Tag: Always-On VPN

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Notable Android features not present on iPhones

Macroddroid, Sideloading, Split screen, Vanced, Tachiyomi, and Samsung GoodLock apps, VoD, Blockada (Blocks ads system wide. Does it more securely than the DNS route others mentioned by setting up a local VPN to route all traffic to the app to do filtering.), Newpipe – ad-free lightweight YouTube client, Ability to use a system-wide EQ. There is no turning back from using auto EQ with wavelet, truecaller, Youtube pip etc..

Use macrodroid to reject calls that aren’t in your contacts

• Freedom. I can do almost anything I want with an android device, talking about functions and customization. Let alone a rooted device… The potential is unlimited.
• iPhone doesn’t have: Text message scheduling, the ability to choose a default navigation app, split screen, ability to change dialer or custom messaging app, a comprehensive file browser, ability to download music straight into a music player from a browser, ability to change default photo app. The ability to change dictation software/text to speech without a loophole. No solid integration with any other Assistant like Google Assistant.
• On Samsung you can set volume separately for all apps and play sound from two apps simultaneously.
• I use Tasker for automation, but I use the Youmail app for call filtering. It has a setting that will only let calls from your contacts through, like you mentioned, but it will also transcribe any voicemail that someone who was blocked leaves. I then get that transcript on my watch. That way I don’t have the phone ring, but I can see with a glance whether it’s someone that I need to call back or not.
• I use a Samsung S21+ and an iPhone 11 so my experience is based on these two devices
• Things I love about my S21+ :-
• CALL RECORDING: In my S21+, Call recording is natively supported and it’s a feature that I can’t live without
• YOUTUBE VANCED: I absolutely love vanced
• CUSTOMIZATION:

• I can place apps anywhere on the home screen
• I can put PDF’s as widget on my home screen
• I can download any mp3 from the internet and set it as my ringtone
• I can have two instances of the same app on my phone for example two WhatsApp accounts, two telegram accounts on 1 phone, each with different phone number
• I can sideload apps

• Google apps work better on Android
• Ability to copy on my S21+ and paste on my Samsung Tablet
• Ability to copy and paste images system wide
• Ability to insert two physical SIM cards
• My phone supports playing MKV format videos natively which the iPhone doesn’t
• Ability to go the website from where a screenshot was taken directly from the screenshot
• An actual FILE MANAGER
• Ability to plug my phone into my Windows PC and use it as a regular USB device
• Vastly superior Notifications
• Vastly superior Samsung Keyboard which has YouTube and Spotify built- in so that I can send YouTube videos link or Spotify music track directly from the keyboard without opening up their apps
• Samsung phones come in built with McAfee Security
• These are SOME of the reasons I love android and can never switch fully to iOS

• Ps2 emulation
• Android can customize Lock Screen while iPhone can’t.
• Android can move app icons to anywhere on home screen while iPhone can’t.
• Android can select custom ringtone for various apps from your own folder while iPhone can’t.
• Android has universal back button while iPhone’s back swipe/button isn’t consistent everywhere.
• Long scrolling screenshot on any screen as an image file (Android) versus long screenshot only on Safari app and screenshot in PDF format only (iPhone, iOS/iPadOS)
• Physical programmable buttons
• Always on display
• Clipboard
• Android recognize who u wanna call by typing the person name on the dial pad. Ios can’t.
• Easter Egg
• iPhones don’t have third party browser support like android. Also only safari supports extensions on iOS.
• Multi apps in pop up size like in windows pc. Opens calculator, gallery, notes, email etc. at once

• Android has separate volume sliders for media, phone, and alarm
• Calculator app on iPhone lacks a cursor and a backspace key (it looks like the functionality hasn’t changed at all since the original iOS)
• Iphone doesn’t have ability to prevent notifications from waking the display up without completely disabling Lock Screen notifications for each individual app
• Dialer on iphone is not good: The contacts app separately has no point in existence, all of it is a tab in the phone app (maybe on an ipod touch? but even on that you have skype / discord etc calls) Tapping on contacts doesn’t show all the calls I had with them in the past (see next item). The call history seems to be limited to only X elements, instead of forever (both on android and windows phone I could scroll back years). The call history has no search / filter besides “missed”
• Play store has a far better range of smaller apps that are free
• Always on display isn’t on iPhone Easy ways to use NFC aren’t on iPhone Customization isn’t there on iPhone Gaming if you like emulators is missing on iPhones
• One last gripe I have with iPhones is notifications. I still can’t add YouTube videos to watch later from my notifications and things like that. Android does notifications much better.
• Custom Launchers on Android

• CALL RECORDING: In S21+, Call recording is natively supported
• Place apps anywhere on the home screen
• Put PDF’s as widget on Home screen
• Download any mp3 from the internet and set it as my ringtone
• You can have two instances of the same app on my phone for example two WhatsApp accounts, two telegram accounts on 1 phone, each with different phone number
• 3 Finger screenshot
• Ability to copy and paste images system wide
• Ability to insert two physical SIM cards
• Samsung Galaxy supports playing MKV format videos natively which the iPhone doesn’t
• Wide range of Audio Codec support (aptX, LDAC, aptX HD)
• An actual FILE MANAGER
• Samsung Internet Browser is amazing. It supports extensions and Iyou can have extensions installed. (Example: Translator, Ad-blocker, Safe search, Amazon shopping tool, Image search)
• Ability to plug android phone into my Windows PC and use it as a regular USB device
• Vastly superior Notifications
• Vastly superior Samsung Keyboard which has YouTube and Spotify built- in so that you can send YouTube videos link or Spotify music track directly from the keyboard without opening up their apps
• T9 Dialing on Samsung Notes

• Android has much more choices and customization, there is so much more you can do in android like torrent, multitasking, use it as mass storage, etc. Iphone does less things but does them better.
• Keyboards. You can install Gboard, Swiftkey etc with loads of functionalities in Android.
• Android has a much better keyboard, assistant, and home screen management
•  On my android I can easily play music files; on iPhone, I have to have apple music and an Internet connection to play my own files.
• The first one is a system wide back gesture like on Android. With phones getting bigger the fact that on many apps the only way to go back is to reach to the top left of the screen is really annoying especially on Max models.
• In the same vein the ability to bring down the notification center/control center without having to reach all the way up on the screen is really at odds with Apple’s easy to use philosophy.
• There’s also apple’s stubbornness on using lightning. I guess I do understand that one but it’s still annoying as hell.
• Texting from any computer:

Texting from your computer. But not just from a Macbook or other apple device, ANY computer.

I want a web-based equivalent of messages.google.com. Then I’d switch back.

It’s been about 4 years since I owned an iPhone. I loved iMessage for the desktop. But when my Macbook broke down and couldn’t afford a new one I switched to a Chromebook… then switched to a Pixel… then messages.google.com came out and it was game over. I’ve thought about how it would be fun to own an iPhone again, but as someone who works from a computer all day, I’m not sure I want to pick my phone up to text people back each time. Hands-on keyboard, texting screenshots from my computer, etc. This ONE feature is holding me back from switching.

I wonder if it’s ever going to happen. I wonder if any other iPhone users who use Chrome OS or Windows hurt the same.

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Notable iPhones features not present on android phones

• Native screen recording (Galaxy Note 20 ultra has it though)
• Airdrop
• iMessage
• Local CSAM scanning
• Stability
• Copy/paste media into apps
• (Browser) Reading Mode
• Chat bubbles
• Ringer switch

• clean OS (some Android manufacturers have some heavy skins applied out of the box)

• stability (we’ve all experienced irregularities and weird behaviors while using an Android handheld)

• consistency (when you buy an iPhone you know exactly what you’re gonna get, while when buying an Android smartphone, from Samsung, to OnePlus, to Xiaomi, to Pixels, the experience is never quite the same)

• THE ECOSYSTEM (iMessage, airdrop, continuity, AirPlay, while one might argue that you could emulate the same features on Android, it’s never as seamless and you’ll always encounter hiccups and glitches when using third party solutions)

• Android doesn’t lower or mute your audio just to make notification sounds. Very annoying when listening to music.
• What I miss from IPhone– when you’re at the bottom of a page and want to scroll to the top, just tap the top of the screen. Can’t do that on Android.
• One of the best things about iPhones is the trade in/resale value. Most android phones are nearly worthless after a year or two, but iPhones have a substantial value as trades or in selling price. Some of this is tied to the availability of software updates for years after manufacture, but the quality of construction is probably the major factor.
• Privacy & Security: Android phones can be hacked but iPhone is Unhackable
• Family integration and screen time monitoring on IOS
•  Accessibility. Apple’s screen zoom is SO much more robust than android’s. Like they’re superficially the same but the android one feels clunky when you actually hardcore use it like i do, and apple’s onscreen controller has come a long way to feeling incredibly natural intuitive and fast, which makes looking at things almost as easy for me as it is for people with normal eyes

• FaceTime
• I love how with Apple stuff in general all their products just work flawlessly together. I can cast my screen from phone or macbook to my tv, use my tv as a second computer monitor wirelessly, and although I’m going to stop using it very soon, iCloud was pretty cool for saving pictures and messages from one device from another. I’ll probably still use it for files though.
• Security is a wee bit lacking on Android Ecosystems unless you use pixel devices
• Better security & privacy,  iMessage & Hassle free file sharing these are the features android phones don’t have
• Widget Stacking: in iPhone Yes, in Android No
• iphone can use exposure and focus lock during pano shots.

Some features have a superscript number, below points clarifies it

• ¹Android 12 Beta 3 offers screen recording natively
• ²A Google Pixel exclusive feature
• ³Android devices running 7.0 or higher
• ⁴Mid rangers/Entry level and some flagship devices come with a charger (Example Xiaomi’s flagships have a charger)
• ⁵Can be done on Android without a computer, whereas Apple devices need Cydia Impactor or Sideloady to sideload apps
• ⁶Android software support can be extended by the installation of Custom roms [Custom rom distributors]
• ⁷Nearby Share needs Android 4.0 or higher, offered with Google Play Services
• ⁸Unnecessary features added by the OEM
• ⁹Requires latest version of Google Messages App

Read more here

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26 iOS Features that Many Android Users Want that Only iPhone Users Get [Source]

1. Integrated ecosystem

The integrated ecosystem across phones, tablets, computers, and watches is better on iOS. This is a very big advantage of iOS. It’s much easier to use the different devices inside the walled garden. Apple is the only company that offers a complete device ecosystem. While you can accomplish most of the same tasks with Android and Windows, it’s a lot more trouble to do so. The selection of Android tablets is limited and the higher end Android tablets with 5G can only be purchased directly from a cellular carrier.

2. Apple Watch

The Apple Watch is far superior to any Android watches and you can only use the Apple Watch with an iPhone. Android watches have a long way to go to catch up with the Apple Watch, both in hardware and software. It’s now possible to get cellular service on your Apple Watch even if your MVNO doesn’t support the Apple Watch. See Apple Watch Cellular Plans for Your Family, however according to Apple the following watch features will not be available: “irregular heart rhythm notifications, ECG, Cycle Tracking, Sleep, Blood Oxygen, Podcasts, Remote, News, Home, and Shortcuts.”

3. Longer OS Updates

Longer support of operating system upgrades for older devices. On flagship Android devices you’ll probably get two years of Android operating system upgrades (Google Pixel promises three OS upgrades), after that you’ll only get security updates. With the iPhone you’re likely to get five years of operating system upgrades.

4. Battery replacement

Battery replacement on iPhones is priced well ($49-$69) and is easily available at Apple Stores. This is not the case for Android devices. Also, since iPhones sell in such huge quantities, Apple is able to order fresh batteries for battery replacements so you’re not getting a battery that has sat around for a few years losing capacity. See iPhone Battery Replacement – Official Apple Support.

5. Walled Garden prevents malware

Rogue apps are not possible since all apps must be installed from the Apple app store; side-loading of apps is not possible except on jailbroken iPhones. While this limits the available apps, it helps to prevent malware.

6. Facetime¹

If your friends and relatives are really into Facetime then you must use an iOS device. Facetime works in China, while WhatsApp won’t work without a VPN that can get around the Great Firewall (in China most people use WeChat).

Note: Beginning with iOS 15 (tentatively scheduled for September 2021) Android and Windows users will be able to use Facetime, at least if they’re invited to a Facetime call, via the web; see With iOS 15, FaceTime between Android and iPhone is easier. Here’s how to do it now. This is a significant concession by Apple and was done to stem the tide of users moving to multi-platform providers like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Facebook Messenger Rooms.

7. iMessage

iMessage is only available on iOS devices. iMessage is not banned in China. There may be a workaround to this issue for Android and Windows users if the Beeper platform is successful, but it won’t be a free service (https://www.beeper.com/). Some iOS users don’t like seeing blue messages, which indicates that they are from a non-iOS user.

8. Microphone and camera indicator¹

Indicator for when microphone and camera are being used by an app (there’s an Android app that does this but it’s not part of the operating system yet). The orange dot indicates that the microphone is active and the green dot indicates that the camera is active.

9. No bloatware

Android manufacturers often add their own proprietary, non-removable apps, that are of little use. For example, Samsung includes their Bixby personal assistant. While it’s possible to remove bloatware from Android phones, it’s beyond the capability of most users to do so, see Samsung Bloatware List (2020) | Remove Samsung Bloatware Safely.

10. Easier backup and restore

iCloud makes it easier to do backup and restore.

11. Privacy

Apple’s business model is not dependent on selling your personal information to other companies. They don’t read your email! Apple has taken a stand against apps using your personal information without consent. This is probably the number one reason to choose an iPhone over an Android phone. However Android 12 actually has some better privacy features than iOS, see Android 12 privacy features catch up to iOS, except for ad tracking.

12. Support and help from Apple Stores

If you need help with your iPhone you can head to the Genius Bar at an Apple Store. The Apple Store can also do repairs like battery replacement. If you need help with an Android phone you’re not likely to get that kind of assistance. While Samsung operates a small network of stores, it’s nothing like what Apple has done with the Apple Stores. Most Android phones will have to be shipped back to the manufacturer for most repairs.

13. Ease of Use

The look and feel of iOS has changed very little over the years. iOS has a more intuitive user interface. The lack of some capabilities that are available on Android actually make the iPhone easier to use.

14. Faster processors in non-flagship models¹

The Apple Bionic processors, while not quite as fast as the latest Qualcomm processors, are nearly as high performance and new iPhones, even non-flagship new phones like the SE2020, get the latest processor. With Android there are many different processors, from many different companies, and lower-cost phones typically get low-performance, less costly processors.

15. AirDrop

AirDrop is a seamless way of transferring files between iOS devices and Macs. While there are similar apps for Android, and cross-platform apps like Instashare and Send Anywhere, AirDrop is built into iOS devices and is very convenient. Android’s version of AirDrop is called “Nearby Share” and works only on Android devices and Chromebooks.

16. Family Sharing

Purchases of apps, music, and books can be shared between up to six family (or non-family) members

17. Apple News

When Apple purchased Texture, and turned it into Apple News+, they dropped support for Android and iOS (Apple leaves Android users with few alternatives as Texture is earmarked for May 28 shutdown). Apple News+ is a very good deal for electronic subscriptions to a large number of magazines and newspapers (Apple News+ – All Publications). Since Apple News+ is a paid subscription it’s a little odd why Apple would not want to continue to sell the service to Android and Windows users as well, like they do with Apple Music and iTunes, especially since Texture was willing to sell the service to users of all platforms.

There is no equivalent service like Apple News+ for Android or Windows that provides access to the large number of publications like Apple News+ does. Hopefully it will be available on other platforms in the future.

18. Accessory Selection

While technically not an iOS feature, one advantage of the iPhone is that there are a lot more phone-specific accessories available. As Tom’s Guide stated “The selection and availability of iPhone cases, screen protectors, car mounts and other goodies is simply far greater than you’ll find for any other phone, and that’s more important than most people realize.”

While Android phones as a whole far outsell the iPhone, no one Android phone model has anywhere near the volume of sales of any iPhone model. Accessory manufacturers tool up for iPhone accessories before they do for Android accessories. Some iPhone-specific accessories never have an equivalent accessory made available for Android phones, especially custom-fit cases. For example, my iPhone 6s Plus lacks built-in wireless charging, but I bought a custom-fit case for it that adds wireless charging capability while retaining wired-charging capability. I could not buy a similar case for my old Android phones. There are thin Qi receivers with a USB plug that you can stick inside an Android phone case, but you loose the wired charging capability.

19. eSIM¹

All current iPhone models support one physical SIM and one eSIM. Only a few Android phones have eSIM support, though many Android phones sold in Europe and Asia offer dual physical SIM clots.

In the United States having a phone with dual SIM capability, whether an eSIM plus a physical SIM or two physical SIMs, is especially useful if your main carrier has poor rural coverage. You can sign up for a prepaid provider that uses AT&T or Verizon and only use the prepaid service when you’re in areas where your main carrier has no coverage.

Some prepaid global SIM cards are now moving to eSIMs, and charging a lot less for calling plans when you use their eSIM.

Apple sells iPhones with two physical SIM slots only in China, Using Dual SIM with two nano-SIM cards.

20. Friend Bar, 24 Hour Friend Line, and Personal iStore X

Building on the success of the Apple Store Genius Bar, Apple rolled out Friend Bars inside Apple Stores. The Friend Bar is available for Apple aficionados, without any technical questions, to speak with Apple employees about Apple or non-Apple related topics. For when the Apple Store is closed, Apple has also rolled out a 24 Hour Friend Line. Finally, they are also rolling out personal Apple Stores for your home. See https://youtu.be/q9ZnwvyAk8k. Note, this video is a joke.

21. iPhones have greater resale value

If you sell your old iPhone, rather than trade it in, a used iPhone sells for a higher percentage of the original street price than an Android phone. See here

22. Face Recognition

The iPhone’s face recognition system is much better than what is available on Android phones. While face recognition is less secure than 3D ultrasonic fingerprint readers it has some advantages. Face recognition isn’t affected by someone wearing gloves (though it doesn’t work when someone is wearing a face mask which has become a big issue during Covid).

23. Compatibility with Visible by Verizon

Nearly all iPhones, back to the iPhone 6, are compatible with Visible by Verizon prepaid service (the versions of old iPhones that didn’t support Verizon are the exception). On Android, only a very limited subset of phones work on Visible. Visible is a very good deal for service on the Verizon network, as low as $25/month for unlimited everything, see https://www.visible.com.

24. Integrated reminder app with location based reminders

The Reminders app in iOS allows you to set reminders based on leaving or arriving at a specific location. Google’s reminder app, Google Keep, doesn’t have this capability so you need to use an app like Tick Tick, TickTick: ToDo List Planner, Reminder & Calendar – Apps on Google Play (also available for iOS ‎TickTick:To-Do List & Calendar on the App Store).

25. Apple Credit Card with 3% discount and 0% financing on purchases direct from Apple

The Apple credit card offers a 3% cash rebate and 0% financing on purchases from Apple stores and Apple’s e-commerce site. It’s not a great credit card in other respects, with no extended warranty protection, no car rental CDW, and no mobile phone protection coverage. See https://tinyurl.com/applecardfacts for details.

26. Native hearing aid support

iPhones have native support for hearing aids. On Android, hearing aids require a separate app (see Using Your Hearing Aids with a Smartphone)

1. Expected on future Android phones or future version of Android OS

Source: Here

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101 Android Features that Many iPhone Users Want that Only (some) Android Users Get

(Note: Some of these features are available on Jailbroken iPhones and are noted in the list)

1. MST and Samsung Pay 

Samsung Pay with Samsung’s MST (Magnetic Secure Technology)  can be used in a lot more retail locations than Apple Pay. This is a Samsung-only feature and is patented, so even if Apple, or other Android phone makers wanted to use it they’d have to license it. It’s a big plus if your credit card gives higher cash-back for mobile-wallet purchases.

Unfortunately, Samsung removed MST from their S21 line, but it is still available in their newer mid-range phones. MST is really only useful in the United States and a few other countries where NFC has not yet been fully deployed by merchants, and in a few more years MST will no longer be needed.

2. Active styli²

Android phones with active styluses are available. This is likely coming on a future iPhone in the form of a smaller Apple Pencil. Note that there are after-market active styli that do work with both Android phones and iPhones, but they aren’t stored and charged in the phone

3. Headphone jacks

Android phones with 3.5mm (⅛”) headphone jacks are available (The best phones with a headphone jack: Samsung, OnePlus, Google…). Unlikely to ever return to iPhone, Apple decommissioned the standard headphone jack beginning with the iPhone 7. Many Android phones have also decommissioned  the headphone jack, but many still have it. Ironically, it’s the mid-range models, not the flagship models, of Android phones that have retained the headphone jack. The removal of the headphone jack was done in an effort to sell Bluetooth earbuds, and it worked.

4. MicroSD Card Slots available on many Android phones

Android phones with MicroSD Card slots are available (Phones with expandable memory — what are your best options?). A memory card slit is unlikely to ever be included on an iPhone. Many Android phones have decontented the MicroSD card slot and as internal memory sizes have increased so the benefit of a MicroSD card is diminished, though it’s still very useful in other ways. For example, if you’re using a real camera instead of the phone’s camera, and want to send photos using e-mail or Facebook, or other programs, you can stick the memory card from the camera into your phone to transfer photos. If you’re using an offline mapping program the maps can take vast amounts of storage space and can be stored on the MicroSD card.

5. Apps (or “There’s an App for That”)

There are many extremely useful Android apps for which there is no iOS equivalent, either because Apple won’t allow the equivalent app, the hardware needed for the app isn’t present, or because the hardware to support the app is present but isn’t accessible to the developer. This is odd. It would only require adding drivers and allowing developers access to existing hardware. For example, iOS does not allow developers to access the raw NMEA GPS data so apps that require this information are not possible on iOS devices. iOS doesn’t support the Bluetooth Serial Port Profile (SPP) so many devices, both consumer and industrial, cannot be used with iOS devices. This would be an easy fix if they chose to do it. See 7 Awesome Apps Available Only on Android. Available on Jailbroken iPhones

6. App stores

There are a huge number of app stores distributing Android apps, you’re not limited to the Google Play store (The Ultimate List of Mobile App Stores (2021)). With Apple, you must get all your apps from Apple; this increases security but it means that more esoteric apps are only available on Android (which is why Android does so well in China even though the Google Play Store is banned). It’s unlikely that Apple would ever allow other App stores because of both revenue and security issues.Available on Jailbroken iPhones.

An Android phone without access to the Google Play Store still has access to nearly every app in existence, though it’s a bit of a chore to download the apks of the Google Play Store apps and side-load them, and you have to be careful about the source of the apks. The reality is that an android phone without a Google account can still install huge numbers of apps so the phone is not crippled by losing access to Google Play. In fact in China the Google Play store is banned yet Android is the dominant OS. And were not talking about just sketchy providers of apks, but reputable companies distributing apps that have been vetted for malware.

7. 3D Fingerprint sensors² [predicted for iPhone 14]

Flagship Android phones with 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensors are available. This is likely coming on a future iPhone. This has been a big deal during the pandemic since Apple’s FaceID doesn’t work if the user is wearing a mask, but it was an issue even pre-pandemic in countries where face-mask wearing is common for other reasons. Most of us have been in stores where an iPhone user is struggling to unlock their iPhone in order to use Apple Pay.

Another benefit of 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensors is that all the security experts agree that they are far more secure than face recognition. Apple has a patent for their own under-screen optical 3D fingerprint reader or they can use one of the existing underscreen fingerprint sensors, or they can integrate the fingerprint reader into the power button like they did on some of the iPad models.

Note that Apple is fond of comparing the security of FaceID to TouchID; TouchID is a 2D capacitive sensor which is indeed less secure than FaceID, though in some cases FaceID can be fooled by siblings or children that look alike. Remember, Apple only claimed that FaceID was more secure than the 2D TouchID fingerprint sensor that they used up until the iPhone 8 (and the new SE). This was at least a partially, though not totally, accurate statement, and included some weasel words, see:

• No, Apple’s Face ID Is Not A ‘Secure Password’

• Virtual U: Defeating Face Liveness Detection by Building Virtual Models from Your Public Photos

• My Younger Brother Can Access My iPhone X: Face ID Is Not Secure

• Experts Agree: Face ID Is Not The Answer, In-Display Fingerprint Sensors Are

• I’ll never use Apple’s Face ID

• Apple’s Face ID is bad, as this police encounter makes painfully clear 

Nearly 80% of iPhone users want TouchID back, see Almost 80% Of iPhone Users Want Touch ID To Come Back and Report: 79% of iPhone users want Touch ID to make a comeback in the future iPhones.

74% said that they have had trouble with Face ID in a public setting.

84% were frustrated with FaceID not working with masks.

33% admitted removing their mask to get FaceID to work.

39% were not buying the iPhone 12 because of the lack of a fingerprint scanner.

79% want Touch ID to come back.

56% said that the most desired new security feature was “in-display fingerprint reader.”

23% said that they would switch to an Android phone with a fingerprint scanner the next time they upgrade. ✓

Also see: The iPhone feature we really, really want is finally coming.

8. Reverse wireless charging²  (now partially enabled on iPhone 12)

This has been available on many Android phones for years. It’s taken on new importance due to smart watches and wireless Bluetooth earbuds. The iPhone 12 has the hardware for reverse-wireless charging built into the phone but you cannot charge AirPods or an Apple Watch, it is not enabled except to charge the Apple MagSafe battery, see: Apple’s MagSafe Battery Pack Unlocks Long Rumored Reverse Charging Feature and (Hidden iPhone 12 Hardware Feature Could Still be Unlocked.

