Latest from Android Central

Huawei's P30 Pro returns. Again.What you need to knowHuawei is launching the P30 Pro New Edition again.It's the first Huawei 'flagship' this year to ship with Google apps.The company says this is to celebrate the one year anniversary of the P30's launch. Huawei is once again relaunching the P30 Pro after an initial relaunch last year to add a new finish. Unlike all other Huawei phones released this year, the P30 Pro stands apart from them by being able to use Google's apps and services.Huawei made the announcement today (via Android Police): The new fan-favourite smartphone will provide users with increased RAM to 8GB, expanded ROM to 256GB, as well as the return of the award-winning Leica Quad Camera. After setting a new standard in DxOMark scores, in August 2019, the European Image and Sound Association (EISA), a group comprising of 55 of the world's most respected consumer electronics magazines, named HUAWEI's P30 Pro the "EISA Best Smartphone 2019-2020". The ...

Just because live events are cancelled for the time being doesn't mean you're out of luck when it comes to seeing your favorite artists perform this year. Instagram, YouTube, and other platforms have been taken over with live and pre-recorded performances from some of the world's most talented performers, and now one of the biggest shows to date is about to hit ABC: Taylor Swift's City of Lover concert.Recorded back in September of last year, the show took place in Paris at the L'Olympia Theater where Swift performed 16 songs from various albums, including live performance debuts of Lover tracks like "Death by a Thousand Cuts", "Cornelia Street", and "The Man" as well as radio hits like "I Knew You Were Trouble", "Love Story", and "Shake It Off". While there's no word on whether the televised performance will include every song, the show is sure to bring some relief to Swifties upset by Taylor's upcoming Lover Fest dates being rescheduled from this summer to 2021.Taylor Swift's...

One relatively common issue with DualShock controllers seems to be the jitters. It's as if your controller has had too many cups of coffee. If you are experiencing this issue, you will find that input from your sticks (usually the left) will start to stutter. When you push the stick forward, instead of seeing smooth movement on the screen, you'll see a movement that starts and stops with no rhyme or reason. Have no fear. Before you toss that dual-stick in the trash, let's take a look at what you can try to remedy your problem.Products used in this guideBlow out the dust-bunnies: 2-Pack Dust-Off Compressed Air ($16 at Amazon)Adieu dust: AmazonBasics Microfiber Cloth 24-pack ($15 at Amazon)Grime be gone: Babyganics Alcohol-Free Sanitizing Wipes ($10 at Amazon)Get crafty: Joystick Wireless Controller Rocker for Playstation 4 PS4 Controller ($7 at Amazon)Small Philips: Dynamite Screwdriver ($5 at Amazon)The whole package: Plusivo Soldering Kit ($18 at Amazon)Its getting hot in...

Instagram's new tools will make it easier to tackle bullying on the social network.What you need to knowInstagram's new tools will grant users more control over their account.From today, users will be able to mass delete comments and control who can tag or mention them.The company is also testing a pinned comments feature. Instagram today launched a selection of tools that would make it easier for users to retain control of their accounts. Specifically, users now have more control over what comments are displayed under their photos and who can tag or mention them.As per the Instagram team: First, we're launching a new feature to help people manage multiple unwanted interactions at once. We know it can feel overwhelming to manage a rush of negative comments, so we've been testing the ability to delete comments in bulk, as well as block or restrict multiple accounts that post negative comments. Early feedback has been encouraging, and we've found that it helps people, e...

I use my Fire HD 8 tablet just about every day, whether it be to watch a show on Amazon Prime, look up a recipe, or simply surf the net. It's an amazing little device, but as with any tablet it can easily get broken, which is why you'll want to purchase a quality case for it. I've collected the best cases for the Fire HD 8 tablet so you can determine which one best fits your needs.All around protectionFintie Tuatara Magic RingStaff pickThere's a reason why this is one of the most popular cases on Amazon. Not only does it feature a handle that converts into a kickstand, but it also has a built-in screen protector. It will protect your tablet from scratches and bumps at all angles. Since it comes in six different colors, you can choose the look you like best.From $30 at Amazon From $20 at FintieBudget buyFintie Silicone CaseFor thrifty shoppers who don't like to spend more than they need to, this silicone casing is the perfect option. It offers plenty of protection ...

A lot can happen in just a few years.If you're an Android fan, May is usually a super exciting month. It's when Google I/O takes place, which is Google's big developer conference where we learn all about the latest version of Android and other projects the company is working on.This year, however, things are different. Google I/O 2020 was canceled as a result of the global health pandemic our planet is facing, meaning no big and flashy event like we're used to.In light of that, we thought it would be fun to take a look a the last five years of I/O announcements and call out the five biggest ones. Without further ado, here's what sticks out to us the most!Google Photos (2015)Today, Google Photos is established as one of the best products from Google in years. It's featured-packed, free to use, and pretty much the best place for cloud photo storage. Given all of that, it's hard to believe it's only been around for five years.Google Photos was first unveiled at I/O 2015 ...

