Original article: The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is easily one of the best smartwatches you can buy, though it’s not a dramatic improvement from its predecessor. We’re eagerly awaiting the release of the next iteration of Samsung’s smartwatches in the form of the Galaxy Watch 7 series, and we hope to see a lot more dramatic changes that catch it up to the competition, like the OnePlus Watch 2 and even the Apple Watch Series 9. But how is the Galaxy Watch 7 shaping up so far? Here’s what we know about the Galaxy Watch 7, what we can expect, and what we want it to be!

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 series: At a glance

One of the biggest shopping events of the year is fast approaching, but when is Amazon Prime Day 2024, and how can you make the most of it? This short guide will answer your questions and have you fully prepared to save big in the sale.

You probably know this already, but Amazon Prime Day is an annual sales event that usually takes place over the course of 48 hours during the summer. Prime members will be treated to big discounts on a whole range of products, including a lot of the latest tech that features on our site. We’ll be throwing a spotlight on all of the best offers we see, but if you just want to know how best to be ready for the event, you can jump straight to our section on the five best tips for Prime Day.

Samsung is getting ready for a wave of wearable releases this summer, with the highly awaited Galaxy Ring and Galaxy Watch 7 series on the horizon. However, rumors have been swirling about a more budget-friendly addition to the lineup, and a recent leak seems to confirm this speculation.

First spotted by MySmartPrice, a support page for a Galaxy Watch with the model number SM-R861 has gone live on Samsung’s UK and Latin America websites, all but confirming the presence of a new model joining the Galaxy Watch series.

Earlier this year, Google announced the shutdown of its Google One VPN service, recently confirming that the service will cease to function on June 20, 2024. However, while “VPN by Google One” is going away, Google will continue to offer a virtual private network for Pixel owners. In preparation for that, the company has started rebranding its VPN service.

First spotted by 9to5Google, the app’s Play Store listing has been updated accordingly, reflecting the shift from “Pixel VPN by Google One” to “Pixel VPN by Google.” This change includes a fresh icon featuring a blue shield with a “G” at its center, replacing the previous Google One icon.

Google is continuing the transition from Manifest V2 to Manifest V3 in Chrome. The rollout will begin next week and will first land on pre-stable channel builds.

Back in November 2023, Google revealed a timeline for its phase-out of Manifest V2. Now the company has announced that it is ready to begin the process.

Apple’s much-anticipated Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024 is just around the corner, ready to kick off on June 10. The real showstopper this year is expected to be iOS 18, which is predicted to be one of the most significant updates in iPhone history.

Apple has already teased new AI features that are coming to its platforms, generating considerable excitement. According to MacRumors, Apple also plans to enhance the iMessage experience in iOS 18 with a new text effects feature.

Update, May 31, 2024 (12:50 PM ET): It looks like Google has fixed the issue described in the original article below. Here is a statement from the company:

There was an issue that was briefly affecting some results on Google News, Discover and other products. We’ve fixed the issue and things should be working normally now.

It’s hard to put a price on fast and widespread Wi-Fi across your entire home, but it’s fantastic to see a record 37% off whatever that price usually is. That’s what Amazon is delivering today, with the two-pack of the TP-Link Deco XE75 Pro Wi-Fi 6E mesh router system down from $350 to just $219.99 for the first time.

TP-Link Deco XE75 Pro Wi-Fi 6E Mesh System (2-Pack) for $219.99 ($130 off)

A new report claims that TikTok is working to create an independent clone of its source code in an attempt to stay in the US. However, TikTok is denying the report, calling it “misleading” and “factually inaccurate.”

Back in April, a bill was passed and signed into law that requires Beijing-based parent company ByteDance to divest its ownership stake in TikTok to keep the short-form video platform in the US. The bill stems from bipartisan concerns about TikTok’s connection to China and the platform’s influence on its users. To stay in the US without having to sell its business, TikTok has been exploring ways to appease US lawmakers.

Nanoleaf is no stranger to RGB lighting in unique form factors. Its line of light panels basically defined the category, and it has since expanded to everything from traditional lightbulbs to ceiling-mounted skylights, making it a go-to brand for smart home goods. While Nanoleaf has made lightstrips in the past, its newest strip offers a slew of new features that Nanoleaf — and most of its competitors — has never offered before. I’ve been using it in my home for about a week and, I gotta say, I’m in love with it.

