Tuesday, March 31, 2020

OnePlus 8 Lite could be launched as the OnePlus Z later this year

OnePlus has been struggling with the pricing of its phones in the recent years, where the company seems to be slowly pricing themselves out of the market. OnePlus was known to be a budget brand back in the day, but these days, the company's phones are getting more expensive, something that they need to address if they don't want to lose their fans.

If you recall, there was a recent rumor that suggested that OnePlus could be looking to relaunch the OnePlus X, and now according to the latest rumors, the phone will be known as the OnePlus Z. What's interesting is that we might have actually known about this phone as early as 2019.

The source referred to it as "OnePlus Z" and said the hardware matched the previous OnePlus 8 Lite render. https://t.co/zB5PN9nQjW

— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) March 28, 2020

In December last year, renders of the alleged OnePlus 8 Lite surfaced which showed a phone that was said to be a more affordable version of the upcoming OnePlus 8. Now the rumors are claiming that the phone will actually be known as the OnePlus Z and could be launched later in the year.

We're not sure what kind of hardware the phone will be packing yet, but given that it is rumored to be a budget handset, don't expect anything too fancy. In the meantime, OnePlus has confirmed that they will be hosting their OnePlus 8 launch event on the 14th of April, so maybe some details about the OnePlus Z could be announced then as well.

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Huawei wants Google’s apps in its app store

Due to being placed on the US Entity List, Huawei is not allowed to do business with Google and vice versa. This has resulted in Google no longer officially licensing its services to Huawei, which includes a bunch of apps and services that one might typically find on an Android handset.

Now it looks like Huawei is proposing a potential alternative, where they are inviting Google to launch its apps in its own app store, called App Gallery. Speaking to CNBC, Huawei's rotating chairman Eric Xu was quoted as saying (translated from Chinese):

"We hope Google services can be available through our AppGallery, just like how Google services are available through Apple's App Store."

Google and Apple are known to be rivals in the mobile space, but both companies have acknowledged that they need each other, and have since launched apps that are available on their competitor's platform. This seems to be a situation that Huawei is hoping that they can convince Google to be in.

Xu's statement also seems to be a slight change in Huawei's tone, where previously it sounded like the company wasn't so eager to get back in business with Google. It was also previously reported that Huawei has been looking to create alternatives to Google's services, and that they are also working with other Chinese OEMs such as Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo to create their own version of the Google Play Store.

Source: CNBC

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AT&T to give customers an additional 15GB of mobile hotspot data

During this coronavirus crisis, many people have been sent home to work. As a result, more data at home is being consumed than before, and if you are reaching your data caps, then you might want to take note that AT&T has actually recently announced that they will be giving its customers an additional free 15GB of mobile hotspot data.

Note that this applies to customers who are on AT&T's unlimited data plan, that comes with a monthly tethering allotment. Prior to this increase, the amount of tethering data for AT&T's unlimited data users was at 30GB, but from the 2nd of April until the 13th of May, these customers will get an additional 15GB of data that will bring the total amount of hotspot data to 45GB.

Unless you were to use your phone to download music, movies, and games, 45GB of data should be more than enough to get you through the next month or so, if you're just using the internet for basic productivity purposes. According to David Christopher, executive vice president and general manager, AT&T Mobility:

"AT&T's commitment, as it has been for over 140 years, is to keep our customers and employees connected in these unprecedented times – whether that's a video call to a loved one, learning in a virtual classroom, collaborating with colleagues or streaming your favorite shows."

In the meantime, carriers have responded to the coronavirus crisis by announcing that they will be waiving late fees for bill payments, as well as putting a hold on account suspensions due to late payments.

Source: AT&T

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Monday, March 30, 2020

Official: OnePlus 8 series to make its debut on April 14

OnePlus has announced today that its OnePlus 8 series of devices will be unveiled next month on April 14th. While we still don't have an exact time, the event will likely be broadcast online via YouTube since a typical launch event in New York is out of the question due to the coronavirus outbreak across the globe.

Official OnePlus 8 renders reveal spectacular 'Interstellar Glow' color option

Based on the most recent rumors, we should expect to see a OnePlys 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro made their debut on April 14th. While there are rumors regarding a mid-range OnePlus Z floating around as well, the lack of any real details implies that the phone may be unveiled later in the year.

We'll be sure to share the official launch event time and Livestream link once OnePlus makes them available. With all the details we've seen so far are you excited to see what OnePlus will be showing off to the world on April 14th?

https://twitter.com/oneplus/status/1244610327762939912

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The slide-out keyboard, 5G smartphone that no one asked for is finally here

Have you been looking for a 5G smartphone with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard? A new Indiegogo campaign has just kicked off for the Planet Computers Astro Slide 5G Transformer which promises to deliver the ultimate smartphone for those who simply can't live without a physical keyboard on their smartphone. Planet Computers is promising to deliver a smartphone powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 1000 with a 6.53-inch FHD+ which slides up using the company's patented RockUp slider hinge to reveal a full keyboard. Think of the Astro Slide 5G Transformer as a modern version of the Nokia 9000 Communicator or HTC Tytn II.

