Wednesday 31 October 2018

Honor Magic 2 features a slider design and six total cameras

Honor Magic 2 slider design official

Days after Xiaomi introduced its Mi Mix 3 with a sliding form factor, another phone has been revealed that adopts the slider design in order to avoid the notch.

The Honor Magic 2 is now official, and it offers a sliding form factor that houses three front-facing cameras. There's a 16MP main camera and a two additional 2MP cameras, and combining those three cameras, you can get 3D facial recognition, portrait lighting, beautification, and bokeh.

Around on the back of the Honor Magic 2 is another triple rear camera setup, giving the phone a total of six cameras. There's a 16MP RGB camera here along with a 24MP monochromatic sensor and a 16MP ultra wide angle camera.

Inside the Magic 2's sliding shell is a Kirin 980 processor, just like in the flagship Huawei Mate 20, up to 8GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage. The screen is a 6.39-inch 2340x1080 AMOLED panel that has an in-display fingerprint sensor for added security, and there's a 3500mAh battery powering the whole package. Honor has also included dual SIM slots, NFC, and Android 9.0 Pie.

The Honor Magic 2 will come in three colors — red, blue, and black — each with a gradient design that we've seen on a few different devices lately. The phone is now available for pre-order in China, and pricing starts at 3799 yuan ($545 USD) for the 6GB/128GB model and goes up to 4799 yuan ($688 USD) for the 8GB/256GB version.

Honor's new Magic 2 looks like an interesting device. The sliding form factor lets you get the edge-to-edge screen look that so many device makers are after lately, and its spec list isn't too shabby either. Unfortunately, Honor tells us that the Magic 2 isn't currently slated to make its way to the U.S. Now that we're seeing more devices with the sliding form factor, though, hopefully one of them will make its way stateside.

What do you think of the Honor Magic 2? Are you a fan of its sliding design?


Honor Magic 2 features a slider design and six total cameras originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Top 10 iOS Apps of October 2018!

We've compiled a top 10 list of our favorite iOS apps to hit the App Store in October 2018. The apps highlighted in this video include Hawkeye Access, Zodiask, SHUMP, Adobe Premiere Rush CC, Cove, Golf Battle, Focus, Filterious, Jumprope, and Pivot Pop. Which app is your favorite?


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

LG may show foldable smartphone at CES 2019

LG CES booth

Samsung may not be the only major smartphone manufacturer that shows off a foldable device in the near future.

LG is planning to introduce a foldable phone during its CES 2019 keynote, according to well-known leaker Evan Blass. When asked about this rumor, Ken Hong, LG's head of global corporate communications, told Digital Trends that LG doesn't comment on rumors or speculation. But when pressed, Hong said, "Anything is possible at CES."

CES runs from January 8-11, so we may only be a couple of months away from meeting LG's foldable phone. Unfortunately, no details about the device are known, save for its foldability.

Way back in January 2018, we learned that LG filed for a couple of patents related to a foldable smartphone design. The first showed a phone that could be unfolded to show a large screen and when folded up, it could display info on its backside. The second design was similar, with a large screen that can be folded to into a smaller size, but when folded it would show a portion of that screen for displaying time and other info.

Does the concept of a foldable smartphone interest you?


LG may show foldable smartphone at CES 2019 originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Twitter test makes it easier to see the latest tweets first

Twitter did start to restore some sense to timelines by letting you disable its "best tweets first" option, but it's buried in the settings. What if you just wanted to flick it on and off? You might just get that chance. Twitter is testing a toggle right in the title bar that switches you between the latest tweets and top tweets with a couple of taps. You could quickly view the highlights if you think there's a tweet you missed, and revert to the chronological order to view posts the way they were meant to be seen.

Via: Kayvon Beykpour (Twitter)

Source: Twitter


Twitter test makes it easier to see the latest tweets first posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Spotify returns to Roku devices starting today

Spotify is returning to Roku’s streaming players and Roku TVs beginning today after a fairly long absence from the platform. Devices running Roku OS 9 (which has also just started rolling out) and TVs on OS 8.2 can head to the channel store and download the Spotify app. Aside from simply launching it from the home screen with a remote, the new Spotify for Roku app can also play tunes through Spotify Connect, so you can control playback from other devices like your smartphone.

Spotify removed its app from Roku products last December, citing a lack of satisfaction with that version of the software and promising to come back with something better. At the time, the company said “we expect the service to return as a much better overall...

Continue reading…


Spotify returns to Roku devices starting today appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

Nubia X has a main display with super slim bezels, secondary OLED screen on its back

As many phones move to offer slimmer bezels and edge-to-edge screens, there has been the problem of what to do with the front-facing camera. Some phones have stuck their selfie camera in their chin, some have embraced the notch, and some have opted for a sliding form factor. The new Nubia X does something a bit different.

The Nubia X features a large display on its front with super slim bezels and a secondary display on the back of the phone to help you take selfies. As you can see in the video below, there's a functional display on the back of the device that can help you take selfies or just function as a regular screen. The main display is a 6.26-inch 2280x1080 screen, while the secondary display is a 5.1-inch 1520x720 screen.

