Latest from Android Central

Will running apps and fitness gear help or distract from my training?Running is in my family's blood. My dad completed two 100-milers, several 50-milers, and 51 marathons, including two Boston Marathons. My uncle Tim continues to knock out ultramarathons, and he's well into his 70s. My cousin Colton kicked ass as a sprinter, and my sister still casually runs 10Ks when she's not lawyering.I never fought my destiny to be a runner. Along with four years of cross-country, I ran the 800 and 1600 meters in track throughout high school, eventually breaking the 5-minute mile mark. Since then, I joined some local running clubs and ran as many races as I could afford to keep my edge, though I'm nowhere close to high school form these days. Staying in running shape is tough with demanding work, COVID-19, and the lure of video games to hold you back.The last 18 months have been tough for my physical (and mental) fitness. Running while masked, without a fellow group of runners to keep ...

Artificial Intelligence is the best and worst thing that's ever happened to our daily lives.I'm what a lot of people used to call a futurist. Not the science fiction writer kind of futurist, but the guy who recognized early on that when technology really started booming in the late 20th century everything was going to change. I naively hoped that everything would change for the better, but we all have dreams when we're young that get crushed as time goes by.But tech has changed the world in almost every way, and it affects every one of us every day. The next big leap in tech, which we've already seen and watched blossom, is AI. AI is neither artificial nor intelligent, no matter what the name implies. But it's here to stay — and it's going to become a more significant part of the everyday products that shape our world. AI is a fancy word for a novel way to program a computer. Whether in your phone, watch, or a giant server room deep under a mountain, computer parts can not ...

With questions once again being asked about Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's suitability for the Old Trafford hot seat, the Norwegian boss will be looking for a positive result today at home against an improving Toffees side- read on to find out how to get a Man United vs Everton live stream from anywhere in the world.Cristiano Ronaldo's injury time winner against Villareal on Wednesday in the Champions League will have helped alleviate the tension surrounding Solskjaer, but a return to domestic matters sees United trying to make up for recent defeats to West Ham in the Carabao Cup and Aston Villa in the Premier League.Despite misgivings from large sections of the Everton faithful to the appointment of a manager best known for his successful spell at local rivals Liverpool, it would appear the Spaniard is beginning to win over the Toffees fanbase.Currently level on points with their opponents today, Everton have made a solid start to the new season and are beginning to look like a typical ...

It might be called the Honor Magic X.What you need to knowA new tip suggests Honor will launch its own foldable phone in the fourth quarter of this year.It will supposedly be called the Honor Magic X.The phone is said to borrow from the design of the Huawei Mate X2.Honor's breakup with Huawei opened new opportunities for the company, including regaining access to Google Play Services. Now, the smartphone manufacturer appears poised to take on its former parent company as well as the other tech behemoths in the foldable phone segment.According to a post on Weibo, Honor plans to unveil its own foldable device before the end of 2021 (via GSMArena). The company was first rumored to be dabbling in the foldable space earlier this year with a device called the Honor Magic Fold, which was supposedly set to debut in 2020 if the pandemic hadn't occurred.However, the Chinese company's upcoming foldable phone may have a different name. Honor will be known as the Magic X, accordin...

Chrome's latest Journeys experiment is reminiscent of Collections in the Microsoft Edge browser.What you need to knowGoogle is rolling out two new experiments for the Chrome Dev Channel.Journeys will collect similar websites from your browser history based on similar topics.The search side panel will let you view results and web pages side-by-side.Google has announced two new experiments for the Chrome browser aimed at making it easier to navigate both new and old searches.The first new feature is the side panel, which was recently spotted in development and will allow users to view a page and the related search results simultaneously.After entering a search and navigating to a page from the results, users can click a "G" icon next to the Search bar to open up a side panel of the results from the same search. This lets you view a page right in your main browser window without needing to navigate back and forth or losing your search results.The feature isn't too...

Best answer: Despite Battlefield Mobile currently being playtested in Indonesia and the Philippines with gameplay footage leaking online, there's no concrete news of controller support. However, Call of Duty Mobile does feature controller use, so it's fairly safe to deduct that Battlefield Mobile will follow suit to stay competitive with its nearest rival.Why so sure?With Call of Duty Mobile seeing massive success since its launch, it makes sense that EA would keep tabs on its direct competitor and implement some popular features into its game. Currently, COD Mobile supports the PS4 and Xbox One controllers and third-party offerings, though some functionality may be reduced. A popular option for both casual and hardcore shooter fans, controller support would likely be a consideration for EA, at the very least, the successful implementation on COD mobile being a clear reason for its inclusion.There is other evidence, too, with Battlefield Mobile targeting the same demographic ...

