Latest from Android Central

Disney Plus (Disney+) is a great streaming service if you're a Disney fan — and be real, who isn't a Disney fan? — and if you're on Verizon, things get even sweeter. Most Verizon customers are enjoying a free year of Disney+ right now thanks to Disney+ on Us, and once that year is up, customers on certain plans will not only get to keep using it for free, they're getting upgraded to the Disney+ bundle with Hulu and ESPN+! Here's what plans get the goods and how Disney+ on Us's free year works.Disney and moreDisney+$7/month at Disney+Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and so much more.Watch Disney classics as well as favorites from other studios without limits. You can pay just a little per month for it, or get it for free through Verizon.What is Disney Plus?Which wireless plans include Disney Plus?Pick the right Verizon planHow much data does Disney Plus use?Does Disney Plus work with Fios and 5G Home?What's the fine print?What is Disney Plus?Disney+ is a...

The built-in camera on your Android phone is now your true default camera from Android 11 onwards.Update, August 20 (06:00 pm ET): Google has now explained why it made this change.What you need to knowAn Android 11 update will change how third-party camera apps work on Google's operating system.Users will no longer be able to use apps that aren't built-in to capture photos in third-party apps.Google says that this is done for security reasons.With Android 11, Google is imposing an additional limit on how camera apps may plug into the system. Specifically, it's limiting what camera apps other than the default built-in app would be able to do.As reported by Android Police, Google is mandating that third-party app without their own camera functionality can only launch the default camera app to carry out either image or video capture. Before this, a user would be presented with a dialogue allowing them to choose from the camera apps installed on their device.The developer...

Chemical Hearts is Amazon Prime Video's latest original film and tells the high school love story of a hopeless romantic and a girl with a mysterious past. The movie stars Austin Abrams and Lili Reinheart in the two leading roles trying to make sense of their feelings and deal with trauma from past events.The movie is based on the novel by Krystal Sutherland and was directed by Richard Tanne. Amazon characterizes the film as one that's unapologetically coming of age and full of self discovery in nature. It should pull at the heartstrings and find an audience of fans of other romantic dramas like Me, Earl, And The Dying Girl which lightens the load by sprinkling comedy moments throughout.Chemical Hearts: When & whereChemical Hearts is an Amazon original film so it is exclusively available on Amazon's Prime Video streaming service. The movie premieres on Friday, August 21 at 12:01 a.m. ET, after which you'll be able to watch it at your convenience as many times as you'd like....

Your Chromebook is a productivity machine, and to keep productive, sometimes you need more than just the laptop itself. These accessories will help you maximize the experience and get the most out of your Chromebook, through work and play!All-color carryMOSISO Laptop Sleeve with Accessory CaseStaff pickMost laptop sleeves are available in 13-15 inch sizes, but MOSISO has us Chromebook users covered — literally! — with the option for 11.6-12.3-inch sleeves for these sleeve combos! Having the accessory case separate makes it easier to pack both in your bag.From $10 at AmazonMOAR storage!Samsung EVO SelectYou get a lot of bang for your buck with the EVO Select, which comes in sizes from 32GB all the way up to 512GB. If your Chromebook doesn't have enough space, or you want to store everything you own, this microSD card has you covered.From $8 at AmazonBluetooth or WirelessLogitech Pebble M350This mouse has a nice slim shape that makes it easy to slip in...

Reading between the redacted lines.Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has been announced. This is the latest that a Call of Duty game has ever been revealed and there's still a lot we don't know. An official reveal is coming on August 26 which will shed more light but in the meantime, here's everything we know about Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.Jump toWhat is Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War?What's the gameplay and features like?Does it have Zombies?Does it support cross-platform play?Is it going to support Warzone?Does it have PS5 support?What's the release date?What is *Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War?Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is 2020's entry in the annual Call of Duty franchise. It's being developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, making this the first game to skip the "three year cycle" Call of Duty had been on since Call of Duty: Ghosts.As the name implies, the story is set during the Cold War, the height of tension between the U.S. and the USSR...

The feature is currently only available for Android.Update, August 20 (04:10 pm ET): You can now save these transcripts for later useWhat you need to knowReal-time transcription is now available for Google Translate.The feature lets you convert long-form audio content into translate text in another language on the fly.It does require an active internet connection to function, however.Having shown off the feature all the way back in January, Google is finally rolling out real-time transcriptions to Google Translate. What this means is that you can take audio in one language and have the app translate it to text in another language on the fly — and without any delays.The app's voice input option already allowed you to speak into the phone and have the speech be translated. However, as a Google spokesperson points out to The Verge, the app previously only worked for shorter content and was not "well suited to listen to a longer translated discussion at a conference, a cl...