The software on the Nubia X will try to predict which display you're looking at, but there are also dual fingerprint readers — one on each side — that'll let you manually change screens if you press them both at the same time.

In addition to functioning as a secondary display for things like selfies, you can also use the OLED screen on the back of the Nubia X to display dynamic photos or a clock. And when you're playing a game on your Nubia X, the main screen can show you the gameplay while the back screen can give you two extra buttons.

Nubia X game controls

The back of the Nubia X is also home to a dual rear camera setup that offers 16MP and 24MP sensors. These cameras offer features like phase detection autofocus, AI scene recognition, and 240fps slow-mo video capture.

Inside are specs that you'd expect from an Android flagship in 2018. There's a Snapdragon 845 processor, up to 8GB of RAM, up to 256GB of built-in storage, and a 3800mAh battery. There are dual fingerprint readers on the Nubia X, one each side, and you can touch them both to switch between the front and back screens. On the software side, the Nubia X runs Android 8.1 Oreo below a custom Nubia 6.0.2 user interface.

The Nubia X starts at 3299 yuan ($473 USD) for the model with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of built-in storage and tops out at 4299 yuan ($616 USD) for the 8GB/256GB model.

Nubia's way of solving the front-facing camera problem with full-screen phones by just skipping the front camera and putting a display on the back is an interesting one. Rear cameras are typically higher quality than front cameras, so the Nubia X's setup should result in better selfies, especially since you'll be able to see yourself while you use the rear cameras. The always-on display feature of the Nubia X's rear screen could come in handy, too.

What do you think of this design?


Nubia X has a main display with super slim bezels, secondary OLED screen on its back originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Twitter now lets you report accounts that you suspect are bots

Twitter has updated a portion of its reporting process, specifically when you report a tweet that you think might be coming from a bot or a fake account masquerading as someone or something else. Now, when you tap the “it’s suspicious or spam” option under the report menu, you’ll be able to specify why you think that, including an option to say “the account tweeting this is fake.”

Twitter announced the change through its official safety account today, and it’s now live on both the web version and mobile version of the service. You can see an example of the mobile report flow pertaining to this update below:

Continue reading…


Twitter now lets you report accounts that you suspect are bots appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

Twitter now lets you report accounts that you suspect are bots

Twitter has updated a portion of its reporting process, specifically when you report a tweet that you think might be coming from a bot or a fake account masquerading as someone or something else. Now, when you tap the “it’s suspicious or spam” option under the report menu, you’ll be able to specify why you think that, including an option to say “the account tweeting this is fake.”

Twitter announced the change through its official safety account today, and it’s now live on both the web version and mobile version of the service. You can see an example of the mobile report flow pertaining to this update below:

Continue reading…


Twitter now lets you report accounts that you suspect are bots appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

iOS 12.1.1 beta 1 update released by Apple

iPhone XS Max hands-on video

Now that iOS 12.1 is available to the public, Apple has begun beta testing its next iOS release.

Apple today released iOS 12.1.1 beta 1 to registered developers. If you're a dev, you can install the update by going into Settings > General > Software update or by downloading it from Apple's Developer Center.

Details on what's included in this update are light, but Apple does say that iOS 12.1.1 brings "bug fixes and improvements." That may not sound super exciting, but hey, having a smartphone that is less buggy and works more smoothly is a good thing, especially since many people rely on their phone for entertainment, communication, snapping photos, and more.

It's unclear when iOS 12.1.1 might be released to the public, but expect at least a few more beta releases before the full rollout begins.


iOS 12.1.1 beta 1 update released by Apple originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Top 10 Android Apps of October 2018!

We've compiled a top 10 list of our favorite Android apps to hit the Play Store in October 2018. The apps highlighted in this video include Niagara Launcher, Fluid Navigation Gestures, Hooky Crooky, Rootless Launcher, Tapete, Badland Brawls, SW True-Fi, POCO Launcher, Feedly Lab, and Flippy Knife. Which app is your favorite?


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

Spotify giving family plan subscribers a free Google Home Mini

Google Home Mini hands-on review

Spotify Premium subscribers on a family plan are about to get a nice gift.

Starting tomorrow, November 1, Spotify Premium for Family plan subscribers can get a free Google Home Mini. Just go to this page on Spotify's website tomorrow and you'll be able to claim your free Google Home Mini if you're the master account holder for your Spotify Premium for Family plan.

This offer will be available through December 31, 2018.

The Google Home Mini allows you to play music from Spotify using your voice by saying things like "Hey Google, play Spotify" or "Hey Google, play 'Call Me Maybe' by Carly Rae Jepsen". You can also play, pause, skip forward or backward, and like or dislike songs using your voice.

This is a pretty nice offer for Spotify Premium for Family plan subscribers. The Google Home Mini may be Google's entry-level smart speaker, but it's still a capable device that can answer questions, control smart home devices, play music, and more. It's also a nice move for Google, as it gets one of its smart speakers into more homes.

For more on the Google Home Mini, you can check out our video review right here.


