Android malware uses phone motion sensors to hide itself

In the movie Batman Begins, Commissioner Gordon lectures Batman on how his theatrical persona will likely lead to the same kind of escalation from the bad guys of the city. As good as Batman might be, he does set the bar higher for a harder class of criminal.

A similar escalation is happening within Android malware: as security researchers and the Google Play Store itself get better and better at tracking and stopping Android malware, the malicious coders who create the malware get better in turn.

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Android malware hidden in QR code apps infects 1 million users

A new strain of Android malware is said to have infected at least a million users while hidden inside seemingly harmless apps.

Six QR readers and a smart compass app contained the malicious code, which initially …

Case in point: there are now malware-infested apps that only deploy the malware when the software detects motion from the smartphone, via ArsTechnica. The reason for this is that most security research teams use Android emulators to test for malware — i.e., not real smartphones. The emulators are not coded to emulate motion by default because most would think that wouldn’t be necessary. As such, the Android malware slips through those emulation systems undetected but will deploy on a real smartphone without issue.

This ingenious workaround was recently discovered by Trend Micro in two apps — BatterySaverMobi and Currency Converter. Both apps are no longer on the Google Play Store.

Luckily, the BatterySaverMobi app had less than 5,000 downloads, so the damage is likely minimal.

Since malicious coders are getting better at hiding malware from security detection, it is more important than ever to ensure you are only downloading apps from the Google Play Store that you trust. When in doubt, try to find the app with the highest number of downloads and/or reviews, as they will likely be safer than apps with a small number of users.

NEXT: 15 best antivirus apps and best anti-malware apps for Android!

Source: Android Zone

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Latest Pocophone F1 update brings 960fps video recording and more

The global stable version of MIUI 10.2.2.0 is rolling out now to the Xiaomi Pocophone F1. The update comes several weeks after Xiaomi released Android 9 Pie for the affordable smartphone.

The update introduces 960fps slow-motion video recording. The Pocophone F1 currently supports 120fps and 240fps slow-motion video recording, so the third setting is a welcome inclusion.

However, the changelog doesn’t state the resolution of the 960fps videos. The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Sony Xperia XZ3 also support 960fps video recording at 720p and 1080p resolutions, respectively.

Good news all! Dev team has started rolling out the Jan stable build which has the latest security patch and a bunch of fixes. Slightly later than we thought but it’s here! Everyone should get it in the next few days. pic.twitter.com/o43M0YMzy3

— Alvin Tse (@atytse) January 17, 2019

MIUI 10.2.2.0 also includes an enhanced low-light mode for those nighttime shots and bumps the security patch level up to December 1, 2018. The Pocophone F1 is a bit behind in that regard since the January 2019 security patch is available now.

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When it comes to competitively priced devices with flagship-like specifications, there are only two devices everyone talks about: the Pocophone F1 and the OnePlus 6T. Both devices sport the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and both have …

Lastly, Pocophone global head Alvin Tse said the update includes “a bunch of fixes.” They do not yet include a fix for the touch response issue that some Pocophone F1 owners reported.

That said, Tse said an update in February will include touch optimizations. The Pocophone F1 will also get support for 4K video recording at 60fps and a fix for the reported battery drain issue in February.

MIUI 10.2.2.0 is rolling out to the Pocophone F1 over the next few days.

NEXT: Pocophone is by far your favorite new smartphone brand

Source: Android Zone

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Google is giving away Play Store credits (Update: Redux!)

Update, January 18, 2019 (3:29PM EST): If you missed the free Play Store credit the first time around, Google now offers a second opportunity for some Pixel 3 and 3 XL owners.

If you were selected, you should see a banner for a Play Store credit of $2 when you scroll down a bit in the For You tab. You can apply the credit at checkout and expires within 30 days of you saving the offer.

You can use the credit for anything on the Play Store, so long as it’s over $2. That said, not every Pixel 3 or 3 XL owner were selected for the credit.

Also, some folks received $3 of Play Store credit instead of $2.

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Original article, November 5, 2018 (1:59PM EST): If you like free money (who doesn’t?), you should open up the Google Play Store app on your Android smartphone. You might find you’ve earned a free Play Store credit, worth anywhere from $1 to $5.

To see if you’ve got cash, open up the Google Play Store and scroll down a bit. If you’re one of the lucky ones who got a credit, you’ll see an image banner telling you so. If you scroll down all the way to the bottom of the page and don’t see anything except for suggested apps, unfortunately, you’ve missed out this time around.

Google didn’t make any announcement about the credits that we know of, so it’s hard to tell what this promotion is all about. It appears that owners of a Google Pixel 3 or Google Pixel 3 XL in the United States get a credit — but not all owners are seeing credits right now. It also appears people who don’t own a Pixel 3 who see the credit are a mixed bunch, with no obvious connection linking them.

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However, it does seem like all recipients of the free credit have one thing in common, which is they live in the United States.

If you do find yourself with some free credits, tap on the image banner and follow the instructions. The credit will go into your Google account and can be used towards any app or game on the Play Store. Keep in mind, though, that you can’t use the credits to pay for subscriptions or in-app purchases.

The credits will expire in two years, although you’ll likely spend $5 on the Play Store between now and then, won’t you?

NEXT: How to get a refund for apps purchased from the Google Play Store

Source: Android Zone

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7 Best WordPress Backup Plugins Compared (Pros and Cons)

Creating regular WordPress backups is the best thing you can do for your website security. Backups give you peace of mind and can save you in catastrophic situations such as when your site gets hacked or you accidentally lock yourself out.

There are several free and paid WordPress backup plugins and most of them are fairly easy to use. In this article, we will share the 7 best backup plugins for WordPress.

Important: While many WordPress hosting providers offer limited backup services, we always recommend our users to not rely solely on them. At the end of the day, it is your responsibility to keep regular backups of your website.

If you are not already backing up your WordPress website, then you should pick one of these 7 best WordPress backup plugins and start using it right away.

1. UpdraftPlus

UpdraftPlus is the most popular free WordPress backup plugin available on the internet. It is used by more than 2 million websites.

UpdraftPlus allows you to create a complete backup of your WordPress site and store it on the cloud or download to your computer.

The plugin supports scheduled backups as well as on-demand backups. You also have the option to choose which files you want to backup.

It can automatically upload your backups to Dropbox, Google Drive, S3, Rackspace, FTP, SFTP, email, and several other cloud storage services (see our step by step guide on how to backup & restore your WordPress site with UpdraftPlus).

Besides backing up each WordPress website, UpdraftPlus also allows you to easily restore backups directly from your WordPress admin panel.

UpdraftPlus also has a premium version with add-ons to migrate or clone websites, database search and replace, multisite support, and several other features. The premium version also gets you access to priority support.

Pricing: Free (UpdraftPremium Personal for $70)

Review: UpdratPlus is the most loved WordPress backup plugin in the market. It has over 2 million active installs and 4.9 out of 5 star rating average. While the free version has a lot of features, we recommend upgrading to UpdraftPlus premium to unlock all powerful backup features.

2. VaultPress (Jetpack Backups)

At WPBeginner, we use VaultPress to back up our website. VaultPress was founded by Matt Mullenweg (WordPress co-founder) and his team at Automattic.

