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Ting Buyer’s Guide

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Many people know about the big name wireless service providers of Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. This is for good reason – they advertise everywhere and they basically own the airwaves.

What about those random brands that you might have seen in the store but don’t really know? What’s the difference between them and the more popular carriers? Are they a risk or gamble? Are they too good to be true?


Let’s take a look at a relatively newer carrier, Ting. This guide will serve to help you understand what the MVNO offers and how it stacks up against others.

About Ting

Launched in 2012, Ting finds itself in the increasingly crowded segment of low-cost, no-frills alternatives. Ting was one of the first in the industry to popularize the pay-for-what-you-use structure.

Does Ting support GSM or CDMA?

Ting’s service uses the Verizon and DISH networks for CDMA coverage and T-Mobile for GSM, but it operates with its own plans and features. You can check potential coverage ahead of time, even checking expectations based on the phone you currently own.

Finding unlocked phones with support for GSM is much easier as the selection is larger. Moreover, if you travel internationally, the GSM-based devices will work just fine, and without requiring any major changes.

Tell me about Ting rate plans

Ting’s rate plans are pretty straightforward, giving consumers a few options that cover the bases for most user types. All of the plans include unlimited talk and text with nationwide LTE + 5G data; data speed is reduced to 2G after monthly data allotment is exceeded.

  • Flex ($10/mo.) – Data is $5 per gigabyte
  • Set 5 ($25/mo.) – Includes 5GB data which can also be used as hotspot
  • Unlimited ($45/mo.) – Includes 22GB data, 12GB of which can also be used as hotspot
  • Unlimited Pro ($60/mo.) – Includes 35GB data, 30GB of which can also be used as hotspot

You can set alerts and caps in the Ting Dashboard, and create limits on individual lines. This is peace of mind for parents who might be otherwise worried about a child using an exorbitant amount of data for streaming HD video.

Are there any other Ting features worth noting?

Ting users can benefit from calling more than 60 countries at no additional cost. All minutes are counted the same whether it’s US, Canada, Mexico, UK, Puerto Rico, or a bunch of others.

Ting offers a cancellation-fee reimbursement if switch from another service provider. You’ll get back 25 percent of whatever it costs for you to leave your carrier, whether an early termination fee or a balance remaining on your phone.ย Reimbursement is capped at $75 in credit on your account.

What about Ting handset selection?

As mentioned above, Ting allows for both GSM and CDMA phones.ย  If you’re interested in bringing your own, check your existing phone IMEI to see whether it’s compatible with its service.

For those who want to purchase a phone, Ting has a fairly well-rounded selection of devices. Looking at it today we see new and notable models like the Motorola one 5G ace and Samsung Galaxy A32 5G

Ting offers a small selection of phones, however it’s comprised mainly of Samsung and Apple, with a few LG and Motorola models sprinkled in. For what it’s worth, it does offer the iPhone 11 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S10+, and Google Pixel 4a.

Best Android phones at Walmart Family Mobile

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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.

Walmart Family 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 T-Mobile.

When it comes to buying a phone for use on Walmart Family Mobile there are a few options to consider. For starters, you can bring your current T-Mobile device to the carrier. Additionally, you can buy an unlocked phone for use on Walmart Family Mobile.

You can check to see if your current device is compatible with Walmart Family Mobile by texting BYOP to 611611.

Customers can also purchase a phone directly from Walmart Family Mobile. While there’s a fairly robust handset selection to peruse, select models rise to the top.

What follows are some of the best Android phones available at Walmart Family Mobile today. These aren’t the most powerful, but rather the best for particular needs.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

The Best Available

Perhaps one of the best handsets you’ll find at any carrier this year, you’ll have a tough time beating this one. It’s the hardware and software experience that rivals nearly all comers.

For your money you get a gorgeous and spacious 6.9-inch display, incredible multi-camera array, and long-lasting battery. Under the hood is a powerhouse processor with lots of memory and storage. Most folks could see years of usage from this one.

Shop the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra at Walmart

Motorola Moto G7 Optimo

Well-rounded and Affordable

This is a great phone for first-time buyers and those who don’t need all that much from their handset. It’s a solid mix of entry-level hardware with a clean and user-friendly version of Android.

The Motorola phone offers up a 5.7-inch HD+ display, 13-megapixel rear camera, and a 3,000mAh battery. That should be plenty sufficient for your social media, light gaming, web browsing, and email.

