Deal: Best Buy 50-hour sales event

Deal: Best Buy 50-hour sales event

Best Buy is no stranger to price-slashing events. It is currently hosting a 50-hour long one, which is apparently inspired by the similarly titled shopping spree, the company had . This time, there is no apparent reason for the promotion, other than the reported success of the first installment, but you won't hear us complaining any time soon. The sale kicked off at 8pm PT on Friday, August 18th and will last until until 9:59pm PT on Sunday, August 20. Most deals are available both online and offline as well, until supplies last, that is. Enough stalling then. There's the short promotions list Best Buy put out itself: In more practical terms that translates to $574.99 for a 64GB Samsung Galaxy S8, $674 for a 64GB Galaxy S8+, $479.99 for a 64GB Huawei Mate 9, to name a few. All of these are SIM-free and there are more deals to be had as well. Surprisingly enough, both the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are listed for $419.99, making the latter an especially good deal. If you want savings on an iPhone, Best Buy's Sprint on-contract deals seems to be the best choice. That way, you can save $300 on either the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus with a new line activation or $200 with an upgrade activation. The Essential Phone deal isn't exactly straight-forward either, but still potentially good for the right buyer. To quote the offer, it is: We found the $500 off deals on iMac and MacBook models pretty interesting as well. But you do need to rummage a bit to find a nice value option there. There are up to $300 to be saved on higher end laptops and TV's a well. Last, but not least, Best Buy also has some back to school student deals going on at the moment. These are also worth looking into. |

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T-Mobile launches buy one, get one free-ish deal for LG flagships

T-Mobile launches buy one, get one free-ish deal for LG flagships

You can potentially save up to $500 with T-Mobile's new summer promotion and end up with a pair of LG flagships. Unfortunately, it's a little bit more complicated that just paying for one and getting another free unit to gracefully share with a significant other. To get the deal, you need to sign up for an Equipment Installment Plan, which is basically a 24 month commitment, that guarantees T-Mobile you won't just grab a pair of LG's and then run off to another carrier (Not without salty penalties, that is). After you get the contrast, you can opt for an ($20 down and $20/month, totaling $500) or an ($0 down and $20/month, totaling $480). Then, if you add a second line to said contract, you can get another unit. The cheaper of the two will be free, or in other words, eligible for a rebate through bill credit over the next 24 months. T-Mobile also warns that it might take up to two billing cycles for the bill credit to start hitting your account. Still, the math works out in the end and there is even mention of a prepaid MasterCard on T-Mobile's website, so be sure to hit the carrier up and ask for details if you happen to like to deal. Oh, and naturally, it's a limited time offer.

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Weekly poll results: camera phones get a pass on humps, everything else better be flat

Weekly poll results: camera phones get a pass on humps, everything else better be flat

Most people dont care for humpback phones... unless they are camera phones. on the matter revealed a 2:1 preference for flat phones, but the simple yes or no vote doesnt tell the whole story. Looking through the comments reveals a fairly common sentiment I dont mind a hump, if its for a great camera. Unfortunately, extra-large camera sensors are not the reason behind modern humps, instead they are caused by extra-thin phones. Even those that are okay with the camera want it to flow into the design. Everyone has their favorites, but plenty of examples were given for both ugly and well-executed humps. Theres no bullet-proof recipe for success, but a central hump with sapphire glass is a good start it keeps the phone balanced and is more resistant to scratches (an issue when humps are involved).

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Weekly poll: now that the Nokia 8 is official, is Nokia back?

Weekly poll: now that the Nokia 8 is official, is Nokia back?

Its back! Or is it? The was unveiled this week, marking both the return of camera-focused Nokia flagships and a new option for a high-end pure Android phone. The phone checks some of the boxes for a 2017 flagship, but also misses some. The Nokia 8 has a microSD slot (unlike the Pixel and OnePlus 5), a dual camera (unlike the Galaxy S8, HTC U11, Xperia XZ Premium), a headphone jack (U11 again), a QHD screen (damn it, OnePlus)... not bad when you think about it. It is missing some things, though and sadly bezels aren't among them. There's also no full waterproofing or stereo speakers nor an HDR screen. Not deal-breakers, perhaps, but launching this late in the game, we cant just compare this to the early 2017 flagships. No, in less than a month, the Nokia 8 will have to contend with late 2017 flagships from all the major Android players, plus the anniversary iPhone. At 600, it will be cheaper than any of those. But it is not cheaper than the 6-month old flagships, in fact it is pricier than a couple of those. So is Nokia back? Are bothies and livestreaming enough to convince you? Or did HMD misread the fanbase?

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Android Wear 2.0 update for Motorola Moto 360 Sport seems imminent

Android Wear 2.0 update for Motorola Moto 360 Sport seems imminent

It looks like Motorola will soon start rolling out the Android Wear 2.0 update to its smartwatch (if not already). A support page detailing the update recently popped up on the company's website, suggesting an imminent roll out. The update should arrive as version NXH20Z, and bring along features like on-watch Play Store, material design & app launcher, Google Assistant, Lightweight Doze, Side button functions, and some regular bug fixes. Motorola says roll out will be in phases, so be patient if your wearable is yet to receive it. For more details, head to the link below. |

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Deal: HTC Vive VR headset gets a $200 discount

Deal: HTC Vive VR headset gets a $200 discount

VR fans are enjoying the spoils of a price war between Oculus and Vive. The HTC-made headset was just discounted $200 and now costs $600 in the US. In Europe, prices are 600 for the UK, 700 for the mainland. Youre getting a 1-month free trial of the Viveport Subscription, which is a great way to sample what VR has to offer. In the box, youll find two wireless controllers, two base stations, earbuds, the link box and some additional accessories. Note that this isnt a price cut to make way for a next-generation of Vive headset, this one will continue to be used well into 2018. Plus, the Vive allows for modular improvements like the . Anyway, despite this discount, the Vive remains pricier than the Oculus Rift, which is still available for . Now, if only there was a way to buy a decent GPU at MSRP.