When it first launched in May 2018, Visible made a significant mark on the carrier space since $40 a month for unlimited everything on Verizon sounds too good to be true. One of the few drawbacks to the service is that Visible only works with a small selection of Android phones, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to be an Android user and get the most out of what the carrier has to offer. Thanks to full LTE support, great software, and a stellar price, the Google Pixel 4a is a great way to try out this carrier.Best overall Visible phone: Google Pixel 4aLooking back at 2020, one device that stands out as one of the best Visible phones of the year's top highlights is the Pixel 4a. Unfortunately, while the Pixel 5a has already launched, it isn't officially supported on Visible though some users have it working on the network.Without a doubt, the aspect of the Pixel 4a that shines the most is its rear camera. The 12.2-megapixel sensor, paired with Google's near-magical levels ...

A worthy successorAmazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids$160 at AmazonProsLarge-sized screen for easy readingIncludes one year of Amazon Kids+ for access to eBooksIncludes durable case and worry-free guaranteeWaterproof designAdjustable light for reading day and nightConsSlightly more expensive Might be too big for younger kidsNo AC adapter includedThe Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids is a solid upgrade option from the previous generation Kindle for kids, with features that are worth the extra dough, like an adjustable warm light, larger, full-flush screen, and more than twice the rated battery life.A good budget optionAmazon Kindle Kids$110 at AmazonProsIncludes one year of Amazon Kids+ for access to eBooksIncludes durable case and worry-free guaranteeSlightly cheaperConsNot waterproofSmaller, lower-res screenNo adjustable warm lightLess than half the rated battery life If you already own the Kindle Kids Edition and it meets your needs,...

Google will focus on supporting banks.What you need to knowGoogle no longer plans to offer bank accounts.The company announced its Plex service last year with the new Google Pay redesign.Google plans to continue supporting banks and financial institutions through Google Pay.After announcing grand plans to offer bank accounts through its new Plex service in Google Pay, the company is now abandoning the undertaking.The news was first broken on Friday per a tweet from Walter Bloomberg, which is affiliated with Bloomberg news. Sources indicating that the company would no longer offer bank accounts.Google Abandons Plans to Offer Bank Accounts, Sources Say$GOOG— *Walter Bloomberg (@DeItaone) October 1, 2021A Google spokesperson confirmed the news with Android Central, saying that it is shifting its focus from providing these services itself and will instead continue supporting banks and financial institutions through its app. Our work with our partners has made it e...

Best for mostSamsung Galaxy Tab S7From $522 at AmazonFrom $530 at Best BuyProsSmooth 120Hz refresh rateLarge display that's still easy-to-useSnapdragon 865+ processorLots of RAM and storageMore affordable priceConsLCD onlySmaller batteryThe Galaxy Tab S7 is a premium tablet with specs and performance that hold up a year later. It offers a crisp and smooth LCD panel, blazing-fast performance, and all the RAM and storage you could ask for. Combine all of that with the free S Pen included in the box, and you end up with a pretty solid deal.Upgrade pickSamsung Galaxy Tab S7+From $675 at AmazonFrom $730 at Best BuyProsAMOLED screen is jaw-dropping120Hz rate is as smooth as can beExcellent canvas for drawing or productivityQualcomm's latest processorAmple specs across the boardConsSize can be a bit awkwardVery expensiveThe larger, more visually stunning Tab S7+ shares a lot of DNA with the baseline model, including its processor a...

While the TeslAA app is still in beta, most users claim it works quite well.What you need to knowTesla owners can now access Android Auto through the web browser.The app, which makes the experience possible, is currently in beta.It is compatible with all Tesla cars that support Netflix/YouTube/Disney+. Tesla owners can finally mirror apps from their Android phones to the center console on their vehicles, thanks to a new app called TeslAA. The app is priced at $6.5 and can now be downloaded from the Google Play Store.Once you download and install the app on your phone, you'll have to connect the phone to your vehicle via Bluetooth. Next, connect the Tesla WiFi to your phone's hotspot and head over to androidwheels.com in the Tesla browser.Although the implementation isn't perfect, it lets users easily mirror the best Android apps such as Google Maps on their Tesla's center display.There are, however, a few bugs that you need to consider. These include the video becom...

The best drawing tablets combine the fluidity and versatility of freehand drawing with the precision of digital graphics. You need a tablet with the right stylus, pressure sensitivity, multi-touch display, screen size, low latency, and other specs to make your drawing experience as effortless as possible. We've chosen the most popular and well-reviewed models, both for specialized drawing tablets and all-around excellent tablets that support drawing apps.Best overallWacom One Drawing Tablet with ScreenStaff PickHere's the perfect solution for budding artists. Although it's not quite as large and impressive as some professional options, the Wacom One model is a simplified version of an advanced drawing monitor that lets you draw directly on the screen. This is a great starter tablet for beginners.$400 at Amazon $400 at Best Buy $400 at WalmartUpgrade pickWacom Cintiq 22 Drawing Tablet with HD ScreenNot for the faint of pen, this is the best drawing tablet if ...