9. USB-C

USB-C has multiple advantages over Lightning (USB-C vs. Lightning: Which is the Future?). This may be coming on a future iPhone, since they already did this upgrade on iPad, but recent predictions from an industry expert said that Apple will not move to USB-C because they would lose Mfi (Made for iPhone) royalties that they get on Lightning and MagSafe devices. Apple is reportedly planning to add a MagSafe Charging Port for iPhone to a future iPhone based on a patent disclosed on March 2nd 2020. As ZDNet stated: “USB-C is the future, while Lightning represents an increasingly awkward past.” Interestingly enough, Apple even touts USB-C in their “Beats Highlights,” stating “USB-C universal charging.” One big advantage of USB-C is that it supports much higher wattage charging.

10. USB 3.0 Speed²

Most new Android phones support USB 3.0 which has speeds up to 5 Gb/s, and USB 3.2 goes up to 20Gb/s. The iPhone 12 only runs at USB 2.0 speeds, up to 480 Mb/s. This is an issue when transferring large amounts of data or tethering a computer to a 5G phone’s hotspot. The iPhone 12 has a maximum Wi-Fi speed of 1.2Gb/s which is sufficient for 4G LTE hotspots but not for mmWave 5G. Hopefully the next iPhone will address this issue. If Apple can find a way to make the Lightning port compatible with USB 3.0 it will address this issue. See 5 Reasons Why USB-C is Better than Lightning –.

11. Separate audio volume controls for different functions (Available on Jailbroken iPhones)

On Android phones you can set different volumes for ringtone, notifications, media, system sounds, and on Samsung phones for Bixby (Samsung’s personal assistant). This is an odd omission from iOS since it’s a heavily requested feature that would not cost anything (in terms of hardware) to implement; it’s possible that it is a patented Android feature.

Hopefully Apple will add it to iOS soon. It’s especially amusing to see inquiries from users that switched from Android to iPhone on how to set different volumes since they often refuse to believe that such basic functionality is missing (separate ringer and notification volumes – Apple Community). Genius Bar employees have stated that this is one of the most-asked questions asked by iPhone users that have switched from Android. It may be the case that Google or Samsung has a patent on this functionality and that Apple is not able to add it to iOS. However if you Jailbreak your iPhone there are apps you can install that will allow separate volume settings. Available on Jailbroken iPhones, see https://ioshacker.com/cydia/smartvolumemixer2-tweak-supercharges-volume-controls-on-your-iphon or http://apt.thebigboss.org/onepackage.php?bundleid=com.brend0n.volumemixer.

12. Better Security²

Security is better on flagship Android devices than on iOS devices. According to Cellebrite, the Israeli company whose Universal Forensic Extraction Device (UFED) is a favorite of police departments and the FBI, the higher-end Android phones were not hackable but they could hack into every iPhone model, see Forensics detective says Android phones are now harder to crack than iPhones and , and Android Phones Might Be More Secure Than iPhones Now and FROM FORBES: No, Your iPhone Is Not More Secure Than Android, Warns Cyber BillionaireBy.

Android users do have the ability to make their phones less secure by installing apps from “Unknown Sources” and by rooting, but that’s not something you can do without expressly ignoring the security risks. Older Android phones, using older versions of the operating system, are less secure.

13. Split screen²

Split Screen². Not yet available on iOS except on iPad. This is an extremely useful feature on large-screen phones. Apple has already added to iOS for the iPad and hopefully it will make it to the iPhone soon. There is an iPhone App that at least provides some limited split screen functionality (‎Split Screen Multitasking View on the App Store), but not like Android.

14. Content transfer to a PC (Available on Jailbroken iPhones)

Transferring content between a computer and a phone is much easier on an Android phone. Unlike with an iPhone, iTunes is not required to be installed. This is especially an issue when transferring photos or videos between an iPhone and a Windows machine and the dreaded “Device is unreachable” error occurs during large transfers (this problem can be solved with the non-free CopyTrans software, see A device attached to the system is not functioning error. [2021]), also see Top 6 Ways to Fix Device Is Unreachable Error for iPhone on Windows 10. Available on Jailbroken iPhones, see Copying · Cydia.

15. Choice of app launchers (Available on Jailbroken iPhones)

A very nice feature of Android that Apple is highly unlikely to copy, Best Android launchers 2021. Available on Jailbroken iPhones, see [Question] What are your favorite app launchers?: jailbreak .

16. FM radio

Most Android phones with headphone jacks also have an FM radio. This is not a heavily used feature because data is now cheap enough that most people stream music or stream radio stations, but some Android users do appreciate having this capability, especially if they are in an area with no cellular coverage. See The list of 2021 best Smartphones that have FM Radio – Technology.

17. Better cameras²

While the award for best camera goes back and forth, for now, several of the flagship Android phones have better camera systems than the flagship iPhones, especially when it comes to two key features: night mode and optical zoom, see https://www.techradar.com/news/best-camerapho. What’s especially disappointing about the latest iPhones is that Apple dropped the telephoto lens on all iPhone 12 models except the most expensive iPhone 12 Pro.

18. Better displays²  [confirmed for iPhone 13]

Flagship Android phones now offer Samsung LTPO 120 Hz displays. This was expected on the iPhone 12 but has now been pushed out to the iPhone 13 (iPhone 13 Pro 120Hz display now looks like a lock — thanks to Samsung) .

19. Better hardware²  [confirmed for iPhone 13]

While Apple’s Bionic processors win in terms of raw CPU performance, Apple can’t yet duplicate what Qualcomm has done in terms of integrating the modem into the processor like they did on their flagship Snapdragon 888 chip set (and on the mid-range Snapdragon 765 and 775 chipsets). The advantages of an integrated modem include, lower power, less heat, longer battery life, and higher data rates. Apple is reportedly designing their own 5G modem to integrate into a future Bionic SOC (System On a Chip), but it’s much more difficult to design a modem than a CPU. It’s likely that Apple will have an integrated modem not later than the iPhone 15 in 2023. See Apple’s (AAPL) Greatest Chip Challenge Yet: Replacing Qualcomm (QCOM) Modems.

However it is true that there are many low-to mid-range, inexpensive, Android phones available, with low-performance processors, very small amounts of RAM and ROM, and with low-end screens. Those low to mid-range phones have hardware not nearly as good as iPhone flagship phones.

While all the iPhone 12 models are 5G, and use a Qualcomm X55 modem, and a 4×4 MIMO antenna configuration, that isn’t the case on Apple’s iPhone SE 2020 which uses an Intel modem and a 2×2 MIMO antenna. There have been numerous complaints about the cellular reception of the iPhone 2020SE.

20. Ability to set a default music app (Available on Jailbroken iPhones)

There was speculation that iOS 14.5 had this capability, but Apple has clarified that this is not the case. However Apple has been allowing some default apps to be set to non-Apple apps (browser and email) so iOS users may eventually get this capability. On Android, one of the music player apps I like is Music Folder Play (Music Folder Player Free – Apps on Google Play). For iPadOS you can use Documents (How to play mp3 on iPhone | The best iPhone music player) in a similar manner, but it isn’t available for iOS, where you’re stuck with iTunes. Available on Jailbroken iPhones

21. Faster charging²  [confirmed for iPhone 13]

While Apple has made some positive strides in terms of charging, there are Android devices available with much faster charging, both wired and wireless. There are Android phones with 65 watt wireless, and 125 watt wired, charging, The problem that Apple has is that the Lightning port is not capable of such high charge rates but they have not yet made the move to USB-C What Is Fast Charging?.

22. Foldables² 

While Apple is predicted to eventually come out with their own foldable design they are at a disadvantage compared to Samsung because they don’t manufacture their own screens. Without a foldable, larger screens are impractical, but a larger iPhone screen could cannibalize iPad sales. See The best foldable phones you can buy right now. A foldable iPhone is predicted to launch in 2023, see iPhone Flip: Everything we know about Apple’s foldable phone plans

23. LTPO (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide) displays²  [confirmed for iPhone 13]

LTPO screens allow the refuresh rate to be changed on-the-fly which reduces power consumption. The latest Android phones have these power-saving displays. LTPO will probably be available on the iPhone 13, see iPhone 13 rumored to use LPTO displays from Samsung with 120Hz support.

24. Faster data speeds on both 4G and 5G²  [confirmed for iPhone 13]

Android phones have much higher 5G speeds than iPhones. Even mid-range Android phones beat flagship iPhones. Part of the problem is that the iPhone 12 uses the Qualcomm X55 modem, which was the latest 5G modem when the iPhone 12 was designed, but is no longer the fastest 5G modem offered by Qualcomm. The iPhone 13 will use Qualcomm’s X60 modem which is the same modem that is integrated into the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon processor the 888. But the lack of integration into the chipset means that the iPhone is still not likely to be as fast (unless Apple has licensed the X60 modem cell and will integrate it into the A15 Bionic). See iPhone 12 Series 5G/4G Speed Is Slower Than Samsung, OnePlus, Google, LG in US: Opensignal | Technology News.

25. ANT+ available on some Android phones. This was surprising, I just assumed that the iPhone would support ANT+. ANT+ is widely used in the cycling world for sensors (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANT_(network)). There is a list of ANT+ compatible devices at https://www.thisisant.com/consumer/ant-101/ant-in-phones/. There is a very kludgy workaround to get ANT+ on an iPhone: 1) buy an Mfi certified Lightning to 30 Pin old iPhone connector, then 2) buy the Wahoo ANT+ key (which works with a limited number of ANT+ devices and applications. You can also buy a Viiiiva heart rate monitor that can act as a ANT+-to-Bluetooth bridge

26. Contact groups (Available on Jailbroken iPhones) 

Ability to create groups in Contacts and use that group name as an address, much like email (Android: How to Create Contact Groups). There may be third-party apps (‎Contact Groups – Text & Email on the App Store) for iPhone that allow this, but it is not part of the operating system. This is an odd omission from iOS since it’s a heavily requested feature that would not cost anything (in terms of hardware) to implement; it’s possible that it is a patented Android feature. May be available on Jailbroken iPhones

27. GPS location spoofing (Available on Jailbroken iPhones) 

This is buried in Developer Options on Android. It’s useful if you want to view content in a location other than the one you’re currently at. For example, if you have a U.S. Hulu account but are in another country, U.S. only content would not be available, even with a VPN, because Hulu looks at your physical location using the GPS location. By spoofing the GPS location you’re able to view the content that you’re paying for. See How to spoof your Android phone’s location to get around media blackouts. Available on Jailbroken iPhones, see Location Faker makes it easy to spoof your location on iOS 13.

28. Better ad blocking (Available on Jailbroken iPhones) 

This is because on Android you can edit the hosts file in the device, see How to modify the hosts file on your Android device. You cannot modify the hosts file on a non-jail broken iOS device. Available on Jailbroken iPhones

29. USB OTG 

USB-OTG (on the go) turns your Android phone into a USB host. Not only can you connect many USB peripherals to the USB-C port (or Micro USB port on older phones) you can also power those USB peripherals up to 500mA (or higher). While there are adapters available to connect USB devices to iPhones, the types of devices you can connect are very limited. See What Is USB OTG and What Does It Do?.

30. iTunes not required for wired hotspot 

Sometimes you want to connect a computer to your phone to use your phone as a hotspot; this is done with a USB cable (to USB-C, Micro USB, or Lightning). To accomplish this with an iPhone you must first install iTunes on the computer. With Android you simply plug in the cable and turn on USB Tethering. Actually, there is apparently a way to download iTunes but not install it and then only install the iOS USB tethering driver, see Next Post Getting iPhone USB tethering on Windows without iTunes.

31. No false warnings when using after-market chargers 

Beginning with iOS 14, iPhone users have been getting warnings of “Liquid Detected In Lightning Connector” when using non-Apple chargers and cables, even when there is no liquid present. It’s not clear why this false positive is occurring, but one theory is that the iPhone looks at the impedance between the pins on the Lightning connector and extrapolates that a lower than expected impedance is being caused by moisture when in fact it’s just differences in the charger or cable that are the cause. See Liquid Detected In Lightning Connector Bug (iPhone Not Wet).

32. Hole Punch cameras instead of a large notch2  [predicted for iPhone 14]

As BGR wrote here: “Every noteworthy Android phone company has now moved past the notch that Apple made famous on the iPhone X, and they have developed numerous exciting new all-screen designs that are much better. Apple’s iPhones, however, still look exactly the same thanks to the company’s new three-year design cycle.” Hopefully the iPhone 13, will combine more advanced displays with a hole punch instead of a notch. The large notch on the iPhone negatively affects the screen to body ratio. 

33. Removable Batteries 

While the number of Android phones with removable batteries has greatly decreased, there are still a few available. See The best phones with a removable battery and alternative solutions!.

34. Parental Control Apps² 

Android has superior parental control apps to iOS. See The best parental control apps for Android and iPhone 2021. There is a case pending in court by Kaspersky, against Apple, because Apple forced Kaspersky to remove features from its SafeKids app. Depending on the outcome of this case, iOS may get better parental control apps. Apple was fined $12 million in Russia, but of course this will likely drag on with appeals, and the final outcome remains to be seen, see Apple fined $12M by Russian regulator over App Store monopoly abuse and Apple Fined £8.7m By Russian Competition Authority

35. Wide Selection of Devices 

Because Android devices are manufactured and marketed by a large number of companies there are phones and tablets available at many different price points and with many different features; you can buy a basic unlocked 4G LTE Android phone for under $40 or you can opt for the Sony Xperia Pro 5G phone at nearly $2500.

36. Better Biometric Authentication² 

With the current iPhones, you can choose between a 2D capacitive fingerprint sensor (TouchID) or facial recognition (FaceID) depending on the model. With flagship Android phones you often get three choices of biometrics on the same phone: 3D ultrasonic fingerprint, facial recognition, or iris scanning.

37. File System (Available on Jailbroken iPhones) 

 Plug your Android phone into your PC and the phone looks like a drive in the Windows file system. You can copy files over in both directions, delete files from your phone, and use the phone as a USB disk drive. While Apple did finally add the “Files” app to iOS, it has much less functionality than what you can do on Android. Available on Jailbroken iPhones

38. Rooting is Easy, when Necessary 

With Android devices, it’s usually not necessary to root the device (rooting an Android device is the equivalent of jailbreaking an iOS device). However most Android device manufacturers provide a way to root their devices, with caveats that doing so will void the warranty.

39. SMS Forwarding (Available on Jailbroken iPhones) 

This is a useful feature if you’re traveling and using a prepaid foreign SIM card. Due to security concerns, native SMS forwarding on Google Voice is being discontinued by Google in July 2022. See Forward text messages or voicemail – Android – Google Voice Help. However SMS forwarding apps are still available on the Play store. The security concern is that someone could gain access to your device and set up SMS forwarding for nefarious purposes. There are apps on the Play Store that offer SMS forwarding, i.e. SMS Forwarder: Auto forward SMS to PC or Phone – Apps on Google Play.

One workaround that I use is that I ported my main mobile number to Google Voice. I can now receive SMS in my email, which is very useful, not only when traveling, but in general. 

Available on Jailbroken iPhones, see SmartVolumeMixer2 Tweak Supercharges Volume Controls On Your iPhone.

40. Browser Extensions² 

Android allows browser extensions. iOS does not allow browser extensions. In iOS 15, coming out in the third or fourth quarter of 2021, there will be a limited number of extensions only on Safari Safari’s getting mobile browser extensions before Chrome, and that’s a big deal . Note that even on Jailbroken iPhones there is no browser that allows extensions.

41. eBook Readers 

The best eBook reading app is Prestigio eReader Prestigio: Book Reader – Apps on Google Play. Prestigio supports epub, epub3, fb2, fb2.zip, mobi, pdf, html, doc, rtf, txt, and Adobe DRM. The eBook readers available for iOS all have limitations in terms of the formats they can read when used on iOS, however for iPadOS the situation is much better. Some people might insist that you would never want to read a book on an iPhone anyway, because the screen is too small. It’s true that you might not want to read a novel on an iPhone, but for books like travel guides they are useful to have on your phone. Kobo (‎Kobo Books on the App Store) seems to be the best option for iPhone, and supports epub, epub3, pdf, FlePub and mobi.

42. NMEA Data 

Android allows applications to use raw GPS NMEA data .For whatever reason, iOS does not. This enables many useful applications for Android that are not available on iOS without the use of an external GPS and jailbreaking. See Reading NMEA data from iPhone GPS receiver and iPad and GPS.

43. Bluetooth Serial Port Profile (SPP) 

iOS doesn’t support one of the most common Bluetooth profiles, the Serial Port Profile (SPP) (see https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204387). The issue with this is that the low-cost OBD-II dongles (ELM-327) all use SPP to communicate with the host. You can buy higher-priced OBD-II dongles that use either Wi-Fi or BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy). The best app for OBD-II is TorquePro which only works with SPP and is only available for Android.

44. Always on Display²  [confirmed for iPhone 13, some models]

On Android devices with OLED screens the “Always On” display can display things like the time, battery status, and notifications. The iPhone 13 and iOS 15 is predicted to add this feature, see here

45. Multiple Users² 

Both Android phones and Android tablets can have multiple users. No such feature exists on iOS or iPadOS except for some educational models of the iPad. Obviously Apple wants everyone to buy their own devices and not share! Even for phones, it sometimes is useful to have multiple users on the same phone. Reportedly, Apple is working on bringing multi-user support to iPhone, and presumably to iPad, see Apple is apparently working on bringing multiple user support to iPhones.

46. Ability to close all open apps at once 

With Android you can close all of your open apps with single action. With iOS you have to close each open app individually, see here. This is an odd omission from iOS since it’s a heavily requested feature that would not cost anything (in terms of hardware) to implement; it’s possible that it is a patented Android feature.

47. Ability to set default apps 

On Android you can choose the default app for things like SMS, calls, and web browsing. See How to change default apps in Android. This is not possible on iOS. This is an odd omission from iOS since it’s a heavily requested feature that would not cost anything (in terms of hardware) to implement; it’s possible that it is a patented Android feature.

48. Customization 

On Android nearly everything is customizable without any need to root the device.

49. File exchange via Bluetooth 

This is limited to Android devices, see How to share files via Bluetooth on Android 9 or 10.Still, Airdrop on iOS is much better and one of the advantages of iOS.

50. Getting to settings 

On Android, swipe down from the top of the screen. No such swipe action is available on iPhone. See How to go to Settings on Android: 19 Methods.

51. Create icons that give direct access to specific websites, documents, or photos 

Are you about to get on a plane and are frantically searching for your boarding pass that is either in some pdf file, a JPG,l or is in some e-mail? On Android you can create an icon that links directly to that document and place that icon on your home screen. See How to Create a Shortcut File on Android Home Screen — Max Dalton Tutorials. This is an odd omission from iOS since it’s a heavily requested feature that would not cost anything (in terms of hardware) to implement; it’s possible that it is a patented Android feature.

52. Clipboard History 

A very nice Android feature is that it includes clipboard history. On iOS this feature requires a separate app. From The 8 things I want to see in iOS 15 : “With iOS, you can’t view your clipboard history without some kind of third-party app. Apple could add better clipboard management in iOS 15 to make life easier for everyone.”

53. Android Earthquake Alert System

What’s a better new feature for an operating system than 200+ new emojis? How about an Android based earthquake alert system that turns every Android phone into a seismometer? First launched in California, Google is now expanding the system to other countries. See Android Earthquake Alerts to widely launch next year. Earthquake alerts is not an app, it’s part of the Android operating system.

54. Android Auto is Better than Apple CarPlay

Part of the reason for this is that Google Assistant is more capable than Siri, but thre are other advantages as well. See The Things Android Auto Does Better than Apple’s CarPlay.

55. Android ELS (Emergency Locator Service) 

Launched in 2016, Android ELS provides accurate location information to emergency service providers and also now shares your phone’s language setting and some emergency personnel can route your call to a responder that speaks your language, or can have a translator available. See How it works | Android Emergency Location Service | Google.

56. Superior Computational Photography2 

The iPhone used to be the leader in the field of computational photography but has let Android, for some phone models, surpass the it. The incredible computational photography of Google’s own Pixel brand of phones has become a major selling point. See Apple finally stole my heart from the Google Pixel with this iPhone camera feature and Google roasts Apple on computational photography: ‘It’s not mad science’.

The Fuji mirrorless X-Pro series has added computational photography to “real” cameras with its “HDR” function, see next post: Fujifilm X-Pro3: First Step into Fuji’s 3 Year Computational Photography Masterplan.

57. Battery Percentage Indicator 

Android has an indicator on the lock screen that shows the percentage of battery remaining. Inexplicably, this was present on the iPhone home screen until the iPhone X; you didn’t have to swipe to find it. The suggested workaround on the iPhone’s that lack this feature is to create a widget with the battery percentage and place it on the home screen, but you still need to unlock your phone to see it. Why Apple removed this essential feature is unknown and perhaps it will return in a future version of iOS. The only somewhat plausible reason anyone has come up with is that the iPhone 12 is the first 5G phone and the 5G modem drains the battery faster and displaying the battery percentage would highlight how fast the battery was draining. See How to show battery percentage on iPhone 12 series models.

58. Multitasking 

Android devices can do true multitasking. iPhones can only do task switching except for a few specific apps, music, location, AirPlay, VoIP (Voice Over IP), push notifications, Apple News, Bluetooth, and background updates. See What are the differences between Android and iOS in multitasking? Conventional wisdom says Android has ‘real’ multitasking and iOS does not. What does that mean? What are the pros and cons of Android vs. iOS multitasking? and How to Use Multitasking on the iPhone. Note that true multitasking is available in iPadOS.

59. Installing old versions of Apps 

Sometimes an app will be removed from the Google Play Store completely, or there will be a new version that changes the app for the worse. When you get a new phone you may want to get the old version of the app, not the one currently available. If you plan ahead, and save the apk file of the app, you can reinstall the old app on a new device. Sometimes you can find old versions of the app elsewhere and sideload the app using the apk file, though you need to be cautious since sideloading can also load malware onto the phone. With iOS, if an old version of an app is no longer hosted on the App Store then you can’t get the old version unless your iPhone is jailbroken and the old version of the app is still hosted on the App Store. Read How to Download an APK File from the Google Play Store to learn how to download and save apks from the Play store.

60. App development infrastructure and cost 

One reason that Android has so many more apps than iOS is that it’s much easier and less costly to develop an Android app than an iOS app. The Android development environment is free and can be run on any computer, no Mac required. That said, it’s probably worth paying for a development environment that generates code for both Android and iOS apps simultaneously. On iOS you’re also more likely to be able to sell an app rather than rely on advertising to make money.

61. USB-C PD and Wired Charging Wattage 

Since USB-C can handle up to 100 watts via wired charging Apple has chosen USB-C for the charging port on the iPad Pro and on some MacBooks. Lightning is limited to about 12 watts. The big difference is that Lightning operates only at 5 volts so the maximum wattage is very limited because wattage is limited by the maximum current that a Lightning cable and connector can handle. USB-C PD operates at up to 20 volts so the maximum wattage is much higher. Interestingly enough, Apple even touts USB-C in their “Beats Highlights,” stating “USB-C universal charging.”✓

62. Choice of file managers 

While iOS finally has a file manager, after years of iPhone users asking for one, Android gives you a choice of many different file managers, with different feature levels depending on your needs. See 10 best Android file explorer apps, file browsers, and file managers!.

63. Less censoring of content 

Google doesn’t censor content as much as Apple. The big problem with this censorship is that you aren’t provided with a detailed reason as to what content was unacceptable so you can surgically remove only the content that has been deemed unacceptable. See 1 and 2 and 3   and 4.

64. Phone cost 

Android phone models with comparable cost and features to iPhone phone models have lower street prices, even when the MSRPs are comparable. Android phone makers, especially Samsung, heavily discount even their latest flagship models; Apple rarely discounts their current models.

2. Expected on a future iPhone or future version of iOS

Source: Here

Things I wish Android would copy from iOS (and vice versa)

I’m a longtime Android user (11 years) who recently switched to the iPhone 13 Pro Max. I did this mainly because I just love tech and trying new things (in 2021 I’ve used the S21, Z Fold3, and S21 Ultra), but also because my Pixel 6 was annoying me with lots of random bugs lately.

While I still think Android is the better OS for me, there are a few things that make me enjoy using the iPhone 13 that I wish Android would copy.

Things I wish Android would Copy from iOS:

• Smoother Animations: So this might not seem like a big deal to some people, but I noticed it immediately. iOS generally feels smoother because of the animations. It’s like someone sat down and key-framed every subtle movement. It just feels “natural”. It was super jarring when I picked up my S21 Ultra to compare. Not saying the S21 Ultra is slow by any means, but the animations just seem…sharp; even after going into the developer options and slowing them down a bit. While the Pixel 6 is a little better, it’s still not close to how it feels on iOS.

• Spotlight Search On iOS, a quick swipe down from the home screen will bring up a Spotlight search which will search everything. App Store, the Web, Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Reminders, Apple Photos, Google Photos, etc. You can sort of do this on Android devices. However, it doesn’t bring up the same amount of information as it does on iOS. Also, iOS will give you a nicely formatted quick summary if you search for something like a well-known person or event.

• Widget Stacks iOS has this concept of widget stacks or smart widgets. Basically, a widget can change what it displays based on your daily activities and location context. I’ve actually found it super helpful. For example, my weather widget will change to the Apple Maps widget when I’m leaving the store and tell me how long it will take to get home. Or switch to the battery widget when my Apple Watch or phone are getting low. Then back to the weather widget when I wake up in the morning.

