HTC U12+ poses for some leaked photos

We know that LG and OnePlus are planning to unveil some new flagship Android phones soon, but rumors have said that HTC will launch a new flagship of its own soon, and today we may be getting a clear look at it.

New images that purportedly show the HTC U12+ have found their way online. Shared to an HTC Taiwan fan page on Facebook, the photos show a slab of a smartphone with dual rear cameras, a rear fingerprint reader, and dual front cameras. There are also what may be volume and power/lock buttons on the side of the device, and a USB-C port on the bottom. One thing that's missing? A 3.5mm headphone jack.

Also of note is that this device's design lines up with some alleged HTC U12+ images that leaked out earlier this year.

Past rumors have tipped the HTC U12+ to be a high-end phone that includes a 6-inch WQHD+ display — without a notch, it appears — Snapdragon 845 processor, and 6GB of RAM. It'll reportedly pack 16MP and 12MP rear cameras along with dual 8MP front cameras, too, with 64GB or 128GB of storage and a microSD card slot.

Rounding out the U12+'s rumored feature set is a 3,420mAh battery, Android 8.0 Oreo, and Edge Sense, an HTC feature that lets you perform actions by squeezing the sides of the device.

If these leaks hold true, the HTC U12+ looks like it could be a solid device. People that hate the notch will be happy to learn that it looks like HTC will be skipping that trend with the U12+, but the good news is that it'll also have premium specs like a Snapdragon 845 and 6GB of RAM. That alone doesn't guarantee that the HTC U12+ will be a success, though, as HTC also has to price its phone aggressively and have good availability. We'll have to wait for HTC's announcement for those details, but the good news is that that announcement could be near.

HTC

HTC U12+ poses for some leaked photos originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Chinese authorities claim they can read deleted WeChat messages

China is clearly fond of its far-reaching surveillance, but it's making some particularly boastful claims. An anti-corruption watchdog in Hefei claimed that a division in a nearby city managed to obtain a "series of deleted WeChat conversations" from one of its suspects. Supposedly, the scrapped chats let investigators question other participants and discipline them. Officials deleted the post on April 29th, but it had already sparked a minor panic on social networks -- did this mean the government could dig through your chat history at will?

Via: The Verge

Source: South China Morning Post

Chinese authorities claim they can read deleted WeChat messages posted first on https://www.engadget.com

WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum is leaving Facebook after clashing over data privacy

WhatsApp co-founder and CEO Jan Koum is leaving the company amid arguments with parent company Facebook over data privacy and the messaging app’s business model, according to a report from The Washington Post. Koum, together with his fellow co-founder Brian Acton, sold WhatsApp to Facebook in 2014 for an eye-popping sum of $19 billion, $3 billion of which consisted of Facebook stock granted to both Koum and Acton, who left the company back in September. Koum confirmed his departure in a personal Facebook post today.

Koum’s Facebook post does not mention any inner turmoil at WhatsApp or address any of The Washington Post’s reporting, which suggests Koum took issue with Facebook’s approach to data privacy and encryption:

It’s been almost...

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WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum is leaving Facebook after clashing over data privacy appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

Google adds user reviews to help you decide on Assistant apps

Beyond automating your home through Routines and sending money to a friend, the capabilities of Google Assistant are expanding rapidly. So you don't waste time trying out lousy features, Google is letting users now post reviews on Assistant apps and integrations to help others determine the usefulness of each, according to Android Police.

Via: 9to5 Google

Source: Android Police

Google adds user reviews to help you decide on Assistant apps posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Samsung Galaxy A6 and A6+ official with 18.5:9 displays and octa-core processors

Samsung's Galaxy family is growing once again.

The Samsung Galaxy A6 and Galaxy A6+ have been revealed on Samsung Indonesia's website. They're a pair of mid-range phones and, like the Galaxy S9 and S9+, there are some notable spec differences between the two models.

The Galaxy A6 is packing a 5.6-inch 1480x720 Super AMOLED display while the Galaxy A6+ has a 6-inch 2220x1080 Super AMOLED panel. Both screens have an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. The Galaxy A6+ also has a 1.8GHz octa-core processor while the Galaxy A6 has a 1.6GHz octa-core processor, and the A6+ is packing 4GB of RAM while the standard A6 has 3GB of RAM.

Another notable difference between the two phones is that the Galaxy A6+ has a dual rear camera setup with a 16MP f/1.7 lens and a 5MP f/1.9 lens, both of which can be combined to give your photos a bokeh effect. The Galaxy A6 has a single 16MP f/1.7 rear camera.

Rounding out the Galaxy A6+'s spec list is a 24MP f/1.9 front camera, 32GB of storage, a microSD card slot, a rear fingerprint reader, face recognition, and a 3,500mAh battery. It's also got Samsung's Bixby assistant.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy A6 has a 16MP f/1.9 front-facing camera, 32GB of storage, a microSD slot, a rear fingerprint reader, face recognition, and a smaller 3,000mAh battery. It, too, comes equipped with Samsung's Bixby assistant.

The Galaxy A6 and A6+ look like respectable mid-range smartphones, offering large screens with small-ish bezels and microSD card slots. Plus, the Galaxy A6+ comes equipped with a dual rear camera setup so that you make your photos more striking by adding a blurry background. Unfortunately, there's no word yet on when the Galaxy A6 and A6+ will launch, nor have there been any announcements about their prices.  Stay tuned.

Samsung

Samsung Galaxy A6 and A6+ official with 18.5:9 displays and octa-core processors originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Top 10 Android Apps of April 2018!

