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Huawei’s TalkBand B5 wearable/Bluetooth headset is now official

Alexandra Arici
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Update: Today, Huawei officially unveiled the TalkBand B5. Aside from doubling as a pop-up Bluetooth headset, the wearable also offers a few fitness options. Like the ability to track activities such as running, walking and cycling and perform 24-hour heart rate monitoring (thanks to its heart rate monitor).

What’s more, since the TalkBand B4 is IP67-certified, the device can be worn during other types of workouts such as swimming.

The new wearable features a 1.13-inch AMOLED display with 2.5D glass on top and can be paired with an Android or iOS device. The battery has a 103 mAh capacity and Huawei says it can last up to 3 days of use.

The company confirmed that some features will be restricted to owners of Huawei or Honor phones. So if you own a Samsung or a Motorola handset, you won’t be able to get caller ID or the ability to mute calls.

Huawei will announce pricing for the fitness band next week on July 18. Sales in China are expected to commence two days later. No word on a possible international release just yet.

Original story:

Huawei is gearing up to roll out a new hybrid wearable device in the near future. It’s called the TalkBand B5 and is the successor of the TalkBand B3 which launched back in 2016.

Since the number “4” is considered to be unlucky in China, Huawei is jumping from 3 straight to 5 with this new release.

And this week we got to take a look at the upcoming fitness tracker, courtesy of prolific leakster @evleaks. Just like its predecessor, the TalkBand B5 is a pretty special wearable. Its display also doubles as a wireless Bluetooth earpiece that users can pop out and place in their ear.

Obviously, you’ll be able to pair the device with your Android or iOS handset, and use it to listen to calls or streamed music.

The wearable might arrive on July 9

No info about specifications of the device is provided by Evan Blass. However, we can assume the fitness tracker will be able to monitor certain physical activities like running, walking, climbing or sleeping. The device should also be capable of counting steps and burned calories.

The new Huawei TalkBand B5 was just announced

The TalkBand B3 features an iP67 rating which allows it to be submerged in up to 3ft and 3 inches of water for up to 30 minutes. So we can speculate the upcoming TalkBand B5 will also offer some kind of rating.

Huawei will probably make some improvements internally. For example, the B3 relies on a 91 mAh battery, so this year’s model might very well implement a larger power source.

When can we expect to see the wearable land on the market? It’s a mystery at this point. Although the July 9 date is displayed on the screen in the render. So chances are the Huawei TalkBand B5 could arrive as soon as next week.

In related news, Huawei has recently patented a wearable that can house a pair of Bluetooth earbuds. Interestingly, the headphones could come embedded in the strap of the watch.

Of course, this is just a patent, so it can’t be taken as a confirmation that the company will actually end up developing this product.

Three weeks later: Pokemon Go friends, gifts, and trading

AndroidGuys
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With the latest Community Day behind us, and a lot of momentum around the game, you’re probably hearing a lot about Pokemon Go this summer. The game is incredibly fun and only get better with time. And, it seems that every time you turn around, there’s another event or incentive to play. It makes sense that it’s more popular now any other time since it launched two years ago.

If you are new to the game, welcome. If you’re returning after some time away from it, welcome back. Things have changed quite a bit since you last checked in, we’re sure. Most noteworthy of the differences is the friendship, gifting, and trading capabilities.

Let’s dive into what you should know about how Pokemon Go friendship works and what it means to players.

Friends

Players who are level 10 and higher can now add other players as “friends” in the game.  Once done, they can send each other gifts and trade Pokemon between them. Now, before you think about sending off that Mythical Mew you’ve worked so hard on, you should know a few things about the mechanics.

Having carefully thought about how this would work, and factoring in the propensity for people to want to game or cheat the system, Niantic has set up a few rules and stipulations.

Friends are just that, people you want to keep in touch with or take down gyms together. Or, if you like to get together in groups and go on raids, these are the people who will see the most benefit.

