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Showing posts from November, 2021

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is coming to these phones in 2022

Qualcomm's 2022 flagship chipset will make its way to devices from all major Android manufacturers. Qualcomm has unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, with the flagship chipset getting a new name and exciting upgrades on the hardware front, including the latest Arm cores, new AI engine, and imaging tweaks that will allow phones that leverage the platform to take much better photos. We don't have to wait long to see the first phones with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1; the Xiaomi 12 will be the first to use the platform, with a launch slated for sometime in December. We should also see one of the BBK entities follow suit shortly thereafter, and with Nubia, Motorola, and Honor on the list, the best Android phones will once again use the latest Qualcomm design. Here's the full list: Xiaomi Redmi OnePlus OPPO Vivo Realme Nubia Black Shark Motorola iQOO Honor Sony ZTE SHARP Now, Samsung isn't mentioned here, and that's normal. Samsung is always missing from

The Google Search app tests a change that we've all been waiting for

But which design or location do you like better? What you need to know Google has been spotted testing new designs and positions for the search bar in the Google app. One design puts the user's thumbnail into the search bar at the top of the app. Another keeps the current design but with the search bar moved to the bottom of the display. The Google Search app appears to be testing new looks and locations for its search bar, according to some users in the Google News Telegram ( via Mishaal Rahman ). According to the images, the new design could incorporate the user thumbnail into the right-most section of the search bar. This appears to move the search bar further up on the screen, likely to match the current position of the thumbnail in the top right corner of the display. However, it would bring it in-line with other apps like Gmail and the Play Store, which place the thumbnail in their respective search bars. Another change could be the search bar finally moving to t

The Google Pixel 6 series is hit with another charging-related fiasco

The phones just won't play ball with low-quality USB-C cables and charging bricks, and that's fine. What you need to know Google's latest flagship phones apparently refuse to charge with third-party cables and chargers. The Google Pixel 6 series works only with PD-certified USB-C charging gear. Google already warned that other cables and charging bricks might not work with Pixel phones. Some Pixel 6 owners may have been disappointed earlier this month when they discovered that their devices only support up to 23W wired charging rather than 30W, as many had assumed. Now, Pixel 6 users are in for yet another letdown . Google's latest flagships appear to reject charging via non-PD-certified cables and chargers. Some Pixel 6 owners have taken to Google's support forum to express their disappointment with the phone's refusal to charge using a low-quality USB-C cable or power brick (via 9to5Google ). Plugging in a cheaper cable appears to have no effect

Your Chromebook is getting new camera tricks, GIF maker coming soon

The latest Chrome OS release focuses on the camera app. What you need to know Google is launching new features for the Chrome OS camera app. Users will be able to control the angle of their external webcams from the app. Google is also teasing a GIF creator that will be available next year. Google has highlighted some new features that it's bringing to the Chrome OS camera app that owners of the best Chromebooks can look forward to. Google first highlights the Scan mode that first appeared with Chrome 94, which includes QR code scanning and as well as document scanning. This will scan any document using the front or back camera on your Chromebook and convert it to a PDF or JPEG. The function will automatically detect the edges of your document, but users can also manually adjust them. Additionally, for users with the best webcams , the camera app will now include Pan-Tilt-Zoom controls to adjust the angle that the camera captures videos and images. The camera app wi

Qualcomm announces its new flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform

Snapdragon chips get a new name and new capabilities. What you need to know Qualcomm announces its latest flagship Snapdragon chipset. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset is the first to utilize Qualcomm's new naming convention. The chipset features advancements in AI to enhance on-device processing and improve photo quality. Qualcomm has finally unveiled the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform, the first chipset to adopt Qualcomm's new naming convention that it teased earlier this month. This new "simplified" naming scheme represents a new generation for Qualcomm that focuses its efforts on advanced AI processing and fast 5G speeds. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 features a new 3GHz ARM Cortex X2 high-performance core that should provide up to 40% better performance than its predecessor. It's also built on a 4nm process for improved efficiency over the Snapdragon 888 . However, beyond speed, Qualcomm is focusing on AI capabilities and performance. Thanks to

Google reveals Project Starline specs and proof that it's better than Zoom

The classic restaurant booth design gets a 21st century upgrade. What you need to know Project Starline is a new way to remotely connect with people by providing the feeling of being present with them, known as telepresense. The booth uses an 8K display with a parallax barrier-like lens array to display 3D images without the use of glasses. User movement and audio are tracked via 3 "pods" that are used to render a life-like 3D version of a person to transmit wirelessly. When Google announced Project Starline back at Google I/O 2021 in May, no one was under any illusion that the tech behind it was simple. A new whitepaper published by Google research, spotted by 9to5Google , details just how complicated the tech actually is. It all starts with the booth design, which is similar to a familiar restaurant booth and gives users a comfortable place to sit while they meet or converse with other people remotely. Google says it chose a seated design primarily for this p