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Huawei Nova Lite+ and Nova Young go on sale in Italy

Huawei Nova Lite+ and Nova Young go on sale in Italy

The Italian market has gotten two Huawei smartphones today the Huawei Nova Lite+ and the Nova Young, which we've previously seen as the Huawei Y7 and the Huawei Y6 (2017). The is listed on Huawei's official Italian website and will cost around 169. It has a 5.5 1280x720px display, a Snapdragon 435 chipset with 2GB of RAM, a 12MP camera and a big 4,000mAh battery. The is listed at around 122 on ePrice and 146 on Amazon Italy. It has a smaller 5.0 1280x720px display, a Mediatek MT6737T chipset with 2GB of RAM, a 13MP camera and a 3,000mAh battery. | | | |

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Xiaomi working with Google on next Android One smartphone

Xiaomi working with Google on next Android One smartphone

Googles project Android One is something that you might not even remember, but it's still alive. After the company , now there are rumors the company is working with Xiaomi to develop a stock Android Xiaomi Mi 5X version. The phone should arrive in Indonesia with a clean Android build instead of MIUI 9. Xiaomis device will not be the first Indonesian Android One. Before the Mi 5X, devices like the Mito Impact, Evercross One X, and Nexian Journey One were on the market for around IDR1 million or $75. The Mi 5X current retail price is around $200, so it might aim a little higher than that. As we told you in of the phone, the is an attempt to offer the dual camera on the cheap.

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Four Alcatel phones leak ahead of IFA: Alcatel A7 XL, A3 Plus and U5 HD

Four Alcatel phones leak ahead of IFA: Alcatel A7 XL, A3 Plus and U5 HD

TCT loves to bring half a dozen of Alcatel phones to big events like the upcoming IFA. A few of those leaked and though we dont have all the details, we do know these four are aimed at the budget and mid-range segments. Lets start with the Alcatel A7 XL, which got its name from its 6 screen an IPS LCD panel with a laminated 2.5D glass. Not bad, though the 720p resolution is a bit of a stretch. While the back is not shown on this render, there will be a dual camera there 12MP + 2MP. Then theres the Alcatel A3 Plus in 3G and 4G versions. Its possible that they will have different chipsets, but so far all we know is that they both have 5.5 720p screens. The A3 Plus 3G has a fingerprint reader on the back, the 4G version does not. Thats strange, so it could be on the front instead (not shown in these pics). Finally, the Alcatel U5 HD is the most compact of the bunch with its 5 720p screen. It will run Android 7.0 Nougat and will have special selfie features, though theres no detail on the front camera yet. The official prices did not leak, though the reveal date is easy to guess at the end of the month when the IFA activities start up.

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500 strong Experience Team to test the LG V30 for a month

500 strong Experience Team to test the LG V30 for a month

LG is seeking volunteers for the National Experience Team, which will get to try out the upcoming flagship before the retail launch. In total, 500 people from South Korea will be selected between August 22 and 28. Thats more than double the number of testers chosen for the LG G6. Youll need to visit this site to answer a questionnaire and enter your social networking account. Keep in mind that 200,000 people tried out for the LG G6 team and only 210 were selected. Still, if you do get on the team, youll be asked to perform various missions and post the results on social media. Its too late to do beta testing on the LG V30, this is simply to drum up publicity. The test period will last a month and, in case you were wondering, it doesnt sound like testers will get to keep the phone. The retail launch in Korea will be , so for a couple of weeks only a lucky group of 500 will be using the new AMOLED-packing flagship. (in Korean)

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Samsung Galaxy A5 with Snapdragon 660 appears on Geekbench [Updated]

Samsung Galaxy A5 with Snapdragon 660 appears on Geekbench [Updated]

Meanwhile, of the phone has started getting the August security patch. The update arrives as firmware version A510FXXU4CQH2, and weighs in at around 215MB. It also includes some other minor changes. Geekbench is a gold mine for leaks. The latest dig is a Samsung phone with a model number SM-A5300 that appeared on the benchmark website. The phone has Snapdragon 660 chipset and 6 GB RAM. The listing reveals a single core score of 1591 and the multi-core result is 5706. The phone should arrive with Android 7.1.1, which would come as an update from the that shipped with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. According to sources, the SM-A5300 might be the next iteration of Galaxy A5. It could be named Galaxy A5 (2018) since had A510x model number and this years version sports A520x moniker.

