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Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon 660 and 630 mobile platforms

Alexandra Arici
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This week Qualcomm has introduced two new processors, the Snapdragon 660 and Snapdragon 630, in a bid to strengthen its hold over the middle-range market.

Positioned just below the company’s top-tier 800 series, the two new mobile platforms are designed to bring premium features to middle-range products. Both Snapdragon 660 and Snapdragon 630 platforms include a Snapdragon X12 LTE modem – which supports speeds up to 600Mbps, as well as advanced RF Front End support designed for use in remote areas and Bluetooth 5.0.

The Snapdragon 660 represents an upgrade over last year’s Snapdragon 653 (a slightly improved version of the Snapdragon 652). Leaving the 28nm process behind, the Snapdragon 660 relies on a more efficient 14nm one.

It features an octa-core Kyro 260 CPU (a big.LITTLE combination of ARM Cortex-A72 and A53 cores) which should deliver 20% improvement in performance over last year’s model. The GPU inside has been bumped up to an Adreno 512 which should offer an 30% increase in workloads.

Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 660 bundles a 14-bit Qualcomm Spectra 160 IPS, which means future products taking advantage of this SoC will be able to capture up to 24-megapixel single IPS images with improved autofocus and reduced lag. It also supports dual-cameras up to 16-megapixels.

With Qualcomm’s Hexagon 680 DPS featuring vector extensions (HVX) onboard, the chip will be able to deliver advanced image processing including optical zoom, eye mapping or depth mapping. The US chip maker noted the Snapdragon 660 also supports 2.2 MU-MIMO 802.11ac Wi-Fi and offers up to 60% lower download power consumption as the Snapdragon 625.

But battery life improvements will be perhaps the most welcomed by customers. The producing company says we can expect to see 50 to 75% lower power consumption for some location services.

Moving along to the Snapdragon 630, this is the less advanced model of the two. It comes to succeed the Snapdragon 625/626 which currently powers some worthy middle-range handsets including the Motorola Moto G5 Plus. The chip is also based on a 14nm process and boasts an ARM Cortex-A53 configuration as its predecessor, although its clock speed has been increased to 2.2GHz for a 10% boost in computing power.

The Snapdragon 630 comes equipped with an Adreno 508 GPU which according to Qualcomm should boost performance levels up to 30% compared to the Snapdragon 625. The SoC also comes equipped with a X12 LTE modem, Spectra 160 IPS, support for QXGA (2046 x 1536) screens, Quick Charge, USB Type-C with 3.1 speeds, Bluetooth 5, Hexagon DPS with HVX extensions and support for dual cameras up to 13-megapixels.

Both mobile platforms now support the Snapdragon Neural Processing Engine SDK – which integrates machine learning and deep neutral networks into apps and software used for tasks such as facial recognition and voice detection.

Qualcomm says we should expect to see the first devices running on the new Snapdragon 660 as soon as this quarter, while the Snapdragon 630 will become available to manufacturers at the end of May. So devices based on the platform should make it out in the next quarter.

Google’s elusive Fuchsia OS revealed in screenshots

Alexandra Arici
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Google has been quietly working on a new operating system dubbed Fuchsia for some time now. A few months ago, Fuchsia existed only as a mere command line, but fast forward to the present moment and we find things have evolved quite a lot.

A new report reveals Google has continued to evolve Fuchsia which now has an early user interface for smartphones and tablets codenamed Armadillo. Unlike Android and Chrome OS, Fuchsia is no longer based on Linux, but on a new Magenta kernel, Google has built itself. As for Armadillo (and probably other upcoming Fuchsia apps), it’s built in Google’s cross-platform Flutter SDK – which allows Android developers to easily port their apps over to Fuchsia.

Fuchsia logo

At this moment, it is possible to compile Armadillo and run it on an Android device, as demonstrated by Hotfix and Ars Technica – which provide us with an early look at what Google’s mysterious new operating system might look like. It’s worth mentioning at this point that Google doesn’t seem to be making any attempt of Fuchsia from public view and even provides indications on how to get started.

From what we can see in the screenshots and video available, Fuchsia appears to be built around a card-based system for managing different apps. The home screen consists of a vertical scrolling list with the user’s profile pic, current date, current location and battery icon located in the center. Above the profile, we can see a series of Story cards which are basically your recently used apps. Below the profile lives a scrolling list of suggestions.