Although it started as an independent plugin, VaultPress is now a part of Automattic’s another product called JetPack. You will need a JetPack subscription plan to use VaultPress. There are multiple pricing plans with different set of features.

VaultPress plugin offers automated real-time cloud backup solution starting at $3.50 per month. You can easily setup VaultPress backups and restore from backups within few clicks.

The higher plans of Jetpack also offer security scans and several other powerful features.

There are a few downsides of using VaultPress.

First, it is a recurring expense that can add up if you have multiple WordPress sites because you pay per site.

Second, you will have to subscribe to JetPack, get a WordPress.com account, and install the Jetpack plugin on your site.

Lastly, backups are stored for only 30-days on the lower plans. If you want an unlimited backup archive, then you would have to pay the $29 per month per website which is significantly more expensive for beginners when compared to other solutions listed here.

We are still using VaultPress because we got grandfathered in at their older pricing which was a lot more favorable.

Even at the higher price, VaultPress is completely worth it due to the stellar reputation of Automattic.

Pricing: From $39 per year for JetPack Personal plan

Review: VaultPress as part of the popular JetPack plugin gives good value for money. If you’re already using JetPack for other features like JetPack CDN for photos, social media promotion, etc, then it’s an easy pick for you.

3. BackupBuddy

BackupBuddy is one of the most popular premium WordPress backup plugins used by over half a million WordPress sites. It allows you to easily schedule daily, weekly, and monthly backups.

With BackupBuddy, you can automatically store your backups in cloud storage services like Dropbox, Amazon S3, Rackspace Cloud, FTP, Stash (their cloud service), and even email it to yourself.

If you use their Stash service, then you also have the ability to do real-time backups.

The biggest advantage of using BackupBuddy is that it is not a subscription-based service, so there is no monthly fee. You can use the plugin on the number of websites mentioned in your plan.

You also get access to premium support forums, regular updates, and 1GB of BackupBuddy Stash storage to store your backups. In addition, their iThemes Sync feature lets you manage up to 10 WordPress site from a single dashboard.

You can even use BackupBuddy to duplicate, migrate and restore websites.

Pricing: $52 for Blogger Plan (1 Site License)

Review: BackupBuddy is a cost-effective premium WordPress backup solution for you. It has full set of features you’ll need to backup, restore and move a WordPress site. In the nutshell, it’s a powerful UpdraftPlus and VaultPress alternative that you can use.

4. BoldGrid Backup

BoldGrid Backup is an automated WordPress backup solution by BoldGrid, which is a website builder powered by WordPress.

It allows you to easily create your website backups, restore your site after it crashes, and you can even use it to move your site when switching hosts. You can set up automated backups or manually create backups with one-click.

BoldGrid Backup comes with an automated fault protection feature which automatically creates a backup of your site before it updates. If an update fails, it automatically rolls back your WordPress site to the last backup. It’s a great feature which protects you against update errors.

With BoldGrid Backup, you can store up to 10 backup archives on your dashboard and more in a remote storage locations like Amazon S3, FTP or SFTP.

Pricing: $60 per year (Includes all of BoldGrid Premium tools & Services)

Review: BoldGrid Backup is a simple WordPress backup plugin that you can use to create your website backups. The advantage of using this plugin is the bundle of other powerful tools you’ll get with the purchase of this plugin.

5. BlogVault

BlogVault is another popular WordPress backup service for WordPress. It’s a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution rather than just a WordPress plugin. It creates offsite backups independently on BlogVault servers, so there will be a zero load on your server.

BlogVault creates automatic backup of your website on a daily basis and also allows you to manually create unlimited on-demand backups. It features smart incremental backups that sync only incremental changes for minimal server load. This ensures optimal performance for your site.

Besides backups, it helps you to recover your website easily. You can store 90 days backup archive, so you can recover your site from any mishap.

It also has a built-in staging site feature to let you test your website easily. Plus, it provides an easy option to migrate your website to another host.

BlogVault features seem promising however pricing seems a bit expensive when compared to other plugins above. You’ll need to pay $89 for the basic plan which offers a 1 site license.

Pricing: $89 per year for Personal Plan (1 Site License)

Review: BlogVault is an easy to use WordPress backup solution. It creates offsite backups, so your website server will not be loaded with your backups. The pricing seems a bit high for small businesses.

6. BackWPup

BackWPup is a free plugin that allows you to create complete WordPress backups for free and store it on the cloud (Dropbox, Amazon S3, Rackspace, etc), FTP, email, or on your computer.

It is extremely easy to use and allows you to schedule automatic backups according to your site’s update frequency.

Restoring a WordPress site from backup is also very simple. The BackWPup Pro version comes with priority support, ability to store backups on Google Drive, and some other cool features.

Pricing: Free (Premium plan is also available)

Review: Used by over 600,000 websites, BackWPup is a great alternative to other backup plugins in the list. The premium version of the plugin adds more powerful features including easy and quick website restoration from the backend with a standalone app.

7. Duplicator

As the name suggests, Duplicator is a popular WordPress plugin used to migrate WordPress sites. However it also has backup features.

It does not allow you to create automated scheduled backups which makes it less than ideal primary WordPress backup solution for a regularly maintained site.

Pricing: Free

Review: Duplicator lets you create manual backups of your WordPress site easily. If your web host creates regular backups, you can use this plugin to create backups to use on staging environment. It’s a great site migration plugin.

Final Thoughts

Each WordPress backup plugin in our list has their pros and cons, but all of them offer complete WordPress file backup as well as full database backup features.

We use VaultPress for two main reasons. It is extremely easy to use, and it offers real-time incremental backups.

What this means is that instead of backing up all of your files every day or every hour, it only creates a backup of what has been updated literally within minutes of the update. This is ideal for a large website like ours because it allows us to use our server resources efficiently.

However, if you run a small to medium size website and hate paying monthly fees, then we recommend the popular UpdraftPlus plugin. It comes with all the powerful features like backup encryption, encrypted backup transport, and tons of cloud storage options.

Whichever WordPress backup plugin you end up choosing, please do NOT store your backups on the same server as your website.

By doing that, you are putting all of your eggs in one basket. If your server’s hardware fails or worst you get hacked, then you don’t have a backup which defeats the purpose of setting up regular backups.

This is why we highly recommend storing your backups on a third-party storage service like Dropbox, Amazon S3, Google Drive, etc.

That’s all. We hope that this list helped you pick the best WordPress backup plugin for your site. You may also want to see our step by step WordPress security guide for beginners.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

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Source: Wordpres

The post 7 Best WordPress Backup Plugins Compared (Pros and Cons) appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.

Facebook Messenger looks nice now, as long as you like white (Update: Here for all)

Facebook

Update, January 18, 2019 (12:59 PM ET): After a slow rollout, a delay, a halt, and then a restart, it looks like the revamped Facebook Messenger is finally making its way to all users now. The listing on the Google Play Store has been updated to reflect this new rollout.

As described below, the new Facebook Messenger 4 is simpler, leaner, and a whole lot more white. Check it out by updating to the latest version using the button below.

