Latest from Android Central

The experimental app failed to gain traction among users in India.What you need to knowGoogle has decided to kill Neighbourly – an experimental app that it first launched in May 2018.The search giant says the app hasn't grown as it had hoped, which is why it has decided to close Neighbourly beta. The app will shut down on May 12, although users will be allowed to download their Neighbourly content until October 12. In May 2018, Google introduced a new experimental app as part of its Next Billion Initiative, called Neighbourly. The app was aimed at helping local communities within cities in India to learn more about their neighborhoods from local experts. Unfortunately, however, the app never came out of beta.As the app has failed to grow as it had hoped, Google has now decided to shut down Neighboutly beta. According to a report from TNW, the app is shutting down on May 12. However, users will be able to download a copy of their Neighbourly data until October 12. To dow...

The AMOLED display on the OnePlus 8 Pro is set to be on par with the best in the industry.What you need to knowThe OnePlus 8 series picked up DisplayMate's A+ rating, and a Best Smartphone Display Award.The OnePlus 7 Pro also received a similar rating last year. OnePlus confirmed that it is using a 120Hz AMOLED panel this year, matching what Samsung is offering on the Galaxy S20 series. At the start of the year, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau said that the OnePlus 8 series will offer the best smartphone display in 2020. It looks like that may well be the case, with DisplayMate once again bestowing its highest A+ rating to the OnePlus 8 series, and a Best Smartphone Display Award.According to DisplayMate, the display on the OnePlus 8 series "sets or matches more than 10 Smartphone Display Performance Records in virtually all key categories for the best displays on the market, including color accuracy, image contrast, display brightness, and screen reflection, with 4 categories marke...

If you're stuck inside and looking for ways to stay entertained, you can't go wrong with this PlayStation 4 bundle at Woot. The one-day deal is offering the 1TB PS4 Slim console with three stellar PlayStation-exclusive games for just $249.99. Considering the console alone usually goes for more than this, it's a total steal. Though we saw this exact bundle drop to $200 on Black Friday, today's offer is still well worth considering (unless you happened to score a sweet deal on a time machine). You've only got until the end of the day, or until sold out, to snag it.There are several must-play games that you can only play on PlayStation, and a few of them are included in this bundle. You'll receive The Last of Us Remastered along with full game downloads of God of War and Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition, all three of which made our list for the best PlayStation Exclusives in 2020.These three games have been hailed as some of the best ever to come out. They're all single-player adv...

You probably already have some kind of Amazon Echo device in your home, be it the Echo Dot, Echo Input, or even the full-sized Echo, and while chatting with Alexa is fun and all, if you don't have an Amazon Music Unlimited subscription, you're seriously missing out on one of the best features the devices have to offer: music streaming. Amazon usually offers just one free month for those looking to try out Music Unlimited, but today only new members can score three months of service absolutely free.Tens of millions of songs, exclusive Alexa voice features and programs, unlimited skips and ad-free programming are just a few of Amazon Music Unlimited's features. You can even download songs for offline listening. Best of all, the Amazon Music application is available to download on your computer, smartphone, tablet, and even some smart TVs so you can listen wherever, whenever.The service is affordably priced at $7.99 monthly for Amazon Prime members or $9.99 for non-members, and at l...

It will come with 40W wireless fast charging as well.What you need to knowOPPO's next flagship smartphone will debut on April 13 in China.The phone will be called the Reno Ace 2 5G and is expected to come with 65W wired charging and 40W wireless charging. It is also tipped to have a 6.5-inch FHD+ AMOLED display and 48MP quad rear cameras. OPPO Vice President Brian Shen today announced on Weibo that the company's next Reno Ace series flagship phone will be unveiled on April 13, a day before the global launch of the OnePlus 8 series phones. The upcoming flagship, which will be called the Reno Ace 2 5G, will boast identical 65W fast charging speeds as its predecessor, which was launched in October last year.The Reno Ace 2 5G made its way through China's TENAA last month, revealing pretty much all of the phone's key tech specs and design. As per the phone's TENAA listing, the Reno Ace 2 5G will have a 6.5-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a hole-punch cutout in the top-left corn...

Chromebooks are only as good as their system, and Chrome OS could always use a few upgrades.Chromebooks are great, lightweight computers that are great not just for kids, they're great for more folks, whether you just want to browse Facebook or work full-time on one. A huge part of that success is that Chrome OS runs so well even on mid-range and budget hardware, allowing us to get a great experience out of a $300 touchscreen 2-in-1 like the Lenovo C340-11 as well as out of powerhouses like the Pixelbook Go and the ASUS Chromebook C434.Chrome OS started off as a pretty stripped down system, but it's grown and expanded in the last few years, making Android apps standard across the board and bringing Linux apps to more and more models. The experience has been continually refined for tablets and touchscreen input, but there's always more that needs to be done. From an expansion of the Chromebook/Android pairing that gave us Smart Lock to some pie-in-the-sky desires to make Chromeboo...