Today would have been the Google I/O 2020 keynote. I know this because, despite being deleted from Android Central's shared calendar weeks ago, a phantom notification appeared on my laptop last night reminding me of that fact.Google's done a good job erasing this year's Google I/O from the internet. If you go to the dedicated website for the event, it succinctly sums up why it and basically every other live event scheduled since mid-March has been cancelled: Out of concern for the health and safety of our developers, employees, and local communities — and in line with recent "shelter in place" orders by the local Bay Area counties — we sadly will not be holding I/O in any capacity this year. Right now, the most important thing all of us can do is focus our attention on helping people with the new challenges we all face. Please know that we remain committed to finding other ways to share platform updates with you through our developer blogs and community forums. ...

The best Netflix VPN could be the difference between you actually watching what you want and sitting in a dark room wishing your subscription wasn't going to waste. This is what geo restrictions do — they block access to content when you're in the wrong place.Best Netflix VPNs available right nowExpressVPN: Overall best pick for everyoneCyberGhost: Easiest of all to useNordVPN: Great performance for streaming NetflixSurfshark: Most affordable option aroundIPVanish: Easy to use & great supportHow can I be in the wrong place? Well, if you're trying to access a U.S. Netflix show while overseas, in a place that doesn't have the rights, then you'll find yourself locked out. That means you'll only be able to watch whatever is available in the place you find yourself. If you want to see the British Royal family in The Crown show, when on your visit to London, then this is ideal. But should you want to catch a US only movie which doesn't have the ok for UK viewing, then y...

Play Doom, but at its roots.We're almost two months out from the Doom Eternal and Doom 64 releases across major consoles and PC, but now Stadia players can get in on the complete action.Google announced Tuesday that Doom 64, the remastered rerelease of the game from the Nintendo 64, is now live on Stadia. Players can get it for just $5 on the Stadia store, but if you purchased Doom Eternal on or before April 3, you can get it for free.Doom Eternal owners should receive an email with a code that they can redeem on the Stadia store. From there:Go to stadia.google.com.Click on your profile picture in the top right corner of the screen.Go to your Stadia settings.Click on redeem code.Enter the code from your email.Enjoy the game! (Or don't, we won't judge.)Doom 64 is mostly a remaster of the original game, but with a couple added twists. Of course, the graphics have been updated (our own Asher Maden clocked it to run at 60 FPS on his Xbox One X), but there is also a whole...

Being at least somewhat familiar with the incredibly popular and ubiquitous suite of Microsoft Office programs has become all but a prerequisite for landing virtually any job in the modern world. But if you're looking to start or further a truly exciting career in an increasingly data-driven and interconnected world, you're going to need much more than just a baseline understanding of Excel and Word.The All-In-One Microsoft Office Professional Suite Certification Prep Bundle will transform you from a Microsoft Office novice into a full-fledged pro so you can outpace the competition and land the career of your dreams, and it's currently available for over 95% off at just $34.99.Usually priced at nearly $2,500, this comprehensive training package comes loaded with over 70 hours of content that will walk you through both the basics and more advanced elements of Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint, and more.Regardless of your previous experience with these essentia...

The Oculus Quest is an amazing piece of technology, but did you know it can automatically track your hands instead of just using the Oculus Touch controllers? While it's convenient to browse through the Oculus menus with just your fingers, playing games is a lot more fun. To get started, sideload apps to your Oculus Quest using Sidequest before you begin. For the best results, always play in a well-lit room for optimal hand-tracking performance. The brighter, the better. We cannot stress that enough.★ Featured favoriteHand Physics LabStaff PickDeveloper Dennys Kuhnert of Holoception fame has been working on this incredible collection of hand-tracking experiments since Oculus opened up the development floodgates a few months ago, and the results are nothing short of revolutionary. Simply put, there's nothing on the market that even competes with the accuracy, interactivity, or imagination as Hand Physics Lab. The only thing we can hope for is that all of these conc...

Get your tricks on later this year.What you need to knowTony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2 were originally released in 1999 and 2000 respectively.Today, a remaster for both games was announced via Summer Game Fest.Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2 remasters are set to release on September 4, 2020. First released in 1999 and 2000 respectively, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 are critically acclaimed skateboarding games. They were originally developed by Neversoft and published by Activision. Today, during a Summer Game Fest stream, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2 remasters were announced. You can check out the announcement trailer below.Both games are included in one package for the remaster, which was developed by Vicarious Visions. Amusingly enough, before the Summer Game Fest stream was live, Tony Hawk himself started texting people telling them the remasters were on the way.Tony Hawk is sending texts that say that a Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 remaster...