The 'Plus' is all in the couple of features Sennheiser added.For a company that took its time getting into the true wireless earbuds space, Sennheiser has been busy lately. The CX Plus True Wireless are the third pair of earbuds the company has released in just 12 months. First came the CX 400BT True Wireless, which brought the company closer to the rest of the field on price. Then, only months ago, came the CX True Wireless, the company's first foray into budget territory.So, what does that make the CX Plus True Wireless? These earbuds are now the head of Sennheiser's CX lineup and mainly focus on delivering features that the other two never had. Comparing all three and seeing how they perform, it's clear these new earbuds are taking the lead.Sennheiser CX Plus True Wireless review:Price and availabilityWhat's good What's not goodThe competitionShould you buy?At a glanceSennheiser CX Plus True Wireless ...

A future One UI update will remove ads from Samsung's stock apps.Update, Oct 1 (11:10 a.m. ET): Samsung Pay and Samsung Health apps no longer include adsWhat you need to knowSamsung could soon stop displaying ads in its stock apps.The decision was reportedly announced by Samsung's mobile chief TM Roh during an online town hall meeting. Samsung began showing ads in some of its apps last year. In June last year, Samsung began showing ads within some of its apps like Samsung Music and Weather. Unsurprisingly, the move didn't go down well with Galaxy users and caused a lot of outrage. Fortunately, it looks like Samsung has finally decided to listen to its customers and remove ads from pre-installed apps on Galaxy phones and tablets.According to South Korean publication Maeil Business News, Samsung's mobile chief TM Roh announced during a town hall meeting earlier today that the company will soon remove ads from stock apps such as Samsung Pay, Weather, and Samsung Themes.T...

Samsung packed a lot of tricks and features into the Galaxy Watch 4, but not all of them work perfectly. For instance, some of you may have noticed some oddities when receiving calls between the phone taking the call or the watch accepting the call. Or, if you're tired of having to do an extra tap when turning speakerphone on or off, here's how to eliminate the option and keep your Galaxy Watch 4 from receiving calls.How to disable your Galaxy Watch 4 from receiving your phone callsIf you've already hunted in the Galaxy Wearable app for some magic button to fix this annoyance, you've no doubt realized the setting for it isn't there. Instead, we must go into the Bluetooth settings on your phone.From the Settings app or Quick Settings panel on your phone, select Bluetooth. (If on the Quick Settings panel, press and hold.)Tap your Galaxy Watch in the device list.Toggle off Phone calls.If you want to double-check that it's working, get a friend to call you and see how the i...

Samsung has already confirmed that its newest foldables are seeing "great customer response" globally.What you need to knowSamsung has sold nearly one million Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 phones in South Korea so far.The foldables went on sale in the country on August 27.Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 has sold twice as much as the Galaxy Z Fold 3. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 are selling a lot better than expected in Samsung's home market, according to a report from The Korea Herald. According to the publication, sales of Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 phones are expected to surpass one million units in South Korea this weekend.Both foldables were released in South Korea on August 27, which means it has taken Samsung's best foldable phones just over a month to cross the important sales milestone.The sales momentum of Samsung's latest foldables is apparently similar to that of the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy S8 series, which were the fastest to cros...

The European Union plans to make USB-C connectors the standard charging port for all smartphones, tablets, and other electronic devices. Its proposal would come into effect in 2024, assuming the European Parliament approves it; at that point, manufacturers would then have to adopt USB-C to sell their products in the European market of 30 countries.Experts say that this decision could immediately impact the global market, whether or not other countries follow suit and mandate a USB-C standard. If everything goes as planned, manufacturers will develop products for international markets that follow EU guidelines. In time, they say, the decision will help eliminate e-waste and prove "dramatically more convenient for consumers.""Chargers power all our most essential electronic devices. With more and more devices, more and more chargers are sold that are not interchangeable or not necessary. We are putting an end to that," Thierry Breton, the EU's internal market commissioner, said las...

Show me more.What you need to knowEarlier this week, Amazon unveiled a bunch of cool new products and services, including semi-autonomous robots, drones, and video calling devices.We asked our readers which of these products they were most interested in, and the top vote-getter was a new device in an existing product line — the Echo Show 15.Nearly equal amounts of respondents were intrigued by some of the invitation-only devices like the Ring Always Home Cam and the Astro robot.Another busy "techtember" week has passed, with a flurry of new product announcements from one of the biggest players in the technology industry (or any industry, for that matter) — Amazon. Given that there was such a variety of new products on display at the company's fall event, we wanted to know which forthcoming devices our readers were most excited about.Nearly 30% of respondents said they were most interested in the new Echo Show 15, which, as its name suggests, is a larger version of tha...

Like it or not, Apple just made macro shooters a must-have feature in next year's Android flagships — and that's not a bad thing.Apple often doesn't do new things first, especially in the smartphone space. But there's no denying that an iPhone launch often sets the tone for the coming year of flagships. We've seen it countless times before: With the move away from 3.5mm headphone jacks in 2016, and more recently with the facial recognition tech and in-box chargers.Every Android manufacturer — especially the big ones like Samsung, Xiaomi, and Oppo — wants to invite comparisons with Apple's handset. Some, like Huawei, have even tried to out-iPhone the iPhone, doubling down on ideas like 3D Touch, which eventually turned out to be technological dead ends.And so, as we hurtle towards the 2022 release cycle, macro photography looks likely to be the next major iPhone feature borrowed by the best Android phones of the next 12 months. The iPhone 13 Pro can capture impressive clos...