There are four levels of friendship which can be raised over time with regular cooperation and tasks. After entering in a unique code (Trainer Code) you’ll be able to see what your buddies are up to, including seeing the recent catches. You can also see what level they are and how they’re progressing toward the next one.

Ranking Up

To rank up your friendship level you can send your friends gifts; more on that in a moment. The higher the friendship level, the more benefit you get when it comes to other game mechanics. Indeed, the benefits will work on top of weather boosting and other bonuses.

Once you boost your friendship levels you’ll find that you get discounts on trading between one another. Moreover, you also get raid and gym battle bonuses, too.

In other words, your close friends and family members that you spend time with raiding and battling will benefit. Your attacks will be stronger and you’ll have better chances at capturing raid bosses.

The longer you are friends with someone, the cheaper it gets to trade with them, too. After just one week of sending and/or receiving gifts you’ll go from Good to Great. That’s the first level of discounts and bonus. After 30 it becomes Ultra; after 90 you’re Best Friends.

Friendship Levels at a Glance

Here’s a quick breakdown of the various levels and the rewards for each.

Good Friend

  • Trade all Pokemon except Mythicals

Great Friend

  • Trade all Pokemon except Mythicals
  • 1X discount on Trades
  • 1X Attack Bonus in Raiding and Battles
  • +1 Premiere Ball in Raids after defeating boss

Ultra Friend

  • Trade all Pokemon except Mythicals
  • 2X discount on Trades
  • 2X Attack Bonus in Raiding and Battles
  • +2 Premiere Balls in Raids after defeating boss

Best Friend

  • Trade all Pokemon except Mythicals
  • 3X discount on Trades
  • 3X Attack Bonus in Raiding and Battles
  • +4 Premiere Balls in Raids after defeating boss

How to Rank Up

You can increase your friend levels once per day and you have a cap of 200 friends in total. More friends may be available in the future, but that’s where it’s maxed out as of today.

  • Good: 1 day
  • Great: 7 days
  • Ultra: 30 days
  • Best: 90 days

Battles and Raids

Note that the bonuses you receive, such as the extra Premier Ball(s), cannot be stacked. In other words, you can’t roll up to a Raid with five Best Friends hoping to score 20 extra balls to catch that legendary Pokemon. You are limited to the highest friendship level of the person raiding with you at the time. If you are raiding with a mixture of Good, Great, and Best friends, you’ll get four balls.

Gift

Spinning a PokeStop will give you a special gift. These gifts cannot be opened by you and will only benefit the person who receives it. The items can be any number of things, including rare items such as an egg that hatches an Alolan form of a Pokemon.

Niantic has adjusted the gifts a little bit since first launching this feature. They’re more dialed down than at release but still helpful. A few friends sending you gifts each day could help stock you up on potions, balls, and revives.

You can open up to 20 gifts per day and you can send as many as you’d like. What’s more, you can hold up to 10 gifts in your items. These do not affect your inventory count so stockpile them for the next day or two if you get the chance.

Things to Know

  • You cannot use the gift yourself — it’s designed to be sent.
  • You have no idea what is inside until your friend opens it
  • The gift will include a postcard which highlights where it was picked up
  • Gifts will be a random assortment of items, including a special 7km egg which could be an Alolan form Pokemon
  • You can check the news section to see what your friend received after the gift was opened

Trading

Trading is perhaps the biggest thing players have asked for since the game started in 2016. It arrives not a moment to soon, and really looks to change the way players interact with each other.

Not only does the game allow you to trade between players from around the community, but it encourages and benefits you, too. In fact, there’s even something set up to reward you for trading Pokemon that you’ve picked up from your vacation or road trip.

Trading Requirements

In order to qualify for trading, your Pokemon GO Level must be 10 or higher. Moreover, it will cost you Stardust to trade Pokemon so make sure that you’re keeping some back instead of using it to power up and evolve.