Step into the suit of this iconic superhero over the summer.What you need to knowIron Man VR was delayed back in April.It is now expected to release on July 3.It will feature an original story inspired by the movies and comics.Maybe indefinite delays aren't so bad after all. Iron Man VR was delayed back in April alongside The Last of Us Part II due to the current global pandemic. Sony would eventually announce that The Last of Us Part II was coming in June, but it did not also reveal a new release date for Iron Man VR at that time. The company has now announced that Iron Man VR is soaring onto PSVR on July 3.Don't expect to play through any scenarios found in the movies or comics. The story in Iron Man VR is apparently entirely original and has been built from the ground up. You shouldn't worry about it not feeling like an Iron Man story though, because the studio is still pulling inspiration from the comics and movies.Iron Man VR was pulled from pre-order pages aft...

Keeping track of new games before the PS5 arrives.The PlayStation 5 (PS5) still has yet to launch and we don't have a definitive idea of what the launch lineup looks like. Still, games are starting to be confirmed for Sony's next-generation gaming machine. As such, we've compiled all the games so far that have been announced for PS5.A little bit of clarification is needed here before we start. Because the PS5 is backward compatible with "almost all" PlayStation 4 (PS4) games, we're listing games that specifically include listed PS5 support. Some of them are exclusive in some capacity, some will be Sony Worldwide Studios titles, some are next-generation hardware only, and others are available on current systems. There are also options, particularly the newer games, that may take advantage of the Dualsense controller. Here's a list of every game coming to PlayStation 5 that we know of.Assassin's Creed ValhallaBluepoint's unknown gameDiRT 5GodfallGods & MonstersLord of t...

I work out of a backpack six months out of the year. Since power outlets aren't always accessible, I rely on power banks to keep my gear in working order.Power banks weigh in on the hefty side. For all their added bulk, they have never delivered enough oomph to keep my devices going when I'm traveling. And wall chargers are iffy too. Most I've tested are built for one device only, which means I have to load my pack with numerous cables and chargers. Not fun! Those chargers that do have more than one port are weighty, missing a foldable plug, or take up too much real estate.After years of lugging around not-so-portable power banks and wall chargers, I've found a solution that works for me with AUKEY. It's not perfect, but it's the closest setup I've found that works for me.How I'm making AUKEY workMy goal is to keep a light pack. To do that, I need to carry as few items as possible, and they all need to fall into the featherweight category. For me, that means one charger tha...

After almost two years of Google Play Music and the revamped YouTube Music existing side-by-side with no clear path forward, Google is finally ready to bring long-time Play Music fans over to YouTube Music without disrupting their streaming habits. As of May 12, a new transfer tool is rolling out to users that allows you to bring over all of your songs, playlists, and more from Play Music to YouTube Music. Here's how it works!Products used in this guideStream it all: YouTube Music Premium (From $10/month at YouTube)Pure Google: Google Pixel 4 XL (From $599 at Amazon)If you don't see the transfer feature in your YouTube Music app quite yet, don't worry. This is a staged rollout, meaning it could be a few days before the option is available to you. Once it is, check back here to learn how to use it.How to transfer your Google Play Music library to YouTube MusicOpen the YouTube Music app on your phone.Tap the Let's Go button under the Play Music banner.Tap Start Transfer...

Not all 2020 flagship phones support 8K video recording.What you need to knowThe Nokia 9.3 PureView could be HMD Global's first phone to offer 8K video recording.It is also rumored to come with enhanced "Pro" and "Night" modes. The phone is expected to debut at a dedicated event in late August or early September. Last month, a report published by the folks at NokiaPowerUser shed light on the camera specs of the rumored Nokia 9.3 PureView 5G. The publication has now come up with a new report, which reveals some key camera features of the upcoming flagship.As per the new report, Nokia 9.3 PureView might be capable of recording videos at up to 8K resolution. HMD Global is apparently working on finalizing the camera and editing algorithms for 8K video recording, even though it is "still considered to be an experimental feature."Along with 8K video recording, the next Nokia flagship phone might also come with improved "Night" and "Pro" camera modes. The enhanced Pro mode on ...

Google Play Music is set to shut down by the end of the year.What you need to knowThere's now a transfer tool to bring your Google Play Music library to YouTube Music.Google is no longer letting new customers sign up for Play Music Unlimited.Play Music will be completely shut down at some point in 2020.Google's current offering for music streaming is a bit messy, and it's been that way for a while. Google re-launched YouTube Music back in August 2018 with the ultimate intent to have it replace Google Play Music, but ever since then, both services have continued to exist side-by-side.YouTube Music has far fewer bugs and a lot more features since that initial launch, and now, Google's ready to start winding down Play Music — kind of.Starting today, May 12, you'll find a new transfer tool in the YouTube Music app that allows you to move all of your songs, playlists, and more over from Google Play Music to YouTube Music. Simply go to the Library page in the app, tap Tra...