It seems like Fuchsia UI will offer the option of placing apps on top of each other by virtue of long pressing on them. This also generates a split screen that can be configured in a number of different ways: two apps can be split vertically or horizontally, but a third and fourth app can also be added. It doesn’t appear to be a limit on how many apps one can stack together, but Fuchsia does crash if too many apps are added, which suggests Google will be limiting the number of apps allowed depending on the device’s screen size. A tabbed option is also available.

The keyboard UI in Fuchsia OS is also available for inspection courtesy of the screenshots. It appears to be based on the current Android keyboard and includes a dark theme.

Google has been reluctant to offer any information related to its future plans for Fuchsia. It’s quite possible the search giant is merely experimenting with this new UI, but at the same time it can be speculated that Fuchsia could one day replace Android. At this point it’s too early to tell, but we’ll make sure to update you in case of any new developments. Hopefully Google might reveal something about Fuchsia during its Google I/O developer conference which is scheduled to start on May 17.

LG X power2 with 4,500 mAh battery coming to the US soon

Alexandra Arici
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Announced a few days ahead of MWC 2017, the LG X power2 will soon be made available in markets around the world starting with the US and followed by select territories in Asia, Europe, Latin America and more.

The LG X power2 is a budget affair, so don’t expect anything to grand when it comes to specs. The product comes boasting a 5.5-inch display, 1280 x 720 resolution and a 1.5GHz octa-core chipset under the hood. The phone will go on sale with two configurations, either 1.5GB or 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage (microSD card slot for memory increase up to 2TB is available).

But the LG X power2 does offer one big perk – it features a large 4,500 mAh battery under the hood which is marketed as being able to handle 26 hours of talk time, 18 hours of video viewing or 19 hours of web browsing. But it remains to be seen whether or not this statement will hold true with real life usage.

The LG X power2 also bundles a pretty decent 13-megapixel camera with Zero Shutter Lag for quick, delay-free shots and LED flash, as well as a 5-megapixel selfie snapper living on the front. It runs Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box.

Pricing and availability vary depending on market, but we should expect to see the LG X power2 land in the US very soon.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus: So much to love, but not without its flaws

Matt Adams
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Samsung changed everything. Again.

Well, maybe that’s not entirely correct. I suppose what I mean is that Samsung has changed how I feel about its phones again.

For a long time Samsung was kind of just there. It made phones that had great specs but looked terrible and put me off by either those terrible looks or just being the big guy that everyone bought into on the Android side. For some of us geeks, our phones say a lot about who we are and I didn’t want to be just like everyone else who bought the latest Galaxy. That’s my own personal hang-up, but we all have them.

But, something changed a few years ago. Unless you’re living under a rock or you really don’t pay attention to tech, you know that Samsung changed up the design of its Galaxy S flagship with the S6. Metal and glass, curved displays, premium materials. No longer did the Galaxy S line have hardware you had to suffer through to have the best specs and the most features packed into your device.

I still wasn’t sold. I watched as my good friend got the Samsung Galaxy S6 because on paper it was the best choice. Horrendous battery life and slow updates plagued the device. The S7 was great, if not a bit small, while the S7 Edge was harder to handle than I was willing to put up with.

And then there was the S8. Try as I might I couldn’t distance myself from it while all the leaks were coming out. I ended up with one on launch day. The specs, the display, the unmatched beauty of the hardware. Some combination of them pulled me in and it has me now. I bought my Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus with open eyes to Samsung’s past sins and while it hasn’t been perfect so far, it has changed how I think about phones the same way my first iPhone did.

I don’t know if this is a review in the sense that you would normally think of a review. I’m going to tell you some things I love, some things to watch out for and I’m going to trust you to make up your mind whether this is the phone for you because you’re an adult (or close to it) and you have to make your own decisions in this world.

What I love

Display

If I started anywhere other than the Infinity Display I might hurt the feelings of the Samsung Engineers who designed it and the PR reps reading this. It is, without a doubt, the best feature on a smartphone right now and it isn’t even close.

When other reviewers say that the Galaxy S8 (or in my case, the S8 Plus) has the best display on a phone ever, they’re not joking. The previous crown probably went to the Note7 (RIP) or the Galaxy S7 but now it belongs to the S8. The AMOLED display is now measured out at a ratio of 18.5:9 instead of the old 16:9. That means its over twice as tall as it is long. It gives the feeling that you’re holding this huge slab of awesome in your hand and it’s a little easier to hold because of how slim it feels.

