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Verizon’s exclusivity is in the balance as T-Mobile look set to carry Motorola’s upcoming Force Z2

AndroidGuys
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It’s been quite the week for Motorola.

The Internet awash with rumor and excitement regarding its next installment of their popular Moto Z Force Series; the Moto Z2 Force – backed up with stunning renders and a full 360 degree CAD available for all to obsess at their viewing discretion.

Back in June 2016, Motorola launched its Moto Z Force upon the mobile world, and by all accounts standing side by side with Moto’s Z device – “The Force Was Strong” (sorry I couldn’t help myself).

In comparison to the Moto Z: With the Force Packing a shatterproof display – bigger battery for improved longevity and it being all the more comfortable in the user’s hand lead to the Moto Force Z to accumulate quite the fan following. We here at AndroidGuys went as far as to say it’s Motorola’s BEST PHONE EVER.

However, there was a notable chink in the armor that had end users backed into a somewhat carrier based corner, but this is looking like it’s about to change.

According to Evan Blass, 2017 will see Verizon’s exclusivity on the Moto Z2 Force being diminished, meaning the possibility that users will have the option of either purchasing the device in an “unlocked” state or at least on a varied range of carriers such as T-Mobile and Sprint, as is currently the case for the Moto Z.

We are anticipating a release date of around June 2017 and with that said, we are all left wondering if the non-exclusivity is the just the thing needed to take this already popular device to the masses.

Power Rangers: Legacy Wars – Galactic witch Rita Repulsa is back and has to be stopped (Review)

Alexandra Arici
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Overview

As a kid in the ‘90s I used to watch a lot of Power Rangers episodes. Over the years the television series was turned into an entertainment and merchandising franchise with its latest manifestation being the Power Rangers movie which was launched in 2017.

But Power Rangers fans weren’t treated only with the movie this year. Game developer nWay in collaboration with Lionsgate and Saban (owner of the frenchsie) also unleashed the Power Rangers: Legacy Wars game for Android. The title presents an alternate scenario than the one you’ll be seeing on the big screen, in which Rita Repulsa devices a master plan to pit Rangers against one another.

Getting started

The application is free to download from the Google Play Store. The game is quick to install and loads quite easily, so gamers will be transported to the Power Rangers universe in no time.

Impressions

As a player, you will need to resist the forces of darkness summoned by the evil witch Rita Repulsa by collecting Power Ranger characters that span over the franchise’s 24-year history. Assemble teams of both villains and rangers in order to take down the armies of the wicked witch which include Ranger clones that have been programmed to fight for her.

The gameplay is quite simple with no additional story overlay. The characters don’t interact which each other except in the arena where they are supposed to fight to the death in bands of three versus three. Players can move their characters backwards or forwards by simply swiping the screen. In order to attack or block you’ll need to tap on one of the three options. Every action costs power points, so after a hit you’ll need to wait a few seconds for the power to be replenished.

You’ll notice attack cards come in three colors: yellow, blue and red. That’s because the game has a system – red trumps blue (blocking), blue defends against yellow attacks and yellow attacks have priority over red. But while most of the time the game follows this pattern, a few times I noticed a disengagement from these rules. For example, I was able to block red attacks with blue more than a few times. Additional cards will let you invite another member of your team into the battle for a short period of time.

Additionally I observed some lag between tapping on a card and the Power Ranger actually executing the command, which was probably due to my data-connection or some server issues. During such matches, moving my character proved to be extremely difficult, while my opponent seemed to move extremely fast. Since the game allows you to fight against real players in real-time PvP, it is recommended to be on a strong Wi-Fi connection when you play the game.

Warriors can be upgraded using Zeo Shards which you earn through battles and missions. You if you want to get better players or upgrade your fighters, there are in-app purchases that can get you there fast. You can acquire Power Crystals (good for speeding things up and upgrading characters), Power Coins (also for upgrading characters), Morph Boxes (mystery prizes) and even new characters. But spending money is not the only option – you can simply play and play until you unlock these upgrades/characters.

A few words about the visual gaming experience – the graphics are quite well executed and the fighters enjoy fluid movements. The backgrounds aren’t super exciting but they look nice. As for the music, it’s nothing out of the ordinary – exactly what you’d expect from an action-packed game like this.

Conclusion: The game is fun and engaging to play at first, but be prepared to spend quite some time in the training pit if you want to upgrade your characters and be able to take on more skilled opponents. After a while it got a tad tedious for me, as you end up executing the same actions over and over again. Basically you just have to tap on cards and remember the rules.

