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What’s the difference: Sony Xperia XA2 Plus vs Xperia XA2 Ultra

Alexandra Arici
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Back at CES 2018, Sony unveiled the Xperia XA2 Ultra, two smartphones to feed your selfie addiction.

Fast forward to the present and Sony has recently unveiled a new member of the Xperia XA2 family called the Xperia XA2 Plus.

Surprisingly, the two models are quite similar in aspect and specification. What sets them apart? Keep reading below to find out!

On the outside

Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra

The Xperia XA2 Plus is the only model in the XA2 family to feature a modern 18:9 aspect ratio. In contrast, the older Xperia XA2 Ultra retains the classic look with its 6-inch FHD display and 16:9 aspect ratio.

The Xperia XA2 Plus features a 6-inch front panel too, although due to the new aspect ratio, it will seem a bit taller and more compact. It boasts 1080 x 2160 resolution.

Sony Xperia XA2 Plus

Obviously, Sony has also slimmed down the bezels on the XA2 Plus. Otherwise, both models sport aluminum frames and metallic finishes. They also have a fingerprint scanner located on the back.

On the inside

Moving on to performance, the Xperia XA2 Plus and XA2 Ultra are almost identical. The two models rely on the same Snapdragon 630 processor, which is backed up by 4GB of RAM. Sony offers the devices in 32GB and 64GB variants. Although the XA2 Plus will also be available in a more advanced configuration with 6GB of RAM on board.

The two handsets also share the same 3,850 mAh battery, which should provide great battery life.

But there’s something that sets the XA2 Plus apart from the XA2 Ultra. The new model includes LDAC wireless audio and Hi-Res Audio support. Which puts it on the radar for audiophiles on a budget.

Both Xperias run Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.

Photography

Sony’s Xperia XA2 is a phone designed for selfie-lovers, unlike the XA2 Plus. So instead of the Ultra’s 16-megapixel+8-megapixel dual-camera setup, the XA2 Plus only gets a single 8-megapixel wide-angle camera with bokeh effects.

As for the rear-facing camera, it’s the same on both models. It’s a 23-megapixel camera with PDFA, capable of shooting 4K video and 120fps slow-motion video.

Pricing

It’s not really clear which of the two is the higher-end model, especially since Sony hasn’t said how much it will be asking for the Xperia XA2 Plus. Although with the Plus model Sony seems to be targeting audiophiles. While the Ultra was created with selfie-lovers in mind.

The new Xperia XA2 Plus is expected to hit the shelves in August and will be available in Silver, Black, Gold or Green.

As for the Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra, the phone is already up for grabs the US. Some retailers are even offering it with a discount. For example, at Best Buy the 32GB version in Black, Blue, Gold or Silver ships for $389.99 ($60 off). The 64GB variant is available for $449.99.

Motiv Smart Ring First Impressions – fitness tracking on your finger

Donovan Jeska
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Motiv announced this morning that it would be bringing its fascinating new smart ring to Android, along with Google Fit compatibility. We were luck enough to get our hands on some hardware to try out in advance, and the early results are very promising. But does the potential of the little ring outweigh its $200 price tag? let’s take a look.

What follows is some early impressions of our short time with the Motiv smart ring, and we’ll update this post in a couple weeks with a full review.

Right off the bat, the first impression of Motiv’s smart ring is a good one. The packaging is clean and understated – just a matte black flipbox with a glossy black Motiv embossed on the cover. Flipping open the lid reveals the Motiv in all its glory – a rather plain-looking titanium ring that houses much more. Under the first layer of the packaging you’ll find two(!) chargers and a single page of instructions – which is all you’ll need to get started.

Hardware

The ring itself looks no different than any other, save for the small glossy LED band and the slightly flattened optical heart-rate sensor on the underside of the inner ring. It’s light and comfortable, and only a smidge thicker than more mundane rings.

