This wireless car charger supports fast charge, and it’s just $29.99

Tech Armor Wireless Car Charger

If you’re on the road for any significant period of time, a wireless car charger is pretty useful. No one owns a sat nav anymore, so you need to be able to see your phone for directions, all the while keeping it well-juiced.

If you haven’t picked one up yet, the wireless car charger from Tech Armor is a very good option. Not only is it a high-quality piece of equipment, but it’s also surprisingly affordable at just $29.99.

There’s only so much you can ask of a car charger, and this accessory does it all to a high standard. Most importantly, any Qi-enabled device can be safely charged, including your Samsung Galaxy Note 9 or Galaxy S9. It even supports Quick Charge 3.0.

Enjoy safe, convenient viewing and wireless charging for your smartphone simultaneously.

The charger mounts onto any dashboard air vent in seconds. Securely inserting your phone is equally simple, even with just one hand. As you place your device down onto the bottom grip, gravity pushes the two sides of the charger together to automatically grip your phone.

Your device is securely fastened, whatever the terrain. A swivel ball joint allows you to completely rotate your device while still charging. It’s ideal for GPS navigation, or as entertainment for passengers.

Hit the button below to check out this great deal.

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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What’s the best Garmin watch? (January 2019)

Fitbit might be king of the fitness trackers, but Garmin is untouchable when it comes to fitness watches. Whether you’re looking for a running watch, a golf watch, a fitness tracker, or a watch that can do it all, Garmin has something for you.

Related: Fitbit vs Garmin: Which ecosystem is right for you?

In fact, Garmin has so many options it can be hard to keep track of them all. Allow us to help! Here are the best Garmin watches you can buy in 2018.

Updates:January 30, 2019, 5:57 p.m. ET

This month, we removed the Garmin Vivosmart HR from our list to make room for the Vivosmart 4. We also added mention of Verizon’s Vivoactive 3 Music.

Best Garmin watch for runners

Garmin Forerunner 935

best garmin watches

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The Garmin Forerunner 935 is one of the best Garmin watches for hardcore runners, swimmers, bikers, and triathletes. It provides advanced dynamics to help you improve your runs, such as contact time balance, stride length, and more.

It also comes with a two-week battery life in smartwatch mode, up to a full day in GPS mode, and up to 60 hours in UltraTrac mode. UltraTrac mode is a GPS setting that makes the watch track sensor data less frequently, allowing you to squeeze out some extra battery life if you don’t need all of your data recorded.

It’s basically a less-bulky version of the Fenix 5.

Garmin Forerunner 735XT

best garmin watches

If you’re looking for something a little less pricey, the Forerunner 735XT is one of the best Garmin watches you can buy. This GPS running watch offers VO2 max estimates, lactate threshold, and support for many different sport profiles. Whether you’re running, cycling, swimming, cross-country skiing, or strength training, the 735XT will be able to track your workouts.

In addition, the auto multisport feature on the 735XT will be able to keep track of your different activities during du/triathlon races.

This watch has been out for a couple years now, which means the price has dropped quite a bit since launch. You can find it on Garmin.com or Amazon for around $350.

Budget pick: Garmin Forerunner 235

best garmin watches

Okay, the term “budget” means something a little different in everybody’s minds. The Forerunner 235 is about $100 cheaper than the 735XT, and it’s still a solid running watch.

It has a built-in GPS, heart rate sensor, and will track your steps, distance, pace, calories, and more. Like all other Garmin watches, the 235 will provide smartphone notifications from just about any app, too.

You can find it on Amazon for just $250.

Best multi-sport Garmin watch

Garmin Fenix 5

best garmin watches

Garmin’s Fenix 5 lineup might be jack-of-all-trade devices, but they’re some of the best multi-sport watches you can buy today.

All three fenix 5 models come with preloaded multisport functionality for running, hiking, swimming, biking, and more. They all feature Garmin’s impressive Elevate heart rate trackers, built-in GPS (of course), water resistance up to 100 meters, as well as navigation features with a 3-axis compass, gyroscope, and barometric altimeter.

Don’t miss: Garmin Fenix 5 review Best heart rate monitors and watches

They all also feature a variety of connected features that make these devices true smartwatches. Users can get call, text and email smartphone notifications. All Sapphire models are also Wi-Fi enabled, so users will be able to connect with their home network and upload statistics even if their smartphones aren’t around.

Not crazy about the regular Fenix 5? The smaller Fenix 5S might be for you. It has all the same specs as the Fenix 5, though it’s built for people with smaller wrists and has a slightly smaller battery. Looking for something even more beefy than the Fenix 5? The Fenix 5X is much larger and comes with preloaded with TOPO U.S. mapping, routable cycling maps and other navigation features like Round Trip Run and Round Trip Ride. The 5X will even display guidance cues for upcoming turns.

It’s also worth noting that Garmin has released updated models of all three devices — the Fenix 5 Plus series. While there is more functionality in each device, the base model starts at $700

Best Garmin smartwatch

Garmin Vivoactive 3 Music

best fitness trackers garmin vivoactive 3 music

The standard Garmin Vivoactive 3 is one of our favorite multisport fitness watches. Naturally, the Vivoactive 3 Music made its way to our list right when it was announced.

Everything you loved about the vivoactive 3 is here, along with support for music storage of up to 500 songs. You can load up your favorite songs, or download playlists from iHeartRadio. Deezer support will be added in the future, too, as will Spotify support.

