Telegram 4.7 adds support for multiple accounts and quick replies [APK Download]

Telegram is ending the year by giving its users yet another update. Version 4.7 for Android brings support for multiple accounts using different phone numbers and a quick-reply action within chats. This is the second Telegram update this month.

Here's the changelog:

WHAT'S NEW
Multiple accounts and 'Swipe to reply' added in version 4.7:
- Quickly switch between different Telegram accounts if you use multiple phone numbers.
- Swipe left on any message to reply to it.

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Telegram 4.7 adds support for multiple accounts and quick replies [APK Download] was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


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YouTube Music app crosses 50 million downloads on the Play Store

Of all the streaming music services, I find YouTube Music the most puzzling. This is undoubtedly because I am not a millennial, and by that I mean I am old and irrelevant. YouTube Music clearly doesn't need me to understand its appeal, because its Android app just passed the 50,000,000 installs threshold on the Play Store.

The app and the YouTube Music service are free, just like YouTube itself, but a subscription to YouTube Red/Google Play Music will unlock the premium features that make the service truly shine for its core audience, such as ad-free content, continuous audio when the app is in the background, and offline playing.

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YouTube Music app crosses 50 million downloads on the Play Store was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


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OnePlus releases 'Switch' app for migrating to a new device

Google has offered its own basic device backup/restore tool as part of Google Play Services for years, and an actual migration tool is present on Pixel devices (which allows for USB transfer from iPhones, among other improvements). OnePlus has now released its own migration tool, simply titled 'OnePlus Switch.'

The app can be installed on any Android device running Lollipop (5.0) or higher, but a OnePlus device is required as the target.

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OnePlus releases 'Switch' app for migrating to a new device was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


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Best Android apps of 2017 for your new phone, tablet, or Chromebook

With the new year only two days away, I thought it would be nice to compile the best apps of the year (much like I did with the best games of the year) in one of our app roundups so that everyone can find some quality releases to utilize on their recently received phone, tablet, or Chromebook. I have personally hand picked every single one of these apps, so there may be some included in this list that you may have never heard of, but rest assured every app is a high-quality release.

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Best Android apps of 2017 for your new phone, tablet, or Chromebook was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


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Amazon's Alexa Android app just reached 10 million installs on the Play Store

There is no denying that Amazon's Echo devices and Alexa voice assistant are a huge success at this point. What started out as a weird little cylinder you can command to play music and ask a few questions has now become an entire line-up of devices, an ecosystem that has engendered many integrations from thousands of companies worldwide, and has kickstarted an entire product category and tech section that was nearly non-existent before it.

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Amazon's Alexa Android app just reached 10 million installs on the Play Store was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


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Commander One review: A superior alternative to Android File Transfer on Mac

As a Mac user, I've felt like a pariah over the past years that I've also been using Android as my go-to mobile platform. Mac works fantastically with iOS, but Android doesn't have any powerful integration with any desktop environment. That's been the status-quo of things for as long as I remember. Android does work well enough with Windows when you're just trying to transfer some files though. But if you're on a Mac, simply plugging in the phone with a USB cable and choosing the MTP mode (File Transfer) wouldn't do the trick, you'd need a separate app called Android File Transfer (ATP) from Google to make it work.

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Commander One review: A superior alternative to Android File Transfer on Mac was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


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Amazon Digital Day now live with deals on games, movies, apps, and more

Amazon’s Digital Day is officially live, and as expected, there are a lot of deals on games, movies, apps, and more.

There are lots of notable deals included in Amazon’s Digital Day, including those that you might use for work. For example, you can score a one-year subscription to the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan that includes Photoshop, Lightroom, and 20GB of storage.

Gamers can get deals on titles like WWE 2K18, Cuphead, Middle-Earth: Shadow Of War, Forza Motorsport 7, and Sonic Forces. There are special offers on mobile games today, too, like Monument Valley 2 and Minecraft: Pocket Edition.

When it comes to entertainment, you can get a big discount on Wonder Woman today only as well as titles like Baby Driver, John Wick 2, and La La Land. There are discounts on TV shows like Big Little Lies and This Is Us, and Amazon’s also got deals on books like Dark: Fifty Shades Darker as Told by Christian and Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari.

Amazon’s Digital Day deals will be available today, December 29, so you don’t have a ton of time to decide which ones you’ll be grabbing. To get a look at the entire list of deals, hit the link below.


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Nokia 2 will receive Oreo with some Android Go improvements

Manufacturers generally support their flagships with software updates for a reasonable amount of time (though often at a very slow pace), but budget phones often get ignored. Nokia seems to be kicking this trend though!

