While Chromebooks aren’t for everyone, they might just be for you. They are great gateways to the web, have access to countless Android apps via Google Play support, and are generally super affordable. If you’ve toyed around with the idea of getting a Chromebook, today is the right day to do it as Amazon’s Black Friday sale is giving you options for as little as $119.
All of these models normally cost anywhere from $100 to $150 more, so there’s really no better time.
When it comes to a lost or stolen phone there are a few things you can do: use Android Device Manager to locate or remotely wipe it; install an app to take a photo of anyone trying to unlock it; or even blacklist your phone’s IMEI. But the Android Open Source Project has just added another option: allowing you to remotely brick your phone, rendering it unbootable for whoever ends up with it.
What is Commandr? Commandr is the best thing to happen to Google Now since Google Now and yes that is a statement directly from the demo video linked above. This nifty application allows you to use the Note to Self feature in Google Now to issue all sorts of commands that allow for voice control outside of the norm for Google Now. In other words, it extends the functionality with Google Now without the use of things like root access or modifications to Google Now.
Even months later, the Huawei P20 Pro is reviewing very well, making it easy to forget it was part of a range of flagships launched by Huawei which includes the regular P20 and P20 Lite as well. The Huawei P20 doesn’t deserve to play second fiddle to the Pro model though — it’s a fully fledged flagship boasting many of the same high-end specifications. It retails for 250 euros less (~$308) than the Pro model — quite a compelling price point if you’re looking for a cost-effective flagship without the usual compromises.
In these more enlightened days, the USB drive has risen as the primary mode of integrating two forms of disparate hardware. Unfortunately, Android devices come equipped with the far less-ubiquitous micro USB drive, so all that USB-ready technology lies just outside of reach. Except it’s not, really.
Even though it’s not being marketed or sold by any major phone manufacturers, a tiny little cable called the USB On-The-Go adapter can let you have a lot of USB-related fun with your Android device.
Cracking or scratching the screen of your brand new smartphone is no picnic. This is especially true if you own a flagship like the LG G6, which is quite expensive. To try and avoid this, the best option is to buy a screen protector that will minimize the chances of the display getting damaged in one way or another.
In this post, we’ll show you the best LG G6 screen protectors you can currently buy.
Every year, Google has had a ton of fun with April Fools’ Day gags. One of the best was Gmail Paper, which would have allowed users to send their email via standard post — on “94% post-consumer organic soybean sputum,” with sputum being the mucus you cough up when making a phlegm bomb.
As with last year, the reasoning behind this change is the COVID-19 pandemic. With much of the world still in dire straits thanks to the virus, Google feels it’s just not the right time for jokes.
Harley Maranan / Android Authority
The days of affordable flagship phones from OnePlus are gone, with the new OnePlus 10 Pro pushing well into premium smartphone territory. It’s a well-built phone, but you’ll want to protect your investment with a case. Here are the best OnePlus 10 cases you can currently buy.
OnePlus 10 Pro
Solid performance • Capable primary camera • Gorgeous display • Strong battery life • Rapid charging
Fast charging technology is a staple of today’s smartphones, although there’s a wide spectrum of what counts as “fast.” Up until recently, supported technology has ranged from 18W to 65W of power, but that’s quickly becoming old news. The industry is sprinting ahead with ultra-fast charging speeds of 100W and above. See the recent announcements from Oppo, Realme, and Qualcomm.
The benefits of charging your phone to full in 20 minutes or less are an easy sell.
TL;DR
The smartphone trade-in market is unforgiving, with major drops in value not long after purchase. The Samsung Galaxy S line is especially poor when it comes to long-term value. However, there are always gold mines to find if you know where to look. Many of us buy smartphones knowing that, within a year or two, we will resell that phone on the used market. Even if we decide not to sell it ourselves, we’ll likely trade it in when we buy an upgraded model.