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Samsung’s unbreakable OLED panel gets certified and shown off in video

Jason England
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At some point, I’m sure we’ve all known someone who has cracked their screen or even fallen victim to it ourselves. In a world of shrinking screen bezels and phones using glass backs, this becomes an even bigger issue.

The fine folks at Samsung are looking to put our minds at ease with a new unbreakable OLED panel. This is big news considering Samsung is one of the world leaders in display technologies. They even produce displays for other phones including iPhones.

Plastic not glass

Current displays are attached to a glass screen which is easily cracked or broken on impact. While this new fortified plastic display features a flexible OLED display that is adhered to a plastic overlay. This results in a display that can withstand durability tests based on military standards from the U.S. Department of Defense. These tests include being dropped 26 times from 1.2m (nearly 4ft.) and a drop from 1.6m (nearly 6ft.) that exceeds military standards.

They say pictures are worth a thousand words and the video posted by Samsung must be worth more than that. Watch below as the display take a pounding from a hammer and comes away unscathed.

There have been other plastic OLED displays in the past but I doubt any of them could stand up to a beating like that. One thing that remains to be seen is how well it could stand up to scratches. Previous plastic shatter-resistant screens hold up well against drops but scratch very easily. Even as Gorilla Glass has improved against cracking it still hasn’t fared well against scratches.

Possibilities

While this will give us some more peace of mind for our phones it also has farther reaching implications. Due to the durability and similarity to glass this technology could be useful in tablets, mobile military devices, and automobile console displays. It might even be possible this could lead to better foldable phones such as the one Samsung is rumored to be working on.

Lenovo first to launch smart display featuring Google Assistant

Jason England
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In the past, we’ve been teased with smart displays featuring Google Assistant from JBL, Lenovo, and others but this weekend Lenovo will be the first to bring us one. Thanks to the screen we’ll have a brand new way to interact with Assistant with more possibilities. Get ready to access all of the great features you’ve become accustomed to with Assistant on your phone or smart speaker and more.

Music, Podcasts, Audiobooks, and more

This includes listening to music with your favorite services such as YouTube Music, Spotify, and Pandora which all include a free tier. Listening to your favorite radio stations with iHeartRadio or TuneIn, and hearing your favorite podcasts or audiobooks. With Google Podcasts and Google Play Books, you can easily resume where you left off no matter what device you began listening with.

Now that your smart speaker has a screen your Google Assistant has gotten even better. With the Lenovo Smart Display, you’ll be able to get directions with Google Maps, watch YouTube videos, check your calendar, have a video chat, and more. There is even a 3 month free trial to YouTube premium for new users.

All your favorite videos in one spot

If you have YouTube TV you’ll be able to watch live or recorded TV programs on the Lenovo Smart Display as well. If not, then no worries many other video services are supported including HBO Now, Google Play Movies & TV, and Crackle with more to come.

The Lenovo Smart Display makes the perfect nightstand companion ready to greet you in the morning with Google Assistant Routines. With a simple phrase, you can get a verbal and visual look at your weather, schedule, and morning news.

Keep in touch and in control

Video calls just got even easier with Google Duo and the Smart Display. Keep in touch easily with friends and family without lifting a finger. Whether they use Android or iOS with Google Duo all you have to do is say “call mom” and you’re done. With the screen, you also have the ability to get hands-on if you choose and control your Nest thermostat or view your Nest camera.

Lenovo Smart Display

Utilizing the power of Google Photos your Smart Display turns into a live photo album when not in use. Making sure those beautiful photos you take don’t just stay trapped in your photo or the cloud.

Lenovo Smart Display

Whether you’re getting directions with Google Maps, watching videos on YouTube, or having a video call the screen will enhance the way you use Google Assistant. That only scratches the surface of what your new smart display will be able to do. The great thing about these smart devices is the longer you have them the more features they get.

