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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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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

Saturday Savings: Massive discounts from Huawei, Anker, Belkin, Toast, and more

Andrew Myrick
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It’s back-to-school time once again and we’re heading into the dog days of summer. The fourth quarter is breathing down our neck, and with that another fun buying season of discounts and limited-time sales.

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

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”.

Weekend Recommender: Anker, Adonit, Baseus, Novoo, and iDeaPlay

AndroidGuys
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Welcome to the weekend! We’re now in the dog days of summer. The temps (and humidity.) are on the rise but we’re not letting that get us down. Today, we have some really awesome tech to tell you about. We’re looking at a couple pairs of really nice and affordable headphones, a great precision stylus, and more. And the best part? Everything on this list is under $100. Tech is great, but it is even better when it’s affordable too.

Without any more delay, let’s take a look.

Anker Soundcore Space NC

A lot of people are beginning to catch on to the fact good phones are getting cheaper and cheap phones are getting pretty good. But, a lot of people are missing that trend happening in the audio world too. The case used to be that you’d have to spend a week’s paycheck to get a pair of premium noise-canceling headphones. Not anymore!

Anker shipped over the Soundcore Space NC headphones recently and we’re in love. Yep, that NC on the end of the name does sound for Noice Cancelling and it is a lifesaver on long trips or during the morning bus ride. We were blown away by just how effective the noise cancellation actually was on these $99 headphones.

Noise cancellation or not, these things sound awesome. We loved the bassy beats and the soaring vocals in our favorite pop songs. Rap, R&B, and electronic music were also standouts, but honestly, these are going to be great for anything you’re listening to.

We also loved the touch panel controls on the side of the device. It’s incredibly easy to answer a call, advance the track or turn up the volume without much thought. Battery life is another standout with a 20-hour rating playing in wireless noise canceling mode. If you go wired, you can last up to 50 hours. Obviously, those numbers are going to be lower if you’re really bumping these things LOUD, but that’s still pretty impressive.

Amazon

Baseus Fast Wireless Charging Car Phone Holder

I’m one of those people who can never find the right spot in my car for my phone. Whether I’m using the Note 8 or the OnePlus 6, no spot ever quite fits. The phone rolls around too much in a cup holder, it’s not secure in the door handle, and it falls out of my pocket if I leave it in there. So, what’s a guy to do?

Well, the answer is pick up one of these Baseus Fast Wireless chargers. This awesome car phone holder hooks onto a vent in your car which puts your phone in the perfect spot to use Google Maps. I recently used this on a ~ 500-mile journey and absolutely fell in love with it.

The killer feature here is the fast wireless charging. Most wireless chargers are pretty slow, but some devices like Samsung’s recently flagships and the Apple iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X can take advantage of fast wireless charging. This puts it about on par with regular wired charging which should keep your battery level consistent while navigating.

I was also pretty impressed with the clamp on my phone. It uses the phone’s own weight to secure it! Once you slot your device in, the bottom bar skins down and pulls the sides together. You can’t use this in landscape which is kind of a bummer, but I never felt like my phone would fall out of the holder when I hit a pothole or had to hit the brakes hard. In the next revision we’d love to see landscape support and maybe USB C instead of micro USB, but overall we really enjoy this car holder.

LuLuLook

Novoo AC Power Bank

If your phone doesn’t have Qi wireless charging and you need something for the car, you might want to consider this Novoo AC Power Bank. It’s designed to fit in a cup holder and features one USB C and one USB A port flanking an AC port. Yep, you read that right,  you get an AC port to charge up your laptop or other devices that may require AC power.

We recently took this guy on a weekend away and it was really a lifesaver. Sure, it isn’t the most convenient thing to carry around (it’s round and heavy!) but sitting at the kitchen table playing cards or riding in the car, we were able to charge up three devices at the same time with no sweat. We also loved that the power bank supports Quick Charge 3.0 to get those devices charged up as quickly as possible.

Like most premium power banks, the Novoo AC Power Bank has a 20,100 mAh capacity. That’s enough to recharge your MacBook or a couple of flagship smartphones multiple times. The power bank comes with a couple of cables in the box and a charger. We’d love to see an option to recharge this guy with a USB C cable in future revisions to cut down on the number of cables we need to keep around.

