Droid Life

OnePlus 10 Pro Gets First Taste of Android 13 With Newest Beta Release

Tim — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 09:36:24 +0000

Another Android device is getting its first taste of Android 13 this month, that being the OnePlus 10 Pro from OnePlus. Inside, 10 Pro owners can look forward to a bunch of goodies that are included in OxygenOS 13, such as the upgraded Quantum Animation Engine 4.0, optimized Quick Settings experience, more Markup tools, Always On Display optimizations, plus plenty else. Of course, this is only Beta 1, so you can expect bugs, as well as non functioning features. We have all of those details below.

Download

Want to give it a try? Simply head on over to the OnePlus forums, download the appropriate file for your device, and follow the listed instructions. OnePlus continues to make the flashing of beta files an extremely easy process. It's as simple as downloading the file, placing it in your phone's internal storage directory, and then tapping a few buttons. It's really that simple.

Download OxygenOS 13 Beta for OnePlus 10 Pro

Below we have listed out all of the beta build's known issues, as well as the extensive changelog. Enjoy.

What's Busted

There is no response when clicking Capture Log after switching Multiple users/System Cloner/Languages. (You need to switch Multiple users/System Cloner/Languages first before capturing the log in the feedback tool).

A dot will display abnormally when pairing Bluetooth.

The photos might be blurred when taking multiple pictures of people with Ultra Dark mode and zoom out at the same time.

The screen will freeze when taking videos in specific scenarios.

The pictures might not be saved when taking photos of people by zooming out 3.3x.

There will be a black screen when the camera freezes.

The videos might show in green when shot in FILM mode.

The pictures might be black when taking photos in the dark with Night Mode.

What's New

Design

Upgrades to Quantum Animation Engine 4.0, with a new behavior recognition feature, which recognizes complex gestures and provides optimized interactions.

Applies real-world physical motions to animations to make them look more natural and intuitive.

Optimizes fonts for better readability.

Enriches and optimizes illustrations for features by incorporating multicultural and inclusive elements.

Efficiency

Adds large folders to the Home screen. You can now open an app in an enlarged folder with just one tap and turn pages in the folder with a swipe.

Adds media playback control, and optimizes the Quick Settings experience.

Adds more markup tools for screenshot editing.

Optimizes Shelf. Swiping down on the Home screen will bring up the Shelf by default.

Seamless interconnection

Optimizes earphone connectivity to deliver a more seamless experience.

Personalization

Optimizes Bitmoji to offer more Always-On Display animations.

Optimizes Insight Always-On Display, with more personalized Always-On Display settings available.

Optimizes Canvas Always-On Display, with more drawing tools and line colors available.

Security & Privacy

Adds an automatic pixelation feature for chat screenshots. The system can identify and automatically pixelate profile pictures and display names in a chat screenshot to protect your privacy.

Adds regular clearing of clipboard data for privacy protection.

Optimizes Private Safe. The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is used to encrypt all files for enhanced security of private files.

Health & Digital wellbeing

Adds Kid Space, providing screen time limit, ambient light reminders, and Eye-protecting display features.

Performance optimization

Optimizes Dolby Sound effects with enhanced spatial sound field perception and more accurate sound sourcing.

Gaming experience

Upgrades to HyperBoost GPA 4.0 to stabilize the frame rate and balance the performance and power consumption in key scenarios.

// OnePlus

Lenovo Unveils New Moto Razr 2022 With the Flagship Goods

Kellen — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 09:21:01 +0000

In a bit of a surprise move, Motorola (well, Lenovo I guess?) has unveiled its next Razr foldable, the Moto Razr 2022. I say that it's a "surprise" because I don't even know that I've seen any teases or hints or suggestions that this device was coming from official channels, like Twitter or Motorola's store. Here we are, though, with quite the list of specs and features for this new attempt at the foldable market from Moto. So as we get into this, understand that we know nothing about Motorola's plans for the Razr 2022. It could come to the US - and I'd bet that it will - but we have no idea about pricing or timing or why Lenovo is spoiling the party early. The Lenovo store landing page for the new Moto Razr 2022 has given up the goods and shows a properly spec'd foldable phone that could compete with Samsung's. The previous version of the Razr foldable cut too many corners without being competitive in price, but that may not be a problem this year.

The new Moto Razr 2022 will feature a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, 6.7" internal OLED display at 144Hz (with HDR10+), external 2.7" display, and dual rear camera, with main 50MP shooter (OIS), as well as a wide angle 13MP lens (121°) with macro capabilities. The selfie camera weighs in at 32MP. According to GSMArena, the phone will ship with RAM/storage configurations of 8GB/128GB, 8GB/256GB, and 12GB/512GB. It'll run Motorola's MyUI 4.0 experience on top of Android, where you'll get Moto's handy feature set without the big bloat you might find from a Samsung or OnePlus skin. Motorola has also done the work to make this foldable useful when half-opened, giving you a dual-screen experience like Samsung does on its foldables. An example would be a messaging app in the bottom half and another app in the top half, while opened in an L-shape. This could also be used in the camera, with viewfinder up top and controls below. You'll notice that the overall design of the phone has changed some too. Instead of trying to recreate the old vibes of the old school Razr phones, Motorola has ditched that obnoxious chin and given us more screen space to use. You'll know that I correctly called Moto out for the Razr's chin as being awful to navigate in daily usage. This new Razr 2022 looks like a foldable you could use for extended periods of time, unlike that 2020 model.

You feeling the new Razr 2022 or is the Samsung Flip line all you need?

Dive Into Fresh Music and Podcasts With Spotify's New Feeds Feature

Tim — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 08:56:29 +0000

Exclusive to Android users for a little bit, Spotify is introducing a new Feeds feature for both music and podcasts, allowing listeners to quick dive into fresh episodes and songs. Described by Spotify, the feeds will help listeners easily scroll through the type of content they’re looking for at that very moment, with the feeds heavily based on recommendations. The music feed is based on a user's particular taste, while the podcast feed will feature the latest episodes for shows you already love. Here's a sweet GIF of the feeds in action.

Again, this feature is only available to Android users for the time being. Spotify says that it is headed to iOS, but didn't provide an exact timeframe. I'm still going strong with my Spotify boycott, but I hope this new feature brings some of you a bit of joy. // Spotify

Google TV Could Get Wear OS Fitness Integration, Better Smart Home Controls

Kellen — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 08:34:07 +0000

At some point within the next couple of years, your Google TV may do a lot more than just show you content. According to a new report, Google is preparing to add Wear OS integration to boost fitness tracking, make smart home controls more robust, and finally add the audio pairing we've been waiting patiently for. The report comes from Protocol, who says that Google representatives showed a presentation to partners behind closed doors last month that detailed their big Google TV and Android TV plans. Google wouldn't comment on the report, but all of it sounds like the types of features you'd want built into a smart TV platform to further adoption. The biggest bit of news might be the Wear OS integration. Google is apparently figuring out ways to enable interactive workouts within Google TV that pair to your Wear OS watch. That pairing would lead to real-time data showing on a screen, with metrics like heart rate and calories burned at the forefront. This is reportedly coming in 2023, at the earliest. In the audio department, Google might finally enable pairing of Nest speakers with Google TV to create a home theater system. This was a long-rumored feature, mostly because Google kept mentioning it in marketing materials for their Chromecast with Google TV. The report says this could show up "later this year or early next year." As for smart home stuff, which might not show up until 2024 (!), Google has some sort of plan to allow users to get into smart home controls and cameras without interrupting the content they are viewing. That sure sounds like picture-in-picture type of stuff we already know is coming in Android 13, so either the rollout of Android 13 to Google TV is going to take a lot longer or something is twisted here. Either way, we desperately need better smart home integration in Google TV and Android TV. You often have the remote in your hand, so creating ways to better access all of the gadgets in your home from the big screen in front of you would be welcomed. Finally, Protocol's report also mentions that Google is pushing its partners to make better hardware to support all of these new ideas. Things like Bluetooth 5.0, Android 13, and at least 16GB of storage might be required and we're all for it. Google should look a bit at itself there, though, since the Chromecast with Google TV only has 8GB storage and also happens to offer one of the slowest, jankiest smart TV experiences around, at least until it warms up.

Descenders Ported to Android, Will Cost You $10

Tim — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 12:21:42 +0000

Noodlecake Studios, the publisher behind a few of the biggest Android ports we have on our platform, recently released Descenders onto Google Play. Priced at $9.99, this is a full port of the game many know and love (a 10/10 title on Steam), with no in-app purchases or micro transactions to be found. The game is a downhill mountain biking game that features procedurally generated environments. This fact makes the game infinitely replayable, which is a good thing when we're talking about a $10 mobile game. Players can earn new gear, build their reputation with a fully built-in online system, plus utilize a control system that could still use a few tweaks. I gave the game a go myself and after 5 minutes I felt pretty frustrated with the controls. They can be very sensitive, plus a few reviewers on Google Play have mentioned their various 3rd-party game controllers remain unsupported. Noodlecake seems to be working on that issue. On my Pixel 6 Pro, performance of the game was very good with no stutters or issues to report. The same can't said for other players, though, with a few reviewers mentioning performance and frame rate issues on other devices. If you're a big Descenders fan, give it a shot and let us know what you think of the port.

Google Play Link ($9.99)

https://youtu.be/yv1Goix3ZSg

Spoilers: Here's What We Know About the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4

Tim — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 10:41:58 +0000

We are only a couple of days away from the unveiling of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 from Samsung. Naturally, the internet is doing its thing and spoiling any possible surprises, so we figured we might as well join in and share everything we've spotted on the web so far. We have reported specs, plus all of the images you could hope for. Let's do it.

Galaxy Z Flip 4

The Galaxy Z Flip is Samsung's most popular foldable line by far, accounting for 70% of its foldable sales. For 2022, Samsung is eyeing a relatively incremental upgrade for the device, according to leaks we've seen so far. For starters, the border around the still 6.7-inch display has been shrunk, along with a retooled hinge that should make the device even more compact. The Dynamic AMOLED display's specs are reported as a resolution of 2640 x 1080 with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The front cover display is said to be the same 1.9-inches with the same 512 x 260 resolution as the Z Flip 3.

Reserve a Galaxy Z Flip 4 Here.

Other specs include a Qualcomm-made Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, dual rear cameras (2 x 12MP), 10MP front camera, side-mounted fingerprint reader, IPX8 water resistance rating, 3,700mAh battery (upped by 400mAh), 25W charging, 15W wireless charging, and Android 12. On the software side, while it will launch with Android 12, it should be one of the first Samsung devices to receive the upgrade to Android 13 later this year. That's always a bonus for new Samsung buyers. US pricing is expected to start at $999.

Galaxy Z Fold 4

Much like the Z Flip 4, the Z Fold 4 appears to be more of an incremental upgrade over last year's model, but Samsung is still reported to include the hinge improvements and reduced bezel size on the larger foldable. The display size is reported to be 7.6-inches with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. It's noted that while it's the same size diagonally, the display is a bit less wide and slightly more tall. Resolution is said to be 2176 x 1812.

Reserve a Galaxy Z Fold 4 Here.

Specs for the Z Fold 4 include a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, 12GB RAM, 256GB storage, triple rear camera setup (50MP Main + 12MP Ultra Wide + 10MP Telephoto), 10MP under-display selfie camera, side-mounted fingerprint reader, dual SIM, IPX8 rating, S Pen support (just like last year), 4400mAh battery (same as Z Fold 3), and Android 12. Like the Z Flip 4, expect the Galaxy Z Fold 4 to receive Android 13 ahead of many other Samsung devices. Here's a shot of the device closed, showing off a more compact look thanks to the improved hinge design.

Pricing for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is expected to start at $1799.

Unpacked kicks off on August 10 at 9AM Eastern (6AM Pacific). If you want to beat the lines, we recommend reserving your new Galaxy foldable by following the link below. Samsung's pre-order credit and trade-in deals are tough to beat. If anything fresh happens between now and then, we'll update you. Reserve Your Galaxy Z Flip 4 or Z Fold 4 Here. // WinFuture [2]

Pre-Order Galaxy Z Flip 4 or Fold 4 in South Korea, Get a Free NFT

Tim — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 08:28:22 +0000

Samsung has a bonus gift for people in its home country of South Korea who pre-order either a new Galaxy Z Flip 4 or Galaxy Z Fold 4. It's not a physical gift, but instead, something you'll hopefully be able to enjoy via the screen on your new foldable phone. I'm talking about an NFT, of course!

Reserve Your Own Galaxy Z Flip 4 or Fold 4 Here

While you can't really do anything with an NFT (go ahead and correct me in the comments, I don't care), Samsung hopes to turn its NFT ownership into real world benefits. For example, should the owner of one of these "New Galaxy NFTs" go to a specific store in the real world and have their NFT ownership confirmed, they can get a discount on items at that shop. It's an intriguing concept. Again, this is only for pre-orders in South Korea, but if successful, I can't imagine Samsung wouldn't want to expand on this idea throughout the world. After all, NFTs are so hot right now. /sarcasm I'm still waiting for someone to explain the purpose of an NFT in a way that doesn't sound like a complete waste of time and money. // Samsung | SamMobile

One UI 5 Beta for Galaxy S22 Goes Live in US!

Kellen — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 22:11:39 +0000

When I mentioned earlier that I wouldn't be surprised if the One UI 5 Beta went live in the US over the weekend, I didn't have a hunch or any proof, only that Samsung announced and then pulled a news post saying as much. And well, they can re-post that if they want to because the One UI 5 Beta has indeed gone live in the US for the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra. Who wants it? Let's talk about how to get One UI 5 up and running on your phone.

How to download One UI 5 on your Galaxy S22

For those interested in testing out beta software, you can register and then update to One UI 5 and Android 13 on your Galaxy S22 phone right now. All you need to do is head into the Samsung Members app, swipe through the cards at the top until you see the image below, tap on it, then follow the instructions to get registered.

Once you have registered, Samsung will let you know that it may take a few minutes before the download will be available. You'll check for the update by heading into Settings>Software update>Download and install. For me, the update was there almost immediately. If you don't see it right away, give it a few minutes and then try again. The update weighs in at 2.8GB, has the August Android security patch, and will come with a version number of S901U1UEU2ZVH4 on the Galaxy S22, S906U1UEU2ZVH4 on the Galaxy S22+, and S908U1UEU2ZVH4 on the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

For the full feature list, you will be presented with it at the time of download. The list is massive and we've captured it here. Let us know what you are finding that's worth sharing!

Google TV is Going to Add Free Live TV

Kellen — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 11:23:16 +0000

Want to hear something cool on this beautiful Friday? Your Google TV might soon get free live TV. Yeah, seriously. Google has apparently been building out live TV into the Google TV platform for some time, but only recently has evidence arrived suggesting it may be around the corner. The evidence also reveals that Google plans to start with 50 channels, none of which you'll have to pay for. The report comes from a look inside the code of a recently updated Android TV launcher app by 9to5Google, who found the full list of Google TV channels as well as promo text to inform users of the new freebie. Should Google launch this soon, you could see a "Enjoy 50 channels of live TV without the need to subscribe, sign-up, or download," message. The most important parts there surround that section about no "need to subscribe, sign-up, or download." The idea is that Google TV will feature these free channels, likely with the "Live" tab in the Google TV UI. This is currently where your YouTube TV, Pluto TV, or Philo subscriptions live, assuming you are a subscriber. As for the 50 Google TV channels, the full list can be found below.

Google TV Free Live Channels List

[table id=221 /] Confused at this idea? This isn't a new feature for the world of TV. In fact, Samsung offers Samsung TV Plus to its smart TV owners for free, with a list of 200+ channels. The content is all free to view with advertisements and is more than likely a similar style of offering that Google will do here. This feature has not yet been announced by Google, but it sure seems like we're getting close.

HBO Max is Too Good, So Warner Will Merge Discovery+ Into It

Kellen — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 10:10:01 +0000

Owning a whole bunch of content seems like an awesome problem to have until you try to monetize it all in ways that make a "viable business." That part in quotes seems to be the key takeaway from this week's big news in the media space. Warner Bros. Discovery announced during their latest earnings call that they'll need to merge HBO Max and Discovery+ to get to business viability. From this report out of Variety, it sounds like Warner wants to slow churn, which is basically subscribers coming and going frequently. By combining the two networks, they might be able to then offer a single subscription that gets the whole family to not want to cancel. That would mean all of HBO's movies and originals under the same roof as flippin' and fixin' up homes in 34 different styles. We have no idea what the name of this new service will be or how much Warner will decide to charge for it, but we know it'll happen in the summer of 2023. You have a year left to enjoy HBO Max as it is, without the Gaines' and the Magnolia Network being further forced into your brains. Currently, HBO Max has two subscription options, a $14.99/mo plan with no ads and a $9.99/mo plan with ads. Discovery+ has similar options priced at $6.99/mo and $4.99/mo, respectively. Apologies for my tone here, it's just that the world of streaming went from being, "Hey, à la carte TV is awesome!" to media companies realizing that was never a "viable business" and going back to the way it always was, by just combining it all into one bloated package full of stuff we don't want.

Samsung's One UI 5 Beta Begins Initial Rollout on Galaxy S22 (Updated: Live!)

Kellen — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 09:30:38 +0000

Android 13 is close enough to launching that Samsung is starting to open up its One UI 5 Beta program for the first time on the Galaxy S22 series. The first rollout has begun outside of the US (in Germany and Korea), but don't be surprised if it hits here shortly. Samsung officially announced (and then pulled the announcement) that the US is included in the first grouping. We might get a fun weekend surprise since it started elsewhere.

UPDATE: The One UI 5 Beta is now live in the US! Here's how to download it.

How to sign-up for One UI 5 Beta program?

To join, you'll need to not only have one of those S22 devices, you'll also need to open the Samsung Members app and look for a notice about the program. You may see a banner at the top of the Members app with instructions on how to join too. If you look at the image at the top of this post, it should look like that once available to you. To check for a notice, you'll hit that bell icon as seen above. Again, sign-ups are currently open in Germany and Korea. The US has not seen it go live at this time.

What's new features are in One UI 5?

In Samsung's announcement, they claim that One UI 5 introduces "new ways for users to customize their smartphone experience, including an expanded set of color options for a more tailored look." That look means up to 16 preset color themes based on wallpapers and 12 more color options for home screens, icons, and the quick panel. These changes are straight Android 13 features. Samsung is adding in a way to stack widgets of the same size on a single location (!), a "simpler way to tailor notifications across applications," new controls for blocking notifications, updated sound and vibration settings (and their menus), multi-language support between apps, enhanced camera capabilities, more responsive camera zoom bar, and a security status dashboard. The build numbers arriving so far include S90xBXXU2ZVH4 and S90xNKSU2ZVH4, with that "x" swapping depending on the model. Once we have it, we'll let you know!

YouTube TV's Base Plan Loses Universo, Which Joins Paid Spanish Plus Add-On

Kellen — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 15:17:55 +0000

YouTube TV subscribers, we have a minor channel adjustment for you to be aware of. Starting today, your YouTube TV base plan will lose a channel - Universo. Google and YouTube TV aren't issuing a price adjustment, they are simply moving Universo to the Spanish Plus add-on and taking it away from the base plan. I can imagine that some of you will be disappointed in this move, but unfortunately, there's nothing here being offered other than a notice. The change appears to be immediate and will go into effect today, August 4. If you have content stored in your DVR/Library from Universo, those will remain for up to 9 months. If you'd like to still watch Universo going forward, there is currently an offer for the Spanish Plus add-on that costs $9.99/mo for the first 6 months. After 6 months, it jumps to $14.99/mo. The full YouTube TV can be read below:

Hi Kellen, We are writing to let you know that starting August 4, 2022, Universo will no longer be available as a part of the YouTube TV Base Plan. However, access to any previous Library recordings from this channel will remain in your account for up to 9 months with no action required. Universo will now only be made available within the Spanish Plus add-on, which is currently offered for an additional $9.99/month for your first 6 months, then $14.99/month thereafter. The Spanish Plus add-on includes 25+ channels like ESPN Deportes, Discovery en Español, and CNN en Español. As always, to see your billing or to make changes to your account, go to Settings > Membership. Thank you for your understanding and for being a YouTube TV member. Sincerely, The YouTube TV team

Latest 5G Report Shows T-Mobile Holding "Commanding" Lead Over Verizon, AT&T

Kellen — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 14:12:38 +0000

For the first half of 2022, the 5G race in the US didn't change much, according to the latest report. Even though Verizon and AT&T both began deploying C-Band spectrum in order to boost their networks with mid-band 5G, it's T-Mobile that remains king with a "commanding lead" over the others. The report comes from RootMetrics, who released their "5G 1H 2022" findings for the US. This is one of those in-depth reports we look to a couple of times per year to get a good feel for the best networks you should consider signing up for. Since it's down to just 3 networks in the US, these don't hit quite the same as they once did, unless we look at this seemingly never-ending battle to be the top of the 5G charts. The basic takeaway here is that, yeah, T-Mobile's 5G network offers the "Best 5G experience" and has remained "comfortably ahead" of Verizon and AT&T in both availability and speed. The only category they are continuing to improve on is in reliability, which to be honest, comes off as a somewhat obscure test of "getting connected and staying connected" in a city. Verizon, in case you were curious, is the best at 5G reliability and has topped that category for the third straight report. The image below tells a bigger story than I just described above and really shows that "commanding" lead by T-Mobile in 5G availability and 5G download speeds. Out of 125 markets, T-Mobile claimed the available crown in 100 of them for availability. AT&T nabbed 39 and Verizon only managed 3. For 5G download speeds, T-Mobile grabbed 75, while Verizon only took 11. AT&T won exactly 0 markets for speed. In case you were wondering why these totals aren't adding up to 125, RootMetrics has an explanation for all of that in their full report here.

What should your takeaway be? Well, that T-Mobile made the right bet on mid-band and low-band 5G, with a big focus on that mid-band spectrum they got from Sprint. Mid-band 5G offers the best experience, with high speeds and range. Because of the mid-band spectrum they got from Sprint, that's the reason for their massive (current) lead. That said, Verizon and AT&T have spent billions to acquire C-Band (which is mid-band) spectrum to try and catch-up. They have begun deploying that and will surely make a dent in T-Mobile's lead. It could be a while, though. For now, and likely for the foreseeable future, T-Mobile is and will be the 5G king. Finally, here's a fun little snapshot of the carrier highlights for all three categories. Those median download speeds in Fayetteville, NC are quite nice.

August 2022 Android Security Update Available for Google Pixel Phones

Kellen — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 10:33:37 +0000

After a bit of a delay, the August Google Pixel update is here, as is the August Android security patch, for all of the still-supported Pixel phones, like the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. For this month, since it's not supposed to be a Pixel Feature Drop month, things should be minor and on the bug-fixer side of things in addition to the latest patches. We still don't know why there was a delay, but here we are. As of this moment, Google has posted August factory image and OTA 12.1 files for all of the active Pixel phones, including the Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, and Pixel 6 Pro. I promise we'll stop saying this soon, but everything here should be on-time, with no delays (again) for the Pixel 6 line. The breakdown of August security update build numbers by Pixel device is as follows:

Pixel 6:
Pixel 6 Pro:
Pixel 5a:
Pixel 5:
Pixel 4a 5G:
Pixel 4a:
Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL:

Google should begin pushing these updates shortly over-the-air (Settings>System>Advanced>System update), 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:

Google Pixel's August Update Arrives in "Coming Weeks"

Kellen — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 10:10:49 +0000

Google provided an update on the August Pixel update situation today, since the update did not arrive during its usual first-Monday schedule. Instead, it sounds like Google is still working on the update and will deliver it within weeks. In a brief post to the Pixel Phone Help community, Google explains that the August 2022 Pixel update will arrive "in the coming weeks" for all of the still-supported Pixel phones, like the Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, and Pixel 6a. That's all they gave us, which certainly isn't much, but it does at least confirm that it is still coming. They also acknowledged that random extra July patch that showed up for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro earlier in the week. They mentioned that the Pixel 6a would see a new update as well. As for builds for that new July patch (and June for 6a), here are the builds Google shared: Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro

SQ3A.220705.004 (Global)
SQ3A.220705.001.B2 (DE, ES, FR, IE, IT, UK)
SQ3A.220705.004.A1 (Japan)
SQ3A.220705.003.A3 (Verizon)

Pixel 6a

SD2A.220601.003.B1 (Global, DE, ES, FR, IE, IT, UK)
SD2A.220601.001.B1 (Japan)
SD2A.220601.004.B2 (Verizon)
SD2A.220601.002.B1 (AT&T, T-Mobile)

The update is a "Fix for GPS location failure under certain conditions." OK.

OnePlus 10 Pro Price Drops Permanently to $799

Kellen — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 09:22:50 +0000

As a part of yesterday's OnePlus 10T event, OnePlus announced that its true-flagship, the OnePlus 10 Pro, now has a starting price of $799. That's a great price for a phone I personally like a lot, with all of the high-end specs you need in 2022. To recap, $799 now gets you a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, 6.7" QHD AMOLED display at 120Hz, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, 5000mAh battery with 65W wired and 50W wireless charging, high-end main 48MP Sony IMX789 camera (plus ultra-wide and telephoto lenses), WiFi 6, NFC, in-display fingerprint reader, Alert Slider (!), stereo speakers, and color choices of Emerald Forest (above) or Volcanic Black. That's a lot of stuff for $799, right? I'm not sure there's another phone in the US with those specs at that price. The only device somewhat close is the Pixel 6 Pro, but I'd argue that it doesn't feel as nice in the hand. That's a personal thing, of course, plus I'd also add that I like Google's software a whole hell of a lot more than OnePlus'. If you'd like the top-end version of the OnePlus 10 Pro with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, it too has dropped in price, now starting at $869. Need even more info? Here's our OnePlus 10 Pro review. And here's a follow-up, where I confessed another level of love for it.

Shop OnePlus 10 Pro

Here's a Pixel 6a Deal That Gets You One for $399

Kellen — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 08:10:03 +0000

The Pixel 6a is only a couple of weeks old and yet the deals surrounding this mid-range phone from Google have not been hard to find. For this week, Amazon is hosting a coupon that drops the price to $399. That's a solid $50 off its usual retail price. To get the Pixel 6a for $399, you'll hit this link, sign-in to your Amazon account, and then check the little coupon box under the price. Checking that box and then adding to cart will show in-cart as $399. Simple, simple. Should you buy a Pixel 6a at $399? Hell yeah, man. At $449, it was decently priced, although a little short on a couple of specs compared to competitors. At $50 cheaper, I think it's priced appropriately for a higher-end Google Tensor chip, solid camera experience, great in-hand feel, software support for years, and the Google Pixel experience. Here's our Pixel 6a review in case you missed it. Amazon Deal Link

Google Duo Starts the Change to Google Meet Today

Kellen — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 11:10:03 +0000

It has only been a couple of days since we updated you on the transition of Google Duo into Google Meet and we already have another one. Google tells us today that the icon and name change for Google Duo, making it into Google Meet, is starting its rollout today. We previously told you that after adding all of Google Meet's features to Google Duo, Google would then change the name of Duo to Meet before the end of the year. According to Google, that change will actually start today in a phased rollout that could take several weeks to complete. By September, the full rollout should happen, with all users seeing an icon and name change. In addition to the change of Duo to Meet, the old Google Meet you currently have on your phone will be renamed to "Meet (original)" if it hasn't already. As you can see above, mine has already changed. Also starting today, Google is changing the branding on duo.google.com to show Google Meet. In the "next few months," that will redirect to meet.google.com/calling. Google Play Link: Google Duo

Video: OnePlus 10T Unboxing and Tour

Kellen — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 09:52:17 +0000

The OnePlus 10T has been fully revealed after a live event took place this morning for all to see. We also happen to have one in house and have been testing it for some time. We'll have our review up in the coming days, but wanted to at least give you a closer look through an unboxing and tour. For the recap on all that the OnePlus 10T offers, you should take a look at this post. For details on when it will receive OxygenOS 13, this post has you covered. Pre-orders for the OnePlus 10T start September 1, with open sales on September 29. There will also be several early launch windows to order the device earlier. You buying?

Shop OnePlus 10T

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

OnePlus 10T is Ready to Launch, Starts at $649

Kellen — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 08:30:52 +0000

OnePlus told us to mark August 3 on our calendars as the date they would fully reveal the OnePlus 10T. That day has come and here's everything you need to know about this new flagship-level OnePlus phone.

OnePlus 10T launch details, pricing

The OnePlus 10T arrives in North America on September 29, with pre-orders opening on September 1 at OnePlus's store, Amazon, and Best Buy. The phone comes in two RAM-storage configurations of 8GB-128GB or 16GB-256GB and prices of $649 and $749, respectively. OnePlus is also hosting an early access program that will let some of you get the phone earlier. They are currently planning to host early access dates from August 3-6, August 10-13, August 17-20, and August 24-27, where you'll be able to order the 10T from OnePlus' site. If you do take advantage of early access, you'll be upgraded to the 16GB-256GB model and pay only $649. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duArdbxlweY

OnePlus 10T specs and features

Now that you know when you can buy one, let's talk about the features of the OnePlus 10T that will try and convince you to do that. The OnePlus 10T runs a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and comes in those previously mentioned RAM-storage configurations of 8GB-128GB or 16GB-256GB. It features a 4800mAh battery with insanely, stupidly, blow-your-mind-fast charging at 125W (it'll charge from 1-100% in about 20 mins), with an included 160W charger. It does not have wireless charging, though. OnePlus is also including a 6.7" FHD AMOLED display at 120Hz, stereo speakers, an in-display fingerprint reader, 5G and WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, Gorilla Glass 5, and OxygenOS 12.1 on top of Android 12. The 10T weighs 203.5g and comes in Moonstone Black or Jade Green. In the camera department, you'll find a main 50MP (Sony IMX766) lens at f/1.8 with OIS and EIS, along with 8MP ultra-wide and 2MP macro lenses. The selfie camera is a 16MP shooter with EIS. The main camera can shoot at 4K/60fps, has modes like Nightscape 2.0, Portrait, and Pro, but this isn't a Hasselblad-branded unit. OnePlus also says they put 15 antennas in the 10T to give it stronger WiFi and cellular signals, although they haven't revealed carrier partners yet. Looking at the bands on the specs sheet I have, the phone should work just fine on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon's low and mid-band 5G networks just fine. The phone does not support 5G mmW. Overall, the OnePlus 10T packs a number of high-end specs (like the processor, display, up to 16GB RAM, and the charging capabilities), but OnePlus also cut a number of things to keep the price down, which is evident in the use of the mid-range Sony IMX766 main sensor, no wireless charging, and the lack of Hasselblad features. This doesn't fall into their "Pro" line of phones, so it almost makes sense in a weird way. Oh, they cut the Alert Slider too, apparently to make room for all the charging stuff.

OxygenOS 13 and update support

As a part of this OnePlus 10T launch, OnePlus is announcing OxygenOS 13 that supposedly has an "upgraded experience across the board" with "improved customization, gaming, and connectivity." OnePlus is talking about its new "soft and rounded edges" throughout the OS, intelligent transitions of OS colors to match the time of day, boosted performance with an AI System Booster, more customization to the always-on display, larger folders, a sidebar toolbox of apps, Spatial Audio support, Android's Fast Pair, Android's audio switching, and more. This obviously won't launch until Android 13 launches, but OnePlus is saying that the OnePlus 10 Pro will get the update to OxygenOS 13 first and "soon," followed by the OnePlus 10T "later this year." For the OnePlus 10T's general software support, you should expect three major Android updates and four years of security updates.

Our OnePlus 10T review

Yes, we have the OnePlus 10T and have been testing it for some time. Stick around today for our unboxing and first look video, followed by our review in the coming days.

OnePlus 10 Pro is Getting the OxygenOS 13 Update "Soon"

Kellen — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 08:30:07 +0000

As a part of the OnePlus 10T launch today, OnePlus is also announcing OxygenOS 13, the next big update coming to their still-supported range of phones. The update is said to feature an all-new Aquamorphic Design, smoother experience, and a bunch of enriched features. OnePlus also told us when to expect it and one which phones.

Which devices are getting OxygenOS 13 and when?

For launch timing, since we're waiting on Android 13 to be released (and this should be based off of Android 13), OnePlus is saying that OxygenOS 13 will launch "soon" and first on the OnePlus 10 Pro in an Open Beta program. The next device to get the update will be the OnePlus 10T "later this year." Below is the entire list of phones expected to get OxygenOS 13, just be aware that outside of the OnePlus 10 Pro and 10T, we have no idea when the others will see it:

Flagship product line: OnePlus 8, OnePlus 8 Pro, OnePlus 8T, OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9 Pro, OnePlus 9R, OnePlus 9RT, OnePlus 10 Pro, OnePlus 10R, OnePlus 10T
Nord product line: OnePlus Nord 2, OnePlus Nord 2T, OnePlus Nord CE, OnePlus Nord CE 2, OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite

All of the OxygenOS 13 features

What should you expect from OxygenOS 13 in terms of features? OnePlus is really talking this update up as a big one, where they've updated the design of many OS elements, made it "faster and smoother," more stable, and tossed in plenty of customization and personalization. The entire list of new features in OxygenOS 13 is as follows:

Intentional Adaption OxygenOS 13 features soft and rounded edges across its design for a more comfortable viewing experience. Every detail in OxygenOS 13’s design has been created with purpose, making each element both useful and appealing to fit your needs. Calm Vitality Form and function co-exist in OxygenOS 13, as it adds to the user experience by anticipating every need and making widgets more accessible through one long press. Intelligent Design The colors of OxygenOS 13’s design will intelligently transition to match the time of day you are using your device – meaning the operating system will be brighter in the morning and take on a darker, calmer aesthetic after sunset. AI System Booster OxygenOS 13 leverages the power of AI System Booster, which takes its smooth and stable performance even further. With advanced, intelligent memory management systems, AI System Booster allows you to suspend more applications at once so you can quickly jump from one to another for a faster, smoother, and uninterrupted experience. Always-on Display (AOD) AODs highlight contextual and relevant information without you having to switch on or unlock your device. OxygenOS 13 packs a wider selection of AODs that provide you with greater levels of customization, so you can decide what information you want to be easily accessible. Whether you are listening to music, or creating masterpieces on Canvas or Bitmoji, OxygenOS 13’s AODs make it possible to navigate with ease while on the go. Smart Launcher Smart Launcher lets you access applications from folders faster by making folders and their contents larger on your home screen. Applications within a folder can be tapped and opened without having to open the folder itself for a faster and more seamless experience. Smart Launcher also lets you quickly and easily add widgets for your favorite applications to take advantage of their functionality from your home screen. Sidebar Toolbox Sidebar Toolbox makes it easier for you to do everything on your device with one hand. This practical function comes with easy access to all apps and lets you customize which applications are featured within it. HyperBoost Gaming Engine OxygenOS 13 empowers the gaming capabilities of OnePlus devices with support for the HyperBoost Gaming Engine that powers a series of features designed to deliver a smoother and more stable gaming experience when playing supported titles. These features improve gaming performance, like reducing frame rate fluctuation and improving a device’s touch response rate so you have the best chance of coming out on top. Spatial Audio & Dolby Atmos For professional audio performance, OxygenOS 13 supports Spatial Audio to bring you cinema-quality sound, wherever you are. With Spatial Audio, you can adjust the direction of sound in different applications for the best experience. In addition, Dolby Atmos is supported by OxygenOS 13 which offers a broader sound field and more accurate spatial perception of sound. Both Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos provide greater immersion when watching everything from the latest TV shows to Hollywood blockbusters. Fast Pair Fast Pair allows you to seamlessly connect your device with supported wireless earbuds and headphones, smart TVs, and more in a matter of seconds so you spend less time in menus and more time enjoying content. Audio Switch With Audio Switch, you can easily switch from one audio device to another, or vice versa. There are no disruptions when you switch from headphone to headphone, creating a smooth sound transition. Nearby Share and App Streaming By logging into just one Google account, the Nearby Share feature lets you transfer content from Android and Windows devices with greater ease and speed, for seamless content sharing. And, with a function called App Streaming, smartphones can cast their screen’s content to other nearby ChromeOS devices for improved shareability. Private Safe 2.0 An enhanced version of the Private Safe makes its debut in OxygenOS 13 that secures data, documents, and media files in a virtual safe so they cannot be accessed by other applications.

We'll try to get OxygenOS 13 flashed to a OnePlus 10 Pro as soon as we can to dive in and report back.

Where is Google's August Update for Pixel Phones? (Updated)

Kellen — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 09:03:14 +0000

You may be wondering where the August update is for your Google Pixel phone, since yesterday was the first Monday of the month and related security bulletins were posted. For reasons not yet clear, Google didn't take the additional step of also releasing factory image or OTA files for all of the still-supported Pixel phones, nor did they push an over-the-air-update. That's unusual. We've reached to Google to see if we can get some answers, but for now, this is what we know about the August Google Pixel update. Yesterday, Google posted the August security bulletins for both Pixel phones and the Android platform on time, as they always do. They even posted a special Android 13 bulletin to talk about Android 13's potential September launch and the default level of security patch it will have. But again, they didn't give us August files or push an update to phones, plus their usual Pixel community post that would detail such an update never arrived. Something is up. I know that no one follows your boy on Twitter, but I pointed out yesterday that things seemed off. The oddest part of yesterday was in the afternoon, when Verizon updated its support pages for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, suggesting they were getting an update, just not an August update. Instead, Verizon believes the Pixel 6 line will see another July patch with a slightly updated build of SQ3A.220705.003.A3. The previous July build was SQ3A.220705.003.A1. I should also point out that Verizon didn't update any of its other Pixel phone pages as if the Pixel 6 line is the only pair of phones getting this small update.

That's not something we typically see and we'd love an explanation for why Verizon believes that, as well as why no update arrived yesterday. It could be nothing major and that Google will drop files on us today or it could also be that Google is skipping August's patch in preparation for Android 13's release. We'll keep you updated as we learn more or if we hear back from Google.

UPDATE: Google has now posted two new Pixel 6 July builds, including the ones that Verizon first revealed. We have builds of SQ3A.220705.003.A3 (Verizon) and SQ3A.220705.004.A1 (Softbank) for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. No other Pixel phones received new July updates.

Samsung Collabs With iFixit, Launches Self Repair Program for Select Devices

Tim — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 08:45:36 +0000

Like Google did earlier this year, Samsung is teaming up with the good people at iFixit and has launched an all-new self repair program targeting a select handful of Galaxy devices. To start, Samsung is only opening the program to the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S21 lineups, as well as the Galaxy Tab S7+. That should be millions of devices right there, so it's a great start. As for what types of repairs you can make, owners will be able to conduct battery replacements, screen and display replacements, as well as USB charging port replacements. Prices for the kits vary, so it's all dependent on what sort of repair you need. Most importantly, every single tool you'll need to get the job done comes with the kits that are distributed by iFixit. As a user of their kits, I can tell you firsthand that these are quality tools. Been rocking that Galaxy S20 with a busted screen the past year or so? It's time to fix that thing.

Get Your Galaxy Toolkit Here

// Samsung

Android 13 Beta Now Available on Pixel 6a

Kellen — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 14:20:47 +0000

Folks who bought a Pixel 6a, the Android 13 Beta program is now open for you. Google added their newest phone to the program today, making factory image and OTA files available, as well as an opt-in through the official Android Beta page. If you'd like to get Android 13 Beta up and running, the easiest way is going to be for you to hit the Android Beta Program site (here) and then click the "+ Opt in" button. Once you've done that, Google will push the update to your phone. After a few minutes, you can check for it by heading into Settings>System>Advanced>System update. If you'd rather not wait for Google to push the update to you after joining the beta program, you can always flash a factory image or OTA file. Those are available here and here. This Pixel 6a build of Android 13 is available as TPB4.220624.008.A2. This is an Android 13 Beta 4.1 build, in case you were curious. This beta brings the Pixel 6a in line with the rest of the Pixel devices in the program.

Android 13 Appears Ready for a September Launch

Kellen — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 13:42:04 +0000

The last Android 13 Beta build arrived last month as Beta 4 alongside a promise from Google that this was the last of the betas. Not counting the 4.1 update to address some bugs, Google said that the next update for Android 13 would be the stable release over the coming weeks. Today, as a part of its publishing of the Android August security bulletins, Google appears to have revealed that Android 13 will be released to AOSP in September. The surprise "Android 13 Security Release Notes" were posted on the Android Security Bulletins page that Google posts monthly bulletins for as it publishes the newest monthly update for its Pixel phones. It pushes both general Android security bulletins, as well as Pixel/Nexus-specific bulletins, with this special Android 13 note within the general category. We picked up on the rare note earlier, after noticing that Google posted the August patch bulletin without posting the factory image or OTA files for its Pixel phones. In the note, Google explains that Android 13 devices "with a security patch level of 2022-09-01 or later are protected against these issues," which they list later on as "security vulnerabilities fixed as part of Android 13." Google then mentions that "Android 13, as released on AOSP, will have a default security patch level of 2022-09-01." And that's where we jump to the idea that Android 13 will arrive in September. Outside of Android 12's seemingly late arrival in October of last year, Google released Android 10 and Android 11 in early September. Android 9 "Pie" was released in early August in 2018, just for reference. Now, should Google push Android 13 to AOSP in early September, we may or may not see it on our Pixel phones right away. For Android 12, Google pushed code to AOSP, but then didn't send the update to Pixel phones for another few weeks. That move was an outlier in the grand scheme of new Android build rollouts and it could have been for several reasons. Android 12 was a massive update, plus the timing to have it arrive with Google's fancy new Pixel 6 phones made a lot of sense. In most previous years, AOSP has meant updates on the same day for Pixels. Want a date to target for Android 13 in September? Casually penciling in September 6 wouldn't be a bad idea. Google likes to release updates on the first Monday of each month, but that's the 5th in September and also Labor Day. Google now says that it pushes updates on the following "work" day if the first Monday is on a holiday, which would be the 6th. I can't imagine a better time to drop Android 13 than at that point. NOTE: Updated that last paragraph to take into account the fact that September 5 is Labor Day, so Google is likely to release the update on September 6.

See All of the Galaxy Watch 5 Official Renders

Kellen — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 13:03:43 +0000

The stars of most Samsung Unpacked shows are usually the latest in phones from electronics giant, like the upcoming Galaxy Fold 4 and Flip 4. For the Unpacked that will land on August 10, partly because the early leaks of the new foldables haven't excited as much as I'd hoped, it's the other accessories at the event that I'm looking forward to now. I'm talking about the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, the new watches running Wear OS that will replace the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic from last year. While the Watch 5 looks like the Watch 4, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is moving us beyond the Classic line's physical rotating bezel and into new territory where we get to see what the word "Pro" means to Samsung in a watch. Thanks to a new leak out of 91Mobiles that shows off all of the Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro models, we aren't yet learning how "Pro" will be defined, but we are getting the all-angle experience to help us envision each watch on our wrist.

You can reserve a Galaxy Watch 5 Pro

The large set of images below shows the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro in two colors, followed by the Galaxy Watch 5 in another 3 colors. Each watch model lands its own column of various angled shots, so you can see front, angled, profile, rear, and off-wrist perspectives.

The biggest takeaways for me are that these watches have very familiar designs and also that the Watch 5 Pro is massive. Thick might be another way to describe it, likely for its rumored large battery that could last for several days, and all of its other premium specs. We are days away from the reveal of everything new in Samsung World - have you seen enough?

New Mystery "Wireless" Google Device Stops by FCC

Kellen — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 11:17:47 +0000

FCC filings can often be used to figure out specifics on upcoming devices that were not yet known or they reveal devices we didn't even know were on the way. A filing today by Google falls into the latter category, where we have a product that remains shrouded in mystery and is only labeled as "wireless device." The FCC is giving us almost nothing except for another device made by Google to be on the lookout for. A device under model number G28DR stopped through the FCC with WiFi and Bluetooth on board. The filing lists it as an "engineering sample" with a label on the back of the product. Below, you can see a view of the shape of that label.

If we look at one of the tests, the description of the device tells us about a power supply running to it, a possible battery included, and that it has 802.11ac WiFi. And that's all we get. I have no idea what this could be, but I would lean towards it being something in the Nest or smart home category. With an FCC label on the back, there's a good chance that it does not have a screen. With Bluetooth and WiFi, it obviously plans to connect to a lot of things, so that could mean a new Nest speaker or some other screen-less device.

If anything, add G28DR to your list of Google devices to regularly search the internet for.

Yep, Google Meet Really is Taking Over Google Duo

Kellen — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 09:03:12 +0000

If you noticed a notification within Google Duo in recent days that mentions "Duo is getting even better" and were confused, well let's catch you up! Google Duo is going away soon, although it will (already sort of did) become more powerful with the features of Google Meet before being renamed to Google Meet. We first learned about Google's Meet plans almost two months ago now, where they explained that there was no need for both Duo and Meet to exist at the same time. The simplicity of Duo is no more, unfortunately, so while Google claims that Duo is "getting even better," that's certainly an opinion. Here's what you need to know about the end of Google Duo.

Back in June, Google told us that Duo would soon see a big update that would bring over all of the features of Google Meet. That means things like virtual backgrounds, scheduling meetings, live sharing, integration with services like Gmail, and an increase in video call sizes were all coming to Duo. That has basically happened at this point and is why you are seeing the message at the top of Duo. If you go to start a new Duo call, you should see a bunch of new Meet-related items at the top.
As far as Google Duo's features and contacts and call histories go, those are all sticking around. Again, this is really just a big update for Duo to get Meet features, without losing the stuff it already had.
If you still want to access Duo on the web, you can through the typical spots you might right now, but eventually you'll redirect to meet.google.com/calling. And that makes sense because Duo is becoming Meet.
Once Google updates everyone's Duo with new Meet features, they plan to rename Google Duo to "Google Meet" before the end of 2022. At that time, the other Google Meet you already have on your phone will basically be renamed to "Meet Original" and then deprecated.
And that's pretty much it. Google Duo is getting all of Google Meet's features before becoming Google Meet.

That message at the top of your Google Duo app is the beginning of a new journey for Google's video calling services. To learn more or get specifics on anything I didn't mention, Google has a FAQ setup here.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Grabs July Update at Last Minute

Kellen — Sat, 30 Jul 2022 08:21:19 +0000

With only a day to spare, the Samsung Galaxy S21 line is picking up the July Android update. The update is mostly minor, but Verizon lists that there is more than just the typical security patches included. In a short changelog, the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra are getting "performance improvements" on top of the "most up to date Android security patches." Performance improvements are always a welcome addition to update, especially for a phone line like the Galaxy S21 that is well over a year old. We love constant optimizations. Also, here are the details on the July Android patch.

Don't forget: Did you reserve a Galaxy Flip 4 yet?

The builds to be on the lookout for are as follows:

Galaxy S21: SP1A.210812.016.G991USQU5CVG9
Galaxy S21+: SP1A.210812.016.G996USQU5CVG9
Galaxy S21 Ultra: SP1A.210812.016.G998USQU5CVG9

The Galaxy S21 isn't the only line of phones getting updates this week, by the way. Verizon also pushed updates to the Galaxy Fold 3 and Flip 3, Galaxy S21 FE (G990U2SQU1CVF7, G990USQU3CVF7), Galaxy S20 FE (G781VSQU6FVG3), and the Galaxy A12 (A125USQS3BVG2). To check for these updates, head into Settings>System updates>Check for system updates. The updates should be live already.

See All of the Galaxy Flip 4 and Fold 4 Official Renders

Kellen — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 09:49:43 +0000

The next Samsung Unpacked event is scheduled and will take place on August 10. It'll be a classic Samsung affair, with big reveals of new foldables and lots of polished accessories, all of which will command even bigger prices. If you were hoping for surprises, I do have some bad news for you - the leaks of everything coming soon are flowing. In the latest round of images, courtesy of 91Mobiles, we get all-angle looks at both the Galaxy Fold 4 and Galaxy Flip 4. There are plenty of colors to view as well, but the most important aspect here is being able to see each device when folded, unfolded, and from all sides. This is a pretty massive early look. Let's take a peak at each.

Did you reserve your $200 Samsung Fold 4 credit yet?

Galaxy Fold 4

Galaxy Flip 4

My only real response here is that the 2022 foldable lineup from Samsung looks almost identical to the 2021 foldable lineup from Samsung. We have identical camera housings, color blocking in the same ways, and overall, the same styles of devices. Samsung appears to be refining things like their folding hinges, but for the most part, you would be hard-pressed to find big differences here from last year to now. That's not necessarily a bad thing, since Samsung's Fold 3 and Flip 3 were excellent devices that sold by the millions. If anything, these devices will have solid internal upgrades that will make them worth considering if you skipped last year's. Coming from a Fold 2 or 2nd edition Flip would be a really nice upgrade. Maybe 2023 will bring us the big refresh? Or maybe Samsung doesn't need to do that.

Amazon, Best Buy Will Give You $50 If You Buy a Pixel 6a

Kellen — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 08:33:33 +0000

The early days of a smartphone launch often mean special bonuses to try and get you to pull the trigger. Samsung does this with reservation systems that can land you $200. Motorola usually shaves off $100 or so out of the gate for a limited time. And OnePlus throws out free earbuds and other bundles. For the Pixel 6a launch, Google and their retail partners are still carrying on with a $50 bonus. Both Amazon and Best Buy are running a Pixel 6a deal that gets you a $50 gift card to spend if you grab Google's newest phone. There are no strings attached here and the gift cards should show up almost immediately. All you have to do is spend $449 for the phone and a gift card will then hit your inbox. I'm not here to tell you which is the better retailer to go with, but Amazon gift cards can obviously buy you a wider range of goods. Best Buy, though, still has plenty of stuff you might want to buy in the tech and home goods sectors. At the moment, I'm seeing all of the colors for the Pixel 6a (Sage, Charcoal, and Chalk) in-stock with pretty quick shipping or pickup.

READ: Our Google Pixel 6a review

Shop Pixel 6a deals: Amazon | Best Buy

Twitter Blue Price Jumps to $4.99 and No, There Aren't New Features

Kellen — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 08:09:55 +0000

Twitter Blue, the subscription service from Twitter that adds several paid-for features, is getting a price increase immediately. Well, the increase is coming immediately for new subscribers, while current subscribers have a couple of months of the original price left to enjoy. Once priced at $2.99/mo, Twitter Blue now costs $4.99/mo in the US and will see similar increases in the other countries it is available. For those curious, no, there aren't new features being added to justify that price, at least not yet. Instead, Twitter believes that they have "refined the vision for this product" and that a price increase will help introduce new enhancements and further development. The original price was apparently only used as a way to get folks in the door. On a Twitter support page that talks about the price increase for current customers, Twitter states that early adopters of Twitter Blue will continue to pay $2.99/mo "until you receive additional notice from Twitter and/or the payment providers at least 30 days before the new price goes into effect." Once you get that notice, you'll be able to cancel before you are charged the higher amount. For now, Twitter Blue still has an almost-identical feature set as it did when it launched. The only changes in recent months that I'm aware of are features that were exclusive to iOS finally being unlocked on Android, like icon changes and custom navigation bars. Android users still can't use custom Twitter themes like you can on an iPhone. As someone who subscribed to Twitter Blue for a couple of months, it would be hard for me to recommend that you sign-up, especially now with the price increase. If you consume a ton of online news, like articles from major publications, then it could be worth it. You do get ad-free articles, trending news stories, and the ability to read long threads like an article. My favorite things were changing the Twitter icon, because I'm a goofball, and also removing that ridiculous Spaces button. For me, it was not worth it. We'll let you know if they add an "Edit Tweet" button.

Your Pixel 6a is Getting a Day 1 Update

Kellen — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 15:34:59 +0000

We pointed out this morning that Google had posted the first couple of factory image and OTA files for the Pixel 6a as a part of today's launch. Google has since followed up that move by announcing that a day 1 update is coming to those who bought Google's latest A-series phone. In a brief community post, Google said that the first security update is available for the new Pixel 6a, with rollout beginning today and continuing "over the next week in phases." The update will arrive as the June Android security patch. In this community post, as we noted earlier, Google mentioned all of the different build numbers that you could see depending on where you plan to use your Pixel 6a or which network. They may have only posted two factory image builds, but there should be another two at some point, according to this post. Here is the entire list that should help you decide which build is headed your way:

Global (unlocked): SD2A.220601.003
AT&T, T-Mobile: SD2A.220601.002
Verizon: SD2A.220601.004
Japan: SD2A.220601.001.A1

The June update, for those who forgot, is a big one. The update not only addresses some 35 bugs, it's also a Pixel Feature Drop and quarterly release from Google. This is a key update that I wish I had during my review period. To check for it, head into Settings>System>Advanced>System update.

Samsung's $200 Reservation Credit is Still There to be Taken

Kellen — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 15:16:16 +0000

The next Samsung Unpacked event, where we'll see the new wave of foldables, is inching closer. Because time is slipping quickly away, we thought we'd remind you that you can still do that somewhat silly Samsung reservation thing, where they ask for your name in exchange for $200 in credit to spend on lots of fun stuff should you buy their new phones. For this Unpacked launch on August 10, we're looking at the Galaxy Flip 4 and Galaxy Fold 4 as devices you'll be reserving. But when I say "reserving," that doesn't mean you are committing outside of giving Samsung your name and email. If those phones are announced and you don't want them, you don't need to buy them. However, by going through with this reservation system, you are putting your name on a list for this special $200 bonus credit to spend on say, a Galaxy Watch 5 or Galaxy Buds 3, to go with your Fold 4 or Flip 4. See, that's what I mean by it being weird. Either way, the point is that if there is any chance you are going to buy one of the new foldables and like the idea of attaching new accessories from Samsung to them, reserving is key. Samsung will likely still give people some sort of credit if they don't reserve, but in the past it has not been of the same value. Samsung is also promising that folks who reserve will "enjoy the highest online instant trade-in values" and be able to "customize your style with exclusive colors." Those actually aren't tied to the reservation system, but hey, it sounds fancier that way. Reserve your Galaxy foldable and $200 credit

Google Pixel Buds Pro First Listen: Give Me More

Kellen — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 10:00:05 +0000

The Pixel Buds Pro are the 4th attempt at wireless earbuds by Google and arguably the most complete on paper. They also happen to be the most expensive, with features like Active Noise Cancellation, touchpad controls, wireless charging, Bluetooth 5.0, Spatial Audio (soon), big sound promises from an 11mm speaker driver, and more. At $199, these need to deliver. Google sent me a pair of Pixel Buds Pro for review purposes and we're working through that process now to share you with final thoughts on whether or not they do. Today is actually the day that most will publish reviews, but I was out of town when these were delivered and so we are a couple of days behind. But look, I've been using these constantly for 2-3 days now and wanted to at least give you some initial thoughts for those wanting a pair right away and are trying to decide.

Google makes earbuds for my ears.

I know that I was one of the few who really liked the first true wireless Pixel Buds and that they were later found to be plagued by design and hardware issues. I also know that I gave the Pixel Buds A pretty good marks, even as the cheaper pair without all of the fancy features so many earbuds ship with. I am clearly a fan of Google's earbuds even if that's the unpopular opinion to have. For the Pixel Buds Pro, I am once again enjoying this experience and one of the reasons has to do with fit. Google really knows how to make earbuds that fit perfectly into my ears. In fact, that was one of the biggest reasons I liked both of the previous Pixel Buds models before this, because it was as if Google used my ear to shape them. They were both light and freeing, never budged no matter what I was doing, and that let me wear them for hours without fatigue. These Pixel Buds Pro fit my ears right out of the box with their medium tips (they also come with small and large tips). It takes a bit of extra wiggling to get them in the right spot, but once you find it, they don't move much. They are on the larger side, thanks to ANC, though they don't have those awkward wing tips or anything to make wearing them difficult. All you really need to do is give them a bit of a twist and then slot right in, somewhat magically. So far, I've worn the Pixel Buds Pro in casual, at-my-desk settings, as well as during a couple of intense workouts. Never once have they fallen out. I will say that I notice them far more often than the other pairs of Pixel Buds and I think that's because of their size and weight. That's not surprising when you look at what Google packed into these, but I could see my ears getting tired of them after a longer session. Again, we'll test that to find out. Overall in terms of fit and feel, the Pixel Buds Pro wear nicely (at least in my ears).

The sound is pretty phenomenal.

With a $200 price tag and a long list of features, I think Google was right in suggesting the Pixel Buds Pro deliver "premium, immersive sound." During most weeks, I'll go without ever placing a pair of earbuds in my ears because I work from home with speakers in my office and have found peace in running or working out without them. With the Pixel Buds Pro these past few days, I'm going out of my way to wear them and crank all the tunes. There is a smooth, deepness to the bass that really holds up in satisfying ways that most true wireless earbuds can't. Highs have a richness and clarity that's intoxicating. There's an excitement when you throw a big booming song at the Buds Pro. Yes, I ran my typical test of The Weeknd's "High For This" and these passed with flying colors. I threw a bunch of Labrinth and his wild digital beats and heavy bass at them, once again coming away happy. I brought out Jeff Buckley for the first time in a while to try and feel that emotion and your boy is tearing up now. OK, that's a bit much. Old Caamp, after overplaying it the past two years, sounded fresh again. This is head-filling sound at its best. The ANC also works quite well and can really reduce outside noise in impressive ways. My ultra-clicky keyboard can't be heard with it on, a toilet flush produced nothing, and cars flying by my house only brought a soft scream. I've used ANC in several pairs of buds over the years, but this is one of the first times I was like, "Wow, this really does work well." Of course, you can use the "Transparency" setting to let in outside noise and it also works well. The sound quality isn't reduced with this on either, in case you were wondering. I have not yet tried the Buds Pro with ANC turned completely off, so I'll get back to you on that experience.

Some other notes.

Battery life: I don't have any serious battery notes for you because I haven't had enough time with the Buds Pro, but after a long 1.5 hour listen yesterday where I'm pretty sure I had ANC off, I dropped about 15% in each bud. That would get me close to the 11 hours of use Google claims with ANC off if I ran them dry.
Touch controls: The full range of touch controls are back! Google brought back forward and backward volume controls, and omg, yes. I missed these from the A-Series and can't tell you how much I enjoy them here. We also have single, double, and triple taps for pausing or changing tracks, as well as a customizable touch-hold press to fire up the Assistant or toggle ANC. You can even set one side to long-press for Assistant and the other for ANC, which is how I have them setup. You can even completely turn off the touch controls if you want.
Audio switching and multipoint connections: Google is letting the Pixel Buds Pro do some cool multi-device actions that I have not been able to test yet. They'll smartly switch between multiple Android devices (like a phone and tablet) and also let you connect to a setup of a phone and PC, should you want audio from a computer but still have access to your phone for a call. I will do my best to test these, but the audio switching doesn't seem like something I would use much.
The case: The case for the Pixel Buds Pro reminds me of the Pixel Buds (2nd Gen) in so many ways. It's a heavy, well-built case with a black interior. Its lid has good movement and is very addictingly flippy in a way you might click a pen to annoy people. It has wireless charging and USB-C, as expected. The Buds Pro do fit inside it a bit awkwardly at times, as if they need some extra help getting situated. Maybe I just need more practice.
Calls: Haven't taken any yet! Will do soon.
Audio cutouts: Haven't experienced a single cutout yet, so maybe Google finally fixed that with this third attempt. I was able to leave my phone in the office and walk all of the way to the back corner of my house without losing connection. I covered both ears at that back-house point and that finally caused a minor cut. So far, the connection seems the best of any Pixel Buds to date.
The app and its settings: There are some new settings in the Pixel Buds app, so here they are in case you were curious.

OK, I actually wrote a lot there. I'm enjoying them if you can't tell and like sharing thoughts. Any questions?

Verizon Galaxy Z Fold 3, Z Flip 3 Updated With Latest Security Patch

Tim — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 08:50:15 +0000

Verizon is now shipping out the July security patch to both the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3. This brings them in line with all other recent Samsung devices running the latest available Android security patch. Besides the security patch, the changelog lists "performance improvements," but doesn't provide specifics. If you spot anything new following the update, feel free to clue us in. Once updated, Z Fold 3 owners will have software build version F926USQU1DVG1 and Z Flip 3 owners will have F711USQU2DVG1. Go snag it. // Verizon [2]

Pixel 6a Gets First Factory Image Files on Launch Day (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 07:14:36 +0000

The Google Pixel 6a has arrived in an official capacity, no longer just as a pre-order item that you have to read reviews like ours about. If you ordered one, there's a good chance it'll show up on this very day. As a part of that launch, Google has now posted the first factory image and OTA files for the Pixel 6a, giving you the files necessary to restore your phone should you go a little hard on the tinkering and mess something up. Otherwise, there isn't much use for the files, but they do act a bit as a celebratory arrival item. The first Pixel 6a factory image and OTA files arrive as SD2A.220601.001.A1 (JP carriers) and SD2A.220601.004 (Verizon, Verizon MVNOs). As you'll notice, it appears we're missing a global build that will run on the phones that you weren't planning to use on Japan carriers or Verizon and Verizon related networks. UPDATE 7/28: Google has now revealed that the first update for the Pixel 6a is rolling out and all of the builds are as follows:

Global (unlocked): SD2A.220601.003
Japan: SD2A.220601.001.A1
AT&T, T-Mobile: SD2A.220601.002
Verizon: SD2A.220601.004

UPDATE 8/1: Google posted the rest of the June factory images for the Pixel 6a today. They added the SD2A.220601.002 (AT&T, T-Mobile) and SD2A.220601.004 (global) builds. These two images do bring the Pixel 6a up to the June Android security patch. Yes, that's a month behind, but we are only a couple of days away from the August patch. My guess is that Google will simply jump the phone from June to August and you won't even notice. For those who missed it, you may want to read our Pixel 6a review if you were considering this as your next phone. You can download the first Pixel 6a factory images here.

Gmail's New Look and Layout Widely Available, New Tablet Experience Incoming

Kellen — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 13:13:31 +0000

About a month ago, Google began rolling out a refreshed styling for Gmail on the web to its Workspace users, with Material You-esque buttons and shades of blue in the default theme. Today, they've announced that this new theme is rolling out to everyone. Oh, they also teased a new Gmail tablet app coming later this year. In the short blog post, Google talked about the new Material You theme (see it here) that you should see shortly, along with the integrated experience they first showed off earlier in the year. The integrated experience takes Gmail, Chat, Spaces, and Meet, and puts them all in the same tab to let you dance between without opening new tabs or windows. This is what it looks like. If you don't like the look of that integrated experience, Google says that you can keep your current layout and that you don't have to switch. If you happen to have Chat enabled in Gmail, then yeah, you might as well turn it on. It really does offer handy switching between Google's various communications apps. In addition to the new theme, Google is pushing its improved search through Gmail to everyone too. We talked about this a couple of weeks ago, but the basics are that Gmail's search should be more accurate, and offer “Better and more contextual contact suggestions with intent matching,” as well as “Personalized suggestions based on historical interactions.” This is all thanks to updated machine learning models from Google. And finally, in a bit of a tease, Google told us today that we'll get "an improved experience for tablet users" later this year, as well as better emojis, new accessibility features, and "a whole lot more." They didn't show off the tablet experience, but Google has been spending time in recent months getting apps ready for the latest big tablet push for Android.

Google Maps Updates Cycling Route Info, Notifications to Location Sharing

Kellen — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 11:36:40 +0000

Google Maps, like Chromebooks earlier today, had a couple of big announcements for upcoming features that we'll look forward to. For those into cycling, prepare for improved route information. For those into location sharing through Maps, a new notification option is here. And for those into seeing fancy visuals in results, you get something too. The cycling option for route planning has been in Google Maps for some time now, but Google says that it is adding a way to easily compare different routes, a clearer understanding of car traffic, and if there are stairs or steep hills. There's soon to be a highly detailed breakdown of specific routes, like if you'll hit major roads or on a local street.

If you use Google Maps for location sharing (you should, it's awesome), Google is adding an option that will ping you with a notification once someone arrives at a destination. So if someone is sharing their location and headed to a concert or a house or restaurant or on a hike, you can add that address and a notification will pop-up when they get there. You can also set a location to know when they've left that spot. And finally, Google is adding aerial views of nearly 100 iconic landmarks that you can see in Maps listings. When you look for the world's most popular landmarks in places like New York, San Francisco, Tokyo, or London, tapping into the photos section will show these fancy new aerial views, assuming they have them. Neat. Aerial views and location sharing notifications are two features that are rolling out now on Android, iOS, and desktop. The new cycling info is launching "in the coming weeks." // Google

Stream Nest Cam Feeds Right to Your Google TV

Tim — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 11:09:15 +0000

Google announced this week that Google TV users will soon be able to stream their supported Nest Cam devices, including the Nest Doorbell, to their television set. This means if you're watching the game and some door-to-door Kirby vacuum or Bible salesperson swings by the crib, you won't have to leave the couch because you'll be able to see exactly who is at the door. Google details that the following devices will be supported: All Nest Cams and Nest Doorbells, including the latest 2021 lineup. Easy enough to understand, right? How It Works Users can use their voice to ask Google Assistant which camera they want to see. For example, if I was to want to see my Nest video doorbell, I'd ask Assistant to show me the front door camera. On connected speaker devices, you can ask Assistant to stream a camera feed to your TV. It should all work seamlessly. Which cameras can you stream on Chromecast with Google TV? All Nest Cams and Nest Doorbells will be supported, including our latest devices that were released in 2021: the Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery), Nest Cam (indoor, wired), Nest Cam with floodlight and Nest Doorbell (battery). This new functionality is available starting this week. // Google

Chromebooks Get a Ton of New Features: Google Photos Video Editing, Light and Dark Themes, More

Kellen — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 09:00:03 +0000

Google has reached mid-week form by announcing that Chromebooks are getting several new features you are bound to get excited about. We're talking about video editing in Google Photos, light and dark themes, new PDF editing features in the Gallery, easier ways to change your Chromebook's wallpaper, better calendar integration, and quite a bit more. Let's dive into it all.

Google Photos gets a video editor

For real! Google Photos is getting a video editor (first on Chromebooks) where you can make movies out of both video clips and photos. The new editor will try and "intelligently" select clips or moments for you, but you can also go full manual control and make something from scratch. You'll find themes or blank templates, tools for trimming, and controls for things like brightness, contrast, white balance, shadows, and highlights. There are Real Tone filters as well, with options for music and title cards to finish everything off. The clips available to use could be those from the on-device Gallery or Files apps, and a simple click should let you switch them over to Google Photos. Google was specific in saying that this new Google Photos video editor was first on Chromebooks (this fall), so that could mean we'll get a phone version later or similar capabilities on other computers.

LumaFusion coming to Chromebooks

Need more in video editing than what Google Photos is offering above? Google says that LumaFusion is coming soon to Chromebooks. This is an award-winning, professional-grade video editor that lets you edit multitrack video, add graphics and visual effects, transitions and distortions, audio tracks and effects, narration, color grading, and who knows what else. LumaFusion is currently a $30 iPad app. Once we know more about its launch on Chromebooks, we'll let you know.

So many other new features

Everything else coming in August:

Light and dark themes: With new light or dark themes, Chromebooks are entering 2018, so going forward you'll be able to choose either theme at any time or you can have the OS "auto" switch as your day turns to night. "Some" wallpapers are also made for both themes and should shift in lightness as you switch themes too.
Google Photos wallpapers: You can now set wallpapers from Google Photos albums on Chromebooks, with the option to automatically change daily. You can also set favorite pictures in new screensaver photo frames too.
PDF editing in Gallery: In the Chromebook Gallery app, you'll soon ("next week") be able to fill out forms, highlight text, add annotations, and sign documents.
Screencast app: A Screencast app will now let anyone record, view, and share transcribed videos and presentations.
Cursive app: If you have a stylus-enabled Chromebook, you'll be able to capture, edit, and organize handwritten notes, including copying and pasting notes to other apps or sending as a PDF.
Calendar integration: When tapping on the Chromebook shelf, a monthly calendar will now show on the side of your screen. If you select a date, you'll see your events and their details without needing to open an app or browser tab.
Notifications: Notifications are getting larger buttons (for easier actions) and when they arrive from the same sender they will now be grouped together.
Virtual desktop saving (coming in September): Chromebooks will soon let you save entire desks, including windows and apps. Re-opening happens with a simple tap, plus this will give you the power to close everything at once.

That's a lot of stuff, right? So again, most of the stuff is coming in August, outside of virtual desktop saving (September) and the Google Photos video editor, which will be here in the fall. // Google

Verizon Unlimited Prepaid Plans Now Come With Free 6 Months of Disney+

Tim — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 08:49:57 +0000

Verizon announced today that it is now offering six months of free Disney+ membership to those who sign up for one of its Unlimited Prepaid plans, which start at $65/month for those who are curious about this offer. Verizon states that once the six months is up, subscribers who wish to continue watching all of the Star Wars and Marvel goodness will need to pay the $7.99/month price. For you pricing people, those who intend to use an Unlimited Prepaid plan for 5+ months will have their monthly price come down to $55/month thanks to an Auto Pay option and instant discount, and then for those who use it for 10+ months, it'll cost just $50/month. For an Unlimited plan on Verizon's network, that wouldn't be bad at all. Now you can watch Turning Red on Big Red. Nice.

Check Out Verizon Unlimited Prepaid Plans

// Verizon

Pixel 7 Line Cameras, New Mystery High-End Pixel Device Revealed

Kellen — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 10:34:31 +0000

All of this week's focus might still be on the Pixel 6a and Pixel Buds Pro, with pre-orders open, but the Pixel 7 wants you not to forget it's coming. Thanks to quite a bit of sleuthing by a developer, we may know the camera situation of Google's new phones, as well as the codename of an additional, not-yet-known high-end device. Developer Kuba Wojciechowski posted a thread (via XDA) on Twitter that talks through their dive into code from Google, where Google tried to obfuscate the sensors in their upcoming phones, but left just enough info to lead to this reveal. In short, it looks like Google will use a very similar setup to the Pixel 6 line, only with a new telephoto lens and matching selfie cameras.

Pixel 7 line camera setups

Info from Google code shows that the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro will use the Samsung GN1 as their primary sensor, as well as a Sony IMX381 for ultra-wide shots. These are the same sensors in the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. The new lens will be in the Pixel 7 Pro as the Samsung GM1 telephoto, a change from the Sony IMX586 seen in the Pixel 6 Pro. These sensors appear to be quite similar, so we'll have to wait for Google to tell us what's new or what their plans are from one to the next. Another change will be the use of Samsung's 3J1, an 11MP camera up front for selfies. In the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, we saw different selfie cameras, with a better 11MP shooter in the Pixel 6 Pro. Maybe this matching setup will finally allow for face unlock? Hah. You may be disappointed to learn that Google is using almost the same camera setup from the Pixel 6 line in the new Pixel 7 line. Try not to be. Google used the same 12.2MP shooter in the Pixel line for multiple generations of phones and still managed to lead the industry in the camera department. If anything, this could mean additional fine-tuning, plus we don't know if Google's Tensor 2 will have additional image processing to further improve upon the Pixel 6's already-solid cameras.

Mystery Pixel "Lynx" device

As for the supposedly high-end mystery device mentioned above, info found alongside the Pixel 7 camera stuff has revealed a codename of "Lynx" with a new camera setup. This device has that main GN1 camera, but then it also features Sony IMX787 (telephoto?) and Sony IMX712 (13MP selfie?) cameras. That's about all of the evidence there is for this "Lynx" device, so the speculation here suggests it could just be test hardware for Google to play with new camera hardware.

Bonus Pixel tablet cameras

And finally, I didn't talk about this initially, but this developer also found the upcoming Pixel tablet will use some sort of dual IMX355 camera setup. That's the selfie camera currently found in the Pixel 6, so it could be that Google is using this sensor for cost cutting purposes, knowing that tablets aren't meant to have fancy cameras. Someone please tell Apple. So much to take in.

Hear Me Out: Galaxy S22, But in 'Bora Purple'

Tim — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 09:26:41 +0000

Galaxy S22. It's a great device, but my main issue with it was the fact that it never came in a Bora Purple. At last, Samsung heard my loud complaints and the device will soon be available in a Bora Purple colorway via Samsung and all major US carriers! This is fantastic news, people. This is the same exact Galaxy S22 we all know and enjoy. It has an amazing compact design with exceptional hardware and top notch specs, but again, now it's in Bora Purple. Interestingly, "Bora" means purple in Korean. So if you want to have fun, we can call it Purple-Purple or even Purp-Purp for short. Bora Purple sounds like a strain you'd get at the marijuana shops, and to be honest, I like the ring it has. *waves hand like Jedi* You want the Bora Purple. You will buy Bora Purple on August 10 via Samsung and all major US retailers. We'll remind you when it's live.

Verizon Now Sells Xbox All Access, Highlights Game Pass on Its 5G Network

Tim — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 08:09:52 +0000

Verizon is now selling Xbox All Access, a payment plan for Xbox One S and Xbox One X gaming consoles that starts at $24.99/month. Verizon now selling Xbox consoles isn't really that exciting to us, but what is interesting is the access to Game Pass that comes included with Microsoft's All Access. With Game Pass, All Access users get streaming access to a large library of games, even available on your smartphone via a cell connection. In this case, that would be Verizon's 5G network, which should be more than capable of streaming a game so long as you have a data plan that allows for such usage. Let's say you get your kid the Xbox, but enjoy the Game Pass for yourself, that seems like a fair $25+ a month. If you're interested in this deal, it goes live starting July 28. https://youtu.be/5k7zryeaXAE // Verizon

Android 13 Beta 4.1 Released for Pixel Phones

Tim — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 11:36:12 +0000

Google has released a fresh beta build for Android 13 users today, labeled as Beta 4.1. Inside, you'll find a few bug fixes, most of which appear to deal with connectivity issues (Bluetooth, Meet, GPS, etc.) From the looks of it, it's nothing too major, but I only say that because they aren't bugs I have experienced on my own Pixel 6 Pro running the beta. Here's the full changelog straight from Google.

What's Inside

Fixed an issue that prevented an app from enabling or disabling Bluetooth if it didn't have the BLUETOOTH_CONNECT permission, even though the app was targeting an API level where the permission is not required.
Fixed issues that sometimes caused a device to crash and reboot when connecting to certain WiFi networks.
Fixed an issue where Meet connectivity could drop while driving.
Fixed an issue where the system could incorrectly interpret GPS data.

The build is rolling out as TPB4.220624.008 and the new OTA and factory image files are already available for the Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, and Pixel 6 lines. If you are in the Android Beta program, this update should be delivered over-the-air.

Release date: July 25, 2022 Build: TPB4.220624.008 Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A) Security patch level: July 2022 Google Play services: 22.21.16

Feel free to grab that update right away. 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.

Google Continues Work to Improve Apps on Android Tablets

Tim — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 10:37:15 +0000

Google is continuing its push to improve the Android tablet ecosystem, this week releasing updates for Workspace apps like Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Keep that take better advantage of a tablet's larger display. For example, Google wants to make it easy to perform certain functions when you have two apps running next to each other. In this example, there is Chrome and Sheets open side by side. With the update, a user would be able to quickly drag text and images from Chrome and drop them into Sheets to create a spreadsheet.

A similar functionality is being added for Google Drive. A user will be able to quickly select and drop content into Drive from an app that is running next to it. Same goes for Google Keep, with Google detailing that a user can, "insert images saved in your Keep notes into other apps by dragging them out from the image carousel." Just for Drive, you can now have two Drive windows open simultaneously, allowing you to deep dive into your files and content. This will add new levels of functionality for those who spend lots of time rummaging through Drive, which is me.

Google is also adding familiar keyboard shortcuts for those using an attached keyboard with their tablet. You'll now have support for Cut, Copy, Paste, Undo, plus plenty else starting soon. If you are using an attached keyboard to help type, you can now use simple and familiar keyboard shortcuts, such as select, cut, copy, paste, undo and redo, to quickly navigate around Drive, Docs and Slides, without needing to slow down and take your hands off the keys. Expect to see these changes roll out over the next couple of weeks. // Google

Google Play Turns 10, Celebrates With New Logo and 10X Play Points Shopping Event

Tim — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 09:00:18 +0000

Google Play, the name and not the service that was once known as Android Market, turns 10 years old this year and Google is taking the time to celebrate this milestone by giving the service's icon a fresh coat of paint. If we're being technical, which we should, Google Play originally launched in March of 2012, but it's no big deal. Google's only a few months late here. Google states that the updated icon, "better reflects the magic of Google and matches the branding shared by many of our helpful products — Search, Assistant, Photos, Gmail and more." In addition to the updated icon colors, Google Play is hosting a 10X Play Point shopping event starting today. That's right, Play Points members making Play Points purchases in Google Play are now eligible for 10X points, which sounds pretty good. This is live now inside of Google Play. To use, head to your Play Points section. Happy birthday, Google Play branding. // Google

Spot the Difference: Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs. Z Fold 3 Front Cover Display

Tim — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 08:09:49 +0000

It was originally believed that there wouldn't be much physical difference between the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the currently available Galaxy Z Fold 3. Thanks to a recently leaked image of the two devices sitting side by side with their cover displays turned on, we can now say that there is a slight difference, one that future buyers should appreciate.

Related: Reserve Your New Galaxy Foldable Now

As we can see in the below image, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 appears to have thinner bezels, as well as a slightly wider aspect ratio than the Z Fold 3. In terms of usability and appearance, both of these are welcomed changes. Even the hinge housing looks much more compact. Again, we're talking about slight changes here, but they are changes.

Samsung will unveil both the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 on August 10. We also have new earbuds and smartwatches to look forward to. Samsung has already opened up zero-commitment reservations on its site for all of these devices, so if you're thinking about snagging something, we highly recommend snagging, simply because Samsung offers fantastic store credit when using their site. Their trade-in deals are also always amazing, too. Hurry up and arrive, August. // SamMobile

Pixel's At a Glance Soon to Get Ring Video Doorbell Support

Tim — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 14:12:04 +0000

Code discovered in the updated Android System Intelligence points to the coming of support for Ring video doorbells inside of Google Pixel's At a Glance feature. Currently, Nest video doorbells are all that's supported by At a Glance, but with this change, it looks like Google is opening the door to Amazon. Get it? Google seems to be working hard to build out the At a Glance feature for Pixel devices. Recently, it was discovered that food delivery updates and rideshare statuses would also be able to be tracked via At a Glance. It's definitely becoming more than a Weather and Date widget for us. We don't know for sure when Google intends to green light Ring video support, but with code being spotted, it's safe to say that it could be soon. https://twitter.com/MishaalRahman/status/1550499807554420740

Galaxy Watch 5 Pro Could Be Battery Life King

Tim — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 08:44:17 +0000

We are expecting Samsung to unveil its latest smartwatches, including the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, at this year's Unpacked event in early August. While we await official details from Samsung, the internet is doing its thing and filling in a few of the gaps ahead of Unpacked. The latest information concerns the battery life of the Watch 5 Pro.

Reserve Your Galaxy Watch 5 Pro Right Here

According to one of the most prominent Samsung leakers around, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will be capable of going without a charge for at least 3 days. This news shouldn't surprise too much, as it was previously reported all the way back in April that the Watch 5 Pro's battery would be massive, coming in at 572mAh. For a Wear OS watch that is actually being used and not idling all day, 3 days sounds incredible and very welcomed. Typically, my Wear OS devices need to go onto the charger every night before bed. We aren't sure if this 3-day figure is with regular usage or some sort of battery saver mode, but because Unpacked is right around the corner, we'll find out soon enough. If you already know the Watch 5 Pro is your next wearable, I highly recommend reserving one on Samsung's website. Samsung provides plenty of pre-order credit to those that do. https://twitter.com/UniverseIce/status/1550311933525766144

Thursday Poll: Buying the Pixel 6a?

Tim — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 12:37:59 +0000

The all-new Pixel 6a from Google is now up for pre-order. Our full review of the device went live this morning, as well as a complete unboxing video. There's only one question that remains -- are you buying one? Priced at just $449, it's certainly a device worth checking out, so long as you're not concerned with things like displays with high refresh rates or wireless charging. Google left off a few specs to hit that lower price point, but if that doesn't bug you, it's still a Pixel phone with great software support and good looking hardware. Picking one up? If so, what convinced you this is the phone you need to have? [poll id="587"]

Pixel 6a, Pixel Buds Pro Pre-Orders Now Live!

Tim — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 10:02:27 +0000

Google's new Pixel 6a and Pixel Buds Pro are now available for pre-order!

Related: Read Our Pixel 6a Review

Pixel 6a starts at just $449, though, that great pricing does come with a few compromises in the spec department, most notably the 60Hz display. And yes, it is noticeable. The camera also leaves a bit to be desired, though, it is a Pixel so you will at least be able to access all of Google's great shooting software. Check out our full Pixel 6a review for all of the details. Pixel Buds Pro are priced at $199. According to Google, the ANC-toting buds offer up to 31 hours of total listening time (w/ case), Transparency Mode, wireless charging support, touch controls, and all of the Google Assistant goodies one would expect. Follow the links below to snag these new Google toys.

Pixel 6a

Pixel Buds Pro

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-pvpJ4y7Ic&ab_channel=DroidLife

Google Pixel 6a Review: Not Quite Enough

Kellen — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 10:00:14 +0000

The Google Pixel 6a is the latest in the A-series line from Google, an affordable phone series that typically takes most of the goods of whatever top-tier phone Google has available at the moment, then cuts a few things and sells at a lower price. This new Pixel 6a is the first to adopt Google's new Pixel 6 design language and also Google's Tensor processor, so like the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro were over the Pixel 5, this is a big refresh over the Pixel 5a. Google sent me a Pixel 6a in Sage for review purposes and I've been testing it for a couple of weeks now. During that time, I've used it daily, tried to find its weaknesses and bugs, and snapped some pictures, all to try and give you the thoughts you are about to read. After all, pre-orders are open and you might be considering one, so let's talk about whether or not this is your next phone. This is our Pixel 6a review.

What do I like about the Pixel 6a?

Design/size. The Pixel 6 redesign for the Pixel line certainly gave Google's phones a much-needed fresh look. The multi-colored backsides and the massive camera bar are now the look of Google Pixels, which has continued through onto the Pixel 6a, whether you like it or not. For me, the design might not be my favorite, but I do like it for being both different and interesting. For years, we've had slab phones with camera boxes (that keep getting bigger) tucked into upper corners of backsides and few differentiating design ideas. At least with Google's Pixel 6, 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a, you most definitely know that these are Pixel phones. With the Pixel 6a, you get a phone that's the smallest of the Pixel 6 line and it fits about as good in my hand as any phone. The 6.1" display allows for a frame and body that is close to being in the one-handed category. This 6a is light and easy to use, it has a flat display and coated black frame, clicky buttons in easily accessible places, and a composite rear piece that hasn't picked up a ton of fingerprints. The whole body is slightly smaller than the Pixel 6, for reference. Speaking of smaller, the camera bar is a lot smaller on this phone vs. the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro. That actually adds to my design likes, since it makes the phone easier to get in and out of a pocket, sit less awkwardly on a desk, that sort of thing. My only real complaint about this design is that the phone can be quite slippery at times. It's slippery in the same way that the regular Pixel 6 is, because of the semi-flat black coated sides not being as grippy as you might have hoped. Thankfully, this phone is small enough that getting a good grip on it isn't an issue.

Software. Since this is a Google Pixel phone, you get Google's Pixel experience on top of Android. I'm a big fan of this software, like I was on previous Pixels and the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. For the Pixel 6a, Google isn't necessarily doing anything new and is instead continuing on what you'd see from other Pixel 6 devices. You get Android 12 out of the box, although my review unit needs an update and is months behind. I expect that'll change the minute Google makes the phone available. Because this is a new Pixel phone running Google Tensor, you'll get 5 years of security updates and 3 years of OS updates. Outside of Samsung, that's the best level of support on Android. As for the software itself, you get to use the custom color and wallpaper styling from Android 12, an always-on display, Now Playing to catch those songs you don't know the name of, the Pixel Launcher and its simplistic brilliance, and all of the gestures (like double taps, flips, and lifts). Google's approach to software is to push a pretty exterior with useful add-ons that don't get in your way or overwhelm. They nail that again with the Pixel 6a. Performance. With Google Tensor powering its every move, I've had good experiences with the Pixel 6a. While I don't like the low refresh rate display choice, moving from task to task, opening the camera to snap pictures in a hurry, playing some non-intense games, or using my daily combo of Chrome/Twitter/Instagram/Telegram never slowed it. Google Tensor may not be the most powerful chip in the smartphone business, but Google has it pretty dialed in to handle Google Assistant like no other, process images quickly after you take them, that sort of thing. We don't do benchmarks for our reviews and instead try to get a feel for our usual tasks and how they differ from one phone to the next. With the Pixel 6a, I never felt like it wasn't going to handle what I needed it to.

What's bugging me about it?

Display refresh rate. The Pixel 6a sports the 6.1" 1080p AMOLED display that I mentioned above, but it really does lack a high refresh rate. You'll only see content on your screen at 60Hz and this seems like a pretty big omission from Google. I know there are folks who will claim that their eye can't see a difference between 60Hz and 90Hz, and well, those people are fools. As someone who hasn't used a 60Hz phone much in the past 3 or 4 years, I can absolutely see one. The jump to 120Hz is even more noticeable, but 90Hz is still a major improvement in overall smoothness you experience on a phone. The Pixel 6a might be Google's budget line, but there are plenty of budget phones on the market these days with higher-than-60Hz refresh rates. Motorola, as a quick example, recently release the Moto G 5G with 90Hz and it costs $399 at full price or $299 on many days because of discounts. The Moto G Stylus 5G has a 120Hz display and costs between $499 and $349, depending on the day. A refresh rate above 60Hz is no longer a premium tier feature and Google cut a corner here that I wish they wouldn't have. A 90Hz refresh rate in this phone, with this same price, would have made it a killer value. Instead, if your eyes have already been trained to more smoothness, you'll feel it on the 6a.

Battery life. The Pixel 6a has a 4410mAh battery and supports wired "fast" charging up to 18W. With a 60Hz display and Google Tensor onboard, I was sort of hoping for a battery champion. Instead, I was getting to bed most nights with 15-30% battery remaining. I did have a few where I looked for a charger in the early evening to make sure I'd get to bed without worry. That's not bad and is the situation with most phones I test, it's just not excellent or anything to write home about. The other thing to note here is that the system only recognized my use as hitting 1.5-3 hours of screen on time each day, which is on the low-end for me. It's either weirdly keeping track of my usage or my light usage led to this average battery life. Whatever the case, the Pixel 6a was reliable enough to get me through most days, but there were certainly some where I was looking for a charger to make it through the evening. Camera. I wouldn't say the camera is "bugging" me so much as I'm just not in love. Typically with Google Pixel phones, I find their cameras to be those that I trust the most and look forward to using. With the Pixel 6a, I've found myself hesitating more often and wondering if I should grab another phone when out and about. That's an odd feeling. The dual 12MP setup on the Pixel 6a features wide angle and ultra-wide angle lenses. So we're clear, these are not the cameras you get on the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro. If anything, this is closer to the setup you'd find on the Pixel 5a. My understanding is that Google is using the same main 12.2MP sensor that they've used in countless phones, so it should be as tuned as any. Surprisingly for me, I actually found the ultra-wide angle to take better pictures at times. In the series of shots below, I don't know what it is, but there's a drabness to the colors, there's a struggle to perform when lighting conditions aren't optimal, and there aren't many I truly like. The shot at the concert with the sun setting and also indoors at the Edgefield Hotel, are not great. If the Pixel 6a camera does excel in an area, it's probably in portrait mode - look at the bokeh around that basketball. Not bad, right? I'm wondering if this Pixel 6a could use an update in a hurry. It's running the April patch, so all of the bug fixes and changes Google made in the big June quarterly update aren't here. I can't help but wonder if they'll push an update at launch with major camera improvements.

Fingerprint reader is bad. It really is bad. I've got to assume that it's the same bad fingerprint reader they put in the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro because it often fails to read with multiple presses, is slow to correctly read, or just freaks out and asks for your secure pattern instead of letting you attempt any longer. I know there was an early Pixel 6a hands-on video that tried to sell a greatly improved fingerprint experience and I'm here to tell you that that is not the case. Maybe we'll get a new fingerprint reader in the Pixel 7 line. I sure hope so, because using the fingerprint reader on any of the Pixel 6 phones, including this Pixel 6a, is quite frustrating. Fingerprint readers were supposed to make for convenient security, yet there is nothing convenient about these readers. No headphone jack and no wireless charging. OK, that first one, about not having a headphone jack, isn't bothering me personally. I haven't tried to plug headphones into a phone in close to a decade, but I know that some would like the feature still. Google managed to keep the 3.5mm port in the A-series up until this point, so to see it go is noteworthy. As for wireless charging, this phone doesn't have it. No A-series phone has to date, so this isn't surprising. I just want you to know that it doesn't have it and that while testing I had to unplug all of my wireless chargers to free up a direct-plug experience. It was weird.

Video

Unboxing and tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-pvpJ4y7Ic&ab_channel=DroidLife

Should you buy a Pixel 6a?

For those on a budget and who love the Google Pixel experience, the Pixel 6a is probably going to be a good buy. The $449 price isn't that competitive in the space, but it is the most affordable Google phone. That price gets you the Pixel 6 design in a smaller, more manageable package, software updates for 5 years, access to Pixel Feature Drops, and a decent set of specs. The Pixel 6a did disappoint somewhat in battery life and the camera, two areas I hoped it would excel. I also can't get over the choice from Google to go with a 60Hz display, when others in this category are hitting that 120Hz mark. The fingerprint reader is also...ugh. Overall, the Pixel 6a is a phone that fits nicely into Google's line of phones, at least on paper, but it still fails to check all the boxes we wanted.

Samsung: 70% of Galaxy Foldable Buyers Went With Z Flip Over Z Fold

Tim — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 08:27:08 +0000

Samsung gave a tiny bit of insight into the habits of Galaxy foldable buyers this week, letting us know which of the two models, Z Fold and Z Flip, is the most popular among buyers. Finally, this debate can be put to rest.

Reserve Your Galaxy Z Flip 4 Now

To the surprise of maybe a few folks, Samsung reports that 70% of Galaxy foldable buyers opt for the Galaxy Z Flip versus the Galaxy Z Fold. I say it may surprise a few because Z Fold owners believe they have the greatest multi-tasking device of this generation and all other phones are a waste of time. They aren't not wrong, but we must realize that not everyone needs a device that size and not everyone needs to have 16 apps running on the same screen simultaneously. The Z Flip is a very practical device, so this 70% figure doesn't surprise me at all. Plus, it's a lot less expensive. Samsung also reports that it sold just under 10 million foldables for the year of 2021, an industry increase of more than 300% from 2020. Samsung is showcasing its newest foldables, the Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4, on August 10. You can also reserve your very own next-gen foldable right now via Samsung's website. In doing so, you'll unlock Samsung credit to help purchase accessories. It's a solid deal, which is common Samsung. // Samsung

First Half RootMetrics Report Points to AT&T Victory, T-Mobile With Fastest Speeds

Tim — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 10:12:58 +0000

RootMetrics has published its 1H 2022 scores that try to put a numerical value on US carrier performance across various categories. It's always been a back and forth it seems, with no one carrier ever holding onto the top position forever. This time, it appears that AT&T is on top of the mountain, but the report's findings actually paint an optimistic picture for Verizon and T-Mobile, too. AT&T takes the trophy in the following categories: Reliability, Speed, Data, Call, and Text. Thanks to these wins, they take the Overall crown in or eyes, even RootMetrics lists it as a tie. The Accessibility category was won by Verizon and if we're looking at the scores closely, Big Red is right behind AT&T in most of the important categories. T-Mobile is a relatively distant third in most categories, but still scoring in the 90+ percent range in all but one category. T-Mobile did score a W in the highest median download speed department, averaging 124.5Mbps. Verizon? They sat at 51.7Mbps and AT&T came in at 42.2Mbps. Considering we've been pushing this 5G thing for a while, that seems pretty abysmal. RootMetrics' report goes very in depth with these categories, so we recommend you give the whole thing a read. It's quite fascinating and can help you if you're on the fence about your current carrier. Follow the link below to check it out. // RootMetrics

A First Look at Mobvoi's Next TicWatch With Qualcomm's W5+ Chip

Kellen — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 09:00:38 +0000

After a brief mention of Mobvoi's upcoming TicWatch that will be the first to run the new Snapdragon W5+ from Qualcomm, the watchmaker has now revealed a first teaser image of it. Spoiler alert: It looks like a TicWatch. The above image shows off a shadowy, minimal view of the still-to-be-named TicWatch, without the strap, display on, or list of specs. It does suggest that this will be the "Arrival of the Epic Front Runner." Subtle. In a press release that mostly talks about the history of Mobvoi working with Qualcomm, they described the new TicWatch as follows:

The next-gen TicWatch will include the latest version, the Snapdragon W5+ platform, offering enhanced battery life on a single charge, which will make it the most powerful smartwatch in the series to date. In addition, the Snapdragon W5+ platform’s powerful applications processor and ultralow power co-processor will enable Mobvoi to deliver a smartwatch with ultra-fast performance and connectivity.

So again, this isn't a big reveal, only a second conversation confirming that this runs a W5+ and will take advantage of all the advancements it brings. The big takeaway is that image above, because it at least shows us the styling of the watch. To me, it looks a lot like the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra, only without the second markers inside of the bezel. It's sporty and masculine, with a modern edge. It could be nice, assuming the size comes down some from the Pro 3 Ultra. Has the Snapdragon W5+ got you interested in watches like this or is it Pixel Watch or bust at this point?

Here are Samsung's Next-Gen Foldable Devices

Tim — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 09:00:19 +0000

Samsung announced this week that its next-gen foldables would be unveiled on August 10, even opening up early no-commitment reservations for both the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 that can net you big Samsung store credit for when it comes time to order. Thanks to new leaks, we can now gaze upon these devices ahead of August 10.

Reserve Now: Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 4

Above is the Galaxy Z Fold 4, a phone expected to be eerily similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 3. It's reported to feature the same size displays, battery size, storage options, and software (slightly updated, of course) as last year's model. Upgrades should include the latest Qualcomm-made Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and larger 50-megapixel main camera. Look for the Z Fold 4 to launch in Beige, Burgundy Red, Gray Green, and Phantom Black.

As for the Galaxy Z Flip 4, it's also expected to be quite similar to last year's Z Flip 3. It is reported to feature a 6.7" FHD+ AMOLED display, 2.1" cover display, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, 3,700mAh battery, 8GB RAM, up to 256GB storage, dual rear cameras, and an IP rating. Honestly, the fact that Samsung has foldables with an IP rating still blows my mind. August 10 is when we'll learn everything about these two devices. Until then, get that reservation in and score up to $200 in Samsung credit. // mysmartprice | 91mobiles | pricebaba

OnePlus Will Announce the OnePlus 10T on August 3

Kellen — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 06:00:30 +0000

The next major OnePlus phone now has a reveal event scheduled and the date for it is August 3. OnePlus announced the news this morning, telling us that the OnePlus 10T will be shown off during a live-streamed (and in-person) event in New York. You'll all be able to watch the reveal on August 3 at 10AM Eastern (7AM Pacific) through OnePlus' site and YouTube channel. We don't know much about the OnePlus 10T at this moment, only that the teaser image above gives us a OnePlus 10 Pro vibe. If you look close enough, there appears to be a similar camera module to the 10 Pro, as well as a Sandstone-like texture to the backside. The most recent CAD renders definitely show a similar device, although those renders lacked an alert slider, one of OnePlus' most popular hardware features. OnePlus also confirmed that the 10T runs the new Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and it'll arrive with OxygenOS 13 onboard. The rest of the package should be good too - high refresh-rate AMOLED display, large battery with wildly fast charging, and a big camera module are all rumored. We'll give you a reminder as we get closer to August 3.

