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The OnePlus 9RT will take the 9T's place this year. Here's what we know

Michael L Hicks — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 20:00:00 +0000

OnePlus's latest smartphone combines power with surprising affordability.

The OnePlus 9R

OnePlus has no plans to release a mainstream T phone this year. Instead, it has launched the OnePlus 9RT, a slight variation on the mid-range OnePlus 9R that shipped earlier this year. Likely OnePlus's final major phone of 2021, the 9RT is worth considering — if you live somewhere where it's available.

OnePlus has released a T-model phone every fall from 2016 to 2020, offering similar specs to that year's main flagship, plus some slight variations that often ended up in next year's flagship. OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei chose the naming scheme to emulate the iPhone S-series, except that S + One(Plus) = T.

But recently, OnePlus started shipping its phones in more markets, therefore making its lineup more complicated. "Pro" phones appeared in 2019, followed by a surge of mid-range phones like the OnePlus Nord 2 and budget handsets like the OnePlus Nord N200 5G. Then, of course, there was the 9R, which was a step back as an "entry-level flagship," as OnePlus describes it.

In the midst of this crowded lineup and a global chip shortage, the OnePlus 9RT launched in limited markets this month as an upgrade on the 9R. For buyers looking for near-flagship specs at a more affordable price, the weirdly-named 9RT could be the right fit for you. Here's everything you need to know about the phone.

A great, cheap Android flagship

OnePlus 9

$677 at Amazon $730 at Best Buy

Don't wait for affordable quality

The OnePlus 9RT has some unique perks that makes it worth considering if you live in the right territory. But for everyone else, you should be perfectly happy with the 9. It still has great CPU and camera performance, at a discounted price from where it was at launch.

OnePlus 9RT Release date, price, and availability

OnePlus officially announced the OnePlus 9RT on October 13. During its livestream event, it unveiled the phone's release date, price and specs. The main 8GB/128GB version of the 9RT will cost 3,299 yuan (about $512 / ₹38,500), while the upgraded 12GB/256GB model costs 3,799 yuan (about $589 / ₹44,400). For comparison, the original OnePlus 9 costs 3,799 yuan.

The phone will ship out in China starting on October 19. So far, OnePlus hasn't announced availability for any other countries. Based on information from a source, we believe it will also come to India at some point, but not to other countries in North America or Europe. Instead, you'll have to choose between the OnePlus 9 series or OnePlus Nord N200 5G in North America, or try the Nord 2 in Europe.

In terms of pricing and availability in India, tipset @heyitsyogesh claims the 9RT should cost "between 40-44k" and that it'll be available "before Diwali," which begins November 4.

OnePlus 9RT: Specs

The OnePlus 9RT shares many features and specifications with the 9R. However, it's also receiving some significant upgrades that makes the phone more attractive than we originally guessed.

First, the phone uses a Snapdragon 888 processor. Tons of other Android phones this year have it, but the 9R used a downgraded 870, and the 888 is nice to see at this price point. Plus, while it has the same 8GB/12GB of RAM as before, it will now have 7GB of virtual RAM that'll come into play for demanding apps and games.

One other significant upgrade over the 9R is that the 9RT will get the same main camera sensor as the OnePlus Nord 2: the 50MP Sony IMX766 lens with image stabilization. The 9R had a 48MP main lens, but this new lens gives you a wider shot. You'll also get a 16MP ultra-wide lens, 2MP macro camera, and 16MP selfie cam with a hole-punch cutout.

Turning to the display, the OnePlus 9RT will have a 6.62-inch OLED display with FHD+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, a 600Hz touch sampling rate, and an in-screen fingerprint sensor.

For battery life, you'll have the same 4,500mAh battery with 65W charging found in most other OnePlus flagships this year.

OnePlus 9RT: Design

In previous generations, OnePlus T phones were used to experiment with new designs that often ended up appearing in the next numbered flagship. The OnePlus 8T, for instance, flattened the 8's display while thickening the device itself to fit a larger battery and better cooling vents. Then, the OnePlus 9 essentially kept the 8T's design except for adjusting the camera module.

OnePlus T phones used to be trendsetters, but the 9RT will stick to the status quo.

So we had hoped that the OnePlus 9T would give us a new design that would herald what to expect in the OnePlus 10. Instead, the OnePlus 9RT has a fairly consistent appearance, with a similar display size and the same glass back and plastic frame as most other OnePlus 9 phones.

In terms of differences, the OnePlus 9RT ships in silver, light green, and black, and its camera module has been redesigned with more of a vertical appearance, compared to the 9R's prominent L shape. our source suggested OnePlus would bring back the same flat, 6.55-inch panel as before. And based on leaked renders of the phone and the launch page, the 9RT does appear to have a very consistent look with the 9R, though the silver back is new. It will ship in either silver or black.

OnePlus 9RT: Software

A source initially told us the OnePlus 9RT would have Android 12 — or OxygenOS 12 — out of the box. Instead, we learned the OnePlus 9RT would have ColorOS 12 instead — though based on Android 11, not 12.

OxygenOS and ColorOS will merge into a unified OS in 2022, starting with the OnePlus 10. But the OnePlus 9RT is ahead of the curve on this front, and will have ColorOS ahead of schedule. However, when the phone launches in India, it may have OxygenOS installed instead, as is the case with other OnePlus phones. We suspect it will start with OxygenOS 11, but should quickly receive the OxygenOS 12 beta.

The best you can hope for in 2021

OnePlus 9

$675 at Amazon $730 at Best Buy

Don't wait for anything better

We'd hoped that the OnePlus 9T would offer some small upgrades on the OnePlus 9, but that never materialized. Given the OnePlus 9RT isn't a major upgrade and won't even ship to North America or Europe, OnePlus phone fans should bite the bullet and snag one of the best Android phones available. The 10 is months away, and the 9 still holds up as a great option.

Amazon accused of lying to Congress, could face criminal investigation

Derrek Lee — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 19:52:21 +0000

The committee gives Amazon a deadline to tell the truth.

What you need to know

The U.S. House Judiciary Committee is accusing Amazon of lying to Congress.
Committee members say that the company lied about product discrimination on its platform.
The committee has given Amazon until November 1 to provide proof to corroborate its testimony.

Amazon has two weeks to prove that it does not discriminate against other products sold on its online platform, a deadline imposed by the House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee.

A letter addressed to Amazon on Monday suspects the company of misleading the committee and lying to Congress when it said that it does not promote its own products more than others and that it does not use seller data to create competing products.

The letter directly cites investigations from Reuters and The Markup, which claim that Amazon "ran a systematic campaign of creating knockoffs and manipulating search results to boost its own product lines in India, one of the company's largest growth markets." It was also alleged that Amazon promoted its own competing products over those from other brands.

The committee says that it is giving Amazon one last chance to prove that it wasn't lying about its practices or face an investigation.

We strongly encourage you to make use of this opportunity to correct the record and provide the Committee with sworn, truthful, and accurate responses to this request as we consider whether a referral of this matter to the Department of Justice for criminal investigation is appropriate.

Amazon, however, maintains that it did not mislead the committee. An Amazon spokesperson told Android Central that it continues to deny allegations, reiterating statements made by former CEO Jeff Bezos that the company prohibits using seller data to develop's Amazon's own products and internally investigates any bad actors that may have violated this policy.

In addition, we design our search experience to feature the items customers will want to purchase, regardless of whether they are offered by Amazon or one of our selling partners.

Meanwhile, Amazon is also facing new bipartisan legislation aimed at curbing its market dominance and putting an end to these alleged practices.

The American Innovation and Choice Online Act, introduced by Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Chuck Grassley, seeks to promote competition by prohibiting dominant platforms from "favoring their own products or services," while setting the groundwork for enforcement that would hold companies accountable for anticompetitive behavior.

However, Brian Huseman, Amazon's vice president of public policy, says in a statement that the bill would negatively impact businesses that operate on its platform and says that it unfairly singles out the company.

As written, the bill would jeopardize Amazon's ability to operate a marketplace for sellers, and it would significantly degrade the benefits of Amazon Prime that customers love.

We urge Congress to consider these consequences instead of rushing through this ambiguously worded bill. If Congress intends to pass new laws aimed at regulating the highly competitive retail industry, they should draft language that applies to all retailers, not just one.

Amazon has until November 1 to submit documents proving that it does not use seller data to create competing products nor provide self-preferential treatment for its products.

T-Mobile extends its speed lead in Ookla's Q3 Mobile Report

Samuel Contreras — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 19:02:20 +0000

What you need to know

T-Mobile has extended its lead as the fastest provider with a median download speed of 62.35Mbps compared to AT&T's 47.42Mbps and Verizon's 39.91Mbps.
T-Mobile also took the crown in 5G performance with the fastest median download speed on 5G and the best 5G availability.
Verizon had the best fixed broadband speeds with a Speed Score of 178.38 followed closely by Cox and Xfinity.

Ookla released its Q3 U.S. Market Report on October 18, 2021, detailing the fastest and most consistent providers based on data from its popular Speedtest app. With results in the United States, Ooklas data shows consistent improvements in download speeds from mobile providers and download and upload improvements for fixed providers.

In the mobile report, T-Mobile is the fastest provider overall with a very strong 62.35Mbps median download speed. AT&T takes second place with a 47.42Mbps result with Verizon trailing behind with 39.91Mbps. Latency was about the same for each carrier with 33ms measured for T-Mobile and Verizon with 34ms for AT&T. T-Mobile also had the greatest consistency score with 84.4% of its results over 5Mbps download and 1Mbps upload. AT&T was second with 79.8% and Verizon came in third with 78.2%. Consistency results were slightly lower for each carrier compared to Q2.

Isolating the 5G results, T-Mobile's lead becomes even more decisive. T-Mobile's median download speed on 5G was 135.17Mbps compared to Verizon and AT&T at 78.94Mbps and 72.46Mbps. While AT&T and Verizon's results in Q2 were nearly identical, T-Mobile improved from 99.84Mbps. Consistency on 5G (25Mbps or higher download and 3Mbps upload) for all carriers was about the same with Verizon leading the pack with 78.8%. T-Mobile and AT&T are close behind with 78.4% and 73.8%.

It's worth remembering that T-Mobile has a huge lead in 5G coverage with Ookla's report showing 64.4% availability. AT&T came in second with 44.8% and Verizon was in third with just 34.3% availability. These results are for 5G-capable devices only but not all carriers include 5G connectivity with every plan.

The phone with the fastest median download speed is the iPhone 13 Pro Max taking over the top spot from the Galaxy S21 Ultra, one of the best Android phones you can buy. The only Android phone to break the top five for this report is the impressive Galaxy Z Fold3 5G with its Snapdragon 888 chipset. Overall, the latency was very similar between the different models.

This progress has also been a great illustration of the benefits of 5G. T-Mobile's dominance in the mobile category likely has a lot to do with the continued expansion of its mid-band Ultra Capacity 5G network which is much faster than the low-band coverage spectrum used by T-Mobile and the other carriers ahead of C-band deployment in late 2021 and 2022.

When it comes to fixed internet providers, Verizon takes the speed lead with ease. Verizon leads the competition with a Speed Score of 178.38. Cox and Xfinity aren't too far behind with 168.56 and 161.87 respectively. Ookla's Speed Score is a combination of 90% download speeds and 10% upload speeds. Fiber connection with symmetrical download and upload speeds benefit from this more than cable. Verizon also had the best latency average of 8ms although all of the top 6 providers had latency times under 20ms.

Xfinity had the greatest consistency at 89.8%. Spectrum and Xfinity are not far behind with 89.6% and 88.8% respectively. Cox takes a dip with 83.7% but maintains a healthy lead over AT&T and CenturyLink. Consistency scores are the percentage of tests over 25Mbps down and 3Mbps up.

While Google Fiber is no longer the fiber miracle many were hoping it would become, it's still the fastest provider in the fastest three cities on the list of the 100 most populous cities in the country. Google Fiber was the fastest provider in seven cities. Still, cable companies lead the pack overall with Spectrum fastest in an impressive 19 cities, Cox in 16 cities, and Xfinity in 13 cities. AT&T and Verizon were the fastest in 12 and eight cities respectively with largely fiber-based offerings.

While no report is going to be able to provide a complete picture for everyone, it's a great way to measure the progress providers are making. Average download speeds for both mobile and fixed have increased each month in 2021. If you're not getting the full speed you pay for with your home internet, it may be worth checking out a fast Wi-Fi 6 router with improved performance. Most providers offer a Wi-Fi 6 hotspot as well so if you prefer to rent, you could also make sure you're on the latest tech with your provider.

Here's all the shows you can only watch on Hulu

Keegan Prosser — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 19:00:00 +0000

Stream away with some of your favorites or something brand new

Hulu has established itself as one of the top streaming services thanks to its solid, ever-growing content library. In addition to carrying new and classic content from networks like ABC, NBC, Fox, HBO, the platform offers various Hulu original series that span genres. Whether you're a fan of dark totalitarian futures and mommy mysteries or coming of age dramas and millennial love stories, Hulu has you covered. With that in mind, here's a rundown of all the shows you can only watch on Hulu.

All the shows you can only watch on Hulu

Hulu announced back in 2012 that it would begin airing scripted original series exclusive to the streaming service, beginning with Battleground. That series followed a group of political campaign staffers working to elect an underdog to the U.S. Senate in Wisconsin's battleground state and lasted one season.

Since then, Hulu has established itself as one of the top platforms for both original scripted series and limited series events. Here's a list of the original series they've premiered or taken over from other networks so far.