Things to Know

  • You will need to be within 100 meters of your friend in order to conduct the trade
  • A regular trade will run you 100 Stardust
  • Individual Values (IV) are randomly re-determined when you transfer from one player to another.
  • Candy Bonus will depend on how much distance is/was between the two Pokemon locations when they were caught or hatched. Pokemon who were caught 100KM apart (or higher) will earn the maximum bonus.

Knowing exactly how players would try to build up a perfect arsenal of Pokemon, Niantic was smart in making trades automatically and randomly generate CP and HP. All of those guys using multiple accounts hoping to move them a bunch of perfect Pokemon to one are going to be out of luck.

When trading between friends occurs, the game will show a range of potential CP and HP. This range adjusts based on your friendship levels as well as the level of the player, too.

If you have a Pokemon with perfect stats (attack, defense, stamina), don’t trade it. Sit on it and use that Pokemon in battles and raids. Why? Because as soon as you trade it, those stats change and your friend ends up with something different.

On the other hand, it’s already being reported that people who have traded less than perfect Pokemon with each other are getting 100% IV ratings in the re-roll.

Special Trading

If you want to trade for Legendary, Shiny, or one not currently in your Pokedex, it will cost you more Stardust. These “Special Trades” can require up to 1M Stardust, depending on your friendship level. What’s more, you are limited to one Special Trade per day.

If you thought you would just coordinate a meetup where everyone walks away with a full Pokedex, you’re wrong. The system will reward players who largely play together or spend time near one another. Families and friends are going to benefit the most.

This is not to say that you won’t meet up with someone at the next Community Day and leave with a Mr. Mime. You’ll pay more for it, of course, and you’ll have to figure out if that’s the Special Trade you want to make that day.

Keeping in mind that you have to be within 100 meters of your friend to trade, it rules out the possibility of someone harvesting a bunch of regional Pokemon to be traded with players in another country. Niantic wants you to trade, but it doesn’t want to make so easy to fill out your Pokedex.

What Else?

As is the case with everything we’ve seen in Pokemon Go so far, things are always subject to change. Gifts could get better with time or change for limited periods, battle and raid bonuses could be tweaked, or the way you handle friends in the app might operate differently.

If you want to keep up with the official Pokemon Go community, be sure to check their blog or follow them on Twitter. Moreover, it doesn’t hurt to keep an eye on Niantic’s account, either. This way you’ll know what changes to expect, and when.

TicWatch Pro smartwatch with two displays promises monster battery life

Alexandra Arici
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Update: The dual-display TicWatch Pro went on sale in the US. Customers can pick up from Amazon in exchange for $249.

The watch is IP68 rated for water and dust resistance and runs Google’s Wear OS out of the box. Most importantly, the TicWatch Pro claims to be able to offer a battery life of up to one month in what it calls Essential mode. This uses only the top display and some key sensors while turning Wear OS and all the smart features off.

Alternatively, when Smart Mode reaches low battery, Essential mode can automatically be turned on so the watch can last for another three full days.

Original story:

Since Google rebranded Android Wear to Wear OS, we haven’t seen any new major smartwatch announcements.

Well, this changes this week as Mobvoi has unveiled a new intelligent timepiece which runs Google’s wearable operating system. It’s called the TicWatch Pro and comes with an intriguing feature.

One of the biggest complaints with smartwatches is the need to recharge them as often as a smartphone. Mobvoi aims to solve this wide-spread issue by employing not one but two displays on board the TicWatch Pro.

Aiming to cut power consumption, the new TicWatch Pro has a circular primary OLED touchscreen and a second transparent FSTN LCD on the top of that display. And while the secondary screen might not be as pretty as the OLED, it’s certainly more power efficient.

How does it work?

When you’re not actively using the TicWatch Pro, the low-power monochrome display will show essential info such as time, date, and a few basic metrics including heart rate, power status and the number of steps taken. This is called Essential mode and basically it turns off all the Wear OS features and leaves you with a “dumb” watch instead.

Since the secondary screen is transparent, when you want to use the watch to its full potential or in “Smart Mode”, the LCD will clear and you’ll be able to see the OLED. Users will be able to manually flip between the two screen or leave the smartwatch to decide.

