Latest from Android Central

Maybe Samsung is catering to an audience who doesn't care about power but wants a premium phoneIf Samsung decides to launch the Galaxy S22 Ultra phones with less RAM (random access memory), it won't be a "deal-breaker" for consumers, despite it being a "straight downgrade" to the S21 Ultra devices, experts say. They add that it would be disappointing, but Samsung has a clear reason for targeting a specific demographic who want a premium phone without having too much power.Samsung is expected to launch the S22 series on February 9, and while the standard and Plus models aren't expected to change too much, the S22 Ultra may see the most drastic change of the series.Rumors and leaks have pointed to Samsung lowering the base RAM of the S22 Ultra to 8GB, down from 12 GB on the Galaxy S21 Ultra. RAM would top out at 12 GB instead of 16GB. Yet rumors indicate that the phone will arrive with the same launch price as its predecessor.One reason why Samsung might have chosen to go this ...

It will take a lot of rebuilding to fix these burned bridges.Google's storied history in both the AR and VR markets is a long and devastating one. As is the case with many different kinds of mobile technology, Google was way ahead of the curve on these technologies. The company's rumored upcoming AR/VR headset, Project Iris, has all the trappings of becoming one of the best XR — that's the bridged definition of a device that can do AR and VR together — headsets ever created.The problem is, I don't trust Google to stand behind whatever it builds, and I'm willing to bet plenty of other folks don't, either.Google Glass was the first pair of AR glasses most people had ever heard of or even seen — outside of sci-fi movies, of course — but the public resentment against wearable cameras caused Google to kill it early.Similarly, the Lenovo Mirage Solo — which was built upon Google's Daydream VR platform — was the first standalone VR headset to market, beating the original...

The Nord 2T may not debut alongside the rumored Nord 2 CE 5G.What you need to knowA new rumor claims the OnePlus Nord 2T may not debut before April.It is tipped to be priced in the ₹30,000 to ₹40,000 (about $402 to $536) range in the Indian market. The phone is expected to be a follow-up to last year's Nord 2.Last week, a report from Digit shed light on the specs sheet of OnePlus' upcoming Nord 2T. While it was rumored that the phone could launch in India in February, tipster Yogesh Brar claims the Nord 2T will only be released in the second quarter of the year.According to Brar, the OnePlus Nord 2T will debut in India in April or May. Additionally, the tipster claims the phone is going to be priced in the ₹30,000 to ₹40,000 (about $402 to $536) price bracket. The Nord 2T will succeed the Nord 2 — which is still among the best budget Android phones on the market.The mid-ranger is tipped to feature MediaTek's Dimensity 1300 chipset and support 80W wired chargin...

Welcome to our guide to the best Verizon cell phone plans available to buy right now. We've spent time comparing the various offers available from Verizon today and can tell you what you'll get across a range of budgets. If you're looking to pick up multiple lines you'll get discounts on each line, whereas prices are highest for those of you looking for a single line.If you're looking to check out alternative options, then be sure to check out our wider best cell phone plan guide. Verizon is massively popular though, especially with its nationwide 5G network that's now available in over 2,700 cities. Verizon cell phone plans offers four unique unlimited plans to choose from, as well as several prepaid options. Play More Unlimited, will give you an exceptional experience. With this plan, you'll have access to Verizon's 5G network, 50GB of premium data, 15GB hotspot data, as well as some serious entertainment perks. Here are some of the best Verizon plans to consider right now.Best...

The error previously prevented new message notifications from showing up on a car's head unit.What you need to knowGoogle has announced a fix for an Android Auto error that blocked notifications when new messages arrived.The problem began in November of 2021, and Google has now acknowledged it.To obtain the fix, users should update their Android Auto app and messaging app to the latest version.Since Google released Android 12, there have been a number of issues with Android Auto, including a bug that caused Google Maps navigation to crash for some users. Another issue that has cropped up since November 2021 is a bug that prevents notifications from appearing on the head unit of some users when new messages arrive.The search giant has now fixed the problem (via autoevolution). A Google representative confirmed that the team has "implemented a fix to resolve this issue" in response to a complaint posted on Android Auto's help page.One user complained via a forum post that...

Young demanded that Spotify remove his music in exchange for allowing Rogan's podcast on the platform.What you need to knowSpotify lost more than $2 billion in market value after Neil Young pulled his music from the streaming platform.The Canadian-American singer took his songs off Spotify in protest of Joe Rogan's podcast.Rogan has been accused of spreading misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines via his podcast.Spotify's market value has slipped by $2.1 billion over the Joe Rogan controversy. Canadian-American singer Neil Young removed his music from the streaming giant a few days ago, accusing Spotify of supporting Rogan in spreading false information about vaccines.According to a report by Variety, Spotify shares dropped 6% in just three days, from January 26 to 28, following Young's protest. Canadian singer Joni Mitchell has also thrown her weight behind Young and had her songs removed from one of the best music streaming services as well.Prior to the boycott, a...