Samsung Unpacked Confirmed For August 10, Reserve Your Galaxy Fold 4 Now

Kellen — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 16:00:33 +0000

Alright, the date is official - Samsung Unpacked, where we'll see the Galaxy Fold 4, Galaxy Flip 4, and new Galaxy Watch 5 line, will go down on August 10. Samsung revealed the date today, also confirming that this is a virtual event for all to watch. The Unpacked event will kick off at 9AM Eastern (6AM Pacific) on August 10, with streams on Samsung's site (and I'd imagine on YouTube too).

Reserve your Galaxy Fold 4 or Flip 4, get more bonuses

And with that out of the way, let's talk about how you can reserve the next set of Galaxy devices, mostly because reserving means freebies. Yes, Samsung's weird reservation system is back, which requires zero money from you, but does get you extra bonuses upon launch day. All you have to do is hit this link to Samsung's site and then follow the instructions to reserve with name and email. Once completed, your info will be in Samsung's system for when pre-orders open and you are ready to part with actual money. You should then get an email once that time has come as a reminder that typically confirms your bonuses. For this Galaxy Fold 4/Flip 4 launch, Samsung is suggesting bonuses of up to $200 in credits towards things like a Galaxy phone, watch, or buds in some sort of bundle. There are levels to this, which change as you bundle more or adjust the items to bundle. For example, bundling the new phone, watch, and buds gets you the biggest credit. Additionally, there appears to be individual credits to spend too, up to $100, should you choose only a phone. Here's the list of reservation credits you could qualify for:

$200 credit towards Galaxy phone, watch and buds bundle
$150 credit towards Galaxy phone and watch bundle
$130 credit towards Galaxy phone and buds bundle
$80 credit towards Galaxy watch and buds bundle
$100 credit to use on Samsung,com towards eligible products when you reserve a Galaxy phone
$50 credit to use on Samsung,com towards eligible products when you reserve a Galaxy watch
$30 credit to use on Samsung,com towards eligible products when you reserve Galaxy buds

Again, this is a no-commitment offer. You are simply telling Samsung you might be interested in buying something from their next big Galaxy product launch. In doing so, they'll reward you with bonuses to spend should you end up buying something. Reserve your Galaxy Fold 4 or Flip 4 here

Mobvoi is Making the First Snapdragon W5+ Wear OS Watch

Kellen — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 09:32:44 +0000

The new Snapdragon W5+ chip from Qualcomm can only be a big deal if smartwatch makers decide it's worth using. Most passed (or hesitated) on the previous chip from Qualcomm, so there's no guarantee that this new (and impressive on paper) W5+ will be a success. For now, the typical players are putting their support behind it, while Qualcomm promises many more are in the works. The first Snapdragon W5+ Wear OS watch will be made by Mobvoi. That shouldn't surprise you, since they also made the first Wear 4100 watch, the TicWatch Pro 3. Mobvoi is one of Qualcomm's longest running partners and has basically used everything Qualcomm creates for wearables. Few details were released about this upcoming Mobvoi watch, but we were told to expect it in the fall of this year. In a quote provided as a part of the W5+ launch, Mobvoi's CEO added that they will utilize this new platform to offer "differentiated features" as a selling point:

“Mobvoi has collaborated with Qualcomm Technologies over the last few years to launch a series of TicWatch smartwatches based on the Snapdragon Wear platforms,” said Zhifei Li, CEO, Mobvoi. “Our team is excited about the differentiated features in the new Snapdragon W5+ Wearable Platform and has been working closely with the Qualcomm Technologies’ team to bring these innovations to life in our next gen TicWatch flagship smartwatch. We are eager to launch our latest offering this Fall and are thrilled to be the first smartwatches based on the Snapdragon W5+ Gen1 Wearable Platform.”

The "fall" isn't that far away, so don't be too disappointed by that timeframe. For all we know, Mobvoi could have their next watch primed and ready to go within a couple of months. As an example, the Wear 4100 chip was announced in June of 2020 and we had the TicWatch Pro 3 on wrist in September. If I were a betting man, I'd put money on this new watch being the TicWatch Pro 4 and that it'll once again use the dual display system that Mobvoi finds useful. This new Snapdragon W5+ supports the ability to run RTOS alongside Wear OS, and the dual display setup from Mobvoi sure looks like a prime candidate to take advantage of that. Not a fan of Mobvoi watches and would rather buy something else? Qualcomm insists that there are 25 designs in the pipeline from other companies who are eager to adopt the W5/W5+ chip. As we learn more, we'll be sure to keep you updated.

Nova Launcher Has Been Acquired

Kellen — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 09:13:17 +0000

Don't freak out just yet, but yes, Nova Launcher, the launcher so many of you use and that has been a core part of your Android experience for years, has been acquired. A "behind the scenes" service that helps developers use deep links to direct users to proper destinations is who bought Nova with a promise of not trying to mess it up. That company is called Branch and they not only acquired Nova Launcher, they also bought Sesame Search, the search results company that was integrated into Nova's search results some time ago. The simplest way to think about Branch and what they do is in a situation where you click on a link somewhere from your phone that wants to show content in an app. Let's say you don't have that app installed, so the link you clicked then refers you to the install page of that app. Once done installing, that link's special power is that it was smart enough to continue on and show you the original content you were requesting. Make sense? Of course, Branch helps track all of that and provides information back to app owners, developers, etc. So what does Branch need with Nova? Apparently, Branch is setting sights beyond deep linking and wants to work on the world of app discovery and navigation. They think Nova could be a good test bed to help figure some of that out. Nova gives them a platform to test stuff, get feedback, that sort of thing. That will also mean the gathering of analytics. That might be scaring you. According to Nova's now-former-owner, Kevin Barry, there have been numerous talks with Branch (prior to acquisition) about user privacy and "concerns about doing the right thing for Nova Launcher users." Here's to hoping they do the right thing. The future of Nova may not change much for now, but Barry did explain that he'll continue to be the sole developer of Nova. The plan is to test out experimental features, potentially start A/B testing things, and mostly continue to build it out as has been the case for Nova from the beginning. Again, for now, things aren't expected to change dramatically. The first Branch-powered update will be available soon as Nova 8.0.2 beta, so you'll be able to test a new on-device shortcut and search functionality. To read the full story on Nova being acquired, including a bit of back story on conversations between Barry and Branch, you can do so at this link.

Qualcomm's New Snapdragon W5+ Chip for Wearables Makes "Most Advanced Leap Yet"

Kellen — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 09:00:46 +0000

Every two years, Qualcomm introduces a new (or should I say "new") wearable chipset that will power a new range of smartwatches, many of which run Wear OS. During the days of the Snapdragon Wear 2100 and 3100 chips, I think it's safe to say that Wear OS practically died, as neither could meet the moment or needs of modern wearables, even back in 2016. We then got the Wear 4100/4100+ line in 2020, but the timing mostly led to smartwatch makers passing on adopting it. Today, Qualcomm is announcing its newest chip that they expect will actually lead the next wave of smartwatches, not only because it's new, but because this is their "most advanced leap yet" in the space. Please, folks, welcome in the Snapdragon W5 and W5+ Gen 1, two chips that arrive with some pretty bold claims. Both the W5+ and W5 are high-end processors that you will seen in Wear OS watches in the near future, but there is one notable difference here. The W5+ is the higher-end of the two because it includes a new co-processor for handling lighter loads. It'll likely do the majority of the non-intensive tasks throughout a day, plus it'll be able to run RTOS alongside (or on top?) of Wear OS, in a new twist on the future of smartwatches. With that in mind, here's what you need to know about the Snapdragon W5+.

The Snapdragon W5+ is built on 4nm process with a quad-core CPU (A53) that is paired with a new 22nm co-processor. That combination, in large part because of all of the tasks that new co-processor can handle, leads to big claims of 50% longer battery life. Now, overall, Qualcomm is saying a 50% longer battery life over a watch running a Wear 4100+ chip, but below, you can see the breakdown depending on tasks. There are big leaps in things like display scrolling, streaming music over Bluetooth, and in the always-on display. For a smaller, fashion-forward watch with a 300mAh battery, Qualcomm expects you to get 15+ hours of extra use. For a 450mAh watch, they believe you'll get at least 18+ hours, along with 24+ extra hours on a big sports watch with a 600mAh battery. If these numbers are accurate, a Qualcomm W5+ watch could really see 2-3 days of battery life.

Since battery life isn't everything, Qualcomm is also stating that watches with the W5+ will see 2x performance, 2x "richer" sets of features, and a chip size allowing for 30% smaller overall watch designs. It supports Bluetooth 5.3 (yep, that's new!), faster LPDDR4 RAM, has a more powerful GPU, an integrated speaker for the first time, and upgrades basically everywhere else. There's even a new U55 Machine Learning Core that will help take care of all of the smart sensing stuff, like activity recognition, heartrate and sleep tracking, ECG, SpO2, etc. Here's how the Snapdragon W5+ compares to the Snapdragon Wear 4100+.

In a bit of weirdness, Qualcomm pointed out that the W5+ and its co-processor will allow for RTOS to run (somehow) alongside Wear OS. RTOS (or "real time operating system"), for those not familiar, is the type of OS we see on "smart" watches that often have a health focus and minimal amounts of smartness. Think about devices like the OnePlus Watch or those made by Amazfit and Xiaomi. When asked how RTOS and Wear OS will work together, Qualcomm seemed to acknowledge that Google was cool with this pairing, but they didn't really identify examples of how this might work. My guess is that a company like Mobvoi will use RTOS on something like a TicWatch Pro 4 that could have their dual display setup. You'd have Wear OS powering almost everything, but then when the watch switches to the secondary e-paper display, RTOS would takeover to offer more information. That make sense? Speaking of Mobvoi, Qualcomm announced today that Mobvoi will be one of the first to use the Snapdragon W5+ in an upcoming watch that will launch this fall. OPPO will also launch a watch running the Snapdragon W5. If neither of those companies excites you, Qualcomm said that there are 25 customer designs in the pipeline, so expect even more. I want to be excited. Please tell me it's OK to be excited.

New Google Wallet Rollout Begins to Replace Google Pay

Kellen — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 12:31:36 +0000

Google announced back at Google I/O that we would soon be welcoming back an old friend, Google Wallet. They didn't provide any sort of specific timeline, but as of today, a small group of folks have begun receiving the update that rids their phone of Google Pay and replaces it with this new Google Wallet experience. There might be some confusion at the moment, since Google has both "Google Pay" and "G Pay" apps on phones, so let's back up for a second. Several years ago, Google broke up the original Google Wallet and split it into a couple of apps (Google Wallet and Android Pay). It was an awkward breakup that eventually worked itself into a decent payment system once Google brought them back together as Google Pay in 2018. Google then did a Google thing and created "G Pay" in 2020 as yet another future replacement for Google Pay. Over the past year or so, they've stripped many of the best features from Google Pay, because again, G Pay was the future. G Pay wanted to be more than mobile payments, so Google tried to build in some sort of banking solution into it. However, that failed and the guy who made that horrible decision is no longer with the company. Since his vision sucked and the service flopped, Google is coming back around to Google Pay, which will now be known once again as Google Wallet. I left out a lot of boring detail in there, but we can now fast forward to today knowing what I just told you. In short, Google Pay is now becoming Google Wallet and who knows what will happen to G Pay. It's probably not long for this world. For now, you'll have both. Alright, so Google Wallet is rolling out as an update to Google Pay. In other words, you don't need to install a new app, you'll simply update Google Pay and it will become Google Wallet. This is big news because Google wants to do some cool stuff with the new Google Wallet, like let you add a digital ID or driver's license, your COVID vaccine card, digital car keys for your fancy car, and potentially many more as they build out partnerships. To get updated to Google Wallet, you can open up Google Play and check for app updates. If you are lucky enough (reddit), the update could be sitting there waiting for you. If not, you'll have to go find an .apk file an those super safe .apk download places. You'll want v2.150.460235810. Google Play Link: Google Pay

Gmail is Getting "More Accurate" Search Suggestions

Kellen — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 10:12:38 +0000

As if Gmail wasn't already incredibly smart at predicting the items you search for, Google says that starting today, it will be even "more accurate" and the suggestions offered should be better too. In a short post to the Workspace Updates blog, Google informed Workspace customers that the Gmail improvements should be here shortly if they aren't already. They made the announcement in the briefest of ways without many specifics, so we'll mostly have to take their word for the changes that we'll see. For those users who search often in Gmail, you should get "Better and more contextual contact suggestions with intent matching," as well as "Personalized suggestions based on historical interactions." This two items are here thanks to updated machine learning models from Google. Again, that's all we're told, so the changes will likely mostly be noticed by those who search all of the time. While this was announced to Workspace customers, this is a general Gmail improvement rollout. Everyone who uses Gmail, including for personal accounts, will see the search improvements. Again, this should all start to appear today.

Verizon Gives 5G UW a Huge Spectrum and Speed Boost

Kellen — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 08:37:06 +0000

Verizon's early 5G UW experiment through mmW technology may have been tough to experience, but with the purchase of a whole bunch of C-Band spectrum and the ramp-up in rollout of it, they'll soon have 5G you'll notice. As a continuation of that rollout, which initially kicked off in January, Verizon announced this week that it has almost doubled the available C-Band spectrum for customers and that should mean big 5G things. Verizon has started deploying 100MHz of C-Band spectrum in "many" markets, a bump up from the 60MHz of spectrum it had previously deployed. While not quite double, that's a big jump and means an improved experience is coming your way. Verizon is pushing this boost "several" months earlier than projected, thanks to agreements with satellite providers that cleared the C-Band spectrum. By deploying more spectrum, Verizon expects a "turbo" charged wireless service with "significantly higher speeds, much greater capacity to accommodate more customers, and more robust services." The services part there is likely in reference to Verizon's recent push to get you to sign-up for home broadband internet, like we wrote up here. Verizon wasn't specific about the types of speeds you could now see and instead only referenced trials they ran that touched 1.4Gbps download speeds when near towers and 500Mbps speeds when further away. In previous statements, Verizon said customers could expect typical download speeds of 90 to 170Mbps and around 15 to 30Mbps on the upload when on C-Band. Are we getting another jump on those numbers? I hope so. Remember, to get on Verizon's 5G UW and their C-Band network, you'll need a supported phone. The list has been slow to grow, but at least Google's Pixel 6 line is on there now. Let us know if you see a boost.

Get $20 Off a Pixel Stand (2nd Gen) for Your Pixel 7 Pro

Kellen — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 16:51:49 +0000

You don't own the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro yet, but you are probably eyeing the renders, examining that new metal camera bar, and refreshing Facebook listings in hopes that you'll be the next to get lucky and buy a prototype. Should the day come when you own a Pixel 7, why not grab a Pixel Stand for it and get both wireless charging and a way to turn your phone into somewhat of a smart display when docked? The Pixel Stand (2nd Gen) is $20 off at the moment, probably as a leftover deal from Prime Day. With a $20 discount, you'll pay $59 instead of $79 to get the experience I described above. Worth it? Hah. If you really need all the Pixel-branded stuff to use with your Pixel phone, then sure. I grabbed one last year and it does a fine job of charging my Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro at solid wireless speeds. It's built well, has a soft plastic finish, and isn't offensive-looking with its off-white and green exterior. It's a nice wireless charger. Most retailers selling this Pixel Stand (2nd Gen) have it discounted right now, so feel free to browse around to find it at a place you prefer. Pixel Stand Deal Links: Amazon | Google Store

This is the Galaxy Z Flip 4

Kellen — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 16:36:00 +0000

August is only a couple of weeks away and thus the official countdown to the next big Samsung Unpacked event, where we expect to see the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4, draws near. Thanks to leaked images, we're getting a clean profile look of the Flip 4 in a lovely purple color. The photos arrive from 91 Mobiles and show off the "Next Galaxy" from Samsung. If you already scrolled to see the device and are back here wondering what's new, well, I wish I had more to tell you. Let's talk about what we're seeing in this Galaxy Z Flip 4.

First off, we weren't imagining a situation where Samsung dramatically changed the Flip 4 from the Flip 3. Previously released CAD renders of the Flip 4 showed a familiar device that should feature internal improvements, possibly an improved hinge system, and that's about it. In the below comparison of the Flip 3 to the Flip 4, you should be able to pick out a handful of changes. The buttons, for one, look bigger or clickier or more pronounced, something. That may be because the sides of the device appear to have a flatter overall wall, or you know, lighting. The camera hump is more noticeable as well, and maybe that hinge is indeed tweaked.

Whatever the minor changes are, the chances of this being another excellent foldable are high. Samsung is so good at this foldable thing and I'm seeing nothing but polish and improvements here.

Wear OS 3 Looks Great on the Montblanc Summit 3

Kellen — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 13:23:56 +0000

The Montblanc Summit 3 was announced a couple of weeks ago as the first Wear OS 3 watch not made by Samsung. The price of the watch puts it out of reach of most of us, but taking the watch for a spin is something I really, really want to do. Wear OS 3 is a massive update for Google's wearable platform and we've been dying to see what it looks like and how it runs without Samsung's One UI Watch on top. Montblanc still hasn't started selling its $1,290 Summit 3 yet, but the luxury goods maker did upload several tutorial videos for it to YouTube. The videos give us our first look at non-Samsung Wear OS 3 in any real detail. The first video we looked at shows how you can navigate the Summit 3. It talks about opening the app drawer, recent apps, swiping left or right into Tiles, scrolling with the crown, getting back home from an app, etc. It's all mostly basic stuff, but it appears to show a bit of customization from Montblanc in the OS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzkqoCnrReo We were always curious how Wear OS 3 might look on other watches. After all, Google allowed Samsung to slap One UI Watch all over it, thus opening up an opportunity for others to customize as well. Montblanc has done some of that in places like the settings panel, where we get a fresh set of icons and layout. Montblanc is also going the route of Fossil (likely because they had no choice) in making a specialized companion app. Remember, the Wear OS app doesn't work with Wear OS 3, so companies are having to make their own apps for setup and customization. The Montblanc Summit app will be used to setup the watch through Android's FastPair. The entire set of Summit 3 videos is worth a watch if you are interested in Wear OS 3. They cover customizing a watch face, setting up, update software and apps, and taking advantage of the fitness features on this particular watch. But again, even if this watch is priced at a level not in our ballpark, the videos show what we might get on the Fossil Gen 7 or the Pixel Watch. The whole set can be viewed here.

Nova Launcher 8.0 Beta Arrives, Adds Material You Custom Color Schemes

Kellen — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 11:55:30 +0000

Nova Launcher picked up a substantial update today that you'll want to grab if you want a "rebased" launcher experience with Material You custom colors, new settings, new gestures, and more. Nova Launcher 8 is here in beta form! The changelog is fairly brief, but this is a jump from Nova Launcher 7 to 8 and is marked as "a major update" in the opening screen you see once you install it. And I'd say that would be a correct way to describe it. The settings page is completely new with separate "Settings" and "Style" pages, and yeah, you really can pull all of the colors to get a more Android 12/13 feel. Here's a look at that screen and also the settings:

The rest of the changelog mentions a new swipe left/right gesture that can be customized with actions, an alignment of bottom immersive folders (no idea, someone fill me in on what this means), a "rebased" build from Launcher3 in Android 12L, and fixes for Android 13. If you'd like to get this latest Nova Launcher 8.0 build, you'll have to download from the Nova Launcher Beta site here. I'm enrolled in their Google Play beta program, but didn't yet see this update. For now, it's likely a manual install for the super early adopters. Grab that update and let us know what you like the most so far.

Verizon Galaxy Note 10 Lineup Updated With July Security Patch

Tim — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 08:59:32 +0000

It was only last week when Verizon announced it was beginning to ship out the June security patch to owners of the Galaxy Note 10 lineup. If that wasn't good enough for folks, it's now detailed that the latest patch available for Android, the July patch, is rolling out. Besides the latest security patch, nothing else is listed as updated in the changelog. Below you can check out your new software build number.

Updated Build Numbers

Note 10: N970USQS7HVF3
Note 10+: N975USQS7HVF3
Note 10+ 5G: N976VVRS7HVF3

Go snag it! // Verizon

Qualcomm Teases "Big" New Smartwatch Chipset

Kellen — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 07:41:39 +0000

A new Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear chip might be on the horizon, folks. Whether it's the Snapdragon Wear 5100 or something else, Qualcomm started teasing a piece of "big" news this week, with all of the cheeky references to watches and clocks you could ask for. The world of Wear OS watches has survived on Qualcomm chips for years, even if a couple of the chips weren't exactly good enough to create long-lasting, quality smartwatches. For companies looking to make a smarter watch running Google's wearable platform, Qualcomm had the only chips available for that to happen. As recently as 2020, Qualcomm finally seemed to make a decent chip in the Snapdragon Wear 4100/4100+, but few watchmakers picked up the chip. There's a good chance that many avoided it because the timing of its release couldn't have been worse, with its availability landing alongside Wear OS uncertainty and then Google co-creating a new version of the platform with Samsung and not letting any of their partners in on it. In the first year, we got exactly 1 watch running the 4100. Since that first year, we've only added a couple of new options. But now, with Wear OS 3 availability seemingly opening up to more players not named Samsung, Qualcomm has told us that "The clock is ticking on something big." In a teaser Tweet below, they also show off an exploded smartwatch with a wearable chip inside and suggest we should all "Wear what matters." https://twitter.com/Snapdragon/status/1546872316864364544 This time, assuming this is the Snapdragon Wear 5100 or something similar, the timing is quite perfect. Google really is about to open up Wear OS 3 support to the rest of the world and smartwatches on Android have yet another opportunity to go big. We'll get the Pixel Watch, new Fossil watches, and who knows what else in the near future. Because Qualcomm is still really the only chipmaker, let's hope this chip is the one we've dreamed of.

You Can Still Get a Pixel 6 for $499, Pixel 6 Pro for $699

Kellen — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 12:27:57 +0000

Thanks to a Prime Day sale, we saw a lot of Pixel 6 purchases yesterday and the phone quickly sold out at Amazon. At $499, with a $100 discount, I can't say I blame all of the people who grabbed a really solid phone at such a good price. If you missed out, but would still like to live life as a Pixel 6 owner, don't worry - there are still plenty of Pixel 6 phones to be had at $499. Throughout the rest of the day, both Google and Best Buy have the Pixel 6 (128GB) with a $100 discount, dropping its starting price to $499. It's the same deal that Amazon was running, only it's still available. Both are also doing $100 off the 256GB model, but those are a bit harder to come by and have mostly sold out. I point out the Pixel 6 specifically because Google sent a promo email yesterday for the Google Store that said this deal would end on July 13 (today). If you want this sweet phone at this sweet price, it's now or...again some time later this summer, I'd imagine. And I point that out because the Pixel 6 Pro is still $200 off as well, but that deal is supposedly running until July 17. Interested in either phone, but would like to read our fabulous reviews? Here is our Pixel 6 review and also our Pixel 6 Pro review. Shop Pixel 6 Deals:

Shop Pixel 6 Pro Deals:

Watch the Motorola Razr (2022) Teaser Trailer

Tim — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 10:48:41 +0000

We must be getting real close to an official unveiling for the third iteration of the Motorola RAZR. Back in May, we began seeing photos and videos of the rumored device hit the web, with Motorola itself now releasing teaser trailers for the device. The hype is real, people. The trailer doesn't show us more than the past leaks we saw. If anything, it confirms that those past leaks were indeed accurate and what we can look forward to a little later this year. Overall, for a foldable, it's a handsome device with that large exterior display and it's always a welcomed thing to have options outside of Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip lineup. For features, it's expected the third RAZR device will offer a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, come in a variety of storage and RAM configuration options, and also feature an AMOLED panel with up to 120Hz refresh rate. It's shaping up to a be a real competitor of a foldable, so that's good. Check out the teaser below and let us know if you'd be open to a Motorola foldable in 2022. [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Razr-2022.mp4"][/video] // GSMArena

Android 13 Beta 4 Arrives For Google Pixel Owners and It's an Important Release

Kellen — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 10:00:09 +0000

Google is releasing Android 13 Beta 4 today as the final beta update before the official Android 13 release in a few weeks. We reached platform stability in the previous beta, so that means we are now at a release candidate level of action. For developers, it's more important than ever to finish up getting apps ready for stable Android 13. For you and I, this build means a really good feel for what Android 13 will be like going forward. In other words, since you didn't see many changes in Beta 3, do not expect many here. This is all finalized stuff as we approach that official release. Below, we'll dive in on how to install Android 13 Beta 4 on your Pixel and also talk what's new.

How to download Android 13 Beta 4 on your Pixel

Android 13 Beta 4 is available on the following devices:

Pixel 4 and 4 XL
Pixel 4a and 4a (5G)
Pixel 5 and 5a
Pixel 6 and 6 Pro

Easiest way: If you own one of those devices, the easiest way to get Android 13 Beta 4 on device is to sign-up for the Android Beta Program (here). You’ll simply click the “Opt In” button on that page to join and then sit back and wait for Google to push an update as Android 13 over-the-air. Once you have enrolled, you’ll head into Settings>System>Advanced>System update to check for it. Google may not push it immediately and could instead roll it out slowly throughout the day. Either way, feel free to check through there to tell Google you want it after enrolling in the program. Manual way: Want to get updated faster or would rather flash a factory image or OTA file through adb to feel more techie and important and smart? That’s still an option! I’ll be going the OTA route, but factory images are available too. You’ll find Android 13 Beta 4 factory images here and the OTA files here. 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. Already on an Android 13 Beta 3 build: If you are already on an Android 13 Beta build, Google says that you will receive the Beta 4 update over-the-air. Of course, you can manually flash a factory image or OTA file as well, since the over-the-air process often takes forever to process.

What’s new in Android 13 Beta 4?

Release date: July 13, 2022 Build: TPB4.220624.005 Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A) Security patch level: July 2022 Google Play services: 22.18.19

You've likely seen all that's new from these posts here, here, and here. We really have covered it all and then some. Google isn't even telling us to expect any major changes in Beta 4, because again, we reached platform stability in the last beta. That said, we'll flash Beta 4 as quickly as we can and start digging for new changes. If there's enough to warrant a separate post, we'll get that up shortly.

Expect Galaxy Z Fold 4 to Come in Sweet, Understated Colors

Tim — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 08:42:49 +0000

Over the past few years, I feel that Samsung has been getting a bit more bold with its color options on certain devices. The company sold the Galaxy S22 lineup in a few sweet colors, though, they were exclusive to Samsung's online store. Thinking back to the Galaxy Note 10, that device's color was also quite awesome. For the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 4, it looks as though the company may opt for a more natural, understated approach in the colors department.

Related: Galaxy Z Fold 4 Renders!

Thanks to @evleaks, we now have the names for the colors that the upcoming foldable will be offered in. There's Beige, Burgundy Red, Gray Green, and Phantom Black.

If I was a betting man, I'd put money on these being of the matte variety, meaning they won't be very reflective and will be similar to the exterior appearance of the existing Z Fold 3. Personally, Samsung can keep Beige and instead give us a nice Blue color instead. If I had to go for one of the colors listed above, I suppose Gray Green is the only logical option. We already know Burgundy Red is pretty weak. What are you going with? // @evleaks

YouTube TV Hits 5 Year Mark With 5 Million Subscribers... and Trialers

Tim — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 10:56:51 +0000

YouTube TV is turning 5 years old (launched February, 2017), which is pretty darn wild. We've come a long way from when the service first launched, and by that, I mean we're paying more for the service and in exchange I have a bunch of channels that I don't watch. In fact, I've sort of stopped watching TV altogether, so I'm not sure why I still pay $65/month for it. Anyway, that's not what this is about. YouTube TV announced today that it's celebrating 5 years of streaming TV to households, sharing with us that it has reached a milestone of 5 million subscribers and trialers. Why YouTube would include trialers in its number seems almost misleading, because now that 5 million number means very little with regard to the service's total number of paying subscribers. The latest figure I can find says that YouTube reported 3 million paying customers in Q3 of 2020. Regardless of where they are now, including trialers is just unnecessary fluff. I also have to take the low hanging fruit and mention that 5 million, including the trialers, doesn't sound all that impressive. The US has a population of around 330 million people. Unlike other services that are only available in specific regions, YouTube TV is available to everyone, meaning their market penetration appears to be less than stellar. Obviously, the price hikes haven't helped. The service launched at $35/month, with most people assumably paying the current rate of $65/month. In exchange we have gotten access to a ton more channels, so that's sweet. I still think YouTube TV has the best DVR function of any service, one of the main reasons I hang onto it. YouTube TV news and it's not a price bump. Today's a good day! // YouTube TV

£399 Nothing Phone (1) is Official and Not Coming to US, But Here's the Specs Anyway

Tim — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 09:06:48 +0000

It was already know, but now I suppose it's truly and officially official -- Nothing Phone (1) is not coming to the US. For us, that's a disappointment, as it would have been nice to have another option, something besides a Galaxy or Pixel. Alas, it wasn't meant to be, at least not yet. While this phone isn't headed our way, we can still take a look at its specs and pricing outside of the US. Nothing Phone (1) features a 6.55” OLED display (2400 x 1080) with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, Qualcomm-produced Snapdragon 778G+ processor, base model of 8GB + 128GB storage (up to 12GB RAM + 256GB storage is available), dual 50-megapixel rear cameras (Sony IMX766 sensor with OIS and EIS + Samsung JN1 ultra wide sensor), 16MP front camera, 4500mAh battery with 33W wired PD charging and 15W wireless charging, 5W reverse charging, fingerprint reader, facial unlocking capability, IP53 rating, dual SIM support, dual stereo speakers, as well as 3 years of major Android OS updates and 4 years of bimonthly Android security updates. Nothing has priced the device quite competitively at £399, which converts to around $475. We're not sure what price this device would launch with in the US, but anything in the sub-$500 realm seems completely fair. If you're thinking of sneaking around and importing a Nothing Phone (1), we wouldn't advise it. The phone lacks FCC certification, making it illegal for Nothing to sell it to the US public. Besides that, with no certification from US carriers either, your cell experience would likely be quite terrible. The moral of the story? Don't bother. Nothing Phone (1) is a very neat looking device. Hate it or love it, it's intriguing. Our fingers are crossed that the US gets some well deserved Nothing Phone (2). // Nothing

Samsung's One UI Watch 4.5 Update Adds Bundle of New Features

Kellen — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 08:01:52 +0000

The next big update coming to your Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic was announced by Samsung today and is labeled as One UI Watch 4.5. The update will reach Galaxy Watch 4 devices "soon," probably alongside the launch of the Galaxy Watch 5, as an "upcoming Galaxy Watch Series" is scheduled to see it as well. So what's new in One UI Watch 4.5? Well, for one, this jumps the Wear OS version up to Wear OS 3.5. That's cool. As for new features, it's got some stuff. Here's the list:

Keyboard with full typing experience: One UI Watch 4.5 adds a full typing experience that should let your typing skills truly work, or you can easily switch between dictation and typing (or swiping). To be honest, looking at the screenshots below, it doesn't look at all easy to switch around, but I'll try to reserve judgement for when I actually have it on watch.
Dual-SIM support: If you have an LTE-equipped Watch 4, you'll be able to load up two SIMs or two phone numbers and then easily switch as you place calls. Neat.
New watch faces and favorites list: There are several new watch faces on in 4.5 that are all customizable, along with a new favorites list that saves watch faces you've used for quick access. See the new faces below.
New accessibility features: In the accessibility department, you will be able to adjust the display to preferred hues or increase contrast, reduce transparency and blur effects, remove animations, and balance audio settings for Bluetooth headsets. Finally, you'll be able to adjust how long functions (like volume and notifications) stay on screen.

Here are some images of the new goods:

Not that impressed with this list? Don't worry! Samsung says they have a bunch more features to announce closer to launch. The launch of One UI Watch 4.5 is slated for the third quarter of this year, likely alongside the launch of the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. // Samsung

Verizon New "Welcome Unlimited" is Bare Bones and Starts at $65

Kellen — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 07:16:03 +0000

Verizon announced a new addition to its unlimited data plan line-up today called "Welcome Unlimited." This particular plan isn't packed with features, but is instead there to get you and your family on Verizon at their lowest unlimited price point. Starting at $65/mo for a single line and dropping to $30 per line for 4 lines (with autopay), the Welcome Unlimited plan drops in just below the 5G Start plan, which costs $70/mo for a single line or $35 per line for 4. The $5 difference appears to be in the included 5GB of hotspot data on the 5G Start plan. As I mentioned above, the Welcomed Unlimited is bare bones and doesn't have the lengthy list of features you'll find on some of the other Verizon unlimited plans. While it comes with the standard set of stuff, like unlimited talk and text, plan use in Mexico and Canada, and international texting, you won't find all of the premium freebies from the others. The only major feature listed is the connection to Verizon's 5G nationwide network. That's it. And that doesn't include connection to 5G Ultra Wideband, the fast version of 5G. So the breakdown for Verizon's 5G unlimited plan line-up looks like this:

5G Get More: $90 single line: $55/line for 4
5G Play More: $80 single line; $45/line for 4
5G Do More: $80 single line; $45/line for 4
5G Start: $70 single line; $35/line for 4
Welcome Unlimited: $65 single line; $30/line for 4

Most of those plans above Welcome Unlimited all contain extra goodies, like free subscriptions to the Disney bundle or Apple Arcade, as well as hotspot data and access to Verizon's best 5G network. This new plan doesn't have any of that. To shop the new Welcome Unlimited plan, head over to Verizon's plan page.

Forget Prime Day, Samsung's Latest Deals are Legit

Tim — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 10:49:09 +0000

Prime Day kicks off this week, and while Amazon usually has a few good deals here and there, Samsung is running a big sale of its own right now. How big of a sale? Pretty big, actually. The highlights include a Galaxy Z Fold 3 for $399 (with the help of up to $1100 in trade-in value and $400 discount), $40 off the Galaxy Watch 4 models, a free Galaxy Watch 4 when you purchase a Galaxy S22 smartphone, plus big time savings in general via trade-in credit on all Galaxy S22 models. In order to snag a Z Fold 3 for the low-low of $399, you'll need to trade in a Galaxy Z Fold 2, but even if you trade in something less fancy, Samsung's enhanced trade-in values may surprise you. For example, Samsung is offering $525 for a Galaxy S10e and the prices only get better from there. For those not looking to do the whole foldable thing, getting a free Galaxy Watch 4 with the purchase of a Galaxy S22 is also a solid deal. From what we can tell, simply add the Galaxy Watch 4 to your cart along with a Galaxy S22 and it should pop up as free during checkout. That's solid.

Samsung Links

Big Spenders on Google One Getting New Premium Features

Tim — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 09:31:19 +0000

Google announced today that it is bringing a few once exclusive Workspace features to select Google One subscribers. In order to get these features, you'll need to be a big spender on Google One, with the offer only being available to those who pay for 2TB and higher plans. Should you be paying for 2TB+ each month (or with a yearly plan), you'll gain access to enhanced video calling features. There will be no one-hour time limits for group video calls, the ability to filter background noise (like dog barks and construction sounds), and you'll also be able to now record and store calls directly to Google Drive. Google says that this is just the start and more Workspace features will be headed to Google One users over time. If you want to try out these new features, you'll need the $10+/month plan via Google One. You can sign up for that here. // Google

DEAL: Pixel 6 Down to $499, Pixel 6 Pro to $699 Over on Amazon

Tim — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 08:17:41 +0000

Amazon is currently hosting a sweet sale on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, with the Pixel 6 down to $499 ($100 off) and the 6 Pro down to $699. While this may not be as insane as Amazon's super-flash $300 off sale on the 6 Pro, this is still $200 off the usual $899 price. That's never a bad thing. The real question is, should you still buy the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro, even with the Pixel 7 lineup right around the corner. If you're someone who doesn't mind not having the absolute latest thing, then I think it's completely fine to get either of these two phones. Given you're probably an Android nerd, the idea of being one of the first to use Android 13 when it's released is an automatic win should you own a Pixel. Even the Android 13 beta has been really good, so I'm quite looking forward to the final release. Pixel fanboys, assemble!

Amazon Links: Pixel 6 | Pixel 6 Pro

Many Verizon Samsung Galaxy, LG Devices Receive Updated Security Patches

Tim — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 14:00:01 +0000

Verizon is shipping out many updates this week, mostly to Samsung Galaxy devices, but any remaining LG V50 owners are also getting some love this week. For what's new, the V50 from LG is getting the May security patch, all three Galaxy Note 10 devices are getting the June patch, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Flip 3 get the June patch, and the Galaxy S22 lineup is receiving the July patch. Below you can view the updated build numbers for each update.

Updated Build Numbers

LG V50 - V450VM40a
Galaxy Note 10 - N970USQU7HVF1
Galaxy Note 10+ - N975USQU7HVF1
Galaxy Note 10+ 5G - N976USQU7HVF1
Galaxy S22 - S901USQU2AVF7
Galaxy S22+ - S906USQU2AVF7
Galaxy S22 Ultra - S908USQU2AVF7
Galaxy Z Fold 2 - F916USQU2HVF1
Galaxy Z Flip 3 - F711USQU2DVF1

Go snag those updates! // Verizon

Apex Legends Getting New Mobile-First 'Rhapsody' Legend, New Map

Tim — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 10:09:40 +0000

EA announced this week that Apex Legends Mobile is getting a mobile-first legend character on July 12. Her name is Rhapsody and she's a music loving DJ from Kómma. She has a cute robot sidekick named Rowdy, and from what we see in the trailer, Rowdy and Rhapsody should make for a solid duo on the battlefield. If you're into legend backstories, you'll enjoy this.

Originally from Kómma, where the tech giant Pythas Inc. controls all, Rhapsody has used her love of music to rise out of poverty in the dangerous nightlife district of Neon Dunes and become one of the hottest Legends on the Apex scene. Her mother, a brilliant AI engineer who created Rhapsody’s companion bot Rowdy, was fired from Pythas Inc. for discovering company secrets and now Rhapsody must compete in the Apex Games under their banner to help free her family from debt.

This is just a taste of what Season 2 will offer, according to EA. Players can expect, "a host of new content, improvements, updates and re-balances to weapons, game modes, the ranking system and more." It goes down on July 12! https://youtu.be/9yZcYQleitQ

Cabs Are Here: Pixel's At a Glance Soon Getting Status of Your Uber, Food Delivery

Tim — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 08:29:57 +0000

Google is reported to be bringing additional features to the Pixel lineup's At a Glance home screen feature. Just earlier this week, it was discovered that users will soon gain access to cross-device timers, which was already sweet news. Now, it's being detailed that the status of your rideshare app is also coming, as well as your food delivery. This week just keeps on giving. Stumbled upon by 9to5Google in the latest Android System Intelligence, part of the brains for At a Glance, strings of code point directly to the coming support of rideshare services and food delivery. As for which services, it appears that Lyft and Uber may be supported at launch for the rideshare portion, while DoorDash is the only food delivery option available. All of the particulars could change ahead of launch, though. We aren't yet sure when Pixel devices will get access to these new features, but typically, Google bundles these sorts of changes into Feature Drops. This is a feature I'm glad that Google continues to improve. // 9to5Google

It's Going to be the Pixel Watch for Me

Kellen — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 11:03:55 +0000

The Google Pixel Watch was (obviously) going to be a must-have item around the DL offices, being the first smartwatch from Google and all. Even if we don't quite know all of the details surrounding its specs and features and price, it is without a doubt a device we need. But now, after seeing Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 line-up in a leak today, the Pixel Watch is looking like the last hope for excitement in 2022. Let's talk about what we know is coming in 2022. We know that the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are coming and what they look like. There will be improvements there (like Tensor 2), but let's be honest, what we've seen so far sure comes off like a minor upgrade over the Pixel 6 line. We know that Samsung is likely to release a Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Fold 4 in the coming weeks, also with minor improvements over previous generations. We're pretty sure OnePlus is about to deliver an awkward upgrade in the OnePlus 10T. We know that the Nothing Phone (1) isn't coming here. We know that OSOM sold their soul to the sketchy world of crypto. 2022 is looking like a mid-rangey year for phones. And if not a bust, because the quality of devices should be high, then it's at least looking like a snoozey one. That's not to say that most of the devices I mentioned above won't be good or worth upgrading to depending on your current device, it's just that this isn't going to be a year for ground-breaking new-ness. So with phones shaping up in that fashion, we move to wearables, and that's where the Pixel Watch vs. the Galaxy Watch 5 comes into play. As I mentioned in the opening, the Pixel Watch is the obvious choice for me. Not just because it's Google's first smartwatch, but really because Samsung's watch line-up is like the phones everyone is about to release - nothing new. Samsung guy is going to show up now and say, "The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is brand new, you fool!" And yeah, man, it is. Did you see it, though? That deep dish ass design lookin' thicker than a leg and with a battery we expect to make for a case that looks goofy on everyone's wrist whose name isn't Dwayne Johnson? And the regular Galaxy Watch 5 is a straight copy of the Galaxy Watch 4, a fine line of watches, but ones we've already seen. What am I getting excited about here, a skin temperature sensor? Couple the already-played design with Samsung's meh One UI Watch software and I'll pass. Give me the Pixel Watch, please. The Pixel Watch is a fresh take on a smartwatch design that is about as clean as it gets, with its rotating crown poking through its curved bottom and top, and that domed glass with stainless back. Google managed to build a smartwatch that looks like a watch, not just another piece of wearable tech. The case size appears to be for the normal person's wrist, it's slim, we're told that it'll run a "new Wear OS experience," and that Fitbit will have deep integration. It should quickly pair with your phone and fit perfectly within the Google Pixel ecosystem, which I happen to enjoy over others. There is some worry about the old Exynos 9110 chipset that Google has chosen to use, but if another rumor of Google customizing the experience by adding a co-processor is correct, it should still provide a better experience than Qualcomm's 4100 line. We also know that Google has been working on this thing forever and the expectation then is that it'll be dialed in at launch, unlike their yearly phone releases. Did I just fanboy out there a bit and come off like a spoiled tech brat? You betcha. But I still like to get excited about new products and the Pixel Watch is our last hope, Obi-Wan.

Beyerdynamic Releases First Wireless Earbuds With ANC and They're Really Good

Tim — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 09:27:41 +0000

Beyerdynamic, a company with a long history in audio devices, released its first pair of wireless earbuds this week. It's a big step for the brand, more known for its high-end headsets and microphones. The earbuds are called Free BYRD, a great name for any 70's rock fans. The earbuds feature ANC along with a built-in transparency mode, Google Fast Pair, IPX4 certification, 11 hours of battery life on a single charge, an array of differently sized tips for the perfect in-ear fit (plus 3 sets of foam tips for more active use cases), low latency mode for gaming, Amazon Alexa-powered personal assistant (no Google Assistant option), as well as a dedicated application for Android and iOS that lets you deep dive into the sound characteristics of the earbuds. Beyerdynamic was kind enough to send over a unit of Free BYRD buds a couple of weeks ago and they have been my go-to buds since. The sound quality is exceptional coming from both my Pixel Buds Series-A and Galaxy Buds 2 earbuds. The in-ear fit for my ears has been great, made especially easy given how many tip options are provided in the box. And if I'm going for a long run? Swap out the rubber tips for foam tips. You don't get that option out of the box with other earbuds. There are a ton of touch controls for these buds, too. I basically had to relearn how to use wireless earbuds due to this fact, but once you get used to it, it's not too bad. The designers opted to use a mixture of taps and holds to control a ton of different features. For example, on 95% of earbuds, a double tap skips the track you're listening to. On Free BYRD, that toggles the ANC/transparency mode. To skip a song, you'll need to give it three taps. To decrease volume, you'll tap once and then hold on the left bud? To increase volume, do the same thing, but on the right bud. Unlike Samsung's Galaxy Buds, users are not able to customize the different taps. Free BYRD earbuds are priced at $249, right on the money for buds of this quality. If you don't mind shelling out a bit more for better sound, these are a great option.

Buy Free Byrd Earbuds

Here's Galaxy Watch 5, Watch 5 Pro From Every Possible Angle

Tim — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 08:26:25 +0000

Our reporting on the upcoming Galaxy Watch 5 lineup has been happening since March of this year, and until late last night, we still didn't know what the devices truly looked like. That all changes this week, with our first good look at both the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro hitting the web.

Courtesy of 91mobiles, we have gorgeous turntable renders of both wearables. As you can see, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro appears to have changed the most, but even it doesn't differ too great from the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. It features a new strap design, as well as a healthy amount of bezel around its round display. Overall, a handsome device that is reported to cost a pretty penny.

Then there's the Galaxy Watch 5. I'm looking at the renders and trying to decipher anything that might be different. So far, I'm coming up empty handed. There appears to be a new dot-shaped sensor, maybe, on the backside? It's hard to tell, but if you were simply glancing at the Watch 5 and Watch 4, you might have troubles telling the two apart. Still, it remains a handsome device. We expect Samsung to make both of these wearables available for purchase following Unpacked next month. We'll also get updated foldables, plus a new pair of Buds for our in-ear tunes. August is going to be fun and busy, folks. // 91mobiles

Amazon Prime Members Get Free Year of Grubhub+

Tim — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 14:20:25 +0000

Amazon shared amazing news this morning, extending a free year of Grubhub+ to all Prime members. If you aren't in the know, Grubhub+ typically costs $10/mo, providing deliveries from the service with zero fees. If you find yourself Hubbin' it often, it's probably a service you have considered. Well, Amazon has you covered now. To get started, you'll follow the link below and activate the offer via your Amazon account. You'll then sign into your Grubhub account (or create one) and that's it. You'll then have Grubhub+ on your account for one year. For a complete FAQ on the subject, follow the link below. Now go forth and support those local businesses with Grubhub!

Activate Free Grubhub+ Here

July 2022 Android Security Update Available for Google Pixel Phones

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 10:10:42 +0000

The holiday pushed us two days, but here we are accepting delivery of the July Google Pixel update and security patch. Google released the latest update for its Pixel phones, which should be minor after the big June Pixel Feature Drop we all got last month. As of this moment, Google has posted July factory image and OTA 12.1 files for all of the active Pixel phones, including the Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, and Pixel 6 Pro. Everything here should be on-time, with no delays (again) for the Pixel 6 line. The Pixel 3a line also appears to be done-done. The breakdown of July security update build numbers by Pixel device is as follows:

Pixel 6 (SQ3A.220705.001.B1, SQ3A.220705.003, SQ3A.220705.003.A1)
- SQ3A.220705.001.B1 is for EMEA/APAC carriers
- SQ3A.220705.003 is the global build
- SQ3A.220705.003.A1 is for Verizon models
Pixel 6 Pro (SQ3A.220705.001.B1, SQ3A.220705.003, SQ3A.220705.003.A1)
- SQ3A.220705.001.B1 is for EMEA/APAC carriers
- SQ3A.220705.003 is the global build
- SQ3A.220705.003.A1 is for Verizon models
Pixel 5a (SQ3A.220705.003.A1)
Pixel 5 (SQ3A.220705.003.A1)
Pixel 4a 5G (SQ3A.220705.003.A1)
Pixel 4a (SQ3A.220705.003.A1)
Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL (SQ3A.220705.003.A1)

As of this moment, the only "new" item is the following for the Pixel 6/6 Pro in EMEA/APAC:

Enable additional VoLTE calling features on certain networks

With Verizon 3G Shutting Down, Carrier Offers Free 4G LTE Phones

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 09:53:47 +0000

When Verizon set the end of 2022 as the time frame for shutting down their 3G network once and for all, we sort of assumed another delay would happen. There have been several at this point. They aren't the only carrier struggling to pull the plug. But as the remaining months continue to pass, Verizon has remained steady - they are shutting 3G down at the end of the year. Since they likely still have a number of customers with 3G devices that either don't know their phone is about to stop working or who are refusing to find something new, Verizon is doing their best to send out free 4G LTE devices. A support page details the program and the devices available. Verizon is currently sending 4G LTE phones to "select" customers for free, but I can't imagine they aren't sending them to just about everyone still with a 3G phone. There can't be that many people, plus it would make sense to get out ahead of the day that these 3G customers' phones stop working. Straight-up sending a phone is an excellent way to do that. The phones Verizon is sending out include the 4G LTE Orbic Journey V, TCL FLIP Pro, or the Nokia 2720 V Flip. Yes, these are all simple flip phones, since the phones being replaced are likely also flip phones. Verizon stopped activating 3G smartphones back in 2018. Verizon has a helpful FAQ for those getting new 4G LTE phones, with instructions on how to setup, how to transfer contacts, what to do with the old 3G phone, and how someone can decline to receive the new phone. The process may not be fun for those coming from an old 3G phone, but it also shouldn't be too difficult, especially with help available. If you know someone still on an old 3G phone and Verizon service, you may want to let them know about this program. Not only do we not want those 3G phones to stop working soon, I'm sure they'd appreciate a free phone to replace their old one.

Beware Glance, Coming Soon to an Android Lockscreen Near You

Tim — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 08:42:02 +0000

In late 2017, Google updated its developer policy, disallowing lockscreen ads. To quote them, the updated policy said that apps “may not introduce ads or features that monetize the locked display of a device.” Well, those days are long behind us, with Google-backed Glance set to make its way to the US here in the upcoming months. Glance, already installed on over 400 million Android devices in Asia, lives on your lockscreen, feeding you what appears to be social media-like content once you click on the "Glance Now" button. It's all designed to make you want to click. For the US, it is reported Glance is readying a premium option, as we as American consumers are more likely to utilize in-app purchases. Glance is said to be working with unnamed carriers to introduce the app onto several Android phones in our market. If we had to guess, it's likely low to mid-range devices getting the Glance treatment and not the high-end devices, but we just don't know for sure. Carriers are notoriously bold and can be overly aggressive when it comes to making money. Glance currently partners with the largest Android OEMs in the world, including Samsung and OPPO, so do note that no Android brand is likely off limits. Even Google invested millions of dollars into this company back in 2019, pushing the service's valuation to over $1 billion. Meh. I believe that people are free to do whatever they like, but Glance is something I will never cease to tell people to disable or not use. When you lock your phone and place it down, it shouldn’t continue to push content down your throat. Coming from a company that preaches Digital Wellbeing, it's really quite disgusting. // TechCrunch

Google Pixel "At a Glance" Could Soon Show Timers From Your Smart Speakers

Kellen — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 13:33:06 +0000

The non-removable At a Glance widget on the main screen of Google Pixel phones has quickly gone from an annoying widget that did little to an advanced system that can show you all sorts of information. It wasn't long ago that it was basically just used as a calendar, weather, and commute widget. Thanks to recent updates, it can now show you info from your Nest cameras, the air quality in your area, and if you forgot to turn your flashlight off. Soon, At a Glance could do another important task - tell you the status of the timers you set on a nearby Google Assistant smart speaker, like a Nest Hub. Strings found within the latest beta version of the Google app (v13.26) suggest that a "Cross Device Timer" feature is coming. The strings that 9to5Google found specifically mentions that they'll present "Timer info from your home devices." The assumption, since this is not an officially announced feature, is that when you set a timer on a Nest Hub, for example, that timer would then mirror to At a Glance on your Pixel phone. I'm sure you can imagine how handy this could be. Setting a timer on a smart speaker has always been useful, but because it lacks a display, having to re-ask your speaker over and over again for an update on the timer isn't fun. This would show you timer info without the need to ask if you have your phone on-hand. But even for a smart display, this could be super useful if you were to step out of the room of the smart display and yet still want to keep tabs on a timer. Google has not announced this feature yet and we have no idea if they will or if this will simply go live without much fanfare. Which route, I just know that I'm charging up my Pixel 6 now to switch over and start taking advantage of this. Well, once it goes live, that is. Google Play Link: Google app

Tuesday Tidbit: Remember How Hard It Was to Buy the Pixel 6?

Tim — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 08:43:06 +0000

I had the privilege of spending an evening with my brother over the weekend, who just so happens to be a big Google Pixel fan. I was mentioning that the Android 13 beta has been really great so far and that he should give it a try on his Pixel 6 Pro. Then we got to talking about how extraordinarily difficult it was to order the Pixel 6 when it was first released. Thinking about the device now, with many people acting as if it's the world's buggiest phone and Amazon even flash selling the Pixel 6 Pro for $599, this model from Google has certainly had it highs and lows and it's only been 250 days since launch. Even with the drama these phones have faced, some of it justified and some of it not in my eyes, I already know that the Google Store is going to have major issues when the Pixel 7 comes around. Can you imagine when/if Google puts the long awaited Pixel Watch and Pixel 7 models up at the same time? If you're a Pixel fan trying to get a hold of these devices, have the Excedrin Migraine ready to go. This post wasn't supposed to turn into a Google Store bash party, but here we go. I don't see why Google can't figure this out. Every year it's the same deal. They build up the hype for its new phone, then release it onto a web store that can't handle more than 50 people (a major exaggeration, it's probably in the thousands upon thousands) trying to order the same product. Apple seems to have gotten much better about selling its devices, so god forbid we take an idea from Apple, but something needs to be done about that Google Store. We do not want to relive last year's frustrations. Just read some of the comments we found online during the Pixel 6 launch. It's rough. As always, I'm the more optimistic of the Droid Life duo. I shall remain positive and hope for the best, while also preparing for the worst. But so help me, if I don't get my Pixel 7 Pro in that slate/bronze-like colorway, the world will burn. Happy Tuesday, everyone.

Nest Hub Max's "Look and Talk" Feature is My New Favorite

Kellen — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 12:20:18 +0000

At Google I/O back in May, Google announced a feature for the Nest Hub Max called "Look and Talk." The idea behind it was to allow users to interact with their Nest Hub without needing to say "OK, Google" and instead just looking at the device within a certain range. After now enabling this on my kitchen unit, I can say without a doubt that this feature is awesome. The Nest Hub Max has a full-blown Nest Cam built into it, so that's why Google is using this specific device to kick off the life of this "Look and Talk" idea. Thanks to Google Assistant on a Nest Hub being trained to recognize your face with Face Match, that Nest Cam can notice you are nearby and then start listening in case you have a command. I turned the feature on earlier in the week when Google announced it was widely rolling out and I've used it numerous times. My kitchen unit is probably the best suited for this, as I can simply lean over from one corner of my small kitchen space to the other and fire up the Assistant. The simple tasks like setting a timer, managing multiple timers, asking for a recipe, adjusting the temperature in my house, looking at my front door camera, or calling my wife on Duo, I can now do with the dirtiest of hands and without having to shout that damn keyword. This may sound like the simplest solution not worthy of such praise, but man, I'm one of those people who absolutely hates saying "Hey, Google." Like, if I have to say that keyword to get something done, I will almost always just reach for my phone instead and either swipe from a corner to fire up Assistant or I just do the task manually from an app. I don't know what it is, but that keyword is the worst. This has removed my need for it, plus it actually does save time in the kitchen when a matter of seconds can take you from perfectly cooked to burnt. If you own a Nest Hub Max and want to try this, it's really easy to setup.

First, you'll need to make sure Face Match is setup. Find that setup by opening the Google Home app on your phone, tap the Settings button, then "Google Assistant" within the Features section, and then choose "Face Match." The steps to setup in there mostly just ask that you scan your face from side to side a couple of times.
Once you've setup Face Match, you'll be able to toggle Face Match on or off from the same page you just set it up. You should also see a toggle for "Look and Talk" in there. Toggling this on gives you the powers I described above.
Note: If you are having issues and it doesn't seem to be working, retraining my face fixed it.

Once setup, every time you come within 5-10 feet of your Nest Hub Max, you'll see 4 black (or white) dots appear in the top of your display when it recognizes you and is waiting for a command. Should you fire off a command, you'll see the familiar Assistant-colored dots appear and react. It's magical, I'm telling you. Of course, for the privacy-focused folks around, this may sound like your Nest Hub Max is constantly spying on you. I don't know what to tell you there. I'm not here to change your mind on what Google is or isn't watching - I'm just telling you that this feature works great for me when I'm in the kitchen doing that work. For more help on setting up Look and Talk, hit up this Google Support page.

Wear OS 3 Pushed Fossil to Make New Companion App

Kellen — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 08:44:54 +0000

Fossil released new hybrid watches last week under their Gen 6 brand. The watches don't run Wear OS, but they are noteworthy because they launched alongside a revamped Fossil Smartwatches app that was used to setup the hybrid line. Feedback for the new version of the app was "overwhelming" enough that it caused the Fossil team to provide a bit of background around the reasons for such a big overhaul, and it sure sounds like Wear OS 3 is the biggest of them. In a reddit thread discussing the new Fossil Smartwatches app (link), a Fossil product team member talked about how they updated the UI of their hybrid watches, so that it made more sense, before diving into the new app. While they mentioned the new app as a way to remove old and unused features, the second point they made is what we care about. According to this post, the new update is "prepping the app to support [their] WearOS watches getting the WearOS 3 update later this year." The app needs to support all of the features and functions of their non-hybrid watches, plus it needs to work as a Wear OS companion that Google is apparently helping them with:

Part of the flow, features, function, and more in the new app are a bit influenced by meeting requirements for our whole portfolio of connected watches. As part of this, we’re working closely with Google designers to collectively deliver the best possible user experience for all users.

Why would Fossil need to build a companion app for Wear OS when Google already makes a Wear OS app that everyone (outside of Samsung) uses for Wear OS setup and connectivity? Because the current Wear OS app doesn't work with Wear OS 3 watches. I feel like I missed that bit of news, but yeah, that's likely why Google is making a Pixel Watch app for controlling their upcoming first watch. To recap, Fossil released a fancy new companion app for their new hybrid watches and a big part of the new app is that it'll be used when their watches get updated to Wear OS 3. Assuming they are making a Fossil Gen 7, expect it to be used for that watch as well. Unfortunately, we're still waiting until "later this year" to get that Wear OS 3 update. // 9to5Google

Google Password Manager Just Got So Many Sweet New Features

Kellen — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 11:01:50 +0000

There are few tools I use as often as Google Password Manager, the built-in password locker you'll find for autofill settings in Android and iOS, as well as in Chrome. It saves an enormous amount of time during daily activities that often involve signing-in to a service or website or app. Today, Google announced a ton of stuff coming to it that should make it even more awesome. First, Google is giving Password Manager a "simplified and unified management experience that's the same in Chrome and Android settings." Gone are the days of opening in autofill and then in Chrome and wondering why things have shuffled around. Password Manager will soon just look the same everywhere. Second, Google is expanding their flagging of compromised credentials from Chrome to Android. Now, on Android, you'll get warnings when Google recognizes weak or re-used passwords. If warned, you should be able to quickly fix them - another new addition to Android. And actually, Google says they are expanding compromised password warnings to all Chrome users on Android, Chrome OS, iOS, Windows, MacOS and Linux.

More fun for Google Password Manager:

Manual password adding: Google is adding the ability to manually add passwords on all platforms.
Multiple password grouping: Google says that if you have multiple passwords for the same sites or apps, they'll now automatically group them.
Home screen shortcut: If you use Password Manager frequently, you may want a shortcut to it and you can now add that to your Android home screens.
iOS password generation: Google is going to let you generate passwords for iOS apps when you set Chrome as your autofill provider(!).
Touch-to-Login on Chrome for Android: Google's Touch-to-Login feature is now in Chrome on Android as a way to tap a button at the bottom of your screen and quickly login to a site.

All of these new features should begin rolling out now, so be on the lookout for the new experiences. As someone who relies heavily on Google Password Manager, all I can say is, thank you, Google.

Another Possible Look at the OnePlus 10T

Tim — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 09:39:40 +0000

Over the past month, we have been getting looks at the reportedly upcoming OnePlus 10T from everyone but OnePlus. This week we're getting another look, this time of renders based on a preproduction unit of the device. That was the case last time, but these renders do differ from what we saw earlier this month. In these OnePlus 10T renders, brought to us by @Onleaks, the camera housing doesn't go across the entire backside of the device. It's much more similar to the existing OnePlus 10 Pro, though, the housing doesn't raise up directly from the back. This is more of a curve up, if that makes sense. The flash has also been moved to the top right, with the 10 Pro's being in the bottom right of the quad array. Specs for the OnePlus 10T are reported to include a Hasselblad-branded rear camera system, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, very fast charging for its 4,800mAh battery, 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, and an in-display fingerprint reader. Nothing has changed in this department. The only questions are -- when will it launch and for how much? We'll keep you posted when we hear something official. For additional looks at the renders, follow the link below. // Smartprix

NVIDIA Ships Out SHIELD TV Upgrade 9.1, Samsung Gaming Hub Launches With GeForce NOW

Tim — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 08:22:37 +0000

Big NVIDIA news this morning, with the company shipping out Software Experience Upgrade 9.1 to SHIELD TV devices, plus the with the launch of Samsung Gaming Hub, gamers can take advantage of GeForce NOW being one of the supported cloud services at launch. So much gaming! Experience Upgrade 9.1 has plenty of enhancements built into it, though, you'll notice from the changelog below that it could also be seen as a bug fixer-upper. For new things, SHIELD TV users will notice support to auto enable Game Mode on supported televisions, a new night listening mode (HDMI audio only), AI upscaling support for 60Hz HDR10 video on the SHIELD Pro, plus plenty else. If this is your first time hearing of Gaming Hub from Samsung, it's a new gaming platform for select Samsung smart TVs. If I'm not mistaken, it's only available for 2022+ models and above. It grants access to apps like GeForce NOW, Stadia, and Xbox with no console or additional hardware required. Put real plainly, the cloud is powering your game and you're simply streaming it to the TV. With all of that said, it's now live for those TV owners, so go check out GeForce NOW! It's quite the accomplishment and makes me wish I could afford a 2022 Samsung smart TV. Below you can check the full 9.1 changelog, rolling out now to SHIELD TV units.

What's New in Experience Upgrade 9.1

Enhancements:

Adds support to automatically enable game mode on supported TVs (ALLM)
Adds night listening mode (HDMI audio only)
Adds option specify network workgroup when connecting to SHIELD over local network
Adds option to create your own password when connecting to SHIELD over local network
[SHIELD Pro 2019] Adds AI upscaling support for 60Hz HDR10 video
[SHIELD Remote 2019] Adds option to only wake SHIELD with power or NETFLIX button
[Game Controllers] Adds option to only wake SHIELD with logo button
Adds option to match uncompressed audio with Dolby reference volume levels
Adds option to disable displaying HDR/Dolby Vision content
Adds notification when app uses microphone

Bug Fixes:

Display
- Fixes bug where Dolby Vision mode would become re-enabled after reboot
Network
- Resolves issue where link speed was not reported when connecting ethernet cable
- Resolves issue where “Restart Wi-fi” in Quick Settings was not working properly
Audio
- Resolve audio pops heard after hotplug of USB audio devices
- Fixes bug where some apps would only play through headphones after “Match content audio resolution” is enabled
- HDMI Fixed volume needs disable-enable cycle to get it working
- Fixes bug where stereo upmix would not become enabled after playing multichannel discrete audio
- [SHIELD 2019] Disables comfort noise feature when Dolby Audio Processing is enabled
Storage
- Improves file transfer speeds to attached storage
- Resolves issues where NAS would not reconnect after SHIELD restart
Accessories
- Fixes bug where SHIELD Controller 2017 or SHIELD Remote 2015 would not auto pair after taking upgrade
SHIELD TV app
- Fixes bug where SHIELD TV app would not send keyboard entries while streaming GeForce NOW
- Resolves SHIELD TV app issue where user could not copy/paste text (passwords, URL, etc)
Other
- Resolves issue connecting to GeForce NOW servers while NVIDIA Share is active
- Improves stream to twitch duration indefinitely
- Fixes bug where video capture with NVIDIA Share would cause GFN streaming to fail
- Resolves issue where system would become unresponsive after enabling Dolby Audio Processing from quick menu
- Resolves issue where SHIELD would wake up unexpectedly
- Improved HDMI-CEC compatiblity with other HDMI connected devices
- Resolves issue where app switcher (double tap home) would not show most recent screenshot properly
- Resolves adb connection issue where host PC would need to be re-authorized after 7 days
- Fixes bug where dpad "up" and "down" would not function after upgrade

Google Pixel 6 Pro is $300 Off at Amazon! (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 06:12:25 +0000

We don't know if this was a mistake or if it'll last more than a couple of minutes, but Amazon has the Google Pixel 6 Pro at an incredible price right now. The Pixel 6 Pro in Cloudy White and with 128GB of storage, is down to $599 - a $300 discount. For now, it's the only color at that price, and again, we have no idea for how long. This is one of those deals you should absolutely jump on, though. The Pixel 6 Pro is a very nice phone with a top tier camera, Google's excellent (now) software support, and our favorite Android experience. Depending on your location, you could have the device quite soon. For me, Amazon is suggesting Prime 1-day delivery and I could have one by tomorrow...at $599. For those still not grasping the ridiculousness of the price, understand that $599 is the price of the regular Pixel 6, without the third camera, bigger display, UWB, etc. Yes, you can get a Pixel 6 Pro for the price of a Pixel 6 at the moment. Amazon Deal Link

UPDATE: If that $599 deal is gone, there's a similar bundle that gives you a Google Fi SIM Kit and it's $608.99. Deal Link
UPDATE 2: Boooooooooo! Amazon must have realized they weren't supposed to price the Pixel 6 Pro that low.

Verizon Galaxy S20 and S21 Get Last Minute June Update

Kellen — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 15:20:40 +0000

The month of June is wrapping up, so you better believe that we were eyeing certain phones that had yet to get up-to-date on security patches. Samsung and Verizon are taking care of two of them today, thanks to fresh software heading out to the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S21 lines. Owners of the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, Galaxy S20 Ultra, Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra are all basically getting the same goods. This new update includes the June Android security patch, while Verizon claims that it "provides performance improvements and the most up to date Android security patches on your device." So not only will you get current security (for a few days), there are performance improvements in there too. The new builds to be on the lookout for are as follows:

Galaxy S20: SP1A.210812.016.G981VSQU2FVF1
Galaxy S20+: SP1A.210812.016.G986USQU2FVF1
Galaxy S20 Ultra: SP1A.210812.016.G988USQU2FVF1
Galaxy S21: SP1A.210812.016.G991USQU5CVF1
Galaxy S21+: SP1A.210812.016.G996USQU5CVF1
Galaxy S21 Ultra: SP1A.210812.016.G998USQU5CVF1

The update for all phones is scheduled to begin rolling out today. To check, head into Settings>Software Update and then try to "download and install" it.

iFixit Now Selling Genuine Pixel Phone Parts for You DIY'ers

Tim — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 12:16:52 +0000

Earlier this year, Google announced that it would be making genuine Pixel phone parts available to iFixit for sale to do-it-yourselfers. That appears to have now happened, with iFixit currently selling many parts for phones ranging from the original Pixel and Nexus devices, all the way to the newish Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. So, what can you fix thanks to this partnership? Thankfully, most hardware issues that occur with smartphones can be addressed. You can replace your display, battery, or even rear cameras. Prices vary for each kit depending on what parts you need, so if you're looking for something specific, I recommend following the link below. As you might already know, iFixit has guide upon guide that will help you through the self repair process. These kits could end up saving you lots of money, so even if you aren't completely comfortable with breaking down a phone and putting it back together, it could be something worthwhile to look into. It could be fun! Have at it, DIY'ers!

Shop Google Pixel Parts at iFixit

// @madebygoogle

Switch to Android App Update Makes It Easier for All to Ditch That iPhone

Kellen — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 11:00:15 +0000

Google's Switch to Android app is getting much wider availability today, so that you can ditch the iPhone and move over to just about any semi-new Android phone. The Switch to Android app, which was previously available for switching to Pixel phones, is now available to switchers who have any phone running Android 12. In a blog post announcing the update, Google says that switching from an iPhone to an Android phone with the Switch to Android app can happen using your old iPhone cable or wirelessly with the new app. Doing so should take you on a step-by-step transfer process to bring over contacts, calendars, photos, and more. The process also walks you through turning off iMessage, so that you don't miss text messages after making the switch. It lets you transfer photos and videos from iCloud as well, as long as you give it select permissions. To get your apps transferred, Google's Switch to Android FAQ mentions that if you are making the transfer via cable from your iPhone, "apps that are available for free in the App Store will transfer over." Obviously, paid apps will have to be bought again. The process shouldn't be difficult and almost all of the best apps you love on the iPhone are going to be on Android as well. Outside of all those goofy note and calendar apps people talk far too much about on iOS, Android's Play Store is well-stocked. You will miss out on iMessage, though, which is still a thing people have to deal with in 2022. Apple is not taking on RCS any time soon, folks. To get started switching from iPhone to Google Pixel or Galaxy S22 or Fold 3, hit that link below to install Switch to Android on your iPhone. Switch to Android download: App Store Link

Pixel 7 Selfie Camera to Shoot 4K, Pixel Tablet May Lack 4K Recording Altogether

Tim — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 09:21:02 +0000

We're nearing launch for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, expected sometime this fall, so naturally we're going to be hearing bits and pieces of what to expect from both phones as we inch closer. The latest details come from code spotted within the Google Camera app, version 8.5. Thanks to digging by the good people at 9to5Google, it's believed that both the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro will support 4K recording with the selfie camera. If you intend on upgrading from the Pixel 6 Pro to the Pixel 7 or 7 Pro, there's no change here for you, but if you currently own the Pixel 6, your device is only capable of FHD recording with the front camera. So yeah, that's an improvement. Also spotted is code for the Pixel Tablet, though, because we're still so far away from that device's launch (2023), there's plenty of time for things to change. According to the code, the Pixel Tablet, with its single rear-facing camera, may not support 4K recording of any kind. This is somewhat surprising news, but given this is a tablet and it's our belief tablet cameras should only be used in case of emergencies, that it lacking 4K recording is acceptable as a means of keeping its price down. 4K selfie recording on both the 7 and 7 Pro is a solid upgrade. Cheers, Google. // 9to5Google

Nothing Phone (1) in Black Looks Hot, and Here are the Specs

Kellen — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 07:45:59 +0000

The Nothing Phone (1) isn't coming here and that's unfortunate. The US smartphone market is in desperate need of something new that isn't branded by Google, Samsung, and Apple. But because launching a phone here is tough to do without carrier help or jumping through their hurdles, this is life for now. And by missing out on the Nothing phone, we would get to choose between the previously revealed white model or this fresh-as-hell black version that popped up today. The folks at WinFuture found retail images of various angles of the white model of Phone (1) and also of a never before seen black model. The phone in black is quite pretty, with the same transparent back and LED lights seen in the white version only now with a darker vibe. Nothing appears to have extended the darker color throughout the frame too, but you get a really great contrast of white-to-black when the LEDs are lit up. Nothing has not announced a black version, just so we're clear. The images certainly look official and they come from a source who discovers early retail imagery on the regular. I'd bet these are legit.

As we approach a full reveal on July 12, we are also learning what to expect in the specs department. 91Mobiles has a list that they believe to be correct. Their list tells the story of an upper mid-range phone that could be a strong option should the price be right. For Nothing Phone (1) specs, we could see a 6.55" AMOLED display at 120Hz, Snapdragon 778G+ chipset, 8GB RAM, 4500mAh battery with 45W charging, 16MP selfie camera, and a dual rear camera made up of 50MP main and 16MP wide-angle lenses. The Snapdragon 778G+ has also been confirmed by Input. With this chip and that size of battery, along with what we assume to be a 1080p display, the Nothing Phone (1) should be an efficient little guy. The 778G+ should be a solid chip for daily tasks in a phone that lasts all day and then some, you just shouldn't expect it to power the most intense of games. My biggest worry there is that the chip is kind of old and you have to wonder how long Nothing will end up supporting the phone via software, even if they do promise the world upfront. I'd pay not a penny over $500 for this device, assuming this info is all correct. You?

Gmail on the Web Gets Fresh Material You Styling

Kellen — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 14:52:06 +0000

Gmail on desktop picked up a big refresh earlier in the year when Google changed the layout some to better integrate Chat, Meet, and Spaces. The new layout made it easy for users to quickly switch between each app from the same page, without having to open new tabs to carry on conversations, answer an email, and then jump into a meeting. As that rollout has hit most users, Google has now announced that they are adding a Material You refresh as well. In a blog post to Workspace users who want to opt-out of the new integrated view of Gmail, Google shared images of the Material You look, with blue accents everywhere, rounded rectangle shapes, and more colors. Below, you can see that not much is actually changing. In fact, the blue color is likely to become the "Default" theme, while the Compose button is turning more rectangle vs. oblong shape we have now. That matches up to most Material You apps and their buttons. Google appears to be doing away with its shadow too. After that change, you'll notice colored labels and not much else.

Google says to expect rollout of this new Material You to arrive starting June 28. This is a staged rollout, so don't be alarmed if you don't see it right away.

Verizon Alerts Shared Data Customers of Inbound Price Hike

Tim — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 12:32:50 +0000

By all accounts, Verizon had an amazing and extremely profitable fiscal year last year. Operating revenues were up 4.1 percent over 2020, topping off at $133.6 billion. That's a ton of money, but sadly, and at the expense of its customers, "operating costs" have risen for the carrier, resulting in customers on Shared Data plans to pay an increased monthly price for their service starting in August. Notifications of this change are beginning to hit customer inboxes. In an email forwarded to us, Verizon thanks the individual for being a customer, then hits them right where it hurts -- the wallet.

Matthew thank you for being a Verizon customer. We are committed to bringing you the best experience on your Shared Data plan. Due to rising operational costs, you'll see an increase of $12/mo. on your current plan, which will appear on your bill as a separate charge, no sooner than 8.2.22.

News of these price hikes began circulating earlier this month. The bottom line? Verizon is increasing its ridiculous administrative fee from $1.35 per voice line to $3.30, as well as introducing a "rate plan adjustment" in customers' next bill to account for the added cost of maintaining these legacy plans. Wireless postpaid customers on all metered Shared Data plans will be greeted by a rate plan adjustment charge of $6 per month for a single-line phone account and $12 per month for multi-line phone accounts. They do have a way of making it seem like hard work, allowing people to keep the plan they've had for who knows how long. Inflation strikes again. Or is it capitalist greed? Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference. Cheers Matthew!

Niantic's Next Game is a 1-on-1 NBA Basketball Experience Called "NBA All-World"

Kellen — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 11:11:39 +0000

The next real-world, AR-focused game from Niantic Labs is going to be a fun one for the sports fans around. Called NBA All-World, Niantic has built an officially-licensed mobile game that'll get you in the real world playing basketball in a 1-on-1 scenario. We don't have all of the info we need to really understand how any of this will work, but Niantic describes NBA All-World as "a new type of sports game, one that blends the real world with 1-on-1 basketball action, collecting, fashion and more." They also said that All-World will help you "Get outside, step into the sneakers of today’s NBA stars & go 1v1 against the best players in the world." There will be neighborhood exploring, "mini-games to become King of the Court,"and sneaker and gear drops for both fashion and performance improvements. I'm imagining a collecting experience like Pokemon Go, but also with the 1-on-1 battles you'd find, only this time at your local basketball court or arena. That sounds awesome. For now, Niantic isn't saying when this game will launch. As of today, they plan to make it available to a limited number of markets for beta testing in a soft launch. To try and get in that soft launch, you'll head to nbaallworld.com to sign-up and stay up-to-date.

Look and Talk Feature Hits Nest Hub Max Units

Tim — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 10:49:48 +0000

First detailed back in May during Google I/O, Nest Hub Max owners can now enable and utilize the new Look and Talk feature, allowing you to skip the "Ok Google" prompt we've been saying for years now. When enabled, so long as your face is easily visible for the Hub Max and within 5 feet, the device will recognize you and then be awaiting your commands. You'll need to maintain your gaze on the device for it to take commands, which is a little lame, but it's still a helpful addition. Here's how to get it up and running.

How to enable Look and Talk

Open the Google Home app.
On the Home screen, tap Settings.
In the "Features" section, tap Google Assistant Face Match.
Find the name of your Nest Hub Max, turn on "Look and Talk."

As a cherry on top for all compatible Nest devices, there are new July 4 ringtones available for a limited time. // Google

Google Tells Remaining Hangouts Users That It's Time for Chat

Kellen — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 08:24:55 +0000

We've been talking about the end of Hangouts for at least a couple of years now, thanks to Google confirming that Google Chat would eventually replace it and that they'd one day force you to use it. After several steps have cleared for Google to push its Workspace users onto Chat, the focus will finally turn this week to everyone else still hanging on to Hangouts. Actually, I thought this transition had already started, but here we really are. Google announced that Hangouts users will see a message pop-up within the app that says "It's time for Chat in Gmail" and that "Hangouts has been replaced by Google Chat." Users will then be redirected to a "Learn More" page or given a shortcut to open Chat within Gmail, since that's a thing. They could also use Chat in its own app too. For those still on Hangouts, I promise you that Chat is a more polished, modern app even if it is a bit different. The chat layout within a conversation still isn't great, but the app has dark mode, lots of ways to setup meetings or video chats, attach files from Drive, and more. Google also says that direct calling, in-line threading in Spaces, and (finally) the ability to share and view multiple images is coming soon. This is an app they improve with regularity, unlike Hangouts. Chat is a messaging app that can be experienced in all sorts of places too. You really can carry on chats in the Gmail app on all platforms, plus there is a desktop experience within Gmail, a stand-alone setup on its own Chat URL, and individual Chat apps. Chat is everywhere.

Worried about all of your old Hangouts conversations disappearing? They shouldn't. Google has already migrated your conversations over to Google Chat. Simply open Chat and look for yourself. They started this process some time ago and you should be all set once they tell you it's time to move on from Hangouts. If you are wondering how many more times we are going to write this article, about the end of Hangouts, Google specifically called this the "final step to bring remaining Hangouts users to Chat." This should be it, guys.

Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL Gets Surprise, Likely Final Update

Kellen — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 07:07:19 +0000

Update support for the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL was originally scheduled to end back in November of last year. Once that final month rolled around, Googled promised another final update, likely to button things up a bit before sending the phones on their way. The actually delivered two more updates in January and February, the February build expected as the last. And then yesterday, Google pushed another update to each phone as builds SP1A.210812.016.B2 and SP1A.210812.016.C2. The "B2" update is for those running a Pixel 3 on Telstra, Optus, or Vodafone AU, while the "C2" build is global and for everyone else. The update is listed as a "June" update, but it should still keep the phone on an older security patch. Google has said the update is really here just to deliver VoLTE roaming. If you are still running either of these Pixel 3 phones, feel free to head into Settings>System>Advanced>System update and check for updates. If you'd rather flash the factory image or OTA files, you can find those here.

Pixel Watch 2 Is Going To Be So Sweet

Tim — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 12:53:55 +0000

First generation Google products. I wouldn't say they always have issues, but many times, they have issues. This isn't purely a Google thing either, but a tech industry thing in general. A lot of times, products need an iteration or two following the initial launch to really get dialed in. I'm not saying this will be the case for the upcoming Pixel Watch, but it's probably going to be the case for the Pixel Watch. There's a general excitement surrounding the Pixel Watch, though, the reports and leaks regarding the device haven't exactly helped it. Google has yet to confirm many of the specs for the device, leaving us with only rumors. One of those rumors is the inclusion of the 4-year old Exynos 9110, the same chip first found in the Galaxy Watch. Frankly, that news was rather alarming when it first hit the web. However, according to a newer report, that Exynos 9110 will be coupled with a co-processor that should help create a better smartwatch experience. Does that change the possible fact that we have a 4-year old chip powering this wearable? Not in the slightest. It seems possible that Google will discuss the creation and development of this device once it is launched which would provide insight into why they chose the 9110, but for a second iteration, I would expect Google to use newer silicon. When folks are spending their hard earned money, they probably want the latest and great components. If the Pixel Watch launches with performance issues, expect Pixel Watch 2 to address them. On maybe a more personal note, I think the proprietary band system for the Pixel Watch is a horrible idea. I'm going to go out on a big limb and predict that Google goes to a standard quick release band design with the Pixel Watch 2. The reason I don't care for the Pixel Watch's band system is quite simple and it comes down to options. It's already been reported that Google will offer plenty of options for buyers, but incorporating a quick release system with lugs on the device opens up the options from tens (maybe hundreds) to literally thousands. Anytime we have a proprietary system with accessory makers having to create specialized products means consumers are going to have to spend more money. It's not user friendly and it's a very Apple way of thinking, something I think Google should always try to avoid. We want this watch accessible and capable of extending one's personality to the wrist. That's much easier when we allow owners to change out their straps to whatever they want, not possible with a proprietary system.

We don't know what sort of improvements Google will need to make year-over-year until we have the Pixel Watch on our wrist. That being said, it's always a reasonable bet that a first-gen product like this will launch with bugs or something that needs to be tweaked. I don't think I'll be prepared to offer a true verdict on this device until Google has time to issue a few software updates and provide necessary software tune-ups. If you're someone who relies heavily on the first wave of product reviews, I'd urge you to remain calm, even if reviewers are unhappy with the device. Give Google some time to work out any kicks, that is, if there are any. It's always possible Google releases this thing and it's flawless, but c'mon, this is Google we're talking about. With all of this said, I'll be buying a Pixel Watch as soon as they're up for pre-order and I hope it's everything we've been waiting for. I'm remaining optimistic, but I'm also a realist who has been in this industry long enough to know how this sort of thing usually pans out.

Bug Squashing Android 13 Beta 3.3 Released for Pixel Devices

Tim — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 10:32:20 +0000

Another beta update for Android 13 is rolling out to supported Pixel devices, this time labeled as Beta 3.3. It's another big bug fixer according to the changelog, a great sign for Android 13, as it has been already running pretty smoothly on my own Pixel 6 Pro. Below you can view the full list of changes in Android 13 Beta 3.3, but a few of the things that stick out to us are a fix for a system UI crash when using the back gesture, a fixed kernel issue, a fixed issue with the Connectivity Thermal Power Manager, and plenty else.

What's New in Beta 3.3

Fixed an issue with the Pixel launcher where if the Always show keyboard option was enabled for the app drawer, then when the user closed the app drawer and opened an app folder on the Home screen, the keyboard was erroneously shown as well. (Issue #236584457)
Fixed an issue where in some cases, such as gesturing to go back, the system UI crashed. (Issue #236558007)
Fixed an issue where devices couldn't connect to a WiFi network in some cases even when the network was available and the signal strength was good. (Issue #236617510)
Fixed an issue where the BluetoothManagerService continued to try and bind to the TbsService even when bluetooth.profile.ccp.server.enabled was false, leading to slow performance and cold starts for apps.
Fixed an issue where in some cases after a device was plugged in to charge (for example, overnight), the device would become unresponsive until it was rebooted.
Fixed a kernel issue with lib/list_debug.c that caused a kernel panic in certain cases on some devices.
Fixed an issue with the Connectivity Thermal Power Manager that caused slow UI rendering, unresponsiveness in apps, and poor battery performance in some cases.

The build is rolling out as TPB3.220617.002 and the new OTA and factory image files are already available for the Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, and Pixel 6 lines. If you are in the Android Beta program, this update should be delivered over-the-air.

Release date: June 27, 2022 Build: TPB3.220617.002 Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A) Security patch level: June 2022 Google Play services: 22.21.16

Feel free to grab that update right away. 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.

Unlocked OnePlus Nord 20 5G Now Up for Purchase at $299

Tim — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 10:18:48 +0000

An unlocked variant of the Nord 20 5G from OnePlus is now up for sale on the company's website and should soon be hitting Amazon and Best Buy. This is the same phone that launched onto T-Mobile's network back in late April, a handsome device, though, it's not much more than that.

Related: Nord 20 5G design is hot.

For its price of just $299, Nord 20 5G features a Snapdragon 695 processor, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage, and a 6.43″ FHD AMOLED display at 60Hz. There’s also an in-display fingerprint reader, 4500mAh battery with 33W fast charging, and a main 64MP camera. At sub-$300, that's not a bad offering at all, but after having spent time with the device, Kellen wasn't impressed at all. Again, if you'd like to purchase this unlocked model, you can find it on the OnePlus website, as well as soon on Amazon, Best Buy, and even Mint Mobile.

OnePlus Link

Google's Fast Pair Feature Comes to Wear OS (Updated)

Tim — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 08:42:50 +0000

Google's Fast Pair feature, designed to quickly connect Bluetooth-powered audio devices to smartphones, is now headed to Wear OS. This seems to be right in time for the Pixel Watch, which is scheduled to launch later this year.

Related: Pixel Watch is Official!

As Google describes via its Google System Update for June, "Fast Pair on Wear OS allows previously paired headphones to be discovered and connected to wearables." This is a welcomed addition to the platform and likely won't be exclusive to just the Pixel Watch, meaning it should be available to all supported Wear OS devices in due time. This Fall should be a pretty exciting time for Google fans. We have the Pixel 7 lineup, Pixel Watch, and Pixel Buds Pro inbound. Good times.

UPDATE: Google has since removed the mention of Fast Pair for Wear OS and the Google Play Services v22.24 reference. They either didn't mean to include that feature announcement or it's not available in that version of GPS or who knows. We'll let you know if official details come at some point down the road.

// Google

DEAL: Pixel 6 Pro for $779 From Woot, $120 Off Usual Price

Tim — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 08:13:04 +0000

Woot!, an arm of Amazon, is selling the Pixel 6 Pro at a discounted price today. The Pixel 6 Pro being on sale is always newsworthy, as Google rarely discounts the device, so if you've been looking for an excuse to upgrade devices and get Android 13 up and running, let's go for it. Woot's price for the 6 Pro is currently $779, which $120 off Google's usual $899 price. For Amazon Prime members, that includes free shipping. These are new and unlocked models, available in all three colors -- Stormy Black, Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny. Beyond that, if you're reading Droid Life, I'll assume you know what you're getting with the Pixel 6 Pro. Follow the link below to get in on the action.

Woot! Link

Cheers Chad!

Fossil Intros Gen 6 Hybrid, an Improved Combo of Timepiece and Digital Goodies

Tim — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 11:35:00 +0000

Fossil introduced its latest wearable this week, the Gen 6 Hybrid, a combo of a traditional timepiece and a few of the fitness tracking/digital notifications we enjoy about smartwatches. Basically, it's for those who don't want a smartwatch, but appreciate a few of the features that only a smartwatch can offer. Available in a variety of styles, the Gen 6 Hybrid features up to two weeks of battery depending on usage, the ability to preview calls and texts, heart rate sensor, two case size options (45mm and 40.5mm), E-ink gray-scale display with backlight for night time visibility, step counting, plus plenty more. Fossil also has a new and improved companion app for controlling the smartwatch and getting features synced up with your smartphone. Gen 6 Hybrid will be available on June 27 starting at $229 for leather and silicone strap options, with bracelet styles priced at $249.

Fossil Gen 6 Hybrid

Expect a Much Brighter Display on the Pixel 7 Pro

Tim — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 08:28:52 +0000

I'm not sure that any Google device has been known for having an overly bright display. It's simply not been a characteristic of Pixel or Nexus devices in the past, but if a new discovery concerning Google's upcoming phones is accurate, then we could be looking at quite a change with the Pixel 7 Pro. Thanks to code digging by XDA's Mishaal Rahman, it's been noted that the Pixel 7 Pro appears to be in line to use Samsung's S6E3HC4 display panel. To most, that chain of letters and numbers won't mean squat, but for us phone nerds, it means that the device should be capable of increased brightness in both normal viewing mode and high brightness mode. By the numbers, during normal viewing, the Pixel 7 Pro could cap at 600 nits, while the Pixel 6 Pro is capable of only 500 nits. However, with high brightness mode enabled, users can get up to 1000 nits, with the 6 Pro currently pushing 800 nits. That is quite a jump. Rahman speculates that if the Pixel 7 Pro is in high brightness mode with a lower APL of 100%, then we could be looking at an absolute peak 1200+ nits. The Pixel 6 Pro has become a pretty great phone after months of updates. I'm currently using it as my daily with the Android 13 beta. It's a fun and smooth phone, though, its display's lack of brightness at anything below 75% is something I noticed immediately coming from other phones. I'll be looking forward to this change on the Pixel 7 Pro. // @MishaalRahman

OSOM's First Phone is Called Solana Saga, a $1,000 Crypto Phone

Kellen — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 11:31:27 +0000

Oh man, I guess we're going to have to revisit a previous pledge we made about the first phone from OSOM, previously referred to as OV1. I said back in December that if the privacy-focused OV1 launched with the word "crypto" anywhere near it, we'd never talk about it again. Well, folks, it's a crypto phone. God dammit, man. The OSOM phone has been revealed today in full and it is now known as Solana Saga, a phone branded by a web3 company called Solana Labs, but most definitely made by OSOM. OSOM has also confirmed to me that Saga is indeed OV1. Solana Saga's tagline at the moment appears to be, "It's time for crypto to go mobile" and that it is "a flagship-quality Android device purpose-built for crypto." Additionally, the Saga is "tightly integrated with the Solana blockchain making it easy and secure to transact in web3 and manage digital assets, such as tokens and NFTs." If we try to move on from that association, here's what we know about Solana Saga. The phone will cost $1,000 and you can reserve one now with a $100 fully refundable deposit (but you'll need a Solana crypto wallet to do so). The phone is expected to ship around Q1 2023 and will initially launch in US, CA, EU, and UK.

As for specs, it has all of the goods, which is probably why we are still talking about it. Solana Saga features a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, 512GB storage, 12GB RAM, 6.55" FHD AMOLED display at 120Hz, 4100mAh battery with wireless charging, Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi 6, rear fingerprint sensor, 16MP selfie shooter, and a dual camera. The dual camera is made up of a 50MP (IMX766, f/1.8) main shooter and a 12MP (IMX373, f/2.2, 120° FOV) ultra-wide lens. The dimensions of the phone are 166.2mm x 75.9mm x 7.9mm and it weighs around 195g. Note: The specs above were grabbed from OSOM's site here. However, during a press event to unveil the phone, Solana showed a slide that said the device has a 6.67" display. We'll try to confirm all the specs. OSOM sent us the following quote on Saga from their CEO, Jason Keats:

“OSOM is incredibly excited to partner with Solana in building the Saga. The world needs novel hardware companies to support the future that is Web3. Building out an ecosystem that looks to the future without being burdened by past legacy ecosystems is hugely exciting” says Jason Keats, Founder and CEO of OSOM Products Inc.

If interested in buying one, Solana says orders "will be prioritized for developers in order to test the Solana Mobile Stack and Saga." I'm hoping for those of us not that interested in the world of crypto or who aren't developers that we'll just be able to buy one at some point. In the end, it sure looks like a high-end Android phone with a secure element that would be a good daily driver. I would also point out that this is the Essential team building this and we know how good they were at hardware design and software support. They made big promises on the camera for this phone and that they had learned a lot from the failures of that first Essential phone. We have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this device, even if it now has a crypto-focus. It could still be worth exploring because of who is building it, unless Solana running the show changes too much. Ugh.

Solana Saga pre-order link

Only 147 People Bid on the 100 Numbered Nothing Phone (1)s (Updated: More Bids!)

Kellen — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 10:40:41 +0000

The Nothing Phone (1) has had an up and down couple of weeks. We first got a look at the phone days ago before a full hands-on video tour showed off its neatly-integrated LED lights that have been included on its backside. Positive tours aside, the design has also been mocked a bit as an iPhone 12 clone, even if some of us (Tim and I) happen to like the look and the light idea. It's at least something different in a sea of nothing but the same. In between all of the design reveals and iPhone 12 jokes, Nothing launched an exclusive auction for the Nothing Phone (1) through StockX, like they did with their original earbuds. The DropX listing was for 100 limited edition Phone (1) devices that would be serialized with a number for those with winning bids. Since I mentioned Nothing having a couple of up and down weeks, let me just say that this DropX situation appears to be on the downer side. The 2-day auction for 100 limited edition Nothing Phone (1)s only managed to pull in 147 bids, according to the listing that ended this morning, June 23, at 8:59AM Eastern. There are a couple of ridiculous bids around the $3,000 mark, but if Nothing actually confirms the top 100 all get phones, someone could walk away with this limited device for as little as $812. Now, we don't know how much Nothing is planning to sell this phone for. They could ask $400 or $600 or $800 (or $500?), but considering that only 147 people signed-up to buy this limited model and may walk away with one for as little as $812, I can't imagine this auction is looked at as any sort of success. I'm no marketing mastermind, but a limited run of a device - essentially a one of a kind situation - should garner more attention than 147 people. Then again, this week's news that Nothing has decided not to launch Phone (1) in the US couldn't have helped. There was a giant warning on the DropX page that told users to beware if they were in North America, as the phone wouldn't work well here. We then speculated that Nothing's US plans were up in the air and those thoughts were later confirmed by the company. Maybe the lack of bids means nothing in the end. Maybe everyone is waiting to know more, to get the full set of specs, and the price. Maybe StockX/DropX users are mostly located in North America and aren't interested in overpaying for a phone that will barely work here. Or maybe the OnePlus launch playbook is an immediate turn-off to the tech obsessed crowd this phone is aimed at? Did we mention that Nothing is doing an invite system for the Phone (1)? Heh.

UPDATE 6/28: Nothing reached out this week to let us know that StockX has confirmed to them that there were actually 2,680 bids. You see, the problem is that StockX lists on their site "All Bids" when you click through a listing to view current bids. Again, it says "ALL BIDS" as if that were all of the bids for a product. It doesn't say "Top Bids" or "Most recent bids" or "Top 100" or whatever. It says, "All Bids." Anyways, we wanted to clarify that 2,680 people did indeed bid on the Nothing Phone (1). Nothing also promised us more data related to the bids, so if there is interesting info there, we'll see if we can share it.
On a related note, Nothing's Carl Pei recently Tweeted that they already have 100,000 pre-orders in after opening those, so that's cool. Still too bad they aren't bringing this phone to the US.
Oh, our bid was charged and we should have a limited edition Nothing Phone (1) in the next few weeks.

