Python is one of the most commonly used coding languages in use. It’s found in everything from game design to machine learning, AI, apps, and data analysis. That is to say having an understanding of the language is an invaluable skill set that can be used all over.
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On June 22, 2021, Microsoft’s cloud storage solution OneDrive announced that it was adding new photo editing features to the Android app and for users on the web.
With these new options, you can crop, rotate and adjust the lighting and color of your photos stored in OneDrive. Features that have been lacking within the app for far too long, better late than never I guess. The one caveat being that it is limited to JPEG and PNG image files, although that covers two of the most popular formats, so it should be fine for most general users.
When editing photos you’ll have the option to save it as a new photo or replace the original, but don’t worry, if you change your mind later there is still a way to recover the original by using version history.
Additionally, OneDrive for Android has now added a way for you to cast your photos from the app to Chromecast-enabled devices. Just look in the upper right corner of the app when viewing a photo and tap the cast icon. From there, you’ll be able to select what Chromecast-enabled display you’d like to send the photo to.
While editing is already rolling out for personal accounts, Microsoft says that the features will be coming to OneDrive work and school accounts this summer. Furthermore, photo editing will be making its way to iOS devices later this year.
The new photo editing features in OneDrive couldn’t have come at a better time. Now that Google Photos no longer stores your images for free, it has opened the doors for competition like Microsoft or Amazon to step in.
While OneDrive still has a long way to go to reach feature parity with Google Photos, this might sway some users to start backing up their photos with Microsoft. Especially if you find your Google storage running low.
There are plenty of wireless service providers to choose from, at least here in the United States. In fact, it may seem as if there are too many options to consider. But when it comes down to it, many of them rely on the networks offered by Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.
Xfinity Mobile, a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), is one such carrier. Indeed, it has its own rate plans and features, but it licenses coverage from Verizon.
Customers can also purchase a phone directly from Total Wireless. While the handset selection is a little on the smaller side, it’s a decent mix. And as is the case with any service provider some models rise to the top.
What follows are some of the best Android phones available at Xfinity Mobile today. These aren’t the most powerful, but rather the best for particular needs.
The cream of the crop when it comes to Samsung’s 2021 phone lineup, very few handsets can rival its performance. Not only that, but it’s prettier than ever with the new color options, too.
Come for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor and the 12GB RAM, stay for the 5,000mAh battery and quad-core camera. Of course there’s plenty in between as well and it’s all in service of high-end prowess.
Everything runs smoothly but it looks even smoother when you’ve got a 6.8-inch Quad HD+ display that delivers to the tune of 120Hz refresh rate.
The flagship Samsung experience for 2021 is not only powerful, but it’s gorgeous, too. It looks unlike any of its predecessors on the surface and we couldn’t be happier.
Internally, the phone is as about as powerful as they come, and should be more than sufficient for the needs of pretty much anyone. Whether you’re gaming, snapping ultra-wide photos, recording 4K video, or just hitting up your social media platforms, the Galaxy S21 is here for it.
Key features for the phone include a 6.2-inch AMOLED display, at least 128GB storage, and an all-day 4,000mAh battery. You’ve also got an amazing camera setup, 8GB RAM, a monster of a processor, and an improved in-display fingerprint reader.
If you’re looking for the biggest and most powerful all-around device from Total Wireless, this is it. With a screen size (6.9-inches) that rivals early tablets, it packs an upgraded S Pen stylus and cutting-edge hardware. Oh, and then there’s a first-of-its-kind 108-megapixel camera, too.
Powered by Android 10 with Samsung’s custom UI, the handset has generous battery, tons of (expandable) storage, and support for Verizon’s Ultra Wideband 5G network. Choose from Cosmic Black and Cosmic Gray color options, both of which are stunning.
One of the best things about today’s breed of smartphones is that you can often purchase a generation or two later and still end up with more than you need. Or, you can go with the Galaxy A series which is a way to get many of the better features found in more prominent models.
For about one third of today’s top phones you can get something that will last a couple of years. We’re talking plenty of hardware, a beauty of a screen, and one of the better cameras around. Here you’ll get a sizable (6.5-inch) screen, plenty of memory and storage, and a quad-camera setup on the back.
The 2019 flagship phone from Google is no less capable this year than it was last year. The only difference now is that it’s considerably less expensive.
