Articles about Android

The Alldocube X is a low-cost 'Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 killer'

Alldocube X

The big news from Samsung recently was the launch of the Galaxy Note9 smartphone, but the company also launched an Android tablet in the form of the Galaxy Tab S4. Starting at $649, the tablet may be beyond the reach of many people, but the Alldocube X is a cheap alternative.

This 10.5-inch Super AMOLED tablet started life as an Indiegogo campaign, and it was 180 percent funded in just 24 hours. Priced at $269 and due for release in October, the Alldocube X is billed as a 'Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 killer' -- but can it live up to this incredibly bold claim?

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Google is tracking your location even when you tell it not to

Locations on a map

An investigation by the Associated Press has found that Google is tracking the location of Android and iPhone users even when privacy settings supposedly explicitly stop this from happening.

The AP concedes that "for the most part, Google is upfront about asking permission to use your location information", but its investigation -- the findings of which were confirmed by researchers from Princeton -- showed that Google services recorded user data even when Location History was disabled.

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Google Play shows warning to anyone searching for Fortnite APKs

Fortnite logo

The arrival of Fortnite on Android has not only been eagerly awaited, but also steeped in controversy. In addition to making the game a Samsung exclusive (for a few days, anyway), Epic Games decided to bypass Google Play and host APK downloads on its own servers.

But this isn't going to stop people looking for Fortnite in the Play Store. Google is well aware of this, and that there is the potential for fake, scam apps to appear, tricking users into downloading something malicious. As such, the company is taking action, and is showing a warning to anyone who searches for Fortnite in Google Play.

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Google has slashed the size of Android apps

Carrot cut in half

To tie in with the launch of Android 9 Pie, Google has given a glimpse into the improvements it has made to the app store.

In a blog post aimed primarily at developers, the director of Google Play, Purnima Kochikar, said that improved discovery features had helped to boost visits to the store by 30 percent while new tools helped to dramatically reduce crash rates. Google also points to new techniques which have enabled it to reduce app size by up to 65 percent.

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Samsung unveils Galaxy Note9 with exclusive Fortnite access, plus Galaxy Watch

Samsung Galaxy Note9

Today -- after weeks of leaks -- Samsung finally revealed the eagerly anticipated Galaxy Note9. While we already knew just about everything about this smartphone, we now know that it has an astonishing price tag (between $1,000 and $1,250) and that it includes exclusive access to the beta version of Fortnite for Android.

At the same event, Samsung also unveiled the Galaxy Watch -- dropping the Gear branding once and for all. Available in 42mm and 46mm models, the watch features LTE connectivity and boasts impressive battery life. But has the launch of the two products lived up to expectations?

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Leaked Fortnite APK reveals secrets of the upcoming Android game

Fortnite for Android

We know that the gaming sensation Fortnite is making its way to Android. We know that the game will not be appearing in Google Play. There have been rumors for some time that Fortnite will be exclusive to Samsung devices for a short time after initial release, and a leaked APK for the game seems to confirm this.

Analysis of the APK shows that Fortnite may not only be exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy Note9, but also the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4. Owners of these devices could retain exclusive access to the game for 30 days.

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Android 9 is... Android Pie! Seriously, Google?

Android 9.0 Pie

Google has revealed what the P in Android P -- otherwise known as Android 9 -- stands for. Despite previous suggestions that it was going to be Pistachio, it is in fact Android Pie.

Just let that half-assed name sink in for a moment. Pie. Not even a specific pie to evoke some sort of imagery. Just a bog standard, run of the mill, common or garden... pie. The name is something of a damp squib and now the game of wait-and-see-if-I-actually-get-the-update begins. Google has already made the source code available on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), and Pie is rolling out to Pixel owners now. Everyone else will just have to wait to see when -- or if -- they get it. So what's new?

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Confirmed: Fortnite for Android will risk players' security by sidestepping Google Play

Fortnite logo

Fortnite for Android is one of the most eagerly-anticipated game launches of recent times, but the impending release could turn out to be something of a security nightmare. Following on from recent rumors, Epic Games has confirmed that Fortnite will not be made available through the Google Play Store.