We generally know the AMOLED story by now. The black pixels are just turned off to give it an infinite contrast ratio. The colors are over saturated (although you can mess with that a bit in the settings) to make everything pop even more. It may not be the most lifelike display out there, and if that’s your preference more power to you, but it does look amazing.

Since the display doesn’t follow the normal aspect ratio, some apps or videos will have black bars on the sides or top and bottom. Every app that I’ve stretched has worked out perfect, even some apps that didn’t work on the G6, which also has an abnormal display ratio. I have the black Galaxy S8 so the bars on the sides of the videos aren’t noticeable when I’m watching a video, and even if they were, you can zoom in to get rid of them. It’s not a perfect solution but watching some of the highest resolution content you can find on YouTube on this display is an experience akin to watching a 4K TV for the first time.

Battery Life

Holy shit does this thing have an amazing battery. Sure, we all use our phones differently but I’m a pretty general case. I screw around on Reddit a lot, watch a lot of videos, stream the radio broadcast for my favorite MLB team (Go Reds!), text, chat on Kik and Facebook Messenger Lite. Really standard stuff.

To give you some idea of where I’m coming from though, most phones die out on me before the end of the day. The only phones that really could keep up with me are the Moto Z Play with its absurd battery life and the OnePlus 3T. I don’t have hard numbers in front of me, but I know that I would charge those phones before bed, take them off the charger and let them idle through the night and use them all the next day. I almost always got through the day.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus doesn’t have the best battery life out there but it does sit somewhere between the Moto Z Play and the OnePlus 3T. I could top out around 10 hours of screen on time with the Z Play and I usually get around seven to eight hours with the Samsung Galaxy S8. I don’t often have WiFi on because honestly I have unlimited data from T-Mobile and if they aren’t bugging me about it, I don’t worry much.

I generally stay on auto-brightness because Samsung seems to be one of the only OEMs out there that has it figured out. But, when I do pop up the screen to the brightest levels, I can tell a noticeable difference in battery life. It drains FAST. Luckily, the S8 has a stupid bright screen and I almost never have to pop the screen up that high. Think super sunny day where you don’t want to take your sunglasses off. That damn bright. Battery life numbers are something that determines whether I keep a phone and the S8 certainly has the potential to stay as my daily driver because of good the battery life is.

Battery life numbers are something that determines whether I keep a phone and the S8 Plus certainly has the potential to stay as my daily driver because of good the battery life is.

Build Quality

Calling the Samsung Galaxy S8 the best built phone on the market is a little more subjective that saying it has the best screen on the market. It has the glass front that wraps around to the aluminum frame. That frame connects to the glass back which feels fantastic in the hand.

For me, this is exactly what a premium phone should feel like. It’s hard to describe exactly how the phone feels in the hand which is why you need to go into a carrier store and play around with it before dropping over $700 on it. Just know that as soon as you pick it up, there are going to be fingerprints everywhere.

I’ll just leave it at this. There are no lines that look out of place. There are no curves that feel anything other than subtle. There are no ports that don’t look finely machined. Samsung seemingly put everything they had into making the Samsung Galaxy S8 look and feel like the pinnacle of smartphone design. Some of you aren’t going to like the sleek curved look and prefer something like the flat angular look of the G6 over it and that’s fine. Variety is the spice of life. All I know is that when I pick up the Samsung Galaxy S8, I don’t want to put it down again.

What I don’t love

Display

We started with the display in the last section, so let’s start there again. For this gripe, I don’t have much of an issue with Samsung itself as much as I have a gripe with Corning, the makers of Gorilla Glass.

Gorilla Glass is the sheet of glass that sits on top of the Samsung Galaxy S8. Corning has been making Gorilla Glass for ages now and it ends up on basically every smartphone released every year. This year we’ve been treated to Gorilla Glass 5 and the law of ascending numbers says that Gorilla Glass 5 should be better than Gorilla Glass 4 that was on the Samsung Galaxy S7 last year, right?

In theory, maybe. In practice, it seems not.

I’m on my second Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus. The first device I picked up on launch day had several deep scratches on it within the first 48 hours. While you can sit there and say “yeah, but scratches happen”, they wouldn’t have to this phone under normal circumstances. The Friday I picked the phone up and most of the Saturday after I was in the hospital with a family member and could barely touch my phone let alone find something to scratch it on. I was back in the store on Monday to exchange it. Strike one.