10 best file sharing apps for Android

File sharing is a lot easier than it used to be. Internet speeds are a lot faster and devices are a lot more powerful with way more storage. It’s relatively easy to move even large files from one person to another. Android even has Nearby Share , a method for sharing files simply by being next to the person you want to share with. Still, there are some apps that can make it easy and we’ll go over those now. Here are the best file sharing apps for Android. The best file sharing apps for Android: Feem Email Cloud Storage Imgur InShare Send Anywhere Solid Explorer (and similar apps) Torrents WhatsApp (and similar apps) Xender Feem Price: Free / $4.99-$9.99 per year from Apps – Android Authority https://ift.tt/3EcAJKL https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

10 best Magic The Gathering apps for Android

Magic: The Gathering is one of the oldest, best, and most complex card games out there. It has fans all over the world and enough deck combinations for everybody to build a 100% unique deck several times over before you find a repeat. A game so large and so complex obviously needs a few tools for organization and game play. Thankfully, there are enough to satisfy the demand for both casual players and tournament players as well as collectors. Here are the best Magic The Gathering apps for Android! from Apps – Android Authority https://ift.tt/32hxa2o https://ift.tt/2NlHzWs

Foldables enjoyed a record quarter thanks to the Galaxy Z Flip 3, Fold 3

Unsurprisingly, Samsung reigns supreme. What you need to know The latest numbers show that Samsung led foldable shipments in Q3 2021. Total foldable shipments in Q3 were 2.6 million, with Q4 expected to grow to 3.8 million. DSCC expects 2022 foldables to exceed 17 million. The latest report from Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) shows that foldable shipments are improving, thanks mainly to Samsung's best foldable phones . The numbers show that shipments in Q3 2022 exceeded the previous four quarters combined with 2.8 million units shipped. Unsurprisingly, most of that volume could be attributed to Samsung's cheaper Galaxy Z Flip 3 , which accounted for 60% of foldable shipments during the quarter, while Samsung took 93% of total foldable shipments overall. Huawei managed just 6% share with its Mate X2 phones. "Samsung's August release of its improved foldables, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3, at more attractive prices along with strong promotiona

The Amazon Appstore is completely useless on Android 12 at the moment

Do not upgrade to Android 12 for now if you're using apps downloaded from the Amazon Appstore. What you need to know Apps and games installed from the Amazon Appstore are currently not working on Android 12 phones. The issue appears to stem from Amazon's DRM implementation. Amazon has yet to issue a fix for the problem, which began more than a month ago. Google made Android 12 available for beta testing for several months before making it available to the general public. However, Amazon appears to have missed the opportunity to ensure that its Appstore is compatible with the most recent version of Android. The Amazon Appstore is currently broken on Android 12 (via Liliputing ). This means that apps and games downloaded from the online marketplace will not function on some of the best Android phones that have been upgraded to the OS, such as the Google Pixel 6 series and the Pixel 4a 5G. A considerable number of users who have already upgraded to Android 12 took

11 best cooking apps and recipe apps for Android

Virtually everybody knows how to cook something. Otherwise, we’d all be starving to death. It’s an important life skill. Many of us can only make the basics like mac and cheese or peanut butter and jelly. However, there are a bunch of apps out there that can improve our capabilities in the kitchen. Here are the best cooking apps and recipe apps for Android! The best cooking apps and recipe apps for Android Allrecipes Dinner Spinner ChefTap Cookmate Recipe Manager Cookpad Kitchen Stories KptnCook Paprika Recipe Manager 3 Pinterest Tasty Yummly YouTube Allrecipes Dinner Spinner Price: Free from Apps – Android Authority https://ift.tt/31jhtwZ https://ift.tt/2ZHQvhU

10 best productivity apps for Android

The reason smartphones exist is so we can be more productive. They’re like tiny super computers that we keep in our pocket. They connect to the web, let us do work, and we always have them on us. That makes them prime candidates to help us all be a little more productive. There are a ton of options for apps that can help you be more productive in your life. Let’s take a look at the best productivity apps for Android! Evernote Google Drive IFTTT LastPass Microsoft apps Pushbullet Slack Solid Explorer TickTick Trello Bonus: Forest Read more: from Apps – Android Authority https://ift.tt/3pduobJ https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