We've compiled a top 10 list of our favorite Android apps to hit the Play Store in April 2018. The apps highlighted in this video include SideSqueeze, Portal AR, Flippy, Pie Controls, Notification Animations, PAKO 2, Just a Line, Lean Launcher, Spacecraft AR, and Strike Force. Which app is your favorite?

Google

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Top 10 Android Apps of April 2018! originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Possible BlackBerry KEYone follow-up shown off in leaked images

TCL teased earlier this year that it's got two new BlackBerry smartphones planned for 2018, and today we may be getting a good look at one of them.

New images of a BlackBerry device said to be codenamed "Athena" have leaked out. The phone looks like an updated version of the BlackBerry KEYone, and so it should come as now surprise that the name "BlackBerry KEY2" is being tossed around for this unannounced device.

The phone has a KEYone styling, complete with a tall screen up top and a physical QWERTY keyboard resting below it. The keyboard frets found on the KEYone are gone on this new device, and the keys appear to be flatter and matte than those on the KEYone.

Images posted by Chinese regulatory agency TENAA show that the phone has a BlackBerry logo on its backside and a dual rear camera setup.

Spec details for this BlackBerry Athena/KEY2 are mostly up in the air, but the device is said to be packing a USB-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The BlackBerry KEYone is a very BlackBerry device, drawing inspiration from older BlackBerry phones like the Bold with its candybar form factor. This BlackBerry Athena/KEY2 appears to simplify that design and clean things up a bit, like with its matte keys, while also jumping on the dual rear camera trend. 

What do you think of this leaked BlackBerry?

BlackBerry KEYone

BlackBerry

Possible BlackBerry KEYone follow-up shown off in leaked images originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Chinese authorities admit they’re able to retrieve deleted WeChat messages

Chinese authorities are able to retrieve deleted WeChat messages from a suspect’s phone to catch criminals, a government watchdog admitted on Monday in social media posts spotted by South China Morning Post. The stunning admission confirms what many have believed for years: WeChat can be used as a government surveillance tool, and even once-deleted messages can be retrieved by authorities.

WeChat’s parent company Tencent denied any wrongdoing, saying in a social media post, “WeChat does not store any chat histories — they are only stored on users’ phones and computers.” That stance is similar to one Tencent has taken in the past, when Chinese auto industry executive Li Shufu stated that the company’s CEO “must be watching all our...

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Chinese authorities admit they’re able to retrieve deleted WeChat messages appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

Companies keep reminding customers to stop buying phones at launch

Apple launched the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in late 2017. Several months later and the company decided it would launch a (PRODUCT)RED version of both of those handsets. Just like last year, when Apple did the same exact thing with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, this didn't sit well with a lot of iPhone buyers. The red color is pretty fantastic, but the fact that Apple waits months after launch to actually release it is pretty frustrating.

Especially for early adopters.

Now, it should be said that the (PRODUCT)RED version of the iPhone 8 came out a year after the iPhone 7 option, so Apple appears to be sticking with a yearly refresh rate for this variant, too. But without a confirmation from Apple, which they aren't going to do, there's no way of knowing for sure that we'll get a new (PRODUCT)RED iPhone every year. So if you upgraded to the iPhone 8/8 Plus when it launched, not expecting a new red variant in early 2018, no one should blame you for that.

Now, here we are with Samsung. The company just announced that it's going to launch 128GB and 256GB variants of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ in May. The 128GB option has been available internationally, but this is the first time these major upgrades in built-in storage are going to be available in the United States. These are obviously options that customers would want (none of them surpass the $1,000 mark, either, which is fantastic), and they probably would have sold extremely well right out of the gate.

What's worse, is that Samsung obviously knew it was going to launch these variants in the U.S. at some point. This isn't a decision they made over the weekend. And, yes, the Galaxy S9 lineup supports microSD cards so there is that as an option. But some folks don't want to use a microSD card, so the built-in storage option is the way to go.

The staggered launch is a distinct move. It's done on purpose, because Samsung, Apple, and every other company that does this (looking at you, LG) needs to bump up sales. So, launching a variant, one with a distinct reason to buy, helps with that. For Apple it's releasing a new color option. There are even still rumors that Apple may launch a gold variant of the iPhone X before the new model launches later this year.

This has to stop. This is wildly frustrating, especially for early adopters. If anything it looks like these companies are trying to make a case buying their products at launch, because they keep telling us that something better is coming down the pipe. And I actually think offering a better storage option is even worse of a move than just a different color variant. It just feels shady.

The only silver lining here is that wireless carriers at least give customers, in some cases, the ability to pay off a certain amount of a handset, trade it in, and get something new -- even well in advance of the expected upgrade date. That's not always the case, though. And when it comes to the new Galaxy S9 variants? That's not an option, because Samsung is selling them directly from its online store, and not wireless carriers.

Maybe Samsung should offer up the ability to trade in a 64GB Galaxy S9, with no loss of value, and let customers pay the minimal difference to get the newer models. That would be a positive move in my book. And I know customers would take advantage of it. But that would obviously impact Samsung in the books, so it won't happen. Maybe offer up a free 64GB microSD card to existing Galaxy S9 owners.

Samsung Galaxy S9

Samsung Galaxy S9+

Apple iPhone 8

Apple iPhone 8 Plus

LG V30

Samsung

Apple

LG

Companies keep reminding customers to stop buying phones at launch originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ will get 128GB and 256GB versions next month

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ both have microSD slots, letting you add more storage to your phone if you need it. Next month, though, Samsung will offer another way to get more storage in an S9 or S9+.

