Bluetooth Fast Pair for Android 6.0 and up seamlessly connects supported accessories

Bluetooth Fast Pair for Android 6.0 and up seamlessly connects supported accessories

Undoubtedly inspired by the 'magic' Apple was able to accomplish with its W1 chip for Bluetooth accessories, today Google has officially announced Bluetooth Fast Pair for Android. This will work with any device running Android 6.0 and up which has Google Play Services 11.7 or later installed. As the name implies, Fast Pair will make the usually cumbersome pairing procedure for Bluetooth accessories seamless. When a supported device is near your phone, you'll get a notification like the one you see in the capture below (with the image of the product, no less). You simply tap that, and pairing is complete no need to dive into Settings. Furthermore, if the accessory you just connected has its own app in the Play Store, a new notification will tell you about that and let you jump to its listing with one tap. Here's the catch. Fast Pair may be supported on millions and millions of phones and tablets once Play Services 11.7 is rolled out across the world, but the accessories you're trying to pair need to support it too. So for now here's the amazingly long list of those: and Libratone's Q Adapt On-Ear headphones. That's it. Seriously. The Plantronics Voyager 8200 series headsets will be supported soon, but if you own any other Bluetooth accessory you're out of luck. |

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Apple releases iOS 11.1, watchOS 4.1, macOS High Sierra 10.13.1, and tvOS 11.1

Apple releases iOS 11.1, watchOS 4.1, macOS High Sierra 10.13.1, and tvOS 11.1

After a few weeks of beta testing, Apple has finalized and made it available today for supported devices. This release doesn't bring huge new features compared to iOS 11, which debuted last month, but that doesn't mean you should ignore it. Headlining iOS 11.1 are over 70 new emoji, including new food types, animals, mythical creatures, clothing options, more expressive smiley faces, and gender-neutral characters. As usual, there are many improvements and bug fixes in tow too. Support for accessing the app switcher by 3D Touch pressing the edge of the display is brought back, while issues that caused photos to look blurry or not display in the People album when restoring from an iCloud backup have been addressed. You can see the full changelog in the image above, but those seem to be the most important bullet points. Additionally, Apple is making watchOS 4.1 available for its wearables, and this release enables music streaming on with Apple Music or iCloud Music Library. You can also listen to live radio on Series 3 (Beats 1, custom stations, and expert-curated ones too). Also on the music front, Siri can find and play songs, playlists and albums for you on your wrist. Fitness data can be synced with GymKit-enabled treadmills, ellipticals, stair steppers, and indoor bikes. It's now possible to disconnect from a Wi-Fi network in Control Center on Series 3, and many bug fixes are included here as well. macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 is out too, with new emoji of its own, a fix for the , and more reliable Exchange message syncing in Mail. A bug which made Bluetooth unavailable during Apple Pay transactions is fixed, as is an issue relating to Spotlight not accepting keyboard input. Finally, tvOS 11.1 is rolling out to Apple TV (4th gen) and Apple TV 4K. There are no new features to speak of in this case, it's all about unnamed bug fixes and performance enhancements. | | |

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Xiaomi ships 10 million phones in October

Xiaomi ships 10 million phones in October

Xiaomi in September and it has repeated this feat in October as well. Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun posted the good news on his Weibo account while reminding people of the upcoming sale of the (known elsewhere as Mi A1) on November 1. Hey, you dont ship 10 million phones in a month without selling 24/7. Anyway, the company recently set an ambitious goal for itself to ship . That would be a 50% increase over last year (58 million) and a big growth compared to 2015 (its strongest year for now with 70 million shipments). By the way, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella paid Xiaomi HQ a visit today and Lei Jun gifted him a Xiaomi Mi Mix 2. Jun says that Xiaomi and Microsoft have a very close cooperation for phones, laptops and cloud services. (in Chinese)

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Nokia 2 announced with 5-inch display, 4,100mAh battery

Nokia 2 announced with 5-inch display, 4,100mAh battery

As expected, HMD has officially announced the entry-level smartphone. The device comes with a 5-inch HD display, and is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 212 SoC. The handset features an 8MP main camera, and a 5MP front shooter. A large 4,100mAh battery should provide outstanding battery life, given the modest chipset and screen. HMD officially quotes 2-day battery life if you use the phone for 5 hours per day. RAM is 1GB, while internal memory is 8GB with a microSD card slot for expansion. The phone runs Android Nougat out of the box, with Oreo update confirmed to be coming. It comes in three color options: copper, black, and white. Nokia 2 also features Google Assistant, something which the company says makes the device first of its kind in the entry-level segment. HMD said the Nokia 2 will launch in mid November, and will carry a 99 price tag.

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Apple plans to drop Qualcomm modems in 2018

Apple plans to drop Qualcomm modems in 2018

We already reported and has purchased CVD machines to build . A new report says Cupertino is about to change its chipset provider too. According to sources, Qualcomm has stopped providing software for testing the iPhones and therefore Apple is thinking of other options. The change will affect the devices released in fall 2018, which is when the next-gen iPhones will be announced. Right now both companies are , but Qualcomm last said . The chipset company told Reuters the allegations fall flat, since they are committed to supporting Apples new devices consistent with our support of all others in the industry.

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Watch the Nokia event livestream here

Watch the Nokia event livestream here

HMD the Nokia 7 in China, and now we are about to see a new official unveiling. The Nokia 2 is expected to make an appearance. According to that popped up on Saturday, the Nokia 2 is about to arrive with the entry-level chipset Snapdragon 212, coupled with Adreno 304 GPU and 1 GB RAM. One of the s cameras will be 8 MP, while the other will have 5 MP sensor. Internal storage is expected to be 8 GB, and the phone should run Android Nougat 7.1.1. The key selling point of the Nokia 2 is expected to be battery life with an ample 4,000 mAh battery tipped to power the modest chipset.

