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.
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Today is the Galaxy Note 10's official release date, with "pre-order" flipping over to "buy" at most websites. With the formal release, many of the early promotional offers are gone, though you can still snag up to $600 off with a recent trade-in via Samsung, and some carriers are still running their own discounts and trade-in programs. While in-store retailer and carrier availability may vary, the Note10 is now available and listed as "in stock" in most places.
Today well-known leaker Evan Blass has published a trio of design sketches showing off the back of an unknown OnePlus phone featuring a large, round camera cutout, corroborating earlier leaks. We aren't sure precisely what device is pictured, since OnePlus does sound like it's planning more than one, but it could be the anticipated 7T or 7T Pro.
There are a lot of Assistant-powered smart speakers out there these days, but portable speakers with the same functionality and the benefit of a battery are less common, especially from higher-end brands. But today, Bose is announcing its new Portable Home Speaker, with both Google's Assistant and Amazon's Alexa built-in, plus AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect, all powered by a battery that lasts up to 12 hours. As a Bose product, sound quality is sure to please, though it comes with a Bose-appropriate $350 price tag.
Google reportedly planning a new, louder 'Nest Mini' with 3.5mm jack, wall mount, and proximity awareness
Google's Home Mini smart speaker debuted all the way back in 2017, from which point it's worked its way into almost every cheap internet giveaway or coupon deal in the last two years. According to 9to5Google, a second-generation "Nest Mini" is planned, which will bring better audio quality, wall-mounting, "proximity awareness," and a 3.5mm jack — a feature even the hotly anticipated Pixel 4 doesn't have.
Back in May, Google rolled out a new product consultation service to help folks in their smart home deliberations — and maybe point them at a few Google/Nest products. While you could arrange for an in-home appointment in parts of southern California, most of us had to make do with the toll-free hotline. There was just one catch: Google had the wrong number for that hotline listed on product pages for months.
Many of us use a phone for navigation in the car — the benefits of apps like Waze can't be overstated to commuters in busy cities. Waze is especially useful since the app even integrates controls for other music apps directly, so you don't have to swipe between apps or pull down the notification tray just to pause or skip tracks. Fixing a noteworthy and somewhat embarrassing omission, YouTube music now joins the ranks of other music apps which can integrate directly with Waze's controls.
Just last month, Google Go passed 100 million installs on the Play Store. Given how widespread the app is being used, you'd have assumed it was available everywhere, but that wasn't the case. Previously it was limited to certain countries and Android Go edition phones. But starting today, it's available everywhere.
The Oppo Reno only landed this April, but already the company is teasing the Reno2, with an even greater emphasis on cameras. This time around the phone will have a crazy-sounding "20x" zoom, plus an "Ultra Steady Mode" for stabilized video and an "Ultra Dark Mode" for extreme low-light camera performance. Sadly, it doesn't reach that huge number with one of those periscope-style zoom cameras like the Reno 10x Zoom had. The base Reno2 features a 2x optical lens paired with software zoom.
OnePlus has been publicly working on a TV for more than a year now, and according to a recent announcement, it may finally materialize this September. The company has revealed that the OnePlus TV will be available in India first following a September launch, and the date curiously corresponds with another recent leak. According to Max J (@Samsung_News_), the company has a trio of dates marked on its calendar: an India-specific event on September 26th, a US/EU event planned for October 10th, and formal "Sale" on October 15th — though we aren't sure if all these dates are for the OnePlus TV, or may include other products.
Huawei is being given another 90-day reprieve by the U.S. government, following the Temporary General License (TGL) issued back in May. That provides the company with three more months to continue purchasing goods from U.S. companies. While this extension might sound like a step towards dropping the Entity List import/export ban for good, the government is clear that the extra few months are merely meant to "afford consumers across America the necessary time to transition away from Huawei equipment."
[Update: Regulatory photos] Huawei's folding Mate X phone spotted in executive's hands with visible design tweaks
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Huawei 's consumer division chief Yu Chengdong was spotted in an airport in China by reporter Li Wei apparently waving around a slightly redesigned version of the Huawei Mate X. The phone was previously delayed amid Huawei's drama with the US government, while Samsung was also having its own folding phone troubles. In the meantime, the company has made a few subtle tweaks to the as-yet-unreleased Mate X.
