Richard Gao
Contributing since August, 2016
-
1932articles
Page 44
About Richard Gao
Richard loves technology, namely Android flagships, as well as depreciated German cars that can be picked up for next to nothing on Craigslist. In other words, he enjoys throwing money away. Send him some electronic mail at richard@androidpolice.com.
Latest Articles
Essential is in trouble. The PH-1 didn't do too well for a number of reasons, though it was significantly improved upon with consistent and quick updates. Even in its current situation, the company is continuing to provide excellent update support, having just pushed several fixes for its Android P Developer Preview.
The Galaxy S9 and S9+ debuted with the DeX Pad, a revised version of last year's DeX Station with a different form factor. If its $99.99 MSRP was a little too dear for you, perhaps the discount that Amazon is currently offering will help change your mind.The DeX Pad's different design allows your phone to be used as a keyboard or a trackpad. A fan underneath keeps things cool, and there are two USB ports, a USB Type-C port for power, and an HDMI output. A Fast Charge wall charger, a USB Type-C cable, and an HDMI cable are included in the box. The DeX Pad was initially only compatible with the Galaxy S9 and S9+, though the Amazon title now mentions the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, and Galaxy Note8 as well.If you work away from home a lot and don't want to lug a laptop everywhere, the DeX Pad might be worth your consideration. Hit the source link below to pick one up.Source: Amazon
Nokia under HMD Global has been on a roll, and the momentum doesn't seem like it's going to stop anytime soon. The company announced the Nokia X6 less than two weeks ago, but has scheduled an event for May 29th where Chief Product Officer Juho Sarvikas says that there's "some new stuff to share."
[Deal Alert] Nest Thermostat E down to $149 ($20 off) with free Home Mini at Google Store
Smart thermostats are an easy way to make your house look ten years newer - not to mention the vastly superior control you get over your air conditioning and heating, of course. If you don't yet have one of your own, the Google Store is offering the Nest Thermostat E for $20 off and throwing in a free Home Mini.
Vevo realizes YouTube music videos are its forte, plans to shut down mobile apps and consumer site
You probably know Vevo from its name being plastered all over music videos on YouTube, and as luck would have it, that's how most people know it. Chances are that you didn't know it had mobile apps and a consumer site, either. For that reason, Vevo is shutting the apps and consumer site down and refocusing on its bread and butter: YouTube.
LG's mobile team has been making some... questionable decisions lately. It all began to go downhill when the V30S ThinQ debuted as nothing but a V30 with more RAM and some AI camera features. The company then threw the ThinQ branding on the V30 (and even the Canadian G6, though that seems to have been reversed). Now, because one minor revision of the V30 wasn't enough, the upcoming LG V35 (which will presumably carry ThinQ branding) has shown up on the Wireless Power Consortium's site.
The popularity of smart speakers may be increasing day by day, but there are still some people who believe the speakers are secretly recording and uploading every word that comes out of our mouths. You might have heard about a story involving Alexa on an Amazon Echo sending a private conversation to a random person on a contact list today, spooking more than a few people. Amazon has come out with a statement to Engadget explaining why this occurred.
When it comes to hauling around additional juice for our phones, most people simply use external battery packs, but some people swear by battery cases. If you're part of the latter group, Verizon is offering some pretty sizable discounts on Mophie Juice Pack cases for a variety of phones, bringing prices down to as low as $25.99.
Verizon's $13/month Total Mobile Protection is a nice way to ensure that you're not out several hundreds of dollars if you break or lose your phone. However, it can usually only be added within 30 days of a new device's purchase. But from time to time, Verizon will initiate an open enrollment period for Total Mobile Protection. The carrier opened one near the beginning of April, and it's going to expire in a week.
The Xperia XZ2 was announced in late February, and it became available late last month for $799.99. If that was a little too much for you to stomach, B&H is now offering the phone for $64 off, bringing the price down to $736. That's a nice discount for what's essentially a brand-new flagship.
[Update: Fully rolled out] Amazon Map Tracking gives you live updates on exactly where your Amazon package is
Read update
- Following our initial post, Amazon has confirmed to CNET that Map Rollout is now available for all packages in the US. Let the constant tracking checks begin!