The best thin cases for the Galaxy S20 allow you to protect your new phone without compromising its protection. Samsung engineers its flagships to be as thin as possible, so why undo all that hard work with some monstrous tank of a case? These are thin cases that can add grip and light protection to your beautiful new Galaxy, whether you prefer thinner hard plastics or more adaptive and flexible silicone models.Best in the bizTotallee ThinStaff pick$30 at AmazonTotallee is one of the biggest names in ultra-thin cases, and it's the most liked thin case around. While it's pricey, it's darn good at doing what a thin case should, which is adding grip and scratch protection without any bulk at all.Grippy diamondsSpigen Liquid Air$12 at Amazon Yes, this case is a little thicker to accommodate the deeper texture across the back, but it's absolutely worth it for a grippy case with air-cushioned corners. We just wish it came in different colors, but black goes with e...

Every legendary cosmetic available (so far) in Fall Guys: Ultimate KnockoutFall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is the latest battle royale to take the internet by storm, and for good reason. Since it's release on August 4th, 2020, this bizarre competition has delighted and frustrated gamers, thanks to its colorful visuals, wacky gameplay, and goofy physics.Falling over myselfFall Guys: Ultimate Knockout$20 on Playstation$20 on PCSo much fun.Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is a Takeshi's Castle-inspired battle royale that is incredibly fun thanks to its simple and addictive gameplay. Currently available on the PC and PS4, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is sure to keep the attention of both casual and hardcore players alike.But the real stars of the show are the highly customizable jellybean-like blobs you pilot through each stage of the competition, cause who doesn't love crashing through a wall dressed as a dinosaur? Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout allows you to customize the c...

YouTube Music's desktop app starts catching up to the mobile experience.What you need to knowGoogle has started rolling out lyrics support to YouTube Music's desktop app.It's a server-side switch, so not all users have access to it yet.Google introduced lyrics to the mobile app just a few months ago.Google is rolling out an update to YouTube Music on the desktop that adds lyrics support. It's not for everyone just yet, but some users on the r/YouTubeMusic subreddit have reported access to it (via Android Police).Just like on mobile, users will have multiple tabs on the now playing screen and be able to navigate between the queue and lyrics view. Like we said above, it's a server-side switch, so there's nothing you can do to trigger the update on your end.Google rolled out lyrics support on YouTube Music months ago alongside a small redesign to the mobile app. It has since then started the process of killing off Google Play Music for YouTube Music. The new service is s...

Too often the photos we take on our smartphones are quickly forgotten, or worse — deleted. The Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 Instant Camera lets you take photos and immediately prints them out for you to keep as a momento or give away as a gift. Share your favorites with family and friends, add one to your wallet, or slide one between your phone and a transparent case so you can see it anytime you flip your device around.Now, thanks to a sale at Amazon, you can grab the Instax Square SQ6 on sale for as low as $89. While you'll find the camera at its lowest price in the Aqua Blue colorway, more colors of this instant camera are discounted and priced just a few dollars higher. While the camera normally sells for up to $130, it's lately found around $100 on average.Instax has a range of Instant Cameras, but the Instax Square SQ6 marks the first Analog instant camera of the Instant Square models. While some instant cameras have rectangular film, the Instax Square produces square 1:1 p...

The Fastest VelopLinksys Velop MX10$600 at Best BuyPros5,282Mbps combined wireless speedEight total Ethernet portsWorks with older Velop nodesWPA3 supportLess expensiveConsNot as fast as AlienThe Linksys Velop MX10 comes with a base and a node that can provide more than enough coverage for even large homes with plenty of speed for the vast majority of people thanks to a fast Wi-Fi 6 backhaul. If you are looking to make the most of your gigabit internet connection, the Velop MX10 should be able to keep up even if you're connected to the node.No CompromisesUbiquiti AmpliFi Alien$699 at AmpliFiPros7685Mbps combined wireless speedFive total Ethernet portsWPA3 supportIntegrated touch screenAmpliFi Teleport is includedConsOnly one Ethernet on the nodeMore expensiveUbiquiti doesn't hold anything back with the AmpliFi Alien. With a sleek matte black housing and color display on the front, this is easily one of the best looking wireless...

The classic quirky Google colors take the spotlight off Clearly White.What you need to knowThe Pixel Buds are now being sold in additional colors in the U.S.Buyers can now grab them in Almost Black, Oh So Orange, and Quite Mint.The Buds were previously sold in Clearly White, though Google had promised that the new colors would be coming by summer.As promised, Google has now released the Pixel Buds in additional colors in the U.S. Aside from Clearly White which was available from launch, buyers can now choose between Almost Black, Oh So Orange, and Quite Mint.The Pixel Buds looked nice already, but buyers of recent Pixel phones will appreciate being able to get a model that matches the colorway of their model (or its power-button in the case of the Pixel 4a).Reviewing the Pixel Buds, Android Central praised the earbuds alongside some critique, noting: [With] the earbuds themselves, Google did a fine job as well. They're small, unassuming, and pretty comfortable, have...

