Android Features
News: Qualcomm's Snapdragon 836 May Be Rolling Out with the Note 8
The leaks and rumors surrounding the highly anticipated Galaxy Note 8 just keep coming. But none have suggested that the new Samsung phone might be powered by a different chipset than the Snapdragon 835, until now.
News: Everything You Need to Know About Android “L”—KitKat's Upcoming Successor
It's the biggest day of the year for all things Google. Their developer conference, dubbed Google I/O, gives us a peak at what the guys at Mountain View have been working on over the course of the past year, and this year, Android was center stage.
News: Always-Updated List of Phones That Will Get Android 11 — Release Dates & Latest Rumors
Android 11 is officially out. With Google's continuous work on the update process, it is expected that more smartphones will receive the latest update in a timely fashion. However, exactly when the update is expected isn't always known.
News: T-Mobile Galaxy S8 Update Breaks SafetyNet & Android Pay
Everyone feels a little safer with Android's security updates, which are welcome and often necessary protective measures. But what happens when the update that's supposed to safeguard your phone actually ends up wreaking havoc with its security system?
How To: Use the Built-in Screen Recorder in Android 11
After adding and removing a screen recorder feature in Android 10, Google finally adopted a proper version in Android 11. Unlike the buggy and incomplete function last year, this one looks like a final product. And best of all, it is no longer hidden.
How To: Install a Custom Kernel on the Essential PH-1
When you unlock the bootloader on your Essential PH-1, you open your device to a host of new possible tweaks. One popular modification is a custom kernel, which can not only speed up your phone, but give you new features that wouldn't be possible otherwise.
Get It Now: Hangouts 2.1 Update Brings Merged Conversations, Home Screen Widget, & More
Google is set to release an update to their Hangouts messaging service starting this week. The update to version 2.1.075 brings new features, with the biggest ones being merged chat and SMS messages and a home screen widget. Here's a complete breakdown of the new features you can expect.
News: Hands on with the Honor 8X — Coming to the US Very Soon
Despite Huawei's ongoing battle with the US government, the Chinese company has continued to release phones in the US under its Honor brand. The Honor X series has been consistently released for several years, offering midrange specs at ridiculously low pricing, and the Honor 8X is no exception.
How To: Control and Protect Your Android Phone Over SMS with aeGis
Security is always a top priority for our smartphones. Leaving your phone at the bar or even at a friend's house can leave you open to hacks and lead to the loss of sensitive information.
News: 7 Reasons Why the KEY2 Is a Return to Glory for BlackBerry
After years of struggling, it appears BlackBerry has finally figured out how to update its iconic design for modern times. The BlackBerry KEY2 pays homage to past devices such as the Bold 9000 while adapting to modern times with the Android OS. The result is a device that might be the best BlackBerry to date.
How To: Trim Down Android Lollipop's Overview Screen
As is the case with most software updates, Android 5.0 brought changes that were viewed by users as somewhat positive and somewhat negative. This generally happens because we're accustomed to the old way of doing things, and changes, no matter how useful, can slow us down.
News: Android 8.1 Begins Rolling Out to Pixel & Nexus Devices Today
For every cool new thing Android Oreo brought to the table, Android 8.1 adds a bit of polish. After a brief but successful beta period, Google started rolling out the official 8.1 update to its Pixel and Nexus devices today, and it's everything Android 8.0 should have been.
News: Moto Z3 — the Good, the Bad & the Meh
In 2018, Motorola is no longer the same brand that introduced the world to the Motorola Droid. The once iconic company is now part of the "Others" group, scrambling for fifth place. The newly-announced Moto Z3 perfectly embodies their current state with competitive specs ... if it came out last year.
News: Android Update—4.4.3 to Begin Hitting Nexus Devices Today
According to T-Mobile's website, an Android version bump is due out today. While details of specific changes are sparse, the support documentation for Nexus devices very clearly notes a release date of June 2nd for the software. Sprint may have jumped the gun with its own outing of a 4.4.3 update about a month ago, but all indications point towards today's date marking the beginning of a staged-rollout from Google.
News: Google's Pixel Sales Have Already Surpassed HTC, LG & Motorola
Google has a new smartphone, and if you own a TV or a computer, you've almost certainly heard about it. The ad campaign for the Pixel and Pixel XL is approaching iPhone levels of omnipresence, as Google has reportedly spent over $3.2 million on marketing, with that number expected to skyrocket in the coming months.