Samsung is launching 128GB and 256GB versions of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. Both models will be available exclusively from Samsung.com, with pre-orders opening May 1 and the launch scheduled for May 18.

Here's what the pricing for the more capacious models of the S9 and S9+ looks like:

• Samsung Galaxy S9 128GB: $769.99
• Samsung Galaxy S9 256GB: $819.99
• Samsung Galaxy S9+ 128GB: $889.99
• Samsung Galaxy S9+ 256GB: $939.99

Customers will be able to choose Lilac Purple, Coral Blue, and Midnight Black color options. Additionally, customers who any model of the S9 or S9+ between May 1 and May 17 will get either a free pair of Gear IconX (2018) wireless earbuds or the opportunity to buy a Gear S3 Frontier smartwatch for $99.

Since launch, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ have come with 64GB of built-in storage, with the S9 priced at $719.99 and the S9+ priced at $839.99. While those 64GB models do come with microSD card slots, the new 128GB and 256GB models let consumers get even more storage in their smartphone since they, too, include microSD card slots.

Samsung Galaxy S9

Samsung Galaxy S9+

Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ will get 128GB and 256GB versions next month originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Huawei reportedly prepping its own mobile OS as a backup to Android

Huawei is all about Android, using Google's mobile OS on all of its smartphones, but the company is reportedly also prepping its own OS.

Huawei is developing its own mobile operating system, say sources speaking to the South China Morning Post. The OS has been in development since 2012, when both Huawei and ZTE were investigated by the U.S.

There are few details known about the OS itself, but it's said that Huawei is working on it in case of "worst case scenarios". One source said that the OS is not as good as Android and doesn't have many third-party apps.

When asked about building its own mobile OS, Huawei said that it "has no plans to release its own OS in the foreseeable future," adding that it has a focus on Android products.

It makes sense that Android would be more polished and have more third-party apps than an OS developed by Huawei because Android has been available to the public for years and has become the most widely used mobile OS in the world, while Huawei's OS has not. However, it doesn't hurt for Huawei to have a backup, especially considering all of the issues Huawei has had lately with the U.S. government as well as ZTE's own issues with the government.

Huawei

Huawei reportedly prepping its own mobile OS as a backup to Android originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Samsung’s Galaxy S9 now comes with up to 256GB of storage

While we thought the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ received only incremental changes over their predecessors, but now both are getting another modest upgrade. Soon you'll be able to buy the phone in 128GB and 256GB.

Samsung’s Galaxy S9 now comes with up to 256GB of storage posted first on https://www.engadget.com

LG G7 ThinQ has a Boombox Speaker to boost its audio

LG's latest G7 ThinQ teaser is all about sound.

The LG G7 ThinQ will include a "Boombox Speaker" feature. LG touts that this Boombox Speaker boosts the base sound level of the G7 ThinQ by more than 6dB with double the amount of bass. The company claims that the G7 ThinQ offers more than 10 times the loudness of a typical smartphone.

If that isn't quite loud enough, LG recommends that you put your put your G7 ThinQ on a solid table or box to get even more of a bass boost.

As for how it got so much bass boost into a smartphone, LG uses a special resonance chamber design inside the G7 ThinQ. The Boombox Speaker utilizes the G7 ThinQ's full body, which offers more than 10 times as much resonance space as typical smartphone speaker modules.

The Boombox Speaker isn't the only special audio feature of the LG G7 ThinQ. LG is also including a Hi-Fi Quad DAC for better sound with high-quality headphones, as well as DTS: X sound technology which gives you 3D surround sound effects up to 7.1.

LG has placed a major focus on audio quality with its past few flagship smartphones, so it's no surprise to see it doing the same thing with the G7 ThinQ. The Boombox Speaker appears to be a response to many people using their smarpthone's speaker to listen to audio rather than relying on Bluetooth speakers or headphones, and it'll be interesting to see how that feature performs, especially with LG claiming that it's so much louder than a typical smartphone.

LG

LG G7 ThinQ has a Boombox Speaker to boost its audio originally posted at http://phonedog.com

What to look for when buying a tablet as a laptop replacement

Tablets didn't exactly take over the computing world, as Apple and Microsoft had predicted years ago. But they have been evolving to the point where they can fill in for a laptop under the right circumstances. Still, how do you ensure that the tablet you buy is good enough for you to leave conventional PCs behind? It's not always easy -- a tablet that's powerful enough for one person might be overly complicated for another. We have some tips to help you navigate the shopping maze.

What to look for when buying a tablet as a laptop replacement posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Emoji is the latest book from the Standards Manual design duo

Jesse Reed and Hamish Smyth, the design duo behind the republished MTA, NASA, and EPA standards manuals, are back with a new book: Emoji, a collection of the original 176 emoji characters.

The original emoji were designed by Shigetaka Kurita for Japanese telecommunications company DoCoMo in 1999 to use on pages in Japan. Those small, pixelated 12-by-12 grid images only bear a passing resemblance to today’s far more detailed emoji, but there’s a clear line that can be drawn between Kurita’s early work and the thousands of emoji characters on our phones. Kurita has been involved in the project; Reed and Smyth flew out to Tokyo to interview him for additional context on the original designs, and he’ll also be contributing an introduction...

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Emoji is the latest book from the Standards Manual design duo appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

iPhone X: 6 Months Later

The iPhone X is now six months old! We check in to see how it's performed as a daily driver.

Apple

Apple iPhone X

iPhone X: 6 Months Later originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Top 10 iOS Apps of April 2018!

