Articles by Andrew Myrick

With a phone as surprisingly great as the Moto G Power, you likely already have one of the best cases. Still, you’ll also want the best Moto G Power screen protector. This device helped to prove that you don’t need to spend $1,000 on a smartphone just to get a great experience. With up to two days of battery life and the benefit of Motorola’s near-stock Android experience, it’s tough to find a cheap Android phone that is this great. Nonetheless, you’ll still want to make sure you keep it protected from whatever your days throw at you.

From the source

Motorola Essentials Tempered Glass

Staff Pick

Over the past year or so, Motorola has started offering its own accessories for various devices, including last year’s Moto G Power. You only get one in the pack, but this Motorola Essentials screen protector is made from tempered glass and offers the perfect fit for your G Power.

$13 at Amazon $13 at Motorola

World class glass

Zagg InvisibleShield Glass+

ZAGG makes some of …

Long battery life and noise cancellation

What you need to know

The OnePlus Buds Pro will be introduced alongside the Nord 2 on July 22.
These new earbuds will feature “adaptive noise cancellation”.
Battery life is said to last up to 38 hours without noise cancellation, or 28 with it enabled.

Last week, OnePlus announced that it was introducing a way for OnePlus fans to try out its upcoming Nord 2, along with some previously-unannounced headphones. These have turned out to be the OnePlus Buds Pro, and now we know the earbuds will also be launching on July 22 with the OnePlus Nord 2.

Speaking with CNET, Kinder Liu, OnePlus’ head of R&D, revealed a slew of information regarding these upcoming headphones. Instead of offering active noise cancellation, the Buds Pro will take a different approach with what’s being called “adaptive noise cancellation”. This makes use of three microphones on each of the earbuds and will “intelligently produce noise-canceling counter frequencies.”

…

Ditch the heavy books and turn your phone into your library.

If you’ve been considering the jump from physical books to e-books, you’ll need to figure out the best e-book apps for Android. Books can be heavy, expensive, and take up valuable space in a cramped apartment, so making the transition is worth it. Thankfully you’ve got a few options, depending on where you want to get your books and how you want them to look on the screen.

Take a peek at our picks for the best e-book apps for Android!

The top 3 apps

1. Amazon Kindle
2. Moon+ Reader
3. Libby, by OverDrive

More options

Google Play Books
Kobo
PocketBook
Wattpad
NOOK: Read eBooks & Magazines
Goodreads
Scribd: Audiobooks & ebooks

What are the best e-book apps for Android?

While there are many apps on the Play Store that make it easier than ever to find and read new e-books, there’s only one that stands largely above the rest. The Amazon Kindle app provides a vast library of e-books and audiobooks, with mo…

Another confirmation of S Pen support with the Z Fold 3.

What you need to know

The S Pen Pro has passed through the FCC confirming compatibility with the Galaxy Z Fold 3.
Samsung originally announced the S Pen Pro alongside the Galaxy S21 Ultra in January.
This new S Pen will support Air Actions via Bluetooth LE and features a USB-C charging port.

When the Galaxy S21 Ultra was announced, Samsung also introduced S Pen support via two different S Pen models. While the non-Bluetooth LE version has been available since January, the S Pen Pro has been conspicuously missing, practically forgotten. That’s all changed now, as the Samsung S Pen Pro was spotted passing through FCC regulations (via The Verge).

Along with revealing that the S Pen Pro was actually going to arrive, the FCC filing confirmed that Samsung is bringing S Pen support to the next best foldable phone. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 has been rumored to include S Pen support for months, and those rumors only grew in strength a…

Finding the best Android Auto USB-C cables means looking for a few specific qualities. The cable needs to be able to withstand bends, sudden removals, spills, and so much more. Whether you are learning how to use Android Auto for the first time or are a seasoned veteran, there’s always a reason to get a new, or extra, cable. We have found some of the best USB-C cables that you can get for Android Auto.

Perfect option

Anker Nylon USB-C to USB-C Cable

Staff Pick

Anker’s charging cables are practically unmatched in terms of quality and value. This Nylon USB-C cable is extremely impressive with the braided nylon exterior, which is said to last for more than 12,000 bends along with being offered in a few different colors and two lengths: 3.3 and 6-foot.