In addition to the large display and slide-out keyboard, the phone will sport sub-6Ghz 5G connectivity, 6GB of RAM, 4,000mAh battery, Wireless charging, an in-display fingerprint sensor, two USB-C ports, NFC, a 3.5mm jack, 48MP main camera and a 5MP selfie cam. Planet Computers will be installing Android 10 on the phone when it ships, but they're also promising Linux compatibility as well.

If you're interested in supporting the Indiegogo campaign, you can pre-order the Planet Computers Astro Slide 5G Transformer for $544, 40% less than the $907 retail price Planet Computers will be charging for the phone once it goes on sale in spring of 2021. The first round of backers are expected to review their devices in March of next year. The campaign has already reached its $200,000 goal with over 500 backers pushing things past the $300,000 mark.

We know that there are still quite a few people who miss a physical keyboard on their smartphone, but would you be willing to trust Planet Computers to deliver on its promise?

Source: Indiegogo

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5 Entertaining Android games to check out this week (MAR 30, 2020)

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 games that we think you will enjoy. The highlights from this week include a racing team management game and a colorful puzzler.

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

Gestures – Tap them down

Description: Gestures – Tap them down is a variation of the whack-a-mole arcade game concept. Your goal is to tap on the number that pos up on the board with each number indicating the number of times you need to tap it to "defeat" it. The game includes over 100 challenging levels, various perks to aid in completing some levels and an infinite mode. Can you beat all the levels?

Price: Free
In-app Purchases: Yes
Rating: 4.6/5
Installs: 1K+

Install Gestures

green

Description: The sequel to my 'yellow', 'red', 'black' and 'blue' games is here! Can you make the screen green in 50 levels? Each level has its own logic. Do you need help? Use the light bulb button that will appear after a while in the top right of each level to get a hint. There are multiple hints for each level.

Price: Free
In-app Purchases: Yes
Rating: 4.9/5
Installs: 5K+

Install green

Motorsport Manager Online

Description: Motorsport Manager Online brings the F1 world into the mobile arena. Create your team, manage your cars and compete against other managers in 10 person races. All 2019-20 Formula E drivers are available to hire in the game. Watch your races and see your cars and liveries displayed in 3D. Global and Friends leaderboards help motivate you to keep pursuing that top spot. Let's get racing.

Price: Free
In-app Purchases: Yes
Rating: 4.4/5
Installs: 500K+

Install Motorsport Manager Online

Shadow of Naught – An Interactive Story Adventure

Description: Shadow of Naught combines a deep storyline and a unique artistic style to create am immersive game. Learn about Martin, Andrew, and Anna and their lives as you play the game. Get involved in their character and help them solve puzzles through storytelling and various mini-games. See where the story unfolds as you play.

Price: Free
In-app Purchases: Yes
Rating: New
Installs: 100+

Install Shadow of Naught

Wolf Tales – Home & Heart

Description: The Animal wildlands is a dangerous RPG world, where the forest animals guard their territory while hunting and surviving off the land. For centuries, the wolf packs have remained at the top of the food chain, maintaining the natural order, led by their alpha, the last remaining dire wolf. When the dire wolf goes missing, you must lead your pack to greatness.

Price: Free
In-app Purchases: Yes
Rating: 3.7/5
Installs: 50K+

Install Wolf Tales – Home & Heart

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Samsung’s amazing Galaxy Chromebook finally gets its retail launch date

It's been quite some time since the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook made its debut. Samsung unveiled the device at CES back in January, showing off the Chromebook's amazing 4K OLED display and incredibly-thin design. Nearly three months later, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook finally has a retail launch date!

According to the Chromebook's listing on BestBuy's website, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook will go on sale on April 6th for $999.

While that may sound excessive for a laptop running Chrome OS, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook does back in quite an impressive spec list including a 10th-generation Intel Core i5 chip, 8GB of LPDDR3 RAM, 256GB SSD storage, an S-Pen (which works amazingly) and of course its 13.3-inch 4K UHD OLED display. We have to admit that there are few who should actually buy this new laptop simply because there's very little you can do to actually take advantage of its immense power, but at least the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook is $400 cheaper than the 4K variant of Google's Pixelbook Go lineup.

For a closer look at the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook, check out our hands-on coverage of the laptop from CES. What's the limit to what you'd pay for a laptop powered by Chrome OS?

Source: Best Buy

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Google Duo increases the number of video call participants

As more of us are stuck at home due to the lockdown as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, video conferencing tools have become more important and more popular than ever. For those who are looking to host video conferences, Google Duo could be worth taking a look at, especially following its latest update.

According to a post on Twitter made by Sanaz Ahari, the Senior Director of Product and Design at Google, Google's Duo app has been updated where it will now support 12 participants. Previously, the video calling app only supported a maximum of 8 years, but with the update, users will be able to add four more people to the chat.