If you've got a modern(ish) Android phone with an OLED screen, you may be aware that dark mode is a thing that not only looks cool but can also save you some battery life. You see, OLED panels don't activate any pixels when representing "black" — instead, black represents what it really is, the absence of light. By not activating large swaths of pixels, you inevitably save battery life. While it's not as simple as a quick settings shortcut like on Samsung Galaxy phones, enabling dark mode on a OnePlus phone is still darn simple.How to enable dark mode on your OnePlus phoneOpen the Settings app.Tap on Customization.Tap on Preset Theme.Tap on Nuanced dark.Tap Apply when you see a pop-up asking you to confirm your choice.Make any additional adjustments in the options below.Just note that once you change the theme, any customizations you made previously with regards to accent colors, icon packs, etc. will have to be reconfigured. But have no fear, that can all be don...

Today at Best Buy you can grab the bObsweep Pet robotic vacuum cleaner for $199.99. This is one of Best Buy's deals of the day, which is a temporary one-day sale, and applies to both the silver and scarlet colors. The price is usually closer to around $300 or more.If you've got fur babies, you really ought to check out this bObsweep vacuum as it can banish pet hair and dander from your home with limited input from you. The bObi Pet has a 5-in-1 cleaning process that leaves your floors vacuumed and mopped without you having to lift a finger.It has silicone touch sensors and embedded wall sensors to help it avoid obstacles and navigate around your home without bumping into furniture or falling off stairs. Its battery runs for up to 120 minutes between charges and when it starts getting low, bObi Pet even begins to head back to its charging station to juice back up. There are touch-sensitive buttons on the top of the vacuum and a remote control for manually setting the device going,...

The OnePlus 8 is one of the priciest OnePlus smartphones to date, but with Verizon's latest deal on the device, you could get one in your hands for as low as $100 with monthly device payments. Though the phone is regularly priced at $799.99 there, you can save up to $550 off its cost when you trade in an eligible device and add a line on select Unlimited plans.If you're not currently a Verizon member, you'll also earn a $150 prepaid card when you switch to Verizon, port-in your old number, and add the OnePlus 8 to an Unlimited plan. You'll also need to visit Verizon's Digital Rebates Center and enter code VZONEPLUS along with the requested information to complete the prepaid card offer.There are a ton of different devices you can trade-in to score the $550 discount, such as iPhone models as far back as the iPhone 6, Samsung Galaxy devices such as the Galaxy S6, any Google Pixel device, and select OnePlus phones, among others. You'll receive the full $550 discount by adding your n...

Great all aroundGoogle Pixel Buds (2020)$180 at Best BuyProsLong battery lifeGreat sound qualityWireless charging case and USB-C wired chargingExcellent integration with Android devicesGood mic quality for callsConsComfort could be better for long term useNo active noise cancelationOutside of comfort and microphone quality for calls, the Pixel Buds are equal to or better than the AirPods in every way. The Pixel Buds feature better sound, USB-C for wired charging, and a better media control scheme. They work best with an Android phone but work decently well on other devices as well.Call champAirPods (2nd Gen)$169 at Amazon $180 at Best BuyProsGreat mic for calls and video chatsWireless charging case (optional)Excellent comfortConsSound quality isn't as greatLightning for wired chargingNoise isolation is poorThe AirPods feature great comfort (if they fit your ears) and great mic quality for the phone calls. They are great for phone cal...

We're going to have to keep waiting.What you need to knowA job listing for Sony Interactive Entertainment stated the PlayStation 5 was being released in October 2020.Sony Interactive Entertainment has confirmed the listing was made in error.The PlayStation 5 is currently scheduled to release sometime in Holiday 2020.If you were starting to get your hopes up that the PlayStation 5 (PS5) release window was being made available today, it's time to crush those hopes. Earlier today, a Japanese job listing for Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) was noticed for stating that the PlayStation 5 would be released in October 2020.According to Famitsu, who reached out to SIE for comment on the situation, SIE responded stating the listing was made in error and there is no update on the release window for the PS5. For now, the PS5 is still set to release sometime in Holiday 2020.Still, we did get a small tidbit of PS5 news today all the same: the reveal of the PlayStation Studios br...

Spotify's Kids app remains in beta, but refinement continues.What you need to knowSpotify now gives parents more control over what content their kids can access.In the Kids app, parents can now block certain songs or albums.Spotify Kids will also now be made available in Germany and Japan as the rollout continues.Spotify continues to develop its Kids app, an offshoot of its premium service that's aimed to give parents a child-friendly subset of the streaming giant's library.First, Spotify Kids is getting a bit more global. The beta app rollout is available from today in Japan and Germany, and now the company is now expanding the level of control parents will have over audio content.Spotify says: We believe that parents should have the ultimate say in what their children listen to. That's why starting today, parents can access their kids' "Listening History" as well as block individual songs or audio stories from appearing in the Spotify Kids app. It's an added level...

