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The Indian government launches its latest salvo in a long-running fight with Google over mapping data.The Indian government doesn't have a high opinion of Google Maps, and it conveyed that sentiment today by saying that the service is "not authenticated" and calling into question its reliability.That's according to a statement made by the head of the country's mapping and survey organisation, aptly named the Survey of India: If you talk about the authentication, the Google Maps is not authenticated. It hasn't been produced by the government, so they aren't authenticated. If you are using Google Maps to reach a restaurant or park, even if you reach 50 meters close to that place, you are happy. But when we have to put a new railway line or make canals, that is where our topographic maps come in, when you require very accurate, engineering quality data.This isn't the first time the Indian government has gone up against Google. Back in 2010, the government issued a noti...

Dual-SIM red U11 launches via HTC's online store, priced £649.Just a few days after its launch in the U.S., HTC has announced that the vibrant "solar red" version of its U11 flagship is now available to pre-order in the UK. It's available exclusively from HTC's online storefront at HTC.com, where it sells for £649. Unlike the other U11 colors, the red variant is only available as a dual-SIM model — however, the dual-SIM version can be used just like its single-SIM counterpart, with a SIM + microSD card.The solar red U11 is the most striking color for HTC's latest smartphone, shifting between a deep red and bright, lustrous gold depending on the angle at which it's held. Beyond the change in color and the addition of a second SIM slot, you're getting the same excellent Android flagship we reviewed back in May: A speedy device with a unique glass-backed design, and one of the best cameras out there.See at HTCHTC U11HTC U11 reviewHTC U11 specsMa...

I knew I needed to review the TYLT Energi Pro when I first saw Daniel Bader rocking one on an overseas trip a few months back – and even though he's beaten me to the official take with his own excellent review, I've gathered some followup thoughts on the backpack in the weeks since. See, the TYLT Energi Pro isn't just any old backpack. It's a bag with a built-in 20,100 mAh battery beefy enough to recharge your tablets, phones, and even some laptops – and with 12+ compartments, it's big enough to hold all of that gadgetry, too. Combine that with water resistance, internal cable routing and enough comfort gel to keep your shoulders padded even with 20 lbs of cargo aboard, and you've got yourself a battery backpack that lives up to its high price tag (even though it's a stretch).Click on through to MrMobile's TYLT Energi Pro review to see the best battery backpack of 2017 – or if you want to save some coin, check out some of the runner-ups below!Feature...

We have early access to the Galaxy S8's built-in Bixby Voice. Here's another look at what's coming to a Galaxy S8 near you.We've already written plenty about the Galaxy S8's Bixby functionality, but what we haven't touched on is what to expect with Bixby Voice — ostensibly the main reason there's an extra button on the flagship device in the first place.Up until the latest preview, all we knew about the Bixby is that it enabled you to press a button to control the phone with your voice. Well, now that we've had some time with it, we can confirm that Bixby Voice really is all about talking to the Galaxy S8. It's not the same as Google Assistant, though, as Bixby is more conversational and apologetic when it messes up. This is a voice-activated virtual assistant that aims to please.Note: At present, you can only set up Bixby if you're part of the Early Access Preview, which is currently limited to the United States. There's no word yet on when Bixby will go live.Setting i...

With the announcement of Samsung's Galaxy Folder 2 flip phone in South Korea, it's a wonder if we're backtracking through time to when phones were simpler things.I can't believe I'm writing about a flip phone in 2017, but lo and behold, here we are.What you see here is Samsung's Galaxy Folder 2, a flip phone with a 3.8-inch display that's sandwiched in between a large keypad and an outward-facing metal shell. There are also separate shortcut buttons for quickly accessing contacts, text messages, social channels, and the camera app — just like on the flip phones or yore — in addition to physical Android navigation buttons.Inside, the Galaxy Folder 2 is a 1.4GHz quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. Fret not about the limited storage space, however, as there's an additional expansion slot along with a 1950mah battery powering the entire thing.Unfortunately, even if you wanted to buy this thing for a giggle, you'd have to contend with its year-old,...

Plex is an amazing tool to access your media content on all your devices. Here's a quick beginners guide to getting up and running.Plex is one of those services that has been around for some time but many of us might have passed over for some reason, be it a lack of understanding of what it actually does, thinking it couldn't possibly be useful to you, or something else entirely. The truth is, Plex could be just what you're looking for to help you manage your media collection.Setting up a media server sounds daunting, but Plex makes it super simple — and dare we say, enjoyable. You just need to know where to begin, which is where we come in.This is our beginner's guide to Plex.What is Plex?The official Plex website describes it quite well: One window into all your personal media. No matter where you are.Your personal media. Everything you own, everything you have on your computer, accessible everywhere. On your mobile devices, through the web, even on some ...