• Integration between Apps Apple apps integrate really well into other Apple apps. For example, I can set a reminder that will show up when I message someone using iMessage. Apple Notes, Reminders, iMessage, Calendar, and Facetime all work really well with each other. It would be great if Google can do this with their services. They always try then forget that the service exists and makes a new one instead.

• Vibration Haptics This one is dependent on Android manufacturers. But the vibration haptics on the iPhone are very good. It’s hard to describe without just feeling it in person.
• Battery Life The iPhone 13 Pro max has given me the best battery life in any phone that I’ve had, at least since the old Moto Z Play.
• Apple Watch I’m still waiting for Google to release a Pixel watch. I have the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, and compared to the Apple Watch, it needs some more refinement. The Apple Watch has better haptics, doesn’t lag, and a better UI IMO.

Things that annoy me about iOS:

• The lack of Notification Channels: I’m so used to Android where we can customize notifications down to the individual channel and mute certain notification channels per app. You can’t do that on iOS. You have either two options “Will this app make a sound” or will it “Not make a sound” I basically have to keep my phone on silent. For example, I can’t turn off the “swoosh” sound on iMessage that happens whenever I send a message. The only option is to have my phone on silent with the option of “allow vibrations on silent.” Likewise, I can’t turn off the camera noise on Snapchat unless I have my phone on silent.

• No work mode: Android has a great work mode feature. During work hours, you can have all the designated work apps be active, then “freeze” them once it’s over. IOS 15 introduced a new focus mode, but it literally works in the opposite way. You have to “opt-in” apps that you want available rather an “opt out”. Completely useless as a work mode replacement.
• You must do things the Apple Way: I think we all know this. But there are lots of UX design choices that seem odd to me. And unfortunately, there just isn’t a setting to change them. On Android, (especially Samsung Galaxy phones with GoodLock app), you can change almost anything that you don’t like.

• No Universal Back gesture Some apps support it, while others don’t.
• No quick actions on notifications: I was disappointed when I found out that I couldn’t just tap a “thumbs up” button on the YouTube music notification like I do on Android.
• Misc Features: No Scrolling screenshot No USB-C No Reverse Wireless Charging No PIP mode. Really miss this for Maps

Here’s a first look at the setup process for Android’s Find My Device network!

 

1) You’ll get a notification asking you to “add this device to the Find My Device network“

 

2) You’ll see an intro screen explaining how Find My Device can use the network “of over a billion Android devices” to store your devices’ recent locations to help you locate your offline devices and accessories. Android devices in the network detect nearby items using Bluetooth. By default, the network is used to locate devices in “high-traffic areas” only, which means location info sent by your device is only used “if others on the network also detect the item.” Device locations are encrypted using the lock screen of your Android devices and can only be seen by you and those you share your devices with in Find My Device.

 

3) You’ll see a page asking you to enter the lock screen for another device that’s already added to the network. In this case, I was asked to enter the PIN of my Pixel 6a whereas I was trying to opt in on my Pixel 7 Pro.

 

4) You’re all set at this step, but you can go to settings to change how your device is located. I don’t have screenshots of the Find My Device network settings themselves, but

@Nail_Sadykov shared them earlier, so here they are:

 

 

The Find My Device network hasn’t rolled out yet, so it’s possible this setup process could change before it does. I’m most curious to see whether Find My Device network will remain opt-in or whether it’ll be opt-out when it launches. If it’s opt-in and requires the user accepting/seeing this notification, then I can imagine many people won’t enable it. However, if Google adds/mandates a toggle to be added to the setup wizards of Android devices that says something like “find your Android device when it’s offline”, and this toggle opts the device into the Find My Device network, then I can see this feature getting turned on a lot more. I believe that’s how Apple does it as well.

 

 

 

 

 

How to set a preferred SIM card for calls, texts, and data on Samsung devices in the U.S. and Canada

My parents are constantly buttdialing people. How can I make their iPhones less prone to doing so?

Set auto-lock to 30 seconds or less

Get them one of those folio/book cases where you have to close it over the screen before putting it in your pocket.

Tell then not to make the phone face theory body. Tell them to lock the phone. They should have a lockscreen.

Would 4K content played on an iPhone XS look better than 1080p content?

I ask bc the XS display doesn’t support 4K, so is playing 4K content better than others?

Yes.

Firstly, and most obviously is that the Xs screen has more pixels than a standard 1080p display (~ 2.74 million pixels for the Xs versus 2.07 million on a standard 1920x1080p display), so when viewing 4K content, you’re able to fill the display completely without upscaling. Also, in downscaling from 4K to the Xs display, you’re able to more accurately display each pixel, whereas upscaling from 1080p to the Xs it has to “guess” what the missing detail would be, or simply display a lower resolution all together.

Secondly, on a lot of video streaming services (which is where I assume you will be viewing this 4K content), offers a higher bitrate for 4K content vs 1080p. YouTube for example offers a bitrate of up to 85 Mbps for 4K, but only 15 Mbps for 1080p. So even if the display of the Xs was only 1080p, you’d still be able to stream it in a higher bitrate (I.e. you can stream at 4K on a 1080p display and get the full 85Mbps, but if you stream it in 1080p you’re only getting 15 Mbps).

Tip: Did you know you can drag and drop stuff between apps?

View post on imgur.com

I downloaded TikTok yesterday just to see someone’s profile and my device started to lag randomly. While scrolling in every app and even on the homescreen.
I looked through open processes to see if I had gotten a virus or if it was caused by some system application. I then saw 2 TikTok processes open and got suspicious. I instantly uninstalled TikTok and my device was just as smooth as before. I would have never guessed that it was caused by an app I downloaded.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it has malware hidden in it because of how it lagged my phone with only opening it once and after a restart will run in the background without opening it.
It is so badly coded when using it in a browser. Then they ask you every moment they can to download their app. App doesn’t have bugs and has other features that browser edition doesn’t have. This is a great way of getting malware into millions of phones.
My device is Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
source: r/android

 

Huawei Mate 20 Pro – (Unfortunately) Possibly the best phone I’ve ever had.

I got the phone in late 2018, when it had Google Play Services on it. This phone was advertised as the latest cutting edge phone from Huawei.

As of right now, it’s still running Android 10. But I must say it’s a real shame Huawei was banned because this is legitimately the best phone I’ve ever used. It’s been close to 4 years now. During this time, my friends and acquaintances have had different Samsung, One Plus, and Pixel phones break, lag, or have other issues… Whereas this Mate 20 Pro has been consistently good. It has no lag, the battery is still amazing (4200mAh lasts an entire day), it’s convenient in the hand, no scratches and breaks, camera quality is on-par with modern 2022 smartphones, night mode is stellar.

I think had it not been for the sanctions, and if Huawei still made phones, they’d surpass Samsung at some point. The build quality and the overall long-lasting performance is unparalleled. I recently changed the cover and background, and it feels like a new 2020-2021 phone. It has 40W fast charging. Compared to S22 Ultra’s 45W… It’s all the same tbh. It has NFC for contactless payments, a quad HD display, and everything else a modern phone has.

It’s absolutely a 9/10 phone. The only drawbacks are: Lack of 5G (which isn’t a deal breaker, because we don’t even have 5G coverage here), the camera shutter sometimes is delayed when clicking, and when receiving security updates it defaults to Huawei’s shitty launcher, no Android updates, the in-display fingerprint scanner sometimes struggles if my hands are wet or clammy.

So I made this post as a PSA: If you’re looking to buy a second-hand phone – go for the Huawei Mate 20 Pro. It really stood the test of time for me. I plan on keeping mine for at least a couple more years. In part because I want to be environmentally friendly and not replace my phone unless I really need to replace it, and in part because there’s no guarantee my next phone would be so durable.

TL;DR If you’re looking to buy a second-hand phone. Buy the Huawei Mate 20 Pro. It’s a great phone.

Why does iPhone not have a close all apps button when closing apps?

 

I am a very long term iPhone user, I got the iPhone 4 when it finally came to version. But lately I have been wondering why there is not a close all apps button when you go to close open apps? It seems like such a pain to have to swipe over and over again to close multiple open apps. I searched the subreddit and could not find anything so I just wanted to hear some opinions on the topic.

Answer: IIRC, Apple themselves have said you aren’t supposed to close apps, they go into some sort of hibernation mode when in the background. Probably because of that, they don’t see a reason to make it easier to close apps that aren’t actually causing issues.

Somehow, it has become a part of mainstream culture for iPhone and iPad users to quit all their apps in multitasking as some kind of regular tech maintenance ritual to improve battery life or speed up the hardware. An understanding of how iOS multitasking works however, shows that this is completely unnecessary to close every app in the multitasking view frequently. A 9to5Mac reader decided to ask Tim Cook for an official stance on whether he quits all his apps and if it’s necessary. Although Cook didn’t answer, Apple iOS chief Craig Federighi did with an unambiguous answer ‘no and no’ 

Solved IOS 15.5 slow loading Safari and also battery drain

iPhone 13 pro. So after latest IOS update to 15.5 the loading of sites in safari has been so slow and sometimes times out. No issue with Chrome. Also my battery seemed to drain twice to three times as fast (in general, not specifically related to safari).

After some research seems there is an issue with having on both private relay and limit IP address tracking. Something to do with where traffic goes and some congestion or technology snafus. Not sure. But fix is to turn off both limit ip address tracking (found under cellular and then cellular data options) and also turn off private relay found under ICloud. Obviously I would prefer to leave these on for privacy but not at expense of these issues.

Two days and safari back to normal and battery seems way better too. The fix I read about was for slow safari loading (not battery performance) but it seems to have helped/fixed both. Just an FYI.

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source: r/iphone

Tip: Easy fix when your iPhone’s ear speaker fails.

Problem: My iPhone 12 Pro did not play music in stereo anymore and it was really hard to hear the person on the other side of the line when the phone was on your ear.

It turned out it was dust that had penetrated the mesh cover and put pressure (or made it air tight) on the speaker so it could not vibrate freely anymore.

Cleaned it without opening the case: All you need is 98% alcohol, a small firm brush, sticky clay. Spray, brush, clay & repeat for 2 minutes.

Maybe if you have a small suction device in stead of clay it will work even better.

I hope it can help others with the same problem. 2minute & free solution.

Tip for logging into a new phone if your old phone doesn’t work

I got into this predicament earlier today and want to save everyone the trouble I went through.

I broke the screen on my old phone. I went to the mobile store and got a new one no problem. But when I tried to login, it kept trying to do 2FA with my old phone with no other option. The poor guy at the store was no help.

After Googling and even calling into Google One, I was told I’d need to “recover my account” by sending documents proving my identity to Google. I told them I didn’t need to recover the account, I just needed to login to a new phone. After an hour of texting with the guy I found a workaround.

On your initial sign in with the new phone, make up an entirely new (and temporary) Google account. That will let you go through the main setup.

Then go into Manage Accounts and add back your old Google account and now 2FA can text you properly and you can get through security.

Hope this helps someone else.

I phone TIP: You can reduce the brightness to less than the lowest

Setting > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Reduce white point

// Try it when u read manga in a dark room.

// Don’t forget to turn it off when you’re done.

source: r/iphone

The best iOS 16 feature is how much quicker and more responsive the text selection menu is.

This has been a massive complaint of mine for years, and I completely gave up hope they would ever fix it. But lo and behold with iOS 16 the animations are way faster and the delay is almost completely gone. This small change makes a massive difference to the user experience.

source: r/iphone

Using an Android phone outside of its sales region is still an issue for travellers

I’ll get right to it – I’ve started traveling again post-COVID. Right now I’m in Turkey. I’m from NYC in the US, and I use a Galaxy S22 Ultra (American model, Unlocked).

This doesn’t strictly apply to Samsung devices, but in the US, Samsung devices are dominant on the Android side of things. Even though they are physically capable, Samsung devices will limit what 2G/3G/LTE/5G bands you can connect to when using the device outside of its sales region.

For example, in the US, my phone will aggregate LTE Bands 2 + 5 + 29 +30, providing me with great speeds even in congested areas. However, here in Turkey, the phone will not aggregate multiple LTE bands even though the device is physically capable.

Why? Samsung has a setting/file in the phone called “LTE Prune Cap” (and also one for NR 5G). What this does is tell the modem/firmware what it is allowed to do as far as capabilities. Why am I complaining?

1. Wifi here sucks, but data is cheap. I bought a Turkish SIM card and sometimes the speed is great, while other times it’s crap; it depends on where you are

2. This is my device. MSRP was like $1500 (I didn’t pay this much, but still), but the principle remains the same regardless of the cost

3. Not all devices/OEMs do this. The easy example is Apple’s iPhone

I also have to mention that you used to be able to use dialer codes to enter a debug menu and remove the restriction. But with every major Android update, Samsung alters or disables the codes. For example, here is the code that shows you what bands your device has enabled / is capable of (*#2263#):

https://i.imgur.com/PMxaQsQ.jpg

As you can see, the phone supports a lot of bands (more than even the international models). But it’s wasted because the phone will only aggregate US bands by default. So here in Turkey, my phone is using one LTE band at a time, whereas with a US SIM, it’ll aggregate 5 or even 6. My friends with iPhones are pulling double or triple digit speeds, just like the locals, while my S22 Ultra is pulling single digit speeds. The phone actually knows when you’re using a foreign SIM and will enable ALL supported bands, but will still restrict you to one at a time.

This has really made me think twice about getting another Android phone as my primary device. I travel a lot and rely on my phone as my primary device posting my content online and also things like video calls when abroad. As I mentioned, iPhones don’t do this, regardless of where they’re purchased and used.

I don’t like iOS itself, but I find it ironic that the more restrictive device is open in terms of connectivity. This is 100% an artificial restriction, and is controlled by nothing more than a text file/software switch. And I understand why Samsung does it — they don’t want grey market imports and exports of their devices. But it’s completely ridiculous to screw customers over like this. Samsung could easily push a software update to stop this from happening.

To further illustrate this, VoLTE and Wifi Calling now work even with a foreign SIM even though this is a US device. But they want you to have bare minimum functionality otherwise:

https://i.imgur.com/dHlztlZ.jpg

We need to talk about this; it’s not a niche issue or “nerd problem”. For example, I’m a content creator and rely on mobile data when abroad.

Tl;Dr: OEMs are actively restricting your phone’s data capabilities based on where it’s sold. It’s not new, but it needs to be put in the spotlight given it’s now 2022.

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Edit: Here’s a screenshot of what I’m talking about. The menu options don’t do anything anymore, but you can see one setting for 5G limiting and one for LTE limiting:

https://i.imgur.com/Z9x9JNg.jpg

To all iPhone users that have an iPhone 7 or earlier you should go and buy the SE 2022!

You will get a phone that improves on every single thing compared to the iPhone you have and for a very good price, remember that the iPhone 8 costed 699$ and now for 429$ you can get a phone with the best chip in the world, a very good battery life that lasts about the same as the iPhone 11,a camera that can record at 4K 60fps with Portrait Mode and Deep Fusion, wireless charging,5G,True Tone, improved stereo speakers, toughest glass ever in a smartphone,6-7 more years of software updates and on the same old body that you know and love.

After the news that Apple will stop the software support for iPhone 6s and iPhone 7,for me it’s the best thing you can do, just sell your older iPhone for 50-100$ and buy the SE 2022,it will actually cost you just 329-379$. 

Have iPhone Cameras Become Too Smart? – Apple’s newest smartphone models use machine learning to make every image look professionally taken. That doesn’t mean the photos are good.

n late 2020, Kimberly McCabe, an executive at a consulting firm in the Washington, D.C. area, upgraded from an iPhone 10 to an iPhone 12 Pro. Quarantine had prompted McCabe, a mother of two, to invest more effort into documenting family life. She figured that the new smartphone, which had been released the month before and featured an enhanced camera, would improve the quality of her amateur snapshots. But the 12 Pro has been a disappointment, she told me recently, adding, “I feel a little duped.” Every image seems to come out far too bright, with warm colors desaturated into grays and yellows.

Some of the photos that McCabe takes of her daughter at gymnastics practice turn out strangely blurry. In one image that she showed me, the girl’s upraised feet smear together like a messy watercolor. McCabe said that, when she uses her older digital single-lens-reflex camera (D.S.L.R.), “what I see in real life is what I see on the camera and in the picture.” The new iPhone promises “next level” photography with push-button ease. But the results look odd and uncanny. “Make it less smart—I’m serious,” she said. Lately she’s taken to carrying a Pixel, from Google’s line of smartphones, for the sole purpose of taking pictures.

Apple has reportedly sold more than a hundred million units of the iPhone 12 Pro, and more than forty million of the iPhone 13 Pro since it débuted, in September of last year. Both models are among the most popular consumer cameras ever made, and also among the most powerful. The lenses on our smartphones are tiny apertures, no bigger than a shirt button. Until recently, they had little chance of imitating the function of full-size professional camera lenses. Phone cameras achieved the standards of a basic digital point-and-shoot; many of us didn’t expect anything more. With the latest iPhone models, though, Apple is attempting to make its minuscule phone cameras perform as much like traditional cameras as possible, and to make every photo they take look like the work of a seasoned professional. (Hence the names 12 and 13 “Pro,” which are distinguished from the earlier iPhone 12 and 13 models mainly by their fancier cameras.)

The iPhone 13 Pro takes twelve-megapixel images, includes three separate lenses, and uses machine learning to automatically adjust lighting and focus. Yet, for some users, all of those optimizing features have had an unwanted effect. Halide, a developer of camera apps, recently published a careful examination of the 13 Pro that noted visual glitches caused by the device’s intelligent photography, including the erasure of bridge cables in a landscape shot. “Its complex, interwoven set of ‘smart’ software components don’t fit together quite right,” the report stated.

Thoughts on Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

 

Review

After having been on the lookout for a longwhile, I finally settled on the midranger Samsung Galaxy A53 5G. I was able to snag a student discount for 389EUR, which offered free Galaxy Buds Live, 50 EUR reimbursed, and 50EUR Play Store credits. One of the primary reasons to go for this, rather than the slightly faster A52s 5G.

Here are my thoughts after having spent a few days on the device.

Pros:

• Display (800 nits, 120Hz or 60Hz, sAMOLED)

• 4 years of OS updates (up to Android 16), 5 years of security updates

• 5000mAh battery

• Decent camera system with OIS for the primary lens

• IP67 (dust/water resistant up to 1 meter for 30 mins)

Cons:

• Bloatware (not just Samsung, even Office app cannot be uninstalled – though I plan on using it)

• No headphone jack

• No charger in box

• Quite a thick phone (although not heavy due to plastic usage)

• In display fingerprint reader is not as snappy as the side-mounted ones.

Supported lifespan of Apple and Google phones

source: r/dataisbeautiful

Apple recently announced that the iPhone 6S, 6S+, 7, 7+ and SE (2016) will not be supported by iOS 16, which will presumably be fully released in September. This limits those phones to roughly 6 or 7 years of being supported by the latest iOS version. This is the first time since 2019 that Apple have EOL’ed devices.

So it’s time to check in on how the time Apple support iPhones compares to the time Google support Google-developed phones. It looks like it continues to be the case that, at any given point in time, Apple support devices for about twice as long as Google.

I’ve drawn dotted lines next to Apple’s 2017 phones, even though it’s reasonable to guess that Apple will end support for these at the six year mark, because they haven’t officially announced anything yet.

I’ve projected Pixel 5a and 6’s bars into the future, because Google have announced that these devices will get three years of support, and they’ve shown with the Pixel 3, 3a and 4 that their statements can be trusted.

The last two times Apple ended support for devices, it was for technical reasons: in 2019, they ceased support on the latest version of iOS for all iDevices that had only 1GB RAM; and in 2017, when iOS went 64-bit-only, they ceased support for devices whose CPUs were 32-bit-only.

Data from Wikipedia articles on each device and/or operating system, with occasional reference to Wikipedia’s sources.

Chart created with LibreOffice Calc and KolourPaint.

End of life is shown as the last update for that device with the latest major version number — security-only fixes for phones not on the latest version number are not shown.

This chart is an update from my previous effort here.

Did you know Android has not one but two hidden ways to downgrade apps? One method can even restore the app+data to the way it was before an app update! While these rollback methods aren’t user-facing, you can use them with shell commands detailed here: – Mishaal Rahman (thread)

https://t.co/A1lYydoD7z

1. Download the APK file for the version that you want to downgrade to
2. Move the APK file to your device
3. Enter the shell of your device (via either ADB from a PC or on-device)
4. Send the “pm install” command with the “-d” flag and the path to the APK file

How iPhones are professionally cleaned.

How iPhones are professionally cleaned.
byu/Void_44 ininterestingasfuck

These are the most popular phones this year (+ other insights)

I work for a large mobile service provider in the UK, and I thought you guys would be interested in how the average customer purchases Android phones (and some lil insights to other things here and there).

Our store is large and our main demographics are middle age and elderly, although we get customers of all ages and backgrounds. Note that these aren’t official statistics, just my own notes. Employees don’t get commission, so phones are recommended based on the customer’s needs only

• Our most popular phone by far is the Samsung Galaxy A13, although a lot of this is down to Motorola’s shitty stock. The most requested is the Motorola E20, next to the E30
• Android phone sales outnumber iPhones by about 6:1
• Our least popular brand is Xiaomi, and then OPPO
• Alcatel receives the most complaints (no surprise there) , but Samsung have the highest exchange rate due to manufacturer fault

• Samsung’s most popular premium phone is the Z Flip 3. The most popular S22 is the Ultra. We’ve never sold an S22+ in-store to my knowledge
• The most common ‘issue’ we get on Android is customers accidently turning on Do Not Disturb and/or turning mobile data off
• The most common reason for upgrading is due to app support, whether that’s because of Go or being on an older version of Android
• A surprising amount of people choose Android over Apple because of Fortnite being unavailable on iOS

• The majority of the older generation absolutely fuckin hate Google Assistant and we generally get 1-2 people asking us how to disable it every day
• There have been countless people that refuse to upgrade their phones when they learn that the majority of companies no longer supply power adapters
• Requests for MicroSD card slots are still super high, although that’s usually down to customers being used to low storage

source: r/android

Cheap vs expensive Android phones

I have an Samsung Galaxy S10+ that cost $1200 (my last day of using it was last night) when it was new and my mom has the latest Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Now I just got the Xiaomi 11T for $200 and tbh I really don’t see a reason to buy an expensive phone again.

Xiaomi has 67-watt charger so it charges in almost 1/3 of the time my S10+ did. I know it can ruin the battery to charge this fast, but seeing as it was only $200 I rather charge fast for a year or two, and then when I start to see battery problems I can just buy a new cheap phone. Xiaomi does not have wireless charging though, but at least for me charging fast is more important than having the possibility to charge wireless.

I also tried to take an app starting test

In 10 tests (7 apps, 3 games):

Xiaomi 11t won 5

S22 ultra won 4

S10+ won 1.

So the speed of a new premium phone isn’t even faster than a budget phone, and I also tried gaming a little bit on both and I couldn’t tell any difference seeing as both played without any lag.

I also did a camera test and I will say it’s like this:

1. S22 Ultra
2. S10+
3. Xiaomi 11T

But even though Xiaomi had the worst camera, I wouldn’t call it bad and unless you need an almost perfect camera Xiaomi is more than good enough and from reviews I’ve read it doesn’t even have the best budget phone camera on the market.

The battery is also just as good on Xiaomi as S22 Ultra. Actually, it’s even a little bit better if you look at nanoreviews.com ” Xiaomi shows 7% longer battery life (35:12 vs 32:55 hours)”

Samsung (both phones) do have a little bit better screen, but Xiaomi OLED screen is REALLY good for the price. Where S22 Ultra was better though was in sunlight though but that’s to be expected seeing as S22 ultra have around 500 nits more, but it wasn’t like Xiaomi was unusable in sunlight though, with sunglasses on it was more than useable.

Both also have 120 Hz screens and I couldn’t feel any different when using them.

S22 Ultra feels and looks more premium, but both I and my mom thought Xiaomi was a lot better to hold in our hands even though they are almost the same size.

Source: android

Nothing Phone Review by MKBHD

A Full Breakdown of what Low Power mode Actually does with Data

(iPhone 13 Pro Max, Geek edition)

Display:

• Applies conservative auto brightness curve

• Automatically puts your iPhone to sleep after 30 seconds of screen inactivity.

• Limits ProMotion to 60 FPS rather than 120 FPS, but keeps dynamic refresh-rate scaling on

Performance (SoC):

• Disables the two performance cores entirely

• Downclocks 4 efficiency cores from 1.8 GHz to 1.38 GHz

• Disables up to 2 GPU Cores OR downclocks all 5 cores. (Uncertain about this since there isn’t any real way to know, more info in the data collection section)

OS:

• Optimizes App Background refresh to reduce memory consumption.

• Reduces background animations (Wallpaper perspective etc.)

• Changes Cellular usage policy to optimize for lower power consumption instead of faster speeds (if 5G Auto is enabled in Cellular options, LTE will often be favored rather than some mmWave “5G+” towers.)

Battery:

• Increases Charging speed curve (Though marginal)

Data of Low power mode vs. without it (some testing done on my own 13 Pro Max while some taken from online):

Geekbench 5 (Cred wccftech.com):

LPM Off: Single-Core score: 1732 Multi-Core score: 4685

LPM On: Single-Core score: 727 Multi-Core score: 3497

Resulting calculations: (58% Slower SC, 25% Slower MC)

All 4 efficiency cores are still active which means less of an MC performance hit, but since they’re downclocked heavily the SC performance takes a huge hit.

