Search Results for: samsung

Google has expanded Android's Emergency Location Service to more people in the US, making it easier for emergency services to locate people when responding to a 911 call out.

Emergency Location Service (ELS) has been around in Android for a couple of years now, and it uses a combination of GPS, Wi-Fi, mobile networks and sensors to provide responders with accurate location information about callers, no matter whether they are inside or outside.

Continue reading →

Nowadays, it seems like everyone owns either a smart TV or a media box. They are a great way to consume streaming media, including Netflix, Hulu, and more.

The problem? Searching for content using a remote can be very tedious. Quite frankly, it can be maddening to search for movies, TV shows, and music using an on-screen keyboard. Sure, voice search is a passable alternative, but it’s far from perfect. In an effort to improve both navigation and search on smart TVs and media boxes, Logitech unveils an elegant new product. Called K600 TV Keyboard, it features a full keyboard, trackpad, and d-pad.

Continue reading →

The latest version of the popular Android emulator for Windows, BlueStacks 4, is now available, bringing with it a huge performance boost over its predecessor. The new release also sees the emulator jumping from KitKat to Nougat as its base -- specifically Android 7.1.2.

The developers say that BlueStacks 4 is many times faster than the Samsung Galaxy S9+ -- or "any mobile on Earth" according to the blurb -- and features Hyper-G Graphics for unparalleled visuals in games. But besides performance, there are lots of other changes in the latest version of this emulator.

Continue reading →

When it comes to external storage, solid state drives are ideal. Since they have no moving parts, they won't be damaged by being jostled about in a bag. Not to mention, they are significantly faster than mechanical hard disk drives too. The problem? Solid state drives can be rather pricey compared to hard drives when cost per gigabyte is considered. And so, some people still leverage HDDs when on the go.

Looking to mitigate the potential dangers of using an external hard drive when out and about, ADATA today announces an extremely rugged model. Called "HD830," the aluminum body has an internal anti-shock coating and an external silicone casing. Yeah, this turns a typically slim 2.5-inch hard drive into a chunky monstrosity, but if protecting your data is important, the added thickness and heft could be worth it. Even the USB port is protected by a cover, although it is not USB-C sadly. Instead, it utilizes the awkwardly shaped micro USB 3.0. The drive exceeds IP68, and ADATA claims it can be submerged in 6.5 feet of water for up to two hours.

Continue reading →

Trendsetter Apple has done it again! Just when you thought there was no innovation left in the smartphone market, CEO Tim Cook delivers the wildly price-disruptive iPhone XS Max 512GB for heart-stopping $1,449. Smartphones simply don't cost this much. What other company would stoop so low by reaching so high? This thing is a monster with its 6.5-inch (nearly) edge-to-edge display; 2688 x 1242 resolution at 458 pixels per inch (less than Google Pixel 2 XL at 2880 x 1440 and 538 ppi); and dual-SIM support (so telemarketers can ring more often on two numbers).

For anyone whose hands aren't too small to hold the new thang, iPhone XS Max is sure to draw maximum attention, letting all the little people know just how big a deal you are. Praise be Mr. Cook. Only the privileged can afford this beautiful, beastly slab, short of taking out a second mortgage or cashing in their 401K.

Continue reading →

Whether genuine leaks or a carefully orchestrated PR campaign, details of OnePlus phone releases nearly always slip out ahead of the big day. The OnePlus 6T is no different.

We've already heard rumors that the upcoming handset will ditch the cumbersome rear-mounted reader in favor of one that's built directly into the screen. Now OnePlus has confirmed that this is in fact the case.

Continue reading →

Thunderbolt 3 docks can be quite amazing. I recently reviewed such a dock made by StarTech and came away very impressed. That dock can transform a MacBook Pro or Windows 10 laptop into a desktop. It is designed to be kept at home or in the office -- stationary on a desk.

But what if you want a Thunderbolt 3 dock for when you are on the go? If you have a MacBook Pro, for instance, that isn't so crazy. Since you only have USB-C ports, a portable dock can be a great way to expand connectivity without carrying multiple dongles. In fact, there are already some portable TB3 docks on the market, Today, Elgato (a company recently acquired by CORSAIR) unveils its latest such product -- Thunderbolt 3 Mini Dock.