The Handmaid's Tale
Into the Dark
PEN15
Shrill
Ramy
Dollface
The Great
Love, Victor
Woke
The Wrong Mans
Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi
Castle Rock
No Man's Land
Animaniacs
Madagascar: A Little Wild
Solar Opposites
The Mighty Ones
Letterkenny
A Day in the Life
Helstrom
Monsterland
East Los High
High Fidelity
The Worst
The Path
Difficult People
Future Man
Harlots
The Bisexual
Casual
Freakish
Quickdraw
No Fue Mi Culpa
Safe Harbour
The Awesomes
Marvel's Runaways
Chance
I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman
The Hot Wives of Las Vegas
The Hot Wives of Orlando
Battleground
The Mindy Project
Moone Boy
Veronica Mars
UnREAL
Jacinta
Baker's Dozen
The D'Amelio Show
Only Murders in the Building
Light As A Feather
All Night
The Hardy Boys
Trolls: TrollsTopia
Crossing Swords
This Way Up
Deadbeat

Stream the originals

Hulu

From $7 at Hulu

Fresh content here

Hulu is the streaming service to beat for new shows, classic movies, and live TV. New original series and a stacked lineup of limited series are just a click away.

What are the best Hulu original series?

While there's plenty of content to choose from, depending on your mood or attention span, here are a handful of Hulu original series that subscribers just can't get enough of. Here are the top original series streaming on Hulu right now.

The Handmaid's Tale (2017-)

Based on the best-selling novel by Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale follows a group of women who've been forced into sexual servitude to repopulate Gilead, the totalitarian society that replaced the United States. The series centers on Offred (Elizabeth Moss), an enslaved handmaiden who will do whatever it takes to reunite with her husband and daughter. The series also stars Alexis Bledel, Joseph Fiennes, Samira Wiley, and Max Minghella. Seasons 1-4 are streaming now.

Only Murders in the Building (2021-)

Only Murders in the Building stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez as three strangers who team up and attempt to use their individual obsessions with true crime to solve a real murder in their Upper West Side apartment building.

PEN15 (2019-)

Set in the year 2000, PEN15 stars comics Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle as pre-teen versions of themselves. The scripted adult comedy finds the duo reliving middle school's awkward days as the social outcasts they really were and doing it all alongside real tween-ager actors. Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming now.

Ramy (2019-)

Ramy was created by and stars first-generation Egyptian-American Ramy Youssef. Season 1 found the fictionalized version of Ramy beginning a spiritual journey to find himself while also living in a politically divided New Jersey neighborhood. Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming now.

The Great (2020-)

A genre-bending ride through 18th-century Russia, The Great stars Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult as fictionalized and anti-historical versions of Empress Catherine II and Emperor Peter III of Russia, respectively. Described as "an occasionally true story," the series made headlines to take some creative liberties and deliver massive laughs. Season 2 debuts on Nov. 19.

All the limited series you can only watch on Hulu

In addition to its roster of original series, Hulu has carved out a space for some of the best limited series events among the various streaming platforms. Here's a list of all the limited series you can find on Hulu right now.

The Confession
11.23.63
The Looming Tower
The Act
Looking for Alaska
Devs
Little Fires Everywhere
Four Weddings and a Funeral
A Teacher
Hillary
Catch-22
The Accident
Normal People
Mrs. America
Nine Perfect Strangers
Dopesick
The Sister

Don't miss these Hulu limited series

Don't have time to watch every trending limited series right now? No worries! There's a handful of Hulu original limited series that you've definitely heard people talking about over the last few months. Here's our roundup of the top five.

Mrs. America (2020)

Mrs. America stars Cate Blanchett as conservative political activist Phyllis Schlafly, aka "the sweetheart of the silent majority." It tells the true story of the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in the '70s. The limited series also stars Rose Byrne as Gloria Steinem, Uzo Aduba as Shirley Chisholm, Sarah Paulson as Alice Macray, and Margo Martindale.

Dopesick (2021)

Based on Beth Macy's non-fiction book Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company that Addicted America, this limited series explores America's struggle with opioid addiction. The ensemble cast includes Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard, Will Poulter, Kaitlyn Dever, and Rosario Dawson. Season 1 debuted on Oct. 13.

Nine Perfect Strangers (2021)

Based on The New York Times best-selling book by Liane Moriarty, Nine Perfect Strangers follows a group of nine stressed out city-dwellers who find themselves at a boutique health-and-wellness resort led by Masha Dmitrichenko (Nicole Kidman). The ensemble cast also includes Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, Luke Evans, Samara Weaving, Regina Hall, and Bobby Canavale.

Normal People (2020)

Based on Sally Rooney's novel of the same name, Normal People follows Marianne and Connell's imperfect millennial love story over a decade. Faced with the reality that they are from two completely different backgrounds, the pair struggle to navigate their star-crossed romance after moving away from their small hometown in Ireland and learning who they really want to be as individuals.

The Sister (2021)

Adapted by Neil Cross from his own novel Burial, The Sister is a four-part miniseries about a man named Nathan (Russell Tovey) whose life is turned upside down when a former one-time associate named Bob shows up at his door and demands that he join him in the immediate exhumation of a body they'd interred together.

What's next on Hulu?

Since Disney purchased a controlling interest in Hulu in 2019, there have been rumors that the company would eventually merge its new acquisition with its own Disney+ service. However, Disney has thus far kept the streaming platforms separate and even used Hulu as a hub for some of its more mature content (see: Love, Victor, and the short-lived High Fidelity). While it's unclear if Disney will continue to keep the platforms separate, the company currently offers subscribers a bundle package that provides access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.

Disney also launched its Star brand and Star+ app in select European countries, Canada, and New Zealand in February 2021. Star serves as a free tier within the Disney Plus app in those regions and features content from Disney's non-franchise owned brands, like FX and 20th Century. Star Plus also launched exclusively in Latin America in June 2021 and operates as a standalone streaming service with content in a similar vein to what Hulu currently offers.

There's also a ton of original series and miniseries set to debut on Hulu in the near future. These include The Dropout, about the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes and her company Theranos, and a series adaptation of Sally Rooney's popular novel Conversations With Friends. The Old Man, based on Thomas Perry's 2017 novel and starring Jeff Bridges, is also set to premiere on FX on Hulu in 2022.

Make it a bundle

Hulu

From $7 at Hulu

Stream originals now

Hulu is the streaming service to beat for new shows, classic movies, and live TV. Save money by paying for the bundle -- which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.

Keep your Galaxy Z Fold 3 looking fantastic with these screen protectors

Andrew Myrick — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 18:00:00 +0000

Although there's an all-new PET film and IPX8 water resistance on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, you can never be too careful. Samsung even upgraded the Cover Screen, bringing its 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. So if you want to make sure both displays are protected forever, we've rounded up the best Galaxy Z Fold 3 screen protectors.

The ultimate option

Whitestone Dome Glass for Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

No compromises

Olixar Screen Protector (2-pack)

Staff Pick

This two-pack of screen protectors from Olixar offers great protection for the inner display of your Galaxy Z Fold 3. There's an oleophobic coating along with anti-scratch protection to ensure that your screen won't get all mucked up. Plus, Olixar ensures that you'll still be able to use the Z Fold 3 as you would expect thanks to the ultra-thin design.

$25 at Amazon

No creases

Ringke Film Screen

Ringke may be well-known for its wonderful lineup of smartphone cases, but the company also offers some pretty solid screen protectors. Surprisingly, this includes the Galaxy Z Fold 3 with the Ringke Film Screen. The screen protector is made from a PET film that fits across the entire display, and promises to "retain its shape" even after you fold and unfold the Z Fold throughout the day.

$14 at Amazon $13 at Walmart

Self-healing

Whitestone Dome EPU Film

There are your run-of-the-mill PET film screen protectors, but usually once those get scratched up you'll find yourself needing to swap it out. That's not a problem with the Whitestone Dome EPU Film. This kit includes self-healing protection for the Cover Screen, main display, and even the back of the phone.

$12 at Amazon

Front and main

Ferilinso Flexible TPU Screen Protector (4-pack)

With this four-pack of screen protectors from Ferilinso, you'll not only be able to keep the main screen from scratches, but this includes screen protectors for the Cover Screen. Plus, you'll always have a backup handy as the company provides two protectors for the main display and two more for the cover screen. Ferilinso also includes an installation kit so that you line everything up perfectly.

$17 at Amazon

Lifetime replacement

Orzero Soft TPU Screen Protector (4-pack)

If you are worried about bubbles popping up when adding a screen protector to the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Orzero has you covered. This four-pack of screen protectors covers both displays while ensuring a bubble-free installation. Orzero even offers a lifetime replacement, so you'll be covered for as long as you own the Z Fold 3.

$14 at Amazon

Full protection

LYWHL Full Coverage Anti-Scratch Screen Protector (4-pack)

When it comes to protection, there's a lot more that goes into consideration than just the screen. And that's where this set of four protectors comes in from LYWHL, as you can cover not just the two displays, but you can also protect the back glass and the hinge.

$13 at Amazon

Case friendly

Cemboo Soft Film Screen Protector (6-pack)

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is already a chunky beast, but it's still a bit slimmer and lighter than last year's model. Nevertheless, you're likely going to want to use a case in conjunction with a screen protector. Cemboo's 6-pack covers the two displays while being case friendly, sporting an oleophobic coating, and providing you with additional backups for each screen.

$13 at Amazon

Edge-to-edge

Ermorgen High Definition Screen Protector (6-pack)

Forget worrying about a screen protector affecting the beauty offered by the Galaxy Z Fold 3s two displays. Instead, this six-pack of screen protectors from Ermorgen ensures crystal-clear quality while providing a backup for both displays, along with protectors for the hinge and back glass.

$16 at Amazon

These are the best Galaxy Z Fold 3 screen protectors

Olixar takes the top spot as the best Galaxy Z Fold 3 screen protector because the company has been making accessories for years. But also because this set of two screen protectors will prevent finger smudges while protecting the big and vibrant main display of the Galaxy Z Fold 3. The installation process is as easy as pie, and you won't have to worry about the screen protector affecting the display sensitivity.

If you've already grabbed one of the best Galaxy Z Fold 3 cases, you might be a bit concerned about pairing it with a compatible screen protector. That's where the Ferilinso Screen Protector set comes, as you get two case-friendly screen protectors for the Cover Screen, along with two more for the big screen. These screen protectors are made from a flexible TPU material, ensuring proper flexibility and even more protection.

You'll soon be able to use your Android phone apps on your Chromebook

Babu Mohan — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 17:32:20 +0000

The feature could begin rolling out to users as soon as later this week.

What you need to know

An upcoming Chrome OS feature let users you launch apps from your phone.
It will be a part of Chrome OS' Phone Hub feature.
Google may launch the feature alongside the Pixel 6 series phones on October 19.

Google is working on a new feature that will allow you to launch apps from your phone on the best Chromebooks, according to reputed tipster Mishaal Rahman.

Coming soon: Launching apps from your phone on Chromebooks. When you receive a notification on your phone that's forwarded to your Chromebook, you can click on it on the PC to launch it in a window. pic.twitter.com/j9UEYuR7TW
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) October 18, 2021

As can be seen in the screenshot above, the feature will let you "temporarily use apps right from your phone" when a notification on your phone is forwarded to your Chromebook. While it isn't clear exactly how the feature will work, users will apparently be able to click on the notification to launch the app in a new window.

Even though the option to enable the feature appears to have made its way to some users already, it doesn't work as intended right now. The feature is going to be part of Chrome OS' Phone Hub feature and could possibly be announced at Google's Pixel 6 launch event on October 19.

As hinted by a recent commit added to the Chromium Gerrit, Google is also working on making it possible for users to take phone calls on their Chromebooks.

The ability to take phone calls is expected to be tied to another upcoming feature that will let users mirror their phone screen to their Chromebook. Both the features are expected to be limited to Google's Pixel phones when they first launch.

Microsoft's Your Phone app, which was introduced in 2018, already lets users take phone calls and mirror their phone's screen on their Windows 10 PCs. However, the app is only compatible with Microsoft's Surface Duo series and the best Samsung phones.

Phone Hub was added to Chrome OS in March this year, along with a bunch of other features. Currently, the feature lets you check the battery status or mobile signal, enable hotspot, sync notifications, and locate your phone.

Jurassic World Aftermath Part 2 review: More dinos, more terror, more money

Nicholas Sutrich — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 17:00:02 +0000

This time around, you'll be chased by more than just raptors.

At the very tail-end of 2020, Oculus Studios released one of my favorite VR games of the year, Jurassic World Aftermath. While the game wasn't without its faults, it was one of the strongest examples of a game that makes the most sense in VR. After all, hiding from dinosaurs — just raptors in the first game — is absolutely terrifying and wouldn't give you that sense of terror without being in the world.

Nine months later, developer Coatsink delivered Jurassic World Aftermath Part 2, the direct follow-up to the cliffhanger ending of the first part. Instead of being a free addition, Coatsink is charging $15 for the game — a $10 price reduction over part 1 — much to the chagrin of some players who didn't notice the buy button for the expansion pass upon the original's release.

In part 2, you'll not only complete the story that began with you unceremoniously crashing onto Isla Nublar, but you'll also encounter more than just raptors this time around, solve new types of puzzles, and visit fantastic environments that are as beautiful (and non-interactive) as the first part's. It's a solid follow-up that doesn't change the core dynamics but offers enough additions and challenges to keep you crawling along for the ride.

Jurassic World Aftermath Part 2

Bottom line: Jurassic World Aftermath part 2 picks up right where part 1 left off, barely escaping the cutches of Blue the Indoraptor and off to finish the mission you began in part 1. Will you make it off the island, or are you destined to become dino dinner?

