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Galaxy A32 5G goes official as Samsung's latest nicely equipped budget option
It comes with a lot of cameras and a giant battery
We just saw the Galaxy A32 leaked in press renders a few days ago, but Samsung has gone ahead and made this entry-level 5G phone official just a day before it's set to announce the flagship Galaxy S21 series. It seems like a solid phone, especially for those who value 5G bragging rights.
Galaxy S21 series leaks yet again in official marketing imagery
The unveiling is in two days, but the leaks are still streaming in
With all of the rumors and leaks we've heard about the Galaxy S21 family, there's little left to the imagination at this point. That said, if you wanted to see what Samsung thinks are the most highlight-worthy features of its new flagships, you're in luck; Roland Quandt of WinFuture has posted a few of Samsung's marketing images for your perusal.
Google adds Play promo code support for France
Argentina and Romania have been taken off the list for some reason
It's not something those of us in the US consider often, but promo codes for free apps can't be issued by developers globally. Instead, Google maintains a list of countries that are eligible. Today's update is the first we've posted about in over two years; it adds five countries, but takes two away.
Samsung's Galaxy Upcycling at Home initiative aims to turn old phones into useful smart home devices
Using a phone as a noise detection monitor for your baby, for instance
Most of us probably have an old phone or two lying around in a drawer somewhere that could be put to better use. At CES 2021, Samsung announced an extension of its Upcycling sustainability program, called Galaxy Upcycling at Home, that will allow older Galaxy phones to be repurposed as useful tools for your home.
Aukey's 10,000mAh power bank with 10W wireless charging and 18W USB-C PD is $24 ($10 off) on Amazon
So many ways to charge with this battery
It's not often that we see power banks that can charge devices with so many methods, but this .79 Aukey 10,000mAh battery, regularly priced at $33.99, has USB, USB Type-C, and wireless charging capabilities. Now this is a handy battery to have hanging around.Not only does this battery have all of these ports, but they also all support fast charging. The USB-A port has Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 on board, the USB-C port offers 18W Power Delivery, and the wireless charging can output at up to 10W. All this is contained in a pretty attractive-looking case. It is worth noting that the maximum combined power output is 18W.
Mpow true wireless earbuds with USB-C and noise cancelling are just $19 ($8 off) on Amazon
Incredible value for money for a well-reviewed set of buds
If you'd told me in 2015, when true wireless earbuds began hitting the market, that we'd one day be able to buy a decent pair for less than $20, I definitely wouldn't have believed you. Here we are in 2021, though, and Amazon is currently offering the Mpow MBits S for just .43 (a little under $8 off) with free Prime shipping.You're probably thinking that you're probably not getting a great product for $20, but I wouldn't be so sure. Mpow is a relatively well-known brand in the space, and the Amazon reviews at 4.6/5 are very positive. These buds have touch controls, noise cancellation, a USB Type-C port for charging, IPX8 water resistance, and a reported 35 hours of battery life (six hours without the charging case).
OnePlus Nord N10 5G and N100 come with pre-order goodies from B&H and OnePlus
There's up to $50 in value to be had here
OnePlus announced Nord N10 5G and N100 US availability a few days ago, and it turns out there are some pre-order bonuses being offered as well. Depending on which phone you buy and where you order from, you could end up with a $30-$50 gift card or a pair of wireless OnePlus earphones.
Galaxy A32 renders show what Samsung's cheapest 5G phone will look like
The rear camera setup might mess with your trypophobic tendencies
5G isn't just for Samsung's pricey flagship phones; the company has been trickling the tech down to its A-series phones as well. The Galaxy A32 will be the latest in the lineup to get 5G, and it'll also be the cheapest. WinFuture has published a collection of press renders showing the A32 in all its glory, and it looks decent for the most part.
You know that short, satisfying sound that you hear when you successfully connect to a Google Smart Display or speaker? Well, Google's about to ruin it. 9to5Google has discovered that the latest Nest Hub preview firmware has a much gentler sound, and it's all sorts of wrong and confusing.