Spotify giving family plan subscribers a free Google Home Mini originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Honor's Magic 2 is yet another notch-free slider phone

Another day, another brand new all-screen Android phone from China. Merely days after the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 and hours after the Nubia X, today's official unveiling of the Honor Magic 2 brings little surprise given its recent viral campaign. Still, there are some interesting tidbits: The Magic 2 bears the same 6.39-inch 2,340 x 1,080 AMOLED screen as the Mix 3, but rather than packing the popular Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, it uses Huawei's very own HiSilicon Kirin 980 chip -- the same "AI" brain inside the premium Mate 20 series -- made with the more advanced 7nm process. It even has an in-display fingerprint reader, a slightly bigger 3,500 mAh battery plus a total of six cameras from both sides. Take that, Galaxy A9!

Via: Engadget Chinese

Source: Honor


Honor's Magic 2 is yet another notch-free slider phone posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Apple pauses watchOS 5.1 update following complaints of bricked watches

Apple Watch Series 4 hands-on

One day after Apple began pushing the watchOS 5.1 update to Apple Watch owners, the rollout has been halted.

Apple has paused the watchOS 5.1 update following reports on Reddit and Twitter that it was bricking some Apple Watch Series 4 devices. Users say that when they try to install the update, the Apple Watch just gets stuck at the screen with the Apple logo.

“Due to a small number of Apple Watch customers experiencing an issue while installing watchOS 5.1 today, we’ve pulled back the software update as a precaution,” Apple told TechCrunch. “Any customers impacted should contact AppleCare, but no action is required if the update installed successfully. We are working on a fix for an upcoming software update.”

The update doesn't appear to be bricking every Apple Watch Series 4 device, as some folks say that they installed it without issue. Still, it's a good move for Apple to stop the rollout of watchOS 5.1 to prevent any more watches from getting bricked. Stay tuned and we'll let you know when a new, non-bricking update is released.


Apple pauses watchOS 5.1 update following complaints of bricked watches originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Engadget giveaway: Stay protected and connected courtesy of Kaspersky Lab!

Kaspersky Lab, has been a familiar name in infosec for quite some time, uncovering malware and espionage tools all along the way. These finely honed skills are also available to help everyday people protect their data and manage their digital lives. The Kaspersky Security Cloud for both individuals and families can cover multiple devices with real-time security alerts, password assistance, parental controls and more.

This week, the company has put together a package of devices to keep you charged up, backed up and secure wherever you go. This includes a portable generator, power bank, 3TB portable hard drive, a Kaspersky Lab backpack and a one year subscription to Kaspersky Security Cloud Family (covering 20 devices). All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to five chances at winning this protected and connected package.


Engadget giveaway: Stay protected and connected courtesy of Kaspersky Lab! posted first on https://www.engadget.com

ZTE's latest phones promise tall screens for under $200

You don't have too many choices in the US when it comes to tall-ratio smartphones on a budget -- the Moto E5 series is on the short list. ZTE believes it can expand your options a little further. It's launching the Blade Max View (above) and Blade Max 2s (below), both of which offer 2,160 x 1,080 LCD screens, decent 1.4GHz Snapdragon 435 processors and 32GB of expandable storage for $200 and $180 respectively. The Max View is definitely the better value of the two, as it touts dual 16MP/2MP rear cameras and stereo speakers where the Max 2s carries a single 13MP rear camera and mono sound.

Source: ZTE (Blade Max View), (Blade Max 2s)


ZTE's latest phones promise tall screens for under $200 posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Nubia X avoids a notch by adding a rear display for selfies

While local competitors like Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi and Honor have been trying various sliding mechanisms to achieve all-screen, notch-free smartphone designs, Nubia decided to take the easy approach: Getting rid of the front cameras and forcing you to use the rear cameras for selfies. This is why the freshly-announced Nubia X is a dual-screen flagship smartphone, with its 6.26-inch FHD+ LCD covering almost the entire front side, and the back featuring a smaller 5.1-inch 1,520 x 720 OLED panel to go with the dual cameras. A bit like Yota's implementation, except it's OLED instead of E Ink on the back; plus no front cameras, of course.

Via: Engadget Chinese

Source: Nubia


Nubia X avoids a notch by adding a rear display for selfies posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Tuesday 30 October 2018

Samsung will bolster its mobile business with foldable and 5G phones

Samsung has posted a 17.57 trillion Korean won (US$15.45 billion) operating profit for Q3 2018 like it expected, setting a record high for the Korean corporation. As has been the case over the past years, its chip business is the company's top earner. It made 13.65 trillion won (US$12 billion) in operating profit for the quarter from a 24.77 trillion won (US$22 billion) consolidated revenue. Samsung's mobile division also posted a 24.77 trillion (US$22 billion) consolidated revenue, but its Q3 profit was a measly 2.2 trillion won ($1.9 billion won) due to decreased sales of mid- to low-end products and increased marketing costs.

Source: Samsung


Samsung will bolster its mobile business with foldable and 5G phones posted first on https://www.engadget.com

How important is display resolution to you?

Apple iPhone XR

Smartphones continue to get better and better, tweaking the formula and improving upon what's come before. Processors, the amount of RAM offered, speakers, and displays. Just the nature of things, and here we are in 2018 and we've got a ridiculous number of smartphones out there that are impressive in their own way.

