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The Pixel 2 has been in and out of the news here for issues both major and minor, and today we have a somewhat humorous one. Apparently, it is possible for installed apps, like Words With Friends 2, to interfere with the "Now Playing" music recognition feature. Google is aware of the issue, though, and thankfully it's not that big a problem.
Three months ago, ASUS promised to update the ZenFone 3 product line to ZenUI 4.0: a trimmed down, more minimal version of the company's software. They started with the ZenFone 3 Zoom at the same time as that announcement, and just recently the ZenFone 4 Max got it. Three months later, its forebear the ZenFone 3 Max is able to join the fun. The update will be rolling out over the next week.
In what might be very unfortunate news for users of the Viper ROMs, Team Venom developer and founder Jan D, or "j to the 4n," has announced that he is retiring from the project to spend more time with his family. Although the project does have four other developers involved in it, notably including the prolific Magisk developer TopJohnWu, this does leave the future of the ROM somewhat in question.
Google's Pixel 2 XL might be a great phone, but it hasn't been without controversy. Now we can add one more issue to the growing list. For many, one or both of the phone's front-facing speakers suffer from distortion/rattling. In some cases, the problem only seems to crop up at louder volumes, but for others (including us here at AP) it occurs even at lower volumes such as during phone calls.
The Essential Phone might not have been our favorite, but the company has been undeniably quick with updates. Essential first rolled out the Android Oreo 8.0 beta program for the PH-1 back in November, and now, a month later, the Beta 2 OTA is rolling out. According to the changelog, this latest build includes the December security patches, Oreo features like Smart text selection, instant apps, PiP mode, Google Play Protect, as well as performance improvements and bugfixes.
The drama between Amazon and Google continues. This time outlets are reporting that Amazon may be considering launching a YouTube rival after Google announced pulling support for the service from Amazon's Echo and Fire TV devices. This assessment is based on a recent filing to the USPTO for the name "AMAZONTUBE." While the timing of the filing might imply a connection, Amazon has actually owned the amazontube.com domain since 1998.
Razer announced its first phone almost two months ago. Since then, the device has accrued some good feelings from reviewers. The 120Hz snappiness and flagship-level specs all spoke to a high-performance device, but the poor camera results were an unfortunate oversight. Razer's CEO, Min-Liang Tan, promised to improve things with future updates, and today the first of those updates has landed.
Android Pay is a nifty way to make purchases at supported retailers. At a minimum, it lets you eschew the wallet in your back pocket for the phone in your front when picking up a pack of gum. And now two more banks in Spain and Poland have added support for the service.
Lyft's been on a roll this year when it comes to adding assistive technologies to its ridesharing app. Back in April, it was still playing catch-up with Uber by adding new features to help the hard of hearing. Now it's working together with Aira, a high-tech assistive service for the visually impaired, to help make grabbing a ride easier for everyone.
Not everyone has a car with Android Auto built in. Some of us have to make do with firing up the app when we pile into our car, sorting through a tangle of cables, Bluetooth devices, and clamps with our phones before we head out. If you'd like to streamline that process a bit, or if you've yet to join the Android Auto app-powered ranks, iOttie has four different car mounts that are Deals of the Day over at Amazon and 30% off. If you'd like the Caddilac-unit, iOttie's Easy One Touch Qi mount is probably your jam. As you'd figure, it supports wireless charging for Qi-compatible devices, with other nice features like an automatic closing mount and adjustable telescoping. Normally $49.95, you can grab one now for just $34.97, which is $15 off.
The new Echo Spot was first announced back at the end of September, along with a host of related Echo devices like the Echo Plus, Echo Buttons, and Fire TV 4K. At the time, all you could do was place a pre-order. But today is the official release, and although the Echo Spot is now formally available for 9.99, it's already backordered until well after Christmas. Reviews for Amazon's new device started landing yesterday. Ostensibly an Alexa-powered smart alarm clock—according to the majority of recent reviews—the Echo Spot is a smaller version of Amazon's Echo Show. It's a compact device with a speaker, round 2.5" screen, front-facing camera, 4-microphone array, and full integration into Amazon's Alexa ecosystem. That means, just like the vast majority of Amazon's other Echo devices, you can use it to control all the hardware in your smart home or integrate via "skills" with other apps and services.As a couple of reviews have already noted, the idea of having an always-on internet connected device on your bedstand might be sketchy enough by itself, but add in the fact that it's got a camera, and not everyone will enjoy the idea. Of course, Amazon isn't actually advertising the Echo Spot as an alarm clock, but most reviews seem to be pointing the device's utilities in that direction. There are plenty of use-cases for it outside the bedroom, though.
