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AT&T starts selling Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro

Jason England
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The Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro has joined the AT&T roster, and can now be purchased online from AT&T nationwide. It also joins the list of FirstNet Ready devices from AT&T, which is a partnership between the carrier and the First Responder Network Authority to create a reliable way for frontline workers to communicate.

This military-grade phone is a capable FirstNet device, featuring an IP68 water resistance rating, a replaceable battery, and built to MIL-STD 810G standards. Don’t let the ruggedness fool you, the Galaxy XCover Pro is also a stylish smartphone, measuring in at 9.9mm thin with a 6.3-inch full HD display.

Under the hood is a Samsung Exynos 9611 Octa-Core processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a 4050mAh battery. When it comes to cameras, the Galaxy XCover Pro is no slouch, with a 13MP front-facing camera and a dual-camera setup on the back, featuring a 25MP main shooter and an 8MP ultra-wide camera.

Some additional features include the ability to use the touchscreen while wearing gloves and a robust Pogo Pin connector for charging. Two things I’m sure most first responders will appreciate when they are out in the field trying to keep us safe.

Besides its durable design for first responders, the XCover Pro can also function as a mobile point of sale device and supports Band 48 for Citizens Band Radio Service.

You can pick up the Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro from AT&T starting at $17 per month or $509.99 starting November 16, 2020.

Google Fit and Wear OS are getting improvements to sleep tracking, social sharing, and more

Jason England
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These days, it’s more important than ever to keep track of your health and try to stay in shape. However, keeping track of all of this can be a huge ordeal. The sheer number of fitness trackers and apps available can be a little daunting, to say the least. Enter Google Fit, which does its best to collect all of this data and present it in helpful ways.

With the latest update, new features have been added to Google Fit and Wear OS, along with some UI tweaks to ensure you keep hitting your fitness and wellness goals.

Getting a good night’s rest is one of the most important parts of staying healthy. Unfortunately, getting enough sleep isn’t always easy to come by, but at least we’ll all be able to keep track of this information better with the new improvements to Google Fit.

The latest update to the app will provide even more sleep data than before, such as being able to view sleep stages or nightly activity. There will also be an option to set a bedtime schedule goal, in case you’re like me and have trouble getting into bed on time.

Devices that sync sleep data with Google Fit include, the Fossil Gen 5E Smartwatch, Oura Ring, or Withings sleep tracking mat. It also works with popular sleep tracking apps such as Sleep As Android or Sleep Cycle. In the future, the list of supported apps and devices will continue to grow, so keep an eye out to see if yours is added.

Exercise is more fun with friends, and the social share feature allows you to share stats, routes, or photos from your Google Fit journal entries. Now, you’ll be able to challenge friends or simply celebrate as you hit your new fitness goals by sharing on social media or through messenger apps.

Of course, if you’re going to be sharing your workouts, it would help if those were convenient to track. That’s where the Google Fit Workouts Tile comes into play. It helps you get to your workout as quickly as possible with shortcuts to your most recent workouts, as well as allowing you to view all your metrics on one screen. For those that need a little extra motivation, you can even set up workout goals and receive alerts to make sure you keep your pace up.

Along with exercise and getting enough sleep, it’s important to keep your mental health in check as well. In an ever more stressful world, sometimes it’s essential to take a breather. The new Wear OS Breathe Tile will help you do just that, with guided breathing sessions. It even gives you a summary at the end showing how your heart rate changed as well as providing a recap at the end of the week.

Finally, the Weather Tile is getting a UI refresh on Wear OS that’s easier to read with enhanced details about precipitation and weather alerts.

As with most Google updates, these will most likely roll out in stages. Keep an eye out for the changes over the next few days as Google begins to push them out.

Google unveils Black Friday Deals at Google Store

Andrew Allen
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I’m pretty sure that most people know about Black Friday. The day after Thanksgiving is arguably the biggest day for retail sales in the United States. Big box stores offer deep discounts for popular items. Google has decided to give us a sneak peek of its impending discounts for the Google Store this year.