Don’t miss: Garmin Vivoactive 3 review | Hands-on with the Garmin Vivoactive 3 Music

Aside from a slightly redesigned bezel on the new watch (and music support, of course), the Vivoactive 3 and Music version are basically the same. That means you get a fantastic running watch with a built-in GPS, heart rate monitor, 5ATM water resistance rating, Garmin Pay support, and seven-day battery life. You can check out our full Vivoactive 3 review right here to learn more.

If you’re a Verizon customer, we’ve got good news. At CES 2019, Garmin announced that Verizon would begin carrying the Vivoactive 3 Music with LTE support. Not only will you be able to receive calls and texts without your phone nearby, there are a number of useful safety features built in, as well.

Garmin Forerunner 645 Music

best garmin watches

One of the best Garmin smartwatches out there is the Garmin Forerunner 645 Music. Although it has a clunky name, there’s nothing clunky about this watch — it’s packed with features, comfortable to wear, and is actually Garmin’s first wearable that supports onboard music storage.

Also read

The big news here is the ability to story music directly on the watch, which means you don’t need to take your phone with you on a run if you want to listen to music. Garmin says the watch can hold approximately 500 songs at one time, and you can also download offline playlists from select music services like iHeartRadio. Once your watch is loaded up with music, just pair it with some Bluetooth earbuds and you’ll be on your way.

This is also a great option if you need a training watch. The Forerunner 645 Music comes with training features powered by Firstbeat, which will help you better prepare for a race by letting you know if you’re training productively, peaking, or overreaching.

Best Garmin fitness tracker

Garmin Vivosport

best garmin watches

One of the best fitness trackers on the market is the Garmin Vivosport.

Related

This new device packs a GPS and a heart rate monitor, which is pretty incredible considering its slim and lightweight design. It’s also waterproof up to 50 meters, will last up to seven days on a single charge, and comes with a Chroma touchscreen display that’s miles better than the display on the Vivosmart 3. The display is a little small for my liking, however.

The Vivosport is available now for around $149.99. That’s an absolute steal for the best fitness tracker on the market right now.

Garmin Vivosmart 4

garmin vivosmart 4 review display

The Garmin Vivosmart 4 is a wonderful little fitness tracker. It excels in pretty much all areas except two. The first one being the screen, which is a little small for our liking, which can make tapping on the right area or viewing notifications difficult.

It also doesn’t have a built-in GPS or a connected GPS option, which means at this price point, the Fitbit Charge 3 might be better for someone looking for a GPS option.

Aside from that, the Vivosmart 4 is an accurate, feature-packed fitness and sleep tracker definitely worth considering. $130 is really not a lot to ask for what you’re getting here.

Garmin Vivofit 4

best garmin watches

Garmin’s Vivofit 3 was one of our favorite inexpensive fitness trackers of 2017. Is the Vivofit 4 a worthy successor? That depends.

Related: Garmin vivofit 4 review | Best fitness trackers for kids

In many ways, the Vivofit 4 is an improvement over its predecessor. It’s more comfortable, has a new color display, and plenty of useful extras. But the lack of heart rate monitor connectivity is unfortunate, and we hope it returns with the next model.

Throughout our two weeks of testing, the Vivofit 4 was so close to delivering accurate results but ultimately fell short more often than we’d like. To its credit, it does offer users a general idea of their performance levels, which is why most people will buy the Vivofit 4. It’s an inexpensive fitness tracker that you basically never have to take off, and it keeps track of the basics. If you need a device you basically never have to take off, the Vivofit 4 is for you. If you own a Vivofit 3, it might not be worth it to upgrade.

Best looking Garmin watch

Garmin Vivomove HR

best garmin watches

The Garmin Vivomove is probably the best Garmin watch for style.

The Vivomove HR is a touchscreen device, complete with a small digital display that only appears when you turn your wrist. It supports vibration alerts for most notifications you receive on your phone, and it gives you the ability to control music that’s playing on your phone.

Related: Garmin Vivomove HR hands-on | Best hybrid watches

It’s swim and shower safe, lasts up to five days on a single charge in smartwatch mode, and tracks your steps, intensity minutes, sleep, heart rate, and more.

Next: Best Fitbit alternatives: Garmin, Misfit, Samsung, and more

Source: Android Zone

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End of Google+ is close: No new profiles starting next week, full schedule here

If you were thinking about joining the hot new social media platform Google+ next week, we have some bad news for you: starting February 4, this coming Monday, the creation of new consumer-level Google+ profiles won’t be possible.

Google revealed the profile creation termination date in a new support article. The post also describes other notable dates coming up for the previously announced planned demise of the beleaguered consumer version of the social network.

Check out the notable dates below:

  • February 4, 2019 — You will no longer be able to create new Google+ profiles, pages, communities, or events.
  • February 4 to March 7, 2019 — The Google+ feature for website comments will be removed by Blogger on February 4 and other sites by March 7.
  • Mid-February or early March 2019 — Google+ sign-in buttons will stop working, but in some cases will be replaced by a Google sign-in button.
  • Early March 2019 — Google+ Community owners and moderators who are downloading data from their Community will gain additional access to data such as author, body, and photos for every community post in a public community.
  • April 2, 2019 — All Google+ comments on all sites will be deleted. Additionally, all Google+ accounts and pages will be shut down and Google will begin deleting content from consumer Google+ accounts. Photos and videos from Google+ in users’ Album Archive and Google+ pages will also be deleted. Photos and videos backed up in Google Photos will not be deleted.
Editor’s Pick

Google is providing plenty of ways for you to prepare for the shutdown of Google+. You can use the company’s Takeout program to back up some of your data, but Google is also providing a Google+ backup tool that will do a more thorough job. The Google+ Exporter app will export your data and keep everything nicely organized. It’s free for the most recent 3,000 posts in your Google+ profile.

