Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
One of the most essential pieces of tech you can get your hands on is a good power strip. It is easy to forget about the benefits these simple devices offer, but they can make your life much easier and protect your electronics. Here’s a list of our favorite options, as well as some information you should know before making the purchase.
More: These are the best phone charging accessories
Update – August 27, 2019 – We have added Sprint’s four new 5G cities (Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix and Washington, D.C.) plus added the carrier’s next 5G phone, the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G.
If you ask Sprint, its competitors are trying to “make lemonade out of the lemons they have.” Sprint believes it will provide the best 5G service with its massive spectrum holdings in the 2.5GHz band. Thus, while Verizon and AT&T are betting on short-range millimeter-wave connectivity in densely populated cities first, Sprint is shooting for Massive MIMO and beamforming to provide more coverage per cell site than its competitors.
TL;DR
Google may be working on an Apple-like Find My network for Android phones. With the “Find My Device Network,” you would ideally help other Android users find their phones and vice versa. Apple’s Find My network is perhaps the strongest community of devices that can help locate lost or stolen iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and other Apple products. It can even help track a device that is offline with the help of millions of other Apple devices that may be around the lost device.
Fitbit‘s Auto Pause feature is a nifty addition for some and a loathsome one for others. While it’s intended to provide a more accurate representation of a workout by cutting out stationary moments, it often bugs out. That’s why it’s best you learn how to disable and enable the feature as you see fit. Below, we’ll take a look at Auto Pause in more detail.
QUICK ANSWER
Head to the Exercise app on your Fitbit, select Run or Bike as the workout of choice, access additional settings, and toggle off Auto Pause.
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
Researchers discovered an SDK sending large amounts of data to a US defense contractor. Google has removed dozens of offending apps. Impacted apps should be deleted, but can be relisted once the SDK is removed. Google has removed dozens of apps for collecting data and sending it to a firm linked to US intelligence.
Malware on the Google Play Store is nothing new, but it’s usually the domain of hackers, ransomware gangs, and other bad actors looking for financial gain.
The Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL already support a robust number of LTE bands. That number will soon go up by one, thanks to a software update that will introduce LTE band 48 support.
We’re not sure when the software update will arrive. Google requested a change to the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL’s FCC filings back in November 2018, with the addendum made public yesterday.
For the uninitiated, LTE band 48 is also known as the Citizens Broadband Radio Services (CBRS).
Sony continues to hit it out of the park with their compact line, giving consumers a fantastic small form factor option, without a trade off in quality or specifications. The Sony Xperia Z3 Compact is a small powerhouse with high accessibility and high power, with few compromises. For a while now, various OEMs have released “mini” versions of their flagship devices, which not only featured a smaller form factor, but also took on a more mid-range nature.
Google’s latest Pixel phones have been the subject of much criticism since their release last week, with complaints ranging from odd device noises to screen defects. In an effort to quell any potential fears, Google’s VP of Product Management, Mario Queiroz, has posted a statement in the Google Product Forums with some good news regarding device warranty.
In a comment from earlier this morning, Queiroz wrote:
We’re very confident that the Pixel 2 delivers an exceptional smartphone experience, to give users peace of mind, every Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will now come with a 2-year warranty worldwide.
Are you getting tired of your old ringtones? Are your contacts’ static pictures no longer enough to amuse you whenever your contacts call? You can revolutionize your calls by using music videos as ringtones for incoming calls.
The Video Ringtones Maker app makes it possible to play music video for incoming calls right on your Android phone. This app allows you to search the web, download music videos, create personal video ringtones, and share your tracks with your friends.
TL;DR
Development code in Android P points to a feature enabling you to use your phone as a wireless keyboard or mouse. You can do this currently in Android, but only if you root your device first. This new feature would eliminate the need to root. While not exactly a highly demanded feature, it would be incredibly useful to use your phone as a mouse in certain situations. Over at XDA Developers, Android enthusiasts have been working tirelessly to round up all the rumors of upcoming features in Android P, the next iteration of the Android operating system.