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Pocophone F1 officially launches in India with SD 845, 6GB of RAM, and $300 price tag

Jason England
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Xiaomi’s new sub-brand Pocophone just launched their first phone the F1 with a bang. This is hands down the cheapest phone you can buy with top of the line flagship specs. With only a measly $300 the specs on the Pocophone F1 puts other phones to shame.

Specs

  • 5.99-inch 2246 x 1080 LCD display
  • Snapdragon 845
  • Adreno 630
  • 6GB of RAM
  • 64GB/128GB/256GB of storage with microSD card slot
  • 12MP+5MP f/1.75 dual lens rear-camera
  • 20MP f/2.0 front-facing camera
  • 4000mAh battery
  • Android 8.1 Oreo MIUI 9.6
  • USB-C
  • 3.5MM Headphone Jack
  • Bluetooth 5

Xiaomi’s goal is to take on OnePlus in the Indian market by offering a similar phone at a cheaper price and I’d say they certainly succeeded. In comparison, the OnePlus 6 comes with very similar specs but costs a little over $200 more than the Pocophone F1.

Some of the key areas they differ are, the Pocophone F1 is made with a polycarbonate back instead of glass like on the OnePlus 6. The Pocophone F1 includes a larger battery, the MIUI skin over Android, and a worse camera.

Along with the creation of the sub-brand, Xiaomi has also made some tweaks to their MIUI skin to better adapt to the Indian market. For example, the Poco Launcher provides an app drawer by default. It also includes the search bar at the bottom and ways to auto-sort your apps by type or color. The Poco Launcher will also be released on the Play Store for any phone beginning on August 29.

Over the years Xiaomi phones have gotten the reputation of being cheap in India. This made it difficult for Xiaomi to push their more expensive handsets in the country. The launch of the new Pocophone brand doesn’t hide the fact that it is produced by Xiaomi. Instead, it is looking to shake up their image and compete with the other affordable flagship king OnePlus.

Pricing and Colors

The Pocophone F1 comes in several variations with a choice of 64GB or 128GB of storage for the 6GB of RAM model, or a version with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The Poco F1 begins at 20,999 rupees ($300) for the 6GB/64GB model, 23,999 rupees ($343) for the 6GB/128GB model, and 28,999 rupees (~$415) for the 8GB/256GB model.

They will be available in several colors including Steel Blue, Graphite Black, and Rosso Red. There will even be a special Armoured Edition with a Kevlar back for the 8GB/256GB version through Flipkart that will set you back 29,999 rupees ($429).

Availability

The Pocophone F1 will officially be available in India beginning on August 29. If you’re not in India and hoping to get your hands on one then you might be in luck. Pocophone has confirmed they will be launching the F1 in 50+ countries with launch events in France, Indonesia, and Hong Kong on August 27.

Xiaomi has high hopes for their new sub-brand, the question is, can it compete in an already saturated phone market? Will the low low prices steal market share from other brands competing in this segment or fall flat?

 

In Brief: Big tablets, cheap phones, Verizon’s dirty tricks (Episode 20)

Donovan Jeska
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Join us as we sit down and discuss some of the hot tech topics out there today. We’re taking on Verizon for some seemingly shady behavior by Verizon, one of our favorite indie phones coming to an American carrier, the future of Essential, and Google Assistant’s attempt at putting a smile on your face.

What we talked about today

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Samsung J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 review

Jason England
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Samsung is most well known for their flagship phones such as the Note 9 and Galaxy S9. However, they also make many other phones including more affordable entry-level phones. The Samsung J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 loaned to us courtesy of AT&T are prime examples of that.

While known by two different names these two phones are one and the same. They share the exact same design and specs, only differing in two areas which I’ll touch on at the end of the review.

Design

There is nothing extraordinary about the design of the Samsung J3 2018 or Galaxy Express Prime 3. That’s not surprising for an entry-level phone in this price range. The front features a 5-inch 720p LCD display with vivid colors and is bright enough to be viewed outdoors. Overall the display looks good and is proof that a low-resolution display doesn’t mean it is low quality.

