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Origem HS-3 Bluetooth 5.0 HDR headphones get massive discount

AndroidGuys
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Finding a quality pair of headphones shouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg. Moreover, you shouldn’t have to wait years for a particular pair to go on sale so you can buy them at a price you can afford.

The Origem HS-3, available in the AndroidGuys Deals Store for just $24.99, are a solid option at a wonderful price. They’re a relatively newer pair of headphones that are currently discounted as if they were in a clearance sale.

We have a chance to review these last year and found the Origem HS-3 to be an interesting pair for consumers and felt that their original $99 price was in line with expectations. At less than half their price today, they’re an outright bargain.

Origem HS-3 Features

  • Like a perfect combination of subwoofer, mid-range, & high-frequency speaker
  • Activate your smart assistant with simple words
  • Your personalized earbuds that fit perfectly
  • Quick charge for up to 6 hours battery life
  • IPX5 waterproof earbuds for intense exercise or bad weather

Order Yours Today

Hop on over to the AG Deals Store today and you’ll find the Origem HS-3 waiting on you for just $24.99, a savings of nearly 60%. Choose from three colors: Gunmetal, Silver, and Red.

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.

Earfun Air wireless earbuds review

Andrew Allen
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I’ve been on a tear of reviews for wireless earbuds as of late. It’s an ever-growing market with a ton of great competition — and rightfully so. Each is portable with decent enough audio on the go and the individual design choices and features make them interesting to me.

Earfun has been making several models over the last couple of years and allowed me some time with it’s latest Earfun Air earbuds.

How do these wireless audio devices match up to the others on the market? Let’s find out in this full review of the Earfun Air.

Design

The first thing one taking the Earfun Air out of the case is that it reminds me of the Soundcore Liberty Air 2 in that it’s kinda like AirPods. These have a familiar design, but one that I’ve come to really enjoy.

The stemmed teardrop shape makes the earbuds easy to use and fit in your ear for most people. I can honestly say that I think these fit my ears better than any other lookalike I’ve tested. There’s a nice balance of actual earbud and silicone to secure the headphone.

This allows them to fit far enough into the ear that they get a good feel and the silicone tip makes sure it stays put when moving around. I’ve been impressed with the range of motion without the need to reposition the Earfun Air.

Controls

You can’t have an entry in this market these days without some sort of touch controls and the Earfun Air will not disappoint. First, let’s start with simple play and pause because it works the same on both the left and right earbud.

Tap either twice will start or stop the current track. This same motion will answer and end phone calls. You can also reject a call by holding the left or right for two seconds.

If you’d like to change the volume, you can tap and hold the left for volume down and the right for an increase in volume. This is also a two-second delayed move.

You can also activate different actions via a triple tap. You can skip forward a track by triple tapping the right headphone and go back a song by doing the same to the left side. And in the odd case you still make phone calls, you can also switch back forth between two simultaneous callers with a triple tap as well.

Audio

This was the one segment of my time with the Earfun Air that wasn’t as fun. It’s not terrible, but I just felt the music and podcast output was muted in comparison to other devices. While I don’t need, or want them, to be deafening, it was noticeable.

You can still enjoy your music. Even in a busy room, I don’t think you’d get drowned out by outside noise. But overall, the sound volume is worth a mention. That aside the balance of music playback was decent with highs and mids playing well against background bass.

While the music playback only supports passive noise cancellation, there are four mics for noise reduction while taking phone calls. This resulted in crisp phone calls several times over the last few weeks. I had no complaints from either end of the line.

Battery Life

On the flip side, battery life was stellar. Earfun rates the Air to get you up to seven hours of playback with just the earbuds. I’ve found this to be spot on and almost gets me through a full eight-hour shift per charge.

Once you have drained the Earfun Air’s internal batteries, you can recharge another four times via the travel case. This portable power bank also supports USB-C charging and wireless charger making it an all-round winner for me.

Final Thoughts

The good mostly outweighs the bad when you consider the Earfun Air wireless earbuds. You get a great fit, above-average battery life, and decent audio. If you’re still on the fence, maybe the price will convince you to make the purchase.

You can purchase the Earfun Air in black for $59.99 on Amazon. Need another little incentive? Our readers will get 10% off that for a limited time with the discount code EARFUN35 at checkout.

