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Lemonade pet insurance is the best investment you’ll make

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Every few years, my cat hits me with some kind of unexpected expense that really throws me for a loop. Now don’t get me wrong: she’s worth every rusted penny I’ve spent on her, and I’d happily sell a kidney to keep her chugging along – but that’s sort of the problem. I’ll always want to do everything she needs and buy whatever I need to to keep an eye on her, but I could really do without the credit card debt.

Which is why we’re talking about Lemonade Pet Insurance now: for the price of a mid-range streaming service, you can protect yourself from having to make some really hard choices down the line. 

Lemonade has a ultra-modern design and accessibility, truly “insurance for the 21st century.” It’s a hassle-free, entirely digital experience that’s largely powered by AI. It boasts award winning service, and claims the world’s fastest claim payments and an interface that prides itself on convenience and ease of use. This isn’t the traditional insurance experience, with hold music and complicated policies that leave you scratching your head – which is why Investopedia’s review earlier this year gave them such high ratings for convenience, easy-to-read policy documents, and customizable coverage. In addition, Leftover money is donated to charities you choose (including several pet-centric causes).

In other words, this is pet insurance for a digital native, tech-savvy young person who wants to take absolutely great care of their pet. 

And if your favorite little buddy isn’t the only thing you want to buy insurance for, that just sweetens the deal. Lemonade also offers a 10% discount for anyone who decides to insure their home through Lemonade too. Those savings add up quickly, and when you consider the money you’re already saving by signing up for insurance in the first place, it starts to get into “no brainer” territory.

Now let’s get specific about what Lemonade covers. According to their own blog posts, Lemonade covers accidents and illness, including basic diagnostics like x-rays and blood tests. They also offer a preventative package, which includes things you’re already paying for like your annual wellness check up and routine treatments like vaccinations. Few insurance policies cover everything, but Lemonade stands apart with that aforementioned customization: You can get the basic policy, which covers diagnostics (blood tests and other lab work) procedures (outpatient and specialty care, as well as hospitalization) and medications. 

Then you can add the Preventative and Wellness package, which includes your annual check up, several vaccines, fecal tests, medical advice chat, and more. They’ll even provide access to pet health experts, using a chat in the Lemonade app. 

Finally, you can add the Extended Accident and Illness package, which will cover vet exam fees and physical therapy.

Lemonade Pet Insurance starts at $10 per month for both dogs and cats, so what are you waiting for?

Motorola brings Android 11 and new features to Edge+

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Motorola this week began rolling out an Android 11 update to its Edge+ flagship smartphone. But rather than simply giving the handset the latest in Android, Motorola is also adding some nifty new features.

The update includes a new experience Motorola calls “Ready For” which focuses on four areas. The aim is to make the Edge+ phone more versatile, giving users the ability to view content on larger displays.

  • Mobile Desktop: View multiple windows at once or take a closer look at videos, artwork, and documents. Plus, connect a Bluetooth® keyboard and mouse for a complete desktop experience.
  • Video Chat: Enjoy higher quality video calls with the option to pick between the 108MP main lens or 16MP ultra-wide lens, which lets you capture more people in one frame.
  • Gaming: Play your favorite mobile games on the big screen with an advantage thanks to edge+ and Verizon 5G. Bonus, pair a Bluetooth® controller for an intuitive and hands on gaming.
  • TV: See all your favorite apps and entertainment at a glance in an easy-to-read dashboard. Now when you’re on the go, you don’t have to worry about missing your must-watch shows.

In addition to the software updates, Motorola has announced a new “Ready For” Dock. Slated to arrive on April 19, it holds phones in landscape and portrait orientation and seeks to make video calls and recording easier. Pricing will be revealed ahead of its arrival.

Samsung refreshes portfolio for 2021 with Samsung Galaxy A52, A52 5G and A72

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Samsung on Wednesday announced a handful of new models for its Galaxy A series of phones. Indeed, the handset maker revealed the details for the forthcoming Galaxy A52, Galaxy A52 5G, and Galaxy A72.

As has long been the case for this line of phones, they’re all about affordable ways of delivering the features that most users want in a device. The 2021 models are no different as Samsung makes a point to highlight the camera experience and displays for the phones.