"However, we recognize that we have fallen short of the community's – and our own – privacy and security expectations. For that, I am deeply sorry..."What you need to knowZoom has apologized to users after a swathe of privacy and security concerns were uncovered in its service.It is going to freeze new features for 90 days whilst it focuses on fixing these issues. Zoom says that its user figures have rocketed to more than 200 million people daily in March.In a blog post, Zoom CEO Eric S. Yuan has apologized to its users for falling short of the community, and its own privacy expectations, vowing to freeze all new features for 90 days whilst it works on fixing issues.In the statement he said: For the past several weeks, supporting this influx of users has been a tremendous undertaking and our sole focus. We have strived to provide you with uninterrupted service and the same user-friendly experience that has made Zoom the video-conferencing platform of choice for en...

Unlike TikTok, Shorts will not be a standalone app.What you need to knowYouTube is said to be working on a TikTok rival called "Shorts.""Shorts" will apparently be available as a feature within the YouTube mobile app. It is expected to become available by the end of this year. Chinese video-sharing app TikTok, which was released worldwide three years back, is among the most popular social networking apps currently, with more than 3 million downloads a day. Seeing the app's meteoric rise, Google had reportedly considered acquiring TikTok competitor Firework late last year. Now, a new report from The Information, YouTube is planning to release a rival to TikTok, called Shorts. Shorts will be available as a feature inside the YouTube app and include a feed of brief videos, similar to TikTok.Users will be able to take advantage of YouTube's vast catalog of licensed music to find songs to use as soundtracks for their videos. The report claims YouTube Shorts is "the most seriou...

We've rounded up the best games, audiobooks, ebooks, movies, and sports content that's free right now.With everything that has been going around the world in recent weeks, we all need an outlet. Thankfully, there are dozens of free resources that provide a distraction from the chaos.We've rounded up all the games, movies, audiobooks, e-books, fitness services, and learning resources that are free right now. Whether you're looking to unwind with an audiobook or shoot some zombies in an online first-person shooter, you'll find something of interest in the list below.All the games that are free right nowMonument Valley 2: One of the best mobile games is free right now. Monument Valley 2 features gorgeous visuals, intricate puzzles, and a soothing soundtrack. The puzzle game usually costs $5, so grab it for free right now. Monument Valley 2 on the Play Store. Mini Metro: What's it like to build a subway system from scratch? That's what you're tasked with in Mini Metro. There ar...

WhatsApp forwards are uncontrollable, and the only way to curb misinformation is to remove the feature entirely.WhatsApp has over 2 billion users globally, and over a quarter of those — just over 500 million — are from India alone. Affordable cellular data services combined with an influx of decent budget phones allowed WhatsApp to thrive, and usage of the Facebook-owned platform is ubiquitous across the country.All of my friends are on the platform, and I get updates on everything from credit card statements from my bank, flight information from my airline, and even Netflix recommendations directly on WhatsApp. The service has even replaced traditional news outlets in parts of India, with people signing up to get news updates directly from WhatsApp groups — even paying a fee for access to these groups. WhatsApp changed how we communicate, but it is increasingly being used as a tool to spread misinformation.It's fair to say that WhatsApp has had a profound impact on ...

It's 2020, and flagship smartphones are all nearly a thousand dollars or more. But as high-end phones get more expensive, cheaper phones are getting better. Phones under $300 are beautifully designed, with great screens, super-long battery life, excellent cameras, and awesome speakers. We've researched and ranked all of the best cheap Android phones you can buy, and with our buyer's guide, you'll find the perfect phone for you.Best Overall: Moto G7The Moto G7 and its other budget counterparts on this list have impressive, high-resolution touchscreens, reliable software, and great cameras. Some features, like NFC, drive up manufacturing costs, so you have to weigh whether you need NFC-enabled features like mobile payments. And the Moto G7 also lacks the same graphical power as its more expensive competitors, but most games play without issue, even at medium or high settings, because Android games are designed to play on hardware of all sizes and prices.At the same time, Motoro...

The deal is done and Sprint is now officially part of T-MobileDespite all of the opposition and debate, T-Mobile has finally completed its purchase of Sprint. Whether this ends up being a good thing for the customer remains to be seen, but in the short term, the combined company under the T-Mobile name will be a real competitor for AT&T and Verizon, especially when it comes to 5GWorks on both networksSamsung Galaxy S20+ 5G$50 per month at T-MobileBe ready for the full T-Mobile 5G networkThe Galaxy S20 series of phones was the first to be announced with support for both the T-Mobile 5G network as well as Sprint. This phone also has a huge battery, great cameras, and a high-refresh display making it one of the best Android phones to date.The corporate sideIs the deal done?Is Sprint gone?What is 5G for Good?A long and slow rideHow long until this affects customers?Will my service change?Will my coverage be affected?Will my plan change?Who's paying ...