LG Velvet 5G available at AT&T starting today

Rizwan Anwer
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The LG Velvet is a stylish phone that has caught our eye with its enigmatic design and other aesthetic features. LG Electronics USA has just announced that the Velvet 5G will go on sale starting today, July 22nd, and available at your local AT&T outlet or online.

LG Velvet 5G – A stylish phone you can’t miss

Priced at an attractive price tag of $599, the phone offers 5G (UW) Ultra Wideband and low-band network (due later this year). The phone is currently exclusively available with AT&T, and will be available with T-Mobile and Verizon later in the summer.

Before we get to the specs, the phone has a sleek look to it, that gives the phone a premium and quality look, at half the price tag of a modern flagship phone. The LG Velvet will be available in Aurora Gray, Aurora Silver, Aurora Red and Pink White.

Aside from the fine finish, the phone has a lot of great hardware to match the look:

  • Curved 6.8-inch OLED display with LG’s Cinematic FullVision
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset
  • 128 GB of ROM
  • 6 GB of RAM
  • Back camera setup:
    • 48MP Wide
    • 8MP Ultra-Wide
    • 5MP Depth
  • 16-MP front-facing camera
  • 4300 mAh battery
  • In-display fingerprint sensor
  • IP68 Water and Dust Resistance

With its display and camera setup, you’re looking at a great phone that offers flagship tier specs, while staying at a frugal amount.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly phone that packs a punch under the hood, look no further than the LG Velvet. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a high refresh rate display, which is becoming a standard in mid-range and flagship smartphones. However, that can be forgiven if you’re looking for beauty over function.

Few phones are able to catch the eye the way LG’s phones are able to. The only other phones that deliver premium design with glossy backs would be the new OnePlus 8 phones, offering a reflective and glossy back.

The phone is best suited for the average consumer who isn’t concerned with high refresh rates and just wants beauty over function.

If you can forgive a minor shortcoming of the phone i.e. the 60Hz refresh rate screen, this is a superb phone to buy if you’re looking to turn a few heads your way.

Verizon kicks off the school year with new promotions

Josiah Ward
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Last month, Verizon renewed their commitment to all students with new student discounts for college students.

Now that the return to school is closer, Verizon is bringing along more promotions starting July 23.

Free iPhone

When you switch to Verizon, get a new 64GB iPhone 11 with a new Unlimited line and an eligible trade-in.

For larger families, buy one iPhone 11 and get a second one free.

$700 off Android phones

Get up to $700 off select Android phones with an eligible trade in plus a free Verizon Stream TV.

Teacher discount

Teachers can get Start Unlimited for just $30/month if your plan has 4 lines.

GizmoWatch 2

For the younger children in the family, when you buy one GizmoWatch 2, you can get a second one for half off

Free smart devices

When you switch to Verizon and add a new Unlimited line, you can get an Echo Dot and Amazon Smart Plug for free.

 

 

Netflix is finally coming to Nest Hub Smart Displays

Andrew Allen
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Google’s Nest Hub Smart Displays have been a great entry into the screened Assistant for the search giant. However, it hasn’t always been a smooth path– between technical issues and glaring omissions like Netflix, there have been plenty of growing pains.

Thankfully, both sides have come to a new agreement that fixes this omission from Nest Hub Smart Displays. Starting today, you can now use Netflix on these devices from Google. After over a year, the wait is finally over and you can initiate the streaming service via voice on the Nest Hub Smart Displays.

All you need to do is make sure your Netflix account is linked to the Google Home or Assistant app and use your voice. By using “Hey Google, open Netflix” you can bring up a stripped-down version of Netflix’s immersive UI. You can also call on streaming specific shows as well in a similar fashion.

You can then interact with the content via the touchscreen, voice, or gestures. Google has made sure the Quick Gestures for Nest Hub work with Netflix from the jump. With this, you can pause or play videos by raising your hand towards the display.

There are a few caveats we don’t know just yet. One is that this seems to be a rolling fix by one, or both, software giants and many are not seeing the update yet. Google is known for regional rollouts of server-side software like this and we can only assume this will take the same approach.

