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LG V35 ThinQ is coming to Project Fi soon [Update: More phones will be added]

Alexandra Arici
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LG has a new flagship. Not even a month after it launched the G7 ThinQ, LG is back with the V35 ThinQ.

This is technically the fourth V30 model to hit the market since last August, following the V30, V30+ and V30S ThinQ. And guess what? Apart from AT&T, Google’s Project Fi will also be selling it.

Unfortunately, details about pricing and availability haven’t been shared just yet. But we can tell you’ll that at AT&T the phone will go up for pre-order starting June 1, with shipments going out on June 8.

The LG V35 ThinQ will be an interesting addition to Project Fi’s roster of devices. So far, the MVNO’s portfolio has been quite limited, consisting only of Google’s Nexus and Pixel devices. Last year, the mid-range Moto X4 was also added. So the LG V35 ThinQ will be the first non-Google flagship to be sold by Project Fi.

What does the new phone bring to the table?

The V35 ThinQ might seem indistinguishable from the V30, but LG has boosted the internal specifications and threw in a few new features to entice Android fans to upgrade to the new model.

The newcomer keeps the same 6-inch QHD OLED display, aluminum body, and 3,300 mAh battery. But compared to the V30, there’s now 6GB of RAM on board, alongside 64GB of storage. The dual cameras have also stayed the same, but all the AI features that made their way to the V30 via an update come pre-installed on this model.

So you’ll get the low-light camera, Portrait Mode and all the 18 shooting modes including snow, sky, baby and pet. And lots more.

On top of that, the V35 ThinQ has been upgraded to the newer Snapdragon 845. The older V30 had a Snapdragon 835 under the hood.

We should also mention that unlike the LG7 ThinQ, the V35 ThinQ does not have a Boombox speaker, nor does it include a side button dedicated to summoning the Google Assistant.

Update: Google has released its own statement and it appears more phones are coming to Project Fi including the LG G7 ThinQ and Moto G6.

The Moto G6 is already up for pre-order. You can get it for $8.29/month for 24 months or for $199 in full.

The G7 and V35 will be available starting next month. The G7 ThinQ will be priced for $749 or $31.21/month for 2 years, while the V35 will be offered for $899 or $37.46 per month for 24 months.

The LG V35 ThinQ announced with flagship specs and carrier exclusivity

Andrew Myrick
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For the past few years, LG has been releasing two different flagship models. The LG G series was released in the early part of the year, with the LG V series coming closer to the end of Summer.

It seems that LG has thrown everything out the window as the company just announced the LG V35 ThinQ. You may remember that the G7 ThinQ was launched at the beginning of this month.

LG V35 ThinQ Spec Breakdown

The V35 ThinQ was surprisingly announced today, with a few differences, mainly in the carrier department. Starting off with the specs, the handset sports the Snapdragon 845 SoC, combined with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.

LG packed an 8MP wide-angle selfie camera into the front, while a dual-16MP system resides on the opposite side. As is the case with the G7 ThinQ, the V35 ThinQ features a ‘Super Wide Angle’ and ‘Standard Angle’ sensor.

As for the display, LG opted for a 6-inch QHD+ OLED display. This sports a resolution of 2880 x 1440, thanks to its 18:9 aspect ratio. That’s right, there is no notch that can be found on the V35 ThinQ, unlike its slightly-older counterpart.

Finally, the V35 ThinQ comes with Android 8.0 Oreo on the software side, with LG’s skin overlay on top. And in the battery department, LG has included a respectable 3,300mAH battery with Quick Charge 3.0.

Other Features

Unlike the G7 ThinQ, LG’s latest offering does not include a dedicated Google Assistant button. However, LG has still integrated some of Google’s latest features, such as Google Lens which will work out of the box.

Other features for the V35 ThinQ include the following:

  • AI Cam
  • Super Bright Camera
  • Hi-Fi Quad DAC
  • IP68 Water/Dust Resistance
  • Face Recognition
  • Wireless Charging

Looking at the general design and features, it almost feels like LG slapped some parts together and launched a new phone. It’s almost like the company has really forgotten how to play in the smartphone market.

