Back in November, Essential opened the Android Oreo Beta Program for all users of their PH-1 flagship. We even wrote up a full guide on how to install the beta, if you're interested. They followed the Oreo beta with a Reddit AMA, where they mentioned the second beta software w ...more
As smartphones become more accessible, billions of people have come to depend on their features for daily life. One of the most important aspects these days is the camera. OEMs have been working for years to improve camera quality, and they seem to have finally figured it out ...more
Bitcoin Cash (BCH) has officially arrived on Coinbase, which means you can now easily buy, sell, send, and receive the digital currency without having to manually set up a wallet or trade on an exchange like Poloniex. This addition has boosted the price of BCH, which is curren ...more
Apple's codec for photos and videos in iOS 11, HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding), as well as the container, HEIF (High-Efficiency Image File Format), result in a reduction in size for pictures and movies without sacrificing quality. Seems like a win-win situation, but Window ...more
With the release of iOS 11, Apple promised to give us person-to-person transactions by way of iMessages. In the iOS 11.2 update, the new Apple Pay Cash system is now ready for you to send money to family and friends right from your iPhone — and there are multiple ways to get i ...more
With Apple Pay Cash, sending and receiving money with fellow Apple users has never been easier. One big plus about Apple's new Apple Pay Cash card is that all of your transactions are available just a few taps away, so you can see all your person-to-person payments, balance ad ...more
The official release iOS 11.2 appears to be right around the corner. Apple seeded the sixth beta of iOS 11.2 to both developers and public testers on Friday, Dec. 1, just three days after beta 5. As with the fourth and fifth versions of the beta, no major changes are found her ...more
Razer just released their first flagship Android smartphone, appropriately named the Razer Phone. While mobile gaming fans are sure to enjoy the Razer Phone, the buttery-smooth 120 Hz display makes this an appealing option for anyone in the market for a new phone. If you've ju ...more
We're getting closer and closer to a final iOS 11.2 release for everyone. Apple just pushed out beta 5 for iOS 11.2 to developers and public testers on Tuesday, Nov. 28, and much like its predecessor from a few weeks ago, there's not much included but bug fixes and security pa ...more
Apple released the iOS 11.2 update for the iPhone to the masses early morning on Dec. 2, and here are all the new features and important bug fixes you need to know about. Of the new features, two of them are ones we thought we'd get when iOS 11 was first released. However, th ...more
Apple seeded the fourth beta for iOS 11.2, just one day after releasing iOS 11.1.2 to the public. The new iOS 11.2 beta 4 has also already hit public beta testers and includes mostly bug fixes and security patches to improve the overall experience for iPhone owners. The fourt ...more
Trivia games are among the most entertaining ways to learn factoids and interesting info you may have never known about before. They're also the perfect genre to enjoy with friends and family, as they're particularly great at breaking the ice to make for a more memorable time ...more
Google launched the Pixel 2 XL with a unique pinch-to-zoom feature in the YouTube app. The feature is pretty basic, allowing users to expand the video to full-screen on devices with 18:9 aspect ratios with a simple pinch gesture. Considering its simplicity, it was strange that ...more
Despite concerns with SafetyNet, Google actually cares about root. Every phone they sell has an unlockable bootloader, so you can toggle a setting and send a Fastboot command, then start flashing custom firmware right away. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL continue this tradition, a ...more
Samsung just began rolling out the Oreo Beta 2 to registered users of the Galaxy S8 and S8+. The update's changelog promises the inclusion of the October 2017 security patch. Unfortunately, after downloading the update, we've noticed this is not the case. Omission of the more ...more
Good news for those suffering from the "i" glitch, otherwise known as the "A [?]" bug: Apple has just released an official patch to fix the issue, in the form of a software update named iOS 11.1.1. Users have been experiencing a strange bug in iOS 11.1 where the letter "i" wo ...more
On all other iPhone models, you go to "Battery" in the Settings app and toggle on "Battery Percentage" in order to see the exact amount of power left in the status bar. On the iPhone X, XS, XS Max, and XR, however, that option no longer exists since there's not enough room up ...more
Just as we started running through the features packed into the Android Oreo beta for the Galaxy S8, Samsung has started pushing out the second beta to eligible devices. According to DroidVendor, the update is rolling out as build G955USQU1ZQK1 for the Galaxy S8 Plus. The roll ...more
If you've running iOS 11.1 through iOS 11.1.2, whether you have an iPhone X or an iPhone 5S, you'll notice that Apple's Calculator app can't keep up with your calculations. That's a because a bug has seriously slowed it down so that operation buttons won't always trigger when ...more
First showcased back in June at WWDC, Apple Pay Cash is Apple's answer to Venmo. Although iOS 11 has been out in the wild since September, this new iMessage feature has been mysteriously absent. That's finally changed with the second beta of iOS 11.2 — Apple Pay Cash is here. ...more