Facebook Messenger

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Original article: With all the hoopla that Facebook and its CEO have faced in recent months, Facebook Messenger continues to chug along as one of the most popular messaging services out there. It also looks extremely busy, though the new Messenger 4 update looks to fix that.

The biggest difference with Messenger 4 is how much more simple the design interface is. Up until now, Messenger had nine tabs you could navigate through and which made the interface feel very busy and loaded. Messenger 4 decreases the number of tabs down to just three: Chats, People, and Discover.

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As the name suggests, Chats is where all of your messages live and where you start out when you open the app. People is where you can find the list of Facebook friends that are currently online and where you can search through your entire friends list. Finally, Discover is where everything else lives. That includes businesses you can message and Instant Games you can play.

If all of that sounds familiar, that is because functionality largely remains the same; the more significant differences are visual. In the Chats tab, for example, the camera and new message buttons now live on the top right.

There is a new inclusion worth talking about: color gradients for chat bubbles in conversations. For example, you can see the color change from red to blue as you scroll up and down a conversation.

Finally, Facebook also said it is working on new Messenger features for future updates, which include the ever-popular Dark Mode.

Messenger 4 will gradually roll out over the coming weeks for Android and iOS.

Facebook Messenger

Source: Android Zone

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PUBG Mobile update hub: Version 0.10.5 launches Royale Pass Season 5 and more

Welcome to our PUBG Mobile update tracker! We’ll be collating all of the official PUBG update notes and breaking down all the new features added to the hit battle royale game for Android and iOS phones and tablets.

If you’re a fan of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile (and chowing down on chicken dinners), be sure to bookmark this page to stay up-to-date with all of the map updates, weapon and armor balance changes and additions, new modes, and much more.

Download PUBG Mobile

Winner Winner! Check out the rest of our PUBG Mobile content:

• PUBG Mobile Review — does it live up to the original’s legacy?
• PUBG Mobile tips and tricks: How to survive and win a battle royale
• PUBG vs PUBG mobile: the ten biggest differences
• PUBG Mobile: How to change your name and appearance
• Fortnite vs PUBG: Ten mobile differences between the two biggest battle royales
• Tencent Gaming Buddy: The best way to play PUBG Mobile on PC

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PUBG update: The latest

PUBG Mobile version 0.10.5 update overview

Release date: January 18, 2019

With PUBG Mobile version 0.10.5 comes the start of Royale Pass Season 5. The new season focuses on two differing play styles: Shadow and Force. Shadow is for those who use camouflage and snipers, while Force is for those that favor weapons like grenades and assault rifles. You can pick your side with the hashtags #pubgmobileteamshadow or #pubgmobileteamforce on Twitter.

In addition to Royale Pass Season 5 and Ranked Mode Season 5, the update also includes the new MK47 assault rifle, a new attachment, and more. Read the patch notes below to learn more about PUBG Mobile version 0.10.5.

PUBG Mobile version 0.10.5 patch notes

• Added MK47, which can be found in Erangel, Miramar, and Sanhok. It fires 7.62mm rounds and has two firing modes.
• Added Laser Sight, a lower-rail attachment that reduces spread when firing from the hip. Can be found in all maps.
• Vikendi is now available as a map when creating rooms.
• The “Classic” voice is back. You can find it in Settings after the update.
• Spawn Island announcements can now be enabled or disabled in Settings.
• Royale Pass Season 5 is here! Premium outfits and taunting emotes are available as rewards. There will also be server-wide Pass upgrade events.
• Ranked Mode Season 5 is also here. Tiers are adjusted and new rewards are added.
• Vikendi’s resource refresh (type and quantity) has been tuned.
• Model for Swimmer Sandals has been updated.
• Share for Deals is back after some tuning.
• Clan benefit sharing has been tuned.
• Avatar display of Crew Challenge winner has been adjusted.
• Shop has been adjusted.
• Supplies can now be accessed from the main menu.

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PUBG Mobile update history

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PUBG Mobile version 0.9.5 update overview

Release date: November 21, 2018

PUBG Mobile version 0.9.5 is also the start of Royale Pass Season 4. Players signed up for Royale Pass will be able to access a lot of new content, including new firearm finishes, rare outfit rewards, new character faces and hairstyles, and more. The update also puts in a new weapon, the M762 automatic rifle, and the Scooter vehicle has been added to the Sanhok map. That map also gets some dynamic weather changes, and a new Hardcore Mode has been added.

PUBG Mobile version 0.9.5 patch notes

What’s new:

• Added M762 automatic rifle, which can be found on all maps. It is the first 7.62mm automatic rifle that accommodates stocks. It has 3 firing modes: single shot, triple shot, full-auto.
• Added Scooter to Sanhok. This vehicle accommodates up to 2 players.
• Added dynamic weather to Sanhok. Now the weather changes between sunny, rain and foggy at random.
• Added Hardcore Mode, where footstep sounds and audio cues are removed to resemble the PC experience. This mode will be available periodically in the form of “Hardcore Week”.

Royale Pass Season 4

• Added more firearm finishes, rare outfit rewards, new character faces and hairstyles. Also added 600 UC to Elite Pass rewards for players to purchase next season’s Pass.
• Fine-tuned the redemption feature so Elite Pass holders can purchase discounted items with BP or RP points
• Added Mission Cards for players to complete harder missions
• Added a Black Friday event where discounted backs are even cheaper for 3 days
• Added a system where the odds of getting certain crate items are increased dramatically for a limited amount of time. Stay tuned for more information

Other improvements

• Matchmaking and Chat now supports not choosing a second language
• Optimized the Chat system to take up less RAM and keep more messages
• Tuned the front page of the shop to emphasize weapon finish themes

PUBG Mobile version 0.9.0 update overview

Release date: October 25, 2018

PUBG Mobile version 0.9.0 adds a number of improvements to one of the biggest games on Android, as well as a variety of Halloween themed goodies. Players can take advantage of the newly added Night Vision Goggles in the new Night Mode added to Erangel, which lets players duke it out from dusk till dawn. Classic Mode games have a 50% chance of starting in Night Mode for the duration of the event.

Even in normal matchmade games, the spawn island has undergone a spooky makeover with pumpkins and candy. A ghastly face appears when grenades explode, and players killed by Hellfire AKM will have their corpses transformed into a scarecrow. With all these changes, no one can question PUBG Mobile’s commitment to the festivities!

PUBG Mobile version 0.9.0 patch notes

New mode: Night Mode

• Players have a 50% chance of entering into Night Mode when queuing for Classic Mode.
• Night Mode starts at dusk and grows darker until the sun comes up (if you live that long).
• Make use of the new Night Vision Goggles to stave off the darkness.

Halloween Event

• New missions have been added the reward pumpkins.
• Pumpkins can be exchanged for rewards throughout the event.
• Halloween themed goodies available via the lucky draw.
• Use the lucky draw by combining Trick Ticket Scraps into Trick Tickets.
• Spawn island has been spruced up with a number of Halloween goodies.
• Exploding grenades cause a spooky face to appear.
• Players eliminated with Hellfire – AKM will have their corpses turn into scarecrows.