Shop the Motorola Moto G7 Optimo at Walmart

Samsung Galaxy S9

Yesterday’s Flagship

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. That’s the case here as the popular Samsung phone still handles all of your tasks.

For about one third of today’s flagship phone 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.

Shop the Samsung Galaxy S9 at Walmart

LG Rebel 4

First-Time Buyer

If you’ve never owned a smartphone, or are giving your child their first handset, you likely don’t want to spend that much money. To that end, you can get a decent phone for cheap.

The LG Rebel 4 is a little older than the others here but there’s a reason it’s still offered. Priced well under $50 you get a 5-inch display, 8-megapixel camera, and decent hardware. It won’t set the world on fire, but you’ll have a better understanding of needs for the next device.

Shop the LG Rebel 4 at Walmart

OnePlus 9 review

When it comes to shopping for a high-end phone, there’s always something new and exciting for consumers. Hardware advancements continue to outpace the needs of users and the bleeding edge tech seems to be about two years ahead of what a typical person needs to get by.

While many of us are content to get by with devices and features that are a generation or two behind, there’s always going to be a segment of buyers who wants the best or newest. Fortunately, that’s a nebulous concept as there’s either a hot new thing that just arrived or another one that’s just over the horizon.

OnePlus has made its name on creating powerful and exciting devices with great value propositions. And although its phones are not so much “flagship killer” today, it’s handsets are “flagship” through and through.

The OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro, introduced in early 2021, are the brand’s latest products and both provide some of the best of what’s available in the market. On paper at least. But how do they do in practice and usage?

If you caught our review of the OnePlus 9 Pro, you already know we found it to be among the most exciting phones on the market. What about the standard model? What follows is our review of the OnePlus 9.

For a bit of context we should mention that we’ve spent an additional couple of months with this version. That’s not to say we didn’t have enough time to formulate a solid opinion of the 9 Pro. Rather, it’s to further drive home our feelings about the OnePlus 9 as we lived with it a little longer.

Design

The OnePlus 9, like its Pro counterpart, has a sleek design that invites the user to look it over with curves and edges. OnePlus has done a great job of mixing the right materials (glass and aluminum) with color options, delivering an all-around aesthetically pleasing experience.

One of the hallmarks of a OnePlus phone is its dedicated ringer switch, located near the power button. It lets users jump directly to silent, vibration, and ringer with a simple slide. Is it necessary? Hardly. Do you miss once you’ve spent a fair amount of time with one? Definitely.

The OnePlus 9 is a little heavier than it appears but it’s a balanced weight. Holding it and looking at it from the front it feels like most higher-end phones, but flip it over and you’ll see a unique configuration to the camera. The multi-camera system takes up a rather significant part of the corner and it bears the Hasselblad branding. It’s not unsightly or off-putting, but it’s a departure from the clean strip that went down the spine of its predecessor.

Hardware and Features

The OnePlus 9 comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, putting it at the top of the ladder in terms of CPU. Moreover, it’s supported by 8GB LPDDR5 RAM with 128GB UFS 3.1 storage. That is to say that the handset is among the best on the market.

One area where OnePlus tends to shine is in its batteries, or more specifically, the charging. Here you get a 4,500mAh power source which is equipped to handle 15W wireless charging and up to 65W Warp Charge. Technically speaking, there are two batteries tucked inside and both can be charged at the same time. So, when you put a fast charger on it, you’re pulling in at twice the rate.

We’re a fan of the image quality and high refresh rate of the OnePlus 9 but we’re really fond of the flat screen. While it might sound like the OnePlus 9 Pro is a more exciting or well-rounded phone, we are more than content stopping here. To us the extra juice isn’t worth the squeeze (extra money).

Software

The OxygenOS software experience is based on Android 11 and could be described more or less as a stock build. Indeed, it provides plenty of extras in the way of customization and user experience, but its UI is the same as what Google offers up with the Pixel line. Moreover, it doesn’t come with a bunch of clunky, unwanted duplicate apps, or carrier bloat.

OnePlus commits to two major software updates and three years of security updates for its phone. This is fairly similar to the Android One program and what Nokia and Samsung promises for its devices.

OnePlus does a pretty good job of offering software updates in a timely manner and that’s important to us. We also dig it when we’re able to tinker and modify, customizing our phones to be truly unique and feel like it’s “ours.” The OnePlus 9 does just that and manages to do so in a way that doesn’t require users to have a degree in engineering.