And equally importantly, it’s a breeze to set up and use: just plug in the magnetic charger, attach the Motiv to it, download the Motiv app, and pair the two via said app. After that, it just works.

The built-in, custom-built curved battery generally lasts about three days of use, and a 90 minute charge replenishes that fully – a pretty decent charge-to-use ratio. The included chargers – one to keep at home, the other on a nifty magnetic keychain – are really simple and effective. The inclusion of two chargers when Motiv only really needed to include one is very customer-first thinking. I love it.

While the Motiv smart ring does not feature an Ingress Protection Rating, Motiv insists you can take your smart ring anywhere, including swimming and the shower, and my experience backs that up as well. It’s totally waterproof.

Functionality

As mentioned above, Motiv is just now officially coming to Android. As such it lacks some features of its iOS counterpart, though Motiv is working hard to create parity between the two platforms. Google Fit compatibility was just announced this morning, which is more or less a must-have for an Android-compatible fitness tracker. Thus far, the features that I’ve been able to test at length – step counter, sleep tracker, and heart-rate monitor – work flawlessly, with no lapses in connection. I’ll flesh this section out a bit more in a couple weeks with my full review, hopefully with more good news.

Value

At $200, the Motiv smart Ring is no small investment. It doesn’t have some of the same robistitude that other fitness trackers do, but it’s the only fitness tracker around that fits in with any outfit effortlessly. If you’re in the market for a new fitness tracker, you can do a lot worse than the Motiv Smart Ring. More to come, Android Guys. Stay tuned.

Speed up your Android phone with these eight essential tips

Alexandra Arici
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Remember back when you first got your Android phone? You were so excited, and it ran so smoothly you could hardly believe it. Now, as time has passed, the device has slowed down considerably, to the point that it’s annoying. What should you do? Start looking for a new phone already? Not so fast!

See Also

First, let’s see if we can try to speed up your Android phone with a few simple steps. If you find they don’t bring about the desired results, then you might start contemplating a new handset.

We’ve put together eight ways to speed up your Android device. Note that the directions might vary slightly from one phone to another, but largely follow the same steps.

Update your device

 

When was the last time you updated your device? In order to ensure your smartphone is running as smoothly as possible, you need to be up to date with the latest software release available. It’s not uncommon for apps to or games to have snags or conflicts with outdated versions of Android.

You can easily check for new updates on your device by opening the main settings, tapping About and checking the Software Update section.

Choose widgets carefully

Be careful how you fill up the empty home screen panels space with shortcuts and widgets. Widgets use small amounts of processing power and put a toll on battery life too, so you best limit you’re a few.

Remove those you rarely use and you’ll most likely going to experience an improvement in performance. Also if you could do away with the Live wallpaper it would be great. Opt for a static one instead.

Remove some apps

A bit too many photo apps, eh?

Chances are you may have gotten curious about some type of apps, installed them on your device, and gave them a go. Then, over time you totally forgot about them. Removing them might make your device run faster.

The process is simple: find the Settings app on your phone then look for Applications > Manage Applications. The tabs at the top will show you Downloaded Apps, Running Apps, All Apps and Apps on SD Card – so you can easily find the application you want to delete.

Turn off animations

There’s a hidden setting option in Android that will give you access to a few extra commands. Go to Settings>About>Build Number and tap it seven times. You are now given access to Developer Options. Now, you’ll be able to see a lot of options available to you, but unless you’re an experienced developer you’d best leave them alone.

Look for the Window Animation Scale option and choose to Turn off Animations to improve your device’s performance.

5. Switch to ART time

If your phone is running Android 5.0 Lollipop or above, you are using ART. However, an older phone with Android 4.4 KitKat uses DALVIK by default. However, you have the option to switch to ART hidden in the developer options. Scroll down to the Apps section and tap Select runtime, then choose Use ART.

Clean up your device storage space

From time to time, you should perform a quick clean of your device. Remember all those pictures you take for your friend’s birthday? Select the best shots and delete the others. How about all those screenshots and downloaded documents and pictures (Downloads folder from your app drawer) that basically qualify as junk? You need to wipe that out too.