The G7 ThinQ may have been a bit underwhelming to some, but it’s not held in a higher regard than the V35. That’s not to say the V35 is useless, as it still features flagship specs and an impressive camera. Something just feels off with this release.

Release Date and more

You may remember that when the G7 ThinQ was announced, AT&T opted to not carry the device. Instead, the carrier claimed that it would exclusively carry another LG smartphone slated to launch this Summer.

It seems that the V35 ThinQ is that device, but it won’t only be available from AT&T. Instead, it seems that Project Fi is getting in on some of the fun, adding another option to choose from.

Unfortunately, there is no mention of pricing or availability just yet. Instead, LG states that “price and purchase locations will be announced locally at the time of availability.”

Let us know what you think about the V35 ThinQ and if you are interested in this new handset.

Mobile tools that help you to trade on the stock market (Promoted)

AndroidGuys
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There’s no doubt that the financial marketplace has evolved considerably in recent times, and this is borne out by the incredible rise of cryptocurrencies. In fact, the daily global trading volume for digital currencies passed $50 billion at the end of 2017, drawing it close to the average turnover recorded by the New York Stock Exchange.

The increased diversity of the global marketplace is great news for investors, who can leverage this to build lucrative portfolios that deliver returns over a sustained period of time.

This is particularly true for novice investors, who can utilize online and mobile technology to access their chosen markets while executing effective, real-time decisions. In the article below, we’ll consider the mobile tools that can assist you to trade on the stock market and have a positive impact on every stage of your investment journey.

The eToro Social Trading App

When it comes to executing your first corporeal trades on the financial market, you’ll need to identify an app and trading platform that suits your investment philosophy and outlook. However, it’s important that novice traders continue to learn as they trade, as otherwise they run the risk of incurring initial losses.

In this respect, the innovative eToro social investment platform is a must for traders. This app, which is now available on Android and iOS, offers access to a huge range of financial markets and enables individuals to execute live orders.

More importantly, it connects traders from across the globe as part of a progressive network, each of whom can interact freely with one another and share data, insight and investment strategies.

Best Brokers: Stock Simulator

Venturing into the financial marketplace can be a daunting prospect, and one that may deter aspiring investors from taking the initial plunge.

This is where the Best Brokers: Stock Simulator app can come in handy, as this innovative mobile game enables you to experience the global marketplace in a fun, interactive and entirely risk-free environment.

Not only is this application non-threatening and extremely insightful, but it also offers access to an impressive range of stock markets and alternative asset classes.

The game even enables players to access the burgeoning cryptocurrency market, replicating real-time conditions and relevant trends.

TradeHero

As you build your knowledge base and level of practical experience, you may well decide that you require a more detailed and comprehensive simulator. Similarly, you may also want to hone your skills through an application that introduces an element of competition, as this can help to sharpen your instincts and inspire more effective decision making.

TradeHero is ideally placed to help you achieve these objectives, as it utilises real world data to provide a live simulation of the financial marketplace. Once registered, you can trial a host of trading strategies without any sense of risk of trepidation, as you use fake currencies to execute individual orders.

In terms of competition, users will be afforded $100,000 to build fantasy portfolios and compete directly against one another for top place on the global leaderboard. Those who come out on top will also receive a real cash prize, which represents the culmination of an effective and rewarding learning experience.

This may prove crucial for inexperienced traders, who can copy successful trades and strategies to achieve short-term success, while using these as a foundation for future growth and diversification.

Plex updates apps with customizable home screen and announces podcasts!

AndroidGuys
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Plex is my favorite service for storing all of my media in one place. All my music, tv shows and movies, and even photos are in one place and can be accessed across many devices. No matter if I’m at home or away I can always stream any movies or download any show for offline use. Now Plex is announcing a more customizable experience in its mobile apps for individual control. Along with that Plex is announcing support for podcasts, storing and streaming. Which reminds me, I need to start working on my podcast.

For the new redesign of its app, Plex has focused on three main things: customizable home screen, more natural top-level design, effortlessly cross server boundaries. For your home screen, you can now reorder or add any sections (such as “Recently Added” or “On Deck”) for ease of access. There are also new tabs at the bottom of the app to navigate between different media types quickly. The tabs are also customizable as well, so if you only do movies and tv shows, you don’t have to have music or photos shown.