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You can now have an 8GB RAM 128GB storage OnePlus 5 in Slate Gray

You can now have an 8GB RAM 128GB storage OnePlus 5 in Slate Gray

OnePlus now offers the with 8GB of RAM in Slate Gray flavor. Up until now the 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage model was a Midnight Black exclusive. The Midnight Black remains available with 8GB of RAM you can't get it with 6GB of RAM if you really (inexplicably) wanted to. And if you want to buy a Soft Gold unit with 8GB of RAM you'll need to wait as it's only available with 6GB of RAM. |

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AT&T Primetime Android tablet is all about entertainment, lands on August 25

AT&T Primetime Android tablet is all about entertainment, lands on August 25

To see a new Android tablet announced is pretty rare these days, even more so for devices bearing only a carrier's brand. Yet AT's new Primetime tablet is exactly such a product. Unveiled today, it will go on sale on August 25 and it's obviously an AT exclusive. The Primetime will set you back $10 a month for 20 months with an installment plan (adding up to $200 in total). Alternatively, you can purchase it for $29.99 with a two-year contract. So what do you get for that cash? A 10-inch 1080p touchscreen, a pair of 5 MP cameras (one on the front, one on the back), 32GB of storage, and a microSD card slot for expanding that. The AT Primetime is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 625 SoC, aided by 2GB of RAM. A beefy 9,070 mAh battery keeps the lights on. The tablet runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat. It's got a big focus on entertainment, and as such it comes with dual front-facing speakers (with Dolby Audio). It also features support for dual Bluetooth media streams, which means you can listen through two headsets or speakers simultaneously. Additionally, your favorite video apps like DirecTV can be accessed with a single swipe from the home screen or lock screen. |

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Global launch for Samsung's Bixby assistant set for today

Global launch for Samsung's Bixby assistant set for today

Samsung looks all set to globally launch its Bixby virtual assistant today. The company shared the following ad on Facebook, confirming August 22 as the roll out date. The following video teaser was posted on Twitter: The process for global launch recently when the company started rolling out updates to Bixby apps including Bixby, Bixby PLM, Bixby Wakeup, Bixby Dictation and Bixby Global Action in several markets around the world. Despite the roll out, the functionality was not enabled then. So the pending server-side flip should happen today.

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Official Motorola distributor shares Moto X4 images ahead of launch

Official Motorola distributor shares Moto X4 images ahead of launch

The upcoming has already been the subject of several , but they've all come from third-party sources. Now, a new leak has surfaced and it comes directly from an official source. HomaTelecom, which is the official Lenovo and Motorola distributor in Iran, has shared a couple of images for the handset on its official Instagram account. The design revealed by these images is inline with what we've already seen. These newly-leaked images also confirm key specifications like 2.2GHz octa core processor, 5.2-inch screen, 3GB/4GB RAM options, and 3,000mAh battery. The Moto X4 is expected to be officially unveiled on August 24 in Brazil. |

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Coolpad Cool Play 6 launched in India

Coolpad Cool Play 6 launched in India

Coolpad has launched its flagship in India. The phone is priced at INR 14,999 ($234) and will be available exclusively on Amazon India starting September 4. The Cool Play 6 has a 5.5-inch 1080p IPC LCD covered in scratch resistant glass and sturdy metal back. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 653 processor and has 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, the most in its price range. The Cool Play 6 has a dual camera system on the back, with two 13 megapixels f2.0 cameras that work together to improve the detail in images. The second camera is also used as a depth sensor to create background blur in images. On the front is an 8 megapixel sensor with f2.2 aperture. Other features include fingerprint sensor, dual SIM support with VoLTE, USB-C connector, FM radio, 4060mAh battery and Android 7.1.1 Nougat. The Cool Play 6 will be available in Gold and Black.

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Deal: Refurbished Apple iPhone SE for 199.99

Deal: Refurbished Apple iPhone SE for 199.99

If you live in the UK and fancy a little then eBay has got a deal for you. The phones are refurbished and come with 1 year warranty and a USB cable and you can choose from an assortment of available colors and storage options. There are unlocked models as well as units for EE, O2 and Vodafone. Prices start at 199 but may be higher depending on the model you select. 64GB units are also available those start at 240.

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Meizu M6 Note to come with both Snapdragon and MediaTek chipsets

Meizu M6 Note to come with both Snapdragon and MediaTek chipsets

The flaunted its chipset in front of Geekbench yesterday, but earlier rumors said it will have a chipset. Well, a new leak suggests that it will have both. The base version uses the MediaTek chip paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage. Another version swaps out the P25 for Snapdragon 625 and keeps the memory configuration. The top version ups the RAM to 4GB and doubles the storage to 64GB. That is the one we saw yesterday. The Meizu M6 Note will and will bring dual camera goodness, plus a 5.5 1080p screen, Android Nougat and (allegedly) a 4,000mAh battery.

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Micromax launches Canvas Infinity with 18:9 full vision display

Micromax launches Canvas Infinity with 18:9 full vision display

Micromax has decided to get on the wide screen bandwagon with the new Canvas Infinity. The phone has been launched in India for INR 9999 ($155) and will be available exclusively on Amazon India. The Canvas Infinity has an 18:9 display with curved corners that looks like the one on the . Micromax even calls it Full Vision, which is also what LG calls it, so it seems Micromax forgot to draw the line somewhere. The Canvas Infinity is powered by a Snapdragon 425, which is a step down from the not-too-impressive-to-begin-with Snapdragon 435 on the LG Q6. It is paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. The Canvas Infinity has a 13 megapixel camera on the back with f2.0 aperture and PDAF. On the front is a 16 megapixel sensor with soft flash and Real Time Bokeh feature. The phone is powered by a 2900mAh battery and Android Nougat. The phone will go on sale on Amazon starting September 1.

