Phandroid: December 2017

Sunday, December 31, 2017

Lost your Android phone on New Year’s? Here’s how you can find it

New Year's is the one time of the year where literally anyone can find a reason to go out for a night on the town. Most nightlife veterans are already accustomed to keeping up with their most important belongings — typically your phone these days — but we wouldn't blame those who are less savvy for slipping up.

People are bound to have their phones out much of the night, what with all the selfie action, live streaming, and other social media distractions to entertain. That's why cases of lost phones tend to spike on New Year's. If you have the misfortune of misplacing yours, not all hope is lost.

As we've shown you in our guide on how to find a lost or stolen Android phone, finding your phone after a long night doesn't have to result in an immediate call to your carrier or insurance company for a replacement.

Is it guaranteed to help you find the happy ending that results in retrieving your device? No, not always. A dead battery could doom your search before it even gets started.

If you do lose it, you'll want to act as soon as possible, because the longer you wait, the less likely you are to find it. Having said all that, hurry your way to the article to see what you can do to locate it, and keep your fingers crossed that it isn't too late!

How to Find a Lost or Stolen Android Phone

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2Cq3184
via IFTTT

30+ Best Android Games of the Month [January 2018]

Hundreds of great games arrive in the Play Store each month. Some are from big-name gaming studios, others are from small indie developers. It can be hard to keep up with them all. Here is our list of some of the best games to launch in the last month. Check it out and you may just find your new favorite game.

New Android Games

Alpha-Beta

Alpha-Beta is a new addictive game from 111%. Defeat the terrifying enemies with the Alphabet swarm. Create your own swarm with powerful heroes. Collect all alphabets in the dictionary and meet a special character. Rescue the alphabet in the jail, you can lead the larger swarm.

Big Shot Boxing

Big Shot Boxing gives you the opportunity to live out the career of a professional boxer from their debut to retirement. Choose how to train your fighter and manage their progression up the ranks. Will you build up skills and experience fighting journeymen or will you race up the ranks to challenge for the title?

Dancing Ball 2

Make the ball jump with the rhythm from tile to tile and try to go as far as you can in this fun and addictive music game. Simply drag left and right on your screen to guide the ball through the path.

Hidden Folks

Search for hidden folks in hand-drawn, interactive, miniature landscapes. Unfurl tent flaps, cut through bushes, slam doors, and poke some crocodiles. A strip of targets shows you what to look for. Tap a target for a hint, and find enough to unlock the next area.

Lintrix

Lintrix is a challenging action puzzle. Explore a wonderful new world of Lintrix and reason the cause of your existence. Crystals of light will help you on your tortuous path. Defend yourself by creating barriers, reveal new tactics to achieve better results, use diverse crystal powers and hold the line against increasingly powerful foes.

MechCom 3

MechCom 3 is a real-time strategy game. Set up new bases, collect resources and design your own mechs to crush the enemy. The game keeps everything you like in the previous installments while adding new mechanics and improvements.

Monkey Swag

Go with Monkey Swag on a unique journey and discover the untold riches of pirate captain Long John Silverback. Come across dark caves, active volcanoes and temples of lost civilizations. But don't forget to collect the mysterious fog island material to get your ship, the Flying Banana, back on the water.

Pukk

Pukk is a treasure hunter in search for gold way up north in Sweden. This ice cool and unique runner lets you smash your way through challenging levels looking super swag or utterly ridiculous. But it doesn't matter how you look, the lovesick polar bear will still chase you till the end of time.

Reigns: Her Majesty

A cultural renaissance has bestowed the world with a new era of knowledge and enlightenment but greed and jealousy still conspire against the benevolent queen. Outwit and outlast those that would seek to depose you and your husband by swiping left or right, making just (or unjust) decisions on all manner of royal matters.

Shootout on Cash Island

Bobby from Team HOT GUNS has a job to locate and secure the legendary Money Tree, but he's not the only one looking for it. Use guns, helmets, grenades and jetpacks to find and collect the map pieces placed in the empty jam jars around the island.

Slam Dunk King

Show your skills with trick dunks and smooth moves, harness unique mascot powerups, earn those coins and improve your rank! Master and chain together over a dozen tricks to prove you are the best and become the King.

Streets of Rage Classic

Arm yourself with knives, bottles, and drainpipes and battle through eight thug-infested urban environments to bring order to the city. Relentless, explosive, and addictive as hell. Streets of Rage is one of the most iconic beat-em-ups.

Ticket to Earth

The mining boom has left New Providence to die and just one Earth-bound ship remains. Forced to fight to protect everything she loves, orphaned Rose stands between bloodthirsty marauders and a corrupt government.

Weekly Game Roundups

Best of the Best

The Google Play Store has hundreds of thousands of great games to choose from. This list only scratches the surface. We've published numerous lists to highlight some of our favorites. Check out the lists below to explore even more!