Another is Chromecast. It’s another assumption, but you’d have to believe that “now supports” Netflix includes the Casting feature, but the Google announcement doesn’t reference this directly. Once we have a working unit with Nest Hub and Netflix we will know more.

Last, we have no official word on third-party Google Smart Displays. The likes of Lenovo, JBL, and LG all have smart displays outside the Nest brand. One can only hope that this new Netflix fix rolls out to those as well in the future.

Despite these issues, the announcement alone is great news for Nest Hub owners. It gives Google another compelling feature that is not available on competing offerings from the Amazon Echo Show or Facebook Portal. Let us know in the comments if you have the new feature, or if you are patiently still waiting.

117 new emoji coming to Android 11 in the fall

Josiah Ward
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Friday was World Emoji Day, and in honor of that, Google announced many new emoji designs they are bringing to Android 11 in the fall.

Last year, Google sent a proposal to the Unicode Consortium to add new emoji that Google felt would bring more empathy and equity to the keyboard.

While there are many new additions, such as an anatomical heart, a piñata, a bison, and a tamale, Google wanted to focus on five emoji in particular.

Family Representation

The first family emoji introduced was “person feeding baby with bottle” as the only representation of feeding a baby was a woman breastfeeding.

Bottle Feeding

Next, Google introduced “person in veil” and “person in tuxedo” to better represent everyone’s experiences.

"person in veil" and "person in tuxedo"

Empathy

With people using emoji to better express emotion and empathy, google has introduced “two people hugging” and “slightly smiling face with tear”.

Hugging and Smiling Face with Tear

Transgender Flag

The transgender flag has also been added to allow better expression for the trans community.

Transgender Flag

These new emoji designs and over 100 more will all be featured in Android 11. You can read our Android 11 coverage here.

Updated Gboard with emoji bar

In addition to the new emoji, Google has added a quick access emoji bar to Gboard.

Emoji Bar

 

 

System76 Lemur Pro review

Andrew Allen
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Last February I had the chance to tour a seemingly random and outwardly non-descript warehouse in Denver Colorado. In this giant concrete building lives a company called System76. In the US, it is the only corporation that I know of dedicated to creating PCs specifically to run Linux.

System76 offers a great combination of hardware and software optimized for its machines and was nice enough to allow me three weeks with one of its latest laptops, the Lemur Pro.

So, why are we reviewing a Linux laptop? I think there’s a real subset of Android users that will find it compelling, as either a premium Chromebook competitor or even an alternative to the big boys of Microsoft and Apple. As we move forward with this review, I’d like you to keep an open mind to how far the once scary world of Linux devices has come over the last decade.

Design

I was taken back on how well built and light this laptop was upon picking it up. The magnesium body has a nice feel and seems sturdy enough to take daily use. It also leads to the low weight which makes it a joy tote around — versus my tank of a Dell Latitude.

There’s a large silver System76 logo on the top of the lid, but you’ll find no other branding other than an HDMI sticker on the bottom. No Intel logos even though it’s providing the horsepower. Just a monolithic black slab of a laptop.

The best missing logo… the Windows key! I know this doesn’t mean much to others, but not having a Windows key on a Linux machine is a unicorn. Even those offered with Linux installed by Dell and Lenovo still just use the exact same keyboard layout and logos as the Windows machines.

The port selection of the Lemur Pro is also really good. On the left, you have a 65W power port, HDMI, USB A 3.1, and a USB-C 3.1 capable of 65W power and DisplayPort 1.2 out. The USB-C is not Thunderbolt 3, but I’ve had no issues using it with my Dell D6000 dock for all my tasks.

The right side houses the Kensington lock, another USB A 3.1, 3.5mm audio/mic combo, microSD slot, and a flush power button. The power button is in an unorthodox place, but I kind of liked not having it hidden among the keyboard keys.

I would have traded it for another USB-C on this side though. It’s a nice touch to have dual USB-C with power on each side of the laptop. This makes conference room power supplies and the dongle life much easier than having to fight for position on a single side.

Keyboard and Trackpad

The keyboard is a chiclet-style layout with good travel and return. They don’t take as much force as a Dell or Lenovo. It reminds me a bit of the Pixelbook but the overall feel isn’t quite as nice. That’s not a bad thing because the Pixelbook has one of the best keyboards available in my eyes.

