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Facer 5.0 now out, brings Facer Premium and a new Facer Feed

Alexandra Arici
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Facer, the popular app for customizing your smartwatch’s face, announced this week the arrival of Facer 5.0.

This is a major update which brings a bunch of new features to the table, the most note-worthy being Facer Feed.

Given that hundreds of new watch faces are being published on Facer every week, sometimes it might be a bit hard to keep track of them. Enter Facer Feed, a new way to browse the latest designs.

Create a profile on Facer, follow your favorite designers and Facer Feed will show a collection of curated watch faces personalized to your own tastes. And the more you use Facer, the better it will become at telling which designs you might like.

Facer gets a Premium tier

Another novelty in Facer 5.0 is Facer Premium. This is touted as the first watch face subscription service which offers access to a massive database of premium watch faces (70k+).

To celebrate the launch of the new feature, Facer is offering a free 7-day trial to those signing up this month. The introductory price is $4.99/month.

In exchange for this fee, users will be allowed to customize every aspect of a watch face including color customization, interactive widgets, app launchers and more. Moreover, subscribers will get infinite tokens for the Daily Mix directly on their watch.

Next, Facer has added three new partners in its growing Watchmaker Series Program, which is reserved solely for partners from the traditional watch industry:

New watch faces from these new partners will start rolling out this month, but you should expect more to be coming soon.

What’s more, Facer 5.0 brings support for a series of new smartwatch models including:

  • Fossil Sport
  • Montblanc Summit 2
  • Samsung Galaxy Watch
  • Skagen Falster 2
  • TicWatch Pro

Last but not least, Facer now benefits from full iOS support, so users can connect their Wear OS or Tizen smartwatches to their iPhone without a problem.

Facer also took the opportunity to reveal that the app has hit 3 million installs. Have you ever tried Facer? With Facer 5.0 out this might be the perfect time for you to do so.

Blu Vivo XL4 arrives with 6.2-inch display and wide-angle selfies

AndroidGuys
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Blu Products on Thursday introduced the Vivo XL4, an affordable unlocked phone, generously large display. With a curved glass front side and metal chassis, the screen measures 6.2-inches and features a cutout at the top.

The Vivo XL4 is powered by Android 8.1 Oreo and houses a 2.0GHz (MediaTek Helio P20) processor with 3GB RAM. Internal storage is pegged at 32GB and there’s a microSD card slot for external media.

The main camera is a dual configuration of 13-megapixel and 2-megapixel sensors and supports portrait images with bokeh effects. Around front is a 13-megapixel shooter with wide-angle perspective and pixel binning in low light situations. Moreover, the selfie camera includes Facemoji, a feature which lets people create cartoon likenesses of themselves which can be shared on social media.

SEE ALSO

Other specifications include a 4,000mAh battery with quick charge, fingerprint sensor, dual-SIM card slot, and microUSB charging.

The unlocked Vivo XL4 is compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile, and their respective GSM brands, Cricket, and Metro. The retail price is $150, but it is being offered at $130 for a limited time.

LG V40 ThinQ Review

Matt Adams
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Compromise (verb): Settle a dispute by mutual concession. Accept standards that are lower than is desirable.

When we’re picking out a new phone to spend our hard-earned money on, we’re normally excited about the new tech. We’re not thinking about the compromises we have to make when we use the phone. Maybe it’s not the fastest thing out there or doesn’t have as much storage as another phone. Perhaps the camera or display just isn’t up to par.

No matter which phone you pick, there are always compromises. There isn’t one “best” phone out there.

But, with the LG V40 ThinQ, LG is really getting close.

Previous LG V series devices have always had drawbacks, but as the series, and LG as a company, have matured, the phones keep getting better and better. Long known for their photography and video exploits, the V series is now something more. A phone (almost) without compromises.

What we love

Display

I’m going to start out this LG V40 ThinQ review by talking about Samsung. To look at a phone in a vacuum is almost impossible and it’s definitely impossible to ignore the industry leader.

Samsung has long been known for its displays. It’s the market leader and even has rival Apple buying its displays for the iPhone. Beautiful OLED displays dot the market and have become a staple of Samsung’s successful Galaxy lineup.

LG is trying to catch up. Last year was a disaster for Samsung’s display division. The maligned Google Pixel 2 XL used LG panels and they had a ton of issues. The LG V30 didn’t fare much better. Our own Donovan Jeska who reviewed the V30, called the display “a mess” and many agreed.

“On paper, the V30’s display is a beast; a 6″, 18:9 OLED panel with QHD+ resolution and HDR10 support on a screen that covers 80% of the face of the phone. It sounds like a phone-nerd’s dream, right? Unfortunately, all dreams must end – and in reality, the V30’s display is a bit of a mess.”

But 2018 is a new story. LG got back up off the dirt, dusted itself off, and came back to the table with an almost class-leading display. The LG G7 has a fantastic LCD display that shows off the best parts of the technology. The LG V40, on the other hand, features LG’s own Plastic OLED (P-OLED) display. Much like Samsung’s Super AMOLED technology, the P-OLED panel has fantastic color reproduction, deep blacks, and really good peak brightness. This is not a phone you will struggle with on a bright day.