I want to love Moto phones, but something's gotta give.Updated May 12: Well, folks — it looks like complaining (sometimes) works. Just a day after this editorial was published, Motorola announced that it's now promising at least two major Android updates for the Edge+. Good job, Moto ?.Motorola will always have a soft spot in my nerdy heart. It's a company that's been fundamental for consumer technology, creating the world's first true cell phone back in 1983 and continuing to exist in the mobile tech space all these years later. In regards to Android, specifically, I think back to the days of the Moto X in 2013 and 2014 and how much dang fun those phones were.The Motorola we know today under Lenovo ownership is clearly a lot different from the ghost of Motorola's past, but even so, there's no denying that the company still has what it takes to create damn good products. Whether it be low-cost phones like the Moto G series or the company's recent return to flagships with...

The phone was previously only guaranteed one major update.What you need to knowMotorola has announced that the Edge+ will receive at least two Android OS upgrades.That means the phone will see updates to Android 11 and Android 12.Previously, Motorola was promising just a single update.Later this week on May 14, Motorola officially launches the Edge+ — its first proper flagship phone in years. This is an important device for the company, and thankfully, it's darn good at what it does.One of the major sticking points of the Edge+ is that Motorola was only promising one major Android upgrade, which as you might expect, was seen as a considerable letdown for a phone that costs $1,000. Now, the company is rethinking that policy.On May 12, Motorola announced that it's now promising at least two Android upgrades for the Edge+. Seeing as how the phone ships with Android 10, that means it'll be updated to at least Android 12.Motorola hasn't been known for timely or long-te...

Everything you need to get started with the Android SDK, and everything you need to know about installing it.Most of us will never need to install the Android SDK. The reason why is right in the name — Software Development Kit. It's built for people writing Android apps who need tools to work with Android from a computer.But those tools can also be handy for folks wanting to do some more advanced stuff. Stuff like manually updating software or rooting their phone. Fastboot and ADB are vital if you're into "hacking" at the Android software. And Google provides it free for everyone.What to choose?There are two ways to get a working set of Android tools on your computer. The easy way is just to install Android Studio. Everything needed to run and use the Android command line tools is part of Android Studio, as well as a way to keep the tools updated. While it's designed for folks who want a complete development environment and includes a code editor, Android emulator, and co...

SafeEntry is a mandatory system whereby people scan a barcode to check into locations they visit, such as their place of work.What you need to knowSingapore has seen low adoption of its contact tracing app, and a second wave of COVID-19 cases.As a result, it is introducing a mandatory surveillance operation called SafeEntry.It requires users to scan a barcode using their smartphones when entering certain locations including schools, stores, hotels, and workplaces.Singapore is today introducing tough and invasive new surveillance measures to crack down on a second wave of COVID-19 cases, in part due to a low adoption rate of its contact tracing app.As noted by Forbes: Hit by a second wave of infections and with the take-up of its TraceTogether app hovering at too low a level to make enough of a difference, the city state has moved to the next level, launching a new contact-tracing surveillance program that will strike fear into those groups campaigning against the use ...

I have been cooking and baking for years and consider myself a pretty experienced cook. However, there are still plenty of apps I rely on to use in the kitchen for recipes and cooking assistance. Some of them provide some great recipes with star ratings and tips from other home cooks and bakers, while others serve as a perfect digital cookbook where you can store your favorite recipes and even upload your own. Others provide inspiration and even step-by-step videos if you want to follow along to make sure you get every step right. Here are some of the best of the best when it comes to cooking and recipe apps.Best OverallPaprika Recipe Manager 3My hands-down, go-to app in the kitchen is this one, which I have been using for years to store my favorite recipes. It's super-easy to save a recipe from a website without all of the fluff that might come with it, including long, drawn-out intros from the passionate home cooks, ads, and extra detail. This app automatically strips all o...

For nearly a month now, Sling TV has been offering free access to its streaming service for everyone in the U.S. between the hours of 5 p.m. and midnight EST. This "Happy Hour Across America" promotion has easily been one of the best deals ever offered by a streaming service as streamers don't even need to enter billing details to start watching.Hopefully you've been taking advantage of the free month of service, but if not, there are still a few days left to stream Sling for free before the promotion comes to an end on May 15.Streamer's ParadiseSling TVWith its 'Happy Hour Across America' promotion, Sling TV is offering free streaming access to everyone in the US between 5 p.m. EST and midnight every night. That includes live TV channels like AMC, Bravo, FX, HGTV, Nick Jr., TLC and more, though the offer comes to an end later this week. Subscribe to Sling Blue for as low as $20/month to stream anytime!Free to streamSee at SlingTo start streaming during Sling TV's Happy...

The new theme for the next generation of PlayStation games.What you need to knowPlayStation has announced a new themed branding called PlayStation Studios.This fancy animation draws inspiration from the Marvel Cinematic Universe theme.PlayStation Studios branding will accompany PS5 games developed by PlayStation. PlayStation has unveiled a new theme to accompany its future first-party efforts. This branding is meant for PlayStation 5 games that are directly developed by PlayStation's first-party studios. You can take a look at the new animation below.In addition to the obvious Marvel inspiration, this animation is oddly similar to the one introduced by Xbox back in 2019. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Eric Lempel, senior vice president and head of global marketing at Sony Interactive Entertainment, explained that PlayStation wanted to unite its first-party games under one brand.Lempel also stated that there will be different versions of the logo for packagi...

