Carl Pei, founder of Nothing, has teased that the London-based consumer technology startup is working on its very first Android smartphone.
Android | Digital Trends
If you’ve got a recent Samsung smartphone and are struggling with poor sound when taking voice calls I feel your pain. I have a Samsung Note10+ and often really struggle to hear calls; we live in a bit of a signal black hole and at home-time, our quiet road is like the main highway with […]
Come comment on this article: How to improve your audio experience on your Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Researchers at Stanford University have created a novel approach that allows standard image sensors to see light in three dimensions.
Mobile | Digital Trends
Those of us that were disappointed when Essential shut its doors and thus consigned hopes of a second-generation smartphone to history will perk up when they hear that a number of the team that worked on the original Essential Phone are planning on launching a new smartphone under the OSOM brand called the OV1. The […]
Come comment on this article: The OSOM OV1 could offer the ‘essential’ smartphone experience when it launches in Q4 2022, no word on possible Kenobi Edition
Ever since he left OnePlus and created Nothing, it has been thought that Carl Pei would turn his hand to smartphones again, and it could be that 2022 is the year that it will happen if his teasing tweet (and Qualcomm and Android’s replies) is anything to go by. His obtuse tweet (embedded above) alludes […]
Come comment on this article: Carl Pei teases a return to Android that could essentially be a Nothing smartphone
Xiaomi has today unveiled the Redmi K50G gaming smartphone which promises to be a powerhouse thanks to the presence of a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and a dual vapor cooling chamber. Succeeding the K40 Gaming phone from 2021, the K50G will also be available in a Mercedes F1 Edition which offers a black, silver, […]
Come comment on this article: Xiaomi’s Redmi K50G gaming smartphone is official with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, 120W fast-charging, and 120Hz display
Android phones are capable of installing apps outside of the Google Play Store. These come in the form of Android Package (APK) files that contain an individual app and can be installed on your phone if not available on the Google Play Store. A popular example of this is in the form of Fortnite on […]
Come comment on this article: [Guide] How to Sideload apps (APK files) on your Android 12 Smartphone or Tablet
If you have a PlayStation controller that you want to use with your Android device, this guide will walk you through 3 simple steps in doing it!
Come comment on this article: [Guide] How to Connect a PlayStation Controller to an Android Smartphone or Tablet
Don’t be an unwitting victim of third-party hacks. Here are some of the ways you can recognize if your smartphone has been targeted and what to do about it.
Android | Digital Trends
The Nintendo Switch has a built-in screenshot function, but it’s a pretty closed ecosystem for actually sharing content. There are a few ways to share to some social media sites if that’s all you care about, but if you want to edit it or use your in-game highlights in more creative ways, that’s pretty limited. […]
Come comment on this article: How to transfer Nintendo Switch screenshots to your smartphone
Despite supply chain issues around the world, the smartphone market grew in 2021, with Apple and Samsung still managing to come out on top.
Android | Digital Trends
A tipster has revealed details on dual-fold technology from an official patent filed by Samsung that could be used in its future devices.
Mobile | Digital Trends
Dish Network has its own 5G network and its first phone to go along with it called the Celero5G. We went hands-on with the exclusive device.
Android | Digital Trends
Honor has announced the Magic V, its first folding smartphone. The flagship phone is the latest device to take on the might of Samsung’s Galaxy Z range.
Android | Digital Trends
Honor unveiled its first foldable smartphone today during an event held in China with the Magic V sporting a larger display than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3. Besides being powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, the Magic V boasts a water-drop hinge that is said to make the display appear “creaseless.” Featuring a […]
Come comment on this article: The Magic V is Honor’s first foldable smartphone
It’s never a bad time to score a new smartphone, and here are some great deals that can save you hundreds.
Android | Digital Trends
Foldable smartphones are coming on strong at the tail-end of 2021 with OPPO’s recent unveiling of its Find N device and Honor’s teasing of the Magic V foldable earlier today. Little is known about the Magic V so far other than it’s a foldable smartphone that will unfold into a tablet in the same sort […]
Come comment on this article: The Magic V is Honor’s first foldable smartphone, will launch in China ‘soon’
Honor has teased the launch of its first foldable smartphone, the Magic V, on Twitter and Weibo. The former Huawei sub-brand called it "Honor's first foldable flagship," and said it will be released "soon," though the company didn't provide an exact date.
