This is it, man.

Shop Galaxy S21+ sale, save $900

It's hard to pinpoint the exact moment that everything changed because the death of so many companies has been staggered. HTC was one of the first to go after pushing a number of duds. Motorola released several subpar Moto Z phones before exiting the flagship space for a couple of years. They have since returned with the Edge+, a limited-reach phone with a bonkers price that was mostly loathed by everyone except me. I couldn't tell you if Sony makes phones today or not. Google ditched flagships this past year to spend more time in the mid-range arena. And now, LG appears to be ready to call it quits. Meanwhile, Samsung continues to excel and pump out their usual goods and OnePlus clearly sees an opportunity left by all of those companies I mentioned above. While Samsung has operated in the $1,000 phone space for several years, OnePlus is fully engaged in it as well with phones accompanied by enormous specs lists. These two companies keep churning out quality devices that we often recommend, but again, they are the only options you have. What if you don't like either of their approaches to software or have some squabble over their update patterns? What if Google Pixel is all you've ever known, it's time to upgrade, and you want their new phone that rivals Samsung's? What if a DAC was a thing you cared deeply about? What if you loved that Hipster Troll Carwash commercial's vibe, only in phone form? I've got nothing for you to help with any of that. Making matters worse, Samsung is the only one of the two that has any sort of real carrier presence. OnePlus has found a partner in T-Mobile, but after taking on the OnePlus 8 last year, Verizon completely skipped the OnePlus 9 series. Should you walk into an AT&T or Verizon store and ask the sales associate to point you in the direction of the most advanced Android phones available, they'll only be able to point you to Samsung. That's not good. Unfortunately, I don't see things changing any time soon. Making and selling $1,000 phones isn't a task many have found success in. If LG really does leave, Motorola continues on a path of irrelevance, and Google finds comfort in not having to make a phone worthy of a $1,000 price tag, you better find a way to love what Samsung or OnePlus have to offer. Or you could buy an iPhone.

OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9 Pro Certified for Verizon's 5G Network

Tim — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 14:17:52 +0000

Here's a friendly FYI to those curious: OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro are officially certified to work on Verizon's network. What does this mean? It means even though Verizon isn't selling the phones directly to its customers, you can purchase the phone from OnePlus or wherever and you can bring the device to Verizon and it's certified to work properly, 5G included. This is a good thing. According to the specs list, the OnePlus 9 Pro will work on the company's Ultra Wideband network (UWB), while the OnePlus 9 will not. Though, the OnePlus 9 does have sub-6 support, same as the OnePlus 9 Pro. Keep that in mind if you intend on taking advantage of UWB from Verizon -- get the OnePlus 9 Pro. In addition, a Verizon PR representative also noted on Twitter that the devices are certified to work on Visible, the prepaid brand that doesn't like to be called prepaid. Very cool. https://twitter.com/GLKCreative/status/1375542717577576452 // Verizon Open Development

Podcast: OnePlus 9 Reviews!

Kellen — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 09:04:26 +0000

For this episode of the Droid Life Show, we're sharing all the thoughts on the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro, two new phones we've been testing for a few weeks now. We'll have OnePlus 9 reviews written and posted on DL in the next few days, but if you want to hear some final remarks now, this is the show for you. No trivia this week, just a short, OnePlus show. We’ll be live at 11:00AM Pacific (2:00PM Eastern).

Thank you to EwinRacing for sponsoring this week’s show. Use promo code “Droidlife” for 30% off your purchase of a gaming chair. See our review of the chairs here.

Google Launches 'Best Things' Shopping Site for Finding Most Popular Products

Tim — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 09:03:05 +0000

Right in time to blow that third round of stimulus money, Google has launched a new Google Shopping microsite called Best Things, which gathers the 1,000 most popular products from across the web onto a really poorly designed webpage that's not fun to navigate. If you think I'm kidding, go on your phone and try it yourself. It's not something you'll want to spend an extended period of time using. When booted up on your phone, it's a tile aesthetic, allowing you to scroll endlessly through products. At the top, you can adjust the category of items you're looking for. Once you find something you like, you're given options and then provided links to do your shopping. It's fine, but I don't see why anyone would aimlessly wonder this page instead of already knowing what they need and going directly to where it's sold. This doesn't seem convenient at all.

If you need to buy something right now, go try it out on your mobile device.

Google's Best Things

// Google

Galaxy S21+ is Still Down to $99.99 With That Trade of Yours

Kellen — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 08:42:59 +0000

This Samsung Discover sales event has pumped out a handful of solid deals so far. That 50% off deal on the Galaxy Tab S7+ from yesterday was probably the best, I just wish Samsung had allotted more inventory for it. The big discount on the Galaxy Watch 3 was also quite nice. But this $900-off deal on the Galaxy S21+ is arguably just as good and we didn't want you to miss it. For a limited time (likely for a two more days when this event ends), Samsung will sell you the Galaxy S21+ for the same price as the Galaxy S21. That means it has been discounted by $200 to match the regular S21. If you have no phone to trade-in, you could order one today for $799. That's a good price! However, Samsung's trade-in program is the key to maximizing your discount here. If you have a Galaxy S20 or Note 20, they will slash another $700 off right now, dropping the price to $99.99. If you own a slightly older phone, like the Galaxy S10 series or Note 10 series, they'll give you $550 off, dropping it to $249. Even if you have a Galaxy S9 or a Pixel 4, you could get $350 off on top of the $200. Now is the time to pull the trigger on a Galaxy S21+ if you have been eyeing one. Almost any phone you have from the past 2-3 years can be traded in for solid money, assuming it's from Samsung or Google or Apple.

Shop Galaxy S21+ from Samsung

Magic: The Gathering Arena Arrives on Android

Tim — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 16:28:04 +0000

Magic: The Gathering has its very own card game called Magic: The Gathering Arena on Android now, something I feel like should have been a thing years ago. Regardless, we've made it and I'm sure plenty of you wizards and witches are going to love it. I know 0% about Magic: The Gathering, so apologies there, but the game description says anyone can learn the ropes thanks to a built-in tutorial. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be collecting cards and going up against real people. It doesn't specify, but my only hope is that this game includes the amazing Black Lotus! There it is, the only thing I know about MTG. Enjoy.

Google Play Link

https://youtu.be/2SuaxPXHmSo

#TBT: What Was Your Custom ROM of Choice?

Tim — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 12:20:18 +0000

Way, way back in the day, many of us found ourselves flashing custom ROMs onto our Android devices, all with interesting names and providing varying features and benefits. In 2021, custom ROMs aren't as widely used, with Android itself and smartphones in general having met the performance and feature demands of most users. Still, there are plenty of forums and developers putting in the time and effort to create these things, so to them, we salute you. There was no shortage of custom ROM options all those years ago. There was Bugless Beast, CyanogenMod, LiquidSmooth, Android Open Kang Project, and plenty others all with silly names. Personally, I was a big fan of Bugless Beast. It seemed relatively light in tweaks, though, it was always buttery smooth and each release was like a national holiday for the Android community. It was good times. What about you? What was your favorite custom ROM?

Samsung Integrates Podcasts Into Samsung Free App

Tim — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 10:16:13 +0000

Samsung announced this morning that it's bringing podcasts to its Samsung Free app, officially called Samsung Podcasts, giving you yet another place to access your favorite audio shows. According to the announcement, Samsung Podcasts is starting to roll out to users with compatible Galaxy S21, Galaxy S20, Galaxy Note 20, Galaxy S10, and Galaxy Note 10 devices. So long as you're logged into your Samsung account via Samsung Free, there's nothing more for you to do to start listening. As detailed, Samsung Podcasts offers, "instant access to thousands of podcasts from leading podcast publishers and hosts — including American Public Media, Blubrry Podcasting, CNN Audio," and plenty more. Thank you, Samsung. // Samsung Free

New Godzilla Games Inbound, 'Run Godzilla' Launches This Week

Tim — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 09:13:07 +0000

Announced this week, you'll be soon seeing a bunch of new Toho-made Godzilla games coming to iOS and Android, right in time for the release of Godzilla vs. Kong later this month. As an ultimate Godzilla fangirl, this pleases me dearly. Launching this week, we're getting Run Godzilla, followed by Godzilla Battle Line and Godzilla Destruction in April should all go well. In Run Godzilla, well, I'm not exactly sure what you do. The game's description is extremely odd, and from what I can gather, you literally raise Godzilla like a child and then he dies. Read the description for yourself, it sounds very different.

This is an idle game in which Godzilla and Kaiju become stronger while you're away. In the village, the sun rises and sets day after day. What you must remember is that Godzilla, Kaiju, and the villagers have only a limited amount of time. One day, they will say goodbye. Raise Godzilla and Kaiju well, so they are ready to say goodbye when that time comes. Don't worry! You can look back on the Godzilla you've raised even after they're gone. Pass on their abilities to the next generation and raise even stronger Godzilla and Kaiju!

The other two titles make much more sense. Both games are all about destroying cities and other Kaiju, so not much brain power is needed to understand. As these games go live on Google Play, we'll share the links. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsrPmxaex2w&ab_channel=GODZILLAOFFICIALbyTOHO

OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro Getting OxygenOS 11 Update

Tim — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 08:44:33 +0000

OnePlus announced the official and totes stable build of OxygenOS 11 for the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro this week, now available to those still rocking these devices. This follows a solid amount of beta testing, so once this Android 11-based build hits your phone, it should feel pretty darn smooth. Being a major Android version update, the changelog is massive. Expect a revamped UI for the system overall, a new camera UI, Ambient Display support, system-wide Dark Mode, OnePlus' Game Space, updates for its Shelf feature, plus changes to the Gallery app. Oddly, OnePlus has apparently removed Always On Display from the OS for reasons unclear. It's still in beta testing, and for the time being, isn't available publicly for the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro. For a complete changelog, follow the OnePlus link below. OnePlus states that the update will begin to roll out to owners in stages, with just a handful of people expected to receive it today. Should all go well, more and more owners will receive it over the coming days. Have at it! // OnePlus

DEAL: Samsung's Galaxy Tab S7+ is 50% Off Today!

Kellen — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 07:38:11 +0000

The best deal in Samsung's Discover sales event is here - grab a Galaxy Tab S7+ for 50% off or or $425. Yep, this is a good one and will likely sellout fast. For today only (as supplies hold), Samsung has discounted their best tablet, the Galaxy Tab S7+ in Mystic Silver, to $425. Normally priced at $850, this is a whole bunch of tablet action (with S Pen included!) for a few hundred bucks. To recap, the Galaxy Tab S7+ features a massive 12.4" AMOLED display at 120Hz, Snapdragon 865+ processor, 128GB storage (with SD slot), 6GB RAM, 10,090mAh battery, WiFi 6, and that S Pen I already mentioned. It's the best Android tablet you can buy, it's just that most of us have held off because it was expensive as hell. Today, it's not. I actually own one of these, if you can believe it. Yeah, I'm the ultimate tablet hater, but I picked one up a few months back and really, really like my Tab S7+. It's speedy enough, the display is insanely good, the size is pretty awesome as a media device, and the build quality is top notch. I even use the S Pen at times, mostly to color. Either way, if me, the guy who laughs at tablets has one, it must be OK, right? No code necessary, just hit that link and hurry before they sell out. UPDATE: Their stock levels keep coming and going. Feel free to check if it's still available, but this deal proved quite popular and could be gone for good.

Shop Galaxy Tab S7+ from Samsung

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 780G is Here

Kellen — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 07:23:34 +0000

Throughout last year, we saw a bunch of upper-mid-tier phones run Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765G chipset, as it brought power and efficiency without the cost of the Snapdragon 865. Think of phones like the OnePlus Nord and Pixel 5, both of which ran the 765G and brought impressive experiences for not running the best chip available. Today, Qualcomm likely introduced the replacement for that chip that'll power the next wave of upper-mid-tiers, the Snapdragon 780G. The Snapdragon 780G (SM-7350-AB) boasts a bunch of firsts for the 7-series, with features like a triple ISP (triple camera shooting!), the 6th-gen Qualcomm AI engine, and WiFi 6. But it's much more than that too. If you buy a phone running the Snapdragon 780G, the WiFi 6 will bring you some of the fastest wireless speeds around, plus you'll get Bluetooth 5.2 and their FastConnect 6900 tech. With the Spectra 570 ISP, Qualcomm says you'll be able to snap 3 images at ounce, all at 25MP, and get better low-light and 4K HDR performance . And for the AI engine, that really just means faster and smarter photography, gaming, etc. This 5nm chip also runs Kryo 670 CPUs, with a 40% boost to performance and supports Qualcomm's Snapdragon Elite Gaming. So yeah, if we get a Pixel 6 and Google doesn't shoot for the moon with specs, this could be the chip it runs. // Qualcomm

Google Combines Multiple Apps, Services Into Experimental Assistant 'Memory' Feature

Tim — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 15:47:26 +0000

As Android users, we have a few ways of saving information for later down the road, depending on how we need to access that information. For example, if I have an idea for a song, I'd toss that into Google Keep and access it for editing whenever I want. I wouldn't tell the song idea to Google Assistant, expecting it to remember it for me. However, I would ask Assistant to remind me to call my mom later, instead of putting that information in Google Keep. More plainly, different types of information require different services to keep it all in order. Well, according to a new experimental app/service being worked on by Google, we could soon see a single place to store pretty much everything on Android. Called Memory (Google Assistant Memory, to be exact) and being fed to Google employees only for now, this new experimental feature is like multiple apps and services crammed into one. According to the setup process for Memory, spotted and detailed by 9to5Google, users can do the following:

Save any screen content to Memory: Including links to the original source when available
Save real-world stuff to Memory: Objects, posters, or handwritten notes
Save thoughts and reminders to Memory: Thoughts, ideas, and stuff to get back to
And find it all again, in one place: Smart search and organization

You can essentially store anything and everything in Memory, then access that via a built-in search function. You can store events, recipes, reminders, shows, websites, and everything else. And not only does Memory want to save the specific thing, it wants the context, too. For example, memories can apparently include screenshots, URLs, as well as locations. We might still be a ways from seeing Memory make its way to every day Android users, but it looks to be coming and Google is certainly making an investment in it. Does this mean Google Keep or things like that could go away? We don't know yet, and while this is still in the experimental phase, we're unlikely to know for sure. Does Memory sound intriguing to you? // 9to5Google

Hey, OnePlus, Give Us the OnePlus 9R

Tim — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 12:50:13 +0000

For the US market, OnePlus is offering the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro. However, India is getting its own sweet little OnePlus 9 device, the OnePlus 9R. Typically, we only talk about US devices, but the OnePlus 9R is pretty darn cool and comes with a very attractive price. Honestly, we're a little disappointed that this phone isn't making its way here just yet. Priced at what would be about $550 US, the OnePlus 9R features a solid roundup of specs, including a 6.55-inch 1080p OLED 120Hz refresh rate display, Snapdragon 870 processor with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM (not the SD888 that comes with the 9 and 9 Pro), 4,500mAh battery with 65W fast wired charging, 5G connectivity, and a camera system with a main shooter of 48-megapixel and no Hasselblad branding. At what could be $550, this ain't bad, and honestly, makes plenty of sense in comparison to the OnePlus 9 Pro that can run you over $1,000. Obviously, the 9 Pro is packed with the latest and greatest specs, but US consumers have been wanting more affordable options lately. The 9R could have filled a good little gap in OnePlus's current offerings, with the Nord N10 5G coming in at $299. The 9R would fit mighty fine between that and the standard OnePlus 9 at $729. I suppose we'll just have to make do with last year's OnePlus 8T and its current $599 price. If and when OnePlus announces any sort of availability for the US, we'll let you know. // The Verge

Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! Now Available on Android

Tim — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 11:55:01 +0000

Crash Bandicoot has made its way to Google Play, with the release of Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! now live for all Android devices. I still have yet to fire it up, but it looks like a Temple Run-esque title, with Crash and company making their way through various levels collecting fruits and power-ups while performing sweet spin moves. You know, typical Crash stuff! While I haven't played, there is one thing I should mention. This game is published by King, the same publisher as Candy Crush. That means we should expect to see some interesting monetization practices, such as both ads and in-app purchases. My fingers are crossed it's not completely unbearable, but I'll let you know. Go try it out and report back to me in the comments or on Twitter.

Google Play Link

https://youtu.be/2c7ae0rr-Ns

DEAL: Pixel Buds are $20 Off Pretty Much Everywhere, Down to $159

Tim — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 10:06:21 +0000

Should you have missed the Pixel Buds when they were $50 off shortly ago, your consolation prize is a new $20 off deal on Google's wireless earbuds, available everywhere Pixel Buds are sold. At $20 off, the price for the Buds comes down to $159, which isn't too bad considering Google is still sending out updates to improve them. There are talks of new Pixel Buds inbound, though, all we've seen so far are potential FCC filings. We could still have a ways before we see the Pixel Buds sequel, so don't let that stop you from picking up a pair at a discounted price. Have at it.

Buy Pixel Buds: Google | Best Buy | Target | Verizon | B&H

Metro by T-Mobile Customers Now Eligible for T-Mobile Tuesday Freebies

Tim — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 08:48:39 +0000

Major news for Metro by T-Mobile customers this week, with T-Mobile announcing that all customers are now eligible for the weekly gifts that are part of T-Mobile Tuesdays. The timing of this couldn't be any better, with T-Mobile scheduled to give all customers a free subscription to MLB.TV next Tuesday on March 30. According to T-Mobile, all customers are eligible now, meaning all you'll need is your phone number to sign up and get thanked. It's a sweet deal if you're a T-Mobile customer or at least part of the T-Mobile umbrella -- Sprint, Metro by T-Mobile, etc. We'll let you know when you can start claiming your free MLB.TV subscription.

T-Mobile Tuesdays App

// T-Mobile

You Can Already Save $20 Off the OnePlus Watch

Kellen — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 08:13:15 +0000

The OnePlus Watch won't arrive for a few more weeks, but when it does, you'll be able to save $20 off its launch price if you act fast. OnePlus is hosting a $20 "OnePlus Watch Appreciation Credit" that will discount their new watch right away. If you were interested at all, grabbing a credit would be smart since it doesn't cost anything to get one. At $20 off, the OnePlus Watch should only cost $139, which is a heck of a deal. I know it doesn't run Wear OS and isn't the smartest of smartwatches, but at $139, we're in fitness band territory and this could be very good at tracking fitness. To grab the credit, hit that link below, click the "Claim Credit" button, and it should then be added to your account. If you don't have an account, it's easy to sign-up - I believe it even has Google's sign-in. Once the Watch goes on sale, the credit will be automatically applied. At $139, you pulling the trigger on a OnePlus Watch when it arrives April 14?

Claim OnePlus Watch $20 credit

Galaxy Watch 3 is $150 Off But You Better Hurry

Kellen — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 14:27:03 +0000

As a part of the Samsung Discover sales event, today's deal of the day is on the Galaxy Watch 3 for a limited time. For now, until the timer reaches zero or Samsung runs out of allotted stock, you can grab any size of the Galaxy Watch 3 for $150 off. With a $150 discount, you could get into the 41mm Watch 3 for $250, 45mm model for $280, or the Titanium version for $450. Those are about the best prices to date on Samsung's newest high-end watch, so give this some consideration if you've been eyeing one. Just hurry. If you need to catch-up on the Galaxy Watch 3, our review is a good place to start. To briefly recap that, you should know that performance, design, and display are all great, as are the health and fitness features. My other issues were in battery life and slow charging. I think most people will find the Watch 3 to be quite nice, though. Again, this is limited both in time and number available, so hit that link.

Shop Galaxy Watch at Samsung

Qualcomm Working on Android-Powered, Switch-Like Mobile Gaming Console

Tim — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 14:19:02 +0000

It appears Qualcomm wants to get a little wild, with a report claiming that the Snapdragon processor maker wants to dive into the portable gaming console market, currently dominated by Nintendo and its NVIDIA Tegra-powered Switch device. This would be a very interesting move, one we aren't quite certain about. According to a report from Android Police, the device would look very similar to the Nintendo Switch, complete with detachable controller devices for playing your games and a rumored 6.65" display, essentially looking like a thicker phone/tablet device. It's also expected that the gaming device would support display-out capabilities to play your games on a TV or desktop monitor, just like a Switch. As for the software, it would be powered by Android 12 should Qualcomm's reported launch timing on Q1 2022 pan out. That Android 12 build would come preloaded with a specialized launcher, as well as access to the Epic Games Store, providing access to plenty of sweet titles right out of the gate. Pricing is mentioned, though, far from confirmed. It's expected this little thing could run you about $300, but it's unknown if that includes the controllers or not. On top of that, Qualcomm is said to be planning on selling this device directly to consumers, as well as through carrier partners. That's where its presumed 5G connectivity comes in. An interesting notion in the original report suggests that Qualcomm may want to use this device to inspire other partners to experiment with different form factors. Coming off of a fresh global pandemic, it might be hard to see a lot of companies invest in something experimental, but innovation never sleeps. What do you think? Should Qualcomm make us a sweet little Android-powered portable gaming console? NVIDIA tried this years ago with the original SHIELD device. While I loved it, the market decided it was not needed and it never got a sequel. // Android Police | @MishaalRahman

Ooh, New Pixel Buds at the FCC?

Kellen — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 12:52:17 +0000

The current Pixel Buds are closing in on their 1-year anniversary, so it would be surprising to see Google release a replacement already. However, a couple of devices stopped through the FCC this week that could very well be a new pair, though it remains to be seen if these are a replacement or simply another option that Google will sell alongside the $179 model sold since last April. The evidence here isn't as obvious as it has been in the past when an FCC listing pops up. The listings (spotted by 9to5Google) we have today are not actually filed under Google's FCC ID and are instead from a company called Weifang Goertek Electronics. If that is confusing to you, I'm with you, but understand that Weifang is the same company that made the original Pixel Buds with the wire between them back in 2018. Here is that FCC listing. The two listings today are separated (possibly for left and right buds) and simply referred to as a "Wireless Device." They were tested for Bluetooth 5.2 only, not WiFi or cellular. They also happen to be small enough that an FCC label could not fit on them, just like a pair of earbuds. They measure in at 27x20x15mm, which is really close to the size of the current Pixel Buds. The other bit of info we have is in the model numbers of each, which the FCC lists as "G7YPJ" and "GPQY2." I know that those don't give you much, but they match up to the styling of Google product numbers that have released recently, like the new Nest Hub ("GUIK2") and new Nest Thermostat ("G4CVZ"). And that's pretty much it. It's obvious that Weifang is going out of their way to not reveal much about these products, but just enough evidence is there. The question now is - will these be a high-end pair with ANC or a low-end pair that is more affordable? We can't be replacing the current-gen already, can we?

// FCC [2]

Ask Us Your OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9 Pro Questions

Tim — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 10:37:07 +0000

We're still working to finish up our full OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro reviews (they'll be up soon), but in the meantime, we'd love to answer any questions you have about OnePlus' latest phones. Made official this morning, they are some of the company's most expensive devices, starting at $729 for the standard OnePlus 9 and going all the way up to $1069 for a specced out OnePlus 9 Pro. That's pretty expensive! We have posted the device specs, unboxing video, and even done a camera shootout, but what else would you like to quickly know about? Shall we discuss OxygenOS? Maybe performance of the Snapdragon 888 and the 120Hz display? Or how about battery life? We can answer anything and everything, and as always, we'll keep it very real with you. Shoot your questions down below and we'll field them as they come in.

Pre-Order the OnePlus 9, 9 Pro

Pre-Order the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro Right Now

Tim — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 08:30:05 +0000

We originally thought the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro would be available for pre-order later this week, as that's what the press release says, but the OnePlus website is apparently up and ready to take orders. We laid out the details and pricing for these devices already, but to recap, the OnePlus 9 lineup starts at $729, featuring Qualcomm-made Snapdragon 888 chips with 8GB or 12GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB or 256GB UFS3.1 storage, and large batteries. They both have WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, in-display fingerprint readers, stereo speakers, AMOLED displays with 120Hz refresh rates, and ridiculously fast 65W fast charging. The cameras have also been upgraded, with OnePlus working closely with Hasselblad to improve the overall shooting experience and results. We have a little camera comparison here. Picking one up?

OnePlus Store Links: OnePlus 9 | OnePlus 9 Pro

OnePlus 9 Pro Unboxing and Tour!

Kellen — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 08:05:42 +0000

We'll have a review of the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro here in the next week or so, but wanted to at least show you the sweet media kit that OnePlus sent over for us to play with before we get there. The kit includes both phones, a couple of cases, their crazy 50W wireless charger, and a sweet moon picture! This is one of the best media kits yet for two phones expected to as good as OnePlus has ever done. The phones here are indeed retail units and so our testing is taking place on them. We are well into testing too, but like to take our time before sharing final thoughts, just as we did with Pixel 5 and Galaxy S21 reviews. So, to let you waste 12 minutes today, here is our OnePlus 9 unboxing! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxKSh3TTXJc

OnePlus 9 Series is Official With a Lot of Specs, Highest Price Yet

Kellen — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 08:00:51 +0000

Alright, the day is here - the OnePlus 9 Series has been fully revealed, so we now know all the specs, prices, and when you can buy one. Since OnePlus told us so much leading up to today, let's make this quick. The OnePlus 9 Series includes two phones here in the US: the OnePlus 9 Pro and OnePlus 9. There is a OnePlus 9R for other countries, but we're a US news outlet, so we'll focus on just those first two. For 2021, OnePlus is releasing its most expensive phones ever that also happen to have the best list of specs to date. Starting at $969, you have the OnePlus 9 Pro with a max configuration that tops out at $1,069. For the OnePlus 9, you have configurations that hit $729 and $829 price points. How does OnePlus plan to justify those steep costs? Well, we can run through that.

OnePlus 9 Series specs

When it comes to raw specs, both phones are very similar. Both phones run on Snapdragon 888 chips with 8GB or 12GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB or 256GB UFS3.1 storage, and 4500mAh batteries. They both have WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, in-display fingerprint readers, stereo speakers, AMOLED displays with 120Hz refresh rates, and super fast 65W fast charging. But as you dive closely into each, the differences start to tell the story of why their prices remain quite different. The OnePlus 9 Pro has the better and bigger 6.7" QHD AMOLED display with LTPO, while the OnePlus 9's 6.55" AMOLED sits at 1080p. The 9 Pro does fast 65W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, while the regular 9 tops out in wireless charging at 18W. The OnePlus 9 Pro is made of metal and glass, yet the OnePlus 9 is unquestionably plastic. There is a subtle difference in their cameras too. Both sport 48MP main shooters and 50MP wide-angle lenses, but the OnePlus 9 Pro has the newer Sony IMX789 sensor, while the OnePlus 9 has the Sony IMX689 from the OnePlus 8 Pro. The OnePlus 9 Pro also has a telephoto lens that the regular 9 lacks. Overall, these are very similar phones with few differences that will weigh on your mind as you try and decide which to buy. [table id=212 /]

Cameras

Specs and differences aside, the sales pitch here is that these phones bring the "biggest leap forward in camera quality" from OnePlus, thanks to their new partnership with Hasselblad. Through that partnership, OnePlus claims that the Hasselblad Camera for Mobile experience on these phones was "jointly calibrated" by the two companies to bring a more natural and accurate color profile to images. More specifically in the camera department, the OnePlus 9 Pro's Sony IMX789 sensor is said to offer "exceptional imaging capability, with leading technologies including 2x2 on-chip lens (OCL), 12-bit RAW, dual native ISO, and DOL-HDR." It should provide "faster focus speeds, four-times more color information for greater color accuracy, [and] cleaner daytime and night shots." Both phones feature the Sony IMX766 ultra-wide angle sensor that tries to reduce distortion at the edges of photos and can be used to take macro shots down to 4cm away. Both also have monochrome shooters, plus the 9 Pro has an 8MP telephoto lens I mentioned earlier. As for software, there are several camera modes on both phones that you would expect to see in a high-end phone today. The big deal for pro photographers is going to be the Pro Mode that is powered by Hasselblad and lets you finely tune your photo experience with ISO, focus, exposure time, and white balance controls. The OnePlus 9 Pro's cameras can even shoot 8K video at 30fps or 4K up to 120fps. For cameras in 2021, it's all here.

The other goods

The rest of the story is as you would expect from OnePlus. Each phone runs Android 11 and OxygenOS 11, which is one of the fastest and smoothest Android experiences around. That smoothness is helped by the 120Hz refresh rates of each phone's display, as well as the Snapdragon 888, copious amounts of RAM, and speedy UFS3.1 storage. You get insanely fast charging with large batteries, some fun colors, and a design that typically feels great in the hand.

Pricing and Availability

If you'd like to buy the OnePlus 9 Pro or OnePlus 9, you will be able to pre-order unlocked models through OnePlus' store starting March 26 with launch day set for April 2. T-Mobile will launch each phone at the same time as the only US carrier with their own models to start. Retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo will offer the OnePlus 9 Series too. OnePlus tells us that these phones will work on Verizon 4G LTE for now, but that they are working to certify them for Verizon's 5G too. Most OnePlus phones in the past have followed similar paths with Verizon support. For specific pricing and colors, we have the following:

OnePlus 9 Pro (12GB RAM + 256GB storage): $1069
OnePlus 9 Pro (8GB RAM + 128GB storage): $969
OnePlus 9 (12GB RAM + 256GB storage): $828
OnePlus 9 (8GB RAM + 128GB storage): $729

The OnePlus 9 Pro will be available in Morning Mist and Pine Green in the US. The OnePlus 9 will see Astral Black and Winter Mist colorways. There are Stellar Black (OP9 Pro) and Arctic Sky (OP9) colors in other parts of the world.

OnePlus Watch is Official at $159: Here's What You Need to Know

Kellen — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 08:00:33 +0000

As a part of the OnePlus 9 Series launch today, OnePlus also announced the OnePlus Watch, their first global wearable. As you may recall, the OnePlus Band was not a global release, so yeah, this is indeed the "first." Here's what you need to know about it, when you can get it, what OS it runs, and how much it will cost.

Is it Wear OS?

Ummm, no, the OnePlus Watch is not a Wear OS watch, but you knew that. Instead, it runs RTOS (real-time operating system) that I'd imagine is similar to what powers the OnePlus Band. It's a watch that can track a lot of fitness stuff, get notifications and calls, control your camera, and probably show you limited other bits of info, like the weather. We don't know the full story here, but OnePlus has said they are working with Google to address Wear OS issues and has settled on a more limited RTOS for now. The big story here is that this watch is affordable, will run for a couple of weeks on a single charge, and could be a heck of a fitness companion. It looks pretty slick too.

Features and specs

The OnePlus Watch sports a 46mm case made of stainless steel with 4GB storage (2GB is usable) and 1GB RAM. It has a 1.39" round AMOLED screen (326ppi) with 2.5D glass, 405mAh battery, 5ATM water resistance (it's also IP68), heartrate sensor, Sp02 sensor, ambient light sensor, air pressure sensor, GPS, and tracking for over 100 workout types. It comes with a 22mm band and will gladly accept your favorite 3rd party options. With the OnePlus Watch on wrist, you could store up to 500 songs and listen to them over Bluetooth when paired to almost any Bluetooth earbuds. On a single charge, it should last up to 14 days, but 5 minutes of charge will get you 1-day use or 20 minutes will get you up to a week. It'll track heartrate and give you heartrate alerts, record distance during workouts without your phone (thanks GPS!), measure stress levels and blood oxygen saturation, and give you sedentary reminders. Outside of the health tracking stuff, the OnePlus Watch will be able to receive and respond to notifications, make and answer calls, and even take photos from your phone's camera. It won't have Google Maps or any other apps you may find on a Samsung or Wear OS watch, but it does have some capabilities.

Pricing and availability

If you are interested in the OnePlus Watch, it arrives in the US on April 14 at a price of $159. OnePlus will sell the Midnight Black version, but there appears to be stainless and gold models that may ship in other countries, as well as a special Cobalt edition. I am most definitely going to get this watch on my wrist to put it through all sorts of testing. Stay tuned!

Camera Comparison: OnePlus 9 vs. Pixel 5 vs. Galaxy S21 Ultra

Tim — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 08:00:24 +0000

The new OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro are now official and we're lucky enough to have them in our possession. We'll soon have up full reviews for both devices, but while we're working on those, we wanted to provide a bit of content focused on the rear cameras of these devices. And naturally, we want to see how they compare to the best shooters currently available, especially with this new Hasselblad partnership. For camera specs, the OnePlus 9 features a main 48-megapixel sensor (Sony IMX689, same as the OnePlus 8 Pro), with f/1.8, and electronic image stabilization. There's also a 50MP ultra-wide sensor (f/2.2), plus a monochrome 2MP sensor. For videos, there's support for 8K recording at 30fps and 4K at 30 and 60fps. The larger OnePlus 9 Pro has an updated main 48MP sensor, the Sony IMX789. It features f/1.8, OIS, and EIS. The other cameras are a 50MP ultra-wide, 8MP telephoto, and 2MP monochrome. The OnePlus 9 Pro also supports 8K and 4K (up to 120fps) video recording. Before diving into the comparison, a few notes. Let's talk about this Hasselblad partnership real quick and what it brings to these phones. According to OnePlus, for these two phones, the company worked with Hasselblad to tune the color performance. They're calling this Natural Color Calibration with Hasselblad and it applies to all of the cameras on each device. Additionally, there's a Hasselblad Pro Mode (a rebranded Pro mode), providing "more authentic color for pro users in post-editing." We assume most users won't mess with this much, but should they, the idea is that the phone captures images the same way a traditional DSLR or mirrorless camera would. With that being said, computational photography features (like HDR) are not automatically applied. For this comparison, we've pit the OnePlus 9 up against the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Pixel 5. Both of those phones have Grade A camera systems, and at least from what my eye tells me, the OnePlus 9 keeps up just fine. Below that, Kellen stacked the OnePlus 9 Pro up against the Pixel 5. No edits have been made to the photos, though, they have been resized and our site's compression doesn't help finer details come through. These photos will at least give you a good idea about exposure and color richness. Feel free to look them over and then let us know in the comments which phone takes the cake.

OnePlus 9 (Left) vs. Galaxy S21 Ultra (Center) vs. Pixel 5 (Right)

Max Zoom Test

OnePlus 9 (max of 10X zoom)

Galaxy S21 Ultra (max of 100X zoom)

Pixel 5 (max of 7X zoom)

As I mentioned, Kellen has the OnePlus 9 Pro and put it up against the Pixel 5. If you're interested to see how that turned out, have a look below.

OnePlus 9 Pro (Left) vs. Pixel 5 (Right)

It'll be hard for many to see the subtle differences due to the compression that is taking place, but having seen the full-sized photos, this OnePlus 9 Pro is no joke. The photos are very crisp and capture quite a bit more detail, at least from what my eyes are telling me.

WATCH: OnePlus 9 Series Launch Event! (10AM Eastern)

Kellen — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 06:52:22 +0000

Today is the day that OnePlus fully reveals all details of its next phone series, the OnePlus 9. After days (weeks?) of teases and feature announcements, we should get everything we need today, like price. If we leave today not knowing all of the stuff about the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro, then something is wrong. Alongside at least two new phones, we should also see their first wearable watch, called OnePlus Watch. It isn't Wear OS, but could be an affordable smartwatch option for those looking at fitness-focused wearables. There is an event taking place at 10AM Eastern (7AM Pacific) to talk about everything and you can tune in right here.

Our Top 5 LG Phones of All Time

Tim — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 13:08:35 +0000

With the latest news surrounding LG's struggles in the mobile business suggesting that it may shut down its mobile business, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the LG devices we love. Not too long ago, LG made Nexus devices for Google that we really enjoyed, as well as had a few of their own devices that will always hold a special place in our hearts. However, for some odd reason, the company stopped making phones that appealed to the masses and it appears that the end may be near. We're not thrilled about it.

We tried to narrow this list down to our top 5, but it was actually hard to do that with the amount of good phones the company has released. Obviously, you won't see anything too recent on the list, as that's probably the reasoning behind LG having to close shop, but feel free to let us know if we missed something good. We have an honorable mentions list, too. Here's our top 5 LG phones of all time, in no particular order.

Nexus 5

While this list is not ordered, the Nexus 5 could probably take the #1 spot. The phone felt incredible in-hand and launched with one of our favorite versions of Android -- 4.4 KitKat. Starting at just $349, the phone had plenty of fine specs for 2013, including LTE connectivity and a Snapdragon 800 processor, though, the phone wasn't without its faults. Not everyone will remember when Google made phones with bad cameras, but the Nexus 5 had a truly awful one. Couple that with poor battery life (thanks, LTE) and you had a true love-hate relationship at times. What helped us look past its flaws was the hardware. Google made a special Red model available that we fell in love with, and honestly, we haven't given up hope that maybe one day Google will go back to giving us bright, bold colors options.

Nexus 5 Review (November, 2013)

LG G3

There was a lot to enjoy with the LG G3. It had one of, if not the first, QHD displays, a fantastic camera system, and it also had some of those power user options that LG fans really liked -- removable battery, expandable storage, wireless charging, etc. This phone had it all and I'd say this might've been the pinnacle for LG as a mobile phone brand. Following the G3, the G4 and G5 is where LG tripped hard and I'm not sure if the company ever fully recovered from that.

LG G3 Review (July, 2014)

LG V30

The third iteration of the Stuff N' Things phone, the LG V30 was helluva smartphone. While we initially gave LG a hard time for playing to the niche crowd with these devices, hindsight allows us to see what LG was trying to do. With the V30, LG was providing a more catered experience to those who appreciate things like good mobile audio and improved video recording capabilities. It's not that we didn't like these things back in 2017, it's just that following the LG G5 and its modular body, we were just really confused about what LG was trying to accomplish. Looking back, LG put out some killer V Series devices and we're sure to miss them.

LG V30 Review (October, 2017)

Pixel 2 XL

I could see this phone being #1 on plenty of Top LG Phone lists, too. An absolute stunner, the Pixel 2 XL is likely to go down as the best Pixel device Google ever released, even with a few of its shortcomings that the tech blog bros couldn't help but harp on. Penguin, as we liked to refer to it (others went with Panda), offered a QHD display, excellent camera experience, as well as that two-tone hardware that was so gorgeous it's likely never to be duplicated ever again. Phones like the Pixel 2 XL don't come around often and I feel sorry for anyone who decided on not trying one out because they were afraid of a little blue tint shift.

Pixel 2 XL Review (October, 2017)

LG Voyager

My first "smartphone," the LG Voyager has to have a spot on this list for me. I'm probably the only one, but I miss my little "iPhone Killer." I mean, the phone totally sucked, but if it wasn't for the Voyager, I'm not sure how I would have gotten into Android phones in the first place. It's because I started loving mobile phones that I'm here today and that love wouldn't have started unless I got the Voyager. Godspeed, iPhone Killer.

Honorable Mentions

Nexus 4 - A great device in-hand, the Nexus 4 didn't quite make the list because it had some serious issues, primarily being its lack of LTE and the awful, awful camera. What's funny is that even without LTE, the battery was still trash. The phone did look sexy, though, so it gets points for that.
Pretty much the entire V Series - It was actually tough to choose which V Series device to include, so to ensure we don't hurt anybody's feelings, we're adding the entire lineup of V phones to the honorable mentions list. They were all solid devices in our book.
LG G2 - By popular demand, I've added the G2 to the list. For me, I have the G3 slightly ahead of the G2 because it left a stronger impression on me, not because the G2 is a bad device. I'd gladly go back to the days of the G2, with its rear-facing buttons completely changing the game for hardware. I loved it.

Let us know your favorite LG device down below. Even if you never owned it, we'd like to hear about LG devices you maybe considered previously or wish you would have tried.

Google Chat Gets UI Improvements on the Web

Kellen — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 12:19:05 +0000

As Google Chat opens up to more people, Google is showing that it will try to improve it regularly. On March 24, for example, the web interface for Google Chat is getting visual improvements as well as several other feature tweaks. The visual enhancements can best be seen in the image below, where within Chat rooms, you'll now have tabs for files you've shared or tasks to be completed. On the right side, Google is including shortcuts to integrations you may have in Gmail as well. You can see here that there are side shortcuts for Keep, Drive, Voice, etc. You'll notice that the "Find people or rooms" search bar in the left navigation menu is gone and a "+" button has replaced it. Google says the "Chat" and "Rooms" sections over there are now static too. Finally, Google Meet integration is here, and I actually can't believe it's only arriving now. If you are a Google Chat user through a Google Workspace (GSuite) account, you should see the new UI and features as soon as March 24. For everyone else, we have no idea when you'll get it. Google is really bad about explaining the availability of Chat to regular Gmail users, even as they are starting to gain access.

// Google Workspace

Galaxy S21+ Drops to $99.99 in Best Deal Yet ($900 Off)

Kellen — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 11:58:18 +0000

We now believe that Samsung is selling loads and loads of its Galaxy S21 phones in the US. I made the argument earlier that this is in large part due to timing compared to last year's Galaxy S20, but you also have to credit all of the never-ending deals Samsung continues to run. For example, not only is Samsung still slashing $700 off if you trade-in a phone, they are now adding additional discounts on top of that. Today, you can grab a Galaxy S21+ for the price of a Galaxy S21, thanks to a $200 discount that brings its price from $999 down to $799. That discount can then be combined with the $700-off trade-in promo, so we are talking about a Galaxy S21+ for just $99.99. They are giving away the Galaxy S21 line, folks. If you want to take advantage of this limited time deal, you'll get $200 off the Galaxy S21+ without doing a thing. That discount is a part of Samsung's Discover Spring Event. However, to get the max discount, you have to trade-in. Now, we've talked about Samsung's instant trade-in program for a while where they give you the value of your device as a discount today, right when you buy your Galaxy S21+. It's the best deal in smartphones. The only thing to remember is that you have to trade in a Galaxy S20 or Note 20 to get $700 off. If you don't, they'll still give you $550 off for Note 10 and S10 devices too, plus Apple phones will fetch a pretty penny. Get yourself a Galaxy S21+ for $100.

Shop Galaxy S21+ at $99.99

People are Buying Lots of Galaxy S21 Phones

Kellen — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 10:51:06 +0000

The Galaxy S21 series is apparently some sort of massive hit for Samsung, at least in the US. According to a new report, sales of the newest Galaxy S phone are triple the numbers of last year's Galaxy S20 after the first month of availability. That's actually quite impressive, but there are certainly a few items to consider before acting surprised. The report comes from Strategy Analytics, who also estimates that over 40% of the sales are for the most expensive Galaxy S21 model, the Galaxy S21 Ultra. With a full retail price of $1,200, that's an important piece of this story, but again, let's talk about this year's situation vs. last year's. When Samsung released the Galaxy S20 line last year on March 6, we were just entering the beginning of a global pandemic. The world freaked out, people began to lose jobs, paychecks stopped coming in, and I'd imagine many decided against spending $1,000+ on a new phone with so much uncertainty ahead. And that's where pricing of the Galaxy S20 started ($1,000) with the Ultra model hitting $1,400. The timing couldn't have been worse. Fast forward to 2021 and even though we are very much still living through a pandemic, some jobs have returned, people's lives have stabilized, and we can almost see the first hint of a light at the end of a tunnel. Couple that with the fact that Samsung's Galaxy S21 line arrived with prices $200 cheaper than last year's model and you've got the makings of a successful launch. Oh, let's also not forget that Samsung is still pushing their pre-order discount of up to $700 off the Galaxy S21 with trade-in a full two months after the phones launched. I'm not sure I've seen them extend a launch discount this far, but it has got to be helping with sales. Other price drops can't have hurt either. Reviews for the Galaxy S21 line have als0 been quite positive. Tim had nothing but good things to say about the Galaxy S21 Ultra in his review, and I'm likely the outlier in not liking the Galaxy S21. We'll see what Samsung says officially during their next earnings call, but for now, the Galaxy S21 appears to be off to a hot start.

Buy Galaxy S21 from Samsung, save $700

OnePlus 7T Series Gets Its Android 11 Update

Kellen — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 09:36:50 +0000

I hate to hammer on a company when it's clear they have run into issues, but OnePlus has really screwed up its Android 11 rollout to previous-gen devices. After pushing Android 11 and OxygenOS 11 out to the OnePlus 8 and 8T phones immediately after Google released it, the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7T series have seen delay after delay. Today, the OnePlus 7T series is finally seeing the stable update begin its initial rollout. We are in March, by the way. In early January, OnePlus tried to explain the situation and why there were delays. They said they ran into a data decryption issue for both the OnePlus 7 and 7T phones that forced them to bring in Qualcomm to try and rectify the situation. That pushed their release timeline back, including the beta program. We have since seen several beta updates leading up to today's news. The OnePlus 7T and 7T Pro will now be treated to OxygenOS 11, a massive overhaul to OnePlus' custom software skin on top of Android. You can watch a full overview of it in this video we made, but just prepare yourselves for big change. If you don't have time to watch that, the official changelog for you below will help out:

System
- Update to OxygenOS 11 version
- Fresh new UI visual design brings you a more comfortable experience with various optimizations of details
- Optimize the stability of some third-party applications and improve the experience
- Updated Android Security Patch to 2021.02
- Updated GMS package to 2021.01
- Since this is the upgrade of Android 11 version with many new features, the upgrade time may be longer. Please wait for the completion of the upgrade
Camera
- Updated the camera UI and optimized some of the function paths to offer more convenient operation
- Newly added HEVC codec to reduce video storage size seamlessly, capture and shoot more without compromising on quality
- Newly added access to a third-party app to share the picture by pressing and holding it in preview
- Newly added the quick access to recording mode by pressing and holding the shutter button and by sliding the button, you can easily zoom in or zoom out
- Newly added the playback display in Time-lapse mode to show the actual filming time
Ambient Display
- Newly added Insight clock style, a joint creation with Parsons School of Design. It will change according to the phone usage data (To set: Settings > Customization > Clock on ambient display)
- Newly added Canvas feature that can automatically draw a wireframe picture based on a lock screen photo on your phone（Path: Settings - Customization - Wallpaper - Canvas - Choose photo preview and it can be generated automatically）
Dark Mode
- Added the shortcut key for Dark Mode, pull down the quick setting to enable
- Supporting automatically turn on feature & customize time range (path: Settings - Display - Dark Mode - Turn on automatically - Automatically enable from sunset to sunrise/Custom time range)
Game Space
- Newly added gaming tools box for convenient switches of Fnatic mode. You can now choose three ways of notifications: text-only, heads up and block, just for your immersive gaming experience
- Newly added quick reply feature in a small window for Instagram, WhatsApp and Telegram (Enable it by swiping down from upper right/left corners of the screen in gaming mode)
- Newly added mis-touch prevention feature. Enable it, swipe down from the top of the screen, click and the notification bar will pop out
Shelf
- Newly shelf interface design, the interface is clearer
- Added weather widget, animation effect smarter
Gallery
- Supporting Story function, automatically form weekly videos with photos and video in storage
- Optimize the loading speed of the gallery, and the image preview is faster

UPDATE: Apparently, always-on display (AOD) is not yet available and they are still testing it. That gives me a bad feeling as it should have been included. Ugh. OnePlus stages the rollouts of its updates, so don't be shocked if it is several days before you can grab this. They started just today to a small batch and will see how it goes. Assuming all is well, they should open it up to more in a few days. // OnePlus

LG Can't Sell Mobile Business, May Shut It Down

Tim — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 09:30:10 +0000

LG's mobile business is in a bad spot. Initially, it was reported that due to continuous quarterly loss after loss, LG would look to sell off its mobile business. However, negotiations between LG and Germany’s Volkswagen AG, as well as Vietnam’s Vingroup JSC haven't panned out. For LG smartphone fans, that's not good. With all of the company's phone plans on hold, it appears that LG may indeed shut down the mobile business entirely, with a plan to tell employees of this decision as early as April. We hope those affected are able to find work quickly within LG or at different firms. LG itself hasn't made any of this information official and no comments have been provided. It's still possible for a sale to occur, but it's seeming unlikely in the timeframe LG would need. We'll keep you posted, but right now, it ain't looking good. // Bloomberg | dongA

Verizon Galaxy S20, Note 20, Fold 2 Get March Android Update With Improvements (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 09:18:02 +0000

As a part of this fine Monday, Verizon and Samsung are pushing another round of updates to some of their best phones. The Samsung Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra, as well as the Galaxy Z Fold 2, are all seeing the March Android security patch with performance improvements. The new build numbers are below to help you decide if you are on the new software or not. If you were hoping we'd have more details on those "performance improvements," well, we don't. That's all Verizon has told us in addition to the security patch.

Galaxy Z Fold 2: RP1A.200720.012.F916USQS1DUC1
Galaxy S20+: RP1A.200720.012.G986USQU1DUBB
Galaxy S20 Ultra: RP1A.200720.012.G988USQU1DUBB
Galaxy Note 20: RP1A.200720.012.N981USQU2DUC5
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra: RP1A.200720.012.N986USQU2DUC5

UPDATE: The Note 20 line has been added to the list! The regular Galaxy S20 could see the same update, but Verizon has told us that it's getting the new build just yet. If it does, we'll be sure to note that in this post. To check for the update, head into Settings>System updates>Check for system updates.

Shop the latest Samsung Galaxy deals

// Verizon

Moto 360 Gets Big H-MR2 Wear OS Update

Kellen — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 08:44:00 +0000

The Moto 360 (3rd Gen), a watch that Motorola does not actually make, is receiving its big H-MR2 update this week. The update, which is apparently the first the watch has seen in six months or so, was a part of Google's fall Wear OS update that only a few watches have seen to this point. First spotted by Moto 360 owners over on reddit, the update jumps the watch up to the January security patch. It should also add a faster pairing process of the watch to new devices, a CPU boost of 20%, and tweaks to the UI. It's not an overhaul of Wear OS, but it does bring needed improvements, assuming eBuyNow, the company who makes the watch, included everything. The update has not been that widely adopted, although watches like the Suunto 7 and several of Fossil's on the Gen 5 level have seen it. Unfortunately, Mobvoi has yet to push it to the TicWatch Pro 3, even though the update is said to bring official support for that watch's Snapdragon Wear 4100 chip. I bring up the lack of updates for the Moto 360 (3rd Gen) because we believe eBuyNow is going to make at least a couple of new Wear OS smartwatches that will release this year, one of which should run the Snapdragon Wear 4100. We need eBuyNow to be good at this, as they are one of the few companies still in the Wear OS game and apparently willing to use modern chips. They could be our savior. If you happen to own this latest edition of the Moto 360, be sure to check for the update. It looks like most have been able to pull it right away.

Pre-Order Resident Evil Village on Stadia, Get Free Premiere Edition Bundle

Tim — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 08:40:03 +0000

Stadia announced today that for those who pre-order the upcoming horror Resident Evil Village on the cloud-based platform, you'll receive a free Premiere Edition bundle, which used to carry a value of $99. After giving the exact thing away to virtually anyone who wanted one (YouTube Premium subscribers), the current value of the bundle is $60, containing a Chromecast Ultra and Stadia Controller. Not bad, not bad. If you recall, Stadia did this same promotion for the launch of Cyberpunk 2077. That game would have been the ideal candidate to show off the power of Stadia, but unfortunately, the game that was hyped for nearly a decade was launched too early and many of the bugs kept potential buyers away, including myself. Maybe Resident Evil can be the new title to sway me back into trying Stadia again? The new Resident Evil looks bad ass, pitting the player against a giant woman named Lady Dimitrescu. I haven't watched too many of the trailers, but the gameplay looks similar to Resident Evil 7 and its FPS look. I'm sure it will be amazing.

Pre-Order Resident Evil Village on Stadia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDU0W1dIq68 // Stadia

This is the OnePlus 9 Pro Color You'll Buy

Kellen — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 08:18:16 +0000

The OnePlus 9 Pro teases will soon stop, I promise. In two more days, OnePlus will announce the OnePlus 9 series and stop trolling out one feature after another as a way to freely market their upcoming phones. But once that happens, you'll get to decide if you want to buy either. Should you decide that "Yes," you want to, the color that OnePlus showed off today is going to be the one to grab. This is the OnePlus 9 Pro in "Pine Green," the company announced today. The color, which will probably remind you of the iPhone 11 Pro's "Midnight Green" color, is quite elegant and very much aligns with all of their nature or "natural world" speak. It's green, after all! Unlike the previously revealed Morning Mist and its fingerprint-friendly mirror fade finish, Pine Green is all matte. And because it's all matte, with a "matte film underlying a matte-frosted glass," you get a soft touch feel and a reduction in fingerprint residue that "stays pristine green."

It's gorgeous. Even the camera housing matches the body! To recap, your options for the OnePlus 9 Pro will be Pine Green, Morning Mist, and a matte black. Assuming the matte black is also covered in multiple layers of matte that can reduce fingerprints, it could be a nice choice as well. We're all running as far away from Morning Mist as we can can, though, right? No one is out here asking for mirror finishes, OnePlus.

Telegram, Greatest Messaging App, Gets Voice Chats 2.0 Update

Tim — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 13:56:40 +0000

Due to Google not really seeming like they know what their plan is with Chat and its replacement of Hangouts, Kellen and I have recently switched over to Telegram. Wow, what a difference! So far, we're loving it, and as if timing couldn't be any better, the developers of Telegram pushed a major update to the service this week, appropriately named Voice Chats 2.0. Inside, Telegram is removing limits from the number of participants you can have for Voice Chats, which is helpful for those running popular groups on the service. In addition, recording of Voice Chats is now available, they've implemented a *raise hand* mechanic, invite links for speakers and listeners, plus more. Kellen and I are only now scratching the surface of what this great app can do and the future is looking bright. Should we fire up a Droid Life channel? I'm thinking so! Go get that update, Telegram lovers.

