Nokia 7 plus now receiving Android Pie

Last month HMD Global executives promised Nokia 7 plus would be the first smartphone in the company portfolio to receive Android Pie by the end of September. After a false start on Wednesday, today the update has finally begun its rollout. Android Pie arrives "fresh out of the oven" with "a plate of new features", including Do Not Disturb Mode and Digital Wellbeing Dashboard. The Nokia 7 plus will also have Adaptive Battery, Adaptive Brightness and the new navigation button/tic-tac settings. The package is over 1400 MB in size and should be hitting Nokia 7 plus phones all over the...

Samsung Galaxy Note9's update improves camera quality

Since its launch, the Galaxy Note9 already received two updates - the most recent one addressed the Bixby button and the first one delivered extra control over the Super Slow-mo video mode. Now a third one is being seeded and it's the most significant one yet as it promises to improve the camera experience substantially. Users in Germany have spotted the OTA update that has build number N960FXXU2ARI9 and weighs in at 302MB. The changelog is all about the camera improvements - ironed out HDR issues where some parts of the image were underexposed and also changes to the low-light...

The iPhone XS sets the benchmark for drop survivability

Apple claims that the iPhone XS and XS Max have the "most durable glass ever in a smartphone". The filling in the metal and glass sandwich is "surgical-grade stainless steel". Those are some lofty claims, but can the real life hardware back them up? While there are no definitive answers, dropping the XS seven times onto asphalt should give a good indication. Especially when the last several drops are from head height. We won't spoil the results, but here are the stakes. If the front breaks, it's $280 to replace it. If it's the back, then you're staring down a $550 repair bill. Seen...

LG Watch W7 with Android Wear may launch alongside the LG V40 ThinQ

The LG V40 ThinQ event on October 3 may also bring a new Android Wear smartwatch - tentatively called the LG Watch W7. That's the same watch we heard about way back in April. Things move slowly in the world of Android Wear. That watch promised a 1.2" 360x360px screen, similar to the LG Watch Style (though perhaps an LCD instead of P-OLED). And it will use the same old Snapdragon Wear 2100, at least that's what the old rumor said. Qualcomm has since unveiled the Wear 3100 and Wear 2500, so there might have been an upgrade along the way. LG Watch Style • LG Watch Sport Those old...

SwiftKey for Android is getting two-way translation

SwiftKey has become a powerful Android keyboard alternative, offering a plethora of cool features. And it might be getting even better as the developers announced a real-time built-in translator is coming with one of the following updates. The keyboard will rely on Microsoft's Translator - hardly a surprise since the latter acquired SwiftKey at the beginning of this year. The good news is that you can still use the feature online as long as you have Microsoft Translator installed. According to the announcement, the keyboard will be able to work with 60 different languages, but it...

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 to have dedicated Xiao AI button

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 is poised to be a part of the next wave of slider smartphones, right along with the Honor Magic 2 and the Lenovo Z5 Pro. Now a new leak adds a previously unknown detail about it - an AI-dedicated button on the side. The service will be called Xiao AI and will also arrive on the Xiaomi LEX, whatever that is. Having a dedicated key for the AI assistant is not a first - LG has one for the Google Assistant and Samsung does it for Bixby, while Google and HTC have squeeze gestures. Xiao AI (also seen as Xiaoai) came preloaded on the Mi Mix 2S and is widely...

Razer Phone 2 press image reveals design identical to the original

The Razer Phone 2 just appeared in another press image further confirming that the design will remain largely unchanged. We saw a frontal shot of the handset a few weeks back showing off identical appearance to the original Razer Phone. Enough politics for today. pic.twitter.com/5nUc3xdden— Evan Blass (@evleaks) September 28, 2018 Of course, we weren't sure if the render was legit at first but this new image confirms its accuracy. The first thing we've noticed is the new dual camera alignment as of now, the LED flash is in the middle and so is the whole setup. We can't tell if the...

Apple iPhone XR finally authorized by FCC

When Apple announced the budget variant of its new smartphone series, the iPhone XR, the device appeared on the company website with a disclaimer at the end of the page, saying the device might not be available for sale, per FCC rules. Not anymore. The phone with model number BCG-E3220A was approved by FCC just in time for the pre-orders that will begin in three weeks with actual shipments to start on October 26. Being approved by FCC was never really an issue with Apple. The company usually waits to the last available moment to certify its devices to prevent leaks. In this...

Nokia officially unlocks Nokia 8 bootloader for developers

As a smartphone enthusiast, there aren't too many reasons to unlock a bootloader anymore. In the past, people used to unlock the phone's firmware so they could flash software that had more to offer than factory ROMs. In many cases they were quicker, leaner, and offered more functionality and customization than bloatware-laden carrier firmware of the time. Those days are long gone as all Android phones nowadays are well-optimized, have plenty of customization, and offer most features we need in a device. However, for those who would like to develop custom firmware or apps on Nokia...

