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Eight surprising things you can do with Google Maps for Android

Alexandra Arici
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Navigation apps are super useful to have on your smartphone and Google Maps is widely considered the cream of the crop. But while the app is used mainly to provide orientation, there are some surprising features tucked away in Google Maps that you might not know about.

So we rounded up a selection of some of the best hidden Google Maps tools and functions you should definitely try out next time you’re out and about:

Measure distance between points

Want to know the exact distance between point A and point B on the map? Nothing easier. Google Maps lets you measure the distance. Just touch and hold anywhere on the map. You’ll immediately see a red pin appear.

At the bottom, tap the name of the place. On the place’s page, scroll down and choose Measure distance. Then move the map, so the black circle is on the next point you want to add. At the bottom, you’ll see total distance on miles or kilometers.

Avoid tolls

Looking to save up a few bucks? Avoid paying a costly bridge tax, by setting Google Maps to show you only the free routes. Tap on Route Options and toggle Avoid Tolls on. But keep in mind that this decision might add a lot of miles/km to your travel itinerary.

See inside places

Google Maps comes with the neat option of allowing you to take a sneak peek inside famous buildings such as art museums, cultural landmarks, and even airports and their surroundings.

When you search for a location, swipe up to get more info on it. In some cases, you will notice the 360-degree icon (under Photos). Tap on it, so you can view the interior/exterior and walk in the space too.

Remember where you parked

Parked at the mall and you can’t remember where you left your car? Google Maps can help you with that too. Once you arrive at your destination, tap on the little blue dot that is your location. Choose the Set as parking location option from the menu that pops up. If you’re using your Android smartphone, you can even add a parking note with additional info (like the sector in which you parked).

Zoom with one finger

The majority of smartphone users zoom in on their device using the traditional pinching gesture. But in Google Maps there’s an easier way to do it and it requires only one finger – just double tap the screen and swipe up to zoom out or swipe down to zoom in. Just make sure you keep your finger on the display after the second tap.

Read more: Google Maps will soon help you to get off at the right bus stop

Explore

Just landed in a new place and you’d fancy a quick dinner? Or you want to get to an ATM as soon as possible? Use Google Maps’ Explore feature to see what’s nearby including restaurants, cafes, gas stations, pharmacies, groceries, and ATMs.

All you have to do is tap on the Explore button at the bottom of the display to get started.

Get transit info

Rail data and public transport information is available on Google Maps in large cities. You can access the Public Transport tap to get buses, trains and trams schedules. It shows real-time departures and reveals how many interchanges there will be.

For each journey, the app will compare alternative routes via different transport modes, including walking and driving, so you can choose the quickest or easiest way to get to your destination.

Request a ride

Need to be somewhere and you need someone to drive you there? Enter your destination, tap on directions and choose the little figure attempting to hail a taxi.

Then you’ll be presented with a list of options (Uber, Lyft) along with the estimated time and fare. Note that you can’t order a ride directly from the Maps app. Tapping on the option will automatically direct you to the Uber/Lyft app.

Suggested reading:

Official Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus cases appear on MobileFun

Dan Bartram
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As the launch of the Galaxy S9 approaches, it’s natural for the leading accessory sites to get ready for the new device. MobileFun is one of those sites and it has sent over some exclusive videos of the new Clear View stand cover and LED Flip Wallet cover in action.

One of the first things you want to do when you receive your brand new shiny device is to protect it with a case so it’s a great move that you can pick up a cover to protect the Galaxy S9 even before its release.

The video shows off the official cases and the rear camera design, as well as the overall look and feel of the Galaxy S9 itself.

You’ll specifically notice the shift in fingerprint reader location that is now placed under the camera to provide a more accessible and comfortable feel.

The LED View cover is similar to previous iterations we’ve seen, whereby a series of dots make up a matrix that projects things like the current time, notifications, calls, etc. through the case to avoid the need to open up the cover to see vital information. However, instead of the usual synthetic leather, it is now made of a woven fabric that makes it look a lot nicer. MobileFun also shows off the new Hyperknit cover, which is especially nice in my opinion. It looks to add a substantial amount of grip to the Galaxy S9 without any noticeable bulk.

If you’re looking for something a little different, MobileFun has compiled a round-up of cases for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus.

The two cases are already available on MobileFun’s online store, with the LED Flip Wallet Cover costing $69.49 while the Hyperknit Cover case costing $34.99. You can also view our full range of Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus here.

