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It's been a bit of a wait, but Samsung's Galaxy Tab S6, announced all the way back at the end of July, is now available in stores and online for purchase, no pre-order necessary. The unlocked version of the Galaxy A50 and new Galaxy Watch Active2 can also be pre-ordered starting today — and you get a few promotional perks if you do.
It might seem like Google's Pixel 4 and 4 XL have been around for months, given the volume of leaks and early shipments, but today was actually meant to mark formal availability for the new phones. In addition to the hardware, today also marks availability for the Pixel 4 and 4 XL's software, as Google has just uploaded factory images and full OTA files for both phones.
Google recently has revealed that sideloading Android apps on Chromebooks might be a bit easier for Android developers in the future, though it still won't be as simple as it is on an Android phone. Based on the news, which was first spotted by About Chromebooks, the feature may land as soon as Chrome OS 80, but the details currently provided make it clear this is a developer-targeted feature. In other words, you probably won't be installing Fortnite on your Chromebook any time soon.
If you're looking for a good story to dig into on your commute home or the next paid bathroom visit, then you might want to check out this story Vice published two days ago. It's got everything you expect from a good, long-format news story (except lasers, anyway), describing a worldwide scandal over a smartphone company run by drug traffickers selling encrypted devices. It's a tale loaded with murder, torture, drugs, the Moroccan mafia, and ROMed Nexuses — not much more you can ask for.
Google hypocritically flags Fleksy keyboard for mature content over 🖕 emoji
Google hypocritically flags Fleksy keyboard for mature content over 🖕 emoji
The popular Android keyboard app Fleksy was recently forced by Google to bump its Play Store rating to PEGI 16/Teen for "mature content." The content in question is apparently the middle finger emoji. This decision by Google stinks of hypocrisy, given that its own Android software keyboard Gboard includes the same emoji, and manages to finagle a PEGI 3/E rating on the Play Store.
OnePlus' regular updates come fast enough, but its Open Betas land with an almost staccato pace. A new Open Beta 4 is already gearing up for release on the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro to follow Beta 3, which landed just twelve days ago. Most of the changes in this latest version are fixes (it is a beta, after all), but a few new features are landing, including transfer of iPhone data through iCloud in the OnePlus Switch app, the addition of The Weather Channel as a source of data for the built-in Weather app, and a handful of UI changes. While it is rolling out for the OnePlus 7 Pro, the OnePlus 7 will have to wait until next week to get the update.
Google's Pixels come with some pretty snazzy "live" wallpapers that respond with parallax and motion effects to your touch and phone orientation, and the aptly-named application that controls these live wallpapers on the Pixel 4, called Pixel Live Wallpaper, has just appeared on the Play Store. Unfortunately for folks hoping to emulate the Pixel experience, this official app is for Pixel 4 and 4 XL only.
Based on at least one report we've received, Google may be testing adding Duo integration into the Messages web app. A new prompt may be appearing for some, implying that Duo will be using your contacts in Messages to check for availability on Duo, which links to a support document by Google which confirms this integration. Following this prompt, a new icon for Duo-based video calling appears in supported conversations on Messages.
Though it sold out in Europe earlier, the Stadia Founder's Edition has now sold out everywhere, with Google now pushing folks to the alternative Premiere Edition kit instead. This new set doesn't come with the same perks, though, and according to a statement from Google secured by The Verge, some Founder's Edition and Premiere Edition pre-orders may not get their orders in time for the November 19th launch date.
We're all familiar with Android's dirty "F" word: fragmentation. Turns out, we can't really depend on phone manufacturers to keep devices updated out of the goodness of their own hearts, so Google has been rolling out changes like Project Treble meant to make that job as easy for them as possible. Based on some recently published metrics, Treble is making a big difference.
The original Home Mini was a home run, delivering Google's then-new Assistant experience with both a tiny package and price. That legacy leaves the Nest Mini with big (small?) shoes to fill, and this little Nest-branded smart speaker delivers, raising the bar when it comes to the entry-level Assistant experience. But, there's no reason to replace a house full of Home Minis just yet.
It feels like there are a thousand ways to find the information you need these days, but folks set in their workflow may rely on at most one or two of them to get the job done. Unfortunately for fans of "basic" search, we recently lost a pretty useful one: Contacts no longer appear in autocomplete when searching via the Google app or Search widget.
The OnePlus 7T and 7T Pro snagged a new update over the weekend. OxygenOS 10.0.4 adds a new "Cloud Service" for folks in India, which gives device owners a Google Photos-like experience, backing up images through the built-in Gallery app. Outside of India, the update is mostly minor bug and usability changes, plus some front-facing low-light camera improvements, which seem to be unnoticeable in our testing.
Google has switched from a fingerprint reader to an Apple-style "face unlock" system on its new Pixel 4, but it seems that Google may not have taken the same extra steps when it comes to customer security and privacy that Apple did. While the iPhone (by default) needs you to have your eyes open for Face ID to work in what it calls an "attention" requirement, Google's system is happy to unlock your phone even with your eyes closed.
Although we've known pretty much everything about the phones for ages, Google's Pixel 4 and 4 XL were finally formally announced just last week. Pre-orders opened the day of the reveal, starting at $799, and although reviews have yet to be released, shipping dates are beginning to creep up on us, with some expected to land early. So, have you taken the plunge and pre-ordered a Pixel 4?
That gesture navigation prerequisite won't be the only issue preventing some folks from using the next-gen Google Assistant on the Pixel 4. Turns out, it also won't work on the device if you are signed into a G Suite account — not just as your primary account, but at all. That means those of us using a G Suite account on the side for school or the day job will have to use a separate work profile as a workaround for now, though Google tells us it is actively working on a fix.
A lot is riding on Google's Pixel 4. Last year's Pixel 3 didn't sell well, to put it lightly, and we've made it clear that the phones need to grow up when it comes to the historical laundry list of issues that seem to debut with each new model. While you'll need to wait a bit longer for our full, embargo-bound assessment, we have some preliminary thoughts about Google's latest phone.
According to a recent report making its rounds on the internet, the in-display fingerprint sensor in the Galaxy S10 doesn't offer much in the way of security if you are using the wrong accessories. For one UK couple using an inexpensive "gel" screen protector (or case, it isn't immediately clear which), their cheap accessory compromised the phone's fingerprint recognition capabilities by allowing any finger to unlock the phone, eliminating the security offered by the in-display reader.
OnePlus' latest 7T may have earned high marks in our recent review, but there was one major catch: you couldn't actually buy one here in the 'states. As of today, that's no longer a problem, as sales have opened for the OnePlus 7T in the US. For just $599, you can pick up OnePlus' latest phone through both the company's own storefront and T-Mobile.
Trade-in offers aren't always the best value, though sometimes companies are willing to subsidize the discount you get just to put you in their ecosystem or reward you for sticking around. Based on the trade-in values that Google is offering for previous Pixels, though, it seems the company couldn't care less about brand loyalty. Right now, a mint condition 128GB Pixel 3 XL gets you just $295 in value toward a Pixel 4 pre-order. For folks that paid $1,000 last year, that stings.