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How to set a video wallpaper on your Android device

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Since its debut Android has always had a ton of customization options. Key among the cooler features brought about in the first years was the introduction of Live Wallpapers. Whereas initial versions of Android had a few limitations on what could be used as a Live Wallpaper, advances in hardware and software give users the ability to set an actual video as your device’s wallpaper.

If you’ve got a favorite video clip you’d like to use as a wallpaper on Android device, you’re in luck. We’ll show you how to do so in a few easy steps. You can set a wallpaper for both the home screen and lock screen of your phone.

Step 1: Download VideoWall

First, download and install the Android app VideoWall on the Android device where you want to set the wallpaper.

Step 2: Select the video

Open the app, and then select the ‘Video file’ option to select the video which you want to set as wallpaper from your Gallery or your file manager app.

video wallpaper

Make sure that the video you want to select is in the common and popular MP4 or 3GP format. Otherwise, it might not be detected by the app.

Step 3: Trim the video file

Once you have selected the video file, the next step is to either trim the file to only set a portion of it as a wallpaper or just leave it as it is to set the complete video as a wallpaper on a loop.

If you chose to trim the video file before setting it as a wallpaper on your Android device, you can use the trimming slider feature of the app to just select the portion of the video you would like to view in your wallpaper.

video wallpaper

Step 4: Set the video wallpaper

Once you have selected the file and trimmed it, just click on ok to proceed and select the ‘Set wallpaper’ option in the next page to set the selected video as a wallpaper on your Android phone.

video wallpaper

You can either select to set this video as a wallpaper on the home screen or lock screen of your device or on both based on your preference.

Step 5: Modify aspect ratio settings for the video wallpaper

While the aforementioned app allows you to set a video as a wallpaper on your Android device, certain videos may not work without adjustment. For instance some which were shot in landscape mode or are of a different aspect ratio might be stretched to make them fit on your screen, thus making the wallpaper look weird.

To solve this problem, you can try using the Android app called Video Live Wallpaper from the Google Play Store. While this app does not have the option to let you trim your video, it does have a ‘Keep Aspect Ratio’ option. Selecting this automatically crops your video to fit the aspect ratio of your screen, thus fitting even landscape videos perfectly.

aspect ratio

For Samsung users

If you are a Samsung user, you don’t even need to install any additional Android apps on your device to set a video as wallpaper. While this feature on Samsung devices could only be used for setting a video wallpaper on the lock screen of the device, it is still worth knowing that Samsung supports this by default.

To set a video wallpaper on the lock screen of your Samsung device, open the desired video in your Samsung Gallery app and click on the options icon at the top right corner of the screen. From here, select the ‘Set as Wallpaper’ option.

In the next screen, you can either directly set the wallpaper on the lock screen of your device or use the Edit option to trim it before setting it as the wallpaper. Note that this feature could only be used from the Samsung Gallery app and might not work on any other third-party Gallery apps.

Keep in mind that setting a video as a wallpaper on your Android looks cool and unique but it might have a negative impact on the battery life and the performance. This is especially the case if your device has a slower processor or a battery with less capacity.

You might also face some usability issues if you have a lot of widgets set up on your home screen. It is advisable to remove the video wallpaper if you face any of these issues; usability is more important than customizability.

Samsung schedules Galaxy Note 10 announcement for August 7

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It’s official — Samsung plans to introduce its next-generation, stylus packing Galaxy Note 10 in just over one month’s time. An UNPACKED invitation sent out late Monday evening all but confirmed the device’s upcoming debut.

The invitation, visible here, shows the Galaxy Note’s new S-Pen and a single camera lens with details of the when and where. Indeed, August 7 figures to be the launch date of the phone and 4PM looks to be when festivities get underway at the Barclays Center in New York.

Rumors for the Galaxy Note 10 suggest a new design is in order with a bezel-free front. Additionally, the improved S-Pen may even have a camera built inside. Each iteration of the stylus has gotten smarter and more practical; a patent spied by Patently Mobile early this year indicates Samsung has its eyes set on just that, too.

Other details which might make their way into the Galaxy Note 10 include in-display fingerprint reader, a punch hole display for the front-facing camera, and up to four cameras on the rear.

It’s not clear what the plans are just yet in regards to 5G connectivity, however we suspect that it could be baked into the phone. It’s hard to imagine a secondary Note 10 with 5G support. Then again, rumors of a Note 10 Pro have been floating around.

With just about one month to go before the full reveal we might be in for a few more leaks.