Similar to previous generations of Samsung phones they both include a home button flanked by two capacitive buttons for navigation. Unsurprisingly, there is no fingerprint scanner in the home button nor is there one anywhere else on these phones.

Samsung J3 2018

In contrast, the absence of an ambient light sensor is quite shocking. Without an ambient light sensor, the display will not change brightness on its own. Instead, you are forced to manually adjust it with the slider. In 2018 an ambient light sensor should be standard on all phones and not a premium feature.

Another frustration is the absence of lights for the capacitive buttons making it more difficult to use in dimly lit or dark rooms. Especially since Samsung reverses the order of the recent apps and back buttons from stock Android.

Both phones have a plastic build and feel solid in the hand with a removable back. Stored away behind this back panel is the nano-SIM slot, microSD card slot, and removable battery. With only 16GB of storage, it’s a good thing the microSD card slot supports cards up to 400GB. I was constantly getting warning messages about being out of space, 16GB doesn’t go that far these days.

Samsung J3 2018

One design element often overlooked is the placement of the speaker. I’m happy to say the J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 placed it on the right side instead of the bottom. Now sound won’t be easily muffled by your hand in landscape mode.

Holding the phones was easier and more comfortable without having to worry about covering a bottom firing speaker. Another positive is the inclusion of the headphone jack, thankfully Samsung is one manufacturer who hasn’t nixed it. Although in general, most entry-level phones have not removed the headphone jack.

Speaking of legacy ports, the J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 still use the outdated micro USB standard. In a mobile world that where most phones have moved to the USB-C standard, this is quite disappointing. For users who have not made the switch to USB-C and don’t want to invest in new cables, this will be a positive, however.

Software

The J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 are running Android 8.0.0 Oreo out of the box along with Samsung’s typical thick skin overlay. Samsung phones have always made changes to the UI and added features to provide their own Android experience. Despite the lower end hardware they still do a good job of providing many of the same features you’d find on Samsung flagships.

For example, you have access to the theme store, secure folder, dual messenger, shortcuts for the camera, and one-handed mode, options in game mode to block notifications, and more. However, I ran into an annoying issue that prevents you from syncing your Gboard personal dictionary because of secure folder. I was also dissatisfied to see that night mode is missing from the display options.

Performance

Believe me when I say the lag is real on this phone. That shouldn’t be surprising considering they are both powered by Samsung’s in-house Exynos 7570 quad-core 1.4GHz processor and 2GB of RAM. These are far from flagship phone specs and it definitely shows when trying to multitask or play games.

Loading of most smaller apps isn’t that bad, it really only becomes frustrating when opening games. What makes it even worse is due to the paltry sum of RAM, you’ll often have to wait for the games or apps to reload if you switch apps.

Camera

The rear camera on the J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 is an 8MP shooter with a respectable f/1.9 aperture and a 5MP f/2.2 camera on the front. Even with a f/1.9 aperture, the rear camera is still not great for low light images.

Without optical image stabilization photos have a higher probability of coming out blurry. Also, regardless of how steady your hands might be, there will still be a significant amount of noise in low light images.

Samsung J3 2018

Photos in daylight are better but still not fantastic because of a lack of dynamic range. While the J3 2018 and Express Prime 3 provide an HDR mode it still doesn’t balance out the exposure that well.

The HDR photos often leave you with halos around objects. Not to mention the patience you’ll need while it takes a few seconds for the HDR photos to process. Overall, it’ll work for snapshots but don’t expect anything too breathtaking from these cameras.

On the bright side, the camera does offer some useful shooting modes besides HDR such as pro, panorama, night, and sports. The front-facing camera also includes a selfie mode with beauty filters and a wide selfie mode.

The results of the front-facing camera are more disappointing than the rear camera because of the lower megapixel count and larger aperture. Your face is never quite clear and the background can look even worse.