It's back! Reality game show The Challenge is returning to MTV for a landmark 35th season this week- read on to find out how to watch the show, no matter where in the world you are. This year the show is subtitled Total Madness and is set to pit 21 veterans and seven rookies against one another in what are promised to be the most extreme challenges ever in the show's 22-year history.BMX rider T. J. Lavin returns once more to host, while this season's competition features alumni from The Real World, Are You the One?, Geordie Shore, Ex on the Beach (U.S. and UK) and So You Think You Can Dance.Notable returning players competing for a share of the show's $1 million prize include Johnny 'Bananas' Devenanzio, CT, Wes, Jenna, Tori and Nany while there's also some new familiar faces from series like Big Brother, Survivor and Amazing Race this time out.The luxury jungle houses, spacious mansions and lavish pools that have featured in previous seasons are nowhere to be seen this time ou...

March felt more like a year than a month. This year has felt like a decade. We're all stuck inside with a lot of extra time to think and fret, yes, but also consume. Here are the movies, music, TV shows, and books that we're enjoying right now. And when you're done with this list, let us know what entertainment you're enjoying right now.MoviesThe MartianI first fell in love with the book (no, I'm not being snooty) back when it first came out as a free download, and then when I saw the poster in my local Alamo Drafthouse, I was psyched. For me, it was one of those rare films that met or exceeded the book. I think it's particularly relevant now, as it's all about an isolated person making the most with what he has, and surviving despite harsh odds. And best of all, it has a happy ending (spoilers).-Jeramy JohnsonThe Hobbit TrilogyBeing stuck at home means I have the time to revisit the almost 8-hour long Hobbit trilogy, and I'm actually loving it the second time aro...

Keep this on your radars.What you need to knowCold Symmetry features man AAA game developers.The team has been working on a soulslike game called "Mortal Shell" for a while now. The title was finally revealed with an incredible trailer. It's coming to Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4 later this year. At Android Central, we always try to bring you news about exciting games. Today, a soulslike game called "Mortal Shell" was announced from Cold Symmetry and Playstack. According to the press release we received, Mortal Shell is an uncompromising, authentic, and hauntingly beautiful action role-playing game built upon the ruthless traditions of the popular genre. The trailer features stunning worlds, fearsome combat, and menacing foes. The ability to conjure such devastating and unique area-of-effect attacks is the highlight. I've never seen a game do "ice spikes" that well before.Cold Symmetry's co-founders — Andrew McLennan-Murray, Anton Gonzalez, and Vitaly Bulgarov...

Is it a package box? An intercom? Or maybe a safe place to keep your keys?What you need to knowThis is the first leak of the Ring Doorbox, a mysterious box with little more than a name and a picture at this time.The name hints at the possibility of a box that could store packages or a spare set of keys.This leak comes just days before the Ring Video Doorbell 3 launches.This might be April Fool's Day, but this new Ring product leak doesn't look like a hoax at all. Ring Doorbox, as it's called, appears to be some sort of lock box that can be placed near your front door, but not much info comes along with the picture. Zatz Not Funny! came across the info but has only been able to provide a name and a picture for this particular leak. While we don't know much about the product just yet, we can surmise a few things from the info provided.First off, there are plenty of reasons to have something called a Doorbox on the front of your home. If this is, indeed, a lockbox, it could ...

A new title is on the way to VR that lets you swing between platforms in mid-air while shooting enemies.What you need to knowA trailer just launched for Swarm, a VR grapple shooter.The game will be available on Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, and SteamVR.The game combines grappling between platforms and quick shooting.A new trailer just launched for Swarm, a VR grapple shooter that combines quick-twitch gunplay with grappling between platforms. As shown off in the trailer, the game has you swing between floating platforms while firing weapons at enemies. According to the game's developer, Greensky Games, it should launch in "a few months" on Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, and SteamVR.Moving in VR can be a bit of a challenge since some people can become motion sick from maneuvering with a joystick. Other people can be restricted when it comes to movement due to wires or limited space. Developers have come up with several solutions to bring movement mechanics into games, many of w...

Ring is one of the most well-known providers of smart home and home security solutions, and despite a rough 2019, the company has continued to produce some of the best products in this space. Ring has done a much better job of responding to and addressing the increased demand for additional data privacy controls and promises additional customer controls. With a couple of new video doorbells recently released, we thought it was a good time to review what our favorite Ring products were for 2020.Best Video DoorbellRing Video Doorbell 3 PlusStaff PickOne of the best and most popular video doorbells gets even better in 2020. It's battery-powered with improved motion detection and pre-roll recording technology, so you won't miss any visitors with this buzzer.$230 at Amazon $230 at Best BuyBest Indoor CameraRing Stick Up CamLast updated in late 2019, the Stick Up Cam is the true utility player in Ring's lineup. It works indoors or outdoors, can be powered by wire,...

It's currently in a very barebones state.What you need to knowInstagram is seemingly working on a toggle to "limit sensitive content."The news comes courtesy of Jane Manchun Wong, known for her reverse-engineering wizardry.The feature will likely be aimed at younger voters or those who want to limit NSFW content at work.In an ideal world, no one would be browsing Instagram at work, and we'd all be the efficient, busy worker bees the corporate overlords expect us to be. But since that's likely not happening anytime soon, your coworkers should, at the very least, not have to be exposed to an endless barrage of buttocks every time they pass by your desk. Thankfully, Instagram is working on a feature to help with that.As reverse-engineering wizard Jane Manchun Wong recently discovered, the Facebook-owned social media app is currently in the process of implementing a "limit sensitive content" toggle. It's unclear at the moment what Instagram would classify as "sensitive conten...