The Good

Excellent graphics and presentation
Top-class voice work
Fun new puzzles
Incredible scenery
Dinos are scarier than ever
Lots of accessibility options

The Bad

Sparse level interaction
Highly linear

$15 at Oculus

Disclaimer: This review was made possible by a review code provided by Coatsink. The company did not see the contents of the review before publishing.

Jurassic World Aftermath Part 2: What makes this a great expansion

While you'll need to own part 1 and have to shell out $15 for part 2, you won't need to have a completed save file to begin part 2. This is a massive improvement over games like Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge, which require you to have a completed save file to start the DLC.

Category	Jurassic World Aftermath Part 2
Title	Jurassic World Aftermath Part 2
Developer	Coatsink
Publisher	Oculus Studios
Genre	Stealth Action
Platforms	Oculus Quest, Oculus Quest 2
Game Size	4.52GB
Play Time	4-5 hours
Players	Single
Launch Price	$15

That's particularly problematic on a device like the Quest or Quest 2 when there are several months between content releases because save files are deleted when a game is uninstalled. It's unreasonable to design a game without taking these platform issues into consideration, and Coatsink was smart to not force players into playing through the first part all over again.

As in the original, you'll play as repair technician Sam, who is stranded on Isla Nublar with only the injured Dr. Mia Everett holed up in a safe house somewhere on the island. As you have just barely managed to escape Blue and her companions at the end of the last episode, you finally learn that it's Blue's DNA you've been after the entire time.

The turn of events that leads to this revelation is narrated by none other than Jeff Goldblum, reprising his role as Ian Malcolm from the films. As always, Goldblum gives a superb performance — even if it is just his voice — and helps fill in some of the more mysterious bits of the story.

You won't need a completed save file from part 1; a godsend to anyone who might have uninstalled the first part.

While I haven't been a fan of the Jurassic World movies, I love the overall universe and lore and have found myself enjoying spin-off series' like Camp Cretaceous on Netflix. Aftermath's story ends up playing perfectly into that world and even takes plenty of story hints and clues from Cretaceous.

Toward the end of part 1, things began to feel repetitive but ended just in time before I found myself getting bored with the mechanics. Part 2 adds a slight layer of complexity to the formula but doesn't stray too far from the original mechanics.

The familiar feel only lasts around 45 minutes until you get into what feels like truly newly minted content, encountering other types of dinosaurs — meaning, not raptors — and completely different puzzle types that are mechanically completely different from the Simon Says style puzzles in the beginning.

Unlike part 1, part 2 changes scenarios up the more you trek along with the story.

Unlike part 1, part 2 changes scenarios up the more you trek along with the story. What was just running from raptors and pressing buttons turns into popping open locks, feeding a triceratops, and narrowly escaping the clutches of a T-Rex as it looms overhead the disheveled mail room.

Puzzles are also a bit more complex this time around. For example, routing packages through areas with no power require you to backtrack and keep track of cable positions, rerouting power to the proper place, and flipping switches to move the cargo along.

Just about every plan you undergo gets foiled at some point during execution, a tactic that I knew was coming but kept me interested nonetheless.

I do hope we get more stories in this fashion in the future because the concept and mechanics are extremely well-executed, and I can see the improvements in Coatsink's formula in just the nine months that it took to make the second part.

A number of thoughtful accessibility options make it easy for a wide variety of players to enjoy the game.

I also admire how much work Coatsink put into the accessibility options of the game. Crouching most of the game made my neck hurt, but clicking in the right stick to virtually duck gave me a break. That also makes it possible to play while seated, which is something not always possible or comfortable with every VR game.

Jurassic World Aftermath Part 2: What could use improvement

While part 2 did a great job in mixing up puzzles and adding in much more environmental variety, there's no escaping the fact that most of the environments are simply works of art to traverse through. Like a museum, you'll be admiring the visuals as you make your way through each section but aren't allowed to touch, well, basically anything that isn't a part of the story.

Like a museum, you can look at and admire the environments but often can't touch things.

Some of the mechanics are also a bit simple for my liking. For example, there's no inventory management, and you won't even need to remember keypad combinations as the game simply paints them on the wall above when you learn of the combo from an email or other part of the dialog.

Simplicity is certainly going to be a positive for some folks, especially if they're overly stressed by the dinos lurking around every corner. Still, I'd love to see more interaction and less hand-holding in future installments.

As a Jurassic geek, I'd love to have seen even more dinos throughout the adventure.

One of my complaints revolves around me being a Jurassic geek and wanting to see more of the island than the game allowed. One particular marketing campaign made me think we were going to see some of the more unique experiments from the Camp Cretaceous show, but, alas, that wasn't the case. Maybe in the future?

Jurassic World Aftermath Part 2: Should you play it?

4 out of 5

Jurassic World Aftermath part 2 is a direct continuation after the cliffhanger ending of part 1. As with any good Jurassic story, there's both finality and ambiguity, leaving plenty of room for parallel stories or continuations in the future. Jurassic World might be a wreck, but it's clearly still worth talking about.

While the newness of the formula has worn off, developer Coatsink did an excellent job of introducing several new puzzles and gameplay elements that change up the core gameplay enough to keep players interested. I wish we saw a bit more of the other dinos in the story, but I was happy that they were there to break up the action a bit more. As it stands, this was another excellent 5-hour adventure that kept me glued to my headset the entire time.

Jurassic World Aftermath Part 2

Bottom line: Jurassic World Aftermath part 2 finishes the story from the first part, as you might expect, but it also adds in brand new puzzles, more environmental variables, and a few new dinos to keep the action fresh. Better yet, you won't need to have a completed part 1 save file to start part 2.

$15 at Oculus

The Google Pixel 5 and Galaxy S21 are the most secure Android phones

Jerry Hildenbrand — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 17:00:00 +0000

The Google Pixel 5 is the best Android phone when it comes to security. Google builds its phones to be secure from the start, and its monthly security patches guarantee you won't be left behind on future exploits. Some of the most secure Android phones available to date are on this list to keep your mind at ease while staying safely connected.

Best overall: Google Pixel 5

The Pixel 5 is updated directly from Google with the latest version of Android. Outside of any new features that may come with it, the device security model has been updated and strengthened by a dedicated team that regularly audits and enhances the code used to build Android. On top of this, Google releases updates to the security model at the beginning of every month for the people who build Android phones to apply to its software. These are important, direr than any other update.

Equally necessary but often overlooked is transparency. You shouldn't have to trust a company when it says something is secure or updated, and the Android code for both the platform version and all updates is available for anyone to take a look at. Plenty of people do, and despite any opinions to the contrary, Android, as written, has proven to be a very secure platform. A phone like a Pixel 5 is the embodiment of this.

Pros:

Monthly (or more) security updates
Guaranteed updates for three years
Excellent software experience
Improved battery life
Great cameras

Cons:

No headphone jack
No "XL" model this time
No Wi-Fi 6 support

Best overall

Google Pixel 5

From $819 at Amazon From $700 at Best Buy

At the forefront of Android security

With its default protections, the Pixel 5 will keep you protected from security threats and get updated to keep it that way.

Best alternative: Samsung Galaxy S21

Samsung used to have a poor reputation regarding Android security, but the company has done a complete turn-around and is now regularly updating and patching its phones. The Galaxy S21 ships with Android 11 and will get regular monthly security patches in a timely manner. It also has Samsung Knox, which adds an extra layer of security that can separate business and personal data and allow you to hide certain information behind a password. This can mean the difference between personal and corporate security.

The rest of the Galaxy S21 experience is rock solid outside of the security features. It features a gorgeous 120Hz AMOLED display, flagship speed thanks to the Snapdragon 888 processor, and a very respectable 4,000 mAh battery.

You don't get the official guarantee of updates that you do with Google's Pixel 5, but Samsung's recent performance in these regards has made us confident in the S21's overall security. Factor that together with the improved processing speed and display over the Pixel 5, and it stands out as an excellent alternative.

Pros:

Top-notch hardware
Samsung Knox
120Hz AMOLED display
Great cameras
Android 11 out of the box

Cons:

Expensive
Updates aren't guaranteed like the Pixel
Not a big leap forward from the S20

Best alternative

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G - Factory unlocked

$830 at Amazon From $800 at Best Buy $850 at Walmart

Timely updates

Samsung is now one of the best phone makers when keeping your phone updated with the latest security patches.

Best value: Google Pixel 5a

The Pixel 5a is a slightly upgraded version of the fan-favorite Pixel 4a, and it's clearly one of the best value phones you can buy. The internal hardware isn't over the top, though it's extremely capable for pretty much all day-to-day tasks. The battery life, however, is the stuff of legends and you get the great Pixel camera system on top of that.

You'll also find the same focus on security and security-related software features. The Pixel 5a receives the same updates that the more expensive Pixel 5 does and gets them simultaneously. The result is a super-secure phone at a low price, making the Pixel 5a one of the best values out there if you don't want to compromise your security just because you have a lower spending budget.

Pros:

Monthly (or more) security updates
Low price
Excellent software experience
Great cameras
Stellar battery life

Cons:

Not the most powerful phone out there
No wireless charging

Best value

Google Pixel 5a

$521 at Amazon $449 at Google

Inexpensive, secure, and capable

The Pixel 5a is the best mid-range Android phone you can buy and also one of the most secure.

Best Android One: Nokia 8.3 Android 10

The Nokia 8.3 from HMD Global already stood out in a list of the best Android One phones. The phone's large 6.81-inch Full HD+ display stands out on its own, and it's nice to have a pretty strong Snapdragon 765G chipset with 5G connectivity to go with it. Throw in the 4500mAh battery, and you're probably a lock to get at least two days of battery life.

The 3.5mm headphone jack is a nod to those looking to literally plug in, while the 64MP rear camera has enough to capture solid photos in most lighting conditions. The Nokia 8.3 gets a lot right, which has to do with how clean the software is. There's no bloatware to drag things down or take up much-needed space. The catch is that Nokia is often tardy with software updates, releasing the Android 11 update for this phone a full five months after it first came to market.

It's also too bad that Nokia didn't include a 90Hz or 120Hz screen or even wireless charging. So, while the phone doesn't quite hold its own against the Galaxy S20 FE or the Pixel 5a 5G, it still stands up as one of the best Android One phones available.

Pros:

Powerful hardware
Outstanding battery life
Bloat-free software
Reliable cameras
3.5mm jack

Cons:

60Hz screen doesn't cut it
No wireless charging
Updates taking longer than usual

Best Android One

Nokia 8.3 5G Android 10

$425 at Amazon

Still the best Android One phone

The Nokia 8.3 5G offers reliable hardware, clean software, 5G connectivity, and great cameras in a value-focused package.

Best cheap flagship: Samsung Galaxy S20 FE

Samsung followed up the Galaxy S20 lineup with the Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition), and it continued its dedication to security. If you're interested in a flagship that's a little cheaper, this one fits the bill. The Galaxy S20 FE has since been upgraded to Android 11 and keeps getting monthly security patches in a timely manner. Just like the newer Galaxy S21, Samsung Knox is on board if you need an extra layer of protection.

There isn't a huge gap in age between this phone and the Galaxy S21, so the update cycle should apply to both, and it's yet another reason why it's a great choice. You get a good mix of design, features, and performance, along with a flagship Android experience that saves you some cash.

Outside of the security perspective, everything else about the Galaxy S20 FE also holds up incredibly well. Samsung made it by mixing the previous S20 lineup elements, including that beautiful AMOLED screen and solid camera output.

Pros:

Top-notch hardware
Samsung Knox
Still getting regular security patches
Awesome display
Reliable cameras

Cons:

Not the newest phone in Samsung's lineup
Not every color is available everywhere

Best cheap flagship

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G - Factory unlocked

$680 at Amazon From $700 at Best Buy $700 at Walmart

Still great

Samsung will keep your Galaxy S20 FE updated with critical security patches so you can stay secure while online or off.

Best low cost: Nokia G20

We wouldn't consider our best value, the Pixel 5a, to be an expensive phone, but if you're shopping with an especially tight budget, you may need a phone that costs even less. For you, we'd recommend the Nokia G20.

The Nokia G20 is part of Google's Android One program, meaning it's guaranteed to get two years of Android updates and three years of monthly security patches, which means platform updates until 2023 and security updates into 2024. You don't always see that level of update commitment with some flagship devices, so getting it at this price is outstanding. The Nokia G20 also has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, giving you a level of on-device security that's not always expected for phones this cheap.

Outside of those perks, the Nokia G20 also delivers a great design, quad cameras, an HD+ display with minimal bezels, expandable storage, and more.

Pros:

Monthly security patches are guaranteed
Has a fingerprint sensor
Clean, uncluttered software
Great hardware

Cons:

Display is only HD+

Best low cost

Nokia G20

From $194 at Amazon $200 at Best Buy From $194 at Walmart

Keep your spending to a minimum

Trying to spend as little as possible while still getting great security features? The Nokia G20 is for you.

Bottom line

Media outlets like to give Android a bad reputation for security, and it's difficult to blame them. Old, outdated software from manufacturers with no real concern for your security or privacy is the norm for phones running Android. But that's not how it has to be.