Unfortunately, this new lightstrip has a doozy of a name: the Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart Multicolor HD Lightstrip. For the sake of convenience, I’ll be trimming that down to just HD Lightstrip throughout most of this review!

Samsung is one of the biggest pioneers of smartwatches and one of the few manufacturers that has been around since the start and is still going strong. Samsung’s entry into the smartwatch space started a long time ago, and the Galaxy Watch lineup started with the original Galaxy Watch back in 2018. It ran Tizen, which many would strongly argue provided a better user experience than Wear OS at that time. Samsung jumped to Wear OS with the Galaxy Watch 4 (to help save Google’s wearable OS), but this jump came at the cost of Tizen. Samsung has now put Tizen on life support, and in the coming months, your Tizen watch’s functionality will become increasingly limited until its eventual demise.

Reddit user Seaweed_Maximum (via Techissuestoday) brought to light Samsung’s termination schedule for Galaxy Store access for Tizen smartwatches. According to screenshots of the notice posted purportedly by a member of the Galaxy Store Operations team, here is the timeline for various termination dates for Tizen watches:

The simplest way to customize the look of your phone is by changing the wallpaper. Changing your phone’s background takes very little effort; the hard part is finding the right image. Sometimes, it’s better not to complicate things, especially if an elaborate wallpaper will simply be covered by a bunch of icons and widgets. If you prefer to keep your background minimal, we have put together a collection of awesome gradient wallpapers for your phone.

Download these gradient wallpapers for your phone

Let’s start by explaining how our wallpaper posts work. While it might be your first instinct, you shouldn’t simply download the wallpapers below. These images are compressed and have been optimized for improved website performance, which means they won’t look as good. These are considered image previews, and are meant for you to look through the wallpapers and decide which ones you like. When ready, click on the download button below the previews to get the full-resolution files in all their glory.

We’re back with another list this week, right on time for your weekend binge. There’s quite a bit of horror and sci-fi on this week’s list, so we’ve also included a refreshing anime release to keep things light and breezy. Let’s dive in.

The best new streaming movies this week

We have Jennifer Lopez’s entry into sci-fi this week, as well as the much-awaited prequel to the Omen franchise. Feel free to click the links if you see a movie you’ve been waiting for.

The end of May is here — and it brings with it a line-up of great shows you’ll want to check out. We have a lot of comedy on our list this week, as well as a thriller starring Benedict Cumberbatch, so make sure you’re well-stocked on popcorn.

The best new streaming shows this week

Here’s what came out this week on major streaming platforms like Netflix or Hulu. We have two shows with Gordon Ramsay in them. It’s a good day to be a culinary enthusiast. Click on the jump links to get to what piques your interest first.

It’s no secret that Apple sometimes disadvantages third-party developers by giving itself special privileges — or taking away some of their existing ones. Following a recent iOS update, likely iOS 17.4, users casting media to other devices can no longer control the volume using their iPhone’s physical buttons. This has sparked outrage on Reddit and the Spotify Community forums, as many users actively relied on the now-removed option.

According to a Spotify Community moderator, a recent iOS change has stopped the music streaming app from using the iPhone’s volume buttons to control Spotify Connect devices. They stated: “Due to updates on iOS, Spotify users no longer can use their iPhone’s volume controls to change the volume on connected speakers. Instead, please use the volume slider in the device menu.”

Google Calendar is a rather underrated Google app that does most things right. Since it is part of GMS, most Android phones come with it out of the box, and users generally don’t need to install an alternative calendar app. Many people add birthdays to Google Calendar to get reminded of such important dates every year without manually creating a new event for every year. Google seemingly recognizes this use case, as an upcoming Google Calendar update would make it even easier to add birthdays.

In the latest Google Calendar v2024.21.0-637471596 app update, we managed to activate a dedicated “Birthday” chip that makes it super convenient to add recurring birthday events.