The Illithid are back and they are ready to conquer all of the Forgotten Realms.When you think of truly iconic Dungeons and Dragons videogames, the first name that will always come to mind is Baldur's Gate. There are others — Neverwinter Nights comes to mind — but none of them hold the hallowed place in people's hearts like the Baldur's Gate series.It's taken a long time, but Wizards of the Coast, the owners of D&D, have finally agreed to allow a company to get its hands on the rights to the franchise. Larian Studios — the creators of the hugely popular Divinity: Original Sin series — has been given the reigns, and asked to create a true successor to the RPG we all know and love.Jump to:What is Baldur's Gate 3?Check out the story, gameplay and featuresWhat races are available?What classes can we choose from?Is this a direct sequel?What edition is Baldur's Gate 3?Will it be on PS4?Will it have multiplayer?Early access informationWhen's the release date?...

Mobvoi's new TicWatch aims for the budget market.What you need to knowMobvoi today announced the TicWatch GTXIt's a basic affair aimed at the lower-end of the marketThe GTX will set you back $59.99, though Mobvoi offers a 10% discount for those who pre-order.Mobvoi has announced the new TicWatch GTX, a smartwatch for the people who don't want to spend too much money on their smartwatches. Coming with a durable 20mm thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) band with only a black color-choice, it's certainly going to be distinct from more expensive TicWatch smartwatches.Inside, it'll do everything you want, including apps for health and heart monitoring and sleep and step tracking. You'll be able to track your activities like yoga, swimming, cycling etc. Obviously, as it's a watch, there are stopwatch and timer functionalities built-in too. A 10-day battery life will minimize charging, and integration with iOS and Android via the Mobvoi app will give you the ability to download and...

An explanation. Kind of.What you need to know505 Games recently revealed that only the upcoming Control Ultimate Edition would get a free next-gen upgrade.There is no upgrade path for the standard edition of Control.505 Games has tried to further explain this decision.Recently, 505 Games and Remedy Entertainment announced Control Ultimate Edition, a version of the game that included all the DLC and a free upgrade to the PS5 or Xbox Series X versions. Unfortunately, this upgrade does not apply for anyone who has already bought the standard edition of the game, even if they've also purchased the expansion pass.Given the prevelance of free upgrades for so many other titles, some fans voiced their complaints about this approach on social media. 505 Games has responded with a blog post purporting to explain why this approach was taken. We spent several months exploring all of our launch options for Control Ultimate Edition and no decision was taken lightly. While it is cha...

Sony WH-1000XM4New kid$350 at AmazonProsIndustry-leading noise cancellationBuilt-in sensor for wearing detectionConnect two devices at the same timeAdaptive Sound Control enhances listening experienceConsHeavier designTouchpad controls are still oddThe Sony WH-1000XM4 provides the best Active Noise Cancellation on the market, and have been improved in all the right areas. Despite the heavier design and the sometimes-wonky touchpad gesture controls, these are the best in the business.Bose QC35 IIOld head$279 at AmazonProsCustomizable Noise CancellationGoogle Assistant and Amazon Alexa built-inUp to 20 hours of battery lifeLess expensiveConsCan only connect one device at a timeMicroUSB ChargingWhile these are three years old now, the Bose QC35 IIs still offer a great value with pretty good noise cancellation and built-in smart assistants. But you'll miss out on multi-device connections and have to dig out that old MicroUSB cable f...

With robust hardware and the ability to hold 80TB of data, the DS1520+ lets you run your own private cloud.What you need to knowThe DS1520+ is now official for $699, with the NAS offering five drive bays and four Gigabit Ethernet ports.It is powered by the Intel Celeron J4125 chipset and has 8GB of RAM installed out of the box. Synology's DiskStation Manager is highly extensible and lets you run Docker containers. Synology has a lot of great NAS enclosures at all price points, and its latest offering is aimed squarely at power users. The DS1520+ is now official for $699, and it has a lot of enticing features on offer.First up, the NAS has five drive bays that can hold a total of 80TB of storage — with each bay accommodating up to 16TB drives. The NAS is powered by a 64-bit quad-core Intel Celeron J4125 chipset — the same as the DS720+ and DS920+ — and you get two M.2 slots for SSD caching. The DS1520+ has 8GB of RAM out of the box, with two 4GB DIMM modules installe...

Amazon's Echo Show line is easily the most versatile of its Echo devices. Rather than just being a smart speaker like the majority of Echo devices, the Echo Show also has a built-in screen that lets you view your photos, movies and shows from services like Prime Video and Hulu, weather forecasts, and more. Best of all, you just simply have to ask Alexa to find what you're looking for. Right now, you can score two of Amazon's best Echo Show devices for less than the regular price of one at Best Buy. The 2nd gen Amazon Echo Show is now $50 off there for a limited time, and you'll also score a free Echo Show 5 and Philips Hue Smart Bulb with the purchase! That's an added value of $105 for a total savings of more than $150. This bundle ships for free.Amazon's Echo Show devices are equipped with a smart display that can show you the weather, news reports, movie trailers, and more, or you can listen to radio stations, podcasts, audiobooks, and music streaming services like Apple Music or...