Kicking off the next generation of wireless.All of the major U.S. carriers are hard at work on their 5G strategy. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon have launched 5G networks and are aggressively expanding those networks through 2019. 5G service not only provides faster speeds but also reduced response times allowing for new services and cloud computing not previously available. For now, the major difference between LTE and 5G will be speed but as coverage continues to roll out to new areas, more services that rely on instant connectivity should become possible.VerizonSprintT-MobileAT&TVerizonVerizon is starting small with two cities deploying what it calls 5G Ultra Wideband (UWB). In short, this version of 5G uses large chunks of high-frequency bandwidth that produce very high speeds but suffer in other areas such as coverage over distance and building penetration. While coverage is dense enough in cities to be included on the list, coverage is still only ava...

With headphone jacks now a relic of the past, chances are your next headphones/earbuds will connect to your phone wirelessly instead of with an ancient cable. A lot of you have probably already moved on to Bluetooth gear by now, but for those that haven't, getting used to Bluetooth and all of its quirks can be a bit confusing at first. If you just bought a pair of Bluetooth headphones but can't figure out how to get them paired with your phone, here's what you need to know.Products used in this guidePure Android: Google Pixel 4 XL (From $899 at Amazon)Truly wireless: Sol Republic Amps Air+ ($200 at Amazon)How to turn on Bluetooth on your phoneBefore you can pair anything with your phone, you need to make sure that its Bluetooth connection is turned on. That may sound like a daunting task if you've never messed with your Bluetooth settings, but thankfully, doing so is quite easy.Swipe down from the top of your screen to see your notification panel.Swipe down again to se...

The same day launch as the Google Play Store gives Huawei's AppGallery a slight credibility boost.What you need to knowGame of Thrones: Beyond The Wall will launch on Huawei's AppGallery at the same time as the Play Store.Huawei worked with the developer team to ensure compatibility with Huawei Mobile Services.It's a strategy that's been tried before on different platforms with varying effects.Game of Thrones: Beyond The Wall is coming to Android smartphones, including the Huawei P40 and P40 Pro on April 3rd. In addition to the Play Store, game developers Behavior interactive will be bringing their game to the AppGallery for a day and date launch with the other two mainstream mobile app stores.As per Tech Advisor, Huawei worked with the gaming company when building their app, ensuring that the Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) could seamlessly fill in for Google's missing Play Servies. This includes things like handling in-App Purchases, Account Kit to replace Google Play Game...

Smartphone photography has come on leaps and bounds in recent years with the majority of people being happy to use their phones as their primary cameras these days. If you need slightly more than your phone can offer, you ought to invest in some of Moment's photography gear, especially while it's on sale with as much as 60% off. Moment very rarely offers discounts, so this springtime sale is well worth your attention.You can save 20% on smartphone lenses like this Tele 58mm Lens or the Wide 18mm Lens, dropping them from $120 to $95.99. Of course, you'll need the right smartphone case to mount the lenses to. Fortunately, those are discounted by up to 60% in the sale.We've got a lot of good things to say about Moment's products. We even named them as our best universal smartphone lenses. Our only real gripe with Moment gear is the high price of entry, but this limited-time sale sure helps with that. If you've been holding out on buying something from Moment, now's your chance.Out...

Outlook is gaining support for several features from Microsoft Search to help you find your content.What you need to knowOutlook on iOS and Android will gain several new features to improve the search experience.The features center around Microsoft Search, which helps find contextual content based on your queries.The new Search experience will start rolling out in April 2020.Microsoft is rolling out a new search experience to help people find content within Outlook on iOS and Android. The experience around Microsoft Search, and aims to provide you contextual information based on your searches. Microsoft breaks down all of the features in a recent post. The new Search experience should start rolling out in the beginning of April for Microsoft 365 customers in the U.S., including both business and consumer Office 365 customers.Outlook will soon support natural language searches on iOS and Android. This feature allows you to speak or type a question in "everyday language" to...

Everyone knows about Microsoft Excel, but only few take the time to learn the ins-and-outs of the popular spreadsheet program. Even fewer realize that being proficient in Excel can lead to a sizable increase in both productivity and salary. According to a report by Burning Glass Technologies, workers who have basic digital skills (such as Microsoft Word and Excel) tend to make 13% more than their digitally unskilled counterparts.Luckily, the experts are here to help, and if ever there has been a time to hunker down and learn some new skills, it's now. Learn from Excel masters Alan Jarvis and Chris Dutton in The 2020 Ultimate Microsoft Excel Certification Training Bundle. You'll gain lifetime access to 43 hours of Excel instruction ranging from introductory to advanced, and learn at your own pace with 10 available courses., all for just $49.Alan Jarvis has nearly 30 years of teaching experience and has held senior management positions at numerous blue chip and Times Top 100 compan...

