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Exclusive: Kingdom Eighties is coming to Android and iOS this fall
Raw Fury's latest Kingdom franchise entry is going mobile, likely in October
The Kingdom franchise has long become a staple side-scrolling strategy game, if not the game to define the genre. With Kingdom Two Crowns perfecting the medieval formula, the developers wanted to try their hand at a completely different setting that still ties into the franchise, leading to the creation of Kingdom Eighties, a nostalgic homage to life in the 80s. The game was launched for PC in June, and at Gamescom 2023, Raw Fury exclusively confirmed to Android Police that it is coming to Android and iOS this fall, likely in October.
Essential, the smartphone company once helmed by Android creator Andy Rubin, might be dead, but the rest of the team behind the cult-favorite phone isn’t done yet. Recently, I had the chance to sit down and speak to Jason Keats, the CEO and founder of OSOM Products, a company spun up from Essential’s remains last year. And after a year of teasing, Keats is finally ready and willing to talk about the company’s plans. Meet the OV1: OSOM’s first smartphone.
Exclusive: Google's new Pixel Stand for the Pixel 6 should support 23W fast wireless charging
It's not the fastest, but still more than Samsung and Apple
For a few months now there have been rumors of a new Google Pixel Stand with a fan to keep it cool. This led to rumors about higher wattage wireless charging coming in this year's Pixel 6. Thanks to a US retailer, we were able to confirm that the Pixel Stand, and presumably Pixel 6, should support 23W wireless charging.
Exclusive: Photos of Pixel 5a 5G components leak as repair shops prep for launch
Almost everything but a screen
The Pixel 5a 5G is coming. Google's said as much for months now, we've already seen some of the supplemental pieces falling into place, and as leaked spec info arrives, we keep hearing that a launch should be imminent. But for all that's happened, there's been precious little in the way of hard evidence, nor confirmation of launch plans. That's why we're so excited about our latest find, as a source shares images of Pixel 5a components that are currently being sent out to phone repair stores ahead of an August 17 announcement.
Qualcomm plans its first foray into the consumer electronics market in years — with a device that bears a strong resemblance to Nintendo's wildly popular Switch game console. According to a source familiar with the company's strategy, the Android-powered game console will attempt to showcase the company's Snapdragon chipsets in a less traditional form factor.
Samsung's next-gen Galaxy S21 series is just about a month away, and with that official debut coming up fast, renders of the device are inevitably going to start leaking out faster and faster. We've already looked at plenty of unofficial renders based on device schematics, but what about the real deal: When do we get to see some actual imagery from Samsung itself? Luckily, we have just that kind of exclusive to share with you, and have managed to obtain promo reels for the retail launch of the Galaxy S21 series.
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The new Chromecast with Google TV is not only a pretty good streaming device, but it's also Google's first product based on Android TV in a long time. The device is currently listed at $49.99, which is already a great price for everything you get, but sources say it could drop even lower on Black Friday.
If your T-Mobile phone doesn't have VoLTE, you could get kicked off the network soon
Metro by T-Mobile will also be affected, along with MVNOs like Google Fi, Mint, and Ting (Update: T-Mobile statement)
According to internal T-Mobile documents obtained by Android Police, the carrier plans to fast track the shutdown of its 3G voice network, forcing some customers to buy new phones or leave the network in a matter months. Most carriers have already shut down their legacy 2G networks, so the frequencies can be re-used for LTE and 5G, and 3G's expiration date is now quickly approaching. AT&T started warning customers this week that phones without 4G voice calling would no longer work starting in 2022, and it now appears T-Mobile will be following suit with an even more aggressive timeline.
OnePlus fixes yet another security flaw that may have exposed sensitive customer data
Fortunately, there's no evidence it was ever actively exploited
A security vulnerability in OnePlus' out-of-warranty repair and advance exchange invoicing system has been fixed. The vulnerability, which was discovered on June 30th, exposed customer details including full names, phone numbers, email addresses, IMEI numbers, and physical addresses. The system affected is run by a third-party vendor and is only used by US customers. Android Police disclosed details of the vulnerability to OnePlus after receiving a tip from a reader, and OnePlus does not believe it was ever actively exploited.
