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Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority Are you looking to get an Amazon Alexa speaker? Right now is the best time, as most Echo smart speakers are heavily discounted to prices we haven’t seen since Amazon Prime Day. This is kind of a fire sale. All Echo speakers are on sale, save for the Echo Studio. The Amazon Echo Pop is the cheapest at just $18. The Echo Dot (5th Generation) is $23. You can get the 4th-gen Amazon Echo for as low as $50. Even the newer Echo Spot is just $45 right now. And the best part is some of these come with a free smart light bulb! Buy the Amazon Echo Pop with TP-Link Tapo Smart Color Bulb for just $18 from Android Authority https://ift.tt/Um9KoD1

Google detailed another Gemini update in Gmail that brings smarter, "contextual" replies to messages. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/XpbMjHc

Credit: Adamya Sharma / Android Authority Android Auto users in the US can now report accidents, traffic, and other road hazards directly through their car screens. This highly requested feature was previously only available through the Google Maps mobile app. After years of requests, Google Maps on Android Auto has finally added a much-anticipated feature: the ability to report road incidents like accidents, traffic jams, and speed traps in real time. Until now, Android Auto users in the US had been left without this function despite it being available on Waze (also owned by Google). Even though you could report incidents on the Google Maps phone app, doing that while driving was obviously unsafe, which meant most drivers didn’t bother. Incident reporting was first introduced in Google Maps for mobile devices a few years ago, but it remained exclusive to phones. Oddly, while Google Maps on Apple CarPlay received this feature earlier this year, Android Auto users were l...

Credit: Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority Apple is reportedly developing a new operating system called “HomeOS.” The company is expected to launch its first smart displays running on HomeOS in 2025. These new devices will offer smart home control and Apple Intelligence features. Apple has a knack for shaking up every category it enters, but there’s been one glaring gap in its lineup: smart displays. With the Amazon Echo and Google Nest  dominating living rooms, it seemed like only a matter of time before Apple would throw its hat into the ring. That time may finally be coming, with new reports hinting that Apple could launch not one but two smart home devices as early as next year, powered by a brand-new operating system called “HomeOS.” from Android Authority https://ift.tt/Vbot1RJ

Credit: Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority Testing wearables for a living is a lot like living in a perpetual state of opening presents in front of the gift giver. Sometimes, a smartwatch is an absolute home run, and I can’t say enough about it. Other times, I wish I could quietly put a device back in its box. But unlike opening a present, one of the factors I evaluate in any new smartwatch is cost. Many of my favorite finds have been budget-friendly watches and fitness trackers  thoughtfully designed to bring valuable tools to more wrists. These wearables pack accurate sensors, robust tool kits, and enough basic smarts to warrant a place on my wrist without costing me an arm or a leg. Depending on your ecosystem, the devices below represent the budget smartwatches I would buy. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/FYyB9A6

Back in 2022, Meta cancelled its smartwatch because the design "caused issues with another feature for translating nerve signals from the wrist into digital commands." Now that Meta has shown off its functional EMG neural interface, we wonder if a smartwatch isn't far behind. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/8y5ufNa

After over a month with Samsung’s tiniest fitness tracker , I’m still not sold on keeping the device in my bedtime routine. Sleep tracking on the Galaxy Ring hasn’t stood up against other trusted devices, and one feature has annoyed me to no end. Considering overnight wear is one of the smart ring’s biggest selling points, I’m disappointed to say the least. Meant for bed, but a terrible bedmate from Android Authority https://ift.tt/5Sed26x

I’ve never been a big fan of voice assistants. I’ve had Google Assistant in my pocket for years, yet I don’t think I’ve relied on it for much more than turning on my smart lights or setting kitchen timers. Honestly, I don’t love speaking out loud to an assistant when I can get the same result with a few quick taps. So, when my colleague Rita asked me to switch from Google Assistant to Gemini and see how I got along, I put it off as long as possible. After all, if I didn’t want to talk to a robot before, why would I want to talk to one now? As it turns out, I just needed the right kind of robot. I needed Gemini, but I needed it on the Pixel 9 series before I felt confident Google knew what it was doing. Here’s what I learned from switching assistants. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/i8khORo