Red promises free aluminum Hydrogen One for those who ordered titanium version over a year ago

Red opened pre-orders for a smartphone built by the high-end camera manufacturer over a year ago and those who plopped down $1,600 for the highest-tier Titanium version have been patiently waiting for the phone to be shipped. Red was supposed to begin shipping Titanium devices to backers on October 9 but an update from the Red's founder, James Jannard, has posted an update on Red's forums titled "The post I don't want to make". Jannard starts by saying that the first batch of Titanium units "is a disaster" and continues to explain that the suppliers and vendors were so sure that they...

Facebook Messenger's new UI has started rolling out to a few users

Back in May, Facebook announced that it was going to simplify the interface on its Messenger app to fewer tabs so you can simply stay connected. This redesign included a new streamlined interface, a proper dark mode, and remove some of the shortcuts and features that people don't use. Earlier today, Android Police reported of a reader who sent in screenshots of the update installed on their mobile. According to this reader, the update came as a server-side change since their Messenger app had not been updated via the Play Store prior to noticing the change. Source:...

Google Pixel 3 XL shown in full hands-on video, reportedly has improved haptic feedback

The Google Pixel 3 XL has already leaked in many ways over the past month or so in various renders and hands-on photos ever since someone got their hands on a few and began selling them illegitimately. One of those devices is on the loose and made it all the way to Russia where YouTuber Rozetked uploaded a full high-res hands-on video explaining a couple of the differences and improvements that the 3 XL has over the Pixel 2 XL. Of course, we've already known what the darn thing looks like for a while now. However, Rozetked's video briefly compares the Pixel 3 XL next to the Pixel 2...

Caviar decks the iPhone XS Max in diamonds, carbon, titanium and gold

If you're familiar with Caviar then you know it was only a matter of time before it applied its Midas touch to the Apple iPhone XS Max and transformed it into a ostentatious luxury device. With its new Maximum line the Russian company has decked out the new 512GB iPhone XS Max in carbon, titanium, diamonds, pure gold and a special edition with a 150g gold panel. There's the Maximum Invincible, which mates the XS Max to a 1mm plate of hardened titanium. It makes the iPhone XS Max into more of an armor than a phone, capable of stopping a bullet (though hopefully you wouldn't need it...

Geekbench listing shows the LG V40 ThinQ with Android 8.1 Oreo

If you are looking to launch a flagship towards the end of the year, the Android community would expect the latest OS to be running the show. However, it appears that LG didn't get the memo so the V40 ThinQ will run Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box instead of 9.0 Pie. The Geekbench score sheet confirms the rumored Snapdragon 845 chipset and the 6GB of RAM but surprises with an older version of Android. Of course, there's a chance that the benchmarked handset is a pre-production unit so things may change until it's released but given the date (September 26) of the run our bet is on 8.1...

Apple Watch Series 4's ECG could potentially take years to approve in other countries

Undoubtedly, the coolest feature of the new Apple Watch Series 4 is its ECG monitor. However, the function will be available only for US customers later this year and maybe Canada in the future. But what about the rest of the world? It's pretty disappointing to own such high-end and expensive piece of tech and being unable to use it to the fullest, so Apple fans around the world would be eager to know when the feature would be approved by their local authority. Unfortunately, things look grim as 9To5Mac talked to UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) about...

Google Pixel 3 promo materials leak, showing it off one more time

It's almost like the upcoming Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are competing with each other now, for the dubious title of 'most leaked smartphone in recent years'. The 3 XL had a huge lead in that department a few weeks ago, but its smaller sibling is slowly starting to pick up the pace - and maybe it still has a chance of catching up. Today a trove of marketing materials regarding the Pixel 3 has been outed. Alongside the assortment of images above and below this paragraph, we even get a leaked video explainer about how to use some of the phone's most important...

Samsung Galaxy Note9 gets a new color version: Cloud Silver

The Samsung Galaxy Note9 launched in only two colors in the US: Ocean Blue and Lavender Purple. As compensation, US fans will be the first to get a brand new color option, Cloud Silver. A neutral gray with a matching S Pen, the new paint job will be available exclusively on Samsung (online) and Best Buy (online and in stores) staring October 5. Pricing is the same as all the other paint jobs. Samsung Galaxy Note9 in the new Cloud Silver color A week later one of the missing colors will join in - the Galaxy Note9 in Midnight Black will be widely available in the US from...

