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Google has begun sending invites out for their video game streaming project

Jason England
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Last week Google announced its very first test for Project Stream, its new venture into streaming games. This will be the first time they have opened up Project Stream to the public. In order to really make a splash and show off what Project Stream is capable of, they partnered with Ubisoft to test it with their brand new title Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.

Odyssey is the next game in the Assassin’s Creed series with stunning graphics and a large scale world. Way to swing for the fences with your very first test of a new service. To be one of the first to try out Project Stream and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Google posted sign up form last week. It appears invites are now going out and people are getting their first taste of Project Stream.

In essence, what Project Stream does is render games on Google’s own servers and stream the video to you much like streaming a movie. Only this is much more complicated as rendering games takes much more processing power on Google’s end. Not to mention, reacting to commands from your keyboard or controller with minimal latency and lag adds a whole new level of difficulty.

Since Google’s computers are doing all the heavy lifting processing the game on their end, it means you can run the game with minimal hardware on your end. Negating the need for the high cost of a powerful computer, requiring only a browser to play a graphically intensive game.

Project Stream doesn’t come without some caveats though. First, it requires a 25mbit internet connection, you will need the Chrome browser, it can only be used in certain areas of the US at this time, and the test ends in mid-January. Some good news is that it runs at 1080p 60fps and allows you to use either a keyboard or controller to game with.

I signed up myself last week but unfortunately, my inbox is empty. It is not unlike Google to roll out in stages, however. So I’m still hopeful the email is on its way. If you signed up and got an invite, let us know in the comments how it’s running for you.

Saturday Savings: Massive discounts from SanDisk, Huawei, and more

Andrew Myrick
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The new smartphones have started rolling out with more to come, but you’ll be looking at paying full price. In the meantime, you’re likely looking for some great deals to jump on, and we’ve got you covered.

Fortunately, you don’t have to wait for Labor Day or Black Friday for some incredible savings. In fact, there are plenty of items on sale on a regular basis.

Whether you are looking for a phone from a big-name player or some accessories from a few lesser-known companies, there’s a lot to consider. That’s why we’re here.

We have gathered up a number of promotions, discounts, and other savings across a variety of categories.

Phones & Tablets

Cables & Chargers

Other Mobile Accessories

General Tech & Gadgets

Submit Your Deal

Do you have a deal you would like to see listed here? Please take a few moments to fill out this form and we’ll be happy to consider it for a future post.

Editor Note: On occasion, some of the links we use on our website are part of an affiliate network or program. Sales generated from purchases are used to help support the website and “keep the lights on”.

Samsung’s record profits, new Mate 20 renders, and other news worth knowing

Andrew Myrick
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0

Welcome to In Brief, the AndroidGuys tech briefing. Today is Friday, October 5th, and we’re taking a look at all the tech news you need to know. In this post, we want you to learn about the news the way you want to learn. We’ve embedded a podcast version of all this news below. If you don’t want to listen, you can read just like you normally would.

In today’s edition, Google News gets a new Dark Mode, while renders for the Moto G7 and Mate 20 show off upcoming devices. Additionally, Samsung shares it will post a record-breaking quarter for Q3 2018, and more.

We’d love feedback on this post, so please let us know what you think in the comments. If we can improve in some way, we’d love to know!

Dark Mode comes to Google News

When it comes to getting your news, it’s important to have a good app to keep yourself up to date. Google News launched back in May and has seen a few updates, but the latest is the most exciting.

Google has pushed an update which brings Dark Mode to the entire app. After the update has been installed, you should be able to toggle Dark Mode by heading to the Settings within the News app.

It seems that not everyone is getting the update just yet, but you can head over to the Play Store and check.

Moto G7 renders show waterdrop notch and more

The Moto G lineup of devices is one of the most popular options due to its price and slick design. We are expecting to see the Moto G7 launch in 2019, but there are new renders that show off the device.

The renders confirm that Motorola will be moving to a waterdrop notch with an 18:9 display. There are bezels at the top and the bottom with Motorola’s branding on the chin and a cut out for an earpiece speaker at the top.

On the rear of the device, the G7 will continue to include the camera bump with dual sensors. Other specs include 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a 3,500mAh battery with Android Pie.