A great road trip is just a hand gesture away!It's hot. It's sunny. It's summer.It's road trip time!As we approach July 4th, we thought it would be a great idea to bring you an amazing contest from our friends at Logitech. The company is promoting its excellent ZeroTouch car phone holder, which uses an innovative mounting method to keep your phone secure and safely usable while in the car, and we're going to give a few of them away to some lucky Android Central readers.So what is the ZeroTouch car phone holder? Good question! It magnetically holds your phone in place either through an adhesive dash mount or a secure air vent holder, and uses Logitech's excellent app to make it easy to interact with your Android phone while on the go. And if you're in the U.S., ZeroTouch also supports Alexa, which brings a whole new level of intelligence to the experience.What are the prizes? The grand prize winner gets a Logitech ZeroTouch mount and an amazing UE WONDERBOOM speaker, which i...

Looking to make your house smarter and safer? Here are the best smart locks full of brains and brawn to protect your home.Whether you're just tired of losing your keys, or you're already in the process of automating your home, a key part of this process is choosing a smart lock that fits your needs. Take a look at our list of the best smart locks to help you decide.August 2nd GenerationSchlage Connect CamelotKevo 2nd GenerationKwikswet 914August 2nd GenerationThe August smart lock's appearance is immediately striking and will give any door a futuristic look with your choice of dark gray or silver finish. You can use your smartphone to remotely unlock or lock your door, or you can set up a proximity lock: your door will unlock when you approach with your phone and lock when you move away.Perhaps most importantly, the second generation of this lock resolves many of the early connection and stability issues found in the original. The August platform now supports doorbell...

The Moto E4 is one of the best prepaid deals you can get right now.The Moto E4 is fine. It's not particularly good looking or powerful, nor is it filled with features. When you think a generic smartphone, this is kind of what you think of.And yet, for $129, I would probably recommend it, warts and all, over any other phone. At $70 on Verizon's prepaid service, it's an absolute steal. Here's why.It's got decent specs for the priceThe Moto E4 is good enough for most tasks, thanks to its quad-core Snapdragon 425 processor, Adreno 308 GPU, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. It's also got an 8MP autofocus rear camera on the back and a 5MP front camera, both of which are better than I thought they'd be on a phone this inexpensive. The screen is forgettable, but everything else is pretty great.There's a fingerprint sensor on the front, which works about as well as any from Motorola, as well as a Micro-USB charging port on the bottom. A removable 2800mAh battery sits...

Alexa history automatically saves your conversations; here's how to review them.Alexa, the Amazon Echo's virtual assistant, learns about you as you interact with her, and part of the reason she's able to do this is that she records all of your conversations. The history is where all of these conversations are stored and where you can delete conversations you don't want Alexa to learn from. It's located right in your settings and we have the details for you here!How to view Alexa's historyHow to delete a conversation from historyHow to view Alexa's historyWhen viewing your Alexa history, you can see a text transcript of all of your questions, and you can even listen to audio recordings.Open the Alexa app on your phone.Tap on the menu button in the upper left corner of your screen that looks like three horizontal lines. Tap Settings.Scroll all the way down to the bottom and tap History.Tap the entry you want to view or listen to.Tap the play button to listen to the r...

How do I install Daydream on my phone?Google's philosophy with their newest VR platform is simple. In order to offer the best possible experience in Daydream, there needs to be a minimum list of requirements met. The phone must be capable of delivering two video streams at 60fps with no stutter, and when you turn your head inside a Daydream headset there should be as little motion blur as possible. Unfortunately that means no matter how capable your phone is, if it's got an LCD display Google won't be enabling Daydream by default. The "motion to photon latency" in LCD panels being used in phones right now is just too high, and the end result is a VR experience that doesn't meet Google's quality threshold.That having been said, if you're willing to mess around with your phone a little there may be a way to enable Daydream on your phone without Google's blessing.Read more at VR Heads!...

No matter what we pay for phones, we always want a great camera.OnePlus has consistently nailed the core experience of a high-end smartphone, over-achieving its price in so many ways. But one area where it felt more native to its price point was the camera — but the OnePlus 5 is designed to change that. Even though it is notably less expensive than the flagship competition, the OnePlus 5 will constantly be compared to the top-end phones available today. It's when you start to compare cameras, especially, that the battle gets tough: the past two years have seen fantastic improvements in smartphone cameras at the high end.Millions of people are familiar with how the Galaxy S8 takes photos, and it's well-regarded as having a consistently good camera in a variety of ways. If the OnePlus 5 can beat — or even just match — the likes of the Galaxy S8, it's going to be in great shape to pick up sales as people look for the best value in a smartphone that includes a great...