Strike 2 has already shown up. There’s what appears to be an abrasion on my second Galaxy S8 Plus. I can normally overlook it but to say I’m less than pleased would be a gigantic understatement. A friend of mine who writes for another site has seen scratches show up on his review unit Samsung Galaxy S8, his personal Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, and review unit LG G6 which all have Gorilla Glass 5. Perhaps this is just confirmation bias because it has happened me and my friend, but there’s also a thread over on Android Central’s forums with other people complaining about it too. If you plan to pick this phone up, also plan to pick up a screen protector you’re comfortable with.

Software

It’s time for the old “bash on Samsung’s software” party, right? Well, no, not exactly. For the most part, I’ve enjoyed what Samsung has done. In fact, I haven’t even moved off the stock launcher since I installed my apps. That’s partially so I could review Samsung’s software and partly because I actually like the stock launcher now.

While the launcher is the more forward facing part of the system, the software isn’t just the launcher. The settings menu has seen some tweaks, and I don’t know if they’re really for the better. In previous versions of TouchWiz, you could pin settings to the top for easy access. That’s gone and I can’t really figure out why they’d remove such a convenient feature. A lot of settings aren’t where I’d expect them to be, but Samsung does suggest other settings areas at the bottom of the screen and I can generally find it from there.

The Theme store is fine, if not a tad pricey, and the app drawer can be organized just like stock Android is even though it isn’t that way out of the box.

So, all of that is fine. My beef is what the software does to the phone. Bixby is completely redundant since I use Google Assistant and shows up in the camera app more than I’d like. The nagging messages about turning the volume up too loud, turning the screen up too bright, or whatever else Samsung feels like complaining about that day are really very annoying.

Almost as annoying as the phone coming out of the box at a lower resolution than advertised. Due to a software setting, the S8 comes out of the box at 1080p. I’ve been using it at that resolution because I can’t tell the difference when I pop it up to 2K, but if you’re going to advertise a screen resolution, it should at least be that out of the box with an option to change it, not the other way around.

And, whatever they’ve done in the software to make this phone stutter when going through lists, please fix it. Holy crap is it annoying. The Pixel XL, V20, G6, OnePlus 3T, and Moto Z Play, all phones I’ve used in the last 9 months seemed to have gotten this figured out and they’re all on older processors. If you can’t get scrolling and frame drops out of the system on the latest and greatest that Qualcomm has to offer, you need to hire better engineers.

Conclusion

This review wasn’t meant to be an exhaustive take on what makes the Samsung Galaxy S8 right for you. We didn’t touch on the camera (which remains mostly unchanged from last year), the bump in storage to 64GB from 32GB, the unbelievably quick charging times, the decent bottom-firing speaker, or the truly awful placement of the fingerprint sensor. Most of those things you can figure out yourself just by looking at the facts and figures, you don’t need me to insult your intelligence by telling you how amazing it is to have double the storage or something.

What you need to know, however, is how this phone makes me feel. I consider myself a phone geek (or a phone douche, as my friends call me) and this is the first phone I’m truly considering keeping long term. Normally it’s three or four months and you’re out.

If you’re going out to buy a phone for the next two years, this is the best phone on paper and it will be for a while. Hell, it might be until Samsung’s next phone comes out in the fall. But go play with it first. Reading a million reviews online won’t do anything to help you if you walk into the store, pick it up and hate it.

As for me, I can’t seem to put the thing down.

Latest Huawei Honor 9 leaks suggest: No Headphone Jack

AndroidGuys
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With the fantastic Honor 8 Pro only barely just hitting the retail market, and the Honor 8 staking its claim as a firm “mid range champion“, it may come as a surprise (or not) that the internet is already awash with rumour and speculation in reference to Huawei’s next numerically advancing installment of their ever expanding range.

According to a recent leak documented by The Tech Point, photos of the upcoming Honor 9 have surfaced bearing a few notable points of interest.

Apart from the obviously delicious looking black coloured paint job, USB Type C port and speaker grills one glaringly obvious change seems to be afoot. No Headphone Jack.

Providing the photos are a true reflection of what’s to come, at first glace it will appear that Huawei are indeed following in the footsteps of the ever dominant Apple iPhone 7 by removing this much coveted feature. It’s a speculative thought but, could this mean we are going to see waterproofing added? I do hope so.

 

Also documented within the leak, the Honor 9 will come with a dual rear camera setup, a change in position of the fingerprint sensor is looking likely too. The published renders appear to show the possibility that the fingerprint sensor could now be embedded in the home button, as with the Huawei P10.

We can expect more details to “Leak” in the coming weeks so be sure to keep checking back with us; in the mean time I shall leave you content with the thought of possible chipset performance improvements, improved software and gimmicks as far as the eye can see (maybe).

