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Whatsapp limits forwarding messages to fight spread of fake news

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Whatsapp announced this Tuesday that in an attempt to fight the rapid spread of fake and misinformation through its messages, especially regarding the current coronavirus pandemic situation, it is introducing new stricter limits to the forwarding of messages through the app. The new change will limit the forwarding of a message which has been identified as highly forwarded, to only one person at a time, instead of a previous limit of up to 5 people.

Whatsapp expects that this new limit would slow down the spread of misinformation through the app and would restrict people from rapidly forwarding news without confirming its authenticity. In an official blog post shared on Tuesday, Whatsapp also mentioned that the Facebook-owned company believes that it is important to slow the spread of these kinds of messages and to keep Whatsapp a place for personal conversations, as it is important now more than ever for people to be able to connect privately.

Over the years Whatsapp has also taken a few other steps to fight the spread of fake news and misinformation through their app with billions of active users, like limiting forwarding of messages to only 5 people at a time, marking messages as forwarded and also limiting the number of times a message could be forwarded. However, since Whatsapp is a private messaging application at its core and all its messages are encrypted, it is quite difficult to report messages, flag them as fake or even fact check them.

Apart from this new change, Whatsapp has also made a few other contributions to fight the spread of misinformation in these trying times such as donating money to fact-checking organizations and teaming up with WHO to create a chatbot to answer people’s questions about the Coronavirus. Whatsapp is also said to add a new feature in the upcoming versions of the app that would allow users to quickly search the web about the contents of a message to verify its authenticity before deciding to share it.

Whatsapp messages

This $70 docking station features 9 outputs including HDMI, SD Card, USB, 4K

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Stuck at home, trying to make the best of your new working situation? How is that laptop handling things? If you need more functionality, chances are good that a docking station could be the answer.

Designed for laptops that run Windows 7, 8.1, or 10,  the Ledetech Laptop Docking Station Stand is exactly the sort of thing that makes working from home more manageable. And right now you can get it for just $69.99, a savings of 30%.

Featuring nine outputs, this dock connects to your laptop and has an HDMI, RJ451, SD Card/Micro SD card readers, and more. Plug all of your peripherals and devices into the station so that you can pick up the laptop and move when you’re ready.

  • Connect up to 9 peripherals w/ the HDMI, RJ45, SD Card & USB ports
  • Enjoy improved ergonomics as this device doubles as a laptop stand
  • Mirror display in high-quality w/ the 4K output
  • Connect any Windows 7, 8.1, or 10.1 laptop

Availability

If you’re ready to step up your work from home game, or simply make things easier around the office, consider the Ledetech Laptop Docking Station Stand. Normally priced $99.99, it’s in the AndroidGuys Deals Store for just $69.99 today.

Note

  • Requires DisplayLink Graphics driver to be installed
  • 4K output requires Intel SkyLake i3 or previous generation Intel Core i7, AMD A10 at 2.0GHz or better and Intel HD 4000, AMD Radeon HD 8650, NVidia GeForce 7xxM or better, 8GB of RAM or more

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.

How to activate and use Google Assistant on your non-Pixel Chromebook

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Way back in 2016, Google announced a new initiative for the company: Google Assistant. This was the evolution of Google Search into the new decade for Google. And it’s spread Assistant to most of the company’s connected portfolio.

This includes Chrome OS although this portion of Google Assistant was originally reserved as a Pixelbook exclusive. The in-house Chrome OS laptops even have a dedicated button for launching Assistant.

What are we doing?

In this tutorial, I’d like to walk you through making sure Google Assistant is turned on and the ways you can navigate this option. Whether it be voice, keyboard, or cursor, we’ll cover all the basics to using Google’s new virtual butler.

How to make it work

All of what we are doing will live inside the Settings app on Chrome. This can be opened via the app gallery or by clicking on the notification area, and then selecting the gear icon.

  • Open Settings
  • Click the Search and Assistant option
  • Make sure Google Assistant is enabled
  • Enable and review options on the next screen

Now, we have made sure our new laptop has Google Assistant enabled and at our fingerprints. Next, we need to cover how to spring it into action. There’s a couple of ways to get there via the user interface.

  • Click the App Launcher button
  • Choose the Assistant button from the pop-up
  • This pop-up can also be achieved by pressing the Search key on the keyboard

These last few steps should get you to the Assistant input option. You can also jump straight to the Assistant with a handy keyboard shortcut combination. If you press the Search key and the “A” key at the same time you will get Google Assistant directly.

AI is the future

You can now use Assistant to answer your favorite trivia, play a song, or even turn off your home automation. Let us know in the comments about how you commonly use Google Assistant on your Chromebook.