Google is spreading these reductions across two different days. The first wave is November 22 and the next starts on November 25. These discounts include steep cuts on many of Google’s lineup like Nest audio speakers, Pixel 5, Nest Hub displays, and even the Nest Thermostats.

November 22 promos:

Starting November 25:

While all of these are great, the two largest price cuts that jump out are the Nest WiFi Router and Access Point combo by $80 and the Google Home Max by half at $150. A traditional “good” router alone will cost you around $150 to $200, so the Nest WiFi combination is a nice deal to transition to a mesh network.

The Google Home Max is notable for the steep discount and the fact that it’s the only part of the speaker lineup not carrying the new Nest branding. This could be Google purging inventory for an update Nest Home Max in the near future. Regardless, it’s half off and makes for a compelling time to snag this monster speaker.

Be sure to set a reminder and bookmark these deal links. Then you can head over on November 22 or the 25th to snag the latest promos Google has to offer on its devices.

The Pixel 4a now comes in a new limited-edition Barely Blue color

Jason England
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Ever since Google first launched its Pixel “a” series of phones with the Pixel 3a last year, it has proven to be a huge hit, and for good reason. The budget handset from the search giant packs in most of the essential features, such as a killer camera, fantastic battery life, and top-notch software support. In fact, in our review, Scott called it “all the phone I will need for the next year or more.” Plus, the best part is, it’s not going to break the bank at a very reasonable price of $350.

Now, fans of the series have something else to get excited about, because Google is introducing a new color to the Pixel 4a lineup in the shade of Barely Blue. For those of you who find the black one a little boring, this is fantastic news. The only bad news is, it’s limited-edition, and if you’re not a fan of pastel blue, then you’re going to be disappointed.

As the name suggests, the new color is barely blue, using a light pale shade of blue for the plastic case of the phone. The fingerprint sensor is dyed to match, with the black camera bump and orange power button being the only pops of contrasting color.

It’s not the first time Google has introduced a limited edition color to one of its Pixel phones. Last year we saw something similar with the Oh So Orange Pixel 4, which only came in stock a couple of times and is now much harder to come by.

Keep that in mind, because it’s best to grab the limited edition Barely Blue Pixel 4a while you can. Fortunately, the price is the same as the more mundane black version and it’s still currently in stock on the Google Store.

This epic entertainment bundle will help you endure the pandemic

AndroidGuys
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How have you spent your time this year? If you’re like a lot of us, much of your 2020 has been spent at home, either working, attending virtual school, and/or whiling away the hours.

With winter fast approaching, and no clear end to the pandemic, the next few months could prove to be challenging for some. It could also be the perfect opportunity to spend it more wisely, if not at least differently.

The Epic Entertainment at Home App Bundle, on sale for just $189.99 (64 percent off), is a five-piece bundle that will help spend the next year in a much better way. Not only will it provide an array of entertainment options, but it will do so in a secure manner, too.

Bundle Includes

Spend the winter and coming year learning from some 22 languages, taking in millions of music tracks, or casting content to and from your devices, and/or streaming files. All of this, of course, secured by VPN Unlimited.

Order Today!

Purchase the Epic Entertainment at Home App Bundle for just $189.99 today and save 64 percent on the whole kit. Hurry, it won’t last forever!

Best Sellers

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.

Stadia review: One year later

Jason England
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Google’s cloud gaming service Stadia has fascinated me since I first tested it back when it was called Project Stream. The first time I picked up the controller I was blown away by the sheer fact that I could stream a game at 1080p 60fps with zero lag from the controls.

My excitement only grew over time as Google continued to announce its full plans for Stadia. Between the unique set of features and the ability to game on multiple screens at up to 4K at 60fps, I was all in with the Stadia hype.

Unfortunately, when Stadia launched back in November of 2019, it did so without most of the features Google had teased us with. While it was clear Google had big plans for the service, it was half baked at launch, with only a basic set of features. The good news is, a lot has changed a year after Stadia first debuted.

