Latest from Android Central

The Chinese government is considering both restrictions on, and investigations against, U.S. companies operating in China.What you need to knowChina is mulling over retaliatory measures against the U.S., following its move to cut off Huawei's access to crucial semiconductor suppliers.Reports suggest it's considering launching investigations against U.S. companies.Apple, Boeing, Cisco, and Qualcomm have all been named as potential targets.The trade war between the U.S. and China may be slated to become far more damaging soon. Following the announcement of new rules by the Trump administration that effectively prevent non-U.S. chipmakers — like Taiwan-based TSMC — from supplying Huawei, China is considering retaliatory measures against U.S. companies in response.The Global Times reports that the Chinese government is considering a range of legal measures targeting U.S. companies, including launching investigations into them or otherwise restricting their ability to oper...

Memorial Day is only a week away, which means it's time to keep your eyes peeled for all the great deals and discounts that are heading our way over the next few days. This year, Nanoleaf is one of the first to get its sales started. Now through May 31, you can save 10% on select Nanoleaf smart lighting kits at Best Buy and you'll even score free shipping with the purchase.Nanoleaf's kits come with a number of LED panels that you can arrange however you see fit. Maybe you want them in the shape of a letter, a heart, or a random pattern — it's up to you. Expansion kits are on sale this month as well, so while the starter kit may not have as many panels as you need to fully realize your design, you can add on more panels whenever you choose. Plus, they can not only be mounted to your wall but to your ceiling too for some insane design possibilities.Once your panels are installed, you'll be able to control them using an app on your phone, with your voice, or even using hand gestur...

What's better than finding a game you love, finding a game you love and only having to pay for it once to play it on two devices. Many popular games support cross-buy between the Oculus Quest and Oculus Rift. If you buy any of the games in this collection for one platform, you'll get them on the other without having to spend another penny.Shoot to the musicPistol WhipStaff pickThis rhythmic shooter brings the action to you. You shoot, dodge, dance, and defeat enemies to the rhythm of the music to feel like you're in an action movie.$25 Oculus StoreSeeeeet hut!2MD: VR Football UnleashedYou can immerse yourself in VR football with this game. You throw the ball with your Touch Controller, draw plays to run, and play against AI on the gridiron.$15 at Oculus"Accounting"Accounting+This comedic game is just about everything other than accounting in an office. It takes you to a series of virtual worlds where you go on a humorous adventure.$12 at Ocul...

Just because you're not some hotshot Wall Street dude doesn't mean you can't already rake in tons of revenue from trading in the U.S. market. Just take it from the recently viral Redditor who turned a small investment into a million-dollar gain overnight, as well as Travis Rose, a self-taught trader and investor who put together a set of courses to help aspiring traders find success in the stock market just like him.If that happens to be you, you can learn everything there is to know about trading in the Wall Street Survival & Stock Trading Guide Bundle currently on sale.This bundle features 13 hours of premium instruction, spread across eight courses that are easy to follow and understand. You begin by learning how the stock market works and setting up your very own investing account. Once you've got all the basics down, you'll move on to more advanced concepts that can help you become a successful trader.You'll learn how to create a trading plan to minimize your risks, pr...

If you want to go all-in with smart home gadgets, smart locks are absolutely worth investing in. Not only do they keep your home safe and secure, but they can be also be controlled remotely and allow you to give other family members or friends access to them easily. Here are the best ones that can be controlled using Google Assistant!Google Assistant's best friendNest x Yale Smart LockStaff pickThis smart lock can be controlled from anywhere through Google Assistant, and ties in beautifully with other Nest products with automated features like disabling your Nest Secure alarm when you come home. It can unlock automatically with your phone and has a backup number pad.$280 at Best BuyBudget choiceAugust Smart Lock (3rd Gen)August's third-generation smart lock is a real treat. It unlocks automatically with your phone and has a deadbolt thumb turn on the front so you can still use it manually from inside. Just keep in mind you'll also need to pick up the August Connec...

Larger or smaller or maybe even both.What you need to knowAssassin's Creed Valhalla is the next major entry in the Assassin's Creed series.According to producer Julien Laferrière, the map for Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a bit larger than in Assassin's Creed Odyseey.Assassin's Creed Valhalla is set to release in Holiday 2020.Assassin's Creed Valhalla is the next big RPG from Ubisoft in the long-running Assassin's Creed franchise. Exactly how big is it though? That's a bit confusing. According to Julien Laferrière, producer on Assassin's Creed Valhalla, it's bigger than Assassin's Creed Odyssey. I would actually say in terms of range it is probably a bit larger than Assassins Creed Odyssey. I do not have the exact figures at this stage, but we have not only created the whole country, which is in this case England, but also to a good part of Norway too. There are other secret worlds, which I can not speak about today, which contributed to the size of the game. It's not ...