We've compiled a top 10 list of our favorite iOS apps to hit the App Store in April 2018. The apps highlighted in this video include Burst for Reddit, 321 Launch, MMX Hill Dash 2, TubeBuddy, AutoVideo, Retro Highway, Cairn, Aloe Bud, Atlas Wallpaper, and Supertype. Which app is your favorite?

Apple

Apple iPhone X

Top 10 iOS Apps of April 2018! originally posted at http://phonedog.com

T-Mobile and Sprint have agreed to merge

After rumors began circulating this month claiming that T-Mobile and Sprint were in merger talks for the third time, the two companies today announced that they've agreed to merge.

The combined T-Mobile-Sprint will simply be known as T-Mobile. Current T-Mobile CEO John Legere will serve as CEO of the new company, while T-Mo COO Mike Sievert will be the President and COO. Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Höttges will serve as Chairman of the Board of the new T-Mobile, while SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son and Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure will also serve on the board.

The new T-Mobile will be headquartered in Bellevue, WA, where T-Mobile is currently headquartered. A second headquarters will be located in Overland Park, KS, where Sprint is currently headquartered.

More to come...

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T-Mobile

Sprint

T-Mobile and Sprint have agreed to merge originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Are you a fan of the 3D Touch feature?

Apple has made quite the impact when it comes to input on our computing devices over the years, and the same goes for our smartphones. Multitouch features like pinch-to-zoom and others are all pretty standard --and intuitive-- control methods, and one of those things that has become the default across platforms and devices. When the company announced 3D Touch, it had the same kind of excitement for the feature, saying it was going to be the next important step for input on our touchscreens.

Here we are a few years later and the iPad lineup still doesn't have 3D Touch, and rumor has it that Apple is actually going to withhold the feature altogether in the upcoming 6.1-inch iPhone with an LCD screen. The two other iPhones, the iPhone X successor and oft-rumored iPhone X Plus, will reportedly still have it on board.

More than anything else, it just feels like an easily forgettable feature.

That isn't to say that 3D Touch isn't intuitive. Hard pressing on the display to get more information about something, or quick sharing options, or whatever else might be included is pretty cool. I think it comes down to the fact that there are wildly different outcomes from app to app when you hard press on an icon, with some apps simply not supporting anything at all other than to share the app itself.

Some app icons will show you a widget, which is typically pretty helpful. The majority of the apps that I use, though, offer a quick jump into a specific feature. Alto's Odyssey, one of the few games on my phone that actually supports 3D Touch at all, has three options: Share the game, jump right into Zen Mode, or jump right into the standard mode. The idea of 3D Touch is to make things faster, which, technically speaking, it does reduce the number of steps to get into Zen Mode, at least. But it's not any faster to start racing down the mountain in standard mode, because that's the game's default once you open it.

The real strength of 3D Touch might be when you're in an app. Hard pressing on an image will give you sharing options, or the ability to save it. Depending on the Twitter app you use, there might be a variety of different helpful options there. The same goes for the other social networking apps out there. But, in some cases, like when you want to save an image or share it, hard pressing isn't much different than just long pressing. Like you still have to do on the iPad lineup.

I use 3D Touch when I have to, like saving an image or sharing a link, but I can go long stretches of time forgetting the feature exists at all. I don't think it's as intuitive as pinch-to-zoom or other core input methods, but at least it works like it's supposed to. And it must be a noteworthy feature, because Google introduced a similar function --even though you only have to long press on an app icon to get context-based options-- with its Android platform.

It might also just come down to muscle memory, too. 3D Touch hasn't really latched on, so I'm still accustomed to simply tapping on an app icon to jump in. Hard pressing (or long pressing, if you're on Android) to select a specific function, even if that's my intended goal with opening the app in the first place, hasn't really caught on just yet. Maybe it has for you.

So while I use 3D Touch from time-to-time, I don't necessarily think I'd miss it all that much if Apple one day decided that it wasn't something it wanted to continue to work with. Or, if I can put in a request, make the widgets on apps more worthwhile, more functional. If I 3D Touch the Apple Music app icon, give me music playback controls. That would be super helpful.

Where do you stand with 3D Touch, or even the similar feature on Android? Is this something you use quite a bit, and have become a fan of? Or is this one feature that you could live without? Let me know!

Apple iPhone X

Google Pixel 2 XL

Apple

Google

Are you a fan of the 3D Touch feature? originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Pop Camera is a fun toy camera app for your iPhone

Pop Camera is an app that turns your camera into an old-school toy camera without the clunkiness of buying said camera or fussing with film. The app has been around for a few years, but I’ve just started discovering how fun it can be to shoot with. The app lets you take photos using different modes that replicate effects from cheap cameras that produce random imperfections like light leaks, vignettes, and oversaturation in photographs.

This app simulates those and lets you have access to a variety of shot sequences, including a two-shot, four-shot, 12-shot, and 16-shot camera (which take sequential photos and combine them into one image) along with around 20 films, with more available for purchase. You can also choose from square or...

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Pop Camera is a fun toy camera app for your iPhone appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

T-Mobile and Sprint merge to create a 5G powerhouse

After years of on-again, off-again talks, it's official: T-Mobile and Sprint have announced plans to merge. The deal values Sprint at $59 billion (the combined company would be worth $146 billion) and will give T-Mobile the reins, with the carrier's John Legere serving as CEO and Mike Sievert continuing to operate as COO. Sprint chief Marcelo Claure will serve on the board of directors alongside Masayoshi Son, the CEO of Sprint's parent company SoftBank. As for the ostensible reason for the merger? If you ask the networks, it's all about 5G.