Next, be sure to check the Storage page in the Settings and tap on the Other feature.  The category called Other includes app data, files downloaded from Internet via Bluetooth and Android system files. Choose the Explore option and search and identify the files you know you don’t need. However, if you don’t know what the file is for, do not delete it!

Clear the cache

The more you use an app, the more data is cached to improve the app’s performance. But, what’s good for the app may not be good for the rest of the device.

The good news is that you can quickly clear the cache. Open up the settings on your Android and head on the Device storage page. Scroll down the list until you find the Cached data entry and tap on it. A pop-up will appear tell you asking you if you want to clear all the cached data.

Factory Reset

Sometimes, the best way to breathe new life into your Android device is to perform a Factory Reset (also known as hard reset). Particularly in older handsets, it’s the best way to achieve a performance boosts.

Take into consideration that performing a factory reset means all your data will be deleted. So, before you take this step, you’ll need to backup all your files. Luckily, a factory reset won’t wipe up info from a microSD card slot.

To get started with your factory reset go to Settings>Backup and Reset>Factory data reset.

Conclusion

Let us know how your phone is doing now! Did you speed up your Android or is it time to start looking for something new?

Enjoy the “Summer Sun” from Honor with huge discounts

Andrew Myrick
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When it comes to providing a great experience on a budget, few can compete with Honor. Huawei’s sub-brand has officially made its presence known here in the US with an array of handsets.

2018 has seen the release of both the View10 and Honor 7X. These devices are nestled in different budget ranges, but are both great options.

Read More: Honor View10 Review

To help celebrate the Summer of 2018, Honor is running a new promotion called “Summer Sun”. These deals allow you to save up to $70 on a device of your choice.

Here’s a breakdown of the different deals being offered:

  • Honor View10 – $499 $429 (Save $70)
  • Honor 7X – $199.99 $179.99 (Save $20)
  • Honor 6X – $179.99 $129.99 (Save $50)

Out of the three discounted handsets, the Honor View10 is the latest to hit the market. In Matt’s review, he states that the device holds up well in the market, especially against the OnePlus 6.

Read More: Honor 7X vs Honor 6X

The Honor 7X was released back in October of last year. However, it is still an extremely viable option, especially when you can pick one up for just $180.

In order to take advantage of these deals, you will need to head over to the Honor website. From there, you will need to register a new account and then a coupon code will be emailed to you.

Then, you can head back to the Honor website, enter the coupon code, and save big. This is a great time to pick up a new device as there is a bit of a lull in the market.

As expected, these savings won’t last forever. Currently, Honor states that its “Summer Fun” promotion runs from today, July 23rd, until July 31st.

So if you want to jump onboard and save some cash, hit the button below. Be sure to let us know what device you decide to pick up.

Honor Summer Fun Promotion!

Feedly review: Does it still hold up in the crowded news reader category?

AndroidGuys
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You may not be old enough to have experienced Google Reader, but the beloved RSS feed reader was the perfect solution for ingesting news without all the noise. Just a bare-bones list of headlines curated by you, the reader.

What could be more useful material than subjects and items that you specify? It made the morning ritual a truly blissful habit.

But, seemingly just when you had the perfect amount of sources carefully categorized, Google announced it was discontinuing the service due to a declining user base. Business is business, and although Google cited dwindling interest, the audience actively using the service displayed utmost devotion.

I distinctly remember the feeling of despair in the waning moments of Google Reader. A sense of abandonment. You think I’m sensationalizing this? All hope was lost.

Enter Feedly

A product developed out of sheer necessity. A service that would put its arms around the hundreds of thousands of fallen souls to resurrect this once proud faction of netizens.

Ok, clearly sensationalizing. But still … Feedly was in existence prior to the Google Reader shut-down, however the once small platform instantly gained 500,000 new users in 2013 as a result. Having long since established itself as a premiere news aggregator since those early days, how does Feedly stack up nowadays with so many alternatives?

