Smartphone Stories February 8, 2018

Dating site Match says if you’re a single guy, you may want to upgrade your phone

If you’re a single man, and have an older smartphone, you might want to consider an upgrade …

Smartphone Stories April 18, 2017

Smartphone use while driving may explain end to 40-year decline in road deaths

Smartphone use while driving may explain last year’s reversal to a 40-year decline in U.S. road deaths, it has been suggested.

Smartphone Stories September 7, 2016

iphone-7-apple-2016-09-07-15-09-40

Apple stepped up. Today it announced the iPhone 7, the first true successor to the iPhone 6 that launched in 2014. While many expected this to be yet another “tock” (think iPhone 6SE) update offering little more than incremental improvements and an almost indistinguishable design, Apple instead brought a slew of substantial enhancements to the device and introduced a new glossy black design that even convinces me that the phone is deserving of its whole integer naming bump.

Most of what Apple introduced with the iPhone 7 is admittedly catchup — they’re features that Android OEMs have been offering for months (or in some cases, years). Headphone jack removal, waterproofing, dual-cameras, stereo speakers, and 32GB base storage have all been done on Android handsets. The iPhone 7 does, however, pack a lot of these features into an overall package that’s undeniably polished and backs them up with raw power enhancements under the hood…

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Smartphone Stories September 6, 2016

lg-v20

If you thought that the flop that was the LG G5 was all the Korean company had in store for this year, you’re about to be surprised. The company has today announced its V20, the successor to last year’s dual-screened V10 handset and what I would call the true flagship of 2016 for LG. It’s an improved version of last year’s V10 in almost every way, and it also brings some unique features that make it stand apart not only from its predecessor, but from the entire market.

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Smartphone Stories June 27, 2016

9to5Toys Lunch Break: Nexus 5X 32GB $240, Nest Thermostat $199, Seagate 8TB Desktop HDD $200, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

LG Nexus 5X 32GB (Factory GSM Unlocked) for $240 shipped (Orig. $399)

The Nest Learning Thermostat will help lower your energy costs throughout the summer: $199 (Reg. $249)

You can store everything on this Seagate 8TB external hard drive for $200 shipped, more

We thought you needed 5TB of extra space, here’s a Seagate Expansion hard drive for $110 shipped (Reg. $130)

Ticket to Ride on iOS and Android drops to its lowest price in years: $2 (Reg. $7)

Apple’s Thunderbolt Display has been put out to pasture, here are the best alternatives at every price point

Vansky’s $23 USB LED light strip gives you multi-color mood lighting

Review: Jaybird’s new Freedom Wireless headphones score high marks on design, sound [Video]

How-to: Put a USB Charging port just about anywhere, without AC power for as little as $50 (Solar+Battery) 

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Amazon Gold Box has something for everyone: ECCO Shoes, High Sierra Backpacks, GoT, Pets, Humidifiers

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

JBL’s Charge 2 Bluetooth speaker is a solid option for your party this summer: refurb for $60 (Orig. $150)

Smartphone Accessories: 2-Pack of Mpow MFi Apple-Certified Lightning Cables $8 Prime shipped (Reg. $14), more

Smartphone Stories June 17, 2016

lg k3

Sprint has announced today that it’s bringing yet another cheap budget offering to its two prepaid carriers: the LG K3. The phone sports pretty modest specs for the price (something that we’ve been able to say more and more these days), and even ships with Android Marshmallow. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re on a budget this is a pretty decent option…

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Smartphone Stories June 16, 2016

LG debuts the X Power, X Mach, X Max, and X Style smartphones

After debuting the first two X Series smartphones earlier this year, LG has today announced 4 new additions to the series. The X Power, X Mach, X Max, and X Style are 4 new affordable Android smartphones all with their own special features setting them apart from each other…

Smartphone Stories June 9, 2016

phab2 pro

Lenovo today took the wraps off its Phab2 Pro (or phab 2 PRO, or PHAB 2 Pro, depending on which version you want to go with), and I managed to get my hands on it just after the keynote.

Let me make this clear, because the press releases, stock imagery, and even the device we saw on stage today, do not really show the “phone” for what it is. This is not really a phone. It’s a hilariously huge phablet — and even that is borderline. Really, in my eyes, this thing is a tablet.

But I guess that’s subjective.

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Smartphone Stories June 8, 2016

Jeopardy 6-7-16 Pt. 3 - YouTube 2016-06-08 11-15-39

We know that Android has an updates problem. In the most recent Android distribution report yesterday, we learned that Android Marshmallow has just barely edged past 10% adoption 8 months after it first started rolling out to devices.

But apparently, despite all the people-friendly marketing that Google does with its mobile OS software updates (and more recently, the Nexus phones), there’s this persistent complete ignorance about Android in general. How can Google motivate people to update to Android Marshmallow — much less care about what it offers — if they don’t even know what the OS is called?