Battery

Battery life is one area where the Samsung J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 shine. I was easily able to get 5 hours screen on time with plenty of juice leftover in a day. While with more light to medium usage I was able to go two full days before needing to charge. Another added benefit comes from the replaceable battery making it easy to swap if you’ll be away from the charger.

Conclusion

Unlike Samsung’s flagship phones the J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 aren’t built to impress. They are best suited for those who are only looking for a basic phone to text or make phone calls. That doesn’t mean they are only limited to those uses. The J3 2018 and Galaxy Express Prime 3 are plenty capable of playing games and doing more.

However, the experience will be subpar and I wouldn’t recommend them for multitaskers, gamers, or those who expect more from their phone. While both of these phones are essentially the same the only area they differ in is availability and price.

The Samsung J3 2018 is for postpaid customers on AT&T and will set you back $210. At that price, it’s not exactly a bargain. If you’re willing to shop around or wait you could find far more capable phones for a similar price. Ones that include extras like an ambient light sensor, a fingerprint scanner, or more.

On the other hand, the Galaxy Express Prime 3 is available for prepaid customers starting at $130. This is a much more reasonable price for the phone you are getting. There still might be better deals out there, but for $130 I feel you’re getting what you paid for.

Google Fit is getting an update, improved features, and a makeover

Jason England
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Google Fit is about to get a makeover and some new features to help you stay fit. Working together with the American Heart Association (AHA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Google has devised better ways to track your activity and set goals. With the help of the AHA and WHO Google set out to investigate the science of physical activity, exercise, and the correlation with improved health.

Move Minutes and Heart Points

Only after you understand what kind of activity improves your health can you track it. Using this new comprehension of what type of movement improves your health Google has created two new smart ways to track you called Move Minutes and Heart Points.

Move Minutes isn’t anything new, it is very similar to other apps which encourage you to move throughout the day. The less time you spend sitting and the more time you spend moving around the better. You’ll earn Move Minutes by making healthier choices such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walking away from people who tell you sitting is the new smoking.

Getting moving is only half of the equation, however. It also matters what intensity you move and the more intensity the better. This is where Heart Points come into play. You’ll earn Heart Points in Google Fit by doing more vigorous activities. Whether it’s going for a run, playing tennis, or kickboxing give it your all and get your heart pumping.

Tracking & Integration

With Google Fit while you’re running, walking, or biking throughout the day the sensors in your phone or watch can help keep track and assign you Move Minutes and Heart Points. There is also a list of activities Google Fit can track within the app ranging from gardening to rowing.

Don’t worry about losing credit in your other favorite fitness apps. Google Fit integrates with Strava, Runkeeper, Endomondo, and MyFitnessPal making sure you get credit for every step. The journal will keep track of your activities, achievements, and your goal progress across all of your apps. As you progress you’ll also get tips to adjust your goals and increase your activity even more.

Get Moving

If you’re not seeing the new Google Fit yet, that’s because it is rolling out this week and it may not have hit your device yet. Remember it only takes 30 minutes of brisk walking 5 days a week to reach the AHA and WHO’s recommended amount of physical activity.

Studies have shown this reduces your risk of heart disease, improves sleep, and your mental health. If you need a little motivation, then grab the Google Fit app, start earning your Move Minutes and Heart Points, and get fit.

Samsung is working on massive 17 inch tablet for AT&T

Jason England
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In case you didn’t know or you just forgot, once upon a time Samsung made a huge 18.4-inch Android tablet called the Galaxy View. This thing was so massive it had a permanently attached handle and weighed a little less than 6 pounds.

The handle was a large piece of angled plastic on the back which pivoted in the middle and added a lot of bulk. The tablet itself could never fully collapse, meaning it was only truly portable in a theoretical sense.

It seems Samsung thinks it is time for a refresh of this massive tablet, or at least AT&T is. According to sources that spoke to Android Police, Samsung is working on a 17.5-inch Android tablet for the mobile/media company. At 17.5 inches it is slightly smaller than the previous Galaxy View but not expected to be any more portable than the previous generation.