The Pixel 4 offers up a well-rounded hardware experience that’s highlighted by one of the best cameras on the market. Powered by the lean and clean version of Android that Google intends, it’s a great device that should provide many consumers with a few years worth of usage.
If you’re starting out with a smartphone for the first time, you have no idea as to what you truly need. Why drop hundreds of dollars on something only to find out it’s more than you want or use?
For your money you get a generous 6.2-inch screen, a 13-megapixel dual-camera setup, headphone jack, and decent battery. It runs a very current and largely stock Android software experience and looks really cool in Dark Sea blue.
It’s summer, the time of year where the heat is on the rise, and and when BBQs can become a weekly occurrence. What goes better with a burger or hot dog straight off the grill than some crispy fries. Unfortunately, ovens can increase the heat in your kitchen, take forever to preheat, and still don’t give that deep-fried crispiness to your food.
Fortunately, there are air fryers which are meant to solve all of these issues, and Proscenic was nice enough to send us out its T21 Smart WiFi Air Fryer for review.
Key Features
Large 5.8-quart size
Wi-Fi connectivity with app support
400-degree maximum temperature
Detachable dishwasher safe basket
Aluminum non-stick basket with two coatings of Teflon
If you’re like me, you’ve heard a lot about air fryers over the years and always been curious about them. The Proscenic T21 Smart WiFi Air Fryer was my first experience with an air fryer and I came away pretty impressed.
For starters, it preheats at least twice as fast as my traditional oven saving me time on waiting for it to reach temperature. Next, I was surprised at how much quicker food cooks with an air fryer. That’s something you really have to watch out for with it because I had to cut the cooking time in half or even more to ensure food didn’t come out burned.
Then, on top of cooking more quickly, it also gave food the sort of crispiness and crunch I’m typically used to from a deep fryer, but without all of the oil and mess. Fries, chicken tenders, and more came out ten times better than putting them in a regular oven.
Finally, the app made it convenient to keep an eye on the cooking, and as an Android-focused site, we’re always interested in products that allow us to use our mobile devices to take control. Just be aware that the app and recipe book come with some grammar errors. In fact, I found the recipe book even used the wrong photo for one of the recipes.
Besides a few grammar errors, my biggest criticism of the Proscenic T21 Smart WiFi Air Fryer was the initial smell. At first, it had a strong plastic chemical smell. After a couple of runs I noticed a small sliver of tape that matched the interior had begun to wrinkle up.
Removing this tape, which appears to have served no purpose, did wonders for the smell. It still had an odor, but it was much weaker; every run since then has been an improvement. Reviews on Amazon only cite a handful of people mentioning the smell out of thousands though. Perhaps we unlucky few received a model with bad quality control or we’re just more sensitive to scents, which admittedly I am.
Some other things to be aware of are that you’ll need to leave at least six inches of space behind the air fryer for the vent on the back, and it also makes quite a bit of noise from the fan blowing on the inside.
Those are minor annoyances, if that, and besides the smell that has now improved dramatically, I’ve had no complaints about the Proscenic T21 Smart WiFi Air Fryer.
Where to buy
The Proscenic T21 Smart WiFi Air Fryer is available now for $110 from Amazon by clipping the $20 off coupon or on Proscenic’s website for $129.
Data is everywhere today. Every little thing you do on the internet or through your mobile device is data-related. From the videos you watch to the apps you open and the songs you listen to, it’s all data.
For businesses, knowing how to read and understand data is fundamental; understanding how process, manipulate, and leverage data is a much-desired skill. For many businesses, Microsoft SQL Server is the system that supports transaction processing, business intelligence, and more. As one of the leading database technologies around, it’s an incredibly valuable tool for helping businesses work with data.
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There seems to be an endless number of wireless service providers to choose from, at least here in the United States. But when it comes down to it, many of them rely on the networks offered by three biggest carriers.
Good2GoMobile, a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), is one such carrier. Indeed, it has its own rate plans and features, but it licenses coverage from AT&T.
When it comes to buying a phone for use on Good2Go Mobile there are a few options to consider. For starters, you can bring your current AT&T device to the carrier. Additionally, you can buy an unlocked phone for use on Good2Go.