Of course they could (or not) go the Apple route and create a situation with complete control over the entire ecosystem, but Google’s tactic of trying to make OS updates familiar and friendly is about as much as it can do for now. Apparently it’s not working, and this is perfectly illustrated in a recent round of Jeopardy! where two contestants both thought that Marshmallow is the name of iOS 6.0…

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Smartphone Stories May 18, 2016

google i:o

Google’s annual I/O developers’ conference is set to be a big one this year, and that all starts with the keynote scheduled for 10 AM PT on Wednesday, May 18th. Of course we’re on the ground at the event, but Google is also providing live streams in both typical flat and 360 video.

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Smartphone Stories May 9, 2016

Honor 5X comes to Canada by the name of Huawei GR5

We’ve done a lot of coverage on the Honor 5X that Huawei launched in the United States earlier this year. Now, the phone is coming to Canada under a different name: Huawei GR5…

Smartphone Stories May 6, 2016

9to5Toys Last Call: Samsung Galaxy S7 (unlocked) $530, Nextbit Robin $299, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Last Call Updates:

Huawei Google Nexus 6P (refurb) w/ 32GB storage: $350 shipped (Reg. $400+)

Samsung Galaxy S7 32GB (unlocked) for $530 shipped (Reg. $695)

Nexbit Robin, cloud-powered smartphone now $299 shipped (Reg. $399)

LG G5 Smartphone w/ 32GB flash (factory unlocked): $575 (Orig. $650)

Apple MacBook 12-Inch Laptop (Newest Version) with Retina Display Rose Gold: $1,199 shipped ($100 off, tax in NY)

Apple 11-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (latest version) for $700 shipped (Reg. $899)

Apple 12-inch MacBook (Early 2015) 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB $930 shipped (Orig. $1,299)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Sony’s powerful 154W AirPlay and Bluetooth Speaker is on sale for $329 shipped (Reg. $500+)

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Take to the skies w/ DJI’s Phantom 3 Standard Quadcopter for $399 (Reg. $499), Professional $779 (Reg. $999)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Straight out of Chicago, this mid-century modern Bluetooth stereo cabinet is beautiful

Smartphone Stories May 5, 2016

htc-10

And it seems as if HTC’s downward spiral continues. The latest in its seemingly never-ending doomsday news cycle comes today in the form of a pair of reports from Focus Taiwan, with the former suggesting that the lower-specced HTC 10 has been an absolute flop in China and the latter saying that the company has formed a completely separate company for its VR ambitions

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Smartphone Stories April 25, 2016

honor-v8-lead

For the past couple of years, Huawei’s sub-brand Honor has been one synonymous with releasing premium-looking well-specced devices at an affordable price. This year, it appears the company is looking to step up its game. A TENAA listing for the upcoming Honor V8 suggests the company is about to launch something of a flagship killer…

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Smartphone Stories March 28, 2016

b4a56101gw1f2benqlfekj20jg0ax74q.jpg 2016-03-28 12-41-09

Huawei’s upcoming P9 flagship has pretty much been completely revealed at this point, but ten or so more leaked images of the phone in the flesh can’t hurt, right? The phone, set to be announced early next month in London, will see the addition of a dual-camera set up, a new fingerprint sensor on the back, and of course upgraded specs compared to the P8…

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Smartphone Stories March 25, 2016

9to5Toys Lunch Break: Samsung 50-inch 4K 3D UHDTV $849, Aukey USB-C Charger $16, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Samsung 50-inch 4K 3D 120Hz Smart LED UHDTV w/ 4 HDMI inputs: $849 shipped (Reg. $1,400)

Smartphone Accessories: Aukey 3-Port USB-C/A Car QuickCharger $16, iPhone 6 Wallet Case $13, more

AT&T GoPhone Motorola Moto E 8GB: $36 shipped (Reg. $60) | Best Buy

Moto X Pure Edition designed by Jonathan Adler is now $350 (Reg. $475) | Motorola

Apple 13-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (newest version): $790 shipped (Reg. $999)

Travel light w/ Apple’s 11-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB for $710 shipped (Reg. $899)

Save big on Apple’s newest laptops: Retina MacBook Pro $1,000 (Reg. $1,299)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Buy a refurbished Apple AirPort Express Wi-Fi router w/ 1-yr warranty for $49 shipped (Orig. $99)

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan (Photoshop CC + Lightroom): $8/month (save $24/yr)

Apple TV Deals: 4th Gen 64GB $175 (Reg. $200), 3rd Gen $49 (Reg. $69), more

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

TCL’s new 4K Roku-enabled UHDTVs hit every price point

How-to: Use your car and an inexpensive inverter to replace the need for a home generator

Smartphone Stories February 22, 2016

Gold

Samsung’s latest flagship devices bundle in several new features and capabilities, and they critically cap off these additions with shiny new black, silver, and gold color schemes, so the best way to protect the new device is the award-winning transparent CandyShell Clear from Speck. Samsung has done many things to improve the reliability of the new Galaxy smartphones, including new waterproofing and dust-resistance technology, but the devices will still be prone to damage from drops, scratches, and nicks.