Unfold all the potential. This is HONOR’s first foldable flagship phone, the #HONORMagicV. pic.twitter.com/kijORIGxg1
— HONOR (@Honorglobal) December 22, 2021
Rumors have been circulating about a possible Honor folding device, particularly after the company applied for the terms "Magic Fold" and "Magic Wing" with China's trademarking authority. The company's CEO George Zhao told CNET in 2019 that it was interested in building a folding phone, while its former parent Huawei recently released its third-gen folding device, the Mate X2.
Other details are scant, but a rumor from The Elec stated that an upcoming Honor folding phone would use ultra-thin glass with an 8.03-inch folding display and 6.45-inch exterior screen. If accurate, that means it would be much like Samsung's Galaxy Fold 3 and not the Galaxy Flip 3. Given that it's a flagship, it should have a relatively high-end processor and other parts.
Huawei sold Honor in November 2020 in order to "ensure it's survival," so Honor has been independent for just over a year now. Unlike with Huawei devices, Google apps are available on Honor smartphones.
Along with Samsung, Huawei and now Honor, Xiaomi, Oppo and Motorola have recently released various types of folding smartphones. Google is also reportedly working on at least one folding Pixel device and recently announced a version of Android designed for tablets and foldables.
Sony has unveiled a new type of stacked CMOS sensor that uses "two-layer transistor pixels" to double the light gathering capability. Typical image sensors have the light-sensitive photodiodes and pixel transistors that control and amplify the signal on the same layer. However, the new design puts the photodiodes on top and the pixel transistors below, "approximately doubling saturation signal levels," Sony said.
Sony pioneered stacked sensors that put fast memory and other electronics directly under the sensor, allowing for faster readout speeds and thus rapid burst shooting and reduced rolling shutter (jello effect) on cameras and smartphones. This latest sensor uses a similar idea, but packs the pixel transistors onto a separate substrate underneath the photodiode layer.
That means each layer could be optimized, allowing Sony to double the sensor's light saturation (well depth), or the amount of charge each pixel can hold. That in turn allows for around double the light-capturing capability.
Sony notes that because the transistor pixels sit on a separate layer, it was able to boost the amplifier transistors in size. That allows for a bigger signal boost, reducing noise when shooting nighttime or other images in dark locations. The increased dynamic range will allow for "high-quality, low-noise images even in low-light," according to Sony.
Sony specifically stated that the tech will allow for higher-quality smartphone photography. With double the light gathering capability, it will allow for much improved light sensitivity even in relatively small, high-megapixel sensors. Sony has yet to say when this tech will make it to smartphone or cameras, but it plans to further improve the design for both large and small sensors.
From Google to Nokia, phone manufacturers promise years and years of software updates. But can you trust them?
Android | Digital Trends
Backing up your Android phone regularly is a wise move, in case it’s lost or damaged. Our guide will walk you through a variety of ways to back up your device.
Android | Digital Trends
Did you pick a great deal on a new smartphone for Black Friday? Maybe there was a new one under the Christmas tree? Whatever the reason, you’re going to need the best Android apps for that new phone, and you’re in the right place. We’ve gathered up all the best Android apps from around the […]
Come comment on this article: Download the best Android apps on your new smartphone
We download files to our phones all the time, but finding them can be tricky. Here’s a guide on how to find downloads on your Apple, Samsung, or Android phone.
Android | Digital Trends
Google Voice lets you call anyone via the internet while maintaining your privacy. Use this handy guide to set up Google Voice on a phone or computer.