Get Reading

As an early adopter I had the ability to import all of my existing Google Reader feeds to Feedly, so I was instantly up an running. If you are just starting out from scratch, it is just a matter of either registering for an account or signing in with your existing Google profile.

From there you can choose from a collection of topics, search for sources or enter an exact RSS feed if you’re not finding what you’re looking for. Once you start adding sources, you can assign them to categories and begin to organize your news feed.

The News Feed

The viewing experience has always been buttery smooth and the content quick to load. These are rather important factors when choosing among similar apps, and Feedly absolutely perfects this immediacy. Along with function comes fashion, and there are several different layouts to choose from including Detect (based on the content being rendered), Title Only, List, Magazine and Cards.

News ReaderNews Reader

Other cosmetic components include “Open Animation” (when tapping on articles), “Transition” (the style with which you navigate through your news feed) and “Theme” which is simply light or dark mode.

Extras! Extras!

Feedly has a lot going for it. The overall minimal experience should not be confused with having a lack of bigness. Under the hood, users can connect to saving tools like Pocket, Evernote, etc. and assign favorite sharing methods. But one feature that Feedly has that many will appreciate is a desktop presence.

This alternative destination includes options to upgrade to paid tiers for unlocking some more business-focused features such as team collaboration and deeper third party integrations.

Love/Hate

From a purely functional standpoint, it’s hard to find many other news readers to get me completely off of Feedly. But I sure as hell have tried. And there are a few main reasons for me test driving other apps.

The first being my indifference toward the aesthetics. One can’t really say Feedly is ugly, but it needs to be more modern or “materialized.” Which could be a result of my next item of agony and that is very infrequent updates. In their defense though, the team is currently undergoing a beta project in collaboration with users to gain feedback for upcoming app enhancements.

The main stickler, however, is the inability to search my entire news feed (sources) for a keyword or phrase.

The usefulness of that type of function cannot be understated. I have a slew of news in my face, but want to see if there is an article on, say, “Black Ops 4?” Well damn I should be able to pinpoint that.

A now-defunct app (taptu) had this feature and spoiled me. Although I typically have Feedly installed, I have definitely flirted with the likes of Palabre (Material Design and keyword search).

Always a Contender

Feedly does way more things right than wrong. It’s a solid performer and is not too bloated or distracting (ahem, Flipboard).

My dislikes are not deal-breakers and what some other readers might do better, just simply cannot compete with the speed at which I get my news within Feedly. Qualms aside, Feedly will most assuredly have a spot in my app rotation.

Samsung’s first smart speaker to be called Magbee?

Alexandra Arici
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Samsung’s upcoming Bixby-powered smart speaker has been in the rumor mill for quite some time. We’ve been hearing whispers that the Korean tech giant is working on a Google Home competitor since last year.

Well, it seems the tech giant is finally gearing up to unleash the product upon the world. And according to a bunch of recent trademark applications filled by Samsung recently (July 16) in the US, as well as Europe, the device will be called Magbee. Think it’s a strange name? Well, Bixby isn’t a lot better either…

Samsung Magbee might be unveiled towards the end of August

Right now we’re not completely sure the speaker will ship as such, but it won’t be long before we find out for sure. For how long? Chances are Samsung could make Magbee official, alongside the Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy Watch. All these products are expected to make an appearance at IFA 2018.

As it’s the case with trademark fillings like these, we’re not given any additional information about the product. Although according to the rumor mill, the device will boast an interesting bowl-shaped design with multiple speakers facing a different direction.

On top of that, the speaker will also apparently include a feature called “sound shifting”. This should allow it to track people and modify audio output according to how far they are from the device.

Obviously, the Magbee will be powered by the new and improved Bixby 2.0. The new incarnation of virtual assistant is expected to land with improved natural language processes, enhanced noise resistance capability and quicker response times.