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Smartphone Stories February 17, 2016

Next year’s fingerprint sensors could fit into volume rocker buttons, guard against spoofing

Synaptics has provided fingerprint sensors for a number of different smartphones, the HTC One Max among them, but Engadget says that it has a much sleeker version in the works.

Synaptics’ latest fingerprint sensor for mobile devices measures only 3.5 mm wide. It’s so thin and tiny, it can fit inside a volume rocker switch on the side of your smartphone or tablet.

The company says it has also found a way to prevent the use of fake fingerprints by a new algorithm that can distinguish live fingers from printed replicas.

We probably won’t be seeing the new reader make it into phones until next year, though, as Synaptics says mass-production isn’t due to start until the third quarter of this year. There’s as yet no word of which phone brands might be looking to include it.

We’re also expecting to see the company’s pressure-sensitive screens coming to some Android devices later this year.

Image for illustration only: 91mobiles.com

Smartphone Stories February 12, 2016

ronbin-thumb

Meet Robin, Nextbit’s new flagship smartphone. There’s a lot of hype surrounding this phone right now and we’re going to get into the box and see what it’s all about. The fancy pants packaging you see in the video below is not actually what you’ll get when you purchase this smartphone. They sent us a special care package with Robin for review purposes, but we’ll go over the contents of the retail packaging in this video as well…

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Smartphone Stories February 5, 2016

9to5Toys Lunch Break: Nexus 5X 16GB (unlocked) $280, SanDisk Ultra 128GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive $25, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

LG Google Nexus 5X 16GB Unlocked: $280 shipped (Reg. $350)

Daily Deals: SanDisk Ultra 128GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive $25, Verus iPhone 6/s Leather Wallet-Style Case $14, more

Review: $13 GRDE Explorer Rugged 10,000mAh Solar dual USB Battery w/ 2 USB lamps: worth every penny

Be a hero this Valentine’s Day w/ these best-selling Adult Coloring Books from $6

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

13-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/256GB: $1,000 (Reg. $1,199)

11-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/256GB: $930 (Reg. $1,099)

13-inch Retina MacBook Pro 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,250 (Reg. $1,450)

15-inch Retina MacBook Pro 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB: $1,700 (Reg. $1,999)

Keep your Wi-Fi up and running w/ this APC UPS System + Power Bank: $90 (Reg. $120)

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

It’s time to ditch your cable bill! Get the AmazonBasics 35-Mile HDTV Antenna for $20 (Reg. $25)

Game pre-orders for Amazon Prime members –Zelda, Far Cry Primal, FFXV: $48 ea (Reg. $60)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Ubuntu’s first tablet offers a converged desktop PC experience as well

Here’s our first look at the new Uncharted 4 Limited Edition PS4 bundle, pre-order now

Smartphone Stories February 2, 2016

nexus 6p

One of Google’s latest slogans created to showcase the essence of Android in a nutshell spells: “Be together, not the same.” It is both a testament to the company’s general embracement of diversity and arguably one of the most precise ways to describe the OS as a whole. Fans, however, have long had trouble trying to identify the ‘ultimate’ Android device, despite the sea of devices whose supposed heterogeneity should guarantee a perfect match for everyone.

In an endless fight among the various OEMs to come out at the top of the critics’ — as well as the fans’ — rankings, one trend has notoriously stood out. People love Android devices because of the software (specifically its flexibility), and in spite of the countless efforts made by manufacturers to tweak and enhance the OS in order to make it better, the pure, unadulterated experience offered by Google has long been preferred by virtually every enthusiast.

Be it because of its simplicity and cleanliness, dedication to Google’s brand, or the sheer fact that updates are not hampered by carriers and other third parties, stock Android has always had the upper hand over UXs such as Samsung’s TouchWiz or HTC’s Sense — at least to those who even know what “TouchWiz” is. To this day, the problem with Google’s vanilla OS still resides almost solely in the hardware it runs on.

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Smartphone Stories February 1, 2016

xiaomi

While Canalys reported last year that Huawei overtook Xiaomi to become the biggest-selling smartphone manufacturer in China during Q3, it now says strong Q4 sales enabled Xiaomi to retake the top slot for the year. It says Xiaomi ended the year with a 15.2% market share against 14.7% for Huawei, with Apple following at 12.5%.