One of the biggest perks of having a PlayStation Plus membership is the free games you get every month. The free PlayStation Plus games offered this month include three major titles, all available on either the PS4 or PS5. Check out the list of games below, with downloads available starting October 5. Enjoy the price of free until November 1, 2021.★Take to the battlefieldHell Let Loose (PS5)Hell Let Loose is a WWII-inspired multiplayer game where 100 people dive into huge 50 vs. 50 battles as soldiers on either the German or American sides. The game focuses heavily on communication, with players getting the chance to become squad leaders for their team and sending out orders while on the battlefield.See at PlayStation★ Fore!PGA Tour 2K21PGA Tour 2K21 puts players on the path to becoming the FedExCup Champion, while also competing against other PGA Tour Pros in the process. After taking a break from the world of golf, 2K Sports returned with a solid e...

OnePlus' next cheap wireless earbuds may pack some premium features.What you need to knowRenders of the next OnePlus Buds Z have leaked on the web.The new leak reveals significant upgrades in the battery and connectivity departments.OnePlus is expected to unveil the OnePlus Buds Z2 sometime in October.OnePlus' follow-up to the Buds Z wireless earbuds popped up in leaked renders a few weeks ago, revealing a design that looked the same as the original version. Now, a fresh leak provides details about the specs of the rumored OnePlus Buds Z2.According to GizNext, the upcoming wireless earbuds will have Bluetooth 5.2 and a 40mAh battery, which will allegedly allow you to listen to music for up to five hours with noise reduction turned on or seven hours with it turned off. The previous generation had a maximum battery life of only five hours.With the charging case, the accessory supposedly promises up to 27 hours of music playback with noise reduction enabled and up to 38 ho...

Hey Disney can't do as much as Alexa — but it can still listen to your family.When the new partnership to put Amazon Echo Show 5s into Walt Disney World hotel rooms with a Disney-fied, Alexa-backed assistant called Hey Disney was announced, the Disney nerd in me had two questions: "What the heck took them so long?" and "Who had the brilliant idea to stick a camera and microphone in every Walt Disney World hotel room?"The first question requires a complicated conversation. It would take time to build custom AIs with uniquely-spoken character voices, find feasible monetization methods, and optimize it to a level of quality worthy of the Disney name. Even more time was undoubtedly spent tying this service into Disney's theme park services with Alexa for Hospitality, so you can ask Alexa for extra pillows or fresh towels instead of having to ring the front desk.An answer to the latter question, on the other hand, is much easier to guess: Amazon wants to get you used to alway...

While The Sopranos came to end back in 2007, fans of the American crime drama series will get to see how young Anthony Soprano got his start in organized crime in the new prequel film The Many Saints of Newark and we have all the details on how you can watch it online.Set in the 1960s in Newark, New Jersey, The Many Saints of Newark tells the origin story of Tony Soprano who grew up during one of the most tumultuous eras in the city's history. Just as he was becoming a man, the city descended into chaos during the 1967 Newark riots which were just one in a series of 159 race riots that swept cities across the U.S. during the "Long Hot Summer of 1967"After getting kicked out of school, Anthony Soprano (Michael Gandolfini) is taken under the wing of his uncle Dickie Moltisani (Alessandro Nivola) who wants to do right by his family. Dickie introduces Anthony into the world of organized crime in Newark which at the time is run by the all-powerful DiMeo crime family. However, rival ga...

The support organization behind USB wants you to make sure you know the right cable or charger to purchase.What you need to knowNew USB-C cable power rating logos have been announced for certified cables and chargers.The new logos are meant to clearly indicate if a cable supports 60W or 240W.The USB4 logos have also been updated to easily identify cables for use in data transfer.The USB Implementers Forum, which is responsible for the USB standard, has announced new power rating logos that will appear on USB-C cables as well as their packaging and product briefs. The goal is to make it easier for consumers to pick the right charger or cable to purchase.Consumers will find it easier to check whether a certified cable or charger can support 60W or the new 240W charging standard, which is primarily meant to power the best laptops. This is in line with the USB Power Delivery (USB PD) 3.1 Specification that was released earlier this year.In total, there are seven new logos...

The affordable flagship touts a capable triple-camera setup with a 5x periscope zoom lens.What you need to knowMotorola has launched the Edge 20 Pro in India.The phone comes with a 144Hz AMOLED display, a 108MP camera, and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 870 processor. It will be available to pre-order in India from October for ₹36,999 (about $498).Motorola's Edge 20 Pro, which made its global debut in July this year, has finally made its way to the Indian market to challenge the likes of the Xiaomi Mi 11X 5G and Realme GT 5G.The Motorola Edge 20 Pro has a 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and 576Hz touch latency. For selfies, the Motorola Edge 20 Pro has a 32MP sensor housed within the centered hole-punch cutout at the top of the display. It is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 870 octa-core processor with an Adreno 650 GPU, 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and 128GB of built-in UFS 3.1 storage.On the back of the phone is an impressive triple-camera setup that includes a...

