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Sprint outlines pricing and availability for Samsung Galaxy S8 Active

AndroidGuys
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Samsung on Tuesday confirmed that Sprint will join T-Mobile and AT&T in offering its Galaxy S8 Active. Leaving Verizon as the sole major carrier to not sell the rugged device, it’s the first time multiple wireless providers have sold a member of the Galaxy S Active line.

The Galaxy S8 Active is, for all practical purposes, everything that the standard Galaxy S8 plus a little more. (Read our review of the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active). Unlike the standard bearer, the Active model is able to withstand drops from up to five feet. Moreover, its mil-spec 810G and IP68 ratings ensures it can handle water, dust, dirt, and other elements.

Whereas the S8 Active doesn’t feature the curved edge-to-edge screen, it does come with a much larger battery. Indeed, the 4,000mAh power source gives users hours of extra life for tracking workouts and activities, listening to music, and more.

Pricing & Availability

Sprint will begin offering the Galaxy S8 Active starting from November 17. For a limited time, customers who switch to Sprint can purchase the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active for $17.71 per month, a savings of some 50 percent. At $34.52 per month over two years the full price shakes out to $850.

HTC U11 gets Android Oreo, includes November security patch

AndroidGuys
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Google released Android Oreo to existing Pixel phones back in August 2017, but it’s three months down the line and, as usual, the waiting game for non-Google smartphones is in full swing. OnePlus has released Google’s sweetest treat yet for the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T, Samsung has started testing Android 8.0 for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, Sony has released Android 8.0 Oreo for the XZ Premium, and Essential has released Oreo beta for the Essential Phone today.

Some major OEMs like Sony have started their Oreo rollouts, and others have confirmed Oreo releases but have yet to start them, but HTC has been silent as to when Oreo would land on its newest device, the HTC U11. Thankfully, the waiting period is over, as HTC has started rolling out its much-anticipated Oreo update for the HTC U11. The update has started in Taiwan, its home country, so we don’t know when the update will make its way to HTC U11 owners in the US.

The HTC U11 Oreo update comes in at a hefty 1.3GB and brings the November 2017 security patch as well as updates to the notification tray, quick settings. The Oreo update also adds notification dot support and passes down the rotary menu from the HTC U11+ to the original U11. There are few major UI changes but the functionality Google has passed down to its Pixel phones, such as the new battery settings, picture-in-picture (PiP) Mode, app notification badges, autofill, lock screen shortcuts, a Deeper Doze Mode, and more.

With Taiwanese HTC U11 users getting Oreo now, it’s likely that US customers could see the update arrive just in time for the holiday season next month. With a four-month arrival time for US U11 customers, HTC will still find itself ahead of Samsung — whose official Oreo update won’t land on the Galaxy S8 until January 2018.

You can now buy concert tickets from YouTube

Alexandra Arici
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YouTube wants to make it easier for fans to see their favorite artists live, so it has partnered with Ticketmaster in order to make this happen.

Starting this week, YouTube will begin to display a new ticket widget just below your video (in the mobile app) or under the video’s description (on desktop). So now when you watch an official video of your favorite artist you’ll also have access to a list of show dates, times, locations and ticket information at a glance.

The system is pretty intelligent, with the show located closer to you listed first without taking into consideration the date. To purchase a concert pass, YouTube users just have to tap the blue “Tickets” button. Going to concerts has never been easier!

At first, YouTube is rolling out this feature for a few hundred artists with Ticketmaster shows in North America. But Google has plans to expand so as to include all Ticketmaster artists globally. With music videos being among the most popular content categories on YouTube, we wonder why the streaming service hasn’t implemented it sooner.

Anyway, the new feature should be already showing up in the YouTube’s mobile app, as well as on desktop. Go ahead and check it out.

Fossil Q Control is the company’s first sporty smartwatch, available for $275

Alexandra Arici
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Fancy a new smartwatch, but so far none of the models available on the market have been to your liking?

Then you might want to check out Fossil’s latest offering. The company – which introduced 300 news smartwatch models for its brands owned by parent company Fossil Group, this year – just unveiled its first sporty smartwatch, the Q Control.