But first… Let me tell you that they're not as bad as everyone says.I'm as against selfie culture as anyone, but when you and the missus (or mister) are out on vacation and don't feel like bothering anyone to take a photo of you, a selfie stick and really come in handy. And I'd honestly rather use a selfie stick than hand my Galaxy S8 to a stranger.Here are the best selfie sticks to use with your Galaxy S8.Mpow iSnap extendable monopodFugutek FT-568Anker wired monopodPerfectday foldable selfie stickTaoTronics extendable monopodMpow iSnap extendable monopodMpow is Amazon's best-selling selfie stick and 84% of reviews are 4- or 5-star. This Bluetooth selfie stick pairs with your Galaxy S8, and the shutter button the stick then operates the shutter button your phone's screen.The Mpow stick features a spring-loaded mount, an extendable handle, and a 270-degree adjustable head to help you take photos at just about any angle your arm is capable of. If you don't wa...

What games can kids play on HTC Vive?The HTC Vive is a wonderful VR system that has an incredible library of games and other experiences thanks to support through Steam. A lot of VR is based around shooting or scaring the pants off of you — blame it on the gun-like Vive controllers and the immersion level — but there are plenty of great experiences that are also suitable for children.Remember, it's never a bad idea to follow the recommended age guidelines set by the manufacturer. In HTC's case, they recommend 13 and up, but that isn't set in stone as long as you remain precautionary.Read more at VR Heads!...

Be an active part of the Honor/Huawei community and earn some great prizes for your participation!Some prizes are really hard to win — ever tried to win one of those arcade claw games? — and others are mercifully easy. This year, Huawei and Honor want to make it super easy to win a great set of prizes just for participating in the Android Central community!How to win great prizesHere's how it works: each month, we're going to select three winners from the Android Central community based on engagement with the Huawei / Honor forums. Doesn't matter if it's the Honor 8 or Huawei Mate 9 — if you're active in the community, you're entered to win.The person with the most interaction wins the grand prize each month and the next two will receive runner-up prizes.What do we mean by interaction? Post a lot! Start new threads! Reply to other people in a helpful and honest way. Be a vital member of the community!A few things to keep in mind:Spamming the forums wit...

Like sands through the hourglass, so does the smartphone release cycle seem churn in perpetuity.Samsung, LG, and HTC may have been first to bat with their flagship smartphones, but there are still plenty more device launches to look forward to. The year is only halfway through, and with the launch of the fourth-generation OnePlus 5, we're officially headed into the summer smartphone release season.What's left to see? There's plenty, actually. We've put together a list of some of the marquee Android-powered smartphone releases we're still waiting on to hit the scene later this year.ASUS ZenFone ARMotorola Moto X 2017Essential PhoneSamsung Galaxy Note 8LG V30Google Pixel 2Huawei Mate 10ASUS ZenFone ARAt the beginning of 2017, ASUS announced the ZenFone AR. It's been more than 6 months, and the only time we've had with it was on the ground at Google I/O 2017, where it was teased in various demonstrations. The ZenFone AR has yet to materialize into something you can ac...

You have stylish OnePlus 5 case options right from Day 1.Even though its newer phones don't offer removable backs like the OnePlus One and 2 did, OnePlus has put a notable amount of time into guaranteeing that you have a set of sleek, simple cases available to protect and personalize its phones. The legacy continues with the OnePlus 5, where OnePlus is launching a set of familiar wooden shells and a thicker bumper case at the same time as the phone.Here's what you can expect. The first three cases (simply called a "Protective Case") will be familiar to anyone who has seen the offerings for the OnePlus X or OnePlus 3 and 3T in the past. These super thin shells come in two different wood varieties, a "karbon" faux carbon fiber look, and the trademark "sandstone" finish, giving your OnePlus 5 a little bit of protection and style without adding much bulk.There are big cutouts on the top, bottom, and sides to give you a "barely there" kind of feel. The cases feel great and look ...

For Google Daydream, software is as important as the hardware.Mobile VR has come a long way since Google Cardboard. And it's one area where a lot of different companies have ideas for how it can get even better. We're nowhere near a "peak VR" situation and expect advances with every generation. Daydream-ready phones need to perform without overheating or killing the battery in 10 minutes.A big part of why things can get better is the hardware. Getting a phone Daydream certified isn't a mystery. You need to have a display with an HD resolution that can process two separate streams at 60 frames per second with latency under 25 milliseconds. And you need to be able to do it while it's running on battery power and keep it cool while tucked away in a headset. It's not easy to do, but newer hardware helps a lot. An engineer from Motorola who went through the process for the Moto Z has some specific and interesting things to say about it here. It is neither required nor suffici...