Cricket now offering big-screen LG Stylo 5

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Prepaid wireless service provider Cricket recently began offering a new LG smartphone as part of its handset selection. The LG Stylo 5 is a successor to last year’s Stylo 4 and features a number of similar traits.

Priced $230, the LG Stylo 5 runs Android 9 Pie and houses a 6.2-inch display and 13-megapixel camera. The battery is a 3500mAh power source which is slightly improved over the last iteration.

Other specifications include a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, 32GB internal storage, microSD expansion card slot, and a USB Type C port for charging. Being this is a Stylo model, it also boasts a stylus which can be used for jotting notes, writing, or doodling

Cricket indicates it’s the first carrier to carry the Stylo 5 in the US which signals to us that it will arrive at other providers. Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Metro are likely candidates to support the device.

Cricket sells the LG Stylo 5 in an exclusive Blonde Rose color as well as a Platinum Gray. Both versions are $230 and can be paired with a number of Cricket rate plans

Here’s why Stadia might not be for you

Jason England
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Stadia is set to launch in November and it is Google’s grand entrance into mainstream gaming. It promises to bring triple-A games to virtually any screen, without the need for an expensive console or gaming PC.

The way Stadia accomplishes this is really quite remarkable, Google’s servers run the game and stream the video to your choice of screen, delivering quality up to 4K HDR at 60fps with surround sound.

By allowing Google’s servers to render the game, it does away with the need for a powerful console or gaming PC, letting you play on any screen you own. Or, that’s the promise, at least.

While the technology itself is very impressive, Stadia won’t exactly live up to its full potential at launch. Here are some things you should consider before subscribing to Stadia.

Network Speeds

Google’s Stadia won’t leave gamers wanting when it comes to quality graphics as the service provides up to 4K HDR video at 60fps with 5.1 surround sound. However, in order to experience all of that eye candy, you’re going to need a high-speed internet connection of 35Mbps or faster.

Users with slower connections can expect 1080p HDR video at 60fps with surround sound at 1080p at 20Mbps speeds; 720p at 60fps with stereo sound is possible at 10Mbps speeds.

The average U.S. household should have plenty of speed to support Stadia, but if you want to play in locations outside of your house, then you might run into trouble.

Public Wi-Fi and hotels are prime examples of places where you’ll often be constricted by slower network speeds. Even in a crowded house, you could be left fighting over the available bandwidth.

Data Caps

Considering the availability of broadband in the US, the network speed should be a non-issue for many users. Unfortunately, some of the largest broadband providers with the fastest speeds, also enforce monthly data caps.

The most common is a 1TB per month data cap from carriers. If that’s something you might need to contend with, you may see 65 hours of gaming at 4K HDR 60fps with surround sound in Stadia.

That shakes out to an average of two hours of gaming per day. Moreover, it doesn’t take into account everything else we use our internet connections for, including streaming services.

If you also want to stream Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, or have family members or roommates who also want to stream and game, then you’ll be looking at lowering the quality or significantly less gaming time.

Even when I was testing Stadia with Project Stream, I was able to blow through my 1TB data cap with it limited to 1080p at 60fps.

Limited Stadia Screens

One of Stadia’s biggest selling points is gaming on virtually any screen. Unfortunately, at launch, the variety of screens you can play on will be more limited.

Google says you’ll only be able to play on your TV if you have a Chromecast Ultra and the Stadia controller. Bad news for those of you with Android TVs with Chromecast built-in or Android TV boxes like the NVIDIA Shield or Xiaomi Mi Box S. Stadia won’t support them at launch.

Tablets are another murky area, during the launch announcement, Stadia vice president Phil Harrison specifically mentions tablets. Yet, on Stadia’s support page it lists the only mobile devices compatible at launch will be the Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3a, and Pixel 3a XL.

Perhaps Google doesn’t consider tablets a mobile device, or most likely there won’t be any tablet support at all in the beginning. If you were planning on playing using your tablet, it would be best to hold off until it launches and is confirmed to work.

If you want to play on your phone, then you’re out of luck unless you’re using one of the aforementioned Pixel devices.

What about iOS users? It appears they get no love at all. Stadia won’t work on the iPhone, and there has been no mention of the iPad, and it definitely won’t work on the Apple TV.

Pricing

When Stadia launches in November it will cost $10 per month for Stadia Pro. With Stadia Pro, you get access to occasional free games, discounts on games, and streaming up to 4K HDR at 60fps. Even though you’ll still have to buy games individually, $10 per month isn’t bad for essentially leasing a high powered gaming PC.

Unfortunately, the free version of Stadia won’t launch until some time in 2020. If you were on the fence and hoping to give it a try before subscribing, you’ve gotta wait.

