About Ryne Hager
Ryne was ostensibly a senior editor at Android Police, working at the site from 2017-2022. But really, he is just some verbose dude who digs on tech, loves Android, and hates anticompetitive practices. His only regret is that he didn't buy a Nokia N9 in 2012.
Latest Articles
[Update: Winners] Giveaway: Anyone in the world has a chance to win a pair of Jaybird X3 Bluetooth headphones [International]
International giveaways are popular here at Android Police, and today we've got an excellent one. We're teaming up with Jaybird to give away five of the company's X3 Bluetooth headphones. They're rugged, wireless, and sweatproof so they can handle whatever you toss at them. And five lucky readers, wherever they might be, will be able to grab a set for free. Over on Amazon, these run around $100, and for a good reason. In our review, we had a lot of positive things to say.
[Deal Alert] Unlocked Moto G4, 32GB just $129.99 ($100 off) and 16GB only $119 ($60 off) at B&H and Amazon
This is quite the deal. Today over at Amazon and B&H you can pick the carrier unlocked ad-free Moto G4 for as little as $119.99, a savings of around $60. That is, if you're down with the 16GB model. If you step things up to the 32GB version, you'll have to cough up just an incredible $10 more. That's right, the 4th gen Moto G is going for just 9.99, up to $100 off, in its 32GB flavor. Yum.
[Update: Officially announced on Twitter last week] The Play Store is allowing YouTube TV to be installed on some tablets, but it doesn't work on all of them
The YouTube TV app listing has been updated to be compatible with Android tablets. However, YMMV when it comes to specific devices. It isn't currently working for all of them, though you can still sideload the app, as before. The listing on Google play was compatible with a Nexus 7 in our testing, but support for the Pixel C, as well as many other devices, is not present.
Google Slides has been updated with better Keep integration, an add-ons system, and other time-saving features
In a blog post today, Google has announced a whole pile of new features for G Suite's Slides, the web-based presentation tool. It now supports drag-and-drop actions between Keep and Slides, slide synchronization for multiple presentations, and a new add-ons system for integrating services such as Adobe and Shutterstock images, as well as a ton of other smaller tweaks.
[Deal Alert] Get a Samsung convertible wireless fast charger for as little as $49.99 at B&H and Amazon ($40 off)
There are a lot of Samsung-branded wireless chargers out there. Our own Artem even discovered that some of the cheaper options sold by 3rd parties are often fakes. So if you see dubiously inexpensive convertible charging stands out there, you might want to think twice. Thankfully the folks at B&H and Amazon have tossed theirs on sale for as little as $49.99, a savings of $40 over the standard price. Now deal-seekers need not fret about authenticity.These chargers are a bit different than the ones we've had deals on in the past. They're convertible, meaning they can serve double duty as either a stand-up dock or a lay-flat charger. And you get the same 9-watt fast charging you'd expect from any Samsung wireless fast charger.
Twitter is testing a new 280 character limit, allowing crazies to ramble on for twice as long
One of the biggest complaints and simultaneous strengths of Twitter is the platform's forced brevity. Whatever you want to say, you only have 140 characters in which to say it. That restriction makes you seriously sit and think about the content of your message. Like it or hate it, now Twitter is testing a larger 280 character limit with a small select group.
[Update: Out of beta] MyScript Nebo is a handwriting recognition and note-taking app for devices with active styluses
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- MyScript Nebo is now out of beta. Or, at least, it has a new listing on the Play Store that isn't labeled as a preview.
MyScript, the makers of the very popular MyScript Calculator, have just pushed out a new app called MyScript Nebo. It is a note taking application that seems to use the same handwriting recognition tech that MyScript Calculator does, but now you can apply it outside of mathematical equations. It only works with devices that have an active stylus like the recent Note series devices or Galaxy Tab S3. The current release is labeled "preview," so don't expect a finished product quite yet.
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Bill Gates, of perennial Microsoft fame, admitted in a recent interview with Fox News that he doesn't actually use a Windows-powered phone anymore. In fact, he's switched to Android. Or at least, an Android Phone "with a lot of Microsoft Software." After all, Gates might not be the CEO of Microsoft anymore, but he still needs to push the brand.