Gear Up: Bezalel has your back with charging accessories

AndroidGuys
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In today’s world of tech, you can’t turn a virtual corner on the internet without running into some new gadget, charger, cable, or something related to our ever expanding mobile lives. Amidst the struggle of accessory companies trying to make a name for themselves, Bezalel is working hard to carve out their little piece.

To be perfectly honest, I had never heard of Bezalel until I was offered the opportunity to review some of its items. We were lucky enough to receive three of the items that Bezalel offers and, as usual, have taken the time to try them out so you don’t have to. I have to say, the company’s clever use of magnets in its products may be what sets it apart from other device accessories.

Finally, Bezalel has been gracious enough to offer our readers a 20% discount on all of these items using the codes next to the prices.

Ok, no more messing around. Let’s get to it.

Prelude Portable Wireless Charger

Yes, you read that correctly. That says portable and wireless. This new toy is packing a 7000 mAh battery and an internal Qi wireless charger for any enabled devices. This device is pretty simplistic as are most portable chargers. The front sports a USB port, a power button and some LED’s to represent how much battery is remaining. The only other function piece on the Prelude is the USB type-C pot on the left side of the device which is used to charge it up.

Stylistically, There isn’t much going on here. Not to say that the Prelude is an ugly device, it’s just very simple. Gloss black, rounded corners and a white label on the top. There is, however, one thing about the body of this device that could easily go unnoticed, there are magnets in the top of the body that are designed to align your device for optimal charging.

Functionally it is very straightforward. To start charging, simply place your Qi device on top of the charger and press the power button. Alternatively, you can plug a device into the USB port on the front and charge away. Just for kicks, I tried charging two devices at a time and yes, it works.

My only complaint with the Prelude is that it does not seem to work through the UAG case on my Galaxy S7. Granted, the UAG cases are relatively thick but, it is a little frustrating to have to have to remove the case but, I get it, power management and all.

You can purchase a Prelude portable wireless charger for $79.99 (use code BZAG20 for 20% off)

Futura X Wireless Charger

Item number two is a wireless charger. Out of the box, we see a classy wireless charging pad that may not strike you as anything special. Again we see a black plastic top with white labeling. The underside is clad in matte textured metal with rubberized feet to help from sliding around on slick surfaces.

What again sets this product apart from a good amount of other wireless charging pads are the magnets that are placed inside. Yes, again we see Bezalel using magnets to align your device for optimal charging.

During my experience with the Futura X, I did run into one instance of my phone not charging completely overnight. It seems that the magnets were not working because of the UAG case I have on my phone.

You can pick up the Futura X wireless charger for $49.99 (use code BZAG20 for 20% off)

Futura X Stand

The last item we’re reviewing is the stand. Upon first inspection, it is very nice looking. Picking it up you can tell that there is some weight to this. No worries about tipping over when your phone hits it, even if you use some huge phablet like the Huawei Mate 9. The rubberized bottom keeps it from sliding around and the metal back with matte finish completes the classy look of this stand.

I have to tell you, it was not blatantly apparent how useful this device was when I initially opened it. In fact, it wasn’t until I was going to write this piece that I took a look at the website and figured out that this is really an accessory for the Futura X wireless charger. So, the question you need to ask yourself would be, is it worth an extra $20 to charge your phone in an upright position as opposed to laying down?

The stand again uses magnets to attach itself to the Futura X. The stand comes with an adapter and a magnetic clip which makes hiding cables a lot easier, for those of us that have CDO (that is OCD arranged alphabetically). While this is a cool concept, you can pick up an upright wireless charger for less than the price of this stand. However, they may not be as stylish or use magnets for good alignment.

Pick up a Futura X Stand at the Bezalel website for $20 (use code BZAG20 for 20% off)

Google has updated the Google I/O app ahead of the 2017 conference

Dan Bartram
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With Google I/O 2017 rapidly approaching, Google has taken the opportunity to update the companion app ready for the annual conference that begins on May 17.

The app is the perfect assistant if you’re attending Google I/O allowing you to check schedules and links to live video feeds for the sessions you can’t make.

Google is also introducing a new feature this year by allowing attendees to reserve seats ahead of events to avoid long lines that have been seen in previous years. The app also has a map of the Shoreline Amphitheater and the surrounding area to make it relatively easy to figure out where you are and where you need to get to. There’s also quick reference to Wi-Fi passwords and travel information from the various hotels and more.