Trendy restaurants are fun, but waiting in line isn't. Too often, we arrive at a location to find a queue between us and our dinner. If only we could know when wait times were down so we could go out at the optimal time. Well, Google wants to help you out with that. A new fea ...more
The last quarter of 2017 brought us some downright excellent smartphones. Between the iPhone X, Pixel 2, and Note 8, consumers have more fantastic options than ever when choosing a new device. It's now the perfect opportunity for Samsung to set the tone for 2018 smartphones wi ...more
After multiple leaked references in Samsung apps, the Oreo Beta Program for the Galaxy S8 and S8+ is official. Yesterday, we posted a full changelog from users that obtained the beta a day early. The update brings many new features from Oreo to the S8, including notification c ...more
For those worried that a lustful gaze at a new app on their iPhone X will authorize its purchase, we have great news for you. With Face ID, the new security standard for the iPhone X, many potential customers are wondering exactly how it will pick up where Touch ID left off. ...more
The iPhone X's "notch" is now possibly as notorious as Apple's decision to cut ties with the headphone jack. With that said, a cautious consensus can be made from first impressions of the X that the notch isn't all that bad. Still, one problem has shown up in reviews again and ...more
The fifth developer beta for iOS 11.1 was released on Oct. 24, and the official iOS 11.1 update was pushed out to iPhones everywhere on Oct. 31. However, that isn't stopping Apple from seeding developers with the iOS 11.2 beta already. The first beta of version 11.2 features ...more
It looks like the dust is finally starting to settle on Google's POLED PR nightmare. The Pixel 2 XL — one of the most hotly-anticipated phones of the year — has been plagued by screen issues and worries. While it is certainly not without its faults, Google has created several ...more
Google just released the second developer preview of the Android 8.1 update for Nexus and Pixel devices, and even though it's just a point-one release, there are lots of cool changes. Before you run off to join the Android beta program and try the new version, it's worth readi ...more
The LG V30 has solid battery life. With its QHD P-OLED screen and 4 GB RAM, it's able to maintain all-day performance with average use. Heavier users might find that its 3,300 mAh battery isn't quite enough for a full day of work, though, but with a few software tweaks, you ca ...more
In October of 2017, Mathy Vanhoef released "Key Reinstallation Attacks: Forcing Nonce Reuse in WPA2." This paper demonstrates a way to decrypt traffic on practically any WPA2 network, the most commonly used form of wireless security (seeing as all other forms of Wi-Fi encrypti ...more
The LG V30 is an amazing device that will contend for best smartphone of 2017. It has all the major features you'd expect from a high-end flagship, and it even includes what's become a rare commodity these days — a headphone jack. However, for the purists out there, the LG UX ...more
HDR, or high-dynamic range, is currently the best way to view movies and TV shows on your iPhone 8 or 8 Plus. With a wider color gamut and a broad luminance range, there's no beating HDR video for the ultimate viewing experience. Unless, of course, you don't have the storage t ...more
Thanks to ever more powerful smartphones — the iPhone X with its advanced A11 processor and the Galaxy Note 8 powered by Snapdragon's 835 come to mind — the mobile industry is fast closing in on consoles and PCs with regards to gaming. Game developers have been aware of this f ...more
AirDrop is an underrated feature that lets you to quickly transfer files like songs and photos via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi from your iPhone to Macs and other iOS devices. It's been a staple in the Control Center ever since iOS 7, prominently displayed for easy access. However, wit ...more
For Apple Pay users, the iPhone X, XS, XS Max, or XR will be an adjustment. Gone are the days where you could rest your finger on the Home button and hold your device within range of a contactless reader. Without Touch ID on the iPhone X, this isn't possible. But have no fear, ...more
Is the Home button the main reason you haven't pulled the trigger on a new iPhone? Are you worried that you'll miss its functionality too much, or that simple things like accessing your home screen will be too hard? Well, don't worry about any of that, because Apple came up wi ...more
The new iPhone X will be released on Friday, Nov. 3, in Apple Stores located in over 55 countries and territories. For those of you who would rather skip the in-stores lines that will start building well before the 8 a.m. local time openings, you can preorder the iPhone X on F ...more
Your display name in ProtonMail is what email recipients will see when they first receive your message in ProtonMail, Gmail, or another email provider. You can choose this name when you first set up your ProtonMail account, but it can also be set up after the fact if you skipp ...more
Android Oreo may not be the flashiest release, but it's got tons of under-the-hood changes. We recently discovered documentation in the AOSP source code that outlines one of these understated features, which has been dubbed "Rescue Party." According to Google, Rescue Party wi ...more
Trivia games are a great way to test your knowledge and learn about people and things you never knew of before. They're ideal in a group setting because they can serve as the perfect conversation starter when you're enjoying time with friends, family, or even complete stranger ...more