It should be noted that Google+ for G Suite users isn’t going anywhere. In fact, the platform received a promise of new 2019 updates in October 2018.

While the end of Google+ is no doubt sad, especially for the small subset of users who still use it on a day-to-day basis, there’s no way around it, now: Google+ is coming to a close. It’s time to start backing up your data and moving on.

NEXT: Here lies Google+: Why it never scored (a lasting audience)

Source: Android Zone

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You can now use YouTube Music with your Sonos speakers

YouTube Music icon

If you’ve been waiting to use YouTube Music with your Sonos speaker, today’s your lucky day — Google announced that the music streaming service is now available to play on all Sonos speakers.

So long as you have either a YouTube Music Premium or YouTube Premium subscription, you can play your entire YouTube Music library through the Sonos Controller app. You also have access to YouTube Music’s “recommended” listening suggestions, new releases, YouTube Charts, and the “Your Mixtape” personalized playlist.

Here are the full instructions to add YouTube Music to the Sonos Controller app:

  1. Open the Sonos Controller app.
  2. Tap More from the menu on the bottom of the screen.
  3. Tap Add Music Services.
  4. Select YouTube Music > Add to Sonos.
  5. Tap I’m already a member.
  6. Tap Authorize and paste the code presented on the previous screen.
  7. Tap Next and sign in to or select your YouTube Music account.
  8. Return to the Sonos app.
  9. Enter an account and then click Done.

You’ll have to go back to the YouTube Music app if you want to search for songs and videos, however. The announcement post doesn’t mention the ability to use the standard YouTube Music app with Sonos speakers, so keep that in mind.

Editor’s Pick

Also keep in mind that you can use YouTube Music with your Sonos speaker if you have a Google Play Music subscription. YouTube Music is free to use, but you’ll need some sort of premium subscription to use it with your Sonos speaker.

On a related note, Sonos speakers already work with Google Play Music if you don’t like YouTube Music.

Source: Android Zone

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Kodi 18.0 integrates DRM decryption tools, among other new features

  • Kodi 18.0 was released today, an upgrade two years in the making.
  • The new version features a DRM decryption tool, allowing you to stream media content from third-parties within Kodi.
  • Kodi 18.0 also features an upgraded music player, support for game emulators, and Android Leanback and voice controls.

Today, Kodi 18.0 is finally live and available to all. The update — two years in the making — brings a bevy of new features to give users total control over their media library. It also, notably, officially allows you access to libraries you don’t control.

The biggest new feature of Kodi 18.0 — which was codenamed “Leia” — is a new DRM decryption tool. Using this, a Kodi user can connect a protected streaming service to their Kodi interface and then access that content without having to leave Kodi.

In other words, you can consume media content from a provider you legally pay for — something like Netflix, for example — without having to swap to your Netflix app. You can do it all right in Kodi.

Editor’s Pick

You might be thinking that this new tool sounds legally dubious, and you’re sort of right. According to the Kodi team itself, they had “a hard time figuring out if being able to play DRMed content in this way would be considered unethical.” That quote is from a 2017 blog post penned by Kodi developer “h.udo,” when work on version 18.0 was just beginning.

While there’s nothing patently illegal about streaming content from Netflix, HBO, Amazon, or other media companies in this way, it’s a sure bet that the companies would rather you didn’t. Media streaming networks prefer to have control over how you view their content, and there’s no evidence to suggest any of the major platforms condone this usage.

However, the Kodi development team has always danced on the thin line between legal and illegal, so this new tool isn’t too surprising.

It should be noted that Plex — Kodi’s main competitor in the streaming space — is rumored to be considering a similar feature. However, it appears Plex is going the decidedly ethical route of working with streaming platforms directly, as it did with music streaming service Tidal.

These new Kodi features make the service even more powerful than it already is.

The latest version of Kodi also introduces support for gaming emulators, ROMs, and controls. This will surely be a welcome addition for folks who love to play retro games and haven’t already integrated their libraries with something like RetroArch or Launchbox.

Kodi 18.0 also introduces new music player upgrades (including the ability to sort by an artist’s gender, for some reason), live TV improvements, and Android Leanback and voice controls.

That last one is pretty cool because it allows you to use Google Assistant to control Kodi within an Android TV environment. For example, you could launch Kodi using Google Assistant and then use your voice to “type” into search bars and text boxes within Kodi.

You can see all the latest changes to Kodi 18.0 on its changelog here.

NEXT: Problems with Kodi not working and how to fix them

Source: Android Zone

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This 4K outdoor action cam is $20 off

4K Ultra HD Action Cam

If you’re the type of person who likes to ride their motorcycle at top speed down mountain roads, or backflip out of airplanes, or backflip your motorcycle out of airplanes, you should check out the 4K Ultra HD Action Cam. It’s a great way to capture your daredevil side in crisp 4K definition.

Not only does this 4K camera record all of your thrilling escapades in the highest resolution available, but the included mounts also allow you to attach it to literally anything – your helmet, your car, your bike, or possibly an angry dog. You can even mount it on your dashboard if you’re off-roading or blazing down the Autobahn.