How to sync your phone notifications and clipboard to your PC

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If you are someone whose workflow is mainly involved in working from a laptop or a PC, but you also receive a lot of messages and notifications on your phone which you need to handle as well, there is a simpler way to manage your workflow instead of constantly switching between your devices.

What if you could receive all your phone’s notifications, messages, and calls to your PC and manage and interact with them as well instead of just being able to view them? Your workflow wouldn’t be interrupted much and you can focus on working on a single device at a time.

Thankfully there is an Android app to do exactly that, to sync all your phone’s notifications, messages, and calls to your PC. You can also use this app to dismiss your notifications on your phone from your PC, reply to your messages and even perform supported actions.

Just follow the below steps to sync your phone notifications and your phone’s clipboard to your PC and manage your notifications and reply to your phone messages directly from your PC.

How to sync your phone notifications and clipboard to your PC

Step 1:

In order to sync the notifications and messages from your phone to your PC, you need to install an Android app called Crono on your Android phone and the corresponding Google Chrome extension on your PC.

Since the extension works directly from Chrome, you can use this on any PC irrespective of the base OS as long as it supports Google Chrome.

First, download and install the Crono Android app on your Android phone from the Google Play Store.

Once you have installed the app on your phone, install the Crono Google Chrome extension on your PC from the Chrome web store in your Google Chrome browser.

notifications

You can also install the Crono extension on other web browsers if they support Chrome extensions.

Step 2:

Once you have installed the Crono Android app and Chrome extension on both your phone and your PC, open the Crono app on your phone and use either your Google or your Facebook account to sign in to the app.

notifications

Step 3:

Once you have signed in to the app, you will now need to provide the app with permissions to access and read your notifications for syncing them with your PC, and you can also optionally allow the app to access your calendar events and reminders if you want them to be synced to your PC as well.

Step 4:

After providing the basic permissions, you will now need to scan the QR code from the Crono Chrome extension on your PC to connect the Android app with your PC.

To do this, first, click on the Crono extension on your Chrome browser and you will be redirected to the app settings page where the QR code will be displayed. Just use your Android phone to scan the QR code and your phone and your PC will now be connected.

QR codeStep 5:

Once the connection has been established, your phone’s notifications and messages will start automatically syncing with your PC.

By default the notifications from all the apps installed on your phone will be synced to your PC, however, you can exclude the apps you want by going to the Crono settings page and deselecting the apps from the app notifications page.

Step 6:

To view and manage all your phone’s notifications and messages, just click on the Crono extension icon on your Chrome browser and you would be taken to the Crono Dashboard.

notifications

From this page, you can not only view all your notifications, but you can also check your device’s current battery status, manage the app settings, set up a one-time password, and even ring your device in case you misplace it somewhere.

notifications

You can also pin your favorite apps so that notifications from these apps will always appear on top of others.

Step 7:

If you want to reply to a message or manage a notification you can either click on the notification from the drop-down menu of the extension or directly do it from the Crono dashboard. Since the notifications are synced between your devices, once you dismiss a notification or perform any action on your PC, it will be reflected in your phone as well.

You can also dismiss incoming calls from your PC from the Crono notification, however, it is not possible to attend incoming calls.

Step 8:

Besides syncing your notifications, the Crono app also can sync the clipboards between your devices. All you need to do is select the content you want to copy on your PC, right-click and then select the ‘copy to your device’s clipboard’ option from the pop-up menu and whatever the content you copied on your PC will now be synced to your phone.

share clipboard share files

You can also send and receive files between your devices using the Crono app. Just select the ‘send file’ option from the home screen on the app and select the files you want to send to proceed.

Feel free to let us know in the comments below if you have any questions about using the app or if you are facing any problems during the installation or the setup.

myCharge Hub Turbo review

Thanks to the near-universal approach that most phone makers take today, a lot of devices employ USB Type-C for charging.

The tech is not just phones, either as headphones and other accessories are turning to the standard. On the other hand, there’s a sizable segment of the market that has iPhone. In short, there are currently two major ways to keep devices charged.

Occasionally, you’ll also find something that works just as well with Android as it does for iPhones. Such is the case with the myCharge Hub Turbo.

MyCharge has been one of my favorite brands in the charging space over the last few years. Its chargers get bigger and better all the time and at prices that stay competitive. As the newest model in its portfolio, the Hub Turbo is another testament to its powerful and flexible charging solutions.

Packing some 10,050mAh worth of battery, this portable charger is designed to power up your average smartphone at least three times over. Depending on how old your handset is, or what the battery is like, it could go even higher.