Signal Private Messenger is famous for its end-to-end encryption, but you can't even use the messaging app without having a real phone number attached to it. Luckily, there is a way around this limitation, so you can use Signal even if you don't have a valid SIM card in your s ...more
Your Apple TV is just that — your Apple TV, which means you probably want to personalize it a bit, to make yours stand out from everybody else's. And the easiest way to do this is by renaming it. If you live in an apartment building, this will help differentiate your Apple TV ...more
When Gboard was released on iOS in May of 2016, it gave iPhone users more control over their mobile keyboard experience. Unlike the stock Apple keyboard, Gboard lets you customize the look of your keyboard and search Google directly from the keyboard itself. Now, Google has ad ...more
Who knew the HomePod would stir up so much excitement? Apple's soon-to-be home speaker is an intriguing product, if not a "must-have." I know I'm excited to compare it to the other big-name Bluetooth speakers out there to see if Apple is putting their money where their mouth ...more
Microsoft recently released "Seeing AI," an app aimed to help the blind understand their surroundings. As Microsoft puts it, "the app narrates the world around you by turning the visual world into an audible experience." We asked Matthew Chao, the brother of one of our founde ...more
Following the most recent election, some argue that increasing political polarization is dividing Americans. A new app, called Read Across the Aisle, is aiming to combat this by encouraging users to read news from media outlets on both sides of the political spectrum. Don't M ...more
It's really easy to binge-watch episode after episode, and that's exactly what Netflix wants us to do. Before you can even think twice, the next video is playing and you're stuck wallowing in the abyss of unintentionally marathon-viewing your new favorite TV show, and there's ...more
I've possibly been really out of it for a long time not to have realized that Instagram has a bunch of hidden filters. Clarendon seems to be by number one filter for pics and videos, but maybe that's exactly what I've been doing wrong. To access these wonderful secret filters ...more
If there's one thing I know, it's that people hate buying mobile games. I'm the same way — no matter how good a game looks, if I have to pay for it, I have to fight the urge to immediately walk away. That's why it's such a big deal when a great game goes on sale. Right now, th ...more
If you are obsessed with anyone on Instagram to the point where you never want to miss another post again, then Instagram has got you covered. Built within the app, there's a neat little trick to turn on notifications everytime someone you like posts. So, who do you follow? T ...more
Tinder, marketed as a free 'dating' app, is no stranger to paid features. The company has long allowed users to step up their game by spending money on their 'Tinder Plus' service. Tinder would like more of your money, it seems, as it rolls out a new paid service with a highly ...more
Apple promised at WWDC to release the iOS 11 public beta by the end of June, and they've just followed through on their promise. Available Now: Download the iOS 11 Beta Starting today, anyone with a supported iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch can test out Apple's upcoming mobile o ...more
If you're like me, then your perfect Friday night has your friends over for some group-YouTube streaming. If you're not like me, you're probably cool. But for the rest of us, YouTube is meant to be a shared experience. I think YouTube has caught on to that trend, since it has ...more
Cell phones have advanced rapidly since their inception. However, one frustrating aspect of our handheld computers is that we sometimes expect more than they can handle. We want smartphones to do all our PCs can do, but in many cases, that just isn't possible; especially when ...more
Facebook, you either love it or you hate it ... or maybe you're indifferent. The point is, Facebook is everywhere, and the debate is still raging over whether or not it's actually, well, good. That debate may not exist for the various personalities of Facebook much longer, how ...more
Although Instagram's summer stickers will only be here for the summer, the ice cream cone is still currently one of the most fun ones to play around with in Stories. It's also one of the stickers that lets you pick your preferred flavor of ice cream, rather than forcing just o ...more
Pokémon GO updates will have new deterrents for cheaters, and these seem to use shame more than just prevention. The changes were mentioned by a Pokémon GO support account on Reddit. (There are other updates coming soon to Pokémon GO as well.) If the Pokémon GO app detects th ...more
It's the end of an era. Facebook's WhatsApp just announced that older Android devices equipped with the Gingerbread operating system will no longer be able to use the messaging app as of February 1, 2020. Gingerbread constitutes just 0.8% of Android usage, so it's no surprise ...more
Firefox Focus is Mozilla's effort to make your internet experience a little more secure. Originally released in November 2016 for iOS, Focus blocks internet trackers, search history, anything that gets in the way of a clean, private browsing experience. iPhone users were the ...more
Aura, a highly rated app for mindfulness and mental health, just became available on Android and is currently on sale. The app uses machine learning to adapt its help to individual users. It was developed by 'meditation experts' includes mood tracking and three-minute mindful ...more