The WSJ reports that this view is echoed by rival market intelligence company Strategy Analytics. However, with more Chinese consumers looking to upgrade to mid-range handsets this year, Canalys analyst Nicole Peng believes the positions could be reversed during the course of this year …

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Smartphone Stories January 13, 2016

lenovo-lemon-3-official

Lenovo has today launched a budget phone in China, and it’s called the Lemon 3. Notably, this is different than the phone that leaked last year that also had a citrus-y name. While the Lemon X (which launched in Chinese markets a couple of months ago under the name Vibe X3) is aimed at the mid-range, the Lemon 3 is aimed at the lower end of the market…

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LG G4 32GB Smartphone (Unlocked, Black Leather)

B&H offers the Unlocked LG G4 32GB Smartphone in Black Leather for $349.99 shipped. That’s $100 off the original list price, $69 less than Amazon’s current listing and the lowest we can currently find. It has a 5.5-inch IPS LCD multi-touch display, Android 5.1 Lollipop, Dual-Core Processor, and a 16 megapixel camera. Amazon shoppers gave it 4.4/5 stars

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Smartphone Stories January 10, 2016

mate-8

Following the keynote during CES 2016, we’re taking a closer look at the Huawei Mate 8. This is a beast of a phone with some pretty boss specifications and today we’re ding a brief unboxing and overview to see what it’s all about…

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Smartphone Stories January 7, 2016

Screen Shot 2016-01-07 at 10.21.55 PM

At CES today, Google and Lenovo announced a partnership to bring the first consumer Project Tango device to the market. The Lenovo-made smartphone will be the first Project Tango offering that consumers will have the chance to try. Google touts that Project Tango transforms your smartphone into “a magic lens that lets you place digital information on your physical world.”

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Smartphone Stories January 5, 2016

Honor-5X

A couple of reports over the last few weeks have mentioned that the Honor 5X would be coming to the United States at CES, and we’re at the company’s event right now to watch as things unfold. Follow after the break for the liveblog… expand full story

samsung-earnings

Samsung is up next for CES press day, following a very Android- and Google-heavy Huawei event. This event isn’t expected to be nearly as exciting, however, as Samsung has a wide variety of products spanning many categories to mention. Just like last year, I wouldn’t be surprised if we heard about Samsung services, some connected home products, some televisions, and maybe a new variant of a smartwatch (the Gear S2 this time, likely)… expand full story

Smartphone Stories December 21, 2015

9to5Toys Last Call: Brand new Nexus 6 $250, Samsung Galaxy Gear Live $80, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

New Google Nexus 6 32GB by Motorola: $250 shipped (Reg. $350+)

Get a fully-capable Galaxy Gear Live Android Wear smartwatch for just $80

Nexus 6P is $50 off at the Google Store with free overnight shipping

SanDisk Connect Wi-Fi iOS/Android Flash Drive: 32GB $25 (Reg. $40), 64GB $40 (Reg. $60)

9to5Google Gift GuidesStephen, Abner, and Cam’s favorite Chrome and Android-powered products

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Headphones: Philips Over-Ears w/ Lightning Connector $199 (Reg. $240+), SoundPEATS Bluetooth Earbuds $9more

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Seagate Backup Plus USB 3.0 5TB Desktop External Hard Drive $115 (Orig. $180)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Hult blends copper and concrete in a stunning modern take on the Bluetooth speaker

Get Canary’s all-in-one home security system + air quality sensor for $179 (Reg. $200)

Smartphone Stories December 7, 2015

9to5Toys Last Call: Moto E for Straight Talk $20, Nova Launcher Prime $1, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Straight Talk Moto E XT830C Prepaid Smartphone: $20 shipped (Reg. $50) | Walmart

Nova Launcher Prime via the Play Store is on sale for the holidays: $1 (Reg. $5) | Play Store

Amazon launches New Kindle Fire HD 8 ‘Reader’s Edition’ w/ better night time reading, case bundle, Kindle Unlimited subscription

GoPro HERO bundles starting at $140, cases from $10, headgear from $7, more

Giveaway: SanDisk USB flash drives for iPhone, iPad, and Android mobile devices

9to5Google Gift GuidesStephen, Abner, and Cam’s favorite Chrome and Android-powered products

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

This Leviton wall outlet has a pair of powerful USB ports, get it for $17 Prime shipped (Orig. $30)

The latest Omate smartwatch for iOS/Android launches on Indiegogo with instant success

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Bluetooth Headphones: Jabra MOVE On-ears $60 (Reg. $90), more

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Razor details its new Hovertrax Smart Scooter ahead of release

Anova Culinary updates its sous vide Precision Cooker w/ Wi-Fi  for cooking away from home

Smartphone Stories December 3, 2015

9to5Toys Lunch Break: Samsung Gear Live $80, Jabra MOVE Bluetooth Headphones $60, Quadcopter w/ HD Camera $39, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

 

Samsung Android Wear-powered Gear Live: $80 shipped (Reg. $150) | eBay

Bluetooth Headphones: AUSDOM M04 Over-Ears $30 (Reg. $43), Jabra MOVE On-ears $60 (Reg. $90), more