Google seems set to drop a failed idea.What you need to knowGoogle's Pixel 5 may ditch the Soli radar chip.Project Soli powered the Motion Sense feature of the Pixel 4 and 4 XL.It also drained battery and added little benefit to the phone's experience as a whole.With the Pixel 4, Google brought a new feature -- Motion Sense -- to the Pixel line. Powered by the innovative Project Soli, Motion Sense added a layer of mystique to the Pixel 4. You'd be able to control your phone from a distance. It's a fancy feature undercut by the inconvenient fact that a smartphone is 99% of the time located in your hand, but you have to give Google points for trying. With the Pixel 5, Google seems set to drop that feature, according to the folks over at 9to5Google (via The Next Web.)In yesterday's show, we also touched on some things we're hearing about Pixel 5 from sources — specifically that it will likely leave behind hobbies like Soli— Stephen Hall (@hallstephenj) May 15, 2020A...

Reports of outages started this afternoon.What you need to knowReddit is down for some users in North America and Europe.Outages started this afternoon, around 1 PM Eastern.Users may experience problems loading the site or app.Having problems with Reddit? You're not alone. Reports of an outage spiked on DownDetector earlier today. As per the site, users have been experiencing issues roughly around 1PM Eastern Time in Western Europe and North America.It's not clear what the specific issue is, but we've seen (and experienced) issues with loading content on the app and site. Reddit support has yet to issue any comment, but we'll update this article when we have more information.Best Reddit apps for Android...

Maybe now you'll avoid jumping into your TV.What you need to knowOculus Software version 17 for Quest brings automatic Playspace Scanning to detects objects that get in the way of your VR experience.Your Guardian playspace will warn you of objects by switching to a mixed-reality mode and highlighting the object in red.The guardian boundary color can now also be customized with a blue, purple, or yellow color.The Oculus Quest is an amazing headset, and one of the reasons it's so great is that it can recognize your play space and help you stay within a safe boundary. But, until now, the Quest could only tell you when you approach the edge of that boundary. Countless numbers of people have likely tripped over furniture, people, or an errant object that got in their playspace, and the new update to the Oculus Quest boundary system can now recognize those obstacles and help players clear them out before disaster occurs.Once you've mapped your playspace out, Oculus Guardian wil...

The global pandemic has forced developers to adapt their work pipelines and finish games from home. This has led to multiple delays.This year began with a slew of high-profile game delays, most notably Cyberpunk 2077 and the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, but then COVID-19 struck and and threw the games industry through a loop. We've compiled a list of every game that's been delayed into 2020 and beyond. Some of these games have been delayed indefinitely while others have release windows or a final release date.We'll continually update this list as more games are delayed.Marvel's AvengersCyberpunk 2077Death StrandingDying Light 2Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles RemasteredGhost of TsushimaGods & MonstersIron Man VRThe Last of Us Part IIMinecraft DungeonsRainbow Six QuarantineSkull & BonesStar Wars Episode I: RacerVampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2Wasteland 3Watch Dogs: LegionGames delayed in 2020Marvel's AvengersMarvel's Avengers was supposed to...

Hand tracking is now generally available for the Oculus Quest, and games can use it later this month.What you need to knowOculus Quest hand tracking is now generally available.Hand tracking has been an experimental feature for a year.Third-party games can include hand tracking starting on May 28, 2020.Oculus announced a slew of updates and bits of information to celebrate the anniversary of the Oculus Quest and Oculus Rift S. One of the largest changes is that hand tracking is now generally available. The feature has been classified as an experimental feature for the last year but is now fully available on the Oculus Quest. Oculus will start accepting third-party titles that include hand tracking on May 28, 2020.Developers have now had a year to work with the hand tracking SDK, and Oculus has had long enough to improve the feature to roll it out to the public. Later this month, several apps and games will gain hand tracking support. Here's the list that Oculus shares in i...

If you've tried to order anything from Amazon in the past few months you've likely noticed that the online retail giant is struggling with delivery times and stock levels on various items. Several credible reports have indicated that Amazon's annual Prime Day event is going to be delayed from its usual mid-July timeframe to some point in August instead.As much as we would all love to get things back to normal as quickly as possible, that may just not be what's best right now. While it's not fun for Amazon to delay the event, and pushing it back has a number of risks involved with it, it's likely the best decision that Amazon could make right now.From employee safety to stock levels, and everything in between, Amazon Prime Day 2020 taking place in August is just a smarter overall decision than trying to rush things and make it happen in July. Let's break down when it could happen, why it should be delayed, and more.Amazon Prime Day 2020: When will it happen?If the new reports ...

Smartphones are more powerful today than they ever have been, with some devices offering a better gaming experience than even your desktop computer. On top of that, the mobile gaming platform has expanded so much that the library of games is incredible, so you'll want to use a controller to get the best experience. If you're not tied to a specific ecosystem, the best option for most people is the Razer Raiju Mobile, which works with both Windows and Android.Best Overall: Razer Raiju MobileFor those who want to get serious about mobile gaming, then you'll have to consider the Razer Raiju Mobile. Instead of a mount that clips onto your existing controller, this is an all-on-one system as Razer has created its own gaming controller.The controller itself has all of the necessary buttons you would expect, along with a few extras. On the top of the controller, there are two additional trigger buttons for added ergonomics, and under the left and right grip there are multi-function...