Mobvoi says the TicWatch Pro can last up to 30 days on a single charge in Essential mode or 2 days in Smart mode with the watch switching between its two screens.

On top of its fancy display setup, the TicWatch Pro also comes packing NFC for Google Pay, a heart rate sensor, fitness tracking. Mobvoi notes there’s even potential for an LTE model for the US.

The standard model is expected to be priced under $300 and will go on sale this summer. You can subscribe on the Mobvoi website to get updates about the upcoming wearable.

UE Wonderboom Bluetooth speaker review: The little speaker that could

Josh Noriega
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Most of us picture a slim cylinder when we think about Ultimate Ears portable wireless speakers. This has been the company’s signature design from the original Boom series to the newer Blast and Megablast. But UE also offers a smaller and cheaper alternative, which which hasn’t gotten as much attention. Maybe this is why the follow-up to the Roll 2 has seen the biggest change.

The new Wonderboom now more closely resembles its bigger brothers, with a cylindrical, 360-degree driver design and similar aesthetics. But at roughly half the size, can this more travel-friendly option carry the same prowess, or are there too many compromises? We’ll examine it in this review.

Unboxing the UE Wonderboom

Design

Rather than the disc-shape of the Roll 2, the Wonderboom is more recognizable as a tradition UE Bluetooth speaker. It essentially looks like a shorter version of it. However, side-by-side, we see that the Wonderboom does have a bit more girth – about 50% more width.

UE Boom 2 on left and new Wonderboom on right. The signature, large volume up/down physical buttons are maintained.

We imagine this is to be able to fit all the internal components in the significantly more compact size. This makes the speaker look less cylindrical and more ball-shaped.

Otherwise, the construction is very similar. We have a super tightly weaved fabric completely around the speaker (enabling the top-notch IPX7 waterproof rating), and symmetrical top and bottom, chamfered, rubbery plastic caps. It’s a minimal design that just works. In-hand, everything feels tough and tightly constructed. This is a speaker that will be unfazed by tumbles and last a long time.

Function

Unlike the Blast line, the Wonderboom is strictly a simple Bluetooth speaker. It doesn’t have WiFi connectivity or Alexa assistance. You just turn it on, pair to your mobile device, and play.

Unlike the larger speakers, the Wonderboom sports a short string loop for on-the-go attachment. The speaker’s top panel has the usual power and pairing buttons arrangement.

And the setup process is just that easy. The Wonderboom has the same controls at the top as we’ve seen before – a power and dedicated pairing button, both with their own small status LEDs. A feature we’ve loved in the past is the ability to log in up to eight different sources, and that’s maintained here (long-press the pairing button to set it to Search mode).

Additionally, like in UE fashion, the charging port is protected behind a substantial flap on the bottom. As opposed to the folding flap of the larger speakers, this one is attached at a point by a rubber stem, allowing the flap to rotate out of the way. We have a slight concern that the seal doesn’t feel as robustly locked in as on the Boom or Blast series (it’s easier to release than we would like), but we can’t report any instance of it opening on its own. Just make sure that you push and seat the flap properly before going for a dip.

How to charge the Wonderboom. USB-C would’ve been nice instead of the older microUSB standard, but it’s not a deal-breaker, espeically at this price-point.

Something missing from the Boom series is the aux port. This was an alternate method to getting music to the speaker, via a 3.5mm wired connection to a source. Its absence is understandable. The main use of this speaker is wireless audio, and there’s limited space here.

One may think that half the size means half the power. Fortunately, that’s not exactly the case here. For instance, the battery life is down by a third (10 hours of playback vs. 15 on the Boom 2). The Bluetooth range is still an outstanding 100ft. What’s probably the most impressive is that there’s still an array of four audio drivers (two main active + two low-end passive), and they’re not that much smaller than on the Boom 2 (40mm vs 45mm active drivers, and 46x65mm vs. 45x80mm passive, respectively).