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New, redesigned Skype for Windows, Mac, and Linux is now available

New, redesigned Skype for Windows, Mac, and Linux is now available

Today Skype is introducing a new look across its desktop apps for Windows, Mac, and Linux. This is in line with the latest redesign of the service's mobile apps. The new version of Skype for desktop has been in a preview state for a while, but it's now rolling out to every single user out there. It features customizable themes, and a chat list that can be organized by time, unread, or your contacts' status. Pinning people or groups means you always have them front and center. You can use a standard or compact view and collapse the chat list to focus more on the conversations. Skype is now lets you send files up to 300MB in size by just dragging and dropping, and it should use less battery power because it's cloud-based. Reactions allow you to easily let people know how anything makes you feel, while @mentions make it easy to get someone's attention in a group chat. Status updates are back, and bots should help you make plans and stay informed. The bell icon lets you access the notification panel which will show you what you've missed reactions to your messages, @mentions in group conversations, or if someone quoted you. The chat gallery is there for quickly finding media, links, and files that have been sent in any specific chat. Skype for Windows 10 will be updated shortly with the new features. If you are using Skype on Mac, Windows 10 November Update (2016) and lower, Windows 8, Windows 7, or Linux and you have automatic updates enabled, you will receive the new version when it's ready. Alternatively, you can go to and manually download and install this iteration.

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Nintendo expects to move 14M Switch consoles

Nintendo expects to move 14M Switch consoles

Nintendo expects to reach its highest earnings in seven years due to impressive Switch sales. The video games maker company doubled its full-year operating profit forecast on Monday after the console production and delivery issues were cleared out. According to Reuters, the Switch demand nearly doubled Nintendos stock price to a nine-year high since the March launch of the console. Sales have exceeded the initial estimate and Switch is on track to surpass the Wii U lifetime sales. Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima said at an earnings briefing that the company had boosted Switch production since it misjudged the demand. Christmas will arrive in less than two months, and although the Japanese company is expecting another sale boost, Microsoft is also joining the race with the Xbox One X console that is supposed to arrive on November 7.

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ZTE Axon M will be available to order from AT&T on November 1, in stores 16 days later

ZTE Axon M will be available to order from AT&T on November 1, in stores 16 days later

the foldable smartphone with two screens earlier this month. Back then we did find out that it would be exclusive to AT in the United States, as well as how much it would cost. The one piece of the puzzle that has been missing until today when you'll be able to grab one. Thankfully, AT has decided to clear the air on that one. The carrier has revealed that it will start taking online orders for the ZTE Axon M on November 1, which is this Wednesday. The device will then become available in stores on November 17, just in time for the holidays. The Axon M is priced at $725 outright, or 30 monthly installments of $24.17 if you choose to use the AT Next payment scheme. The phone comes with two 5.2 1080p LCD touchscreens that, when the Axon M is unfolded, create a 6.75 viewing surface. It's powered by the Snapdragon 821 chipset, and has 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and one 20 MP camera. The device runs Android 7.1.2 Nougat and is kept on by a 3,180 mAh battery.

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Oreo-powered LG G6 spotted in Benchmarks

Oreo-powered LG G6 spotted in Benchmarks

Oreo will soon be rolled out to the .The device has gone through Geekbench running Android 8.0. This indicates that the update is currently under testing. The phone was launched back in March this year, running Android 7.0 Nougat. No official timeframe was given for the Oreo update, but if testing goes smoothly its rollout can't be far away. |

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Canalys: Huawei retains lead in China as Apple grows for the first time in 2 years

Canalys: Huawei retains lead in China as Apple grows for the first time in 2 years

Analyst company Canalys published its report on the Chinese smartphone market in Q3. According to the data, Huawei, Oppo, and vivo are in the lead with 19%, 18% and 17% of all shipments, respectively. The overall shipments declined 5% to 119 million units. The big gainer is Apple, which saw its numbers grow 40%. This is the first growth for the company since the , launched eight quarters ago. Back in June-September 2016, Apple shipped 8 million iPhones. 12 months later the company registered 11 million units. The response to the new and the has been positive, and the Chinese audience is hyped for the . Despite being touted as widely expensive, excitement for the launch of the iPhone X is building in China, says Canalys Research Analyst Mo Jia. Despite the Top 5 strengthening their positions, the decline in shipments is worrying all manufacturers. In Q4 they are hoping to boost sales with the November 11 online shopping festival. Canalys estimates that Xiaomi is going to break the dominance of the Huawei-Oppo-Vivo trio due to its aggressive expansion.

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MIUI 9 Global ROM starts hitting Xiaomi Mi 6

MIUI 9 Global ROM starts hitting Xiaomi Mi 6

MIUI was , but Xiaomi needed more than three months to launch a stable global ROM. Days before the planned , some units already started receiving the firmware. The MIUI V9.0.1.0.NCAMEI brings new system optimizations, new icons, and animations for launching and closing apps. The latest version brings split screen, search for apps in the Dual apps mode and better blocklist rules. Along with some new features, a lot of the existing ones got improved. Some of them include protection from unintentional tapping for Dial pad, the Cleaner now removes empty folders better, and the timers for Silent/DND mode are also improved. Design-wise, MIUI 9 offers simplified virus scan result page, redesigned home page that can also be set in the editing mode. Back in August, of Xiaomi phones that are going to get the new user interface. The Xiaomi Mi 6 is one of two global phones that are part of the first-wave devices to get the new MIUI 9, the other being the .