When chief product officer of HMD Global Juho Sarvikas was asked on Twitter about the $100 Nokia 2 getting Oreo, he replied with a wealth of info about the future Oreo update.

The device will indeed receive Oreo, but it will also get many of the improvements Android Go. Android Go is made to be lighter and run faster on budget device, and while it can’t be installed on a device that didn’t launch with Android Go, the Nokia 2 will feature many of the improvements it brings to the table.

So in the future, the Nokia 2 will make the jump directly to Android 8.1 and should run better than ever. Unfortunately, a release date wasn’t given, but we’re glad to see Nokia working hard to support even its budget devices.


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iOttie Easy One Touch 4 air vent mount review

The iOttie Easy One Touch 4 dash mount is my favorite car mount out there, but it (as well as any dash mount) has a downside. It blocks some of your view because it sits up above the dash. A vent mount can solve this issue, and iOttie offers one with the same great mounting mechanism.

iOttie-one-touch-4-vent-mount-3

On the front you’ll find the same two side arms and the same big button as the dash mount. Push your phone into the button and the side arms lock onto the device. Press the side buttons and they come apart. It’s a simple yet very strong retention mechanism that’s super easy to use. It’ll also fit any smartphone between 2.3 and 3.5-inches wide, including large phones like the Huawei Mate 10 Pro.

iOttie-one-touch-4-vent-mount-1

On the back is a big nut that can be loosened so you can adjust the angle and rotation of the mount. Tighten it to lock this position down. There is also the spring loaded claw that grabs onto the vent, with a button you push to separate the rubber lined jaws.

iOttie-one-touch-4-vent-mount-4

This attaches firmly onto a blade on your vent, while the large flat base keeps the mount flat against the car. It’ll depend on your car’s design, but with most cars, this mount will stay straight and in place. It works even better if you rest the base plate against the side of the vent where it can’t move. This will also put less stress on your vent, as modern phones are heavy.

The end product is a vent mount that holds your device firmly and itself holds firmly onto the vent. You can position it to be out of your line of sight but right by your gauges, and you can hold your phone either vertically or horizontally in any position you want.

iOttie-one-touch-4-vent-mount-

If want a vent mount and your car’s design allows for it, the iOttie Easy One Touch 4 air vent mount is a great choice. But if you want the best car mount period, check out the dash mount of the same name. It has feet at the bottom to better hold your phone and an extending arm for an amazing amount of adjustment. Pick one up on Amazon!


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T-Mobile Moto Z2 Force updated to Android 8.0 Oreo

It has been one week since the Verizon version of the Moto Z2 Force received its update to Android 8.0 Oreo, and now it looks like the T-Mobile variant is next up.

Folks over on Reddit have confirmed that their T-Mobile Moto Z2 Force is now being updated to Android 8.0 Oreo. The new software brings with it plenty of new features and improvements, including picture-in-picture mode, notification dots for app icons, smoother running apps, and more.

Folks on Reddit also showed that the new software measures in at 937.5MB, so it might take some time to download and install. You’ll definitely want to be on Wi-Fi to get through the process.

If you have the T-Mobile Moto Z2 Force, keep an eye out for the update.

Has your daily driver been updated to Android 8.0 Oreo?

Sources: Reddit, T-Mobile, XDA Developers


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Some people managed to unlock their Verizon Pixel 2 bootloader

Verizon‘s version of the Pixel devices aren’t supposed to have an unlockable bootloader. The first gen lineup on Verizon didn’t, and the current Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL shouldn’t either. And yet, that doesn’t always seem to be the case.

A few users on XDA have managed to unlock the bootloader on their Verizon Pixel 2 devices using the standard fastboot command. A few of the users did this on a device purchased directly from the Verizon store as well as Best Buy, including one purchased just yesterday.

While we don’t know if all Verizon Pixel 2 devices have unlockable bootloaders, a significant amount of people have managed to do just that. It’s looking like a real possibility! Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to apply to the Pixel 2 XL. Verizon could fix this at any time so if you want to unlock your bootloader, do it now (and of course understand the risks you’re taking modifying your phone).


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[Bonus Round] Abi: A Robot's Tale, Vignettes, Lotus Digital, Fit, Shurado, Guardians: A Torchlight Game

bonusroundWelcome to the latest entry in our Bonus Round series, wherein we tell you all about the new Android games of the day that we couldn't get to during our regular news rounds. Consider this a quick update for the dedicated gamers who can't wait for our weekly roundups, and don't want to wade through a whole day's worth of news just to get their pixelated fix. Today we've got a beautiful point and click adventure, a quirky exploration-based puzzle game, a serene flower-based board game, a casual "fit the block in the hole" arcade game, an action-based samurai fighting game, and a free-to-play dungeon crawler with a Torchlight skin.