What’s Changed

For starters, there are many more games to choose from, nearly 100 and counting at the time of writing. The addition of a free tier is also a massive change, Stadia no longer requires a subscription to play.

However, you’ll still need to purchase games, and streaming is limited to 1080p with stereo sound on supported devices. Additionally, playing on your TV still requires a Chromecast Ultra and Stadia controller. Both of which can be purchased separately or individually, if all you need is the Stadia controller. Alternatively, you can purchase them both together with the Stadia Premiere Edition bundle that starts at $100.

One of the biggest updates has been to the Stadia controller which now functions entirely wirelessly. It was a bit odd back when Stadia first launched that the wireless controller required a hardwire connection to work with Android devices, but Google eventually issued an update that rectified this. Now, the controller can be used wirelessly on every screen that is supported.

And while we’re on the subject of supported screens, that list has grown substantially since Stadia first launched. Initially, Stadia worked on Chromecast Ultra, computers and Chromebooks via the Chrome browser, and Pixel phones from Google.

The list of officially supported mobile devices has since grown to include most recent flagships such as ones from Samsung, OnePlus, LG, and more. In fact, I was able to use Stadia on phones that are not on the official list without issue by simpling toggling on the beta feature in the options.

A couple of other Stadia exclusive features that have launched include Stream Connect and most recently Family Sharing. The former allows users to essentially share a picture-in-picture live stream view of a game while playing multiplayer with friends. This allows your squad to see where you are and what you’re doing and can be quite handy in shooting games.

While Family Sharing works with Google Play’s Family Library function, providing a way to share games with users in your family group without each person needing to purchase the game individually.

Besides some of these major changes, Stadia has also enabled the Google Assistant button, added achievements, enabled on-screen buttons, and more since it first launched.

Unfortunately, many of Stadia’s more innovative features that were teased before launch are still missing. This includes live-streaming gameplay, getting in-game help by asking Google Assistant, jumping into games with streamers, and the list goes on.

Plus, even with unofficial support for more Android mobile devices, you still can’t play on every screen. For example, if you happen to own an iPad or iPhone you’re out of luck.

Reliability

I’m sure most of you have noticed dips in quality or even loading screens while watching videos using some of your favorite streaming services. This is the nature of streaming media online, no matter how fast your connection is, occasionally there will be hiccups.

For a cloud gaming service such as Stadia, it is no different. Fortunately, these glitches and stutters are few and far between when utilizing a fast and stable internet connection. While I didn’t experience zero streaming issues, the amount of issues seems to have decreased compared to when Stadia first launched, which is a testament to Google’s servers and the hard work the Stadia team has put in.

Regardless, it’s unrealistic to expect a game streaming service to be perfect 100% of the time. These services use a massive amount of data in comparison to video streaming and we can’t even expect them to work perfectly all of the time.

Final Thoughts

After only a year Google’s cloud game streaming service has come a long way. Stadia’s team is constantly updating and improving the service in the background, and that’s one of the platform’s biggest strengths.

However, it’s still not living up to its full potential. Google set expectations extremely high prior to launch and it has yet to deliver the experience it teased us with during its pre-launch presentations.

Despite all of this, I’m still blown away by the fact that I can stream a videogame with little to no latency in such high quality. There’s also the frictionless experience that Stadia provides. Loading times are fast and you never have to worry about picking up your controller only to be stuck waiting for updates to download and install.

Simply open the Stadia app or site, choose your game, and you will be playing within a few minutes. Stadia offers one of the fastest and hassle-free ways to get you into your game, and that’s something casual and hardcore gamers can all appreciate.

Does that mean it’s going to replace my console and become my primary gaming outlet? Not yet. At the moment, Stadia still lacks a compelling list of exclusive games, such as the ones that keep calling me back to my PlayStation.