Samsung expects record-breaking profits thanks to the iPhone

Samsung has released its earnings for Q3 2018 and states it is expecting to see record profits. As for the specifics, Samsung claims that its operating profits come in around $15 billion, while its “consolidated sales” are estimated at around $57.5 billion.

Unfortunately, Samsung did not share a breakdown of where these profits and sales came from. However, the Display division is said to have seen a huge increase after providing the OLED displays for the iPhone XS and XS Max.

We will have to wait until the end of October to see exactly how Samsung performed, which includes potential sales from the Galaxy S9 lineup and Note 9.

New Mate 20 renders reveal more info on the new camera system

Huawei is set to unveil its new Mate 20 lineup at an event on October 16th. However, the company seemingly can’t stop the leaks as the Mate 20 has been revealed in another set of renders.

These renders give us a better look at the Mate 20’s triple camera setup. This setup features three cameras placed in a square, along with the flash sensor.

While some suspected Huawei might make the move to an embedded fingerprint scanner, that won’t be the case. The Mate 20 will have a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner placed below the camera module.

Google Drive Material Design 2 redesign coming soon

One of the biggest announcements at I/O 2018 was a series of new tools aimed to help developers match the Material Design theme. Since then, we have seen a few of Google’s apps updated with a new theme dubbed Material Design 2.

Google Drive will seemingly be the next in line to receive the update and thanks to XDA Developers, we know what it will look like. Overall, this new interface helps to simplify the experience for users. There are also quite a few changes in store for how to interact with various areas of the application.

The update itself is already available within the latest version of Drive. However, Google has not yet started rolling it out to users just yet. We will just have to wait and see when Google will flip the switch.

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The Pixel 2 is no longer available from Verizon

Jason England
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0

As we await the anticipated launch of the new Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL Verizon has halted sales for the Pixel 2 on its website. It is clear Verizon is preparing for the new Pixel phones slated to be announced at Google’s October 9 event. However, it is unclear why Verizon has chosen to stop selling only the Pixel 2 while the Pixel 2 XL is still available for sale.

What is interesting is Verizon still has older Samsung phones such as the S8 and Note 8 for sale though. Maybe the Pixel 2 wasn’t a big seller and they decided it wasn’t worth keeping around as they prep for the new Pixel 3. Perhaps production has stopped on the Pixel 2 and Google is no longer providing units to the carrier.

There is no real clear-cut answer here, all we know is if you were hoping to pick up a Pixel 2 from Verizon then you’re out of luck. If you are still in the market for a Pixel 2 then no worries though. It can still be purchased through other retail channels such as Google’s own site, Best Buy, B&H Photo, and more.

 

 

Android Pie updates, Fitbit Charge 3 coming soon, and other news worth knowing

Andrew Myrick
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0

Welcome to In Brief, the AndroidGuys tech briefing. Today is Thursday, October 4th, and we’re taking a look at all the tech news you need to know. In this post, we want you to learn about the news the way you want to learn. We’ve embedded a podcast version of all this news below. If you don’t want to listen, you can read just like you normally would.

In today’s edition, we see yet another Pixel 3 leak, HMD Global confirms Android Pie rollout, the Fitbit Charge 3 is coming next week, and more.

We’d love feedback on this post, so please let us know what you think in the comments. If we can improve in some way, we’d love to know!

Pixel 3 and 3 XL appear in new “Sand Pink” color ahead of launch

We already know that the Pixel 3 lineup will be unveiled on October 9th in New York. We also already know exactly what to expect from these devices in terms of design and specs.

One piece of information we weren’t privy to was which colors the phones would come in. The folks over at Android Headlines were able to get their hands on some official press renders of the devices in Black, White, and a new ‘Sand Pink’ color.

It’s not outside the realm of possibility for this to be legitimate as Google is known for releasing unique color options. Everything other than the front display panel has been made pink, and there will be a matching wallpaper included.

Nokia to begin rolling out Android Pie this month

In addition to unveiling the brand new Nokia 7.1, HMD Global also shared the expected release date for the Android Pie update. The Nokia 6.1 and 6.1 Plus will receive the Pie update first, as the rollout begins this month.