Reported Galaxy Watch 5 Prices Confirm Suspicions: Devices Won't Be Free

Tim — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 09:12:31 +0000

Thanks to a recent leak, we can now confirm that the upcoming wearables from Samsung, the Galaxy Watch 5 lineup, will indeed cost money upon release. How much money? Well, that's the actual reason for this post. Please, don't hit me. According to Roland Quandt of WinFuture (European tech publication with a long history of accurate early intel), the Galaxy Watch 5 with 40mm case will come in starting at 300 euro, with the price going up by 50 euro if you opt for the LTE model. For the larger 44mm variant, the price starts at 350 euro and gets the same 50 euro bump for LTE radios. As for the rumored Galaxy Watch 5 Pro (no longer called Classic), it will start at a whopping 490 euro for just Bluetooth connectivity and then go up to 540 euro for LTE. The Watch 5 Pro is listed as only coming in a 45mm option. Do note, we are talking euros here, meaning the pricing in the US could differ, but even if it does, it may not be by much. We'll certainly keep you posted as we learn more concerning these anticipated wearables from Samsung. // @rquandt

Twitter Hates Its Own Character Limit, Intros 'Notes' for Legit Writers

Tim — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 14:21:15 +0000

Twitter introduced Notes this week, a place for real writers, not lame bloggers like me, to write a ton of words and not have to worry about silly character limits. To my trained eye, it's essentially a Twitter-based blogging platform, capable of pulling in tweets and photos, and once you're done, becomes easily shareable to your timeline. Twitter says it is currently testing Notes with a small handful of writers and a few of them have already posted samples for our reading pleasure. If you fancy yourself a writer, be on the lookout for this feature to make its way to more people down the road. For now, we'll need to enjoy other peoples' work. https://twitter.com/TwitterWrite/status/1539640956915290112

Fitbit Owners Get New Premium Sleep Profiles

Tim — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 12:15:44 +0000

Fitbit announced premium sleep profiles for select device owners this week, allowing you to get deeper insights into your sleep. If you own a Sense, Versa 3, Versa 2, Charge 5, Luxe, or Inspire 2 device you should begin seeing these new profiles starting in early July or then receive updated details around the first of each month. To break it down, Fitbit's Sleep Profile will analyze a user's sleep across 10 key metrics each month, calculating trends and then comparing them to what’s typical for the user's age and gender. The hope is that this information can then show users where they can improve in the sleep department. Fitbit is also using adorable animals to best describe your sleep. For example, there's a bear (someone with a consistent sleep schedule who reaches sound sleep quickly) and there's also a hedgehog (fall asleep later and wake up earlier - light sleeper). There's a ton of data to go through, so for those who love the sleep tracking, it's a great bonus to owning a Fitbit. You will need Fitbit Premium to use this, naturally. That'll cost you $10/mo or $80/year. // Google

Google News Gets Redesign on Desktop With More Local News, More Fact Checking

Tim — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 09:03:16 +0000

A redesigned version of Google News is rolling out to desktop users, complete with more emphasis on local news, fact checking, and personalized topics. Speaking on the redesign, Google says that, "Our new look for Google News on desktop was inspired by feedback we received from readers. We’ve made it easier to catch up on the most important news by bringing Top stories, Local news and personalized picks to the top of the page." As users will notice, that's exactly what has changed. On the Google News homepage (aka Your Briefing), you'll find a large section on the right side for your local stories, as well as "Picks for you" right below. In the local news tab, you can quickly add additional locations you want to follow, too. For example, I added my current small town, but also added my hometown in California. Below Top Stories and Local News, you'll find Topics. This is where you can deep dive into the things you personally care about. You can view increased tech news, entertainment news, as well as sports. And with misinformation not going away anytime soon, Google has expanded its fact checking on the platform as well.

To help you make more informed judgments about the information you come across online, we’ve expanded our Fact Check section in Google News on desktop to provide more context. In addition to headlines, you’ll now see the original claim made along with the fact-checked assessment from independent organizations.

The redesigned Google News is available right now on desktop. Have at it.

Google News Link

// Google

Montblanc Summit 3 is Official and It Runs Wear OS 3!

Kellen — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 06:00:45 +0000

Another new smartwatch is upon us, one that Google told us was on the horizon - Montblanc has announced the Summit 3, a high-end Wear OS watch that runs Qualcomm's latest chip and also happens to have Wear OS 3. This one is noteworthy, even if the price is out of the range for most of us. What we know for now is that the Montblanc Summit 3 is official, is powered by a Snapdragon Wear 4100+, has a bigger battery than the previous generation Summit 2 ("20 hours of battery life," we're told), comes in three different colorways, has a 42mm case, and again, runs Wear OS 3. It will cost $1,290 in the US and will be "available soon." Shortly after posting our original story, Montblanc has now published listings for the watch, so here's the rest of the goods. The Summit 3 has a 1.28" AMOLED display (416x416) with sapphire glass, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, a 0.55" thick case, 5ATM water resistance, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and a heartrate sensor. It has 3 buttons on the right side, one that is a rotating crown. The Summit 3 will charge via included charging cradle that uses pins. The three colors can be seen below, including a Titanium Black, Titanium Bicolor, and Titanium Grey. Each watch comes with both leather and rubber straps to help you tackle the day.

As for the rest of the story, again, we've been waiting to hear back and Montblanc has yet to post all of the details. We know there are a bunch of new custom watchfaces, sports and fitness tracking (including SpO2), and all the Google apps, like Google Maps. Below is a look at a bit of the OS, since Wear OS 3 is a huge part of the why this watch is interesting. Outside of Samsung and the Galaxy Watch 4, there are no other watches running Wear OS 3. To see it now arriving on another watch with so little detail available is kind of weird. Hopefully, we'll get one on the wrist before long.

Overall, the watch looks nice, right?

Nothing Phone (1) US Availability Now Being Questioned (Updated: Confirmed)

Tim — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 14:42:22 +0000

With more information being made available for the Nothing Phone (1) via the company's auction of the first 100 units, US availability and support for the device is now being questioned. This is an unsettling development to say the very least, so let's go over what has happened. The new information comes straight from Nothing on its StockX listing page for Phone (1), the place where the company is currently hosting an auction for the first 100 units off the line. In black and white the listing states, "Nothing phone (1) is not fully supported in North America." Furthermore, Nothing lists carriers supported by country and you'll notice that the US isn't listed at all. Not even a GSM carrier, such as T-Mobile or AT&T. Now, before we collapse into a fit of Android depression, it's unclear if this non-support is limited to these first 100 units or the entire run of Phone (1) devices. It's also possible Nothing needs to conduct further testing and get certification to list it as supported in the US, but I'll be honest, it's not looking great. Are we surprised? Well, yeah, kinda. Nothing has used a ton of US-based things to hype up this device. It's used MKBHD (US-based YouTuber) for hyping, Qualcomm (US-based company) for its processors, as well as StockX (US-based selling platform) to sell the damn thing. While it's understandable for a newcomer to not want to dive directly into the US market, a market completely and absolutely dominated by two players, we were personally very much looking forward to playing with a new brand of Android phone. We had high hopes, but those got dashed pretty hard just now. We've reached out to Nothing for comment regarding availability of Phone (1) in the US. We'll keep you posted. In the meantime, if you want to try buying a unit, you'll need to spend $3,000+. What a crazy world we live in.

UPDATE 6/22: Nothing confirmed this morning to PCMag that the Phone (1) will not be coming to the US, at least for now. They also confirmed that network coverage will be spotty should you decide to try and import one. You'll have "unpredictable" coverage on T-Mobile, no VoLTE on AT&T, and zero service on Verizon. Here's the statement they provided:

"While we’d love to bring phone (1) to the entire community around the world, we're focusing on home markets, including the UK and Europe, where we have strong partnerships with leading local carriers. It takes a lot to launch a smartphone as you know, from ensuring the handset is supported by the country’s cellular technologies to carrier partnerships and local regulation, and as we're still a young brand we need to be strategic about it." "We have big plans to launch a U.S. supported smartphone in the future. For now, a limited number of our private community investors in the U.S. will be able to get their hands on phone (1) through a closed beta program. In the meantime, if readers really want phone (1) to be available in the US as soon as possible, they should call their carrier to let them know about us."

There's a lot happening in that statement, but it sure sounds like they didn't want to deal with all of the US carrier BS that would be required to get the phone working here. Or maybe they didn't want to spend the money necessary. Either way, we may see a Nothing phone one day, just not this one.

Your Pixel 6 Pro is 8 Months Old: How's the Experience Today?

Kellen — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 12:12:08 +0000

If you bought a Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro when it first launched, you have owned one for a full 8 months. During that time, a lot has happened in the world of the Pixel 6 line, including the unveiling of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, the two phones that should replace the Pixel 6 later this year. The timing got me thinking today about where these phones stand in the minds of their owners and how life has been recently, now that we are several major updates into their lives. The story of the Pixel 6 line is well documented at this point. You should know about the software delays, the never-ending coverage of bugs that Google needed to address through several updates, and that long mix-up in quarterly updates that caused a significant wait over the winter holiday season. But now things are flowing nicely, with no recent delays in monthly patches, including the latest June update that a bunch of us beta tested for months. I can tell you that Tim and I have danced between the Pixel 6 line off and on since launch. I've enjoyed the Pixel 6, somehow found the Pixel 6 Pro's massive size and curved display to be quite pleasant, and haven't run into nearly the number of issues as some owners seem to be able to list. For the most part, outside of a modem disconnection here and there, I have had zero complaints about the Pixel 6 line outside of size. I'll never back down from believing that both phones are too damn big and that Google should have given us a small "Pro" option. It sure seems like Google is satisfied with the Pixel 6 line too. They just told us at Google I/O that've sold more than the Pixel 4 and Pixel 5 combined. As far as we can tell, Google believes the Pixel 6 to be a success. I'd argue that things are extremely quiet in Pixel 6 communities at the moment. I noticed a similar silence at the 6-month mark, but after the big June update, it's almost like we are finally at the point that people are all good with their Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro. Or am I reading that wrong? Are people just living with bugs that never seem to go away and are sick of complaining about them? Are they learning to deal with bugs that are unfixable? Did they switch phones and move on to a world without the need to complain on reddit? It's time to check-in, Pixel 6 owners. How are things today?

Google Warns Nest x Yale Lock, Nest Detect Owners of Upcoming 'Range Extender' Change

Tim — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 11:48:24 +0000

If you're someone who uses a Nest Hub Max as a range extender for your Nest x Yale Lock or Nest Detect devices, the following information is very important. This week, Google has sent a letter to those device owners, informing them that due to an upcoming software update for the Nest Hub Max, the range extender functionality will no longer be supported. Detailed to be coming in the end of July, the software update is said to bump up the Nest Hub Max with Matter over Thread standards. Unknown by us, these standards must somehow affect that range extender functionality, so away it will go once that update begins to roll out. In order to solve this issue, Google has a simple solution: Move your Nest Connect or Nest Guard closer to your lock or open/close sensor. It should be that simple, though, there must've been cause for the Hub Max to act as a range extender in the first place. There must've been a case for it. Regardless, Google says this should only affect a small number of people, so that's good. Here's the full letter being sent to owners.

We’re reaching out to let you know that coming in late July we will make some software updates to Nest Hub Max to make sure you’re ready for the upcoming Matter over Thread standard that will enable future forward compatibility with hundreds of partner devices.‌ This update will impact a small number of Nest x Yale Lock users and Nest Detect users that use Nest Hub Max as a range extender between their device, and their Nest Connect or Nest Guard, which connects their lock or open/close sensors to Wi-Fi. Once this update rolls out, Nest Hub Max will no longer support extender functionality for the Nest x Yale Lock and Nest Detect. At that time, users whose locks are out of range of their Nest Connect or Nest Guard will not be able to lock or unlock their lock with the Nest app. Users will still be able to lock and unlock the door using the keypad on Nest x Yale Lock. Nest Detects that are out of range of Nest Connect or Nest Guard will not be able to connect to Wi-Fi and will go offline. If you’re affected by this change and your lock or open/close sensor go offline, you will need to move your Nest Connect or Nest Guard closer to your lock or open/close sensor so your device can connect to Wi-Fi through either device.

If you're affected by this change, prepare yourselves.

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Available in US for $799, Has All the Specs You Want

Tim — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 08:45:18 +0000

Buying a ZTE here in the US phone may not be "hip" these days, but I'll be damned if I didn't say I was at least a bit curious about the company's latest flagship phone. The Axon 40 Ultra just went on sale and after looking over the spec sheet as well as the software features that ZTE has built on top of Android 12, plus when you factor in the $799 price, it's absolutely worth a look. For well below $1K, the Axon 40 Ultra includes a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, a base model of 8GB RAM + 128GB storage, 6.8-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and under-display selfie camera, 5,000mAh battery with 65W fast charging, dual SIM slot, dual speakers, under-display fingerprint reader, triple rear camera system (with dual Sony IMX 787 sensors), and Android 12. More on the software, ZTE is committing to security patch updates every 3 months (no mention of how many years that support lasts), as well as upgrading the device to Android 13 by the end of August. On the features side, ZTE has baked in many things for its rear-facing cameras, such as Smart Moon (multiple shots and image calculations to magnify the moon to a level that mimics that of the naked eye), Star Enhancement, an AI-powered Constellation Connection feature, Super Night Video, as well as Dual OIS and EIS for system wide stabilization. If you're ready to give something other than a Pixel, OnePlus, or Samsung device a try, why not ZTE? I may ask for a review unit and see about giving this device a shot. It really doesn't look all too bad at that $799 price.

Buy Axon 40 Ultra

Here's the Nothing Phone (1) and Its Fun Backside Lights in Action

Kellen — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 08:31:51 +0000

The Nothing Phone (1) won't be fully revealed for another couple of weeks, but because we're just running back the early OnePlus playbook, the teases are only intensifying. Today, we get the biggest of them yet, with an MKBHD hands-on that shows off a lot of the features coming to the back of the phone and its fun LED lights. In the video, Marques shows off several good angles of the phone, which does indeed have that squared-off look you really only get with an iPhone. Make the iPhone 12 jokes all you want, I just think there's still something unique here, even if that's mostly because of the see-through glass and the now-confirmed LED lights on the backside that Nothing will use to highlight several functions. Nothing has embedded several LED lights under the glass of the back of the phone. There are lights curving around the cameras, the wireless charging coil, and as accents in the top right corner and as a line that sort of extends up from the charging port. These lights will be used for all sorts of stuff, so hopefully if you buy one you don't plan on using a case and are comfortable flipping it over to be face down on a surface all of the time. Called the "Glyph Interface," Nothing has programmed the phone to be able to light up for notifications and incoming calls, as you might have guessed. When those two items do trigger the lights, the lights will match the pattern or beat from those sounds, which is kind of cool. The video shows this in action for several sounds, all of which I believe are custom sounds made for this phone.

The Glyph Interface settings page also mentions "Google Assistant Feedback," a "Flip to Glyph" feature, and an optional bedtime schedule. I'm not sure what kind of feedback it'll give you from Google Assistant, but maybe it's the lights mimicking the Assistant's voice as it talks back to you? The flipping option is sort of like a do not disturb mode that puts your phone in silent while still flashing lights for notifications and such. And the bedtime schedule is likely a no-light mode for when you are sleeping. You can turn it all off if you want too. As for other features, Nothing will let you turn the lights on when using the camera to better light an object. They'll also use that bottom line to act as a charging status indicator that fills from top to bottom to give you an idea of battery percentage. The light doesn't remain on all of the time when charging, but a little shake will wake it up for quick status checks. And I think that's mostly it. I've got to say, I really like these types of features on phones because they are at least different. They offer something new in a clever presentation. Of course, as I mentioned earlier, putting a case on it could take away some fun. I'm sure Nothing is making a case that'll still showcase the lights, but you get what I mean. The other thing is that I am absolutely never comfortable putting my phone face down on a desk or countertop or any other surface and so that kind of eliminates the chances I'd ever really take advantage of this. Either way, still fun even if not all that practical. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrkAmmMakMg

Galaxy Z Fold 3 is Up to $1,200 Off and You Get a Free Galaxy Watch 4

Kellen — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 12:59:00 +0000

The timing could be somewhat unfortunate if you realize the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is around the corner, but if you have been eyeing an upgrade to the Galaxy Z Fold 3 from a Fold 2, Samsung is willing to give you a lot of money for it today. They'll also give you a free Galaxy Watch 4 too. In a short-term deal that might disappear tomorrow, Samsung is handing out $1,200 discounts on the Galaxy Fold 3 if you trade-in a Galaxy Fold 2. With that discount, you could own a Fold 3 for as little as $599 with 256GB of storage. Should you own a Galaxy S21 Ultra or S20 Ultra instead of the older generation Fold, Samsung will give you $975 and $900 off, respectively. That's not bad. For the Galaxy Watch 4 part of this, during checkout, Samsung will let you choose a 40m Watch 4 in any color and with a band of your choice. That's a $290 value on top of that big trade-in discount you just got. As a reminder, Samsung gives you trade-in values as an instant discount today and asks for your old device later on to prove that your discount was warranted. It's the best trade-in program in the business with sometimes bloated values like we are seeing here. So again, I know that the Galaxy Fold 4 is around the corner and could have a couple of significant upgrades, but $599 for the Fold 3 is quite good. And yeah, free watches are nice bonuses too.

Shop Galaxy Fold 3 + Watch 4 deals

Samsung Discover Week Starts With Double Storage on Galaxy S22 Ultra, $1000 Off Trades

Kellen — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 10:21:15 +0000

Samsung Discover kicked off today, bringing with it a number of deals on Samsung's best devices throughout the week. This yearly event has given us solid deals in the past, some of which sell through quicker than we can share. To kick off Samsung Discover 2022, we have a deal on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, where Samsung is either doubling the storage at no extra cost or straight discounting higher storage models. And yeah, they'll still give you $1,000 off for trades, assuming you have a Galaxy S21 Ultra or Galaxy Z Fold 3 to hand in. For the storage promo, Samsung is doubling storage to 256GB on the Galaxy S22 Ultra and keeping the price matched to the 128GB model. If you think you might need 512GB storage, a $100 discount is included. If you want to go wild and buy the 1TB model, Samsung is dropping $150 off the price. So no matter what your needs, you are going to get at least 256GB of storage if you buy a Galaxy S22 Ultra. In addition to the storage deal/bump, Samsung is still offering $1,000 off depending on the phone you have to trade-in. For now, The Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 3 are fetching $1,000 instant discounts, but you'll also get $825 off for the Note 20 Ultra or Fold 2. Even the Galaxy S20 Ultra will get you $775 off. You can see the rest of the trade-in values here. As a reminder, Samsung's trade-in program is an instant discount program, meaning you get the value for your trade today. Should you buy a Galaxy S22 Ultra with 256GB and trade-in a Galaxy S21 Ultra, you would pay just $199. Hard to beat that price. New Discover deals are supposed to pop up each day, so even if you didn't like this deal, stay tuned for more. We'll do our best to point out the good ones as the week moves along.

Shop Samsung Discover and Galaxy S22 Ultra deals

Telegram Launches Premium Tier With a Ton of Features

Kellen — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 09:00:20 +0000

Telegram, the messaging app that has seen enormous growth in recent years, announced a premium tier for users who want a little extra and also as a way to help the platform generate a little money and remain free to use. Unlike Twitter's Blue subscription, Telegram is adding features you might want to pay for. Things like bigger file uploads, faster download speeds, double the amount of folders and channels you can access, voice-to-text transcriptions, unique stickers, badges, and premium app icons have all been announced. You get the feeling that this is only the beginning, though. If you are a big time Telegram user (not just a casual chat guy), subscribing might be worth it.

Here's everything included in Telegram Premium.

4GB file uploads: Telegram is doubling the file size you can share from 2GB to 4GB. On the flip side of this, know that all free users will be able to download (or receive) those 4GB files from a Premium user.
Faster downloads: Premium subscribers will be able to download "as fast as your network can keep up" with no limits on speeds. For everyone else, things could be slower at times.
Double chats, folders, channels and more: For Premium, Telegram is doubling a number of items like groups and channels (500 to 1000), pinned chats (5 to 10), public links (10 to 20), saved GIFs (200 to 400), 20 chat folders with up to 200 chats each, and up to 10 favorite stickers. You'll also be able to add a fourth Telegram account and write more in your Bio, with the option to add a link.
Voice-to-text transcriptions: When voice messages come through, Premium users will see a button that will attempt to transcribe them into text, should you be in a situation where you can't listen.
Unique stickers: Telegram continues to push its dozens of full-screen animation stickers that are available for Premium users, but that will show animations to all users.
Unique reactions: Premium users will get more reaction emoji, with over 10 options to choose from.
Chat management: Premium subscribers can better manage their chat setup, with an option to choose a default folder or have the app always open to a custom folder, like unread messages instead of all messages.
Animated profile pictures: Want a livelier profile picture? Premium users can add a profile video that then acts as an animated profile image for all users to see.
Premium badge: If you pay for Premium, you'll get a special badge to show off.
Premium app icons: Paying for Premium also means you'll get premium icons to chose from for your home screen.
No ads: In some countries and in some public channels, there are ads or "Sponsored Messages" - Premium makes those go away.

Quite the list, right? A lot of the new Premium features are only going to be beneficial to Telegram power users with massive lists of contacts or group chats or channel subscriptions, or who send lots of large files. However, things like voice-to-text of audio messages, more reactions, animated profile pictures, all of the cool new chat management stuff, and faster downloads would probably be useful for most of us. So how much is Telegram Premium? The price varies depending on region, but it looks like Telegram will charge $4.99/mo here in the US. Telegram is rolling out the Premium subscription, so you'll want to be on the lookout for an update depending on your platform of choice. Google Play Link: Telegram

Android Uses Drake's "Texts Go Green" to Keep Pitching RCS to Apple

Kellen — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 08:03:04 +0000

To start the weekend, Drake released a new album titled "Honestly, Nevermind," a super vibey summer dance album that is unlike almost anything the rapper has released. Whether the singsongy form of Drake is your favorite or not, at least one of the songs helped spark an Android moment. The third track on the album is called "Texts Go Green," a reference to green bubbles in Apple's iMessage. Drake is likely referring to a person getting a green bubble after they are blocked, but Google looked at this as a moment to once again pitch RCS to Apple. In a video explainer, Google talks about green bubbles that show up when your Android phone texts an iPhone. We all know the toxicity surrounding the color of the bubble that appears when you message an iPhone, and yeah, it probably is a problem Apple should try and fix. Google mentions that in suggesting that someone from Apple's "super talented engineering team" could fix this. In fact, Google's video says specifically that "this is a problem only Apple can fix." https://twitter.com/Android/status/1538308158510157824 What's the fix? Apple would need to adopt RCS or Rich Communication Services. RCS is the advanced messaging that Android phones use now, which allows for proper media sharing, bigger group texts, messaging over WiFi, and encryption (only in 1-on-1 conversations for now). RCS is great, but Apple has had all of its features (and then some) built into its own messages app for some time. Apple has (successfully) used iMessage as a major selling point for iPhones for years and really has no reason to consider RCS, outside of stopping the green bubble nonsense. On a funny note, Google actually Tweeted this #TextsGoGreen video two other times, but deleted because they first forgot the hearts at the end at first and then used too many hearts on the second one. I saw the Tweets as Google was posting them Saturday and kept wondering where they went. They finally settled on ending in just a single green heart. Anyways, who knows if Apple will ever adopt RCS. I'm not sure they've talked about it much publicly. One thing we do know is that they were strongly considering bringing iMessage over to Android at one point, only to shutdown the idea because they knew iMessage helped keep iPhone owners on new iPhones.

AT&T Prepaid Deal Gets you 16GB of Data for $25/mo, But You Need to Prepay a Year

Kellen — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 12:06:36 +0000

Prepaid is typically one of those plan types that you subscribe to because you want the flexibility to pay as you use a wireless carrier's service or because you aren't sure what the future holds. But what if you could lock-in a super low prepaid price with extra data by paying more money upfront? AT&T is hoping that sounds appealing. For a limited time, AT&T Prepaid is hosting a deal on a prepaid plan that gets you 16GB of high-speed data to use each month at a really tasty price of $25/mo. However, there's a bit of a catch here. In order to get the price that low, you actually have to pay for 12-months of service, so you are really paying $300 today. This specific plan typically only has 8GB of data, so AT&T is doubling it to 16GB and then dropping the price like crazy. Comparable plans on Verizon feature 15GB of data at $50/mo, while T-Mobile's closest is 10GB of data at $40/mo. You can see here how good of a deal AT&T's plan is, assuming you want to pay them $300 today. This 16GB prepaid plan from AT&T has HD streaming (1080p), rollover data, mobile hotspot, talk/text/data in Mexico and Canada, and unlimited texting to over 230 countries. It also has unlimited talk and text in the US, like every plan. The $300 or $25/mo deal is going to be around for a while (October), so if you don't have the $300 today, you have some time to think it over. You can shop the deal at AT&T's site.

Pixel Watch Could Get a Bunch of Watch Band Options From Google

Kellen — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 09:36:01 +0000

A big part of owning a watch is personalizing it with a watch band that represents your style. Whether you like a sporty band or a dressier leather piece, there are countless options on the market for watch owners who want to change the vibes from day to day. Unfortunately, for most Android watches, finding a new watch band has meant running over to Amazon and buying cheap $5 bands that feel like you are one good sweat away from it causing a skin rash or burn. What I'm saying is that quality first party bands aren't common, unless you own an Apple Watch. For the upcoming Pixel Watch, Google is reportedly working on having a decent line-up available, which we hope means good quality. The folks at 9to5Google heard from sources who believe Google has at least 7 bands on the way, like the rubber/silicone strap seen above that should come on the Pixel Watch out of the box. The rest of the watch bands Google could release for the Pixel Watch include a Milanese-style band, metal link bracelet, a couple of leather options, plus fabric and stretch bands. I'd imagine there will be several colors of some styles as well, in case you were considering 7 to be too few. Of course, first party or "Made for Google" accessories likely means a price well north of those cheap bands I just complained about that I buy too often from Amazon. If you need an idea of the types of prices we could see, think of the standard Apple Watch Sport Band (like the Pixel Watch band above) at $49 or Samsung's Galaxy Watch 4 sport bands at $39.99. Each also offers Milanese and metal link bracelets that range from $79 up to $449. I can't imagine Google coming in much cheaper than either of those. Another thing to take into account is the mechanism for which the Pixel Watch bands connect to the watch itself. We know it's a proprietary system rather than the universal quick release systems that so many other watches utilize. Does a custom watch band system add to the cost? It will certainly limit the companies who choose to make them, that's for sure. To recap, it sounds like Google is preparing for a big Pixel Watch launch that should include a decent range of accessories out of the gate. You love to hear that, but now we need to learn more about its supposedly-dated, yet still customized chip.

Google Releases Android 13 Beta 3.2 Update to Fix More Bugs

Kellen — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 13:15:49 +0000

This newest Android 13 Beta 3 has certainly had issues that Google has deemed serious enough to address in a quick manner. After releasing a quick Android 13 Beta 3.1 fixer last week, Google is back again today with an Android 13 Beta 3.2 update. The update is again a fixer that addresses a number of bugs, including the back gesture not working correctly, the At A Glance settings page being weird, the microphone turning on and off unexpectedly, and apps crashing, like Google Photos. Here's the full list of Android 13 Beta 3.2 fixes:

Fixed an issue where the back gesture wasn't working in some apps.
Fixed an issue where the At a glance settings page would collapse inconsistently when scrolling.
Fixed an issue where some apps would crash instantly on opening.
Fixed an issue where the microphone would turn on and off unexpectedly during unrelated use of the device.
Fixed an issue where the Google Photos app would crash frequently.

The build is rolling out as TPB3.220610.004 and the new OTA and factory image files are already available for the Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, and Pixel 6 lines. If you are in the Android Beta program, this update should be delivered over-the-air.

Release date: June 16, 2022 Build: TPB3.220610.004 Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A) Security patch level: June 2022 Google Play services: 22.18.19

Feel free to grab that update right away. 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.

Amazon Prime Day 2022 Scheduled for July 12-13

Tim — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 12:07:31 +0000

Amazon is kicking off Prime Day 2022 on July 12 and it's running through the 13th. If you're an Amazon fan, there's no better time to be alive, with literally thousands upon thousands of deals to be taken advantage of. There'll be cheap TVs, cheap phone accessories, and so much else. If you don't want to scroll through deal upon deal, looking for something good, don't worry. Every year, we try to round up the good stuff for you, so I'm sure we'll be doing that yet again. This is what we train for. July 12. Mark your calendar. // Amazon

T-Mobile Expands Travel Data and In-Flight WiFi, Gives Away AAA for a Year

Kellen — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 11:09:33 +0000

T-Mobile's Uncarrier event went down as planned this morning, with several announcements and new features revealed as coming soon to customers. The focus was on travel, so if you were hitting the road this summer or taking a flight, you might have new goodies to take advantage of. The breakdown of today's Uncarrier moves can be separated into roaming data internationally, in-flight connectivity, vacation package buying, and maybe most importantly, a free subscription to AAA for a year. There's a lot to take in, so here's the list of the big stuff coming soon to your T-Mobile plan:

5GB data internationally: In 210+ countries and destinations, T-Mobile will provide 5GB of free high-speed data each month, when on a Magenta Max plan. For the regular Magenta plan, subscribers get that same 5GB of data, but only in 11 European countries. Those countries are Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
Double slow speeds: In addition to the 5GB of data, once that's gone, T-Mobile is doubling slow roaming speeds from 128kbps to 256kbps.
In-flight connections and streaming: Starting with Alaska, American, and Delta flights, T-Mobile is giving Magenta Max customers in-flight connections during entire flights, but they are adding on the ability to stream services like YouTube TV, Netflix, and Paramount+ too. For Magenta customers, they'll get entire-flight connections on 4 flights per year with 1-hour connection sessions the rest of the time.
Free AAA basic membership: T-Mobile and AAA partnered to offer a free AAA Basic membership. A AAA Basic membership includes 24-hour roadside assistance, towing, flat tire service, battery service, locksmith, and discounts. This perk is available to Magenta and Magenta Max customers.
Priceline vacations: Finally, T-Mobile is partnering up with Priceline to launch a special T-Mobile Travel site where you might find vacation packages at a discount. Here's the URL for that: hotels.tmobiletravel.com

Almost all of this free stuff arrives to T-Mobile users on June 21, so don't go looking for it today. For the free AAA Basic membership, you'll want to grab that through the T-Mobile Tuesdays app on the 21st. // T-Mobile

In True Hypebeast Fashion, Nothing is Auctioning Off First 100 Phone (1) Units on StockX

Tim — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 09:11:59 +0000

Much like it did with its earbuds, Nothing has announced that it is set to auction off the first 100 units of Phone (1) via StockX. It doesn't get more hypebeast than this, people. Each unit will be serialized 1 to 100, matched to the corresponding winning bid. I have to imagine that some units will be more "valuable" than others, such as #1, #69, #420, and maybe even #666. We as general consumers don't know how much this phone will retail for, but if the earbuds are any indicator, these numbered Phone (1) units could easily go for 3-4x the retail price. There's no shortage of people with money to waste it would seem. The auction for Phone (1) will go live at 9:00am ET on Tuesday, June 21 and will be open until 8:59am ET on Thursday, June 23. If you want to participate, you'll need a StockX account and then simply place a bid on the DropX product page once it goes live. Good luck to those who choose to participate. // StockX

New Samsung Wallet Holds All of Your Cards, Digital Keys, and Even Vax Status

Tim — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 08:27:25 +0000

Samsung Wallet is risen. Laid to rest in 2015, Samsung is bringing it back, designed to be the ultimate storage platform for Galaxy owners' membership cards, boarding passes, digital IDs, payment cards, digital car keys, and yes, your COVID-19 vaccination records. Samsung Wallet is technically a combination of various Samsung services to create this new platform for storage, security, and access. The company has taken its security from Samsung Knox, IoT controls from SmartThings, as well as some crypto nonsense from Samsung Blockchain Wallet. What users get is a one-stop shop for all things secure storage. Samsung Pass, the service that lets you store online passwords and other information, is also built into Wallet. It seriously houses a lot of functionality, so the hope should be that it's a smooth and bug-free experience for users. If you want to give your life over to Samsung Wallet, users in the US can download the app from the Galaxy Store. It's also available to users in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK.

Galaxy Store Link

// Samsung

Verizon's Home Internet Options All Start at $25 Now, Including Fios

Kellen — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 08:00:10 +0000

It's a big carrier news day today with both Verizon and T-Mobile firing off announcements. Where T-Mobile's focus on getting you out of the house and on the road, Verizon's big news is all about staying home. Verizon wants you to know that it has several internet options and that they all start as low as $25/mo now. Verizon offers three different internet plans these days: 5G Home Internet, Fios, and LTE Home. If any of these are of interest or you simply need a new internet service provider, Verizon has set starting prices for each at $25/mo. What's the catch or requirements, because that sounds too good to be true, you ask? To get that starting price, you need to be on a "premium 5G mobile plan" and also sign-up for autopay. So yeah, you can't be a T-Mo wireless subscriber and then expect to get a $25/mo Verizon internet plan. You'll have to be on a 5G Do More, 5G Play More, or 5G Get More plan - the 5G Start plan is not included. If you meet that 5G plan requirement and are curious what else you need to know, here are some bullets:

Verizon says there are no hidden fees, no annual contracts, and no extra charges for required equipment.
There aren't supposed to be any data caps.
The Verizon Fios plan at $25/mo includes 300Mbps speeds.
The 5G Home speeds will vary depending on your location and the coverage of Verizon's 5G network, so they won't even post expected speeds. Not great.
LTE Home speeds will average between 25-50Mbps.
There are various freebies with each type of internet plan, from free Disney+ to free security systems and discounts on soundbars. Depending on the level of internet you choose, those perks increase.

And I think that's mostly it. The basics here are that Verizon offers 3 different home internet plans and is trying to get you onto one of them for as low as $25/mo. There aren't a lot of requirements other than you need to be a Verizon wireless customer on one of their better 5G plans. To check availability, since not all plans are available to everyone, head to verizon.com/home.

New Nearby Traffic Widget Coming to Google Maps

Tim — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 11:55:32 +0000

Google detailed this week that Google Maps is getting a slick new Nearby Traffic widget, perfect for seeing how the roads are looking around you without having to dive directly into the app. That's pretty handy, I must say. Noted to be available in the coming weeks, this new widget joins a growing list of Google-made widgets for Android. It's funny, ever since Apple brought widgets to iOS, the Android team seems to have rekindled its desire to make quality widgets, which you won't hear me complain about. Here's Google's description of the widget.

Whether you’re commuting or heading out to meet friends, Google Maps’ real-time traffic predictions can help you easily plan your route. And with the new nearby traffic widget, launching in the coming weeks, you’ll see this information for your current location right from your Android Home screen. So if you're about to leave home, work, school or anywhere else, you’ll know at a glance exactly what local traffic might be like. And because Android widgets are tappable, you can zoom in and out without opening the Maps app.

Google says there are 35 Google widgets available on Android, including this new Nearby Traffic one. Personally, I use two of them -- Google Calendar and Clock. What about you? Which ones do you use? // Google

Verizon Adds 5GB Hotspot to Cheapest Unlimited 5G Plan at No Charge

Kellen — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 10:18:08 +0000

Verizon quietly announced a welcomed-upgrade to its least expensive 5G plan today. Starting tomorrow, subscribers of the 5G Start unlimited plan will get hotspot data added to their plan at no extra charge. On June 16, Verizon says that it will add 5GB of hotspot data to the 5G Start plan. That should mean 5GB of high-speed data before dropping off to slower speeds. Previously, the 5G Start plan was the only 5G unlimited plan from Verizon to not include any hotspot data. Other plans include anywhere from 25GB to 50GB per month. We've asked Verizon if there are additional details we can share, but there was stress to the upgrade at "NO" cost. If you subscribe to the 5G Start plan, you should continue paying what you've been paying, only now you get data to use when your other devices need an internet connection. The 5G Start plan starts at $70/mo for a single line and drops to as low as $30/mo per line if you have 5 or more lines. We'll update this post if there is anything else to share.

T-Mobile's Next Uncarrier Move Happens June 16

Tim — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 09:28:07 +0000

T-Mobile announced this morning that its next Uncarrier move will take place tomorrow, June 16 at 7AM Pacific (10AM Eastern). What is this, move 26 or something? The announcement didn't provide any hints as to what the carrier might be announcing. At this point, I don't even have an educated guess. These moves used to have a bunch of hype and fanfare from T-Mobile, but we're not picking up that vibe anymore. Regardless, it's sure to be a benefit to customers and that's all that truly matters, even if it doesn't quite have the pizzazz as older announcements. Any guesses? // T-Mobile

OnePlus 10 Pro Now Available With 12GB RAM, Doubled Storage for $969

Tim — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 08:56:39 +0000

Finally, the OnePlus 10 Pro is available with 'Pro' specs. OnePlus launched the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage configuration in the US this morning, available for $969. That's only a $70 jump over the 8GB + 128GB model. For those interested, OnePlus is also tossing in a free pair of OnePlus Buds Pro with purchase. And very much unlike a home mortgage, you can finance your 10 Pro for as low as $80/month at 0% APR. Besides the improved RAM and storage, expect no other differences. Follow the link below if you need all teh GeeBeez.

OnePlus Link

Here's the Nothing Phone (1)

Kellen — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 07:35:05 +0000

We are still a full month out from the launch event, but Nothing has now revealed the back of their first phone, Phone (1). Through several social media posts, Nothing showed off the transparent backside while highlighting several features. The Nothing Phone (1) is indeed transparent on the back, so you can see some of the components on the inside, yet not in a weirdly see-through way that shows every little module inside of a phone. Instead, Nothing is showcasing the camera housing, wireless charging area, and well, that's mostly it. This really looks more like a clear glass back on top of a carefully designed underbody.

Overall, this is a clean look. And while unique, there is a lot more to this story that we need to learn before it will be a phone worth buying. We believe Nothing is going with a chipset a step below the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 series, like the new Snapdragon 7 Gen 1. Obviously, there is a dual camera here, rumored 45W charging, and a "smooth" experience in custom software. What about pricing, though? What about updates? Will there be different colors? How much storage and RAM are we talking about? There's a lot left to learn. For now, thoughts on this shot? UPDATE: Here is another angle from the side. The phone looks nice and also like an iPhone 12.

// Nothing

Qualcomm's $1,500 Snapdragon Phone is for Superfans Who Don't Like Updates

Kellen — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 13:10:39 +0000

A year ago, Qualcomm announced a phone that it planned to sell to the Snapdragon Superfans of the world, which is never not going to be a weird thing to type, because such a thing can't exist, right? That thought aside, the phone was only produced in a limited quantity by ASUS and priced at $1,500, making it a purchase most would (rightfully) never consider. Unfortunately for those who did buy one and claim to be the superfan of a mobile chipset maker whose chipsets you use because of a monopoly in the US, your $1,500 phone isn't getting great support. Some of the folks who own the "Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders" (yes, that's the official name) took to reddit in recent days to ask if their really expensive phone had been abandoned. The question was fair when you consider that the phone last received an update in March that only brought the device up to the January 2022 security patch. It's now June and the phone is still on that same January patch. Maybe worse, the phone is running Android 11 and I just have no reasonable reaction to that news other than to tell you to throw that thing in the trash today and unsubscribe from the Snapdragon Insiders program immediately. That's absurd. Google is about to release Android 13 to the world in a stable format and yet Qualcomm, who has this single phone to update, one that they wanted $1,500 for, is closing in on being two versions of Android behind. Qualcomm has since weighed-in on the situation and is promising another update on June 20. They also suggest they will continue to release updates every 2-3 months after that. No word at all on Android 12 has been shared. When first announced, Qualcomm committed to 4 years of "regular" security updates. I guess 2-3 months could be considered regular. One could potentially put the blame on ASUS for the slowness, as this is a phone made by them and then branded by Qualcomm, but this is really Qualcomm's problem. There is no excuse for a phone this expensive to see updates this infrequently and then shouldn't be let off the hook. // XDA

Apex Legends Mobile 'Cold Snap' Launches Thursday, Brings New Legend and Much More

Tim — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 12:05:22 +0000

Apex Legends Mobile has its first major update inbound this week, labeled as Cold Snap. Inside, gamers will find a popular Legend making its way to mobile, that being Loba, as well as plenty of new content via an updated Battle Pass. Beside the new Loba character, there is also a new game mode to play called Armed and Dangerous: Shotguns and Snipers. Additionally, a new "climatizer" will turn on and off during matches that will cover parts of the map with snow. When the device turns on, players will want to check their mini map for "frosted loot boxes." You'll be able to collect diamonds from frosted loot boxes and enemies to spend on rare items in the seasonal shop.

Bug Fixes and Improvements

Optimized Wraith’s base visuals
Fixed an issue where players were unable to adjust the auto ammo pickup settings for the Peacekeeper
Adjusted several replicator spawn locations
Fixed several spots on worlds edge where players would get stuck or blocked on the terrain.
Fixed an issue where Mirage players would experience lag when taking out a weapon after activating their ultimate ability.
Fixed the slow down effect of Fade’s ultimate ability if he left the game
Fixed Octanes Incorrect VO callouts when using his jump pad

Cold Snap arrives Thursday. Prepare yourselves! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpFiFP0DQJM // EA

Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro Land at FCC and Create Charging Confusion

Kellen — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 09:11:36 +0000

An expected Samsung Unpacked event approaches now that summer is almost here and we see an acceleration of product leaks and hints. One of the most anticipated arrivals remains the Galaxy Watch 5 line, even with Google's Pixel Watch still fresh in our minds. After all, Samsung is king of Wear OS now that it has returned to the operating system and remains the leader as the only company to have shipped a watch running Wear OS 3. This week, the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro stopped through the FCC to prove they are real and that we should see them soon enough. We aren't learning anything major from their listings, only model numbers and that they are indeed on the way. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is here under model number SM-R920 (FCC), while the Galaxy Watch 5 gets two sizes and model numbers of SM-R910 (FCC) and SM-R900 (FCC). We have images of each of their labels below, just try not to take them as an indicator of actual size or scale. We simply screenshotted and placed their FCC software labels next to each other.

What we have at the FCC are the WiFi/Bluetooth models of the Galaxy Watch 5 line. There will undoubtedly be LTE models as well, they just aren't here yet. These models all have 2.4/5GHz WiFi, Bluetooth, and NFC, so they are solid on connectivity. They all wirelessly charge too, which is to be expected from a Samsung smartwatch. On that note, I see that many in tech media who discovered these FCC listings while I was off yesterday quickly (and understandably) jumped to, "Samsung has doubled the wireless charging speed to 10W!" While Samsung could certainly use the included wireless charger to charge at 10W, there's absolutely no guarantee that they will. The wireless charger for the Galaxy Watch 5 family stopped through the FCC a month ago as model EP-OR900 and was tested with 5W charging speeds, not 10W. The confusion comes from these new watch listings showing this charger and a power source of 5V/2A. Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, there isn't any additional proof that they charged the watches at 10W speeds.

During testing of the charger a month ago, they tested an old Galaxy Watch Active using the charger at 5W, so maybe the limitation was because of an older watch lacking 10W support. It's hard to know until we get word from Samsung or the watch in house. Why is this so important? Because Samsung's watches charge absurdly slow at 5W. It can take almost 2 hours to fully charge one of their bigger watches and that's unacceptable for a wearable device you are supposed to wear 24-7. Since we are under the assumption that the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro could sport a massive battery, 5W speeds could mean charging for even longer and the watch off the wrist for lengthier periods of time. I'm definitely crossing fingers for 10W. We'll let you know if we find anything else in the listings.

Google Calendar Gets Improved Email Notifications

Tim — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 08:41:28 +0000

Google announced improved email notifications for Google Calendar this week, making it easier to quickly identifying important information within the emails that people receive. For example, let's say someone sends you an updated Calendar event. Before this change, it may be difficult to spot what exactly had changed, but that's different now. With the updated notifications, you'll see a new "Changed" tag next to what has been updated. Check it out below. It's quite slick.

Google says all users should have these new email notifications by the end of the month. // Google

Verizon Galaxy S22 Grabs June Update Arrives With Improvements, Possibly in Camera Too

Kellen — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 07:32:01 +0000

Samsung began rolling out its June Android update in recent days and there's more than just the security patches. Instead, Samsung has talked about camera improvements as well as other "performance" improvements that owners of a Galaxy S22 device might see. The update is now arriving on Verizon models, but other versions may have seen the update by now. What we know is that the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra are all seeing build QU2AVF1 for the month. Samsung announced through its community forums that this is the "camera update for June" and that users should expect improvements to sharpness and contrast, portrait mode, the white balance algorithm, memory optimization in video recording, and overall camera performance. They also squashed some bugs. Here's the full list of changes:

Provides natural sharpness and improved contrast expression when taking pictures.
Confirmed and corrected the phenomenon of one-time stopping during single take shooting.
The AWB algorithm has been improved so that the original white color can be better expressed when shooting a puppy.
Optimized memory for video recording.
Improved portrait mode performance and optimized camera performance.

As for overall performance improvements, Verizon and Samsung didn't layout what's changing there, which is no surprise. They likely just wiped out bugs and other nuisances that were hindering performance. It's probably nothing major, but we'll still take it. Here are the June Galaxy S22 builds to be on the lookout for:

Galaxy S22 Ultra: SP1A.210812.016.S908USQU2AVF1
Galaxy S22+: SP1A.210812.016.S906USQU2AVF1
Galaxy S22: SP1A.210812.016.S901USQU2AVF1

To check for this update, head into Settings>System updates>Check for system updates. The updates should be live.

YouTubers Take Us on Tour of the Pixel 6a

Tim — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 13:56:07 +0000

Google's upcoming Pixel 6a is set to launch on July 28, with pre-orders scheduled for July 21. That's a ways from now. However, thanks to YouTuber Fazli Halim, we're getting to enjoy an early hands-on experience. In the 11-minute long video, Halim takes us on a tour of the hardware, tests out the camera, and dives in the software. We get to see Android 12 in action, which shouldn't look all that different from what's on Pixel phones right now, but maybe most importantly, we get an idea for the size of this device. We have a side-by-side comparison of the 6a to the 6 Pro in this video, very helpful to anyone trying to determine if this is the Pixel they want. Check the full video below. And if you're reading this, Fazli, please feel free to send the 6a our way. I'd like to test out some stuff. Again, the Pixel 6a will be available in the US starting July 28 for a price of $449. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qo3oQjh25k&ab_channel=FazliHalim

Pixel Buds A-Series are $89 for Father's Day ($10 Off)

Tim — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 12:08:39 +0000

You have one more week to snag daddy a gift for Father's Day. That's plenty of time! Need a good idea for a gift? The Pixel Buds A-Series earbuds are a solid gift option, priced now at only $89 -- down from their usual price of $99. As a user of these buds myself, they are very comfortable in-ear, plus updates have made them much better over the months. I'm especially appreciative of the bass boost update they received last December. If your papa happens to be a Pixel user, there's no better accessory under $100, I'd say. Follow one of the links to take advantage of the price dip.

Buy Pixel Buds A ($89)

Here's a Possible Look at the OnePlus 10T

Tim — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 09:48:58 +0000

It's already mid-June and we still have yet to see OnePlus unveil the OnePlus 10. As time goes by, we now must be open to possibility that the OnePlus 10 could be launched as the OnePlus 10T, a device that would offer good specs, but still sit below the existing OnePlus 10 Pro. Thanks to a recent leak, we're now getting our first potential look at the device. Based on a prototype of the device, but believed to be the near-final design, this OnePlus 10(T) device features a Hasselblad-branded camera array that takes up a solid portion of the phone's backside, with a reported 50-megapixel shooter doing most of the heavy lifting. Other specs include a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, very fast charging for its 4,800mAh battery, 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, and an in-display fingerprint reader. As for its launch in the US, that might remain in the air. Last we heard, OnePlus was shooting for an H2 launch this year, but nothing about US specifically. This latest report points to a July launch, so we'll be finding out soon if that holds true. Thoughts? // onsitego

I Spy With My Little Eye... Nothing!

Tim — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 08:19:39 +0000

We still have another month before Nothing's July 12 event, the date that's been confirmed to bring on the official unveiling of the Nothing Phone (1). While that may be the complete unveiling, it appears that Nothing wants to have a bit of fun and tease the Phone (1) a bit, providing our first glimpse of the device via its social channels early this morning. In a photo, we have two blue parakeets sitting atop a device, presumably the Nothing Phone (1). If you glance quickly, you'll think it may look like an iPhone, but that wouldn't make much sense. It's definitely the Nothing Phone (1). We're not sure what Nothing's obsession with birds is about, but I'm pretty sure it used a zoomed in shot of a parrot to announce its July 12 event, too. The birds are gorgeous so I don't mind of this, I'm just curious who the bird lover is over at Nothing. Is it you, Carl? One more month to go, people. // @nothing

Android 13 Beta 3.1 Released for Pixel Phones, Minor Bug Fix Inside

Tim — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 13:26:53 +0000

Google is shipping out Android 13 Beta 3.1 to supported Pixel devices this afternoon, a minor upgrade from Beta 3 that was released only earlier this week. Inside, Google lists a minor bug fix for devices that fixes an issue with the Android Beta Feedback app. Want the Beta 3.1 bug fix update? Check out the details below.

How to download Android 13 Beta 3 on your Pixel

Android 13 Beta 3.1 is available on the following devices:

Pixel 4 and 4 XL
Pixel 4a and 4a (5G)
Pixel 5 and 5a
Pixel 6 and 6 Pro

Easiest way: If you own one of those devices, the easiest way to get Android 13 Beta 3.1 on device is to sign-up for the Android Beta Program (here). You’ll simply click the “Opt In” button on that page to join and then sit back and wait for Google to push an update as Android 13 over-the-air. Once you have enrolled, you’ll head into Settings>System>Advanced>System update to check for it. Google may not push it immediately and could instead roll it out slowly throughout the day. Either way, feel free to check through there to tell Google you want it after enrolling in the program. Manual way: Want to get updated faster or would rather flash a factory image or OTA file through adb to feel more techie and important and smart? That’s still an option! You’ll find Android 13 Beta 3.1 factory images here and the OTA files here. 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. Already on an Android 13 Beta 3 build: If you are already on an Android 13 Beta 3 build, Google says that you will receive the Beta 3.1 update over-the-air. Of course, you can manually flash a factory image or OTA file as well, since the over-the-air process often takes forever to process.

What’s new in Android 13 Beta 3.1?

Release date: June 10, 2022 Build: TPB3.220513.017.B1 Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A) Security patch level: June 2022 Google Play services: 22.18.19

Here's exactly what Google says about the Beta 3.1 release.

This minor update to Android 13 Beta 3 fixes an issue where the Android Beta Feedback app was not available on Android 13 Beta 3 in some cases.

If that's all it is, it sounds very minor. Enjoy your weekend.

Netflix Teases Lots of New Games for Subscribers, Releases GOTY Candidate Poinpy

Tim — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 12:00:11 +0000

Netflix is hosting its annual Geeked Week this week, a week-long celebration for Netflix’s genre series, films, and games. Today's the last day of the event, and for us mobile-focused people, we got a pretty big announcement from the company concerning gaming. As we already know, Netflix is getting into mobile games. After this week's announcement, now we can tell you that it's a super serious commitment, with 50+ games expected to be offered by the streaming service by year's end. And we aren't talking silly little lame titles. As showcased, Netflix will exclusively offer Lucky Luna, the next title from Snowman, publisher of the amazing Alto's Adventure and Alto's Odyssey games. Also teased re Raji, Kentucky Route Zero, La Casa De Papel, and plenty else. You can even download and play Poinpy right now, which looks pretty fun. Below you can watch a hype trailer for what's coming soon. Game on, Netflix. https://twitter.com/NetflixGeeked/status/1535318378017062912

Nothing Phone (1) Could Offer 45W Fast Charging

Tim — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 10:53:54 +0000

According to a regulatory finding out of India, it's now believed that the Nothing Phone (1) will come equipped with support for 45W fast charging. This rumored spec joins a lengthening list of other specs, such as a Snapdragon 700 series processor, 6.4-inch display with 90Hz refresh rate, triple rear camera system, and 4,500mAh battery. None of these specs are confirmed by Nothing, but with launch set up for July, we'll be finding out what Nothing has planned soon enough. Another thing to note is the reported price for the Nothing phone. Last we heard, the company could shoot for a price of around $500, making it an instant contender in the space. Fingers crossed the company doesn't run into supply constraints if it ends up being a decent device. We like the speed. // 91mobiles

Hey, HTC is Doing Something

Tim — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 08:13:14 +0000

Remember HTC? It was a company that made Android phones quite a few years back. They even made a few really good ones, no doubt owned by a good number of folks around these parts. Well, I bring this company back up because according to its Facebook account, they be doing something over there. HTC Taiwan posted a render of what appears to be something in the shape of a phone, along with the words "Log in. Not yet done." Then there's a save the date for June 28, 2022. On the bottom of the image we have HTC's logo along with the Viverse logo. Viverse is HTC's metaverse platform that lets users chat, hold meetings, and plenty else in AR/VR settings. It feels like a safe bet that this phone is designed to take advantage of HTC's platform. The question is, will it be available in the US and can I buy one? Honestly, the metaverse stuff doesn't interest me at all right now, but I am extremely curious about some new HTC hardware in general. This is exciting times, for sure. We'll definitely keep you posted on this HTC Viverse phone. // HTC Taiwan (Facebook)

Samsung Said to Make One UI 5 Smoother and Faster

Kellen — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 14:17:58 +0000

The introduction of Samsung's One UI back in 2018 was without a doubt a major moment for phone UIs. While that original version wasn't without flaws, you know it won the world over when everyone from OnePlus to Google copied much of the way it looked. We've been fans of it from the beginning, but there is an area that has always been tough on the eyes and that's in animations. Samsung's One UI is very open-y and close-y. Things are constantly zooming and flowing and expanding and minimizing at an excessive level. In fact, the animation bloat was bad enough that Samsung was at one point including a feature called "Reduce Animations," almost as if they knew it was over-the-top. It's hard to state how much that feature reduced everything, but we always recommended you turn it on. And then one day, Samsung removed it! Now, if you want to reduce animations, you have to enable developer options and make adjustments to the animation scales of the phone. That's not difficult to do, but we don't love that Samsung took away that simple option we previously had. Anyways, in a bit of good and related news, SamMobile is under the belief that Samsung is about to significantly improve the UI speed in One UI 5.0. Their sources suggest that one of the main items on the One UI 5 agenda will be to improve UI navigation speeds and also animations, so that they are smoother and faster. Faster and smoother is obviously a good thing, especially with the big ass high refresh rate displays they keep putting in phones. We don't have official launch timing for One UI 5, but Samsung tends to push out their new One UI updates along with the next version of Android. For example, we got One UI 4 with Android 12 in beta before it rolled out to all of Samsung's best phones before the end of 2021. Should Samsung host another Samsung Developer Conference in the fall, that could also be a good spot to see the new One UI. Finally, while we hopefully have the attention of someone in Samsung's orbit - can we get a vertical app drawer already? It's long past time to have made the switch for us, Samsung.

YouTube TV Gets 5.1 Audio, Select Devices Get First Access

Tim — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 11:07:59 +0000

Home cinema owners rejoice, YouTube TV is finally rolling out 5.1 audio support, but only to select devices to start. This support allows for surround sound, which should be lots of fun when watching select programs. To start, YouTube TV says you'll need a Google TV, Android TV, or Roku-powered device to enjoy the 5.1 audio. However, it says it continues to work internally with other companies to bring 5.1 to game consoles, Apple TV, and other miscellaneous devices. If you have a smart TV with YouTube TV preinstalled, you can check for specific device compatibility here. Niiice. https://twitter.com/YouTubeTV/status/1534248864143667200

Ordia is My Latest Mobile Game Addiction

Tim — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 09:16:27 +0000

I'm always looking for a good mobile game to pass the time. Who isn't? I was recently going through Google Play and came across a game called Ordia. It looked easy to learn based on the trailer, so I bit the bullet and paid the $5.49 asking price to give it a try, knowing that I could get a refund if I didn't care for it. This was before I realized there was a free demo version, naturally. It ended up being a non issue, as Ordia has quickly become a favorite of mine. The game's beauty is in its simplicity, but don't let its approachable first few levels allow you to think this is some kiddy game that won't get challenging. It does get hard, especially for the completionists among us. In the game, you play a little blob fellow who you fling from dot to dot, avoiding creatures and objects that want to destroy you. You'll need good timing and good aim to make it through the levels. Within the levels, you'll see items scattered throughout. Collecting these items can be rather difficult, but if you can get creative, it adds a very rewarding/challenging puzzle-like aspect to the game. As I mentioned, the full game costs $5.49, but you do get plenty of bang for your buck. There's a killer soundtrack, lots of levels, as well as bonus levels and achievements. Try the demo at least and see what you think.

Google Play Links: Full Version ($5.49) | Demo (Free)

https://youtu.be/pwW97HgqqWA

OnePlus 10 Pro Gets a 12GB-256GB Model in the US

Kellen — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 07:08:55 +0000

The launch of the OnePlus 10 Pro was not without a couple of chin-scratching moments. First, it launched in China a full 3 months before the US for reasons we still don't understand. Then, once it showed up here, OnePlus only gave us the base model with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, not the top model with 12GB RAM and 256GB of space. We'll never get that launch back, but OnePlus is at least bringing the best model here next week. This morning, OnePlus announced that it'll begin selling the OnePlus 10 Pro with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage on June 15. This version will be available in Volcanic Black (not green) and cost $969. That's a $70 increase over the base model, which retails for $899. If interested, OnePlus plans to sell it unlocked through their own store, Amazon, and Best Buy. This model, like the previous model, works on T-Mobile and Verizon's 5G networks, as well as AT&T's 4G LTE network. While you may be wondering if this is far too late of a launch for the model most of us would have been interested in, I still think most of you would enjoy this phone. It's really nice. I talked about its flaws in my OnePlus 10 Pro review, but you might also remember that piece I wrote just last month, where I talked about why I'm enjoying it so much. My feelings still stand there. Again, mark June 15 on your calendars if you've been waiting for the top model of the OnePlus 10 Pro.

Amazon Has Galaxy S22 Models Starting at $699, Up to $300 Off for S22 Ultra

Tim — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 13:23:26 +0000

For a limited over on Amazon, buyers can save pretty big on a Galaxy S22 unlocked model, just in time for Father's Day. As listed, you can snag a Galaxy S22 for just $699, $150 off the usual price. For the Galaxy S22+, it can be had for $799, a whopping $250 off its usual listing price. And for the daddy that needs it all, there's the Galaxy S22 Ultra for $999. That's $300 off the usual price. Furthermore, these prices reflect upgraded storage for each model, which is a huge bonus. Cha-ching, baby. If you have a big Amazon gift card sitting around or like the company's return policy and want to give the phone a try, give it a look.

Amazon Links

Galaxy S22 ($699)
Galaxy S22+ ($799)
Galaxy S22 Ultra ($999)

Razer's New Kishi V2 Costs $99, Features Improved Design and Share Button

Tim — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 11:09:05 +0000

Razer debuted an all new Kishi mobile controller for Android phones this week, titled the Kishi V2. Priced at $99, this mobile controller is described as featuring a reworked design for improved ergonomics, as well as a fancy new button for all of your gameplay sharing needs. Razer's intent with the Kishi V2 is to bring a true console controller experience to mobile, made possible thanks to "cutting edge microswitch buttons, analog triggers, and programmable macros." We should also note that Kishi V2 has been listed as GeForce NOW Recommended, so you know it's going to be sweet for streaming AAA titles from the cloud. As far as compatibility goes, it should work for virtually any Android devices, so long as it fits. Razer lists all of the new Samsung and Pixel devices, but again, we don't foresee many buyers running into issues. You can snag a Kishi V2 by following the link below.

Buy a Kishi V2 ($99)

Android 13 Beta 3 Arrives Today on Pixel Phones

Kellen — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 10:00:03 +0000

A big day is here for your Google Pixel phone and Android 13 - we've reached the platform stability stage of this development cycle. Android 13 Beta 3 is here and things are looking good. For this Beta 3 build, which is available on the Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, and Pixel 6 lines, all of the app-facing behaviors and APIs are final. For developers, that means getting apps ready for launch while knowing that nothing should really change going forward. For you, the non-developer, this just means that we also won't see many changes going forward from a feature or UI change standpoint. Want to get Android 13 Beta 3 on your device? Let's do that.

How to download Android 13 Beta 3 on your Pixel

Android 13 Beta 3 is available on the following devices:

Pixel 4 and 4 XL
Pixel 4a and 4a (5G)
Pixel 5 and 5a
Pixel 6 and 6 Pro

Easiest way: If you own one of those devices, the easiest way to get Android 13 Beta 3 on device is to sign-up for the Android Beta Program (here). You’ll simply click the “Opt In” button on that page to join and then sit back and wait for Google to push an update as Android 13 over-the-air. Once you have enrolled, you’ll head into Settings>System>Advanced>System update to check for it. Google may not push it immediately and could instead roll it out slowly throughout the day. Either way, feel free to check through there to tell Google you want it after enrolling in the program.

UPDATE 6/8 11:20AM: Google pulled all of the Beta 2 image and OTA files and replaced them with a message that reads, "Available soon." We don't know if soon means later today or in a couple of days. We'll update this once the new files go live.
UPDATE 6/8 12:47PM: Google still hasn't posted the files, but the build number for Beta 3 appears to be TPB3.220513.017.
UPDATE 6/8 12:56PM: All the files are now live!

Manual way: Want to get updated faster or would rather flash a factory image or OTA file through adb to feel more techie and important and smart? That’s still an option! I’ll be going the OTA route, but factory images are available too. You’ll find Android 13 Beta 3 factory images here and the OTA files here. 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. Already on an Android 13 Beta 2 build: If you are already on an Android 13 Beta build, Google says that you will receive the Beta 2 update over-the-air. Of course, you can manually flash a factory image or OTA file as well, since the over-the-air process often takes forever to process.

What's new in Android 13 Beta 3?

Release date: June 8, 2022 Build: TPB3.220513.017 Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A) Security patch level: June 2022 Google Play services: 22.18.19

We're diving in now to see what's new, but Google describes new goodies as follows:

"There’s a lot to explore in Android 13, from privacy features like the new notification permission and photo picker, to productivity features like themed app icons and per-app language support, as well as modern standards like HDR video, Bluetooth LE Audio, and MIDI 2.0 over USB."

We've covered all of that stuff here, here, and here. And to be honest, there may not be much else new going forward. Once we hit Beta builds (and this is our third), Google doesn't change much. It's looking like Android 13 is a solid bug fixer from the big changes that were introduced in Android 12, and that's completely fine. We love polish and stability. Let's hope Android 13 gives that to us. Should we see enough stuff to highlight, we'll work on a separate post. Stay tuned.

Pixel Watch to Definitely Offer Smart Unlock

Tim — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 08:08:59 +0000

On Android phones, a feature called Smart Unlock allows phone owners to have their devices unlocked when certain requirements are met. For example, if you're at home and within a preset geofence, your phone will stay unlocked. Another example of Smart Unlock is when you have a particular Bluetooth device connected, such as a set of wireless earbuds. It's a very handy feature, something we always recommend people check out when first setting up their devices. In a bit of exciting news, it's been essentially confirmed that Smart Unlock is indeed headed to the upcoming Pixel Watch, a first for Wear OS devices. This news comes from code spotted within the latest Google Play Services beta, forcibly enabled by the good people at 9to5Google. With it enabled, a user would be able to quickly dive into their smartphone, so long as their Pixel Watch is "unlocked, on your wrist, and close to your phone." Additionally, the force-enabled menu states that there will be a dedicated Pixel Watch app, so it looks like a safe bet that Pixel Watch owners will get settings control via an app other than the existing Wear OS app. We suppose that's cool, but we're not sure why the Pixel Watch would require its own app, simply being another thing that Google has to support. Google does it for the Pixel Buds, too, so honestly I have no idea. Smart Unlock for Pixel Watch. I'm here for it. // 9to5Google

Nothing's Phone (1) Will Arrive July 12 in Online Event

Kellen — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 07:49:18 +0000

The first phone from Nothing will make its debut on July 12, the company announced today. Through an online video stream/event, we'll finally see the device that Nothing thinks will "make tech fun again." Called Nothing Phone (1), rumors and official teases have suggested a reasonably priced phone that will be "fast and smooth," with a see-through design, and clean software without a bunch of fluff or pre-installed apps. I don't know that it will be a flagship-level phone like a Galaxy S22, but if the price ends up being around $500, maybe it doesn't need to be if it at least has a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chip. The online reveal will take place at 16:00BST, which I believe is 8:00AM Pacific or 11:00AM Eastern. You'll be able to watch it here. Is the Nothing Phone (1) on your list of devices to pay attention to or has the sales pitch missed the mark?

Samsung Father's Day Deals Include Galaxy S22 Ultra for $75, Watch 4 and Buds 2 Cheap Too

Kellen — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 12:32:57 +0000

The Father's Day 2022 weekend quickly approaches and so do the deals. Even if we're still two weeks away, Samsung hasn't held back in already discounting a bunch of their best products. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is $125 off and you can get $1,000 off via trade-in, the Galaxy Watch 4 line is discounted, and the Galaxy Buds 2 and Galaxy Tab S8 all have price drops. I'm not sure I'd label any of these as "best ever" for pricing, but most are pretty good. Samsung has been running the $1,000-off trade-in deal for some time, so you know the drill there. If you have a Galaxy S21 Ultra (or a Fold 3), they'll give you a $1,000 instant discount on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, plus they are doing a $125-off price drop on top of the trade. That could mean a Galaxy S22 Ultra for $75. OK, that is likely the best price yet. You should probably jump on that Galaxy S22 Ultra deal if you own an S21 Ultra. That's wild, man.

Shop Galaxy S22 Ultra Father's Day deals

For other Samsung Father's Day deals, we have the following:

Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic (Bluetooth) - $30 off (Buy)
Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic (LTE) - $50 off (Buy)
Galaxy Tab S8 Line - $120 off + $200 credit (Buy)
Galaxy Buds 2 - $50 off (Buy)

Good stuff.

Pixel Phones in Android 12 Beta Will Get June's Update, Then Unenrolled

Kellen — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 10:05:55 +0000

When you think about the Android Beta program, up until this year, that was only supposed to mean a beta program for the upcoming new version release of Android. For the first time ever this year, Google changed that by offering up a beta program for their next big quarterly Android release on the current stable version of Android, which happens to be Android 12. With yesterday's release of the June update and Pixel Feature Drop, folks in that quarterly beta program of Android 12 can now move off of beta and onto stable once again. In a reddit post on the Android_Beta subreddit, Google shared the specifics on how the stable Android 12 update for June should work for those who have been running the betas. If you have been running the Android 12 QPR3 beta builds, you will get yesterday's June update and access to the Pixel Feature Drop goodies that came with it. Your Pixel 4, 4a, 5, 5a, 6, or Pixel 6 Pro will soon see an update to build SQ3A.220605.009.A1 or SQ3A.220605.009.B1, just like everyone else. The update will arrive over-the-air as a part of a week-or-so-long rollout. So what happens after you get stable Android 12 QPR3? If you want to take a break from the world of beta updates, you can opt-out of the Android Beta program once you've updated. Should you not opt-out, Google says they will automatically unenroll you "over the coming weeks." Want to continue beta testing software? Once you have opted-out of the Android 12 beta, you could then enroll in the Android 13 beta, which is ongoing. Just be aware that being in the Android 12 beta does not mean you will continue in the program and switch to Android 13 beta. They are separate tracks and you will need to manually enroll in Android 13 if you'd like to test it. To recap, those in the Android 12 QPR3 beta program will soon get the update to stable Android 12 QPR3, which hit Pixel devices yesterday. I can tell you that my Pixel 6 Pro in the program still has not received the update over-the-air. If you want Android 13, you'll need to exit the Android 12 beta program and then join the Android 13 beta program. You can do both of those things right here.

Mobile Gamers, Thoughts on Diablo Immortal So Far?

Tim — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 08:45:01 +0000

I know there must be at least a few folks here who have been grinding Diablo Immortal since its release on Google Play this past week. If you aren't aware, there has been so much hype put into the title by its publisher, as well as the Diablo fanbase, with the closed beta leaving many players wanting more. I'm not a huge Diablo guy, but even I really enjoyed the beta, so that's saying something. With the game being teased all the way back in 2018 and now being released, we need to know what your initial thoughts are. I've been too busy to deep dive into the title, but I plan on doing so soon. My initial reaction was that the gameplay, such as combat, was extremely smooth for a mobile game. On my phone, it also looks amazing. However, it does lack a gripping story. I don't feel invested in what my Barbarian character is going through whatsoever. I don't find myself truly caring about Sanctuary or anything else. All I'm focused on is leveling up my character for more badass moves. I'm not sure if this is a Diablo issue at the roots, but I do know that running from quest to quest and then axe-spinning over bosses with no good narrative will get boring. Diablo players, please enlighten me. Are you liking the game? Is it a worthy entry into the world of Diablo? Is it a money grab by Blizzard? Don't hold back!

Google Play Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfm0VHQJZxE&ab_channel=DiabloImmortal

New Mystery Google Device Stops by the FCC

Kellen — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 08:36:54 +0000

A new Google-made device stopped through the FCC today, and well, we have no idea what it is. It could be any number of things really, but it does have some characteristics we are familiar with. It could be a new Nest speaker or new Chromecast or various other devices. Here's what we've learned from the FCC filing. The Google device is found under FCC ID A4RG454V, with the G454V part being of importance. That's a pretty standard Google device ID and doesn't tell us much else. We do know that the FCC label will live on the bottom of the device, not necessarily within a menu. That sort of leads us to believe there isn't a display or a menu to access the FCC label, like you would see if this were a watch or phone.

As far as connectivity, this new Google device is listed as a "wireless device" and has Bluetooth LE and 802.11ac WiFi. That's it. We aren't seeing radar or Thread support or anything noteworthy outside of basic Bluetooth and WiFi. So again, that's why I'm leaning towards this being a speaker or maybe a Chromecast.

The FCC test does mention a test that connected the device over WiFi and to a Bluetooth earphone and a controller. We'll keep digging for other signs of what this could be. // FCC

Google Fixed These 35 Bugs in the June Pixel Update

Kellen — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 10:32:28 +0000

The June update for Pixel phones is a big one not just because it's a Feature Drop, but also because Google fixed a ton of bugs. They've been working on this one for a while and it shows with the list of improvements below. If you own a Pixel 4 up through Pixel 6 Pro, there's a good chance that Google fixed an annoying bug that was giving you frustrations. From app and audio fixes, to general improvements in battery consumption, fingerprint reader failures, and Bluetooth stability, Google touches on a lot of stuff in this patch. They even improved camera crashes, weird display artifacts, contactless payment bugs, and fixed a bunch of the interface issues. Just keep scrolling to see the full list.

June Pixel Update Bug Fixes

Apps

Fix for issue causing Google app crash after updating device in certain conditions *[2].
Fix for issue preventing GBoard from appearing in certain apps (A-230151581) *[1].

Audio

Fix for issue causing loud noise artifacts during calls under certain conditions *[2].
Fix for issue preventing audio playback over USB accessories when using certain third-party apps *[2].
Fix for issue preventing incoming notifications for calls in certain conditions (A-199020405) *[1].
Fix for issue preventing pre-screened calls to be accepted in certain conditions *[2].

Battery & Power

General improvements for idle power consumption under certain conditions (A-205165830, A-224923101) *[2].

Biometrics

Fix for issue occasionally causing rear fingerprint unlock to take longer than expected (A-215532798, A-223330132) *[3].
Fix for issue causing under-display fingerprint unlock to fail while in a call with AOD active *[2].

Bluetooth

General improvements for Bluetooth stability & performance *[4].

Camera

Fix for issue causing white screen to display after double tapping power to open Camera (A-226673984) *[1].
Fix for issue occasionally causing Camera to launch when tapping power button for Emergency SOS mode *[1].
Fix for issue occasionally causing click sound in the background of captured videos (A-222556615) *[2].
General improvements for camera stability & performance *[2].

Display & Graphics

Fix for issue causing display artifacts after waking device in certain conditions *[2].
Fix for issue causing display artifacts in Photos preview in certain conditions *[2].

Sensors

Fix for issue causing display brightness to increase when flashlight is turned on (A-219732625) *[2].
Fix for issue preventing contactless payments in certain conditions *[5].
Improvements for adaptive brightness response in low light levels *[2].

System

General improvements for system stability & performance *[2].
Kernel update to 4.14.261 for Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL & Pixel 4a.
Kernel update to 4.19.224 for Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5 & Pixel 5a (5G).
Kernel update to 5.10.81 for Pixel 6 & Pixel 6 Pro.

Telephony

General improvements for network connection stability & performance *[4].

User Interface

Add behavior to open Clock after tapping on the next alarm on home screen *[1].
Fix for issue causing SIM color option to appear invisible in Settings (A-209976548) *[1].
Fix for issue causing split app divider to overlay animation while switching between apps (A-214940784) *[1].
Fix for issue causing status bar to overlay on top of certain apps on devices with a display cutout (A-216374000) *[1].
Fix for issue occasionally causing lock screen wallpaper to appear hidden while using Android Auto *[1].
Fix for issue occasionally causing lockscreen UI to appear hidden after waking device (A-215207532) *[1].
Fix for issue occasionally causing notification panel to display on top half of the screen (A-227442690) *[1].
Fix for issue occasionally causing PIN unlock keyboard to appear incorrectly scaled on lock screen *[1].
Fix for issue occasionally causing Quick Settings to appear invisible after swiping down notification panel *[1].
Fix for issue occasionally causing system crash when UI toasts are triggered (A-219780255) *[1].

Wi-Fi

General improvements for Wi-Fi stability & performance *[2].

---------------------------------------------------------------

Device Applicability

*[1] Included on Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5, Pixel 5a (5G), Pixel 6 & Pixel 6 Pro
*[2] Included on Pixel 6 & Pixel 6 Pro
*[3] Included on Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5 & Pixel 5a (5G)
*[4] Included on Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5, Pixel 5a (5G), Pixel 6 & Pixel 6 Pro
*[5] Included on Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5, Pixel 5a (5G)

// Google

June 2022 Android Security Update Available for Google Pixel Phones

Kellen — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 10:07:28 +0000

The June Google Pixel update has arrived for those with still-supported devices, those being the Pixel 4 up through the Pixel 6 line. Unlike most months, this month is a Pixel Feature Drop month and includes several new features for Pixel devices, on top of the security patches and bug fixes. We have the full list of everything coming to your Pixel phone through the Pixel Feature Drop right here.

READ: Here are the 35 bugs Google fixed in June's update

As of this moment, Google has posted June factory image and OTA 12.1 files for all of the active Pixel phones, including the Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, and Pixel 6 Pro. Google told us that all of the updates are on-time this month, including the big updates for the Pixel 6 line. You'll notice the Pixel 3a isn't mentioned and that's because support for it was scheduled to stop with the May update, last month. It is getting another May security patch, though. The breakdown of June security update build numbers by Pixel device is as follows:

Pixel 6 (SQ3A.220605.009.A1, SQ3A.220605.009.B1)
- Verizon units will use build SQ3A.220605.009.A1
Pixel 6 Pro (SQ3A.220605.009.A1, SQ3A.220605.009.B1)
- Verizon units will use build SQ3A.220605.009.A1
Pixel 5a (SQ3A.220605.009.A1)
Pixel 5 (SQ3A.220605.009.A1)
Pixel 4a 5G (SQ3A.220605.009.A1)
Pixel 4a (SQ3A.220605.009.A1)
Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL (SQ3A.220605.009.A1)
Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL (SP2A.220505.006)

June's Pixel Update is a Feature Drop: Here’s Everything New

Kellen — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 10:00:46 +0000

For many months now, Google let us test a big quarterly update that would eventually turn into the June Pixel Feature Drop. It arrived via Android Beta program beginning in March and is on the 3rd beta at the moment. During testing, it lacked the "feature" part of the Feature Drop, as it was mostly a quarterly bug fixer that Google would use as setup for a splashier arrival once it went stable. Today, it has gone stable and the Feature Drop is here. You already know the build and update details from this write-up, so let's talk here about what's new from a feature standpoint for those with a Pixel 3, Pixel 3a, Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, and Pixel 6 Pro.

At a Glance gets Nest, Flashlight, Air Quality alerts

The At a Glance widget that lives at the top of your main Pixel home screen and on your lock screen is getting three new features. The first is for Nest Doorbell alerts, where you'll now see the person in At a Glance who just rang your doorbell. You'll need an actual Nest Doorbell for this, as well as the Google Home app. The second is a Flashlight reminder. If you forgot to turn your flashlight off and for some reason can't see it beaming everyone's eyes out the back of your phone, a little reminder/shortcut in At a Glance will let you turn it back off. And finally, Google is preparing to show you Air Quality alerts in At a Glance based on your current location. This will work for users in the US, Australia, and India.

New App: Pocket Operator by teenage engineering

The next new item up for grabs is an app called Pocket Operator and its exclusive to Pixel phones for now. Made in collaboration with teenage engineering, this new app lets you shoot video content and then "turn it into fun music and video cut-ups." There are layers, visual effects, and patterns and beats that can be mixed about to create tracks. Once live, Pocket Operator will live at Google Play. It will be available to the Pixel 5 and newer. Google Play Link: Pocket Operator

New Pride Month wallpapers

To celebrate Pride Month, Google is adding three new wallpapers in their Curated Culture collection. The wallpapers were made by Yann Bastard and feature "big, bold shapes and bright colors."

Vaccine card shortcut on home screen

I'm not sure there are as many vaccine card requirements as there was a year or so ago, but Google is still giving those with vaccine cards an easier way to save them digitally for easy access. Now, when you take a screenshot of your digital vaccine card, you'll be able to save a shortcut to it on your home screen. This feature is available in the US, Canada, and Australia. Availability will also depend on state and healthcare providers.

Other new features and those expanding to more phones:

Real Tone Filters: The Real Tone Filters that Google announced at Google I/O to improve representation of diverse skin tones in Google Photos are now live. You'll find these in Google Photos under the filters menu when editing a photo.
Conversation Mode in Sound Amplifier out of beta: The Conversation Mode in the Sound Amplifier app that Google previously released in beta is now available to all Pixel 3 and newer phones.
Car Crash Detection: Google has expanded Car Crash Detection in Canada for the Pixel 3 and newer (excluding the Pixel 3a).
Live chat translations in new languages: Google has made live chat translations available in Chinese, Dutch, Korean, Thai, and Turkish on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.

Again, most of this Feature Drop stuff is rolling out as early as today alongside the June Pixel update. To check for the update, head into Settings>System>System update.

READ: Here are the 35 bugs Google fixed in June's update

Google Pixel 6 Pro Gets Rare $100 Discount, Starts at $799

Kellen — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 07:35:00 +0000

Since launching back in October of last year, Google has rarely discounted its Pixel 6 line. Today, as a part of a Father's Day sale, they are finally giving us a deal to jump on. The Pixel 6 Pro, Google's best phone at the moment, is $100 off and with a starting price of $799 for 128GB storage. All versions and colors should be discounted too, so if you wanted white or black with 256GB, that will also be discounted. At the moment, only Amazon has dropped prices by $100, but Google was supposed to last night at midnight. Their offers page clearly says that the Pixel 6 Pro in the US should be discounted in a "Dad's Day Deal," yet it hasn't been. I'd imagine that will happen once whoever runs their store on west coast wakes up. A $100 discount on this phone takes this phone from already-reasonably-priced to a pretty incredible deal. I know there is a group of Pixel 6 Pro owners who had issues and would never recommend the phone, but we've had pretty good experiences. I spent a really good chunk of the year on the Pixel 6 Pro and was a big fan. There aren't many phones with this set of features and cameras this good for $800. You can read our review here. Amazon Deal Link | Google Store

T-Mobile is First to Launch Voice-Over-5G

Kellen — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 12:44:13 +0000

T-Mobile announced a pretty major breakthrough for its 5G network today. Using its Standalone 5G network, T-Mobile has enabled Voice Over 5G, which means a "true" 5G connection at all times, even when making a phone call. For now, Voice Over 5G (VoNR or Voice Over New Radio) is only in limited areas of Portland, OR and Salt Lake City, so this isn't a technology you can all take advantage of right away. T-Mobile did say that they plan to expand to more areas and new devices throughout the year. To start, only the Galaxy S21 series can access VoNR, but the Galaxy S22 will join next. The biggest thing you need to know here is that T-Mobile's Standalone (SA) 5G network is allowing for this. Their SA 5G doesn't need to be anchored to a 4G LTE network, so in general, you should get faster speeds, improved responsiveness, and overall better connectivity when on it. They are the only carrier with Standalone 5G at the moment. Neither Verizon or AT&T have launched it. T-Mobile suggests that voice calls over 5G should notice "slightly faster call set-up times" with less delay between the time you dial and when the phone starts ringing. It's the small things sometimes, right? But really, the idea is to be all-in on 5G, without the need for LTE or to leave a 5G connection, and they are a step closer with this news. So again, the first launch of VoNR is in Portland and Salt Lake City through the Galaxy S21 line. More areas and cities will get this goodness, as will the Galaxy S22 later this year.

Don't Be a Phone Asshole.

Kellen — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 10:16:01 +0000

A musician I'm a big fan of released his upcoming tour schedule this morning and opened up ticket sales. He's playing in Portland and I have yet to see him live, so I'll likely end up buying tickets. But as I was going through that process, I saw the list of other artists performing alongside him and started looking up who they were. One of them happens to be a comedian I wasn't familiar with, so I did what anyone does in 2022 to find out about someone - I scrolled through an Instagram feed. I still have no idea if the guy is funny or not (leaning towards not), but one of the posts caught me. It was a screenshot of a Tweet he had sent that was something like, "Whenever you see a bad post it's always from an Android phone." I get that the guy is a comedian and this is an easy joke to tell if you are unoriginal and haven't left 2010, but it also got my mind going about perception or insecurities or whether or not we are all being our true selves. The other place it took me was to the phone asshole. I've been in the phone business for 13 years now and so it's kind of wired in my brain to notice what phone everyone uses when I'm out in public. I don't judge those phones, I just take note of them. If anything, I'm likely keeping an official and not-at-all accurate count of what I'm seeing the most often, but that's sort of where it ends. If you own a Galaxy S22 Ultra or a OnePlus 7T or a Moto G Power-Stylus-5G-UW-Folio-2020-No-NFC or the newest and most impressive iPhone, my reaction is never, "That's a bad phone and you suck." I don't think that because we buy the stuff that works for us, that fits a budget, or that makes us feel a certain way. That's how it should be. Buy for you, not for anyone else. When I see the Samsung guy on the internet who clowns the Google Pixel owner or the Pixel owner who laughs at the OnePlus phone because they think the software stinks or the iPhone bro thinking he's royalty that shall look down upon the poor Android guy and suggest he makes bad Tweets, I get sad. Own your shit and leave everyone else alone. Be proud of what you bought. Just don't turn that around and use it as a reason to find fault in someone else or attempt to prop yourself up. That's clown behavior. There's enough evil in the world. Don't be a phone asshole.

Android Feature Drop for June Adds 5 New Features to All Phones

Kellen — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 10:16:25 +0000

Google announced several new features today coming to all Android phones as a part of its quarterly Android Feature Drop system. Similar to the Pixel Feature Drop idea, where Google would add a bunch of new features to its Pixel phones, these regularly released batches of features should go out to all Android phones. For this June drop, Google is bringing new Gboard features to everyone, Google Play Points as an option to pay during checkout, improvements to background noise reduction in Sound Amplifier, and a new images mode to Lookout. Here's the breakdown of the new features you'll soon be playing with:

Gboard custom stickers: Previously exclusive to Pixel phones, Google has opened up custom text stickers in Gboard to everyone. Now, when you type, you'll be able to turn that text into a custom sticker of your choosing. All you have to do is start typing, then choose an emoji recommendation for those words, and then you'll see a new option to customize.
Summer and Pride stickers in Emoji Kitchen: Another update to Gboard lands as a bunch of new summer and Pride Month-related stickers within Emoji Kitchen. You know we love Emoji Kitchen.
Google Play Points for checkout: The Google Play Points rewards program will soon start showing as an option to pay during checkout for in-app items. You'll be able to cover the entire cost of the in-app item or split between points and your other payment methods.
Sound Amplifier improvement: Google is updating Sound Amplifier to better reduce background noise and bring faster and more accurate sound. The new interface should also be easier to see.
Google Lookout's new image mode: Google Lookout is updating with a new Images mode that can take an image and then speak a description of the image. Google is also enhancing Text, Documents, Food Label, and Explore modes to be more accurate. Lookout can work offline now as well.

All of these new features will rollout over the coming days and weeks. Just make sure you grab the latest updates for each as they appear and the new features will eventually be there. // Google

Here's That Pixel 7 Pro Prototype

Kellen — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 08:46:57 +0000

Over the weekend, we saw an eBay seller try and pull in a pile of cash by selling a Pixel 7 prototype, a move that Google probably put a quick stop to. That same seller claimed to have already sold off a Pixel 7 Pro prototype without realizing what it was. As it turns out, he may have actually sold one, though he did so through the Facebook Marketplace. The buyer of that device took to reddit this week to explain that not even he knew what he had just bought until his world came crashing down. This reddit thread was started by the guy who claims to have bought the Pixel 7 Pro prototype several weeks ago. The phone was listed as a Pixel 6 Pro and apparently worked up until a couple of days ago when that Pixel 7 prototype listing made headlines. The owner of this Pixel 7 Pro prototype said he had had the phone for up to a month until he noticed the device acting weird and then rebooting back to the bootloader screen where it is now stuck. I think it's pretty obvious that Google remote wiped it, which they can certainly do to a prototype that was never supposed to be sold in the first place.

As you can see below on the bootloader screen, this device was indeed codenamed "cheetah" like rumors suggested. We believe the Pixel 7 is codenamed "panther." This device also has 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB storage, as well as a baseband showing "g5300," a likely reference to the included Samsung Exynos modem that'll work along side the new Google Tensor 2 chip.

There isn't much else to take from this story other than...yikes, guys. We (obviously) don't know how that seller truly came into possession of two prototype Pixel 7 phones, but selling them is probably not super legal. Sucks for the dude that bought one, assuming he's also telling the truth in not knowing what he had. Wild times.

Galaxy Watch 4 Beta Now Rolling Out to Those Enrolled

Tim — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 08:37:33 +0000

Back in late May, Samsung announced the first ever One UI beta for Galaxy Watch 4 owners. For those who enrolled into the program, the first beta build of One UI 4.5 is now rolling out, as confirmed by multiple users. According to the changelog that accompanies watch builds R870XXU1ZVE7 and R870OXM1ZVE7, Samsung has packed quite a bit of stuff inside, but there's at least one vague item that isn't explained well enough. For example, Samsung lists "watch screen has been upgraded" and we're entirely unsure of what that means. However, sweet stuff that makes complete sense is Dual SIM support, QWERTY support for the native keyboard, upgrades for the alarm, plus new complications for the watch faces. Overall, a solid beta, if you were quick enough to enroll. Currently, the program is not taking new members, but we'll try to keep an eye on it and let you know when it's open for new sign ups again. Go get that update!

What's Inside

// reddit

That Verizon Text About a Loyalty Discount is Real

Kellen — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 08:00:41 +0000

Verizon appears to be sending out a wave of texts informing customers that they have a loyalty discount awaiting them and that a call into a specific 800-number will get them the deal. If you received this text, I can tell you from personal experience that it is likely the real deal. At the end of last week while on a short trip, Verizon sent me a text saying that I was "eligible for an exclusive loyalty discount of $10/mo. off of your current Unlimited plan," that no plan change was required to get the deal, and that calling 800.922.0204 would get me into this "limited-time" offer. I pushed the message aside because I didn't have time to figure out whether or not the message was a scam message or real, but re-visited today. As it turns out, I now have a $10/mo discount on my Verizon line. Here's the full text:

Verizon Msg: KELLEN, great news! As a valued customer, you're eligible for an exclusive loyalty discount of $10/mo. off of your current Unlimited plan (no plan change is required). Just call 800.922.0204 today to get this limited-time offer.

If you were like me and questioned the validity of this deal, feel free to give that number a call or hit up a chat representative on Verizon's website. I initiated a conversation online this morning and was pushed through to a rep who was able to give me the loyalty discount that was advertised in the text. After wondering if I was alone in this deal before sharing, it looks like I'm most definitely not alone. Here's a growing reddit thread (another and another) of other customers who have received the offer. Some are getting the $10/mo off while others are seeing $15/mo. A few have seen up to $25/mo off. As far as I can tell, the length of time you have been with Verizon doesn't seem to matter that much. The biggest requirement is likely that you need to be on one of their Unlimited plans. But as Verizon reps have claimed in those reddit threads, a lot of this appears to be random. It's also one of those situations where calling in and asking if the discount is available to you might be a waste of everyone's time. If you weren't texted, calling Verizon may not get you the discount if your account hasn't already been flagged for one. To recap - if you received that text message above, it's likely legit. Give them a call and get a discount, especially now since a fee increase is on the horizon.

FightCamp for Android Will Kick Your Butt

Tim — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 12:27:42 +0000

I don't enjoy making light of a global pandemic, but if we want to try to think of positives that have come from it, we can point to an increased awareness and effort people are putting into their health and fitness. For me, I began CrossFit last year and that experience has been completely transformational, not just physically but mentally. While this works for me, not everyone has access to a gym or would simply prefer to get their workout in at home. With that said, the pandemic has led to the rise of many at-home workout systems, with a boxing-focused system called FightCamp catching a lot of attention. Think of FightCamp to boxing as Peloton is to cycling. You have a piece of equipment in your home and you use said equipment while being instructed during a class. The basics of this concept being that it needs to be engaging, fun, easy to use, and works wonderfully for those who are well motivated. I was recently asked to review the all new FightCamp app for Android, along with the FightCamp Personal setup that includes a free-standing bag, quick wraps, gloves, and punch trackers. In this post, I'll go over my time with FightCamp and let you know if I think the system is worth the entry $39/month price.

The System

FightCamp is an at-home fitness program based on the wonderful world of boxing and kickboxing. If you've ever watched a match, you'll know that fighters need an amazing amount of not only physical strength, but cardiovascular endurance as well. FightCamp's goal is to turn the art of boxing into a fun and consumable workout system for all levels that is sure to burn a ton of calories, whether you've never worn a pair of gloves before or you're a seasoned vet. There is something for everyone in FightCamp's system, with classes being led by great instructors like PJ Shirdan, Tommy Duquette, Raquel Harris, and Shanie Smash. These coaches bring years worth of experience to FightCamp's platform, helpful for someone like me who has absolutely no experience fighting. I'm a self proclaimed pacifist after all.

What You Need

To use FightCamp, the base of what you'll need is the membership, priced at $39/month. If you compare that monthly price to the price of a normal boxing gym, you can save hundreds of dollars over the course of a year, so already that's a positive for those who aren't looking to break the bank on a gym membership. If you want to take your FightCamp experience further and dive deep into the data behind your punches, you'll want FightCamp's Connect package for $399. This package includes quick wraps and the all-important Punch Trackers. To quickly explain those, their purpose is in the name, as they track your punches in real time via a Bluetooth connection to your smart device. You can then use any bag or punching surface you prefer for the workouts. However, FightCamp does sell a very premium branded free standing bag (weighed down with either sand or water), fancy gloves, and a long list of other goodies. I will stress that none of that is necessary to use the system, but obviously the trackers add a certain coolness factor and tangible number for the amount of work you're outputting.

The Workouts

I can start off by saying that boxing is hard work, but like any other workout, you get from it exactly what you put in. If you go in hard and really attack the bag and warmups with intensity, the gains will come quicker. In FightCamp's library of classes there are hundreds upon hundreds of prerecorded classes for all levels of fighters. I started nice and easy with classes filled with light footwork, jabs, hooks, and uppercuts. As you advance, you can dive into 10 rounds of pro combo workouts and full body movements. For beginners like me, I recommend the app's Paths section, with the Prospect Path being the best place to start your journey towards fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr. There's also a Foundations Program, ideal for users looking to improve their cardio as they prepare for their ordered equipment to arrive. Each workout can have a dynamic warmup added, as well as a recovery and stretch program. Inside of the app's Home section, you can choose from the following sections of workouts: Paths, Warmups, Boxing, Kickboxing, Shadowboxing, Core, Strength and Conditioning, Recovery and Stretch, Drills, and Skills. Each section is filled with a ton of content, so when you become a member, I don't foresee anyone possibly getting bored or running out of workouts. It's just not possible. For those who aren't paying for the punch trackers, each class that supports it is labeled as Tracker Optional, which will help you know exactly what you're getting into. When choosing a workout, it also lists how many rounds the workout is, which lets you know how long you'll be going for.

My Experience

Let me start by saying that FightCamp is very cool and one helluva workout. One aspect that I didn't fall in love with is the lack of Chromecast support. I'm not exactly sure why the developers haven't implemented it, but it's mildly annoying to get your class onto a larger screen in your home if you're on Android. On a Pixel phone, it's a bit easier with the native screen sharing function in your system toggles, but on my Galaxy phone, you'll need to conduct your screen casting from the Google Home app, then go back into FightCamp once you're up and running. The casting aspect is a major issue because it's really hard to watch your coach on a small phone screen and nearly impossible to listen to instruction when you're whacking a bag. If you are going to make an investment in the bag, gloves and whole setup, ensure you have a plan for consistently getting your phone's display onto a bigger screen. That will also require a solid internet connection, as you'll want to make sure there's not a lot of hiccups or latency. Thankfully I have good internet connectivity in my garage. I also struggled with the punch trackers early into my time with FightCamp. For the first few workouts I did, they refused to work and track my punches. They seem to be working fine now, though, so I'll blame possible Bluetooth interference or something along those lines. I did reach out to FightCamp support about the issue and they were very helpful in trying to troubleshoot the issue, so that's a good sign. Who doesn't appreciate good customer service, especially at $39/month? Beyond my technical issues, set up of the equipment and app was super easy. There are guides upon guides with how to use every aspect of the FightCamp system, so for those who appreciate resources, you'll love this. Additionally, adding my wife to the account was also extremely easy and she's been loving taking her anger out on the bag instead of me. Thank you, FightCamp. As you can note in the screenshot below, Google Fit is also integrated, allowing you to export your FightCamp data to Google's health tracking platform. In my mind, the more integration the better, with the app also allowing users to sync heart tracking data before you begin each workout. Honestly, it's a very well thought out app that has all of the bells and whistles you may want. Lastly, I'll point you to the FightCamp blog. The blog has a library of content regarding nutrition, the system, wellness, plus free workouts to give non-members an idea of what they're getting themselves into. One of the major draws of CrossFit is the community aspect, so when I see blogs such as this, as well as in-app leaderboards and badges, I get that same community building vibe that I know is very successful for other systems. FightCamp is definitely trying to build a community around the system which is the absolute correct approach. If you're looking for something that differs greatly from a stationary bike and treadmill, FightCamp is what you want. It's a great workout, the Android app is great, and the community is fun. Get started by following the link below or checking out FightCamp's website.

Google Play Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuJeeObI_3c&ab_channel=FightCamp

Major shoutout to my wife for helping me gets photos of FightCamp in action and big thank you to FightCamp for providing the equipment needed to conduct this review.

You Can Now Effortlessly Connect Your Phone to Your TV to Interact With YouTube

Tim — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 09:46:46 +0000

YouTube announced this week that users can now effortlessly connect their smart device to YouTube on their TV, allowing you to read descriptions, hop into live chats, and do a ton else all while your selected video plays on your TV. To do this, you'll need to be signed into the same YouTube account on both your TV and phone. Once complete, open the YouTube app on TV, then open the YouTube app on your phone and click “Connect” on the prompt that automatically pops up. You're now synced and ready to dive deep into YouTube's billions of hours of content. YouTube also mentions that it's working on other new features, one being a shopping feature. Interesting.