What actually matters to you when comparing these devices, especially if you're looking to spend some money and buy a new handset, should really only matter to you. What someone else wants in their device might not be the exact same thing you do. And even if you're both interested in the best possible camera, you may not even agree with someone which phone has that.

And then maybe you don't want "the best" of something, just because it exists.

That decision may be getting a bit easier these days, too, with smartphone prices shooting up into the $1,000 range. It may be worth taking a bit more stock of what you actually want and need from your smartphone. Not necessarily what you might do with it, but what you actually do with it on a regular basis.

That's what I'm running into today. I'm not even really sure why, but this morning I was second-guessing my purchase of the iPhone XS Max. A friend of mine had told me that I should go with the blue iPhone XR because, for one, it's not as expensive (and maybe saving money isn't a bad thing?), and because it's blue. And I want a blue iPhone. At the time I just said that I couldn't go back to an LCD screen, because OLED. And maybe that's still true on some level.

But honestly? I probably could go back to an LCD screen and be perfectly fine with it. Because while it's great that the iPhone XS Max supports HDR and has a sharp resolution, I don't really need any of that. I don't watch full-length movies on my phone. I actually barely watch movie trailers or music videos on it. Sure, I'll watch video shared on social media, but even then it's not like it's long enough to warrant the HDR support or increased resolution.

Apple's Phil Schiller recently said, "If you can't see the pixels, at some point the numbers don't mean anything. They're fairly arbitrary," in an interview. I know that made a lot of people scoff and call him out, but I don't think he's wrong. Is there a difference in quality between the OLED panel and the LCD panel in the iPhone XS Max and the iPhone XR? Of course. But I'm just not thinking it's worth the price difference anymore.

I've said for a long time that the camera is the most important part for me when I'm looking for a phone. That means I'm basically switching between iPhones and Pixel smartphones, and I'm fine with that. But I think I'm starting to realize that I don't want, or need, the sharpest displays anymore just because I don't really take advantage of it.

But, what about you? Is the screen resolution on your smartphone one of the most important aspects of your handset these days? Let me know!


How important is display resolution to you? originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Google Gboard now lets you make emoji-style Mini stickers that look like you

Google Gboard emoji Mini stickers official

Emoji are a quick and easy way to express an emotion or response in messaging. They can be really fun, but some folks may like them better or use them more if they could get an emoji that looked just like them. Google's got an answer for those people.

Google is launching emoji-style Mini stickers for Gboard. The feature uses machine learning to create illustrated stickers based on a a selfie of you, and previously they came in "bold" and "sweet" styles. Now Google is adding "emoji" as a third Mini style.

When you take a selfie, Google uses machine learning algorithms to suggest a skin tone, hair style, and accessories for your Mini stickers. You can then choose a hair color, facial hair, head coverings, eyewear, and even freckles and wrinkles to help make your Mini stickers more like you.

Google Gboard customize emoji Mini stickers

This feature is starting its rollout today and will be available on Gboard in all languages and countries as well as on both Android and iOS.

This is a nifty feature for Google to add. Emoji are super popular, and while there are a lot of emoji options, there just can't be an emoji for every single person out there. That's why features like Apple's Memoji are becoming popular. Now Google is rolling out emoji-style Mini stickers to help Gboard users create their own emoji-like stickers.

How often do you use emoji?


Google Gboard now lets you make emoji-style Mini stickers that look like you originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Gmail app for iOS adds unified inbox

Gmail iOS unified inbox

The Gmail app for iOS today got an update with a significant new feature.

Google today began rolling out unified inbox support in the Gmail app for iOS. In the past, you'd need to switch between your different inboxes to view messages from each account in the Gmail app, but now Google is adding an "All Inboxes" view that you can access in the left-hand side drawer.

The Gmail app for iOS has long offered support for adding multiple accounts, but having to switch between each account to view messages in the different inboxes. That could get really annoying, so it's good to see Google finally add a unified inbox to Gmail for iOS to help save time.

This feature is now rolling out to Gmail for iOS users, so keep an eye out for it.


Gmail app for iOS adds unified inbox originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Facebook’s growth continues to slow down

The era of Facebook’s nonstop growth has long since come to an end. Although the company is far from the point at which it might start to shrink, its growth in the US and Canada and Europe has stopped entirely and appears to occasionally decline. In its 2018 third quarter earnings report out today, the social network confirmed that the number of daily active users in US and Canada has remained flat at 185 million, while the number of European users has slipped from 279 million to 278 million.

Overall, the company continues to grow thanks to international expansion, adding 9 percent year over year to its daily active user base for a total of 1.47 billion people. The total number of month active users grew 10 percent from this time a year...

Continue reading…


Facebook’s growth continues to slow down appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

Facebook is still growing at a slow but steady pace

It feels like for the better part of the past two years, every few months we talk about how Facebook hasn't been having an easy time. In 2018 alone, the company's faced several problems, such as the Cambridge Analytica data privacy scandal and, of course, the recent data breach that exposed private data of 29 million Facebook users. While we won't see the effects of the latter until next quarter, if at all, Facebook has kept raking in cash and users despite everything -- even if its growth has slowed down a bit. For Q3 2018, Facebook reports it has grown to 2.27 billion monthly active users, a 10 percent year-over-year increase, which is complemented by $13.78 billion in revenue.