Camera

Historically, one of the more problematic areas for OnePlus phones is in its cameras. They’re often good, but they’ve never been truly great. While a common tactic has been to increase the number of cameras, it doesn’t address the overall quality. It doesnโ€™t matter how many cameras you have on the back or how many shooting modes you have if the results donโ€™t look very good.

As far as weโ€™re concerned, itโ€™s nearly impossible to beat what Google does with its cameras. That is to say for the โ€œopen the app and snap a picโ€ demographic. We often donโ€™t fuss with ultra-wide or telephoto shots; itโ€™s usually a standard pic or something with the portrait mode on.

For 2021 OnePlus turned to Hasselblad for its camera experience in both the 9 and the 9 Pro. In fact, this is the start of a three-year relationship between the two companies. The biggest task for Hasselblad and these new devices is the color-tuning and accuracy.

In our time with the OnePlus 9 weโ€™ve found it to take good-to-great pictures, but only after a little bit of learning. Lighting is generally even; however, every so often it turns out a bit more blue. The same goes for over sharpening — it happens on occasion. even with using the different shooting modes.

About the camera samples: Images were resized to 1280 pixels wide and slightly compressed for the sake of file size. No other edits were made.

The OnePlus camera app is fairly intuitive, even for those who have not spent time with one of its devices. If youโ€™ve used a OnePlus phone in the past, youโ€™ll know your way around it.

One rule of thumb we tend to employ with phones and their cameras is to stay at least one step away from its maximum zoom settings. Just because you can zoom in on a subject doesnโ€™t mean that you should. And here when you do that, youโ€™ll find some less than desirable final results.

We suggest taking a few pictures of your subject whenever possible and spend time learning its limitations. Get out in the real world and try to snap some pics too early and youโ€™ll come away with grain, noise, and unflattering shots. Itโ€™s a really decent camera experience, but you need to figure that out. By contrast, the Pixel 5 may not be as well-rounded but itโ€™s easier to understand and master.

Performance

When it comes to power and performance, we had absolutely zero problems with running apps and games. We loaded our device up with all of the accounts and daily titles straight away and have used this as our main phone for a few weeks. Suffice it to say, it’s on par with the OnePlus 9 Pro in terms of handling our needs.

This brings us to the topic of whether it’s necessarily worth spending the extra money for the more premium model. From our perspective we don’t think it’s justifiable to pay more of features that we may not fully appreciate. It’s not so much that the 9 Pro isn’t a value, it’s that the standard model is just that good.

What does the extra money provide? Features include faster wireless charging, a telephoto lens, optical image stabilization, mmWave 5G support, and a slightly smaller screen.

The displays are technically different, too, but we bet you’d hardly notice. And if we’re being fully honest, we like the flat screen on the 9 better than the curved edge of the 9 Pro.

Conclusion

With a little over three months of semi-daily usage under our belt we feel pretty confident in saying that the OnePlus 9 is a hell of a phone. The OnePlus 9 isn’t quite a โ€œflagship killerโ€, it’s a “flagship.” Shave $100 off of it and you’re looking at one of the best packages available.

Having been able to compare the 9 and the 9 Pro we have a tough time advising most people spend the extra money. Yes, it does come with extras, but theyโ€™re nothing thatโ€™s necessity. Those features include faster wireless charging, a telephoto lens, optical image stabilization, mmWave 5G support, and a slightly smaller screen. Yes, the displays are technically different, too, but we bet youโ€™d hardly notice. But as we mentioned above, we like the flat screen on the 9 better than the curved edge of the 9 Pro.

We were fans of the scrappy upstart brand and the whole “Never Settle” attitude that OnePlus started out with some years back. It has gone through an occasional rough patch but we’ve come to respect it and look forward to its big releases.

The OnePlus 9 builds on an increasingly strong line of devices and deserves to be included in conversations when the topic shifts to best phones. We’d love it if it were more readily available if only because more customers deserve to know about it.

Android 12 Beta 2 is out with new privacy features

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Back at Google I/O 2021, we got teased with Android 12 and some of the new goodies we can expect to show up in the next version of the operating system. Google also released the first open beta of Android 12 for Pixel smartphones and other partners on the same day.

Being the first beta version, it wasn’t going to be super stable, nor was it going to include many of the new features Google just showed off. However, a little less than a month later and Google has rolled out the second beta.

