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What to look for when choosing a VPN for Android

AndroidGuys
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If you own an Android tablet or smartphone, chances are that you have considered using a VPN. You are not alone. According to Global Web Index, more than 26% of all internet users rely on VPN services. But what is VPN? Why is it so important for internet users? And what should you look for when choosing a VPN for Android? Well, let’s find out.

What is a VPN?

In simple terms, a virtual private network [VPN] is a program or service that allows internet users to access the internet privately by connecting to a safe offline server.  This is performed by an encrypted tunnel-like connection that allows the users’ IP address to be concealed.

VPN usage has tremendously increased over recent years, thanks to its incredible benefits. There are plenty of benefits of using an Android VPN. Some of these benefits include:

  • It allows internet users to browse the internet without revealing their IP address and location
  • It adds additional security by encrypting users’ internet connection
  • It allows users to gain access to content that is restricted to specific locations
  • It protects web users from hackers and other security threats
  • It prevents third parties, such as internet service providers, governments, and network admins from spying on users’ online activities.
  • And finally, it offers peace of mind because internet users can browse the internet without worrying about someone spying on their online activities.

Why is VPN for Android important?

Nowadays, browsing the internet is no longer that confidential. There may be people monitoring what you are up to on the internet. It may be your internet service provider [ISP] or the government that is tracking your online activities. Besides, cases of data breaches have also become quite rampant.

Incognito mode or private browsing features may be able to cover your browsing history, but they won’t give you that ultimate online protection. That’s why you need a virtual private network [VPN].

A VPN will offer you that complete protection. It will not reveal your location and IP address, since your IP address will be replaced with the VPN server you are using. This will give you a high level of anonymity, provide you with additional security, and enable you to browse anything online without restrictions.

Without a virtual private network, everything that one does online can be traced to their physical location or through their device’s IP address. That’s just how important the VPN is.

How to choose the best VPN for Android

Choosing the right Android VPN is a crucial step in making your internet browsing safe and secure. It is critical to find the right network, regardless of whether you are browsing from home, office, or on the go. An excellent VPN should be fast and secure.

Some VPNs may be more suitable than others, depending on users’ priorities. That’s why before you choose a VPN for Android, you need to ask yourself questions such as do you stream a lot? Do you want your data to remain secure? Or do you want to access sites that are restricted to certain countries?

If you generally stream a lot, you should go for a fast VPN. If security is your main concern, then you should choose a secure VPN. And if you want to access websites that are restricted to specific areas, then you need to choose a VPN that has servers in that country.

With that said, let’s look at some of the things you should look for in a VPN to ensure that you pick the right one that suits your needs.

Free vs. Paid VPNs for Android

When it comes to VPNs for Android, there are free and paid VPN services. Although there are plenty of free VPN services in the market, it is not always advisable to go for free VPN services. That’s because they have speed limitations and the amount of data you can use monthly. Moreover, you could be paying for free VPN services with your personal data. That’s why the best option would be to choose the paid VPN service. They don’t have speed and data capacity limitations.

Price

If you choose to go with the paid VPN for Android, then you need to factor in its price. You need to choose a VPN that suits your budget. Different VPN service providers charge different prices for their VPN services. That’s why you need to compare the prices of different providers and see which one you are comfortable with. But as always, you get what you pay for. High-quality VPNs come with plenty of benefits. So if the price is not an issue for you, then you can go for the best VPN with a competitive price.

Speed

Speed is also another crucial thing that you must be keen on when choosing a VPN. Speed matters in all aspects of VPN usage, including during streaming, downloading, etc. While VPNs can slightly reduce your speed due to the fact that they reroute connections, there are others that you will not even notice. You can opt for a free trial to test the actual connection speed before you commit your money.

Ease of use

Another thing with VPNs is that some of them require technical knowledge, while others don’t. So, if you are new to the VPN world, it is advisable to choose a VPN that doesn’t require any technical knowledge and is easy to use.

Security and privacy

Of course, you are considering using a VPN for security and privacy reasons. For privacy reasons, the VPN provider shouldn’t keep any logs, because otherwise, your data will still be stored by your VPN service provider. This is something that you don’t want when using your VPN.

The VPN’s encryption protocol is usually determined by how difficult it is to crack the encrypted data. The majority of VPNs use OpenVPN, but others do not. But it is advisable to choose a VPN service provider that uses OpenVPN.

EDITOR NOTE: This is a promoted post and should not be viewed as an editorial endorsement.

Lenovo Tab P11 is an amazing tablet at an ultra-low price

Josiah Ward
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The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro launched back in August. Now, the company has brought out a more budget offering, the Tab P11 with an 11-inch 2K display. Here’s what you need to know about the new tablet.