The competition

Samsung will also be expanding Bixby into third-party apps and services, providing an API and an SDK for everyone who wants to integrate the AI into its apps.

Due to massive criticism, Samsung apparently had to start rebuilding Bixby from scratch. And it has taken the company a year and a half to perfect it and now it seems the the tech giant is ready to show the fruits of its work to the world.

Do you think the Magbee stands a chance against the competition? Let us know in the comment section below.

The first Chrome OS tablet goes on sale

Alexandra Arici
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Update: The industry’s first Chrome OS finally went on sale, months after being announced. Interested parties can grab it from Newegg in exchange for $329.99.

Or you can purchase it from Insight ($353.99), Connection ($337.48) and Amazon ($347.81).

Original Story:

Tablets running Chrome OS have been rumored for years, and finally this week Google and its partner Acer announced the first Chrome OS tablet. It’s called the Acer Chromebook Tab 10, which is a bit confusing given that the product is not a laptop, but a slate coming sans keyboard.

Google and Acer are targeting the educational market with this new addition, although the tablet will be made available for purchase for regular customers too.

Say hi to the first Chrome OS tablet

The Tab 10 comes bundling a 9.7-inch display with 2040 x 1536 resolution and includes an OP1 processor, the same which powers models like the Samsung Chromebook Plus. This is a hexa-core processor developed by Rockchip. It’s important to note here, that the OP branding is owned by Google, although there’s no identifier from either of the two companies on the SoC.

The tablet will ship out with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage, as well as a battery expected to last up to 9 hours.

On top of being the first slate to run Chrome OS, the Tab 10 also features stylus support. Just like Samsung’s Galaxy Note series, Acer’s new slate comes with a Wacom-branded stylus built-in that does not require charging.

Other specs include Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 4.1, USB Type-C and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Chromebook Tab 10 also supports the Google Play Store, an on-screen keyboard, and a fully-fledged, desktop-level web browser.

The tablet will go on sale in the US in April for $329 a pop. The product will land on additional markets come May.

Acer and Google announced the first Chrome OS tablet a day before Apple is scheduled to introduce a low-cost iPad with Apple Pencil support. Like the Chromebook Tab 10, this slate will target educational customers.

Gear Up: Check out RAVPower wireless charging solutions and current discounts!

AndroidGuys
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It’s 2018 which means a lot of the new phones you see, and possibly buy, come with a really cool feature: wireless charging. Indeed, what we once thought was a great luxury afforded to a select few devices has now become commonplace. In fact, some of you have been so accustomed to having it that you’ve taken the technology for granted.

Whether you’ve got a brand new phone with wireless charging or are sitting on one that’s a year or so old, you really should check out the feature. It’s not only convenient but it’s better than ever. Charging speeds continue to get faster and selection grows all the time.

SEE ALSO: How to improve call quality on your Android phone

One company who specializes in providing wireless chargers and portable chargers is RAVPower. With a lineup spanning dozens of products, there’s something for everyone. What’s more, it offers affordable devices that rival those from bigger, more prominent names.

Limited Time Sales!

RAVPower is offering a number of products at steep discounts for a limited time. Below are a few of what you’ll find available through Amazon.

We received a number of samples from RAVPower, each of which speaks to a different user need or budget. Here’s a look at some of what you’ll find from them.

HyperAir Fast Wireless Chargers with QC 3.0 Adapter 10W

When downtime is your main concern, you don’t want to mess around with slow trickle charging or spending time plugged in and tethered. This wireless charger delivers the fastest available speeds for your phone, regardless of whether it’s Android or iOS.

For iPhones it offers up 7.5W charging; for devices like the Galaxy S9 it delivers 10W of juice. This might not sound like much on the surface but it’s about twice as fast as what you would expect.

The RAVPower charger automatically detects what type of device is sitting on it and delivers the right speeds. And, to make sure it doesn’t overheat, the triple temp controls disperse heat and watch for over-voltage, short circuits, and other dangerous things.