It would have been fantastic to have access to the free version at launch. Instead, early adopters will have to pay for the privilege and most likely encounter a few bugs that weren’t worked out during the Project Stream test.

Final Stadia Thoughts

The premise behind Stadia is fantastic. No longer will you be forced to chase the latest PC parts or plunk down large sums of money for the latest console. Not only will it theoretically save you money, but you’ll also have the freedom to game where you want and when you want.

However, it seems Google and the data providers both have some catching up to do before the Stadia dream can be fully realized.

This 7-part Google Go developer bundle is just $29 today

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It’s no secret that there is an abundance of coding and development languages and career opportunities. Things have never been easier for someone to pick up a side hustle learning to write an app, work with cloud systemss, or dabble in machine learning and AI. The tools are everywhere.

Take Google Go, for instance. Created by a team of people inside Google, it’s an open source language built to work similar to C, but with memory safety, garbage collection, structural typing, and other tools.

This might not mean much to the average person, but your developer friends are about that life. Google Go runs fast, is easy to use, and is a great platform for developers to create interesting and powerful web experiences.

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For a limited time you can pick up a 7-course Complete Google Go Developer Master Class Bundle from the AndroidGuys Deals Store for just $29. Normally each course runs about $200 so the savings here is off the chart.

The kit includes a whole array of training to help new and aspiring developer get up and running quickly with the user-friendly language. With 55 hours of help at your disposal, you’ll get a feel for Google Go, how it works, and how to build complex apps and and microservices.

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While this 7-course collection usually costs $1,400, this limited-time offer provides you the whole Google Go training package for just over $4 per course!

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Not looking to spend any money today? No worries. You can still visit the AndroidGuys section for freebies and pick something anyhow.

What to do if your Android phone is stolen or lost

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Having your phone stolen or losing it by mistake can be an awful experience, especially if you have a lot of personal data and information stored directly on your device.

If you are reading this article because you or someone you know lost or had a phone stolen, fear not. There are some things you can do to track, reset, or lock your handset.

Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to track and find the exact location of your lost Android phone, perform a remote wipe of data, or ring it phone at full volume. Yep, even if it is in silent mode.

In the unfortunate event something happens where you cannot find your phone, follow the below steps as soon as possible.

How to find your phone

Android smartphones come built-in with a feature called Find My Phone, which can be used for tracking the location of your phone and ring it from a remote location by using your Google account. This is a default feature on most modern Android smartphones, so you need not download or install any additional app to make use of this feature.

Keep in mind that this feature will accurately work only if your Android device is connected to a WiFi or a mobile network and your location settings are set to high accuracy. However, you might at least get an approximate location of your Android phone even if the location settings are turned off or are set to phone only or battery saving modes.

To use this feature either search for ‘Find my phone’ on Google or go to the website and then log in with the same Google account that you have used on your lost or stolen Android device. You can also download the Find My Device Android app from here.

Once you have logged in to the Google account, the Find My Device feature will almost instantly pinpoint the location of your Android device and allow you to track it on Google Maps.

You can now find the current location where your lost or stolen device is at and can visit that place and use the ‘Play Sound’ option to ring your device at full volume to exactly know where it is. This feature will work even if your phone is on silent mode.

In the unfortunate case that you are unable to find your Android device, you can also use the ‘Secure device’ and ‘Lock device’ options to either lock your device with a password and log out of your Google account or simply erase all the data on your device and perform a factory reset.

This will prevent anyone who might have your stolen phone from getting access to your personal data.  You can still have access to almost all of your personal data as Google automatically takes a backup of your photos, videos, contacts, calendar entries, and even your messages.

Find My Mobile – Samsung

If you are a Samsung device user you can perform a few additional options if you use the Find my mobile feature by Samsung. By visiting the website and signing in using your Samsung mobile account, you can track your phone.

With Samsung’s Find My Mobile feature you can perform additional actions like remotely backing up all your data (media, documents, and installed apps) and retrieving your calls and message logs to track any potential calls or messages made by the person who stole or found your phone.

samsung

The ‘Lock’ option will not only lock your device but will also allow you to display a message on your screen and prevent your phone from being manually powered off.

You can also use the ‘Extend battery life’ feature to set your phone to the maximum power saving mode to ensure that it doesn’t run out of battery while you are trying to track its location. This feature will almost disable the usage of all apps and services on your device, except the ones that are required for tracking your device.

Samsung also allows you to set up “Guardians” by providing contact details of your friend’s or family members.

What if you cannot find your phone?