We’re already starting to test new designs for our video watch page to help fold in more uniquely YouTube features — such as browsing and shopping for products featured in videos – directly to the big screen to help you decide when to pick up your phone and engage.

The ability to sync your phone and TV is now live, so feel free to give it a try. // YouTube

The Simplistic Beauty of Google Duo is No More

Kellen — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 09:30:55 +0000

Google Duo has become one of my most used apps in recent years. The simple interface that allows my wife and I to quickly call each other on any platform is the way we now communicate instead of via traditional phone call. We use it from phones to tablets to computers and smart displays. It's also how I often call my mom or dad for quick chats between them and their grandson. Google is about to f*ck with that situation in the name of integration or a "single solution" that someone has been asking for. Google announced today that Google Duo will be renamed to Google Meet later this year. Before that happens, Google is going to add a bunch of Google Meet features into Duo, to give it "power." In other words, gone is the simplicity of Duo and in is the integrated complexity of Meet. Whew...weee hew. OK, that's just my initial take here. I would also understand why someone would want a single experience with more advanced features, rather than this two-app system of Duo and Meet. I just don't use Meet unless it's work related and actually like keeping personal and work experiences separate.

Google Meet Taking Over Google Duo

My complaining aside, here's the basics of what you need to know. Over the coming weeks (mid-2022), Google Duo is going to get "all the Google Meet features." Not some, but all. Here is the list of what's coming:

Customize virtual backgrounds in calls and meetings
Schedule meetings so everyone can join at a time that’s convenient for them
Use in-meeting chat for deeper engagement
Live share content to enable interaction with all participants on the call
Get real-time closed captions to better support accessibility and boost participation
Increase size of video calls from a current limit of 32 to 100 participants
Integrate with other tools, including Gmail, Google Calendar, Assistant, Messages and more

Additionally, Google Duo's existing feature set is here to stay and your conversation histories, contacts, and messages will all continue to be saved in the app. You won't even have a new app to download when the big name change happens. At some point "later this year," Google will rename Google Duo to Google Meet. And again, they are suggesting this won't be a new download, only an update that will change the name. If you access Duo via the web, you will still be able to use duo.google.com for now, but that will eventually redirect to meet.google.com/calling. Make sense?

Google TV App Arrives on iOS

Kellen — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 09:00:04 +0000

Google began replacing the Google Play Movies & TV app with Google TV a couple of years ago on Android and TV platforms. The Google TV app was to act less as a store and more of a content curator that tied into your other streaming services to help you find something to watch. It even had a remote baked in, which was cool. For whatever reason, they never did get around to making the change on iOS and all of the iPhones of the world. Well, until now. Starting today, Google TV is replacing Google Play Movies & TV on iOS. If you are currently still running the Movies & TV app, you should get an update to the Google TV experience. Why would want this? The Play Movies & TV app currently has a 2.7-star rating on the App Store and is clearly dated and bad. If Google wants people on iOS using their movie and TV recommendation service going forward, an update is probably a good idea. With the update, users will get recommendations from the streaming apps they subscribe to, a watchlist of discoveries, watchlists from their "favorite" stars, the ability to rate movies and shows (and flag them as "watched"), a personalized daily feed of news/reviews/etc., and that remote I mentioned above. The remote will let you control a Google TV or Android TV device in your house.

On a related note - is that a double notched iPhone? Is that a Pixel 3 XL and iPhone mash-up? I hope so. // Google

Galaxy Z Fold 4 Specs Got Us Hoping for Hidden Secrets

Kellen — Tue, 31 May 2022 12:03:35 +0000

Most of our focus over the past few weeks has been on all things Google, thanks to Google I/O and the line-up of upcoming hardware that was just teased for the rest of the year. We shouldn't forget about Samsung, though, as their next set of devices should be here within the next few months as well. Over the weekend, two noteworthy leakers weighed-in with specs lists for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. The lists are quite similar with a couple of differences that may prove to be important to some and less so for others. The first list came from Yogesh Brar, who believes we'll get the following in the Galaxy Z Fold 4:

Inner Display: 7.6" QXGA+ AMOLED, 120Hz
Cover Display: 6.2" HD+ AMOLED, 120Hz
Processor: Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC
RAM: 12/16GB RAM
Storage: 256/512GB
Rear Camera: 50MP + 12MP (UW) + 12MP (3x)
Inner Camera: 16MP (UD)
Cover Camera: 10MP
Software: Android 12, OneUI
Battery: 4,400mAh, 25W charging

A day later, Ice Universe chimed in with a "100% accurate" Galaxy Z Fold 4 specs list that featured a couple of tweaks:

RAM: 12GB RAM option only
Rear Camera: 10MP 3x (not 12MP)
Inner Camera: 4MP (not 16MP)

So to clarify, we've got at almost-identical list outside of the potential for up to 16GB RAM and higher resolution inside and rear cameras. These are quite minor differences in my eyes, but maybe one of you thinks 16GB RAM is going to make that much of a difference over 12GB. I think we'd all take higher resolution cameras, too. Overall, though, these specs look far too similar to last year's Galaxy Z Fold 3, outside of the change in chipset to the newest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and a main 50MP camera. Otherwise, the displays, storage, software, and battery are all staying the same. Here's to hoping Samsung has slimmed up the body more than we think and found a magic new hinge to win us over. If not, well, I can't imagine this device changing my thoughts from last year's model.

T-Mobile Offering $200/Line to Those Who Switch From Verizon, AT&T

Tim — Tue, 31 May 2022 10:37:19 +0000

T-Mobile is calling out Verizon and AT&T this week with the Carrier Callout, a promotion that the carrier hopes will bring in a few ticked off Big Red and Big Blue customers as the two have recently announced it shall be raising prices on select plans. We've covered that news here and here. To help sway folks to leave their current carrier, T-Mobile is offering $200 virtual prepaid cards per line that gets ported, with a max of $1000 (5 lines) up for grabs. On top of straight cash, T-Mobile has Price Lock, a guarantee that new accounts will keep their price and won't have any hikes for the life of their service. For all of the details you'll need to take advantage of this offer, look here. T-Mobile also has a new ad campaign for the promotion, viewable below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySPoBb4iZsA&ab_channel=T-Mobile // T-Mobile

Mystery Pixel Device Code Spotted, But Don't Call It the Pixel Ultra

Tim — Tue, 31 May 2022 08:44:39 +0000

We are currently working our way towards the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, but thanks to a bit of digging, we're now getting word of a mystery high-end Pixel device. Before we dive into what we know, as tempted as someone may be to call it the Pixel Ultra, we urge people to not go down that road again. Google has already laughed in our faces enough for this. Thanks to the digging powers of 9to5Google, mention of a "G10" tag for a higher-end display is seen referenced inside of AOSP, alongside C10 and P10, belong to the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 7 respectively. Pointing to the high-endness is the ability for the display to peak at 120Hz refresh and a 1440×3120 resolution, but again, we don't know what this display is being used for. Its size has eliminated the belief that it could be for next year's Pixel Tablet, measuring in at 71 x 155mm (2.7" x 6.1"). The safest bet is that this is Google working on the next generation of Pixel devices, meaning this could even be the Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro. It's too early to tell with the only evidence existing for said device being this bit of code. We'll need to be a bit more patient. If I see anymore YouTube thumbnails of "😱 Pixel Ultra is Real, OMG!," I'm going to be very upset. // 9to5Google

A Guy Tried to Sell a Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro Prototype Months Early

Kellen — Tue, 31 May 2022 07:30:19 +0000

The last time I disappeared for an entire weekend with the world of tech completely out of mind, someone found a Pixel Watch at a restaurant. That was fun. A similar situation couldn't possibly happen again as I headed back to Montana for Memorial Day weekend, right? Funny, Kellen. Some guy sold a Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro on eBay, or at least tried to. The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, two devices Google already announced and teased as coming later this year, both showed up on eBay within the past couple of weeks and might have been sold - at pretty reasonable prices too. The listing for the Pixel 7, spotted by the folks at reddit, has since been taken down, but it most definitely was the Pixel 7. There was apparently a Pixel 7 Pro there at one time.

UPDATE: Here's the Pixel 7 Pro prototype

We know this is a prototype because the "G" logo that would be on the backside has been replaced with a similar yet unfamiliar shape. Google does this with its prototypes (see here and here). We get a good look at that new metal housing that wraps from the sides up and around the camera. We can see placements for buttons, the SIM tray, Android 13, and that this unit happens to have 128GB storage. The seller listed it as model number GUV6C.

I wish there was more to tell you, but the exciting part really is that someone bought and sold a prototype of a Google phone in what could be 5 months before Google sells it at retail. Oh, I guess the reflection of a Pixel 7 Pro on the backside of the device is kind of a fun little detail. Yep, the guy took the pictures for his listing with a Pixel 7 Pro. The seller told The Verge that he did indeed have the more-premium Pixel 7 Pro and had already sold it. So apparently someone got quite the deal on Google's upcoming best phone, assuming the pricing was similar to his Pixel 7. He only listed this prototype Pixel 7 with a starting bid of $540.

You can view the archived eBay listing here.

Verizon Galaxy S21 Lineup Gets Minor Update

Tim — Fri, 27 May 2022 12:28:03 +0000

Verizon is now pushing out a minor update to the Galaxy S21 line, which includes the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra. The changelog only states, "The current software update provides performance improvements to your device." Not overly helpful, so if anyone has a Galaxy S21 and gets the update, feel free to let us know if you spot anything specific.

Updated Build Numbers

S21: G991USQU5CVE8
S21+: G996USQU5CVE8
S21 Ultra: G998USQU5CVE8

Have at it. // Verizon [2] [3]

What I Want to See From a Pixel Tablet

Tim — Fri, 27 May 2022 11:29:22 +0000

We haven't discussed the Pixel Tablet too much since it was teased back at Google I/O, likely because we have a long ways to go before we get to 2023. Heck, who knows if civilization will make it that far, you know? I would like to start throwing out a few ideas of what I'd like to see from the device, though, because I think it's important for Google to show that it's capable of making a decent tablet. In my mind, Samsung is the only Android OEM making tablets that should be considered, so it would be good to have a bit of healthy competition in the space.

Apps and Developers

Even though I don't use an iPhone, if I was in the market for a tablet, I would buy an iPad. The iPad has all of the apps I'd need and an absolute ton of support from 3rd-party app developers and Apple itself. Then there are Android tablets, which don't seem to get a ton of love from app developers and Google. Only recently have we seen Google begin to retool how Android behaves on tablet-like devices, so that's a good sign. We need app developers, end of story. If experiences aren't being built catered for the larger displays, then there's no point in creating the device. This is where Android tablets have always fallen short in my eyes. As phone displays have gotten larger over the years, the need for a tablet to run certain apps became less necessary, so what I'd really like to see is a suite of tablet-exclusive apps/features that you simply can't get on a phone. Make it a special experience, something only you can have on the tablet.

Design and Specs

From the couple of photos we have seen, the Pixel Tablet looks like a Nest Hub, minus the Hub. It doesn't look very premium, which I suppose is fine if we're shooting for a lower price, but that does make me a little nervous. I want my tablet to be a multi-tasking workhorse coupled with plenty of processing power and RAM. It doesn't need to beat a iPad Pro or whatever, but I'm hoping Google doesn't go too light in terms of power. The backside of the unit looks like some sort of plastic and the single rear camera looks like an afterthought. I don't believe the Pixel Tablet will win any design awards. And that display better be awesome, too. In my mind, a tablet is all about offering a more immersive experience, and if that display isn't crispy and gorgeous, I'm going to have reservations. This is an area that Samsung appears to understand. It's been offering beautiful displays with high refresh rates on its tablets, so as long as Google doesn't mind splurging a bit to make a great device, then we know it's possible. If Pixel Tablet doesn't have 120Hz refresh rate, I will be upset. If it doesn't have 90Hz at least, I'll be furious.

Price

I just want to throw it out that for the right device, I don't mind spending money. I don't think everything needs to be priced competitively, especially if it's offering something amazing. Being Google, though, I have a gut feeling that this tablet will be about $649 and potentially have a few compromises. I'm not yet ready to share where Google might not splurge, but for at least one example, I have a hunch that the single rear camera could be the Sony-made IMX363 we've seen from Google for years. That would not surprise me one bit. And again, the body appears to be plastic, so there's a lot we don't know. If it's a dipped aluminum, then I could be way off and Google could be making a sweet device. We just don't know enough yet. To put it simply -- Go for it, Google! Give it all you got, because if the Pixel Tablet doesn't breathe a ton of new life into the Android tablet space, then it could be a goner forever.

Google Drive on Web Finally Gets Copy, Paste Keyboard Shortcuts

Tim — Fri, 27 May 2022 08:26:28 +0000

A feature that I always assumed was there in Google Drive, is now a truly there beginning this week. I'm referring to cut/copy/paste keyboard shortcuts for web users, an addition that should save users a few seconds here and there. Just like anything else you can Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, and Ctrl + X inside of on your desktop, Drive will now work the same way. Simply highlight the file and do the shortcut you need. Google says that a link to the file and its title will also be captured when copying a file, which allows you to easily paste them into a document or an email. Lastly, Drive users can open files or folders in a new tab using Ctrl + Enter, allowing you to easily view multiple files at once or use different tabs to more easily organize files between two different folder locations. This is a welcomed thing! // Google

Nothing Phone (1) Could be Priced Quite Competitively, Launch in July

Tim — Thu, 26 May 2022 14:42:39 +0000

Thanks to a source within a European retailer, possible pricing and release information for the Nothing Phone (1) has been put online. Take it all with some salt, as nothing is ever confirmed until it actually is, but for now, let's have some fun and talk about what we're hearing. According to a source of Germany's Allround-PC, Nothing is eyeing a launch date of July 21 for Phone (1). That's coming up, though, it isn't specified if that's the actual street launch date or just the official unveiling date. As for pricing, it's noted that Nothing is shooting for the 500€ range. If that translates to a possible $500-ish range, then that automatically makes the Nothing Phone (1) a device to watch. Consumers have been clamoring for more options in that price range, so Nothing could be looking to make people happy and not bother to yet compete with the more high-end devices on the market. If you're curious what we do know about this phone, it's not a long list. We know it'll have a Qualcomm processor, feature Nothing's own launcher which you can already download and play with, and come equipped with NFC for mobile payments. Let's play a game. If the Nothing Phone (1) costs $500, are you at least slightly interested sight unseen? I am! // Allround-PC

DEAL: Get a Nest Hub Max for $179, Enjoy the New Features

Tim — Thu, 26 May 2022 11:48:45 +0000

Recently, Google introduced a handful of new features for the Nest Hub Max specifically, taking advantage of the unit's built-in camera. For anyone who doesn't yet have one of these devices sitting in their kitchen, I highly recommend it, and at a discounted price of $179, it's not a terrible time to check one out. Typically, Google's price for a Nest Hub Max is $229, but everywhere on the interwebz this week, you can get it for just $179. That's $50 off, which ain't too shabby. If you want to try out the new stuff, such as not having to yell "Ok Google" anymore, follow one of the links below.

Buy Links ($179)

Android 13 Beta 2.1 Released for Pixel Phones

Tim — Thu, 26 May 2022 10:36:17 +0000

A patch is headed out to Pixel owners in the beta program this morning, listed as Android 13 Beta 2.1. This is an update to Beta 2 that was released earlier this month. Inside, Google lists a few bug fixes, such as a fix for an issue where devices crash and reboot after turning on the hotspot, a terrible bug where a continuous call dialing sound could be heard in the background during a phone call, plus a couple more. Phones eligible for this update are the Pixel 4, 4 XL, Pixel 4a, 4a (5G), Pixel 5, 5a, Pixel 6, and 6 Pro. For information on flashing Android 13 Beta 2.1 to your device, follow information provided here. All Android 13 Beta 2.1 information can be viewed below.

What’s new in Android 13 Beta 2.1?

Release date: May 26, 2022 Build: TPBB.220414.018 Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A) Security patch level: May 2022 Google Play services: 22.14.13 API diff:

API 32 → Beta 2

Beta 1 → Beta 2

Noted Fixes

Fixed an issue where typing in the search bar resulted in a blank list of suggestions.
Fixed an issue where devices would crash and restart when turning on hotspot.
Fixed an issue where a continuous call dialing sound could be heard in the background during a phone call.
Fixed an issue where devices would crash and restart after disconnecting from Android Auto.

Verizon Updates Galaxy Note 20, Galaxy S10 5G With May Patch

Kellen — Wed, 25 May 2022 12:09:36 +0000

Happen to still own the final Galaxy Note phone or an even older Galaxy S10 unit? You have an update in your near future, if not right away. Verizon and Samsung are sending out updates to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, Galaxy Note 20, and Galaxy S10 5G. These updates are minor and only include the May Android security patch. As we often say in some way, we always love an update even if minor. The new builds to be on the lookout for are as follows:

Galaxy Note 20 Ultra: SP1A.210812.016.N986USQS2FVE6
Galaxy Note 20: SP1A.210812.016.N981USQS2FVE6
Galaxy S10 5G: SP1A.210812.016.G977UVRS8HVD2

To check for each update on your phone, head into Settings>System updates>Check for system updates. Updates to all phones was scheduled to start as early as yesterday.

Rumored Pixel Foldable? Delayed Again

Tim — Wed, 25 May 2022 08:56:11 +0000

The rumored Pixel Foldable device (codenamed Passport) appears to be getting the Pixel Watch treatment. By that I mean we've been hearing about it, but nothing seems to be happening all that quickly. In the case of the Pixel Watch, that thing is now actually happening, so if we continue down this route, I'd say we could see a Pixel foldable launch sometime around 2024-ish. Now, back to what's happened. A new report out of South Korea's TheElec states that Google is delaying the device again, which we believe is the second delay this device has had so far. The report claims that Google had planned to lift the curtain in Q4 of this year, but that's no longer happening. It seems entirely possible that if Q4 was going to happen, we might've caught a glimpse/tease during Google I/O this month. Minds would've melted, y'all. As for why the delay has taken place, it comes down to the product not being as complete as Google wants. That could mean a lot of things, so we won't speculate, but we should be happy that Google is potentially aware enough to not release something simply for the sake of releasing it. If it's just going to get blown out of the water by a Galaxy Z Fold 4, then why bother? Take your time, perfect it, and make it competitive. I think we should all be fine with that. We'll continue to update you on the latest Passport news, but for now, don't expect to hear much. // TheElec

Pixel Watch Sneaks Through the FCC With WiFi and LTE Models

Kellen — Tue, 24 May 2022 11:35:14 +0000

For weeks leading up to the unveiling of the Google Pixel Watch, we watched Google's FCC filings closely for new devices that might be evidence of their first watch. Those filings never came and it appears now that that's because the Pixel Watch wasn't filed under Google's FCC ID. Instead, Compal Electronics has built and submitted paperwork to get the Pixel Watch ready for launch in the US. It's not uncommon for a big manufacturer to make devices for companies and then submit the paperwork. Quanta is another company that has made and submitted FCC filings for Google in the past. The only interesting thing about Compal making the Pixel Watch, is that they also made an Apple Watch at some point. Does that mean Apple Watch quality? Who knows, but if it gives you warm feels in the belly thinking about the potential, I'm all for it. The filings for the Pixel Watch showed up on May 11 (via 9to5Google) under several known Pixel Watch model numbers of GWT9R (link), GBZ4S (link), and GQF4C (link). There's also a 4th and related model number of G943M (link) that is believed to be the charger for the watch. We aren't getting a ton of important information out of these filings, only that there is a Bluetooth model (GQF4C), as well as LTE models (GWT9R, GBZ4S). Model GWT9R has the most LTE bands that also happen to line-up nicely with available LTE networks in the US, so I'm going to assume it is the LTE model for here. The GBZ4S model only supports LTE bands of 5, 7, and 26.

For Bluetooth/WiFi model GQF4C, we're getting 2.4GHz WiFi and Bluetooth, as well as NFC. We knew Google was going to push Google Pay on the Pixel Watch, so NFC is no surprise. And finally, there are two noteworthy things about the G943M charger. The first is that it will plug into a power source via USB-C. That should mean that you'll charge the watch by plugging into a computer or other power adapter you already own. The second thing is that the FCC filings suggest it can wirelessly charge up to 15W. Who knows if Google will let it, but that would be pretty quick for a smartwatch.

I'm excited.

Here's the Next Motorola Razr In Action, No Crease Spotted Yet

Tim — Tue, 24 May 2022 11:05:58 +0000

We got our eyes on Motorola's upcoming Razr foldable earlier this month, but this week, we have a new GIF that showcases a person handling the device and showing off a little foldy-fold action. Posted by @evleaks, the person shows off the main display, unlocks it using the side-mounted fingerprint reader, closes the phone, then shows the cover display. Interestingly, unless the phone has never closed before, what we don't see is a crease on the display. If you've ever used a foldable before, they all come with no crease out of the box, but as soon as you close it for the first time, there will forever be a crease on the display. This Razr (3rd-Gen) doesn't appear to have have one, so either it's never been closed before or Motorola has some sort of new wizardry employed on this device. Fingers crossed for the wizardry. Overall, it's a good looking phone, certainly better looking than past iterations. It looks very similar to a Galaxy Z Flip 3, though, the bezels do look a bit thicker. Regardless, it still looks nice enough. At the rate of leaks we're seeing, no doubt the phone will be unveiling sooner rather than later. https://twitter.com/evleaks/status/1529155575979855872

Galaxy Watch 4 Gets First Ever One UI Beta Starting June 2

Tim — Tue, 24 May 2022 09:02:49 +0000

Samsung announced this week that the first ever beta for Galaxy Watch 4 owners will arrive on June 2, allowing owners to test an upcoming version of One UI software for Wear OS. Samsung doesn't provide specifics on what's inside just yet, but is allowing folks to get signed up for the beta via its Members app. Since Google Assistant has finally arrived for these devices, it's hard to speculate as to what we're going to get. Couple of notes: Samsung does not support rolling back to a stable build once this beta is flashed on your watch, so ensure you're comfortable running beta software for the foreseeable future on your wrist. On top of that, should you exit the beta, you won't be allowed to re-enter. Check out the Samsung Members app if you're hoping to snag this beta. // Samsung Cheers Kerry!

Google Chrome's Lens Search Gives You the Goods Without Opening a New Tab

Kellen — Tue, 24 May 2022 09:00:42 +0000

Using Google Lens within Google Chrome on a desktop is a great way to get more information about an image within a website. A simple right-click and then "Search Images with Google Lens" can get you a bunch of related information that used to be much more difficult to find. Starting today, Google Chrome will now show you related information from those Lens searches without opening a new tab. Instead, you'll see the Lens search open in a sidebar (on the right) that gives you translations of text within an image, identifying info of the object, and a quick way to find the original source. This is rolling out now and may already be live for most. I can certainly perform these searches without the new tab already.

Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion Now on Android!

Tim — Tue, 24 May 2022 08:24:23 +0000

Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion, the hit Steam title, is now out on Android and ready to teach you some lessons about paying what you owe. In the game, you play a little cute turnip who doesn't pay his taxes. The adventure you go on is to pay your back taxes to an onion mayor. It all sounds like a fever dream, but according to reviews, it's a really fantastic game. I should probably give it a try. The game is free to download on Google Play, though, be aware there is a paywall within the game should you wish to play the entire thing. I'm not a fan of that, I'd rather there be a buy-in at the start, but at least now you get to try the game and see if you like it before committing. Have at it.

Google Play Link

https://youtu.be/CImaFUm_FH4

Here's the Download Link for Google Assistant on Galaxy Watch 4

Kellen — Mon, 23 May 2022 16:00:59 +0000

After seeing this morning's announcement from Samsung and Google that the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic could now access Google Assistant, we spent the bulk of the day trying to find it. We were unsuccessful until now - Google appears to have pushed it live to download and we have the link for you. To download Google Assistant on the Galaxy Watch 4, you'll simply hit that link below. The link is for the special wearable version of Google Assistant that can be installed on watches, like the Galaxy Watch 4. The URL identifies it as "google.android.wearable.assistant" which is different from the regular Assistant you install on phones and tablets. Google Play Link: Google Assistant for wearables Once you've clicked that link (or you can open Google Play on your Watch 4 and update/install it) and installed, there's only a couple of steps left to get Google Assistant up and running. The first time you open Assistant from the watch, it'll tell you to "connect" by opening your phone and following some prompts. those prompts will look familiar and mostly match the same setup experience you saw when activating on your phone the first time. You'll give it "Hey Google" access before it reminds you that you can set Google Assistant to launch with a button combination on your Watch 4. And that's it!

If you are interested in setting Google Assistant as your default or mapping it to a button, here are the instructions for doing those two things:

To set Google Assistant as default: Open settings on your watch, then navigate to Apps>Choose Default Apps and then tap through the "Digital assistant app" button. From there, you can set Google Assistant as the default.
Map Google Assistant to a button: Head into settings on your watch, then find Advanced Features>Customize Keys. You'll get to decide in there to set the Home (top button) to either "Double press" or "Press and hold" to open Google Assistant if you want.
Setup "Hey Google" on watch: To setup "Hey Google," you'll again head into Settings and then tap on the "Google" option. You should now see "Assistant" as a choice. Tap that and another choice for "Hey Google" will be listed. Tap that and you'll walk through the final setup for "Hey Google" to activate through your phone.

Enjoy Google Assistant, everyone!

Poll: Are You Using Google Chat?

Kellen — Mon, 23 May 2022 11:32:09 +0000

Leaving Google Hangouts for another messaging platform was a once-unimaginable idea. My entire family (and most friends) had all bought into Google's most important messaging app over the years because it was simple to use through a Google account and worked on all platforms. Of course, we know the story there and that Hangouts is now all-but-dead. For many of us, that has meant deciding whether or not to use Google's replacement or finding something else. The replacement for Hangouts is Google Chat (not to be confused with RCS "Chat" within Google Messages), a capable messaging app that brought over our conversations from Hangouts, has a modern look and features, and should continue to be a big part of Google's messaging path going forward. I'd love to sit here and tell you that it is a great app and that you should be using it, but I left the system long ago and never looked back. In March of 2021, when Google still wouldn't let everyone into Chat and left long-time Hangouts users on an aging, slowly-dying, and feature-stripped messaging platform, I decided it was time to move on. I picked Telegram because it was simple to sign-up for, worked on multiple devices at a time, and was easy to access on any platform. It's a ridiculously good messaging app. I had a quick conversation with the family about moving over to it and they (probably foolishly too often) listened to me because I'm a tech bro. They all seemed to figure it out without much work and are now into sharing (too many) stickers and GIFs, posting pictures to group chats, and finding usefulness in other features, like links that actually show information. But this isn't about Telegram. It's about Google Chat. You see, I certainly gave Chat a chance on a couple of occasions. I was allowed in to use it early on, I think because I brute-forced my way. I just never like the way it presented messages, as they were often difficult to sort if in a lengthy conversation with multiple people. It has (obviously) been built for big Google Meet users and a business-focused setting where you might use it keep up with work tasks and calendar invites. It also didn't have a bunch of fun stuff to play with and isn't updated with new goodies nearly as often as Telegram. Google Chat comes off as a work tool (because it is) - for personal messaging, using a work tool is not a thing I ever want to do. Today, as I see Google push out yet another minor feature to Google Chat, I wonder how many are using it. I'm surprised we haven't asked this before, so it's probably time we do that. Are you using Google Chat? Why did you stick around and whaat do you like about it? If not, what'd you switch to from Hangouts? [poll id="586"]

Google TV Gets Its Profiles, Which Were Announced Last Year

Kellen — Mon, 23 May 2022 10:07:48 +0000

Google TV, the slick TV-focused operating system skin from Google that runs on its cute little Chromecast with Google TV dongle, is getting profiles this week. You may be thinking that sounds familiar, and well yeah, that's because profiles were announced in October of last year. They are really here this time, though, we think. In October, because Google told us to expect profiles "soon," we explained them this way and told you how setup would work:

With profiles on Google TV, Google is giving each person recommendations based on interests and preferences, access to an individual watchlist, and recommendation help from Google Assistant, again, based on your personalized tastes. So going forward, when you fire up that little baby Google TV remote, you’ll be able to choose your own account to get to watching. To setup a new profile, you should be able to swipe over to your account icon (top right), and then add another account, just like you would if you were trying to add a kid profile.

Fun! So when exactly can you get profiles up and running? Google would only commit to begin rolling out today, with rollout taking place to all users "over the next few weeks." You may see the option today or it may be weeks out. Either way, rollout has apparently started.

Google Assistant Arrives on Galaxy Watch 4, For Real This Time (Updated: Live!)

Kellen — Mon, 23 May 2022 08:30:04 +0000

Samsung and Google took their time, but Google Assistant is now available on the Galaxy Watch 4 series (So much for this summer?). After almost a year of waiting, Google Assistant arrives as an app that can be installed on either Watch 4 model to then be accessed as a voice assistant from the wrist. The introduction of Google Assistant after all this time does not mean that Samsung's Bixby is going anywhere. Instead, the two companies are talking about how you will be able to access both Bixby and Google Assistant. Using Google Assistant from a Galaxy Watch 4 means getting help with on-the-go questions and "access to fast, more natural voice interactions," according to Samsung. Let's just hope it works more seamlessly as a stand-alone app than it does on all of the other non-Samsung Wear OS watches who have had pretty lackluster Assistant experiences over the years. As far as availability, rollout begins today in 10 markets: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, The UK and USA.

UPDATE: It's now available! You can grab it at this Google Play link.

At the time of this post, we still aren't seeing Assistant available to our Galaxy Watch 4 units. Once it shows up and we have a better understanding of how to get it up and running, we'll share those details. Verizon slipped a month ago and showed a potential setup guide, which you can still view here. // Samsung

New Google Play UI Hits the Web Version and It's Nice

Kellen — Mon, 23 May 2022 07:41:13 +0000

Making a stop through Google Play's web store this morning on my commute presented me with quite the surprise. Look at this new web layout! Google Play, for those who haven't visited the web experience in some time, hasn't been properly updated in more years than I keep track of. It is as dated as a web experience can get from a company as large as Google and who typically tries to push design ideas across the tech landscape. It has needed an overhaul for a while. In the new layout, we're getting a lot of white and empty space when expanded onto a large screen. The experience now starts on a "Games" tab like the Play Store on your phone or tablet, with categories at the top for "Apps," "Movies & TV," "Books," and "Kids" next to it. There are quick controls to switch between phones, tablets, TVs, and Chromebooks as well, and you have to wonder if a Watch option might be there soon enough.

Once you navigate to an app or game listing, there's more white, but also a modernized look. App icons are now a borderline squircle with shadow, instead of just a box because the app developer only made a square logo. You don't have to scroll much to see similar apps or to contact the developer, plus the "Install" button is much more prominent. The actual install pop-up, where you select a device, is still the old UI for now. Maybe most importantly, the recently "Updated on" date isn't buried at the bottom of the listing and is now just below the app's description. Now, when you find an app and wonder if it's an outdated mess or properly maintained before installing it, you won't have to dig very far. Should you need to access your library, payments and subscriptions, activity, offers, Play Points, Family settings, etc., you'll do so by clicking on your profile button in the top right. This matches up to most of Google's apps at this point and should be a familiar place to look for most of you.

Overall, I'd consider this a clean simplification of an outdated layout. Gone is the sidebar that weirdly pushed you to "Entertainment" for years; in is a straight-forward, online app store that would rather you find games over movies. To access this, Google likely has to have pushed it to your account. The current default URL for it is play.google.com/store/games. My personal Gmail account is seeing it, while my GSuite account unsurprisingly isn't.

New Pixel Watch Specs Report Should Bring Your Excitement Back

Kellen — Fri, 20 May 2022 12:04:15 +0000

A Google Pixel Watch report from last weekend sure soured a lot of expectations around these parts. The news suggesting that Google had decided to use a 4 year old processor for their first flagship watch was disappointing, to say the least. However, a follow-up report to end this week should help bring some excitement back and potentially squash any worries you had. The crew at 9to5Google has heard from a second source who also confirmed the chipset in the Pixel Watch as being the 4-year old Exynos 9110, the same chip first found in the Galaxy Watch. Where this takes a turn away from that being horrible news is in the rest of what this source told them. Google will apparently add a co-processor alongside that older Exynos 9110 chip, likely to help offload tasks and create a more efficient watch experience. This would be a similar approach to what Qualcomm does with their 3100 and 4100 series chips for wearables. A low powered co-processor could be used to monitor ongoing health and fitness data, power an always-on display, that sort of thing. By taking away activities from the main, power-hungry chip and putting it through a low-power chip, there are big efficiency benefits to be had. This news makes a lot of sense, because it would allow Google to clear up that talk from Google I/O where they said the watch was "built inside and out by Google." My guess is that they'll sell this as a custom experience and brand it with Google Tensor. They basically did the same thing with Tensor on the Pixel 6 line. As for the rest of the good news, today's report says we could get 32GB storage and over 1.5GB RAM. If you've used a Wear OS watch at any time over the past several years, you are probably aware that the jump to 1GB RAM (from 512MB) dramatically improved the user experience on the platform. We've since seen some watches go further and give us 1.5GB RAM, like the Galaxy Watch 4 series. RAM is a crucial spec for smartwatches on Android. In somewhat related news, we're now learning that the Pixel Watch will use health sensors on-par with those from Fitbit. That should mean not only heartrate tracking, but SpO2 and ECG readings. To recap, the seemingly bad news from last week has now turned into what could be seen as OK, if not good news. Google may have customized a still-capable chip to work even better than it ever has, while upgrading things like storage and RAM. Is the Pixel Watch back on your radar?

The First OSOM Phone is Powered by Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1

Kellen — Fri, 20 May 2022 10:03:57 +0000

The second half of 2022 will be dominated by the usual suspects, like Samsung and Google and Apple. You shouldn't focus all of your energy there, though. A couple of newcomers to the scene, with past experience in making smartphones we liked, are bringing their first new phones to market. One of those is OSOM, and they just confirmed the chipset in the OV1 phone. Shortly after Qualcomm revealed its new flagship-level Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, OSOM announced that this will be the chip powering their upcoming device. A simple Tweet with plenty of exclamation marks lets us know that they are indeed excited about this news. https://twitter.com/OsomPrivacy/status/1527633192701788161 I've got to admit that I had started to forget about OSOM and their upcoming phone because they just aren't as loud on the daily as some of the others in the field. While companies like Nothing are running back that obnoxious early-days OnePlus playbook, where they send out a press release to hype the silliest sh*t and maintain a presence in your mind, OSOM is quietly putting in work. At least that's what we assume they are doing. So to recap OSOM, here's what you need to know. OSOM is a company made up of a bunch of former team members from Essential, the failed tech company that made one of our favorite phones of all time. They are promising a privacy-focused device in the OV1 (that's what they are currently calling their first phone), but they also told us to expect a price under $1,000, with a "truly flagship camera experience" that is unlike what we found in the Essential phone. It has a big Essential Phone vibe too. We know that the OSOM OV1 has been pushed back to Q4, but we're back to being excited about it with today's news.

Samsung Brings Back $1,000 Off Galaxy S22 Offer, Wants Your Busted Phone

Kellen — Fri, 20 May 2022 09:06:54 +0000

Memorial Day weekend approaches and that means sales on sales. Samsung is out-the-gate early with another big trade-in promo that significantly drops the price on their Galaxy S22 line. They are also tossing in a $100 credit to spend on goodies and will take your phone if it has a cracked screen. I can't imagine you don't already know the deal here, so let's make this one quicker than usual.

Save $1,000 off the Galaxy S22 Ultra

Samsung will give you up-to an instant $1,000 off today if you trade-in a Galaxy S21 Ultra for the Galaxy S22 Ultra. The new twist here is that your S21 Ultra can have a cracked screen and they'll still take it and give you the full $1,000. Again, the discount comes off today, not at a later date via a prepaid gift card or refund. At $1,000 off, you could grab a Galaxy S22 Ultra (our review) for $199.99. That's pretty wild. If you don't own a Galaxy S21 Ultra that can be traded, here are some other noteworthy values:

Galaxy Z Fold 3: $975
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra: $800
Galaxy S20 Ultra: $725
Pixel 5: $330

Shop Samsung's $1,000 off deal

Bonus credit + S22 deals

As a part of Samsung's Memorial Day weekend sale, they are tossing in a $100 credit on top of the $1,000 off. That credit can be spent on accessories, like some new Galaxy Buds or a Galaxy Watch. When you apply a credit during checkout, Samsung typically tries to offer additional discounts on their products to further entice you. For example, the Galaxy Watch 4 is down to $175 and then you get to apply the $100 credit to it. That's a Galaxy Watch 4 on your wrist for only $75. As for other phones, in case you don't want the Galaxy S22 Ultra, Samsung is offering up to $900 off the Galaxy S22+ with trade-in or up to $700 off the Galaxy S22 (our review). The same deal as above applies, where you can trade in a phone with a cracked screen and still get the full discount. Shop all Galaxy S22, S22 Ultra Memorial Day deals

Verizon Galaxy S22 Family Grabs Performance Enhancing Camera Update

Kellen — Fri, 20 May 2022 08:11:52 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy S22 line already received its May Android update back at the end of April, so a new update today comes as a bit of a surprise. The update itself is somewhat of a mystery too, although we like the type of mystery it hints at. This is some sort of a camera update, which is always welcome. The update is rolling out to the Galaxy S22 Ultra, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 on Verizon and it targets one thing: performance in the camera. The single-line description in the changelog says more specifically that it "provides performance improvements to your camera," so that could mean opening it, focus time, time between shots, etc. Whatever the case, no complaints from us at a speedier camera experience. The builds to be on the lookout for are as follows:

Galaxy S22 Ultra: SP1A.210812.016.S908USQU2AVE4
Galaxy S22+: SP1A.210812.016.S906USQU2AVE4
Galaxy S22: SP1A.210812.016.S901USQU2AVE4

The update should be rolling out as of today. If you own one of these Samsung Galaxy S22 phones, head into Settings>System updates>Check for system updates. If you do end up grabbing, feel free to post a screenshot of the update page in the comments or let us know if you notice anything different in the camera.

Qualcomm Shows Off Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Teases Upcoming Phones

Kellen — Fri, 20 May 2022 05:00:45 +0000

Qualcomm is finishing off the week with big mobile chipset news - the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is official, as is another powerful chip, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1. For those looking to buy non-Google Pixel phones later in the year, these will likely be behind the wheel. Here's what you need to know about the new best smartphone chips from Qualcomm.

Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1

The new Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is a beefed up 8 Gen 1, with boosts throughout several areas. The headliners include a 10% increase in GPU speeds, 30% GPU power reduction, 10% faster CPU performance, a 30% improvement in CPU power efficiency, and 15% SoC power savings. This new 8+ Gen 1 chip can also peak at 3.2GHz CPU speeds. The rest of the story is mostly the same as the 8 Gen 1. You get Snapdragon Sight powering cameras, with up to 8K HDR video and HDR10+. It has the same 7th Gen AI Engine, FastConnect 6900 with WiFi 6E, Snapdragon Sound with lossless support and LE Audio, 5G through the Snapdragon X65 modem, and lots of gaming fun. Thanks to the power efficiencies I mentioned above, Qualcomm thinks you'll squeeze an extra 60 minutes out of a gaming session. The first OEMs to use this Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 include ASUS ROG, Black Shark, HONOR, iQOO, Lenovo, Motorola, Nubia, OnePlus, OPPO, OSOM, realme, RedMagic, Redmi, vivo, Xiaomi, and ZTE. The first devices should launch in Q3 of this year. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is labeled as part number SM8475.

Snapdragon 7 Gen 1

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 is being sold as "your total gaming package" and should not be slept on. It should be very capable and help devices still pack power at a slightly lower price point than the 8+ Gen 1. This new Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 is a 4nm chip that can be clocked up to 2.4GHz on its Kryo CPUs. It features FastConnect 6900 for WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 (LE Audio too), connects to 5G through the Snapdragon X62 modem, and can capture 4K HDR content. It supports HDR gaming, next-gen QHD+ displays at 60HZ (FHD+ at 144Hz), digital keys and wallets, and up to 16GB RAM. It has 20% faster graphics rendering than the Snapdragon 778G, with 30% improved AI performance. The first OEMs to use the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 include Honor, OPPO, and Xiaomi. Some of the first devices should launch in Q2 of this year. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 is labeled as part number SM7450-AB.

AT&T Will Give You $800 Off a Pixel 6 Pro by Trading in Almost Anything, Like a Pixel 3

Kellen — Thu, 19 May 2022 11:18:05 +0000

AT&T kicked off a promotion today that will shave off $800 from basically any of their best Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy phones. That could mean a free phone, depending on the price, or a big discount off the top tier options, like a Pixel 6 Pro or Galaxy S22 Ultra. And while I know I just dumped on 3-year contracts, which this deal is, this is one of those situations that is a pretty solid option if you have an older phone and want to get into a really good phone for almost nothing. The deal here is that AT&T is willing to give you $800 in credits to apply over 36-months (3 years!) on a new phone if you trade something in. Most of these types of trade-in deals aren't great, but this one allows you to get $800 for something like a Pixel 3 or Pixel 3a or incredibly old Galaxy phone. The phones you'll need to buy to be eligible for this promo include the Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Fold 3, Pixel 6, and Pixel 6 Pro. Since those are the phones you should be buying right now if you are in the market, that's great. For trade-ins, the list is extensive, especially for older Samsung phones and iPhones. I plugged in a Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S5 and it offered me $800. I also tried the Galaxy S2 and the original Galaxy Note and got the same $800. Even the OnePlus 7 Pro and Moto Z4 are eligible. You can see the full list of eligible trade-ins here.

Alright, so what else do you need to know about this deal?

It's a 3-year contract deal. AT&T is willing to give you such a big discount for almost nothing because this will lock you into their service for a long time.
You have to subscribe to one of their top unlimited plans, which start at $75/mo for a single line.
The bill credits from your $800 discount start after 3 billing cycles.
If you cancel, you'll have to pay for the rest of the phone right away.

As we often say with these "deals," you really need to be dedicated to AT&T and their network to go for this. Since I really don't think most people switch carriers that often, this might be a good play. Also, because they are only running the deal for the best phones with the longest support, you know you'll be buying a phone that'll have software updates for the full 3 years of the contract.

Shop AT&T's $800-off phone deals

Verizon Now Selling Moto G Stylus 5G, Listed at $399

Tim — Thu, 19 May 2022 11:14:44 +0000

2022's Moto G Stylus was announced back in February, but this week, the 5G toting model launches on Verizon for the price of $399 -- $100 more than the non-5G variant. For the $399 price, you're getting the 5G support, 6.8″ FHD display at 90Hz, 5000mAh battery, camera system made up of a 50MP main shooter (secondary ultra-wide lens and depth sensor), Snapdragon 695 5G processor, 4GB RAM, 128GB storage (with SD slot), 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 5.1, rear fingerprint reader, 16MP selfie camera, and Android 12 with little hope for great software support. If 3-year commitments are up your alley, which seems foolish in this scenario, you're looking at $11/month. And yes, Verizon has it available to both prepaid and postpaid customers.

Verizon Links: Postpaid | Prepaid

Michael Kors Gen 6 Gets a Big $90 Discount

Kellen — Thu, 19 May 2022 09:45:31 +0000

It's a good day to buy a smartwatch if you like the Fossil Gen 6 platform, but want an extra touch of fashion on your wrist. The Michael Kors Gen 6, or "Bradshaw," is almost $90 off at Amazon at the moment. The Michael Kors Gen 6 comes in several styles, from an all silver version to those with gold accents and another that is pure rose gold in color. You can see most of the options above, but Amazon also happens to have that all-silver version I mentioned, which isn't pictured. What do you get at almost $90 off? The Michael Kors "Bradshaw" Gen 6 would cost you $262.50 and bring you everything found in the Fossil Gen 6. That means a 1.28" OLED display, Snapdragon Wear 4100+, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, GPS, heartrate monitor, SpO2 tracking, NFC, 5ATM water resistance, and a 44mm case. Go spoil yourself.

Amazon Deal Link

Visible eSIM Now Available on a Bunch of Samsung Phones

Kellen — Thu, 19 May 2022 08:27:37 +0000

Visible, the cute little prepaid wireless service that uses Verizon's network and gives you a whole mess of features for $40/mo, added a big group of Samsung phones to its eSIM compatible list today. That means your Samsung phone can sign-up for and access Visible without a physical SIM card. We love eSIM, a technology that we've been talking about since at least 2017 when the Pixel 2 included it. For those new, it's an embedded SIM card that's basically a digital SIM card you can use to connect your phone to wireless service providers without needing that physical, little mini SIM card thing. The biggest benefit of an eSIM is that if you switch phones or want to try a new service, activating with eSIM is super convenient compared to moving around a physical SIM card or ordering one. It can also come in handy if you want to run dual SIM cards on a phone, one physical and one eSIM. Visible has supported eSIM for some time on iPhones and Google Pixel phones, but this week they tell us that the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S21, and Galaxy Note 20 families are all ready for eSIM Visible action. The Galaxy Book 5G is also on their list. So it's obvious which phones we're talking about, here's the full list:

Samsung Galaxy S22 5G / S22+ 5G / S22 Ultra 5G
Samsung Galaxy S21 / S21+ / S21 Ultra 5G
Samsung Galaxy Note20 / Note20 Ultra 5G
Samsung Galaxy Book 5G

If you own a Galaxy phone above and want to sign-up for Visible with eSIM, the process is pretty simple. All you do is download the Visible app and sign-up and it'll then walk you through the steps:

Check to see if your phone is eSIM compatible.
If your phone is eSIM compatible, create an account then download the Visible app to continue signing up.
Sign-in to the app to activate your Visible service and start making calls, sending texts, and using data.
Start the process to transfer your number.

eSIM is love.

Fortnite With Touch Controls Now Available to All GeForce NOW Users on Android

Tim — Thu, 19 May 2022 08:24:40 +0000

Back in January, NVIDIA launched a closed beta of Fortnite for Android users via GeForce NOW, and this week, full release is here and the waitlist has been removed. It's time to drop in from the Battle Bus, folks. According to NVIDIA, the beta had more than 500,000 participants streaming over 4 millions sessions. Thanks to all of their hard work, this full release of Fortnite features optimized on-screen touch controls, better game menus, as well as gameplay that "feels intuitive." And to celebrate, NVIDIA has gifts. Check it out.

As a thank you, all members who signed up for the beta will receive a free GeForce NOW three-day Priority membership. This also applies to paid members on Founders, Priority and RTX 3080 tiers who will receive three free days added to their respective membership (and to be clear, RTX 3080 members will get three days of RTX 3080).

Now go forth and smack some newbs. // NVIDIA

The Era of 3-Year Wireless Contracts is Here

Kellen — Wed, 18 May 2022 12:29:37 +0000

I got an email this morning about the latest Verizon deal for a free 5G phone and felt like it was PSA time after reading through its terms. This particular deal is similar to another recently launched Verizon promo, only this one was for new and existing customers on any unlimited plan. The deal itself is what it is, but I couldn't help but notice that these deals have adopted Verizon's new 3-year contract payment plans. I hope everyone is ready to lock into phones for 3 years.

It's a 3-year contract disguised as a deal

We saw Verizon adopt 3-year contracts back in February, where they replaced 24-month and 30-month device payment plans with a 36-month option. Your choices when buying a phone are now to buy one at full price or sign-up for a 3-year loan, basically. You don't get to choose different levels of payment, it's either one or the other. For this latest deal, Verizon is utilizing those 3 year plans and the offer of a free phone to keep you around for a while. Not that many of us change carriers often, but this certainly means you'll be paying off your new phone for 36 months. There aren't many ways to get out of them either. You can't pay more each month to try and end it sooner. Your only option to end a payment plan is to payoff the remainder of the phone in one lump sum. You also can't use the phone as an upgrade before you have paid it off. Deals like these fall into the bill credit category, where Verizon gets you to sign-up for a 3-year payment plan that guarantees 3 years of service payments and then credits you back a monthly amount to cover the phone. You know how I feel about these "deals."

3 years is a long time, choose wisely

But look, phones are incredibly expensive now and can cost you well north of $900 or $1,000. A 3-year payment plan can help reduce the monthly cost and get more people into better phones. My warning to those of you thinking about a 3-year contract is to take into account who the phone maker is and what they offer in terms of software support. You need at least 3 years of software support, obviously. Samsung is a good example of a phone maker you could feel comfortable with. Samsung will update a phone like the Galaxy S22 Ultra for the next 5 years. Apple will do the same with their new phones. Google will do at least 4 years. You know who won't? Motorola. OnePlus might be sporadic with their support too. I'm not sure anyone else makes phones anymore, so those are your options, really. You should also consider the age of the phone you are buying. Don't buy a year-old or 2-year-old phone on a 3-year contract. That phone is already a couple of years into software support lifespan and you could be outside of support by the time you finish paying it off. Buying the new-new if you are signing a 3-year contract is going to be your best bet. Another thing you should do is try to get into a store and play with some phones. Again, 3 years is a really long time and you better love the software a lot. From Samsung to OnePlus to Google to iPhones, all offer quite different experiences with different sets of features. Google and Apple are often the most minimal, while Samsung will give you more than you can handle. Accessories are something else to consider. Apple and Samsung's phones have never-ending options when it comes to cases or other accessories. Since they sell the most phones, accessory makers aren't afraid to make all sorts of fun goodies to use with them. But for Google or OnePlus, you might struggle to find even a handful of quality options. That's changing some for Google's Pixel line, thankfully.

It's not just Verizon doing this

I know I picked on Verizon a bit above since it was their deal that prompted this post, but understand that AT&T is also doing 3-year contracts. T-Mobile is not at the moment, even if they did flirt with the idea a couple of years back. It's hard to imagine a world where T-Mobile doesn't re-join at some point, as it is clear this is where the industry is headed. All sound familiar? We joked when T-Mobile merged with Sprint that having 3 major carriers would bring forth the Canada wireless experience. Canada, for those not familiar, had 3-year wireless service contracts and was often criticized for being a not-very-competitive wireless industry. Canada's wireless regulatory body appears to have forced carriers to do away with 3-year service plans (or at least eliminated the cancellation fees after 2 years) and (most recently) ended the 3-year device payment plan scheme. Since the US is only getting started with 3-year contracts and there hasn't been enough anti-competitive talk surrounding them, this is a situation that we'll have to get used to or at least be aware of.

Hyundai's Genesis GV60 Gets UWB Digital Car Key Support

Tim — Wed, 18 May 2022 10:30:26 +0000

Samsung and Hyundai's premium Genesis brand announced this week that the all new 2023 GV60 electric vehicle supports ultra wideband-powered (UWB) digital car keys on select Galaxy devices. With this support, GV60 owners will be able to have their keys loaded into the Samsung Pass app, then feel free to leave their keys at home. On top of that, the GV60 also features facial recognition for locking and unlocking the vehicle, so in terms of futuristic tech, this car has the goods. Should you loan your car to someone, you can send them the digital car keys, so long as it's a compatible Galaxy smartphone. Samsung devices supported by this announcement are the Galaxy S22+, Galaxy S22 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy S21+, Galaxy S21 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 2, and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. The 2023 GV60 is now available in the US with a starting MSRP of $58,890. // Genesis | Samsung

Galaxy S22 Ultra is $250 Off and You Get a Free Galaxy Watch 4

Kellen — Tue, 17 May 2022 15:46:35 +0000

Here's a sweet Galaxy S22 Ultra deal that I haven't seen yet - how would you like a $250 discount on Samsung's best phone and their best watch thrown in for free? Amazon is running that deal right now. For what is likely a limited time (and with limited supplies), Amazon has discounted the Galaxy S22 Ultra by $250, dropping its price to $949.99 with 128GB storage. As an added bonus on top of that discount, they want to gift you a Galaxy Watch 4 (44mm) for free. That watch would normally cost you $230, so we are talking a total savings of $480 here.

REVIEW: Galaxy S22 Ultra

To get the deal, you hit that link below, and then look for the "Extra Savings" area on the Galaxy S22 Ultra listing. When you click to expand that area, you'll see a pop-up that describes the deal with a button to "add both to cart." It should look like this. If you want more storage than 128GB, it looks like the same $250 off + free watch promo is working for bigger storage variants too, like 256GB and 512GB. So yeah, what are you waiting for? Amazon Deal Link

And Then a Pixel Watch Rumor Killed the Excitement

Kellen — Tue, 17 May 2022 15:32:23 +0000

There were lots of light-hearted jokes to be had after Google announced the Pixel Watch at I/O last week, mostly because rumors of such a watch's existence have carried on for years. We actually laughed a bit when it was official, because we almost weren't sure it was really official. It is official, by the way. Soon after the jokes, we couldn't help but find excitement in the unveiling. Google had finally done it - they were preparing to give us a Pixel Watch, the one Wear OS watch we feel has been missing from the ecosystem from the beginning. The design is on point. Google is tying-in Fitbit for health tracking. It looks like the perfect size. It'll even run some new version of Wear OS that sounds like it has major improvements. Everything lined up out of the gate, even if we didn't know the little details like specs or price. And then just before the weekend hit, the first rumor surrounding the real Pixel Watch showed up to kill all the vibes. The crew at 9to5Google heard from sources who suggested the 2022 Pixel Watch will run a 2018 chipset from Samsung. Bro, what? Noooo. According to this report, Google is using the Exynos 9110, a dual-core chipset first used by Samsung in the Galaxy Watch that debuted in 2018. The chip was big enough in the Samsung world that it also found its way into the Galaxy Watch Active 2 a year later and then the Galaxy Watch 3 another year after that. The Exynos 9110 was a more than capable chip, that's for sure. It's a 10nm chip that powered Tizen and provided one of the better smartwatch experiences on the market. For the Galaxy Watch 3, likely thanks to the bump in RAM from Samsung, I noted in my review that the watch ran quite well and smoothly handled all of the tasks I threw at it. So what's the problem? It's a chip from 2018, man. The biggest problem in the Wear OS world for most of the past 6 years has been that all devices ran ancient technology from Qualcomm and couldn't keep up with the times, competitors, and advancements in tech. We thought we were finally moving on from that storyline with the launch of Samsung's W920 chip in the Galaxy Watch 4 line last year and yet, here we are. Google is reportedly using this chip because the Pixel Watch has been in-the-works for some time and there's a chance that trying to switch to a newer chip would have further set it behind. Or maybe Samsung isn't even willing to let anyone else use the 5nm W920 yet. Since it's become clear that Google isn't a fan of Qualcomm chips for devices any longer, the 12nm Wear 4100+ was likely out of the question. The hope, at least for now, is that Google has spent a significant amount of time (like multiple years) finding out ways to get everything and then some out of this chip. Since I don't recall seeing a Wear OS watch run the 9110, maybe we'll all be in for a surprise. Google is pretty good at optimizing its devices with chipsets that aren't always top tier (think Pixel 5...Pixel 6 too), so we could see that again in the Pixel Watch. I am worried about general performance, though. Google has already said that Wear OS 3 brings big changes and issued warnings about older watches being able to run it, even those with Qualcomm's Wear 4100 and 4100+ chips. Google explained that the upgrade from Wear OS 2 to Wear OS 3 on devices running that chip could leave the experience impacted. The Exynos 9110 is technically a more efficient chip than those. My other worry, at least in terms of perception or the Pixel Watch's storyline, is that it won't matter how good Google makes it if they use the Exynos 9110. Google using a 4 year-old chipset is the type of item that writes its own headlines, and not in a good way. We're already seeing them and the Pixel Watch is 5 months from launch.

YouTube Music on Wear OS Gets Tile, LTE and WiFi Streaming

Kellen — Tue, 17 May 2022 09:26:46 +0000

Back in February, Google announced that YouTube Music on Wear OS would soon be able to stream music over WiFi or LTE without the need for a phone to be nearby and connected. Starting this week, Wear OS users will begin to see that feature arrive, as well as a new Tile for quicker access. Google explains this streaming feature as one that's available to YouTube Premium subscribers, so you'll have fork out monthly cash in order to do this. Streaming through your watch without a phone nearby means having access to 80 million songs and thousands of playlists, all from your wrist alone. Google is calling it a standalone app, and the "first" from YouTube Music to allow this experience. Well, yeah. As for that YouTube Music Tile, once you have this latest YouTube Music update, the Tile should show up as an option to add. Like other Tiles, this one should simply let you quickly access whatever you are currently playing or to quickly browse music. To add it, you'll swipe to the right where Tiles live, long-press, and then add it. You could also add it through the Wear OS app from your phone. Let us know if you see it.

All the Samsung Phone Updates for May: Galaxy S21, Fold 3, Flip 3, and More

Kellen — Tue, 17 May 2022 08:26:36 +0000

Owning a Samsung phone means getting updates, regular updates. They are the best in the Android business at updating phones, which is a big thing to say knowing how many phones they make. To make sure you are caught up on the latest, here are all of the Samsung phones we've seen get updates in the past few days. The Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra were the most recent, but the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy Z Flip 3, and Galaxy Z Fold 2 also got new software. As far as we can tell, these updates are minor and should all be here to address the latest May security patches. If you own a Galaxy S21 phone, you are also seeing "performance improvements" of some kind. We love improved performance. The breakdown of new builds to look for are as follows:

Galaxy S21: SP1A.210812.016.G991USQU5CVDB
Galaxy S21+: SP1A.210812.016.G996USQU5CVDB
Galaxy S21 Ultra: SP1A.210812.016.G998USQU5CVDB
Galaxy Z Fold 3: SP1A.210812.016.F926USQS1CVD2
Galaxy Z Fold 2: SP1A.210812.016.F916USQS2GVD2
Galaxy Z Flip 3: SP1A.210812.016.F711USQS2CVD2

To check for updates, head into Settings>System updates>Check for system updates.

Apex Legends Mobile Now Live on Android!

Tim — Tue, 17 May 2022 08:26:19 +0000

After much hype and anticipation, Apex Legends Mobile has finally arrived! The wait was a little rough, with the first announcement coming back in May, 2019, before the dark days. The game is off to a great start, with nearly 64K ratings in Google Play giving it a 4.7 star rating. That's wildly good, so props to EA and its development team for seemingly getting off to such a great start. Maybe I'll have to drop in and give it a whirl with my boy Pathfinder. If you're a fan of the battle royale titles, but haven't tried out Apex, give it a look. It's actually quite fun, which you know must be true because it's one of the few royale titles that has been able to stick around with Fortnite and Warzone. Have at it!

Google Play Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frPP4N5AkPY

Verizon is Increasing Your Bill Because Of Course They Are

Kellen — Tue, 17 May 2022 06:49:39 +0000

We knew this was coming, yet it still stings - Verizon has figured out a way to increase the bill of millions of customers in order to deal with rising costs. At least that's the pitch, that rising costs need to be passed along to consumers so that shareholders and executives can ~~continue to have third vacation homes and nicer things~~ find peace in their success. Unfair? It is what it is. Starting in June, according to Bloomberg, Verizon will increase the administrative fee of your bill for each phone line you have by $1.35. If you subscribe to a business plan, then we're talking $2.20 increases to phone data plans. Doing a little math there and that would mean a family of four would pay over $5 more per month. This increase follows AT&T's lead, after they decided to raise prices on older plans in the name of "inflation" or because they had to pay employees more...something. At least those were only on older plans. Verizon's move appears to be for all customers, no matter the situation. This increased fee of $1.35 per line is coming to you. Of course, seeing carriers find ways to increase fees or plan prices isn't unexpected. When T-Mobile and Sprint merged, industry watchers were concerned that having only three major carriers in the US would make it easier for prices to go up as there are fewer places for consumers to take their wireless money. So far, T-Mobile hasn't announced any incoming changes, but how can they not jump on this opportunity? It's 2022 and you aren't a good executive team of a mega-corp if you aren't finding ways to raise prices on consumers while printing money and then blaming the economy. Hey, at least a Pixel Watch is coming, right? OK, that doesn't help. Sorry.

LG Wing Now Certified to Work on Verizon's 5G C-Band Network

Tim — Mon, 16 May 2022 14:06:33 +0000

Might as well wrap it up, folks. This is the biggest news of the week and it's only Monday. Verizon announced this afternoon that the LG Wing has received certification to work on Big Red's 5G C-Band network. The update is now rolling out to remaining Wing owners on Verizon, and once you upgrade, you should see greater speeds and greater coverage from your device. That's all. Enjoy!

Galaxy Watch 5 Pro Should Include Very Premium Specs

Tim — Mon, 16 May 2022 10:49:27 +0000

More details on the reported Galaxy Watch 5 Pro hit the web last week, with Samsung potentially looking to make this wearable a very premium device. According to well known Samsung leaker account @UniverseIce, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will feature sapphire glass, which is used on a ton of great watches. You have probably heard of it before if you're into the watch game, but in case not, it's very resistant to scratches and also very clear. For watch people, this is welcomed news. In addition to sapphire glass, it's noted that the wearable will also offer a titanium body. The Galaxy Watch 4 features an aluminum body, so an upgrade to titanium could be quite luxurious. Painting a picture in our mind, with this watch also rumored to sport a 500mAh+ battery, we're half expecting this device to be a monster on wrist. Hopefully we see some renders soon. There's no doubt that Samsung fans will be excited for this. // @UniverseIce

OnePlus Device Renders Posted, Likely Not Coming to US

Tim — Mon, 16 May 2022 08:40:02 +0000

We have renders of a new OnePlus smartphone to look at this week, but if reports turn out to be true, it may not be anything to get too excited about. Posted to the web courtesy of @evleaks, there were no additional details provided to give an idea of what it is we are looking at. The first thought was that this is the OnePlus 10, the less expensive version of the already released OnePlus 10 Pro, but that didn't sound right. This phone lacks Hasselblad branding on its camera housing, which seems unlikely on the OnePlus 10, plus there appears to be a side-mounted fingerprint reader. That's something to at least get excited about. And speaking of the hardware itself, many are saying that when they look at this phone, they're looking at a Galaxy A53 clone. While there are a few differences, they aren't not right, if you catch my drift. Most reports believe this to be the non US-bound OnePlus Ace Racing Edition, a followup to another Ace device that released in China. We'll keep you posted when and if we learn more. // @evleaks | GSM Arena

Readers React: Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro Get Lots of Early, Hesitant Love

Tim — Fri, 13 May 2022 12:55:30 +0000

We have taken a look at early reactions to Google's newly announced Pixel Watch. For the most part, folks seem excited. But what about Google's newly announced upcoming flagship phones, the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro? While it was much easier to find people not impressed with the Pixel Watch, there aren't many naysayers for the Pixel 7 line, especially in our comment sections. Check out a few of the responses to the unveiling post we wrote. Of course, it's not all love. Due to the Pixel 6 lineup having its issues, some people are reasonably weary of quickly jumping into a new Pixel device without waiting for reviews. We can't say that we blame them for this stance. Not only that, but some feel that even if they want the device, the Google Store will see to it that their dreams are crushed. I know that feeling. It hurts. As consumers, we can only hope that Google soaked in a lot of the feedback that they have received on the Pixel 6 and is putting in a lot of work on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Personally, I'd like to see something down about the in-display fingerprint readers, as they still leave a little bit desired in the speed department for me. Maybe we can also talk about some sort of face unlock feature again? That'd be cool. Overall, it's good to see such a large spectrum of reactions toward these devices. It reminds me that we're all Android fans, not just fans of one particular OEM. Remember: Be Together, Not the Same.

Galaxy Z Flip 4 Renders Don't Point to Any Big Changes

Tim — Fri, 13 May 2022 12:02:39 +0000

Earlier in the week, renders for both the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 hit the web. Due to Google I/O and all of that craziness, we're only now getting around to sharing the Z Flip 4 renders. Apologies on the delay, but we promise, you weren't missing anything. As shown in these renders, Samsung may not do anything too drastic with the design for this year's smaller foldable option. The same went for the Z Fold 4. After all, both phones sold really well, and as far as we know, have been enjoyed by their buyers. Samsung doesn't really need to do anything -- they've already won the foldable wars. Now they simply need to continue to refine and perfect. According to OnLeaks, who provides these images to 91mobiles, the Z Flip 4 is pretty much identical to the Z Flip 3, with exception to exact dimensions. Z Flip 4 is reported to feature a 6.7-inch display, measuring around 165.1 x 71.9 x 7.2mm. Other than that, expect a lot of the same, which again, shouldn't be labeled as a bad thing. No bother fixing what isn't broken, right? // 91mobiles

Readers React: Pixel Watch Polarizes Android Fans

Tim — Fri, 13 May 2022 09:02:28 +0000

Without question, the Pixel Watch is something many in the Android world have been hoping to see for a long time. At long last, Google's hardware team unveiled their vision of a wearable, and honestly, the reactions have been incredibly mixed. Even among our readership, which tends to really favor Google's hardware and approach to most things, seems very torn on whether to love it or view it as nothing more than a "round Apple Watch." Take a look at some of these responses to the official announcement. While website comments tipped the scale towards the negative, Twitter comments seemed much more positive. https://twitter.com/jasoninquires/status/1524466348729974790 https://twitter.com/ToddAlvandi/status/1524489062941306880 https://twitter.com/CYacoub713/status/1524462440674521088 And then there's our poll, asking which Pixel hardware announcement readers are most excited about. Pixel Watch dominated the poll, with 48% (at the time of me writing this) of voters saying it's what they're most excited for. That's pretty telling, especially when we have the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro on the same poll.

To me, the thing that sticks out is the concern over scratching the face of the watch. Have these people never worn a watch before? And if so, what are they doing with them? Do people go around and deliberately smash their wrists into hard objects? I'm so confused. People don't seem to have this concern when it comes to other watches, but because it's a Pixel Watch, all of a sudden there's an issue? Seems fishy to me. The next one is a legitimate concern, that being price. We don't know the price yet, but I suspect Google will be competitive. Think Galaxy Watch 4 lineup range. That seems like a fair guess, but alas, we can't say for sure. Maybe that round glass will jack the price up a bit, who knows. Personally, the only concern I have is the bezels. The display size seems quite small when we account for those bezels, which is a bit disappointing. That and the potential lack for a lot of band options has me worried. Other than that, we can say we finally have a Pixel Watch and that's enough for me to be excited.

Google Highlights Changes in Android 13 Beta 2 for Android TV

Tim — Thu, 12 May 2022 14:34:14 +0000

This week during Google I/O, Google detailed changes built into Android TV, available inside of the latest build designed for developers. That's right, we're talking about the Android 13 Beta 2, available now for ADT-3 owners and those who enjoy using emulators to test their apps. As for what's inside, Google highlights a few sweet changes in three key areas: Performance & quality, Accessibility, and Multitasking. For multitasking, Google has built in an updated picture-in-picture API, previewed in the header image above. According to Google's blog post, "TVs are now used for more than just watching media content. In fact, we often see users taking calls or monitoring cameras in a smart home. To help with multitasking, an updated picture in picture API will be supported in Android 13 with the APIs from core Android." In Accessibility, Google has added support for different keyboard layouts in the InputDevice API, while in Performance, the company has created new APIs to help developers better detect a user’s settings and give them the best experience for their device. For example, AudioManager allows a dev's app to anticipate audio routes and precisely understand which playback mode is available. That could be helpful. Developers who are reading this, have at it!

Get Android 13 Beta 2 for Android TV

// Google

Google Plans Tablet Makeovers for 20+ Apps

Kellen — Thu, 12 May 2022 12:37:09 +0000

The tech world was quite surprised to see Google announce a new tablet yesterday after having seemingly given up on the space several years back. I guess you could argue that we should have seen this coming, though, since they have shown a new interest in bigger screens over the past year or so with releases like Android 12L and support for bigger screens in the foldable space. Either way, no one saw a Pixel Tablet coming, but we're pretty excited. To help get us ready for the launch (in 2023) of that Pixel Tablet and to improve experiences on currently-available tablets and foldables, Google made some big tablet app promises this week. During the Google I/O keynote, Google said to expect them to update at least 20 of their own apps in the near future with proper tablet experiences. On top of that, they are also expecting a bunch of 3rd partner apps, like TikTok, Facebook, Zoom, and Canva to do the same. They were brief in highlighting the apps they will update, but did provide several screenshots of some of the apps. In the first screenshot below, you can see how Google Duo, Google TV, Google One, Google Home, Google Maps, YouTube Music, Google Play, and Google Messages will look. From there, you'll see highlights for apps like Maps, YouTube Music, Google Play, and Messages in their own slides, along with some of those third party apps.

YouTube Music new tablet UI

Google Messages new tablet UI

Google Maps new tablet UI

Google Play new UI

New tablet UI for TikTok, Zoom, Facebook, and Canva

We don't have specifics on when these new experiences will arrive, but they are in the works. For tablet owners, this is huge news. For those who have heard about the lack of quality tablet experiences on Android, well, this should give you a new reason to checkout the platform again.

Thursday Poll: Which Pixel Hardware Announcement Has You Most Excited?

Tim — Thu, 12 May 2022 11:42:26 +0000

Yesterday was wild, with Google taking the stage at I/O and dropping new device after new device on our faces. They showcased the soon coming Pixel 6a, Pixel Watch, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel Buds Pro, plus a Pixel Tablet. Is this even real life? Our question is, now that we've had time to soak it all in -- what are you most excited for? For me, in order of excitement, I'd go with Watch, P7 lineup, Pixel Tablet, Buds Pro, and then 6a. I wanted to look forward to the Pixel 6a, but with its 60Hz display and what I'd label as relatively high price, it's tough to get overly excited for it. I'll save the remainder of my judgement for when it's released. Share your thoughts with us! [poll id="585"]

Google Messages Group Chats to Get Encryption

Kellen — Thu, 12 May 2022 10:14:20 +0000

As a part of the Google I/O keynote, Google talked a bit about its Messages app and how many people are using RCS through it, before pitching (once again) to Apple that it should think about implementing the messaging technology, without naming them. What they didn't mention on stage was that they plan to further expand on Google Messages and its encryption efforts within RCS. In a little note sent to press, Google confirmed that Google Messages will get end-to-end encryption for group messages "later this year." This is welcomed news, since Google Messages currently only does end-to-end encryption in single, person-to-person chats. It has done this for well over a year now, and we were starting to wonder what the hold-up was on group chats. While we are still going to have to wait for group encryption, at least we know it is coming. Encryption for group chats will first arrive in Google Messages via beta. If you haven't signed-up for Messages beta yet, you might as well - it always gets new features first. You can sign-up for it here.

// Google

Android Auto Gets a Big UI Refresh

Kellen — Thu, 12 May 2022 09:19:47 +0000

The UI inside your car on that big ol' screen is incredibly important. You might have a ton of activities in progress on it at any given time, but some stuff is more important than others and needs to be seen. The software running on that screen should also be able to adapt depending on the car or screen, and that's what Google announced for Android Auto this week. This summer, Google will launch a new Android Auto UI that is scalable and with a multitasking-oriented experience. They want Google Assistant to be a more important part of the experience too. The new Android Auto UI will feature a split screen mode that lets you keep activities in place, so that you can do things like access your list of apps without exiting to the home screen. You can use navigation and media that are always on, to help keep you from missing a turn. And Google Assistant is going to offer alerts, contextual suggestions, help you return missed calls, share arrival times, and reply to messages with single-tap suggestions. Here's a look at the new UI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhyUrRIKBi0 Pretty sweet, right? Look for it to launch this summer.

The New Google Wallet is Official With Driver's License Support

Kellen — Thu, 12 May 2022 08:59:16 +0000

A new Google Wallet was announced this week. Yes, we have another Google Wallet app. It looks like it's just a rebranding of the "Google Pay" (not GPay) app you currently have, but with a throwback name to get re-familiar with. Or maybe it's new. Whatever the case, it's the return of Google Wallet, at least in name. The big idea here is that this is a digital wallet that won't just store your cards and transit passes and tickets. It will also store your digital ID or driver's license, so that you can leave your entire physical wallet at home. It'll also store things like a COVID vaccine card, you know, since we're going to need those forever. Oh, if you own a fancy car that doesn't need a physical key, you could put your digital car key in this new Google Wallet too. Eventually, Google hopes to partner with everyone that might want to add a card or pass or service to Google Wallet, so that you can see transit balances, add to them, etc. They are also already collaborating with states and international partners to bring digital driver's license to reality. Who knows how long it'll take before you can actually leave your wallet at home, but hey, we like the idea of this future. Additionally, Google plans to bring this new Google Wallet to Wear OS soon enough with support for payment cards to start. The new Google Wallet is only listed as "coming soon" to over 40 countries. We'll let you know when it launches.

Google Maps is About to Get Very 'Immersive'

Tim — Thu, 12 May 2022 08:52:27 +0000

Yesterday during the I/O keynote, before we were blown away by tons of new hardware, Google detailed an upcoming AI-powered feature for Maps called Immersive View. Using Google's vast amounts of location data/information, in addition to real-time traffic and busyness data, Immersive View offers a look at locations unlike any other. The idea is that a user can explore a location more in-depth than ever before, powered by computer vision and AI that allows Google fuse together billions of Street View and aerial images to create these digital models of the world. Taking it a step further, Google will even allow users to dive directly into businesses and restaurants for an even more immersive view. According to Google, Immersive View will work on just about any device. It starts rolling out in Los Angeles, London, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo later this year with more cities to follow. Below you can watch Google's segment on Knowledge, which includes the portion about the upcoming Google Maps features. https://youtu.be/nP-nMZpLM1A?t=381 // Google

The Big US Carriers All Plan to Sell Google's New Pixel 6a

Kellen — Thu, 12 May 2022 08:30:40 +0000

Google announced a ton of new hardware at I/O's opening keynote yesterday, but the first device we'll see out of the group is a new phone, the Pixel 6a. This is a phone we were expecting and there were few surprises alongside its reveal (60Hz, huh?). If there is a big one, it's probably availability, as Google managed to pick-up all of the major US carriers as partners to sell it. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile have all committed to the Google Pixel 6a. AT&T and T-Mobile didn't have much to share outside of their acknowledgement of the phone, but Verizon gave us a launch date and price, since their's will once again be priced higher than everywhere else. The Pixel 6a goes up for pre-order on July 21 and then arrives on July 28, according to Verizon. The unlocked model, which Google announced yesterday, will cost $449. The Verizon model, which has the "full power of Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband," costs $499. We're assuming that's because Verizon required 5G mmW support. Woof. But again, having the Pixel 6a at all carriers is big. Almost all of them ignored the Pixel 5a from last year. If Google wants to continue seeing Pixel success built off the Pixel 6 line, they need these partnerships to continue. Also, don't buy the Verizon version of the Pixel 6a at $499. Definitely don't buy it on one of their awful new 3-year contracts. Just buy the unlocked version - you don't need 5G mmW.

OnePlus Nord Buds Official and Only $39

Kellen — Thu, 12 May 2022 07:54:26 +0000

The OnePlus Nord Buds were announced this morning as the most affordable pair of true wireless earbuds from the smartphone maker. These Nord Buds still pack a ton of features, but the price is actually quite something. At $39.99, the OnePlus Nord Buds feature 12.4mm drivers, Bluetooth 5.2, 4 microphones, AI noise canceling in calls, Dolby Atmos support, and up to 7 hours of audio playback. Through the included case, you can grab up to 30 hours of total usage, as well as fast charging through its USB-C port. OnePlus' Nord Buds come in black with a flat design that is certainly unique. The earbuds contain a touch pad for controls that'll help you skip tracks, answer calls, etc. The OnePlus Nord Buds arrive in mid-June. // OnePlus

New Wear OS Watches are Coming From Fossil, Montblanc

Kellen — Wed, 11 May 2022 14:11:17 +0000

The biggest Wear OS announcement from earlier today at Google I/O is without question the confirmation from Google that it is finally making a Pixel Watch. Our attention is mostly focused on that news alone at the moment, but Google did share news surrounding its other partners in the wearable space. On a single slide and for all of 3 seconds, Google said that there will be new Wear OS watches this summer from partners including Fossil, Montblanc, TAG Heuer, and Mobvoi, as well as watches from the various Fossil group line-up, like Skagen and Hublot and Michael Kors. I think it's safe to assume that those will all be powered by Wear OS 3 out of the box, possibly with their own unique software experiences or at least with upgraded hardware. If anything, I just hope it saves folks from having to go through the process of fully wiping watches that Google described last year. You have to feel a bit for anyone who bought a Fossil Gen 6 or Mobvoi watch in recent months. While we still believe those are scheduled for an upgrade, I can't help but worry that the process of switching from Wear OS 2 to Wear OS 3 will be troublesome. If you are considering any current watch, you should probably hold off for now. Just wait until Fossil shows off its new devices or Google's tells us what exactly we can buy the Pixel Watch. Oh, and yeah, don't forget about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 line.

Google Translate Learns 24 New Languages

Tim — Wed, 11 May 2022 13:50:58 +0000

Google Translate is getting support for 24 new languages, in part thanks to its Zero-Shot Machine Translation, an incredible technology, but I have zero clue how it works. I'm going to let the experts explain it.

These are the first languages we’ve added using Zero-Shot Machine Translation, where a machine learning model only sees monolingual text — meaning, it learns to translate into another language without ever seeing an example. While this technology is impressive, it isn't perfect. And we’ll keep improving these models to deliver the same experience you’re used to with a Spanish or German translation, for example.

Here's the full list of newly supported languages, but as Google says, your translation mileage may vary.

New Languages

Assamese, used by about 25 million people in Northeast India
Aymara, used by about two million people in Bolivia, Chile and Peru
Bambara, used by about 14 million people in Mali
Bhojpuri, used by about 50 million people in northern India, Nepal and Fiji
Dhivehi, used by about 300,000 people in the Maldives
Dogri, used by about three million people in northern India
Ewe, used by about seven million people in Ghana and Togo
Guarani, used by about seven million people in Paraguay and Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil
Ilocano, used by about 10 million people in northern Philippines
Konkani, used by about two million people in Central India
Krio, used by about four million people in Sierra Leone
Kurdish (Sorani), used by about eight million people, mostly in Iraq
Lingala, used by about 45 million people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Angola and the Republic of South Sudan
Luganda, used by about 20 million people in Uganda and Rwanda
Maithili, used by about 34 million people in northern India
Meiteilon (Manipuri), used by about two million people in Northeast India
Mizo, used by about 830,000 people in Northeast India
Oromo, used by about 37 million people in Ethiopia and Kenya
Quechua, used by about 10 million people in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and surrounding countries
Sanskrit, used by about 20,000 people in India
Sepedi, used by about 14 million people in South Africa
Tigrinya, used by about eight million people in Eritrea and Ethiopia
Tsonga, used by about seven million people in Eswatini, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe
Twi, used by about 11 million people in Ghana

// Google

Nest Hub Max Owners Can Now Skip "Hey Google," Use Expanded Quick Phrases

Tim — Wed, 11 May 2022 13:32:44 +0000

Google announced at I/O that starting today, Nest Hub Max owners can opt into a new Look and Talk feature, allowing you to bypass the "Hey Google" command when speaking to the device. When enabled, a user can simply look at the device and speak the command. As explained by Google, Look and Talk was built with user privacy at the forefront. It’s designed to activate only when the user opts in and both Face Match and Voice Match recognize it’s you. Additionally, video from these interactions is processed entirely on-device, so it isn’t shared with Google. To enable, look under the Recognition & Sharing menu in your Home app. In addition to Look and Talk, Google announced the expansion of quick phrases for Nest Hub Max owners, also allowing for you to bypass the "Hey Google" phrase. For example, now you can say "Turn on the kitchen lights" or "Set a timer for 10 minutes," all without saying "Hey Google." Google says that if you opt in, you decide which phrases to enable and they’ll work when Voice Match recognizes it’s you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTBOaCHEvbU&t=1s&ab_channel=Google // Google

Google Assistant Arrives on the Galaxy Watch 4 This "Summer"

Kellen — Wed, 11 May 2022 13:20:43 +0000

After a bit of a mix-up last month that has us believing Google Assistant was finally arriving on the Galaxy Watch 4, a clarification brought more disappointment. Now, though, Samsung has announced that we won't be waiting much longer and Assistant is expected to hit watches this "summer." Samsung made the brief announcement today following Google I/O, where it shared the successes it has seen from the Galaxy Watch 4 line with Wear OS onboard. Actually, the post was mostly about how Samsung has singlehandedly helped create massive growth for Wear OS, and that's fair. They mentioned that there are now three times as many active Wear OS users at this moment as there were last year. Once Google Assistant is available, it will be up for download to the Galaxy Watch 4 line. After installing, you'll be able to do the Google Assistant things you love to do, by voice. // Samsung

Google Says It Sold More Pixel 6 Units Than Pixel 4, Pixel 5 Combined

Tim — Wed, 11 May 2022 12:36:05 +0000

Google hails the Pixel 6 line a success, even with difficult supply constraints facing much of the tech industry this year. The company shared a bit of sales insight on the devices at I/O this week, declaring that it's the fastest selling Pixel line to date. Not only that, but Google says it sold more Pixel 6 units than Pixel 4 and Pixel 5 combined, which is quite impressive when we consider the challenges these phones have faced. Exactly how many phones is that? We may never know a specific number directly from Google as all of that is closely guarded, but if we take Google's best year, which was 2019 and somewhere around 7 million units sold, we could guesstimate that the total of Pixel 6 units sold is greater than that. If we compare Pixel 6 sales to Samsung and Apple, which sell hundreds of millions of devices per year, it's not a huge victory, but it does begin to point Google in the right direction. As we're seeing now with Google teasing the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, expect more of the same for later in 2022. Keep pushing, Google.

Google Teases the Pixel Tablet for 2023

Tim — Wed, 11 May 2022 12:02:29 +0000

Google just teased the Pixel Tablet for 2023, building upon all of the work the company is doing on the software side of things for larger screen devices. The timing seems perfect, so long as developers jump on board. From the front, the device looks like a Nest Hub, minus the Hub. The rear features a single camera. Overall, it's a very clean and Google looking tablet device. We'll obviously learn more about it as we get closer to 2023. We've got a long ways to go. Thoughts? https://twitter.com/madebygoogle/status/1524462561143537664

Pixel Buds Pro With ANC Coming in July, Priced at $199

Tim — Wed, 11 May 2022 11:51:12 +0000

Google announced the Pixel Buds Pro this week, the first Pixel-branded buds to feature active noise cancellation. Google details that the Buds Pro will feature a "silent seal" that allows for a quieter listening experience, transparency mode for hearing the outside world without having to take the buds out of your ear, spatial audio support for select devices, as well as a Find My Device feature for each individual bud in case you happen to misplace one. Pixel Buds Pro will be available in four colors starting on July 28 (pre-order begins July 21), priced at $199. Sweet!

Google Pixel Watch is Official!

Kellen — Wed, 11 May 2022 11:50:33 +0000

The Google Pixel Watch has joined the Pixel 7 line as a big surprise today. Launching later this year with the new Pixel 7 series, Google's first watch is official. The "first watch built inside and out by Google" has a circular domed design, tactile crown, and recycled stainless steel case with bands that blend into the body. It features an "improved" Wear OS UI, voice Assistant action, calls and texts, the new Wallet, and more. On a fitness front, Google says this will be the first Wear OS watch with Fitbit built-in for advanced health tracking. That'll mean active zone minute tracking, stats and progress and goals, continuous heart rate monitoring, and sleep tracking. Again, the launch is happening this fall and we have no idea on pricing.

This is the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro!

Kellen — Wed, 11 May 2022 11:43:52 +0000

Oh! Google just showed off the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro! Both phones are coming later this year with next generation Tensor chip. In a series of announcements, Google not only showed off both phones, but said to expect an "evolution" of the new Pixel design, Android 13 out of the box, and some fun new colors. The Pixel 7 will once again have a dual camera, while the Pixel 7 Pro will feature a triple rear camera. Google is claiming that the triple camera will set "a completely new standard for photography." For design, we certainly have a lot more seamless contrast from the camera bar through the metal frame. In fact, the camera bar and metal frame are a single piece of aluminum, so yes, I'd agree that this is an evolution. The only cutouts are for the cameras, which is pretty cool. Take a look at some images of the devices below to see how that'll look in different colored aluminum. The Pixel 7 will be available in Obsidian, Snow, and Lemongrass. The Pixel 7 Pro will be available Obsidian, Snow, and Hazel. Ummm, wow.

Android 13 Beta 2 Arrives Today on Pixel Phones (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 11 May 2022 11:24:21 +0000

It's day 1 of Google I/O, so Google went ahead and dropped a new Android 13 Beta 2 on us. Woohoo! If you own any device from the Pixel 4 up through the Pixel 6, you should see it here shortly. Of course, you could also just flash it manually and skip the line "optimizing apps" screen. NOTE: Google announced the new Beta 2, but has not yet posted the details on the build or the files. Once they do, we'll update this post.

How to get Android 13 Beta 2 on your Pixel

As mentioned above, the first Android 13 Beta is available to:

Pixel 4 and 4 XL
Pixel 4a and 4a (5G)
Pixel 5 and 5a
Pixel 6 and 6 Pro

Easiest way: If you own one of those devices, the easiest way to get Android 13 Beta 2 on device is to sign-up for the Android Beta Program (here). You’ll simply click the “Opt In” button on that page to join and then sit back and wait for Google to push an update as Android 13 over-the-air. Once you have enrolled, you’ll head into Settings>System>Advanced>System update to check for it. Google may not push it immediately and could instead roll it out slowly throughout the day. Either way, feel free to check through there to tell Google you want it after enrolling in the program. Manual way: Want to get updated faster or would rather flash a factory image or OTA file through adb to feel more techie and important and smart? That’s still an option! I’ll be going the OTA route, but factory images are available too. You’ll find Android 13 Beta 2 factory images here and the OTA files here. 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. Already on an Android 13 Beta 1 build: If you are already on an Android 13 Beta build, Google says that you will receive the Beta 2 update over-the-air. Of course, you can manually flash a factory image or OTA file as well, since the over-the-air process often takes forever to process.

What's new in Android 13 Beta 2?

Release date: May 11, 2022 Build: TPBB.220414.015 Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A) Security patch level: May 2022 Google Play services: 22.14.13

We're finding out right now.

Google Pixel 6a Arrives Moments Before Announcement (Updated: Official, Pricing)

Kellen — Wed, 11 May 2022 09:52:10 +0000

The Google Pixel 6a is almost official and should be shortly, thanks to an unveiling at Google I/O this week. The new budget phone from Google has leaked prior to the I/O keynote with a specs list and image that gives up the goods, outside of price. Assuming this leak is correct, the Pixel 6a will indeed join the Pixel 6 line with new design language and a system powered by Google's own Tensor chip. The Pixel 6a features a 6.1" display at 60Hz (boo!), 4306mAh battery with fast charging, 6GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB storage (UFS 3.1), dual rear camera, stereo speakers, under-display fingerprint reader, Bluetooth 5.2, and WiFi 6E. The camera system includes a main 12.2MP wide lens and a 12MP ultrawide lens. The selfie camera weighs in at 8MP. Like the Pixel 6 line, the Pixel 6a will get a minimum of 5 years of security updates. The Pixel 6a will be available in 3 colors (Sage, Chalk, and Charcoal) and cost $449. Pre-orders open July 21. Launch date is scheduled for July 28. Country availability is like every other Pixel launch, so you'll find it in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and the United States. More on the Pixel 6a at the Google Store.

Google Pixel 6a specs

[table id=219 /] // @evleaks

Apex Legends Mobile Launch Date Set for May 17!

Tim — Wed, 11 May 2022 09:36:07 +0000

Originally, EA said that Apex Legends Mobile would launch ahead of this summer season. In my mind, that didn't translate to mid-May, but this morning the publisher announced that the game will officially arrive on iOS and Android on May 17. LFG! You can currently pre-register for the game on Google Play, allowing you to be notified as soon as the battle royale title goes live. EA also released a new cinematic trailer to go along with the date announcement, so give it a watch. I'm excited. I won't play it because playing these games on mobile is not even close to being as fun as it is on console, but I'm still excited.

Google Play Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLVvK46MLRM&ab_channel=ApexLegendsMobile

Did Google Just Tease the Pixel Watch for Google I/O? (Updated: Official!)

Kellen — Wed, 11 May 2022 09:18:18 +0000

We're less than an hour from the kickoff to Google I/O and it looks like Google is teasing the Pixel Watch. I mean, what else could they be hinting at here?

UPDATE: The Pixel Watch is official here!

The images here are from a Tweet from the Wear OS count, where they dropped 👀 and then told us that "This year's #GoogleIO keynote is definitely one to watch." The watch certainly looks similar to the Pixel Watch that has surfaced in recent weeks. The round design. The big crown with a button above it. The band that fits into the body. This is either an excellent teasing troll move or Google is telling us that it really is time. We need it to be time. Even if this is simply a placeholder render, Google has to be suggesting big Wear OS news that doesn't just involve spreading Wear OS 3 to more watches or another bro-session with Samsung. The evidence of there being a Pixel Watch on the horizon is thick at the moment - today would be a great day to give it to us or at least tell us that it is coming. Guys, is it finally happening?

OnePlus 10 Pro Gets a First Android 13 Beta!

Kellen — Wed, 11 May 2022 08:58:12 +0000

Probably timed for Google I/O day, OnePlus has announced the first Android 13 Beta build for the OnePlus 10 Pro. This is the first chance for OnePlus phone owners to get access to Android 13, although you should proceed with caution, as these early builds are often broken in several ways that might make your daily usage challenging. OnePlus posted the Android 13 Beta for the OnePlus 10 Pro to its community forums, where they provide plenty of warnings, a list of known issues, and instructions for getting it up and running. They didn't provide a sense for what's new or what you can expect, but did mention that this is "best suited for developers and other advanced users." So yeah, probably avoid this unless you are a wild person.

READ: Our review of the OnePlus 10 Pro

For those on the wild side, getting this up and running should be quite easy. You'll simply download the Android 13 Beta file, move it to your phone, and then manually update with a "Local install" from the normal update page. OnePlus has also provided the files to roll back to stable Android 12. Be aware that updating to Android 13 Beta will fully wipe your phone, almost like a factory reset. Expect to setup your phone again if you jump to this beta. Ready to take the dive into Android 13 with your new OnePlus 10 Pro? Hit up this post to get the files, warnings, and full instructions.

You Can Now Pre-Order Sony's $1600 Xperia 1 IV, But You'll be Waiting Months

Tim — Wed, 11 May 2022 08:37:59 +0000

Sony is doing more Sony things this morning, you know, like announcing their latest and greatest smartphone along with pre-orders and hype, then topping it off with months of waiting for it to show up at your door. It really doesn't get any more Sony than that. To make it even more Sony, they went ahead and gave it an unbelievably high price tag, too. Does this really work for them? The new phone we're talking about is the Xperia 1 IV, priced at a whopping $1600. That price puts it above all of its competitors, with exception of devices with foldable displays. But don't worry, Sony is offering one helluva device for that price. Specs on this phone include the world's first true optical 85-125mm telephoto lens, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, 12GB RAM, 5,000mAh battery, 50% brighter 6.5-inch OLED 4K 120Hz display, Gorilla Glass Victus, IP68, a speaker with support for playback of 360 Reality Audio, 512GB storage, microSD support, and plenty else. Most of Sony's press release and announcement highlights the huge steps the company has taken in the digital photography space. They want taking photos on this smartphone to feel like using a full size DSLR, capable of capturing whatever shot you may want or need. Sony is including new multi-frame shooting for cinema-like recording that allows videos to be recorded with wider dynamic range without losing resolution, Real-Time Eye AF and 20fps burst with AE (auto exposure)/AF in HDR on all three rear lenses, AI white balance to capture and correct colors under challenging lighting conditions, plus more. In the photography department, this phone should be unrivaled, and for this cost, that should be the case. Of course, this is Sony, so while you can go ahead and pre-order the device and get a sweet gift (WF-1000XM4 true wireless noise cancelling earbuds), you'll be waiting months for the phone to show up. Sony expects delivery to be in September of 2022, so yeah, hopefully you're a patient individual.

Pre-Order Xperia 1 IV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZOJbWMx9yI&ab_channel=Sony%7CXperia // Sony

Galaxy Z Fold 4 Renders Show Up Looking Like a Fold 3

Kellen — Wed, 11 May 2022 07:22:42 +0000

With the success of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 at the end of 2021, another Fold from Samsung was guaranteed, but there were questions surrounding whether or not we'd see a redesign. According to a set of renders released today that purport to show the Galaxy Z Fold 4, it's looking like only slight tweaks were made from last year's model. The renders were provided by @onleaks, as they always are, and show off a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 that is a mash-up of the Fold 3 and Galaxy S22 Ultra. We apparently have 6.2" and 7.6" displays again, similar dimensions overall, and a very familiar look. This new Galaxy Z Fold 4 will measure in at 155 x 130 x 7.1mm which compares as slightly thicker and taller than last years's Fold 3, although also less wide. The Fold 3 measured in at 158.2 x 128.1 x 6.4mm.

From the front, both folded and unfolded, this Galaxy Z Fold 4 design really just looks like a Galaxy Z Fold 3. Again, that's fine! The only big change you'll notice in these renders is the camera module. That camera setup looks very similar to the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which puts each camera lens in its own housing, without a bulky box holding the three. A write-up for the renders suggests Samsung has made changes to the hinge of this phone, but that we can't see them here. I'd imagine that's because the hinge design is likely only changing internally and that we'll have to wait for an explanation of such from Samsung when the phone is announced. Overall, lookin' good, Fold 4.

Google I/O Keynote Kicks Off Tomorrow!

Kellen — Wed, 11 May 2022 07:00:04 +0000

Google I/O 2022 is going down tomorrow, May 11, with a big keynote opening up the event. That keynote is typically used by Google to talk about all of their major services and the updates and features coming to them over the next months and throughout the rest of the year. It's a must-watch event for tech folks. The Google I/O 2022 keynote will be live on YouTube at 10AM Pacific (1PM Eastern). We have a video embed for you to watch below or you can go straight to YouTube for an even bigger experience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP-nMZpLM1A

What time is the Google I/O 2022 keynote?

I/O Keynote: May 11, 10AM Pacific (1PM Eastern)
Live on YouTube

We haven't done a preview of Google I/O 2022, but some of the teases from Google could hint at things to come. The Made by Google Twitter account has told #TeamPixel that they should tune in, the Android Developers account has already confirmed new Google Play and Android talk, and the Android account has teased security, messaging, and cross-device updates, as well as new partnerships. Of course, there is always a chance we see the Pixel 6a or Pixel Watch show up to steal the headlines. Android 13 could/should get a new beta. And there is always room for surprises. We'll see you at 10AM!