New Weapon, Vehicle & Related Improvements

• Added the QBU DMR. It fires 5.56mm rounds and can be found in Sanhok (replacing Mini14).
• Added the Rony pickup truck. Only available in Sanhok.
• Added a random music play feature in vehicles. This feature can be turned off in vehicle settings.
• The engine sound effects of UAZ and Buggy have been remastered.
• Added driver and passenger views (with improved vehicle interiors) in first person perspective.
• The bullet spread accuracy bonus from hip fire is slightly reduced when crouching or staying down.
• The bullet spread accuracy bonus from hip fire is slightly increased when the player is stationary.
• The vertical recoil and horizontal recoil of AKM have been reduced.
• Reduced the spread accuracy bonus of certain attachments.
• Light Grips now increase recoil recovery and stability.
• The recoil animation when firing looks more realistic now.
• QBZ and QBU now have new magazine attachment models.
• The reloading animation of some weapons in both 1st person and 3rd person perspectives have been improved.
• UMP9, Vector and SLR now have new 4x scope crosshair designs.
• Added an action that makes the character stand up while the motorcycle is airborne.
• Added a Brake-button in vehicle driving mode 1 and 2.
• The sound effects of the Dacia have been adjusted so it sounds the same as the original PUBG.
• Vehicle lights have been tuned.

Matchmaking Improvements

• Added an option where the system will first find teammates that speak the same language.
• Matchmaking has been improved. Finding a match should be faster now and players should reach their appropriate tiers easier. Estimated time should now be more accurate.

Spectator Mode

• Players can now watch other opponent players until the end of the match after being killed.
• When spectating in room mode, players can turn on projectile and bullet trajectories.

Performance

• Resolved lagging issues when players encounter other players from afar, or when they open the inventory to change equipment.
• Added a feature to only download the different files when updating a map. If the game client has been updated to version 090, only 13 MB of data need to be downloaded for Miramar (originally 300 MB).
• Resolved some game-crashing issues.
• Reduced loading time when the game is launched.
• Reduced memory usage in lobby.
• Resolved blurry screen issues on some mobile phones.
• Improved game update mechanism and resolved issues that may cause the update to fail.

In-game Purchase

• Added the Share for Deals feature. Get your friends to help you bargain, then get the item at a huge discount or even for free!
• Earn candies through a Halloween Lucky Draw to get Halloween-exclusive vehicle finishes.
• Earn Trick Ticket Scraps, combine them into Trick Tickets for the lucky draw!
• Customizable outfits are available. Players can now select outfit colors and logos before purchasing. Pick a unique outfits for your squad now! (This feature will be launched at the same time with in-game tournaments)
• Added Classic Crates which contain tons of rare items.
• Redesigned some elements of the Royale Pass missions page. It is now more convenient to view the weekly missions and collect weekly mission rewards.
• Added a notification for Royale Pass missions on the results page.
• The “Share” tip will no longer be displayed when getting Epic items. Redesigned the share page.
• Redesigned the art for the gift feature and added a Halloween envelope.

Crew Challenge

• Leaders can register their Crews for the Crew Challenge tournament. There are 3 stages: the Qualification, the Groups and Finals. Teams will receive bonus rewards once they enter the Group stage and the Finals. Winning teams in the finals will receive great rewards.
• Added new currency: Challenge Coin (players will get some Challenge Coins after each Crew Challenge game). Use this in the Crew Challenge Shop to exchange for items.
• Crews are now limited to 6 players. Only teams with less than 6 players may sign up for the tournament. New teams will have a maximum of 6 players. Old teams with over 6 players may remain as they are, but they cannot recruit more players.

Room

• Added advanced room settings in rooms. Advanced Room Cards enable room owners to set weapons, attachments, Playzone shrink speed and other parameters.
• Added the 1st person perspective of Miramar and Sanhok in rooms
• Players can now invite friends to their rooms, or share the room invitation to team channels.
• The entrances to rooms and training grounds have been moved to the main page.

Other Systems

• Added a Halloween theme and background music to the main menu.
• Added a feature to view recent likes on the friends page.
• Added a Like Rankings.
• Added a Clan Rename Card in the shop. Only the clan leader can purchase and use it.
• Improved the achievements in team mode. Those who knock an enemy out will fulfill the killing conditions of an achievement if the enemy is killed by themselves or by their teammates.
• New achievements:
  • Eye for an eye: Kill 1 enemy that knocked you out in the same game.
  • Take Me With You: Sit on a vehicle that is being driven by enemies once for over 10s.
  • Physical Trainer: Crouch 10,000 times, jump 10,000 times, get down 10,000 times.
• New honor achievements
  • Chicken Veteran: Get a total of 500/1000/2000/5000 Challenge Coins from Crew Challenge.
  • Seasoned Soldier: Participate in a total of 10/20/30/40 Crew Challenges.
• New social achievements
  • Bargain Master: Help friends to bargain a total of 1000/10000/30000/1000000UC.
• New general achievements
  • Candy Master: Hit 6 other players with candy bombs/candy balls.
• When one or more players in a team have different game client versions, the system will announce the player(s) with the older version.
• Players can now view the update details when they download the update files.
• Guest Mode has been moved to “More” on the login screen.
• Added an option to filter the same first language in the team channel. If the same language is selected, players will only see the team invitation messages from those who speak the same language.
• The translation feature now translates the chat into the player’s first languages (no longer translates into the game client language).
• The Portable Closet can be used on the Spawn Island now.
• Added a few loading tips to help players understand new game content.

Character Action Improvements

• Adjusted the angle and direction of the head turning action.
• Added a left arm waving action when the character falls from a certain height.
• The first half of the climbing action looks smoother now.
• Added details when the character leaves the aircraft, opens the parachute and lands.
• Getting down while running now looks smoother.

New Settings & Improvements

• Added a feature to quickly switch between scopes.
• Added 3 scope opening modes: tap, press and hold, mixed.
• Added an option to adjust game brightness in graphic settings.
• Improved the configuration of high & low sound effects. Players will be able to select different settings in future versions.
• Added an upper limit for the number of scopes picked up.
• Improved recommendations for 3x, 4x, 6x and 8x scopes.
• Added customizable buttons for revive, cancel, cancel throwing, reload and overhand/underhand throws.

Projectile Improvements

• Players now can switch between standing/crouching/lying down, or overhand/underhand when the grenade is triggered. Grenades can be thrown while standing sideways.
• Frag grenades now deal more damage and cause tinnitus.
• Molotov cocktails now deal more damage and can go through wooden doors. They can be detonated by firearms. The fire from explosion will spread on wooden floors.
• Stun grenades now impact a bigger frontal area. The whiteout effects have been improved.

Other Improvements

• Bullets now pierce through water but deal a lot less damage to targets under water.
• Added health bar animation when the character loses or recovers health.
• The map marks on the Spawn Island will no longer disappear after characters enter the aircraft. The mini-map will be actively scaled as the player moves in battle.
• Added more icons in kill broadcast.
• The 8 main directions on the compass are easier to recognize now.
• Fixed an issue of the weapon not firing properly when the fire button is pressed.

