How to SIM unlock the LG V40 ThinQ

Launched back in second half of 2018, the LG G7 ThinQ was LG's flagship smartphone for the second half of the year. Similar to the LG G7 ThinQ, the LG V40 ThinQ also came with similar high-end specs, which included the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset, 6GB of RAM, and up to 128GB of storage. It also marked the second phone in LG's V-series that does not come with the secondary display, instead opting for a floating bar.

For those who are still holding onto their LG V40 and aren't planning on upgrading it anytime soon and would love the freedom of being able to use it on any carrier they wish, here are some options that you can check out (free and paid) to unlock your LG V40 ThinQ handset.

Getting the unlock code from your carrier for free

If you'd rather not pay to unlock the SIM card on your LG V40, you can approach your carrier and see if they will be able to do it for you. There will be several criteria that you, as a customer, will need to meet in order for your carrier to proceed with your request.

To qualify for a free SIM unlock:

• The device needs to have been paid off in full. For those who bought the phone on a repayment/installment plan, you might be out of luck.
• You will also need to have owned the device for at least 60-90 days.
• You must be in good standing with your carrier, which usually involves you having a good track record when it comes to paying your bills, and making sure you have no outstanding bills that haven't been paid.

Request your free LG V40 SIM unlock code:

• Launch the Phone app on your handset and dial *#06#.
• This will reveal your phone's IMEI number
• Write the IMEI number down somewhere easily accessible as you will need to provide this to your carrier later
• Call your carrier's customer service hotline and request for your SIM unlock code
• You will then be asked to provide the service rep with your LG V40 ThinQ's IMEI number
• Wait 2-5 days for your SIM unlock code which should arrive in your email associated with your account with your carrier.
• Once you've received your code, swap out the current SIM card for another SIM.
• You will be prompted to enter the SIM unlock code.
• Enter it and your phone should now be unlocked and free to use with any carrier or any SIM card.

Purchase your LG V40 SIM unlock code

For those who would rather not wait for 1-2 years until they finish off paying their repayment plans to their carrier, not to worry because there are options that you can check out to unlock the SIM on your phone, but we should point out that this is a paid option:

• Launch the Phone app on your handset and dial *#06#.
• This will reveal your phone's IMEI number
• Write the IMEI number down somewhere easily accessible as you will need to
• Visit Android SIM Unlock's website.
• Select your LG V40 ThinQ model and the carrier you bought the phone from.
• Enter your device's IMEI number.
• Enter your payment and contact information to complete the checkout process.
• Upon successfully making payment, you should receive the SIM unlock code for your LG V40 ThinQ in under an hour.
• Once you've received your code, swap out the current SIM card for another SIM.
• You will be prompted to enter the SIM unlock code.
• Enter it and your phone should now be unlocked and free to use with any carrier or any SIM card.

T-Mobile LG V40 SIM unlock

We want to point out that the method above only works for those who bought their phone through carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint. For those who bought their phones from T-Mobile, the process will be different, but it will still be quite straightforward and easy.

• Launch the Phone app on your handset and dial *#06#.
• This will reveal your phone's IMEI number
• Write the IMEI number down somewhere easily accessible as you will need to
• Visit Android SIM Unlock's T-Mobile page and enter LG V40 ThinQ's IMEI number
• Enter your payment and contact information to complete the checkout process.
• Upon successfully making the payment, you should receive the SIM unlock code for your LG V40 ThinQ in the next 1-3 days.
• Once you've received your code, enter it into the T-Mobile Device Unlock app to unlock your phone's SIM
• Tap Continue > Permanent Unlock to SIM unlock your LG V40 ThinQ
• Your device will need to be rebooted in order to complete the process
• You should now be able to swap out the current SIM card for another SIM.

Whichever of the methods you choose from above, the end result should be the same and you will soon be the proud owner of a fully unlocked LG V40 ThinQ. One of the upsides of having an unlocked handset is that you now get to use it with different carriers. For example, if you travel overseas quite frequently and would like to avoid data roaming charges, having your SIM unlocked means you'll be able to use it with local telcos, saving you a bunch of money in the process.

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This could be our first look at the foldable Motorola Razr smartphone

2019 is definitely the year of the foldable smartphone. We've seen Samsung and Huawei come forward with foldable handsets of their own, and to our surprise, it was rumored that Motorola could be working on a similar device with the revival of their iconic Razr flip phone, except designed with a more modern twist.

Now thanks to a series of renders posted on Slashleaks, it seems that we could have gotten our first look at what the upcoming phone could look like. As expected, the phone seems to very closely resemble the Razr when folded shut and is in line with an earlier discovered patent.

It does have a huge lip at the bottom that sticks out quite a bit, suggesting that the phone is meant to be kept closed when not in use. This is versus the other foldable phones from Samsung and Huawei which are still very much like smartphones, except when unfolded they are transformed into tablet-like devices.

As for the specs of the device, we have heard that the phone could be packing a 6.2-inch 2142×876 display and could also have a secondary display on the outside. Oddly enough, the chipset of choice has been rumored to be the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 and might be paired with 4-6GB of RAM. We would have thought that Motorola might prefer using the Snapdragon 855, but then again these are rumors so they're probably best taken with a grain of salt.

Also based on the renders, assuming they're accurate, it seems like the phone could only feature a single rear-facing camera. Perhaps Motorola is hoping that with its basic features, they can keep costs down (Samsung and Huawei's foldable smartphones are priced starting at the $2,000 mark). There is no word on when Motorola might be officially announcing the handset, but we'll keep our eyes peeled.

Source: Slashleaks

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5 New Android Apps to check out this week (APR 30, 2019)

The Google Play store is full of awesome apps that can help you with tasks or simply help you take a break and relax with an engaging game. But how do you know what ones you should try? We can help you with that! Every week, we will share awesome new apps that we think you will enjoy. The highlights from this week include a fitness app, an app for your kids, and a social podcast app.

Take a look at the list below to find the perfect new app for you this week.

Peloton Digital

Description: Total body workouts and more: introducing Peloton Digital. Redefine your fitness routine at home or on the go with a membership to Peloton Digital. Take one of 15+ daily live studio classes taught by elite NYC instructors, or choose from thousands of on-demand classes, with new classes added every single day. Join inspiring and motivating workouts from anywhere, including cycling, running, bootcamp, outdoor, floor, yoga and more via your Android phone or tablet.

• Price: Free
• In-app Purchases: Yes
• Rating: 4.4/5
• Installs: 100,000+

Install Peloton Digital

Swoot – Podcasts with friends

Description: Swoot is the podcast app where you get to see what your friends are listening to. Whether you're new to podcasts or a long time listener, Swoot is the best way to discover podcasts you love and share them with friends.

• Price: Free
• In-app Purchases: No
• Rating: 4.6/5
• Installs: 1,000+

Install Swoot

 Download Navi

Description: Download Navi is a free and open-source download manager. Features: Free and Open Source software (FOSS), Material Design, Multiple themes (Light, Dark, Black), Android TV support, Chrome OS support, Pause and resume downloads, Simultaneous downloads (default 3)

• Price: Free
• In-app Purchases: No
• Rating: 4.2/5
• Installs: 5,000+

Install Download Navi

Splash and Bubbles for Parents

Description: SPLASH AND BUBBLES FOR PARENTS is an app that provides families with conversation starters, videos, and activities to explore ocean science together. Developed in collaboration with early childhood and marine biology experts, the app can be used as a second-screen experience while watching the PBS KIDS series SPLASH AND BUBBLES. When synced with a SPLASH AND BUBBLES episode, the app provides information about relevant animals, environments, and science themes.