A similar comparison can be made for the trackpad. I believe it’s a Precision glass trackpad with better than average performance. I had no issues while using it but it’s not in the realm of a Macbook or Pixelbook smoothness. However, I’d pit it against any decent Windows laptop.

One complaint would be no multimedia keys. Even under the Function options, there’s no way to play or pause media from the keyboard without custom keybindings being set up. It’s not a deal-breaker but is something that most mainstream laptops have available.

Internal Hardware

The engines inside the System76 Lemur Pro can be configured to multiple variations. Thankfully our loaner was almost to the max. Our unit has a massive 40GB of RAM (8GB onboard and 32GB in an expansion slot), 500GB of SSD storage, and a 10th generation Intel core i7.

And somehow you can get up to 4TB of storage with the two M.2 SSD slots. The company has also included BIOS firmware called Coreboot. In true Linux fashion, the boot system is open source and available for audit or download on Coreboot’s servers.

I’ve had zero issues with the Lemur Pro with performance with the exception of the fan can be slightly aggressive in quieter rooms and the bottom gets a little on the warm side. Neither are alarming levels, but it’s worth a mention.

Display

The display will be a decisive feature on the Lemur Pro. Personally, I don’t need or want a super-high-resolution 4K screen on my portable machine. I’d much rather have a really good 1080p that’s not destroying my battery.

If you agree with that last statement, then you will be perfectly fine with the matte 14″ FHD screen on the Lemur Pro. It has good colors and brightness with smallish bezels.

The one exception of the bezels is at the top where there’s a “camera hump” that doubles as a lip to open the laptop when closed. It’s an interesting design choice but I found it added personality you don’t see in many laptop lids.

Pop_OS!

The operating system has a crazy name, but this is where System76 starts to shine. In my mind, the company wants to be the Apple of the Linux world. This means producing both hardware and the paired software under the same roof.

Onboarding was simple enough on the first boot. You are presented with a very well designed wizard that walks you through setting up users, time zones, privacy settings and even adding online accounts for contacts, etc.

Pop_OS! is based on the same code as Ubuntu, but after that, it’s very much a System76 product. The team has custom-built firmware, an app store, and UI elements that are all it’s own. The result is a stunning desktop environment that screams on this hardware.

For those not familiar, the environment is called GNOME shell and has elements of Mac, but was heavily influenced by webOS. You have a dock on the left side and a toolbar at the top. That’s it. The rest of the default layout is very minimal.

You can’t clutter it with desktop icons and fancy widgets. The system is designed to stay out of your way. Clicking the previously mentioned key where the Windows logo would be presents you with an overlay of all the open apps. It also allows you to quickly search apps, local files, and even your Firefox bookmarks.

It also supports an interesting window tiling feature. Once turned on inside the persistent icon in the top right of the toolbar, you have an automated UI element that will try to fill the screen while still showing every running app on the screen.

It’s not for everyone, including me, but it’s a nice feature to have. The option seems popular among many developers and designers. System76 claims it was one of the most requested additions from previous generations of Pop_OS!. I’ve included a clip below for those that want a better example than I can type out.

Any Google hooks? Yes, your Google accounts can be set up during the onboarding wizard or later to have access to Drive, Cloud Printers, Docs, and Photos. These all streamline pretty well into their respective apps.

The Drive access is not dissimilar to that on Chrome OS. You have a dedicated network drive shortcut that gives you remote access to your cloud files and folders. I will say it’s not as quick as it’s using open-source 3rd party tie-ins secure the connection.

And if you’re a fan of having the option for a dark-themed system, Pop has you covered. You can easily swap between light and dark apps in the Settings menu under Appearance. I don’t use it a lot but it’s a super popular feature System76 offers by default for users.

Learning Curve

There is, without a doubt, a learning curve for users coming from another OS to Pop. However, you could argue that’s true for picking up your first Chromebook too. Despite this, Linux with Pop_OS! is a mature robust operating system with a few caveats.

You need to learn how to track down apps. System76 has made the first toe-tip into this much easier. The Pop_OS! Shop has tons of apps via a universal Linux app platform, Flatpak, readily available for install. This includes many top-tier apps like Telegram, Spotify, Discord, Steam, and Slack.