Google Play Link

// Telegram

Google's New Pixel 5 "How To Mindfully Switch" Video is...It's the Best

Kellen — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 12:32:38 +0000

Google posted a video today called "How to mindfully switch to the New Google Pixel," and friends, it is must see. Think of it as a zen-like walkthrough of a phone transfer that tries to take the pain out of switching to a new device like the Pixel 5. Except, well, you just need to watch it. There a lot of gems in this clip, like "Why is this video so long?" and "I like to turn my Pixel on using telekinesis, but when you did it, you probably held down the button on the right hand side." The self-talk portion about the jackhammer outside because it's Monday is also quite good. Since this video is almost 5 minutes long, you won't see this one on TV. That's too bad, because I'd run out a buy a Pixel 5 today if a company sold me like this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPvYI-nczXM

DEAL: Today Only, Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 Down to $255 ($45 Off)

Tim — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 09:34:23 +0000

Mobvoi is hosting another flash deal today on the new TicWatch Pro 3, its latest high-end Wear OS device. Typically priced at $299, you can get the watch for just $255, but you'll have to act fast because the offer is only good today from 9:30am to 3:30pm Pacific. The main draw to the 3 Pro is its usage of the latest Snapdragon Wear 4100 processor from Qualcomm, with this watch still being one of the only devices to use it. It's been a long wait for us consumers, but from our review of this watch, the 4100 is a definitely step up from the old 3100 that companies are unfortunately still using in new watches. Other specs for this Wear OS-powered wearable includes up to 72 hours of battery life, NFC support, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, heart rate sensor, as well as a large 1.4″ AMOLED display. If you still believe in Wear OS, don't miss out.

Amazon Link | Mobvoi Link ($255)

DEAL: Pixel Buds are $129 Today! ($50 Off)

Kellen — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 09:27:06 +0000

The Google Pixel Buds don't go on sale very often, so when a deal hits, you need to act fast. Today, you can grab a pair of Pixel Buds in "Clearly White" for $129 or $50 off. I didn't do any serious research here, but that might be the best price yet for a brand new pair. Normally priced at $179, you could make the argument that Google's first true wireless earbuds are a bit expensive. At $50 off, well, that price becomes much more reasonable and potentially something you should jump on. Now, the story of the Pixel Buds is a rocky one, with a frustrating launch that saw numerous bugs out of the gate needing a fix from Google. They have addressed many, but some persist and have made life frustrating for owners. I can tell you that my experience has been mostly positive, though there are times I feel like an outlier. I still think they are incredibly comfortable, offer a solid sound experience, and have the best touch controls of any earbuds on the market. The case is also pretty fun to play with. I'll let you make-up your own mind here - $50 off the Pixel Buds with code "PIXEL50."

Shop Pixel Buds at Antonline

Podcast: OnePlus Leaked Everything Themselves

Kellen — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 09:15:23 +0000

For this episode of the Droid Life Show, we'll recap the big stories of the past week, including the release of Android 12 Developer Preview 2, news of Samsung skipping the Galaxy Note 21, all of OnePlus' own leaks, the disappointing story of the OnePlus Watch, Google's new Nest Hub, and more! Trivia is back as well with fabulous prizes provided by Nimble! Fast mini chargers for all. We’ll be live at 10:00AM Pacific (1:00PM Eastern).

Thank you to EwinRacing for sponsoring this week’s show. Use promo code “Droidlife” for 30% off your purchase of a gaming chair. See our review of the chairs here.

Well, This is the OnePlus Watch

Kellen — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 08:30:11 +0000

The OnePlus Watch will launch alongside the OnePlus 9 series next week and I can't help but wonder if all of the excitement around it is now gone. After confirming that the watch won't run Wear OS, we now know that the OnePlus Watch will be a bigger version of the OnePlus Band, with a fitness focus and little smarts. It should be somewhat affordable and with solid battery life, but the appetite we had at the idea of a true smartwatch from OnePlus has left. But let's say you are fine with that! Maybe you don't need a full-blown smartwatch and instead need something to track health and fitness metrics, while at least showing you notifications? Then today is a big day for you. Here's a picture of the OnePlus Watch, which is slim, round, has a couple of buttons, and will sport a rubber watch band that should be great to sweat in.

The image was shared to Twitter today and it has revealed a wearable that looks a lot like this one from Amazfit. I know I keep comparing the OnePlus Watch to devices like that, but that's exactly what this is. The OnePlus Watch is not a smartwatch. The OnePlus Watch is a fitness tracker in a round watch case that shows you notifications. Again, there's nothing wrong with that, there is just a bit of disappointment in the idea that OnePlus isn't going to try and bring us the Wear OS watch we've always dreamed of. We know they are working with Google on some level to address Wear OS concerns, but man, what a downer. Can eBuyNow save Wear OS? Oh god, I can't believe I just typed that out.

Inexpensive OnePlus 9R 5G Confirmed, Headed to India

Tim — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 15:56:28 +0000

We assume OnePlus is entirely aware that they have scheduled an announcement for March 23, where we expect them to detail the new OnePlus 9 lineup of devices. However, speaking recently to Indian media, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has gone ahead and confirmed the OnePlus 9R, a budget-friendly device designed to launch first in India. He didn't share a ton of specifics, like specs or price, but now the name and the existence of the phone is no longer a mystery. It was originally thought this phone would be called the OnePlus 9 Lite, but thankfully, that is no longer the case. All we know is that the 9R is budget friendly, but will offer 5G and good enough performance for people to play plenty of mobile games. A lot of "smooth" was also mentioned, so we're expecting at least a 90Hz refresh rate for the display as well. March 23 is right around the corner. We anticipate it'll be a very busy day with lots of new products. // News18 | Android Police

Android 12's Navigation Swipe Down Shortcut is so Handy

Kellen — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 15:00:37 +0000

Android 12 is looking like one of the biggest Android releases in some time. We think a major theme update is coming later on in the preview or beta programs. We have a new dark theme. There is a settings overhaul on the way. There is a new gestures in the works that fires off shortcuts. The notification area is seeing big improvements. There are picture-in-picture changes, a one-handed mode, and likely more features on the way that haven't been uncovered or that Google hasn't told us about yet. But sometimes there are little tweaks that Google slides in that improve every-day usefulness in the subtlest of ways. For example, in the new Android 12 Developer Preview 2, Google included a swipe down on the navigation area that pulls the notification shade from any screen. It's super handy! The GIF below shows this in action, but it's basically as simple as it sounds. When in an app or the home screen, a little swipe down on the navigation bar brings down your notifications. When done, swipe up and it'll go back away. Think about how handy this could be on the giant phones that have invaded our lives? My wife recently picked up a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and good lord, that phone is stupid big. This would be a handy shortcut to use for whenever I am forced to use the damn thing! Anyways, a tiny change this is, but what a wonderful one.

Thursday Poll: What's the Best Spot for a Fingerprint Reader?

Tim — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 11:41:21 +0000

With the latest intel pointing to a possible under-display fingerprint reader for an upcoming Google Pixel device, we have a question for you all: What's the best spot for a fingerprint reader? Is it the back of the phone, like on the Pixel 5? An ultrasonic or optical reader in the display, like on Samsung Galaxy and OnePlus phones? Or what about the side of phones, like on Sony devices? Technically, there are no wrong answers here, it's a personal preference thing. However, because this is my post, yes, there are wrong answers. While ultrasonic readers are vastly superior in my experience to optical sensors, I'll still take the Pixel 5's rear fingerprint reader setup any day of the week over an under-display reader. There's something about the speed and consistency of the rear-mounted readers that is a much better experience versus other options. That's just my opinion, but I have used a lot of phones, so I'm comfortable picking a fight about it. Let's settle this once and for all, folks. [poll id="567"]

GeForce NOW 'Priority' Tier Replaces Founders, Gets a Price Hike

Tim — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 10:33:43 +0000

NVIDIA announced this morning that a new Priority tier would be replacing the now-closed Founders membership plans for GeForce NOW. On top of that, the price has been hiked, though, original Founders members will get to keep their lower monthly price so long as they keep their account in good standing (aka keep paying on time). The price has been increased to $9.99/month or $99 annually. That's up from the $4.99/month price that Founders got. At the time, it was known that the Founders pricing was promotional and wouldn't last forever, so this price jump isn't totally unexpected.

When compared to the free tier of GeForce NOW, there are definitely $10 worth of features if you plan on doing a bit of cloud gaming. With Priority, RTX is enabled, you get "extended" session lengths, as well as priority access to servers. NVIDIA also announced that it's soon to offer adaptive Vsync technology (synchronized frame rates at 60 or 59.94 Hz server-side to match the display client-side, reducing stutter and latency on supported games), account linking for key games on the platform, game preloading to cut load times way down, and adding more capacity on servers to meet demand. All good things for you GeForce NOW fans, so long as you were able to get in on that $5/month price.

GeForce NOW Link

// NVIDIA

AT&T Goes Nuts With Samsung One UI 3.1 Updates

Kellen — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 10:27:20 +0000

Samsung and its carrier partners are really having a heck of a week in the updates department. Verizon already pushed out Samsung's One UI 3.1 update to a number of phones and now AT&T is doing the same. The Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy S10, and Galaxy Fold are all seeing this big update. We've touched on what's new here several times, so feel free to look at this post and this one for more. Also, Tim's review of the Galaxy S21 Ultra has a big rundown of the software, which happens to be One UI 3.1. As for new build numbers to be aware of, here they all are:

Galaxy Note 10: RP1A.200720.012.N970USQU6FUBH
Galaxy Note 10+: RP1A.200720.012.N975USQU6FUBH
Galaxy S10: RP1A.200720.012.G973USQU5GUBH
Galaxy S10+: RP1A.200720.012.G975USQU5GUBH
Galaxy S10e: RP1A.200720.012.G970USQU5GUBH
Galaxy Fold: RP1A.200720.012.F900USQU4EUBF

The update also brings the March Android security patch. Be aware that each phone's update is around 1GB in size, so make sure you have the storage available and plenty of battery. Speaking of that patch, the AT&T Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra are receiving March's patch in a small security update. It too is rolling out today as builds RP1A.200720.012.N981USQS2DUBB (Note 20) and RP1A.200720.012.N986USQS2DUBB (Note 20 Ultra). To check for updates on Samsung phones, head into Settings>Software update>Check for updates. // AT&T [2]

Chrome Gets Live Caption, One of Android's Best Features

Kellen — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 09:34:02 +0000

Google first introduced Live Caption to Android phones starting with the Pixel 4 and Android 10. The feature was a game-changing addition, as it brought real-time captions from any video playing on a phone from any app. It's amazing as an accessibility option and also for those of us who keep our phones on silent 99% of the time. Today, Google has brought Live Caption to Chrome on the desktop for Windows and Mac (Chrome OS coming soon). Now, when enabled, Chrome users can see real-time live captions as video (or audio) plays in a tab. To enable it, you'll open Chrome settings, tap the "Advanced" option and then "Accessibility." From there, the top option should now be for Live Caption. Enabling it will then download the needed support files and you'll be ready to rock. To use it, assuming you have Live Caption enabled, you'll simply watch a video. As long as that video has audio, a black pop-up will appear at the bottom of your Chrome tab with the live caption running. The mock-up at the top of this post shows you what to expect. I fired it up already and can confirm that it does indeed work. It's probably better than YouTube's built-in caption system too. Absolutely love Live Caption. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDP8a5s8yaU // Google

Pixel Phones Finally Getting Under-Display Fingerprint Reader?

Tim — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 09:10:11 +0000

According to code spotted in the latest Developer Preview for Android 12, it looks like Google may release a Pixel device that features an under-display fingerprint reader. This would be a big first for Google. Up to this point, Google has done everything but an under-display reader, opting for backside readers on the Pixel 5 and older Pixel models, as well as having no fingerprint reader at all on the Pixel 4 XL. It's been a mess, but Google may soon be in the same league as Samsung and OnePlus in terms of phone unlocking tech. Finally. For the code crawlers among us, the line that hints at a Google-made device carrying an under-display fingerprint reader is "UdfpsControllerGoogle," spotted in a class discovered in an updated SystemUIGoogle app for Android 12 DP2. That "Udfps" in the line presumably stands for under-display fingerprint scanner. And while it's entirely plausible Google's working on something for AOSP with regard to these readers, XDA points out that these new "Udfps" classes are part of the com.google.android.systemui path rather than com.android.systemui, "suggesting that these classes are being developed for Pixel phones rather than AOSP." Yeah, I'm just going to leave that stuff to the professionals and just get excited for the possibility of a Pixel 6 or future Pixel device with an under-display reader. I know there might be a few of you, *cough* Kellen *cough* that aren't stoked on the idea of this, but if it's fast and accurate, I don't foresee it being much an issue. What do you think? // XDA

OnePlus 9 has 50W Wireless Charging, and That's Kinda Fast

Kellen — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 08:05:23 +0000

OnePlus has pushed faster and faster charging each year on its best phones and the OnePlus 9 series will continue that trend. Instead of focusing on wired charging speeds, like they typically would, the wireless charging side of the phone is getting this year's boost. The OnePlus 9 series will indeed wirelessly charge at 50W. Wait, what? Yes, Warp Charge Wireless 50 is coming to the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro (previously rumored), allowing you to take your phone from 1% to 100% in 43 minutes. These phones have wireless charging that embarrasses most phones' wired charging. My Pixel 5 is weeping as I type this. The Galaxy S21 is taking a cold bath to deal. OnePlus announced the 50W wireless charging today, mentioning that the OnePlus 9 series sports a twin-battery design that allows them to charge both cells at once, leading to the increase in speeds and quickness of charge times. They did this with the OnePlus 8T's 65W wired charging. I'd imagine this news also means a new wireless charger is coming. Last year's 30W wireless charger can't keep up with 50W speeds, but the pricing has me worried. The 30W charger from last year fetched a $70 price tag and I can't imagine this being any cheaper. Maybe you don't mind paying out for those kinds of speeds. Wild times. https://twitter.com/oneplus/status/1372533252783677442

Motorola's Android 11 Update for Edge+ has a Bonus Desktop Mode

Kellen — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 15:29:10 +0000

Yesterday, we told you about the Android 11 update rolling out to Motorola's Edge+ phone. Since the changelog that accompanied the update was minimal at the time, we wondered if Moto didn't have an extra set of features built-in beyond what Google added to Android. As it turns out, they did! Today, Motorola told us that the update is officially called "Ready For." The big focus for it is a new desktop mode that fires up when you plug the Edge+ into a display using a USB-C cable. Once you do, you get a few different experiences that Motorola has described below:

Mobile Desktop: View multiple windows at once or take a closer look at videos, artwork, and documents. Plus, connect a Bluetooth® keyboard and mouse for a complete desktop experience.
Video Chat: Enjoy higher quality video calls with the option to pick between the 108MP main lens or 16MP ultra-wide lens, which lets you capture more people in one frame.
Gaming: Play your favorite mobile games on the big screen with an advantage thanks to edge+ and Verizon 5G. Bonus, pair a Bluetooth® controller for an intuitive and hands on gaming.
TV: See all your favorite apps and entertainment at a glance in an easy-to-read dashboard. Now when you’re on the go, you don't have to worry about missing your must-watch shows.

So, yeah, it's kind of like Samsung's DeX, only maybe more versatile? It looks kind of cool if using your phone to expand its powers is something that interests you. Again, this is all a part of the Android 11 update that should be available now.

// Motorola

Samsung Probably Skipping New Galaxy Note Phones This Year

Tim — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 12:40:36 +0000

It appears that Samsung has made its decision and there won't be any new Galaxy Note phones in 2021, with a "streamlining" effort said to be in place. This news comes after months of rumors that Samsung was skipping a new Galaxy Note phone due to COVID-19, then another report that said they weren't going to skip. This latest info comes right from Samsung's DJ Koh, the man in charge of everything Samsung Mobile. If he says it, it's the real deal. While streamlining a mobile lineup is a fine excuse, Koh actually dives a bit deeper into the reasoning. Speaking to shareholders at an annual meeting, Koh explains that, "It can be a lot of pressure on us to release two flagship models supporting the S-Pen within a year, so the launch of new Galaxy Note series may not happen in the second half of this year." This doesn't mean the Galaxy Note line is completely dead. He continued with, "Next year, the launch period of the Galaxy Note may be different than the past, but we are trying to continue the series. The Galaxy Note series is an important category for us." DJ Koh isn't wrong. Samsung bringing support for the S Pen to the Galaxy S21 Ultra this year was a bit confusing, though, the implementation is clearly not as good as it is on a Galaxy Note phone. For the S21 Ultra, the S Pen is a separate purchase and you need a special case to bring the stylus with you unless you don't care about losing the thing. The Note series has a built-in slot for the S Pen, making it still the only phones truly designed for it. I love the Notes, so this news isn't cool, but maybe Samsung will make up for it by giving us a really sweet foldable device down the road. I'd be fine with that. // Bloomberg | Yonhap News Agency

Nimble's New Line of Chargers, Power Banks are Smaller and Faster

Tim — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 10:55:33 +0000

Nimble, the eco-conscious charging brand is back with a new line of products for 2021, including updated portable charging banks and wall chargers. The name of the game this year is slimmed down designs and increased speeds, something you won't hear me complain about. For portable chargers, there's the CHAMP series, with the newcomers being the Champ and Champ Pro. The Champ is a 10,000mAh bank with 18W Power Delivery and Quick Charge 4.0, dual ports, and priced at $49. The Champ Pro is 20,000mAh with 60W output with PD and QC 4.0, priced at $99. Think of the Pro as your portable laptop charger, while the smaller Champ is designed for phones and tablets. For wall chargers, there's the WALLY series. This lineup includes the triple port 65W charger with GaN (Gallium Nitrate for reduced size) priced at $59, Wally Pro that has a built-in 10,000mAh battery for on-the-go charging with 63W max output and GaN priced at $99, and the $19 Wally Mini with 20W PD & QC 4.0 charging, and folding prongs. I've tested Nimble products in the past and have nothing but good things to say. The build quality is always great and the companies goal of reusing plastics and reducing waste is Grade A good things. All of the new products are available now, with exception to the Wally and Wally Pro. Those will be available later this spring.

Nimble Links

What’s New in Android 12 DP2: The Fun Stuff!

Kellen — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 10:43:47 +0000

Looking for what's new in the Android 12 Developer Preview 2 that Google just dropped? This will be our living post with all of the new forward-facing features or changes we find. As a developer preview, there may not be many or they are likely behind-the-scenes, but stick with us here as they are uncovered.

Cleaner, less black dark theme

In the first preview, we showed you that Google was working on a less-black dark them for Android 12 with a lot of blue tint. For this DP2 build, they have cleaned it up further. It doesn't look as blue to me, but the mixture of black and dark has been taken care of. As you can see above, we have a uniform dark theme now.

New widget picker!

The widget picker has been updated and now has a bouncier feel to it. As you long-press on your home screen and then choose "Widgets," the picker rises from the bottom of the screen and then gives you pop-down menus for each app that has widgets. Instead of seeing all widgets display for you like we had previously, this is a cleaner approach. This is very much in line with that original Android 12 leak too.

Picture-in-Picture changes now work

A previous Android 12 leak suggested we would be able to pinch-to-zoom on picture-in-picture (PiP) windows, double tap to expand, and stash them off to the side of the screen. That was mostly broken in DP1, but it fully works here, at least in YouTube.

Display gets face-based auto-rotate option

Android 12 DP2 has added face-based autorotation, but it's currently hidden behind a flag. pic.twitter.com/GhKSfqV0Oi
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) March 17, 2021

XDA's Mishaal Rahman is doing that magical thing he does where he finds all the behind-the-scenes flags and enables stuff that Google hasn't quite made ready for prime time yet. The first he pointed out is a face-based auto-rotation. In other words, the auto-rotate would follow your face orientation and stay portrait for example if you were lying on your side, even if the phone was sideways. That make sense?

One-handed mode!

The One-Handed Mode gesture is live! If you head into Settings>System>Gestures, you should see it there, along with the still-in-the-works Double Tap gesture. Double Tap doesn't work still, but this one does! Once enabled, you can activate it by swiping down on the navigation gesture area. That will then pull the screen down to make it easier to access content at the top of whatever is on your screen. To get out, you simply swipe back up on the navigation area. We'll keep updating!

Android 12 Developer Preview 2 is Here!

Kellen — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 10:00:01 +0000

We are a month removed from Google releasing the first Android 12 Developer Preview build, then another minor update to Preview 1.1. Today, we are getting Android 12 Developer Preview 2!

What’s New in Android 12 DP2: The Fun Stuff!

Since this is a "developer preview" and not a beta, this is again targeted at developers who need to get their apps ready for new experiences or changes to the platform before we get to a stable release this summer. There still isn't an Android Beta available, so to get on DP2, you'll need to own a supported Pixel phone and then be prepared to flash a factory image or OTA file.

Release date: March 17, 2021 Build: SPP2.210219.008 Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A) Security patch level: March 2021 Google Play services: 21.06.13

What's new in Android 12 DP2?

We're just now diving into the new preview build and will report back shortly if there are user-facing changes you need to know about. From a developer perspective, Google has shared the following as being new for DP2:

Extended security for lockscreen notifications: Enabling developers to configure notifications on the lockscreen to always require user authentication.

Improvements to Picture in Picture mode: Developers can now use Android 12 to automatically transition their app to picture in picture mode. Android 12 also brings capabilities for developers to seamlessly resize picture in picture elements.

APIs for managing connected devices: To make it easier for developers to keep their apps running on companion devices (like smartwatches or fitness trackers), this developer preview introduces APIs that automatically wake relevant apps up when connected devices are nearby.

Support for Rounded corners: To deliver a great UX on devices, developers need to account for the rounded corners and adjust any nearby UI elements to prevent them from being truncated. To help with this, we’re introducing new APIs to let you query for rounded corners and get their details.

This Preview 2 build is available on the Google Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 3a and 3a XL, and Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. The Android Beta program is not yet available for Android 12, so to get into it, you’ll need to flash some files. For instructions on how to install Android Developer Preview 2, head over to this post. Google is still planning at least one more Developer Preview before we get to beta releases. Marking mid-April on your calendar for Preview 3 would make a lot of sense, assuming Google continues on this current schedule. // Android Developers Blog

T-Mobile Customers Get Exclusive Pandora Content Next Week for Free

Tim — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 09:10:11 +0000

Next week's T-Mobile Tuesday is noteworthy. No, it's not free pizza, but it is free tunes courtesy of Pandora and SiriusXM. Announced today, on March 23, all eligible T-Mobile customers will receive access to an, "enhanced Pandora streaming experience with unprecedented listener benefits, curated just for T-Mobile users." What does that mean, exactly? It means if you're a T-Mobile customer and Pandora user, you'll soon see a bunch of exclusive content made available just to you. Here's a few of the benefits from this gift.

Ad-free Pandora music stations each weekend
Special “Top Tracks” music stations powered by SiriusXM, featuring songs curated from popular SiriusXM channels including The Highway, Hits 1, The Heat, and 90s on 9
Exclusive access to SiriusXM original podcasts like Exit 209 with Storme Warren and Unboxing the 90s
Early access to new episodes of SiriusXM podcasts on Pandora including The Hoda Show, Sway’s Interviews, Fierce Women in Music, Binge Guide, and The Jess Cagle Podcast with Julia Cunningham

To claim this, simply download the T-Mobile Tuesdays app from Google Play and open the app next week. You'll then be provided with instructions on how to redeem and use, which will include downloading the Pandora app and all that jazz. // T-Mobile

Verizon Galaxy S20 FE, Note 10 Lineup Also Gets One UI 3.1 Update (Update: AT&T, Too!)

Tim — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 08:39:58 +0000

Another big week for Samsung owners on Verizon. The carrier is now pushing out the One UI 3.1 update to the Galaxy S20 FE, as well as the Galaxy Note 10 lineup. This comes just hours after it was made available to the Galaxy S10 family. Props to you, King of Android updates! Once updated, Galaxy S20 FE owners will be on software version number G781VSQU2DUC1, Galaxy Note 10 owners will be on N970USQU6FUBH, Note 10+ owners will have N975USQU6FUBH, and Note 10+ 5G owners will have N976VVRU6FUBH. We've discussed what you'll find in One UI 3.1 right here, so be sure to check that out. Go get that update! Update: AT&T is also sending out the One UI 3.1 update to the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+. Once updated, the Note 10 will have build version N970USQU6FUBH and the Note 10+ will have N975USQU6FUBH. // Verizon [2] [3] [4]

Confirmed: OnePlus Watch Doesn't Run Wear OS

Kellen — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 08:06:39 +0000

We've been trying to tell you this was likely to be the case for weeks now, but OnePlus has gone ahead and confirmed it ahead of launch - the OnePlus Watch won't run Wear OS. I repeat, the OnePlus Watch is not a Wear OS watch. In a brief post today, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau talked a bit about the OnePlus Watch and how it will offer a "stunning and burdenless design" at an "affordable price point." He mentioned that it will offer seamless connectivity between OnePlus smartphones, audio peripherals, smartwear devices, and the OnePlus TV. What he didn't mention (at first) is which operating system it runs. But shortly after he posted those initial details, a OnePlus user asked him specifically if the OnePlus Watch would run Wear OS or was "OnePlus planning to do a custom OS for its watch?" Pete replied by confirming our gut feeling:

When developing the OnePlus Watch, we tried to understand the pain points for a smart watch wearer. We chose to go with a smart wear operating system developed based on RTOS because we believe it provides you a smooth and reliable experience while offering a great battery life, covering some of the biggest concerns we've been hearing from people looking to buy a smartwatch.

You'll notice that he could have said, "Yes, it runs Wear OS," but didn't. Instead he confirmed that they chose a "smart wear operating system developed based on RTOS" that gives them a good experience and offers great battery life. In other words, the OnePlus Watch will indeed be a limited "smart" watch that likely shows you notifications and can track fitness. It's like an Amazfit watch or one of Huawei's GT watches that don't run Wear OS. It should be powered by the OnePlus Health app they released alongside the OnePlus Band. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean this will be a bad watch! Those two watchmakers I mentioned above offer solid fitness experiences with a limited amount of smarts, great battery life, and are often very affordable. I actually believe these are going to be a big part of our wearable future, especially if Google can't fall back in love with Wear OS. Also, keep in mind that OnePlus told us they are working with Google on Wear OS, likely to try and improve it. Wear OS sucks and OnePlus knows that. But since they've acknowledged it already, there is a chance we'll get a Wear OS watch from them in the future. For now, though, it's not time.

Verizon Galaxy S10 Lineup Receives One UI 3.1 Update!

Tim — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 15:24:17 +0000

Heads up, Galaxy S10 owners on Verizon -- One UI 3.1 is headed your way. The same update that's been coming to all of Samsung's latest devices, you can now download the update for the Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, and Galaxy S10e. As for what to expect, it's all good things. Highlights for One UI 3.1 include Enhanced Single Take, Object Eraser, Multi-Mic Recording, and Eye Comfort Shield as well as other changes. For a rundown of One UI 3.1, please read our Galaxy S21 Ultra review. There’s a whole section dedicated to it. Once updated, Galaxy S10 owners will have software version G973USQU5GUBH, S10+ will have G975USQU5GUBH, and S10e will have G970USQU5GUBH. Go get it! // Verizon [2] [3]

YouTube Shorts Beta Arrives Today to Take on TikTok

Kellen — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 14:23:49 +0000

YouTube's answer to TikTok has arrived in the US today after first being announced months ago. Called YouTube Shorts, the new feature provides a way for you and creators to share short-form with a currently-limited number of tools that YouTube plans to expand in the near future. Currently, YouTube Shorts offer controls over multi-camera segments and speed, as well as an option to record with music from a dedicated, large library. Today's beta rollout adds a way to put text in specific parts of your videos (below) and should soon let you sample audio from other Shorts for use in your own. Over the coming months, as adoption picks up and YouTube works on more features, the audio library will expand to include audio from across YouTube (we're talking billions of tracks). For now, the catalog has millions of songs from publishers like Universal Music and Publishing Groups, Sony Music Entertainment and Publishing, Warner Music Group and Warner Chappell Music, 300 Entertainment, Kobalt, Believe, Beggars, CD Baby, Empire, Peer, Reservoir, OneRPM and more.

Google posted the news today to the YouTube blog, but it's dated as March 18. Since today is only March 16, this could have been posted early and so you'll need to be on the lookout in the coming days for Shorts in your YouTube app. The rollout, once it starts, will take "several" weeks to hit everyone in the US. Once it arrives, it'll show up with its own section on the main page in the YouTube app. Google says they've played with the idea of a dedicated Shorts tab as well. When watching a Short, you'll now swipe vertically to jump to the next one, just like that other app I mentioned in the title. // YouTube

Who Misses Lock Screen Widgets?

Tim — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 13:12:02 +0000

In the days of Jelly Bean, Android supported lock screen widgets. They weren't the most revolutionary of things, but thanks to app developers, we did get some pretty sweet weather app and clock widgets onto the lock screen for our glancing needs. It was good times, but as we've advanced and gotten deeper into Always On displays, lock screen widgets have gone away. Does anyone miss them?

Google Now widget? Yes, please!

What didn't help with the adoption of these widgets were OEMs like Samsung, apparently not fans of having what could be sensitive information shared on a phone's lock screen. Out of the box, on the Galaxy S4 for example, these widgets were disabled but could be applied with a few clicks inside of the settings menu. We actually did a whole video on it. They also disabled lock screen widgets whenever you had a PIN or Pattern set to unlock your device. What a pain! Back in 2013, Kellen wrote a lengthy love letter to lock screen widgets. He was a big time fan, as it allowed him to quickly access functions like Google's song recognition and DashClock. I haven't heard him talk about them since, so he can't be too saddened by their departure. What say you, would you mind having lock screen widgets return or are they better left back in the Nexus 4 days?

YouTube TV Fires Up 7 new Channels and Doesn't Jack Up the Price

Kellen — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 11:26:56 +0000

YouTube TV turned on another 7 channels today without a price hike, if you can believe that. That lack of a price increase probably has to do with the fact that these channels were previously announced and are only now showing up. Hey, we'll take it. Back in June of last year, YouTube TV announced that it had reached a deal to add the Viacom networks, which included MTV, VH1, BET, CMT, and Comedy Central. That announcement left us with the assumption that channels like MTV2, Nick Jr., MTV Classic, and BET her would arrive too, but they didn't - until today. The new channels for YouTube TV subscribers are BET her, Nick Toons, Nick Jr., Teen Nick, Dabl, MTV2, and MTV Classic. All are live right now for those still hanging on after the price has nearly doubled for Google's TV streaming service in only a couple of years. Remember when streaming TV was cool? https://twitter.com/YouTubeTV/status/1371885492510224385

Google Starts Taking Less Money From App Developers

Tim — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 10:53:23 +0000

Google announced this week that it will soon start taking less money from the developers that make its platform what it is. Specifically, starting July 1, Google will take a max commission of 15% on a digital goods sale (apps, in-app purchases, etc.), down from the 30% it has been for years. That's a 50% cut, which developers will surely be grateful for. This change will effect 99% of developers according to Google, as it only applies to the first $1 million of revenue. Publishers bringing in more than that are subject to higher commission rates.

Starting on July 1, 2021 we are reducing the service fee Google Play receives when a developer sells digital goods or services to 15% for the first $1M (USD) of revenue every developer earns each year. With this change, 99% of developers globally that sell digital goods and services with Play will see a 50% reduction in fees. These are funds that can help developers scale up at a critical phase of their growth by hiring more engineers, adding to their marketing staff, increasing server capacity, and more.

If you're a developer, we recommend you read the full post by following the link below. Thanks, Google! // Android Developers

Please Get All the Jabra Headphones for 40% Off With Today's Code

Kellen — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 10:45:30 +0000

Jabra has quickly become one of my favorite headphone companies. The over-ear Elite 85h headphones that I've had for a couple of years are probably my favorite of all time in the category, but I've recently been turned onto their true wireless earbuds and have nothing but good things to say. As someone who owns far too many wireless buds from Google to Samsung and other random brands, the pair of Elite 75t buds from Jabra might be the best in my arsenal. For today only, Jabra is hosting a 40% off everything sale that really does slap 40% off anything they sell. The Jabra Elite 85h headphones I mentioned above drop from $250 to $150 with special code. The new Elite 85t earbuds that Tim loves drop from $229 to $137. Of course, they have other earbuds to consider too, like the Elite 75t and Active 75t, older Elite 65t, and special sport models. They also sell Bluetooth and office headsets, all of which are discounted. To get the 40% off, simply use code "tg694hffv" at checkout. I know that looks like a one-time use code, but it seems they sent it to everyone on their promo list.

Shop Jabra headphones

Verizon Motorola Edge+ Gets Android 11 Update and Jesus, Look at the Date (Updated)

Kellen — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 10:13:23 +0000

When Google released Android 11 in early September of last year, the rollout of the update by manufacturers was likely to follow a known pattern. We expected OnePlus to try to be first out of the gate with one or two of their newest phones before slowing down support for their older devices. That happened. We figured Samsung would open a beta for a couple of months and then start shipping stable updates to numerous devices in December. That happened. We assumed companies like Motorola and LG would be incredibly slow. We were right. Motorola is now shipping Android 11 to the Edge+ on Verizon. It's March 16. Android 11 has been out for 6 months. Not 6 weeks. 6 months. The Motorola Edge+, a $1,000 phone that brought Motorola back to the flagship arena, didn't get the latest version of Android for a full 6 months from when Google released it. When Motorola released their list of devices scheduled to receive Android 11, we guessed that the first updates would arrive around February. We gave them too much credit, obviously. The update is hitting the Edge+ today as build RPB31.Q1-19-19-11-2 and with the March Android security patch (or is it February's?). Once updated, Edge+ users will find Bubbles for their message app conversations, smart home controls when long-pressing the power button, greater limits on privacy controls, and that's mostly it so far. Verizon didn't include any screenshots and we don't have an Edge+ to test. If you have one, let us know!

UPDATE: Motorola is also including a nifty desktop or TV mode. More here.

6 months. Good grief. // Verizon

OMG, Google is Finally Letting You Snooze Calendar Notifications in Chrome

Kellen — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 08:33:53 +0000

At some point a couple of years, I switched to a 3rd party calendar app on my Macbook Pro because snoozing calendar notifications is something my life can't live without. I snooze everything. You should snooze everything. The snooze button is like the ultimate procrastinator tool yet also simultaneously makes you most on-time person alive. It is magical. Google Calendar, at least through Chrome's notification system, has never had a snooze button. That's pretty remarkable, since Google Calendar is basically the standard calendar option outside of Outlook that the world uses. In the coming weeks, Google is going to rollout the snooze option to Calendar. You won't need to do anything to get it other than allow Calendar to send notifications in Chrome and have Calendar open in a tab. If you can meet those two criteria, your life is about to be awesome. As you can see in the preview image below, snooze will rest within a drop-down "More" menu in calendar event notifications. The default for snoozing will be to snooze until 1-minute before your event is happening, but you can tweak that in your Calendar settings. You can also re-snooze for 5 minutes as many times as you'd like. WHAT. A. DAY.

// Google Workspace

Dungeon of the Endless: Apogee Now Out for Android

Tim — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 08:21:08 +0000

Dungeon of the Endless, a quite popular Dungeon-Defense game that's been available on varying platforms since 2013, is now available for mobile devices. The Apogee in its name refers to the inclusion of all five DLCs for the game, so Android and iOS are getting treated to the complete DOTE experience at launch. I haven't played this game myself, but the story sounds intriguing. In short, you have a large prison population and crew that has crashed on a once inhabited planet of a people known as the Endless. Upon arrival, you realize that the remains you happen upon are designed to destroy you and the player must build a team, equip said team, earn new abilities, and basically just try to survive while the planet tries to kill you. As I mentioned, this edition features all five DLCs for the game, plus this version has been tweaked to play better on mobile devices. You get all of this for just $5. Not bad at all. Have at it.

Google Play Link ($4.99)

https://youtu.be/AiPjA45Jncg

Nest Hub (2nd Gen) Arrives With Sleep Tracking, Gestures, New Price

Kellen — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 08:09:20 +0000

Google introduced the new Nest Hub (2nd Gen) this morning as an upgrade to their original Nest Hub, which is now over two years old. The new Nest Hub has been improved in a number of ways, but the big selling point here is that it can track your sleep using Motion Sense, the same radar technology we first saw in the Pixel 4. The Nest Hub (2nd Gen) looks almost identical to the original, with a colored base and 7-inch touch screen. Google improved it with not only the new sleep tracking feature, they also added the dedicated machine learning chip found in the newest Nest Mini and Nest Audio that makes Google Assistant way faster. They improved audio with a 50% bass boost and added air gesture controls, likely using the same chip that sleep tracking does.

How does Nest Hub track sleep?

Speaking of sleep tracking, Google is using some pretty cool tech here for this Sleep Sensing feature. Again, part of the equation is Soli, the radar chip found in the Pixel 4 that was able to sense some of your actions and if you were nearby. For sleep tracking, Google is using it to check for movement and breathing, which includes coughing and snoring throughout the night. By detecting the person closest to the Nest Hub at night, the radar chip tries to pick-up motion to record restless periods and your respiratory rate too, to then relay a recap of the night to you in the morning. It also uses Nest Hub's light and temperature sensors to complete the equation and let you know if you should make adjustments to get a more restful sleep. Since Nest Hub doesn't have a camera, Google says that this should be a private sleep tracking mode. The information is stored locally or you can sync it with your Google Fit account, but Google isn't going to use the data to sell ads or anything like that. You can also completely turn it off with the privacy switch or through software controls. While all of the sleep tracking stuff sounds pretty cool, as it lets you track your sleep without wearing a device, Google is hinting at asking you to pay for it down the road. When you buy Nest Hub (2nd Gen), they have made it clear that Sleep Sensing is in a free preview period until next year. How much will it cost then? We don't know yet.

Other Nest Hub (2nd Gen) improvements

The other stuff to know here is that the new Nest Hub will bring you that bassier music I mentioned above, with the same "audio technology" as the Nest Audio. That doesn't mean the same speakers - this only has a 1.7in driver in a "full-range speaker." For Quick Gestures, Nest Hub (2nd Gen) will let you play or pause music and videos, snooze an alarm, and stop a timer. You just need to put your hand up in front of the device and wave it towards the device. And finally, that dedicated machine learning chip from the other Nest devices should make your Assistant commands happen in an instant. Basically, Google has found a way to push some of the Assistant features you use onto the device instead of needing to ping Google's servers. The new Nest Hub (2nd Gen) comes in 4 different colors and arrives March 30 for $99.99. Pre-orders are open right now.

Pre-order Nest Hub (2nd Gen)

// Google

AUKEY's 10W Wireless Charging Night Light Down to $15 ($12 Off)

Tim — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 15:14:19 +0000

AUKEY has a sweet little deal for its popular wireless charging night light combo this week, bringing the price of it down to just $15 -- it's usually $27, so that ain't bad at all. The wireless charger is capable of charging speeds of up to 10W, which is nice, but obviously the removable light is one of the main selling points. It's touch activated and can get brighter should you need it to. It also has a handy dandy hanging hook built into it. Living on the dock, it's a good looking soft yellow light, ideal for the nightstand. To get the savings, simply add the charger to your cart and enter in the below coupon code. Easy.

Amazon Link - $15 (Code: KVS2BDVM)

Walmart has a New 2K Android TV Streaming Stick for You

Kellen — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 13:35:48 +0000

Walmart is preparing to release a new Android TV streaming stick under their onn. brand in the near future, according to an FCC listing. The product should launch with a reasonable price too, since that's sort of the point of onn. The FCC filings posted this week show a simple HDMI-dongle that would stick into the back of your TV, along with a remote that has quite the setup. Not only do you get the standard navigation buttons with d-pad, Walmart is adding power and input buttons, bookmark and settings buttons, volume and channel controls, Google Assistant, and shortcuts for Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, and HBO Max. This might be the best Android TV remote yet. As for features, the user manual calls it the "onn. 2K Streaming Stick" and mentions Dolby Audio. Hopefully, you won't mind not having 4K if you buy this. We don't yet know the price or when Walmart will launch this, but again, expect it to be affordable. The onn. brand makes cheap, affordable electronics, plus if Google's Chromecast with Google TV only costs $50 for a similar setup, this thing will likely drop in around there if not lower. // FCC

Monday Poll: Who Will Make Your Next Phone?

Tim — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 13:18:26 +0000

It's a new year, meaning new phones are on the horizon. Should you be in the market this year, we want to know who is making your next phone! Will you stick with what you know or will venture and try something new? As for the options, there will be plenty. Google will have at least a couple of phones with the Pixel 6 and maybe even a foldable Pixel device, OnePlus has its new OnePlus 9 lineup, Samsung already has its amazing Galaxy S21 Ultra (review) and family, and Motorola probably has a thousand new mid-range devices to choose from. Sadly, it's looking unlikely we'll see anything from LG in the immediate future. And don't forget Apple. Cupertino is expected to release the iPhone 13 this year, complete with a 120Hz refresh rate display with Always-On support. That could be pretty sweet. Who you going with in 2021? [poll id="566"]

Signal Gets Easier Way to Transfer Chats to New Phone

Kellen — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 12:04:50 +0000

Finding a fresh, updated, and secure messaging app is a process I just went through with my family, who all still use Google Hangouts. Since Hangouts is about to die and be replaced with Chat, an app I've tried several times and never took a liking to, we ended up settling on Telegram. Telegram is fantastic! We also considered switching to Signal because of its level of security, but there was a single item holding me back from doing that. Today, Signal is pushing out a feature in beta that might have gotten me to stick with it. According to the app's changelog, Signal has added a way to "quickly and securely transfer your Signal information to a brand-new Android phone." That's big! As someone who constantly changes phones and also has to help family members when they do the same every year or so, not being able to easily move your Signal account to a new device sounded like too much of a pain. With this new feature, Signal is using your old and new phone to securely (end-to-end encryption) move everything over, as long as they are close to each other. It does this using a private local WiFi connection between the two. Users of Signal, sell me on it. Did I make a mistake in going with Telegram? Google Play Link: Signal

Contest: DL Bracket Challenge is Back for 2021 - Win a Pair of Nest Audio Speakers!

Kellen — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 10:57:45 +0000

2021 is going to be another long, tough year for so many, but if there is one event that can help bring us all a bit of joy for a couple of weeks, it is without a doubt the wildness of an NCAA basketball tournament. After cancelling last year's tourney due to COVID, the NCAA is giving it a shot for 2021 and that means we are as well. The DL Bracket Challenge is back! Like we have done for so many years, the DL Bracket Challenge is a chance for everyone to get in on the tourney action, blindly pick winners for each game and round (or act like your picks took thought), and then hopefully walk away with fabulous prizes. For this year, we're giving away a pair of Nest Audio speakers, so that you can turn your house into a music-booming stereo beast. We'll even let you pick the colors. Our Bracket Challenge is free for everyone to enter and we have instructions for you below.

Contest

ESPN Group: Droid Life 2021 Password: newDL2021 Prize: Winner takes home a pair of Nest Audio speakers. How to enter:

Entry is free. (Need to be in the US, where we can ship the prize.)
Join the Droid Life group from above (create an ESPN account if you need to).
Fill out your bracket and submit before the “Round of 64” games start Friday morning (March 19).
There are games Thursday, but you still have until Friday before you need to be entered.
Winner with the highest total points following the NCAA Championship is our winner.
We use ESPN and their scoring system, along with their tiebreaker system.
This is a “winner takes all” competition.

Two rules:

We use the “Locked” setting, which means you can’t swap out brackets once the competition starts.
We only allow 1 entry per person.

Winner: On the morning following the NCAA Championship game, which takes place on April 5, we’re asking that the winner email us. Once that happens, we have ways to verify the winner. We have to do this because ESPN took away all messaging means from their platform. Unfortunately, all of the other NCAA Tourney options won’t work any better. Feel free to invite your friends and family members – the more competition, the more fun we have. Good luck, all! Apps:

ESPN Tournament Challenge (manage your brackets)
NCAA March Madness Live (watch all games live)

Galaxy Watch 3 Gets $100 Discount

Kellen — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 09:09:28 +0000

The Galaxy Watch 3 from Samsung is discounted again today to a price that has become almost standard. By knocking off $100, Samsung will sell you their newest high-end smartwatch for as little as $299. This isn't the $150-off deal we had a couple of weeks ago, but it's still a big discount on what is arguably the best available smartwatch for Android users. $299 gets you into the smaller 41mm Galaxy Watch 3 or you can jump up in size to 45mm for $329. With rumors of Samsung releasing new smartwatches in the near future that could run Google's Wear OS, we could see further discounts here shortly. And should Samsung actually release Wear OS watches, then figuring out which platform (Samsung's Tizen vs. Wear OS) to choose going forward might be important. Need more info on the Galaxy Watch 3? Here is our review. Shop Galaxy Watch 3 Deals:

OnePlus 9 Pro Supports 50W Wireless Charging Speeds

Tim — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 08:57:39 +0000

As we inch closer to March 23 and the launch of OnePlus' upcoming devices, more details are making their way online concerning what to expect in 2021. The latest info centers around wireless charging and charging speeds, something that's big for OnePlus and its brand. As you may know, OnePlus has always been one to charge your phone as quickly as possible, so of course, the OnePlus 9 Pro won't be any different. According to the latest leak, the OnePlus 9 Pro will supporting wireless charging speeds of up to 50W, thanks to a newly upgraded wireless charger that's presumably launching with the new phone. OnePlus' current Warp wireless charger supports 30W, allowing for 0% to 50% charge in under 30 minutes on a OnePlus 8 Pro. If that number indeed bumps up to 50W, we're looking at some seriously fast wireless charging speeds for the average consumer. Is there anything we don't yet know about the OnePlus 9 series? No, not really. We know what it looks like, we know when it's coming, we know it should offer a good camera experience thanks to a new partnership with Hasselblad. If you're a OnePlus fan, this is going to be a fun week leading up to launch. // Pricebaba

This is the OnePlus 9 Pro Fully Revealed, Thanks to OnePlus

Kellen — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 07:50:05 +0000

OnePlus doesn't plan to fully reveal the OnePlus 9 series until next week and yet here we are with a set of images that almost fully reveal the OnePlus 9 Pro. Yeah, they did that this morning. OnePlus announced the OnePlus 9 Pro by showing off its "Morning Mist" colorway, which looks a lot like silver. It was "inspired by nature" or something, with a "gradient refraction" that takes you from a 60-degree level of mist at the top to 20-degree mist at the bottom, where the phone then turns into a mirror. That's cool. As for what the images show, well, we see a lot! We can see the large camera module with Hasselblad branding, a metal frame with alert slider, lack of a headphone jack, front selfie-camera in the top left corner, and an overall design that reminds me a lot of the OnePlus 8T from last year. It's a handsome design, but most of their phones are. We really just need to test those cameras, OK?

As a bit of a bonus, OnePlus also showed off two colorways they considered, but later cut. Very nice.

// OnePlus

OnePlus Watch is Indeed Coming on March 23

Kellen — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 14:11:12 +0000

The OnePlus Watch will show up on March 23 alongside the OnePlus 9 series, the company confirmed today. In a short teaser on Twitter and a follow-up post to their forums, OnePlus teased the wearable with a set of images and a bit of word play by referencing "clock" and "watch" and "time" throughout their entry. They weren't subtle, but that was sort of the point. We all know the OnePlus Watch has been in the works for some time and was confirmed as coming early this year from OnePlus CEO Pete Lau. We think it might come in two sizes and are hoping that it ends up running Wear OS, but have doubts. The Wear OS piece of this story really is a pretty big question mark. OnePlus has said publicly that they are working with Google to better Wear OS, but they've never officially tied this upcoming watch to Wear OS and have instead mostly talked about them as separate topics. That certainly has me worried that OnePlus will instead release a fitness-focused watch that is more of an upgrade to their newly released fitness band rather than a stand-alone Wear OS device. In fact, we've already seen hints at the watch sharing the OnePlus Health app with the OnePlus Band. OnePlus did at least tell us that the OnePlus Watch will help keep us "healthy, punctual and even takes care of you while you sleep." To translate there, that means it'll be a health tracker, keep the time, and have sleep tracking. Wear OS still doesn't have sleep tracking, so unless OnePlus has a plan to build it in there, I'm going to keep leaning towards this being just an upgraded version of the OnePlus Band without Google's OS behind it. In the images below, we get some hints at the design with what appears to be a rubber sport band and metal frame with plenty of curves. That's got to be a round watch, right? Only a few days to go!

// OnePlus

Wear OS is Getting a Mystery "Platform Update" Soon

Kellen — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 12:00:12 +0000

Every time we share the sad story of Wear OS and how it always seems on the brink of being put to bed, Google randomly shows up and tells us about some sort of new feature on the horizon or that an update is coming soon. It's almost never anything huge, but today the company teased a platform update that will arrive this spring and include 3rd party Tiles from app developers. In a blog post from Google, the company focused specifically on Tiles, to be clear, because they are going to allow app developers to create their own tiles that can be displayed on Wear OS. Tiles, for those not familiar, are cards that live off to the right side of a Wear OS watch's home screen. They can display weather, fitness info, let you fire up a workout, give you a view of your calendar, etc. They are kind of like widgets or informational cards. Up until this point, Google hasn't allowed Wear OS app makers to add to the Tiles list on watches and instead only shows some from Google and a few from the watchmaker. By allowing 3rd party apps to have their own Tiles, this seems like a big opportunity to bring a renewed focus to apps on Google's not-very-popular wearable platform. Now, as far as the "platform update" is concerned, Google didn't say what we can expect in that update other than 3rd party Tiles. Being a platform update, and with rumors surrounding Samsung and Google partnering again on Wear OS watches, they once again grabbed our attention and have us stupidly crossing our fingers for something big. Please be big? // Android Developers Blog

HBO Max Getting an Ad-Supported Tier Without the Sweet Movie Releases

Kellen — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 10:43:59 +0000

HBO Max is without a doubt a great streaming service that easily rivals Netflix. From the original series it offers to the massive library of older shows and movies to the next 12 months of simultaneous releases of movies in theaters and on streaming, it's probably my favorite. It's not cheap, though. To address that fact, AT&T plans to sell a cheaper, ad-supported version of HBO Max, only it'll miss out on the full version's best feature. During AT&T's analyst call today, the company announced plans for the advertising-supported version of HBO Max. They didn't mention a price, but did suggest that the main difference between full-priced HBO Max and the cheaper version will be that the ad-supported version won't get the same-day theatrical releases. In other words, if you want to watch the new Conjuring movie, new Space Jam, Dune, or the 4th Matrix film later this year, you would have to pay for the current HBO Max. That's a pretty big deal if HBO Max continues to release them this way going forward. If they only plan to do same-day theatrical streaming for the next year, then well, they probably need to find some new selling points. Then again, we don't know the pricing for this cheaper version, but a significant price reduction from the $15/mo HBO costs now could pull people in. AT&T figures this new option will help them dramatically increase their subscriber count. In a press release they said their goal is to have 120 to 150 million subscribes by the end of 2025, which is up from the 75-90 million they previously considered. I guess it better be priced well./

AT&T is Adding 5G to a Bunch of Older Unlimited Plans

Kellen — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 09:25:06 +0000

What a week for 5G, eh? First we learned about the C-band auction results, Verizon told us it'll charge us more for their best 5G, T-Mobile bragged about how far along its mid-band 5G network is compared to everyone else, and now AT&T has related news to share. If you happen to subscribe to one of AT&T's older unlimited plans, you are about to gain access to 5G, all at no cost. Starting "this month," AT&T is giving both nationwide 5G and 5G+ access to their long-term customers who aren't on one of their current unlimited plans (Unlimited Starter, Extra, and Elite). For now at least, this will happen at no extra cost and will simply go live, assuming you have a compatible phone. The older plans gaining 5G access are AT&T Unlimited & More, Unlimited & More Premium, Unlimited Choice, Unlimited Choice II, Unlimited Choice Enhanced, Unlimited Plus, Unlimited Plus Enhanced, Unlimited Value, and AT&T Unlimited. That's a lot of unlimited plans. AT&T says that you'll know when 5G has been added to your plan because they'll send you a related text or email. Again, you will need a 5G phone, but that's all you need to do. // AT&T

Yeah, We'll Grab a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra for Just $799 Today (Updated)

Kellen — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 08:31:45 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra may be the last of their kind. Rumors continue to circulate suggesting that Samsung has decided against the Note line going forward, even if Samsung insists those aren't accurate. All I know is that I wouldn't be shocked if the Note 20 is it, so if you want to own a little bit of history (and an excellent phone), today is the day to buy one. Woot is currently selling both the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra with substantial discounts. The Note 20 can be had for $599 ($400 off) and the Note 20 Ultra can be yours for $799 ($500 off!). The insanity of those prices is tough to swallow. Both are only a few months old and yet here we are with prices close to Samsung's launch deal that required a trade-in. Except here, there's no trade-in required - Woot is just giving you cash off. All of these units are labeled as brand new and unlocked, so they'll work on any US carrier. For the Note 20 Ultra, your only choice is 128GB and Mystic Bronze, while the regular Note 20 can be had in Mystic Green. Need to know more before pulling the trigger? Read our Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review. UPDATE: Soldout!

Shop Galaxy Note 20 Woot Sale

Chrome Update Makes It Faster Than Ever, Crash Less

Kellen — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 08:15:45 +0000

In the latest Chrome update for Android (v89), Google says it found a way to dramatically speed up start-up times with a new tab trick and that they were able to repackage it in a way that sees it crash far less and use less memory. The big thing here are start-up times, where Google is using something they call "Freeze-Dried Tabs." Those tabs are a lighweight version of your tabs, like a screenshot that allows scrolling and zooming and tapping on links. Google uses these weird screenshot-freeze-dried-things to show you a preview of sorts as the page loads in the background. Seeing a Freeze-Dried Tab in action is pretty remarkable when compared side-by-side next to an experience without. Watch the short clip below to understand how much quicker this new Chrome is able to show you tab info. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65Gv8phJarI As for the memory usage stuff, Google used "some new Play and Android capabilities" to repackage Chrome and has seen fewer crashes, a 5% improvement in memory usage, 7.5% faster startup times, and 2% faster page loads. This latest build is already out, so be sure to check for updates on Google Play to get it. Google Play Link: Chrome // Chromium

Who Wants to Pay Extra for Faster 5G?