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[Bonus Round] Abi: A Robot's Tale, Vignettes, Lotus Digital, Fit, Shurado, Guardians: A Torchlight Game was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


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LG and Samsung don’t slow down your old phones due to aging batteries

After Apple admitted to slowing down iPhones with older batteries, a lot of people worried that this was an industry standard process. Fortunately, we have learned that this is not the case. HTC and Motorola both stated that neither of them does this.

Today, LG and Samsung has made similar statements. Here is LG’s statement:

Never have, never will! We care what our customers think.

And Samsung’s:

Product quality has been and will always be Samsung Mobile’s top priority. We ensure extended battery life of Samsung mobile devices through multi-layer safety measures, which include software algorithms that govern the battery charging current and charging duration. We do not reduce CPU performance through software updates over the lifecycles of the phone.

Four of the major smartphone manufacturers have now said that they will not slow down your phone if your battery isn’t performing like new. This leaves a few more like Google, Nokia, and Blackberry, but it’s unlikely that any of them do this.

Let’s hope such anti-consumer behavior sticks with Apple, unlike the death of the headphone jack (although Motorola really started that one).


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Android apps will soon run in the background on Chrome OS

Android apps only recently made the jump over to Chrome OS, but for folks who might have switched to Google’s operating system from something like Windows, one drawback might have been clear right out of the gate: Apps unable to run in the background.

While there are some exceptions to that rule right now, like the music streaming app Spotify, the general rule of thumb for Android apps on Chrome OS is that they pause when they are no longer the sole focus of the user. That’s a big change from how apps work on other desktop operating systems, and it’s one that Google appears ready to set straight.

As first revealed today by Chrome Unboxed, the current beta version of Chrome OS 64 includes the ability to run Android apps in the background. This means they will no longer pause when they are no longer being used by the user, which should be a welcomed change.

Chrome OS 64 is still in the beta phase right now, but it is expected to move over to the stable channel soon. When it does, Android apps working in the background should be a solid bullet point on the new additions list.

You can see the new feature running in the video below.

If you use Chrome OS, is this one feature you have been waiting for?


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Google has stopped selling the Pixel C tablet

Two years ago, Google launched a tablet called the Pixel C. It was an expensive piece of kit that was meant to showcase that the Android experience on tablets wasn’t completely dead, but it wouldn’t be hard to argue it didn’t quite achieve that goal.

The Pixel C was available in two options, 32GB and 64GB, and while Google stopped selling the 32GB option some time ago, the 64GB model has remained at full price, ready for anyone who wanted to fork over $599 for a new Android tablet. That model’s time in the Google Store is now over. As spotted by Android Police, Google is no longer selling either model of the Pixel C.

Interestingly enough, Google’s original page automatically redirects would-be buyers to the Pixelbook. So it’s all Chromebook and Pixelbooks, all day every day.

Did you ever pick up a Pixel C tablet? If so, which version and are you still using it?


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Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+ pass through the FCC

Samsung is going to follow up the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ with proper successors in 2018, but to get there the company has to work with the necessary regulatory bodies to approve those handsets for public launch.

Our first hint that the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are essentially right around the corner comes courtesy of the FCC in the United States. Both handsets passed through the FCC’s approval gauntlet and were certified on December 27. The paperwork reveals that the Galaxy S9′s model number is SM-G960F and the Galaxy S9+’s model number is SM-965F.

Unfortunately, the FCC’s documentation doesn’t reveal anything else about the handset. We recently heard that Samsung may show off its upcoming flagship smartphones at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, so we may not have long to wait to learn some key details about the handsets.

Are you looking forward to the launch of the Galaxy S9?

Via: GalaxyClub.nl
Sources: FCC (1), (2)


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Magisk v15.1 released to stable, fixes v15 bootloop for some devices

Most of us that have been using Magisk for our root needs have probably been installing the latest beta builds. Through them, we've seen incremental improvements and additions to the stability and functionality of the root tool. And now Magisk developer topjohnwu has decided that all these recent additions are stable enough for everyone to enjoy, as a new update to Magisk has been released to stable. 

If you updated to v15, which was also a stable release, you might have run into a small bit of trouble.

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Magisk v15.1 released to stable, fixes v15 bootloop for some devices was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


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LastPass' 2FA Authenticator app found to be partially insecure, fix incoming

A few days back it was revealed by a security researcher in a post on Medium that the LastPass Authenticator app for 2FA key generation wasn't entirely secure. Access to the keys was ostensibly secured by a PIN/fingerprint, but a workaround was found that allows anyone with the ability to launch an activity on the device, including other installed applications, to access those codes. LastPass has fixed this problem in an update today.