If you can’t find them there, then you should use the safety net that anything installable on Ubuntu Linux can be installed on Pop as well. This usually means a .deb file, which for lack of better description, is the equivalent of a .dmg on Mac or .exe on Windows.

Take Google Chrome for instance. It’s not available in the Google ready form by default in the Pop Shop due to its proprietary software and Google hasn’t approved it to be redistributed. They do however recognize that Pop_OS! is Ubuntu-based and will give you the .deb file to download on the website.

Once you’ve downloaded a .deb, System76 has included an installation app called Eddy that will install that file in no time. You’ll also be presented with the first Linux only option of having to enter a password every time you install an app.

Who is it For?

This is the glaring question for System76 and prospective users. I think it’s users like me and probably developers, but this machine could be for anyone. I’ve never been a big fan of Windows and even begrudgingly use it at work.

I’ve also anchored myself to not spend the premium to live in Apple’s walled garden. That’s always lured me to the world of Linux. I was thrilled to see Google leverage it in both Android and Chrome OS, but I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with Chromebooks.

Yes, Chrome devices are great for general tasks and web browsing. Yes, Android apps have made them a little bit better, but I’ve always found Chrome OS lacking. It’s also a little more locked down than even a Windows machine on how and what you can install.

I think that leaves a rather large subset of users who might find a machine built to run the traditional Linux desktop environment appealing. System76 has done an amazing job to build a machine and operating system that can allow developers to build Android apps in a native Linux environment. The same is true for server admins and web developers.

Dev environments for Android Studio, Postman, and VS code are all readily available. You can also accomplish amazing media production with apps like Inkscape for icons, Lightworks for video, and Blender for professional 3D rendering.

The evolution of Electron, Progressive web apps, and more universal installation platforms have made Pop_OS! a very appealing alternative. While some of those things are true on Chromebooks, I think Linux could offer users a more open and variety of environments with tools to work with outside of the Windows and Apple market.

It also offers you a community and freedom. With an open code base, you can tinker, patch, and learn as much as you want. Linux is the largest community-driven software project on the planet being built by amazing people waiting to walk you through it.

Final Thoughts

I loved my time with System76’s Lemur Pro. This is an amazing Linux workhorse built by Linux people for Linux people. I know it’s not for everyone, but I hope I was able to raise some awareness to some of our Android and Chromebooks fans that may have never considered Linux as a viable option.

With that said, it’s also not for everyone’s wallet. The Lemur Pro starts at $1099 and can be configured all the way to over $3000. That will run many off but is in the same starting price of Galaxy Chromebook, Pixelbooks, Macbooks, and many high-end Windows machines. The Lemur Pro is also similarly priced to it’s main US competitor, the Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition.

Despite these hurdles, System76 has built an incredible marriage of software and hardware with the Lemur Pro. If you want a full development rig or a completely open-sourced premium laptop, this device should be on your shortlist. You can find more information and configure your own at System76’s website.

1More Stylish True Wireless Headphones review

Jason England
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There is no shortage of options when it comes to portable audio solutions. Headphones come in over-ear and on-ear designs and then there’s earbuds, earphones, and the endless list of models. Up for review today are the 1More Stylish True Wireless Headphones.

Design

1More’s Stylish True Wireless Headphones come with a medium-sized egg-shaped case. It’s not the largest case I’ve ever seen, but certainly not the most compact one either. While most true wireless cases use magnets to keep the case closed, 1More has gone with a push-button clasp here, simple but effective. However, the buds themselves are held in place with magnets, making it easier to insert for charging while also keeping them held securely in place.

On the back of the case, you’ll find a micro USB port for charging. I was disappointed 1More decided to go with micro USB here, but unfortunately, it’s still not unusual to find this on Bluetooth headphones these days. Especially when it comes to headphones in this price range, where it is usually a toss-up whether the manufacturer will choose to use micro USB or USB-C.

The 1More Stylish True Wireless Headphones come in four different color options, including black, gold, pink, and green. 1More was nice enough to send out a pair in black for this review, which is my favorite of all the colors offered, and I must say, I’m very pleased with the overall look.

