EvanKerr79: February 2019

Thursday 28 February 2019

Sony Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus have tall 21:9 displays, now available for pre-order

Along with the Xperia 1 flagship, Sony introduced a couple more mid-range smartphones at MWC: the Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus. Now those devices are available for pre-order in the U.S.

The Sony Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus can be pre-ordered from Amazon, B&H, and Best Buy. Pricing for the Xperia 10 is set at $349.99, while the Xperia 10 Plus is $429.99. Both models are sold unlocked and are compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon in the U.S., and they both come with a U.S. warranty. Both models are slated to launch on March 18th.

For you Verizon customers that may be interested in these new Sony wares, you should know that both the Xperia 10 and the Xperia 10 Plus have been certified by Verizon for use on its network. That means you should have no issue popping your Verizon SIM into either of these new phones and using them as normal.

Like Sony's new Xperia 1 flagship, both the Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus feature extra tall displays with 21:9 aspect ratios. The Xperia 10 has a 6-inch 2520x1080 display, and as you might expect given its name, the Xperia 10 Plus has a slightly larger 6.5-inch 2520x1080 screen.

Sony Xperia 10 Plus multitasking

In addition to that tall 6-inch screen, the Xperia 10 boasts a dual rear camera setup that includes 13MP and 5MP cameras, letting you add a bokeh effect to your photos. There's an 8MP wide angle front camera for your selfies, too, and a fingerprint reader on the side for added security. Inside the Xperia 10 is a Snapdragon 630 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and a microSD card slot for adding up to 512GB of additional storage. The battery is 2870mAh, and the Xperia 10 comes with Android 9 Pie preloaded.

The Xperia 10 Plus has its own dual rear camera setup with 12MP and 8MP sensors, support for bokeh images, and 2x optical zoom. Inside is a Snapdragon 636 processor paired with 4GB of RAM, 64GB of built-in storage, and a microSD card slot. Sony has also given the Xperia 10 Plus an 8MP wide angle selfie camera, just like the Xperia 10. Rounding things out is a side-mounted fingerprint reader, a 3000mAh battery, and Android 9 Pie.

We've seen many smartphone makers move to taller screens in recent years, but most of those devices are 18:9 or 19.5:9. We haven't really seen many phones with 21:9 screens, which could help make the Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus great options if you watch a lot of videos on the go. Sony also touts the tall screens' multitasking capabilities and says that the 21:9 aspect ratio helps the phones to better fit in your hand thanks to their "sleek and slender form".

What do you think of the Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus? Are you thinking about pre-ordering one of them?

Sony

Sony Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus have tall 21:9 displays, now available for pre-order originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Twitter says it’s building a feature that lets you hide replies to your tweets

Twitter announced today that it’s building a new feature that would let users hide replies to their tweets. The feature, noticed first by expert software unpacker Jane Manchun Wong, would bring a drastic change to how users control the conversations they create on the platform. It wouldn’t let a user permanently hide replies, but it would make those replies more difficult to see in the event the original conversation starter wanted to discourage bad-faith or otherwise unpleasant discussions around their tweets.

“People who start interesting conversations on Twitter are really important to us, and we want to empower them to make the conversations they start as healthy as possible by giving them some control,” explains Michelle Yasmeen...

Twitter says it’s building a feature that lets you hide replies to your tweets appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

Moto G7 now available in the U.S. for $299

The latest entry in Motorola's Moto G series is now available.

The Moto G7 can be purchased from Motorola for $299.99. It comes with 64GB of built-in storage, though you can add up to 512GB more with a microSD card, and it's available in black and white color options. Motorola sells the Moto G7 unlocked, and it's compatible with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon in the U.S.

As a refresher, the Moto G7 runs Android 9 Pie on a 6.2-inch 2270x1080 display. There's a notch at the top of that screen that's home to an 8MP camera that also offers face unlock. Around back is a dual rear camera setup with a 12MP main sensor and 5MP depth sensor, and Motorola touts that it's included camera features like portrait mode and an auto smile capture that'll capture the photo when the phone detects that everyone is smiling.

There's a rear fingerprint reader on the Moto G7 for added security, a 3D glass back to give the phone a more premium feel, and a 3000mAh battery along with 15W TurboPower charging that'll give you 9 hours of usage in 15 minutes. Inside the Moto G7 is a 1.8GHz octa-core Snapdragon 632 processor paired with 4GB of RAM. There's a USB-C port for charging and a 3.5mm headphone jack, too.

Motorola's Moto G series is known for offering great bang for your buck, and the Moto G7 looks like it'll continue that trend. If you want to make the Moto G7 your next daily driver, hit up Motorola's website using the source link below.

Moto G7

Motorola

Moto G7 now available in the U.S. for $299 originally posted at http://phonedog.com

U.S. Cellular deal offers 50 percent off smartphones to new and existing customers

U.S. Cellular launched a new deal this week that'll get you hefty discount on a new smartphone.

For a limited time, U.S. Cellular is offering 50 percent off select smartphones to both new and existing customers. Included in the offer are phones like the Samsung Galaxy S10e and iPhone XR. U.S. Cellular says that the promo offers 50 percent off the base model price of phones, and if you want a higher-end version, it'll apply the price of 50 percent of the base model.