Starting next month, the Nokia 8 and 8 Sirocco will begin seeing their updates. We are starting to wonder has been taking so long considering that Pie has been available for a few months.

Nonetheless, it’s great to see older devices updated to the latest version of Android and not just left collecting dust.

Fitbit Charge 3 set to launch on October 7th

The Fitbit Charge 3 was officially announced back in August, but the company failed to share its launch date. That has now changed, as the Charge 3 will launch online and in retailers on October 7th.

As a refresher, the fitness tracker sports a touchscreen OLED display which claims to be almost 40% brighter than the Charge 2. Additionally, Fitbit has stated that you will get up to 7 days of battery life on a single charge.

The standard Charge 3 is priced at $149.95, but there is a special edition which costs $169.95. The difference is that the Special Edition includes an NFC chip for Fitbit Pay.

You can now use Google Assistant to book an Uber or Lyft

An update to Google Assistant is now available which makes it possible to hail either an Uber or Lyft with your voice. Simply say “OK Google, book me a ride to…” and say your destination.

From there, you will be provided with a map of the route, along with comparisons between Lyft and Uber. Then, you can select which service to go with and get along on your merry way.

While the voice command only works in English, Google has confirmed that there are plans to include more languages “over the coming months.”

DVR controls come to YouTube TV

If you’re one of the folks who have cut the cord and subscribed to YouTube TV, there’s good news. The streaming service has opened up DVR controls for more more channels.

Some of the channels include those from AMC, Disney, Fox, and Turner. Unfortunately, there is a catch in certain instances, as specific channels offer a “VOD” edition of a show. This means that you will have unskippable ads that you must watch and can’t fast-forward through.

However, there are still plenty of channels that you can record your favorite TV shows and skip all of the commercials.

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Best diary/journal apps for Android users

Alexandra Arici
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0

Despite having a rather childish connotation, keeping a diary or a journal is actually extremely beneficial to anyone. A growing body of research is suggesting that writing your thoughts down on paper helps you improve emotionally. There is no limit with writing, which is what makes it such a beautiful and healing process.

But rather than putting pen on paper, for most of us today it will probably feel more natural to use a smartphone app instead to quickly type out our thoughts. We no longer carry notebooks around, but we do take our smartphones everywhere with us. And luckily, there are a number of dairy and journal apps you can use on your Android device. Here are some of the best waiting for you out there.

Journey Diary

What it is:

A straightforward diary app with a nice interface and a few extra goodies to take advantage of.

Why we like it:

  • User-friendly UX that’s very intuitive to use. Simply tap the “+” floating button to start your first journal entry.
  • You can add things like Mood emoticons, activity status and even weather information to your post.
  • The app lets you integrate things like photos, videos, files, as well as audio files into your diary entry.
  • Journey Diary also features a Statistics tab where you can view things like how your Mood has evolved over time and more.

Download Journey Diary

Diaro

What it is:

A multi-platform diary app that can double as an event and appointment calendar, so you can keep track of what’s going on in your life.

Why we like it:

  • You can write short diary/calendar entries to which you can attach tags, mood, weather info and location, as well as photos.
  • Three UI themes to choose from including Light, Dark and Black (AMOLED). Users can also change the UI color and UI accent color. Plus, you get a ton of other customization options.
  • Let’s you keep your entries private, by providing the option to add a security code (PIN).

Download Diaro

Questions Diary

What it is:

An atypical take on the concept of dairy. Instead of free-flow writing, this app challenges you to answer a series of questions. What would you answer a year from now? Will your answers be different?

Why we like it:

  • The app features a clean, pristine interface. The absence of clutter allows the user to concentrate on what really matters and like learning how to manage your feelings or increasing your creative energies.
  • The app asks you a question a day like “Are you happy right now?”. Then a year later, you will be asked the same question, so you can compare the answers. Users can add their own questions.
  • There are different themes available, and you can use the app other languages including French, Dutch, Romanian or Polish.
  • There’s also a community, where you can interact with other users of the app by asking questions.

Download Questions Diary

Daylio

What it is:

A journal app that wants to help you build new, better habits, as well as help you keep track of your evolution over time.