The LG G6 packs super slim bezels and a whole lot of screen, which means you likely will want to keep it protected. Pelican’s Protector case offers a single layer of impact absorbing protection without a whole lot of bulk, and right now you can pick one up for just $25....

The OnePlus 5 makes its debut in India, and you can pick one up starting today.India is a key market for OnePlus, and just two days after unveiled its latest flagship, the company is launching the device in the country. To say that the OnePlus 5 was highly anticipated would be an understatement — the OnePlus 3 and 3T did remarkably well in India, leading to heightened expectations from OnePlus' 2017 flagship.At a media event in Mumbai, OnePlus finally dished out all the details regarding the OnePlus 5 in India. Like previous years, the phone will be offered exclusively on Amazon, and there are two variants available — a model with 6GB of RAM and 64GB storage that will be available for ₹32,999, and a version with 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage for ₹37,999.Aside from the memory and storage, the two models are identical when it comes to the hardware. Let's take a look at what's on offer with the OnePlus 5.What are the specs?OnePlus has made spec superio...

Join TPO and put your monthly mobile bill to good use.TPO (The People's Operator) is a mobile virtual network operator that leases coverage from Sprint's fast 4G LTE network.It offers competitive data plans for folks who don't want to pay the big carrier rates. In fact, as a promotional rate, you can get 1GB of Sprint's fast 4G LTE data, unlimited calling, and unlimited texting for $7.35 per month for the first three months. After that, it's only $21 per month. If you need around 3GB of data (which is roughly the amount most Americans use), you'll pay only $31.50 for the first three months and $35 a month thereafter.Great, but how does me saving money affect change?How TPO is differentTPO isn't just your average carrier, hell-bent on making a quick buck on no-contract phone plans. It was started by three friends who thought that if people were going to be spending money on their monthly mobile bill anyway, then they might as well put toward a force for good.Charities and ...

The Redmi 4 is one of the best smartphones available for under ₹10,000 right now.Xiaomi saw a lot of success with the Redmi 3S in India — over 4 million units were sold, making it the best-selling phone in the online segment. The Chinese manufacturer is looking to do the same with the Redmi 4, its latest entrant in the budget segment in India. The phone made its debut last month for ₹6,999 ($110), offering enticing specs and excellent value for money.Here's what you need to know about Xiaomi's latest budget phone.It shares design similarities with the Redmi Note 4At first glance, it's easy to mistake the Redmi 4 as a smaller version of the Redmi Note 4. That's by design. Xiaomi is moving to a unified design language for its phones, and the result is that there's now a shared aesthetic amongst the manufacturer's budget offerings. Considering the Redmi Note 4 is one of the best-looking phones in the sub-₹15,000 segment, the design is a point in favor...

This week, Daniel, Andrew, Alex and special guest Michael Fisher (MrMobile) talk about one thing — the OnePlus 5. From design to performance to whether the dual camera lives up to expectations, join them as they run through one of the most anticipated phones of the year.If you're on the fence about getting a OnePlus 5, this is a must-listen!Show notes:Don't be this idiot who knifed a store demo Galaxy S8 to test its durabilityThe OnePlus 5 is official: Dual cameras, Snapdragon 835, 3300mAh batteryOnePlus 5 reviewOnePlus 5: Do you really need 8GB of RAM in a phone?OnePlus 5 vs OnePlus 3: Should you upgrade?MrMobile's OnePlus 5 reviewThis episode of the Android Central Podcast is brought to you by Thrifter, the best place to get great deals in your inbox every day!Podcast MP3 URL: http://traffic.libsyn.com/androidcentral/androidcentral341.mp3...

Samsung and Major League Baseball want you to experience the spectacle of VR.This is pretty neat. Samsung has teamed up with Major League Baseball to offer more than 20 virtual reality videos of America's great pastime for the Gear VR this summer. The MLB VR series within the Samsung VR app will immerse fans into the action with select content experiences, bringing them face to face with some of their favorite players and offering unrivaled views of iconic ballparks. What's more, fans will be plunged right into the season's most exciting moments, which include All-Star events and the American League and National League Championship Series – all leading up to the World Series itself.The actual footage is captured by the new Gear 360 camera and will be accessible through the Samsung VR app which is preloaded on all new devices from the company. While the videos are viewable without a Gear VR, they are far more immersive with it.The content, an example of which is e...