A slight change of plans.What you need to knowGamescom Opening Night Live is a digital show that will conclude Summer Game Fest.It's being produced by Geoff Keighley, host of the Game Awards.Gamescom Opening Night Live is being moved back slightly and will now begin on August 27.While Gamescom Opening Night Live was previously scheduled to begin on August 24, there's been a slight change of plans. Geoff Keighley, host of Gamescom Opening Night Live, shared today that the showcase was being moved back slightly. It'll now begin on August 27, 2020. Gamescom Opening Night Live is the finale to the Summer Game Fest, a series of events collected by Keighley into one large summer-long program.Quick update: @gamescom Opening Night Live will now take place live on August 27 and kick off 3 days of @gamescom 2020. We’re planning a spectacular show that will also be the grand finale of @summergamefest More at https://t.co/KRzKTQeHcs pic.twitter.com/3gVEvG1so7— Geoff Keighley (@ge...

Respawn is giving Apex Legends the attention it deserves to compete with the best battle royales out there.What you need to knowRespawn has opened up a new studio in Vancouver.This studio will focus entirely on Apex Legends, its popular battle royale title.The Vancouver-based location looking to expand to up to 80 employees.Respawn is expanding its reach by opening up a new studio in Vancouver, Canada to focus entirely on Apex Legends. This announcement was confirmed by Respawn COO Dusty Welch to GamesIndustry.biz and coincides with the studio's 10th anniversary.The team over at Respawn Vancouver, conveniently located near EA's Vancouver campus, will be led by Head of Operations Henry Lee and Team Director Steven Ferreira. Lee spoke about how excited he was for the move. When you look at Vancouver, it's one of our [EA's] biggest studio locations. And Vancouver is full of talented people in the games industry, so there was a natural fit with Steven coming on board with...

Are you ready to take to the skies and shoot down enemies?I've always wanted to know what it would be like to put my head inside of Iron Man's mask. Anytime I watched the movies, I fell in love with the way the screen looked from the inside of his helmet. All the scanners, notifications, stats, and information displayed on the screen using an augmented reality view has always sparked my interest.Now, it's going to be something none of us have to dream about anymore. Iron Man VR is coming sometime this year as a PlayStation VR exclusive and I'm already at the edge of my seat.Ryan Payton and his studio, Camouflaj, got permission from Jay Ong, the head of Marvel Games, to make an Iron Man game inside of a virtual reality (VR) headset. The team has been working diligently for a few years on this creation and the world is close to seeing it release to the public for play.Are you ready to join this super secret boy band as Iron Man? Well, get ready!Soaring highMarvel's Iron M...

Let's see if your favorite apps work with the Pixel 4.The Pixel 4 is an important phone for the Android landscape. The 90Hz display, dual rear cameras, and wireless charging are all perfectly cool, but the thing that really makes it stand out is Google's all-new face unlock system.We've seen other Android phones offer face unlock in the past, but the Pixel 4 is the first one that's secure enough to be useful beyond the lock screen — meaning you can use face unlock on the Pixel 4 to authorize purchases and log in to apps — such as mobile banking apps and password managers.If you pick up your Pixel 4 and realize that face unlock doesn't work with your favorite apps, however, you're not doing anything wrong. Developers need to support Google's BiometricPrompt API in order for it to work, and the adoption of it has been slow.Apps that currently work with the Pixel 4's face unlock1PasswordAlly MobileAmerican ExpressBank of AmericaBarclays USBettermentBMO Digital Banki...

Now your actual hands will appear in the game!What you need to knowThe Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets is now the first commercial game on the Oculus Store with hand-tracking support.You'll no longer need controllers to play the game on the Oculus Quest once the update launches later this month.Curious Tale is already one of the most accessible VR games on the market since it includes automatic height adjustment and content tailored for all ages.The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets was designed to be an immersive and accessible experience for all ages, and both of these factors are getting a big upgrade in the brand new hand-tracking update for the Oculus Quest. As the first commercial game to receive hand-tracking support, The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets boldly goes where no full-fledged VR game has gone just yet. Once the update goes live later this month, all you'll need is an Oculus Quest on your head and your hands to explore the vibrant worlds that Fast Travel Game...

Integrates with GoogleGoogle Pixel Buds (2020)$180 at Best BuyProsGood battery lifeWireless charging caseUSB-C wired chargingCompact charging caseIntegration with Google AssistantConsComfort could be betterLacks active noise cancelingThe Pixel Buds integrate with Google Assistant and Android really well. They also feature a compact wireless charging case, and superior sound compared to the Surface Earbuds.Integrates with MicrosoftMicrosoft Surface Earbuds$200 at Best BuyProsLong battery lifeUSB-C for wired chargingIntegration with Microsoft 365Can pair two devices at the same timeGood, bass boosted soundConsLacks wireless charging caseNo active noise canceling Sound not as great as Pixel BudsThe Surface Earbuds integrate super well with Microsoft's PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook apps. They also feature a built-in EQ and nearly double the battery life, compared to the Pixel Buds.Both the Pixel Buds (2020) and the Surface Earbuds ...