Your favorite NBCUniversal channels won't go dark on YouTube TV for now.Update, October 1 (2:20 a.m. ET): YouTube TV will temporarily continue to carry NBCUniversal channels amid ongoing negotiationsWhat you need to knowYouTube TV subscribers may lose access to several NBCUniversal channels if both companies fail to make a new deal.Some 14 channels will go dark if Google and NBCUniversal's carriage agreement isn't renewed by Thursday.When NBCUniversal's channel lineup becomes unavailable, YouTube TV will reduce its monthly price by $10.YouTube TV subscribers may soon lose access to several NBC-owned channels. Google's streaming TV service has announced that NBCUniversal's lineup of channels will go offline after September 30 unless an "equitable" agreement is reached.Google said in a blog post that it has been trying to renew its deal with NBCU. The existing agreement between the entertainment company and YouTube TV is set to expire on Thursday, but both companies are s...

The social audio platform will finally allow you to record a room for external sharing, along with a bunch of new features.What you need to knowClubhouse has added a bunch of new features meant to help creators make their rooms more discoverable and grow their audiences.The new update finally adds the ability to record a room and share it externally.Other capabilities include creating a 30-second shareable clip, a universal search feature, and spatial audio for Android.Clubhouse announced a slew of new updates on Thursday, the majority of which address previous limitations with the platform in terms of making rooms more discoverable and helping creators expand their reach.Its headline new feature is called Replays, which will allow creators and moderators to record a room and download it for sharing externally. You can choose to turn the feature on when setting up a room and recordings can be saved to your profile. Of course, rooms must be public for it to work.This pit...

After last season was cut short, Grey's Anatomy is returning to ABC with brand new episodes and we have all the details on how you can watch the longest running medical drama yet on TV or online.Just as ABC did with season 17 last year, the season 18 premiere of the show will actually be a two-hour crossover event with Grey's Anatomy spin-off series Station 19. While Grey's Anatomy tells the story of Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo, and the other doctors, nurses and residents at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, Station 19 follows a group of firefighters from the Seattle Fire Department. Based on the trailer for the two show's latest crossover event, after a Station 19 fire truck is hijacked, a patient needs to be brought on foot to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital for treatment.Last season of Grey's Anatomy saw Dr. Meredith Gray infected Covid-19 and while in a coma, many characters from past seasons of the show returned to visit her on a beach. Although Meredith eventually recov...

It's the epic conclusion we've been waiting for.What you need to knowCritics enjoyed Jurassic World Aftermath's scary, atmospheric take on the franchise in the first part.Part 2 was originally revealed at the end of August.Part 2 will be at least an hour and a half longer than the first part.Originally announced at the tail end of August, Jurassic World Aftermath: Part 2 is finally out. After a brief teaser reveal from the game revealed a not-so-distant release date, Coatsink, the studio behind the game, didn't share a lot of information on it until today.Paired with a brief launch trailer to remind us that the game came out today. This expansion on the first part of the Aftermath storyline will also be its last, Coatsink has confirmed. Our own Nick Sutrich loved the first part of the game for being the, "stealth survival horror dino game he'd always wanted in VR."Players who own the first part will be able to get their hands on Part 2 for an aditional $15, putting the ...

Other unreleased TicWatch models are mentioned as well.What you need to knowThe TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra gets leaked in the latest Mobvoi app update.The update reveals upcoming health features for the smartwatch.Other TicWatch models are also revealed in the update, although not much is known at this point.Following the release of the Fossil Gen 6 smartwatches, Mobvoi is also planning to follow up with its own next-gen devices, according to the latest leaks.XDA-Developers has dug into the code for the latest update to the Mobvoi app and spotted references to the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra, along with a few other unreleased devices including the TicWatch GHT+ and GHT Pro. The code references new health features that we can probably expect on at least one of these upcoming smartwatches.These features include ArtyAge (Arterial Age), which "helps determine the actual biological age of your heart," TruHR to give "accurate, medical-grade, beat-to-beat heart rate measurements," eCap (Ex...

It's a match made in Google heavenWhat you need to knowGoogle is testing Assistant integration with YouTube videos.When enabled, Assistant cards appear at the bottom of the description. This feature is opt-in only, you must be a Premium subscriber, and it will last until October 27.Over the last few months, we have seen Google and YouTube experimenting with various new features. The most recent of which was the ability to download videos from the YouTube desktop site. Now, the video streaming giant is testing out adding Google Assistant integration for select videos.First spotted by 9to5Google, this feature can be enabled provided that you are a YouTube Premium subscriber. But once enabled, Google Assistant cards will appear at the bottom of the description. This makes it easy to learn more about specific topics, people, places, and things related to the video that you are watching. If you want to test this out for yourself, here are the steps that you'll need to take....