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2CsJktZ
via IFTTT

Saturday, December 30, 2017

30+ Best Android Apps of the Month [January 2018]

A lot of apps are released in the span of one month. It can be near impossible to keep track of them all. In order to help you find only the best apps that have been released in the last month, we have assembled this list. Below you will find the best apps from the past month. Check it out and see what apps you missed!

New Android Apps

AR Stickers

Google showed off AR Stickers as one of the fun new features being introduced on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL back during their October product event. They finally rolled out to the camera. All you have to do is swipe open the menu, select AR stickers, and drop the items in the real world.

Grammarly Keyboard

Grammarly is a popular web extension that adds more advanced spell checking and grammar correction. They released a keyboard for Android that brings many of the same features to your phone. It's great at catching grammar mistakes in text messages and emails.

LEGO TV

If you or your kid is a big fan of LEGO properties, you need this app. LEGO TV allows you to watch LEGO movies in both online and offline mode. You can download your favorite LEGO movies to your device and watch them whenever you like.

Linkfy

Linkfy is an app for saving, copying, and sharing links. Every link on your phone can be in one spot. You only need install the app and then it will be another tool on your phone.

Now Playing History

One of the new features of the Pixel 2 phones is called "Now Playing." The feature allows the phone to listen to music in the background and display the song information on the lock screen and notifications. There's no way to see a history of this, but Now Play History does it for you.

Outings

Outings is a Microsoft app for searching travel stories about beautiful places from travel blogs and other places. Whatever you're interested in searching for, outdoor adventures, historical sites, city life, kid-friendly activities, beautiful vistas, or the hidden gems.

PK Fitness

PK Fitness is an effort based activity tracker. A simple, easy to use workout journal and social network that helps you stay on track with your fitness goals. Use PK Fitness to track your own fitness journey, join challenges as well as to connect with others with similar interests.

Selfissimo!

Selfissimo! uses experimental research technology from Google to capture photos automatically each time you pose, encouraging you to capture your best self. Selfissimo! snaps a photo each time you stop moving. Change poses or move the phone a little to retrigger.

Storyboard

Storyboard transforms your videos into comics. It selects, lays out, and stylizes video frames using experimental research technology from Google that runs entirely on your device.

The Walk: Fitness Game

The Walk is a fitness app that gamifies your everyday walks. A bomb explodes in Inverness station, and you're given a package that could save the world. To stay alive, you'll need to walk the length of the UK. It's a way to turn walking into a journey, a challenge, and a rip-roaring adventure.

Underburn

Underburn is an app that dynamically adjusts the screen brightness based on what's showing on your screen. So if you open a bright white app it will automatically turn down the screen brightness, and vice versa. Never worry about burning your eyes when you open an app at night.

Weekly App Roundups

Best of the Best

The Google Play Store has hundreds of thousands of apps to choose from. This list only scratches the surface. We've published numerous Best Android Apps lists for everything from dating to education. Check out the lists below to explore even more!

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2DzliN4
via IFTTT

Friday, December 29, 2017

DEAL: Get the Verizon Wear24 smartwatch for just $80

Much like tablets, http://ift.tt/1kYIiaQ smartwatches are becoming less and less popular, as was the case with the Verizon Wear24 smartwatch. This was introduced alongside the LG Watch Sport when Google announced Android Wear 2.0, but the smartwatch did not last for too long.

The Wear24 has been subjected to many different discounts over the last few months, including a price as low as $65 during the holiday shopping season. Now, you can get the Wear24 from eBay for just $80 with free standard shipping.

At the time of this writing, all three colors (Black, Gold, and Silver) are still available but the seller claims that there is a limited quantity available. The Wear24 may not be the flashiest smartwatch on the market, but it should still get the job done and should last for a little bit longer.

If you want to pick up the Wear24 for yourself, hit the button below and let us know whether you've decided to snag this for yourself, or if you've already received a new smartwatch.

Buy the Wear24 Smartwatch

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2ltinhE
via IFTTT

Turns out that you can unlock the Verizon Pixel 2’s bootloader

When it comes to buying Pixel or Nexus devices, one of the best features is the fact that the bootloader is already unlocked. Well, this is the case when you buy the device directly from Google, but those who purchase devices through Verizon aren't so lucky.

However, it seems things have changed up a bit as a few users on Reddit who have been stating that their Verizon-bought Pixel 2's bootloader can be unlocked. Users over at XDA Developers state that the bootloader on these devices can be unlocked with two simple commands using ADB.

In order to proceed, you'll need to have ADB installed on your computer, and then you'll need to run the two following commands:

adb reboot bootloader
fastboot flashing lock_critical

Once these commands have been entered, the bootloader on your Pixel 2 should be automatically unlocked and you can begin rooting away. Even if you don't want to install a custom ROM, you can still take advantage of various root apps such as Xposed Framework.

For those wondering if you need to go through either Verizon or Best Buy to pick up a specific model, it seems that isn't the case. Some folks on Reddit have stated that either device can be unlocked, and it doesn't seem that there are specific devices being issued to different retailers.