The Google Pixel 5 delivers a great smartphone experience that ticks all the boxes for reviewers and average buyers alike, and with no modifications, your personal data is very safe. A team of security professionals and engineers is dedicated to keeping it that way. Any of the phones on our list will do a great job in security, but the overall experience of using the phone over and above the security aspect makes the Google Pixel 5 the best choice.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Jerry Hildenbrand is Mobile Nation's Senior Editor and works from a Chromebook full time. Currently, he is using Google's Pixelbook but is always looking at new products and may have any Chromebook in his hands at any time. You'll find him across the Mobile Nations network and you can hit him up on Twitter if you want to say hey.

Joe Maring is Android Central's News Editor and has had a love for anything with a screen and CPU since he can remember. He's been talking/writing about Android in one form or another since 2012 and often does so while camping out at the nearest coffee shop.

Ted Kritsonis loves taking photos when the opportunity arises, be it on a camera or smartphone. Beyond sports and world history, you can find him tinkering with gadgets or enjoying a cigar.

Facebook plans 10,000 new jobs in Europe to help build its metaverse

Thomas J Meyer — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 16:49:54 +0000

Over the next five years.

What you need to know

Facebook plans to create up to 10,000 jobs including highly specialized engineers within the European Union to help build the "metaverse."
The metaverse is being called the next computing platform and uses virtual and augmented reality interconnected with real life.
The company will create these jobs over the next five years and will be working alongside European lawmakers.

Facebook announced that it plans to create up to 10,000 high-skilled jobs within the European Union (EU) over the next five years to help build the "metaverse."

The company defined the metaverse as "a set of virtual spaces where you can create and explore with other people who aren't in the same physical space as you" when it announced an initial $50 million investment in programs and external research in the project last month.

This online world would be accessed through virtual and augmented reality, such as the social network's Oculus Quest 2 wireless VR headset and Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses — though it is expected to take 10-15 years to build.

Facebook said that the metaverse will not be owned or operated by one company and "Europeans will be shaping it right from the start" through recruiting "highly specialized engineers" to help build it. The company cited the EU's advantages — such as a large consumer market and first-class universities, as well as specific countries' contributions like startup investment in Spain and Sweden becoming a cashless society by 2023 — in its decision to work there.

Facebook said it would be working with EU governments to shape the rules of the metaverse.

Meanwhile, the company is currently facing a lawsuit from the FTC that alleges holding a monopoly on social media through anticompetitive behavior. It is also making changes to an Instagram app for kids after recent whistleblower testimony said the company prioritized profits over the safety of its users, particularly teens.

Oculus Quest 2

$300 at Amazon $300 at Best Buy $300 at Oculus

The Oculus Quest 2 offers increased power, resolution, and flexibility over the original virtual headset. It is a complete, all-in-one headset that does not need to be tethered to a PC or smartphone in order to work.

Every PS5 video game delay in 2021 — and their upcoming release dates

Jennifer Locke — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 16:30:00 +0000

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced developers to adapt their work pipelines and finish games from home. It has led to multiple delays.

Last year began with a slew of high-profile game delays, most notably Cyberpunk 2077 and the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, but then COVID-19 struck and threw the games industry through a loop. Now that we're well into 2021, more delays continue to hit the industry as developers truly begin to understand the effects of the pandemic on their work pipeline. One of the first major delays to surface this year was Hogwarts Legacy, pushed into 2022.

We've compiled a list of every game that has been delayed into 2021 and beyond. Some of these games are delayed indefinitely, while others have set release windows or a final release date.

We'll continually update this list as more games are delayed.

Games delayed in 2020 and 2021

Battlefield 2042

After rumblings that this year's Battlefield would be delayed, publisher EA confirmed that Battlefield 2042 had indeed slipped a few weeks. Instead of launching in October, its new release date is now in late November, sandwiched between Halo Infinite in December and after Call of Duty: Vanguard earlier in the month.

Release date: Nov. 19, 2021

Battlefield 2042

$70 at Amazon $70 at Best Buy $70 at Walmart

Though it's forgoing a single-player campaign, Battlefield 2042 still won't make its initial release date. Its multiplayer will instead release in all of its glory in November.

Destiny 2: The Witch Queen

Destiny 2's The Witch Queen expansion was set to release sometime this year; however, the developer realized that it needed to add one more unannounced chapter after its Lightfall expansion to conclude the story satisfyingly, so The Witch Queen got bumped to 2022. When it does release, it will represent "an important evolution in the ongoing story of Destiny 2."

Release date: Feb. 22, 2022

Destiny 2: Beyond Light

$40 at Walmart $40 at GameStop

You'll need to wait a little longer to play The Witch Queen, which may feature Savathûn, the Taken King's sister. The upcoming expansion is due out in 2022.

Dying Light 2

Dying Light 2 can't seem to catch a break. It was supposed to hit consoles and PC sometime in Spring 2020, but Techland has since delayed it to February 2022, surprising everyone who thought the game would languish in development hell.

Release date: Feb. 4, 2022

Dying Light 2

$60 at Amazon $60 at Best Buy

After creating the Dead Island series, developer Techland moved on to Dying Light, and it became exactly the type of zombie apocalypse game it was hoping for. Dying Light 2 aims to continue the trend when it releases.

Elden Ring

Elden Ring is one of the most anticipated games in recent years, coming from the minds of George R.R. Martin and Hidetaka Miyazaki, and created by Dark Souls developer FromSoftware. While the team aimed to have it out in January 2022, it has been delayed a month to Feb. 25, 2022 due to its "depth & strategic freedom exceeding initial expectations."

Release date: Feb. 25, 2022

Elden Ring

$60 at Amazon $60 at Best Buy $60 at Walmart

Elden Ring's delay thankfully isn't too long as it was only pushed a month. Set to now release a week after Horizon Forbidden West, Elden Ring takes players to the Lands Between and tasks them with restoring the titular Elden Ring.

Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach

The next entry in the Five Nights at Freddy's franchise was due out in 2020, but the developer has since pushed it to late 2021. Scott Cawthon says he's "made the decision to put more time and money into it to make sure it's finished properly." FNAF: Security Breach is expected to launch on PS4, PS5, and PC.

Release date: Late 2021

Ghostwire: Tokyo

This new IP coming from Tango Gameworks was meant to hit PS5 and PC exclusively in 2021. However, the developer announced it's now pushed to early 2022 to focus on protecting the team's health and delivering the "unforgettable version" that the studio's been working on.

Release date: Early 2022

God of War Ragnarok

We don't know much about God of War Ragnarok other than what we can glean from its reveal trailer, but we do know that it won't release in 2021 as initially planned. Instead, Sony Santa Monica needs some more time and has bumped the release date to sometime in 2022.

Release date: 2022

Gotham Knights

WB Games Montreal's highly anticipated Batman title won't be making its planned release date of 2021. So to deliver the best experience possible, Gotham Knights was postponed until next year. When it does launch on PS5, players will be able to take control of the Bat Family and uncover the secrets behind the Court of Owls.

Release date: 2022

Gran Turismo 7

The next entry in Sony's racing franchise was initially planned to hit store shelves this year. However, due to the pandemic impacting development and causing production problems, PlayStation boss Jim Ryan revealed that Gran Turismo 7 was bumped until sometime in 2022. The company later announced a March 4 release date.

Release date: March 4, 2022

Hogwarts Legacy

WB Games unveiled Hogwarts Legacy during a Sony PS5 press conference in September 2020. The upcoming RPG was set to take us back to the popular Wizarding World sometime later this year, but to create "the best possible experience," it was delayed until 2022. It looks like we'll need to wait a bit longer, but hopefully, it's worth it.

Release date: 2022

Horizon Forbidden West

This delay wasn't unexpected, but still disappointing. Guerilla Games had hoped to release Horizon Forbidden West in holiday 2021, but Sony revealed that it had been delayed until February 2022. It's not a huge delay considering it's at the beginning of the year, and hopefully, this means the highly-anticipated sequel will meet expectations.

Release date: Feb. 18, 2022

Horizon Forbidden West

$70 at Amazon $70 at Best Buy (PS5) $70 at Walmart

Journey to the titular Forbidden West and help Aloy find the cause of a mysterious plague that decimated the land. This highly-anticipated sequel may not make it in 2021, but it's coming early in 2022.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga was set to bundle up all nine movies and completely remake the original Lego saga in a new package, but it won't hit its Spring 2021 release date after all. TT Games revealed it's delayed, and at Gamescom, it announced that its new release date would be sometime in the Spring of 2022.

Release date: Spring 2022

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

$60 at Amazon $60 at Best Buy

We'll need to wait longer to re-experience the adventures of Anakin, Luke, and Rey in Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. On the bright side, a galaxy far, far away will never look better in Lego form when it comes to PS4 and PS5.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Ubisoft is remaking the classic Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, but in all honesty, the reveal trailer looked ... rough. Nothing like what a proper remake should. Though it was intended to be released in January 2021, it was first delayed until March 2021 and then indefinitely.

Release date: TBD

Rainbow Six Extraction

Rainbow Six Extraction — initially titled Rainbow Six Quarantine before the pandemic — was delayed a couple of times before Ubisoft re-revealed it at E3 2021. Then, after being announced for September 2021, it got postponed again until January 2022.

Release date: January 2022

Rainbow Six Extraction

$60 at Amazon

Team up and take on a mutating alien virus in Rainbow Six Extraction. It's an entire game inspired by Rainbow Six Siege's Outbreak event in Operation Chimera. The developer ensures that the enemies this virus creates are more lethal than ever.

Riders Republic

Deemed a massive multiplayer sports playground by Ubisoft, Riders Republic was initially slated for release in early 2021. Unfortunately, it was pushed back until September and then again into October.

Release date: October 28, 2021.

Riders Republic

$60 at Amazon $60 at Best Buy

The action-packed sports game from Ubisoft was meant to hit relatively soon but was pushed back later into 2021. Hopefully, when it releases, it can live up to the promise of a sports paradise.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is an interesting one. It's easily by far the biggest and most ambitious title from developer Daedalic Entertainment, so it makes sense that it needs more time to ensure that it meets expectations. Daedalic said it should "fully leverage the power of the new generation of consoles" and "the universe will be faithfully represented" when it launches in 2022.

Release Date: 2022

Skull & Bones

It's not the first delay Skull & Bones suffered, and it probably won't be the last. It was expected to release in Q3/Q4 of 2018 before being pushed into 2019. We can see how that panned out as it's 2021 — and it has still yet to release.

Release date: 2022-2023

Skull & Bones

See at Ubisoft

Were you ever playing Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and thought it would be awesome to have a full game based on piracy and naval combat? Well, soon (possibly, maybe soon-ish) you can in Skull & Bones.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2

Fans have eagerly awaited over a decade for this sequel to the cult classic. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 was initially scheduled to hit store shelves in March 2020 but was delayed later into 2020 and then further until sometime in 2021 at an unspecified date. Then, the publisher went on to obliterate the development team and delayed it indefinitely.

Release date: TBA (Delayed indefinitely)

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2

$60 at Amazon $60 at Best Buy $60 at Walmart

Vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures have secretly shaped all of human history in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. As a thinblood vampire, your character is weaker than most, but you can work your way up the ladder.

The Google Pixel 6 has stolen most of the launch thunder this week

Derrek Lee — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 16:20:58 +0000

Google has everyone's attention with the Pixel 6 launch event.

What you need to know

Poll responses indicate most of our readers are anxiously awaiting the Pixel 6 launch.
Readers are also looking forward to the upcoming Galaxy Unpacked Part 2.
Apple and Sony's events were much less popular.

With all the tech events happening in such close succession, we wanted to know which upcoming Techtober launch you were most excited about. Out of just over 400 responses, 80% were highly anticipating Google's Fall Pixel launch more than anything, with the search giant set to fully announce the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.

Behind the Pixel launch was Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Unpacked Part 2 with just over 9% of votes. This event was a tad unexpected since the company isn't expected to launch any significant new hardware until at least January. Still, the company decided to squeeze its event in the same week as Apple and Google. That said, the most recent teaser seems to suggest that we are getting more color options for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, so it may not be too exciting.

Unsurprisingly, our readers are less interested in Apple's event, which kicks off today. Cupertino is expected to unveil new MacBook Pros with the latest chipset and new display tech, so it should be an exciting launch regardless. It was more popular than the Sony Xperia launch event on October 25, although no one really knows what to expect there.

However, not everyone was as ecstatic about Google's upcoming flagship. Some users complained that the Pixel 6 was overrated and shouldn't be called a flagship because it will likely miss out on some higher-end specs.

The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are just a day from launch, so we'll see what Google manages to pull off. If leaked pricing is anything to go by, they may very well be worth it, potentially managing to undercut many of the best Android phones.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the Pixel 6 launch event to learn just what these phones are capable of.

Here are the best S Pen accessories for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

Christine Persaud — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 16:00:02 +0000

While the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 doesn't come with an S Pen Fold in the box, the optional Samsung Galaxy S Pen Fold Edition is by far one of the best accessories for the Galaxy Z Fold 3. It's a valuable tool that lets you get the most out of your phone for writing, taking notes, sketching, and even navigating menus using its slim 1.5mm pen tip. It even comes with a stylish carry pouch. There are more accessories you can purchase alongside the S Pen to complete the package. Here are some of the best S Pen accessories for the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

Keep it together

YXE Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G (2021 Release) Leather Case

Staff Pick

This sleek case is not only made of gorgeous leather, it also has a convenient slot on the back to keep the S Pen safe when not in use and easily accessible when you need it. Available in black or brown, it's a sturdy case for protection against drops and bumps and on-the-go productivity.

$30 at Amazon

Complementary use

iClever BK08 Folding Keyboard

Sometimes, a stylus isn't enough and you want to be able to fully type while on the go more comfortably than you would using the pen to screen. This folding keyboard is an excellent addition to the mobile set-up. And because it's folds up neatly, it's easy to slot in your backpack, briefcase, or purse. It connects universally via Bluetooth and can even sync with up to three devices.

