David Oh
Contributing since September, 2019
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137articles
About David Oh
David is a tech enthusiast who likes to tinker around with his phones and computers. Besides tech, he enjoys working on his car, driving on mountain roads, going to the beach, flying his drone, writing reviews, and gaming.
Latest Articles
Huawei releases the MatePad Pro in China to tackle the iPad (Update: 5G version and availability)
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Despite the continual shrinkage of the Android tablet market, Huawei continues to take the tablet-making business seriously. After getting a glimpse of the Huawei MatePad Pro a couple of weeks ago, the device has now been officially unveiled. The company looks to be positioning it as a rival to the iPad Pro in China, and that's the only place it's launching right now.
Microsoft's Your Phone gains voice call support in latest Insider build (Update: Public availability)
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It's been about a week since the last release and another new build of Windows 10 Insider has surfaced, bringing along more goodies for Android and Windows PC users. The newest build — version 18999 — updates the Your Phone desktop app with a new "Calls" feature that allows Android users to make and receive phone calls right from the PC.
Xbox Console Streaming lets you play any Xbox One game on your Android device (Update: Global expansion)
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- Xbox's console streaming preview is going global starting today. That means all users that sign up to be an Xbox Insider (see the steps above) will be able to stream their downloaded games directly from their Xbox One to their Android smartphone or tablet. In addition to this expansion, Microsoft teased that all testers will soon be treated to an Xbox Console Streaming Preview software update, though the tech giant didn't elaborate on what the new version will offer.
If you're an Xbox Insider in the Alpha and Alpha Skip-Ahead rings in the US and UK, you can now start testing out Microsoft's Xbox Console Streaming service, which streams any Xbox One game to an Android device. The prerequisites for the service are a bit restrictive, but going through the steps will let you put in some Gear 5 gameplay during your work or school commute.
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- Samsung has clarified that it has not, in fact, sold 1 million Galaxy Folds, in a statement given to Korea's Yonhap News Agency. Samsung declined to comment on the actual number of units sold, only to say it was not over a million.
Original article below:
Get two Amazon Echo Flex smart speakers for just $35 ($5 off) at Amazon for a limited time
Amazon's tiny Echo Flex smart speakers are great because they can fit into areas where even the compact Echo Dot can't. That's because the Echo Flex simply plugs into any open wall outlets without blocking the other. After dropping the price from $25 to $20, Amazon is further sweetening the deal by selling two Echo Flex speakers for just $35 ($5 off) with a limited-use coupon.Although we haven't had a chance to review the Echo Flex yet, it's been getting rave reviews on the internet for its compact size, flexible mounting solution, full Alexa integration, and useful accessories like a night light and motion sensor. It can even pull double-duty and charge your smartphone with its USB port.
Android 10 beta Galaxy S9 and Note9 iris scanners now support Google's new Biometric API
Samsung may have removed the iris scanner from its recent flagship devices like the Galaxy S10 and Note10, but it hasn't forgotten about it on earlier hardware. According to some Galaxy S9 and Note9 users in the Android 10 One UI 2.0 beta program, the company has updated the iris scanner in those phones to be compatible with Google's new Biometric API, a one-stop-shop for in-app user authentication.
Jump start your kid's love for coding and have some fun too with the Sphero BOLT for $105 ($45 off)
If you have an inquisitive and curious-minded kid who spends more time indoors than out, then gifting a fun yet educational robotic toy like the Sphero BOLT will be a good way to get his or her brain juices flowing. Being a STEM toy, it's designed to prepare kids for a successful career later in life by developing their science, technology, engineering, and math skills. This smart toy usually sells for $150 but Amazon has it for $105 ($45 off) right now.When we reviewed the Sphero BOLT last year, we liked it for its neat and durable design, useful sensors, easy-to-use Sphero Edu mobile app, and good battery life. In addition to teaching users about coding with a variety of scripting tools, the BOLT can also be driven around like an RC car using the Sphero Play mobile app.
One UI 2.0 Android 10 beta rolling out for Galaxy S9, S9+, and Note 9 (Update: Now in the US)
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It looks like Samsung is firing on all cylinders when it comes to updating its recent devices to Android 10. After pumping out seven Android 10 One UI 2.0 beta updates for the Galaxy S10 series within a time span of six weeks, Samsung has now rolled out Android 10 beta for the Galaxy S9, S9+, and Note 9 users in South Korea and India. Besides getting Android 10, Samsung's older flagships also received an early Christmas present from the company: Night mode photography that works on more than just the primary camera.
Wearable fans have something to be happy about today. After getting a glimpse of the new Moto 360 back in October, the smartwatches are now open for preorder and set to start shipping early next year. For better or worse, though, the watch isn't being produced by Motorola this time around. Instead, it's made by a company called eBuyNow who has licensed the Moto 360 branding.
Fossil Sport Gen 4 smartwatches don't showcase Wear OS at its best; that distinction belongs to the Fossil Sport Gen 5 now. That doesn't mean, however, that the Gen 4 watches are bad as they still have a lot going for it: always-on heart rate monitoring, Google Pay compatibility, and sleek design. If that speaks to you, now's a great time to pick one up — with a $25.25 savings coupon, Fossil Sport Gen 4 watches are going for as low as $123.75 on Amazon.