• Price: Free
• In-app Purchases: No
• Rating: New
• Installs: New

Install Splash and Bubbles for Parents 

unrd

Description: Experience stories told through someone else's phone. Unrd gives you access to a fictional character's phone and lets you live their life through their messages. Receive real time messages, videos, photos, voice notes and even visit a character's social profiles. Unrd has something for everyone: the edge of your seat thrillers, hide behind your sofa horror, gripping crime, and exciting romance.

• Price: Free
• In-app Purchases: Yes
• Rating: 4.4/5
• Installs: 100,000+

Install Unrd

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Microsoft will soon let you receive Android notifications on your computer

Last year, Microsoft announced an app called Your Phone. The idea behind the app is that it will help connect iOS and Android devices to Windows 10 computers, where it allowed users to send text messages directly from their PC, and also to sync up photos taken by your mobile device with your computer.

If you weren't too impressed with the initial offering, you'll be pleased to learn that Microsoft has recently announced an update to the app that will now allow users to receive Android notifications directly on their computer. According to the company:

"Stop reaching for your phone to check your notifications. Boost your focus and productivity by seeing your phone's notifications on your PC. You are in control and manage which apps you want to receive notifications from. Dismiss a notification on one device and it goes away on the other."

We should point out that this feature only lets users receive notifications from their phone on their PC. This more or less means that you won't need to keep reaching for your phone to see the latest notification, which lets you decide if certain notifications are worth tending to or not.

That being said, there are already several mobile apps that already have desktop counterparts and vice versa. For the most part, this means that desktop notifications for certain apps have long been available, but the update to the Your Phone app could help make it a more rounded experience with other Android notifications.

At the moment the feature is only available for those who are taking part in the Windows Insider program, so if you're not part of it, you'll just have to wait for the main release like everyone else.

Source: Microsoft

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DEAL: Huawei Mate 20 Pro is now enjoying a 23% discount

Launched in 2018, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro was one of the most-talked-about smartphones ever. This was namely due to the fact that it came with a pretty impressive camera system that gave more established companies, such as Samsung, a run for their money. Unfortunately, it wasn't exactly the cheapest phone either, at least until now.

For those who are interested in owning the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, the handset's price has been cut to an all-time low of $689. Given that the handset was launched with a price of $899, this means that you'll be saving yourself about $200 for what was an excellently-reviewed handset.

We should point out that the model offered is the international variant of the phone in emerald green with 128GB of storage. This means that the phone does not have warranty in the US, and that it is only compatible with GSM networks, so those of you on Sprint or Verizon will be out of luck, but if you're on AT&T or T-Mobile, you should not have any issues using it. So if you'd like to get your hands on the phone at a bargain price, head on over to Amazon's website.

Buy On Amazon

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How to use the Pixel 3’s Call Screen feature

The audience cheering can still be heard from when Google demoed the call screen feature at Google I/O last year. Now Call Screening has rolled out across most of the U.S, here's how to get the most out of it.

Call Screening uses Google Assistant automation to answer your calls from unknown numbers. The assistant will ask the caller why they're calling and present you with a real-time transcript of the conversation allowing you to make a decision if you want to answer it. You'll also be presented with a number of questions that you can trigger the Google Assistant to ask to get more information from the caller if you wish.

Call Screening is currently rolled out on the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL and support is widening to include earlier Pixel models. Motorola also recently rolled out the feature to the entire line of Moto G7 and Motorola One series and will hopefully have more support as the feature evolves.

How to use Call Screening

The feature is enabled by default so there's nothing specifically to switch on. You'll be able to invoke Call Screening upon receiving a call where it will show as a third option alongside answer or decline.

• Tap Screen call upon receiving a phone call.
• Call Screening will kick in and you'll see the transcript being read in real time.
• Included in the transcript will be the caller's responses too.
• There will be a number of options you can select from such as "Is it urgent" to retrieve more information from the caller.
• In addition, there is also the option to end the call at any time using the "I'll call you back" option.

Customize Call Screening

There's very little to customize when it comes to Call Screening since it is driven by AI, but you are able to choose between a male and female voice, although you'll never actually hear it yourself.

• Head into Settings.
• Tap Call Screen.
• Tap Voice.
• You can now choose between Voice 1 (female) or Voice 2 (male).

Roundup

That's all there is to it. It makes an extremely complicated AI-driven functionality aimed at reducing call spam seem simple and is a very compelling reason to use a Pixel 3. The functionality is expected to continue to roll out and add support for further devices as Call Screening matures and it's one of the best uses of Google Assistant to date.

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OnePlus 7 Pro excitement mounts as device confirmed to have no notch

There is an undeniable buzz surrounding what OnePlus has up its sleeve for the OnePlus 7 given the trickle of leaks and hints we've been seeing surface over recent weeks. The company is expected to announce the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro on May 14 and the excitement just stepped up a notch thanks to a huge advertising campaign by the company.

Aimed at creating buzz and anticipation for the unreleased device, OnePlus took out an ad in The New York Times to tease what we can expect from the OnePlus 7 Pro and it seems to be working. The ad states the device will have no notch and no bezel, which suggests a heavy focus on design and screen quality as well as predictably confirming the popup camera design we've been expecting.

Yes Virginia, if it's in The New York Times, it's got to be true. Welcome to the world, One Plus! pic.twitter.com/leKjS801dN

— Dave nyc (@david_nyc) April 29, 2019

Not content there, OnePlus also promoted its overall satisfaction score as it seems to be pulling out the stops to promote the upcoming launch of the OnePlus 7 series.

pic.twitter.com/PEmZEkb98E

— Dave nyc (@david_nyc) April 29, 2019

A further tweet by the company showcased the other side of the ad that displays a blueprint schematic of the OnePlus 7 Pro that seems to show a motorized camera, therefore, confirming what all the leaks have been pointing towards and how the company can achieve a notch-less display.

Motorised camera… pic.twitter.com/NoslJkrsdf

— RSL. (@RussellAmarni7) April 29, 2019

With just over two weeks until the launch of the OnePlus 7 series, the company is certainly pulling out all the stops to get everyone excited, and it's definitely working.

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Another Honor 20 Pro render leaks, this time in a white gradient

We are just weeks away from the launch of the Honor 20 series in London on May 21st and as is so often the case the leaks are starting to pick up steam. After catching a glimpse at a teal render of the phone last week, this week we are being treated to a white gradient that has a bit of a pearlescent look to it with the fade to a pink hue.

The render also shows off the four cameras on the back of the device, which should deliver a comparable periscope style camera to what we have seen in the Huawei P30 Pro and the OPPO Reno 10x Zoom. Having spent a few days with the latter device, I'm definitely sold on this concept and can't wait to see another option in the market. There is definitely room for improvement, but it opens up so many more possibilities for smartphone photography and videography.

The primary camera should be a 40MP Sony IMX600 sensor, with a 20MP ultra-wide and an 8MP telephoto lens rounding out the trio.

Do you like the look of Honor's upcoming flagship?

Source: Weibo

Via: GSMArena

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DEAL: AUKEY’s award-winning True Wireless Earbuds going for $79.99 with $20 coupon

The AUKEY Key Series T10 True Wireless Earbuds can be purchased for $20 less than their usual $99.99 sticker price thanks to Amazo's exclusive $20 coupon. Simply visit the AUKEY True Wireless Earbuds product page and click the coupon check box and the price will be reduced from $99.99 to $79.99 at checkout.