Verizon Prepaid rolls out new options, including a $30 plan

AndroidGuys
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Verizon Wireless on Friday introduced a number of changes to its prepaid offerings. The shakeup adds a new entry, low-cost entry point as well as extra options to help subscribers get more from the service. If you’re interested in a no-contract option, Verizon prepaid just became more interesting.

What’s New?

Starting on February 20, customers will find a new option that costs only $30 per month. For the money you’ll get unlimited talk and text with 500MB of high speed data. For just ten bucks more each month, though, you can receive 3GB of data. Here’s a look at the current rate plans from Verizon Prepaid.

Rate plans

  • 500MB for $30
  • 3 GB for $40
  • 7 GB for $50
  • 10 GB for $60
  • Unlimited for $75

Each of the aforementioned plans includes unlimited U.S. talk and text, Carryover data (for one month and on-time payments), mobile hotspot capabilities, and unlimited text 200+ international markets.

For those customers who sign up for the Prepaid Unlimited plan, they’ll also get unlimited mobile hotspot at 3G speeds (600kbps). What’s more, subscribers who travel to Mexico or Canada can purchase a Travel Pass. For $5 per day, it allows for unlimited talk and text and the standard data allotment. Verizon recommends that you add the Travel Pass to your account (through the My Verizon app) before traveling.

Verizon Prepaid is offering a $50 credit to customers who port their number in from another carrier. Simply sign up with a rate plan of $50 or higher and you’ll get a credit after two bill payments.

 

Select “loyal” Nexus owners are getting a 20% discount on the Pixel 2

Alexandra Arici
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We have some good news for those of you who have been loyal members of the Nexus clan for years. Well at least for some.

According to several reports that emerged on Reddit, Google has been sending emails to select people who purchased Nexus devices in the past offering a pretty sweet discount on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.

Google gets generous

At this point, we aren’t really sure who qualifies for the promotion, but if we’d have to guess we’d say Nexus owners who bought their device directly from the Google Store. How many devices should have you purchased for Google to consider you a loyal Nexus fan? We don’t know at the moment, but according to the forums at least two are needed.

Google is shaving 20% the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL and according to 9to5Google, the offer applies to any Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL color or storage variant. So loyal Nexus fans could get the following prices on Google’s latest smartphones:

  • Pixel 2 with 64GB storage – $520
  • Pixel 2 with 128GB storage – $600
  • Pixel 2 XL with 64GB storage – $680
  • Pixel 2 XL with 128GB storage – $760

The offer is valid until February 02, 2018 so if you bought a Nexus (or more) and you haven’t received an email yet, don’t forget to check the SPAM folder. Hopefully, it will be there. If not, well…fingers crossed!

Project Fi now offers international coverage in 37 new countries, price remains the same

Alexandra Arici
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Are you a Project Fi subscriber that loves to travel? Then you’ll be thrilled to know that Google’s MNVO is adding 37 new countries where customers can enjoy text and data coverage, thus bringing Project Fi’s total coverage to 170 territories across the globe.

New countries include Belize, Laos, Isle of Man, Monaco, Mongolia, Cameroon, Senegal, Tunisia and more. You can check out the whole list below:

The best part of the announcement is that unlimited texting is offered to all locations on the list and data coverage will cost the same $10 per GB as it does domestically. Project Fi’s Bill Protection feature also remains in place and will cap your data bill at $60 per month regardless of how much data you use. Add an extra $20 for talk/text and you’ll be paying an $80 monthly bill.

Phone calls, however, are not part of the Bill Protection plan and will be charged $0.20/minute outside of the US.

Know before you travel

Project Fi will also let you know whether you are covered by the MNVO on your next trip. Based on info pulled from your Gmail account, Project Fi will know your upcoming travel plans and inform you whether it can provide service in that specific country.

Thinking of joining Project Fi? There’s a little catch you need to be aware of first. The MNVO only works with a list of select phones including the four Pixel phones, Moto X4, Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X and Nexus 6.

If that’s not a problem for you, you’ll be interested to know that Project Fi has a little deal going now to celebrate the expansion to new countries. Buy a Project-Fi compatible phone and you’ll get a free month of service (worth $80).

The Essential Phone is now available in three new colors

AG Deals Team
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The Essential Phone has been on the market for just over 6 months now, and Essential is finally beginning to follow through on some previous promises. When the device was announced, there were more than just two color options introduced.

New Essential Phone Colors

The problem has been that the company has been quiet about releasing these new colors, until today. Essential announced that three new color options would be made available for a limited time.