Honor 8 vs Motorola Moto G5 Plus (Value-Packed Smartphone Showdown)

Alexandra Arici
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Are you searching for a decently specced smartphone that won’t put a toll on your savings? Both Honor and Motorola offer models that are worthy to be taken into consideration by those searching for budget-friendly handsets. In this article we compare two such models and highlight the differences, in a bid to help you decide which one might be best suited for for particular set of needs.

Design and Display

5.2-inch display with 1080p resolution vs 5.2-inch display with 1080p resolution

423 ppi vs 424 ppi

In 2017 budget phones are starting to look more like premium devices. Case in point, the Honor 8 is basically build like Samsung’s most recent flagships – it has a glass front and back and a metal frame, which makes it look quite attractive. The downside is that any drop onto a hard surface will most likely result in a shattered panel.

As for the Moto G5 Plus – it’s another affordable device that looks extremely sleek. But despite being marketed as a metal phone, the Moto G5 Plus only features a backplate made up of aluminum, while its core frame s is actually made of plastic. Nevertheless, it looks pretty gorgeous to look at.

In the display department, the Honor 8 features a 5.2-inch display with 1080 x 1920 resolution and 423 ppi, while the Moto G5 Plus takes advantage of the same. Both benefit from Gorilla Glass 3 protection.

Power & Performance

Kirin 950 vs Snapdragon 625

Mali-T880 MP4 vs Adreno 506

4GB of RAM vs 2GB/4GB of RAM

32GB/64GB of internal storage vs 32GB/64GB of internal storage

Like the majority of Huawei’s phones, the Honor 8 features a homegrown Kirin 950 processor under the hood which is an octa-core affair (4 x 2.3GHz Cortex-A72 cores plus 4 x 1.8GHz Cortex-A53 cores). The phone is aided by 4GB of RAM and either 32GB or 64GB of internal storage (a microSD card slot is available for memory expansion up to 256GB).

By contrast, the Moto G5 Plus is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 625 (8 x 2.0GHz Cortex-A53 cores) processor in combination with either 2GB or 4GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB of built-in storage (microSD also available for memory increase up to 256GB).

Cameras

Dual main 12MP+12MP cameras vs 12MP main camera

8MP selfie snapper vs 5MP selfie snapper

If you are buying a phone mainly for photography reasons, you need to ask yourself – do you want a dual camera phone? Is the answer is yes, then you will probably want to go for the Honor 8.

The device takes advantage of a dual 12MP camera setup with f/2.2, laser autofocus and dual-LED flash plus an 8MP selfie shooter with f/2.4. The Moto G5 Plus is a little bit less impressive when it comes to photography, as it boasts a singular 12MP main camera with f/1.7 autofocus and dual-LED flash, as well as a 5MP secondary camera with f/2.2.

Software

Android 6.0 Marshmallow vs Android 7.0 Nougat

While the Honor 8 shipped with Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box, it is upgradable to Android 7.0 Nougat. The Moto G5 being a newer phone comes with Nougat pre-installed.

The Honor 8 comes with Huawei’s own EMUI 5.0 interface plastered on top which you can read more in our full review of the phone, while the Moto G5 Plus boasts a more stock Android feel.

Battery

3,000 mAh battery vs 3,000 mAh battery

Both models rely on non-removable 3,000 mAh power-houses. As we’ve found in our preliminary review of the Moto G5 Plus you can expect this phone to have a long lasting battery life:

“Six hours of on screen time comes easy. Two days of regular use comes easy. I’ve had this phone for seven days and I’ve charged it three times.”

Battery life is also one of the biggest selling points of the Honor 8.

“The smallish 5.2″ 1080p display combined with a power-efficient processor meant I was able to get through the day, even on heavy usage days, with battery left over.”

Value

$399 vs $229

The Honor 8 is a bit more expensive than the Moto G5 Plus, but the standard Honor 8 (a bit cheaper at Amazon) version does offer more RAM. The Moto G5 Plus with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage will cost you $299 – which is still cheaper. The Honor 8 also has a dual-camera setup and a more advanced selfie snapper.

Verdict

Those of you who crave a dual-camera phone will probably be more inclined to grab the Honor 8. But for $100 less, you will be able to grab the metal Moto G5 Plus with exceptionally long battery life and an overall spec-sheet on par with the Honor 8.

HTC U (Ocean) shows its face for the first time

Alexandra Arici
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0

HTC’s second flagship for 2017 the one dubbed Ocean or HTC U has been rumored for quite some time. Last month, we heard that the device will make a debut into the world with a Snapdragon 835 onboard and a touch-sensitive frame.

