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Tip: How to speed up your OnePlus 3

Dan Bartram
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The OnePlus 3 was, and still is, one of the best budget phones you can buy and is great for those not looking to spend a lot of money on their device. However, the device isn’t as young as it once was and with apps getting more resource demanding, you could find the OnePlus 3 to be slowing down. Luckily there is a hidden feature that you can change that will instantly speed up your device.

This tip will help speed up your OnePlus 3 and help reduce the impact of the aging processor and resource hungry apps, as well as the lower processing power in the device. The best bit is there’s nothing extra to install or tons of settings to change, just a simple case of changing a setting with developer options enabled.

The little hack revolves around the animations applied to transitioning between windows and turning the device on or off. By simply turning this off, it contributes to making the device seem extremely snappy and fast by reducing the delay applied to the animation.

First, you’ll need to enable the Developer Options hidden menu. To do this, go into Settings -> About Device and scroll down to “Build Number”. Now, tap on “Build Number” five times and you’ll see a notification saying that “Developer mode has been enabled”.

With that hidden menu now enabled, we can head on into it to begin fastening up our OnePlus 3.

  1. Head on in to Developer Options in Settings.
  2. Scroll down to the Drawing section.
  3. Of interest here is the Window Animation Scale, Transition Animation Scale, and Animator Duration Scale.
  4. Click on them individually to change the scale.

You are able to turn the animations off completely, or set them to 0.5x (default is 1x) so the animations will be double speed for those who would like to retain them.

You’ll notice your OnePlus 3 feels substantially quicker without any hacks that affect your software, warranty, or device battery life. Let us know your comments in the section below.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Active render leaks in high resolution

Dan Bartram
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Despite not yet being announced, as with all unreleased devices, it tends to get leaked on the build up to release date providing a glimpse into what it may look like. The case is no different with the Galaxy S8 Active.

The high resolution leak comes courtesy of no other than Evan Blass, also known as @evleaks on Twitter who is renowned for providing accurate leaks of unreleased devices.

His latest gift is a render of the Galaxy S8 Active that shows us pretty much what we were expecting – a rugged Galaxy S8 wrapped in a protective shell. The render can provide some detail though – we can see a protruding bezel aimed at protecting the delicate edge-to-edge display. The S8 Active also has metal bumpers around all four corners that seem to be protected by Torx screws so could indicate the protective casing may be replaceable.

As for specs, the Galaxy S8 Active will feature a flat, “shatter-resistant” 5.8″ 1440p display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio and Gorilla Glass 5, a Snapdragon 835, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage with microSD expansion, a 12MP main camera, an 8MP front camera, and a 4000mAh battery. It will also feature a MIL-STD-810G rating, IP68 water and dust resistance, fast wireless charging, and an iris scanner.

Despite no word on release date, it is predicted that the S8 Active has been delayed and may have been due to launch sometime in July but this has obviously been pushed back. It seems likely we’ll see the device land sometime in August for a price that is yet to be determined.

Snapdragon 450 launches at MWC Shanghai 2017

Dan Bartram
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The latest Snapdragon 450 made its first appearance at the Mobile World Congress event at Shanghai.
The event showcased the next generation in low and mid tier processers. The Snapdragon 450 is the successor to the Snapdragon 435 and has some great features that will benefit the lower end devices this processor tends to be used in.
The improvements include a 14nm FinFET manufacturing process and contribute to what Qualcomm says is a 25 percent improvement in CPU performance over the previous model. In addition to this, the included Adreno 506 GPU improves graphical performance.
Qualcomm also says that it has made big improvements in the power management and sees an additional 4 hours of battery life under normal use, with a 30 percent reduction in power consumption during gaming. The chip also supports Quick Charge 3.0 to provide the fast charging capability to budget devices.
The Snapdragon 450 can now support real-time processing and also slow motion video capture to allow devices using the chip to have better cameras and also result in better quality pictures.
With the improvements in the new processor it seems the Snapdragon 450 offers some great options to see budget devices taken to the next level and am sure we’ll see the processor in devices soon.

Wallpapers HD [Backgrounds] by Walldroid (Review)

AndroidGuys
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Wallpapers HD by Walldroid is a typical wallpaper app designed to allow easy access to a variety of different wallpapers. Wallpapers HD has a host of high quality and interesting wallpapers available at no cost–and there seems to be something for everyone. Whether you like nature, sports, technology or cartoons, Wallpapers HD by Walldroid has you covered.