The trio of new phones are equipped with stereo speakers, two-day batteries, IP67 ratings against dust and water, and external memory card slots. They’re also powered by Android 11 and feature Samsung’s One UI 3.

Galaxy A52Galaxy A52 5GGalaxy A72
6.5-inch 1080 x 24006.5-inch 1080 x 24006.7-inch 1080 x 2400
90Hz refresh rate120Hz refresh rate120Hz refresh rate
64-megapixel quad camera64-megapixel quad camera64-megapixel quad camera
4GB/6GB/8GB RAM6GB/8GB RAM6GB/8GB RAM
128GB/256GB Storage128GB/256GB Storage128GB/256GB Storage
4500mAh battery4500mAh battery5000mAh battery
4G LTE5G4G LTE

There are plenty of features worth diving into which cannot be identified by a simple bullet point. We recommend checking out Samsung’s announcement to get a feel for the various options in the camera experience or to learn more about the software side of things.

The new Galaxy A Series will be available in Awesome Violet, Awesome Blue, Awesome Black, and Awesome White. Samsung has not specifically detailed the US availability; however, we expect they’ll be offered through prepaid and MVNO carriers.

Just $20, this online course will help you develop more efficient apps for Android

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Having an idea for an app is one thing; executing on the dream and coding it are entirely different things. For some people, it’s not all that difficult to take a concept and turn it into a real, working mobile app. For other, it takes a considerable amount of help — or a team.

If you’re developing for Android you’ll want to ensure the app is not just polished and intuitive. You’ll also want to make sure it works properly with data or cloud services, uses minimal amounts of battery, and doesn’t chew up memory. And while that’s easier said than done, it’s also not entirely difficult. If you have the right tools.

One of those tools is the online training course from Packt Publishing in the AG Deals Store. Priced at just $20 right now, it’s five lectures and more than two hours of content to help overcome performance problems with your Android apps.

Whether you’re just looking to debug, optimize for memory or battery, or better design a UI framework, this all-around bundle is here to help.

  • Access 5 lectures & 2.2 hours of content 24/7
  • Go over the important & common areas that can affect app performance
  • Delve into issues such as memory management
  • Optimize UI when working with data on the cloud
  • Know some common pitfalls when working with your UI & learn how to debug it
  • Optimize & debug your app’s battery usage

Get Started!

If you’re an indie developer or part of a team looking to improve your app’s performance, you owe it to yourself to check out this training bundle. Head to the AG Deals Store and grab your license for just $20 while it’s on sale.

Earn Credits!

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.

Why it’s time to ditch dotcom for a .STORE domain

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It used to be that the most difficult elements of starting or furthering a business was dealing with overhead costs, finding great employees, and marketing your products online. But now, one of the hardest aspects of running a successful business online is finding a domain name that is actually relevant to your company.

Years of companies scrambling to find the perfect domain name have led to a serious shortage of .com and .net extensions, and unless you’re willing to shell out a huge amount of cash for a pre-existing domain you’re likely out of luck.

So why not avoid the expensive and oversaturated .com extension madness entirely by landing a .STORE domain that’s actually in line with your business strategy and mission?

A .STORE domain is a great way to create simple, elegant domain names that both showcase your brand’s purpose while allowing you to present yourself online in a way that’s straightforward and simple.

You’ll be able to attract more customers by making it clear that you’re selling products or services online, save money that would otherwise have to go toward securing a convoluted and underwhelming .com domain, and showcase the fact that your website is primarily a store without having to promote it.

Already used by major retailers and brands like Nike, Kindle, and Cristiano Ronaldo (www.cr7denim.store & www.cr7fragrances.store), .STORE domains are memorable, easy to recall, and offer far more choices when it comes to creating a domain name that resonates with both current and future customers. Major companies, artists, and sports teams are already using .STORE domains in order to maximize their reach and profitability online — and you better grab one before you’re no long an early adopter. It takes only a few minutes to find a domain that’s perfect for your brand or business, and a one-year subscription is currently available for just $4.99.

Benefits of time tracking and essential features the time tracking software must have

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Data speaks a lot and many a time surprise us with the results we might not have analyzed by missing some of the minute details. For example, on the face of it, it might appear that one of the team members is spending more time on the task as compared to the other. But on checking the time tracked through timesheet management software, the productivity shows the inverse results.