If you’re not happy with the display out of the box, LG gives you options. There are seven Screen color modes including Auto, Cinema, Sports, Game, Photos, Web, and Expert. There aren’t a ton of differences between each mode, but enough to matter. Expert allows you to manually adjust the saturation, hue, and sharpness, a feature we wish we had on all phones. There are also sliders to adjust color temperature and RBG levels.

In LG’s world, the display is what you make of it and we love that.

Build Quality

I’ve owned or reviewed every LG flagship since the LG G Flex and the LG G2. A funny thing happened once LG decided to redesign its devices, starting with the LG G6— they just felt hollow.

Read more: The LG G6: One year later

I don’t know what the difference is between the glass LG uses and someone like Samsung or Google, but LG’s devices always just felt hollow when I touched the glass, whereas other OEMs knew how to make their devices solid.

Luckily, LG figured it out because this is one of the most solid phones I’ve ever used. Yes, there is still a slight knock when touching the back of the phone, but it is much improved even over the LG G7. It now feels like you’re picking up a $900 device.

But, the positives don’t stop there. LG uses an aluminum frame that feels fantastic. The 2.5D curved glass display melts into the frame much like the way a Samsung device might. The curve of the display is far more gradual, but it also feels more natural. There’s almost no flex to this phone and it just feels good.

Audio

The LG V40’s speaker is unremarkable base on the metrics we normally look at. It’s a single downward-firing speaker that (normally) doesn’t get very loud.

But, like many aspects of the LG V40, the spec sheet doesn’t tell the whole story. That single speaker gets LOUD when placed on a flat surface. The Boombox feature allows the audio to bounce around in the phone and get much louder than you’d think you’d get from a phone not named the HTC One. Not only is it loud, but it sounds pretty good too. It’s great in a pinch when you don’t have a Bluetooth speaker.

But the real star of the show is the integrated DAC. Not only has LG not removed the headphone jack, but it has also doubled down on its importance. LG offers an unparalleled audio experience with wired headphones. If you’re an audiophile, this is probably near the top of your list unless you want to carry around additional audio accessories.

And all that is wonderful, but we’re left wondering if it really matters. Most streaming services don’t stream music at a high enough quality for the DAC to matter. Plus, a large number of consumers are perfectly fine sacrificing audio quality for the convenience of Bluetooth audio and no cables.

This is a feature we love, but we’re wondering just how long it’ll stick around.

Camera

If you’re even remotely aware of the LG V40, you’re probably also aware of the camera setup. LG went large on cameras this year, including five separate cameras on the V40. Three on the back, two on the front.

Dual front-facing cameras is a rather new trend and LG is fully embracing the trend. Two shooters sit in the phone’s notch and provide users with an option for normal selfies or a more wide-angle affair. In practice, this works really well. While the pictures don’t rise to the level of something like the Google Pixel 3, they’re perfectly fine for social media, where most of them will be posted anyway.

The rear of the device is an entirely different story. LG has long been using a dual regular + wide-angle lens setup on its flagships, but this year it added a zoom lens as well.

To support the cameras, LG also added some pretty interesting shooting modes like Triple Shot, which takes pictures from all three lenses and makes a little zoom-in montage with them. I’ve never gotten a good experience using this mode, but LG is thinking outside of the box here and that’s what I appreciate. I feel like LG can refine over time and make this a better experience than is currently available right now.

Pictures from the rear cameras are surprisingly good. I’ve always been high on LG’s cameras, but I feel like this year is its best iteration yet. Low light pictures are a real standout. As you can see in our photo samples, the camera pulls out a ton of light in challenging situations. Sure, there are some issues around grain and some loss of detail, but that’s pretty standard for smartphone cameras. If you’re looking for a great photo experience for sending pictures to friends and family members via messaging apps and on social media, the V40 is a fantastic choice.

So, do you really need three lenses? Well, probably not but this phone is all about choice. The wide-angle lens really is a treat for landscapes and cityscape shots. I’m a terrible photographer but it makes me feel like I can get something artsy once in a while.

Click here to view the LG V40 ThinQ Camera samples

The zoom lens, on the other hand, I am not a huge fan of. I don’t think it takes fantastic pictures, like the stand and wide-angle lenses. Colors don’t look great, there’s a lot of detail lost as well. This is one of the only subpar things on the phone in my opinion and it truly feels like a first generation feature for LG, which it is. I have zero doubt that by the time we see the LG G8 or LG V50, this is going to be a massive improvement.

The camera app is another standout. Again, I’ve always been a fan of how LG approaches the camera app and this year is even better. There are ten different modes including manual pictures and video, Cine video, Cine shot, and some other specialized modes like Food mode and Slo-mo.

The camera apps is really easy to use and I love how easy it is to get a great shot quickly. But, if you want something more, you can fine-tune your photos to perfection. This truly is the intersection of simplicity and creativity that I think all camera apps should strive for.

Design

Whether you’re a fan of the trend of glass sandwich phones, you have to admit that the LG V40 ThinQ just looks good. Yes, two panels of glass meet at an aluminum frame but this year, the panels have a subtle curve near the frame. This differs from the flat panel of the LG G7 and the very curved panels on the Samsung Galaxy lineup. This a nice compromise that I find to feel really nice in the hand.

The black version of the device is fantastic at hiding the incredibly small bezels on the device. The side bezels are some of the smallest on a flagship phone today. Sure, they’re still there but I have zero problem with them. You need somewhere to hold the phone, right?