Get Sony's extra-tall Xperia 1 with a crispy 4K HDR display for $748, its lowest price ever
Sony phones may not be as popular as ones from Samsung, but the company still has an enthusiastic and loyal group of fans out there. The Sony Xperia 1 isn't just for Sony fans, though — if you see the utility in a tall and slim phone with a 4K HDR display that offers a more immersive gaming and multimedia experience, then the Xperia 1 might be a good fit for you. When it used to sell for $1,000, it didn't feel right. But at $748 on Amazon — its lowest price ever — the Xperia 1 becomes an option worth considering.When we reviewed the Xperia 1, we liked it for its snappy performance from the Snapdragon 855, 6GB of RAM, and a clean build of Android. Its 6.5" 21:9 4K OLED screen is vibrant and crisp, making it good for media consumption; the extra real estate also makes reading through text-heavy web pages faster and easier.
Even after a major rebranding last year that made most Android devices compatible with Google Fi, users have to choose either a Google phone or a specially adapted one from the likes of Motorola to get the full Fi experience. That's because "designed for Fi" phones have unique modem and firmware tailored for the company's MVNO network to enable special features like automatic networking switching. Today's announcement from the Google Fi team, however, should make non-Google phone owners feel less left out, as the company is rolling out some hitherto Fi-only features to more Android devices, such as spam call warnings, Wi-Fi calling, and VPN protection.
Acer Chromebook 715 review: A big and fast premium laptop marred by an underwhelming display
Google introduced the idea of a premium Chromebook (and a matching premium price tag) with the original Chromebook Pixel. Other companies have followed suit with devices like the Yoga C630 from Lenovo and some HP X360. In this competitive landscape, Acer has a compelling solution of its own: the Acer Chromebook 715. Acer's new high-end Chromebook sports an all-metal construction with MIL-STD 810G compliance, optional quad-core Intel Core i5 processor with up to 16GB of RAM, a full-size keyboard with a number pad, and an optional fingerprint reader. Currently, there is no other large Chromebook on the market that has those last two features.
State-by-state Android popularity map suggests where you live may affect your phone choice
Every Android fan knows Samsung phones are extremely popular, but just which models are leading the pack? A new report sheds some light on the situation, not just helping to confirm that Galaxy models are the most used in each US state, but also revealing some interesting trends about the devices preferred in different regions.
Although Black Friday and Cyber Monday are behind us now, there are still some great deals to be found for quality smartphones. Amazon is currently selling the unlocked Galaxy Note9 in Midnight Black with 128GB of storage for just $649, which is $151 off its usual price. There's also a 512GB model going for $839, down from its usual $1,050. Both deals are set to expire at the end of the day today.If you've read our Galaxy Note9 review, then you know all about how great it is: gorgeous display, fast performance, great cameras, useful and advanced S Pen functionality, and true all-day battery life. Our editor-in-chief David Ruddock called it the "Swiss Army knife of smartphones," calling it the very best from Samsung when it came out.
Samsung's 'Theme Park' Good Lock module lets you create custom themes on One UI devices (APK download)
When Samsung's Good Lock customization app made its debut a few years ago, it was limited to configuring the lock screen, recents menu, and notifications. Over the years, those options have expanded to include customization of the status bar, AOD and lock screen clocks, and even edge lighting colors. For system-wide theming, users could download pre-made themes from Samsung's store, and now they're finally getting a way to quickly and easily create custom themes of their own with the introduction of the new Theme Park Good Lock module.
Sonos One, One SL, and Play:5 speakers all on sale (up to $100 off) at Best Buy and Amazon
Sonos speakers are some of the best performing and simple to set up smart speakers on the market, but they're quite expensive, especially if you want to buy multiple units for a multi-room music system for your home. Thanks to sales going on at Best Buy and Amazon, three popular Sonos speakers are on sale right now: Sonos One (Gen2), Sonos One SL, and Sonos Play:5. The markdown ranges from $50 off for the Sonos One and Sonos One SL, and $100 off for the Sonos Play:5.
It wasn't that long ago (about 10 years) that a 4K TV larger than 50" would command a price tag of $5,000 or more. Thanks to the march of progress in technology and fierce competition in the sector, the prices of large 4K TVs have fallen precipitously. TCL, well-known for its value-focused line of TVs, has a 75" 4K smart TV for sale right now for only $600 at Best Buy, its lowest price ever and a hefty $300 in savings.
Grab the budget-friendly 14" Asus Chromebook C423 for as little as $179 ($90 off), today only
If you're looking for a cheap large-screen Chromebook with a target price below $200, then consider the Asus Chromebook C423. Although it's not a powerhouse by any means, it's a decent performer for lightweight tasks — perfect for a child or as a secondary laptop to get familiar (or experiment) with Chrome OS. It usually sells for $270, but it's $179 on Amazon today only, which is 34% off.The Asus Chromebook C423 comes equipped with a 14" 1366 x 768 screen, a dual-core Intel Celeron N3350 CPU, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of eMMC storage (expandable with microSD card), and a 180-degree folding hinge. Thanks to its large size, a full-size keyboard with 1.4mm of key travel is present. There are two USB-C and USB-A ports, and battery life is rated for 10 hours, normal for a Chromebook. Despite being a 14" laptop, it's pretty lightweight at 2.7 lbs.
Chromebooks aren't perfect for everything, but they can be awesome for many things, especially when it comes to web browsing and media consumption. The Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 is a competent little machine, with a slim form factor, solid construction, and decent specs. It usually sells for $500, but it's currently on sale for $329 (34% off).This particular model — XE520QAB-K01US — comes with a dual-core Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of memory, 32GB of eMMc storage (expandable with a microSD card), and a 12.2" touchscreen with a 1920 x 1200 resolution. There's also a built-in stylus, two cameras, support for Google apps, and a 360-degree rotating hinge. It is quite portable with dimensions of 11.35" (L) x 8.20" (W) x 0.67" (H), and a weight of just 2.98 lbs.