Kellen — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 14:40:49 +0000

With 5G, carriers have done nothing short of promise the world. From blazing fast downloads to complete transformations of the healthcare and manufacturing industries, we're told to believe that 5G is one of the most important technological advancements in our lifetime. That may be so, but we still have a ways to go before 5G can usher in true changes. As we sit back and watch the carriers battle it out over spectrum and speeds and network coverage to get us there, one thing we expect to happen has surfaced this week. Verizon is the most recent to admit this, but they are going to ask us to pay for it all in some way. 5G ain't cheap and carriers don't do things for free, my friends. As it currently stands, all of the carriers have deployed multiple 5G technologies, all of which offer different experiences. We know about everyone's barely-better-than-4G nationwide 5G, as well as the super-fast-never-gonna-find-it 5G mmW. What's getting more attention this week is the world of mid-band 5G. It's such a big deal because it has the potential to really bring you a better wireless experience, it's just going to take time for everyone to give it to us. And that's where we come to today's poll question about paying for speeds. These carriers (I'd bet on all of them doing it) are going to charge you for tiers of 5G experiences. Verizon has confirmed that mid-band and mmW will fall under their "Premium" plans only. AT&T has most definitely separated its 5G technologies out into 5G and 5G+ as if they will follow Verizon's lead. T-Mobile has tried to steer clear of this conversation for now, but again, we're talking about US wireless carriers here and we know how they all operate. If your carrier decides you need to pay a premium to get their best 5G network, on top of what you pay for 4G LTE, are you OK with that? Do you need 800Mbps downloads on your phone and ultra-low latency and a new statusbar icon? [poll id="565"]

Google Fixed "OK Google" on Wear OS!

Kellen — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 12:31:43 +0000

After the Wear OS community's cries for help over broken "OK Google" functionality were picked up by media and shared widely, Google acknowledged the bug that had plagued the platform for months. Today, Wear OS owners have noticed that Google's favorite hotword combination appears to be fixed. I can confirm that "OK Google" works on the TicWatch Pro 3 pictured here. After firing up the watch, I had updates to both the Google and Wear OS apps that might have done the trick. I also had a Wear OS update on the phone I had paired. The Google app on this watch is now on version 12.8.4.25 and the Wear OS app is on 2.45.0.358809240. To check for these updates, you'll want to open Google Play on your Wear OS watch and tap on the "My Apps" button. If updates are available, they'll be right at the top of that section. To check to see if "OK Google" is working on your watch, remember that you'll have to first to turn the option on and make sure your watch is awake before the command will activate. Having tilt-to-wake activated is the key here if you plan on using your voice often. To make sure "OK Google" is activated, head into your watch's settings, then Personalization, and tap the option for "'OK Google' detection." Feel free to let us know in the comments if your watch has been fixed. This reddit thread seems to have a mix of folks who are either good or still having issues.

Verizon 5G Home Arrives in 10 New Cities

Kellen — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 11:38:04 +0000

Verizon is having one of those weeks where they are constantly in the headlines for both good and bad reasons. The purchase of a bunch of C-band spectrum that will dramatically improve their 5G network falls in the good, while the prices customers will have to pay to access it would arguably fall in the bad. To further add to the "good" department, you can now include the expansion of their 5G Home internet. In an announcement this morning, Verizon says they plan to add 10 new 5G Home cities this month. On March 18, they'll fire up 5G Home in parts of Cleveland, OH; Las Vegas, NV; Louisville, KY; Omaha, NE and San Diego, CA. A week later on March 25, 5G Home will go live in Charlotte, NC; Cincinnati, OH; Hartford, CT; Kansas City, MO and Salt Lake City, UT. With Verizon 5G Home, you can get truly unlimited internet with speeds up to 1Gbps for $50/mo if already a Verizon customer. The entire setup is a self-install at this point, so getting up and running shouldn't require a tech in your home. Should you sign-up, Verizon is including a free Stream TV box (it runs Android TV) and 12 months of Discovery+. Unfortunately, Verizon's 5G Home is as limited in cities as their 5G Ultra Wideband network, so finding yourself in a neighborhood with coverage could be challenging. If interested or want to check your address, hit that link below.

Sign-up for Verizon 5G Home

// Verizon

Google Maps

Kellen — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 10:41:49 +0000

d // Google

Chrome's "Preview" Tab Option is So Freakin' Good

Kellen — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 10:14:46 +0000

Rarely do we find new features introduced to an app that can be a game changer or truly useful. It's 2021 and everything in mobile is so mature and so many ideas have been solidified that companies often seem lost when it comes to finding new ones. But Chrome for Android just got a new option and I absolutely love it. In the latest build for Chrome (and Chrome Beta), Google included a "Preview page" option that lets you take a look at a link or website without fully opening a new tab. You can see this in action above, where I previewed a story that floats in a 3/4 window on top of Chrome. How cool is that? I have no idea how long this has been in Chrome Beta, but it apparently just came to Chrome's stable channel this week. If you are running Chrome 89, you should have this. To access a preview, you simply long-press on a link and then click "Preview page." That'll trigger the pop-up over your current tab. From there, you can fully interact with that preview, scroll to read the page, etc. If you'd like to then turn it into a full tab, you can tap the arrow button in the top right corner. If you are done with it, tap the "X" and go back to where you started. Pretty great, right? Google Play Link: Chrome

Verizon Expects You'll Pay a Premium for Their Best 5G

Kellen — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 08:51:59 +0000

Verizon invited us to listen in on a big investor call from the company last night where they spent an enormous amount of time talking about all of the C-band spectrum they just picked up in a recent spectrum auction. They talked about other items and services too, but the bulk of the important talking points involved all of their new spectrum and how it'll change their 5G network going forward. Maybe more importantly for investors who were on the call, Verizon explained how C-band is going to help the wireless carrier convince customers to pay even more. It's such big news from Verizon because it lets them finally play in the mid-band 5G space and better compete with the network that T-Mobile is already well into building out. Mid-band is key to 5G being awesome for everyone, you see, because it's both fast and able to cover large areas. Unlike everyone's nationwide 5G, which covers areas yet is often slower than 4G, or 5G mmW which is fast but can't work through a window, mid-band is the best of it all. Since C-band is the best and Verizon just paid billions for it ($53B), Verizon isn't going to make it free to use for just anyone. You see that image above that I snapped from the investor call? Let's talk about it! Currently, Verizon sells a number of wireless plans, some unlimited and some not. As that image above indicates, the smallest mix of subscribers pays for what Verizon calls "Premium Unlimited." The bulk (79%) of their customers are in either metered plans or "Entry Unlimited." Verizon sees a big opportunity to change that over the next couple of years with the help of C-band. "Premium Unlimited" plans are those with access to Verizons' 5G mmW ("Ultra Wideband") network and include the Play More, Do More, and Get More options. Verizon plans to include C-band under the "Ultra Wideband" umbrella, thus making it a "Premium" feature. By 2023, Verizon is predicting that they'll convince almost half of their customers to switch to one of those "Premium Unlimited" plans, thanks to the experience it'll offer. That experience will be based off of their fast 5G offerings, which include C-band and 5G mmW ("Ultra Wideband"). If a customer doesn't pay for a "Premium" plan, they would then be stuck on the slower 5G nationwide experience. I hope you are scratching your chin right now and saying, "Well this sucks and is not at all surprising," because, yeah. We knew when 5G started to become a thing that carriers weren't going to just hand it to you for nothing. Sprint was early in suggesting they would increase prices, but others weren't so open about those plans. They are being more open now that they are starting to build out their next-gen networks. To recap, Verizon bought a whole bunch of important spectrum that will make their 5G network good. Because of that, they hope you'll want to pay for it by subscribing to their most expensive plans. Got it?

What Would Make the Google Pixel 6 Interesting?

Kellen — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 14:33:03 +0000

As we head into the middle part of 2021 and phone companies start showing their cards, we still have so many questions about the future of Google's Pixel line. We are pretty sure they are still making new Pixel phones, but we don't know the level of commitment after a year that left many fans hoping for more. I think the question we're all trying to find an answer to is if Google will give us another Pixel 5-level phone or if that was a one-off from a year of hell and they'll take another stab at competing with the best phones on the market. Depending on which way they go, which path makes it the most interesting for you? The evidence suggesting there is a Pixel 6 isn't thick at the moment. We think the codename is "oriole," that it will have a centered selfie camera, and that there may be a Pixel 6 XL ("raven") alongside a regular Pixel 6. But that's all we really know. A leak showing details for a Snapdragon 775 chip from Qualcomm sparked questions over whether that could be the new chip Google will choose like they did with the Pixel 5 and its upper mid-range Snapdragon 765. The 765's performance has been fine for my non-gaming usage and a 775 wouldn't bother me, but I know how many of you don't want to buy a phone that isn't running the best Qualcomm has to offer. Can the Pixel 6 (or Pixel 6 XL) only win your heart if it runs the Snapdragon 888? Of course, the processor that Google chooses helps determine how much their phone will cost. The Pixel 5 dropped in at a reasonable $700, but if they choose to return to the high-end space for 2021 with a Snapdragon 888, are you ready to pay $800-$1,000 for a Pixel again? That's actually the area I think Google is going to settle into - pushing you away from specs more than ever and onto buying an experience. While some many ask for the best of the best and are willing to pay for it, should Google once again skip out on Qualcomm's best chip, I think we know the path for the Pixel line. The Pixel 5 is the ultimate example of an experience phone. By no means is it close to being the best at anything. Its camera, while still very good, isn't miles ahead of the competition any longer. Its performance won't wow you. Google didn't include the best display in the game. Instead, the focus is on software, the anticipation of a constant flow of new features, more Google than you can handle, and this idea that your phone is truly smart. You guys know how much I like the Pixel 5, but even I can admit that it isn't necessarily great at any one thing. I know the camera is solid, I love the software, the battery life is about as good as you could ask for, and the size works for me. I'm also aware that it's not a flagship-level phone and that there are phones that have significant upgrades over it. But I've bought into this experience. It is what I prefer from a phone right now. So returning to my original question, what would make the Pixel 6 interesting? Do you need Google to try and give you the best of the best, which they've tried numerous times and failed at? Or would you like to see them pushing this experience idea and carve out their own area in the smartphone world?

OnePlus 9 Lineup Comes in With Some Pretty Sweet Colors

Tim — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 12:52:25 +0000

OnePlus recently spoiled what the OnePlus 9 Pro looks like, but thanks to another round of leaks out of Germany, we can see the whole lineup of new devices from all angles and in a whole bunch of fancy colors. In the above and below images, we can see that OnePlus has quite the lineup of colors prepared for the OnePlus 9 family, though, it's unknown if all of the colors will be available in every market the device is sold. I'd doubt it, but fingers crossed. Without knowing the official names, it appears we can expect the options for the smaller OnePlus 9 to be Blue, Matte Black, and something similar to the OnePlus 8's Interstellar Glow. The larger OnePlus 9 Pro comes in either Matte Black, Silver, or Matte Green. Some may notice that this green color is similar to what Apple offers for its iPhone, and yeah, we think it looks pretty good. The device will be made official on March 23.

OnePlus 9 vs. OnePlus 9 Pro

Any of these colors got you a little hyped? // WinFuture

Call of Duty: Mobile Season 2 Launches Today, Includes Shipment and Shoot House

Tim — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 11:00:24 +0000

Call of Duty: Mobile and its Season 2 launches today, complete with two absolute all-time great multiplayer maps: Shipment and Shoot House. If you don't agree, it's because you can't handle the heightened pace of these maps and I won't apologize for that. Get good, newb. Season 2 has a whole bunch of stuff beyond new maps. Also listed are new operators to play with, changes inside of the Battle Royale mode, as well as all-new weapons to slay enemies with.

This season’s update brings players new weapons with the assault rifle AS VAL (free and paid versions) in the Battle Pass and later in the season through a seasonal challenge, the SP-R 208 sniper rifle. Adding to the gameplay experience, players can look out for a Recon perk and a Napalm Scorestreak.

The publisher says Season 2 goes live today at 4PM Pacific. Good luck, solider.

Google Play Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pmv4C-fNXgg&ab_channel=CallofDuty%3AMobile

How to Turn Off T-Mobile's Targeted Advertising Data Tracking

Kellen — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 10:21:45 +0000

Carriers sharing your information with advertisers is not a new thing. It's a big money business with all of the data available from millions of their customers that advertisers love to use. None of us like the idea, though. And so when we learned this week that T-Mobile plans to opt-in their customers to an advertising and analytics program they'll use to share your data for targeted ad purposes, we figured you might want to know how to opt-out. Come April 26, T-Mobile states in their new privacy policy that they will automatically opt-in all customers to this new program. The program will help serve customers ads that feature "more of what you like, less of what you don't," their website says. They'll be able to serve you those types of ads because they will track and share a lot of information. If you fire up the "Advertising and Analytics" page in the privacy center on T-Mobile's site, you'll find a list of those items. Things like unique IDs, addresses of websites visited, types of websites, applications and the content or features used within them, demographic info, and location data, all will be collected and then used for targeting. I should make it clear that while T-Mobile tracks all of that stuff, the information is tied to an advertising ID that "does not directly identify you." Still not cool with all of that? Let's turn it off then.

How to opt-out of T-Mobile's targeting ads data collection

1. First, you'll need to head to T-Mobile's privacy center by clicking this link. 2. From there, you'll see the page below and you'll want to click on "Update your settings" button within the "More of what you like, less of what you don't" section.

3. You'll now be asked to login to your T-Mobile, Metro, or Sprint account. 4. Once done, you should see the page below for "Advertising & Analytics."

5. There are two options here for "Use my data for analytics and reporting" and "Use my data to make ads more relevant to me." Both will likely be toggled to "ON" and so you need to switch them to "OFF." 6. You are now done and the targeted ads shouldn't be coming your way, even after April 26.

ASUS ROG Phone 5 Lineup is Pure Overkill Mobile Gaming Ridiculousness

Tim — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 10:11:59 +0000

ASUS announced three iterations of the new ROG Phone this morning -- the ROG Phone 5, ROG Phone 5 Pro, and ROG Phone 5 Ultimate. As you'd expect, all three are catered to those who spend hours gaming on their mobile phones and ~~want~~ need the best specs and performance they can get. As we're used to, it appears ASUS has delivered the ultimate mobile gaming package. The ROG Phone 5 is set to be priced starting at about $950, featuring a 6.78-inch FHD+ OLED screen with 144Hz refresh rate and a 300Hz touch sampling rate, Snapdragon 888 processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB, main Sony-developed IMX686 64MP rear camera (in total it's a triple rear camera system), 24MP front camera, stereo speakers, WiFi 6E and 5G connectivity, 6,000mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 5.0, and Android 11. More expensive configurations, otherwise known as the Pro and Ultimate models, offer increased RAM and storage (18GB RAM total on the Ultimate), as well as a secondary OLED display on the phone's backside. This screen can be used to display custom text and animations, making for a pretty sweet customized look. While you're getting some sweet devices in the Pro and Ultimate, pricing is extremely high, with the Pro set to be about $1,400 and the Ultimate around $1,600. For anyone hoping to see us review the ROG Phone 5, sadly that's unlikely to happen. I don't think ASUS knows we exist. Sorry! Learn more about ROG Phone 5 from the links below.

ASUS Links: ROG Phone 5 | Phone 5 Ultimate

AT&T 5G+ Moves Into Lucas Oil Stadium in Time for March Madness

Tim — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 09:05:57 +0000

AT&T announced this week that it's expanding its 5G+ network, the name for its mmW-based network, into the area of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indiana. This announcement comes right in time for March Madness, with the college basketball tournament set to take place later this month with limited fan attendance. For specifics, the carrier details that 5G+ will be located at Lucas Oil Stadium by the end of March, available inside for the seating, the main concourse, and the outside perimeter. AT&T also says that nearby Monument Circle will also receive 5G+ access. Enjoy, Hoosiers. // AT&T

Hey, It's Verizon Open Enrollment Season Again for Device Protection

Kellen — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 08:15:52 +0000

Each year around this time, Verizon gives customers an opportunity to sign-up for a protection plan that covers their gadgets. Typically, this is done when you buy a device, but if you skipped out to avoid that extra monthly charge yet now realize you could use it, this is your time to shine. Verizon offers so many different plans that it's getting hard to keep track of. They used to just have Total Equipment Coverage (TEC), Wireless Phone Protection (WPP), and an Extended Warranty. Today, they offer Verizon Protect as the top tier plan, Total Mobile Protection (TMP), and a couple of multi-device plans on top of those original three. For features, they all differ ever so slightly. There is an entire feature comparison sheet below, so I won't write them all out for you here. However, Verizon Protect is the one Verizon pushes with the most features, many of which involve privacy and identity security. Most people are still probably just fine with Total Equipment Coverage, though, as it gives you coverage for loss/theft/damage, extends the warranty and gets you next-day replacements as well as battery replacements. As for pricing, Verizon doesn't make a comparison of such things easy to find, but should look as follows:

Extended Warranty: $5/mo
Wireless Phone Protection: $6.85/mo
Total Equipment Protection: $11/mo
Total Mobile Protection: $15/mo single device; $45/mo multi-device
Verizon Protect: $17/mo single device; $50/mo multi-device

If you need protection, you can shop Verizon's plans right here. Verizon open enrollment for all protection options ends May 6, so you have some time to consider this.

Pixel 6 Getting Centered Selfie Camera

Tim — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 14:44:57 +0000

A couple of tidbits were detailed this week concerning Google's upcoming 2021 devices, which as of right now, includes the Pixel 5a and Pixel 6. They aren't the splashiest of tidbits, but while we're waiting for new devices to reach our hands, we're thirsty for any type of Google device news. Coming from a teardown conducted by 9to5Google of the latest Google Camera app, it's said that the Pixel 5a selfie camera's diameter is a bit smaller than what we currently have on the Pixel 4a 5G. This means that big black dot on your phone's screen shouldn't be as obstructive as it is right now should you upgrade to the new Pixel 5a. Maybe a bit more exciting, a single detail about the Pixel 6 is noted, being that Google is moving its selfie camera from the left and centering it on the top of the display. That means the clock and notifications will now be all the way over on the left and no longer a little odd looking when snapping a screenshot on your device. To put it real simply, it'll look like what we see above in the header image. Pretty clean, yeah? A couple of codenames were also mentioned in the teardown: Oriole and Raven, with Oriole believed to belong to the Pixel 6. We've heard these codenames before, with Raven assumed to belong to a rumored Pixel 6 XL device. We're still waiting to learn more about the supposed foldable device that goes by the codename Passport, too. We're getting there. // 9to5Google

Sonos Roam is Super Portable and Costs $169

Kellen — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 13:46:21 +0000

Sonos unwrapped its newest speaker today as the Sonos Roam, its most portable speaker to date. This also happens to be the most affordable from Sonos and comes in at $169. Packed with WiFi, multi-room listening capabilities, and voice controls, this is very much a Sonos speaker that could slot in with the rest of your Sonos home setup. However, when you decide to bring the beats with you, it's portable, has Bluetooth, is IP67 water and dust resistant, and will last up 10 hours on a charge. It even has drop resistance, should you be worried about taking care of your $170 Bluetooth speaker. The Roam uses Trueplay tuning to adapt sound to your surroundings, has on-device controls, charges over USB-C or on any Qi wireless charger, and works if its lying down or standing up. You can buy Sonos Roam in either black or white through pre-orders that are open now. The Roam ships on April 20.

Shop Sonos Roam

Chromebooks Getting a Bunch of Sweet New Features for 10th Anniversary

Kellen — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 13:10:39 +0000

Hey, Chromebooks and Chrome OS have been around for 10 years! To celebrate the occasion, Google is pushing out a special update that introduces a bunch of new features, including one that lets your phone connect more closely with your Chrome device. The update will arrive over the next few weeks as Chrome OS 89. When it hits your Chromebook, here are some of the goodies you should be on the lookout for.

Phone Hub

In this new feature (pictured above), your Chromebook will be able to see tabs you recently had open on your Android phone, as well as check your phones battery life and cellular signal, turn on its hotspot, locate it, and respond to messages. That's super sweet, assuming this isn't a Pixel-exclusive thing.

Screenshot tool!

Yes, Chrome OS is finally getting a simple screenshot/screen capture tool that will let you capture stills or record your screen with video, crop and edit captures, and more. To access it, you'll head into your Quick Settings menu and click “Screen capture.” Some of the other new features are:

WiFi Sync expansion: The new Chrome OS expands support for your Chromebook's ability to "automatically connect to trusted Wi-Fi networks that you’ve used on your Android phone and other Chrome OS devices when signed in with the same Google Account." To enable WiFi syncing, head to “Connected devices” in Chrome OS Settings, click the arrow next to the phone, and toggle "Wi-Fi Sync" on.
Nearby Share: The newish file sharing technology that recently came to your phone is coming to Chromebooks too. With Nearby Share, you'll be able "to instantly and securely share files between your Chromebook and other Chrome OS or Android devices." This might not arrive for a few months.
Tote: "Tote is a new holding space" in the bottom right by the Quick Settings area "that makes it easy for you to find the right file fast." This area will show "recent downloads, recent screen captures, and any files that you’ve decided to pin."
Copy and Paste more stuff: In this new Chrome OS, the clipboard "saves the last five items copied so you can easily paste any or all to a new page without needing to switch between windows." To access it, hit the Everything Button ( or ) + V.

And that's not it. Chrome OS will have more control over workspaces with Desks, help from the Google Assistant when you highlight text, a more personalized lock screen, pinned media controls, and more. To see everything, head over to this Chrome page. // Google

Not Very Uncarrier: T-Mobile Starts Selling Your Usage Data to Advertisers on April 26

Tim — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 12:48:18 +0000

In a very non-Uncarrier move, it's been detailed this week that T-Mobile will soon start "sharing" your device's usage information with advertisers beginning next month. The information collected includes data about your web browsing and phone usage, all to be bundled up and sold to make a profit. Set to go live on April 26, this policy aligns with what we see from other carriers like AT&T and Verizon. For those who don't know how this process works, the carriers collect relevant data to determine a users' interests, scrub any sort of personal information, and then ensure the data doesn't belong to a device used by a child. That data is then used by advertisers to help show you interesting ads. Thankfully, T-Mobile is providing customers the ability to opt-out of this data collection. To opt out, you'll need to follow this link to access you T-Mobile account's privacy settings. All customers are automatically opted in, so unless you manually opt-out, they will collect your data. I'm actually shocked this wasn't already happening. Personally, I'd gladly hand over some data if it meant I could get a bill credit or monthly refund of some kind. You know, it's my data, so where's my cut? // Wall Street Journal

Another Thing I Miss About Google Play Music: Play Count for Tracks

Tim — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 10:41:36 +0000

Another day, another thing I miss about Google Play Music. Recently, I talked about missing Google Play Music's auto cache function. No service appears to offer something exactly like it, but when I wrote that up, a rush of other things I miss from Play Music filled my head. Was Google Play Music nearly perfect? Yup, pretty much. The next big thing I'm missing now that I've switched off of Play Music and onto Spotify is a play count for tracks. When looking in your library of tunes on Play Music, you could filter the results by how many times you've listened to a track. Apparently, Google decided not to transport that data visibly to YouTube Music, which is such a scum move.

IMAGE

As users, we know these services keep that data on file or else feature's like Spotify's year-end "Wrapped" wouldn't work at all. The only way services could tell you what songs are your most favorite is if they track play counts. Give us that data and give it to us now! There's a thread of folks requesting this from Spotify, with the service replying with a super rude, "We've spoken to the team in charge of this and we're keeping this idea as 'Not Right Now'." You can vote for this feature request on Spotify here. Stop being scummy, music streaming services. Let us see a freakin' play count for tracks!

Wear OS Watchmakers Seem Destined to Kill the Platform

Kellen — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 10:05:49 +0000

The watch pictured above is the Huawei Watch 2 from 2017. It was a solid Wear OS watch at the time, with the best specs currently available, including Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear 2100 chip. Again, that was in 2017, a full year after Qualcomm had introduced that chip. At the time, the chip was arguably outdated and yet the Wear OS industry continued to use it because they had few other choices. Fast forward to 2021 and we still have companies using it. Mobvoi announced a watch today that runs the Snapdragon Wear 2100. They want you to pay $260 for it. A 5-year old chip that was borderline bad in 2016 is being included in watches this year and the companies selling them want close to $300. Come on, man. We're not buying this shit. We're just not. And that goes for watches running the somewhat newer Snapdragon Wear 3100 too. Yeah, Fossil, we're talking to you now. The Wear 3100, which arrived in 2018 as the supposed upgrade to the 2100, is old as hell too and shouldn't be used. And remember, it wasn't actually an upgrade to the 2100. It was more of a 2100 with a co-processor along for the ride that I'm not sure anyone took advantage of. It sucked and didn't do anything for the platform other than set it further behind Samsung and Apple. Fossil has released two "new" watches in recent months that still run the 3100. They gave us the Fossil Gen 5E and Fossil Gen 5 LTE. They want $250 for the 5E and a whopping $350 for the LTE model. Get. The. F*ck. Out. We're not buying 'em. Never. You know why? Because the Snapdragon Wear 4100 is sitting on shelves, begging to be used. It's already in one watch from Mobvoi. It's pretty good too! It. Is. An. Improved. Chip. It will help Wear OS! Use the god damn thing. I can't for the life of me figure out why the few remaining Wear OS watchmakers continue to use this old silicon. My guess is that Qualcomm is selling them for pennies on the dollar and the margins here are substantial. Either that, or these companies all bought too many a few years back and need to do whatever they can to get rid of them. Whatever the case, you should ignore these watches. They'll frustrate you. Who knows how much longer they'll be supported. Unless these things can be had for $100 and you want to test the waters of Wear OS, run from watches running anything but the 4100. If Wear OS is ever going to make a comeback, it's not going to be through companies pumping out remakes of old watches using the same hardware from the originals. Y'all have got to do better.

Nothing Shows Off First Actual Product, See-Through Earbuds, Won't Sell It

Tim — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 09:02:54 +0000

Nothing, the apparent vaporware company with a catchy name from OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, has provided a look at its first concept device this week, an earbud that it doesn't plan to sell. Yup, Nothing is giving us nothing and we're just about over this hype nonsense. Give us something to buy already! In a recent blog post, Nothing went over its mission again, which is to "remove barriers between technology and people to create a seamless digital future. We envision a future where technology is so advanced and seamlessly integrated into our lives that it feels like nothing, yet is everywhere." Oh lord. The above image is of Concept 1, the first thing we've seen from Nothing. It's a see-through wireless earbud, which the company says, "takes inspiration from a grandmother’s tobacco pipe." I don't quite see it, but my grandmother didn't toke a pipe, so I have no idea. Concept 1 won't be launching as it's merely a concept, but Nothing plans to share more concepts and ideas with us down the road. I'm not trying to be rude or harsh, just having a bit of fun. I think we're all ready to see what Nothing is really up to. If it's all starting out with see-through earbuds, that's cool, but let's remind them that the bar has been set high and it's they themselves who set it there with all this silly hype stuff. // Nothing

Mobvoi Releases the TicWatch Pro S For $259 With That Old Chipset

Kellen — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 07:00:04 +0000

Last year, Mobvoi released the best Wear OS watch to date with the TicWatch Pro 3, a watch no one has come close to matching because it runs the newest wearable chip from Qualcomm. As a follow-up to that excellent watch, they are back in 2021 with another TicWatch Pro model, only this one takes a massive step backward by using an ancient chipset in what can only be described as a baffling move.

READ: Wear OS watchmakers seem destined to kill the platform

The TicWatch Pro S has launched today with a $259.99 price tag, and yes, the Snapdragon Wear 2100 chip. This is a bit of a follow-up to last year's TicWatch Pro 2020, as it has almost all of the same specs, but is seeing upgrades in storage to 8GB and in water resistance at IP68. Those are the only differences. Oh, they tossed in their TicExercise 3.0 and TicSleep apps too. Otherwise, you still have the 1.39" round AMOLED display with FSTN display on top, 1GB RAM, GPS, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, 415mAh battery, heartrate sensor, and 45mm case. It comes with silver or black bezels and 22mm straps. It's available right now at Amazon and Mobvoi's store. OK, then.

The Problem With Android is You Never Know When You'll Get Anything

Kellen — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 15:51:24 +0000

As an early adopter of almost anything tech-related, especially in the Android space, there are few things more frustrating than watching someone else get access to a new feature or update before you. Because part of being an early-adopter means you are willing to accept a bit of risk for a chance at the thrill of discovering or using something new, not being able to join in on that party is absolute hell. Unfortunately, this has been the story of Android, Google services, and Google Play for years. To get a sense for what I'm talking about, I can point you to a couple of recent examples. One would be Google Maps and its infamous dark theme. We thought this was coming a year ago, then saw it start to rollout for some a few months ago, and only now has it been confirmed as arriving by Google. The thing is, Google told us that it was here a full two weeks ago, yet I still don't have it. Remember when we told you that Android TV was getting a new launcher experience with new tabs at the top to help you discover new content? We assumed the Android TV Launcher app would get an update to enable it, but it seems there is another factor in there - a server-side switch that flips a user over to the new UI. I don't have this yet either and we first talked about it on February 3. The same thing happened early this morning when Google told us that Pixel phones would now have access to heart and respiratory rate tracking through Google Fit, except as you can probably guess, I can't do either of those things. I'm just assuming it'll show up over the next several weeks through an update to Google Fit and Google flipping a switch somewhere that gives my account or phone access. You get the point. This list could go on and on. You are all aware of staged rollouts and how frustrating they can be from an end-user standpoint (Yes, I'm well aware of the reasons that developers and Google use them and why they are a critical function.). You know the deflated feeling that comes with learning about a new software feature and then not being able to use it while your friend brags about how cool it is. What's so frustrating these days is you just have no idea when anything is coming at all. If Google tells us about a big new feature, you probably can't get it without a combination of app update and server-side switch. That leaves you with zero control over when the new stuff might arrive. There has to be a better way to do all of this. A couple of years ago, I had an idea for Google to let you check for Android app updates the way they let you check for Pixel phone system updates. The idea was basically a "Check for update" button on Google Play listings that would manually pull an available update even if it was a staged rollout. Because Google allows this on their Pixel phones now, where tapping that button flags the action as "user-initiated," almost like you are opting-in and bypassing a rollout. Should Google do this on Google Play for apps, I argued that it would both make the platform safer (stop everyone from hunting for app updates from APK hosts) and more fun, by letting users who knew about and wanted the new stuff to all enjoy it right away, together. Back in the good ol' days - apologies, but I'm allowed to say that this one time after doing this for 11+ years - we had a weekly reminder set for "Update Wednesdays," because Google would use hump day to push out updates to several of its apps and then we'd all get updates at the same time and play with new goodies. It was fun as hell. Now, you could be sitting here about to say, "Kellen, this doesn't matter to 99% of Android users and Google will never change this system." Yep, I get that. This post isn't for them. This isn't for the random user who opens Google Play once a month to find 65 updates available. This is for the Android lover, the DL community member, the tech blog bro, the 2009er Motorola Droider, and anyone else who sees us write up a post bragging about the new features coming to their phone only to go looking and come up empty. I just want Google to bring back some of the spark we had in the early Android days. Let us play together again.

DEAL: Choetech's Dual Fast Wireless Charger for $23 ($13 Off)

Tim — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 13:30:34 +0000

For a limited time this week, you can snag Choetech's dual fast wireless charger on Amazon, down from its usual price of $36 to just $23. Considering this charger actually comes with the AC adapter, which isn't always the case when buying this type of accessory, that price ain't bad at all. This dual charger features 5 coils, which means there's no sweet spot you need to place your devices to get charging. Just place your phone down on it and you'll be good. As for speeds, Android phones are limited to 10W output from the charger and iPhone devices are limited to 7.5W. Additionally, the charger has an anti-slip PU leather surface and anti-slip pads on the bottom. So nice. If you need yourself a fancy new wireless charger, follow the link and use the coupon code.

Amazon Link (Code: 5X2EV6OP)

Here's a Pixel 4 XL for $400

Kellen — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 11:53:22 +0000

The retail life of the Google Pixel 4 XL might have been shorter than usual, but if you own one or have the opportunity to, you can at least move forward knowing that it'll see another couple of years of updates. You'll also continue to have an excellent still camera, get new sets of features every few months, and use a weird facial unlock radar system that is likely a 1-off technology. I tell you this because you can buy a Pixel 4 XL today for $399. That's a $500 or so discount from where this phone originally retailed just over a year ago. That's a good deal! Outside of having average battery life, no fingerprint reader, and that large forehead, the Pixel 4 XL is arguably a better buy than the Pixel 5. It has a higher resolution display, more powerful processor, and isn't coated in thick plastic spray-on paint. It's quite handsome, actually. The deal today on the Pixel 4 XL comes from a company called Unlocked Direct. Now, I know nothing about these guys, and to be honest, it looks a little off at first glance. However, they are running the deal with Google Fi, since you get a free month of Google Fi service by buying it, and Google Fi lists them as an official promo. It's as if Google is aware of the company and trusts that this deal isn't shady. So if you'd like to test out a company called Unlocked Direct, they have the Pixel 4 XL in black available for $399.99 with an including free month of Google Fi. That's a hell of a deal.

Shop Pixel 4 XL at Unlocked Direct | Promo Terms

Yummly Smart Meat Thermometer is My Latest Kitchen Addiction

Tim — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 11:18:36 +0000

It was a while ago when I was first introduced to the MEATER smart thermometer at a Pepcom event during CES. Since then, I've been using it all the time to cook steaks on the BBQ and bake other meats like chicken and fish. Smart thermometers really take any guess work out of nailing proteins, and when you have someone who lacks confidence in their ability to cook meats -- such as my wife -- it helps to have a device capable of instilling that feeling. Now, we're seeing more companies enter the smart thermometer space, with this Yummly device being the latest to catch my attention. For a bit of background, Yummly is a recipe search engine app that's been around for some time. In 2017, it was acquired by Whirlpool, who I believe put KitchenAid in charge of manufacturing the device itself. To use the smart thermometer, you have to download the Yummly app, which then technically offers dual functionality in being a recipe book filled with tons and tons of different cooking ideas, as well as the control center for your thermometer. With that out of the way, let's get onto the cooking. Yummly kindly sent along a thermometer for me to test, so I asked my lady what kind of steak she wanted for dinner. I'm a ribeye lover, but she enjoys tenderloins and filet mignons. We opted for a couple massive tenderloins, which determined the technique I'd utilize for cooking. Not to get too deep into the philosophy, I went with a reverse sear, which is actually a perfect way to show off how this Yummly device works. To reverse sear, simply prep your meat with seasoning, insert the probe (thermometer), then stick it into a heated oven and let it get up to temperature. Personally, I cook until the internal temperature reaches 113°. Once your desired temp is reached, you toss that meat onto a searing hot pan. Let the outside of your meat get nice and browned, then you're done. It's an easy way to cook thick cuts and not worry yourself about over or undercooking an expensive piece of meat.

With Yummly, the setup process was as simple as can be. You take the probe out of its dock, which has a Bluetooth range of 150ft. for transmitting cooking data, and then use the Yummly app to determine what it is you're cooking (fish, steak, pork, chicken, etc.). You can manually set the doneness you desire or select one of the predetermined temperatures. Once you have the device programmed and connected to your phone, you're ready to cook. The device has two sensors for gauging temperature: an internal heat and ambient heat sensor. Depending on what you're cooking, you may or may not need that ambient heat sensor, but for those who smoke meats overnight and need a consistent reading, that ambient sensor can be very clutch. It will also help you from damaging the device, as there is a max heat limit of 572°F for the ambient sensor. The internal heat limit is 210°F. That means you don't want to exceed that limit for any amount of extended time. However, this device can withstand flare-ups of up to 1100°F for 3 minutes, which is important for those who plan to use this in a BBQ setting. Just to compare, the MEATER+ probe can withstand ambient temps of 527°F, slightly lower than the Yummly. Once a cook has begun, the app can use the ambient temp and internal temp and calculate when your meat will be completed. I find that it doesn't update all too quickly, especially when you have a fluctuating source of heat, though, it does work in an oven setting pretty well. If you're not too concerned about timing, such as me, you simply watch your phone for that meat to come up to temperature. Obviously, this is what you can do with any digital thermometer, but there is a convenience factor with these smart devices. With the dock stationed close to your cooking meat, you can walk away from the oven or grill and still be completely in the know of what's happening with your meat. Last night, I sat on the couch watching Dame Lillard hit half court shots during the All-Star game while watching my tenderloins come up to temp. Some folks are willing to pay for that added convenience, while others may not be. That decision is up to you, but what I can say is that using this Yummy device was supremely easy and my meats turned out perfect. Right now on Amazon, you can get the Yummly smart meat thermometer for just $89, down from its usual $129 price. A MEATER+ will cost you $99, and honestly, this Yummly device seems solid at the moment, but there is one thing MEATER has a big advantage on. That advantage is the ability to handle multiple cooks simultaneously. Many folks, myself included, maybe cook two different cuts or proteins at the same time, which this Yummly app doesn't support. You'd need two probes and two phones running. MEATER can handle up to 4 probes with one phone (using the MEATER Block), making it much more versatile. However, Yummly does state that multi probe support is coming down the road. Once that happens, it'll be very interesting to see which device people opt for. Personally, with the Yummly probe's ability to withstand those higher cooking temps, I may have a new kitchen buddy for the time being. I won't know for certain unless I use it a lot more, which I plan to do. All in all, they both do the same thing very well, which is helping even newbs prepare a perfect steak.

Buy Yummly Smart Thermometer ($89)

You Can Get the OnePlus 8 Pro for $600 Today ($400 Off)

Kellen — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 10:05:04 +0000

The OnePlus 9 Pro will be here shortly as the next high-end phone that will tempt you with all the specs and a price tag we hope will still undercut the competition. If owning the newest of the new has never been your thing and the OnePlus 9 isn't on your radar, let me point you to last year's OnePlus 8 Pro, which can be had at a substantial discount today. The OnePlus 8 Pro originally sold for $1,000, but thanks to discounts, it's often $200 or $300 off. With a voucher code, you can snag one for $400 off right now. That puts the price for this fully spec'd out phone at $600. The model you get for $600 is the 12GB RAM-256GB storage version, in Ultramarine Blue. You might have been able to grab the Onyx Black version too, but it's currently out of stock.

READ: OnePlus 8 Pro review

To get the deal, you'll hit that link below and add the OnePlus 8 Pro to cart. Then during checkout, look for the voucher/gift code section and click on that. When the voucher pop-up shows, you'll want to add a new voucher by using code "8PRO100OFF" and then clicking "confirm." If done correctly, the price will show with a $400 item discount. Get yourself a phone, friend.

Buy OnePlus 8 Pro

Google TV Gets Kids Profiles, Special Kiddy Themes and Controls

Tim — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 08:46:14 +0000

Google made kids profiles official for Google TV this week, first noted to be "coming soon" in early February. Now they're official and kids across the country are going to be jumping for joy when they see what's inside. Think of the new kids profiles as somewhat watered down Google TV experiences, with access limited solely to apps and content catered to underage users. However, Google is spicing up the UI a bit with custom themes, something us adults don't even get. That's some bull, because these themes are kinda sick. For example, there's an outer space one and a dinosaur one. I want that. Kiddy controls are also available to parents who want to limit everything their kids do on Google TV. You can set a time limit for usage, as well as a strict bedtime where the device will cease function. Google says support for kids profiles will begin rolling out this month in the US, followed by all over the world later down the road. // Google

Here is the OnePlus 9 Pro!

Kellen — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 07:06:44 +0000

OnePlus is not interested in hiding their next phone line-up it seems. In a Tweet this morning following last night's news about their new partnership with Hasselblad and the reveal of the date for the OnePlus 9, the company showed off the backside of their next high-end device. The Tweet and included video are a 1-minute commercial teaser for the the OnePlus 9, with a moon bouncing around the world to help bring light to all sorts of situations. But as the clip ends, OnePlus mentions Hasselblad before transitioning into a clear shot of the OnePlus 9 Pro with its Hasselblad-branded camera setup. We believe it's the OnePlus 9 Pro because of this leak a few weeks back. OnePlus confirmed last night that this camera setup includes the Sony IMX789 sensor, which is the “largest and most advanced main camera sensor ever on a OnePlus device.” They also confirmed that they'll use a freeform lens in their ultra-wide shooter to try and eliminate edge distortion in ultra-wide photos. The general look of the device certainly matches the design language of past OnePlus phones. This phone, while a goldish color, looks like a mix between the OnePlus 8T and 8 Pro from last year. With camera technology staying somewhat large, these large camera housing aren't going to leave us any time soon. Gimme those thoughts. https://twitter.com/OnePlus_USA/status/1368933798235303937

Official: OnePlus 9 Arrives March 23

Kellen — Sun, 07 Mar 2021 22:00:55 +0000

We have a date - the OnePlus 9 will be here in two weeks.

OnePlus announced this week that their next flagship phones, the OnePlus 9 series, will be here shortly. When they do drop on March 23 at 10AM Eastern (7AM Pacific), you'll be able to watch the unveiling and thirst over their promises.

UPDATE: Here is the OnePlus 9 Pro!

We don't know much in an official sense, but OnePlus is talking a lot about cameras today. As you may have seen, they made their partnership with Hasselblad official too, and committed to a 3-year $150 million investment in cameras to try and fix one of the areas their phones struggle with against competitors. The camera system in the OnePlus 9 (and we assume OnePlus 9 Pro) is called Hasselblad Camera for Mobile and will be powered a custom Sony IMX789 sensor, which is the "largest and most advanced main camera sensor ever on a OnePlus device." It can shoot 12-bit RAW, has improved HDR video recording, and will capture video at up to 4K 120FPS and 8K 30FPS. I can't wait to test those cameras. Assuming you are excited, you can tune in at oneplus.com/launch.

Yep, OnePlus and Hasselblad are Teaming Up and Making Big Promises

Kellen — Sun, 07 Mar 2021 22:00:53 +0000

The hints weren't subtle and most of us figured them out, thanks to earlier leaks, but the news is now official - OnePlus and Hasselblad are teaming up to try and make smartphone camera magic. Will they? That's the question they'll try to answer over a multi-year agreement.

UPDATE: Here is the OnePlus 9 Pro!

This week, OnePlus announced a 3-year partnership with the legendary camera maker to "co-developer the next generation of smartphone camera systems" for upcoming OnePlus phones. Their work has apparently already started and will be up for judging once the OnePlus 9 arrives in March 23. OnePlus is referring to this work as the "Hasselblad Camera for Mobile," which sounds like the general branding for the camera system on the new OnePlus 9 series. While they plan to spend 3 years working in "close R&D collaboration" with Hasselblad, their first focus will be on camera software. On the OnePlus 9, the two companies have worked on "software improvements including color tuning and sensor calibration," leading to an "advanced color calibration." The goal here is to bring "more perceptually accurate and natural-looking colors to photos taken with OnePlus flagship cameras." There will also be a Hasselblad pro mode that adds "unprecedented amount of control." OnePlus CEO Pete Lau is calling the improvements to the OnePlus 9 cameras a "major leap forward in our ability to deliver a premium, flagship camera.” In addition to the long-term partnership and the future of OnePlus cameras, OnePlus says it will invest $150 million into camera development over these next 3 years. Those plans include developing four major R&D labs around the world and using new imaging technologies. The new imaging technologies OnePlus is referring to are a panoramic camera with 140-degree field of view, T-lens technology for faster focus in front cameras, and a freeform lens that will arrive inside the OnePlus 9. A freeform lens will try to eliminate edge distortion in ultra-wide photos. My thoughts on this partnership are certainly in a wait-and-see status. Hasselblad might be an iconic or legendary camera brand, but their partnerships haven't always made the magic that OnePlus is talking about. You all remember that Hasselblad-branded Moto Z Mod, right? Yeah, we have to do a lot better than that.

Google Fit's Neat Heart and Respiratory Rate Features for Pixel Phones Arriving

Kellen — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 17:22:06 +0000

A few weeks back, Google teased two new Pixel-exclusive features coming soon to Google Fit that help people without a fancy sports watch or band keep track of a couple of health items. Using cameras in Google Pixel phones, Google found a way to track both heartrate and respiratory rate. On Monday (March 8), those features will start to go live. In case you missed that bit of news, the features will work as follows.

For heartrate, you'll fire open Google Fit, tell it to check for your heart rate (there could be a card showing this), and then follow the directions that ask you to full cover a camera lens with your fingertip as it reads your pulse. The results will appear on screen once finished, allowing you to add the measurement to your Google Fit profile or to measure again.
For respiratory rate, you'll fire open Google Fit, hit the "track your respiratory rate" button, and then prop your phone up so that it can capture your body from the waist up. When in the right position, the front camera will watch your chest movements to calculate the respiratory rate (or breaths per minute). You can then save that measurement as well. Try to remove hats and masks when running this.

Google is clear to point out that these measurements are not intended for medical purposes. Instead, you should probably just use these measurements to help give you a sense for your health and watch for trends over time in Google Fit, but always talk to your doctor if you have health concerns or questions. To start, Google is rolling these out through Google Fit on its Pixel phones, like the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G, but they plan to give other Android phones access in the future. Google Play Link: Google Fit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Qw2imxx_nA

AUKEY's Latest Deals Include 25% Off Popular Power Strip Tower ($32)

Tim — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 12:50:35 +0000

AUKEY has a new round of deals on Amazon this week, with plenty of money to save on items like wireless earbuds, power strips, phone mounts, and more. There is a good list of deals to view below, with all of the links and coupon codes you need for max savings shown, but there are a couple items I want to draw attention to. AUKEY's power strip tower is a well known product, offering 6 USB ports and 12 AC outlets. Comparing this to a standard power strip is a waste of time, as at this $32 price, you're getting a sweet device. AUKEY is hosting deals on its sub-brand models of wireless earbuds. Buds are as low as $12 with the accompanying coupon code, or $18 if you opt for the more high-end EP-T21 model. Still, $18 for wireless earbuds? Score. All of the links and pricing info can be seen below.

Amazon Links

Car Charger 21W - $8 (Code: SDAR8R6W)
Power Strip Tower - $32 (Code: HXBV26NI)
Foldable 48W 4 Port Adapter w/ PD - $33 (Code: RQJ5GZNP)
2-Pack 20W Wall Chargers w/ PD 3.0 - $13 (Code: 8BWYBURD)
BCMASTER True Wireless Earbuds - $12 (Code: 8FIHPY9D)
EP-T21 True Wireless Earbuds - $18 (Code: SLUYGN7M)
BCMASTER BC-T01 True Wireless Earbuds - $14 (Code: PWRWGMFO)
Cup Holder Mount with Adjustable Gooseneck - $11 (Clip Coupon)

What Do You Use Google Assistant For?

Kellen — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 10:47:20 +0000

Google Assistant is one of those tools in my bag that I don't come close to fully using. That embarrasses me some, since the damn thing is spread around my house in every room on several gadgets and I write about it for a living, but its capabilities are so broad that I think it also intimidates me at times. For example, if you head over to the "What it can do" page for Google Assistant from Google, browse for a minute and tell me you aren't overwhelmed. Look at all that stuff! Did you know that Google Assistant can talk to the city of Detroit, get nutrition facts, track baby stats, sync your UPS My Choice account for package status updates, or check your Walgreens rewards balance? Outside of nutrition facts, I didn't. Google says there are "over 1 million actions to try" with the Google Assistant. Good lord. Here I am setting timers, turning lights on or adjusting their brightness, changing the temperature, utilizing Family Bells, asking basic Search questions, firing up a Spotify playlist, adding items to my shopping list, and of course, checking on the weather, but I still feel like I'm missing so much stuff. So, I'm curious what you use Google Assistant for? Have you settled into the basic tasks like I just listed above or have you connected 3rd party apps and services to get even more out of it? Give me something you think is unique that I absolutely need to add to my repertoire.

Undo Tweet Button Coming to Twitter

Tim — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 08:39:04 +0000

Ever since the service's launch, folks have been interested in the idea of an Edit button for Twitter, capable of allowing users to correct typos and whatever other imperfections are present in their tweets -- as if anyone actually gives a shit. Well, it appears Twitter is working on something similar, though, it's not technically an Edit button. Thanks to good spotting by @wongmjane on Twitter, it appears the company is working on an Undo button for when you're sending out tweets. This feature would essentially give folks a moment to proofread their tweets for any corrections that may need to be made. Plus, it might help a few people who seem to tweet only when they're really mad about things. There are a lot of pros for having an Undo button, but since it's not yet official, we're not 100% sure on how the feature works. We assume it's like Gmail's undo feature that holds your email in limbo until the timer runs out and the email is sent off. We'll await Twitter to confirm the details. I know it's not an Edit button, but it's something! https://twitter.com/wongmjane/status/1367704041942179841

TicWatch Pro 3 Gets First Big Discount at 15% Off, But You Have to Hurry

Kellen — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 08:09:51 +0000

Mobvoi gave us a taste of the discount we've been asking for a week or so ago when they shaved off $15 from their excellent TicWatch Pro 3, the only watch currently running the Snapdragon Wear 4100. Today, they are going bigger in a limited-time deal on Amazon (and their own store) that is only good for the next few hours. The TicWatch Pro 3 is 15% off at Amazon until they run out of stock or you could grab it from Mobvoi's store and save an additional 5% with promo code "GPSPERKS." Yep, that's the code from last week, and Mobvoi tells us you can stack it on the 15% deal. With the 15% + 5% combined, that should get you a TicWatch Pro 3 for around $242. In our TicWatch Pro 3 review, we spent a lot of time talking about how greatly the performance has improved on this watch, thanks to that Wear 4100 chip. If you've used any of the Wear 2100 or Wear 3100 watches, you'll notice the difference immediately, particularly in areas like opening apps, installing anything, and voice dictation. Battery life is also excellent, the watch wears well even for its size, and the display is pretty great. This is the Wear OS watch to buy until other 4100 watches arrive. Again, Amazon has this as a lightning deal for the day with 15% shaved off ($255), while Mobvoi is matching that 15% and letting you take another 5% off with code "GPSPERKS."

Amazon Deal Link | Mobvoi Store Link

OK Samsung, We'll Take $800 Off the Galaxy S21+

Kellen — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 14:57:54 +0000

Whenever Samsung launches a new Galaxy S or Galaxy Note phone, they run a pre-order period where they ask you to trade-in your current phone to get the new one. They typically offer values for your trade that are higher than usual to convince you to get the new hotness. It's the best deal in smartphones and it typically ends a couple of weeks after the new phone has hit the market. Except that hasn't been the case with the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra. Samsung has let their $700-off launch deal continue to run and we are well over a month removed from the Galaxy S21 arriving. Since tomorrow is a Friday, I wonder if today is the last day, but there is really no telling.

Reviews: Galaxy S21 Ultra | Galaxy S21

Because time has to be limited, here's what you need to know. Samsung is still giving you up to $700 off a Galaxy S21 phone if you trade-in any of the Galaxy S20 or Galaxy Note 20 phones. If you have any of the Galaxy S10 or Note 10 phones, they'll give you $550 off. There are iPhones and Google Pixel phones worth solid cash too, but the best values are in Samsung's phones. While $700 off is gives you an insane deal, the Galaxy S21+ also has an extra $100 discount, bringing the total up to $800 off for it. At $800 off, the Galaxy S21+ could be yours today and you'll pay just $199. At $700 off for the S21 or S21 Ultra, you pay either $99 or $499, respectively. Hit that link below and get to shopping.

Shop Galaxy S21 from Samsung

Pixel Buds Bug Fixes Now Include People Just Turning Off Features

Kellen — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 11:50:40 +0000

When the new Pixel Buds arrived last year, the sales pitch from Google certainly got me. The thought of a pair of true wireless buds with a focus on comfort and appearance in addition to sound and smarts was exactly what I was looking for. In my review, I made it clear that these were the buds I enjoyed the most, at least at the time. Fast forward to today and the general story of the Pixel Buds doesn't echo my early impressions and has since turned to an unpleasant one for many. After my review, the Buds landed in the ears of countless others and the reports of issues piled up so quickly that Google had to lay out a multi-month roadmap for updates that would address each and every one. Google tried to address audio cutouts, hissing sounds, and other connectivity issues through those updates. Whether or not any of that was fixed depends on your pair of Pixel Buds or ears, I think. The Google Support community for the Pixel Buds 2 and the Google Pixel subreddit are filled with folks who continue to have problems with their expensive true wireless buds and/or have discovered what they believe to be fixes for whatever the bug of the day is. As an example, a month or so ago I ran into an issue where my left Pixel Bud had completely drained and didn't seem to want to charge. The right bud was fully charged and ready to rock, but nothing, even a factory reset on the Buds, could get the left to work. And then I discovered a thread with hundreds of responses from people experiencing the same issue dating back to May of last year. Their solution? After factory resetting, you had to pair and immediately turn off in-ear detection. If you accomplished that move, the left ear bud would then magically charge again and start working. I'm not kidding. It worked. In another post I noticed this morning, some Pixel Buds owners were talking about how a long-running audio imbalance issue can be fixed simply by turning off the Adaptive Sound option in the Pixel Buds app. I'm not sure that everyone has found this to fix their problems, but you get the point. People invested $180 into Google's new Pixel Buds and have run into so many issues since owning them that they'll try anything. What started out as a pair of wireless earbuds that ticked every single box has turned into an ongoing headache for those who bought in. I can't even count the number of comments I've read over the months where Pixel Buds owners say they've given up hope and talked Google into refunding their purchase. It's too bad, man, because the Pixel Buds are still about the most comfortable ear buds I own and have without question the best touchpad and control system of any buds. But when your $180 ear buds are struggling in ways they were a year ago and you attempt to fix them on your own by turning off some of their best features, maybe these aren't the play.

