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The OnePlus 8T was only released this month, but it has already received a few updates with new features and bug fixes in tow. The OxygenOS 11.0.1.2 upgrade added a new Always-on Display option and fixed several bugs, and now v11.0.2.3 is here with even more fixes.
Lenovo was the first company to release a smart display powered by Google Assistant, even before Google itself came out with the Home Hub (later renamed to the Nest Hub). Lenovo followed it up with a new 7-inch model in 2019, which you can now buy for $40 off the original price.
Only a year ago, you had to pay well over $1,000 to try out the underwhelming future of 5G, but that has rapidly changed in recent months. Phones like the OnePlus Nord, Galaxy A71, and Pixel 4a 5G have made 5G far more accessible, and now LG is taking it a step further with its new K92 phone.
Grab a Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ for as little as $750 ($100-200 off)
Complete with a Snapdragon 865+ and high-quality AMOLED
Samsung is the only company left producing high-end Android tablets, most recently with the Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+. The latter model had a starting price of $849.99 when it was first released, but now you can get one for $100-200 off, depending on which configuration you go with.The Tab S7+ comes with a Snapdragon 865+ SoC, 6-8GB RAM, 128-512GB of internal storage (with microSD support), a 12.2-inch 2800 x 1752 120Hz AMOLED screen, a 10,090mAh battery, and Android 10 with One UI 2.5. There are two cameras on the back (13MP and 5MP ultra-wide), plus an 8MP shooter on the front.
Microsoft's first Android phone is the Surface Duo, a dual-screen device released last month. It was an extremely tough sell for anyone but the most die-hard Surface fans, but now it has dropped to a slightly-better price of $1,199.99, a $200 discount from the original MSRP.
The Moto G7 Power was one of Motorola's many budget phones released last year, with its main selling point being a large 5,000mAh battery. The phone has slowly dropped in price since then, and now it's available for just $126.99 on Amazon. For comparison, the G7 Power has gone for around $170-$185 lately, with a drop to $132 during Prime Day.This model has a 6.2-inch 1520 x 720 screen, a Snapdragon 632 SoC, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage (microSD cards are supported), a 12MP rear camera, an 8MP front camera, and a 5,000mAh battery with 15W charging. The Moto G7 Power originally shipped with Android 9 Pie, but it started receiving an update to Android 10 earlier this year. It will likely never get Android 11 (at least officially).
LG officially revealed its weird swivel-screened phone last month, dubbed the LG Wing. It's one of the more interesting takes on a dual-screen device we've seen yet, though the $999 price is a lot to pay for an unproven form factor. Thankfully, with AT&T selling the phone, there's a chance you could pay a bit less money.
Get the 14" HP Chromebook x360 for just $449 ($180 off)
It has a 1080p screen, a Core i3 CPU, and OS updates until 2028
HP produces a lot of different Chromebooks, most of which have long and confusing model names. This time around, the company is discounting one of its higher-end 14-inch 2-in-1 models to just $449.00, a savings of $180 over the original price.
Amazon Fire tablets will soon have a dashboard for smart home devices
The controls are accessible from a new navigation bar icon
Amazon Fire tablets already have deep integration with smart home products, since the Alexa digital assistant comes standard on every model. However, the tablets will soon have even easier ways of controlling smart home devices, thanks to a new button on the navigation bar.
Fxtec's new Pro1-X keyboard slider is the first phone to ship with LineageOS
It's a refreshed version of the Pro1
TCL's short-lived reboot of the BlackBerry brand proved that there's still a market for phones with physical keyboards. The Fxtec Pro1 was released last year as an all-encompassing productivity station, with a sliding horizontal keyboard and multiple operating systems to choose from. Fxtec is now unveiling an upgraded model, which has the distinction of being the first phone to ship with LineageOS.