READ: Consider myCharge’s wireless charging and Nintendo Switch solutions

If you’re not dealing with a flagship phone, or a model that specifically boasts a two-day battery, you’ll likely get four charges.

One of the features I  appreciate about this model is that it features an integrated Apple Lightning cable as well as an integrated USB Type-C cable. While I won’t necessarily use the former cable, it’s nice to have on hand for whenever my friends with an iPhone might need some extra power.

The built-in cords are roughly 4-inches long and rest inside of a track, and snap into place when not in use. After a few weeks of use I’ve yet recognize any giving or slack in the part that keeps the cable locked in. I’ve seen this feature in a variety of myCharge models along the way and they’ve always held up well.

READ: myCharge portable chargers are perfect for Pokemon Go hunts

Also present and convenient, there’s a battery level indicator at the top right edge, just above where the cables pull out. It’s a convenient spot as you can quickly see  how much power is left before pulling out a cable.

Specs:

  • Battery: 10050mAh Lithium Ion
  • Product Dimensions: 4.6 in x 2.8 in x 0.9 in
  • Product Weight: 0.6 lbs.
  • Output: 3.4A shared

On the bottom of the unit you’ll find a USB port which can be used to charge any device. Just be sure to bring your own cable.

As a hallmark of the series of chargers, this ones comes with prongs that lets plug it directly into a wall. It’s perfect for packing for overnight trips; it’s an all-in-one device that requires no cables.

I’ve had a chance to review other myCharge devices over the years and have always found them to be among the best in the space. The same goes this time around.

The Hub Turbo looks nearly identical to its predecessors, but does have a slightly darker finish. It’s more of a dark slate color instead of a silver finish.

Availability

You can purchase a myCharge Hub Turbo 10050 for $110 directly from the myCharge website. A smaller, 6700mAh version is also available for about $90, but I definitely think it’s worth the extra money for that extra 50% capacity.

Amazon also offers a variety of myCharge solutions, including the Hub Turbo 10050. Currently it’s listed at just $100, a savings of 10% as compared to myCharge’s website. Similarly, the 6700mAh model is just $80 at Amazon.

TCL 10 series gets US pricing and launch details

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TCL on Monday started the week with the always important pricing and launch information for its upcoming 10 series of phones.

First announced at CES in January, the 10 family of phones will be comprised of three models, one of which includes support for 5G. Here’s what TCL says we might look for as it relates to the TCL 10 Pro, 10L, and 10 5G.

Both the The TCL 10 Pro and TCL 10L will be available unlocked in the US starting in May.  Pricing will be $449 and $249, respectively.

As for the company’s first 5G-ready handset, the 10 5G, it’s expected to arrive later this year. There’s no indication on US pricing just yet, but it’s set to sell for €399 overseas, which shakes out to about $431. At the time of its announcement, TCL indicated it would be “less than $500.”

TCL 10 Pro

  • Android 10
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor
  • 6GB RAM/128GB storage
  • 6.47-inch display (1080 x 2340)
  • 64-megapixel camera, low-light video cam, super-wide camera, and macro camera
  • 24-megapixel front-facing camera
  • 4500mAh battery
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • USB Type-C
  • In-display fingerprint sensor

TCL 10L

  • Android 10
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor
  • 6GB RAM/64GB storage and 6GB RAM/128GB storage
  • 6.53-inch display (1080 x 2340)
  • Four rear cameras
  • 16-megapixel front-facing camera
  • 4000mAh battery
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • USB Type-C

TCL hasn’t fully disclosed all of the details for its 5G phone, but does share the following information.

TCL 5G

  • Android 10
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 processor
  • 6GB RAM
  • 6.53-inch display
  • 64-megapixel camera, ultra-wide camera, macro camera, depth camera
  • 16-megapixel front-facing camera
  • “Large” battery
  • 5G support

It’s also worth noting that the bullet point specs listed above is only part of the story for these phones. There are also custom features and technology at play which enhance the user experience.

A smart key, for instance, lets users quickly access apps like Google Assistant or other apps. There are also enhancements for the displays, a smarter Bluetooth connection, and UI tweaks to look forward to in the new models.

Read more about the new models at TCL’s website.

How to customize Android 10 navigation gestures on any Android phone

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Google introduced gesture-based navigation in Android 10, similar to the one introduced in iOS 11 when Apple launched the iPhone X back in 2017. While gesture-based navigation is definitely a welcome change, for using your device, especially in the era of bezel-less of smartphones, Google might not have done a stellar job in implementing this feature.