Amazon

Adonit Droid Stylus

You might be surprised to know that we do a ton of work here at AndroidGuys on phones and tablets. I’ve been searching for a fantastic stylus for years and I finally came across one that I really like. The Adonit Droid Stylus is a premium stylus that is constructed from premium materials. It feels fantastic in the hand and looks classy too. The clip makes sure you can hold onto this bad boy in your pocket. If you’re one who loses pens on the regular (guilty as charged!), you’ll be thankful for that little clip.

The real magic of the Adonit Droid Stylus is the micro-sized disc on the tip. It measures in at less than 5 mm so you can be pretty precise when you’re writing, drawing, or coloring. I tried out a few coloring book apps with this stylus and came away pretty pleasantly surprised at just how well I was able to stay in the lines. I was initially worried about how it would fare when going up a screen protector, but it handled my tempered glass screen protector like a champ. Plastic screen protectors may be a different story.

Overall, it felt very natural to write and draw with the Adonit Droid Stylus. If you’re looking to pick up a premium stylus with a micro-sized pad on the tip to protect your screen, you should definitely check this one out.

Adonit Amazon

iDeaPLAY Active Noise Canceling Headphones

Proving that our theory of active noise canceling headphones are becoming a trend, we have another pair on our list. This pair comes from iDeaPlay and sports a more retro look. They remind us a lot of headphones we’d have seen in the 70’s or 80’s and we absolutely love it. With every pair of headphones out there looking the same, these offer a subtle difference that we really enjoy.

Not only do we love the look, but we love the sound too. Heavy bass and clear vocals are a real highlight. Add that to the active noise canceling and you have yourself a recipe for success. You can use these headphones in both wireless (Bluetooth) and wired mode. iDeaPlay claims 24 hours of battery life with ANC turned on, which would be pretty impressive. We’ve not used the headphones quite that long but we definitely haven’t had to charge them during our review period.

These headphones come with a nice hard carrying case and a 30-day money back guarantee, along with a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty. If you’d like to check them out, you can do so without breaking the bank as they’re just $80!

Amazon

How to Install Fortnite on your Android device

Alexandra Arici
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Earlier this week, Epic Games officially began rolling out the Fortnite beta for Android devices. After only a few days of exclusivity on the Galaxy Note 9, the game was now available for all with a compatible Android device.

But the process of installing Fortnite on your device is a bit tricky, due to the fact that Epic is using its own website and a Fortnite Installer program to give Android users access to the game. The company said the decision not to put Fortnite in the Play Store was taken in order to avoid paying Google’s 30% cut on in-app purchases.

So how you get Fortnite on your Android?

Step 1: Check device compatibility

Eager to jump into battle? Just follow these simple steps if you want to get the game on your Android-equipped smartphone or tablet.

Fortnite debuted on Android as a Galaxy Note 9 exclusive. Apart from that, the other Samsung supported devices include the: S7 / S7 Edge, S8 / S8+, S9 / S9+, Note 8 and Tab S3 and Tab S4 tablets. If you own one of these devices, you can easily download Fornite via the Samsung Game Launcher (or the Epic website).

If you don’t own a Samsung device, check out Epic’s full list of supported devices which includes phones from LG, Huawei, ASUS and OnePlus. See if you find your phone and then head to the official Epic website.

Step 2: Stay away from the Play Store

Epic Games made it clear it will be distributing Fortnite through its own website. Which means, you shouldn’t download anything from the Play Store or any other third-party websites.

Actually, searching for the game in the Play Store only yields the following message: Fortnite Battle Royale by Epic Games is not available on Google Play. So remember, the only legit way to get the game is through the Epic Games website.

Step 3: Join the waiting list

Yeah, there’s a waiting list. So chances are you won’t get access to the game the minute you sign-up for the beta. Although, the process is indeed quite smooth. My colleagues already received their email invite without a problem. You can sign up either on mobile or on the web and Epic will only ask you for your email address. Easy breezy!

Step 4: Wait to get your invite

Epic says it’s inviting the players in waves, but from our experience, it doesn’t take long before you get one via email. The company says the process can take up to a few days, but they are just being cautious.