Customers can also purchase a phone directly from Good2Go. While the handset selection is a little on the smaller side, it’s a decent mix of most Samsung and Motorola devices. And as is the case with any service provider some models rise to the top.
What follows are some of the best Android phones available at Good2Go today. These aren’t the most powerful, but rather the best for particular needs.
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
Best of the Bunch
If you’re looking for the outright best of the Android bunch, this is the one. It’s big (6.9-inches), powerful (2.8GHz octa-core processer with 16GB RAM), and packs an incredible camera experience.
It’s powered by Android 10 with Samsung’s custom UI which means it’s slick, user-friendly, and intuitive. Other features we love? Water-resistant coating, 5G connectivity, 8K video recording, and a generous battery with wireless charging.
This phone may be a generation behind the times, but we suspect you’d have a heck of a time seeing that in performance. Still more powerful than you need, it packs a big display, excellent suite of hardware, and comes with an integrated S Pen digital stylus.
Offered in three really sharp colors, the device has a triple camera setup that captures wide and super wide shots. The battery life is not only fairly respectable, it’s also capable of super-fast and wireless charging.
Priced about one-third of Samsung’s counterpart, this phone is no less capable for many users. It’s powered by Android 10, comes with a 6.4-inch screen, and features its own digital stylus.
Motorola leaves Android largely untouched, a feature we’ve come to really appreciate. Pair that with a solid mid-range bundle of hardware, and it’s a great value proposition. The 48-megapixel triple-camera captures ultra-wide and macro images.
A great way to jump into the world of smartphones, this one’s affordable and features the stock Android software experience. Parents might consider the phone for first-time users or when buying for multiple younger users.
Features include a 6.2-inch scree, 12-megapixel rear camera, 8-megapixel front-facing camera, and face unlock capabilities. Perhaps best of all, its 5000mAh battery lasts nearly twice as long as other entry-level phones.
Vacuum cleaners may not be the first thing you think of when someone brings up cool new tech products but after seeing the Ultenic U10, you may have a new perspective.
At just five pounds, the U10 is light and easy to use around the house. The battery checks in at 2200mAh, which is smaller than most flagship phones in 2021.
Ultenic U10 Battery Life and Charging
This will net you up to 40 minutes of use in “Eco Mode.” If you need a little more power, you can kick on “Max mode'” where Ultenic says you can expect about 15 minutes of usage. I was pleasantly surprised that Ultenic was actually conservative with their estimates because I ended up getting about an hour of usage in Eco Mode while sweeping my carpet floors and doing a quick sweep of my car before a long car trip.
Really the only downside here is that it takes about 2.5 hours to recharge from dead to full. In a world where we have Wireless Chargers that can charge @ 50W or better, this slow cabled charging is very disappointing. You can buy extra bathers that can be charged outside the unit and hot-swapped.
What’s it Like to Use the Ultenic U10?
Using the Ultenic U10 is a breeze. It’s light, easily maneuverable, and well thought out. It comes with two brushes, an extension tube, two heads, a Wall Mount, and a charger.
I normally have the extension tube installed with the floor brush but if I’m trying to get hard-to-reach places, it’s a snap to remove it and attach the crevice tool to target a specific area.
There are brushes for both carpet (which can also be used for hard surfaces) and a soft-bristle brush that’s designed more for bedding, couches, curtains, and the like. Swapping them out is easy but I’ve been using to carpet brush for everything and it has been fine.
As I mentioned earlier, I used this to clean out my car and will probably avoid this in the future if there are other options available. I have a pretty big SUV (Sorento) but it’s just a little too big to handle in there with just the crevice tool attached. I wasn’t able to get into good angles to clean those little spots that pick up dust, dirt, and crumbs. Trying to use this in an even smaller car would be a lesson in futility. I’d much rather use a smaller device where I can sacrifice battery and suction poor for ease of use.
What accessories do you get with the Ultenic U10?
I’m impressed at how well thought out the Ultenic U10 is. The modular design is a nerd’s dream and the inclusion of a HEPA filter shows the company is looking to actually make the best product possible, not just design something that looks nice to drive sales but falls flat when you get your hands on it.
While the Utteric isn’t perfect, it checks all the right boxes for light hone use. Our place isn’t big but with a dog, two cats, a messy kid, and two adults, we have our share of dirt, dust, hair, and messes.