There’s also the very real concern of my data cap through Xfinity, which I easily exceeded between Stadia and my Netflix usage. One thing is for sure though, I’ll be keeping my eye on the service, and I still love to pick it up for a month here and there to revisit the collection of games I’ve accumulated.

Here’s an easy way to save money on your car insurance

AndroidGuys
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Around the world, more and more people are leaning toward buying a car. That’s especially true for those of us who don’t own a car and really felt left out this year as the pandemic took the world by storm. A survey

Around the world, more and more people are leaning toward buying a car. That’s especially true for those of us who don’t own a car and really felt left out this year as the pandemic took the world by storm. A survey earlier this year found that car ownership interest is increasing, especially in those who have yet to own a car.

These days, owning a car can go a long way in making us feel safe. A vehicle can also make it possible for city-dwellers to escape to nearby nature. Outside the pandemic, life is still happening, too. Your daughter may have just secured her license. Or a little one may be on the way, so you’ll need to upgrade to have more space. Life stops for no one, and it’s up to us to keep up.

Here’s the thing, though: Once you get a car, you’ve still got to secure and pay for proper insurance. The market is flooded with options like Geico, Progressive, and Allstate, but there are more and more companies offering alternatives to the traditional insurance behemoths. Take Clearcover Car Insurance for example. This up-and-coming digital company is well aware that the public is concerned with saving money through their car insurance now more than ever, and that’s exactly what they set out to do.

Clearcover is a digital car insurance company that allows you to do almost everything from the convenience of your phone. Customers love that they don’t have to worry about going in person to an office—especially not during these scary times. From Clearcover’s mobile app, you can pay your bills, access policy information, and file a claim digitally.

With Clearcover, setting up your insurance shouldn’t take more than a few minutes of your time. Even more impressive, most claims are paid in one to two days, and in some cases it can be even quicker. You can also access roadside assistance through the mobile app, which by the way has 4.7 stars out of 5 in the Apple Store and Google Play store.

Clearcover is currently live in nine states, including California, Texas, and Ohio. For those who aren’t fortunate enough to live in one of those places, you can join their waitlist to stay in-the-know on any potential expansion to your areas. It definitely seems worth it based on these customer testimonials:

“Buying a policy was super easy and quick!” said Josh Penley. “Saved me $300 a year over GEICO. Love having the app and quick access to my ID cards.”

“I have been a customer for 3 months now and never regretted my decision once,” said Kenny Mesa in a Google review. “Saved me tons of money by switching to them.”

Switching car insurance—or setting up a new one for that new sweet ride—doesn’t have to be a hassle. It only takes a few minutes to check your price from Clearcover and it could be saving you big down the line. You can switch your car insurance any time, so there’s no time like the present to see how much you can save.

Only $40, this 8-course bundle will turn you into a Cisco networking hero

AndroidGuys
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A company with a proper networked computer system, particularly one based in the cloud, needs to make sure its defenses are up to par. Without the proper protocols and configuration in place, a system will fall victim to malware, hacks, and cyber espionage.

According to Information Age, cyber crime pulls in more than $1.5 trillion per year for the bad guys. That’s a ton of money, right? And that’s from two years ago. Think about how much is being spent today to ensure networks aren’t susceptible to attack.

To make sure your company’s Cisco-based network doesn’t become the next victim, learn a few ways to defend against threats and attacks. Right now you can do that for next to nothing, and at your own pace.

Available now for just $39.99, the Certified Cisco Power User Bundle is discounted by some 95 percent off the regular price.

This five-part bundle brings together more than 80 hours of training over 620+ lessons that will have you building, integrating, and maintaining Cisco networking devices into a system. You’ll also learn how to manage security measures to keep vital data and information safe.

This isn’t just best practices, tips, and tutorials, either. Once you get through these courses you’ll have the education needed to sit for various Cisco-related certification exams.