$50 at Amazon

Keep track of your life

Todoist app

Who doesn't love a good to-do list? This app is one of the best when it comes to managing tasks and when used with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and S Pen, you can easily keep your to-do list updated. Leverage the two screens with a view of main list on one side and a sidebar on the other so you can see and update everything at once, from your grocery list to work projects to-dos.

Free at Google Play

Jot it down

Samsung Notes app

The perfect pairing for the Samsung S Pen on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the Samsung Notes app, which works seamlessly with both the phone and the pen for jotting down notes in class or a meeting, making footnotes, voice recordings, and more. You can even import memos you have already made on the phone for further annotation.

Free at Google Play

Simple carry solution

Ringke Pen Holder

If you already invested in a protective case before deciding to invest in the S Pen, this pen holder is a neat and affordable solution to use until you upgrade to a new case. The PU leather pen holder comes with 3M adhesive so you can affix it to virtually any case to secure the S Pen. It comes in a three-pack, too, so you can use the others with your written notebook and pen or keep them as spares.

$10 at Amazon

Upgrade your Pen

Samsung Galaxy S Pen Pro

Technically, this isn't an accessory for the S Pen but rather an upgrade to the higher-end version of the device, which is also compatible with the Galaxy Z Fold 3. The Pro model adds Bluetooth for connecting to other compatible Samsung devices so you can easily switch among them. Select certain content to save and transfer to the other screen if you want to go from laptop to smartphone, for example. And the Pen works with the SmartThings app so you can keep track of its location in case it's misplaced.

$100 at Amazon

What S Pen accessories should you get for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3?

Before you can consider grabbing the best S Pen accessories for the Galaxy Z Fold 3, you'll need to grab the S Pen itself. Sadly, despite the high cost of the premium smartphone, the Galaxy X Fold 3 does not come with an S Pen in the box. But it's one of the most valuable tools you can grab for the device, so it's worth the extra investment.

Once you have one, a handy case that can protect both the phone and the S Pen is a worthwhile investment. While the ideal option is a case that has a slot for the S Pen, like the YXE one, you might have another style idea in mind. For example, if you have your eye on one of the best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 cases that doesn't have an S Pen holder, you can opt for the Ringke Pen Holder and adhere it to the case using the strong 3M adhesive. This accessory can also be used to keep the Pen secured to something else if you prefer, like in your car or even a Galaxy tablet case if you use both devices together often.

Naturally, some of the best accessories for the S Pen with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 are apps that leverage its precise 1.5mm tip and smooth writing or sketching experience. So, you'll want to look at the best apps to get the most out of your phone and S Pen experience.

The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro aren't far off now! Here's everything we know

Joe Maring — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 15:30:00 +0000

After months of waiting, the Pixel 6 launch event is almost here.

Ready to snag Google's most intriguing smartphone in years? The Google Pixel 6 launch event is set for October 19 at 10 am PT/1 pm ET. We should learn the Pixel 6 release date, price, and specs — and could even see a surprise announcement of the Pixel Fold, though it's a long-shot.

We've officially known about the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro since August 2, when Google unveiled its striking design and Google-made Tensor chipset. Both phones will dramatically improve on the mid-range Pixel 5, offering true flagship specs and improved camera sensors. Plus, exclusive Android 12 features like Dynamic colors for the new Material You UI should be available at launch.

Pixel sales haven't come close to competing with Apple or Samsung sales in past years, but this Pixel series could make Google flagships stand out from the crowd. Here's everything we know about the new phone until Google finally confirms the rumors.

Half the price, available now

Google Pixel 5a

$449 at Google Store

The best Pixel you can buy right now

Now that the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G have been discontinued, the Pixel 5a is your best option available right now. It has the same Snapdragon 765G chipset as those phones — no Tensor, but plenty speedy for a mid-range device. You'll get two days of battery life, water resistance, a bright FHD display, and decent cameras with Google's great AI improvements. The Pixel 6 has some major improvements in store, but this'll likely save you hundreds compared to the flagship.

Google Pixel 6 Announcement & release date

The Pixel Fall Launch will take place on Tuesday, October 19 at 10 am PT/1 pm ET/6 pm BT. That link will take you to the official launch site, where Google will undoubtedly embed the YouTube live stream link.

Pre-orders for the phone should become available shortly after the event on the Google Store; it may also appear on some retailers like Best Buy, though the Pixel 5a is currently a Google Store exclusive.

Google typically sells Pixels in far fewer countries than other OEMs. For instance, the Pixel 5 launched in nine countries: Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the U.S., and Canada. For Pixel 6 availability, we expect the phone to stick to those countries.

As for the actual Pixel 6 release date, we don't have any official information there, but we don't expect it to take very long to ship. We'll learn more this Tuesday.

Google Pixel 6 Price

We finally got our first Pixel 6 price leak in late September; if it proves accurate, the Pixel 6 will be surprisingly affordable, given its upgraded specs.

Brandon Lee from This is Tech Today claims the Pixel 6 will cost €649 in Europe, while the bigger Pixel 6 Pro will be priced at €899, based on an insider source. The conversion rate puts those prices at about $750 and $1,050, but Google will set specific prices based on regional considerations. Given that the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro Max cost $799 and $1,099, respectively, it's possible the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro could match those prices, or slightly undercut them.

In August, Google hardware chief Rick Osterloh told The Verge that Google didn't consider its past couple of phones "flagship tier," but that the new Pixel "will be different" as a "premium-priced product." So we'd expected the Pixel 6 to cost much more than the Pixel 5 ($699 / €629 at launch) and Pixel 4 ($799 / €749). Instead, the new Pixels fall in a similar upper-mid-tier price range as its predecessors.

If this leak proves true, Google has stepped up its specs game without ballooning its asking price. The Pixel 6 will compete with top-tier phones like the iPhone 13 and upcoming Galaxy S22, at a similar price point. And the Pixel 6 Pro should fall in the range of premium flagships like the S21 Ultra.

If these prices are too much to pay upfront, we've also seen leaked information about a Pixel Pass where you pay monthly for your Pixel 6 and a variety of subscriptions like YouTube Premium and Google Fi — then get a free upgrade to a Pixel 8 down the line.

Google Pixel 6 Models

The Pixel 6 leakers have proven prescient. As predicted, Google will release both a Pixel 6 and a Pixel 6 Pro this fall. Unlike some predictions and leaks that suggested otherwise, Google won't release a Pixel 6 XL, abandoning this label for a more industry-standard name.

Based on the information provided by Google, we know the Pixel 6 Pro will have a more premium design, with curved edges and better aluminum materials compared to the flatter Pixel 6. Its display will be a quarter-inch larger, achieving better resolution and refresh rates. And it will have a triple-camera setup with a telephoto camera that the dual-camera Pixel 6 lacks. However, both Pixels will have the same Google-made chipset, Google Tensor.

Based on leaked information, we also predict the Pro will have a larger battery to offset the screen size difference, plus additional RAM and storage over the smaller model.

Google Pixel 6 Design

The Google Pixel 6

If you live in New York City, you can see the Pixel 6 design for yourself! It's on display at the Google Store in Chelsea. Plus, we've already seen the first leaked video of the Pixel 6 Pro in all its curved, glassy glory. Otherwise, we have the rundown on how the Pixel 6 will look and feel.

Based on the official renders Google released, the Pixel 6 colors will be light orange, sage green, and black. The Pixel 6 Pro colors will include silver, gold, or black. Each sports a different accent color on the top-back of the phone above the black camera module.

Various leakers claim to have the official color names and renders of the devices, though they disagree on some. @evleaks claims the Pixel 6 will have Seafoam Green, while Brandon Lee asserts it'll be called Sorta Seafoam. Both agree on Cloudy White for the silver Pixel 6 Pro and Stormy Black for the black version of both Pixel 6s. Lee also suggests Kinda Coral for the red Pixel 6 and Sorta Sunny for the gold Pixel 6 Pro. Google loves playful color names, so we'll see if these prove accurate.

The Google Pixel 6 Pro

Objectively, the Pixel 6 Pro has a more stylish design. The Pixel 6 edges are black, flat, and thicker than that of the 6 Pro, which is curved and skinnier. The Pro gives you a curved finish with much thinner edges, plus a "polished aluminum finish" compared to a "matte aluminum finish" for the Pixel 6. Either way, the Pixel 6 has a glass back; some people prefer plastic for the improved durability, but at least it gives the new Pixel a premium look.

One interesting design omission: the Pixel 6 lineup has lost the trademark colored power button found on every other Pixel phone. The Pixel 6 buttons are black to match the edges, while the Pixel 6 Pro buttons blend into the phone's silver/gold/black color.

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As for the Pixel 6 display, it'll have a flat display with a center punch-hole camera and fairly small bezels; leaks suggest it'll have front-facing stereo speakers and an in-screen fingerprint scanner as well. Pixels used to impress audiophiles with their speakers, so we hope that quality will return here. With the Pixel 6 Pro, you upgrade to a curved display with narrower bezels and a faster refresh rate.

Google Pixel 6 Specs

Based on everything we've seen and heard, the Pixel 6 is the first premium Google phone. While Google hasn't unveiled the full Pixel 6 specs yet, Google hardware chief Rick Osterloh confirmed to The Verge a few spec details that have been rumored for months.

The Pixel 6 Pro will feature a 6.7-inch QHD+ display, 120Hz refresh rate, and three cameras: a "wide-angle main sensor, an ultrawide, and a 4X optical-zoom folded telephoto lens." With the Pixel 6, you downgrade to a 6.4-inch FHD+ screen supporting a 90Hz refresh rate, plus a dual-camera array that loses the telephoto lens. Both models will have in-screen fingerprint sensors.

Even more exciting, the latest rumor is that the Pixel 6 Pro will have an LTPO OLED screen with a variable refresh rate, a feature that only a few other flagships have so far. This would mean the Pro will run 120Hz when it needs to but drop down lower for less active apps, prolonging its battery life.

We know from Google that the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will incorporate the new Google-made SoC, Google Tensor. According to the most recent Pixel 6 Tensor leak, the chip will have a 2x2x4 configuration with two Cortex-X1 "prime" cores, two A76 cores, and four high-efficiency A55 cores. The X1 cores will give it powerful performance, while the A76 backup cores — which launched in 2018 — are surprisingly last-gen for a 2021 flagship.

Supposedly, Tensor will use an Arm Mali-G77 GPU and a Titan M2 security module, plus support for aptX, aptX HD, and LDAC codecs.

What does this mean in practice? Google Tensor is rumored to greatly improve battery life, performance, security, and voice command response times. CEO Sundar Pichai claims it will provide perks like "better speech recognition that uses half the power consumption" or "the best face detection to improve blurry photos in low lighting."

Google has also promised "improved sensors and lenses" for its cameras, but it didn't give any hard data on how the three new lenses improve on the Pixel 5.

So as long as Google keeps the Pixel 6 specs shrouded in mystery, we can turn to leakers. Based on various rumors over past months, we have a pretty clear idea of what the two new Pixels bring to the table.

Specs (rumored)	Pixel 6	Pixel 6 Pro
Operating System	Android 12	Android 12
Display	6.4 inches, FHD+ resolution, 90Hz, AMOLED	6.71 inches, QHD+ resolution, 120Hz, POLED, VRR
Processor	Google Tensor 2 Cortex-X1, 2 x A76, and 4 x A55 cores	Google Tensor 2 Cortex-X1, 2 x A76, and 4 x A55 cores
Memory	8GB RAM	12GB RAM
Storage	128/256GB	128/256/512GB
Rear Camera	50MP (wide-angle) + 12MP (ultrawide-angle)	50MP (wide-angle) + 12MP (ultrawide-angle) + 48MP (telephoto)
Front Camera	8MP	12MP
Battery	4614mAh	5000mAh
Charging	33W wired, 23W wireless	33W wired, 23W wireless, reverse wireless charging

Both phones will offer a significant improvement on the Pixel 5 thanks to their faster refresh rates, larger batteries, and speeds supposedly on par with the Snapdragon 780G. As for the Pixel 6 Pro, it will bring back the telephoto lens that the Pixel 5 lost, and its rumored 5,000mAh battery could be nearly 1,000mAh larger than its predecessor.

Also, recent rumors suggest the Pixel 6 will support 33W wired charging — much faster than the 18W standard on the Pixel 5 and 5a — plus at least 23W wireless charging with a new Pixel Stand.

Unfortunately, Google won't include a charger in the box, so you'll have to buy the wired and/or wireless ones separately. But most buyers will make do with chargers they currently have.

Google hasn't revealed the specs for its "revamped" camera system, aside from the fact that the Pixel 6 will have wide-angle and ultrawide sensors, while the Pro will add a telephoto lens. But leaked specs have revealed the possible megapixels for these sensors. Compared to the Pixel 5's 12.2MP main sensor, the 50MP wide-angle sensor appears to be a big upgrade; but its 16MP ultrawide sensor matches the Pixel 6.

In addition to the regular and ultra-wide angle lenses, the new superzoom camera will finally give the Pixel line the hardware upgrade it needs to match Google Camera's software smarts. Here's also hoping that Google finally gives the Pixel camera the overhaul it needs when it comes to video recording, which has always been quite basic at best.

Finally, a recent FCC leak suggests the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will support Wi-Fi 6E and mmWave 5G. Plus, the Pixel 6 Pro, in particular, could house Ultra-Wideband and reverse wireless charging.