Our normal Dyson tears through the place leaving no spec of dust untouched. While the U10 isn’t quite that powerful, I’d have zero problems recommending it to someone in a similar situation that doesn’t want to pay 2x-5x for a name brand that will probably be overkill.
We obviously can’t speak to longevity here because our review periods last about three weeks. That being said, the Ultenic U10 does appear to be made with quality parts and its modular design means, in theory, you can just buy a replacement if something breaks down. The vacuum comes with a one-year warranty out of the box.
Ultenic U10: Wrapping Things Up
Wrapping things up, I’ve enjoyed my time with the Ultenic U10. The company has done a good job of designing a well-thought-out, modular device that walks the line of functionality vs price.
I’d definitely like to see improved charging speeds in a product revision because nothing is more frustrating than being 75% done with a job and waiting an hour for the vacuum to recharge enough to finish. If that’s not possible, tee inclusion of a secondary battery would at least ease the pain a bit.
CompTIA is the voice of the world’s information technology (IT) industry. As a non-profit trade association, it advances the global interests of IT professionals and IT channel organizations.
CompTIA is what enables them to be more successful and leads to with industry-leading IT certifications and IT business credentials, IT education, resources, and more.
Lucrative, fulfilling, and family-sustaining IT jobs are out there, but few of the candidates are qualified. CompTIA certifications help to train and identify qualified, knowledgeable employees and match them with employers who have jobs to fill.
Show up for a job interview with CompTIA credentials under your belt and your prospective employer will know you not only have IT skills, but you also show a commitment to your career and continued learning.
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Included in the bundle are some twelve categories spanning topics such as Linux+, Network+, A+, CSA+, and much more. All told there are more than 200 hours of education across the bundle. And it’s all yours for only $49.99.
For every $25 you spend in the AG Deals Store you get $1 credit added to your account. And, if you refer the deal via social media or an email that results in a purchase, you’ll earn $10 credit in your account.
First Time Buying?
If this is your first time buying, you are also eligible for 10% discount! Just be sure to subscribe for email updates.
Free Stuff
Not looking to spend any money today? No worries. You can still visit the AndroidGuys section for freebies and pick something anyhow.
If you’re anything like us, the arrival of Prime Day means the departure of money from your bank account. New Prime deals are going up all the time and we’re doing our best to compile them for you here at AndroidGuys. Some of the deals are unexpected and some are hard to believe because you can save so much money today. But, just a reminder that you have to be an Amazon Prime member to score these. If you’re not currently a Prime subscriber, you can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial right here.
It used to be that if you wanted the top-of-the-line active noise cancelling headphones, there was only one brand to consider, Bose. But once Sony released its WH-1000XM3 over-ear headphones, it blew everyone away with the sound quality and active noise cancellation (ANC).
How does its successor, the WH-1000XM4 carry on the tradition? Sony sent us out a pair to find out for ourselves.
Design
The Sony WH-1000XM4 design doesn’t stray far from the previous model. I guess the approach was, if it isn’t broke then don’t fix it. Although, for a premium pair of headphones, the WH-1000XM4 sure use a lot of plastic. On the bright side, they feel solid and durable.
However, to keep your investment protected, Sony also includes a hardshell carrying case in the box. There is also an airplane adapter, a 3.5mm cable, and a laughably short USB-C charging cable.
As far as ports and buttons go, there is a USB-C port on the left for charging and a 3.5mm port on the right along with the power button and button that can be used for Google Assistant.
Supplementing the physical buttons are touchpads on the left and right ear cup. These work with a series of taps and swipes making it easy to control the playback and volume of your music. I haven’t always been the biggest fan of touch controls, but these work wonderfully and I never found myself accidentally triggering actions.
Comfort
The WH-1000XM4 headphones make use of synthetic leather on the ear cups and headband with urethane foam. I found the padding to be more than sufficient on the headband and never felt any discomfort on the top of my head while using the headphones.
Although, the padding on the ear cups came up a little short. I could feel the interior of the ear cup lightly against my ear while wearing the Sony WH-1000XM4. Thankfully, it barely grazed my ear, and there is a little empty space behind the material which prevented any irritation even when wearing for long periods of time.