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LastPass' 2FA Authenticator app found to be partially insecure, fix incoming was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


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Top 10 New Android Games This Week: Incredibox, Battle Team

Welcome back to Android Gaming Weekly, our weekly recap of new game releases. We still plan to cover upcoming releases and games we’re playing, but this column is dedicated to new games that you can start playing right now. Check out our top picks and let us know in the comments section if you have any suggestions for next week’s post.

Run Sausage Run!

DescriptionStop punning and start running! This adventure run is a hot dog’s dream – or nightmare – depending on how well you do. Play as the tasty sausage of your choice. Weisswurst or blutwurst, bacon or chocolate… even plumber or cowboy!

 

Prizefighters Boxing

DescriptionArcade boxing has made its return to the ring! Punch, block, and dodge your way up the ranks with simple one-hand touch controls and fast action gameplay. Time your dodges successfully and you’ll be rewarded an opportunity for a knock-out punch.

 

Dash Quest Heroes

DescriptionBecome a Legendary Hero and explore a vast world of fantasy adventure in Dash Quest Heroes! The Kingdom of Solas has fallen prey to the fiendish Zaru and it’s up to the Heroes of the world to defeat him. 

 

57° North for Merge Cube

Description: 57° North uses the Merge Cube (http://ift.tt/2rwFuxb) to tell a gripping story with hundreds of decisions and multiple endings that depend on the choices you make. Gorgeous illustrations become 3-dimensional in the palm of your hand. Just don’t get too distracted looking at the lush scenery… we’ve heard there are bears on the island.

 

Pulling USA 2

DescriptionPulling USA 2 gives you the experience of truck and tractor pulling anywhere you go with multiple classes and vehicles. Upgrade your vehicle’s engine, supercharger/turbocharger, fuel system and more with the easy to use garage system. Compete across multiple tracks and arenas with different track and weather setups.

 

Gunstar Heroes Classic

Description: One of the SEGA Genesis / Mega Drive’s highest-rated games, Gunstar Heroes is now available on mobile! Play free and rediscover Treasure’s classic gem!

 

WordCookies Cross

DescriptionStart playing WordCookies Cross to be a best patissier. Swipe chocolate icing letters to decorate word cookies and complete crossword-cookie pan!

 

Incredibox

Description: Incredibox is a musical game that helps you create a mix very easily by managing a band of beatboxers. Just drag and drop icons on the different characters and start creating music! Find the right combos during the game and unlock animated bonuses that will help you improve your mix.

 

Battle Team

Description: A new SF RPG that has never been released has finally arrived. War of the stars! You can be the best commander! Lead the Nova army right now! Personality strong Nova and fun of strategy! Complete the ultimate team! More than 300 heroes with various abilities!

 

Geometry Dash SubZero

Description Geometry Dash is back with a brand new adventure! Jump in, brace yourself, and get ready for a real challenge! This won’t be easy… Game Features: Rhythm-based Action Platforming! Three unique levels with amazing music from MDK, Bossfight and Boom Kitty!

 


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OnePlus 5T update brings camera optimizations and more

OnePlus has confirmed that its flagship smartphone, the OnePlus 5T, will receive a software update that will bring a few key optimizations to the handset.

Announced yesterday, OnePlus says the rollout of software update version OxygenOS 4.7.6 has begun. This is an over-the-air (OTA) update, which means that it will be a gradual rollout, so if you haven’t already received the update on your handset, it should land soon.

As for what the new software brings, it’s primarily focused on optimizations for the camera. That includes overall stability improvements and clarity improvements for when you take a selfie in low light. The update also includes the December security patches for Android, “assistive lighting” for face unlock, and more.

Here’s the changelog from OnePlus’s announcement:

Camera

  • Stability improvements
  • Clarity improvements for selfie in low light
  • Performance improvements for 3rd party camera apps

System

  • Added assistive lighting for face unlock
  • Improvements for expanded screenshot
  • Improvements for Wi-Fi display
  • Updated Android security patch to December

The new software is rolling out now. Have you already received it?


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Here are 59 temporarily free and 143 on-sale apps for your Thursday, including games from Devolver and Square Enix

Hello, there. I bet you didn't expect me to show up on a Thursday for some app sales. I missed yesterday due to some failure in planning, but I'm making up for it today. We have quite a list to get through that includes some goodies from Devolver Digital and Square Enix. I might be back again tomorrow, or Saturday, to wrap up app sales for 2017. For now, enjoy.