Unlike previous Fossil smartwatches that usually boast a fashionable or rugged design, the Q Control has opted for a very minimalist look with a single button located on the right side of the face.

The wearable features a 45mm circular case, is 14mm thick and will be offered with interchangeable 20mm watchbands. Actually, the Q Control sounds a lot like the Misfit Vapor (Misfit is another brand owned by Fossil) down to the touch bezel that offers an alternate way to navigate in Android Wear 2.0 and the heart rate sensor.

And since this is smartwatch aimed at active users the Q Control is also water resistant, packs a GPS and is compatible with Strava, as well as with Google Fit.

The Fossil Q Control is pretty standard when it comes to hardware. It includes a Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor, 4GB of internal memory and a battery that can offer up to 24 hours of play time.

Furthermore, users can expect to be able to tap into the usual Android Wear 2.0 features including being able to download and install apps directly from the Google Play Store, as well as access Google Assistant from their wrist.

For those interested, the Fossil Q Control is already available for purchase. Just in time for the holiday season, you can get it in black with gunmetal accents for $275 a pop from Fossil’s official website or Fossil stores.

Android Oreo Beta is now available for the Essential Phone

Alexandra Arici
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Are you one of the people who purchased an Essential Phone? Then you’ll probably be interested to know that starting this week the beta build for Android 8.0 Oreo is available to download and install on your device.

Now, since this is not the final version of Oreo, you need to be prepared to encounter some bugs. Essential welcomes and encourage users to share their feedback on its official forums and to ease potential fears, the company says that if you don’t like the new software setup, you can always revert back to a stable version of Android Nougat.

Another piece of good news is that downloading the new beta build will not annul your Essential Limited Warranty rights. But there’s one condition you should be aware of – this applies only to people who obtained the phone directly from Essential. If you acquired the device from a second source you should check with the seller whether downloading and installing the beta has any effect on your warranty.

If everything goes well (and we hope it will), a stable Oreo build will be rolled out for users in the near future.

Launched with a $699 price tag, the Essential Phone is currently available for purchase from Essential’s official layer for a discounted $499. And with a stable Android 8.0 Oreo update on the way, the Essential Phone is bound to attract more customers.

Download the Android Oreo Beta for the Essential Phone right here

How to enable Always On display on Pixel and Nexus 6P without root

AndroidGuys
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The always on display on the Google Pixel 2 and the Pixel XL 2 is probably one of the most useful features of the devices. It comes with the ability to have a glance at the time and your notifications without having to press the power button every time along with the added advantage of saving your battery life.

Even though the feature is inspired from the flagship lineup of Samsung, Google has put it to good use and has also added a few extra tweaks like the always listening feature which basically identifies what song is playing around you, automatically. However, this feature along with the always on display is currently limited to the new Pixel devices.

You May Like: How to get the top 5 Pixel 2 features on any Android device

While the sales of the Pixel 2 and the Pixel XL 2 are really picking up, a few people might prefer sticking to their older Pixel or Nexus devices. If you are one among them, then you might be interested to know that you can now get the always on display feature of the Pixel 2 on your Nexus or Pixel device right now and the best part is you do not need root access or any other special permission for it to work.

This method currently works in the first generation Pixel and Pixel XL devices and the older Nexus 6P. If you are interested in enabling the always on display feature of the Pixel 2 on your device, just follow the below step by step instructions.

You May Like: How to remap the squeeze action on Pixel 2 to launch your favourite app

Step 1:

You have to install the Substratum theme and the Andromeda plugin associated with it to begin. You can follow the detailed tutorial here at XDA to successfully complete the step.

Step 2:

Now download and install the Always on Enabler substratum overlay on your device.

Step 3:

Open the substratum app on your device and then select the Always on enable overlay and enable the select to toggle all overlays option.

Step 4:

Now tap on the floating button at the bottom right corner of the app and then select the build and enable option. Reboot your device.

always on display

Step 5:

Once the boot is complete, go to the settings app on your device and select the Display option. You could now find the Ambient display option under the advanced category.

Just enable the always on option and the always on ambient display will now be enabled on your device.

