Articles by Derrek Lee

Samsung provides a look into the new customizable Wear OS platform.

What you need to know

Samsung took to MWC to show off the new unified Wear OS platform.
One UI Watch will closely match One UI found on Galaxy smartphones for a consistent experience.
Samsung says its upcoming Galaxy Watch will be the first to feature the new unified platform later this year.

During its MWC 2021 showcase, Samsung provided a sneak peek into the upcoming unified Wear OS platform that it’s developing alongside Google. Samsung is dubbing its new smartwatch experience One UI Watch.

The name and platform follow the One UI experience found on devices like the Samsung Galaxy S21. This is because Wear OS will allow OEMs to customize aspects of the UI to provide a seamless experience between the watch and the best Android phones.

Samsung highlights how aspects of One UI Watch will closely reflect the layout of Galaxy smartphones, such as the settings app. The experience will also work seamlessly between…

Qualcomm’s 5G mmWave rollout is getting the push it needs.

What you need to know

Qualcomm is announcing a partnership with more than 35 carriers on a global mmWave push.
Chine expects to deploy mmWave in time for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Qualcomm touts the cost-effective deployment of mmWave as a boost for mobile operators.

Qualcomm is announcing a major global push for mmWave 5G at MWC 2021. More than 35 global network operators and OEMs have pledged their collective support to further the rollout of mmWave 5G in an effort to bolster 5G adoption and unlock faster speeds and additional network capacity.

Among the companies committing to the advancement of mmWave is AT&T and Motorola in the United States, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, and HMD Global in Europe, Kyocera and Samsung in S. Korea, Optus in Australia, and at least 15 companies in China and the Asia Pacific.

5G mmWave sits at the highest frequencies and can carry massive amounts of data to some of the best Android …

The Lenovo Smart Clock 2 makes an interesting case for itself, thanks to the addition of wireless charging.

What you need to know

Lenovo launches its second-generation Smart Clock.
The new smart display features a 4-inch touchscreen and a wireless charging dock to charge compatible smartphones.
The Lenovo Smart Clock 2 will be available later this year for just $90.

Lenovo has unveiled the new Smart Clock 2 at MWC 2021. The smart display makes a few design changes while keeping some of the same features from the first-generation Lenovo Smart Clock, but it has a handy trick up its sleeve.

The Lenovo Smart Clock 2 features an updated design to complement a new wireless charging dock. The Smart Clock 2 snaps into the dock and can wirelessly charge Qi-compatible smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S21 with up to 10W of power. The Smart Dock 2 is also MagSafe compatible, so it will work with the Apple iPhone 12 to keep it in place while charging.

Lenovo says that when the Smart Clo…

Windows 11 is out of the bag, and it brings some Android goodies!

Microsoft unveiled Windows 11 during the What’s Next for Windows event this week, which brought new features and design changes. The taskbar is getting a new look, windows are more dynamic, Widgets are more or less replacing live Tiles, and there’s finally support for Android apps. The OS appears to be a more streamlined version of Windows 10 that leans further into the Android ecosystem, which might be the push that Microsoft needs to keep Windows competitive, especially after Apple and Google recently introduced new features and updates for their respective platforms.

That said, after Windows 11 was announced, we want to know what OS you prefer to use on your personal computer. Let us know in the comments why you prefer one OS over another.

What computer OS do you prefer to use?

Windows 11 takes some design cues from the recently killed Windows 10X, which was originally meant to be a lightweight version of Windo…

You may not have to rely on the Amazon Appstore to download Android apps on Windows 11.

What you need to know

A Microsoft engineer says it’s possible to sideload Android apps on Windows 11.
The ability to download apps is a new feature coming to Windows 11 but is potentially hindered by the limitations of the Amazon Appstore.
Windows 11 is expected to launch later this year.

Windows 11 may not be limited to the Amazon Appstore in order to install Android apps. A Microsoft engineer confirmed to a user on Twitter that it’ll be possible to sideload Android apps onto Windows 11.

Yes!— Miguel de Icaza (@migueldeicaza) June 25, 2021

While distinguished engineer Miguel de Icaza notes on his account that he doesn’t speak for Microsoft, his response appears to be a ringing declaration that sideloading Android apps is possible. This means users won’t be limited to the Android apps found on the Amazon Appstore as long as they have the APK file.