The new Galaxy View 2 is said to have a new book style hinge, which I can only hope will be a bit more compact than the last one. The new hinge will allow for two different positions. An upright position for watching videos and one at 30 degrees allowing you to use the tablet lying down. It seems the handle will not make a reappearance, perhaps Samsung realized after the first Galaxy View that this is more of a stationary device.

The new Galaxy View 2 is expected to run an Exynos processor much like the previous version with an increase of RAM from 2GB to 3GB. The screen will stick to the 1080p resolution of the previous generation which helps greatly with battery consumption on such a large screen. No word how large the battery will be, but it will charge through USB-C this time instead of a separate AC adapter.

Unfortunately, for all of you budding artists out there, the new Galaxy View will not include a stylus like Samsung’s other tablets. Which is a shame considering how large and nice of a drawing surface this would be. However, this is most likely going to be targeted as a media consumption device, instead of a media creation device. It will at least include a microSD card slot for expanding your storage.

AT&T is surely interested in this as a new way for you to consume DirecTV or content from their Time Warner acquisition. This makes sense, for when I reviewed the first Galaxy View I found it was most useful for using as a small TV while in the kitchen or playing games. It was not really built to be a laptop replacement and the lack of DeX or another OS would make it even more difficult to use as one.

You can now undo sent emails for Gmail on Android

Jason England
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One of the most useful features present in Gmail for ages is the ability to undo a sent email. Sometimes this saves you from saying something you shouldn’t have or allows you to add something you forgot. Either way, it can be a real lifesaver when you need it and the Gmail app on Android now has it.

The ability to undo a sent email seems so simple and yet essential, it’s hard to believe it wasn’t implemented earlier. No one knows what took Google so long to add this to the Gmail app for Android or when it got added. We only know that it was sometime recently. This option has been a staple feature in Gmail on the web for years now. I can remember when it was first introduced as a Labs feature and I enabled it immediately.

Previously in the Gmail app for Android after sending an email you would see a toast message at the bottom that said sending message. However, with this feature, a little bar shows up at the bottom with sent and an undo button on the right side. This looks very similar to the notification bar you get when you delete an email with the same undo option.

According to Android Police, it is unknown whether it is a server-side change or part of the app itself. All we know is it appears to be an option in versions 8.7+ of the Gmail app. Android Police also claims that you can recall Gmail to Gmail emails before the sender has seen it. In my own testing, I was not able to achieve this, however.

In any case, it’s better to not linger too long and hit undo quickly if you think you made a mistake. You can always send the email again but once it is out there then you can never take it back.

First ten things to do with your Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Jason England
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The day has finally arrived and you just unboxed your shiny new Samsung Galaxy Note 9. Now, you’re holding one of the best phones of 2018 in your hands and wondering, what to do next? Considering how jam-packed the Note 9 is with features you might feel a little overwhelmed. Don’t worry, if you’re wondering where to start and what to do first we’ve got you covered.

Protect it

First and foremost you’re going to want to protect it. The Galaxy Note 9 is an expensive device but with a glass front and back it is also a fragile device. While Gorilla Glass has come a long way it is still glass, and glass scratches or even worse it cracks. To make sure your $1,000 plus investment get shattered wrap it up. Here are a few choices below for cases and screen protectors.

Cases

Screen Protectors

More Storage

Samsung raised the bar with the Galaxy Note 9 by including 128GB storage minimum and offering a 512GB model, but you can always use more space. Fortunately, there is a microSD card slot in the SIM tray. Below are a few good choices for adding some more storage to your phone for photos, videos, and music.

S-Pen Shortcuts

One of the biggest upgrades this year to the Note 9 was the new Bluetooth LE S-Pen. Combined with the new Bluetooth LE technology the S-Pen has learned a few new tricks. In order to access these you’ll need to dig into the S-Pen menu.

This can be accessed by removing the S-Pen, tapping the cog in the top left corner, and then choosing S Pen remote. From here, you can choose which app opens with a long press as well as change the shortcut actions in apps.