The top and bottom bezels are a bit more concerning. The chin is about on par with the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, but the problem is the notch + top bezel combination. If there’s a notch on the phone, I don’t want top and bottom bezels, it is as simple as that. While the top bezel isn’t huge, it’s there and it annoys me. When you hold something like the OnePlus 6T and the LG V40 ThinQ up next to each other, it becomes very apparent that LG still has some work to do here.

Despite my bezel issue, I really love how this phone looks. From the display that melts into the frame to the small things like how antenna bands look on the bottom of the phone, it all comes together in a fantastic package. If the notch doesn’t bother you, this might be the best looking phone on the market right now.

Room for improvement

Software

For as long as I’ve been reviewing LG phones, the software has always bothered me. I’m not a stock Android fanboy, but LG’s approach just misses the mark for me. The heavily skinned phones it produces often feel bogged down by unnecessary software features, obnoxious themes, and laggy performance.

Luckily for potential customers, LG seems to be moving in the right direction. While I don’t think the recent changes to the skin are moving more towards stock, I do think they’re moving away from LG’s current design language. No longer are there loud colors everywhere distracting you while you’re looking for settings. Now, we have a clean pallet and even support for a dark mode in the accessibility settings. It’s a weird compromise, but one I’m fully in support of.

There are still a boatload of features packed into this phone. Some are redundant, some are just not needed, but most are nice. It always cracks me up that Samsung gets the bad rap for packing its phones with useless features when LG is neck and neck with Sammy.

Look, if you want the best bang for your buck, I completely understand why this would be attractive to you. When you’re shelling out $800 to $1000 for a phone, you want to make sure you’re not missing out on anything. LG goes directly after these consumers. I’m not saying it’s right or wrong, it just is what it is.

But, I don’t use 90% of the features on this phone. Producing a custom ringtone for your contacts when they call is pretty cool, but I can certainly live without it. The ability to fill in the notch area with pretty colors is interesting, but something I’d never use.  I can see why someone would, but I don’t know if it’s enough people to justify putting it in the phone.

These are just a few examples of what I think is a directionless software experience. Look at Google and tell me they don’t have an idea of what they want the user to experience. It’s clean, smooth, and requires almost no effort to get up and running. It’s the same with Apple, and hell even Samsung has made strides in this area.

And I’m not saying it’s all bad here. This is one of the smoothest experiences on a phone not named Pixel. I had almost no stuttering, quick app load times, and little issue keeping those apps in memory. But, when the stuttering did show up, it was in instances like scrolling through my app list or through the Google feed. Why? I have no idea. There are other phones on the market that cost far less and perform more consistently with the same hardware.

Battery life

This has been my biggest struggle with the LG V40. I was initially optimistic about battery life because of my experience with the LG G7. I got “okay” battery life (around four hours of screen on time with heavy usage) with the G7. The fact that the V40 had an extra 2 GB of RAM and an AMOLED display led me to believe it would be even better here.

To say I’m disappointed would be an understatement.

I’m on my second review unit of the V40 because I thought my first unit had a defective battery. There were days where I was reaching for the charger between 1 and 2 PM after not touching the phone much in the morning. After multiple factory resets and a second unit displaying the same issues (my replacement is only marginally better), I’m left frustrated and annoyed.

I really don’t know how to recommend this phone when the battery life is this bad. The most screen on time I’ve ever gotten out of it is about four hours and that was doing some light browsing on Reddit, checking emails, and sending a few texts back and forth. Most days I got about three hours of screen on time and had to charge up in the afternoon or kept the phone on a wireless charger.

Other reviews like the one from Droid-Life point out the stellar battery life of the V40. I have no doubt that Tim, who is an excellent reviewer, got great battery life. But that leaves me wondering how the experience can vary so drastically. I’ve never uninstalled apps and removed synced email addresses from a phone before to pinpoint a battery problem. I never could find out why my battery life is so bad.

I’m not saying this will the case on all V40’s, but I would caution you to pay close attention within your return period. If you aren’t getting a great battery life, don’t wait to bring it back to the store and exchange or return. You don’t want to spend almost a thousand dollars on a device that can’t get through the day.

Conclusion

I always feel a little bad about ending these reviews on negatives because I feel like it leaves a bad taste in people’s mouths. The truth about the LG V40 ThinQ is that it is a fantastic phone with a few flaws.

The areas where the V40 is strong, it’s absolutely great. I can’t overstate just how surprised I am with how good the display is here. The V30 was such a disappointment that when I heard LG was using its own AMOLED panels on the V40 this year, I almost swore the phone off. But, this is a great display and I say that as someone who also has a Note 8 and Galaxy S9 kicking around the office.

The camera setup really is nice too. Sure, a penta-cam setup is probably a little gimmicky and designed to just move units under the “more is better” banner, but LG delivers. You’re not going to get Pixel performance, but you’re also not going to get a three-inch notch like the Pixel 3 XL. I like what you can do with the cameras here and I think LG can refine over time with software updates to make this an even better package.

But where LG is weak, it really falls flat. The software is really unappealing and makes me want to run into the arms of Nova launcher as soon as I turn the phone on. LG still does dumb things like removing the app tray from the default launcher. Why? Literally no-one asked for that. You’re not Apple and you’re not going to convince someone to buy your phone by doing that. Embrace being different.