Bug Fix

• Fixed some landscape and model issues where characters or views are stuck.
• Fixed an issue where collision with teammates while staying down may cause teammates to fall and lose health.
• Fixed an issue where UAZ may hit characters airborne.
• Fixed an issue where the camera of the passengers in motorcycle sidecars shakes unexpectedly.
• Fixed an issue that caused the item list to not display properly in the backpack under unstable network conditions.
• Fixed an issue that caused the firearms to not display properly in weapon slot under unstable network conditions.
• Fixed an issue where vehicles with exploded tires can still be driven smoothly in 1st person perspective.
• Fixed an issue that caused the character to stand up again after suddenly getting down from a sprint.
• Fixed an issue that caused the characters to be stuck in certain scenes.
• Fixed an issue where the character animation is not properly displayed in certain status.
• Fixed other known battle and system issues.
• Fixed an issue where vehicles with exploded tires can still be driven smoothly in 1st person perspective.

---

PUBG Mobile version 0.8.0 update overview

Release date: September 11, 2018

PUBG Mobile version 0.8.0 finally adds the Sanhok map to the Android and iOS game. For those unfamiliar with the new map from the PC version, Sanhok is a jungle-based region with a much smaller play area (4KM x 4KM) when compared to Erangel and Miramar (both 8KM x 8KM). As the map still supports 100 players, you can expect to get through rounds much faster as you’ll frequently stumble upon other players hoping to survive in the deadly rainforest arena.

The latest patch also adds new weapons, including the super rare Flare Gun, new items and weapon attachments, and two new vehicles. These are the Muscle Car and the Bulletproof UAZ, which can only be obtained by using the Flare Gun outside the Playzone.

PUBG Mobile version 0.8.0 update patch notes

New Map: Sanhok

Sanhok can be downloaded independently, so enter the game and get it right away to join your friends in the rainforest!

It also comes with new weapons and vehicles:

• Flare Gun: a rare item that calls a super air drop if used within the Playzone, and a Bulletproof UAZ if used outside the Playzone.
• QBZ: an automatic rifle that fires 5.56mm rounds. Has both single shot and full-auto.
• Duckbill: an attachment for shotguns. Reduces vertical spread and increases horizontal spread.
• Muscle Car: 4 seats, and has both a hard-top and a convertible version.
• Bulletproof UAZ: 4 seats. Obtained from using the Flare Gun outside the Playzone.

Customizable Pick-up Settings

• Pick-up quantities can now be specified in settings.

Achievements

• Added more achievements. Now can be found under Missions.

Clans

• Clan Perks: after getting specific items (through purchase or luck), the system will award a certain amount of UC for players to share it with other Clan members.
• New Clan titles can be equipped after purchase.
• Clan Rankings: now lists the most active Clans this week and this season.

Anti-Cheating Measures

• Improved recognition of cheating plug-ins.
• Added Report buttons to Spectator Mode, Basic Information and Results.

Dismantling Time-Limited Items

• Time-Limited items can now be dismantled to BP directly.

Progress Missions

• Added a Collect All button to collect rewards of all completed missions.

Royale Pass

• Added new mission types to make progression more fun.

Lucky Air Drops

• Chance to get a mystery drop after a match. Contents are customized!

Season Data

• Season page now shows all seasons played and relevant data such as season titles, the highest tier reached and more.

Improvements

• Friends can now be deleted in batches.
• 3D models added to vehicle and airplane finish previews in the shop.
• Animation on the Season page has been optimized for certain device models.
• Accidental friendly fire will not be penalized.
• Chat system has been tuned.
• Items contains in air drops have been tuned.

---

PUBG Mobile version 0.7.0 update overview

PUBG Corp

Release date: July 25, 2018

The latest PUBG update brings a new Arcade Mode called War to PUBG Mobile, which is Battlegrounds’ take on the classic deathmatch PvP format. In the mode, players have multiple lives and work together in teams to down and kill opponents and become the first team to reach 100 points.

A new clan system has also been added where players can craft custom icons to represent their troop and work towards collaborative goals to earn exclusive rewards. Elsewhere, the patch also brings an overall new achievement system, region categorization, new skins, and the SLR Sniper Rifle which many battle royale fans will know from the PC version of PUBG.

PUBG Mobile version 0.7.0 update patch notes

Arcade Mode – War

• A new, faster-paced variation of Arcade mode.

New Weapon

• Added the SLR Sniper Rifle.
• Added Light Foregrip, Half Foregrip, Thumb Foregrip.
• Parameters for Vertical Foregrip and Angled Foregrip have been adjusted.

Achievements

• Added many entertaining and challenging long-term objectives. Complete difficult objectives to get titles and outfits.

Titles

• Added titles to the game. Players can select one to display by their name.

Clans

• Players can now create or join Clans, which unlocks Clan insignia, missions, and the Clan Shop.

Regions

• Check out the regional rankings to see who’s the best.

First Person Perspective

• Now supported in custom rooms.

Chat System

• Added a team channel for finding teams.
• Added a community system where players can find topics that interest them by tags.

LIKE Feature

• Players can now give one another LIKEs after a match. Number of LIKEs received will be displayed on a player’s profile page.

New Animations

• Characters now have different poses on the results screen based on performance.
• Added new idling animation for female characters.

Main Menu UI Redesign

• Main UI redesigned for players to enter different modes quicker.

Shop UI Redesign

• Simplified shop UI.

Multiple Crate Purchases and Batch Dismantle

• All crates can now be purchased 10 at a time.
• Extra items in inventory can now be dismantled in batch.

Crate Coupons

• Crates can now be opened by coupons, which are created by combining coupon scraps.

Miscellaneous

• Added new vehicles, helmets, backpack finishes and new character faces.

Other Improvements

• Messages can now be marked as read instantly.
• Players can see friends recommended by the system.
• Added more ways to share.
• Room owners now have access to more room parameters.
• Friends list has been improved to fix an issue where data errors occurred when having too many friends.
• Added weapon information to spectator mode.
• Added an instant refuel button so that vehicles low on fuel can be refueled instantly.
• Custom controls: sprint button, pick-up list.

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PUBG Mobile version 0.6.0 update overview

PUBG Corp

Release date: June 19, 2018

PUBG Mobile 0.6.0 update adds a Fortnite-inspired “Royale Pass” progression system. The basic Royale Pass is free for everyone, with two options for “Elite Upgrades” that cost real money.

Both Elite Upgrades give players access to the same unlockable rewards and additional weekly missions, with the plus version instantly unlocking the first 20 of 70 levels. Each level unlocks new cosmetics, items, and so on.

The update also adds emotes, first-person perspective (FPP), a Mini-Zone mode, an Armory, and much more. You can read more about the 0.6.0 update here.

PUBG Mobile version 0.6.0 update patch notes

Royale Pass

• A brand new feature!
• Season 1 of Royale Pass starts in mid-June. It will be available for purchase for all players.
• Complete daily and weekly missions to earn points and increase your rank. Complete a certain number of missions every week for additional crates.
• Reach a new Royale Pass rank to unlock its rewards. Players with a busy schedule have the option to purchase ranks directly to unlock rewards.
• An elite version of the Royale Pass is also available. Purchasing the Elite Royale Pass unlocks elite missions to earn more points and collect additional rewards for each rank.