Instead users will have to download the game directly from Fortnite.com -- something which means they will have to lower the security settings for their phone by allowing the installation of apps from unknown sources. Despite the security risks involved in this, Epic is eager to avoid paying a 30 percent cut to Google for Play Store distribution; but how long before the plan backfires?

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Microsoft releases Windows 10 Redstone 5 Build 17730 with new Your Phone app for Android and iOS

Microsoft rolled out Windows 10 Redstone 5 Build 17728 to Insiders on the Fast ring three days ago, and at the same it teased its new Your Phone app.

This app allows iOS and Android users to sync content from their phones to a Windows 10 PC. Today, the software giant rolls out another new Insider build, and announces that Your Phone is now live.

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Leaked: the Samsung Galaxy Note9 is a super power

Samsung Galaxy Note9 leaked image

Samsung is getting about as leaky as OnePlus these days, and there have been all manner of details about the upcoming Galaxy Note9 slipping out over recent days. Now an official image and leaked video show off the handset in all its glory.

The Galaxy Note9 is due to be unveiled on August 9, but an image (now removed) that appeared on the Samsung site in New Zealand gives us a great look at what to expect. Even better, a leaked teaser video gives us an even better view showing off a new yellow S Pen, and revealing that the phone is "1 terabyte ready".

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Samsung unveils Galaxy Tab S4 premium Android tablet

For whatever reason, Android tablets have largely fallen out of favor with consumers. Some people will blame cannibalization by large-screen smartphones, while others will point to low-quality offerings from no-name manufacturers. I would say both are contributors. Sadly, quality Android tablets are few and far between because the market is littered with low-cost models that are poor quality -- it makes it difficult for the top-tier makers to compete.

Thankfully, Samsung has not yet given up on the Android tablet market. Today, it unveils an absolutely beautiful -- albeit pricey -- 10.5 inch tablet. Called "Galaxy Tab S4," it ships with Android 8.1 and comes with an S Pen at no extra charge. It is powered by an impressive Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Octa Core processor and 4GB of RAM. While the base model is Wi-Fi only, an LTE model is available too.

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Android apps carry hidden Windows 10 malware

Android hazard sign

Over 140 apps on the Google Play store have been discovered to contain malicious Windows executable files.

Researchers at Palo Alto Networks found that among the infected apps, several had more than 1,000 installations and carried 4-star ratings.

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Fortnite is coming to Android -- is your phone supported and will the game ever hit Google Play?

Fortnite for Android setup

Fortnite quickly became a gaming sensation, and the wait for the battle royale game to come to Android has felt like a long one. While Fortnite for iOS is already a reality, Fortnite for Android remains somewhere on the horizon.

But that's not to say there is no news about the Android version of the game. A list recently came to light that seems to reveal the handsets that will support Fortnite, and there is a persistent rumor that the game will initially launch as an exclusive title for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 9. Now it seems as though Fortnite may never make it to Google Play, with Epic Games seemingly looking to avoid paying Google a share of Fortnite-related income.

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Hate phone notches? Google says Android handsets can never have more than two

Smartphone notches

Phones with notches are incredibly divisive, but since Apple launched the iPhone X complete with a little screen cutout, there have been endless copies from other handset manufacturers. But is one notch enough? How about two or more?

If you fall into the "hate" camp when it comes to notches and cutouts it may be hard to convince you to buy such a phone, but for everyone else, Google has set out some new ground rules stating how many a phone can have, and where they can be located.

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OnePlus is bigger than Samsung in India -- oh, and OnePlus 3/3T owners everywhere are getting Android P

OnePlus 6 and box

OnePlus keeps on going from strength to strength, and nowhere is this truer than in India. New analysis shows that the company is now bigger than Samsung in the region in the premium smartphone market.

The company is now the market leader in India -- quite an achievement considering OnePlus only started participating in there fours ago. The rise to first place was helped by the success of the OnePlus 6, but it's also helped by the fact that the company does not abandon its users when it comes to software updates. In seperate news, it has been revealed that both the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T will be getting Android P -- skipping Android 8.1 Oreo completely.

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