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More glossy Galaxy S21+ renders appear for your viewing pleasure
Why are the rear cameras the most remarkable design elements this year?
Want new renders of the Galaxy S21+? You got 'em. Some more intelligence has surfaced on what's expected to be the middle child of three in Samsung's S21 generation of phones.
Dead Zebra gets nostalgic with limited-edition Google 20th anniversary bugdroid figurines
Technically should be 2017, but it's 2018 all over again
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Dead Zebra is releasing vintage stock of a special edition bugdroid vinyl figurine celebrating Google's 20th anniversary. The figurines were originally distributed to Google employees back in 2018 — though the Google.com domain was registered in 1997 — but you can get your hands on some fresh stock while it lasts.
Ajit Pai stepping down as FCC chairman ahead of Biden inauguration
Conservative took heat for massive deregulation, fending off Trump moves
FCC chairman Ajit Pai has announced his intention to step down from his post when President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated on January 20. Pai's commissionership will be remembered for its intensive deregulation agenda and its somewhat adversarial relationship with the Trump administration.
Lenovo Smart Clock Essential review: It's a (time)keeper
If you need a clock and want a speaker, what more can you ask for?
The Lenovo Smart Clock Essential is not a massive leap in technology—it's a clock radio. A glorified clock radio. A more sensible, smart clock radio. But it's still a clock with a speaker. It tells the time and weather, and it's got Google Assistant. It's missing a few features, and the audio is about what you'd expect for $50, but I found it to be a great addition to my home. Whether or not you agree depends on what you want out of your Assistant devices, but there's a lot to like about the Smart Clock Essential.
Gift the Moto G7 Play as a first phone for the record low price of $100 ($30 off)
The basics done right and for the right price
Looking to buy a smartphone for a first-timer old or young? The Moto G7 Play is a lovely choice — easy to use, decent battery life, and cheap as it is. But since we're in Black Friday, of course, it's cheaper. Like, $30 cheaper to be exact.The phone's pretty darn livable with seemingly average specs: a 5.7" 19:9 720p display, a Snapdragon 632 processor with 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage (can take up to 512GB via microSD), a fingerprint sensor and single 13MP camera at back, an 8MP unit up front, and USB-C data and 10W charging input — that last bit punches above its weight at this price tier as most stick with 7.5W or even 5W. Plus, you can take it to AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, or any of their affiliate networks.
Google is testing a likes counter for stories in Discover feeds
Did you need to know how many people liked this story on Google Discovery?
Google continues to tinker with how it lets users tailor the stories they see on their Discover feed: first, it was a "slider" button; then came an actual binary "slider" indicating whether someone wanted to see more or less of that type of story; nowadays, it's become the ubiquitous "like" heart icon. The next natural step? Putting a number next to it.
Netflix isn't playing nicely with Google TV for some reason
Company yet to respond to requests for comment
Google TV is meant to act as a starting point for your watching experience by letting you look up titles and see where you're able to watch them including through your current streaming memberships. One of the participating services was Netflix, but it appears that the behemoth has dropped from the Android app.
Some very lucky Android TV owners can now stream YouTube in 8K
In other news, can someone lend me an 8K TV?
There are 8K Android TVs out there and a decent selection of 8K content on YouTube. But up until recently, the streaming cap on the YouTube app for Android TV was 4K. Not anymore, though.
Samsung One UI 3.0 beta ending for Note20, starting up for Galaxy S10 series
Android 11 is nigh for some
Samsung's One UI 3.0 on top of Android 11 edges closer to a stable release with news that beta testing has ended for some Galaxy Note20 devices. But with that end comes a new beginning: Galaxy S10 series devices are entering their own beta.
256GB OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro are each $200 off right now at Amazon
Take your pick, the discount ain't picky
OnePlus had a sale on the OnePlus 8 about a week and a half ago, but maybe you just want to buy them through Amazon for whatever reason. Well, you've got that phone as well as the OnePlus 8 Pro for $200 off right now.
Save up to $250 on HP 14" Chromebooks at Best Buy
An above-average $149 Chromebook and an x360 for a bargain
Chromebooks are cheap and effective computers that do well as document editors, web surfers, and media streamers. With Black Friday looming on the horizon, they're even cheaper: HP has a couple of capable 14" Full HD Chromebooks which you can get for as low as $149 from Best Buy.
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PayPal is launching support for U.S. customers to trade and hold cryptocurrency and to use it as a funding source for retail purchases. The payments processing company has expedited plans for global expansion as it looks to catch the first big wave of future digital public currencies.
YouTube finds a fun new way to ruin music videos with an infinite pool of cover versions
And you can jump into the pool, too
Music streaming services are cooking up some kitschy personalized ways to enjoy your favorite pop hits over and over again. Spotify has been infusing AI into some web experiences featuring artists like The Weeknd. Now, YouTube Music is experimenting with doing a bit of the same, this time featuring covers of Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy."
Roku Premiere 4K streaming box hits its lowest price of $25 ($15 off)
And there are more than 30 new free channels to watch on it
Cable may be overrated for a lot of people, but the same people end up asking themselves which streaming box they want to land on. Perhaps the price tag speaks the loudest for you? If so, you can grab the Roku Premiere, 4K- and HDR-capable, for its lowest price yet.The latest discount comes at the same time the company is expanding its catalog to include more than 30 new linear channels. They include:
T-Mobile now supports 988 calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
You'll still need to remember 1-800-273-8255 if you use other carriers for now
T-Mobile customers can now dial 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the carrier announced today. It's the first major telephony service to program the newly classified shortcode after President Trump signed bipartisan legislation in October.
If you chuck original videos onto YouTube to share just with your friends, brace for advertisements: the platform's terms of service for U.S. users have been revised so that videos produced outside of the YouTube Partner Program can be monetized by YouTube.
Get ready for audio ads when you're jamming out to YouTube in the background
You're not around to see those annoying video ads, anyways
If you browse YouTube to take in the visceral spectacle of music videos or just like to cruise control through randomly autoplaying tunes, you may come across more sensical commercials than in times before. Marketers are getting beta access to two new ad verticals right now which focus on audio, not video.
OxygenOS fan-suggested features now in development include FPS counter, custom lockscreens, and more
These people have some Ideas about what a OnePlus phone should do
OnePlus has announced it will adopt several suggestions for improving OxygenOS from its fans in the culmination of its Ideas 2.0 campaign, a follow-up to the first such push back in March. After more than 7,300 submissions from its forum members and three rounds of curation and voting, seven ideas have made the cut.
Google Assistant and Fi get more features for the whole family to enjoy
We're all gathering around each other a lot more often these days, so these little things may help
Google is pushing several new family-oriented features for Google Assistant users and customers of its virtual cellular carrier, Google Fi, that will enable parents to easily and more thoroughly manage their children's relationship to these potent services.
Google Pay is teasing a major redesign to users with an announcement video scheduled for release tomorrow just before 9:30 a.m. PST.