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Samsung introduced its revamped One UI interface in November. The company claims the new design is more intuitive and requires less finger movement on large screens. In addition, it brings a dark mode for stock apps and system elements, which looks sleek and saves battery on OLED displays.
About a year ago, Spotify started testing a new full-screen album art layout for specific songs and playlists and more recently enhanced this feature to display repeating video snippets called "canvases" for certain tracks. Although the company claims these are designed to limit battery and data usage, they create an inconsistent experience when they're amongst other songs that don't have these animated images, especially because I'd rather see the actual album cover instead of an animation uploaded by the artist. However, it appears the streaming giant wants to let users choose if they want to disable these and show the regular CD cover instead.
Samsung's latest Galaxy S10 series went from pre-order to regular-order today, eliminating the wait associated with picking one up. Sadly, you'll also lose out on pre-order Galaxy Buds freebie. Several existing offers through US carriers have persisted, though, and we've checked the details on the different promotions currently available and compiled them here.
Several rumors are suggesting Motorola is considering releasing a foldable device soon, including a hint from the company's VP of Global Product, Dan Dery. After all, it's only fair to expect Lenovo's subsidiary to try to rival Samsung and Huawei in this promising market. According to the grapevine, the manufacturer is looking at reviving the iconic RAZR brand with a flip phone that features an internal bendable display and a smaller outer screen. Details on how the latter will interact with Android have leaked, and the least we can say is that it looks quite limited.
Following recent confidentiality scandals, the social media giant just announced plans for a new "privacy-focused platform." In parallel, it also appears to be working on a new all-white user interface for Android. Although the two don't seem to be related, it's quite intriguing the company is designing a colorless app amid privacy-related concerns.
[Update: Deal available again] Grab a 2-pack Aukey smart socket or a dual outlet smart plug for ~$20
Earlier this week we were telling you how you could save money on new smart plugs thanks to Amazon's markdown. Although this was an interesting deal, many Assistant users felt let down as they were only compatible with Alexa. Well, we've got some comforting news for you: With these promotional codes, you can grab a pair of Aukey WiFi Smart Plugs for just $20 or a dual outlet plug for $19, respectively $8 and $6 off their original prices.To enjoy the rebate, add the items to your Amazon cart and enter these coupons when checking out:
When Android was first released, it relied on physical buttons for navigation. Later releases moved these to the bottom of the screen, but their function mostly remained the same. With Pie, Google introduced a new gesture-based navigation, which still relies on a back key. While Android Q is rumored to finally get rid of it, Samsung preferred to do things its own way by offering to swipe up from the bottom of the panel instead of using unnecessary real estate.
If you're searching for a high-quality portable Bluetooth speaker, look no more. The positively reviewed Bose SoundLink Revolve has hit an all-time low on Amazon as it's currently selling for $159, $40 down from its original MSRP. Although the device was released in April 2017, it's still competitive today and offers great features such as 360º sound, IPX4 water resistance, 12-hour battery life, and stereo pairing with another speaker. We've appreciated the sound quality of Bose headsets and earbuds in our reviews, and buyers have similarly praised this model.
Setting up a new device can sometimes be time consuming, as you need to unwrap it, plug it in, and go through the installation process before you can finally use it. To smoothen these steps, Amazon has created its "Frustration-Free Setup" program with "Wi-Fi simple setup", so you won't have to spend time authenticating when launching a new Alexa-enabled device for the first time.The concept is simple: When purchasing a new compatible Echo or Fire from Amazon, the retailer automatically links it to your account. If your password was previously saved on the cloud, for example when setting up an Echo speaker, your new product won't ask for your Wi-Fi password and will instead connect to your router automatically. As you might have guessed, Wi-Fi single setup requires you to have already saved your credentials using another device, and will therefore only work when installing a new one. In case you bought your new device from a third-party retailer, the feature would still work, but you'd need to link it to your Amazon account using the Alexa app first. Lastly, the functionality requires both the new and existing devices to be on the same Wi-Fi network during installation."Wi-Fi simple setup" is not new, as it was already available on the company's smart plug, microwave, and second-generation Echos, and is now expanding to the Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick Basic Edition, Fire TV Stick 4K, and Fire TV Cube. Unfortunately, it doesn't work with older products, such as first-generation Echos, Echo Dots, Fire TVs, and Fire TV Sticks. Finally, should you prefer to keep your password private, you can chose to opt-out at any time.Source: AmazonVia: AFTVNews
A few years ago, Android introduced an innovation that let users unlock their phone using a pattern instead of a mere password or PIN. Nowadays, there's a myriad of ways to wake up your device, whether it's using a fingerprint scanner, face recognition, or even palm authentication.