So, at the end of the day, can I recommend this phone? Sure. Despite its faults, it does many things right and has enough features to keep you busy, if that’s what you want. It’s a fantastic intersection of excellent hardware with okay software. It truly is a compromise.

Report: Huawei accused of subverting sanctions to deal with Iran

Matt Adams
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Huawei’s woes with the United States Government continue to grow.

Recently, the company’s Chief Financial Officer was arrested while abroad in Canada. The Chinese-based company has asked her release but as of yet, she’s still being held. One part of the puzzle that had yet to be revealed was why arrest her and why do it now?

According to a new report from Reuters, we may have an answer. The US government is alleging that Huawei has been engaged in a cover-up to hide it’s dealing inside Iran, a country currently sanctioned by the United States. Specifically, the government charges that Huawei has been hiding income at HSBC Holdings. The investigation has been ongoing since at least 2016.

According to the report from Reuters, this isn’t the first time HSBC had been accused of helping companies about sanctions. In 2012, the company paid out over a settlement north of $1 billion to the United States Attorney’s office based in Brooklyn.

Huawei, HSBC, and a spokesman for the US Attorney’s all declined Reuters’ request for comment.

AndroidGuys Holiday Buying Guide 2018

Matt Adams
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The holidays are fast approaching and we’re running out of time to get gifts for those we love. Sure, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are passed, but that doesn’t mean that we’re out of luck. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best products that have passed through our doors here at AndroidGuys as a list of things you should consider for this holiday season.

[vc_custom_heading text=”Smartphones and Accessories” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left|color:%23191919″ google_fonts=”font_family:Oswald%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”]

Smartphones are generally our favorite gadget. Here’s our pick for the smartphone you should grab this holiday season and some great accessories to go along with it.

[vc_custom_heading text=”OnePlus 6T” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

OnePlus has always been known as a company that sells good phones for a good price, but this year’s OnePlus 6T is its best phone yet. At under $600, the OnePlus 6T offers class-leading specs, a great UI, and fantastic build quality. The device is topped off with an under-display fingerprint scanner, one of only a handful of devices to feature the unique scanning technology.

You can grab the OnePlus 6T at OnePlus’ website and at T-Mobile.

[vc_custom_heading text=”Spigen Rugged Armor cases” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

If you’re looking for protection, there’s not a better name in the game than Spigen. The company makes several lineups of cases, but our favorite is the Rugged Armor line. It combines great looks, solid protection, and a slim feel for the perfect case. You can find it for just about any phone and it at only $12, it’s a steal.

You can get the Spigen Rugged Armor on Spigen’s website or Amazon.

[vc_custom_heading text=”Olloclip Multi-Device Clip” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

Smartphone cameras are getting better every day, but there are certain things they can’t do. To up your game, you may want to consider the Olloclip Multi-Device clip. It allows you to shoot in super-wide, ultra-wide, telephoto, fisheye, macro, macro 7x + 14x, and macro 21x with optional lenses. It is truly the jack of all trades when it comes to smartphone photography.

You can read our read our whole review here or pick one up from Olloclip’s website.

[vc_custom_heading text=”Wearable tech” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left|color:%23191919″ google_fonts=”font_family:Oswald%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”]

Not all tech needs to live in your pocket. Here are some of our picks for our favorite tech you can wear too.

[vc_custom_heading text=”TicWatch Pro” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

There are a ton of Wear OS devices out there, but the TicWatch Pro is one of our favorites. It features two displays, your standard display that allows you to swipe through notifications and reply to text messages. But, the magic happens when that display turns off and the second display shines through. It’s an OLED display that only shows the time and a few other vital pieces of information. It’s a real battery saver! You can read our full review of the TicWatch Pro or pick one up Mobvoi or Amazon.

[vc_custom_heading text=”HUAWEI Band 3 Pro” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

If a smartwatch is a bit much, you may want to consider the HUAWEI Band 3 Pro. It comes in white, black and blue and offers smartwatch-lite features. You can still get notifications from almost any app you choose and notified of incoming messages. You can even decline calls right from your wrist.

But the true power of the Band 3 Pro is its tracking features. It has built-in GPS, heart-rate tracking, and sleep tracking. Add in that it’s incredibly comfortable to wear and tracks your sleep and you have a winner. You can grab the HUAWEI Band 3 Pro from Amazon and B&H Photo for about $70.

[vc_custom_heading text=”TYLT Traveler Power Bag” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

Not all wearable tech fits on your wrist! That’s where the TYLT Traveler Power Bag comes in. With a ton of pockets for your everyday essentials, some hidden compartments for your valuables and an included battery, the TYLT Traveler Power Bag is perfect for the techie on the go. It comes with a 5,200 mAh battery and included cables. That should be enough to charge up your phone, but if you need a bit more, you can grab a bigger battery and swap them out. The compartment is big enough for a large 20,000 mAh battery! Between the battery and the incredible build quality, we can’t recommend this bag enough. You can grab one from TYLT or Amazon.

[vc_custom_heading text=”Staying powered up” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left|color:%23191919″ google_fonts=”font_family:Oswald%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”]

Sure, you could just use the charger in the box or grab a $10 battery off Amazon, but if you want real power, check out these options.

