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News: iPhone XS Max vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 9: The Best of the Best
The ongoing war between Apple and Samsung fans will rage on once again. With the release of the iPhone XS Max, Apple has presented a stronger adversary for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, released earlier. Both stack up well against each other, providing two of the best experiences on their respective operating systems.
News: iPhone XS vs. Samsung Galaxy S9: The Battle of the Small Giants
Until next March, the iPhone XS and Samsung Galaxy S9 will be the only phones considered by many. Whether you're an Apple fan wanting to see how your new phone stacks up against the competition or a buyer on the fence, here's how the latest flagships from the two biggest brands compare.
News: The Best Labor Day 2018 Deals on Smartphones
While it's not the best shopping holiday of the year, Labor Day does have a few sweet deals on smartphones this weekend. There are phones from OEMs such as Apple, Motorola, and Sony on sale, to name a few, from stores such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart.
News: Google Authenticator Is NOT the Best 2FA App Anymore
If you want the best two-factor authentication app out there, our pick is Authy. A close second is LastPass Authenticator. If neither of those is to your liking, try Duo Mobile or Microsoft Authenticator. But if you're fine with missing out on great features, then and only then should you look at using Google Authenticator.
News: Transcribe Audio for Free with This Awesome Cross-Platform App
Despite its fifth-place finish in our ranking of the best transcriber apps on iOS, Voicera is still worth highlighting due to numerous factors that set it apart from the crowd. Besides being completely free to use on both iPhone and Android, the app's AI-based transcription service performed extremely well in our testing.
News: Go Big & Go Broke! Fall's New Phones Are Huge & Expensive
It was only a few years ago when the idea of a 5+ inch display on a smartphone was unreal. With most hovering around four inches at the time, a phone that big seemed impossible to hold. We've come a long way since then, but it appears another wave of large displays will soon hit us, and they are all at least six inches.
News: Gorilla Glass 6 Fixes the Worst Part of Glass Phones — How Slippery They Are
During a recent press event, Corning revealed the latest generation of Gorilla Glass, aptly named Gorilla Glass 6. While the focus at the event was on the improvements to its scratch and impact resistance, Corning also revealed some exciting prototypes which change the textures of the glass.
News: Two Makes a Trend — LG May Follow Huawei into Triple Camera Territory
It looks like the Huawei P20 Pro won't be the only phone with a triple camera for much longer. Rumors indicate the upcoming LG V40 ThinQ will share the same number of cameras. And just like with dual cameras, LG is showing that there is more than one way to arrange them.
News: The 12 Best Smartphone Deals on Amazon Prime Day
Amazon Prime Day is officially here with plenty of discounted smartphones to shop for. Whether you're looking for the latest and greatest or something a bit easier on the wallet, Amazon probably has a deal to fit your needs. You can save up to $300 during Amazon's giant discount day — here's what to expect.
FYI: Your Answers to Those Instagram Question Stickers Aren't Anonymous
Users on Instagram have taken the app's new "Questions" sticker and run with it — it's tough to find a story in your feed that doesn't proudly sport "Ask me a question." However, it appears there's some confusion when it comes to the anonymity of your answers to these questions. News flash — your username is attached to every response.
News: Stop Buying Used iPhones — Budget Android One Phones Are So Much Better (& Cheaper)
Every once in a while, we find ourselves in a predicament where we need an inexpensive smartphone. Whether we're finally upgrading from that feature phone we held onto too long or we dropped our current smartphone, sometimes we need a quick replacement to get back on track. That's where Android One comes in.
News: Cord-Cutting Just Got Cheaper — AT&T's $15/Month WatchTV Service Is Coming Next Week
After a district judge approved the $85 billion merger between AT&T and Time Warner, we knew AT&T would be quick to reap the rewards of capturing Time Warner's media properties. Today, we get our first look at this with two cellular plans from AT&T. What makes these plans unique is they include a new cord-cutting service called WatchTV.
News: 5 Snapchat Lenses You Have to Try Out This Week — World Cup, Superman & More
With summer in full swing, these Snapchat lenses are as hot as ever. With people celebrating the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Snapchat contests that earn could earn you a free ride to Comic Con, and the everyday innovation that comes out of Lens Studio, there's something for everyone here this week.
News: E3 Just Proved That Gaming Phones Aren't Gimmicks
During E3, many major game developers announced plans to bring console and PC franchises to mobile. These titles are designed for more serious gamers with competition in mind. All of this points to a shift in mobile hardware priorities — soon, gamers will need gaming phones just like PC players need a gaming rig.