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Essential Phone early adopters get $200 vouchers

Essential Phone early adopters get $200 vouchers

Last week of its smartphone by $200, bringing the tag down to $499. But if you paid full price for it you'll now be compensated. The company is giving a $200 Friends & Family code to use towards a new Essential Phone or Essential 360 Camera. So you can either hook up a family member or a friend to what is effectively a $299 Essential phone, or get a free camera. So there you go. While the initial $200 discount already made PH-1 an attractive proposition, those with a $200 Friends & Family code can get the phone for an absolute steal.

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Sony Xperia Touch getting Android 7.1.1

Sony Xperia Touch getting Android 7.1.1

Sony's one-of-a-kind Xperia Touch projector running Android is getting a software update. Launched on Android 7.0 and , the device is now being treated to the 7.1.1 version of Google's OS. It's a lot more than an incremental update, however neat features are being added too. Most importantly, the Xperia Touch now gets gesture controls when in wall mode. The input method advertised in early demos didn't make it to the commercial product, and we did miss it when . Well, it's now coming with the update. On top of that, you'll now be able to select left or right orientation for portrait apps. Additionally, you'll now be able to manually adjust focus (in case the autofocus misses the mark) and apply your own keystone correction. Previously only available in wall mode, the automatic switch on upon detecting your presence will now work in table mode as well. The new features definitely make the Xperia Touch worth its $1700/1400 asking price, right? Well, not really, but it was never meant to be a mass market product anyway.

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New Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) update brings BlueBorne fix

New Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) update brings BlueBorne fix

Samsung has started pushing out a new update to its smartphone. Currently hitting units in Europe, the update weighs in at 392MB, arrives as version J530FXXU1AQI3, and brings along fix for the BlueBorne vulnerability. The vulnerability, for those who aren't aware, allows a remote attacker to take control of devices via Bluetooth. What's more bothersome is that the process doesn't even require the device being attacked to be paired to the attackers device, or even to be set on discoverable mode. So this is no doubt an important update. In addition, it also includes Android security fixes for the month of August. |

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BlackBerry Keyone successor already in the works with Snapdragon 660

BlackBerry Keyone successor already in the works with Snapdragon 660

The has definitely been a very successful BlackBerry branded Android device, and it looks like TCL, the company making it, is already working on a successor. The existence of this model has been revealed today through a user agent profile spotted on a TCL website. The upcoming phone will have the model number BBF100-1, which makes sense considering that the Keyone is BBB100-1 and the recently announced is BBD100-1. That's a pretty consistent naming scheme TCL has developed for model designations. The new BBF100-1 has a physical QWERTY keyboard too and it will keep the screen resolution of the Keyone, namely 1,080x1,620. It's unclear if the screen size will stay the same at 4.5, but it wouldn't be surprising if it did. A clear upgrade will come in processing power, because the Keyone's successor will sport Qualcomm's Snapdragon 660 chipset. It comes with a 2.2 GHz octa-core Kryo 260 CPU and the Adreno 512 GPU, along with the X12 LTE modem enabling up to 600Mbps peak download speeds and 150Mbps peak uploads. All in all, it should definitely provide better performance than the Snapdragon 625 inside the Keyone. | (in Dutch)

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iPhone X screen repair to cost $279, while other damage will set you back $549

iPhone X screen repair to cost $279, while other damage will set you back $549

The is , and a lot of people seem to want to grab Apple's first $999 smartphone shipping estimates have already at the moment, in fact. An interesting detail has been revealed by Apple today regarding the iPhone X, and it has to do with repair prices. The company published its flat-fee pricing for units that aren't covered by AppleCare+, and it turns out that if you know you're clumsy you probably shouldn't skip that. A screen-only repair of the iPhone X will set you back $279, while for other damage you will pay $549. For comparison, those numbers are $169 and $399 for the (which starts at $799), and $149 and $349 for the (which starts at $699). So the repair pricing is pretty much in line with each handset's pricing. On the other hand, if you pay $199 for AppleCare+ on top of the $999 for your iPhone X, then you will only shell out $29 for a screen repair and $99 for anything else. All of these prices obviously only apply for the US, things may be wildly different in other parts of the world. |

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New HTC U11 Plus teaser shows a small screen bezel

New HTC U11 Plus teaser shows a small screen bezel

Earlier this week HTC outed its for the upcoming where we expect the to become official. And today the Taiwanese company is back with another picture, this time showing us a teeny tiny bit of the phone's front. While one corner normally isn't much to go on, what's very obvious here is that the bottom screen bezel is much smaller than we've seen from HTC's recent flagships. So it definitely looks like the rumors will pan out and the U11 Plus will be the first HTC handset with a tall 18:9 aspect ratio and small bezels. We wouldn't call this 'near-bezelless' though, for at least the bottom bezel is still definitely there, but it's a nice step forward. The company promises that we'll believe it all on November 2, by the way. The HTC U11 Plus is supposed to feature a 5.99-inch 1,440x2,880 touchscreen, the Snapdragon 835 running things, 4 or 6GB of RAM, and 64 or 128GB of built-in storage. The main camera will be a 12 MP unit with f/1.7 aperture, while selfies will be shot by an 8 MP sensor. The phone has been rumored to sport a beefy 3,930 mAh battery and run Android 8.0 Oreo from day one. We'll find out all about it next week.

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Sony announces Xperia R1 and Xperia R1 Plus mid-rangers

Sony announces Xperia R1 and Xperia R1 Plus mid-rangers

Sony has launched two new smartphones in the Indian market, the Xperia R1 and the Xperia R1 Plus. These are compact, budget Android phones that Sony claims are designed for Indian lifestyle and designed to excite the new Indian, whatever that means. The has a 5.2-inch, TFT LCD with 720p resolution. Inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage. In terms of imaging, the phone has a 13 megapixel camera on the back with Sonys Predictive Hybrid Autofocus, which uses object tracking and motion prediction to focus on moving objects. On the front is an 8 megapixel camera that also has the same focusing system. Other features include a 2,620mAh battery, dual SIM support, USB-C connectivity, FM radio and Android Nougat. The is nearly identical to the R1 but has 3GB RAM and 32GB storage instead. The Xperia R1 is priced at INR 13,990 ($215) and the Xperia R1 Plus at INR 15,990 ($245). Both phones will be available in Black and Silver.