Verizon Galaxy S21 Lineup Receives March Security Patch

Tim — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 11:30:52 +0000

Verizon is shipping out the new March security patch to the Galaxy S21 lineup. That's timely! So timely that we have no issues continuing to declare that Samsung is the king of Android updates. Sorry, we love ruffling those feathers. Once updated, owners of the Galaxy S21 will have software build version G991USQU1AUB3, S21+ will have G996USQ1AUB3, and S21 Ultra will have G998USQU1AUB3. Besides the March patch, Verizon lists "performance improvements." Have at it, Verizon S21 owners! // Verizon [2] [3]

Chrome Switches Its Release Cycle for First Time in a Decade

Kellen — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 10:19:01 +0000

Google Chrome releases will soon arrive more frequently than ever. In an announcement this morning from the Chromium blog, Google said that they are updating the Chrome release schedule for the first time in over a decade. For a cool 10+ years now, Chrome stable releases have shipped every 6 weeks with new features, security fixes, etc. With improvements to testing and release processes, Google has realized that it can shorten the release cycle and will do so in Q3 of this year. Starting with Chrome 94, Google will move to a 4-week milestone release cycle. Freaked out at the possibility that Google might break features, remove things you like, or cause other issues with so many releases? Don't worry, Google is also introducing an Extended Stable release that will see milestone updates every 8 weeks. Now, it will still get updates every 2 weeks to address "important issues," but none of the new features or all security fixes that the 4-week milestones see will be included. The Extended Stable is geared more towards admins who need more time to manage updates. As for Chrome OS, it too will support more stable release options, but Google isn't quite ready to share those plans yet. More frequent updates! Love to see it. // Chromium Blog

T-Mobile WFX Designed to Meet Demand of Booming Home Office Customers

Tim — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 09:47:45 +0000

T-Mobile made a number of announcements for small businesses and enterprise customers this morning, with the entirety of the new stuff falling under the branding of T-Mobile WFX. For those who may ask, the WFX stands for Work From Anywhere, a play on the WFH (work from home) and WFO (work from office) acronyms. T-Mobile WFX is a combination of things: Enterprise Unlimited, which are new wireless plans with unlimited 5G, T-Mobile Home Office Internet, that being home broadband designed to provide remote employees the "bandwidth and security needed to get work done," and T-Mobile Collaborate. Collaborate is a new suite of mobile-first, cloud-based tools for business calling, messaging and conferencing from virtually anywhere on any device. T-Mobile Home Office Internet starts at $90 per line per month and Enterprise Unlimited with T-Mobile Collaborate together start at $37 per line per month. According to T-Mobile, "Companies get T-Mobile Collaborate and unlimited talk, text, data with 5G access for a price that’s closer to what the competition charges for just the software or just the line."

For availability, Enterprise Unlimited plans will be available March 5. T-Mobile Home Office Internet and T-Mobile Collaborate will be available March 22.

If you're a small business or enterprise customer, you can follow the link below for all of the specifics. // T-Mobile

Qualcomm Sound is the Branding Coming Soon to Your Audio Future

Kellen — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 09:30:42 +0000

Qualcomm has taken sound pretty seriously for a number of years now by introducing solutions that improve the entire audio experience from smartphones to headphones and computers. The thing is, there are so many Qualcomm sound products to keep track of that it can all be a bit of a confusing mess and so the company decided it needed better branding. At least that's my takeaway from today's news around the launch of Qualcomm Sound. Yep, Qualcomm Sound is what you are about to see splashed on all of Qualcomm's audio-related products, almost as a badge of audio quality expected inside. And that's totally cool, as it should help everyone understand the experience they should get when that badge shows up on a pair of headphones or your next smartphone. Qualcomm Sound is the name for "an optimized chain of audio innovations and software designed to provide seamless, immersive audio in, and across, devices including smartphones, wireless earbuds and headsets," the company said today to press. And that "chain of audio innovations" includes the Snapdragon 8-series (like the Snapdragon 888), Qualcomm's FastConnect system, aptX technologies, ANC, Bluetooth chips, and more. Here is the Qualcomm Sound platform:

Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 8-series mobile platforms
Qualcomm® FastConnect™ 6900 mobile connectivity system
Qualcomm® QCC514x, QCC515x and QCC3056 series Bluetooth Audio SoCs
Qualcomm® Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) technology
Qualcomm® aptX™ Adaptive(tm), 24-bit 96kHz and 89ms latency
Qualcomm® aptX™ Voice super wideband voice
Qualcomm Aqstic™ audio codec and smart speaker amplifier WCD938x and WSA883x)
Qualcomm Audio and Voice Communication Suite

The first products to launch with Qualcomm Sound branding should arrive later this year, with Xiaomi and Audio-Technica already committing to some. // Qualcomm

Verizon Galaxy Note 8 Gets a Fresh Update With Improvements

Kellen — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 08:04:01 +0000

There's no need for us to continue to hammer home the fact that Samsung updates phones longer than anyone else in Android, right? You know that. OK, well, if you didn't, this is an example of that level of support. The Galaxy Note 8, an almost-four-year-old phone is getting a new update. The Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 8 was updated today to build PPR1.180610.011.N950USQU8DUA3 with January's Android security patch. It contains the security fixes from the first month of the year, as well as performance improvements, according to the changelog. As a phone in its 4th year of updates, Samsung is now only serving them up on a quarterly basis. The Note 8 switched to that quarterly schedule around its third birthday in October of last year. Even still, this phone should see at least a couple of additional updates before it's retired later this year. To update, head into Settings>About phone>Software updates>Check for updates. // Verizon

Is a New Samsung Wear OS Watch Interesting?

Kellen — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 06:30:33 +0000

That's the question I keep asking myself now that we have both rumors and a possible code reference to Samsung working on a Wear OS watch for the first time since the platform launched in 2014. I can't decide if Samsung should make a Wear OS watch again or if they should stay far away. To catch you up, we think Samsung is working on a Wear OS watch because we first had a rumor from a consistently accurate Samsung leaker suggest so. That rumor was quickly followed by a report that Samsung had left a bit of code in their kernel source which acknowledges a product called "Merlin" that has something to do with Wear OS. That's noteworthy because Samsung hasn't touched Wear OS since 2014's Gear Live and has instead only released watches running their own Tizen operating system. As one of the bigger players in the smartwatch game, it would be a huge move for Samsung to switch platforms. Would it be a good move? Again, that's where we come back to the title question. I don't know! Here's what I can tell you. Wear OS is still very much an outdated, barely-working-at-times wearable platform that Google has almost completely abandoned. They care so little about Wear OS that their leaders don't even know if or when it participates in their own developer conference. Some of its most important features have been broken for months and are now only getting attention from Google because the media made a stink about them. People constantly ask Google if it's a dead platform. Google tries to tell us they are investing in Wear OS and wearables every few months, so we at least have that to go on. We got a decent Wear OS update last fall too. It wasn't major major, but it was an update that showed Google is still working on it. We even have new a Snapdragon Wear 4100 chip with lots of promise, just no one willing to use it outside of Mobvoi (and maybe Motorola). I think it's generally safe to say that Wear OS is not a thriving platform, has few partners making devices, and would have died years ago if not for Fossil keeping it alive with its many brands. But what if Samsung did make a Wear OS watch? Well, Samsung does make nice hardware. The Galaxy Watch Active 2 was a fabulous fitness-focused watch, while the Galaxy Watch 3 is certainly premium feeling. They make their own wearable chips that are regularly updated with the times. They do cool things, like add in rotating bezels and try and track advanced health metrics. Samsung makes really nice smartwatches - they just don't run Wear OS. Where I think the idea becomes interesting is only because a switch for Samsung could very well mean that Google has fresh plans for Wear OS. Does that mean a brand new UI and new apps and services and a mature Wear OS unlike anything we've seen before? Eh, maybe? Or maybe Samsung will simply bring all of their stuff over. An example of that is the OPPO Watch or the TicWatch Pro 3, where both companies have put a ton of their own software on these watches with companion apps that sync over to smartphones, almost outside of Wear OS. They even put their own app launchers on because Google's is so frustrating to use. Samsung could do something similar with Samsung Health, while they then rely on Google for most of the rest, like Google Assistant, notifications, Google apps, etc. There's another part of me that thinks the really big move would be for Google to open Wear OS a bit more, let someone like Samsung slap One UI on top of it, and use it more like they do Android on a phone. With such little interest in Wear OS the way it is now, it's time for Google to let companies show their own visions. In a way, we've seen companies like Fossil do this, where they added battery modes and sleep tracking because Google couldn't find the time to. But these companies could certainly take things to another level if Google would let them. Getting back to the topic I hand, I think yes, Samsung making a Wear OS watch is interesting. It's not just interesting because Samsung makes nice smartwatches, though. Instead, the details I want to know are in the why Samsung would come back to Wear OS. What is Google up to?

Here's What Got Fixed in Android 12 Developer Preview 1.1

Tim — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 11:50:00 +0000

Google released Developer Preview update 1.1 for Android 12 this morning, a "minor" update that brings a handful of fixes to eligible devices. To clarify, this isn't Developer Preview 2, it's merely a bug fixer update aimed to improve stability for developers who are working to get ready for the Android 12 launch later this year. If you're following along with Android 12's development, either as a user or developer, you'll likely want to know what's inside the update. Thanks to Google, we have a complete breakdown. Some of the highlights include a WiFi disconnect bug that's been resolved, a "System UI keeps stopping" message whenever you'd attempt to snap a screenshot on the lock screen, as well as a fix for an issue the Settings app could crash if the user tried to access app notification settings. Here's the complete list.

What's Fixed in Android 12 Developer Preview 1.1

Fixed an issue where on some devices, the device intermittently disconnected from Wi-Fi even when the Wi-Fi signal was strong.
Fixed an issue where on some devices, the device displayed a "System UI keeps stopping" message if the user tried to take a screenshot by pressing Power + Volume Down from the Lock screen.
Fixed an issue with partial wake locks that could cause excessive battery drain.
Fixed an issue where a device's fingerprint reader could become unresponsive when the device was suspended, requiring the user to unlock their device using another method.
Fixed an issue where the Settings app could crash if the user tried to access app notification settings.
Fixed an issue where the system UI could freeze after the user updated the device.
Fixed an issue where the CellBroadcastReceiver app could not obtain the android.permission.BROADCAST_CLOSE_SYSTEM_DIALOGS permission, causing emergency alerts to crash.
Fixed an issue that could cause some devices to reboot intermittently.
Fixed an issue that could cause some devices to reboot after the user unlocked the device using their PIN.

We'll continue to update you with changes and fixes as Google makes them public. // Android Developers

Android 12 Developer Preview 1.1 Update is Here

Kellen — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 10:02:49 +0000

Download Android 12 DP 1.1 update for your Pixel

Google just dropped an update for the Android 12 Developer Preview 1. Available now as DP 1.1, Google says that this is a minor update to address a couple of fixes. There are fixes for intermittent WiFi disconnects, a "System UI keeps stopping" message, partial wake locks causing battery drain, an issue where a device's fingerprint reader could become unresponsive, various reboot bugs, other crashes, and more.

Release date: March 3, 2021 Build: SPP1.210122.022 Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A) Security patch level: March 2021 Google Play services: 21.02.14

Android 12 DP 1.1 Downloads: Factory Image | OTA For instructions on how to update to DP 1.1, you'll want to checkout this post. This new update is available to the Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 4a, Pixel 3a, and Pixel 3, just like the original build.

Samsung Source Code Hints at Wear OS-Powered 'Merlot' Smartwatch

Tim — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 09:06:11 +0000

Thanks to a lot of work from @MishaalRahman, digging through a pile of kernel source code, a hint has been discovered that appears to back up the biggest unconfirmed news in town: Samsung is making a Wear OS smartwatch. According to Mishaal's discovery, lines of code in the kernel source for One UI 3.1 reference a Wear OS device believed to be codenamed Merlot. Not too much else is detailed in the code, but Broadcom's BCM43013 combo chip (Bluetooth + WiFi) is also mentioned. Mishaal notes that no Merlot reference is made in the One UI 3.1 firmware itself, which would have added much more fuel to the fire. I will say, these things are never an accident. First it was @UniverseIce saying Samsung was going to make an Android (Wear OS) watch. I can't recall a time that person has been wrong about something related to Samsung. Now we have source code pointing to a mystery Wear OS device in Samsung's One UI software. If I was a betting person, I'd have no problem placing a wager that we do see Samsung launch a Wear OS device. Why are they doing this? I have no idea, as I thought Wear OS was essentially a dead platform, but the hints are piling up. This is exciting. // @MishaalRahman

Google Says It Soon Won't Track Your Browsing Anymore

Kellen — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 07:53:13 +0000

No one likes to be tracked as they browse the internet. It's creepy, the ads are annoying, and our trust in the companies powering so many of our experiences has certainly diminished over the years because of it. As tech heads are beginning to realize that our trust is almost gone, they've decided to make changes and none are as important as the change Google announced today. In a post from Google discussing a more-private internet where cookies track you less, the company confirmed that "once third-party cookies are phased out, we will not build alternate identifiers to track individuals as they browse across the web, nor will we use them in our products." That's right, Google is going to stop individual tracking of your browsing sessions pretty soon. To backup for a second, you have to understand where this is coming from. Google points out in today's post that it is joining other ad tech folks in moving away from the 3rd party cookies that are so good at precisely tracking your individual internet world and then serving you ads from that data. As those are phased out, Google and other companies will indeed come up with other ways to properly serve you ads still, it just won't be as personal. Instead, Google will turn to methods like Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC), which group you into crowds of people with similar interests, taking individual identifiers out of the equation. They'll start broader testing of FLoC in Q2 through their Google Ads platform. Google also plans to offer new user controls over privacy starting in Chrome 90 that will let you turn on or off targeted ads. Those controls will expand over time, but that'll be the first one. All good stuff here, we think. // Google

Who Here Still Has a Grandfathered Verizon Unlimited Plan?

Tim — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 15:48:04 +0000

We recently spoke about Verizon's original unlimited data plan during an episode of the Droid Life Show. We asked quickly if anyone was actually still using a grandfathered plan, but weren't expecting to have anyone say yes. To our amazement, there were a few folks still using it, and unsurprisingly, it's costing them a ton each month. The thing is, Verizon has done whatever it can, including big price jumps, to get people off of those old grandfathered plans because there are little restrictions on them concerning the flow of data to a single device. As far as we know, so long as people aren't trying to tether devices and aren't using an "extraordinary" amount of data, it should be a fine experience. However, we're not sure exactly why folks are still on these plans when, from a cost standpoint, there has to be a better option out there. Verizon's new unlimited plans start at $70/month for a single line (discounts with multiple lines) and include free goodies like timed subscriptions to Disney+ and Apple Music. Back when Verizon introduced its new plans, Kellen did a long post about whether people should make the switch or not. I recommend you read it. We'd love to hear from anyone still rocking one of Verizon's original data plans. Let us know what you're paying each month (if you don't mind us asking) and why you're still using it!

Android Users Getting Twitter Spaces

Tim — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 12:54:05 +0000

Twitter announced this morning that Android users will now find Spaces inside of their app, as the beta for the new feature continues to grow. If you didn't know, Spaces is an audio-only group session of sorts that allows people to join in on conversations. As of right now, Android folk can't start their own Spaces, but that should be coming soon as Twitter continues to hammer out bugs.

Android folks, our beta is growing! starting today you will be able to join and talk in any Space. SOON you’ll be able to create your own but we’re still working out some things. keep your *eyes* out for live Spaces above your home tl [timeline].

I'm not seeing Spaces in my app yet, but if you are, let us know! // Twitter

Mobvoi Discounts TicWatch S2 ($135) and TicWatch E2 ($128)

Tim — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 11:51:43 +0000

While we await more Wear OS devices running the new Snapdragon Wear 4100 processor, Mobvoi is discounting a few of its smartwatches this week. Starting today for a very limited time, you can get a TicWatch S2 for just $135 (33% off) and the TicWatch E2 for only $128 (20% off). Mobvoi is one of the companies that is actually trying to keep Wear OS alive, and from our experience, they make some fine smartwatches -- as fine as a Wear OS watch can be. They offer decent battery life, good displays, and plenty of the specs you'd want from a wearable. You can check out our TicWatch S2 review here. Note that Mobvoi will also put the TicWatch Pro 3 GPS on sale later this week on March 5, pricing it at $255. That's down from the typical $299. Have at it, Wear OS fans.

Mobvoi Links: TicWatch S2 ($135) | TicWatch E2 ($128)

Google TV App May Soon Offer Remote Control Function

Tim — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 10:29:06 +0000

Thanks to digging done inside of the latest Google TV app for Android, it appears work is being done to bring remote control functionality, allowing folks to finally leave that old Android TV Remote Control app in the past. Thank goodness. Discovered by the good people at 9to5Google, there is code that aligns perfectly with a remote control: there are D-pad buttons, as well as buttons for things like Enter and Back. You know, buttons that make a remote control actually useful. There is also work for a system that allows for the pairing of the phone to your Google TV. That will also be very important. We don't yet know when Google will release this remote control feature, but we assume it's right around the corner. Everyone liking their Google TV experience so far? Here's our review if you're on the fence. // 9to5Google

That New Moto Wear OS Watch has a Snapdragon Wear 4100!

Kellen — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 09:47:04 +0000

When we shared news yesterday that there would be a new series of Moto-branded smartwatches released over the coming months, we missed an important hint at their potential. In one of the slides that showed the backside of one of the watches, the bezel of the case had a list of specs that weren't obvious unless you worked a bit of image magic. If these specs hold-up, we might finally get another next-gen Wear OS watch to compete with the TicWatch Pro 3. Below, the image enhancement from a reddit user shows that an upcoming Moto watch will have 5ATM water resistance, GPS, NFC, and what appears to be wireless charging through a coil underneath a glass cover. But the bigger catch here is what looks to be a print of "Snapdragon Wear 4100." You can almost see it in the image we captured at the top of this post, but it's more obvious here. Again, if this holds up, even if this is the Moto G Watch, the processor instantly removes any doubts we had about the branding and should let this watch stand-up next to the best available.

We aren't sure why the industry has been so slow to adopt the Wear 4100, as it dramatically improves performance over watches running the Wear 3100. It's such a big difference that we wouldn't recommend anyone buy a watch running the Wear 3100 and would instead suggest they wait for more 4100 watches if the TicWatch Pro 3 isn't what they are looking for. Adding Motorola to the mix, even if eBuyNow is the company making the watch, gives us a bit of hope for Wear OS, a platform that feels very much like an abandoned one.

Crash Bandicoot: On the Run Launches March 25 on Android

Tim — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 08:50:50 +0000

We now have a launch date for the new Crash Bandicoot game for Android and iOS! Called Crash Bandicoot: On the Run, the game is now scheduled to launch March 25 worldwide, published by the same great people who gave the world Candy Crush. From the trailer, the game appears to be an endless runner, which is actually 100% perfect for the Crash Bandicoot universe. You slide through levels, spin through baddies, and experience a whole new side of Crash. As unfortunate as it is that this game will likely have a few in-app purchase issues or devices employed by its publishers to increase revenue (ads with no way to permanently remove them), the game does look fun and I'll certainly be giving it a spin. The game is still up for pre-registration on Google Play if you'd like to be notified within 24 hours of the game launching. Honestly, we're quicker than Google Play and I'll let you know exactly when the game goes live later this month.

Google Play Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ANFvaAzHd4&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=KingOnlineGames

Chrome Gets Sweet New Profile Experience

Kellen — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 08:30:40 +0000

Managing a Chrome experience on a shared desktop in your home can be a pain unless you know about Chrome profiles and their power in separating everyone's personal experiences. Yeah, you probably didn't know about them, so Google is trying to put a bit of attention on them today with the release of a new profile manager. Over the coming weeks, Google is going to rollout a new profile picker and setup page that lets you customize profiles, pick them easier with each new Chrome launch, etc. It should be a helpful way to get everyone who uses the same computer to launch their own Chrome setup rather than someone else's. Why setup profiles on Chrome? Well, when you setup a profile that's attached to your Google account, it'll sync passwords and bookmarks across Chrome, so you can then access everything on other devices. It also lets you customize the look of Chrome for you with themes or colors. And most importantly, it separates your stuff from your partner's or kid's. Again, the new Chrome profile manager is coming soon, but should start rolling out to some right away. To start accessing profiles, even if you don't have the new experience, click on that icon in the top right next to the settings menu. Yes, that's your profile image.

// Google

Instagram Live Now Supports Up to 4 People Simultaneously

Tim — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 15:58:10 +0000

Before this week's announcement, Instagram could support two people streaming video simultaneously in the Live feature. That amount has doubled today, with the app now supporting up to 4 people being in the same Live room and streaming their video to the masses. This feature is called Live Rooms, perfect for getting likeminded people together and discussing topics. As Instagram, explains, "We hope that doubling up on Live will open up more creative opportunities — start a talk show, host a jam session or co-create with other artists, host more engaging Q&As or tutorials with your following, or just hang out with more of your friends." To get started, simply swipe left and pick the Live camera option. Once there, add a title and tap the Rooms icon to add your guests. You’ll see people who have requested to go live with you, and you can also search for a guest to add. Easy enough? Instagram says this is rolling out to all users globally this week. // Facebook

Make Samsung's One UI 3.1 Feel Faster With a Simple Trick

Kellen — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 14:52:51 +0000

During a write-up of the Galaxy S21 where I explained why I wouldn't stick with Samsung's newest phone going forward and would instead go back to the Pixel 5, I pointed out that one of the little things that annoyed me was the removal of an animation feature in One UI 3.1. Specifically, it was the "Reduce Animations" option in the Advanced Features section of Samsung's One UI, an option that had been there for a couple of releases and only now has been removed. For those not familiar with the option, just understand that it was a simple toggle in an easy-to-access area that toned down One UI's excessive animations. I loved it because it was as if Samsung realized how overboard the animation scaling was in their software and made it super easy to dial things back. Many were quick to point out in that article that there are alternative options to this, including a "Remove animations" toggle in Accessibility, as well as window scale adjustments that can be made in developer options. I've been well aware of both for years, but the reason for the complaint was that Samsung took away a simple solution while going nuts with transitions in One UI 3.1, particularly in the notification shade, where it feels like it takes a full 5 seconds for a swipe down to finish and show pending notifications. So because I want you all to be able to drop those transition and animation times down, we should make sure everyone knows about changes in animation scaling. Seriously, your Samsung Galaxy phone will feel instantly faster in almost anything you do once you tweak this setting. And since the Galaxy S21, as well as the Galaxy S20, Galaxy Note 20, and Galaxy Z Fold 2, now run One UI 3.1, this affects a lot of you.

Speed up your Galaxy S21, S20, Note 20

Head into Settings>About phone>Software information
Find Build Number and tap on it several times until it says "Developer mode has been turned on" at the bottom of the screen. You should see a countdown as this happens.
Now, back up two screens into Settings and you should see "Developer options" as a new choice below "About phone."
Tap into Developer Options and scroll down until you find options labeled: Window animation scale, Transition animation scale, and Animator duration scale.
They should all be at an animation scale of 1x, so you'll want to reduce by tapping on each and choosing a new scale. For me, I switch all three to .5x.
You could switch to "Animation off," but I always feel like your eyes need some animation or it can be a bit shocking to navigate a device. If there are no animations at all, things happen almost too quickly.
And that's it!

Completing that short set of instructions really will make your phone feel faster as you open a folder, leave an app, and yes, swipe down the notification area. The most important setting there is the "Animator duration scale," where if you set that up to 2x or higher, you'll notice just how slow things happen. So again, drop that to .5x or lower and everything will pop open and close without the wait.

We Might Get Three New Motorola Watches This Year (Updated: 4100!)

Kellen — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 13:01:31 +0000

The newest Moto 360 watch that first launched at the end of 2019 was not made by Motorola. I think we made that clear back then, but for those who missed that launch, a company called eBuyNow is the company that made it under a licensing deal with Motorola. After seeing what we have to assume was some level of success, that company is planning for more Moto-branded watches in the coming months. In the earnings report last week for CE Brands, which eBuyNow falls under, the company laid out a roadmap for product releases in 2021. The roadmap is below and shows that a "Moto G Smartwatch" will arrive in June followed by "Moto Watch & One" devices, which appear to be two additional watches. The Moto G Smartwatch could hint at an affordable offering, only because the Moto G line is Motorola's mid-range line of devices. If that's the case, you have to worry that eBuyNow will include the ancient, dumpster of a wearable chipset from Qualcomm known as the Snapdragon Wear 3100. If that's the case, you should never consider this watch. Here's to hoping we see some Snapdragon Wear 4100 adoption at some point in life.

UPDATE: At least one of the new watches appears to have the Wear 4100!

As for the Moto Watch and Moto One wearable, these could be additional Wear OS watches or maybe they'll slot in the category of smart fitness watches that have become quite popular in recent years. I'm talking about the watches from Amazfit or Huawei, where they run custom fitness-focused software instead of Wear OS, offer multi-day and week battery life, and limited smarts, but do track all of the health metrics. We'll try to remain open-minded here. Let's go, June!

// Watch Smarty | 9to5Google

Samsung's $549 Galaxy Chromebook 2 Available to Order

Tim — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 12:35:26 +0000

Samsung's new Galaxy Chromebook 2 is no longer up for pre-order, reaching general availability this morning with a starting price of $549. Announced during this year's CES, this Chrome OS-powered machine comes in at a much more reasonable price than the original, but still has the goods to get your web-based tasks completed. Specs for this device include a 13" QLED touchscreen display with S Pen support, a base spec that includes 4GB RAM and an Intel Celeron processor, and 64GB storage. If you need a bit more juice, which wouldn't surprise me because 4GB RAM is kinda laughable, there's a $699 model that comes with an i3 processor, 8GB RAM, and 128GB storage. That's a bit more respectable in 2021. If I was more into Chrome OS you might catch me using this machine, but yeah, I need actual programs to complete photo and video editing tasks. I wish I could get away with just using Chrome OS. Maybe one day?

Pre-Order Links: Samsung | Best Buy

Goodbye, OnePlus 9 Lite. Hello, OnePlus 9R.

Tim — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 11:19:11 +0000

A leak over the weekend has left us with information concerning OnePlus' "Lite" model that was first speculated to be a thing back in December. Thanks to new information, that Lite phone is apparently called the OnePlus 9R, and as far as mid-range phones go, it sounds pretty solid. What we see as a competitor to the Galaxy S20 FE and Pixel 5, the OnePlus 9R is reported to feature a 6.5" FHD+ display with a refresh rate of 90Hz, Snapdragon 690 processor, 8GB RAM, 5,000mAh battery with 30W fast charge support, and at least one rear camera weighing in at 64MP. If this phone comes in at the $500-$600 range, that seems pretty good. The leak also mentioned OnePlus' smartwatch, known as the OnePlus Watch. We've been talking about a OnePlus Watch forever now, but it's definitely looking like this thing is actually going to happen in 2021. It's still unknown if it will run Wear OS or something else, but it is said that it may be available in two sizes. OnePlus' Moonshot event is scheduled for March 8. We'll hopefully learn a bit more at that time. // 91Mobiles

Google's Latest Pixel Feature Drop is Here With Several New Features

Kellen — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 10:29:05 +0000

As a part of the benefit to owning a Google Pixel phone, you not only get regularly scheduled updates, you also get new batches of software features through the Pixel Feature Drop program. Today, Google sent out another drop, so if you own a Pixel phone, you have new goodies to play with. For the March 2021 Pixel Feature Drop, Google is improving the Recorder app, bringing Smart Compose to more apps, giving you new wallpapers, helping you get more ZZZs, and has a way for you to capture underwater photos. Pixel owners have had access to the ultra-smart and handy Google Recorder app for some time, but for this month, Google has added the ability to share links with others to your audio files and has launched a web portal for accessing your own recordings. At that web portal (recorder.google.com), you'll find recordings and transcripts and search capabilities within. With Smart Compose, Google has given the keyboard smarts that allow it to complete your sentences like magic, but the functionality has been pretty limited. Starting today, Google says "select messaging apps" now have access to Smart Compose. It sounds like the list includes Google Messages, Hangouts and Chat, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Verizon Messages, Telegram, and Slack.

For new wallpapers, to celebrate International Women's Day on March 8, Google is bringing a set of wallpapers (above) that should be available in the Wallpapers app on your Pixel phone. Be on the lookout for those come March 8. In the sleeping department, Google is adding a "new, updated bedtime screen, along with redesigned notifications" when you use your Pixel Stand. Of course, you'll have to own a phone with Pixel Stand support in order to see this stuff, like the Pixel 3, Pixel 4, and Pixel 5. Finally, Google worked with Kraken Sports to create a special underwater case for Pixel phones to be able to take better underwater pictures - it costs $325. OK, then. Alright, so that's it for the Pixel Feature Drop. Many of these are updates that will come to apps, so the availability here could be slowish to rollout. For now, grab the March Android update and enjoy being a Pixel phone owner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKCaM4cbrFg // Google

March 2021 Android Security Update Now Available for Pixel Devices

Kellen — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 10:04:52 +0000

Hey, friends, it's March Pixel update time!

To no one's surprise, we have a fresh Android update to start a new month, this time with the March 2021 Android security patch. We still have a number of supported Google phones at the moment, so if you own a Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4/4 XL, Pixel 3a/3a XL, or Pixel 3/3 XL, you should have an update available momentarily if you don't feel like flashing a factory image or OTA file.

READ: New Pixel Feature Drop for March is here!

Currently, we are seeing new 11.0.0 files for Pixel 5 (RQ2A.210305.006, RQ2A.210305.007), Pixel 4a 5G (RQ2A.210305.006, RQ2A.210305.007), Pixel 4a (RQ2A.210305.006, RQ2A.210305.007), Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL (RQ2A.210305.006), Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL (RQ2A.210305.006), and Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL (RQ2A.210305.006). The specifics on build numbers:

Global:
- Pixel 3 (XL): RQ2A.210305.006
- Pixel 3a (XL): RQ2A.210305.006
- Pixel 4 (XL): RQ2A.210305.006
- Pixel 4a: RQ2A.210305.006
- Pixel 4a (5G): RQ2A.210305.006
- Pixel 5: RQ2A.210305.006
Virgin UK:
- Pixel 4a: RQ2A.210305.007
- Pixel 4a (5G): RQ2A.210305.007
- Pixel 5: RQ2A.210305.007

Here are the notable fixes for this update:

If you don’t want to wait for Google and prefer to update manually, 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. We’ll update this post as more info arrives. Links:

OnePlus 'Moonshot' Announcement Happening March 8

Tim — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 08:59:10 +0000

OnePlus has set the date for a big announcement where we expect it'll unveil something to do with its latest smartphones. That date is March 8, a week from today. As of this morning, we're anticipating up to three phones from OnePlus in the first half of 2021, including the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro, as well as a smartwatch. In its marketing material, OnePlus is using an image of Earth that was captured during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. The URL for OnePlus' landing page is also labeled as Moonshot. All of these hints are believed to point to a new partnership between OnePlus and Hasselblad, famous for being the brand of camera Apollo 11 took to the moon and used for many famous shots. The Hasselblad branding was first spotted last month when a photo of the OnePlus 9 was taken. We'll have more details soon (a week from now), but in the meantime, let us know if you're looking forward to what OnePlus has in store for 2021.

OnePlus Moonshot

https://twitter.com/PeteLau/status/1366357664213528576

Google Chat Sure Seems to Be Going Live for People

Kellen — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 08:38:49 +0000

About a month ago, the first signs of Google Chat opening up to the general population surfaced, with hints of a preview experience that would slow rollout Chat availability beyond the Google Workspace crowd. Over the weekend, that preview started going live, plus there's a new web experience that is opening up too. For those interested in giving Chat a try and starting the process of moving on from Google Hangouts, all you need to do is open up the Google Chat app to see if your account has been given access. If it has, you should see the pop-up below that says "Welcome to Google Chat" and that this app "introduces a new experience and features not found in Hangouts." It does mention that because it's a "preview," you "might experience bugs and other issues." I picked up access on Saturday and we've seen reports of others getting it as well.

If you haven't had the chance to tryout Google Chat yet, prepare for some differences between this and the Hangouts experience you know. First of all, it has a dark theme, which is awesome. You'll also get link previews too, more options at the bottom of a chat for attaching things (images, Drive links, video, calendar events, etc.), and a UI that is modern and on-par with other Google apps. Unfortunately, group chats might not work. I have some long-standing group chats in my personal Chat account that do show up, but not all of them. You also can't create a group chat at the moment, as Google is clearly testing things and slow rolling features just like availability, and when you send someone a picture who is still using old Hangouts, they may be given a Google Drive link. It's an annoying issue that should flush itself out if we all get onto Chat. Not seeing access in the app? You could look to the web client for access. Google Chat used to be hosted at chat.google.com, but for the past week or so it has redirected to a Gmail-based client here. Give that link a look to see if you've been given access there. For those trying out Google Chat, what do you think?

Pixel 4a 5G is $50 Off, So Go For It

Kellen — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 07:43:18 +0000

Assuming that most of you aren't Xfinity Mobile customers and didn't take advantage of that $250-off Pixel 4a 5G deal, we've got one for you today that's solid and on the unlocked model. For a limited time, Amazon has the Pixel 4a 5G with a $50 discount, dropping the price to $449. While not as substantial of a price drop as that carrier-tied version, $50 off a phone that is already priced to sell is something we'll take. The Pixel 4a 5G was a solid phone at full price, so with any discount it moves into insta-cop territory. Need a recap of the Pixel 4a 5G and what we think about it? Ready our review. UPDATE: Google and Best Buy have the deal too.

Get the Pixel 4a 5G for $250 at Xfinity Mobile ($250 Off)

Kellen — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 07:56:56 +0000

You absolutely love to see a phone discount that is available with both a monthly contract or at full retail price. Most carriers try to sucker you into deals by only offering the discount if it's spread out over a period of months, as a way to lock you in like a good ol' contract. Xfinity Mobile isn't doing that with the Pixel 4a 5G at the minute, though. For a limited time, Xfinity Mobile has slashed the price of the Google Pixel 4a 5G by $250 or 50%. They'll let you buy it on a monthly contract for $10.41/mo or straight up for $250. I'm not sure I need to say this, but yes, that's a hell of a deal. This phone was a good value at $499 (read our review for more on that) and is an absolute steal for $250. The deal runs through April 13, almost as if Xfinity is trying to clean out all remaining inventory in preparation for its replacement. There don't appear to be any secrets involved here either, you just need to be an Xfinity Mobile customer.

Shop Pixel 4a 5G at Xfinity Mobile

Report: Stadia Missed Targets for Sales, Active Users by Hundreds of Thousands

Tim — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 14:24:23 +0000

We are learning a ton of new information this week concerning what appears to be the failure of Stadia, Google's cloud gaming platform that was hyped as the future of gaming. Of course, it's not just Google who is in the cloud-based gaming market, but it is the company that appears to be failing the most publicly with it. New reports from both Wired and Bloomberg shed serious light on how much Stadia is underperforming, as well as Google's own lack of investment in areas that certainly could have used more help in the early stages. To start, it's detailed by Wired that Stadia significantly missed its 2020 targets for both controller sales and active monthly users, to the tune of hundreds of thousands. That's not good. If you'll recall, in an attempt to get people onto the service in a hurry, Google gifted every YouTube Premium subscriber a Stadia controller and Chromecast Ultra ($99 value), but even that appears to have not helped whatsoever. Additionally, Bloomberg's report covers more of what we'd label as a mismanagement of funds. According to Bloomberg, Google was paying major game publishers tens of millions of dollars for ports of their games to be used on Stadia. That money went to companies such as Ubisoft and Take-Two, instead of going towards in-house developers, which we already know didn't turn out too well with the closing of Stadia's in-house game studios. Another point brought up in Wired's report is the hiring process at Google. As most know, Google's hiring process is lengthy and quite involved, sometimes taking anywhere from six to nine months. Google had an initial plan to bring in 2,000 people over the course of five years to work on the development of Stadia titles, but due to Google's infrastructure, the company was unable to get meet that goal. On top of that, Google is reported to have restricted developers from using certain software for the development of games, with that move described as "roadblocks on the very fundamentals of game-making." Many times, you don't get this type of insider details until something is long dead. Stadia is still very much alive and Google says it's committed to keeping it that way. We'll see just how long they intend to spend their money on it. Google isn't typically one for keeping services alive it deems as a lost cause. I recommend you check out both the Wired and Bloomberg pieces. // Wired | Bloomberg

Samsung Highlights One UI 3.1 Changes for Galaxy Z Fold 2

Tim — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 13:31:19 +0000

Samsung wanted to highlight specifics that come inside of the new One UI 3.1 update for the Galaxy Z Fold 2, so this week, it posted up an entire rundown of what's new. As a total Z Fold 2 fanboy, thanks, Samsung! Samsung details an enhanced multi-active window UI (shown above in the header image), which is now accessible directly from notifications in the Quick Panel. Additionally, the camera software has been tweaked. Now, when shooting in Flex mode, the position of the controls can be adjusted for "greater comfort." Here's a few of the big changes.

Enhanced Multi-Active Window – Users can instantly return to up to three previously opened Multi-Active Windows on the Main Screen, or bring two Multi-Active Windows directly from the Main Screen to the Cover Screen via the Recents tab. In addition, users can now launch Multi-Active Window directly from notifications in the Quick Panel.
Palm Touch to Turn Off Screen – By enabling ‘Palm touch to turn off screen,’ both the Cover and Main Screen can be put on standby with the touch of the palm or a double tap.
Camera Flexibility - When shooting in Flex mode, the position of the controls can be adjusted for greater comfort. Plus, following suggestions from users, Samsung has added a Delete and Share button to the preview window in Flex mode.
Visual Experience – When making video calls in Flex mode, users can fill the top half of the display with the video of the person they are speaking to.

There's a lot of good stuff inside, so if you have yourself a Z Fold 2, check out all of the changes by following the link below. // Samsung

LG is Updating a Phone to Android 11!

Kellen — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 10:49:23 +0000

LG, one of the worst companies in the world at updating its Android phones, is finally providing an Android 11 update to a device in the US. This is big because I wasn't sure when we'd see this day, but also because we had no idea what they changed in Android 11. Unlike Samsung, who runs through a lengthy beta period and is very open with their software progress, LG says almost nothing, ever. Alright, so the Verizon LG V60 is the phone getting Android 11 and it should show up as build V600VM20a with January's Android security patch. On top of the fresh security, Verizon says that Android 11 from LG includes access to Bubbles for conversations, a few tweaks to the UI of the camera app, a handful of new quick settings icons, and well, that's all they really mention. Thankfully, Verizon included a set of screenshots which could show some new stuff, assuming anyone is at all familiar with LG's current skin.

To check for the update, head into Settings>About Phone>Software updates>Check for Update. What a day! // Verizon

Sorry, Google Discover is a Galaxy S21 Exclusive

Tim — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 09:59:42 +0000

Galaxy device owners receiving the One UI 3.1 update, the same software that came preloaded on the Galaxy S21 lineup, are quickly noticing that Google Discover is not available as an option for the stock launcher app. Considering we said having Google Discover inside of One UI 3.1 is one of the main highlights on the Galaxy S21 versus Samsung's Free software, this is probably disappointing to many. We first figured that Google Discover was a Galaxy S21 exclusive feature when the initial One UI 3.1 update rolled out to the Galaxy S20 FE. That update did not contain Google Discover support for the stock launcher, so it's not too surprising that it didn't come in these newer One 3.1 builds. Is this a total weak sauce move on Samsung's part? You better believe it. At first, I wouldn't think Samsung is that tactical with a feature like Google Discover, but apparently they are. Do they see Google Discover as a selling point that could get people to upgrade to the Galaxy S21? We reached out to Samsung concerning when and if devices outside of the Galaxy S21 can expect to see Google Discover support. We'll update as soon as we hear back. Sorry, non-Galaxy S21 owners.

Podcast: Android 12 Could Be Big

Kellen — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 08:52:34 +0000

For this episode of the Droid Life Show, we're diving into Android 12! The next version of Android is here on Pixel phones as a developer preview and it looks to be one of Android's biggest and best in a while. Let's talk about all of its current and future features. We also want to dive into Samsung the update king, a Pixel 5a leak, and yes, our Galaxy S21 review. Should be a fun filled show. Trivia is back as well with fabulous prizes provided by Aukey! 65W chargers, guys. We’ll be live at 11:00AM Pacific (2:00PM Eastern).

Thank you to EwinRacing for sponsoring this week’s show. Use promo code “Droidlife” for 30% off your purchase of a gaming chair. See our review of the chairs here.

T-Mobile's Truly Unlimited Magenta Max Plan Now Available for $85

Kellen — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 08:06:16 +0000

The time of truly unlimited data plans has returned this week with T-Mobile's introduction of the Magenta Max plan. As detailed a few days ago, T-Mobile is billing this as a plan that gets unlimited data on both 4G and 5G networks, with no throttling at any time or place. It's now available if you want to put those claims to the test. T-Mobile Magenta Max costs $85/mo for a single line, $70/mo for 2 lines, $47/mo for 3 lines, and $43/mo for 4 lines. In order to get those prices, you'll need to sign-up for autopay, but also keep in mind that those are the prices you pay, since T-Mobile is still including taxes and fees in their pricing. On the features front, the big sell here is (again) that you get truly unlimited data. T-Mobile lists Magenta Max as having unlimited "Premium Data" and says "Smartphone speeds can't slow based on usage." That should mean usage of hundreds of GBs or TBs of data, right? I hope so! I can't find any sneaky limits mentioned in any of the terms on T-Mobile's website, and I've looked. Outside of the never-ending stream of premium data, Magenta Max includes 40GB of high-speed data for tethering, 4K video streams, unlimited Gogo in-flight WiFi and texting, lots of international bonuses, and free Netflix that varies depending on how many lines you have. Are you ready to dive back into a world of unlimited data? This is your chance.

Shop T-Mobile Magenta Max Plan

Verizon Galaxy S20 and Note 20 Lines, Galaxy Z Fold 2 Get One UI 3.1 Update

Tim — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 15:20:01 +0000

As Samsung detailed shortly ago, they are now sending One UI 3.1 to select Galaxy devices. Sweet! It appears that Verizon-branded units are getting the update first, with the update rolling out right now to the Galaxy S20 line, Galaxy Note 20 line, and Galaxy Z Fold 2. We went over everything coming in One UI 3.1 here, but basically, it's a lot of the special stuff that came with the Galaxy S21 lineup. Highlights include Enhanced Single Take, Object Eraser, Multi-Mic Recording, and Eye Comfort Shield as other great additions for One UI 3.1. For a rundown of One UI 3.1, please read our Galaxy S21 Ultra review. There’s a whole section dedicated to it. Here are the build numbers following the update.

Software Version Numbers

Galaxy S20 FE: G781VSQU2DUB8
Galaxy S20 5G UW: G981VSQU1DUB7
Galaxy S20+: G986USQU1DUB7
Galaxy S20 Ultra: G988USQU1DUB7
Galaxy Note 20: N981USQU1DUB7
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra: N986USQU1DUB57
Galaxy Z Fold 2: F916USQU1DUB7

This is sweet! All hail the king of Android updates! // Verizon [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Samsung Galaxy S21 Review: Cuts That Don't Feel Good

Kellen — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 14:54:58 +0000

When you regularly review phones like we do, and maybe more specifically when you get to jump from one phone line to the following year's, it's pretty easy to be able to pick out what has changed for better or worse. You can tell if the camera has improved, if performance has changed, how much longer (or shorter) battery life is, which new features have been baked in (or removed) in the software, or if the design brings back that "Oh, OK, this is hot" feeling. With the launch of Samsung's Galaxy S21, all of that has been easy to pick up on, mostly because last year's Galaxy S20 was the phone I spent the most amount of time with. It was my favorite phone for almost all of 2020 until the Pixel 5 snuck in and stole my heart. So while I've been reviewing the phone for far too long now, my general thoughts on whether or not the S21 is a phone I'd consider weren't difficult to come by. Let's talk about them - this is our Galaxy S21 review.

What do I like about the Galaxy S21?

Display. Like with almost all Samsung phones, the display used on this phone is pretty great. It weighs in at 6.2", is AMOLED, and has a resolution of 1080p with a refresh rate of 120Hz. It gets insanely bright, quite dim on the flip side if you need it to, and can be viewed at off-angles without losing quality. You'll find blue light filters, some controls over the color profile, and solid touch responsiveness. If I had complaints, it's really just that it doesn't feel quite as sensitive to touch as my Pixel 5. I'm talking responsiveness again, where the Pixel 5 reacts so quickly to any swipe, while the S21 is ever-so-slightly behind in tasks. That said, the 120Hz refresh rate produces an ultra-smooth picture that few phones can match. Software. The team behind Samsung's One UI software deserves a very big raise. Now several versions in, the industry has seen enough - One UI is the future and everyone is going to copy it. OnePlus already did. Google plans to in Android 12. Mobile operating systems that look like One UI are going to be pretty common going forward. For the Galaxy S21, Samsung is using version 3.1 of One UI and it's as polished as ever. It's appealing to look at (once you tone down the animations), has more useful software features than you'll know what to do with (videos below), and will see at least four years of updates, including three major Android version updates. Some of my favorite features include all of the always-on display customizations, Samsung's suite of "Advanced" features, all of the built-in "Link to Windows" integration, and the new option for Google Discover off to the left of your main home screen. As for the software updates, Samsung has become the "King of Android Updates," so when you buy a phone like the Galaxy S21, you'll do so knowing that your expensive purchase will be supported for years and years, likely longer than you'll keep it.

Camera. The camera setup on the Galaxy S21 is the exact setup we saw on last year's Galaxy S20. You get 64MP telephoto, 12MP ultra-wide, and 12MP wide angle lenses, along with OIS and Dual Pixel AF. It has 30x Space Zoom, 724 different camera modes, and a camera app so robust I'm not sure I have time to list out all that it can do. During my time shooting with it, I found the camera app to be pretty slow for the first couple of weeks, to the point where I grew frustrated and temporarily stopped using it for pictures. I think a software update helped there, but there were several times where I'd load up the camera app, focus, and tap the shutter button, only to realize 2 or 3 seconds later it hadn't ever taken a photo. I missed shots I didn't want to miss time and time again. That's not to say that the camera isn't capable and still quite good. Again, the performance of the app has improved and I was able to capture a good portion of a terrible snow/ice storm we had here a couple of weeks ago. It took several great shots from that and this camera will definitely work for you in almost any situation. It's familiar, since it was used in last year's phone, but it'll do you just fine.

What don't I like about the Galaxy S21?

All of the cuts. This is a nod to the title and I'm sure you know what I'm about to run through. Yes, Samsung cut a lot from this phone compared to last year's Galaxy S20 and it kinda sucks, even if it did shave off $200. The drop to 1080p in the display doesn't bother me, since I ran the S20 at 1080p for 120Hz last year. But the non-upgrade to the camera, the removal of the SD card slot, killing MST, dropping the RAM, and putting on a cheap-feeling plastic rear all add up. Then you top that off with Samsung mocking Apple for removing chargers from the box and then doing the same themselves, and yeah, this phone just isn't the one. As you'll see below, I ran into performance issues for a while that more RAM might have helped with, the camera did little to get me excited, and the plastic backside isn't a good one (yes, there is such thing as nice plastic). MST's removal from Samsung Pay makes Samsung's payment app almost worthless, the lack of expandable storage should worry someone who plans to hang on to their phones for a while, and the charger situation is just silly. In the opening, I talked about comparing phones from one year to the next and the Galaxy S21 compares so unfavorably to the Galaxy S20 that I would have a hard time telling you to consider it. If the S20 weren't a year old, I would absolutely tell you to buy it and ignore this S21 because of all of those cuts.

Design. In the lead-up to the release of the Galaxy S21 series, I really fell for the design. I loved the look Samsung was attempting, where they blended the trend of large, ugly camera sensors into the frame of the phone, while also using a frosted, matte finish to cover the rest of the rear. They didn't change the front much from last year's Galaxy S20, but you don't really need to when it's an all-display front with a single selfie camera cutout. As I've spent weeks now with this phone in hand, I can tell you that the honeymoon period with its appearance has most definitely worn off. Now I'm at the point where I think the plastic backside on this regular S21 feels quite cheap (and slippery) and that the overall design and in-hand feel reminds me of one of LG's older phones that we certainly didn't love. This is an unremarkable phone in a design that won't be remembered for long. Performance. For my first couple of weeks of testing, most of my notes on the Galaxy S21 mentioned performance not being great, that there were frequent stutters and lag, that the navigation gestures would often freeze-up, and that the phone got warmer than other phones I've tested in recent years. Thankfully, a software update a week or so ago helped, but I still can't shake the feeling that this phone should perform better than it does. At this point, I think Samsung has shown that updates can improve a device, as they've done that. I don't necessarily have the complaints I did out of the gate, but first impressions often leave lasting impressions. Do I think the Snapdragon 888 processor and 8GB RAM can run well and help this phone last a long time? I do, but I also worry that any misstep with another update could bring back an experience you should never get from Samsung or a phone that costs $800. Battery life and slow charging. Coming from the Pixel 5, which is arguably the battery king of the moment, going to the Galaxy S21 and seeing battery warnings pop-up each night was a bit jarring for the first several weeks. At this point, I've just sort of given in to the fact that this phone will barely last a full day with my normal use. That may be OK for most people who expect to use the phone for 4-5 hours and slap it on a charger, but understand there are phones that last much longer. Another area that has been odd to see is in charging. While other companies have pushed for extreme charging, Samsung has almost abandoned being competitive here. They ran up 45W charging a couple of years ago and have mostly stepped away from that idea now. They cut chargers from the box and are selling 25W wired chargers and various wireless charging options, but when OnePlus is doing 65W charging and Xiaomi is pushing 100W, this seems like an area Samsung should find interest in.

Videos!

Unboxing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn7ErXgsTpM First 10 Things to Do https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBWoT015xB4 Tips and Tricks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4o2-r-zgE8

Should you buy the Galaxy S21?

That's a tough call. By no means is the Galaxy S21 a bad phone. It's a perfectly good phone. If you have a Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S10 and are looking to pick-up something new, it would be an upgrade. Will you be blown away like you would if you bought the Galaxy S21 Ultra (review)? I don't think so. Samsung is now offering a split Galaxy S line where to get everything and then some, you have to pay for the Ultra. The S21 and S21+ have real downgrades over that phone and when compared to the Galaxy S20 from last year. So if you need a new phone and your budget is around the $800 that this phone commands, take your time - this is not the best Android phone for the money.

Shop Galaxy S21 from Samsung

Low-Power Sleep Tracking API Made Available to Android Developers

Tim — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 13:15:20 +0000

The Android development team announced this week that it's making the low-power Sleep API publicly available to 3rd-party Android developers. Put simply, this means developers will be able to create better apps that track sleep, while not using a lot of power. The team says that when this API is in use, there are two ways users can see data. Data is reported in intervals of up to 10 minutes to apps, then a report is compiled for the users once wakeup is detected.

A ‘sleep confidence’, which is reported at a regular interval (up to 10 minutes)
A daily sleep segment which is reported after a wakeup is detected

Google details that it collaborated with the app Sleep as Android to ensure the Sleep API worked properly. If you're an Android developer, you can access the API in the latest version of Google Play Services. Hopefully we'll see a lot of cool sleep-tracking apps pop up that work good in the near future. // Android Developers

Twitter to Introduce Super Follows, a Way to Pay for Sweet Tweets

Kellen — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 11:22:26 +0000

Reports of Twitter building out ways for you to pay for parts of the social network were absolutely correct. Today, Twitter teased a couple of features that could help the social network attract new users and also reward some of its bigger users with all the cash. The money-related feature is called Super Follows and it's like any subscription service you might find on similar platforms. A popular user would charge $4.99/mo for you to receive exclusive perks from them, like exclusive content, access to a community, a supporter badge, etc. Think of Twitch and Patreon subscriptions, basically. The image below showcases how a feature like Super Follows could work. You pay a monthly fee that can be cancelled at any time, and then the user you follow can choose when Tweeting to only do so to their Super Followers. I get that there will be jokes about no one's Tweets being worth paying for, but it actually makes a lot of sense. There are folks who have massive followings on Twitter and this could be a way for both its users and the company (Twitter will likely take a cut of that $4.99) to rake in more cash.

The other big feature teased today was called Communities, and yep, it's a group feature. Like you might find on Facebook, this is Twitter letting you join communities/groups built around topics you might enjoy. Let's just hope it's not abused by the worst people on the planet or that Twitter has better methods of moderation than Facebook. No one wants to see another insurrection.

Now, prepare to pay for all my Tweets. // The Verge

Razer Phone 2 Lives, Receives February Security Patch

Tim — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 10:11:03 +0000

Whoa, the Razer Phone 2 lives! Razer is sending out an update to the device, but sadly, it's just bringing the device up to the latest February security patch. That's totally kind of Razer to do, but just to remind everybody, this phone still lacks Android 10. Woof. Once updated, it looks like you'll be on build version P-SMR7-RC003-RZR-210107.3225. Can we expect anything from Razer after this? I'd be shocked, but not as shocked as I am right now. I actually thought this phone was dead-dead. If you still own this phone, can I ask you why? I see zero reason to stay loyal to Razer.

// reddit Cheers CasperTFG!

Latest AUKEY Deals Include $15 Wireless Earbuds, 10,000mAh Power Bank for $10

Tim — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 09:52:46 +0000

AUKEY has a new list of deals up on Amazon this week, with the highlight being a $15 pair of wireless earbuds. Seriously, considering how inexpensive these things are getting, I don't ever want to hear anyone talk about headphone jacks ever again. It's enough. The wireless earbuds feature 24 hours of playback with the included case (which offers fast charging), IPX5 rating for your sweaty workouts, Bluetooth 5 connectivity for both Android and iPhone, and again, a $15 price tag. The company is also selling a 10,000mAh power bank for just $10, as well as a 36W dual USB car charger for $12. They're practically giving this stuff away. Don't forget to use the coupon codes below at checkout to get the lowest prices available.