Facebook also wants to give cloud gaming a try
Not content with ruining VR gaming, Facebook is moving onto the cloud
Facebook has been invested in games for a long time (Farmville, anyone?), and even though the company's latest Oculus headset garnered heavy criticism for its Facebook login requirement, it's still pushing forward with new initiatives. Cloud gaming is apparently the next frontier for the company contributing to election interference, though Facebook is taking a different approach than its rivals.
Tapatalk has been pulled from the Google Play Store
The developers say they are working to "find out what the problem is"
Tapatalk was an incredibly popular Android app in years past, as it provided an easy way to access thousands of web forums through a single application, in an era when many websites had limited mobile layouts. The app still maintains a loyal (albeit smaller) following to this day, though the Android version has now been removed by the Google Play Store.
Sony's DualSense controller for the PlayStation 5 works with Android
But there are probably better controllers for your phone
Sony is starting to send out PlayStation 5 consoles (and the accompanying controllers) to reviewers and influencers, including tech YouTuber Austin Evans. Evans published an initial video about the console's 'DualSense' controller yesterday, which revealed an interesting detail for you smartphone gamers out there — the PS5 controller appears to work with Android.
Spotify now has an option to sign up with Google, but you shouldn't use it
The functionality isn't fully baked yet
Spotify has offered deep integration with Facebook for years, including an option to log in with a Facebook account. The service added an Apple ID login option recently (to comply with new iOS policies), and now Spotify is rolling out an option to create an account through Google.
Opera Mini is one of the few applications on Android that predate the existence of Android itself. The web browser got its start on Java ME-compatible basic phones, and was later ported to BlackBerry, Symbian, Windows Phone, and eventually iOS and Android. Now the app has passed a major milestone on Google's smartphone platform: 500 million installations.
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Samsung released the Galaxy Watch in 2018, a sequel to the earlier Gear S3, for everyone who wanted a smartwatch resembling a traditional timepiece. It was followed up by the sporty Watch Active and Watch Active2, but some fans were left disappointing by the more modern design. At long last, the Galaxy Watch3 is here — no, you didn't miss anything, Samsung skipped #2.The Galaxy Watch3 is the best smartwatch Samsung has made yet, and as a result, it's probably the best smartwatch you can pair with an Android phone. However, the $400 starting price is laughable, considering the smallest Watch Active2 costs 0 right now, and many of the unique health features don't work in the United States.
OnePlus 8T now available for purchase from T-Mobile and OnePlus
The phone costs $749.99, no matter where you buy it from
The OnePlus 8T is the latest "flagship killer" from OnePlus, and unlike previous 'T' models, there's no Pro version. The phone was announced last week, and now you can buy it from T-Mobile and OnePlus' own online store.
Technology is supposed to become cheaper as it improves, but prices for high-end smartphones have done nothing but rise over the past few years. However, 2020 represents something of a change in attitude, as several companies have opted to revamp their pricing. There have always been options for cheaper smartphones, but now both Samsung and Google have released flagship-tier options for lower-than-normal prices.
Google releases Chrome and Chrome OS updates to fix zero-day security exploit
Make sure your devices are up to date
Browsers are complicated pieces of software, and each release of Chrome includes fixes to address security flaws discovered both inside and outside of Google. However, there are sometimes security flaws that are frequently exploited before fixes can be widely rolled out, which has just happened with Chrome and Chrome OS.
Quibi reminds you it's not dead with new Android TV app
The service also debuts on Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV
Quibi launched earlier this year as the streaming service intended for bite-sized entertainment while you're out and about with your phone, but now that many of us are at home far more often, that selling point hasn't helped the company much. The mobile apps already supported AirPlay and Chromecast support, but now Quibi has dedicated apps for several TV platforms.Even though Quibi seemingly hasn't announced them yet on its website or social media channels, the service has just released native applications for Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Android TV. The Android TV version uses the same listing as the existing phone/tablet app. The app functions just as you would expect — once you log in with a valid account, you can watch whatever you want on the big(ger) screen.