Comfort

1More offers a selection of ear tips and earloops in the box allowing you to customize the fit for each ear. Personally, I went with the smallest size for both and found them to be very comfortable, even during long listening sessions. The ear tips fit my ears well helping to isolate sound, while the ear loops ensured they would stay in place, even while exercising.

Overall, I was extremely satisfied with the fit of the 1More Stylish True Wireless Headphones. Unlike with many other brands, I didn’t experience any discomfort while wearing them and they stay securely in your ears, what more could you ask for?

User Experience

First things first, 1More has an app for its Bluetooth headphones, but for the Stylish True Wireless Headphones, it does very little. Essentially, the app gives you the battery level of each bud, but not the case, allows you to update the firmware, and provides you with an overview of what the buttons do. Personally, I would have liked to have seen some more features, such as an equalizer, and a way to view the current battery level of the case.

The version of firmware you are running will determine what the button shortcuts will do. If you upgrade to the latest version 1More has included a new shortcut to control the volume. However, I must stress this point, if you need to upgrade the firmware, you MUST read the instructions on 1More’s blog post first.

If not, then you are doomed to endure one of the most frustrating update experiences I’ve ever had to go through. There is an entire process that involves updating each bud separately, and the app will not walk you through it. Consider yourself warned.

Please read the blog post and follow the instructions or else you’ll be paying for it later. You could end up like me, spending several hours trying to get the buds updated properly and paired back to your phone. This was my experience after assuming updating only required having both buds out of the case when pressing the upgrade button inside of the app.

Besides the upgrade fiasco, the True Stylish True Wireless Headphones worked great. I especially liked the buttons which are clicky and perform much better than the touch-sensitive ones I’ve used on other true wireless headphones. The only thing missing is a sensor which pauses the music when a bud is removed from your ear, however, that’s something I can live without.

Sound Quality

The 1More Stylish True Wireless Headphones are more than just stylish, as the name implies. They are also the best-sounding truly wireless headphones I’ve heard in this price range.

I was immediately impressed with how deep the bass is along with how well balanced the highs are to preserve detail in tracks. This guarantees you’ll be able to hear every instrument in each song without losing any of the low-end.

Whether I was listening to pop, rock, classical, rap, or EDM I thoroughly enjoyed the sound of the 1More Stylish True Wireless Headphones. These sound almost as good as headphones that cost nearly twice as much.

Bluetooth Connection

With the exception of my trouble with pairing after a failed firmware update, the 1More Stylish True Wireless Headphones provide a pretty solid connection. As long as I was within 30-40ft. of my phone, I had no issues, unless there were a couple of walls in the way. At that point, I would experience a drop out here and there, but that’s not unusual.

My only complaint would be that occasionally they wouldn’t automatically reconnect when I took them out of the case. That would require me to open up the Bluetooth menu and manually select them, it’s not the end of the world, but certainly not ideal either.

Battery Life

1More rates the Stylish True Wireless Headphones at 6.5 hours of consecutive listening, with three additional charges from the case, for a total of 24 hours of playback time. In my experience, they live up to this promise. I had no issues with the headphones dying early, or any occasions where I ran out of juice. The case even offers fast charging, which will give the buds up to three-hours of playback after charging them for 15 minutes.

Final Thoughts

Despite some of the minor issues I encountered with the 1More Stylish True Wireless Headphones, they are comfortable and sound fantastic. At $100 they are well worth the price and if you can find them even cheaper on sale, they are a steal. These are without a doubt my go to for recommending TWS headphones in the $100 price range. No other headphones I’ve tried at this price can compete and I think 1More has really outdone themselves here.

Buy from Amazon Buy from 1More

Just $30, this 62-hour training bundle will turn you into a CompTIA Linux Network pro

AndroidGuys
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The tech world is heading for the cloud, and it’s doing it at an increasingly faster pace. Consider for a moment, more than half of all professionals are currently using the cloud for projects, or plan to migrate to the cloud.

When it comes to managing businesses in 2020, it takes more than having someone on your team who can “mess with” things. You don’t want that for troubleshooting and configuration and sure don’t want it for security.

CompTIA is the voice of the world’s information technology (IT) industry. It’s what enables professionals to be more successful and leads to with industry-leading IT certifications and IT business credentials, IT education, resources, and more.