3DMark Wildlife Extreme:

LPM Off: 3119

LPM On: 1990

This test was done at 80% battery with similar thermal envelopes, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Cellular on. There’s a 37% reduction in GPU performance here. Probably two of the GPU cores got disabled, or the entire thing was just heavily downclocked. We don’t know, but performance results will be similar either way.

Charging Test:

I collected data for a graph and listed them out accordingly. I’ll just list landmarks at separate percentages from a dead battery to 75%.

LPM Off: Boot up at 1 minute after plug in. 10% at 5 minutes after plug in. 19% at 10 minutes after plug in. 29% at 15 minutes after plug in. 54% at 30 minutes after plug in. 72% at 45 minutes after plug in. 83% at 1 hour after plug in.

LPM On: Boot up at 1 minute after plug in. 11% at 5 minutes after plug in. 21% at 10 minutes after plug in. 30% at 15 minutes after plug in. 55% at 30 minutes after plug in. 72% at 45 minutes after plug in. 82% at 1 hour after plug in.

It could very well be margin of error, but LPM did charge my phone faster by 1-2% in the first half an hour or so. In both tests the phone was cooled using a Ziploc bag filled with ice water that was placed on the phone every 5 or so minutes to keep it cool and avoid heat saturation.

Information about clock speeds and stuff is from an App called CPU Dasher from the app store. It tells you loads of other stuff about your iPhone too at the obligatory cost of some annoying ads.

My conclusion stands that this is indeed an incredibly powerful phone, even when handicapped by Low Power Mode.

source: r/iphone u/gatormaniac

How do Iphones take pictures and video in a nightclub?

 I’ve used my 13PM in environments with even lower light than a nightclub and have seen wonderful results. At the end of the day though, a baller dedicated camera is the only way to get really crispy footage in the dark.

Anything older than a 11 series. The 11 series introduced support for night mode photography, so those iPhones should work great.

[MKBHD] The World’s Largest Smartphone Camera: Xiaomi 12S Ultra!

Xiaomi 12S Ultra vs Pixel 6 Pro: Camera Shootout

Looks like YouTube has finally been updated to block the ad skip hack

For the people that weren’t aware, you could skip unskippable ads by tapping the i icon at the bottom left of the video and follow the prompts to block the ad.

It never actually blocked anything but allowed you to close the ad and get into it the video.

Seems they updated something so instead of the normal prompt, it now opens up the My Ad Center.

If you select Block Ad and go back to the video, the ad is no longer skipped.

Its a sad day for stubborn lazy people like myself, now to look into a 3rd party YT app.

Tested after a restart and it seems OK now, still goes the the ad centre but blocking the ad now closes it in the video.

Smartphone 101 – Pick a smartphone for me: WhatsApp introduces screen sharing during video calls

WhatsApp today introduced screen sharing as its latest feature to enhance the video-calling experience on its platform — taking on traditional video conferencing apps, including Microsoft Meet, Google Meet, Zoom, and Apple’s FaceTime.

The new feature, announced this morning by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg through a Facebook post and on his Instagram channel, will allow you to share your documents, photos, and even your shopping cart with contacts available on video calls.

First released for some beta testers on Android in late May, screen sharing on WhatsApp can be accessed by tapping or clicking the “Share” icon. Users can choose between sharing a specific app or their entire screen. This is similar to how screen sharing works on typical video-conferencing platforms like Google Meet and Zoom. Read more

How to re-enable volume control of speaker groups while casting and stream expansion on Pixel phones [Root]

Two features that are missing on Pixel but are present in stock Android:

1. The ability to control the volume of speaker groups while casting.

2. The ability to expand streams to more cast devices from the media output switcher (stream expansion).

Both can be enabled, though!

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The problem

Let me explain each issue in more detail before I show the fix.

1. You can’t adjust a speaker group’s volume while casting. Both the volume button & slider only control your phone’s media volume unless you’re in the app that’s casting. Other phones like the Nothing Phone 2 can.

If you don’t have root access, your only workaround is to adjust the individual volumes through the media output switcher, which to be fair is pretty easy. The workaround for #2, though, is more annoying.

2) When you cast music to any speaker and then open the media output switcher, you should be able to select additional devices to cast to. eg. on my Z Fold 5 and Nothing Phone 2, I’m already casting to two Cast devices, but I can select a third to cast to: My Bose Soundbar 700.

You’re unable to do this on Pixel. I asked around and checked numerous Pixels on Android 13 and 14, and none of them can do this. So the only workaround on Pixel would be to create speaker groups ahead of time rather than on demand.

Both features are intentionally disabled on Pixels likely as a result of the Sonos lawsuit. This article talks about the cast volume changes, while this article talks about stream expansion.

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The fix

If you have root access, you can enable both of these features on your Pixel phone!

For #1, install this Magisk Module I made a while back. It overrides the value of ‘config_volumeAdjustmentForRemoteGroupSessions’.

For #2, you’ll need to override the DynamicSession__enable_stream_expansion_transfer_for_allowlisted_groups and DynamicSession__enable_stream_expansion_transfer_for_audio_app Phenotype flags under com.google.android.gms.cast. The GappsMod Flags Telegram group can show you how to override these flags.

How to enable EVS codec for telephony without ROOT for Qualcomm Snapdragon phones. Link

What is the benefits of doing it?

If you call someone you will mostly use AMR-WB, a legacy codec from 3G, even on 4G Calling.

You get cleaner and more quality sound when talking to people if you force use of EVS.

The OEM didnt pay the patent hence bad quality.

SmartThings Find can now find your device even after it has been restarted

Saw a post a couple of months ago at (r/Andriod), which reported that SmartThings Find couldn’t locate your device after it’s been restarted

But that has been fixed‼️ and it now can.

Google’s Find my device is a step behind has it still can’t.

I hope the next iteration of SmartThings Find can locate your device even after it’s turned off.

Guide to how to recover lost video if your phone dies while filming

I noticed that there were no guides anywhere on the internet on how to recover a video after your phone dies/runs out of battery while filming. Everywhere I looked, people said “Sorry, it’s gone”, but turns out it wasn’t, so in case anyone in the future suffers the same fate, here’s how I managed to salvage my video:

Background: I was filming a long video on a Samsung Galaxy S21 without having it plugged in (foolish me). After 44 minutes of footage, the phone ran out of battery and promptly died. After recharging it, the video was missing from my video folder, leading me to fear it lost.

As far as I know, technically speaking, the header of the video (MP4) file is the last thing written to the file, apparently only after you click Stop and allow the phone to process the data it recorded. Thus, if the phone dies before accomplishing this, it’s stuck with a rather large data file without a header, and thus the phone has no idea what it is.

The first step of recovery was to find the corrupted data file. I downloaded the (free) recovery app MobiSaver by EaseUS: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.easeus.mobisaver&hl=en_US . I ignored its root requirement, as simply allowing access to the phone was plenty for recovery lost video. I clicked ‘Photo & Video’ in the app and let it scan. Afterwards, on the tab ‘Videos’, I could see a large file without thumbnail, and apparently unable to be played. That was my corrupted video.

I selected the file and tapped ‘Recover’ and let the app grab the file. Afterwards, clicking the eye icon, and then again selecting the Videos tab, showed me that the corrupted video was now residing safely in /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/mobisaver.

Now, I had the video file, the next step was to fix it. As mentioned, the video itself was likely intact, and was only missing its header. Luckily, there’s an app for that called MP4Fix by Smamolot: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smamolot.mp4fix&hl=en_US After installing that and booting it, however, it didn’t seem to find the corrupted video file. In hindsight, I believe this was because MP4Fix only looks for corrupted video files in default folders (like Download, Videos, etc.) and the file was in the weird DCIM mobisaver subfolder. In the end, though, I ended up transferring the corrupted video file to a separate phone (a Pixel 7) and ran MP4Fix on that phone instead, which immediately located the corrupted file in the Download folder. After selecting the corrupted video file in MP4Fix, I was asked to provide a different video file shot by the same phone as the one that shot the corrupted video – this is in order to give MP4Fix a correct header to copy over the broken header of the corrupted video file. I shot a small video on the Samsung S21, transferred it and selected it in MP4Fix and clicked Repair and, behold, after some cruching it returned with a fully functional video file! (I did have to pay $6 in order to save the file, but it was absolutely worth the money)

The final minute of the video was a bit broken, with the video and audio going out of sync, but recovering 43 out of 44 minutes was still a win in my book.

Anyway, I’ll post this here ik case anyone needs it in the future. Obviously, YMMV – some phones manage to save the videos correctly before doing, and others may not work the way mine did. Still, it’s worth a shot if what you filmed was important to you.

Screenshots from the procedure are here https://imgur.com/a/5xemEAf

Hey, we get it. Your phone gets awesome battery life and here’s some screenshots to prove it. But not everybody does, and not everybody may be willing to compromise certain features. Or they may not understand just what is it that causes all their battery woes. As Android devices become more sophisticated and feature packed, it seems like it’s more difficult to have excellent battery life. Read more…

How do I secure my phone?

• Do I need an antivirus?

• Is my lockscreen password/pin/pattern enough security?

• I am rooted, how do I secure my phone?

• What apps are available for me to track my phone? Securely wipe it? Etc.

In my years of Android usage, through less than legal usage, and shady websites included I’ve never had issues with phone viruses, or any viruses in general.

Pattern/Pin/Password are just like a reinforced front door to your home. There are ways to get in without using the door, and once they’re in most of your data so free to grab, but this is assuming someone’s dedicated to doing all this.

If you’re rooted. Cerberus. Cerberus, a million times Cerberus. With remote text keywords, and rom integration, even wipes cannot get rid of it. And this goes for both, how to secure and how to track it, wipe it, etc. More tips here.

How do I optimize my device?

Rarely do you buy an Android device that you think is perfect. More-so when you buy an older device or a cheaper model of a flagship.

One of the most common issues with a new device is lag. Lag when opening apps, lag when scrolling, lag after heavy use, lag when gaming, apps keep closing randomly, etc.

So how do you optimize your device? First tell us how you identify the problem, then tell us how you would go about fixing it. Both root/non-root solutions are okay!

The old advice still stands – turn it off and on again. Often the most common solution, but somehow the last thing many people do.

For the most part, I don’t experience lag or problems that require a reboot, unless after I’ve used navigation extensively. Shit’s extremely taxing to your device, yo. GPS + mobile data for search and aGPS + WiFi for location + screen turned on all the time + hot sun + crappy air conditioning + sometimes charging will get your processor very hot very quickly, and it will lag a lot. Turn the phone off, turn the air conditioning to the max, hold the phone right in front of the vent, turn it back on. Read more tips here

HELP! My phone is missing/stolen!

It’s unfortunate, but it can happen to anybody. You misplace your device or it gets stolen; no matter what happened you want it back and you want your data secure.

Smartphone 101 – Pick a smartphone for me: If Google were to implement a new gesture for Android what would be the best action for it? r/android

• Two Finger Swipe Up

• Long Press Nav Bar

• Long press bottom corner (left or right) of nav bar

• Swipe from bottom and top at same time (excessive i know lol)

• Double tap (or triple tap to avoid accidents) nav bar

• Left and Right swipe down different actions ( like iOS)

• Hold corner of gesture bar and swipe with other finger (2 actions)

• Turning on the flashlight as an option for tapping the back of the device.
• Shaking the phone to turn on the light. The best feature of Motorola phones
• I really like the idea behind Zenfone 9 fingerprint sensor scrolling, i always wondered why i just can’t use that sensor to scroll content on the screen 

• Surprised we don’t have long press volume up/down for next/previous track.There are 3rd party solutions but it should be default in Android

• They should copy HTC and allow customization for squeezing the side of the phone. They had short and long squeeze and let you choose basically any action or app. I loved being able to long squeeze for flashlight and short squeeze to bring up the camera. On my previous Pixel I think it just brought up Google assistant maybe
• Like…having a fully transparent navigation bar. It’s been almost 5 years, and it is 2022. I need to explain to my iPhone friends, this ugly back navigation bar is not a bug, but a feature 

• no swipe, just detect when im flipping my phone the bird, and then

  • mute ringer

  • add caller to blocklist for an hour

  • screen off.

Categorization of smartphones based on Pricing (and Features).

• Flagships : $1000 and above

These are the absolute top tier, cutting edge phones from a brand.

Examples : Galaxy S23 Ultra, Oppo Find X5 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro Max,

• Sub-flagships : $800-$1000

These phones usually belong to the flagship series of a brand, but are not the highest end phone in the series.

Examples: vanilla S22 / S22+ , iPhone 13/ 13 mini, Oneplus 10 Pro

• Premium : $600-$800

When you move down to this category you see phones deviate from being a flagship. They still may have several flagship features, but imo they can’t be called flagships whatsoever.

Examples : Goggle Pixel 6, Galaxy S21 FE

• Upper-midrange : $450-$600

These phones are, obviously midrangers with juicy specs.

Examples: One plus Nord 2T, Google Pixel 5a, Galaxy A52/A72

• Lower-midrange : $300-$450

These phones have less beefier specs than upper midrangers. However, they are still not the cheapest or worst phones you can buy.

Examples : Galaxy A33, Nord CE 2

• Budget : $300 and below

These phones are very affordable, lack premium features and qualitatively at the bottom rung.

Examples : Galaxy A03, Galaxy A12, Nord N200

Note: Flagship killers and most value oriented Chinese phones ( Poco, Redmi, Real men etc..) cannot be strictly put into categories considering only their price, due to their high ratio of specs-price.

Source: r/android

The Pixel 6 Pro has the worst connectivity and reception of any phone I’ve used (with reviewer data! Has dBm signal comparisons Pixel 6 Pro vs Pixel 5 / Galaxy S22 / OnePlus 9 / OnePlus 7 Pro)

I’m in Spain. When I first got the Pixel 6 I had the same issues as the author, with the phone only being able to pick up HSPA connectivity. Now, it’s either 4G or 3G.

When going out of my apartment, the Pixel 6 Pro takes several minutes to realize it’s no longer able to connect to a Wi-Fi network and has to switch to an LTE signal.

They made it an extra step to get to the wifi and LTE to switch them on and off so it resets now too. I miss when they were separate on the drop down menu.

The Pixel designers have delusions of grandeur like they are all the next Steve Jobs. So they get feedback and ignore it.

My personal pet peeve is they broke Bluetooth in version 12 to be more Apple like. Pixel Bluetooth auto switches to any nearby paired device with no override. So if you have earbuds in and get close to a Bluetooth speaker that’s you paired in the past, the Pixel will switch to it without any way to switch back. (Other than deleting all previously paired devices.)

Internet data speed difference by phone level, Budget/Midrange/Flagship

Is there a way to open a QR Code from camera roll or off your phone screen?

• Yep! Just screenshot the QR code, crop it down so it’s only the QR code, then tap the “live text” button on the bottom right, and then tap the QR code 🙂
• Also, Once you’ve screenshot the QR code and view it in photos app, you can just press and hold on the QR code to bring up a list of options of what you can do for that code (visit website, call number, send text, etc.)
• With Google Photos app, touch the “lens” button. Same for extracting text, identifying objects (e.g. what kind of dog is this), etc.

Has anyone here ever had their phone exploited because it wasn’t getting current security updates?

For all the emphasis people put on security updates, I don’t think I’ve ever met a single person who has been victimized because their phone is no longer receiving active updates. I mean a large portion of the global population are using budget android devices, some of which never get security updates.

There have been plenty of threads about this on here in the past. Usually it devolves into an argument about IOS versus android and I’m trying to avoid that. Outside of theoretical concerns, has anyone actually been victimized because they had an old and/or android phone that wasn’t getting security updates?

Obviously there are security risks on current devices as well — even if they have the latest security patches. Security patches are not going to be a catch-all solution for risky browsing . So i am trying to isolate problems that were caused cause directly due to the lack of updates.

I’m trying to gauge how serious of a risk this is versus how much of it is overstated to push people into upgrading their phones more frequently.

I think it goes without saying we should demand lengthy updates and current updates on our phones and no one wants to defend the manufacturers here. I think it would be interesting to actually hear from people that have been exploited. And, most important, were exploited in a scenario where if they had the latest security patch and a new or phone they would have been safe.

Think a lot of people would have no idea if they were compromised. Obviously the risk is going to depend on the bug(s) in question and the usage patterns of the user. For some vulnerabilities there’s a huge difference between only using a phone on a private network vs. connecting to open Wifi, etc.

Also note that people that have the money for those hacks are not really targeting average users:

https://citizenlab.ca/2021/09/forcedentry-nso-group-imessage-zero-click-exploit-captured-in-the-wild/

Same nation-state has targeted before some of the richest people in the world:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/01/29/apple-iphone-bezos-hack/

The hacks that are likely to hit among average users are mass hacks trying for instance to get credit cards or banking accounts:

https://www.idstrong.com/sentinel/google-warns-of-hack-that-takes-control-of-android-phones-and-bank-accounts/

This is the best answer here. Phone exploits aren’t going to be used to heavily target random users. There is more value selling or using them to target nation states and VIPs (political and economical). Apps can more easily get the info they want from random users through malicious apps and permissions abuse.

You’re FAR more likely to get compromised through some sort of social engineering, data leak, or other mistake then through someone specifically targeting you with an unpatched vulnerability. Unless you’re a very important person who has a legit reason to be targeted, you don’t have any reason to worry about that.

Think of it this way: someone looking to get into accounts isn’t going to put in extra effort to get into yours, they’ll just move onto the next million accounts.

Use 2 factor, don’t use the same passwords on everything, change your passwords every now and then (password managers help a lot here), don’t click or download shady things, etc.

Yep, my phone was 1 version short of latest, but I use Bluetooth all the time and back in Oreo, there was a Bluetooth exploit that gave the hacker remote install access. My phone was spying on me and collecting password/login data on me for God knows how long before they took control of my Google account and locked me out. I was dealing with fall out from that for almost a year and a half.

They got ahold of 2 of my credit cards and one bank card. The bank card reversed charges after I filed a fraud report, but even though it was a legitimate fraudulent back charge, Google locked my Google wallet and pay accounts. Unfortunately I didn’t have control of my account at that time, so I didn’t know they wanted a picture of my debit card.

After a fraud charge, all banks lock the card and issue a new one. Standard operating practice is to destroy the old one. Due to Google’s new customer service bots, I wasn’t able to get this resolved until I was doing spring cleaning the next year and found a backup card I forgot about.

So it is called sniffing for Bluetooth and I think snarfing for NFC. Essentially they set a device to intercept the 2 way handshake. You certainly are not a liar, and there is plenty of info available online about most exploits (though the Bluetooth and NFC should be closed off now, or at least safer).

Back in the day where everyones Bluetooth was on and discoverable we had Bluejacking and Bluesnarfing, one was delivering messages via contacts, the other was pulling data from the target device.

I would say the bigger risk is still with hardware access for the hacker, as they can install malware onto it, but so can the consumer and it is a dead end by that. I feel more than phones being hacked, the average user might face scams or phishing attacks and not as much ofa hacker remotely hacing into a phone, coz it is too much work, and isnt as efficient as a scam, which can benefit them with the sheer number as well

As someone who used to work in retail selling all sorts of electronics from laptops to phones or VR headsets, you will be surprised the number of times I had customers come in with an issue on their device, and when I further inspect it, I get fludded with ads, spammy notifications, and strange popups (in the home screen of the device!). I would say that older people (50+ maybe) tend to experience those issues more, although I had lots of middle aged individuals too. Usually some think it is part of the experience, while others simply accept the ads because they don’t know what to do.

When I inspect Androids on what causes the spam to occur, it is usually some third party apk like cracked spotify, or a malicious “safe brower” that they found on the Google Play store. I have no interest in promoting any mobile platofrm, but my general rule is: if they have no idea what they are doing, or if they don’t want to be overwhelmed with options, than I recommend iOS. If they are young, tech savvy, and they understand what an apk is, than I usually offer both iOS and Android. Platform wars aside, ‘The Walled Garden’, a.k.a iOS, does do more to prevent users from downloading malicious apps, but also does a lot to contain them even if they were downloaded. A proof of this is that in my four years in retail, I have never ever seen an iPhone with spam.

So all my rambling aside, there are definitely individuals out there with comprised phones, some of whom can visually see it manifested via ads, while in other phones there may never even be a visual indicator. That is why, I do strongly believe that maintaining you phone by updating to the latest version is important. It may not be for yourself, but it will at least give you a piece of mind if your parents or grandparents were a bit more secured.

Following up, I have some thoughts on the article:

First, the number itself is not normalized for population distribution. The article cites the FTC Sentinel Data: “44 percent of people ages 20 to 29 losing money to fraud, more than double the 20 percent of people ages 70 to 79.” But that’s the raw count and people aged 20-29 are ~13% of the population while 70-79 are ~6%. Perhaps the reason that young people get scammed twice as often is there are twice as many?

Second, losing $20 to a bad purchase on eBay counts the same as losing a $2000 social security check in this dataset. I.e., both are one additional scam report. If my father sent $10,000 to a Nigerian Prince and then I bought a $50 blender from eBay that never showed up and he said, “SEE, YOU GOT SCAMMED, TOO!” I would be a little irritated because while he’s technically right, something about it feels different.

I will concede this bit, though: “… according to the bureau’s data, 83 percent of young adults who were exposed to such [online purchase] scams fell for them, more than any other age group.” That’s an indicator of susceptibility and does play to your point, op, even if it doesn’t normalize for targeting frequency. (The FTC data reports that younger people are targeted more often since 2020 for student loan repayment and other assorted cold calls because the pandemic has made for a perfect storm of different relief services that are hard to track, coupled with desperation and fear.)

source: r/android

To Recycle, Trade it in or Trash it? What do you do with your old device when it’s finally time to upgrade?

Do most people trust the “Erase All Data” function under Settings?

Why would you not trust Erase all Content and Settings?

Imagine this scenario… iOS stores data in two drawers. In drawer A, it houses the operating system and all the default settings etc. this drawer is locked and you do not have a key.

In drawer B is your stuff and any and all modifications you make to settings etc on the phone.

Erase all Content and Settings literally takes out drawer B and eradicates it leaving you only with the contents of drawer A, a default and original iOS.

Drawer A is behind protective glass. You can see it, but you cannot change it.

Drawer B is locked with a key. The key lies on top of the drawer. Erasing data is like destroying the key. The data is still there, but there is no way to access it without very very expensive data recovery equipment (and luck).

When you’re having a customer erase all the data on their phone so they can sell it or trade it in, it’s infinitely easier to just let them know it’s gone.

Your average consumer doesn’t need to know the intricacies of data recovery, or the nuances of data erasure on flash storage.

Do not trash the phone. At a minimum recycle it with the appropriate program (not your curbside recycling program where you toss plastics and paper). Many US states and other countries consider mobile phones hazardous waste and the last thing any of us need to be doing is further contaminate the planet with more hazardous materials! https://www.treehugger.com/why-recycle-cell-phones-1204065

Apple stores and Best Buy will typically give you a gift card for your old device. Worst case they will recycle it for free.

I trade in my iPhones to Apple, and pass iPads down to relatives.

Erase all data can be trusted for the average person. People won’t go through the effort for a stranger’s data.

So far, with iPads, I hand them down to my grandkids. With phones I erase all data and trade it in.

source: r/android

Is the new M2 MacBook Air the perfect computer?

Apple released its newest MacBook Air on Friday, and the redesigned device is generating buzz. The biggest change: It includes Apple’s new M2 processor. The new laptop is an important step for Apple, according to Engadget, as its more-portable exterior is built around the new chip. CNBC calls it the most significant MacBook redesign since 2010, noting that it comes at a crucial time: Apple’s Mac revenue was up 15% in the second quarter, and the new laptop could make or break that momentum as back-to-school season begins.

Lots of reviewers seem to be saying so.

“Apple’s near-perfect Mac,” says Engadget.

“This is the new standard bearer, the computer that will.. most likely end up being the definitive Mac of this decade,” says Six Colors.

“Remarkably thin” and “extremely portable,” says The Verge.

This will be million seller for Apple, this is the new default recommendation for almost anyone that’s not doing video, 3D, or heavy duty animation & graphics.

source: here

 

Does Airplay use data?

Apple’s AirPlay technology lets you stream audio and video content from your Apple device to an AirPlay-compatible receiver. This can be a great way to enjoy your favorite content on a bigger screen, but it’s important to understand how AirPlay works before you use it. While AirPlay itself doesn’t use any data, any content that you stream using AirPlay will use data from your Apple device. This means that if you’re streaming a video from your iPhone to your TV, you’ll use data just as if you were watching the video on your phone. If you have a limited data plan, you may want to be careful about using AirPlay too often. However, if you’re connected to Wi-Fi, streaming content with AirPlay won’t use any of your data allowance.

Apple AirPlay is a wireless streaming technology that allows users to share audio and video content between Apple devices. While AirPlay does use data, it is not as data-intensive as other streaming technologies. This is because AirPlay uses compression to reduce the amount of data that is being transferred. As a result, users can stream high-quality audio and video content without using a lot of their data allowance. In addition, Apple devices are designed to be efficient with their use of data, meaning that users can enjoy AirPlay without having to worry about exceeding their data limit.

People that have left Apple for Android why did you and are you happy you did?

1- At the time that I left I felt like android was just 100% better. I got an LG v30 which had an audio dac, expandable storage, nfc, smaller bezels, lightning fast Fingerprint Reader, oled, ip68, first wide angle camera, headphone jack, better specs and cheaper. Plus you could sideload apps and all that.

Nowadays I think apples closed the gap in a lot of ways where it’s more a matter of taste rather than one being better. But at the time I just thought the iPhone was a ripoff.