The earbuds are actually brand new to the market, but AUKEY has already proven itself in the space with its other Key Series headphones which have sold well and have 4-star reviews. The AUKEY Key Series T10 earbuds are pretty impressive with 7 hours of audio playback with an additional two full charges provided by the case. AUKEY also won an IF Design Award for the earbuds and their case which features a swivel lid and built-in wireless charging like the new Samsung Galaxy Buds.

The headphones themselves also feature IPX5 water resistance so that you can use them in the rain on for your workout, graphene diaphragms in the drivers for enhanced audio, intuitive touch controls on both earbuds and support for Google Assistant and Siri.

Coupons like this are quite common when a new product comes to market to boost sales right at launch, but AUKEY's products always come with a 45-day money-back guarantee and a 24-month product replacement warranty. They're one of the few companies which truly stand by the quality of their products.

SEE ON AMAZON  

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5 reasons why the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL will be DOA

Google is preparing to enter the "affordable" market with the launch of the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, which is hinted to be happening at Google I/O on May 7. With the rise of devices aimed at the mid-range, Google is attempting to replicate the success of Android smartphones like the OnePlus 6T, with a slimmed down version of the Pixel 3 launched last year. However, with the current state of the Android market as well as what we know about the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, here's why the devices will be DOA when they launch.

Cost

The pricing of the Pixel 3a and 3a XL has already been leaked to offer an interesting insight into what Google considers the affordable bracket. The Pixel 3a is set to be priced at $500 with the Pixel 3a XL converting to around $600. Considering you can purchase a brand new Pixel 3 for $599 or a Pixel 3 XL for $699, the pricing of what Google is calling mid-market doesn't exactly represent much of a saving. This is further compounded when factoring in the cost of the OnePlus 6T, which you could pick up for $550. Consider picking up a second-hand Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL and all-of-a-sudden you'll be in a situation where the affordable Pixel 3a series with lower-end specs than the Pixel 3 counterpart actually costs more.

Releasing the devices at such a high price point means they simply cannot compete, especially given the savings to be had on the Pixel 3 range in the second-hand market. The situation would be completely different had the mid-market Pixel 3a been released at the same time as the regular Pixel 3's offering an affordable alternative to the $799 RRP.

Specs

A pure Android experience curated by Google on Pixel hardware is compelling and priced below what seems to be the normal $1000 price tag for smartphones these days becomes very appealing. However, for Google to hit the price point of the lower-cost Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, it had to make some compromises. The body, for example, will be made of plastic, while you'll also lose the second front-facing camera on the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, as well as the front-facing stereo speakers. The processor also takes a hit with the Snapdragon 670 and Snapdragon 710 powering the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, respectively. In a world where devices like the OnePlus 6T, Huawei P20, and even the Samsung Galaxy S9, which has some amazing deals now the S10 is out, pricing a budget Pixel device at that price with those specs simply cannot compete.

Timing

For reasons that are unbeknown to the wider public, Google is releasing the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL a full 7 months after the Pixel 3. That timeframe in the phone world is a lifetime – in that time foldable phones have gone from a concept to reality. Google should have released these devices alongside the regular Pixel 3 as an affordable alternative to those not wanting to pay full price because, in those 7 months, it has allowed last years' flagships to have depreciated in price. As with any technology, the internals has also progressed so what was brand new in 2018 is now old news in 2019.

Competition

The OnePlus 7 is right around the corner and OnePlus has come along massively as a company. The OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T, while making some obvious omissions when compared to the likes of the Galaxy S series, provide a true flagship experience that most will appreciate for a fraction of the price. When you have a company like OnePlus providing a near stock Android experience paired with the latest processor, more RAM than anyone needs, and a decent camera package, there is no place for a budget Pixel that costs more. This is only amplified when other companies are joining OnePlus in its strategy releasing lower-priced devices with flagship specs.

Software

Releasing at the proposed price point of the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL is troublesome given the vanilla nature of the software. The experience on a Pixel is the pinnacle of Andriod, so it may seem like an odd point, so hear me out. Typically, your buyer that appreciates the pure nature of a Pixel understands what that means, and those are the likes of you reading this article. Your average consumer who doesn't spend thousands of dollars on their device isn't going to understand what it means to have a Pixel. What they are going to see is that the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL has the bare bones software with no added bells and whistles while this Galaxy <insert random model here> has a ton of 'extras' that typically an Android enthusiast would hate. But, if that Samsung device can do all these extra cool camera tricks, the Pixel's main selling point of regular updates isn't going to appeal, especially when it'd most likely cost more.

Roundup

Let me round this off by saying this is purely my opinion – I think the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL will arrive too late and it has a number of established competitors from the likes of OnePlus and the deprecated 2018 flagships, including the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL itself, to compete with. Simply, if the price point leaks stand true, I can't see Google shifting a lot of these.

But, let me know your opinion in the comments below – do you agree, disagree, don't care? Would you buy the Pixel 3a or Pixel 3a XL and who do you think it's for? Let us know.

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How to SIM unlock the Samsung Galaxy Note 8

It has been almost two years since Samsung launched its Galaxy Note 8. If you are still holding onto the handset and are waiting for the Galaxy Note 10 or maybe even the Galaxy Note 11, there is still some time to go, and in the meantime, if you'd like to unlock the SIM on your handset, now might be a good time as any to do so.

In this guide, we will show you the different options that you can choose if you want to unlock the SIM on your Galaxy Note 8 with Android SIM Unlock or other services. A couple are paid methods of unlocking your handset, but there will also be a free option, so check them out and see which will suit your needs the best.

Free Samsung Galaxy Note 8 SIM unlock

If you want to save yourself some money, know that your carrier is more than happy to assist you with unlocking the SIM on your handset. There is a catch though, and that is you will need to meet several criteria in order to qualify for a SIM unlock code. The upside is that this is a completely free method, so if you meet the requirements, you can unlock your phone for free.

To qualify for a free SIM unlock:

• The device needs to have been paid off in full. If you're on a payment plan, then you might be out of luck.
• You will need to have owned the device for at least 60-90 days.
• You also need to be in good standing with your carrier, which usually means that you have no outstanding debts or unpaid bills.

Assuming you have met those requirements, follow the steps below to get the SIM unlock code from your carrier for free:

• Launch the Phone app on your Samsung Galaxy Note 8
• Dial *#06#. This will pull up your phone's IMEI number which you will need to provide to your carrier.
• Write the IMEI number down somewhere easily accessible, like a piece of paper or notebook
• Call your carrier's customer service hotline and request for your SIM unlock code
• You will then be asked to provide the service rep with your Samsung Galaxy Note 8's IMEI number
• If you qualify, you will need to wait 2-5 days for your SIM unlock code which should arrive in your email that's linked to your carrier account.
• Once you've received your code, you can swap out the current SIM card for another SIM.
• If you do, you will be prompted to enter the SIM unlock code.
• Enter it and your phone should now be unlocked and free to use with any carrier or any SIM card.

Buy a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 SIM unlock code

We know that not everyone might qualify to get a SIM unlock code from their carrier for free, and if you don't, do not despair because there are paid options that you can check out that will let you unlock the SIM on your Galaxy Note 8 handset.