These colors are Ocean Depths, Stellar Gray, and Copper Black. Starting today, the Ocean Depths (which is the best out of the three IMO), is available from the Essential website.

Then, the Stellar Gray option will go on sale on February 20th at 3 PM EST with the Copper Black to follow on February 22nd at the same time. Pricing for all three color options starts at $599, with Essential also offering free shipping.

While we knew that the Stellar Gray and Ocean Depths were on the way, the Copper Black option is a surprise. Essential waited until today to reveal that this new color option would be coming, and looks rather sleek with the all-black ceramic and copper frame and accents.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to go through Amazon to pick up any of these new colors. Instead, you’ll have to purchase them directly from Essential. However, you can package other products such as the Earphones HD, Incipio NGP Pure Slim Case, or the 360 Camera.

If you want to pick up the Ocean Depths Essential Phone for yourself, hit the link here. In the meantime, be sure to let us know which of these new color options are your favorite.

Samsung halts Android Oreo 8.0 rollout for the Galaxy S8

Dan Bartram
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Despite waiting a pretty long time to get the latest version of Android on the Galaxy S8, which ironically is no longer the latest version, Samsung has already halted the rollout.

The build of Android 8.0 Oreo had finally come out of beta and began public rollout before being promptly stopped. The specific build in question is the G950/G955-FXXU1CRAP build and had already been released in markets like Turkey, Norway, the UAE, India, Belgium, Germany, France, Poland but the files are now no longer available for download on Samsung’s servers.

Samsung is reportedly working on a new version to recommence the rollout. The actual reason for halting this specific build of Oreo is currently unclear and Samsung is keeping quiet about it. Those who are already running the latest Oreo build on their Galaxy S8 Galaxy S8+ are unaffected.

It could be Samsung identified a last minute showstopper that meant the company was forced to pull the version, which is rare given the number of beta releases the software is exposed to before going public. It could just be that there is another version Samsung want to update to instead.

Whatever the reason, hopefully, Samsung will recommence the rollout of Android 8.0 Oreo shortly.

Keep up to date with the 2018 Olympic Winter Games with these apps

Dan Bartram
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It’s that time of the year again when the worlds greatest compete in the Olympic Winter Games. Hosted in PyeongChang for 2018, it can be hard to keep up with all the events and what country is coming out on top. We’ve compiled some of the apps that you can use to keep up with the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. Some will focus on livestreams of the games, while others will offer roundup and highlights, so hopefully there’s something for everyone.

Eurosport

Why we love it

  1. You can keep tabs on the latest scores, news coverage, and backstage events all from within one app with over 150 news articles daily.
  2. The app doesn’t just cover the Winter Olympics and can be used as a one-stop shop for all your sports needs.
  3. The app has an easy to use design and can even be used to watch live coverage for paid subscribers.

Eurosport

PyeongChang 2018 Official App

Why we love it

  1. Being the official app, it has the latest and most detailed breakdown of all events and standings for the Winter Olympics.
  2. You can check results in real-time and see all the upcoming events from the schedule.
  3. The app is a data goldmine, with detailed information available for all participants and countries.

PyeongChang 2018 Official App

Olympics

Why we love it

  1. You can view highlights of any of the events 24 hours a day with exclusive behind the scenes footage.
  2. The app supports Google Cardboard so you can view video content in 360.
  3. It allows you to customize your favorite team or nation to follow the action more closely to see how they are performing.

Olympics

Team GB: Winter Olympics

Why we love it

  1. Of course, I’m a little bias here being a Brit, but with an excellent design and all the latest action, I can keep up with my nation easily.
  2. The app is optimized for the tablet which is a massive plus for being able to view the latest news and media on a larger screen.
  3. Full medal table, athlete profiles and live alerts so you don’t miss any of the action.

Team GB: Winter Olympics

Roundup

Using one of the apps above will allow you to follow the up to date events of the 2018 Olympic Events. There may be other apps that exist, but these are the ones that I’ve found to be the best and most polished. With similar functionality, it’s down to which apps provide the information in the best and most accessible format, and these apps are the standouts.

Gear Up: IFROGZ has five wireless headphone options for under $35

AndroidGuys
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In the hunt for a new set of headphones or earphones as you double down on your New Year’s resolution? You’re still going to the gym, right? The weather’s about to break soon, and you’ll be out and about, soaking up some sun. What are you going to use to listen to music as you stay active?