Daily Deals: 6-axis Gyro RC Quadcopter w/ HD Camera $39, Energy Bookshelf Speakers pair $100more

LG G Watch R Android Wear watch: $180 shipped (Reg. $290) | eBay

9to5Google Gift Guide: Stephen, Abner, and Cam’s favorite Chrome and Android-powered products

9to5Google Gift Guide: Great Android phones at Black Friday prices

9to5Google Gift GuideThe best Chromebooks for everyone

9to5Google Gift Guide: These are the best Android wearables

9to5Google Gift GuideNovelty swag presents for the ultimate Android fan in your life

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Knock out a huge chunk of your Xmas list with Razor sale at Amazon, scooters start at $14, electric ride-ons $19, go cartsmore

Host a Christmas party that doesn’t suck with these rowdy adult board games

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/672428515074121728 align=’center’]

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Free PS Plus Games for December: Far Cry 3, Gaunlet Slayer Edition, more

Free Xbox Live Gold Games for December: Thief, Adventures of Van Helsing, Sacred 3, more

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Sugr Cube enters the fray of Wi-Fi speakers with touch-based controls & a myriad of sources

Smartphone Stories December 2, 2015

9to5Toys Lunch Break: LG G Pad (refurb) $65, LG G Watch $50, LG G Watch R $180, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

16GB LG G Pad 7″ LTE unlocked tablet: $65 shipped (Reg. $150) | BuyDig

LG G Watch Android Wear watch: $50 shipped (Reg. $150) | A4C

LG G Watch R Android Wear watch: $180 shipped (Reg. $290) | eBay

9to5Google Gift Guide: Stephen, Abner, and Cam’s favorite Chrome and Android-powered products

9to5Google Gift Guide: Great Android phones at Black Friday prices

9to5Google Gift GuideThe best Chromebooks for everyone

9to5Google Gift Guide: These are the best Android wearables

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Home Recording: M-Audio 61-Key MIDI Keyboard $85 (Reg. $169), more

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Anker USB Power Deals: 4-port 36W Wall Charger $14 (Reg. $20), 12W Car Charger w/ Lightning Cable $10 (Reg. $14), more

Free PS Plus Games for December: Far Cry 3, Gaunlet Slayer Edition, more

Free Xbox Live Gold Games for December: Thief, Adventures of Van Helsing, Sacred 3, more

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Unboxing and Review: Star Wars Battlefront limited edition PS4 is out of this galaxy [Video]

Smartphone Stories December 1, 2015

nexus-7

The last two Nexus 7 tablets were manufactured by ASUS, but if a new sketchy rumor (originating from none other than Chinese social network Weibo) is to be believed, Huawei — maker of the well-received Nexus 6P — could be next in line. Rumors from random users on Weibo aren’t usually the most dependable source of information, but this particular user seems to have experience in IC design and has more than 34,000 followers (and, to boot, seems to have at least some internal knowledge of Huawei, Oppo, and other Chinese companies)…

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Smartphone Stories November 30, 2015

samsung-s6

Samsung today has announced that it is co-CEO and mobile division leader JK Shin is stepping down from the day-to-day operations of the smartphone portion of the company. Shin will be replaced by Dongjin Koh who will run the day-to-day operations of Samsung Mobile. Shin will stay, but without the little of president of mobile reports Bloomberg.

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fiber_van_sanantonio

Craig Barrat was previously Google’s SVP of “access and energy,” but now he leads an Alphabet unit as CEO. That unit is called Access and Energy, and includes Google’s Fiber division as well as several other access and energy-related products (as Google’s Ruth Porat noted in its Q3 2015 earnings call). Now, thanks to an extensive profile of Access today out of Re/code, we have a little bit more of an idea of exactly which projects fall under this group… expand full story

Smartphone Stories November 25, 2015

lg v10

I used a Nexus 5X throughout most of October (and was very frustrated with it), but earlier this week the LG V10 showed up at my doorstep — and I just had to give it a shot for a couple weeks. Although my opinion may be skewed thanks to my less than joyful experience with the 5X, I actually found the LG V10 to be a contender for best handset I’ve used this year. It’s huge and heavy, yes, but at least for me, it’s more than feature-complete enough. And it’s especially great when you ditch LG’s software… expand full story

Smartphone Stories November 24, 2015

Nexus 6P owners on Australian Telstra now receiving OTA fix for 4G issues

Owners of the recently-released Nexus 6P on Australian carrier Telstra have been complaining of sporadic 4G issues since the phone first launched, and now it appears (via Ausdroid) that these users are receiving an OTA update to fix these issues.

The update comes in at a solid 71.1 MB and specifically mentions improving “4G network connectivity for your Nexus 6P.” The build number is MMB29N, and the Android security patch level is still at November 1, 2015. Reports from Twitter suggest that the problems are indeed resolved.