• Launch the Phone app on your Samsung Galaxy Note 8
• Dial *#06#. This will pull up your phone's IMEI number which you will need to provide to your carrier.
• Write the IMEI number down somewhere easily accessible, like a piece of paper or notebook
• Visit Android SIM Unlock's website.
• Select your Samsung Galaxy Note 8 model and the carrier you bought the phone from.
• Enter your device's IMEI number.
• Enter your payment and contact information to complete the checkout process.
• Upon successfully making payment, you should receive the SIM unlock code for your Samsung Galaxy Note 8 in less than an hour.
• Once you've received your code, you are now free to swap out the current SIM card for another SIM.
• You will be prompted to enter the SIM unlock code. Enter it and your phone should now be unlocked.

SIM Unlock the T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note 8

The method we mentioned above will work on carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint. For those who bought their phones through T-Mobile, the method will be slightly different due to T-Mobile choosing to use an app to handle the SIM unlock process, but other than that, the overall process is still very straightforward and simple.

• Launch the Phone app on your Samsung Galaxy Note 8
• Dial *#06#. This will pull up your phone's IMEI number which you will need to provide to your carrier.
• Write the IMEI number down somewhere easily accessible, like a piece of paper or notebook
• Visit Android SIM Unlock's T-Mobile page and enter Samsung Galaxy Note 8's IMEI number
• Enter your payment and contact information to complete the checkout process.
• Once you have successfully made payment, you should receive the SIM unlock code for your Samsung Galaxy Note 8 in the next 1-3 days.
• Once you've received your code, enter it into the T-Mobile Device Unlock app to unlock your phone's SIM
• Tap Continue > Permanent Unlock to SIM unlock your Galaxy Note 8
• Your device will need to be rebooted in order to complete the process
• You should now be able to swap out the current SIM card for another SIM.

Unlocking your phone's SIM essentially gives you the ability to use any SIM card from any carrier with your handset. It is understandable that carriers would want to lock you into their network, but if you'd like the ability to easily switch between carriers, especially if you're overseas and want to use a local carrier's SIM, then the methods above should help you with that.

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Samsung to pack a 4500mAh battery in the Galaxy Note 10 Pro

According to a new leak, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Pro will have its battery bumped to 4500mAh, an increase of 500mAh over its Note 9 predecessor.

The 4500mAh capacity of the Note 10 Pro would also put it on par with the 5G variant of the Galaxy S10 and since this would be the 4G version of the Note 10, a device supporting the new faster cellular connectivity would see an even larger battery.

The 4G variant of the Note 10 Pro is set to carry the model number SM-N975, which saw the cellular chip in the device pass-through certification by the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology on Saturday. This chip carried the model number EB-BN975ABU, which aligns to the 4G variant of the Note 10 Pro.

N975（Note10 Pro 4G） 4500mAh 25w

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) April 28, 2019

You're probably wondering what the "Pro" is all about? Samsung is said to be working on four (yes four!) versions of the Note 10 – two supporting 4G, and two 5G. The Pro designation is used to distinguish between two screen sizes Samsung is expected to offer. The screen size of the Note 10 is expected to be 6.28-inches with the Note 10 Pro topping out at 6.75-inches. Each version will then have an accompanying 4G and 5G supported model, and you can expect that 5G Note 10 Pro to be pretty pricey.

Samsung is expected to launch the Note 10 series in August.

Via: SamMobile

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DEAL: Groove in the shower with this waterproof Bluetooth speaker with 53% off

There's nothing quite listening to music in the shower or while having a bath but there's always the risk of your expensive speaker or even smartphone having an unfortunate introduction to water and, well, that doesn't mix well with electricity. That's why waterproof Bluetooth speakers are a thing and the SOOMES Shower Speaker is currently 53% off on Amazon.

Rated IPX7, the waterproof speaker is perfect for listening to your favorite songs in the shower, or even just to have the peace of mind that the elements won't ruin your speaker at the beach. The SOOMES speaker has a 3W speaker and Bluetooth 4.2 with a range of up to 33ft.

Making the SOOMES speaker even better is a detachable suction cup making it easy to attach to your bathroom wall or attach to a backpack with the included aluminum alloy metal hook.

If you're in the market for a portable speaker that is protected against the elements then the SOOMES shower speaker is currently only $14.09 down from $30 on Amazon. That's an impressive 53% off with an average rating of 4.3/5 in the reviews. Go ahead and treat yourself by hitting the link below and you'll be boogying in the shower in no time.

SOOMES shower speaker on Amazon

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How to restore a Pixel device using a cloud backup

The Google Pixel is the peak of the Android experience but even the purest Android software can begin to slow down over time. With a combination of caching information, unused apps, and depleting storage, it is inevitable that over time the Google Pixel may not continue to perform how it did from day one.

As much as a slow device is annoying, all is not lost. Initiating a factory reset on a Google Pixel can help to restore things to normal and get your device performing like it did on day one. However, performing a factory reset to start things from scratch can be a daunting experience with many expecting that all their data would be lost. The Pixel has features built-in natively that ensure your data can be restored from the cloud following a factory reset, so here's all the detail.

What backs up automatically

As soon as you log in to your Google account, certain things will upload automatically. Data in your Google Calendar, Contacts, and Photos and Videos will back up to the cloud. In addition, your installed apps and associated app data, call history, device settings, and SMS text messages will be uploaded but are limited to 25MB of data per app.

For anything not automatically backed up to the cloud, you can upload the content to Google Drive to store it safely in the cloud while you perform a factory reset.

Restore data & settings from the cloud

Following a factory reset on your Pixel, the device will reboot and take slightly longer to start up on first boot. Once the Pixel has rebooted, you'll be presented with the welcome screen. Follow the below steps to restore your data from the cloud.

• Tap start on the Pixel welcome screen.
• Connect to the internet using either WiFi or Cellular.
• Tap next when you see Copy apps & data.
• Select Can't use old phone.
• Under Copy another way, tap Ok.
• Then select A backup from the cloud.
• Sign in to your Google account that you previously used on the device.
• Follow the on-screen steps, which will walk you through the data to restore.

Restore app data

Despite the app itself re-downloading automatically, you may find that the data within the app itself may not restore fully. You may be asked to log in again or a game, for example, may not have saved progress.

• Head into Settings.
• Tap System > Advanced > Backup > App Data.
• Turn on Automatic Restore.

Check your backup settings

If you are planning on performing a factory reset, you can verify what is set to backup by following the below steps. It's always a good idea to check everything is checked that you intend on wanting to keep after the reset.

• Open the Settings.
• Tap Account and select your Google account.
• Tap Account Sync.
• Check that everything you want to be backed up is turned on.

Roundup

Google does a great job of minimizing the damage of a factory reset by ensuring that you can backup your data to the cloud to restore from following the reset. Restoring from a backup is obviously only one option; you can, of course, choose to set up your device as if it was brand new and start again from scratch. It's always a good idea to perform a factory reset on your Pixel device to clear out the caches and delete old information, and now hopefully you can do so with the confidence you can restore from a backup stored in the cloud.

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OnePlus 7 teaser confirms triple rear camera

OnePlus has been known to release details of its upcoming devices from time to time and with the launch of the OnePlus 7 scheduled for May 14, the company has started its official teaser campaign for the smartphone.

While we've seen quite a few leaks of the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro already, a new teaser from the company confirms that the phone will have a triple camera setup on the back. What hasn't been confirmed is what lens combination will be used. OnePlus has used dual-cameras before, but the second sensor on the back of its phones have never been used for anything besides capturing depth information for portrait shots.