To get this offer, new customers will need to purchase a smartphone on a 30-month contract with $0 with Device Protection+ and a Total Plan. Existing customers must be eligible for an upgrade and be on an Unlimited Plus Plan. Once you've met all the requirements and bought your phone, your discount will be applied via a monthly bill credit.

This deal will be available through March 19th, so you've got a little time to pick out the perfect phone for you.

U.S. Cellular

U.S. Cellular deal offers 50 percent off smartphones to new and existing customers originally posted at http://phonedog.com

OnePlus not interested in making a foldable phone right now

There are several companies getting into the foldable smartphone market; Samsung and Huawei recently introduced new devices, Motorola has confirmed that it's got a foldable in the works, and TCL has expressed interest in releasing a foldable as well. However, one notable phone maker is staying out of the foldables game for now.

OnePlus won't be launching a foldable phone in the near future, CEO Pete Lau has said. "With this technology, costs are high," Lau told CNET. "But the value to the end user doesn't seem to correlate."

That doesn't mean that OnePlus is straight-up ignoring the foldable phone concept completely. Lau explained that OnePlus has been looking at what foldable phones can do, calling the devices "very much a different product" and "very interesting". The CEO reiterated that foldable very expensive right now, though.

There's a lot of excitement and interest around foldables right now following the official reveal of the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X. Both phones are pretty pricey, though with Samsung saying that it'll ask $1,980 for the Galaxy Fold and Huawei pricing the Mate X at around $2,600. Those prices make it unlikely that most consumers will buy one of these first gen foldables, and so it makes sense that a company like OnePlus that's always placed a focus on aggressive pricing would skip out on foldables for now.

OnePlus

OnePlus not interested in making a foldable phone right now originally posted at http://phonedog.com

TikTok users over 13 are having their accounts deleted after putting in the wrong birthdays

Some TikTok users are having their accounts and videos deleted without warning after inputting a birthdate that would make them younger than 13, following a change to the app’s terms yesterday regarding children’s privacy law.

TikTok is prompting users to prove they’re of age to use the app following an FTC settlement agreement that required the app to come into compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA, which dictates that apps and websites get parental approval for users under 13. Typically, social media companies and web services tend to make 13 the age requirement, to avoid the liability of requiring parental consent. Some companies like Facebook have developed separate kid-friendly apps, such as...

TikTok users over 13 are having their accounts deleted after putting in the wrong birthdays appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

Reddit is letting users tip real money — to one guy in one subreddit

Samsung is giving away a screen protector with the Galaxy S10

If you're planning to snag a Samsung Galaxy S10 or S10+ when they arrive next week, you might be pleased to see your new phone will already have a screen protector installed. While the plastic protector might not be as tough as other glass-based options, Samsung has a good reason to include it -- some third-party protectors may not work with the in-display fingerprint scanner.

Via: The Verge

Source: Samsung

Samsung is giving away a screen protector with the Galaxy S10 posted first on https://www.engadget.com

How to hear (and delete) every conversation your Amazon Alexa has recorded

Update February 28th, 2019 1:15PM ET: This article was originally published on May 28th, 2018 at 10:11AM ET. It has been updated to include a new Alexa Privacy settings page on the Alexa app and on the web.

Digital assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are designed to learn more about you as they listen, and part of doing so is to record conversations you’ve had with them to learn your tone of voice, prompts, and requests. While this is supposed to help the assistants like Alexa learn to give you better answers, this feature-not-a-bug has landed Amazon in a string of bizarre headlines. In 2018, users have reported that their Echo speakers began spontaneously laughing, while a family in Portland said their device recorded and...

How to hear (and delete) every conversation your Amazon Alexa has recorded appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

Top 10 iOS Apps of February 2019!

We've compiled a top 10 list of our favorite iOS apps to hit the App Store in February 2019. The apps include Vellum Wallpapers, Class Timetable, Snake 97, History of Everything, Planny 2, TeasEar, GetFact, Backflipper, Ding Dong XL, and Sunrise Sunset Timer. Which app is your favorite?

Apple

Apple iPhone X

Top 10 iOS Apps of February 2019! originally posted at http://phonedog.com

T-Mobile customers get free MLB.TV for the 2019 season

T-Mobile has a great deal coming for its customers next month.

T-Mobile will offer a free MLB.TV subscription for the 2019 season. Customers can redeem this deal through the T-Mobile Tuesdays app between March 26th and April 1st. After they do, they'll have access to MLB.TV for the entire 2019 regular season for no charge.

With MLB.TV, you can watch every 2019 out-of-market regular season game live, complete with your choice of home or away feeds in HD. You can watch nearly 300 Spring Training games live, too. And because MLB At Bat Premium is included as well, you can watch games on the go using your iOS, Android, or Kindle Fire device.

One thing to keep in mind is that this offer is only available to new MLB.TV subscribers for 2019. If you're a current subscriber, you'll need to cancel by 8:00 pm ET on March 22nd to redeem T-Mobile's deal.