No one likes a photo that comes out blurry, terribly crooked, or, worst of all, with part of a finger blocking it. Stability is essential in photography, and with a smartphone, it's arguably all the more important. Stabilizing photos comes in many different forms — some within the phone itself through optical or digital stabilization and others that are up to you. Here are keys to remember as you go about lining up your best photos and video.How to use your hands wiselyOne of the consequences of thinner phones and curved displays is slippery handling. Disappearing bezels increase the chances of accidental taps, forcing you to maintain a better grip on your device, lest it fall and suffer serious damage. The best way to shoot a stable photo is with two hands. That might seem like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised how often people don't do that.Why two hands? The most obvious reason is for balance, but it's also because it makes it ergonomically easier to actually tap the ...

The new generation of earbuds will, however, feature four color choices.What you need to knowThe OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z will not be truly wireless, after all.Leaked images of the earbuds show they're connected by a cable.OnePlus is expanding color choices, though, with green, blue, black, and white variants.While the internet has recently been abuzz with rumors that OnePlus will finally be jumping onto the truly wireless bandwagon with the latest generation of its Bullets Wireless earbuds, prepare to be disappointed when the company's April 14 launch of the OnePlus 8/8 Pro and OnePlus Z comes around.Images of the earbuds leaked by Evan Blass (via 9to5Google), who has a spectacular record when it comes to airing tech companies' secrets, show that the Bullets Wireless Z are also connected by a cable, much like their predecessors.In our review of the Bullets Wireless 2, we found the earphones to be an excellent buy, but in a year when almost everyone major player in th...

Pre-orders are open till April 6th, sales start on April 7th.What you need to knowHuawei has opened pre-orders for the P40 and P40 Pro in the UK.Sales will start on April 7th for both devices.The P40 will cost at least £699 at launch, while the P40 Pro will set you back £899.Huawei last week announced its 2020 flagships; the P40 and P40 Pro. While you won't be finding them in U.S stores anytime soon, they'll be making their way down to the UK in short order.The true flagship, the P40 Pro will come in Black and Silver Frost colors. You'll be able to purchase it from Carphone Warehouse, Virgin Mobile, Three, and other selected retailers. For pre-order bonuses, Huawei will throw in the FreeBuds 3, a Huawei SuperCharge Wireless Car Charger, and an additional Huawei Wireless Charger.The smaller P40 will come to the UK in black (if you purchase from Virgin Mobile or other selected retailers), and Silver Frost (this time a Carphone Warehouse exclusive.) Like the P40 Pro, y...

The Dell E2318HR 23-inch 1080p LED monitor is down to $84.99 with code 60426 at Staples. The monitor is already $100, and you'll see the extra $15 discounted during the final stages of checkout. This monitor goes for $140 at Newegg and as much as $170 at B&H. Keep in mind that like many retailers Staples has had to slow down delivery recently, so if you live near one ordering for in-store pickup might be the best option.If you are working from home and dealing with stay-at-home orders, self-isolation, and all of that stuff then there's a good chance you're using a work laptop given to you before the office closed up shop. If you don't already have a setup to take advantage of, you might be struggling to adjust to that tiny screen. Do something about it with today's deal. You're not looking for the latest and greatest necessarily, just something with a bit more space to work with and some decent stats. And especially something you don't have to fork over a fortune for.The E231...

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 quite slow.Apps that currently work with the Pixel 4's face unlock1PasswordAlly MobileAmerican ExpressBank of AmericaBarclays USBettermentBitwarden P...

It looks like the OnePlus 8 Pro will not be available in any gradient color option, at least initially.What you need to knowOfficial renders of the OnePlus 8 Pro have surfaced.In addition to the Onyx Black and Glacial Green options, the renders reveal a stunning new Ultramarine Blue color variant.The OnePlus 8 Pro is set to make its global debut on April 14, alongside the standard OnePlus 8.Press renders of the upcoming OnePlus 8 shared by journalist Roland Quandt of WinFuture earlier this week showed off the phone's "Interstellar Glow" color option for the first time. Quandt has now posted renders showing the OnePlus 8 Pro in three different color options.The newly leaked renders of the OnePlus 8 Pro give us our first look at the upcoming flagship phone in "Ultramarine Blue." In addition to the new color variant, the renders also show off the OnePlus 8 Pro in Onyx Black and Glacial Green color options. Sadly, though, the WinFuture report claims the OnePlus 8 Pro will not...

Self-isolation and quarantine doesn't have to be a terribly boring thing. A lot of online services have been encouraging people to stay home by offering free stuff, and right now Roku is joining in with offers of its own. The popular streaming platform has introduced the "Home Together" initiative designed to help people with Roku devices, which is over 100 million apparently, connect to the news and information that matters in this moment. In the same vein, Roku is also offering 30-day extended free trials for a number of premium channels you'd normally either have to pay for or only get a couple days free on. That includes channels like Showtime and Epix.You need a Roku device to access the Roku streaming platform. There are very inexpensive ways to do this, and the only limit to your access is based on the features of the device itself. No matter which one you choose, you gain full access to the entire Roku content library, all the accessible apps, and more. The Roku Express is on...