Mojang Studios' sales titan just keeps on going.What you need to knowMicrosoft shared the news today that Minecraft has crossed 200 million copies sold.Minecraft previously sold 122 million copies as of February 2017. Yesterday, Minecraft developer Mojang rebranded as Mojang Studios, with plans to expand.Minecraft Dungeons, a hack-and-slash RPG set in the aesthetic of Minecraft, is set to release on May 26.Minecraft has been an utter sales juggernaut, selling over 122 million copies back in February 2017. The blocks of cash keep on stacking though, as today Microsoft shared the news that Minecraft has sold over 200 million copies. This even further solidifies Minecraft's position as the best-selling game of all time, with only Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto V even being in the same league at over 120 million copies sold.Mojang was acquired by Microsoft in back in 2014. Yesterday, Mojang shared the news that it had rebranded as Mojang Studios, unifying the dual studios ...

The standard Galaxy Note 20 is expected to come with a 4,000mAh battery.What you need to knowSamsung's upcoming Galaxy Note 20 Plus may come with a smaller battery than the Galaxy S20 Ultra.While the Galaxy S20 Ultra packs a 5,000mAh battery, the Galaxy Note 20 Plus is tipped to feature a 4,500mAh battery.The Galaxy Note 20 Plus is also tipped to sport a 108MP camera, although there is no word yet on whether it will have a 100X "Space Zoom" periscope lens.Last week, a leak suggested that the Galaxy Note 20 Plus could be Samsung's first flagship phone to feature a variable refresh rate display and Qualcomm's second-gen 3D Sonic Max fingerprint sensor. Some more information about the upcoming Samsung flagship has now surfaced, courtesy of the folks at Galaxy Club.As per the new report, the Galaxy Note 20 Plus will have an identical 4,500mAh capacity battery as the Galaxy S20 Plus. If the information turns out to be accurate, the Galaxy Note 20 Plus will have a smaller batt...

If it's about time to switch to a new smartphone, you won't want to miss this latest offer at Verizon on the Samsung Galaxy S10 devices. Right now you can score $600 off the Samsung Galaxy S10 device of your choice when you buy another with monthly payments at regular price and add a line on an Unlimited plan. That means you could snag the Galaxy S10e completely free or score a major discount on one of the other models. Plus, if you're not currently a Verizon customer, this deal gets even better.The $600 discount will be applied to your monthly bill in increments; with the Galaxy S10e, that'd bring its monthly cost down to $0.New customers at Verizon can score a $150 Verizon e-Gift card for each device when switching to an Unlimited plan. You must port-in your old number as well. After purchasing the Galaxy S10e with monthly payments, visit Verizon's Digital Rebates Center and enter promo code SPRINGTIME along with the requested information to complete the offer. Your gift card s...

Nreal Light makes your virtual space a lot more personal.What you need to knowThe Nreal Light mixed-reality glasses development kit is now up for pre-order.Dev kits are $1200 and come with everything you need to create amazing mixed-reality experiences.Nreal Light plugs into your phone's USB-C port and can run any app from your phone, all in a personalized virtual space right in front of you.Nreal has been working hard to get their first consumer-ready mixed-reality glasses ready for a while now, and the time to get your hands on one is finally here. Nreal Light development kits have now gone up for pre-order at Nreal's developer site for $1200 apiece. That development kit, of course, includes everything developers will need to get started on making incredible mixed-reality experiences, including the Nreal Light Glasses, Nreal Light Computing Unit, controller, corrective lens frames, clip, three nose pads, a USB-C cable, charger, cleaning cloth, and a user guide.But there...

Joel and Ellie made it out alive, but did they escape danger?The original launch of The Last of Us was a refreshing departure for Naughty Dog. As much as we love Nathan Drake, seeing Uncharted's level of polish, deep storytelling, and rich character development in an entirely different world is richly satisfying.So naturally, we're expecting big things out of The Last of Us sequel. The Last of Us II is on its way for the PlayStation 4, and if you haven't kept up until now, then we're here to get you up to speed.What's the story so far?What's happening in Part II?Gameplay detailsWhen does it release?Ellie is backThe Last of Us Part II$60 at Best BuyReturning for one last adventureThe Last of Us Part II is the continuation of the 2013 hit. This time the story follows the path of hate, vengeance, retribution, and how they change a person. Please be careful to avoid spoilers, because this is sure to be one hell of a ride.What's the story so far? Spoilers for ...

