News: Google Stays Nimble with ARCore 1.4 Update, Bringing Passthrough Camera Auto-Focus & Wider Availability
Google's ARCore team is staying busy, as evidenced by yet another update of its augmented reality toolkit.
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News: You Can Now Turn Pixel's 'App Shortcuts' into Their Own Home Screen Icons
One of our favorite features on the Pixel Launcher is its App Shortcuts, which work a lot like Apple's 3D Touch for iOS or Huawei's Force Touch. Instead of using pressure sensitivity to call up static and dynamic shortcut menus for apps, Launcher Shortcuts relied on a simple long-press. Now, in the Android 7.1 update for Pixels, there's an update to App Shortcuts that let's you pin shortcut options directly to your home screen for even quicker access.
News: Your Smartphone's Fingerprint Scanner Can Easily Be 'Hacked' with a Printer
Using a fingerprint scanner to keep intruders out of your phone might not be as secure as you think. Two researchers from Michigan State University, Kai Cao and Anil K. Jain, developed a relatively cheap and effective way to beat fingerprint readers, and successfully tested their method on a Samsung Galaxy S6 and Huawei Honor 7.
News: Go Big & Go Broke! Fall's New Phones Are Huge & Expensive
It was only a few years ago when the idea of a 5+ inch display on a smartphone was unreal. With most hovering around four inches at the time, a phone that big seemed impossible to hold. We've come a long way since then, but it appears another wave of large displays will soon hit us, and they are all at least six inches.
News: The Best Black Friday 2017 Deals on Android Phones
There are a lot of Android phones out there, and chances are that someone in your life is looking for one this holiday season. Well, there also happens to be a lot of Black Friday deals on Android phones this year. So we've rounded up the best deals taking place on Black Friday weekend to help you save big.
How To: Change the Default Snooze Time for Your Alarm on Any Android
While we shouldn't rely on it, every so often we need to hit the snooze button to get a few additional minutes of precious sleep. Depending on which OEM skin is running on your device, this could be either five or ten extra minutes of dozing. However, some of us need a different length of time.
News: Google Finally Releases ARCore 1.0 for Android Users, Adds Google Lens to Photos App
In one of the worst-kept secrets of the upcoming Mobile World Congress, Google has officially released ARCore on the Play Store for owners of the latest flagship Android smartphones.
News: 4 Reasons the OnePlus 5T Is the Best Phone for Rooting & Modding in 2018
Rooting has a long and storied history in the Android community. As OEMs push out more refined software, the need to root has diminished — still, the number of incredible things you can do with a rooted phone is enough to tempt many enthusiasts. Luckily, some manufacturers are still putting out root-friendly devices.
News: Razer's New Gaming Phone Leaked in Promo Video Ahead of Announcement
Razer, the company known for PC peripherals and laptops, is joining the smartphone industry with a new device. Rumors have been swirling since they announced an event on November 1 at 4 PM EDT, but now, we have our best look yet with a leaked promotional video before the actual announcement.
News: These Android Phones Could Be Affected by Adups' Chinese Spyware
Kryptowire, a company specializing in mobile security solutions, released a report on Tuesday, November 15 that exposed firmware in a number of Android devices that was collecting personally identifying information (PII) and uploading it to third-party servers without users' knowledge.
News: New iPhone App Fills Your Living Room with a Virtual Orchestra
It may take practice to get to Carnegie Hall, but a new mobile app gives the average iPhone or iPad owner the experience of walking on stage with a live orchestra.
News: New Consumer AR Smartglasses Contender Emerges with Action Air from China's Shadow Technologies
We last saw China-based augmented and virtual reality headset maker Shadow Technologies at last year's Augmented World Expo, where they had the Action One, one of the wildest augmented reality headsets we've seen, on display.
News: Niantic Levels the Pokémon GO Playing Field Between iPhone & Android with ARCore Support
Players of Pokémon GO on Android now have a reason to turn on AR mode with the release of AR+ support via ARCore.