Flawless Cardboard Camera photos are not complicated, and so much fun to share.Grabbing a good panorama of that perfect sunrise is often quite rewarding, but if you're a fan of VR photos you can one-up your game with Cardboard Camera. Instead of a 2D panorama, you're capturing a full 360-degree panorama with depth. This means the viewer gets to really feel like they are a part of the photo, as long as the photo you captured is something worth sharing.A lot of people struggle to capture that perfect Cardboard Camera shot, often ending up with jagged lines or stitch errors in the shot. This is how you make sure those issues are never found in your Cardboard Camera photos!Read more at VR Heads!...

It's a bit finicky in its preview state, but Bixby's tender voice will help you forget it's still half-baked.I can't tell you how excited I was to see that the Bixby Voice preview had hit my unlocked Galaxy S8. There was a bit of a language barrier between the two of us in the beginning, but after a bit of fumbling with Google Translate and a bit of digging into the settings, Bixby is now ready to use on my device.Droid-Life posted earlier today about the Bixby Voice preview going live to those who had signed up for the Early Access Program last week. Coupled with the strange little update I received this week on the Galaxy S8, I was curious about whether that meant Bixby was on its way to my device.Lo and behold, it appeared in the settings right after I'd updated my apps through the Galaxy Apps store, as Droid-life had originally suggested. I went through the setup process in Korean and then switched it to English from the settings.A hint of what to look for when you're l...

It's big, bold, and should appear in Berlin this September.According to the Korean technology site ETNews, we should see the new LG V30 at September's IFA 2017 show.The G6-inspired design features an edge-to-edge OLED display. This would be the first OLED display LG has used since the G Flex series, but the industry trend has clearly seen the advantages OLED offers and the days of an LCD panel for mobile devices are numbered. LG also makes great displays and has heavily invested in building OLED panels. Other specs are said to be a Snapdragon 835, 3,200mAh battery, and an ESS Sabre DAC with a 3.5 mm headphone jack.Expect to see 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB versions, which will be available in South Korea by late September. Price is rumored to be 800,000 KRW ($700) for the 64GB version. Also, expect to see the internet speculate that this is what to expect from the rumored LG Pixel 2 coming later this year.While the original V10's style surely has fans, the V30 is looking pretty good...

After plenty of hype, we have all of the details on the OnePlus 5. Coinciding with our complete review of the phone, we have also worked up an all-encompassing video review to bring you the quick take on the phone. Five minutes of our analysis of the OnePlus 5 paired up with some beautiful shots of the phone in action — just what you've been waiting for.Be sure to check out the video review above, and when you're done and looking for even more OnePlus 5 information you can read our full review to learn everything else about the phone.Android Central on YouTubeOnePlus 5 full reviewOnePlus 5 vs. OnePlus 3...

In a sea of prepaid carriers, you have to do something dramatic to differentiate.Virgin Mobile, the unconventional MVNO operating on the Sprint network, has announced it's going iPhone-only. That's right, it's a whole mobile carrier that will only sell iPhones and service for them, in a move to hopefully focus on a profit center and distinguish itself from other prepaid carriers.Virgin Mobile is kicking off the new iPhone exclusivity with a crazy plan that gives you 12 months of unlimited talk, text, and data for just $1 when you buy a new iPhone. Virgin Mobile's "Inner Circle" also gives you access to some "exclusive" perks with partner companies. It all sounds very on-brand for Virgin. Virgin Mobile wasn't that great of a carrier, and there are plenty more to choose from.It isn't clear at this point what Virgin Mobile will do in terms of support for the customers it has who currently use Android phones, but we would assume there will be a long sunset period as those devi...

Choose a great water-resistant Bluetooth speaker and singing in the shower will sound better than ever!Bluetooth speakers are one of the most convenient ways to listen to music from pretty much any device. If you get yourself a water-resistant one, you don't have to worry about it getting wet. Enjoy a poolside singalong by getting yourself a quality, water-resistant Bluetooth speaker. We've rounded up some of our favorites!UE WonderboomBraven BRV-XUE Roll 2ArcheerPolk Audio BOOM SwimmerUE Boom 2JBL Flip 3UE WonderboomUE's latest water-resistant Bluetooth speaker is cute as a button! The Wonderboom is a compact Bluetooth speaker with big sound, a lovely design, and an IPX7 rating, meaning it can be submerged in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes — it's perfect for the shower. I've been testing this speaker and have been very impressed with its low end. The bass is surprisingly warm for such a small unit, and its size, again, is perfect for the shower.Give...