Both of these robot vacuums include a camera as well as advanced object detection capabilities. We've compared them against each other to determine which is the better of the two.Ecovacs Deebot OZMO T8 AIVIThe very best$800 at Best BuyProsCan view video feed from appUp to 180 minutes of runtimePowerful suctionIntuitive appCasing doesn't get very dirtyConsNo adjustable camera coverObject detection isn't perfectThe Deebot OZMO T8 AIVI is a smart device that learns to recognize items in your home. The camera and powerful suction allow the unit to avoid obstacles while truly cleaning your floors. It's also a great choice for pet homes as it sucks up plenty of fur, dust, and dry pet food along the way. You can even use the app to access the vacuum's camera and monitor your home.Roborock S6 MaxVAnother great optionSee at RoborockProsRemembers up to four mapsUp to 180 minutes of runtimePowerful suctionEasy to clean brushesIntuitive appLarger dust...

Smart displays powered by Google Assistant have been around for a little while now and we've collectively figured out their place in our smart homes. As the form factor has matured, we've also seen some pretty stellar deals on smart displays with one more cropping up at Verizon where the JBL Link View is down to just $99.99. Considering it sells for $300 at Best Buy and elsewhere, this is a deal that is worth snapping up while it is still available. Add it to your cart to see the savings.With a number of Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa-enabled smart displays out there, a third-party model has to offer something to differentiate itself from a crowded market that is dominated by the first-party options.JBL's smart display aims to do so with an 8-inch touchscreen, stereo front-facing speakers with JBL's excellent sound, and IPX4 splash resistance, so you don't have to worry about keeping it on your kitchen counters near the sink, and spill-able, splash-able ingredients. Like the L...

It's time for Chromebooks to be considered first-class computing citizens.While I've always loved tech gadgets in general and computers specifically, I've tended to prefer "lightweight" computing devices that don't bog me down with legacy software and cruft. That's why I've gravitated towards devices like iPads, smartphones, and yes, Chromebooks. In fact, I've had a soft spot in my heart for Chromebooks since I first learned about them way back in 2011-2012.I purchased my first Chromebook in 2013, and have bought several more in the years since. But at some point, I stopped using them, and I honestly don't remember why. During the intervening years, my now teenagers began using them at school and for entertainment purposes, and they love them. So this got me wondering, should I give Chromebooks another try?Ever since I joined Android Central last year, my primary work machine has been the family computer, a 2015 iMac that sits in our home office. However, with all of us now at ...

Best Buy has a 3-pack of the black Linksys Velop tri-band mesh networking Wi-Fi system on sale for $279.99 today. As part of the Deals of the Day, this is a very temporary price. The 2-pack version of this system sells for $300 at most retailers, including B&H. The white 3-pack is going for $330 at Best Buy, and that's considered a sale price since it's going for $400 elsewhere. In other words, the 3-pack black version of the system is the best value you're going to find anywhere today.The traditional Wi-Fi setup is a modem with a router, which distributes a wireless signal as far as it can go. This is a problem if you have your modem setup in a weird spot or you just have a large house. I'm not talking about mansions here. Even a simple townhome with three floors can be a problem for a normal router because it can't fill every floor with solid, strong Wi-Fi. For example, in my home my modem has to be plugged in a certain outlet that puts the router in a weird location. It's st...

Roborock has just introduced its latest vacuum, but this time around it's not a robotic vacuum that's meant to target just your floors. The new Roborock H6 is a powerful, cordless stick vacuum that can clean just about anywhere, and the company is offering an early-bird discount that sees the price drop from its $449 retail to just $399.The new Roborock H6 is a fully-equipped vacuum with all the different accessories you need to give your house a deep clean both high and low. It has a long wand that lets you easily use it on floors like a traditional vacuum or reach up to the ceiling, while a flexible hose simplifies cleaning the tops of shelves and cupboards.Thanks to its motorized brush heads, the Roborock H6 is also ready to dig deep into carpets and furniture, especially with the mini-brush. The vacuum's motor is capable of 150AW of suction power, so it can pull up messes with ease and even tug mites loose from furniture.Roborock H6$399 at AmazonRight now you can sc...

While it might not be the latest Fire tablet, the 7th-generation Fire 7 is available as low as $20 at Woot for a limited time. What's even better is that you can even bundle it with Amazon's first-party case for just $1 more. Getting a 7-inch tablet and case for just $21 total is a steal, especially when you consider that the new Fire 7 tablet goes for $50.Amazon's 2017 Fire 7 model is equipped with a 7-inch IPS display, a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor, and an 8GB or 16GB storage capacity. If that isn't enough storage, you can expand its capacity using a microSD card such as SanDisk's affordable 32GB option.The tablet is capable of lasting for up to eight hours on a single charge and still features Alexa (you just have to hold the home button to access it) so you can ask questions, tell it to play a song, check the weather and more. You'll also have access to Amazon's App Store where you can download apps like Netflix, Facebook, HBO, Hulu, and Spotify. For more info, check out our ...