Sony has taken the wraps off two new premium wireless home speakers: the RA5000 and the RA3000. The RA5000 is the one you see above, and it's kind of hard to deny its resemblance to an electric razor. Artem argues it looks like a set of atabaque drums.
Google's 'Kaleidoscope' streaming service hub project for Chrome is dead
Because Chrome didn't need any more bloat
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- Our resident Chrome expert, Kent, has discovered that Google killed the Kaleidoscope project a few days ago; the code's been removed, and it's been axed from NTP modules as well. The original article was published before Google TV was announced, but both had very similar concepts — perhaps that's why Kaleidoscope was cancelled.
If the Chrome browser just wasn't eating enough of your RAM, Google is working on adding even more stuff to it with something it's called Kaleidoscope. We don't have many details at this time, but it seems to be a hub for streaming video services.
Here's some good news for our multi-lingual readers: Google Maps is finally allowing a separate language from the system language to be set in the Android app. This is an option that probably should have been implemented a long time ago, but at least it's here now.
Sony's new 4K and 8K Bravia XR TVs come with Google TV built-in
They also have Sony's new AI-powered Cognitive Processor XR chip
Google TV is the latest iteration of Google's smart TV software, having made its debut on the latest Chromecast a few months back. Sony's new Bravia XR TVs are among the first to arrive with Google TV built-in, and they have some other noteworthy features as well.
Facebook Pages to soon lose their like buttons, focus more on followers
They'll also be getting a new layout, their own News Feed, and a Q&A section to interact with fans
One of Facebook's most notable design cues is the like button, but the company will soon be doing away with it for Facebook Pages. Starting today with an unspecified amount of pages, there will be a new design, a dedicated News Feed, a Q&A format, and more that Page managers will be able to utilize.
Latest OxygenOS update for OnePlus 8T aims to fix problematic previous release
Otherwise, the changelog is pretty much the same as 11.0.6.7's
If you're a OnePlus 8T owner, you're no doubt familiar with the dumpster fire that was the OxygenOS 11.0.6.7 update released last week. Today's update, which carries version number 11.0.6.8 for India and North American markets and 11.0.6.9 for European markets aims to fix the bugs introduced by that update.
Venmo, the payment service owned by PayPal that people like using way more than PayPal, has just announced the ability to cash checks through the Venmo app. The feature, aptly named "Cash a Check," arrives just in time for the latest round of stimulus checks, though there are fees associated for non-government checks.
85" Hisense 4K LED HDR Android TV is just $1,000 ($700 off) at Best Buy today
That's a lot of screen real estate for the money
The bang for the buck that TVs offer these days never ceases to amaze me. For today only, Best Buy is offering an 85" Hisense 4K LED TV with HDR and Android TV on board for just 9.99, a savings of a whopping $700 off MSRP.
Star coming to Disney+ February 23 in select regions
The U.S. will not be receiving this new brand, as it already has Hulu
Following its announcement around a month ago, Disney+ is now informing subscribers in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada that its new Star brand will be launching late next month. Star will be the sixth tile in the Disney+ app in those regions.
Google's lightweight Gallery Go hits 50 million Play Store installs
A great alternative to the bloated Photos app
With Google Photos getting as feature-laden as it is, it only makes sense that people would turn to a less storage-intensive alternative. Google introduced Gallery Go for its less powerful Android Go phones about a year and a half ago, and it's already reached 50 million Play Store installations in that time.
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- Though we haven't heard any complaints ourselves, we did notice that BrandsMart USA has a pretty poor rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB)'s site. These seem to be largely due to poor after-sales support for appliances like refrigerators, so we don't anticipate any problems with buying this pair of Nest Audios, but it's something to keep in mind.
Now that the giant Home Max smart speaker has been discontinued, Google suggests those interested should instead pick up a pair of its new Nest Audio speakers. If you were looking for a deal on those Nest Audios, you're in luck; BrandsMart USA is currently offering a two-pack for $150, representing a savings of $48 off MSRP.