News: Always-Updated List of Phones That Will Get Android Pie
| Updated Aug. 22, 2019 with new phones. When will my phone get Android Pie? For the first time since Android's inception, this question shouldn't have an answer that lets you down. That's because Android Oreo introduced Project Treble, a new low-level arrangement that makes updating a lot easier. So with Pie, it's not if your phone will get it, but when.
News: Always-Updated List of Phones That Will Get Android Oreo
| Updated February 11, 2019 with new phones. When will my phone get Android Oreo? That's a question still being asked by many, even this late in 2018. Most OEMs have answered this question in one way or another, either releasing a stable OTA or confirming their device won't be receiving the update. We consolidated all these responses, and here's where we stand.
News: Always-Updated List of Phones With No Headphone Jack Built-In
The past year brought about a number of trends in the smartphone space. More immersive displays, better processors, and portrait mode for cameras come to mind as big steps forward. One of the most polarizing trends that continued in 2017 is the removal of the 3.5 mm headphone jack from flagship phones. The number of manufacturers that have completely dispensed with wired audio is staggering, so let's run down the full list!
Brief Reality: Exhibitors Pitch Their AR Ideas at IFA 2017
While not specifically an augmented reality conference, IFA 2017 packed a plethora of presentations with AR themes, including devices with AR features from Sony and Motorola, a smartphone-based AR headset from Lenovo, and a new processor from Huawei that will facilitate AR experiences.
News: Looking for a Daydream VR Smartphone? Expect 11 by End of This Year
Earnings calls can be a mixed bag. If things are business as usual, the meetings can be, well, boring.
News: Snapdragon 835 Galaxy S8 Models Are Inferior to Exynos Variants in Almost Every Way
The Galaxy S8, with all its new features, is shining in the news right now as one of the best phones of the year. However, users in the US may be at a disadvantage to those overseas, as it seems that the Snapdragon 835-powered S8 models underperform variants with Exynos processors in almost every category.
News: Ford Announces Plan for $337.9 Million Autonomous Car R&D Center in Canada
The race for the future of the automative world has never been tighter, with reports earlier this week that Tesla is now almost as valuable as Ford. The neck-in-neck companies are focused on the same next big step for automobiles: the driverless car.
News: All the Latest Leaks & Rumors on the LG G8 ThinQ
Update: The LG G8 ThinQ has been announced. You can read all of the official specs at our full article on the new phone.
News: LG G7 ThinQ Comes Packed with Notch, Super Bright Display, Impressive Sound & More
After delaying its launch by four months, LG revealed its 2018 entry to the flagship market on Wednesday, May 2. After years of an underperforming mobile division, the LG G7 ThinQ is the first product since a shakeup within the division to get things back on track, and it brings a number of upgrades over its G6 predecessor.
News: ReplayAR Anchors Your Photos in Real-World Locations So You Can View Them in AR Later
Imagine sitting on your patio, scrolling through your phone's photos, reminiscing about the past. Now imagine being able to see those photos floating in the air, at the exact vantage point from where they were taken a year ago.
News: The OnePlus 7 Pro's GPS Is So Much Better Than Other Phones Thanks to This Unique Feature
We've all been there — using Google Maps for navigation and waiting for the app to find our location. As we drive around, we keep hoping it will get a lock in time to make the next turn. Well in the US, we finally have a solution to this problem, and it's the OnePlus 7 Pro.
News: Marvel Continues Its Augmented Reality Rampage with Iron Man Robot for 'Avengers: Endgame'
Already a dominant force at the box office, Marvel Studios appears intent on establishing itself as the ruler of augmented reality media as well.
News: Microsoft Remote Assist Now Available for Android in Preview
Just weeks after revealing plans to port one of its most vital augmented reality products from HoloLens to the smartphone world, Microsoft has finally opened the mobile software floodgates to the public.
News: University of Washington Researchers Demo Ability to Generate 3D Augmented Reality Content from 2D Images
After joining Google and Huawei in underwriting the UW Reality Lab at the University of Washington in January, it appears Facebook is already seeing a return on its donation.
News: ARCore 1.6 Gifts Developers with Improved Lighting & Support for Screen Capturing
Christmas has arrived early for ARCore app developers, as Google just unwrapped a few iterative improvements to the augmented reality toolkit in version 1.6.