Lastly, the default source for each media type can be customized as well. Which means if you listen to your music, but watch a friend’s movie from their server, that’s perfectly fine. Alternatively, do you listen to podcasts from the web, that’s ok too.

Speaking of which, YES!, After many years of requesting, Plex has brought podcast support to its service. Now you can stream podcasts from a variety of sources and add them to your content library. Podcasts can also use features such as On Deck, synched view state, rich metadata, and all other Plex media features.

With bringing podcasts into the mix, Plex has also updated it media player as well to support variable speed playback and quick skipping backward and forwards. There’s also rich search support to discover any specific podcast by name, genre, or popularity. Plex has machine learning support to offer similar podcasts as well, once you start listening to one that you like a lot. Best of all, podcast support, even though it’s in beta, is free for anyone! No media server or Plex pass is needed.

More feature with podcasts are coming soo. If you know anything about Plex, then you know they are always adding features to the service. Be sure to update your apps on Android and Android TV to receive all of these new features now! You can find out more on Plex’ blog, linked below. Now I need to find a dark, quiet corner, and have some intimate time with my microphone….

Plex Blog Link

Motorola is the next Android OEM that will offer a phone with a notch

Alexandra Arici
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There’s no escaping notches these days, even if you’re an Android user. We’ve seen Android OEMs like LG, Huawei and ASUS, all jump on board with the trend in the past few months.

Well according to the latest leak coming out of AndroidHeadlines, Motorola apparently preparing to do the same.

The US company is gearing up to introduce a new phone dubbed the Motorola One Power, which will be part of Google’s Android One program. This means users should get relatively fast updates on their handset.

Motorola will also bring you the notch

The publication shared an image of the alleged device and as you can see the One Power sports a display cutout on top. On the back, there’s a dual camera on the back arranged in a similar position as on Apple’s flagship.

Additional info about the upcoming device is not available just yet. Motorola already has an Android One device, the Moto X4 which was released last year.

According to recent reports, development of the Moto X5 has been cancelled, so the Moto X4 won’t get a proper successor. Instead, it seems Motorola will launch the One Power to fill the Android One void, which at least to us doesn’t seem to be a mid-range phone.

Motorola’s Android One handset, the Moto X4

Interestingly, if the rumor turns out to be true the new phone might not feature the word Moto in its title. But for the time being keep in mind that nothing has been confirmed, so you need to take it with a grain of salt.

After launching the new Moto G6 and Moto E5 series not so long ago, Motorola and its parent company Lenovo are now gearing up to unveil the Moto Z3 series. The Moto Z3 Play is expected to make a debut during an event on 6 June 2018.

What about the Motorola One Power, when it will arrive? We don’t know yet, but we assume that it’s going to be soon.

Costco shaves up to $200 off the T-Mobile Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+

Alexandra Arici
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Are you planning to get the Samsung Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9+? Well, then you might want to hear about Costco’s latest promotion.

Until June 17, members can purchase the T-Mobile version of Samsung’s flagships with $100 off. This means you will be able to grab the Galaxy S9 for $579.99 and the Galaxy S9+ for $699.99. You’ll then be required to activate your device at Costco’s wireless center.

Grab a Galaxy S9 from Costco and get $100 off and a $100 gift card

But wait, we have more excellent news. While most carrier deals come with extra requirements, this one does not. So you won’t be forced to buy the device on an installment plan, or activate a new line or offer an eligible trade-in. You simply pay the required amount, and the phone is yours.

On top of that, in order to make the deal even sweeter, Costco will throw in an additional $100 Costco Cash Card. You will need to register for the card online and it might take a month or two before you receive it.

Selling everything from toilet papers to cars, the discount warehouse has made a name for itself thanks to its bargains. So you’ll have no problem putting that Card to good use.

If that wasn’t enough for you, you also get a free TYLT Power Essential Pack with the purchase which includes:

  • A 5,200 mAh battery
  • 4.8A wall charger
  • 4.8A car charger
  • 3-foot USB-C
  • micro USB cable
  • Carrying case

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ were unveiled in late February and are Samsung’s latest flagships. Equipped with top specs and unique features such as the camera’s variable aperture, the Galaxy S9 duo is one of the best flagships launched this year.