Blue Light Filter

Studies have shown that the blue light emitted from devices is not only bad for our sleep but bad for our eyesight. The blue light filter is one of the ways Samsung and some others have found to fight this. To enable this on your Note 9 follow these steps:

  • Open settings
  • Display
  • Tap Blue light filter
  • Now toggle from Sunset to sunrise or create your own schedule

Now you can protect your eyes at night and sleep easier. You can also toggle it from the quick tiles any time you like by swiping down twice on the notification tray.

Swap the Navigation Keys

If you’re a long time Samsung user you may have gotten used to having the back button on the right and overview button on the left. If you’re coming from most other phones then that is probably something that has always frustrated you with Samsung phones. Thankfully, when Samsung made the switch to software navigation keys they provided us with the option to change it to match stock Android.

  • Open settings
  • Display
  • Navigation Bar

From here you can change the Button layout, adjust the color of the navigation bar, and more.

One-Handed Mode

There’s no getting around it, the Note 9 is a big phone. Working it with one hand can be a challenge for most of us. That’s where One-handed mode comes into play. With this nifty little feature, you can shrink down the screen with a shortcut making it much easier to reach items.

  • Open settings
  • Advanced features
  • One-handed mode

From here you can toggle it on or off, and change which shortcut is used to launch it.

Fingerprint Sensor Gestures

Another challenge when using a large phone with one hand is expanding your notification tray. Especially when the phone is using a taller aspect ratio which has become the norm over the past couple of years. In this case, there is an extremely useful option called Finger sensor gestures.

When enabled you can swipe up and down on the fingerprint scanner to open or close the notification panel. Now that Samsung has moved the fingerprint scanner in a more convenient location this is even more useful than ever.

  • Open settings
  • Advanced features
  • Fingerprint sensor gestures

FaceWidgets

Your lock screen is more powerful than you know. With FaceWidgets you can display more than just the time on there. In the settings, you can enable music controls, your schedule, weather, and more to swipe through. All without unlocking your phone, and you can also have this info show up on the Always-on Display.

  • Open settings
  • Lock screen
  • FaceWidgets

Turn on Atmos

Audio quality from Samsung phones continues to improve and the software plays a big part in that. One of my favorite enhancements on several phones these days is Dolby Atmos technology. It really brings the sound to life in my opinion and I always enable it on any phone includes it.

  • Open settings
  • Sounds and vibration
  • Scroll down to Sound quality and effects
  • Toggle Dolby Atmos

You can also experiment with changing which mode to use and the equalizer while you in there. Sound is a very personal thing and thankfully we have the option to personalize it.

Themes

Not everyone is a fan of the whitewashed theme on Android, including myself. Fortunately, you aren’t stuck with that. Samsung provides an entire theme market with many free themes. Make your phone your own by spending some time browsing and finding something to match your style.

  • Open settings
  • Wallpapers and themes

Devices used in this article were provided by AT&T

Xiaomi Mi Band 3 brings enough great features for the price (review)

AndroidGuys
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Xiaomi seemed to have a sleeper hit on their hands with the Mi Band 2; a smartwatch/fitness tracker that lacked several high-end features, but was offered at a price (about $20 US) low enough to tempt a whole lot of people to give it a try.

Including our household- I personally bought one for my wife, who to that point was not a fitness stats-based person in the least. While she was appreciative but hesitant at first, she quickly got into using it all the time; particularly with tracking steps or just using it as a funky little watch.

Now comes its its successor, the Mi Band 3. At about $40 US, you get an updated design (with multiple band color options in addition to matte black), capacitive touch interaction, sports modes, larger screen, water resistance, sleep tracking, weather info, and distance tracking are some of the big improvements you’ll find over the last generation.

Unboxing

The packaging to the Mi Band is pretty minimal, consistent with the device itself. You get the body floating front-and-center, with the band and charging cord hiding behind it. No wall pack is included; you need to supply your own.

Unfortunately, the cord is short, about 6″, with a proprietary 2-prong connector. The body snaps in & out of the strap and slides into the charger on its own.