OnePlus 7 Pro confirmed by the company's CEO

With the recent push from Oppo to add ultra-wide and telephoto lenses to its phones, we wouldn't be surprised if the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro joined in on the fun as well. While most companies copied Apple's approach and added a 2x zoom lens to their secondary camera, Samsung and Huawei's new flagship smartphones used their third camera to give users an ultra-wide view of the world, similar to what LG has been doing since the G6.

If you had a say, what lens combination would you want to see on the OnePlus 7 smartphones?

https://twitter.com/oneplus/status/1121398453018316802?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1121398453018316802&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.androidauthority.com%2Foneplus-7-pro-triple-rear-camera-980073%2F

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Get the dual screen experience with the Vivo NEX Dual Display for 22% off

Notches are so last year. Hole punches? They're old news. Why have a front facing camera at all? It's always going to be worse than the main camera on the rear. Vivo fixes all of these issues with the crazy NEX Dual Display edition, which features a second display on the back. This rear display can be used as normal, but it mainly allows you to take selfies with the rear main camera. This leaves the front display edge-to-edge and delightfully notch-free.

You can now pick one of these devices up on a flash sale for $689.99, which is 22% off the original price. You'll also get free shipping to the US. For the money you get two AMOLED full HD displays (one 6.39-inches, one 5.49-inches), an in-display fingerprint sensor on the front, a Snapdragon 845, 10GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a 12MP main camera with OIS, a 2MP depth sensor, a TOF camera, a 3,500 mAh battery, and Android 9.0 Pie with Vivo's custom skin on top.

If you want something a bit more simple and with a fingerprint sensor on the back (where it belongs), the Huawei Nova 4 is on sale for $499.99. It features a 6.4-inch full HD display, a Kirin 970 processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a tripe rear camera setup (20MP main, 16 MP wide, and a 2MP depth sensor), a 3,750 mAh battery, and a tiny hole punch interrupting a nearly bezel-free display. It's a solid price for a solid device, and you can get it in a basic black or a color shift blue.

Both of these devices are global, but do yourself a favor and make sure they'll work with your carrier by comparing bands. Otherwise pick one up and let us know which you choose!

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Honor teases a Moschino variant of the upcoming Honor 20

Unless you're in the world of fashion (or have a significant other who is), you may not have heard of Moschino. It's an Italian luxury brand that specializes in leather accessories, and it's ripe for a smartphone crossover.

The Honor 20 is launching on May 21 in London, and the company has teased a Moschino variant of the device with some almost leak-like blurry photos. This teaser tells us nothing about the Honor 20, but it does show off what looks to be a red striped version of the device.

The main selling point will be the included Moschino-designed purse and case included with the device. We don't know whether it will also feature upgraded specs or if it's just a special edition colorway, but this should be a tantalizing offer for the fashion forward. It's no Supreme phone, but maybe that's for the best.

We'll get to see more of the device in just a month (barring any major leaks) but with how great the Honor 10 was, we're looking forward to the announcement.

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iFixit teardown reveals the fragile internals of the Galaxy Fold

All eyes are on Samsung following the recent recall and delay of the Galaxy Fold in response to the failures experienced with early review units. Samsung is yet to provide an official statement around why the units failed or what it plans to change to address the issues but a teardown by iFixit offers a glimpse at the internals.

The teardown shows that the Galaxy Fold is fragile and extremely hard to repair, but that was already obvious, right? The iFixit repairability score gave the Fold a dismal 2/10 rating, which for context pegs the Pixel 3 at 4/10. It also delves deeper into suggesting why the review units failed in the manner that they did, specifically highlighting the 7mm gap that allows the two halves to fold as a perfect entry point for foreign objects.

When closed, thescreenis protected—but thespineis flanked by massive gaps that our opening picks hop right into. These gaps are less likely to cause immediate screen damage, but will definitely attract dirt.

For your $2000, you'll get six cameras, Samsung KLUFG8RHDA-B2D1 512 GB eUFS flash storage, Samsung K3UHAHA 12 GB RAM layered over Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, and two batteries – 2135mAh and 2245mAh.

The teardown revealed that actually there is a lot of wasted space and air gaps in the Galaxy Fold, which could have attributed to the early failures allowing foreign objects to cause damage. You can read the full teardown of the Galaxy Fold over at the iFixit website and see exactly how this engineering masterpiece is put together.

Source: iFixit

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Oppo Reno 10x Zoom first impressions: powerful camera at an affordable price

I'm just getting ready to leave Zurich after catching the international unveiling of the OPPO Reno series, which officially launched in China two weeks ago. There's the standard Reno (€499) and then arguably two flagships in this case as you have the Reno 10X Zoom (€799) and the Reno 5G (€899), which feature identical hardware save for the 5G modem in the latter, so if you don't have 5G available in your area or aren't sold on it at the moment you aren't missing out on anything by opting for the Reno 10x Zoom.

For almost two days now I've had a Reno 10x Zoom review unit to put through its paces while I'm here. Now there is a substantial caveat here and that is that I'm using the Chinese version and it is still using pre-production software, so I'm not going to begin to try to give you a comprehensive look at what this phone can do. We will have an international version with final software in the near future and will provide you with a full review at that time.

But with that out of the way, I can give you a rundown of the hardware and a brief taste of what using the OPPO predominantly as a camera has been like over the last day. The OPPO Reno 10x Zoom has most of the specs that you have come to expect in a 2019 flagship:

• 6.6-inch OLED display (2340 x 1080)
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
• 8GB RAM
• 256 GB storage
• 4,065 mAh battery
• ColorOS 6 (Based on Android P)
• In display fingerprint reader

The camera is naturally the highlight of the 10x Zoom with 3 cameras on the rear of the device. An 8MP ultrawide, 13MP f/3.0 telephoto and the 48MP f/1.7 primary Sony IMX 586 1/2-inch sensor. The primary and telephoto lens both offer OIS, which is particularly crucial when trying to handhold those long zoom shots. The front-facing camera is a 16MP f/2.0 lens recessed into the top of the device and uses a "Pivot Rising Camera" that pops up when needed.

The hardware feels premium with Gorilla Glass 6 protecting your display and of course the increasingly rare notch and hole punch free display offering a solid 93.1% screen to body ratio. Not being a particularly prolific taker of selfies the pop up "shark fin" front-facing camera doesn't bother me in the least and OPPO claims it should last through 200,000 uses which would be a tough number to hit for anyone and cleverly the camera does retract to protect itself if the phone is dropped. I tested this by dropping the phone onto a bed and it works impressively quickly, anything more than 2 feet and it will have retracted in time. Another curious and inventive bit of design on the Reno 10x Zoom is a small nub just below the 3 cameras on the back of the device, it's just barely noticeable as you run your hand across the back of the device, but it is there to specifically protect the glass on the cameras from making direct contact when you put it down.

I haven't used the in-display fingerprint reader on the Galaxy S10 yet, but I was quite impressed with the reader on the Reno 10x Zoom. I did find it useful to turn on the fingerprint icon in settings so I always knew where to place my thumb, but it unlocked the phone instantly and if anything I had fewer failures than I do with my Pixel 3 over the course of my time with the device.

Turning to the camera, I'll be providing an abundance of samples for you soon, but for now we can cover the available features and some general impressions about the results as viewed on the device itself. The zoom range is going to be the focus for most, and despite our own Dima's protests, the 10x zoom is pretty impressive in real-world usage regardless of whether it is doing exactly what the average consumer would assume.