Android 12 Beta 2 was released on June 9, 2021, and comes with a host of new privacy-related features. It is available for Pixel smartphones and select partner smartphones. You can enroll using a Pixel by clicking here, if you’ve previously enrolled then your phone should have already gotten the over-the-air update. To find out if your non-Pixel phone is supported and how to get the update, check here.

Privacy dashboard

For starters, Google has a new Privacy Dashboard in Android 12 Beta 2. The dashboard gives one all-inclusive place to view a timeline of the apps that have recently accessed your microphone, camera, and location.

With this information, you can keep an eye on what apps are doing in the background, and also request details of why a certain app accessed that permission. This will help keep app developers honest with users watching them.

Microphone and camera indicators

Android 12 Beta 2 also introduced indicators in the status bar to inform you when apps are using the microphone or camera. When you see these icons, you can pull down the Quick Settings pane to check which apps are accessing the camera or microphone and manage the permissions.

Microphone and camera toggles

Taking it a step further, are the new microphone and camera toggles that allow you to immediately disable the app’s access. When toggled off, the app will be fed a blank video or audio signal instead of having access to the camera or microphone on your device. This will only be available on supported devices though.

Clipboard read notifications

Android 12 Beta 2 also adds a new feature to prevent apps from abusing access to your clipboard. From now on, there will be a toast notification at the bottom of the phone informing you when an app reads something you’ve copied to the clipboard. However, this only happens if it’s an app outside of the app you used to copy the information.

Internet Panel

The new Internet Panel will help you stay on top of your network connections. Whether you need to change your Internet provider or troubleshoot a connection issue, you’ll be able to access the Internet Panel quickly and easily from the Quick Settings menu. Afterward, it will appear at the bottom of the screen allowing you to make changes.

 

Snag a 10-course Unity Game Developer Bundle and year of PlayStation Plus for $70

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If you want to develop and create video games, the cold truth is that you need to know Unity. Why? Well, the gaming engine powers roughly one in every three of the more popular mobile games. Players like Square Enix, Ubisoft, EA, and others are using it; itโ€™s simple, versatile, and leads to great gaming experiences.

Itโ€™s time to get you on the same playing field as the bigger names. Our AG Deals Store highlight for you today is a Unity Game Developer Bundle and a 1-year subscription to PlayStation Plus — all for just $70.

Designed to get you from newbie to master in no time at all, it’s 10 courses, hundreds of lessons, and tons of education all centered around game design. Well, it’s all that, plus one year of PlayStation Plus, too.

The training is yours for as long as you want to use it, plus you can access it on both desktop and mobile platforms. Use it at whatever pace you want, pacing yourself into a new side hustle, hobby, or fast-track your next video game from idea to finished product.

Get Started!

Order your bundle for just $69.99 in the AG Deals Store and get started on training immediately. And when you’re ready for some down-time gaming, add the PlayStation code and extend your subscription for another year!

What cloud storage options are available for photos in 2021?

You might have heard the news recently that Google Photos unlimited storage is going away and photos that you store from this point forward will count towards your total Google storage quota (which includes your Gmail and Google Drive data).

Even with that change, you probably still want to store your photos in the cloud. There are plenty of options to choose from but some are better than others.

Here are some options for you to consider for cloud storage, presented in a handy chart.