Google Pixel 6 Software

We know for certain the Pixel 6 will launch with Android 12 installed. Alongside the other Pixel phones, the Pixel 6 will get exclusive access to the new Material You color picker tools. You'll also see software improvements like a proper one-handed mode, scrolling screenshots, faster auto-rotation, improved privacy tools, new emojis, and other cool perks that other flagships won't see for several months.

A recent leak suggests Android 12 will launch on October 4 on past Pixel phones. Once the Pixel 6 launches later that month, we'll have to see if Google releases any exclusive software features for the new handset, as part of a separate OS update.

What matters most here is Google Tensor. Not only will it offer much faster speeds than the Pixel 5 chipset, but it'll also reportedly receive four OS updates up to Android 16, plus five years of security updates. Just as Apple can support its iPhones for longer because it creates and controls its own chips, Google will do the same with Tensor, no longer restricted by Qualcomm hardware.

Most current Android phones only get two or three years of support, with Samsung recently promising three OS updates and four years of security updates for future phones and tablets. With the Pixel 6, you'll get an extra year plus faster Android OS updates down the line.

Google Tensor isn't just useful for longevity, though! A recent Google Camera features leak suggests it will add several useful new AI tools to better process your photos, including a Magic Eraser tool (shown above) that removes unnecessary objects blocking your photos and fills in the missing data. There's also the "Face deblur" tool, which combines data from your main and ultra-wide sensors into one beautiful photo with crisp faces and bokeh backgrounds.

Google Pixel 6 FAQ

Do we know anything about Pixel 6 cases?

XDA Developers spotted a recent retailer leak suggesting that the Pixel 6 will have official fabric cases for $29 in the following colors:

Pixel 6: "Stormy Sky, Light Rain, and Cotton Candy"
Pixel 6 Pro: "Stormy Sky, Light Frost, Golden Glow, and Soft Sage"

These fabric cases are made of recyclable materials, have a striking look that will (unfortunately) mask the Pixel 6's natural color, and don't have as much fall protection as other TPU cases. Rest assured that third-party accessory makers will be making clear cases and more shockproof cases that'll launch alongside the phone in late October.

What is Pixel Pass?

According to leaked marketing materials, Pixel Pass is a Google phone upgrade plan that lets you pay monthly for a new Pixel, Google Fi, YouTube Premium, Google One, Play Pass, and an extended warranty.

If you subscribe to Pixel Pass, you'd get the Pixel 6 or 6 Pro and the above subscriptions; Google Fi would be optional, as you could use it with your current carrier instead. And in two years, you'd get a free upgrade to Pixel 8. We'll wait to hear from Google whether Pixel Pass is real and how much it'll cost.

Is the Pixel 6 going to be another "value flagship?"

Pixel phones used to be seen as regular flagships, but as we know, that changed with the Pixel 5. It's still very much a high-end phone, but by using a lower-end processor, Google was able to cut back on costs considerably while still delivering an excellent product.

Current leaks, renders, and other information all point to Google returning the Pixel 6 to premium status. There's no telling how much less the Pixel 6 will be compared to the Pixel 6 Pro, though. It's also distinctly possible that Google will make the Pixel 6 the more affordable "value flagship," while the Pixel 6 Pro will be the "premium flagship."

Will there be a Pixel 6 XL?

Yes and no. There will be a Pixel 6 Pro, which is certainly larger than the Pixel 6. But it will drop the 'XL' moniker for the first time in Google Pixel history.

Is this phone 5G?

Yes, given the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G both supported 5G technology, it's a given the new phone will support it. A recent (supposed) FCC leak suggests the phone will support mmWave and sub-6 5G technology; but we can't confirm this as of yet, and it will depend on your carrier and location.

Which Pixel to buy now

The Pixel 6 release date is close enough now that we can practically taste it. So if you're looking for a new stock Android phone, you have every reason to wait until later this month. But if you really need a new phone now, you could look at the other Pixel phones available. You may have trouble finding them, though.

Google discontinued the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G in late August. You may find some stock available at marked-up prices on certain sites — or refurbished handsets available — but Google is currently all-in on its Pixel 5a launch.

The Pixel 5a is essentially a retooled Pixel 4a 5G with the same chipset, RAM, storage, and cameras, but with a slightly larger screen and battery, plus new water resistance. Even comparing the Pixel 5a vs Pixel 5, the newer, cheaper phone matches the 2020 "flagship" in most areas, even beating it in screen size and battery life (though losing in RAM).

Honestly, the true fight will be between the Pixel 6 and Pixel 5a. If the new flagship is as expensive as we fear, then the Pixel 5a will be a great phone for those who can't afford a flagship. You'll have to accept missing out on Google Tensor, but a budget phone like the 5a isn't meant to last five years anyway. It'll do just fine for three years while costing half as much.

Half the price, available now

Google Pixel 5a

$449 at Google Store

The best Pixel you can buy right now

Pokémon Unite Halloween Festival brings spooky new unlocks

Samuel Tolbert — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 15:22:48 +0000

One week to unlock lots of cool Halloween items.

What you need to know

Pokémon Unite is getting a Halloween Festival event later in October.
The event runs from Oct. 20 through Oct. 27.
There's a new Pokémon to grab, as well as plenty of items for trainers that are themed after the spooky season.

Trainers, get your scarfs, costumes and pumpkin-flavored everything ready, as there's a Pokémon Unite Halloween Festival on the way. This event is bringing a spooky theme to the game for a week, as the Pokémon Unite Halloween Festival runs from Oct. 20 through Oct. 27. With only a week, if you're really interested in anything this event is offering, you'll want to be in as many matches as possible.

Attention, Trainers! A spooky Halloween event is on its way to #PokemonUNITE! Get ready to scare up a good time from 10/20 to 11/07, and treat yourself to some Halloween fun! pic.twitter.com/M4t0157wLb
— Pokémon UNITE (@PokemonUnite) October 18, 2021

During the Pokémon Unite Halloween Festival, players will be able to unlock lots of Halloween-themed items for their Trainers, such as a Pumpkin Pikachu mask, a Halloween candy backpack and more. There's also a new Pokémon available to unlock and a creepy makeover on the battle map to fit the season.

Pokémon Unite continues to grow as one of the best Android games available. The game is also completely free-to-play, though players can choose to pay for various boosters that help speed through the ranks and unlock items faster. There's a growing roster of Pokémonand since this is a service game, that list can very safely be expected to grow quite a bit in the coming months.

Free-to-start

Pokémon Unite

See at Google Play Store

A new way to play Pokémon

Pokémon Unite is taking the beloved series formula and turning it into a MOBA where players can battle in teams and score points against opponents. If you run into connection problems, don't despair, as you've got options.

Google Pixel 6 event: How to watch the live stream and what to expect

Babu Mohan — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 15:00:02 +0000

We're just a day away from Google's big fall hardware event, where the company will formally unveil the Pixel 6 series. While the vanilla Pixel 6 will succeed last year's Pixel 5, the Pixel 6 Pro will be a proper flagship that is likely to give the best Android phones from Samsung, OnePlus, and Xiaomi a run for their money.

As confirmed by Google already, the Pixel 6 series phones will be powered by its custom Tensor chipset, which is expected to offer similar performance to Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 and Samsung's Exynos 2100 chips.

The Pixel 6 phones will also bring significant upgrades in the camera department. The two phones will use a 50MP main sensor with improved low-light performance. The Pro model is said to include an impressive 48MP periscope lens with 4x optical zoom.

Another area where the upcoming Pixel 6 phones will be a step-up over previous Pixel phones will be charging speed. They are rumored to support 30W wired charging and 23W wireless charging speeds.

According to a recent leak, the Pixel 6 will start at just $599 in the U.S., while the Pro model is going to be available from $898. The phones are expected to go on sale from October 28.

Some rumors suggest Google may even showcase its first foldable phone alongside the new Pixel 6 series. The device, which will likely be called the Pixel Fold, is tipped to have a 7.6-inch main display and the same Tensor chipset as the Pixel 6 duo.

The Pixel Fold isn't the only device that is rumored to be announced at the event. There's a possibility of a new pair of high-end Pixel Buds as well. While it remains to be seen if Google will be announcing new hardware besides the Pixel 6, the company looks set to introduce a new subscription service called Pixel Pass. The service will allow customers in the U.S. to get a Pixel 6 with an extended warranty, Google One Cloud storage, Play Pass, YouTube Premium, and Google Fi service for a single monthly fee.

The Pixel 6 launch event is scheduled for October 19 at 1 p.m. ET. You'll be able to watch the unveiling live on Google's dedicated event page and the official Made by Google YouTube channel.

Should you purchase the Nest Wifi Router or the Eero Pro 6?

Nick Greene — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 15:00:00 +0000

Tri-band Wi-Fi 6

Eero Pro 6

From $229 on Amazon

Pros

Tri-band Wi-Fi for greater consistency and speed
Wi-Fi 6 offers greater speeds
Excellent support for Amazon Alexa
Easy setup
Lots of expansion options

Cons

More expensive
Requires a subscription fee for some features

Eero Pro 6 takes speed to the next level with an AX4200 connection. Its tri-band Wi-Fi 6 hardware means more consistent speeds throughout your home, it integrates very readily with Alexa, and eero's subscription service offers many neat features. You can also extend your mesh with any generation or model Eero.

Simple and powerful

Nest Wifi Router

$169 on Amazon

Pros

Integrates seamlessly with Google Home and Google Wifi
Nest Points double as smart speakers
Powerful onboard hardware
Easy setup
Easy expansion options

Cons

Dual-band only
No support for Wi-Fi 6

There's a lot to love about the Nest Wifi Router. It's both powerful and easy to use, offering fast and seamless connectivity throughout the home. Nest Wifi is limited by its Wi-Fi 5, and the Nest Wifi points are much slower than the main router. Luckily, you can expand your Nest Wifi mesh with more routers.

The Eero Pro 6 is a significantly faster router than Nest Wifi, though it has the price tag to support it. If you're looking to support gigabit speed on a mesh, the Eero Pro 6 is going to be one of your best options. Nest Wifi is still a sensible option with its AC2200 speeds capable of supporting several devices at once. Expansion is similarly easy on both devices though eero has a wider range to choose from. Both systems have a great app that's easy to use and reasonably powerful for the average user as far as setup and management.

Nest Wifi vs. eero Pro 6: Do you need Wi-Fi 6 speeds?

Nest Wifi is fast at AC2200. Depending on the device, this is enough for gigabit speeds on the 5GHz band with around 1733 Mbps possible; however, when Nest Wifi is part of a mesh, that speed must be shared between the device and the mesh connection, essentially cutting it in half. Still, this is fast enough for 4K streaming and browsing, and many people might not even notice the speed reduction.

Eero takes it to the next level by adding another 5GHz band. This allows the router to dedicate an entire band's speed to the device. With 2402 Mbps on the high 5GHz band and 1201 Mbps on the low 5GHz band, this router will shine with a gigabit connection.

These high 5GHz speeds really only come into play when using multiple devices or running a mesh since most devices are limited to 2x2 connections. This means 867Mbps on Wi-Fi 5 devices and 1201Mbps on Wi-Fi 6 devices. Both of these routers will handle 4K streaming with ease, and you won't find too many sites that offer download speeds to keep up with either connection.

There's no doubt that Eero Pro 6 is faster, and as file sizes increase and gigabit internet reaches more people, this extra capacity will be worth it to some. With so many stellar Wi-Fi 6 mesh options and many of the best Android phones supporting it, Wi-Fi 6 is the best way to add some longevity to your network.

	Eero Pro 6	Nest Wifi router
Bands	Tri-band (2.4GHz and 2x 5GHz)	Dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz)
Wireless Standard	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
Speed	AX4200	AC2200
Beamforming	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth LE	Yes	Yes
Processor	1.4 GHz Quad-Core	1.4 GHz Quad-Core
Gigabit Ports	2	2
Memory	4 GB	4 GB
RAM	1 GB	1 GB
Coverage per node (sq. ft.)	2000	2200
Security	WPA3	WPA3

Of course, there are a few things neither router does particularly well. One of our biggest gripes with both systems is that they sport only one spare gigabit port. If you want to connect more than one device via Ethernet, you'll need to check out one of the other best mesh wireless routers, connect your devices to a mesh node with Ethernet, or add in an Ethernet switch.

Nest Wifi router vs. Eero Pro 6: The Eero software extra

Some of the Eero Pro 6's extra features, which are only available via subscription, are nice to have, including a robust security solution. However, they probably represent the product's most significant advantage over Nest, especially if you're privacy-conscious. Generally speaking, an Eero subscription (either Eero Secure or Eero Secure+) is meant to give you more control over your network, your data, and privacy.

Eero Secure provides safe search, content filtering, network-wide ad blocking, and priority technical support. Eero Secure+ further sweetens the deal with accounts for encrypt.me VPN, Malwarebytes anti-malware, and 1Password. If you're concerned about protecting your network and data, this subscription alone could make the Eeo Pro 6 worth your while.

Nest Wifi router vs. Eero Pro 6: How do you expand your mesh?

There's also the fact that if you buy extenders for either router rather than buying the routers themselves, there are a few drawbacks. In the case of Nest WiFi, the Nest Wifi Points don't offer anywhere near the same connection speed as the primary router, in addition to not having an Ethernet port. While this probably won't bother most people, you may notice a bit of slowdown if you have any network-intensive systems far away from your router. This is mitigated somewhat by each Point also doubles as a Google Nest smart speaker, with full Google Assistant functionality.