[vc_custom_heading text=”Anker PowerPort II” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

Anker is widely known as one of the best accessory makers in the world because they produce high-quality products for an affordable price. The Anker PowerPort II is our choice for the best wall adapter out there right now. You get the fastest possible speeds and a design that can stand up to a beating. I routinely carry one of these in my bag and have never had one issue with it. Plus, with the dual-port design, you can help charge up your friend’s device or the tablet you’ve brought with you to watch some YouTube videos!  You can grab one from Amazon.

[vc_custom_heading text=”Blitzwolf BW-TC10 USB type-C to USB type-C” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

These days it’s not just high-end phones that rely on USB Type C for charging. The MacBook, Nintendo Switch, Pixelbook, and a whole array of devices also use the new standard. Compatible with Quick Charge 2.0, QC 3.0, and a host of other fast charging technologies, it’s the one you want for your phone or mobile devices. But, given the length of the cable and its shielded, protective coating, you’d be forgiven for outfitting your entire household with them. Attractively priced, you can find the cable for under $7 at Banggood. Go with a standard coating and you can scoop one up for under $3 right now.

[vc_custom_heading text=”Jackery PowerBar 77Wh/20800mAh” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

If you’re looking for the ultimate battery, look here first. The Jackery PowerBar has everything. The massive capacity means it can charge most modern smartphones up to four times before depleting its reserves. The solid design means it’ll stand up to whatever abuse you throw at it and the AC plug means you can power up your laptop, a fan, or whatever else you’d normally plug into a wall. This thing is large, in charge, and will have your back whenever you need it. You can get it from Amazon.

[vc_custom_heading text=”VPN & Internet Security” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left|color:%23191919″ google_fonts=”font_family:Oswald%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”]

Whether you want to watch region-blocked Netflix videos or simply beef up your Wi-Fi connections, you’ll need a VPN for help. Here’s a few we love.

[vc_custom_heading text=”Windscribe Lifetime Pro Subscription” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

Windscribe is much more than a VPN. It’s a desktop application and browser extension that work in conjunction to protect your online privacy, unblock websites, and remove ads and trackers from your everyday browsing. With Windscribe, you’ll never mess with confusing settings and options menus again; just turn it on on your desktop once, and it’s good to go in the background forever. $59 at AndroidGuys Deals Store

[vc_custom_heading text=”Adguard Premium: Lifetime Subscription” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

Block annoying and potentially dangerous ads with this advanced Internet filter and ad blocker. Adguard protects your computer and other vulnerable devices from malware, phishing, spyware, and other scams so you can browse the web worry-free. $30 at AndroidGuys Deals Store

[vc_custom_heading text=”VPNSecure: Lifetime Subscription” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

Internet threats are a real thing – and surfing the web on a public connection can result in your personal data falling into the wrong hands. While most VPNs will help you surf undetected, some still maintain logs on your browsing movements, defeating the purpose of getting one in the first place! $20 at AndroidGuys Deals Store

[vc_custom_heading text=”Better, Smarter Home” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left|color:%23191919″ google_fonts=”font_family:Oswald%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”]

It’s damn near 2019 which means you should have started on your smart home by now. Here are a handful of cool products to help enhance your daily living.

[vc_custom_heading text=”Auri” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

Auri is an all-in-one solution that smartens up you bedroom and looks gorgeous in the process. It’s what happens when you combine an Amazon Echo Dot, 36W wireless speaker, smart lamp, and charger, but at a fraction of the cost. Currently offered on Indiegogo, the light can simulate thousands of different environments such as rainforests, beaches, islands, oceans, and more.  Back it on Indiegogo for $129

[vc_custom_heading text=”Gourmia Cold Brew Coffee Maker” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

Who wants to stand around waiting for coffee to brew? Not us. What’s more, nobody we know is in the habit of hanging out while a cold brew is readied. We’re talking hours for that experience. Not any longer. This iced coffee maker that brews a pot in as little as ten minutes. Seriously. In the time it takes for you to go through your afternoon emails or check your favorite subreddits, you could have a pot of cold brew coffee. $28 at Best Buy

[vc_custom_heading text=”NVIDIA SHIELD TV” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

There simply is no better lean-back experience for the home than this Android-powered console. What’s more, a strong line of steady updates and enhancements — 20 so far — make this unit better with time.

Cast to it from your phone, play killer games, or binge on your favorite networks and series. Or, get your Google Play Music, YouTube TV, and Plex on. The reasons to own one are innumerable.

The overall footprint of the unit is small enough that we pack it with us when we travel. Plug it in, connect to a network, and enjoy all of your content.  And, if you’ve got one of the gaming controllers, you’re taking in tier-one video game titles. $180 from NVIDIA or Amazon.

[vc_custom_heading text=”LEVO G2 Deluxe Floor Stand” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

Whether you’re sitting on the couch, relaxing in bed, or enjoying coffee in a chair in the den, the stand aims to please. It wheels into place, articulates, and holds your tablet in either portrait or landscape orientation.

Reading a book on your Fire HD tablet or binge-watching a few shows on Hulu is much more enjoyable if you can free up your hands. That’s exactly what happens here; you can sit back, relax, eat, or fiddle with your phone.