Advantages

Appearance, Comfort, Fit

On my son’s wrist.

One of the biggest changes to the Mi Band is its looks. In contrast to the Mi Band 2, the main body now sports a super-glossy water drop-type rounded oval to it. It almost borders on gem-like shininess, and you will likely get a comment or two while exposed on your wrist.

In contrast to the physical button from the Mi Band 2, The Mi Band 3 uses a capacitive button low & center. The rest of the screen is also capacitive, allowing navigation by swiping through screens as needed. Another change is the screen has grown from 0.42 inches to 0.78. The pixel density is plenty high enough for detailed text, though the brightness can struggle a bit in bright sunlight.

The silicone band is very comfortable (the Mi Band 2 was also a comfort winner), split between the soft material feel and the generally diminutive stature of the entire device. Unlike a lot of smartwatches/activity trackers that seem to get progressively bigger & bulkier with each iteration, the Mi Band 3 seems to disappear on your wrist with its small size and lack of bulk. With the sleep tracking functionality, this is especially advantageous as you could easily wear this device comfortably while snoozing.

Battery

Another main draw for me with the Mi Band 2 was battery life. Reading other reviews it seemed that one could get weeks of life with normal use. Read that again: weeks of battery life. That phrase is seldom heard beyond the e-reader realm. But it was true; we normally went 1-2 month between needed recharging.

Read more: Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S first impressions: Looks great, handles like a dream

Similarly, the same can be said for the Mi Band 3. While the display is nicer and brighter, a better chip-set and bigger battery balance this to give you a very similar battery life experience. Expect to go weeks between recharging. In the age of smartwatches barely going a day or two, this type of lifespan is beyond refreshing!

Water Resistance

Also, Xiaomi added hearty water resistance to the Mi Band 3; offering a stated resistance down to 50 meters. Feel free to swim, bike or run in the rain, and shower while using your Mi Band.

Disadvantages

Lacking sensors

The Mi Band 3 uses (depends, actually) on the Mi Fit app (found here in the Play Store). Once you download the app to your phone, you open it and set up your account for using the watch.

The type and breadth of info to capture on the Mi Band 3 is where its price starts to reflect what you get for the money. Heart rate monitoring is certainly available, though you do need the phone app within Bluetooth distance. Heart rate monitoring is manually activated, either on the watch or within the app. The accuracy of the monitoring was ok, with a notable delay sometimes in the numbers being shown on the display. If health-wise you’re beyond just a curious user, you may want to look for a more accurate device.

While you can track distance right on the watch, unfortunately, that’s really about it. Also, you can only activate activity-specific tracking through the app, not the watch; and if you want GPS-level accuracy to your activities, your paired phone needs to be in tow. Again, if you’re approaching a more serious approach to fitness, having to carry your phone with you could be a deterrent… a higher-level device may be better suited to you.

Within the app, the level of detail is not the most exhaustive. You can find and track your basic stats, but as with aforementioned metrics, if you’re looking to really drill down into your performance, you just won’t find it here.

Final thoughts

All that said, the Xiaomi is not looking to challenge the extreme super-watches that cost hundreds of dollars here. In contrast, the Mi Band 3 knows exactly what it is, and who it’s for.

Its appearance is sleek and minimal. Furthermore, usability is very easy. If you’re new to fitness tracking, or just aren’t worried about uber-deep statistics, you get a colorful, well-designed interface. If you have any experience as a modern smartphone owner, battery life on the Mi Band is almost unbelievable.

Similar to the previous version, you can allow notifications to be displayed on your Mi Band using the settings within the app. This includes incoming calls, texts, alarms, and notifications from other apps.

As a result, the Xiaomi Mi Band 3 is everything it claims to be. If you’re looking for a simple-to-use, attractive, and functional device, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option to give a new health tracker a try.

Do you want to pick up the Xiaomi Mi Band 3? We suggest you begin your search at GearVita, who was nice enough to supply our review unit. GearVita was nice enough to pass along the following discount codes:

Read next: Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 review: Still worth it in 2018?