News: 5 Snapchat Lenses You Have to Try Out This Week — Maroon 5, Markiplier & More
As summer is upon us, new musical Snapchat lenses are as well. This week has entries from Maroon 5, Simon and Garfunkel, and Snow Tha Product with entertaining visuals to match. As kids start to leave school for the summer, expect the lens scene to be kicked up a notch with anticipation.
News: 7 Features iOS 12 Stole from Android
The great thing about competition is it drives innovation. But when a company tries to one-up its competitor, it's not always with something brand new. Sometimes, one party will draw heavy inspiration from the other — but hey, it's still all good, because the consumers benefit either way.
News: 5 Snapchat Lenses You Have to Try Out This Week — Post Malone, Arrested Development & More
This week's crop of Snapchat lenses is jam packed with pop culture, and spot-on examples at that. Post Malone and Famous Dex are super hot right now, and there's a ton of buzz surrounding Arrested Development's latest season.
News: Project Fi Adds 3 New Supported Phones — Moto G6, LG G7 ThinQ & V35 ThinQ
Google's MVNO carrier, Project Fi, can save you a ton of money in the right circumstances, but it's always had a limited selection of supported phones. Because the service uses Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular towers as its backbone, you could only use Project Fi with a Pixel, Nexus, or the Android One Moto X4 until now.
News: 5 Secret Snapchat Lenses That Will Make Your Weekend — Infinity War, the Chainsmokers & More
One word to sum up this batch of Snapchat lenses: complex. Lens creators like ApocTheLegend and Jinnie the Wew have been at it long enough to start making some really cool stuff, stretching the limit of what's possible using Lens Studio. I'm really looking forward to what they continue to pump out in the future.
News: Xiaomi Might Make Its First Stop on US Shores with the Mi 8 Anniversary Edition
US customers might soon get access to their first Xiaomi smartphone. The fourth largest OEM has been eyeing a US launch for years, with rumors indicating a debut by Q1 2019. Now, it looks like the Mi 8 Anniversary Edition will be the first device.
News: Try These 5 Hot New Snapchat Lenses — Iron Man, iDubbz & More
In this week of Snapchat lenses, there was a significant increase in ones that involve Marvel superheroes (the Infinity War effect), as well as ones with YouTubers. Classic sitcoms will also always do well, as evidenced by some of my previous roundups. Overall, lenses are doing well and only continuing to grow.
News: Try These 5 Hot New Snapchat Lenses — The Simpsons, Playable Flappy Bird & More
In the wild world of Snapchat lenses, this week was an especially good one for cool effects. Lens-crafters (really hoping I can get that name to stick) have gotten a lot better at making non-gimmicky lenses that allow you to interact with them in new and unique ways.
News: 8 New Features Coming to Google Assistant for Android & iPhone
According to Google at their 2018 I/O conference, Google Assistant is now available on over 500 million devices. Now that the assistant is available on iPhones as well, Google has to give iOS users a reason to switch to its assistant over the built-in Siri. Today, Google has eight more reasons for users to do so.
News: The 4 Best Apps for Private, Encrypted Messaging on Android & iPhone
Smartphones are still "phones," which means communicating with others is usually a primary use. Ranging from a simple "hi" to a more personal conversation and even sharing passwords, our messages should remain private so that only the intended recipient sees their content. While many apps tout end-to-end encryption, not all apps prioritize security and privacy.
News: Try These 5 Hot New Snapchat Lenses — Westworld Host, Trumpet Boy & More
There was a huge Marvel movie that opened a week ago, and a popular TV show just finished its second episode of the current season. Both of these facts translate to more cool Snapchat lenses to try out on your iPhone or Android phone, thanks to Snapchat's Lens Studio — where anyone can make a sweet lens.
News: Try These 5 Hot New Snapchat Lenses — Fortnite Victory, Apyr & More
With April coming to a close, there's a fresh group of augmented reality Snapchat lenses you should try out while they're still hot. We've got a prank lens, gamer-oriented ones for Fortnite and Fallout, and ones for the memesters out there.
News: FPP Mode for PUBG Mobile Might Be Right Around the Corner
The recent 0.4.0 update for PUBG Mobile brought us a host of welcome features like the training ground and arcade mode. Sadly, one highly sought-after feature remained out of our reach: The ability to play in first person perspective, or FPP mode. Our wait may soon be over, as this gameplay mode could be out as soon as the next update hits for both Android and iOS.