Get two killer services for the price of one.Whether you're leaving Spotify with the Neil Young/Joni Mitchell-led boycott or you're just tired of Spotify killing features you like and failing to fulfill its promises, looking for a replacement is always a daunting task. No other music service has the magic of Spotify Connect, but there are plenty of great music streaming subscriptions out there with tens of millions of songs, robust features, and reasonable rates.Most leaving Spotify will turn to either Amazon Music or Apple Music, but there's a dark horse candidate that could just win you over once you give it a try. YouTube Music is the music service I've used for the last four-ish years, and a number of my colleagues have likewise been users since the Google Play Music days.We may not always be 100% happy with the YouTube Music app, but we will never, ever, ever let our YouTube Premium subscriptions lapse for one very big reason.YouTube Premium comes with ad-free YouTube an...

Washington state AG said Amazon made it hard for third-party sellers to make sales by limiting their ability to lower prices.What you need to knowAmazon will shut down its "Sold by Amazon" third-party seller program following an antitrust investigation.Washington AG said the company forced sellers to sell their products at "artificially high levels", thereby stifling competition.The retail giant will also pay $2.25 million to the state AG for antitrust enforcement efforts.Amazon is embroiled in yet another antitrust lawsuit for allegedly fixing third-party prices and undermining competition. The retail giant's third-party seller program "Sold by Amazon" is shutting down following the Washington state attorney general's investigation into the unlawful practice.Washington AG Bob Ferguson said in a press release that "Amazon unreasonably restrained competition in order to maximize its own profits off third-party sales." The program's pricing algorithm allegedly raised the p...

Starter Wi-Fi 6Eero 6$90 at AmazonProsWi-Fi 6 increases mesh performanceAX1800 delivers enough speed for more peopleCompatible with all existing EerosConsDual-band Wi-Fi is worse for mesh performanceOnly one open Ethernet port on the base routerEero 6 is a solid upgrade to the base Eero line. It brings with it Wi-Fi 6, which takes the 5GHz performance up to 1200Mbps with compatible devices. Even if you haven't upgraded your wireless devices to take advantage of Wi-Fi 6, it ensures a faster connection between the different routers in your mesh.Gigabit speed meshEero Pro 6$229 at AmazonProsWi-Fi 6 tri-band delivers gigabit speedCompatible with all existing EerosDedicated backhaul keeps mesh speed highConsMore expensiveOnly one open Ethernet port on the base routerEero 6 Pro has all of the best features Eero 6 has with a little more of everything. A tri-band connection allows the mesh to hit gigabit speeds with an extra 5GHz band. Du...

Jabra makes sure these earbuds fit right in with the active crowd.It used to be that Jabra would never release two Elite pairs of earbuds at the same time. So if you wanted to go with the "Active" pair, you would need to wait until they came after the regular pair had their time to shine. Jabra reversed that this time by releasing the Elite 7 Active at the same time as the Elite 7 Pro.They sport a lot of similarities between them, which means the Elite 7 Active are worthy of attention given how good their siblings already are. However, a simple focus here should appeal to a subset of people. So, if you're an active person and don't necessarily care about phone call clarity, read on to find out why these may be for you.Jabra Elite 7 Active review:Price and availabilityWhat's good What's not goodThe competitionShould you buy?At a glanceJabra Elite 7 Active ...

Google cracked the door into the kids' space, but smaller brands continue to kick it wide open and show the tech giant how it's done.Technology and science seem like magic in many ways, even to adults, but to a child, it's hard to convey all the effort from the teams of people who make devices like tablets work. As a person in this industry, with two boys, I see the wonderment in their eyes every day, and it's a constant battle of balance. That balance is finding safe kids' tech that's trusted not only to withstand the treatment of a child, but also ones that are private and secure.One of the primary issues parents face is finding kids' tech trustworthy enough to give to their children. Google should be one of those companies, but it isn't making the push it should. Yes, Google has Family Link, but it has many limitations. Some include: shared in-app purchases, workarounds for parental controls via third-party app installs, a lack of content monitoring, and more. Then there's Goo...

Smartphone season is nearly upon us, which means we have a metric boatload of leaks and rumors to share. Tune in and learn what's coming this year along with other news for Google and Android fans.Listen nowSubscribe in Spotify: AudioSubscribe in iTunes: AudioSubscribe in RSS: AudioDownload directly: AudioLinks:Lenovo, Sony will skip in-person MWC 2022 while other Android brands commit to stay | Android CentralQualcomm's SoundHound partnership keeps your voice searches off the cloud | Android CentralHuawei P50 Pro and P50 Pocket launch globally with insane cameras | Android CentralMassive Samsung Galaxy S22 specs leak leaves nothing to the imagination | Android CentralSamsung confirms Galaxy Unpacked date and time for Galaxy S22 reveal | Android CentralLeaked Galaxy S22 renders show off the different colors, models, and angles | Android CentralSamsung's Galaxy Home Mini successor could be right around the corner | Android CentralThe PS VR2 display will be mor...