Specifications

The Lenovo Tab P11 features:

  • A Snapdragon 662 processor
  • 4/6GB of RAM
  • 64/128GB of storage
  • A 7,500mAh battery
  • Wi-Fi 6
  • 4G LTE

Other Details

The Tab P11 features quad Dolby Atmos speakers, is Netflix Certified, and has an integrated Eye Care mode technology to reduce blue light exposure. In addition, the tablet runs Android 10 and Google Kid’s Space

Accessories

Lenovo Tab P11 Accessories

There are a few accessories available for the Tab P11, including the Keyboard Pack, the Precision Pen 2, and the Smart Charging Station 2, as well as a protective Folio Case.

The Lenovo Tab P11 will be available this month starting at $229.99, with some of the accessories already being available.

 

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 announced with QLED display

Josiah Ward
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Today, Samsung introduced their new Chromebook, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2. This laptop compromises on some things for the previous iteration while cutting almost 50% off the price.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 Front View

Internals

Inside, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 features either a 10th-generation Intel Core i3 or an Intel Celeron processor, with between 4 and 8 gigabytes of RAM and either 64 or 128 gigabyte storage options, both with microSD support. The laptop also boasts an all-day battery life.

Connectivity

The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 utilized Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth v5.0.

In addition, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 features seamless connectivity with other Samsung devices to make calls and send messages across the ecosystem.

Display

The Galaxy Chromebook 2 downgrades from the previous generation’s 4K display to 1080p, but upgrades the actual panel from AMOLED to QLED. It is a 13.3-inch display with a touchscreen and Active Pen support.

Ports and Speakers

The pretty screen combines with stronger speakers and Smart AMP sound. If you desire to keep your audio more private, you can accomplish that with the 3.5mm headphone jack.

In addition, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 features 2 USB-C ports and MicroSD Card Reader.

Pricing and other Information

The Galaxy Chromebook 2 is 13.9mm thick, making it the perfect 2-in-1 device.

The device comes in Fiesta Red or Mercury Gray, and will be available this quarter starting at $549.99.

OnePlus Nord N10 5G and N100 headed to the US

Josiah Ward
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OnePlus’ Nord series is their new budget line, with the Nord 10 5G and N100 releasing in Europe back in October. Now, those devices are headed to North America through T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile. Here’s what you need to know about the phones and when you can get your hands on them.

OnePlus Nord N10 5G

OnePlus Nord N10 5G

The OnePlus Nord N10 5G is a phone with a 6.49-inch 1080p display at a 90Hz refresh rate. This is powered by a Snapdragon 690 backed up with 6 gigabytes of RAM and 128 gigabytes of storage. For the battery, it has a 4,300mAh capacity that can be topped off with 30W charging.

Move to the back of the phone, and you’ll see a quad-camera setup with a 64-megapixel main sensor, an eight-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and two 2 megapixel sensors, one macro camera and one depth sensor.

Based on the name, you can also guess that the Nord N10 5G supports 5G connectivity and will be available for $299 USD in the states and $389 CAD in Canada.

OnePlus Nord N100

OnePlus Nord N100

The OnePlus Nord N100 is a 4G-only device powered by the Snapdragon 460 with 4 gigabytes of RAM and 64 gigabytes of storage. The device features a 5,000mAh battery that supports 18W charging.

On the front, you’ll see a 6.52-inch 720p screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. Flip to the back, and you’ll see a triple-camera setup with a 13-megapixel main camera, and two 2-megapixel cameras, one being a macro and the other being a depth sensor.

The OnePlus Nord N100 will run $179 USD or $239 CAD.

Both devices feature Oxygen OS powered by Android 10 and will receive one major update to Android 11. These devices will be released on January 15.

Zepp Z Smartwatch review

Jason England
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Previously, Huami sent out its fitness bands the Amazfit Band 5 and Bip U for review, and we found both to be very capable little devices. Today, we’re taking a look at the latest smartwatch from the brand — one which takes a massive leap in design and materials. That model? The Zepp Z.

Design

The Zepp Z is a gorgeous looking smartwatch with the design of a classic timepiece. It’s made from a titanium alloy which proves to be lightweight, strong, and gives it a premium look.

The leather strap that comes with the watch is a little stiff and doesn’t feel as if it’s the highest of quality. Regardless, it looks great and feels comfortable. If you want a leather strap that’s more soft or supple or a metal link band, that’s also an option. The Zepp Z uses a 22mm band and replacements are easy to find.