Amazon Links

BC MASTER Wireless Earbuds - $15 (Clip Coupon)
36W Dual USB Car Charger - $12 (Code: SDLXWWXH)
10000mAh 3x Output USB-C Power Bank - $10 (Code: 9L64XDEE)

PUBG New State Coming to Android This Year

Tim — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 08:29:49 +0000

The makers of PUBG announced a completely new title for mobile devices this week, PUBG New State. Slated for launch later this year, you can pre-register for the title right now on Google Play. From the game's description and the trailer you can view below, this looks like the same PUBG battle royale experience with 100 players all fighting for supremacy, but with an updated map set in a more technologically advanced time. For example, there are drones and updated vehicles with big Tesla-like infotainment systems. Compared to the old PUBG, New State looks really good and smooth. Like, Call of Duty Mobile smooth.

Set in the near future of 2051, years have passed since the original game. Within this backdrop, players will be dropping into a brand-new battleground called TROI, where they will have the opportunity to discover how the universe has evolved. Filled with various landmarks that have their own distinct characteristics, players will be able to explore a unique environment that features interactable objects, helping them come up with new ways and strategies to dominate the competition.

As soon as we have a cemented release date, we'll update you.

Google Play Link

https://youtu.be/v-7XAgT1Z1w

Verizon Fires Up Fast 5G in Seattle, Sacramento, Pensacola

Kellen — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 07:57:17 +0000

Verizon expanded their list of 5G Ultra Wideband cities today by adding Seattle, Sacramento, and Pensacola. These cities bring Verizon's total to 67 that can access this super-fast network technology. As is always the case with 5G Ultra Wideband (5G mmW) activation in a new city, we have to remind you that while this might be the super fast 5G it's also the hardest to find and secure a good connection to. 5G mmW is only in parts of the cities above and typically requires that you be outside in close proximity to a 5G tower in order to get the best experience. For an example of what I'm talking about, here is the patchy availability you would find in parts of Seattle right now (the dark red is 5G UWB):

Should you find a connection in parts of these cities, you could see downloads speeds well over 1Gbps. At times, Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband is much faster than your home internet connection. Oh, let's not forget that you need a supported phone too. Enjoy the speeds, friends. // Verizon

I Miss Google Play Music's Auto Cache Feature

Tim — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 15:03:18 +0000

I feel like this could be a running segment here at Droid Life, but there's something that's been grinding my gears about Spotify lately and that's the fact that the Android app doesn't auto cache the songs I listen to most. Google Play Music did and I miss that feature so, so much. It was more apparent to me when we were still doing work trips to CES and other embargoed meetings, but from time to time, I'll notice that it's something that is absent from Spotify. On Spotify, users can manually select which songs they'd like downloaded to a device, which obviously works fine and dandy, but the auto cache feature on Play Music was very clutch. For me, it would cache a random selection of songs that I had recently listened to, making what seemed like an eclectic playlist of tunes. YouTube Music, which replaced Play Music, has Smart Downloads -- at night when on WiFi, the app will auto download your "favorite music" so you'll always have something saved to your device. Users can choose how much music they want saved automatically, ranging from just 1 to 500 songs. From looking in settings, there doesn't appear to be any sort of auto cache feature like Play Music, but Smart Downloads is close. Next time on this segment we'll discuss music queues. The way Play Music handled queues was beautiful. The way Spotify does it? Trash.

Old Google Pay App, Website Become Useless on April 5

Tim — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 11:06:48 +0000

Say goodbye to the once amazing Google Pay app and website. Google has detailed this week that both will become unusable on April 5, with everything switching over to the new Google Pay app. Here's exactly what happens on April 5.

Starting on April 5th, the following features will no longer be available from the old app and at pay.google.com:

Ability to send, request or receive money

View of your recent activity or transaction history

Access to or transfer of any remaining balance. You can still transfer your balance any time by using the new Google Pay app or through customer support.

There you have it. On April 5, the old Google Pay app and website becomes useless. That sucks, especially for people like me who have been using a G Suite account, as the new Google Pay app doesn't support that. Lame, lame, lame. Mark your calendars, folks.

DEAL: Galaxy Note 20 Ultra for $925 on Amazon, Nearly $400 Off

Tim — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 10:50:27 +0000

For the next 13 hours, you can purchase a US Unlocked model of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra for just $925, down from its usual price of $1299. That's nearly $400 off, which is solid savings on one of Samsung's top devices. If you missed it, you can read our review here, but to make things easy for you, there is a lot to love about the Note 20 Ultra. It has all of the specs you might need right now, including a large 6.9″ AMOLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, Snapdragon 865+ processor, 12GB RAM, 4,500mAh battery, IP68 rating, MST for Samsung Pay, S Pen included, plus an update to Android 11 waiting for you when you open the box. Like I said, this deal will only last another half day, so have at it.

Amazon Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbhB4fdbPrw

"OK, Google" has Been Broken on Wear OS for a Long Time, Mmmhmm (Updated: Fixed)

Kellen — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 09:43:37 +0000

"Where is the Wear team - do we have anyone here?" are the words of Dave Burke, Android's VP of engineering, in response to a question two years ago at Google I/O about whether or not Wear OS was a dead platform. Burke followed up that question with jokes or a somewhat surprise confirmation about the team having a sandbox space at the week-long conference and that Google really liked wearables and was supposedly investing in them. I bring that story up because we really are two years removed from that moment and it sure doesn't look like Google is invested in Wear OS and that the platform is as close to dead as it has ever been. To point to one area that further shows this sad state, you can look at a reddit thread that caught fire today concerning the broken "OK, Google" command on the platform that apparently hasn't worked for months and months. The thread points to an IssueTracker "bug" that was opened in November when someone realized that saying "OK, Google" to his watch returned silence. A Googler acknowledged that the team would look into it, but hasn't said anything since or followed up. We're closing in on four months and the "bug" having some 900 stars. The thing is, this appears to have been an issue for longer. There are Google Support threads from June of last year referencing this same bug. Some in these conversations have suggested it has been broken for every longer than that. I can confirm that it most definitely does not work on the TicWatch Pro 3 pictured above. And that says quite a lot, since that watch has the most modern hardware in all of Wear OS and should most definitely work well with a voice-activated command. It should work better than any other Wear OS watch, in fact. Should anyone be surprised at the lack of support here? Since there hasn't been a meaningful update to the platform in further back than I can recall, I would say, no. Wear OS still very much has good parts that I feel like Google could build from. They have partners willing to use the OS too. Unfortunately, they haven't showed us that they want to make Wear OS better or compete with Samsung and Apple in the smartwatch space. Instead, they bought Fitbit to do something with. Maybe it's time we ask again, "Where is the Wear team?" Should we get to I/O 2021, will they even have a sandbox space?

UPDATE: The Verge talked to Google who says it is "now" working on a fix for this issue. Remember, this has been a broken feature for months. There's no telling how long it will take for them to fix it.-
UPDATE 3/11: Google has fixed it.

Thanks to Teenage Engineering, Nothing Will Probably Offer Slickly Designed Products

Tim — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 08:41:35 +0000

Announced this morning, Carl Pei's Nothing has introduced Teenage Engineering as a founding partner, but more importantly, what we assume to be the driving force behind the design for products the company inevitably launches. Based out of Stockholm, Teenage Engineering has been creating unique products for those who love sound, music, and design. Some of their hit products include studio-used synthesizers and portable hi-fi radios. They certainly push the limits, so we're interested to see what they come up with for Nothing. Nothing says it will release its first products in the coming months, one of which we assume is headphones or something along those lines. Cool. // Nothing

Samsung Will Let You Buy, Try Galaxy Z Fold 2 for 100 Days

Tim — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 14:44:03 +0000

Samsung has a new program available for its two latest foldable devices, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 (review) and Galaxy Z Flip 5G. In summary, you can now buy one of those devices, use it for up to 100 days, and then return it if you're not thoroughly happy with it. When you consider Samsung's usual 15-day return policy for these devices, 100 days is quite generous of a window. There isn't anything you'll need to do, as it's all done automatically. Simply buy the phone, attempt to use whatever credits you can to lower the price, and Samsung will give you 100-day return window. We've reached out to Samsung to see if foldables purchased with a trade-in credit are eligible for this return window, just to be sure, and we'll update this post once we hear back. This is important because Samsung has always offered great trade-in values, so when you can utilize their program, we recommend you do. Update: ~~Samsung states that this promotion cannot be combined with any other promotions or discounts. That means no trade-in program, which hurts.~~ Samsung emailed back, clarifying that folks can indeed use trade-in credit for their foldable purchase and receive the 100-day trade-in window. Sorry for any confusion. This program is available from Samsung's web store and will last only until April 1. If you've been curious and need something to spend your next stimulus on, here you go.

Samsung Links: Galaxy Z Fold 2 | Galaxy Z Flip 5G

OPPO's Wireless Air Charging is Futuristic Magic

Kellen — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 14:01:03 +0000

Wireless charging has always been both convenient and a limited use technology. It's convenient because you can simply set your phone on a surface and it'll charge without a wire attached, but it's limited in the sense that using your device while it charges is pretty difficult. The minute you pick up your phone from its charging pad, it stops charging. OPPO is showing off its new Wireless Air Charging technology this year as a solution to that problem. As a feature on their rollable concept phone, OPPO shows an idea for Wireless Air Charging where you can hold the device about 10cm off a charging mat and have it still sip 7.5W of power. Is that anymore convenient than normal wireless charging? Well, it's a start at least. With this idea, you could at least hold your phone and use it, possibly even resting your hands on a mat that'll keep charging it through the air. That's better than setting it on a mat or charging stand and attempting to navigate a phone experience by finger. Since this is a technology in a concept phone, don't expect it to be here any time soon. Let's hope this is a start to a bigger breakthrough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrQd2gCRe1M // OPPO

DEAL: Buy One Pair of Galaxy Buds+, Get Another Pair for Free

Tim — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 13:11:55 +0000

Samsung is currently hosting a sweet little deal on its Galaxy Buds+ earbuds (the BTS Edition), netting buyers a seconds pair of earbuds for completely free when they buy one. It's a good ol' fashioned BOGO deal! The only thing is, you'll need to be cool with the color purple. The model supported by this promotion is the BTS Edition of the Galaxy Buds+, which is the pop group from South Korea for those unaware. They are loved around the world, and apparently, they love purple! But hey, free buds is free buds. Personally, we love the Galaxy Buds+, so snagging a free pair is definitely a solid score. One pair will run you $199, but you are getting that second pair for free, so think of it like you're getting the earbuds for $99 each if that helps you sleep better. Just enter the coupon code at checkout and make sure you have two pairs of the buds added to your cart.

Samsung Link (Use Code: URBESTBUD)

Android Phones Should Have Better Haptics Later This Year

Tim — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 11:04:06 +0000

Many, many people seem to think haptics is an important aspect of phones. While some phones have good motors inside, producing pleasant vibrations when an incoming notification comes in, others can feel cheap with more of a rattling sensation. It's an odd thing to describe, but there are definitely phones with good haptics and phones with bad haptics. Thanks to a newly detailed partnership between Qualcomm and Lofelt, more Android phones should have improved haptics starting later this year. According to a press release, the partnership between the two companies will, "deliver a universal haptic software framework that runs natively on the Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile Platform to enhance Android phones with next-generation haptics for mobile gaming and other immersive experiences." After reading the announcement, it seems that Qualcomm and Lofelt are going to attempt to bring better haptic experiences to Snapdragon-powered Android phones when it comes to gaming and other things -- not just plain incoming notifications. However, it appears that phone makers will need to pay to access the "suite of creative tools" in order to build these better experiences.

Lofelt advanced haptics are fully-customizable and compatible with Lofelt Studio, the most sophisticated suite of creative tools for haptic design and implementation for mobile apps and games. OEMs can license the Lofelt software solution for Snapdragon to bring advanced haptics to their Android mobile devices.

It should also be noted that Google is doing work of its own in the haptic department. Listed inside of the changelog for the first developer preview of Android 12, the Android team says that apps can, "provide audio-coupled haptic feedback through the phone’s vibrator. The vibration strength and frequency are derived from an audio session, allowing you to create more immersive game and audio experiences." The release goes on to say that consumers can expect to see devices with this technology, based on the Snapdragon 888 processor, launch in the second half of 2021. // Lofelt [2]

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 Gets First Discount Since Launch

Kellen — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 10:09:05 +0000

Mobvoi hasn't discounted its TicWatch Pro 3 smartwatch since it first launched, probably because it has zero competition and is the only Wear OS watch you should consider. Today, we've got a discount code for you that shaves off $15. Normally priced at $299, if you use code "GPSPERKS" at checkout through Mobvoi's store or Amazon, you'll get the watch for $284.99. I know that isn't a $50 or $100 discount, but it's a discount! In our TicWatch Pro 3 review from back in October, we talked at the time about how much of an improvement this watch's Snapdragon Wear 4100 chip brought. It's a night and day experience over watches that run the old-as-hell Wear 3100. There are still no Wear OS watches that compare in the performance department. We also talked about how great battery life was, how much we liked the design (even if the watch is kind of big), and where we hope their fitness software goes. Since our review, Mobvoi pushed out a huge update that dramatically improved touch responsiveness in the display and has confirmed that the big H-MR2 update should arrive shortly. Again, there are no other Wear OS watches to consider because they all run ancient hardware and can't compete with the TicWatch Pro 3. This is the watch to consider until others with the 4100 arrive. Shop TicWatch Pro 3 Deal (CODE: GPSPERKS):

Google Deletes Your Google Play Music Library Tomorrow

Kellen — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 09:19:01 +0000

The final day has come for Google Play Music.

Google has been warning you off and on for several months now that your Google Play Music library needs to be moved over to YouTube Music, or else. You see, Google doesn't want to continue storing libraries for a music service that has been laid to rest, especially when they have another music service available as a replacement that will gladly take on your library. They told us a couple of weeks ago that February 24 was the absolute final deadline for you to either move to YouTube Music or download the library through Google Takeout for safe keeping. Well, we've reached final day status. It's now or never, folks. Google plans to delete "all of your Google Play Music library and data" tomorrow. You should have received the email below with that date and instructions for doing what you need to do. Again, you can transfer everything over to YouTube Music one last time or download it all through Google Takeout.

Still not sure what to think about YouTube Music or if you should give it a shot? We so have you covered. Our readers already told us what they are liking and disliking about Google's newer music service, plus they also gave us their verdict after using it for a couple of months.

Tuesday Poll: Do You Use Android Auto?

Tim — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 09:08:31 +0000

I was discussing Android Auto with Kellen yesterday and this guy had the audacity to joke that Android Auto is not that good. He was actually kinda harsh about it, playfully of course, but I got the sense that he isn't a big fan of Google's phone-powered infotainment platform. For me, I love Android Auto, but I wouldn't say it's all that good. All I use it for is Google Maps and Spotify, so I feel like maybe I'm missing out on a bit of what it does. My main gripe is whenever I have to talk to Google Assistant to send a message or have it read out notifications. It's never a fluid experience. For example, here's how the process goes. Android Auto (AA) after reading message aloud: Would you like to reply? Me: Yes. AA: What's the message? Me: Blah blah. AA: I heard "Blah blah," would you like to send it? Me: Yes. AA: Sending. Me: Google lord, 2 hours later! I could have done that so much quicker by just breaking the law for a moment and picking up my phone. Damn! And it's not so much the conversation, but the hesitation and waiting between each response while the system attempts to understand what I'm saying and all of the background processes. It grinds my gears, people. But again, I for some reason love Android Auto! Anyway, I got really sidetracked here. What's your take? Do you use Android Auto? [poll id="564"]

Google Shows Off 6 New Android Features That Everyone Gets

Kellen — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 09:00:20 +0000

Like they did at the end of December, Google spent this morning showing off another six new features that are coming to Android that everyone should get to use. Unlike a typical software update that rolls out by carrier or manufacturer, these are features that will arrive through apps or other Google services, so we should all see them around the same time. Google is pushing out Google Maps dark mode (for real this time), a new Password Checkup tool, message scheduling in Google Messages, Assistant commands that work when your phone is locked or far away, more Android Auto customizations, and a new version of TalkBack.

Google Maps dark mode!

I know, I know - we thought it was here in September and it actually wasn't. I'm sure we declared it to be here at some point before that too. For real, though, Google is publicly saying that Google Maps' dark theme is here. They say you can find the option by heading into Google Maps>Settings and then looking for "Theme." From within that section, there should be a toggle for "Always in Dark Theme," "Always in Light Theme," and hopefully another that follows your system theme. As I don't have the option yet, I can't confirm. Anyone get it?

New Password Checkup tool

Password Checkup, the fabulous tool on desktop that checks your saved credentials against "known compromised passwords," is coming to Android. If you have Google's Autofill enabled on your phone, saving or filling a credential in an app will be checked against compromised info, so that Google can then recommend that you change your password. Again, this all happens within Google Autofill on your phone, with a prompt to take you too the Password Manager page should you need to update your login info.

Message scheduling in Messages

In September of last year, a few Google Messages users noticed that they now had the ability to schedule messages to be sent. The feature was never confirmed by Google, to my knowledge, until today. Scheduling is officially coming! To schedule a message, open Messages and type out a message to a contact, long-press on the send button and you'll then get options to schedule. Google will show suggested times for later today, tonight, and tomorrow, but you can also set a custom date and time. This should be rolling out now, as I have the feature already.

More hands-free Google Assistant commands

Firing off Google Assistant commands can be so satisfying if they work properly and you don't need to interact with your phone in order for them to complete. But how many times have you tried to get the Assistant to do something and it says, "You need to unlock your phone first?" Too many, I assume. Today, Google says that a new update to Google Assistant will "make it easier to get things done on your phone without needing to be right next to it." In other words, you'll now be able to set an alarm, play music, send text messages or make calls, all without unlocking. There is a new set of glanceable cards that will show basic info on the lock screen when you use these commands. To enable this functionality, make sure the toggle for "Lock screen personal results" is on within Google Assistant settings.

Android Auto gets more customizations

An update to Android Auto will soon bring custom wallpapers and voice-activated games like Jeopardy! and Trivia Crack. Google is also going to enable home screen shortcuts for things like contacts and simple tasks the Google Assistant can do like checking the weather or remotely adjusting your home's thermostat. There will be a new split-screen view when your car has a wider display and a privacy screen when you have others along for the ride too.

TalkBack gets a new version

TalkBack, which is Android's screen reader for those who are blind or with low vision, is getting a new revamped version with more intuitive gestures, a unified menu, a new reading control menu, and more. Google says they've added a dozen easy-to-learn multi-finger gestures for Pixel and Samsung Galaxy devices that should make it easier to interact with apps. They merged legacy menus into a single menu that adapts to context and added new reading controls that are adjusted with 3-finger swipe. They even added new voice commands, support for two new languages in TalkBack's braille keyboard, and more. To read all that is new in the new version of TalkBack, head over to Google's blog post. Oh, when is all of this stuff coming to your Android phone? Google would only say, "This spring." However, some of these items are already on my phone, so don't be surprised if you have them over the next couple of weeks. // Google

Google's Upcoming Pixel 5a Apparently Looks Like the Pixel 5

Kellen — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 16:05:33 +0000

Rumors and leaks surrounding a potential 2021 line-up of Google Pixel phones haven't been as free flowing as in years past. By this time last year, we had seen renders of the Pixel 4a and would be days away from a full device reveal. Today, we may be getting a first render of an upcoming Pixel 5a. Posted by @onleaks to Voice, we now have images of a supposed Google Pixel 5a device that looks, well, like the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5. Like, it may be an identical match to those phones that you will be hard-pressed to find differences in. According to this leak, the Pixel 5a will sport a (likely) plastic back, dual rear camera setup, 3.5mm headphone jack, stereo speakers, hole punch front selfie, rear fingerprint reader, and a 6.2" OLED display. It won't have the uniform bezels like on the Pixel 5 and could measure in closer in size to the Pixel 4a 5G (5a - 156.2 x 73.2 x 8.8mm; 4a 5G - 153.9 x 74.0 x 8.2mm).

We don't know anything else about the Pixel 5a, but penciling in a May launch would make sense. That's when we saw the Pixel 3a and should have seen the Pixel 4a had COVID not pushed it back for months. Ummm, thoughts? // @onleaks (Voice)

Google Fi Will Give You 50% Off Your Bill for the First 3 Months

Kellen — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 15:36:59 +0000

Google Fi is currently hosting a deal that should let curious wireless customers take the service for a spin without spending much money. How does 50% off for the next 3 months sound? For a limited time, Google is offering new customers or new lines a 50% discount for 3 months on the unlimited Google Fi service plan. At that price, you could save quite a bit of cash, up to $35/mo if you have a single line account. The deal also applies to new lines on multi-line accounts. The only things to keep in mind are that the discount is not available to previous customers or those who have paused service. Adding new lines won't discount the entire account price either, only the new line's price. This deal is for those who have never tried Google Fi before. That all make sense? If interested, the unlimited Google Fi plan includes high-speed data up to 22GB per month, high-speed hotspot tethering, free calls to 50 countries, a Google One membership, and more.

Shop Google Fi Plans

Now is the Best Time to Buy a Galaxy Watch 3: $150 Off

Kellen — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 13:38:07 +0000

Samsung is hosting more than deals on its best phones this week. For those eyeing their newest smartwatches, you are in luck, thanks to a big discount on all models. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is $150 off in both 41mm and 45mm sizes, as are the Bluetooth and LTE models. With a $150 discount, you are looking at a starting price of $249.99 for what should be Samsung's best smartwatch (best because it's the newest). We reviewed the Galaxy Watch 3 when it first launched and liked its design, display, and performance. Our only gripes were in battery life and price, but that price issue has been taken care through this week's deal. Everyone has the deal and we have links for you below. If you have devices to trade-in, Samsung may end up with the best price. Shop Galaxy Watch 3 Deals:

($150 off) Amazon | Samsung | Best Buy

Verizon Galaxy S10 Family Updated With February Security Patch (Update: Galaxy S9 Line, Too!)

Tim — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 13:17:15 +0000

Verizon and Samsung are sending out another update to the Galaxy S10 lineup, this time being the February security patch. Nothing else is listed inside of the changelog, but hey, security patches are sweet and Samsung just happens to be the best at sending them out. Once updated, the Galaxy S10 will have software version G977UVRS5EUA4, the S10+ will have G975USQS4FUA1, and the S10e will have G970USQS4FUA1. Go snag that update, Galaxy S10 owners! Update: The Galaxy S9 line is getting updated with the February patch, too! Once updated, the S9 will have G960USQS9FUB2 and the S9+ will have G965USQS9FUB2. Excellent! // Verizon [2] [3]

That Sweet LG Rollable Probably Not Happening Anymore

Tim — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 11:53:37 +0000

Remember that sweet rollable device that LG showcased this past January during CES? The one that was said to be coming later this year? Yeah, that may not be happening anymore, with reports out of South Korea detailing that amid mobile business restructuring, plans for the device have been postponed. This news shouldn't be too shocking, as it was reported quite recently that after having lost nearly $5 billion over the last five years, LG may shutter or sell off its mobile business entirely. According to the report, LG contacted part suppliers, stating that work on the device needs to be put on hold. If this is indeed the case, and the rollable isn't going to be LG going out with a bang, we're pretty disappointed. This thing looked sweet.

Of course, we have yet to hear any official word from LG on the matter, whether concerning the rollable or its mobile business at large. There is a bit of an issue from a consumer standpoint with no transparency happening, as there's no way we can recommend an LG with the fate of the business in question, so while we wait to see what LG is doing, don't buy an LG phone. Whether you like LG or not, this is upsetting news. LG was about to push to some boundaries with this device, and if it doesn't launch, that sucks for everybody. Fingers crossed it eventually hits the market after some financial maneuvers from LG. // Yonhap News Agency

Google Should be Leading in Android Updates, Not Samsung

Kellen — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 11:19:47 +0000

When you make an operating system that is found on billions of phones, a chunk of which are phones you have made and sold for years, it would be a good thing if you led the charge on providing support. You should set the example for the industry that uses your software and should be looking to you for guidance. That's not exactly where Google finds itself currently with Android, as Samsung is instead the company showing the world of Android how to provide both extended and timely support. Just this morning, Samsung said that it plans to expand support for a number of its phones, from the Galaxy S21 down to the Galaxy A10e. Since they were already the leader in the number of years they supply Android updates to their best phones, this seemed like Samsung taking a chance to continue to dunk on the competition. We're all for dunking. Samsung's plan going forward is to provide “at least four years of security updates" to phones. Those updates could be monthly or switch to quarterly as we get through those 4+ years of support. Samsung hasn't confirmed to us the exact plan here, but we're hoping they get back to us. What they are saying is that you could buy a phone and receive more than four years of updates, which is something no other Android phone maker does. And don't forget that Samsung already provides four years of updates for its top-tier phones, even if that fourth year drops from monthly to quarterly. On the other hand, Google has set their Pixel phone support at three years for both monthly security patches and Android version updates. They also push out regular Pixel Feature Drops to add new features to their phones, but Samsung adds to their phones with their One UI and its frequent updates. As it stands today, Google leads in Android updates only by providing the new version of Android to its phones on day 1, while companies like Samsung often take several months to prepare their custom skins for the newest build. Outside of that situation, Samsung often beats or matches Google with timely monthly security patches, recently announced that they were matching their 3 Android version updates, and most definitely provides longer update support. You also shouldn't forget that Google has far fewer phones to deal with than Samsung does. For example, Google currently still supports just 9 devices after the Pixel 2 reached end of life in October. Samsung, on the other hand, listed out 44 devices as a part of today's news. If Samsung can provide at least four years of support for that many devices, I can't imagine that Google can't find the resources to do the same. Now, Google has announced alongside Qualcomm that with the Snapdragon 888 (and other new lower-tier chips), they plan to offer four years of security updates in addition to the 3 Android version updates they already provide. They didn't attach that announcement to a particular Pixel phone, but should a Pixel phone launch this year with a newer Qualcomm chip, you can imagine it will gain the extra year of security updates. Google should do that. I actually think they should go further and provide another version update too. Setting the example would only help convince the companies who use their software that long-term support is that important. They already have Samsung on board, but there are a lot of other companies who apparently need to be convinced. Google should do whatever it can to show them how it's done.

What Could Get You to Switch to iPhone?

Tim — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 10:38:48 +0000

Every year when Apple announces its new line of iPhone devices, we get quite a few people asking us if we'll review one for the site -- you know, just for fun. Recently, we asked our readers why they stick with Android and received a lot of excellent insight, while last year we also discussed "Why Not an iPhone?" To be perfectly honest, we haven't touched an iPhone since the iPhone 6 in 2014, but from what we've heard so far about the inevitably upcoming iPhone 13, we can't help but be a little bit interested. The iPhone 13 is reported to offer quite a few things that we love most about current Android devices. For example, it's said that the iPhone 13 will offer an Always On display with support for 120Hz refresh rate, a smaller display notch (or maybe no notch at all?), as well as improved night sky shooting capabilities for the rear cameras. Those improvements alone, along with years of software updates, should be enough for most consumers to be happy. However, we're Android people. We already have all of that stuff and then some, which leads me to our question...

What could get you to switch an iPhone?

Kellen and I have actually discussed the possibility of getting an iPhone 13 this year, just for the sake of catching up on what the whole iOS experience is like. Making that decision a lot easier would be if Apple delivers all of the aforementioned features. For example, if iPhones came with a Pixel-like Night Sight mode, along with a 120Hz refresh rate for the display (on top of iOS's dominant animation smoothness), that could be a really nice experience that we'd like to test drive for a bit. What about you? Is there a feature you've been waiting for or something Apple could introduce in 2021 to get you to switch?

New T-Mobile Magenta Max Plan has No Throttling, Lots of Hotspot Data

Kellen — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 09:50:41 +0000

A new T-Mobile wireless plan arrives this week that is built for those who want to consume all the data. Called T-Mobile Magenta Max, this plan claims it has no throttling on either 4G or 5G networks and still provides unlimited data. Magenta Max, which launches February 24 as a replacement for Magenta Plus, includes unlimited 4G and 5G data, as I already mentioned, but T-Mobile says they won't throttle this plan at any time, meaning there should be no data caps. This should be truly unlimited "Premium Data" that won't slow even if you hit 500GB in a month. I guess we'll find out if T-Mobile will honor that should a bunch of you test the limits. In addition to the premium data, T-Mobile is including unlimited 4K streaming, 40GB of high-speed mobile hotspot data, Netflix Standard on family plans, and unlimited Gogo in-flight WiFi. How much does Magenta Max cost? T-Mobile won't say how much a single line will cost, but did offer up a $57/line price when you have three lines on your account with autopay activated. For a limited time, they are pricing it at $47/line. With the current Magenta Plus plan priced at $85/mo for single line accounts, I'd guess this Magenta Max plan will cost right around $100/mo if you don't have multiple lines. T-Mobile purposely makes these announcements as confusing as possible when it comes to pricing, so I apologize for not being more clear here. T-Mobile is also updating their regular Magenta plan with double the "Premium Data" from 50GB to 100GB per month. They are increasing the hotspot from 3GB to 5GB of high-speed data too. Those upgrades come with a price increase to $47/line from $40/line.

Who is ready to see how much data they can use like the old days? // T-Mobile

DEAL: Galaxy S21 Ultra (256GB) Available for Only $999 ($250 Off)

Tim — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 09:20:44 +0000

Samsung is hosting a solid sale this week over on Amazon, bringing the price of its latest devices down by as much as $250 -- if you get upgraded storage. As you can see below, there's a good list of devices, but there's one deal in particular we think takes the cake. This week, you can get the Galaxy S21 Ultra (our review here) with the upgraded 256GB of storage for $999 ($250 off), the same price as the 128GB model at $200 off. No, it doesn't make any sense for Samsung to price them the same, but as a consumer, you should take full advantage of it. One of the negatives for the S21 Ultra is that starting storage of 128GB, but this deal eliminates that point completely. The Galaxy S20 FE is also on sale, down by $100 to just $599. That's a good deal on a phone Samsung fans seem to love. You can also get last year's Galaxy Note 20 Ultra for $1099 ($200 off), Galaxy Z Flip 5G for $999 ($200 off), and the compact Galaxy S21 for $699 ($100 off). For all of the links and prices, check below.

Amazon Links

Galaxy S

Galaxy S20 FE - $599 ($100 off)
Galaxy S21 - $699 ($100 off)
Galaxy S21+ - $799 ($250 off)
Galaxy S21 Ultra - $999 ($250 off)

Galaxy Note

Galaxy Note 20 - $799 ($200 off)
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra - $1099 ($200 off)

Foldables

Galaxy Z Flip 5G - $999 ($200 off)

Samsung Gets Even Better at Security Updates: Now at Least 4 Years

Kellen — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 07:41:21 +0000

We weren't joking a few weeks ago when we called Samsung the "King of Android Updates." I know that declaration took some by surprise, but we've been tracking Samsung's update progress for a number of years and are comfortable saying it. In news today, Samsung has further extended their update support and is telling you to get on board with us, assuming you had doubts. While Samsung has already provided four years of security patches to many of its top Galaxy S and Galaxy Note phones, their wording is changing now so that they could add more years on. Certain Samsung phones will now receive "at least four years of security updates." Samsung is clear to point out that this means some will see quarterly updates and some will continue to see monthly, but this is extended support. We are hoping to get clarification on this, but this could be a sign that Samsung plans to support select phones for 5 years or on a monthly basis for 4. That's pretty great news, since they currently drop phones back to quarterly in the 4th year. Here is the list of devices that falls under this "at least four years" of updates category:

Galaxy Foldable devices: Fold, Z Fold2 5G, Z Flip, Z Flip 5G
Galaxy S series: S10, S10+, S10e, S10 5G, S10 Lite, S20 5G, S20+ 5G, S20 Ultra 5G, S20 FE 5G, S21 5G, S21+ 5G, S21 Ultra 5G
Galaxy Note series: Note10, Note10+, Note10+ 5G, Note20 5G, Note20 Ultra 5G
Galaxy A series: A10e, A20, A50, A11, A21, A51, A51 5G, A71 5G
Galaxy XCover series: XCover FieldPro, XCover Pro
Galaxy Tab series: Tab Active Pro, Tab Active3, Tab A 8 (2019), Tab A with S Pen, Tab A 8.4 (2020), Tab A7, Tab S5e, Tab S6, Tab S6 5G, Tab S6 Lite, Tab S7, Tab S7+

By offering a "minimum of four years" after a phone has been released, there isn't anyone in Android that supports phones as long as Samsung does. // Samsung

Android 12's Wallpaper-Based Theme Looks So Cool

Kellen — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 08:19:19 +0000

An early supposed leak of Android 12 showed off an idea we all hoped we weren't imaging. We thought we were seeing Google test a wallpaper-based theme engine that would stylize parts of the Android system UI by pulling from colors in the wallpaper on your home screen. As it turns out, Google is indeed working on such a feature and the first looks at it are here. Discovered by developer @kdrag0n, we can see several examples of how Google will use wallpapers to tweak the color of certain areas of the system in Android 12. Internally named "monet" and only available behind-the-scenes in Android 12 Developer Preview 1, the screenshots show how a wallpaper will affect the notification shade and its various elements, as well as the color tint for the entire Android Settings menu. In this first example, a green wallpaper is used at the (new) lock screen, which then tints notifications to a greenish color. Swiping down the notification area also shows off a green frosted background, a green color shift in the quick settings titles, and a green brightness slider at the top.

For additional examples, @kdrag0n showed off several wallpapers and the notification shade that accompanies them with Google's new idea for a system theme. Below, you have themes pulling both blue and purple as the accent or highlight color.

Finally, here is the change we should see when in an area like Settings. The main settings page may look like the "Silky Home" UI we showed you how to enable last week, but when you dive into specific sections, the background for each will change depending on the color the system has pulled from your wallpaper. Below are a handful of examples of how Google plans to shade settings areas and even change up their sliders.

Where we haven't seen this go just yet, is in Google turning this all up one final notch by having the system also change icon colors to match based on the wallpaper. That initial Android 12 leak showed just that, but we likely need an update to app icons or for Google to reveal their plans there before that can happen. No matter what, Android 12 has a number of big ideas to make its theme a beautiful experience that is unique to each user. I can't wait until they let us all enable this and start to play around.

YouTube App for Android Now Supports 4K HDR Playback

Tim — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 11:07:55 +0000

Spotted by the good people at Android Police, the YouTube for Android application now supports playback at a whopping resolution of 2160p at 60fps (4K @ 60), complete with HDR (high dynamic resolution). This would be really exciting news, if only there were more smartphones capable of taking advantage of videos that crispy. Alas, there's only a handful. If you happen to own a Sony device with their 4K HDR displays, this is a big day for you. As an example, the Xperia 1 II has a display that can utilize this. I believe Sony has a few others, too. I've tested playback on my Pixel 5, obviously pointless since my resolution tops at 1080p, but I can confirm the option is live. You will just need to find a video originally uploaded in 4K with HDR. As you'd expect, those options are also somewhat limited, but the number is definitely growing as 4K adoption becomes more the norm. Enjoy, Sony phone owners! // Android Police

VIDEO: Android 12 DP1 First Look and Tour!

Kellen — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 10:43:34 +0000

After spending a solid 24 hours with the Android 12 Developer Preview 1 and discovering just about all that we can discover without turning into developers, we've put together a video that highlights some of the changes you should be on the lookout for. In this video, we show off the upfront changes all will see in Android 12 DP1, as well as some of the hidden UI elements that Google appears to still be working on. Some of these changes could bring major improvements, so we'll continue to follow their progress from release to release. We also dive into tweaks to notifications, media controls, a new Double Tap gesture, a less-desk dark theme, and more. If there is one thing to takeaway from this first Android 12 build, it's that Google is very much still actively working on what could be a lot of visual changes. Should they finish up by the time we get to beta and more stable builds, Android 12 is going to look so good. What's your favorite Android 12 feature so far? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyDkbdTl8SM

Samsung Returning to Android for Next Smartwatch, Ditching Tizen

Tim — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 09:00:16 +0000

I'm trying to think of the last time Samsung used the Android platform for a smartwatch. Give me a moment. Was it really the original Gear Live? That watch launched in 2014, being one of the very first Android Wear devices. Since then, the company has been using its in-house Tizen platform for wearables. According to the latest intel from a trusted Samsung insider, things are about to change. Detailed by @UniverseIce on Twitter, Samsung's upcoming smartwatch will use "Android" -- we assume Wear OS -- to replace Tizen as the OS. This is an all hands on deck kind of move, people. Considering Wear OS is what some could argue to be a dead platform (editor's note: I literally make this argument every week on our podcast), seeing adoption from a very small amount of device makers, Fossil being one of them, Samsung could breathe a massive amount of life into Google's wearable OS. But, why? Most Tizen users I speak to love their Galaxy Watch devices and have hardly any complaints about the OS. Why would Samsung ditch it for Google's platform? It makes zero sense to me in this moment. Heck, the Snapdragon Wear 4100 chipset was announced what feels like forever ago and we're still waiting on watch makers besides Mobvoi to use the damn thing. Regardless, if this info is accurate, it's huge news and we'll update you when we learn more. What do you think, Tizen users? Will this move chap your behind or are you down with a return to Wear OS? https://twitter.com/UniverseIce/status/1362697174694301700

Android 12's Big UI Changes Get a First Look

Kellen — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 08:27:33 +0000

Prior to Google releasing Android 12 Developer Preview 1, we saw what were believed to be an early look at the new theme and UI changes for the next version of Android. Those first images were then followed by reporting that suggested we could see even more changes involving the notification area, lock screen, and system. Now that this first Android 12 build is here, evidence to back all of those early reports up is surfacing. The folks at XDA were able to enable some of the changes to the lock screen and notifications area, all of which Google is still developing and hasn't openly added to this first preview. In this first set of screenshots you'll get to see a work-in-progress lock screen setup that could eventually bring even more customizations to users.

You can see here that Google is experimenting with a new layout that puts the clock with a stacked format and a huge size when no notifications are present, while the weather and date have moved to the top left. Once a notification comes in or you play media, the clock then shrinks and shifts to the top right to make way for centered content. It's an interesting idea that brings the lock screen alive, plus there could be more clock options down the road for you to choose from if this stacked clock isn't your thing. The next reveal we have is of the notification area. As you can see here we still have both light and dark themes, although everything is very blue instead of dark or black at this early stage. We showed you the change to the dark theme in a write-up yesterday, but this looks even less dark.

This isn't dramatically changed from the current Android 12 notification panel, but there are a couple of tweaks to point out. First, instead of being fully transparent in-between notification sections, this has a frosted look that we believe will eventually tint towards a color pulled from your wallpaper, once the wallpaper-based system theme goes live. The other thing to note is the thick-as-hell brightness bar. And that's mostly it for now because Google has hidden most of this stuff and it requires a bit of background magic to enable it. It's also very much broken and still being worked on, so it's not exactly something we should all try to use today. So far, I think it all looks very clean, though, and I'm excited to see where Google takes this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyDkbdTl8SM // XDA

Sign Up for Verizon Prepaid, Get 3rd Month of Service Free

Tim — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 15:15:50 +0000

Verizon's fired up a new promotion to get folks onto its prepaid option, offering new customers the third month of service totally free. On top of that, remember that Verizon offers discounts for its prepaid folk the longer you're signed up, with discounts starting at month four. The way the new promo works is quite simple: Sign up for service, maintain the account for two months and Verizon will pick up the tab on your 3rd month. On that fourth month, you'll automatically receive a $5/month discount on your bill. Couple that with Verizon's $5 discount for AutoPay and you're saving a total of $10/month on service. If you're a really good customer, maintaining the account for 10 months, they'll give you another $5/month discount, bringing the total discount to $15/month. That ain't too shabby. Verizon's Unlimited plans start at $65/month. If you want UWB access, it's $75/month. Verizon also has plans for lower amounts of data, as low as $40/month for 5GB of data. For all of the Verizon prepaid details, follow the link below.

Verizon Prepaid Link

What's New in Android 12 DP1: The Fun Stuff! (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 12:36:08 +0000

We're diving into Android 12 Developer Preview 1 to try and find all that is new from Google's next big release. We actually expect Android 12 to offer several changes and new features, most notably a revamped UI experience, so this could be a fun post to pay attention. What we'll do here, like we always do with new Android releases, is constantly update to show you the changes, both big and small, to Android 12. If you were looking for the developer-related changes, you'll find those over here. Ready? Here we go!

Download Android 12 Developer Preview 1 on Pixel phones

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyDkbdTl8SM

"Silky Home" Settings UI

Google is reportedly working on a new UI for Android 12 that is called "Silk" and the first bits of evidence of it have appeared in the first Developer Preview. We enabled the new UI, which for only changes the settings area to look a lot like Samsung's One UI. You can find more on it here.

Double Tap Back Gesture

A new gesture has appeared (at least on my Pixel 5) for Android 12 DP1 that is preparing our phones to be able to double tap on their backs to perform tasks. This has actually been a rumored feature for a while, but the idea is pretty simple - you double tap on the back o your phone to launch Google Assistant, take a screenshot, see recent apps, play/pause music, etc. At this time, you can enable the new gesture, but it does not appear to be working.

Media Controls Get New Settings

In Android 11, Google added media players to the quick settings area of the notification shade. It's not the worst move, but the change hasn't been without issues. In Android 12, Google is giving us all more power over what shows up in that area by allowing us to toggle apps on and off. In the screenshots above, you can see that there is an off switch, but also individual switches for each app that might want to slap a media player up there.

Notification Area Changes

Google is doing a lot in the notification area in this first preview. They've kept the groupings, but there is a blueish vibe to the color scheme when light theme is active, the icons for each have more color and a circle outline, previews look cleaner, the snooze button is more visible, etc.

Dark Theme Tweak

Android 11 vs. Android 12 DP1

This is a pretty minor change, but with dark theme enabled, the notification shade on Android 12 is no longer fully black. Instead, it's a greyish-blue that is still dark, but not black.

Toggles!

Another super minor tweak, but in some settings, the on/off toggles have check marks to tell you that the option is actually on. That's nice.

One-handed Mode

The one-handed mode that was rumored a few days ago is indeed buried inside of this first Android 12 preview. Below is a preview of how it currently works.

Got it 😉
(Still working on how to activate it, but here are the settings!) pic.twitter.com/sjFJB0x6b5 — Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 18, 2021

Picture-in-Picture Changes

Picture-in-picture is also getting new features from the earlier leak, so once active in a more stable format, we should be able to pinch-to-zoom windows and also stash them off to the side for a moment while performing other tasks.

Here it is in action. Feat. @Dave2D pic.twitter.com/Im6u0QOFdt
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 18, 2021

More UI Changes to Lock Screen and Notifications

A bunch of changes to the lock screen and notification areas are currently hidden, but XDA was able to enable some for a brief reveal. We have more on these changes at this post.

Think that's it for now.

How to Enable Android 12's New "Silky Home" UI

Kellen — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 12:02:28 +0000

We're putting together our list of "fun" changes that we continue to stumble on in today's release of Android 12 Developer Preview 1, but there is one I'm sure you all want to check out. Remember the leak from a week that showed signs of a new UI, possibly called "Silk?" Parts of that new UI are indeed in Android 12 DP1, you just need to enable them. First spotted by XDA's Mishaal Rahman, we were able to enable the tweaked UI on our own with a simple adb command. The option to turn this off or on is apparently a feature flag that would normally be found in developer options, Google just isn't showing it to everyone. If you are running Android 12 DP1 and want to fire it up, here you go:

./adb shell settings put global settings_silky_home true

The new UI does not at all appear to be complete or maybe we just haven't enabled everything yet, but by running that command, you will at least change up the settings UI to something that mostly resembles Samsung's One UI or the latest OxygenOS skin from OnePlus.

As you can see from these screenshots, each page is pushed downward to give you easier one-handed access to touchable items, plus the font is bolder and more prominent. This is the trend of mobile user interfaces it seems. We'll be back with more! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyDkbdTl8SM

YouTube TV's New Entertainment Plus Package Costs $30/Month

Tim — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 11:24:52 +0000

YouTube TV is now offering a new Entertainment Plus package, saving folks a little bit of money should they be into subscribing to the premium content distributors. The package contains HBO Max, Showtime, and Starz all for the price of $30/month. Individually, those three services would combine to cost $35/month, so you're saving $5. Not bad. There was other recent YouTube TV news this week, as the company announced it will soon offer 4K streaming and offline viewing. Of course, the addition of these things may also come with a price associated with them, one we haven't yet been made aware of. To get this package, head to your YouTube TV settings on desktop or mobile and simply add the package to your bill. There is no trial available, just fyi.

Android 12 Timeline Posted, Public Beta Begins in May

Tim — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 11:05:51 +0000

Google has filled us in on its Android 12 timeline, detailing when we can expect new developer previews, when the public beta will fire up, and when we can expect the final release. Boy, oh boy! According to the timeline, three developer previews will be spread out between today and April, followed by the public beta starting in May. That public beta will have four builds. Finally, sometime in the later part of 2021, we'll see the final release. This timeline aligns with what we've seen in past years, so nothing too surprising here.

Android 12 Timeline

If you have a supported Pixel device, you can download the first developer preview of Android 12 right now. There's actually quite a few user-facing changes that you can enjoy, but if you plan on flashing the preview to your daily driver, we don't exactly recommend it. Developer previews are always buggy and janky, so it's best to wait for the public beta if you want to take Android 12 for a spin. Tasty Snow Cone! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyDkbdTl8SM // Google

Android 12 Developer Preview 1 is Here!

Kellen — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 10:00:52 +0000

Like they did last year, Google is using February to kickstart the developer preview season for this year's version of Android. Android 12 Developer Preview 1 is here, guys! You can download it right now if you own a Pixel phone! For Android 12, we are only in the first preview release, so the story has barely begun. Still, Google did provide some items for us to pay attention to as we jump between preview and beta builds and watch them finalize features and changes before hitting stable later this year.

Android 12 Developer Preview 1 Release date: February 18, 2021 Build: SPP1.210122.020.A3 Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A) Security patch level: February 2021 Google Play services: 21.02.12

The focus for this new version is again on security and privacy, but Google is also making sure everyone has an upgraded media experience and improved performance for apps and notifications. Oh and yep, there's a refreshed UI that we can't wait to dive into.

READ: How to get Android 12 Developer Preview 1 for your Pixel phone

In today's introduction to Android 12, Google is mostly talking about developer changes, since this is a developer build meant only for developers to flash. It focuses on helping apps transcode video into AVC format if they don't support HEVC, adding platform support for AVIF images, introducing a new unified API that lets an app bring in content from any source (like a clipboard, keyboard, or drag and drop), and a really fun audio-coupled haptic feedback that can mix audio and a phone's haptic vibrator to create more immersive experiences. Google is building in more immersive and multi-channel audio enhancements, a more consistent gesture navigation experience when in immersive mode, and several notification changes. Notifications will see a "refreshing" design change that makes them "more modern, easier to use, and more functional." They'll be faster too, through a tap on a notification launching immediately into the app, plus apps that target Android 12 will get "custom content with icon and expand affordances to match all other notifications." Google will use Android 12 to help with future updates by adding the Android Runtime (ART) module. As a part of Project Mainline, this will let them "push updates to the core runtime and libraries on devices running Android 12" and "improve runtime performance and correctness, manage memory more efficiently, and make Kotlin operations faster" without having to run a full system update. And finally, Android 12 will be used to optimize the Android experience on big screens like tablets, foldables, and TVs. This first Android 12 Developer Preview is available for Android TV. To read the full list of developer changes from Google, we've got a recap here. Interested in running this first Android 12 Developer Preview? This initial build is available right now for the Google Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 3a and 3a XL, and Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. The Android Beta program is not yet available for Android 12, so to get into it, you'll need to flash some files. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyDkbdTl8SM // Android Developers Blog

What's New in Android 12 Developer Preview 1: Developer Stuff

Tim — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 10:00:27 +0000

Yup, it's already time for Android 12! If you're a Pixel device owner, this is a fantastic week, as this is when we can start previewing what's new inside of the upcoming version of Android. Reported to be internally named Snow Cone, Android 12 appears to focus very heavily on user safety/privacy and an overhaul for the user experience. There's a lot to go over, so let's get to it. Here's what the Android team has to say about about Android 12 directly:

With each version, we’re working to make the OS smarter, easier to use, and better performing, with privacy and security at the core. In Android 12 we’re also working to give you new tools for building great experiences for users. Starting with things like compatible media transcoding, which helps your app to work with the latest video formats if you don’t already support them, and easier copy/paste of rich content into your apps, like images and videos. We’re also adding privacy protections, refreshing the UI, and optimizing performance to keep your apps responsive.

Today’s first preview is just the start for Android 12, and we’ll have lots more to share as we move through the release.

Without wasting too much time, let's lay out everything new in Android 12.

READ: How to get Android 12 Developer Preview 1 on your Pixel phone

What's New

"Trust and Safety" is at the top of the Android 12 dev preview 1 changelog. Privacy has been a huge part of Android for the past few years, so we're not surprised by this at all. With that said, Google is providing the following changes for Android 12 developers. Do note, a lot of what you're about to read won't make sense unless you're an actual developer.

Modern SameSite cookie behaviors in WebView - In line with changes to Chrome and other browsers, WebView includes new SameSite cookie behaviors to provide additional security and privacy and give users more transparency and control over how cookies can be used across sites.
Restricted Netlink MAC - We’re continuing to help developers migrate to privacy-protecting resettable identifiers. In a multi-release effort to ease migration of device-scoped Netlink MAC, in Android 11 we restricted access to it based on API level 30, and in Android 12 we’re applying the restriction for all apps - regardless of targetSDK level.
Safer exporting of components - To prevent apps from inadvertently exporting activities, services, and receivers, we’re changing the default handling of the android;exported attribute to be more explicit. With this change, components that declare one or more intent filters must now explicitly declare an android:exported attribute. You should inspect your components in the manifest in order to avoid installation errors related to this change.
Safer handling of Intents - To make handling PendingIntents more secure, Android 12 requires apps to explicitly declare a mutability flag, either FLAG_MUTABLE or the new FLAG_IMMUTABLE, for each PendingIntent.

Next up is the "User Experience." This is where we're seeing the bulk of changes, but again, most of what Google lists in its release is behind-the-scenes magic for developers. For this section, I'll be highlighting user-facing changes. For the complete rundown from Google, look here.

Compatible media transcoding - With the prevalence of HEVC hardware encoders on mobile devices, camera apps are increasingly capturing in HEVC format, which offers significant improvements in quality and compression over older codecs. Most apps should support HEVC, but for apps that can’t, we’re introducing compatible media transcoding.
AVIF image support - To give you higher image quality with more efficient compression, Android 12 introduces platform support for AV1 Image File Format (AVIF). AVIF is a container format for images and sequences of images encoded using AV1. Like other modern image formats, AVIF takes advantage of the intra-frame encoded content from video compression. This dramatically improves image quality for the same file size when compared to older image formats, such as JPEG.
Foreground service optimizations - Foreground services are an important way for apps to manage certain types of user-facing tasks, but when overused they can affect performance and even lead to app kills. To ensure a better experience for users, we will be blocking foreground service starts from the background for apps that are targeting the new platform.
Rich content insertion - Users love images, videos and other expressive content, but inserting and moving this content in apps is not always easy. To make it simple for your apps to receive rich content, we’re introducing a new unified API that lets you accept content from any source: clipboard, keyboard, or drag and drop.
Haptic-coupled audio effect - In Android 12 apps can provide audio-coupled haptic feedback through the phone's vibrator. The vibration strength and frequency are derived from an audio session, allowing you to create more immersive game and audio experiences.
Multi-channel audio - Android 12 includes several enhancements for audio with spatial information. It adds support for MPEG-H playback in passthrough and offload mode, and the audio mixers, resamplers and effects have been optimized for up to 24 channels (the previous maximum was 8).
Immersive mode improvements for gesture nav - We’ve simplified immersive mode so that gesture navigation is easier and more consistent, for example when watching a video, reading a book, or playing a game.
Notification UI updates - We’re refreshing notification designs to make them more modern, easier to use, and more functional. In this first preview you’ll notice changes from the drawer and controls to the templates themselves. We’re also optimizing transitions and animations across the system to make them more smooth. As part of the updates, for apps targeting Android 12 we’re decorating notifications with custom content with icon and expand affordances to match all other notifications.
Faster, more responsive notifications - When users tap a notification, they expect to jump immediately into the app - the faster the better. To meet that expectation, developers should make sure that notification taps trigger Activity starts directly, rather than using “trampolines” - an intermediary broadcast receiver or service - to start the Activity. To keep notifications responsive, Android 12 will block notification trampolines by preventing them from launching their target Activities, and we’re asking developers to migrate away from this pattern.

The last bit Google mentions is about updating apps for Android 12. They are making the process easier for developers by making a lot fo changes opt-in, granting folks more time to get their things updated for compatibility. While polite, we do hope developers don't take too long to ensure their apps work and look gorgeous running on Android 12. That's it for Developer Preview 1! We'll update you each time we have a new preview and we'll list all of the new goodies.

Download Android 12 Here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyDkbdTl8SM // Android Developers

How to Get Android 12 Developer Preview 1 on Your Google Pixel Phone

Kellen — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 10:00:21 +0000

Let's say you saw the news about Android 12 Developer Preview 1 going live, read all of the changelogs and feature lists, and decided that you are interested in running this initial preview that is built for developers, not the everyday man. Well, you certainly can run the Android 12 DP1 if you own a supported Pixel phone, though we aren't sure you should. Don't want to hear that and would prefer to live life on the Android edge? OK, let's talk. Again, before we get going, Google typically makes it clear that these early developer previews are not for you unless you are a developer. In fact, their blog post says "for developers only and not intended for daily or consumer use." Expect things to be broken, expect battery life to be bad and features to not work, and the chance that there are bugs your life won't enjoy. This initial Android 12 Developer Preview is the first public build, but it's not available as a beta for all to flash for a reason. Got it?