You May Like: How to get Pixel 2 home screen layout on any Android

always on display

Google says it has fixed (some of) the issues affecting its Pixel 2 trade-in program

Alexandra Arici
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Google’s Pixel 2 trade-in program which was meant to make it easier for customers to pay for a new device, has received some harsh criticism as of late, with select users reporting some serious problems with the system.

Fortunately, it seems Google has heard the complaints and already took the necessary steps to fix at least some of the issues associated with the trade-in program. In a post on the Pixel User Community, Google community manager, Orrin Hancock explains:

“Once we receive a device, we check the condition of the phone against the information provided by the customer and the vast majority of customers receive their original estimate. We are always looking for ways to improve the program and if anyone is unhappy with their offer, they should contact us.  We have identified and fixed the issue related to Pixels not being found to be factory reset and/or misclassified as another device.  If you believe you were impacted, please contact customer support.”

According to the post, Google has taken care of the two most common issues reported last week. Folks have been complaining of having erroneous assessments of their devices including their devices being misclassified or being told they did not factory reset their devices. This resulted in reductions of their trade credit.

Google says that’s all in the past now and urges anyone who has been impacted by either of these mistakes to contact Google’s customer support as soon as possible.

However, just because Google says it fixed these issues, it doesn’t mean the Pixel 2 trade-in program is now flawless. We should remind you that some customers have been reporting a slew of other issues like experiencing delays in having their phones checked out.

Have you run into similar issues while trying to use Google’s Pixel 2 trade-in program? Let us know in the comment section below.

Looking for an affordable battery pack? Check out these deals

Alexandra Arici
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Modern technology is intended to simplify and increase productivity, but without battery power, a smartphone becomes nothing more than a meaningless, useless brick. Fortunately there are solutions to solving the empty battery problem. In order to ensure your device doesn’t run out of juice when you need it the most, you should definitely invest in a portable charger or battery pack.

With the holiday season coming, you could gift yourself one, especially since at Android Guys Deals, we home some amazing products from this category that are currently on discount. Check them out below.

Nomad Tile Trackable PowerPack

Price: $119.95

Designed for individuals who lead an active lifestyle, the ultra-rugged Nomad Tile Trackable PowerPack includes a 9,000 mAh backup battery. It’s loaded with fast charging USB-C and USB-A ports and boasts military-grade drop-resistance, so even if you drop it during your adventures, it will still survive. And the handy Bluetooth tracking feature, ensure you’ll never lose it.

ZeroLemon Battery Case for the Google Pixel and Pixel XL

Price: $36.99 (down from $99.99)

Own a Google Pixel or Pixel XL? Ensure your Pixel never runs out of power with the ZeroLemon battery case which adds an extra 6,500 mAh battery capacity.

On top of protecting your high-end phone from the occasional accidents, the case can also deliver 160% extra battery life.

Mophie Powerstation 8x battery pack

Price: $79.95 (down from $149.95)

The Mophie Powerstation is a sleek battery pack that adds an enormous $15,000 mAh extra battery capacity. With dual USB ports on board, users can charge two devices at once with 15W output.

According to Mophie, the external charger boasts enough juice to charge a smartphone up to 8 times. Definitely an essential item for frequent travelers.

LithiumCard Pro Retro Series Lightning Battery Chargers

Price: $39.99 (down from $79.99)

Are you an 80s nostalgic? Then you’re going to love the LithiumCard Pro Retro battery chargers. Designed as small cassette tapes or boomboxes, these little chargers include an additional 3,300 mAh battery that can juice up your phone.

Users can charge a second USB device by plugging their own USB charging cable into the additional USB type-A port. There’s also a tri-color LED battery indicator which lets you know when it’s time to recharge your battery pack.

Universal Waterproof Solar Charger

Price: $13.99 (down from $49.99)

Care about the environment? Charge up your phone using this solar powered 5,000 mAh battery pack. The power bank is also waterproof & shockproof so it’s perfect to be taken on outdoorsy activities. Get this Solar Charger in in Yellow, Blue, Green or Black.

Samsung Galaxy S9 will be unveiled early in 2018

Dan Bartram
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It has surfaced that Samsung may be planning on releasing the Galaxy S9 a little earlier than expected. In fact, Samsung could be set to unveil the Galaxy S9 ahead of Mobile World Congress in February 2018 according to a tipster.

