What would you do if Niantic closed their doors tomorrow, and there was no more Pokemon GO? That's a question I had to ask a friend recently when they voiced concerns that Pokemon GO used to be fun, but more recently felt more like an obligation. This is the overarching issue with video games in general, but doubly so when the entirety of said game is played on servers at some remote location: After it's done, what's left?
Samsung Galaxy S11 device family leaks at the tail end of the first week of November 2019 suggested the phones would ramp up battery life. As we know from a variety of phones this year - most notably the Google Pixel 4 - making a new phone with a smaller battery than its predecessor doesn't often end in good results. Samsung appears to be summoning the will to give their top-tier smartphones more battery capacity to handle the next round of futuristic technology - high refresh rate displays and 5G connectivity.
iOS users are now rejoicing over the power that the new Shortcuts, formerly Workflow, is bringing to their iPhones and iPads but Android has long had an automation framework that enabled a lot more. Granted, Tasker might not have the most colorful UI but what it lacks in looks it makes up in power. Android's premier automator is about to get more powerful thanks to the addition of support for listening to Logcat Events.
If Pixel phones are supposed to represent Google's vision for the perfect Android phone, the Pixel 4 is doing a rather poor job at it. In addition to some concerns about face recognition security, the wasted potential of Soli radar, and the newly-revealed durability problem, the Pixel 4's screen is also generating some disappointment among owners. Fortunately, most of these problems can be fixed through software. Unfortunately, one such fix requires users to root their phones first.
Android tablets have nearly died out with only a few big names supporting them. These slates now usually come only in two variants, the expensive high-end tablets like Samsung's Galaxy Tab S series and ultra-cheap options, including Amazon's Fire tablets. A few months ago, Lenovo announced two new tablets to join the ranks though on the lower end of that range. Now one of those, the Lenovo Tab M7, is finally available in the US and is even cheaper than what the company announced back in August.
ZTE was the first recipient of the US government's wrath but, unlike Huawei, ZTE was forced to quickly bend the knee. Now that nightmare is far behind it and it is back in business. It has even reinstated its partnership with US carriers, like the Verizon-owned Visible. As proof of that, the two have just announced two new phones that try to address the mobile needs of those with very constrained budgets.
Pokemon GO Wayfarer is the only way Pokemon GO players can officially submit new Pokestops to Niantic - but it's not made for everyone. Until now, the "Wayfarer" system has been limited to early testers only. Starting as early as November 11, 2019, Wayfarer will be released to the public for all players of Pokemon GO - provided they're Level 40 in the game.
The drama around Huawei's Google Play problem put a spotlight on the role that Android's premier app store plays in the mobile ecosystem. It is the official source of Android apps and advertises advanced detection and removal of malware or malware-infected apps. Given coverage tech news, however, it's clear there's still room for improvement. That's why Google has partnered with some mobile security companies to form the App Defense Alliance, promising to stop malware even before they have a chance to touch your phone.
Google acquired Fitbit on November 1, 2019, making it the second major smartwatch-related buy made by the company just this year.* In December of 2016, Fitbit acquired (most of) Pebble. We've taken a brief trip, here, down the unlikely path that'd lead Google to use what they've acquired to bring Pebble devices back to life. That'd mean new efforts in updating Pebble OS, its various apps, and in creating a whole new piece of hardware.
About a week ago, Ubisoft revealed Might & Magic Heroes: Era of Chaos, a new game that's headed for iOS and Android. Today, the company is opening up pre-registration for the game, which it says will be out at some point before the end of the year. Though we don't have a release date yet, the fact that pre-registration is now open suggests that the game is launching soon.
It was only yesterday that Xiaomi announced the CC9 Pro for China, and now we know what the phone will be called in other parts of the world. Today Xiaomi revealed the Mi Note 10, which is more or less the same exact phone that was announced yesterday, only renamed for other markets. That, most importantly, means that the Mi Note 10 keeps the CC9 Pro's 108-megapixel camera.
Not all foldable phones have a crease down the center of the display: some of them, like the LG G8X ThinQ and its LG Dual Screen accessory, have a hinge instead. The South Korean phone-maker's second attempt at a twin-display Android smartphone is also its first try at the US market, with aggressive pricing and a cautious feature-set to test the waters.