Headphone maker IFROGZ knows that we love music, podcasts, and audiobooks. They also know that not everyone has a few hundred bucks to put down on a pair of high-end headphones. In fact, a lot of people we know are more likely to buy a cheaper pair and then replace them with another, or different inexpensive set. That’s exactly the market IFROGZ goes after with its most recent products.

ifroggz bundle

Announced in late 2017, we were sent a media kit of five different pairs of Bluetooth IFROGZ headphones and earphones. Priced $34.99 at the most, the line features different colors and design choices to match your preferred style.

In addition to the various headphones, our box included some fun and interesting music-related items. There were stickers, cards that mimic local concerts, a t-shirt, and a press kit that called to mind vinyl record liners. All cool stuff, really, and it was encased in a box that automatically played a video when it was opened.

We’ve spent time listening to music, audiobooks, and various podcasts via the different models over the last few weeks and found them all to be solid offerings with appealing price tags.  Here’s a quick overview as to how each of the IFROGZ headphones fit in the scheme of things and what you might expect. These are broken into in-ear wireless earbuds and on-ear wireless headphones.

In-ear wireless earbuds

ifroggz resound in-ear

Resound Wireless ($34.99 SRP) – Offered in rose or charcoal, these are the sort of earbuds you’ll want if you care about style and comfort. They’re lightweight, made from aluminum, and have an appearance that they’d be more expensive. Battery life is rated around 10 hours which is right in line with our findings.

ifroggz flexforce

Flex Force Wireless ($29.99 SRP) – If you like a headphone that drapes around your neck, you’ll appreciate the Flex Force earbuds. Lightweight and fairly low-key, these have magnetic earbud tips that stay put when not used. Look for these in either black or white.

ifroggz free rein

Free Rein Wireless ($19.99 SRP) – Offered in black or white, these are more utilitarian and don’t focus on aesthetics so much as they do for just getting the job done. With solid battery life of five hours per charge, the 10mm drivers and wing tips fit nice and secure and deliver a decent audio experience.

On-ear wireless headphones

ifroggz resounds on-ear

Resound Wireless Headphones ($34.99 SRP) – For those of you who like the on-ear approach and have an appreciation for music, consider these. You’ll get up to 20 hours of battery life per charge,  and the 40mm drivers offer up a sound that betrays its low price. Use the built-in microphone for calls and use the on-ear controls; go with Bluetooth or the wired connection to help extend battery. Pick ’em up in black or red and enjoy their soft touch.

ifroggz toxix

Toxix Wireless Headphones ($24.99 SRP) – If you’re not ready to commit to the Resound model, save ten bucks and opt for these. They’re essentially a slightly watered down version with 30mm drivers and 10 hours of battery. Like its counterpart, you can go wireless or wired and they also have on-ear controls. Find them in black or blue.

Where to Buy

You can learn more about IFROGZ headphones at its website; interested buyers can find various models offered at online and retail outlets as well as select wireless carriers. Shop: Amazon, Target, Walmart, Best Buy.

Samsung Galaxy S9 video reveals all prior to launch

Dan Bartram
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As with any flagship that is in the spotlight, it is extremely difficult for the company to keep every aspect under wraps. Some companies manage to do it pretty well, with only some of the features leaking out before launch. Others, like in the case of Samsung and the Galaxy S9, seem to haemorrhage information that leaves little to the imagination before the official launch.

Expected to launch at MWC 2018 next week, three videos have been released onto the Internet revealing all you’ll need to know about the Galaxy S9.

The first video showcases the slow-motion camera expected on the Galaxy S9 and the emphasises is placed on this showing off some extreme sports and high paced video, all shot on the new device. The focus on the camera quality continues as the low-light feature is highlighted in the next video.

Low-light performance is often the weakest point of any camera on a smartphone with arguably the Pixel 2 currently leading the pack. It appears Samsung intends to really challenge the industry leaders with the light-light performance being focused on with the Galaxy S9.

The final video highlights a feature that we could see coming a mile-off since the iPhone X launched with live emojis. When Apple announced the gimmick on stage we could see Samsung replicating something similar in its next generation of devices.

Sure enough, the Galaxy S9 is expected to come with its own annoying animated emoji feature and the video showcases this feature. While many will see it as a gimmick, it does highlight the increased capability at head tracking and facial recognition of the Galaxy S9.

It’s not long to wait until February 25 when the Galaxy S9 will be launched in all its glory and here’s hoping Samsung have at least kept something under wraps that will be of at least some surprise at launch.

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