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OnePlus 5T might arrive on November 16

OnePlus 5T might arrive on November 16

Yesterday a photo of the , along with a teaser from Carl Pei, OnePlus co-founder. Now a leaked image popped up, suggesting a November 16 launch date, which is 4 days earlier than the one. The image says Amazon Exclusive and it likely originates from India, since the current flagship OnePlus 5 also was sold only through Amazon there. For some reason the sale date is edited and unavailable. The picture also states Larger display. Same footprint. We expect to see an 18:9 FullView display on the OnePlus 5T and the fingerprint would go on the back, as the image vaguely suggests. OnePlus 5T should arrive with Snapdragon 835 chipset and 6 or 8 GB RAM. The camera is expected to come with 20 MP + 20 MP setup, . It also said the OS will be Android Oreo 8.0.

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Sony Xperia XZ1 is now out in Canada; Nokia 3, 5, and 3310 3G officially coming soon

Sony Xperia XZ1 is now out in Canada; Nokia 3, 5, and 3310 3G officially coming soon

As , the became available to buy in Canada today. The smartphone can be purchased from both Bell and Freedom Mobile. While you can get it for CAD 0 down if you choose either carrier's highest two year plan, if you intend to buy the XZ1 outright you're going to have to spend a whopping CAD 1,000. So even if it doesn't have bezels worthy of a late 2017 flagship smartphone, Sony's device definitely delivers on the premium pricing front. Also of interest to our Canadian readers is the fact that three Nokia phones will be officially available over there soon. Unfortunately there's no solid release date to speak of yet (or any pricing info), but at some point in the coming weeks you will be able to buy a , , or the . HMD Global has signed the first contract for officially licensing a Canadian distributor and this company will make the aforementioned devices available to interested retailers. Some Nokia phones have been purchasable in Canada even until this point, but apparently those haven't been imported using the proper channels. That will change soon for the 3, 5, and 3310 3G. Why the , , and are not making it to Canada yet is unknown. | | | |

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LG mobile division keeps bleeding money in Q3 2017

LG mobile division keeps bleeding money in Q3 2017

LG Electronics posted its Q3 2017 financial results and the trends from and continue. The company keeps going strong, mainly thanks to the Home Appliance & Air Solution divisions, but the mobile communications branch is still unable to turn a profit. he company posted revenue of KRW15.22 trillion ($13.44 billion), which is a 15% increase from Q3 2016. The operating income almost doubled to KRW516.1 billion ($455.7 million). Mobile Communications posted revenue of KRW2.81 trillion ($2.48 billion). This results in an 8% increase over Q3 2016 and 4% higher than the April-June period of this year. The money comes mostly from the sales of the flagship, along with some mid-tier devices like the LG Q6 and the LG K-series. For a second consecutive quarter, the mobile business posted an operating loss, this time KRW375.3 billion ($331.37 million). It is the worst operating result of all four LG divisions, but at least its not as bad as Q3 2016 when the loss was 13% worse or around KRW425 billion. In the following quarter, LG says it will focus on the and will increase sales of both the cameraphone and the mid-tier . The company also optimized manufacturing profits and thus expects better results in Q4 2017. The leader is once again the Home Appliance & Air Solution division. It accounted for one-third of the revenue KRW4.98 trillion ($4.4 billion), which is a 16% increase YoY. Operating income also grew massively 26% YoY.

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Logitech adds Google Assistant integration to Circle security cameras

Logitech adds Google Assistant integration to Circle security cameras

Logitech has announced Google Assistant integration for its Circle 2 and original Circle series of security cameras. This will let you use your voice to tell your camera to stream its footage to your TV. For this to work, you first need to link your Circle account in the Google Assistant. Then you need either the Google Home or an Android or iPhone with Google Assistant as well as a Chromecast or TV with Chromecast built-in. Once you have all the pieces in place, you will be able to talk to your camera using Google Assistant and tell it to stream directly to your television. Admittedly, you do need to be fully invested in the Google ecosystem for this to work but if you are someone who has the aforementioned items already in your home then this new feature is certainly nice. This feature is available in the US today and will be coming to Europe soon. The Circle 2 Wired and Wire-Free are priced at $179.99 and $199.99, respectively.

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Oppo R11s goes live on Oppo's site days before announcement

Oppo R11s goes live on Oppo's site days before announcement

The Oppo R11s is now almost completely revealed, days before it is supposed to be announced on . The phone is now officially listed on Oppo's Chinese website so people can register their interest in buying it. There's also a live for the Oppo R11s. You'll be able to buy the Oppo R11s in Champagne, Black, Red and a special Star Screen red, in which the red color continues under the front glass. Judging by the current price of the Oppo R11 around 3,000 CNY for the 64GB model we can expect something similar for the Oppo R11s. The Oppo R11s is said to retain the Snapdragon 660 chipset and 4GB of RAM of its predecessor but upgrade the dual cameras on the back. The front holds a 6.0-inch 1080x2160px AMOLED with a tall 18:9 aspect ratio and no physical buttons. Meanwhile Oppo has quietly released a 128GB version of its Oppo R11 so far the phone was only available in 64GB flavor.