Why we like it:

  • Interactive and modern design that lets you quickly add quick activities. These are short diary entries where you only need to add the Mood and your current venture.
  • The app features a Stats tab where you can get an overall look at your Monthly Mood, see your achievements and your longest best day streak.
  • Daylio comes with the option to change colors of Mood emoticons, as well as set a PIN lock for protection.

Download Daylio

Day One

What it is:

A diary app that allows more comprehensive posts, so you can keep track of your thoughts and feelings in a fun and simple way.

Why we like it:

  • The app provides you with a clean, distraction-free interface where you can focus on writing.
  • Add all kinds of additional data to your post including location, weather info, tags and photos.
  • Day one lets you export content to JSON and plain text (PDF option is coming in a future update).
  • Additional features include powerful text formatting with Markdown, as well as IFTTT integrations.
  • The app also includes the option to add a Passcode.

Download Day one

Bliss

What it is:

An app based on the idea that being grateful about small things in life helps us get better at dealing with everything existence throws at us.

Why we like it:

  • An easy way to help you keep track of what you’re feeling grateful for every day.
  • The app includes a series of “interventions” which have been developed by psychologists in order to raise happiness levels and desirable mental traits. For example, you can learn to practice “Could Be Worse”.
  • Bliss also features a Resources pages, where you can discover interesting books that can help you become a better human.

Download Bliss

Five-minute journal

What it is:

A diary journal app that wants to convince you to spend five minutes a day using it.

Why we like it:

  • Designed with the purpose of helping you focus on your attention on the good that’s going on in your life. Spend five minutes a day jotting down your daily experiences and the things that at the end of the day, you’re grateful for.
  • App lets you add photos to your posts and also gives you the option to see a photographic timeline view of all your images.
  • The app serves up an inspiring quote each day and weekly challenges that users can share via social media.

Attention: This is a paid app

Download Five Minute Journal

Luci

What it is:

While the majority of the apps in this list are standard diary apps, Luci is actually a dream journal that comes boasting a fun, colorful interface.

Why we like it:

  • Did we mention the cute interface? The app also comes with a sleep recorder for those who want to record your night babblings.
  • Luci is also usable as a normal diary if you want that.
  • It comes with backup options, a lock functions and the ability to set reminders.
  • The app also includes a fun sketchpad so you can draw your dreams.

Attention: Paid app

Download Luci

Secret Diary

What it is:

A diary app for those who like flashy, colorful themes and are fans of Material Design aesthetics.

Why we like it:

  • Secret Diary features a simple way to add content. Simply tap on the floating “Pen” icon to start writing and to add your mood.
  • The app features a pristine UI that’s design to help you focus on writing.
  • It also offers a pass lock, so other members of the household don’t have access to your diary.

Download Secret Diary

Offline Diary

What it is:

A simple alternative for those who want to keep a diary in a more classic way. It features a simple UI and the basic features.

Why we like it:

  • Don’t want to worry your diary entries will be leaked online at some point? You don’t have to. With offline diary you can keep your journal entries private and…offline.
  • The app features a pristine UI that’s design to help you focus on writing.
  • It features a pass lock, so other members of the household don’t have access to your diary.

Download Offline Diary

Nokia 7.1 announced with HDR notched display, Android 8.1 Oreo

Alexandra Arici
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As anticipated, Nokia today took the stage in London to unveil its latest star in the budget lineup. The phone is called the Nokia 7.1. Or the all-new Nokia 7, as some of the company’s officials have referred to it during the presentation.

Design-wise, the Nokia 7.1 doesn’t really bring anything new. The phone is made of glass and metal, just like most upper-middle-rangers and flagships these days. It also features a notch on top of the 5.85-inch LCD display. Nokia says the front panel is really bright and that it has the potential to be perfectly legible even in bright sunshine.

The display boasts 1080 x 2280 resolution and has HDR10 support, which is quite an unusual feature in this segment. Additionally, the phone’s screen can do real-time HDR conversion to SDR videos.

Nokia 7.1 is the latest Android One phone

When it comes to performance, the Nokia 7.1 relies on a pretty decent Snapdragon 636 chipset, that’s paired with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB of storage. If that leaves you wanting more, you can expand via the microSD card slot.