Jumping through the various zoom options is either done by tapping on the icon above the shutter or if you slide your finger to the left or right you can select from any of the primary options (ultrawide, 1x, 2x, 6x and 10x) or stop at one of many options in between. As far as strictly optical the ultrawide, 1x and 6x are it, the rest are achieved using digital zoom and in the case of 10x a hybrid approach. All of these options are also available in the Night Mode setting, but video is limited to 1x or 2x. I would love the option to use the Telephoto 6x lens for video as well, as a parent there are plenty of school and or sporting events where a little extra reach with the smartphone camera would be a boon.

Video otherwise offers what one would expect from a flagship these days with up to 4K video at either 30 or 60 frames per second (sorry 24 fps fans) and slow motion at up to 1080p.

Timelapse worked well and again we'll have some samples for you soon, the panorama mode was another story so we'll definitely be paying careful attention to how that improves in the final software.

There are a couple of other odd little aspects to the camera which will perhaps be rectified in the final software, but are more likely deliberate decisions by OPPO. One is that it is more difficult to deliberately take a full 48MP photo than I would think necessary, you need to tap the options cog at the top-right corner of the camera screen and then tap "Photo Ratio" to finally select "4:3 (48MP)". It would be nice if you could add this to the primary camera options in the overflow button as it would save a step and seems a feature worth taking advantage of a bit more often. The other is that when using the "Expert" camera mode which gives you control of the iso, shutter speed , white balance, focus and exposure value you can also choose which of the three lenses you are using, but the icon for each doesn't match up with anything you've seen previously and could be made much more clearly identifiable as the ultrawide, primary and telephoto lens.

Now I haven't spent any time with the Huawei P30 Pro, so this was my first chance to experiment with a smartphone with this kind of range built in and the creative possibilities that it opens up are just phenomenal. Being able to crop out unwanted elements in a photo by optically zooming in on them rather than having to degrade the quality by either digitally zooming in the moment or cropping with software after the fact is great. The full 10x zoom definitely has its moments with the current software, at times it nails the capture perfectly and delivers amazing detail that you can't believe you got with a smartphone at that distance and at others it simply can't seem to grab focus. We'll see if OPPO can address this in the time prior to launch, but it's possible this is simply the reality of trying to handhold a device this light while zoomed out to 10x.

Check back soon for more sample photos and video from the Reno 10x Zoom showing off its full camera capabilities and see how it stacks up against my daily driver the Pixel 3.

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You can now pre-order the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G from Verizon for $1,300

Following the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G on AT&T, Verizon is now taking pre-orders of the phone from its customers. The phone will show up in Verizon's stores on May 16th. For the privilege of being among the first to beta test the company's 5G network, you'll need to shell out $1,300 for the 256GB model or $1,400 if you simply have to have 512GB of internal storage. Naturally, you'll also be able to split that into 24 monthly payments of about $55 if you don't want to pay the full price up front.

As usual, Samsung is throwing in a few extra perks for those who pre-order the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G from Verizon. Included with your pre-order of the phone, you'll receive the Samsung Galaxy Buds (check out our review) and the Samsung Wireless Charging Battery Pack. While those freebies will help soften the blow of the phone's price, keep in mind that Verizon will be charging you an extra $10 per month to connect to its 5G network in addition to the standard charger for its Above and Beyond Unlimited plans.

As of right now, Verizon's 5G network is lit up in Minneapolis and Chicago, but the company has also announced that it will be bringing 5G speeds to an additional 20 markets by the end of 2019. Cities that will be getting 5G this year include Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Des Moines, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Little Rock, Memphis, Phoenix, Providence, San Diego, Salt Lake City and Washington DC.

Will you be jumping onto Verizon's 5G network with the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G or will you be waiting things out until more devices become available and 5G availability is more widespread?

Source: Verizon

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Google Assistant’s bedtime stories are now available on your smartphone

The Google Assistant's bedtime stories feature is pretty amazing. Simply ask your Google Home to tell you a story and the smart speaker will turn into story mode and will start playing an audiobook from the free selection of audiobooks in the Google Play Books catalog.

The feature is very handy if your kids love listening to stories right before bedtime or any other time of the day.

But as is often the case, the Google Assistant doesn't have the same capabilities on all devices. Fortunately, the Google Assistant on Android and iOS devices is getting an update today which will enable the new feature. The update comes just in time for National Tell a Story Day which is coming up this Saturday. The initial rollout is available in English in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and India, but should be making its way to other countries and languages in the coming months. 

To use the new feature on your smartphone or tablet, you will need to have Google Play Books installed on your device. Once that's done, simply call up the Google Assistant and ask it to tell you a story.

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Coolpad FamilyLabs app aims to build the best family management service

Coolpad may not be a brand that many of you are familiar with. The company has a decent selection of mid-range and budget smartphones and recently launched a new smartwatch for kids. The company is actually shifting to focus more on family-centric technology with its new FamilyLabs sub-brand and the first product it's launching is the Coolpad FamilyLabs app.

The app is intended to be the ultimate family management app which will allow you to keep tabs on where your family members are, set up geofence parameters for individual devices, filter the content that can be viewed on specific devices, restrict which apps can be used, set up a safe contacts list, designate specific times during which a device can be used and even set specific alarms on reminds for each device to remind your family members when to be home for dinner or to take their medication.

While many of these features are already available with apps like Life360, Coolpad is launching the FamilyLabs app as an Indiegogo campaign so that the company can get community feedback about the app's features as it's being developed.

The various Indiegogo tiers start at $99 which includes a Coolpad Model M smartphone with FamilyLabs software already integrated, three months of service through Mint and an early version of the app which can be installed on Android or iOS devices. You can also add the Coolpad Dyno kids smartwatch for $99, a device which typically costs $150 on its own.

The idea behind the app isn't that unique, but Coolpad's approach to getting the community involved with its development certainly is. If you've been looking for a family management app or service and haven't found the perfect one yet, this may be your opportunity to help shape the Coolpad Family Labs app into something that's ideal for your family's needs.

Source: Indiegogo

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Samsung’s crazy 17-inch Galaxy View 2 goes on sale tomorrow

There are quite a few people who don't quite get why they would want a foldable-display smartphone, but I think we can all agree that a 17-inch tablet with a built-in kickstand is something that actually is quite outrageous.

AT&T has published a features and specs video for the Samsung Galaxy View 2 to its YouTube channel which gives us a comprehensive look at the device and why you might want a tablet that's bigger than a laptop. Put simply, Samsung thinks that you'll want to sit on your couch and watch a movie or browse the web with the Galaxy View2, but they also claim that it's extremely portable since it could technically fit into a large backpack.

The reason the Samsung Galaxy View 2 is making an appearance on AT&T's YouTube channel is that the tablet will feature LTE support which will enable data on the go and AT&T Number Sync which will allow you to answer voice and video calls from the tablet. Also, the TV Mode app includes DirectTV Now, but you will have to shell out for a subscription to the service in order to use it.

The Samsung Galaxy View 2 specifications include a 17.3-inch Full HD display, 12,000 mAh battery, quad speakers with Dolby Atmos sounds, 1.6GHz Exynos 7884 eight-core chip, 3GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, microSD support up to 400GB, WiFi, LTE and a front-facing camera for video calling.

While the specs of the Samsung Galaxy View 2 are mid-range at best, the tablet's $740 price tag certainly isn't. You'll be able to pick it up from AT&T starting on April 26. Since the tablet is intended to be used mainly as a TV, we suggest you save $200 and buy a 43-inch SONY 4K TV with Android TV built-in.

