We’re mere days away from Google’s big hardware announcements and with the potential Pixel Watch likely not making an appearance, the launch of the latest version of Wear OS might just ease a few woes. This update is available on a wide array of smartwatches and will roll out fully over the coming weeks. Wear OS 2.1 introduces more clear and concise swipe gestures for more intuitive navigation and watch app management.
We’ve caught our first look at the Sony Xperia XA3. Fresh on the heels of the Xperia XA2 and XA2, it appears that the XA3 will bring trimmed top and bottom bezels for the first time on a mid-range Sony smartphone.
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A year after the debut of Google’s Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, we’re right back here looking forward to the company’s next smartphones. We already know pretty much everything there is to know about the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, and that gives us a lot to look forward to. Through all of the coverage, here’s what the 9to5Google team is looking forward to most.
Android and iOS take plenty of features, functions and design cues from one another, so it stands to reason that we should take a look at the Apple side of things every once in a while to understand why people choose the iPhone as their main device. The latest and greatest in the iPhone lineup is the iPhone XS Max, so let’s take a brief look before Google announces its latest next week…
One of the more underrated parts of Google’s Pixel devices, if you ask me, has been their fantastic wallpapers. Since the original Pixel, I’ve ended up sticking with the wallpapers pre-installed on the device most of the time. Now, as the Pixel 3 approaches, we’ve got our hands on the new live wallpapers from that device, and they have some neat tricks in tow. Let’s take a closer look…
Motorola has gone through a shift in priorities since being taken over by Lenovo, but that hasn’t stopped their popular budget lines from getting steady improvements before, during, and after this transition process. The lynchpin of their entire budget line, the Moto E5 — Standard, Play and Plus — play a pivotal role in the Android ecosystem thanks, in part, to their sheer affordability…
The Huawei Y9 is one of a number of devices from the Chinese brand that is aimed directly at the more affordable end of the market. There are definitely some compromises that help this phone get into wallet-friendly territory, but overall it’s a pretty decent option for an Android phone under $250.
A decent speaker and smart display combination might not have been top of many shopping lists before, but the Link View could be the showstopping addition to your automated home that you didn’t realize you were without. As I’ll explain in this review, it fuses quality sound with the power of Google Assistant and a second screen to make the best example of the new platform so far…
OnePlus 6 users can now get a piece of Android Pie thanks to the first open beta — which is available to all users simply by downloading the beta installation files. But first, let’s take a look at the host of new features, tweaks and updates this beta brings to users of the “flagship killer” phone…
The Note 8 proved to be great return to form for one of Samsung’s best-loved productivity-focused lines. Yes, it was let down in a few areas — battery life being the main sore point — but the camera was most definitely not one of those. Is a camera improvement alone enough to justify an upgrade? Probably not, but if it were, is the camera exponentially better on the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs the Samsung Galaxy Note 8?
You’ve spent over $1,000 on the Note 9, so you’ll probably want to prevent any harm coming to it. The official case lineup has improved more than ever, but they are a little bit pricey. Let’s work out if they are worth your hard earned money and I’ll give you some cheaper alternatives if you don’t quite feel like paying a premium for a good-quality case.
For years, consumers have complained, derided and disowned brands for not listening to their input. For years, we have chastised decisions to remove ports, adjust materials, reduce access and increase the costs associated. For years, we have criticized companies for not pushing the envelope and simply falling in line. But lately there has been one brand within the Android space that finally seems to be taking note of this user input: Samsung.
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Glass backs and scratches go together like peanut butter and chocolate. The OnePlus 6 is a beautiful looking device that introduced and upped the potential scratch factor with a brand new glass back form factor. One drop or inadvertent key in your pocket could cause a blemish that won’t buff out, which is why you might want to rock a quality case.
Cases come in many shapes, colors, materials and forms. I’ve scoured the web to find what I think are 6 of the very best cases specifically designed for the OnePlus 6, all of which come in at under $20.
The OnePlus 5T really isn’t that old, but its was still overtaken recently by the latest addition to the family. Its shiny new sibling, the OnePlus 6, launched after just 6 months of 5T in the spotlight. It’s hard to believe that it’s still less than a year old, because it’s still one of the best Android handsets available.
Despite some refinement making the 6 model an easier sell, we think it’s still worth your hard earned dollars. Here are 5 reasons the OnePlus 5T is still well worth purchasing.
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OnePlus burst on to the scene with its so-called ‘flagship killer’ at a price that was meant to shake up the market. Since then, the self-proclaimed killer is becoming more like one of the crowd — with a steadily increasing entry cost. They’ve invested heavily in hardware driving the devices, but the camera has almost always taken a back seat.
After much anticipation, Epic Games has finally announced Fortnite for Android, which is exclusively available for a handful of Samsung devices for the next 3 days. This is definitely shorter than the 30 days that we expected prior to the Note 9 launch, but if you have a compatible Samsung smartphone then you can now play the world biggest game from anywhere.
Samsung is the biggest player in Android smartphones today and its Note lineup has been the home of the best the company has to offer for years. Now that the Galaxy Note 9 has gone official, we’ve had a bit of time to try it out.
Google’s last few Android releases haven’t exactly been groundbreaking, but with Android 9 Pie, there are a few really notable additions. We’ve covered a lot of our favorite new additions to Android throughout Google’s beta releases, but now that the final version is out, let’s take a closer look at some of the most important changes.
Mid-range smartphones aren’t what they used to be — the gap between middling performance and affordable price-tag is now closer than it ever has been.
Unless you plan on keeping a phone for a seriously extended period of time, or want the highest end specifications or camera, then you seriously might be better off towards the true middle market of the smartphone arena.
HTC’s recent releases, the Desire 12 and 12+, hit that ‘budget’ price point. Personally, I’m unsure if they can stake a claim for the crown of best budget smartphone with the HTC Desire 12.
Five years after it was first released, the Chromecast is one of the finest pieces of hardware that has come out of Google. There, I’ve said it and you bet I stand by it.
Let’s examine just how Google made the Chromecast such a runaway success and better understand what this means for devices such as the Home and Home Mini.
The transition from music streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora and even Google Play Music to YouTube Music might seem confusing and daunting, but it’s actually pretty straightforward once you understand just how the system works.
We just spent a month with YouTube Music — comparing it directly with rivals Spotify and Pandora — and here are the five things we did to get the most out of Google’s latest streaming offering. For the love of lyric videos, make sure you do these things once you’ve signed up.
(Red) hot on the heels of the standard OnePlus 6 comes the limited ‘Red’ edition. Beyond this new colorway, the internals and performance remain the same, but that color is just something special. We’ve already given our verdict of the outstanding original, so this is just a few quick thoughts on the updated lick of paint.
Google is late to the podcast party having only released their first official Podcast app just under 3 weeks ago. But despite its tardiness, Google hopes to win over the audio listening crowd with a sleek interface, a massive indexed library, and core integration with your smart home devices…
Looking back at Samsung’s return to form with the Note 8 last year, it’s clear that cost was a significant reason it was unable to receive our unhindered recommendation in our initial review.
In this week’s Friday 5, we’re going to take a look at why the Note 8 is now a more compelling option for the budget-conscious tech enthusiast even with the flagship field being a packed one.