The LEVO G2 stand is a really sturdy solution that can roll under the edge of your bed or couch. The arm swings at two places, giving you an exact, comfortable placement. Moreover, the head twists and tilts on multiple angles so you end up with the angle that works best for the moment. All of this, of course, moves and adjusts on the fly so there’s zero hassle. $190 at levostore

Verizon to start offering RCS chat on Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL today

Alexandra Arici
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Starting today, Verizon and Google will start rolling out Universal Profile RCS (or Chat, as the carrier calls it) in the Messaging app for Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL users on the network.

Verizon has confirmed this information to Droid-Life, and the option should start appearing beginning today, December 6.

While Big Red already supports advanced messaging features such as read receipts and typing indicators in its own Messages+ app, the Universal Profile ensures that these features will work like as intended when messaging people who are on other carriers.

Moreover, Verizon employees have also posted the internal document announcing the change on Reddit. It reveals the full list of features while naming Google’s Messages app as the place to access the new options.

New messaging features coming to your Pixel 3

Starting today, Pixel 3 owners at Verizon will be able to do things like sending larger texts of up to 8000 characters, create large chat groups of up to 100 participants or send high-quality pictures and videos.

What’s more, users have the ability to send messages over Wi-Fi, even in the absence of a cellular connection. Typing indicators and read receipts are also part of the package.

Other upcoming features include stuff like local sharing, mobile payments, sending audio recordings, stickers and so much more.

Note that all this only works for users who have Chat enabled on their Pixel 3 devices. Otherwise, enhanced messaging will fall back to the standard SMS/MMS.

Last month, we heard that Verizon was planning to launch Universal Profile RCS early next year. Well fortunately for Pixel 3 users at Big Red, they will be getting a taste of enhanced messaging earlier than expect.

But given that RCS is still a long way from becoming a universal standard like SMS, whether or not you’ll actually be able to take advantage of the new feature will depend on who you are texting with.

HMD’s new Nokia 8.1 promises 2-days of battery life

Alexandra Arici
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HMD Global this week unveiled a new smartphone in the form of the Nokia 8.1. The new device will go on sale in Europe, as well as the UK for the affordable price of €399 / £379.99 (or $452). Interested parties will be able to place an order for it come January 14.

The Nokia 8.1 is an upper mid-ranger coming with great specs. Among its major highlights is the spacious 6.18-inch FHD+ display that comes with HDR10 support. The screen benefits from HMD’s PureDisplay screen technology which promotes richer colors and higher contrasts. It also includes a notch on top.

The Nokia 8.1 might have had all the qualities needed to be called an affordable flagship, save for the processor powering it, a mid-range Snapdragon 710. This is an octa-core 10nm chipset clocked at 2.2GHz, which albeit not being as powerful as the Snapdragon 845, will still do a very good job of keeping things working smoothly on board the device.

Furthermore, the Nokia 8.1 will ship out with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage (expandable up to 400GB via microSD).

HMD’s partnership with Carl Zeiss continues with the Nokia 8.1

In terms of photography, the Nokia 8.1 boasts a Zeiss-optimized dual-lens arrangement with a main 12MP (f/1.8) and a secondary 13MP sensor for portrait shots.  HMD has also included optical image stabilization on board, so you can get steady shots. Nokia’s popular Bothie feature that lets you shoot with both cameras is also supported here.

Rounding up the package is a 3,500 mAh battery with fast charge 18W. HMD boasts the phone will be able to support up to 2-days of use on a single charge.

Another big highlight with the Nokia 8.1 is that the device runs Android 9 Pie out of the box. Given the low number of phones launching with the latest version of Android on board, it’s quite refreshing.

Also read: 9 features we love from Android 9 Pie

As we mentioned above, the phone will go on sale next month in Europe in Blue/Silver, Steel/Copper and Iron/Steel color options. Unfortunately, HMD already confirmed the Nokia 8.1 won’t make it to the US.

First 10 things you should do with your new OnePlus 6T

Alexandra Arici
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Got yourself a new and shiny OnePlus 6T? The company’s latest flagship is one of the best smartphones you can get under $550 right now, so you’ve made a great choice.

Now what? You need to get started with your new device. In this article, we’re going to explore the top ten things to do with your OnePlus 6T after you’ve unboxed it and popped in your SIM.

Snap a case on it

While the OnePlus 6T is an affordable flagship, it still cost a pretty penny. So in order to protect your investment, it’s essential that you use a protective case.

Fortunately, you have plenty of options to choose from. And since OnePlus does a great job at supporting its smartphones with awesome accessories, you can get yourself an official case right from the manufacturer.

Official accessories:

Set up fingerprint unlock

One of the 6T’s new tricks is the in-display fingerprint sensor. So among the first things you should do is set it up. To do so you will have to go to Settings>Security & Lock screen>Fingerprint>Add a fingerprint.

You’ll need to have set a PIN, pattern, or password to protect your phone beforehand. Once that’s done, follow the instructions to configure your fingerprint.

Set up face unlock

The OnePlus 6T’s in-display fingerprint sensor is cool and all, but it’s a little slow. So it wouldn’t hurt to set up a second way to unlock your phone. Like it’s the predecessor, the OnePlus 6T features a face unlock system. It’s not as advanced (or secure) as the one on the iPhone X, but will do its job and it’s quite fast.