In the future, you can expect more smart displays from partners such as JBL and LG. Until those arrive you can pick up the Lenovo Smart Display starting this weekend online or in stores from Walmart, BestBuy, Amazon, Costco, Sam’s Club, Lenovo, and other stores. The Lenovo Smart Display comes in an 8-inch model for $199 or a 10-inch with Full-HD screen model for $249. Both also include a 10-watt full range speaker for clear and loud audio.

Alexa Cast lets you send your Amazon Music playlist to Alexa devices from your phone

Alexandra Arici
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Have an Alexa-powered device around the house? Then you’ll be pleased to know that Amazon announced today a new feature called Alexa Cast which will allow users to control what’s playing on their Alexa device from their smartphone.

For the time being, Alexa Cast works only with the Amazon Music app in order to let you play, pause and rewind songs, all from your Android and iOS device.

Once users update the app on their phone, they should notice a new icon for Alexa Cast on the Now Playing screen. Tapping the shortcut will reveal a list of all Alexa-enabled devices available on thier local network. This includes Echo speakers, third-party Alexa products and some Amazon Fire tablets. From there simply tap on the device you want to start playing music on.

Alexa Cast is available after updating the Alexa app for mobile

The new feature has been long due and will allow Amazon Music to better compete with alternative services like Spotify and Apple Music.

Before Alexa Cast, the Amazon Music listening experience was not seamless, unless you wanted to use voice commands. But now, with Alexa Cast users can easily use touch controls. This feature is super handy if you find yourself beyond earshot of Alexa’s microphone array or you simply don’t want to use your voice.

At this point, it’s unclear whether Amazon plans to bring Alexa Cast to other apps or let developers use it.

We should note that Alexa Cast doesn’t require users to have a subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited or any other premium service.

We should also remind you that, Amazon Music Unlimited is available for $9.99 per month if you’re a regular customer. However, if you are a Prime member you can get it for only $7.99 per month. The service offers ad-free on-demand music listening with offline playback. Prime members also get access to Prime Music for free.

Huawei phone owners can no longer download VLC from the Google Play Store

Alexandra Arici
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VideoLAN, the developer of popular VLC media player, has recently taken the drastic measure of preventing Huawei phones from acessing its app from the Google Play Store.

VideoLAN says it has taken this step due to the way Huawei phones handle background apps. The maker of VLC explains that Huawei software will prevent any apps from running in the background unless there are its own. This, in turn, hurts the overall VLC experience on mobile.

Many Huawei users have written negative reviews on the Google Play Store complaining about a particular issue. VLC will stop playing in the background, despite its settings, once the screensaver or lock screen is on.

That happens because of Huawei like many other Android OEM these days that want to stand out with unique features, has implemented its own battery optimization system which kills background apps to save battery.

But these features can be manually disabled in order allow the app to function properly. However, VideoLAN claims that most people aren’t aware they can do that, so they end up blaming the app instead.

VLC has had enough of Huawei’s “ridiculous policy”

Frustrated by the bad publicity their app is getting, the development team decided to make a bold claim by not allowing Huawei phones to install the app via the Play Store anymore.

But could it be that it’s all Huawei’s fault? Maybe, VLC for Android is less optimizes, so it consumes more power when used? It’s a possibility.

Anyway, the developers revealed that not all Huawei phones are blacklisted, only the most recent ones including the P20 and P20 Pro. On the bright side, owners of the affected devices are given the option to download the .apk from the VLC website. But keep in mind, that it doesn’t come with the same safeguards as Google Play.

Other blacklisted phones include the Huawei P8 and P10. Honor devices aren’t affected.

Google releases final preview of Android P ahead of official release

Andrew Myrick
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If you are waiting to see the final release of Android P, the wait is almost over. Google has released the final developer preview for its latest version of Android.

The preview is available for a handful of devices, including the Pixel, Pixel 2, and even Essential Phone. Surprisingly, Essential released its beta for Android P just an hour after Google released it for Pixel devices.

This release marks the fourth beta and fifth developer preview, but contains “final system behaviors”. Essentially, this means that Android P is around the corner and we could be just a couple of weeks away from the official release.