Perfectly refinedSamsung Galaxy S20$1,000 at SamsungProsCompact size is easy to use in one hand120Hz AMOLED display is gorgeousExcellent battery lifeHas expandable storageWorks with all U.S. carriersConsIn-screen fingerprint sensor isn't the best5G is only sub-6The Galaxy S20 is one of the hottest Android flagships you can get right now, and rightfully so. It continues Samsung's legacy of offering a breathtaking display, great cameras, and speedy performance while delivering all of the upgrades you'd expect in 2020. We're especially fond of the 120Hz refresh rate, long battery life, and refreshingly compact size.Only for VerizonMotorola Edge+$1,000 at MotorolaPros90Hz waterfall displaySurprisingly easy to use one-handedHuge 5,000 mAh batteryMotorola's software is fantasticThere's a headphone jackConsExclusive to Verizon in the U.S.No official waterproof ratingIf you've been waiting and waiting for Motorola to get back in the f...

It could take up to a year for "Aeri" to become commercially available.What you need to knowWearable maker Huami has announced plans of making a reusable transparent mask with a self-cleaning feature.Users will have to connect the mask to a power supply through a USB port to disinfect the filter inside the mask. Called Aeri, the mask will be aimed at the mass consumer market and provide protection against viruses as well as air pollution. Huami, the maker of Xiaomi's popular Mi Bands and Amazfit smartwatches, has revealed that it is working on a reusable transparent plastic mask with a self-disinfecting feature. In a phone interview with TechCrunch, the company said that the mask will be equipped with ultraviolet lights that will disinfect the filter inside in ten minutes when it is connected to a power supply through a USB port.The mask, which is called Aeri, will feature user-replaceable filters that will apparently be on par with N95 filtration capacity. Since the filt...

Here's the handset that has me excited.Whenever a new iPhone is announced, it's met with a great deal of hype and excitement — that's just a fact. No matter if the particular model is completely revolutionary or just a modest year-over-year improvement, it gets a spotlight that seldom Android phones do.This exact thing happened when the iPhone SE was unveiled back in mid-April. Everyone clamored to talk about how great and amazing the phone was — heck, we even gave it a great deal of praise and said that it "basically just killed the Pixel 4a and other value flagships." That's a good take and one with a lot of merit, but the more and more I've thought about it, the less I'm sure I personally agree with it.It's true that the current state of budget Android phones leaves a lot to be desired compared to the iPhone SE. Motorola's Moto G handsets are only promised one major OS update, Samsung's new Galaxy A51 is a laggy mess, and so on. However, as we continue to learn about Goo...

The next generation of Wi-Fi, known as Wi-Fi 6, is making its way to a lot of new phones and wireless devices. This new tech brings with it the fastest speeds, more consistent coverage, and support for more devices. Wi-Fi 6 has finally made its way to the cheaper routers that most people are interested in without losing the best features that come with it. The best overall cheap Wi-Fi 6 router is the Asus RT-AX56U thanks to its great price and advanced features, including easy mesh expansion and AX1800 speeds.Best Overall: Asus RT-AX56UThe RT-AX56U manages to find a balance of features that are a great fit for the majority of homes without packing in unnecessary speed or features. While it's not the cheapest Wi-Fi 6 router around, its increased speed, as well as access to additional features, makes it a great buy. One important consideration of Wi-Fi speed is that it makes up ground over AX1500 routers on the 2.4GHz band. This router can deliver speeds up to 574Mbps at 2.4GHz a...

Another day, another great earbud value.I'll be honest — I had a hard time coming up with a way to start this review. I've tested a ton of true wireless earbuds over the last few months, with one of the drawers in my office closet now dedicated to holding all of them.They all start to blur together after a while, offering the same basic experience but with little tweaks here and there. Taking a look at Amazon, I have to imagine it's just as difficult for these companies to make a dent in the true wireless market with so many competitors out there.Recently, I was contacted by a company called "EarFun" to review its EarFun Free earbuds. I've never heard of these before, and looking at the Amazon page, they sounded a lot like other earbuds I'd previously reviewed. Seeing as how you can't judge a book by its cover, I decided to go ahead and try them out.The EarFun Free are not perfect earbuds and are far from the only ones in this price range, but if you decide to pick them up ...

Virtual reality offers an excellent digital space for unique 3D artwork, graphic design, and animation. Yet the wireless Quest lacks the PC processing to handle several excellent artistic VR apps, and the few quality Quest ports lose some key features. Despite this, we'd argue it's a fair tradeoff for an untethered, 3D painting experience. The Quest port of our top choice for VR art creation, Tilt Brush, benefits strongly from a lack of wires, as do our other top choices for the best VR art apps available.Best Overall: Tilt BrushTilt Brush remains the most accessible and thorough app for creating art in VR. Despite being over four years old, it still receives regular updates from Google devs that take advantage of new VR advancements to improve the interface and available tools. Each brush stroke has depth of field built-in, so your creations can be viewed at any angle. People lacking confidence in their artistic abilities can use the Beginner mode to master the basic tools bef...