On the other hand, in a few months Samsung will unveil the Galaxy Note 9, so you might want to wait for that one. Although at this price, the Galaxy S9 certainly sounds very appealing.

Moto E5 Plus is now available at Sprint, but it’s pretty high-priced

Alexandra Arici
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Last month, Motorola unveiled the Moto E5 family which consists of the Moto E5, Moto E5 Play and Moto E5 Plus models.

And while the standard Moto E5 won’t be offered in the States, the Moto E5 Play and Moto E5 Plus are now available for purchase in the country.

The Moto E5 Play is up for grabs at Verizon which is selling it for $94.99, but also at Boost Mobile where you can have it for $79.99 (discounted from $99.99). Cricket Wireless is also offering the budget phone for $99.99.

The Moto E5 Play is an entry-level device coming with a 5.2-inch display with 720 x 1280 resolution. It relies on a quad-core Snapdragon processor clocked at 1.4GHz and 2GB of RAM with 16GB of storage.

The phone also offers the services of an 8-megapixel/5-megapixel camera combo. It’s among the few really affordable phones that ships with Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.

The Moto E5 Plus is more expensive than the Moto G6

As for the Moto E5 Plus, it’s only available through Sprint and is strangely overpriced. The carrier is offering it for 12/month for 24 months with Sprint Monthly Installments or for $288 outright. The new device is also available for $12/month for only 18 months on Sprint Flex Lease. But this means, you won’t actually be the owner of the phone and you’ll have to return it once the lease period expires.

The Moto E5 Plus is also listed at Best Buy with the same purchasing options. Interestingly, the full price is listed as $329.99. For the time being the retailer hasn’t opened orders for the device.

In case you’re wondering, the Moto E5 Plus takes advantage of a 6-inch display with 18:9 aspect ratio and 720 x 1440 resolution. It bundles a Snapdragon 425 processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Its main selling point is that it includes a large 5,000 mAh battery. It also runs Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t make a lot of sense for Sprint to be pricing the phone so high. By comparison, Verizon is offering the Moto G6 for only $240. The phone comes with a 5.7-inch display with 1080 x 2160 resolution and a Snapdragon 450 processor. It also includes 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage and boasts a dual 12-megapixel+5-megapixel camera setup with phase detection autofocus.

UE MEGABLAST: The perfect summer speaker? (Review)

Matt Adams
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The weather is starting to heat up and that means more time spent outdoors. If you’re anything like me, a party isn’t a party with the proper tunes accompanying the people, food, and drinks. I’m constantly looking for the best speaker to take along with me to keep the party going. In the past, we’ve taken a look at other speakers like the ECOXGEAR Eco Slate, Leeron Sport Bluetooth Speaker, and the Braven BRV-XXL in search of the perfect speaker. While those are all great speakers and tick plenty of boxes, I think I’ve found my new favorite speaker, the Ultimate Ears (UE) MEGABLAST.

Design

UE’s lineup of speakers, including the Blast, Boom, and MEGABOOM have been around for a few years. UE decided to stick with an aesthetic that works instead of changing things up. That being said, if you’ve seen one UE speaker, you’re likely to recognize the others at this point. The rounded shape with a raised platform for the volume keys is familiar to us and looks pretty good.

The MEGABLAST comes in several color combinations, including Graphite, Blue Steel, Merlot, and Blizzard. Our review unit, the Blizzard variety, looks fantastic with its stunning white plastic and darker grill. The grill looks (and feels) like a black and white mesh that gives the speaker a little bit of visual flair without being too flashy. But, if you want flashy, you may want to check out the Blue Steel or Merlot colors because they’re definitely head turners.

When I say that the top, base, and volume bar you may get it in your head that this is somehow a cheap design, but you’d be mistaken. The speaker is strong and sturdy and the hefty plastic is built to last for years. Its soft to the touch and wipes off easily when it gets dirty.

The bottom of the speaker has a detachable area that holds a carabiner hook. That’s a really nice feature, so why would you want to remove it? Well, UE also sells a dock that you can pick up and keep your speaker charging even while it’s playing. To use the dock, you remove a section of the base and replace it with a new one that comes with the charger. This allows it to continue charging while still pumping out the tunes. Sure, the MEGABLAST claims a 16-hour battery life, but why use the battery if you don’t have to?