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Update for the OnePlus 3/3T brings security patch, removes Hangouts

Update for the OnePlus 3/3T brings security patch, removes Hangouts

OnePlus has issued an over the air update (OxygenOS 4.1.7) to the and with the August security patch and some fixes and optimizations. By request from Google the update will remove Hangouts from the core package in the case that it has never been updated so if you want to keep Hangouts on your OnePlus 3 or 3T you'd best update it on the Play Store prior to installing the update. Naturally you also get the chance to download it from the play store later on. Here's a full changelog:

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Google to bring the Chromebook Pixel back

Google to bring the Chromebook Pixel back

It looks like Google is working on a successor to the Chromebook Pixel 2 and it could announce it at its event this fall. The information was revealed to by a source close to Google. Google at the beginning of this year despite rumors of it working on a running a Chrome OS and Android mashup called Andromeda. That rumored convertible laptop was expected to rival the Apple Macbook directly with a 12.3-inch touch display with support for a Wacom stylus and a $799 price tag. If such a device is indeed in the works we should expect it to be priced much higher. On a side note Google is seemingly working on a smaller Google Home smart speaker to go head to head with Amazon's Echo Dot. The device is said to be stripped down to the very basics in order to bring the size and price down. If the rumors pan out then Google will have a hardware-rich fall event featuring the Chromebook Pixel 3, a smaller Google Home alongside the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones.

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WhatsApp adds text-based Status updates

WhatsApp adds text-based Status updates

WhatsApp has updated its Status feature to allow users to just post text-based updates for their friends to see. Instead of having a photo or video as your status, you can now just type text or insert a URL. Users will be able to customize the color of the font and the background. WhatsApp Status was originally a feature where users only had text based status messages that would be visible next to their names in the contacts list. After Facebook caught the Snapchat Story bug and decided to add stories to everything, the humble WhatsApp Status feature was upgraded to have Instagram (or rather Snapchat) style stories where users could upload images or videos for their friends to see. You can say the feature has now come full circle, eventually letting users to share text again like they used to but in a different way. As with regular Status stories, you can choose who can see the text status and also see who has seen your message.

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Samsung Galaxy Note8 Italy launch date revealed

Samsung Galaxy Note8 Italy launch date revealed

We know that is set to be today. We when pre-orders will go live in the US, as well as the device's launch date in the country. Now, we have some information on the handset's availability in one of the European markets. A leaked poster has surfaced that reveals September 14 as the release date for the phone in Italy. The leak also confirms that DeX dock will be the pre-order freebie in Europe tipster @evleaks tipped this recently. Sadly, there's no information on pricing, although reports say the tag would be around 1,000. |

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Samsung Galaxy S6 series and Rogers' BlackBerry Keyone getting new updates

Samsung Galaxy S6 series and Rogers' BlackBerry Keyone getting new updates

A new update has started hitting Samsung's series smartphones as well as . The update for the former set of devices is hitting units in Europe (the Netherlands, currently), while that for the latter is rolling out to units on Canadian carrier Rogers. Talking about the Samsung update, it's arriving as version G920FXXU5EQH6, G925FXXU5EQH6 and G928FXXS3CQH1 for the Galaxy S6, and , respectively. As for changes, it brings along Android fixes for the month of August. The Keyone update, on the other hand, carries a build number of AAN517. It includes multiple changes, such the August patch as well as Bluetooth, WiFi, and OS stability-related improvements.

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Dual-screen YotaPhone 3 debuts

Dual-screen YotaPhone 3 debuts

The founding father of the screen-on-the-back concept Yota announced the YotaPhone 3 today. The phone has a 5.2 E-Ink display its back with three capacitive keys as its most distinctive feature. At the front YotaPhone 3, named YOTA3 in China, has a 5.5 AMOLED panel of Full HD resolution. There is also a fingerprint scanner/home button below. The chipset is Qualcomms mid-ranger Snapdragon 625 with octa-core CPU. Memory-wise the phone is going to be offered in two versions 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage or 4 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. The camera on the back has a 13 MP sensor and comes with dual-tone LED flash. On the front sits a 12 MP cam. Yotaphone 3 runs on YotaOS 3.0 based on the Android 7.1.1 Nougat. The phone is powered by a 3,300 mAh battery and has a reversible USB Type-C connector. Pre-order starts on September 5 at JD.com, while the actual sales begin two weeks later on September 18. The 64 GB version will cost RUB21,500/CNY2,398/$360, while the 128 GB option will have a RUB27,900/CNY3,098/$465 price tag.

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Samsung's next wearable to be smartwatch/fitness tracker hybrid

Samsung's next wearable to be smartwatch/fitness tracker hybrid

Samsung has revealed some vital details related to its next wearable device. The revelation was made as part of a survey the company sent out to the members of its SmartLab Plus program. The upcoming wearable is likely to be a smartwatch/fitness tracker hybrid as the South Korean clearly says the concept takes best bits from and Gear Fit 2. The device will have a smaller body and thinner straps (which will be replaceable), as well as will be waterproof in the sense that you can use it during your swimming activities. Other features include activity tracking, weight management, active sports, and coaching. The device will also issue alerts, asking you to stay active when on a flight and take breaks while driving. The tech giant says the wearable is designed in a way that it can be used all day from workplace to gym.

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vivo Xplay 7 to feature triple rear-camera and on-screen fingerprint sensor

vivo Xplay 7 to feature triple rear-camera and on-screen fingerprint sensor

Recently, it that vivo is working on two new smartphones: X20 and X20 Plus. And now, some leaked presentation slides have confirmed that the X20 will be called Xplay 7 and have revealed some of its specs. There will be camera sensors on the back and two on the front. The handset also features an on-screen fingerprint sensor, making it the first phone of its kind. Sadly, there's currently no information on the Xplay 7's internals or display specifications. Pricing and availability also remain a mystery at this point, but hopefully we'll hear more about those soon. |

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Huawei Mate 10 to be announced on October 16 in Munich

Huawei Mate 10 to be announced on October 16 in Munich

After the announcement in the beginning of the year and the launch in June, now all Huawei fans' eyes are on the next Mate phablet. Last month and now we have a specific date to look forward to October 16. The event will happen in Munich, Germany and we hear a smaller Huawei Mate 10 Lite will debut alongside the Mate 10 flagship. According to previous reports, the with 18:9 ratio from JDI. It will be taller with a 2160 x 1080 resolution. The device by the completely new Kirin 970, the first 10nm process chipset by HiSilicon. The source suggests a massive PLN4,000 price tag, which is around $1100. It also tries to guess the Lites price, which will be cut in half and will be PLN1,999 or $556. These, however, seems like pretty ambitious prices and we believe Huawei will settle for something more reasonable.