The Fitbit Charge 3 is coming to a wrist near you in October

Andrew Myrick
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It’s been a few months since we’ve heard much from Fitbit. The company launched its latest smartwatch, the Versa, back in March but we were still waiting for a new traditional fitness tracker.

The wait is finally over, as the company has just introduced its latest product, the Fitbit Charge 3. The Charge 2 has been a staple in the fitness game for around 2 years, so it was definitely time for an update.

Read More: Fitbit Versa Review

With the Charge 3, you get up to 7 days of battery life to go along with a new touchscreen OLED display. Fitbit claims this new display is almost 40% brighter than its predecessor. This will definitely help ensure that you can keep track of what’s going on, even in direct sunlight.

As is the case with just about every Fitbit, there are a slew of health and fitness features built-in. Here’s a breakdown of a few of those:

  • Goal-based exercise modes: Choose from 15+ exercise modes like bike, swim, run, weights and yoga; set a goal for calories burned, distance or duration, and see real-time stats, progress and celebrations on device when you reach your goal.
  • Water-resistant to 50M: Wear in the shower, rain, pool or ocean. See real-time duration on your wrist with Swim Mode, or use SmartTrack® automatic exercise recognition to see laps and pace in the Fitbit app post-swim.
  • Go the distance: Stay motivated with Connected GPS from your phone for real-time pace and distance on device, plus Run Detect with auto pause and auto stop in the future.
  • Information at a glance: Easily navigate the new personalized, on-device dashboard to see daily activity stats and health metrics like female health tracking, hydration, sleep and weight (coming soon).

Additionally, Fitbit is has included some new Sleep Tracking features. This new ‘Sleep Stages & Sleep Insights’ uses your heart rate variability to help give you a better understanding of your sleeping patterns.

While this is not a fully-fledged smartwatch like the Versa or Ionic, the Fitbit Charge 3 is still more than useful. The company is including extra features such as Fitbit Pay for the Special Edition version, compatibility with iOS and Android, and even a few “popular brand apps”.

Finally, you’ll probably want to know about pricing and availability. Well, starting today, you can pre-order the Charge 3 from Fitbit’s website, before using other online retailers tomorrow.

The Charge 3 comes in at $149.95 for the standard edition, while the Special Edition with Fitbit Pay arrives at $169.95. Fitbit states that its latest wearable will become available starting in October 2018.

Let us know what you think about the Fitbit Charge 3 and if you’re pumped for a new fitness tracker.

Deal: Essential Phone at its lowest price ever on Amazon

Jason England
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0

The Essential Phone didn’t turn out to be the breakout hit that creator Andy Rubin hoped for. Instead, it has seen complaints about the camera since day one and seen continuous price drops.

The latest sees it drop down to $224 on Amazon, the cheapest price it has ever been. Even cheaper than the Prime Day deal of $250 or the deal for $240 over the weekend, which was already a steal for this phone.

The Essential Phone offers premium materials including a ceramic back and was the first phone outside of a Pixel to get the official Android Pie update. Not only is it made from premium materials and running the latest Android OS, but it also has 2017 flagship worthy specs at less than half of what you’d expect to pay from others.

Specs

  • 5.71-inch 2560 x 1312 QHD display w/ notch
  • Snapdragon 835
  • 4GB RAM
  • 128GB Storage
  • 13MP f/1.9 dual rear camera
  • 8MP f/2.2 front-facing camera
  • 3040mAh battery
  • Android Pie

Honestly, when you add up the specs for the price this is an insane deal for a phone already running Android Pie officially. However, Essential’s future is a bit up in the air at the moment. They have canceled their next phone and been rumored to be up on the auction block.

Buying this phone may mean there are no future upgrades in your future. At the same time, with it already on Android Pie there won’t be any new upgrades in the near future either. If you’d like one, I’d say grab it quickly because at these prices it’s not gonna last.

Buy from Amazon

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