Source: Facebook


Facebook is still growing at a slow but steady pace posted first on https://www.engadget.com

LG V40 ThinQ unboxing and first look

The LG V40 ThinQ may be one of the most underrated smartphones of 2018. While it carries a premium $949 price, it offers top-of-the-line features like wireless charging, a Snapdragon 845 octa-core processor with 6GB of RAM, and a total of five cameras.


LG V40 ThinQ unboxing and first look originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Spare a thought for the guy with Lightning headphones

It was a questionable decision to opt for headphones that work with two devices. Nevertheless, I do love the Audeze iSINE 10s that I've used every day for the past year and a half. Sure, I can't charge and listen to music at the same time, but thanks to a Lightning cable feeding data and power to Audeze's in-line DAC, they sound fantastic on both my iPad and my iPhone. Unfortunately, I'm now stuck with some wonderful headphones that are roughly half as useful as they were yesterday, as Apple has just switched from Lightning to USB-C for its latest iPad Pros.


Spare a thought for the guy with Lightning headphones posted first on https://www.engadget.com

iPhone dual SIM feature not working correctly with Verizon

iPhone XS Max angle hands-on

The update to iOS 12.1 is now rolling out, and with it the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR are gaining dual SIM support. However, one major U.S. carrier is having problems with the feature.

Apple's dual SIM functionality in iOS 12.1 currently has a negative effect on Verizon coverage. According to a report from PCMag, when a Verizon SIM is pushed into the "secondary" position in this dual SIM setup, the connection gets moved to Verizon's 2G CDMA coverage. Not only does Verizon's 2G network have less coverage than its LTE network, it's also much slower and has no MMS support.

When asked about the issue, Verizon explained that "your Verizon service will be degraded due to the current software configuration" if you actiavate another carrier's service on your iPhone's eSIM. Verizon went on to say that based on its talks with Apple, it believes that the issue should be resolved before the end of the year. Until the problem is fixed, Verizon won't activate its service on any eSIM, including its own customers' iPhones and iPhones on other networks.

Dual SIM functionality is handy for several reasons, like having your personal and work phone numbers on a single device. It's good to see the feature finally launching on iPhone, but this Verizon bug is a pretty significant one, so it's a good idea for Verizon to hold off on activating eSIM service until everything is ironed out. It is worth noting that the bug doesn't affect international roaming, so if you're traveling abroad you can push your Verizon SIM into the secondary spot, so long as you remember to make it your primary SIM when you get back to the U.S.


iPhone dual SIM feature not working correctly with Verizon originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Google Gboard creates emoji-style stickers that look like you

Emoji are more expressive than ever, but the odds are that you'll never be completely represented no matter how many new characters there are. Google, however, has a simple solution: create your own emoji. It's expanding Gboard's Minis with stickers that recreate your face in a range of emoji-style expressions. If you dye your hair, pierce your nose or wear a stylish hat, you can share that look when you send someone a "hug" or "yum."

Source: App Store, Google Play


Google Gboard creates emoji-style stickers that look like you posted first on https://www.engadget.com

This app gives your pets the iPhone XR portrait treatment

While the iPhone XR can take some fantastic photos, it has a pretty disappointing limitation: you can't take advantage of Apple's portrait mode to take high-resolution and detailed portraits unless the subject is a person. Third-party camera app Halide recently announced that it's working on a solution for the issue, and now it's out as part of its latest software upgrade. Halide version 1.11 brings Apple's Portrait Effects to anything, so you can take some detailed photos (with the mode's characteristic blurry background) of your pets and various objects.

Source: Halide (Twitter), iTunes


This app gives your pets the iPhone XR portrait treatment posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Gmail for iOS now lets you view all of your accounts in a single inbox

Today, Google announced that all of the email accounts you manage in the Gmail app on iOS can be viewed in a single, universal inbox.

In the past, you could access multiple accounts managed by Gmail, but it required tapping the icon in the top-left corner to toggle between them. The iOS app now behaves like the Gmail Android app, and an option will appear when the left-hand side drawer is opened that says “All inboxes.” Select this, and all your emails will appear in one inbox. Google says no emails will be shared between accounts with this enabled.

The new feature will be available to all Gmail users (including G Suite) as it rolls out over the next 15 days.

Continue reading…


Gmail for iOS now lets you view all of your accounts in a single inbox appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

iOS 12.1 now available for iPhone and iPad, watchOS 5.1 also released

iPhone X iOS 12

Right on schedule, the update to iOS 12.1 has launched.

Apple today released iOS 12.1 for the iPhone and iPad. This includes the iPhone 5s and later, iPad mini 2 and later, iPad Air and iPad Air 2, iPad 5th and 6th generation models, 9.7-inch and 10.5-inch iPad Pro, and both generations of 12.9-inch iPad Pro. The iPod touch 6th generation is included as well.