Learn more about the mini-games that make up Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout.Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout pits you against 59 other contestants in a massively multiplayer competition that's similar to game shows like Wipeout. Players must race, survive, and sometimes team up with their opponents to advance through the courses and score the coveted game-winning crown at the end. The current 25 mini-games are sorted into 4 different categories: Race, Survival, Team, and the Final.The earliest Olympic Games involved well-trained warriors competing in a variety of events. In Fall Guys, there's none of that. It's up to you to learn and adapt to the randomly picked courses that kick off every game. So to help you mentally and physically prepare for the obstacles at hand, we've compiled a list of all of the mini-games currently in rotation.Falling over myselfFall Guys: Ultimate Knockout$20 on Playstation$20 on PCSo much fun.Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is a wacky battle roya...

The staged rollout of the feature drop will begin starting today, August 20.What you need to knowGoogle just announced the first feature drop for its wireless earbuds.Users should start receiving the software update on their Pixel Buds beginning today.The update includes features like bass boost, better translation support for some languages, and improved Assistant integration."A genuine triumph," "worth the wait," and "my favorite wireless earbuds" are just some of the phrases the Android Central team has used to describe Google's truly wireless earbuds. And with their first feature drop, set to drop sometime today, Google plans on making the Pixel Buds even better.Sharing your Buds with a friend? Google's software will now automatically detect this and let each person individually control the volume settings on their earbud. It even works during calls, but Google's engineers were smart enough to remember to disable one of the microphones during calls to avoid all that c...

ExpressVPN Great customer support30-day money-back guaranteeFast, reliable speedsFrom $6.67/mo at ExpressVPNSingletown:When & WhereHow to watch from anywhereHow to watch in U.S.If you can't get enough of shows like Love Island and Love is Blind, the new series Singletown on HBO Max is a must-see. The show takes five long-term couples who have recently split and are considering seeing other people, putting them into one apartment building where they'll all live together, go out on new dates with new people, and then return back to their exes at the end of the day to discuss whether they should get back together or continue searching for new love instead.Singletown: When & whereThe first season of Singletown is now available to watch on HBO Max. That means you can stream all 15 episodes today or ...

VPN usage has skyrocketed in recent years, but that doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune for some added security and privacy. In fact, NordVPN's latest deal offers a huge 68% savings on its two-year subscription which drops the monthly equivalent cost to just $3.71. Billed upfront at $89, you're saving close to $200 on the two-year plan versus the regular month-to-month cost for that period of time making this one of the best VPN deals out there.VPNs have gone mainstream so you've probably heard a lot about them of late, and for good reason. They enable you to keep your private information private, feel safe in the knowledge that your device's security is intact, and get around geographical barriers that otherwise restrict online content.NordVPN offers a secure, fast, and anonymous browsing experience. It uses military-grade 256-bit AES encryption, DNS Leak Protection, and keeps no logs about user activity so you surf anonymously. NordVPN is also speedy and has an unlimited b...

Whether you want to reduce screen time for your family members or you just want to save some data, there are a lot of reasons to block a device on your router. Many modern routers will have this function built into the management software or even an app, but the level of control available can vary quite a bit. Here's how to do it yourself.Can you use an app to block devices on your router?The easiest way to manage your network is through an app. While not every router and manufacturer is in a position to maintain and update an app, most of the big names have something. Netgear has an app with a lot of great settings for both its Nighthawk and Orbi lines of routers. One of the best examples is eero, which has a clean and easy-to-use app that manages to pack in most of the features of its competitors.If you set up your network with an app, the best way to identify and block devices on your router will be through the app. Of course, this is going to be different with every manufac...

The profiles had been extracted through a process called web scraping, and stored without password protection.What you need to knowThe profiles of 235M TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube users have been exposed.A database without password protection was discovered containing all the information.It had been collected by a company called Deep Social and stored online without a password. A new report says that the user profiles of 235M TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube users were exposed in a data breach after the information was collected through web scraping.According to TNW: A databased containing scraped data of nearly 235 million social media users from Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube was exposed without any password protection. It contained user information such as names, contact info, images, and stats about followers. Web scraping is a technique of gathering data from web pages in an automated manner. While it's not illegal, social media companies prohibit this prac...

Driving around listening to the same 20 songs gets old pretty quickly. If you're ready to take true control of the radio in your vehicle, the Anker Roav Bluetooth Transmitter + Car Charger is an essential purchase. This 2-port USB-C car charger connects to your phone via Bluetooth and then transmits its sound to a radio frequency that you can tune into. Unlike other Bluetooth FM transmitters, this model offers a static-free listening experience — and right now it's even 25% off at Amazon. Clip the on-page coupon to snag one for your vehicle for just $22.49 while supplies last. That saves you nearly $8 off its usual price of $30 and marks the lowest price this model has ever reached.Anker's Roav Bluetooth Transmitter + Car Charger is equipped with a USB-C port with PowerIQ 3.0 technology as well as a USB-A charging port so you can power up two devices simultaneously. A button on the charger lets the device search and connect to unoccupied FM frequencies in your area so you can tun...