10 best virtual pet apps and games for Android

Sometimes having a real pet is difficult. Maybe your apartment complex is strict or your loved ones are allergic. It’s not great, but there are other alternatives like virtual pet apps. These are a subset of the simulation genre where you adopt, feed, clean, and take care of a little virtual pet. The genre has its ups and downs, but the games are usually family-friendly and adorable. They also saw a fairly large resurgence in popularity over the last few years. You may even recognize some names on this list, like My Tamagotchi Forever by the same company that did the little Tamagotchis from the 1990s. Anyway, here are the best virtual pet apps and games for Android! The best virtual pet apps and games for Android Bubbu Dogotchi Frojo virtual pet games Godville Hellopet My Boo APP7 Neko Atsume Pou Talking Tom series Bubbu Price: Free to play from Apps – Android Authority https://ift.tt/2Valqvz https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

10 best cat games on Android for both people and cats

There are two main types of cat games out there. There are games for people with a bunch of cats in them. Then, of course, you have games specifically for cats. Both genres are rather interesting. Most cat games for people are just regular games with strong cat themes. Games for cats are usually just things floating around on the screen for them to chase. We recommend turning out lights and using devices with larger screens to help entice the cat until they get what they’re supposed to do. We’ll also let you know when a game is specifically for cats or for people. They are the original and arguably the most popular cat games right now. In any case, here are the best cat games for Android for both people and cats. from Apps – Android Authority https://ift.tt/2DcjnB8 https://ift.tt/3DaGt6L

5 best racing apps for Android for all types of racing

People all over the world love a good car race. You have stock car racing, drag racing, Formula One racing, and all kinds of other genres. There are all kinds of organizations and associations for the sport. It’s often difficult to really follow any one of them. Racing apps isn’t the most popular genre ever and that’s disappointing. There are so many racing leagues out there and not nearly enough coverage of them. Most apps focus on the same three or four elements of racing. The racing schedule, the race timing (pit stops and tire rotations), highlights, and racing results. Our selection focuses mostly on those things. Here are the best racing apps for Android. from Apps – Android Authority https://ift.tt/2OI0fgC https://ift.tt/3xDrNM2

PlayStation recap: Skyrim gets yet another re-release for its anniversary

We're almost into the new year and PlayStation has had a middling holiday period. I've got to be honest, it's a little weird writing a November PlayStation recap when the company hasn't had a big exclusive this holiday season. While everybody was hoping that Horizon Forbidden West would make it out in time for the holidays, it won't be ready until February 2022 at the earliest (if it isn't delayed again). That said, there are a few notable news stories this month in the world of PlayStation. The PS5 is still going as strong as ever, and if you've managed to snag one during a PS5 restock , maybe you'll want to replay Skyrim. Because it released again. I'm serious. It's the year 2021 and Skyrim released again. But that's not all. We also got a new teaser image for the next Mass Effect and learned a little bit more about what players can expect from Elden Ring. Let's dive in and check it out. Skyrim gets re-released for the million

December Quest v35 update finally adds cloud saves and multi-user support

An early Holiday gift from Meta, with half a dozen new features for your Quest or Quest 2. What you need to know Quest December v35 update brings along half a dozen new features and has begun rolling out starting November 30, 2021. Cloud backup for save files is now enabled in this new version, which will automatically back up any game saves you have on your Quest. Multi-user support is exiting beta, Facebook Messenger can now be used for calls in VR, mixed reality camera makes it easier to stream your VR gaming sessions, Horizon Workrooms features more customization, and more web apps (PWAs) are now becoming available. Exactly one month ago, Meta announced that cloud save backup would be coming to the Quest and Quest 2 in the coming weeks. Thankfully, we didn't have to wait very long for this feature, as it's now rolling out alongside the v35 December update for both headsets. That more or less solves the conundrum of whether to pick the 128GB or 256GB Quest 2 b

17 Cyber Monday Android phone deals are still live — but won't be for long

Cyber Monday is over, but a few sites still have great prices and trade-in offers. Black Friday weekend is a major deal-hunting event, and with all the deals available, you may have missed your shot to buy one of the best Android phones at a major discount. But don't worry: some of our favorite deals are still available for Cyber Week, if you want to upgrade to something better. Along with these great last-minute Android accessory deals , these are the post-Cyber Monday Android phone deals to check out. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 | Save hundreds or trade-in with Samsung Save $250 + up to $900 enhanced trade-in credit at Samsung $1,500 at Amazon ($300 off) $1,400 at Best Buy ($400 off) Get $250 off, free Galaxy Buds 2, and up to $900 enhanced trade-in credit from Samsung, bringing your bill down to a potential $650 (or higher with an older phone trade). This deal should be available until December 5. Samsung's premium foldable offers lightning speeds, a gorgeous fast-