Now well-known leakster @evleaks is giving us a look at what appears to be the first legit photo of the HTC U. As you can see for yourselves, the handset features a glossy finish akin to the HTC U Ultra‘s and a fingerprint scanner living up in front. On the back, we notice a pretty odd-looking camera sensor – no dual-camera setup visible – but that’s probably because the phone in the image is far from being a finished product.

According to previous hearsay, the phone should come boasting a 5.5-inch display with QHD resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels) and 4GB of RAM plus 64GB of internal storage. At this point, it seems like the HTC U will take advantage of the services of a 12MP main camera plus a 16MP selfie snapper.

But the phone main selling point is probably going to be the touch-sensitive frame or Edge Sense, which allows users to perform certain actions by using gestures like swiping or squeezing.

Dreaming of Ocean

Keep in mind that this is just a preliminary look at the HTC U, as the real life product will probably end up looking a lot more polished. We don’t know when the phone will launch, but in any case don’t expect it to drop before this summer.

Android 7.1.2 renders the fingerprint sensor unusable for many Pixel, Nexus users

Alexandra Arici
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Earlier this month Google unleashed the Android 7.1.2 update for Pixel and Nexus devices. However, it seems that the new build brought about an unanticipated side effect – it broke fingerprint sensor functionality.

Like it often happens when these bugs appear, Nexus and Pixel users have flocked to the Google product forums in order to request assistance.

No work-around for making the fingerprint sensor workable again has been identified at this point. Some users tried deleting all the fingerprints stored on a device and hard resetting it, to no avail – the sensors did not resume their initial functionality. Actually an error message pops up when one tires to add a new finger signature. Weirdly enough, the swipe down for notifications Moves gesture appears to have remained functional.

Google, for its part is expected to acknowledge the issue and start working on a fix ASAP. It’s not the first time Google rolls out an update which ends up breaking something or bringing some nasty bug forth.

Actually the Android 7.1.2 update for the Pixel phones was meant to fix a Bluetooth connectivity issue that had been plaguing select users for a while. But in the process of doing that, the new build broke something else.

The new bug seems to affect select owners of the Pixel, Pixel XL, Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P who have updated their phones to Android 7.1.2.

App and things to keep you sane when you are out on the road

AndroidGuys
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Being a truck driver has its perks- no annoying colleagues to put up with all day, a good salary, you can listen to what you want on the radio, and you get nice breaks in-between jobs. But it can also involve long hours in your cabin with nothing but the never ending open road in front of you. At times like this it can be extremely boring but luckily for you we have come up with a list of the top things you can do when you are on the road that will help you retain a bit of sanity!

Pick a good playlist

There is nothing worse that driving for miles with no music to listen to, or even worse, with bad music to listen to! Cher’s Greatest Hits is not going to cut it so we suggest you take some time to see what is out there and available for your listening pleasure. You can make your own playlists, download MP3s, or even choose from hundreds of trucking themed ready-to-go lists that are available for download onto your android tablet or mobile. These will help you get into the groove, give you something to sing to, and most importantly, will help you pass the time!

Download an app designed especially for truckers

There are a couple of android apps out there designed with truckers in mind but there is only one that combines them all. The definitive android app for the trucking industry, otherwise known as iTrucking combines industry specific news and information, jobs and careers, and a chat facility where you can talk to other road warriors in real time about real issues. It is sleek and easy to use and should become an essential part of any trucker’s routine.

Download a podcast or audio course

Whilst music is great to listen to when you are out and about, you could also use the time you spend driving for something constructive like learning something new or doing an audio course? There is an amazing selection of android ready podcasts and courses out there that will engage, interest, educate, and stimulate your mind whilst you are on the road. It might not sound fun but trust us and give it a go!

Get a cabin buddy

While this option isn’t for everyone, there are some truckers out there who bring pets along with them when they are out at work. Animals are great company and having a furry friend with you can make the time pass quicker and help you to stop feeling quite so homesick! There are truckers that take dogs, cats, birds, and even micropigs with them when they work so you never know, it could work for you as well!

Be sensible

Ok, now is time for the sensible bit- when out on the road, you must make sure to take your rest stops, get enough sleep, keep hydrated, and don’t let yourself get hungry. If you don’t do these things they will all lead to you losing concentration, risking falling asleep, or possibly having an accident. Yes you might have strict timelines to adhere to, but you are not going to get there on time if you crash. Look after yourself and you will perform better. Lecture over!

These are just five little things you can do that will help while away your working hours. Why not try them out?