Finding the right gift for someone this time of year can be tricky. But if there's one thing we're apt to recommend here at Android Police, it's an Android device.Ripping open that wrapping paper to find a phone or tablet is an excellent way to cap off your holiday. It's better to give than to receive, though, and with all the recent sales, it doesn't have to be a very costly proposition. So are you planning on giving anyone an Android device this holiday season?I have to admit, although I spent the better part of a week monitoring deals everywhere for our extensive Black Friday and Cyber Monday roundup, and although that would have been the perfect opportunity to stock up on gifts, I didn't actually buy any then. Instead, I've been running around in the last week like the seasonal stereotype for poor planning while brainstorming what to grab for my loved ones.It might be late, but there are still a few decent deals out there. Amazon's been quite aggressively discounting its first-party products, including the Android-powered Fire tablets. With the 7" model starting at , and the 8" at , I've been thinking of picking up a few for some people. And the new Misfit Vapor is just 0, which might make a decent present. If you're into lavish gifts, there's a discount on Google's Pixel 2 phones, too.I don't think I'll personally be able to grab any of the more expensive Android-powered devices like a TV or phone as gifts, but that isn't the case for everyone. What about you? Giving anyone the gift of Android this year?
Google's Pixel 2 and 2 XL might not be without their drawbacks, but the pair are still excellent phones with some of the best software and cameras out there. The most significant real disadvantage to each has been the price tag. At $649-949, they weren't exactly cheap. But, for a short time, Google has discounted both the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL—$50 in the case of the Pixel 2, and $75 in the case of the 2 XL. You can nab both over at the Google Store.
When Google started its recent trade-in program, the most common gripe was that the packaging provided by the company was seen as insufficient protection for your phone. In fact, there were multiple reports of devices being damaged in transit as a result of the flimsy envelopes. Well, that shouldn't be a problem anymore, as Google has now switched to padded boxes.
It's been less than a month since the first Android Oreo Open Beta for the OnePlus 5 landed, and already the company is releasing its second beta. This time around you don't have a substantially new version of Android to look forward to, but there is a pile of fixes and improvements to dig into.
Have you noticed that it takes just a bit longer to unlock your Pixel 2 XL when you use the fingerprint reader? If so, you aren't alone. In the last few weeks since the update, there have been multiple reports that the Pixel 2 XL takes about a second longer to unlock the device when using the fingerprint reader. The good news is that Google is looking into it.
The lifecycle of device modification usually goes a little like this: a phone gets released with an unlockable bootloader -> that phone's kernel source gets released -> the same phone then gets increased developer attention resulting in custom kernels and ROMs. Today the Razer Phone has hit that intermediate milestone, and the source code for its kernel has been released to the public as per the terms of the GPL.
Misfit's Vapor smartwatch has been the butt of many jokes since it was announced. The delays combined with the product's name almost too aptly, with many crying "vaporware!" each time it made it into the news. Turns out we'll all have to eat a generous portion of humble pie, as Misfit's latest Android Wear-powered smartwatch is now listed as in stock on Amazon, and you can grab one for just $140.It's a bit later than the original October 23rd release date Amazon had listed, but better late than never. The Vapor looks like an excellent value for the price, with Android Wear 2.0, a round flat-tire-less AMOLED display, heart rate sensor, 50m water resistance, and alleged 2-day battery life. It might not have the integrated GPS originally promised, but for $140 it doesn't sound disappointing in the least.
The new Pixel 2 is Google's latest and greatest flagship, packing together excellent performance, a truly incredible camera, and some of the best software out there. Now, thanks to CyberLink and Android Police, our readers have a chance to snag one for free. That's right, we're finally giving away a Pixel 2. Even better, the winner will also get a copy of Cyberlink's PowerDirector 16.
It can take quite a while for an app to reach a significant milestone. That is, if your name isn't Nintendo. The company's new Animal Crossing game slipped out a day early back on November 21st, and now, in just 23 days, it's garnered over 10 million installs on the Play Store. That's a huge number.