Google's third-gen Pixel phones are now out so, naturally, it's time to tear them down. The Pixel 3 XL unsurprisingly got first dibs because of how it's a wee bit more interesting compared to its smaller sibling. THat's not to say the Pixel 3 has no interesting stories to share. In fact, it has a very interesting one discovered by iFixit, revealing the comeback of an old but not exactly welcome friend: an LG OLED panel.
There is no shortage of powerful new smartphones in the market this year but almost all of them, with very few exception, will burn a whole in your savings. One of those exceptions is the Pocophone F1, a.k.a. POCO F1, a new smartphone brand under Xiaomi's name. While it does make a few compromises, the overall package is almost a dream come true given it's price tag. Unlike Xiaomi's other phones, the Pocophone F1 seems to be ready for the US but it will be asking consumers to make the biggest compromise of all.
This week the folks at RED seem to be pushing their last bits of info on their first phone out the front door. The smartphone was already pre-ordered in unknown numbers before the phone was revealed - which is very strange. But with a reputation for greatness like RED has in play, oddities appear. Today we're seeing what looks pretty much like the last remaining details on the smartphone before its first major release.
The Google Pixel 3 features the new Titan M enterprise-grade security chip designed specifically for the smartphone model. Google went into some details about the security chip today, explaining that it borrowed some of the best features from its Titan chip, which is used for Google Cloud data centers. The Titan M is made for mobile, though, working to provide on-device OS and data protection.
Essential has cut around 30-percent of its workforce, as the struggling Android phone-maker attempts to focus its efforts in the tough mobile space. The company, founded by former Android chief Andy Rubin, had hoped to usher in a new age of premium, modular smartphones and thoughtful connected accessories.
If you're one of the Spotify faithful and you own a Wear OS smartwatch, then today you're getting another option when it comes to controlling your music. Spotify has announced a standalone app for Wear OS, which means that you no longer need to rely on your phone when it comes to listening to your Spotify library. For those that use a smartwatch regularly, this will likely be a welcome launch.
As it's been for hundreds of years, we live in an age of excess. The next Xiaomi smartphone gives us a microcosm of what this means for us today, bringing a handset that not only slides back to reveal a camera, but also has 10GB RAM. What in the world does one person on a smartphone do with 10GB RAM? It's almost as if Xiaomi is preparing for apps that don't yet exist!
Xiaomi's smartphones always makes headlines, even in markets where it doesn't sell those phones. But two years ago, one of its more expensive new models sent ripples through the smartphone market that can be felt even today. That was the Mi Mix, the precursor to today's breed of bezel-less smartphones. Since then, the Mi Mix and even its successor, the Mi Mix 2, have been overshadowed by such all-screen smartphones. Xiaomi is aiming to regain that former glory by outfitting the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 with some rather "interesting" features.
Our smartphones have become a lot smarter, mostly thanks to the inclusion of artificial intelligence or AI in their software features. This AI trend, however, started back when even our powerful handhelds didn't have enough juice to perform all the processing and learning required to make these AI work. To some extent, they still aren't, at least on the learning part. Google, however, thinks the time and hardware is right to make most of the AI happen right on the Pixel 3, keeping data private and prevent it from leaking to the cloud and elsewhere.
Huawei has just unloaded its not two but three Mate 20 flagship phones but not everyone might be interested in such a high-end device. Not to mention able to afford its equally high-end price tag. For those with simpler needs and simpler budgets, HMD Global has finally announced the Nokia X7 plus, its newest and so far greatest mid-range offering. And while that model might be limited to China, it does hint that an Android One version might not be that far behind.
We're nearly upon launch day for the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. There have been a handful of pre-order promotions meant to tempt people into becoming early adopters for the new Pixel 3 phones, but if you're still on the fence, Google has a last-minute promotion aimed squarely at you. That is, of course, assuming that you're one of the people who qualifies for the promo.
At first glance there's a whole lot to like about Huawei's new Mate 20 series, but the company's attempt to shake up the memory card market could end up more frustrating than anything else. The Mate 20 Pro and Mate 20 will be the first of Huawei's phones to use NM Card storage, a new type of memory card intended to replace microSD.