T-Mobile has offered a free MLB.TV subscription to its customers for a few years now, and it's awesome to see it making a return for the 2019 season. A full season of MLB.TV normally costs $118.99 and MLB At Bat Premium is another $19.99 for the season, so this is a pretty sweet deal for T-Mo customers.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile customers get free MLB.TV for the 2019 season originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Samsung Galaxy S10 and S10+ will come with a screen protector pre-installed

Like to use screen protectors on your smartphones? If you're buying a Galaxy S10, you'll get one pre-installed.

Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S10 and S10+ will come with a factory pre-installed screen protector. This applies to all global subsidiaries and all variants of the S10. "This decision was made to increase overall customer experiences with the improved screen durability and full functionality of the Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor on Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+", Samsung explains.

The screen protector that comes with your S10 or S10+ will be covered by a 90-day warranty.

Not everybody uses a screen protector with their smartphone, but some folks like to protect their expensive new device from getting scratches on the screen. It's nice to see Samsung including a screen protector with the S10 and S10+, especially since they have an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor that could be difficult to use with some screen protectors. And hey, if you don't want a screen protector on your S10 or S10+, you can just take it off.

Do you use a screen protector on your smartphone?

Samsung Galaxy S10

Samsung Galaxy S10+

Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S10 and S10+ will come with a screen protector pre-installed originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Phone-hacking device used by police sells on eBay for $100

A phone-hacking device that law enforcement officials use to extract data from phones is popping up on eBay for as little as $100. Federal agencies in the US and elsewhere, including the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, typically spend up to $15,000 on current models of Cellebrite's Universal Forensic Extraction Device, though older versions are available on the secondary market.

Via: 9to5Mac

Source: Forbes

Phone-hacking device used by police sells on eBay for $100 posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Neopets’ new mobile game won’t save it from extinction

The beloved browser game Neopets is back with a new attempt on mobile, this time inspired by smartphone hits Puzzle & Dragons and Words with Friends. In its new game, Legends and Letters, Neopets revives old characters from 2005 and earlier in a word game that combines lore with vocabulary building.

Neopets has been dying a slow death over the past decade. The game has had a rough history: the original creators sold it to Viacom in 2005, which then eventually sold to JumpStart in 2014. The result has been massive turnover and a radical restructuring of the people that make up the game’s development team. Only two members of JumpStart’s team have been with Neopets for over ten years, meaning that they were there during Viacom’s...

Neopets’ new mobile game won’t save it from extinction appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro features 48MP rear camera, 4000mAh battery, up to 6GB of RAM

After announcing the Redmi Note 7 last month, Xiaomi today introduced a souped up version.

The Redmi Note 7 Pro is now official following a Xiaomi event in India. The big upgrade here over the Redmi Note 7 is the processor, with the Pro model packing an octa-core Snapdragon 675 processor compared to the standard Redmi Note 7's Snapdragon 660 chipset. Also included is up to 6GB of RAM, up to 128GB of storage, a microSD card slot, and a 4000mAh battery.

One of the highlight features of the Redmi Note 7 Pro is its dual rear camera setup. It includes a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor with 1/2 inch large sensor size, f/1.79 aperture, and a 1.6um 4-in-1 Super Pixel feature that aims to help you get clear, detailed shots in low-light conditions. There's a 5MP secondary camera, too, and Xiaomi has included a feature called AI Portrait to help you add features like adjustable bokeh, studio lighting, and light trails to your photos.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro colors

There's a 13MP selfie camera that lives in a waterdrop notch on the Redmi Note 7, and it's got its own AI beatuify, AI scene detection, and AI portrait mode photos, as well as a face unlock feature. The display is a 6.3-inch 2340x1080 panel with Gorilla Glass 5, and there's Gorilla Glass 5 on the back too, along with a gradient color design and a fingerprint reader.

The Redmi Note 7 comes prealoded with Android Pie and Xiaomi's MIUI 10 custom user interface. It'll be available in India starting March 13th at a price of Rs 13,999 ($197 USD) for the 4GB RAM/64GB storage model, while the 6GB/128GB model will cost Rs 16,999 ($240 USD).

Xiaomi is known for offering good-looking, well-specced phones at aggressive prices, so it's no surprise to see that the Redmi Note 7 Pro is just that. There's that 48MP rear camera included along with a 4000mAh battery that should get you pretty solid battery life, and the gradient finishes may have you thinking twice about using the included case. Unfortunately, it's unlikely that the Redmi Note 7 Pro will make its way to the U.S., but folks in India looking for a new Android phone may want to consider this new Redmi device.

Xiaomi is also rolling out the non-Pro version of the Redmi Note 7 in India, but it's a bit different than the model that launched in China last month. This version of the Redmi Note 7 ditches the 48MP + 5MP dual rear camera setup for 12MP + 2MP sensors. It also includes a 6.3-inch 2340x1080 display, Snapdragon 660 processor, up to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, and a 4000mAh battery. Pricing will start at Rs 9,999 ($141 USD).

Xiaomi

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro features 48MP rear camera, 4000mAh battery, up to 6GB of RAM originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Spectre is a new iOS camera app that uses AI to create stunning long exposures

The makers of Halide, a popular third-party iOS camera app that offers advanced RAW shooting and other powerful tools, are today releasing another photography app: Spectre. Spectre costs $1.99 and comes with one big specialty: long exposures. Long exposures are very common in the DSLR world: they can make an ordinary nighttime city shot feel much more artistic by creating streaks of light from passing cars. Or you can take a long exposure to bring a real sense of moving water to waterfalls or other nature scenes. But on phones, long exposures have often gone ignored: there’s no way of capturing one with the built-in camera on the iPhone or Google Pixel, for example. On devices from Samsung, LG, and others with manual photo modes, it can...