Credit: Ryan Haines / Android Authority The Samsung Galaxy S24 series earns its place on our list of the best Android phones , offering a lengthy update policy, top-notch performance, and slick software. But did you know the most popular Galaxy phone of 2024 so far isn’t actually an S24 model? Tracking firm Omdia revealed its list of the top 10 most popular smartphones in the first half of 2024, and the most popular Android and Samsung phone is the Galaxy A15 4G. Yep, the top-selling Android phone wasn’t a flagship, nor did it have 5G. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/tHynPlF

Quirky charging requirements are nothing new. Whether it’s OnePlus and OPPO using SuperVOOC to charge their devices — and only their devices — at blistering speeds or Apple sticking with its proprietary Lightning port until it was essentially forced to switch to USB-C, it seems like everyone has a trick up their sleeve. Google and Samsung do, too, though we’re used to reaching for a USB PD PPS charger when we test a Galaxy device or a Pixel at this point. Or, at least, I thought we were. Then, Google launched its Pixel 9 Pro XL , boasting up to 37W speeds from its brand-new 45W USB-C power charger. At first, I didn’t think much of it — Google has touted its in-house charging speeds before, but we’ve always been able to match them from chargers we already had. This time, though, no dice. No matter which USB PD PPS charger I tried, they all topped out at 27W when paired with Google’s top-end Pixel. So, I bit the bullet, picked up the shiny new charger, and here we are. from Android ...

Google confirmed that it has paused its Wear OS 5 update for past-gen Pixel Watches following user reports. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/p40u1GY

Credit: Ryan Haines / Android Authority The Galaxy S25 Ultra could feature 16GB of RAM, a significant jump from the S24 Ultra’s 12GB. Competitors like the OnePlus 12 and Google Pixel 9 Pro already offer 16GB RAM options. Some of this RAM will likely be reserved for AI tasks, similar to the Pixel 9 series. Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series is still months away from its anticipated launch, but exciting rumors are already swirling about its potential specs. A new leak suggests that the Galaxy S25 Ultra will include a significant RAM upgrade, with at least one version equipped with 16GB of RAM. Renowned leaker Ice Universe posted on X (formerly Twitter) stating, “The S25 Ultra will definitely have a 16GB RAM version; this is 100% confirmed, don’t worry.” from Android Authority https://ift.tt/6rS5Jaw

Taking screenshots with remapped remote buttons appears to not work on the Google TV Streamer. This could be a consequence of Android TV 14, and may ultimately affect additional devices. Even with the remote not working, screenshots are still possible via ADB. Why does taking a simple screenshot always have to be so darn awkward? Can you remember if that’s power plus volume-up, or volume-down? How many times have you just mashed on all of them until the screenshot finally worked? As if things weren’t bad enough on Android phones, the situation’s even more annoying on Android TV — and to hear reports of the latest development, it’s somehow getting worse still. Why would you want to take a screenshot on Android TV? Admittedly, this probably appeals more to smartphone journalists and other obsessive types like us who love to track all the minutiae of UI development. But really, the point is that it’s your device, and if you want to take some screens, why shouldn’t you? The bigg...

Starship Home is the first narrative-driven full-length mixed reality game for the Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S, and it completely defied my expectations. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/0gTKMJE

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority A new report from Ookla claims Metro by T-Mobile is the fastest prepaid network overall. While this is a great compliment and should hold true for most users, there’s more involved than just pure speed. While Metro leads in several categories, it’s tied in many others. Many smaller prepaid carriers are unlikely to be fully represented here. I’ve spent the better part of the last few years on a journey to better understand consumer cellular options, which has included testing dozens of prepaid carriers. Of course, every region in the US is different due to factors like congestion and coverage. What works well in one area might not perform as well in another. Speed tests like Ookla can help provide a broader picture of expected speeds across the US. And according to its latest report , Metro by T-Mobile is the clear leader in this area. As expected, it didn’t take T-Mobile long to start touting this victory. While T-Mobile’s ann...