https://www.idrive.com/%5D
Name App Availability Price Photo Features Benefits
Google One Android
iOS
Windows
On The Web
15GB – Free
100GB – $2 per month/$20 annually
200GB – $3 per month/$30 annually
2TB – $10 per month/$100 annually
10TB – $100 per month
20TB – $200 per month
30TB – $300 per month
Easy to Navigate
Organization by subject or location
Easy search
Photo Editing
Sharing
Creation of montages, collages, animations, and more
Photo books
Works across all Google Apps, including Google Drive
Can be shared with your family
24/7 Support
Can be paid for with your Google Play Balance
Google Play Points towards in-game credits, Google Play credit, or even donations to charities
Up to 40% off at hotels
Cash back at the Google Store, up to 10% for the 2TB plan
A VPN at the 2TB option or higher
Pro Sessions where Google tech support can help you learn more about Google Products if you have the 2TB plan or higher (currently only available in English)
Amazon Photos/
Amazon Drive
Fire OS
Android
iOS
Windows
5GB – Free with Amazon Account
Unlimited storage – Free with an Amazon Prime account (Still only 5GB video/file storage)
100GB Video/File – $2 per month
1TB – $7 per month
2TB – $12 per month
Photo Editing
Merchandise (Hardcopy, merch, and decor)
Image recognition search
Family Sharing
Document Storage
Dropbox Android
iOS
Windows
2GB – Free
2TB -$12 per month/$120 per year
Family 2TB (Up to six users – $20 per month/$204 per year
No specific photo features Sharing
Collaboration with Dropbox Paper
App Integrations
Security features such as password protections
Box Android
iOS
Windows
Mac
10GB – Free
100GB – $14 per month/$120 per year
No specific photo features Two factor authentication
aes-256 encrpytion
Admin Console
Integration with Office 365, Google Workspace, Adobe Creative Cloud
Mega Android
iOS
Windows
Mac
Linux
50GB – Free
400GB – $6.09 per month/$60.96 per year
2TB – $12.18 per month/$121.94 per year
8TB – $24.38 per month/$243.89 per year
16TB – $36.57 per month/$365.84 per year
No specific photo features Easy Sharing
Transfer Center
Open Source
End-to-End Encrypted
Secure Chat
BigMIND Home by
Zoolz
Android
iOS
Windows
Mac
1GB – free
100GB – $35.88 per year
Family
500GB – $83.88 per year
1TB – $155.88 per year
Image Discovery using AI
Smart filters search
Direct video streaming
Zoolz is a very experienced cloud service provider based on AWS
AES-256 Encryption
pCloud Browser Extension
Android
iOS
Windows
Mac
Linux
500GB – $47.88 per year/$175 lifetime
2TB – $95.88 per year/$350 lifetime
Built-in video player
Video Streaming
Sharing
5 copies of files
AES-256, option for extra encryption
iDrive Photos Android
iOS

Unlimited Photo Backup – $9.95/year

Currently available Promotion – $0.99 cents for the first year

Original resolution uploads

Sharing

Timeline view

Favorites Album

AES-256 Encryption
Tresorit Android
iOS
Windows
Mac
Linux
500GB – $12.50 per month/$125.04 a year
2.5TB – $30 per month/$288 per year
No specific photo features Switzerland-based company
End-to-end encryption
RSA-4096 encryption
Degoo Android
iOS
Web
100GB – Free (Ad-supported, no zero-knowledge encryption)
500GB – $3 per month
10TB – $10 per month
Also available via
AndroidGuys Deals:
1TB – $50 lifetime
2TB – $60 lifetime
3TB – $70 lifetime
10TB – $100 lifetime
15TB – $130 lifetime
25TB – $200 lifetime
35TB – $250 lifetime
50TB – $300 lifetime
Two 10TB Plans – $160 lifetime

Photo compression
Direct Video Streaming
AI engine to highlight best photos
Zero-knowledge storage with end-to-end AES-256 Encryption
Unlimited File Size
Sugarsync Android
iOS
Windows
Mac
100GB – $7.49 per month
250GB – $9.99 per month
500GB – $18.95 per month
No specific photo features File Sharing
AES-256 encryption
Easy restoration/rollbacks
Onedrive Android
iOS
Windows
5GB – Free
100GB – $2 per month
With Microsoft 365
1TB – $7 per month/$70 per year
Family(6TB for up to six people) – $10 per month/$100 per year
On This Day feature to see past photos
Photo scanning
Personal vault feature for extra file protection
Two-factor authentication
Verizon
(Carrier-specific)
Android
iOS
Windows
Mac
600GB Free with Do More Unlimited or Get More Unlimited or $5.99 per month
2TB – $14.99 per month
Unlimited – $20 per month
Cloud Storage
Search by Subject
Photo prints and other gifts
Sharing
AT&T (Carrier-specific) Android
iOS
500GB – $4.99 per month
2TB – $9.99 per month
Photo editing Can backup call logs and messages on some devices
Starchive Android
iOS
Free – 21GB
100GB – $12.50 per month for up to 5 people or $24.50 per month for up to 50 people
Also available via AndroidGuys Deals:
100GB – $30 lifetime
500GB – $70 lifetime
1TB – $72.74 lifetime
RAW images/Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop files
Collections to group files and search
Tags and custom fields for searching
Import from social media
AI organization and search
In-built file previews
Sharing
Any types of files
AES-256 Encryption
Custom metadata editing and extraction
4sync Android
iOS
Windows
1TB – $17 per month/$100 per year
Also available via
AndroidGuys Deals:
1TB – $50 for a year
No specific photo features Sharing
Koofr Android
iOS
Windows
Mac
Free – 2GB
100GB – $30 a year
250GB – $59 a year
1TB – $147 a year
2.5TB – $293 a year
10TB – $879 a year
Also available via
AndroidGuys Deals:
100GB – $30 lifetime
250GB – $60 lifetime
1TB – $169.99 lifetime
No specific photo features Two step verification
Sharing
Support for Facebook or Chrome
Versioning and recovery
Integration with other cloud storage
ElephantDrive Android
iOS
Windows
Mac
Linux
Also available via
AndroidGuys Deals:
1TB – $38 for two years
No specific photo features AES-256 Encryption
NAS backup
Sharing
Recovery and restoration