Audio

Based on the specs, we were really interested to see if the Wonderboom’s sound could hold a candle to its larger brother. In a couple ways, it does. This is the strongest speaker we’ve heard at this size.

The Wonderboom doesn’t utilize our LG G7’s aptX capability, but still sounds great.

Per the “Boom” moniker, the Wonderboom does bring it. Bass is its shining quality, excellently pumping out as much definition as power. Though, some of its strength does drop off in the upper mid-bass. This allows for the mid-range to not be overtaken, but the trade-off is a lack of mid-bass oomph.

Speaking of the mids, vocals are surprisingly large for the speaker’s size. Overall, the mid-range can be a mixed bag. It all has nice body and definition overall, but some parts can show as slightly recessed. The treble detail is nicely present, even when a lot is going on in the track. However, the resolution of higher frequency bits noticeably drops off and the reproduction can be loose.

As expected, there isn’t as much volume headroom as in UE’s larger variants. Still, the Wonderboom punches well above its weight in this respect. We’re able to fill a living room space a couple notches from its max, so while it won’t necessarily rock the house, it will be suitable for causal use. The 360-degree output serves it will for an expansive sound. It’s not as full/surrounding as the Boom or Blast, but gets the job done.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we’re impressed with what UE was able to do with the Wonderboom’s limited space. There’s much less compromise than one would expect from the significantly smaller size. The Wonderboom also costs a good chunk less than its counterparts, making it a terrific value. Though, we wouldn’t go as far as to say there isn’t reason to not opt for the more powerful models. They do have more headroom for volume and fullness. It depends how you’re going to primarily use the speaker. The Wonderboom shouldn’t be underestimated, though.

Xiaomi IPO falls far short of $100 billion goal but it’s still worth a buttload of money

Jason England
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On Monday, Xiaomi joined the Hong Kong Hang Seng index with a $54 billion debut. This is far less than the estimated $100 billion number that was floated months ago, with it closing on Monday at HK$17 per share. Tuesday saw it rise up to HK$19 per share but still puts it at far less than the original Xiaomi IPO estimate.

However, $54 billion is nothing to sneeze at; it still positions Xiaomi as one of the highest valued publicly traded smartphone companies in the world. While they are nowhere near Apple or Samsung, on paper Xiaomi is now worth three times more than LG.

Don’t feel too bad for LG though — if you were to look at the revenue numbers they tell a different story. Whereas Xiaomi only brought in a little over 15 billion in revenue for 2017 LG’s revenue was 55 billion.

Although short of the lofty $100 billion Xiaomo IPO estimates this is still a very positive opening for Xiaomi’s initial public offering. The reason for the lower $54 billion opening could be in part due to overall declining smartphone sales or questions on how Xiaomi will adapt to new markets. As Xiaomi looks to expand outside of China and India, it will encounter larger more established brands such as Apple, Huawei, and Samsung.

In addition, Xiaomi phones are already sold on razor slim margins with them generating more profit from the use of their services. Outside of China where Google is not blocked it will be more difficult to generate this kind of profit from their services.

As Xiaomi expands, it just might be able to win over customers with lower prices. However, while that works to sway first-time buyers in their home country, many also go onto a more premium Apple or Huawei phone by their 3rd or 4th upgrade.

If Xiaomi can find a way to increase profits per handset while retaining first-time customers, it just might hit that $100 billion valuation someday.

Google looking at massive EU fine, possible changes to Android

Jason England
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Google is facing possible record-breaking fines from European regulators over its Android policies. This stems from the practice of Google requiring their search engine and apps to be bundled with Android phones. Without bundling these apps and using Google as the default search option your phone would lose access to the coveted Play Store.

It is because of this policy, that the European Union (EU) competition chief Margrethe Vestager is expected to impose a fine on Google that could reach into the billions. The EU fine is one thing, but it could also have further reaching consequences, such as requiring Google to change their approach to Android.