Google kills service for carriers that mapped coverage and performance with anonymous user data
Back in April, Google silently shut down its "Mobile Network Insights" service, which provided carriers with data about network performance in different locations as provided by Android handsets. According to an exclusive report from Reuters, Google killed the service as a result of concerns regarding user data privacy, even though the information that was given to carriers was ostensibly stripped of identifying information.
Weekend poll: Would you pay $5/month for a library of paid Android games and other apps?
Late last month, Google was spotted testing a new subscription service called "Google Play Pass." In a similar vein to Apple Arcade, Google Play Pass promises access to a library of games and apps for a flat $5 monthly fee. The subscription service is in limited testing right now, but we're curious to know if you'd sign up when (or if) it expands.
Roll for initiative: Google Search simulates more types of dice for your tabletop RPG enjoyment
Ugh, not only did you show up late to the weekly D&D session, you forgot your snazzy dice at home, and now you've got to use the cheap house set — which we all know throws 1s way more often. When was the last time those off-weight bits of plastic confirmed or even landed a crit? Well, if your DM allows it, you might be able to use Google next time. Spotted over the last month or so, Google Search's "roll dice" tool has added support for more types of dice, including those used by tabletop RPGs like D&D or Pathfinder, plus the convenience of in-line bonuses. Search for "3d8+4" at Google and you get your dice roll, sum, and modifier all together.
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- João tells us that AutoNotification is required for album artwork to function, which explains why it didn't work for us, so you'll need to install it for that feature in the widget to work.
Earlier this week, Spotify unceremoniously killed its Android widget, taking away home screen-based controls for the streaming service. Odds are that most of you didn't notice — or if you did, you probably didn't care too much since you can still use the ongoing notification's controls during playback — but for those that were upset at the loss, there's a workaround. Using Tasker and KWGT, you can re-create a convincing approximation of Spotify's lost widget.
The new Motorola One Action is official as of today, though it's leaked a few times in the last couple months. And even though we've seen specs and other details before, the phone still managed to hold onto one secret: that ultra-wide-angle "Action Cam" has been rotated to let you capture landscape videos/photos while the phone is held in portrait. Prices start at €259 with availability in some markets (read: not the US) beginning today.
Last Friday, OnePlus pushed out an update for the 6 and 6T, bringing, among other things, the DC dimming feature from the OnePlus 7 Pro and previous Open Beta updates to the mainstream. OTAs rolled out over the weekend (sorry we missed it, I was on vacation) but in case you didn't get it or would prefer to manually flash, the company has posted downloads for the pair of updates today.
NuForce BE Free6 truly wireless earbuds sound good and don't break the bank, but fit is a concern
The selection of "truly wireless" earbuds is truly staggering these days. They've gone from being crazy expensive status symbols to the norm, with surprisingly cheap models available. But even at $100, mid-range options like the Optoma NuForce BE Free6 still need to make some compromises to hit that price. You get good sound, decent battery life, and USB Type-C charging, but I had some serious problems when it came to fit, and there's no app for updates or other functionality.
Source code for Google I/O 2019 app arrives with samples of several Android Q features
Android Q will deliver a whole pile of new features like a system-wide dark theme and revamped gesture navigation when it lands later this quarter. But just because Google has implemented those features in Android doesn't mean all your favorite apps will automatically work with them immediately and perfectly; developers need to build that support into their apps. To lend a hand, Google has just pushed out the source code for its I/O 2019 app to serve as an example.
Nokia promises an extra year of quarterly security updates for its first Android phones
Nokia's first salvo of Android phones debuted at MWC all the way back in 2017, with the company initially committing to two years of updates for its new devices. Well, it's been a bit over two years since those phones were released, and Nokia has decided it doesn't want to give up on them so easily. The Nokia 3, 5, 6, and 8 will continue to get quarterly security updates for an extra year, into 2020.