User experience
The Sony WH-1000XM4 sets itself apart with a fantastic user experience. For starters, it uses Google Fast Pair, which as the name suggests, makes it quick and easy to pair your headphones with your phone.
Next, the WH-1000XM4 is host to a ton of features. It has Google Assistant support built-in and will read your notifications to you, as well as allow you to reply using your voice. There’s also Alexa support if that’s more your style.
Besides the digital assistant support, the Sony WH-1000XM4 has a lot of smarts built into them. For starters, there’s a speak-to-chat function that will pause your music and let ambient noise in, allowing you to have a conversation without removing the headphones or triggering it manually.
If you prefer to control this manually, speak-to-chat can be disabled and you can enable it by placing your hand on the right ear cup. The WH-1000XM4 also automatically pauses and resumes playback with a sensor that detects when you remove or place the headphones back on.
When listening to music, the Sony WH-1000XM4 also has the ability to enhance it by upscaling compressed digital files for higher quality. Plus, the adaptive sound control automatically adjusts the sound based on your location and changes depending on whether you’re moving or standing still. Noise cancellation is also customized depending on your location and activity.
In short, the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones constantly work to ensure you have the best sound quality and noise cancellation possible, while also giving you convenient features that allow you to carry on with your day while enjoying your favorite music.
App
Behind all these smarts in the WH-1000XM4 is the Sony Headphones app. It’s here where you can change several options, take control of the noise cancellation levels, adjust the equalizer, update the firmware, and more.
The app is an essential part of the WH-1000XM4 experience and I highly recommend you install it immediately, if for no other reason than to make sure you have the latest firmware. Although, I found myself digging through the options and personalizing the headphones to my liking and it really enriches the overall experience.
Sound Quality
When I reviewed the WF-1000XM3 earbuds from Sony my only criticism was that I found them a little light on bass, which I fixed easily with the built-in equalizer in the app. So when I first tried out the WH-1000XM4s I was surprised how bass-forward they were right out of the box.
If you’re a fan of bass, like I am, then you’ll be very pleased with the sound of the WH-1000XM4; however, if you’re not, then you can easily make some tweaks with the app. In my case, I had to add a little to the high-end to give them more of a V-shaped sound signature. After these little tweaks, I found they sounded perfect and one of the best-sounding pairs of Bluetooth headphones I’ve heard.
Additionally, the Sony WH-1000XM4s support the LDAC codec which transmits music over Bluetooth at 990kbps for near CD-quality sound. In comparison, its closest competitor is aptX HD from Qualcomm which is about half of what LDAC offers. The only drawback is that LDAC usually consumes more battery power.
ANC
Probably one of the most impressive feats of the WH-1000XM4 headphones is the ability to block out distracting sounds while providing fantastic sound quality. If you truly want to block out all the racket to enjoy your music then it’s hard to beat the capability of Sony’s ANC in the WH-1000XM4.
Now that it’s summertime I’m often bombarded by sounds of mowers, blowers, and cicadas. The WH-1000XM4 were able to drown out all of these nearly silencing or completely blocking them on most occasions, even without music playing. In the instances where it didn’t completely silence background noise, it became masked entirely once I began playing music.
Mic Quality
The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones include four microphones with advanced audio signal processing. In my testing, I found that my voice sounded clear but I needed to speak with a little more volume than usual. My friend also remarked that there was some static in the background when I ran my overhead fan, but overall it works well and should get you through those Zoom work calls.
Battery Life
Sony rates the WH-1000XM4’s battery life at 30 hours, and in my experience, it’s the battery that just keeps going. After putting in 10 hours of listening time this past week the battery is at 70%, and for most of that, I was using the LDAC codec, on top of the headphones installing a firmware update.
To say I’m impressed is an understatement. Being able to stream with LDAC usually kills other headphones I’ve used much more quickly, not to mention upgrades often take a chunk out as well.
Final Thoughts
There’s really not much else left to say. I’ve spent this entire review praising every aspect of the Sony WH-1000XM4 ANC Headphones. To put it simply, these are one of the best, if not the best active noise cancelling headphones you can buy today.
Between the smart features, the sound quality, battery life, and class-leading ANC technology you just can’t go wrong by purchasing these. You can pick up the Sony WH-1000XM4 ANC headphones from Amazon, Best Buy, or other retailers for $280 at the time of writing.