The problem here is that Verizon was likely unaware of this loophole and may end up closing it sooner rather than later. So be sure to fire up ADB with your Pixel 2 and unlock the bootloader before it's too late.

Be sure to let us know whether this method is working for you, or if you have run into any issues.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2EcE4Ln
via IFTTT

Samsung’s upcoming 2-in-1 Chromebook will likely feature a stylus similar to the Note 8

Samsung is rumored to be working on a detachable Chromebook code named "Nautilus." The 2-in-1 Chromebook is said to feature a removable keyboard for those looking for a more tablet-like experience. With Android apps now playing nice with Chrome OS, it sure makes a lot of sense.

There's not much info known about the still rumored device, but it seem it could be hiding a little more up its sleeve. References to a stylus have been found in a few of the device's code commits. Everything from inserting the pen into the device and the "stylus tools" menu that appears when you eject the pen. We'd imagine it's similar to the S Pen digitizer found on the Chromebook Pro/Plus.

Development for the Nautilus began back in September, so it's entirely possible we could learn more about the Chromebook at CES in a few short weeks.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2zMJJ7o
via IFTTT

Android 8.0 Oreo is rolling out today for the Asus ZenFone 4

As the year comes to a close, Asus is updating the ZenFone 4 to Android Oreo before the calendar switches to 2018. This news comes from the official ZenTalk forum. The update is version number 15.0405.1711.76 and it's rolling out now over the air.

Some of the features you can expect include the new swipe-up gesture for opening the app drawer, a newly designed settings menu, background limits, system-wide autofill, smart text selection, Picture-in-Picture, notification dots, adaptive icons, new emoji, and instant apps. Basically, the standard Oreo stuff.

The ZenFone 4 was released only a couple of months ago, so it's nice seeing this update. Check the Settings to see if you have it.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2CaX3Zw
via IFTTT

Sprint’s parent company just bought a small stake in Uber

Uber's growing business is facing more regulations from governments and established transit authorities, so the company has been struggling as growth has stalled. Struggles with the company's corporate culture and alleged criminal investigations haven't done the company any favors either, but that hasn't deterred Japan's SoftBank from buying stock of the company. SoftBank is the majority owner of the US wireless carrier Sprint, too.

According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, Uber investors and employees scrounged together 20% stock to offer the Japanese company at a 30% discount from the company's most recent valuation. That deal was too good to pass up and SoftBank decided to purchase an 18% stake.

Uber is facing a criminal investigation over its acquisition of Waymo technology for use in its self-driving car fleet, which came to light after Waymo filed suit against Uber over stolen trade secrets. Uber has focused on making rides as painless as possible with recent app updates, including the ability to schedule your ride in advance to get a better fare price.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2zNeI3r
via IFTTT

Moto Z2 Force on T-Mobile is now receiving Android 8.0 Oreo

And just like that, Motorola continues with their track record of speedy Android updates. A few short days ago, the Moto Z2 Force on Verizon started receiving an update to Android 8.0 Oreo and that update is now officially hitting T-Mobile variants as well. The T-Mobile Moto Z2 Force is currently on Android 7.1.1 (version NCX26.3) with the July 1, 2017 security patch.

The update going out will bring the device up to Android 8.0.0 (version OCX27) and December's security patch. The update is still in the process of rolling out, so it could be a few hours/days before it hits your phone. To manually check for the update, you can pull it by going into Settings > About phone > System updates. Cheers.

via XDA Forums

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2llSEs3
via IFTTT

The Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra is another mid-ranger coming in 2018

While we know about the flagships that we will likely see in the first few months of 2018, there are a few other devices that are starting to crop up in rumors and leaks. The latest is the Sony H4233 which first made an appearance back in September on, but has now been confirmed as the Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra.

This comes after the device passed through regulatory bodies in both Thailand and Malaysia with both the model number and official moniker in-tact. Unfortunately, we don't really know too much about what the Xperia XA2 Ultra will include, other than the likelihood of a 6-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080.

If we are to go by the GFXBench results from a few months back, the XA2 Ultra will be powered by the Snapdragon 630 chipset along with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. One of Sony's strong points is its cameras, and the XA2 Ultra is expected to include a 21MP rear-facing camera, along with a 15MP front-facing camera. Both of these are expected to be capable of shooting video in 4K resolution.

The Xperia XA2 Ultra will likely be just another mid-range device, but one that won't really turn too many heads unless a new design sneaks onto the scene. Speaking of, Sony is expected to change things up in 2018 and finally move from the old fat bezels and release devices which include a bezel-less design. It's just unlikely that the H4233 will fall into that category.

Let us know whether you have any experience with Sony's handsets and if you're looking forward to what's in store for 2018.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2CauECS
via IFTTT

The Nokia 2 will get “Android Go-like” features with Android 8.1

A lot of device owners are trying to figure out when they're favorite smartphones will be updated to the latest version of Android, and this includes those in the Nokia camp. The company has been testing Android 8.0 Oreo for devices such as the Nokia 6 and Nokia 3, but those with the Nokia 2 have been left in the dark, for the most part.