Many new Android apps are out there, but keeping track of them is tough. But we’re happy to do that hard work for you. We’ve scoured the internet to find the best new Android apps available, focusing on apps that offer something different to the status quo. Be sure to visit our list of the best Android apps of all time and our selection of the best new Android apps released in 2023 for more.

The best new Android apps for June 2024

1. Bitwarden Authenticator
2. Wallpaper Changer
3. Openreads
4. Aurelian
5. ReZ Launcher
6. Zoom Earth

Bitwarden Authenticator

Bitwarden’s latest app extends beyond password management.

Today, I learned that on this planet, not in a parallel universe, a mythical creature roams among us. From afar (and even upon closer inspection), it looks just like any pair of wired Lightning earbuds for iPhones. However, concealed deeply within it is a dark secret that only remote villagers know of. It appears that some companies have been selling knockoff wired iPhone earbuds that need Bluetooth to function. You’ve read that right.

A crazy experience — I lost my earbuds in a remote town in Chile, so tried buying a new pair at the airport before flying out. But the new wired, iPhone, lightning-cable headphones didn’t work. Strange.

Microsoft has been embracing AI and deeply integrating it into its products. It recently unveiled the Copilot Plus PCs, and now it’s baking its artificial smarts further into the Windows software. The latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build on the Canary Channel adds AI-generated replies to the Phone Link for Android app and tweaks the Copilot shortcut on some machines.

Mobile gaming is ever-improving, and many new Android games are always available. Whether you’re a casual gamer, want something with a bit more meat on its bones, or want to challenge your new smartphone, there’s usually a game coming out to suit everyone’s taste. In particular, gaming over the holiday season is usually a great way to wind down after the year that passed or contemplate your plans for the year ahead. On that note, let’s look at the best new Android games.

Check out our picks for the best new Android games released in 2023.

We’re hearing reports on social media that Verizon had a noticeable outage in many parts of the US. Many users have been spotted complaining on X (formerly known as Twitter) and Reddit that their Verizon phones did not have service, while some who did had fallen down to LTE with no 5G.

From what I can see on DownDetector, there was a large spike in Verizon outage reports a few hours ago, though that spike has now died down. Verizon’s support handle has confirmed the outage in replies to customers, but has not put out a standalone post informing the public at large about the outage.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and its direct sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, are two of the most iconic video games in history. Nintendo re-released both games on all of its home consoles released after the Nintendo 64, leaving many fans and newcomers alike wondering: What is the best way to play them today? Many would argue that the unofficial ports released by team Harbour Masters are the best way to play both games, but they don’t offer an Android release. Fortunately, one developer took it upon themselves to port the games to Android, letting you play The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask natively on your Android device.

How was The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask ported to Android?

If you’re wondering how this is even possible, let me try to explain. Back in 2020, a group of developers banded together to form the Zelda Reverse Engineering Team (ZeldaRET). Their stated goal was to “recreate a source code base” for select The Legend of Zelda titles (plus the original Animal Crossing) from scratch, “using information inside the game along with static and/or dynamic analysis.”

Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), launched last year to enhance search queries with AI-generated summaries and answers, recently culminated with the rollout of its new AI Overviews feature in the United States. The new search tool, designed to revolutionize search by providing concise AI-generated summaries to complex queries, found itself in hot water just a week after its US launch.

The Internet was flooded with AI Overview responses ranging from bizarre to concerning. Some of the most notable ones advised users to eat rocks for essential nutrients, use glue to secure cheese on pizza, and drink urine to address kidney stones. In one particularly alarming instance, the AI suggested jumping off a bridge as a solution for depression.

Google has canceled and revived its AR glasses project (Project Iris) multiple times. Despite its tumultuous relationship with the XR space, it doesn’t look like Google is giving up on augmented reality any time soon as it has entered into a partnership with Magic Leap.

On Thursday, Magic Leap announced in a blog post that it has formed a strategic partnership with Google. According to the post, the partnership will combine Magic Leap’s AR expertise and optics leadership with Google’s technology platforms. We have reached out to Google for further comment and will update this article accordingly.