Spectre is a new iOS camera app that uses AI to create stunning long exposures appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

You can now remap the Bixby button on older Galaxy phones

When Samsung revealed its Galaxy S10 last week, one feature caused a buzz: the ability to remap the phone's Bixby button so that it opens any app. On older phones, the Bixby button simply opened Samsung's voice assistant, but that changed today. A software update is rolling out that allows you to remap the Bixby button on a handful of older models: Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S9/S9+ and the Galaxy S8/S8+.

Via: SamMobile

You can now remap the Bixby button on older Galaxy phones posted first on https://www.engadget.com

The five-camera Nokia 9 PureView hits the US March 3rd

HMD Global isn't wasting much time with the Nokia 9 PureView. While it just announced the phone, which has five rear cameras, a few days ago at Mobile World Congress, it will start selling the handset in the US March 3rd. If you're interested, it might be best to act quickly as the PureView will cost you $599 to begin with, but that jumps to $699 March 11th.

Via: The Verge

The five-camera Nokia 9 PureView hits the US March 3rd posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Samsung update to enable Bixby button remapping rolling out to Galaxy Note 9, Note 8, S9, S8

Well, that didn't take long.

One week after Samsung said that it would deploy an update to enable Bixby button remapping on previous Galaxy flagships, that update has begun rolling out. The update to the Bixby app is rolling out through the Galaxy Store, and it's available to the Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S9, and Galaxy S8.

After you've updated, go in to the "Advanced features" section of the Settings app and then select "Bixby key". There you can choose whether you want to launch a third-party app with a single press of the Bixby button or a double press. Whichever option you don't choose will be the one that launches Bixby.

Shortly after the Galaxy S10 was announced, it was discovered that you could remap the Bixby button to launch a third-party app of your choice. Samsung then announced it would be bringing the feature to previous Galaxy flagships with a dedicated Bixby button, which was great news because folks have been wanting to have that ability for a while now, but they had to resort to other workarounds to do it. Unfortunately, The Verge's Dan Seifert has found that you can't have your Bixby button launch Google Assistant or other digital assistants like Alexa or Cortana. The button could be useful for other functions though, like launching the camera.

If you've got a Note 9, Note 8, S9, or S8, what will you remap your Bixby button to do?

Samsung

Samsung update to enable Bixby button remapping rolling out to Galaxy Note 9, Note 8, S9, S8 originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Nokia 9 PureView arriving in the U.S. on March 3rd for $599

After making its debut at MWC in Barcelona, the Nokia 9 PureView is coming to the U.S.

The Nokia 9 PureView will be available in the U.S. starting March 3rd at a promotional price of $599. You'll be able to pick up Nokia's new phone and its five rear cameras from Best Buy.com, Best Buy stores, Amazon, and B&H. You'll have to act fast if you want to get that special price, though, because it'll return to its normal $699 price on March 10th.

As a refresher, the Nokia 9 PureView is equipped with five 12MP cameras on its backside: two RGB and three monochrome. Whenever you snap a photo, the five cameras capture the image and fuse it into one 12MP photo. Photos are shot in HDR and you can refocus your shots later in Google Photos. There are pro-level camera features included as well, like the the ability to take shows in RAW DNG format, support for taking shots in monochrome mode, and a Pro Camera UI that'll let you tinker with white balane, ISO, shutter speed, and exposure time.

Around front there's a 5.99-inch QHD+ pOLED screen with in-display fingerprint sensor and a 20MP selfie camera. Inside the Nokia 9 PureView is a Snapdragon 845 processor, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 3320mAh battery that you can recharge over USB-C or using Qi wireless charging. The whole body offers IP67 water and dust resistance. And on the software side there's Android 9 Pie with Android One, meaning no bloatware and regular security updates.

Now that we've officially met the Nokia 9 PureView and it's launching in the U.S. soon, what do you think of the new flagship? Will you be picking one up while it's on sale?

Nokia

Nokia 9 PureView arriving in the U.S. on March 3rd for $599 originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Neopets’ new mobile game won’t save it from extinction

Neopets’ new mobile game won’t save it from extinction appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

Google Clock can now wake you up with YouTube Music and Pandora

Last year Google made the business of getting out of bed in the morning an altogether more pleasant affair when it introduced Spotify integration to the Google Clock app. The feature let Android users set a song or playlist as an alarm, rather than the usual odious beeping, and it was so well received that users were quick to ask when there would be similar support for other music services. That's finally arrived, and Google Clock 6.1 will now also let you pick music from Pandora and YouTube Music.

Via: Android Police

Source: Google Play Store

Google Clock can now wake you up with YouTube Music and Pandora posted first on https://www.engadget.com

HTC's Exodus smartphone is about much more than Bitcoin

'A blockchain phone? But why?'

That was my first reaction when I read about the HTC Exodus last year. It felt like a wild, foolish bet from a company that's struggling for sales and relevancy in the mobile space.

