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Amazon released the Fire TV Cube earlier this year, as a 4K-capable streaming device with far-field microphones (for responding to Alexa responses) and an IR transmitter (for turning devices on/off). Exploitee.rs has now released a root method for the Fire TV Cube and the 2017 Fire TV Stick, which relies on sending commands through the HDMI port and bypassing code verification.
The redesigned Google Contacts web app has been in development since 2015, and it was recently updated to match Gmail's new look (thanks Edric and Wyatt). You've always been able to use the older version if you wanted, but that option is going away soon — Google has said the new Contacts web app will entirely replace the old version by February 2019.
Since the very first Nexus devices, Google's phones have always been great for modding. If you like custom ROMs or rooting, every Nexus and Pixel phone has been easily unlockable. It's now a bit easier to install custom system software on the Pixel 3 and 3 XL, thanks to an official release of TWRP.
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- Verizon has just shared its own Hydrogen One announcement, similarly confirming plans to sell the phone for $1,295, beginning November 2.
The Red Hydrogen One might be one of the most unique phones we've seen in a while. The world-renowned camera company is making an entry into the smartphone market, and today it announced a partnership with A&T. Starting this Friday (November 2nd), you'll be able to buy the Hydrogen One on AT&T for $43.17/month across 30 months — about $1,300.
We've reviewed a few Android-based portable projectors in the past, like Anker's Nebula Capsule and the AAXA P2-A. The Optoma UHL55 is something else entirely. It's still a projector, and it still runs Android, but it's closer to something you would find in a high-end home theater.Forget about the 720p resolutions and low brightness of other portable projectors — the UHL55 is 4K with a brightness of 1,500 lumens. It has all the features you would expect from a top-of-the-line projector, like full 3D and HDR support, multiple inputs, and Digital Light Processing (DLP). The UHL55 also has integration with Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can turn it on/off or change inputs with only your voice.While the UHL55 has fantastic image quality, the Android app support is almost pointless and the Google Assistant/Alexa integration is extremely buggy. This is a great projector to pair with an external streaming box/media player, but at that point, you might as well get a cheaper 4K projector without Android.
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Nearly a year ago, Andy Rubin took a leave of absence from Essential, after The Information alleged that he was in an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate while he led the Android team at Google. Rubin returned to Essential not long after, but now more details about his time at Google have been released by The New York Times.
Most of Nokia's recent Android devices have been very good, but the Nokia 7.1 is especially a good deal. For $349, you get a Snapdragon 636 processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB of expandable storage, and a 5.8-inch 2280 x 1080 screen with HDR support. Now the device is officially on sale in the United States from a handful of retailers.
The Nebula Mars II is Anker's latest portable projector. It's big, bright, and can run Android apps. The Mars II normally retails for $499.99, but from now until November 6th, you can get it for $369.99 on Amazon.The Nebula Mars II has a projection brightness of 300 ANSI Lumens, and a resolution of 1280 x 720. It runs Android 7.1 with the Aptotide app store (no Play Store, unfortunately), and you can easily sideload APKs. In summary, the Mars II is a great projector, but some of the apps aren't optimized for TV use. You can read our full review here.The Mars II can be purchased from Amazon at the source link below. You'll need to use coupon code BESTMARS at checkout to get the full discount.Source: Amazon
One of the few software improvements on the recently-announced OnePlus 6T is 'Nightscape,' a low-light camera mode. While it probably won't be as impressive as the Pixel 3's crazy Night Sight feature, it's also coming to the company's previous flagship.
The LG V40 is a very good phone, but it's really only worth considering if you can get it for a good deal. It normally costs $40 per month (over 18 months) to lease on Sprint, but there was a special preorder price of $20/month. Now there's an even better deal — the V40 is just $10/month on Sprint until November 1st.
Chrome 70 was released on desktop platforms and Android earlier this month. Now it's time for Chromebooks to get the update, with a few added enhancements — like a new UI geared at tablet use and support for Android app shortcuts.
Google's official Android distribution numbers give us an insight into which OS versions are still being used, and serve as a visual representation of the platform's fragmentation. The stats have just been updated again for October, and Android 9 Pie is still nowhere to be seen.
Initial support for MMS messages in Google Voice arrived in 2014, but only for photos — video and audio attachments still eluded Voice users. Thankfully, this is finally being addressed. The changelog for version 2018.43 of Voice includes "playback support for audio and video MMS attachments."
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- Verizon has announced a release date for the Palm phone — November 2:
Last year, TCL announced that new devices with Palm branding would launch in 2018, and the first phone leaked a few months ago. The tiny 3.3-inch Palm phone is now official, and it's coming to Verizon next month for a whopping $349.99.Rather than being an independent phone, it functions as a 'Connected device,' similar to a smartwatch. You have to pay an extra $10/month, and it will receive the same phone calls and SMS messages as your main phone. TCL is positioning it as a secondary device for when you need a break from your regular phone.
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), a law passed in the United States over 20 years ago, criminalizes the production of technology intended to circumvent DRM. While most people equate this with pirating movies, the law has also drastically affected the technology repair industry, as more and more manufacturers implement DRM designed to limit repair options. For example, recent Mac computers have a chip which makes certain repairs impossible without Apple-authorized software.
Anker has released a few Android-powered projectors over the past year — the Nebula Mars, Nebula Mars II, and Nebula Capsule. Even though the Capsule is only about six months old, Anker already has plans for a replacement. The Nebula Capsule II is brighter, has a higher-resolution projector, and runs the full Android TV operating system.
eBay runs site-wide sales every once in a while, usually capping out at 15% off. Today's 10% off discount isn't great by comparison, but if you were about to buy something anyway, you can save a bit of money by using coupon code PICKUPTEN at checkout.
Right now, the Pixelbook is the only Chrome OS device with Google Assistant. Google said the feature would come to other models at some point, but progress seems to be slow. More evidence appeared in August that proved Assistant was still being worked on, and now it has finally gone live in the Canary channel.
Google has continued to improve the Android Messages desktop client, most recently with an updated Material Design look. Perhaps in an effort to make it work better with Chromebooks (as part of the 'Better Together' feature), the Messages site is now a Progressive Web App, so it can be installed as a 'native' application.
If you need more storage for your phone/computer/Nintendo Switch/other device, today is your lucky day. SanDisk currently has over a dozen storage products currently on sale, including microSD cards, flash drives, external hard drives, and full-size SD cards.Some of the featured products include a 64GB microSD card for .99 ($5 off the previous price), a 500GB external SSD for .99 ($30 off), and a 64GB A2 microSD card for ($5 off). You can see all the deals from the link below, and all of them expire in less than 12 hours.Source: Amazon