How to install Android 12 Developer Preview 1

Supported Google Pixel phones: in order to run Android 12 DP1, you need to own a supported Pixel phone. At this time, Google is providing the preview for the Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, and Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL.
Factory image or OTA update? Google is making the update to Android 12 DP1 available as either a factory image or OTA file. The differences there are that updating with a factory image requires that you wipe all data from your phone (like a factory reset) and unlock your phone's bootloader, potentially making it less secure. If you don't want to do that, the OTA file can be sideloaded if your Pixel is currently running Android 11. For non-developers, going the OTA/sideload route is probably the best option.
Download the Android 12 DP1 factory image or OTA file: This may change, but to start, you'll need to download the Android 12 DP1 factory image or OTA file for your specific phone. You can find the newest files from Google's Android 12 developer page: factory images | OTA files
Instructions to flash the Android 12 DP1 file: We're hoping that Google will let us update to Android 12 DP1 with the Android Flash Tool at some point (and we'll update this if they do), but to start, it looks like you'll have to manually flash the DP1 factory image or OTA files from above through adb. There are instructions all over the internet on how to do this, including this set from us - flash factory image or flash OTA file.

And that's really it. You need a supported phone. You need to download the correct Android 12 DP1 file for your phone. You then flash that file onto your phone using a computer. Enjoy, risk takers! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyDkbdTl8SM

Apple TV+ App Arrives for Google TV

Tim — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 09:38:02 +0000

Apple TV+ has arrived for Google TV, specifically, an app made just for the Chromecast with Google TV. With this app, you can access some fantastic original programming, such as Ted Lasso, For All Mankind, The Morning Show, and Servant. This also allows users to access any titles they've purchased from Apple directly. Google says that in addition to Chromecast with Google TV, the Apple TV app will also be available on Google TVs from Sony and TCL. Google plans to roll out this support to more Android TV-powered devices in the coming months. To download the app on your Chromecast With Google TV, navigate to the Apps tab or the apps row in the "For you" tab. // Google

Verizon's Galaxy S8, a Four Year Old Phone, is Getting an Update

Kellen — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 09:13:36 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+, a pair of phones first launched back in April of 2017, are getting an update this week through Verizon. For those keeping track, we're approaching a full four years of software support, though that's not surprising when its coming from the "King of Android Updates." The update arrives as build PPR1.180610.011.G950USQU8DUA2 (S8) and PPR1.180610.011.G955USQU8DUA2 (S8+). The changelog suggests it includes the December Android security patch as well as "performance improvements." I'd imagine these phones will receive one more update from Samsung before being cut off for good. Samsung really does offer four years of security patches to their high-end phones, with the final year dropping support from monthly updates to quarterly. The Galaxy S8 line switched to quarterly in May of last year. While this update isn't providing much and is also close to being 3-months behind in security patches, it's another opportunity to show that Samsung updates phones longer than anyone in Android, including Google. When you decide to buy your next $1,000 phone, consider that. To check for this latest update, head into Settings>System updates>Check for updates. // Verizon

Samsung Shipping One UI 3.1 Update to Galaxy S20, Galaxy Note 20 Lineups

Tim — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 08:40:53 +0000

Samsung announced the news many Galaxy owners have been waiting for -- One UI 3.1 is coming to more devices outside of the new Galaxy S21 lineup. This is fantastic news, as One UI 3.1 is, in my opinion, the best iteration of Samsung's custom software yet. Samsung details that the update is coming for the Galaxy S20, Galaxy Note 20, and Galaxy Z lineups. This includes the Galaxy S20 FE and Galaxy Z Flip, but sadly the original Galaxy Z Fold is not included. Galaxy Z Fold 2 will be getting it, though. Once One UI 3.1 hits your supported device, you may wonder what inside is new. Well, Samsung lists Enhanced Single Take, Object Eraser, Multi-Mic Recording, and Eye Comfort Shield as other great additions for One UI 3.1. For a rundown of One UI 3.1, please read our Galaxy S21 Ultra review. There's a whole section dedicated to it.

Samsung says this rollout will begin this week, but obviously, when you get this update on your device will vary greatly. Your region and carrier will determine when you can expect the update. As soon as we see it hitting US carrier and unlocked units, we'll inform you.

This is awesome news. // Samsung

LastPass Wants More Money, Will Require Premium Account to Access Service on Multiple Device Types

Tim — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:55:49 +0000

LastPass announced big changes this week, changes that will undoubtedly affect each and every single one of its free users. Beginning March 16, LastPass will only allow free users to use one device type with their account, meaning users will need to choose if they want to use their free account on mobile devices (such as phones and tablets) or on computers (laptops, desktops, etc.). Allow me to explain. If you want LastPass on your computers, you'll be able to access it on any computer with no limits. If you want to access it on computers and mobile phones, you'll need to pay for that. If you want LastPass on just your mobile devices, you can do so for free, but again, if you want access on your computers at the same time, you'll need to pay for a Premium subscription. LastPass breaks it down in two examples, just to really hammer home what's happening here.

Sarah is a Free user with Computers as her active device type. She can use LastPass on her laptop, desktop and her dad’s laptop (anyone’s computer!), but she can’t use LastPass on her phone, tablet, or smart watch unless she upgrades to LastPass Premium, which has unlimited device type access.
Steve is a Free user with Mobile Devices as his active device type. He can use LastPass on his iPhone, Android work phone, tablet, and smart watch, but he can’t use LastPass on his desktop or laptop unless he upgrades to LastPass Premium, which has unlimited device type access.

Makes sense, yeah? LastPass explains that as a free user, your first login on or after March 16th will set your active device type. You’ll have three opportunities to switch your active device type to explore what’s right for you. Additionally, as of May 17th, email support will only be available for Premium and Families customers. Ready to start paying? Good! For a limited time, users can upgrade from a free account to LastPass Premium for $2.25 per month (billed annually). LastPass Families is also available at a special limited time offer of $3.00 per month (billed annually). Kinda weak, LastPass. // LastPass

Sorry Galaxy S21, I'm Sticking With the Pixel 5

Kellen — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 13:32:04 +0000

Passing on the Galaxy S21 to keep Google's weird phone.

When a new year kicks off, just after we've crowned our "phones of the year" from the previous 12 months, the first wave of phones hits to show us the beginnings of new tech trends going forward. It's also the first chance for a company to step up with their next phone and try to replace the kings of the year before. Samsung is often one of the first out of the gate with their new Galaxy S line, and that didn't change for 2021. The Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Ultra arrived earlier than ever and I've spent quite a bit of time with the regular Galaxy S21. As the phone of the line that most appeals to my tastes, plus the fact that last year's Galaxy S20 was the phone I spent the majority of 2020 with, I expected for this to be my phone of choice going forward. As it turns out, I'll be sticking with Google's Pixel 5. At some point, I'll hammer out my Galaxy S21 review to dive into all of the reasons I think this year's Galaxy S line is one to skip, but this post is more about why the Pixel 5 is the perfect phone for me, at least for now.

Pixel 5 is the perfect combination

The reason I assumed that I would like the regular Galaxy S21 is because the Galaxy S20 from last year was my favorite phone up until the Pixel 5 won me over. What I loved about the Galaxy S20 was the size, its in-hand feel, the display, its software, and performance. When the S21 showed up, I assumed it would tick all of those boxes again, only with a slightly updated design and improved internals. That's not what happened, though. In all of those areas, the Pixel 5 beats the Galaxy S21, at least during my testing. The Pixel 5 feels better in my hand with its semi-grippy textured backside vs. the obviously-plastic backside of the S21. It's also slightly shorter, ever-so slightly slimmer, and about 20g lighter with almost the same size display. The Pixel 5 is overall a more pleasant phone to hold and use, especially for long periods of time. As for that display, I'm not about to tell you that the Pixel 5's display is better than the S21's. The 6.2" AMOLED panel in the S21 is brighter and less warm in tone than the Pixel 5. However, the touch responsiveness of Android and the display together are better on the Pixel 5. That surprises me, and it could just be the way Samsung's One UI 3.1 reacts and animates so slowly to everything, but the Pixel 5 is noticeably snappier when using. In software, well, as much as I enjoy Samsung's One UI, this latest version is most definitely not my favorite. One UI 3.1 removed the ability to reduce animations (was an Advanced Feature), so everything you do is so over-bloated with obnoxious transitions. There is an issue with the lockscreen that buries some notifications and won't show them to you unless you fully unlock the device. The app drawer's horizontal scrolling still pisses me off too. I could go on and on, but at least we have Google Discover! On the Pixel 5, I get Google's Pixel Experience with its minimal elegance, faster animations, proper folder sizing and app drawer, and true representation of Android's notification experience. I just prefer Google's take on Android, even if it means less built-in features like you might find from Samsung (ex: one-handed mode). Finally, in performance, the Galaxy S21 and its 8GB RAM coupled with the new Snapdragon 888 have been a huge disappointment. The first week brought me several stuttering moments, apps failing to load in a timely manner, a slow camera, and other sluggish experiences. I was generally shocked at how badly this S21 performed. A recent update helped some, but the camera is still insanely slow to fully load, focus, and take a first picture, plus the UI just isn't that fast to do some of my daily tasks. The Pixel 5, with its oldish and no-where-near-as-premium Snapdragon 765G and 8GB RAM perform better than this S21. Would it during a heavy gaming session? Probably not, but your boy doesn't mobile game. During daily tasks that involve Twitter, Instagram, Gmail, Chrome, Hangouts, and several other apps, the Pixel 5 brings a smoother, more reliable experience.

Battery life on the Pixel 5

The Pixel 5 has such incredible battery life that it's the first phone in years that I've turned off the constant battery percentage icon in the status bar. Instead, I leave only the battery icon, because I know this phone will get me through an entire day and then some without a single worry. On the Galaxy S21, that hasn't been the case. My hope was that the Galaxy S21 with its Snapdragon 888 and large 4000mAh battery would find ways to sip juice, yet remain powerful in a more efficient manner. Not that battery life has been awful for me with it, but I'm having to get used to 15% battery warnings again each night while testing it. That's not exactly a fun space to be in after having no battery concerns for several months.

But the cameras?

They are pretty equal, I think. The Galaxy S21 didn't receive an upgraded camera over the Galaxy S20, so you still get the same triple camera setup that was solid last year. We know the Pixel 5 didn't see an upgrade either, although it did get a secondary wide angle lens in place of last year's telephoto. I think my general takeaway in this department is that I prefer the styling and processing choices that Google makes for its cameras over Samsung's. The S21 would provide a bit more flexibility (it has a telephoto lens), but I like the Pixel 5's portrait and night sight modes more than I miss long distance shots. Google's camera app is also far less bloated and easier to navigate. I have no need for 8K video either.

New Android first

As much as I still believe that Samsung is the "King of Android Updates," there is one thing that Google's Pixel line has over it: access to new versions of Android sooner. So even with all the praise I've heaped on Samsung in recent years for the improvements they've made to their update game, I'm an Android tinkerer at heart and that means I love to play with the newest in Android as soon as possible. I'm not necessarily talking about monthly security patches or the stable release of whatever new version of Android is here. I'm talking about the fact that an Android 12 developer preview and a new Android beta program could show up later this month. For years now, we've grabbed our Pixel phones in February or March or April to flash the first of several Android preview or beta builds. While the rest of the phone world sits backs and waits for new versions of Android to go stable, then another few months for their phone maker to prepare an update, Pixel owners have spent half a year with that version of Android through dozens of changes. So yeah, it's Pixel 5 for me until the next one comes along. Let's see if OnePlus can win me over.

You Can Now Pay for Your Fare, Parking Right Inside Google Maps

Tim — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 10:49:17 +0000

Google introduced quite the feature this week, one that allows users to pay for things like street parking and your public transit fare all from right inside Google Maps. In a world where we want to limit what we touch with our hands, this is indeed welcomed news. The way this feature works appears to be quite seamless. For example, if you're headed somewhere and Google notices street parking needs to be paid for, you'll see an option for "pay for parking" right in the navigation menu. From here, the company is tied in with services like Passport and ParkMobile, allowing users to enter in their vehicle information and save a ton of time. The GIF below walks you through the simple process.

The same goes for public transit. According to Google, they've expanded the ability to pay for transit fares from inside Maps to over 80 transit agencies around the world. Let's say you're in NYC and need to use MTA. When looking up directions to a spot, you'll now see a Google Pay option that will let you purchase your fare from right inside Maps. If you want another option, those will still be there. This change is really just making it much easier for people to purchase what they need all from a single app. It's quite lovely. The Pay for Parking feature starts rolling out today on Android in 400+ cities in the US (including Boston, Cincinnati, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C, and more) with iOS support coming soon. The ability to pay for transit from inside Google Maps expands to 80 agencies globally for Android devices in the coming weeks. // Google

Verizon Galaxy Note 9 Gets February Security Patch

Tim — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 09:22:47 +0000

Verizon and Samsung are on a tear lately with the Galaxy Note 9 -- this thing won't STOP getting updates. This time, it's the February security patch, coming in with software version N960USQS7FUA1. While it may not be Android 11, owners should be happy that this thing is getting such timely security updates. It's not every day where a device of this age sees this kind of support. Samsung really is the king of Android updates, and no, Google doesn't count. If you still own the Note 9, get that update! // Verizon

YouTube TV is Getting 4K Streams, Offline Viewing, and More for a Price

Kellen — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 08:08:10 +0000

YouTube TV, even with all of its price hikes, offers a pretty great TV experience. From the well-designed apps on all platforms to the unlimited DVR and included sports offerings, I still haven't found enough reason to cancel it because I do actually enjoy the product. In the coming weeks, YouTube TV plans to introduce more goodies, but they may come at an additional cost. In a blog post today talking about the future of YouTube and YouTube TV, Google announced that they plan to offer an "add-on option" that lets viewers watch 4K streams and/or download them to DVR for offline viewing later. This option will also give customers unlimited concurrent streams in a home. Google hasn't said how much this add-on will cost, but you have to remember that after several price increases, YouTube TV now costs close to double its original asking price. To subscribe to YouTube TV, you pay $65/mo today vs. $35/mo a couple of years ago. Is 4K streaming with offline downloads and unlimited concurrent streams worth $5/mo or $10/mo or $15/mo? I don't know. 4K sounds great, but I'm not sure I need those other things. You need 4K bad enough on your YouTube TV experience to pay more? // YouTube

ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System Available for Pacific Northwest Starting Next Month

Tim — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 12:19:47 +0000

This isn't exactly Android-related, but it is wireless industry-related and Pacific Northwest-related (we're based in Portland, OR), so that's good enough for us. Announced this week, the ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system, the same system in use in California for its early warning messaging system, will soon be available for residents of Oregon starting in March, 2021. Following that, Washington state residents will have it available for their wireless devices in May, 2021. ShakeAlert has the ability to save lives in the event of an earthquake. By delivering a message to wireless phone users seconds ahead of when the shaking starts, citizens have a chance to get somewhere safe. Considering the PNW and its residents have been gearing up for the Big One, the availability of this service to those outside of California is welcomed news.

Leading up to March 11, Oregon, in collaboration with USGS and other partners, will use various methods to announce the availability of alerts powered by the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning system to be delivered to wireless devices. On March 11, ShakeAlert will be activated to deliver alerts directly to wireless devices in Oregon when earthquakes strike.

Very good! // USGS [IMAGE]

Essential Now Owned by Nothing

Tim — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 11:47:18 +0000

Nothing, also known as Nothing Technologies, is now the owner of Essential, the once darling phone company that could have been something very special if it wasn't for a large amount of misconduct concerning its founder Andy Rubin. With all of that behind us and Essential essentially doing nothing for the past couple of years, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei has gained all of the rights to Essential's entire line of intellectual property, including logos, trademarks, and patents. There's no telling yet why this took place, but the hunch is that Nothing wanted Essential's patent portfolio, reported to be home to a few things concerning digital voice assistance. We're not yet sure how that plays into Nothing's headphones move, and it may not at all, but we'll have to remain patient to see what comes of this. We're very curious how much this purchase cost Nothing. It couldn't have been too much, right? // 9to5Google

Android 12 is Snow Cone

Tim — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 09:08:20 +0000

While Google is no longer doing a big public song and dance for dessert names and Android releases, internally things are a bit different. Android developers are utilizing the letters "sc" in the source code for Android 12, short for Snow Cone, and honestly, we love it. According to XDA, it's believed to be Snow Cone based on this source code evidence because the same thing happened last year. Google stayed clear of any public confirmation that Android 11 was Red Velvet Cake, though, an Easter Egg on the AR statue for Android 11 contained a recipe for the delicious dessert. You know, typical Google stuff. So while we may not see Google publicly out Android 12 as Snow Cone ever down the road, us insiders and Android ~~nerds~~ enthusiasts can speak to each other with the common knowledge that Snow Cone = Android 12. It seems we're learning more about Android 12 with each passing day. Soon, it'll be running on our Pixel phones via a new Developer Preview launch. We're looking forward to that. Do you like the name Snow Cone? // XDA

A Bunch of Android 12 Secrets Have Been Revealed

Kellen — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 08:55:17 +0000

There is a good chance that Android 12 will arrive at any moment as a developer preview for developers (and early adopters) to begin testing. When it does drop, we'll dive in and show you as many changes as we can find, knowing that the story of Android 12 will likely change over several releases. Before we get to that first Android 12 Developer Preview, a bunch of the changes have been outed and are starting to tell that story. We think we know about major UI tweaks to Android's Material theme, the introduction of gaming and one-handed modes, picture-in-picture improvements, a smarter auto-rotate system, and app pairing for multi-tasking. Oh, the internal dessert name may also be "Snow Cone." There is a lot to talk about after a barrage of Android 12 stories from yesterday, so let's dive in.

Material "NEXT" Design Changes

Through last week's big (supposed) Android 12 leak, we saw what might be just the start of a new UI or design language from Google for Android. According to XDA, Google is working on big UI changes under their Material Design guidelines that they are referring to as "Material NEXT" and Android 12 could be the jump off. Not only will we get the major system-level theme setup we saw in last week's screenshots, there could be more. Google could update the lock screen area by moving the location of clocks, notifications icons, and other info in the always-on display experience. They may be updating the pattern lock UI and adding lock screen clock customizations as well. As a part of their wallpaper-based theming system, Google may showcase its capabilities with the wallpaper we saw last week. That has apparently been named "Silk," plus the theme is a part of a "SilkFX" app. The idea here, for those not following, is that Android 12 will take your wallpaper and then theme parts of the system UI based off that. It could be incredibly hot. Further into the UI, Google is apparently planning to add some thickness to the brightness slider and is testing changes to the quick settings area that may annoy the world. They have an idea of a two-column quick settings page setup that is being tested, which sounds like the worst of moves. Hopefully, the full story isn't understood here, as last week's leak already showed additional changes (like a drop from 6 to 4 shortcuts) we weren't fans of. The big takeaway here is that Android 12 may bring major UI changes that could just be the start to a further beautification from Google for its mobile OS.

One-Handed Mode

Google is extremely late to the party here, but it looks like they will build a one-handed mode (via XDA) into Android for the first time with Android 12. Yes, we're talking about some sort of gesture that would swipe or pop-over the screen into the corner of whichever hand you are holding your phone to make it easier to use with one hand. Several OEMs have had this feature built into their own Android skins for years now. With phone sizes not showing any signs of shrinking, one-handed modes do come in handy from time-to-time, so being later is certainly better than never. Google will apparently bury the setting for Android 12's one-handed mode in Settings>System>Gestures, where we already find other gestures like the system navigation, camera opening shortcut, lift or tap to check phone, etc.

Game Mode

Phones from Samsung and OnePlus phones often include a special mode (above) that fires up when you open a game. These modes lock in settings to give you better performance while gaming, but they also give you shortcuts to frequently used apps, screenshot tools, show your battery life, do not disturb settings, and more. Google will apparently launch something similar with Android 12 (via XDA), though we have no idea how many features they'll build in or if it'll be the absolute bare bones experience. In a related area, Google could update Android's Bluetooth API to show battery level of connected controllers.

"Reduce Brightness" Button

Android 12 could get a new quick settings tile that will either reduce brightness or "reduce bright colors." The option is thought to be an accessibility feature for those with visual impairments. We don't know exactly how it'll adjust both brightness and colors, but if Google is building a quick settings tile for it, it should offer quite the benefit.

Smarter Auto-Rotate

There's a chance that Google will use your face to improve auto-rotate in Android 12. Since we all know how bad Android's auto-rotate has been during the entirety of its life, we'll always accept adjustments. According to information related to Android 12 (via 9to5Google), Google could use the orientation of your face to decide if your phone should rotate or not. Think about a scenario where you are lying sideways in bed and you'd rather your phone's auto-rotate not flip to landscape, but instead stay in portrait mode because that's how your head lines up with it. Now, this seems like a limited situation feature, so I'm curious to see how Google fully implements it. I say that because if you are sitting upright and want to turn landscape, simply rotating your phone wouldn't work if it's following your face. At that point, if face auto-rotate is on, you'd have to manually force landscape. I guess there could be multiple auto-rotate profiles that a user could choose from. This particularly feature may be a Pixel exclusive to start.

Picture-in-Picture Improvements

We saw subtle picture-in-picture improvements with Android 11, like a resizing trick that isn't that easy to use. In Android 12, we could get a bunch of changes that will actually put Android's PiP on-par with iOS. The list of changes (via XDA) includes being able to pinch-to-zoom in a PiP window to resize, double-tapping to hit max size, and "stashing" PiP windows temporarily off to the side of a screen. Again, this is all very much like PiP in iOS 14, which is miles ahead of Google's.

App Pairs

And finally, Google might adopt an app pair feature into its multi-tasking or multi-window feature. The idea here is to put together pairs of apps that would launch simultaneously in split screen mode on Android 12. This isn't a new idea, as Samsung has done this with One UI for some time, but we'd love to see it built into Android. Tell us what you like so far about Android 12's reported feature list.

Galaxy Chromebook 2 Available for Pre-Order Starting at $549

Tim — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 08:36:51 +0000

This year's all digital CES was extremely boring, but one product that caught our eye was Samsung's new Galaxy Chromebook 2. For starters, it's relatively cheap starting at $549, but it comes with some fine specs to make what should be quite the Chrome OS experience. Back in January, the company didn't provide official availability, but we have all of that now. The Galaxy Chromebook 2 is up for pre-order starting today, with general availability beginning March 1. Again, it starts at $549 with the lowest tier that includes 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, but can go all the way up to $699 with 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, and a Core i3 processor. Other key specs include a 13.3-inch QLED FHD touchscreen display, stereo speakers, stylus support, and 45.5Wh battery. If the latest Chrome OS machine interests you, follow either of the links below.

Pre-Order Links: Samsung | Best Buy

Google Starts Selling Fitbit Products on Google Store

Kellen — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 06:59:40 +0000

Google is operating under the assumption that Fitbit is officially theirs and has even linked to Fitbit's store from the Google Store to tell people to shop for the latest from the wearable maker. Today, Google made it even easier for you to buy Fitbit products. You can now buy select Fitbit goods directly from the Google Store. Google added the Fitbit Sense, Versa 3, Inspire 2, and Charge 4 to the Google Store. If you buy any of those, it looks like Google is handling it all, including the shipping. Prices for all are what you are familiar with too, so this isn't (yet) one of those situations where Google bought a company and will now be able to drop prices. The Fitbit Sense is still $330, Versa 3 is $230, and the two fitness bands are the prices you'd find elsewhere. For now, Google is still pointing you to Fitbit's store if you want accessories or any of the other (older) fitness trackers they sell. I'd imagine at some point soon enough, it will all come on over. Poor, Wear OS.

Shop Fitbit at Google Store

Unlocked Galaxy Fold Gets Android 11 (One UI 3.0) Update

Tim — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 10:51:23 +0000

It appears that Samsung is now shipping out the Android 11 (One UI 3.0) update to the original Galaxy Fold, not too long after the same update was made available for the newer Galaxy Z Fold 2. Very nice. The update is labeled as software version F900U1UEU4DUA3, and inside, users will not only find the Android 11 improvements, but the February security patch as well. For a look at what's included in One UI 3.0, take a look here. We've played with this update on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 already and it's great. If you're still rocking the OG Galaxy Fold, be on the lookout! // SamMobile

T-Mobile Once Again to Provide Free Season of MLB.TV to Customers

Tim — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 09:33:01 +0000

A huge perk for baseball fans who are T-Mobile customers is the annual free season of MLB.TV. According to an email headed out this week, 2021 is no different, with the wireless carrier set to provide a subscription of MLB.TV free of charge to all eligible customers beginning March 30. An MLB.TV subscription starts at $110 for a single team. It's by no means a cheap service, so the fact that every T-Mobile wireless customer can snag it for free is really great. Since I don't live in the city of my favorite team, it's ideal for out-of-market fans too, plus the MLB.TV app is quite good for stats and news coverage. It's been a solid offer from T-Mobile for the past few years and one of the reasons I stick with T-Mobile as my cell provider. Again, sign-ups will be available beginning March 30 at t-mobile.com/mlb. Righteous!

DEAL: Refurbed Jabra Elite 85t Earbuds for $119 ($110 Off)

Tim — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 08:44:44 +0000

With so many options on the market, we're constantly getting asked what wireless earbuds we recommend the most. For me, my top recommendation is for the Elite 85t earbuds from Jabra. What does it for me is the fit and the sound quality, and when it comes to earbuds, that should be your priorities as well. I've been going back and forth between the Elite 85t and the new Galaxy Buds Pro from Samsung, and if I had to choose one for the rest of 2021, I'd stick with the 85t buds. Currently on eBay, Jabra is selling refurbished Elite 85t units for just $149. However, with it being a holiday, you can use an additional code to bring that price all the way down to just $119. New, these earbuds go for $229, so getting them for $110 off is a major score. I know there may be some who are hesitant to purchase refurbished earbuds, but do note that products are cleaned and given fresh tips, plus, Jabra is providing a two-year warranty for the earbuds. It's a win-win. Have at it.

eBay Link (Coupon code: PREZDAY20)

Nest Audio at $79.99 is Quite a Lovely Price ($20 Off)

Kellen — Sun, 14 Feb 2021 08:02:29 +0000

Google's best speaker for the foreseeable future, the Nest Audio, is discounted right now to one of its best prices ever. At $79.99, you are looking at a $20 discount that in the past has only been used when you put a pair of these new speakers together. The Nest Audio features "room filling" sound, all powered by its woofer and tweeter combo, along with a bit of adaptive audio magic. The Google Assistant is there too, so you can control your smart home, check in on your day, find a fun game to play with the family, broadcast messages, or just ask about the weather. In Tim's review, he found the Nest Audio to be able to successfully capture any type of music he could throw at it. As the most important part of a speaker review, let's just say that he was impressed there. Need a pair of Nest Audio speakers for a stereo pair? Cool. All you have to do is add two to cart and you'll then save $40. Shop Nest Audio:

Original Galaxy Buds are $49, so You Might as Well

Kellen — Sun, 14 Feb 2021 07:44:17 +0000

Lookin' for a Sunday deal? Samsung's Galaxy Buds are down to $49 at the moment and they are good enough still that you should consider jumping on this if in need of a fresh pair of true wireless earbuds. To be clear, these are not last year's Galaxy Buds+, Buds Live, or this year's Galaxy Buds Pro. These are the original Galaxy Buds, the pair of buds that first made beautiful beats inside of the ears of the DL team. They don't have ANC or crazy 11-hour battery life, but they fit well, sound really good, and should last a long time from charge to charge. Walmart has the Galaxy Buds in black or white at the $49 price. I'd guess these will move fast.

Walmart Deal Link

Chromecast with Google TV Soon Getting Kids Profiles

Tim — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 13:11:08 +0000

Google launched the Chromecast with Google TV without any type of true multi-user support, including support for kids profiles. This means that anyone who is using the device has access to everything on the device and there is no way to block certain content from, for example, young viewers. As detailed this week, that's soon to change, as Google will be introducing Kids Profiles in "the next month (or so)." Here's what a Google representative posted to the Issue Tracker website.

Just wanted to post an update that Kids Profiles should be rolling out in the next month (or so). Restricted profiles are indeed deprecated in GTV and replaced by the new feature "Kids Profiles", which allows you to setup a safe space for kids in google TV. During onboarding you can chose what apps to make available to kids. Youtube kids is available by default and other installed apps required parent opt-in before they are made available to the kid. Leaving the kids profile can be restricted by a PIN to prevent kids from accidentally going back to the parent account.

While that's totally cool, it doesn't exactly add multi-user support, which is what I'd really like to have. I have some movies from Google Play tied to another Google account of mine, which I can only access from my phone and then cast to the Google TV. It's an annoying workaround, but that's what Google offers. Cool. As soon as this change rolls out, we'll let you know. // Android Police | Google Issue Tracker

Samsung, Please Keep Doing This $700 Off Galaxy S21 Deal

Kellen — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 13:05:11 +0000

If Samsung wants to host this $700-off deal for the Galaxy S21 forever, you won't find any complaints here. Since that's not likely to happen, we've got to point it out once again, as the days for it to be available have to be limited. After all, the Galaxy S21 family has been available for a couple of weeks now. As was the case last week and during pre-orders, Samsung is offering up to $700 off the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra (review). To get that value, you need to trade-in a phone where they'll give you that value as an instant discount. It's the sweetest trade-in deal around, but you should know that. To get the full value of $700, you need to trade in a Note 20, Galaxy S20, or newer iPhone like the iPhone 12. Assuming you don't have a phone that new, you can still get $550 off by trading in a Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy S20 FE, or a variety of other iPhones. As a bonus on top of the trade-in discount, Samsung is still handing out free SmartTags ($30 value) and up to $100 credit to spend on accessories, like the lovely Galaxy Buds Pro. For those who keep putting off buying the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, or Galaxy S21 Ultra, yet are seriously considering one of the three, you really should get in this before it ends.

Shop Galaxy S21 from Samsung

Podcast: A Galaxy S21 Ultra Review

Kellen — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 08:20:03 +0000

For this episode of the Droid Life Show, it's time to talk through Tim's Galaxy S21 Ultra review, some pre-review thoughts on the regular Galaxy S21, and find out if Tim is sticking with Samsung's newest or headed back to the Pixel 5. We'll also dive into a possible Android 12 leak, check to see if everyone is cool paying for parts of Twitter, and wrap-up with a reminder that Google Play Music's time is done and that your library will soon be deleted. Trivia is back as well! We’ll be live at 10:00AM Pacific (1:00PM Eastern).

Thank you to EwinRacing for sponsoring this week’s show. Use promo code “Droidlife” for 30% off your purchase of a gaming chair. See our review of the chairs here.

Poll: Case or No Case?

Kellen — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 15:38:29 +0000

A couple of years ago, we asked if everyone was protecting their ultra-expensive phones with a case and the majority of you were on #TeamCase. In fact, almost 80% responded by saying they wouldn't dare leave home without one. The rest of you, well, you lived life wildly back then and I respected it. As you can see above, I'm rocking cases on both the Galaxy S21 and Pixel 5 at the moment, the kind that offer zero protection and are really just there because they look clean. Or maybe it was for the photo-op. Whatever. Fast forward to today and I'm curious how things have changed for you. Are you all about that case life because our phones still cost $800 and up? Do you go ultra-thin, like this one? Or do you rock the ultimate protector style, where you can't even see or feel any part of your glass-encased, piece of tech artwork?

Shop Galaxy S21 Cases

I'm not here to judge (that's a lie), I just want to know for science, or something. And feel free to share your favorites down in those comments. What's the best case you tend to grab from phone to phone? [poll id="563"]

Click here if poll not loading

Google Photos Gets a New Video Editor, More Google One Exclusives

Kellen — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 09:53:24 +0000

Google Photos updates are always some of our favorites because Google Photos is one of the best apps on the planet. I know there is controversy surrounding Google's new limits on storage, but this app brings so much joy, organization, and power to our photo collections that when new features show up, we get excited. Today, it's getting new features! Google is introducing a new video editor to Google Photos that adds onto the suite of tools you previously had. With the new editor, you'll have more than 30 controls, with new additions that include crop, perspective change, filters, and granular edits (brightness, contrast, etc.). The new video editor is apparently already available on iOS and will hit Android in the "coming weeks." You absolutely hate to see that. In addition to the new video editor, Google is taking some of the exclusive-to-Pixel features available and bringing them over to Google One members. Features like Portrait Blur and Portrait Light, that let you do nifty tricks to pictures of people after the fact have been offered to Google One folks. Google is also giving Google One members Blur and Color Pop effects to photos without depth info, and Dynamic and sky suggestions. Those sky suggestions should help with those epic sunset shots we all can't help but take at even the slightest appearance of an orange skyline.

If you are a Google One member, you should see all of those new features available "over the next few days." // Google

Microsoft's Surface Duo Gets a $400 Price Cut

Kellen — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 08:34:28 +0000

Microsoft is making a move that should have been made months ago - they are dropping the price of the Surface Duo. With a $400 price cut, the Surface Duo will now start at $999 in the US. The wording around this news from The Verge suggests this is a permanent price cut, but most sites selling the Surface Duo all make it look like a promotional discount. It should be a permanent cut if it isn't, as the Surface Duo was always over-priced for the specs provided by Microsoft. When we reviewed the Surface Duo shortly after launch last year, I called it "really bad" and said that Microsoft should be embarrassed by its software. I pointed out that it would take several updates worth of bug fixes in order for it to improve and Microsoft has mostly done just that. In the months since that review, Microsoft has released three updates to address stability, touch responsiveness, and add Android's monthly security patches. None of the updates add new or exciting features because Microsoft really did need to spend months taking care of bugs. I actually re-purchased a Surface Duo a month or so ago at a hell of a discount to see if Microsoft had improved the device at all. I can tell you that the most recent January update fixed a lot of the touch responsiveness issues I experienced. The unit I have runs pretty well now. So Microsoft has stabilized their super expensive, outdated folding device, they just need to add new features and convince developers to add dual-screen experiences to their apps. Should you buy a Surface Duo at $999? Probably not. It's still running really old hardware, doesn't have NFC, and is kind of a pain in the ass to use. But if you see further discounts and you think a Surface Duo could see a good amount of couch action as a WiFi device, sure.

Shop Microsoft Surface Duo

No One Can Figure Out How to Wear Samsung's Galaxy Buds Pro

Kellen — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 15:09:46 +0000

When buying a Galaxy S21 or Galaxy S21 Ultra, thanks to an instant credit offered that could be spent to buy accessories on the spot at a discount, I think it's safe to assume that a bunch of people recently bought Samsung's new Galaxy Buds Pro with their new phone. I know I did. Tim did too. It was an easy pick-up, especially after hearing Samsung's pitch about their newest pair of ANC-equipped wireless earbuds. We're still testing ours, but most early reviews of the Galaxy Buds Pro have compared them favorably to Apple's AirPods Pro and called them Samsung's best yet. While I can tell you now that I do think they sound pretty incredible for true wireless earbuds, there's another area of concern that a whole bunch of early adopters are running into that have hurt the Buds Pro's rating. No one can figure out how they fit. I was cruising around Samsung's store today (because I have nothing better to do) and noticed that the Buds Pro, which again are almost universally praised by reviewers, have a 3.2-star rating with 120 reviews in. When looking through the reasons for such a low rating on a product that seemed like a slam dunk from Samsung, it doesn't take long to see what's up.

Those are just a small sample of the complaints. Most people think they sound and look great, but wearing them is the issue. They either don't fit well, cause discomfort, or fall out with something as silly as chewing gum. The funny thing is that Samsung keeps responding by basically telling everyone that they are fools who are wearing them wrong. Their response includes a link to a guide on how to fit tips onto the Buds Pro and also properly insert them into ears. During my usage, I can't say that I've had fit issues. Out of the box my Buds Pro fit well and are secured by sliding them into each ear and then giving them a slight twist into position. I feel like I do that same move with all true wireless buds, though, so maybe these folks just need some practice.

Shop Galaxy Buds Pro

Why Are You Still Using Android?

Kellen — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 13:08:19 +0000

We’re asking again – why are you still using Android in 2021?

When we first brought this topic up over a year ago now, Android was in a weird spot. Google had just released its Pixel 4 line-up to mostly poor reviews, Apple had seemingly knocked it out of the park with the iPhone 11, and more of our readers than ever were voicing their negative opinions about the platform. We got the feeling that a shift was happening, where long-time Android fans were considering a switch. But then shortly after I asked "Why Android?" a wave of people showed up to defend their reasons for staying with Google's mobile OS. Some 2,000+ comments shared their opinions, with the majority in support of their decision to remain a Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy or OnePlus or Motorola or Huawei or Xiaomi owner. As we enter 2021, and after all that happened in 2020, this seems like a good time to revisit. Over the past year alone, a global pandemic certainly affected the timing of phone releases, but I'm not sure it necessarily changed the reasons so many of us choose Android. For one, Google released a Pixel 4a and Pixel 4a 5G that are pretty much universally loved. Their prices are right for the specs they offer, and the situation surrounding software updates for each is close to being as good as it gets. They also have a Pixel 5 device that is a bit more controversial, though there are those of us who think it's the best Google has offered in some time. We aren't in the same situation with Google phones that we were in 2019, and that's probably partly because Google exited the space that the Pixel 4 was trying to fill. Google aside, Samsung sure looks to be at the top of their game at the moment in terms of quality devices. The Galaxy S20 line was fabulous, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra was great, and they are positioned to dominate an emerging foldable space. Samsung is also arguably the "King of Android Updates," created a software skin so good that everyone else is copying it, and just kicked off 2021 with a Galaxy S21 family whose early reviews (including our own) have heaped nothing but praise upon them. OnePlus, on the other hand, is quickly losing its identity, Motorola hasn't managed to re-capture anyone's attention, and LG is reportedly contemplating leaving the space. In other words, the state of the Android phone ecosystem isn't as healthy as we would like it to be, especially when you consider Huawei's situation in the US and Xiaomi staying far from here. It's also not in a bad place or a much different place than in 2019. On the opposite side of the aisle, Apple appears to have once again killed it with the iPhone 12 series. They posted ridiculous quarterly numbers and included several major updates to iOS that brought over some of Android's best features, like picture-in-picture, an app drawer of sorts, setting custom default apps, and widgets. That's not to say that Android hasn't improved as well, but because Android was living through its huge growth phase years ago, Apple is now able to steal some of the spotlight back by adding in all of the features Android already introduced. In some cases, they've learned from Android's past to improve upon their own implementations. Android and iOS are as close in feature parity as they've ever been. So that brings us back to the beginning topic here. Why are you sticking with Android? Is it because of the still-solid, yet slightly reduced number of phones to choose from? Is it because you view Android as still superior to iOS? The top comment from 2019's post said simply, "Because I can't stand iOS" - is that all you need to say?

Hangouts Users May Soon Get Google Chat Beta Access

Kellen — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 10:12:42 +0000

Google Hangouts is still alive and we're in 2021, if you can believe that. Google has yet to kill off the best messaging app it ever made, an app that was a feature tweak or two away from being the king. They will end its life soon, though, possibly by the end of 2021. Before we get there, they need to let Hangouts users start testing its replacement, the app known as Google Chat. According to lines of code buried within a recent Google Chat update, Google is preparing to launch some sort of beta experience for Hangouts users. Once live - and it could be very soon if these lines of code are already in the app - a pop-up will welcome Hangouts users to Google Chat, inform them that Chat provides a "new experience and features not found in Hangouts," and that there could be "bugs and other issues." Should you not have Chat installed, you may also be welcomed to try it through Gmail. If that sounds weird, well, you must have missed all of our coverage on Google Chat and Meet getting integrated with Gmail. We already have Meet tabs available, but there are plans to add Google Chat into Gmail as well. It looks like Google could welcome Chat integration there by also inviting Hangouts users. If you are confused as to why you can't already use Google Chat, that's because Google has taken years to slow roll it out to only a select group of users. Folks with Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), who currently are the only users with full access, only recently got the ability to send messages to Chat/Hangouts users outside of an organization. That's obviously a key feature if Chat is to replace Hangouts. To recap, Hangouts is still going away and Google still plans to replace it with Chat. To do that, Google appears to be preparing to allow some Hangouts users test Chat through a beta program that will likely open up the flood gates to everyone deciding if Chat is good or if it's truly time to move on. // 9to5Google

Galaxy S20 FE Gets One UI 3.1, Just Like the Galaxy S21 Has

Kellen — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 09:40:16 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE was the darling of phone buyers in 2020 who were looking for a high-end phone experience with a budget price. It ticked a lot of boxes while saving folks hundreds of dollars over the regular Galaxy S20 line-up. It has also seen plenty of regular updates, showing that Samsung isn't treating it like anything but an important device in their family of S20 phones. Today, Samsung further proved it plans to bring nothing but love to the Galaxy S20 FE with a big update (G781BXXU2CUB5). International owners (via reddit) of the Galaxy S20 FE started seeing an update this month to Samsung's One UI 3.1, a version of their Android skin that only a few devices currently have. The Galaxy S21 line launched with One UI 3.1 and the Galaxy Tab S7 was updated to it within the past few weeks, but no one else has it. The regular Galaxy S20 doesn't, nor does the Galaxy Note 20. This is good stuff for Galaxy S20 FE owners! The update is arriving with a size of at least 1.7GB. Once you have it, you should notice subtle UI tweaks in places like the notification pulldown, improvements to smart home controls, potential Google Duo integration, and more. It's not a massive update, but it's a good one. Oh, if you were looking for the option for Google Discover off to the left side of your home screen, users are not finding it. That could be a Galaxy S21 exclusive for now.

Heads Up: Galaxy Buds Pro Earbuds Down to $169 ($30 Off)

Tim — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 08:25:51 +0000

Samsung's latest Galaxy earbuds, the Galaxy Buds Pro, are already seeing their first sale via Woot!, down to just $169. That's $30 off their usual $199 price. These are new earbuds (not used or refurbished), and if you compare them to similar earbuds on the market, this price is a really good deal. The Galaxy Buds Pro are Samsung's best earbuds yet, coming packed with features. The big seller is ANC (active noise cancellation), but another feature that some may find useful is a conversation recognizer for the Ambient Sound setting. For example, if you have your Buds in and walk into a Starbucks and begin a conversation with the barista, the earbuds will automatically kick into ambient mode and allow you to hear the coffee artist. You don't have to use the touch controls and remove the buds from your ears. It's a great idea, though, I found it to be a bit overly sensitive in my initial testing. Woot! has all of the colors available, so head on over and take advantage of the deal. If you have a Samsung phone, it's a no-brainer pickup.

Buy Here

A New Pixel Buds 2 Update is Here as Build 553

Kellen — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 16:39:36 +0000

The last Pixel Buds update we saw showed up in September to address a weird bug that involved cutouts in audio after specific amounts of time. It was the latest bug fixer for an expensive product that can't seem to find itself on stable ground. Today, another update is here that only ticks the version number up 1, so I'm guessing we're addressing more bugs and not much else. The new Pixel Buds 2 update is rolling out (via reddit) as version 553 and should be available to everyone right away. I was able to pull the update after not having touched my Pixel Buds in several weeks. To check for the update and get the process started you connect your Pixel Buds to your phone, open the Pixel Buds app, tap on “More settings,” and then “Firmware update.” Make sure you have “Automatic updates” toggled on, or you may want to toggle it off and back on again. After that, you sort of just listen to your Buds for a while (or at least leave them out of the case) to let the update download in the background. After you’ve listened for a while (10-15 mins) and we assume that an update is ready to install, you drop your Buds back in their case and then the update will install. There still isn't a status for this process, so you kind of have to trust it, Joel Embiid. If we find anything new or Google posts a changelog, we'll let you know.

T-Mobile OnePlus 7T, 7T Pro 5G Receive January Security Patch

Tim — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 15:46:59 +0000

We're still waiting on OnePlus to push Android 11 to the OnePlus 7T and 7T Pro 5G, though, we do know a beta is currently taking place. In the meantime, a new update for the two devices is rolling out to those who own the T-Mobile variants, and inside, users can expect to find the January security patch. Once updated, 7T owners will see build 10.0.13.HD63CB and 7T Pro 5G users will see 10.0.42.HD61CB. The January patch is all that's mentioned for the update, but fingers crossed Android 11 will be officially rolled out in the near future. Go snag that update. // T-Mobile [2]

Qualcomm's New X65 5G Modem is Kinda, Super, Really Fast

Kellen — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 14:27:21 +0000

Qualcomm announces 5G stuff all of the time, and so it becomes hard to keep track of where the advancements are or if any of it is important. Today is one of those days where they announced a 5G-related item that matters. The Snapdragon X65 5G modem is now official as Qualcomm's fourth-generation 5G modem. This will likely be the modem that powers devices in the 2nd half of this year and beyond. Its capabilities are quite something, assuming we ever get to the point where we can fully utilize them. Qualcomm is calling the X65 5G their "biggest leap in 5G solutions since the commercialization of its first modem-RF," with theoretic speeds up to 10Gbps, an upgradeable architecture that allows it to continue to improve with the 5G industry, and improved power efficiency. Yes, I said 10Gbps download speeds. Now, I'm not sure we have networks capable of 10Gbps speeds or the "fiber-like" experience that Qualcomm claims this modem can produce, but by the time they are ready, Qualcomm will have a product to take advantage. We'll also look forward to those sweet, sweet speed demos even if they are in controlled environments. While this chip will be ready in "late 2021" for smartphones, you should probably expect to see it used elsewhere, like in PCs, mobile hotspots, and industrial IoT. // Qualcomm

DEAL: Get an EwinRacing Gaming Chair at 30% Off for Valentine's Day

Tim — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 14:21:25 +0000

I sit in my home office quite a bit as you might imagine. It's where I do the Droid Life stuff, it's where I play my video games, and it's where I write, record, and stream my music happenings. Because I'm on my rump so much, I appreciate a good chair, and I've been using a gaming chair from EwinRacing for quite a few months now. My tushy isn't upset with me yet and that's a good sign that I have myself a decent chair. Over on EwinRacing's website, you can snag one of their chairs for 30% off using our code below. And with 30% off, you're getting a great chair for a really good price. For example, the chair I use is currently listed at $309. However, with 30% off, the price comes down to $216. That includes the neck and lumbar pillows. Considering how much office chairs can run you, getting 30% off is never a bad thing. If you're interested in learning more about the chairs, I did a review for the chair I currently use last year in March. You can read that here. I'm going on one year with the chair and I have no complaints yet. Ewin has no shortage of models and color options, so there's something for everyone. Follow the link below to snag yourself a sweet new gaming chair.

EwinRacing Shop Link (Use code: Droidlife for 30% off)

Android 12 Looks Hot or Nah?

Kellen — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 12:28:20 +0000

I should be used to the schedule by now and have already been preparing myself for the first build of Android 12 to arrive over the next few weeks. After all, Android 11's first preview showed up in mid-February of last year and brought with it several changes that made their way into stable. But here I am, still a bit blown away by last night's potential leak of the next version of Android. Several of you have weighed-in on last night's supposed Android 12 UI and feature reveal already. I think it's safe to say that you are torn on whether or not you think the changes look good. I can tell you that I'm all for Android continuing to mature, even if that means adopting several UI elements from Samsung and Apple's skins. Android needs better widgets and we may get that. Android needs even better privacy controls and we may get those. The notification area from Android 11 needs fixing and this tries to do that. Having a system-level color profile that potentially adopts to your wallpaper is pretty freakin' cool, assuming that's what we're seeing. Overall, I like what I see (outside of the drop in quick settings shortcuts). If this is indeed Android 12, it looks like Google is taking what they created in Android 11 and making it much less patchy and more polished. [poll id="562"]

Click here if poll not loading

DEAL: Jabra Earbuds and Headphones on Sale, Elite 75t Buds for $129 ($50 off)

Tim — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 11:52:40 +0000

Jabra, the audio company that makes what's arguably our favorite earbuds and headphones at the moment, is hosting a sweet little Valentine's day sale providing a few great options if you're looking for something special for your special someone. For options, you have four --the Elite 75t earbuds at $50 off for just $129 (killer deal for killer buds), Elite Active 75t buds at $50 off for $149, the latest Elite 85t buds at $30 off for $199 (also amazing earbuds), and the Elite 45h headphones at $30 off for just $69. People seem to love the 45h headphones, though, my personal preference is for over-the-ear cans and not on-ear. That's just my preference. You can find all of the savings right on Amazon by following the links below. It appears all of the options, besides the Elite 45h headphones, will arrive in time for the romance holiday. Who knows, maybe she'll repay the gesture in a really nice way. That'd be cool.

Amazon Links

Elite 75t - $129 ($50 off)
Elite 85t - $199 ($30 off)
Elite 45h - $69 ($30 off)
Elite Active 75t - $149 ($50 off)

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, S7+ Get a Hot Blue Colorway

Kellen — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 11:27:15 +0000

The world of Android tablets isn't at all like the world of Android smartphones. In the tablet side of this platform, you basically have choices between Samsung's mostly-solid Tab lines and then a bunch of garbage. So if you want a tablet, I wouldn't tell you to consider anything outside of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy Tab S7+. And if you are eyeing one, prepare for a hot new color choice! Samsung announced this week that the Galaxy Tab S7 and Tab S7+ will soon come in a Mystic Navy color. After previously shipping in black, silver, and bronze, I can't imagine you were holding out from buying a Tab S7 because of colors, but navy is fun enough. The new Mystic Navy is available for pre-order now and will arrive on February 18. It features the same specs and prices as the other colors ($650 for Tab S7, $850 for Tab S7+).

Pre-order Galaxy Tab S7 in Mystic Navy

Galaxy S21 Ultra Review: Refined Experience for Less Money

Tim — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 10:11:18 +0000

Last year, Samsung released the Galaxy S20 Ultra for $1,400. At the time, I said it was nearly the perfect phone even at that high price, but the phone did have a few shortcomings. In 2021, we have the new Galaxy S21 Ultra, and spoiler alert, Samsung is offering one mighty fine package here. We have the year-over-year improved specs, the addition of S Pen support, a guarantee that you'll receive 3 major Android updates, plus an improved camera system. I mention all of this because Samsung has made the S21 Ultra cheaper than last year's S20 Ultra. $200 cheaper, mind you. But still, $1199 is a large sum of money during times such as these, so in order to help you decide whether you should make such a purchase, we've run the phone through the paces. Allow us to share our thoughts. This is our Galaxy S21 Ultra review!

What’s good about the Galaxy S21 Ultra?

All the specs. As one might expect, the S21 Ultra is packed with all of the top specs you could need and want in 2021. There's a high resolution display with high refresh rate, the latest Qualcomm silicon, plenty of RAM, a massive battery, and they even integrated the Galaxy Note series' S Pen. Oh, and they did all of this while lowering the price. Not bad, Samsung! To paint the full picture for you, the Galaxy S21 Ultra features a 6.8" QHD+ Infinity-O display (3200 x 1440) with refresh rate of up to 120Hz (QHD at 120Hz is supported), Snapdragon 888 processor, 12GB+ RAM, 128GB+ storage, 5,000mAh battery (fast wired and wireless charging support), stereo speakers, IP68 rating, upgraded ultrasonic fingerprint reader, a quad rear camera system (108MP wide angle + 12MP ultra-wide + 10MP telephoto + 10MP telephoto), 40MP front camera, and Android 11 running One UI 3.1. For a complete Galaxy S21 lineup spec rundown, look here. Besides a desire for Samsung to include either expandable storage or more base storage, as 128GB isn't very generous, the S21 Ultra isn't missing much. Some may point out that the phone doesn't include MST for Samsung Pay, but with NFC adoption at an all-time high, it doesn't seem like that should be a dealbreaker for most buyers. This phone has most of what anyone may need. This Display. It's bright, it's crisp, and it flies at 120Hz. I'm not sure if DisplayMate has given it their A+++ rating yet, but I assume they will, as Samsung has provided what my eyes believe to be the best display in a smartphone yet. Colors pop, blacks are black, it gets exceptionally dark when you need low light to help not strain your eyes, it gets crazy bright in sunlight, and it just plain looks damn good. At 6.8", it's much larger than I'm used to coming from the Pixel 5, but when you're consuming videos and playing games, it really is nice to have plenty of screen real estate. The display supports Always-on Display, Adaptive Brightness, and also allows the user to choose between screen modes like Vivid and Natural. The screen modes function isn't new, but if you're unfamiliar, the user can manually customize RGB values as well as white balance for the display itself. Pretty nice. I'd love to also discuss the higher refresh rate, but that's also not new. I can safely assume that everyone here understands the benefits of a higher refresh rate when it comes to smoother animations and performance appearance, but what is cool is Samsung's Adaptive setting that allows for auto toggling between 10Hz and 120Hz. This ability should help the device conserve power when it needs to, but simultaneously, I do wish there was a way to lock in that 120Hz behavior. Battery life be damned. Software. Loaded onto the Galaxy S21 Ultra is Google's Android 11, with Samsung's own One UI 3.1 custom skin on top. While I know there are plenty who aren't down with Samsung's skin, I'll be blunt and let you know that One UI 3.1 is awesome. A major change is Samsung's acceptance that it's possible no one wanted to use Bixby, so now they are allowing for users to integrate Google Discover into the launcher application. That change automatically makes the software experience 100x better in my book. On top of the fine things that come inside of One UI, Android 11 itself is good. We've discussed Android 11 and its changelog tirelessly, so I see no need to repeat myself, but Android 11 does include some great changes. For example, Bubbles for your messaging apps, a notification pulldown broken into useful sections, one-time permissions for apps, and built-in smart home controls.