YouTube TV Intros Spanish Plan With 28+ Channels for $25/Mo, Add-On Package for $10/Mo

Tim — Tue, 10 May 2022 12:35:55 +0000

YouTube TV has a new plan designed specifically for Spanish-speaking households, offering 28+ channels of Spanish programming, all for just $25/month for the first six months. The price bumps up to $35/month after that. For current YouTube TV subscribers looking to add additional Spanish channels, there's also a new add-on available, providing 25+ channels for $10/month ($15/mo after first six months). These options are available starting NOW, so check them out. https://twitter.com/YouTubeTV/status/1524066749590560768

Motorola is Working on a Rollable Codenamed Felix

Tim — Tue, 10 May 2022 10:09:06 +0000

Even though neither of Motorola's Razr foldables have received much traction with the buying public, the company is pushing forward with a 3rd iteration, expected to launch later this year. You have to admire that level of determination to get it right. While we wait to see how Razr (Gen 3) pans out, it's now being reported that Motorola is working on an entirely different experimental category, that one being the "rollable" smartphone. According to 91mobiles, Motorola is in the early stages of development for Felix, the internal codename for this reported rollable device. And by early stages, we're talking really early stages, as in they are still developing the software and how the product is being described may end up being completely different when and if it ever launches. In the report, Felix is described as being a traditional portrait-oriented smartphone that features a screen capable of unfurling into the shape of a tablet in landscape. It sounds similar to what LG was working on before they exited the smartphone business. As we said, we could be a long ways away from Felix, but we'll certainly keep you posted should we learn anything else. // 91mobiles

The Galaxy S22 Ultra is $250 Off Right Now

Kellen — Tue, 10 May 2022 09:12:40 +0000

Samsung kicked off a Memorial Day sale this week that offers the biggest straight discounts on the Galaxy S22 line we've seen so far. While previous deals focused on trade-ins, these current promos are all about cash off for those who maybe don't have something good to trade. The Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy S22+ are both $250 off right now. You don't have to do anything special to get that discount either. No trade-ins required. None of those shady carrier contracts are here. This is a $250-off price drop on Samsung's two best phones. At $250 off, the Galaxy S22 Ultra with 128GB starts at $949 and the Galaxy S22+ starts at $749. If you'd like to double the storage to 256GB, you'll have to add on another $50. Should you want an even bigger discount, you can still trade-in a phone. The days of $900 trade-in values are probably gone, but Samsung will still give you $640 off instantly (today!) for a Galaxy S21 Ultra or $630 for a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. Those aren't bad values by any means and are still probably better than you'll get from other places, on top of the fact that it's an instant discount, not a pay-you-back-later thing. Need Galaxy S22 reviews to help you make a decision? The Galaxy S22 Ultra review is here, plus Tim just wrote up newer thoughts on the Galaxy S22+, which he loves. Shop Samsung's best Galaxy S22 deals:

AT&T Launches 'Locate Before Route' Feature for 911 Calls

Tim — Tue, 10 May 2022 09:00:28 +0000

AT&T announced the industry's first location-based routing system for emergency calls, making the process of locating callers by first responders faster with the potential to save even more lives. On other carriers, when you place a 911 call via your cellphone, your call is routed based on the cell tower connected to your device. Towers can cover areas of up to 10 miles, so in terms of precise positioning and location information relay, it's not always the best case scenario for first responders. With this launch, AT&T can now identify a 911 caller's position within 50 meters, then route the call to the appropriate emergency operator. AT&T provided a helpful graphic to break it down for us.

We hope no one here will ever need to use this great new feature, but should you have to, it's good to know that it exists. AT&T states that the technology will be rolled out nationwide by the end of June and is currently live in several states. The first market that went live was Snohomish County, Washington. That's the county just north of Seattle, WA. // AT&T

Pixel 6a or Pixel Watch: Which Has You More Hyped?

Kellen — Mon, 09 May 2022 12:54:41 +0000

There's still no guarantee that Google shows off either the Pixel 6a or Pixel Watch at Google I/O this week, but we sure hope we get both. We need new hardware in this snoozefest of a 2022 year, and what better way is there to liven things up than with new devices from Google? So let's say for a minute that Google will announce or at least show off the Pixel 6a and Pixel Watch over the coming days - which are you most excited to learn about? Are you needing a refreshed budget Pixel with the new design language first introduced from the Pixel 6 that also happens to be powered by Google Tensor or do you really just need to see Google's first Pixel Watch? I get the feeling that most of you are going to say Pixel Watch (look at it!), which is fair. The Pixel 6a rumors suggest a budget phone that could be almost-on-the-level with the Pixel 6, yet at a fraction of the cost. That's a big deal and all, but how many years have we been asking Google to make a watch of their own? Probably from back in the Android Wear days where most of Google's partners failed to impress us time and again, and we thought only Google could do right. For me, it probably is the Pixel Watch for the reasons I just went through. We've seen everyone else try the Wear OS thing and most can't seem to get everything right. Not that I believe Google is fully capable either (hello, never-ending Pixel problem whining), but we need to see them give it a shot. The most recent images of the watch have also captured our attention and then some, because it looks like Google may have gone for a premium design, almost like a round Apple Watch. I'm sure the Pixel 6a will be a solid mid-ranger, maybe even the best mid-ranger. Mid-rangers don't often steal headlines, though, or keep our attention for long. The Pixel Watch is a device that's already had our attention for years. [poll id="584"]

I Hope Google Announces Wear OS 3 for Its Other Partners at I/O

Kellen — Mon, 09 May 2022 12:26:33 +0000

Google I/O 2022 kicks off in a couple of days and the world is focused on the potential hardware that Google could announce at the event. We all know the Pixel 6a and Pixel Watch are on the horizon, so I think it's safe to say that those are the most anticipated topics of the moment. However, I want something else - I want Google to finally tell us that it and its partners are gearing up to launch Wear OS 3. For those following the story, you know that Google and Samsung announced a big partnership at last year's Google I/O for Wear OS. The two had teamed up to re-launch Google's wearable platform and then pushed it first through the Galaxy Watch 4 line. The partnership sure came off to us as an exclusive between the two for up to a year, which we assumed after watching Google's other wearable partners scramble to address their plans for the new Wear version. The messaging from Fossil and Qualcomm didn't line up with Google and the clearest understanding we had was that no other watchmaker would have Wear OS 3 until the later half of 2022, a full year from Samsung's Watch 4 launch. But again, the initial announcement for Wear OS 3 was at I/O last year. That puts us a year from Google's unveiling of the re-launch of the platform and still no other company has shipped it on a watch. This week would be a great time to do that and show that Wear OS isn't only a Samsung (and potentially Pixel Watch) platform. Fossil and Mobvoi and Qualcomm kept Wear OS alive for all these years prior to Samsung re-joining the party. I hate to tell Google that they owe these other companies anything, but when they happen to be the reason Wear OS didn't completely fold 3-4 years ago, they kind of do. While Wear OS 3 may not bring massive changes, it should help modernize the wearable experience from old watches to new. It could look like this when not on a Samsung watch, but you also have to wonder if it'll allow these other companies to create their own unique experiences, like Samsung did with One UI on top of Wear OS. It also could give them a reason to keep making watches, take advantage of new hardware, and try again to beat Samsung. If anything, it at least takes away the current biggest argument against them all, which is that they are an entire Wear OS version behind and have been for a year. Recommending Fossil's Gen 6 line has been tough from day 1 and that's probably not fair. The hardware it offers is excellent, but there has always been a massive question mark surrounding its future. Google should clear all of that up this week.

Google Wants to Know What You Think About Android 13 Beta 1

Kellen — Mon, 09 May 2022 11:58:31 +0000

The Android 13 Beta 1 has been out for almost two weeks now, so you've had plenty of time to test it on a Pixel device for Google. If you happen to be one of those who put this first beta build on a phone, Google wants to hear from you. Over the weekend, Google opened up the first Android 13 Beta software survey, where they hope you'll spend 5-10 minutes giving them feedback. The survey is anonymous, asks which build you are running, and the device you put it on. From there, it goes into your satisfaction level of things like stability, performance, camera, Bluetooth, WiFi and data connectivity, charging, the fingerprint reader, etc.

READ: What's new in Android 13 Beta 1?

After answering those questions, it straight up asks if you'd recommend this build to friends and family. In other words, have you found it to be stable enough to trust that it'll provide a decent enough experience to those you know the best. And finally, you get to talk about bugs or problems you've experienced and then dive a bit deeper into what the problem(s) is. This is the portion that could extend the time of the survey. If interested in giving feedback before the likely released of Android 13 Beta 2 this week, hit up this form.

This is Apparently the Next Motorola Razr Foldable

Kellen — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:19:28 +0000

Motorola was one of the quickest in the industry to release a foldable device with the launch of the RAZR in 2020. They followed that initial launch up with a slightly improved RAZR 5G model later that year, but then went silent on foldables and have not released another since. That will apparently change in 2022 with a 3rd generation RAZR. According to a report from 91 Mobiles, a 3rd generation Motorola Razr is coming this summer and can be seen in the images below. These leaked images show portions of the phone in both folded and unfolded states, with a design quite different from those original releases that tried to play off the iconic Razr design. This new Razr looks a lot more like the Galaxy Z Flip line those Razr devices from 2020 and that's probably a good thing. While those 2020 releases certainly brought back those old school Razr vibes, the phone was a disaster in terms of usability. In my review, I called it the most unpleasant phone I've ever used. This boxier design, without the obnoxious chin, should make for a phone that's more practical on the daily.

This new Razr (3rd Gen), under codename "Maven," will sport a dual rear camera setup with main 50MP sensor along with a 13MP macro lens. Inside it'll run a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and sport a rear-mounted fingerprint reader, full HD display (1080p), and inner 32MP selfie camera. There was reportedly a plan to release multiple versions, including another with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ chip, but that chip has not yet been released. For memory, there should be options of 8GB or 12GB RAM and 256GB or 512GB storage. This new Razr is apparently scheduled to launch in China in July or August, followed by a global launch. The Razr (3rd Gen) is expected to arrive in two color options: Quartz Black and Tranquil Blue. Expect a premium price tag too.

Is this a phone anyone is asking for? My gut tells me no, but the Z Flip line is such a hit that Motorola would probably be foolish not to give this another go. I'm just not sure I'm a believer in the Razr line yet, even after a 2-year gap between those two sub-par releases. Motorola has a lot of work to do with this model to convince us they've done it right.

Nothing's Phone Launcher Now Available to All Android 11+ Phones

Kellen — Mon, 09 May 2022 07:54:04 +0000

The Nothing Phone's launcher that Carl Pei's company released for use on a limited number of phones a couple of weeks ago has now expanded its reach. The Nothing Launcher is now available to all phones running Android 11 and above. The app is currently carrying a 2.8-star rating on Google Play, mostly because it is as bare-bones as it gets for a launcher. Those who installed are wondering what's there to keep their attention or pull them away from the launcher currently on their phone. To be honest, there isn't much. Nothing is either still deep in development of this launcher or...I mean, that better be the reason it offers almost nothing over any other launcher on the market. As for what's new today besides the expansion to more phones, Nothing says these items are new:

Launcher app icon now available on the home screen.
New How to Set Up page when you open Launcher for the first time
Easily change to the Nothing wallpaper with the pop-up box.
For easy access, the Dropbox link to download bonus wallpapers and ringtones now sits in Launcher settings.

OK, so that's not much. While I'm most definitely interested in Nothing's first upcoming phone, this launcher is not showing us anything to get excited about. We need more, guys. Care to give it another run? It's free and available at the link below. Google Play Link: Nothing Launcher

Poll: Your Current Wireless Carrier Is?

Kellen — Fri, 06 May 2022 11:02:08 +0000

A year has passed since we last asked which US wireless carrier you are currently attached to, so it is time for an update. Thanks to never-ending promos with "free" phones, updates to unlimited plans with more "freebies," the US carrier situations is ever-evolving. But do people change or do we all stay put for the most part? In last year's poll, we saw Verizon still maintain its lead with DL readers at 40%, with T-Mobile continuing to gain ground at 31%. The rest of the crowd around here is spread out between Google Fi, random prepaid options, and AT&T. Since last year, we saw the return of truly unlimited data from both T-Mobile and AT&T. I talked about how I stayed with Verizon on one of my lines and actually switched to one of their newer plans, almost entirely for the freebies it offered. We also saw a big mid-band 5G push that might actually make 5G a real thing to care about. A lot happened over the past 14 or so months. So tell us, which US carrier are you currently with? Any particular reason other than coverage? Did you make a switch over the past year? [poll id="583"]

I'm Really Enjoying the OnePlus 10 Pro

Kellen — Fri, 06 May 2022 09:34:03 +0000

The dance between phones in my office never stops, partly because there is always something new to test, but also because I'm never satisfied and always find something off-putting about every phone I use for more than a few days. That's why you have likely seen the posts we do where we mention that this Samsung or that Pixel is the one we keep coming back to, even with all of the other supposedly-better phones available. This is another one of those posts and it's about the OnePlus 10 Pro. Since finishing my review of the OnePlus 10 Pro a full month ago, it's probably been the phone that's seen my SIM card the most. I've danced between the Pixel 6 Pro (on Android 12 Beta builds), my iPhone 13 Pro (because I like MagSafe), and the regular Pixel 6 (Android 13!), but something keeps pulling me back to OnePlus' newest high-end phone. I know that I said in my review that the phone was a pleasure to use, yet there were concerns. I was put off by weird software quirks baked into ColorOS - I'm sorry, "OxygenOS." I wanted more specs, because who doesn't want a full 12GB RAM and 256GB storage that will never be put to use? The lack of wide carrier support was a bad look. Even the price made me question whether or not this phone was an option next to the Pixel 6 Pro at the same price.

The other thing that became obvious while writing my review and during my testing was the fact that I kept talking about how much I like the OnePlus 10 Pro. This phone is really good, simply from a usability perspective. In other words, it's just great to hold, scroll with, look at, and touch. OnePlus may just make phones that OPPO didn't find a use for these days, but they are still excellent. The haptics on this phone might be my favorite of any in recent years, up there with the Pixel 6 Pro. The display, while it does have slightly curved edges, is basically flat and awesome. The phone itself has a good weight to it, without all of the curved obnoxious nonsense that other phones have. It's a perfectly balanced phone, at least in my hand. I'll never complain about a phone with this texture and the lack of fingerprints either. The software has all of the goods I need, like an excellent always-on display, smoothness for days, levels to the dark mode, a vertical scrolling launcher (this is a shot at Samsung), and several other areas I can customize. I like that there is an extra set of options for the lock screen or home screen or statusbar that you won't find from Google, yet there isn't an overwhelming amount of bloat like you find in Samsung's One UI. The camera is quite solid as well and borderline excellent, in my opinion. No, it isn't a low-light champion like the Pixel 6 Pro, but your boy isn't at the club taking pics on weekends. My photoshoots come outdoors on hikes or at the park or at a soccer match or sitting outside on a patio at a brewery. In all of these situations, I find it great. This is a camera I can trust and that's important.

Of course, not all is perfect with the OnePlus 10 Pro. There are still annoying software issues with lock screen notifications, interactions with notifications, and that this feels like Android 11 and not Android 12. The update situation will be worse than it is on Google or Samsung phones - there's no getting around that. But again, just speaking purely from a daily usage perspective, this phone is excellent in many ways. And trust me, I keep looking for reasons to switch to another phone because that's how my brain functions after doing this for 12 years. I've switched and switched and switched in recent weeks. This phone keeps winning me over, though. So does that mean you should buy one at $899 and with only 8GB RAM and 128GB storage? Oooooooh, that remains a tough call. For most people, I'd probably tell you to consider holding off a bit to see if the rumors of a true OnePlus flagship later this year are accurate. This phone is great, and I think you'd all enjoy it, but if there's more in the not-too-distant-future, it may be worth holding off. Either that or wait to see if a 12GB-256GB model does show up here for under $1,000.

Verizon Reportedly Considering Price Increases Too

Kellen — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:04:01 +0000

AT&T is planning to raise prices on some older plans in the near future, citing inflation as a reason, as well as rising wages for its employees. The goal is likely to move people off of those old grandfathered plans and onto higher-cost plans, but you know, inflation is the default reason in 2022 for most companies to look at increasing profits. Verizon is reportedly considering a similar move, according to Fortune. Verizon has not confirmed their plans, but they too have been talking about inflation lately. During their Q1 2022 earnings call, Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg confirmed that they were "planning for all scenarios" around inflation and that they "really don’t know how deep it’s going to impact." They reported those earnings two weeks ago and here we are now talking about rising prices because of...inflation. Forget that they reported 9.5% year-over-year revenue growth for the quarter and still expect to find earnings for the year to land within range, all of that might not be enough to make investors happy. They need more. Today's report suggests Verizon may not look to raise prices on older plans, but could instead introduce a higher-priced unlimited plan or add on some fees. Depending on the choice there, your bill could go up. The timing of this news is somewhat comical in that Verizon kicked off a promotion today to get their customers into a free iPhone 13. The press release specifically mentions the following:

The impact of rising gas, food and home utility prices has Americans looking for more ways to save. In fact, more than two in five (42%) plan to reevaluate their expenses and/or look for ways to save money each month. When it matters most, we’re making it easier than ever to get more for your money by offering new and current customers one of our best deals yet.

Until they raise prices. We'll let you know of any official Verizon pricing changes should those arise.

Galaxy Watch 4 is $50 Off Again, Down to $199

Kellen — Thu, 05 May 2022 12:55:34 +0000

As Mother's Day approaches, Best Buy wants you to buy a smartwatch and has dropped prices on a bunch of them in order to get you to pull the trigger. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic are both $50 off, plus Fitbit's newest fitness trackers are all discounted too. For those looking to grab a Galaxy Watch 4 before the Galaxy Watch 5 arrives, you can get one today for as little as $199.99. That's the price of the 40mm Galaxy Watch 4, with this $50 discount applied. The bigger 44mm option drops to $229 and is probably the better choice of the two, mostly for the longer battery life. Need our Galaxy Watch 4 review? Here it is. Want the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic for its rotating bezel? It too is $50 off and starts at $299 at the moment. The bigger 46mm Classic version is $329. Need our Galaxy Watch 4 Classic review? Here it is. Oh, you aren't interested in the Galaxy Watch 4 line? That's cool! Fitbit's Sense and Versa 3 are both discounted at $104 off and $50 off, respectively. We also think these will be replaced by a Sense 2 and Versa 4 in the near future, but neither Google or Fitbit have hinted at anything too soon. You can shop Fitbit Sense deals here and Versa 3 deals here. All of these deals are good through May 8.

Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion Coming to Android This Month!

Tim — Thu, 05 May 2022 10:36:03 +0000

A very popular Steam title, Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion, is headed to mobile devices on May 24. As a side note, I think the developers missed an opportunity releasing the game on April 18 (tax day in the US), but it's fine, we'll let it slide. In this game, you play a cute little turnip who fails to pay its taxes. After getting evicted from your little home, you must go on a relatively short adventure to pay off your massive debt to a mayor played by an onion. What a whacky world this is. Reviews on Steam are incredibly positive, though, many say that the game is too short for the $15 price tag. We don't know yet what price the game will have for mobile devices, but we'll be finding out very soon. You can pre-register for the game on Google Play right now.

Pre-Register on Google Play

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CImaFUm_FH4&ab_channel=PIDGames

Galaxy Watch 5 Codenames Continue Story of "Pro" Model

Kellen — Thu, 05 May 2022 09:26:22 +0000

The idea that there could be a Galaxy Watch 5 Pro on the horizon is only getting more realistic with each passing day and new bit of information obtained. Today, thanks to the reveal of supposed codenames for Samsung's new watch line, the "Pro" model looks more likely than ever. The codenames were published by GalaxyClub, who believes the Galaxy Watch 5 is being produced under the name "Heart." With that codename attached, they also believe there are 3 versions of the Galaxy Watch 5: Heart-S, Heart-L, and Heart-Pro. I'm sure you can guess what each accompanying letter or word means, but the basics are that Heart-S is the smallest Galaxy Watch 5, Heart-L is the bigger version of that, and that Heart-Pro is this rumored Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. Model numbers for each should fall into a scheme of SM-R90X, SM-R91X, and SM-R92X. The "X" would be swapped for numbers, likely based on size or color or wireless connectivity. For example, the Galaxy Watch 4 came in SM-R880 and SM-R885, where the R885 model had cellular connectivity. There aren't many other details, only that the codenames appear to reference this "Pro" model. As noted in this rumor, Samsung could simply be using "Pro" in the codename and then change to something else at retail. It's not like the smaller and larger regular Galaxy Watch 5 models will be called "Galaxy Watch 5 L." Whatever happens, we just don't want to see Samsung think "Pro" should mean massive. No one wants a 46mm watch, Samsung.

AT&T Blames Having to Pay Employees, Inflation for Older Wireless Plan Price Hikes

Tim — Thu, 05 May 2022 08:43:08 +0000

Blooomberg reports this week that AT&T customers using older single line and family line wireless accounts will soon see a monthly price increase, later confirmed by statements from the company. The increase is expected to be up to an additional $6/month for single line users and $12/month for families. In a recent earnings call, CEO John Stankey gave a hint that price increases could happen due to rising wages and inflation adding roughly $1 billion to the company’s overhead this year. Stankey is quoted to say, "Running this business and not sitting here and evaluating where we have options to move on pricing and be successful, I wouldn’t be doing my job properly." For those not looking to pay an increased monthly rate, AT&T says that you are more than welcome to switch to one of its newer Unlimited plans.

“We are encouraging our customers to explore our newer plans which offer many additional features, more flexibility for each line on their account and, in many cases, a lower monthly cost."

It's unsurprising to have a company with a market cap of $141,000,000,000 finger point wage growth as a reason for raising prices. It's not like AT&T has a history of squandering money for years and letting go of good, working folks. These pricing changes appear to be effective immediately. Update: AT&T states that the price increases will go into effect this June. // Bloomberg

T-Mobile Offering 15-Day Trials of 5G-Powered Home Internet

Tim — Wed, 04 May 2022 12:55:09 +0000

T-Mobile is launching 15-day money-back trials of its Home Internet service, powered by the carrier's 5G network. For those trying to find an alternative to their current ISP, this could be something to look into? T-Mobile's Home Internet has quite a few pros to it, such as no data caps, a low $50/month (with autopay) cost, super easy installation and setup (should take just 15 minutes), plus a lot of promotional goodies that T-Mobile includes for customers. For example, Home Internet customers are eligible for T-Mobile Tuesdays, 50% off a year of YouTube TV (requires Magenta Max plan, too), plus a ton more. Of course, promotions such as this come with fine print. Thankfully, this trial's fine print isn't scary at all. Read it below.

Cancel within 15 days of Home Internet service activation. Limited-time offer; subject to change. Qualifying new Home Internet line and timely gateway return required. Refund via one-time bill credit. Max 1/account. May not be combinable with some offers or discounts.

Seems pretty straightforward. If you don't want to maintain the service following 15 days, simply return the gateway equipment and the refund will be provided via a one-time bill credit. There's nothing to lose if you've been curious about 5G-powered home internet. I'd even try it myself, but I'm a gigabit fiber addict and this delivers nowhere near those speeds. T-Mobile says customers can expect anywhere from 33-182Mbps download speeds. See if your address is supported?

T-Mobile Home Internet

Mint Mobile Launches a Family Plan at $15/Line

Kellen — Wed, 04 May 2022 11:43:51 +0000

Mint Mobile, the popular prepaid wireless service that uses T-Mobile's network, launched its first family plan today with prices as low as you could only hope to see from a traditional carrier. The Mint Mobile Family Plan starts as low as $15/mo per line and the minimum number of lines is 2. You can mix and match the plans, which will jump the price above $15/line, but the idea here is that going from 1 to 2 lines doesn't really change the price if you don't want it to. You get the same cheap price no matter the number of lines. Compare that to someone like Verizon, where you get the biggest discount once you hit 3 or 4 lines and you can see how this could be beneficial to a 2-person plan. You essentially get to mix and match individual plans to make your own family plan. At $15/mo, Mint Mobile gives you 4GB of data to use per month. If you jump to $20/mo, the data increase to 10GB. Mint also offers an unlimited plan for $30/mo. All of the plans include unlimited talk and text with nationwide coverage, as well as both LTE and 5G connectivity. They also include free calling to Mexico and Canada, free mobile hotspot use with the data included in your plan, and WiFi calling.

So yeah, if you want a pretty reasonably priced prepaid option, here's Mint Mobile for you with their new family plan. You can view all of their plans here.

Android 12 QPR3 Beta 3 Arrives for Google Pixel Phones!

Tim — Wed, 04 May 2022 10:14:06 +0000

Google released a new Android 12 Beta update that you can try on your Pixel phone this morning. Overall, there doesn't appear to be anything too major in here, but it's still fun for those who love running the latest builds of Android straight from Google. If you own a Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5a, Pixel 5, or Pixel 6, you can grab it now. Instructions and links on how to do that are below, along with full Beta 3 details.

Release date: May 4, 2022 Build: S3B1.220420.005 Security patch level: May 2022 Google Play services: 22.09.20

How to Get Android 12 QPR3 Beta 3

The easiest way to get these new and early Android 12 Beta updates is through the Android Beta Program. If you aren’t enrolled in that beta and want to try QPR3, you can head to the official Android Beta website and enroll your device. Once enrolled, your device will receive the OTA. If you are already enrolled, you can head into Settings and try to pull the update (Settings>System>System updates).

If you’re a bit more savvy, you can manually flash the system image or OTA of QPR3. First, download the necessary file (factory image, OTA), then follow our instructions here or here on how to perform the flash.

What’s new in Android 12 QPR3 Beta 3?

Google doesn’t go into a ton of details when releasing an update like this and that's the case once again with QPR3 Beta 3. All that's listed by Google is various fixes, such as a fix for the Pixel 6 Pro (a white line sometimes flashed on the screen after waking up a device that was not configured to always display time and other info on the lock screen), plus fixes for "various issues" that should improve call quality and connectivity. Of course, these builds come with their own set of warnings, but for the most part, should be completely stable for everyday usage.

General Advisories

This release might have various stability, battery, or performance issues.
Some apps might not function as expected when running on this release. This includes Google’s apps as well as other apps.
Android 12 QPR beta builds are not Compatibility Test Suite (CTS)- approved, but they have passed preliminary testing. Apps that depend on CTS-approved builds or use SafetyNet APIs might not work normally on Android 12 QPR beta builds.

We'll get this build flashed ASAP and report back on anything we discover. Have at it.

Samsung Intros UFS 4.0 With the Redonkulous Storage Speeds

Tim — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:28:06 +0000

Samsung Semiconductor, one of Samsung's many arms, announced the development and approval of UFS 4.0 (universal flash storage) this week. Currently, UFS 3.1 is the standard that is used in many high-end smartphones, but with UFS 4.0, storage speeds get turned up to 11. Compared to UFS 3.1, which eclipsed the 1GB/s write speed back in 2020, Samsung details UFS 4.0 as capable of read speed of up to 4,200MB/s and sequential write speed of up to 2,800MB/s. Additionally, UFS 4.0 offers a speed of up to 23.2Gbps per lane, double that of the previous UFS 3.1. For those concerned about the amount of energy required for such speeds, Samsung notes that 4.0 delivers a sequential read speed of 6.0MB/s per mA, a 46% improvement over the previous generation. That's what we call some serious efficiency. Storage sizes are teased as ranging up to 1TB, but Samsung didn't set the floor with regard to size.

When Can I Have It?

Samsung says mass production will begin Q3 of 2022, meaning we could see UFS 4.0 as early as late-2022 or more likely early 2023. If this seems like perfect timing for a launch with the Galaxy S23, you'd be spot on. We anticipate that lineup of devices to be announced/launched in February, making this announcement feel like perfect timing. This isn't the first possible feature for the Galaxy S23 we've heard about. It's been reported that Samsung may use its own EV technology create a better battery for the Galaxy S23 lineup. If all of this pans out, Samsung's next smartphones could contain some big time innovations and forward leaps in the tech department. // @SamsungDSGlobal

Google TV's Live Guide Gets a Favorite Channels Tab

Kellen — Wed, 04 May 2022 07:57:14 +0000

The "Live" tab on your cute little Google TV unit is getting a big new feature that will make the oft-sluggish UI less of a nuisance to use. You can now add a bunch of favorite channels in there, through a separated tab to get to what you want in a hurry. Google will announce the feature today through Google TV support pages, but shared with us a bit early. The idea is simple in that you'll navigate to the Live tab, scroll through the channel list until you find one you'd like to add as favorite, and then click on the channel's name. A star should pop-up that will allow you to add it as a favorite. Once done, you'll have tabs at the top of the Live tab for "All channels" and "Favorite channels." It should look like this, once it has been setup on your device. 👇 Google tells us that this new Favorites feature is rolling out now!

240W Power Delivery is the Next Big Thing in Charging

Tim — Tue, 03 May 2022 10:40:57 +0000

Until the future finally comes and we find a good replacement for lithium-ion batteries, the only real breakthroughs we see on a consistent basis in the world of batteries is in the charging speed department. Companies like OnePlus and Huawei have been pushing the limits of how quickly phones can charge, and thanks to a listing recently spotted, it appears we might be getting close to yet another milestone. Highlighted by Tom's Hardware, USB-C cables that support up to 240W Power Delivery have been spotted, capable of delivering 48V and 5 amps. This is some serious juice we're talking about for a little USB-C cable, the same cable that can charge your smartphone and laptop computer. Currently, a few of the fastest charging devices on the market are the OnePlus 10 Pro at 80W, select Xiaomi devices at 120W, Vivo phones, plus a handful of others. Here in the US, we don't have a ton of options in the 50W+ category, so the idea of 240W is sort of mind boggling for us. While it's great to see these cables are getting produced, what we need now are chargers and devices to support it. OPPO is a company working diligently towards this, having announced 240W SuperVooc just earlier this year. That technology can charge a 4,500mAh battery in as little as 9 minutes (10V/24A). Even at those speeds, OPPO says that heat dissipation standards are met, which is promising. My phone may not be ready, but my body is. // Tom's Hardware

Firefox 100 Brings Picture-in-Picture Subtitles, New Browser Wallpapers, HTTPS-Only Mode

Tim — Tue, 03 May 2022 08:46:09 +0000

There was a particular time in history, for me it was 2007 to when Google released Chrome, that Firefox was my go-to web browser. It had sweet themes and it wasn't Microsoft's Explorer. That was enough for me. Well, years later and we've reached Firefox 100, the 100th version of the browser for users across the globe. Inside, users can now find subtitle support for the picture-in-picture feature, currently supported by Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, and other websites that support WebVTT format, fresh browser wallpapers for the app's wallpaper function that was introduced a couple of months ago, as well as Firefox's HTTPS-only mode for Android users. Firefox also highlights a new "clutter-free" look for their tabs, but this is for iOS users, as it was first made available to Android quite some time ago. Overall, a solid update. Congrats to the Mozilla team. Quite the milestone! // Firefox

Google Wallpapers Gets 3 New Images to Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Tim — Mon, 02 May 2022 14:23:37 +0000

To celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, taking place for the entire month of May, Google has released three new wallpapers into its own Wallpapers app available to owners of Pixel devices. After checking my Pixel 6 Pro, I can confirm the wallpapers are already there. All three have very nice colors, especially the Tiger one I've highlighted above. All three lovely images were illustrated by Sarula Bao. You can view more of their work on Instagram. Some very cool images. Below you can view the other two wallpapers. To get them onto your Pixel device, open up the wallpapers app and head to the Curated Culture section.

// Google

Galaxy S22+ is Exactly What I Needed

Tim — Mon, 02 May 2022 12:42:21 +0000

While I really enjoyed my time with the Galaxy S22, there was no doubt in my mind that due to its battery life, it couldn't be my absolute go-to device in 2022. The fact that I kept running out of battery life by 5-6pm every day was getting to be a bit tiresome. I kept telling everyone that I was waiting on my Galaxy S22+ to arrive from Samsung, all because it takes them 4-5 weeks to ship out their exclusive shop colors. Well, the S22+ finally arrived and I confirm -- it was worth the wait! Now having used the Galaxy S22+ for a couple of weeks, I am so happy to report that my battery woes are long gone. Compared to the Galaxy S22's 3,700mAh battery, the S22+ sports a 4,500mAh battery, which in the grand scheme is a whole lot bigger. I can easily go from 6am to 10-11pm at night, averaging 4-5 hours of screen on time in a day. For me, that is perfect and I couldn't be happier. Coming from the Galaxy S22, the issue that concerned me most was the S22+'s size. With a bigger battery comes a bigger device, and after having gotten used to the smaller Galaxy S22's perfect size, I was a tad worried. However, now having used the S22+, it's completely fine in the size department and really not much bigger in-hand from the S22. I will continue to use the Galaxy S22+ as my daily driver, while also using the Pixel 6 Pro when I need my Android 13 fix. I will say, Beta 1 is feeling rather smooth, so if you have a supported device, don't be too shy to check it out. Maybe in a few months I'll swing back and give you all an updated take on the S22+, but for now, I'm loving it. Now also seems like a good time to tell you that Samsung is offering free storage upgrades and a really good trade-in offer on new Galaxy S22 purchases. Take a gander.

Samsung Link

Google's New May Security Patch Should Fix Pixel 6 Haptics

Tim — Mon, 02 May 2022 10:17:10 +0000

The May security patch is live for the Google Pixel lineup, with Google providing a list of what owners can expect once the update has completed the installation process. While it's not a lengthy list, there are three things that should make a few folks happy. The first one we want to draw attention to is "improvements for haptic feedback" on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. In March, an update hit Pixel 6 devices that left owners a bit upset with the device haptics. Google didn't immediately address the issue last month, but in this update, owners may have their old notification haptics back. Do let us know in the comments if this update fixes it for you. Google also lists a fix for an issue that caused device displays to wake without interaction, as well as a launcher crash fix for all Pixel devices. See the full list of bug fixes below.

Display / Graphics

Fix for issue occasionally causing display to wake without user interaction *[1].

Sensors

Improvements for haptic feedback under certain conditions and use cases *[2].

User Interface

Fix for issue causing launcher crash after restarting device in certain conditions *[1].

--------------------------------------------------------------- Device Applicability *[1] Included on Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5, Pixel 5a (5G), Pixel 6 & Pixel 6 Pro *[2] Included on Pixel 6 & Pixel 6 Pro

To get the build details and download the May Pixel update, hit up this post. // Google

May 2022 Android Security Update Available for Google Pixel Phones

Kellen — Mon, 02 May 2022 10:02:38 +0000

The May Google Pixel update has arrived for those with still-supported devices, those being the Pixel 3a up through the Pixel 6 line. This update is expected to be pretty minor and mostly a bug fixer before we get to a bigger update in June that should include another Pixel Feature Drop. As of this moment, Google has posted both factory image and OTA files for all of the active Pixel phones, including the Pixel 3a, Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, and Pixel 6 Pro. All is looking good so far as far as timing goes – Google made no mention in their community post about a delay for any phone. Guys, the Pixel 6 update is on-time again! The breakdown of May security update build numbers by Pixel device is as follows:

Pixel 6 (SP2A.220505.002)
Pixel 6 Pro (SP2A.220505.002)
Pixel 5a (SP2A.220505.002)
Pixel 5 (SP2A.220505.002)
Pixel 4a 5G (SP2A.220505.002)
Pixel 4a (SP2A.220505.002)
Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL (SP2A.220505.002)
Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL (SP2A.220505.002)

Telegram Gets Paid Features in iOS Exclusive Beta

Tim — Mon, 02 May 2022 09:11:08 +0000

iOS users who utilize Telegram, our go-to chat app around these parts, are spotting new paid features inside of beta version 8.7.2. As of right now, Telegram is completely free to use with no premium tier, but it looks as if that may soon change, should Telegram's testing prove fruitful. As for what Telegram Premium gets you, it doesn't appear to be too much. What's been spotted are additional quick reactions and stickers, plus what could be some sort of custom avatar creator. Users are finding access to the Premium tier by selecting these new quick reactions, which then prompts a sign up. For those not paying, they won't see the special stickers or reactions being used by premium members. If they want to see them, they'll need to pay up, too.

There is no information of how much Telegram Premium is costing these users, but for some reactions and stickers, I really hope it's not too much. I think it's completely acceptable for Telegram to want to monetize its platform. It's a fantastic service. However, I do hope they can find something more to offer than just stickers and reactions. I'd hate to see useful features behind a paywall, but all I'm saying is, we need more than stickers. // Android Police

Pixel Watch to Offer 300mAh Battery, Mobile Data Connection

Tim — Mon, 02 May 2022 08:05:35 +0000

As we continue to creep slowly towards the seemingly inevitable unveiling of the Pixel Watch from Google, whenever that may be, we're learning more about the upcoming Wear OS-powered wearable. Thanks to a new report, we're now learning about the battery size we can expect from the device, as well as the connectivity options that may be present at launch. According to sources of 9to5Google, the Pixel Watch will come equipped with a 300mAh battery, which sounds fitting when you consider how relatively small the device appears in photos that we have seen. If we were to make assumptions about battery life based merely on the size of its battery, it seems like a healthy comparison to that of the Galaxy Watch 4's 247mAh battery. That device doesn't have the greatest battery life, so can we possibly expect a bit better from Pixel Watch? We shall see. In addition to the battery size, it's confirmed that there will be a Pixel Watch model that offers cellular connectivity. So far, it's reported that there could be up to three variants of the Pixel Watch, but we're entirely unsure as to how they will differ. While we have noted that a few readers are hoping for a larger model, we have yet to see any evidence suggest that there will be two size options. Again, we still don't have a clue as to when the Pixel Watch will launch, though, all signs point to soon. At the rate we're receiving information and photos are being leaked, we must be getting close. Strap in, folks. // 9to5Google

Question of the Day: Which OEM Do You Want to Make the Next Hit Android Phone?

Tim — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 11:31:22 +0000

We have had plenty of amazing Android phones over the last few years, but I feel like it's been some time since we had a real hit device. You know, something everybody wanted, even if it meant straying from their favorite OEM for a year. In my mind, phones like the OnePlus One, Moto X, Galaxy Nexus, Motorola DROID, and Galaxy Note 2 are a few of what I consider to be hit phones. These phones have the power to change the landscape, which feels like something we haven't seen in a bit. What that said, who do you hope makes that next hit Android phone? I realize this question may be difficult, as it could require some people to look past their own biases, but try to think about this objectively. Personally, if the stars were aligned, my hope would be that Sony makes the next Android device that everyone wants to have. They have an amazing history with hardware, so now all we need is a bit of love for the US market. It's as if they have had all of the pieces, but are afraid to really give it a shot. Maybe a PlayStation-branded Xperia device focused on gaming, couple with exclusive access to some sort of streaming game service? That could be awesome. I also hope Nothing has a very successful launch with Phone 1 and the same goes for OSOM. There are these smaller players that could end up surprising us with fresh ideas. Who wouldn't love that? And since we're talking about it, it's my belief that the Pixel 6 had a chance for major success, but Google's own software fumbles didn't allow that to happen. The company put a big marketing campaign into that phone, only for bugs and other issues to damage its reputation. That one hurts. So let's hear your take. Remember, try to be objective and thoughtful, but ultimately, there are no wrong answers here.

Verizon Galaxy S22 Family Gets May Security Patch

Tim — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 09:22:02 +0000

Samsung, King of Android updates, is shipping out the May security patch to the Galaxy S22 family on Verizon. We've also received a tip that the T-Mobile variants are seeing it, too. This is impressive considering Google has yet to ship this update out to its own Pixel line or even announce it for that matter. It is still April after all. Once updated, the Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra will see the following software build numbers.

Galaxy S22: S901USQU2AVDC
Galaxy S22+: S906USQU2AVDC
Galaxy S22 Ultra: S908USQU2AVDC

If you own a Galaxy S22 on Verizon or T-Mobile, let us know if you're seeing this update. // Verizon

T-Mobile's Next Uncarrier Move Scheduled for May 4

Tim — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 08:02:58 +0000

May 4, a day typically reserved for fans of the Star Wars franchise to share the same old and tired joke on social media, will also be the day that T-Mobile announces its next Uncarrier move. We don't know what to expect, but T-Mobile hypes the announcement with the words, "This One Doesn't Need a Set-Up." What could that possibly mean? We have no clue, but Uncarrier announcements are always good for customers, so do your worst, T-Mobile. We'll remind you on May 4 (next Wednesday) that this is going down.

Stream Here - May 4, 10AM PT

// T-Mobile

OnePlus Nord N20 has One Big Thing Going for It: This Hot Design

Kellen — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 10:28:07 +0000

The OnePlus Nord N20 5G launched through T-Mobile today with a $282 price tag and a design language that OnePlus should adopt for all of their phones going forward. This new N20 phone is without a doubt the hottest OnePlus phone in years. OnePlus sent me a review unit to play with, and while the performance and 60Hz display have been rough to deal with, holding this phone or taking pictures of it is quite the joy. Just look at this thing.

To recap, you've got a Snapdragon 695 processor, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage, and a 6.43″ FHD AMOLED display at 60Hz. There’s also an in-display fingerprint reader, 4500mAh battery with 33W fast charging, and a main 64MP camera. OnePlus also tossed in monochrome and macro lenses that I can't imagine anyone will use. The story here is really the price and how sharply this phone is dressed. The design is nothing like any recent OnePlus phones. Instead of its sunrise silhouette and curves everywhere, this phone is unapologetically flat. Well, outside of the slight bubble of the display up over the frame, this phone has some edges to hold onto. Not in an awful iPhone 13 way, where the phone is uncomfortable to hold, but in a pleasantly ergonomic way.

It has this metal frame that runs around the edge of the phone with beautifully chamfered edges and machined cutouts for ports and speakers and a headphone jack, as well as really clicky buttons. Then you have what I assumed is a plastic backside that looks metal, with this really fun sparkle texture that can be seen at off angles. If there's one thing I wish OnePlus would take from this Nord N20 to carryover to their flagship phones, it would be the design. As for the rest of the phone, yeah there are some issues. Again, $282! However, it's running Android 11...what? The display, even as an AMOLED, is 60Hz and a big eyesore for anyone who has spent the past 5 years on 90Hz and above. The vibration motor in this thing is bottom shelf, might-make-your-hand-vomit levels of bad. The single camera you would use isn't great. But again - again, this is a $282 phone. Should you buy this thing? It would be a tough phone to recommend, but just know that it's pretty.

Shop OnePlus Nord N20 5G at T-Mobile

Samsung May Change Battery Supplier to Help Lower Price of Galaxy Z Fold 4, Flip 4

Tim — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 09:21:28 +0000

According to a recent report out of Samsung's home country of South Korea, the tech giant may look to switch up the battery supplier for its upcoming foldable devices, most likely to be the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4. Typically, Samsung employs its own Samsung SDI firm for such things, but it's said that the company is hoping to lower prices even further in 2022, which could lead to the change. It's noted that Amperex Technology Limited (ATL) could get the nod as battery supplier, a company who is very proven as a maker of Apple's iPhone batteries. In the grand scheme, the important takeaway is how it effects the price of the foldable devices. Last year, the Flip 3 got a big price decrease to an entry of $999, while the Z Fold 3 went down to $1799. This is a trend we'd like to see continue and we know it was successful for Samsung, as the 3rd generation devices were highly celebrated as selling extremely well. According to Samsung, in the first month of availability, the Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 exceeded total sales of Samsung foldable devices in all of 2020. Lower prices and continued refinement can only better the situation and make foldables more of a common thing to see around town. That would be cool. // The Elec

The Nothing Phone's Launcher Now Available for Download

Kellen — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 07:45:36 +0000

After confirming that the first phone from Nothing would arrive at some point this summer, the company founded by Carl Pei also said to expect another toy to play with before a physical device lands in the hand. The Nothing Launcher, which should be the launcher that comes installed on the Nothing phone, has arrived on Google Play for select devices to install. For now, this Nothing Launcher is available to the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S22, as well as the Pixel 5 and up. They mentioned that OnePlus support is "coming soon." So what's cool about the Nothing Launcher? It's a really minimal launcher experience, at least for now. As far as I can tell, it's a single page launcher (and you can't add more), there are 3 Nothing widgets included (2 clocks, 1 weather), and the ability to make icons and folders "Max," which blows them up. It looks like 3rd party icon support might be here as well. Here's the description of the features from Nothing:

Max Icons and Max Folders: A new experience for Android. Hold and press to enlarge app folders or individual apps, so the things you use the most are more visible. Launch any app directly from your folders. Bespoke Clock & Weather widgets: Raw tech, balanced by human warmth. These widgets use the same dot matrix font as our logo. Nothing Wallpaper & Style: Update your home screen with the Nothing wallpaper and matching colour palette.

I'm not sure this is giving us much of a taste of what's to come on the Nothing phone, but hey, a free launcher! Oh, and if you want a couple of extra Nothing wallpapers and sounds, they posted some to Dropbox. Google Play Link: Nothing Launcher

Verizon Galaxy S10 Gets the Big One UI 4.1 Update

Kellen — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 13:06:07 +0000

It's wild to think that Samsung's 3-year old Galaxy S10 line picked up Android 12 almost four months ago and is already getting another big update to One UI 4.1, when Motorola took this long to update a 2-year old $1,000 phone to basic Android 12 without the heavy skin. Ahhh, Samsung vs. Motorola - a comparison that stopped being a comparison years ago. Anyways, Verizon and Samsung are shipping out One UI 4.1 to the Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, and Galaxy S10e today in an update that is quite loaded with features. The new builds to be on the lookout for are:

Galaxy S10+: SP1A.210812.016.G975USQU6IVC7
Galaxy S10: SP1A.210812.016.G973USQU6IVC7
Galaxy S10e: SP1A.210812.016.G970USQU6IVC7

The update includes the April Android security patch, as well as "Live Sharing in Google Duo, RAM Plus, App Cast in Smart View, Game Booster Labs, and Camera and Gallery enhancements." To get deeper details on all of those items, head over to Verizon's changelog. To check for this latest update, head into Settings>System updates>Check for system updates.

My Pixel Watch Approach: Cautious Optimism

Tim — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 09:12:07 +0000

Having tried many smartwatches at this point, I can honestly say I'm not a fan of many. Looking back, my all-time favorite is the original Moto 360, followed by the Moto 360 (2nd-Gen), original Huawei Watch, and a few others from that time period. For me, a lot of the hardware didn't look very appealing following those, leaving no wearables that I wanted to carry around on my wrist. I haven't worn a smartwatch for an extended period in years. However, with the Pixel Watch seemingly right around the corner, I have that feeling of excitement that is reserved for only things that really pique my interest. We've been discussing the potential for a Pixel Watch for years, and while I can't wait for Google to finally take the plunge, I think the best approach is cautious optimism.

Look: Pixel Watch on the wrist!

If you're one of the people that thinks what we've seen so far looks good, then you're with me. I like the appearance of the device. For those calling it a "round Apple Watch," yeah, how is that a bad thing? It looks minimal and clean, unlike some of the clunky looking monsters some of y'all be lugging around. Thanks, but no thanks to those. So while there is optimism for its appearance, the strap situation has me nervous. Proprietary bands are an issue for me. What if I don't want cheap rubber straps that Google will likely charge $40-$50 a pop for? Maybe I want a leather or canvas strap? Whenever I do wear a watch, I double it as a fashion piece, so I will switch out straps to match a pair of shoes or something else that I am wearing. If Google doesn't make that possible, and all we get is a black rubber band, that's a big time yawn. Others may be thinking that buying anything 1st-Gen from Google is a crapshoot. They aren't wrong. This watch has the potential to have plenty of issues, but it's an argument best saved for once the device is actually released. We can discuss hypotheticals all day and night, but until we know the watch is bad or good (and what issues potentially plague it), we shouldn't assume that any of that will happen. Google has had quite a bit of time to nail this wearable, so the hope is that they pulled it off well. Of course, the thought continues to linger, so again, I will approach it with cautious optimism.

And then there's the price. Oh, please, don't be stupid expensive. My guess for the Pixel Watch WiFi-only is $279, $329 for a cellular model. That seems reasonable, but also overpriced at the same time. To me, that's usually a good sign that it's priced appropriately. While we're beginning to see the watch appear on wrists, there are still many unknowns. So many so that it's still premature to label as anything other than an unreleased prototype that has popped up on reddit. A lot can change still. It's not a winner and it's not a loser. Yet. With that said, I urge all my fellow Android fans to approach this device with a healthy level of cautious optimism. After all, pessimism isn't healthy for your mental wellbeing.

Verizon's Motorola Edge+ From 2020 Gets Android 12 Update, Likely Its Last

Kellen — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 08:50:47 +0000

Motorola and Verizon are pushing Android 12 to the Motorola Edge+ that they co-released in 2020 at a cool $1,000. Android 12, for those keeping up, has been available for phones to update to since October of last year, so yeah, this seems late as hell. I don't want to spend much time here, because we all know Motorola's lack of commitment to regular or fast updates. If you own this phone, which I'm not sure many do, you'll want to grab this and catch-up on the latest in Android. That said, you may recall that when released, the world collectively freaked out about the price of the phone and the fact that Motorola would only initially promise 1 OS update. That would have left the phone on Android 11 last year, but the freakout pushed them to extend it to two OS updates. This Android 12 update is the second and likely last. I can't imagine Motorola has plans to further support this phone much after this. The build to lookout for is RPB31.Q1-19-58-30-4. It includes the April Android security patch and the following, according to Verizon's changelog:

Android OS 12 Say hello to Material You! Reflect your personal style across your whole device, communicate easier with the Conversations widget, control Mic and Camera access with indicators and toggles, keep your precise location private with approximate location permissions, and view the new Privacy dashboard. Other enhancements

P-Early-Media header: Enjoy a shorter call setup time and better voice quality for Motorola HD Voice phones.

Advanced Calling user interface: Advanced Calling is now enabled by default and the user interface has been removed.

Verizon Location Agent (VLA) app: The Verizon Location Agent app has been removed.

Verizon Digital Secure: A new version of the Verizon Digital Secure app has been added (ver. 5.3.0.1133).

N5 to N5 handover: Resolved a cell detection issue.

To grab the update, head into Settings>About phone>System updates.

Actually, Pixel 6 is the "Fastest Selling Pixel Ever"

Kellen — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 17:41:30 +0000

A report last week fired up chatter surrounding the Pixel 6 line and whether or not it has been a success or a failure. The report, which may have been a guy walking into 3 midwest carrier stores and casually chatting up sales reps to get their opinions, suggested that no one was buying the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro. While that may have been the case at the handful of stores visited, Google wants you to know that this is their fastest selling Pixel to date. During today's Alphabet earnings call for Q1 2022, CEO Sundar Pichai gave it to us straight - the Pixel 6 line is the "fastest selling Pixel ever." Pichai didn't say how many Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro phones they sold, but that's a good sign that they have positive info to relay on their latest phones. We know how split so many reactions have been to these two phones that we've been curious over whether or not Google considers them a success. Pichai's words today sure come off like they are happy with how things have gone since launching at the end of 2021. In addition to the big Pixel 6 sales news, Pichai also teased upcoming hardware products that he hopes to share at Google I/O in a couple of weeks. Before the tease, he first mentioned that Pixel 6 is helping push the Pixel brand forward by building consumer awareness and that it has led to him being "excited about the products [they] have coming and look forward to sharing more at Google I/O." If we're talking about the Pixel brand, is that a hint at a Pixel Watch or Pixel 6a reveal? I sure hope so. Here's his full Pixel quote, just so you have it all in one:

Pixel 6 is a huge step forward for the Pixel portfolio and it's been great to see the response from Pixel users. It's the fastest selling Pixel ever. And we are building broad consumer awareness of the brand and making good progress. I'm excited about the products we have coming and look forward to sharing more at Google I/O.

To recap, mad reddit guy won't want to hear this, but Google looks at the Pixel 6 line as a success.

Pixel Watch Looks Really Good on the Wrist

Kellen — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 17:14:12 +0000

The Pixel Watch that was left in a restaurant and then posted across the internet over the weekend is back, baby. This time, though, we've got it on the wrist with watch bands attached! Prepare yourselves - this is how the Google Pixel Watch looks when worn. The redditor who has the Pixel Watch in his possession now also has the watch bands for it. Because these missing pieces (the bands) have joined the party, he returned today to post pictures from a bunch of different angles. It's looking nice now that we can see how it might look on our own wrists. In this first set of pics, we're only looking at on-wrist appearance. You can see how the bands fit nicely into the body, a lot like how a Fitbit band attaches. The roundness of the watch also lays quite nicely on the wrist, even though he had us initially worried that it might a tad thick. As for overall size, I'm sold. This guy had a 46mm Galaxy Watch on the wrist the other day that looked far too big (because 46mm is too big), yet this fits perfectly. This Pixel Watch must be 44mm and under.

As for the redditor's opinion on the watch now that he's had it on the wrist, he said that it is "the most comfortable watch I've ever worn" and that it "feels much thinner than the measurements would lead you to believe." Here's the rest of his impressions and they are quite positive, do be warned:

Compared to my Galaxy Watch this feels like it's not even there. And, big plus, the crown does NOT poke into the back of my hand when bending my wrist back or typing, which is something that drives me nuts on other watches. The band is a soft silicone with good flex and doesn't seem to show fingerprints/oil too badly which is great. Now that it's all together I can say in my opinion this is without a doubt a gorgeous and comfortable watch which I'd have no problem wearing for long periods of time and even at night for sleep tracking. Well done Google, well done! (please don't sue me)

Finally, here are a couple of additional pictures of the watch sitting on a table with the band attached. There isn't much to take from these other than it completes the look we were missing from the other day's photoshoot. The bands supposedly measure in at 20mm. Guys, what we thinking now?

Samsung Doubling Storage on Galaxy S22 Purchases Again

Tim — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 14:05:36 +0000

When the Galaxy S22 lineup first launched onto Samsung's web store, the company offered free storage upgrades to those who pre-ordered the device. After pre-orders ended, that promo was killed off. This week, in time for anyone looking to pick up one of 2022's best smartphones, it's back!

Read: Galaxy S22 Ultra Review

If we're being honest, it's a really solid promo and extremely straightforward. Whatever model Galaxy S22 you get (S22, S22+, or S22 Ultra), Samsung is doubling your storage from 128GB to 256GB. For free. No tricks, no nonsense. Just more storage for your apps, photos, and whatever else you carry with you on the device. On top of the added storage, Samsung is also continuing to offer up to $1,000 in trade-in value for select devices. If you have the right kind of trade-in, you can get your new Galaxy S22 for hardly any money at all, which is obviously a good thing. And unlike other companies, Samsung's trade-in credit is instant and not a reimbursement. This is the way it should be. Click the link below to take advantage.

Samsung Link

What's New in Android 13 Beta 1?

Kellen — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 12:51:21 +0000

With the first Android 13 Beta up and running on our Pixel 6, we've had a chance to dive through several settings pages in an attempt to find new stuff. There may not be a massive list of big changes, but there are some nice little tweaks from the last preview (and Android 12) until now. Here are some of the new goodies in Android 13 Beta 1 that we have stumbled on.

More Material You colors!

The wallpaper theming we got in Android 12 is getting additional options in Android 13. This first 13 Beta 1 is bring us even more colors to choose from after picking a wallpaper. Above you can see that you get at least two sets of "wallpaper" colors to choose from, but the "basic" colors are now at least 4 pages deep too. Your options for coloring your phone are now just about endless.

Where'd app drawer search go?

13 Beta vs. 12

The app drawer in Android 13 Beta 1 killed off the on-device search capabilities we've enjoyed since Android 12 and replaced it with the Google Search bar. While searching on Google is always a good time, the beauty of the app drawer search was that it let you search throughout your phone for settings, people, whatever. Now it seems to mostly be limited to Google searches and apps. I'm hoping this is a temporary thing for the beta while they figure out how to bring back on-device search? The Android 12 search they introduced is without a doubt one of my most used features. Below is an example of how this certainly seems like a step backwards in terms of device searching.

13 Beta vs. 12

Media player has squiggles.

Look at those cute squiggles. That's it.

Do Not Disturb is back.

Google weirdly renamed Do Not Disturb to "Priority Mode" in Developer Preview 2. They have since changed it back to Do Not Disturb for Beta 1. Who knows what Beta 2 will bring, but we hope this sticks as is.

New Clipboard pop-up and editor

Now when you copy something in Android 13, a little clipboard pop-up menu shows in the bottom left corner, similar to the menu you'd see after taking a screenshot. You can tap a little edit icon next to the copied item and edit what you've copied, which is pretty cool. We'll try to update this post as we find more.

Google Play's New Data Safety Section Shows Exactly How Apps Use Your Data

Tim — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 12:32:28 +0000

Google introduced a new section on app pages inside of Google Play this week, a required section that developers will need to fill out with how an app collects, shares, and secures user data. This new section is called the Data Safety Section. According to Google, all developers will have until July 20 to update their app pages with this information. Currently, Google Play does list out all of the permissions an app will request on your device, but this new section clearly goes a step beyond that. When updated, users will be able to pinpoint exactly what data an app is pulling and then how it's being used.

For the privacy advocates among us, this has to be seen a huge win. Again, developers have until July 20 to get their pages updated with this information. Get on it, developers. // Google

PSA: You'll Need to Grant Every App Notification Permissions on Android 13 Beta

Tim — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 10:46:36 +0000

We have the brand new Android 13 Beta 1 build booted up on our Pixel 6 Pro, and so far, it's nice and smooth. However, as soon as we dove into an app, we were asked to grant that app permission to send us notifications. Ok, no problem. Then we opened a different app. Again, we had to grant it permission to send notifications. And then again, and again, and again. We can confirm, for anyone who flashes the Android 13 Beta 1, you'll need to grant every app you open the ability to send you notifications. That is, unless you don't want that app to send you anything at all. This is all part of Google's new stance on app permissions which we actually appreciate quite a bit, but good lord, this seems a bit excessive. Ready your tapping finger when opening those apps, people.

Android 13 Beta 1 is Here for Pixel Phones!

Kellen — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 10:00:25 +0000

Were you starting to think Google was off-schedule? Silly. The Android 13 Beta 1 is here, still in the month of April, as was originally shared. If you own a Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, or Pixel 6 phone, you can get up and running with the latest Android 13 build without much work, starting today. This is the first Android 13 Beta, so we are still in the early days of Android 13. This could be somewhat stable - at least it should be stable enough to be labeled "beta" - but expect there to be bugs here and there. Putting this on the phone that you use every single day is potentially risky.

How to get Android 13 Beta 1 on your Pixel

As mentioned above, the first Android 13 Beta is available to:

Pixel 4 and 4 XL
Pixel 4a and 4a (5G)
Pixel 5 and 5a
Pixel 6 and 6 Pro

Easiest way: If you own one of those devices, the easiest way to get Android 13 Beta 1 on device is to sign-up for the Android Beta Program (here). You'll simply click the "Opt In" button on that page to join and then sit back and wait for Google to push an update as Android 13 over-the-air. Once you have enrolled, you'll head into Settings>System>Advanced>System update to check for it. Google may not push it immediately and could instead roll it out slowly throughout the day. Either way, feel free to check through there to tell Google you want it after enrolling in the program. Manual way: Want to get updated faster or would rather flash a factory image or OTA file through adb to feel more techie and important and smart? That's still an option! I'll be going the OTA route, but factory images are available too. You'll find Android 13 Beta 1 factory images here and the OTA files here. 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. Already on an Android 13 DP build: If you are already on an Android 13 Developer Preview build, Google says that you will receive the Beta 1 update over-the-air. Of course, you can manually flash a factory image or OTA file as well, since the over-the-air process often takes forever to process.

What's new in Android 13 Beta 1?

Release date: April 26, 2022 Build: TPB1.220310.029 Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A) Security patch level: April 2022 Google Play services: 22.09.20

We'll dive in here shortly to find any big changes and likely detail it in a separate post. For now, Google is only saying that this Beta 1 will include changes from the first two Developer Preview builds, like privacy features, the new notification permission and photo picker, themed app icons, per-app language support, Bluetooth LE audio, and MIDI 2.0 over USB. This first beta should also add "more granular access to media files, improved audio routing APIs, and more."

UPDATE: Here's what's new in Android 13 Beta 1!

Our recaps for DP1 and DP2 can be found here and here. Stay tuned for more on Android 13 Beta 1.

T-Mobile's Unlimited Google Photos Add-on is Now Live

Kellen — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 08:50:42 +0000

T-Mobile announced earlier in the month that it would soon offer a Google One plan that included unlimited Google Photos storage at full resolution. The news was a bit shocking, knowing that Google stripped away this perk only a year ago. Today, that new Google One plan, which is a T-Mobile exclusive, is now available to sign-up for. If you head into your T-Mobile account and click the "Manage Add-ons" link within your account, under the "Cloud storage & backup" section is where you will find the Google One Plans. Previously, you had choices of a 500GB or 2TB plan. As of this morning, T-Mobile has added on the 2TB + Unlimited Google Photos option.

At $15/mo through T-Mobile, this option gets you 2TB of storage to use with your Google account for backing up Google Drive and Gmail content. You can share this 2TB with your friends and family too, up to 5 of them. As added bonuses, you get accept to Google One's VPN service and some advanced photo editing features in Google Photos. However, the Google Photos unlimited storage is only available to 1 linked Google Photos account, as you can see in the fine print above. In other words, you can share Google One storage with family and friends, but not all of their photos and videos in an unlimited capacity. T-Mobile is offering this Google One 2TB + Unlimited Google Photos plan for $15/mo with the first month free (30 day free trial). Once that 30 days is up, you'll be billed through your T-Mobile account. To get started, simply login to your T-Mobile account.

OnePlus Begins Tackling OnePlus 10 Pro Issues With Latest Update

Tim — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 08:38:59 +0000

Like any other new phone, the OnePlus 10 Pro was shipped in the US with what could be labeled as a few software hiccups. Users have reported touchy fingerprint readers, wide angle camera issues, Android Auto problems, overheating, and a list of other things. This week, OnePlus is continuing to address these issues, with update NE2215_11.A.13 now rolling out incrementally.

Read: OnePlus 10 Pro Review

As detailed by OnePlus, the update includes an improved fingerprint algorithm for a higher success rate of fingerprint unlocking, better power consumption, improved communication quality (audio processing), front camera quality improvements, as well as network stability improvements. Overall, it's an important update, but do note that it doesn't include an updated security patch level. We're nearly into May and this phone continues to sit at March's patch. OnePlus, we need to see software support for this phone, please. If you own this device, look for this update to hit your device shortly. // OnePlus

Fitbit Starts Rolling Out Its Irregular Heart Rhythm Notitifications

Kellen — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 13:56:48 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, Fitbit received clearance from the FDA for their new PPG (photoplethysmography) algorithm to identify atrial fibrillation (AFib). They told us at the time that this new feature would begin rolling out over the coming weeks, without a specific date. Today they've given us the specific date - rollout begins now. Fitbit says that their new PPG AFib algorithm "can passively assess your heart rhythm in the background while you’re still or asleep," looking to identify an irregular heart rhythm. Should it notice anything off, the new Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications will ping you within the app (see below) and then allow you to contact your health provider to further assess.

You may be wondering about how this new PPG algorithm fits in with the Fitbit ECG app, and well, it's there to work alongside it in a more active fashion. Through the ECG app, you can spot-check for possible AFib, while this new PPG algorithm allows for a more long-term assessment that may help identify an undetected AFib. Again, this feature is rolling out now. For more on the FDA approval of this new Fitbit feature, check out this blog post from a couple of weeks back.

Google Pixel Watch: Hot or Nah?

Kellen — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 10:30:38 +0000

When you buy a phone, the design of it is important, but not one of the most important pieces. You probably care more about the camera and display and processor than you do the color or camera layout. That's mostly because the chances of you putting it in a case are high and also that the way a phone runs and works are sort of the point in owning one. With a smartwatch, I'd argue that design is as important as anything. A watch is certainly a tool and has been from the moment it was invented - let's not suggest otherwise. But over the years, a watch has grown to become much more than that, and is often first looked at from a fashion perspective. You typically buy a watch because you like the way it looks. Even with a smartwatch, I don't think most would buy one if they don't think it is an attractive piece of tech, since it'll live on their wrist, out-in-the-open at all times. With that in mind, I'm genuinely curious what you all think about the design of the Google Pixel Watch, especially now that an early, yet also sort of finished-looking, version of one has leaked from a classic iPhone 4-esque restaurant drop. The watch, as seen above next to a Galaxy Watch (46mm), is quite minimal in design. It is fully round with glass curving to create a domed display. You have a large crown, as well as semi-hidden buttons on each side of, plus a strap that should tuck nicely into the body like the original Moto 360.

It is somewhat of a striking design, though. It doesn't have a chunky bezel or lugs or really much in the shape of a traditional watch, like the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic has. It sort of blends between looking like a pocket watch and the Apple Watch. In fact, it's almost like a rounded version of the Apple Watch, which if I'm being honest, is exactly what so many of us wanted someone to make. Let us know - the Pixel Watch is hot or nah? [poll id="582"]

Galaxy S22+ and Ultra are $200 Off, No Trades Required

Kellen — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 09:42:36 +0000

The best deals on Samsung's Galaxy S22 phones typically involve Samsung's own site, because they offer incredible trade-in values that convert into instant discounts at the time of purchase. But what if you don't have a newer phone to trade and would rather pay straight-up? Today's deals are for you. At retailers selling the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra, like Best Buy or Amazon, you can grab up to $200 off as a straight discount. That means a starting price on the Galaxy S22+ of $799 or a price of $999 for the Galaxy S22 Ultra. The regular Galaxy S22 is $100 off, so it starts at $699.

READ: Galaxy S22 Ultra review | Galaxy S22 review

If you head over to Best Buy, they appear to be discounting all storage variants (128GB, 256GB, 512GB, etc.) with the same $200-off on the more expensive S22 models. Amazon's discounts look to be only on the base 128GB models. This may not get you the discount you'd see if you had a phone to trade (even a Galaxy S9 will get you $275 off!), but $200 off is solid and you don't any weird approvals or credit checks or to meet other requirements. All you need is at. least $700 available to spend.

Shop $200-off Galaxy S22+, S22 Ultra deals:

Galaxy S22+: Amazon | Best Buy
Galaxy S22 Ultra: Amazon | Best Buy

Wait, What Happened With a Google Pixel Watch?

Kellen — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 07:30:16 +0000

The sun came out in Portland this weekend for the first time in over a month, temperatures reached almost 70 degrees, The Bad Guys was released, the NBA Playoffs were going off, and I basically turned my phone away from the world, specifically the tech space. What happened during that time? Someone left a Google Pixel Watch at a bar. Can't make it up. Alright, so yeah, a Google Pixel Watch was left at a bar/restaurant and someone then sent a bunch of pics of it across the internet and here we are. The folks at Android Central first received them and caught us up on the story, but then the guy who currently has the watch jumped onto reddit to share more details, including more pictures. The story around how the watch ended up in this guy's hands is quite silly. Apparently, someone left the watch in a box at a restaurant and the bartender found it. The restaurant then held the watch for several weeks hoping that someone would come back to claim it, only that never happened. The bartender then handed it to his friend, the "tech nerd," because he figured he'd appreciate it most. Pictures of the device from top to bottom and sides were then shared, as well as separate pictures of the bands (because the bartender forgot to give them to the friend). On reddit, the guy then posted comparison shots of the Pixel Watch with the Apple Watch 40mm and Galaxy Watch 46mm, showed what it might look like on wrist, and how thick the bezels are. As for the watch, it definitely looks like a shiny round bulb with stainless steel case. There is a rotating crown that doubles as a button, as well as a couple of side buttons that you can't really see here. It should be a similar button setup to what most Wear OS watches have. There is also a heartrate sensor on the bottom. Ready for these?

And now the wrist shot:

And here are the Pixel Watch bands, which look proprietarily obnoxious:

Some notes from the redditor:

The watch is dead and won't charge. He tried two Qi wireless chargers and the PowerShare feature from a Samsung phone, yet nothing. He mentioned that there is some recognition when first placed on a charger, but then it won't charge.
The watch initially booted to a "G" logo at the restaurant, but wouldn't go past that screen and has since fully died. There may not even be a complete OS on this thing.
The watch is about a half-inch thick (!) and 1.5-inches wide.

What a wild situation.

Google Acknowledges the "Pixel Watch" Name

Kellen — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 17:13:41 +0000

The story of the Pixel Watch dates back years, yet I'm not sure Google has ever officially acknowledged that one was ever on the way. We know that LG made a couple of watches some time ago that were maybe, sort of going to be Google-branded, but those turned out to be bad watches and Google let LG take the fall for them. Fast forward to today, through several reports of the imminent launch of a Pixel Watch, and Google has sort of made it official. In a trademark filing that was filed earlier in the week and accepted today, Google has secured "PIXEL WATCH" for use as a term that will "cover the categories of smartwatches; cases adapted for holding smartwatches; wearable computers in the nature of smartwatches; smartwatch straps; smartwatch bands." Yeah, I think they are making a Pixel Watch, guys. Here is a look at the filing:

What else do we know about this upcoming Pixel Watch? It could look like this. We know the codename is "Rohan" and that retailers have started slipping up by listing it as an upcoming device. We've seen files hinting at its existence in builds of Wear OS. These could be the watch faces you'll find on it out of the box. Google I/O is so close and that would be an excellent time for Google to start talking about their first watch. Or maybe they won't and we'll have to wait until the Pixel 7 launch this fall. Let's hope it's sooner than that. // 9to5Google

Galaxy Watch 5 Reportedly Ditching "Classic" Branding

Kellen — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 13:47:05 +0000

Samsung has used the word "Classic" to label one of its smartwatch models here and there, most recently with the Galaxy Watch 4 line. For Samsung's return to Wear OS, we had both a Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. The Classic model being the slightly higher-end of the two with a bigger price tag and a physical rotating bezel. For the reportedly upcoming Galaxy Watch 5 line, it's probably safe to assume that we assumed there would be similar offerings once again. I don't think I'm out of line in suggesting most people figured we'd get a Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Classic. However, according to SamMobile, the Classic name may be on the outs. According to the Samsung-focused site, the Galaxy Watch 5 should come in two models: Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. The "Pro" name should sound familiar, as it was rumored earlier in the month with a massive 572mAh battery. So while we may not see a Galaxy Watch 5 Classic, that could be because Samsung is replacing it with a Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. Other than its large battery, not much is known about the Pro, only that it may come in a single size. Most of Samsung's previous watch lines all came in two sizes. One side note that brings joy to my ears is an added rumor that the Galaxy Watch 5 will get a new version of Samsung's One UI Watch skin. The current version that sits atop Wear OS is basically a weird fork of Samsung's old Tizen skin, so I'd take anything new at this point to get away from it. To recap - no Galaxy Watch 5 Classic, but we should get the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro instead. Hopefully, it's not as big as the battery suggests.

And the Android 14 Codename Is...

Tim — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 11:34:34 +0000

Upside Down Cake?

Upside Down Cake, a dessert I've never had a desire to try, is the name for Google's presumably upcoming Android 14 operating system. The news comes from a spotting inside of the Android Open Source Project, with Google styling it as UpsideDownCake. Now, even though we do appreciate Google continuing to do this internally, don't plan to see Android 14 ever marketed as Upside Down Cake. We've transcended all that and we're on to purely numerical names now, such as Android 12, Android 13, etc. Pretty soon we'll be out of letters in the alphabet, so it's was only a matter of time. We're still a ways away from ever having Android 14 on our phones. Currently, Android 13 is the latest and greatest beta that is runnable on Pixel devices. Don't expect to see Android 14 pop up until early 2023. Delicious. // 9to5Google

IMAGE

What's the Android Phone Feature You Can't Live Without?

Tim — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 09:11:36 +0000

We're deep into the Android lifespan at this point. Over the years, phones have become equipped with more and more amazing features, a few of which we'd label as more important than others. This got us thinking, what's an Android feature we can't live without? When creating a list in my mind, I think of displays with high refresh rates, NFC, "Warp Charging" (extremely fast charging speeds in general), wireless charging, curved glass displays, IP ratings (water resistance), and of course, expandable storage. That's just off the top of my head. We know for an absolute fact that everybody values these various features differently. For example, we know some folks cannot live without their precious SD card slot. That's totally fine. Others can't do without NFC and water resistance. But what if you were forced to choose just one? Let's find out! What's the Android phone feature you can't live without?

Time to Up Your Smart Home Game With Google's Earth Day Sale

Kellen — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 15:58:06 +0000

Earth Day is tomorrow and that means a moment to consider what you are doing to help this planet survive for not just our generation, but all that will come after us. Whether you want to go out and plant some trees, finally start recycling, eliminate awful plastic, or buy an electric car as a lifestyle change is on you, as it could bring a huge shift in your day-to-day being. If you'd rather go an easier route and let technology do the work for you, Google's Earth Day sale isn't a bad place to start. As an example, Google claims its smart thermostats have saved over 90 billion kWh of energy since 2011. That's because they actively try to work at the proper time and make better use of energy to heat or cool your home. For most people, installing one takes a few minutes and then becomes one of the smartest parts of your home. I've been using one for a good decade now and absolutely love it. The new Nest Thermostat is $30 off for Earth Day. The older Nest Learning Thermostat (2nd Gen) is $50 off. Google also uses all sorts of recycled materials in their products, like 70% recycled plastic in the Nest Audio enclosure. Some of the new Nest Cams are made with up to 45% of recycled plastics. When you buy theirs instead of some other brand, you should at least know they are making them somewhat responsibly. The Nest Audio is $30 off and down to just $69.99. Nest Cams start at $20 off, but you can get bundles of cameras up to $100 off. The rest of Google's smart home line-up is on sale too. You'll find their new wireless doorbell at $30 off, the older wired doorbell at $80 off, new Nest Hub at $35 off, and Nest WiFi bundles up to $100 off. It's all on sale, man.

Shop the full Google Store Earth Day Sale

Reported OnePlus 10 Specs Include 150W Charging, Launch in H2

Tim — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 10:33:50 +0000

OnePlus did things really funky in 2022. They launched the OnePlus 10 Pro in China this past January, then finally released it here in the US this month. There was no base OnePlus 10 to go along with it. This week, we're now seeing reports on the OnePlus 10 and its existence, complete with specs that we can potentially look forward to. Let's see what we're dealing with.

Related: OnePlus 10 Pro Review

Now before we go any further, let's note that it seems possible that this phone never gets a US launch. Right now, OnePlus' stance in the US feels a little shaky. While they continue to sell and market phones, something has happened where the company seems to have placed its sights on something other than selling the biggest and baddest phones around. We're seeing more of a focus on low-end and mid-range Nord phones, which is totally fine and dandy, but certainly noteworthy. If OnePlus doesn't see much potential for the OnePlus 10 in the US, it seems entirely possible we don't see a launch here. According to the report based on information from @OnLeaks, the OnePlus 10 will come equipped with a 6.7-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, an insane supported charging speed of 150W, two RAM and storage options (8GB RAM/128GB or 12GB/256GB), OxygenOS 12, triple rear camera setup with a primary 50-megapixel shooter, and 4,800mAh battery. The thing that clearly stands out is that 150W charging. The power brick could end up needing some type of integrated cooling system, I'd imagine. That's a lot of juice, but OnePlus has been flirting with these speeds for a bit now. It's exciting to see charging speeds go up and up. We'll keep you posted on all things OnePlus 10, but again, maybe try to not get too excited until we know if in fact it's headed our way. // digit

Motorola Introduces Another Two Moto G Phones, One With a Stylus

Kellen — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 09:28:52 +0000

Motorola announced two new Moto G phones today, the Moto G 5G and the Moto G Stylus 5G. They are a continuation of Motorola's effort to dominate nothing but the mid-range game, although we have pretty high prices this time around and some upgrades in the Stylus model. The Moto G Stylus 5G (above) features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage with an SD slot, side fingerprint reader, 5000mAh battery, 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 5.1, 5G support, and an included stylus. You'll stare at a 6.8" FHD display with 120Hz refresh rate while using it, and take pictures with a main 50MP sensor, as well as an 8MP ultra-wide lens. The new Moto G Stylus 5G runs Android 12, will get exactly one major update, and yes, it does have NFC. Let me say that again - a Moto G phone actually has NFC in the US.

The Moto G 5G (above) runs a MediaTek Dimensity 700 chip and has 256GB storage (with an SD slot), 6GB RAM, side fingerprint reader, 5000mAh battery, 6.5" HD display at 90Hz, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a camera setup that features a 50MP main lens, as well as a macro and depth sensors. It does not have NFC. Of course. The Moto G Stylus 5G costs $499 and arrives unlocked on April 28 at places like Best Buy, Amazon, and Motorola's store. Carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, Google Fi, and Cricket also plan to carry it "in the coming months." The Moto G 5G costs $399 and will show up on May 19.

Pre-Register for Apex Legends Mobile, Unlock More Pretty Lame In-Game Cosmetics

Tim — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 08:30:45 +0000

Pre-registration for Apex Legends Mobile has been open since March 17 on Google Play and Apple's App Store. Apparently, many people have signed up to be notified when the game goes live, which is what pre-registering is, so many in fact that EA has gone ahead and added two additional unlockable tiers. Sadly, the resulting in-game loot for achieving these big pre-registration numbers are on the uninspired side. Should players reach 15,000,000 registrations, you'll unlock a Holospray. Oh, wow, thanks. If you all somehow manage to reach 25,000,000 registrations, everyone will receive an Epic skin for the Pathfinder character (pictured above). And no, while Epic skins are fine, they're not the best you can get and this one in particular looks quite boring.

Already Unlocked Goodies

Players have already reached 10,000,000 registrations, unlocking a suite of other semi-lame in-game goodies. There's a banner pose, a badge, R99 skin, plus an Epic skin for Bloodhound. It's all pretty eh, especially when you consider what game we're talking about. This is Apex Legends, one of the very few non-Fortnite battle royale games to live past that initial wave of first users. This game is still going strong, so with it coming to mobile, I suppose I expected a bit more in terms of unlockable swag. Oh well, no big deal. If you want to pre-register for Apex Legends Mobile, available on your Android phone this summer, follow the link below.

Google Play Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVqIK8scMHU // EA

Samsung Will Now Give You $1,000 Off a Galaxy S22 Ultra

Kellen — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 15:56:43 +0000

Samsung has decided that instead of slowly reducing the amount of awesomeness in its deals for the Galaxy S22 line as we move further from their launch date, they will keep upping and adjusting the fun. Starting today, Samsung will now cut up to $1,000 off the Galaxy S22 Ultra if you trade-in a Galaxy S21 Ultra. This is the best trade-in value yet. Samsung has added the $1,000 price if you give them your Galaxy S21 Ultra, but they are also accepting the Galaxy Z Fold 3 as a trade for the first time too. They'll give you $1,000 for it as well, although I'm not sure why you would want to ditch your $1,800 foldable already. Hey, do what you want. On top of the new $1,000 trade-in, Samsung is handing out $100 credits to spend on accessories during the checkout process. If you were eyeing a Galaxy Watch 4 or pair of Galaxy Buds 2, you'll have $100 to apply towards them. I'm not sure this is the best Galaxy S22 Ultra deal to date, but it's pretty close. The initial pre-order deal was up-to $900 off with trade, plus $200 in credits and double the storage. Still, I'm amused at the different ways Samsung continues to find to get you to buy their newest phones without having to pay much out of pocket. You finally pulling the trigger on a Galaxy S22 Ultra, or what? Read our review if you need help deciding.

Shop the $1,000-off Galaxy S22 Ultra deal

Galaxy Watch 4 is Finally Getting Google Assistant in New Update (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 11:47:38 +0000

The launch of the Galaxy Watch 4 line was a big deal in that it brought back a partnership between Google and Samsung on Wear OS, something the platform desperately needed if it were to find new life. That partnership also meant Google services back on Samsung's watches, including Google Assistant. As you all know after waiting for months, neither the Galaxy Watch 4 or Galaxy Watch 4 Classic have had Assistant and we were told back in February that it might be several more months. Today, things appear to be changing, according to an update hitting the Verizon variants of the Galaxy Watch 4 line. An update has begun rolling out as build QU1FVC8 (R885USQU1FVC8) and there's a mention in the changelog of where you can access Google Assistant.

Samsung has not yet announced that Google Assistant is here, so hang with us while we try and update or find more info. However, the (very low-res) image Verizon included (above) shows Google Assistant as being an option to turn on with "Hey Google" activation as well. It only mentions that "If you have Google Assistant downloaded, it will show up in the settings menu under 'Google Accounts.'" The odd thing here is that Samsung released a similar update earlier in the month to other models as R870XXU1FVC8 or R890XXU1FVC8 that doesn't mention Google Assistant in the changelog. Did Verizon jump the gun here? We were told in February that Google Assistant would show up on these Watch 4 devices as a stand-alone app that you'd have to download, so this makes sense. Of course, you are likely going to need this specific software update in order to add the menu above to your watch that will let you turn Assistant on. Once updated, all you should need to do is open Google Play on your Watch 4 and find Assistant. Either that or have it pulled from your phone. If you own a Verizon Galaxy Watch 4, let us know if you see this update. We'd love to to see that menu.

UPDATE: At least one of our readers was able to grab the new update, but still is not able to find Google Assistant. Since Verizon says that you have to have "downloaded" Google Assistant, that could mean that we are still waiting for Google to publish it for the watches. This could be a situation where Verizon was a bit early, even if this is the update that will bring Assistant support. And now we're simply waiting again.
UPDATE 2: Verizon has now pulled the mention of Google Assistant and Google told The Verge that "Assistant is not rolling out to Galaxy Watch 4 and we don’t have an update on timing."

Good times.

Galaxy S23 Line Reported to Utilize EV Battery Tech, Get Big Capacity Boosts

Tim — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 11:05:32 +0000

For anyone who has been following this website in 2022, you'll likely know that our main issue with the Galaxy S22 is the size of its battery. It's super tiny, coming in at 3,700mAh. For a flagship device, that simply ain't it. I've now had my Galaxy S22+ for 2 days, and so far, it's been an absolute revelation not to have my phone die by 5pm. With that all said, if there is truth to a newly shared rumor, the Galaxy S23 lineup may not have any battery issues. According to @TheGalox_ on Twitter, Samsung may look to utilize EV battery tech on the Galaxy S23 lineup, resulting in big boosts to capacity. As detailed, the Galaxy S23 could have up to a 4,500mAh battery, the S23+ a 5,000mAh battery, and the S23 Ultra could get a gigantic 5,500mAh battery. This would all be thanks to technology that Samsung has reportedly developed and repurposed from its Samsung SDI branch, a part of Samsung that focuses exclusively on lithium-ion battery and renewable energy technologies. Their work can be found in vehicles such as the BMW i3, Fiat EVs, plus a whole lot more. Point being, their technology is proven and is already in the world powering vehicles and operating safely. As far as how the actual technology is working to improve battery capacity, it's unclear, with the only tidbit being that Samsung has been able to increase the density of the batteries, thus greatening the capacity. So long as I can scroll through TikTok for longer periods, I don't care how it's achieved. Sign me up. // @TheGalox_

Samsung Pushes Surprise and Likely Final Galaxy S9 Update

Kellen — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 09:17:56 +0000

Samsung cut off update support for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ earlier this month and yet here I am about to tell you that fresh software is headed your way, assuming you still own either phone. Samsung and its partners had likely prepared this update, so it's not that surprising to see one last build, I just wouldn't expect anymore. Verizon's Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ models are seeing builds QP1A.190711.020.G960USQU9FVB2 and QP1A.190711.020.G965USQU9FVB2. These include the March Android security patch, as well as "performance improvements." After 4 years of updates, this should be the end. Samsung could attack us personally by issuing additional updates, but that is unlikely to happen. They are pretty good at sticking to their schedules. Remember, the Galaxy S9 switched to a quarterly update schedule just when it should have and the phone line was then removed from the update schedule at the 4-year mark. It really is time to upgrade if you are hanging onto a Galaxy S9. Thankfully, Samsung will give you $350 for a Galaxy S9 or $375 for a Galaxy S9+ if you trade it towards a Galaxy S22. I can't imagine either phone is going to fetch that much on the open market, so you might want to take advantage of that. And don't forget that they'll give you that money off today instead of reimbursing you later. The Galaxy S9, a classic.

I Want It, I Need It: Galaxy Z Flip 3 'Pokemon Edition'

Tim — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 08:22:10 +0000

Samsung x Pokémon, possibly one of the greatest collabs on this planet, have detailed a special Pokémon Edition of the Galaxy Z Flip 3, headed what appears to be exclusively to Samsung's home market of South Korea. Inside this edition, you obviously get the Z Flip 3, plus a ton of other sweet Pokémon accessories for the device. There's a case with interchangeable plates, allowing you to deck out your device with Snorlax or Charmander imagery, a little Pikachu charm to dangle from the device, a super-legit Pokédex Poké Pouch for your Poké Phone, and more. Honestly, I think we can all agree that life isn't fair. I want this and the chances of me getting it are about 0.5%. Such is life. May those who get this phone cherish it forever. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is an awesome phone after all. If you're in South Korea, it looks like you may be able to scoop this device from Samsung's Korean website at some point this week, but you'll likely need to be quick. Good luck. Long live Pokémon. // SamMobile

Here's the Pixel Watch

Tim — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 15:21:20 +0000

We just got done asking if you're excited about the Pixel Watch. Well, now we have our first verifiable render of the upcoming wearable from Google, courtesy of 91mobiles. The design matches with past renders, but with this image being shared by @evleaks, it's a safe bet that this is what we can look forward to when Google officially unveils it. As we can see, it has a rounded display, but beyond that, it's still a relative mystery. We don't have a look at straps, tech specs, or anything else. Looking at just the display, it's a very handsome circle. There's what looks like a possibly metallic digital crown on the right side of the device, too. Overall, pretty good looking. Expect more looks at this device soon. It feels like the floodgates are about to open. // 91mobiles

Tuesday Poll: Excited for Google's Pixel Watch?

Tim — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 09:24:38 +0000

It's been a looong time coming, but it's looking like we are fo' shiz getting a Pixel Watch from Google this year. All evidence points to yes, it's happening. We have yet to see non-questionable renders of this reported wearable, but from what we have seen, we're expecting a round display, Wear OS 3.1, and maybe some gesture controls? A big unknown is how Google's Fitbit will play into a possible Pixel Watch. Could we see lots of integration on that front? Will it be focused more towards fitness and the Fitbit crowd or could we see more of a premium hardware experience like the original Moto 360 (pictured above)? Even with many questions needing to be answered, you're still either excited about this device or not. I've been waiting years for this device, so personally, I'm excited. What are you thoughts? [poll id="581"]

US Carrier Salespeople: People Aren't Buying the Pixel 6

Tim — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 08:34:01 +0000

Pixel 6 sales at US carrier stores are struggling, according to a recent survey of US carrier salespeople conducted by Wave7 research firm. As detailed in the report that was distributed by PCMag, sales are so low that Google is offering "very high" kickbacks to sales staff able to sell the device. The cool kid term for this sort of incentive is "spiff," short for Sales Performance Incentive Fund. It's very common practice in this industry, but for the Pixel 6, incentive levels are now higher than normal. Plainly, this likely means a phone is struggling to sell and Google needs to incentivize salespeople to push the device more so than others. For example, if you go in looking for a Galaxy phone, you may be asked to consider the Pixel 6. In the report, it notes that there is hardly any interest at all in the Pixel 6 outside of Verizon. Surveyed people speculate that this could be due to reported bugs and performance issues, leaving the Pixel 6 desirable to only "diehard" Pixel fans. If you're Google, this sucks. If you're a Pixel fan, this should sting a bit. The Pixel 6's issues are pretty well documented, though, there are plenty of people who say they haven't had any issues at all. We've discussed it quite a bit. At the end of the day, the numbers do not lie. If it was a popular phone, it would sell. We're hoping Google finds a better stride with the upcoming Pixel 6a and potential Pixel 7 lineup. // PCMag

OnePlus Nord N20 5G Hits T-Mobile on April 28

Kellen — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 07:21:40 +0000

The next OnePlus phone is already almost here following the OnePlus 10 Pro's lead. The OnePlus Nord N20 5G will arrive at T-Mobile and Metro on April 28 with a decent set of a specs and a promised "accessible" price point. With the OnePlus Nord N20 5G, we're getting a Snapdragon 695 processor, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage, and a 6.43" FHD AMOLED display (60Hz). Additionally, there's an in-display fingerprint reader, 4500mAh battery with 33W fast charging, and a main 64MP camera. OnePlus also tossed in monochrome and macro lenses. Previously reports suggest this phone somehow only runs Android 11, which is just so damn weird. At least it looks pretty nice, right? This is certainly a unique design from OnePlus that doesn't really remind me of any other OnePlus phone. It's quite refreshing. Obviously, this is a mid-range phone and T-Mobile will (apparently) look to sell it for around $282. Again, launch day is April 28.

Telegram Update Adds Custom Notification Sounds, So Much More

Kellen — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 14:22:49 +0000

Telegram picked up yet another update over the weekend, this time with another half dozen or more new features and improvements. It's an always-improving world on what we consider to be the best messaging app on the planet. The headline feature for this update has to be the custom notification sounds that are now allowed. You can basically set any sound to be your notification sound in Telegram. You can choose from system sounds or grab audio files or voice messages from chat to save and set those. I'm sure your brain is already cooking up the obnoxious sounds you can find on the internet to use, so go nuts, friend. For now, Telegram's audio notifications are limited to under 5 seconds and up to 300KB in size. They are cross-platform, though, so everyone can enjoy them.

The other new additions or improvements to Telegram are as follows:

Improved picture-in-picture: On Android, picture-in-picture has an improved player window that you can pinch to change size, tap an X to close, and view with more rounded corners.
Custom mute durations: Want to mute chats? Previously, you could mute up to 2 days, but now you can set a specific duration for almost as long or short as you want.
New Auto-delete menu: Want to have parts of your conversations auto-delete to clear up long talks or add some privacy? You can set auto-delete actions with fewer taps and also with more flexible timers.
Forwarded messages like replies: If you forward messages from one conversation to another, they now show up like replies do.
More animated emoji: Another batch of animated emoji have been added, most of which you can see in that top image.

This new update rolled out yesterday (4/17) to all platforms, so you likely already have it. You should have also received a message from Telegram explaining this stuff to you. Apologies for the double-info-share, but we like talking about Telegram. Google Play Link: Telegram // Telegram

DEAL: Buy OnePlus 10 Pro, Get Free $100 Best Buy Gift Card

Tim — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 13:03:44 +0000

Right now on Best Buy, should you purchase a new OnePlus 10 Pro, you'll be rewarded with a free $100 gift card. Think about the wonders you can do with a free $100 to Best Buy.

Review: OnePlus 10 Pro

As for the OnePlus 10 Pro, it's a good phone. Kellen posted his full review recently, concluding that performance, camera, and the display are fantastic, but that battery life and software left a bit to be desired. At the end of the day, it's OnePlus' latest flagship and is priced rather competitively at $899. It's certainly an option for those who are tired of the same ol' Samsung and same ol' Google. To get the $100 gift card, simply add the 10 Pro to your cart and the gift card will be added automatically at checkout. Follow the link below to get started.

Best Buy Link

T-Mobile's 5G Dominance Continues in Latest Report

Kellen — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 11:17:16 +0000

T-Mobile was likely thrilled this morning to see the latest 5G report from Ookla, who just dropped its Q1 2022 market analysis of the US mobile market. The results show that T-Mobile's 5G is only getting better, with Verizon starting to catch-up some and AT&T struggling (at the moment) to make up the difference. In Ookla's report, they give it to us in an easily digestible way that shows overall network speeds and consistency before breaking it down into 5G categories. For overall speed and consistency, T-Mobile is the king by a lot and expanded its lead for overall speeds from Q4 of last year through Q1 of this year. Verizon and AT&T saw some movement in speeds, but not the jump that T-Mobile saw. However, 5G is all anyone wants to talk about, so below we have the three major areas of focus to take in. As you can see in the 5G speed category, T-Mobile's median speed is approaching 200Mbps. That's only slightly up for the quarter, while Verizon saw a big jump from 78Mbps to this 107Mbps mark. That's likely thanks to their beginning rollout of C-Band. AT&T, well, they haven't changed much yet. From there, Ookla takes us into 5G availability and consistency. T-Mobile was once again up (slightly) in availability to 65%, while AT&T stayed about the same at 49%. Verizon improved from its 28% mark in Q4 to 36%. As we've been saying for years now, Verizon's advertised speeds are cool and all, but it's still very rare for most of us to see them with their poor choice to focus on 5G mmW out of the gate. As for consistency, carrier numbers mostly remained the same (around 80% for T-Mo and Verizon). Consistency is described as an "operator’s ability to provide consistent speeds over a 5G connection." The higher the number here the better and both Verizon and T-Mobile are delivering good numbers there.

As Verizon and AT&T begin a big mid-band 5G (C-Band) push over the next couple of years, we'll see all of these numbers grow closer together, unless T-Mobile has some sort of secret sauce up its sleeves. For now, though, they have a big lead and should hold onto it for a while. // Ookla

NBA and Google Detail New Pixel Arena, Accessible at Halftime During Playoffs

Tim — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 10:53:16 +0000

The NBA Playoffs have arrived, and to celebrate (and continuing to build upon its existing partnership), the NBA and Google detailed the all new Pixel Arena this week, accessible from any smartphone during halftime of all the upcoming games. In the Pixel Arena, NBA fans can access all sorts of additional basketball content, as well as compete in things like trivia contests, which will allow you to unlock special items only usable within the Arena. For example, you can deck out a custom avatar in NBA swag. In addition, you'll find unique stat experiences like 3D shot recaps, plus much more. Again, this is accessible via any phone, so long as you can download the official NBA app. Who will you be rooting for? As Blazers fans around here, we'd prefer not to discuss it. There's no telling the next time we'll see the Playoffs.

Google Play Link

// Google

Google Wallet is the Zombie of Easter We Can All Celebrate

Tim — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 08:41:30 +0000

The Google Wallet name was retired when its functionality was combined with that of Android Pay, then rebranded into Google Pay. Since then, Google Pay is still a thing, but don't get it confused with the GPay app on your phone. Weirdly enough, those are two separate things still. If you were thinking that this is a good example of that good ol' fashioned Googliness, you'd be correct. Now, if you already have the hang of Google's payment names and services, prepare for another switcheroo, as it's being reported that Google Wallet may soon make a comeback onto your device. According to Mishaal Rahman on Twitter, who posted information as well as screenshots of the new UI in action, a new Google Wallet is part of the latest Google Play Services, acting as a home for all of your digital cards and memberships. For Google Pay, it'll continue to be your home for contactless payments. So to put it real plainly -- Wallet will hold your cards and Pay with help you pay. Honestly, this almost makes too much sense. It's very un-Google. The interface that's being showcased ahead of rollout does detail exactly what we can expect. Wallet can be home to your frequent flyer numbers, AMC movie stubs, and loyalty cards. It doesn't appear to be a separate entity or app, though. It's simply a new UI within the Google Pay experience. Given we have screenshots and lots of information, we could see Google make this official ahead of Google I/O, but we can't be sure of that. Safe to say it's coming soon. // @MishaalRahman

Samsung's Galaxy Note 9 Keeps Getting Updates: March Patch Rolling Out

Kellen — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 11:18:53 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has already shifted into its quarterly update schedule and the countdown until it is no longer supported. Still, seeing updates continue to rollout so frequently surprises us to this day. In fact, Samsung is doing far better than quarterly. For this month, the Galaxy Note 9 on Verizon is getting updated with the March Android security patch and build QP1A.190711.020.N960USQS9FVC5. The only listed change is that it "provides the most up to date Android security patches," so don't look to this as a camera or performance-improver. However, this is the fourth update in five months for the Galaxy Note 9. Again, it moved to a quarterly schedule back in September of last year, only to then get updates in December, January, February, and now April. For a phone this old that isn't supposed to be supported like this, you just have to tip your hat to Samsung. Update support should end for the Note 9 this fall when it hits that 4-year anniversary, unless Samsung gets wild on us and decides it wants to give it another year. We know that newer Samsung devices are getting a 5th year of updates, but the Note 9 is not scheduled for that.