Google says that every session will be livestreamed this year which is great if you can’t make it to the conference in person.

You can get the new updated app here.

AVG AntiVirus FREE review

Guest Blogger
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This top Android antivirus app is free and for anyone who wants total smartphone or tablet protection from a myriad of online threats. It gives you five different areas of protection so you do not have to worry about a hacker getting your information via a method you have not thought of yet. The app has an enhanced firewall and automatically blocks you from accessing any unsafe downloads, email attachments, or links.

Malware such as Trojans, spyware, and viruses are snuffed out, plus you can enable the app to encrypt any personal files or pictures. This blocks anyone except you to access this information. Even your payments via your PC are protected so you are not giving any payment information to copycat websites.

AVG is a developer of antivirus and security products for all types of digital devices. Bought by Avast recently, AVG continues to be a leader in digital security.

How to Use

Find the app at the Play Store and download to your Android device. Once you have downloaded the free Android security app onto your phone or tablet, you are ready to get started.

The main window has a basic protection pane that includes icons for computer protection and for web and email protection, and you will see them both automatically enabled. In the middle is a “Scan Computer” button which will launch a full scan when pushed. This scan will identify not only malware but also things like browser traces, junk files, and system logs. There is also a deep virus scan option, which will take considerably longer to finish the first time it is used. The first time the deep virus scan is activated it will tag files that belong on your device so they will not get looked at again on subsequent deep virus scans.

Malware Detection Power

Malware detection is the strength of this app with a tested detection rate of 99.9 to 100 percent. In some testing, no false positives were received, but some tests had a low incidence of harmless apps being detected as potentially harmful.  In addition, the powerful malware detection is paired with a very light use footprint which makes it even more desirable.

Loads of Features

The AVG antivirus app has many features that will not weigh down the overall performance of your device, and the battery usage feature can help you identify what is sucking up the most power from your battery. Android smartphones will especially benefit from the safe browsing feature as well as the do not track feature. Rooted devices will benefit from the extra protection they will get from this app.
Thieves Beware

The anti-theft feature of the free AVG antivirus app is the icing on the cake of this app. With this app’s anti-theft feature, you can go to the AVG anti-theft website to track down your lost phone or tablet online via google maps. Options associated with this anti-theft feature include the ability to lock your phone, a way to activate a high volume alarm remotely, and a remote complete file wiping capability.

Some Considerations

Where this app is less than average is in its anti-phishing capabilities. Also, the initial scan has been noted to take a very long time. Beware that USSD attacks are not covered with this app. The malicious URL blocking capability is okay but comes nowhere near the app’s malware detection ability.

Even with some weaknesses, AVG Antivirus Free is a solid choice that will give you reliable malware protection with a few extra bells and whistles thrown in.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, the AVG free antivirus app for Android has a robust malware detection ability, just be forewarned that some tests showed that innocent apps and files could be tagged as potentially dangerous when scanned. Be sure to scrutinize what was termed as potentially dangerous before you delete it. Secure web browsing is another plus for this app. The Anti-Theft capabilities of this app are a plus but are limited to utilizing online access. Many more features are available for this app in the paid version, but if you are looking for a good malware detecting app, the free AVG antivirus app is a winner.

Overall, this app is a solid free solution for detecting malware, and the extra features such as the encryption of files, battery usage monitoring, and the do not track option are an added plus.

Propelify tech and innovation festival returns May 18

AndroidGuys
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Propelify, a gathering of innovation, tech, speakers, investors, and other startup-minded attendees returns in just ten days. Billed as one of the biggest innovation gatherings in the Northeast, it brings together folks from all seemingly connected areas.

This year promises to be quite the affair as it offers up some 40+ speakers across two stages. Taking place on May 18 in Hoboken, New Jersey, the festival will play host to all sorts of great things, including drone races, startup/tech exhibitors, VR Theather (Samsung), music, food, drinks, and much more.

Last year saw more than 8,000 innovators attend from nearly every state in the country; there were ten countries represented as well. This year figures to be every bit as the agenda is packed with a host of opportunities, competition, and networking.