For reference, Android Oreo was introduced on August 21st last year. We should expect to see a similar timeframe for the unveiling for Android P.

As for what P brings to the table, we have quite a few changes in store for Android devices. This includes built-in support for handsets that are released with a display notch.

Our friends at Android Police have compiled a list of every change that is coming. But, here are a few highlights:

  • Inline photos and smart replies
  • Screenshot editing
  • Zoom lens for text selection
  • Gesture navigation
  • Improved App Switcher
  • Calendar events on the lockscreen

The Pixel 3 and 3 XL will likely be the first devices released with Android P onboard. But you can expect the previous Pixel generations and other handsets like the OnePlus 6 to quickly be updated.

If you want to learn how to install Android P on your device today, hit the link here. The process is pretty easy and straightforward, and it’s extremely easy to un-enroll if you want to wait.

In the meantime, let us know whether you have been using Android P and what you think. Plus, we want to hear from you about what you think the final name of P will be. My bet is on Pie or Pistachios.

How to access your desktop computer from your Android

Alexandra Arici
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It all happened to us at one point. You’re away from home and the need arises for you to run a program on your PC. Or you simply require a document or a photo that’s sitting in one of your desktop folders.

Well, fortunately, Google has made it possible for you to easily access your Windows computer from your Android phone. To begin, download and install the Chrome Remote Desktop app on both of your devices.

To install the app on your Android phone, simply go to the Google Play Store and press the Install button.

Now, you’ll have to do the same on your computer. Although the process is a bit more complex here.  Before we go any further, make sure you’re logged with the same Google account on both devices.

How to remotely access your PC from your phone

  1. You’ll need to have Chrome installed on your PC.
  2. From the Chrome browser, search for “Chrome Remote Desktop” in Google
  3. Click on the first result
  4. Click the blue “Add to Chrome” button in the upper right corner

  1. Chrome will ask you whether you want to “Add Chrome Remote Desktop”
  2. Click on the Add extension button
  3. A pop-up will alert you the app has been added to Chrome
  4. Type Chrome://apps in the browser’s bar
  5. Click on the Chrome Remote Desktop icon

This will launch the application. Now click on the “Get Started button” in the “My Computer” section. Then click the “Enable Remote Connections” button.

Next, install the Chrome Remote Desktop Host, as asked. It might take a while, so be patient.

Once it’s installed, click on the “Enable Remote Connection” button again. But this time you’ll have to set a PIN code of a minimum of six digits.

After you click OK, give the app app permission to make changes to your computer again. A message will confirm the connection has been enabled.

Now, pick up your Android phone and open the Chrome Remote Desktop app. Again, make sure you’ve signed in with the same account as on your desktop. Otherwise, you won’t be able to connect the two.

Once you open the app on your Android device, you should see your computer listed there. Tap on it and enter the PIN you’ve set earlier. That’s it!

Now you should be able to see your Windows desktop on your Android device. To navigate on your phone, you can do things like pinch to zoom in or out, and long-press on the top bar of a window to move it around.

Had enough? Simply click on Stop Sharing button at the bottom of your desktop screen. Or alternatively, on your phone tap the three dots menu in the top right corner and select Disconnect.

Boost Mobile’s summer sale offers 20% discounts on the Galaxy S9, Moto G6 Play and more

Alexandra Arici
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While most US customers are signed up with one of the big carrier names in the country like Verizon, there are many more choices available to American phone customers looking for a bargain.

Known as MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators), these low-cost carriers lease wireless telephone and data service from major carriers.

One of the better-known MVNOs is Boost Mobile, which piggybacks on Sprint’s network to deliver lower prices. If you’re looking for an affordable smartphone and service, you should really give Boost a chance this summer. Especially since the carrier is running a sale on a variety of Android smartphone which shaves 20% off their price.

Boost Mobile hosts Summer sale on various Android phones

For example, it’s possible to get the Samsung Galaxy S9 for $560 (down from $699). To sweeten the deal Boost also throws in a 64GB memory card for free. And if you are a new customer, you can become eligible to get $50 account credit. You’ll need to activate the phone on the carrier’s $50/month Unlimited Gigs plan.