Samsung is Adding the Galaxy S21 to Its Official Re-Newed Program

Kellen — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 10:31:02 +0000

About a year ago, Samsung changed the name of their pre-owned phone program to Re-Newed in an attempt to convince customers that they were newer, or something, than all of the other refurbished Galaxy devices available. They kicked off that new branding with the Galaxy S20. Fast forward to today, and with the weird branding aside, the Galaxy S21 line has now joined the Re-Newed program. Starting next Friday, April 22, Samsung will begin selling the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra in refurbished condition on their own store. Carriers and retail partners will start selling them on April 28. Pre-orders are open now. Samsung says that devices in their Certified Re-Newed program are "thoroughly inspected and updated to like-new condition in a Samsung factory with certified Samsung parts and a new battery." All of the phones in this program also come with a one-year warranty. Seeing as these are not-at-all-new, how much is Samsung going to charge us? Oooooh, let's just say they ain't cheap, my friend. Here's the pricing breakdown of Re-Newed Galaxy S21 devices:

Galaxy S21 Ultra: $1,000 (!)
Galaxy S21+: $850
Galaxy S21: $675

Samsung wants you to know that you are saving $200 on the Galaxy S21 Ultra when compared to a brand new one. That...is not a good deal for a year old phone. You should find whatever phone you have lying around your house and trade it in to them to get a Galaxy S22+. That said, maybe you really would rather own a Galaxy S21 - know that Samsung is doing their sweet trade-in program for these Re-Newed devices too. To learn more about Samsung Re-Newed, hit up this link. Pre-order Re-Newed Galaxy S21 devices here.

Pixel 'Rohan' Watch is Coming, Hinted to Run Wear OS 3.1

Tim — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 08:25:03 +0000

Google is working on a Pixel Watch. This much we know. Evidence of such has been mounting since December of last year. First it was only a report based on word from a source. Then we began to see watch faces. Then development tools hinted to its existence. And then it began to pop up in retailer inventory. Like I said, we know the watch is coming, it's simply a matter of when. Thanks to @evleaks, we're now under the impression that when is now pretty soon. According to a screenshot he shared via his Twitter account, we see a listing for Google Pixel Rohan, with a dropdown menu available for different tutorials that likely cover the device. One of the tutorials is listed as being Wear OS 3.1, which we suppose is now expected to launch with the Pixel Watch.

Sadly, it looks as if there was supposed to an image associated with Pixel Rohan, but it's busted or not yet uploaded to wherever @evleaks pulled this from. We have high hopes for the design of this watch, with a lot riding on it having a premium appearance. At least, that's what I'm personally hoping for. Leave the fitness-focused devices to the fitness companies, I say. We're getting close people. Google I/O unveiling? That could be a serious possibility at this point. // @evleaks

2 Months With the Samsung Galaxy S22

Tim — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 13:56:49 +0000

I completed my full review of the Galaxy S22 on February 24, concluding that while it's a very good phone with some of the best Android hardware I've ever had my hands on, the battery life straight stinks. Typically after a Galaxy review, I'd head on back to my trusty Pixel phone, but something odd happened this time around -- I continued to use the Galaxy S22. Let me share what my experience has been like having used the phone now for a solid 2 months.

Still a Great Phone, Still Poor Battery Life

There's no getting around the fact that this phone has a sub-4,000mAh battery, and in this day of power hungry apps and Qualcomm processors, it is what it is. We continue to hear that processors are becoming more power efficient while producing more power, but as an end user, I honestly haven't noticed much of a difference in phone performance over the last 4-5 years. Everything generally runs pretty smooth these days, so the big thing I as a user see is the battery life. On the Galaxy S22, it's suboptimal. I am constantly plugging my phone in mid-day, especially if I know I won't be at home later in the evening. Oh, I have a concert tonight? Make sure the phone has juice. Headed to gym for late sweat sesh? Charge the phone. Want to get in the hot tub late at night and play today's Lewdle? Charge the damn phone. It's a constant issue, and while it's annoying, I'm still very much attached to this phone. You may be wondering why I continue to be loyal to the Galaxy S22, even though it's constantly wanting to die on me. To be frank, while the Pixel 6 is a fine phone, I'm one of the people who seems to always have a problem with it. It's a really buggy experience, no matter how much I want to love Google's Android 12. The software looks (and for the most part feels) a lot better than Samsung's current One UI, but at the end of the day, I want a phone that will work when I need it to 9.9x out of 10. Currently, that's not the Pixel 6. Thanks to updates, it's gotten much better, but you get my point.

Galaxy S22+ Might Be the Play

I ordered a Galaxy S22+ in Grey on March 17. It shipped today and is expected to be delivered next Monday. Finally! I think I will very much like that phone. No, it's not as usable in one hand as the Galaxy S22, but as long as I don't have to worry so much about the battery, I'll be very content. I'll have a bigger display for gaming and watching YouTube videos, which is always a bonus, plus I know the camera system will be fine as it's the same as it is on the smaller Galaxy S22. I used to wonder why the Plus models existed, but with the Galaxy S22 range, I know exactly why. The smaller Galaxy S22 has a ridiculously small battery and the Ultra has an S Pen that I'd never use and a curved screen that I won't care for. I'm really hoping the Galaxy S22+ is the answer to my cries. Fingers crossed, but don't worry, I'll be sure to update all of you.

Do I have any fellow Galaxy S22 owners here? Thoughts on the device after having used it for a bit now? Best phone ever? Same battery woes as me? Let us know!

Google Camera Grabbed an Update on Pixel Phones Today

Kellen — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 12:41:47 +0000

Google pushed out a fresh update to the Google Camera app on Pixel phones today, a move that is typically worth noting. We don't see these that often, so when we do, the digging for new features or major changes happens. Unfortunately, this one is a bit of a mystery in that Google didn't say what's new and none of us can find anything major. The update is rolling out to all as build 8.4.600.440402475.27. Again, it should be live for everyone, as I found it on my Pixel 6 Pro yet usually find myself at the back of Google's slow rollouts. My assumption is that this is widely available. Feel to grab it through that link below and start digging for yourself. This could just be a bug fixer or perhaps Google is preparing new features that they are too lazy to hide and will soon be revealed once someone digs into its code. If anything, Google Camera apps often tell us news about upcoming Pixel phones and the Pixel 6a is right around the corner. On a somewhat related note, has anyone looked at the rating of the Google Camera app lately? It's a big yikes. It currently sits at a 2.2 on Google Play with over 450,00 reviews. Out of the first 10 reviews that showed up for me, 8 were 1-star, another was 2-star, and the last was 4-star. People are not loving the Google Camera experience. Google Play Link: Google Camera

Every Time I Switch to iOS I'm Reminded How Great Android's Notifications Are

Kellen — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 10:30:42 +0000

For a good chunk of last year, when I wasn't using Google's Pixel 5 or reviewing any of the not-that-interesting devices from Samsung and OnePlus, I was dabbling back in the world of iOS and Apple's iPhone. 2021 was a pretty snoozy year for Android as a whole, and yeah, I got bored and wanted to catch-up on what the other side was up to. I started with an iPhone 12 and then upgraded to the iPhone 13 Pro when it launched just before the Pixel 6 line. I was drawn to these two phones, mostly because of size and the specs they offered, but the big switch to the 13 Pro was because I wanted to see how good Apple had really gotten at its highest tier. Since grabbing an iPhone 13 Pro, I've mostly kept an active SIM from Verizon in it, while my T-Mobile SIM switches out between whatever Android phone I'm testing at the moment. Basically what I'm saying here is that I feel pretty comfortable with iOS. And that leads me to what I really want to talk about today - how sh*tty iOS is at notifications and why it is absolutely a reason I could never fully switch over to an iPhone. I've hesitated to do a write-up like this because the most obnoxious posts on the internet are without a doubt the "Lifelong Android Guy Tries iPhone and This Happened!" stories. But the timing feels right with so many of our readers finding such disappointment in the Pixel 6 line that they seem to be making switches to iOS like never before. If you are considering it, let me tell you what you can expect from the worst part of iOS - notifications. d

OnePlus 10 Pro is Here and Now Certified on Verizon

Kellen — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 08:08:25 +0000

The OnePlus 10 Pro has arrived after a brief pre-order period and is now generally available in the US. If you've been eyeing the latest from OnePlus, today is the day you can buy one at places like Best Buy and Amazon, in addition to OnePlus' store. In case you already forgot, the OnePlus 10 Pro will set you back $899 and comes in either black or green colorways. At that price, you get 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, a triple rear camera, Android 12 and OxygenOS 12.1, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, a big 5000mAh battery with insane fast charging, and more. The OnePlus 10 Pro should work flawlessly on T-Mobile's network, which makes sense since they happen to be selling it. Solid connectivity was questionable on Verizon up until today, but OnePlus tells us that the 10 Pro is now certified on Verizon's 5G network. For AT&T customers, 5G is not supported. We already reviewed the OnePlus 10 Pro and really came away liking the phone. The performance on it is so good, the haptics feel incredible, the camera is solid, the fast charging is nuts, and the software is mostly good. There's quite a bit of fun to be had with the OnePlus 10 Pro, assuming you can deal with some of the concerns we shared. To buy one, you have a number of options today. Best Buy and Amazon have it unlocked with shipping estimates (at least in my area) showing arrival by this weekend. OnePlus' store is showing the black model in stock, but the green version is only a pre-order with 20 day estimated shipping. T-Mobile has the black model ready to rock. Shop OnePlus 10 Pro deals:

Verizon Galaxy S22 Gets an April Update Too

Kellen — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 14:06:20 +0000

Wondering where the April update was for your Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, or Galaxy S22 Ultra? It's here, man. Chill. Verizon is now pushing the update to its newest Samsung devices, so other carriers and unlocked units should see it any moment as well. The update is (naturally) underwhelming as just a security patch with April's fixes. Actually, that's somewhat untrue, as Verizon lists "performance improvements" too, we just don't know where those will show up. Are we talking less throttling and more fun or app improvements that will lead to better performance? Who knows! All we can do is grab the update and flip a couple of screens to then say, "OH YEAH, way faster." The update will hit your Galaxy S22 device with the following builds:

Galaxy S22 Ultra: SP1A.210812.016.S908USQU1AVCJ
Galaxy S22+: SP1A.210812.016.S906USQU1AVCJ
Galaxy S22: SP1A.210812.016.S901USQU1AVCJ

At least one of our readers already grabbed the update, so feel free to try and pull it yourselves. To do so, head into Settings>System updates>Check for system updates.

Verizon Note 10, S10 5G, and S21 FE All Grab Fresh Updates

Kellen — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 10:05:43 +0000

If you own an older Samsung phone on Verizon, be on the lookout for another round of monthly security patches. The entire, aging Note 10 line is up, as is the Galaxy S10 5G, and the fairly new Galaxy S21 FE. None of the updates are offering much, mostly because the big One UI 4.1 update already rolled out to most devices. But hey, we love security, don't we? For the Galaxy Note 10 line and the Galaxy S21 FE, the April Android security patch is included. For that weirdly released Galaxy S10 5G variant, it's only a March patch.

Galaxy Note 10+: SP1A.210812.016.N975USQS7HVCD
Galaxy Note 10+ 5G: SP1A.210812.016.N976VVRS7HVCD
Galaxy Note 10: SP1A.210812.016.N970USQS7HVCD
Galaxy S10 5G: SP1A.210812.016.G977UVRS8GVC6
Galaxy S21 FE: SP1A.210812.016.G990USQS3CVC4

To check for these updates, head into Settings>System updates>Check for system updates.

Urtopia Smart E-Bike is Certainly One Way to Spend $2800

Tim — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 09:11:26 +0000

There are many ways a person can spend $2,800. For the young professional who commutes a relatively short distance, you may find yourself contemplating the notion of spending that sum on the all new Urtopia Carbon E-Bike, a smart electronic bike with a rear hub motor, carbon everything, LED dot-matrix display, haptic feedback, and even a built-in fingerprint reader. Yeah, it has all of that and then some, and if you'll believe me, it's not as gaudy as it may sound. It's actually quite slick and modern. Riding around my small country town, I received many compliments on the aesthetics of the bike, which I was pleasantly surprised by. Around these parts, you're either rolling coal or a traitor to this beautiful nation of ours. Toxic patriotism aside, the bike's frame is quite a bit different looking than that of a traditional bicycle, with essentially all of the main components (frame, fork, handlebar, seatpost) made from carbon fiber. This helps keep the bike's weight down to only 30 pounds, allowing for nearly anybody to carry this up a flight of stairs if necessary.

Build It, Activate It, Ride It

Upon receiving the bike, I had to build it, which is pretty common if you order a bike and aren't picking it up prebuilt from a store like REI or a speciality bike shop. I'll admit, I was rather intimated by this because I have little experience building bikes and I hate working on my Cannondale mountain bike, but thankfully, Urtopia had a wonderful video guide on installation and set up. After about 30 minutes I was ready to ride, but was then reminded that this is a smart bike and before you get to use it, you'll need to download the Urtopia app and activate the bike. This is where spending nearly $3K on something with software becomes problematic in my mind. For that price, there has to be amazing support from the company, but due to its Indiegogo background, there's no track record to ensure we'll see super longterm support.

For activation and set up, I had to use my wife's work iPad because neither of us have iPhones and Urtopia's Android app was still in development. It has now since launched, available for download on Google Play. For 95% of my time with the bike, I didn't have the companion app to go along with the experience due to its unavailability. This wasn't a major issue, but the app is what allows riders to tap into and set up the many features offered by this bike, such as the antitheft, GPS tracking, and movement alerts. Because I couldn't use any of that, I focused on battery life and actual ride quality for the two weeks I used the bike. Now that I do have access to the Android app and bike at the same time, I can go over my ride logs, see how much CO₂ I'm not pumping into the air, plus plenty else.

So Many Features

While I may not have been able to use all of them, it would be silly for me not to discuss them, as they're important to the context of what makes this bike so cool -- and pricey. There are hydraulic disc brakes on both the front and rear wheels, an AI-powered voice assistant for essentially all of the bike's features, customizable horn beeps, an incredible Advanced Rear Early-indication System (ARES) that uses a mmWave radar to alert the rider of incoming vehicles from behind when making turns, projection lights for turn signals, gyroscope, accelerometer, fingerprint scanner for antitheft and startup purposes, a speaker for audible feedback, and haptics system. It's basically a Tesla with two wheels, capable of getting fresh features at any time thanks to over-the-air system updates.

Charge It, Ride It, Repeat

Urtopia comes equipped with a removable Samsung-made lithium ion battery, rated at 360Wh. According to Urtopia's documentation, the battery can quick charge in just 2.5 hours, providing an assisted pedaling range of 30-80 miles depending on which motor speed you use. There are fives modes (aka gears) to choose from, all accessible via a d-pad on the left side of the handlebar (SmartBar). There's 0, which is a fixie setup and powered 100% by the rider, gears 1 through 3, and then a somewhat hidden Turbo mode that is accessed by long pressing the up button on the d-pad. As you'd expect, the more power you draw from the motor, the quicker your battery will drain. In my testing, I'd ride across town to my gym, which is 2.7 miles away. I'd do the majority of my riding in gear 3, because I like to go fast and pedal very lightly. The bike will assist you in speed until you hit 25 miles per hour (MPH) and then the motor no longer assists. I was able to get to the gym and back home on average 3 times, then I'd need to charge the battery. That's an average of 16.2 miles, which is a little more than half of what Urtopia advertises. My route is relatively flat, too, so either the battery needs more breaking in or it's simply not as good as advertised.

Ride Quality, Hardware

Overall ride quality is nice, but if you're coming from another bike that has a bit more cushion, you're going to be feeling every bump in the road. My rear was feeling every little crack and bump after riding Urtopia, as there is no dedicated shock system. That's typical for a commuter bike such as this, and while the rigidity of the frame and parts is helpful in making you feel safe, you will be feeling it. Urtopia stresses that the bike is designed with the urban rider in mind and not for trails or gravel, so please, adhere to its intended purpose. With regard to the motor and its integrated torque sensor, it's exceptionally smooth. I've never ridden an e-bike before, so the first time you feel the motor kick in and assist with pedaling, it was quite the thrill. Urtopia has also teased auto speed adaptation in a future software upgrade.

As far as service and repairs go, I'm afraid that if something goes wrong with anything besides the tires, there's likely a shipping process that will need to happen. This is what happens when you have a bike with a LED dot-matrix display, fingerprint scanner, voice-activated front headlight and turn signals, plus a carbon drive belt. Speaking of, Urtopia rates the carbon belt at 30,000km or at least 5-7 years with normal use. That's not bad, with the company also providing a warranty for the belt that's good for two years. Should anything happen to the belt caused by normal usage, they'll replace it.

Add-Ons

For the price, all you're getting is the bike and the battery. Urtopia has an accessories store where you can purchase a kickstand for $29, water bottle cage for $39, mudguards for $99, an extra comfy seat for $59, eSIM service for the bike (it supports 4G connectivity), as well as backup batteries for $399 a pop.

Should You Buy One?

If I'm someone making Google software engineer money and my house isn't too far from campus, sure, this bike is a fantastic option for getting to and from work. Even for my life, it's a really great way to get around a small town. Having been designed for that urban commuter, it comes packed with so many antitheft and safety options that it's very clear the makers put a lot of thought into what the bike needed to have at time of shipping. Furthermore, we know they can get things done, having raised about $3.5 million from just 1,354 backers on Indiegogo. A lot of products don't even see the light of day following successful funding, but Urtopia seems extremely proactive and in tune with influencers and sports personalities. It's a good thing to see from a lifestyle/fitness/tech product such as this. They even have Tracy McGrady selling these things. That's awesome. I've let a few of my friends try out Urtopia, as well as my wife. Everyone really enjoys riding it and get a kick out of all of the smart features. But then I mention the price tag. It's up there at $2799. You could get a lot of things for that kind of money, including an amazing street bike for commuting. However, if you love the technology and being one of those early adopters who always has the latest thing, it's hard to deny that the Urtopia looks and rides awesome. For additional spec details and information, please see Urtopia's website.

Buy Urtopia

Thank you to Urtopia for providing an e-bike to us for the purpose of this review.

PITAKA MagEZ 2 Galaxy S22 Case Review: Bring on the MagSafe

Kellen — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 11:34:13 +0000

The PITAKA Aramid fiber cases have been some of my favorites for a few years now, thanks to their incredible feel, slim fits, slick look, and light weight. I've actually owned Pitaka cases for the Galaxy S21, iPhone 13 Pro, and others. My iPhone 13 Pro has had a Pitaka MagEz case attached to it for several months now and has mostly been my go-to case for it. When Pitaka reached out a few weeks back to ask if I wanted to review the Galaxy S22 MagEZ Case 2, I was like, "Ummm, yes please." So off and on, when my patience can deal with the Galaxy S22's trash battery life, I've used it with the latest from Pitaka protecting it. The big sell here, which I talk about in the video below, is that you get slim Aramid styling and protection with the added bonus of support with Apple's MagSafe accessories on your Galaxy S22 phone. That's right - MagSafe working with Galaxy S22. Pitaka added in the proper magnets to let your Galaxy S22 attach to MagSafe accessories for wireless charging or attaching a wallet, that sort of thing. It's freakin' brilliant if you know anything of the beauty that is MagSafe. In this video, I talk about all of that MagSafe stuff, including examples of the Galaxy S22 attaching to MagSafe accessories. I also talk about fit and finish, what it is I like so much about these types of cases, and pricing. For those who are new to Pitaka cases, understand that they are quite expensive. On most days, they cost $60, so your best move is to wait until they are on sale. Full disclosure here: Pitaka sent me this case to test out and review, but all of these thoughts are most definitely my own. Again, I've been buying their cases for personal use for years.

Amazon: Shop PITAKA Galaxy S22 Cases
PITAKA Store

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-6QHSHr_90

Unlimited Google Photos Storage Returns, But Only for T-Mobile Customers

Kellen — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 11:00:25 +0000

We're almost a year removed from Google taking away the unlimited storage we all enjoyed in Google Photos and yet the thought of that day still stings. Thankfully, I have good news for some of you who wish there was a way to get that Google Photos perk back. All you have to do is be on T-Mobile and sign-up for their new and exclusive Google One plan. T-Mobile announced today that there is a new Google One tier that is exclusive to T-Mobile customers. It's coming soon and will include 2TB of Google One cloud storage at $15/mo, but on top of the 2TB, subscribers get unlimited storage for photos and videos in Google Photos. Oh, I should point out that this is full resolution level backups too, not that slimmed-down, low-res stuff. T-Mobile specifically says that you can "Store unlimited photos and videos in full resolution." That's wild and a heck of an added bonus. https://twitter.com/tmobilenews/status/1513905547229204485 T-Mobile has only listed this new plan as "coming soon," so we'll have to update you the minute it goes live. While $15/mo isn't cheap, if you were already paying close to that for a Google One plan and are on T-Mobile, I think you just got a big reason to switch over to this exclusive option. // T-Mobile

SHIELD TV Gets Experience Upgrade 9.0.2, Mostly Bug Fixes

Tim — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 08:23:07 +0000

NVIDIA released an update for SHIELD TV owners this morning, labeled as Experience Upgrade 9.0.2. As you'll find out, it's mostly filled with bug fixes, but real quick, can we continue to give props to NVIDIA for how it's been supporting these devices? Seriously, this is beyond next level software support for an Android TV box. The changelog is quite extensive, so I've gone ahead pulling just a few items from it and placed them below. Highlights from it include improved file transfer speeds, notifications when connecting or formatting removable storage, AI upscaling bug fix, plus a controller pairing issue has also been resolved.

What's New

Adds Plex support for latest Hauppauge WinTV-dualHD DVB-T tuner (in EU only)
Adds helpful notifications when connecting or formatting removable storage
Fixes bug where AI upscaling could not be changed in Netflix app (applies to 2019 SHIELD devices only)
Improves file transfer speeds
Fixes bug when copying files over local network from Mac to removable storage on SHIELD
Resolves issue pairing Dual Shock 3, XBOX One S, XBOX Series S/X, and Switch Pro controllers

Full changes can be viewed on NVIDIA's website. If that bores you, the update should be hitting your device right this very moment. // NVIDIA

Google Pixel 6a Stops Through the FCC

Kellen — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 07:11:00 +0000

Google's next phone made a big appearance today by letting us know that it has passed a bunch of tests that the FCC needs before it'll allow the device to be sold. The timing seems just right too, assuming Google wants to launch this phone around Google I/O. The Pixel 6a is likely the phone that showed up today with at least four different model numbers. There are actually three separate FCC listings, but they are all the same phone, only under different variants. I know that you may read today that the "Pixel 7 is at the FCC, it's going to launch early!" but that is incorrect. We actually looked at the listings and read some key parts. What we have are four model numbers of GX7AS, GB17L, G1AZG, and GB62Z. The phones are essentially identical, but one has 5G mmW and the others are sub-6 5G only. The FCC documents list out model GB62Z and GX7AS as a "parent model" of the four. The GB62Z is the one with 5G mmW. The other models (GX7AS, GB17L, G1AZG) should basically be identical, outside of a supported 5G band here and there. Here are some of the supported bands you find. Below is the 5G mmW model followed by one of the other variants to show you the differences.

We're still digging through to find other bits of info and we'll update this post should find more. For now, know that we have 5G, WiFie 6E, and NFC all onboard. Curious about the timing? The Pixel 5a showed up at the FCC in July of last year and then was announced by Google in August. If Google wants to target the Pixel 6a launch around Google I/O, well, they are a month before that can happen. // FCC [2] [3]

Google Messages Got Its Categories in New Update

Kellen — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 16:03:07 +0000

In early March, Google announced a large batch of new features for Google Messages, all of which weren't really given specific dates for arrival. The only thing we were told was to expect them over the "coming weeks," in classic Google fashion. Today, at least one of them should be widely rolling out through the beta track. The feature I'm referring to is for those who like a tidy Messages experience. Google referred to it as an "organized inbox" that brings 3 tabs to Messages: All, Personal, and Business. Once you get this update (build 20220406_05_RC00), your Google Messages app will tell you about the new categories upon opening it for the first time. It explains that the "app sorts your messages based on sender info and message content that are kept secure on your device." For me, that has meant texts to an actual person land in "Personal," while all of the texts I get from my bank or carrier or as a one-time passcode all end up in "Business." Don't want your Messages setup with these new categories? You can turn the organized inbox off by heading into Messages settings>Message organization and then toggle off "View messages by category." In that settings area, you can also set a primary category, in case you want to see Personal every time you open the app.

Again, this update appears to be rolling out through the beta program for Google Messages. If you don't have it or aren't in the beta, hit that link below from your phone and find the sign-up button within the listing. Google Play Link: Google Messages

Google Phone's Material You Look Gets Even Cuter

Kellen — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 13:29:15 +0000

Not that any of us place actual phone calls anymore, but if you happen to on a phone running Android 12+ and with the Google Phone app, you should see an even cuter Material You look after a fresh update. A new build started rolling out last week that makes some very slight tweaks to the look of each button. Not that the Phone didn't look good already with Material You colors from an update that dropped last year, but now we're really getting into it. As you can see here, this new tweak brings each button its own border, so that there is no mistaking which number you are dialing. Each number flips colors when pressed too, and of course, the colors of it change as your wallpaper theme changes. See, super cute, right?

I know that Material You isn't love by all, but one thing you can't deny - Google loves it! We haven't seen Google go all-in on updates for their Android apps in some time. For Material You and the launch of Android 12, they've made big changes to so many that you can't avoid all of the playful colors. Google Play Link: Google Phone

Reminder: T-Mobile Customers, Last Day to Claim Free Season of MLB.TV

Tim — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 12:57:28 +0000

Here's a friendly reminder for all our T-Mobile (and Sprint and Metro by T-Mobile) friends: Today's the last day to claim your free season of MLB.TV through the T-Mobile Tuesdays app. The MLB season began last week and we've already seen some awesome plays. Even better, the Giants are currently 2-1 and the Dodgers are 1-2. Life is good, folks. You have until tomorrow to claim this $139 for absolutely free, so get on it!

Google Play Link

New Android OS Rollout Still Very, Very Slow According to Data

Tim — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 11:36:45 +0000

Back in the day, Google used to be very good about providing distribution numbers for Android. We'd see a pie graph with a breakdown of each OS version's portion of the pie. For us, it was a great way to see how well newer versions of Android were being adopted. Thanks to figures calculated by Uptodown, we've got an updated look at how things are going for Android versions. First, a note about Uptodown for those who don't know. It's a 3rd-party Android app store with over 130 million active monthly users across the globe. It is these users that the following data has been collected from, so shoutout to those users. With that out of the way, let's dive into the data.

Most Used Android Version

Among Uptodown users, Android 11 holds the top spot with 29.5% of the pie. That's followed closely by Android 10 with a number of 25.2%. If you look for the latest version of Android, that being Android 12, it's currently on just 2.6% of user devices. Heck, even Oreo is sitting above Android 12. While disappointing, it's not surprising. That's very much always been the story of Android.

Device Maker and Browser

Uptodown also provided information on its users' device maker and most used browser. As shown, we have South Korea's Samsung coming in strong with over 31% of the market, followed by China's Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo, and Vivo. Again, no surprises here, with the majority of the service's users presumably located outside of the US. Browsers used are also detailed. According to the data, Chrome is by faaar the most used browser with 83% of the pie. That's then followed by Samsung's stock browser with just 5%. That's pure domination right there, which may actually lead to Droid Life running a poll among our own readers. If there is a takeaway from this data, it's that Android OS adoption is still extremely slow. It's a bummer, but we're certainly used to it by now. // Uptodown

Pixel 6 Face Unlock Dream Remains Alive

Kellen — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 08:52:54 +0000

The Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro don't have face unlock, at least as of today. We're still holding out some hope that one day it'll arrive as an added security measure through a Pixel Feature Drop, but for now all we have to keep that hope alive are hints of it within code or straight-up showing as an option on someone's phone. That last part happened over the weekend. A reddit user posted a supposed image of the phone setup screen on his Pixel 6 that showed three different screen lock options. He could choose between Pattern, PIN, or Password, which is normal. Where this surprised him (and us) was in the additional options listed next to those standard lock screen choices. In the image below, you can see that each listed "Face" and "Fingerprint" as additional lock measures. The fingerprint part is fine, but yeah, we don't have face unlock on these Pixel 6 phones. You know that, so what's up? Tough to say! During Pixel 6 launch, you may recall promo images that suggested face unlock would be an option. Of course, neither phone arrived with face unlock and still do not have it. We fully expected to see it, but Google reportedly pulled it at the last minute for reasons unknown. We've since seen hints of it being a part of Android code and worries that it may only show up on the Pixel 6 Pro. It has yet to even do that, though.

We aren't that far removed from Google being big on Face Unlock as a secure way to quickly unlock your phone. The Pixel 4 first gave us Google's vision of an advanced face unlock, but since its launch at the end of 2020, we haven't seen Google attempt to include it in a phone again. The Pixel 4 was a different kind of beast, with advanced radar systems designed to make face unlock secure. Its timing just couldn't have been worse, you know, with a pandemic that required us to cover faces at all times. So who knows what's up with this guy's Pixel 6 showing "Face" as an option. He said he is running a clean build of Android 12 on his phone and not a ROM or hack or RootBr0 something-or-other. He was not able to set it up, by the way, it only said the word "Face" without allowing any of that to happen. Maybe the June Pixel Feature Drop?

Google Fi Drops Almost All Plan Prices, Adds New Features

Kellen — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 13:24:07 +0000

Google announced several changes to its Google Fi data plan line-up today that customers will most definitely enjoy. For one, prices are dropping for almost all plans, plus new features are here at no extra cost. Price cuts almost never come with new features, so let's all celebrate for a moment before we talk about the changes. Google offers three Google Fi plans still: Flexible, Simply Unlimited, and Unlimited Plus. The Flexible plan is not seeing a price change, but Google is adding free calls between the US, Canada, and Mexico. For the two unlimited plans, new pricing and new features looks as follows:

Simply Unlimited:

Pricing:
- $50 per line for 1 line (previously $60)
- $40 per line for 2 lines (previously $45)
- $25 per line for 3 lines (previously $30)
- $20 per line for 4-6 lines (previously $30)
Features:
- Data slows after 35GB (previously 22GB)
- Free calls between the US, Canada, and Mexico
- 5GB of high-speed hotspot tethering (previously none)

Unlimited Plus

Pricing:
- $65 per line for 1 line (previously $70)
- $55 per line for 2 lines (previously $60)
- $45 per line for 3 lines (previously $50)
- $40 per line for 4-6 lines (previously $45)
Features:
- Data slows after 50GB (previously 22GB)
- Free calls between the US, Canada, and Mexico

For those sticking with an unlimited plan, Google is doing a few things here. For one, the price really is dropping on all tiers. The biggest drops are $10/mo decreases for single lines and 4-6 line accounts on the Simply Unlimited plan. For almost all others, you would see a $5 per line discount. In the feature department, Google is increasing the full-speed data buckets from 22GB per month to 35GB (Simply) and 50GB (Plus). Google is also adding free calls between US, Canada, and Mexico, as well as 5GB of hotspot tethering on Simply. Not bad, Google. // Google Fi Support | Google

Readers React: Surprisingly, Most Love Their Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro

Kellen — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 12:27:39 +0000

Earlier this week, we revisited the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro now that both are approaching their 6-month anniversary. We talked about our positive reviews, the early negative reactions from vocal early adopters, Google's struggles with software updates, and how things seem to have quieted in recent weeks, possibly signaling some stability and happiness in the Pixel 6 world. I also mentioned that after reviewing all sorts of phones recently, like the Galaxy S22 Ultra and OnePlus 10 Pro, that I'm happily back on the Pixel 6 Pro and would still recommend it. After sharing those thoughts, I've got to admit that I was nervous about the incoming reaction from folks around here. Once I asked how everyone's experience with a Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro has been, I was expecting a majority opinion that focused on how bad Google's newest phones are. I thought as much because of the loud crowd that hovers around reddit and on Twitter that will never hesitate in telling you that Google's phones are dumpster fires. But that didn't happen at all. Reading through the 100+ comments in response to that article, it's easy to see that most people who own the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro are actually pretty satisfied. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that most people are pretty damn happy with their phone.

I could go on and on with those positive reactions, but you should get the point from these few. There really are a lot of people suggesting that they haven't experienced the flaws and bugs that so many on internet spaces claim are affecting a majority of Pixel 6 phones. Whether that's because of the different ways we all use our phones, locations and network connections varying, good luck vs. bad luck, or the eliteness that is the group of users who hang out at DL (😎), I was honestly pretty shocked at how positive most people are on these phones. That said, a number of folks have also acknowledged that the phones aren't perfect and have had issues, but have certainly improved a lot with recent updates. By my estimation, noting improvements is probably the 2nd most common response from our readers.

Of course, these phones are not loved by everyone. Some have indeed experienced enough issues that they couldn't wait to switch to a different phone, like those from Samsung. From network and Bluetooth bugs to calling the Pixel 6 line "1st Generation Tech" and a "beta" product, it has not been smooth sailing as so many above suggested.

This story presented an interesting reaction, to say the least. If you hang around Android blogs, reddit, and Twitter, you would think that Google had really whiffed on the Pixel 6 line. That doesn't appear to really be the case, though, at least around these parts. That darn vocal minority.

Report: Possible Galaxy Watch 5 'Pro' to Sport Massive Battery

Tim — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 10:57:15 +0000

We typically get two models of Samsung's flagship smartwatch. Last year, we got the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. In 2022, Samsung could add a third model, with a Galaxy Watch 5 Pro model being detailed in a recent report. From a source of SamMobile, it's reported that Samsung could offer a new Pro model of its Wear OS-powered smartwatches, featuring a whopping 572mAh battery. Compared to the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic's 361mAh battery, yeah, that's more than 200mAh larger. We might actually be talking two days worth of battery life from this thing. Of course, larger batteries means larger devices. It's entirely unknown how Samsung could be addressing this, and on top of that, the device's release is not yet set in stone. It's mentioned that Samsung may scrap the idea of a Galaxy Watch 5 Pro altogether, which is sort of a bubble burster, but we'll try to remain optimistic. Extended battery life is always good, but we'd expect a "Pro" model Galaxy Watch to include more than just a big battery. Could we see improved display tech, higher-end materials, or something along those lines? I'd hope so. // SamMobile

Samsung Tops Off Galaxy S22 Ultra Trade-In Deal With $100 Bonus Credit

Kellen — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 09:09:08 +0000

You have to wonder how long Samsung plans to keep this up, but at the moment, Samsung has further sweetened the deal you'll find on its new Galaxy S22 line. On top of the bloated trade-in values that we love, they are now offering a bonus credit up to $100 to spend on accessories. If you head over to Samsung's shop and buy either a Galaxy S22 Ultra or Galaxy S22+, you'll see a $100 bonus credit to apply towards all sorts of products. The Galaxy S22 gets a $50 credit. Some of these accessories are already on sale, like the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. When buying a Galaxy S22 device, Samsung is dropping $105 off the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic to start, so with the $100 credit applied you could walk away with your new phone and a Galaxy Watch 4 Classic for $144. The Galaxy Watch 4 can be had for as little as $75. There are other accessory bundles too, as well as straight discounts on Galaxy Buds products, cases, chargers, and more. Below is a preview image of some of those deals.

As I mentioned above, Samsung is still doing their trade-in thing too. If you own a Galaxy S21 Ultra or Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, Samsung will hand you $850 off a Galaxy S22 Ultra or Galaxy S22+ today. With that instant discount, a Galaxy S22 Ultra costs as little as $350. We've talked about Samsung's trade-in program a lot already, so if you have questions, check out this post. To recap, Samsung is still offering up insane trade-in prices that get you a discount today, along with bonus credits up to $100 that bring already-discounted items like the Galaxy Watch 4 to under $100. It's a good day to buy Samsung's newest phones.

Shop Samsung's best Galaxy S22 deals

Google, iFixit Partnership Will Make Fixing Your Pixel Phone a Total Breeze

Tim — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 08:49:04 +0000

Google announced a new partnership with our friends at iFixit this week, one that will have Pixel owners fixing their phones up with official Pixel parts and iFixit-branded toolkits. According to Google, customers will be able to find spare parts for "common Pixel phone repairs," which will include batteries, replacement displays, cameras, and more. The parts will be made available individually or as part of iFixit's Fix Kits, which typically offer all the tools you'll need to fix a specific device. Supported Pixel phones will be the Pixel 2 through the Pixel 6 lineup, and yes, will include future Pixel phones. Want to get in on this? Google says the program will launch later this year. It's pretty sweet to see companies like Google and Samsung doing this. It's a win-win. // Google

Verizon Adds "Brand Chat" to the Galaxy S20

Kellen — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 07:54:46 +0000

An update has been primed for Verizon's Galaxy S20 line this week and it provides more than just the typical security patches. Along with current security, Verizon has added in something called "Brand Chat" as a way for you to carry on conversations with the companies you love. Verizon lists Brand Chat as an official feature of their Advanced Messaging, which is their own RCS client. They describe it as providing the ability to "Text with your favorite companies' chatbots from your messages app." They also note that those "Conversations are saved in your messages so you can read them when you need to." Is that a thing people do? No, but this sounds a lot like a feature that the carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon) were banking big on as a part of that failed Cross Carrier Messaging service they once planned to make a few years back. Part of the reason they wanted to make an RCS world outside of Google's was because of the idea that they could rope in brands and businesses to connect directly to customers. It sounded like absolute hell. Clearly, Verizon still has plans for that idea through their own Advanced Messaging. The update also provides performance improvements and the April Android security patch. The update is currently rolling out to the Samsung Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra with the following build numbers to be on the lookout for"

Galaxy S20 Ultra: SP1A.210812.016.G988USQU2FVCC
Galaxy S20+: SP1A.210812.016.G986USQU2FVCC
Galaxy S20: SP1A.210812.016.G981VSQU2FVCD

On a somewhat related note, the Galaxy S20 FE is getting an update this week to One UI 4.1 with build SP1A.210812.016.G781VSQU6FVC1. The 4.1 update has been hitting most Samsung devices in recent weeks, bringing with it "Live Sharing in Google Duo, RAM Plus, App Cast in Smart View, Game Booster Labs, and Camera and Gallery enhancements." It adds the March security patch too. To check for all of these updates, head into Settings>System updates>Check for system updates.

Google Releases Android 12 QPR3 Beta 2 for Pixel Phones!

Kellen — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 10:08:54 +0000

Hey, Google just released a new Android 12 Beta update that you can try on your Pixel phone. This is the Android 12 QPR3 program, which will be the big June update once we get there (more on that), but if you want to test that level of build now, you sure can. While the previous QPR3 1.1 update was only for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, this QPR3 Beta 2 build is for all of the supported Pixel phones. If you own a Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5a, Pixel 5, or Pixel 6, you can grab it now.

Release date: April 7, 2022 Build: S3B1.220318.003 Security patch level: April 2022 Google Play services: 22.09.20

How to Get Android 12 QPR3 Beta 2

What's new in Android 12 QPR3 2?

Google doesn't typically go into a ton of details when releasing an update like this and that once again rings true with QPR3 Beta 2. All they've said so far is that it includes "the latest April monthly release changes and security patch, as well as additional bug fixes and optimizations to performance and stability." We're flashing it now and will report back if we find any new goodies you should know about.

Google Multisearch Gives Lens More Power, Smarts

Kellen — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 09:32:05 +0000

Google really wants you to use Google Search through its visual skillset, which of course means through Google Lens. The search giant has announced a new feature for Lens that leans heavily into their advanced in AI to help you utilize Lens in a new, more personalized way. Today, Google announced multisearch for Lens. The idea here is to fire up Google Lens, take a snapshot of an item you want to know more about (or pull from an image on your phone), and then add additional context or refine the search to specific colors or brands or visual attributes. That may not make a ton of sense, so watch this GIF:

See how we're doing this? You open the Google app, then tap the Lens icon, take a photo of something or choose an image from your phone, wait for the initial results to pop up, and then hit the "Add to your search" button to go further. In the example above, someone searches for a dress in an orange color, but they specifies that they'd like to see what it looks like in green. Google is so damn smart, it then shows the dress in green that you could buy. Pretty wild. Google says that multisearch is available as a beta feature in the US and that you can try it out today.

Upcoming Galaxy Foldables Keeping Power Button Fingerprint Readers

Tim — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 08:54:55 +0000

For those who want to stay on top of what's to come from Samsung's new foldable devices, it's now being reported that in-display fingerprint readers will not be adopted on the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4. This news follows reports that they would, which were based on patent filings. Maybe Samsung is saving those for a later time. There's obviously no official word from Samsung as to why they'd skip in-display readers, but the belief is that it would not improve the user experience, especially on a device like the Z Flip 4. The thought of having to open the device and then unlock it doesn't sound ideal, so this move seems fine. It's only April, so we still don't know much about any upcoming foldable devices. However, if Samsung builds upon the success of last year's models, they should be pretty awesome. We'll keep you updated. // BusinessKorea

Pixel 6 After 6 Months: Did Google Get It Right?

Kellen — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 08:00:41 +0000

As we close in on the 6 month anniversary of the launch of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, I sit here holding this Cloudy White model in hand while wondering if Google got this all right or not. There are certainly indicators suggesting that it is at least somewhat of a success, yet I can't help but feel the vibe from our readers and others in the Pixel community that frustrations remain.

UPDATE: Readers have reacted to this story, and surprisingly, most love their Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro.

If we jump back to our reviews of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, there was no question that both Tim and I found enjoyment in using each device. I called the Pixel 6 Pro a "Great Flagship" and Tim wasn't shy about cheaper Pixel 6 being a "Clear Winner." The few criticisms we offered focused on size, minor display complaints, and of course, the awful fingerprint reader. Outside of those, we pretty much said that you should buy these phones. As was sort of expected, because this always happens after Google then launches its new phones to the public, the world received their pre-orders and the tone around both phones quickly changed. Folks ran into a number of issues on the software side, from network connectivity and heat worries to battery drain. Everyone also confirmed that the fingerprint reader was terrible.

December through January surely didn't help either phone's reputation, as Google massively whiffed on the first Pixel Feature Drop for their new phones, leaving owners who upgraded initially with serious issues. They didn't acknowledge the problems for almost a month, pulled the update files far too late, and then took several more weeks to issue a mega-bug fixer. Things haven't been great since then on an update front either, with March's Feature Drop also delayed for the Pixel 6 line. Now we sit here a few days removed from receiving the April update on-time and that 6-month mark nears. The complaints of new bugs seem limited, so that could be a sign that Google is finding somewhat stable ground. Or maybe folks moved on now that Samsung's new phones are here? Whatever the case, the Pixel 6 world is very quiet at the moment, which I can only take to be a good thing. My general thoughts on the Pixel 6 Pro after dancing between it and several review devices over the previous couple of months, are that this phone is still very good. At one point, after watching the update delays and seeing the never-ending complaints of bugs, I was worried that our early recommendation was a bad one. I'm not sure I feel that way at all today. Since late February, I've reviewed the Galaxy S22 Ultra, Motorola Edge+ (2022), and OnePlus 10 Pro. I've also spent a lot of time with the smallest Galaxy S22. You know what phone I'm back to using? The Pixel 6 Pro.

The Pixel 6 Pro still offers a camera I trust the most, the software experience I prefer over all others, snappy performance and great haptics, and solid battery life. Sure, the phone is still too damn big and the curved display is stupid, but even the fingerprint reader seems to have actually improved after about the 3rd or 4th update of Google suggesting it had done so. And look, the $899 price for this phone still makes this the best value in Android, at least in my opinion. How are you feeling after 6 months of Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro ownership? Has the experience always been good? Has this phone grown on you or finally stabilized? Are you still dealing with a never-ending list of bugs? Or did you jump ship for something else?

Weather Channel, G4TV, Other Channels Added to YouTube TV Lineup

Tim — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 11:27:16 +0000

YouTube TV subscribers are getting treated to a group of fresh channels free of charge this week, something that doesn't happen often these days. Typically, we're given channels, but then told our monthly bill is about to go up or that we're losing channels. This is a nice change of direction, at least for now. Now streaming via the service, users will find Weather Channel, G4TV, RecipeTV, Justice Central, as well as ComedyDotTV. These are some fine additions to the YouTube TV lineup, and for free, we shouldn't hear many folks complaining. These channels are now streaming. https://twitter.com/YouTubeTV/status/1511761020053868545

Chrome's Privacy Guide Makes It Simpler Than Ever to Stay Secure

Kellen — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 09:00:02 +0000

Google is introducing a new privacy tool within Chrome today called Privacy Guide. As the name sort of implies, this will act as a guide to help you better understand and control your levels of security within Chrome. When accessed within Settings, the Privacy Guide walks you through a step-by-step tour of existing privacy and security controls within Chrome. Each page explains benefits, trade-offs, and privacy implications for each setting, with bullet points discussing things like what should happen when turned on. Specific sections of the Privacy Guide include choosing search and browsing quality, history syncing, and enhanced protection options.

Google says that the Privacy Guide will soon roll out to Chrome 100 on desktop. To find it, head into Settings>Privacy and Security. Once available in that section you should see Privacy Guide as a new option. // Google

Here's the OnePlus Nord 20: Surprise, It's Hot!

Tim — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 08:30:15 +0000

OnePlus has provided details on its upcoming Nord 20 smartphone this week, with an official render of the device and specific details being released. From the one picture we now have, we can confirm, this phone looks pretty hot.

Related: OnePlus 10 Pro Review

OnePlus provided an exclusive to PCMag, who relayed all of the company's information to the eager masses. We should see the device launch later this month, but for those who can't wait, the details of the Nord 20 add up to a phone that should compete nicely in the budget range. The phone is said to feature a 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel, something not often found in that price range. The downside is that the display will be limited to 60Hz, as pricing restrictions do exist when we're talking about a phone that should cost around $299. Other OnePlus-confirmed specs are an in-display fingerprint reader (these optical readers must be getting stupid cheap to produce), flat back design, 4,500mAh with fast charging, and two large rear-facing cameras. What wasn't confirmed is the presence of a Snapdragon 695 processor, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and OxygenOS 11. Yes, you're reading that correctly -- Android 11, not 12. While specs are fun, let's give a quick golf clap for OnePlus' design team. This is a good looking budget device. It looks incredibly thin with the flat back, plus that blue is very handsome. Overall, I wouldn't mind getting my hands on this device. We know folks are struggling with OP right now, but if it's around $300, this could be a great value buy. // PCMag

Verizon Galaxy S21 Line Grabs the April Security Patch

Kellen — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 07:29:26 +0000

Samsung and Verizon are pushing out the April update to the Galaxy S21 line this week, just as Google began pushing it to Pixel devices. The update should be minor and appears to only focus on security. The changelog from Verizon doesn't mention any other change outside of the typical, "The current software update provides the most up to date Android security patches on your device" message. So no new camera features or performance updates like we often get alongside this minor patches. For new builds, Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra owners should be on the lookout for the following:

Galaxy S21: SP1A.210812.016.G991USQS5CVCB
Galaxy S21+: SP1A.210812.016.G996USQS5CVCB
Galaxy S21 Ultra: SP1A.210812.016.G998USQS5CVCB

To check for the update, head into Settings>System updates>Check for system updates. // Verizon

Twitter Confirms It Really is Working on an Edit Button

Kellen — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 07:20:19 +0000

On April Fools' Day, Twitter mocked the world by suggesting that they are working on an edit button. We got the joke, might have made an inappropriate comment in response, and then moved on. Today, Twitter came back and said that it wasn't actually a joke. In a Tweet from the @TwitterComms account, the company confirmed that they have been working on an edit feature "since last year!" Sooooo, yeah, an edit button is a thing that could happen one day. https://twitter.com/TwitterComms/status/1511456466233815041 For now, they are only saying that it could show up "in the coming months" and only first to Twitter Blue, which is the subscription level of Twitter. It might even just be a Labs feature there, for testing and all that. The plan is to let some folks test it, "learn what works, what doesn't, and what's possible." Now stop Tweeting, "Tweets but editable."

Rainbow Six is Coming to Android

Tim — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 11:20:51 +0000

After three years of development, Ubisoft announced today that it is bringing Rainbow Six to Android and iOS in the form of a new standalone title called Rainbow Six Mobile. At first glance, R6M will look very similar to Rainbow 6 Siege and that's apparently by design. However, the developers have let everyone know that this title has been built from the ground up to be a perfect R6 mobile experience. Here's a brief overview from the development team at Ubisoft.

At first glance, many people might see Rainbow Six Mobile and think it looks incredibly similar to Siege, which is great! At its heart, Rainbow Six Mobile is a competitive and tactical FPS game with two teams of 5 – Attackers and Defenders. While the core gameplay, characters, and maps may share similarities with Siege, we’ve rebuilt everything from the ground up with mobile usability in mind. We have put a lot of work under the hood to adapt the Siege experience for mobile devices. This includes an entirely new gameplay control system developed specifically for mobile and extensive optimization of the UI and in-game visual presentation.

Personally, because I absolutely suck at Siege, you probably won't find me on the R6M. However, that game has a massive fanbase, so I have no doubts that there are many people pumped for this. The game should be launching soon, with testing taking place in the coming weeks. To get yourself registered for first access, follow the link below.

Register Here for First Access

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc4GCl5EWIQ&ab_channel=RainbowSixMobile // Ubisoft

Google Maps Now Shows Toll Prices, Improved Details Like Stop Signs and Traffic Lights

Tim — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 09:26:33 +0000

First previewed for a very limited group of users in August of last year, Google Maps is making toll estimation on your routes official and available to everyone. In addition, users will begin to see enhanced navigation details, perfect for those who are traveling on certain roads for the first time. For tolls, Google will take a lot of factors into account. As explained in its blog post, "We look at factors like the cost of using a toll pass or other payment methods, what the day of the week it is, along with how much the toll is expected to cost at the specific time you’ll be crossing it." To start, this information will be available for nearly 2,000 toll roads across the globe. And of course, should a toll-free option be available for your journey, Maps will let you know.

Added navigational details are also being included in the coming weeks, such as improved locations for stop signs and traffic lights. In select cities, Google is even going so far as to include medians and islands, painting a very clear picture of the road in front of you on your navigation screen. Be on the lookout for these changes coming to your Google Maps app shortly. // Google

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

Tim — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 08:22:39 +0000

It's the Tuesday before Opening Day, which means it's time for all T-Mobile customers to claim their free season of MLB.TV! Woohoo! The promotion is a longstanding treat for T-Mobile customers, so we're glad to see it still lives on. The promotion can be claimed by T-Mobile customers, Sprint customers, as well as Metro by T-Mobile customers. For full redemption and eligibility rules, look here in the FAQ section. To claim, open the T-Mobile Tuesdays app on your smartphone, redeem the offer, and then sign into or create an MLB account. That's all it takes. Very easy and very straightforward. Let's play ball!

T-Mobile Tuesdays App

Samsung Ends Update Support or the Galaxy S9 After 4 Years

Kellen — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 08:15:13 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will no longer receive updates going forward. Samsung signaled the end today when updating their mobile security page and removing both phones from the list. The move is not surprising, as they are 4-year old phones and Samsung had previously only committed to 4 years of updates for its best devices. We also knew this would be happening soon, thanks to Samsung moving each phone to the quarterly update schedule a year ago. The drop to quarterly updates has in the past signaled a final year of support. For those not familiar with this path of support, just know that the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S7 saw similar 4-year schedules. On a somewhat related note, Samsung also moved the Galaxy S10 today, but it dropped from monthly to quarterly. In other words, the S10 line is now in its final year of updates. Four years of support is quite good for the Android world, which you probably already know. Samsung has already committed to 5 years for even newer phones, though. The Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and a bunch of foldables will see additional support on top of what phones like the Galaxy S9 got. Samsung is the king. If you are still hanging onto a Galaxy S9, it would be time to upgrade. Samsung will give you $300 for a Galaxy S9+ right now if you trade it towards a Galaxy S22 Ultra. That's a crazy value for a phone this old that is no longer supported. // Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S10 Line Drops to Quarterly Update Schedule

Kellen — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 18:08:37 +0000

Samsung has now supported the Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, and Galaxy S10e with monthly updates for a full three years. As is typically the case at this moment in the life cycle of a Samsung phone, the schedule will now move to quarterly updates until the phone is no longer supported in about a year. That happened today, with Samsung adjusting its mobile security updates page to show the Galaxy S10 line slipping from monthly updates down the quarterly group. It basically replaces the Galaxy S9 line in the quarterly updates schedule, since the S9 is now no longer receiving updates as of today as well. For those still hanging onto a Galaxy S10 phone, you should still see regular updates every couple of months. Understand that they may be sporadic depending on your carrier or global location. Once a phone or tablet falls into the quarterly space, Samsung will only commit to updates that "are subject to change" and "will be reviewed on a periodic basis." If this angers you for some reason, it shouldn't. The Galaxy S10 will see a full 4 years of updates, just like the Galaxy S9 and S8 and S7 did before it. Samsung has also now committed to updating phones for even longer should you buy a new one. The Galaxy S21 and S22 lines, for example, will get a full 5 years of security patches.

LG Updates Select Device Owners on Android 12 Upgrade, Security Patches

Tim — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 12:04:00 +0000

LG has provided an update to remaining device owners on the arrival timeline of Android 12 for some phones, as well as security patches for others. According to LG, owners of the Q92 5G, V50, and V50S smartphones will receive the Android 12 update in Q2 of 2022, while Velvet, Wing, and Q52 owners will have security patches sent out. As of right now, no availability has been detailed for US-specific consumers, but we have to assume that should all go well, we here in the US will see these updates shortly after LG's home market of South Korea. On that same note, if you are still using a Wing, Velvet, or any other LG smartphone, it's probably time to let it go and get something else entirely. // LG (Translated)

Google's New April Pixel Update Fixes 9 Bugs

Kellen — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 10:22:14 +0000

In this month's Google Pixel update for April, a handful of bugs are addressed that should help with wireless charging and the cameras on the Pixel 6 line, as well as some general UI issues that all Pixel devices were experiencing on Android 12. The official changelog from Google says that wireless charging performance is improved now on "certain accessories." They also fixed bugs that caused the front facing camera preview to appear zoomed in and a green screen to show. For the rest of the Pixel line, Google addressed picture-in-picture crashing, live wallpaper errors, the notification shade's Quick Settings appearing invisible, and a 3-button navigation bug when used with 3rd party launchers. More on all of the bug fixes can be seen below:

Battery & Power

Additional improvements for wireless charging performance with certain accessories *[2].

Camera

Fix for issue causing front-facing camera preview in certain apps to appear zoomed in *[2].

Fix for issue occasionally causing green screen to appear in camera preview *[2].

User Interface

Fix for crash in System UI while using apps in Picture-in-Picture (PIP) mode in certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue causing error message to display when setting up certain live wallpapers *[1].

Fix for issue causing notification shade and Quick Settings to appear invisible after changing wallpaper in certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue occasionally causing animation to display incorrectly when canceling a search in the app drawer *[1].

Fix for issue occasionally preventing navigation in overview screen while TalkBack is active *[1].

Fix for issue occasionally preventing recents button to show the overview while using 3-button navigation with third party launchers *[1].

----------- *[1] Included on Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5, Pixel 5a (5G), Pixel 6 & Pixel 6 Pro *[2] Included on Pixel 6 & Pixel 6 Pro

To get the build details and download the April Pixel update, hit up this post. // Google

April 2022 Android Security Update Available for Google Pixel Phones

Kellen — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 10:05:24 +0000
The April Google Pixel update arrived this morning in what should be a typical bug-fixer type of month. After last month's Pixel Feature Drop and the several dozen issues that it addressed, the hope is that this update arrives without much fanfare and is on time for the Pixel 6. As of this moment, Google has posted both factory image and OTA files for all of the still-supported Pixel phones, including the Pixel 3a, Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, and Pixel 6 Pro. All is looking good so far - Google made no mention in their community post about a delay for any phone. The breakdown of April security update build numbers by Pixel device is as follows:

Pixel 6 (SP2A.220405.004)

Pixel 6 Pro (SP2A.220405.004)

Pixel 5a (SP2A.220405.003)

Pixel 5 (SP2A.220405.003)

Pixel 4a 5G (SP2A.220405.003)

Pixel 4a (SP2A.220405.003)

Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL (SP2A.220405.003)

Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL (SP2A.220405.003).

READ: Google’s New April Pixel Update Fixes These 9 Bugs
Google should begin pushing these updates shortly over-the-air (Settings>System>Advanced>System update), 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:

Factory Images

OTA Files

Pixel/Nexus Security Bulletin

Pixel Security Update Changes

OnePlus 10 Pro Review: A Pleasure to Use, But Some Concerns

Kellen — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 09:30:39 +0000
To kick of 2022, OnePlus announced the OnePlus 10 Pro, got us excited for a moment, and then shipped the thing only in China, without any sort of firm date on a US arrival. It really took the wind out of any early momentum that OnePlus could have used before Samsung dropped the hammer on the industry with its Galaxy S22 Ultra. Here we are now, though, and the OnePlus 10 Pro is finally here, just not with everything we were first expecting. The OnePlus 10 Pro actually arrives in the US (April 14) with a handful of head-scratching changes that puts it in this position that comes off like a phone filling space before the next thing. I say that because the version you'll find here has poor 5G support in the US, only a single storage-RAM combination, and a mysterious drop in wired charging speeds. This is a very weird launch. With that said, I've been testing it for several weeks now and if I'm being as straight as I can be with you, the first thing I'd tell you about the OnePlus 10 Pro is how much I like it. Weird, right? Yep, let's talk more about that. This is our OnePlus 10 Pro review.

What do I like about the OnePlus 10 Pro?
Performance. You might get tired of me raving about how OnePlus phones run different, compared to all others, but it once again rings true with the OnePlus 10 Pro. This phone is so freakin' smooth at all times. It's haptics add to the beautiful speed, but the 120Hz display, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, fast RAM and fast storage, and optimizations from software make for one hell of a ride. I just got done talking about how Motorola's new Edge+ has OnePlus-level smoothness, but I kind of need to take that back some now that I've been using this OnePlus 10 Pro. This phone is on another level. OnePlus really does have the magic touch when it comes to the feel of fast & smooth on a smartphone. I don't know how they do it. I'd imagine that some of you were worried that this phone wouldn't be as fast, with "only" 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, but it's plenty fast. I double checked the specs on my review unit a couple of times to make sure, because we all expect 12GB RAM in a phone that runs this good, yet here we are. Once again, great job here by OnePlus. Display. We're at that stage in the smartphone era where all of these top tier smartphones have excellent displays, so you should have expected a good one here. The 6.7" 120Hz AMOLED display with LTPO on this phone is indeed a good one. I'd probably slot this one somewhere below Samsung's on the S22 Ultra and above both the Pixel 6 Pro and Motorola's new Edge+. While this one feels like it hits 120Hz more often than Samsung's, it's still Samsung who remains king of brightness highs and lows, as well as colors. But don't take this as me putting this far below - I think OnePlus is closer than anyone to reaching Samsung at the top. This particular display reaches that full 120Hz a lot of the time, so you get all of the smoothness you want. It's color profile out of the box is extra punchy, for those (like me) who love vibrance. At off angles, there isn't a noticeable amount of color shifting either. This is quality stuff. Where OnePlus helps step above most others is in software. They give you the typical dark modes, but they also have 3 different dark modes to choose from that range from pure black to a "gentle" grey. From there, you can even have the system auto adjust contrast depending on lighting conditions, to really dial in your darker experience. They even have pro controls over the color profile, a natural tone display setting that Apple made famous, and extra video enhancement settings. As far as the physical appearance and usability of the screen goes, I have no complaints. This is a curved display, yet OnePlus has almost backed away from there being real curves. This is minimal for a curve and when you use it, it very much will remind you of a flat display with a subtle roundness at the edges that won't impact how you use it. So again, I think Samsung's S22 Ultra display has the slightest of edges in clarity, colors, touch responsiveness, and low-end brightness, but OnePlus is oh so close to matching that experience. In some ways, OnePlus has certainly stepped above Samsung.
Design. My first reaction to seeing this phone design was similar to others. I kind of wanted to make fun of it for biting off a chunk of Samsung's vibe. The way the frame blends into the camera housing screamed "Samsung!" But now that I've got the phone in hand, nothing about this design reminds of Samsung. This is most definitely a OnePlus phone. It has a gentle rear curve and the subtlest display curve that makes it completely inoffensive to use, unlike the Galaxy S22 Ultra or Pixel 6 Pro. It's a large-ish phone, but it fits really nicely in the hand because of its silhouette, weight, and button placement. You can't exactly use it with one hand, although I've mostly managed to during testing. The rear finish on the glass is a frosted matte texture that magically avoids all fingerprints. Seriously, I haven't had to wipe the phone's backside down a single time. The only spot that catches a print is that big ol' box of a camera housing. By no means is this phone pushing any new design boundaries. It still remains a unique take on a smartphone, at least to me. I have a Galaxy S22 and S22 Ultra sitting here, as well as the Pixel 6 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro, and there is no question that this is the OnePlus of the bunch. It also feels quite polished, like a smartphone company who has indeed been doing this for a while and knows how to build a quality handset. Google could take some notes from this phone, that's for sure.
Camera. The OnePlus 10 Pro brought back the main 48MP Sony IMX789 sensor from the OnePlus 9 Pro and added on 50MP ultra-wide and 8MP telephoto lenses. Not to completely toss aside the telephoto lens, but this is mostly just a dual camera setup. The 8MP telephoto camera is not good and mostly fails to capture anything you'd be proud to share. The high-end dual shooters are pretty good at least! And since this is mostly a dual lens system, I'll share that during my testing, I basically matched it up to the Motorola Edge+ and snapped very similar shots. In almost every single comparison shot I took, the OnePlus 10 Pro's camera beat it. This is a far superior camera system. It retains more detail, captures more accurate color, portrait mode looks more natural, and it has more features. There is a Hasselblad sales pitch to the branding here with a promise of 12-bit RAW and Hasselblad's "Natural Color Solution" to deliver more "delicate" colors. The Pro mode is all built around Hasselblad too, with an "H" branding and orange accents everywhere. For most of us, that stuff doesn't matter because we really just want a camera that can open quickly and shoot in auto. Sure, we want to toggle between lenses, open portrait and night modes, use the video mode, and maybe even take a spin with this camera's new fisheye mode. Outside of that, who shoots in RAW besides the one friend of yours who happens to be a photographer and forgot his actual pro camera today? Anyways, I think this camera is mostly fast and I've had confidence in it over the past few weeks. Again, I liked the OnePlus 9 Pro camera and this is a very similar setup, although it has another year of OnePlus and Hasselblad tuning, which I think has led to impressive results in most of your typical shooting situations (I should a lot of food, landscape, and pics of my kid). I would only point out that its night mode tends to really blow up colors and brightness, so that some of your photos will look unnatural (Example: Pixel 6 Pro, OnePlus 10 Pro). Maybe that's your thing?

What's bugging me about it?
Battery life. The days of OnePlus selling battery king phones are long gone, I'm afraid. I've now been through several OnePlus "Pro" phones that are lasting about a day and nothing more. The OnePlus 9 Pro had really poor battery life, and while the OnePlus 10 Pro improves on that some, I was hoping for more. The 5000mAh battery is quite large, yet I had several evenings where I was dipping under 20% battery before or right around 9PM. That's with 3-4 hours of screen-on time, which I wouldn't consider to be heavy usage. This was a phone I didn't feel like I could truly hammer on because I never had any days where it looked like it would make it beyond that night. Thankfully, it has ridiculously fast 65W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. You really can plug this phone in, blink a couple of times, and realize it jumped up 20-30%. It's really wild. And yes, I used a 65W charger on it most days knowing it would need it if the OnePlus 10 Pro would accompany me on my evening couch sessions were. So by no means is battery life bad on this phone, it's just that I keep wishing OnePlus would find that old magic. Maybe their performance team can take a break from smoothing it all out and work on extending battery life. Of course, I can't run through this review without mentioning that the phone is listed at being 65W capable, when we all know the Chinese version does 80W wired charging. As I mentioned the other day, I don't know the reasoning there, but it's got to be a cost cutting measure. OnePlus shipped 65W chargers with last year's OnePlus 9 Pro, so they shouldn't have a problem tossing a bunch of those in the box again this year. And look, 65W is more than fast. This change should by no means be reason to skip this phone.
Software. This is one of those areas where I'm pretty torn on whether or not I think all is well or not. The OnePlus 10 Pro ships with OxygenOS 12.1 on top of Android 12 and is a feature-packed software skin that ticks most of the boxes. My issues come down to weird UI decisions or implementations of actions that I can't figure out how to change or a bug here and there. OnePlus is doing a lot of good in those display settings I mentioned above, a lot of the personalization stuff (like lock screens and clocks and icon shapes), sound and haptics, and optimization of performance. OxygenOS runs incredibly well, looks beautiful, and has a lot of features I would miss if I picked up another phone. Unfortunately, OnePlus is basically running OPPO's ColorOS and has adopted some annoying stuff. For example, when you have a handful of bundled notifications, like 5 Gmail notifications sitting there. Tapping on the bundle doesn't open Gmail - it expands the notification so you can deal with each one individually. No other phone I'm aware of does that. It's annoying. Silent notifications are handled weird too. They show up on the lock screen or always-on display, but you can't view them from those areas and you have to fully unlock your phone to get to fully see them. Again - annoying. Adding a widget is mostly unintuitive as a "+" button instead of a "Widgets" option like everyone else has. The phone is still secretly aggressive at limiting app usage in the background, likely to try and keep battery life acceptable. There's also a lot of needing to agree to terms for features that is always a bit concerning to see. Generally speaking, I don't mind OxygenOS and OPPO's ColorOS. They do a lot of things right. I just happen to be an Android guy who is used to the standard way that notifications and many settings should work on the platform, and they are changed here in ways that annoy the sh*t out of me. Finally, the software update support here is probably going to be hit or miss. OnePlus is saying all of the right things now that they've become a part of OPPO, and that they'll be good at software updates. However, the story of OnePlus is often that they are great at supporting their current-gen phone, but anything older than a year tends to get shoved back a bit and the support slows. For example, the OnePlus 9 series picked up Android 12 soon after Google released it, yet the company couldn't get the OnePlus 8 up-to-date until a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, Samsung updated 3 years worth of phones before 2021 was over. Options. As I mentioned earlier, the US is only getting a single model of the OnePlus 10 Pro. We are getting both colors (black and green), but the version with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage is all that OnePlus is selling out of the gate. I've read or seen rumors suggesting that OnePlus could release a 12GB-256GB model later on, I just wouldn't hold out for that. You should go into this launch knowing about this 8GB-128GB model and make a decision about it, only to be surprised if an upgraded version one day arrives. The reason this bugs me is because OnePlus has always given the US the highest-end version of their best phone. They know that their fans here love all the specs, even if none of them can probably tell the difference between 8GB and 12GB RAM. But this sort of goes back to that opening statement I made about this phone being a space filler until the next big phone is ready. It showed up late, doesn't ship here with its best configuration, and the carrier support is weird.
Carrier support. And yes, let's talk about carrier support. We wrote this up already, but if you missed it, just know that the OnePlus 10 Pro should (technically) work perfectly fine across US carriers. Unfortunately, OnePlus has decided against putting the time (and effort and money) into making sure that's the reality. Instead, they should have it working fine on T-Mobile's low and mid-band 5G. They are apparently (at the time of this review) still working on getting it certified with Verizon and have decided to completely skip certification with AT&T's 5G network. That's right, this phone won't work on AT&T's 5G network and will instead top out at 4G LTE if you use it there. My only reaction to that is - wtf, OnePlus? Price. There's a part of me that looks at the OnePlus 10 Pro and thinks, "$899 is a pretty decent price for what you are getting here." And then I look across the aisle at the Pixel 6 Pro with its $899 price. Then you have the Galaxy S22+ with its $999 price that quickly falls well below that with instant trade-in discounts. All of a sudden I don't know that this phone is really priced that well. Those other two phones I mentioned have far better software and carrier support, and arguably better cameras. They also don't come off like space fillers that are here as a temporary fix. Shave $50 or $100 off and this is a different conversation.
Video
Unboxing and tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT3l8-3Uo9o
Should you buy the OnePlus 10 Pro?
After running through several troublesome areas for the OnePlus 10 Pro, this may sound weird, but I do actually like this phone. When you use this phone, it is undeniable how fast it is, how smooth it is, how great it feels in the hand (the haptic feedback is so lovely), and how beautifully it presents content and (mostly) runs Android. I know that there are annoying software issues, that battery life isn't stellar, that we all want 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, and that paying $799 would make this so much more of a deal. But man, this phone is quite fun to use on the daily. That said, I absolutely get why someone would hesitate to consider this phone. The carrier support is unacceptable and OnePlus shouldn't be given a pass there. There are rumors of an even better OnePlus phone coming soon and this launch in the US is late enough that I'm not sure anyone believes it is a big priority for the company here. So overall, this is a fun phone to use and I think most people would enjoy it. To buy one, you'd probably have to really be a huge OnePlus fan, though.

Shop OnePlus 10 Pro

Phones With Replaceable Batteries Primed for Comeback in EU

Tim — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 08:48:55 +0000
A development of note is taking place in the European Union, one that seems worthy of discussing even to us Yanks. The EU Parliament has recently voted to mandate that by 2024, portable batteries in appliances, like the ones found in smartphones, must be designed so that, "consumers and independent operators can easily and safely remove them." Is this the return of the removable battery? If it catches on, it certainly could be, though, the EU market doesn't necessarily dictate what happens elsewhere across the globe. We're only just now learning about the mandate and are unsure how OEMs like Samsung and Apple will navigate it. Could we see different hardware offerings based on the market or would that be too costly? The EU's reasoning for such a mandate is perfectly legitimate, as it is part of a larger goal to better the entire life cycle of these battery-powered appliances. Here's a lengthy quote from EU's Simona Bonafè, but worth reading.
For the first time in European legislation, the Battery Regulation lays down a holistic set of rules to govern an entire product life cycle, from the design phase to end-of-life. This creates a new approach to boost the circularity of batteries and introduces new sustainability standards that should become a benchmark for the entire global battery market. Batteries are a key technology for fostering sustainable mobility and for storing renewable energy. To achieve the objectives of the Green Deal and to attract investment, co-legislators need to swiftly adopt clear and ambitious rules and timelines.
It's promising to see that our friends in the EU are actively working on ways to preserve what's left of our world's resources. After all, many of the materials we use for the production of goods are finite, meaning we will eventually run out. It's best to pivot and work within these certainties before it's too late. Real plainly, while it's easy to love the pros that come with non-removable batteries, such as easy waterproofing and sexy hardware designs, if easier user access to batteries for replacing and recycling can help Earth, then I suppose I'm all for it. Again, we'll have to see how companies respond to this. // Hackaday | European Parliament

Microsoft Supposedly Taking Android Seriously Now After All These Years

Kellen — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 13:04:30 +0000
Microsoft has had its toes dipped in the Android realm for numerous years now, yet for whatever reason has never wanted to fully dive in and use the massive platform to further their own agenda. After tossing out apps here and there, like Outlook, buying Swiftkey, creating Phone Link (formerly Your Phone), and of course, releasing a couple of Surface Duo devices, they are reportedly ready to give it a true effort going forward. Sources of Windows Central have confirmed that Microsoft has reorganized a bit, bringing the crews that power Surface Duo OS, Swiftkey, Phone Link, Microsoft Launcher, and various other Android products under a new group called "Android Microsoft Platform and Experiences" or AMPX. Microsoft apparently has plans to really focus on Android, to better make it an extension of Windows, possibly in the same way that Mac and iOS go together. We're talking more than the attachment of phone and Windows PC that Phone Link currently offers - Microsoft has advanced integrations in mind. Specifics on those types of integrations aren't here just yet, but this is good news for both Windows and Android. I know that Chrome OS has picked up some neat integrations through Android phones in recent years. However, that's Chrome OS...lol. Windows is another animal that has desperately needed better play with Android and if Microsoft wants to do it, let them do it. Another area that is by no means confirmed to get better attention in this reorg, but needs it, is Surface Duo. There is no denying that Microsoft's hardware teams can make incredible devices and have done so with two Android-powered foldables. The unfortunate reality is that their software team focused on Duo has not matched the level of quality that the hardware team has shown. If there is any chance that moving around Android efforts can improve this situation, we are all for it. The Android hardware space needs more players, not fewer. As far as we now, this is not an April Fools' joke.

DEAL: Galaxy S22 at $699 is Pretty Sweet ($100 Off)

Tim — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 11:59:17 +0000
For a limited time, select retailers are offering the Galaxy S22 (only the specific S22 model) is down $100, bringing the total to $699.

Review: Samsung Galaxy S22

At that price, the Galaxy S22 is one helluva phone, so long as you're okay with subpar battery life. I've been using the Galaxy S22 as my daily driver since wrapping my review, and honestly, I love this phone. It has a really good camera, the One UI software is completely tolerable, and the in-hand feel is so nice. Considering the software support that it'll get from Samsung for the next four years, it's a tough phone to beat. If the $100 off is tempting enough to at least give it a try, follow one of the links below.
Purchase Links

Amazon

Best Buy

Google Hangouts has Left the Play Store

Kellen — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 08:52:43 +0000
Google Hangouts has had the slowest death of all time. We first started talking about its demise back in 2020, shortly after Google released Chat and Meet. At that time, we believed that Hangouts might disappear from our phones and the Play Store within that same year, yet here we are in 2022 thinking this might finally be the end. While we aren't quite to the finish line, Google did take another big step in finishing off this once glorious messaging app that was cut off because of a poor vision of executives or hungry up-and-comers within Google who pitched other, awful and quickly-failed messaging options. This week, Google basically removed Hangouts from both the Google Play Store and Apple Appstore. You'll still be able to find it on Google Play if you previously had it installed on your current phone, but for new users or your new phone, it is indeed gone. For example, if you go to Google Play on the web and search for "Hangouts," you should come up empty. From your phone's Play Store, if you had it installed at some point, you should still Google Chat is there, though!
Why the move now to remove it after all these years? Google has been pushing everyone off of Hangouts for some time, but about a week ago they started forcing Google Workspace users off of it. This move is likely the reason for its removal, as those were some of the last remaining users of Hangouts. If you still want to use Hangouts, I'm sure you can sideload-bro an APK that's floating about. The web version of hangouts.google.com still works as well, at least for now. But really, you might as well head over to Google Chat. Google at least provides it updates and tries to improve it from time to time, unlike Hangouts that was left for dead and stripped of features many moons ago. If you get a new phone, you are going to have to switch to Chat anyway. It's not fully RIP to Hangouts just yet, but we are closer than ever.

What Are Your Thoughts on the OnePlus 10 Pro?

Tim — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 08:26:11 +0000
It's OnePlus 10 Pro launch week in the US, and as far as we can tell, there are very mixed reactions towards the device. You have one side, who will most likely always be loyal to OnePlus and are definitely buying this phone, a side that was loyal to OnePlus but have switched OEMs for any given reason and have no problem talking about it, and a side who quickly say "nope" whenever we mention OnePlus.

Video: OnePlus 10 Pro Unboxing and Tour

There was a time not that long ago where OnePlus had very exciting device launches, but with the OnePlus 10 Pro, we're not seeing a lot of desire for people to even acknowledge it as a good purchase option. Why is that? Is there something about this phone that's turning you off? On paper, it's a fine device. While the price could maybe be a bit more competitive, the phone features a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor with 6.7″ AMOLED display at 120Hz, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, 5000mAh battery with stupid fast wired charging, stereo speakers, in-display fingerprint reader, 5G support (lol, kinda), WiFi 6, a triple rear camera, and Android 12 under OxygenOS 12.1. I'm hoping you, the reader, can provide a legitimate reason -- just one -- as to why you will be or won't be considering the OnePlus 10 Pro. Is Samsung's software support too good to pass up? Is it the odd 5G support here in the US? Have you actually already pre-ordered the 10 Pro and can't wait to get your hands on it? The US buying public is such a spectrum of tastes and preferences, there's no telling what someone might be into. Let's hear it!

Microsoft Renames Your Phone App to Phone Link, Updates Some Stuff

Kellen — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 13:30:46 +0000
Microsoft's popular companion app for Windows PCs and Android phones has stumbled into a bit of a rebrand today and is now simply called "Phone Link" on PC and "Link to Windows" on Android. While I get the reasoning behind initially calling it "Your Phone," it was always sort of awkward to describe or refer to, while Phone Link and Link to Windows should help better explain what the action of the app is by name. In a blog post announcing the change in name(s), Microsoft also announced that Phone Link is getting a brand-new interface for Windows 11 and that it will bring notifications upfront, as well as a tabbed navigation experience. For those not familiar with Phone Link (or Your Phone), this is the app Microsoft created three years ago that let you mirror a lot of your phone's functionality to a Windows PC. It started out only brings photos and texts from your phone to computer, but has since grown to show notifications, let you take calls, and run apps. It's pretty sweet for Windows owners. The new UI can be seen in the image up top. I haven't fired up Phone Link in a bit, but everything still looks familiar and shouldn't scare you. The big change is that notifications will be more obvious to help you keep up with your phone without missing anything. If on Windows 11, Microsoft describes the new interface as:
In our journey to make it easier for customers to get to the content that matters to them, we saw a great opportunity with the recent release of Windows 11 to also refresh the app design. We carefully updated our controls, color palette, and overall look and feel to deliver a native app experience on the new Windows 11 OS. New app design changes include rounded corners, fresh illustrations and updated iconography.
Microsoft also said that they are making it easier than ever to setup Phone Link with your phone, including through set-up of Windows 11 with a QR code. Need to get updated? The link is below for your Android device. Google Play Link: Link to Windows

You Can Now Reply to DMs While Still Scrolling on Instagram

Tim — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 12:15:18 +0000
Instagram announced a suite of new messaging features this week, including the ability to reply to messages you receive without having to leave your feed. Rolling out in various markets across the globe, Instagram has three new features for user-to-user interactions, as well as four new features for messaging threads. The big addition is that ability to reply to messages you receive without even having to leave your feed. That's very convenient. On top of that, Instagram has added in the ability to quickly share posts with friends by long pressing on a post's share button. You can now also see who is free to chat at the top of your inbox.
What's New

Reply while you browse: Receive a new message while you’re browsing your feed? You can now reply without going to your inbox and losing your place. This new feature makes it that much easier and more convenient to chat while on the app.

Quickly send to friends: We want to help people reshare interesting content without interrupting their Instagram experience. By tapping and holding the share button, you can effortlessly reshare posts to your closest friends.

See who’s online: At the top of your inbox, you can see who’s free to chat at that moment, helping you find serendipitous opportunities to connect with friends.

For messaging threads, music previews are being added with support for Apple Music (Amazon Music and Spotify support coming soon), which lets you preview 30 seconds worth of a banging track. A great feature for all you side pieces is a new silent messaging feature, letting users add "@Silent" into a chat which will then not create a notification for when the recipient receives a message. I see you, Instagram. There's also a new lo-fi chat theme to play with to make things feel more "personal," as well a poll feature for groups. There's a whole bunch of stuff in there. // Instagram

Rovio Re-Releases OG Angry Birds for $0.99, Nostalgia Runs Wild

Tim — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 09:53:35 +0000
A whopping 10 years ago, the world got its first taste of Angry Birds. The game became extremely popular, with movies, merchandise, and tons of sequel games coming after it. For whatever reason, in 2019, Rovio decided to pull the original Angry Birds from app stores, which had diehard fans upset. Well, Rovio heard the cries and has relaunched the original Angry Birds, having rebuilt the classic title from the ground up using the Unity engine. Priced at $0.99, this Rovio Classics title features all of the over 390 original levels, as well as the pig destroying power-up Mighty Eagle as an added bonus. There are no ads and no in-app purchases. It's as pure as they come, according to Rovio, though, Google Play does specifically list that it does contain ads. I've played a bit and haven't seen any, just for your information. The game is live right now in Google Play and Apple's App Store, so if you're feeling angry, have at it!
Google Play Link ($0.99)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0KPBHvtxCU&ab_channel=AngryBirds

OnePlus 10 Pro's 5G Situation in the US is Not Ideal

Kellen — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 09:24:35 +0000
Stop! Before you fire off that pre-order for the newly launched OnePlus 10 Pro, you need to know a little bit about its 5G situation. Depending on the carrier you planned to run it on, your 5G experience may differ vastly from the guy running it on another carrier. While the OnePlus 10 Pro is running Qualcomm's latest 5G setup and should technically work on all major US carriers without hiccup, that won't actually be the case. If you run it on T-Mobile, you should get the best experience out of the box. And that makes sense since T-Mobile happens to be selling the phone. However, if on Verizon, things are apparently a work-in-progress. For AT&T, well, it's a bit of a mess. According to CNET, who confirmed the following details with OnePlus, here's what we're looking at:

T-Mobile: The OnePlus 10 Pro will work on low-band and mid-band 5G with T-Mobile, and that's cool since mid-band is where T-Mobile shines. You should see both good coverage and super fast speeds running the 10 Pro there.

Verizon: OnePlus is apparently still working to certify the 10 Pro with Verizon to work on their low and mid-band 5G. OnePlus often runs into this situation through Verizon, where we aren't sure if full support will arrive by launch time (April 14), but they typically get there close to when they need to. The OnePlus 10 Pro does not support 5G mmW in the US, so you won't get the 2Gbps theoretical speeds from Verizon, ever.

AT&T: Umm, there is no 5G support on the OnePlus 10 Pro with AT&T. Again, the phone completely supports everything on paper, but OnePlus doesn't want to get the phone certified with AT&T 5G. So that means only up to a 4G LTE signal if you take this $900 phone to AT&T. Big yikes there.

To recap, OnePlus' new phone has limped onto US soil lacking 5G support on one of the three major US carriers because OnePlus doesn't want to get it certified. Huh.

Samsung Launches Self-Repair Program, Makes It Easy to Swap Your Own Busted Display

Tim — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 09:00:02 +0000
Samsung has announced a new self-repair program, made in collaboration with our friends over at iFixit. The repair program is designed to help select Galaxy owners repair their own devices, instead of having to take them into a shop and and pay way too much for parts and repairs. Considering the push, even legislatively, we've seen concerning the right to self repair not just in the US but across the globe, this is a very big step coming from the current largest and most important Android OEM. Samsung details that the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S22 lineups, plus the Galaxy Tab S7+ will have first access to this new program. Owners will have access to parts and tools for replacing display assemblies, back glass, as well as charging ports. Returned used parts will then be recycled by Samsung.
To start, Galaxy device owners will be able to replace display assemblies, back glass, and charging ports — and return used parts to Samsung for responsible recycling. In the future, Samsung plans to expand self-repair to more devices and repairs from our extensive product portfolio.
The program will launch this summer, with the access to repair parts and tools opening at that time. Again, this is made in collaboration with iFixit, so expect the parts and repair guides to be legit. iFixit knows what it's doing when it comes to fixing busted ish, so this is pretty awesome. This is a major W for self repair enthusiasts. // Samsung

OnePlus 10 Pro Unboxing and Tour!

Kellen — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 07:30:36 +0000
Assuming you just finished up reading about the launch of the OnePlus 10 Pro in the US, you may want to see what the phone is like in the hands of a human. Since I have one and ran through an unboxing, let me be the one to take you on a tour of OnePlus' newest phone. In this video, we grab the OnePlus 10 Pro out of the box in its Emerald Forest paint job, fire up the latest version of OxygenOS, and run through the specs. As you all should now know, the US is not getting the max spec version of the OnePlus 10 Pro and is instead getting a model with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, as well as slightly slower (although still insanely, stupidly fast) charging (65W instead of 80W). I'm working on my OnePlus 10 Pro review now and should have it up in a couple of days, but my short and to-the-point thoughts are that this phone is very good. The performance is better than any phone I've used, it feels incredible in the hand, has a barely-curved-at-all curved display, features a more-than-capable camera system, and is packed with features. I don't love the software on OnePlus phones anymore, and there are indeed some ~~ColorOS~~ OxygenOS tweaks that bug me, but mostly, this is a phone I could see myself using going forward. More on that later. For now, let's unbox! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT3l8-3Uo9o

OnePlus 10 Pro Hits the US at $899

Kellen — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 07:30:06 +0000
The OnePlus 10 Pro has launched in the US and Canada after spending a couple of months in China. It arrives here without many changes, but does only show up in a single RAM-storage configuration and with slightly slower charging. Still, it packs a good list of specs and isn't priced at a place that'll completely empty the bank account. To recap, the OnePlus 10 Pro runs a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor with 6.7" AMOLED display at 120Hz (with LTPO, QHD), 5000mAh battery with fast wired and wireless charging, stereo speakers, in-display fingerprint reader, 5G support, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, a triple rear camera, and Android 12 under OxygenOS 12.1.

NOTE: The 5G situation for the OnePlus 10 Pro in the US is not ideal

The camera includes 48MP main, 50MP ultra-wide, and 8MP telephoto shooters, as well as a Hasselblad 2.0 shooting experience. Owners will find 150-degree field of view and fisheye modes, even more “Pro” level controls, and various levels of RAW capture. The full write-up on the camera changes can be found right here.
It has all of the specs you are likely looking for, but let's talk about what has changed some since this phone first launched overseas. For the US, the OnePlus 10 Pro will only come with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. Those are both still of the LPDDR5 and UFS3.1 varieties, but there isn't a max spec'd version with 12GB and 256GB+. Why? Probably to keep things simpler here and the price lower. As for another change, the US unit charges with 65W wired fast charging instead of the 80W charging of the Chinese version. Again, why? Tough to say! My guess is that it was far cheaper to include the already-made 65W charger in the box that worked with the OnePlus 9 Pro than make new 80W chargers for the US. Either way, it's technically a downgrade, but 65W is still absurdly fast and I can't imagine you being that mad about it. So what are we looking at for price and availability in the US with those changes? The OnePlus 10 Pro will cost $899 and come in either Volcanic Black or Emerald Forest. It's up for pre-order from OnePlus right now and should ship by April 14. T-Mobile will also carry the OnePlus 10 Pro, as will Best Buy and Amazon. Both Best Buy and Amazon are offering up freebies with pre-orders. Our review should be up later this week.

Pre-order the OnePlus 10 Pro

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT3l8-3Uo9o

Samsung is Still Giving Up to $900 Off the Galaxy S22 Ultra

Kellen — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 07:00:17 +0000
The Samsung Galaxy S22 line has already been readily available for a solid month now. If you were sold from the minute Samsung announced it, there's a chance you didn't hesitate to buy one of the options. If you weren't quite sold at first, but have now made up your mind, I've got good news for you - the big trade-in deals are still there to be had.
Galaxy S22 Ultra up to $900 off
Samsung's best-in-the-industry trade-in program, that gives you instant cash for your phone to apply towards a Galaxy S22 today, is still offering up to $900 off. That would mean a Galaxy S22 Ultra for as little as $349 today (our review), rather than needing to send in your phone to get the credit applied later or through a refund. Of course, you'll need a high-end phone that isn't that old to get the full $900 off, and currently the only phone that'll get you that is the Galaxy Fold 3. I can't imagine many Fold 3 owners are itching to ditch their fancy foldable. However, the values for phones like the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and Galaxy S21 Ultra are still at $850, which is crazy good. The Galaxy S20 Ultra is also at $825 and an insane value for those with a 2-year old phone looking to upgrade. Even the Galaxy S21+ is fetching $700 at the moment.

Shop Samsung's best Galaxy S22 Ultra deals

Similar deals for the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+
If the Galaxy S22 Ultra isn't the phone for you because you aren't a Galaxy Note fan, don't like the look, want a smaller device, or have a slightly smaller budget, the Galaxy S22 and S22+ are also seeing mostly the same trade-in values. The Galaxy S22+, being a $1,000+ device, will get you the same values for trades as we talked about with the S22 Ultra. So that means up to $900 off depending on the phone and paying just $99 today for one. The smaller, $850 Galaxy S22 is not getting the same values. If you traded in a S21 Ultra to get a regular S22, you'd only get $700. Maybe don't make that move? The S22+ is only slightly bigger and should provide a far better battery life experience over the S22 (our review).

Shop Samsung's best Galaxy S22 deals

Samsung's trade-in program
Somehow new to Samsung's trade-in program and wondering why we think it's great? As I mentioned above, Samsung's trade-in program is the best because they tell you a value for the phone you are trading in and then give you that value today as an instant discount off your phone purchase. Instead of telling you that they'll give a refund weeks down the road or send you one of those terrible prepaid gift cards full of the value, they trust that you have the phone you say you do and give you the value today. When we say that you could get a Galaxy S22+ for $99, you will only pay $99 today. All you have to do is send back your trade-in once you get your new phone and Samsung will then confirm all is good. If you don't send it to them, obviously they'll bill you back for that discount they gave you, so don't lie. Either way, Samsung's store is still and probably always will be the best place to buy their new phones. As an added bonus, they have all of those sweet exclusive colorways too.

Real or April Fools': Dyson's Air Purifying Noise Cancelling Headphones

Tim — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 10:21:01 +0000
Making the rounds this week is the Dyson Zone, a set of air purifying headphones with noise cancellation. Very neat and clever, right? The issue is, no one can seem to tell if they're actually real or not. With it being so close to April 1 (April Fools' Day), we're bound to see a lot of gag products this week, plus Dyson hasn't provided any availability or pricing specifics to ensure the buying public that these headphones are the real deal. We have seen many write ups from large tech publications, all diving into features and how the headphone's filter system will need to be replaced once every year depending on how many pollutants the wearer comes in contact with. There's almost too much information about the headphones to think they're fake, but then again, it's a pair of f*cking Dyson headphones with a face mask and air filtration system attached to them. It's hysterical.

Why is it a big deal?
Pre-2020, a product like this might've been seen as rather silly, but not in our shared reality that is the COVID-19 pandemic. While things are beginning to settle back down and restrictions are lifting, the virus is still out there, with plenty of people likely sparing no expensive to keep themselves safe. Dyson is in a position to capitalize on this, as their products are always seen as very high-end, thanks to wonderful product design and next level marketing. They're like the Apple of vacuums. They may not actually be the best, but they sell like crazy because they're seen as a status symbol. We have yet to see any 3rd-party in-depth hands on with the Dyson Zone, but at least one YouTuber has posted a Short showing off what's assumed to be a prototype. It's not like you can't pay a YouTuber to be in on the joke, though. What do you think? Is this a real product or not? Ever since the Oscar's slap between Will Smith and Chris Rock, I've been questioning my reality a whole lot more. What's truly real anymore? God help us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW0nyPCQbjY&ab_channel=Dyson

Free MLB TV For T-Mobile (Sprint and Metro Customers, Too!) Returns April 5

Tim — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 14:41:06 +0000
Thanks to owners and players coming to terms recently, MLB baseball is back! To celebrate the start of a new season, as they've done for quite a few years now, T-Mobile is offering all of its customers a free season of MLB.TV, which is the official streaming platform for the MLB. It's the best way to watch your team, especially if you live out of market such as I do with my San Francisco Giants. The redemption process begins April 5 through the T-Mobile Tuesdays app. At that time, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Metro by T-Mobile customers will be able to redeem the free year of access. Take note, you'll only have one week to claim this gift, so don't miss out.
How and When

Android and iOS users can grab their free subscriptions to MLB.TV for one week, starting Tuesday, April 5 at 5 a.m. ET through Tuesday, April 12 at 4:59 a.m. ET. All customers have to do is head to the T-Mobile Tuesdays app (Google Play Link) for details on how to redeem.
As a baseball fan, this has to be the #1 gift you can get from a carrier. It's a value of $139 for absolutely free, which when claimed by potentially millions of customers, is a huge gift. Thank you, T-Mobile. I appreciate you very much. // T-Mobile

Chrome 100 Released on Android!

Kellen — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 13:37:55 +0000
Google's Chrome team had a big day today, with the release of Chrome 100 on several platforms. We got the stable update on desktop (Windows, Mac, and Linux) as well as on iOS. The Android version has been signed off on too, but may not hit your devices for a couple of days, you know, because slow rollout hell and all that. What's new in Chrome 100 for Android? Google really didn't layout a huge feature list by any means, only suggesting that it includes "stability and performance improvements." We always love a more stable and better performing app, so that's cool. In general, though, Chrome 100 brings a Safety Check for better protecting yourself, Enhanced Safe Browsing to protect against malware and phishing, and better control over permissions. Oh, the logo is new too, so that should be changing on your Android phone once the update hits. The stable Chrome 100 build is officially 100.0.4896.58. Be on the lookout. Google Play Link: Chrome // Chrome Releases

Verizon Galaxy Note 10 Lineup Receives One UI 4.1, March Security Update

Tim — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 12:19:18 +0000
A fresh update is rolling out to the Galaxy Note 10 family on Verizon, which consists of the Galaxy Note 10, Note 10+, and Note 10+ 5G. Inside, owners will find the One UI 4.1 update, which provides a wealth of changes, such as enhanced object eraser for the Gallery app, Live Sharing in Google Duo, a big keyboard update, and much more. A detailed list of what's new can be viewed here. In addition, the March security patch is included.
Updated Software Version Numbers

Note 10: N970USQU7HVC6

Note 10+: N975USQU7HVC6

Note 10+ 5G: N976VVRU7HVC6

Go snag that update! // Verizon

Motorola Claims #3 Spot in US Smartphone Market for First Time

Tim — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 09:46:17 +0000
LG's exit from the smartphone business presented a unique opportunity for the ever-competitive field that makes up the Android OEM world. LG, even towards the end, sold a substantial amount of handsets (majority in the low-end to mid-tier range), so naturally, companies like Samsung, Motorola, and OnePlus would be vying for those customers. As it turns out, Motorola did very well at turning LG customers into Moto customers. According to data provided by Counterpoint, Motorola has officially taken and held the US' #3 smartphone OEM spot for a calendar year, ending with 10% of the market. That's behind Apple's massive 58% and Samsung's respectable 22%. In the graph below, we can see that it was between February and April of 2021 that Motorola began to gobble most of what was left of LG's phone business.
Counterpoint notes that this success has been highly due to sales of Motorola's Moto G Stylus, Moto G Power, and Moto G Pure phones. It will be fun to watch Motorola continue efforts to keep this position. It's no surprise that OnePlus is moving hard into the mid-range markets with the Nord line. Same thing can be said for Google and its Pixel A lineup. Things will surely get spicy. Pop your bottles, Moto! // Counterpoint

Verizon Text From Your Own Number is a Scam

Kellen — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 09:11:19 +0000
Verizon folks noticed over the past several days that they had received a text message from themselves and that's probably not a normal thing. That text message presented itself as sort of a "Good job, buddy!" with a supposed reward for paying their bill on time, but of course, not all was right there and it was indeed a scam. I'm not sure this is an out-of-the-ordinary happening, just that a fresh wave appears to have alarmed a lot of folks for the first time. There are at least three reddit threads here, here, and here, with people confused and worried. Either way, someone has spoofed a lot of phone numbers and sent out a scam text that is likely tricking folks because it is showing up as coming from their own number. That could lead them to believe Verizon is simply sending it or something? I don't know, but understand that you always need to be careful when anyone sends you a text that has a link in it, even if your phone is telling you that you sent it to yourself. The text message is showing up as "Free Msg: Your bill is paid for March. Thanks, here's a little gift for you: BAD LINK." If you see this, don't click that link! Some have and it's a scam survey of some sort that is probably trying to siphon information from you to then turn around and do bad things. I haven't seen the text, but my wife says she got it a couple of days ago. She - because of my constant yelling over the years of "Never click weird links in emails or texts!" - said she ignored and deleted it. She's pretty awesome. Verizon has acknowledged this wave of text messages to customers and blamed "bad actors" for it in a statement send to The Verge. They also said that they are working to block these messages and have grabbed US law enforcement for help:
“Our team is actively working to block these messages, and we have engaged with US law enforcement to identify and stop the source of this fraudulent activity. Verizon continues to work on behalf of the customer to prevent spam texts and related activity.”
Anyone else get this fun text from yourself from Verizon?

