OnePlus 5 Special Edition may be launched at Paris event on September 19

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At an event in Paris next week, OnePlus is teaming up with French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. The company is giving nothing away at the moment, but it's widely expected that we'll see an announcement about OnePlus 5 Special Edition -- possibly called Callection.

A leaked photograph shows a box that bears the words "Shot on OnePlus JCC+" on the side -- surely a reference to a Jean-Charles de Castelbajac special edition of the phone.

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Android Oreo's Wi-Fi Passpoint support makes hotspot switching simple

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We've already heard a lot about what's new in Android 8.0 Oreo, but something that has not received much attention is its support for Wi-Fi Passpoint. Also known as Hotspot 2.0, the technology was introduced by the Wi-Fi Alliance way back in 2012 as a way to simplify the process of moving from one wireless hotspot to another.

Anyone who has connected to a hotspot while walking through a city will have experienced the frustration of having to log into one hotspot after another in order stay connected to the internet. Wi-Fi Passpoint makes jumping from one hotspot to the next as simple as using a data connection, eliminating the need for login credentials. Support in Oreo is a great step forward... but Google has chosen to make it optional for OEMs.

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Facebook tests Instant Video downloading over Wi-Fi to save your data

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Facebook has managed to effectively reduce page loading times for its users with the Instant Articles feature. Now the social network is looking to do something similar with video content.

The feature is called Instant Videos, and it works by automatically downloading videos when there is a Wi-Fi connection available so they can be watched later without having to use a data connection. Instant Videos is undergoing testing with a limited number of users at the moment ahead of a possible wider rollout.

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How to make Android and iOS apps smaller

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In an ideal world, if you were the sole provider of any service through app and the users had unlimited resources on their devices, there would be no question of optimization and terms like agility and even user experience would be redundant. But as you might know, the current state of app industry is anything but ideal. There are dozens of apps competing for even the simplest of services and no matter how premium device a user has, there is always a limit to the number of apps it can operate smoothly.

The worst part, however, is scenario where after spending considerable amount of time, money and resources into developing and marketing an app, the users perceive it to be bulky and either never install it or uninstall after they find the memory it consumes is disproportionate to the value it brings.

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Android Oreo could eat through your data allowance even if you have Wi-Fi enabled

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An apparent bug with Android Oreo has been discovered which means Google's mobile operating system could be munching its way through your data allowance, even if you're connected to a wireless network.

A thread on Reddit highlighted the issue, with many people pointing out that it could prove expensive for anyone not using an unlimited data plan. Google is apparently aware of the problem and is working on a patch, but in the meantime Oreo users are being warned to consider disabling mobile data when they are at home or using a wireless connection elsewhere.

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Xiaomi Mi A1 runs stock Android, features dual 12MP camera

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Xiaomi has become one of the largest smartphone manufacturers thanks in part to its approach to customizing Android. MIUI, its distribution, is a significant departure from what is commonly referred to as "stock Android," which is the version that Google ships on its Pixel line of smartphones, packing lots of added features and a heavy theme.

Its new Mi A1 is different. This is Xiaomi's first smartphone running stock Android, and it is also its first entry in the Android One program. It is not, however, an entry-level device, as it features faster and better hardware than what we've seen so far in the Android One landscape.

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Want to download Huawei EMUI images? Tough... they've vanished!

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Out of the blue, and without a proper explanation, Huawei has pulled EMUI images from its websites. Anyone looking for a ROM for their smartphone is now out of luck.

Although the Chinese company makes reference to wanting to give users a "more convenient and satisfactory update service," it's not really clear what this means in practice. The images could appear on a new dedicated site, but for the moment Huawei is remaining tight-lipped about what's going on.

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Will my phone get Android 8.0 Oreo?

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If there's one thing that the release of a new version of Android highlights, it's Android's fragmentation problem. While iPhone users can be sure of receiving iOS upgrades for a number of years, it's more of a gamble when it comes to Google's mobile operating system.