What to Expect:

  • Onsite Tech Recruiting from Jet.com (on a ferris wheel!)
  • Investor Speed Dating sponsored by Deloitte
  • Startup Competition with prizes like
  • $10K in cash, $5k Staples credit $25K towards Google Cloud
  • Fast track to finales at Techstars, Meetings with execs at Google, Samsung, Staples, Write-up in Entrepreneur, Free ferry ads from Crossriver Networks, and a trip to Taiwan!
  • All brought to you by SamsungNEXT, Staples, Google, Taiwan Startup Startup, Entrepreneur, and more

Keynote speakers slated for Propelify 2017 include the following:

  • Arianna Huffington, Found & CEO, Thrive Global
  • Divyank Turakhia, Founder & CEO, Media.net
  • Jesse Hertzberg, CEO, Livestream
  • David Barrett, Founder & CEO, Expensify
  • Gus Warren, Managing Director of Investments, Samsung

AndroidGuys will pay for your ticket!

We’re honored to be able to extend AndroidGuys readers the opportunity to attend this year’s Propelify event at no cost. Thanks to sponsorship in conjunction with Bell Labs, we’ve set aside tickets under the promo code of “androidguyspropel“. Simply head to https://www.propelify.com/tickets/ and enter the code and you’re in with a general admission ticket!

What we know so far: OnePlus 5 edition

Alexandra Arici
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With the LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8 releases behind us, what’s the next best thing to look forwards to? OnePlus’ next-gen flagship, for sure. The phone has already made quite a fair share of headlines and we’re more than excited to see it arrive on the market this summer, as OnePlus itself confirmed no more than a few days ago.

So what will the OnePlus bring to the table in 2017? Nothing has been confirmed just yet, but the rumor mill provides us with enough speculation on the matter. And in anticipation of the big unveil, we’ve rounded up all the details upcoming flagship – which will be called OnePlus 5 – into one comprehensive post.

05/31/2017 Update: According to a leaked internal email coming to us via GizmoChina, the OnePlus 5 might launch on June 15. The mail was sent out with the purpose of making advertising arrangements for the handset.

06/05/2017 Update: Recent teaser that surfaced on Weibo reveals the OnePlus 5 launch date might be set for June 20, not June 15

06/07/2017 Update: It’s official, the OnePlus 5 will be unveiled on June 20 during a livestream event. The phone will launch in India on June 22, where it will be available for purchase exclusively from Amazon. The online retailer confirmed it will carry the phone.

The Chinese company will host pop-up events that will let you get your hands on the OnePlus 5 in different cities across the globe. Here is the complete list:

  • Store: Magnum in New York City, NY at 7:00 PM EDT
  • Store: Colette in Paris, France, at 11:00 AM on June 21
  • Store: LNFA in Berlin, Germany, at 6:00 PM on June 21
  • Store: Daily Paper in Amsterdam at 6:00 PM on June 21
  • Store: Elisa in Helsinki at 5:00 PM on June 21
  • Store: Elisa in Oulu at 5:00 PM on June 21
  • Store: Elisa in Tempere at 5:00 PM on June 21
  • Store: Elisa in Turku at 5:00 PM on June 21
  • Store: 3 in Copenhagen at 4:00 PM on June 21

Design and Display

  • Aluminum body (probably)
  • Fingerprint scanner living on the back
  • 5.5-inch with FHD or QHD resolution

A few weeks ago a couple of render surfaced revealing that the OnePlus 5 might come with a glass and aluminum body. Like last year’s model, the OnePlus 5 should make it out with a 5.5-inch with 1920 x 1080 resolution. However, some rumors indicate in 2017, OnePlus will take things to the next level and finally deliver a QHD panel (2560 x 1440) for the first time.

At some point, we also heard the phone might come boasting with a curved display similar to the one on the Samsung Galaxy S8. Others expect the OnePlus to follow this year’s trend and deliver a phone with really thin bezels (as indicated by a recent render), but it remains to be seen whether this means we’ll see any curvature of the front panel.

05/15/2017 Update: AnTuTu screenshot confirms the OnePlus 5 will have a 5.5-inch display with fullHD resolution.

05/19/2017 Update: Recent leak shows the back of the OnePlus 5, as well as bottom thus revealing the phone won’t come with a 3.5mm headphone jack. The dual-camera with LED flash is visible on the flagship’s back panel.

05/22/2017 Update: A new surfaced image shows the OnePlus 5’s (vertical) dual camera setup and no antenna lines.

05/22/2017 Update: New images showing the OnePlus 5 complete with a case accessories showed up on Weibo.

06/14/2017 Update: A full image showcasing the OnePlus 5 has leaked online via Tecnoblog. In it we can also see the lower part of the phone including the physical home button.

