Samsung Always-On Display updated to support GIFs

You could always add an image to your Always on Display to customize the look of the phone while it permanently displays the time, date, and any incoming notifications. Samsung's Always on Display is being updated to support GIFs to further customize the look of your AOD. Version 3.2.26.4 of the app allows you to set any GIF to adorn your AOD by opening the GIF in the Gallery app and tapping the overflow menu (.), then selecting "Set as Always on Display image". There are a couple of limitations that you should know about. The app only supports GIF files and didn't...

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Chinese Customs busted 26 suspects who used drones to smuggle iPhones into China

A group of 26 suspects were arrested in China for smuggling almost USD $80 million worth of smartphones into Southern China from Hong Kong. Suspects were able to transport upwards of 15,000 devices in a single night, which were mostly refurbished iPhones, (according to the Chinese Customs' report) across the border that divides Hong Kong from mainland China. Drones confiscated by authorities in Shenzhen on March 29 - Via Reuters Drones were used to run 200-meter (660-foot) lines across the border and small bags, which held up to 10 smartphones each, were quickly carried through...

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T-Mobile is bringing back the Sidekick

The T-Mobile Sidekick is getting reincarnated in the carrier's latest announcement. It was an iconic smartphone that had several celebrity endorsements, a screen that flipped out in a really cool 180-degree motion, and its operating system would eventually evolve into what we know today as Android. Today, T-Mobile introduces the world's first Smartshoephone™: T-Mobile Sidekicks. As fun as they are functional, T-Mobile Sidekicks are fully tricked out for speed on the fastest LTE network ever and optimized for unlimited data with T-Mobile ONE, of course. Seeing really is believing with the...

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Huawei CEO says the company is still committed to the US market despite "groundless suspicions"

Huawei has recently come under fire in the US, where government agencies left and right are advising people and companies not to purchase its products. The CIA, FBI, and NSA are concerned that Huawei devices are used to spy on Americans. As you'd expect, Huawei's consumer products CEO doesn't think too highly of such assessments. Richard Yu told CNET that "the security risk concerns are based on groundless suspicions and are quite frankly unfair". "We welcome an open and transparent discussion if it is based on facts", he continued. Huawei P20 Despite the fact that the government...

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MIUI 9.5 Global ROM now rolling out to the Redmi Note 5 in India

Xiaomi has started rolling out the MIUI 9.5 update for the Redmi Note 5 in India. The update changes the version number to v9.5.3.0.NEGMIFA. The update brings a whole host of changes and improvements. You can read all the changes in the images below. Changelog The update is now rolling out via OTA download but if you like you can also download and flash the ROM manually from the link below. The Redmi Note 5 is one of the newest Xiaomi phones to be launched in India. Known as the Redmi 5 Plus in China, it serves as the replacement for the popular Redmi Note 4 from last year...

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Oppo R15 and R15 Pro hands-on review

Oppo just announced its R15 flagship duo, which not only represents the latest and greatest from the world's fifth largest manufacturer, but also comes to show what to expect from OnePlus and Vivo - the other two in BBK Electronics' smartphone trifecta.

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Samsung Galaxy Note8 phones on Verizon and Sprint are receiving Oreo

Following AT&T, two more US carriers are now sending Oreo updates to Samsung Galaxy Note8 phones on their networks - Verizon and Sprint. It's a hefty update, over a gigabyte, but it's worth it. It adds features like picture-in-picture, autofill, device maintenance, improved biometrics, better background app management and so on. Besides Android 8.0 Oreo, the update also brings the Samsung Experience version to 9.0. Galaxy Note8 phones on Verizon and Sprint are receiving Oreo We took at peek at posts discussing the T-Mobile version, but there's nothing yet. Well, besides people...

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Our 960fps slow-mo shootout video is up: Xperia XZ2 goes against the Galaxy S9

We had a bit of fun in the office shooting 960fps videos. We used the Sony Xperia XZ2 and the Samsung Galaxy S9 to try and find out which one does a better job at 960 frames per second. Of course, Huawei launched its own 960fps competitor earlier this week, but that's for another time. So, how did the two competitors do? Sony came out with a 960fps-capable phone last year (the XZ1) and this year it upgraded the camera to support 1080p resolution while the Samsung is capped at 720p. However, Samsung has its own highlights - it can automatically trigger the slow-mo recording with motion...

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LG trademarks the LG Q7 name

The LG Q6 is a mini G6, the LG Q8 is a mini V20. So, what would the LG Q7 be like? We will find out soon as the company has filed a trademark with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). The rumor mill is coming up empty on the matter - there's nothing on the Q7. It doesn't make a great amount of sense, but if the Q-series continues to imitate LG flagships, the LG V30 could be its next target. We could at least try to frame the price. The Q6 launched in Korea for the equivalent of $475, the Q8 launched at $545. So, call it about $500 for the Q7. Via

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Strategy Analytics crowns Sony Xperia XZ2, XZ2 Compact as battery life kings

Strategy Analytics normally studies the performance of various manufacturers, but at Sony's request, the analysts took on a new role - testing the battery life of "leading premium smartphones". Here's the competition: Sony Xperia XZ2 • Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact • LG G6 Apple iPhone X • Huawei P10 • Samsung Galaxy S9 • Oppo R11 And here are the results. The Xperia XZ2 came out on top followed by the XZ2 Compact. The LG G6 narrowly beat the iPhone X for third. Here's how the tests were performed: phones were used for 16 hours a day, including calls, texts,...

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Vodafone UK now offers the 2018 iPad

Apple announced its latest iPad 9.7 earlier this week. The tablet will be offered in the States by T-Mobile, Verizon and BestBuy starting April 2. Europe, or at least the United Kingdom, is getting the device a bit earlier after Vodafone sent out a press release, announcing the availability of the tablet in stores. Online purchases will be available after Easter. The new iPad 9.7 with 32 GB storage can be purchased with one of four plans. For £26/month and £20 upfront you get the slate + 500 MB Tablet Plan, while for £5 more per month and £10 less upfront cost the data is 5 GB....

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Moto G6 and Moto G6 Play leak in all their glory

Most companies are done with their H1 2018 announcements, but Motorola is still holding back with the Moto G6 series. Those should be coming shortly though as a massive leak just came showing us what two of the phones will look like and revealing most of their specs and even prices. Moto G6 Play Moto G6 Play will be the most affordable device in the series with 5.7" display and HD+ resolution, confirming that Motorola will also move to tall screens. The chipset is rumored to be Snapdragon 430 with an octa-core CPU and up to 1.4 GHz clock speed. The circular camera...

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Google announces new features for Play Books

In January Google launchedPlay Books - a store for audio books and a direct competitor to Audible. Today the company announced a handful of updates on its blog that should bring better user experience. According to the article, you'll now be able to place bookmarks wherever you want in the audiobook, so you can later get back to it. There are also plenty of new and updated features like Smart Resume, speed control and Family Library. Smart Resume is continuing the book from the sentence you paused it at, instead of the exact word, so that way you won't feel confused what is going on...

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