Hi! It will receive Android Oreo. 1GB RAM devices will be supported on 8.1 release where many of the Android Go memory management improvements will be integrated. Nokia 2 performance will only get better over time!

— Juho Sarvikas (@sarvikas) December 28, 2017

Late last night, Juho Sarvikas, Chief Product Officer for HMD Global, confirmed that the Nokia 2 would, in fact, get Android Oreo. However, the wait will likely be a bit longer than other Nokia devices as the Nokia 2 will be updated to Android 8.1 Oreo, and not Android 8.0.

In his response on Twitter, Sarvikas also stated that the budget device would be receiving a few "Android Go memory management improvements". However, since a device cannot be upgraded to the Android Go program, HMD Global will work on integrating some of the best features of Go into the Nokia 2.

Unfortunately, Sarvikas stopped short of sharing any timeline for such an update, but considering the fact that the Nokia 3 and Nokia 6 have not officially been updated to Android 8.0, there's still a bit of time left to wait. Nonetheless, it's still great to see a representative so open about software updates, hopefully, the company just follows through on the backend.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2CaiJF8
via IFTTT

Samsung and LG don’t slow down CPU performance on older phones either

Android OEM's are starting to respond to claims wondering if they slow down the CPU performance of devices in an effort to keep batteries from being overworked. This comes after Apple confirmed the company does exactly this on select iPhone's as the company started doing so last year with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S.

Yesterday, we saw official comments from HTC and Motorola stating that they do not slow down their devices, but LG and Samsung have now provided statements to the folks at PhoneArena. LG's statement was rather concise and to the point, while Samsung's statement was a bit long in the tooth:

LG Electronics:"Never have, never will! We care what our customers think."

Samsung: "Product quality has been and will always be Samsung Mobile's top priority. We ensure extended battery life of Samsung mobile devices through multi-layer safety measures, which include software algorithms that govern the battery charging current and charging duration. We do not reduce CPU performance through software updates over the lifecycles of the phone."

After Apple's debacle last week, the company has finally responded by offering a price reduction on the cost of replacing a battery in an out-of-warranty iPhone. Normally, this service costs $79, but Apple has reduced the cost by $50, bringing the price down to just $50 and anyone who is using at least an iPhone 6 or later is eligible.

While we weren't expecting any Android manufacturers to actually admit to slowing down smartphones, it's still a good sign of faith for these OEM's to respond to claims and questions. When it comes to Samsung specifically, there may be some out there who call foul and say that the company intentionally slows devices down, but it's important to remember that the "TouchWiz" overlay is one of the heaviest on the market. This alone can cause slowdowns on devices that are not properly optimized.

In the meantime, we are still waiting for some type of official response from Google, and will definitely report back once that statement has been issued. Let us know what you think about this entire situation, and if you think that OEM's are not being as open as it seems.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2EdS6wv
via IFTTT

A new update rolls out for the OnePlus 5T with a focus on camera improvements

This week has been a bit of a roller coaster for owners of the OnePlus 5T as the update to Android Oreo was teased by the German OnePlus Twitter account. Unfortunately, that update still has yet to roll out, but OnePlus is rolling out the latest version of OxygenOS to owners of the OnePlus 5T.

The update brings the software version to OxygenOS 4.7.6 and features an array of overall improvements, but the focus of this update is on the camera. Here's the official changelog for the update:

Camera

Stability improvements

Clarity improvements for selfie in low light

Performance improvements for 3rd party camera apps

System

Added assistive lighting for face unlock

Improvements for expanded screenshot

Improvements for Wi-Fi display

Updated Android security patch to December

Other than the camera improvements, the next biggest feature included is the "assistive lighting" function for those who use face unlock. It can be a pain trying to use face unlock if the lighting conditions aren't ideal, so it's nice to see OnePlus attempt to combat these issues through software improvements.

Now with this update, it's coming to devices Over-The-Air, meaning you'll just have to wait until the update arrives on your device. As is the case with most OTA updates from OnePlus, this is rolling out in waves, coming to a smaller subset of users today, before rolling out to more and more users over the next few days.

Let us know if you have received the update and how it's running for you on your OnePlus 5T.

[OnePlus Forums]

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2DuNTDh
via IFTTT

Android apps will soon be able to run in the background on Chromebooks

Android apps have been available on Chromebooks for a while now, but they don't behave like they do on Android devices. Android apps in Chrome OS only work when they are in the foreground. As soon as you go to a different task, the app freezes where you left off. This makes sense for a phone, but not on a laptop.

Chrome OS 64 will enable "Parallel Apps," also known as running in the background. Apps will continue to run side by side even if you aren't currently using one of them. Basically, it works like you would expect apps to work on a desktop UI. The feature is currently available in Chrome OS 64 beta, but we don't know for sure if it will come to the stable channel just yet.