Computing power

  • Snapdragon 835
  • Up to 8GB of RAM
  • Up to 256GB of internal storage
  • UFS 2.1 storage

There’s one thing most rumors agree upon – like the Galaxy S8, the OnePlus 5 will take advantage of the powerful Snapdragon 835 processor. It’s unclear at the moment, whether the phone will feature 6GB or 8GB of RAM onboard or if the Chinese company will end up offering both versions with 64GB/128GB or 256GB of internal storage.

For example, few days ago, the phone showed up for pre-order GearBest revealing a configuration with 8GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.

05/15/2017 Update: New leak reveals the OnePlus 5 scored 176K points in AnTuTu (similar to the Galaxy S8 score). 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage onboard have also been confirmed.

05/25/2017 Update: OnePlus confirmed on its official forums that the OnePlus 5 will feature a Snapdragon 835.

Cameras

  • 12-megapixel dual camera setup
  • 8-megapixel selfie camera

The consensus appears to be that the OnePlus 5 will roll-out with a dual-camera setup onboard. According to a second listing, the phone will feature a 12-megapixel combo onboard plus an 8-megapixel selfie sna3.the OnePlus 3T.

On the other hand, Gearbest lists a main 23-megapixel and a 16-megapixel selfie snapper.

12/05/2017 Update: More evidence that the OnePlus 5 will feature a dual camera setup appears in the form of a leaked render and product schematics (which reveal the phone will have a window surrounding the camera area made of ceramic and not glass):

05/15/2017 Update: According to the AnTuTu screenshot, the OnePlus 5 will feature a 16-megapixel main camera and a 16-megapixel selfie shooter, just as the OnePlus 3T and not a dual-camera setup.

05/17/2017 Update: Here’s yet another confirmation the OnePlus 5 will feature a dual-camera setup. The folks of Android Authority got a hold of an image revealing the back of an alleged OnePlus 5 prototype.

05/19/2017 Update: According to a new leak this year OnePlus will be focusing to improve the camera. Case in point, the phone will come with a camera made in partnership with DxOMark.

06/05/2017 Update: Teaser reveals the OnePlus 5’s dual-camera setup might be horizontal

06/05/2017 Update: New OnePlus 5 camera samples appeared online. The source that leaked the images suggest the dual camera setup will feature two 16-megapixel snappers (one monochrome, since one of the images is in white/black) with f/1.8 aperture

Other features

  • Google Assistant
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack (possible)
  • Android 7.1 Nougat with Oxygen OS
  • microSD card slot (possible)
  • 3,600 mAh battery

We don’t know whether the OnePlus 5 will feature a 3.5mm headphone jack or microSD card slot. the OnePlus 3T retains the 3.5mm headphone jack, so in all possibility the OnePlus 5 will too. As for the microSD card slot, we haven’t seen one since the OnePlus X, but given that most customers do favor the presence of a microSD slot, the OnePlus 5 might come bundling one, although the OnePlust 3T does not. According to Gearbest, the phone will feature a microSD card slot for memory expansion up to 128GB.

Recently it was revealed, the OnePlus 5 will feature a 3,600 mAh battery (200 mAh upgrade over last year’s model) which will supposedly bring 25% improvements in terms of charging time. Rumors of a 4,000 mAh battery or 2,600 mAh one have also been thrown around.

A leaked screenshot allegedly depicting the About Phone section on the unreleased phone revealed the device will have Android 7.1.2 Nougat onboard, alongside 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage. Given that the image lists HydrogenOS as the ROM, we’ll have to assume the OnePlus 5 will arrive in China with this configuration.

05/22/2017 Update: Attention, attention! It appears the OnePlus 5 will retain the 3.5mm headphone jack, according to a teaser by the company’s CEO. It seems it’s going to live on top of the device, perhaps to make room for an extra speaker.

06/07/2017 Update: @evleaks just revealed an OnePlus 5 variant with 8GB of RAM will be available in India, although we don’t know if this particular model will be offered on the global market as well.

06/14/2017 Update: In a recent post on Weibo, OnePlus’ CEO Pete Lau (or Liu Zuohu) hinted that the OnePlus 5 will launch with the latest UFS 2.1 storage capabilities. UFS storage on the OnePlus 5 is great news, as the technology allows for faster read and write times and speedier file transfers.

Pricing

OnePlus’s next “flagship killer” is expected to come with a price-tag of around $500 or slightly lower. However, Gearbest lists the international version with 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage as having a hefty $688 price-tag.

As for availability, expect the phone to arrive this summer. As the company itself puts it “Hey Summer! Give me five!”.

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