Huawei accounted for nearly 20% of TSMC's annual revenue last year.What you need to knowTaiwanese chipmaker TSMC has stopped taking new orders from Huawei.A new rule change was announced by the U.S. last week, requiring chipmakers using American technology to obtain a license before supplying to Huawei and its subsidiaries.While the decision will have a massive impact on both Huawei and TSMC, the chipmaker has no choice but to follow the new U.S. rules.The U.S. Commerce Department had announced a new rule change last week, aimed at cutting Huawei off from global chip suppliers. According to Nikkei, Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC has stopped taking new orders from Huawei in response to the new restrictions.Citing multiple sources, the publication says the decision was difficult for TSMC as Huawei is its second-biggest client. All of the Kirin mobile processors designed by Huawei subsidiary HiSilicon were so far manufactured by TSMC. In addition to mobile processors, Huawei depen...

Your smart display can now be used to fully control a few more smart home devices.What you need to knowA new update is now rolling out to Google's Nest Hub and other Google Assistant smart displays.The update enables the smart home displays to properly control smart home devices such as smart locks, vacuums, and blinds. It also adds live light status for smart lights and a few other new features. Google is rolling out a new update for the Nest Hub, Nest Hub Max, and select third-party Assistant smart displays such as the Lenovo Smart Display. As per the folks at Android Police, the update brings significantly improved smart home controls to the smart displays, along with a few other enhancements and new features.Your smart display can now show the current status of your smart lights on the main page. However, not all smart lights support this new feature. According to the Android Police report, Philips Hue and Lifx smart lights support the live light status feature curren...

MediaTek continues to build for affordable flagships.What you need to knowMediaTek today announced the new Dimensity 820 SoC.It's the first of its 800-series, bringing 5G to affordable flagships.The chip supports sub-6GHz carriers in Asia, Europe, and North America. 5G phones are expensive, and chips like the Snapdragon 865 are a big reason for that. But Qualcomm's not the only name in the game, and Mediatek is one competitor building 5G capable SoCs, driving down the cost of entry. The company today announced its new SoC, the Dimensity 820, its new chip for value flagships. It's the first of the Dimensity 800 series line to launch since the line was announced back at CES, and it's the first that'll be shipping in phones later this year.Dr. Yenchi Lee, Assistant General Manager of MediaTek's Wireless Communications Business Unit said: Our Dimensity 1000 is already powering impressive flagship 5G devices in a number of markets. With the new Dimensity 820, we're now mak...

With two key leaders behind the Pixel phones gone from Google, what does the future hold for the product line? Will it continue as the industry-leading smartphone camera, and/or serve as a developer reference device? Will the price go down How likely is it that Google is even interested in making a push for the phone at retail to compete with market share leaders? Daniel, Andrew, and Jerry read the tea leaves and discuss this turning point for the Pixel.Listen nowSubscribe in Pocket Casts: AudioSubscribe in Spotify: AudioSubscribe in iTunes: Audio Subscribe in RSS: AudioDownload directly: AudioLinks:The mastermind behind the Pixel's camera has left Google | Android CentralTop members of the Pixel team leaving Google isn't purely negative — maybe it needed fresh leadership | Android CentralIf Google loses the Pixel's camera advantage, the product line will die | Android CentralWhy Amazon's hardware makes more sense than Google's - The VergeIf this rumor is tru...

It's not a new game, it's not live, but it is new sports related content and we are here for it. There's no denying that Michael Jordan is one of the best players who has ever stepped foot on the basketball court, and right now you can take a look back at his incredible career through a new documentary mini series called 'The Last Dance'. The first two of the ten episodes have already aired on ESPN, and if you happened to miss them you can still tune in and watch before the next one airs.The series contains a mixture of gameplay from Jordan's time with the bulls, present day interviews, and some exclusive rare archival footage. It follows along with the story behind Jordan's departure from the team, which was due to Phil Jackson being removed as head coach despite the winning streak the team was on. Originally, the series was set to debut later this year, but thanks to the lack of sports and the troubling times we are facing right now ESPN has decided to push things up.There are ...

Oculus Quest is Facebook's last piece of hardware in its first generation of VR devices. It has six degrees of freedom, movement tracking so you can game throughout an area and two Touch Controllers, which facilitate a wide range of gameplay. The Oculus Quest now has over 100 games available, ranging from first-person shooters to musical saber swinging titles. We marked the latest titles with "new," and at the top of the list, so you can keep track of all the latest games.New titlesAvailable nowSupported Oculus Go gamesConfirmed future titlesTeased future titlesNewRock the blocksTetris EffectNewThis new take on the classic Tetris model adds more music, backgrounds, and special effects to the legendary video game. It also features a "Zone" mechanic which lets you stop time.$30 at Oculus StoreVroom vroomMini Motor Racing XNewRace in career and multiplayer modes in this minute racer. You can also play Bumper ball, which is a bit like Rocket League i...

Podcasts about COVID-19 exist, therefore Podcast Addict is a Covid-19 app.What you need to knowPodcast Addict pulled from the Google Play Store as a result of new COVID-19 rules.Google currently bans apps from "referencing COVID-19" unless they are endorsed by public health agencies.Some podcasts which can be accessed on the app do reference the virus and associated disease, triggering the ban.The Play Store's policies currently warn "any apps referencing COVID-19, or related terms, in any form in their metadata will only be approved for distribution in the Play Store if they are published, commissioned or authorized by [official government entities and public health organizations]."While it has helped clean up the Play Store from genuinely misleading apps, one podcast app—Podcast Addict—has fallen victim to an obtuse (or particularly robotic) reading of it.Here's the notification I got this morning... pic.twitter.com/UJF20ZnaPw— Podcast Addict (@PodcastAddict) Ma...