News: Try These 5 Hot New Snapchat Lenses — The Zucc, PUBG Helmet & More
Spring is finally here (in earnest now), and a new batch of great augmented reality Snapchat lenses have come along with it. New life has been breathed into meme culture with the spring lineup of TV shows, Mark Zuckerberg's ongoing investigation, and college kids with too much time on their hands.
News: What You Need to Know About ZTE's Ongoing Battle with the US Government
| Update: ZTE's issues with the US government have finally been resolved. Check out the details below.
News: Try These 5 Hot New Snapchat Lenses — Stranger Things, Pokémon & More
While you were slaving away at work or school or whatever you were so busy doing over the last seven days, people have been hard at work creating a variety of new Snapchat lenses for your enjoyment. These lenses are hot off the presses, and I'm honestly really impressed with this week's crop.
News: Here's Exactly When You Can Play Hearthstone's Newest Expansion, The Witchwood
Blizzard announced last week that the latest Hearthstone expansion, The Witchwood, would be releasing on April 12 2018. Equipped with 135 "hair raising" new cards and mechanics like Echo and Rush, Hearthstone players across the globe are itching to start playing with the set the minute it drops. Now, we know exactly when that'll be.
News: Now You Can Share & Borrow Hearthstone Decks with Your Friends
With Hearthstone's latest expansion, The Witchwood, arriving on April 12 2018, Blizzard also rolled out a number of in-game improvements alongside Update 11.0. One improvement that could revolutionize the Friendly Challenge experience is deck sharing, allowing you and your friends to borrow each other's decks.
News: Try These 5 Hot New Snapchat Lenses This Weekend — Yodeling Walmart Kid, Loading Screen & More
It's Friday, April 6, and that means it's time to look at some of the hottest lenses from the past week created by Snapchat users everywhere. Some memes are evergreen, some dissolve within a week, but these lenses are blazing hot right now in snaps across the platform. If you don't want your friends laughing at your weak lens game, you've gotta try these out right now.
News: The New Harry Potter Game Is Coming This Month — Here's Who Is Playing Your Favorite Characters
Ever since JamCity dropped the first trailer for Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, fans have been eager to get their hands on the game. What Harry Potter fanatic wouldn't want to live out their own Hogwarts adventure on their iPhone or Android device? Well, we now know when the game is officially coming, as well as who will step into the shoes of our favorite, iconic Potter characters.
News: What Every Phone Gained by Adding a Notch
If bezel-less was the goal of OEMs in 2017, 2018 seems to be the year of the notch. Thanks in no small part to Apple's iPhone X, more and more smartphone manufacturers are designing their displays with this polarizing cutout. While many are frustrated with the trend, it's worth taking the time to consider what each phone gains with the unique design.
News: Why It's Worth Giving Gboard Permission to Record What You Type — Even in the Online Privacy Age
With Gboard, Google created a keyboard with more functionality than just inputting words. The app includes features such as GIF search and live text translation, but it gets even better when you let it learn more about you. With this data, Gboard grows from a good keyboard to one that can complete your sentences.
News: The US Government's Spat with Huawei Is Depriving Americans of a Wonderful Phone
With Huawei's recent emergence as the second largest OEM in the world, the company was poised to finally make a big push into the US market. Instead, their efforts were derailed by an unlikely foe, the US government. As a result, American customers will miss out on the newly-released Huawei P20.
News: 5 of the Hottest New Snapchat Filters This Week
When I'm with my friends on the weekend, we always end up Snapping shots of one another, adding in whatever stickers and lenses we've accumulated over the last week. But these filters are fleeting, so it's always a challenge to keep up with the best new ones. If you want to get a leg up on the competition, this is your one-stop-shop.
News: The Latest Rumors & Leaks on the Nokia 8 Pro
Earlier this year, Nokia released the Nokia 8 Sirrocco overseas. The new device served as an upgrade to the 2017 model with a minor specs bump and a more modern design. However, HMD isn't done with the 8 series. A rumored Pro version is coming later this year that brings innovations the iconic brand is known for.
News: How to See Live & Average Wait Times for Your Favorite Restaurants in Google Maps
Going out to dinner on a Saturday night can be more trouble than it's worth when you find yourself waiting for hours on end just to be seated. Thankfully, Google Maps has some very useful data that can save you from a headache the next time you head out to your favorite restaurant.