News: Fortnite Beta Is Now Available for All Android Devices
After the limited initial release of the massively popular game on the Android platform, many users have been stuck waiting to play Fortnite. That's because, initially, Epic Games only released the game to Samsung Galaxy devices, and asked non-Samsung users to join an invite list. Well, the wait is finally over.
How To: Boost Fortnite Performance on Android by Changing These Settings
Fortnite's long awaited arrival on Android has ramped up excitement among gamers who are installing the beta version in astounding numbers. With so many midrange and budget devices running Android, however, it's important to stay on top of your device's performance to ensure smooth and uninterrupted gameplay.
News: iPhone 8 May Release on Time After All, Just Without a Key Feature
As with any new smartphone (but especially with Apple), the iPhone 8 is generating rumor after rumor. This newest rumor, however, rocks the boat a bit, as BGR reports that the iPhone 8 may release at Apple's standard time in the fall, but the 3D camera will be pushed to the 8s.
How To: Google Just Slashed Its New Nexus Phones to the Cheapest Price We've Ever Seen
This year's Nexus devices are already two of the best bang-for-your-buck smartphones on the market, but with a new sale price from several retailers across the net, they might just be an unbeatable deal.
How To: Get Dolby Digital Plus Sound on Your Nexus 4
You don't need to be a hardcore audiophile to know that Dolby is pretty much synonymous with rich and immersive sound. While we often associate them with home theater systems, Dolby has brought their surround sound processing to the mobile phone arena with Dolby Digital Plus being offered on several Android devices.
How To: These Are the Slow-Mo Specs You Should Look for in Your Next Phone
Nowadays, our phones are capable of just more than 30 fps video. Phones like the Galaxy S10 can shoot 4K at 60 fps, even on the front camera. Slow motion functionality has recently started to appear on more and more devices — but as you may have noticed, the quality of the feature differs from phone to phone.
News: The LG V40 ThinQ Goes Official — 5 Cameras, 1 Notch & a Laundry List of Top-Tier Specs
LG is really coming strong at the flagship smartphone market in 2018. They have already released three new flagship caliber smartphones this year: the V30S ThinQ, V35 ThinQ, and the G7 ThinQ. But LG isn't done with flagship phones yet — they've just announced the V40 ThinQ.
Hands-on: DreamGlass Looks Like a Cheaper, More Mobile Meta 2, But This Is What We Really Think After Trying It
Earlier this week, we told you about the new DreamGlass augmented reality headset from Dreamworld, a company started by a former Meta executive. The device looks great, and the features sound good, but is it worth your hard-earned cash? I recently took it for a brief spin to find out.
News: Flagship Performance at Midrange Prices — Qualcomm Announces the Snapdragon 710
There's always been a clear divide between flagship and midrange phones. Flagships will run you at least $700, while midrange typically falls between $250 and $550. The main difference is the processor, with midrange phones sporting a 600-series Snapdragon and flagships rocking the 800-series. Now, Qualcomm may have just created another smartphone tier with their newly-unveiled 700-series chip.
How To: Hide the Notch on Any Android Phone
After several Android phones started incorporating the iPhone X's notch, the online community was vocal, with many expressing hatred for the trend. Well, thanks to XDA Forum Moderator Zacharee1, we already have an app to undo the incoming wave of notches.
News: Meet the Nokia 7 Plus — Budget Phones Just Got a Whole Lot Better
With Nokia's relaunch, the iconic company attempted to reimagine the budget phone market. The series of phones they introduced last year challenged the idea that good phones can't be cheap. This year, Nokia introduced the Nokia 7 Plus, a phone which offers perhaps the best balance of specs, software, and price.
How To: Get That Stock Android Feel on Samsung, LG & Other Phones — Without Rooting
Recently, many manufacturers have started offering phones with a clean, stock Android UI. Motorola, Essential, Nokia, and OnePlus are probably the biggest names that have listened to user feedback and shifted more towards AOSP. But if your phone still has a bloated OEM skin, there are a few things you can do about it.