MediaTek recently announced the launch of its latest chipsets, the Dimensity 7300 and 7300X. These new processors are built on a 4nm process, designed for high performance and energy efficiency. However, what truly caught our attention was MediaTek announcing that “…the Dimensity 7300X is designed with flip-style foldable devices in mind, providing support for dual displays.”

This could have significant implications for the smartphone market, as it hints at the possibility of more affordable flip-style foldable phones becoming available in the near future. While MediaTek hasn’t disclosed which specific phones will be powered by these new chips or provided a timeline for their launch, current rumors point towards the upcoming Motorola Moto Razr (2024) featuring the Dimensity 7300X.

Google is all-in on AI, as evidenced by the Google I/O keynote this year. Microsoft is also all-in on AI, as evidenced by the recent launches of Surface machines and Copilot Plus. Meanwhile, Apple is…well, no one really knows what Apple’s doing with AI yet.

However, reliable leaker Mark Gurman (via Bloomberg) has shed a little light on what we can expect. Apparently, Apple has conducted a “revamp of Siri’s underlying software using large language models.” This restructuring of Apple’s digital assistant will give it a new AI-based power: the ability to manipulate apps using voice commands.

Google released the first Android 15 beta back on April 11, with the second beta following it up on May 15. Only a day before the second beta went out, Nothing rolled out Beta 1 to the Phone 2a. Now the company is opening up the update to the Phone 2.

Nothing announced in a blog post that Phone 2 owners can now join in on the Android 15 Beta 1 party. If you want to take part in the beta, the London-based phone maker warns that this build is meant for developers and advanced users. It also warns users to back up their data as the storage device will be formatted, and all data will be erased.

If you open the Gmail app on your Android phone today, you might notice a new UI when replying to emails. Today, Google announced that it is rolling out Quick Reply in Gmail, a new UI that makes it easier to respond to emails. Google has been testing this feature out with a handful of users since November of last year, but it’s only now made the change official with the latest Android Feature Drop.

Before this update, if you opened any email in the Gmail app for Android, you’d need to tap the reply button to start composing a message. Tapping the reply button opens up the full-screen email compose UI you’re all probably familiar with. The full-screen email compose UI is great for drafting longer responses, but if you need to just send a quick message, then it’s not really necessary.

As expected, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) did not secure funding by May 31, and the program is now officially over after today. This leaves over 20 million Americans facing significant choices. If you are among those affected, hopefully, you have already taken precautions by either switching to more affordable plans or finding alternative forms of assistance. Some of you may have been holding out hope that the FCC — or another entity — might once again intervene, as it did by partially covering costs for the month of May. Now that there is no hope left the program will continue, you may be wondering about the best alternatives to the ACP.

Sign up for Lifeline Assistance if you haven’t already

With ACP no longer available, Lifeline remains the only federally supported internet assistance service for low-income citizens. Although not as generous as ACP, Lifeline offers a monthly subsidy of $9.25 that can be applied towards broadband or phone services. There’s a possibility you are already enrolled in this program, as it was possible to have both ACP and Lifeline concurrently.

Google released the first Android 15 beta on April 11, 2024, with Android 15 beta 2 following on May 15, and the Android 15 Beta 2.1 coming in on May 20. This falls in line with the Android 15 release timeline Google published when the Developer Preview 1 rolled out. While all this is great, you might be wondering when your phone will get the Android 15 update.

Spotify has confirmed it will issue refunds for its discontinued in-car streaming device, Car Thing. The company announced last week that the device will become non-functional starting December 9, 2024, a decision that will leave many users with bricked gadgets and considerable frustration.

Car Thing, Spotify’s dedicated music streaming device, gained popularity among a dedicated fanbase but was discontinued soon after its launch. Spotify assured users at the time that the device would remain operational, making the news of its impending deactivation in December 2024 even more of a bummer.

Samsung took the wraps off its latest flagships earlier this year, the Galaxy S24 series, with the Galaxy S24 Ultra setting the early benchmark for other Android smartphones this year. It’s another year of refinement as far as the design goes but with a significant focus on AI-driven software and features. If that sounds familiar, it’s the exact intro we could have used for Google’s 2023 flagship, the Pixel 8 Pro. Interesting design refinements, upgraded hardware, and a plethora of new software features make for an interesting comparison between the two flagships. Here’s a look at the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro!