Do you use Android apps on your Chromebook? Is this something that was annoying you?

via chromeunboxed]

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2ljlIAB
via IFTTT

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 670, 640, 460 specs leaked, looks to power next year’s mid-range devices

As we approach the end of the year, manufactures are not only gearing up for a new round of smartphones, but components like processors as well. Qualcomm recently announced the flagship processor that will power 2018's biggest smartphones — the Snapdragon 845 — a follow up to the Snapdragon 835 found in everything from this year's Galaxy S8, HTC U11, OnePlus 5T, and Google Pixel 2.

But Qualcomm's mid-range processor line, found in more affordable devices than we can count, is almost just as popular. Details surrounding Qualcomm's 2018 mid-range processors were disclosed at their Snapdragon Technology Summit where they announced the 845, but the specs appear to have leaked out.

According to a leaked document on Weibo, the Snapdragon 670 will replace this year's 660 and will built on 10nm architecture for more power efficiency. The 670 will also feature 8 cores: four 2GHz Kryo 360 cores and four 1.6GHz Kryo 385 cores. The GPU is an Adreno 620 and the dual 14-bit Spectra 260 ISP will support devices up to 26MP with a single camera, or 13MP + 13MP dual cameras. Modem is an X16 LTE Cat.16 (1Gbps down/150Mbps up), with should be plenty fast on our advanced networks.

Then there's the mid-range of the mid-range processors, the Snapdragon 640 with two 2.15GHz Kryo 360 cores and six clocked at 1.55 GHz with an Adreno 610 GPU. The spec sheet shows a X12 LTE modem (600 down/150 up), while the ISP is the same as the one found on the Snapdragon 670 listed above.

The more budget friendly Snapdragon 460 — built on older 14nm architecture — takes things further with eight Kryo 360 cores (four clocked at 1.8 GHz, the other four at 1.4 GHz) although the memory has no system cache. It also features the same modem as the 640, but a lesser Spectra 240 ISP that supports cameras up to 21 MP.

DealNTech | via GSMArena

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2ChImmB
via IFTTT

Watch this adorable, Italian grandma attempt to operate her new Google Home Mini [VIDEO]

With Christmas now officially behind us, we've had plenty of time to unwrap the gifts we've received or given to our loved ones. There's no question that smart speakers would be a big hit this year, with affordable options like the Google Home Mini seeing big discounts just before the holidays.

The Google Home Mini is perfect for all ages. There's no confusing interface to navigate through, or menus to get stuck inside. After a quick setup process, all you have to do is talk to the speaker and you're on your way. Sounds easy enough, right?

Well, the directions weren't so clear for this cute, 80-year old grandma who is still learning how to use the device. Sometimes even the most basic things to techies like ourselves can still be challenging when it comes to others. Just watch the adorable video below as she adapts to the wonderful world of voice-controlled technology.

P.S. I miss you, Grandma.

via Reddit

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2BPwXXQ
via IFTTT

LastPass responds to Authenticator security issues with update

Yesterday, security researchers pointed out a flaw in the Android version of the LastPass Authenticator app that could potentially allow hackers to gain access to an account's 2FA codes without requiring any sort of lock, PIN, or fingerprint authentication. Today, the company issued a new blog post to alert their users that this issue has now been fixed.

LastPass says that as soon as the security researchers discovered the flaw and pointed it out, their engineers went to work to fix the problem and make sure that the app always requires a PIN or fingerprint confirmation before allowing access to two-factor authentication codes.

LastPass says it's very unlikely that anyone was affected by the vulnerability since it still required access to the device, but if you use the LastPass authenticator to secure your accounts you should download the new update that's available in the Google Play Store immediately.

GET LASTPASS AUTH @ GOOGLE PLAY

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2BQD79R
via IFTTT

Google yanks YouTube support from Amazon’s Fire TV four days early

Google and Amazon have been duking it out for about a month now concerning access to YouTube on certain devices like the Amazon Fire TV or the Amazon Echo Show. The Echo Show had its access to YouTube videos revoked back in September, with Google citing a poor experience as the main reason.

Both companies eventually confirmed that they were in talks with one another to address the issue, but Google eventually stated it would remove support for YouTube on Fire TV devices come the 1st of the new year. However, it looks like that support got pulled a little early as some Fire TV users are reporting being re-directed to Amazon's own Silk browser or Firefox as a method of accessing YouTube.

One of Google's main complaints with Amazon is that the retailer doesn't allow competitor's products on its storefront. Amazon removed the Chromecast and Apple TV for sale from the US site when the Fire TV launched and most recently removed a new series of Nest thermostats that featured Assistant support. Part of Amazon's efforts to make things right with Google has included bringing the Chromecast back to its storefront.

Mozilla has thrown its hat in the ring by making Firefox available on Fire TV devices for the first time, with the explicit intention of giving those who own the devices access to content they want to see. There's also some speculation that Amazon is working on a YouTube competitor to eventually cut into Google's territory.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2BQdc2i
via IFTTT

RIP Pixel C: Google finally removes its final tablet from its storefront

If you needed any more indication that Android tablets are on the downward swing, today may be the time to think again. In a move that comes as a surprise to nobody, Google has finally removed the Pixel C tablet from its online storefront.