Free

Apps

  1. Skyclock $1.99 -> Free; 1 day left
  2. Math Input Keyboard $0.99 -> Free; 3 days left
  3. Math Symbols Keyboard $0.99 -> Free; 3 days left
  4. Scale Logic Ad-free $0.99 -> Free; 3 days left
  5. Advanced Sport Training Calendar $1.99 -> Free; 4 days left
  6. Daily Yoga - Morning Exercise 2 $2.49 -> Free; 4 days left
  7. Matroid $0.99 -> Free; 4 days left
  8. PowerAudio Pro Music Player $0.99 -> Free; 4 days left
  9. Round Corners $0.99 -> Free; 4 days left
  10. Ekstar File Transfer $7.99 -> Free; 5 days left
  11. Ekstar Pdf Reader $15.99 -> Free; 5 days left
  12. nFilter - Notifications in bubble $0.99 -> Free; 5 days left
  13. Password Saver $0.99 -> Free; 5 days left

Games

  1. Cubes $0.99 -> Free; 3 hours left
  2. Castle of Nightmare Gold $0.99 -> Free; 1 day left
  3. Dale Kepler Big Dipper Shipper $0.99 -> Free; 1 day left
  4. Mirage: Illusions $1.99 -> Free; 1 day left
  5. Mussila $4.99 -> Free; 1 day left
  6. Stay Zen (Ad Free) $1.49 -> Free; 1 day left
  7. Fortress: Destroyer $0.99 -> Free; 2 days left
  8. Infinity Loop Premium $1.49 -> Free; 2 days left
  9. Planetarix $0.99 -> Free; 2 days left
  10. Shadow Falls pro : Christmas Edition $0.99 -> Free; 2 days left
  11. Aliensome: 1 2 3 Find It!
Read More

Here are 59 temporarily free and 143 on-sale apps for your Thursday, including games from Devolver and Square Enix was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


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YouTube stops working on Amazon Fire TV devices a few days early

Earlier this month, Google confirmed that in its dispute with Amazon, it planned to pull the YouTube app from both the Echo Show and Fire TV devices.

At the time, it was expected that the YouTube app would be pulled on January 1 of next year, but it looks like Google has decided to cut the cord a bit early. As first spotted by Fast Company, a screenshot shows Amazon is already redirecting Fire TV device owners to either use the Silk or Firefox web browsers to access YouTube content.

YouTubeFireTVnoaccess

Up to this point, it sounded like Google and Amazon were in talks that were going well, but apparently they weren’t going well enough. It’s unclear if it was Google that pulled the app four days early or if it was Amazon that just decided to stop supporting it ahead of the planned removal.

What do you think of the battle going on between Google and Amazon?


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LG ThinQ smart speaker features Google Assistant, will be fully unveiled at CES

Word is that Samsung is planning on building its own smart speaker and that it may be unveiled in the early stages of 2018. Now LG has revealed that it plans on jumping ahead by announcing its own smart speaker at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January.

This is one of those situations where LG is technically announcing a new product right now, including showing off a picture of it, but is going to fully unveil on a big stage at a later date. This time around we’re meeting the LG ThinQ smart speaker, which will be announced and shown off at CES in just a couple of weeks.

The ThinQ smart speaker sounds like it will share plenty of similarities between the other smart speakers on the market, but LG hopes the inclusion of Google Assistant will help make it stand out. LG says the ThinQ will also let you use your voice to control LG-branded smart home appliances, so you could use it to turn on your air purifier with just a simple voice command.

The ThinQ smart speaker will feature Meridian Audio technology, too, and its High Resolution Audio is “compatible with “high quality lossless files, giving it the ability to faithfully recreate sounds that were originally recorded in the studio.”

The Life’s Good crew didn’t include a price point in their announcement today, nor any word on when the ThinQ smart speaker will be available.

How many smart speakers do you have in your home?


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HTC and Motorola say they don’t throttle older phones as batteries age

A conspiracy theory that has been around for quite awhile recently turned out to be true — sort of — as Apple officially confirmed that it does indeed slow down older iPhones as the batteries age and degrade.

In Apple’s confirmation of the “feature” it introduced last year, it didn’t say that this was a common practice in the smartphone industry or anything of that sort. But considering it is a big deal, and with Apple’s reasoning behind its actions almost logical, it was only a matter of time before other smartphone manufacturers started weighing in on the situation.

Thanks to a report from The Verge we at least have comments from two companies: Motorola and HTC. Spokespeople for both companies spoke to the publication, with Motorola saying slowing down phones due to battery life “is not something we do.” Meanwhile, HTC’s spokesperson says, “We do not throttle CPU performance based on older batteries.”

The Verge reached out to Google, Samsung, LG, and Sony as well. A Samsung spokesperson chimed in and said that they would look into the situation, without providing an official statement just yet, while Sony said a comment would be delayed due to the holidays. Google and LG spokespeople had apparently not responded yet.