Moto Z2 Force renders reveal the 3.5mm headphone jack is coming back

Alexandra Arici
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1

A few days ago we saw a blurry press render of the upcoming Motorola Moto Z2 Force show up online. Now more (360-degree) renders and a video showcasing the same device have made an appearance, revealing more info about the device in the process.

Even if at this point, the Moto Z2 Force does seem to resemble last year’s model quite a lot, there are a few differences we need to point out. For starters, the 3.5mm headphone jack will be making a comeback, which is great news – at least for the vast majority. Secondly, we can say goodbye to the square-ish physical home button and hello to one very reminiscent of the recently released Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus.

Despite retaining the same 5.5-inch display of last year, the new Moto Z2 Force is expected to be a bit larger measuring 156.32 x 76.36 mm compared to 155.9 x 75.8 mm of the Moto Z Force. However, this year’s model will feature a skinnier 5.99 mm frame (8.5mm with the camera bump) – which is a lot sleeker than the 7mm figure of the Moto Z Force.

We’re also told that Sprint will bring Cat.16 downloads speeds to the new Moto Z2 Force. A while ago we told you the carrier was spotted demoing Gigabit Class LTE on a mystery Motorola flagship running a Snapdragon 835 processor during the New Orleans Pelicans vs Toronto Raptors basketball game. That elusive device was probably the Moto Z2 Force, which means this year the device won’t be tied down to Verizon anymore.

As previously revealed, the Moto Z2 Force will feature a main dual camera assembly, as well as a dual-LED flash up front. Apparently the phone will feature Lenovo’s logo plastered on the lower right side on the back, but this detail hasn’t been incorporated in the leaks we’re showing you today. The pogo pins are also present, so you can be sure the Moto Z2 Force will be compatible with Motorola’s Moto Mods – old and new.

Do you like how the Moto Z2 Force is shaping up so far?

LG Harmony comes to Cricket Wireless for $99.99

Alexandra Arici
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1

Prepaid wireless service provider, Cricket Wireless has added a new low-range smartphone to its portfolio – the LG Harmony.

The newcomer is basically a watered down version of the LG K20 V which Verizon has available for $99 a pop (with the obligatory 2-year plan). At Cricket Wireless, the LG Harmony arrives with a 5.3-inch display with 1280 x 720 resolution, a 1.4GHz quad-core processor and 16GB of internal storage (microSD card slot available for memory expansion up to 2TB). Cricket does not mention the phone’s RAM capacity, but given that the LG K20 V has 1GB, we’ll have to assume the LG Harmony takes advantage of the same.

However, instead of the 13MP main snapper of the LG K20 V, you’ll find an 8MP main camera on the LG Harmony, plus a 5MP front-facing camera. The phone relies on a 2,800 mAh battery for juice and runs Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. Despite being a pretty low-end affair, the LG Harmony does feature a fingerprint reader on the back.

In the official press release they’ve sent us, Cricket Wireless mentions the LG Harmony comes bundled with unique LG features such as Auto Shot (automatically recognizes the user’s face and takes a selfie after 1 second once both device/object are still), Knock Code (security feature that unlocks the phone once users tap their sequence on the screen) and QuickMemo+ (write or draw on nearly any screen and schedule memos to appear at certain locations or times).

The LG Harmony can be yours for $99.99 with an activiation of a 3GB/8GB/12GB or Unlimited plan.

The Hot List: Textra, LG G6, MLB.TV, dbrand, Huawei, and more!

AndroidGuys
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As a site that centers around Android, we often find ourselves gravitating toward certain things. Be it specific hardware makers, developers, or something else, there’s usually something that each of us prefers. But, try as we might, our tastes change and we end up interested in the next shiny new thing. Sometimes we put aside one pair of headphones in favor of another because there’s something really, really cool about them.

What follows is a list of things that some of us here at AndroidGuys are currently digging. Below is a mix of apps, games, gear, and other things that have our interest as of late. And, no, not all of it is going to be mobile-related.

The aim here to help you discover something that you might not otherwise have come across. Or, maybe it gives you a slight push to revisit a particular company, app, or service. What you’ll see here comes straight from our various writers, contributors, and editors.

Textra

After finally getting the Android 7.0 update on my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, I was looking for an overhaul of some of my daily apps. Using Android Messaging for texts was fine for a while but I wanted something that felt premium like Android Messenger but with solid functionally.

 

After a recommendation from a coworker I downloaded Textra and after customizing EVERYTHING, I think I can safely say this will be a must download on every phone I get from this point forward. It’s fast, it’s intuitive to use, I can fine tune everything from color to emoji style. 10/10 from me.

Carved phone cases

I was looking for a new case for my phone. One that gave me a little style with a basic level of protection. Carved cases are real wood backed cases with a rubber bumper. They have so many designs to choose from.