3 Major Android Updates: I'd be crazy not to mention that Samsung is providing 3 years of major Android OS updates for its latest devices. That's right, this phone will eventually receive Android 14. When you think about buying a very expensive smartphone, it's an investment, and Samsung is providing another reason why it's a good decision to buy your next Android phone from them.

A few of the Galaxy S21 Ultra software things I'd like to highlight include most of what's inside of the Advanced Features menu. Inside this menu is where you'll find things like Samsung's DeX (a full desktop interface for a computer monitor), Link to Windows (there's actually a ton of Windows integration built into the device), plenty of motion gestures to learn, a sweet one-handed mode which is useful for such a large device, Bixby Routines (eye roll), as well as a built-in screenshot and screen recorder software. There's an absolute ton of things built into the software of the Galaxy S21 lineup, and if you'd like a complete breakdown in the form of a Tips & Tricks video, look a bit lower in the Videos section of this review. She's fast. Thanks to what could be labeled as an abundance of RAM and the new Snapdragon 888 processor, performance on the Galaxy S21 Ultra is top notch. I will note, I have used only the 12GB + 128GB model, so I imagine the 16GB model could be even better, but for the most part, 12GB should be more than fine for buyers. I mean, what the heck do you need all that RAM for anyway? I've played games, I've multitasked and this 12GB amount seems fine. Now, that 128GB of storage is unfortunate, as it might be easy to fill up that much space and there's no expandable storage, so I'm not saying this is the perfect setup. However, from what I experience the past week and a half, it's a very well performing device. Now, these new Android phones that appear to be fast to the human eye do have the upped refresh rate on the display partly to thank. On this Galaxy S21 Ultra, you can get up to 120Hz, which for your gaming is mighty fine. Heck, even scrolling through menus and playing with settings is nice to look at with these new devices. I see some folk say they can't see any difference, but for me, even coming up from the 90Hz rate on the Pixel 5 is quite telling. And lord help you if you've been on a 60Hz device and then buy into 120Hz. It's completely night and day. She's pretty. I'm a big fan of the new aesthetic for Samsung's Galaxy S21 lineup. The way the cameras are integrated into the body just looks clean and quite unlike everything we're seeing on the market right now. Not sure why it took so long for a company to come along and realize it's not attractive to throw a square or rectangle on the backside of a phone, but here we are and many devices are looking the same these days. This Galaxy S21 Ultra looks unlike everything on the market, and frankly, I like it. I have the Mystic Black color option, which is a true matte black color, another first for Samsung. In past years, we have seen plenty of glossy options from Samsung, but to my knowledge, this is the first time we've had a true matte option. It handles fingerprints and grease so well, it's amazing. Cameras. There are a total of five cameras on the S21 Ultra, four on the back and one on the front. On the backside, there's the 108MP ultra wide angle lens, 12MP wide angle, plus a pair of 10MP telephoto lenses. All of these lenses combine to make a very versatile camera system, capable of going super wide and super close with 100x Space Zoom, with both tight and wide functionality retaining a good amount of visual detail. I'm still not completely sold on Space Zoom, as many shots continue to look like oil paintings when not using a tripod, but the private eyes among us may get a kick out of it. For me personally, I still to shooting in 4:3 at 12-megapixels. You can enable the 108MP option in 4:3, but photos come in at over 15MB a pop and with there being a limited amount of storage on this phone available, it's not really smart to use all of the phone's capacity on high resolution photos. Same can be said for 8K video recording. While that's awesome, you'd be surprised at how much storage a minute-long 8K video can take up (my testing is over 0.5GB every time), so a lot of those high-end features are going to cost you in the end in terms of raw storage. When out and about with the regular 12MP shooter, there's a lot to love here. The camera is insanely fast to focus on subjects, with its auto exposure capabilities quite good. I can simply point, shoot, and get many shots off in just a few seconds and the results are great. Even with the lower resolution, shots are plenty detailed and have lots of color pop. I also played around with Samsung's stabilization for videos, and yes, it's really, really good. https://youtu.be/P_rKxLFAFk4 Software wise, there's everything you might need. There's Portrait mode, Pro Video Mode, Night mode, Super Slow-Mo, Hyperlapse, the new Director's View, as well as Samsung's beloved Single Take. It's all in there and a lot of fun to play with. Check out some photo samples below. Besides being resized, no edits have been made.

Space Zoom Examples (No Tripod)

Low Lighting Texture Fun

Macro Example

Night Mode Examples (No Tripod)

10x Magnification (No Tripod)

Battery life. With its 5,000mAh capacity and after a few days to learn my usage, this phone has fantastic battery life. Charging speeds are maxed at 25W, though, you do get fast wired and wireless charging. The phone also supports Wireless Powershare, which allows you to charge other devices via the phone's backside. Nice. For me, my day is usually around 7AM to 11PM, and I'm always getting at least 5 hours of screen on time. Most days I had enough juice to leave my phone unplugged overnight and still have about 30-40% of battery in the morning, so I've been nothing but content with my battery experience so far.

What could use some help?

S Pen feels like afterthought. While the Galaxy S21 Ultra does support Samsung's S Pen stylus, the implementation feels a bit like an afterthought. On a Galaxy Note device, the S Pen has been outfitted with Bluetooth for remote functionalities, but the standalone $40 S Pen Samsung is selling on its store doesn't feature Bluetooth. Plus, the cases they are selling that house your phone and S Pen appear to be garbage. While the S Pen on the Note lineup has impressed me as of late, this does not. In terms of S Pen functionality, it's like taking a big step backwards. However, this could change when Samsung decides to release the S Pen Pro, what we assume will be a larger $99 Bluetooth-powered stylus for supported Galaxy devices. Why they couldn't push up the launch to coincide with the release of this phone, I have no idea, but I feel like people are getting ripped off if they're purchasing a $40 S Pen and not really getting all of the features we know this system is capable of. Pretty lame.

Video

Unboxing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn7ErXgsTpM First 10 Things to Do https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBWoT015xB4 Tips & Tricks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4o2-r-zgE8

Gallery

Should you buy a Galaxy S21 Ultra?

Straight up, if you've purchased Samsung devices in the past and want another one, you should buy the Galaxy S21 Ultra. It's a fantastic device that I have zero complaints about. Now, does that means I will personally keep using it? Heck no, it's way too big for me, but I can admit that it's 1000x the phone my Pixel 5 is and it's not even close. Yes, it's quite a bit more expensive than the Pixel 5, but that price is getting you a phone that does everything well. It has the excellent battery life, great cameras, amazing performance, plus major Android software support for the next three years. I hate to say it, but I don't see any other OEM making a case for your money right now. If you're in the market for a phone, you're only doing yourself a disservice to consider something other than a Samsung phone. Pixel fanboys will hate me (don't hate me, I'm one of you), but there's no denying that Samsung is currently the unchallenged Android king and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future.

BUY GALAXY S21 ULTRA: Samsung | Amazon | Best Buy

Sling TV Offers $25 Discount on First Month, Free TV to Everyone for 6 Days

Kellen — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 09:18:12 +0000

Sling TV raised prices a couple of weeks ago, so now it's bringing the offers to try and win you all back over. Actually, they are celebrating their 6th anniversary, we just like to remind you as much as possible that the promise of affordable à la carte streaming TV was a dream turned nightmare in a short period of time. Anyways, Sling TV! Starting today, the streaming veteran has kicked off a couple of promos that are aimed at new customers who have yet to give Sling and its set of features a try. The first promo is called Sling Fling, a free trial of sorts that lets you watch "100 live and on-demand channels" from February 9-14 between 5PM Eastern and midnight. Again, that's free TV in the evenings, including DVR and SHOWTIME, for the next 6 nights. That's cool, right? The second promo is for customers who decide they want to pay for Sling TV. In this promo, Sling is offering a $25 discount on your first month of service if you choose either Sling Orange or Sling Blue packages. You could also choose to receive a free AirTV Mini if you prepay that first month at $35. Either promo sound fun? Sign-up for Sling TV and the Sling Fling right here. // Sling

Carl Pei's Nothing Really is Making Headphones to Start

Kellen — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 08:53:15 +0000

When Carl Pei's new company releases its first product later this year, that product will indeed be a pair of wireless headphones. As headphones might be the least interesting product a new company could make in 2021, don't expect Nothing to stop there, especially after they just raised another round of funding. Pei confirmed the headphone news in a short interview with Bloomberg, noting that there will be several products from Nothing throughout the year. The first will be wireless earbuds, though, probably because anyone with minimal knowledge of manufacturing can make a pair of earbuds on the cheap. Seriously, there are thousands of these things available in the market today, and not just from tech companies. Either way, this should help Nothing get off the ground before they release an ecosystem of connected smart devices, none of which Pei will hint at. He doesn't have to yet, thanks to $15 million in funding raised through Google Ventures this week. https://twitter.com/nothing/status/1359097561538256898 I'm still trying to wrap my brain around a brand new company having multiple products lined up for this calendar year, all of which connect in some smart way, and that could be interesting on any level if they didn't have a former co-founder of OnePlus leading the way. For the sake of having to write about Nothing, I hope they surprise me. // Bloomberg

Visible Expands Party Pay Plan, Adds eSIM Support and More

Kellen — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 07:55:56 +0000

Visible continues to expand the number of features and benefits that are included when you choose their service for your wireless needs. With their Verizon connection, I can't imagine they'll slow down any time, which means it's going to be harder and harder for many of us not to consider switching to them. In a dump of updates announced today, Visible tells us that 5G is really here now, that calling to Canada, Mexico, US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico has been added, that eSIM support is active on select phones, and that Party Pay lets you add more users than ever. For 5G, they actually launched this for select Android devices back in January (at no extra cost), but they have expanded by selling the Galaxy S21 with 5G. It also appears that Visible will let you bring your own 5G-capable phone, you'll just need to run through their IMEI checker to make sure it'll work. Visible's eSIM support is currently limited to a bunch of iPhone models with plans for Android device support soon. For those not familiar, an eSIM is an embedded SIM card that you can program to a network without ever swapping a SIM card into your phone or needing to head into a carrier store. It's a brilliant technology that more companies have begun to adopt in recent years, thanks to manufacturers including eSIM in phones. And finally, Visible has expanded their Party Pay feature to "an unlimited number of people." Party Pay used to be capped at 4 people and could bring your monthly payment down to $25/line for Visible service. With Visible now allowing for unlimited, you better go out and find some friends who need super affordable service that works on Verizon's network. Don't have more than a couple of friends? That's OK! Party Pay drops Visible's monthly price to $35/line with 2 people in a party or $30/line with 3 people. Ready to try out Visible? Sign-up here.

Verizon Galaxy S21, Note 10 Get Shiny New Updates

Kellen — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 07:33:09 +0000

A new batch of updates is headed out to several Verizon devices made by Samsung. The Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+, as well as the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+, are all set to receive fresh software this week. The Galaxy S21 and S21+ will see new builds of RP1A.200720.012.G991USQU1AUAG and RP1A.200720.012.G996USQU1AUAG that both include the February Android security patch. Verizon expects performance improvements to be baked in too, but didn't go into deeper details. We aren't sure why the Galaxy S21 Ultra isn't seeing the same update. I have a feeling it is getting it and Verizon just hasn't updated the page yet. If they do, we'll update this post.

UPDATE: The Galaxy S21 Ultra from Verizon is getting build RP1A.200720.012.G998USQU1AUAJ.

As for the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+, it looks like builds RP1A.200720.012.N970USQS5EUA1 and RP1A.200720.012.N975USQS5EUA1 are what you'll watch out for, also with the February patch. To grab these new updates, head into Settings>System updates>Check for updates. // Verizon

A First Look at Android 12 Might be Here and, OK!

Kellen — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 07:00:40 +0000

At some point in the next few weeks, Google is expected to open up the Android 12 Developer Preview program before several beta builds lead us into a stable release of Android's next version over the summer. Assuming, of course, that their schedule for this year's release matches that of previous years. We haven't seen much of anything leak for Android 12 to date, outside of back-end changes or minor tweaks that could be included. Tonight, our knowledge of the look of Android 12 may have increased dramatically if the screenshots we're sharing here are the real deal. This could be a first look at Android 12. First spotted by XDA, the screenshots here are supposedly mock-ups of Android 12 pulled from a document that Google put together to highlight changes that their partners should be aware of. The screenshots show off a new home screen and icon color palette, a new widget picker with new widget shapes, a more minimal and spread out notification shade, and a new privacy panel with dedicated recently accessed permissions notification. The first shot we have here shows off that new home screen and the widget picker, as well as several widget mock-ups. I don't know that it's a dramatic change, but the actual widget picker looks much improved and the shapes of smaller 2x1 widgets look nice, if not a little iOS-like. Seeing the colors all together like this has me wondering if Google has something cooked up that will allow your icons and widgets to pull from wallpapers in order to give you a really custom, immersive look.

Next up we have that notification shade, where you can see several changes. First, the quick settings shortcuts have been reduced from 6 down to 4, which certainly sucks. Second, we have a notification shade that has ditched its transparent background in favor of a faded light shade that makes the gaps in-between sections much less drastic. It reminds me a lot of a skin you might see from several of the Chinese Android phone makers that heavily skin Android. The other thing to note here is that green icon that is showing both camera and microphone in the top right corner. It sure looks like a privacy area that will highlight apps that have recently used those two permissions. You would be notified of that usage and then allowed to quickly change those settings if you'd rather those apps not do that.

To give you another example, in this screenshot I would once again point you to that top right icon, where Google is showing what that privacy notification would look like in an app when those permissions are in use. According to XDA, this may be a required change for all manufacturers to use with Android 12 and the color needs to be consistent across the ecosystem.

Finally, Google may be working on a new privacy page within settings that lets you easily and fully disable the camera and mute the microphone on your device with a simple toggle.

There is quite a bit to take in here from these screenshots. I think the first takeaway I have is that Google might look to Android 12 for pretty big UI adjustments following Android 11, but that there will be a further focus put on privacy. I'm cool with both of those things. Your thoughts?

$200 Off the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is a Solid Deal Too

Kellen — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 13:49:12 +0000

Today's best deal is probably the $100-$200 off the Galaxy S21 line-up, but if you are like me and don't necessarily view those as amazing upgrades to the S family, this Note 20 deal is another option. Samsung's Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra are both $200 off too. Amazon has the unlocked Note 20 phones starting at $799 (Note 20) and $1,099 (Note 20 Ultra). That's good value there, since you still get best-of-the-best specs for the Note 20 Ultra, plus an S Pen that S21 Ultra owners will have to buy separately. Oh, there's microSD storage as well. Our Note 20 Ultra review is here for you. Amazon Deal Link

Chromecast With Google TV Gets a Little Update of Its Own (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 10:10:15 +0000

Google's lovely little Chromecast with Google TV dongle device has found a fresh update to kick off the weekend, bringing with it a new security patch and probably not much else. That's not telling you much, and I'm sorry. The update arrives as Android TV OS build QTS2.200918.033.7115981 and with the December Android security patch (was on September's). It's still Android 10 and not Android 11, in case you were wondering. At just 78.2MB, it's likely that the update is mostly a bug fixer.

UPDATE: Google has posted the full changelog for the update, which suggests 4K improvements, improvements in Dolby Audio, and other general fixes.

Improved 4K support for TVs and AVRs

Dolby Audio improvements for Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital Plus passthrough content

Android recovery screen improvements and fixes

Reduced the occurrence of users seeing the Android recovery screen

Improved instructions when the Android recovery screen is shown

Security update: security patch level increased to December 5, 2020

General security, stability and performance improvements

To update, since the update is quite live for the pullin', head into Settings>About>System update. Be aware that the update takes a bit to apply and reboot, so if you are in the middle of watching something or need to shortly, hold off.

REVIEW: Chromecast with Google TV is great $50 dongle for YouTube TV subscribers

Twitter Reportedly Preparing to Ask You to Pay for Stuff

Kellen — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 09:28:18 +0000

Twitter has forever been a free social media network that has found a way to survive by monetizing your feeds with branded advertising. I'm not sure that Twitter is doing bad with that method of making money, but as is always the case with billionaire asshole investors who are behind products like this, there is a need for more billions to be added to their piles of cash. To help make that happen, Twitter is reportedly seriously considering several ways to make you pay for stuff. In a lengthy report from Bloomberg about possibilities in the Twitter subscription game, we're told that we could see everything from paying for exclusive content from your favorite Twitter personalities to leaving tips and getting a prettier profile. The big one, at least for those of us who use Twitter as an actual tool, could come via subscription for access to Tweetdeck. Now, Twitter hasn't confirmed any of this, but could talk more openly about it when they discuss quarterly earnings this week. The company has apparently talked about subscription services as a way to generate more revenue for a couple of quarters in a row, so the fact that this article arrives on the eve of their next call is probably telling. The ideas being poked around could include a way for users to pay for exclusive content or Tweets, perhaps even an exclusive feed from select users or accounts. This could involve "tipping" or maybe some form of monetization like you might see from a Patreon user. It could also mean something as simple as undoing a Tweet that was just sent, letting users pay to have custom colors or hashtags or stickers or profile setups, etc. As for the blasphemous talk of asking us to pay for Tweetdeck, the thought here is that Tweetdeck is a power-user tool that its userbase would likely pay for. It's already an ad-free product, so that could be a part of the equation. Or maybe Twitter could try and turn it into Hootsuite, where you pay for multi-account use and more analytics. No matter what today's report suggests, I can say that I'd be shocked if Twitter doesn't bring forward paid features for its users. It only makes sense, but thankfully, Twitter is slow as hell at introducing anything new. Even if we do have to pay for Tweetdeck or a fun new sticker, it could be a while.

OnePlus 9 Pro With Hasselblad Branding Spotted

Tim — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 09:04:23 +0000

Thanks to a fresh leak over the weekend, we're getting our first look at what should be the upcoming OnePlus 9 Pro, complete with Hasselblad-branded rear cameras. If you'll recall, we previously had a look at a smaller OnePlus 9 prototype, which looks much like this Pro device, same tame silver color and everything. Expect all of the good stuff on the OnePlus 9, with reports saying the device will have a high resolution display, refresh rate of up to 120Hz, 12GB RAM, 256GB storage, as well as Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 888 processor. And as for these Hasselblad cameras, software spotted on the device details what could be 3.3x lossless zoom and a new Tilt-Shift mode.

Hasselblad glass on a phone is a pretty rare thing. If memory serves us right, there was a Moto Mod a few years back, but other than that, not much to speak of. The brand itself is well established in the photography world, so we do have high expectations. What are your first impressions on this device's appearance? Is this silver color not the most boring thing you've ever seen? I'm hoping big time that we get some crazy color options or something to make this device more appealing to my eyes. I'm feeling shallow these days. // @Dave2D

Galaxy S21 Ultra Gets $200 Discount, S21 is $100 Off

Kellen — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 07:31:27 +0000

Samsung's newest phone line has its first significant discount today that doesn't require a trade-in or contract of any kind. The entire line-up of the Galaxy S21 Ultra, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 has a straight-up price drop up to $200 off. For those looking to grab the higher-end of the bunch, you are looking at $200 off the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy S21+. If you were looking at the smaller, plastic Galaxy S21, it's $100 off.

WATCH: 30+ tips and tricks for the Galaxy S21 Ultra

Again, these deals are temporary price drops, so you don't need to do anything special to get them. You don't have to trade-in the latest and greatest phones, add a new line you have no use for, sign a 2 year contract, nothing. If you have the cash, you can head over to places like Amazon and Best Buy and spend $999 for a S21 Ultra, $799 for a S21+, or $699 for a Galaxy S21. Pretty solid prices on this year's top Samsung phones.

Shop Galaxy S21 Deals:

Amazon: Galaxy S21 Ultra | Galaxy S21
Best Buy: Galaxy S21 Ultra | Galaxy S21
B&H Photo: Galaxy S21 Ultra | Galaxy S21

VIDEO: 30+ Galaxy S21 Ultra Tips and Tricks!

Tim — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 14:56:02 +0000

Below you'll find our Tips & Tricks video for the Galaxy S21 Ultra, which means our full review is right around the corner. You can expect it in the mid part of next week. How exciting! In the meantime, this nearly hour-long video should keep you busy, as I dive deep into the Galaxy S21 Ultra and uncover all of its features. There are a few things from Android 11 that I go over, as well as things tied directly to One UI 3.1, but if you have owned a Samsung device before, a lot of this will sound familiar. I go over tweaking your audio settings, customizing your home screen, mastering the camera UI, plus many other things. Seriously, it's a long video and I cover a ton of stuff. Grab some popcorn and enjoy yourself! Full review coming up next. Galaxy S21 Ultra Tips & Tricks! https://youtu.be/K4o2-r-zgE8

OnePlus 7 Pro's New Android 11 Beta Brings Always-On Display

Kellen — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 14:41:22 +0000

Through the first Android 11 open beta for the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro that arrived a couple of weeks back, OnePlus laid the foundation for one of the biggest software releases in the company's history. There was a big feature still missing, though. Like in the early OnePlus 8's OxygenOS 11 preview betas, the new always-on display experience wasn't included. Today, we're getting it. The OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro (and the 7T line) are getting Android 11 open beta 2 as we head into the weekend and it does indeed have an always-on display option. OnePlus did bury it a bit, and said that it will likely increase power consumption, but you can use it if you want. There are plans to further optimize it in future builds. To find always-on display, head into Settings>Utilities>OnePlus Laboratory. You should be able to toggle it from there. As for the rest of this new update, you'll find the list of fixes below:

System
- Optimized the sliding effect of the dynamic wallpaper
- Improved power consumption in some scenarios
- Optimized the adjusting intensity of automatic brightness to bring a more smooth using experience
- Fixed the issue with the adapter not charging and using the headset at the same time
- Fixed the issue in which the battery icon is not displayed on the status bar
- Fixed the issue that 'Tips & Support' is not displayed in the Settings
Camera
- Fixed the small probability flashback issue with the camera when unlocking in professional mode
Ambient Display
- Newly supported Always-on ambient display feature (Only OP7 Pro) (Go to: Settings - Utilities - OnePlus Laboratory - Always-on ambient display)

// OnePlus [2]

OnePlus 8T and OnePlus 8 Pro Updates Optimize and Fix a Lot

Kellen — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 12:10:32 +0000

OnePlus was at one time a company that looked to be turning into the update king of Android. Since expanding their line-up of phones in recent years, I'm not sure they are still on that trajectory, but they have continued to push regular updates to their best phones. Today, the OnePlus 8T, OnePlus 8 Pro, and OnePlus 8 are all getting fresh builds. For all three phones, the updates aren't necessarily providing a bunch of new features, but they are fixing and optimizing a lot of stuff. OnePlus has taken care of a noise issue when using 5G, a Twitter freeze-up bug, the experience when taking long screenshots, and more. They also tossed in the January Android security patch. The full list of changes can be seen below, and yes, it really is the exact same set of fixes and optimizations for the three phones, even with the 8T being its own series:

System
- Optimized the experience of using long screenshots
- Optimized the UI display effect of the notification bar
- Improve the stuttering problem of some tripartite applications
- Fixed the small probability issue that Twitter may freeze
- Fixed the issue that opening app split-screen may fail
- Fixed the issue of failure to switch the accent color in a small probability
- Fixed the inaccurate display of the attribution of some numbers
- Fixed known issues and improved system stability
- Updated Android security patch to 2021.01
Gallery
- Fixed the issue that the video cannot be played in a small probability
Network
- Fixed the noise issue of 5G calls

If you own a OnePlus 8 or OnePlus 8 Pro, be on the lookout for OxygenOS 11.0.4.4. If you own the OnePlus 8T, your build is 11.0.7.9 in India and North America, or 11.0.7.10 for Europe. OnePlus tends to slow roll these updates out over several days, so try not to freak out if you don't see it until next week. // Changelogs: OnePlus 8T | OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro

Samsung's $700-Off Galaxy S21 Deal Hasn't Ended Yet

Kellen — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 11:23:49 +0000

The Galaxy S21 has been available for a solid week now and yet Samsung has shown no interest in ending its best deal. For now, you can still get $700 off any of the Galaxy S21 phones (including the Galaxy S21+ and S21 Ultra) if you are cool with handing over your current phone. We've already written about this deal a number of times, so I won't dive into every single detail again. If you need the full explainer, hit up this story or this one. For those who know, here's the short version recap! Samsung will give you an instant discount up to $700 if you trade-in select phones, like any Galaxy S20 phone. If you don't have the newest of the new phones, they'll still give you up to $550 off today for a phone as old as the Galaxy S10e. Samsung's trade-in program is the best because they give you the value for your phone up front rather than as a rebate-style discount that is paid back to you later. If you have a phone to trade, they'll give you that money off today. At $700, that's a Galaxy S21 for $99.99, a Galaxy S21+ for $299.99, or a Galaxy S21 Ultra for $499.99. On top of their best-in-the-business trade-in program, Samsung is still offering up-to $100 in instant credit to spend on accessories, as well as the free Samsung SmartTag ($29.99 value).

Shop Galaxy S21 deals from Samsung

Google Play Music Libraries Will be Deleted on February 24

Kellen — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 08:36:48 +0000

Google Play Music officially closed up shop back in December of last year, but Google is still giving some users extra time to download their libraries before they are deleted and the data is gone forever. February 24 is apparently the date they are telling folks about through email, leaving you right around three weeks left to make a decision on your music library's future. Google will let you download the data through Google Takeout if you haven't already, even if you made the transfer over to YouTube Music. You can also perform another transfer should you have made changes to your Play Music library that you'd like to see on YouTube Music. But again, this is more about your Play Music data and that fact that its days are numbered. On February 24, Google says that it will delete it all. It will be gone. Tossed in the trash. Zapped with a make-believe space laser. Boom. If you aren't happy with how things were transferred and you have plenty of space open on a hard drive, maybe consider saving everything for a little while as you figure out which music service you want to use going forward.

READ: What's the verdict on YouTube Music?

If you would like to grab it all from Takeout, hit this link. // 9to5Google

Android Isn't Perfect: What Would You Change?

Tim — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 15:47:39 +0000

I have used an Android device exclusively since at least 2009. I feel as though I know Android pretty well, both what it does well and its shortcomings. With that being said, I can tell you that Google's mobile OS is certainly not perfect and there are some things I'd change. For example, that hesitation when rotating my phone between landscape and portrait? You know what I'm talking about. I believe that issue stems from a patent that Apple holds concerning the gyroscope and the way it's integrated with the OS (I could be wrong here), but still, the first iPhone rotated like butter and Android phones in 2021 still don't do it all that smoothly in my opinion. My question to everyone here is, assuming you're all pretty familiar with the Android experience as a whole: What would you change about Android? I asked Kellen to fill me in on his thoughts. He responded with some sort of home screen API that allows for easier switching and set up of new phones, though, Samsung has made great strides in this as of late. He also mentioned an improved native AirDrop-like function for Android, as well as a centralized messaging experience similar to what Apple users have in iMessage. I vote for all of these things, too. Sound off in the comments below. What would you change about Android?

YouTube has a Fancy New Sports Page

Kellen — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 11:16:46 +0000

Sports, one of the few outlets we have during tough times, are as important as ever for the mental health of so many of us. YouTube is clearly aware of that importance, so a new YouTube Sports page is here to bring us the clips, highlights, and moments in a more immersive format. YouTube's new sports page will bring the goods from the top sports leagues across the globe, as well as exclusive live games, and more premium content from athletes. Heading over there now should show you the new experience on desktop and mobile. It'll arrive on TVs "soon." I can't say I visit this sports page often on YouTube, but I do like the sections for all of the recent NBA game recaps, the top stories of the day, the randomness of a trending sports section, and live shows. As someone who didn't turn to YouTube that often for sports, this could get me to more often. To see the new sports experience, head over to YouTube.com/Sports. // YouTube

AT&T Galaxy Note 10+ 5G Gets Android 11 (One UI 3.0) Update

Tim — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 10:38:37 +0000

Coming in a tad behind the other Galaxy Note 10 models, AT&T is pushing out the long awaited Android 11 (One UI 3.0) update to the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G this week. Congratulations, owners! Once updated, Galaxy Note 10+ 5G users will see software build version N976USQU4DUA3. Inside Android 11, expect all of the updated goodies, such as a revamped notification bar, privacy settings, and so much more. That's just the beginning, though. One UI 3.0 brings its own massive changelog, highlighted by changes for the home screen, lock screen, overall UI, always-on display, and a ton more. If you own this device, be on the lookout for a massive (2GB+) file headed your way. // AT&T

GeForce NOW Intros Chrome Browser Support for Windows, macOS in Beta

Tim — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 09:06:40 +0000

NVIDIA is celebrating the first anniversary of GeForce NOW, sharing a few stats for the service, as well as announcing that the service has become more accessible than ever. For a few numbers, NVIDIA details that gamers have streamed over 175 million hours of gameplay the past year, including 3 million hours inside of Cyberpunk 2077. That's a lot of Keanu Reeves. More importantly, NVIDIA announced that it has launched, in beta, Chrome browser support for Windows and macOS devices. This is an extension of support for Chrome OS devices that came not too long ago, so it makes complete sense that this has come. However, NVIDIA indicates it makes much more sense to simply use the native apps for these platforms. They do say that it could be more convenient to just use the Chrome browser, though. You can get started on your Chrome browser by following the link below.

Play GeForce NOW

Google Fit Gets Heart and Respiratory Measure Feature on Pixel Phones

Kellen — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 08:22:55 +0000

Google is adding new health tracking tools to Google Fit that you can take advantage of with the phone you already own. Rather than having to invest in a fitness device or sync from another service, Google has built-in the ability to measure heartrate and respiratory rate using the camera sensors in your Pixel. To track your heartrate, Google Fit will do so by asking that you place your finger over your phone's rear camera, where the system will then check for subtle changes in the color of your finger. For respiratory rate measuring, the front-facing camera is used to analyze chest movements as you breathe normally. Google says they completed initial clinical studies to validate both of these features, though they are clear that these "aren’t meant for medical diagnosis or to evaluate medical conditions." Still, if you don't have any other way to measure these two items, using your phone to do it sounds promising. To start, only Google Pixel phones, like the Pixel 5, are getting access to heartrate and respiratory rate measurements. Google is planning to expand to other devices at some point. If you own a Google Pixel phone, be on the lookout for a Google Fit update with these features starting next month. // Google

I Ditched Smartwatches for a Simpler Fitness Band

Kellen — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 14:31:10 +0000

Smartwatches have been a big part of my tech life for several years now. From before the launch of the Snapdragon Wear 3100 through the Galaxy Watch Active 2, several fitness-focused "smart" watches like those from Garmin, and the most recent Snapdragon Wear 4100, I haven't lived without a smartwatch of some kind on the wrist since mid-2017. Every major watch that has dropped ended up in-house for testing and I often switched over until the next one. I am most definitely a "smartwatch guy." Over the past couple of months, I made a pretty dramatic switch away from them. I ditched the smartwatch completely and am now a full-time fitness band user. Yes, the basic, hardly-smart-at-all fitness bands that Fitbit made popular and have since become somewhat of an afterthought for fitness tracking with the popularity of smartwatches like the Apple Watch, is how I now track everything. To be more specific, I've been using Samsung's new Galaxy Fit 2. When making this decision, you could look at the fact that this global pandemic has introduced a number of changes to life, but that would sort of sell short my reasons. I say that because my reasons for dropping to a fitness band could apply at any time, pandemic or not.

Growing sick of so much charging

The first big reason stems from a growing frustration about having to charge watches every day or every other day. You probably knew this reason was coming, but it's worth noting that a typical Wear OS or Samsung smartwatch gets 1-2 days of battery life on a charge. If you mix in workouts, GPS usage, their always-on displays, or heavy interactions with notifications, it only shortens life from there. With a fitness band, typical battery life is 1-2 weeks depending on use. The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 is rated at 14 days, the Fitbit Inspire 2 is rated at 10 days, and the Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 is rated at 15 days. When you have a wearable that you need to charge once every couple of weeks, it eliminates battery life as an issue. After having spent the past couple of months with one, I can tell you that battery life is something I never think about anymore. Not only that, but when I do get the vibration that my band is down to 15% or so, plugging it back in gets it fully charged in less time than most smartwatches. Now, I could just use a non-Wear OS or Samsung smartwatch, like a Garmin watch or one of those entries from Amazfit, since they get multi-day or week battery life, but then that brings us into this next section.

A change in workout routines

Another area I looked to as a reason for change was in my fitness tracking needs. For years now I've been a runner and found quite a bit of joy and personal fulfillment out of pounding the pavement several days per week. I've run half marathons and Oregon's Hood to Coast, Spartan Races, and other running-first competitions. Running is awesome. But after a couple of years of not finding the time to log the number of miles I want and a growing dislike of the Pacific Northwest's awful wet weather that consumes us 6-8 months out of the year, I decided a few months ago that it was time for a change. I bought an indoor cycling bike (Schwinn IC4), signed up for Peloton, and am one of those spinning people. It's weird to say that, but the change has been nice and here I am three months in fully enjoying a different way to sweat and stay in shape. The thing is, when you go from an outdoor activity that requires GPS to one where you never actually move, having a big, bulky GPS-equipped smartwatch isn't exactly necessary. I have a Garmin Fenix 6s that I love and will keep ready for when the weather improves and I lace up the Hokas again, but until then, it can take a break and a fully-featured fitness band can take its place on my wrist.

Similar tracking at a fraction of the size

Since I care about having data on my health and fitness history, rather than ditching a wearable altogether, the Galaxy Fit 2 slotted in place of a smartwatch. My main focus is to continue to have a long record of my heartrate, fitness level, and sleep efficiency in hopes that one day down the road it could provide insight into remaining healthy as I get older. Your boy is closing in on 40, so we gotta do what we gotta do. When I looked for options to switch to I found that most fitness bands offered a similar set of features. Samsung's Galaxy Fit 2, with 24-7 heartrate monitoring, sleep tracking (with stages), stress monitoring, automatic activity tracking, step counting, and high heartrate alerts, has most of what I need. It doesn't track blood oxygen (SpO2) or give me a VO2 Max score, and again there is no GPS, but at the moment I can live without that stuff for what I'm doing. I have a semi-silly setup of apps that all try not to talk to each other, so I've had to deploy several work-arounds. For example, the Fit 2 funnels data into Samsung Health, but as a big Google user who likes the easy-to-understand layout of Google Fit, I have to use a 3rd party app that I hope never turns shady called Health Sync to send specific data to Google Fit. I also use Wahoo to track my rides from the Schwinn IC4 (with its heartrate monitor too) and then send those workouts from Wahoo to Google Fit and Strava (where all my runs are). I also send Wahoo ride data through MapMyFitness, which then pushes activities to Samsung Health, because Wahoo won't directly connect to Samsung. It's a mess, I know, but it works. What I'm getting at is that I care about data from my life and want to track it in several ways and a fitness band is able to do it just as well as a smartwatch, yet it takes up half the space on my wrist. My setup above sounds absurd, but even with a smartwatch, I'd have to do the same thing since most fitness platforms aren't big on all talking to one another.

Why the Galaxy Fit 2?

I guess I haven't really addressed this, but I did briefly test out the Fitbit Inspire 2 ($99) and a Xiaomi Mi Band 5 ($30) before settling on the Galaxy Fit 2 ($60). I think all are solid products and I could probably find satisfaction from any of them. I chose the Fit 2 because Samsung Health has enough of my data after spending a lot of time with the Galaxy Watch Active 2 and some of their other watches, plus its little display looks great, it displays notifications well, and it comes close to matching the functionality of a basic smartwatch. I skipped the Inspire 2 because there was no Google Fit integration (I can't believe this still isn't there), it's display wasn't as nice, battery life wasn't rated as long, and I didn't love the fit on my wrist. I also just don't think I like Fitbit's hardware that much, especially after spending time with a couple of their smartwatches. I passed on the Mi Band 5 mostly because their app is quite weird to navigate. That band is probably the one that fit me the best and its overall design is the slickest, but I'm not ready to setup shop on an entirely new fitness provider when Samsung already had a good amount of my history. So yeah, the Galaxy Fit 2 made the most sense in a situation where I couldn't actually find the perfect band.

Lack of smarts?

If you are wondering how I'm adjusting after wearing a smartwatch for so many years to not wearing one, well, I'm getting along just fine. Smartwatches to me became notification machines and fitness trackers. I never used them for much else. I always found their voice dictation to be terrible, Assistants to never work well, and the lack of apps always forced me to grab my phone for everything anyway. Smartwatches hardly simplify life. With a fitness band that has a display and receives notifications, I mostly get what I was getting out of the majority of smartwatches.

I like mechanical watches

All of that set aside, the final and what could be considered biggest reason for switching out of a smartwatch is because I missed wearing real watches. In 2015, I bought my first automatic watch and that set me out on an obsessive journey that involved buying and selling multiple timepieces to try and create a collection that represented me now and hopefully will continue to into the future. Unfortunately for Kellen the wannabe watch collector, somewhere in 2017 I got really interested in wearing smartwatches and that small group of mechanical watches got pushed to the back of a shelf. I don't know what brought me back to them in 2020, but it's probably a lot of what I shared above and also because 2020 proved time and time again that life is short and we need to appreciate the things we have while we still can. As someone who wouldn't be caught dead wearing both a smartwatch and a regular watch at the same time, I had to make a choice. So yeah, I put the smartwatches aside and bought this silly Galaxy Fit 2 and a spin bike to let me start wearing watches again, watches that wind themselves or at the very least, with the twist of a crown. I'm pretty happy about it all too.

Verizon Moto Z4, Motorola One 5G Updated With January Security Patch

Tim — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 13:36:20 +0000

Verizon is shipping out a couple security patch updates to Motorola devices -- one for the Moto Z4 and one for the Motorola One 5G. The only thing listed as being inside is the January patch, so there's nothing too fancy going on here. Once updated, Moto Z4 owners will be on software version QDFS30.130-42-5-10-7m while Motorola One 5G folk will see QPNS30.37-Q3-42-40-7-4. Enjoy your new update, select Motorola phone owners. // Verizon [2]

Android TV Gets a New Home Screen UI and It Looks Great

Kellen — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 09:00:04 +0000

When Google introduced its new Chromecast with Google TV at the end of last year and showed off its updated home UI experience, we wondered if this setup would transition over to other Android TV devices. Google suggested at the time that it might, but instead, at least for now, Android TV is getting a similar-yet-still-unique new home screen of its own. Starting today, Google is rolling out a new 3-tab home experience that features Home, Discover, and Apps pages. The Home page will look similar to what you already know about Android TV, with shortcuts to apps and channels and other content. The Apps page is the spot to find all of your installed apps. The Discover page is where things get sort of fresh. The Discover tab will showcase personalized recommendations from current trends and also based on what you watch all of the time. It should show you movie and TV options from all of the services you subscribe to, so my guess is that it's going to pull from Google TV. If anything, it looks like a more concentrated take on the Google TV UI the gives me recommendation anxiety. It could be great. Google says this update really is rolling out today to Android TV devices in the US, Australia, Canada, Germany, and France. Other countries will get the experience in the "coming weeks."

// Google

Deal: Get a Pair of Refurbished Galaxy Beans (Buds Live) for $60

Tim — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 08:43:53 +0000

Over on Best Buy's website, they're practically giving away refurbished Galaxy Buds Live earbuds, aka the Galaxy Beans. For who knows how long, you can snag a pair of the Beans for just $60, which is quite a bit cheaper than their typical retail price of $170. And for those curious, refurbished earbuds are cleaned and tested before being made available for purchase. Figured I should just mention that quickly. For specs, these Galaxy Beans feature active noise cancellation, great battery life, plus this unique design that can't be mistaken for anything else on the market. I will say, the shape isn't for everyone (it didn't fit my ear well at all), but some folks seem to love these Beans. You can read my review here. Follow the link below to get your own pair of magic Beans.

Best Buy Link

Galaxy S21: First 10 Things to Do!

Kellen — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 13:33:49 +0000

It has certainly been a minute since we've made device-related videos, but with the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Ultra finally in house, we get to do just that. Tim has already unboxed the Galaxy S21 Ultra, leaving me with the "First 10 Things" duties. Ahhh, fresh videos. In this lengthy video, you get what you always get from our "First 10 Things" series. We walk through a series of features and settings, with long explanations over why you would want to tweak them right out of the box. In most situations, these are the settings you can adjust once and never have to touch again as they set you on your way to smartphone domination. The topics here include Android's navigation gestures, all of your security and lockscreen settings, the best display setup, getting your camera and its many modes ready, finding the perfect volume and vibration balances, setting a customized notification panel, and finding the right battery settings to keep all of your apps running perfectly. Let's go!

Shop Galaxy S21 from Samsung

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBWoT015xB4

Jeff Bezos to Step Down as Amazon CEO

Tim — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 13:25:21 +0000

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced today that he is stepping down from his CEO position, moving to an executive chair position in Q3 of this year. At that time, Amazon's CEO role will be filled by Andy Jassy. In a statement, Bezos said the following:

Amazon is what it is because of invention. We do crazy things together and then make them normal. We pioneered customer reviews, 1-Click, personalized recommendations, Prime’s insanely-fast shipping, Just Walk Out shopping, the Climate Pledge, Kindle, Alexa, marketplace, infrastructure cloud computing, Career Choice, and much more. If you do it right, a few years after a surprising invention, the new thing has become normal. People yawn. That yawn is the greatest compliment an inventor can receive. When you look at our financial results, what you’re actually seeing are the long-run cumulative results of invention. Right now I see Amazon at its most inventive ever, making it an optimal time for this transition.

For those who don't know Jassy, he's in charge of Amazon's cloud computing business, so he should be able to transition into the role nicely. Sweet. // Amazon

Pixel 5 and LG Wing OK'd for C-Band 5G, Whenever That Comes

Tim — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 12:29:11 +0000

According to the FCC, the Pixel 5 and LG Wing have been a-okayed for C-band 5G, meaning greater 5G speeds when out and about. Put real simply, this is mid-band 5G, meaning better coverage with greater speeds. This differs from the current low-band 5G that many devices run on today, which is not much faster than 4G LTE, and also different from the 1Gbps+ speeds you see from high-band networks (like Verizon's UWB). And yes, just to confirm, 5G is a confusing mess. The Pixel 5 and LG Wing join the likes of the latest iPhones and the Galaxy S21 lineup in supporting C-band. The only thing is, C-band isn't yet available and won't be until at least late 2021 or early next year. As you may recall, carriers just got done spending billions upon billions of dollars securing blocks of this spectrum for usage on their networks. To recap, if you have one of the latest devices from either Samsung, LG, Google, or Apple, you'll one day be cruising on mid-band 5G, which brings broader range for increased data speeds. However, note that carriers won't have identical coverage, so your experience will differ depending on which carrier you're on. 5G sucks, we know. // PCMag

Galaxy Buds Pro Update Includes Improved Noise Cancellation, Voice Detect Switching Speed

Tim — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 10:00:33 +0000

Samsung released an update for the new Galaxy Buds Pro this week, one that brings improvements for three of the earbuds' most important features. Once updated, users should see software version R190XXU0AUA5, confirming that you're on the latest and greatest build. As detailed by Samsung, the update includes unspecified improvements for active noise cancellation, switching speed of the Voice Detect mode, as well as ambient sound function. As mentioned, these features are what separate the Buds Pro from past Buds iterations, so in the grand scheme, this is what we'd label as a major update. We'll be testing it ourselves once the update is complete. Here's the official changelog from Samsung.

What's New

Improved Active noise canceling function.
Improved switching speed of Voice detect mode.
Improved Ambient sound function.

Have at it, Buds Pro owners!

// Samsung

Watch: Hands-on With Unreleased HTC-Made Muskie (Pixel 2 XL) Prototype

Tim — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 09:06:12 +0000

We know much about the history of the Pixel 2 XL and its development. It must be one of the more complex and interesting stories, considering there were two companies -- LG and HTC -- working on different versions of the device simultaneously. We've seen quite a few prototypes of the Pixel 2 XL straight from Google but those were just photos. Thanks to a video recently published to YouTube, we get a hands-on look at a working HTC-made "Muskie" (2 XL) prototype, which differs from the LG-made "Taimen" model Google released. You know, the one we all know and love. What we can quickly see in this video is that Google was pretty satisfied with the backside of the phone, as what we see here didn't change much from the production model of the Pixel 2 XL. However, when we get to the frontside, we see a big ol' chin and forehead with dual stereo speakers, similar in appearance to the smaller Pixel 2. As we know, the Pixel 2 XL that launched has much thinner bezels, thank goodness. The video goes on to give us a lovely software tour, as well as a boot-up into recovery mode. That takes me right back to the custom ROM days. We're pretty pleased with the Pixel 2 XL that launched. Good decision, Google. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS_RPyCD0xM&feature=emb_title&ab_channel=CalyxHikari // XDA

TicWatch Pro 3 Gets a Big Wear OS Update That Improves Touch

Kellen — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 13:05:46 +0000

Mobvoi's TicWatch Pro 3, the only Wear OS watch running Qualcomm's Wear 4100 chip and the only Wear OS watch we would really recommend that you consider buying at the moment, is getting a big update this week. No, it's not H-MR2, but it fixes and improves a bunch of stuff. The update is rolling out as firmware version PYDA.200427.080.MRB.210114.001. Once on your watch, you'll be able to tweak new Essential Mode settings, like the date/month format and the backlight. Mobvoi says that they improved tilt-to-wake by 1/4 second, fixed those unresponsive touch areas around the edges of the display, sped up pairing to Android phones, and improved smoothness of sliding.

REVIEW: TicWatch Pro 3

You can see the full changelog here:

Features: 1. Support adjusting the essential screen's date format(DD-MM/MM-DD) through the Essential Mode app. 2. Support turning on the backlight through the power button in the essential mode. 3. Support turning off the essential screen's auto-backlight in the Essential Mode app. 4. Enable the notification sound (Can be adjusted in Settings --> Sound --> Ring volume). Improvements: 1. Improved the speed of the Tilt-to-wake screen by about 1/4 second. 2. Solved the issue where sometimes the steps in the essential mode might be partially lost after restarting. 3. Improved the smoothness of sliding. 4. Optimized the responsive area at the edge of the screen. 5. Reduced the backlight brightness of the essential screen. 6. Improved pairing speed when pairing with Android phones. Bug Fixes: 1. Solved the issue that the essential screen's backlight could not be lit up by Tilt-to wake under certain circumstances. 2. Fixed the issue that double-clicking the function key sometimes opens other apps instead of Google pay(if Google pay is available in your area).

Again, this isn't the H-MR2 update that is a fairly big update for Wear OS. We aren't sure why Mobvoi is taking their sweet time with it, as they should be trying to show the world how invested they are in the platform with their TicWatch Pro 3 and its 4100 chip. H-MR2 was introduced over the summer and already hit Fossil's watch line-up, yet here we are in February 2021 and still nothing from Mobvoi.+ Mobvoi is starting some sort of beta test for H-MR2 that we'll be keeping an eye on. If you are interested, it opens later this week and you can find directions for signing-up here. This update is rolling out slowly over several days, but should finish by February 4. If you haven't seen it by the end of this week, maybe you don't own a TicWatch Pro 3. // Mobvoi

An Old Google Pixel Phone Could Help You Keep Unlimited Google Photos Backups

Kellen — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 12:36:45 +0000

In a few months, Google Photos will lose its access to unlimited high quality photo uploads. It'll bring on tough choices for some, as their entire photo histories are on Google Photos, and they'll need to decide if sticking with Google is the play or if another service will offer something better. The other option to keep in mind is that an old Google Pixel phone could be a way to keep unlimited for longer. For those not familiar with Google's Pixel phone backup perk, you can go back as far as the original Pixel and up through the Pixel 5 to find unlimited Google Photos backups that won't go away any time soon. When Google announced that Photos would no longer be fully free come this June, they acknowledged that their promise to keep unlimited on their current Pixel phones would remain, at least for now. What I'm getting at here is that you could potentially use an old Google Pixel phone to backup your photos to Google Photos in an unlimited capacity. The original Pixel, for example, still gets to backup at Original quality for life, while the Pixel 2 through Pixel 5 all get to at least upload in High Quality. Assuming Google doesn't change the way backups from Pixel phones work, a reddit thread from this weekend details a couple of ways you can take advantage. Option 1: In that reddit thread, the OP laid out a scenario where they would take an original Google Pixel, setup some sort of remote sync between their current phone and the Pixel using Solid Explorer, its FTP server function, and an app called FolderSync. Whenever they took new photos on their new phone, instead of backing up to Google Photos from there, they would send the photos to the old Pixel to do that. It's a somewhat intense system that may even require you to set a static IP for the Pixel in your router settings to make sure the sync never stops working. If that sounds like a fun time, I'll let you have it. Option 2: Another option using an app called Syncthing could be even easier to setup. With this app, you would install on your current phone and the Pixel, then setup a simple send function that would take any new photos and bring them over for backup in Google Photos on the Pixel. I downloaded it on my Pixel 5 and Galaxy S21 and had photos sending between the two in about 3 minutes time. It really was that simple, thanks to a quick connect between the two using QR codes and pretty straight forward settings. Google Play Link: Syncthing You may be wondering why Google would allow this and not recognize that you didn't take the photos on the Pixel. It's my understanding that people have been doing this for a long time with older Pixel phones and Google has allowed it. Will they continue to once June rolls around and some of us are taking advantage of an old Pixel perk? That's tough to say.

Google Shutting Down Stadia's In-House Game Studios

Tim — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 12:08:01 +0000

Google announced today that it is shutting down its in-house Stadia game development studios, with offices in both Montreal and Los Angeles to be closed. On top of that, ex-Ubisoft and EA veteran Jade Raymond, who was the head of the studios, is set to exit Google entirely. This move isn't exactly a sign that Stadia is a failure, but instead, Google is positioning it as a refocusing for Stadia to strictly be a streaming service for games from other publishers and not a platform for its own titles. Here's a snippet from Google's long announcement piece, but we feel it's the most important part for anyone with an interest in Stadia to read.

In 2021, we’re expanding our efforts to help game developers and publishers take advantage of our platform technology and deliver games directly to their players. We see an important opportunity to work with partners seeking a gaming solution all built on Stadia’s advanced technical infrastructure and platform tools. We believe this is the best path to building Stadia into a long-term, sustainable business that helps grow the industry. Creating best-in-class games from the ground up takes many years and significant investment, and the cost is going up exponentially. Given our focus on building on the proven technology of Stadia as well as deepening our business partnerships, we’ve decided that we will not be investing further in bringing exclusive content from our internal development team SG&E, beyond any near-term planned games.

As for everyday Stadia gamers, nothing is changing. All of your games remain intact and the company reiterates that it is continuing to bring more titles to the service from 3rd-party publishers. Honestly, when I first glanced at the announcement from Google, I thought my premonition was finally happening and Stadia was beginning its shutdown. A refocus is just the first step, folks. // Google | The Verge

Verizon is Ready for the 'Big Game' This Weekend

Tim — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 11:49:06 +0000

Big events, such as this weekend's Super Bowl, are a great time for carriers like Verizon to convince us that 5G is here and it's magical. It's unfortunate that many won't be able to attend the festivities in Tampa Bay, but the carrier has plenty in store to help get folks hyped for the future of mobile telecom. Verizon detailed today that is has invested $80 million dollars to enhance the network in Tampa Bay, with Raymond James Stadium and the surrounding areas receiving 70 miles of high speed fiber, an upgraded distributed antenna system (DAS), as well as 281 small cell antennas that locals and visitors will be able to experience.

Additionally, Verizon announced that it has 5G and Super Bowl-related experiences for those unable to get to Tampa Bay this year. There's a "5G stadium" coming to Fortnite, which is now just a game designed to sell kids digitally-branded crap from massive corporations and brands, 5G-powered camera angles for the game while in the stadium, as well as a Watch Together experience inside of the Yahoo Sports app.

Super Bowl-related experiences from Verizon include:

With the first-ever 5G stadium in Fortnite, the biggest Fortnite activation ever built in creative mode, gamers can interact with their favorite NFL players and pro gamers including two livestreams on Tuesday, February 2 and Friday, February 5.
Fans can get closer to the action with 5G SuperStadium to unlock up to seven different camera angles while in the stadium and up to five angles at home, as well as project AR overlays of NFL’s Next Gen Stats for players.
Friends and family can also co-watch the game with “Watch Together,” a free co-viewing experience in the Yahoo Sports app.

Fun, fun. // Verizon

February 2021 Android Security Update Now Available for Pixel Devices

Kellen — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 10:06:30 +0000

A fresh month always means a fresh Android update has been prepared by Google, and we are getting just that to kick off February. Available now, we have the February Android security patch for Pixel phones, with builds for the Pixel 3, Pixel 3a, Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, and Pixel 5 all going live this morning. If you want to update immediately rather than wait for Google to push it, you can do so via factory image or OTA file. Currently, we are seeing new 11.0.0 files for Pixel 5 (RQ1A.210205.004, RQ1D.210205.004, RQ1C.210205.006), Pixel 4a 5G (RQ1A.210205.004, RQ1D.210205.004, RQ1C.210205.006), Pixel 4a (RQ1A.210205.004), Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL (RQ1A.210205.004), Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL (RQ1A.210205.004), and Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL (RQ1A.210205.004, RQ1D.210205.004). For specifics on each build:

Pixel 5: RQ1A.210205.004 (Global), RQ1D.210205.004 (Verizon), RQ1C.210205.006 (T-Mobile)
Pixel 4a 5G: RQ1A.210205.004 (Global), RQ1D.210205.004 (Verizon), RQ1C.210205.006 (T-Mobile)
Pixel 3: RQ1A.210205.004 (Global), RQ1D.210205.004 (Verizon)

Here are the notable fixes for this month:

As a reminder, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are no longer supported by Google and reached end-of-life status at the end of last year. If you don’t want to wait for Google and prefer to update manually, 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. We’ll update this post as more info arrives. Links:

Ford Chooses Android Automotive as Infotainment OS of Choice

Tim — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 09:34:11 +0000

Ford and Google announced a strategic partnership this morning, one that will see Android Automotive as the infotainment OS of choice starting in 2023 vehicles. Additionally, Google Cloud will be the automaker's preferred cloud provider, promising to, "transform both Ford and the auto industry." Details seem a little vague in terms of what to expect as of right now, but the main things we can look forward to is deep infotainment integration with Google services such as Google Assistant and Google Maps. Just remember, Android Automotive differs from the Android Auto experience that requires a smartphone for functionality. For all of you iPhone owners, don't worry, CarPlay support isn't going anywhere. The partnership between Google and Ford also includes the creation of a collaborative workgroup called Team Upshift. This group's work will apparently, "push the boundaries of modernization, unlocking personalized customer experiences, and driving disruptive data driven opportunities. For example, we’ll create new retail experiences for customers when buying a vehicle." As an Android lover, this is obviously great news, though, if I'm being totally honest, the Android Auto experience can be sometimes pretty janky. What's being discussed here is a different platform, so hopefully it's legit. // Ford

Galaxy Z Flip 5G Just Got a $250 Price Cut

Tim — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 08:57:24 +0000

Samsung announced this morning that it has permanently cut the price of the Galaxy Z Flip 5G down by $250, meaning the device has a new starting price of $1199. And don't be thinking this is because no one is buying these flip phones. According to Samsung, this is the company's way of making foldables "more accessible to everyone."