If you’re wondering why Apple doesn’t see such scrutiny over iOS and the bundling of their apps or services. This is in part because Apple is the only company who makes devices running iOS.

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

To alter this policy, would mean a substantial change to Google’s business model when it comes to Android. Google would have less influence over which apps you use and would be unable to collect as much data on your searches to serve you ads.

At its core, Google is an ad company and understanding its users and collecting as much data as possible gives them a huge advantage. This is why Google offers handset makers Android for free guaranteeing its dominance over any other mobile OS. It is also why Google can afford to put so much research and money into Android while providing it for free.

In their defense, Android is one of the most open, flexible, and widely used operating systems in the world. Google also says that requiring these apps helps keep the Android experience consistent across devices.

The EU has some of the strongest regulations for consumer privacy and competition in the digital age. If Vestager is successful in this pursuit, it could open up the doors to Google and Android being under more scrutiny in the United States. The EU fine could force them to rethink their strategy with Android and requiring them to change their business model.

OnePlus 6 in Red now available, get it while it’s hot

Alexandra Arici
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Update: Announced earlier this month the Red OnePlus 6 is now up for grabs in the US. It’s available with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Get it for $579.

The Silk White, Mirror Black and Midnight Black versions are also still available to purchase.

Original story:

Over the weekend OnePlus officially announced a new color version for its current flagship, the OnePlus 6. The new variant is simply called Red and unlike the Lava Red OnePlus 5T, it won’t be restricted to just a few markets. On the contrary, the Red OnePlus 6 will be available in all markets where OnePlus usually sells its phones.

The OnePlus 6 launched in May in two black variants and proved to be a great success. A White model followed last month and now a Red one is on the way.

In recent years OnePlus mostly launched devices in black and white (with variations), but that’s the past. In the blog post, the company seems to suggest that the Red color could become a regular option for OnePlus customers.

The Red OnePlus 6 will set you back with $579

The Chinese phone maker says it wanted the new Red OnePlus 6 to have a clear quality similar to amber, but also “an enduring appeal that will last for years to come.”

To produce the new hue, OnePlus used a new film coating processes which according to the company has never been attempted in the smartphone industry. The technique is reminiscent of the film coatings used by OnePlus in the other color variants of the OnePlus 6.

If the Red OnePlus 6 has already caught your attention, then you should know the phone is scheduled to go on sale on June 10.

It will be sold with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage on the inside for $579. If Red phones aren’t your cup of tea, then you should know you can pick up the, Mirror Black, Midnight Black or Silk White versions in the same configuration.

For the most demanding users, OnePlus also offers a version with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage which retails for $629.

Which of the OnePlus 6 colors do you prefer? Let us know in the comment section below.

Buy the OnePlus 6

Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium goes up for pre-order in the US

Alexandra Arici
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Update: Launched in April, the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium is finally available for pre-order in the US.

Interested parties can pick up the premium phone from Amazon for a whopping $999.99. There are two colors to choose from, Chrome Silver and Chrome Black.

The phone is sold unlocked and is compatible with GSM carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile or Cricket Wireless.

We should also note that customers who place a pre-order for the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium now, will also get a pair of Xperia Ear Duo wireless earphones for free. Shipments will start going on on July 30.

Pre-order the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium from Amazon

Original story:

Sony today has taken the wraps off the Xperia XZ2 Premium, a beefed up version of the Xperia XZ2 flagship which was introduced back at MWC 2018 in February.

The Xperia XZ Premium is mostly the same as the Xperia XZ2 with a few notable changes. For starters, we now have a 4K HDR display and the back is home to a dual-camera setup which supports very high sensitivity.