From $26 at Amazon

Strain relief

Cable Matters 3-Pack Slim Series USB-C cable

If you want a no-frills, yet reliable cable to use with Android Auto, then Cable Matters is a great option. This 6.6-foot cable offers “molded …

OnePlus definitely looks like it’s settling on the Nord 2’s design

What you need to know

The OnePlus Nord 2 will feature a 6.43-inch AMOLED display.
The display will also be equipped with a 90Hz refresh rate, matching the original Nord.
OnePlus is set to unveil the Nord at an event on July 22.

In the battle for the best cheap Android phones, OnePlus is hoping that the OnePlus Nord 2 will take back the crown. In true OnePlus fashion, the company has started trickling details about the device ahead of its July 22 launch. Today, the OnePlus India Twitter account revealed that the Nord 2 will sport a 6.43-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate.

This is practically the same as the OnePlus Nord that took the world by storm last year. The original Nord featured a slightly larger 6.44-inch display with the same refresh rate and a 2400 x 1080 refresh rate. As for the Nord 2, the resolution of the panel being used remains a mystery, but we wouldn’t be surprised if this also matched up w…

OnePlus wants you to try out the Nord 2 and the unannounced Buds Pro

What you need to know

OnePlus is giving select OnePlus fans a chance to try out two new products.
Via The Lab, you can enter to test the OnePlus Nord 2 and OnePlus Buds Pro.
The OnePlus Buds Pro could be announced alongside the Nord 2.

This week we’ve learned a bit more about what’s to come in the next OnePlus smartphone. The OnePlus Nord 2 is slated to be announced on July 22, but thanks to ‘The Lab’ from OnePlus, we could be introduced to some new earbuds. OnePlus has announced it’s giving fans an opportunity to test out the new Nord 2 and the previously unannounced OnePlus Buds Pro ahead of their launch.

While OnePlus already confirmed that the Nord 2 would be coming, the introduction of the Buds Pro comes as a bit of a shock. Last year, OnePlus released its first set of wireless earbuds with the OnePlus Buds. Then, alongside the OnePlus 8T, we were introduced to the OnePlus Buds Z, which featured a bit mor…

New kid on the block

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE

See at Samsung

Pros

Larger display
5G connectivity available
Samsung DeX support
Includes S Pen

Cons

Refresh rate limited to 60Hz
Processor not as powerful as Tab S7

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S7 FE is wedged in the middle of the Tab S7 and S7+ with its 12.4-inch display. It features 5G connectivity, thanks to the Snapdragon 750G chipset, while also supporting Samsung DeX mode when a keyboard is attached. Plus, Samsung includes the same S Pen from the Tab S7 in the box with the Tab S7 FE.

Smaller, but more powerful

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

From $514 at Amazon

Pros

120Hz refresh rate
Lightweight and more portable
Faster processor
More storage options
Longer battery life

Cons

No 5G connectivity options
Smaller display

It’s easy to see why the Galaxy Tab S7 remains the best Android tablet when you are presented with more storage options, along with longer battery life and a faster processor. Despite including a smalle…

OnePlus says it’s intentionally slowing down performance to provide better battery life

What you need to know

OnePlus has been accused of throttling some of the most popular Android apps.
The OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro have been removed from Geekbench charts.
OnePlus confirms the reason is to improve battery life and heat management.

A report by Anandtech was published on Tuesday suggesting that a number of Android apps were underperforming on the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 pro. App performance for Google Chrome was much lower than what has been found on other of the best Android phones. But it was also discovered that this app throttling was not limited to just one or two apps, and instead affects hundreds of popular apps.

In the report, it was found that when using traditional benchmarking apps like Geekbench, there was no discernible difference. However, using browser benchmarks like Speedometer 2.0, the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro suffered scores much lower than devices like the Galaxy S21, …

VoLTE support and a bootloop bug are the major changes in July’s security update

What you need to know

Google has started rolling out the July security patch for Pixel smartphones.
The update enables VoLTE with undisclosed cellular networks.
There were no critical vulnerabilities patched in this update.

Although there were concerns that something was awry with the July security patch, Google has eased those concerns. The July patch is now rolling out in waves to Pixel owners, bringing a few minor changes, while squashing several “high” level vulnerabilities. This comes a few days after some of the best Samsung phones began receiving the same security patch.

After releasing the June security update, along with a Feature Drop, Google confirmed in its update notes that the July update would be coming a bit later than usual. This has to do with the Independence Day holiday falling on a Sunday, with the holiday being observed on Monday, July 5th.

Compared to previous security patch…