Moving on to photography, the new Nokia 7 boasts a Zeiss dual-camera setup on the back that pairs a 12MP (f/1.8) sensor with a secondary 5MP monochrome one. Nokia has embedded a real-time “Live Bokeh” mode on the main camera, that lets you adjust the focus before and after you take the photo.

On the front, the handset enjoys the presence of two 8MP sensors. Bothie mode, the feature that allows taking pictures using the front and back camera simultaneously, also makes a return on the Nokia 7.1.

Other features include a 3.5mm headphone jack and 3,060 mAh battery with fast charging. Nokia says that users will be able to juice up 50% of the battery in just 30 minutes or so.

The Nokia 7.1 will ship out with Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box. It’s part of the Android One program, and will supposedly get the Android 9.0 Pie update in November.

Price and availability

The new device will go up for pre-order at Amazon, Best Buy and B&H starting tomorrow (October 5) in the US, with shipments expected to start on October 28. The phone will retail for $349 and will be available in Gloss Midnight Blue and Gloss Steel.

On top of that, a Clear Case priced at $10 and up and a Flip Cover that will start at $20 will also be offered.

Alongside the Nokia 7.1, the company also announced its first pair of headphones called the Nokia True Wireless Earbuds.

Where to watch the Nokia launch and what to expect

Jason England
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0

October is shaping up to be a big month for phone releases. We’ve already seen what LG has to offer with its new V40 flagship and we’re expecting many more releases this month. Next up is Nokia with its event starting at 12 Eastern time today and live streaming on YouTube.

What to Expect

Invites went out for the HMD Nokia event a couple weeks back and the speculation is this will be the follow up to the Nokia 7 Plus. That makes the most sense because we’ve recently seen leaked renders of the Nokia 7.1 Plus pop up.

From the renders, we know the Nokia 7.1 Plus will have the trendy and unsightly notch and chin design. It also features dual cameras on the back with a fingerprint scanner along with the Android One logo. With any luck, we’ll see it launch with Android 9 Pie and it is also expected to have 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage.

That’s all we have at this point, but all will be revealed later today when the 7.1 Plus officially launches. There is also a slim chance we might see the Nokia 9 launched, but it is far more likely the Nokia 7.1 Plus will be the star of the show.

LG Watch W7 is a Wear OS hybrid with mechanical hands

Scott Webster
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0

Introduced in tandem with the new flagship V40 ThinQ phone, LG also announced the  LG Watch W7, its latest wearable.

This smartwatch is a successor to the LG Watch Urbane and is the latest Wear OS device by the company. But, unlike the others on the market the LG Watch W7 features a first for Wear OS devices in that it has mechanical hands.

Indeed, it’s a hybrid watch that has enough juice to power the smart stuff for two days. The mechanical aspect is really interesting in that it lets wearers get 100 days on a single charge.

This isn’t a fitness tracker or more traditional smartwatch. It’s big, has a hefty price tag ($450), and lacks GPS and standalone LTE. Moreover, there’s no NFC which means no Google Pay.

Worth noting, the wearable houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100 as opposed to the newer, and more efficient Snapdragon 3100. It’s not clear if this was due to time constraints, budget, or some other reason.

The hands are obviously the main selling point for the LG Watch W7. Put simply, you can tell time even if you’re not using any smartwatch functions. You can also use the analog hands for altimeter, barometer, stopwatch, timer and compass.

As far as other specs, the W7 sports a 1.2-inch LCD and supports standard 22mm watch bands. Powered by a 240mAh battery, it comes with 768MB RAM, and 4GB of storage. The LG Watch W7 is IP68 rated to protect against water and dust.

Availability

The LG Watch W7 will be available at Best Buy starting from October 14; pre-orders start a few days earlier on October 7.

Hot Take: What is LG doing with the V40 ThinQ and W7? (Episode 30)

Andrew Myrick
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0

Join us as we sit down and discuss some of the hot tech topics out there today. The LG V40 ThinQ and Watch W7 were announced at an event in New York today and we explain what exactly the company is doing in today’s market and more.

What we talked about today

More news

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