The Pixel C was released back in late 2015, and despite the internal hardware being a bit outdated, the Pixel C was still a great option and the only one that offered stock Android out of the box. We really don't know how well the Pixel C sold over its lifetime, but it was a popular tablet with the Android faithful who were willing to shell out the $599 for the tablet.

Now, the Google online storefront makes no mention of a tablet, only listing the recently-launched Pixelbook as the only option under the "Laptops" section. The 32GB version of the Pixel C had been removed some time ago, but the 64GB variant had remained – until today.

I am still holding hope out for a new version of the Nexus 7, but until then, be sure to pour one out for the Pixel C as it marks the "end of an era". Let us know what tablets you have been using, but if you want to still pick up a Pixel C, you can do so through Swappa, which has listings as low as $505.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2CiKbzO
via IFTTT

OxygenOS Open Beta 29 for the OnePlus 3 and 20 for the OnePlus 3T released

The OnPlus 5T may be the new phone on the block, but OnePlus hasn't forgotten about the OnePlus 3 and the OnePlus 3T. The latest OxygenOS beta updates bring some new improvements while hoping to keep the phones trucking along with you.

Here's the full changelog from the OnePlus forums:

Notes (New OnePlus app)

Take notes quickly and simply

Share notes as picture

Memo widget on Shelf is editable

Quick clipboard

Enhanced copying and editing ability

Weather

New weather widget

File Manager

Added large files category

Speed improvements while deleting massive files

System

Added OTG toggle in Quick Settings

Added notification when 3rd party apps delete contacts

Updated Android security patch to December

General bug fixes and improvements

Note that OnePlus is having some issues with this update, so they've delayed it for a while. If you would like to run the Open Beta on your OnePlus 3 or 3T, check out the full instructions here.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2loCiOJ
via IFTTT

Spark Mail will finally be coming to Android sometime in 2018

While my colleague Joe loves checking out new applications and sharing them with everyone, I also love trying out new applications. This is especially true when a new app that was an iOS-exclusive makes its way to the Google Play Store.

One of the types of apps that I love to try out is email apps, as is evidenced by my review of Newton Mail for Android. However, another one of my favorite email apps from iOS will be making its way to Android sometime in 2018 – Spark Mail.

Readdle is the developer of some great iOS applications, and Spark is just another one of the lineup to make its way to the App Store. While the company has not explicitly stated that the Android version is coming, there are some subtle hints on the main landing page for Readdle, which ties into a tweet from the company back in April of earlier this year.

Good news! It's already in the works

— SparkMail (@SparkMailApp) April 11, 2017

So although it is disappointing to see that it has already been more than 6 months since this tweet was made, Readdle is likely hard at work on the Spark Mail app for Android. The company's teaser on its "2017 Year In Review" shows the little Android bugdroid taking a ride on the paper airplane icon from the Spark application.

Hopefully, we'll be hearing more information about the Spark Mail for Android application in the coming weeks, but until then I'll continue using Newton for all of my email needs. Let us know what email apps you are using, and if you are interested to see a new option hit the Play Store.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2pN4e4d
via IFTTT

Samsung rolls out Android 8.0 beta 5 to the Galaxy S8 and S8+

As we inch ever closer to a final Android 8.0 Oreo build for the Galaxy S8 and S8+, Samsung continues to refine the beta version with a stream of steady updates. A new version of the Oreo beta — software version ZQLE — is the fifth such update since Samsung launched their beta program back in November.

Like the fourth beta that arrived a few weeks ago, the 613MB update merely addresses a laundry list of bug fixes and as such, isn't all too exciting. It's already hit India (as the "2nd beta") and other markets, so be on the lookout if you're currently enrolled in the beta. To check for the update yourself, simply open the Settings app > Software update > Download updates manually.

via SamMobile

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2EaX0tV
via IFTTT

DEAL: Get this Bluetooth LED Speaker for $15.59 w/ coupon code

Bluetooth speakers are becoming increasingly popular with consumers nowadays. This has to do with the ever dropping prices and the practicality of listening to music wirelessly. There are a lot of different variations of bluetooth speakers on the market and choosing one — especially a good one that won't break the bank — can be a challenge. So, if you're in the market for a bluetooth speaker that also doubles up as a night light, you may want to check out this latest deal from Amazon.

For a short period of time, Mindkoo has reduced their newly released LED Night Light Bluetooth Speaker down from $25.99 to just $15.59 using the code 'D5RBG46M'. The package comes with a bluetooth speaker that has dual subwoofers for added bass, as well as the sleek and minimal design manufactured from a solid sheet of aluminium. You'll be able to control the LED light settings of the speaker that best fits your rooms environment in addition to having playback controls on the side of the speaker.

If you are interested in picking up the Mindkoo Bluetooth Speaker, you'll find it via the link below.