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AT&T confirms Galaxy S8 Active is on the way, still won't make it official

AT&T confirms Galaxy S8 Active is on the way, still won't make it official

The for AT still isn't official, despite the pouring rain of leaks we've seen about it over the past few weeks. We got and already, but the carrier seems intent on postponing the launch as much as possible. Funnily, though, that hasn't prevented AT from confirming the fact that the Galaxy S8 Active is a real device indeed, and one that's definitely coming soon. Seen below is an excerpt from the FAQ section for a promotion that's gone live at AT This, by the way, is still available on the company's website, at the Source linked below. It's a list of Samsung smartphones that are eligible to get you a $500 coupon to use toward the purchase of a Samsung TV for use on DIRECTV, the carrier's TV service. The S8 Active should come with a ruggedized MIL-STD-810G compliant body, a 5.8-inch 2,960x1,440 18.5:9 Super AMOLED non-curved touchscreen with Gorilla Glass 5, the Snapdragon 835 chipset, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of expandable storage, and a big 4,000 mAh battery. The cameras seem identical to those found on the and , a 12 MP rear unit and an 8 MP selfie shooter, both with f/1.7 aperture. The Active will be 9.9mm thick and weigh 208g. |

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You can now send money through PayPal from within Skype's mobile apps

You can now send money through PayPal from within Skype's mobile apps

Skype and PayPal have announced the integration of their respective services today. This applies to the Skype mobile apps for Android and iOS, in 22 countries in total. Here's the full list: the US, the UK, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain. If you live in one of those places, have a PayPal account, and use Skype for Android or iOS, you're in luck. A new version of Skype for the two leading mobile platforms has started rolling out today. Once you get it, you'll be able to easily send people money through PayPal, straight inside the messaging app. Here's how it works. While you're in a conversation with a person you want to send some cash to, select the Find option on the top bar, and choose to Send Money. Then you type in the amount to send, and confirm the payment. That's it. Do however note that this functionality is designed for sending money to friends and family, and not for payments of goods or services from businesses. The PayPal rates are exactly the same as they would be if you used its peer-to-peer payments on other platforms.

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Microsoft is working on an iPad Touch Cover, official document reveals

Microsoft is working on an iPad Touch Cover, official document reveals

Here's an interesting idea: how about a Microsoft Touch Cover for that iPad? Does that sound far-fetched to you? Well, it definitely doesn't to Microsoft, because through an official document relating to lithium battery transport information it has confirmed that it is working on such an accessory. There's a small catch, however. Said document (a relevant excerpt of which you can see below) dates back to April. So there's a chance that the project has since been scrapped. Let's assume it hasn't, just for argument's sake, and see what a Microsoft-made iPad Touch Cover might entail. Given the name used, we tend to believe the accessory would be very similar in shape and function to the Surface Touch Cover from years past. That was just 3mm thick and used pressure-sensitive technology to deliver a full multi-touch keyboard. The iPad Touch Cover has a battery, the aforementioned document reveals, which means it's probably going to connect to your iPad via Bluetooth. That pretty much excludes it from being an accessory made for the iPad Pro line, because it would have been much more logical to use Apple's Smart Connector in such a case. So it's likely that Microsoft's accessory is meant for the , for which Apple doesn't sell its own keyboard. Perhaps Microsoft considers this to be an exploitable vulnerability of its competitor's current product line. We'll have to wait and see if this device ever does become reality. (PDF) | (in German) |

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OpenSignals Q2 evaluation of US carriers ranks T-Mobile at the top

OpenSignals Q2 evaluation of US carriers ranks T-Mobile at the top

Open Signal released a report of the performance of all four major US carriers in the US: Sprint, AT, Verizon, and T-Mobile. T-Mobile takes the cake overall in LTE and 3G speeds and latency, download speed overall, and overall LTE availability. T-Mobile and Verizon were both very close in metrics. In fact, in most markets tested, both magenta and big red were either tied or outright won. Sure there were markets where T-Mobile didnt do well and were sure there are markets where Verizon beats T-Mobile. Based on over 5 billion test results between March 21 and June 29, T-Mobile took the award in every metric mentioned in the last paragraph. Analyzing the results, Open Signal has seen a drop in networks speeds from AT and Verizon since the two companies brought back unlimited data plans. On the flip side, both Sprint and T-Mobiles speeds have been steadily increasing in OpenSignals metrics. Since OpenSignals last report 6 months ago, Verizons average speeds have dropped 12% while AT have dropped about 7%, likely due to congestion once the unlimited gates were re-opened. Surely, we can expect that Verizon and AT speeds will recover as the carriers catch their capacities up with the latest wave of demand from unlimited customers. T-Mobile is the first US carrier to pass 90% LTE availability in OpenSignals tests, surpassing Verizon in its rankings. Open Signal has plenty more to say about the current state of US operators. You can check out the full report at the source link. Always keep in mind that all carriers have their strengths and weaknesses all over the nation and reports like these compile data from the entire country. Even within a city's borders, no carrier is ever invincible from dead zones. Take into account that every individual is likely to have a different experience with any single carrier. Source ,