Developing...

Source: T-Mobile, Sprint

T-Mobile and Sprint merge to create a 5G powerhouse posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Huawei may have a backup OS in case it has to drop Android

It'd be hard to blame Huawei executives if they're feeling very nervous lately. The US has created havoc for ZTE by renewing an export ban over trade violations, potentially depriving it of its Android license and leaving it without a platform. How would Huawei avoid a similar fate? Simple: it would use its own operating system instead. South China Morning Post sources have claimed that Huawei has been developing its own mobile operating system (there are reportedly tablet and PC equivalents) ever since it and ZTE faced an American investigation in 2012. It's considered an investment for "worst-case scenarios," the insiders said.

Source: South China Morning Post

Huawei may have a backup OS in case it has to drop Android posted first on https://www.engadget.com

LG G7 ThinQ's speaker is apparently ten times louder than others

Another day, another LG G7 ThinQ teaser. Following the 1,000-nit super bright display, today the Korean giant decided to boast another feature on its upcoming flagship smartphone: the "Boombox Speaker." As the name implies, we're told to expect a speaker that "increases the base sound level by more than 6dB with twice the amount of bass." This apparently translates to more than ten times the loudness than that of a typical smartphone, which is surprising given the usual physical limitations. As a bonus, the bass can be further amplified when you place the device on a solid surface or box.

LG G7 ThinQ's speaker is apparently ten times louder than others posted first on https://www.engadget.com

iOS 12 should introduce better notifications

We're almost to the start of May, which means we're just over a month away from Apple hosting its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. As is par for the course, the company will be taking the stage, along with plenty of guest hosts, and talking about what's new in its popular operating systems. We'll see what Apple has in store for iOS users with iOS 12, along with whatever's new in updated versions of macOS, watchOS, and tvOS.

This year is a bit different than past efforts, though. The rumor mill is already trying to set expectations, pointing to a future where Apple doesn't announce a ton of new features, but instead will focus on refinements. Basically, it sounds like this is a rebuilding season, and Apple is going to make sure that it can avoid glitches, bugs, and other issues.

If that is indeed the case, it will be interesting to see how well that goes over with customers.

Apple is going to announce some new things, of course, but I'm not a fan of trying to guess what they've working on. So instead I want to just toss out a feature change request, because not only has it been bothering me a lot lately, I've seen a lot of others bringing it up, too.

So, let's talk about notifications.

I think it's safe to say that Apple has always had a . . . lackluster, if not downright ambivalent, stance on notifications. How long were we dealing with pop-ups that blocked what we were doing on our phone? And now, with so many more apps (thanks, Apple (and Google)!) out there that offer some kind of notification, iOS is basically just a constantly moving stream of content.

On a daily basis, my lock screen is a mess. Whether it's a messaging app, a game, or something else, that space is very rarely completely empty. I've had to turn off most of them, almost all of them. Especially the games. Seriously, some of these apps with their notifications are ridiculous. More often than not it just feels like I'm getting a reminder to activate the app, which is really dumb.

And then there's Apple News. This service is borderline aggressive. I turned on notifications for breaking news, and that's about as far from the result as possible. Sure, I get breaking news, but the news outlets that push out content are also giving me notifications for random stories that have nothing to do with any breaking news. I'm almost to the point where I'm going to turn off notifications for Apple News altogether, too.

Okay, so apps have a notifications problem, too. That's half of it. The other half is Apple and iOS, which just doesn't handle notifications in any kind of meaningful way. You just watch as your older notifications are pushed further down the screen, eventually out of sight until you have to scroll. So if you have a text message from someone, depending on how many subsequent notifications you get, it may just get pushed out of view.

No stacking. No priority. Nothing. Just a rushing stream of boxes.

I'm not going to compare Android and iOS here (Android handles this better, even if there's room for improvement), I just want to say that this is something Apple needs to fix in iOS 12. Some things are better late than never, and this may fit that bill for some people, but it has been so long with this sort of thing that it's just frustrating more than anything else.

Don't get me wrong. If Apple does fix it, I'm sure they're going to get praised up and down for it. Which they would probably deserve, if they do it justice. But I don't think it should have ever gotten this bad. (It's really bad.)

What do you think? In its iOS 12 update, do you think Apple should put some extra attention on handling notifications better? Or is this something you think is just fine already? Let me know!

Apple iPhone X

Apple

iOS 12 should introduce better notifications originally posted at http://phonedog.com

T-Mobile and Sprint may announce a merger after all

T-Mobile and Sprint have started and stopped merger talks so often that it's easy to become jaded about the whole thing, but it now looks like they're close to a deal -- no, for real this time. Sources talking to CNBC, Reuters and the Wall Street Journal have all insisted that the two carriers are close to finalizing a merger agreement that could be announced as soon as April 29th. The pact would reportedly value Sprint at $26 billion and would give T-Mobile's parent Deutsche Telekom a roughly 40 percent stake in the combined carrier.

Source: CNBC, Reuters, WSJ

T-Mobile and Sprint may announce a merger after all posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Apple reportedly prepping new VR and AR headset with dual 8K displays

We've seen lots of mobile companies get into the virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) markets in recent years, including HTC, Lenovo, Samsung, and Google. Now a new report claims to have info on Apple's entry into those markets.

Apple is working on a headset that supports both VR and AR, according to a source speaking to CNET. The project is codenamed T288 and is said to be in its early stages, with a release targeted for sometime in 2020. As with most unannounced products, though, it's possible that Apple could change the project or kill it altogether.