You can download the OTA update directly from Google’s servers by clicking the link below, and info on how to install it can be found in our guide.

Smartphone Stories November 23, 2015

9to5Toys Lunch Break: Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge w/ 2-year contract $1, Canon T5 (refurb) $200, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Heads up! During Black Friday/Cyber Monday you’re going to have to follow us on Twitter to get the best deals since many sell out too quickly to post.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7-Inch Tablet (16 GB): $230 shipped (Reg. $300) | Amazon

Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 (7-Inch, Black): $120 shipped (Reg. $180) | Amazon 

7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 tablet: w/ FreedomPop: $55 shipped (Reg. $140+) | FreedomPop

Best of Black Friday — Apple: deals on iPad Air 2, iPhone 6s/Plus, Apple Watch, Macs, more!

Amazon’s Black Friday deals go live later this week w/ mobile shoppers getting extra perks

Top 5 ways to score the year’s best online Black Friday deals

10 can’t-miss deals for the holiday season: HDTVs, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6s, more

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Herman Miller takes rare 15% off world’s best office chairs + desks, inc. award-winning Aeron, all shipped free

BLACK FRIDAY AD LEAKS & NEWS:

Best of Black Friday – Streaming Media Players: Apple TV 64GB $180, Roku SE $20, 2-Pack Chromecast (2nd gen) $50more

Best of Black Friday – Smart Home: Nest Thermostat $250 + $50 GC, Philips Hue kit $130

Best of Black Friday – HDTVs: 40-inch from $149, Samsung 55-inch Smart $580 (Reg. $1,200), more

Best of Black Friday – iPads, Tablets and e-readers: iPad Air 2 from $360, Amazon Fire $35 (Reg. $50)more

Best of Black Friday – Games: Xbox One/PS4 console bundles, deep discounts on games, more

Best of Black Friday – wearables: Fitbit Flex $59/Charge $90/more, $100 off Apple Watch, Android smartwatchesmore

Best Buy’s Black Friday ad brings deals on Apple Watch, Macs, HDTVs, games & more!

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Bose SoundTrue On-Ear Headphones (multiple colors): $75 shipped (Reg. $90+)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Leica introduces a new low-cost M series camera, but don’t expect bargain pricing

Smartphone Stories November 19, 2015

9to5Toys Lunch Break: USB DVD drive $20, Verizon 1GB of data free, Nexus 5 (new) $200, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Heads up! During Black Friday/Cyber Monday you’re going to have to follow us on Twitter to get the best deals since many sell out too quickly to post.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Tech Components and Accessories up to 60% off: LG Ultra Slim Portable DVD Rewriter $20, much more

Verizon launches its Thanksgetting freebies promotion: 1GB of data, $5 iTunes credit, more

Expansys pre-Black Friday deals: Nexus 5 $200 (Reg. $350), Chromebooks $120, more

7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 tablet: w/ FreedomPop: $55 shipped (Reg. $140+) | FreedomPop

Ultimate Ears (UE) BOOM Smart Portable Bluetooth Speaker: $100 shipped (Orig. $200)

Amazon’s Black Friday deals go live later this week w/ mobile shoppers getting extra perks

Top 5 ways to score the year’s best online Black Friday deals

10 can’t-miss deals for the holiday season: HDTVs, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6s, more

 

Giveaway: mophie juice pack reserve battery case for iPhone 6/s (multiple winners)

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MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Sony MDRX950BT Extra Bass Bluetooth Headphones: $98 shipped (Reg. $150+)

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BLACK FRIDAY AD LEAKS & NEWS:

Best of Black Friday – Streaming Media Players: Apple TV 64GB $180, Roku SE $20, 2-Pack Chromecast (2nd gen) $50more

Best of Black Friday – Smart Home: Nest Thermostat $250 + $50 GC, Philips Hue kit $130

Best of Black Friday – HDTVs: 40-inch from $149, Samsung 55-inch Smart $580 (Reg. $1,200), more

Best of Black Friday – iPads, Tablets and e-readers: iPad Air 2 from $360, Amazon Fire $35 (Reg. $50)more

Best of Black Friday – Games: Xbox One/PS4 console bundles, deep discounts on games, more

Best of Black Friday – wearables: Fitbit Flex $59/Charge $90/more, $100 off Apple Watch, Android smartwatchesmore

Best Buy’s Black Friday ad brings deals on Apple Watch, Macs, HDTVs, games & more!