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The new Samsung flip phone is now official for China Mobile

The new Samsung flip phone is now official for China Mobile

Samsung has kept making phones in the clamshell form factor, though the only market that really . Samsung has released the W2017 flip phone late last year and a successor is making its way to China Mobile. This is the new , also called the Leadership 8 (translated from Chinese). The Leadership 8 looks to be an incremental update to aforementioned . The most notable updates are a slightly improved Snapdragon 821CPU, and a 12MP camera with a wider f/1.7 aperture to let more light in. The front facing camera is 5MP with an f/1.9 aperture. Additional features include fast-wireless charging, Samsung Pay, a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, and two 4.2-inch displays: both AMOLED 1080p, one on the outside and one on the inside. Theres a 2,300 mAh battery, a configurable hotkey, and an Always-on display. Youll only be able to get the Leadership 8 from China Mobile. Currently, theres no word as to whether well see the new Samsung flip phone make it to any markets outside of China. Given that the phones external display can be used like any other smartphone these days, would you see yourself using a Samsung smartphone like this? ( ) |

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LG teases the V30s 6-inch OLED display

LG teases the V30s 6-inch OLED display

LG has put out a press release from its home country of South Korea where it outlines a few of the features we can expect from the companys upcoming flagship smartphone: The . All LG had to show for the display is the following image of the bottom of the front. Here we can see the curved edges and bezel size of the LG V30. Thats right, the LG V30 will have dual edges like the or the upcoming . First off, the LG V30 will sport P-OLED display panel, which means the base for the OLED panel is a plastic substrate rather than fragile glass. This ensures the display wont crack under the slab of Gorilla Glass 5 protecting the screen. The P-OLED technology also gives LG the ability to curve the edges of the display. Next, the V30 will have LGs FullVision 2:1 display with a 20% smaller bezel on the top and a 50% smaller bezel on the bottom. In addition, the LG logo has been moved from under the display to the back of the phone. We are also going to see the same QHD+ (1440 x 2880 px) resolution that was on the . If you like watching videos and movies on a handset, youll be happy to know that the V30 will support HDR10 playback for content with a much higher contrasts, better framerates, and wide color gamut. The LG V30 will be announced on the right before IFA starts in Berlin. Itll pack the latest , and a dual-camera setup with one ultra-wide lens and another normal one. Rumors have claimed the V30 could have the at f/1.6, though, well just have to wait and see about that.

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Video shows prototypes of Red's $1,200 Hydrogen One smartphone

Video shows prototypes of Red's $1,200 Hydrogen One smartphone

Remember that $1,200 smartphone that high-end professional camera maker Red announced last month? Well, some prototypes of the phone have now appeared in a video from popular tech YouTuber MKBHD. The prototypes shown in the video are non-functional, but should give you a pretty good idea about how the device actually looks. The majority of the video focuses on a fit and finish model that's without any internal components, but gives a crystal clear look at the design. As some of you might already know, one of the main features of the Hydrogen One is its holographic display the device incorporates a technology that seamlessly switches between traditional 2D content, holographic multi-view content, 3D content and interactive games. That holographic display is the second prototype, but it was not shown off in the video (it was blurred for some reason, but MKBHD says he was quite impressed with what he saw). And finally, a Hydrogen mod (a camera module) attached to the phone is the third prototype that the video shows off towards the end. Here's the complete video: To be precise, the device starts at $1,195 (that's for the Aluminum variant), with the Titanium model costing a whopping $1,595. It's expected to start shipping in Q1 2018.

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FC Barcelona Oppo R11 coming next week

FC Barcelona Oppo R11 coming next week

Oppo is all set to announce a new variant of the smartphone. The company has started sending out invites for an August 8 event, hinting that the phone's FC Barcelona Edition will be the star of the event. The new model is expected to carry same specs as the standard R11 phone, but the UI is likely to be FCB-themed and some club logos will likely appear on the back. A different color scheme might also be on the cards. Pricing will likely be higher as with most limited edition handsets.

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Deal Alert: Get a refurbished Samsung Galaxy S7 for $340

Deal Alert: Get a refurbished Samsung Galaxy S7 for $340

Amazon's daily deals have a few gems today and among them are a couple of that are going for just $340. Granted, the S7 is no longer a flagship device, but at that price it's a real steal. And it's the last member of the S family to sport a flat screen so those not won over by the curved revolution might think twice about getting it. The phones in question are Refurbished (certified by Amazon) and come with a warranty. However one deal is about to sell out so you'd best hurry if you are interested. |

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Android O could come out next week

Android O could come out next week

of Android O was released last Monday (July 24), and it was a release candidate. Unless any major bugs are uncovered, the final version will come out soon perhaps as soon as next week. The and are first in line to get the new major OS version. It will bring , Autofill, kills off Blob emoji and brings many other changes. Perhaps well even get to learn what desert it is named after the current front runner seems to be . Note that theres a chance the the O release will be pushed back. Last year, Android 7.0 Nougat started to roll out to Nexus devices . |

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Nokia 8 may run Android 8.0.0 from day one