Jabra finds the right fit for most ears to go with everything else it delivers.For several years now, Jabra has been consistent in approaching wireless earbuds. The combination of audio performance and reliability has positioned the company in the upper echelon year after year. However, when it's time to refresh things, Jabra usually aims straight for the design to deal with concerns over fit and comfort.That was clearly a major motivation behind the Elite 7 Pro, arguably the current flagship, despite the ongoing presence of the Elite 85t. The Elite 7 Pro also share the distinction with the Elite 7 Active, which are basically identical in every way save for a couple of design changes. To stand out as among Jabra's best, the Elite 7 Pro had to balance out in all the right ways.Jabra Elite 7 Pro review:Price and availabilityWhat's good What's not goodThe competitionShould you buy?At a glanceJabra Elite 7 Pro ...

The best Wi-Fi routers can be lifesavers. The difference between good Wi-Fi in your house and poor connectivity can be the difference between a good day and a bad one. So whether you need something with a ton of speed and connections or just want to make sure you don't drop your connection when you move around your home, there's a router that's right for you. Here's our reliable guide to some of the best wireless routers you can buy today.What are the best Wi-Fi routers?The TP-Link Archer AX21 is the best Wi-Fi router thanks to its AX1800 speeds being enough for most people and offering the capacity for future Wi-Fi 6 devices. It also has an easy setup procedure thanks to the TP-Link Tether app for smartphones. So if you're looking for something to keep up with most households without going overboard, the AX21 is a great fit.The best value option is the TP-Link Archer A7. While cheaper routers are available, the AC1750 speeds should keep up with HD media streaming and browsing wi...

You've probably abandoned your 2022 fitness goals already, so find some new ones that'll last.Setting New Year's Resolutions can be a futile venture. Forbes says that four out of five people abandon their goals by February, and is that really a surprise? The days are short and cold, you're probably facing new goals at work or school, and you're putting the pressure of a year's worth of self-improvment on your shoulders.But nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? It's time to put our old resolutions aside and give them a February reboot. Rather than aiming for a specific mileage or weight goal for your dream self, you need to avoid the psychological pressure for results and focus instead on building good habits and actionable goals.You can hit those goals with nothing but good old-fashioned human willpower. But why do that when you have tech to help make the process a heck of a lot easier? From apps to trackers, smart assistants to watches, these are our recommendations for the...

Choose your case before the Galaxy S22 phones are out.What you need to knowReal-world cases for the Samsung Galaxy S22 series have leaked.The Galaxy S22 Ultra will have a Smart Clear View Cover, while its smaller siblings will be outfitted with leather cases.The upcoming phones are expected to be unveiled on February 9.As the Samsung Galaxy S22 series announcement date inches closer, we continue to see an abundance of leaks and rumors about the upcoming devices. Following a massive leak a few days ago that revealed all of the key specs of Samsung's next-generation Android phones, the devices' real-world cases have now surfaced.The official-looking cases, courtesy of SamMobile, give us a glimpse of the various designs for the upcoming phones' protective accessories. The leak shows the leather covers for both the vanilla Samsung Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus, wrapped around what look like dummy handsets in real life. The Ultra model, on the other hand, appears to be getti...

The COVID-19 pandemic forced developers to adapt their work pipelines and finish games from home. It's led to multiple delays.We saw 2020 begin with a slew of high-profile game delays, most notably Cyberpunk 2077 and the Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Then, COVID-19 struck and threw the games industry through a head-spinning loop through 2021. As 2022 begins, more delays continue to hit the industry as developers truly begin to understand the effects the pandemic had on their work pipeline.So we've compiled a list of every game delayed from 2021 and beyond. Some of these games are stalled indefinitely, while others have set release windows or a final release date. We'll continually update this list as more game news develops.Jump to:Destiny 2: The Witch QueenElden RingFinal Fantasy 16Ghostwire: TokyoGod of War RagnarokGotham KnightsGran Turismo 7Hogwarts LegacyHorizon Forbidden WestLego Star Wars: The Skywalker SagaPrince of Persia: The Sands of TimeThe Lord of the Rin...

It can be fun to accessorize with smartwatches, but it can also be difficult to find the perfect balance of form and function, especially when you're focused on finding the best smartwatch for women. The good news is there are tons of options to pick from these days. The Fossil Gen 5 Julianna is the top choice for several reasons, including premium features and a classic yet stylish design. This may be the best Android smartwatch for women, but it's just one of many options to consider. We've rounded up the best picks to help you find the right one for your needs.Best overall: Fossil Gen 5 JuliannaIf you were a fan of the Gen 4 smartwatches from Fossil but had hoped for improvements, you'll appreciate the Gen 5 smartwatches — including the gorgeous Julianna. It comes with a new stylish design, more RAM, and an external speaker. It also does everything you need: activity and heart rate tracking, 3 ATM water resistance (depth of up to 30 meters), Google Pay, Google Assistant, G...