YouTube TV: 5.1 Audio Coming to Google TV, Android TV, Roku Soon

Tim — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 08:31:43 +0000
YouTube TV currently offers 5.1 audio support on a very limited range of devices (traditional Chromecast dongles + Samsung, LG TV sets), but according to an update from the official streaming platform's Twitter account, that should soon be changing. According to YouTube TV, they are testing 5.1 audio on Google TV, Android TV, and Roku devices. If all goes well during its testing, YTTV expects to launch 5.1 audio support on those devices next. Sweeeet. Furthermore, the platform details that, "We’re still working internally and with partners to enable 5.1 on Apple TV, Fire TV, and game consoles." Feel free to take your time for those Apple TV users, I say. We'll keep you posted on this launch. https://twitter.com/YouTubeTV/status/1508555731087204356

Samsung, It's Time for a Vertical App Drawer

Tim — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 07:15:57 +0000
As the headline reads, we're now beginning a campaign for Samsung to change its current app drawer from a horizontal, paginated layout to a vertical layout. As it currently exists, to look through your app drawer on a Samsung device, you swipe up into the drawer, then proceed by changing your swipe direction to left/right for scrolling through the apps you have installed. For me, with quite a few apps, I have seven pages (4x5 layout) of apps to swipe through. That's probably not even a lot of pages compared to other people. Since it's still technically quicker for me to swipe 7x to get to my apps on the last page, apps like Yummly and YouTube TV, I do that rather than using the search bar on the top of the app drawer UI. That doesn't make it good, though. It can very much be improved.
The Case for a Vertical Drawer
I'll make this real easy to understand. If I swipe up into the drawer, it makes sense to me that I could simply continue swiping up to scroll through my list of apps. Why the change in swipe direction? Additionally, a vertical layout allows for quicker access to apps, especially if a letter-powered directory is added to the right side of the drawer. Heck, at least give me the option to choose between vertical or horizontal. Samsung's launcher has plenty of settings to go through, but a vertical drawer is not one of them. I can't imagine it would be that difficult to implement the option. In that same breath, I'd like to note that every other Android OEM has a stock launcher with a vertical app drawer. Samsung appears to be the last holdout with the horizontal app drawer.

Stock vs. Good Lock

What About Good Lock?
Good Lock is an app for Samsung devices, allowing for a lot of customizable options, including one that brings a vertical option to the app drawer. The problem? It sucks. When enabled, it includes two freakin' rows of recommended apps, which doesn't help me and doesn't look good. Case closed on Good Lock. Kellen additionally pondered if the launcher experience would be better if it remained horizontal, but wasn't paginated. That doesn't sound enticing to me, but my main focus is limiting the amount of swipes it takes me to get to apps that start with letters near the end of the alphabet. In my current layout, 7 swipes to get to the end? That seems time wasting and ridiculous. Until something is done, I'm sticking with Nova Launcher, which isn't even a great alternative currently due to the mess that is native Android navigation gestures and 3rd-party launchers. That's a story for a different post. Your move, Samsung.

Google Details April's Google System Updates

Tim — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 12:01:32 +0000
April approaches and with it a fresh Google System Update, featuring fixes and changes for the Google Play/system ecosystem as a whole. To recap, what you're about to see is what is happening behind the scenes in Play Services updates and general Google Play updates. These are the changes you don't really see, but should help make your Android experience a bit better. Before we go any further, do know that Google does a lot of copy and paste with these changelogs. Due to that, on top of Google's vague bullets, it's impossible to say for sure what's new. In this changelog, Google lists bug fixes for security for its various platforms yet again this month (same thing for last month), as well as updates for system management services that improve device connectivity, network usage, stability, etc. While vague, it's certainly better than nothing. Here's the full list for those interested.
What's New

April 2022

Critical Fixes

[Auto, Phone, Tablet, TV, Wear OS] Bug fixes for security & privacy, and system management & diagnostics related services. ^[1][2]

Google Play Store

Improvements to Play-as-you-download feature to let gamers start playing mobile games while the app download continues to reduce waiting times. ^[3]

New Features to help you discover the Apps & Games you love.^[3]

Optimizations allowing faster and more reliable download and installation.^[3]

New features to the Play Pass and Play Points programs. ^[3]

Enhancements to Google Play Billing. ^[3]

Continuous improvements to Play Protect to keep your device safe. ^[3]

Various performance optimizations, bug fixes and improvements to security, stability and accessibility. ^[3]

System Management

Updates to system management services that improve device connectivity, network usage, stability, security and updatability. ^[1][2]

Developer Services

New developer features for Google and third party app developers to support ads, accessibility, analytics & diagnostics and machine learning & AI, and security & privacy related developer services in their apps. ^[2]

_{[1] Available through Google Play system update for April.
[2] Available through Google Play services v22.12 updated on 04/01/2022.
[3] Available through Google Play Store v29.9 updated on 04/01/2022.}
As a reminder, these updates are very important/cool because they are for all Android users. These are not device specific, and while Google has been doing them for a while, we've only recently been provided with changelogs. Please continue this, Google. These new features and improvements will rollout as Google Play Services v22.12 and Google Play Store v29.9 starting April 1. It will likely take a while before everyone gets them.

Fitbit's New Wearables Show No Signs of Wear OS

Kellen — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 08:22:27 +0000
When Google decided to buy Fitbit back in 2019, they were pretty clear in that they had big plans to bring Fitbit's fitness tracking software onto Wear OS in some way. We assumed that meant a Fitbit smartwatch running Wear OS, which Fitbit CEO James Park confirmed was in the works last year during Google I/O. Of course, that all happened over the span of two years and we still don't have any hint of a new Fitbit device on the horizon running Wear, plus a batch of newly found info suggests the next wave of hardware from Fitbit will be more of the same. Within the latest Fitbit app update, the 9to5Google crew found codenames of upcoming devices, along with display resolutions, all of which suggest these are new versions of old devices, none of which run Wear OS. There were mentions of devices called "hera," "rhea," and "nyota," as well as display resolutions of 336x336 for those first two, and 124x208 for the "nyota" model. The 336x336 resolution matches that of the Versa and Sense lines from Fitbit, while the lower rectangular resembles a display you might find on a simpler fitness tracker. So what we're likely looking at here is a Versa 4, Sense 2, and maybe a new Luxe or some other Fitbit tracker. None of those devices ran Wear OS in the past and probably don't here either. Since these devices were found within the bridge software of the Fitbit app, which is what they use to communicate with your phone, the chances of any surprising us with Wear are slim. With that said, there shouldn't be a need for a Wear OS watch to use the Fitbit bridge to share data back and forth between your phone and watch. So while this info suggests there are new Fitbit devices on the way that run Fitbit's own OS, there still could be a Fitbit Wear OS watch coming that hasn't revealed itself yet. Or maybe Google's supposedly-real Pixel Watch will bring the Fitbit integration and do what Google and Fitbit need it to do.

You Dislike Every Phone Unless Samsung Makes It

Kellen — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 07:20:34 +0000
This week was filled with Android smartphone news, all of which involved high-end devices from familiar manufacturers once loved by the Android community or with positive ties to it. OnePlus told us when to expect their OnePlus 10 Pro in the US, Motorola let us review their Edge+ (2022) and launched it, and Nothing gave early details on their first device that will arrive this summer. But while we felt some excitement about the idea of a batch of new high-end phones headed to the market, it's obvious that few of our readers care. In fact, this is Android now. If it's not a high-end Samsung phone, or we hit that period about a month after Google releases theirs and the issues start piling up, the US Android world could not care less. It's really starting to get sad. To be clear, this isn't a post about Samsung so much as it is about the rest of the industry. Samsung is dominating here in the US because they make really great phones at various sizes and at different price points. They update their phones better and longer than anyone, update specs, often improve in ways others can't (or won't), and they launch without all of the issues that seem to plague so many other phone makers. I get why Samsung phones are loved. This post is about the rest of the industry and how they need to get their sh*t together. We used to live in this Android space that had multiple important players doing their own thing. Samsung has dominated forever, but HTC was a household name for years, Motorola carved out its space on Verizon, LG dabbled in success, Google has had both Nexus and Pixel lines that still get people excited on some level, and OnePlus captured the eye of enthusiasts who wanted it all on a budget. But now, it's just Samsung getting attention and everyone else seemingly ignored. If you scroll through news posts we wrote this week on those new devices or check out Twitter replies and reddit threads, it's nothing but "Nope!" and "Yawn" and "I don't trust Motorola" talk. Why? LG and HTC are gone, so one would think that Motorola, OnePlus, and Google would try and seize on spaces left by those missing names. Unfortunately, Motorola has mostly disappeared outside of their mid-range offerings that I can't even keep track of. Their lack of commitment to updates has certainly turned a number of potential customers away and their limited releases that mostly involve Verizon are also not helping. For OnePlus, they decided a few years back that they were on the level of Samsung and it was a mistake. Their never-ending increases in price followed by questionable software decisions, spotty update rollouts, cameras that couldn't keep up, and really obnoxious marketing schemes have done damage. And for Google, the Pixel line has been hit or miss over the years, but the Pixel 6 line was supposed to be everything. The phones launched and Google has really struggled with the software on each, possibly because of their Tensor chip, but that's still not an excuse. As much as I like both phones, I won't sit here and deny that the first few months of their availability have been a frustrating mess for many who own one. As for Nothing, I'm not sure why the interest isn't there. Maybe it's because of the cheesy faux-limited rollout of their earbuds to create faux-demand annoyed people. Maybe it's Carl Pei's goofy zen vibe or that it all appears to be a run-it-back of the OnePlus playbook. Whatever it is, the chatter surrounding Nothing's products around these parts aren't very positive. The thing is, I'm not sure how any of these companies can make that comeback. OnePlus would have to ditch all efforts to turn a profit and ditch OPPO, Motorola would have to start truly trying on several ways they haven't in years, and Google would have to finally launch a phone that isn't plagued by problems for its first months. I do think Nothing has a chance to make a move, assuming pricing is right and they really do something as interesting as they are making their first phone sound. There's also OSOM, making a 2022 version of an Essential Phone that has potential. So while so many of you are fine just buying the next Samsung Galaxy phone, I am most definitely not. I'm going to keep pointing out the flaws of these other phone makers. I'm also going to stay optimistic about companies willing to give it a try, like the Nothing's Phone (1) and the upcoming phone from OSOM. I'm going to give Google credit for going their own way with chips and stay hopeful that round two should lead to a smoother launch. If we don't, then we'll all end up stuck with One UI...meh.

Nest Hub With Detachable Tablet In the Works for 2022

Tim — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 12:08:17 +0000
Detailed in a report this week, we can look forward to the potential of a new Nest Hub device from Google, but one with a detachable display running its own OS for use as a tablet device. When not being used as a tablet, it will dock into a speaker system, just like the current lineup of Nest Hub devices. As reported by 9to5Google, the device is said to launch in 2022, though, it's currently unclear what OS the tablet/Hub device will run. It's theorized that Chrome OS would be too power hungry for such a device, while the Android OS is a clear favorite option that would allow users full access to Google Play for apps. The timing of this device seems great, as Google has spent the last couple of years making Nest Hubs much more than simply a screen for controlling your home devices or being a digital picture frame. Google I/O is likely too soon to learn more about this device, but stay tuned. You never know what Google may tease and introduce at its annual developer conference. // 9to5Google

Google and Spotify to Give Users Choice Over Billing

Kellen — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 08:34:09 +0000
Google and Spotify announced a new partnership this week that will soon give users a choice over billing when they install the popular music app from Google Play and choose a paid plan. This is a big step, as it shows Google opening up to the idea of alternative billing systems, outside of their own. This is the first partnership of its kind for Google, and Spotify is probably a good choice, since it's a major player in the app space and also has tons of paid users. Google says that this new system will help them increase the understanding of "whether and how user choice billing works for users in different countries and for developers of different sizes and categories." As far as we know, the plan is to present users with a choice to either pay for their Spotify Premium through Spotify's payment system or let Google Play handle it. They'll be available within the app, side-by-side, "for the first time," according to Spotify. Don't expect to see this type of billing super soon, though. Spotify would only commit to this happening "later this year" and likely only in select countries to start. Google was also very clear that a process like this "will take time and require close collaboration" with developers. If you are wondering why this is such a big deal, think of it in terms of money and you'll get it. When Google lets an app sell subscriptions, it takes 15% because the payment system is their own through Google Play. By allowing an alternative payment system, like Spotify's, that certainly could change things for Google. According to Bloomberg, it still sounds like Google will take some cut, but I can't imagine it being that close to 15%. Either way, choice is often a good thing. We'll update you once this gets closer to launching. // Spotify | Google

Google Releases New Android 12 QPR3 Beta 1.1 Update for Pixel 6

Kellen — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 12:09:01 +0000
Google pushed out a new Android 12 beta update today to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. This update is a part of the QPR3 beta program that opened up a few weeks back and is currently only targeted at Google's newest phones. The update is labeled as Android 12 QPR3 Beta 1.1 and it aims to take care of "issues that caused excessive battery drain," as well as a call quality issue where a high pitch noise was happening. That's all that Google is telling us is involved here so far. Here is the rest of the build info:
Release date: March 24, 2022 Build: S3B1.220218.006 Security patch level: March 2022 Google Play services: 22.06.18
Google says on the release notes page for this 1.1 update that it is only for the Pixel 6 line and that all other supported Pixel devices should continue running the initial Beta 1 build. They will receive another beta update in a "future beta release." If you are enrolled in the Android Beta Program (sign-up) and own a Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro, this update will push over-the-air to you. If you'd rather flash the file, both factory image and OTA files are also available.

It's 2022 and I'm Still Waiting for the Perfect Phone

Tim — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 10:37:06 +0000
Perfect: Adjective /ˈpərfikt/ - Having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it is possible to be. Before the Pixel 6 lineup launched last year, I thought Google had a chance to release what I'd consider a perfect phone. The hardware looked great, the camera would surely be amazing, and Android 12 was looking quite special. As we know now, while the Pixel 6 is a fine device, it's far from being perfect. It's not even close to the definition I posted above. Then the Galaxy S22 lineup came along. Samsung has been refining this line since the Galaxy S6, which is when they ditched the plastic bodies and began going with a premium hardware experience. For me, the Galaxy S22 came closer to being "perfect" than the Pixel 6, but let's face it, no phone with a sub-4,000mAh battery can possibly be perfect. I still use the Galaxy S22 as my daily and I've had it die multiple times on me during the evening, so unfortunately, I'm still waiting for the perfect phone. As a consumer, I don't think I'm asking for too much. I want a full day of battery life, a proper fingerprint reader that works, software with little to no jank, a great in-hand feel, and an amazing camera. Many phones have multiple of these qualities, but I have yet to come across one that offers them all. The Pixel 5 was very close to this, but it was slightly underpowered for my tastes. Great phone, but it lacked any sort of wow factor. I'm thinking to myself, why has it been so hard for these massive companies, all of whom have been making phones for years and years, to deliver the perfect phone? A core issue, at least for Android, is that it takes so much more than a single company to produce a phone. For Samsung, here in the US, it relies on Qualcomm to make a great chip. Lately, that hasn't been happening, with thermal issues being a concern for Snapdragon chipsets. Then there's Google, a company whose identity is essentially software, who has been really dropping the ball with regards to software on its latest flagship devices. It's not what we'd expect from Google and the Pixel line, considering its their OS and their supposed vision for what Android should be. It's not a good look. An important takeaway is the subjectiveness that is perfection itself. For some, maybe the Galaxy S22 Ultra is the perfect phone. For me? It's simply way too big and that's enough for me to dismiss it. Honestly, the perfect phone has probably come and gone years ago, with new technology being added and goal posts constantly being moved. Looking back at phones from over the years, there could be a few candidates for Perfect Android Phone, a few of which made our semi-recent Most Important Android Phones list.

Pixel 2 XL

Galaxy S6

LG G2

Galaxy Note 2

While each phone may have had minor flaws, these phones were nearly perfect. Back then, we had no idea that we were apparently living in the glory days of Android. How we wish we would have savored it a bit more. It's not all depressing, though. There is a lot to look forward to, whether you want to believe it or not. While I know some may not share my excitement for Nothing, I do have high hopes for Nothing Phone (1). If anything, it will be different and that's always a good thing. There's OSOM to think about, plus Google always has a chance of blowing us away with the Pixel 7. It could happen! Would love to hear your take on the perfect Android phone. Are you using it right now? Was it an old phone you had? Everyone has a different definition, so let's hear it!

Pixel 6 Owners Notice Weaker Notification Haptics After March Update

Kellen — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 10:16:49 +0000
The March update for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro showed up this week and it seems to have been mostly well-received. Well, there is one issue that is bugging a number of owners and we aren't sure if the result was intended or not. Either way, both Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro owners are complaining about weaker haptics and vibrations following this month's Pixel Feature Drop. A reader pointed out the issue almost immediately upon updating, then followed up after hearing from others (in our comments too) with the same problem. We took a look and sure enough there are a handful of threads (here, here, and here) filling up with complaints about weaker haptics or softer vibrations on the Pixel 6 line. For many, the vibrations have become so weak that they are missing message notifications or calls, even with the vibration intensity turned all of the way up and the phone sitting by their side or in a pocket. Our reader said he tweaked all of the vibration settings in a number of ways to try and reset or get them back to pre-March update and was unable to. There are mixed reports about notification vibrations differing depending on the app, as well. But here's the thing - Google may have done this on purpose? I say that because not everyone is complaining. Some have noticed the vibration pattern has changed (like a soft build-up to a peak vibration) and admit to liking it, although most agree it is weaker even at the high-end. Others noted that this was a problem in the Android 12L beta (thread) and appears to have carried through to the 12L stable (which this March update is). Google also adjusted their bug fix list for this March update with a mention of haptics. If you look at Google's community post here, you'll see a bullet for the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro that says, "Fix for issue causing weaker haptic feedback in certain conditions." However, when we initially wrote-up the list on March 7, that line wasn't there. It was added on March 8. So was this change intentional or did Google further break something by trying to fix it? Again, most are confirming that the vibrations for notifications or calls has changed in style or pattern, but they are also confirming across the board that they seem much weaker. Hey, the April update is just around the corner! Cheers James!

Reserve Your OnePlus 10 Pro for $1, Get Free Pair of OnePlus Buds Pro

Tim — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 08:23:51 +0000
We learned today that OnePlus will make all of the OnePlus 10 Pro for the US information available on March 31, such as pricing and availability. However, if you already know you need the OnePlus 10 Pro in your life, why not go ahead and reserve one now? OnePlus has opened 10 Pro reservations on its website, allowing customers to save a phone for $1, while also throwing in a free pair of OnePlus Buds Pro. Sadly, we know the phone will cost more than $1. OnePlus states that customers will need to pay the difference between March 31 and April 7 at. We can't say for sure how much this phone will cost, but given OnePlus' pricing scheme as of late, I suspect the phone will be somewhere around $800-$1K. The included bonus of free OnePlus Buds Pro is pretty awesome, so it's something to consider. Have at it.
Reserve OnePlus 10 Pro Here

Motorola Edge + (2022) Review: Probably a Thumbs Up

Kellen — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 06:00:04 +0000
In an attempt to return to the high-end smartphone space for 2022, Motorola has delivered the Edge+ (2022), a device that was actually first shipped in China at the end of 2021, but is now in the US. Don't let the lag time in-between launches worry you, though - this is still very much a current and properly outfitted flagship phone. The story here isn't about the timing so much as whether or not Motorola, after years of dipping in and out of this space, can compete with Samsung, OnePlus, and Google. With the Edge+, they are very much trying to in both specs and price, but there are familiar worries we should talk about. There are also plenty of highlights as well. Let's dive in - this is our Motorola Edge+ (2022) review.

What do I like about the Motorola Edge+?
Specs. If you took away the branding and sat this phone in front of almost anyone with its specs sheet next to it, they should be able to nod in agreement with you that it checks the boxes. You have a big and fast display (6.7" at 144Hz), lots of RAM and storage (12GB x 256GB), a couple of high-end wide angle cameras (dual 50MP sensors) with the typical features, a big battery that charges quickly (4800mAh at 30W with 15W wireless charging too), stereo speakers, WiFi 6E, 5G, fingerprint reader, Android 12, 60MP selfie camera, and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. But when you put "Motorola" back onto the story, you have to start asking what they cut or where does it miss a step. Whether you think that's fair or not, Motorola often does weird things with specs in the US. For example, they almost always leave out NFC in their mid-range phones here, a move that is absolutely baffling. Thankfully, for the Edge+, there isn't anything worrisome here, outside of the lack of an IP68 water and dust resistance rating (it's rated at IP52). It does lack a high-end telephoto lens too, but that may not matter to everyone. It does have NFC, thankfully, and the rest all looks pretty good. As far as I can tell, Motorola hasn't really cut, unless again, you really need a super telephoto shooter. I do wish they would add some true water resistance too. Display. Motorola used a 6.7" pOLED display in the Edge+ with a full HD resolution (2400x1080) and 144Hz refresh rate. Some may wonder why it's not a QHD resolution, but I'm still not sure I've seen the need for such a high resolution on such a small-scale. A 1080p display in a smartphone is completely acceptable, especially when it looks as good as this one. This display is as absurdly fast and smooth as the 144Hz spec suggests. And I left it on "auto" for my testing, so I've let the system put in the work on whether or not it shows me smoothness. I haven't noticed it dropping often, at least in situations where I would notice. Motorola also includes a 144Hz option that locks the display there, for those who really want nothing but smooth, and I applaud them for that. Most phone makers are so worried about battery life, they won't let you force it in general display settings. The display's color profile looks pretty solid out of the box and probably leans towards the cooler side, which my eye always appreciates. You can tweak that, of course, plus the touch sensitivity is top notch. I do feel like it lacks in the high brightness area. It gets plenty dim, but can't match-up to the brightness levels of my Galaxy S22. Another issue is a slight color shifting when looking at the display at an off-angle. For the most part, this display quality is quite good, just not as good as what you might find in the Galaxy S22 line or the Pixel 6 Pro from color and brightness standpoints. I do think it looks smoother more often than those two, though. Maybe most importantly, you also shouldn't overlook the fact that it's a flat display, unlike on the 6 Pro and S22 Ultra. Those two continue to push curved displays, which the world should collectively despise in a phone. They offer no benefits and only negatives outside of looking sort of cool. Motorola didn't bring back a curved display and instead offers the classic flat design that helps it succeed in being a daily tool. Battery life. I have no complaints in battery life on the Edge+. I wasn't expecting there to be any going into testing because Motorola is one of the few that almost always impresses here, but I'm just confirming to you that we're all good in this area. The 4800mAh battery proves to be plenty and the 30W wired charging means it powers up quickly. Would Motorola benefit from 60W wired and 50W wireless charging? Yeah I guess, but for the most part, 30W wired charging should get you the juice you need in a short amount of time if you need it. Oh, and Motorola includes a 30W wired charger in the box, which you all seem to think is a big deal. So there's that! For my testing, I'm still running phones from 6AM to 11PM on most days, with 3.5 to 5 hours of screen on time. My mix of use includes a lot of Twitter, Instagram, Chrome, Telegram, Google News, and some word games here and there. On one particularly heavy day, I hit 5.5 hours of screen on time and still had 24% battery left at 11PM. That's really good in my book.
Software. The Edge+ ships with Android 12 and Motorola's My UX software. Moto continues to keep things clean, in a "pure" Android way, while still improving the user experience by offering up their suite of features, like chopping for the flashlight or twisting your wrist to launch the camera. It's a good combination of Google's take on Android that also lets Motorola improve some areas. This latest version of My UX doesn't do anything incredibly new, but for Android 12 they are bringing in even more personalization. For example, they brought in the Material You dynamic coloring that changes system colors and accents based on your wallpaper. They are giving you choices in icon shape too, as well as fonts and font sizes. They added this new gesture where you can double tap the power button (not press it, just tap) and it'll bring up a window with shortcuts to apps of your choosing, sort of like Samsung's app edge stuff. You know, that's mostly it for new stuff. Motorola still isn't doing an always-on display and instead does their "Peek" display, that lights up with new notifications or if you tap or move your phone. It's not a bad alternative to an always-on display, but I don't like the fact that it requires interaction to see information. Besides that minor gripe, what's great about Motorola's software is that it isn't trying to dramatically change Android. They really do give you a close-to-Pixel experience, so the quick settings look normal, as does the app drawer and settings menus. Everything looks like you might find it on Google's phones, which happen to run our favorite Android. I should probably point out that this has Motorola's Ready For software. Ready For is like Samsung's DeX, in that it brings a desktop-like computer experience from your phone to a big screen. I have no idea who uses this stuff, but it is here and available. I haven't tested it and probably won't. Sorry. Like I've said probably dozens of times by now, Motorola's software is a style I prefer. It's lean and fast and isn't overdoing it, but there are subtle improvements. It's a dramatic change from what Samsung and OnePlus are doing. I'll talk about software updates down below. Performance. This Motorola Edge+ (2022) was one of the first phones (the Chinese version, that is) to run a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, the newest chip from Qualcomm. This particular review unit pairs that chip with 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS3.1 storage. The combination of those insides and with a 144Hz display, along with lean and clean software, means you will enjoy the performance of this phone. As I always note, we don't do benchmarks and instead use phones as we would our own personal phones during review purposes to get a feel for the experience from one phone to the next. I can tell you that this phone is as buttery smooth as you'd hope. It almost never skips a beat. The simple things are nailed here, like a swipe up from within an app to go home, where the animation shrinks back down to the app icon's location on a screen. My Galaxy S22 often jitters during this movement or misses a frame during general use, but not this Edge+. I don't really know how else to explain it other than that you would be thoroughly impressed by how fast this phone feels. It feels fast in a way that OnePlus has perfected over the years, even though the components they use are the same as everyone else's. Motorola has truly dialed this Edge+ in. Design. For a large phone, the Edge+ doesn't necessarily present itself as being as big as it is. Motorola has designed this phone so that it curves into your hand, is balanced from top to bottom, and doesn't weigh (or at least feel like it weighs) so much that you'll experience fatigue trying to mange it. The subtle curves on the back fit my hand perfectly, and as someone who complains a lot about all the big phones on the market, this one hasn't been difficult to deal with while reviewing. Motorola put this really cool finish on the backside that looks like a holographic or reflective frosting, so as you move the phone around, you can see the deep blue color shift around. It's a cool effect and the finish on the back doesn't pick up a ton of fingerprints. The camera hump on the backside also doesn't stick out so much that the phone can't be used when sitting on a flat surface. There is a touch of wobble, but not in an obnoxious way like on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. If I have complaints about the design, it's maybe that it is a bit boring. We've seen this smartphone design on numerous other phones in recent years. The volume rocker is placed horribly too, so far up the right side that it can be hard to reach without doing a big shimmy shift in the hand. But mostly, the design is unassuming with a fun reflective coloring on the back, good balance for a big device, and one that isn't trying too hard to make a statement.
Camera. The Edge+ is outfitted with a dual 50MP camera setup, so you've got a 50MP main shooter at f/1.8 and a 50MP ultra-wide shooter at f/2.2. There is a third sensor that weighs in at 2MP, but I'd be wasting my time trying to find a use for it. Just consider this phone to have two 50MP sensors and get to work with it. In my testing, I found this Edge+ camera to be fast, versatile in both indoor and outdoor lighting situations, and flexible enough with that ultra-wide lens along for the ride. You can capture great depth of field, shoot solid portraits, and have a lot of fun with their macro mode. The app Motorola uses has gotten better too, so portrait mode works in a lot of situations now, there is a full Pro mode, and there are several gimmicky modes that all smartphone makers keep including because someone must use them. It's a pretty well-rounded camera app. For results, I've been in smartphone testing mode lately, with several phones (including the Edge+) in and out of my pocket and I think this holds up nicely to the competition. It's ultra-wide can process a littler warmer than the main shooter. There's some pretty heavy-handed binning going on too (from 50MP to 12.6MP) that really removes detail from landscape shots, so consider switching to the full 50MP mode for some of those. Otherwise, not many complaints from me - I think Motorola did solid work with this camera.

Fingerprint reader. You might find it odd that I'm pointing out a fingerprint reader in 2022, but Motorola isn't following the current trend of slapping in whatever bad in-display reader is currently available and sticking to it. Instead, they included a fingerprint reader in the side-mounted power button and it works so well. The positioning can be somewhat awkward at times, depending on which hand you are holding the phone in, but this thing is fast. I'm not sure I believe that in-display fingerprint readers will ever be very good, so it brings me joy to see someone not use one. These hardware or capacitive or touch pads that we see from time to time remain the best. On this Edge+, you barely have to touch your finger to it and the phone is immediately unlocked. It rarely-if-ever errors or fails to read and is about the most trustworthy fingerprint reader I've used since the Pixel 5's. Please, smartphone industry, can we go back to these?
What don't I like about it?
The update situation. Motorola deserves plenty of praise for their approach to a software experience, but they deserve as much ridicule for their approach to software updates. Google has expanded its support to 4 years and Samsung is doing up to 5 years now, yet Motorola almost always falls back to 2 years of OS updates and 3 years of security patches that only come every couple of months. The Motorola Edge+ is a $1,000 phone. Supporting a $1,000 phone in 2022 for only 2-3 years with sporadic updates that are often months and months behind the rest of the industry is borderline unacceptable. But Motorola just doesn't care. My guess is that they aren't seeing customers hang onto their phones for longer than 2 years and so they don't feel the need to commit any further. It sure looks bad when the rest of the players they compete against are only getting more serious about them. Should you not buy the Motorola Edge+ because it may only get 2 OS updates and (maybe) 3 years of security patches? You would need to ask yourself how much you care about software updates. If you need to have the most up-to-date security patches and don't want to see every other Android phone around you get Android 13 or 14 months before you, then you would need to look elsewhere.
What's the pitch? For the most part, there isn't much to dislike about the Motorola Edge+ and there are plenty of things to like about it. But what's the big sell here? The phone is big and runs well and has good specs and a solid camera and battery life and all that. It looks nice enough out of the box and isn't offensive. But what are you buying this for? Does it have the best camera? A good one, but maybe not the best. The best display or most attractive design? No. Is the price incredible? No. Is the software support better than competitors? Definitely, not. Maybe you want software that can double as a desktop...but you don't like Samsung's DeX? Uhhh. This is a weird phone. Motorola made a good one, but at $1,000 you start comparing to other $1,000 phones. We know why you buy the Pixel 6 Pro (only $899, incredible cameras, software support, and the Pixel experience) or the Galaxy S22 Ultra (incredible software support, excellent cameras, S Pen, and more). Why do you buy a Motorola Edge+? I don't really have an answer.
Video
Unboxing https://youtu.be/R2TIFB7yBI0
Should you buy a Motorola Edge+ (2022)?
I know that I just tried to answer this above, so obviously I don't know if you should buy a Motorola Edge+. Here's one way to look at the Edge+ -- If this were a phone I was considering, it would probably be because I was sick of Samsung's excessively bloated One UI skin (and I truly am), I don't trust Google's Pixel 6 Pro with all of the software bugs they are still trying to get rid of 6 months later, and OnePlus is trending in a direction I'm not a fan of. Then this would be on my list. And if that's you, the Edge+ really is giving you great performance and battery life, a nice display, solid camera, and clean software that stays out of your way. There will always be worries about software updates and their timeliness, so keep that in mind that not all is well here. But yeah, like the Edge+ from 2020, I think this is indeed a phone to consider.

Shop Motorola Edge+ (2022) Deals

OnePlus Will Share Its US Plans for the OnePlus 10 Pro on March 31

Kellen — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 04:00:17 +0000
This is going to be weird to read as I type this for you, but the OnePlus 10 Pro still has not been given official details for launch in the US. It has only been released in China (since January), with ColorOS instead of OxygenOS, as OnePlus waited to sell it here. We aren't sure why there was such a gap between launches, but all things will become clear later this month. This morning, OnePlus announced that March 31 is the date for the full US and North America reveal of the OnePlus 10 Pro. On March 31 at 10AM Eastern (7AM Pacific), they'll host a digital event on their YouTube channel that will tell you all you need to know. That's really all of they've told us today, but since we know almost everything about the phone, we're really waiting for that day to get a price and know when exactly we can buy one. OnePlus said specifically in a press note that "The launch event will give users the chance to learn more about the device, its competitive advantage, the official price in North America, and more." I'm curious what the competitive advantage is of a device that we have known about for three full months, unless they have a pricing trick up their sleeves. For a recap on the OnePlus 10 Pro, including specs, you'll want to check out this post. After doing so, stay tuned to Droid Life on March 31.

Google Home App Update Brings Quicker Device Controls

Tim — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 11:19:57 +0000
Google announced this week an inbound change for the Google Home app, one that brings new quick device controls to the app's main overview page, identical to the device controls that were first introduced in Android 11. The controls will allow you to tap to turn on/off devices, and just like the controls on Android 11, users can just hold and slide across the controls to manage whatever they'd like, such as light bulb brightness and more. Google also notes improved privacy controls in the latest update. Google also announced what's "coming soon" to the app.
Later this month, we will make improvements to the home feed to help you better understand what’s happening in and around your home. The update automatically sorts your home’s recent and most important events in an updated clutter free layout. Grouped events will help you understand what happened around the same time instead of scrolling through a list of repetitive events.
Be on the lookout. // Google

Nothing Phone (1) Confirmed, Coming This Summer

Tim — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 09:10:14 +0000
Nothing hosted a streamed event this week, announcing that the Nothing Phone (1) is indeed a real thing and coming quite soon! Hosted by the one and only Carl Pei of OnePlus fame, Nothing detailed that Phone (1) will be the beating heart of Nothing's growing ecosystem, powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipsets. We didn't get an actual look at the device, but Nothing did share a few screenshots of its Nothing OS. Carl mentions it's the best of Android mixed with Nothing's "iconic design language," but that seems a bit much considering all they've released is a pair of see-thru earbuds. In a few shared screenies, we can see them implementing the LED dot theme from their logo, custom widgets for weather and clock, plus a very clean lockscreen. According to Carl, Nothing Phone (1) will have less pre-installed apps and will also deliver the optimal amount of processing power and RAM based on what apps you're using. This will allow for a "fast and smooth" experience, though, we have already given OnePlus and Samsung a hard time about this. Nothing Launcher will be available for download this April on select smartphone models. One hardware aspect we can assume is a centered front-facing camera, given both corners of the UI are occupied. We can also essentially confirm NFC support, with a payments option spotted in the bottom right of the lockscreen screenshot. No OnePlus 2 vibes happening here, thank goodness. Full event can be viewed below, but if you watch to cut to the chase, Carl begins discussing the phone at 20:10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Cq7dnESV7Y&ab_channel=Nothing

Instagram's Chronological Feed is Back and the World is Beginning to Heal

Tim — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 08:28:34 +0000
Instagram announced today that the chronological feed is back! It's not called chronological, there's technically two new feed options called Favorites and Following, but both feeds show accounts you follow and appear in chronological order. Let's f'ing gooo! By default, the app will stick with its algorithm-powered Feed, but users can access the new feeds by tapping the Instagram logo. For Favorites, it's a feed of your favorite follows, with Instagram allowing for up to 50 accounts to be added to the feed. No one is notified when they are added or removed from your favorites. Following, as one might imagine, is all of the accounts you follow in one chronological feed. You know, the way it should always be and never should have been changed. Instagram has claimed that the old chronological feed had many users missing posts, but if that was such a big deal, users can always add notifications to the accounts they don't want to miss. I'd much rather miss a post or two than have to deal with Instagram's constant suggestions, sponsored posts, and recommended accounts nonsense. Honestly, I've grown to despise Instagram and Facebook, so I'm not 100% sure a chronological feed can save the platform for me, but dammit, I'm willing to at least give it a shot. // Instagram

Google Play's Movies & TV Section Being Moved to Google TV App

Tim — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 14:15:00 +0000
Google announced today that the Google TV app will soon be the home of everything movies and TV-related with regard to Google's distribution. In May of this year, movies and TV shows will no longer be supported on Google Play, so take note of that if you're wanting to purchase the latest entertainment. You'll now need to find everything via the Google TV app, including your existing library of titles. Here's the news straight from Google.
Starting in May 2022, the Google TV app will be your home for buying, renting, and watching movies and shows on your Android mobile device or tablet. On the Google Play app, Movies & TV will no longer be supported. Google Play will continue to be your store for apps, games, and books. On Google TV, you will find the same experience you are used to on Google Play Movies & TV with the latest new releases, rentals, deals, and great recommendations for you.
Google also provided a nice little FAQ about the move.
What to Know

Your purchased content will continue to be available in the Google TV app

Your purchases on the Google TV app continue to be eligible for family sharing and Google Play Points

You can still use Play credit and Play gift cards for purchasing in the Google TV app

Your wishlist can be accessed within the Google TV app

You can still view and request refunds for your purchases on Google Play

Your wishlist and reviews are available to download via takeout.google.com

Easy enough. // Google

Verizon Galaxy S21 Lineup Receives One UI 4.1 Update (Update: S20 Lineup, Too!)

Tim — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 11:04:15 +0000
Yesterday, Verizon began to push the One UI 4.1 update out to the Galaxy S21 lineup. That lineup consists of the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra. Inside One UI 4.1, which first launched with the Galaxy S22 and is now rolling out to other Galaxy devices, owners will find a large changelog. We've detailed much of it already, but the highlights include an enhanced object eraser for the Gallery app, Live Sharing in Google Duo, a big keyboard update, and much more.
Updated Build Numbers

Galaxy S21: G991USQU5CVC4

S21+: G996USQU5CVC4

S21 Ultra: G998USQU5CVC4

Go snag that update, Galaxy S21 owners! Update: The same update is now also headed out to the Galaxy S20 lineup! Below are the build numbers.

Galaxy S20: G981VSQU2FVC5

Galaxy S20+: G986USQU2FVC5

Galaxy S20 Ultra: G988USQU2FVC5

// Verizon

Steam Alpha Arrives for Chromebooks

Tim — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 10:26:24 +0000
Google released today an "alpha-quality" build of Steam for Chrome OS devices. This release will allow Chromebook-wielding gamers to access their Steam library, all thanks to Valve's Proton compatibility layer, which allows Linux-based systems to run Windows games. For now, only a small amount of Chromebooks are supported, but the list should grow over time. You'll note that these are high-end Chromebooks, given it does take a bit of computing power to run Windows titles on a machine. If you think these tech requirements are too much, you can always check out GeForce NOW or Stadia. Those are good options for getting AAA games onto nearly any laptop/tablet device.
Supported Chromebooks

Acer Chromebook 514 (CB514-1W)

Acer Chromebook 515 (CB515-1W)

Acer Chromebook Spin 713 (CP713-3W)

ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 (CX5500)

ASUS Chromebook CX9 (CX9400)

HP Pro c640 G2 Chromebook

Lenovo 5i-14 Chromebook

To get started and to check the full bugs list, follow the link below. Get Started Here // Google Support

Google Photos Gets Updated Sharing Tab, Improved Library, and Screenshot Shortcut

Tim — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 09:00:04 +0000
Google announced an update for Google Photos this morning, one that focuses heavily on organization and sharing. For your library of photos, Google is making it easier to find exactly what you're looking for. The app will now have an updated layout to show a grid (or list) that users can quickly filter by type (albums, shared albums, faves, etc.) and then sort. Additionally, Google Photos is making it easier to import photos that aren't yet in the cloud. And we're not just talking about other digital photos. Google wants all of your old school films and video, too, with a digitize tool now easily accessible from within Photos.
Google is also reworking the sharing tab. As detailed in Google's post, "We’re taking that idea and applying it to the sharing tab: We created sections for partner sharing, shared albums and conversations. With more defined sections, it’s easier to find, view and manage your shared photos and videos, and stay up to date so you never miss the latest snap." Last but not least, a new screenshot shortcut is being placed on the top of your photo grid should you have new screenshots awaiting your looking over. This shortcut means no more multi-step process to access your on-device screenshots, since for the most part, they are separated from the photos on your camera roll. If you're on Android, you'll begin seeing all of these features within the next couple of weeks. If you're on iOS, you'll need to wait a tad bit longer. // Google

Motorola's New Edge+ Phone Available March 24

Kellen — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 07:26:53 +0000
The new Motorola Edge+ (2022) finally has a release date and it's a good thing that we're finding out today. The new high-end Edge+ phone from Motorola goes on sale March 24, as in, this week. Starting Thursday, you can buy the Edge+ (2022) at Best Buy, Amazon, and Motorola's own store. We're talking about the universally unlocked version here that should work on all major US carriers. The unlocked model will cost $999, but with a limited time launch promo, will drop by $100 to $899. For Verizon folks, a special Verizon variant will also be available on March 24. The Verizon model will cost $849 at full retail or can be had through one of their 3-year contracts for $23.62/mo. They also have deals from BOGO to trade-in discounts that all vary depending on your situation. Need a recap on the new Motorola Edge+? We've got you right here.

Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro Get March Security, Massive Bug Fixer Update

Tim — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 12:48:46 +0000
While all other supported Pixel devices received this update back on March 7, Google is now pushing the March security patch/Feature Drop/massive bug fixer update to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. You can view what's new in the Feature Drop portion here, but a few of the highlights include a battery widget, a big update for At a Glance, Live Translate to Spanish, plus a whole lot more. It's actually a pretty sweet update, coupled with a huge list of bug fixes. It's a very important update and you should flash it ASAP. As for the build number, Google lists it as SP2A.220305.013.A3 for both the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. Google should begin pushing these updates shortly over-the-air (Settings>System>Advanced>System update), 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:

Factory Images

OTA Files

Pixel/Nexus Security Bulletin

Pixel Security Update Changes

Verizon Announces 5G UWB for More Markets in 2022

Tim — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 12:23:54 +0000
Verizon announced expansion of its 5G Ultra Wideband network this week, with major population centers from Colorado to Maryland confirmed to get their 5G UWB switches flipped. If you want specifics, Verizon lists that 30 major markets including the large population centers of Atlanta, GA, Baltimore, MD, Washington, DC, and Denver, CO will soon see it. Originally, Verizon intended to not have these markets live for quite some time, but thanks to new agreements with satellite providers for early clearance of additional C-band spectrum that Verizon acquired in 2021, customers are seeing the benefits now. Verizon intends to cover 175 million people with UWB coverage by the end of 2022. Be on the lookout in your city. // Verizon

Pixel 6 Lineup Certified for Verizon's C-Band Network, Update Rolling Out Today

Tim — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 10:49:25 +0000
Verizon's George Koroneos announced today that both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have, "officially been certified to work on Verizon's 5G C-Band network," meaning Google's latest flagship devices will now have complete access to the carrier's 5G Ultra Wideband. According to Koroneos, the phones will receive a software update starting today that will flip the switch for owners. Should you be in a supported 5G area, you should notice improved coverage and speeds. If you're running a Pixel 6 device on Verizon, let us know when the update hits your phone and what differences you notice. https://twitter.com/GLKCreative/status/1505952577443274757

Android 12 Arrives for OnePlus 8 Family

Tim — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 08:46:49 +0000
OnePlus announced over the weekend the rollout of the OxygenOS 12 (Android 12) update for the entire OnePlus 8 lineup, consisting of the OnePlus 8, 8 Pro, and 8T. OnePlus states that the update is hitting Open Beta tester devices right now, but if all goes according to plan, it'll hit all units soon. Inside, as one might expect with any major Android upgrade, there are a lot of new goodies. There's an adjustable dark mode, upgraded Shelf feature, new Gallery app, a WiFi connection fix, plus improvements across the entire system. You can check OnePlus' complete changelog here. For those who aren't a fan of waiting, you can still join the Open Beta test here, but if it was my phone, I'd probably wait for the public OTA to hit my device. That's my opinion. Enjoy, OP8 owners! // OnePlus [2]

Verizon Galaxy S22 Picks Up First Update Which Removes Throttling

Kellen — Sun, 20 Mar 2022 10:00:01 +0000
Typically when Samsung releases a new phone, there is a day 1 or close-to-day-1 update available that takes care of a bunch of early bugs and often enhances the camera. That didn't happen in the US, for some reason. We're now closing in on a month from launch and that first update is just hitting Verizon units. A reader of ours pinged us after checking for an update and finding build S908USQU1AVC8 on his Galaxy S22 Ultra. If his Ultra is getting it, the Galaxy S22 and S22+ should be getting a similar build, only with S901 (S22) and S906 (S22+) at the front. We don't have a changelog yet from Verizon, but again, this should be similar to a day 1 update and it introduces the March 2022 security patch. I don't believe this takes care of the throttling that Samsung thought you'd appreciate on your $1,300 phone. Once we get more details, we'll be sure to update this post. For now, if you own a Galaxy S22 on Verizon, head into Settings>Software update, and then tap "Download and install." UPDATE 3/20: Alright, Verizon has posted details and this is indeed the Game Booster anti-throttling update that Samsung was supposedly pushing out. Verizon says the following about Game Booster Labs and settings, so you can disable or enable for better performance:
A new option, “Game Booster Labs”, has been added under Game Booster settings. You can turn “Alternate game performance management” on for better gaming performance. When you enable “Alternate game performance management”, “Game optimization” will be disabled. Alternate game performance management can be found under the Game Booster settings > Labs > Game Booster Labs > Alternate game performance management
For builds on each Galaxy S22 device, we have the following:

Galaxy S22 Ultra: S908USQU1AVC8

Galaxy S22+: S906USQU1AVC8

Galaxy S22: S901USQU1AVC8

Cheers J!

Friday Poll: Using Gestures or Kicking It Old School With Buttons Still?

Tim — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 10:53:03 +0000
Kellen recently got me back to using the 3-button layout for my navigation needs, after having various issues with native gestures when used with 3rd-party launchers. Because none of that seems to be getting fixed anytime soon, I'm sticking with buttons for a bit. This got us thinking, though. Who else out there is still kicking it old school and using buttons instead of gesture navigation? At least for me, overall navigational performance is much better with these buttons, but I do find myself still trying to swipe back on the side of the screen every now and then. For example, lurking through Instagram is better with gestures and the same goes for Twitter. For my mental health, though, I have to go with 3 buttons while I'm using Nova Launcher. What are you using? [poll id="580"]

Pixel 6 Should Get March Pixel Feature Drop Update on March 21

Kellen — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 12:06:07 +0000
The delayed March update for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro has a new date to target today, thanks once again to Fido, the Canadian carrier that is pretty good at keeping us up-to-date on update dates. On the "OS Upgrade Schedule" page that Fido regularly maintains, they updated the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro OS schedule to show that March 21 should be the day. I feel like this date has been floated a couple of times around internet spaces since Google pushed out the build to all of the other Pixel devices, but this is the first time we have seen a semi-official acknowledgement of it. To recap the March update, Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro owners should expect a handful of new features, thanks to the update being a Pixel Feature Drop. The update should bring access to a new battery widget, more features to At a Glance, Live Caption in calls, and more. The full list of features can be found at this write-up. The update also happens to be a quarterly update that addresses dozens and dozens of bugs. The list is pretty overwhelming, so rather than list it all out, I suggest you head over to this post and check them all. If your Pixel 6 was experiencing anything weird, there's a good chance it will be fixed next week. Mark March 21 on your calendars, Pixel 6 owners. Fido's track record with these dates is pretty good and we are also running out of Monday's in March, which happen to be the day of the week that Google likes to push updates.

Apex Legends Mobile Arrives in US... for Pre-Registration

Tim — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 11:39:26 +0000
Apex Legends Mobile has hit the US for Android users, but there's one slight hiccup -- it's for pre-registration, not actual download. Womp, womp. The game is still in testing in select markets, but according to the game's landing page, EA expects a full public launch by summer. That's not too bad. EA says that the game has been designed from the ground up for mobile, so hopefully the wait will be worth it. Go sign up!
Google Play Link
https://youtu.be/CVqIK8scMHU

Android 13 Developer Preview 2 is Available for Pixel Phones

Kellen — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 10:00:04 +0000
A month into Android 13 testing and the new Developer Preview 2 has dropped. Things are moving along as planned in the preview stage before we get to the first scheduled Beta next month.

READ: What's new in Android 13 Developer Preview 2?

If you have a spare Pixel phone around or just don’t care about a potentially unstable build, well, you can get into Android 13 Developer Preview 2 by flashing a system image. Supported devices for now include the Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6, Pixel 5a, Pixel 5, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4 XL, and Pixel 4. The Pixel 3a, for those who missed it, has been cut from Android 13 previews.
Release date: March 17, 2022 Build: TPP2.220218.010 Emulator support: x86 (64-bit), ARM (v8-A) Security patch level: March 2022 Google Play services: 22.06.15
Brave souls who flashed the Android 13 DP1 build, you should see an update to DP2 over-the-air here shortly. If you were waiting it out and want to start with DP2 on your supported Pixel, you can always get in by flashing an image. You’ll find instructions on how to flash a Developer Preview here. The Android 13 DP2 factory images are here. The OTA files for DP2 are here. Again, next month should be the launch of the Android 13 Beta program where you won't have to manually flash anything. For now, though, this is still a developer-focused situation.

What's New in Android 13 Developer Preview 2?

Kellen — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 10:00:02 +0000
Can't say I blame you for still not installing the Android 13 Developer Preview just yet - this stuff is currently only meant for developers. However, this is the list of everything new in Android 13 Developer Preview 2, so that you know what you're missing and to better help you decide if it's time to dive in. Before we get to the list, you can find all of the build details on Android 13 DP2 at this post, along with instructions on how to get into it. Alright, here we go. The new stuff!
Notification permission

This was rumored previously, but it's now official - there is a runtime notification permission in Android 13. With apps targeting Android 13, they will need to request notification permission before they can send notifications. For all apps targeting Android 12 or lower, the system is going to handle things, so it's not like developers can skip out on this lovely new action. What does this mean? When you install an app and open it, you'll be asked (see above) to give notification permission to an app. If you "don't allow," then you shouldn't see notifications from it. This is a big win for the user, who often installs something and then gets unwanted notifications that are often ads. UPDATE: Here's how the notification permission pop-up looks when an older app has to request again.

Active Apps!

In this new DP2 build, the quick settings menu has changed a touch to now bring the power menu and settings buttons to the bottom right corner, but there's also a new item showing up there that shows the active apps that are running on your device. On my Pixel 6, it shows I have 1 active app running, which reveals itself to be the Tesla app when I tap on it. I tried to get other apps to show there by opening them, but that must just be showing apps running that are actively running in the background. Either way, if an app shows up there, you can choose to "stop" it from doing so. Kinda neat.
Quick Settings tweaks
If you look at the screenshots in the active apps section above, you'll see some Quick Settings changes. As I just mentioned, the power menu and settings buttons have moved to the bottom right corner (maybe easier to reach?), but we also have an icon change for the Home shortcut, plus the auto-rotate now describes the current setup. For example, I have it set to auto-rotate based on face orientation, and it says that there.
Do Not Disturb renamed to "Priority Mode"

13 DP2 vs. 12
Leave it to Google to rename a feature that is called the same on every other device in the industry. It appears, at least for now, DND is now called "Priority Mode." The settings appear to be the same, but some wording has changed here and there.
Display and font size controls together

Nice little adjustment.
Media player in Quick Settings gets refresh

13 DP2 vs. 12
The media player in Quick Settings is getting a new look with album art in the background. Unfortunately, it now only comes in one size, which is quite big. The Android 12 media player had both big and small layouts depending on the expansion of the notification area.
QR scanner shortcut!

A new Quick Settings tile called "QR code" is here and it lets you quickly fire up a built-in QR code scanner. Ahhh, the revival of the QR code sure has been interesting. Either way, Android 13 is making them easier to deal with.
A big screen saver update is incoming

I've never used the screen saver function on an Android phone, but Google appears to be working on some big improvements here. The whole area has been re-done and could mean more features in the future.
Some other new stuff:

Android 12L stuff in 13: We basically knew this from the first preview, but Android 13 adopts all of the large screen features from Android 12L. All of the 12L stuff is in AOSP, so developing for Android 13 means your bases are covered on devices that might be running Android 12L.

Bluetooth LE Audio: Android 13 has built-in Bluetooth LE Audio support, which will at some point replace Bluetooth classic. LE Audio should mean high fidelity audio without the battery drain you might see right now.

MIDI 2.0: Android 13 adds support for the new MIDI 2.0 standard, including the ability to connect MIDI 2.0 hardware through USB.

Developer downgradable permissions: If an app changes and no longer needs access to a certain permission, developers can use Android 13's new API to downgrade previously granted runtime permissions. This is in the name of privacy.

In case you missed it, be sure to check out our post on what was new in Android 13 DP1. We'll be updating this post as we find more and get Android 13 DP2 on a device.

Netflix Testing Paid 'Extra Member' Feature to Help Curb Password Sharing

Tim — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 09:09:40 +0000
Netflix is rolling out a new test feature in three countries (Peru, Costa Rica, Chile), allowing primary account holders to add extra outside-of-household members to their account for an additional fee. Netflix hopes this will help curb the unauthorized sharing of account passwords between households, while also bringing in additional money for investing in new shows and movies. The cost of adding this additional member is surprisingly low, at least in this initial test phase. In Costa Rica, which uses the US dollar, the cost is set at an extra $2.99, which seems extremely fair to the tagalong member. On top of this, Netflix is also testing the ability to transfer user profiles to new accounts, meaning those who opt into a tagalong account have an option to not lose their precious viewing history, My List, and personalized recommendations info. Unfortunately, there's no way of knowing if Netflix will roll this out on a grander scale following the test phase. If it's highly successful, why not? There's no telling if that $3 price will stay for the US, though. // Variety

Samsung Galaxy A53 Now Official, Great Specs for Only $449

Tim — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 07:00:02 +0000
Samsung made the Galaxy A53 official this morning, with general availability set to begin on April 1. Pre-orders begin today, March 17. The device is designed to offer a few of the highly desired specs we get on the more expensive flagship phones, but in a package that is reasonably priced. Heck, the phone costs only $449, so it's certainly worth a look for those with a $500 budget. Galaxy A53 features a 6.5-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, octa-core processor, 6GB RAM, four rear cameras (12 megapixel ultra-wide, 64MP main, 5MP depth, and 5MP macro lens), 128GB storage, expandable storage via microSD, 5,000mAh battery, 5G connectivity, IP67 rating, and Android 12 (One UI 4.1). The A53 is also eligible for the same update schedule as the S22 lineup, which consists of four major Android OS upgrades and fives years of security patches. With regard to the specs, it is pretty awesome that a $449 device comes with a much larger battery and expandable storage when compared to the $849 Galaxy S22. There's a $400 difference here and both phones have FHD 120Hz displays and 5G, while the much cheaper device even has an additional rear camera. With all of this in mind, the Galaxy A53 looks like a serious bargain. For those who pre-order the new A53, you can snag a pair of Galaxy Buds Live from Samsung's website. Not bad.
Samsung Link

Google I/O 2022 Kicks Off May 11, Marks Return to Shoreline

Kellen — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 14:30:48 +0000
Google I/O 2022 is now official following a bit of a tease earlier in the day. Google has confirmed the 2022 developer festival is back from May 11 through May 12 with its dedicated I/O portal. While a 2-day event is still shorter than we had pre-pandemic, Google is bringing some live festivities back to Shoreline Amphitheater for the first time in a couple of years. Google did tell us that this will be a "limited live audience," and that the entire event will still very much be an online affair that is free and open to everyone. So if you were planning to attend, you may not be able to in-person, but you can tune in for free once again. To get registered, head over to the Google I/O site.

Updated UI Headed to YouTube TV Users

Tim — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 12:07:22 +0000
According to a post published to reddit, it looks like a UI update is coming soon to YouTube TV, but it's unknown for sure which platforms will see it first. From the details provided, these changes have first been spotted on the Chromecast with Google TV, mostly concerning the channel guide. Following the change, additional program details have been added when browsing titles, plus graphics have been updated on the live guide. Check out the photos and let us know what you think about the change. Personally, I think it looks pretty clean. One change an individual noted is that they're now detailing original air dates when looking at specific episodes. That can be very helpful. Let us know when and if you spot this new UI on your device. // reddit

The Pixel 5 was Such a Great Little Phone

Kellen — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 10:08:33 +0000
For most of last year, up until the Pixel 6 dropped, I used Google's Pixel 5, one of the weirdest phones released by the company in some time. The phone launched at the end of 2020 as a part of the pandemic, came off like a placeholder while Google worked on something better, was overpriced, and featured few improvements over the previous year's Pixel 4 line, yet I couldn't get enough of it. It was almost a perfect phone for my needs, even if there were other, more powerful and polished phones on the market. When the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro finally rolled around, I gave up that Pixel 5, even if the larger size of the new Pixels almost turned me off. I really was anxious to dive into Google's new offerings because of that size. However, with big redesigns and their first chip, it was clear within a matter of weeks that Google had made really nice new phones that most people would enjoy and could afford, even if there were some software issues and update delays that annoyed the diehards among us.

READ: Google Pixel 5 review

I bring all of this up because both my brother and mom have been running a Pixel 3 for a couple of years now and realized within recent months that it might be time to upgrade. Battery life had severely degraded on their smaller Pixel 3 units and they also knew that software support had ended. They turned to me to talk phones and I initially told them they should probably go for the regular Pixel 6. The phone was the smallest of Google's new devices and also quite affordable at $600. They weren't sold.
They weren't sold for the same reason I wasn't - the size. Neither wanted to adopt a whale, even as close as we all live to the ocean in Oregon, so I told them they could consider a Pixel 5 with one caveat. They should only consider Google's Pixel 5 if it was around the $300 mark. But I recommended it because it really is a phone built for those who need a manageable device with an excellent camera, incredible battery life, the Google software experience, and lots of software support still to come (through 2023). And that's everything they want. It also helped that I raved about the weird little guy. My brother was the first to pull the trigger on a Pixel 5 from eBay, marked as "open box," for around $300-$350. It's basically a brand new phone, just not in retail packaging. He's been using it for a couple of weeks, is pretty blown away by battery life, and talked my mom into ordering one. Her's showed up this past week and she brought it over for help setting it up, which is basically how this post was born. Damn do I miss that phone. She bought a green version and my brother a black model, both of which feel incredible in hand. There's this premium feel to the Pixel 5 that is unassuming because Google coated all of the metal in a textured plastic. But the phone is absolutely the perfect size, plus that balance of bezel around the display is a joy to look at. Not only that, but the phone isn't the oddly elongated setup of all other phones (like the Pixel 6 line) and feels more throw-back style in shape, with a boxier iPhone-like design.
Holding each of their phones reminded me of my time with the Pixel 5 and everything I enjoyed about it. I took a ton of pictures with it over the year I used it, all of which are good enough. I got updates on time, all of the time, and was even able to test out Android 12 through previews and betas. The 90Hz display was fast and smooth enough, and yeah, the battery life was absurdly good. Oh, and the back not being glass is a huge bonus. I used a case at times, but mostly didn't, and never once had to worry about gently placing it down over fears of cracking. Glass backsides really suck, still. Sometimes the phone that everyone ignored needs to have a light shined on it. Google may have used the Pixel 5 as a space filler while it worked on its future, the Pixel 6, but I think it was their best Pixel alongside the Pixel 2 XL.

Google x McLaren is Exactly What Formula 1 Needed

Tim — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 09:30:04 +0000
Mmm, nothing beats the sound of a Formula 1 car. But now picture that car featuring an assortment of Google-related logos, like Android and Chrome. Pretty sweet, right? That's exactly what we can look forward to seeing, thanks to a new multi-year partnership between Google and McLaren's F1 and Extreme E teams. As shown above, Android and Chrome branding will be spotted on the engine cover and wheel covers of the MCL36 F1 cars, plus on the helmets and suits of drivers Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo. You'll also see Google branding on the Number 58 McLaren MX Extreme E race car, as well as on the suits of McLaren MX Extreme E drivers Emma Gilmour and Tanner Foust. Google's taking it a step further, with the companies planning to integrate Google tech (Android phones and tablets, plus the Chrome web browser) throughout McLaren's racing team on the ground during race week to help improve communication. That's a sexy F1 car. // Google

MLB Tap Sports Baseball '22 Available Now on Android

Tim — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 08:48:48 +0000
Publisher EA and developer glu launched the latest MLB Tap Sports Baseball title this week for Android and iOS. If you're a fan of this franchise, you'll know that these mobile game launches are similar to console title launches, such as MLB The Show, with new features and enhancements inside to improve your baseball experience. According to the game's page on Google Play, players can look forward to a new Champions Tier that will help you earn rewards for what you do in game, a new leaderboard feature for earning more stuff, a "revamped" UI, plus much more.
What's New in Tap 2022

Champions Tier - A brand new way for players to earn rewards for their baseball accomplishments - complete challenging tasks and rank in Club Events to climb up through Champions Tiers and earn better in-game rewards.

Avatar Gear - Customize your team in a variety of ways by equipping your avatar with all-new gear that provides in-game boosts to your lineup and shows off your unique style.

New Leaderboards and Rewards - Flexible leaderboards for all of the different in-game scenarios and even more rewards from new Club events and the latest and greatest Weekly Content.

Improved Visual Fidelity - Physics-based rendering and textures that create ultra-realistic player models and over 300 new motion-capture animations to provide a more authentic baseball experience.

Revamped UI - The latest UI improvements for a cleaner, more streamlined and responsive experience for both new and existing users alongside improvements to player models and animations.

The only real bummer is the fact that these games are designed to bring in big cash for EA. Google Play lists the app as having not just ads, but in-app purchases that range from $0.99 to $199.99. $200 for an IAP? I'd much rather see that kind of money go towards a charity, but hey, it's your money. Go check it out.
Google Play Link
https://youtu.be/pD8EBaUAfoc

One of Our Favorite Watch Face Apps, Pujie Black, Gets Major 5.0 Update

Tim — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 12:45:55 +0000
Pujie Black, easily one of our favorite watch face apps for Wear OS, just got a major 5.0 update! According to the developer, it's now ready for all Wear OS 3 devices, complete with total Galaxy Watch 4 support, as well as better support for rectangular watches like the Oppo Watch and Xiaomi Mi Watch. You can view the entire changelog below, but the highlights for me include a gorgeous new Dark Mode, this new elements layout for easier creation, plus improved animation control. It looks like a solid update.
What's New in 5.0

Element based. All parts are moved to one big list of elements. These elements consist of the previously available custom elements (Live Texts & Complications), but also all the other parts, like the watch hands, graphics, tickmarks & numbers, digital clocks, date labels, progress circles, indicators & tap targets. Your older presets will automatically be converted to the new format.

Rectangular previews. You can now set the phone app to show Rectangular previews. This allows for more ease of use when designing for watches like the Oppo Watch and the Xiaomi Mi Watch.

Global variables. For the advanced designers, you can now define global variables and functions in your custom elements (previously known as Live Texts). This makes it much easier to re-use code within your watch parts.

Icon layer. To improve the range of possibilities, we added an Icon layer to the watch part designer. For now it comes with a big set of Material Design Icons and Fluent Design Icons.

New tags. The set of tags which you can use in Custom Elements has been extended, including the often requested seconds and milliseconds.

Dark mode. Designing at night? Tweaking in the evening? Dark mode is here to protect your eyes. And luckily, at the same time, it makes the interface look pretty nice as well.

Better animation control. All elements now have better animation control. You can choose to animate to it's equivalent in the other view (Ambient vs Interactive), or you can set the position, scale and rotation of the target location yourself.

Go snag it!
Google Play Link ($2)
// Pujie Black

New Pixel 7 Display Rumor Suggests More of the Same

Kellen — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 11:18:40 +0000
It may only be March, but the rumors surrounding Google's likely-to-arrive-in-October Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are ramping up. After seeing renders for each device and learning codenames, we've got a fresh report on display sizes for each. Unsurprisingly, these new rumors prepare us for more of the same for 2022. According to Ross Young, a display industry watcher who regularly shares insider rumors on upcoming display components for your favorite phones, the Pixel 7 display might drop in size, but only slightly to 6.3" from the 6.4" panel in the Pixel 6. For the Pixel 7 Pro, we should get another 6.7" display, which is basically the standard size for all top-tier Android phones these days. This info matches up to rumored display sizes that accompanied those render leaks a few weeks ago. We were told alongside these images of the Pixel 7 that the display would be between 6.2" and 6.4". And then in this Pixel 7 Pro leak, we were told that it should have either a 6.7" or 6.8" display. None of this would surprise us at all. Google essentially re-launched the Pixel phone program last year with the Pixel 6 series by dramatically changing up designs and powering each with the Google Tensor chip. As a follow-up, it would be shocking for Google to once again change designs or sizes. Most companies don't push out big changes from one year to the next. Just look at Samsung's Galaxy S21 to the Galaxy S22 - there are few differences. In Young's rumor today, he mentions that panel shipments could start in May, which is earlier than last year's panel shipments for the Pixel 6. I still don't think you should expect these phones any earlier. Google really likes to ship its high-end Pixel phones to consumers in October.

Google Sees Big Android Game Usage Growth on ChromeOS

Kellen — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 09:01:12 +0000
Google is hosting their Games Developer Summit today and has shared their plans to help developers continue to bring apps and games to various platforms beyond the smartphone in your hand. As a major growth opportunity, Google is pushing for developers to bring games to tablets, foldables, and Chromebooks, as well as Windows PCs. On a blog post sharing the day's news for developers, Google also mentioned that on ChromeOS alone they saw Android usage grow by 50% from the previous year. That boost in usage was led by games, showing that folks with ChromeOS devices are indeed using them to do a bit of gaming. Of course, Google already announced that they are bringing Google Play Games to PC and have launched in beta in select countries. We were hoping for news on a broader rollout today, so we'll update this should they do so. For now, Google is only confirming the January batch of locations, including South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
I'd imagine that Google is betting big on continued growth with this PC rollout and likely won't hesitate going forward in expanding to new countries. After all, Windows 11 has the Amazon Appstore with games, but we all know that Google Play offers a far better selection. The opportunity is certainly there. For those not familiar, Google's cross-platform and big-screen Play Games services allows for a multi-platform experience. That means games save across platforms, so you can always pick up where you left off no matter the screen. We'll update this post if there are additional announcements.

Samsung Begins Wider One UI 4.1 Rollout, Headed to Galaxy Z Foldables Now

Tim — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 08:47:38 +0000
Samsung is beginning to push its One UI 4.1 software to devices outside of the Galaxy S22 lineup. The first to receive? That'd be the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, of course! For other Samsung device owners, don't worry, you won't be left out in the cold. Samsung says that this same software experience is coming to owners of the Galaxy S21 series, S20 series, Tab A and Tab S series, older Z Fold and Flip series, Note series, and S10 series. That's a lot of phones, so be on the lookout for a gradual release. Anyway, let's highlight what's new. https://youtu.be/DQhOobQyNKc
Enhanced Object Eraser
Object eraser can now handle shadows and reflections, allowing you to get that perfect shot. Inside your Gallery app when editing a photo, simply tap the "Erase shadows" or "Erase reflections’" button when you want to remove them from a photo. It's that easy.
Google Duo Live Sharing
Samsung and Google announced new features for Duo users on Galaxy devices. The same integration that was announced for the S22 series is now making its way to additional Samsung devices. https://youtu.be/zoFFY7XWIdY
Grammarly-Powered Keyboard
For the Galaxy S22's keyboard, Samsung teamed up with Grammarly to offer a keyboard that not only catches typos, but helps you write with improved grammar overall. The keyboard can also suggest ways to improve sentence clarity and sweet synonyms. Users automatically receive, "expert writing improvements as you type to ensure you feel confident every time you press send."
That's only a couple of cherry picked items from the update that is now headed your way, Galaxy owners. Check out Samsung's blog for the full list of new features. // Samsung

Fossil Gen 6 Adds Amazon Alexa as Assistant Choice

Kellen — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 07:37:26 +0000
The Fossil Gen 6 launched last year with a promise to offer choice in assistants, starting first with Google Assistant and later adding Amazon Alexa. Today, Fossil has announced that Amazon Alexa is now available to their latest smartwatch. Fossil tells us that the Gen 6 officially has access to the Amazon Alexa for Smartwatches app and that this availability is exclusive to the Gen 6 watch. In fact, this is apparently the "first-ever Amazon-built Alexa app on Wear OS."

WATCH: Fossil Gen 6 Unboxing, Tour, and Setup!

With Alexa on your Fossil Gen 6, you'll be able to do Alexa-related actions, although you'll have to configure a way to access it. Fossil offers up choices of opening through the Alexa app or the Alexa Tile. You could also configure the top or bottom hardware buttons on the side of the watch to launch Alexa. Google Assistant will remain the shortcut when long-pressing the side home button. So if you want Alexa, you'll need to have a phone paired and near, then find the app, keep a Tile handy, or customize a different button. Fossil didn't say how you'll find this Amazon Alexa for Smartwatches app, only that it's "preloaded and available." Maybe the app just works now and was pushed live on the backend? Otherwise, we aren't finding that specific app on Google Play just yet. There also doesn't appear to be a software update related to this functionality. We'll let you know if we can clarify this. Here is Fossil's description for what you might do with Alexa integration:
Both the Tile and the App will allow users to tap a button to talk to Alexa, with uniquely branded customization experiences for Fossil, Michael Kors, and Skagen smartwatch users. The options for use are limitless and entirely personal — whether you use your Alexa for your smart home devices, music control, grocery shopping, Amazon purchases, and more. Fossil Group looks forward to expanding the functionality of both the Tile and App.
Fossil Gen 6 owners, let us know how it's going with Alexa in your smartwatch life.

Shop Fossil Gen 6

Pixel Camera Services Update Adds Night Sight to Snapchat on Pixel 6

Kellen — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 15:39:59 +0000
That surprise Pixel Camera Services update that showed up on your Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro today will come in handy later this month. Once you get the (running late) March Pixel Feature Drop, you should then be able to access Night Sight within Snapchat, just as Google announced earlier in the month. This Pixel Camera Services app is listed on Google Play as a system component that allows your Pixel's camera features to be accessed by "some 3rd party apps." For now, all we know of is Night Sight in Snapchat, but this sure makes it sound like Google could find other partners to spread their camera features to. Here's what the initial listing of the Pixel Camera Services says:
Pixel Camera Services is a system component that brings Pixel Camera features like Night Sight to some 3rd party apps that you’ve granted permission to use your camera. This component is pre-installed on your device and should be kept up to date to ensure you have the latest image processing updates and other bug fixes. Requirements - Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro running Android 12 with the March security patch. Some features are not available on all devices.
You'll see that there is a requirement for this to work, which is the March security patch. And again, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro's March update is delayed until some time this month, potentially on March 21. I do believe I am able to access Night Sight in Snapchat by running the Android 12 QPR3 Beta 1 that Google released last week. So if you are impatient, feel free to jump into the beta. Snapchat users, how excited are you? Google Play Link: Pixel Camera Services

Galaxy Tab S8+ 5G Comes to AT&T on March 15

Tim — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 14:59:12 +0000
AT&T announced today that it is to launch the Galaxy Tab S8+ with 5G connectivity on its network starting March 15, which is tomorrow. Technically, pre-orders go live tonight at midnight, just in case you want to get an early start. AT&T has the device priced at $1099. For those that pre-order, AT&T is throwing in a free keyboard cover. For those who don't care about pre-ordering, general availability begins April 1. Want to learn more about the tab S8 lineup? Look here at our initial post. We're still looking to get our hands on one of these devices, as they do look pretty sweet. Pre-orders go live tonight on AT&T's website. Enjoy. // AT&T

Galaxy Watch 5 Needed a Bigger Battery and Might Have One

Kellen — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 12:27:42 +0000
The Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic are both still the best options for those looking at a Wear OS smartwatch. Samsung packed in a high-end set of specs, got the early exclusive on Wear OS 3, will support each watch for years to come, and priced them both incredibly well. However, the smaller models of each watch are by no means battery champs, and we actually recommended that folks choose the bigger model of each in our reviews. For the Galaxy Watch 5 that is expected to launch this summer, battery life may not be as much of a concern for the smaller model, according to a new report today. A supposed regulatory filing has been found that lists out a battery for what we believe to be one of the Galaxy Watch 5 models and it is indeed an upgrade over last year's.

READ: Galaxy Watch 4 review

A listing that will apparently not be publicly shared, showed a battery model number of EB-BR900ABY that has a capacity of 276mAh. The rumor here is for a watch under model number SM-R900, a watch that could be the smallest version of the Galaxy Watch 5. For last year's smallest Galaxy Watch 4, we had a battery capacity of 247mAh. Assuming we get battery increase across the board, hopefully this means the bigger version of the Galaxy Watch 5 then jumps above the 361mAh cell we had. If we can close in on a 400mAh watch battery, we might finally one day see 2-day battery life in a Wear OS watch. The only other rumors we have so far for the upcoming Galaxy Watch 5 are that it could include a temperature sensor and is likely to launch this summer like the Galaxy Watch 4 did alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

Dream by WOMBO Lets You Make Your Own Awesome Wallpapers Using AI

Tim — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 11:38:38 +0000
Making the rounds on Google Play this morning, I stumbled upon Dream by WOMBO, an app that uses artificial intelligence to produce art based on keywords and images you provide. You can then use this art as your wallpaper, publish it to the platform for sharing with others, and even buy prints of the art for your home. The future is a total trip, folks. This app is by no means new. It has nearly 200,000 reviews on Google Play, currently sitting at 4.8 stars out of 5. That's pretty damn good, and after using the app for all of 10 minutes and being inspired to write this post, I can confirm it's legit. To get started, you'll choose keywords to base your art on. As examples, I used guitar, fire, gold, hell, pentagram, computer, and rainbow for a few. Looking at my header image above, I bet you can tell which pieces were based on those specific keywords. Once you have keywords decided on, you can choose an art style, with 18 styles available. You can also choose no style. I have yet to find any negatives, as there are no ads and no in-app purchases from what I can tell. The only issue I can find is that when it comes to uploading your own photos, you can't choose any specific folder -- the photo will need to come direct from your camera roll. Give it a go and please feel free to share your best creations with us. I'm always up for some sweet new wallpapers!
Google Play Link

CONTEST: DL Bracket Challenge is Back for 2022 – Win a Pixel 6!

Kellen — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 11:16:48 +0000
The greatest sports tournament of most years is back for 2022 and so are we. The DL Bracket Challenge 2022 is here to give you a couple of weeks worth of trash talk, to explain why your stupid pick was correct, and to then walk-away with a fabulous prize after picking so stupidly in the eyes of every who didn't win. Hell yeah, it's March Madness time, my friends. Like we have done for so many years, the DL Bracket Challenge is a chance for everyone to get in on the NCAA men's basketball tourney action, blindly pick winners for each game and round (or act like your picks took thought), and then hopefully walk away with something awesome. QUICK NOTE: We have no affiliation with the NCAA or March Madness or the NCAA Tournament. We're just hosting an unofficial, completely not-affiliated-at-all-with, fun contest to give you a sweet prize. Please, NCAA legal folks, leave us alone. No one thinks this is or will mistake it for being related to your organization. Pay your athletes too. Anyways! For this year, we’re giving away a Google Pixel 6 (128GB) in the color of your choosing. Yep, once you win, you tell us what color you want and we'll get it ordered. Our Bracket Challenge is free for everyone to enter and we have instructions for you below.
Contest

ESPN Group: Droid Life 2022 Password: newDL2022 Prize: Winner takes home a Google Pixel 6. 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 Thursday morning (March 17).

There are games Tuesday and Wednesday, but you still have until Thursday 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 4, 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)

HBO Max and Discovery+ Getting Combined Into Single Platform, Price Could Increase

Tim — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 09:30:15 +0000
Announced this morning, HBO Max and Discovery+ are to be combined into a single service, with AT&T’s WarnerMedia and Discovery set to merge here shortly. Instead of offering a bundle for two separate platforms, executives feel it's a better option to simply combine the two, though, it could lead to a price increase. Currently, the ad-free version of HBO Max costs $14.99/month, while Discovery+ costs $6.99/month with no ads. Each platform has an ad-supported tier that is cheaper. No insight was provided for what sort of pricing increase we could be looking at, but in my mind, a jump to $19.99/mo for an HBO/Discovery MAX+ offering sounds fair enough. Obviously, no one wants to pay more each month, but as consumers, there isn't much to do about the situation. HBO Max is easily one of the best streaming platforms available. It has an amazing library of shows and movies, and for TV fans, Discovery+ would bring a ton of good content. Discovery+ is currently home to shows from channels like Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet, Food Network, HGTV, ID, A&E, and History. Because that merger between the two parents is yet to be completely finalized, we don't have timing or specifics on any of these moves yet, but it's coming. It's only a matter of time. // Variety

Samsung's Galaxy A Event Scheduled for March 17

Tim — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 08:55:09 +0000
Samsung has announced March 17 (St. Patrick's Day in the US) as the date for its Galaxy A event, the dedicated place we'll see the company's range of more affordable handsets. We expect to see the Galaxy A53, plus it's also possible we get the Galaxy A33 and Galaxy A73. If you haven't been following the A range of devices for a couple of years, like me, you're probably lost with all of these names, but don't feel bad. I'm right there with you. As for the Galaxy A53, a bunch of leaks have summed up what we might see from the device. Expect the A53 to feature a Exynos processor, 6.5-inch display, plus an arrival of the company's 108MP camera with 4K@60fps video and 8K recording for the less expensive crowd of phones. Even if you're pumped for new Galaxy A phones, note that it has been reported that Samsung has ditched including power adapters for its Galaxy A and Galaxy M lineup of devices. Getting chargers included with your phone purchase appears to be a thing of the past for everybody now. We'll provide device details as soon as we have them. The event kicks off at 10AM EDT on March 17. // Samsung

T-Mobile Aims to Triple Their Best 5G Coverage This Year

Kellen — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 13:38:31 +0000
T-Mobile may have gotten off to an early start with a mid-band 5G rollout and making sure that a couple of hundred million people could access it. They don't plan to slow down expansion, though, especially now that Verizon and AT&T are going to do everything they can to quickly catch-up using C-Band spectrum. For 2022, T-Mobile plans to triple the coverage of their best 5G, which is the mid-band 5G they grabbed from Sprint during their merger. When I say "coverage" there, I'm referring to the area that T-Mobile covers with mid-band 5G, not necessarily people. The goal is to triple the area covered, while making sure millions more can find access too. While speaking at a Morgan Stanley conference this week (via PCMag), T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray talked about they'll have to basically increase coverage 3x this year in order to get a fraction of new people covered saying, "we did 3x last year, and we have to do 3x again to get to that 260." He's talking about jumping from the 200 million people mark in 2021 to 260 million by the end of 2022. That massive coverage jump will have to happen as T-Mobile expands into rural areas. They already cover most cities with their mid-band 5G, which they call Ultra Capacity 5G, so the idea that a massive coverage expansion only gets a fraction of the new people they saw last year, makes sense. T-Mobile is ripe for rural expansion too, saying this week that a third of new accounts are coming from rural areas. 2022 finally feels like the year that 5G will make a difference in the US. If you are on T-Mobile and live near a city, the chances of your accessing their Ultra Capacity 5G are quite good. It's all over Portland already and incredibly fast. If you live outside a big city, prepare to experience this goodness.

Telegram Adds Download Manager, New Night Mode on Android

Kellen — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 09:42:07 +0000
Telegram is pushing out another big update to end the week, this time with at least six new features or changes to the popular messaging app that are noteworthy. From a new downloads manager to refreshed attachment pages, night modes, live streaming, and public channel viewing, there's a lot to like here. For most people, the big changes you'll notice are a new Download Manager, new attachment menu, and that new dark mode on Android. The Download Manager is new to Telegram and can be accessed from a logo in the search bar that pops up when you are downloading something. Within that area, you'll see all of your downloads in one place. The refreshed attachment menu will also be apparent if you send lots of pics or files to other users. Well, I guess I should point out that this will be new to iOS users - Android folks have had this sweet new menu with message previews for a little bit.
As for that new night mode, Telegram says that the interface on Android when in night mode is now semi-transparent. You'll see subtle transparency in panels and headers so that you can see backgrounds and stickers as you scroll. Telegram doesn't think Android has seen this type of visual effect until now. This has apparently been on iOS since June and is now on our favorite platform.
The rest of the new features are as follows:

Redesign login flow: On Android and MacOS, a new login flow with smoother animations is here.

Phone number links: Telegram will now let you create links to your profile using your phone number, in case that's easier than sharing your actual username link.

Live streaming with other apps: Telegram has built in the ability to livestream through broadcasting/streaming apps like OBS and XSplit. If you fire up a video chat or live stream in Telegram, you can enter in streaming credentials to a streaming service to help spread your streamed video across the world.

New t.me pages: Telegram has added new web preview pages of t.me profile pages, so that way you can view public profiles or channels on the web with better design elements.

Telegram is usually pretty good at updating its apps across all platforms pretty quickly rather than slowly rolling them out. I'm not seeing the updates just yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them throughout the day. Google Play Link: Telegram // Telegram

Samsung Ships Out De-Throttling Update to Galaxy S22 Lineup

Tim — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 14:20:24 +0000
As expected, but not expected so darn quickly, Samsung is beginning to ship out an update that appears to de-throttle the Galaxy S22 lineup. As was reported recently, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset in all models of the Galaxy S22 has been getting throttled when an owner opens a certain app. This, of course, is marketed by Samsung as a way of helping maintain battery health, but ultimately, can make a user's experience less than desirable. Maybe more appropriately, make a user's experience worth less than the huge price tag they paid. According to the changelog that is being distributed in South Korea, then translated into English, CPU and GPU performance limits are being released while in games. Additionally, this update will help maintain the temperature of the phone with Game Optimizing Service (GOS) disabled. It will be very interesting to note how phones perform following this update, not just in terms of gaming and visual performance, but thermally and with regards to the battery. Hopefully this doesn't lead to the ability to fry an egg on the backside of your Galaxy S22. Time will tell. We'll update you as soon as this update begins hitting US units. Below you can view the translated changelog. // Android Authority

Galaxy Watch 5 Rumored to Have Temperature Sensor, Arrive This Summer

Kellen — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 14:08:50 +0000
The Galaxy Watch line from Samsung has adopted several health-related features over the past couple of cycles in an attempt to match health tracking trends and to keep up with the Apple Watch. The Galaxy Watch 4 had everything from heart rate and SpO2 tracking to sleep monitoring and an electrocardiogram function. For the Galaxy Watch 5, Samsung is reportedly adding one of the final missing health features. According to a report from ETNews, Samsung will add a thermometer to track body temperature from the wrist. This is a potentially key metric to follow to determine the overall health of a person, at least that's what other fitness companies have convinced us.

READ: Galaxy Watch 4 Classic review

For example, companies like Fitbit and WHOOP have been checking wrist temperatures for some time to determine a baseline skin temperature of a person. They then track that skin temperature, looking for variations that could predict things, like a person getting sick, menstrual cycle starting, level of stress, and general wellness. Samsung will likely try to accomplish similar things on a Galaxy Watch 5. Samsung and Apple have apparently been holding off on adding temperature tracking to their smartwatches because the technology is said to be finicky or not that accurate. Samsung is said to have developed a technology that could do solve this problem. Today's report says to expect the Galaxy Watch 5 this summer. I'd imagine it will be timed to launch with a Galaxy Z Fold 4 in August, assuming we get another one.

Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile is Officially on the Way

Kellen — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 12:31:01 +0000
Call of Duty: Warzone has been one of the most successful battle royale games of the past several years. It has certainly helped Call of Duty stretch beyond its multiplayer glory days and into the BR scene that few have found sustained life in. That success has pushed Activision into creating a mobile version of the game, the company confirmed today. In a blog post that doubles as an announcement for the new title and also for folks looking to work on the upcoming game, Activision announced Call of Duty Warzone for mobile. If you are confused knowing that the current Call of Duty Mobile has a battle royale experience too, that's completely understandable. I'd imagine that Call of Duty Warzone for mobile will replace that experience and be the go-to for Call of Duty players on mobile once it launches. The Warzone brand is big enough that it should stand on its own. In the announcement, Activision states that this "large-scale, battle royale experience is being built natively for mobile with cutting-edge technology designed to entertain gamers around the world for many years to come." Multiple studios also appear to be a part of it, including Solid State Studios, Beenox, Digital Legends and Demonware. No other details were released and we have no idea when this game will be built or launched to your phone or tablet. Let's hope it's semi-soon in order to keep the hype around Warzone going.

Google Clears Up a Bit of Android 12 "June 2022 Feature Drop" Beta Confusion

Kellen — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 09:21:18 +0000
Google dropped a surprise Android 12 Beta update on us yesterday that was labeled as both a "Quarterly Platform Release" and the "June 2022 Feature Drop." The naming was slightly odd, since Google's Pixel Feature Drops are often more app-focused with new features delivered through their own services, rather than as a part of an actual software update. Google has since clarified and tweaked some wording to help everyone better understand. For those who grabbed yesterday's beta, which was labeled as a beta for an upcoming build for June, you might have been looking for new features to test. You likely came up empty, because again, Feature Drops don't typically involve Android-level changes and are instead features issued alongside Google's monthly Pixel updates on a quarterly basis. Take a look at the recent March Pixel Feature Drop and you'll see that all of the new features are really just items that can be delivered within app updates. The same applies for December's Feature Drop. What Google has done since first posting the Android 12 QPR3 Beta 1 build is try and distance the update from being a Feature Drop. For example, on the release notes page for the build, they removed "(June 2022 Feature Drop)" from next to the build. They also tweaked wording in their /r/android_beta post. Yesterday:
A few days ago, we officially announced the release of Android 12L and the March Pixel Feature drop. Thank you again for all your feedback on the Android 12L beta that helped shape this release. Today, the Android 12 beta continues with the next round of updates for our June feature drop starting with Beta 1. These are known as Quarterly Platform Releases (QPRs) and delivered to Google Pixel devices as part of Feature Drops. Beta 1 (S3B1.220218.004) includes improvements to functionality and user experience as well as the latest bug fixes, optimizations, and the March 2022 security patches.
Today:
A few days ago, we officially announced the release of Android 12L and the March Pixel Feature drop. Thank you again for all your feedback on the Android 12L beta that helped shape this release. Today, the Android 12 beta continues with the next round of updates. These are known as Quarterly Platform Releases (QPRs) and delivered to Google Pixel devices as part of Feature Drops. Beta 1 (S3B1.220218.004) includes improvements to functionality and user experience as well as the latest bug fixes, optimizations, and the March 2022 security patches.
I know those are minor tweaks, but the point here is that this Android 12 Beta is a Quarterly Platform Release (QPR) as build (S3B1.220218.004). It is more than likely just a massive bug fixer like December and March's updates were. Remember how long each of those updates' changelogs were? (Here and here.) This early release is giving opportunities for you and I to test it for Google before they push it to stable in June. Knowing that December's update had a ton of issues that delayed it for over a month on the Pixel 6 and that March's is also delayed for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, this is a big and important move for Google. They told us this type of beta testing was coming, and it technically started with the Android 12L update, but this is the first time they have been clearer about how this all works. To recap, if you grabbed the Android 12 QBR3 Beta 1 (S3B1.220218.004) yesterday and were hoping to experience a bunch of Feature Drop-like new goodies, you might be disappointed. Instead, think of this as an early look at all of the bugs Google plans to squash by June's monthly update. The Pixel Feature Drop stuff should show up when this goes stable.

Here's Everything New Coming to Your Android Phone in March

Tim — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 09:07:38 +0000
Google announced today a suite of sweet new features headed to your Android device via updates to the core apps that make your Android experience what it is. A couple of features detailed we already knew about, given this is an Android blog and it's our lives to know, but most of what was announced is fresh and sound pretty great. Let's go over what's coming to your phone, shall we?
Google Messages
Google confirmed and detailed new features for Google Messages, mainly the interaction Android phones have with iPhones. We detailed all of this in a separate post, given its importance. To recap, though, we have iMessage reactions, improved video sharing with Google Photos, message nudging, better inbox organization, birthday reminders, and more. It's all good stuff, that is, if you're using Messages as your default texting app.

Gboard
For Gboard users, Google is offering a new grammar correction tool, an onboard tool that should catch many of the common mistakes people make with the English language. I'm looking at you, Mr. Your versus You're. When a grammatical error is detected, Gboard will suggest corrections. Additionally, Emoji Kitchen is getting expanded, with new emoji mashups to play with, 2,000 new possibilities in total. And for Pixel users, Gboard can now convert your words into stickers for sharing with friends. I actually just tested this in Telegram and it works wonderfully.
Offline Live Transcribe
As the header suggests, Live Transcribe can now be used offline when your device doesn't have a WiFi or cell signal. You'll simply need to download a package from inside the app for it to work, similar to how Google Maps can work offline.
Portrait Blur for All
For those who aren't Google One members or Pixel phone owners, the Portrait Blur feature is coming to all who use Google Photos. This feature allows you to "intelligently blur the background on photos of people, post-snap." On top of that, Google says that we can all soon use this effect on photos of other subjects, like pets, food, and plants. And yes, it will work on photos even from years ago when Portrait Mode wasn't a thing. Such fancy. https://youtu.be/HztmSwvBu2U
Google TV Highlights
The Google TV app is getting a new Highlights tab, a dedicated section for viewing more content based on your favorite entertainment and hopefully finding new titles that will interest you. If you spot something you want to check out, Google is making it very easy to save titles to your Watchlist or head directly to the title's landing page for viewing.
"Hey Google, Pay for Parking"
Thanks to work with ParkMobile, Google Assistant can help you pay for your street parking. Simply say, "Hey Google, pay for parking." From there, you'll follow on-screen prompts to get situated. That's not all. Users can also extend their time and check parking status with Google Assistant.

Screen Time Widget
There's a new widget available from Digital Wellbeing, one that will surely upset you by detailing exactly how long you're spending inside of your top 3 time killer apps.
Nearby Group Share
An update for Nearby Share allows you to share files/photos/videos with more than one individual at a time. That will surely make life a bit easier for those who use this feature.
That's all for now! Be on the lookout for these features to hit your device. I'm already seeing a couple of them via app updates this month. // Google

All These Sweet New Google Messages Features are Official

Kellen — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 07:25:00 +0000
Google Messages really has seen a steady stream of improvements over the years to become a solid text messaging app on Android. Its feature set continues to grow with the latest batch of new-ness bringing those iMessage reactions we talked about a few weeks ago, as well as Google Photos video sharing, and more. Here's the list of everything new coming to Google Messages on your phone:

iMessage reactions: Again, this started rolling out pretty widely back in January, but Google has confirmed that Messages lets you see reactions from iPhone users that display like emoji. You can see exactly how these look at this post, but the idea is that instead of getting those weird text message reactions, they'll now show as emoji on your messages to at least make you feel a little closer to the conversation.

Google Photos video sharing: Since Google Messages is still reliant on old SMS and MMS texting, sharing videos and photos can be rough with it downsizing files and quality. Google figured out a way to bake in Google Photos to the media sharing experience, so now when you go to share a video that might be sent via old school texting, you can choose to share it via Google Photos. That way, you'll easily send a link to a good quality version of the video. Photos sharing is on the way too.

Organized inbox: Google is now going to let you organize your Messages inbox with Personal and Business tabs, plus they are bringing a feature to the US that lets Messages automatically delete those 1-time password messages after 24 hours.

Message nudging: If you happen to be terrible at checking your messages or are bad about replying to someone, Messages can now nudge you to follow-up, similar to how Gmail's nudging works.

Birthday reminders: If you save birthdays for people with their contact info, Messages can remind you to wish them a happy birthday. That reminder will even jump you into a conversation with them to make that message process easier.

Emoji Kitchen keeps growing: The Emoji Kitchen within Gboard is growing once again, now with over 2,000 emoji mashups that are available as stickers in your conversations. More on the Emoji Kitchen here.

Google says that all of these new Messages features will rollout over the "coming weeks." To stay up-to-date, be sure to check for updates at that link below. If you really want stuff early, the Messages beta program (also at that link below) is a good thing to sign-up for. Google Play Link: Google Messages

Android 12 QPR3 Beta 1 Now Available to Pixel Phones

Tim — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 13:25:45 +0000
Google announced today that it has released Android 12 QPR3 Beta 1 for select Pixel devices. This beta is for the Quarterly Platform Releases (QPR), something Google announced it would do for Pixel owners back in October of 2021. In this particular beta, you'll be testing what's expected to release as the June feature drop. Google lists specifically that Beta 1 includes, "improvements to functionality and user experience as well as the latest bug fixes, optimizations, and the March 2022 security patches"
Release date: March 9, 2022 Build: S3B1.220218.004 Security patch level: March 2022 Google Play services: 21.48.15
The build is listed as S3B1.220218.004. Eligible Pixel phones are the Pixel 4, 4a, 5, 5a, 6, and 6 Pro.
How to Get QPR3 Beta 1

Google notes that if you’re already enrolled in the Android 12L Beta program and are running an existing 12L Beta build, you will automatically receive an over-the-air (OTA) update to QPR3 Beta 1. If you aren't enrolled in that beta and want to try QPR3, you can head to the official Android Beta website and enroll your device. Once enrolled, your device will receive the OTA.
If you're a bit more savvy, you can manually flash the system image of QPR3. First, download the necessary file, then follow our instructions here on how to perform the flash. // reddit | Android Developers

Today Only: OnePlus RCC Members Get a OnePlus 9 for Only $545 ($184 Off)

Tim — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 10:57:32 +0000
For one day only, OnePlus is offering the OnePlus 9 at just $545 to members of its free-to-join Red Cable Club (RCC). If you aren't familiar, RCC is a loyalty program that nets OnePlus fans exclusive discounts on products and other goodies. If you like OnePlus, you should probably be signed up. OnePlus 9 at $545 is a solid deal, down from its usual price of $729. This is even better than the company's Black Friday price of $599, so if you're in need of a new OP device, it's worth a look. OnePlus also accepts trade-ins, in case you were looking to save even more. The deal is today only, so act fast if you're interested.
OnePlus Store Link

Verizon Up is Changing and Your Device Dollars Need to be Spent

Kellen — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 08:58:05 +0000
Verizon Up, the rewards program from Verizon that has been a surprisingly enjoyable bonus for Verizon customers who like receiving free gift cards and device dollars each month, is about to change. The changes must be dramatic too, as Verizon notified customers today that they'll need to spend remaining balances in the next couple of months before they lose them and the program launches into something new. In an email sent to customers today, Verizon said that Verizon Up "will evolve into a completely new experience designed entirely around you and the things you love." There will apparently still be Super Tickets, presale events, anniversary offers, and access to TravelPass, but the rest is a mystery. A program "designed entirely around you" sounds worrisome, knowing that these programs often collect all sorts of data about your patterns and behaviors, so we'll see how that goes. The two most frequently used perks, Monthly Rewards (like gift cards to Amazon) and Device Dollars (cash to spend on future devices) are going away it seems. Well, Device Dollars went away last year, but Verizon is now warning members that they will need to spend any remaining balances before June 30. They also noted that Monthly Rewards are being retired on May 1. Again, they haven't said what we can expect only what's going away. We also don't know when the new Verizon Up will arrive, but this summer seems like a good time to pencil in if we look at those dates I just mentioned. If you want to learn more about Verizon Up, here's the page for it.