 

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Pixel 3a leak gives us another look at Google’s mid-range smartphone

With the May 7th launch date of the Pixel 3a slowly inching its way closer, new leaks of Google's mid-range device are likely to spill out between now and then. This latest one is a high-resolution image of the Pixel 3a, courtesy of Evan Blass, showing off the front and back of the phone.

As we've seen in previous leaks, the Pixel 3a sports the same overall design as the Pixel 3. That being said, there are a few distinct differences to note. While the phones do look the same, the body of the Pixel 3a is said to be made of plastic while the original Pixel 3 features a metal frame and a glass back panel.

If you look closely, you'll also notice that the front of the Pixel 3a features only a single front-facing camera. The original Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL both have two front-facing cameras, the second one featuring a wide-angle lens which allows you to take some pretty amazing selfies.

The third difference is that the Pixel 3a does not have front-facing stereo speakers. While this is a bit of a disappointment, Google is making up for it by including a 3.5mm headphone back on the phone.

The switch from metal and glass to plastic isn't that surprising since the new Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are expected to sell for significantly less. Removing the second front-facing camera and stereo speakers on the front will also allow Google to reduce the bill of materials on the phone.

Google's Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a are heading to T-Mobile

While we know that the Pixel 3a will sell for less than the original Pixel 3, we're still not exactly sure what the final price point of the phone will be. We have seen multiple pricing leaks for the Pixel 3a which have revealed what the phone will likely cost in Canada and Europe, but it's hard to pin down what U.S. pricing will be. Our best estimate is that the Pixel 3a will cost between $450-$500 and the larger Pixel 3a XL should cost $100 more.

The good news is that we have less than two weeks to go until the official launch date. Do you think you'll be ordering the new Pixel 3a or Pixel 3a XL once the phones are officially unveiled on May 7?

https://twitter.com/evleaks/status/1120938099318693888

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Top 5 accessories for the Huawei MediaPad M5 Lite

So you just picked up a new Huawei MediaPad M5 Lite. We said that it's the best Android tablet in its class, and you can pick one up for only $299.99 on Amazon. It's a great piece of tech on its own, but here are some great accessories to take your tablet experience to the next level, whether it's the M5 Lite or any other tablet.

Headphones

Every media consumption device (which tablets very much are) should have a headphone jack, and thankfully the M5 Lite does. The M5 Pro however does not.

If you want to take advantage of that headphone jack, there are plenty of options. With in-ears, you can't go wrong with Bose Soundsports. They lack bass, but they're ridiculously comfortable and sound pretty good. For over-ear style headphones, I always recommend the V-MODA Crossfade M-100. They're bassy and punchy but still offer amazing clarity and balance. They're not audiophile tuned, but they're tons of fun.

If you want to go wireless (and you probably do, who wants a cable resting on their arm and chest?), check out Samsung Galaxy Buds. We reviewed them and loved them, and they're perfect for your smartphone on the go. Anker's offering is cheaper at $60 if you want to save money, and the Master & Dynamic MW60 are for those who want to go all out.

Wireless keyboards

A tablet is a perfect work machine, with a large display, great battery life, and light weight. All it's missing is an input method that isn't pure torture. Yes, on-screen tablet keyboards are not bad for the short messages and search terms, but try typing an essay on one. It's painful.

Luckily, there is a slew of wireless keyboards on the market to address this. You can't go wrong with a Logitech, the K380 is nice and simple while the K480 adds a stand for your tablet or smartphone. Both can be had for under $30 so it's an awesome choice without a major investment.

There are tons of other options so check out what Amazon has to offer.

Cases

Tablets are thin and fragile, just a sheet of glass and a bit of aluminum, so getting a case on them when you travel is important. Plus a tablet can be unwieldy, and many cases offer ways to prop up the tablet at a nice viewing angle. This is great both for productivity and media consumption, as you don't have to hold the tablet in place at all times.

The MediaPad M5 Lite isn't a particularly high profile device, so finding a case for it isn't as easy as, for example, an iPad. But there are a few seemingly solid options out there. This flip cover has two positions, a magnet to wake the device when opened, and is only $15. This one is even cheaper at $9.

There are some good options so check Amazon for your favorite.

Controllers

A controller is a great way to get more out of your tablet gaming experience, especially with a 10-inch display stretching touchscreen controls out. Here are our top five mobile-compatible controllers on the market right now. 

SD cards

The MediaPad M5 Lite only comes with 32GB of storage on the base models, which isn't much if you're traveling with a ton of media. Luckily it also comes with a microSD slot (not the new proprietary Huawei card) that allows you to expand your storage by quite a bit.

You can't go wrong with a SanDisk Ultra microSD card, and with 64GB being only $12, it's hard to justify getting anything smaller. You can also pick up a Samsung (if you want to be rebellious like that) and max out the slot's capacity limit with a 256GB card for $40. Unfortunately a 512GB card won't work in this tablet, but almost 300GB should be plenty for all of your favorite content.

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Honor employee loses prototype device in Germany, company offering reward for its return

Losing a prototype device is never fun. A prototype in someone else's hands is the mother of all leaks, providing pretty much any and all information on said product. Not that we need more leaks, as no product is ever a secret these days. But the topic always calls back to the lost iPhone 4 prototype that had people going wild.

An Honor employee has unfortunately lost a prototype device belonging to the brand on a train in Germany. The German arm of the brand posted this message (translated to English):

"On Easter Monday, April 22, 2019, an Honor employee lost an Honor smartphone prototype while traveling on Deutsche Bahn Intercity-Express trip #1125 from Düsseldorf (at 6:06 a.m.) to Munich (at 11:08 a.m.). The prototype is in a gray protective case which conspicuously disguises the camera with a cover."

The reward to anyone who finds it is a whopping 5,000 euro, which is nothing to scoff at. Since prototype devices often use special hardware that differs from the final product, it's likely very valuable to Honor. Considering that the next device to launch is the Honor 20 next month, this may be the device that was lost.

If you happen to find it, tweet or email the brand for your reward. It's been a few days and the device hasn't been found so presumably it's still out there in the wild.

Source: @HonorGermany
Via: Android Police

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Mario Kart Tour beta kicks off in May on Android

Mario Kart on our phones always felt like it was a good idea, but it took Nintendo years before they decided to go ahead with it. For those who are learning about this for the first time, it was back in 2018 that the company announced Mario Kart Tour for mobile devices.

If the thought of playing Mario Kart on your phone tickles your fancy, then you might be pleased to learn that Nintendo has announced that the closed beta for the game will be taking place late May, and at the moment, it seems that the beta will only be available for those on Android devices.

Gamers who are interested in taking part in the closed beta can submit an application on Nintendo's website, but note that there is no guarantee that your application will be successful. Nintendo mentions that if applications outnumber the number of possible participants, then selection will be done at random (which we imagine will most likely be the case).

Applications are already open and will run until the 7th of May, with the closed beta scheduled to take place from the 22nd of May until the 4th of June. It will also only apply to gamers living in the US and Japan.

At the moment not much is known about the game, like how much it would cost (the website does mention there will be in-game purchases) or what the gameplay will be like, such as how faithful it will be to the gameplay on consoles like the Nintendo Switch. In any case, we should have more details once the closed beta kicks off.

Source: Nintendo

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The latest Samsung Galaxy Fold casualty is Mr. Mobile

The story of the Samsung Galaxy Fold isn't quite over. After reports that units were failing left and right in the hands of tech journalists as they were prepping for their reviews, Samsung decided to scratch its launch plans for the Samsung Galaxy Fold which should have seen the phone show up in stores this Friday.