To get the discount you’ll have to use the code SUMMER at checkout. The offer ends on August 2, 2018.

Don’t need a flagship? Not to worry Boost has your back with a number of new, yet mid-range/lower-end smartphones, all available with a discount including:

• Moto G6 Play – $80 (down from $130)
• Moto E5 Plus – $120 (down from $180)
• Moto E5 Play – $64 (down from $100)
• Samsung Galaxy J3 Achieve – $64 (down from $130)
• Samsung Galaxy J7 Refine – $184 (down from $229)

Don’t need something so new? Boost Mobile also has a selection of older phones that are also available with 20% off (added on top of other discounts).

• Samsung Galaxy S8 – $480 (down from $599.99)
• LG Stylo 3 – $80 (down from $180)
• Motorola E4 Plus – $80 (down from $130)
• ZTE Prestige 2 – $32 (down from $79.99)

Remember you have until August 2 (which is next Thursday) to take advantage of these deals, so hurry up!

Best eight Android apps for avid readers

Alexandra Arici
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Technology has infiltrated every aspect of our lives, and like it or not, reading is no exception to this.

Today it seems we’ve almost forgotten the feeling of holding a book in our hands, as the world is slowly turning digital. But it’s not all bad! Because being able to carry a global library in your pocket comes with a few advantages. Like saving quite a lot on costs.

So for all the literature fans who are trying to step in the modern age, here’s a bunch of apps that you should definitely be downloading as you read this. Whether you’re looking for a book discovery app or an app that serves you small bits of classic literature daily, you’ve come to the right place.

Goodreads

What it is:

Perhaps the most popular literature app out there. It also features a very strong social component.

Why we like it:

  • It’s a discovery app. Readers can access a global library, where they can stumble upon new names and books.
  • Users are invited to create their own profile and add the list of books you’ve read or those they are planning to read (wishlist). Follow your friend’s reading activity and see what they are reading next.
  • The app has a handy “barcode scanner” option. Scan a hard-copy book and it can be immediately added to your shelf.
  • Some e-books are free to read.

Install Goodreads

Scribd

What it is:

The app lets you tap into a library of books, audiobooks, magazines, documents and more. However, you’ll need to pay a fee ($8.99) to do so. The app is free to download, though.

Why we like it:

  • It offers a varied library and is updated with new titles regularly.
  • Clean and intuitive interface. Easily browse through categories for new titles to read including books, audiobooks, magazine and more. Each book features its own descriptive page with notes from the editor and a short introductory description.
  • Books/magazines are categorized based on interests including Politics, Psychology, Happiness, Science and more.
  • App lets you store content offline for later use.

Install Scribd

Kobo

What it is:

Quite similar to Scribd, Kobo also boasts a large database of digital reading material of up to 3.5 million titles. You’ll have to purchase a subscription to get full access to the library.

Why we like it:

  • Most of the books come with a few preview, so you can read a few chapters before deciding if the book is worth purchasing or not.
  • All books have their own description page that features things like Related Titles and Reviews.
  • App lets you choose from three different reading themes including Classic, Night and Sepia.

Install Kobo

Serial Reader

What it is:

Serial Reader is an app that will make you well-read in 20 minutes a day. Can’t see yourself reading full 500 or 600-page books written in the florid 19th-century prose? With this app, you don’t have to.

Why we like it:

  • Feeds you small, manageable 20-minute chunks of classic literature. They are delivered to your smartphone at a time of your choosing every day.
  • This way you can go through a classic work such as Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein in 28 days.
  • There’s no limit to how many materials you can consume side-by-side. So if you think you’re up to it, you can read two or three books in parallel.
  • App lets you customize fonts, colors and more for a tailored reading experience.

Install Social Reader

Moon+Reader

What it is:

Want to keep track of all your ebooks? Then the Moon+Reader app might be exactly what you’re looking for.