The Samsung Galaxy S24 is one of the hottest phones of 2024, but what if you’re looking for a similar experience on a tighter budget? Enter the Galaxy S24 FE, which was officially unveiled today as the latest affordable version of the company’s flagship. The new Galaxy S24 FE comes with a heavier price tag than its predecessor and a few other changes. It’s also a much bigger phone than the Galaxy S24 compared to past years. Let’s jump in at take a closer look at the Galaxy S24 FE vs Galaxy S24 on paper to see which phone is a better fit for you. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/PJidRGk

Credit: C. Scott Brown / Android Authority Samsung has launched two models in its flagship Tab S10 series: the Tab S10 Plus and the Tab S10 Ultra. The new tablets retain the same display sizes, battery capacities, and overall design aesthetics as their predecessors. A key change this year is the inclusion of Galaxy AI and the switch to a MediaTek processor. Samsung has officially taken the wraps off the Galaxy Tab S10 series, along with the Galaxy S24 FE , and there’s a lot to unpack (heh). This year, the Galaxy Tab lineup has been streamlined, with just two models on offer: the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus and the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. The base Galaxy Tab S10 is missing for now, and it’s unclear whether it’ll make a later debut or if Samsung has decided to skip it entirely. Galaxy Tab S10 series: Design and display   from Android Authority https://ift.tt/U2Nmv4w

Google is expanding enforcement of its Fake Engagement policy for businesses. Businesses caught manipulating the process will face numerous consequences. Those extend to a public warning letting users know about fake reviews. Fake reviews are the bane of businesses and shoppers alike, unfairly interfering with competition, and making it difficult to make informed decisions. Understandably, companies like Google that manage boatloads of business listings are very interested in doing what they can to minimize the impact of these disruptive forces. Recently, it looks like Google has started a bit of a crackdown on the practice, updating businesses about its Fake Engagement policy and starting to implement some user-facing penalties. Earlier this month, Search Engine Roundtable   reported on a change to Google’s notification about its Fake Engagement policy, informing businesses about the potential consequences for being caught soliciting fake reviews: from Android Author...

Credit: C. Scott Brown / Android Authority Governor Newsom just signed a “click-to-cancel” bill into California law. The legislation will require companies to allow you to cancel online subscriptions as easily as you signed up. Companies have until July 2025 to comply with the new measures. One of the things that many of us hate about tech is when a company makes it easy to sign up for a subscription online but makes it much harder to cancel that recurring payment. You’ll often be directed to call a phone number instead, only to be dogged by automated menus and hold music as you try to escape the financial commitment. To counter that kind of deliberate move by service providers, Californian lawmakers are now clamping down on the practice by signing a new click-to-cancel measure into law. Governor Gavin Newsom signed a series of consumer protection bills on Wednesday, with Assembly Bill 2863 focusing on eliminating unfair subscription practices. This new law mandates t...

Spotify is rolling out its new AI Playlist feature to more markets, including the US. Following the initial launch in Australia and the UK, this expansion also includes Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. The feature is still in beta and is only available to Spotify Premium users. AI is such a natural fit for generating playlists that it was only a matter of time before the music streaming giants introduced the option. Spotify  launched its new AI Playlist feature back in April, but it was only available to Premium users in Australia and the UK at the time . The feature is now being expanded to four more countries, including the US. Announcing the broader rollout in a press release on Tuesday morning, Spotify confirmed that AI Playlist will also now be available to Premium users in Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. It remains in a beta development phase and is available for both iOS and Android users. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/5p6mNhu

X/Twitter is letting blocked users view posts, but they won’t be able to interact with them. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/6KFPjlb

Files by Google is preparing some upgrades to its internal PDF viewer. Right now, the app’s PDF support is bare-bones, with external apps like Drive doing the heavy lifting. These upgrades will likely be exclusive to Android 15. Despite all their complexity and faults, PDFs are still something of a modern miracle, letting us share digital documents as easy as we’d hand someone a paper. But the tools we use to access them are not created equally, and even though PDF files may be practically universal, reader and editor apps vary wildly in their feature sets. Right now we’re looking at what Google’s been up to that could bring some extra functionality to the PDF viewer built into the Files by Google app. Files by Google probably isn’t the app you immediately think of when needing to work with PDF documents on Android. But in a pinch, the file manager makes it easy to pull up any PDF you’ve downloaded for a quick look. On most of our phones, though, there’s a bit of a trick goi...