Show up for a job interview with CompTIA credentials under your belt and your prospective employer will know you not only have IT skills, but you also show a commitment to your career and continued learning.

If this sounds like something that you’d be interested in? Go to the AndroidGuys Deals Store today and you’ll find the CompTIA Linux Network Professional Bundle on sale for just $29.99.

Included in the online training bundle is some 62 hours of instructor-led content on CompTIA Linux+ (XK0-004) and CompTIA Network+ (N10-007). What does that mean to you? It means learning the current trends and tools in today’s tech environment and how to work with them.

CompTIA Linux+ (XK0-004)

  • Practice an organized test-preparation routine through the use of proven series elements & techniques
  • Understand hardware & system configuration
  • Learn Linux troubleshooting & diagnostics
  • Learn about systems operation & maintenance along w/ security measures and operations

CompTIA Network+ (N10-007)

  • Describe the features of different network protocols & products for LANs, WANs, and wireless networks
  • Understand the functions & features of TCP/IP addressing and protocols
  • Identify threats to network security & appropriate countermeasures and controls
  • Install & configure network cabling and appliances
  • Manage, monitor & troubleshoot networks

Get Started Today!

Valued at nearly $600, this online training bundle is yours for just $29.99 right now, a savings of more than 90%. It’s yours for as long as you want and you’ll even get certificates of completion when you’re done.

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.

My Android phone as a car key? Yes please!

Andrew Allen
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Apple recently announced something at its WWDC live stream conference that really caught my eye. No, not those things that Android has had for years like better home screen management and widgets. As a matter of fact, it was the concept of digital car keys.

I’ve been on a crusade lately to find a great organizer for my keys. There’s something about what Apple has going that gets me thinking that this could be the final step to my pocket euphoria.

The new partnership between Apple and car manufacturers will allow users to unlock or start their vehicle via Near Field Communication, or NFC. If this sounds familiar, it’s because the technology has been around for a while now. It’s used for beaming files from one phone to another or for tap-to-pay at checkouts.

From the looks of it, this will work almost identically to how wireless payments are processed. Cars will have a receiver built into the door handle to unlock the car and another one in the dash area to allow for ignition.

It’s not necessarily a new idea as companies like Hyundai, BMW, and Tesla have offered this with proprietary apps. What makes this different is that Apple bakes it directly into the operating system. No app to download, open, or learn; just Apple Wallet.

Hey Google, copy Apple

I sincerely hope that Google is working on a similar development path. I would love to have my next car have the ability to be locked, unlocked, and started by my Pixel.

As we move towards a world without a physical wallet or at least one where we’re less dependent on one, digital car security seems like a natural progression.

Google has a great working relationship and blueprints with car OEMs to follow with Carplay and Android Auto. Much like BMW will be Apple’s first, premium carmakers were the first to adopt pluggable infotainment like Android Auto. Google can take these baby steps with high-end cars to hone this new feature and morph it into a standard feature for all vehicles.

Google can also partner with manufacturers that are always looking at technology as an advantage no matter the sticker price of the car. Hyundai and Kia specifically have in-house app solutions with similar features and were also early adopters of Android Auto in the US. I could easily see both brands interested in a feature like this as a unique and compelling selling factor over its (much) more expensive rivals.

Tread Lightly

As we see in all forms of emerging tech, especially those around mobile devices, security measures, and extra precaution will be paramount. Similar to self-driving cars and other areas where we hand permission over to technology, we’ll have to move at a deliberate and measured pace.

With that said, Google has plenty of experience in the area of security. I’m sure face unlock and the new Titan chips for Pixels can both be leveraged. Apple has a quick feature turned on by default but face unlock can be turned on for added assurance in the settings.

Tomorrow Can’t Come Soon Enough

With all that said, I can’t wait to see this as an option for Android. I long for the days for fewer things to carry when leaving the house. An encrypted digital device that never leaves my hands seems like the right place for them to land.

I can already unlock my house, set my alarm, and check my wifi network all from remote locations. Why wouldn’t being able to start and unlock my car on the go be the next frontier?

How About You?

What about the rest of you out there? Do you hope this is in the next version of Android? Do you trust the concept enough to consider leaving a physical key behind?  Let us know in the comments.

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