Getting to the device itself, it's said that Apple is aiming to create a device with two 8K displays, one for each eye. The device is expected to be untethered from a computer or phone, but will connect to a dedicated box using 60GHz WiGig wireless tech. That box is said to include a custom Apple processor that's "more powerful than anything currently available" and that the box would be PC-like, but wouldn't actually be a Mac computer.

This rumored Apple headset sounds pretty impressive and also possibly pretty expensive. For example, the HTC Vive Pro that was just released has a resolution of 1440x1600 per eye, which is less than 2K per eye, along with a price tag of $799. Apple is aiming for a launch that's still a couple of years out, so things could change between now and then.

Apple

Apple reportedly prepping new VR and AR headset with dual 8K displays originally posted at http://phonedog.com

T-Mobile and Sprint reportedly finalizing merger talks

New reports say that a merger of T-Mobile and Sprint could be agreed upon this weekend.

Sources tell Reuters that T-Mobile and Sprint are finalizing the terms of a merger deal and that an agreement could be reached in the next three days. With the terms currently being negotiated, T-Mobile majority owner Deutsche Telekom would own a little more than 40 percent of the combined company, say the sources, but would get voting control so that it can consolidate the company on its books.

These sources also cautioned that it's also possible that the negotiations could fall apart at the last minute.

Meanwhile, a report from Bloomberg has a little more info on the current merger talks. It's said that the current terms being discussed say that Deutsche Telekom would own 42 percent of the combined T-Mobile-Sprint but would get 69 percent of the voting interest.

Finally, sources tell The New York Times that T-Mobile and Sprint are in "advanced discussions" about a merger and that a deal could be announced as soon as this weekend.

Even if T-Mobile and Sprint do come to a merger agreement, the deal will need regulatory approval. Former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler was against reduction of major U.S. carrier from four to three, but current FCC Chairman Ajit Pai may be a bit more open to the merger. "I don’t think any regulator who embraces regulatory humility and intellectual honesty about economics can say whether three or four or five is the optimal number," Pai said in a Recode interview last year.

Do you think a T-Mobile-Sprint merger deal will actually happen this time around?

Sprint

T-Mobile

T-Mobile and Sprint reportedly finalizing merger talks originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Instagram might be testing a mute button and a bunch of other new features

We might be getting an Instagram mute button and a bunch of other features, I hope. Twitter user @wongmjane posted about various tests Instagram has conducted or is currently testing. Jane Wong is apparently a computer science student who appears to be looking through the app’s code.

Instagram told The Verge it didn’t “have anything to share on this right now,” regarding the apparent tests. While they’re unconfirmed for now, it’s at least fun to imagine that they’re legitimate and that Instagram is thinking about improving its platform with some of these changes.

Let’s run through all the tests Wong has supposedly uncovered.

One: Reactions to stories

Instagram is testing Story "Reactions". It works kinda like the existing Facebook...

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Instagram might be testing a mute button and a bunch of other new features appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

Essential Phone is available in more countries, including UK and Japan

Essential announced today that it will open up its online store to more countries. Now along with US residents, those living in Canada, France, Japan, the UK and Germany can buy Essential's products through its online shop. The Financial Times reported last July that Essential was in talks with British carriers and that the UK would be getting access to its first phone before the end of the year, but it didn't happen. Canada's Telus carrier has offered the Essential phone for a little while now, but only in limited color options, while Amazon started selling it in Canada earlier this month.

Source: Essential

Essential Phone is available in more countries, including UK and Japan posted first on https://www.engadget.com

MoviePass is no longer too good to be true

I’ve had MoviePass since September, right after the company dropped the price of its one-movie-per-day subscription to the too-good-to-be-true cost of $10 a month. Since then, dozens of friends, colleagues, and even random strangers I’ve run into at movie theaters have asked if it’s really a good deal, and if they should sign up. My answer has always been yes, because for the right kind of moviegoer, the service offers a tremendous value.

I’ve always known that the free ride wouldn’t last forever, though. The company’s business model, which has MoviePass losing money on pretty much every ticket sold, seems too unsustainable. Two changes the company has begun toying with recently make it appear MoviePass is readying to gut the core value...

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MoviePass is no longer too good to be true appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

Facebook's Messenger Kids app gains Sleep Mode parental controls

Facebook is updating its Messenger Kids app to give parents more control over their kids usage.

Messenger Kids is being updated with a Sleep Mode. With this feature, parents can set designated start and stop times for when the app will go to "sleep". Kids will be unable to use the app during these times.

Sleep Mode can be controlled from the Parent Control center in the parents' Facebook account. Go to the Messenger Kids controls in the main Facebook app, tap on your child's name, then go to "Sleep Mode" in the App Controls section.

With Sleep Mode, parents can try to ensure that their kids aren't up all night using Facebook Messenger or chatting at some other time when they shouldn't be, like when they need to be doing homework. More parental controls in apps focused on kids are always a good thing, so this Sleep Mode is a welcome addition to Messenger Kids.

Facebook's Messenger Kids app gains Sleep Mode parental controls originally posted at http://phonedog.com

LG G6 will get its Android 8.0 Oreo update on April 30

Days before the official reveal of the LG G7 ThinQ, LG has announced a major update for the G7's predecessor.

The LG G6 will begin receiving its Android 8.0 Oreo update on April 30. The update will first roll out in South Korea, and LG G6 owners there can get the update either over the air or using LG Bridge on their PC and then connecting their phone to their computer.

