Flagship devices have been getting all the press, but mid-rangers are increasingly presenting themselves as a formidable class of competitors in the market, with handset manufacturers building capable handsets for the everyman at reasonable prices. Competition is fierce, however. The Xperia T2 Ultra, Sony’s latest midrange offering, is the successor to 2013’s Xperia T. As may be obvious with the “ultra” moniker, it is quite the monstrous-sized phone. In terms of specs, it packs a punch, too, at least on paper.

Google’s playful side is well known to the world: everything from the endless supply of Doodles to the very name of its new parent company, Alphabet, seemingly exist to shake up society from too much seriousness. The latest – and for some what may be the greatest – is none other than adding the language of Star War’s universe to Google Translate. Yes, that’s right, Aurebesh is now an officially recognized option:

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority Owners of iPhone or iPads have an obvious, built-in option for controlling their smart home accessories: HomeKit. While the platform works well, and operation is simple even for non-techies, the HomeKit framework doesn’t support as many products as Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. This makes finding the best HomeKit accessories a bit of a challenge, and today we’re here to help you with that. More: The best smart home gadgets you can buy right now

Ankit Banerjee / Android Authority More and more people are using a virtual private network (VPN) to improve their browsing experience. There are so many providers out there to choose from that you may not know where to start. To give you a hand, we’ve rounded up the best VPN deals from many of the top providers. A VPN encrypts your internet connection and allows you to route it through servers in different countries.

Here’s an unwanted surprise out of the Google Pixel 4 launch: a 2,800mAh battery on the Pixel 4. That’s tiny! Even Apple’s iPhones, historically known for smaller battery capacities, now have bigger batteries: the 6.1-inch iPhone 11 has a 3,046mAh battery and the iPhone 11 Pro Max packs in a 3,969mAh battery. Paired with Apple’s tight hardware/software integration, the iPhone 11 family has received tons of praise for great battery life. Even the 6.

According to the Indian support page for the Moto G6 Plus, OTA update notifications are rolling out to the device now. If you can’t wait, you can follow the instructions below and update your device manually. The upgrade to Android 9 Pie on the G6 Plus brings all the usual improvements, including adaptive battery, adaptive brightness, security enhancements, and various changes system-wide to UI elements. Moto G6 Plus launches in India but there are better, cheaper phones

Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority Pixel 5a The Google Pixel 5a serves as a sequel to the Pixel 4a 5G (not the Pixel 4a, confusingly). The phone brings a few sensible upgrades over 2020’s device, such as an IP67 rating, a bigger battery, and a $50 price cut. Do you like the idea of this phone but find yourself curious about what else is on the market? Maybe Google’s mid-ranger isn’t quite what you want to begin with?

Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro The Redmi 6 Pro by Xiaomi is an attempt to bring mid-range features to the budget segment and keep up with the times. While a tad boring, the Redmi 6 Pro is still a great device for anyone looking for a reliable, functional smartphone. Table of contents The new Redmi 6 Pro is Xiaomi‘s attempt to bring mid-range features to the budget segment and keep up with the times.

Merging your computer and mobile devices to create the perfect workflow can be challenging. There are plenty of tools out there, and you can even turn your tablet into a second monitor, but none of those solutions are perfect. Can DeskDock make the cut? It just might, because this app manages to combine your devices while keeping them separate. What it does is essentially allow you to control an Android device using your computer’s mouse (or touch pad) and keyboard.

Robert Triggs / Android Authority Glass has become a prevalent facade material on premium smartphones, but plastic remains a more durable option. While glass undoubtedly looks and feels better in hand, plastic is the better bet for cost-cutters and clumsy folk. But which material do you prefer manufacturers use on the back of flagship phones? We asked our readers in a recent poll, and the results are now in. Do you prefer glass or plastic backs on flagship phones?