Android | Digital Trends
Just like Samsung’s TouchWiz and Xiaomi’s MIUI software, OPPO’s ColorOS began life sporting some garish colors, bloatware, and every feature you could want, and many that you didn’t, crammed into it. Today has brought us the official announcement of its latest iteration, the Android 12-based ColorOS 12, which OPPO promises is lean and mean with […]
Come comment on this article: Everything you need to know about ColorOS 12 and when the beta will roll out to your OPPO smartphone
Motorola has today expanded its Moto G family of affordable smartphones with the addition of the Moto G Pure that packs in a 6.5-inch HD+ display, 4,000mAh battery, and IP52 water resistance. That $ 160 also gets you a fingerprint sensor, audio jack, and a dual rear camera setup. Powered by MediaTek’S Helio G25 octa-core processor, […]
Come comment on this article: The $ 160 Moto G Pure is Motorola’s latest entry-level smartphone
Move over, Qualcomm: According to a new report from research firm Counterpoint, MediaTek has overtaken the San Diego-based chipmaker to become the world’s biggest vendor of smartphone chipsets by market share. While Qualcomm (understandably) held ont…
Engadget
Bloat. It’s a word that applies to so many apps that we use on our phones and tablets. Once an app becomes popular the developer tends to add new features in an attempt to keep it fresh and they just don’t know when to stop. Take Instagram for instance, it’s a bloated mess of an […]
Come comment on this article: [Download] The 2MB Instagram Lite is the debloated Insta experience you need on your smartphone
Huawei hasn’t had a great time lately. The pandemic this year didn’t help, obviously, but even before that they were struggling due to trade restrictions from the US government. It looks like that’s finally starting to take a toll on Huawei’s global smartphone shipments, and things are starting to take a turn for the worse. […]
Come comment on this article: Huawei smartphone shipments keep tumbling, Samsung holds on to the top spot
Turns out the OnePlus Nord SE is on the way sometime in 2021, and OnePlus has some pretty big plans for its midrange device in its next iteration. Even faster charging headlines these features, but I’m sure the naming similarities to Apple’s middle-of-the-road phones is going to make the rounds, too. OnePlus Nord SE The […]
Come comment on this article: OnePlus Nord SE will upgrade the midrange smartphone in a big way
Despite the ongoing saga of its troubles with the US government, Huawei continues to plow ahead with its smartphone plans with its new Mate 40 Series once again pushing the envelope of technology. The trio of handsets consists of the Mate 40, Mate 40 Pro, and the Mate 40+ that, as with the Mate 30 […]
Come comment on this article: Huawei’s Mate 40 Pro and Pro+ are official with almost everything you could want in a flagship smartphone
Qualcomm lost 3% of global smartphone chip market share in Q2 2020 in a difficult market, which fell by 26%, according to the latest market share data. The report, by Counterpoint Research, explained that the main reason for the decline in smartphone chips is because of sharply reduced smartphone sales, due to the global pandemic. […]
Come comment on this article: Qualcomm lost 3% of global smartphone chip market share in Q2 2020, against a backdrop of falling sales
We recently reviewed the Red Magic 5G and now Nubia has gone and unleashed a refreshed version of the gaming smartphone called the Red Magic 5S. The 5S is more refined as opposed to a completely new handset, adding improved cooling technology into the mix. Updated August 26th: Global pre-orders for the Red Magic 5S […]
Come comment on this article: [Update: Global pre-orders are live] Nubia’s Red Magic 5S gaming smartphone is here with a 144Hz display and up to 12GB RAM
While the Motorola Razr perhaps wasn’t quite as well-received as the brand might have hoped, there is no denying the nostalgic charm of the modern take on the legendary Razr from yesteryear. There were bumps in the road, and also in the display apparently, but that didn’t stop Motorola from saying that it was working […]
Come comment on this article: Motorola plans to “Flip the Smartphone Experience” once again on September 9th
Google One is now offering the handy new feature of allowing Android (and iOS) users the ability to back up their handsets, absolutely free*. You don’t need to be a Google One subscriber, you just need to have the app installed on the device you want to back up to. Of course, being free means […]
Come comment on this article: You can now back up your smartphone to Google One for no charge
Gorilla Glass is a pretty common term these days, and over the years Corning’s extremely durable glass has helped make smartphones less likely to break and shatter. But no matter how good the current iteration is, it can always be better. Your next smartphone might be using Corning’s latest Gorilla Glass, which calling Victus. Gorilla […]
Come comment on this article: Your next smartphone will probably have even tougher Gorilla Glass
When it comes to folding smartphones of the clamshell variety, you have two choices – Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip that has been warmly received by reviewers, and the Motorola Razr that tried to trade on nostalgia and got it wrong somehow. Anyhow, if the Razr is the foldable phone that revs your motor, you can […]