The charging base is a great option, but it’s also another $40. And it doesn’t add a ton of functionality. Sure, you can sit your speaker in the dock and charge it up, but you still have access to the microUSB charging port to charge it up. In our review of the UE Blast, Josh calls the charging dock and luxury and I couldn’t agree more. If you have the extra $40, it’s a cool accessory but it’s certainly not required.

Function

I was surprised to learn that the UE MEGABLAST had a ton of tricks up its sleeve. We expect to connect our speaker to our phones through Bluetooth or NFC and play music from there, but you can do more with the MEGABLAST. The speaker also has WiFi connectivity that allows it to play music from other sources.

Not only that, but UE included a smart assistant in the MEGABLAST. And not just any generic assistant, but Amazon’s Alexa and all of the awesome functionality that comes along with her. The addition of Alexa takes this from a “dumb” Bluetooth speaker to one of the best sounding smart speakers on the market.

Even though you wouldn’t look at the MEGABLAST and put it in the same category as an Amazon Echo, it can do all of the same things. It can control your smart home appliances, remind you how to spell onomatopoeia, or check the weather for tomorrow. So, all of the other speakers out there can play music too, which means the MEGABLAST can as well, right?

UE Blast Wireless Speaker

Sure, but there’s a drawback. The MEGABLAST is limited to playing music through Amazon services. Those include services like iHeartRadio, SiriusXM Radio, Pandora, TuneIn, and Amazon Music Unlimited. You actually get a three month Amazon Music Unlimited subscription when you purchase the BLAST or MEGABLAST, but after that, you’re on your own. A recent update brought support for Spotify too but there are hoops to jump through to enable it and it just doesn’t feel… intuitive. If reviewing electronics has taught me anything its that if you make people jump through a bunch of hoops, they’re just going to forget it and not buy your product in the first place.

As a lover of all things Google Assistant and Google Play Music (Spotify too!), I do feel a bit limited here. Amazon Music Unlimited is a fine service, but it’s definitely not something I’m going to pay for after the free trial. I’m left feeling that there’s a big missed opportunity here to let users choose which music service they want to play their music through. Sure, I get that this is a partnership between UE and Amazon, but we don’t like walled gardens and this definitely feels like one.

Now, don’t get us wrong, you can play anything you want through this speaker when you connect your phone to it through Bluetooth and that’s all well and good. But, we’d have loved to see a nice competitor to the high-end Google Home Max here and we’re just not getting that because of the integration of Alexa instead of Google Assistant.

So, how do you enable all of this? You first need to go grab the Ultimate Ears app from the Google Play store. The app will actually guide you through the setup and pairing process once you get the speaker. It asks you to sign into your Amazon account for Alexa access and gives a pretty decent tutorial on what you can do with the speaker. Even if I don’t love Alexa, I do love that you can yell at the speaker to turn down the volume, switch tracks, or play a different playlist. Nothing sucks more than getting out of the pool to mess with a speaker on a hot day.

Sound

Okay, let’s start with a big bold statement here: The UE MEGABLAST is one of the best sounding speakers we’ve ever reviewed. We’ve reviewed huge speakers that shake windows and little speakers that you carrying around on the outside of your backpack. But nothing has wowed me personally like the MEGABLAST. It isn’t the loudest speaker (although it is damn loud), but the audio quality it’s able to put out is simply fantastic.

If you love bass, you’re going to love the MEGABLAST. I suppose with a name like MEGABLAST, it has to thump with the best of them, and it certainly does. I was very impressed at the bass response when listening to some of my favorite EDM songs like Antihero by Noisestrom, I Remember by Tristam, and Here With You Now by Grabbitz.

Mids and highs are overshadowed a bit by the lows, but I still enjoyed them just the same. I was surprised and pleased with how powerful pop vocals sounded through the speaker, especially when it was in an outdoor setting. Clear audio and excellent volume combine to make a great speaker for your next outdoor event.