While the same rumor does tend to circulate around most flagship launches, it’s worth highlighting that Samsung delayed the S8 due to the Note 7 problems the company experienced. So if we do see the Galaxy S9 launch before MWC 2018 then it will more than likely mark when Samsung originally intended on launching the device as part of the annual launch cycle.

Interestingly, the source also mentioned that Samsung have borrowed some of the iPhone X features but doesn’t allude to what they could be. We’ve heard the technology to place a fingerprint sensor under the screen is not yet ready for the S9 so could see a feature that mimics the complex facial recognition technology found on the iPhone X.

Either way, we won’t have long to see what the S9 has in store, and no doubt Samsung will push the boundaries of what is possible once again.

Plex on Android TV gets Google Assistant integration

Dan Bartram
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Android TV got the virtual AI integration with Google Assistant complimenting the platform a while ago and now Plex is taking advantage of it.

In the latest update, Plex version 6.9.0 provides some substantial updates and enhancements to the entertainment centre on Android TV. Despite the integration of Plex with Google Assistant, it’s only available on the NVIDIA Shield and a few Sony TVs.

The list is quite comprehensive, you can see the whole bunch of improvements below:

WHATS NEW:

  • Display hardware transcoding status in video player info overlay.
  • Local playback: text based ASS/SSA subtitle support.
  • Local playback: support for background scanning and thumbnail generation.
  • Support quality selection during Live TV playback.
  • [Mobile] Improve photo timeline view interaction.
  • [Mobile] News: add personalization screen.
  • [Mobile] Add links to Privacy and Privacy Terms of Service in Advanced Settings screen.
  • [TV] Support Google Assistant integration.

FIXES:

  • Local playback: indefinite spinner could appear when trying to playback from a file explorer.
  • Sync: audio qualities includes an invalid option.
  • Auto: ensure search doesn’t crash when no music is available.
  • Local playback: crash occurred opening files with 250mbps+ bitrates.
  • [Fire TV] Improve home screen recommendations.
  • [Fire TV] Improve performance on video player for Fire TV sticks.
  • [Mobile] Camera Upload: very big files could not be uploaded.
  • [Mobile] Theme music could play in the background after turning the screen off.
  • [Mobile] Application would close when user selection dialog was closed.
  • [Mobile] Camera upload: upload process could get stuck when upload fails.
  • [Mobile] Remove Forgot Password link from the sign up page.
  • [Mobile] Sync: photos could not be synced from timeline view.
  • [Mobile] Camera Roll: would only show up to 200 photo or video items.
  • [Mobile] Improve alignment in filtering options whilst browsing.
  • [Mobile] Various sorting options would always show in descending order.
  • [Mobile] Toggling unwatched would hide type filtering.
  • [Mobile] Improve account settings screen on API 16.
  • [Mobile] Show interlaced video resolution flags in preplay screens.
  • [Mobile] News: crash could occur if quickly clicking items from newscast list.
  • [Mobile] Sort fields in the filter panel cut off last item when selected.
  • [Mobile] Camera Upload: loading initial status of the feature could freeze the app.
  • [Mobile] Hide overflow menu icon on Discover section.
  • [Mobile] Scrolling the grid view right after refreshing could cause endless loading.
  • [Mobile] TV theme could play under music from another app.
  • [Mobile] Home navigation state isn’t preserved when entering other activities.
  • [Mobile] Photos from home hubs where not playing with PMS v1.9.4.
  • [TV] News: show empty message if there are no clips for selected channel / category.
  • [TV] Reload categories when changing preferred news location.
  • [TV] News: part of the title was hidden when toggling mini player.
  • [TV] Opening photo album could not load content after first time.
  • [TV] News: crash could occur when searching focus whilst onboarding hint is shown.
  • [TV] Chapters would not always show when selecting items from the play queue.
  • [TV] News: highlight personalize button when personalization hint is showed.
  • [TV] Improve refresh rate switching

It’s a huge update to Plex and great to see the app utilizing the functionality of Google Assistant to make hands-free operation from the sofa even easier.

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