The people want the Pixel Watch Performance Loop, and it keeps popping up despite the band not even being official yet. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/8jic0Hx

Samsung’s last major 2024 phone just got maybe its biggest leak yet. The Galaxy S24 FE stars in what appears to be an official Samsung video, detailing many of the phone’s specs. We recognize stills in this video from previous leaks, but this is our first look at the full thing. We’re still a few months away from Samsung introducing its next-generation Galaxy S25 series, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing interesting happening with the company’s phones in the meantime. We’ve still got one last major 2024 launch to clear, as we wait for the Galaxy S24 FE to go official. It sure feels like that could be just around the corner, and following the leak of some pricing specifics , we’re checking out a very official-looking Galaxy S24 FE unboxing video. When we normally think about early unboxing videos we’re picturing some lucky fan who managed to get their hands on something through retail channels ahead of the intended launch. But this video, shared by Evan Blass on X, is cle...

Google has also rolled out new functionalities for IT admins who manage work profiles on Chrome. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/dGDYHEa

Google TV’s interface is full of rows and icons that get in my way when I simply want to open my local sports streaming app or YouTube or Plex and enjoy my content. However, one piece of the Google TV experience has remained sacred so far — the app icon row. This usually shows me a list of all my installed apps, i.e. the icons I actively chose to put on my TV and organized according to my own use. Well, until today, that is. Because with the new Google TV Streamer , Google has decided to desecrate the app icon row too. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/V1I6X9C

Credit: Twitter/MysteryLupin A new leak shows what the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE pricing could be in the United States. According to the leak, the starting price for the 128GB model could be $649, and the 256GB model could be $709. This is $50 more than last year, as the Galaxy S23 FE launched at $599. We still don’t have a confirmed release date for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S24 FE . However, we’ve seen leaked renders for the device (check above) and plenty of leaked specs. We’ve also seen leaked pricing information for Europe. Today, we have leaked pricing for the United States — and it’s not great news. According to reliable leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer (via  SmartPrix ), the price for the 128GB version of the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE could be $649. This is a $50 increase over the Galaxy S23 FE , which launched in that same configuration last year for $599. Meanwhile, Hemmerstoffer says the 256GB model could land for $709, yet another $50 increase over the previous mode...

Update, September 22, 2024 (11:51 AM ET): We’ve updated this Nintendo Switch 2 rumor hub with suspicious leaked CAD-based images and more information on possible specs. Original article: Even if you love it and still use it daily, there’s no denying that the Nintendo Switch is getting old. Launched in 2017, the hybrid console celebrated its seventh birthday in March, which means it’s getting close to retirement. With this in mind, one can’t help but wonder: where is the sequel, presumably called the Nintendo Switch 2? Thankfully, Nintendo has confirmed that a successor is coming soon. There have also been some rumors and leaks surrounding the sequel to Nintendo’s best-selling home console. We’ve rounded up the most trustworthy of them here. Towards the end of the article, we also have a few wishlist items — things we hope to see but don’t have any evidence for quite yet. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/QRXvyVS

  Before the first Pixel Watch launched, I tried an Apple Watch 6 and a Galaxy Watch 4 for a while. And one of the most simple features I appreciated about them was the grid view in the app drawer. Smartwatch displays are tiny, so fitting more icons on the same screen just makes sense from a usability perspective. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/3sb81pF

These are useful tools for some, but others see them as making it too easy for abusers. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/nHsOlq7

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority Reports are coming in that YouTube Premium price increases have landed in over a dozen countries. In specific cases, the price increased by nearly 60%. The United States is not one of the countries seeing an increase. YouTube Premium users around the world woke up to bad news today. In over a dozen countries, the price of YouTube Premium individual and family plans increased significantly. This is only the most recent sweep of price increases from Google, as many countries saw price jumps only months ago, with the United States being one of them last summer. The price increases this time around appear to be mostly focused on Europe. According to this thread on Reddit , some of the prices have gone up by nearly 40%, which is just wild. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/wNQJno8

Your Android phone has hundreds of features that you ignore every day. That’s totally normal — we’re all busy, and a bunch of them won’t improve your life in any way. But there are some very handy tricks your device can do that might not be on your radar. They’re often buried quite deep in the settings or just not widely known. Here are some of our favorite hidden Android features that might just make your life that little bit easier. Editor’s note: A OnePlus 10 Pro was used to produce this guide, so the exact steps to access these features can vary depending on your device and software version. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/cbI0g3O