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New Samsung Pay update brings Android Oreo support

New Samsung Pay update brings Android Oreo support

Samung has started pushing out a new update to its mobile payments app Pay. Currently rolling out in India, the update brings along support for Android Oreo OS. What's interesting is that none of the South Korean company's smartphones have received the Android 8.0 update yet. So Samsung Pay getting Oreo support in India suggests the update could be arriving to at least some Samsung phones in the country. Alternatively the tech giant might be preparing to launch an Oreo beta program in India, as recent suggest such a program is currently being prepped for the US. |

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Microsoft permanently discontinues Kinect

Microsoft permanently discontinues Kinect

Microsoft has ended the production of Kinect and permanently discontinued the device, according to a report by . The Microsoft Kinect was first introduced back in 2009 at E3 under the codename Project Natal and was launched next year after it was officially given the name Kinect at E3 2010. Unlike the motion tracking systems of that time, which included the Wii and PlayStation Move controllers, the Kinect did not require any device in the users' hands and would track the entire person using multiple cameras and sensors. This allowed for a more elaborate motion tracking experience as your entire bodys movement could be tracked, something the competition simply could not do. The Kinect went on to become the fastest selling consumer device in history, something it holds a Guinness World Record for. However, the demand eventually tapered off as not a lot of content was being developed for it. When Microsoft launched the Xbox One, it also launched an updated version of the Kinect alongside it and to make sure this time the developers made content for it, it was bundled along with every Xbox One console. However, this resulted in high price of the overall bundle, which meant while Sony was selling PS4s hand over fist, Microsoft was struggling to get the Xbox One off the shelves. This resulted in Microsoft eventually unbundling the Kinect from the Xbox One and reducing the price of the console. For all intents and purposes, this was the death knell for Kinect and todays announcement just put the final nail in the coffin that was made three years ago. While Kinect may be dead, Microsoft eventually moved on to other motion tracking projects, such as HoloLens and the recent Windows Mixed Reality. Meanwhile, PrimeSense, the company behind the sensors in the original Kinect, was acquired by Apple and is likely responsible for the FaceID camera system on the . So in some ways, Kinect continues to live with us in spirit.

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Google starts investigating clicking/ticking sound issue with Pixel 2

Google starts investigating clicking/ticking sound issue with Pixel 2

Recently, it that some users of Google's new smartphones are complaining that their units are making 'clicking and high pitch frequency sounds.' Well, the company has now provided an update on the issue. According to a Google employee, who is Community Manager at the official Pixel forum, the company has started investigating the problem. Orrin also noted that the problem which he says affects only a small number of Pixel 2 users doesn't affect the performance of the device in any way. As a temporary solution, he suggested turning off NFC. Sadly, there's currently no information on when the issue will be fixed and rolled out to the affected units.

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Gmail gets native add-ons across Android and web clients

Gmail gets native add-ons across Android and web clients

Google is officially making Gmail add-ons available for everyone today, following a developer preview release that happened earlier this year. That has helped third parties build various add-ons for Gmail. Add-ons simplify your workflow because they allow you to perform certain actions (that so far would have required jumping to other apps) straight in Gmail. Your inbox can contextually surface specific add-ons based on the messages you receive, thus helping you get things done faster. Add-ons for Gmail work in both the Android app and the web client, and you only need to install once to access them on all your devices. To start using these, click the settings wheel in the top right of your inbox and choose Get add-ons. At the moment you'll find add-ons from Asana, Dialpad, Hire, Intuit QuickBooks Invoicing, ProsperWorks, RingCentral, Smartsheet, Streak, Trello, and Wrike, with DocuSign coming soon.

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The Nikkei: Apple can ship only 20 million iPhone X this year

The Nikkei: Apple can ship only 20 million iPhone X this year

that Apple will ship 25-30 million units this year, but information reported by points to an even lower number around 20 million. It sounds like manufacturing issues started a long way back and even though they are clearing up now, it will still affect the launch. Apparently, the new OLED screens were the first issue to occur they wouldnt bond to the protective glass properly. With that fixed, the TrueDepth camera posed the next challenge. That too has been fixed and now the factories are cranking out iPhone X units at a pace of 10 million a month. That sounds like a lot, but there isnt much of 2017 left (and keep in mind shipping the phones to stores also takes time). Apple is reportedly talking to more manufacturers to increase the supply of components. The company is well known for sourcing a component from two or even three manufacturers. However, the X represents a major technological break from the traditional iPhones so it seems that wasnt possible, at least at first.

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Google Pixel and Pixel XL now getting Google Lens

Google Pixel and Pixel XL now getting Google Lens

Google has quietly started updating the Photos app on the and with the new Google Lens feature. Google Lens in Photos can detect objects and places in your photos and give you more information. It can also detect phone numbers and addresses and give you contextual actions like Call or Navigate. The new feature was first reported by Reddit user from Google Photos v3.7.171902479 and since he hadn't received a Play store update the feature likely came through a server rollout. A few other users have reported the Google Lens feature in the Photos app on their Google Pixel first generation. Google Lens in Photos is not to be mistaken with Google Lens in Assistant, which is still only a and feature. |

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Apple Pay arrives in Denmark, Finland, Sweden and UAE

Apple Pay arrives in Denmark, Finland, Sweden and UAE

Apple Pay has now expanded to Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates, . The addition of Sweden, Denmark and Finland leaves only Norway from the Scandinavian region to receive Apple Pay. Meanwhile, the UAE becomes the first Middle Eastern nation to support Apple Pay. Now banks and financial institutions in a total of 20 countries support Apple's secure payment system. Naturally Apple is working to further expand Pay's reach. You can check which banks work with Apple Pay . |

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Google Pixel 2 users reporting high-pitched and clicking sounds with their units

Google Pixel 2 users reporting high-pitched and clicking sounds with their units

Shortly after Google said it's investigating the with the new phones, another Pixel 2-specific issue has come to light. Basically, a large number of users are reporting that their units are making 'clicking and high pitch frequency sounds.' Here's what exactly users are observing (as explained by one of the affected users at the official Pixel forum): Whenever the phone is unlocked, I can hear a constant ticking (like the second hand of a watch) if the phone is against my ear. Doesn't happen when the screen is off, or when the screen is on but the phone is locked. Things like reboot, factory reset, or even turning on the safe and airplane modes have no affect on the issue. However, some users say turning off NFC removes the clicking sound, although there's no affect on the high pitched whine. While Google hasn't officially said anything on the issue, a support staff for what it's worth said a fix for the issue will arrive sometime next week. Meanwhile, users are also being asked to contact 1:1 support to discuss the possibility of a replacement.