News: All the Latest Leaks & Rumors on the LG G8 ThinQ
Update: The LG G8 ThinQ has been announced. You can read all of the official specs at our full article on the new phone.
News: Watch the Galaxy S8 Live Stream at Samsung UNPACKED 2017
All the news and rumors regarding the Galaxy S8 have finally coalesced and brought us to this moment, and it couldn't come soon enough. Samsung's flagships are making their official debut live on Wednesday, March 29. The stakes are especially high for the South Korean tech giant, following the Note7 debacle and the political scandals that plagued its highest echelons. Simply put, Samsung's fortunes are now riding on the Galaxy S8 and S8+. Will the Galaxy S8 and S8+ be the ultimate Android sma...
How To: Instantly Scroll Back Up to the Top of Any App on Your HTC One
Like most of you, I find myself scrolling through endless lists of Facebook feeds, Instagram lists, and tweets. Most of the time, it's a pain to scroll all the way back up to the top. Unlike iOS devices, Android has never had a solution to quickly scrolling to the top of a list in an app, but now with a simple Xposed mod, that hole has been filled.
How To: Setup Amazon Kindle 2 ebook digital reading device
New to Amazon's Kindle 2? Learn how to register your Kindle 2, shop in the Kindle Store, read books on Kindle 2, and more. This is an official video from Amazon on how to use your digital book. This is the future guys. Also, check out the free Kindle iPhone app! Setup Amazon Kindle 2 ebook digital reading device.
News: Motorola Has a New Way to Add Speakers, Battery Life, & Even a Projector to Your Phone
Lenovo announced at Tech World '16 a slew of new products, and one of them aims to upend the smartphone accessory ecosystem: Moto Mods. Moto Mods are proprietary modular add-ons developed for two new Motorola phones that were also announced in the keynote, the Moto Z and Moto Z Force. Sixteen magnetic nodes align the bottom back of the phones that connect and hold accessories, forming a case appearance. The nodes transfer both data and power at high speeds, a fact that Lenovo hammered home wi...
News: The Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime Is Now Available
With all the hype surrounding the recent Galaxy S8 release, it can be easy to forget Samsung makes other smartphones. But let's be real here; $726 isn't cheap. If you're someone who doesn't want to drop that kind of cash on a smartphone — or who doesn't feel your device needs all the bells and whistles that come with Samsung's premium line — the new J3 Prime might be right for you.
How To: Remove OEM Skins & Carrier Bloatware on Your HTC EVO 4G LTE with CyanogenMod
Sense appears on over forty Android devices, but HTC's notorious GUI was actually designed with a completely different mobile OS in mind—Windows.
News: The Latest Google Pixel Phone Leaks Show It All
If you just can't wait to see the Pixel and Pixel XL, the new Google-branded smartphones expected to be announced tomorrow, you're in luck. After weeks of rumors and blurry images, a smartphone sales company called Carphone Warehouse just accidentally dropped the entire ball. The UK business accidentally set the product pages for the Pixel and Pixel XL live a couple days early, and for just long enough for them to be archived before they were taken down.
News: KitKat Rolling Out for the HTC One
HTC has started rolling out it's KitKat update (Android 4.4.2) for the HTC One to French carrier SFR, expanding on the original update to it's Google Play Edition devices from November. Update roll outs tend to begin in Europe, Asia, and Africa before hitting stateside, but the release means we can't be too far away from a public build. As always, US carriers take much longer than their international counterparts, but the French OTA (over-the-air) update means that, for all intents and purpos...
Google vs. Samsung: How Does the Galaxy S9+ Stack Up Against the Pixel 2XL?
Google and Samsung are the biggest players in the Android world. Despite a rocky launch, Google's Pixel 2 XL became one of the premier Android devices of 2017, headlined by fast performance and a pure version of Android. Still, many users prefer Samsung's offerings, and their Galaxy S9+ is poised to be the phone to beat in terms of specs.
News: Google's About to Take Over Your Car as Android Auto Rolls Out to Everyone
A lot more people are about to be able to use Android Auto. Google announced at I/O 2016 that you'll soon be able to use the app with only your phone, so you won't need a compatible car or third-party display unit. And if (or more likely, when) Google brings the app to iOS, Apple may lose the precious "infotainment" system battle very early in the game. The update isn't coming until later this year, but once it arrives, you'll be able to mount your phone and use Android Auto the same way that...