Many of Chrome's biggest competitors have already FLoC-blocked.Update, Sept 30 (6:30 p.m. ET): Google updates the timelineUpdate, July 26 (5:55 p.m. ET): Google posts detailed timeline of Privacy Sandbox initiativesWhat you need to knowGoogle is delaying phasing out third-party cookies on Chrome to 2023.The company says it is working with authorities to "get this right."It is subject to engagement with the United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority.Google is delaying its plans to phase out third-party cookies in the Chrome browser until 2023, a year later than when it was originally going to happen, Google said in a blog post.The tech giant said that while there is "considerable progress" with the initiative the company requires more time "across the ecosystem to get this right."This initiative is part of the company's bundled project called Privacy Sandbox, which includes several proposals for Chrome and the web."The Privacy Sandbox initiative aims to cre...

While supplies last.What you need to knowGoogle is giving out a free Stadia Premiere Edition for anyone who buys a game from the Stadia Store.The eligible game must cost at least $60 and be purchased before October 10.The Stadia Premiere Edition contains a Stadia controller and the discontinued Chromecast Ultra to play games on the TV.Google is giving away a free Stadia Premiere Edition for anyone who buys a game from the Stadia store before October 10, the company announced today.The promotion does come with certain restrictions. The only games or game bundles that are eligible must be priced at $60 or above and while preorders do count, the game needs to release on the Stadia store by October 10, 2021. Buyers will recieve an email and redemption code by October 20, and must redeem the offer by November 20, 2021.According to the FAQ, shipping charges may apply and those that refund the game after the promotion period may have return the hardware bundle. The free offer ...

The FCC is putting its foot down.What you need to knowThe FCC is setting up a new rulemaking process to protect users from cell phone scams.The new policies will help to tackle SIM swapping and port-out frauds.The FCC cites complaints and recent data breaches as the motivation behind the new process.The FCC wants to help protect your cell phone account and is proposing new actions to help combat fraud attempts from bad actors trying to take over your numbers.On Thursday, the FCC outlined ways that it plans to address threats to consumer accounts, particularly as it relates to "SIM Swapping" and "Port-Out Fraud."Sim swapping is a process in which a scammer physically steals someone else's SIM card to use in their own smartphone or poses as someone else to convince a carrier to switch that person's phone number to their own device. This way, that person will gain possession of the number and service, leading to other types of fraud, most notably identity theft.Port-out ...

Best for Galaxy usersSamsung Galaxy Tab S7 FEFrom $530 at AmazonProsLarger, higher-resolution displayComes with an S Pen5G connectivity option Use like a laptop with accessoriesConsLikely to be expensiveMight be more than you needThe Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is the obvious choice if you live within the Android ecosystem, offering a compelling tablet experience from one of the best brands in the business. It's the perfect productivity tool, particularly for a Galaxy smartphone owner, that can be used for work, plus some play during downtime.Ideal for iOS users on a budgetiPad Air (2020)From $539 at AmazonProsDecent starting priceUse like a laptop with accessoriesPowerful chipLTE cellular optionConsSmaller, lower-resolution screenOnly best for those with other Apple devicesDoesn't come with Apple PencilFor those who live within the Apple ecosystem and are on a budget, the iPad Air (2020) is a decently priced entry into the premiu...

Google recently combined Gmail and Google chat into the Gmail app. Google chat gives you a status so that you can broadcast whether or not you're available to chat or return emails. Combining the two services is currently an opt-in procedure, so not everyone has it yet, but it works on both iOS and the best Android phones. We'll show you how to opt in, set a predefined status, and set your custom status.How to turn on Chat in GmailRight off the bat, if you don't have a chat tab at the bottom of Gmail, you do not have chat turned on yet, and you will not be able to set your status. If you have a chat tab, you can skip to the next section. To get started, open Gmail on your phone.Tap the hamburger menu (three lines) in the upper left corner of Gmail.Scroll down and tap Settings.Tap the account for which you want to turn on chats.Under the General heading, place a checkmark in Chat.Tap Ok in the dialog box that opens.Now, you will notice that you have a chat tab in your high...

Does anyone know what's happening with the S21 FE?What you need to knowThe Galaxy S21 FE has supposedly passed through FCC regulations.This comes after the device was rumored to have been canceled altogether.There's no indication as to when, or if, this phone will actually be released.Recent reports claim that Samsung has decided to cancel the Galaxy S21 FE altogether, despite the device appearing in renders and having been leaked for the last few months. The reason, according to rumors, suggest that the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is selling much better than expected. However, the Galaxy S21 FE has reportedly passed through the FCC, powered by Samsung's Exynos processor and a version number of SM-G990E.What makes this even more curious is that the device supposedly passed through the regulatory process on September 30, a few days after these cancelation reports appeared. As for the filings themselves, not much information has been revealed. In addition to the model number, this supp...

An iconic Marvel villain makes his way into the game.What you need to knowMarvel Future Revolution received its first official update on Thursday.The update adds a brand new region, the Dark Domain, into the game, along with the Super Villain Dormammu.The level cap has also been increased, alongside a brand new check-in event for players to earn rewards. Marvel Future Revolution received its first ever update on Thursday, and with it came the addition of a higher level cap, new items, and the inclusion of a brand new area for players to explore.Included in today's update to the mobile game comes the Dark Domain, a mystical realm that is filled with magic, and lorded over by none other than The Dread Lord Dormammu, one of the most iconic and well-known villains in Marvel history.Starting today, players will be able to begin gearing up for a new challenge int he form of Dark Domain 1, a new region in Marvel Future Revolution that comes with new Epic and Side missions,...

