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LG Wing rumored with rotating second screen

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LG announced that they were creating a new brand identity for their devices in April, with the first device in this effort being the LG Velvet, a $700 device with the Snapdragon 765G, a 48MP main camera, and a 6.8″ display. Now, rumors from ETNews and Herald Corp suggest that LG is working on a new device with the codenamed Wing.

LG Velvet

The LG Wing reportedly has two displays, with a 6.8″ main display and a 4″ secondary display that can be used for editing tools, browsing functions, and other purposes. The 6.8″ main panel swivels to a horizontal position over the secondary display. It is also rumored to have the Snapdragon 765 like the Velvet. The rumored pricing sits at about 1 million won($800).

 

Top three password management tips for smartphones

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

Smartphones are all around us – professionals, business executives, housewives, students – everyone has a phone nowadays. The utility and convenience offered by smartphones cannot be denied; they have revolutionized our lives and taken it to an all-new level. But, with all the benefits also come some drawbacks.

The increasing reliance on cellphones means our sensitive, personal information might be at risk if our phone gets stolen. Today, I will provide you three tips to ensure the safety of your personal data on your smartphone and protect it from hackers or unauthorized use:

Lock Your Device

Locking your device using a password ensures privacy – to some extent – even if you lose your smartphone or if it gets stolen. Setting a password is the simplest type of security feature that you can use on your smartphone, and the rest follows.

You can prevent unauthorized access to personal data on your phone if you secure it with a password. You never know when you might forget your phone somewhere and it ends up in someone else’s hands. In such a situation, you want to make sure that your private data stays away from prying eyes.

Use Strong Passwords

Using a password for your smartphone is an essential security practice – only if the password is strong enough! There is no use of locking your device if your password is common knowledge to everyone around you, or if it is painfully simple to guess.

Use a strong password for your smartphone, but make sure you can remember it afterward. You need to use your smartphone every once in a while, thus typing in a difficult password every time can be quite a hassle. But there is a solution; you do not have to create a lengthy password with lots of numbers and special characters. Just make one that is short yet powerful. Use less but difficult characters in your password, and make it hard to guess.

If typing in a password every time bothers you, then consider using a pattern as your password. Draw patterns instead of typing a password; some people find it fun to apply the pattern to unlock their devices. Creating a unique pattern for your phone as a password not only keeps your device protected but also saves you the hassle of typing a password repeatedly.

Use a Password Manager

If you use your smartphone for virtually everything, i.e. logging in to your online accounts, mobile banking, etc., then we advise you to use a password manager. A Password Management software program will keep all your passwords in one place, secured by a master password.

Use a mobile password manager to keep all your passwords with you at all times and access them on the go. A mobile password manager not only stores passwords for your accounts you access from your smartphone, but you can also use it to store all your other passwords, credit card numbers, and pin codes, etc.

You can download many of these password managers for free, but for added security features you should be to spend a little. A few of the top mobile password manager programs include LastPass, Dashlane, Keeper, Roboform, NordPass, and Keepass.


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

Samsung Galaxy Fold Lite early details – Snapdragon 865 at $1099

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According to early reports, Samsung could be working on Samsung Galaxy Fold Lite. While not as feature-packed as the Galaxy Fold or the Z Flip, it will have an entry-level price to match.

Currently, the price for a foldable or clamshell phone is between $1,499 and $1,999, making it largely inaccessible to a lot of people.

Samsung Galaxy Fold Lite – What is known so far

The Samsung Galaxy Fold Lite is only in the early stages of making rounds on the internet. One of XDA’s top writers and a renowned leaker, Max Weinbach, has shared some information that he is marking as early info on the device.

https://twitter.com/MaxWinebach/status/1260229743737266178

So a basic breakdown of the information thus far comes to:

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Potentially powering the device
  • No 5G Support will only work with 4G
  • Built out of aluminum and glass
  • The price point will $1099
  • Winner 2- could be the codename for the device, which was previously believed to be the Galaxy Fold 2
  • Only 256GB of ROM no details on the RAM, but could be 6GB or 8GB.
  • Will come in only 2 colors: Mirror Black and Mirror Purple
  • The display will not use Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG)
  • The outside display will be closer to the Z Flip than the Fold

All in all, it seems Samsung might be making a phone that will attract more people to foldable phones, and potentially encourage them to try more premium models in the future.

So far the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 looks like it could be the hottest contender for the lowest priced foldable phone in the market. While many customers will not be getting the fringe benefits and features they would from the Galaxy Fold or the Flip, let’s wait and see what the future holds.