Conclusion

If you have $249 in your pocket and you’re looking for a fantastic speaker, it’s easy to recommend the MEGABLAST. Again, this is one of, if not the, best sounding speakers I’ve ever heard. While you can find other speakers that put out great sound or louder speakers, I believe the MEGABLAST is a great combination of quality and max volume.

The smart features are really the killer. Sure, they’re limited in what you can do, but I feel like that’s the case with pretty much every smart speaker on the market at the moment. If you’re comfortable using Alexa’s voice interface and supported service, this is a no-brainer. Even if you’re not, it’s nice to be able to turn down the volume, stop playback, or skip to the next track with just your voice. Sure, we’d love the option of Google Assistant here, but you can’t always get what you want.

For my money, the UE MEGABLAST is one of the most compelling options on the market right now and among the best of the premium Bluetooth speaker segment. It gets our recommendation.

UE MEGABLAST purchase links: Ultimate Ears | Amazon | Best Buy | Target

LG G7 ThinQ gets extended warranty, but you’ll have to register to get it

Alexandra Arici
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Most smartphones sold in the US come with 1-year warranty. But not all of them. For example, LG launched the “Second Year Promise” program in the US last year, which grants an additional year of warranty.

And the brand new LG G7 ThinQ, which just went up for pre-order, is also part of this initiative. Which means customers who purchase LG’s new flagship will be able to get a second year of free warranty coverage.

LG flagships in the US come with a 2-year warranty

But you need to keep one thing in mind. The extended warranty is not added automatically. You will have to register for it on LG’s official website. You have 90 days after you’ve made the purchase to do so. Also, only phones that were bought from authorized US carriers and retailers are eligible.

LG’s “Second Year Promise” program is also available for older LG flagships including the G6, G6+, V30, V30+ and V30S ThinQ.

But the most recent, the G7 ThinQ just went up for pre-order at major carriers across the US including Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint. The phone is expected to start shipping out on June 1.

LG took the wraps off its latest Android flagship earlier this month. The latest premium offering by the South Korean company boasts a bevvy of features including a customizable notch, Boombox speaker and AI integration.

LG has also thrown in a number of flagship features into the mix including a Snapdragon 845 processor, IP68 water-and-dust resistance and facial recognition.

This year, LG added a dedicated button that activates the Google Assistant with one tap and Google Lens with two taps. The physical key has been positioned under the volume control keys.

LG will offer two variants of the phone, one with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, which is already available for pre-order. A second G7+ ThinQ version with 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage will go on sale at a later date.

ASUS Zenfone 5Q is up for pre-order in the US

Alexandra Arici
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Back at MWC 2018, ASUS unveiled the Zenfone 5 series, which included two models with a notch and a standard one.

Well months after announcing the new devices, ASUS is finally offering one of them in the US. It’s the notch-less model, the Zenfone 5Q that is now up for pre-order on Amazon.

The ASUS Zenfone 5Q is a product targeting selfie-lovers or people who are passionate about taking pictures using their smartphone. For these purposes, the phone includes a dual 16-megapixel + 120-degree wide-angle camera on the back. On the front, there’s a 20-megapixel + 120-degree wide-angle setup which should allow you to snap some pretty great selfies.

ASUS Zenfone 5Q is the quite affordable

The handset is made of aluminium and glass and boasts a 6-inch display with 1080 x 2160 pixel resolution. It’s pretty well equipped internally, as well. It features a Snapdragon 630 processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage.

The Zenfone 5Q is kept alive by a 3,300 mAh battery and runs Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.

At least at first glance, the ASUS Zenfone 5Q seems like a pretty good deal. It’s currently available for pre-order on Amazon for $299. Shipments will start going out on July 31.

The phone is offered unlocked, but unfortunately, it’s only compatible with GSM/LTE carriers like T-Mobile and AT&T. So if you’re a Verizon customer will have to look somewhere else.

The Zenfone 5Q also ships with a US warranty.

While ASUS’ website shows three color options for the 5Q including Midnight Black, Rouge Red and Moonlight White, only the first is available on Amazon.

What about the other two Zenfone 5 models you might be wondering? Well the top-of-the-line, the Zenfone 5Z is expected to land on the market in June, a long time after it was originally announced. ASUS’ flagship will boast a $499 price tag, so it will be a direct competitor to the OnePlus 6.

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