Fitness trackers can pick up underlying symptoms before they float to the fore of our consciousness.What you need to knowYour smartwatch may be an important health tool during the COVID-19 pandemic.A new survey by Fitbit suggests that wearers of the company's health trackers may be able to catch COVID-19 early. This is due to underlying changes in physiology that may not be immediately apparent to a casual observer but could be picked up by a health tracker.Your Fitbit may be able to tell you if you have COVID-19 up to one day before symptoms start to present themselves, a new study suggests.Writing on the Fitbit blog, Conor Heneghan, Director of Research, Algorithms at Fitbit, said: Based on the findings of our study, we can detect nearly 50 percent of COVID-19 cases one day before participants reported the onset of symptoms with 70 percent specificity. This is important because people can transmit the virus before they realize they have symptoms or when they h...

The Samsung T7 500GB USB-C portable solid state drive is currently down to $79.99 at Amazon in all three available colors (black, blue, and red). These drives were selling for $110 just a month or two ago, and they have never gone lower than $80. As it is, the 1TB version is $170 right now, which means you could buy two of the 500GB drives and save $10 thanks to this deal. You can also find this deal at other retailers like Best Buy.We reviewed the Samsung T7 just a couple days ago and gave it 4.5 stars out of 5 along with a Recommended badge. Richard Devine said, "The real benefit to the T7 is its size. Whether you go for the 500GB, 1TB, or 2TB model, it weighs only 58g and literally fits inside any pocket. It's beyond convenient to carry about, and it's also plenty tough enough if you're the kind of person who goes outdoors a lot."The T7 has read/write speeds up to 1,050 MB/s and 1,000 MB/s respectively. That's almost double the speeds of the previous generation T5 drive. It us...

It's easy to find affordable headphones/earbuds just about anywhere you look these days, with Mpow being one of the most prominent brands in this space. Whether you're looking for workout buds, true wireless ones, or anything in between, Mpow has you covered. The Mpow H12 IPO stand out as the best overall headphones you can get from the company, and whether you choose those or something else, you're in for a great audio experience.Best Overall: Mpow H12 IPOMpow's selection of headphones/earbuds is rather expansive, but among everything that the company has to offer, we think the Mpow H12 IPO are the best ones you can get. All of Mpow's products stand out for one reason or another, with the H12 IPO striking a near-perfect balance of features, specs, and value.It all starts with the listening experience, which is pretty darn great. The Mpow H12 IPO have 40mm drivers and Hi-Fi audio, allowing your music to shine with deep bass and crystal clear clarity. You even get active noise...

Surfshark hasn't been around that long, but it has quickly established itself as one of the best VPN services out there. As well as being an all-round great service, Surshark has been one of the most affordable VPNs available since it entered the market, though that's about to change with a price rise on the horizon.Not to worry, though. You have one final chance to score two years of Surfshark VPN for just $1.99 per month. Once the deal expires this time, it's not coming back so you don't want to wait on it. It's billed as $47.76 upfront, which equates to under $2 per month and is 83% less than the regular price for paying monthly over two years.It's wild how much of our lives are online in this day and age, and even wilder just how much personal data we share and how much we're tracked across the web. That's probably why VPNs, or virtual private networks, have gotten so popular in recent years as we strive to claw back a little bit of online privacy. Thankfully, you don't have ...

Need a nice affordable pair of headphones that can withstand the wear and tear of the gym? The Anker Soundcore Spirit X Bluetooth in-ear headphones are down to $17.99 with code W5SCHYRW58 at Newegg. Without the code, they are going for $26 and that's the same price you'll find them going for at other retailers like Amazon. Shipping is free.The Soundcore Spirit X are some of the best cheap wireless earbuds around, especially for use at the gym. They have Anker's SweatGuard technology, which is specially designed to resist sweat. They are IPX7 rated, too, to resist other sources of water like rain or getting splashed by the pool. You definitely don't have to worry about water with these earphones.Plus, the headphones have 10mm dynamic drivers, which means you'll get powerful sound to help drown out the noise of the gym or subway if you're heading to work. The headphones do have passive noise isolation, too, so you can actually get even more drawn into your music and not the world a...

Samsung's Galaxy Note series has become well known for churning out big phones with big screens, and the Galaxy Note 20 is no exception to that rule. Touting a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with slim bezels all around, the Note 20 has a great canvas for watching movies, playing games, taking notes, or whatever else you want to do. If you want to be sure it stays in tip-top shape for years to come, you need to pick up one of these screen protectors.It's all hereLK Film Screen Protector (2-Pack)Staff PickKicking off our list, we have some film screen protectors from LK — one of the most-trusted brands in the screen protector world. These protectors are fully compatible with the Note 20's in-screen fingerprint sensor, are easy to install, have self-healing tech for light scratches, and you get two at a great price. Not to mention, LK even includes two protectors for the rear camera bump!$15 at AmazonAwesome valueHATOSHI Film Screen Protector (3-Pack)If you're looki...