1st Person Perspective

• Added 1st person perspective variation to Classic Mode.
• First person perspective has its own tier system.

Mini-Zone

• 100 players, smaller map, 3 times the resources and air drops!

Weapon Finishes

• Added weapon finishes to the game.
• New finishes can be obtained in the game and applied to your weapons.

Airplane Finishes

• Added airplane finishes to the game.
• The player with the highest Royale Pass rank in a match can change the plane’s finish before parachuting.

Armory

• Added an Armory where you can view all the weapons in the game, and add attachments to see how effective they are.

Pistols

• Pistols now get their own slot on the match UI and in the backpack.

Melee Weapons

• Melee weapons can now destroy tires on vehicles.

Voice System

• Players can now mute individual teammates.
• Improved voice chat system during matches.

Results

• Added a new post-match results screen.

Tier Protection

• Added a tier protection system to protect players from being demoted.

Characters

• Added Asian characters.
• Added character profiles.
• Added simple emotes so players can interact with one another. More emotes are available via the Royale Pass.

Social Network Link

• Players can now link to one additional social network, for a total of 2.

Room Cards

• Added room cards, which can be used to start rooms. They are available via Royale Pass.

Shop

• Added parachutes, weapon finishes, avatars, avatar frames and other new items.
• Items can be gifted to friends.

Miscellaneous

• Added career results screen.
• Added a character customization page, accessible from the profile screen.
• Added different sound effects for the winner and runner-up at the end of the match.
• Added a reminder tone for the last 5 seconds before boarding.
• Added a marking feature for quick chat. Players can now mark loot locations or dangerous spots.
• UI and sensitivity information is now saved locally.
• Added a Shop for trading Silver Fragments for Outfits.
• Added background noises for some zones, such as the sound of waves crashing when you’re near the shore.
• Added more customizable buttons.
• Added Miramar to Arcade Mode.

Fixes/Improvements

• Vehicles no longer deal damage to teammates.
• Improved throwing animation, grenade explosion, and smoke grenade effects.
• Fixed 8x scope and vehicle camera bugs in Spectator Mode.
• Fixed choppy voice chat bugs and Bluetooth headset disconnect bugs.
• Improved UI and vehicle sound effects.
• Improved sound mixing when firing indoors.

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PUBG Mobile version 0.5.0 update overview

PUBG Corp

Release date: May 17, 2018

Update 0.5.0 brings the desert map Miramar to the mobile version of PUBG, as well as new progress and weekly activity missions, a quick team feature, a shop, and various key performance and graphical improvements.

PUBG Mobile version 0.5.0 update patch notes

New features

• Desert map (“Miramar”) is now available for selection. See if you can find the new vehicles and weapons!
• New Progress Mission: collect progress rewards when you reach new levels, then take on new missions.
• Added weekly Activity missions: earn rewards based on your Activity.
• Added local quick team feature: enter a 6-digit code to team up with friends that are next to you.
• Added Synergy and Connections: interact with your friends in-game to raise Synergy, then build Connections when your Synergy is high enough.
• Added Regions: now you can choose your region and flag.
• Added language-specific chat channels: there is now an additional channel based on the language of your choice.
• Added more avatars.
• Now you can collect rewards for every new tier reached in Season 2.
• Added a Shop, where you can preview and purchase new outfits and items.
• Added a Secret Stash, where you can purchase special discounted items.

Improvements

• Spectator mode smoothness improved.
• Striking sounds and effects added to melee combat.
• Parachute camera smoothness improved.
• Initial parachute speed increased to match the PC version.
• Improved climbing check during running.
• Picture styles now available on all devices.
• Added sound effects for breaking doors.
• Improved display of personal information and results.
• Improved team invitation flow.

---

PUBG Mobile version 0.4.0 update overview

Release date: April 19, 2018

The first major update to PUBG Mobile adds an Arcade Mode, which lowers the number of players on the map from 100 to 28. Unlike regular PUBG Mobile matches, Arcade Mode picks one of six variations for players to use for the entire match: shotguns, sniper rifles, all weapons, melee, pistols, and item heaven.

The update also introduces Training Grounds, another new mode that lets you try out all of the game’s weapons and vehicles. Unless you leave early, you get 30 minutes in Training Grounds and are joined by several other players. You can read more about the 0.4.0 update here.

PUBG Mobile version 0.4.0 update patch notes

Arcade Mode

• A new mode with 28 players and one of the six following variations: Shotguns, Sniper Rifles, All Weapons, Melee Only, Pistols and Item Heaven.

Training Grounds

• Try out all the weapons and practice your shooting skills.

Combat Fine-Tuning

• Added Follow function (both before parachuting and after landing).
• Added automatic door opening, can be enabled in Settings.
• Pause between picking up multiple items automatically has been adjusted.

Other changes

• Added a performance chart to the Results screen.
• Added a new background: Dusk
• Now you can swap between 2-column view and 3-column view when viewing contents of a Crate.
• Icon for teammate elimination disappears after a while.
• Adjusted sound effects for footsteps, UI, vehicle and entering/exiting Blue Zone.
• Fixed crashing issues mentioned by some players.
• Improved Bluetooth headset issues in iOS (not yet fully fixed).
• Fixed an issue where Android does not show an error when the game does not have access to the microphone.
• Now supports more devices.
• Jumping is no longer affected by sprinting.
• Crosshair is no longer blocked by the camera when next to a wall.
• Leaning: movement speed increased, added “Lean & Open Scope” and “Lean & Fire”.
• 4x and 8x scope choppy issue resolved.
• Added 3D Touch firing options to iOS.
• Added animations for being attacked and defeated.
• Perspective now switches to the killer after being killed.
• Results screen now shows daily reward limits.
• Improved firing animations.

Enhanced combat experience

• Shake/vibration improved.
• Button feedback improved.
• Leaning animation speed increased.
• Animations of being attacked have been improved and randomized.

Vehicle Adjustments

• Added flipping tricks for motorcycles.
• Added Nitrous Oxide engines to cars.
• Previously used vehicles are now marked on the mini-map.
• Added Rename Card (grants 1 name change).

Paid Content

• Added Rank 1 token coupons.
• Items and chests now available in the Shop.
• Added new outfits. Region-specific costumes coming soon.
• Destroy additional outfits to reclaim currency and allow for purchasing new outfits.

Voice Chat

• Fixed an issue where voice chat stops working after creating groups.

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What would you like to see in future updates to PUBG Mobile? Let us know in the comments.

Source: Android Zone

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Waterproof tech: everything you need to know about IP and ATM ratings

Waterproof tech has become a big trend in recent years. But how do you know how protected your device is? Most devices use either IP or ATM ratings. Let’s start by talking about IP ratings.

Most high-end smartphones these days either have an IP67 or IP68 rating. These include the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, LG G7 ThinQ, and Huawei P20 Pro — check out our list of the best waterproof phones to see more models. But what does that even mean? Good question.

You probably know that IP ratings have something to do with protection from water and dust, but if you are reading this, it’s quite possible that’s as far as your understanding goes.