To set it up, simply head to Settings>Security & lockscreen>Face unlock>Add face and let the phone scan your face.

Adjust color temperature

Because how good colors look on the screen is often a matter of debate between individuals who each has his/her own preferences, OnePlus includes the option to manually adjust color temperature on your phone.

To do so visit Settings>Display>Screen Calibration. You can choose from the pre-set options or opt for Custom color which allows you to manually adjust color temperature.

Toggle the notch

Compared to the OnePlus 6, the OnePlus 6T features a teardrop-shaped notch that’s a lot smaller. However, if you still prefer your phone without a notch, you can turn it off from settings. Just go to Settings>Display>Notch>Hide the notch area.

Customize Quick Settings

You can customize the Quick Settings area on your OnePlus 6T and add the shortcuts to the features you use the most. Simply swipe down at the top of your screen to see your Quick Settings.

Pull it all the way down until you spot the Pencil icon underneath. Tap on it and hold & drag to add the tiles you want (including NFC, Gaming Mode, Reading Mode and more)

Try out the new camera modes

While on paper the OnePlus 6T’s camera specs haven’t changed much compared to the previous iteration, some improvements have been added to the mix.

The lenses on board are a 16M (f/1.7) camera with OIS plus a 20MP (f/1.7) sensor. Flip to the selfie camera and you have a 16MP (f/2.0) with HDR and EIS.

Well, the OnePlus 6T comes with a new Night Mode, which is optimized for low-light photography.

Another upgrade is Studio Lighting, which is basically the opposite of Night Mode. This feature will allow you to change the brightness of the scene during a portrait shoot while you are actually taking the photo.

As you use your new phone for the first time, you should definitely try them out.

Change the theme

The OnePlus 6T comes with a default all-white UI which is nice to look at. However, it consumes a lot more power than a dark theme, so you might want to change it. Or customize it for that matter.

Go to Settings>Display>Theme and choose from the three options available (Colorful, Light, Dark). What’s more, you also have customizable accent colors which are pretty great.

Give quick gestures a try

The OnePlus 6T lets you take advantage of a host of Quick Gestures, and you don’t even need to wake the phone to use some.

Head on to Settings>Buttons & gestures>Quick Gestures to see what’s available. For example, drawing an O can open up the selfie camera. You can assign it other functions like recording a video or opening up the flashlight app.

Customize the Alert Slider

OnePlus phones come with an additional button called the Alert Slider. On the OnePlus 6T, you will find it on the right side. It’s there to let you easily switch between ring, vibrate and silent. But the phone also offers some other useful tweaks for it.

Just go to Settings>Buttons & gesture>Alert Slider to explore further. For example, in Silent mode, you can configure the phone to mute all media.

Best eight call recording apps for Android

Alexandra Arici
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Recording a call can be incredibly practical in a number of situations. But even as our phones are smarter than ever, recording a call isn’t as easy as you’d think it would be.

The feature is not found natively on Android, so if you want to record calls you will have to download an app on your phone. Fortunately, there are many apps available in the Google Play Store that let you do just that.

However, before proceeding any further, we should note that call recording is illegal in some countries including the US, so you should first check your country’s legislation on the matter or proceed at your own risk.

So in case, you need to record your calls on your Android device, here are some best apps to do it.

Important note: These apps won’t work for those of you who have a device running Android 9 Pie. Google put a stop to call recording with the latest version of Android, so for those of you who have a device on Pie, the only option to do call recording is to root.

Google Voice

What it is:

Google Voice is a service that lets you make and receive calls, texts and use call forwarding free of charge. It also has a semi-hidden feature that allows you to record calls.

Why we like it:

  • The app lets you record calls for free. To access the feature, click on the hamburger menu located at the top right-hand corner, then go to Settings>Calls>Turn on Incoming Call Options.
  • Google Voice also provides advanced voicemail transcriptions that you can read in the app or have them sent to your email account.
  • The app allows to make international calls at competitive rates, so you can save as much as you.

Download Google Voice

Automatic Call Recorder Pro

What it is:

A call recording app with a very clean and intuitive UI, that allows for plenty of customizations when it comes to recording calls.

Why we like it:

  • You can set up the app to automatically record all calls, or you can select which type of calls to record (all, contacts, unknown).
  • Users can easily select contacts to ignore when it comes to recording by virtue of a single tap.
  • The app allows you to adjust the settings of the recorded call like audio quality, increase audio quality or audio format.
  • Users can choose between different color themes.
  • The app includes multiple Caller ID settings (for example Real-time caller ID which identifies callers even then ones not in your contact list in real time).

Download Automatic Call Recorder Pro

Call Recorder – ACR

What it is:

A straightforward call recording app that will record cellular calls, but not calls made over Wi-Fi or VoIP.

Why we like it:

  • Call Recorder – ACR can automatically record and save calls based on phone number.
  • The app offers a lot of Recording settings. For example, you can automatically turn on your phone’s loudspeaker during the call, select your preferred recording format or turn on the shake to record option.
  • Call Recorder – ACR also features a dark theme and comes with an built-in media player, so users can play their recordings from within the app.

Note: A Pro version is available too for $0.99.

Download Call Recorder – ACR

Cube Call Recorder ACR

What it is:

A call recording app which not only lets you record cellular calls but also calls made via VoIP services like WhatsApp, Skype and Viber.