Nokia 8 may run Android 8.0.0 from day one

We've already seen plenty of benchmarks of the upcoming , which will finally become . Some were even of Nokia's first Android-powered flagship, namely whether HMD Global would go for 8 or 9. Now that the Nokia 8 moniker is pretty much set in stone, we may have uncovered the reason for the Finns preferring it to Nokia 9. A new Geekbench run by a device referred to as Unknown Heart, which has a Snapdragon 835 chipset and 4GB of RAM, sees it running Android 8.0.0. This is a first, but keep in mind that this particular benchmark for some reason. As for the Android version, of course it could just be a test to prepare the handset for its first major software update (if it launches with 7.1.1 on board). On the other hand, it may very well be the first device to ship running Android 8.0.0. Bear with us for a second while we explain how that could be possible. Last year, the was the first handset to become available , after Google released that version as an update to its Nexus lineup in August. This year, the update to 8.0.0 for Pixels and Nexuses will be out sometime this month, according to Google's own schedule. This means that Android 8.0.0 will probably have been finalized by the time HMD takes the wraps off the Nokia 8 on August 16, and definitely before the phone will start shipping (a few weeks later, we assume). So Nokia could do for the 8 in 2017 what LG did for the V20 in 2016. And if the Nokia will in fact be the first out of the gate with Android , doesn't the name make perfect sense? |

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The new OnePlus 5 color will be Gold

The new OnePlus 5 color will be Gold

OnePlus 5 is about , a teaser suggested yesterday. It was always likely that the third option will be gold, since the color was mentioned in a TENAA listing before the phone was even announced, but today brought actual proof of this. We got a clue in the source code of the page for the Amazon India listing of the handset. is currently sold in India through various retailers, one of them being the local division of Amazon. It has the 5omething New. Coming Soon banner on top that suggests a new color. But when you look at the code, you see the promo image coming from a subfolder named gold. The color is not exactly new for OnePlus either. The sported a Soft Gold version, while the was available in Champagne. |

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Facebook Stories are ready to invade your desktop

Facebook Stories are ready to invade your desktop

are like , in that Snapchat's inspired them. But unlike Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories haven't been very successful since the launch in March. Almost no one is using Stories on Facebook, which is in stark contrast to the 250 million users of the feature on Instagram. So what do you think Facebook decided to do in this situation? Scrap Stories? Bring in Stories from Instagram? No. The social network is now busy testing showing Stories on your computer as well, when you go to its website. Unlike in its mobile apps, where Stories appear above the News Feed, on the desktop they're thankfully less intrusive, being relegated to the top right side of the page, as you can see from the screenshot below. A small question mark is there as part of the Stories module, which you can hover over with your cursor in order to find out what that is. The explanation tells you that Stories consist of photos and videos that are visible for just 24 hours before they disappear. While this is still considered a test at the moment, Facebook says a wider rollout is coming soon. So brace yourselves, for there will soon be no place on the internet without Stories. Or at least not on any of Facebook's properties.

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LastPass doubles the price of its Premium tier, reveals how much Families will cost

LastPass doubles the price of its Premium tier, reveals how much Families will cost

In July, , detailing the features it would include but staying mum on pricing details. Today those have thankfully been revealed, although the LastPass Families plan still isn't available. When it goes live later this summer, it will be up for grabs for $48 per year. That amount includes licenses for up to 6 users. It offers unlimited shared folders for flexible sharing options with family members and close ones. Once Families becomes available, LastPass Premium customers will be able to try it for 6 months free of charge. Speaking of Premium, it's just received a 100% price hike, going from $12 per year previously to $24 per year from now on. Perhaps in an effort to make this more palatable for people paying to use LastPass, two previously free features have become Premium-only. We're talking about unlimited sharing and emergency access. That said, you won't lose access to the latter if you are a Free user and have already selected an emergency contact. If you choose Premium you also get priority tech support, advanced multi-factor authentication, LastPass for applications, and 1GB of encrypted file storage. |

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Google reportedly wanted to buy Snapchat for $30 billion

Google reportedly wanted to buy Snapchat for $30 billion

Snapchat, officially called Snap Inc., filed for IPO early on in March of this year. The company went public and would now has the capital of the public to lend financial support. However, a report from says that Google verbally discussed the acquisition of Snapchat with Snap Inc. CEO Evan Spiegel. The offer was for $30 billion and the discussions happened far before the company filed for IPO: early 2016. Googles offer was apparently still on the table even after Snap Inc. went public. Of course, Spiegel did not budge, he did not want to sell out. In fact, only he and Snap Inc. co-founder Bobby Murphy are the only ones who can make major decisions for the company so public backers don't have any say about it, even if they wanted to. Even though Snap told that these rumors are false, and Google declined to comment, this piece of news bumped Snap Inc.s stock price by 2.3% today following weeks of steady decline. Google would be an excellent parent company for Snapchat in the marketing front. Lets face it, Snapchats curated and sponsored content sections could use a lot of improvement. Either way, Snap CEO Spiegel is the type of person who likes to call the shots and probably wouldnt want to answer to someone else, particularly since Snapchat is his baby. Still, Googles relationship with Snapchat remains close. In fact, Googles investment arm put money on Snapchat after it went public, and Snap (one of Google Clouds largest customers) has vowed to spend $2 billion on Google Cloud, which is the platform that Snapchat runs on. Still, it would have been really cool to see a fusion of technologies between Snapchats spectacles and Google Glass. Snaps AR technology would definitely be a great asset to Googles development of Glass. |

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New leak claims to show final design for Motorola Moto X4

New leak claims to show final design for Motorola Moto X4

It was @evleaks who first that the Moto X (2017) will carry moniker at launch. He then went on to share for the device that clearly showed the device's front as well as the back. This was followed by revealing various color options. However, the tipster has now revealed that the final Moto X4 design is different, terming earlier leaks as bad information or early renders. Here are some more pics of the device that partly show the front and sides as well: In addition to a new design, these images also reveal some other important information about the phone, including metal and 3D glass build, smart camera, IP68 certification for waterproofing, AI integration, and always-on voice. The handset has already been spotted in benchmark listings ( and ), and is to cost 350. |