Not even two weeks after announcing the Galaxy Fold, Samsung is reportedly working on two more smartphones with flexible screens. These aren't improved versions of the Galaxy Fold, but rather different designs the manufacturer wants to experiment with the market. The first one should be a giant clamshell-like device, while the second one would look similar to the Huawei Mate X and feature a single, outward-folding screen.
We had the chance to see foldable phones at MWC, and although they looked promising, they didn't seem quite ready yet. One of the reasons for this was the absence of glass to cover their flexible panels, which were instead housed in plastic polymers. Not only does this material feel cheaper, it's also a lot less durable and much more prone to scratches. Foldable devices may be different in a couple of years, though, as Corning, the maker of Gorilla Glass, is currently working on bendable glass to protect flexible screens.
Connected devices are a great way of making your life easier, automating tasks, and saving energy. They usually come at a premium, though, and building an intelligent home infrastructure usually costs more than what it'll save you on the short term. However, these coupons on Kogeek's plugs and lights give you the opportunity to smarten your home at a discount. Plus, in addition to working with Alexa and Assistant, they also support Apple's HomeKit, which is an advantage for those of you using Siri-enabled products.Smart plug — $20.45 ($10 off with coupon HZBXAYMY)
When Google unveiled the Home Max back in 2017, I was thrilled about its high-quality audio, 4.5" woofers, and Smart Sound features. However, its $400 price tag made me rethink my decision, and I ended up buying a premium cast-enabled Sony speaker together with a Home Mini for less than $300. Since then, the Home Max has been marked down to $350, which still didn't make it affordable — at least to my eyes. If you live in Great Britain, though, you can get the device for half its original price thanks to a rebate on the Google Store, which is one the best deals we've seen so far on a Home Max — together with another one that brought it down to $262 .
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The Home app was initially a reminiscence of the Chromecast software and became almost useless the minute you were done setting up your device. An update back in October made it much smarter, giving it the ability to actually control connected objects such as lights and plugs. This was a significant improvement, as it turned the application into a smart home control center, instead of a mere setup wizard.
With its display covering almost the entire front surface, the Galaxy S10's design aims at being simple and clutter-free. Samsung's software, on the other hand, isn't necessarily popular for being sleek, as it noticeably changes Android's classic look and feel. The company has further customized its interface with the recent release of One UI, which looks nice, albeit different from the OS' standard appearance. Galaxy devices also come with extra apps, which are often useless and end up taking additional space. The latest flagships will be no exception as they'll come preloaded with McAfee's anti-malware bloatware.
About a month ago we reported Google was working on a dark theme for Chrome, in preparation for a wider night mode throughout Android Q. Although this was a very anticipated feature, we expected it would only darken the menus and navigation bar but still render web pages in their original colors. This was before our colleagues over at 9to5Google discovered the browser is actually able to alter a site's design and display it in a darker skin.
We've been looking at crazy high-end phones at MWC the past few days, but it's often the simpler accessories that keep our phones functional and pleasant to use day-in and day-out. And right now Amazon's got a number of Anker power, audio, and data products on sale to help out with just that.For most of them, you will need to use a coupon code when checking out, so make sure to order quickly before they expire.
With the 7.1, Nokia took a successful stab at designing an affordable middle range device that offers a good compromise between premium features and a fair price tag. When the phone came out in October, it was selling for $350 and shipped with Oreo, before receiving its Pie update a month later. Its price has now dropped $50, making it one of the most interesting devices in its category.Despite some acceptable drawbacks such as an oversized chin and slightly sluggish performance, the handset has little to envy from its competitors. It's nicely designed and well finished, it takes good pictures, has a decent screen, and comes with clean bloat-free Android One software. It's one of the most relevant phones you can find for $299 as it probably offers the best balance between good specs and a reasonable price, which is why buyers have praised it in their reviews.If you're still hesitating and want to know more about the Nokia 7.1 before you grab this deal, read our full review.Buy: Amazon, B&H, Best Buy
At the beginning of the month, we reported Energizer was planning on announcing a myriad of phones at MWC. The rumors had it some would feature a pop-up camera, and one could even sport a jaw-dropping 18,000mAh battery. Given the brand's expertise in power storage, it was only fair to expect the handsets to receive respectable battery sizes, but we were far from thinking it would present something as enormous as an actual brick.