Why we like it:

  • The app has a clean, uncluttered interface that’s quite easy to navigate. It comes complete with a dark theme.
  • Cube Call Recorder ACR has plenty or Recording settings to take advantage of. You can opt to have your recordings start automatically or to exclude some callers and so on.
  • Includes a Map option that places all your recordings on the world’s map, so you can get an overall view of them.

Note: Some features are only available in the Premium version such as the ability to hide the app from view. To unlock these features you will have to shed $1.99/3 months.

Download Cube Call Recorder ACR

Call Recorder by Quality Apps

What it is:

Another simple to use call recording app that lets you record both incoming and outgoing calls.

Why we like it:

  • Call Recorder allows you to easily customize your call recording experience via Settings. From there you can do things like Enable call recording for Outgoing or Incoming calls, make a list of numbers to exclude and opt whether a notification should be shown when the app is recording.
  • The app comes with a PIN protection feature.
  • Users call also select their preferred audio source and choose the format to save their recordings in.
  • Overall a very simple app to use.

Note: There’s a Pro version that unlocks in exchange for $4.99.

Download Call Recorder

RMC: Android Call Recorder

What it is:

A call recording app for Android which lets you record in a lot of formats including the classic MP3 and WAV, but also AMR, MP4 and 3GP.

Why we like it:

  • RMC offers automatic call recording, but also includes a manual recording mode that allows you to record unchecked contacts.
  • The app has an Auto Delete function, so your recordings don’t pile-up.
  • Users can set a passcode to open the app for added protection.
  • The app allows users to make various tweaks related to things like recording channels, sample rate, as well as bit rate.
  • RMC also lets you connect your Dropbox or Google Drive accounts.

Download RMC: Android Call Recorder

All Call Recorder Lite 2018

What it is:

A simple call recording app that sticks to the basic and won’t overwhelm you with countless features.

Why we like it:

  • All Call Recorder Lite 2018 is a straightforward app that lets you record both incoming and outgoing calls.
  • Features enough options for you to take advantage of. For example, you can set a PIN when the app is opened.
  • You can also choose which file type you want to the app to save your recordings (.MP3 or .WAV).
  • Has a built-in player, so you can play the recordings from the app.

Download All Call Recorder Lite 2018

Call Recorder by Lovekara

What it is:

A spartan auto call recorder that allows you to save your recordings on your phone’s SD card.

Why we like it:

  • Although it has a pretty outdated interface, the app works as intended. It allows users to record calls, adjust the volume and create an ignore list.
  • Encountered an issue? Call Recorder makes it very easy to send feedback via the Troubleshooting tab.
  • The app features three different skins: Black, Light Gray and Wood. Pick your favorite.

Download Call Recorder

Your next flagship will be based on Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 855 chipset

Alexandra Arici
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Qualcomm this week unveiled its next-gen premium mobile processor, the Snapdragon 855, which will power next year’s flagship. The announcement was made during the company’s Tech Summit in Hawaii, which last year saw the announcement of the Snapdragon 845.

Previous rumors have suggested the chipset might end up being called the Snapdragon 8150, but alas, Qualcomm decided to go with the more logical naming scheme. So what’s the new chipset all about?

Since 2019 is going to mark the kickstart of the 5G era, it’s no wonder that one of the Snapdragon 855’s main features is support for multi-gigabit data speeds on 5G networks.

But Qualcomm won’t be embedding a 5G-capable X50 modem in every single Snapdragon 855 unit. Instead, it will ship it with Qualcomm’s new X24 LTE chip which promises speeds up to 2Gbps. Manufacturers will be given the option to include the X50 modem into their flagship, should they want to offer their customers the 5G option.

Speaking of which, Qualcomm confirmed that Samsung is going to be one of the first companies to release a 5G-ready phone, sometime in the first half of 2019. The device will obviously be powered by a Snapdragon 855.

In the US, Verizon and AT&T have already started 5G networks and have also promised to deliver 5G-ready hardware in the first part of 2019.

What else is new?

Apart from ushering the era of 5G in, the new 7nm process should also offer big improvements when it comes to battery life and performance. There’s a new dedicated vision processor that can process depth mapping at 60 fps, as well as capture 4K HDR video at 60fps. All of this can be done while using 25% of the power used previously.

The chipset also includes Qualcomm’s 4th-gen multi-core AI engine, which promises 3x performance boost in all artificial intelligence features, compared to the predecessor.

Moreover, the chip maker introduced the first computer vision ISP (image signal processor) named Qualcomm Spectra, a piece of dedicated hardware that will inform machine vision tasks.  These upgrades will have a great impact in areas such as photography, as your next phone will be better at recognizing who and what you’re capturing.

What’s more, we also have a new Snapdragon Elite Gaming feature that’s designed to bring new gaming experiences to high-end handsets. Qualcomm was kind of cryptic here, but we’ll know more soon enough.

Additionally, the next-gen top-of-the-line chip comes with support for Qualcomm’s newly announced 3D Sonic Sensor which is an ultrasonic type of fingerprint sensor that’s fast and accurate.

Qualcomm’s Tech Summit is currently ongoing, so we expect more details about the new Snapdragon 855 to pop up, including quite possibly some demos.

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