The camera’s waterproof casing lets you record your undersea adventures up to 98 feet below the surface, and its wireless wrist remote allows you to snap photographs from up to 33 feet away. It gives you total freedom to compose amazing shots virtually anywhere.

Here’s what you get:

  • Action camera
  • Wireless wrist remote
  • Waterproof case and mount
  • Car dash mount
  • Bike mount
  • Handlebar/pole mount
  • Head strap
  • Cleaning cloth
  • USB charging cable

Normally the 4K Ultra HD Action Cam retails for $89.99, but right now you can take 22 percent off that price and get one for only $69.99.

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 Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus getting Android 9 Pie right now

samsung galaxy s9 one ui review android pie logo easter egg

If you own a Verizon-branded Samsung Galaxy S9 or Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, be on the lookout: the stable release of Android 9 Pie is rolling out to devices now.

Although this isn’t the first carrier-branded Galaxy S9 rollout of Pie in the U.S. — that feat belongs to Xfinity Mobile, a Verizon MVNO — it certainly is the biggest. The Verizon network is the largest in the country and the Samsung Galaxy S9 is one of the most popular phones from 2018.

Along with the usual Android 9 Pie features such as adaptive battery, integrated gesture navigation, etc., the Pie software hitting the Galaxy S9 today also features Samsung’s revamped Android skin now known as One UI. This new interface replaces the previous Samsung Experience, which itself replaced Samsung TouchWiz.

Editor’s Pick

The latest security patch from January 2019 is also included.

If you live in the U.S. and own a Verizon S9, you should see an OTA notification at some point soon. However, this is a very large rollout so it could be a little while before you see it — just be patient.

Let us know in the comments if you’ve received Android 9 Pie on your Verizon S9!

NEXT: Verizon, Cricket, and Rogers will start carrying Nokia phones again

Source: Android Zone

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Want a phone with no ports or proper buttons? That’ll be $1,300, please

The front and back of the Meizu Zero. Meizu

  • Meizu announced a crowdfunding campaign for the Meizu Zero, the first smartphone without ports or mechanical buttons.
  • The Indiegogo campaign looks to raise at least $100,000.
  • The Meizu Zero is available for $1,299 on Indiegogo.

Meizu surprised just about everyone when it announced the Meizu Zero, the first smartphone without ports, speaker holes, or mechanical buttons. It’s now been a week since the announcement, and Meizu surprised everyone yet again with a crowdfunding campaign for its port-less smartphone.

Meizu’s goal is to raise $100,000 on Indiegogo. This is a fixed goal, which means the company will receive the funds only if it’s able to meet its goal. With 31 days left, the crowdfunding campaign already raised $18,587 at the time of this writing.

Meizu offers 100 engineer units of the Meizu Zero for $1,299. There was also a single “pioneering unit” for $2,999, but it’s currently sold out.

That money gets you a smartphone with a 5.99-inch AMOLED display, “screen sound” technology that could be similar to piezoelectric speakers, a 20-megapixel front camera, a 20MP+12MP rear camera pairing, and a Snapdragon 845 processor.

Editor’s Pick

More importantly, $1,299 also gets you one of the more future-facing smartphones out there. The Meizu Zero ditches USB-C or any sort of wired charging in favor of 18-watt wireless charging. The phone also ditches a physical SIM card slot in favor of eSIM.

The Meizu Zero doesn’t stop there — it also ditches the headphone jack, microSD card slot, and proper physical volume and power buttons. In regards to the buttons, the phone uses strong haptic feedback to simulate button presses. This is similar to how the HTC U12 Plus approached physical buttons, though the buttons on the phone were criticized for being hard to use.

As with all crowdfunding campaigns, it’s smart to be a little wary — there’s always a chance that the phone won’t ship and you’ll be out of at least $1,299. Also, we don’t know what band support looks like for the Meizu Zero. With that said, Meizu is a legitimate smartphone manufacturer with a long history of making and selling products.

You can check out the Meizu Zero’s Indiegogo campaign at the link below. If the campaign meets its goal, backers should receive the phone in April.

Source: Android Zone

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The OnePlus 6 and 6T might be using the wrong microphone in certain apps

OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition

If you wondered why call and recording quality in certain apps was subpar on your OnePlus 6 or 6T, you’re not alone — Android Police has compiled a long list of similar complaints that date back to the middle of 2018.

Specific call and recording complaints include low volume, tinny and distorted audio, and amplified ambient noise. According to the complaints, the issues rest in apps like Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp. Some folks even experienced the issues in phone calls.

The call and recording issues might rest in the microphone usage on the OnePlus 6 and 6T. According to a user on Reddit, the two phones use the top microphone in the aforementioned apps — the top microphone is typically used for noise cancellation. Meanwhile, other apps use the bottom microphone as the main one.

Editor’s Pick

Interestingly, some folks complained about experiencing the same issues on the OnePlus 5, 5T, and 3. One Reddit user even said they experienced the issues on the original OnePlus One,

It also seems not every app is affected by the call and recording quality issues. Instagram and Telegram, for example, do not demonstrate the issues. On a similar note, not everyone experienced the problems in the affected apps.

Because reports also come from those with older OnePlus smartphones, it’s possible that a software update could remedy the call and recording quality issues. It’s also possible that the issues affect one’s ability to trigger Google Assistant on the OnePlus 6 and 6T.