As things currently stand, Samsung has not shared when we should expect the Samsung Galaxy Fold to go on sale again.

Unfortunately for Samsung, it doesn't look like the company issued a recall on all the review units that it handed out. As you might expect, we have another report of a failing Samsung Galaxy Fold — courtesy of Mr. Mobile. Based on his description of the issue, a small bump has appeared in the middle of the display, likely from a piece of debris which worked its way in from the hinge on the back of the phone. The display on the phone hasn't failed yet, but Samsung will be collecting the device to examine it further.

Sigh. A little grain of something found its way beneath my Galaxy Fold display. Like the saying goes: "not surprised; just disappointed." Sending this back to Samsung hoping they figure out a way to seal up that hinge.

Silver lining: video tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/9UfYDMOEul

— Michael Fisher (@theMrMobile) April 23, 2019

With the Samsung Galaxy Fold's display proving to be extremely susceptible to failure, we're curious to see how the Huawei Mate X will hold up. Huawei's phone fold the opposite way, leaving the flexible display exposed on the outside when it is folded. The hinge mechanism Huawei uses shouldn't allow debris to enter from the back side which could make it more robust.

It's honestly surprising that Samsung's didn't catch these issues sooner. Hopefully, the company is able to find an easy fix and get the phones into the hands of consumers. Going back to the drawing board at this stage could be catastrophic, not just for Samsung but other foldable display smartphone makers as well.

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Oppo Reno 5G is crazy fast, hits 1.8Gbps download speeds in real-world test

The Oppo Reno 5G was officially unveiled in Zurich today. While the phone has a lot of great features which are worthy of your hard-earned cash, the phone's main goal is to be Oppo's first 5G smartphone.

During the event, Swisscom was on stage to show off the phone's 5G capabilities which are enabled by the phone's Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 which is paired with the company's 5G modem. The 1.8Gbps download speed number that was shared is pretty astonishing! Especially when Swisscom stated that the speed test was performed on the 5G network that it's currently in the process of rolling out, not in a lab setting.

Swisscom was quick to point out this was real world usage and not a lab result.

— Sean Riley (@RileySeanM) April 24, 2019

Since Oppo has absolutely no market presence in North America, we'll likely never see the Oppo Reno 5G on any of the major service providers in the US or Canada. That being said, the Oppo Reno 5G will be available starting in May in select markets across Europe for 899 Euro. The full list of service providers that plan to carry the Oppo Reno 5G has not been released, but EE in the UK has already stated that the phone will be heading to its network this summer.

 

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OnePlus 7 launch date confirmed, here’s how to watch it live

In a market filled with Android smartphones priced over $1,000, OnePlus is one of the few companies who are still making flagship smartphones priced below the $600 mark. If you're looking to save yourself some money and wouldn't mind seeing what OnePlus has to offer with the OnePlus 7, then mark the 14th of May down on your calendars.

This is because OnePlus has officially confirmed that the 14th of May is when the OnePlus 7 will be officially announced. This is in line with an earlier rumor which first gave us the 14th of May date. There will be four launch events taking place in various parts of the world. One will be held in London, another in New York, another in Bengaluru, and one more in China.

They are also expected to take place at different times which means that if you live in those areas, you will be able to check it out for yourself in person. OnePlus will start selling ticket sales to its event starting on the 25th of April and you can get your hands on them through the company's website.

If you don't live in any of the locations mentioned above or if you have no intention of purchasing a ticket to watch the launch live in-person, not to worry because OnePlus will be hosting a livestream on YouTube on the 14th of May on its YouTube channel.

As a quick recap for those who might have forgotten what to expect, the OnePlus 7 will be offered in at least two variants: the OnePlus 7 and the OnePlus 7 Pro. The Pro model is rumored to be a bigger model and could feature a 90Hz display and a triple camera, but apart from that, the base hardware specs such as the use of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset will be similar.

Source: OnePlus

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OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro specs leak with Pro rocking 90Hz display

There have been many rumors floating around about the next OnePlus device, from pop up selfie cameras to a Pro model in the works. The CEO Pete Lau even confirmed the existence of a second model joining the main OnePlus 7, though he did not give any details about it.

However, a new leak has given us the full rundown about both the OnePlus 7 and the OnePlus 7 Pro. The lower end model will be similar to the current 6T, featuring a 6.4-inch 1080p display, a Snapdragon 855 processor, a choice of 6GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB of RAM and storage, a 3,700 mAh battery with 20W fast charging, dual 48MP/5MP cameras on the rear, and a teardrop notch housing the front facing camera.

The OnePlus 7 Pro gets a nicer 6.7-inch 3120×1440 display with a 90Hz refresh rate, which is an awesome choice. Other differences include a motorized pop-up front facing 16MP camera, a choice of 12GB of RAM with the 256GB storage option, tripe cameras (48MP main sensor with OIS, 8MP 3x zoom sensor, and 16MP wide angle), and a 4,000 mAh battery with 30W fast charging. Both include Bullets Wireless 2 earbuds as well.

There will also be a OnePlus 7 Pro 5G model, which will likely just add 5G capability. It's unknown if this model will launch alongside the other two.

The basic OnePlus 7 sounds like a solid device, much like the last few have been. With the right price point it'll satiate most people's desires for a high end smartphone without breaking the bank. But the higher end OnePlus 7 Pro is intriguing. It seems that OnePlus is stepping into a higher end category, and we may see a major price jump with it. Hopefully they don't near the $1,000 mark, because people usually buy OnePlus devices for the price rather than feature set and design.

These specs are unconfirmed but they do line up with previous leaks. Hopefully we'll see OnePlus do something really interesting with the upcoming duo. We'll find out May 14 when it launches!

OnePlus 7 Pro / Pro 5G:
6.7″ 3120x1440p – 19,5:9 – 90Hz

48MP F1.6 OIS+EIS, 8MP 3x Zoom F2.4, 16MP 117° F2.2, Selfie: 16MP F2.0

Snapdragon855, 6+128GB, 8/12+256GB,
UFS 3.0

4000mAh 30W Warp Charge

In-Display FP

Blue/Grey/Brown

(Tweet 1/2) pic.twitter.com/v3jU9tguUs

— Max J. (@Samsung_News_) April 22, 2019

Via: PocketNow

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OnePlus 7 Pro confirmed by the company’s CEO

According to earlier rumors, it has been suggested that OnePlus could be deviating from their usual launch of one flagship smartphone in the first half of the year. Instead, the company has been rumored to have at least one more model in the works in the form of the OnePlus 7 Pro which could sport a triple camera setup on its back.

It turns out that the rumors were true, according to a recent report from The Verge in which OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has effectively confirmed that the company will be launching at least two models of its flagship smartphone this year. Details of the handset were not revealed in full, but rather Lau spoke more about the display on the device.

According to Lau, he claimed that OnePlus had spent three times as much on its display this year compared to earlier models, and that he hopes that it will "redefine fast and smooth" as far as displays are concerned. It was previously rumored that the handset could feature a display with 90Hz refresh rate, which while not as fast compared to handsets like the Razer Phone 2, still puts it above most of the competition.

We should point out that the 90Hz display will only be for the Pro model and not for the regular OnePlus 7, so you might have to shell out a bit more cash if you want that smooth display. Lau still has yet to confirm the handset's launch date, but last we heard, it will most likely be making an appearance on the 14th of May, 2019.

Source: The Verge

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