Video chatting apps aren't exactly new and have been around for a while now, but like we said, with various countries being on lockdown and people having to work and study from home, the competition in the space is definitely heating up and Google definitely wants a slice of that pie.

We are grateful that Duo is helping users see their loved ones all around the world. We recognize group calling is particularly critical right now. We have increased group calling from 8 participants to 12 effective today. More to come. #AllInThisTogether #COVID19

— Sanaz (@sanazahari) March 27, 2020

As it stands, other platforms such as WhatsApp and Zoom have their limitations. For example, WhatsApp only supports video calling with up for four participants at a time. Zoom on the other hand supports as many as 100 participants, but unless you pay for the premium service, each call has a limit of 40 minutes.

Google Duo, for the most part, does not share these limitations, so if you want a video calling app that's free and can support small to medium sized groups, now might be a good time to check it out.

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HQ Trivia is back! Daily games to resume tonight at 9pm ET

After abruptly disappearing earlier this year, HQ Trivia is back! The trivia app which pays real money to those who can keep up with its fast-paced (an often extremely difficult) trivia games was shut down a few months back when the company announced that it had failed to secure a lucrative funding deal.

While the app has been silent since, those who still had the HQ Trivia app installed have received notifications that the games will recommence tonight at 9 pm EST. After that, HQ Trivia is planning to host daily games each night at that same time. During the first week of play, HD Trivia will be making donations to coronavirus-related charities that are providing relief for the millions of people who have bee affected by the pandemic.

To join in on the fun and hopefully win some cash for yourself, download the HQ Trivia from the Play Store.

Good luck!

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LG is rethinking its strategy by killing off its G-series lineup

LG was supposed to make an appearance at MWC 2020 this year, but the company eventually pulled out due to the coronavirus outbreak (the event was ultimately cancelled). Many had presumed that the event would see LG announce their next-gen flagship smartphone, the LG G9.

In fact, ahead of the event, we actually saw leaked renders of the upcoming handset, but now according to the reports out of Korea, they are claiming that LG will not be launching anymore new G-series handsets. The report is alleging that LG is apparently done with the G-series.

On hindsight, it seems that we should have seen this coming. While the LG G9 ThinQ was not announced, LG instead chose to launch the LG V60. LG's V-series is typically reserved for the later part of the year, so for LG to bring forward its launch over the G-series should have already been a sign.

So what does this mean for LG? According to the report, LG is set to replace the G-series with a new lineup that will consist of value-for-money 5G smartphones. With the price of smartphones going up, more customers are starting to look towards more affordable offerings, and this is apparently a market segment that LG is trying to conquer.

Take it with a grain of salt for now, but given that we haven't seen anything related to the LG G9 ThinQ save for the leaked renders, perhaps we won't be able to expect anything anymore in the future.

Source: Naver

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Sunday, March 29, 2020

Official OnePlus 8 renders reveal spectacular ‘Interstellar Glow’ color option

A new OnePlus 8 leak has just landed, revealing the phone is a spectacular new color 'Interstellar Glow.' The new color is reminiscent of the Aura Glow color option that Samsung introduced with the Galaxy Note 10 last year. While OnePlus' take on the color doesn't have that same CD-like reflective finish, the back of the phone shifts through the color spectrum starting with lavender on top and finishing with a bright orange at the bottom of the phone.

Images of the OnePlus 8 in Interstellar Glow were also accompanied by renders of the phone in Glacial Green (which also looks fantastic) and Onyx Black.

Specs for the upcoming OnePlus 8 should include a Snapdragon 865 chipset, 8 or 12GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a 4300mAh battery, 16MP front-facing camera that you can see peeking through the phone's 6.55-inch FHD+ display, 42MP main sensor, 16MP ultra-wide-camera and a 2MP depth sensor.

The launch date of the phone has yet to be announced, but rumor has it that the company will be unveiling its 2020 flagship lineup on April 15th.

OnePlus 8. Official renders. Many of them. Crazy new "Glow" color, fancy new Green color, standard Black looking pretty nice, too. Check them out here: https://t.co/C5GdYO8D5p

— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) March 29, 2020

Source: Winfuture

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Friday, March 27, 2020

359 free movies to watch on YouTube

A few days ago we reported that Google Play Movies may soon be adding free ad-supported movies to its library to give you something extra to watch without needing to shell out for one-off movie rentals or yet another subscription to a streaming service. While we're not sure how long it'll be until those movies are available, we do know that YouTube MOvies has an extensive collection of free movies available.

Rather than having you hunt them down for yourself, we've organized the full catalog of 359 movies you can watch on YouTube without having to pay a single cent. While most of the titles are b-list productions, there are few gens as well like Hackers, All Dogs Do to Heaven and Wargames. Chk out the full list below and let us know which free movies you'll be streaming first on YouTube.