Perhaps the phone will be revealed at the same time as the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20+. We still don’t know when or where Samsung plans on revealing their new phones, but we can be certain it will be a digital launch.

What are your thoughts on the potential of a Samsung Galaxy Fold Lite? Let us know in the comments section below!

Motorola Razr gets Android 10 and a plethora of new features

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The Motorola Razr launched in November 2019, and while it launched with Android 9, it didn’t stop loyal fans from grabbing the clamshell phone that reminded them of the 2005 original.

The Razr does not come cheap at $1499, but that’s a common price point for foldable and clamshell phones like the Samsung Galaxy Fold or the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.

The Razr this week gets Android 10 pushed to it, and with it comes a bunch of cool features for the quick view display.

Motorola Razr & Android 10 – The Quick View is reborn!

With the addition of Android 10, you get all the latest features of the Android OS, and other benefits, but the real showstopper here is the intuitive use of Quick View through the update.

The Quick View display is a G-OLED display that measures at 2.7 inches on the front of the phone. Previously this only displayed prominent information on the screen with further action needing the user to flip the phone open to continue. With today’s update, the Quick View display is the star of the show.

While the phone is closed, users will be able to use most of the phone’s features without the need of flipping it open! This adds an entire level of convenience and should make the phone a hot topic among tech enthusiasts.

Some of the features are:

  • Use Google Maps
  • Carry out video calls
  • Navigate their favorite music app
  • Reply to text messages and other messages
  • Call favorite contacts
  • Use the selfie camera, play with the camera modes, take portrait and group selfies

With Android 10, you’re getting the ability to customize your notification bar, adjust the theme from light to dark mode, and other features introduced in Android 10.

Most of the features mentioned above are readily available to US customers using the Motorola Razr. Users in other parts of the world will have to wait for the update to roll out for them and make use of the brand new features for their clamshell phone.

It’s good to see Motorola make more utility out of the Android 10 update to make the phone stand out from the rest.

If you’re currently using the Motorola Razr on Android 10, let us know how you’re liking the new features in the comments section below!

The Poco F2 Pro is a $499 flagship killer but it’s not without quirks

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The successor to the critically acclaimed Poco F1 of 2018 was announced today in the form of the Poco F2 Pro. The Xiaomi sub-brand is back yet again to make some noise as their latest phone boasts some great hardware, an AMOLED display, and a knockout of a price. Unfortunately, it comes with a catch.

The Poco F2 Pro – So close to greatness, yet so far

The Poco F2 Pro is a great phone. It offers a flagship tier processor with UFS 3.1 (in the 256/8GB variant only) and other fantastic internals. When the Poco F1 first launched, the biggest complaint about the phone was its display, which was an LCD display. Otherwise, fans were more than content with what the F1 offered.

The Poco F2 Pro brings the following hardware to the table:

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor
  • 128GB/256GB ROM with 6GB (LPDDR4X)/8GB (LPDDR5)
  • 6.67″ dot AMOLED display at a resolution of 2400×1080 (FHD+) with DC Dimming
  • 60Hz Refresh rate with a 180Hz Sample rate
  • TÜV Rheinland Full Care Display Certification
  • Supports HDR10+ with Widevine L1 support out of the box
  • Quad camera setup: 64MP main wide sensor (Sony IMX686), 13MP ultra wide-angle sensor, 5MP macro sensor, 2MP depth sensor
  • Front camera is a pop-up camera: 20MP that can capture slow motion at 120FPS @ 720p
  • 4700mAh battery with 30W Fast charging (wired only) Supports quick-charge 4.0+ and power delivery 3.0. A 33W charger is included in the box.
  • 5G connectivity, Dual-SIM.
  • NFC Tsupport
  • IR blaster
  • 3.5mm Headphone jack
  • ships with MIUI 11, Android 10
  • Color options are: Cyber Grey, Electric Purple, Phantom White, and Neon Blue

The phone returns with its LiquidCool Technology 2.0. This time boasting thermal reductions of up to 14°C (57.2°F).

The phone is also capable of capturing footage in 8K, which is actually impressive. It can record in 8K at 24/30FPS (8K @ 24FPS will be added via a software update), 4K at 30/60FPS, 1080p at 30/60FPS, and 720p at 30FPS.

In addition, the phone can also record in a variety of slow-motion modes from the back camera.

  • 960fps720P/1080P
  • 240fps 720P/1080P
  • 120fps 720P/1080P

It’s a shame that the face unlock which made the Poco F1 rival the iPhone X in terms of security is no longer a feature. The phone possesses an in-display fingerprint sensor.