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Google Pixel 8 Pro: At a glance

Back in March, we discussed a Chrome feature Google was testing that would allow you to minimize custom tabs into a picture-in-picture (PiP) window. Now it looks like the feature is ready for the main stage as it is rolling out in the latest update for Chrome.

In a blog post, Google announced it is rolling out a feature in the latest version of Chrome for Android. The feature in question is called Minimized Custom Tabs, and as its name suggests, it allows you to minimize a custom tab.

T-Mobile is marking the eighth anniversary of its T-Mobile Tuesdays program with a weeklong “Thankiversary” event, offering substantial prizes and new perks to its customers. This year’s celebration, starting on Tuesday, June 4, will see T-Mobile giving away eight grand prizes to eight lucky customers.

These prizes include $80,000 in cash, $8,000 in Shell gas cards, eight years of movies with Atom Tickets, a new Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, a dream vacation for four valued at up to $117,000 (including flights, hotel, and $10,000 in spending money), a Samsung mega bundle featuring a Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus, Galaxy Watch 6, and $20,000 in Samsung e-Certificates, “a year of coffee”, and a “year of concerts.”

Google just unveiled its latest Android Feature Drop earlier today, and it’s one of the most exciting feature drops I can remember. The two features I’m most excited about are part of Play Services’s new Cross-Device Services module, which brings some Apple Continuity-style magic to your Android devices. For example, the new Instant Hotspot feature lets you connect your Android tablet or Chromebook to your phone’s hotspot with a single tap. Instant Hotspot works with phones running Android 11 or newer, with one notable exception: Samsung devices. According to Google, Instant Hotspot will not be available on any Samsung devices.

Sonos has the prestige that it doesn’t often feel the need to discount its products, making Sonos sales few and far between. But we’re being treated to one today, with one of our favorite deals from the promotion being the first-ever 25% price drop on the Sonos Move 2. The $113 discount gives you the chance to catch the high-end speaker at just $336.

Sonos Move 2 for $336 ($113 off)

We’re only a few days away from the reveal event for the ROG Ally X. Unfortunately for ASUS, a recently discovered retail listing may have stolen some of the event’s thunder.

First spotted by the Korean YouTube channel Performance Department Connect, it appears a Korean online retailer may have published a listing for the ROG Ally X a little early. The listing in question labels the device as the ROG Ally 2, however, it’s far more likely this is the new, slightly improved X model.

Meta has been busy baking AI features into the world’s most popular messaging app. While users in select regions can already chat with the Meta AI chatbot inside WhatsApp, the company’s plans extend beyond that. Based on a recent WhatsApp for Android beta build, it seems the messaging service will soon allow users to generate images using text prompts.

After analyzing WhatsApp for Android version 2.24.12.4 beta, WABetaInfo found references to a new feature called Imagine. According to the leaker, this upcoming addition will allow users to enter text prompts inside WhatsApp and have Meta AI generate relevant images. The feature will seemingly reside in the attachment menu users rely on to send contacts, documents, media, and more.

The ASUS ROG Ally transformed the way I played games, but now it’s time for a refresh. The ASUS ROG Ally X will be an iterative but important update to the Windows device, fixing a few minor issues and pushing the handheld experience even further.

It’s still at least a few days away, but here’s what we know so far about the ROG Ally X and what we want to see from the 2024 update.

As part of the May 2024 Android Feature Drop, Google is officially rolling out some much-awaited features for Google Home users. Those who have built their smart home centered around Google Home will now have more ways to control their favorite or most accessed smart home devices.

Android users can now add a Google Home widget to their home screen, featuring their favorite smart home device controls. This is incredibly useful, especially if you have devices that you constantly toggle or access throughout the day. The widget is also surprisingly flexible, letting you resize to your desired configuration to suit your home screen.

Google has offered Android Feature Drops for quite some time now, dishing out a new set of features to Android phone users at large. The company has just revealed Feature Drop for May 2024, and it brings some Apple-style cross-device functionality to the table.