BUY ON AMAZON

Mindkoo True Wireless Earbuds

For the holiday season Mindkoo also have a sale on for their fully wireless earbuds which have a low profile and compact design. They currently go for $48.99 and for a limited time you can get them using the code 'ZOJOLYIY' for $33.59.

The wireless earphones feature wireless lossless sound for improved sound quality and bass. You'll receive a charging cradle to place the earphones inside, in which a single 30 minute charge will give you over 2 hours of playback time.

If you are interested in picking up the Mindkoo Truly Wireless Earbuds, you'll find it via the link below.

BUY ON AMAZON

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2E4z5fI
via IFTTT

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is coming to AT&T in February after CES reveal

Huawei has been hot on the heels of Samsung and Apple in the game of becoming the top smartphone manufacturer, but the company hasn't made great strides in the US with any of its devices. The budget honor brand is probably better known here, but according to a new report from The Information, the Chinese company is looking to expand into the US market much more aggressively next year.

Yesterday we got an early peek at Huawei's roadmap for 2018, which revealed a stacked Q1 2018 quarter. The Huawei Mate 10 Pro will debut next year as early as February, with AT&T as a partner. Huawei's CEO has hinted that there will be multiple carrier partners in the US, but so far AT&T is the only one that has been confirmed.

The phone is available unofficially in the US on Amazon, where the international version that debuted in mid-November in countries like France and Germany is available to those who don't mind using the international version. These don't come with US warranties so it's a bit of a gamble on an expensive flagship phone, but if these rumors surrounding AT&T as the exclusive US carrier are true then we don't have long to wait to see the device.

We've got the device in hand and have answered a few of your questions about it, including putting that massive 4,000mAh battery life to the test.

Neverstill Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Neverstill Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2E4yUky
via IFTTT

The Meizu 15 Plus leaks and will have a notch similar to the Essential Phone

Meizu has been making headlines over the last few weeks as the company announced plans to release up to six new devices in just the first quarter of 2018. While the Meizu M6S has already passed through TENAA certifications, we are now getting a better look at the company's "anniversary" device with the Meizu 15 Plus.

A new render found on Weibo gives us a sneak peek at what the Meizu 15 Plus will look like, showing off a bezel-less design, along with the rear camera setup. When zooming in on the image shared above, you can see that Meizu will be implementing a notch at the top of the display, which will house the front-facing camera.

The rest of the device will likely be all screen, giving users as much screen real-estate as possible for interacting with the new device, save for a small bezel at the bottom. As for the rear, you can see a vertically-placed dual-camera setup, with a 10-LED dual-tone flash, but there does not appear to be a fingerprint scanner.

We could see the fingerprint scanner mounted on that bottom bezel on the front of the Meizu 15 Plus, but there's also a chance we could see the scanner included on the side of the frame. Unfortunately, there's not much else to go off of here from these renders.

Other rumored specs for the Meizu 15 Plus include the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, but the smaller Meizu 15 is expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 660. Pricing for this device is expected to start around $450, and the device is likely to be unveiled in March of 2018, as Meizu will be celebrating 15 years in the business.

Let us know what you think about this device, and if you would be interested to see more OEM's implement the notch at the top of the display in order to bring more screen real-estate.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2E4yMl4
via IFTTT

This luxury bracelet is also a phone charger and it’s on sale

Admittedly we've all been in that situation where you forget to bring a cable along with you or in fact you simply forget to charge your phone. Well, the Infinity Links Bracelet solves a solution to that problem as you'll have a charging cable at arm's length… literally. Combining the best of technology and craftsmanship, these fine leather accessories have some practicality and function to it.

Design & Features

Infinity Links have built this product from the ground up with design and functionality in mind. The braided leather and clean look of the product itself adds to its luxury feel. They offer two colorways which are grey or gold which are available for either Android (Micro USB) or iPhone (Lightning Port). The middle section is where the USB and charging connector are slotted in place and the overall size was just right my wrist.

To use the bracelet pull the middle section clasp to reveal the USB charger and either the Lightning Port or Micro USB. You'd then simply plug it into a socket or charging device and watch your bracelet start to charge your devices! Once you're done with it just put the charger back into the slot and slap it on your wrist – it's that simple.

Pricing & Sale

Offered in grey or gold with 3 different sizes – either small, large or a double loop – the Infinity Links Bracelet is currently on sale for $33.99 which can be reduced by a further 30% using the code 'SAVE30' – bringing the price down to $23.99. This is a great product for those in the market for a luxury bracelet that also doubles up as a USB charger for your devices!

If you are interested in picking up the Infinity Links USB Charging Bracelet, you'll find it available via the link below.

PURCHASE HERE

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2E4yFpE
via IFTTT

HTC and Motorola don’t follow Apple’s idea of slowing down CPU performance

Last week, Apple was in the headlines for all of the wrong reasons as the company confirmed suspicions that it slowed down older phones. This was introduced last year on the iPhone 6, iPhone 6S, and iPhone SE as an effort to "smooth out the instantaneous peaks" and take some pressure off of the aging batteries.