We don't expect an official Meta Quest 3s announcement until next week at Meta Connect, but the company is already advertising for it on Peacock. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/Dgd892A

Visible by Verizon is trying to get T-Mobile customers to switch to their plans with a $15/month, five-year locked-in plan—all you have to do is bring your current phone and number. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/awvf70T

Samsung is expected to add two new sizing options to let the Galaxy Ring support larger fingers. The wearable has already been available in nine different sizes. International availability continues to improve, with pre-registration recently opening in Mexico. Mobile devices are far from one-size-fits-all; just look at the Google Pixel family , and how it’s been growing to offer new size and feature options . That’s doubly true for wearables, and with smartwatches we expect a product to launch with two or even three different sizes available. That kind of variability is maybe most pronounced when it comes to smart rings, and this year’s Samsung Galaxy Ring arrived in nine distinct sizes. But even that may not have been enough, and a new rumor suggests that even more could be in the works. With smartphones, size is largely about preference, and with smartwatches, an adjustable strap can do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to accommodating different users. But a smart r...

The annual Meta Connect 2024 conference begins on September 25, and we're expecting a lot of new announcements from Meta including the Quest 3s, AR glasses, and more. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/v06p8uA

Huawei's MatePad Pro 12.2 is now available globally, and if you want a tablet with an OLED panel, this may just be one of the best around. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/qPXokmB

The Google Password Manager is adding support for passkeys across Windows, macOS, and Linux. The biometric authentication tokens already worked across Android devices. Chrome OS support is in the works, with a beta available now, and iOS access is also planned. When it comes to securing your devices and accounts, passwords are yesterday’s news. Last year, Google started introducing the notion of “ passkeys ,” cryptographically secure authentication tokens tied to your biometrics. Once you’re set up to use them, passkeys offer a lot of advantages over passwords, enhancing both security and convenience at the same time. Now Google’s making it even easier to get to that point, as it improves the way you add passkeys to all your devices. So far, Android users have been able to save passkeys to the Google Password Manager , and use that to sync them across other Android hardware. But if you wanted to use them on other platforms, that involved a slightly unwieldy process involving Q...

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority Select Targets are running a clearance sale on the Pixel Watch 2. Prices have been slashed down to as low as $75. It appears the heavy discount only applies to the Bay and Hazel colorways. The Pixel Watch 2 may be a year old at this point, but it’s still one of the best smartwatches you can buy. Now that the Pixel Watch 3 is out, the 2023 wearable is even more affordable than it was at launch with multiple retailers dropping the price down by $100. But if that’s not a big enough price cut to get you to throw down some money on the second-gen model, you might want to check your local Target for some serious savings. It appears select Target stores are currently running a clearance sale on the Pixel Watch 2. According to one Reddit post , the retailer has reduced the price from $249.99 down to $74.99. Several commenters confirmed they were also able to get in on the deal at their local Targets. One Redditor stated that the Pix...

Credit: Curtis Joe / Android Authority Alleged renders of the Nintendo Switch 2 have emerged online. The leak claims the Switch successor will have 12GB of RAM, support for HDMI 2.1, and 256GB of internal storage. The display is said to be eight inches. Nintendo has been playing its cards close to its chest in regards to the Switch 2 . In fact, Nintendo has yet to even reveal the official name of its next-gen console. Despite that, there have been a few leaks here and there that give us somewhat of an idea of what to expect. The latest leak, however, may have revealed the design of the system and a few extra details. Alleged images of the Nintendo Switch 2 have emerged online. The images were found on Reddit , but are said to originate from an unverified source on a Chinese social media site. Before diving into the details, we recommend taking this leak with a healthy dose of salt. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/MSVoiZ7