On the right side of the Zepp Z features a rotating crown button and two additional buttons that can be customized in the settings. The top health key is used to measure stats such as your heart rate or blood oxygen levels on demand, while the bottom button is used to launch different apps for controlling music, checking the weather, exercise tracking, and more.

The display on the Zepp Z is a 1.39-inch 326 PPI AMOLED that looks gorgeous. It’s sharp with vibrant colors and the auto-brightness setting ensures you can view it under any lighting conditions.

On top of being a beautiful watch, the Zepp Z also has 5 ATM water resistance which allows for tracking swimming. Moreover, it also uses a magnetic wireless charger. There are no pins to line up and it’s also compatible with other Qi-enabled wireless chargers. It’s such a nice change of pace when compared to most other wearables on the market.

User Experience

The Zepp Z does almost everything I could want out of a smartwatch. It shows the time, allows you to set timers, and use it as a stopwatch. Additionally, you can keep an eye on the weather, control music playback on your phone, and view notifications.

However, I do wish it had better integration with notifications. For example, when you swipe away a notification on the watch it isn’t dismissed on your phone as well. There’s also no way to delete emails or even read the body of the email on the watch. I assume this is beyond the capability of smartwatches that do not run Wear OS and Google reserves these features for its own watch operating system.

Two of my favorite features of the Zepp Z include the rotating crown and always-on display. These are two things that I’ve been spoiled by on other smartwatches, and they make a big difference when using the watch day to day. Being able to glance down at the time and other info without tilting your wrist is so convenient. While scrolling the display using the crown keeps your big greasy finger off the screen and makes it easier to read what’s on the watch.

Additionally, the Zepp Z has a set of offline voice commands to control the watch and has Alexa built-in. This makes it easy to control functions on the watch hands-free, as well as giving you the ability to control your smart home and have your queries answered by Alexa.

When it comes to fitness tracking the Zepp Z is a beast; it will track your steps, calories burned, and sleep automatically. It even does 24-hour monitoring of your heart rate and stress levels.

The only metrics that must be manually initiated include blood oxygen measurements using the SpO2 sensor, and exercise tracking.

App

Now that you have all of this health data, you need a good way to view and keep track of it. While the Zepp app has a nice looking homepage that clearly lays all of this info out for you, getting it set up in the beginning can be a pain.

The settings are scattered throughout the app and finding the ones you want to enable can be a real frustrating affair. Adding to the confusion are items in the app which aren’t available on the Zepp Z and are present for other products. To be fair, many of these are greyed out, but it just feels cluttered and confusing. On top of that, some of the English translations are a little off, and overall, the app could use a redesign and some polish.

However, once you get everything set up, you’ll mostly live on the well-designed homepage where you can see all the info you truly care about. The Zepp app even gives you some insights into the data it collects which I found truly helpful.

Battery Life

Zepp rates the battery life at up to 15 days of use with the normal mode. In my experience, it was far from that with mine only lasting for around four days total.

While that’s a far cry from 15 days, I also have every feature enabled, including the always-on display, which surely puts a drain on the battery. And to be fair, four days is really impressive, it easily beats any Wear OS smartwatch I’ve ever worn.

It may be possible to get 15 days of use out of the Zepp Z, but if you want to use it to its full potential, then you’re looking at around four days.

Final Thoughts

The Zepp Z has the looks of a classic timepiece while being jam-packed with features. There aren’t many smartwatches on the market that look this stylish with a premium build and the ability to track fitness this well.

Regardless, the app needs some polish and the notification integration is lacking. That makes the $350 price tag a little hard to justify. Especially when there are other smartwatches on the market such as the TicWatch Pro 3 GPS with a similar style and feature set for only $300.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy Zepp Z though. Just be aware of all the pros and cons before go spending $350 on one, and if you can find it on sale then that’s even better.

Buy from Amazon Buy from Zepp

Become a better human; this emotional intelligence and decision-making bundle is on sale

AndroidGuys
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Humans can be pretty terrible at times, sometimes even bordering on being inhumane. Scroll through your social media accounts and you’ll find all kinds of division, anger, jaded perspectives, little empathy, and a serious lack of self-awareness. Are you guilty of the same stuff?

If you’re looking to get in touch with your better self in the new year, you’ll want to pay close attention to your emotional intelligence. Additionally, you’ll need to get better at making decisions.

The Emotional Intelligence and Decision-Making Bundle, on sale for just $35 in the AG Deals Store, is a 10-course bundle of online training that will help you better understand personality styles, empathy, self-awareness, and more.

With more than 460 lessons that span some 13 hours, this bundle will help you grow as a person across five key elements of emotional intelligence. Not only will this bundle help you as an individual, but it could lead to a higher chance of success and leadership in your professional life.