But then I spoke with Phil Chen, the company's "Decentralized Chief Officer." I'm still skeptical of the product's commercial viability, but I have a better idea of what the Taiwanese manufacturer is trying to achieve. It might sound silly and ill-conceived, but HTC genuinely wants to improve society with this phone.

HTC's Exodus smartphone is about much more than Bitcoin posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Anti-vaxxers are the newest threat in 'Plague Inc.'

Never underestimate the power of a viral petition -- and in this case we mean that quite literally. Strategy game Plague Inc., which sees players do their best to wipe out the world with infectious disease, is going to be given an anti-vaxxer scenario after its developers challenged fans to get a petition past 10,000 signatures. At the time of writing, the total had blown past 20,000.

Via: Bleeding Cool

Source: Twitter [@NdemicCreations]

Anti-vaxxers are the newest threat in 'Plague Inc.' posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Facebook puts event invites inside Stories

A new Facebook feature is making it easier to find out whether any of your friends are interested in an event you've been eyeing. You can now post Facebook Events as Stories simply by clicking "Share" below their pages' date and time. The ephemeral message will even feature a sticker that contains the event's details, along with a tappable box friends can interact with to let you know if they're interested in going. Like any other Story, you can also put stickers and text on it to add even more context.

Facebook puts event invites inside Stories posted first on https://www.engadget.com

BlackBerry goes after Twitter for patent infringement

BlackBerry has accused another social network of infringing on its intellectual properties almost a year suing Facebook over its messaging patents. The Canadian tech company has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Twitter over six IPs, including push notifications, mobile advertising techniques and the capability to silence notifications for a message thread. In its complaint, BlackBerry accused Twitter of using some of the "functionality enhancing features" that made "BlackBerry's products such a critical and commercial success." By doing so, BlackBerry said Twitter "succeeded in diverting consumers away from [its] products and services."

Source: Reuters, TechCrunch

BlackBerry goes after Twitter for patent infringement posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Wednesday 27 February 2019

Pocket Casts now has an Alexa skill to help you listen to podcasts at home

Pocket Casts is one of the more popular podcast apps on the market, and today it's gaining a major new feature to help you enjoy your podcasts at home.

Pocket Casts now offers an Alexa skill. With it, you can say things to your Amazon Echo or Alexa-powered smart speaker such as "Alexa, tell Pocket Cats to resume the last podcast", "Alexa, tell Pocket Casts to play the latest episode of [Podcast Name]", or "Alexa, ask Pocket Casts for some recommendations". The Pocket Casts app also recently gained Up Next syncing that'll allow you to save your queue to your account, and you can say "Alexa, ask Pocket Casts to play my Up Next" to play that queue on your smart speaker.

To add the Pocket Casts skill to your Alexa-powered device, launch the Alexa app on your iOS or Android device, search for "Pocket Casts", and install the skill. You'll then need to link your Amazon account to your Pocket Casts account and you'll be good to go.

Pocket Casts is available on Android, iOS, and the web, and so this new Alexa skill gives you another place to enjoy your podcasts. While you could probably connect your phone to most Alexa-powered speaker over Bluetooth and play Pocket Casts that way, being able to play your podcasts using your voice with Alexa is a pretty nifty feature that'll make listening to podcasts at home easier.

Pocket Casts now has an Alexa skill to help you listen to podcasts at home originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Huawei P30 Pro and P30 shown off in leaked renders

After getting an early peek at a Huawei P30 Pro prototype yesterday, some renders that show the entirety of the upcoming flagship have leaked.

Official-looking renders of both the Huawei P30 Pro and the Huawei P30 have been shared by WinFuture. The P30 Pro looks similar to the unit we saw yesterday, with a triple rear camera setup in a single housing. The text below the Leica branding indicates aperture sizes between f/1.6 and f/3.4 and a focal length of 16-125mm.

Interestingly, one of the three rear cameras on the Huawei P30 Pro is said to be a telephoto snapper with 10x zoom. There also appears to be a fourth sensor to the right of the triple cameras that could be a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor that could help to capture depth info.

Around on the front of the Huwaei P30 Pro we can see a small waterdrop notch, a curved edge display, and a small chin.

Huawei P30 renders

The standard Huawei P30 has a triple rear camera setup, which is an upgrade from the dual cameras that the Huawei P20 has. Around front is a flat display with the same waterdrop notch and chin as the P30 Pro. Both the P30 and P30 Pro are expected to include Huawei's octa-core Kirin 980 processor.

Little else is known about the Huawei P30 Pro or Huawei P30 right now, but we do know that Huawei is hosting an event on March 26th at which it'll likely introduce both phones.

Huawei

Huawei P30 Pro and P30 shown off in leaked renders originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Razer Phone 2 now getting Android Pie update, will go on sale later this week

Last week we heard reports that the Razer Phone 2 would begin getting its Android Pie update this week, and now the rollout has been confirmed.

The Razer Phone 2 is receiving an update to Android 9.0 Pie starting today, February 27th. The update is rolling out over the air to unlocked Razer Phone 2 models now, and carrier models will follow. We previously heard that AT&T's Razer Phone 2 will begin getting its update on April 4th.