Why we like it:

  • The app is part eReader app, part library. It lets you keep track of your ebooks and also has a bunch of free ebooks you can read for free.
  • Plenty of customization options. For example, you can choose how you view the book and the controls to interact with it. You can also choose the font color or background color.
  • Let’s you easily access free net libraries like the Project Gutenberg or WebNovel, so you can download new content.
  • The app keeps statistics including Books on Shelf, Read Books and Reading Hours.

Install Moon+Reader

Libib

What it is:

An app to help you organize your collection of books. Libib is also great for those who want to keep track of their movies, music and video games.

Why we like it:

  • Comprehensive library cataloguing tool which options such as automatic add with ISBN scan, keyword search and statistics about catalogued item.
  • Like GoodReads, Libib has a social component. This means you can follow friends to see what they are currently reading and set up a personal profile.
  • Clean, easy-to-get-around interface, so you can get cataloguing in no time.

Install Libib

 

Pocket

What it is:

How many times did you stumble upon an interesting article you did not have time to read right there and then? Chances are you forgot about it afterwards. Pocket solve this problem efficiently.

Why we like it:

  • App lets you quickly save an article, video or link you want to read later. It syncs across phone, tablet or PC, so you can access it wherever you want.
  • Pocket has a clean, easy-to-view layout that keeps distractions at bay.
  • Quickly organize your content with tags.
  • Highlight important passages, so you can revisit them later.
  • Text-to-Speech function, so you can listen to articles when you don’t feel like reading.
  • Follow friends and check out their reading recommendations.

Install Pocket

Audible

What it is:

Audible is the perfect solution for those who prefer to listen to books. With a collection of over (paid) 180,000 titles, anyone can find something to their liking.

Why we like it:

  • The app also has a system in place that tracks your reading list and reading habits.
  • There’s a multi-tasking feature for background downloading and listening.
  • Audible also gives you access to the latest news as covered by The New York Times, The Washington Post and others.
  • Let’s you customize your narration speed.

Install Audible

Best Buy shaves $200 off a Samsung Chromebook if you buy the Galaxy S9 or S9+

Alexandra Arici
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Been saving up to buy the Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9+? If so, now’s the perfect time to make the purchase, as Best Buy is offering a pretty sweet deal when you buy one of the two flagships.

To take advantage of the promotion, you are required to visit the offer page and add one of the unlocked Galaxy S9 and S9+ models to your cart.

Once you’ve done that, scroll down to the bottom of the page and add one of the Samsung Chromebooks from the list. Best Buy will shave $200 this second purchase.

Samsung and Best Buy have an attractive promo for you involving Chromebooks

This means you can get the Samsung Chromebook with 11.6-inch display, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage for free. It normally costs $179.99.

Or if you want something more advanced, you can add the Samsung Chromebook 3 with 11.6-inch display, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage for an extra $12.99. On its own, the laptop costs $212.99.

There are a few other more expensive options to consider like the Samsung Chromebook Plus 2-in-1 with a 12.3-inch display, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, which you can get for only $199.99. But remember, you can only get these prices on the laptops if you purchase a Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9+.

On the other hand, you might want to wait a little bit. Samsung will be unveiling the Galaxy Note 9 in a few months, and who knows maybe you’ll end up liking it more than the Galaxy S9.

After all, the Galaxy Note 9 might prove to be the last phone in the line. According to recent rumors, Samsung is looking to merge the mainstream Galaxy S flagship lineup with the Galaxy Note family next year.

This is in league with earlier reports, which also claimed the Korean tech giant will launch not two but three Galaxy S10 variants. The S10+ being the reincarnation of the Note line.

ASUS ZenFone 5Z is finally up for pre-order in the US

Alexandra Arici
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Update: After months of waiting,t he ASUS ZenFone 5Z is finally available for pre-order on Amazon. You can grab it for an affordable $499.99 in Blue or Black. Shipments will start going on starting on August 13.

Original story:

ASUS is not a company known for its smartphone products. Although in the last few years they’ve launched a few interesting mid-range models. Well this week at MWC 2018, ASUS certainly managed to attract a lot of attention as it unveiled its next-generation ZenFone 5 lineup.