Factory Reset Protection helps keep your data safe if your phone is lost or stolen, so you need to wipe your phone before you sell it.Factory Reset Protection (FRP) is a security method that was designed to make sure someone can't just wipe and factory reset your phone if you've lost it or it was stolen. Starting with Android Lollipop, FRP is "standard" in vanilla Android, and most of the companies making our phones have implemented it in their own models. It's a good thing — it makes a stolen phone harder to use, which makes it less appealing to thieves, and anything that can protect our data on a phone we've lost is welcome.How it worksIt can become a problem if you sell, trade, or even give away a phone without factory resetting it, though. How it works explains why.You have to be signed in with the "owner" account of the phone (the one you used to set it up) in order to factory reset it. That means if you give me your phone, I can't reset it without you being signed in....

In a surprise move by Disney, Hamilton is coming to a television screen near you this summer. Get your Disney Plus memberships ready as the smash hit Broadway musicial is set to premiere on the streaming service this July 3, 2020 as a Disney Plus exclusive.This news comes after Disney has already moved select theatrical releases to its streaming service early; Pixar's Onward reached the service a mere two weeks after its debut in theaters, while Artemis Fowl will be skipping theaters altogether and going straight to Disney Plus.The Hamilton film was originally scheduled for release on October 15, 2021, but audiences will get to see the movie from the comfort of their own homes more than a year earlier than planned thanks to Disney's move. Robert A. Iger, Executive Chairman of The Walt Disney Company said: "No other artistic work in the last decade has had the cultural impact of 'Hamilton'—an inspiring and captivating tale told and performed in a powerfully creative way. In ...

The most affordable Snapdragon 865-powered phone yet.What you need to knowThe POCO F2 Pro is finally official.Just as expected, the POCO F2 Pro is based on the Redmi K30 Pro.It has been priced at just $499 and will go on sale in select markets starting later today.POCO today launched its second flagship smartphone at a global launch event held online. Unsurprisingly, the POCO F2 Pro is not an all-new device but a rebadged version of the Redmi K30 Pro. The standard Redmi K30 was rebadged and launched as the POCO X2 in the Indian market in February this year.The POCO F2 Pro comes with a 6.67-inch AMOLED FHD+ AMOLED display featuring a 180Hz touch sampling rate, but lacks a high-refresh-rate option. While the POCO X2 offers a 120Hz refresh rate, the F2 Pro has a 60Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, it runs on Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 865 chipset with LiquidCool Technology 2.0, paired with up to 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage.On the back of the phone is a...

We truly are living in the future with doorbells you can answer from anywhere in the world, from the comfort of your smartphone. But it's not always that affordable to add one to your smart home setup, especially if you want one you can trust. Fortunately, B&H is making it a lot less expensive to install the Ring Video Doorbell Pro bundled with the Chime Pro dropping in price to $169.99. That's $80 less than the doorbell alone and a $130 savings over buying the doorbell and chime separately.Ring's Video Doorbell Pro takes the place of your existing hardwired doorbell at home. It's equipped with a 1080p HD camera featuring infrared night vision that lets you view its video feed using an app on your smartphone, tablet, or computer, and you'll be able to do so from anywhere in the world. It's also equipped with a microphone and built-in speaker that allows you to speak with any visitors that arrive at your door. There's an integrated motion sensor that can send an alert to your ph...

Having a chat with the AC forums.Believe it or not, it's been almost nine months since the Galaxy Note 10 was released. It seems like just yesterday it was the newest Samsung flagship on the block, but before you know it, it'll be overshadowed by its successor.The Note 10 continues to be one incredible handset here in 2020, but as with any phone, one aspect that tends to degrade over time is battery life. The more you drain your phone's battery and recharge it day after day, its overall endurance tends to lessen.Recently, some of our AC forum members got to talking about their Note 10 and how battery life is holding up for them. j_hansen 05-05-2020 08:40 AM “ I have the Exynos Note 10 plus 5G and consistently get 10 hours SoT Reply blackhawkhot 05-05-2020 09:53 AM “ I think screen refresh rate...

A case for your earbuds case? It's not as silly as you'd think.One of the funniest recent trends to me is people buying a case to put on their earbuds case. The rampant popularity of Apple's AirPods can probably be credited for creating this category (ranging from reasonable to way overboard), but now it isn't an AirPods-only affair. Though I've found the idea of buying an accessory for your accessory a bit silly, lately, I've been using Google's new Pixel Buds a ton and was intrigued when I saw that Nomad makes a gorgeous leather case for the new headphones.I've loved Nomad's accessories — particularly its leather phone cases — for a while, so I figured its new leather case for the Pixel Buds was a perfect first foray into true wireless earbud cases.At a glanceNomad Rugged Case for Pixel Buds Bottom line: The Nomad R...