For those who haven’t heard about this, Apple confirmed earlier this month that it introduced a feature in older iPhones (starting with the iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone SE, and most recently the iPhone 7) that aimed to prevent random shutdowns on those devices. As the company outlined, batteries degrade with age and use and, as they do, they are unable to output the same power they were when they were newer.

In those cases, the phones would sometimes unexpectedly shut down because the processor was spinning up to reach too demanding speeds and processes. Apple’s goal was to limit the processor speed to avoid these random shut downs and to put less strain on the batteries inside those phones. However, it did so without actually saying anything about the feature to iPhone users.

As mentioned above, the belief that Apple has knowingly slowed down iPhones on a regular basis to coax iPhone users into buying new iPhones has been around for years, but it actually became a reality this year, with Apple admitting it does slow down old iPhones starting in 2016.

As you might imagine, Apple is facing a backlash and lawsuits over their decision to go this route. As far as public opinion goes, what other smartphone manufacturers have to say related to their own tactics might help shape that in the weeks to come.

At least it sounds like HTC and Motorola don’t share the same practices.

What do you think of all this?


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A look back at the most read Google Play posts on Medium in 2017

Posted by Sergejs Cuhrajs, Community Manager, Google Play

Earlier this year we launched the Google Play Apps & Games publication on Medium to help developers discover best practices and insights to grow successful apps and games businesses on Google Play. As we draw closer to the end of the year we thought it's a good time to revisit some of our most popular posts according to you – our readers.

It's clear that many of you are excited by the potential of new technology, such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), and how it could enhance user interaction with your apps and games. You're also concerned with everyday issues including how to keep your APK size manageable, how to acquire new users, and how to monetize games without pushing away your players.

So without further adieu, here's the list of the top 10:

  1. Applying human-centered design to emerging technologies
    (by By Peter Hyer, Fabian Herrmann, and Kristin Kelly, 7 min read)
    VR, AR, and digital assistant present exciting opportunities for the future, but how can we ensure we're designing for what people really want?
  2. Shrinking APKs, growing installs
    (by Sam Tolomei, 6 min read)
    Smaller APK sizes correlate with higher install conversion rate on Google Play - we share tips for keeping your apps lean.
  3. Who plays mobile games?
    (by Allen Bevans, UX Researcher at Google, 6 min read)
    Four actionable insights for game developers based on our research into different player segments.
  4. Why the first ten minutes are crucial if you want to keep players coming back
    (by Adam Carpenter, 7 min read)
    How to analyze your retention data so you can keep players coming back again and again.
  5. Design your app for decision-making
    (by Jeni Fisher, 10 min read)
    Useful tips and strategies for encouraging desired user behavior in your apps. Also check out follow-up posts on boosting motivation through app rewards, and common pitfalls of persuasive app design.
  6. Predicting your app's monetization future
    (by Ignacio Monereo, 10 min read)
    Learn about predictive analytics and calculating your apps lifetime value (LTV) to gain practical insight into the future of your app. In the second part Ignacio shares how to calculate LTV based on five popular monetization models.
  7. Five tips to improve your games-as-a-service monetization
    (by Moonlit Beshimov, 9 min read)
    5 proven strategies to improve your game revenue without driving players away.
  8. An introduction to in-app A/B testing
    (by Gavin Kinghall Were, 13 min read)
    Learn how in-app A/B testing can drive insight into your app's future design and development, and maximise its performance.
  9. Taking the guesswork out of paid user acquisition
    (by David Yin, 8 min read)
    A simple tool to help you estimate lifetime value (LTV) of your users and what to spend to grow your audience.
  10. Rethinking interface assumptions in AR: selecting objects
    (by Aaron Cammarata, 8 min read)
    In this article for beginner AR developers we explore one of the most fundamental user interface actions: object selection.

Do you have suggestions for topics we should tackle in 2018? Let us know by tweeting with the hashtag #AskPlayDev and we'll reply from @GooglePlayDev, where we regularly share news and tips on how to be successful on Google Play.

How useful did you find this blogpost?


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Instagram will now show you recommended posts in your main feed

Instagram is continuously working on tweaking the main feed for its users, for better or worse, and the latest change may fall into the latter category depending on your usage.

TechCrunch revealed today that Instagram is going to start showing “recommended” posts in your main feed. Specifically, you will start to see “Recommended For You” on certain posts which will be populated based on posts liked by the accounts that you follow.

It should also be noted that you can hide recommended posts, as an Instagram help page confirmed today. On Android, you’ll be able to hit the small hamburger menu on a recommended post and then choose to hide it. Unfortunately, the recommended posts will only be hidden temporarily.

The new “feature” is already present, so you will probably start seeing recommended posts in your feed soon.