The free Samsung TV Plus app gives Samsung users the ability to tune into tons of free television shows and movies across 190 live channels. However, you can also watch various free TV shows and movies on Samsung TV Plus on-demand. With that in mind, we've compiled a list of the best free TV shows and movies on Samsung TV Plus right now.TV & Movies on Samsung TV PlusTV shows on Samsung TV PlusMovies on Samsung TV PlusBest free TV shows on Samsung TV PlusOne of the easiest ways to watch TV on Samsung TV Plus is to tune in to one of the platform's themed live channels. If you want to tune into classic episodes of some of your favorite series, we suggest you tune into The Walking Dead Universe (1065), Baywatch (1063), Degrassi (1067), Forensic Files (1131), or Fear Factor (1144). However, if you're looking for a series to binge on-demand, you might want to check out the following:Anthony Bourdain: No ReservationsAnthony Bourdain: No Reservations follows late che...

One of Sony's biggest franchises will indeed be making a full return on PS5. Here's what we know so far.Gran Turismo has been one of Sony's biggest franchises since the days of the very first PlayStation. The tagline, "the real driving simulator," has always cut straight to the core of what Gran Turismo is all about, and generally speaking, has received much praise over the years.But it's also hard to believe that the PS4 has gone by entirely without a new, full Gran Turismo game. Gran Turismo 6 launched on the PS3, and while PS4 owners have at least had GT Sport, it's fair to say the reaction has been mixed at times, and it's not quite the same as a full sequel.Which is what we seem to be getting on the PS5. Here's everything we know about Gran Turismo 7.Jump to:When does it release?Resolution and frame rateWill it support PSVR?Fan favorite circuit returnsWhat cars will it include?What are its features?Will it be on PS4?Gran Turismo esports and Getty Images Gran...

We've researched, tested, and reviewed dozens, if not hundreds of devices and compiled the following list of what we consider the best Alexa devices. With so many options to choose from, starting with the little Echo Dot up to the Echo 15 with its massive 15.6-inch display — it can be tough to sort through it all. If you don't already have an Echo smart speaker, we recommend you pick up the Amazon Echo (4th Gen) to get started. It sounds great and comes in at a reasonable price. But if you already have an Echo and want to see what else is available, well, we've got you covered there too.Best Amazon Alexa smart speaker: Amazon Echo (4th Gen)The original Amazon Echo that debuted in late 2014 gave us our first introduction to Alexa, and we've been hooked ever since. What started as a stark, black tube has evolved over three generations to a softer, gentler-looking Alexa vessel and has spawned an entire line of other Echo devices.This "regular" Echo (4th Gen) is the best of the...

What do you really want in a smartphone camera?Smartphone cameras have come a long way. We've gone from having one camera on every phone to multiple lenses on even the best budget Android phones. And despite what any iPhone user would say, Android phones can churn out some great images. But a lot goes into making a good camera experience on a smartphone.In this weekend's poll, we want to know what you care about the most when it comes to your smartphone's camera.What do you care about most when it comes to smartphone cameras?Image quality is definitely an essential aspect of a smartphone camera. It's nice to have the ability to whip out your phone and snap a shot, knowing it'll come out good. But some people prefer to put in a little more work to get the image just right, almost like having a pocket DSLR. Many of the best Android phones have manual modes. However, Sony arguably has the most comprehensive offering thanks to phones like the Xperia Pro-I, borrowing the UI from ...

PS5 stock is selling out fast, so be sure to have your credit card ready.Looking to buy a PS5? Well, so are millions of other people. It doesn't help that stock levels remain tight, even nearly a year after its launch. Every time a retailer puts stock up for sale, it sells out super quickly. The longest we here at Android Central have seen PS5s stay in stock is between 15 to 20 minutes (often just a few minutes, though). That's also at random times, so finding a PS5 is a truly challenging task. Sony warned it would be hard to find stock throughout the year and well into 2022, if not further, but retailers promise more are coming and that Sony has secured additional semiconductor chips to make them.In our PS5 review, we called the system a technical marvel with a groundbreaking controller. And after spending over a year with the PS5, it's nearly impossible to go back to the PS4. Everything about the PS5 is better, from the games to the DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive trigge...

Tello is a unique carrier in that it doesn't have a traditional set of plans, instead, the best Tello plans can be customized for each person. This includes choosing how many minutes and minutes they want, plus data. Tello operates on the T-Mobile network with access to 5G including the faster mid-band connection. While you don't need to commit to it, Tello has created some starting points for plans, and the best value for most people is Tello's Smart Plan with 4GB of data and unlimited talk and text.Best overall: Tello Smart 4GBOn Tello, you can create your own plan by choosing how many minutes you think you'll need and how much data you think you'll need. You can get an idea of how much data you typically use by looking at your current bill or checking the data usage settings on your Android phone. For most smartphone users, Tello's pre-configured Smart Plan is a great starting point with unlimited minutes and 4GB of high-speed data. All Tello plans with minutes come with unl...

And there is no end in sight.The U.S. and China are in a full-on war over the tech that will power what comes next from almost every industry. What started as a trade dispute under the Trump administration has grown under President Joe Biden, and there is no predicting how things will end.Things haven't worked out as expected so far, either. Three years later, Huawei and ZTE (the original targets of Trump's economic bans) are still alive and kicking, producing new equipment every year. In fact, Huawei is still making smartphones after every pundit was sure the company wouldn't even be around.The P50 Pro happened anywayHuawei is back with another P series flagship phone with just one limitation because of the crushing trade bans that prevent the company from accessing components — it's using the 4G-only version of the Snapdragon 888 from Qualcomm.Like the past few phones from Hauwei, it also has no access to Google's proprietary software but can run Android Harmony OS ...