The best speeds for your eero mesh will be achieved with multiple eero Pro 6 routers. If you're willing to give up a bit of speed, the Eero 6 also makes a solid choice and should be able to handle more than 500Mbps with ease. Eero has maintained compatibility with all of the eero routers, including the Wi-Fi 6 routers. If you have an older eero router, you can add it in but keep in mind that you may end up losing more speed than it's worth with the dual-band Wi-Fi 5 eeros.

Nest Wifi router vs. Eero Pro 6: Which should you get?

With Nest Wifi, Google has made an impressive Wi-Fi system with easy coverage expansion and enough speed for most people. When Nest Wifi was first released, Wi-Fi 6 was a rarity, only included with the most expensive device. Now, Wi-Fi 6 is the standard for wireless communication, with most new phones supporting it. Even for those that don't, the Eero Pro 6 will have a fast connection between the mesh points allowing for greater speeds on Wi-Fi 5 devices connected to a node. In the end, both routers are fast enough for most people, but the Eero Pro 6 can help you make the most of your new devices and fast internet connection.

Tri-band Wi-Fi 6

Amazon eero Pro 6 tri-band mesh Wi-Fi 6 router

Wi-Fi 6 for your mesh

From $229 on Amazon $229 on Best Buy $230 on Dell

Wi-Fi 6 takes speed and consistency to the next level on the Eero Pro 6 while keeping compatibility with older devices.

Simple and powerful

Nest Wifi Router

Plenty of speed for many people

$169 on Amazon $169 on Best Buy $169 on Dell

Nest Wifi strikes the right balance between speed and functionality with easy setup, security, and plenty of expansion options.

OnePlus Watch Harry Potter Edition is here, but you probably can't buy it

Babu Mohan — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 14:52:49 +0000

The latest limited edition version of the OnePlus Watch will only be sold in India.

What you need to know

The OnePlus Watch Harry Potter Limited Edition is now official.
It comes with a vegan leather watch strap and exclusive watch faces from Hogwarts houses.
The limited edition watch will be available to purchase in India from October 21 for ₹16,999 (about $226).

Back in May this year, OnePlus introduced a special limited edition version of its first smartwatch, called the OnePlus Watch Cobalt Limited Edition. The company has now launched another special edition variant of the smartwatch for consumers in India, dubbed the OnePlus Watch Harry Potter Limited Edition.

The special version of the OnePlus Watch is the result of a collaboration between OnePlus and Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP). Designed for Harry Potter fans, the watch offers six custom watch faces, including four based around the Hogwarts school houses. You also get a Harry Potter-themed charging animation, a copper-colored case, and a vegan leather watch strap.

As expected, the OnePlus Watch Harry Potter Limited Edition is identical to the regular version in other areas. The smartwatch has a circular 1.39-inch display and offers over 110 different exercise modes. Some of the other major highlights of OnePlus' answer to the best Android smartwatches include 5ATM water resistance, real-time blood oxygen monitoring, built-in GPS, and Warp Charge fast charging.

The OnePlus Watch Harry Potter Limited Edition has priced at ₹16,999 (about $226) in India, ₹2,000 more than the regular version. It will be available via OnePlus India's online store, OnePlus Store app, Red Cable Club app, and offline OnePlus Experience stores across the country from October 21 at 12 p.m. IST. An early access sale for the watch will be held on the OnePlus Store app at 12 p.m. IST on October 20.

OnePlus Watch

$159 at OnePlus ₹14,999 at Amazon India

While it isn't the best smartwatch on the market, the OnePlus Watch does offer a premium design and reliable battery life. It also has built-in GPS and blood oxygen monitoring.

Don't wait until Black Friday to score a great Android phone deal

Jeramy Johnson — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 13:44:25 +0000

It's that time of year again. Black Friday is nearly upon us, if you can believe it! Much like last year, many of the best deals will not only be availabe in person at retail stores, but online as well. It's never too early to start looking for bargains on the best Android phones, so here is a running list of Android phone deals that we've got our eye on leading up to the biggest shopping weekend of the year. We'll be keeping this guide updated regularly leading up to Black Friday, so be sure to check back frequently if you don't see the phone deals that you're looking for.

Every year, there are some pretty stellar Black Friday phone deals, though you have to know where to shop if you want to find the best offers. Whether you're hoping for the best Samsung deals, Google Pixel deals, some other Android phone, or even an iPhone (gasp!), this is truly the best time of the year to find one.

We'll be scouring all the usual retailers and phone carriers to scope out any worthy offers and placing the best of them in the list below. That includes everything from Best Buy Black Friday deals to Verizon Black Friday deals and more. If you're looking for more ways to save during this holiday season, make sure to check out our guide to Black Friday 2021.

Best Black Friday deals on unlocked phones

Moto E (2020) | Save $30 at Best Buy

If you're looking for a secondary phone or you just don't have a lot of extra cash to spend, Motorola phones are always a good option. The 2020 edition of the Moto E comes with a headphone jack, works on all carriers, and is about as cheap as you can get for a reliable smartphone.

$120 at Best Buy

Moto G Stylus (2021) | Save $50 at Amazon and Best Buy

The Moto G Stylus (2021) was already high on our list of the best budget Android phones, and this deal makes it an even better bargain. You can save $50 on the most affordable stylus experience on a Android smartphone.

$250 at Amazon $250 at Best Buy

TCL 10 Pro | Save $70 at Amazon

TCL's 10 Pro is an affordable powerhouse with a 6.47-inch AMOLED display with NXTVISION tech, a quad-camera setup, Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 octa-core processor, and 6GB of RAM. It has a 128GB capacity, expandable via microSD. Use the on-page coupon to save $70 today.

$330 at Amazon

OnePlus 8T | Save $100 at Amazon and Best Buy

With a gorgeous display, incredible performance, and great cameras, the OnePlus 8T brings a lot to the table. Right now, you can save $100, bringing a flagship-level smartphone closer to mid-tier pricing.

$500 at Amazon $500 at Best Buy

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE | Save $100 at Amazon

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE was our top Android phone recommendation for nearly a year, and it remains one of our favorites to this day. It's durable, has a gorgeous display, quality cameras, and an all-day battery. Plus, Samsung's software support is second to none these days, so you will still get several years of use out of this device.

$600 at Amazon

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 | Save $75 at Amazon

Perhaps the most popular foldable ever, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 this the perfect pocketable companion. Not only is it more durable than previous versions, it doesn't sacrifice in display or camera quality, delivering a true flagship experience.

$925 at Amazon

Moto Razr 5G | Save $400 at Amazon and Best Buy

The Moto Razr 5G is one of the most impressive foldables on the market, and now you can grab one for just shy of $1,000. Where this phone has the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 beat is that big exterior display, which actually allows you to respond to messages and notifications quite easily.

$1,000 at Amazon $1,000 at Best Buy

Best Black Friday carrier deals

OnePlus 9 | Free at T-Mobile

The OnePlus 9 is one of the best value Android flagship phones of 2021, and now through the end of the year, bustomers can score a free device when they add a new line or switch to T-Mobile's Magenta Max Plan. No trade-in is required!

Offer available at T-Mobile

OnePlus 9 Pro | Save $730 T-Mobile

When it comes to great phone cameras, there aren't many that can top the Hasselblad-tuned shooters on the OnePlus 9 Pro. Similar to T-Mobile's OnePlus 9 deal, customers who add a line or switch to the Magenta Max Plan can grab a brand-new OnePlus 9 Pro for up to $730 off retail price, bringing the cost of the phone down to under $350.

Offer available at T-Mobile

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE | Free at Verizon

There's no better price than free, is there? Right now, you can get the amazing Galaxy S20 FE for zero down, zero per month for 30 months when you sign up for Verizon's Select Unlimite plan.

Offer available at Verizon

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 | Free with trade-in at AT&T

New and existing customers who sign up for an AT&T UNLIMITED plan can get the fantastic Flip 3 for up to $1,000 off, which essentially makes it FREE. Select customers may also be able to get a pair of Galaxy Buds 2 for free as well.

Offer available at AT&T

The PS5 breaks Nintendo Switch's streak as best-selling console in US

Samuel Tolbert — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 13:33:53 +0000

Meanwhile, Madden NFL 22 is the best-selling game of the month.

What you need to know

The September 2021 NPD report is now available.
The PS5 was the best-selling console in the U.S. in September, in dollar sales and units sold.
This breaks a 33-month streak held by the Nintendo Switch as the best-selling console in units sold.

The PS5 just broke the Nintendo Switch's 33 month consecutive run as the best-selling console in the U.S in units sold, according to NPD analyst Mat Piscatella. While the Nintendo Switch has been outsold in terms of dollar sales prior to this, this is the first time since Nov. 2018 that a console other than the Nintendo Switch took the lead in month with units sold.

For game sales, Madden NFL 22 was the best-selling game of the month, with FIFA 22 and NBA 2K22 following at second and third place. Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo 2: Resurrected and Bethesda Softworks' Deathloop arive at the #5 and #6 places, respectively.

September 2021 NPD: Here are the top 20 games sold in the U.S.

Here's the top 20 games sold in the U.S. in the month of Sep. 2021. As always, this is in dollar sales, not units sold.

NFL 22
FIFA 22
NBA 2K22*
Tales of Arise
Diablo 2: Resurrected
Deathloop
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Ghost of Tsushima
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Life is Strange: True Colors
Mario Kart 8*
Diablo Prime Evil Collection
Sonic Colors Ultimate
Minecraft
WarioWare: Get It Together!*
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate*
Animal Crossing: New Horizons*
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Mortal Kombat 11

*Digital sales not included

Meanwhile, here's the ten best-selling games of the year so far:

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Madden NFL 22
MLB The Show 21**
Resident Evil Village
Super Mario World*
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Mario Kart 8*
Minecraft
Monster Hunter Rise
Assassin's Creed Valhalla

*Digital sales not included
**Xbox digital sales not included

For more insight into this month's sales, you can consult Mat Piscatella's Twitter thread.

Get set

PlayStation Store Gift Card

Easy to stock up

If you don't have a PS5 yet, you can stock up on gift cards so you're set to grab all the games you want when you finally do manage to secure a console.

Everything you need to know about Android 12

Harish Jonnalagadda — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 13:30:00 +0000

We're still waiting on a proper Android 12 release, but hopefully not for long.

Android 12 technically arrived on October 4, when Android developers released its source code to the Android Open Source Project that day. Unfortunately, that build didn't actually appear on Pixel phones then.

Unlike in previous years, when Pixels had true "stock Android," Pixel phones will have properly personalized features on its OS. In a statement to Android Central, a Google rep told us that "We're putting the finishing touches on a special release with Pixel-exclusive and Pixel-first experiences on Android 12. This will roll out to Pixel users in the next few weeks." So even though Android 12 is done, we have a bit longer to wait.

"Next few weeks" is vague, but we expect it to arrive in mid-to-late October. At the earliest, it could launch during the Pixel 6 event on October 19, or perhaps not until the Pixel 6 actually ships (we don't have an official date yet). We expect Android 12 will arrive in time for the official Android Dev Summit on October 27, at which Google will be "talking about Android 12 in more detail."

Android 12 is "the biggest design change in Android's history," according to Google, and so far, it's lived up to the boast. The new Material You UI customizes and enlivens your phone screen without needing an Android launcher or icon pack. And it adds new features like a Privacy Dashboard, scrollable screenshots, approximate location sharing, faster animations, and smarter notifications.

Perhaps due to the scale of these changes, Android 12 took much longer to arrive than past OSs, which arrived in August or September. While the source code is available now, developers at other OEMs like Samsung will have a shorter timeframe to launch their official versions on flagships before the end of 2021.

Google also has plans to release an Android 12.1 release focused on foldable phone software later in the year. It's the first point release since Android 8.1, proving just how ambitious Google was with this software release.

As for the release schedule for the rest of the best Android phones, it'll vary by manufacturer. The Samsung open beta has already begun on Galaxy S21 phones, while betas for OnePlus, OPPO, and Xiaomi are expected to take place in October. Recent flagships should get the final OS before the end of 2021.

We've tested each Android 12 release since the first developer beta in February and the first public beta in May. With literal months of experience with the OS, we know all the top Android 12 tips and tricks to help you get started, along with vital info like which phones will get Android 12.

Android 12: Release date and availability

While the timing of Android version releases has changed over the years, the past few have been pretty consistent. Here are the dates for the last four releases:

Android 8.0: August 21, 2017
Android 9: August 6, 2018
Android 10: September 3, 2019
Android 11: September 8, 2020

We initially anticipated a mid-September launch, but Google has needed more time with Android 12, thanks to its drastic changes. The Release Candidate beta arrived on September 8, 2021, with a note from Google that the final version will roll out "in the coming weeks." Unfortunately, we didn't anticipate how many weeks we'd have to wait.

On October 4, an Android Developers Blog post said to "keep an eye out for Android 12 coming to a device near you starting with Pixel in the next few weeks and Samsung Galaxy, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Tecno, Vivo, and Xiaomi devices later this year."

We knew that Pixel phone owners would get Android 12 first — specifically, anyone who owns a Pixel 3(a), Pixel 4(a), or Pixel 5(a); and, of course, you'll get Android 12 out of the box with the Pixel 6 when it arrives this fall. But we'd fully expected Google to launch the OS alongside its source code release in early October. Instead, a late October release is far more likely, around the launch of Google's newest Pixel.

Other manufacturers will take longer to release their Android 12 skins; the only question is how much more time. Here's what we know so far.

Samsung

Samsung made the One UI 4 beta available on the Galaxy S21 series in September, adding tools like upgraded home screen widgets, charging limits for battery health, the eSim privacy center, updated security settings, and other tools. In our Samsung One UI 4 Beta review, we were impressed with some changes but found it very buggy and lacking some key features.