See what's happening around the world on Snapchat.Snapchat has introduced a new feature called "Snap Map" that does exactly what you'd think it does: shows you Snaps, on a map. You can move and zoom the map from city level all the way up to global level to see where people are, and you can see hot spots where multiple people are at the same place sharing.You get to choose if you want to share your location with your friends, or you can go into Ghost Mode and keep things private. Snapchat says the app will only update when you open up Snapchat, rather than continuously track your movements.This isn't necessarily a direct competitor to the more granular location sharing features that apps like Google Maps and Glympse offer, but it is helpful for keeping people inside of Snapchat rather than jumping out elsewhere to find out where everyone is....

There's no need to abandon your iCloud email address when you get a new Android device.If you're moving to an Android device from an iPhone or iPad, there's every possibility you're already set up and using an iCloud email address. Android devices require you to have a Google account (Gmail), but you might want to keep using your iCloud account for email. And that's just fine.The good news is it's perfectly possible to get your iCloud email address up and running on your Android device. It's pretty straight forward but does involve a little effort on your part. Here's how.How to add your iCloud email address to your Android deviceBesides the Gmail app on your Android phone or tablet, you should also have an app just called "Email." (There are also dozens of great alternatives on Google Play.) How it looks may vary from phone to phone, but the overall function should be the same since you need to set up your iCloud account using IMAP and SMTP.However it looks, the key inform...

A multipurpose shooter that will appeal to Counter-Strike and Call of Duty fans.Pavlov VR is officially available for HTC Vive but also works with Oculus Rift through Steam VR.Seeing some of the most popular standard PC games get the VR treatment is a thrill. We have Onward, a VR mil-sim that takes a page from ARMA's pacing and teamwork book, we have Breach It, which borrows Rainbow Six: Siege's destructible environments, and now we have Pavlov VR, which looks a whole lot like the insanely popular Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO).Let's take a close look at Pavlov VR to help you decide whether or not it's worth adding to your library.See the full review at VR Heads!...

Do you require 64GB or 128GB of space? And is the extra RAM really that necessary?OnePlus has certainly figured out its formula for selling smartphones: take a no-fuss design, shove in an all-day battery along with the latest processor, and keep the Android software tweaks at a minimum. The OnePlus 5 is a great depiction of that vision as it's equipped with all the components that fit in with the company's winning smartphone strategy.This year, OnePlus is offering two different models of its marquee device in an attempt to appeal to those stray few who might still require a bit convincing to steer clear of a phone from a better-known manufacturer. Rather than go with a bigger screen, however, OnePlus is offering more storage space and more memory for an extra $60.We're going to help you choose the OnePlus 5 model that's right for you.Decide how much storage you needThere isn't much of a difference between the two OnePlus 5 models. You either get 6GB of RAM and 64GB of sto...

The cybersecurity business is booming and shows no signs of slowing down; it seems like every day there is a new high profile hack or breach. That means the need for professionals in this field is at an all-time high.Break into a new cybersecurity career with this certification training bundle! Learn moreWhat you need is a bundle of courses that starts with the basics of cyber security and moves through to more advanced topics covered in the certification exams needed to break into this lucrative industry.Right now, Android Central Digital Offers has a deal on a Cybersecurity Certification Mega Bundle that includes the training needed to pass three top certification exams. Instead of the usual $999 price tag, you can right now get it at $69. That's 93% off the regular price.Following completion of the courses in this bundle, you'll be set to ace the CISA, CISM, and CISSP certification exams. These three certifications are among the top needed and are what potential employ...

The OnePlus 5 is out and it looks pretty great… except for one thing.The OnePlus 5 has landed and it looks top shelf — featuring high-end specs, blazing fast charging speeds and that premium build quality that OnePlus is known.But the one thing that is missing (besides water resistance, I guess) is support for microSD expandable memory. If you end up settling for the 64GB model, you might feel the storage crunch sooner than if you went with the 128GB model depending on how many apps, games, media, and photos you collect on your phone. Fortunately, there's a workaround available using USB On-The-Go.You're able to turn on USB OTG in the Advanced Storage Settings on your device, which then let you plug in a USB-C adapter for connecting flash drives, microSD cards, or other USB accessories. Having an SD card filled with your favorite media is perfect for those times you're traveling or out of service range, or for those of us who quickly fill up your phone's included s...

Headphones make a massive difference in your Daydream View experience.Few things improve your Daydream View experience quite like a good set of headphones. It's the difference between having a mediocre VR trip through a game and feeling totally immersed in the world around you. Sometimes that immersion can be a little too real, like when you're having the daylights scared out of you, but in most situations you need some good headphones to really complete the experience!Read More at VR Heads!...