Simple layout practice

The layout is very well designed and allows you to sort by categories such as ‘Abstract’, ‘Cars’, ‘Games’, ‘Animals’, etc. Overall there are 13 different categories to select from the main menu. Any wallpaper can be viewed, liked, shared, saved to your device, or set as your current wallpaper. The options available within Wallpapers HD are easy to find and very easy to utilize.

wallpapers hd menu
Pop open the menu to sort by categories, shuffle, share and rate the application–it’s all here!

There are tools within the menu that allow users to rate the app as well as share information about the application over Twitter, Facebook or email. There is also an option to shuffle through all available wallpapers or to view your favorites right from the main menu.

High on quality

Wallpapers HD by Walldroid has one of the best collections of high-quality and visually stunning wallpaper backgrounds I have ever seen. Each photo, rendering, and artistic design is high resolution and visually pleasing. This is some of the “best of the best” as far as wallpapers go. If you have access to a tablet or phone with a high-resolution display, I can easily recommend Wallpapers HD by Walldroid.

One neat option within the main menu is to view only background images designed specifically for ‘Edge’ devices. While this is primarily for Samsung Edge phones (minus the asymmetrical, original Note Edge), these images can also be used on other devices such as the Huawei Mate 9 or Xiaomi Mi Note 2.

Wrapped in Wallpapers

Wallpapers HD by Walldroid is supported by advertisements that are always visible at the bottom of the screen. Thankfully they are not overly intrusive or distracting, especially on smaller screens. I experienced no issues with pop-ups, slow-loading or missing content–which was a major bonus.

If a random stranger was to walk up to me today, asking for a good place to find wallpapers for his or her phone, I would recommend Wallpapers HD (Backgrounds) by Walldroid. It’s an app I’ll definitely keep around for times when I need to switch it up with a new and pretty device background. Download it and try it for yourself.

Moto Z2 Force vs OnePlus 5 (Smartphone Showdown)

Alexandra Arici
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This week Lenovo and Motorola unveiled the Moto Z2 Force – their latest flagship effort. In what follows we’re going to take a look at the key specification and highlights of the new Moto and compare it to another contender to the throne of smartphones, the OnePlus 5.

Design

Like the OnePlus 5, the Moto Z2 Force hasn’t adhered to the edge-to-edge display trend this year. Instead, it stuck to a more standard design reminiscent of the previous Moto Z Force, while retaining compatibility with the existing set of Moto Mods (but also new ones).

But even if the Moto Z2 Force is not too unique when it comes its outwardly appearance, it includes other features that recommended it as a great buy.

The Moto Z2 Force has been built to last coming with a 7000 series aluminum unibody that’s 80% stronger than its predecessor and a ShatterShield “drop-proof” display. For its part, the OnePlus 5 – which is considered by most critics a blatant iPhone 7 Plus lookalike –  is quite sturdy itself coming with a full metal body, but also a really thin frame of 7.25mm.

But the Moto Z2 Force is even skinnier than that, boasting a 6.1mm profile. It’s also very light tipping the scales at just 143 g, while the OnePlus 5 weighs 153 g. The Moto does not include a 3.5 mm headphone jack, but the OnePlus 5 does.

Both handsets include a physical home button which also dubs at as a fingerprint scanner. But in the case of the Moto Z2 Force, it also allows users to control navigation.

The new Moto is splash resistant, while the OnePlus 5 is unofficially water-resistant.

Display

The Moto Z2 Force includes a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, while the OnePlus 5 offers the services of a 5.5-inch screen with 1920 x 1080 resolution. Actually, the phone takes advantage of the same display panel as the OnePlus 3T.

Thanks to the ShatterShield technology which uses several layers of screen, Motorola claims the Moto Z2 Force’s display won’t shatter or crack when dropped from a short distance.

Performance

Both Moto Z2 Force and OnePlus 5 rely on the same Snapdragon 835 processor clocked at a max of 2.4GHz.

But the two models differ in terms of RAM and storage options. In the US, the Moto Z2 Force will be sold with 4GB of RAM + 64GB of internal storage. Luckily the phone also carries a microSD card slot for memory expansion.

As for the OnePlus 5, it is offered with either 6GB of RAM + 64GB of internal storage or with 8GB of RAM + 128GB of internal storage. In this case, there’s no microSD card slot option.

Cameras

The Motorola and OnePlus flagships are followers of this year’s dual-camera trend. The Moto Z2 Force includes two 12-megapixel sensors on the back with f/2.0 aperture, phase detection and laser-assisted autofocus and a front-facing 5-megapixel self-portrait camera.