Come comment on this article: [Deal] At $ 999, Motorola’s Razr folding smartphone finds its niche as a knock-off Galaxy Z Flip
We’ve all experienced the frustration of mashing the ‘Check for Updates’ button in Settings to be given the infuriating reply of ‘Up-to-date’ when we know perfectly well that other users have just been upgraded to version gazillion of the Android OS. Taking the guesswork and FOMO factor out of the equation is OPPO with its […]
Come comment on this article: This is when your OPPO smartphone will be updated to ColorOS 7/Android 10
After launching its V60 ThinQ (reviewed here) earlier in the year, LG has confirmed that it will announce its new ‘Velvet‘ smartphone during an online-only event on May 7th. LG is believed to be following a new strategy with the Velvet in that the rumors point to it sporting Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765G processor instead of […]
Come comment on this article: LG’s Velvet smartphone is to be unveiled at an online-only event on May 7th
Unless you legitimately do live under a rock and have been there for the better part of the last decade, you’ve probably had your life seriously affected by the current COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a tough virus to manage because it’s easily spread by people in close proximity, and because of how contagious it is that […]
Come comment on this article: Apple and Google team up to help with COVID-19 contact tracing on your smartphone
By now, you are probably well aware of the Coronavirus situation, both locally and around the world, and hopefully, everyone is taking extra special care of themselves and those around them. While washing hands for 30-seconds or longer is one of the ways that we can help prevent the spread of the disease, Samsung is […]
Come comment on this article: PSA: Samsung will sanitize your Galaxy smartphone, Watch, and Buds in bid to fight Coronavirus
In the past decade, we’ve seen Android smartphones made from plastic, glass, and ceramic, but not carbon-fiber. Despite its lightweight nature and high-strength structure, its signal-blocking properties meant that it wasn’t suited for use in smartphones. This could soon change with the news that the Carbon 1 MKII, a phone made from a hybrid carbon-fiber […]
Come comment on this article: The world’s first carbon-fiber smartphone is now up for pre-order with a €799 price tag
2020 is going to be the year of the fastest chargers we’ve ever seen. GaN (gallium nitride) chargers are becoming more mainstream and replacing traditional silicon chargers, and they offer some benefits that are helpful for all kinds of devices. We’ve already reviewed some early GaN chargers, but Aukey’s new smart chargers take things to […]
Come comment on this article: [Deal] Aukey’s latest GaN phone chargers are the fastest way to recharge your smartphone or laptop
A new rumor has suggested that Google Duo might be getting a new kind of integration, starting with the Galaxy S20 launch. Apparently there have been talks between Samsung and Google to implement an ability to quickly send Google Duo video messages right inside of Samsung’s SMS messaging application, putting video chatting on a whole […]
Come comment on this article: Will Samsung integrate Google Duo into regular smartphone messaging?
Here’s a pretty crazy deal: if you have a broken Samsung Galaxy smartphone, Sprint will fix it for you. They don’t care what carrier you’re on right now, and they’re offering this deal for just $ 49. That’s pretty cheap compared to going to just about any other repair place and spending a couple hundred bucks […]
Come comment on this article: Sprint’s amazing deal: they’ll fix your broken Samsung Galaxy smartphone for just $ 49, regardless of carrier
Picked up a new LG phone over the holidays but can’t figure out how to take a screenshot with it? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. No matter which LG phone you have, we’ll let you know how you can capture anything on your screen. There’s a couple ways to do it, too, so read […]
Come comment on this article: How to take a screenshot on an LG smartphone
The NFL’s 100th season is winding to a close with the Super Bowl just a couple weeks away. The playoffs are in full swing, so now’s the time to get your Super Bowl party prepped and ready to go. Check back here for all of the details you’ll need for the game, including when it […]
Come comment on this article: How to stream Super Bowl LIV on your smartphone, tablet, computer, or TV
Even though the buzz of CES 2020 is underway, Samsung managed to quietly bring a new phone to market: the Galaxy XCover Pro, a rugged smartphone that can take a beating. This is the successor to the XCover 4, which launched in 2017. Now, people that need a rugged smartphone have some higher-end tech available […]
Come comment on this article: Samsung’s new Galaxy XCover Pro rugged smartphone brings removable batteries back
TCL is definitely best known for their popularity in the smart TV market, but they do dabble in other aspects of consumer electronics. One area that they’ve been mostly absent in, though, has been smartphones. At least up until CES, that is. The company has announced that they’re working on an entire lineup of TCL […]
Come comment on this article: TCL enters the smartphone market with a bang, bringing folding phones and 5G to CES 2020