It includes the December 2021 security patch.What you need to knowLenovo announced the second Android 12L Developer Preview for the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro.The new update includes no significant changes from the first beta, except for the 2021-12-01 security patch level.The latest beta only supports the tablet's Wi-Fi version that is sold outside of China.Lenovo on Friday released the second Android 12L beta for the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro, nearly two months after the rollout of the first developer preview.Both the software flashing packages and the Android 12L beta 2 image are now available to download via Lenovo's developer website, coming in at 1.7GB. The latest update also includes the December 2021 security patch level.Lenovo did not provide release notes for the new beta, so it's not clear what issues have been resolved. That said, the company lists the same software limitations from December. 'Copy apps & data' in OOBE is not supported. Fingerprint unlock is n...

The Jabra Elite 7 Pro just might be perfect now.What you need to knowJabra pushes out a significant update for its Elite 7 series earbuds.The update enables multipoint Bluetooth support for connecting to more than one device.The earbuds are also Google Assistant certified.Jabra's excellent Elite 7 Pro and Elite 7 Active earbuds are receiving an update, and you're going to like what it brings.The update was spotted by Digital Trends, started rolling out on Thursday, and enables multipoint Bluetooth support, something that was noticeably missing from the earbuds when they launched in August. This feature allows the earbuds to connect to more than one device, such as a phone and a computer, allowing you to switch between them when needed.This feature is present on Jabra's previous models, so it was odd that it wasn't readily available at launch. However, at CES 2022, Jabra ensured that the feature would be arriving "later this January," and the company managed to keep its ...

Running out of storage on your PS5? After an incredibly helpful update in 2021, you can now use the internal M.2 SSD slot. Sony finally confirmed hardware requirements for the M.2 slot on the PS5, and the latest software update allows you to use an internal SSD to increase your console's storage. These are the best external SSDs for PS5.PS5 M.2 SSD requirementsBefore we get started, we'll need to take a look at the list of hardware requirements for an M.2 SSD to work as an internal drive on the PS5. On Sept. 15, 2021, Sony released a software update that lets everyone use the M.2 SSD slot to extend the storage of their PS5 consoles.Sony's M.2 hardware guidelines are pretty stringent, so you will need to pick up the latest M.2 drives. These are the full requirements for an M.2 drive to work as internal storage on the PS5:PCIe Gen4 interfaceMinimum sequential read speeds of 5,500MB/sDrive storage has to be within 250GB to 4TBM.2 form factor with 22mm widthMandatory heatsin...

Whether you're using the Chrome Browser on Windows, Mac, Android, or on the best Chromebook, there are a lot of ways to tweak the performance or try out upcoming features even without having to switch to software channels. Chrome Flags allow you to try out experimental features or disable certain features if you're encountering issues, and here's how to turn them on or off as you see fit.How to enable flags in ChromeGo to chrome://flags in your Chrome browser.Type the flag name into the search bar. If you're not entirely sure on the same, type in the process or task, and the search should get close enough.Click the drop-down menu next to the flag you want to enable.Click Enabled.Click Restart to relaunch Chrome and activate the flag.Chrome will close and restart — Chromebook users, be warned that depending on the flag, the entire system might reboot — with the flag enabled. You can activate multiple flags at once and then reboot once you're done, or you can cl...

Run, jump, dodge and shoot your way to these action Android games.There are so many awesome action games in the Google Play Store, it can be hard to sort the wheat from the chaff. But we've done the heavy lifting for you and after hundreds of hours of playing, we've rounded up the best action-packed games for Android that are worth checking out.Many of the games on this list are paid apps, which might give you pause, so you'll need to trust us when we say these games are well worth the initial investment. Plus, it's always good to support those teams developing great games for Android!When you're done here, be sure to check out our best Android games roundup!The gamesAilmentAnimACandies 'n CursesDandaraDead CellsDeath Road to CanandaDownwellGenshin ImpactGrimvalorHuntdownICEYInjustice 2JYDGEPascal's WagerPenariumRedungeonSuzy Cube Tesla vs LovecraftWitcheyeAilmentAilment is a top-down sci-fi shooter with tons of movie references and horror el...

What do we want? More RAM! Do we really need it? Maybe, maybe not.What you need to knowWe asked our readers what they thought of the rumored Galaxy S22 Ultra configurations.More than 50% said they prefer that Samsung keeps the same (or higher) RAM configurations as the S21 Ultra.36% say they don't mind but would like more storage or a lowered price to make up for it.Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event is less than two weeks away, and we're expecting the company to launch its next exciting flagship lineup. We expect some big changes for the Galaxy S22 series, including an S Pen-touting S22 Ultra that will succeed the Galaxy Note series. However, with rumors circulating that the S22 Ultra specs will include lower RAM configurations than last year's Ultra, we asked our readers if they'd mind that Samsung may lower the memory.Out of more than 1100 votes, 54% said they would prefer that Samsung keep the same RAM configurations as last year or increase it. 36% say that the 8GB base...