Despite launching over four years ago, the Valve Index remains one of the most advanced PC VR headsets. Of course, there have been plenty of headsets since then, including cheaper options like the Quest 3. The good news for Valve is that its fans tend to be loyal, as evidenced by the fact more SteamVR users are utilizing the Valve Index over the more mainstream Meta Quest 3 as recently as August of 2024 . The bad news is that this gap is shrinking fast as competition heats up. In addition to devices like the Meta Quest 3 we’ve also see the release of the high-end Vision Pro and there are upcoming devices like the Samsung XR around the corner as well. When will wee see a Valve Index 2, if ever? Here’s everything we know about the Valve Index 2 from current rumors, as well as what we’d like to see from it. Keyword: At a glance from Android Authority https://ift.tt/JTHOzvn

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority YouTube is finally giving users the option to add custom thumbnails to video playlists. The new feature uses AI to generate thumbnails based on a few preset themes, but it doesn’t let you upload custom images. It’s available in version 19.37.35 of the YouTube app on Android, but you need a verified account to access it. Although YouTube lets you use just about any image as a thumbnail for your videos, it doesn’t offer a similar option for playlists. Video playlists on the platform automatically pick the thumbnail from the first video in the lineup, and you can only change it by moving a different video to the top of the playlists. That’s set to change with the latest YouTube app update. YouTube has been working on giving users the option to add custom thumbnails to playlists for a while now. We first spotted the in-development feature in a teardown of the YouTube app this June, and it’s rolling out to users with version 19.37...

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority Google Chrome’s new update automatically syncs tab groups across all devices for seamless browsing. Chrome is also testing a feature that suggests pages based on your browsing history on other devices. Enterprise users get new features like Google Calendar integration on the new tab page. Google has just announced a series of new features for its Chrome browser  designed to improve the experience for users and businesses. These updates aim to streamline the browsing process and offer new tools to make switching between devices and managing work tasks more efficient. One of the key highlights for general users is an improvement in how Chrome handles tab groups. Previously, users could manually save and sync their tab groups on a desktop, but now Chrome will automatically do this across all devices, whether you’re using a desktop, Android, or iOS. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/CYuqDIV

If you don't trust your kids don't buy them a phone. Nothing is is going to work. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/4Tos8XP

Nothing’s planning “a new arrival” for next Tuesday, September 24. “Out in the open” teasers feel connected to evidence we’ve seen for a new open-ear earbud design. This will be the third new earbud model introduced by Nothing so far this year. IFA 2024 already feels like a distant memory, and now that everyone’s got their new iPhone order in, what’s a mobile tech fan to pay attention to now? Today word arrives of at least one more launch that’s coming up fast, as Nothing reveals plans for an announcement next week — and if we read between the lines a little, we’ve got a pretty good idea of what to expect. Nothing shares that “a new arrival is landing” in one week, on Tuesday, September 24. The imagery accompanying the news prominently features a pair of white loops, which we see bouncing around in an animation the company posted to X . But maybe the biggest clue is the “Out in the open” tagline the company is throwing around here. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/FG...

The Moto Tag aims to compete with Bluetooth trackers priced around $29. It's not a bad product in itself, but it fails to innovate. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/MAgsd6G

Credit: Android Headlines The first leaked renders for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus landed today. As expected, the renders show a phone looking a lot like the Galaxy S25, just a bit bigger. We expect this phone to land sometime in January 2025. So far, we’ve seen leaked renders for two phones in the Samsung Galaxy S25 series . First, we saw the Ultra model , quickly followed by the vanilla model . Now, we have the third entry in the upcoming series with leaked renders for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus. As one would expect, the renders show a phone that looks quite a lot like the vanilla Galaxy S25. Of course, the phone is considerably larger. The source of the leak, Steve Hemmerstoffer (via  Android Headlines ), suggests the Plus variant could come in with measurements at 158.4 x 75.7 x 7.3mm, which is larger in every respect when compared to the 146.9 x 70.4 x 7.2mm measurements of the vanilla Galaxy S25. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/C6D1g9V

The Edifier QR65 active monitors also double as a 65W desktop charging station, making this set a must-have on your Prime Day wishlist. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/qelATSy

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has excellent features and battery life. But how long does the battery last? Get the info you need here. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/gGaUfZF