I loved the mountain range and the map cases but I had to order two patterned cases.; they are modern and beautiful. The bumper seems small, so I don’t know how much protection it will actually provide, but with a case that turns this many heads, I may just have to go order two more.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3

I’ve been following stories and reviews on this tablet for a while and it’s very intriguing. The tablet seems like it’s a nice upgrade and including the pen is a great step in distancing itself from the iPad Pro that requires spending an additional $100. I’m not actively looking for a new tablet but because my daughter and I like to draw/paint/color, I’m considering upgrading from the original Tab S.

Piskelapp.com

I love drawing and animation and Piskel lets me create little animated retro-styled art pieces. It’s a great application site that is actually fairly deep yet simple to use for 8-bit style bitmap art pieces.

Budget Phones

Seriously, one of my favorite things about technology is that as we progress and find better ways to do things, the average user benefits immensely. Sure, flagships stay roughly the same price because they use cutting edge technology but, for the average user there is no need to have the $600-$800 phone any more.

If you follow our smartphone reviews at all you will see a plethora of low to mid level phones that would manage an average smartphone users expectation without putting a huge dent in that wallet.

LG G6

I can’t stop talking about this phone, even though the Galaxy S8 has been announced. I think this is LG’s best smartphone ever, despite catching flack for having “last year’s processor”.

dbrand’s cases for Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+

Dbrand has a lot of options and combinations available that can satisfy any Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ user. Moreover, there’s plenty of other models to choose from as well. Makes for great alternative to bulky cases.

Huawei Smartwatch v1

After spending two happy years with my iPhone and Apple watch I’ve taken the plunge into Android with an s7 Edge and Huawei Smartwatch.  I’m a week or so in and apart from missing my square Apple face I’m in love with this device; Android Wear 2.0 has me excited as it’s a tad basic, but, so far so good!

Free MLB.TV Subscription for T-Mobile customers

With this recent T-Mobile Tuesday event, Big Magenta gave away a free MLB.TV subscription, which gets you extra access to your favorite MLB team for the entire 2017 season.

Nintendo Switch

Most of my free time is now spent playing my Nintendo Switch. I have 10 games for it now, but primarily play Legend of Zelda. The Switch has been in the news a lot lately–most of which has been positive, but there are now reports of issues, so I’m always reading about what’s new and interesting in the land of Nintendo. I’m looking forward to more games and I’m curious how this partnership with nVidia will play out for both companies.

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Because it’s a game I’ve looked forward to for a long time and after starting it, it has been consuming all of my free time because it is so engrossing and wonderful.

Destiny: Age of Triumph

The newest expansion for shared-world shooter Destiny has really reminded me what made that game so fun to play in the first place. The refreshed Raids and incentive to replay old missions for the sake of nostalgia were a good move on Bungie’s part. A fitting Swan-Song.

Midnight Black OnePlus 3T

Because it looks extremely sleek. It’s also limited edition, so the appeal is greater.

Ocatave

Really exciting horror, adventure game with creepy graphics and a nice paranormal story behind it. “You play the role of a guy who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. You are dragged into a dark forest, but on the verge of death, you are mysteriously saved from your killer by a someone or something.”

Today is your last day to win a FREE Samsung Galaxy S8! Enter here!

Matt Adams
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We have an exciting announcement! We here at AndroidGuys are teaming up with our friends over at X-doria to give away a Samsung Galaxy S8 and a Samsung Galaxy S8 case!

The Prize

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know the Samsung Galaxy S8 is coming. It looks like Samsung has pulled out all of the stops this year! Gone are the physical buttons on the front so Samsung could make room for a MASSIVE screen in a small body. The phone is said to have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of onboard storage. We’ll see a return of goodies like an IP68 waterproof rating, microSD card external storage, and a dual-curved display.

Our Partner

We’re teaming up with X-Doria, who makes excellent cell phone accessories. You can pick up cases for hot phones like the Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S7, and coming soon, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus. If you do purchase a case from X-Doria, make sure you hit them on Instagram with the hashtag #xdoria and your picture might be featured!

How to Enter

Entering is super easy! Right below this paragraph, you’ll see a widget. The only required section is that you enter your email address and you’re entered. It’s as simple as that. You can gain additional entries for following @AndroidGuys and @XdoriaProducts on Twitter and tweeting out a message letting your friends know that you’re entered to win and where they can go to enter too. This giveaway is open to US residents with a US shipping address over the age of 18.

The contest starts RIGHT NOW and ends on April 15, 2017 when we pick a winner at random. Good luck!

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