Free trials can be tricky because you often have to enter credit card information and then you may forget to cancel, and then all of a sudden you've paid for something you didn't really want. Sling TV is doing things a little different with its new 'Stay In & Sling' campaign that offers you 14 days of free access without even entering a credit card. That's right, you can literally click the Get FREE TV Now button on its site to get started with two weeks of Sling Blue at no cost to you.Sling TV 14-Day TrialStart your free trial at SlingFor a limited time, you can sign up for a free 14-day trial of Sling's Blue TV service without even needing a credit card. This offer won't stick around for long, so don't miss out.With Sling Blue you'll receive free access to more than 45 live TV channels, over 50,000 on-demand movies and shows, Cloud DVR recording, and the ability to stream on three screens at the same time. Some of the channels include CNN, MSNBC, A&E, Bravo, HGT...

We'll need to wait a while before we see another Bethesda conference with a bunch of games.What you need to knowBethesda has held an E3 conference every year since 2015.The COVID-19 pandemic is causing studios and published like Bethesda to implement work from home policies (WFH).E3 2020 was canceled earlier this year. As a result, Bethesda will not be holding a digital showcase around the same time as E3. No, it's not an April Fool's joke. Pete Hines, the Senior Vice President of Marketing for Bethesda Softworks, has shared the disappointing news that Bethesda will not be holding a digital showcase around the same time that E3 would've been held, prior to its cancellation. Instead, Bethesda will be sharing information on upcoming games in the months ahead through (presumably) alternative means. You can see Hines' statement on Twitter below.Given the many challenges we're facing due to the pandemic, we will not host a digital Showcase in June. We have lots of exciting th...

Best answer: It depends. In the U.S., even unlocked S20 models require a physical SIM card for now — though eSIM support could be added in a future software update. Variants designed for other regions may already feature eSIM support. Your best bet is to check with your carrier before buying.Our favorite S20 model: Samsung Galaxy S20+ ($1,200 at Samsung)eSIM right now: Google Pixel 4 ($800 at Best Buy)Depends on where you buy it (for now)Modern smartphone design is seemingly all about eliminating various hardware components, starting with removable batteries and continuing on to headphone jacks, fingerprint sensors, and now, even the physical SIM card. eSIMs are great — they allow you to sign into and "download" your phone plan, pulling in your phone number and data package without the need for that tiny plastic chip.That's why it was exciting when Samsung announced that the Galaxy S20 series would feature an eSIM (short for "embedded SIM") alongside the hybrid SIM/mic...

The coronavirus has spread to 180 countries around the world, and it shows no signs of abating. The pandemic has proved particularly devastating in recent weeks, with total confirmed cases crossing 877,000 and fatalities of over 43,540 globally.The virus has effectively shut down all sporting leagues around the world, major gatherings including tech events and music festivals, and closed down restaurants and malls. It also put a major dent in the airline industry, and is causing panic-buying across the globe, leading to severe food shortages.The coronavirus has also had a huge impact on the tech industry, affecting the global supply chain and causing interminable product delays. Here's the latest on the coronavirus and how it's affecting not only the tech industry, but also the world at large.April 1, 2020: UN warns of global instability, and Bill Gates has the answersCOVID-19 cases saw another huge spike over the last 24 hours, with 76,400 new cases registered. The U.S. rec...

A duo of flagship killers is on the way.In just a handful of years, OnePlus has established itself as one of the most exciting players in the U.S. smartphone market. 2019's OnePlus 7 Pro and 7T stand out as two of our favorite phones of the entire year, and for 2020, it looks like OnePlus is getting ready to wow us yet again.There's a lot of talk and buzz regarding the upcoming OnePlus 8, and based on what we know so far, it's shaping up to be one heck of a phone. From a 120Hz display to wireless charging, there's a lot in the pipeline.Whether you're interested in specs, design, or how much the OnePlus 8 will end up costing you, here's everything you need to know!OnePlus is preparing two versionsThe designs have been revealedLet's talk specsA word on the OnePlus ZOnePlus has confirmed an April 14 announcementHere's how much you'll payLet's not forget about the OnePlus 7TKiller flagshipOnePlus 7T$499 at OnePlusStill one of the best deals aroundEven with...

Stuck indoors? Wish you could get outside? I've got the next best thing! A farming simulator on your phone! And not just nay farming simulator. This is Stardew Valley, THE farming simulator of simulators. You will lose hours of your day invested in rebuilding grandpa's crops. It's the perfect game to pass the time while quarantined, and right now it is down to just $4.99 on Google Play and the Apple app store. The game is normally $8 and goes for as much as $15 on PC right now, so you're getting it for a third of the price of PC.I played this game back in the day, but even I'm thinking about getting the app version. I imagine the mobile experience is very different with touchscreens and such instead of a controller (I first played on Xbox). Plus, I know just how much of a time sink the game can be. It's a beautiful distraction.If you've never played this game before, here's a quick rundown of the situation. You inherit your grandfather's farm, but it's a bit rundown. It's more ru...