In some unfortunate cases, you might not be able to track or locate your phone even after trying the aforementioned methods. Your phone’s battery might be dead or the device may have even gotten damaged. What if you cannot find your phone? What to do now?

Report your phone as stolen

The first thing you can do is to report to the police that your phone has been stolen and get any necessary documents needed for filing an insurance claim.

The police might ask for details such as your phone’s make and model, the exact location where it was stolen, and/or your phone number and IMEI. Make sure you have any of these details before you file the report.

You can find all of this info on the box your phone came in, including your unique IMEI number.

Terminate or pause your mobile service

You might also need to report to your carrier and mobile service provider and request them to terminate or pause your mobile phone service. This can prevent someone from using your phone or SIM card to make calls or send messages.

You might also try requesting your service provider to use any GPS tracking service that they have to aid in tracking your phone. Different service providers have varying policies and tools but it might be worth a try as a last resort.

Verizon 5G available in Denver (CO), Providence (RI)

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Verizon on Thursday announced that its 5G network is now available in Denver, Colorado and will soon arrive in Providence, Rhode Island. The ultra-fast high speed data can be had immediately in the Mile High City, with typical download speeds of 450Mbps.

According to a photo provided to us by Verizon, peak speeds can fetch far above 1.5Gbps, hitting as high as 2Gbps. Of course, results will vary by things such as precise location, users, time of day, etc. That said, it’s incredibly quick stuff to be sure.

Providence is expected to see its 5G starting on July 1 and will bring Verizon’s total number of next-gen cities to four; these two join Chicago and Minneapolis.

In terms of devices with support for Verizon 5G, the carrier currently offers a few options. The Samsung Galaxy S10 5G and LG V50 ThinQ 5G are sold in the cities where coverage is available. Additionally, the Motorola Moto Z3 and Moto Z4 can be upgraded to support 5G via a Moto Mod.

AKASO P30 Pet Camera review

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It wasn’t all that long ago that the idea of adding a security camera to your home was semi-rare and reserved for those who are “well off”. Not everyone had, or has, hundreds of dollars to put a camera up over their garage or back yard.

Today it’s much more common to see people installing a camera or two in the home. It doesn’t take anything special to put them in place; you don’t need to be an electrical engineer to wire things. Many of today’s solutions are as simple as plugging into the wall and placing the camera where you need it.

While it is entirely possible to dump thousands of dollars into outfitting your house with security cameras, motion detectors, and the like, you can also do it on the cheap. Such is the case with the AKASO P30 Pet Camera, an unobtrusive unit that costs about $50.

AKASO P30 Pet Camera

A pint-sized camera that takes up about as much space as a can of soda, the Akaso camera plugs in via USB and pairs to your phone. It’s an egg-shaped affair that does much more than let you spy on your dog.

What’s Included?

For your money you’ll receive the camera, its cable, a mounting plate, adhesive tape, and their respective accessories. It’s designed to sit on a counter, shelf, night stand, table, or anywhere else out of the way.

Simple to set up both physically and in connecting to your phone, it took us all of five minutes to get it out of the box and installed. Make sure to connect to 2.4Ghz instead of 5GHz and have a microSD card ready if you plan to store video and images for long term.

We initially placed our AKASO P30 on a table in the office as we didn’t quite know what sort of viewing angle or image quality we’d get from the camera. Suffice it to say, we were ready to move it into other rooms before long.

Impressions

With a 1080 resolution image, it’s sufficient for keeping an eye on things while away. It’s not just to patch yourself through to make sure the dogs are eating, but it can also be used to monitor a child’s room or quick glances in the garage.

The P30 feeds a near real-time image to your phone so you can see what’s going on, even in darker environments. What’s more, it can start recording if motion is detected or manually at the press of a button. Someone getting into your trash at night or knocking things off the counter? This is what you’ll want.

Although it won’t automatically track subjects in frame you can still manually adjust what it sees both vertically and horizontally. We found it responds pretty quickly if you need to make an adjustment. The 100-degree viewing angle gives you a fairly wide look at a room so it’s easy to find an out-of-the-way location that sees all the important stuff.

Smart Stuff

One of the features were most interested in checking out was the integration with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. We were curious as to whether we might be able to throw a few of these in different rooms throughout the house and periodically check them from a Google Nest Hub or Lenovo Smart Display.

Setting this particular part up was not as intuitive as we thought it would be but it was easy enough. Rather than adding an “AKASO” device to your Google Home setup you’ll look for “Smart Life” and log in with your account credentials.