The new Android Feature Drop will offer two cool features via its cross-device services functionality. The first feature, dubbed Instant Hotspot, lets you quickly share your phone’s Wi-Fi hotspot with your Android tablet or Chromebook in a single tap. You don’t need to manually enter your hotspot password or share a QR code.

Quarterly, Google brings the Android world a Feature Drop. This allows the company to launch new features for phones, tablets, watches, and Chromebooks in one big push. Today, the latest Feature Drop is here, and it brings a slew of new tools.

Some of these will launch today, such as the Google Messages one. Others, like the hotspot sharing feature, will come “soon,” so that could be any time this year. There are also some that require you to be a part of an early testing program, such as the Google Home widget one. Be sure to make note of these limitations so you’re not looking for a feature that isn’t actually available to you!

Using PayPal to purchase things with Google Wallet is nothing new. The ability to use the service as a payment method has been around for a while. Something you haven’t been able to do, however, is use PayPal on your smartwatch. But the latest Android Feature Drop will change that.

Google has just announced a bevy of new features coming to Android in today’s Feature Drop. Among the many new functions coming our way, Google revealed that Wear OS watch owners are getting a way to pay from their wrist.

Today, Google is pushing out the latest Android Feature Drop. This is a quarterly collection of new features for Android-based devices. While there are some cool things on the list this quarter, one stands head and shoulders above the others: the ability to edit messages in the Google Messages app!

This is a staple feature of many other messaging platforms, so the fact that Messages is finally getting it is a big deal. In fact, we’ve been hearing this was in the works since last year, so it’s been a long time coming. Check out how it works in the GIF below:

Whenever Apple releases a new iPhone, a bunch of YouTubers rush to buy a few and then proceed with torturing them on camera. While they claim that these videos are meant to demonstrate the iPhones’ durability, their tests are often conducted unscientifically. A series of short videos now gives us a look inside Apple’s own durability testing facility, where the real studies occur.

I recently got to visit some Apple labs where they durability test new iPhones before they come out, and learned a few things (THREAD)

Samsung has ruled the global foldable phone market since it launched the original Galaxy Fold back in 2019 and the Galaxy Z Flip back in 2020. Unfortunately for the Korean manufacturer, it’s just been knocked off its perch for the first time.

Counterpoint Research reports that HUAWEI has overtaken Samsung to be the top foldable phone manufacturer in Q1 2024. The Chinese brand’s foldables accounted for 35% of the global foldable market, compared to Samsung’s 23%. Just a year ago, HUAWEI had a 14% global share versus Samsung’s 58%.

Should you buy the Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2024)?

WWDC24 kicks off in just ten days, and Apple is expected to reveal the AI features coming to iOS 18 during its opening keynote. While some of these additions may be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and work offline, the more advanced offerings may rely on Apple’s cloud solutions. According to a recent report, the Cupertino firm has managed to secure its cloud processing mechanism, and user data may always remain encrypted.

As per a report from The Information, Apple’s data centers may keep users’ data confidential even when processing it. Typically, servers have to decrypt user information to process it for AI functionality. By relying on the Secure Enclave in the M2 Ultra and M4 chips, Apple may have found a way to avoid decrypting the data altogether.

Update: May 30, 2024 (07:55 AM ET): We’ve updated our Galaxy Z Fold 6 rumor hub with a report about the Fold 6 Slim/Ultra and the hands-on image of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 next to an image of the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

Original article: We’re deep into 2024, and it’s about time we learn more about Samsung’s next wave of foldables. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 are expected to be the highlights of Samsung’s foldable ambitions, refreshing its lineup a bit past the middle of the year. Leaks and rumors have begun flowing in, and we now have a fair idea of how the book-style foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 6, will shape up. Read on to learn more about this upcoming device!

Netflix has long offered HDR support on Android phones, giving you a more immersive viewing experience for supported content. What if you don’t want HDR on your device, though? Well, you couldn’t disable this feature up until now. But that could change in a future version of Netflix for Android.

Android Authority and leaker AssembleDebug dug into a recent version of the Netflix app for Android (version 8.117.0 build 3 50695 beta), discovering evidence of an HDR toggle as an experimental setting. This would allow users to choose between an HDR and SDR stream when watching content on their Android devices.