  • Learn How Emotions Influence Performance, Relationship-Building & Decision-Making
  • Develop Your Interpersonal Skills to Manage Disagreements, Difficult Situations & Interactions
  • Identify the 4 DISC Behavioral Styles & How They React to Situations
  • How to Have a Better Understanding of the People You Live & Work With
  • The Role Our Emotions Play in Coping with Stress & Pressure
  • Make More Informed Decisions by Mindfully Evaluating Different Options
  • Develop Satisfying, Healthy & Authentic Relationships with Other People Through Empathy and Good Ethics
  • Develop Your Assertiveness & Become More Emotionally Independent
  • Understand Who You Really Are & What Your Core Purpose Is
  • Build More Collaborative Relationships Using Emotional Intelligence

Get Started Today!

Purchase your lifetime account to the Emotional Intelligence & Decision-Making Bundle in the AG Deals Store for just $35 today.

OnePlus India teases new fitness band with sleep tracking

Josiah Ward
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OnePlus recently confirmed their own upcoming smartwatch. Now, thanks to some leaks and rumors, we have information about a OnePlus Band.

Yesterday morning, the company’s Indian page tweeted the following:

The tweet talks about wanting to help users achieve fitness goals and the photo shows a slight glimmer of a OnePlus-branded wearable.

OnePlus Band Colorways

Leaks suggest that the tracker will feature 14 day battery, 24/7 Heart Rate tracking, Sleep tracking, and 13 exercise modes. The leaks further suggest the device will release on in addition to a leaked image coming from Mukul Sharma.

The device is rumored to release on January 11 for around 2,499 Rupees, which is $40.

Eufy Smart Scale P1 review

Jason England
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If you’ve gained weight in 2020, you’re not alone. Whether it’s the quarantine fifteen or just some holiday weight, we’re all probably looking for a way to drop a few pounds.

That’s where a quality scale comes into play. There’s nothing like seeing that number go down to keep you motivated and help you stick to your New Year’s resolution. Thankfully, our friends over at Eufy make a fantastic smart scale that’s able to measure your weight and much more.

Design

The Eufy Smart Scale P1 uses a sleek design featuring a glass top with rounded corners and a slim profile. It’s surprisingly lightweight in comparison to my old smart scale, which now feels like a bulky antique.

There is a large LED display at the top that makes it easy to read, and on the bottom are four non-slip feet along with the battery compartment. The Smart Scale P1 is powered by three AAA batteries, and considering I have a box full of rechargeable AA batteries, I wish it used those instead. However, that’s only a minor grievance with a scale that looks and performs this well.

User Experience

To get started, you’ll need to grab the EufyLife app from the Play Store and set up an account. After this is done, you can pair the scale with the app and get started with your weigh-in. The entire process was incredibly simple and I had the scale set up and working in no time.

Ever since the first day, it has functioned perfectly, and the results have been very consistent, unlike my previous smart scale which could be all over the place when measuring my weight.

If you want to get the most benefit out of the Eufy Smart Scale P1 then it will require weighing barefoot. That’s because the P1 is capable of tracking 14 different body measurements, including weight, body fat percentage, BMI, water percentage, BMR, visceral fat, body age, body fat mass, lean body mass, bone density, bone mass, muscle mass, muscle, and protein levels.

It takes all these measurements by a combination of knowing your height, age, and gender along with sending an electrical signal through your body to generate the results. Hence why you need to be barefoot for the more advanced measurements.

If you only want to use the weight measurement then you can weigh yourself in socks, shoes, or use the weight only option in the EufyLife app.

As far as how accurate these results are, that’s difficult to say. You’d need to go get a professional work up with proper equipment to compare.

However, for being an affordable at-home device to give you a general idea of your measurements, the is perfect. Remember, it’s most important that you watch the trends to see if you’re going up or down, instead of relying on it for pinpoint accuracy of the additional measurements outside of your weight. In this way, the Eufy P1 Smart Scale P1 is a wonderful companion in your weight loss and fitness journey.

App

The EufyLife app has a clean and simple user-friendly layout. It’s easy to see the most important stats on the screen and view all the additional measurements by tapping on the “More” button. From here you get a comprehensive overview of all the advanced measurements with a helpful explanation about each one.

The main page also has sections to view your weigh-in history and trends to keep track of your progress. The trends menu is probably one of the most helpful sections because it allows you to keep an eye on weight, BMI, body fat percentage, and muscle mass. This way you can know if your diet and exercise routine is helping you or not.