We reached out to OnePlus for a comment on the matter and will update this post if we hear back.

Source: Android Zone

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Apple earnings call: Cook admits ‘price is a factor’ in falling iPhone sales

The Guardian

Yesterday, Apple conducted its first earnings call in 2019. This was certainly an anticipated earnings call because of the revelation in December that Apple would likely report its first drop in Q4 sales year-over-year since 2001.

As expected, Apple did reveal a drop in revenue: $84.3 billion for the quarter. Not only is that less than the same quarter in 2017 — which was $88.4 billion — it’s also lower than what Apple originally estimated in its previous earnings call.

In that call, Apple expected revenue to stand around $89-$93 billion.

Editor’s Pick

To be clear, this is all still technically good news. Apple’s earnings for the quarter were still very, very high and revenue coming in at $84.3 billion is the second-best quarter in its history.

Here are three of the key takeaways of yesterday’s call.

iPhone pricing is high and it’s a bit of an issue

iPhone XS Max in man's hand against a white backdrop.

Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted that iPhone sales are down 15 percent as compared to 2017. Usually, Apple would provide hard sales data for the iPhone during a call like this, but the company ended that practice in the previous earnings call. Going forward, we expect the data from these calls to be focused only on numbers that make the company look good, so iPhone sales are likely to be left out.

When Cook announced this 15 percent drop in sales, analyst Steve Milunovich asked if the company had pushed iPhone pricing too far this year, with the iPhone XS starting at a cool $1,000 and the XS Max going as high as a whopping $1,449. Milunovich wanted to know if pricing was a likely factor for the loss in sales.

“Yes, I do think the price is a factor,” Cook responded.

Editor’s Pick

However, Cook elaborated to say that it’s not just that the iPhone is priced too high — it has more to do, in his opinion, with the loss of carrier subsidies for many consumers and the foreign exchange rates in various countries.

“If you’re a customer and your last purchase was an [iPhone 6S or an iPhone 6] or in some cases even a 7, you may have paid $199 for it, and now in the unbundled world it’s obviously much more than that,” Cook said. The $199 price he’s referring to is the usual upfront subsidy price offered by many carriers. Now that those subsidies are disappearing, customers are feeling some sticker shock — even though they gladly paid $1,000 for an iPhone X in 2017 under those subsidy programs.

Cook blames the lack of carrier subsidies and poor exchange rates for falling iPhone sales, but admits general high pricing is also a factor.

To counteract this trend, Cook said Apple will be pushing hard with emphasizing trade-in programs as well as installment plans. The company will also be temporarily lowering some iPhone prices in some countries affected by the different dollar exchanges.

However, don’t expect overall iPhone prices to stop going up in the future. Instead, expect the company to invent new ways for you to feel less sticker shock over the continuing high prices.

iPhone sales are going down, but services are going up

While the iPhone is in a downturn, it’s not all bad news at Apple. The company’s various services — including things like Apple Music, Apple News, and Apple Pay — are all growing.

Cook revealed that 85 million people are using Apple News and that there were 1.8 billion Apple Pay transactions in 2018 — an increase of 100 percent year-over-year. Apple Music also has 50 million subscribers, representing a growth of 10 million subs in just six months.

Editor’s Pick

The fact that Cook focused on information like this during the call gives us a hint on what the company’s strategy will likely be going forward. Now that everyone in the developed world who wants an iPhone likely already owns an iPhone, it’s time to start really pushing those users to buy Apple services which will create a heavy stream of monthly revenue.

Get ready for multiple new Apple subscription services to help offset the drop in iPhone revenue.

There’s a rumor, for example, that Apple could soon unveil a paid version of Apple News which would offer premium content for a monthly fee. That service could launch as early as Spring 2019.

Apple revealed during the call that there are 1.4 billion active Apple devices around the world, of those around 900 million are iPhones. With a solid user base that huge, it only makes sense to start selling them subscription products.

Speaking of which…

Apple is ready to help take down the cable industry

During the call, Cook mentioned that Apple is going to start focusing much more heavily on media streaming, cord-cutting, and its Apple TV box.

Editor’s Pick

“We see huge changes in customer behavior taking place now,” Cook said. “We think that it will accelerate as the year goes by with the breakdown of the cable bundle. I think that it’ll likely take place at a much faster pace this year.”

The behavior Cook is referring to is consumers moving away from traditional cable and instead relying solely on media streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, etc. We know for a fact that Apple is buying original content for release with what we assume will be an Apple-branded content distribution service — in other words, “Apple’s Netflix.”

Get ready for Apple’s version of Netflix to come soon. Will it be too late, though?

While the streaming industry is already crowded, the Apple name could help the company stand out. Just look at the growth of Apple Music for reference.

There is also a rumor that Apple will start selling subscriptions to third-party services right through the Apple TV interface. This would create some degree of conflict with its own streaming service — why would you buy Apple’s service if you can buy Netflix just as easily, for example — but Cook seemed to be gung ho on the topic during the earnings call.

Bottom line: Apple is at a crossroads and must act

The Apple iPhone XR as depicted on stage during the Apple Event 2018.

With iPhone sales dropping, and the smartphone industry itself coming to the end of the glory years, Apple needs to completely revamp its revenue strategy. It can’t release an iPhone that looks the same as last year’s and expect the sales to roll right in. Remarkably, it was able to do that for years with complete success, but those days are over. If the company wants to stay on the path of growth, it needs to rely on something else.