Smith and Teixeira have both had a chance at the UFC Championship at one point or another, and they both lost to Jon Jones when going for it. Since Teixeira's loss back in 2014, and a loss immediately following it, he has gone 8-3 and is currently on a three-win streak. Smith was fighting for the championship as recently as March 2019, but he hasn't been in a major fight in about a year as he's dealt with reschedulings and even a home invasion at one point. Both men are eager to get back to where they used to be, and this fight means a lot for whoever wins.Anthony Smith's overall record is 32-14-0, and Glover Teixeira is 30-7-0. Both weigh in at 205 pounds with a similar reach, although Smith is two inches taller. Statistically, these guys match up very well on paper, which means it should be a great fight. They have both won four out of their last five, too, so they're looking to keep that success going.UFC took some time off like most live sports recently. After more a month of...

For a very limited time, you can save 65% on a 1-year VPN plan offered by IPVanish. You'd regularly pay $144 for that length of time if you subscribed monthly, but this limited-time offer drops the monthly cost to just $4.12. Billed up front at $49.99, the annual plan savings mean you can try out one of the best VPN services for yourself without breaking the bank. On top of the VPN discount, you also get 250GB of cloud storage with SugarSync at no extra cost which is definitely nice to have.You've probably heard and read a lot about VPNs by now as they are super useful tools for our increasingly internet-connected lives. You no doubt use your tech for all sorts of personal and private tasks like banking, shopping, and browsing, so a VPN will come in handy to help protect your sensitive data. If you ever connect to public Wi-Fi networks, say at the coffee shop or while waiting for a flight, a VPN is for you too. Using one helps to anonymize and protect your online activity, stop ad ...

When a type of photo gets its own entry in the dictionary, you know it's become ubiquitous. How else to describe the selfie? People take them everywhere, sometimes risking injury or death, to get the best possible angle or imagery to tell a story.Bad selfies are abundant, and you don't have to try hard to find them out in the wild. Those who crave them will take many to get the "right" one, and whether you're doing it for the sake of vanity or posterity, there are some rules worth following to do it well.Find a good angle If the scenery is ultimately yourself, then always shoot at a straight or elevated angle.Not every selfie has to be conventional. Perhaps that's bad advice, considering the lengths some will go to, but it's with safety in mind first. Selfies that look up at you might be worth trying if they convey a sense of size and scale. Tourists do this all the time in places like Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro and pretty much any other statue commanding some r...

Microsoft's latest Xbox Series X "gameplay" showcase was a great example of how not to promote an event like that.Microsoft has done an excellent job of marketing the upcoming Xbox Series X, but even the smallest error could be costly. Its recent Xbox Series X gameplay showcase on Inside Xbox wasn't much of a gameplay showcase at all. I think Sony now has the perfect opportunity to use this flub to its advantage, actually showcasing what the PlayStation 5 can do for next-gen games — it just needs to do so before Microsoft. Show me what the PS5 means for next-gen games.Rumors peg a supposed PS5 reveal blowout on June 4th or sometime in the beginning to middle of next month. Personally, I would like to at least see Sony reveal the design much sooner, but Sony's focus right now should be making sure that this June event is spectacular, and demonstrating just what the PS5 brings to the table. Show me what can't be done on current-gen consoles. Convince me why I need to upgrade...

Take advantage of the Jaybird Run XT sport true wireless earbuds being on sale for just $79.99 at Best Buy. This is a temporary deal that's part of Best Buy's deals of the day, and the price won't last beyond the end of the day. The earbuds regularly sold for as much as $180, though they have since been replaced by the newer Jaybird Vista earbuds so we've seen a few sales on the Run XT recently.These earbuds feature one-touch voice control that give you instant access to Siri or Google Assistant. If you're on the move and in a position where you can't stop to pull out your phone and look at the screen, this is the best way to switch tracks and listen to your favorite tunes. Keep that heart rate up and the beats pumping.With Bluetooth 4.1 technology, not only will these earbuds pair easily with any of your mobile devices, but you'll also get great power efficiency. The battery in each earbud lasts up to four hours, and you can get eight more hours from the charging case before you...

Samsung shipped over 8.3 million 5G-enabled smartphones during the quarter.What you need to knowSamsung shipped more 5G smartphones than any other brand in Q1 2020.It held a 34.4% share of the global market in the January-March period. Huawei was a close second, with a market share of 33.2 %. Samsung shipped more than 6.7 million 5G-enabled Galaxy smartphones last year, dominating the global market with a 53.9% share. In the first quarter of 2020, however, the company's share of the global market fell significantly. As per a report from The Korea Herald, Samsung shipped 8.3 million 5G phones in Q1 2020, allowing it to capture 34.4% of the global 5G smartphone market.While Samsung was still the No.1 5G smartphone vendor in the first quarter of 2020, Huawei was a close second with a market share of 33.2%. The Chinese company shipped around 8 million 5G smartphones during the period. BBK-owned Vivo was the third-largest 5G smartphone vendor in Q1 2020, with a market share of...