Nowadays I have the zfold3 and couldn’t be happier. But Apple is good too. If a bit aesthetically boring imo.

2- I’ll come at this from a different angle.

I’ve used Android for 12 years. Recently I’ve had to use an iPhone for work stuff (they don’t support using Android). I can see why so many people like iPhones but they’re very much not for me. The iOS software is far too rigid.

For example, I use Bixby Routines on my personal Android phone. I can do an incredible amount with it, so much so to the point that I’ve automated a lot of tedious things like turning on blue light filter and dimming my display before I go to bed so it’s easier to start feeling like I’m ready to sleep. I’ve also made it so that it’ll change my phone to vibrate if my watch or home WiFi network disconnects, and it’ll keep the battery at 85% until about 0400 when that setting turns off and it’s allowed to charge to 100% by the time I wake up.

In comparison, Shortcuts on iOS is pretty underdeveloped. Everything I want to do with it can’t be done or it’s so arduous to make it work that I’ve given up. Ironically, Bixby Routines “just works”.

3- My first smartphone was an iPhone 3GS and I used it until the case shattered and the power button stopped working.

My phones since then have been Androids, well with a brief flirtation with a Windows Phone.

I loved the customization and freedom that I got on Android to do things like emulation.

A little while ago though I picked up an original iPhone SE because I wanted a device just for my mobile banking needs and it made me realize something, that how I use my phone has changed a lot.

I’ve had the same Nova Launcher layout for years now across my Android phones, I don’t do any customizations beyond setting a wallpaper. Emulation is certainly easier to get setup and running on Android but it’s also way easier to do now on iOS than it used to be.

There are other little things but suffice to say the reasons for me to pick Android over iOS have dropped, simply because I’ve gotten older and how I use my phone has changed.

I know that covered more than your question asked but it wouldn’t have been a complete answer if I’d just stuck with “I loved the customization and freedom that I got on Android to do things like emulation.”

Source: r/android

How do you properly take care of your smartphone so it will last long?

1. NO WATER EXPOSURE
2. ONLY 30% storage usage to minimize problem on the EMMC/storage.
3. NO ROOT
4. USE ONLY the charger + cable from the BOX. If you loose it, get one from authorized dealer of the brand.
5. Only switch on the GPS/LOCATION when necessary
6. No maximum brightness
7. Source: quora

YouTube Tricks on iOS

For playing YouTube videos in the background use the Brave browser and enable background playback in settings. Warning: if you want to use this solution permanently, keep in mind the Brave browser on iOS is capped at 720p quality and looks significantly worse for day to day to use.

For playing YouTube videos without ads and enable Picture in Picture mode. Download an adblocker first (Suggested AdGuard) and then run YouTube in Safari. This will provide you the fully fledged experience and quality of videos without ads and with PiP, unlike the Brave browser.

Note: This is for people who are under circumstances where they cannot afford YouTube Premium due to their occupation, country of living, unlucky circumstances or state in life (students).

iPhone 14 Pro Max Camera – reviews – Buy it here

The more I use the iPhone 14 Pro Max Camera I notice a few things that stand out to me.

1. Has trouble focusing on close up things.

2. Close up photos seems to work worse than my 11 PM and really has trouble auto focusing.

3. Camera does this weird refocus thing that like jumps or stutters.

4. Photos look a bit over sharpened. Like too much editing without editing at all.

• Side note I have already done the latest update. Have an appointment at Apple Store later today, will see what they say.

Update: first of all I want to thank all of you that gave me tips and input on settings and 3rd party cameras etc. I had to cancel my appointment with Apple yesterday due to work stuff that came up. I did not understand the focus distance which makes complete sense. I will use the wide angle for super close ups

Also the macro control switch set to on seems to have helped with some of my issues

I did not want to make it seem like the 14 PM was a bad phone nor it’s camera. It is definitely a major upgrade from my 11 PM phone and camera wise. I guess my issue was I didn’t take the time to understand how the different lenses operate and I was trying to shoot the same way I did for years on my 11 PM

My only main complaint is the over sharpening and processing of the photos in the native camera app. I’m going to try some of the 3rd parties that you suggested.

It’s pretty incredible how good phone cameras have got. iPhone 14 Pro (48mp) left, iPhone 13 Pro (12mp) right – main camera

I got my iPhone 14 Pro Max today, and I’ve set it up and updated it to the latest software (16.0.2).

Everything seems to be okay and I haven’t noticed some of the other commonly reported issues (kernel panics when charging — yet!) or poor performance in games (RuneScape Mobile runs fine at 60 FPS consistently.

One thing I have noticed however, is when watching videos (on YouTube and Infuse) that are 60 FPS, I notice that every so often (roughly every 15-20 seconds), the frame rate seems to drop down to 30 FPS and the video gets a tiny bit choppy for a second or two. It’s a little jarring but not too noticeable when watching most content.

Has anyone else noticed this? If so, is it still present on 16.1 Beta?

iPhone 14 series battery replacements are 43% more expensive than iPhone 13 series battery replacements

iPhone 14 Pro’s “Dynamic Island” obstructs fullscreen videos with 2:1 aspect ratio

I bought the iPhone 14 pro max on Day one of the release and got it in the first slot as soon as Apple Store opened. So, this is my user experience and review of the iPhone 14 pro max

 

 

I was using an iPhone XS Max 64Gb before this and I run 3 YT channels using the iPhone camera.

It had a great reliable camera but didn’t have night mode and the battery was not that great. Also, the 64gb was definitely tough with Meta apps taking up massive amount of space though Whatsapp was the only thing I had on my phone and it took up most of my local and iCloud storage.

Since cameras and battery life were my main interests I upgraded to the iPhone 14 pro max

It has been a completely different experience for me! It’s so much more polished, great speakers, great screen, great battery life and the biggest camera improvement I’ve experienced.

I still have some PTSD from my old iPhone’s battery life and I always used to carry a 20,000 Mah battery wherever I go. I stopped carrying now and can take the L without a bag on my back for the first time.

The camera is incredible and for YouTube, this is more than enough. I know Sony makes some good mirrorless cameras but it requires a expensive and bulky camera bodies combined with different lens sets that are super expensive and don’t have the Stabilization that phones have nowadays. Also, different lenses for different lighting conditions.

You are also more likely to be stopped and questioned in many places when you carry a massive mirrorless camera.

128Gb is the sweet spot for me cause I upload all my pics to iCloud and Google Drive while I transfer the video files to my Mac everyday ,edit and upload it promptly.

I can see some YouTubers have started talking about iPhone 15 already but don’t keep waiting. If you have the green and you need an upgrade, go for it.

There will always be the next big thing round the corner.

WPR – Compatibility layer to run Windows Phone XNA games on Android and PC!

• WPR is a WP7-8 XNA app runner

Features

• Installing WP7-8 decrypted XNA XAPs locally on your machine.

• Earning achievements locally for Xbox Live games, with a pop-up appear everytime achievement is unlocked.

• GitHub page

• [WPR Android Alpha 0.0.1 download] (https://github.com/8212369/WPR/releases)

Tested and supported games:

• Earthworm Jim (no achievements yet, add them to json)

• Skulls of the Shogun

• Ilomilo

• Zuma’s revenge

• Plant vs zombie

• The Sims 3

• The Sims Medival

• Civilization Revolution

• I love Katamari

• Fruit Ninja (crash after play done one match)

• Sonic 4 ep 1

• Tower Bloxx

• Kinectimals

• MonstaFish

• Bug Village

• Brain Challenge

• Ragdoll Run (bugged)

• Max and the Magic Marker

• Tentacles

• Tiki Towers

• Need for Speed Undercover

• More Brain Exercise by Namco

Only Vulkan is supported officially on Android. Yet to resolve OpenGL graphics distortion for now. Game achievements assets like description or names are scraped from TrueAchievements. Mapped it to emulator need to modify two jsons in Database folder.

Google Messages now supports sending reactions to sms texts from iPhones.

I noticed today that Google Messages now lets me send reactions to iPhone texts, and it sends the iPhone user a text similar to the old x person liked “text”. So now android can interpret iPhone reactions, but not the other way around.

I’m glad Google is finally playing hardball with Apple, and hopefully this leads to RCS adoption. Google is finally using the same tactics that Apple has been using for years.

Is Rooting Your Android still worth it in 2023?

What are your favorite Android lifehacks / power user tips?

• reduce animation scale to x0.5 in developer settings

• disabling all but essential (whatsapp, telegram, SMS, banking etc.) notifications

• disable bloatware apps

• setup Gboard for swipe typing and voice to text

• install Gcam (for non-Pixel or flagship camera phones)

• Install scrcpy on your computer, enable USB debugging on your Android and you’ll be able to mirror and interact with your Android’s screen on your computer screen – with the (for me) big bonus that you can then use a proper keyboard to type stuff on it.
• If you have a Samsung, use Bixby Routines. Let your phone work for you—literally.

• Be brutal with blocking notifications. Notifications keep you addicted to your phone. They demand immediate attention and distract from everything else. Don’t let bullshit developers and companies decide this for you. I use do not disturb mode a hell of a lot. I’ve disabled notifications for most things and that includes messages. I’m going to check my phone multiple times a day anyway and I’ll see things next time I check.

  RSS, podcasts, games, YouTube, etc have no business trying to interrupt you for attention in the middle of your day.

  Even messages and emails don’t need an immediate reply. Email apps need to be checked once or twice a day and group messages should all be muted. Most message apps should be set to show an icons in the notification bar and not ring/vibrate (silent notification) and it’ll be picked up next time you look at your phone (which is bound to be within the hour).

  Taking control of notifications has changed my life and I urge everyone else to try it. While you’re at it I’d also recommend turn off read receipts for messages (the blue ticks in WhatsApp).

• The only audible notifications I have on my phone are for my home alarm, favorite contacts and critical errors from my server. A few others are set for silent delivery. All social apps though and email notifications are completely turned off. It’s extremely liberating not being a slave to your phone. The other bonus is you can put them all in deep sleep and save battery since they don’t need to background sync.
• Double tap to sleep, to reduce wear and tear on the physical buttons
• Double tap to open the camera. I do this all the time, and it’s great.

• Trying to think what’s in base android that isn’t rom specific.

  I use the feature to quickly change Bluetooth sources Either from the lockscreen , notifications shade —> which gives me this or from the volume rocker —> this menu

  Pretty sure this one’s rom specific.

  Other things I use often are hidden apps from launcher, apps that are locked and require biometrics regardless if they support it or not, hidden files, press and hold on the fingerprint sensor to launch apps and shortcuts, swipe up and hold to directly invoke searching the app drawer, Chromecast cast mirroring, managing files incl transfering files to and fro from network / Samsung t7, pressing and holding app icons + the app in multitask view to launch the app info box, quickly silencing specific notifications by pressing and holding on the corresponding notification and toggling it off, all the gboard stuff mentioned (some times the copy paste clipboard thing), I like my OnePlus shelf – Quick launch apps, save car park space, access to widgets without clogging up home screen, pinned memos, I use timed sms, second account and duplicate apps (work profile), scrolling the all apps list with the scroll bar which shows me which apps corresponding with the letter held, appending labels to apps in a way to categorise them, hiding app labels and changing app icons per app, pressing and holding on a app to launch specific shortcuts pertaining to app.

• A very very small one, but a nice quality of life thing: I like Pandora streaming music, I don’t like ads:

  Install Termux and Pianobar, run pianobar from termux.

  Not only is it the smallest Pandora player around: it’s ad free and works with the screen off.

• DNS based ad blocking with AdGuard or ControlD. Go to network settings, tap on Private DNS, select “Private DNS provider hostname“ and enter “p2.freedns.controld.com“. Boom no more ads system wide!
•  Set dpi aka smallest width to 478dp. Makes UIs smaller than usual, doesn’t break keyboard in two. Lawnchair launchair for customizability. Find a way to lock certain apps from accessing internet, can give u ad free experience and more privacy. Enable advanced reset options to have quick access to recovery/bootloader. Tinker around with Tasker.

• For more granular animation speed control, use adb shell and enter:

  settings put global window_animation_scale 0.25
settings put global transition_animation_scale 0.25
settings put global animator_duration_scale 0.5

  Dev Options won’t show the custom scale, so enter the following to show it:

  settings get global window_animation_scale
settings get global transition_animation_scale
settings get global animator_duration_scale

• Hide the navigation bar entirely, using only gestures (Onehand operation+)

  Stop charging at 75% when I don’t expect heavy use (AccuBattery)

  Double tap home page to turn off screen (Nova launcher, RIP)

  Bring back notification light (aodNotify)

• i used ADBAppControl and uninstall plenty of bloatware that many phones came with. it’s so powerful you can also uninstall some built-in components (i.e. certain languages pack, facebook integration, weather widget, wireless payments, etc).

  all you need to do is just enable ADB debugging in developer and use a windows computer.

  good news is if you’re using Android 8 or above, you can even reinstall deleted apps again. this is extremely useful if you’re using older phones with limited resources. you wouldn’t believe how many useless apps and components came with a new phone.

• Press power 3x (or 4x) in quick succession activates the SOS function

  Under advanced settings, you can set it to call, text, send video &/or send photos to a list of contacts

• Perform a partition cache clear after every OS and security update to clean out any software bugs, soft reset/reboot device weekly, periodically clear browser’s history, cache, cookies and data, regularly clean out temporary files/storage, keep apps updated but do so manually so if there is a problematic update released you can avoid downloading it, always have a back up phone.

• urn off animations

  Use Microsoft organizer for sms, has a built in spam filter and we can mark a number as spam or promotions

  Turn iff unnecessary notifications for each app to get relevant notifications

  Blockada, system wide blocking

• For better battery life Uninstall unnecessary apps , disable unnecessary notifications , disable all unnecessary settings like extends wifi search , network Switch , change cell network ( im on 2g for better battery life ) , disable location Always on , disable Google statistics , disable auto-update, reduce background activity of applications (as well as data for applications that are little used or that do not need them), remove the administrator right from unnecessary applications, remove unnecessary authorizations from applications , etc …

  For praticability , double tap to wake / double tap to sleep/off , double click power button for flashlight or photo ( flashlight personally ) and some others …

Nothing Phone in-depth review:

The design of Google Pixel Watch

Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 Review: In A Class By Itself (In the US, At Least) – MrMobile [Michael Fisher]

A study of tracking behaviour on Android

Synthesis : https://www.kaspersky.com/blog/android-built-in-tracking/42654/

Analysis : https://www.scss.tcd.ie/Doug.Leith/Android_privacy_report.pdf

System apps — installed on your smartphone by default and usually nonremovable — tend to stay out of the limelight. But whereas with other apps and services users have at least some choice, in this case tracking and surveillance capabilities are stitched into devices’ very fabric.

The above represent some conclusions of a recent joint study by researchers at the University of Edinburgh, UK, and Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. They looked at smartphones from four well-known vendors to find out how much information they transmit. As a reference point, they compared the results with open-source operating systems based on Android, LineageOS and /e/OS. Here’s what they found.

Research method

For the purity of the experiment, the researchers set a fairly strict operating scenario for the four smartphones, one users are unlikely ever to encounter in real life: They assumed each smartphone would be used for calls and texts only; the researchers did not add any apps; only those installed by the manufacturer remained on the devices.

What’s more, the imaginary user responded in the negative to all of the “Do you want to improve the service by forwarding data”–type questions that users typically have to answer the first time they turn on the device. They did not activate any optional services from the manufacturer, such as cloud storage or Find My Device. In other words, they kept the smartphones as private and in as pristine a state as possible throughout the study.

The basic “spy-tracking” technology is the same in all such research. The smartphone connects to a Raspberry Pi minicomputer, which acts as a Wi-Fi access point. Software Installed on the Raspberry Pi intercepts and decrypts the data stream from the phone. The data is then re-encrypted and delivered to the recipient — the developer of the phone, app, or operating system. In essence, the authors of the paper performed a (benevolent) man-in-the-middle attack.

 

The scheme used in the study to intercept smartphone-transmitted data. Source

The good news is that all transmitted data was encrypted. The industry finally seems to have overcome its plague of devices, programs, and servers communicating in clear text, without any protection. In fact, the researchers spent a lot of time and effort deciphering and analyzing the data to figure out what exactly was being sent.

After that, the researchers had relatively smooth sailing. They completely erased the data on each device and performed initial setup. Then, without logging in into a Google account, they left each smartphone on for a few days and monitored the transfer of data from it. Next, they logged in using a Google account, temporarily enabled geolocation, and went into the phone’s settings. At each stage, they monitored what data was sent and where. They tested a total of six smartphones: four with the manufacturer’s firmware and two with the LineageOS and /e/OS open-source versions of Android.

Who collects the data?

To absolutely no one’s surprise, the researchers found that smartphone makers were the primary collectors. All four devices running the original firmware (and a set of preinstalled programs) forwarded telemetry data, along with persistent identifiers such as the device serial number, to the manufacturer. Here, the authors of the paper delineate standard firmware from the custom builds.

For example, LineageOS has an option of sending data to developers (for monitoring programs’ operational stability, for example), but disabling the option stops data transmission. On factory-standard devices, blocking the sending of data during initial setup may indeed reduce the amount of data sent, but it does not rule out data transmission entirely.

Next up for receiving data are the developers of preinstalled apps. Here, too, we find an interesting nuance: According to Google’s rules, apps installed from Google Play must use a certain identifier to track user activity — Google’s Advertising ID. If you want, you can change this identifier in the phone’s settings. However, the requirement does not apply to apps the manufacturer preinstalls — which use persistent identifiers to collect a lot of data.

For example, a preinstalled social network app sends data about the phone’s owner to its own servers, even if that owner has never opened it. A more interesting example: The system keyboard on one smartphone sent data about which apps were running on the phone. Several devices also came with operator apps that also collected user-related information.

Finally, Google system apps warrant a separate mention. The vast majority of phones arrive with Google Play Services and the Google Play Store, and usually YouTube, Gmail, Maps, and a few others already installed. The researchers note that Google apps and services collect far more data than any other preinstalled program. The graph below shows the ratio of data sent to Google (left) and to all other telemetry recipients (right):

 

Amount of data transferred in kilobytes per hour to different recipients of user information. On the average, Google (left) sends dozens of times more data than all other services combined. Source

What data gets sent?

In this section, the researchers again focus on identifiers. All data has some kind of unique code to identify the sender. Sometimes, it is a one-time code, which for privacy is the correct way to collect the statistics — for example, on the operational stability of the system — developers find useful.

But there are also long-term and even persistent identifiers that violate user privacy that are also collected. For example, owners can manually change the abovementioned Google Advertising ID, but very few do so, so we can consider the identifier, which is sent to both Google and the device manufacturers, near persistent.

The device serial number, the radio module’s IMEI code, and the SIM card number are persistent identifiers. With the device serial number and the IMEI code, it is possible to identify the user even after a phone number change and complete device reset.

The regular transfer of information about device model, display size, and radio module firmware version is less risky in terms of privacy; that data is the same for a large number of owners of the same phone model. But user activity data in certain apps can reveal a lot about owners. Here, the researchers talk about the thin line between data required for app debugging and information that can be used to create a detailed user profile, such as for targeted ads.

For example, knowing that an app is eating up battery life can be important for the developer and will ultimately benefit the user. Data on which versions of system programs are installed can determine when to download an update, which is also useful. But whether harvesting information about the exact start and end times of phone calls is worthwhile, or indeed ethical, remains in question.

Another type of user data that’s frequently reported is the list of installed apps. That list can say a lot about the user, including, for example, political and religious preferences.

Combining user data from different sources

Despite their thorough work, the researchers were unable to obtain a complete picture of how various phone and software vendors collect and process user data. They had to make some assumptions.

Assumption one: Smartphone manufacturers that collect persistent identifiers can track user activity, even if said user erases all data from the phone and replaces the SIM card.

Assumption two: All market participants have the ability to exchange data and, by combining persistent and temporary IDs, plus different types of telemetry, create the fullest possible picture of users’ habits and preferences. How this actually happens — and whether developers actually exchange data, or sell it to third-party aggregators — is beyond the scope of the study.

 

The researchers speculate on the possibility of combining data sets to create a full profile of the smartphone owner (gaid stands for Google Advertising ID). Source

Takeaways

The nominal winner in terms of privacy turned out to be the phone with the Android variant /e/OS, which uses its own analog of Google Play Services and didn’t transmit any data at all. The other phone with open-source firmware (LineageOS) sent information not to the developers, but to Google, because the latter’s services were installed on that phone. These services are needed for the device to operate properly — some apps and many features simply do not work, or work poorly, without Google Play Services.

As for the proprietary firmware of popular manufacturers, there is little to separate them. They all collect a fairly large set of data, citing user care as the reason. They essentially ignore users’ opt-out from collecting and sending “usage data,” the authors note. Only more regulations to ensure greater consumer privacy can change that situation, and for now, only advanced users who can install a nonstandard OS (with restrictions on the use of popular software) can eliminate telemetry completely.

As for security, the collection of telemetry data does not appear to pose any direct risks. The situation is radically different from third-tier smartphones, on which malware can be installed directly at the factory.

The good news from the study is that data transmission is fairly secure, which at least makes it hard for outsiders to gain access. The researchers did specify one important caveat: They tested European smartphone models with localized software. Elsewhere, depending on laws and privacy regulations, situations may differ.

To anyone concerned about privacy, I recommend GrapheneOS. If you have a Pixel device, installation is dead simple.

To find apps, go to r/fossdroid

How I significantly sped up my Android phone and improved battery life: disable accessibility auto-fill, turn off Google Photos backup, and compile all my apps

(I have a Snapdragon Galaxy S22, but these tricks should apply to any phone)

Recently I noticed my phone warmed up more often, and sometimes slowed down enough to drop frames in animations or when taking a lot of pictures. This was a new thing, and so I wondered what I changed in the recent weeks that could be causing this, and started undoing those changes. I discovered three things that improved my phone performance a lot:

• I disabled Bitwarden’s accessibility-based autofill service. This is a very convenient feature, since not all apps have a good support for the Android’s autofill framework – however, I think this service is very battery consuming. Disabling it I noticed my phone being way faster, and not warming up as fast in tasks like video recording. I don’t know for sure, but it’s almost as if this service is constantly scanning the screen for autofill fields – and this consumes power.

• I turned off Google Photos Auto-backup. Again, an extremely convenient service – but turning off the automatic backup made my phone faster. In particular, taking lots of pictures in a row and then deleting them is way faster without the backup feature enabled. In some way this makes sense: Google Photos (stupidly) insists on backing up all photos the moment they are created, and so this upload service is constantly running, being interrupted if a photo is deleted, and then starting up again if another photo is taken. If only Google would bring back the setting to upload only while charging…

• This last point might be a placebo, but I think it helped: I learned that on Android, you can compile your apps! Conveniently, for Samsung phones, there actually is an app that effectively runs the adb shell cmd package compile -m speed-profile -f -a command for you without having to set up adb: the weirdly named Good Guardian App Booster. “Good Guardians” is a new (and worse) name for Galaxy Labs, a collection of apps with special system privileges. Unlike almost all apps that claim to boost your performance, this one actually does something.

Three weeks since I switched from android (Samsung Galaxy S21) to apple (iPhone 14) — my thoughts so far

Got my 14 PM on launch day. Here are my experiences so far switching from an S21 Ultra.

Pros

Stellar battery performance: I am always ending around 30-40%. As a heavy user, I am pretty impressed with the amount of juice I get compared to the Samsung S21 Ultra I had. Not sure if it’s just me, but I’ve noticed that the battery tends to uphold very well, usually above 85% before it drains quicker.

UI: iOS is smooooth as butter. As someone who pays a lot of attention to details, iOS has just been amazing. Android was good, but definitely not as smooth as iOS.

Faster? Maybe it’s my perception of the smoothness of the UI, but it definitely feels faster.

Dynamic Island: Definitely have not used it as much as I thought I would have. However I love the animation whenever I send Spotify to the background.

AOD: A factor as to why I chose this phone. I like the AOD wallpaper, despite it draining battery (from what I hear). Looks clean and crisp.

Camera: I haven’t really gotten the chance to take great pictures — however, I think the focusing speed is miles ahead. Less trouble attempting to focus with the iPhone.

Face ID: Definitely much quicker and more convenient. The ultrasonic fingerprint scanner was pretty cool, but I found that it was sometimes slow. The facial recognition is a no brainer.

Ecosystem and iMessage: I own a MacBook and iPad. I guess it’s nice to fit into the ecosystem. Not the top of my list though. iMessage has been very nice since my friends and family also have Apple.

Cons

Wacky bugs and display? Had one instance where the phone just turned off while using chrome. Not sure what it was, it wasn’t a hardware defect either. Had a couple times where the screen was unresponsive. One time where it stayed black and wouldn’t turn on. Gave it a few taps and it did.

Home Screen apps: Did not really like how I could not place apps where I wanted it on the screen, always moves up to fill the space.

Copy and paste: Perhaps my biggest pet peeve so far. Android had a clipboard that would have copied items to select from. Copied items on Apple disappear after a single use?

Customization: Minor, but Apple makes it up with personalization. I would love more widgets to choose from though.

AirPods: It is especially funky when I have both my laptop and phone on. Sometimes it would show it’s connected to one device but not work. Had to turn Bluetooth off for one device to use the correct one.

Face ID: Needs to be the right distance for it to work. Had periods where it didn’t recognize me.

Overall, 8/10 experience so far. I’d say I’m still pretty new to this, so if you have any advice, I am open to it. I can also answer questions about my switching.