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Huawei BG2-U01 (MediaPad T3 7) 3g-tablet gets TENAA certified

Huawei BG2-U01 (MediaPad T3 7) 3g-tablet gets TENAA certified

Looks like Huawei is all set to launch a new variant of tablet (that was launched back in May this year). Carrying a model number of BG2-U01, the tablet is powered by a quad-core 1.3GHz CPU, and sports a 7-inch display of 1024 600 pixel resolution. RAM is 2GB, while storage is 16GB. The device features a 2MP rear and 2MP front camera. Measuring 187.6 x 103.7 x 8.6mm and weighing in at 275g, the tablet runs Android 7.0 Nougat and packs in a 4,000mAh battery. It's worth mentioning that unlike the existing MediaPad T3 7.0, the BG2-U01 offers cellular connectivity it is compatible with GSM and WCDMA networks. Aside from TENAA, the tablet has also received WiFi certification from the WiFi alliance. That listing clearly states the product name as 'MediaPad T3 7'. Sadly, there's currently no information on the pricing and availability of the tablet. |

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Latest OnePlus 3/3T Open Beta brings 'parallel apps' feature

Latest OnePlus 3/3T Open Beta brings 'parallel apps' feature

A new OxygenOS Open Beta update has started hitting and smartphones. Aside from improvements and optimizations, the update brings along an interesting new feature: support for parallel apps. It lets you run a parallel version of the same app using a separate account. The feature supports Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and Instagram as well as other popular apps. As for other changes, home screen folder icon has been optimized, folder UI has been redesigned, and support for light theme and opening RAW images has been added to Gallery. The update also adds double finger slide support so you can now slide the home screen with one finger while using another to hold an item. For more information, head to links below. |

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Lenovo is dropping the Vibe Pure UI for stock Android

Lenovo is dropping the Vibe Pure UI for stock Android

In five days will and it will be the first Lenovo smartphone without the Vibe Pure user interface and will ship with stock Android instead. The company is dropping the custom UI for all its future phones as well, head of product marketing at Lenovo confirmed. According to Anuj Sharma, the move is following customers demand. In the last 11 months, the company looked carefully what it had regarding software perspective. Cutting the Vibe Pure interface was the decision Lenovo had to take to stay relevant to its fans. A few enhancements still will be present on the OS to make full use of techs like Dolby Atmos and TheaterMax. Sharma shared that cultural differences were the main issue in developing an interface. For example, Chinese users arent fans of the stock Android compared to custom skins. On the other side of the spectrum is the Indian market where a bloatware-free OS was preferred. Lenovo underlined that cutting costs is not a reason for ditching the Vibe Pure UI. With a stock Android, the phones will be easier to update so new versions will arrive sooner and support for an extended period will be possible. All Lenovo phones from the K series, launched in 2017, will receive Android O update once it is pushed by Google. The timeline may vary depending on chip manufacturers and carriers though.

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ASUS ZenPad 3S 8.0 arrives on Verizon with a new name

ASUS ZenPad 3S 8.0 arrives on Verizon with a new name

In the end of the May, ASUS held an event at Computex in Taipei and the . Fast forward two months and the slate arrives in the United States on Verizon with a new name ASUS ZenPad Z8s. The retail price is $249.99, but there are cheaper ways to have it tied to a contract with the carrier. The ZenPad Z8s has a 7.9 IPS display with a 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution. The tablet runs on Snapdragon 652, paired with 3 GB RAM and 16 GB storage. There is also a microSD slot that can hold a card with up to 128 GB more. There are two cameras on the Z8s the main one on the back with a 13 MP sensor and a 5 MP selfie snappert. The OS is Android Nougat 7.0, and the whole setup is powered by a 4,680 mAh battery. Verizon offers two additional options for purchasing. The ZenPad Z8s can be bought for $149.99 with a two-year contract. The other choice is $10.41/mo for 24 months without a down payment. |

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YouTube Music finally allows offline saving of songs, albums, and playlists

YouTube Music finally allows offline saving of songs, albums, and playlists

has added an incredibly useful feature today, one that amazingly hasn't been in all this time. We're talking about proper support for saving stuff offline. Up until this point, YouTube Music's only option in this realm was an auto-generated offline mixtape, which was created based on your previous listening history. In other words, you had no control over what went into it. From now on, though, if you're a subscriber, YouTube music finally lets you choose what to save for offline listening or viewing you can pick any song, album, or playlist to download. You also get to select whether you want to save just the audio, SD video, or HD video (when possible). Once you've added things to your offline library, to access it you tap your profile photo and select Offline. |

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Netflix adds support for HDR on Sony Xperia XZ Premium

Netflix adds support for HDR on Sony Xperia XZ Premium

Netflix has added support for HDR streaming on the . The device has now been listed on Netflix support page for HDR enabled mobile devices, alongside . The Xperia XZ Premium was launched earlier this year with a 4K HDR display. At launch, it only had support for Amazon Prime Video HDR support but Netflix support was absent. That is, until now. The XZ Premium is the only mobile device on the market now that has HDR support on both services as all the other devices only support one or the other. The LG G6 was the only mobile device with HDR support for Netflix. The G6 is actually compatible with Dolby Vision and not the standard HDR-10 content that the XZ Premium, although the difference on these mobile devices is really negligible. We are not sure if Netflix is also serving the UHD version along with HDR on the XZ Premium like Amazon. The G6 only has a 1080p stream with Dolby Vision. We don't have a device right now to confirm and Netflix hasn't specified on its website.

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