Continue reading →

The launch of a T version of OnePlus handsets has become an annual event, and a new leak gives us a good idea of what to expect from the upcoming OnePlus 6T.

What purports to be images of the retail box for the OnePlus 6T has been shared on Weibo and -- assuming it is genuine -- it gives us a glimpse of what to expect from the upcoming handset. We can see that there appears to be a smaller, redesigned notch, and also a fingerprint reader that's built into the screen.

Continue reading →

If you have a OnePlus 6, you can now get your first taste of Pie as the Android 9.0-based Open Beta has arrived.

OnePlus is often among the first handset manufacturers to release upgrades to the latest Android versions, and things are no different with Pie. At the moment it's not clear how many betas there might be, or when OnePlus intends to release the final version of its slightly-customized version of the operating system, but this beta release is the first step on that journey -- at least for those who weren't tempted by the earlier developer preview.

Continue reading →

Like unwanted mushrooms popping up after rain, Pixel 3/XL rumors are everywhere. Google gets gravy from all the free fan- and blog-post hype. Am I imagining, or is there even more buzz than for the next iPhone(s), which presumably comes soon (Apple sent out invites yesterday for a September 12 product event).

Buzz is the measure of interest—and while iPhone has commanding market share, Pixel's mindshare is formidable. Someone tell me: Is Google's new device really going to be that good? The leaked photos aren't that inspiring with respect to design (little is different). Or perhaps expectations about iPhone X (and its companions) are low—and maybe for good reason.

Continue reading →

Following a successful launch in the US a year ago, Facebook is launching its Watch service globally. Competing directly with the likes of YouTube, Facebook Watch is the social network's platform for original video content, including Major League Baseball games and entertainment news.

Just 12 months after launching in the US, the service enjoys 50 million monthly viewers and Facebook will be hoping to continue this success in other parts of the world. The company is pushing the social aspect of Facebook Watch as a major draw.

Continue reading →

The CEO of Epic Games has slammed Google's "irresponsible" disclosure of a security bug in its hit game Fortnite. Tim Sweeney accused Google of trying to "score cheap PR points" by revealing a vulnerability in the game's installer.

Epic chose to bypass Google Play when it released Fortnite for Android leading to concerns about security. On Friday, Google revealed details of a security flaw that could be exploited to secretly install malware onto people's phones.

Continue reading →

It seems that the concerns about Fortnite's security were well-founded -- although not necessarily for the reasons some people might have expected. Epic Games has been criticized for its decision not to make Fortnite available through Google Play, leading Google to show warnings to anyone conducting searches for the game.

Now a Google engineer just revealed that the first version of Epic's installer had a serious security vulnerability, placing Android users at risk. A post on Google's Issue Tracker shows that the installer could be abused to secretly download and install any app with any level of permissions -- a Man-in-the-Disk exploit.

Continue reading →

Security is a serious business (including for Fortnite-maker Epic Games), but it's not something most people take seriously enough -- as the number of weak and reused passwords out there shows. Epic, however, has just given players of its hit game an incentive to enable two-factor authentication on their account.

By enabling 2FA in Fortnite, players can unlock a hidden extra -- the Boogiedown emote. While this is undoubtedly a form of bribery, it is no bad thing. There are just a few simple steps you need to follow to access the new emote.

Continue reading →

As Samsung, Apple and even the likes of OnePlus push out flagship smartphones with ever-larger price tags, it's little wonder that people are increasingly seeking out cheaper alternatives. Where there's demand, supply follows, so there's no end of choice when it comes to handsets that pack a punch without breaking the bank.

It's possible -- probable, even -- that you've not heard of Poptel, but the Poptel P10 is a phone that's worthy of a second look. No, it's not a flagship-killer. No, it's not anything even approaching a competitor for the iPhone X or Samsung Galaxy Note9. But it is a highly capable dual-SIM phone which is waterproof, dustproof and shockproof, that boasts good looks, a slim design, and a pair of decent cameras.

Continue reading →