Credit: Mahmoud Itani / Android Authority Following three months of beta testing, iOS 18 is now available to all users globally. The update introduces dark and tinted app icons, a more flexible Control Center, support for RCS, an overhauled Photos app, and more. The initial version doesn’t offer any Apple Intelligence features, as these will be included in October’s iOS 18.1 release. Apple first previewed iOS 18 back in June, giving users an early look at upcoming iPhone features . Since then, the company has tested pre-release builds with developers and enthusiasts to optimize the operating system’s performance. After three long months, Apple is finally ready to expand iOS 18’s availability to the public, and you can get your hands on the release right away. iOS 18 features from Android Authority https://ift.tt/xgZ3tST

If you're a fan of OPPO, the triple-camera-touting Find N3 Flip might seem tempting. However, Samsung's new Galaxy Z Flip 6 has a lot to offer, as well. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/64ZDJaU

Credit: Flappy Bird The creator of Flappy Bird, Dong Nguyen, has now commented about the game’s return. Nguyen says he has nothing to do with the revival. Nguyen also states that he “did not sell anything” and that “I also don’t support crypto.” The announcement that Flappy Bird would be returning after being gone for a decade caught many by surprise last week. As it turns out, the mobile game is not being revived by the original creator, but by an organization called The Flappy Bird Foundation. However, the original creator has now commented on the game’s revival and it sounds like he’s not too happy about it. Flappy Bird creator Dong Nguyen has now spoken out about his creation being brought back to life. Not mixing any words, Nguyen stated in a social post on X (formerly Twitter) that he has nothing to do with the revival. He then went on to make it clear that he “did not sell anything” and that “I also don’t support crypto.” from Android Authority https://ift....

Credit: Lanh Nguyen / Android Authority A fresh render of the Galaxy S25 Ultra shows off the difference between it and the S24 Ultra. It’s said Samsung will tweak the metal frame to be thinner and lighter with rounded corners. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is expected to get some design changes that should make it noticeably different from the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Just last week, we were treated to some S25 Ultra renders that show a device with flat edges and rounded corners. Now a new unofficial render has popped up showing off the difference between the next-gen and current-gen Ultra. Tipster Ice Universe has shared a render of the Galaxy S25 Ultra next to the S24 Ultra. In the social post, the tipster explains that the metal frame on the S25 Ultra will be thinner and lighter than its predecessor. We have heard before that the S25 Ultra could be lighter in an earlier rumor , with reports claiming the device weighs around 14g less than the S24 Ultra. from Android Authority ht...

The incident last week where a seemingly healthy person got heat exhaustion and passed away from a California half marathon is a stark reminder that smartwatches have a key health area that they could be focusing more on: sweat loss. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/xe47KXz

Credit: Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority There are more players in the smart ring game than ever, including big names that tend to overshadow the rest. Yet, in the face of Samsung’s recent entrant, the Galaxy Ring, and the ever-popular Oura Ring 3, the Ultrahuman Ring Air offers an alternative: no subscription and no need for ecosystem loyalty. Find out how the ring performs and whether it’s worth considering at checkout. The smart ring form factor Like most smart rings, the biggest selling point of the Ultrahuman Ring Air is its slight form factor and stealthy tracking capabilities. Dubbing anything as light as air is a bold statement, but the smart ring really is quite lightweight. Weighing in at 2.4 to 3.6 grams (depending on your size), it aligns with the Galaxy Ring despite being slightly wider. It also has a smoother interior than both Oura and Samsung’s offerings, making it easier to slip on and more comfortable. Ultrahuman also utilizes a sizing kit to help use...

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority Pixel 9 series replacement parts have been listed on iFixit. The listings show that there have been some interesting price changes between current and last generation. Some parts are drastically cheaper while other parts are much more expensive. If you’re someone who dabbles in phone repair, then you’ve probably been waiting for repair parts to show up for the Pixel 9 series . Those parts have now appeared on iFixit and the listings show something interesting about the pricing. First spotted by 9to5Google , you can now find repair parts for the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL on iFixit . Looking at the listings, it appears there’s been a few changes to the pricing, which is both good news and bad news. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/zRYxr8G

Credit: Ryan Whitwam / Android Authority The iFixit team has conducted a teardown of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Google’s latest foldable is praised for its high level of repairability. The only criticism the team had was that the battery removal tabs didn’t work. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is Google’s second entry into the increasingly crowded foldable space. While every foldable has its selling points, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold reportedly has a unique advantage over its competitors — repairability. The iFixit team has conducted a teardown on Google’s newest foldable to assess the device’s repairability. According to the video and the accompanying blog , the team walked away very impressed with the company’s latest offering. In fact, they go as far as to describe it as the “most exciting foldable we’ve seen on the iFixit teardown table.” from Android Authority https://ift.tt/4b72v8g