 

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra after four months — What stands out?

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The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, as many of you may recall, launched back in January. I picked one up through AT&T as an upgrade and have been using it as my daily driver ever since. In fact, I have fallen in love with it.

Here are some of the things that stand out to me as it pertains to using the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra for an extended period. Suffice it to say, I won’t touch on the general performance as that’s already been found to be a non-starter of a topic. It’s a tremendous device with plenty of power, but some features do rise to the top — at least for me.

The Good

Camera

Probably the most important feature you can find in this device is the camera. Look at the back of the phone and you’ll see four sensors: an 108MP main sensor, two 10MP telephoto lenses, and a 12MP ultrawide sensor. These are backed up with amazing image processing and photo modes such as a portrait mode, a night mode, and a feature called Single Take.

Single Take is possibly the best camera feature I could conceive of. I’ve used it numerous times because it is incredibly useful. Single Take takes a video that is up to 15 seconds in length and processes that video in a variety of ways, including creating sped up videos, wide shots, portraits, and still photos with a variety of filters on them. This is great if you’re on the move and want to capture a beautiful scene or if you’re having a photoshoot with your partner, family or friends and want to capture it all.

Software

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra runs on One UI 3.1 based on Android 11 which comes with a variety of thoughtful features that I think makes it wonderful:

Screen Recorder – One UI comes with an inbuilt screen recorder, eliminating the need for a third-party app. The best part is this feature is accessible straight from your quick settings. You can record videos with no sound at all, media sounds, and media + mic input as well as the quality of the video.

Share Menu – This is something small, but the share menu on the S21 Ultra is wonderfully designed: When sharing a picture, you’re given a nearby share option or a share as link option, then a listing of your most frequent contacts, your most frequent apps, and then a list of every other available app option, with each of them able to be pinned as a favorite.

Edge Panels – If you’ve used a Samsung device in the past few years, likelihood is you’ve heard of the Edge Panels. A feature from the Note Edge that couldn’t quite be killed, the Edge Panel is a launcher that can be accessed no matter what screen you’re on. There’s a variety of customizable panels that you can get direct from Samsung and some third-party ones from some imaginative developers.

Battery Management – Do you ever not use an app for a while and don’t want to remove it from your phone but also know it’s taking up space or resources on your phone? Meet your sleeping apps. After a period of time, the device will temporarily disable that app until you open it again. This does present some issues, such as disabling icon packs, where you only open the app once to apply it and then never again. The issue comes from these disabled apps not getting updates. You can disable this feature if you want or whitelist apps so they don’t sleep.

DeX – DeX is an absolutely amazing experience that has saved me quite a few times during a period when I haven’t had a computer.

Battery Life

The battery life on the S21 Ultra is pretty amazing. I could most definitely have this battery last for a solid day and have relatively no issues leaving it overnight. If I need to charge it, this phone can pull in 25W of charge and can charge within an hour to an hour and a half.

The Not-So-Good

Design

First, I want to talk about all the good aspects of the design of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. It’s pretty, with Gorilla Glass on the front and a plastic panel on the back. Some people might be upset that a premium phone doesn’t have glass on the back, but I quite like the concept that I don’t have to worry about covering the back of the phone in fingerprints or cracking or scratching some random piece of glass that doesn’t matter to the phone.

Now, the kind of eh stuff. First of all, the phone is kind of tall, which is weird to me. This is mitigated with the fact that One UI features the big blank spaces at the top of most interfaces, so you don’t have to worry about reaching the top of the screen, but when you do, you’ll have to shimmy that phone up in your hand.