An IP rating tells you the level of protection a device offers against solids and liquids. The “IP” stands for Ingress Protection (or International Protection) and is followed by two numbers. The first number indicates the level of protection against solid particles (dust, dirt…) and ranges from one to six. The second number tells you how much water a device can handle without suffering damage and ranges from one to eight — the higher the number the better the protection. Check out the chart below for detailed info on what each number means:

Level	Solids (first number)	Liquids (second number)
1	Protected against solid objects over 50mm (example: hands)	Protected against vertically falling drops of water
2	Protected against solid objects over 12mm (example: fingers)	Protected against direct sprays of water up to 15 degrees from the vertical
3	Protected against solid objects over 2.5mm (example: tools and wires)	Protected against direct sprays of water up to 60 degrees from the vertical
4	Protected against solid objects over 1mm (example: small wires)	Protected against water sprayed from all directions
5	Dust protected — limited ingress of dust permitted	Protected against jets of water from all directions
6	Dust-tight — no ingress of dust permitted	Protected against powerful jets of water from all directions
7	/	Protected against the effects of immersion in water — between 15 cm (5.9 inches) and 1 meter (3.3 feet) for up to 30 minutes
8	/	Protected against the effects of long periods of immersion in water under pressure

As you can tell by the chart above, a handset with an IP67 rating is completely dust-tight and will survive in up to one meter of water (3.3 feet) for no more than 30 minutes. An IP68 rated device is also completely dust-tight and is protected against the effects of long periods of immersion in water, which usually means it will survive in up to 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) of water for a maximum of 30 minutes.

Editor’s Pick

Android smartphones with the best battery life (January 2019)

Some people might think that the most important feature in a smartphone is its display size. Others believe it comes down to a phone’s processor performance, or the amount of RAM, or even how much …

ATM Rating

There’s another rating to consider for devices, especially for smartwatches; the ATM (Atmospheres) rating system is supposed to indicate how much static atmospheric pressure a device can deal with while in water. It’s actually an older rating system than the IP certification. A rating of 1 ATM means that you are at sea level, outside of water. If a device has a 1 ATM level listed, don’t put it in water under any circumstances.

Here’s a look at the ATM rating system.

Rating	Pressure	Device Meaning
1 ATM	0	Do not put in water
3 ATM	Under 100 feet	Device can be used in the rain, and protected against splashes.
5 ATM	Under 165 feet	Device can last for short amounts of time submerged in water, like swimming in a pool.
10 ATM	Under 330 feet	Device can last for much longer amounts of time submerged in water, such as for snorkeling in the ocean.
20 ATM	Under 660 feet	Device can handle being used for high impact water sports like surfing and jet skiing.

An IP or ATM rating gives you peace of mind if you pick up your device with wet hands, accidentally drop it in the pool, or get caught in the rain. Without it, your device could get damaged when it gets in contact with water or even stop working altogether.

According to the poll we did last year, water resistance is not a make-or-break feature for almost half of participants, while approximately 30 percent of them wouldn’t buy a phone without at least an IP67 rating. Which side are you on? Let us know in the comments!

Source: Android Zone

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Deal: Train to be a certified Linux administrator for just $49

If you’re one of those techies who is the go-to computer expert for your friends and family, it’s about time you step up and get recognized.

Linux operating systems have become increasingly popular in businesses, particularly tech giants, so the market for systems administrators is very much on the rise. Whether you’re already a Linux user or not, this could be the payday you deserve.

The Linux/Unix Certification Training Bundle is the perfect training kit if you’d like to go for one of these lucrative roles. Not only does it give you the skills that you need, it also fully prepares you for two of the top certification exams in the industry: CompTIA Linux+ and Novell Certified Linux Professional.

Adopters of Linux include tech giants like Google, Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, and Amazon.

The two-part Linux and Unix bundle is produced by Vision Training Systems, and it combines an array of teaching methods to ensure you’re engaged and prepared for the exams. These include instructor-led lectures, visual demonstrations, test simulations, flashcards, and games. There’s even online support.

Vision only hires the highest-level experts to instruct its courses, leading to the impressive and reassuring claim that its pass rate is over 98 percent.

The Linux and Unix bundle at a glance:

• Gain the knowledge and skills to install, configure, and support a Linux or Unix server.
• Learn to control and troubleshoot the boot process.
• Attach local storage and create file systems.
• Use visual demonstrations and multimedia presentations to learn.
• Test your progress with quizzes and exam simulators.
• Interact and collaborate with other students and Vision Training Systems employees to form study groups and discussions.

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This expansive package is valued at almost $2,200, but TechDeals is running a flash sale at the moment. Right now you can sign up for just $49.

The deal is this week only, but once you sign up you’ve got the materials for one year. To explore this career opportunity, head to the deal via the button below.

Check it out!

The AAPicks team writes about things we think you’ll like, and we may see a share of revenue from any purchases made through affiliate links. To see all our hottest deals, head over to the AAPICKS HUB.

Source: Android Zone

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Verizon will now offer paid spam call filter for free to all customers

Verizon

A little over a year ago, Verizon rolled out a spam call filter service within its paid Call Filter upgrade. Today, the company announced that the Verizon spam call filter will soon be available to all wireless and wired customer for free.

The free Verizon spam call filter service will arrive sometime in March 2019, according to the company’s press release on the matter.

Call Filter — which was formerly known as Caller Name ID — uses a custom algorithm to determine the “spam level” of an incoming call. On your compatible smartphone, Verizon would present you with that caller’s determined risk level. Using this tool, the call recipient can have a vague idea of whether or not answering that call will be safe.

Editor’s Pick

Here’s Verizon’s full-page newspaper ad that throws shade at AT&T

AT&T ruffled a few feathers when it weirdly decided to brand portions of its existing 4G LTE network as “5G Evolution.” In response to AT&T’s antics, Verizon took out full-page ads in The Wall Street …

Verizon didn’t make it clear whether the new, free version of Call Filter will operate in the exact same fashion or if it will also carry the same brand name. However, it’s a good bet the company is merely shifting a paid service to operate at no cost to consumers, so it will likely be exactly the same — just free.

Verizon competitor and wireless disruptor T-Mobile rolled out similar services in 2017 to all of its postpaid customers called Spam ID and Spam Block. Those services are also free.

The press release on the matter also details how Verizon is fighting spam callers on the frontlines, so to speak, by supporting legislation to crack down on illegal spam callers and upgrading its network infrastructure to make it so fewer calls ever even make it to your smartphone.

NEXT: Verizon and Amazon reportedly working on their own mobile game streaming services

Source: Android Zone

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Pie rolling out to Korean LG G7, timeline for other devices revealed

If you’re the proud owner of an LG G7 ThinQ — and happen to live in South Korea — Android 9 Pie is rolling out to you now, via Android Police. Be on the lookout for the OTA notification.

If you don’t live in South Korea but still want Android 9 Pie on your G7, unfortunately, you’ll have to wait a bit longer. Historically, LG rolls out updates in its native country first and then pushes them to other countries some weeks (or months) later.