As to being able to ask Google to watch a room, it’s workable but not something you’ll want to use for real-time monitoring. You can pull it up and see what’s going on, but you’re a good thirteen seconds behind. Don’t bother putting this by the front window to see who is knocking at your door if you can physically walk there inside of a few seconds.

We would have liked to use this in the basement office so we can see why dogs might be barking upstairs but that just isn’t feasible. You might get a glimpse of the delivery driver walking back to the truck or a car pulling away but that’s about it.

Other Details

Pulling up the AKASO P30 on our phone was much quicker and had less delay. We’re talking maybe one second. It’s here where we remember that it works well for making sure the dogs haven’t chewed up the furniture and not for figuring out what that thump was in the bedroom.

Likewise, the two-way audio is good for using the camera as a baby monitor or to chat with another room. There’s peace of mind in being able to pull up your infant’s room from the couch and both see and hear what’s going on.

We were able to capture pictures and videos manually with them storing locally on our phones, but it wasn’t always without issue. Sometimes we’d tap the video record button and let it run for a good 10-15 seconds before ending. Once done, we’d check our phone and see it was simply a picture. It’s not clear why this happened and we hope maybe a firmware update or software patch might fix this.

In addition to the smart home connectivity you can also pair the AKASO camera to an IFTTT account. This potentially opens the door to all sorts of things such as triggering recording when someone connects to WiFi.

Conclusion

There’s enough here to make us wish we had a couple of them located around the home. At the same time, we’re not in a hurry to ask too much of them just yet.

For $50 we were content with the camera but did find some quibbles along the way. We’re reluctant to completely endorse the AKASO P30 and say it’s the solution to your problems. But, at the price, we can say it’s a great step toward connecting your home in new and exciting ways. Find it at Amazon for $45.99.

Visible removes high speed data cap, adds Pixel 3a to roster

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Digital carrier Visible on Wednesday announced it has removed the 5Mbps data speed cap for new and current subscribers. The change is for a limited time and does not cost anything extra for customers.

Previously, the high speed data was capped at a maximum of 5Mbps in order to keep network usage under control. Although it was still fast enough to provide for quality Netflix, YouTube, and other streaming services, it’s nice to see the adjustment.

To be clear, current users and anyone who signs up for Visible during the promotional period will be able to hold on to the uncapped data speeds for as long as they remain a subscriber. Existing users simply need to restart their phone to see the data speed restriction removed.

Why the change? Visible is using this promotional opportunity to gather insight into usage and needs. The information will be used to help shape other programs as they come along.

Upcoming Devices

Visible will add a number of new devices to its portfolio in the coming weeks. On the horizon are the Google Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, and Motorola Moto G7. For what it’s worth, the Pixel 3a line is already compatible for bring your own device.

Visible Promotions

Visible has a number of offers available to new and current subscribers, including referral credits, discounts, and even free phones.

  • Customer referral program- $20 off for every friend you refer
  • New customer offer- $20 off your first month
  • MasterCard promotion– Up to $200 back on a Mastercard Prepaid virtual account on select device purchases
  • Swap: Send us any Android phone that’s not compatible with Visible, and we’ll send you a free Visible R2 (by ZTE)
  • FREE overnight shipping on all devices
  • Device protection for as low as $10 a month

DemberBox intros DB2, an indestructible outdoor speaker with 40 hour battery

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DemerBox, the manufacturer behind the “ultimate outdoor Bluetooth speaker”, is back with a new rough and tumble unit. Indeed, the new DB2 is everything that made its predecessor so powerful and unique, but with more where it counts.

The DemerBox DB2 is a dual speaker system with a built-in storage space that protects your items, keeping them dry during your outdoor travels. With more than 40 hours of playback per charge, the unit is 100% waterproof and designed to handle extreme weather conditions.

Building on the first generation speaker, the DB2 houses a “refreshed microprocessor” battery level indicator, meaning it more accurately presents the remaining playback time. Moreover, it also has an upgraded audio system with a richer soundstage with more crisp highs and better mid-range.

Other features that make the speaker worth a look, or listen, are 100 foot Bluetooth connectivity range, an internal USB charger, and a port plug to make the unit fully waterproof. Oh, and everything is packed inside of a crush-proof Pelican case that’s as durable as it gets.

Bluetooth multi-connectivity lets users string up to six speakers together, which opens things up to an incredibly robust outdoor sound system. It wouldn’t be cheap by any means — the DB2 costs $350 — but it would make for a really interesting experience.

You can find the DemerBox DB2 at the official website where you can purchase it in no less than four colors. Choose from Roseau Blue, Haast Orange, Barrow Black, and Pesaro Green.

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