The Galaxy S21 Ultra is one of the biggest and most powerful Galaxy phones ever. It's also the first to work with the S Pen, which has been traditionally reserved for the Note line. Given its size and heft, you need to protect your investment with a sturdy case that adds both grip and style. Here are our top picks for the best Galaxy S21 Ultra cases, whether you're after a clear case to show off the Ultra's design or a durable tank-like enclosure to keep it safe and secure.Colorful and durableCaseology Nano PopStaff PickAfter two years of the Nano Pop being exclusive to iPhones, it's finally available for Samsung devices with the S21 series. The Blueberry Navy with its yellow accents is striking and classic, while the impact-absorbing pattern embedded in the back gives you slim protection. I wish the Ultra also had the Violet shade the smaller S21s have, but these colors are still fun.From $16 at AmazonReady to work hardArmadilloTek Vanguard Series for S21 UltraTh...

A significant boost in display technology.Sony has been relatively quiet concerning any news on its next virtual reality device, the PS VR2, but what few specs the company has shown off have only made excitement around the new VR headset even higher. Among the few official specs we've seen thus far, the 4K-quality PS VR2 resolution has us most excited, as it's a major step up from the previous generation.What resolution is the PS VR2 display?While we can speculate to high heaven on how the PS5 VR headset will perform, Sony thankfully left little to the imagination regarding the PS VR2's display. Sony has confirmed that the new device will feature an OLED display, with 2000x2040 resolution per eye and support for both 90Hz and 120Hz refresh rates, instantly making it one of the best PlayStation accessories on the market when it releases.As far as comparisons to other VR headsets go, this absolutely blows the original PSVR out of the water, as the original device only support...

A big hit for VR owners.What you need to knowZenith: The Last City is an MMORPG that can only be played in virtual reality on PlayStation VR, Quest, and Windows PC.The game released on Thursday and has reached first of Steam's top selling chart after one day, despite server issues on launch. It is also the top selling game on the Quest Store with preorders on that version noted as surpassing expectations "significantly."Zenith: The Last City, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game that is only playable through virtual reality headsets, is currently the top selling game on Steam one day after launch. This is despite the game's server issues at launch and the Steam's Lunar New Year sale that began at the same time on Thursday.The VR-only MMORPG is first on the Steam top sellers chart and ranks above games such as preorders for the upcoming Dying Light 2 and Elden Ring alongside the recently released God of War and Monster Hunter Rise. It is also within the top 10 ...

May the Force be with you — on your phone!The Star Wars franchise has seen some great games come and go over the years. I'd like to take a moment to pour one out for Star Wars: Force Arena, a MOBA-style game that was shut down a while back. It was easily the best Star Wars mobile game I've played on mobile, and it's a shame that it wasn't viable — or whatever the reason the developers had for shutting down the servers.I'll also note that this list does not include any AR-experiences or lightsaber simulators because, despite how cool they might be, they are novelties and not really games that you can get enjoyment out for any true length of time.I'll also briefly mention Star Wars: Card Trader, which is an app focused on collecting Star Wars cards like some of us used to do as kids. It's less a game than a collectathon with gamified elements. There's a community dedicated to buying, selling, trading, and so on.With all that out of the way, here are the best Star Wars games...

The Game Dashboard with Android 12 offers a few valuable features for those playing games on their phone. With the ability to enable screen recording, display the FPS, and stream gameplay directly to YouTube, it makes some of the best Android phones better. While Android 12 rolls out to more phones, it's available on Google's Pixel line right now, and you may be wondering how to use it. First, we'll run through exactly what the Android 12 Game Dashboard can do and how to enable or disable it if you so choose.Keep in mind that not every game supports the Game Dashboard, and even if one does, it may not support every feature. Unfortunately, there isn't a list of compatible games at the moment, so it's hard to say which do or don't support it. However, if you're playing a game that's compatible with the Game Dashboard, you'll see a small game controller icon pop up on the side of the screen when you're playing.How to use the Android 12 Game DashboardOpen up your Settings. Select...

IDC says global smartphone shipments totaled 1.35 billion units in 2021, marking a 5.7% growth despite the chip shortage.What you need to knowSmartphone companies shipped 1.35 billion units in 2021, a slight increase from the previous year.Samsung led the smartphone market last year with a 20.1% market share, followed by Apple and Xiaomi.However, worldwide smartphone shipments declined by 3.2% year over year in the fourth quarter of 2021.Samsung shipped the most number of smartphones worldwide in 2021 with 272 million units sold that year, according to a new report from the International Data Corporation.The South Korean tech giant grabbed the top spot in the global smartphone market last year with a 20.1% market share, beating out Apple, which had a market share of 17.4% after shipping 235.7 million phones during the year. Xiaomi came in third with 191 million shipments, followed by OPPO with 133.5 million and Vivo with 128.3 million.Overall, global smartphone shipment...