Main specs

  • 5.8-inch 4K display with 16:9 aspect ratio
  • Snapdragon 845
  • 6GB of RAM
  • 64GB of storage
  • 19-megapixel/12-megapixel rear-facing dual cameras
  • 13-megapixel (1/3.06” in size) front-facing camera
  • 3,450 mAh battery
  • Dynamic Vibration System (a la Xperia XZ2)
  • IP65/IP68 certified
  • Android 8.0 Oreo
  • Chrome Black/Chrome Silver

When it comes to design, the Premium version boasts the same glass back and curvy look, as the Xperia XZ2. Although the biggest difference here is that the new-comer includes a 5.8-inch display with standard 16:9 aspect ratio, while the Xperia XZ2 has a 5.7-inch screen with 18:9 aspect ratio. Resolution has been bumped up from 2160 x 1080 pixels on the previous model to an impressive 3840 x 2160 pixels.

Both models are powered by the new Snapdragon 845 processor, but the XZ2 Premium offers 6GB of RAM instead of the 4GB of the standard XZ2.

A focus on camera

Then there are the cameras. The Xperia XZ2 includes a single 19-megapixel camera on the back, while the XZ2 Premium offers the services of a dual-camera setup. This is a first for the company.

Sony uses a 19-megapixel color sensor and a 12-megapixel monochrome one, which is a similar approach to Huawei’s. Where Sony aims to impress is in the ISO performance department. According to the company, the XZ2 Premium can reach a maximum ISO of 51,200 while shooting pictures. Videos can go as high as 12,800.

Normally, images snapped on a smartphone at this ISO would look quite awful.  But Sony claims that is “AUBE fusion image signal processor” can combine data taken from both sensors, optimize for low light and drastically reduce noise, so you can get usable results.

Obviously, we’ll have to wait and see how the Xperia XZ2 Premium’s camera performs in real life. But Sony promises you’ll be able to get results that were previously only possible to obtain with interchangeable lens cameras.

The Japanese company is also offering a few creative options. For example, there’s an feature which lets you desaturate parts of an image and leave only the subject in color, for more artistic imagery.

The Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium can also shoot 4K video recording and the 960fps super slow-motion option is also available here.

Sony also put a focus on audio with its latest release. The new phone includes a pair of stereo front-facing speakers, which the company says are the loudest yet.

Sony hasn’t revealed the price of the new Xperia XZ2 Premium. We do know the phone will hit the market this summer. Like its predecessor, it’s probably going to be available in the US as well.

Want to play YouTube in the background of your Android? Here’s how

Alexandra Arici
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Ever wanted to do something on your smartphone while also listening to music on YouTube? Or simply to listen to a song with your smartphone’s screen off? Unfortunately, exiting the YouTube app or turning off your phone’s display means the music will stop playing.

The good news is that there’s a workaround to bypass this problem and it involves using one of your mobile browsers. Whether you use Chrome or Firefox, you can easily get YouTube play in the background.

How to play YouTube in the background of your phone

Chrome usually comes pre-installed with most Android smartphones, but if for some reason yours doesn’t you can easily download it from the Play Store. Once the app is on your phone, you can get your YouTube video to play in the background by following these simple steps. The same instructions apply for Firefox users.

  1. Open up the Chrome app on your phone/tablet
  2. Navigate to the YouTube video you wish to play
  3. Go to Settings (three dots located in the upper-right corner)
  4. Tap on Request Desktop Site
  5. Start playing the video and then press the Home button on your device to close the browser
  6. Pull down the notification bar and press play.

Enjoy the music, while also searching for a new pair of boots! Or turning the screen off.

Another way to keep the music going while you do something else on your phone is to use multi-window mode on Android. Learn how to access it by reading the tutorial right here.

Seven best adult coloring apps for Android to help you de-stress

Alexandra Arici
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Coloring used to be reserved for children, but in recent years, the endeavor has found a different demographic. What started as a niche hobby has slowly turned into an international trend, as adult coloring books are flying off the shelves all over the world.

According to experts, adult coloring can help with a number of emotional and mental issues. For many, boredom, lack of structure, and stress are the greatest triggers. But the time and concentration that adult coloring takes help the individual abandon the focus on negative issues and habits, and re-focus them in a safe and productive way.