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority Until today, I had heard about display technologies like E-Ink, colored E-Ink, LCD, AMOLED, and various LED-y versions . But an LCD display that emulates the paper-like feel and most of the benefits of E-Ink without the abysmal refresh rate of E-Ink? I had never seen that. But now I have. I had to troll the halls of IFA and venture to IFA Next, the hall where cool technology from the future (or smaller startups) lives, to find myself at HANNspree’s booth. And to say I was impressed would be an understatement. Their Android tablets were, by far, the most awesome thing I saw at IFA, and I think they deserved bigger exposure than being tucked away in a hall where no Android journalist ever ventures. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/gza1xSO

We are five years into the foldable phone era, and I believe 2024 will go down as the year when large-format folding phones got truly good. A few months back, Samsung released the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which finally got wide and thin enough to be genuinely useful. Now, Google has the Pixel 9 Pro Fold , which skips all the iterative improvements of Samsung’s annual foldables to deliver a product that gets almost everything correct, right out of the gate. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is among the best foldable phone experiences in the world; it’s an impressive piece of premium hardware, and Google’s Pixel-ified version of Android is as elegant and thoughtful as ever. Unfortunately, it also has the same old foldable shortcomings and sky-high price. Until that changes, foldables are going to be niche devices. That doesn’t mean they can’t be fun to use, though, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is extremely fun. from Android Authority https://ift.tt/gvI2TnU

Google seems to be disabling the touch-and-hold trigger to read notifications. Users are instead being told to make a voice request to hear notifications. The timing of this move feels tied to the upcoming arrival of the Pixel Buds Pro 2. Modern earbuds are so much more than just tiny speakers perched in our ears, and the good ones offer numerous ways to directly interact with our phones, from music playback controls, to those connected to virtual assistants. The original Pixel Buds Pro are a couple years old at this point, but have still been holding up great — at least, so far. But now it looks like Google could be removing one of the key ways these earbuds let users control their phones. Over the past couple days, Reddit users like hintze85 and fakeaccountt12345 have been sharing reports that their Buds have lost the ability to read notifications by pressing and holding on the earbud’s side (via 9to5Google ). And lest we write this off as a glitch, some of these users r...

Credit: C. Scott Brown / Android Authority Google is testing a new layout for AI Overviews in Search that removes all mentions of AI from the preview. The redesigned layout gets rid of the AI Overviews header with the Gemini logo and replaces the large “Show More” button with a much smaller “More” link. Google seems to be making it more difficult for users to know that the summaries it provides at the top of search results are generated by AI. It’s testing a new layout for the AI Overviews feature that removes all mentions of AI from the preview. In its current form, AI-generated summaries in Search feature a prominent AI Overview header with the Gemini logo. The feature also has a “Generative AI is experimental” tag at the bottom that appears when you tap the “Show more” button. However, as per Barry Schwartz on X, Google is testing a new layout that removes the AI Overview and Gemini logo header and replaces the large “Show more” button with a much smaller “More” but...

Wireless charging is important for many, and if you want to wirelessly charge your Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, there are some things you should know. from Android Central RSS Feed https://ift.tt/IqhAbOY

Credit: Apple Verizon’s new iPhone 16 trade-in came with some new changes such as a requirement that the trade-in phone “must be active on the account for 60 days prior”. The wording and conflicting terms of service for device trade-ins lead to some initial confusion. Verizon has since clarified the 60 days can be at any point in the past, not just the last 60 days. It also applies to all plans and future trade-in promotions. Ever since Verizon’s iPhone 16 trade-in promotion was first unveiled , there has been some confusion about the trade-in phone requirements to take advantage of the offer. While the promotion applies to both new and existing customers, Verizon’s initial press release revealed that the trade-in phone “must be active on the account for 60 days prior to trade-in” for all existing customers, regardless of the plan. However, the actual Device Trade-In Program Terms & Conditions only mention this requirement for those with a MyPlan Unlimited Ultimate ...