4K on a budgetAmazon Fire TV Stick 4KFrom $40 at AmazonProsAccess to 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Vision, HDR, and HDR10+Alexa Voice RemoteIntuitive designConsNo Google Play appsRequires power adapterComplicated menu systemThe Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is the brand's most powerful streaming media stick and is more affordable than most 4K streamers on the market. The Fire TV Stick 4K also features a simple and intuitive menu and a comprehensive voice experience via the Alexa Voice Remote.Top tier streamingRoku Streaming Stick 4K$50 at RokuProsDolby Vision pictureVoice remote with TV controlsLong-range Wi-FiConsNo ethernet port No headphone jack on remoteDoesn't work as seamlessly with Alexa/Google Home speakersThe Roku Streaming Stick 4K is the latest streaming stick from Roku and takes things to the next level, thanks to Dolby Vision picture compatibility. Its sleek design also hides easily behind your TV and is praised for its long-range W...

How will Samsung improve on the best phones of 2021?After a summer filled with mid-range phones, major flagships like the Pixel 6 and the iPhone 13 will close out the year. We expect these phones to sell like hotcakes, but if Samsung's upcoming Galaxy phones stay on schedule, they're also not that far off. So should you wait for them?We don't have any hard information on the successor to the Galaxy S21 lineup. But the Samsung Galaxy S22 leakers are already out in full force, many of which have proven prophetic in the past. Rumored to have features like ray tracing and vapor cooling, the Galaxy S22 may be a full-fledged gaming machine masquerading as a phone if Samsung has its way. Then again, its performance could vary depending on where you live and which chipset you get your hands on.You may be most excited about the Galaxy S22 Ultra. That device will likely be the spiritual successor to the Galaxy Note Ultra series, with a built-in S Pen slot and a more hard-edged design...

Android 12 is bringing a lot of enhancements to the best Android phones, and one that is a little overlooked is the ability to adjust smart home tech from your lock screen. From dimming lights to adjusting your thermostat, your lock screen offers quick shortcuts that allow you to take control without having to launch an app first. We'll show you where those are and how to configure them to your liking.How to change your lock screen shortcuts on Android 12First, go to your lock screen. The easiest way to do that is to press the power button on your phone to turn the screen off, then press it again to turn the screen back on. From there, follow these steps.Tap the button in the bottom left corner that looks like a little house. That will bring up your home controls. Tap the three dots in the upper right corner.Tap Add controls or Edit controls. We'll deal with editing controls first.When you tap edit, put in your PIN (or scan your fingerprint) to unlock the phone.Next, you...

Google Chrome wants to be one step ahead of you.What you need to knowGoogle is making Drive files accessible from Chrome's New Tab page.When enabled, Chrome will suggest relevant files for you in a card underneath the Search bar.The new feature is rolling out over the next two weeks for Workspace, G Suite, Business, and personal accounts.While Google already makes it easy to find files in Google Drive, the company is giving users more ways to access their Drive files without even opening the website. The latest update to the Chrome browser will provide users with even quicker access to their files by placing them on the New Tab page.When the feature is enabled, opening a new tab in the Chrome browser will display a card underneath the Search bar that will display select Google Drive files pulled from the primary account being used.According to Google, Chrome's "intelligent file suggestions" will pull up documents that might be relevant to you. End users will be ab...

Protect your new device with T-Mobile phone insuranceT-Mobile's coverage has significantly improved over the years, and today this carrier offers some of the best cell phone plans out there. There's no better time to join un-carrier, especially if you're a heavy data user and want to start taking advantage of 5G. In fact, T-Mobile is the nation's leader in 5G coverage and has some of the most ambitious plans to continue building out its 5G spectrum throughout the country with increased speed and capacity.If you just purchased a new 5G phone like the iPhone 13 or you're considering making the switch to T-Mobile, adding T-Mobile phone insurance is a great way to protect your shiny new device should anything go wrong. Though most of us overlook phone protection plans, here's what you need to know to make the right decision for you.Jump to:What is T-Mobile phone insurance?Who can enroll for T-Mobile phone insurance?How much does T-Mobile phone insurance cost?What are the be...

As our connected lifestyles and smart homes continue to merge, we find new ways to secure our houses and belongings, like choosing from among the best security cameras with local storage. In light of recent data breaches and privacy scandals, many are looking for options that feature on-device storage solutions (a.k.a. don't use the cloud), so we've put together a list of some of the best options for your reference. My favorite out of the bunch is the eufy Cam 2. It has all of the features I want, with none of the added expenses (subscriptions).Best overall security camera with local storage: eufy Cam 2Eufy makes a line of quality smart home products like this Indoor/Outdoor camera, but one of the things we like best about its products is the one-time fee model they espouse. You don't have to purchase an ongoing cloud storage subscription to access or store your videos, and this device even comes with 16GB EMMC digital storage, which is enough to store up to a year's worth of r...