Secondly, the camera bump. So much camera power comes with a big old camera module which protrudes from the phone. This is probably the majority of the phone’s weight, and it makes it sit weird on a table. Once again, this can be mitigatedโ€ฆwith a case. I’ll discuss some of the best cases I’ve come across in the future. You can also get a protector that covers the camera, and these can be sold separately or along with a normal screen protector.

Theming

I think One UI is wonderful but considering Samsung is well-known for its themes, I find Galaxy Themes to be quite lackluster, and this is primarily because of inconsistency in the icons. When you apply an icon theme, most of the stock Galaxy apps are themed and the rest get a mask around them. These icon masks turn me off from using the default One UI launcher because I want icons with a consistent theme no matter who makes them.

Galaxy S21 Ultra Icon Inconsistency

I also don’t like the fact that the themes and Samsung’s Dark Mode are incompatible. By that, I mean if I want to see the full coloration of a theme, I have to turn off dark mode, which makes the majority of apps that base their personal themes on the system theme a blinding white. I wish applying a dark theme had the same effect as dark mode or dark mode was otherwise compatible with the themes. Hopefully this will be fixed as we move into Android 12 which has more native theme support.

Conclusion

Despite some minor issues, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is one of the best phones I’ve ever used and it would be the best Samsung phone I have ever used if it were not for the fact that I prefer the Note line (though who knows if that will be a thing anymore).

AT&T is giving 6 months of Stadia to Wireless and Fiber customers

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Since the launch of Google’s cloud gaming platform Stadia, we’ve seen several promos aimed at getting new users to try the service. Now, AT&T is partnering with Google to provide a six-month free trial to the service for its wireless and fiber customers.

There are some restrictions though, as with all promotions. For starters, it is only available to AT&T 5G Wireless customers on an unlimited plan, or to AT&T Fiber subscribers.

The good news is, the promotion is available to new and existing customers. So you won’t have to sign up for a new line just to get your game on. Still, you will have to purchase a 5G phone and add it to your account to get the deal.ย AT&T Fiber subscribers will need to upgrade to a faster tier or be a new customer to get in on the action as well.

AT&T WIRELESS CUSTOMERS: New and existing customers on eligible unlimited plans2 that add or upgrade to a 5G smartphone.

AT&T FIBER CUSTOMERS: New AT&T Fiber customers, as well as existing AT&T Internet customers who upgrade to AT&T Fiber – 300Mbps, 500Mbps and 1 GIG speed plans.

Just be aware that after the six-month free trial, you will be charged the Stadia Pro subscription fee of $9.99 per month unless you cancel. In the meantime, you can enjoy streaming over 170 different games on the Stadia platform, including hits like Cyberpunk 2077, FIFA 2021, Resident Evil Village, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and many more.

As a Stadia Pro subscriber, you also gain access to a library of free games to claim each month, and you’ll retain access to them as long as you remain a subscriber.

While you can play Stadia with a range of different controllers on your phone or computer, it is best experienced on your TV and with the Stadia controller. Typically, the controller and Chromecast Ultra, used to display it on your TV, will set you back $100. However, for a limited time, AT&T customers who take advantage of this promotion will be able to pick it up for a discounted $19.99.

AT&T’s Fiber and 5G networks are a perfect match for Stadia because with all that bandwidth you’ll be able to stream games in 4K with less lag and stutter. Unfortunately, you’re still going to have to be aware of the data caps. One of the downsides of cloud-based gaming services is that they chew through your bandwidth like crazy.

The best Android phones available at Boost Mobile

Boost Mobile may no longer belong to Sprint, but that doesn’t mean it’s a completely different company under DISH. In fact, it’s largely business as usual to the average consumer. As is the case with other MVNOs, Boost has its own rate plans, customer service, and phone selection. Here, we’ll dig into the devices offered at Boost.

We’ve gathered up a handful of the best phones you can purchase at Boost Mobile today.ย In addition to what’s offered through Boost, we always suggest buying an unlocked phone for use with a carrier. The options are plentiful in both directions and you’ll likely get something more powerful.

Best Overall Phone

Samsung Galaxy S23

The Samsung Galaxy S23 is our top pick for the best overall phone at Boost Mobile. It strikes a perfect balance between price and performance, making it a compelling choice for anyone in the market for a top-tier phone that won’t break the bank.

The 6.1-inch FHD+ OLED display is a standout feature, with a 120Hz refresh rate for super smooth scrolling and vibrant visuals. Powering the phone is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, ensuring a snappy experience for gaming, multitasking, and capturing photos with the upgraded 50MP rear camera and 12MP front camera.