What do you think of the new addition?

instagramrecommendedforyouaam


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Users report Samsung Galaxy Note 8 no longer charging after hitting 0%

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 owners have had a relatively pain-free experience compared to devices like the Pixel 2 lineup and the exploding Galaxy Note 7 that prompted a worldwide recall.

Unfortunately, it seems that a problem is now cropping up for some Note 8 owners. People are reporting that once the device hits 0% charge, it will no longer charge at all. Even leaving it on the charger overnight will do nothing.

A 0% charge doesn’t mean that the battery is empty. Fully discharging lithium ion cells damages them, so a “dead” battery actually has some charge left in it. Maybe Samsung set the limit too low to compensate for the smaller battery or maybe it’s just a charging circuit flaw.

If you face this issue, you’ll have to return your device. It likely means waiting for a few weeks if it’s through Samsung customer service. Let us know if you’ve experienced this bug in the comments.

Via: Phandroid
Source: Samsung Community Forum, (2), (3)


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Huawei Mate 10 may launch on AT&T in February

It was initially rumored back in November of this year that Huawei would be making its big debut in the United States in 2018, and that rumor was subsequently confirmed by the company earlier this month.

Now speculation over which carrier, or carriers, will be working with Huawei to bring the Mate 10 to the U.S. are in full swing. A recent report from The Information suggests that Huawei is planning on launching that handset on AT&T in February of next year.

That same report also states that Huawei is planning on a $100 million marketing push in the United States which will accompany their flagship smartphone launch on a major U.S. wireless carrier. There have been rumors swirling that Huawei has been in talks with Verizon Wireless, too, so it’s possible that the Mate 10 bows in on the two largest carriers in the U.S., which would be good news for Huawei to be sure.

Huawei is a huge brand outside of the U.S., so it will be interesting to see if launching a flagship phone on a major US carrier will have any impact on the company. Huawei phones have technically been available to buy in the United States from the likes of Amazon and Best Buy, but having a presence on a wireless carrier can go a long way to making a difference.


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FCC certifies first at-a-distance wireless charging system

In a major step forward for charging technology, the FCC has certified the first at-a-distance wireless charging system. The technology, called WattUp, is developed by Energous Corporation and uses a radio frequency (RF) charging system to send power to devices wirelessly at distances of up to several feet. The specific system certified by the FCC is the WattUp Mid Field transmitter, which can act as both a traditional induction wireless charging pad or wirelessly send power to devices at a distance of up to three feet. The Mid Field transmitter can also charge multiple devices simultaneously.

The technology works by sending an RF signal to WattUp-enabled devices upon request. The receiver inside the device then converts the RF energy signal into a DC current which charges the battery. WattUp pairs hardware and software, using multiple antennas and pocket-forming technology to safely receive multiple small RF energy beams from the transmitter. The system can currently charge at a distance of 15 feet from each end of the transmitter, but the Mid Field transmitter that is currently certified by the FCC can only charge at a maximum distance of three feet away.

Energous is continuing to develop the system and hopes to implement WattUp technology into consumer electronics in the near future. In the meantime, we’ll make do with charging pads and traditional cords, but it looks like there may soon be a better way to charge our smartphones.


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Amazon sold ‘tens of millions’ of Alexa-enabled devices during the holidays

We saw lots of deals on the Amazon Echo during the past month or so, and it looks like all of those special offers paid off.

Amazon confirmed today that it sold “tens of millions” of Alexa-enabled products worldwide this holiday season. Exact numbers haven’t been given, but Amazon does say that the Echo Dot and Fire TV Stick were the best-selling products from any manufacturer in any category across all of Amazon.

There were some pretty aggressive deals on Amazon’s Echo devices in recent weeks, and so it’s no surprise to hear that the Alexa-enabled hardware sold well, especially when it comes to the low-cost Echo Dot. That’s also big news for the ecosystem of Alexa devices, and it could spur developers to create more skills for Amazon’s digital assistant in the future.

Amazon is still offering deals on the new Echo (2nd Gen.) and Echo Dot, so if you’re looking to get your first Alexa device or add Amazon’s assistant to more rooms in your home, hit the links below.



Sources: Amazon, Amazon Echo (2nd Gen.), Amazon Echo Dot


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HQ Trivia for Android now in limited beta, full launch expected January 1

At the beginning of the month, it was reported that the popular trivia game HQ Trivia would be making its Android debut this Christmas. The Twitter bio for the popular game does still say that the Android version will arrive “this Christmas,” it doesn’t look like it will be a wide release. The account confirmed today that HQ Trivia for Android is now officially available for the mobile operating system, but as a limited beta.