Step 5: Install and play

Downloading the game on your phone is done in two phases. First, you will have to get the Fortnite Installer, which is the APK file that will install the game on your device.

You’ll also need to turn off the special permissions in the settings of your Android to allow your phone to download third-party applications. Once this is done, follow the installation steps.

After the installation is done, log into your account and start playing. Epic Games is advising gamers to keep the Fortnite Installer on your phone, as that’s how the game will receive its updates in the future.

The HTC U12 Plus is now available in Flame Red

Alexandra Arici
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Update (8/17/18): Three months after its initial debut, the Flame Red HTC U12 Plus is making its way to our shores.

Originally only available in Translucent Blue and Ceramic Black, the U12 Plus hasn’t shown up in carrier stores. You can only purchase it through HTC’s website. That will be the case for the new Flame Red color as well. If you do decide to pick one up, you’re looking at shelling out $799 at the time of purchase or financing through HTC Financing. That’ll run you $34 a month for 24 months.

Even though the phone is older and doesn’t have the best specs around, we are kind of transfixed by it. The shimmering red color also has some hints of gold in it, depending on how the light hits it. HTC has always known how to make beautiful phones and the U12 Plus is no different.

Original post (5/23/18): HTC has been going through a rough patch for the past few years, thanks to slumping smartphone sales. And despite losing its Pixel design team to Google, the company has not given up the fight.

Actually HTC today unveiled its latest flagship the U12 Plus, the successor of last year’s U11. You might recall that the Taiwanese company also offered a U11 Plus last year, the first HTC device boasts a modern bezel-less design, but the phone had a very limited release and never launched in the US.

That won’t be the case for the U12 Plus which is already up for pre-sale in North America. More on that later.

The HTC U12 Plus has landed and here is what it’s all about

The first thing you notice when looking at the U12 Plus is that it doesn’t have a notch like most high-end smartphones launching today. Instead, HTC is focusing on bringing you innovations you can actually feel.

With the U12 Plus HTC is taking the phone’s standout squeeze feature, which was introduced on the U11, to the next level. So enter Edge Sense 2.0 with all its exciting, new improvements.

So now, on top of being able to squeeze the phone to launch an app, you’ll be able to double tap the sides of the device to turn on one-handed mode. Or you can set the double tap to act as the back button and forget about the traditional Android nav keys.

Additionally, just holding the phone will disable auto-screen rotation and auto brightness. The U12 Plus also offers a choice of digital assistant, with both Alexa and Google Assistant being on board. Just squeeze the phone to summon either of them.

But the most exciting part is that you’re given the option to map and adjust each and every interaction with the phone using the three main gestures: squeezing, tapping and holding.

What about the specs?

The new flagship comes in roughly the same body as the U11 Plus. Meaning you’ll get the same 6-inch Super LCD6 display which now supports HDR 10 and DCI-P3. There’s also a tall 18:9 screen with 1440 x 2280 resolution. IP68 certification is also on the spec list.

Naturally, a Snapdragon 845 processor is at the center of the U12 Plus and HTC is also throwing in 6GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of expandable storage.

Things get even more interesting in the photography department, as the U12 Plus is actually HTC’s first dual-camera phone since the One (M8).

The new-comer boasts a 12-megapixel main sensor with larger 1.4-micron pixels and optical stabilization, alongside a 16-megapixel telephoto lens with 2x magnification. HTC also ups things a notch when it comes to self-portraits, by embedding not one but two 8-megapixel selfie cameras on the front. The aim is to have better portrait shots and improved face recognition. Oh, and you’re also getting AR stickers.

Going back to the main camera, it can record HDR10 video and 4K video at 60fps. A 1080p slow-mo at 240fps mode is also included. Given that the U11 benefited from an excellent camera, we expect the U12 Plus to be able to produce some stellar results.

As before, you’ll also get stereo speakers, high-res audio over USB-C and fast charging. Rounding up the package is a 3,500 mAh battery, which is an upgrade for the U11’s 3,000 mAh juice box.

Like we mentioned above, the HTC U12 Plus is already up for pre-order on the company’s official website and Amazon. Prices start at $799 for the 64GB version, while the 128GB version can be yours for $849.