The investigation is on track to be wrapped up by fall.What you need to knowAn antitrust investigation against Google in the U.S. might lead to a lawsuit in the fall.The investigation started out as a probe into Google's online advertising business but later delved into its Search and Android operations.A Google spokeswoman confirms the companies continued cooperation with law enforcement, but could not comment on potential results. Google may be facing a lawsuit from the United States Department of Justice later this fall as the body wraps up its antitrust investigation. The story comes after a nearly yearlong probe which ran from last June. It started as an investigation into the company's online advertising practices and eventually expanded its scope into its Google Search and Android businesses as well. An investigation from Indian authorities in 2019 also revolved around the same subject matter.The Wall Street Journal reported: At least some state attorneys gener...

With so many different smartphones offering different specs, it can be tough to keep track of everything. Plus, you may need to know how much storage you have left, or how fast your cellular connection is. With these apps, not only can you find out just how much RAM you have, but you can do so much more.Our favoriteInwareStaff PickWith Inware, you can take a look at all of your phones' hardware specs, and it's done in a clean and modern way. You can even find your current uptime, which security patch you have installed, and much more. Plus, the app allows you to customize and change the theme to match whatever style you want.Free at Google PlayCompare specsDevice Info HWSometimes you need an app that can do everything, and that's what you'll get from Device Info HW. In addition to viewing detailed information, the app also makes it so you can run an LCD test on your display (if your device is compatible). Plus, you can easily compare your smartphone to other...

As the world continues to wrestle with the effects of the coronavirus, thinking about furthering or beginning a career can be more than a bit intimidating—given the fact that entire markets have been upended and that companies in virtually every industry are altering their business models in order to adjust to a new normal.But it's an indisputable fact that the overarching field of IT has been largely immune to the negative economic effects of the virus, and demand for talented and trained IT and tech professionals is only going to grow as the world becomes more dependent on networks and inter-business connections in the coming years.The Complete Developer & IT Pro Library will help you land a lucrative and exciting position in this growing field through training that covers the most in-demand methodologies and platforms in IT and development, and unlimited lifetime access is available for over 90% off at just $79.99.This bundle is packed with over 750 courses on everythi...

In this new decade, you're only going to spend yet more of your life online which means a VPN is quite important. You can try and avoid it but, honestly, it's pretty much impossible to do. It's important that you have security and privacy at the front of your mind as you traverse the online world, especially with the amount of sensitive data we out on our devices and send via the internet. If you use public Wi-Fi networks while out and about, that's even more important.Best VPN Deals Available TodayExpressVPN: 3 mo. free + 49% offIPVanish: 69% off + 250GB SugarSync freeNordVPN: Save 70% on 3-year planPureVPN: 7-day trial for $1PIA VPN: 2 months freeSurfshark: From 7 cents/dayMore Deals: $20 lifetime acccess & free optionsOdds are that you have heard of VPNs, or Virtual Private Networks, before but may not have signed up for one just yet. There are some common misconceptions about VPNs, especially that they are super expensive, but that's not at all the case — es...

The Crowd PleaserGoogle MeetFree from GoogleProsWorks on all platformsSupports up to 100 participantsCollaboration toolsConsMeetings capped at 60 minutesMac users may be dropped during meetingsGoogle Meets is simple to use and allows you to easily connect with at least a hundred other people and is especially convenient when meeting with those across time zones.Meet for LongerSkype Meet NowFree from SkypeProsRecord and save meetingsLonger time limitsShare your screen for interactive presentationsConsIt takes a while for the program to connectInterface isn't as easy to use as Google Meet50 max participantsThis video conferencing program gives you longer time limits for each meeting and has background blur capabilities. It integrates with Outlook to make it easy to create or join a meeting.Google Meets is now available for free for everyone to use and it is located right within your Gmail inbox. You do need a free G Suite Ess...

After years of wishing and hoping, all my music is back in one place.Yes, I know, I'm one of five people who actually likes and uses YouTube Music and before that was a die-hard Google Play Music user since I first came to Android. When YouTube Music first re-launched, I had to start rebuilding my library from scratch, because while I'd spent 7 years building my library in Play Music — and several years before that building my initial library in iTunes — there was no way to bring that library over to the new service.As such, I'm one of the few who gave a legitimate WOO HOO when I first heard that I was finally going to be able to re-unite my two libraries and access my not insignificant collection of Disney Parks music alongside my more recent obsessions with Panic! at the Disco and Skillet. You can now transfer your Play Music library to YouTube Music, and the process itself is relatively painless.It's been fun to go through playlists from 5, 6 years ago in Play Music — ...