EufyLife also allows tracking for up to 16 different users, which it automatically matches within the app. The only downside is that all users must be under one account, so you can’t all have your own separate account.

Finally, EufyLife also syncs with third-party fitness apps such as Google Fit and Fitbit. All you have to do is connect your account and your weight will sync with the additional apps. This is great if you like having a better overview of all your stats such as your exercise and weight all in one place.

Final Thoughts

When you’re looking for a smart scale to help keep your fitness goals on track, it’s hard to beat the Eufy Smart Scale P1. It provides a lot of bang for your buck by tracking 14 different measurements for up to 16 users and has a fantastic app that syncs with third-party apps. It retails for $44.99 but it can sometimes be found on sale for $29.99 and at that price, it’s a steal.

Buy from Amazon Buy from Eufy

Google Play Store: The main source of malware

AndroidGuys
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Android is the world’s most popular operating system. More than 3 billion devices and growing are currently operating Android in some form. There’s a lot to love about it. It’s lightweight, flexible, and can work on both the most expensive flagship phones to budget offerings under $100.

Unfortunately, things aren’t all good in the world of Android. And while we don’t think it will make you want to jump ship and join Apple, it is something to pay attention to. We’re talking about the huge number of apps found infected in the Google Play Store. That means you may even have one malware on your phone and not even know it.

Understand this threat and what you can do to be safe below.

Google Play Store Malware Infection

Most of us are under the impression that if we download something from the Google Play Store, it should be safe. Google is part of this problem as they tell users that it’s much safer to download from it than other channels.

Recently, however, security researchers at Kaspersky discovered 20+ Minecraft Android apps that are malware in disguise. Even scarier is they’ve found that some of the app installs have topped out at over 1 million!

These fake apps pretend to be part of legit Minecraft modpacks. Once installed, the app icon disappears and will start loading a string of advertisements to play constantly while you use your phone. There’s also concern that these may be exporting user data. Worst of all, this is far from the first example of Play Store malware. Across so many different apps, hackers have managed to penetrate the store and put users at great risk.

What Should You Do?

The first thing is clear. You can’t always trust Google to keep you safe. While Google talks a big game about looking out for your best interest, they seem ill-prepared for actually doing so.

For this reason, we strongly advise you to take cybersecurity into your own hands because iOS honestly isn’t much better. Cybersecurity tools are a great way to protect yourself and secure your internet connection at the same time.

First and foremost, you need a VPN. VPN or virtual private networks anonymize your IP address and encrypt your internet connection, greatly enhancing your privacy and security. They are vital tools for mobile, desktop, and everywhere in your digital life.

As an added perk, high-quality VPNs like NordVPN aren’t just extremely secure but also have many other benefits like unlocking different streaming content and even helping you find deals shopping online. Next, you have to be extremely careful with any app you download.

No matter what awesome security tool you use, it might not help you if you just let the hackers in the front door! This is harder than it looks, unfortunately. Generally, you can be confident that apps from huge names like Facebook, Microsoft, or even Google will be safe. So, you always have to check who the developer is.

That doesn’t mean smaller developers are always risky. As the Minecraft malware shows, even apps with 1,000,000+ downloads can be dangerous. Instead, take some time to vet the app. Look online, read reviews, and use security tools that can scan apps for malware. This is the best way to make sure something is safe.

Finally, be careful about app permissions. There is no reason an app like a Minecraft mod needs to know your location at all times. That might be a sign of malware or just something trying to invade your privacy. Either way, regardless of who the developer is, it would be a good idea to limit permissions to apps.

Beware the Google Play Store

The Google Play Store is the number app delivery portal in the world. It just makes sense that hackers would target it.

Before you download any malware, start being careful, and vet all your apps. And if something does seem strange on your phone, then don’t risk it. It’s better to reset your phone and not take any chances of having a hacker get their hands on your data.

Stay safe and start keeping an eye out for these risks now.

EDITOR NOTE: This is a promoted post and should not be viewed as an editorial endorsement.

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag is an upcoming Tile competitor

Josiah Ward
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A few days ago, the NCC certified the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag, a Bluetooth tracker like the Tile. The news seems to follow rumors of an Apple AirTag, suggesting that Samsung is trying to pre-empt them.

Not much is known about the tracker, but the images 91mobiles obtained show off a Tile-like design.

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag

The tracker will likely pack Bluetooth 5.1 and Samsung’s SmartThings Find feature, which is a map feature that works across many Samsung devices.

In addition, 91mobiles suggests that the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag could be priced at around $20 a pop and might launch alongside the Samsung Galaxy S21 series at the now-confirmed Galaxy Unpacked event.

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