This was discovered after benchmark tests were performed showing that Apple does in fact throttle certain devices, but a few Android OEM's are now responding. Speaking to The Verge, HTC and Motorola both stated that they do not throttle CPU performance just because a device's battery has aged from usage over the last few years.

"We do not throttle CPU performance based on older batteries."

The fun in this matter may just be getting started as The Verge has also reached out to the likes of Google, Samsung, LG, and Sony, but responses were not made available yet. Instead, Samsung claimed that "the company was looking into it", while Sony stated, "a response would be delayed by the holidays". Maybe, just maybe, we'll be seeing more OEM's taking shots at Apple in the future when the companies hold events to unveil new devices.

Another funny part in all of this is that Chris, Joe, and myself published a PhanCast where we discussed our feelings on the matter, and a lot of comments suggested that Samsung definitely slowed down devices. This is something that I have experienced in my time with Samsung smartphones, but until Samsung releases an official statement, we'll have to keep guessing and being annoyed when our phones slow down after just a year.

Let us know what you think about this entire situation and if you have experienced a substantial slow down on your various devices after owning them for a long period of time.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2BR4n8n
via IFTTT

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus pass through the FCC

We're nearing that time of the year where new devices are coming out left and right, and the star of early 2018 is nearing its own launch. We still don't know when Samsung is planning to unveil the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus, but both devices have finally passed through the FCC.

Unfortunately, although these devices have been certified by the FCC, there was no additional information shared regarding them, other than the model numbers of SM-G960F and SM-G965F, respectively. According to the listings, there are not even any design outlines and that is partially due to the fact that the filing was submitted back in November when the design may not have been 100% finalized.

Now, just because the Galaxy S9 lineup has been approved by the FCC, this doesn't mean that we will be seeing the devices make an appearance at CES 2018. Instead, this more so falls in line with the schedule that we've seen with the previous Galaxy devices launched earlier in 2017.

Nonetheless, we are expecting to see Samsung make its official announcement at MWC 2018, or the company could pull a quick one and host an event of its own. We'll be sure to let everyone know when more information becomes available, but let us know whether you're excited to see what Samsung has been working on.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2C6VLyo
via IFTTT

LG joins the smart speaker game with the ThinQ Speaker

Earlier this month we learned about LG's plans to launch a brand of products which are being developed with Artificial Intelligence at the forefront with the LG ThinQ branding. These products include TVs, refrigerators, and other electronic devices, and today we are getting a glimpse at the first LG ThinQ product.

With all the hubbub and excitement surrounding the Amazon Echo and Google Home devices, LG has launched a new smart speaker of its own. Simply named the LG ThinQ Speaker, this device is powered by Google Assistant and can control various smart home products such as other ThinQ options.

In fact, LG partnered with Google to work on this ThinQ speaker, in an effort to ensure that users are provided with the best experience possible. On top of working with Google Assistant, LG has included its own "personalized voice-activated interface" which will work with LG's various smart home appliances.

Pricing and availability weren't shared, but LG did state that the ThinQ Speaker would be making an appearance at CES 2018. This is likely where we'll learn more about the capabilities, along with how much this "premium" speaker is going to cost.

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2le6iO9
via IFTTT

Google’s voice-generating AI now sounds nearly identical to humans

Google's text-to-speech system has been impressive for a while now. That's what you hear every time you talk Google Assistant. The once robotic voice now sounds remarkably human. But Google isn't done improving it. A new system called Tacotron 2 is nearly indistinguishable according to Google.

A research paper published by Google shows a few examples of the Tacotron 2 system. This system trains neural networks to generate speech that sounds almost identical to a real human reading from a script. Google included a few examples to show how similar the AI and a human sound.

One of these audio clips is AI, the other is a human reading from text.

Pretty good, huh? Right now, the system is only trained to mimic one female voice. Google would need to train the system again for a different voice. This is very impressive stuff and should make it's way to Goole Assistant in the future.

[via quartz]

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2pRXWQG
via IFTTT

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

LG G6 gets Android 8.0 Oreo beta in China

LG G6 owners might be feeling shunned after LG officially began rolling out Android 8.0 Oreo to the LG V30 a few short days ago. This was after they had been testing the beta version of the update since back in November and seemingly wasted no time in getting the final version out to the V30. So what about the G6 — LG's true flagship? Well, it seems that an update could soon be underway.

A beta version of Android 8.0 Oreo (build number V19A) was spotted running on the LG G6 in China. The UI hasn't changed much, but the screenshots do show core Oreo features like app shortcuts, adaptive icons, and other new features. The user also notes that speed and battery life have been improved, which is sure to be good news for anyone still using the device. You'll have to check out the forum post for yourself to see the full set of screenshots.

There's still no official word on when we can expect it to arrive stateside. Typically, updates hit China/South Korea first and since we haven't even heard word of a beta version of the software hitting those areas, the final update could still be a ways off. Sit tight.

via Bbs.gfan

from Phandroid http://ift.tt/2lac6I8
via IFTTT