Another caveat comes in the form of the 60Hz refresh rate. When phones like the Meizu 17 are offering 90Hz at the slightly higher price with similar hardware, this is where the Poco F2 Pro lags behind the competition.

If you’re wondering why the phone looks familiar, its because the phone is a rebrand of the China-exclusive Redmi K30 Pro.

The phone is set to retail for $499 and is available for purchase on a variety of sites starting today. Sites like Gearbest are already taking orders for the phone.

What are your thoughts on the new Poco F2 Pro? Let us know in the comments section below!

Everything you need to know to unlock your Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G

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

Network lock is a strategic practice of the carriers to force customers not to use their devices with other network providers. If you purchased a Samsung Galaxy S20 5G and it is locked, you can safely and quickly unlock it by requesting an unlock code.

By doing this, you can unlock your phone in a few minutes. Best of all, you won’t have to take it to a repair store or leave it with strangers. You can do it on your sofa, at home in a very short time and in a very simple way.

Steps to request the unlocking code

If you want to request the code we recommend Movical to unlock your Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G. Follow these steps:

  • Select the model of your phone, in this case the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G.
  • Choose the country and carrier of origin of the device.
  • Select the payment currency and the delivery plan for your code.
  • Fill out the form with your cell phone’s IMEI and your contact information.
  • Make your payment.

How to unlock your Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G

Once your unlocking code arrives, the next step is to enter it in your phone to make the unlocking effective. To do this, you must insert a SIM card from a different carrier into your phone and turn it on. Then, the phone will display a screen that will request a code.

In this blank space, write the digits we sent you and press Enter. After that, the device will allow you to use your phone without restrictions. It will be unlocked so you can use it with any SIM card you want.

Frequently asked questions on how to unlock Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G

  • How long will it take to unlock my cell phone? Your Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G unlocking is permanent phone remains unlocked for its entire life. You can reset your device to factory settings and update the software, the unlocking will not be lost.
  • Can I lose the warranty of my device after unlocking it? No. The network lock is done by the telephone operators that sell the devices and not by the manufacturers. Therefore, you can remove this blocking without any risk of losing the brand warranty.
  • Is it possible that the unlock code won’t work? This can happen for several reasons, but it is not common. If your cell phone’s IMEI is reported on a blacklist, it will not work. To find this out, you can contact us and we will help you. The code can also generate an error if you send the wrong IMEI to your phone. If that’s your case, you will have to perform the procedure again, including payment.

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

Download new MIUI 12 Super Wallpapers with fixes for light and dark theme

A few days ago, we covered the MIUI 12 Super Wallpapers. These were in the form of Earth and Mars and various parts of each planet. The original version of the port had 4 versions to choose from, but a new version from XDA Developer contributor, linuxct has added 18 variants.

New MIUI 12 Super Wallpapers – New & Improved!

The new wallpapers are available for download and come with a change. In the previous version of these wallpapers, it would match itself to the system theme. As such, the wallpaper would be either dim or bright, there was no way to get a bright wallpaper on a dark theme and vice versa.

In the latest version provided by linuxct, this issue has been resolved. You can now download the light and dark version. Depending on which look or style suits you, you can easily download and use whichever wallpaper you wish.

Here is a look at the two new variants to Super Mars – Evergreen Garden & Central Mountains of Hale Crater. (Images are courtesy of XDA Developers)

You can use the following link to download the different variants of the Super Mars and Super Earth Wallpapers.

MIUI 12 Super Wallpapers (Mars + Earth) With Bright / Dim Mode Adjusted 

The total variants of the wallpaper now come to the following:

  • Earth Super Wallpaper
    • Earth Glacier Super Wallpaper
    • Earth Forest Super Wallpaper
  • Mars Super Wallpaper
    • Evergreen Garden
    • Central Mountain of Hale Crater

You will get to choose the APK you want to download, after that you install the APK. If your native wallpaper handling package of your OEM software (EMUI, MIUI etc.) doesn’t show you the live wallpapers, you can install Google Wallpapers on your phone and see them in the live wallpapers section.

In addition to the lighting changes to each live wallpaper, these now work on Android 8.0 devices and over (previously Android 8.1 was needed) and it is now compatible with AOSP-based custom ROMS. Allowing for greater compatibility of the live wallpapers to your phone, if you are on a custom ROM.

With the newer additions to the family, there is now more to choose from! Let us know which one is your pick in the comments section below!