Thus it becomes important to record/track the time of the employees through the software which can help in getting a detailed insight into the project and the performance of the team members. Some of the benefits of the time tracking software are mentioned below:

  • Increases Productivity: With the help of the software, you can track the time spent on different websites/tasks, active/idle time. This can give you a comprehensive report on which are the most time-consuming tasks, which in-turn helps in revising the required strategies. It also implies that you can track your expenses also.
  • Reduces Efforts: Automation through software reduces the efforts of manually capturing and calculating the billable hours or salary processing. It also reduces the chances of errors. Set the rules for the first time and process the entire payroll through few clicks.
  • Increases Transparency: Anytime, anywhere access provides transparency for billable hours thus reducing/removing the possibilities of disputes. Staff performance reviews can be evaluated on basis of the data derived from the software.
  • Ease In Following Deadlines: It is easier to deliver with set timelines. With clear visibility of the tasks and the time allocated, it becomes very easy to complete the tasks by the given dates just by including some buffer/delay time while estimating delivery time.
  • Empower Employees: Visibility brings along trust. With time, team members can be given more leeway on being more accountable towards their deliverables.

After you have understood the benefits of the time tracking software, it’s time to understand what should be the basic/essential features that your software must-have.

  • Time Tracking: The core function of the software should to be monitor time accurately. Depending upon the requirement, the functionality should leverage to capture the time of work hours from accurate billing purpose and payroll processing. The managers should also be able to visualize the workflow, progress, and performance. It should also have the functionality to capture the data in easy to understand format.
  • Online Timesheets: Timesheets are primarily used to calculate the work done by the employee for billable hours. The advanced feature can also involve an automated payroll for billable hours wherein an automatic payment method can be integrated to the employee through the preferred mode. A detailed report of productivity and performance can be fetched through timesheets.
  • Project Management: To streamline the workflow and to set up the deadlines for the deliverables, this feature is a must-have while choosing the type of time tracking software. This also helps in optimizing the project cost.
  • Online Invoicing: Automating the generation of invoices based on billable work hours saves time. It also ensures transparency and accuracy, thus avoiding disputes. Streamlining and automating this process saves on the hassles of accounting.
  • Integration: The tool must have the capability of integrating the tracking system with other departments or third parties. This provides an overall business view and interdepartmental dependencies can be easily managed.
  • Reports And Analytics: Generating automated reports in the desired formats helps the managers to give a holistic view of various projects they might handle. It helps in quantifying the performance of the team members. These analytics helps the manager to make changes in the strategies at the right time for better outputs.

Conclusion: Time is the key to both success and failure. Tracking and ensuring that the time is utilized in the best manner is what an organization looks for. Implementing time tracking software is the need of the hour.

Google slashes Play Store developer fee in half

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Google on Tuesday announced that it will soon cut its Play Store commission fees in half, taking them from 30% down to 15% for developers.

Scheduled to take effect July 1, 2021, Google will take only 15% of the revenues earned for digital goods or services sold in the Play Store. That is, up to the first million dollars. For smaller outfits and independent teams this could be a big boost in capital and a way to keep development going.

We believe this is a fair approach that aligns with Google’s broader mission to help all developers succeed. 

As for those developers who earn more than $1 million in revenue annually, Google will switch back to the 30% once the threshold is crossed. In essence, it’s a $150,000 back in the pockets for any developers who pull down more than one million in a year.

Read more at the Android Developers blog.

RedMagic 6 gets global launch

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Nubia on Tuesday announced the global launch of its RedMagic 6 gaming-centric smartphone. The handset, which boasts a number of high-end hardware features, launched in China earlier this month.

Priced reasonably at $599, the RedMagic 6 is an impressive one in terms of specifications, giving gamers no less than 12GB RAM to play with. Moreover, it provides an excellent display with 165Hz refresh rate and touch sampling up to 500Hz.

Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, the RedMagic 6 also packs a 5,050mAh battery with 66W fast charging and a built-in turbofan to keep things cool.

Other details include a 64-megapixel triple camera system, 3.5mm headphone jack, shoulder trigger buttons, and full customizable light effects.

US Consumers Beware

Although Nubia’s latest is a 5G phone, the global model doesn’t support the full range of 5G bands in the US. In fact, as PhoneScoop points out, it only provides basic support for AT&T’s 4G network. Additionally, it is not compatible with 4G in bands 13 and 71, which are critical bands for Verizon and T-Mobile, respectively.