The OnePlus 8 offers a number of features you won't find in every phone, ranging from 5G connectivity to its audio profile switch and dedicated macro lens. That specialized lens lets you take up-close shots of small details, with a tight minimum focus distance of just 4cm. Though it's low resolution at just 2MP, the photos you can capture with it are unique — and it's easy to use.Products used in this guideMacro master: OnePlus 8 ($700 at OnePlus)Upgrade pick: OnePlus 8 Pro ($900 at OnePlus)How to use the macro cameraOpen the Camera app.Tap the flower icon at the top of the viewfinder to enable Macro mode.You'll need to position the camera close to your subject to lock in focus. Tap the shutter button to capture a photo.The macro lens by nature requires close proximity to its subject, so you'll need to get up close and personal with your subject to maintain focus. Unfortunately, OnePlus's camera software doesn't offer focus peaking, but tap-to-focus still works j...

This pocket-perfect hub is great for travel, but it really shines at home as the best mini-dock a Chromebook could ask for.USB-C hubs are one of those things that most people don't really pay attention to in their home office, especially for a Chromebook. You connect your sweet mechanical keyboard, maybe an Ethernet cable or external monitor, and a trusty trackball, and then plug it into your Chromebook and get on with your work. The problem here is that most USB-C hubs come with horribly short, permanently attached cables, which means that if your Chromebook is on a laptop riser — or an old box of CDs, like mine — these hubs are going to be dangling off the side and tugging on your Chromebook's USB-C port all day every day.I lived with this for the better part of two years before I found my sanity in a perfect little package from Uni, a little-known accessory maker that was gearing up to launch its first USB-C hubs on Kickstarter. That Kickstarter came and went, and those hu...

You're probably spending much more time at home than usual right now so it might be the exact right time to upgrade your smart home gear. This deal on the 3-camera eufyCam E Wireless Home Security System at Newegg drops it to just $319.99 making today the day to add some smart home security to your setup. All you have to do to get the deal is enter code 93XPJ74 during checkout and you'll see the price fall by $80. This is one of the biggest discounts we've seen on this kit.For those looking for a home security system with cameras that are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, look no further than the eufyCam E. This wireless security system features three IP65 weatherproof-rated cameras that can run for a full 365 days on a single charge, and up to three years in Standby Mode. Each camera records in 1080p too and lets you watch live footage using an app on your phone. With the single add-on camera priced at $160, this isn't exactly an inexpensive system to get into so it makes ...

40.8 million handsets were shipped in April.What you need to knowChina's Smartphone shipments have seen a big increase in April.They are up 17% compared to last year.It could signal that companies like Huawei are seeing a resurgence in demand following COVID-19.The latest figures from China suggest that smartphone shipments were up 17% in April compared to this time last year, pointing to a possible recovery of the market following the COVID-19 pandemic.As Reuters reports: Smartphone shipments from China's factories to vendors rose 17% in April compared to the same month a year ago, according to government data released on Tuesday. The numbers suggest an early domestic rebound for smartphone makers such as Apple Inc and Huawei Technologies and a potential return to normalcy in China for the broader consumer hardware market in the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak.The report states that some 40.8 million handsets were shipped in April, up from 34.8 million ...

Flash photography is more complicated than simply pointing it at a subject and shooting, and serious photographers often maintain control over where they want the light to go. That's not the case when using the LED flash on a smartphone, and it's only one reason why you shouldn't use it when snapping photos.The light is too weak and slowThe flash didn't travel far in this photo because it illuminated subjects closest to the cameraCompare a camera lens to that of a smartphone, and the physical and optical differences are extensive, to say the least. But in that instance, software can close the gap to help create effects, like bokeh, macro and long exposure, among others. HDR (high dynamic range) has also been of great help when executed properly.There's no such thing for a phone's onboard flash. It's just a basic, tiny LED that blares out in only one direction and offers almost no recourse for illumination strength. It's not unlike a strobe light that quickly appears and dis...

It could be powered by a Snapdragon 765 chipset, just like the LG Velvet.What you need to knowLG is said to be working on a phone with a rotating screen.It is apparently codenamed "Wing" and is going to be powered by a Snapdragon 7 series chipset. The phone is expected to have a 6.8-inch main display and a secondary 4-inch screen with a 1:1 aspect ratio.Earlier this month, LG introduced the Velvet, its first phone to adopt an all-new minimalist design language and run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765 chipset. According to a new report from ETNews, LG is working on another premium mid-range phone powered by a Snapdragon 7 series chipset. The main selling point of the upcoming phone will reportedly be its rotating screen.The upcoming mid-ranger is said to be codenamed "Wing" and will have a similar 6.8-inch main display as the LG Velvet. It will feature a secondary 4-inch screen under the main display, with a 1:1 aspect ratio. The phone's main screen will rotate horizontally to...