New Verizon Home Internet Customers Getting Free Year of Disney Bundle

Tim — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 08:39:47 +0000
If you live in an area that offers Verizon's Home Internet service, and you happen to become a customer today or any time after March 9, prepare to be showered with an amazing gift. Verizon announced this week that new customers of 5G Home Internet or 4G LTE Home Internet will receive up to a free year of the Disney Bundle, which is the grouping of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. That's a $14/month value right there. The only caveat is which tier of Home Internet you're on. If you're on a 5G Home Plus plan, you'll get the full 12 months of the bundle. For those on a standard 5G/LTE Home plan, you'll only receive six free months. Still fine, but not a full year. Sadly, the promo is only open to new customers, so existing customers can take their frustrations out on social media or wherever else they like to air grievances.
Check Availability Here
// Verizon

Nothing Sets March 23 as Date to Reveal New Products, Possibly a Phone

Kellen — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 07:45:06 +0000
After reports surfaced last week suggesting Nothing is about to announce something, the tech start-up confirmed this morning that an upcoming launch is around the corner. On March 23, Nothing will host an event called "The Truth" where they'll share information on their 2022 product roadmap. The event will take place at 9AM Eastern (6AM Pacific) on March 23 in a virtual reveal. An event page where you can watch the event has been post to Nothing's site. Nothing and Carl Pei didn't say what exactly we can expect, but Qualcomm Snapdragon is listed on the event page. We're pretty sure they are about to show off a new smartphone, which might have been purposely teased here. Nothing also shared that they've taken in another $70M in funding, that they sold over 400,000 of their Ear (1) earbuds, and that their team is 300 strong. They are calling 2021 a warm-up and that 2022 should be a bigger year.

Google is Going to Let You Archive Android Apps Instead of Uninstalling

Kellen — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 12:15:59 +0000
Later this year, you may not have to fully uninstall an app to free up space on that aging phone of yours. Google announced today that it has been cooking up a way to archive apps on your phone, making it easier to restore them with user data at some point in the future. On the Android Developers Blog, Google announced the new feature, saying that it would allow you to reclaim around 60% of the app storage taken by an app. That way, certain parts of the app would remain on your device to let you restore to a newer version of the app later on. And again, your user data would stay there too. Google sees more than just the benefit of users being able to free up space and later restore the app, though. They think this will help developers deal with fewer uninstalls and also lower friction for their users to get apps back. Google is preparing to release the tools for developers to start working on implementing archiving of their apps, including a new type of APK called an archived APK. They will even start making archived apps, though no one can access or use them until later this year. Cool or nah?

Apex Legends for Android Arrives Outside of US for Testing

Tim — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 08:21:58 +0000
Apex Legends Mobile is now available to users outside of the US in select regions for a testing phase, ensuring that when the game does launch globally, it's with as few hitches as possible. If you aren't down with the Apex, the game is a battle royale published by EA, one of the few titles that has maintained its success and popularity in the BR community. These days, that's rare. If you're wanting to give it a go, you'll need to be in one of the below markets.
Where You Can Play

Australia

New Zealand

Singapore

Malaysia

Philippines

Indonesia

Mexico

Peru

Argentina

Colombia

I assume if you wanted to use a VPN to mask your location that could potentially work? Feel free to give it a go, then download the app from Google Play. Report back to us if you succeed.
Google Play Link

Android 12L Coming to Samsung, Lenovo, and Microsoft Devices

Tim — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 12:59:43 +0000
Google announced today that Android 12L, its Android OS designed to be used by foldables and tablets, will be making its way to a list of devices from makers like Samsung, Lenovo, and Microsoft. If you haven't followed the Android 12L news at all, the first beta launched late last year, with Beta 3 coming this past month. The beta appears to have gone successfully, with Google detailing that Android 12L will begin to make its way to 3rd-party devices this year. We didn't get specifics as for when, but we expect it's soon. Google does specifically mention Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 as two devices set to receive the update, so that's something to get excited about. For Pixel smartphones, they are beginning to receive Android 12.1 for the month of March, which is what Android 12L is based on. Pixel 6 owners should note the update is slightly delayed for them. Once we see Android 12L begin hitting devices in an official fashion, we'll update you. // Google

March Google Pixel Update is a Massive Bug Fixer Too: Here's the List

Kellen — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 11:03:56 +0000
The March Pixel update is rolling out now to every Pixel phone except for the Pixel 6 series, which will get it later this month. When your specific Google Pixel phone grabs this update, there is a really good chance it will take care of bugs that have annoyed you. Yes, this is still a Pixel Feature Drop update, but it also appears to be another massive bug fixer. We've included the full list below from Google's community post, along with the reference guide to help you figure out which bug is being squashed on which phone. For the most part, this appears to be a big Pixel 6 fixer. There are improvements or fixes made to the fingerprint sensor, Bluetooth glitches, frame drops during video capture, display refresh rates to lock at 60Hz, adaptive brightness, and lift to wake performance. Outside of the Pixel 6, there are dozens of other fixes too, included a huge list of Android 12 user interface improvements that impact all Pixel phones. Again, the list is massive, but you should definitely look through it to see if any lingering bugs that have frustrated you are now gone (or will soon be for Pixel 6 owners).
March Google Pixel Update Fixes/Improvements

Audio

Fixes & improvements for audio playback issues in certain apps *[1].

Battery & Power

Fix for issue causing inadvertent "Unplug Charger" notification to appear while charging in certain conditions *[2].

General improvements for battery & thermal performance in certain conditions *[2].

General improvements for wireless charging in certain conditions *[3].

Biometrics

General improvements for face unlock stability & performance *[4].

General improvements for fingerprint sensor stability & performance *[2].

Bluetooth

Fix for issue causing Bluetooth to turn on after disabling in certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue causing occasional audio glitches during playback with certain Bluetooth devices *[2].

Fix for issue preventing Bluetooth to be enabled in certain conditions *[2].

General improvements for Bluetooth stability & performance *[1].

Camera

Fix for issue causing frame drop during video capture in certain modes and conditions *[2].

General image quality improvements in camera preview/capture *[2].

General improvements for camera stability & performance *[2].

Display & Graphics

Fix for issue causing display refresh rate to lock at 60Hz under certain conditions *[2].

Fix for issue occasionally causing a green flicker to appear in certain media apps when playing HDR content *[2].

Fix for occasional screen flicker in notification shade when dragging from top of screen *[2].

Fix for occasional white screen flash after display goes to sleep *[1].

General improvements for Adaptive brightness response in certain conditions *[2].

Framework

Fix for issue causing persistent new device setup prompt to appear in certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue causing screensaver to turn on while toggled off *[1].

General improvements for keyboard responsiveness & performance *[1].

Sensors

Fix for issue causing Active Edge to take a screenshot instead of opening Assistant in certain conditions *[5].

Fix for issue causing device to occasionally continue vibrating after accepting or dismissing a call *[1].

Fix for issue preventing auto-rotate to detect device orientation in certain conditions *[2].

General improvements for Lift-to-wake response & performance *[2].

General improvements for Quick Tap response & performance *[6].

General improvements for sensor stability & response in certain conditions *[2].

System

Fix for issue causing inadvertent "device corrupt" error to appear in certain conditions *[2].

Fix for issue occasionally preventing OTA updates to install *[7].

General improvements for memory efficiency & performance *[8].

General improvements for system stability & performance *[1].

Kernel update to 4.9.292 for Pixel 3a & Pixel 3a XL.

Kernel update to 4.14.257 for Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL & Pixel 4a.

Kernel update to 4.19.220 for Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5 & Pixel 5a (5G).

Kernel update to 5.10.66 for Pixel 6 & Pixel 6 Pro.

Telephony

Fix for issue causing device to reboot repeatedly after transferring SIM *[9].

Fix for issue causing network data icon to disappear after sending an MMS message in certain conditions *[1].

General improvements for network connection stability & performance *[1].

Touch

General improvements for fingerprint sensor stability & performance *[2].

User Interface

Add shortcut to open Calendar app from At A Glance on home screen *[1].

Fix for issue causing "Add a language" list to overlap with title text in Settings *[1].

Fix for issue causing bottom layer of system navigation to disappear in certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue causing Bubbles info overlay to appear misaligned over apps under certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue causing certain home screen content to display under lock screen when animation duration is customized *[1].

Fix for issue causing certain home screen icons to appear misaligned in certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue causing certain widgets to render incorrectly on home screen after setting up device from a backup *[1].

Fix for issue causing delay before available networks appear in Internet Tile under certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue causing error while adding widgets to home screen after downgrading apps *[1].

Fix for issue causing fingerprint unlock icon to appear invisible on lock screen in certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue causing fingerprint unlock to appear disabled while Smart Lock is enabled under certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue causing incoming notifications to occasionally render over Quick Settings while notification shade is expanded *[1].

Fix for issue causing incorrect colors or theme to display in Quick Settings in certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue causing longer load times for UI after unlock in certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue causing notification shade to collapse after unlocking device when replying to a notification from the lock screen *[1].

Fix for issue causing notifications to display as invisible on lock screen under certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue causing occasional animation stutter while using Overview in landscape mode *[1].

Fix for issue causing occasional flicker on lock screen when tapping to expand notifications *[1].

Fix for issue causing Picture-in-Picture (PIP) controls to display misaligned from window in certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue causing Picture-in-Picture (PIP) windows to dismiss when flinging across the screen under certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue causing Quick Settings overlay to stay on the screen in certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue causing recent apps to not display in Overview under certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue causing the end of the "All Apps" list in Settings to cut off if certain apps are disabled *[1].

Fix for issue causing wallpaper to appear blurred after locking screen with app drawer open *[1].

Fix for issue enabling Quick Settings toggles to be tapped from home screen in certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue occasionally causing app splash screens to flash on screen without a transition *[1].

Fix for issue occasionally causing battery charge level to incorrectly display on Ambient display (AOD) *[1].

Fix for issue occasionally causing blank background on home screen after setting wallpaper *[1].

Fix for issue occasionally causing device wallpaper to flash before resuming app after unlocking the device *[1].

Fix for issue occasionally causing gap between app icons to appear in app drawer *[1].

Fix for issue occasionally causing icons and text in connected devices Settings page to appear misaligned *[1].

Fix for issue occasionally causing prompt to disable mobile network to appear when scrolling in Network settings screen *[1].

Fix for issue occasionally causing silent notifications to appear under alerting section in notification shade *[1].

Fix for issue occasionally causing the launcher to crash when when entering overview in 3-button navigation mode *[1].

Fix for issue occasionally causing the notification shade to appear transparent in the launcher *[1].

Fix for issue occasionally causing volume slider overlay to jump to the edge of the screen before disappearing *[1].

Fix for issue occasionally causing widgets with dynamic theming to display using a different color palette after waking device *[1].

Fix for issue occasionally preventing weather information to display in At A Glance widget on home screen *[1].

Fix for issue preventing conversation bubble to be dismissed in certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue preventing double-tap to wake from being disabled under certain conditions *[1].

Fix for issue preventing mirroring device screen to cast display under certain conditions *[1].

General improvements for performance in certain UI transitions and animations *[1].

General improvements for split screen support with certain third party launchers *[1].

Wi-Fi

Fix for issue causing Wi-Fi network connection to drop unexpectedly under certain conditions *[2].General improvements for Wi-Fi stability & performance *[1].

--------------------------------------------------------------- Device Applicability

*[1] Included on Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5, Pixel 5a (5G), Pixel 6 & Pixel 6 Pro

*[2] Included on Pixel 6 & Pixel 6 Pro

*[3] Included on Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 5, Pixel 6 & Pixel 6 Pro

*[4] Included on Pixel 4 & Pixel 4 XL

*[5] Included on Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4 & Pixel 4 XL

*[6] Included on Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5, Pixel 5a (5G), Pixel 6 & Pixel 6 Pro

*[7] Included on Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5 & Pixel 5a (5G)

*[8] Included on Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5 & Pixel 5a (5G)

*[9] Included on Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4a

Oh hello again! You made it down here. Grab that update and let us know if these bugs are indeed now gone.

March 2022 Android Security Update Now Available for Google Pixel Phones

Kellen — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 10:00:15 +0000
The first Monday of the month has once again brought us a new update for Google's Pixel phones. This month isn't just any old monthly update, though, as Google is set to push out another Pixel Feature Drop, bringing with it several new features for still-supported Pixel phones. We have the full recap on this month's drop over here. In this post, you'll find the basic details on this March Google Pixel update, like build numbers for each phone, when your phone might get it, or how you can get it quicker. The March Google Pixel update is rolling out starting today to the Pixel 3a, Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5, and Pixel 5a. You'll notice I didn't mention the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro and well, that's because they are getting their updates "later this month." Google didn't say why there was another delay for their newest phones, but knowing the mess the last feature drop caused, they may be playing this one extra safe. In a bit of a surprise move, Google has posted new Android 12.1.0 build numbers for the Pixel 5a (SP2A.220305.12), Pixel 5 (SP2A.220305.12), Pixel 4a 5G (SP2A.220305.12), Pixel 4a (SP2A.220305.12), Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL (SP2A.220305.12), and Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL (SP2A.220305.12). When the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro gets the update, they'll see build SP2A.220305.013.A3. In case you didn't catch that, I said Android 12.1, so yeah, this is a new version of Android. It is apparently Android 12L, now in stable and hitting Pixel phones first.

UPDATE: This update is a massive bug fixer and the full list of fixes can be found here.

Google should begin pushing these updates shortly over-the-air (Settings>System>Advanced>System update), 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:

Factory Images

OTA Files

Pixel/Nexus Security Bulletin

Pixel Security Update Changes

March's Pixel Update is a Feature Drop: Here's Everything New

Kellen — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 10:00:13 +0000
It's Pixel Feature Drop month! If you own a still-supported Google Pixel phone, this month's Android patch is a special update that not only brings you up-to-date on security and bug fixes, you get new features to play with too. Those new features include new widgets, live caption in new places, Night Sight in Snapchat, and more. The current list of Pixel phones getting this month's update should include the Pixel 3a, Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, and Pixel 6. Of course, you already know that the Pixel 6 update is delayed until "later this month," so for now, enjoy, pre-Pixel 6 owners!
Here's the simple bulleted list of everything new in the March Pixel Feature Drop:

Pixel battery widget: The battery widget I begged for is here! The new Pixel battery widget will show you up-to-date battery information on Bluetooth-connected devices. It can spread across a home screen or shrink down to fit your specific spaces.

At a Glance's big update: The At a Glance widget at the top of your main screen (and on the lock screen) is getting its big update that adds info like battery levels of Bluetooth devices, safety check countdown from the Personal Safety app, reminders to turn off alarms, and more.

Live Caption in calls: Now during calls, you can enable Live Caption and see what the other person is saying to you. You can even respond back through the keyboard if you are unable to talk.

YouTube and app sharing in Duo: When Samsung announced the Galaxy S22, Google announced that Duo was getting a sweet new feature that allowed you to share YouTube or other apps. They are now expanding that capability to Pixel phones.

Gboard's custom auto-stickers: With the latest version of Gboard on your Pixel phone, you'll be able to type out a message and then choose from custom stickers that were auto-created based on whatever you just typed. For example, if you typed out "Happy Birthday Steve," you should get new stickers that actually say "Happy Birthday Steve" on on them. Pretty sweet.

Live Translate to Spanish: Live Translate is expanding to Spanish on Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.

Night Sight in Snapchat: Google continues its close relationship with Snapchat by now offering Night Sight within the Snapchat camera app on Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. That means better night photos and videos if you are using the Snapchat camera app to snap those life moments. Just look for the moon icon in the camera to enable it.

New Curated Culture wallpapers: The new Curated Culture wallpapers for this month include three papers from Manjit Thapp, an illustrator out of the UK. This is a continued celebration of International Women's Day. The three wallpapers can be seen at the top of this post.

For this month's Feature Drop, Google is also expanding previously released features to other devices and languages:

Direct My Call and Wait Times are now available on Pixel 3a and above.

The Recorder app now transcribes Italian and Spanish on Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.

Google Assistant Quick Phrases are now available in Spanish, Italian, and French on Pixel 6.

Finally, here is the chart of all the new features and which phones will get them:
Again, this big update is hitting the Pixel 3a up through the Pixel 5a today, with Pixel 6 devices getting in later this month. // Google

Chrome for Android is Faster Than Ever

Kellen — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 09:00:41 +0000
Google is celebrating today with the M99 release of Chrome on desktops, because it "substantially increases the speed of Chrome across all major platforms." More specifically, Chrome for Mac has apparently achieved the highest score to date in Apple's Speedometer benchmark, which means it is faster than Safari. That's great for Mac users, but you should also know that Chrome for Android is getting a boost as well. Chrome for Android is apparently now 15% faster, thanks to navigation optimizations within the browser. Google claims that Chrome now prioritizes critical navigation moments to help run code quickly "while simultaneously optimizing the code for performance." That all sounds way over my head, so I'll just look at that 15% number and nod in approval. Google didn't tell us a build number (other than it being release 99), but if you make sure you are updated through that Google Play link below, I'd imagine you'll want to grab the latest to experience these new speed benefits. My Pixel 6 Pro is currently on v98.0.4758.101, so yeah, I'm not going to see that 15% boost yet. Google Play Link: Google Chrome // Chromium Blog

Carl Pei Spotted Showing Off the Nothing Phone

Tim — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 08:27:26 +0000
It was only last week when it was reported that we would soon see the phone Nothing has been working on. For those interested, the media has dubbed it the Nothing Phone, since we don't yet have an official name. Given the company's earbuds were called Ear 1, the phone should be Phone 1 or something along those lines. Anyway, that doesn't matter. What does matter is this super not planned leak that just took place, with a photo of the device in the hands of the Nothing king, Mr. Carl Pei (ex-OnePlus) himself. In the photo, we can see Carl showing off the device to another individual, who is tagged as being none other than Qualcomm's CEO, Cristiano Amon. Notice how the phone is positioned to give everyone in the room, including the person holding the camera, a good look at the device. Definitely not sus at all. As for what we can say about the device from this photo? Not much. It looks rather large, but other than that, there's not much to see. It's possibly in a protective case to hide its shape and attributes a bit, but who knows. I will say, Nothing's earbuds did offer a unique appearance, so I also expect this device to somewhat push the boundaries of design. Maybe it will be see-thru, similar to the Ear 1 buds? That would be slick. Either way, this phone is said to be very close to launch. We'll keep you posted. // @evleaks (Protected account)

Disney+ is Getting a Tier With Ads

Kellen — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 12:57:43 +0000
Streaming services are still figuring out how this wild new world of streaming works, just like you and I. With prices moving, bundles happening, and carrier partners running exclusive deals with streaming partners, it's a whole thing, this future of TV. For Disney+, their plan to adjust to a place where more people will consider their service is to introduce a new tier, one that has advertisements in it. Disney announced today that Disney+ will gain an ad-supported tier later in 2022 before expanding internationally in 2023. They didn't tell us the price or a specific launch date, only that this tier is coming. As of today, Disney+ without any ads and access to the full catalog of movies and shows costs $7.99/mo or $79.99/year. Should that pricing hold, are we talking about an ad-supported tier for $3.99 or $4.99? Maybe even cheaper? Or are we supposed to plan for a price increase on the ad-free plan before that ad-supported plan shows up in an attempt to squeeze some extra cash out of you and I? I have my worries. Oh, and because I'm sure you'll love to hear this, Rita Ferro, President, Advertising, Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution at Disney shared that "advertisers have been clamoring for the opportunity to be part of Disney+." Great. For now, there is nothing to worry about or consider. Once we get a date for Disney+ with ads, we'll let you know.

Samsung Responds to Throttling Claims, Is Definitely Throttling Your Galaxy S22

Tim — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 09:07:04 +0000
It was recently discovered that many apps on the Android platform, somewhere around 10,000 and including the most popular apps in the world, are having their performance throttled on new Galaxy S22 devices. You may ask yourself, "Why?" We as consumers are paying a high price to run the latest and greatest spec sheets, only for these companies to throttle our performance and experience? It sure doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Even more sneakily, benchmarking apps are not included in the list of apps to get throttled, meaning users are essentially getting duped. It's very similar to what OnePlus was doing last year and we had hoped as an industry that we wouldn't go down this road again. But here we are and Samsung has been caught. The company has already issued a response, stating that this move was done in order to help your phone/battery from overheating. Here's the rough translation taken from the Samsung Members app.
Hello. It’s Samsung. We are constantly trying to expand the option for users and provide the most optimized performance converging customers’ opinions. GOS (Game Optimizing Service) of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Series is pre-installed for optimizing the performance of CPU and GPU to prevent excessive heating when playing a game for a long time. To meet the recent needs of various customers, it is planned to update the Game Booster lab to provide an option to prioritize the performance, as soon as possible. Afterward, we will try our best for customers’ satisfaction and safety by listening to their opinions. Thank You.
First off, that introduction had me sent. Second, what a crock. Yo, Samsung, people are buying your $1K phones with the next-gen Snapdragon chipsets so they can experience their mobile games and apps at peak performance. Not throttled. If the device can't handle that, then maybe there's a fundamental flaw that needs to be addressed, such as designing an improved cooling process for the processor? Each year we have Qualcomm and other chipmakers tell us how optimized its chips are in performance and efficiency. With phone makers throttling TikTok and other non gaming apps, what are we to believe? At this point, I'm not even sure I've ever experienced what high-end specs are capable of, as they always seem to be throttled back so the phone won't blow up in my face. It's frustrating, folks. Big time shoutout to the individuals that test these things and call out the powers that be. It's unacceptable. And even if we have to live throttled lives, don't try to be sneaky and hide it by not including benchmarking apps. It makes you look very guilty. Be transparent. Be cool. It's noted that enabling Performance mode on the Galaxy S22 will disable many of these "optimizations." // 9to5Google

Verizon's +play is a Hub for All Those Damn Streaming Services of Yours

Kellen — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 13:33:17 +0000
There was a shift a few years back to a world of streaming, where many decided that cutting off overpriced cable was a smart move and that subscribing to select services that you actually use was worthwhile. I'm not so sure the cost-cutting is there any longer, but we're all streaming more than ever. Verizon knows this and announced +play, a hub for its customers to manage all of the streaming services they subscribe to. As a part of Verizon's investor day, where the company explains in precise terms to investors how they'll make them even more money - after another year of printing money - by getting customers to pay for more shit or a more expensive plan, Verizon described +play as a "groundbreaking platform that allows users to discover, purchase and manage some of their favorite subscriptions across entertainment, audio, gaming, fitness, music, lifestyle and more." They also said that it will most definitely "generate significant new revenues from subscription purchases." This hub will expand on the services Verizon currently offers, making it a one-stop-shop for your streaming needs if you are a Verizon customer. This will, of course, allow you to subscribe from within your Verizon account and help keep you as a paying customer, because that's the other goal of +play - to "increase customer loyalty and improve [Verizon's] market-leading retention rates." But enough of me ranting about mega-corps finding ways to make even more money while the country (and world) worry about unnecessary rising costs. +play will launch this month in a limited rollout to select customers and with select partners. Verizon will then push the platform out to a wider audience at some point later in the year. For services, +play will expand Verizon's line-up in a big way by adding Netflix, Peloton, Veeps concert livestreams, WW International, A+E Networks (Lifetime Movie Club, HISTORY Vault, and A&E Crime Central), The Athletic, Calm, Duolingo, and TelevisaUnivision’s Vix+. Right now, Verizon gives customers subscriptions or deals on Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Discovery, and AMC+. The +play service will be free to customers, in case that wasn't clear. It will give you exclusive offers to use for many of the services as well. We aren't sure yet how you'll access +play, but my guess is that it'll be baked into the My Verizon app.

OSOM Shares Some of Its First Phone's Specs, Talks Big on Camera

Kellen — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 10:15:07 +0000
The OSOM OV1 is still coming and it's clear that this crew has a lot left in the smartphone tank following their frustrating days at Essential. They've shared some important details this week, like the processor, material choices for hardware, when it's expected to ship, and the level of importance put on the camera system, which was one of the major issues surrounding that original Essential phone. In a partial specs reveal, OSOM shared with us that the OV1 phone will run a Snapdragon 8 series chipset. We don't know exactly which one, but that could mean the current 8 Gen 1 or possibly some other variant that Qualcomm has yet to introduce. Either way, that should be good news even if it does now mean a Q4 shipping time frame. Yep, the move to Snapdragon 8 series has apparently pushed the phone back to Q4 of 2022. For materials, OSOM plans to use both stainless and titanium housings, as well as Zirconia back with polished white and matte black finishes. There could/should be additional color options down the road. You all remember how Essential played with colors throughout the story of that single, well-loved phone, so this shouldn't come as a surprise. As far as other specs go, expect a bigger display and overall size this time around compared to the Essential PH-1. OSOM didn't say how big, but they think a bigger body means a better user experience, antenna performance, and battery life. There will be a larger battery that will provide "beyond all-day" juice with "regular use." Rounding out specs, we should get a UWB antenna, dual SIM action, Corning Victus glass coverings, and a secure data cable (this is a privacy-focused phone) that would cut off any data access to your phone and would instead only allow charging (pictured below).
OK, let's talk cameras. OSOM knows that the Essential phone had a terrible camera system, so for the OV1 they've put in a rear dual camera system with 48MP and 12MP shooters, as well as a 16MP selfie sensor. They told us that "unlike at Essential," they went out and "enlisted the help of the best teams in the world to bring a truly flagship camera experience" to users. Those are big and important words that we will certainly hold them to as we get this phone in hands. So to recap, the OSOM OV1 is coming, only now in Q4 of this year with a Snapdragon 8 series chip and a camera that they are suggesting will be "truly" on the level of other flagships. And remember, this phone is supposed to be under $1,000.

Verizon's 5G UWB Expected to Cover 175 Million by Year's End

Tim — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 10:08:32 +0000
Today is Verizon's Investor Day, a time Verizon takes to showcase what it's doing to ensure its shareholders that it'll keep making money well into the future. A tidbit of info that was shared today is that Verizon expects its 5G Ultra Wideband service to cover 175 million people by the end of 2022. This rapid expansion is said to be thanks to Verizon's team of engineers and its "incredible pace of deployment." The last figure we saw for how many people have access to 5G Ultra Wideband was 100 million back in January. That was when C-Band first went live, the same time the FAA and wireless carriers were going back and forth about the safety of using the spectrum near airports. That all seems to have sorted itself out, though. Verizon stock is up 1.38% at the time of this post. // Verizon

Xfinity Rewards Gets You $1 Movie Rentals, Mobile Discounts, Supersonic WiFi Early Access

Tim — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 08:47:03 +0000
Comcast announced the launch of Xfinity Rewards this week, a rewards program designed specifically to reward its customers for simply being customers, similar to what T-Mobile has with T-Mobile Tuesdays. The rewards are also similar, but if you've been an Xfinity customer for a number of years, specifically 7+ years, you're in for some pretty sweet perks. There are four rewards status tiers -- 0-2 years gets you Silver, 2-7 years gets you Gold, 7-14 years is Platinum, and 14+ years as a Comcast customer is labeled at Platinum status. Some of big ticket perks you can receive are early access to Xfinity's upcoming Supersonic WiFi gateway, which is a multi-gig gateway that's publicly releasing in April, discounts at Universal resorts, Xfinity Mobile discounts, trips to Las Vegas, and plenty else. For Xfinity Mobile, eligible Rewards customers can get up to $150 towards a new Xfinity Mobile device and up to $100 towards new or existing service. Not a terrible perk at all. This program is completely free to sign up for, so if you're an Xfinity customer, you might as well get some free goods. Follow the link below to get yourself signed up. Sadly, I don't think my ISP, 18th CenturyLink, will ever offer something like this.
Sign-up for Xfinity Rewards
// Comcast

Google's Assistant Snapshot is Going Away

Kellen — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 07:10:46 +0000
The year was 2018 and your boy was as excited as can be. Why? Because Google had sort of brought back Google Now in a weird, through-the-Assistant sort of way. Without much effort to make you aware of it or to make it easily accessible, Google has decided to kill off the service I'm talking about. Heard of Google Assistant Snapshot? When Google introduced it, we really thought this might be the second coming of Google Now. It was a feed of your day or week or whatever. It had the weather, a preview of your commute, updates on your sports teams, ticket information, restaurant reservations, travel plans, and even birthday reminders. It was all wrapped up in a slick scrolling UI that received a big update a little over a year and a half ago. About a month ago, I wondered if something was up with Snapshot, as I couldn't access it any longer. You used to open it by firing up Google Assistant and then looking for this icon. However, in mid-January, that icon disappeared from my Pixel 6 and never returned. I haven't been able to access Snapshot in over a month. I asked around, but no one uses Snapshot and so no one noticed it gone either. Today, folks over at reddit, the few who use it regularly and likely created a home screen shortcut to it (that used to pop-up within Snapshot), noticed a new message that read:
Snapshot is going away soon You can still ask your Assistant for the updates you find here, like calendar events, birthday reminders, stock prices, and more
Yep, Google is killing the Assistant Snapshot.
Why? Again, I'm not sure they ever made this an easily accessible space within the Assistant ecosystem. You had to open Assistant, look for that tiny icon, an icon with zero description and that they kept shuffling around. Or if you were lucky enough to find the Snapshot Assistant home screen shortcut that popped up within Snapshot at some point, then that gave you access. But that was it. You couldn't place it where Google Discover sits or setup a Snapshot widget. You just had to know it existed. RIP to another service that had potential.

Nothing's Next Product is a Phone Coming Very Soon

Kellen — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 09:44:47 +0000
The next device from Nothing, the small technology device maker started by former OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, is right around the corner. In fact, we are reportedly going to see it this month or next and the chances of it being the company's first phone are high. According to a report today from TechCrunch, Nothing has been working on a smartphone for over a year and plans to announce it within the next several weeks. This isn't the first time we've heard this news, as a report from last year stated that Nothing was planning to launch a phone in early 2022. The company has been teasing an announcement of some sort for March, but today's report suggests it could slip to next month. Pei has also been hinting at a return to Android in recent weeks, noting on Twitter that he's back on the platform and loving Android 12. During this week's MWC in Barcelona (yeah, it's back and happening but you probably didn't notice), Pei reportedly showed off a prototype of his new phone and had meetings with partner companies, including Qualcomm. That prototype is said to carry some of the elements of their first product, the Nothing Ear (1). That could mean there are clear or transparent pieces in the phone's design. Outside of that, we know almost nothing. I'd imagine we'll get a Qualcomm chip, but how good of a chip will be telling. How will software be presented? Pei strikes me as the type to keep things simple, so hopefully that doesn't mean a heavy Android skin. Is there any chance the cameras aren't horrible? Most phone makers spend years working on cameras and almost never deliver in their first attempt. If anything, we'll be keeping an eye on what Nothing has to offer in a phone. The Android landscape is looking rough these days in the US - we'll take any and all new players to the game.

Pixel Watch Appears in US Carrier Inventory System

Tim — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 08:54:38 +0000
Pixel Watch, something we've been talking about for years, finally appears to be happening. Can you believe it? 2022 is looking like the year, with Wear OS 3 ready to be featured front and center and Google more than capable of producing some nice hardware. The device's codename, reported to be Rohan, has been spotted in a US carrier's inventory system, right alongside the also upcoming Pixel 6a (codename Bluejay). With this, we could see a launch for both devices, with the timeframe expected to be around Google I/O, which means May-ish. There's no confirmation on this, it's just an educated guess. Thanks to the inventory system, we have info on colors and storage options for the devices, too. The Pixel Watch is listed with gray, black, and gold color options and 32GB of storage. For a smartwatch, that's a lot of internal storage. The Pixel 6a is listed in black, white, and green with 128GB of storage. We hope the wait has been worth it, folks. Personally, I won't believe this device is the real deal until it's officially announced by Google. We have seen plenty of rumors and reports about the device, but considering this is Google, we have yet to see the usual long list of render leaks and all of that. It's possible that given the device's in-house production, the channels for leaking are limited, but c'mon, this is Google, people. If it's coming in May, I expect to see leaks every other day if this device is legit. I've been hurt too many times by this rumored Pixel Watch. // Android Police

Google System Update for March Improves a Bunch of Stuff

Kellen — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 12:09:44 +0000
A new month is here and so is yet another Google System update that includes new goodies through Google Play and Google Play Services. The updates should start rolling out as early as today too, so be on the lookout for changes. Google can be vague with the changelogs for these types of updates, but they at least gave us a list of items to dive into. For example, in Google Play Games, users should find new settings to "better manage their privacy." Google is also fixing connectivity, developer services, safety and emergency, and utilities bugs on almost all platforms, including Wear OS. Specific to Google Play, we have improvements to play-as-you download for those looking to get into a new game, new discovery features for apps and games, optimizations for faster and more reliable downloads, "new features" for Play Pass and Play Points, and various other fixes and optimizations. And finally, Google says it has "improved the user experience and feature education for NFC" enabled devices, plus they generally tried to improve things like network usage, stability, security, and updatability. Below is the full changelog.
March 2022 Critical Fixes

[Auto, Phone, Tablet, TV, Wear OS] Bug fixes for device connectivity, developer services, safety & emergency, and utilities related services. ^[1][2]

Games

[Phone, TV] With the update to the Play Games Services profile, users will be able to better manage their privacy settings. ^[2]

Google Play Store

Improvements to Play-as-you-download feature to let gamers start playing mobile games while the app download continues to reduce waiting times. ^[3]

New Features to help you discover the Apps & Games you love.^[3]

Optimizations allowing faster and more reliable download and installation.^[3]

New features to the Play Pass and Play Points programs. ^[3]

Enhancements to Google Play Billing. ^[3]

Continuous improvements to Play Protect to keep your device safe. ^[3]

Various performance optimizations, bug fixes and improvements to security, stability and accessibility. ^[3]

Wallet

[Phone] Improved user experience and feature education for NFC/HCE-enabled devices. ^[2]

System Management

Updates to system management services that improve device connectivity, network usage, stability, security and updatability. ^[1][2]

Developer Services

New developer features for Google and third party app developers to support ads, accessibility, analytics & diagnostics and machine learning & AI, and security & privacy related developer services in their apps. ^[2]

_{[1] Available through Google Play system update for March.
[2] Available through Google Play services v22.09 updated on 03/01/2022.
[3] Available through Google Play Store v29.5 updated on 03/01/2022.}
As a reminder, these updates are important because they are for everyone. This isn't just a Google Pixel update that comes out each month and is instead a platform-level set of updates for all or most Android phones. Google has issued this type of stuff for some time. However, they only started providing changelogs within the past few months. These new features and improvements will rollout as Google Play Services v22.09 and Google Play Store v29.5 starting March 1. It will likely take a while before everyone gets them.

Yeah, I'm Sticking With the Galaxy S22 Over the Pixel 6

Tim — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 11:48:41 +0000
Kellen shared his opinion earlier this week about which smartphone he'll be using for the time being, noting that he'll be going back to the Pixel 6 Pro after having reviewed the Galaxy S22 Ultra. He made a couple of fair points about his decision and certainly wasn't looking for anyone else to justify his choice, but of course this started a lovely debate in the comments section. I suppose it's my turn to share what phone I'll be using into the future, having now concluded my Galaxy S22 review.
I'm Sticking With the Galaxy S22
Shortly before I received my Galaxy S22 unit from Samsung for review, I had already made the switch off of the Pixel 6 and started using the Galaxy S21 Ultra again. This move was made for two reasons: Pixel 6 was a janky mess and I wanted to get familiar with using Samsung's One UI software again. The main reason was that janky Pixel 6, though. The January patch that was supposed to fix a bunch of issues had come already and I didn't really feel like it did enough to make the phone feel more stable. I'm convinced no amount of software tweaks will ever make an optical fingerprint reader decent, plus performance on the device wasn't up to snuff. My Galaxy S21 Ultra, on the other hand, performed smoothly and showcased superior battery life. While it may not be the software experience I prefer, it's hard to deny that Samsung's software has simply performed better in day-to-day usage compared to my Pixel 6. And there's so many factors to weigh here. My usage will vary greatly from that of another person's, as are the apps I use, so everyone should and will have their own preference in regards to which device works best. In past years, I've always found myself going back to the Pixel phones, but with the Pixel 6, there's nothing really dragging me back right now. Yes, it has an amazing camera system and Night Sight continues to be unrivaled, but it's pretty uncommon for me to need that feature on a daily basis in the PNW. I haven't seen the stars in a month due to night time clouds in my area. Point being, for my list of current needs, the Galaxy S22 checks all of the boxes.
Galaxy S22 Isn't Perfect Either
With its sub 4,000mAh battery, no, the Galaxy S22 is far from perfect, but it gets the job done. A late after noon charge before hitting the gym is all I need to ensure I make it to bed with plenty of juice left. Plus, I've added Nova Launcher and GoodLock to the device, essentially eliminating most if not all of my other nitpicky issues I have with the phone. I think an upgrade to the Galaxy S22+ will pretty much be as close to perfection as I can get, though, I would miss the S22's easily manageable size. Ugh, there's no such thing as the perfect phone. All this said, I don't see it as taking a side in the Galaxy vs. Pixel battle. I'm a consumer, simply looking for a phone to take pictures, doomscroll through Twitter, and wake me up with a morning alarm. I don't ask for much, and as of this moment, the Galaxy S22 frustrates me less than the Pixel 6. My 2022 money is ultimately on that sexy new Xperia 1 IV. Mmm. Pixel fanboys, come bash me. 🙂

Android 13 Brings the Flashlight Control You Dreamed of: Brightness

Kellen — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:53:59 +0000
Whoever realized that using the flash on a smartphone camera as a flashlight was a smart secondary use idea is a damn genius. Who doesn't use their phone as their default flashlight now in most situations? I certainly do. In Android 13, Google (and its partners) may take that flashlight feature and crank it up a notch. Discovered in Android 13 and detailed at the Esper blog, there are new APIs that will let apps control the brightness of a phone's LED flash, which means adjusting the brightness of your flashlight. The new APIs are a part of Android 13's camera system, where they work in combo to reset the brightness of the LED flash on the camera or adjust it. As you all know, Android currently only allows you and apps to toggle the flash on or off. Now, before you get super excited about all Android 13 devices using this change in the future, understand that that may not happen. There is another piece of this software (a camera HAL version 3.8) that will need to be implemented by device makers in order to be able to take advantage of this. For now, this new version was spotted in the Android 13 developer preview for the Pixel 6 Pro, so it could show up on additional devices. Count me as someone who is quite excited about what seems like such a small feature change.

Amazon's Luna Cloud Gaming Service Now Available to All, Free Games for Prime Members

Tim — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:06:30 +0000
Luna, Amazon's cloud gaming service, has officially opened its door to all who live in the US. First launched in September of 2020, Luna has evolved into a very capable service, one that differentiates itself on how one accesses a growing library of content, plus how easy Amazon has made it to stream your gameplay to those on Twitch. To get started, one would need a Luna account, which is free for those with Prime and comes with access to a rotating list of titles. Then there's Luna+, which is will cost $10/month starting April 1. Amazon specifies that existing early access customers, and customers who sign up for Luna+ or Family Channel by March 31, can lock in founder’s pricing and keep Luna+ at $6/month and Family Channel $3/mo, so long as they maintain their subscriptions in good standing. Once you have your account, Luna is all about channels, ideal for those who are into certain types of games or want games from a specific publisher. For example, the Ubisoft channel costs $18/mo and comes with all of the Ubisoft titles you could hope for. There's a retro gaming channel for $5/mo, plus a Prime Gaming Channel which is free. Luna also has fantastic device support. Players can game on Fire TV, Fire tablets, Windows PCs, Chromebooks, Macs, iPhones, iPads, and of course, Android phones. To start playing on Luna, download the Luna Controller app, and then get yourself a compatible controller (or buy Amazon's Luna controller). Ready to game? Click here to get started. // Amazon

Want a Headphone Jack? Sony's Xperia 1 IV is Hot

Tim — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 14:27:40 +0000
Sony, a company I wish would try just a tad harder in the US market, has another phone on the way. Its name is reported to be Xperia 1 IV, so this will be yet another entry into the company's line of flagship devices. Thanks to @OnLeaks, we have the first renders of the device, and as expected, it's undeniably sexy. According to the report attached to the renders, the Xperia 1 IV will feature a flat 6.5-inch OLED display, an array of 12-megapixel cameras with a possible telephoto lens included, Qualcomm's next-gen Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, 5,000mAh battery, up to 16GB RAM, and a headphone jack. Let's goooo. The issue for this device will come down to price and availability. From what we've seen in the past, you can expect this phone to cost more than $1K and won't hit the US until way later this year. Sony will typically launch a phone in other markets and then a US release is pushed way out until no one really seems to care. As a Sony phone fan, this has always frustrated me, but what are we to do? We'll keep you posted on this one. It's a really good looking phone. // Giznext

Galaxy S22 Ultra Brought Me Back to the Pixel 6 Pro and It Feels Good

Kellen — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 10:54:51 +0000
At the end of our review of the Pixel 6 Pro, I suggested that it should top your list of potential phones if you were in the market at the moment. There were too many good things going on at a price well below the competition. With a starting price of $899, there just wasn't a better value in the high-end phone market. Of course, I also mentioned that the chances of me sticking with it going forward were slim because the phone was far too big. The Pixel 6 Pro is a massive phone and I'm the type of smartphone user that doesn't want to carry around a small 7" tablet at all times. However, after spending the past couple of weeks with the Galaxy S22 Ultra and its big ol' body, I've kind of become used to the size and decided to reach for the Pixel 6 Pro again to see how my opinions might have changed over the past couple of months. Guys, I think I might be a Pixel 6 Pro user going forward. Let me explain why.
Software is better
I mentioned this in my Galaxy S22 Ultra review, but I used to be a huge Samsung One UI fan. It was so fresh a couple of years ago that it made me a Samsung fanboy from the Galaxy S10 through the Galaxy S20. Today, I don't quite feel the same, though. With Android 12 underneath, Samsung hasn't done much to keep things fresh and has instead shipped a mostly-the-same One UI without any major new features or appearance tweaks. If you were to come from Android 11 and One UI to Android 12 and One UI, you would be hard-pressed to figure what the new standout features are supposed to be. With the Pixel 6 Pro, we get Google's latest experience that was introduced alongside Android 12, so it's very much new and fresh. The bubbly UI, colors throughout, and incredible animations make for a version of Android that feels modern and a step ahead of everyone else. Then when you look at things like the vertical app drawer with quick searching built-in, proper folder layouts, a more playful use of color, and a shorter, more precise feature list that isn't overwhelming, the OS on a Pixel phone is easy to love. Don't get me wrong, the feature richness of Samsung's Android skin is absolutely a bonus. If you want a feature to do almost anything, Samsung has built that in. However, the simplicity of a Pixel experience, after spending time within Samsung's, presents such a stark contrast in styles that Google's ultimately wins, especially since it all just works like I expect Android to.

It feels new, unlike the Galaxy S22 Ultra
Outside of the software, one of the other areas that's stood out to me since switching back for the past several days has been the fact that the Pixel 6 Pro still comes off as being new. I know the phone is months old, but because Google changed it up so dramatically with this phone (by actually trying for once), the design and OS together don't seem so dated. For the Galaxy S22 Ultra, (again) as I mentioned in my review, the phone just seems like a slightly upgraded Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, a phone Samsung released in 2020. And again (again), the Galaxy S22 Ultra is without a doubt an incredible phone with good improvements and will undoubtedly make anyone who buys it happy for years and years to come. But as someone who touches new phones for a living as frequently as possibly, I wanted more. I wanted a refreshed design or a big change to software or something to really look forward to that wasn't just a re-branding of the Galaxy Note line to the Galaxy S Ultra line. Going back to the Pixel 6 Pro after taking some time away immediately felt good. It's almost as if I were picking up a new phone again because Google's Pixel 6 line is that different than anything they've done before.
The little things: haptics, wobble, and more
There are little things about the Pixel 6 Pro that won me back over too, like how good the phone's haptics feel as you navigate around and take advantage of gestures. Samsung's S22 Ultra haptics aren't bad, but Google's (at least in the Pixel 6 Pro) are about as good as you'll find on Android. The satisfaction you get from swiping into the app switch or the back gesture, especially the feedback from typing, are unmatched and are the closest to Apple's I've used to date. You can also set the Pixel 6 Pro down on a flat surface and use it without it wobbling like crazy. Trying to use the Galaxy S22 Ultra on a countertop was was painful as it teetered back and forth no matter what you tried to do. The camera bar on the Pixel 6 Pro might be a controversial design element, but at least it lets you use your phone on a table or desk without it pissing you off. Speaking of being pissed off, and I hate to bring this up for a second time, but the horizontal app drawer in Samsung's One UI needed to go away 8 years ago and absolutely infuriates me every time I fire up a Samsung phone for testing. I know, I could put on a 3rd party launcher, I just don't while testing because I want the out-of-box experience. For Christ's sake, Samsung, can we change this or at least give people the option to flip it to vertical? And on top of that, Google adding a system-level search to the app drawer, sort of like Apple's, might be my favorite Android 12 setting. I can't live without it any longer. For other items, I swear the 120Hz stays locked to 120Hz longer on this phone's display too (I have zero proof of this, by the way), plus I like that Google puts the power button above the volume rocker. The phone is slightly less-wide, "Now Playing" is one of my favorite features ever put in a phone, and I still prefer the processing of Google's cameras over Samsung's as well. There are lots of little things I think Google does better.

Yes, Samsung guy, now tell me all of the flaws of the Pixel 6
But this wouldn't be fair if I didn't point out that Google's Pixel 6 Pro has not been without its fair share of issues. The phone still gets way too hot when on a cellular connection and with moderate usage, its hardware design is pieced together like a startup would build its first phone, and battery life isn't the best. Oh yeah, the fingerprint reader is still dogsh*t and will likely always be. I haven't personally experienced a bunch of signal or WiFi issues like some, but I wouldn't doubt it if this phone had those. Google should not accept the fact that Samsung has a better update policy either. By no means is the Pixel 6 Pro a perfect phone. That said, right now, if I was choosing a flagship-level phone, I'd still probably lean towards the Pixel 6 Pro in most situations. It certainly helps that it's $300 cheaper.

Can OnePlus Convince You to Buy the OnePlus 10 Pro?

Tim — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 09:04:42 +0000
This feels weird, but in 2022, it's looking like OnePlus is going to have some convincing to do in order for people to want to purchase its next flagship, the OnePlus 10 Pro. When it comes to flagship devices, the company hasn't been garnering too much excitement, with things not looking to get much better with the 10 Pro. Honestly, there seems to be zero hype for this device, which is bad news for a healthy Android market that needs to have multiple great phone options for potential buyers. The US market is turning into a duopoly right before our eyes with Google and Samsung, and if we're being serious with ourselves, it's been a Galaxy-ruled monopoly for some time. Samsung is pumping resources into places that no other OEM is, such as 4 years of Android upgrades, so now is not the time for another bust from OnePlus. We need a kick-ass phone and we need it yesterday -- not some phone that's seen as an afterthought for the US market, given it's been available to Chinese buyers since early January. We deserve the best of the best, with a custom skin catered to our tastes and not that of OPPO's. Thankfully, it's been detailed this week that OnePlus is backpedaling that unified OS move, which has to excite at least a few people. It's a major relief to me. It's as if OnePlus leadership has been taking the best aspects of OnePlus from years past, such as the software experience, and simply abandoning it. It has made very little sense to me, but OnePlus has always been a bit unconventional. This also reminds me of the time that OnePlus tossed in a Snapdragon 888 chipset into the OnePlus 9 lineup, then opted to sneakily throttle it, only to get exposed and have to correct the issue. These are embarrassing missteps for a company that was once a champion for the people, priding itself on delivering flagship experiences for mid-tier pricing. Times have certainly changed, as what I'd label as greed and a desire to be just like Samsung appears to have corrupted what was once a feisty young phone company. Is it game over for OnePlus? No way, but we need a speedy course correction. My question to our readership: Can OnePlus convince you to buy the OnePlus 10 Pro? I don't want to sound dramatic, but I'm quite confident that if OnePlus doesn't sell a lot of phones in the US market over the next year or two, we could see them seriously divert much of their resources away from here and to markets overseas. Aren't we literally seeing this right now with its OnePlus 10 Pro launch? We don't want that. We want as many good phones as possible to choose from. Some of us may have to take one for the team and buy this phone regardless, simply to show OnePlus there is still interest for its hardware here. I jest of course, as it's up to the company to make a product people actually want or be doomed, but damn, why isn't OnePlus correcting the issue? I do think the recent OS announcement and detailing of 150W charging is a move in the right direction. That could seriously help, but we'll need more. Now we need OnePlus to match Samsung's 4 years of Android upgrades. Would that help convince you? Share your take below.

The Next OnePlus Phone Will Do Ridiculous 150W Charging

Kellen — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 07:10:21 +0000
Because 80W charging wasn't fast enough, your next phone might come close to doubling that. OnePlus announced today that an upcoming phone of theirs will be capable of 150W charging that is supposedly still safe. Thanks to work by the OPPO Research Institute, a OnePlus phone scheduled to launch in Q2 of this year will support the new 150W wired charging, which carries OPPO's SUPERVOOC branding. This new charging works through a "customized twin battery" setup with a PCB protection board and microcontroller that can push these wild charging speeds for 1,600 cycles and some sort of "self-healing" functionality. With those speeds, a 4500mAh battery could go from 1-50% charge in five minutes. Feel free to read that again because it sounds just silly, yet also awesome. Again, this technology will debut first on a OnePlus phone in Q2 of this year, so you may not have long to wait to test it yourself. The weird thing about this announcement and launch is the fact that the OnePlus 10 Pro is supposed to arrive just prior to Q2. If OnePlus already has an improved phone lined up to arrive shortly after, why would you even sniff the 10 Pro? Who needs 150W wired charging?

OnePlus Decides to Keep OxygenOS Around, Ends Unified OPPO Skin

Kellen — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 06:44:20 +0000
When OnePlus told us last year that they were merging the codebase of OxygenOS and ColorOS from OPPO to create a unified operating system that would run on both phones starting in 2022, we marked our calendars. A new operating system outside of OxygenOS was a big deal no matter your thoughts on the good ol' days of OnePlus' skin, because it could have meant a fresh start for a phone company who has lost a big of its appeal in recent years. Today, the company announced that they are squashing that idea. In the same blog post where they announced the launch time for the OnePlus 10 Pro in North America, OnePlus also confirmed that the unified OS for OnePlus and OPPO phones is no more. Instead, OxygenOS will live on and continue to help OnePlus phones be their own unique line. Going forward, OnePlus and OPPO software teams will continue to work from the same codebase, which should help them update devices quicker, but OxygenOS and ColorOS will remain separate to their own brands:
Back in September, we announced the codebase for both OxygenOS and ColorOS would merge with the goal of creating one unified and upgraded operating system for both brands globally. While OxygenOS and ColorOS will continue to be developed on the same codebase – to allow for faster updates and better build quality – OxygenOS and ColorOS will remain independent brand properties. This new course was taken in accordance with feedback from our Community – we understand users of OxygenOS and ColorOS want each operating system to remain separate from each other with their own distinct properties.
OnePlus says they took feedback from their community and that's what led to this decision. Again, I don't know if this is good or bad, as OxygenOS has already taken on much of ColorOS to the dislike of many in this community. A part of me was actually hoping they'd give us something new to try and establish some of that old vibe. I guess now we'll have to look at OxygenOS in a different way or at least pray for big changes. If anything, this helps us avoid the rumored "H₂OOS" name for the unified OS. As for what's next for OxygenOS, the company only said that they are working on OxygenOS 13 that I'd imagine will launch with Android 13 later this year. It should keep a lot of the OxygenOS 12 experience intact:
With OxygenOS 13, we want to deliver an experience that long-time OnePlus users will be familiar with while ensuring it upholds hallmarks of OxygenOS, like a fast and smooth experience, burdenless design, and ease of use. OxygenOS 13 will retain its unique visual design and a range of exclusive customization features.
Thoughts?

OnePlus 10 Pro Launches in North America in March

Kellen — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 06:26:45 +0000
OnePlus initially launched their new OnePlus 10 Pro flagship device in China without a firm timeframe for the rest of the world. Almost two months later and the company has now confirmed when we can get our hands on one: March. In a blog post to the OnePlus community forums. CEO Pete Lau announced that the OnePlus 10 Pro will hit North America "by the end of March." Since we are in the last day of February, this means we could see the newest OnePlus phone in a matter of weeks. When the OnePlus 10 Pro goes live here, you'll get a phone with a 6.7" QHD OLED display, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, triple rear camera system (with Hasselblad flair), big 5000mAh battery, and ridiculous fast wired and wireless charging. The phone comes in green or black and should be a solid offering from OnePlus. To read up on the original OnePlus 10 Pro launch, we've got you covered here. You marking this launch on your calendar or did Samsung's Galaxy S22 line already win you over?

Did Your Galaxy S22 Pre-Order Arrive? Share Your Thoughts!

Tim — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 09:45:14 +0000
With it being Galaxy S22 day, and Samsung saying that it's new devices saw more pre-orders than any other Samsung smartphone to date(!), it's a safe bet that we have many readers who are rocking a new phone this week.

It's not too late, order your Galaxy S22.

If that's the case, we'd love to hear your initial thoughts and impressions. Which phone did you buy? What phone did you switch from? How are you liking the new device? What goodies did you get with your pre-order? Did you not order the phone because you're a Pixel fanboy? We want to know everything. Personally, I'm still waiting on my Galaxy S22 Ultra in Red to show up. I hate that those Samsung exclusive colors ship later than the regular colors. Lame sauce. I may ultimately return the S22 Ultra and go with an S22+. We'll see. Maybe the S Pen will grow on me? Doubtful. Shoot your hot takes below.

Order Galaxy S22, Get Up to $100 of Google Play Credit

Tim — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 07:43:22 +0000
It is officially launch day for the Galaxy S22 lineup. Hooray! If our reviews of the Galaxy S22 (review) and Galaxy S22 Ultra (review) swayed you into picking one up, Samsung continues to offer a fantastic trade-in promotion for those looking to order, plus an extra goodie if you enjoy spending money on Google Play.

Order Samsung Galaxy S22!

Currently, if you order a Galaxy S22 or Galaxy S22+, Samsung will give you $50 of Google Play credit to spend on whatever you want. That's in addition to up to $700 of trade-in credit. If you order an S22 Ultra, Samsung will give you $100 of Play credit and up to $850 of trade-in credit. Keep in mind, that's just for an Unlocked variant. Carrier variants have their own special offers. For example, if you order a Verizon model and have enough trade-in devices (two is the max), you can get up to $1000 of trade-in credit. Not too shabby. It's never a bad time to order Samsung's latest and greatest.
Order Samsung Galaxy S22 or S22 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S22 Review: Great Size, Predictably Poor Battery Life

Tim — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 11:43:16 +0000
It's that time of year once again, when Samsung delivers its new line of flagship devices. It's an important time, as it's no shocker that Samsung far outsells all other Android OEMs, so chances are, if you're shopping for a new Android phone, you're thinking about these new Galaxy S phones. The Galaxy S22 is the smallest option in the lineup, with the Galaxy S22 Ultra being the big dog. You can check out our Ultra review here. Despite its small size, Samsung was sure to pack plenty of great specs in this phone, as well as a camera system with updated features. The only issue is its main attraction -- its size. Due to its small stature, Samsung was only able to jam a 3,700mAh battery in the phone, and as one could probably predict, it's not very good at providing long life. Can we use the phone long enough to test all of its sweet new features and use it as a daily driver? Let's find out. This is our Galaxy S22 review.
What I Like

Hardware and Size After being Droid Life's resident big phone lover for the past few years, I've been ready for something that easily slides in and out of the pocket. That's exactly what the Galaxy S22 does, with its perfectly-held-in-one-hand body. The display size is 6.1-inches, which is still plenty of real estate to accomplish all of my main smartphone needs, such as scrolling Twitter, watching YouTube videos, dominating Candy Crush, playing Wordle, and taking pictures of my dogs. Coupled with this great size are premium hardware materials and shaping that I'm really digging. Unlike some other phones from recent years, you can tell instantly that the S22 has that "oh, this is expensive" feeling, with cold metal being the first thing you feel when you lift the device. The compactness of the phone also offers a sturdy, little tank feeling when in hand. The front display is flat-flat, making for enjoyable Android gesture navigation. The backside is also what I'd describe as flat-flat, though, it doesn't sit flat due to the rear camera housing. Display While some may knock the Galaxy S22 and S22+ for not having QHD displays, I'm perfectly content. For one, this phone's battery can't handle pushing that many pixels. Second, at this 6.1-inch size, 1080p is perfectly acceptable to my eyes and it will likely be fine for yours too. Beyond its resolution, colors pop off of the screen and thanks to that 120Hz max refresh rate, the display appears quite smooth for the most part. Something to highlight, this is an extremely bright display, easily viewable in all sorts of lighting conditions. As a bonus, when you need the display dimmed, it turns into one of the dimmest displays I've ever seen. When I head to bed and enable Extra Dim and Eye Comfort Shield, there's no way the phone's display is going to blind you, even if your phone is the first thing you look at when you wake up in the morning. And thanks to there being an ultrasonic fingerprint reader and not an optical, I don't have to worry about the reader blinding me like it does on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Thank goodness. Software Samsung's One UI continues to get more polished, this time placed on top of Android 12. While it's still very much a custom skin, it's a really smooth experience, with plenty of added features that you won't find on other devices. Sure, there are plenty of things you'll have to enable and disable out of the box because the company loves throwing in so much stuff, but the act of setting up a new device from Samsung has gotten much better. I mean, they still have software buttons for navigation out of the box, but we'll let that slide I suppose. Most importantly, Samsung does take advantage of what makes Android 12 cool, which is theming. You can have your phone's color palette based on your chosen wallpaper, which will then apply itself to select Google apps and more. It's a very slick look. Samsung then also has its own theme engine still built-in, allowing you to choose custom icons, Always On Display images, and much more. In terms of customization, it's nearly perfect. If I had to toss in a negative, Samsung's stock launcher is still suboptimal. When you swipe into the app drawer, it's paginated, which still makes zero sense to me. I've been using Nova Launcher since day 2 with the phone. Don't plan on changing back either. Kellen brings this up in his Galaxy S22 Ultra review, but it's worth celebrating a bit more. Samsung is committing to 4 (four!) Android OS version updates for this phone and 5 years worth of security patches. In Android, that's pretty much unheard of, raising the bar for all other Android OEMs. Will they step up and match that? Considering the efforts we see from everyone besides Google in the update department, I'm going to have to assume that's a "no." Performance With its next-gen Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and 8GB RAM, this is a plenty snappy smartphone. I've been playing plenty of mobile games, mostly Candy Crush because I'm weirdly back on that time waster, and for the most part, this phone has been fantastic in the performance department. Diving in and out of apps is also plenty fast enough, with Android 12's recent apps view not really helping the matter, but it's still fine. I'm always on the hunt for stutters and jank, but to be completely honest, I haven't come across much to complain about when performance is involved. The S22 is really quite snappy for a phone, with the fingerprint reader performing very quickly, followed up by quick app boot times. Camera On the backside of the Galaxy S22, there's a 50-megapixel main shooter with OIS, 12MP ultra wide camera, plus a 10MP telephoto camera with OIS. I must say, I've been pretty impressed with the level of detail that this camera can capture. While the shutter speed can leave a bit to be desired, the end results are usually pretty darn great. From the photos I've taken, colors look incredible, contrast levels are chef's kiss, and the software's exposure levels are spot on for the most part. Sure, a honking Space Zoom telephoto lens would be incredible, but folks will need to splurge for the S22 Ultra if they want that feature. For software, Samsung includes all of the usual suspects. There's a Portrait Mode, Night Mode, Pro Video Mode, Single Take, Slow Motion, Hyperlapse, Director's View, plus Bixby Vision and AR Zone. There's no shortage of camera toys to play with. Director's View is one of the new features that Samsung is highlighting to potential buyers. With it, you can record videos and snap pics from multiple lenses simultaneously, as well as preview them in real time. I'm sure this is great for some certain use cases, but I didn't come across one in my testing period. I'll go ahead and let my samples speak for themselves. There's a mixture of lenses, plus a few variations in resolution. Will you be able to spot the difference, even with WordPress's compression?

What Could Be Better

Battery Coming in at a whopping 3,700mAh, the Galaxy S22 provides poor battery life. There's not really any other way to put it. I used the phone as I would any other and was consistently getting to about 7-8pm and looking for a charger. I even found myself limiting usage if I knew I wouldn't be around a charger for a little bit. That's no way to live. A phone's battery shouldn't dictate what you're doing, so in the case of the Galaxy S22, it was a pretty frustrating. Thankfully, when you are getting low battery, plugging into a 25W+ charger can yield plenty hours of juice in about 15 to 20 minutes of charging. The phone supports up to 25W wired charging, as well as 15W wireless charging. You can even use Samsung's Wireless PowerShare on the S22, but I'm not entirely sure that's the best idea ever unless you're at home and plugged into the wall. I'm not kidding, the S22's battery will drain right before your eyes if you aren't careful. My typical day is 7am to 11pm, and with the Galaxy S22, I was hanging on for dear life most of the time. You'll see that I was definitely going to town on some Candy Crush, but let's not act as if that's some processor-heavy game that requires a ton of computing power. The fact is, as long as the screen is on, no matter what you're doing on the phone, the battery is going to drain quickly. WiFi Issue I debated including this, but here we go anyway. It could be something with my own network, but I'm confident I ruled that out, as testing with a Galaxy S21 Ultra and Pixel 6 didn't yield the same results. A few mornings I would wake up and the Galaxy S22 had been disconnected from my WiFi network, with the settings stating that the phone would reconnect when the signal was strong enough. I would then toggle WiFi off and back on and everything would behave normally. Kellen has a theory that it may have to do with the hand-off between the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies, but I can't confirm that either. All I know is, no one phone I've used does this and I can confirm that where it happens, in my bedroom, has great WiFi signal. So maybe it's me or maybe it's the phone, but that's been my life for the past two weeks.
Price and Availability

Galaxy S22 starts at $799 for the base model. If you want more internal storage with a bump up to 256GB, it'll cost you extra, that is unless you took advantage of Samsung's pre-order offer that gave everyone a free storage upgrade. Given this is a Samsung flagship device, you'll find it for sale everywhere. You'll be able to purchase it on all the major carriers and you'll find it on shelves at all of your favorite tech retailers. Do I think it's worth $799? It's pretty darn close, but the battery size is surely concerning. Everything else is perfect. However, there is the Galaxy S21 FE to consider, priced at $699. It's a very similar device, but will lack that premium feel in-hand. It's worth it to compare the two before you take the plunge.
Buy Galaxy S22

Samsung

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Best Buy

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Gallery

Videos

Unboxing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUVuof9AOGk 10 First Things to Do https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH3n6NR7u6Q
The Verdict

If it's a small phone with a premium feel you're after, it's the Galaxy S22 you'll want. No doubt in my mind. The thing is, you need to know what you're getting yourself into, and for many, that could be an additional trip to the charger after work before you hit the town or go out for dinner. The battery life simply isn't good enough to keep up with the sort of demand many need from their smartphone these days. If you're an avid mobile gamer or constantly on social media, this phone is going to struggle to provide you with a full day of juice. In 2022, that has to be labeled as unacceptable. If you're fine with the added stop at the wall outlet, it's a really fun phone. The size is so awesome, plus the camera system is more than enough to snap great shots. If we rated phones out of 10, which we don't, I'd give it a 7. If it had a good battery? Easily a 9.5 phone right here. That's how much I like it. I'm now trying to get my hands on a Galaxy S22+, as that phone may be the sweet spot of great hardware and battery size. Wish me luck.

Here's Another Look at Google's Pixel 7

Tim — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 10:22:18 +0000
Earlier this week, we got a look at the upcoming Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 7, though, the Pixel 7 renders were very early stages and didn't have much detail. Now, @OnLeaks has provided a much better look, with the Pixel 7 looking very much like the Pixel 6 from 2021. While we do have these renders, there is still plenty of unknown things, such as exact display size, rumored to be between 6.2 and 6.4-inches. Beyond that, it's reported that we can expect the Tensor 2 to power both the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, plus a dual rear camera system on the smaller Pixel 7. The Pixel 7 Pro will have an additional lens, likely telephoto as it is on the Pixel 6 Pro. If you're into exact dimensions, the Pixel 7 is reported to come in at 155.6 x 73.1 x 8.7mm, while the Pixel 6 measured at 158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9mm. Slightly smaller this time around. Other reported specs include an approximate 5,000mAh battery, three storage options, plus the same four colors we had in 2022 -- Black, White, Coral, and Seafoam. I refuse to believe Google isn't giving us new colors this year, but we shall see. Thoughts? // CARHP

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Review: I Think You Get It

Kellen — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 08:16:25 +0000
Samsung has been leading up to this moment since the introduction of the Galaxy S20 Ultra and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, which just so happened to be the final in that series. They've worked to separate the "Ultra" line of devices from others in the family, in hopes to sell them as a separate, far greater experience. With the Galaxy S22 Ultra, Samsung has completed the story, where you now choose a standard Galaxy S22 or you go Ultra and get a wildly different device. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is not really a Galaxy S phone. Sure, it is in name, but as everyone in the world who has touched this phone has pointed out, it's really just a Galaxy Note. And that's fine! The Note line was loved and it makes a lot of sense for Samsung to carry on its heritage, even if it is under a different name. The Galaxy Note line was always sort of the ultra version of the Galaxy S anyways, so this all makes a lot of sense. I've had the pleasure of testing the Galaxy S22 Ultra for the past couple of weeks and can tell you whether or not this move from Ultra to a mash-up of Galaxy S and Note line was correct. The short answer: yeah, it works depending on what you want. The long is...well, let's talk about it. This is our Galaxy S22 Ultra review.

What do I like about the Galaxy S22 Ultra?
Display. When you think about a display on Samsung's best phone, what comes to your mind? You assume it'll be great, right? That's good, because the Galaxy S22 Ultra's display is once again great. Big shocker, I know, but the 6.8" AMOLED panel is very nice. Sooooo, what else do I say about? Ummm, it gets super bright! It also gets quite dim during those bedtime sessions of the WORDLE archive. Colors look great and accurate without that old school OLED punch. Samsung has this thing so dialed in. Viewing angles, yeah, they are excellent. Touch sensitivity is too. I'm not sure what to say, in case you can't tell. It's a freakin' Samsung AMOLED on their $1,200 phone - of course it rocks. Need a complaint? I still don't love curved displays and never will. This has a curved display, although it's not as offensive as some. It's less of a pain to use than Google's Pixel 6 Pro display, unless you have the S Pen out and try to activate the "back" navigation gesture, then yeah, that sucks. But you'll find a solid dark mode, adaptive brightness that actually works correctly, 120Hz refresh rate for the smoothness, controls over the color profile, and even an adaptive eye comfort shield that will adjust warmth throughout the day. Everything is there and the display looks awesome. Yay. Performance. Leading up to the launch of this phone, we saw a bunch of devices launch in China running Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The initial reaction was that the 8 Gen 1 was a bust and overheated easily, so that had me worried about how the Galaxy S22 line would run. During these past couple of weeks, I haven't run into any issues with overheating or performance drops. Samsung sent us the model with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage to review, by the way. In other words, we have the lowest model of S22 Ultra to test here with the least amount of RAM. Now, I do not consider myself a super power user. I use the typical apps all day like Twitter and Instagram and Telegram and Chrome, but your boy isn't out here crushing hours of CoD: Mobile or anything like that. If you are a gamer, please go find a gamer review and report back what they say, but for general usage, this phone handles it all just fine. I can't tell you that I saw a single stutter during daily use. The touch sensitivity, which I mentioned above, is phenomenal on this phone. There is little delay in your finger sliding and interactions on screen happening. For years, Apple was the king of touch sensitivity, but I think Android phone makers have closed that gap. The fingerprint reader is actually pretty quick for an in-display unit, apps load instantly even after a heavy usage session, and once you turn down all of the awful animations, the phone feels even speedier. Really, no complaints here in performance.
S Pen. Alright, S Pen time. I've tested plenty of Galaxy Note phones throughout my time running Droid Life, so I feel like I know my way around Samsung's stylus. For the Galaxy S22 Ultra, what you get is a Galaxy Note stylus on a Galaxy S phone, embedded within, with all the features like Bluetooth actions, doodling abilities, and the fun clicking action of a pen that will never not be both addicting and obnoxious. I wish I could tell you that I've always loved the S Pen and can't see life without it, but that's just not the case. I do force myself to use it when testing a Note phone, like this one, and my reports back are typically the same - it does what it's supposed to do. It is indeed very handy to be able to take a note at any time, grab a full or partial screenshot for markup, or spend hours in a digital coloring book. I also just like using it to navigate the phone in casual settings. Just be aware that the back gesture navigation really struggles to work with the S Pen out, which I'm still wondering if that's a bug or by design. Generally speaking, the S Pen is an excellent tool. If your day-to-day involves a lot of handwriting or doodling or capturing and editing images or using remote functions, it makes absolute sense to consider this phone. It's embedded within so you shouldn't lose it (as easy), it works as seamlessly as any accessory you'll ever find, and it's just kind of cool to know that it's there. People who love the S Pen will love this S Pen experience. One day I hope to be one of you.
Camera. Samsung once again put a super advanced camera system in its top tier phone, so that means you get a main 108MP camera that's joined by 12MP ultra-wide and dual 10MP telephoto lenses. Samsung is selling the shit out of this system too, with more buzz words than I can keep track of. There's talk of big pixel sensors, Super HDR, "Super Clear Glass," and an "Auto Framerate intelligent light detection [with] Super Night Solution's next-level noise reduction." Someone try to explain that nonsense to your average consumer. Or maybe you are the guy who needs buzzwords and allllllll of the features. This phone is for you. You can shoot in RAW or various formats, zoom at various levels, adjust each shot with full manual controls, and take high-quality night and video shots. The future influencer in you can thrive with the S22 Ultra. If you aren't Mr. Advanced, well, then you are like me. You just need a camera system that you can whip out of your JNCO's that are big enough to hold this phone and snap pictures that look good. For the most part, this camera does that too. Here's what I can tell you about the Galaxy S22 Ultra camera system in the most straight-forward terms. It's not that fast, unfortunately, and there is very odd shutter leg between the time you snap a pic and it actually takes it. That's been frustrating, especially since you don't know then if you moved and lost focus or if the shot is fine. I'd imagine Samsung can speed this up with a software update. That said, most shots I took were very good. This camera provides unlimited versatility with wide shots from the main and ultra-wide sensors, plus the telephotos doing that super-res zoom thing are kind of fun to play with. You can zoom in on so much stuff in both creepy and exciting ways. Whether indoors or out, Samsung's image processing takes care of you, assuming you are fine with a touch of extra sharpening. It's also super aggressive at firing up night mode if the light lowers inside at all. As a $1,200 camera, the Galaxy S22 Ultra camera delivers. Did you think it wouldn't? I know keep saying that about this phone's features (display, performance, etc.), but this is Samsung we're talking about. They don't sell more phones than anyone because they haven't got this all figured out. They made another excellent camera system thats bloated if you need features, yet can also give you what you need without getting in your way. What else could you ask for? Enjoy the samples.

Software. Back in the days of the Galaxy S20, my favorite Samsung phone of the past several years, I was a big fan of One UI. At the time, Google's Pixel experience had grown old and Samsung freshened up the industry with a major revamp of its own skin, one that we couldn't get enough of. Fast forward to today and I don't exactly feel the same. Google's experience is now the best in Android, while Samsung has continued to push One UI. Look, One UI is still good, it's just kind of boring now. Boring is OK, though! For One UI 4.1 on the Galaxy S22 Ultra (with Android 12 underneath), I don't think I could point you to one huge new feature to sell you on. Maybe it's that Samsung adopted some cool stuff from Android 12, like the dynamic wallpaper theming. Samsung is also still very good at offering you all of the software features, from multi-account messenger setups to robust lock screen clock options. They are still doing advanced features, letting you test out "Labs" ideas, giving you tons of customization in sound and vibrations, and showcasing a built-in theme store. Everything and then some is here, I'm just not sure what to tell you to get excited about if you are coming from another Samsung phone. If you aren't coming from a Samsung phone, well, enjoy the massive feature list. I do have some issues with One UI, and if I'm being honest, they tend to fall into nit-picky territory, with things like the way notifications expand or all of the awful and excessive animations you need to turn off in developer settings. I don't like how Samsung organizes folders either or this f*cking horizontal app drawer they won't get rid of. But these are all personal preference situations that I can mask when using a device full time or that you might love. So try not to get too mad at what I just said there. The point - and this is me coming back around to praising them - is that Samsung offers so much in its software skin that it can kind of work for everyone, assuming you know how to work it. And that, my friends, is a big deal. Software updates. On a somewhat related note, and an area that Samsung deserves massive praise for, we need to talk about software updates. Samsung has committed to 4 (four!) Android OS version updates for this phone and 5 (!) years worth of security patches. Since this phone launched with Android 12, it should see updates all of the way through Android 16, assuming Google keeps going with yearly number releases. For security patches, you should see support through to 2027. That's completely bonkers to type out, especially knowing we are talking about Samsung and not Google, who should be the one making this news. So to recap that, Samsung remains the king of updates on Android and has promised to further their lead with the Galaxy S22 line. Buying a phone like this should give you confidence in knowing that the company who sold it to you is standing behind it. Design. For most phones this size, I would take this opportunity to complain, call it a whale, and wish the world would continue to make phones for people like me, who want a device that can easily be used with a single hand. But you know what? This phone is designed quite well. It's almost exactly the same size as the Google Pixel 6 Pro, a phone I complained heavily about, yet the size here doesn't offend me. I don't know why that is. It's actually heavier than the Pixel 6 Pro and the camera setup makes it super annoying to use on a desk, but there's this really nice balance to it, as well as the most seamless curve from front to back that makes it somewhat easy to hold. Now, don't get me wrong, this phone is too big for me and I won't use it going forward, it's just that for a big phone, it kind of works. The only thing I want to make clear is that this is very much a Galaxy Note design. I held it next to my wife's Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, a phone from 2020, and couldn't tell you what the difference is outside of the SIM card placement. It's identical in shape, layout, ports, curve, and S Pen location. There is zero new here, unless you consider the camera housing change from a big box to individual lens coverings to be new. Overall, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is Samsung showing off how good it is at manufacturing a device from top to bottom, even if it is in a familiar, somewhat old design. If a big phone doesn't bother you, this is a big phone that gets it all right.

What don't I like about it?
Battery life. It's a big phone with a big battery, but that also means a big screen, big performance, and big juice sucking. The battery life on the Galaxy S22 Ultra isn't awful and will get you through a day of moderate to heavy use. Do I wish it would last longer? Do I wish all phones would last longer? Yes and yes. During my testing, I was averaging around 4 hours of screen on time and going to bed with 15-20% battery remaining. My usage includes a mix of Twitter, Chrome, Instagram, Google News, Duo, and Telegram, with a sprinkling of word games here and there. I'm not the heaviest user around, but I do use my phone quite a bit. Again, I was getting through most days, I would just feel more comfortable if at 9PM on the couch, I wasn't wondering if I need to find a charger for that last hour or so before calling it a night. In the charging department, you can always plug in at up to 45W speeds (with a supported charger) to get a quick boost when the battery is low. You can also wirelessly charge throughout a day at your desk too, so it's not like this phone can't be managed and then never leave you in a bad spot. However, I know not everyone has chargers handy all day, and often times those folks are super heavy users. It's nothing new. OK, to wrap this up, we need to talk about my general feeling for this phone and how it comes off like it's barely moving the needle from the last Galaxy Note phone. I hate to go at Samsung for this, and maybe this isn't review material, but this phone comes off like the perfect example of peak smartphones being hit long ago, probably more so than any other phone. For example, my wife was dead set on swapping her Note 20 Ultra for this and I pretty easily talked her out of it because there isn't enough here to justify the upgrade. The Note 20 Ultra is 1.5 years old and when set next to this new device, I couldn't tell her what she'd get that would greatly improve upon the phone she already has. We're talking minor screen or camera improvements, with a chipset that we aren't sure is any better, a design that is identical, and an S Pen that is still good but the same. Samsung is reviving the Galaxy Note line here and that's pretty great. The Note line was awesome. My worry, though, is that if Samsung is having this much trouble advancing the scene, then can anyone? Where do we go from here? Because we've seen this before.

Video
Unboxing and tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUVuof9AOGk First 10 Things To Do https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH3n6NR7u6Q
Should you buy the Galaxy S22 Ultra?
There isn't an easy answer for this question, sorry. I talked in the opening about whether or not this mash-up of the Note and Galaxy S lines worked and there isn't a clear answer. I imagine there are Galaxy S purists who might not be happy that the best Galaxy S phone is now just the rebirth of the Galaxy Note. Maybe they preferred the Galaxy S styling and lack of a dedicated S Pen, where you get a touch more simplicity in a still quite-advanced package. Then on the flipside, there will be Note lovers who have got to be so happy that their favorite line of phones is back after a year of being pushed into foldables only. And so that's where this becomes a conversation starter. Do you want a Galaxy Note device? If you do and feel it's time to upgrade, then hell yeah, this phone will take you so far into the future. This is an excellent phone with a good camera, excellent display, great performance, best-in-class software support, a software skin that has so many features, and that added bonus of an S Pen. Do you not want a Galaxy Note device? Well, Samsung has a Galaxy S22+ waiting for you with most of the features, a sexier design, and no dedicated S Pen.

Shop Samsung's best Galaxy S22 Ultra deals right here

The New Motorola Edge+ is Official and Looks Solid

Kellen — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 06:00:24 +0000
The new Motorola phone that was teased a couple of weeks back is now official and known as the Motorola Edge+ (2022). This is a device that helps Motorola re-join the high-end phone market for the first time since 2020, when they released the original Motorola Edge+, a device that was exclusive to Verizon and turned a lot of people away because of its dramatic edge display. Things have changed quite a bit this time around. The new Motorola Edge+ (2022) runs the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (like the Galaxy S22 line) and has a flat 6.7" pOLED display (FHD, 144Hz refresh rate), 8GB or 12GB RAM, up to 512GB built-in UFS 3.1 storage, 4800mAh battery with 30W wired and 15W wireless charging, WiFi 6E, NFC (!), stereo speakers, Bluetooth 5.2, and stylus support. For cameras, Motorola packed in 50MP main (f/1.8, OIS) and 50MP ultra-wide (f/2.2, 114° FOV) cameras, along with a 2MP depth camera. Upfront you'll find a 60MP selfie camera. The main rear camera can shoot video at up to 8K (24fps) and slow motion at full HD and 960fps. The front 60MP sensor is also capable of 4K video at 60fps. Rounding out the specs, you'll find a USB-C port, included 30W charger in the box, Dolby Atmos support, 5G, and Android 12 with Motorola's extra light experience on top. The Edge+ (2022) measures in at 163 x 75.9 x 8.79mm and weighs 196g. For colors, it comes in Cosmos Blue and Stardust White.

RELATED: Motorola Edge+ (2020) review

What do you need to know about the Motorola Edge+ for 2022 in order to consider buying one? How about price? This phone starts at $999.99, but at launch it will be $899.99 for a limited time. Motorola has not said when they'll launch this phone. All they told us is that it'll be universally unlocked at places like Best Buy and Amazon, with carrier sales happening through Verizon, Boost Mobile, and Republic Wireless down the road. If this phone looks familiar, that's because Motorola already launched it in China as the Motorola Edge X30. Motorola is just now bringing it to the US and a bunch of other countries. And why not? It has a lot going for it. As far as a sales pitch, Motorola wants you to think of this as a gaming beast with that new Qualcomm chip and 144Hz display. They want you to know that it has 5G and the Snapdragon X65 modem, that it should charge reasonably quickly, that the dual 50MP camera system should give you good flexibility, and that their software focus is on add-on features rather than a full blown skin. Their update support still probably won't be great, just FYI. In a bit of a surprise move, Motorola did announce a smart stylus for the Edge+ (2022). This smart stylus should work a lot like Samsung's S Pen, with remote controls, as well as a solid editing suite of actions. The stylus will be sold separately and we have no idea how much it'll cost. To recap, the Motorola Edge+ (2022) is official, has a solid set of specs, and will be priced reasonably at $899 when launched, we just have no idea when it will launch.

OPPO's Find X5 Pro is Official and a Vibe

Kellen — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 03:00:56 +0000
OPPO kicked off the morning by announcing its new Find X5 series, a 2-device family made up of the Find X5 and Find X5 Pro. The Find X5 could be considered a modest high-end device while the Find X5 Pro really brings the goods, as well as a slick design. For launch details, just so we're clear, OPPO hasn't shared any US plans yet. So take that into account as we dive into these two phones, since there's a chance you'll never see one here. Hopefully we do, though. The Find X5 Pro is the one I'm sure you really want to know about, so let's start there. In the Find X5 Pro, you get a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, 6.7" AMOLED display at 120Hz (QHD), 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, 5000mAh battery with wired 80W wired and 50W wireless charging, stereo speakers, in-display fingerprint sensor, a "multi-tier cooling system," and a triple rear camera. That rear camera is headlined by two 50MP IMX766 cameras, where one is setup as an ultra-wide shooter. The main 50MP sensor has "DSLR-level" 5-axis OIS and can shoot at f/1.7. You also get a 13MP telephoto lens joining them, plus a 32MP selfie camera up front. The Find X5 Pro's body is made of ceramic and measures at 163.7x73.9x8.5mm with a weight of 218g. It's a big and kind of heavy phone, but look at this thing. It has an ultra-clean backside in white or black, along with a contoured camera hump unlike any we've seen.

The regular Find X5 is no slouch either, but clearly not on the level of the Pro. In it, you'll find a Snapdragon 888 chip, 6.55" FHD OLED panel at 120Hz, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage, 4800mAh battery with 80W wired and 30W wireless charging, a cooling system, stereo speakers, in-display fingerprint reader, and the same dual 50MP camera system without the 5-axis OIS. For a finish, it features a matte glass texture, measures in at 160.3x72.6x8.7mm, and weighs 196g. It also comes in white or black. The Find X5 is to the Find X5 Pro like the OnePlus 9 is to the OnePlus 9 Pro. Oh, and both phones run Android 12 with Color OS 12.1 on top.
The OPPO Find X5 Pro launches March and is priced at €1299. The Find X5 also launches March 14 with a price of €999.

The First Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro Renders are Here

Kellen — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 09:21:23 +0000
It must be supply chain CAD week, where accessory makers received plans from Google for their upcoming Pixel 7 line-up, because renders for both the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have arrived. It's all so silly that this happens time and time again, especially this early, so yeah, let's talk about what these supposed renders show us.
Pixel 7 Pro render first look
Up first, we have Pixel 7 Pro renders from @onleaks. If you think the device above and below look like the Pixel 6 Pro, you would be correct. This phone looks a lot like the Pixel 6 Pro, which would make sense knowing that Google only brought out this refreshed Pixel design last year and is likely to carry it on for a couple of cycles. So what's new here for the Pixel 7 Pro? Not a lot in terms of size or design, it seems. The device will reportedly measure in at 163×76.6×8.7mm, so it's almost identical in size and shape to the Pixel 6 Pro at 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9mm.
You can see that camera bump is back again with a triple rear camera setup. Again, that's not new, but the setup in there looks slightly different aesthetically, although that could be a mock-up choice from the designer. The one big change there is that Google has supposedly taken the camera housing and blended it into the frame, like we see from Samsung on the Galaxy S21 and S22. For the Pixel 6 line, Google's camera hump is a separate being and kind of looks pretty amateur compared to the competition. Other than that, the Pixel 7 Pro should have a curved (ugh) high-refresh rate 6.7" or 6.8" display, stereo speakers, and hole-punch selfie camera.
Pixel 7 render first look

For the Pixel 7, with renders arriving from @xleaks7, we don't get the pretty colored mock-up, but they do offer a view of the design. Like the Pixel 7 Pro, this Pixel 7 sure looks a lot like the Pixel 6. As far as size goes, the Pixel 7 will supposedly measure in at 155.6 x 73.1 x 8.7mm. The Pixel 6 measured at 158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9mm, so yeah, pretty similar and is a sad thing to see for those of us hoping Google might give us a smaller phone choice this time around. In terms of design or shape or features, all of that matches up to the Pixel 6, where we have a dual camera setup, camera hump, ports and holes and buttons in all of the usual spots. The frame here does look to blend with the camera housing, though, so again, that's a nice improvement. Overall, these look like the expected follow-ups to Google's 2021 phones. Since Google clearly put out a major effort for the Pixel 6 line, it only makes sense that they continue to slightly evolve it the following year, where they can then try to polish up the experience and hardware. These renders show that happening. Seem weird that we're talking about the Pixel 7? Get used to it. Just last week we learned codenames and that a Google Tensor 2 is likely powering them. The leaks are only getting started.

Google Hangouts Gets an End Date for Workspace Users

Kellen — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 18:30:13 +0000
After years of talking about the end times, Google made it official today: Hangouts will be turned off and unavailable for Google Workspace customers next month. For those who haven't yet transitioned over to Google Chat, Google is about to force you onto it. The official switch date is March 22, which Google announced today on its Workspace blog. Google laid out the situations that could impact some folks who have not yet moved over to Chat. Once March 22 rolls around, Google is going to turn on the "Chat preferred" setting in Workspace admin panels. That move makes Google Chat the default messaging application, replacing Hangouts. That means if you try to find Hangouts in Gmail or in mobile apps, they'll either redirect or tell you to find your conversations in Google Chat. Google has confirmed that hangouts.google.com will still work, at least for now. The remaining folks not yet on "Chat preferred" are those running options for "Chat and classic Hangouts" and "Classic Hangouts only." Starting next month and throughout a three-week period, Google will get rid of those options, again, to put everyone on Chat. If your organization has been allowing both Hangouts and Chat, it's time to make sure everything has migrated over to Chat. It should have happened automatically, as far as I know, but you may want to double check by opening Chat before March 22. For those freaking out that Hangouts will no longer work with your personal Gmail account, understand that this change is strictly about Workspace accounts. Hangouts for personal accounts is basically dead already, though.

If Your Pixel 6 is Having WiFi Issues, a Fix is Coming

Kellen — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 12:49:11 +0000
The size of the February Android update for the Pixel 6 was so small that we hoped nothing would break and that this would be one of the first months for this phone to have no major issues. Those hopes were quickly squashed when some Pixel 6 owners began complaining about a WiFi bug, where they would watch their WiFi constantly shut off. Google acknowledged the bug today and said that a fix is on the way. In a thread on reddit that picked up steam shortly after the update, the PixelCommunity account thanked users for reporting the error and said that it should be cleaned up in the next Google Pixel Update for March. Thankfully, the bug was only impacting "a very small number of devices," according to this post. Google apparently realized this bug was providing a "poor experience and immediately developed a software fix" for it. For those experiencing this WiFi bug since the beginning of February, I have some good news for you. You made it this far and now only have to wait another two weeks. The March Android update should arrive on March 7. Why didn't Google fix this in that surprise update from last week? I don't know. Other than a WiFi bug for the Pixel 6, how's life been?

Verizon OnePlus 8 Snags February Patch Update

Tim — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 12:01:35 +0000
Verizon has begun to push a fresh update out to those who own the OnePlus 8 5G UW, with the February patch being the only thing listed in the changelog. The update is labeled as software version IN2019_15_220209. I was looking over reviews on Verizon's website for the device. The OnePlus 8 has a solid 2-star rating on the site, with most folks listing software freezes and random restarts as their main issues. That's unfortunate, as my experience with the device was overall solid. We continue to hope that OnePlus can find its way again at some point. Go snag that update if this is your daily driver. // Verizon

Limited Testing Shows No Difference Between Samsung's 25W, 45W Charger Speeds

Tim — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 10:44:12 +0000
Samsung doesn't include a charging adapter in the box for any Galaxy S22 model, but they do offer a 45W charger on its site for $49. The problem? According to recent testing, there appears to be hardly any difference between the company's 45W charging speeds versus its 25W charger's speeds. That's a problem when there's a $30 price difference.

Pre-Order Galaxy S22 Ultra, Get Up to $250 Store Credit

Testing conducted by GSMArena shows that when charging a Galaxy S22 Ultra for 30 minutes with the 45W charger, the phone will end up with 60% battery. When charging with the 25W charger? 61%. When charging to completion using the 45W charger, the S22 Ultra takes 59 minutes to get to 100%. And with the 25W charger, it takes just 1:05H. That's about a 5 minute difference, which costs you $30 more. Worth it? I think not. Why is this? Well, the answer is simple and we've seen similar stories before. To help ensure your phone's battery won't degrade too rapidly, companies will limit the incoming charge to certain speeds when plugged in for extended periods. Usually, you'll only see those fast charging speeds for the first 10-15 minutes, then the phone slows the charge down so as not to stress the battery. This is how phones can get so much charge in a short period, but then always seem to take an hour+ to get a full charge. This is all by design and helps increase the overall longevity of the battery. So make a note to yourself if you purchased a 45W charging brick from Samsung. If you plug in for a quick period, you'll get a nice battery boost, but those speeds do go down as the phone continues to sit on the charger.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear 5100 Chip Details Leak

Kellen — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 10:06:59 +0000
Qualcomm seems to (finally) understand that wearables are a big deal. I say that because we all know the story of their sluggish rollout of new chips for Google's Wear OS platform that almost lead to the death of it, as manufacturers walked away without any real opportunities to make good watches. But during the past couple of years, we saw Qualcomm release the Snapdragon Wear 4100 platform, which is a decent chipset for a smartwatch. And now, details of the follow-up to that have leaked to give us a preview of the next round of high-end Wear OS devices. In a lengthy write-up on the Snapdragon Wear 5100 and Snapdragon Wear 5100+, WinFuture describes a chip with all of the modern pieces you'd wish for from a company like Qualcomm. While no release timing is known, the level of detail sure makes it sound like we might be close, although it is said to still be in development. The Snapdragon Wear 5100 (SW5100) is reportedly built on 4nm process and will also come in a Wear 5100+ package. The difference in those two, like with the 4100 and 4100+, is the addition of a co-processor in the "+" variant that will offer low power transmission to help with battery life. This report suggests Qualcomm has built the 5100 chip with four ARM Cortex-A53 cores and an Adreno 702 GPU, support for LPDDR4X RAM, eMMC 5.1 storage, Bluetooth 5.2, and 802.11ac WiFi. It could also have improved haptics, work with up to 4GB RAM, and power a camera or two. As a 4nm chip, it should be more energy efficient as well. Some of that might not sound that interesting unless you really love the dirty details of a chipset, but I think you should take away from it that at least Qualcomm is trying still. Remember, for years we saw watches flop with the ancient, far past any sort of prime, Snapdragon Wear 2100 chips only to be pushed to the edge of death by a terrible 3100 chip. It wasn't until 2020 that we got a true improvement with the 4100, which was probably too late for many. Maybe this 5100 development is at least a sign that there are players willing to keep attempting to find Wear OS and smartwatch success.

Verizon C-Band 5G: How Good is It?

Kellen — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 12:04:46 +0000
The launch of Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband to 100 million people a month ago was a big deal. By firing up their recently acquired C-Band spectrum to provide a mid-band 5G boost to their barely accessible 5G mmW network, Verizon was giving customers a big piece of the 5G promise: speed and coverage. For many on Verizon with a supported phone, the go-live for this C-Band 5G, which falls under their 5G Ultra Wideband tier, is supposed to provide a "10x faster than 4G LTE" connection. More specifically, Verizon says you should expect typical download speeds of 90 to 170Mbps and around 15 to 30Mbps on the upload. I feel like their LTE network was at one time producing similar speeds, but it has been a while. Either way, that's a big speed boost promise, especially after a year or so of low-band "5G" coverage from Verizon that brought a new logo to phones and what sure seemed at times like a slower connection. Hitting numbers well north of 100Mbps on the daily as you travel about your town is no joke. Of course, you do need a supported phone, as I mentioned above. Currently, Verizon has a growing list that includes a bunch of devices released in 2021, as well as a couple released in 2020. If you own a Samsung phone (like the Galaxy S21 or Fold 3), an iPhone 12 or 13 series device, and (hopefully soon) the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro, you should have access. Going forward, you should expect that new phones released by Verizon will also be C-Band compatible, since this is the future of the network. Speaking of the network, Verizon released a C-Band 5G map a few weeks back to showcase where you can attach to this shiny new network. The coverage in major cities looks solid, including in Portland where we never did get 5G mmW. I still can't say I've found much of the 5G UW that Verizon says is here, but I'll keep looking and I'm sure they'll keep expanding it. So, if you own a supported device and have experienced the "5G UW" connection on your phone, how has it been? Are you getting those promised speeds? Are you getting better or worse speeds? Let us know in those comments.

Galaxy S22 Pre-Orders End in Days With All of the Freebies

Kellen — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 09:12:11 +0000
Samsung and its carrier and retail partners are launching the Galaxy S22 series this week, with some orders (potentially) arriving early and most hitting doorsteps and shelves by Friday, February 25. If you haven't yet pre-ordered or were contemplating waiting until the end of the week, just know that you'll miss out on all of the freebies Samsung is offering. If you pre-order before launch, you can grab up to $200 in credit to spend on accessories, receive a free memory upgrade that doubles storage, and take advantage of the enhanced trade-in credit that could fetch you anywhere from $500 up to $900 off (instantly), depending on the phone you own. Samsung has stretched out its trade-in program in the past, well beyond its pre-order period, in case you were wondering. However, the trade-in credit bonuses and this new double storage upgrade aren't likely to stick around. Should you hold off and not pre-order, you are potentially missing out on $300 worth of goodies. Waiting for our reviews before you pull the trigger? We should have both a Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Ultra review before the end of the week. We also have this First 10 Things video and an unboxing for you to check out too. Galaxy S22 Pre-Order Link