Standard and Pro Models

Nubia offers the RedMagic 6 in two versions, a standard and Pro. The former starts at $599 USD and comes in Eclipse Black while the latter runs about $100 more at $699 and comes in Moon Silver. For your extra money you’ll get double the storage capacity and 25% more memory.

  • RedMagic 6 12GB+128GB
  • RedMagic 6 Pro 16GB+256GB

Readers can sign up for RedMagic 6 pre-orders starting on April 9 with full availability starting on April 15.

Take your Android coding to new heights with the discounted Jetpack crash course

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A few years back Google released a suite of libraries known as Jetpack. Out of nowhere, developers could stop worrying about searching for the various widgets and components they most often used. Now they had a singular destination – a virtual toybox of of shortcuts and tools.

To a seasoned developer this makes things much easier and helps save countless hours for coding. And for up-and-coming developers, it’s like having a golden ticket that grants you access to all sorts of great options. But just as any great toolbox is, the tools are only good if you know how and when to use them.

If you’re serious about Android app development, you owe it to yourself to explore Android Jetpack. What’s more, you should sign up for the Master Class in Java virtual training bundle.

Available in the AG Deals Store for just $20, the 11-hour guide is your assistant to help you better understand and leverage Android Jetpack.

Taught by Catalin Stefan, a software developer with more than a decade of experience and several successful projects in his portfolio, the classes are not just a basic walk through of the interface. It takes you deeper into Jetpack’s higher functions and seeks to have you come away with actual and practical apps that you’ve designed and tested.

  • Access 70 lectures & 11 hours of content 24/7
  • Get a basic understanding of Jetpack & how it works
  • Learn how to install Jetpack on Mac & PC and run the code on your phone
  • Understand what AndroidX is
  • Learn how to use Jetpack, from the navigation to data binding

Get Started

The Android Jetpack Master Class contains more than 11 hours of training and examples, and is valued at around $200. AndroidGuys readers can get lifetime access to all of it for $19.99, a 90% discount.

How to install a new launcher on Android 10

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On Android the launcher is the interface that facilitates your icons on your home screen and, if available, your app drawer. It is akin to the purpose of your desktop on your computer. In short it’s how your phone looks and feels.

We know that there are a few OEM’s out there that remove features you would prefer to have such as an app drawer from their own launchers. Moreover, some create their own UI experience with features and settings.

Changing the launcher on your phone can breathe new life into an otherwise boring device. It not only allows for different animations and settings, but usually opens the door to gestures, new icons, and features that weren’t baked in at the factory

One of the best parts about Android is its flexibility and options. Don’t like the interface or launcher on your device? Swap it out!

Here’s how you can install a launcher of your choice on Android 10.

Installing a launcher on Android 10

The safest and best place to get a launcher is from the Google Play Store. You can search for the term “launcher” and get a plethora of options presented to you. The most popular third-party launcher is Nova Launcher which is offered for free. But spend some time with it, or ask around, and you’ll find there are a lot of the good features hidden behind a one-time in-app purchase.

If you are looking for a free and trustworthy launcher, Microsoft Launcher or POCO Launcher are also worth a look.

Once you have chosen your launcher, install it just as you would any other app. Once it’s installed, tap on Open.

You will more than likely be asked to configure your launcher on the first run so simply choose your preferences and proceed.

Should you still be on your default launcher, try and use the home button or gesture to toggle a prompt as shown below:

If you are not able to access your new launcher in the step above, you can navigate to your settings and look for the Launcher settings. This can vary from one OEM to the next, but you can find it by looking for Default Launcher or Home in your settings.

From here, select the launcher you wish to have as your default and that’s it! Not to worry, though, you can always undo this and revert back to the original settings. Or, you can install another option and make that app the default.

If you wish to uninstall the launcher, simply navigate to your Apps from Settings, find the launcher you installed and uninstall it. It’s the same process as removing a standard app. You can also do this from the Google Play Store.

With that, you can now mix and match between different launchers, but we highly encourage that you experiment with them one at a time. Also only install from developers with a good track record as there are launchers out there that can also install malicious apps on your phone or carry ads.