When Microsoft announced Android app s…

It turns out we’re looking at the Galaxy Watch 4, not the Active 4.

What you need to know

New renders of the Galaxy Watch 4 have emerged.
The renders appear to be official press images of the upcoming smartwatch.
Samsung is expected to reveal the device at next week’s MWC 2021.

Leaks of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 are ramping up, which can only suggest that the smartwatch is arriving soon. The latest leak from 91mobiles shows off very official-looking press renders of the upcoming smartwatch.

The renders show off the smartwatch with its alleged color variants. There appear to be four different colorways, including what looks like Mystic Bronze from the Galaxy Note 20 series and several color options for the watchband.

From the images, you can spot some of the specs on the back of the watch. This includes built-in GPS, MIL-STD 810G durability rating, 5ATM water resistance, and Gorilla Glass DX+ coving the display. The watch will apparently come in 40mm and 44mm sizes.

…

TCL starts things off with a pair of forgettable smartphones.

What you need to know

The Alcatel 1 and 1L Pro are the latest budget offerings from TCL.
Both smartphones run Android 11 Go Edition out of the box.
The Alcatel 1 and 1L Pro launch in August and September, respectively, starting at €59.

MWC kicks off next week, but companies are already getting a headstart on product announcements, including TCL. Among its latest launches are the new budget-friendly Alcatel 1-series smartphones.

The new Alcatel 1L Pro is the “higher-end” model of the new smartphones. It offers a 6.1-inch HD+ display with a notch and a fairly sizeable chin. On the back is a dual-camera setup with a 13MP main sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. There’s a rear fingerprint sensor, and TCL also highlights the gradient color scheme on the rear to help make the device stand out.

Powering the device is an unnamed octa-core processor and just 2GB of RAM. It’s not the most powerful by any means, but it should be …

Google commits to making apps work better across devices.

What you need to know

Google announces the global rollout of its Play Media Experience program.
The program will allow developers to more easily enable cross-device experiences.
Google commits to a 15% service fee for developers that join the program.

Google has announced that its Play Media Experience program is launching globally, allowing developers to enable deeper integration between their apps and Google’s services and platforms.

The program gives developers the ability to enable app experiences across devices, including Wear OS, tablets, the best Android TVs, and more. Google says that it’s “excited to help developers scale their services beyond mobile and across all the form factors that are important to users.”

According to Google, the program will enable “additional discovery and engagement opportunities” through the following media:

Video: Will enable integration with Android TV, Google TV, and Google Cast …

John McAfee was reportedly found dead on Wednesday.

What you need to know

John McAfee was reportedly found dead while being held in a Spanish prison cell.
The software entrepreneur was being held on tax evasion and faced up to 30 years in prison.
Despite his troubles, McAfee had far-seeing insights on the state of security as it relates to Android.
In 2015, he gave an interview to Android Central where he talked about Google’s security shortcomings. Many of the things he talked about are still relevant today.

Various news outlets have reported and confirmed that John McAfee was found dead on June 23 while being held in a Spanish prison. His death was due to an apparent suicide as McAfee faced up to 30 years in prison.

McAfee was being held in Spain on charges of tax evasion between the years 2014 and 2018.

In the late ’80s and early ’90s, he was responsible for establishing the company behind McAfee Antivirus software, which is still a well-known brand on PCs and mobile today….

Fitbit makes incredible smartwatches and fitness trackers. The Fitbit Inspire 2 is one of the best, which is why it’s included in our best Android smartwatch Prime Day deals. But there’s another fitness tracker that’s just as good, and that’s the Amazfit Band 5. This is one of the best fitness trackers we’ve seen, even if the brand isn’t as well-known as Fitbit. That said, there are plenty of great Amazfit smartwatches with great Prime Day discounts, and the Band 5 comes in as the most affordable.

When the Amazfit Band 5 launched in 2020, it undercut much of its competition with a $50 price tag. Since then, the price has come down a bit for this already affordable fitness tracker, but this Prime Day deal gives you an extra 20% off at checkout, bringing it down to just $32. If that’s not inspiring, then I don’t know what is.

Amazfit Band 5 Fitness Tracker

The Amazfit Band 5 takes many of the best features you’ll find in a Fitbit tracker and puts them in a much more affordable dev…