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Sprint offers $350 off the iPhone X if you trade in an eligible smartphone

Sprint offers $350 off the iPhone X if you trade in an eligible smartphone

We are now fast approaching the start point for pre-orders. These will go live on Friday morning, and Sprint is the first carrier to reveal the deal it's prepared for would-be iPhone X owners. It's a pretty nice sounding affair, but not without caveats of course. You can save as much as $350 on the handset, which should come in handy considering its $999 starting price. In order to take advantage of those savings however, you will need to use Sprint's Flex leasing scheme and trade in an eligible smartphone. The list of those includes the and , and , and , and , and , , , , and , and , , , , , and , , and the . If you bring one of those in you will pay $22.22 per month for the iPhone X, as part of an 18-month leasing program. After a year, you can trade the iPhone X in for a new lease. If you stick with the iPhone X after those initial 18 months, your payment jumps to $41.62 per month for six more months. All of that means you'll be shelling out a grand total of $649.68 for the handset, which is around $350 off its full retail value. The deal is going to be available for both existing Sprint customers and those who want to switch to the carrier.

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White Google Pixel 2 sees shipping delays

White Google Pixel 2 sees shipping delays

Another year, another Google phone shipping fiasco. The original and were almost impossible to find in stock for months after their launch, and while the new and don't seem to be having issues on the same order of magnitude (at least ), there still are some hiccups here and there. Case in point the Clearly White Pixel 2. This color version of the smaller handset is going to see delays in shipping that will be over a month in some cases. For certain people who pre-ordered this model and got an initial shipping estimate of October, that's now being changed to late November. The information comes from a few different posts on Reddit, made by people who have received emails from Google about the delay. To make this pill easier to swallow, the company is offering a code for a free Live Case to those affected. The code itself will arrive in a subsequent email. Year after year we hope Google gets its logistics act together (and discovers that the world consists of more than 6-7 countries), but maybe 2017 isn't the lucky one either. The wait continues. | |

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The Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016) is finally getting Android 7.1.1

The Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016) is finally getting Android 7.1.1

Samsung is rolling out the Android 7.1.1 update to the in Poland and possibly elsewhere in Europe, . In addition to what Android 7.1.1 brings on its own, Samsung has included its latest Experience 8.5 into the firmware, bringing the Galaxy J5 (2016) to Galaxy Note8 levels of software functionality (minus hardware-specific features, of course). Experience 8.5 is much faster than Experience 8.1 which is built on Android 7.0 that premiered on the Galaxy S8. If you own a Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016) and haven't seen a prompt for an update you can check manually through Settings -> About Device -> Download Updates Manually.

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Pay with Google autofills forms so you don't have to

Pay with Google autofills forms so you don't have to

Starting today Google is rolling out Pay with Google to Android devices and the Chrome browser. The feature will automatically fill your card information (which you've given Google for Google Play, Android Pay or YouTube Red) in online payment forms, sparing you the need to manually enter your card number and security digits. You'll then be prompted to confirm the payment with a security code on your Android phone. As of today Pay with Google supports 15 businesses with more to come soon. Developers can pick up the Google Payment API and start implementing Pay with Google to their apps. Google says that it doesn't charge any transaction fees.

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Nokia 7 scores over 100k registrations ahead of first flash sale tomorrow

Nokia 7 scores over 100k registrations ahead of first flash sale tomorrow

The , which was officially unveiled last week, has managed to score over 100K registrations in China ahead of its first flash sale which is set for tomorrow, October 24. While the 100K figure indicates a decent level of interest, it's worth pointing out that these are not pre-orders no money has changed hands yet. So the final sales numbers are bound to be much lower than this. As for pricing, the 4GB RAM variant carries a CNY 2,499 (around $377 or 320) price tag, while the 6GB RAM variant will set you back CNY 2,699 ($407 or 345). |

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HTC U11 Life Geekbench outing reveals Snapdragon 660 SoC, Android Nougat

HTC U11 Life Geekbench outing reveals Snapdragon 660 SoC, Android Nougat

The , which is to debut on November 2, has now been spotted in a benchmark listing. The Geekbench profile reveals key details like Snapdragon 660 SoC and Android 7.1.1 Nougat. Recent suggested the device will be powered by Snapdragon 630 chipset and run Android 8.0 Oreo. And while Oreo might still be on the cards if the tested unit wasn't running finalized software, the chipset upgrade seems like great news. The Geekbench listing for the phone also reveals 3GB RAM, which is inline with what we've heard so far. As for other specs, rumors so far say the U11 Life will sport a 5.2-inch display, feature a 16MP/16MP camera combo, and pack in a 2,600mAh battery. |

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Nokia 2 briefly listed on US retailer's website

Nokia 2 briefly listed on US retailer's website

The upcoming entry-level Nokia 2 smartphone was briefly listed on a US retailer's website. The Best Buy listing which has since been taken down not only revealed the device is coming to the US, but also gave away the phone's pricing $99 and color options (black and white). The phone recently by authorities in Russia and is to go official sometime next month. Leaks so far claim the Nokia 2 features , which is unlike other Nokia-branded smartphones from HMD. Other rumored specs for the phone include Snapdragon 210 or 212 chipset and a .