Included with the update to Android 9.0 Pie are gesture navigations, interactive app functionality and search, battery life optimizations, privacy features such as background app controls, and access to digital well-being. Also included is 4K video recording at 60fps.

If you don't already have a Razer Phone 2 but are interested in picking one up now that it's been updated to Android Pie, the timing is good. Razer says that starting March 1st, it'll sell the Razer Phone 2 for $499.99, down from its regular price of $799.99. This deal will also be available at authorized retailers, but it'll only be available for a limited time.

Razer Phone 2

Razer Phone 2 now getting Android Pie update, will go on sale later this week originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Motorola confirms that it's working on a foldable phone

Recent rumors have suggested that Motorola has a foldable phone in the works, and today the company confirmed that that is the case.

Dan Dery, Motorola's VP of Global Product, has confirmed that Moto has a foldable phone coming. "We started to work on foldables a long time ago," Dery told Engadget. "And we have been doing a lot of iteration." Dery went on to add that Motorola "has no intention of coming later than everybody else in the market."

The Motorola exec went on to say that Moto has been trialing a plastic OLED device with plastic film on top. He then seemed to hint that a Motorola foldable would not have a design with a screen on its outside, like the Huawei Mate X, saying that you would "have something that is very rapidly not usable" with a screen on the outside that could easily get scratched.

Recent patent filings suggest that Motorola is working on a foldable phone with a design similar to the old RAZR flip phone. The patent drawings suggest that the phone could have a clamshell body that you open up to reveal one large foldable screen on the outside. A smaller display on the outside of the screen, like for notifications, is also possible.

Rumors have said that this upcoming Motorola foldable could launch at Verizon with a price tag that may be as high as $1,500. That sounded a bit high when we first heard that rumor earlier this year, but now that the $1,980 Samsung Galaxy Fold and the $2,600 Huawei Mate X have been revealed, that rumored $1,500 price for Motorola's foldable doesn't seem nearly as crazy.

Motorola

Motorola confirms that it's working on a foldable phone originally posted at http://phonedog.com

Top 10 Android Apps of February 2019!

We've compiled a top 10 list of our favorite Android apps to hit the Play Store in February 2019. The apps highlighted in this video include Wi-Fi AR, ActionDash, Love Poly, AppsFree, AutoHash, Sausage Flip, Bottom Quick Settings, WX Wallpapers, Sound Amplifier, and Parking King. Which app is your favorite?

Google

Samsung Galaxy S9+

Top 10 Android Apps of February 2019! originally posted at http://phonedog.com

TikTok stops young users from uploading videos after FTC settlement

FTC fines TikTok $5.7 million over child privacy violations

The creators of TikTok are facing US penalties for allegedly doing too little to respect kids' privacy. The Federal Trade Commission has fined TikTok (aka Musical.ly) $5.7 million as part of a settlement over reported COPPA violations in its lip-syncing video app. Regulators said that TikTok not only collected personal information from under-13 users without their parents' consent, but made those profiles public and, until October 2016, let people share their location with nearby friends. The developers knew a "significant percentage" of users were under 13 but didn't change their ways even after "thousands of complaints," the FTC said.

Via: TechCrunch (1), (2)

Source: FTC, TikTok

FTC fines TikTok $5.7 million over child privacy violations posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Cartoon Network app 'rewards' TV viewing with virtual figurines

How do you persuade people to watch your TV shows when their phones serve as a constant distraction? By rewarding them through their phones for watching. Cartoon Network is launching an app, Cartoon Network Arcade, that will provide virtual collectible figurines (over 60 in total) while you tune in. The title listens to show audio Shazam style, and unlocks collectibles when it's clear you're watching one of the broadcaster's programs. If you're a die-hard Powerpuff Girls or Steven Universe fan, you'll have something to prove it.

Via: Variety

Source: Cartoon Network (YouTube)

Cartoon Network app 'rewards' TV viewing with virtual figurines posted first on https://www.engadget.com

F(x)tec Pro 1 is an Android slider with landscape QWERTY keyboard

There aren't a ton of options for smartphone users who love physical keyboards, but F(x)tec is bringing a new model to market.

The F(x)tec Pro 1 is a new Android smartphone with a slide-out physical QWERTY keyboard. The device is being shown at MWC 2019 this week, and if you like what you see, you can pre-order one of your very own. F(x)tec is taking pre-orders for the Pro 1 at a price of $649 / £649 / €649, and each order comes with a free pair of limited edition F(x)tec earphones and a Pro 1 case.

F(x)tec says the Pro 1 is expected to begin shipping by July 2019. The company will begin asking for payment details from pre-order customers two to three weeks before shipping.

So what do you get with the F(x)tec Pro 1? Well, the highlight feature is that landscape QWERTY keyboard, which is a form factor that you don't see much in the smartphone market anymore. The 64-key layout includes a dedicated number row and extra wide space bar, and the slider tilts the screen to a 155-degree angle to help you clearly see the display while you're typing.

F(x)tec Pro 1 front

The Pro 1 is also equipped with a 5.99-inch 2160x1080 AMOLED screen with curved edges. F(x)tec says that it's included a custom landscape launcher with full landscape gesture controls, too, so you can transition from using just the screen to the physical keyboard without having to rotate the device from portrait to landscape.