Deals: eBay offers site-wide 15% discount in the Americas

There's another site-wide deal on eBay - 15% off with the PICKSOON coupon code. This code isn't an accident, the deal is valid until 8pm Pacific Time, so you have less than 11 hours. The code is valid for ebay.com and ebay.ca users in the US, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. The minimum purchase is $25, the maximum discount is $100. You can use the code only once, but you can have multiple items in your cart There are a few other rules, read the terms & conditions for more details. So, what will it be? There's a Samsung Galaxy Note8 (new condition, Exynos, dual SIM,...

Xiaomi launches new Mi Band 3 and Mi Air Purifier 2S in India

Along with the new televisions, Xiaomi also announced a whole host of other devices in India. Mi Band 3 The first of the bunch is the new Mi Band 3, an update to the extremely popular Mi Band 2, which is currently the most popular wearable in India. The new band has a large OLED touchscreen that can show many more notifications from your phone, along with 50m water resistance. The new Mi Band 3 will be available starting September 28 for INR 1999 ($27) on Amazon India and Mi.com. Mi Air Purifier 2S The new Mi Air Purifier 2S also gets an OLED display that displays the air...

Lenovo Z5 Pro all-screen slider to arrive on October 1

Remember that video of a slider-smartphone with almost 100% screen-to-body ratio called Lenovo Z5 Pro? It appears the device is real after Liu Jun, Lenovo VP, showcased it in his hands during a press conference in Beijing. Chang Cheng, another VP at the company, took it to Weibo and announced more official info will arrive on National Day in China, which is October 1. Lenovo Z5 Pro The new Lenovo Z5 Pro might be the phone Lenovo Z5 wanted to be, but failed to deliver - a phone with a massive screen and minuscule bezels. Although Jun did not actually slide the phone open in...

Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro unveiled: adding a notch and a dual selfie cam to the old recipe

Again? The Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro has been officially unveiled in the Thai forum at Mi.com, but it still doesn't feel like a proper launch (there's no mention of the phone outside of the forums yet). Anyway, this is advertised as Xiaomi's first phone with 4 AI cameras. It's the company's first phone with two dual cameras of any variety, but where would we be without buzzwords like "AI dynamic bokeh" and "AI portrait 2.0". The rear dual camera uses 12MP main module plus a 5MP depth sensor. That may sound similar to what the Redmi Note 5 Pro had, but the new features here are larger...

Xiaomi announces new range of Mi LED Pro TVs India

Xiaomi today announced a small update to its range of televisions in India. The three new models called Mi LED TV 4C Pro, Mi LED TV 4A Pro and Mi LED TV 4 Pro largely bring new software improvements to the previous 32-inch and 55-inch models and bump up the 43-inch model to 49-inch. The Mi LED TV 4C Pro is the cheapest model. It has a 32-inch, 1368x768 resolution panel, likely a VA panel as with previous Mi LED TV models. For audio you get 20W stereo speaker system with DTS-HD surround sound. Inside is an Amlogic chipset with quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU and Mali-450 GPU, along with 1GB RAM...

Oculus announces a standalone VR headset named Quest

Facebook's VR company, Oculus, just announced a new standalone all-in-one VR headset, called Oculus Quest. That means no cables, external tracking modules or even a PC to run it and has all that you'd need to experience VR to the fullest. The headset uses the Oculus Insight inside-out tracking system and additional Touch controllers. The Insight relies on four ultra-wide-angle sensors and computer vision algorithms to determine your exact position. The Quest comes with two Oculus Go displays for each eye with 1600 x 1440 pixel resolution. Lens spacing adjustments for optimal comfort...

LG V40 ThinQ officially announced, but specs are yet to be confirmed

LG said it will announce its V40 ThinQ flagship on October 3, but the company ended up making this a two part affair. So the LG V40 ThinQ is now officially announced on the company's website, but most of its specs are still a mystery. What LG did reveal is that the handset will feature slimmer bezels than its predecessor and will have a larger 6.4-inch display. The V40 ThinQ will also come in a new flavor - Carmine Red. Judging by the press photos and the teaser video, it will boast soft-touch surface on the back for better grip and overall feel. More importantly, though, LG...

Google celebrates 20th birthday with 20% discount on Pixels and other devices

What a time to be alive - Google is celebrating 20 years since its launch. The company started as a search engine and evolved into a manufacturer of smartphones, home & entertainment systems, and the most significant ad space provider in the world. To commemorate the glorious day, Google is giving 20% off deal on select products on its website. The Google Pixel 2 and Google Pixel 2 XL are down to £503.20 and £639.20, respectively instead of the regular price tags of £629 and £799. In the non-smartphone department for your smart home, the Home Mini is now £39.20, the regular Home is...