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Mint Mobile subscribers are getting a free data upgrade
The cheapest plan now offers 4GB data for $15/mo... if you buy 12 months at once
Mint Mobile is a popular MVNO carrier that offers discounts if you pay for multiple months at once. The company was purchased by Ryan Reynolds a little over a year ago (who is best known for playing Deadpool), and now Reynolds has released a video explaining the carrier's new pricing changes.
Galaxy S21 vs. S21+ vs. S21 Ultra: What’s the difference?
Samsung is switching up its product strategy yet again
Samsung's Galaxy S21 series is finally here, and the lineup is a bit different than what many were expecting. There are three models, same as last year, but the changes between them (especially the Ultra vs. the others) are more substantial than with the S20 series. The cheaper phones take clear inspiration from the success of the Galaxy S20 FE, while the Ultra inherits features from the Note series.
Nuki smart locks drop support for using old Android devices as network hubs
Nuki says few people are currently using the software bridge
Nuki is a popular smart lock maker in Europe, producing high-quality door locks, fobs, and intercoms controlled with voice assistants and smartphone apps. The company used to support using old Android devices as a network hub for Nuki products, so purchasing a separate hub wasn't needed, but now that option is going away.
No matter if you're going camping, or just want a powerful battery backup in the event of power outages, Anker's PowerHouse power stations are popular options. Right now, you can get the PowerHouse II 388Wh battery for $299.99 on Amazon, a $100 savings from the usual price.The PowerHouse II is a 388.88Wh battery with a 300W AC outlet, a 60W USB Type-C port, three USB Type-A connectors, and a car power socket. The current charge status is displayed on the built-in LED screen, and when it comes time to top up the battery itself, you can use the included DC power plug or Anker's (sold separately) solar panels.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated lands on Android for $10
Ha ha! It's a giraffe!
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom was released in 2003, and even though critic reviews were mixed, the game gained enough of a cult following to receive a remake last year. The 'Rehydrated' version is already available on all major consoles and PC, but now a mobile port is on the way, thanks to developer HandyGames.
Nvidia Shield TV can now use PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S controllers
The system update also includes security fixes and Control4 home automation support
The Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 started arriving on store shelves a few months ago, but both consoles have been incredibly difficult to find. If you've been lucky enough to score one, or you just have the controllers, here's some extra good news — you can now use your shiny new controller with Nvidia's Android TV boxes.
Samsung has a new rugged tablet with an S Pen and removable battery
The Galaxy Tab Active3 is available now
Samsung sells a few rugged Android devices under its 'Active' brand, but it has been over three years since the company released a new rugged tablet. Thankfully, businesses looking for tough devices now have a new model to pick from: the Galaxy Tab Active3.
Pocket Casts will go up for sale again, three years after acquisition by public radio group
No word on a buyer yet
Podcast player application Pocket Casts was acquired by a public radio group in mid-2018, right around the time Spotify started expanding into the podcast world. The service has had some ups and downs since then, but now it looks like Pocket Casts could have new ownership in the near future.
Here's everything with Google Assistant revealed at CES 2021
From Chromebooks to security cameras, here's what you might have missed
This year's CES was different than usual, but just like every year, there is a mountain of new smart home devices. Google Assistant was front and center for many announcements, whether they be TVs, Chromebooks, Wi-Fi cameras, or something else entirely.
Samsung SmartThings starts rolling out Android Auto support (APK Download)
Control your home, away from home
Samsung revealed its new Galaxy S21 phones last week, but that wasn't all the company talked about. It was also announced that Samsung's SmartThings device controls would soon be accessible through Android Auto, and now the functionality is already going live.
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Samsung's original Galaxy Buds are a bit old at this point, as they were released almost two years ago, but they're still some of the best overall earbuds to use with Android devices (especially Galaxy phones). They were available refurbished for only $80 two months ago, but now you can get them new for just $49.99 from Walmart — $81 below the original price.
The best cheap Chromebooks that are actually in stock right now
Need a laptop for remote work, and soon? We've got some recommendations for you
Chromebooks have been going in and out of stock over the past year, initially from the rise of remote work at the start of the COVID pandemic. Component shortages and remote schooling also resulted in fewer options being available, but as we head into 2021, there are some decent options in the $200-300 range.All of the models we've selected are fast enough to handle at least a few Chrome tabs and applications running at once, and when they're available, we try to include models with large screens. We have a dedicated guide for the best Chromebooks overall, but this list is solely focused on budget options that are actually in stock right now.
Google cutting off Chrome Sync access to third-party Chromium browsers
The move follows a similar crackdown in 2017
Most of the source code for Chrome is open-source under the Chromium project, but some features are only available on official Chrome builds. One exclusive feature is Chrome Sync, which synchronizes your bookmarks, history, tabs, and other data across all your devices. Third-party Chromium browsers were never supposed to have access to Chrome Sync, and now Google is cutting access.
Samsung rolling out SmartThings Find support to Watch Active2
Your watch can help you find your earbuds
Samsung officially revealed its SmartThings Find service in October of last year, which uses a combination of Bluetooth and ultra-wideband wireless signals to locate Samsung products. With yesterday's launch of the Galaxy SmartTag, Samsung is working to add Find support for more devices, and next in line is the Galaxy Watch Active2.
New Stadia feature will let your friends pick up where you left off in 'playable slices'
State Share availability starts with the Hitman trilogy
Google's Stadia platform has been commonly criticized for not taking advantage of its presence in the cloud more fully. For example, most of the games available on Stadia available on other platforms, even though cloud servers are (theoretically) more versatile than console or PC hardware. Google is now launching a new feature that has mostly only been seen previously with console emulators — sharable game states.
Here's everything with Amazon Alexa revealed at CES 2021
From headphones to microwaves, Alexa was everywhere this year
This year's CES has been a very different one, but one aspect has stayed consistent: there's are a lot of new products with Alexa. Amazon's assistant shows no signs of stopping, as plenty of new smart home devices include support for Alexa, and some of them even have the assistant built-in.
Samsung says it will bring the S Pen to more devices
"Who wants a stylus? You have to get em', put em' away. You lose them."
The S Pen active stylus has been one of the main selling points for Samsung's Galaxy Note series since day one, but the company has also brought it to other devices in recent years. The Galaxy S21 Ultra was just announced with S Pen support (though a case is required for holding it), and Samsung says the stylus will come to more types of devices soon.
Samsung's new Galaxy S21 series is finally official, and most of the attention is on the new features: updated cameras, more consistent 120Hz, S Pen support on the Ultra, and so on. However, there is one detail that slipped under the radar. The Galaxy S21 series marks the end of microSD card support, a selling point since the original Galaxy S (though that phone used full-size SD cards).
Google wants to turn YouTube into a shopping site
The company is testing the ability to buy items from videos
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YouTube already makes money through advertisements, YouTube Premium (to get rid of said advertisements), and memberships to specific channels. It looks like the company might be preparing to add general shopping functionality to the list, according to an announcement in YouTube's test features and experiments hub.
Previous leaks indicated that Samsung would bring S Pen support to the Galaxy S21 series (or at least, the S21 Ultra), but the phones wouldn't have an integrated slot for the stylus. One clamshell cover for the S21 Ultra's S Pen was leaked last week, and now we have a good look at Samsung's idea for a 'compact' silicone case.