How I resolved my Yellow tint issue on iPhone 13

 

I recently bought new iPhone 13 and I notice that there was some strange yellow tent on the screen. i even disabled the True tone and double checked night shit but the tint still persisted, it was so sharp that basically overpowered anything that i viewed on my screen be it videos or photos, it basically felt like i was viewing everything in sharp afternoon sun.

I took it to an Apple Genius and he basically told me to get used to it as apple has been doing the same with all iPhone models post 12,he even showed me units of iPhone 12 and 14 series to compare and all screens had a heavy warm display.

I decided to tackle it myself so i went to accesibility option and there is a colour filter that lets you adjust hue,i moved the hue raadar in a manner that the screen was a little light on warm colours and a little heavy on cool colours and i used my iPad air A14 model as reference and Voila the screen now looks absolutley drop dead gorgeous and there is not overly warm display l. I checked the max brightness also outdoors abd there doesn’t seem to be much diff.

In case anyone wants further details on my modification i can also attach the ss of the exact setting

My views on some of the shortcomings of iPhone

I have been meaning to write this for quite some time. I have had an iPhone 13 for almost a month and these sre a few things i feel could be improved further , i would love to hear from the community also as to what their opinion is

1. The battery life isn’t what it was advertised to be, even on light usage i have to charge twice daily and SOT hovers mostly around 4 hrs, couple that with an awfully slow charging speed it’s an absolute headache.

2) iPhone houses a pretty powerful SOC and i feel it’s underutilized in terms of gaming emulation

3) Camera doesn’t give user a choice to actually turn HDR on and off and sometimes photos are over sharpened as fuck, they feel dark and colors are blown the fuck out of proportion

4) Same Apps cost a lot more on Apple store as compared to Android, for security reasons apple doesn’t allow easy sideloading and couple that with high cost of apps (especially games) it’s a kick in the shin

5) Apple boasts a “Neural Engine” per say but i feel it does a shitty job in terms of image processing compared to pixel

6) I don’t  know what standard does apple follow while color calibrating the screens but it can’t be correct. The screen has a heavy yellow tint to an extent that it feels that some dehydrated dude took a piss on your screen. You have to use color filter to improve the whites. One shouldn’t be required to perform such stuff on a phone this costly just to get a good viewing experience

7) default storage that icloud provides is 5gb, I haven’t seen a more blatant rip off in terms of squeezing your customers dry than this, what’s the point of giving out such low storages by default whereas google in comparison offers a lot more

8) Lack of customization, i won’t call it a shortcoming per say since it might just be how apple wants to design it’s device but this phone can seriously use some customization in terms of icons, screen color calibration etc

Dynamic Island – Tip

When listening to music on your iPhone 14 Pro/Pro Max, swipe left or right on the dynamic island to hide the music animation.

What features would you like to see most in a future iPhone?

Now that the iPhone 14 Pro series has been out for a while, what new features would you like to see on the next iteration of the iPhone? Maybe something like:

• USB-C/Thunderbolt

• Larger/Folding display

• Better battery life

• Apple Pencil Support

• Sapphire crystal in front and back

• More/better cameras

• M1/M2 processor

• External display support

• USB-C, and 48+ megapixel for the ultrawide and telephoto lenses. More zoom would be nice too for the telephoto.
• Able to use 3rd party keyboard (SwiftKey) a cross everything. I need my number row and easy punctuation.
• I’d love for the slow motion video to have options for higher framerate. I think iPhones have been capped at 240fps slow motion for quite a while. There are a lot of hurdles to get that higher but man 500fps slow motion footage would be awesome.
• USB-C / Thunderbolt
• Better battery life
• 48 megapixel for the ultrawide and telephoto lenses, with more zoom
• Slow Motion with higher framerate
• Better AOD
• Lighter weight
• Improved Dynamic Island appearances, should they continue it.
• Improved Camera bump situation…

• And although I know it won’t happen; I still want a Pro Mini. Thicker to support better battery, with all the “Pro” features.

• Probably the 100x zoom like Samsung has
• I want to have numbers on my keyboard! Even if it’s a toggle in settings.
• now that apple watch ultra is out, its only a matter of time we get a ultra rugged iphone that you can take with you mountain climbing in sub zero temps

• USB-C on regular iPhones and thunderbolt 4 on the pro’s

• I like the current size of the iPhone 14 Pro Max but if they could make the bezels thinner and push the display closer to the edge that would be great.

• I want 18-24 hours of screen on time

• I would love an Apple Pencil mini

• I don’t think they should put sapphire crystal on the front because I heard it’s easier to crack

• I think the current amount of camera lenses is good but if they could make each lens 48mp for symmetry sake that would be very nice

• A series chips are more than enough for the iPhone

• Apple should make something as cool as Samsung dex

• Pro Mini

• Better battery life only if it comes through improved technology, not if it comes through larger phone size or heavier weight.

• Absolutely opposed to more camera lenses or bigger camera lenses. They are already ridiculous.

• Thunderbolt and external display support. Gimme that one device dream!
• NFC writing/reading. I have an android and it’s sole purpose is adding data to NFC cards.
• The only folding phone I would accept is one that can easily be flipped open with one hand, like the old flip phones. That’s what the existing ones don’t have. They require two hands to open easily. See the ads which only show one-handed closing, never opening. If they tried to show that it would look supremely awkward.
• Maybe I’m a Luddite but I really don’t understand the appeal to a folding smartphone. I totally understood why the flip phones of yore were so handy and their “closed” position reduced the vulnerability of their innards. But every time I’ve looked at a folding screen I’m distracted by the crease down the folding line. I guess an iPhone -> iPad mini might be interesting but it strikes me that the combined device would manage to be a worse iPhone and worse iPad mini.

• I’m always greedy for more battery life, no doubt. Otherwise idk. I don’t care much about USB C. It’s better, no doubt, but lightning is easier to plug in in the dark when I’m in bed with the lights off. Bigger/folding display just means it’d be expensive as fuck, so no. Better camera is always nice, but they’re pretty good nowadays. M1/M2 seems like overkill. I’ve never felt my iPhone needs more performance, although maybe it’d mean longer lifespan for the phone.

  Maybe better voice dictation and Siri improvements comparable to Google Assistant and assistant voice typing. More accurate keyboard/autocorrect. Maps is better than before but still needs work.

• 3D Touch

• Dark mode wallpapers

• Apple pencil support similar to the s22u

• Also side loading apps.

• Real full functional alternative keyboard like swiftkey

• Change stainless steel to aluminum to save on weight

• Better zoom and lenses for camera

• I would like for something similar to Dynamic Island to remain after putting the cameras behind the display, also allowing it to use the whole area and possibly be less intrusive for certain other apps.
• Removal of notch/dynamic island. Ability to place icons wherever on the home screen(s). Some kind of simultaneous apps/multitasking so you can be watching something and texting people at the same time for example. And lighter materials for the larger versions. Making them stainless or whatever to concoct a story they are more lux is dumb since they are covered by cases and make the phone weigh so much it pulls your pants down And usb-c

• I don’t care one way or the other about USB-C, but for people who need it, USB3 data transfer speeds for large videos and files will probably require it, as I think that lightning is limited.

  I don’t want a folding phone unless it is as thin as today’s phones when it is folded.

  Better battery is always welcome.

  No on pencil. Don’t need or want it.

  Sapphire crystal on the front might be nice, but it is a lot more expensive to put on hundreds of millions of iPhones, it is likely less break-resistant (sapphire glass is more scratch resistant but also more brittle, so would fracture more easily). As for the back, I hate the idea of glass to begin with and would prefer going back to aluminum enclosures with a glass cutout for antennas or radios, but that’s not going to happen without a major change to MagSafe. So making the whole line more like the 14 non-pro so that the glass in back can be easily replaced I think is a must going forward.

  The A series processors are basically exactly the same as the M series processors so I’m not sure what that would accomplish to start calling them M series.

  External display, for me, no interest at all.

  As for other new features – can’t really think of much. Periscope cameras probably so that they can reduce the thickness of the camera bump and lenses. Get rid of stainless on the Pro models and switch to aluminum or titanium for weight savings. Maybe a hardware button like the action button on the new Ultra watch that can be used for specific purposes in apps, like as a camera shutter button (and can be used to quickly launch the camera with a press), or can be used in apps for specific purposes (I’m thinking that games could use it for example.)

• split screen multitasking

• usb-c

• periscope camera

• under screen camera/faceid

• folding/rolling screen

• small screen on the back (for 48mp selfies)

iOS 16: Extend battery life without battery saver mode

If you’re like me and have just updated your system to iOS 16 and experiencing quick battery drainage

Here’s how to fix it.

(NOTE: Those are good practices to extend your battery life until apple fixes the problem) at the end I will tell you about an unofficial way that truly fixes the problem

1. Turn off Keyboard Haptic Feedback (Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Keyboard Feedback > Turn Off “Haptic Feedback” (don’t turn it off if you like it)

2. Limit the location service for the apps that matter

3. Prevent your weather widget from location service heavy use

   1. Settings > Privacy & Security > Location > Services > Weather > Never

   2. Press & Hold the widget

   3. Press Edit Widget

   4. Change to the location of your desire

4. Enable Auto Brightness

   1. Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text size > Turn On “Auto Brightness”

5. Use Dark Mode (OLED Screens like on the iPhone are naturally dark so when you view an image that’s 80% pure black, only 20% of the phone screen is actually pumping out light. So dark mode will give you more dark estate)

6. Disable Background Apps Auto-Refresh

   1. Settings > General > Disable “Background App Refresh”

7. Turn off Home & Lock Screen light up when a notification comes (Believe it or not, this used to occupy 17% of my battery)

   1. Settings > Notifications > Turn On/Off apps according to your priorities

   2. For medium-priority apps you can use summary notifications, so at a certain time of the day you choose it will send you the day’s notification summary

After you’re done with the changes you decided to go with. You have to initiate a Forced Restart

Here’s how:

1. Press Volume Up then Volume Down

2. Press and hold the side button

3. Release the side button once you see the apple logo

Now those are good practices you should be doing to maintain your phone’s battery health but it seems that there is a pattern. Every two new versions of iOS you install on your phone, a battery catastrophe happens.

Some people had luck resetting their phones settings (this doesn’t erase the content or contact on your phone)

Here’s how:

1. Go to settings > General > Reset > “Reset All Settings” > Enter your passcode if needed. >

When in your car, charge your phone. If you use Car Play often buy a 3-in-1 solution. (Wireless Carplay, Wireless Chargining, MagSafe mount)

Any easy way to prevent Bluetooth devices from connecting automatically without unpairing them?

In Android you can click on the arrow or cog on the right side of a device in Bluetooth settings, then disable all profiles. Then the phone won’t autoconnect anymore.

Off the top of my head, I think you can approach this from multiple ends. In most cases, there should be frontend settings to alter or disable this behavior. On some devices, you’ll have fine-tuned control from the userspace device settings (but sometimes not out-of-box, e.g., as with Samsung’s Sound Assistant). For those seeking even greater degree of control, you can

1) use automation tools, e.g., IFTTT/macrodroid/etc to define conditional triggers,

2) I believe Dev Ops has a setting that impacts BT stack and versions,

3) if you have root (don’t necessarily need it even, e.g., using SetEdit), you can dive in and manually modify the BT device profile attributes (but at your own risk!), 4) for CrOS environment, Crosh has the bt_console utility.

Android games with no ads and in-app purchases and no permission requests whatsoever?

1. Try f-droid games.
2. Conceptis puzzles are all ad-free and don’t require permissions but they do have IAP for extra levels, however the free ones are more than enough to get hours of fun.
3. Not an app but Google has a website built for low bandwidth games called Gamesnacks. You can play some of these on your Android Auto screen when parked. I have a bookmark to it saved with my game apps and will use those when i am in need of something quick and light.
4. Look for Simon Tathams portable puzzle collection.
   It’s android and pc at the very least.

5. I got my kids the “Fire Kids” tablets from Amazon, and they come with a year of their “free time” subscription. All the games on the service are free to install, have no ads, and have micro transactions either turned off or free to use.

   Obviously you’d have to use the Amazon app store, and there’s a subscription but we’ve found it good value.

   It’s not just stuff for little kids, there’s stuff like Monument Valley on there too

6. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.FeraswheelGames.TechnoDrop

   Techno drop om android, no ads, no in ap purchase. No permissions required. There is only 1 ad but that is only if you chose to view it!. Other then that. No ads. Addictive game play.

7. Just search for “game apps from developers who went out of business due to unsustainable business model”
8. Vector Pinball. It’s free, open source, and has no permissions, ads, or limits.
9. Stardew Valley. The World Ends with You.

iPhone- How to deny permission for an app to open other apps?

Guided Access 

iPhone – How do I download years worth of texts/google chats from deceased friend?

I think you want to use the iMazing app. Grab it for Mac or Windows

https://imazing.com/guides/how-to-archive-iphone-messages-sms-to-your-computer

I used this to backup my old texts as well just in case. You can make a phone backup to iTunes, but can’t actually go through the messages.

Going forward I highly suggest going to Settings/Messages and under Message History set Keep Messages to Forever if you want to save all messages.

What are some important settings to change when it comes to protecting your iPhone and privacy stuff like that.

• Turn of location, microphone, camera, and ad permissions
• Just go through every menu option to explore what options are available. There is no one size fits all for privacy or security settings. One thing that I use that nobody ever talks about is under screen time. Under content i believe is account changes. I set to don’t allow. Same with passcode. Don’t allow. Can come in real handy.

What are the Pros and Cons to screen repairs at Apple?

1. Genuine part as Mysterious said

2. Replacement of ip68 seal (other shops use lower quality seals and just hand press edges – not good enough).

3. In settings, the repair history will show a genuine part replacement, as opposed to “unable to verify genuine” message at third party shops.

Bonus: resaleability is high.

4. Apple is the only place where you can get a genuine screen with a 90 days warranty.

5. With Apple you know the job is done right with OEM parts and they’ll stand behind their work. I’m not saying third party shops can’t do that. But I can say that none have the consistent quality standard that Apple adheres to. Go with Apple if you value peace of mind.

How do you transfer iPhone photos videos to hard drive with a laptop?

If your iPhone or iPad won’t update

https://support.apple.com/HT201435

Back up iPhone

https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iph3ecf67d29/ios

Transfer photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your Mac or PC

https://support.apple.com/HT201302

iPhone – How do I delete this random 20 gig of data that doesn’t show up anywhere

u/dat_boi_there, I’ve seen this phenomena myself with our household devices. Namely with my better half, she will send me pictures, voice memos, videos and everything in between (smileys, gifs, etc, etc)… quickly, if I don’t delete the thread I will see the overall size in the cache (Documents and Data) section grow way larger than the size of the media files listed in the details, just as in the picture with this post. Only when I delete the conversation thread, then I get the size in Documents and Data to go back down.

For context (very high level as a detailed explanation is simply too long to go through):

-when you have received/sent as well as forwarded/shared content that you’ve received in iMessage, then a ‘cache’ is generated (1)

-So as long as the threads where those actions took place are still present, then that ‘cache’ may not be cleared (2)

-The process gets further even larger if you have edited/re-shared/forwarded that media (for example Pictures, Videos, etc) (3).

-if you have icloud backups enabled, than this cache gets even bigger (4) and can also cause an (abnormal) increase in the size of iOS’s own System Data as well.

With any combination of 1, 2, 3, 4 then you can have, very quickly, the file(s) many times over, instead of just once .

If you want to clear that ‘cache’ (in Documents and Data), then you have to clean up your media, possibly delete the conversations, before you will see any changes.

Now, You as the owner know better the media you have received/shared/exchanged and depending on that use, then is that the overall cache may only get even bigger and you need to decide how and what media/message threads you want to clear and reclaim/free up space.

 When dealing with Cache issues in Documents and Data, iOS’s System Data, it is always recommend FIRST a clean power cycle… as close all apps, then shut down, restart recheck. As example see the article in the link below, which actually has a run down, from top to bottom how to go about to what is known as the ‘Storage Bug’: https://www.reddit.com/r/ios/comments/y50tag/how_the_fuck_do_i_clear_this_lmao/

u/BasedSigmaGrindset, this is an ongoing issue which affects iOS (for several generations including iOS 16) as well as all native iOS Apps, which is known as the ‘Storage Bug’.

The very first option for you would be to power cycle your device. That is, closing all apps, shutting down the device and once it has turned off, then turn it back on and check. Users have reported that post-power-cycle, there is in many cases a substantial decrease in the size of ‘System Data’. If you don’t see a change, then you can also try, either ‘cleaning up’ your Apps that have the most size in ‘Documents and Data’ or just delete those apps (do NOT offload as offloading will keep the Documents and Data portion as well as the gigantic cache in System Data and/or with the iOS Partition –can be both as well–), power-cycle (shut down, then re-start), then re-download those apps and see if you have a change in Storage Management.

Users have also reported success after syncing their devices with iTunes (PC or equivalent app on the Mac) and/or completing any pending iCloud backup(s) (or alternatively disabling iCloud backups, then power cycling your device –see immediately above– to allow the device to clear as much cache as possible). This however is very mixed, so you should try that next.

Other users have reported also a substantial decrease post an iOS Update and again the reports have been mixed as neither of these two variants are a 100% success on all users, so you are going to continue to troubleshoot this issue further (especially if you are already in the current iOS Version).

Also, if you use Streaming Apps, for example, not limited to, listed in no particular order: Podcasts, Apple’s own Music App for music streaming, Netflix, Spotify, etc., and this also applies to Social Media Apps (WhatsApp, Signal, Instagram, etc), you may see an abnormal increase in the Size of ‘System Data’ (or the iOS partition itself) and that is in addition to already an increase in the size of ‘Documents and Data’ section on the given streaming app itself. In such cases, then you will need to first to either clean up those apps and in some cases even delete those offending / data hoarding apps (do NOT offload the app as that will retain the huge cache data in your device, which is what you are trying to get rid off) and re-start your device (ie. power cycle your device) and re-check in Storage Management post re-boot.

If after having tried the above options and you don’t see a change for the better, then I actually have posted two separate Reddit Posts with regard to this issue, options and what the ‘best’ solution that has so far worked for me:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ios/comments/tf35t3/ios_154_post_update_storage_bug_system_data_case/

and

https://www.reddit.com/r/ios/comments/shbbuu/ios_15x_storage_bug_case_scenario/

Immediately after your factory your device, if you go back into iPhone Storage, then your iOS Main Partition as well as ‘System Data’ will go back down to it’s original size.

If immediately after the Factory reset, you don’t see this change, then you may need to re-install iOS via your PC (or Mac) though this is only happened in one of my devices todate. Of my affected iOS devices with this issue, all but one worked with the Factory reset and (so far) only one I had to re-install iOS to bring it back to it’s normal size.

Important here, that you will have to re-set up your device from scratch as a brand new device.

If you ‘restore from backup’ (iCloud, or through PC/MAC), even if a partial restore, then you will bring back the problem again, defeating the hard-reset in the first place.

As already mentioned in my previous post(s) –see the above links to those posts in this reply–, it will be even more helpful for you to is to report this as a ‘Bug Report’ directly to apple

https://www.apple.com/feedback/

Make sure when you are filling out the form, you select ‘Bug Report’ as the category of your the report you are filing (it is a drop down list, ‘Bug Report’ is one of the choices)

The more people that report this problem to apple, the sooner that they will hopefully address this Bug with iOs.

How to listen to Youtube in the background now that vanced is gone?

1. I use Youtube on Firefox. If you use desktop mode, it should continue playing even when you are not on the app or have the screen on. I just tried it on my phone and it kept playing. Also, add Ublock Origin and you won’t have to worry about ads either
2. Newpipe is a good alternative.

3. You tube in any browser should work for you just make sure your on-desktop mode. even when the browser is in the background you should see quick controls you can use to skip/play/pause.

   Fun fact: browser in desktop mode should also allow you to use “windowed mode” if you don’t have access to that feature as well.

4. For Android: NewPipe on Github, or GoTube/Pure Tuber on the Play Store, or just use the web browser you have on desktop mode to play in background.

5. For Android TV: SmartTubeNext on Github.

6. For PC web browser : use “Enhancer for YouTube” addon or “uBlock origin” addon

7. For PC as an app: GoTube

Does anyone know wat the arrow that occasionally comes on next to the time is from?

Location Services is active. 

Settings—->Mail—>Notifications—> then turn badges off….

Poof, email count gone.

Occasionally means some app is using location service and when you close the app, arrow goes away

You just closed or were using a location dependent app or is using , or the application is set to always use your location.

iPhone Unavailable (White Letters on Black Screen) 

Here’s the fix. Thanks to u/denytheflesh.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204306

I was able to fix this issue for my brother in laws phone. He kept saying even tho he was typing his password in correct it kept saying it was wrong till his phone told him to connect to itunes because of the password failed attempts. So i connected the phone and clicked restore and update because I couldn’t just update or back up the data I wasnt give that option. Once I let the phone do its thing with Itunes the phone restarted with that same screen at the top.

• I was working with an iPhone 6s

• First I connected the phone to my computer with iTunes opened up on my computer

• I kept trying to put the phone into recovery mode till Itune was able to actually know a phone was connected to it

• On itunes on my laptop I clicked restore phone and update but my iphone screen was completely black with no letter not even the letter listed up on the first photo that Magic has.

• But itunes was able to pick up the phone connected to my computer even tho nothing was on the screen(it was just black) so I clicked update and restore but it went back to the iPhone unavailable screen

• So I tried again to put the phone into recovery mode and this time when the screen was all black I kept clicking the come button on the iphone so it would not auto restart back into the iPhone unavaible screen

• Then the phone screen was all black but it was popping up on Itune’s so I clicked update and restore phone and before I know it started to do it but then the phone restarted again but this time once the screen came on I got this screen. support/.apple.com/iphone/restore with little laptop that (basically said connect me to itunes)

• Once I connected the phone to iTunes I was able to I was able to update and restore phone without a problem. I see the apple select a language and then a hello and gave the phone back after I saw that hello

iPhone – How can I delete system data to free up space?

• backup on pc/mac -> then format > then restore the backup

• If you have a PC, install iTunes, launch iTunes, and connect your phone to your PC.

  If you have a Mac, connect the phone to your Mac.

  Doing either should automatically free up at least some space used by System Data.

  Finally, if you have an iOS update pending, install it because that may be taking up some of that space.

iPhone security  – 8 viruses found message. What is it?

It’s a scam. Restart your phone and clear the browser cache.

What can cause a 4 month old iPhone 12 Pro battery health to drop to 89%?

Extremely poor charging habits.

Constant charging and recharging.

If SoH drops below 80% IN THE FIRST YEAR, with fewer than 500 charge cycles, you are entitled to a free battery swap.

https://www.apple.com/batteries/service-and-recycling/

SoH is not linear. The phone stays at or near 100% for a long time when new.

SoC is not linear either. It is a guess about how long the chemical reactions in your battery will be able to keep your phone on. Temperature and usage can make SoC vary a lot.

TL;DR 92% SoH on a 9 months old phone (manufactured in or around 2018, though) is not unexpected if you are still in “teenager usage” mode (more than one full charge a day, phone constantly on, playing games while charging). You are squeezing your battery over its design specs.

Why is my iOS storage so large after upgrading to 16?

I think my iPhone has a virus?? It’s like this for every day in my calendar, does anyone know how to resolve this?

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211076

Settings > Calendars > Accounts (remove suspicious or unfamiliar account).

What to check before buying a second hand or used smartphone?

I am thinking about buying a second hand Samsung Galaxy S21. What should I check before buying?

I just discovered code  #0# will help to check phone’s physical condition. How about IMEI? What else should I check before making the deal, especially because it’s private sale and therefore non-returnable.

Get the IMEI, and go to a site that will allow you to check ALL Carriers Blacklist. If it’s clear there, and physically good, then check the #0# settings. But the biggest thing is people getting a flagship phone, then not paying it off, and carriers blacklist them based on the IMEI.

*#0011# → MIPI TEST SUCCESS(6). If it displays MIPI FAIL(6):0x???,0x???,0x???,0x??? then there is a hardware issue.

*#0011# → IMEI Status OK, not NG.

Settings → About → Software → Android security patch level. If it is too old, why is it too old? A workaround applied because the device fails to start otherwise or there are issues with the IMEI?

Here’s how to determine slightly used vs heavily used, if preferred.

Insert a SIM → after the phone connects → check *#0011# LTE PS/CS Cause or GMM/MM Cause, 6/6 = currently blacklisted. A SIM tool is required to eject the tray.

Reset the phone from the settings, not the recovery menu. If you reset the phone from the recovery menu, the phone may ask for the previously used Google Account, then you’ll have to ask the previous owner for their email and password.

While the phone is off, hold both volume keys then connect the phone to some other phone. The screen should be cyan, approve. If WARRANTY VOID is not 0, the phone had unofficial software at one point, and Samsung Pay, Secure Folder, Samsung Pass, Samsung Health, MDM, and Warranty are permanently revoked. Exit by holding power + volume down for 7 seconds.

If *#0011# differs then the device is imported, not SM-G99xB

You can use this app to test lots of things on the phone.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inpocketsoftware.andTest&hl=en_US&gl=US

Reboot the phone & be sure seller didn’t leave it locked.

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How AI is Impacting Smartphone Longevity – Best Smartphones 2023

Is it possible to sideload an app or game onto the Xbox One?

Can you purchase a SIM only contract for an iPhone without buying a new device from Apple?

 

 

Yes, you can purchase a SIM-only contract for an iPhone without buying a new device from Apple.

A SIM-only contract is a mobile phone contract that provides a customer with a SIM card and a set amount of call minutes, text messages, and data each month, but doesn’t include a new device. This is different from a traditional mobile phone contract, where a customer typically gets a new device included with the contract.