The update to iOS 12.1 brings with it several new features. There are more than 70 new emoji, including a bagel, a raccoon, a ball of yarn, a cupcake, a skateboard, a salt shaker, more emotive smiley faces, and new characters with red hair, gray hair, and curly hair, as well as a new emoji for bald people.

iOS 12.1 new emoji

Also included is Group FaceTime. This feature will let you FaceTime with up to 32 people at once, and the speaker will be automatically placed front and center. Ringless notification will use a silent alert that participants can tap to join, and Messages integration will let you start a Group FaceTime from a group Messages conversation.

iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR users are also getting real-time depth control for Portrait Mode photos. This lets you adjust the depth of field in real-time rather than waiting to change it after you capture a photo.

Rounding out this update's major features is dual SIM support and a Beautygate bug fix. The dual SIM support feature uses eSIM, letting you activate an additional cellular plan without needing a SIM card. For example, you could have both a business phone number and a personal number on a single device. The Beautygate bug that was resulting in overly smoothed photos from the iPhone XS's front-facing camera has been fixed as well.

To update to iOS 12.1, grab your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and go into Settings > General > Software update.

An update to watchOS 5.1 is also available today, bringing Apple Watch owners new features like Group FaceTime audio calls, new emoji, and a full-screen "Color" watch face. To update to watchOS 5.1, launch the Watch app on your iPhone and go into General > Software Update.


iOS 12.1 now available for iPhone and iPad, watchOS 5.1 also released originally posted at http://phonedog.com

PS4 and Xbox One users can now stream college football through ESPN+

Today, Playstation 4 and Xbox One owners will be able to keep up with some of their favorite college football games without a cable package through the ESPN+ streaming service.

Through the ESPN app, console owners can subscribe to the additional ESPN+ service to watch “thousands” more live sports events, including hundreds of games from MLB, NHL, and even college sports from over 15 different conferences. The service is integrated into the ESPN app that console owners had access to before today. The ESPN+ service was already available on Amazon Fire and Roku streaming devices, and the app has been available for download on Android and iOS devices for some time.

The full library of ESPN’s films and documentaries are available on the...

Continue reading…


PS4 and Xbox One users can now stream college football through ESPN+ appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

iPhone dual-SIM support doesn't play nicely with Verizon (for now)

Don't rush to try iOS 12.1's dual-SIM support if you're a customer of our parent company Verizon. PCMag has learned that the current software drops iPhone XS, XS Max and XR users down to CDMA (that is, the 2G network) if you activate another carrier on the eSIM and use your Verizon SIM card for the secondary line while in the US. This won't hurt if you're roaming abroad, but it's crippling for domestic use -- you'll lose anything resembling fast data, and even basic coverage will shrink given that 30 percent of Verizon's cell sites are LTE-only. Accordingly, Verizon has decided it would rather decline to activate eSIMs for now than make users suffer when they rely on the company for a second line.

Via: The Verge

Source: PCMag


iPhone dual-SIM support doesn't play nicely with Verizon (for now) posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Apple intros new iPad Pro with Face ID and USB-C, new Apple Pencil also revealed

One day after OnePlus took the wraps off of its new OnePlus 6T flagship, Apple introduced some new hardware for iOS fans.

The new iPad Pro features an updated design over the previous iPad. Apple has ditched the home button, allowing it to make the bezels surrounding the display slimmer. Abandoning the home button also means that the new iPad Pro has adopted Face ID, and Apple says that you can use it while the iPad is in any orientation, meaning you don't have to hold the tablet a certain way to unlock it.

Another major change with the new iPad Pro is USB-C. Yes, Apple has opted for USB-C on its new iPad rather than its proprietary Lightning connector. What's more, you can use this USB-C port to connect accessories like a 5K monitor, and you can even use it to charge your iPhone using your iPad's battery.

Apple iPad Pro 2018 11-inch, 12.9-inch

Powering the new iPad Pro is an Apple A12X Bionic processor. This is a special version of the A12 Bionic processor found in the iPhone XS which features an 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores. There's a 7-core GPU in there, too, along with a Neural Engine like in the iPhone XS. Apple says its A12X Bionic offers 35 percent faster single-core performance as well as up to 1000x faster graphics performance, the latter of which Apple says is Xbox One S class performance.

The new iPad Pro will be available in two screen sizes: a new 11-inch option and a 12.9-inch screen that is similar to the previous iPad Pro, but in a smaller package. These Liquid Retina LCD screens offer features like ProMotion, wide color support, and True Tone, which will automatically adjust the color and intensity of your screen to match the ambient light so that images appear more natural.

Rounding out the feature set of the new iPad Pro is four speaker audio with wider stereo sound, a 12MP rear camera with better flash and 4K 60fps video capture, and Bluetooth 5.0. Up to 1TB of storage will be available, as will gigabit-class LTE thanks to the eSIM in the device. Also of note is that there's no 3.5mm headphone jack to be found here, but Apple will sell a USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter if you need one.