The main camera on the Moto Z2 Force lets users apply selective focus to shots in the vein of the iPhone 7 Plus’ portrait mode. They can also shoot in true black-and-white.

The OnePlus 5, on the other hand, pairs a 16-megapixel main sensor with f/1.7 and a 20-megapixel telephoto lens with f/2.6. A 16-megapixel selfie shooter with f/2.0 adorns the front.

DxOMark scored the OnePlus 5’s main camera with 87 points, which puts it on par with the snappers of the Huawei P10, Moto Z, and Sony Xperia XZ.

DxOMark praises white balance, colors, detail preservation in bright light and fast auto focus as standout features while pointing out that occasional strong loss of details outdoors, fine details lost in low-light scenes and ghosting effects in some outdoor conditions, might also occur.

Software

The Moto Z2 Force runs Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box and comes with the Moto app pre-installed. It also includes a new Moto Key which doubles as a security and password manager.

As always, Motorola keeps bloatware to the minimum on its devices, so you’ll get to experience a near-stock version of Android.

As for the OnePlus 5, it runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat with OxygenOS on top – which is a slightly more customizable but clean-looking version of Android.

Battery

The Moto Z2 Force relies on a 2,750 mAh battery this year although its predecessor boasted a 3,500 mAh fuel cell, while the OnePlus 5 includes a 3,300 mAh power house with Dash Charge technology.

This year, Motorola slimmed down the Moto Z2 Force at the expense of battery, but the good news is that if you need more juice you can simply snap on a battery Mod. Although it’s going to cost you extra to buy one (for example the Kate Spade Power Pack Moto Mod costs $79.99).

Pricing

Moto Z2 Force will cost you more, coming with a price tag of $750 and up. On the other hand, the OnePlus 5 with 6GB of RAM + 64GB of storage is $479 and the 8GB of RAM + 128GB of storage is $539.

So what should you get? It depends on your individual tastes and needs. But to summarize a bit, the Moto Z2 Force is the sturdier option that offers QHD resolution and a microSD card slot, while the OnePlus 5 has more RAM and storage, a larger battery and a more affordable price.

Sparkle turns your smartphone into fidget spinner

Alexandra Arici
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Fidget spinners are simple little devices that do pretty much one thing – they spin. Yet, people across the world are scrambling to get their hands on one.

However, in the age of Angry Birds and Pokemon Go, this toy is surprisingly low tech. But it doesn’t have to be. Now you can turn your smartphone into a spinner. And all you need is a Sparkle.

The Sparkle is an upgraded combination of fidget spinner and phone ring holder that can turn your Android (and iOS) phone into a cool fidget toy. It also doubles as a phone kickstand.

All you need to do is stick it on the back of your phone and then start spinning. The Sparkle works in concert with an Android app which lets users change graphics on the screen and even play games such as drinking games.

Sparkle usually sells for $19.99 a pop, but if you place an order for one now you’ll be able to grab one for $9.90. It’s available in Silver, although more colors are planned for it in the near future including Black, Rose Gold, and Gold.

If you too love spinners and have a smartphone at your disposal you can now easily transform it into the world’s most popular toy with Sparkle.

Why you should have a VPN on Android

AndroidGuys
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When it comes to security on our devices, most of us think about computers only. We have used to the fact that every PC should have an antivirus software to be fully protected. But most users forget about this important thing when it comes to the Internet. Since we all have access to the Internet from our phones and tablets, they should be protected too.

In this article, we’re going to discuss the main reasons to install a VPN service on each of your devices and present a VPN option for Android users in our short top list.

Let’s get started.

VPN Services and Android Devices

A VPN is a service, which allows you to send and receive data over the network privately. Whether it is a PC or a phone, you can share personal files without providing any possible information to random hackers and Internet providers.

The first reason to connect your Android device to a VPN is a public WiFi signal. Have you ever used a WiFi signal in a cafe, department store, hotel, park, or gas station? This means you put your private data at risk. Make sure you have an installed VPN service before doing that next time.

The second reason is geographically restricted content. If you often travel out the country or you have a favorite online shop, which is blocked in your own country, use a VPN. For example, your Netflix account. It will probably be restricted to another part of the world. A VPN service will be especially useful if you are going to visit China in the near future. This country has a huge list of banned websites and accounts. Using a VPN helps you not to be deprived of a certain content just because you are not at home (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, etc.).

So, what kind of a VPN service should you use on your phone? Is there any difference?

Every VPN service has different features and offers. There are a lot of older and newer services on the market and the choice is huge. We’ve prepared a shortlist of 3 best VPNs for Android, in our opinion.