Even if you want to avoid bulking up your S20+, your phone deserves the best thin case you can get. "No matter your taste, your phone needs a case" is a bit of a motto for me, but for glass-backed phones like the Galaxy S20+, you really do need at least a thin case to add some grip and give that glass back a minimum of scratch protection. Whether you like your thin case hard or soft, clear, or colorful, there's an option for everyone.Almost invisibleTotallee Thin CaseStaff pickFrom $15 at AmazonIf you hate cases because they're bulky, Totallee has built its entire brand around people like you. These are the thinnest cases you can get; they are entirely free of branding or emblems and come in clear or black.Clearly thinRingke Air$8 at Amazon$8 at WalmartThis clear case is thin as can be and grippy as all get-out. Ringke may have built most of its reputation on more robust cases like the Fusion X, but it can do thin just as well as the hotshots when it applie...

Chatting with the AC forums.Smartphones are pretty amazing. Every year they get better displays, faster performance, more capable cameras, and so on. The advancements that companies make on an annual basis is pretty impressive when you step back and think about it, but regardless of all these improvements, there's always one area that tends to degrade with time — battery life.Batteries have gotten bigger and more efficient over the years, but the fact remains that their longevity naturally decreases the more you use them. Draining a battery and recharging it over and over takes a toll on its endurance, especially after you've owned a phone for over a year.Some owners of the Galaxy Note 10 recently started talking about how their batteries are doing now that it's been about a year since the handset was released, with the conversation going as follows: donebrasko 08-15-2020 10:24 PM “ Has anyo...

A Worthwhile UpgradeTP-Link Archer AX3000 / AX50$$150 at DellProsAX3000 speeds are a great upgrade for manyWi-Fi 6 compatibleFour Ethernet portsHomeCare software included (AX50)USB 3.0 portConsOnly dual-band Wi-FiThe TP-Link Archer AX50 (also known as the AX3000 at Walmart) is the sweet spot for most families looking to add more speed and capacity to their home network. With a wide and fast 5GHz band capable of up to 2,402Mbps, Wi-Fi 6 capacity improvements over previous generations, and great parental controls, this is a great router to get the whole family online.Entry-level Wi-Fi 6TP-Link Archer AX1800 / AX20$99 at WalmartProsAX1800 speeds are adequate for manyWi-Fi 6 compatibleFour Ethernet portsUSB 2.0 portConsVery basic parental controlsNo QoS by applicationNot as fast as AX3000 / AX50The TP-Link AX1800 will likely be faster than the router you already have if you haven't upgraded in a while but it's less capable 5GHz ban...

Big Brother returns in its 20th year on the air for a special All-Stars season that's bringing back some of the show's best houseguests ever. While most seasons of the show feature a cast of new players all vying to win half a million dollars, the All-Star format sees fan-favorite cast members from previous seasons return to the show for another try at winning the grand prize.This season has differed from most in more than just the All-Stars aspect. This time around, the cast had to be quarantined for two weeks before the show and undergo testing for coronavirus to ensure they were all virus-free before entering the house. At least one cast member was cut due to a positive test result, and on premiere night, the guests entered the Big Brother house while wearing face masks. The crew behind-the-scenes have been tested and quarantined as well.Though the cast wasn't revealed until premiere night, we now know the All-Stars houseguests include Janelle Pierzina, Da'Vonne Rogers, Ian Terr...

Edifier actually has two discounts working in conjunction on this one. Not only are the Edifier R1850DB Bluetooth bookshelf speakers on sale for $150 but using code EDIFIER during checkout takes another $15 off the price. That's two discounts you can't find anywhere else because these speakers are still going for their regular price of $200 in places like Best Buy. Today's price is the lowest we've seen. The next best price was a drop to $140, but that was more than a year ago.Edifier makes some amazing speakers. If you're looking for an audio upgrade for your computer or home media, save $65 today and you'll hear the quality difference. The speakers have Bluetooth 4.0 tech so you can stream from all your favorite mobile devices, and the wireless remote lets you pick the input selection, adjust volume, and more.The speakers are "designed with purpose" as Edifier puts it. The enclosure is made with medium-density fiberboard, which helps minimize the acoustic resonance. The base is...

There are a few essential items everyone should keep in their vehicle, and a powerful car charger is at the top of the list. Luckily, the RAVPower 48W USB-C car charger is on sale today for only $14.99 if you're in need of one. You'll just need to clip the coupon on its product page before adding it to your cart to score this low price. That saves you $5 off its usual cost of $20.RAVPower's 48W USB-C car charger is equipped with two USB ports, including one 30W USB-C port featuring Power Delivery 3.0 and one 18W USB-A port that supports Quick Charge 3.0. They can be used at the same time to pump out 48W of power simultaneously, and thanks to built-in safety protections such as advanced temperature controls, overload protection, and short-circuit protection, you can rest assured your devices will charge properly every time they're plugged in.With that amount of power, you can easily charge up a phone as well as a larger device like a tablet, Nintendo Switch, or even a laptop. This...