The fourth entry of the popular Serious Sam series of first-person shooters has been in the works for a while, and developer Croteam revealed more details about the game today. Interestingly, Google has also paid for Serious Sam 4 to be a timed Stadia exclusive, blocking the game's release on consoles until next year.
Grab a 128GB Galaxy S10+ at an all-time low of $590 ($260 off) with our exclusive promo code
As always: while supplies last
We've seen a few deals come by for some sturdy, yet affordable phones at even better prices — great for those who need a new phone in a pinch and these are definitely pinching times. Everyone's got their own budget, though, and this little number might be the right call for some. DailySteals have the Galaxy S10+ at its lowest price yet and you can get it with our exclusive promo code.
Last week in Las Vegas while at CES, I spoke with Kan Liu, Director of Product Management for Google's Chrome OS. In a wide-ranging discussion about the Chrome platform and ecosystem, Liu dropped something of a bombshell on me: the Chrome team is working—very possibly in cooperation with Valve—to bring Steam to Chromebooks.
Earlier this year, Apple announced Apple Arcade, a monthly subscription service that gives you access to a library of mobile games (including some exclusive titles) on iOS devices. Apple Arcade isn't live yet, but Google is already testing its own competing service, named Play Pass.
We're expecting a new crop of Wear OS smartwatches to start streaming out in a couple of months with a new Qualcomm smartwatch chipset, but those are bound to be pretty expensive. So if you want a feature-filled Wear OS watch and you want it now, we've got an enticing deal for you: a Huawei Watch 2 Sport for 2.99 from Daily Steals with our exclusive coupon code.
The Pixel 3 XL has been leaked more than any other major smartphone in recent memory, thanks to pre-production units being unboxed and tested in the wild. If you somehow need more evidence that the phone exists, or you just enjoy seeing these leaks as I do, someone left a pre-production unit in a Lyft.
Google has launched numerous products infused with AI technology, and it looks like health and fitness is its next target. Google is working on a health and wellbeing coach fittingly called "Google Coach." The name could change before launch, but Google already has a lot of ideas in the pipeline for how this service will work.
TCL launched the BlackBerry Key2 earlier this year as its second keyboarded phone under the Blackberry brand. This phone made several improvements over the KeyOne with a faster processor, more RAM, a dual camera, and more. However, that also meant a $100 increase in price. If that's too rich for your blood and you absolutely need a physical keyboard, then the rumored Key2 LE is what you want. It's not official, but we've got new details on this upcoming phone. Most of the specs are just a small step down from the flagship Key2, but the keyboard design looks different.
What you're seeing above is the first Palm smartphone since the Pre 3 was announced in 2011. Currently codenamed 'Pepito,' this new handset is headed for Verizon, and it's possibly the weirdest Android phone of 2018. Sporting a tiny 3.3-inch 720p LCD screen, Pepito is easily the smallest Android device in years to be sold in the USA, and probably one of the smallest in the world. The diminutive size doesn't end at the display - this phone will have a tiny 800mAh battery, we've been able to confirm. That probably doesn't make this phone much of an all-day device, and it really is a bit of a head-scratcher.
Smart lighting equipment can get pretty wild, but you'll probably want to start off with something a bit tamer if this is your first foray into the category. Daily Steals is offering AP readers an exclusive deal on a refurbished second-gen Philips Hue starter kit, bringing the price down to $92.99 from its MSRP of $119.99.
Samsung's Gear S3 Classic is about a year old now, but it's still Samsung's latest and greatest smartwatch and performs just fine even today. So if you were looking to snag one on the cheap, Daily Steals is offering Grade-A refurbished Verizon/unlocked Gear S3 Classic LTE units for just 9.99 with our exclusive code.