If you want AirPods alternatives, these will do nicely.Denon is a known brand in audiophile circles, but it's never ventured into making true wireless earbuds before. Even for an established company that's already earned its pedigree in audio, new categories don't always guarantee success, and in this case, Denon's approach may have been the right one for the right type of user.That becomes clearer after trying them out, though the more obvious contrast is with the AirPods, not as much with others. The reasons why come down to value and performance.Denon AH-C830NCW review:Price and availabilityWhat's good What's not goodThe competitionShould you buy?At a glanceDenon AH-C830NCW review Bottom line: Denon gives its debut true wireless earbuds a chance to play spoiler against the AirPods, particularly for Androi...

The deal is subject to regulatory approvals.What you need to knowGoogle plans to invest up to $1 billion in Bharti Airtel as part of the "Google for India" digitization fund.The two companies will work together to enable affordable access to smartphones and create India-specific network domain use cases for 5G. Google had invested $4.5 billion in Reliance-owned Jio Platforms in 2020. Google on January 28 announced that it would be making an investment of $1 billion in Bharti Airtel over the next five years. The investment will be part of the search giant's "Google for India" digitization fund.While Google will be spending $700 million to pick up a 1.28% stake in Airtel, it will invest up to $300 million on potential multi-year commercial initiatives. Bharti Airtel is currently India's second-largest carrier, with over 355 million subscribers. It is also among the top players in India's broadband market.As part of the deal, Google and Bharti Airtel will work together to ...

Chrome OS already makes using desktop peripherals dead simple, and we've rounded up the best Chromebook monitors for any situation. Chromebooks are perfect on-the-go computers for many people, but sometimes you just want to sit down, relax, and do your thing with a big external display. Almost every laptop, regardless of the software it's running, has some port to send video out to an external display. Our top recommendation for a monitor to use with a Chromebook is the incredible LG 24UD58, but we've also rounded up other great options with lower resolutions and price points that will match perfectly with one of the best Chromebooks.Best overall: LG 24UD58-B 4K UHDThe LG 24UD58 may not look as pretty as other options, but LG has gone out of its way to give users a great experience. This monitor sports a 4K UHD resolution, which is excellent for those who want to get work done and let off steam with a game. Of course, Chromebooks aren't the best for gaming, but if you're going ...

All the convenience of normal wireless charging. Only faster.The Qi charging standard has come a long way since it was first specified. What started as a very slow and very wasteful technology to recharge low-power devices (like the battery in your phone) has expanded to include things that need more power like a laptop. The Wireless Power Consortium has even demonstrated the tech powering kitchen appliances at 1kW. But for most of us, the biggest advance has been the introduction of wireless fast charging. Any Qi-enabled phone will charge on any Qi pad, even if Fast Charge isn't available.Qi (pronounced Chee and roughly translated to "spiritual energy") is a charging standard. The Wireless Power Consortium — imagine a group of electrical engineers that really love chargers working with the smart people who make things that need to be charged — developed the specification in 2009. The first version supported wireless power transfer up to 4.999 watts, and it worked by usi...

Work Life Balance was introduced back in OxygenOS 9.5, but it was limited to the Indian market. But with OxygenOS 12, OnePlus is rolling out the feature to global markets and giving it a version update.Work Life Balance 2.0 lets you set up work and personal profiles, giving you the ability to cut out distractions from social media when you're working and making sure you don't receive work notifications during downtime. Here's how you can set up and get started with Work Life Balance 2.0, and why you'd want to.How to enable Work Life Balance 2.0 in OxygenOS 12Work Life Balance 2.0 can be enabled by heading into your phone's settings. This is what you need to do:Open Settings. Scroll to the bottom of the page. Choose Convenience tools.Select Work Like Balance. Hit Get Started to set up the feature. You can give the feature access to your location to switch modes when you get to work or home automatically. If you want to do so, choose the While using the app setting for ...

Neighbors is a community-driven communication app from Ring that helps its users keep better informed of local safety issues and other goings-on. While this is a Ring-made app, you won't need a Ring product to use it. Setting up an account is completely free, and there are no fees or other costs associated with Neighbors. If you're already a Ring user and have one of the best Ring products, you can also find Neighbors inside the Ring app.Signing up for NeighborsIf you're a new Neighbors user and don't intend to use Ring devices at this time, download the standalone Neighbors app from the Google Play Store or Apple Appstore for the devices you want to use it on. The Neighbors app is a safe way to connect to your wider neighborhood and stay informed.The setup process is pretty straightforward. Sign up for a Ring account to get started and input your address to find your virtual neighborhood.Open the Neighbors app and tap Sign up.Enter your first and last name and tap Continue...

Fashionable fitnessFitbit LuxeFrom $131 at AmazonProsActivity/sleep trackingHeart-rate trackingAutomatic workout recognitionStress, skin temperature, SpO2 monitoringSleek and stylish designConsShorter battery lifeSmaller displayIf you're someone who has refrained from buying a fitness tracker due to the lack of fashionable options, you'll have met your match with the Fitbit Luxe since it's slim, sleek, and stylish. You also get tons of features, including activity/sleep tracking, stress monitoring, heart-rate tracking, and much more.A different approachAmazon Halo View$80 at AmazonProsActivity/sleep trackingHeart-rate trackingStress monitoringMovement HealthBattery lasts around a weekConsLacks GPS supportNot very stylishRelies on Halo subscriptionIf you want to better understand your health with unique metrics, you may love the new, affordable Amazon Halo View. It's a lightweight fitness tracker that digs deeper into other me...