Review: Galaxy Z Flip

I reviewed the non-5G model of the Galaxy Z Flip, and honestly, it's a cool experience simply because it's so different from what we've had the past 10+ years. It's not a huge thing for someone like my father-in-law who still uses a flip phone, but for anyone who has used a regular smartphone for the past decade, it's neat to use this phone. However, when you start living with it, you realize you wish it had a larger cover display so you didn't have to constantly flip it open to use basic functions. Other than that, sweet little device that's a real head turner. If this $250 price cut has you interested, follow the link below.

Buy Galaxy Z Flip 5G

Anker's Slim 65W USB-C Charger Fits Anywhere, Charges Everything Fast for $30 Today

Kellen — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 07:45:03 +0000

Having a slim charger that can do it all is one of those goals you should set if you haven't met it yet. I can't tell you how handy it has been to have a charger in my kitchen that can fast charge my phone and also handle powering up my laptop when necessary. Today's deal on Anker's 65W slim USB-C charger shouldn't be ignored if you want a part of that life. Normally priced at $39.99, Anker has discounted the Anker 65W PIQ 3.0 PPS Fast Charger to $29.99 ($10 off) for today only in a limited deal that will end in a few hours. At 65W, it'll handle your Macbook or Windows laptop with ease, but it'll also pump out fast charging speeds to your Samsung Galaxy phone, Google Pixel, or iPhone. And when you need to slap it in a wall outlet or a power strip that doesn't have much room, it should slide right in without much effort. That's the whole point of it being "slim." No code needed for this deal, just add to cart and buy.

Amazon Deal Link

Galaxy S21 Pre-Orders are Done But You Can Still Get $700 Off, Extra Freebies

Kellen — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 12:53:38 +0000

We might have reached launch day for the Galaxy S21, S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra, but the deals are still flowing. Samsung, bless their hearts, will give you an instant $700 off if you have a decent phone to trade-in. On top of that, they are tossing in up to $100 in credits, plus a SmartTag too. To get the best Galaxy S21 deal to date, it's all about that trade-in. As we've explained numerous times now, Samsung's trade-in program isn't what you might be familiar with. Instead of giving you the value of your phone down the road in the form of a gift card or refund to your credit card, weeks after you paid for your new phone, they give you the value today as an instant discount. It's pretty incredible. As a part of the Galaxy S21 launch, Samsung has served up bloated values for phones they'll accept as a part of the trade. If you have a Galaxy S20 or Note 20, you'll get $700 off. Same goes for any of the new iPhone 12 models. Don't have those because they are extremely new? That's OK! Samsung will give you $550 off if you have a phone as old as the Galaxy S10e or iPhone XS Max. So again, if you trade-in one of those phones, Samsung will shave off that money today. At $700 off, that's a Galaxy S21 today for $99, Galaxy S21+ for $299, or a Galaxy S21 Ultra for $499. At $550 off, well, I'll let you do that math. As for those bonuses and freebies, if you buy a Galaxy S21 Ultra, Samsung will give you $100 in credits to spend on accessories, like the new Galaxy Buds Pro. S21+ and S21 purchases get $75 and $50, respectively. In addition to the credits, all orders still get the brand new Samsung SmartTag too ($30 value). Alright, time to shop.

Shop Galaxy S21 Family Deals

Samsung's One UI 3.1 Kinda Hides Google Device Controls

Tim — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 12:39:12 +0000

When using a Pixel device with Android 11, users can access Google's device controls, such as controls for Nest thermostat or Nest video doorbells, directly from the power menu. What Samsung Galaxy owners are realizing, now that their devices are being updated with Android 11 (One UI 3.0), that functionality isn't there. However, for Galaxy devices like the Galaxy S21, which run One UI 3.1 and is slightly different, those device controls are available but are somewhat hidden.

Watch: Galaxy S21 Ultra Unboxing!

You see, like I mentioned, these device controls are typically accessible via the power menu on Android 11 devices. However, in One UI 3.1, the controls are placed in the Devices and Media menu that is incorporated into the notification pulldown. Furthermore, your Home devices are also placed in a drop down menu below Samsung's own SmartThings controls, so it'd take a bit of accidental stumbling for anyone to come across this stuff unless they knew exactly what they were looking for.

To get these controls fired up into your UI, here's the process: Ensure your Devices and Media buttons are enabled via the Quick Panel Layout (pull notification bar down all the way, then hit the three dots). In Quick Panel Layout, enable Show Devices and Media Buttons. From here, tap on Devices and in the drop down menu, select Home and the Google Home icon. So long as your Google Home app is operation and logged into your Google account, your controls should automatically populate.

What a freakin' pain in the rear, Samsung. We aren't necessarily fans of this implementation, but it's better than nothing so I suppose we shouldn't complain. It seems that any device running One UI 3.1, including Samsung's new tablet devices, has access to this functionality. We aren't sure if Samsung intends to bring it to the rest of the Android 11-running Galaxy devices, but we do hope they do. They're nice controls to have. // Android Police

Podcast: We Have the Galaxy S21

Kellen — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 08:12:57 +0000

For this episode of the Droid Life Show, there's really only one thing to talk about - the fact that we have a Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy S21. The phones are finally in the house, we've spent a couple of days with them, and we get to share our initial thoughts and impressions. That's cool, right? There's a bit of additional news too, though. We also have the Galaxy Buds Pro to discuss, new One UI 3 updates for Samsung phones, Carl Pei's new company, Sony's $2,500 phone, and more streaming TV prices on the rise. Trivia is back as well! We’ll be live at 10:00AM Pacific (1:00PM Eastern)

Thank you to EwinRacing for sponsoring this week's show. Use promo code "Droidlife" for 30% off your purchase of a gaming chair. See our review of the chairs here.

Amazon Luna Now Supports More Android Devices

Tim — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 15:36:42 +0000

Do you play on Amazon Luna or have you been waiting to try the service out? Amazon announced today that it has added more Android devices to its supported devices list, which is so cool. The newly supported devices are the Pixel 3, 3 XL, 3a, 3a XL, as well as the Galaxy S9, S9+, and Note 9. Luna, for those who aren't in the know, is Amazon's cloud gaming subscription service. Basically, you pay a monthly fee to access a library of games, and you can pay more if you want additional titles from a small selection of publishers. We have all of the details here. Below is the full list of support Android devices following this news.

List of Supported Android Devices

Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, Galaxy Note 9, Pixel 4XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy Note 10+, Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, Galaxy S20 Ultra, Galaxy Note 20, OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro, OnePlus 7 Pro (5G), OnePlus 8, OnePlus 8 Pro, OnePlus Nord, OnePlus 7T, OnePlus 7T Pro, OnePlus 7T Pro (5G).

That list probably makes up about 98% of Android users in the US, so that seems pretty good.

Try Amazon Luna

Robinhood App Rating Drops to 1-Star After Restricting GameStop, AMC (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 13:50:48 +0000

Oh it's going to be one of those weird days, folks, be ready. Robinhood, the stock app that wanted to "democratize finance for all," sure stepped away from that message this morning when they stopped all of its users from being able to buy stocks from GameStop ($GME), AMC ($AMC), Nokia ($NOK), Blackberry ($BB), and others. The service has since seen one hell of a backlash that has not only anger thousands and thousands of retail traders, they've seen their Google Play app rating drop immediately to 1-star after more users than I can count are letting the company know that they are not pleased. The backstory here is quite lengthy, but Robinhood put a block on buying of those stocks after they deemed there to be "significant market volatility." If you have been following the story of GameStop's stock price over the past week, that "volatility" they point out has to do with a flood of stock purchases that raised the value of GameStop so significantly, that it basically bankrupted Melvin Capital, a hedge fund who held a huge short position in $GME. As this week kicked off, the growing power over at /r/wallstreetbets that helped boost the GameStop situation had found several other stocks to try and take on next, AMC being a good example. Those stocks, as you can probably guess, are a part of the list of stocks that Robinhood put a halt on this morning. Robinhood put out a statement to try and address this move of theirs, but it has not been received well. Many are calling this outright market manipulation and there are threats of class action lawsuits on the horizon. I don't know how this shakes out, but it certainly doesn't look good for Robinhood.

UPDATE 1:50PM: Robinhood issued an update this afternoon and said that starting tomorrow (1/29) it plans to allow "limited buys" of the stocks they locked buyers out of purchasing. They are calling all of this a "risk-management decision" that "was not made on the direction of the market makers we route to." Good luck convincing the thousands of new Robinhood users that that's true.
UPDATE 1/29: Welp, it looks like Google removed a majority of the 1-star ratings that everyone left. The Robinhood app, after dropping quickly to a 1-star overall rating yesterday, is now back up to 4.3 stars. There are 176K reviews showing, and I do believe that number was well north of 200K yesterday. So Google cleaned up the 1-star reviews to save the app's rating. Seems odd.

Google Play Link: Robinhood

YouTube is Getting Clips Like Twitch Has

Kellen — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 13:42:39 +0000

One of the best parts about watching a stream on Twitch is the ability you have to click the "Clip" button after a funny moment and then quickly share it. It's one of those features that makes so much sense for a world obsessed with finding the next viral thing. YouTube is finally copying this feature. In an announcement today, YouTube says that it has heard your feedback and will now give creators and viewers a way to capture short segments from both videos or streams that can be shared. To start, YouTube has given a "small group of creators" this ability, where they can capture 5-60 seconds of a segment. .

To grab a clip, you'll look for the "Clip" option in the same space currently filled with thumbs up, down, share, and save buttons. When grabbing a clip, you'll find a semi-simple editor that lets you drag around a timeline to capture just the right section. Once you've named and saved it, you'll have a link to share. Opening a clip takes you to the video you pulled the clip from and plays the portion you clipped, which then lets you get into the full video without much effort. To see how clips on YouTube work, check out the video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS41x1YX1EA // Google Support

Updated Google Play UI Ditches Hamburger Menu

Tim — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 09:55:20 +0000

I opened up Google Play this morning and was greeted by a UI I'm not familiar with. It's build version 23.7.11-21 (same build as others, but with this server side change), and honestly, I'm pretty torn about it. The previous build I was on still had the dedicated hamburger menu on the left side, which allowed users to pull the menu out and access your apps and games, settings, and all of that. This new UI moves everything to the profile photo in the top right. You can check out a video quickly detailing the new UI, but besides the hamburger removal, we haven't spotted anything new. Once on this UI, you simply tap on the profile photo, then you'll have access to your apps and games list, Google Play's settings, an overview of your Play Points status, your library, payments & subscriptions, notifications, and everything else. Anyone see this updated UI this morning? Notice anything else that's new? New Google Play UI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7lIe6r0Pkg&ab_channel=Tim-o-tato

First Look at Xperia 1 III, Undeniably Sony

Tim — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 09:09:13 +0000

Our first potential look at an upcoming Sony phone, the Xperia 1 III, feels like our first look at any Sony device. The company has been content on what its phones look like for the past decade or so, and for the most part, that's totally fine. These are not, I repeat, these are not bad looking phones. We just like to point out that if you've seen one Sony Xperia device, you've seen them all -- even the future ones. Since we already know what this phones look like, because it's a Sony phone, let's go over the limited rumored specs. According to @Onleaks, the Xperia 1 III will feature a flat 6.5" 21:9 CinemaWide 4K HDR OLED display, triple rear camera setup, extremely thin bezels, 5G Connectivity, 3.5mm headphone jack, expandable storage, and front-facing stereo speakers. Given this is a high-end Sony Xperia, you can bet that it'll feel good and perform well. The question is, should US buyers consider Sony phones? The company isn't fantastic in the software updates department, but if the company should come along and claim that they'll do better, it could be worth a look. The other issue is pricing and availability. It's going to be mighty expensive and there are likely no US carrier partners, meaning you'll need to foot an unlocked phone bill. Never cheap. As we learn more about the Xperia 1 III, we'll update you. Please send me one, Sony? // @onleaks (Voice)

Pixel 4a 5G in White is Here, Unlocked, and $40 Off

Kellen — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 23:09:47 +0000

Verizon's exclusivity on the Clearly White Pixel 4a 5G is over with. This evening as scheduled, the Pixel 4a 5G with a white paint job has gone up for sale, giving folks not wanting to pay Verizon's mmW network tax another choice. To be clear, the unlocked Pixel 4a 5G in Just Black or Clearly White will work just fine on the majority of Verizon's network. However, unlike Verizon's $599 version of the Pixel 4a 5G, the unlocked version does not have 5G mmW support, so it'll only work on their nationwide 5G and 4G LTE networks. Trust me, that's all you need. Of course, since this is an unlocked phone, it works perfect on AT&T and T-Mobile networks, including their nationwide 5G. If you missed our review, know that we're fans of the Pixel 4a 5G. We love the camera, the software experience, and its price tag. It's a tough phone to beat for $500, knowing it'll also get a full three years worth of software updates too. For the moment, B&H Photo is first out of the gate with the white model and happens to have it discounted by $40 to $459. I'd imagine Google will post it within the next several hours. Shop Pixel 4a 5G:

VIDEO: Galaxy S21 Ultra Unboxing and First Look

Tim — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 14:53:22 +0000

We're a tad late to the party (thanks, Samsung!), but our Galaxy S21 Ultra has arrived. As you know, we like to kick it old school and do a good ol' fashioned unboxing, so let's not waste any more time and get straight to it. In the below video, we'll unbox the device, go over the box's lack of contents (no chargers, no earbuds, no nothing), recap the device specs, pricing, and all of that good stuff. I even toss in a few things to do when you first boot up. I'm such a nice guy. Be on the lookout for much more Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Ultra content coming your way, thanks to the devices finally arriving at the DL offices. Much excitement. Galaxy S21 Ultra Unboxing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn7ErXgsTpM&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=DroidLife

Poll: Your Current Wireless Carrier Is?

Kellen — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 13:53:06 +0000

With T-Mobile gobbling up Sprint, the US is currently without a fourth major carrier option and has instead turned itself into Canada, only without the insanely priced phones and 3-year contracts. Thankfully, if T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T aren't who you want to give all of your money to each month, there are plenty of other options, including Google Fi and prepaid. We last asked who your current wireless carrier was back in 2017. At the time, T-Mobile was well into its Uncarrier schtick and had convinced a number of you to move from Verizon on over. Verizon was still king of that poll, but for a site who started out only covering Big Red devices and news, it was a pretty eye-opening moment to see how many of our readers had made the switch. Fast forward to 2021 and it seems overdue for us to ask this once again. Let us know - which carrier have you settled into? Have the majority of you made your way to T-Mobile, did Verizon pull you back in, or has one of the prepaid options provided just the right amount of value? [poll id="561"]

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Google Camera Update Lets Pixel 5 Users Turn Off Auto Night Sight

Kellen — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 12:10:07 +0000

A fresh Google Camera update is rolling out this week that gives Pixel 5 (and I'm guessing Pixel 4a 5G users too) more control over the Auto Night Sight setting. It's a minor tweak, but certainly useful. Thanks to a single new button in the pop-down menu in the Camera app as a part of version 8.1.200.352609439, users can turn off Auto Night Sight completely. See below in the "More Light" section of quick settings pop-up, where you now have off, auto, and flash options. Using this toggle, Pixel 5 owners can take back full control of the regular camera mode and save Night Sight for those moments when they really want to use it. I can't say that I've been overly-frustrated by Google suggesting Night Sight at times, but I'm also well aware that there is a dedicated mode for Night Sight that I can access if I need it. I kind of like the idea of telling Google to leave my camera spaces alone. The update is rolling out now, so hit that link below to grab it. Google Play Link: Google Camera

Verizon LG Velvet Gets January Security Patch Update

Tim — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 10:52:43 +0000

The LG Velvet on Verizon is receiving the January security patch this week, labeled as software version G900VM10g. The January security patch is the only thing listed, so don't expect to see Android 11 magically appear. As far as we know, LG has intentions to offer Android 11 at some point in Q1 this year, but we don't know exactly when. This is better than nothing, though. LG owners are probably used to nothing at this point. Go snag that update. // Verizon

Sling TV Raises Prices Right on Schedule

Kellen — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 10:42:19 +0000

Sling TV, like all streaming TV platforms do regularly, is raising prices. This ~~may~~ should come as a shocker to ~~some~~ no one, as the company telegraphed this very move a few months back. In July of last year, just as the the rest of the streaming TV industry was jacking up prices, Sling TV swooped in with an announcement that not only was it not raising prices, it would guarantee new and existing customer prices until July of 2021. I know that a guarantee like that sounds good, but it's also the perfect opportunity to confirm your future plans to raise prices by the end of or before that guarantee. Today, Sling announced that prices are indeed going up. Both Sling Orange and Sling Blue are now priced at $35/mo if you subscribe to them individually. That's a $5/mo increase. If you subscribe to both as a bundle, the price is now $50/mo, a $5/mo increase as well. Additionally, a bunch of Sling TV Extras (Sports, Comedy, Kids, News, Lifestyle, etc.) are seeing a price increase of $1/mo, as is the Total TV Deal ($1-$2/mo). Of course, if you locked in pricing last year, your monthly cost won't increase just yet. Your price is guaranteed through the end of July. Streaming TV, you were once cool, man. // Sling

Pass on the Galaxy S21, Go for the S21 Ultra, Right?

Kellen — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 09:57:00 +0000

Assuming the orders we placed for a Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Ultra arrive today, a solid two days before launch, we'll finally get to dive into the newest and best that Samsung has to offer. While getting our hands on these two devices is going to be fun enough, if we didn't do this for a living and need to bring these devices in house, I've been wondering if this year would be an easy skip year or if this line is a must-cop. To be clear, when our pre-orders show up in a few hours, these will be the units we review. We buy the phones that Samsung releases for review purposes because the company has for years ignored our requests for media review units. By doing so, we then get to take cash straight from our pockets a couple of times per year, sometimes at amounts closing in on $2,000, and do what we do. As an example, for 2020 we did it for the Galaxy Z Fold 2, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and the Galaxy S20 line. I don't necessarily have an issue paying for a phone to review. I am a human, though. And because I'm human, I've got to say, I don't know that I would have really considered forking out cash for the regular Galaxy S21 (or S21+) if in another situation. But as someone who is always down to play with the newest and best available, the Galaxy S21 Ultra has plenty of positives.

Skip the Galaxy S21 and S21+

The first thing you have to consider when shopping for the regular Galaxy S21 or Galaxy S21+ is that Samsung no longer views these phones as the best of the best. They priced them lower than last year's matching Galaxy S20 phones, but that only happens because they made several cuts. In case you missed that post, you should be aware that they dropped the screen resolution down to 1080p on both phones, took out the microSD card slot for expandable storage, reduced the RAM from 12GB to 8GB, tossed a plastic back on the regular S21, removed the 4th depth sensor camera from the S21+, killed off MST (Samsung Pay's neatest feature), and isn't giving you a charger or headphones. They also kept the same camera setup from the S20 and are hoping that Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 888 can do the heavy improvement lifting. What I'm getting at is the fact that the Galaxy S20 line, outside of having last year's best Qualcomm processor, is probably a better phone from a hardware standpoint. If you own one of those already, this won't be an upgrade if you switch to a Galaxy S21. With that said, coming form a Galaxy S10 or S9 or Note 10 or any Google Pixel phone, this is still going to be a decent upgrade. However, looking through that list of cuts again makes me wonder if finding a deal on the Galaxy S20 isn't a decision worth considering instead.

Shop Galaxy S21 from Samsung, save $700

That S21 Ultra, though

For 2021, Samsung has basically told us that the Galaxy S line is separated into two categories now. On one side you get the regular experience (S21, S21+) that's semi-affordable and lacking in all of the top features you're used to. On the other side you get to have it all - you get the Galaxy S21 Ultra. While I just ran through all of the cuts that Samsung made in the two phones above, not all of that applies to the S21 Ultra. For example, Samsung didn't cut storage or RAM and they kept the full QHD display and let you run it at 120Hz. They also took the camera setup from the Galaxy S20 Ultra and tried to dramatically improve it after seeing the lackluster response last year. Samsung painted this year's S21 Ultra in matte black, improved the look of the massive camera module, and lowered the price by $200. In many ways, they improved the Galaxy S21 Ultra and yet still managed to price it under the S20 Ultra. So yeah, if I were looking for my next phone and Samsung was the company I decided to pick from, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the phone I'd go with.

Shop Galaxy S21 Ultra from Samsung, save $700

Carl Pei has a New Company and It's Called "Nothing"

Kellen — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 08:43:48 +0000

You may recall that OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei left the company in October of last year to take a bit of a break before launching a new venture. His break appears to be over and a new company has risen. Carl Pei launched a company today called "Nothing." As a normal journo, I think I'm now supposed to follow up that sentence with a punny comment or dumb joke, but I'll spare you. What is Nothing? A smart device company of some sort. We don't know what kinds of smart devices they plan to release, but a good bet is on audio-related stuff at first. You see, Nothing is trying to be clever by only giving out info in small doses, basically in the same way that OnePlus hyped its early products. It's a good way to stay in the news cycle on a regular basis, so expect a trollout of announcements as they lead up to revealing something. In a press note released today, Nothing acknowledged that they've accepted a $7 million round of funding from several names you may recognize, like Tony Fadell (formerly of Nest), Kevin Lin of Twitch, and Steve Huffman of reddit. The first devices from Nothing are expected to arrive in the first half of the year. Pei told The Verge that they are going to use custom made components to try and standout from soon-to-be-rivals, while Wired seems to believe there will be headphones of some kind to start. Pei made sure they knew "It’s so much more than that," though. I hope so, because so far nothing I've read in any of their announcements strikes me as new. There is talk of a "seamless digital future" and removing barriers between tech and people and that there hasn't been "anything" interesting in tech in a while. It's sort of like they threw the book of tech jargon hotwords and mission statements at a wall and went, "Cool, that's a bunch of nothing, let's go with it." Nothing has a website, Twitter, and Instagram you can follow if this sounds interesting. // Nothing

Verizon OnePlus 8 5G UW Updated With Android 11

Tim — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 08:34:08 +0000

OnePlus 8 5G UW owners on Verizon, today is your day. Android 11 is rolling out, complete with the November security patch. Wha, wait a tick, let me check these notes. Yeah, can confirm, it's the November patch along with Android 11. Interesting! Verizon does a fine job at listing what's included with the Android 11 update on these OnePlus devices. Owners can expect a freshened up user interface, Ambient Display (worth the update alone), better accessibility for Dark Mode, new features for Zen Mode, plus a bunch more. Verizon also details improvements for the actual 5G UWB connectivity on the phone. Once updated, you'll see software version IN2019_15_210110. Never mind that the changelog specifically says that the update includes the, "most up to date Android security patches." We'll look around and see if this November patch part is accurate. Seems odd. Also lame is the fact that the regular non-carrier OnePlus 8 received Android 11 all the way back in October, 2020. No idea what took Verizon and OnePlus so long to get this done, but it's pretty lame if you own this phone and were expecting to be updated alongside your OnePlus siblings. // Verizon

Verizon Plans Major 5G Ultra Wideband Expansion in 2021

Kellen — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:04:15 +0000

You've been told that 5G has been "here" for several years now, so it may come as a bit of surprise to you that companies like Verizon have major expansion plans for the coming year. The thing is, 5G was never here, still isn't really, and probably won't be in a meaningful way for some time. So yeah, expansion can still happen! For 2021, Verizon said during its earnings call today that it will double its number of 5G mmW (they call it 5G Ultra Wideband) sites and add another 20+ 5G mmW cities. By the end of the year, they should have over 30,000 5G mmW sites, plus with the 20+ new cities, they should have more than 80 with this ultra-fast 5G, at least according to the slide from below that The Verge captured:

As a media outlet who isn't afraid to point out that Verizon's 5G mmW isn't worth your time, seeing further expansion like this will slowly change our tone on that some. Look, Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband is hard to find, it's only on a handful of blocks in a few cities, getting a rock solid connection to it that gives you those promised gigabit speeds isn't easy, and we'll forever be mad at the fact that we're paying for this technology now before we can use it. But we love hearing about expansion. Getting to the day where a 5G mmW connection might be common or that mid-band 5G is everywhere will make 5G an exciting technology. So be on the lookout for 5G in your neighborhood and be sure to let us know if any of those statusbar icons change any time soon.

Plex Arcade Brings Classic Atari Goodness to Most Screens for Small Monthly Fee

Tim — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 13:03:20 +0000

Plex announced Plex Arcade this week, a subscription service that brings classic Atari games to all of your screens. You can play the classics like Centipede, Lunar Lander, Motor Psycho, and plenty more, all for a starting price of $2.99/month for those already with a Plex Pass. If you don't have a Plex Pass, it's gonna cost you $4.99/month. Plex details you'll be getting access to the Atari games, but in addition, users can store and play their own game ROMs, too. Additionally, there are limitations with regard to platform support, but you can play the games on TV screens, tablets, and phones. As Plex details, the game server only works on Windows and macOS, not available for servers running on Linux, NAS devices, or NVIDIA SHIELD. Ultimately, gameplay is restricted to Android (mobile and TV), iOS, tvOS, and the Chrome web browser. And somewhat interestingly, Plex seems to realize that as of launch, this may not be all that enticing to people, but they're asking you for support anyway.

Look. This effort is real, but if we’re honest it was conceived by a few passionate Plex Labs rats over scorpion bowls at Mama’s. For now, we’ve convinced the powers-that-be to let us run with it, but we know it’s far from done and we see it as a kind of internal Kickstarter-type project. If there’s interest and we see some subs, it’ll grow into the glorious pheasant we know it can be. But if you guys drop the ball, it’ll die on the vine like a stomped ass goomba.

You have to admire that honesty. If you're a big time Plex nerd and want to support this or you're big into the old Atari titles, check it out.

Plex Arcade Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYepu_5oSOc&feature=emb_title&ab_channel=Plex // Plex

Let's Try This Again, LG

Tim — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 11:27:21 +0000

We recently learned that LG is contemplating a shutdown of its mobile business, the same business that is reported to have lost the company around $4.5 billion in the past five years. When you start talking about that kind of money, it seems like a safe assumption that if LG didn't have other successful businesses bringing in money (TVs, appliances, etc.), LG phones might've gone away a while ago. HTC seems like a good example of that, a company that didn't have a lot of other businesses to help keep the mobile division afloat while it struggled to put out popular phones. The question we have today is semi-aimed at LG directly: Is making a phone that people want to buy really that hard? It's somewhat rhetorical because we know damn well making a phone that millions of people will buy is not an easy task. Not only do you need a good phone, but you need a good message for the device and enough marketing capital to get through Samsung and Apple. I can't say for sure how much money it actually takes to launch a phone, let alone one that has good specs and a good marketing campaign behind it, but let's at least discuss what LG can do better in the short term to possibly turn things around.

Software Update Center, Anyone?

In May of 2018, LG announced it was opening a center dedicated to software updates. Long story short, nothing has really come of that announcement and it's basically a running joke whenever we discuss LG and its update speed. As of right now, Android 11 hasn't been pushed to any LG devices, though, the Velvet phone is scheduled to receive Android 11 in Q1 of this year. That's it, though. No other phones for an entire quarter. In Q2, LG expects to push Android 11 to the V60 and Wing devices, but again, that's it. Even two updates in a quarter is not good enough. For simple comparison, Samsung has many phones updated and running Android 11 already, not only all over the globe, but with different chipsets, too. It must be quite the undertaking to update all of these devices, but Samsung is getting it done and if LG wants to be taken seriously in the Android world, where software updates play a vital role, they absolutely need to do better in this department.

No Reason to Recommend an LG Phone

Android users, enthusiasts in particular, want to be on the latest version of Android, but also want choice when it comes to which OEM to buy a phone from. It's the enthusiasts and influencers who tell people which phones to buy, and if one company isn't giving them a good reason to recommend their phone, then they won't. Speaking for myself, I can't remember the last time I actually recommended that someone should buy an LG device. It's been a long time, probably the LG G3 with its industry-first QHD display or some older V series device. It's about that time, around 2014, when LG seems to have stopped innovating with features like that. And no, I don't count the LG G5 and its modular ridiculousness as innovation, sorry. It was implemented in the worst way possible. LG has also been content on offering features that aren't necessarily important to the masses. I'm not going to sit here and tell you Quad DACs are dumb, but is the inclusion of a fancy DAC moving units? Not in any meaningful way it would seem. One area LG is doing great is video shooting, but unfortunately, even the things that would attract someone to an LG phone isn't enough to solve their problems. Instead of an overly expensive gimmick device like the Wing or some Hail Mary rollable phone, we need a strong and solid offering that just nails the basics. Give it the latest Snapdragon chip, some good cameras, dial that awful software experience back about 20 notches and then guarantee monthly security patches and at least two major OS upgrades within 3 months of its release from Google. Google is providing betas of the new Android OS months ahead of release, so you can't tell me this isn't doable. If we want to win, we need to be drastic, but I have a hard time believing that what I'm envisioning could be interpreted as drastic. Just make a good phone. Damn.

Head of Mobile Musical Chairs

I also wonder what the game of musical chairs at the top of the mobile division has done for the culture at LG. Is the vision or priorities constantly changing at the top? Are designers and engineers constantly having to switch gears due to a new head of mobile coming in? Transitions such as this aren't always smooth, and taking a look back, it seems like every year at LG there's a new person who has some idea of how to save its mobile division. Then, when that plan doesn't bring instant success, it's onto the next. It's the same thing NFL teams do, and just being honest here, I don't quite get it in this situation.

We've Been Over This Before

Sometimes it feels like I'm talking to a brick wall. When discussing this post, Kellen reminded me that I wrote "It’ll Take More Than Nice Hardware to Save LG’s Phone Business" back in April of 2020. It was regarding the Velvet, a phone that looks fine, but lacked many of the top 2020 specs you'd desire from a premium flagship device and also came with the same awful software LG has been pushing for years.

LG’s Android 10 UI vs. Android 8 UI

Because LG's mobile business might actually be on the verge of collapse here, I'll just go ahead and say it: LG, your software is terrible. It's not nice to look at and it's not nice to use. Can we finally do something about it now? In no way am I trying to be mean or degrade the work of others, but there's clearly a disconnect between what LG is offering and what the people actually want. Every comment thread we have on posts about LG phones always comes down to the software and UI experience. No one seems to like it, yet LG keeps pushing it on us every single year. Even when the company said they were changing things up big time with UX 9.0, it ended up being the same f*cking skin we've seen for the past few years. I felt stupid believing LG's marketing hype. What else could I say about this that I haven't already said over and over? It's getting repetitive and we may be nearing the end. It's sad really, because having one less option is never good for consumers. Soon we'll all be using Samsung phones and there will be hardly any diversity in the market. That sucks.

Galaxy Tab S7 One UI 3 Update is Here With Sweet New Tricks

Kellen — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 09:42:01 +0000

The high-end pair of tablets released by Samsung late last year, the Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy Tab S7+, are the latest from the "King of Android Updates" to get Android 11 and One UI 3. Samsung announced the update this week, pointing out all of the new device-to-device and productivity features they've included. So we're clear, this update should have the One UI experience tweaks that all of the phones got, plus Bubbles, more privacy controls, etc. But in addition to all of that, there are extra cool things that Samsung has built-in as a part of One UI 3 for tablets. The Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+ will be able to do things like copy text and images from smartphones and then instantly paste them on the tablet or vice versa. I have no idea how often people might need to do this, but hey, it's there if you need it.

Samsung has added in an uninterrupted continuation of Samsung Internet browsing and auto-syncing of Notes between devices. All you have to do is move from a phone (like a Galaxy S21) to the tablet, hit the recent apps button (or swipe into it), and look for a special "Recents" button in the bottom right corner that will let you continue.

Galaxy Tab S7 owners can now use their tablet as a Second Screen with Windows 10 devices in a couple of modes. They can use "Extend Mode" to essentially add the Tab S7 or S7+ as a secondary monitor or they can have it duplicate their PC actions in "Duplicated Mode." This is all wirelessly done by the way.

Finally, Samsung added a feature that lets you quickly toggle wireless keyboards between tablet and phone, plus the new Galaxy Buds Pro can smart or "Auto Switch" between devices when something like a call comes in. The update is to Android 11 and One UI 3, but it may also be One UI 3.1, the same new build that is currently only on the Galaxy S21 line. That's cool. Samsung says the big update is rolling out now, so be sure to check over the next several days. // Samsung

Verizon LG Wing Gets January Security Patch

Tim — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 08:35:14 +0000

Verizon is beginning to send out the January security patch to owners of the LG Wing, however many of them there may be. I mean, the LG Wing owners group has gotta be pretty darn exclusive, right? The software version is labeled as F100VM10e, and inside, also listed is performance improvements along with the security patch. There are no specifics on what's improving. And as far as we know, there are no specifics on when LG Wing owners will be getting Android 11. Honestly, it could be a while. If you own the Wing on Verizon, enjoy. // Verizon

Sony Xperia Pro Not Made for Amateurs, Available for $2499

Tim — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 08:00:57 +0000

Sony has a new smartphone available, the long anticipated Xperia Pro. The only thing is, we didn't know it'd be dropping with a $2500 price tag. Oof, that one hurts, Sony. For specs, the Xperia Pro features a 6.5" 21:9 CinemaWide 4K HDR OLED display (3840 x 1644), Snapdragon 865 processor (not an 865+), 4,000mAh battery, three rear facing cameras all at 12-megapixels (16mm ultra wide-angle lens, 24mm lens wide-angle lens, and 70mm telephoto lens), dedicated HDMI input, 5G connectivity, IP68 rating, and Android 10. While that price tag is insane even for these specs, we have to realize that this is marketed to content creators and actual photography pros who could really benefit from the wireless technology built into this device. The main concept is that you'll hook this 4K-toting smartphone to your select Sony alpha camera, shoot your shots, and then use the Verizon 5G mmW and sub-6 connectivity to transfer files instantly to the cloud and to your clients around the world. In short, it's not made for you and me. It's made for the real pros.

How Sony pictures everyone using the Xperia Pro

Special attention was paid to the 5G antenna in this device, designed to take full advantage of Verizon's 5G networks. As you'll read below, there's no wrong way to hold this device for a good 5G signal, which is great to hear.

The Xperia PRO features a 360-degree antenna design, which covers all four sides of the device. This 360-degree antenna produces the most effective way to capture high-band frequency 5G mmWave signals. In addition, the low dielectric constant material used in the chassis of the Xperia PRO enables radio waves to pass through more easily. Together, these technologies help ensure optimized 5G signal strength connection, no matter how the user is holding the device or where it’s positioned.

This seems like a great device for the pros among us, but that price still seems crazy, right? Maybe it's just me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voZliZ6eJLk&feature=youtu.be // Sony

Anker Weekly Deals Include $9 Wireless Charger, Wireless Over-Ear Headphones With ANC for $42

Tim — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 15:04:15 +0000

Anker has posted up its weekly deals, and inside, there are a few solid savings to take note of. You can save good money on a pair of over-ear headphones with hybrid active noise cancellation, wireless chargers, as well as security cameras and video doorbells. For specifics, you can snag a PowerWave Pad for $9 a pop, the Life Q20 headphones for $42 ($18 off), a Nebula Capsule II for $460, plus the eufy Video Doorbell for $90. You can check out all of the specifics below. Follow the links to take advantage.

Samsung is the King of Android Updates

Kellen — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 11:51:38 +0000

When the Android 11 update finally showed up on my $2,000 Galaxy Z Fold 2 this morning, the range of emotions jumped from "Yay!" to "Why again did I have to wait so long?" That may seem like a jab at Samsung for taking this much time to update their most expensive phone, but in reality, it's more frustration over the fact that they've updated many of their older, less expensive phones before. This is pure selfishness on my part because Samsung is without a doubt the king of Android updates. By my count, Samsung has updated the Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 Ultra, S20 FE, Note 20, Note 20 Ultra, S10, S10+, S10 Lite, Note 10, Note 10+, Galaxy Z Flip, Galaxy Z Fold, and Galaxy Z Fold 2 to Android 11 and One UI 3.0. That's at least 14 different devices receiving this huge update, and there may be more that I'm missing. Samsung started first with Android 11 beta builds in October, about a month after Google made the update official for the platform. After several betas from that point onto several different devices, the first stable builds of Android 11 for Samsung phones showed up in early December on the Galaxy S20. Now that the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has been updated, Samsung has essentially updated all of the phones it told us would be getting the update first, yet they are about a month ahead of schedule. You know how many phones LG and Motorola have updated to Android 11? Zero. 0. Not a single phone. They've given us lists of devices that may one day see updates, but have not updated any. You know how many phones OnePlus has updated to Android 11? Two - the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro. They launched the OnePlus 8T with Android 11, so that doesn't necessarily count. They are currently trying to update the OnePlus Nord and OnePlus 7/7T lines, though we're still in beta rounds there. They will eventually update even more, but it will take a long time. Sony has updated at least three devices to Android 11, so they do deserve some credit.

If you were sitting there from the opening going, "Yeah, but Google is faster than Samsung, you can't just forget them, bro," you are right. Google is faster and they should be - it's their operating system. Google pushes updates on the first day they are available to their still-supported line of Pixel phones and I doubt anyone will top them on that any time soon. So Google has that on Samsung and not much else. You have to remember that as a part of the Galaxy Note 20 launch, Samsung switched to guaranteeing a full three years of Android version updates. They didn't just start with the Note 20 and move forward either. They are offering three version updates to phones as far back as the Galaxy S10 and as low-tier as the Galaxy A51. A bunch of tablets also make the cut. That's all Google offers for its Pixel phones is three years of version updates. Now, Google is also great at producing and pushing the Android security patch update for Pixel phones on a monthly basis, but so is Samsung. Samsung provides the same monthly security updates as Google for three years (just like Google does). The thing is, they actually extend updates for their high-end phones through a 4th year. They do drop those updates back to being quarterly, but not even Google is currently offering 4 years of support. I feel like a part of this discussion around being the "King" has to do with the fact that Samsung has such a wide range of phones and millions upon millions of users too. Google might be fast, but they have 1-3 new phones each year that fall into their update schedule, while Samsung produced at least 10 this year that will all see the level of support I just walked through. Not only that, but Samsung and Google's userbase isn't even a thing that can be compared. An update for a Samsung device means millions upon millions of affected users. Google, well, they won't tell us how many phones they sell, we just know it isn't very many. If you happen to be an Android smartphone fan, plan to update to a high-end phone in the near future, care about software support and updates, and will hold onto your phone for several years, I think at this point that Samsung is probably the company you should buy from. Samsung is king.

Earin A-3 Earbuds Now Available for $199, Some Good Lookin' Buds

Tim — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 11:20:21 +0000

Earin, the company that is credited for helping pioneer the wireless in-ear bud category, is back at it with its latest A-3 earbuds. Priced at $199, the A-3 buds look a bit different from many of the other earbuds on the market, as you won't find one of those large stems protruding from them. Instead, they're little buds that fit snugly in your ears, similar in appearance to select Galaxy Buds models and earbuds from other manufacturers. For specs, Earin details the A-3 buds as the smallest and lightest earbuds on the market. Users can expect superior audio quality with deep bass, water/sweat resistance, and 5 hours of battery life (30 hours with charging case). One of the neater features is the lack of dedicated left and right buds. Using some fancy recognition tech, the buds automatically know which ear they're in, so you won't have to worry about sticking a bud in the wrong ear. The buds also feature touch controls, as well as wireless and wired charging for the charging case. If you're looking for something other than Apple-branded pods or Galaxy-branded buds, check out these Earin buds. I have experience with a past model and I liked them quite a bit. I imagine these are a solid option. They aren't yet available on Amazon, but they are said to be coming soon. In the meantime, check them out on Earin's site for $199.

Earin Store Link | Amazon Link (Coming Soon)

OnePlus Watch Could Come in Two Sizes

Kellen — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 09:40:36 +0000

The questions surrounding the OnePlus Watch no longer involve whether or not we'll ever get one. OnePlus has already confirmed that a watch should arrive early this year. At this point, the questions we have are over what the software will be like, what the watch will look like, and if we'll get more than one size or style. A certification out of India may give us an answer to at least one of those. The OnePlus Watch has apparently stopped through India's BIS certification system and two models appeared alongside one another. Those model numbers are W501GB and W301GB. If you've followed the story of the OnePlus Watch at all, W301GB should look familiar. We've actually been tracking it for months (August 2020) as a potential model of the OnePlus Watch. Seeing W501GB is new, though. https://twitter.com/stufflistings/status/1352110997243265024 Does this info suggest bigger and smaller versions of the OnePlus Watch? An LTE and non-LTE? Two different styles? We actually don't know, but all of those could be possibilities. If anything, it should mean choice, and we love choices. OK, so if we know there may be two models, what do we know about the design or software? On a design front, we don't know anything. Previous sketches (top) of the OnePlus Watch hinted at all sorts of design ideas, including a detachable watch body. We also know that OPPO, OnePlus' manufacturing brother, has made a couple of smartwatches that look way too similar to the Apple Watch and we hope OnePlus doesn't follow their lead there. Unfortunately, there haven't been any leaks at this point to give us a definitive idea as to where OnePlus might take this. Now, as far as software goes, I have some worries. The longest-running rumor has always suggested that OnePlus will use Wear OS because, well, what else would they use? OnePlus has even acknowledged that they are working with Google to improve Wear OS. But one thing they have not yet confirmed is that this upcoming watch will run Wear OS. After seeing their Health app show up alongside the OnePlus Band with teases for watch faces that would fit nicely on a smartwatch, I have my doubts that these watches run Wear OS. In fact, my prediction for the OnePlus Watch is that it'll be a fitness-focused watch similar to Huawei's GT or Amazfit's GTR lines. Those watches are both solid sport watches, they just don't run Wear OS, lack the functionality of a true smartwatch, and instead are powered by their own custom software that tries to capture your health profile. I can honestly say that I'm both excited and worried about a OnePlus Watch.

It's Happening: Unlocked Galaxy Z Fold 2 Receives Android 11 Update

Tim — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 08:43:08 +0000

Samsung has begun shipping out the Android 11 (One UI 3.0) update to unlocked units of the Galaxy Z Fold 2. That means there's a few happy folks out there, including myself and Kellen. We've been racking our brains trying to figure out why Samsung would save its best (this $2,000 2020 Phone of the Year) for last, but regardless, we've finally made it the finish line. Galaxy Z Fold 2 owners, you can expect all the Android 11 goodness, as well as the changes Samsung detailed. There are updated privacy controls, Bubbles for your messaging apps, a few changes in the aesthetics department, and plenty else. Once updated, owners will be on software build version F916U1UEU1CUA1. Sweet Monday, y'all!

Your Galaxy S21 is Likely En Route

Tim — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 08:29:12 +0000

Notifications are rolling out to Galaxy S21 buyers that Samsung has shipped out devices. Confirmed by our own Galaxy S21 Ultra order, shipments have indeed left the building and could arrive as early as Wednesday, January 27. The official launch date for the Galaxy S21 lineup is January 29, so getting them a couple of days early is a nice touch. This isn't always the case for phone releases, so we'll take it when it happens. Expect a whole lot of content once our unit shows up. Samsung was kind enough to leave us off their review unit list this time around, so if you see us posting unboxings, Things to Do, and all of that well after others, now you know why. We're clearly upset about it and take it as disrespect. No more Mr. Nice Tato. Have a new phone inbound?

Cheers Matt!

Verizon's New Prepaid Option Adds 5G Ultra Wideband and Costs More

Kellen — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 08:03:03 +0000

Verizon added a fourth option to its prepaid line-up this morning that gives prepaid customers access to its fastest 5G network. The new unlimited choice is the first to be able to connect to Verizon's limited yet super fast 5G Ultra Wideband (mmW) network. The new plan is the most expensive of the bunch at $75/mo. However, like their other plans, that's simply a starting point. You can immediately shave off $5/mo by confirming that you'll pay with autopay every month. Like the others, this plan will reward you for loyalty too, so if you stick with it for 4-9 months, another $5/mo will come off. Hang around for 10+ months and $5/mo more will come off, giving you a total discount of $15/mo with loyalty and autopay discounts. Since there is a bit of simple math there that none of us should be required to do on a Monday morning, the discounts could bring the monthly cost down to $60/mo on this new plan. The other prepaid choices haven't changed and can drop to as low as $25/mo, $35/mo, and $50/mo.

Verizon 5G Prepaid Plans

The chart above lays out the features for each plan, amounts of data, perks like hotspot, etc. Again, the three cheaper plans have been around for some time, though I'm not sure we told you that each now has access to Verizon's nationwide 5G. If we haven't, well, now you know. As you are likely well aware, Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband is capable of delivering you Gbps speeds, it's just not that easy to find. Major cities have it on select blocks, but the speeds you see from it tend to quickly diminish if you aren't standing outside next to a tower with direct line of sight. It's fun technology with potential, it's just probably not a network technology you should expect to be able to rely on unless the window of your office or condo can see a 5G mmW tower. Is this new prepaid option with 5G Ultra Wideband worth choosing? Unless your life matches up to the scenario I just described, probably not. To sign-up for Verizon prepaid, hit this link. // Verizon

theScore Gets Big Update on Android

Kellen — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 14:12:18 +0000

For keeping track of the world of sports, the only app I've used for years is theScore. It's a robust sports app that offers more than just sports scores. It also offers a steady stream of current happenings, news bits, and enough customization that I'll never have to see a single baseball score again. Today, as we are all finalizing our to-go beer orders for the weekend, theScore pushed out a big update to its Android app. The update includes improvements to the UI, like smaller text and more viewable information on each screen, performance and stability boosts, and a 50% reduction in the app's download size. You love to see it. Google Play Link

Big Google Search UI Changes Inbound for Mobile

Tim — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 12:32:20 +0000

Google detailed inbound changes for Google Search on mobile devices this week, putting more focus on actual "information," easier to read text, and more of a lean into a "Googley feeling." There are five key things that Google highlights when it came to defining what this change was all about. I already listed a few above, but let me lay them all out here for you -- Bringing information into focus, making text easier to read, creating more breathing room, using color to highlight what’s important, and leaning into that “Googley” feeling. I know that sounds all a bit abstract and vague, but the key takeaway is that Google intends to provide more visual space for viewing search results, using colors to bring attention to important aspects of the search results, and making things appear more "bubbly" and "bouncy" to go along with the current gist of Google's design language.

"Old Search UI" vs. New

As you can see from the above photo, it looks like all that's happening, at least for the humpback whale page, is the removal of the bottom bar and return to the hamburger menu on the side. I suppose that's confusing because we spent all this time ridding ourselves of the hamburger menu, but now it's returning in this limited capacity? Don't ask me, I don't understand anything these days. It's also possible Google already has me on the updated UI and I don't even know it. Be on the lookout for these changes to hit your mobile device in the coming days! // Google

Still Time to Get $700 Off Galaxy S21 and Bonus $200 for Accessories

Kellen — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 11:56:34 +0000

We are one week away from the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra arriving, so that means your pre-order chances are shrinking. And since your chances to pre-order are coming to a close, the opportunity to get max value on a trade-in (up to $700), plus $200 to spend on accessories, won't be here much longer either. The time to act is now. As a reminder, Samsung does trade-ins different than almost everyone. Instead of accepting your trade-in, evaluating it, and then sending you a prepaid card or some form of reimbursement after the fact, they apply the value of your trade-in at the time of purchase. That amounts to an instant discount that really can't be beat. Also, when Samsung launches new phones (like the Galaxy S21), they typically offer higher-than-usual values for phones they expect people to trade. As of right now, they are offering up to $700 off for the newest Samsung and Apple phones. If you happen to have a phone that is a year or two old, you could still get up to $550 off. Even really old phones are fetching $350. Again, this is the time to act if you were considering a Galaxy S21. We broke these out in a previous post, but here again is the list of phones that’ll get you $700 off:

Samsung: Galaxy Note 20, Note 20 Ultra, S20, S20+, S20 Ultra
Apple: iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max

And here are the devices that will still get you $550 off:

Samsung: Galaxy Note 10, Note 10 5G, Note 10+, Galaxy S10, S10+, S10e, S10 5G, Galaxy S20 FE
Apple: iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, iPhone XS, XS Max

If you aren't finding your dinosaur of a phone in these two categories, know that you will still get $350 off for Google’s Pixel 4, Samsung’s Galaxy S9, and a bunch of other phones that probably aren’t worth $350. As I mentioned above, Samsung is also handing out up to $200 in credits to spend on accessories when you make your pre-order. To get the full $200, you'll need to pre-order a Galaxy S21 Ultra, but they'll still give you $150 for the S21+ and $100 for the S21. Oh, and don't forget that all pre-orders come with a free Galaxy Smart Tag tracker ($30 value).

Shop Galaxy S21 from Samsung

Visible Fires Up 5G for the Galaxy S20 Family

Kellen — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 10:16:55 +0000

Visible, the prepaid wireless service from Verizon that only exists as a digital entity with a semi-ridiculous pricing model, is starting to take advantage of the 5G network from its owner. After first launching 5G service for the iPhone 12 in December, Visible turned on access for Samsung's Galaxy S20 family today. These are the first Android phones to get access to 5G on Visible, so if you own a Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, or Galaxy S20 Ultra, pay close attention to your LTE logo, as it may soon say "5G" depending on your location. Visible notes on an updated support page that speeds are capped at 200Mbps down, which is far below the speeds that some 5G from Verizon is capable of. I'd imagine you'll only see those speeds when on 5G Ultra Wideband, but be aware that Visible is giving access to Verizon's slower nationwide 5G too. For the time being, there is no extra cost to get 5G on Visible, you just need a compatible phone. If you pay for the $40/mo unlimited plan, 5G is included. // Visible

Verizon Galaxy S10 Lineup Receives Android 11 Update!

Tim — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 09:28:20 +0000

Verizon and Samsung are rolling out Android 11 updates like crazy right now, with the Galaxy S10 lineup the latest to get in on the action. The S10 lineup is somewhat large, featuring three devices: Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, and Galaxy S10e. Each device is getting the update starting today, so keep your eyes peeled starting right now, S10 owners. Once updated, the Galaxy S10 will have software version G973USQU4FTLN, S10+ will have G975USQU4FTLN, and the Galaxy S10e will have G970USQU4FTLN. As for what's inside, that's been covered ad nauseam, but expect new privacy controls, the new conversations section in the notification pulldown, Bubbles for messaging apps, plus much, much more. One thing to note is that Samsung had reportedly paused this update recently, but apparently Verizon is pushing ahead. Good on ya, Verizon. // Verizon [2] [3] Cheers @dejackamo!

OnePlus and OPPO Get Closer Than Ever

Kellen — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 09:02:27 +0000

For years, the relationship between OnePlus and OPPO has been a topic that both companies have mostly avoided. We've often assumed they were very aligned in products they release, since they have the same owner and have also pushed out devices that are as close to mirror images of one another as it gets. This week, OnePlus has confirmed a report that the two are moving even closer by sharing R&D efforts. We could try and guess what this means going forward outside of even more similarly-designed phones, but to be honest, it already feels like these two are far too close. In a statement to Android Authority following an initial report on the subject from Do News, OnePlus said this:

To better maximize resources and further position OnePlus for growth, we are in the process of further integrating some R&D capabilities within OPLUS, our long-term investor. OnePlus will continue operating independently and working to deliver the best possible user experience for existing and future OnePlus users.

So they are indeed getting tighter with OPPO for R&D to "better maximize resources" around the products they develop. And it actually makes sense! After all, they were already sharing designs and technologies, they may as well make the entire process more efficient. With that said, OnePlus is in a weird spot right now where they no longer want to be a small player with a cult following. They now want to be a big boy, compete directly with Samsung, and so they are releasing not only high-end phones, but really awful low-end phones too. It's a marketshare play at this point, which isn't always a bad thing, unless the phones you release are as shaky as those new Nord phones. I'd hate for this move to mean less originality and more basic garbage that can flood markets where OPPO isn't already dancing in. OPPO x OnePlus - does this offend anyone? // Do News | Android Authority

Verizon Galaxy S9, S9+ Receive January Security Update

Tim — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 08:50:30 +0000

Shout-out to those who stick with their phone through thick and thin, even when they know major Android OS upgrades are a thing of the past. I'm of course talking to Galaxy S9 owners, who should know by now that updating phones wouldn't be the worst move right now. As a friendly PSA, Samsung is currently offering $350(!) in trade-in value on a Galaxy S9 device towards the purchase of a new Galaxy S21. For that phone in 2021, $350 sounds pretty good. Anyway, if you're happy with your Galaxy S9, note that the new January security patch update is inbound. Labeled as G960USQS9FUA2 for the S9 and G965USQS9FUA2 for the S9+, the security patch is the only thing listed in the changelog. Go snag that update! // Verizon [2]