  • NordVPN. It is a universal VPN service, suitable for 3 devices at a time: PC/Mac, phone, and tablet. The service offers 3 packages of convenient periods of time: 1 month, 6 months, and 1-year offer. NordVPN has one of the lowest prices on the market.
  • PureVPN is suitable for 3 different devices too. The service offers reasonable prices and continuous discounts and bonuses.
  • VYprVPN. You get 3 different devices, 2 packages (simple and premium), and 70+ servers across 6 continents. The service is super easy to use.

Hopefully, you’ll find the one VPN service, which will serve you for years and years.

Moto GamePad Mod now up for pre-order, exclusively from Verizon

Alexandra Arici
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Announced back in June alongside the Moto Z2 Play, the Moto GamePad Mod is finally available for pre-order as a Verizon exclusive.

Gaming fans who want to transform their Moto Z2 Play (or Moto Z2 Force or the older Moto Z) into a wide-format handheld gaming console can grab one for $79.99. However, be warned that Verizon will start shipping out the Mod on August 25, so you’ll have to wait a while before you can actually get your hands on it.

Apart from adding two analog thumbsticks, a directional pad on the left and four action buttons on the right, the GamePad Mod also includes an additional 1,035 mAh battery pack meant to supplement your phone’s life with a few extra hours in case you chose to prologue your gaming session.

Those who will be ordering the GamePad Mod from Verizon can also grab the Moto Z2 Force from Verizon for $15/month for 24 months for qualified customers. Or you can get the Moto Z2 Play instead for $5/month for the next 2 years.

Up until now, Verizon was the only one selling the Moto Z2 Play, but as of this week, Motorola has started offering the unlocked version of the phone with more RAM and storage for the price of $499.

Unlocked Moto Z2 Play with 64GB storage is up for pre-order with free Mod

Alexandra Arici
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So far if you wanted to go get the Moto Z2 Play you had only one option – to grab it from Verizon with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.

Well as of this week Motorola is finally accepting pre-orders for the unlocked Moto Z2 Play version. This model will work with all major US networks including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint, so users can easily switch carriers.

Unlike the Verizon version, the unlocked Moto Z2 Play includes 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. You can pre-order one for $499.99.

Don’t miss: Motorola announces the Moto Z2 Play and new Moto Mods

But the rest of the specs remain the same. So you’ll be getting a phone with a 5.5-inch fullHD display, a Snapdragon 626 processor, a primary 12-megapixel camera with f/1.7, phase detection autofocus and dual-LED flash and a 3,000 mAh battery.

The device also takes advantage of a water-repellent coating and runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat (will most likely be updated to Android O).

Customers who place a pre-order for the unlocked phone between now and August 19,2017 will also be awarded a JBL Soundboost 1 or 2 free of charge.

If you order the phone now, Motorola says it will ship it to you on August 18. Are you getting one?

How to find your phone using Android Device Manager

Alexandra Arici
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I don’t know about you, but I have the tendency to misplace my smartphone all the freaking time. I probably have a short memory and if you’re like me, you’re probably very familiar with that wave of cold sweat which hits you as you realize you don’t know where your phone is.

Fortunately, there’s a trick you can employ – use Android Device Manager to quickly locate your lost handset.

In order to make sure you be able to that, you’ll have to make sure you’ve enabled Android Device Manager first. These are the steps you need to take:

Enable Android Device Manager

Open up Settings on your device and search for the Google option. Alternatively, you might have a separate app dubbed Google Settings.

From either, go to Security>Android Device Manager. Tap it and enable “Remotely locate this device” and “Allow remote lock and erase” – a setting which allows you to remotely lock down or wipe your device clean.

Find your device

Once the Android Device Manager has been enabled, go to android.com/devicemanager and log in with your Google account.

The Device Manager will attempt to locate your phone from there (make sure location services are on). Next you’ll be confronted with three option. If you think you’ve misplaced your handset around the house, you can make your phone ring.

Or if you are convicted you’ve lost your handset (or worse, someone stole it from you) you can go ahead and lock your phone remotely. In this case, you will be prompted to create a password that will replace your lock screen. You can also add a recovery message with contact info, in case your phone has fallen into the hands of a good Samaritan.

If you don’t think there’s any chance of getting your device back, then you can go ahead and wipe it remotely. This option will perform a factory reset on your device (although data on your SD card might not be wiped out). However, note that the phone needs to be connected to the Internet in order for you to be able to do so.

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