News: Samsung Galaxy S8 Preorder Links & Pricing for Major US Carriers & Retailers
The new Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ are two of most head-turning phones we've ever seen, thanks to gorgeous build quality and a seemingly bezel-less Infinity Display. Combine that with flagship-grade internals for top notch performance, and you can almost guarantee that Samsung has a hit on its hands—which means it's probably not going to be easy to get your hands on one of these beauties.
How To: Stop Trying to Diagonal Swipe — There's an Easier Way to Open Hamburger Menus on Android 10
With the back button gone in Android 10, the new back gesture forced Google to change the way you access side navigation menus. The new angled swipe that you have to do to access the hamburger menu isn't the easiest, so you'll likely go back more times than you want. Well, there's an easier way.
How To: Help Loved Ones with Alzheimer's Preserve Fond Memories Using This Android App
Modern medicine utilizes cutting-edge technology more than ever, so it would only make sense that the powerful handheld computers we all carry around these days could play a big role in wellness.
News: This Is How Much the Galaxy S9 Will Cost in the US
Although expected to be only a modest upgrade over the S8, we can't help but be excited about the Galaxy S9's unveiling late next month. Among the many rumors and questions we're looking to see addressed, one of the biggest queries we have is, of course, with the price tag. We might not have to wait a month for the goods, however, thanks to a new pricing announcement out of South Korea.
How To: Unlock NAND protection and install a custom recovery on an HTC Evo 4G
In this clip, you'll learn how to unlock NAND and install a recovery menu on a rooted HTC Evo 4G. Whether you're the proud owner of an HTC Evo 4G Google Android smartphone or are merely considering picking one up, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including a complete demonstration and detailed, step-by-step instructions, take a look.
How To: Binge-Watch YouTube Videos on Android Like a True Couch Potato
YouTube has gotten so big over the years that it is now viewed by more 18-49 year-olds than any cable network in the United States. But even though online video platforms continue to gain ground on traditional TV stations, there's one aspect to the viewing experience that live TV still does better—it lets you tune into a channel, then just sit back and watch indefinitely.
How To: Bottom Right App in Your Dock Keeps Vanishing? Here's How to Fix It
Seemingly out of nowhere, something strange started happening on my Nexus 7. Every time I restarted my device, the camera application on the far right of my dock kept disappearing on me.
How To: Find free eBooks for your Amazon Kindle
Check out this awesome tip from CNET on getting FREE eBooks of the web and onto your Amazon Kindle for easy and cheap reading. They show you the exact process for getting free ebooks for your Kindle, so watch and learn. It's worth it!
How To: Show Live Wallpapers in the Recent Apps Menu on Your Nexus 5 or Other Nexus Device
When Google first introduced Android 4.4, the most glaring user-facing change was a new trend towards transparency. The stock launcher, originally exclusive to the Nexus 5, had transparent status and navigation bars and its app drawer added a touch of transparency.
How To: 4 iPhone Apps That Will Help Start Your Morning Off Right
For some of us, mornings are difficult. But if you can manage to start your morning right, you can trigger a chain reaction that leads to a more productive day. Fortunately, our phones have the tools to help us get off to a good start.
News: Pixel 2 XL Update Adds 'Saturated' Color Profile & Anti-Burn-in Tweaks
Google caught a lot of flak for the Pixel 2 XL's POLED display issues, regardless of whether the problems were real or perceived. It's too late to contract another screen manufacturer at this point, but Google is doing the next-best thing: Fixing as many user complaints as possible with software updates.
News: Galaxy S20 Ultra Starter Pack — First 4 Accessories to Buy When You Preorder
Starting February 21, you can preorder your Galaxy S20, S20+, or S20 Ultra. Samsung includes everything you need to get started in the box, but probably not everything you'll want. Let's go ahead and bridge that gap.
How To: Enable Lollipop's Color Blindness Features on Your KitKat Device
One of the many additions that appear on Android 5.0 Lollipop is a handy menu that lets users correct for or simulate different types of color blindness. While Google didn't flip the switch on this new feature until Lollipop was released, it turns out they had been working on it for quite some time.
News: KitKat Rolling Out for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Rolling out right now are the latest KitKat updates to both the Exynos (SM-N900) and Snapdragon (SM-N9005) variants of the Galaxy Note 3. These over-the-air (OTA) updates will be staged out, beginning with networks in India, South Korea, and Switzerland. As reported by @lalithbhaskar, and confirmed by Sammobile, the latest update brings Android 4.4.2 to Samsung's current flagship device. If you reside in one of the mentioned regions, you can force a manual check by going to Settings -> About ...