As portable as it is practical, this circular unit has an anti-skid design and sits still when placing your phone on it. The indicator light on the front glows to let you know the status of your battery.

SEE ALSO: The best phones you can buy at Verizon Wireless right now

Includes a powerful Quick Charge 3. 0 adapter so you can also charge up your other devices incredibly quick, too. Pick one up for about $40 from RAVPower or Amazon.

Qi Fast Wireless Charger 10W

With a slightly different approach to the aforementioned charger, this one comes in a few bucks cheaper. More of a rounded square platter, it largely offers up the same speeds and technology.

The top has a non-slip rubberized base to keep your phone from sliding around while the bottom has its own anti-skid feet. Also, there are air vents underneath to keep things nice and cool. You’ll find this one for about $38 either direct or through Amazon.

Qi-certified 2 Coils Fast Wireless Charger 7.5W

Instead of a platter design, this charger lets you prop your phone up while the battery is replenished. Perfect to have on your office desk or kitchen counter, it allows you to view your screen at a comfortable angle.

With dual coil charging inside, you’ll get the same super-fast speeds that you get in the other models. Don’t be fooled by the name; it’s got 7.5W for iPhone and the full 10W power behind Android.

Similar to the other models, this RAVpower charger has an LED indicator light and all the protection against overheating and over-charging. Score one for $46 from the OEM or Amazon and enjoy the out-of box 18-month warranty in the process.

10400mAh Wireless Portable Charger

You’re looking at all of these chargers thinking how nice it is for static needs but really want something for on-the-go. That’s where this particular one comes in handy.

It’s a little pricier than a traditional wireless charger, but it’s designed to be taken with you. With 10,400mAh worth of juice inside, it’s a portable charger that works for anyone with a USB cable. That’s enough power to fill your average phone up three times over.

To truly take advantage of this one, though, you can simply place your phone on the top side. Indeed, it charges your phone up as any other wireless unit might. How fast, you ask? A Samsung Galaxy S8 can go from 0-100% in under 4 hours.

Feel free to mix and match the outputs, too. Plug your friend’s phone in at dinner while yours gets to sit there with no cables attached. Find it for around $66 at RAVPower and Amazon.

How to request and download your Instagram data report

Alexandra Arici
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In response to huge Cambridge Analytica scandal, as well as to comply with the new European data privacy rules, Instagram started, not so long ago, rolling out a new tool that gives users access to all of their data.

It’s a convenient addition, especially since Instagram is notorious for making it very difficult to export data from the app. Users can’t drag, tap or hold on images to save them. Yes, there’s an option to “Save Original Photos” in a separate folder on your phone. But this isn’t very helpful if you want to download the images you’ve posted in the past, before you decide to toggle on this feature.

Anyway, the good news is that you can download all the info Instagram has collected on you. This includes your profile info, photos, videos, archived Stories, Likes, searches, settings and more.

The feature should also prove useful for those who want to permanently delete their Instagram profile and move to another platform. This way they can ensure nothing is left behind.

For the time being, the Data Download tool is available to use only from the web app. Although Instagram is currently working on giving you access to the same feature on your Android or iOS device.

How to request your Instagram data

  1. Open https://www.instagram.com in your web browser
  2. Navigate to your profile page
  3. Click on the Settings gear icon
  4. Select Privacy & Security
  5. Scroll down until you find the Data Download option
  6. Click Request Download
  7. Input your email
  8. It may take up to 48 hours for Instagram to collect the data and send it to you at the address you provided. So make sure it’s a valid one. (sidenote: I got mine within 5 minutes)
  9. Click Next
  10. You’ll be asked to type your Instagram password
  11. The request has been sent.