ZTE has yet to reveal how much the phone will cost.What you need to knowZTE President Ni Fei has shared a render of the company's upcoming Axon 20 5G.The Axon 20 5G will be the world's first phone to feature an under-display selfie camera.It is set to be unveiled in China on September 1. ZTE announced earlier this week that it will take the wraps off the world's first smartphone with an under-display camera next month. ZTE's President Ni Fei has now shared a render of the upcoming phone, giving us a clear look at its design (via Tweakers).Since the Axon 20 5G will not have a hole-punch cutout or notch in the display, the phone's 32MP selfie camera isn't visible, at least in the render above. What is pretty clear, however, is that the phone will offer a truly immersive viewing experience with its true 'full-screen' design. Around the back of the phone, we can see a quad-camera array, along with an LED flash. As revealed by the phone's TENAA listing recently, it will come e...

Now that we're past halfway in 2020, you should really consider picking up a smart robot vacuum. They've been around for a few years at this point and while they have been pretty expensive in the past, there are a bunch of affordable options out there now that are pretty fantastic. One such option is the Eufy RoboVac 30C Max.This model regularly sells for around $300 at Amazon, but today only you can pick one up for just $209.99. This is one of its best direct price drops to date, though it won't stick around for long.Though there are tons of robot vaccums to choose from these days, this particular model features the strongest suction of any model Eufy has released yet. It operates quietly and the slim design won't take up much space. You can control the vacuum with a free app on your smartphone or by using it in conjunction with a smart home helper like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Use the app or your voice to schedule routines, start a cleaning spree, find your robot pal, ...

The former PC gaming smash-hit comes to mobile.What you need to knowCompany of Heroes is coming to iPhone and Android.It will be released on September 10.The award-winning title was originally released for PC back in 2006. Feral Interactive has today announced that PC gaming smash-hit Company of Heroes is making its way to iPhone and Android next month.In a press release today, Feral Interactive stated: Building on its lauded debut on iPad earlier this year, Feral Interactive has today announced that the groundbreaking World War II real-time strategy game Company of Heroes will be released on September 10th for iPhone and Android. Company of Heroes offers players an epic WWII campaign, with gameplay comprised of intense squad-based battles that progress from the D-Day landings through to the liberation of Normandy. Designed for phones, this version of the game allows mobile gamers to direct all the action from a user interface highly tailored to touch controls....

Amazon's annual Prime Day 2020 event is rumored to be taking place in October following some COVID-related delays. Normally, Prime Day takes place mid-July each year, and this will be the first time since the event started a few years ago that it is being delayed. Consumers have been affected by an economic slowdown and Amazon has suffered from product supply issues along with delays for fulfillment, making the delay a smart move.If Amazon does indeed have Prime Day 2020 during October, that will likely be the unofficial kickoff for the whole 2020 holiday shopping season. It's likely we will see Amazon go hard with the deals in an effort to gobble up some of the early shopping shares, and will carry the momentum through the month and into November ahead of Black Friday.Let's dive into some of the things that we do know while we await Amazon's official announcement about Prime Day 2020.When is Amazon Prime Day 2020?Amazon has gone on the record saying that Prime Day 2020 will ...

The best monitor light bars can brighten up the monitor in your workspace for easier reading without having to boost the brightness of the screen itself, which can be taxing on your eyes. They usually don't take up much, or any, additional space on your desk and don't cost a lot either. We've done the research to identify and rank the best monitor light bars for your home office or workspace.Best for customizationLOFTER Screen Bar LightStaff pickWith three lighting modes including warm, cool, and natural, and 10 brightness levels via a total of 84 LEDs, the slim and sleek design of this light keeps crucial desk space free. There's no glare or shadows thanks to the convenient angle, and it's easy to set up, plugging in via USB.$40 at AmazonAdjustable anglesBaseus Screen Light BarThe gravity rotating shaft fixing device makes it easy to adjust the angle of this light to your liking. It fits just about any monitor, from those as thick as 1.5 inches to as slim as 0.2 ...

Huawei's high-end tablet is yet another tale of exceptional hardware marred by software troubles.The Android tablet space has rarely set the world alight. While there are some great Android tablets on the market, much of the segment is now focused on cheaper iPad alternatives, as opposed to products that compete at the high end. The Huawei MatePad Pro is an exception. It's an iPad Pro lookalike running Huawei's custom silicon, and built around the new ecosystem the company is trying to foster in its post-Google era. (As such, it's a far cry from many of the Samsung Android Tablets that occupy the upper mid-range.)But just as Huawei's smartphones have run into some teething issues with app support, there are also some significant challenges facing the MatePad Pro. Even with its magnificent hardware, quick performance and helpful multitasking features, how useful this tablet will be to you largely depends on how comfortable you feel living outside of the Google ecosystem.In anoth...

Google Docs, Google Meet, and Google Voice are having issues as well.Update, August 20 (6:10 am ET): Gmail service has now been restored for some users.What you need to knowA large number of users are reporting issues connecting to G Suite services, including Gmail and Google Drive.Data from DownDetector shows the problem is affecting users in India, Australia, Japan, the United States, and a few other countries. Google is currently investigating the issue expects to resolve it soon.Thousands of users across the world are reporting issues with Gmail, Google Drive, and a few other G Suite services. As confirmed by the Google apps status page, services affected by the outage include Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Meet, and Google Voice. The issues started around 12 PM ET and haven't been resolved yet. A similar outage happened in March this year, when Gmail, Drive, YouTube, and other Google services went down for a few hours in some countries.While most users s...