Apple iPad Pro 2018 Pencil stylus

Apple today also introduced a couple of updated accessories for its new iPad Pro. The Apple Pencil has an updated design and can now magnetically attach to the side of the iPad Pro, which should make it a bit easier to carry with you. And when you attach the new Apple Pencil on the side of the iPad Pro, it'll charge wirelessly, meaning you no longer have to have an Apple Pencil sticking out of the bottom of your tablet to charge it.

A new Smart Keyboard Folio is coming with the updated iPad Pro, too, that attaches magnetically and helps to protect the front and back of the tablet. Apple says that the new Smart Keyboard Folio lets you prop up the iPad Pro from two angles.

Apple iPad Pro 2018 Smart Keyboard Folio

The new iPad Pro will be available to order today and will launch on November 7. The 11-inch model will be available in 64GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options, with pricing starting at $799 for the Wi-Fi model and $949 for the Wi-Fi + LTE version. Meanwhile, the 12.9-inch version will be available in the same four storage options and will start at $999 for the Wi-Fi version and $1,149 for the Wi-Fi + LTE variant.

The new Apple Pencil will cost $129, while the updated Smart Keyboard Folio will cost $179 for the 11-inch iPad Pro and $199 for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Apple also plans to offer a polyurethane Smart Folio for its new iPad Pro models that'll cost $79 for the 11-inch tablet and $99 for the 12.9-inch model.

Apple iPad Pro 2018 USB-C monitor

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Apple intros new iPad Pro with Face ID and USB-C, new Apple Pencil also revealed originally posted at http://phonedog.com

The new iPad Pro vs. the competition: Working hard

Earlier this year students and other cost-conscious consumers got their hands on the latest low-cost iPad, but now it's time for professionals to get their hands on an upgrade. This year's iPad Pro switches the line to USB-C and boasts an improved Pencil. But the field it's facing is a lot different from last year's, especially now that Google's re-entered the fray with its Pixel Slate. We've taken a look at some of the top productivity tablets to see how they measure up to the 12.9-inch iPad in numbers. For the real scoop on the new iPad, though, you'll have to wait for our full review coming in the next few weeks.


The new iPad Pro vs. the competition: Working hard posted first on https://www.engadget.com

New iPads Pros pack larger displays thanks to Face ID

Apple's iPad Pro is starting to look a little dated, with its familiar design that hasn't changed much over the years. So it's nice to see that at its New York event today, the company unveiled a fresh new tablet. It's not a surprise by any means, thanks to all the leaks prior, but now we've got more official details. As expected, the new iPad Pro will have much slimmer bezels than before, thanks in part to room freed up from getting rid of the home button. They'll also support Face ID for convenient authentication, and come with a USB-C port.


New iPads Pros pack larger displays thanks to Face ID posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Apple is using 100-percent recycled aluminum in new Macs

Today, at its Mac event, Apple announced that the new MacBook Air and the Mac Mini are "the greenest" Macs ever. That's because the new machine bodies are made from 100-percent recycled aluminum.


Apple is using 100-percent recycled aluminum in new Macs posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Signal's new 'Sealed Sender' feature makes conversations anonymous

Messaging service Signal is popular with privacy-minded users. It doesn't store any record of your contacts, social graph, conversation list, location, avatar, profile name or group details. Until recently, though, one important piece of data was still visible: who is messaging whom -- kind of like having the sender's address on a physical piece of mail. The latest beta release, however, includes a feature that blocks that, too: "sealed sender."

Via: Wired

Source: Signal


Signal's new 'Sealed Sender' feature makes conversations anonymous posted first on https://www.engadget.com

We're live from Apple's iPad and Mac event!

Hot on the heels of unveiling three iPhones and a watch, Apple is getting ready for yet another press event. This time, Tim Cook takes the stage at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and this time, Macs and a refreshed iPad Pro are said to be in store. I'd say, that classic Mac logo in the invitation we received (see above) should erase any doubt that we're about to see some new computers. The question is: which ones, and how extensive will the updates be? Our money is on a successor to the 13-inch MacBook Air, though don't be surprised if Apple drops the "Air" branding. Upgraded iMacs are a safe bet too, and a "Mac Mini for pros" is possible too.

Another shoo-in: a revamped iPad Pro with a Face ID sensor (and iPhone-like notch to match). And, of course, we remain hopeful that we'll learn more about Apple's long-delayed AirPower wireless charging mat, but then again, we were left disappointed on that count after last month's iPhone launch. Fortunately for those of you who miss surprises, there have been fewer leaks ahead of this event, so you have more incentive than ever to fire up the livestream, open our liveblog and watch everything unfold. Join us on Tuesday the 30th, starting at or just before 10AM ET.


We're live from Apple's iPad and Mac event! posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Waze adds Pandora, TuneIn, and five other streaming services into app

Waze is integrating seven more audio streaming services into its navigation app. The services, which include Pandora, Deezer, and TuneIn, come as part of the app’s new audio player, and should mean that your music or podcasts integrate more seamlessly with your navigation instructions. The announcement brings the total number of available music services to eight, and join the Spotify integration that was announced last year.

Although naysayers will quickly point out the app is still lacking support for other major services like Apple Music, YouTube Music, or SoundCloud, the eight services cover a decent spread of audio content including music (Pandora, Deezer, Spotify), radio (TuneIn, iHeartRadio, NPR One), podcasts (Stitcher), and...