The gesture-based navigation in Android 10 was criticized by a lot of Android users for its lack of functionality and poor implementation. However, thankfully there are a few ways using which you can customize both the functionality and the features of the navigation gestures on Android 10 on your device. Even if your Android phone hasn’t still received the Android 10 update yet, you can still enable the gesture navigation feature of Android 10 by following the below steps.

How to customize Android 10 navigation gestures on any Android phone

Method 1: Customize navigation gestures in Android 10 using Gesture Plus

Gesture plus is an app developed specifically for customizing the navigation bar in Android 10 devices by adding new functionality and gestures and performing multiple actions besides basic navigation. Just follow the below steps to install the Gesture plus app on your Android 10 device and customize the navigation gestures.

Step 1:

First, download and install the gesturePlus – Gesture Navigation Tuner app on your Android 10 device.

Step 2:

The app can be customized to add new gestures to your navigation bar on both the home screen and lock screen of your device. You can also select between single or double-tap gestures based on your preference.

Step 3:

Once you have selected your preferred method, you can now choose between several actions to assign to the single or the double-tap gesture. The default single tap option is set to the back gesture, however, you can replace it with any action you like including opening the camera, calling someone, enabling or disabling the flashlight, taking a screenshot, or even launching any app installed on your device.

You can assign any of this action to either the single or the double-tap gesture and from both the home screen and the lock screen of your device using the Gesture plus app.

navigation gestures

The app can also be used to disable the gesture to swiping on the edges of your device to go back entirely, and replace it with the single or double-tap on the navigation bar to go back gesture. This is especially useful if you are using an Android device with a large screen like the Samsung or the Google Pixel XL flagships.

Method 2: Get Android 10 navigation gestures and customize them on any Android phone

According to recent statistics, only about 12% of Android devices run the latest version of Android 10. So, if you are still on older versions of Android but would like to have the gesture-based navigation feature on your Android phone, then follow the below steps to both enable the navigation gestures and also to customize them.

Step 1:

First, download and install the Navigation Gestures – Swipe Gesture Controls app from the Google Play Store on your Android phone.

Step 2:

Open the app and grant the basic permissions like root access, accessibility permission and draw over other apps permission for displaying the navigation pill at the bottom of the screen, replacing the default navigation bar on your device.

Step 3:

Once you have granted the app all the necessary permissions you can now enable the gesture pill, left and right side gestures based on your preferences from the home screen of the app.

You can also enable the option to hide the navigation bar on your device if your Android phone uses software-based navigation buttons.

navigation gestures

Step 4:

Now click on the settings icon at the top right corner of the app to customize the gestures of the navigation pill and the left and the right side gestures on your device. You can also modify the appearance of the pills by modifying their thickness or transparency from the settings screen.

Step 5:

Once you select the gestures option you can now assign your preferred navigation action to the navigation pill at the bottom, or the right or the left sidebars.

While the free version of the app only allows you to assign navigation based actions, you can purchase the premium version of the app to assign several other actions like media controls, taking screenshots, launching apps and more.

navigation gestures

Method 3: Using Fluid Navigation Gestures app

You can also try using the alternative app called Fluid Navigation Gestures, which can also be set up by following similar instructions as above. The app also needs root access to function and offers several options to be assigned to the navigation gestures like launching quick settings, an app or a shortcut, toggling split-screen apps and more in the free version of the app.

If you do not have root access on your Android device but you still want to try out the above-mentioned apps, then you can use the ADB method to give them the necessary permission for enabling the app functionality. You can click this link to get detailed instructions on how to install ADB on your Windows, macOS, or Linux based machine.

Once you have installed the ADB on your computer, you can then connect your Android phone to your PC using your USB and then grant the necessary permissions for the app to function and to enable and customize the navigation gestures on your device.

Feel free to let us know in the comments below if you need any assistance in setting up the above-mentioned apps or if you face any problems in making them work.

Fitbit Charge 4 goes on sale for $150

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Fitbit’s latest wearable, the Charge 4, has arrived and signals a company that’s not content to stand in place. Available for pre-order, the $150 device is the first Fitbit tracker to employ built-in GPS.

Although it looks much like its predecessor, the Charge 3, the new model packs features typically reserved for its smartwatches. Present in the Charge 4 are Spotify controls, Fitbit Pay, notifications, smart wake, and an SpO2 sensor.

The integrated GPS means that wearers no longer have to take out their phone when running, hiking, or biking. Indeed, the Charge 4 will track distance, speed, heart rate, and much more. Yes, there’s also a heart rate monitor.