How to view some of your Instagram data

Don’t want to wait 48 hours? You can view some of your private data by following these steps:

  1. In Instagram for web go to Settings
  2. Go to Privacy and Security
  3. Scroll down until you see Account Data
  4. Click View Account Data

Here you can view things like:

  • Current follow requests
  • Accounts following you
  • Hashtags you follow
  • Former bio texts
  • Logins
  • Search history and more

However, you won’t have access to the images and videos you posted, Stories or pictures you’ve sent via Direct messages.

How to download your Instagram data

Once the data is available, Instagram will send you an email at the address you provided. Here’s how to download it.

  1. Open the email
  2. Click on the Download Data button
  3. Type in your Instagram password
  4. Click on the Download Data again

That’s it! It’s time to go down memory lane.

CARROT Weather Review: your forecast with a wicked sense of humor

Jason England
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There is no shortage of apps to get your weather from these days. To truly stand out your app has to do more than provide the forecast with a clean layout. CARROT Weather was able to accomplish this with a twisted sense of humor. Offering all of us meatbags a beautiful weather app with plenty of snark.

CARROT Weather has been a popular app on iOS for years now offering your forecast with a wicked sense of humor. It has recently been ported to Android and is a welcomed addition. While most weather apps simply focus on giving you as many stats as possible and differ mainly by their layout or user interface CARROT Weather took a different approach.

It sought to combine your weather with a computer personality that mocks current events, the weather, and often insults you. This refreshing take on checking your weather turns a mundane daily habit into a fun activity. Whereas in the past you would simply check the weather out of necessity. Now, you find yourself opening up CARROT Weather in anticipation of what insult or quip about the weather the AI has for you.

A malevolent weather AI that knows its limits

Not everyone has the same warped sense of humor and CARROT Weather is aware of this. Giving you the option to change how aggressive of a personality it has ranging from friendly, snarky, homicidal, and finally overkill which includes profanity.

Heads up, you might want to turn off the speech synthesizer before enabling overkill. The AI also has no filter when it comes to politics either. Offering you options here as well including liberal, conservative, centrist, libertarian, communist, and apolitical.

While CARROT Weather’s claim to fame is its snarky humor, it also doesn’t hurt that the app itself has a simple, clean, beautiful design. The top is reserved for the most important weather info with a charming scene that changes depending on the weather and from day to night.

A tap will dismiss the humorous message and reveal more weather stats and below is a 24-hour timeline. Clicking any of the hours in the timeline will reveal more information for that time period, and below that is an 8-day forecast. Tapping on the bottom weekly section provides you with another view with slightly more information.

Not simply content to insult you or provide you with your weather, CARROT Weather also includes a game. Tapping the arrow in the top right corner allows you to play the Secret Locations game. In this game you are given hints to secret locations and pressing down on the map shows you how close or far you are. It can be strangely addicting, fun to play, and is another way CARROT Weather sets itself apart.

 

Not all sunshine and rainbows

As fun as CARROT Weather is, it still has flaws and one of these is the subscription pay model. It is not uncommon for weather apps to serve ads with some providing the option to remove them with a fee or subscription. It’s always nice to have the option to pay to remove ads but I much prefer a one-time payment over the subscription model. Especially when it’s a $3.99 per year subscription or $0.99 per month.

In defense of the subscription model, the CARROT Weather developer says access to weather data is expensive and a one time fee would cause him to lose money meatbags. The subscription fee doesn’t just remove ads though. It also adds extra features such as a weather widget and time machine option to view weather in any location for the past 70 years.

Then there is the missing option to show the temperature in the status bar or weather in the notification tray. If you enjoy checking the weather radar then you’re out of luck here as well. No matter how much you pay or how much CARROT Weather makes you laugh, people who depend on these features will be unhappy.

Conclusion

When it comes down to it CARROT Weather isn’t the most informative weather app out there but it is one of the most entertaining ways to get your weather. That is if you don’t mind being insulted and have a bit of a twisted sense of humor. However, if you don’t like ads, subscription plans, crave more stats and info, or the weather in your notification shade then CARROT Weather might be a pass for you.

Download: CARROT Weather for Android

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