The Samsung RU8000 55-inch 4K HDR TV is down to $571.34 at BuyDig. You have to add it to your cart and go all the way through checkout to see the final price, but right before you pay you should see the discount applied. Without the discount, the TV is $700 and you can find it going for that price at most retailers including Best Buy. This TV did once drop as low as $500, but that was a deal exclusive to Costco members and has since expired. This deal is not exclusive and is open to anyone.The RU8000 is a 2019 model TV. It has been replaced with Samsung's TU8000 lineup. Even though the 55-inch TU8000 is cheaper, it's also not as good. The RU8000 has a much wider color gamut, better brightness, and more features overall. And it's only marginally more expensive with today's deal.The RU8000 TV uses a 4K UHD processor that's powerful enough to upscale all your content. Watch every TV show and movie in 4K. It also has HLG and HDR10+ support so you can watch hDR content with shades of ...

Samsung has given up, Huawei may be pushed out, and Qualcomm could become a de facto monopoly for the high end.You probably have a phone with a Qualcomm chip inside of it, and chances are if it's a premium model, you are pleased with the performance. That's because Qualcomm makes a very good mobile chipset, and the Snapdragon's combination of a great CPU, a fantastic mobile GPU, and a complete package for all the radios and communication is very tough to beat.Part of the reason why is because Qualcomm knows that it has two other companies that would very much like to be where it is right now — or at least it used to. Samsung has decided to stop building custom Exynos CPU cores and is going to try something different for the foreseeable future. That leaves only one other player on the field, and the referees — in the form of U.S. government sanctions — look to be sending it to the locker room as Huawei may be forced to stop manufacturing its HiSilicon Kirin-branded chipsets....

With eero, building a powerful mesh network in your home is a breeze. Not only that, but eero routers also have a simple and compact design with robust capabilities that are all accessible with the eero app. If you want to expand your eero mesh, you have three options ranging from the low-priced but powerful eero, the faster eero Pro, and the compact and sleek eero Beacon. The Beacon is instantly recognizable with its oblong white housing that blends in so well with a standard power outlet that it's barely noticeable.There's no getting around the fact that it is the slowest of all the eeros with the fewest features, save a nightlight, and compared to the standard eero, it's rather expensive. Still, for adding that extra bar of signal to my streaming devices in my living room without taking up any more space on my shelf, I like it.Eero Mesh WiFi System (Gen 3) Review: Broad coverage at a lower priceEero Pro review: An excellent mesh router system, but overkill for small spaces...

Google's flagship Pixel 4 is set to drop in pricing in the UK. The company is discounting the flagship handset by £150 when you buy a 64 GB model. If you opt for a larger 128 GB model, you'll be able to save up to £170. These savings apply to both the Pixel 4 and 4 XL.These deals run from April 1st through to the 14th of April. You can purchase the Pixel 4 from Google's partners in Argos, Carphone Warehouse, John Lewis, and from the Google Store itself (albeit from April 4th).Earlier this week, Google announced savings on the Pixel 3a, Chromecast and Google Home family. Those deals will run through April 21st, stopping a little bit after the savings on the flagship Pixels end.Good camera, OK staminaPixel 4From £699 at GoogleA decent small Android phoneDespite its battery life shortcomings, the Pixel 4 remains a good Android phone just for the camera alone. Google's quarterly feature drops ensure that Pixel 4 will keep getting better throughout its lifetime.B...

LG's hardware is great, but I would take almost any other company's software.I'm fresh off the heels of publishing my video review of the LG V60, which went live alongside Andrew Martonik's written review, and to be totally honest, the very first thing I did after my video went live was move back into my Galaxy S20+.This is partially because my V60 is a locked AT&T review unit, and my personal phone number is attached to a Google Fi SIM. But it was also hugely relieving because for as much as I enjoyed the V60 for its nice hardware, I couldn't wait to stop using LG's software, which Andrew and I both complained about in our respective reviews. I'm not even a huge fan of Samsung's One UI per se (I'm that guy that always prefers Google's Pixel UI or OnePlus's OxygenOS), but it feels incredibly modern by comparison. LG's software isn't a deal-breaker, but it doesn't add any value against other phones.At first glance, LG's UX 9 looks perfectly fine, with a revamped aesthet...

The Indian government decided to hike the Goods and Services tax on mobile phones to 18% from 12% last month.What you need to knowMany popular brands have increased prices of their smartphones in India due to the hike in Goods and Services Tax on smartphones from 12% to 18% by the Indian government.Vivo is raising prices by up to ₹2,000 ($26), while Samsung has hiked prices by up to ₹6,000 ($79). The government's move is expected to lead to immediate job losses and could put a damper on future investments in manufacturing in the country.Several popular brands today announced that they are increasing the prices of their smartphones in India. The companies were forced to hike prices after the Indian government increased the Goods and Services Tax on mobile phones from 12% to 18%.Mi fans, #GST on mobile phones has increased by 50% from 12% to 18%.After much deliberation & in keeping with #Xiaomi policy of maintaining <5% margin on our hardware products,we will be ...