The new team will be based in San Diego.What you need to knowGoogle is apparently building a new team in San Diego to help with the Camera ISP design for custom Tensor chips.A larger team should allow Google to deliver an even more impressive camera experience on future Pixel phones. Google's second-generation Tensor chipset is expected to be announced sometime later this year. Google's Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are two of the best Android phones on the market when it comes to camera performance. The 50MP main sensor can capture excellent photos in almost any lighting condition and even when your subject is in motion. It now looks like Google wants to further improve this competitiveness by creating a new team for camera ISP design in San Diego.Looks like @madebygoogle is building a team in #SanDiego for camera-facing parts of the Tensor SoC. I wonder where they may be trying to hire from... pic.twitter.com/Z1fkeS1tLJ— Anshel Sag (@anshelsag) January 27, 2022As you can see ...

Whether you're buying a high capacity power station or a pocket-friendly portable charger, any power bank you buy is essentially a big battery sitting in a shell that you don't use often. And when they're not used, power banks can slowly waste away, steadily losing charging capacity. We want your awesome power bank to last as long as possible. These three, easy-to-remember rules will keep yours from turning into a time bomb that betrays you and leaves you with a dead phone at the worst possible time.1. Do NOT leave it at 100% or 0%Batteries are under the most strain when they're closest to completely full or completely empty. This is why years ago you were told not to leave your phone on the charger overnight since it would shorten the life of the battery. These days, battery technology has improved, and features like Adapting charging are being used more widely to charge intelligently and prevent the strain when a battery is above 80% or below 20%.While phones and laptops ca...

Verizon's network has been growing fast with new 5G bands enabling faster speeds and plans designed to make the most of the upgraded network. Not only that, Verizon has several deals on Android devices to help make switching to the carrier as big of an upgrade as possible whether you're interested in a new Pixel, Samsung, or even iPhone. If you're ready to switch to Verizon with two lines, you can buy one Google Pixel 6 and get a second one up to $800 off with an unlimited plan.If you're looking to get started with Verizon, your best bet for getting the fastest speeds is picking a phone with C-band support. On Verizon, C-band is part of the Ultra Wideband 5G network. On the spec sheet, C-band support is listed as support for band n77. Phones connected to C-band can see speeds as high as 1Gbps with a strong signal.Many newer Android phones such as the Pixel 6 and Galaxy S21 FE the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 series support this C-band connection. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G also supports Ve...

Best answer: Not quite. While mobile hotspots like Netgear's Nighthawk M5 have plenty of power, data plans for mobile hotspots still aren't competitive with wired home internet or even 5G home internet services. If you travel a lot or live in a rural area, they can still serve as a great backup plan.The hardware is here, but the plans are notMobile hotspots have gotten very powerful, with many supporting Wi-Fi 6 and 5G. Some have even enabled access to gigabit 5G speeds with support for C-band on multiple carriers. The main problem with switching to a mobile hotspot like the Netgear Nighthawk M5 or any of the other best 5G hotspots is the amount of data you can get in a plan and how many people can use it.While Cricket offers up to 100GB of data for hotspots, simultaneous devices are limited to just nine. T-Mobile is a bit more easygoing about the number of connections but only offers 50GB of data. While these amounts are easily enough for most cell phones, they don't hold up w...

Grading how each Android OEM is handling its Android 12 release schedule.It's been nearly four months since Google rolled out the stable Android 12 build to the Android Open Source Project. Most Android OEMs have used this time to bring Monet color theming, better privacy features, and other new tools to their 2021 flagship phones. But it's been a difficult update season for almost everyone — including Google. Unless you own one of those flagships — or a Pixel or recent Galaxy phone — you're likely still waiting for your update.One of my jobs at AC is to let people know when their phones will get Android 12, but that job's been made difficult by the fact that many brands aren't releasing proper roadmaps like they have in years past. And several times, an OEM has proudly released an A12 update only to roll it back once users encounter tons of UI-breaking bugs.So with most devs on track to slow-drip Android 12 updates throughout 2022 — and to give users no advance notice ...

Smart speakers are capable of many things, and one of the biggest reasons people buy them is for helping to automate some tasks. Amazon makes some of the best smart speakers, not just because of the wide variety of styles these excellent Alexa speakers come in, but because of the helpful features that come with them. One such feature is the routines. These allow you to use your smart speaker to have things like your lights come on at a particular time, send you notifications when someone arrives home, and many more. But when you enable sound detection with your Amazon Echo, you get even more automation options.How to enable sound detection with your Amazon Echo and AlexaThe goal of routines is to take multiple commands that you'd have to manually give your Alexa device to accomplish a task and reduce it down to a single command — or none at all. By adding sound detection to the mix of your routines, you can have a series of tasks begin processing simply by your Amazon Echo hear...