The update to Android 8.0 Oreo brings with it several new features. There's a picture-in-picture mode for watching video from one app while performing tasks in other apps as well as improvements to speed, performance, and battery life. LG says that new AI features introduced with the LG V30S ThinQ will also be added to the G6 with this update.

There's no word on when Oreo will begin rolling out to the LG G6 in other countries. Now that the update is ready to go in South Korea, though, it could be close to rolling out in other parts of the globe, too.

LG G6

LG

LG G6 will get its Android 8.0 Oreo update on April 30 originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Facebook Messenger 'sleep mode' locks your kids out at bedtime

Facebook's Messenger for Kids has courted its share of controversy in the short time it's been on the scene. In an effort to clean up the app's reputation, Facebook is adding a feature that parents have been asking for: making it inaccessible during certain timeframes. Specifically, during dinner, when they should be doing homework or at bedtime. Thus, "sleep mode" for the app.

Source: Facebook

Facebook Messenger 'sleep mode' locks your kids out at bedtime posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Honor 7X will get EMUI 8.0 update in the U.S. on April 30

After launching late last year with Android 7.0 and EMUI 5.1, the Honor 7X will soon get a major update in the U.S.

Starting April 30, the Honor 7X will be updated to EMUI 8.0 in the U.S. The update is based on Android Oreo and will be pushed out over the air.

In addition to the goodies that come with an update to Oreo, like picture-in-picture, EMUI 8.0 includes several custom software features. Face unlock will let users unlock their phone using their face and also allows only device owners to see lock screen notification info, while a photo gallery recycle bin will let you restore photos and videos that you've deleted within the last 30 days.

Here are more features coming to the Honor 7X with its EMUI 8.0 update:

• Quick shortcut menus from app icons – Users can quickly access specific features in an app by holding the icon and choosing from the app shortcut menu. A user can even drag a desired feature out of the pop-up menu to create a new shortcut on the screen.
• New floating navigation dock – With the newly added home screen shortcut, the floating navigation dock lets users navigate and operate their device from anywhere on the screen.
• Updated Setting menu and Phone Manager – The redesigned Settings menu is clearer and more intuitive. The updated Phone Manager automatically optimizes the system based on usage patterns, keeping the smartphone running at top performance all the time.
• Photo gallery recycle bin – Users can now restore photos and videos if they accidentally delete them. The Gallery in the new UI features a recycle bin which retains deleted photos and videos for 30 days.
• Seamless LinkedIn integration – Contacts and Email in EMUI 8.0 let users sync the career details of their LinkedIn contacts, making it faster and easier to manage contacts across platforms.
• Link up two Bluetooth devices – Smartphones are now able to connect to two Bluetooth devices at the same time, boosting mobile experience and fun.
• Face unlock - Scans a recognized user's face to unlock instantly.    It also prevents unlocking with closed eyes, and allows only device owners to see lock screen notification details, ensuring maximum security.

If this EMUI 8.0 update has you interested in the affordable Honor 7X, you can buy one right here.

Honor 7X

Huawei

Honor 7X will get EMUI 8.0 update in the U.S. on April 30 originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Facebook’s Messenger Kids is getting a sleep mode

Messenger Kids, Facebook’s chat app for children ages six to 12, is getting a sleep mode so parents can have more control over how much time a child spends using the app.

With the new sleep mode, parents can set predetermined times when the app can’t be used on a child’s device, such as at night, or during homework time. Sleep mode can be accessed from the parental control panel, where weekdays or weekends can be selected, followed by the sleep mode’s start and stop time. When sleep mode is enabled, kids won’t get any notifications, can’t play with the app’s camera, and won’t be able to send or receive messages. If they try to open the app, a message will tell them it’s in sleep mode and to try again later.

Messenger Kids has been...

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Facebook’s Messenger Kids is getting a sleep mode appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

Nintendo partners up for a money-printing mobile RPG

With all eyes on the Switch and the console's new Labo cardboard peripherals, it's easy to forget Nintendo is now very much a mobile game developer, too. In Nintendo's latest financials, however, its mobile games received only a passing mention, and Mario Kart Tour is still a ways off. But it turns out Nintendo has other mobile titles in the pipeline. It's been working with developer Cygames on Dragalia Lost, a Japanese-style action RPG. You may know Cygames as the company behind the digital card game Shadowverse, but otherwise it typically makes titles aimed squarely at the Japanese market, like the hugely popular Granblue Fantasy.

Via: Kotaku

Source: Cygames, Nintendo

Nintendo partners up for a money-printing mobile RPG posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Sony's business stabilizes with strong PS4 game sales

Sony's latest earnings reveal a simple truth: former CEO Kaz Hirai left the company in a relatively good position. In the full year leading up to March 31st, 2018, the company raked in revenue of 8,544 billion yen (roughly $78.1 billion) and operating income, or profit, of 734.9 billion yen (roughly $6.7 billion). The latter figure is a huge improvement over the $2.6 billion it managed to pull in last time. The bump, however, was expected; in the last financial year, Sony's camera imaging business was rocked by the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. Now, that crucial division is back at full strength.

Sony's business stabilizes with strong PS4 game sales posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Amazon raising Prime membership price to $119

Heads up, Amazon Prime customers: the service is about to get more expensive.

Amazon has announced that it will increase the price of an annual Prime membership in the U.S. on May 11. On that date, the price of Amazon Prime will increase from $99 per year to $119 per year. 

This higher price will apply to current Amazon Prime customers starting with renewals starting on June 16.