Since then, the One UI 4 beta 2 arrived in early October with bug fixes, virtual RAM support, and Samsung's spin on the Material You color extractor tool. And a Samsung forum community moderator claimed the stable release is "possible by December at the latest," though "it is difficult to give a clear answer."

In theory, despite the slower-than-average start, Samsung will launch One UI 4 on the S21 series before the end of the year, as it has done with its flagships in previous years. Meanwhile, the beta is expected to come to older flagships like the Galaxy S20 and Note 20, plus the new Z foldables soon — likely sometime before the end of October. You can check our guide on when your Samsung phone will get Android 12 (One UI 4) for more specifics.

OnePlus and OPPO

OxygenOS 12 is on its way. Unlike last year's skin, the latest OnePlus OS will be built from ColorOS 12, the OS created by parent company OPPO. Unsurprisingly, both sets of phones are on a similar release schedule.

Alongside the Android 12 source code release, OnePlus announced the first OxygenOS 12 beta on October 4. That means anyone with the OnePlus 9 or 9 Pro can download the beta now, simply by following our guide on how to install OxygenOS 12.

Unfortunately, our OxygenOS 12 beta review notes how much of its distinct identity has been lost this year. It is nearly identical to ColorOS 12 in many ways, and fans of OnePlus phones may not be as excited to update as in previous years.

Meanwhile, OPPO announced the ColorOS 12 global beta, which is available on the Find X3 Pro globally. Later, Find X2, Reno6 Pro, and Reno6 5G owners will receive the beta in November; older Reno phones in December; and the majority of its eligible lineup will get it in the "first half of 2022."

In our ColorOS 12 beta hands-on, we were impressed with the clean UI, customization tools, and intriguing new features. Given that OxygenOS and ColorOS will merge in 2022 into a single OS, starting with the OnePlus 10 in early 2022, OnePlus phone owners can at least take solace in the fact that their new OS is enjoyable to use.

The other brands

Matching up with the other top brands, Xiaomi has already begun its MIUI 12.5 Android 12 beta on the Mi 11, though only in China. We don't know when the beta will come to other Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO phones. Still, based on last year's Android 11 updates, it's a safe bet that the top flagships will get the final version in December 2021 or January 2022, followed by other phones later.

The Android 12-based Realme UI 3.0 has been officially announced as well. The company will roll out an "early access update" to the Realme GT in October, followed by the Realme GT Master Edition, GT Neo 2 5G, X7 Max, and Realme 8 Pro phones in December. Other eligible phones will receive it throughout the first half of 2022.

We don't have hard information on other manufacturers like Nokia and Motorola. Both of these brands have struggled to release speedy updates to Android 11 for many of their older phones. There's no reason to think Android 12 will be any easier or faster to adapt and roll out. Basically, unless you have a true flagship phone from them, you might not see Android 12 arrive until mid-2022.

For more general info on release schedules, check out our guide on when your phone will get Android 12.

Android 12: The final beta version is now live

The fifth public Android 12 beta arrived on September 8. After Beta 4 achieved "Platform Stability for developers — meaning devs can use the beta to test how their apps will run in the final version — Beta 5 reached the long-awaited Release Candidate version. That theoretically means the Android team thinks it's nearly ready for final launch, barring any unexpected bugs.

Unfortunately, based on our Android 12 Beta 5 hands-on, the OS still seems like a work in progress — which is a bit worrisome. Android 12's pre-release versions have been buggier than past Android betas, making us concerned that the first release could still have lingering issues.

Despite that, it's still an improvement over previous betas. It added some Material You design tweaks to core apps, improved widgets (buggy in earlier versions), upgraded device search, revamped Nearby Share, made one-handed navigation much easier, and fixed various bugs.

We've come a long way since the first Android 12 developer preview in February, which barely made any changes. The real paradigm shift came at Google I/O 2021, where Google revealed the new OS and kicked off the public Android 12 beta program. Since then, we've seen five major public beta releases: Beta 1 outlined the brand-new Material You features; Beta 2 gave us automatic color theming and revamped privacy tools; Beta 3 added anticipated features like scrollable screenshots and improved battery stats; and Beta 4 and 4.1 focused on stability and minor tweaks.

After the launch of Beta 5, Google said it would release the final version "in the weeks ahead." On October 4, it technically released that final version. But Pixel owners still have to wait a bit longer to download the OS.

The beta is available on all Pixels starting with the Pixel 3 series, as well as over a dozen third-party handsets from 11 manufacturers. We've rounded up the best ways to install Android 12 on your device. That being said, anyone who installs the beta will have to wipe their phone to install the proper version of Android 12 once it releases; so if you've gone this long without testing it out, maybe it makes sense to wait at this point.

Android 12: Interface

Google calls the new visual paradigm Material You, an evolution of Material Design. The key highlight here is customization. Google is making it easier than ever to personalize your phone to your tastes. For example, the "transformative" feature gives you a custom color palette, and you can easily change the interface colors.

Its color extraction tool picks the colors straight from your phone's wallpaper, then applies them throughout the UI. So your notification shade, lock screen, widgets, volume controls, and other elements take on a custom theme that'll change every time your wallpaper does. Our Android 12 beta 2 hands-on gave us our first look at the theming engine we've been waiting for.

Beta 3 then unlocked the option to pick a theme color manually, independent of your current wallpaper. The main downside is that Google only offers four colors for light and dark mode, as we discussed in our beta 3 hands-on.

Another new feature is themed icons. These convert the icons to a stylized design that incorporates your color theme. Beta 4 added more converted app icons for Google apps, but third-party apps remain their usual selves. We'll have to see if Google lets third parties submit alternate icons with the final release.

With each update, Google gives users more power to update their phone's UI in the Settings — without needing the best Android launchers or the best icon packs. However, one drawback to the new OS is that it killed font and icon shape options in favor of Material You, seemingly for good. That means we're exchanging one form of customization for another instead of Google allowing us to pick and choose.

Google finally gave us the theming engine we've been asking for all these years.

Another major Android 12 update is animations. Google scattered fun animations throughout the interface as a way to make daily interactions much more playful. In addition, Google says that it has overhauled interactions to make them more fluid and energy-efficient — noting that core system services use up to 22% fewer resources.

One significant animation update is faster auto-rotation between portrait and landscape. This is because Google uses the selfie cam to detect the angle of your face in relation to the phone, outperforming the gyroscope by 25%. Unfortunately, it's a bit buggy so far in the beta, so we made a guide on how to disable Android 12 auto-rotation.

Yet another aesthetic change is around dark mode. Google seems intent on making it lighter with every preview. What was a true dark mode now has a distinctly grey tone, and it doesn't look all that great on AMOLED panels. While other manufacturers offering the ability to customize the intensity of dark mode — ColorOS 11 does this really well — Google is unlikely to do the same.

Google has listened to feedback during the betas, adjusting or dialing back visual changes to align with community expectations. For example, beta 2 debuted a taller, thinner volume slider when compared to beta 1, while beta 3 removed the "sparkle" animation that appears when clicking some UI elements. And beta 4 fixed a controversial change to the internet tab in Quick Settings, making it easier to change your wi-fi settings quickly.

Pixel phones will also get a proper one-handed mode with Android 12. Added in preview 2, this mode lets you swipe down from the center of the screen to condense the app into the bottom half of the screen, then swipe up or exit the app to turn it back to normal.

Widgets are also getting a considerable makeover in Android 12. Widgets were a big focus for Apple last year with iOS 14, and for Android 12, Google could be taking a few notes from Apple's approach to giving Android widgets a much-needed refresh. Google debuted some new widgets with Android 12 Beta 1, like the conversations widget, but they're not fully baked just yet.

The new design features are debuting on Pixels later this year, but at this moment, we don't know when they will be available on other devices — or whether some features will be dropped on other phones.

Android 12: Privacy

Google always uses Android updates to introduce new privacy-focused features, and for Android 12, that's no different. Android 12 ushers in a significant overhaul to privacy at the OS level. The new Privacy Dashboard helps you to see which apps accessed your camera, mic, or location in the past 24 hours, so nothing slips by you. And app permissions controls continue to be improved and streamlined.

One helpful tool: you can now grant approximate location access to apps in Android 12, giving you the benefit of services tied to your location without giving the app your specific home address.

But the most significant change is that you can now disable the camera or microphone directly from the notification pane, and this setting works system-wide. So even if you've given an app access to the camera, this particular toggle overrides access. This is a huge deal for privacy on Android and, when combined with the new notifications that let you know when an app is accessing said resources, make it easier to control your privacy on the fly.

Google says users will now have "more transparency and control over how cookies can be used across sites." Google is also improving the safety of how apps export certain activities, ensuring things that should remain in a specific app aren't being shared elsewhere.

Android 12: Notifications

Notifications got a lot of attention with Android 11, and in Android 12, that focus continues. There are a few notable updates for notifications, the first of which has to do with UI updates. The notification pane was redesigned to include large text labels. In addition, there's now a Google Pay toggle that lets you access saved cards with ease and a new Device Controls toggle that replaces the smart home controls section found in Android 11's power menu.

Furthermore, Google goes on to say that it's "decorating notifications with custom content with icon and expand affordances to match all other notifications." Finally, Google introduced a new security measure for lock screen notifications, and developers can now configure notifications on the lock screen to always require user authentication.

Android 12 is also improving the performance of notifications. For apps targeting Android 12, Google's making behind-the-scenes changes that'll allow you to access an app even faster when tapping on its respective notification.

Android 12: Gaming

Your experience playing the best Android games will get an overhaul with Android 12, in the form of new and improved APIs and the Android Games Development kit.

For starters, games on Android 12 will adapt to different Game Mode APIs; if you select a "battery-saving" or "performance" mode, your game will adjust its settings accordingly. Google has also created a Play Integrity API to help stymy cheating tools, plus better compression tools to reduce download sizes.

The more flashy update is "play as you download": when downloading Android games with large file sizes, Android 12 will let you start to play it while only part of the app is download, just as you can on game consoles. We tested this in beta 3, starting a bike ride in Touchgrind BMX at just 15% downloaded. It's pretty impressive and great for people with slow wi-fi networks.

Last but not least, beta 4 added a Game Dashboard. This makes it easier to access tools like Do Not Disturb, screen recording, screenshots, live streaming to YouTube Live, and your current FPS rate using a quick on-screen toggle. It's buggy at the moment but will undoubtedly work much better for the final release.

Android 12: Miscellaneous

Android 12 has a lot of smaller updates that are just as important to keep on your radar. An exciting new addition is a car key feature that will select Google Pixels and new cars from the likes of BMW and Volvo. Unfortunately, that hasn't shown up in beta, so expect it to arrive in September.

Another significant change arriving in September: new Android 12 emoji designs! There are 992 emojis up for a new look, many of which were redesigned to be more inclusive of other countries. They'll even change slightly based on whether or not your phone is in light or dark mode.

Many Android phones have the option to take scrolling screenshots, but stock Android never had that option ... until now. With the newest beta, it's now easy to take scrollable screenshots in Android 12.

Yet another useful tool? You can use Nearby Share or a QR code to share Wi-Fi credentials in Android 12, so you can get friends or family hooked up without having to slowly read out every letter (or reveal that your password is "password").

The new OS will also improve files and media transcoding. HEVC is becoming increasingly popular in the mobile space, and in light of this, Android 12 introduces new media transcoding tools to help apps deal with HEVC content if they don't natively support it. Now, if an app can't handle HEVC files, those will automatically be transcoded to AVC.

While on the subject of files, Android 12 also introduces support for AVIF. Compared to a competing format like JPEG, AVIF offers much higher-quality images at small file sizes (as shown in the image below).

Something I'm personally excited about is the new "haptic-coupled audio effect" feature. That may sound like tech jargon, but it essentially means that apps can use the vibration motor in your phone to play custom vibrations — for example, a racing game could offer different vibrations for when you're driving on dirt, asphalt, etc.

We should also mention that Android 12 continues Google's commitment to Project Mainline. With Android 12, Google is now adding the Android Runtime (also known as ART) module to the Project Mainline process. Per Google, this change:

Lets us push updates to the core runtime and libraries on devices running Android 12. As a result, we can improve runtime performance and correctness, manage memory more efficiently, and make Kotlin operations faster - all without requiring a full system update.

Android 12.1: The new foldable OS

After Android 8.1 Oreo, Android devs did away with X.1 releases, fixing bugs but largely avoiding new feature updates between major releases. However, this year, Android will get a second major OS launch focused on software for foldable phones.

XDA Developers got their hands on an Android 12.1 build and dove into the code. With the new OS, foldable phones' lock screens will show the time on the left and the notifications panel on the right. A new taskbar will let you easily select your favorite apps or App Pairs; you can even drag and drop an app from the taskbar to one side of the screen or the other.

Overall, this release seems to focus on preparing for a hypothetical Google Pixel Fold release. These features could also come to some of the best Android tablets, and Samsung could incorporate some of these tools for its Galaxy Z foldables. But we'll have to wait and see.

On the non-foldable front, Android 12.1 will add open-sourced Material You theming for non-Pixel phones and change the boot animation to reflect the custom colors picked from your wallpaper.

Android 12: Get it right now

Eager to try out all the new features in Android 12? You can install the Android 12 beta for your device right now. The beta initiative is also making its way to third-party phones, so if you don't have a Pixel, be sure to look at the Android 12 beta on Xiaomi, OnePlus, OPPO, Vivo, and other devices.