The Charge 4 is water resistant up to 50 meters and is designed to be worn continuously. As such, it comes with a battery that lasts up to seven days.

The Fitbit Charge 4 comes with a new Active Zones Minutes fitness metric which can automatically detect when your heart rate is at a sustained, heightened level. The tracker can active minutes and is designed to promote at least 30 activity minutes per day.

The Active Zones Minutes score is calculated using height, weight, and fitness levels. Similar to how it tracks a sleep score, it’s designed to encourage a healthy lifestyle and wellness choices.

The Fitbit Charge 4 is available in mauve, blue, and black for $150. A Charge 4 Special Edition runs $20 more and comes with a secondary reflective band for night activity. Shipping is expected to commence April 13.

The Charge 4 comes with a 90-day trial of Fitbit Premium, which features fitness programs, classes, and personalized challenges to help you create and hit wellness goals.

T-Mobile adds Quibi to growing list of customer perks

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Short-form video streaming service Quibi, set to launch in a few days, has become the latest free perk for T-Mobile subscribers.

What’s Quibi?

Quibi is subscription-based ($4.99/month) service with mobile-first videos made for “in-between” moments throughout the day. Videos are short at just 10 minutes or less and features content from popular celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Lopez, Chance the Rapper, Lebron James, and Dwayne Johnson.

As for what sort of videos you’ll find at Quibi when it debuts, the library will consist of things to keep viewers entertained, inspired, and otherwise informed.

Not for Everyone

Unlike some of the other perks that T-Mobile offers its subscribers, the Quibi deal is limited to those with qualified plans. Here’s who T-Mobile says can get in on the deal:

Subscribers with two or more voice lines at…

  • Standard rates on Magenta and One plans
  • First Responder
  • Military
  • Magenta Plus 55 plans

In addition to the aforementioned customers, small business subscribers with up to 12 lines also qualify for the feature.

What Else?

Also just as important, anyone who wants to take advantage of the offer must do so before July 7. To sign up, they’ll need visit MyTmobile.com or use the T-Mobile app on their phone.

Customers also get early access to three bonus episodes of Jennifer Lopez’s new Thanks a Million series via the T-Mobile Tuesdays app until April 3.

After one year, T-Mobile will give its subscribers the choice between keeping Quibi or Netflix for free.

How medical alert devices can help Android users care for their parents

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

It’s natural to worry about our aging parents even under normal circumstances. And now, as the coronavirus outbreak adds more health concerns to the mix, while at the same time preventing us from visiting our elders in person, it’s no surprise that our concern for our parents would increase.

Even if we can’t be there in person for our parents, that doesn’t mean we have to leave them in the dark. Today, medical alert devices offer us assurance that those who need it can have direct, near-instantaneous access to medical health professionals if an emergency should arise.

And best yet, they easily sync up with Androids and other devices to keep us up-to-date and involved at all times, no matter where we are or how far a distance lays between us and our loved ones.

If you’re concerned about the health of your parents or grandparents and want to make sure they’re in the best of hands, here are some of the benefits of medical alert devices:

Fall-detection sensors

Most of today’s medical alert devices feature advanced sensors that will automatically alert an emergency contact when the wearer experiences a fall. The technology involved is impressive: they harness state-of-the-art technology such as matrices and algorithmic predicting technology to determine the event and severity of a fall, which immediately triggers a call to emergency services and contacts. These advanced sensors make it even easier to feel at peace knowing that your parents are in good and capable hands.

GPS Technology

You don’t need to be a worry-wart to obsess over the whereabouts of a sick or aging relative. It’s natural and common for everyone. But the last thing we want to do is constantly bother our relatives with calls and check-ins, which at best can be annoying and at worse insulting. Today’s best medical alert devices feature GPS technology that allows relatives and emergency contacts to know the whereabouts of the wearer, thus letting us breathe deep and allowing them their well-deserved independence.

Android-Friendly

Today’s medical alert devices tap into a wide network of people and devices that include smartphones and other devices. Smart technology has allowed emergency contacts to sync their phones and tablets with the wearer so that they can receive real-time updates, test functionality, and communicate with both the patient and their medical staff. Having an app directly on your Android can make you feel that much more connected to your loved ones and that much more in control no matter where you are or what you’re doing.

Fashionable pendants

Gone are the days of big, bulky medical alert pendants. As the technology has increased, so has the sensitivity to the wearer and their level of comfort. That means that today’s best medical alerts feature slim, sleek pendants that patients can wear with little to no burden. These are not only lightweight and easy to manage, but stylish as well, and many of them can double as a bracelet or pendant. Because nobody should have to compromise their own personal style.


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

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