You can purchase a SIM-only contract from a mobile network carrier or from a reseller. Many carriers and resellers offer SIM-only plans for all types of devices, including the iPhone.

When you purchase a SIM-only plan, you can use it with an existing iPhone that you already own, as long as it is unlocked and compatible with the carrier’s network. You will need to make sure that your iPhone is unlocked to be able to use it with another carrier, and to check the iPhone model that is compatible with the carrier’s network before getting a SIM-only contract.

It’s also worth noting that this type of contract is becoming more popular as a way to save money and take control of the cost of mobile service.

 

What happens if an app is removed from Google Play but I already installed it?

 

 

If an app is removed from the Google Play Store but you have already installed it on your device, the app will continue to function as normal on your device. However, you will not be able to update the app through the Google Play Store as the app is no longer available for download.

Additionally, you will no longer receive any updates or support for the app from the developer, and if the app is removed for a security or privacy concern, the app may become vulnerable to exploits and malware that the developer is no longer patching.

Also, you will not be able to download the app again from Google Play Store if you delete the app from your device or if you want to install it on another device, so it’s recommended to keep a backup of the app or apk file,

It’s important to note that this could also be a risk for security and privacy, as the app may be removed from the Google Play Store for a reason, and it’s always best to check with the app developer or on the app’s description on the Google Play Store if there any reason why the app was removed before installing it on your device.

Does Google store a history of all apps that have been installed and uninstalled on your Android device?

Google does store a record of the apps that have been installed on an Android device through the Google Play Store, but it may not store a history of all apps that have been uninstalled.

Google stores a record of the apps that have been installed through the Google Play Store, including the date and time of installation and the specific device on which the app was installed. This information is used to keep track of the apps that you have installed on your device, as well as to improve the recommendations and search results within the Play Store.

However, Google may not store a history of all apps that have been uninstalled on the device. This could be due to the fact that apps that were not downloaded from the Google Play store are not controlled by Google but rather by the developer.

In addition, Google allows users to control what data is stored, and users can clear their Google Play Store history by going to their Google Account, Google Play Store settings, and click on “Clear local search history.”

It’s worth noting that there could be third-party app and apps which claim to track the apps installation and uninstalls history and also there are few ways you can track it via using some 3rd party apps or scripts and analyzing the files stored on the device.

Is there a way to download Google Play apps onto a Mac device?

 

 

It is not possible to directly download and install apps from the Google Play Store onto a Mac device. The Google Play Store is designed to work with Android devices, and apps can only be downloaded and installed directly onto an Android device.

However, there are a few ways that you can access and use Android apps on a Mac:

1. Use an Android emulator: An Android emulator is a program that allows you to run Android apps on a computer. There are several popular Android emulators available, such as BlueStacks, NoxPlayer, and LDPlayer, which can be downloaded and installed on a Mac. Once installed, you can download and install apps from the Google Play Store onto the emulator, allowing you to use the apps on your Mac.

2. Remote Access: You can access a remote Android device from a Mac, such as by using TeamViewer. This allows you to interact with the Android device and use the apps installed on it, as if you were physically using the device.

3. Using Chrome Extension: Some apps available on the google play store can be installed as an extension on chrome browser, this type of apps are Progressive Web App (PWA) which have been made available through Google Play store and can be installed like any other chrome extension,

It’s worth noting that using an emulator or remote access may not provide the same performance or functionality as using the app on an actual Android device, and the app may not work as expected.

It’s also important to note that while it may be possible to download apps from third-party app stores on a Mac, downloading apps from sources other than the Google Play Store could be a security risk, and it’s always best to download apps only from trusted sources.

What is the best Android phone with dual SIM and call blocking features?

 

 

The best Android phone with dual SIM and call blocking features will depend on your specific needs and budget.

Here are a few popular options for dual SIM Android phones with call blocking features:

1. Samsung Galaxy S22 series: Samsung Galaxy S21 series models include S21, S21 Plus and S21 Ultra. These phones support dual SIM functionality (nano-SIM and eSIM) and offer advanced call blocking features, such as the ability to block calls from specific numbers and set call-screening options.

2. Google Pixel 7 Pro: Google Pixel 7 phone comes with a dual SIM functionality (nano-SIM and eSIM) and has a robust call-blocking system that allows you to block unwanted calls and spam messages

3. OnePlus North pro: These phones come with dual SIM support (nano-SIM and eSIM) and include a call blocking feature that allows you to block specific numbers and automatically filter out spam calls.

4. Xiaomi Mi 11: Xiaomi Mi 11 is one of the most powerful phone in the market, it also comes with dual SIM support (nano-SIM and eSIM) and features a call blocking feature which lets you block calls from specific numbers and also has a call identification feature that can help you identify and block spam calls.

5. Motorola Moto G Power: This phone comes with dual SIM support, it’s an affordable option and offers a call blocking feature that lets you block calls from specific numbers and it also has a feature that automatically blocks calls from known spammers.

These are just a few examples, and there are many other options available as well. When choosing a phone, it’s important to consider your budget and specific needs, and to read reviews and compare features of different models to find the best option for you.

Can you turn off the firewall on an Android phone without root access?

 

 

It is not possible to turn off the firewall on an Android device without root access because the firewall is built into the operating system and the necessary permissions to change the firewall settings are only available to the root user. However, depending on the phone and android version, it may be possible to turn off firewall with permission to ADB (Android Debug Bridge) command.

What security measures should be taken to avoid malicious apps from stealing data in Android phones?

 

 

There are several steps you can take to protect your Android device from malicious apps that may try to steal your personal data:

1. Only download apps from trusted sources such as the Google Play Store. Avoid downloading apps from third-party app stores or websites, as they may contain malware.

2. Read reviews and check the number of downloads before installing an app. If an app has a lot of negative reviews or very few downloads, it may be best to avoid it.

3. Pay attention to the permissions that an app requests. If an app is asking for permissions that do not seem relevant to its functionality, be cautious about installing it.

4. Keep your device and apps updated. This will ensure that any security vulnerabilities are patched and that you have the latest features and bug fixes.

5. Use a reputable antivirus app. This will provide an additional layer of security to help protect your device from malware and other malicious software.

6. Be careful with sharing personal information online, such as credentials, banking details, personal contacts, location and avoid clicking on links from unknown sources.

7. Use a robust lockscreen passcode, pattern or biometric authentication to keep your device secure.

By following these steps, you can help protect your Android device and personal information from malicious apps.

 

What is a good Android call blocker/blocker for dual SIM phones?

 

There are several call blocker apps available for Android devices that support dual SIM phones, some popular options include:

1. Calls Blacklist: This app allows you to block unwanted calls and SMS messages, and it supports dual SIM phones. You can also create a whitelist of contacts that you always want to be able to reach you.

2. Truecaller: This app also supports call blocking for dual SIM phones and also allows you to block unwanted SMS messages. It also has a feature called caller ID which helps you to identify unknown numbers.

3. Call Blocker: This app is specifically designed for dual SIM phones and it allows you to block unwanted calls and messages. You can also create a whitelist of contacts that will always be able to reach you.

4. Mr. Number– Block calls & spam: This app allows you to block calls and text messages from specific numbers or unknown numbers, it also has a feature called “hang up and block” which will auto block and hang up calls from unwanted numbers

These are few of the apps that you can use to block unwanted calls, it is recommended to check the features and reviews of the apps before installing and using it.

What are some ways that Apple and Android differ on managing privacy settings?

 

 

Apple and Android have different approaches to managing privacy settings. Some key differences include:

1. Control over apps: On iOS, Apple reviews all apps available in the App Store and checks them for compliance with privacy guidelines. On Android, Google does not review all apps available in the Google Play Store, which means that some apps may have less stringent privacy policies.

2. Location tracking: On iOS, users can fine-tune the level of location tracking for each app. For example, an app might be able to access the user’s location only when it is open. On Android, users can turn location tracking on or off for all apps, but cannot fine-tune it on a per-app basis.

3. Data collection: On iOS, Apple limits the amount of data that apps can collect and share. On Android, apps can collect and share more data, but users can choose to limit this through the device’s settings.

4. Default apps: On iOS, users are unable to change the default apps that are used for certain functions, such as mail and web browsing. On Android, users can choose from a variety of apps to use as the default.

5. System level integration: Apple’s hardware, software, and services are designed to work together seamlessly which lead to tight integration. Google’s Android allows more flexibility and control of device which lead more fragmentation in the ecosystem.

6. Automatic Updates: iOS handle automatic updates through their software, making it simpler for users to always have the latest security patches. Android offers a similar system, but the software updates can be delayed due to the carrier and device manufacturers.

Does Google provide a built-in antivirus for Android devices? If not, why?

 

Google does not provide a built-in antivirus for Android devices. Android does have built-in security features, such as sandboxing and app signing, that help to protect users from malware, but it does not have a traditional antivirus software.

One of the reasons for this is that Android is an open-source operating system, which means that anyone can take the source code and use it to create their own version of the OS. As a result, it is not possible for Google to include a built-in antivirus without potentially impacting the performance of devices running different versions of the OS.

Another reason is that traditional antivirus software typically works by scanning the device’s storage for known malware patterns. But on a smartphone, where storage is limited, this can cause performance issues and slow down the device.

Google instead encourages users to only download apps from the Google Play store as it regularly scans the apps, but it is not a guarantee of full protection. They also recommend keeping software updates regular, use multi-factor authentication, and be vigilant of any suspicious emails or messages.

Many third-party antivirus apps are available on the Google Play store that can be downloaded and used to protect your device against malware and viruses. These apps can provide additional security features such as privacy protection, remote locate, and lock or wipe the device in case of theft or loss.

How do I know if my phone is slow?

 

 

There are a few signs that may indicate that your phone is running slow:

1. Slow startup and app launch: If your phone is taking a long time to boot up or open apps, it may be a sign that it’s running slow.

2. Lag and stuttering: If you’re experiencing lag or stuttering while navigating through the interface or using apps, it could be a sign of a slow phone.

3. High battery consumption: If your phone’s battery drains quickly, even when not in use, it could be a sign that it’s running too many background processes and using up more resources.

4. Overheating: If your phone is getting too hot, it could be a sign that it’s overworking and running slow.

5. Lack of storage: If your phone’s storage is full, it can cause the phone to slow down.

It is important to note that some of these signs may also be caused by other factors such as out of date apps or software, that can be fixed by updating or removing them. It’s also worth to note that with time, every device can get a bit slow and that its performance might degrade, specially on older devices with less memory and processing power. If you suspect that your phone is slow and running out of date, you may consider to backup your data and perform a factory reset or go for a software update if available.

 

What types of data does Google collect from apps?

 

 

Google collects a variety of data from apps that use its services, such as the Google Play Store, Google Maps, and Google Analytics. This data can include information about the device and its location, usage statistics, crash reports, and user-provided information such as email addresses, contact lists, and content of messages. Additionally, Google may collect information about user interactions with ads, such as the types of ads displayed, how often they were shown, and whether they were clicked on. The company uses this data to improve its services and to show relevant ads to users.

Listicle comparison between Samsung Galaxy S21 and iPhone 13 Pro Max

 

Here is a listicle comparison between the Samsung Galaxy S21 and the iPhone 13 Pro Max:

1. Display: The Samsung Galaxy S21 has a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 and a refresh rate of 120Hz, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display with a resolution of 2778 x 1284 and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz.

2. Camera: The Samsung Galaxy S21 has a triple-camera system with a 12MP main sensor, a 64MP telephoto sensor, and a 12MP ultrawide sensor. The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a triple-camera system with 12MP ultra wide, wide, and telephoto sensor.

3. Performance: The Samsung Galaxy S21 is powered by the Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100 (depending on the region), while the iPhone 13 Pro Max is powered by the A15 Bionic chip.

4. Software: The Samsung Galaxy S21 runs on One UI 3.1 based on Android 11, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max runs on iOS 15.

5. Battery: The Samsung Galaxy S21 has a 4000mAh battery with fast charging and wireless charging capabilities, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a larger 4,877mAh battery with fast charging and MagSafe wireless charging capabilities

6. Design: The Samsung Galaxy S21 is sleek and designed with a metal frame and a glass back, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max also designed with a glass back and stainless steel frame.

7. 5G: Both phone have 5G capabilities.

8. Water resistance: The Samsung Galaxy S21 is IP68 certified, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max is IP68 certified

9. Biometrics: Samsung Galaxy S21 has Fingerprint sensor, Face recognition, and Samsung’s Knox Security, meanwhile the iPhone 13 Pro Max has Face ID and Touch ID

10. Price: The Samsung Galaxy S21 is generally considered to be more affordably priced than the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Keep in mind that these specifications may change depending on the market or carrier, it’s always better to check with the specific device that you are interested in for the most accurate information.

What are the latest security threats for Android applications in 2023?

 

There are many security threats that can affect Android applications, and new threats are constantly emerging. Some of the latest security threats for Android applications include:

1. Malware: Malicious software that can harm a device, steal sensitive information, or gain unauthorized access to the device. Malware can be distributed through third-party app stores, phishing campaigns, or infected apps.

2. Adware: Unwanted software that displays ads on the device, often in the form of pop-ups or notifications. Adware can be distributed through third-party app stores or infected apps.

3. Ransomware: Malicious software that encrypts a device’s data and demands payment in exchange for the decryption key. Ransomware can be distributed through phishing campaigns or infected apps.

4. Backdoors: Code that can bypass the device’s security measures and provide attackers with unauthorized access to the device. Backdoors can be embedded in infected apps or added to legitimate apps through a supply-chain attack.

5. Exploits: Code that takes advantage of vulnerabilities in the operating system or apps to gain unauthorized access to a device. Exploits can be used to install malware, steal sensitive information, or gain access to the device’s resources.

6. Man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks: An attacker intercepts the communication between a device and a server, allowing them to steal sensitive information, such as login credentials or financial information.

7. Social engineering: This attack involves using trickery to persuade people to disclose sensitive information or perform actions that compromise their device’s security.

To protect against these threats, it is important for users to keep their devices and apps updated, only download apps from official app stores, be cautious of granting apps excessive permissions, and be aware of phishing scams and other social engineering tactics.

What are some good life hack apps for Android phones? How can we install them easily without rooting our phone?

There are many life hack apps available for Android phones that can help to improve productivity, organization, and overall quality of life. Some examples of popular life hack apps include:

1. Todoist: A task management app that allows users to create to-do lists and track progress on projects.

2. IFTTT: A automation app that allows users to create custom “recipes” that automate repetitive tasks, such as automatically saving a copy of all photos taken on a trip to a cloud storage account.

3. Forest: A productivity app that helps users stay focused by growing virtual trees when they are on task, and destroying them when they are not.

4. Google Keep: A note-taking and list-making app that allows users to easily capture and organize ideas, thoughts, and information.

5. Evernote: A note-taking and organization app that allows users to take notes, create to-do lists, and save webpages and other information for later reference.

6. RescueTime: A time management app that tracks how you spend your time on your phone and on your computer, giving you detailed reports and insights on your daily habits.

7. Pocket: An app that allows users to save articles, videos, and other content to read or watch later offline.

8. Todo.txt: A simple and flexible to-do list app that syncs across all your devices.

9. Read Aloud For Me: Read and Translate Text, Documents, Images in your chosen language without being tacked, Take Notes by Voice, Speech Syntesizer

These apps can be easily installed without rooting your phone, by simply visiting the Google Play Store and downloading them directly to your device.

It’s worth mentioning that rooting your phone means modifying the firmware and operating system of your phone to gain access to the root directory of the device, in other words, it’s a process that allows you to gain superuser permissions on your phone. While it can give you access to a lot of powerful features and apps, it also voids your phone’s warranty and puts your device at risk. Rooting is not always necessary to install apps, most of them are available on the Google Play Store.

What are some symptoms of a virus on an Android device?

 

Symptoms of a virus on an Android device can include:

• Slow performance
• Unusual or excessive data usage
• Unexpected pop-up ads
• Unfamiliar apps or icons on the home screen
• Unusual or unauthorized charges on the device’s bill
• Difficulty shutting down or restarting the device
• Battery drain
• Crashing or freezing of the device
• Unusual text messages or emails sent from the device
• Unusual activity on the device’s account, such as unauthorized purchases or changes to settings.

Do Android phones have viruses? If so, which is the best anti-virus for Android phones right now?

 

Yes, Android phones can be infected with viruses, as well as other types of malware such as trojans, adware, and spyware. The best way to protect an Android device from viruses and other malware is to install a reputable mobile security app.

There are many anti-virus apps available for Android phones, and the best one for you will depend on your specific needs. Some popular options include:

• AVG AntiVirus Free
• Avast Mobile Security
• Norton Mobile Security
• Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus
• McAfee Mobile Security
• Trend Micro Mobile Security

It’s important to note that many of these apps offer both free and paid versions, with the paid versions typically offering more advanced features such as real-time protection, anti-theft tools, and VPN.

It’s also important to keep your device updated with the latest security patch and OS version, download apps only from trusted sources such as Google Play Store, be cautious about clicking on links or opening files from untrusted sources and be mindful of the permissions you grant to apps.

What are the differences between Google Maps and Apple Maps? Why do some people use one while others prefer the other?

 

Google Maps and Apple Maps are both mapping and navigation apps that provide users with turn-by-turn directions, local business information, and the ability to view maps offline. However, there are some key differences between the two apps.

Google Maps has been around longer and has more comprehensive map data, which means it generally has more detailed information about businesses, points of interest, and public transit. It also has a larger user base and more reviews of businesses, which can be helpful when searching for a place to eat or shop. Google Maps also has more advanced features like Street View and the ability to create and share custom maps.

Apple Maps, on the other hand, is designed to integrate more seamlessly with other apps and services on an iPhone. For example, if you search for a business in Apple Maps, you can easily make a reservation through the OpenTable app or hail a ride with Uber without leaving the Maps app. Additionally, Apple Maps has been improved over the years with more accurate data and more features like Flyover and Look Around which provide 3D view of the location.

Some people may prefer Google Maps because of its more extensive map data and additional features, while others may prefer Apple Maps for its tighter integration with other apps and services on their iPhone.

How does Google Maps compare to other map providers in terms of accuracy and features?

 

Google Maps is widely considered to be one of the most accurate and feature-rich mapping and navigation apps available. It has a large amount of map data and a large user base, which helps to keep the information up-to-date and accurate. Google Maps also offers a wide range of features, including turn-by-turn navigation, real-time traffic updates, and detailed information about businesses and points of interest. Additionally, it has Street View, a feature that allows users to see panoramic views of streets, and 3D view of buildings and landmarks.

Other popular map providers, such as HERE Maps and TomTom, also offer a similar level of accuracy and feature-rich experience. HERE Maps, which is owned by a consortium of German automotive companies, focuses on providing accurate and detailed map data, and it is widely used in automotive navigation systems. TomTom, which is best known for its portable GPS devices, also offers a similar level of accuracy and features in its map app, including turn-by-turn navigation, real-time traffic updates, and detailed information about businesses and points of interest.

OpenStreetMap (OSM)is a free and open-source map provider that is built and maintained by a community of volunteers and organizations. Its data is collected through various sources such as GPS devices, aerial imagery and user contributions. The accuracy and features vary depending on the area and the level of community contributions, but it’s generally considered to be less accurate and less feature-rich than Google Maps, HERE Maps, and TomTom. However, it has been improving over the years and being used as a reference by various organizations and startups.

Overall, Google Maps is considered to be one of the most accurate and feature-rich map providers, but other providers such as HERE Maps and TomTom also offer a high-quality mapping experience.

 

How is the accuracy of directions in Google Maps determined?

 

 

The accuracy of directions in Google Maps is determined by a combination of several factors, including:

1. GPS data from users’ devices: Google Maps uses GPS data from users’ devices to determine their current location and provide directions based on that location. The more accurate the GPS data, the more accurate the directions will be.

2. Map data: Google Maps uses a combination of satellite imagery, street-level imagery, and user-generated data to create its maps. The more accurate and up-to-date this map data is, the more accurate the directions will be.

3. Traffic data: Google Maps uses real-time traffic data to provide accurate travel times and suggest alternate routes. This data is collected from a variety of sources, including GPS data from users’ devices, traffic cameras, and data from third-party providers.

4. Machine learning: Google Maps uses machine learning algorithms to analyze data and make predictions about traffic patterns and other factors that may affect travel times. This can help to improve the accuracy of directions over time.

Overall, Google Maps continuously updating the data and using various sources of data to improve the accuracy of directions, however it still depends on the quality of the data, so it’s always good to double check the routes before taking off.

 

 

How can I find what other phone is connected with mine?

 

There are several ways to find out what other devices are connected to your phone:

1. Check your phone’s Wi-Fi settings: If your phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network, you can check the list of connected devices in your phone’s Wi-Fi settings. This will show you a list of all devices that are currently connected to the same network as your phone.

2. Use a network scanning app: There are several apps available for both iOS and Android devices that can scan your network and show you a list of connected devices. Some popular options include Fing and Network Scanner.

3. Check your router’s settings: If you have access to your router’s settings, you can check the list of connected devices. This will show you a list of all devices that are currently connected to your network, including your phone and any other devices that may be connected to it.

4. Bluetooth: You can check the connected devices on your phone’s Bluetooth settings if you have any device connected via Bluetooth.

It’s important to note that these methods only show the devices that are currently connected to your phone’s network or paired via Bluetooth, it doesn’t mean that they are connected to your phone all the time, it only shows the current state.

How do I fix “Google keeps stopping” message?

Here are a few steps you can try to fix the “Google keeps stopping” message on your device:

1. Restart your device: Sometimes, a simple restart can fix the issue. Hold down the power button on your device until the power options appear and then select “Restart.”

2. Clear the cache and data of the Google app: Go to “Settings” > “Apps” or “Application Manager” > Find and select “Google” > “Storage” > “Clear cache” and “Clear data.” This will reset the Google app to its default settings and may fix the issue.

3. Update the Google app: Make sure that you are running the latest version of the Google app. Go to the Google Play Store, search for the Google app, and check if there is an update available.

4. Check for a system update: Make sure that your device is running the latest version of the operating system. Go to “Settings” > “Software update” to check if an update is available.

5. Uninstall recently installed apps: If the problem started after you installed a new app, try uninstalling it and see if that fixes the issue.

6. Factory reset: If the above steps don’t work, you can try a factory reset. This will erase all data from your device and restore it to its original settings. Be sure to back up any important data before doing a factory reset.

If the problem persists after trying these steps, it may be a sign of a more serious issue. In this case, it would be best to contact the manufacturer or a professional for further assistance.

What are some challenges for retailers using mobile channels, like Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, compared to traditional payment methods?

 

There are several challenges that retailers may face when using mobile payment channels, such as Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, compared to traditional payment methods:

1. Adoption rate: Mobile payment channels may not be as widely adopted as traditional payment methods, such as credit cards, so retailers may not see a significant increase in sales from offering mobile payments.

2. Technical challenges: Retailers may need to update their point-of-sale (POS) systems and hardware to be compatible with mobile payment channels, which can be costly and time-consuming.

3. Security concerns: Mobile payment channels may be vulnerable to hacking or fraud, which can be a concern for retailers and customers alike.

4. Complexity: Mobile payment channels may require more technical knowledge and understanding to set up and maintain than traditional payment methods.

5. Limited data: Mobile payment channels may not capture as much data about customers as traditional payment methods, which can make it harder for retailers to gain insights into their customers’ behavior and preferences.

6. Limited Coverage: Mobile payment channels may only be available in certain regions or countries, which can limit the potential customer base for retailers.

However, mobile payment channels can also offer benefits to retailers, such as increased convenience for customers, faster checkout times, and improved data security.

How come my phone’s photos’ storage usage uses 36 GB when my phone only has 32 GB? And also what happens if I clear them

 

 

There are a few reasons why the storage usage on your phone might be higher than the total storage capacity of your device. One possibility is that the operating system and pre-installed apps take up some of the storage space, leaving less space available for your own files. Additionally, some apps may store data and cache files on the device that are not included in the app’s size listed in the app store.

Another reason is that your phone’s storage usage may have been affected by additional files such as videos, music, backups, and other files that you have saved on the device.

Clearing your photos will delete the photos from the device, which will free up storage space. However, it is important to note that clearing your photos will permanently delete the photos, so be sure to back them up before doing so if you want to keep them.

Also, it is important to note that some apps may have a built-in feature to clear cache, If you have this option, you can try to clear the cache and see if it will help to free up space.

How do I get on the dark web using my Android phone?

 

Accessing the dark web on an Android phone typically requires the use of a special browser called Tor. Tor (The Onion Router) is a free, open-source browser that allows users to access the dark web by routing their internet connection through multiple layers of encryption and routing.

Here is how you can access the dark web on an Android phone:

1. Download and install the Tor browser from the Google Play Store.

2. Once the app is installed, open it and wait for it to connect to the Tor network.

3. Once connected, you will be able to access the dark web by typing in the URLs of dark web sites, which typically end in .onion.

4. Keep in mind that the dark web is a place where illegal activities take place, and it is important to be cautious when visiting any website on the dark web.

It is important to note that accessing the dark web may be illegal in your country, and you should make sure you understand the laws and regulations of your country before accessing it. Additionally, many of the sites on the dark web engage in illegal activities and some may be scams or phishing sites. Therefore, it is important to be very cautious and not to provide any personal information or make any transactions on these sites.

Can an Android device be synced to more than one Google account?

 

 

Yes, an Android device can be synced to more than one Google account. In fact, it is possible to add multiple Google accounts to an Android device, allowing you to switch between them easily.