Now, if you’re not the type to always carry around a large book and a set of crayons, then you should know that adult coloring book apps are also an option.

Having a coloring app installed on your device is great when you have a few spare moments at work and you want to relax by doing a bit of coloring without attracting unwanted attention.

In this article we’ve put together a list of seven adult coloring apps which are available for download on the Google Play Store. Most of them are free to download and will provide you with a pretty great artistic experience.

Mandala Coloring Pages

What it is:

Developed by Coloring Games, Mandala Coloring Pages lets you color beautiful Mandalas and create your own designs too.

Why we like it:

  • Allows you to pick from up to 100 different Mandalas. There are several categories to choose from including Simple, Complex, Animals, Floral, Straight and more.
  • The app is not just for coloring, it can also be used for freehand drawing.
  • You can create your own mandalas by using the Design tool.

Install Mandala Coloring Pages

Recolor

What it is:

Don’t like coloring Mandalas? Recolor is an app filled with diverse artworks that are just waiting for you to bring it to life.

Why we like it:

  • If you’re not really a fan of Mandalas, Recolor might be the app for you. It includes over 2000 uniquepictures organized in themed chapter including birds, fantasy, fashion, 3D or patterns.
  • Once you are satisfied with your coloring efforts, you can further enhance your picture by adding effects, filters and outline.
  • The app also has a social component. It lets you view other people’s work. You can like and comment on their drawings. Just like on Instagram you can also follow your favorite “artists”.

Install Recolor

Colorfit

What it is:

A coloring and drawing app which aims to provide anxiety and stress release.

Why we like it:

  • The app includes a large variety of drawings. Some are free to use, but some require diamonds to be unlocked. Fortunately, you can get (enough) diamonds daily simply by check-in. You can also watch short ads to get more.
  • Unlike other competing apps, Colorfit also offers a choice in coloring tools including spray paint, pencil or watercolour brush.
  • You can create your color palette from scratch or choose from the rich palettes the app already provide.

Install Colorfit

ColorTherapy

What it is:

A coloring app for adults that puts an emphasis on experimenting with different color palettes.

Why we like it:

  • The app’s gallery contains numerous image categories including Animals, Canvas, Exotic or Flowers.
  • You can try out a number of color palettes including Basic, Vintage or Shades. Once you’re done coloring you can also add filters to your drawing.
  • The app gives you access to a customizable brush (size, opacity), on top of the standard color fill option.
  • Check out the creations of other users in the Inspiration tab.

Install ColorTherapy

Coloring Book for Adults

What it is:

Offered by App Labs Games, this coloring book app offers a nifty collection of themes for those seeking stress relief through app therapy.

Why we like it:

  • It’s super straightforward. Chose a category, then picture and get to work.
  • Publish your work so others can view and like your masterpiece. You don’t even have to sign-up with an account.
  • Ran out of pictures to color? Try App Labs’ other coloring apps including Mandalas Coloring Book for Adults.

Install Coloring Book for Adults

Colorfly

What it is:

One of the most popular coloring book apps out there. It comes packed with tons of pictures to choose from.

Why we like it:

  • While the app’s main purpose is to let you color, it also has a Creative corner where you can design your own creations. Draw your own mandala or take a picture and turn it into a drawing. Alternatively, you can write and color your own message.
  • The app also shows the images colored by other people for inspiration.
  • Colorfly includes a sub-category of famous paintings you can color, which is really cool. Unfortunately, some require a subscription to be unlocked. And so do additional tools like gradients and brushes.

Install Colorfly

Sidenote: The subscriptions costs $19.99/month.

Colorify

What it is:

Not to be confused with Colorfly, Colorify is an app developed by Vivasouk that allows you to engage yourself in hours of peaceful color therapy.

Why we like it:

  • The rich library includes unique categories such as Zodiac Signs or Oriental.
  • For each image you select, you can access the Inspiration tab to get an idea of how to color the drawing you’ve selected.
  • The app has a gradient tool which is free to use.

Install Colorify

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