This includes the flagship ZenFone 5Z, as well as the ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Q (or ZenFone 5 Lite in some markets).

So how does ASUS hope to differentiate them from the competition? Keep reading below to find out more.

ZenFone 5Z

All three new models benefit from tall displays with the modern 18:9 aspect ratio and minimal bezels. The most impressive of the bunch, the ZenFone 5Z and ZenFone 5, feature a Notch design language inspired by the super expensive iPhone X.

The top-tier of the group, the ZenFone 5Z takes advantage of a 6.2-inch packed into a 5.5-inch body size. It boasts a 90% screen-to-body ratio, as well as a FHD+ resolution (1080 x 2280). It’s the first ASUS phone to rely on Qualcomm’s new premium mobile chip, the Snapdragon 845 processor and includes 6GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of storage for a seamless experience. A version with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage will also be offered at some point.

The back of the phone benefits from a brushed metal finish and includes a dual-camera setup arranged in iPhone X fashion (sensor placement is vertical in the top right corner).  A fingerprint sensor also resides centrally on the back of the device.

The main camera is made up of a 12-megapixel sensor with huge 1.4 μm pixels and f/1.8 aperture and a secondary 8-megapixel sensor with 120-degree wide-angle lens. On the front, we have an 8-megapixel selfie snapper.

With the new models, ASUS has embraced the “less eye strain” idea, so it equipped the ZenFone 5s with a Blue light filter which is said to reduce eye strain. On top of that, there’s also Auto Color Temperature which will automatically calibrate the screen’s colors based on the ambiance of your current setting.

The best part of it all is that the ZenFone 5Z will start at an affordable $499. OnePlus should be really worried about ASUS’ new flagship.

ASUS ZenFone 5

The ASUS ZenFone 5 retains the same premium Notch design language but packs mid-range specs.

We have the same 6.2-inch display on board, but the Snapdragon 845 has been replaced with a Snapdragon 636 here. ASUS offers 4GB or 6GB of RAM with 64GB of internal storage here.

The cameras remain the same and so does the 3,300 mAh battery fueling the device. Pricing information hasn’t been disclosed for this model, but it’s bound to be really-really affordable.

ZenFone 5Q

Last but not least, there’s the ZenFone 5Q, which is a more “standard” bezel-less phone.

It comes carrying a 6-inch IPS LCD with 18:9 aspect ratio and 2,180 x 1,080 resolution and includes a Snapdragon 630 under the hood with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.

On the back, you’ll find a main 16-megapixel sensor + a secondary 120-degree wide-angle camera, as well as a fingerprint scanner, both centrally aligned.

On the front, there’s a 20-megapixel + 120-degree wide-angle combo which should help you take the best of selfies.

The phone relies on the same 3,300 mAh battery, as its more premium brothers which according to ASUS can provide up to 30 hours of 3G talk time or 24 days of 4G standby time.

What else do you get?

All three phones ship with Android 8.0 Oreo on board with the company’s latest ZenUI 5 on top and include a Face Unlock feature. ASUS also throws in a feature called ZenMoji, which seems to be very similar to Animoji. Basically, you take a selfie to turn your face into a 3D emoji which you can then share on social media.

Furthermore, the ZenFone 5Z and ZenFone 5 will be offered with an impressive set of stereo speakers. The phones rock two five-magnet stereo speakers for rich, deep and loud stereo sound and come with support for Hi-Res Audio files encoded at up to 24-bit/192KHz sample rates.

ASUS also leverages the power of AI to offer a bunch of automated features (or AI-driven) on its iPhone X alternatives.

The Camera’s Auto mode, for example, can select the best scene settings from 16 pre-made profiles to suit your current needs. Another AI-powered feature is AI Photo Learning which basically learns how you like to edit your photos and then automatically applies things you like to your future shots.

The ASUS ZenFone 5 family seems like a really impressive bunch, so we’re quite excited about their arrival on the market. What do you think?

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