Features

  • Cisco Certified Network Associate IPv4 Course
  • Cisco Certified Network Associate: Multiple Practice Labs & Border Gateway Pro
  • Cisco ICND1 100-105: CCENT Certification Bootcamp
  • Cisco ICND2 200-105: CCNA Bootcamp
  • The Complete Guide to Cisco CCNA 200-125

Where to Buy

You can pick up a lifetime access to the five-course Certified Cisco Power User Bundle for only $39.99 in the AndroidGuys Deals Store. Valued at approximately $1,000, the whole kit can be yours for 95 percent off.

Save even more!

In addition to the savings above, when you buy through AndroidGuys Deals, for every $25 spent, you get $1 credit added to your account. What’s more, should you refer the deal via social media or an email that results in a purchase, you’ll earn $10 credit in your account.

If this is your first time buying, then you are also eligible for a further 10% discount when you subscribe for email updates.

How about a freebie?

Not looking to spend any money today? That’s alright, we understand. Why not visit the AndroidGuys section for freebies and take something anyhow? Go ahead, grab two!

Mophie 4-in-1 Wireless Charging Mat review w/video

AndroidGuys
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We’re finally at that point where most newer smartphones have wireless charging capabilities. If you live in a household where multiple people have handsets, you likely know how precious wall outlets can be.

This doesn’t change when the phones support wireless charging. In fact, it can be even more of an issue as you fight for access to the charging dock or plate. That’s where a product like the mophie 4-in-1 Wireless Charging Mat.

What is the Mophie 4-in-1 Wireless Charging Mat?

Priced $150, it’s a flat platter-like device that lets you wireless charge up to four devices on it at one time. Users can mix and match how and where they place their phones or wireless earbud case and it even has an optional mount accessory for an Apple Watch. Moreover, it has a USB Type A port for plugging in an external cable for charging something else.

Standout Features

  • Wirelessly charge four devices at one time
  • Lightweight and easy to move around
  • Excellent build quality
  • Modern design that matches any environment
  • USB A port lets you keep charging other devices from same outlet

Where to Buy the Mophie 4-in-1 Wireless Charging Mat

Learn more about the mophie 4-in-1 Wireless Charging Mat at mophie’s website where it’s also available for purchase. You can also find it at your wireless service provider and select retailers, including Amazon.

Safeguard your data connection and passwords with the Essential Nord bundle

AndroidGuys
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Gone are the days where the only folks who would need a proxy internet connection are the nefarious creeps at the internet cafe. In our modern world of rapidly vanishing privacy, it’s increasingly important to protect yourself your data.

We’ve all seen more and more reports of compromised security, leaks, and hacks and there’s nothing in the cards that makes us believe we should expect things to get any safer in the immediate future.

Even working from home has its own set of risks. In fact, you may be doing yourself a serious disservice with the way you’re operating the household connection. Let’s talk about your passwords while we’re at it. We bet you could do a much better job on that front, too.

How does one safeguard their internet activity and keep things secure? NordVPN and NordPass. The former lets you say goodbye to browsing restrictions and nefarious snoopers. The latter gives you the power to create and manage strong and secure passwords with cloud backup, device sync, and more.

Right now we have am incredible offer on both services – a two for one, if you will. Visit the AndroidGuys Deals Store and you can purchase a two-year license to NordVPN and NordPass for just $99.99

NordVPN Features

  • Secure any Internet connection: public Wi-Fi hotspots, cellular networks & more
  • Bypass content restrictions & stay anonymous
  • Rest easy knowing that your activity is not recorded anywhere (no log policy)
  • Get online access anywhere with 5,508 worldwide server locations in 59 different countries
  • Enjoy high speed connections for instant video access & content access
  • Automatically shut down your site as soon as the VPN connection drops; no data is revealed

NordPass Features

  • Remembers & autosaves all your complex passwords, auto-fill online forms, generates strong passwords when needed, and more
  • Saves your passwords once & syncs across all devices and platforms you use
  • Follows the latest security practices & industry standards
  • Offers friendly award-winning customer support team to answer any questions 24/7

Sign Up Today!

Purchase a two-year license to both services for just $99.99 right now, saving yourself hundreds of dollars in the process.

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