Source: XDA Developers

Top four benefits of ad blockers

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

Imagine a situation when you are researching for an important project online, or just casually browsing through e-stores planning your next purchase, and suddenly, a seemingly unrelated ad pops out of nowhere. Pretty annoying, right? I am sure everybody can relate to this situation! Online ads, especially those that get plastered on your entire screen without warning, are downright rude and intrusive.

So, what can you do to make sure you never have to lay eyes on an unsolicited ad or pop-up again? I recommend you to install an ad blocker for your browser (here you can find the best ad blockers for chrome) and put a permanent stop to this invasion. Today, I will explain the top 4 benefits of a good ad blocker that will transform your online browsing experience:-

No Unwanted Ads and Pop-ups

An ad blocker prevents unwanted ads and pop-ups from emerging on your screen. You don’t have to worry about distractions while working online, or your family/kids seeing inappropriate pop-ups while showing them something on your screen. Simply install an ad blocker extension on your web browser, and it will filter all the annoying advertisements for you while you surf the Internet. Besides, the ad blockers can stop ad servers from tracking your online activity and collecting your personal information for more targeted advertising in the future.

Secure Browsing

Online attackers have come up with a new way of targeting users with malware and viruses by buying up advertising space on popular websites. Known as ‘Malvertising’, this can be disastrous for your machine and data if you are not careful. An ad blocker keeps you secure over the Internet by blocking online ads, and reduces your risk of exposure to malicious content while browsing. However, ad blockers do not block all the advertisements. Some companies especially pay ad blockers to get their advertisements white-listed, so we advise you to take extra precautions for complete protection.

Faster Page Load Time

With fewer distractions online courtesy of an ad blocker, you will experience faster page load times. An ad comes with text, images, and graphics that take time to load, hence it affects the overall page load time, as well. A good ad blocker stops these ads from loading at all, allowing your browser to focus on displaying the actual site content that often loads faster without ads.

Improved Browsing Experience

With an ad blocker, you will notice an improvement in the content you see online. When unwanted ads are automatically blocked, you will see more legitimate and relevant advertisements that may be helpful. Moreover, since ad blockers challenge the advertisers’ conventional methods, they would have to come up with more creative and natural ways to attract your attention. This means better and high-quality content for you, and thus an enjoyable browsing experience.

Ad blockers do more than simply blocking ads, and have a plethora of other benefits that make them a popular choice for Internet users. These simple tools put the power in your hand, and challenge brands to craft better advertisements to reach you. Internet is all about the content after all, and if an ad blocker helps you access good content, then it is worth a shot.


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

Mobvoi and LifeSmart collaborate to introduce the Cololight

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Today, Mobvoi, the manufacturer of the TicWatch and TicPods, announced Cololight, smart LED panels produced in collaboration with LifeSmart.

The Cololight are hexagonal panels that boasts audio visualization with ability to adjust according to volume and adjustment via the app, a remote, Google Home, and Mobvoi’s TicWatch.

Mobvoi Cololight

The Cololight can be arranged in any way you wish and can even be put on the included pedestal to make a desk lamp. They only consume 0.3W per light of power on the regular, with max power consumption at 5W per light.

The Cololight can be purchased now at Mobvoi’s website, at $49.99 for a set of 3 and $79.99 for a set of 6. The website even includes some arrangements to give you inspiration for your own personal setup.

Get $50 off the TicWatch Pro 4G/LTE until 5/16

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Aside from Fossil and it’s subsidiaries, one of the very few remaining Wear OS by Googleâ„¢ watch manufacturers is Mobvoi, the manufacturer of the TicWatch. Their watches are pretty similarly priced to offerings from Fossil, but until May 16, they are offering $50 off the TicWatch Pro 4G/LTE.

The TicWatch Pro 4G/LTE is normally $299, and boasts the following features:

  • Cellular Connectivity
  • A lightweight design with military-grade durability and an IP68 rating
  • NFC Payments
  • 24hr heart rate monitoring
  • TicMotionâ„¢ proactive motion tracking
  • Google Assistant
  • Layered displays with a low-powered LCD and an AMOLED display, boasting 5-30 days and 2 days of battery life, respectively

It is powered by the  Snapdragon Wear™ 2100 processor, which is backed up by 1GB of RAM.

You can read our full review here, but we feel that it is the foremost choice if you need cellular connectivity in a watch, with a superior fitness app and an amazing battery-saving Essential mode.

The TicWatch Pro 4G/LTE can be purchased for $249 directly from Mobvoi, but the coupon expires on May 16.