Editor’s Pick

These G8 ThinQ renders will look very, very familiar (Update: “not real” – LG)

91mobiles

Update, January 18, 2019 (05:58AM ET): LG’s head of global corporate communications, Ken Hong, has taken to Twitter to shoot down the recent batch of alleged LG G8 ThinQ renders. In a series of …

However, the fact that Pie is finally rolling out the G7 is good news no matter how you slice it.

What about LG’s other smartphones, such as the LG V40 ThinQ, or the other devices with “ThinQ” thrown on the end of the name? LG did detail — albeit vaguely — when you can expect Pie to land on those devices:

• LG G7 ThinQ — Q1 2019 (ends March 31)
• LG V35 ThinQ — Q1 2019 (ends March 31)
• LG V40 ThinQ — Q2 2019 (ends June 30)
• LG V30S ThinQ — Q2 2019 (ends June 30)
• LG V30 — Q2 2019 (ends June 30)
• LG G6 — Q3 2019 (ends September 30)
• LG V20 — Q3 2019 (ends September 30)
• LG Q8 — Q3 2019 (ends September 30)
• LG Q9 — Q4 2019 (ends December 31)
• LG X5 — Q4 2019 (ends December 31)

It’s strange that the most recent flagship from LG — the LG V40 ThinQ — is scheduled to get Android 9 Pie after the iterative update device that is the LG V35. However, at least we now have a better idea of when to expect all these upgrades.

LG made headlines yesterday when renders leaked that reportedly depict the upcoming LG G8 ThinQ, only for LG exec Ken Hong to swiftly tweet that the renders aren’t accurate. If LG can’t get software updates out quicker than this and its smartphone design stays as stale as the LG G8 renders suggest, we’re in for a bumpy 2019.

NEXT: LG might make a phone that you can add another screen to

Source: Android Zone

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Cover Image vs. Featured Image in WordPress Block Editor (Beginner’s Guide)

WordPress 5.0 was released with the brand new Gutenberg block editor and a host of cool features. One of them is the Cover block, which lets you add cover images to your posts and pages.

This feature has confused some users because it may seem similar to the Featured Image option which has been in WordPress since WordPress 2.9.

In this article, we’ll explain the differences between cover image vs. featured image in WordPress block editor.

What is a Cover Image?

A cover image is usually a wide image used as a cover photo for a new section in a blog post or page. It is part of the overall article. You can use a cover image when you’re starting a new section or a new story within your article.

With the Cover block in WordPress, you can add text and color overlay on your cover image.

By adding an appropriate color overlay that matches your theme color or content’s mood, you can make your article more engaging.

Similarly, adding text overlay helps your users easily identify where a new section starts in your article and what’s it about.

Traditionally bloggers use heading text to separate sections in a blog post. With cover images, you now have options to separate sections in a more visually appealing way.

What is a Featured Image?

A featured image (also known as post thumbnail) is the main article image which represents the content. They’re prominently displayed on your website on single posts, blog archive pages, as well as on the homepage of news, magazine, and blog websites.

Aside from that, featured images are also displayed on social media feeds when an article is shared.

Featured images are designed carefully to make them look attractive. Such images give users a quick glimpse of your content and prompt them to the entire article.

You’ll find a meta box in your post edit screen for adding a featured image because almost all WordPress themes support featured images by default.

Where and how featured images are displayed is controlled entirely by your WordPress theme.

For advanced featured image options, you can check these best WordPress featured image plugins.

How to Add a Cover Image in WordPress?

The new WordPress block editor (Gutenberg) comes with a Cover block to allow you to add a cover image in WordPress.

First, you need to create a new post or edit an existing one. On the post edit screen, click on the add new block button and then choose Cover block.

You can find the Cover block inside the Common Blocks tab.

Upon clicking on the block, you’ll see the Cover block added to your content editor with options to add your new cover image.

You can simply drag and drop an image or video in the block area to upload a new cover image. Alternatively, you can click the Upload button, choose an image in your computer, and open to upload.

If you want to add an image already uploaded to your media library, you can click the Media Library button and select an image from your media gallery.

Once your cover image is added, you can easily customize it by clicking on the cover image.

This will show you a toolbar with customization options above the image, Write title… field in the center of the image, and block settings including color overlay in the panel on the right side.

Aside from alignment option, the cover image block gives you the two width choices: Wide width and Full width.

The wide width option makes the image look as wide as your content. The full-width option makes your image cover the whole window screen.

Next, you can add a title for your cover image. When you click on the cover image, you will see the “Write title…” field in the center of your cover image.

Simply click on that area to add text. You can write your cover image title and format it using the formatting options that appear on top of the text or on top of the cover image.

Finally, there are cover block settings on the right side panel. You can enable Fixed Background to create a parallax effect for when users scroll down the page.

Below that, there’re color overlay options. By default, it adds your theme’s color as overlay color with 50% transparency, but you can change the overlay color and also change the opacity by moving the point.

Lastly, you can add CSS code and add more styles to your cover image by clicking the Advanced option.

That’s it!

You can repeat this step to add multiple cover images in a single article if needed.

How to Add a Featured Image in WordPress?

The process of adding a featured image is the same as it was before. If you’ve had a WordPress blog for a while, then you already know how a featured image is added.

To add a featured image, you’ll need to open a post edit screen firs and then navigate to the Featured Image meta box on the right-hand side of the screen.

You will need to click the Set featured image option.

Next, you can upload a new image by either using the drag and drop uploader or selecting an image one from your existing media library.

After that you can add title and alt text for your featured image, and then click the Select option.

You have successfully added a featured image to your article.

If you want more detailed instructions, then you can read our beginner’s guide to adding featured images in WordPress.

Once you’ve added your featured image, you can preview your post and see how it looks.

If you’re using the new default theme Twenty Nineteen or other modern themes, then you may see a color overlay on your featured images as well.

You can remove it or change the color by going to the WordPress customizer.

Simply click on the Appearance » Customize button in your WordPress menu.

Once on the Customize panel, you need to click the Colors option on the left.

On this tab, you will see your theme’s primary color option and the option to enable or disable the image filter.

You can change your theme’s primary color by selecting the Custom option and choosing a color.

If you want to disable the color filter on your featured images, then you can simply remove the check on “Apply a filter to featured images using the primary color” option.

Please note that featured images are managed by WordPress themes, so you may not find this option in your theme if it doesn’t support image filters.

Conclusion – Cover Image vs. Featured Image in WordPress

Now that you know how to add a cover image and a featured image, let’s take a look at some best practices.

Featured images have been popularly used by WordPress blogs, online magazines, news, and entertainment websites as post thumbnails or main article images.

Well-designed featured images help attract more users to open an article. They’re great for making your website look attractive and visually interactive.

Cover images are actually parts of your article. A user sees your cover image after they open your article to read. Thus, they make your articles more engaging and fun to read.

The best use of cover images is to add beautiful transition between sections inside a long article.

Cover images are unique from regular post images because they have the full-width option and you have the ability to add text overlay on them.

By properly adding cover images, you can improve user engagement on your posts.

We hope this article helped you to understand the difference between a cover image and a featured image in new WordPress block editor. You may also like to read our article on how to update your old WordPress posts with Gutenberg block editor.

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Source: Wordpres

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