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Choice of JBL Clip or Micro Bluetooth Speakers in multiple colors for $25 shipped (Reg. $40)

SanDisk Connect 32GB Wi-Fi Flash Drive for iOS/Android: $30 Prime shipped (Reg. $40)

T-Mobile is discounting iPhone 6s/Plus by $100 when bought on an installment plan or outright

Huge savings on pre-owned Apple Watches, deals from as low as $261 shipped

Apple iPod Touch 5th gen 16-64GB sizes, multiple colors: $149-$199 shipped

Apple Magic Mouse 2 (open-box): $68 shipped (Reg. $80)

Apple iPad Mini 2, space gray or silver: $199 shipped ($70 off)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

GENII’s CAST streaming box skirts copyright rules to beam your content to friends

Pryme Vessyl skips the 8-cup rule for a user specific iPhone-connected recommendation

 

PSA: Android Studio 1.5 now available in the stable channel

Last week we told you that Android Studio 1.5 became available in the beta release channel, and now Google has announced that it’s being pushed out to everyone. This release is “focused on delivering more stability,” Google says. Most of the upgrades here are under the hood.

Here’s a rundown of some of the bug fixes in this version:

  • You can now use short names when code-completing custom views
  • New memory profiler feature: detect some of the most known causes of leaked activities
  • Several new lint checks

You can check for updates within the app, or head over to the Android Studio site to grab a fresh version if you need it. Android Studio comes with the Studio IDE, the SDK tools, and the Android 6.0 platform and emulator.

Smartphone Stories November 17, 2015

9to5Toys Lunch Break: View-Master VR bundle $35, SanDisk WiFi 32GB flash drive $30, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Heads up! During Black Friday/Cyber Monday you’re going to have to follow us on Twitter to get the best deals since many sell out too quickly to post.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

View-Master Virtual Reality Bonus Bundle: Starter Pack PLUS “Destinations” Experience Pack $35 shipped (Orig. $45)

SanDisk Connect 32GB Wi-Fi Flash Drive for iOS/Android: $30 Prime shipped (Reg. $40)

Nexus 5 32GB Black/White in new condition: $210 shipped (Reg. $350)

7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 tablet: w/ FreedomPop: $60 shipped (Reg. $140+) | FreedomPop

Best of Black Friday – Streaming Media Players: Apple TV 64GB $180, Roku SE $20, 2-Pack Chromecast (2nd gen) $50more

Best of Black Friday – HDTVs: 40-inch from $149, Samsung 55-inch Smart $580 (Reg. $1,200), more

Best of Black Friday – iPads, Tablets and e-readers: iPad Air 2 from $360, Amazon Fire $35 (Reg. $50)more

Best of Black Friday – Games: Xbox One/PS4 console bundles, deep discounts on games, more

Best of Black Friday – wearables: Fitbit Flex $59/Charge $90/more, $100 off Apple Watch, Android smartwatchesmore

Giveaway: mophie juice pack reserve battery case for iPhone 6/s (multiple winners)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Games/Apps: Star Wars Battlefront $50 or Battlefront PS4 bundle $330, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate $50, iOS freebiesmore

BLACK FRIDAY AD LEAKS & NEWS:

Best Buy’s Black Friday ad brings deals on Apple Watch, Macs, HDTVs, games & more!

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

Enjoy music anywhere in your home w/ the SONOS PLAY:1 Starter Set for $349 shipped ($400 value)

T-Mobile is discounting iPhone 6s/Plus by $100 when bought on an installment plan or outright

Huge savings on pre-owned Apple Watches, deals from as low as $261 shipped

Apple iPod Touch 5th gen 16-64GB sizes, multiple colors: $149-$199 shipped

Apple Magic Mouse 2 (open-box): $68 shipped (Reg. $80)

Apple iPad Mini 2, space gray or silver: $199 shipped ($70 off)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Mass Fidelity tries to solve virtual stereo sound with its new Core wireless speaker

What Watch uses Bluetooth connectivity to tab the memorable moments of your life

 

huawei mate 8

The Mate 8 is shaping up to be the best Huawei phone yet, and this time around people might actually care. The previously almost-unheard-of-in-the-west Chinese company was the star of the show with this cycle of Nexus devices, and the company also launched this year what I believe is the best Android Wear smartwatch to date — the Huawei Watch.

And now we’re getting a look at the company’s upcoming flagship, the Mate 8, in all of its glory… expand full story

Smartphone Stories November 16, 2015

IMG_1366

I’ve been feeling up the Nexus 5X for about a week now, and I’m undoubtedly impressed. It’s been a while since we’ve seen a Nexus phone in this size range, and — as someone who used the Nexus 6 as his daily driver for a year — it’s really refreshing to once again have a handset to match my hands. That was the first thing I noticed about the Nexus 5X. I have little-to-no tolerance for third-party bloatware, skins, and gimmicks, and stock vanilla Android is almost a non-negotiable for me. And in this one area, the 5X — the 6P, as well — delivers, and that alone puts it in a league of its own in my eyes. That alone makes this phone, for me, one the cream of the Android crop.

