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Showing posts from June, 2021

Samsung Galaxy F22 will bring a monster battery, 90Hz display on July 6

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Credit: Adamya Sharma / Android Authority The Samsung Galaxy F22 is coming in hot on July 6. The phone will feature a massive battery and a 90Hz display, likely at a very affordable price. Samsung is gearing up to launch a new phone in its affordable F series. Called the Galaxy F22, the device was previously thought to be a rebadged version of the Galaxy A22 4G launched in Europe a while back. However, an official spec reveals now confirms that the Galaxy F22 will launch with a bigger battery compared to the A-series phone. Samsung’s F series phones are mostly meant for the Indian market and the Galaxy F22 is no different. The company will debut the device in the subcontinent on July 6, and a teaser page put out by e-commerce platform Flipkart has confirmed its key specs. Samsung Galaxy F22 spces The biggest draw of the Galaxy F22 will be its 6,000mAh battery. In contrast, both the Galaxy A22 4G and 5G models feature a 5,000mAh power source. Elsewhere, the Galaxy

Android users will soon be able to carry a COVID vaccine card on their phones

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Credit: Google Google is making it easier to carry COVID vaccine and test information on Android devices. Users will soon be able to download a COVID card and pin it as a shortcut to their device home screen. Google says it won’t use the information for ad targeting purposes. Google will soon let Android users carry a COVID vaccine card on their phones. It has updated Android’s built-in passes system to enable a “simple and secure” way to store digital vaccine and test cards on Android devices. The feature will initially roll out in the US, followed by other countries. Google has allowed healthcare providers and government organizations to create a digital version of a person’s COVID vaccine or test information. The vaccine card will include information about the vaccine’s name, the lot and dose number, the date you received it, the name of the administering entity, and your future appointment details. If your COVID card is about your COVID test, it’ll include infor

Save up to 35% on Amazfit smartwatches, and more fitness tracker deals

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Credit: Adamya Sharma / Android Authority A fitness tracker is one of the most helpful gadgets when it comes to getting in shape . It won’t magically make you fit, but it can keep you on top of your fitness goals and stay motivated. Some manufacturers even offer fitness trackers just for kids . We’ve gathered deals from all of the major players, and you can check out our favorites below. Related: The best smartwatches you can buy There’s quite a lot of overlap with smartwatches and fitness trackers these days. If you’re looking first and foremost for smartwatch functionality, you might prefer to peruse our list of the best smartwatch deals available right now. Featured deal: Save up to 35% on Amazfit smartwatches Credit: B&H Amazfit hasn’t quite got the name recognition of Fitbit or Garmin, but it makes solid fitness trackers at affordable prices. Three nice Amazfit models are either matching or bettering their lowest-ever price today, saving you as much as 35%

Pick up a like-new Pixel 5 for just $429.99, and more Google Pixel deals

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Credit: David Imel / Android Authority The Google Pixel family has long had a list of features that make it a go-to for die-hard fans. Whether it’s the vanilla Android experience or the powerful camera, the Pixel packs some features that set it apart from the pack. As Android nerds, we’re always on the lookout for Google Pixel deals. With the Google Pixel 5 finally here, we’re hoping that we’ll start to see bigger discounts on previous variants soon. Here are some of the best deals from the Pixel 5 to the original Pixel XL and everything in between. Featured deal: Pick up a like-new Pixel 5 for just $429.99 Credit: Best Buy Even with the Google Pixel 5a potentially on the horizon , there hasn’t been a significant price drop on the Pixel 5 in a long time. Trust me, I’ve been checking. In lieu of any discounts on a new model, you can save $270 by picking up this Geek Squad certified refurbished Pixel 5 for just $429.99 . We recommend the Pixel 5 at full price , so l

Get a close look at Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 3 through a leaked video

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Credit: Evan Blass / Twitter A leak has provided video of the Galaxy Z Flip 3. The footage shows Samsung’s foldable from most angles, including its larger external screen. Samsung is rumored to launch the phone sometime in August. You might not have to settle for static photos of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 . Leaker Evan Blass has shared what appear to be official videos showing Samsung’s upcoming foldable from virtually every angle, both closed and open. https://cdn57.androidauthority.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/E5KAiTLX0AMg1JJ.mp4 The clips are short, but provide a good sense of how the Galaxy Z Flip 3 will improve on the original model (no, there’s no Z Flip 2). Most notably, they show off the larger, reportedly 19.-inch external display and two-tone back panel — you should have an easier time checking notifications or taking photos without popping the clamshell open. You only see a handful of the Z Flip 3 color range across the videos, including beige, black, gray, a

Oppo’s virtual memory gives your phone more breathing room

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Credit: Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority Oppo is adding virtual RAM support to Reno 5 series phones. The approach temporarily turns up to 7GB of storage into temporary memory when your physical RAM runs low. Oppo’s sibling brand Vivo uses this feature, but not as aggressively. Oppo is the latest phone maker to use virtual memory to offset hardware limitations . The brand is rolling out a virtual RAM feature that gives Reno 5 , A94 and A74 phones extra headroom when physical RAM runs short. As with a similar feature for Oppo’s sibling brand Vivo, you can tap a settings option that provides up to 7GB of virtual memory using your phone’s storage. It’s not as fast as real RAM, but it should prevent your phone from choking if you’re juggling multiple apps or running any particularly intensive software. You can choose from three capacities depending on how much you need. Related: The best Android phones with expandable storage The virtual memory update should be availabl

Google sunsets the APK format for new Android apps

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Credit: Andy Walker / Android Authority Starting in August 2021, Google will require all new Android APKs to land on the Play Store as App Bundles instead. This will invariably result in smaller file sizes and other boons for the end-user. However, it will also require app developers to push out APK versions of their apps to other non-Play Store channels, as they won’t support App Bundles. For as long as Android has been around, Android apps have been launched in the APK format (which stands for Android Package). However, in 2018, Google introduced a new format called Android App Bundles, or AAB (with the filename *.aab). Google touted that this new format would result in smaller app file sizes and easier ways to control various aspects of apps. Of the millions of apps on the Google Play Store , thousands of them already use the AAB system. Today, Google announced that the AAB format will now officially replace Android APKs. This means that starting in August of this

More Android phones in the US will use Google Messages by default

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Credit: David Imel / Android Authority AT&T is making Google Messages the default chat app for all its Android phones. The move could help boost RCS messaging in the US. Google Messages — and crucially, RCS — is about to get a big boost in the US. Google has revealed that AT&T will make Messages the default chat app on all its Android phones in the US. The move will give many AT&T users Wi-Fi messaging, higher-quality media attachments, typing indicators, drop-in-drop-out group chats, and end-to-end encryption for one-on-one messages (once it rolls out to more users). The AT&T move comes roughly three months after T-Mobile made Messages the default app for its Android customers. Verizon (disclaimer: this author writes for Verizon’s Engadget ) is the only major US carrier left that hasn’t set Messages as the standard app on Google-powered devices. Read more: The best chat and messenger apps for Android This shift won’t have a noticeable effect until