The battery life is impressive, easily lasting a full day for most users. With its sleek design, comfortable grip, and IP68 water resistance, the Galaxy S23 not only looks good but also feels good in hand. For those who value a well-rounded, reliable experience at a competitive price, the Galaxy S23 is definitely a top contender.

Best Entry-Level Phone

Nokia G100

The Nokia G100 is a standout entry-level smartphone in our roundup, proving that you don’t have to break the bank for a quality mobile experience. With its generous 6.52-inch HD+ display and powerful MediaTek Helio G35 processor, this budget-friendly device is perfect for watching videos, playing games, and everyday use.

Its triple-lens rear camera system, featuring a 13MP main sensor, 8MP ultrawide lens, and 2MP depth sensor, captures clear and artistic photos. What truly sets the G100 apart is its impressive 5000mAh battery, offering long-lasting power for a full day or even two with moderate usage.

Running on the clean and user-friendly Android 12, the G100 ensures a bloatware-free and up-to-date experience. While it may not compete with high-end flagships, the G100 is a practical and affordable choice for casual users and first-time smartphone owners looking for a reliable phone with great battery life.

Best Overall Value

Motorola Moto G 5G (2023)

The Motorola Moto G 5G (2023) is a budget-friendly smartphone that packs a powerful punch. With its Snapdragon 480+ 5G processor, you can expect seamless performance for streaming, downloading, and gaming on the go.

The 6.5-inch HD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate provides a smooth and immersive viewing experience. The 48MP main camera, alongside a 2MP macro lens and a 2MP depth sensor, ensures that you can capture stunning photos in any lighting condition. The 5000mAh battery keeps the phone running all day, even with heavy usage.

Running on nearly stock Android 13, the Moto G 5G offers a clean and bloatware-free user experience with regular updates. For anyone looking to dive into the world of 5G without breaking the bank, the Motorola Moto G 5G (2023) is a solid choice.

Best Folding Phone

Motorola Razr (2023)

This sleek device combines retro vibes with cutting-edge technology, and we’re here for it. First off, the design is a total head-turner. The Razr flips open to reveal a gorgeous, flexible display that’s perfect for multitasking and watching videos on the go. Plus, it’s incredibly compact when folded, making it easy to slip into your pocket or bag.

In terms of performance, the Razr holds its own with a powerful processor and smooth user experience. The camera delivers solid results, and the battery life is respectable.

Sure, it’s not perfect (what phone is?), but the overall package of style, innovation, and functionality earns the Motorola Razr (2023) our top spot for the best folding phone.

Save 40% on highly rated VSDC Video Editor Pro

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Video editing is becoming an increasingly common skill among content creators, marketers, and social media influencers. In fact, chances are good that you know a few regular folks who can navigate their way around a video editing tool.

Even if youโ€™re just making short-form videos to post social media, a few simple or quick edits can go a long way to making it interesting. And while there are plenty of tools and software to help you edit and adjust clips, some are better than others.

If you’re like us, you look for reviews and word of mouth referrals to help you pare down the list. So, should a respected outlet like CNET or Digital Trends have glowing words for a tool, you’d be wise to consider it. That is exactly the case with VSDC Video Editor. In fact, it’s also the only video editor recommended by GoPro, too.

VSDC lets users import footage from virtually any device or camera with with support for all the most popular file formats and codecs. You’ll seldom run into compatibility or conversion issues and there’s no discernible loss in quality.

VSDC Pro features a full-service pro editing tool set that includes a whole range of visual effects, filters, blending modes, masking capabilities, adjustable parameter settings, an advanced multi-color chroma key, audio waveform editing, and so much more.

VSDC Pro Features

  • Import from any device & camera without any quality loss – VSDC supports all the popular formats and codecs
  • Enjoy double export speed – even on HD files – thanks to hardware acceleration
  • Get a full, hassle-free editing suite
  • Implement visual effects & filters
  • Process image & video transformation w/ sub-pixel resolution for more precise results
  • Create a real studio look w/ the multiple color chroma key for your video backgrounds
  • Create curved motion paths for video objects or animation & take advantage of adjustable parameter settings

Get Started!

At $49, VSDC Pro is already an incredible value and excellent bang-for-your-buck video editor. But with the current offer in the AG Deals Store, you can get lifetime access to the editor at 40 percent off, only $29.99.