The change is notable because it's the first time that Amazon has increased the price of its annual Prime membership in four years. You get a lot with a Prime membership, including access to Prime Video and Prime Music streaming, the ability to borrow ebooks through Prime Reading, two-day shipping, free same-day delivery and Prime Now two-hour delivery in eligible areas. Considering all of that, Amazon Prime will still be worth it for a lot of people, but there will probably be some customers upset about the price increase as well.

What do you think of this price increase? Are any of you current Prime members planning to cancel because of it?

Amazon

Amazon raising Prime membership price to $119 originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Amazon discounting SanDisk 200GB microSD card

If you're looking to add some storage to your smartphone or tablet, Amazon's got just the deal for you.

Amazon is running a discount on the SanDisk 200GB microSD card. It's in stock and ready to ship right now, and because it ships from and is sold by Amazon, it qualifies for Amazon Prime two-day shipping.

SanDisk's 200GB microSD card offers transfer speeds up to 100MB/s, is rated A1 for faster app performance, and is shockproof, temperature-proof, and waterproof. That makes it a nice way to add storage to your smartphone or tablet at an affordable price.

There's no telling how long this deal will be available, but offers like this usually don't stick around for a long time. So if you're thinking about springing for this discounted SanDisk microSD card, you may want to act soon.

Amazon

Amazon discounting SanDisk 200GB microSD card originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Pinterest now lets you filter search results by skin tone

Pinterest has rolled out new changes that let users filter hair and beauty search results by skin tone ranges, as a way to make it easier to find what you may be looking for. The changes come after the social media platform conducted a survey and found that 70 percent of people used the service to find and save everyday looks and styles.

A Medium post from Pinterest’s engineering account says the process of programming the search filters to detect skin tone in images was difficult, given how lighting, shadows, and other factors were all variables to consider.

To solve the issue, Pinterest used machine learning from a third-party beauty app ModiFace that already had a suitable facial data library for artificial intelligence use....

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Pinterest now lets you filter search results by skin tone appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

iTunes is now available in the Microsoft Store for Windows 10

Apple is finally bringing its iTunes app to Microsoft’s Windows 10 app store today. Microsoft first revealed nearly a year ago that iTunes would be coming to the Microsoft Store by the end of 2017, but that date came and went. Apple’s iTunes app is the same desktop version available online, but it will be updated and available through the Microsoft Store.

iTunes is one of the most searched for apps that wasn’t available in the Microsoft Store, and the addition will be a boost to Microsoft’s Windows 10 S Mode efforts. Windows 10 in S Mode only supports apps available in the Microsoft Store, and iTunes will provide Windows 10 users with a way to access Apple Music. iTunes is available immediately from the Microsoft Store.

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Sprint reportedly introducing Unlimited 55+ plan on May 18

Following T-Mobile's launch of an Unlimited 55+ rate plan last year, a new report claims that Sprint will launch a similar offering.

Sprint will launch a plan called Unlimited 55+ on May 18, according to Android Police. It'll reportedly include unlimited talk, text, and data, unlimited mobile hotspot, and Global Roaming service that'll let customers text and use data at 2G speeds in 185 countries.

There will allegedly be some restrictions with this plan, too, like video streams being limited to 480p, music streaming capping out at 500kbps, and game streaming being limited to 5Mbps. The unlimited mobile hotspot will be limited to 3G speeds, too, and international data usage will be limited to 100MB at 2G speeds. Finally, customers will have their data usage deprioritized during times of congestion if their usage crosses a certain threshold.

As for pricing, the Sprint Unlimited 55+ plan is expected to cost $50 for one line and $70 for two lines. To compare, T-Mobile's Unlimited 55+ plan is $50 per month for one line and $70 for two lines when you enroll in autopay.

Based on the details included in this leak, Sprint's Unlimited 55+ plan doesn't sound like something that'll get T-Mobile Unlimited 55+ customers to switch. T-Mo's international data usage is offered in around 45 fewer countries than Sprint's, but with T-Mo you get unlimited international data usage at 2G speeds rather than being limited to 100MB.

This Unlimited 55+ plan is a bit cheaper than Sprint's standard plan, especially if you sign up for two lines. The benefits aren't quite as nice as Sprint's Unlimited Freedom plan, but if you're aged 55 or older, the savings might be worth the trade-off. Stay tuned and we'll let you know when Sprint's Unlimited 55+ plan becomes official.

Sprint

Sprint reportedly introducing Unlimited 55+ plan on May 18 originally posted at http://phonedog.com

LG G7 ThinQ leaks again, this time in black

Days after we got our best look yet at the upcoming LG G7 ThinQ, some more images of upcoming Android flagship have leaked.

New renders that show the front and back of the LG G7 ThinQ in black have been leaked by Evan Blass. Just like the silver model that we saw earlier this week, this black LG G7 ThinQ has a black front bezel with display notch. What's different is that its backside is black, too.

...in black pic.twitter.com/PuaCYmeleo

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) April 26, 2018

There's not much new information contained in today's leak, but it does give us another good look at one of 2018's flagship smartphones. LG will officially unveil the G7 ThinQ on May 2, but it's dropped a few details about the device ahead of the event.

It's been confirmed that the LG G7 ThinQ will include a 6.1-inch 3120x1440 display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio and 1,000 nits of brightness. And yes, there will be a notch, but LG will let you hide it with software by turning the status bar black. Rumors have suggested that the G7 ThinQ will include features like a Snapdragon 845 processor and a physical Google Assistant button, too.

LG

LG G7 ThinQ leaks again, this time in black originally posted at http://phonedog.com