The feature is rolling out to both iOS and Android.What you need to knowGoogle is adding captions to Duo.The feature is now rolling out to both iOS and Android.Google is also rumored to be planning on replacing Duo with Meet in the long term.If you're being forced to take conference calls while your kid (or dog) screaming in the background — and really, which of us isn't in that situation these days? — Google has some good news for you: Google Duo is getting built-in caption support.In a noisy place? No problem. Captions are now available on Google Duo, so you won't miss a word of your video and voice messages. https://t.co/jqEvy9Vyn7 pic.twitter.com/gq5Z2ntn5P— Made by Google (@madebygoogle) August 19, 2020Note that this is different from Live Caption. While that feature has steadily expanded in availability from its Pixel-exclusive launch last year and is now on some OnePlus and Samsung devices (and soon, even the desktop!), it's still a distant dream for the ...

The two phones will only be released in 9 countries.What you need to knowLeaker Jon Prosser has revealed that the Pixel 5 5G and Pixel 4a 5G will be unveiled on September 30.While the Pixel 5 is tipped to be available in Black and Green colors, the Pixel 4a 5G will only be available in Black initially. Google will apparently release a White color variant of the Pixel 4a 5G in October.Google revealed earlier this month that it will be launching two new 5G phones later this year, the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 5G. While the company did not confirm a specific launch date for the two phones, a slip-up by Google France revealed the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G will be up for pre-order in the country from October 8. According to a new tweet by leaker Jon Prosser, however, both phones are set to be launched on September 30.What we see in the system isPixel 5 5G (black and green)Pixel 4a 5G (black) - September 30Pixel 4a 5G (white)- October— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) August 19, 2020...

This is how the Android ecosystem moves forward.During the Galaxy Note 20 launch event, Samsung made a big announcement: it committed to delivering three OS updates to its phones starting with the Galaxy S10 series, matching the Pixels for software updates.I wrote earlier this year that two years of updates are no longer enough, particularly with flagships costing well over $1,000. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra starts at $1,300, and when you're paying that kind of money for a phone, you'd want the device to get the latest OS updates for at least three years. Samsung committing to three updates for its mid-range phones is monumental.Thankfully, that is the case now. Samsung will roll out three Android version updates to Galaxy S, Galaxy Note, and Galaxy Z as well as its foldables, but the bigger story here is that the same commitment is being extended to a few mid-range phones in the Galaxy A series. Samsung shared the full list of phones that will get three OS updates, and it i...

Tiger Woods' hunt for a record third FedEx Cup championship begins this week at the TPC Boston. Read on for full details on how to get a live stream of the Northern Trust: PGA Tour with our guide below. Woods joins a packed field in Boston that's set to include Bryson DeChambeau, Rory McIlroy, and defending champion Patrick Reed.There's plenty at stake at the Northern Trust, with the top 70 qualifying for the Cup's second event, the BMW Championship in Chicago, with only the top 30 after that advancing to the Tour Championship in Atlanta, which was won last year by Rory McIlroy.Woods is ranked No. 49 on the FedExCup points leaderboard going into this weekend's action - should he make it through the playoffs, it will mark the first time this year that the former world no.1 has played three straight weeks.Topping the table is Justin Thomas, who has three wins this season and four top-10 finishes in his last seven starts.The American holds a comfortable lead in the standings wit...

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is Samsung's most interesting phone this year.What you need to knowSamsung is preparing to launch the Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G, the sequel to last year's attention-grabbing Fold.A video on TikTok shows a live model of the upcoming foldable. The Fold 2 is going to be revealed in detail sometime in September.Samsung is preparing the Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G for launch later this year. It's already been announced, but the company will officially show it off later in September. A new video on TikTok (via Android Police) has just shown us a glimpse of the upcoming foldable from all angles.The short 15-second clip shows off the display (folded and open), the much-improved cover-display, the software, and some of the apps like the camera and dialer.Samsung will officially reveal more about the Galaxy Z Fold 2 in September, so we don't have much to wait to find out how the phone will look and feel physically. Specs-wise, we already know a lot more. It'll be powered by t...

The best cases for the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra needs to balance protection and profile, style and substance, and do it all without breaking the bank. The Note 20 Ultra is one of the most cutting-edge phones on the market, but it's also one of the largest and heaviest phones in 2020 as well. Combine that with the luxury price tag that Samsung demands, and you have a recipe for disaster if you dare to take your new phone out into the world naked. Skip the public smartphone indecency and get yourself a great case.Slim and sublimeRingke Air-SStaff pickIf you don't want to bulk up your Note 20 Ultra but need to add some grip, the Air-S is a minimalist case that will give your fingers more purchase than expected while also guarding against scratches.$11 at Amazon$9 at WalmartSustatinable styleSamsung Kvadrat CoverThe Kvadrat Cover we loved on the S20+ is back for the Note 20 and it looks even more vibrant and lovely than ever. It's made of sustainable materials and feels ...