Hyundai has been pushing the tech envelope when it comes to its new luxury brand Genesis. The company recently rolled out support for Google Assistant, but now you can even arrange for a test drive from the convenience of the Genesis Valet app. There's no need to visit a dealership in person, and you can even arrange it for a time and place that's convenient to you, like your own home. It's a whole new level of luxury.
There is a small problem you can run into when setting up a Wi-Fi hotspot in previous versions of Android. By default, the SSID is just AndroidAP, and a lot of people don't change that. So if your phone, tablet, or laptop connected to such an access point in the past, they'd try again every time they saw that Android AP SSID. But as of Android 8.0 Oreo, any devices that never ran a previous version of Android will get a unique hotspot SSID.
Everyone loves swiping, right? You can do it on your keyboard, in your homescreen, you can even do it at people in Tinder. And YouTube appears to want some of that action. As of version 12.34.54, which was released a few weeks back, you can now swipe to remove videos from your lists in the Android YouTube app. Prepare to left swipe dat video you were never actually gonna watch.
Paranoid Android updated to 7.3.0, adds its own camera app, launcher tweaks, and BlueBorne fixes
Our readers are probably quite familiar with Paranoid Android, as the developers behind AOSPA have been prolific over the last few months. The latest update for the ROM, v7.3.0, brings a lot of changes. But the biggest addition doubles down on the project's earlier commitment to photo quality. As of today, Paranoid Android has its own camera app.
LendingClub, a peer-to-peer loans platform, just launched its Android app for investors
"Alternative investing" is all the rage these days, and Lending Club is one of the most interesting examples. At its simplest, it's a peer-to-peer loan system, where investors provide loans to individuals via the platform. Those borrowers make payments as investors earn a return. And LendingClub has just launched an Android app, making it that much easier for investors to access their accounts.
The war between Instagram and Snapchat rages on, and the newest weapon in Instagram's arsenal is the introduction of Face Filters to Live. So the next time you need to jump into a live broadcast to your friends, you'll be able to provide an appropriate sense of gravitas with a pair of rabbit ears.
Tesla is still ramping up production for its affordable new Model 3, and the waiting list is already over a year long. But for the lucky few that manage to snag one, the Tesla Motors app for Android was just updated to add support for the new car.
Allo was released on Google Play just over a year ago, on September 20th. It suffered a bit at the hands of hype between its early announcement at 2016's I/O and the actual release, which didn't come for months. But since then it has been a major part of the conversation when it comes to Android. Google made a big decision and faced a lot of criticism when it resolved to launch another messaging service. Now that it's been a year, how has it held up?
[Update: Official downloads] The September Oreo update broke SafetyNet and Android Pay for some Nexus 6Ps, but there's a fix
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- Google has replaced the .017 images with .019 at both the OTA downloads site and the factory images site, so you shouldn't end up with the broken images by accident, should you flash one of them. If you needed the full images for some reason, or you just don't like sideloading OTAs, you've also got the option of full factory images now.
Update-woes continue. A recent OTA (OPR6.170623.017) for the Nexus 6P appears to have broken SafetyNet and, subsequently, things like Android Pay. Thankfully, there's a fix. All you need to do is update to a slightly newer build (OPR6.170623.019), and we've even got a link if you'd rather not wait.
In the wake of natural disasters, it seems like an unofficial race begins between all the US carriers. Which among them will be the first to provide free calls or credits? With the double-whammy of Hurricane Maria and the earthquake in Mexico, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon have all released statements about how customers in affected areas can continue to access service. To make things easy, we've put all the statements from each of the carriers together here.
ASUS' new Chromebook Flip C101, a 10" convertible with Android apps, can now be pre-ordered for $299
The C101 was to be ASUS' successor to the much-loved C100. Both are part of ASUS' so-called "Flip" series, which are convertible touchscreen Chromebooks. We've been looking forward to the release since it was teased back in May at Computex. And now it's finally available for pre-order at $299 via both Amazon and ASUS' store.