Show your love and your compassion with pride.June is Pride month, one of unity and hope and celebration and love, and in trying times like these, I can think of nothing we need more. No matter who you love — or who you don't love, for the asexuals and aromantics out here — we can all unite in love, and we can let that love and unity protect us all. We all want the same thing: to be safe, to be accepted, to be happy. So let's be happy and let our colors fly.Some parts of the Pride community are more visible than others, but they are all beautiful and they are all worthy of admiration and acceptance. That's why this series from FannimalToTheBone brings me joy and pride for showcasing some of the sexualities that are often overlooked: Pansexuality (attraction to people of any gender), Aromantic (little to no romantic attraction), and Asexuality (little to no sexual attraction). These wallpapers are bold, vibrant, and incorporate each sexualities' colors in beautiful...

OnePlus managed to build a single version of the OnePlus 5 for the whole world. That means easier roaming and much better worldwide compatibility.The OnePlus 5 is here, and it's a pretty great device in a lot of ways. But in terms of network connectivity, it breaks down interesting new ground, and finds itself among a select few devices that takes advantage of some of the Snapdragon 835's latest advances.Here are the biggest takeaways from the device that is available to purchase right now.Every model comes unlocked out of the boxLike all previous OnePlus devices, the OnePlus 5 comes unlocked out of the box. This means that as long as it supports a particular network, you'll be able to put in your SIM card and it will just work. If the network is really obscure, you may have to enter the APN information manually, but those are edge cases and shouldn't apply to the vast majority of users.What is an APN and how do you change it?It's dual-SIMThe OnePlus 5 has two SIM slots...

OnePlus has dropped the 'flagship killer' moniker, but that continues to be how its phones are measured.OnePlus has made a name for itself with phones that offer high-end specs and experiences at prices a couple hundred dollars less than the true flagship competition. And even with the OnePlus 5 marking the company's most expensive phone yet, at $479 it's still $245 less than a Galaxy S8.When comparison shopping, that's a big price gap to fill for a phone that on paper just has the same overall spec sheet and even comes up short in a couple of areas. But of course there's far more to a comparison than just specs — let's see how the OnePlus 5 and Galaxy S8 compare.What's the same When you buy either one of these phones, there are some base level qualities you can expect to get. You get a Snapdragon 835 in either phone, along with plenty of RAM and a base level of 64GB of storage. Yes OnePlus offers 6GB of RAM versus 4GB in the Galaxy S8 ... but it's hard to see any rea...

People can't wait to get their hands on the OnePlus 5.The OnePlus 5 was unveiled yesterday, and while the phone will go on sale from June 27, OnePlus started selling a few devices early at pop-up stores in New York, London, Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam, and through an "early drop" page on its website. The company's co-founder Carl Pei has now confirmed on Twitter that the OnePlus 5 is the company's fastest-selling phone to date.🔥🔥🔥The first numbers are in, the OnePlus 5 is our fastest selling device ever!🔥🔥🔥— Carl Pei (@getpeid) June 20, 2017Pei didn't share any sales figures, but the "early drop" units are sold out in most countries. Based on the line in front of the New York pop-up store from the video below, people can't wait to get their hands on the OnePlus 5:About an hour after the opening of the #OnePlus5 NYC pop-up and the line is still stretching almost all the way around the block @getpeid pic.twitter.com/3M5D9vwt...

Get ready for a whole new set of emojis.With emoji usage steadily on the rise, the Unicode Consortium is constantly incorporating a wider set of pictographs. The consortium finalized the Unicode 10 spec today, introducing 56 new emoji that includes the likes of "bearded man," "mage," "zombie,"T-Rex," "Colbert emoji," and many more. Oh, and you'll soon be able to use the Bitcoin symbol in your conversations.From the Unicode Consortium: Version 10.0 of the Unicode Standard is now available. For the first time, both the core specification and the data files are available on the same date. Version 10.0 adds 8,518 characters, for a total of 136,690 characters. These additions include four new scripts, for a total of 139 scripts, as well as 56 new emoji characters.The new emoji are included in the Android O beta, and will be ready to use in the public release. For a full list of emoji in Unicode 10, head to Emojipedia....

I love my kids. But they're going to break things. Expensive things. So I don't buy them expensive things.Sure, grown-ups love their tech. But as we all know too well, so do our kids. And while I'd love for mine to always have the latest and greatest, the fact is that's just a bad idea. My kid doesn't need a $1,000 tablet. Or even a $500 tablet, for that matter. So where to turn?The Amazon Fire HD 8. We've had the 2016 model in my house since, well, since 2016. And now we have an updated model, starting at $79. That's with 16GB of storage and "special offers" — which means ads on the lock screen and notification pull-down. (What's crazy is that they don't really bother me that much.) The specs won't blow anyone out of the water, but it's still a pretty capable Android tablet. It's got access to Amazon's Appstore, so it has tons of books and videos and games on hand.But most important is that if and when it gets dropped, you're not going to take out a second mortgag...