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Counterclockwise: plotting the average camera resolution through the years

Counterclockwise: plotting the average camera resolution through the years

The camera megapixel race is dead as most flagships have scaled back and instead chosen to race with wider apertures and secondary snappers. But mid-range and entry-level phones have been catching up in the megapixel count, pushing the average higher and higher. We took the 100 most popular phones from our database for each year. For those we averaged the megapixels of their main camera (for dual camera phones, the higher resolution sensor was used in the calculations). As expected, we see an upwards trend to the average pixel count. Growth accelerates from 2011 to 2015 and then it tapers off. There is not a lot to be gained by increasing the resolution after a certain point if you don't increase the sensor size too. A bigger sensor will require a thicker optical assembly and phone designers are sworn enemies of thickness (for better or for worse). Samsung recently unveiled the first sensor with , which offers 24MP resolution in a slim module. But in the dark it has to resort to pixel binning to keep noise in check. To make things interesting, we also found the highest resolution among the Top 100 and plotted it on the chart. You can see what were calling the PureView peak the Nokia 808 PureView and Lumia 1020 (so far the only 41MP phones in history) go off the chart (almost literally). Theres one interesting dip before the Nokias though, all of the Top 100 phones for 2011 had an 8MP or lower-res camera. A surprising drop after two years of 12MP shooters dominating. There were a couple of Motorolas with a 13MP cameras in 2011, but they didnt make the list (they are China Telecom devices with no global availability). Time has proven HTC right megapixels do not equal image quality. Most flagships today use cameras with 12MP-16MP resolutions and even Sony with its large sensors and after years of pushing 23MP sensors came down to 19MP for its XZ darlings. Honestly, were not too sad to see the 20+ megapixel cameras go. We find dual cameras more enticing as they offer flexibility in photography you cant match with pure resolution wide-angle or telephoto lens, portrait mode and better low-light perfomrance.

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Weekly poll: Which Huawei Mate 10 is the right one for you?

Weekly poll: Which Huawei Mate 10 is the right one for you?

Weve of Huaweis flagship lineup, though we confess were still not 100% sure which phone we like better the vanilla or the supposedly better . Were fans of the pricing Huaweis (and Leicas) greatest hardware for 700-800 sounds great when the competition charges 900+. are solid if not earth-shattering, the storage situation is good, though a tad confusing. The vanilla Mate 10 only comes with 4GB/64GB storage, but there are two good news theres a microSD slot and the customary 100 memory upgrade actually gets you the Pro model... which does not have a microSD slot. Or a 3.5mm headphone jack. It does add IP67 waterproofing and switches to an 18:9 AMOLED screen... of lower resolution than the vanilla phone. It does offer a wider color gamut on top of the HDR10 support. See, this is our issue Huawei gives with one hand and takes with the other. What if we wanted AMOLED screen and a 3.5mm jack? Or stick to the media-friendly 16:9 screen, but upgrade to 128GB storage (and keep the microSD slot while were at it). Theres no such Mate 10 in Huaweis product line and there are at least four phones carrying that name. The Mate 10 Lite is really a rebadged Honor so it doesnt count, the Mate 10 Porsche Design has memory aplenty but it is overpriced and needlessly posh (VIP card, really?). So, do you have a clear favorite or are you as confused about which Huawei Mate 10 is better as us?

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Weekly poll results: people are warming up to Android One, Nexus line still missed

Weekly poll results: people are warming up to Android One, Nexus line still missed

With Android One phones picking up speed, if you thought that this line of Google-backed smartphones could take the place of the discontinued Nexus line. The likes of and won the vote, though barely. A major concern was that these two are still running Nougat while the Pixels and supported Nexus phones are . People also wished for some higher-end specs the Nexus were flagship phones, after all. Were not sure if well see that, instead phones like the new Nokias and OnePlus will be delivering pure Android and premium spec. Theres an argument to be made for keeping Android One true to its original purpose affordable Android phones with reliable software. Like the recent KRACK vulnerability in Wi-Fis WPA2 showed, timely security updates are vital and customized Androids rarely get them quickly.

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Nokia 9 leaks in new image; Nokia 2 gets certified in Russia

Nokia 9 leaks in new image; Nokia 2 gets certified in Russia

The has already been the subject of several so far. And now, another image for the device has leaked. Specifically, the image in question shows the back plate of phone. If you compare, the design this new image leaks including the dual-camera hump is inline with what we have . As for specs, rumors so far have revealed the phone will sport a 5.50-inch AMOLED display (an 18:9 panel with QHD+ resolution). It will measure 140.9 x 72.9 x 7.5mm, although thickness would be 8.9mm if you take the camera hump into consideration. Rumored price tag is 750, and availability is said to be set for early 2018. Moving on, in another Nokia-related news, the Nokia 2 smartphone has been certified by regulators in Russia. Specifically, the Nokia 2 dual SIM TA-1029 has been approved for the market. The low-end device is to launch in the month of November. No information on pricing yet.

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Dual-SIM Samsung Galaxy Note8 drops to under $800 in US

Dual-SIM Samsung Galaxy Note8 drops to under $800 in US

The dual-SIM variant of has received another price cut in the US. , eBay seller was offering the unlocked, Exynos-powered model for $819.99. And a quick look at the listing now reveals the tag has dropped further to $799.99. As far as color options are concerned, only gold, gray, and pink are available black and blue are listed as out of stock. Keep in mind that the device works only with GSM networks, as it's the international model. It's worth mentioning that Samsung isn't officially selling the dual-SIM Galaxy Note8 in the US currently, but it's been on sale through eBay for now.