Many of us obsessively check our packages' tracking info. Luckily, a lot less checking has to be done nowadays thanks to Amazon Prime, but oftentimes we just can't wait to get something cool we've ordered. Amazon seems to understand this widespread obsessiveness and has released Amazon Map Tracking, which allows you to check precisely where your Amazon package is at any point in time.
Over a month ago, Motorola took the wraps off of the Moto G6 line, including the G6, G6 Plus, and G6 Play, but we haven't heard anything on the availability side since then. We'd previously expected them to become available in mid-May, but that obviously didn't happen. However, some info has begun to trickle out, and we'll update this post with all the US G6 availability we see.
Google and LG share details on 1,443ppi OLED display designed for next-gen VR headsets
The virtual reality game is getting interesting, but the displays on the current generation of headsets are still getting in the way of truly immersive experiences. To solve this, Google and LG Display teamed up to produce an ultra high-resolution OLED panel intended for the next generation of VR headsets. This display was first discussed back in March, but it's now been officially unveiled at the Display Week 2018 expo.
[Update: It's back on!] Samsung halts international Galaxy S7 Oreo rollout due to random reboots
Galaxy S7 and S7 edge devices in the UK began receiving their Android 8.0 Oreo updates at the beginning of this month, but Samsung is now suspending rollouts because some devices are experiencing random reboots. The company has issued an official statement and some instructions for those stuck with rebooting phones.
[Deal Alert] Sennheiser HD1 Bluetooth headphones with active noise cancellation falls to $314 ($186 off MSRP) on Amazon
Sennheiser's a well-established name in the audio industry, and it should come as no surprise that its active noise cancellation-equipped HD1 Bluetooth headphones, at a $500 MSRP, are very good. We saw the HD1s fall to $399 back in September of last year, then to $350 last December. But Amazon's current price of $314.04 is the lowest we've seen in some time, and the HD1s might be worth your consideration.As you might expect at this price point, the HD1s are top-notch in multiple regards. The closed-back, around-ear design allows for your ears to be surrounded in leather and padded with memory foam. The sound quality is nothing short of fantastic. The NoiseGard hybrid active noise cancellation works well, even if it's not quite as polished as Bose's. And it promises a not-unsubstantial 22 hours of battery life. A carrying case and a two-year warranty are included with the purchase.$314 is the lowest price these headphones have been in quite some time. It's worth noting that only the black color is this severely discounted; the Ivory version is still sitting at $360. Shipping is free. Hit the source link below if you'd like to pick a pair up.Source: Amazon
Back in late March, the lower-end version of the ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe (ZS550KL) began receiving its Android 8.0 Oreo update. Fast forward to a couple of days ago, and the more premium ZS570KL model of the ZenFone 3 Deluxe started to get Oreo as well. The ZenFone 3 Zoom (ZE553KL) has become the third phone in the ZF3 lineup to receive the update.
Google's Project Jacquard jacket now has rideshare integration, Bose Aware Mode, and more
Remember the Jacquard-equipped Levi's Commuter Trucker Jacket, the $350 smart jacket that can only be washed a few times? Probably not, largely because about three people bought it and it's just a silly concept. But for the few who did purchase one, Google has updated the companion app to add a couple of new features, including Uber/Lyft integration and Bose's Aware Mode.
Instagram is constantly adding small features/changes here and there, and the latest one allows you to share any posts you see to your story. So if you see something in your feed that you think your followers will find intriguing, you can now add it to your story with just a few taps.
Bixby is one of the less popular voice assistants on the market today, with most of its mentions in the news concerning Samsung not allowing Galaxy owners to disable it. In spite of that, the company is on a mission to put it in more and more of its products. Samsung has announced that it'll be putting Bixby in all of its IoT (Internet of Things) products by 2020.
The RED Hydrogen One's existence was first announced 10 months ago, but we haven't even seen a completely functional prototype since then. We've heard some basic specs and seen some dark pictures, but that's about it. AT&T and Verizon have now revealed that they will be carrying this mysterious $1,200 holographic phone starting this summer.