Alexa can make sure you always know the score of the big games!If you're a sports fan, then it can be difficult at times to keep track of the score for all of your favorite teams. With Alexa, you can program in your favorite teams and get updates by simply asking her for sports updates. You can add multiple teams too, so you'll never miss a score again.We've got all the details here!Alexa can give you sports updatesWith Alexa, you can stay up to date on your sports teams by adding them from within the app. While the list of teams isn't inclusive of every sport, you do have access to the major leagues for baseball, football, soccer and hockey. There are 13 different leagues you can add teams from, including the UEFA, NHL, WNBA and NCAA. The search function also means that if you're having trouble remembering a specific team, you can enter the city or state they hail from and the team name will pop up for you.How to use Alexa for sports updatesOpen the Alexa app on your p...

OnePlus continues its exclusivity deal with O2 — but you can still buy unlocked directly from the manufacturer.The OnePlus 5 is now available to order in the UK, with prices starting at £449 for the 6GB RAM + 64GB storage version, rising to £499 for a whopping 8GB + 128GB. As usual, you'll be able to order an unlocked 3T directly from OnePlus.net. And OnePlus has continued its exclusive partnership with O2, so that carrier will be the only place to get hold of a 3T on the high street. See at OnePlusO2 is carrying both flavors of OnePlus 5 — the slate gray model with 6GB + 64GB, and the midnight black variant with 8GB + 128GB. Pre-orders begin June 22, with orders shipping on the official launch date of June 27 — and as usual, O2 offers a wide range of tariffs depending on how much data you want. On-contract prices start at £34 per month for 6/64GB, or £36 per month for 8/128GB, both with a £9.99 upfront fee.O2 is also stocking t...

Firefox's privacy-focused browser is finally available on Android.The Firefox Focus browser made its debut last year on the iPhone and iPad, and now the company is bringing the privacy-focused browser to Android. The highlight of the browser is built-in ad blocking, which not only gets rid of ads on websites, but also prevents web trackers from serving you ads across the internet.Ad blocking is enabled by default, and the home screen is sparse but for an address bar where you can enter the URL of the site you want to visit, and an action overflow button that gives you access to the browser's settings. Yahoo is the default search engine, but you can choose between Google, Amazon, DuckDuckGo, Twitter, and Wikipedia. You won't find any tabs, and there's the option to delete your browsing history with a single tap of the erase button located in the bottom right corner.The browser automatically loads in "stealth mode," which disables screenshots and greys out whatever website you'...

The Galaxy S8+ has a beautiful design that you probably don't want to hide, and Samsung's own silicone case does a great job of adding a bit of protection without hiding it. You can grab the case in a variety of colors, and today it is just $20....

Abstract wallpapers from the latest OnePlus flagship.With the OnePlus 5 announced and about to go on general release, the man behind the stock wallpapers from the new phone has stepped forward. Artist Hampus Olsson has taken to his personal blog to tell the story of these new abstract wallpapers, which draw inspiration from macro photography. I thought I would experiment with macro photography this time, together with my dad, who was currently visiting me in India. We got a bunch of plastic containers which we started pouring acrylic, ink, and mediums into. We captured a bunch of photos of the fluid mix, while it was changing pattern quickly. Many of the photos could be used in various ways, like being wrapped onto 3D surfaces, or mixed to look like hot lava and cold winds to complement the final artwork. However, most of these photos weren't used. Instead, I created a more refined and subtle style that was developed to fit the style OnePlus was looking for with this phone. ...

XDA accuses OnePlus 5 of manipulating benchmark scores to gain a 5% performance boost.Earlier this year, the folks at XDA Developers found that the OnePlus 3T and Meizu Pro 6 Plus were cheating at benchmarks, activating a "performance" mode as soon as a bnechmark test was initialized to eke out a favorable score on testing apps like GeekBench.With the OnePlus 5 now official, the company is once again under fire, with XDA claiming that units that have been sent out to reviewers manipulate benchmark scores.With the OnePlus 3T, the company specifically targeted benchmark apps, boosting the CPU frequency when it detected that a particular benchmark was running: Last time around, OnePlus introduced changes to the behavior of their ROM whenever it detected a benchmark application was opened. Such application names were explicitly listed by their package IDs within the ROM in a manifest that specified the targets. Then, the ROM would alter the frequency in relation to an ad...