Zoom's privacy and security is not really inspiring much confidence, is it?What you need to knowZoom has a 'Company Directory' feature which pools users of the same domain name, making it easier to find colleagues if you work in the same company.However, countless users are saying that their personal email addresses have been pooled with thousands of random people.Personal data including full names, mail addresses, profile picture and statuses were all shared with strangers.The dumpster fire that is Zoom's security and privacy practices continues to rage after it emerged that Zoom's 'Company Directory' feature pooled thousands of strangers together, exposing personal data.According to a report from Motherboard Popular video-conferencing Zoom is leaking personal information of at least thousands of users, including their email address and photo, and giving strangers the ability to attempt to start a video call with them through Zoom. The issue lies in Zoom's "Comp...

A few major carriers have already started using STIR/SHAKEN to authenticate calls.What you need to knowThe U.S. FCC has instructed all carriers and phone companies to implement the STIR/SHAKEN protocol by June next year to combat the robocall menace.STIR/SHAKEN will help lessen the effectiveness of illegal spoofing and enable carriers to identify illegally spoofed caller ID info even before the calls reach subscribers.American consumers reportedly lose $10 billion annually to fraudulent robocall schemes. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today adopted new rules that require the industry-wide implementation of the STIR/SHAKEN protocol to combat spoofed robocalls. All carriers and phone companies in the U.S. must enable called ID authentication on their networks using STIR/SHAKEN by June 30, 2021.The new regulatory requirement is aimed at significantly lowering the effectiveness of illegal spoofing, allowing law enforcement agencies to identify scammers more effi...

Tinder and Houseparty integrations are currently under progress.What you need to knowSnapchat is introducing a new feature called "App Stories."It allows you to post your Snapchat Stories to other apps.Currently, only four apps are supported, with Tinder and Houseparty also being considered.As others app copy one of its marquee features, Snapchat is trying to reassert its status as the originator of Stories by offering a more consolidated experience across different apps. To that end, it's introducing "App Stories," a new feature that lets other apps hook into your Snapchat Stories and display them in their own UI (via MobileSyrup).Of course, apps following in the footsteps of Facebook and Instagram, which seek to replace and not coexist alongside Snapchat, will likely never accept the proposition and opt to create their implementations of the feature, just like Facebook did. However, there are still a number of apps that either don't have the resources or the interest in...

Good Lock is a powerful utility that lets you turbocharge your Galaxy phone.Samsung's Good Lock is a software suite that lets you unlock the full customization potential of your Galaxy phone. Basically, Good Lock contains a series of modules designed to tweak every facet of the user interface, including the lock screen, notification panel, recents menu, and so much more. Need a vertical volume slider? You'll be able to set it up using Good Lock.Samsung overhauled Good Lock for 2020, rolling out a set of new modules that offer even more customization options. You just won't find this level of customization with a third-party launcher, and it's great to see Samsung giving users the ability to tinker with the UI on their Galaxy phones. Good Lock 2020 has 13 modules on the Galaxy S20, so let's get started and see why it is such a big deal.LockStar brings robust customization options to the lock screenLockStar is a new module that lets you configure the lock screen to your prefe...

A lot of people are playing video games now that they're stuck inside.What you need to knowMany countries have ordered people to stay in their homes the last few weeks due to COVID-19.Game networks like PSN and Xbox Live have seen an uptick in traffic as a result.PlayStation 4 and other consoles have also seen a spike in sales across Europe with over 250,000 sold.People are spending a lot of time indoors lately, and it looks like this has translated to more consoles being sold as a result. GamesIndustry.biz analyzed market data from GSD, which tracks software and hardware sales across 17 territories, and found some staggering numbers of video game consoles have flown off shelves recently.According to the report, console sales for the week of March 16 - 22 rose a whopping 155% to 259,169. This surge was across the board apparently between Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch with all three systems seeing a massive boost.In terms of specific countries, Italy's con...

While we're all stuck working from home, many of us are digging through old closets and drawers trying to find projects to work on — maybe by turning old, washed-up gadgets into new, workable devices. I applaud the creativity and technical skills that this often requires, but I don't really possess much of either. That's why I wanted to review a do-it-yourself trick that even I can handle! I'll show you how easy Amazon makes it to turn an old dumb speaker into a new smart streamer with just an Echo device and a cable.Products used in this guideDefault Echo speaker: Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen) ($50 at Amazon)Cable connector: AmazonBasics 3.5mm Audio Cable ($6 at Amazon)Expert level: Amazon Echo Link Amp ($300 at Amazon)How to make that old dumb speaker smartAmazon Echo (2nd Gen)You're about to be wowed by my technical expertise. Brace yourselves.Pick up your Echo Dot and turn it around.See that little port to the right of the power input? Take your 3.5mm audio cable,...