Granted, the iPhone isn’t going away. The iPhone still represents over 60 percent of the company’s revenue and will continue to be its cash cow for years. But the company can’t rely on it for growth any longer.

Streaming services and other subscription-model products are what the company is likely going to focus on in the immediate future. We’ll have to wait and see if that pans out well for Apple.

NEXT: Apple hires Samsung battery bigwig: More durable iPhone batteries incoming?

Source: Android Zone

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Can a screen protector really filter harmful blue light? Here’s what we found.

Blue light gets a bad rap. It’s often cited as a leading cause of eye fatigue. As smartphone enthusiasts that spend plenty of time on our screens, such stories might make us rethink how much time we spend using phones, or find a way to filter out this blue light.

Zagg’s latest Glass+ VisionGuard screen protector promises not only to keep your screen free from scratches and breaks but also to shield your eyes from the effects of blue light. While a lot of the health effects of blue light have been blown out of proportion, there is evidence suggesting blue light can make it more difficult to sleep in the evening. Hence the introduction of Night Light applications to tint your screen during the evening hours.

Editor’s Pick

Zagg’s Glass+ VisionGuard comes with everything you’d expect from a comprehensive screen protector package. It includes a wet wipe, microfibre cloth, and dust removal sticker, in addition to a guide tray to make application of the protector pretty much as easy as can be.

However, at $44.99, the Google Pixel 3 XL version Zagg sent us is a rather expensive screen protector. Do the light filtering claims stack up?

Testing the scientific way

Here at Android Authority we already have the technology to test high-quality smartphone displays, so we ran a suite of tests on the Pixel 3 XL with and without the screen protector, as well as with the Night Light mode enabled.

We were looking for two things. First, a difference in color gamut to check for any blue light blocking. Second, a reduction in blue light intensity to showcase the loss in strength of any light being filtered out. In the graph below, keep an eye on the dots. They should fit into the relevant squares for perfect color reproduction and shift if a filter is applied.

We can see that the Pixel 3 XL’s screen, at maximum brightness, looks essentially the same with both the Zagg screen protector on and off. If anything, the screen actually seems to take on a slightly bluer tint with the protector on. This is reflected in a white point temperature shift from 7121K to 7411K. The Pixel 3’s software night light mode produces a much more notable shift in color. The white point moves into orange with a 2902K reading. Blue light is still reproduced, but the colors has shifted well into the red and orange portion of the spectrum. This is obvious to see just by looking at the screen.

The Zagg screen protector doesn’t tint the light passing through it, which is good for accuracy. So the second question is whether colors are being reproduced with a lower intensity. You might be familiar with nits or cd/m2 from screen brightness. Let’s look at that for all of the key colors.

The Zagg screen protector dims screen brightness, but this is applied almost exactly evenly across all colors and there’s no noticeable targeted blue light attenuation. The company stated that avoiding the yellow tint associated with blue light filters is one of the goals of its technology, but this does little more than reducing the overall display brightness. Swapping the chart to a percentage change, brightness is reduced by 10 percent on average, though blue light intensity is only reduced by 7 percent. That’s not really what the company claims its product does, based on the marketing material. However, this might be handy at night to reduce your overall screen brightness and blue light further than the phone’s minimum setting.

In contrast, night light software shows far more significant reduction in light intensity across every color except red. Switching to the percentage change chart, most colors show a significant reduction in intensity. Furthermore, there’s a huge reduction in the brightness of blue content displayed, down by 78 percent. This is what we would expect from a traditional blue light filter.

What does Zagg say?

We reached out to Zagg with our findings and the company was kind enough to get back to us with a very detailed answer about how its technology works.

We’re not permitted to share some of the sciencey graphics it sent us, but in a nutshell Zagg’s light filter targets a very specific frequency range of light — between 415 and 455nm. This is the widely accepted “harmful” HEV blue light wavelengths that cause eye fatigue. The Glass+ VisionGuard technology beats the 15 percent blue light reduction criteria to pass TUV Rheinland’s “RPF 15” certification.

So why didn’t our testing pick this up? There’s a surprisingly simple explanation — the Pixel 3 XL’s display simply does not emit light at a low enough wavelength to actually interact with Zagg’s filter. We have not two, but three confirmations of this. First, the Pixel 3 XL’s color gamut matches the DCI-P3 color spectrum, which has a blue light cut off at approximately 465nm. I confirmed this by converting our recorded 100 percent blue CIE(x,y) coordinates and luminosity into a wavelength of 466nm. Finally, a chart that Zagg sent us (which we can’t attach) confirms that the Pixel 3XL’s light spectrum falls off below 460nm.

In a nutshell, although Zagg’s Glass+ VisionGuard screen protector may indeed filter out a specific spectrum of blue light, it’s not light that a functioning smartphone produces in any significant quantity. At best, the filtering frequency further attenuates already very small amounts of this 415-455nm range that may be given off by blue LEDs. Remember, the Pixel 3 XL’s blue light already falls off sharply below 465nm.

Blue-light filters don’t look great

Bottom line, the Zagg screen protector doesn’t filter out the blue light produced by the Pixel 3 XL any more than it filters out other light, while Google’s software implementation clearly does. This product is certainly a nice idea, but it’s not going to offer much added value over a competing glass protector.