But there’s one thing that has been a recurring theme in my first week with the 5X: performance. It’s just simply not good enough, and in 2015, OS stutters, frame rate drops, and lag while switching apps is quite simply inexcusable, (but especially in any phone that costs more than $100). It’s not that the 5X is a crippled experience — no, I’m sometimes in buttery smooth Android heaven. But in those times that my phone just slows to a crawl in the middle of my day, whatever the reason may be, I can’t help but want to throw the 5X at a wall…

expand full story

Smartphone Stories November 13, 2015

googlephone

At the beginning, OEM partners were vital in order to spread Android. Google would handle the hard work of creating the operating system, while OEMs would manufacture and deal with carriers. This approach worked and Android is now the most used mobile OS and Samsung is the largest smartphone vendor in terms of shipped devices. But how is Google going to keep Android growing into the future?.. expand full story

Smartphone Stories November 12, 2015

Screen Shot 2015-11-10 at 11.13.53 PM

This is the OnePlus X and in some ways, it’s the best budget smartphone you can buy, but allow me to elaborate. This is basically a OnePlus One packed inside of a smaller and more premium body, for less money. With that, you’re getting mostly the same specifications and performance, which makes it a big win in my book. But before we get into everything you need to know, let’s get the truly negative things I have to say out of the way…

expand full story

Smartphone Stories November 9, 2015

Google is bringing its Cardboard Expeditions Pioneer Program to 15 new cities

Google is launching its Expeditions Pioneer Program in 15 new cities, according to a post on the Google for Education blog. More than 100,000 students have taken part in the Pioneer Program, Google says, and it looks like thousands more are about to have the opportunity.

Here’s the relevant tidbit:

More than 100,000 students have used Expeditions in their classes as part of the Expeditions Pioneer Program, which launched in September. Now, we’re bringing the program to new cities. In the U.S., we’ll be in Alexandria, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Detroit, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City and Washington DC. We’ll also be adding three new countries: Canada, where we’ll be in Toronto, as well as Denmark and Singapore.

It looks like 12 of these cities are in the United States, with three more in other countries. Specifically, the program is coming Alexandria, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Detroit, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, Washington DC, and Toronto, with two others in Denmark and Singapore.

Google revealed the Expeditions Pioneer Program at Google I/O earlier this year, which hopes to give students the opportunity to travel to distant lands in virtual reality and learn in new ways. Teachers have a library of 100+ virtual trips to places like Mars and the Great Barrier Reef to choose from.

Smartphone Stories November 5, 2015

Screen Shot 2015-11-05 at 10.31.37 AM

According to a new report from Amir Efrati of The Information, Google has recently been in discussions with microchip manufacturers about having a deeper involvement in the design of chips used in Android devices. Google hopes to help create a more uniform offering of Android phones by taking part in the chip design process with a company like Qualcomm.

expand full story

Smartphone Stories November 4, 2015

9to5Toys Lunch Break: Sony Xperia M4 (unlocked) $200, Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones $119, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Sony Xperia M4 Aqua 16GB GSM/LTE unlocked black: $200 shipped (Reg. $250) | Amazon

Audio-Technica’s best selling ATH-M50x headphones in black: $119 shipped (Orig. $170), more

Acer 13-inch Chromebook 2.1GHz/2GB/16GB SSD: $209 shipped (Reg. $249)

USB-C 4-port hubs for Chromebooks by Aukey: $20 Prime shipped (Orig. $30)

Review: How Amazon Echo changed my life + $130 special price ($50 off) for Amazon card holders

Pebble Time Smartwatch for iOS and Android (multiple colors): $150 shipped (Reg. $200)

Sling TV is giving away a 2nd generation Chromecast when you pre-pay for three months ($35 value)

Samsung Galaxy S5 Unlocked: $300 shipped (Reg. $400+) | eBay

LG G Pad V410 AT&T GSM Unlocked 7-Inch 4G LTE 16GB Tablet: $80 shipped (Reg. $150+) | eBay

More new gear from today:

Daily Deals: Vizio 43″ 120Hz 1080p LCD HDTV + $100 Dell GC $300, LYTRO Light Field Camera $400, more

Sam’s Club One-Day Sale: iPhone 6s/Plus $100 off, iPad Air 2 64GB/128GB $150 off, PlayStation 4 $300more

eBay calls on Black Friday shoppers to decide which products will get discounted this year

Amazon’s Black Friday Deals store is now open for business

Everything we know so far about this year’s best Black Friday deals and promotions

More deals still alive:

This 802.11n pocket wireless router from TP-LINK is a must-have for avid travelers: $10 shipped (Orig. $40)

Buy a pair of PowerBeats 2 Wireless In-Ear Headphones, get a $50 Target gift card: $144 shipped (Orig. $200)

Beats by Dr. Dre Pill 2.0 Portable Bluetooth Speaker (multiple colors) $120 shipped (Orig. $200)

New products & more:

Mellow Boards makes any skateboard electric and looks good doing it

 

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