As expected, HTC is tempting us with some attractive color options. The U12 Plus comes with a mirror glass coating called Liquid Surface. Which is similar to Huawei’s gradient colors on the P20 series. There’s a Ceramic Black one and a Flame Red model (probably coming later on). But the most intriguing however is the Translucent Blue version which shows the phone’s internals.

Gmail for Android gets a new Confidential mode, here’s how to use it

Alexandra Arici
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Google rolled out a new feature meant to heighten the security of Gmail users on Android. The new tool is called Confidential mode and as the name suggests it can be used to send and receive “confidential emails.”

Confidential mode was first introduced when Google’s big Gmail redesign, but the feature was nowhere to be found in the Android app version of Gmail. But not anymore.

With the new mode enabled, users can now set an expiration date for messages. In case they change their mind about wanting the recipient to see the message, access can be revoked.

Confidential messages will be strictly about conveying the message to the person you choose to send it to. Which this in mind, confidential emails won’t have options for forwarding, copying, printing or downloading.

For advanced protection, the sender of the message can also require the recipient to enter a passcode. Recipients who are using a Gmail account will get the passcode via SMS, while those who are on a third-party email service can get it either via SMS or email.

For the time being, SMS-based passcodes are only available for users in North America, Europe, India, Japan and South America.

When setting an expiration date for your message, you can also opt for a “No SMS passcode” option which will allow recipients using the Gmail app to open the email directly. But those who use another email service will still have to use a passcode to access the info.

Even with all this, Gmail still allows users to take screenshots of confidential emails. So the solution is not perfect just yet.

Want to give Confidential mode a try? Here’s how to do it

  1. Open up the Gmail app on your Android device.
  2. Tap on the floating Pencil dot located in the bottom right corner to start composing a new message.
  3. Tap on the three-dot-menu in the top right corner and then tap on Confidential mode.

Changed your mind? Revoke access

  1. Open the Gmail app.
  2. Tap the hamburger menu in the top right corner.
  3. Click Sent.
  4. Open the confidential email.
  5. Tap the remove access option at the bottom of the email.

Just keep one thing in mind before you try this on your smartphone. This is a server-side update, so you don’t need to go looking for an update in the Google Play Store. If you’re currently not seeing the new option in your Gmail, it means you might have to wait a few days.

It’s nice to see Gmail for mobile gaining more and more new and useful functionalities. A few weeks earlier, Dropbox announced a new add-on for Gmail, the first product of a partnership between itself and Google.

With the new add-on installed, users can add a file to an email message by directly linking to a folder or a file stored in Dropbox. Recipients will be then able to access that folder/file without the need to install any additional software.

With Gmail constantly receiving updates, we’re excited to see what the future might bring.

OnePlus finally strikes a deal with a US-based carrier

Alexandra Arici
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OnePlus’ next-flagship, the 6T will launch in a few months and it’s going to be a special device, at least from one point a view.

According to people familiar with the matter who have been talking to CNET, OnePlus and T-Mobile have partnered up to sell the 6T in the US.

The report claims this is a sure affair, although the process of technical approval might cause some delay. Either way, the unlocked global version of the 6T will also be available via the company’s official e-store.

OnePlus 6T to be the first OnePlus device to be sold by a US carrier?

The standard model will, of course, be compatible with GSM networks including T-Mobile and AT&T. But the 6T will come with support for the carrier’s 600MHz extended range LTE technology.

If the report is true, OnePlus is headed for a triumph that has eluded so many of its Chinese compatriots. Not so long ago, Huawei came so-very close to signing a deal with Verizon and AT&T.

But before the deal could go through, the two companies backed out, leaving Huawei high and dry. The Chinese tech giant still sells some models in the US through third-party retailers, although lawmakers recently banned government employees from using its devices due to hacking concerns.

Yet, unlike Huawei, OnePlus is a small company with no interest in security-sensitive businesses like telecommunications and networking equipment. So we believe there’s a pretty good chance that T-Mobile will start offering the OnePlus 6T later this year.

So far info related to the OnePlus 6T is pretty scarce. Even so, some believe the phone will bear a striking resemblance to the recently launched Oppo R17. The phone features a unique notch that’s very small and is shaped as a half-circle that appears to be dripping down from the top bezel. If the OnePlus 6T ends up looking like this, we’re sure many fans would approve.

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