Continue reading…


Waze adds Pandora, TuneIn, and five other streaming services into app appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

PlayStation 4 sales are actually speeding up

Sony's nothing if not consistent. The company's latest financial results released today show everything's as it should be six months after new CEO Kenichiro Yoshida took the helm. Sony recorded nearly $19.6 billion in revenue for the three months ending September 30th, of which almost $2.2 billion was cold, hard profit. Those numbers are slightly better than last year's and last quarter's, meaning Sony's books aren't just stable, they're healthy. Predictably, the PlayStation division was responsible for the most revenue, pulling in more than double any other department barring financial services. Just as unsurprising is that mobile remains the only loss-making part of Sony's business.

Source: Sony


PlayStation 4 sales are actually speeding up posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Samsung's 48-megapixel camera sensor may pop up in the Galaxy S10

With its chip manufacturing prowess, it was only a matter of time before Samsung attacked the lucrative image sensor market dominated by Sony. It has unveiled a pair of very interesting sensors aimed at multi-camera smartphones, the 48-megapixel Isocell Bright GM1 and 32-megapixel Isocell Bright GD1. Both have pixel pitches of just 0.8 micrometers, letting Samsung pack incredible resolution into chips that are small enough to be used in multi-camera smartphones without bulking them up.

Source: Samsung


Samsung's 48-megapixel camera sensor may pop up in the Galaxy S10 posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Monday 29 October 2018

James Patterson will preview his next novel in Facebook Messenger

James Patterson, the best-selling book factory in human form, is letting readers interact with the characters from his upcoming novel The Chef by speaking to them through Facebook Messenger. Starting October 30th, you'll be able to receive video and sound clips from characters via Facebook's massively popular messaging platform, according to Variety.

Via: Variety

Source: James Patterson/Facebook


James Patterson will preview his next novel in Facebook Messenger posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Nokia 7.1 launches in the U.S. with 5.84-inch screen, dual rear cameras

Nokia 7.1 blue official

A few weeks after making its official debut, the Nokia 7.1 has launched in the U.S.

The Nokia 7.1 is now available from Amazon, B&H, and Best Buy. This device is priced at $349.99 and is sold unlocked, complete with support for AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S.

When it comes to specs, the Nokia 7.1 features a 5.84-inch 2280x1080 display and a dual rear camera setup with a 12MP main camera a 5MP secondary sensor to help you capture portrait mode photos with blurry backgrounds. There's an 8MP front-facing camera for selfies, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a rear fingerprint reader, too.

Inside the Nokia 7.1's aluminum frame is an octa-core Snapdragon 636 processor paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of built-in storage. Nokia has included a microSD slot so you can add more storage if you need it, and there's a 3060mAh battery powering the whole package. The Nokia 7.1 comes preloaded with Android Oreo and is guaranteed two years of OS updates and three years of monthly security patches since it's an Android One device.

With an aluminum frame, large screen, and guaranteed updates thanks to Android One, the Nokia 7.1 could be a solid option for anyone in the market for an affordable smartphone. You can get a closer look at the device and add it to your digital cart using the links below.


Nokia 7.1 launches in the U.S. with 5.84-inch screen, dual rear cameras originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Waze adds built-in audio player to spice up your commute

You won't have to use Google Maps if you want a built-in music player to accompany Google's navigation tools. In the wake of a Spotify tie-in last year, Waze has released beta versions of its Android and iOS apps with a native audio player that supports eight services in total. Deezer, iHeart Radio, NPR One, Pandora, Scribd, Stitcher and TuneIn are now available alongside Spotify to give you a choice of listening material for your commute. Not every app is available on every platform (you can use TuneIn only on Android, for example, while Deezer only works on iOS), but you only need to sync Waze with a third-party app to have access to familiar tunes on your next drive.

Source: Waze (Medium)


Waze adds built-in audio player to spice up your commute posted first on https://www.engadget.com

iOS 12.1 update will be released tomorrow

iPhone XS Max hands-on review

After going through some beta testing, iOS 12.1 is ready for public consumption.

Apple will release iOS 12.1 tomorrow, October 30, to all iOS 12-compatible devices. The update brings with it several notable new features, including more than 70 new emoji. These include a bagel, a cupcake, a mosquito, a softball, a skateboard, and a frisbee.

The update to iOS 12.1 will also bring Group FaceTime. This feature was originally slated to roll out with iOS 12, but during testing, Apple decided to delay it. Now it looks like Group FaceTime is finally ready to go. FaceTime is also gaining features like automatic detection of active speakers, ringless notification, Messages integration, and end-to-end encryption with the update to iOS 12.1.

iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR owners are getting real-time depth control with the update to iOS 12.1, letting them control the blurriness of the background in their Portrait Mode photos before they take them. Those three new iPhones are also gaining dual SIM support with this update. Finally, Apple has said that the update to iOS 12.1 will fix the iPhone XS "Beautygate" bug that has resulted in overly smoothed photos being taken by the device's front-facing camera.


iOS 12.1 update will be released tomorrow originally posted at http://phonedog.com