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ZTE Blade X launches exclusively at Cricket for $119.99

ZTE Blade X launches exclusively at Cricket for $119.99

ZTE's back in May, and today it's being joined by a smaller sibling, the adequately named Blade X (sans Max). This device features a 5.5-inch 720p touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera, a 5 MP front-facing snapper, Dolby Audio, and an FM radio. It's powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 chipset, aided by 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage. A 3,000 mAh battery ensures smooth operation, while for connectivity you get Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C, and 4G LTE. The Blade X runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat. You can already order the phone from for just $119.99, provided that you switch to the carrier or upgrade an existing account. It comes with the Argus suite of health apps by Azumio preinstalled, helping you track your steps, heart rate, sleep, glucose, and fitness. The operation of these apps is made possible by the Blade X's built-in pedometer and heart rate monitor. |

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Report says HTC U11 Life arriving on November 2 for 400

Report says HTC U11 Life arriving on November 2 for 400

We HTC is working on an Android One smartphone dubbed . In fact, the device has already had most of its key specs . However, there has been no word on its pricing and availability. Well, that was until now, as a new report is suggesting the phone will be made official at the company's November 2 event ( ). The report also says pricing would be around 400 in Europe. The complete spec sheet has been revealed as well, most of which is inline with what all has been already leaked. The info includes 5.2-inch full HD display, Snapdragon 630 SoC, and 3GB/32GB memory configuration. The handset features a 16MP main camera with HDR and 4K support. The selfie camera is also 16MP. OS is said to be Oreo, and battery capacity is 2,600mAh. Other key details the report confirms include NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C port, USonic headphones, IP67-certification for dust and water proofing, and home button-embedded fingerprint sensor. Color options for the phone include Sapphire Blue and Ice White.

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Apple decreases iPhone 8 production as demand wanes

Apple decreases iPhone 8 production as demand wanes

The that iPhone 7 is outselling the looks to have been right on the money. New intel from Taiwan says that Cupertino asked suppliers to reduce production by nearly 50% for the following two months. In the same time, Canadas carrier Rogers was quoted to say that the interest in the latest iPhone has been anemic. In the meantime, Verizon CFO said that low demand is expected. The number of third-quarter phone upgrades fell short, compared with previous years, but this is due to interest in the iPhone X, not because of dissatisfaction with the iPhone 8 and . Consumer Reports placed iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus at fourth and fifth place in its list of best-performing smartphones, behind three Samsung Galaxy S flagships. Only time will tell if Apple has something to worry. KGI said that 2-3 million units of the would be available for immediate dispatch on November 3, the launch date of the Apple flagship.

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vivo announces expansion to 6 new markets

vivo announces expansion to 6 new markets

vivo is among the top 5 vendors in the world, according to Gartners latest market report and is also of the next two FIFA World Cup tournaments. And to capitalize on its growing brand recognition today it announced its plans for expansion to six new markets in the following months. The company will appear soon in Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong. It will also make its European debut by launching official sales in Russia. The company also declared a push to the African market with sales in Morocco and Kenya. The new countries will join the list, which already contained India, Thailand, Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Cambodia and Bangladesh. The brand aims to offer devices and inspire confidence and self-expression in more young people, meaning it will continue to manufacture devices focused on camera and audio experience. One of the latest phones, the , has a 24MP front camera with a selfie flash dubbed Moonlight Glow, Face Beauty 7.0 and Portrait Mode.

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Logitech announces UE Blast and Megablast Bluetooth speakers with Alexa

Logitech announces UE Blast and Megablast Bluetooth speakers with Alexa

Logitech has announced two new Ultimate Ears speakers, the Blast and the Megablast. While on the surface they look like slightly redesigned Boom 2 and Megaboom, both of these new speakers feature Amazon Alexa built-in. Like Amazons Echo series of devices, both Blast and Megablast feature Amazons voice assistant built-in. Using an array of far-field microphones, the speakers can listen to your queries once you say the magic word, presumably even over the sound of music playing through its speakers. As youd expect, both speakers have Wi-Fi and need to stay connected to the internet for Alexa to work, although they can be used without it as regular old Bluetooth speakers. Along with Alexa, users also get three months of Amazon Music subscription for free, which is streamed directly over the internet instead of through the connected phone. This also works with iHeartRadio and TuneIn, meaning you can get away with not having your phone paired with these at all for playing music and just stream everything from the cloud. Apart from that, they really are like the other Ultimate Ears speakers that came before them, which means they sound really good (we are fans of how the Ultimate Ears speakers sound), are water-resistant and have 12 hours and 16 hours of battery life on the Blast and Megablast, respectively. There is also an optional charging dock available, that lets you play music while the device is charging. The UE Blast is priced at $229.99 and the UE Megablast at $299.99. The Power Up charging dock is priced at $39.99.

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Samsung Gear Sport lets you control smart devices with a turn of the bezel

Samsung Gear Sport lets you control smart devices with a turn of the bezel

Samsung's new smartwatch in August this year and it recently. The device is powered by version 3.0 of the Tizen-based wearable platform, making it the first wearable of its kind. It appears though that there's one feature that went under the radar and only recently came to light. The functionality in question is the ability to control smart devices by using the rotating bezel of the smartwatch. The functionality has its roots in Gear Sport's compatibility with Samsung Connect, which is the companys home automation platform for controlling devices and appliances, including lights, door locks, and TVs. The company's smartwatch is also to get the Tizen 3.0 update, which should bring this 'control through bezel' functionality as well. Sadly, there's currently no info on exactly when the update will arrive. The Gear Sport is set to go on sale on October 27.

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