That means only a select number are currently testing the game ahead of its broad launch at some point in the future. Right now, HQ Trivia is penciling in Monday, January 1, as the big, public launch for the popular game. Of course, that is a date that could change at any point ahead of the launch, as delays could still crop up.

HQ Trivia is a live trivia game that players go head-to-head with others around the world. The has dedicated time slots (3:00 PM ET on the weekdays, every day at 9:00 PM ET) in which you tune in and a host will read off questions that you have to answer correctly to progress towards the prize money.

You can pre-register for the upcoming game through the Play Store.

Do you plan on trying out HQ Trivia as soon as it launches to the public?


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Edward Snowden wants you to protect what's precious with Haven

As a tech enthusiast with the brains and taste to prefer Android over the other options, you're probably someone who also appreciates the need for privacy and security. You may even keep a spare "burner" phone for when you travel to some less-than-confidence-inspiring situations like hacker conferences or the Winter Olympics. But what if you needed something even more powerful to protect data and even physical objects of monumental importance?

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Edward Snowden wants you to protect what's precious with Haven was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


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Android One Moto X4 receiving Android 8.0 Oreo update

The day after Christmas is turning out to be a good day for some Android device owners, as Android 8.0 Oreo is not only rolling out to the LG V30 in South Korea, but also the Android One variant of the Moto X4.

As confirmed by folks over on Reddit, the Android One variant of the Moto X4 is now being updated to Android 8.0. The handset launched earlier this year with Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box, so the update is certainly a welcome addition for owners.

If you own the Android One Moto X4, updating to Android 8.0 will change your build number to OPW27.1, for those of you out there who keep track of that sort of thing. With the Android Oreo update, Moto X4 owners will get notification dots on app icons, picture-in-picture support, as well as the overall general improvements to the Android operating system.

This is an over-the-air (OTA) update, so if you haven’t already received the update it should arrive for your handset soon.

Did you pick up an Android One Moto X4?


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LG V30 receiving Android 8.0 Oreo update in South Korea

If you are in South Korea and have an LG V30, there is a software update rolling out that you will want to get on your handset as soon as possible.

LG has confirmed that the V30 in South Korea is now receiving the Android 8.0 Oreo update. The software was available in a beta release back in November, so the Life’s Good crew has a pretty quick turnaround on the public launch. As far as what’s new, LG says there are the expected performance improvements as well as general improvements to the battery and overall speed of the handset.

It also supports picture-in-picture mode, even more screen configurations, and notification dots on app icons. LG says there are other “convenience” features being added to the mix, but it doesn’t go into any detail on what that means.

There is no word on when the U.S.-based LG V30 will get the Android 8.0 Oreo update at this point, but hopefully with the South Korean version getting the update, it means that the updates for the other international and unlocked variants are right around the corner.

Did you pick up an LG V30?


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Shuttle Music Player updated to v2.0 with dynamic themes, album shuffle, and more

The age of streaming music services is upon us, but not everyone has moved to the cloud for their listening needs. Those who still rely on local music files might be interested to know that Shuttle Music Player just got a big, big update. In the v2.0 release, the developer has added a new theme engine, a myriad UI changes, album shuffle, and much more.

Here's the full changelog for Shuttle v2.0.

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Shuttle Music Player updated to v2.0 with dynamic themes, album shuffle, and more was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


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[Deal Alert] Enpass password manager's Pro lifetime license is now $4.99 (50% off)

I've sung the praises of my password manager of choice, Enpass, many times before on Android Police. But today I get to tell you all a better piece of news: the Pro lifetime subscription is half off until January 1, 2018, making it only $4.99 instead of $9.99.

If you're wondering what sets Enpass apart for me, which is the most frequent question I get each time I post about it, here's the answer.

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[Deal Alert] Enpass password manager's Pro lifetime license is now $4.99 (50% off) was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


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Sky Sports releases "International" app, though it seems to only be available in the US

Sky, the British TV and telecom company, has a series of apps for Android, but most of them are only available for the UK (and Ireland I think). Only Sky News appears to be available to a more worldwide audience, and now Sky Sports is joining it.

There's a new separate Play Store listing for Sky Sports International - the regular Sky Sports is still a local-only affair - and as far as we can tell, it seems to only be available for installation to a few countries.

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Sky Sports releases "International" app, though it seems to only be available in the US was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


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'Smiles of 2017' video collage rolling out in Google Photos

The holidays give us a lot of reasons to smile. With Google Photos, you can even make sure that every one of those happy moments is saved and backed up online. And now you can enjoy looking back at all those happy moments over the last year in a new "Smiles of 2017" movie. 

These short video collages have been rolling out in Google Photos over the last week or so.

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'Smiles of 2017' video collage rolling out in Google Photos was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


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