The number of handsets that will receive an Oreo upgrade is relatively small, so the chances are that the answer to the question posed in the headline is "no". That said, there are many phones that will get the update to Android 8.0 -- so here's the list.

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With Android Oreo, Google is introducing Linux kernel requirements

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Android may be a Linux-based operating system, but the Linux roots are something that few people pay much mind. Regardless of whether it is known or acknowledged by many people, the fact remains that Android is rooted in software regarded as horrendously difficult to use and most-readily associated with the geekier computer users, but also renowned for its security.

As is easy to tell by comparing versions of Android from different handset manufacturers, developers are -- broadly speaking -- free to do whatever they want with Android, but with Oreo, one aspect of this is changing. Google is introducing a new requirement that OEMs must meet certain requirements when choosing the Linux kernel they use.

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This is Moto X4

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The smartphone market has been a bit boring lately, but things are starting to heat up. Manufacturers are pushing the boundaries of design, as we see with the beautiful Essential Phone, Samsung Galaxy Note8, and leaks of the upcoming iPhone 8. Now is an exciting time to be buying a new smartphone.

The Moto Android smartphones have long been forward-thinking in design, and today, Lenovo unveils its latest such device, which runs version 7.1 of the operating system -- not Oreo. The "Moto X4," as it is called, features a 2.2 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor, 3GB of RAM, a 3,000mAh battery, 32GB of on-board storage (expandable with microSD), and a 5.2-inch 1080p display. It has a fingerprint reader for security and IP68-rated waterproofing too. It even features Amazon Alexa integration! Photographers will be excited for the upgraded cameras, including a new dual-lens rear shooter.

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Sony's new Xperia XZ1 flagship ships with Android 8.0 Oreo

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It's been a while since Sony came up with a flagship smartphone I wanted to talk about. The new Xperia XZ1 is an interesting proposition in the high-end segment, mainly because it comes with the latest and greatest version of Android out of the box, less than two weeks after Google announced Oreo.

I expected Sony to be late to the party, but this time around it managed to get ahead of the likes of LG and Samsung, which is impressive. What is not is the fact that the Xperia XZ1, just like its smaller Xperia XZ1 Compact brother, looks very similar to the Xperia Z1 from four years ago.

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LG takes the wraps off V30 flagship

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The G6 is a nice high-end smartphone, but it cannot hold its own against Apple's next iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy S8. LG's new V30, however, might just have what it takes to level the playing field.

LG is well aware that it cannot win a battle against the heavyweights in this market if it does not bring its A game, which is why the V30 comes with everything that you expect a flagship to have in this part of 2017 -- and more. It's actually the first LG-made flagship in years that I would want to buy.

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Alexa and Cortana will be able to talk to each other

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Digital assistants can do many things well, but no single one can do everything that we need. That's why we use different ones, depending on what we want to do and what device we are using. But what if they could talk to each other, so we wouldn't have to switch between them anymore?

Amazon and Microsoft have decided to do just that, announcing that Alexa and Cortana will soon be able to work together to help users do what they want much more quickly and easily. Here's what that means for the two tech giants' customers.

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Google Play Protect branding to be added to certified Android devices

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Google Play Protect is the company's latest attempt to prevent Android users from being tricked into installing malware or insecure apps. As an extension of this, Google is introducing a branding program that will see the Google Play Protect logo added to certified Android devices.

The certification of Android phones and tablets is not a new concept -- it's something that Google has been doing for a while. But the new branding on packaging will help buyers identify devices that Google has approved, and it should also encourage more manufacturers to submit their hardware for certification.

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Verified accounts are coming to WhatsApp

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On various social media platforms, attaining a verified account is a major goal for users. It's something that's been available on Facebook for a while, and Twitter users from all walks of life are able to apply for verification. Soon to be added to this list is WhatsApp.

The messaging app -- owned by Facebook -- has not only started to verify certain business accounts, but is also planning to release a standalone app that will allow companies to chat with customers.

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