5G phones are steadily growing in numbers, but the technology hasn’t yet become an essential feature across all regions. If you’re predominantly served by Wi-Fi all day or are satisfied with your 4G LTE speeds, chances are you switch off 5G when it’s not really needed. However, would you really disable a feature on a device you paid for?
That’s a thought experiment we recently gave our readers. We wanted to know if, under any circumstance, they leave on their phone’s 5G connectivity or switch it off during the day.
Sony Xperia XZ1 CompactWhile most small smartphones sacrifice hardware and specifications, the Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact is one of the few smartphones on the market that delivers a flagship experience in a smaller size. The XZ1 Compact takes all of the important components of the standard Xperia XZ1 and puts them in a small and easy to use form factor, but it still comes with a full-sized price tag.
Table of contents
Even if you rely on the Lightning cable that came with your iPhone or iPad, odds are it won’t last forever. That’s where Apple’s large ecosystem of Lightning cables come in, since it offers a variety of options to pick from.
You don’t just want to buy any old Lightning cable, however. You want one that is durable, reliable, or some combination of the two. You also want one with MFi certification, if you go down the third-party route.
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
Each new flagship launch offers Android the chance to take on the best that iOS has to offer. Samsung started the year strong with its Galaxy S22 series, but now it’s time for OnePlus to have a go. The OnePlus 10 Pro reimagines the rear camera bump but offers the powerful internals you’d expect. Apple’s latest iPhone, on the other hand, makes a few key refinements to a successful formula.
Update: The Pixel 2 XL's problems have unfortunately persisted since we originally published this piece. As such, we've taken another look at the issues that are currently affecting users and updated our list with a few more entries.
Ever since Google announced its new Pixel smartphones, I knew the allure of the Pixel 2 XL would be too strong to ignore. A modern aesthetic, a large battery, Android 8.0 Oreo, and three years of updates directly from the mothership were more than enough to convince me to plunk down the cash for the large phone.
David Imel / Android Authority
TL;DR
Android apps are randomly crashing for some users. The issue seems to stem from a bad Android System WebView update. Google has issued new Android System WebView and Google Chrome updates to address the issue. Update: March 23, 2021 (4 AM ET): Google’s Workspace status page indicates says that the problem with Gmail on Android is fixed.
The company says updating Android System WebView and Google Chrome via Google Play Store should now resolve the issue for all users.
Palash Volvoikar / Android Authority
The Mi Notebook 14 series was the first Xiaomi laptop to launch in India, and now Xiaomi has followed it up with the Mi Notebook Ultra and Mi Notebook Pro. I got my hands on the Mi Notebook Ultra, the most powerful laptop Xiaomi has launched in India yet, in the highest spec’d trim.
While Xiaomi did release a RedmiBook Pro laptop very recently, it was a middling budget-friendly Redmi brand.
Honor Watch Magic 2
The Honor Watch Magic 2 is more of a smart companion than a smartwatch. However, if you seek reliable fitness tracking sprinkled with just the right amount of smart functionality, the wearable makes a good case for itself. Table of contents
Update: December 17, 2019 at 11:55 a.m. ET: The Honor Magic Watch 2 is now available for pre-order from eBay in the UK for £139.99. The price will go back up to its original price of £159.
Xiaomi Mi Router 4A Gigabit EditionThe Mi Router 4A Gigabit Edition is a very basic router, but that's not a folly. By focusing on reliability and an easy-to-use interface, it differentiates itself from the budget competition that can often leave users scratching their heads. The Mi Router 4A Gigabit Edition isn't particularly feature-rich, but it's a great affordable upgrade for anyone using an ISP-supplied router. Entry-level network equipment can be puzzling, to say the least.
There are plenty of photos in the review above, but here are a few full 108MP photos alongside a simple crop. Bear in mind that the standard photo mode takes 27MP pixel-binned images, which in many cases provide more pleasing results. Nevertheless, here are some sample photos from the first 108MP camera. Scroll down to the end for a Google Drive link so you can pixel-peep your heart out.
Landscape photos are a mixed bag, with many details lost to post-processing where textures and colors are too complex.