Packed inside the F(x)tec Pro 1 is a Snapdragon 835 processor, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a microSD card slot that supports cards up to 2TB in size. There's a side-mounted fingerprint reader included, too, along with a two-stage camera shutter key, 3.5mm headphone jack, and dual stereo speakers. Around back is a dual camera setup with a 12MP Sony IMX363 snapper and a 5MP sensor, and the front is home to an 8MP selfie camera. The battery is a 3200mAh pack.

When it comes to connectivity, the F(x)tec Pro 1 includes GSM and CDMA support, including LTE bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, and 66. There are dual SIM slots in the Pro 1 as well, though the second SIM slot doubles as the microSD slot.

F(x)tec Pro 1 side

Finally, F(x)tec has preloaded the Pro 1 with Android 9.0 Pie, and the company says that it's sticking with a version of Pie "that's as vanilla as possible". It's also committing to offering Google's monthly security updates "in a timely manner".

The F(x)tec Pro 1 is an interesting device. The design itself looks good, and the fact that there's no notch will likely please a lot of folks, as will the commitment to offering vanilla Android Pie with timely security updates. And while a lot of folks are happy to continue tapping away on their glass screens, it's nice to see another keyboard-equipped smartphone on the market, especially with a landscape orientation. Now we just have to wait for the F(x)tec Pro 1 to ship so we can see how it performs.

What do you think of the F(x)tec Pro 1? Does its promise of vanilla Android Pie and a landscape keyboard have you interested?

F(x)tec Pro 1 is an Android slider with landscape QWERTY keyboard originally posted at http://phonedog.com

TikTok fined $5.7 million by FTC over alleged children’s privacy law violations

TikTok will pay $5.7 million in fines to settle accusations that it violated children’s privacy law, the Federal Trade Commission said today. The short-form video app and social network is also being required to gain parental approval for users under 13 years of age, to comply with federal law. All videos previously uploaded by people under the age of 13 will be removed as well.

The FTC alleged that TikTok “illegally collected personal information from children” by not obtaining their parents’ permission before they signed up, putting it in violation of COPPA — the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. COPPA dictates that any app or website targeted at children, such as TikTok (and its former app, Musical.ly), must ask children under...

TikTok fined $5.7 million by FTC over alleged children’s privacy law violations appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

Motorola confirms its foldable phone is coming

By now, it's not much of a secret that Motorola is working on a folding phone of its own: A patent for such a device surfaced late last year, and a subsequent Wall Street Journal report basically confirmed the company's plans. Despite the ensuing hype, Motorola has mostly kept quiet about its progress, but in an interview with Engadget this week, Motorola VP of Global Product Dan Dery shed some additional light on the company's ambitions.

Motorola confirms its foldable phone is coming posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Spotify’s app for India lets you play songs on demand with a free account

Spotify has officially announced its availability in India, after a quiet rollout yesterday. Users in India will be able to access a host of country-specific features which includes, for the first time, the ability to play any song on-demand with a free account in the mobile app.

Along with this unique feature, Spotify in India comes with 40 million songs, support for Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu languages, the ability to see what’s trending in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore, and curated playlists that are unique to the country, like Tamil and Bollywood Butter. Because cinema is such a fundamental piece of the music landscape in India, there’s a large section of playlists that feature songs from Bollywood, Tollywood,...

Spotify’s app for India lets you play songs on demand with a free account appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

T-Mobile’s 5G data won’t cost more than current plans

Earlier this week, rumors circulated that T-Mobile would delay its 5G launch until the second-half of this year. Today, CTO Neville Ray told PC Mag it still plans to start rolling out its 5G network in the first half of the year, and he also offered more good news: unlimited 5G data won't cost more than current plans, at least not now.

Via: The Verge

Source: PC Mag

T-Mobile’s 5G data won’t cost more than current plans posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Samsung Galaxy S10 and S10+ pre-order customers now get $130 eCertificate

When Samsung announced the Galaxy S10 series, it said that it'd give a free pair of its new Galaxy Buds truly wireless earbuds to anyone who pre-ordered a Galaxy S10 or S10+. Now that offer has been tweaked.

Samsung says that customers who pre-order a Galaxy S10 or S10+ going forward will receive a $130 eCertificate that can be used for "select products" at Samsung.com or the Shop Samsung app. The company explains that it sold out of its Galaxy Buds gift supply due to high interest.

Samsung previously said that its free Galaxy Buds offer was "only available while supplies last", and now it looks like demand for the S10 and S10+ has caused Samsung to run out of Galaxy Buds that it had set aside for this deal. It's good to see Samsung replace the free Galaxy Buds offer with a free $130 eCertificate for customers who pre-order an S10 or S10+ now; $130 is the price of the Galaxy Buds, so new pre-order customers are getting a pretty equivalent offer.

Have you pre-ordered a Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+, or S10e yet? If so, which model did you choose?

Samsung Galaxy S10

Samsung Galaxy S10+

Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S10 and S10+ pre-order customers now get $130 eCertificate originally posted at http://phonedog.com

One of the best podcast apps just got an Alexa skill so you can listen on mobile and at home

When listening in on podcasts, there are a host of options for how to tune in — Spotify, Apple Music, the website of a podcast. One of the most popular and best podcast apps, though, is Pocket Casts, which supports more platforms than many of its rival apps, and has more features to boot. Now Pocket Casts also has an Alexa skill, making it easier to listen in at home.