To be honest, it’s not so surprising that a transparent blue light filter protector doesn’t work as well as a filter with a notable yellow tint. Tinting occurs because a specific light is removed from the spectrum — the weaker the tint, the lower the strength of any filter. The Zagg Glass+ VisionGuard protector is perhaps most useful at night to dim your screen even further, but that’s really all it’s doing.

Source: Android Zone

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Patent suggests a Samsung foldable gaming phone with physical buttons

Let’s Go Digital

One of the hottest smartphone trends of 2018 was the gaming phone, such as the Xiaomi Black Shark or the Asus ROG Phone. Likewise, one of the hottest trends of 2019 is expected to be the foldable phone, with almost every major smartphone manufacturer planning one for release this year.

Samsung must have thought, “Hey, what if we combine these?” A newly-published patent filing suggests we could see a Samsung foldable gaming phone at some point in the future.

The patent — spotted by Let’s Go Digital — was filed in the United States at the end of 2017 but was only unveiled publicly yesterday.

Some of the original sketches of the patent are shown above, but Let’s Go Digital created some 3D mockups of what the device could look like based on the patent info:

A 3D mockup of what the Samsung Foldable Gaming Phone could look like. Let’s Go Digital

The patent suggests the device will fold up the middle to create two equal halves with a display on either side. When unfolded, the device becomes a large square-shaped device with one display.

On the side are physical game controls which can be flipped over to hide them when not in use. There’s a D-Pad on the left and then six trigger buttons on the right.

Editor’s Pick

From these mockups, the Samsung foldable gaming phone looks to be a little awkward. The physical buttons are a welcome addition but it seems like the device would be very difficult to hold and play for long stretches of time. The hinge for the physical button section sticks way out and seems like it would get caught on everything.

To be clear though, this is just a patent filing and could either a) never become a real product or b) just be a sketch of an idea that will evolve into something completely different. However, it is interesting to think about what a Samsung foldable gaming phone could be like.

What do you think? Is this something you would want to buy? Let us know in the comments.

NEXT: What we know so far about the Samsung foldable phone

Source: Android Zone

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Take Jaybird’s new true wireless earbuds for a swim

A man running on a track with the Jaybird Run XT.

The Jaybird Run XT is currently available for $179.99.

Jaybird

Jaybird announced its Run XT true wireless earbuds. As the name implies these are made for runners. Unlike the previous Run model, however, the Run XT earbuds feature IPX7 certification, meaning they can be submerged to depths of one meter for up to 30 minutes.

Editor’s Pick

Battery life is unchanged at 12 hours with the provided charging case. The build remains similar as well; though, the Jaybird Run XT is outfitted with two new colorways: black flash and storm-gray.

Listeners can take full advantage of the Jaybird app, which allows for granular EQ adjustments. It also saves the user’s profile to the earbuds, so it can be used across multiple devices without having to reconfigure EQ preferences. What’s more, the exercise-friendly company announced that the app will support podcast playback, and functionality will be available in the next few weeks.

Jaybird Run XT product image on white background. The earbuds are in the case, which is open.
Jaybird Run XT product image on white background. The earbuds are floating above the case, which is shut. To the left is a smartphone with the Jaybird app open.
Jaybird Run XT product image on white background. Only the earbuds on shown.

The Jaybird Run XT is currently available for $179.99.

Will the Jaybird Run XT give others a run for their money?

JLab Epic Air Elite: The earbuds surrounded by water on a black table.

The IP55 JLab Epic Air Elite earbuds can withstand both dust and water.

Unlike USB-C headphones, true-wireless earbuds have improved tremendously over the past year. While connectivity remains a persistent issue, it’s becoming more reliable. A year ago, the Jaybird Run XT would have been a marked leap forward; however, with the advent of more affordable truly wireless earbuds, some athletes may find the price difficult to justify.

Listeners on the fence may benefit from looking at the Plantronics BackBeat Fit 3100 or the JLab Epic Air Elite, both of which are markedly less expensive than the Run XT.

Next: Best AirPods alternatives

Affiliate disclosure: We may receive compensation in connection with your purchase of products via links on this page. The compensation received will never influence the content, topics or posts made in this blog. See our disclosure policy for more details.

Source: Android Zone

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11 things you need to know in tech for Wednesday, Jan. 30

Here’s your daily tech digest, by way of the DGiT Daily newsletter, for Wednesday, January 30, 2019.

(Sign up right here to get the full email with much more into your inbox.)

Apple, its money, and its margins

Apple reported Q4 earnings last night and as it warned, iPhone sales were bad. But the business looks just fine, and I’ve explored that in some detail.

Here are the two biggest things you shouldn’t miss.

iPhone XS Display

1. iPhone falls, as Tim Cook finally acknowledges high iPhone prices hurt:

  • iPhone sales were down 15% last quarter, or around one million less sold. Mostly in China.
  • The iPhone is still absolutely Apple’s major product, accounting for close to 70% of its total revenue.
  • Yes, it sold fewer phones, but people kept buying more expensive devices like the iPhone XS Max, which helped trim the gap.
  • CEO Tim Cook did admit that its high iPhone prices weighed on sales, but tried to angle away from that admission as well. Cook said “I do think that price is a factor,” but explained that it was more about overseas pricing, where prices in local currencies (eg. anyone not buying in US dollars) went up. it
  • To counteract that, Cook said Apple has begun lowering prices for its phones overseas, as we’ve seen in China. And Cook said it wasn’t a big deal in the US:
  • “We priced the iPhone XS in the U.S. the same as we’d priced the iPhone X a year ago. The iPhone XS Max, which was new, was a hundred dollars more than the XS, and then we priced the XR right in the middle of where the entry iPhone 8 and entry iPhone 8 Plus had been priced. So it’s actually a pretty small difference in the United States compared to last year,” he said.
  • Still, prices will drop elsewhere as Mashable explores.
  • And again, iPhone XR was confirmed as the top-selling iPhone in the quarter.
  • Apple said more than 900m iPhones are active in the world.