At this price point, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better Google smartwatch.In the early fall of 2020, Fitbit held a virtual press briefing where it announced updates to its Versa and Inspire wearables and introduced a new holistic fitness watch in the Fitbit Sense. At Android Central, we were quick to test out the latter two devices and write up our impressions of them, but it took a little while for us to sort out our feelings about the former watch. Even at this later date, when I first endeavored to write this Versa 3 review, I wasn't sure that it would blow me away. After all, we'd already been calling its predecessor, the Versa 2, our favorite fitness tracker for quite a while leading up to the launch of this smartwatch. How could the new device be that much better?The Versa 3 had a little bit of a rocky start for some reviewers, including myself, but after a firmware update with new features and bug fixes, I've really been enjoying wearing it on my wrist. It's comfortabl...

PlayStation showcased an impressive roadmap that left us with more questions than answers.Welcome to Android Central's newest PlayStation recap. In an effort to bring our readers all of the latest PlayStation news in one place, we'll be compiling everything that happened throughout the month in PlayStation land, from exclusive game releases to the biggest announcements in the industry, along with any notable happenings in the community. September 2021 was headlined with a massive PlayStation Showcase that gave us a look at the years ahead for the PS5, but that's not the only thing that happened this month. Let's dive in and check everything out.PlayStation Recap:PlayStation ShowcaseSpider-Man 2Marvel's WolverineKnights of the Old Republic remakeGod of War RagnarokFiresprite acquisitionBluepoint acquisitionPS5 SSD updatePS4 Update 9.00Deathloop launchKena: Bridge of Spirits launchThe Last of Us DayPlayStation held an outstanding showcaseWhen Sony announc...

Best answer: Most Chromebooks on the market today have 4GB of RAM, and that is indeed enough to get by. If a model you're considering has options for 8GB of RAM, though, I'd highly recommend it now that Chromebooks are getting significantly longer support lives.What is RAM?RAM stands for Random Access Memory. Think of it as a container where the things you're doing on your Chromebook — both what you can see and what's happening behind the scenes — can store and retrieve data randomly. That means it can access any byte of that data without affecting the preceding or trailing bytes. That makes it fast because the location of the data you need has no effect on the time it takes to read, write, or overwrite it. With no moving parts, there are no mechanical limitations on access times.RAM is also volatile — once the integrated circuits lose their power, the data disappears. That means it's different from your Chromebook's storage (what we think of as a hard drive) and isn't us...

It's the "next step" for the studio, says Bluepoint Games president.What you need to knowSony is acquiring Bluepoint Games, a studio known for working on remasters and remakes.Bluepoint Games' next title is something "original" though there's no further details right now.The team's last game, a remake of Demon's Souls for the PS5, crossed 1.4 million copies sold. Bluepoint Games, a studio well known for its work on remasters and remakes, is the newest member of PlayStation Studios, as announced on Thursday. While that work on remasters and remakes will no doubt continue, it seems like Bluepoint Games will also be making new things, instead of just sticking to revamps of other developers' past titles. Speaking with IGN, Bluepoint Games president Marco Thrust explains that the next title from Bluepoint Games is actually something "original.""Our next project, we're working on original content right now. We can't talk about what that is, but that's the next step in the evolu...

Numerous successful projects secured this team's place at PlayStation.What you need to knowBluepoint Games is a studio that has specialized in remastering and remaking older games.The team has worked with PlayStation on titles like Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, Shadow of the Colossus and the Demon's Souls remake.We've learned that Sony is acquiring Bluepoint Games, which will now join Sony Worldwide Studios.Sony also recently acquired Housemarque and Nixxes Software.Sony Interactive Entertainment isn't done expanding. The company has just announced that it is acquiring Bluepoint Games, a studio in Austin, Texas. Bluepoint Games has specialized in remastering and remaking games, working with PlayStation on games such as Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, Shadow of the Colossus and most recently one of the best PS5 games available, the Demon's Souls PS5 remake.This follows Sony recently announcing the acquisitions of Returnal developer Housemarque, porting s...

Leaked specs of the phone suggest it might be a premium mid-ranger.What you need to knowAn upcoming Xiaomi phone with a 4K display has passed through TENAA.The device is expected to be powered by a Snapdragon 700-series chipset. Sony's Xperia 1 III is currently the only Android flagship with a 4K OLED display.Xiaomi could soon launch its first-ever phone with a 4K OLED display, according to a new listing on TENAA. The TENAA listing for the Xiaomi 2109119BC reveals the device will have a 6.55-inch OLED display with 3,840 x 2,160 resolution (via GoAndroid).It is apparently powered by an octa-core chipset running at 2.4 GHz, paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Going by the chipset's clock speed, the phone could be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 778G or 780G chipset.The listing also suggests the phone has a triple-lens camera system with a 64MP main sensor and two additional 8MP sensors. More interestingly, the listing claims the phone will be available in...