To get started, add the Pocket Casts skill within your Alexa app and connect your Pocket Casts account to Amazon by logging in. Then say, “Alexa, open Pocket Casts.” From there, if you’re just getting started with Pocket Casts, Alexa will note that you’ve got nothing in the queue and no subscriptions so you’ll need to get your Pocket Casts account up to speed with...

One of the best podcast apps just got an Alexa skill so you can listen on mobile and at home appeared first on http://www.theverge.com

Does OnePlus need to adopt wireless charging?

Last year, before the OnePlus 6 arrived, there were rumors that 2018 would be the year OnePlus would adopt wireless charging. However, by the time the OnePlus 6T was set to debut, OnePlus's CEO, Pete Lau, was more than willing to go to bat for the company's wired charging option. Basically, OnePlus doesn't think wireless charging is good enough to replace what it has with its fast charging capabilities.

That doesn't mean OnePlus isn't investigating the feature, though.

Most recently, when asked about wireless charging in the inevitable OnePlus 7, Lau said it won't happen. According to the chief executive, wireless charging "is far inferior" compared to the wired charging offered by OnePlus, and he's obviously not wrong. Wired charging is better than wireless charging, and OnePlus's Quick Charge is remarkably fast, and it's definitely one of the bullet points on a list of OnePlus smartphone features.

But does functionality beat out convenience? Yes, you have to make sure you're wireless charging mat/puck/whatever is plugged in, but being able to quickly and easily simply set your phone down to charge it is pretty great. It might charge more slowly, yes, but you don't have to worry about trying to plug it in or anything.

A friend of mine has multiple wireless charging mats in his house. One in the living room, one in the office, and one in the bedroom. Two of them serve as stands for his phone. Meanwhile, I'm over here still plugging my phone in. I've thought about picking up a wireless charging mat multiple times, I've just never actually followed through with it. Plugging in my phone at night to charge is fine -- and I don't care about the speed of it at all.

Wireless charging does feel like it's a standard feature by now. Or, should be anyway. Even Apple has it! And remember how big of a deal it was when that finally happened? That being said, it's not like Lau is wrong. Wired charging, and especially OnePlus's wired charging, is the faster way to charge a phone. And with OnePlus looking into the feature, one can imagine that once it does launch it, it may be even better than what the other companies offer.

But, what say you? Do you think OnePlus needs to offer wireless charging already? Does the OnePlus 7 need to offer wireless charging for you to consider it? Or are you a OnePlus smartphone owner who doesn't care at all about wireless charging support? Let me know!

OnePlus 6T

OnePlus

Does OnePlus need to adopt wireless charging? originally posted at http://phonedog.com

The F(x)tec Pro 1 is a love letter to your old QWERTY keyboard phones

If you're a geek of a certain age, you probably had some kind of phone with a physical keyboard. For me, it was the BlackBerry Tour. For my younger sister, it was the magnificently chunky Motorola CLIQ. And for F(x)ten co-founder Liangchen Chen, it was the Nokia N900.

The F(x)tec Pro 1 is a love letter to your old QWERTY keyboard phones posted first on https://www.engadget.com

Amazon storage sale includes big discount on SanDisk 400GB microSD card

SanDisk recently introduced a 1TB microSD card, but if you're more interested in a card that's smaller or less expensive, today's Amazon sale is for you.

Amazon is running a Deal of the Day on memory and storage products and the sale includes the SanDisk 400GB microSD card for just $62.30, which is an all-time low price. You can also score a 200GB microSD card from SanDisk for $29.21.

This sale includes lots of other special offers on other storage products. You can get a SanDisk 128GB SDXC card for $31.99, a SanDisk 32GB Cruzer Blade flash drive for $5.51, or a 64GB SanDisk iXpand flash drive for iPhone and iPad for $29.99. If you're looking to upgrade your computer's storage, this sale is offering a SanDisk 1TB internal SSD for $99.99, a WD 10TB Elements desktop hard drive for $159.99, and many other deals.

There are lots of good deals to be had in this sale, especially on those those two SanDisk microSD cards. With them, you can quickly add more storage to your phone, tablet, or gaming console, letting you carry way more music, movies, and games with you everywhere you go.

This sale is only available today, so hit the source link below and get to shopping!

Amazon

Amazon storage sale includes big discount on SanDisk 400GB microSD card originally posted at http://phonedog.com

The Google Home app can now change the color of all your smart lights

Google gave its Home app a substantial redesign back in the fall, morphing it into a command center of sorts for all smart home gadgets that are compatible with Google Assistant. Instead of opening separate apps to operate those devices (or relying on voice commands), Google moved many useful toggles and controls right into the Home app and put a centralized hub right in your hand. But it didn’t include everything. For instance, the Home app could adjust the brightness of smart lights around your home or turn them on and off, but not change their color — until now.

The most recent update to the Google Home app adds a new palette of colors that you can choose for each smart light you’ve got to quickly shift its color. As Android Police...

The Google Home app can now change the color of all your smart lights appeared first on http://www.theverge.com