iPhone Apple Support

2. Buuut everything else at Apple was up 19%. Why that matters:

  • iPad sales were up, Mac sales were down, but Macs still outsell tablets. Quartz has some nice graphs.
  • This is what Apple really wanted investors and the media to concentrate on. Record revenues for Apple services, as Ars Technica detailed well.
  • For the first time, we also found out Apple’s actual margin on its services: 62.8%.
  • 62.8%!
  • I don’t know whether to be shocked, appalled, or just impressed.
  • Remember, “services” includes things like AppleCare, Apple Music, and Apple Pay, as well as iTunes, the App Store, Apple Music, and iCloud.
  • That kind of margin simply doesn’t exist elsewhere at this scale, with consumers.
  • Comparatively, Amazon’s AWS has a margin at about 25%, the same for Spotify. Microsoft’s commercial cloud offering is at 58%, but that’s an enterprise company charging other enterprises for mission-critical stuff. This is consumer level purchasing and revenue.
  • No wonder some banks have been slow to offer Apple Pay, and no wonder it costs a bomb to get your Apple device fixed by Apple. Yikes.
  • Oh, and also, with 900 million active iPhones, and a 62.8 margin on services, that’s a loooot of money to be made.
  • Hence the continuing noises we hear about an Apple gaming subscription service, an Apple TV service, Apple Music chugging along, and so on. That’s where the easiest cash comes from. Apple’s TV service might come as early as mid-April, says The Information.
  • Could that lead to an “Apple Prime” style bulk subscription service? Possibly. But not if that margin falls far.

Here’s everything else happening:

1. An extraordinary story broken by TechCrunch: Facebook pays teens and adults to install a VPN that spies on them with near “limitless access”. (TechCrunch). Facebook hid its identity, used intermediaries, kept it off the official App Store, and is paying peanuts. Facebook, within a few hours, announced it was shutting this down on iOS, while the “Research program” continues on Android. Why? We’ve asked. Also, @chronic breaks down Facebook’s statements in response.


2. Also, Samsung is now offering a 1TB storage chip for smartphones (AA).


3.  Pocophone F1 tested by DxOMark. It didn’t go particularly well. (AA). Big gains can be made here in a Poco F2 we’ll hopefully see in 2019.


4. Elon Musk’s private jet appears to make frivolous flights, including a huge number of 20 mile flights which basically serve to reposition the jet for faster airport access for Elon (WashPo).


5. Foxconn reconsidering plans to make LCD panels at Wisconsin plant (Reuters). And yes, this was predicted by those that know Foxconn.


6. PUBG’s new tool will show you kills caught on Twitch streams – PC only for now (Engadget).


7. Porsche’s new all-electric sports car: unlimited charging through the US, for three years (TechRadar).


8. Thought-to-speech breakthrough: Thinking thoughts and having them said out loud could change the lives of many soon, and create new tech later (Columbia University).


9. Japanese astronomers find tiniest Kuiper Belt object yet – using cheap ‘scopes and off-the-shelf CMOS cameras’ (The Register)


10. You get one wish, but 65% of the entire population also gets exactly what you wished for. What’s the wish? (r/askreddit)


DGiT Daily: Your Tech Resource

In case you don’t know, the DGiT Daily delivers a daily email that keeps you ahead of the curve for all tech news, opinions, and links to what’s going down in the planet’s most important field. You get all the context and insight you need, and all with a touch of fun, and the daily fun element that you miss missing from this

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Source: Android Zone

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Google Chrome to warn users of lookalike URLs masquerading as credible websites

Phishing and hoax news are two of the biggest problems facing internet users today, and these nefarious activities often spread via so-called lookalike URLs. But it seems like Google has a solution in the works for its Chrome browser.

The Chrome Canary browser, used to test upcoming features, has recently gained the ability to spot lookalike URLs, according to ZDNet. The feature has reportedly been available since Chrome Canary 70, and can be enabled by entering chrome://flags/#enable-lookalike-url-navigation-suggestions in the address bar.

Once enabled, an alert will appear when you mistype a URL (seen below, right). This alert points users to the legitimate website, much like Google Search points users to search queries with proper spelling.

The Google Chrome Canary lookalike URL functionality.
Navigation suggestions in Google Chrome Canary.

According to the feature’s description, it’s able to provide suggestions for popular domains or domains with a site engagement score. So I wouldn’t expect Google to provide suggestions if you meant to visit an extremely niche website, for example.

The feature is available on Chrome Canary across Mac, Windows, Linux, and Chrome OS. It’s not available for Chrome on Android just yet, but it certainly seems like a useful addition to the mobile browser.

In any case, this should be a useful weapon in the fight against phishing in particular. Nefarious actors often take advantage of lookalike URLs to fool people into thinking a mistyped domain is a legitimate website. From here, these actors pose as banks and other websites in order to grab credentials and other sensitive data.

NEXT: Pocophone F1 tested by DxOMark — Do you get what you pay for?

Source: Android Zone

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