To add a new Google account to an Android device:

1. Go to the device’s settings.

2. Tap Accounts.

3. Tap Add account.

4. Select Google.

5. Enter your email and password for the new Google account you want to add.

6. Follow the prompts to set up the account on your device.

Once you have added multiple Google accounts to your device, you can switch between them by going to the Accounts section in settings and selecting the account you want to use.

Keep in mind that when you switch accounts, different apps may use different accounts for different purposes. For example, if you have multiple Google accounts and you are using Google Maps, it will use the account that is currently selected as the primary account.

You can also remove an account from your device by going to the Accounts section in settings and selecting the account you want to remove and then select remove account.

How do you sync Google and Microsoft accounts on an Android phone?

 

You can sync your Google and Microsoft accounts on an Android phone by using the built-in calendar and email apps, or by using third-party apps that allow you to access both accounts in one place.

Here are the steps to sync your Google and Microsoft accounts in the built-in apps:

1. Go to the device’s settings.

2. Tap Accounts.

3. Tap Add account.

4. Select Google or Microsoft, and then enter your login credentials for that account.

5. Repeat the process to add the other account.

6. Once both accounts are added, go to the calendar app and make sure that both calendars are selected to show events.

7. In the email app, you will be able to see both accounts in the same inbox and you can switch between them.

Alternatively, you can use third-party apps like Outlook, Nine, or Aqua Mail to manage both accounts. These apps will allow you to access your Google and Microsoft accounts in one place and you can also manage your calendar events and contacts.

It’s important to note that you should not sync your Google and Microsoft accounts on apps that could compromise your personal information. Be sure to read the apps’ reviews and privacy policy before using it.

What are cell phone spy apps?

Cell phone spy apps, also known as cell phone monitoring or tracking apps, are software programs that are designed to track the activity on a cell phone, including texts, calls, GPS location, and other data. These apps can be installed on the target device without the user’s knowledge and can be used to monitor the user’s activity remotely. Some popular uses for cell phone spy apps include monitoring children’s activity to ensure their safety, tracking employee activity to ensure compliance with company policies, and monitoring a partner’s activity to investigate infidelity.

Cell phone spy apps typically have a variety of features, including the ability to read text messages, listen to phone calls, track GPS location, and view photos and videos. Some apps also have the ability to monitor social media activity, such as Facebook and WhatsApp, and can even record phone calls.

It’s important to note that using cell phone spy apps without the consent of the person being monitored is illegal in most countries, and could lead to serious legal consequences. Additionally, using cell phone spy apps to monitor employees may also be illegal in some jurisdictions, depending on the laws and regulations that apply to your business.

How do you unlock an iPhone with a forgotten password?

If you have forgotten your iPhone’s password, you can try these steps to unlock it:

1. Attempt to enter the password multiple times, as this will activate the option to reset your password using your Apple ID.

2. If you are unable to reset the password using your Apple ID, you can connect your iPhone to a computer and use iTunes to restore the device. This will erase all data on the iPhone, but it will also remove the password.

3. If you don’t have access to a computer, or if restoring the iPhone through iTunes doesn’t work, you can put your iPhone in recovery mode. This can be done by turning off the phone, then holding down the home button while connecting it to a computer. Once in recovery mode, you can restore the iPhone using iTunes.

4. If all above methods fail, you can contact Apple support for further assistance.

Please note that if you have enabled the iCloud activation lock and you do not remember the Apple ID and password, you will need to contact Apple Support for further assistance.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of keeping all Android apps updated with the latest version from the Google Play store?

 

 

There are several benefits to keeping all Android apps updated with the latest version from the Google Play store:

1. Security: Keeping apps updated ensures that they are protected against known security vulnerabilities. Developers often release updates to fix security issues that have been discovered.

2. New features: When developers release updates, they often include new features and improvements to the app.

3. Bug fixes: Updating apps can also fix bugs that may be causing problems with the app.

4. Compatibility: Updating apps can also ensure that they are compatible with the latest version of the Android operating system.

However, there are also some drawbacks to keeping all apps updated:

1. Data usage: Updating apps can consume a significant amount of data, especially if you have a limited data plan.

2. Battery usage: Updating apps can also consume battery power, which can decrease the overall battery life of your device.

3. Time-consuming: Updating apps can be time-consuming if you have a lot of apps on your device.

4. Risk of breaking: Updating apps can also cause problems if the app is not compatible with the new version.

Overall, keeping your apps updated is generally recommended, as the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. However, you should make sure you are on a WiFi network and have enough battery life before performing updates, and also pay attention to the app’s reviews, changelog, and the release notes for the update.

 

What are some popular facial recognition mobile apps for iPhone and android?

Facial recognition technology is increasingly being used in mobile apps, particularly on smartphones. Some popular facial recognition mobile apps for iPhone and Android include:

1. FaceApp: This app uses AI-based technology to transform a person’s face in a photo, including adding smiles, changing hairstyles, and making the person look older or younger.

2. TrueKey by McAfee: This app allows users to unlock their device using facial recognition, and also includes a password manager and multi-factor authentication.

3. FaceLock: This app allows users to unlock their device using facial recognition, and also includes the ability to lock specific apps, such as social media or banking apps.

4. Google Photos: Google Photos app has a feature of facial recognition which can group the photos of people together.

5. FaceTune: This app is used for retouching and editing photos and videos, including features such as smoothing skin, whitening teeth, and changing facial features.

It is worth noting that the use of facial recognition technology in mobile apps has raised privacy and security concerns, and some governments and institutions have imposed restrictions on its use. Some apps may not be available in some regions, and it’s always a good idea to check the app’s privacy policy and terms of use before downloading it.

What is an alternative to Google Drive for transferring large size of data across countries?

 

There are several alternatives to Google Drive for sending large amounts of data across countries. Some popular options include:

1. Dropbox: This cloud storage service allows users to easily share large files and folders with others. It also offers a feature called “Dropbox Transfer” which allows users to send files up to 100GB in size.

2. WeTransfer: This is a popular file-sharing service that allows users to send files up to 2GB in size for free, or up to 20GB with a paid plan.

3. MediaFire: This is a cloud storage and file hosting service that allows users to send files up to 20GB in size.

4. pCloud: This is a cloud storage service that allows users to send files up to 5GB in size for free, or up to 20GB with a paid plan.

5. Icedrive: This is a cloud storage service that allows users to send files up to 10GB in size for free, or up to 20GB with a paid plan

6. SpiderOak: This is a cloud storage and file hosting service that allows users to send files of any size, it also offers end-to-end encryption for added security.

It’s worth noting that sending large files may take longer to transfer depending on the network speed and location. It’s also a good idea to review the security and privacy policies of each service, as well as their compliance to any regulations or laws that may be relevant to your specific use case.

How can you restrict access to certain apps on an Android tablet?

1. Use the built-in parental controls: Most Android tablets have built-in parental controls that allow you to restrict access to certain apps and features. These controls can be accessed through the device’s settings menu and can include options such as setting time limits for usage and disabling specific apps.
2. Use third-party parental control apps: There are many third-party parental control apps available on the Google Play Store that you can use to restrict access to certain apps on an Android tablet. These apps typically allow you to set time limits, block certain apps, and monitor your child’s device usage.
3. Use a PIN or password: You can set a PIN or password on your Android tablet to restrict access to certain apps and features. This can be done through the device’s settings menu, and will require the user to enter the PIN or password before accessing the device.
4. Use Google Family Link: Google Family Link is an app that allows parents to create Google Accounts for children under 13, and manage their children’s device access, apps and content. Once the child’s account is created, you can then set app restrictions, screen time limits, and remotely lock their device.
5. Use third-party app locker: There are also third-party apps available on the Google Play Store that can help you lock specific apps on your Android tablet. These apps typically allow you to set a PIN or password to restrict access to certain apps, and can also hide the locked apps from the device’s home screen.

It’s important to note that these methods may vary depending on the device and the version of Android that it’s running, so it’s recommended to check the device manual or settings menu for specific instructions.

What is the best alternative to FaceTime for iPhone users that also works on Android devices and doesn’t require an Internet connection (WiFi)?

There are several alternatives to FaceTime for iPhone users that work on Android devices and don’t require an internet connection (WiFi). Some popular options include:

1. WhatsApp: This messaging app allows users to make voice and video calls over a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. It also has a feature called WhatsApp Call which uses the internet connection to make calls.

2. Skype: This communication app allows users to make voice and video calls over a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. It also has a feature called Skype to go, which allows users to make calls to landlines and mobile numbers without an internet connection.

3. Telegram: This messaging app allows users to make voice and video calls over a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. It also has a feature called Telegram Call which uses the internet connection to make calls.

4. Viber: This messaging app allows users to make voice and video calls over a cellular or Wi-Fi connection.

5. Signal: This messaging app allows users to make voice and video calls over a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. It also has end-to-end encryption for added security.

It’s worth noting that the quality of the call may vary depending on the strength of the cellular or Wi-Fi connection. Also, some of these apps may require a phone number to register. It’s also a good idea to check that the people you want to call also have the app installed, as well as to review the security and privacy policies of each service before using them.

What are some cross platform video calling apps that can be used on both Android and iOS devices for free?

There are several cross-platform apps that can be used on both Android and iOS devices for free:

1. WhatsApp: This messaging app allows users to send text, audio, and video messages, as well as make voice and video calls.

2. Telegram: This messaging app allows users to send text, audio, and video messages, as well as make voice and video calls.

3. Skype: This communication app allows users to make voice and video calls, as well as send instant messages and share files.

4. Viber: This messaging app allows users to make voice and video calls, as well as send text and media messages.

5. Signal: This messaging app allows users to make voice and video calls, as well as send text and media messages. It also has end-to-end encryption for added security.

6. Slack: This communication app allows users to send text, audio, and video messages, as well as share files and collaborate on projects.

7. Zoom: This video conferencing app allows users to hold virtual meetings, webinars and video conference calls.

8. Google Meet: This video conferencing app allows users to hold virtual meetings, webinars and video conference calls.

9. Google Duo: This video calling app allows users to make one-to-one video calls.

10. Facebook Messenger: This messaging app allows users to send text, audio, and video messages, as well as make voice and video calls.

It’s worth noting that some features may not be available on all platforms, and that the quality of the call may vary depending on the strength of the internet connection. It’s also a good idea to review the security and privacy policies of each service before using them.

Does SMS\MMS forwarding to my phone/ipad works while another IOS device is overseas ?

Yes, SMS and MMS forwarding to your phone or iPad should work while another iOS device is overseas, as long as the device that is overseas has an internet connection and the forwarding feature is set up and enabled on both devices. However, there may be additional charges for data usage if the device overseas is using cellular data rather than wifi.

How do I change Apple Store LOCATION on the Apple Store APP?

1. Open the Apple Store app on your iOS device.

2. Tap on your profile icon in the upper right corner of the screen.

3. Tap on “Account”

4. Scroll down to the bottom of the account page, you should find “Country/Region”

5. Tap on “Change Country or Region”

6. Select the country or region that you would like to change to.

7. Confirm the change by tapping “Change Country or Region”

8. You will be prompted to review and accept the terms and conditions for the new country or region. After accepting, you’ll be able to shop for items available in your new location.

Please note that the prices and available items may change depending on your location.

What are some of the most remote places captured by Google’s Street View cameras?

 

Google Street View cameras have captured images of many remote locations around the world. Some of the most remote places captured by these cameras include:

1. The Amazon Rainforest in Brazil: Google Street View cameras have captured images of the dense jungle and remote rivers of the Amazon Rainforest, providing a rare glimpse into this remote and biodiverse ecosystem.

2. The Arctic Circle: Google Street View cameras have captured images of the frozen tundra and rugged mountains of the Arctic Circle, including Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, which is one of the most remote places on Earth.

3. Mount Everest: In 2011, Google Street View cameras captured images of the summit of Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth.

4. The Grand Canyon: Google Street View cameras have captured images of the remote and rugged terrain of the Grand Canyon, providing a unique perspective of this natural wonder.

5. The Namib Desert: Google Street View cameras captured images of the barren and remote landscape of the Namib Desert in Namibia, which is one of the driest and oldest deserts in the world.

6. Antarctica: Google Street View cameras have captured images of the remote and icy landscape of Antarctica, providing a unique perspective of this remote and uninhabitable continent.

7. Galapagos Islands: In 2020 Google Street View cameras captured images of the Galapagos Islands, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its unique and diverse wildlife, as well as its remote location.

These are just a few examples, but Google Street View cameras have captured images of many other remote locations around the world.

What functionality does Google Maps offer that cannot be found when using Waze or other similar navigation services?

 

 

Google Maps and Waze are both popular navigation services, but they have different features and functionalities. Here are some of the functionality that Google Maps offers that cannot be found when using Waze or other similar navigation services:

1. Street View: Google Maps offers a Street View feature that allows you to see panoramic images of the area you’re navigating. This can be especially helpful for identifying specific landmarks or buildings.

2. Public Transit: Google Maps has a robust public transit feature that provides detailed information on bus, train, and subway schedules, routes, and station locations. This information is not available on Waze.

3. Multi-stop trip planning: Google Maps allows users to plan a trip with multiple destinations, which is a useful feature for those who need to make multiple stops on the way to their final destination.

4. Indoor Maps: Google Maps allows users to explore indoor maps of certain locations such as airports, shopping centers, and museums. This feature is not available on Waze.

5. Biking and walking directions: Google Maps offers both biking and walking directions, with specific routes and information tailored to those modes of transportation.

6. Real-time traffic updates: Google Maps provides real-time traffic updates, which can be very useful for avoiding congestion and finding the fastest route to your destination.

7. Lane guidance: Google Maps offers lane guidance, which helps users stay in the correct lane when navigating through complex interchanges and exits.

8. Street level imagery: Google Maps has a street-level imagery feature that allows users to see actual street-level photographs of a location. This can help users to identify specific buildings or landmarks more easily.

Please note that Google Maps and Waze are both constantly improving and updating their features, so this list is not exhaustive and may not be up-to-date.

Do Android phones get viruses like Windows PC’s? If yes, then how do we protect them against those types of attacks?

 

Yes, Android phones can get viruses, although it is less common than on Windows PCs. The most common type of malware that affects Android phones is called “mobile malware” or “Android malware.” This type of malware can be spread through malicious apps, infected websites, or through links in text messages or emails.

To protect your Android phone from these types of attacks, you can take the following steps:

1. Only download apps from the Google Play Store: Google screens apps in the Play Store for malware, so downloading apps from the Play Store is generally considered safer than downloading apps from other sources.

2. Use a mobile security app: There are many mobile security apps available that can scan your phone for malware and provide real-time protection against malicious apps and websites.

3. Keep your phone updated: Keeping your phone up-to-date with the latest security updates is important as it will protect against known vulnerabilities that malware could exploit.

4. Be careful when clicking on links: Be cautious when clicking on links in text messages or emails, especially if they come from unknown sources.

5. Use a VPN: VPNs can encrypt your internet connection and protect you from malicious websites, hackers, and other types of cyber attacks.

6. Avoid sideloading apps: Sideloading apps means installing apps from sources other than the Google Play Store, which is not as safe as downloading them from the play store.

By following these best practices, you can help to protect your Android phone from malware and other types of cyber attacks.

How do you uninstall apps that are not showing up on the list of installed apps (Android)?

 

There are a few ways to uninstall apps that are not showing up on the list of installed apps on an Android device:

1. Use a third-party app such as “Easy Uninstaller” or “App Inspector” to search for and uninstall hidden apps.

2. Go to the device’s settings and look for the “Apps” or “Application Manager” option. From there, you should be able to see a list of all installed apps, including hidden ones.

3. Use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) commands to uninstall the app from the command line. This method requires some technical knowledge and a computer with ADB installed.

4. If the app in question was pre-installed by the device manufacturer, it may not be possible to uninstall it without rooting the device.

How do I turn off Google’s web and app activity?

 

To turn off Google’s web and app activity, you can follow these steps:

1. Go to your Google account settings by visiting https://myaccount.google.com/
2. Select “Data & personalization” tab
3. Scroll down to “Web & App Activity”
4. Toggle off the switch next to “Web & App Activity”
5. Confirm the action by clicking “Pause”

Alternatively, you can also turn off location history and activity controls on the same page.

Please note that turning off web & app activity will also stop Google from saving your search and browsing history, location history and YouTube search and watch history.

Are software updates necessary on smartphones and if so what are their benefits?

 

 

Software updates on smartphones are generally necessary for a number of reasons:

1. Security: Software updates often include security patches that address vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers. Keeping your device updated can help protect your personal information and keep your device secure.

2. Bug fixes: Software updates can also include fixes for bugs that may be affecting the performance of your device or specific apps.

3. New features: Software updates may also bring new features and improvements that can enhance the overall user experience.

4. Improved compatibility: Updating your device software can also ensure that your device is compatible with new apps and services, as well as any changes made to the underlying operating system.

5. Better performance: Software updates can also help your device run more efficiently, which can improve performance and battery life.

It’s generally a good idea to install software updates as soon as they become available, as they often include important security patches and bug fixes. However, it’s always a good idea to backup your important data before updating, as there is always a small chance that something could go wrong during the process.

How can you tell which app is draining the battery on your Android device?

 

There are a few ways to tell which app is draining the battery on your Android device:

1. Check the battery usage: Go to the device’s settings and look for the “Battery” or “Battery usage” option. From there, you can see a list of all apps that have used battery power, ranked by the amount of power they’ve used.

2. Use a battery monitoring app: There are various apps available on the Google Play Store that can provide more detailed information about your device’s battery usage, including which apps are using the most power. Some popular options include “GSam Battery Monitor“, “Battery Doctor” and “AccuBattery“.

3. Check the device’s battery stats: You can access the device’s battery stats by dialing ##4636## . This will open a menu that allows you to check the device’s battery statistics, including information about how much battery each app has used over time.

4. Check the battery history: Some android devices have the option to check the battery history which will show you the battery usage of apps over time. This information can be found in the settings under the battery section.

It’s worth noting that apps that are running in the background can consume a significant amount of battery power, even if you’re not actively using them. It’s a good idea to regularly check your device’s battery usage and close or uninstall any apps that are using a lot of power.

What causes some apps to drain more battery than others on an Android phone?

 

There are a number of factors that can cause an app to drain more battery than others on an Android phone, including:

1. Constant use of GPS, Bluetooth, and cellular data: Apps that rely heavily on location services, such as GPS and Bluetooth, or that frequently access the internet, can use a lot of battery power.

2. Background processes: Apps that run background processes, such as syncing or updating, can consume a significant amount of battery power even when they’re not actively in use.

3. High-resolution graphics or animations: Apps that use high-resolution graphics or animations can use more battery power than apps with simpler user interfaces.

4. Inefficient coding: Some apps may have been poorly coded, which can cause them to consume more battery power than necessary.

5. Ads: Some apps include ads that run in the background, which can consume a significant amount of battery power.

6. Push notifications: Some apps use push notifications to send you updates and alerts, which can also consume battery power.

It’s worth noting that newer phones are designed to be more battery efficient, which means the apps will drain less power on newer devices compared to older ones.

What does the yellow warning triangle sign with red line in the middle for battery means on android?

 

 

The yellow warning triangle with a red line in the middle that appears next to the battery icon on an Android device is a warning that the device’s battery level is low and the device should be charged soon. This is a general warning that the battery level is below a certain threshold, usually around 15-20% remaining. Once the battery level drops lower, the icon will change to a red empty battery icon, indicating that the device needs to be charged immediately in order to avoid shutting down.

It’s important to note that if the yellow warning triangle appears frequently, it may indicate that the battery is damaged or malfunctioning and needs to be replaced. It’s also important to note that some devices may have different icons or ways to indicate the battery level. Some devices may have a different color or shape for the icon or the device may vibrate or make a sound when the battery level is low.

What happen if you charge your android phone with the chromebook charger via the USB-C connector?

 

If you charge your Android phone with a Chromebook charger via the USB-C connector, it will work as long as the charger provides the correct power output and the phone’s charging port supports USB-C.

Most modern Android phones and Chromebooks support USB-C charging, which means they can be charged with the same type of charger. However, there are some important things to keep in mind:

1. Power output: Make sure that the charger provides the correct power output for your phone. If the charger provides too much or too little power, it can damage the battery or not charge the device at all.

2. Charging speed: Some chargers can charge devices faster than others. A Chromebook charger may not charge as fast as a fast-charging adapter specifically designed for your phone.

3. Compatibility: Some devices may not be compatible with all chargers, even if they use the same type of connector. So, you should check your phone’s specifications and user manual to ensure that it is compatible with the charger you’re using.

4. Safety: USB-C chargers and cables can be used with other devices, but make sure the charger is certified, and the cable is not damaged or frayed. Using a non-certified charger can potentially damage your device or overheat it.

In general, charging your Android phone with a Chromebook charger via the USB-C connector should be fine as long as the charger provides the correct power output and the phone’s charging port supports USB-C.

What are some of the limitations of using Google Maps in terms of data accuracy and navigation abilities?

Some limitations of using Google Maps include:

• Data accuracy: While Google Maps uses a variety of data sources to provide information, the accuracy of this information can vary. Businesses and locations may change or close, and roads and directions may be outdated.
• Navigation: Google Maps may not always have the most up-to-date information about road closures or construction, which can lead to incorrect or incomplete routing information. Additionally, the service may not be available in certain areas or may have limited functionality in areas with poor internet connectivity.
• Privacy concerns: Google Maps track and store user location data, which could be used for targeted advertising or shared with third parties.
• User-generated data: Google Maps allows users to add and edit information about places, which can lead to errors or inaccuracies in the data.

 

Are there any available tools to help diagnose issues with Android phone performance?

 

 

Yes, there are several tools available to help diagnose issues with Android phone performance:

• Device Monitor: This is a built-in tool in Android Studio, which is the official development environment for Android. It provides detailed information about the device’s CPU, memory, and network usage, as well as a real-time view of the device’s file system and running processes.

• Android Device Manager: This is a Google-provided tool that allows you to remotely locate, lock, or erase your Android device if it is lost or stolen. It also provides some useful information about the device’s battery usage, storage, and security.

• Battery Historian: This is a tool developed by Google that provides detailed information about the device’s battery usage. It generates an HTML report that can be used to identify which apps and processes are consuming the most power.

• System Monitor: It is a third-party app that can be used to view the device’s CPU, memory, and storage usage, as well as the running processes and their associated system resources.

• Performance Monitor: This is another third-party app that allows you to monitor the device’s CPU, memory, and network usage, as well as the running processes and their associated system resources.

• Logcat: Logcat is a command-line tool that allows developers to view system logs and debug information. It can be used to diagnose issues with the device’s software and hardware.

These tools can help you identify the cause of performance issues and take the necessary steps to fix them. It’s important to note that using these tools requires some technical knowledge of the android system and how it works, it’s recommended to use these tools under the guidance of professional or experienced technicians.

If apple doesn’t allow apps to gather device information from users, how do apps like tinder/hinge device ban people and don’t let join with a new account on the same device?

 

 

There are several methods that apps like Tinder and Hinge can use to detect and ban users who are using a new account on the same device, even if they are not able to gather device information directly from the user:

• IP address: The app can track the IP address of the device that is used to access the app, and ban any new accounts that are accessed from the same IP address as a banned account.

• Fingerprinting: The app can use browser fingerprints, which are unique identifiers based on the browser and device configuration, to detect when multiple accounts are being accessed from the same device.

• Cookies: The app can use cookies, which are small text files stored on the device, to track whether the device has been used to access a banned account in the past.

• Phone number: The app can require a phone number to create an account and then use it to detect when multiple accounts are being created from the same phone number.

• IDFA/ Advertising ID: IDFA (Identifier for Advertisers) is a unique identifier for a device for advertising purposes. It is used to track a user’s activity across apps and websites. However, it is not as reliable as the other methods mentioned above, as it can be reset by the user at any time.

It is important to note that these methods are not 100% foolproof, and some users may be able to circumvent them by using VPNs, proxy servers, or other methods to conceal their device’s IP address or browser fingerprints. However, by using a combination of these methods, apps can increase their ability to detect and ban users who are using multiple accounts on the same device.

 

50 features in Android 13 you should know about

Below you’ll find my curated list of changes in Android 13 that I think users like you will care about/should be aware of. Each item in the list links to the relevant section in my article for those of you who want the full details, but I’ll also provide a summary under each item for a quick tl;dr. I’ve roughly ordered the list by features users will care about most followed by more obscure features, and yes, you may not care about everything in this list. Still, there’s a lot that’s new in Android 13, so I hope you find a few things you’re excited about!

However, note this list doesn’t mention everything new in Android 13 because that’d just make this post way too long. This post doesn’t mention any changes specific to Android TV 13, features exclusive to Pixel, and changes that only app developers will care about. I’ll make separate posts for those things on their respective subreddits.

With that out of the way, here’s the list:

1. Runtime permission for notifications. Apps will now have to ask for permission before they can post a notification. Android 13 handles this permission differently based on what Android version the app targets and whether or not it’s newly installed or it was already installed before updating to Android 13, but this generally makes notifications opt-in rather than opt-out. Example.

2. New Material You dynamic color styles. Android 12 on Pixel phones introduced Google’s dynamic color engine, which grabs a color from your wallpaper to generate 5 tonal palettes. Each of these tonal palettes is comprised of 13 tonal colors of various luminances but with undefined hue and chroma values. By adjusting these values, the color engine can create a bunch of new palettes, ie. “styles.” tl;dr, Android 13 generates far more theme options based on your wallpaper, letting you pick even more colors than before to suit your style. Examples: TONAL_SPOT (default), VIBRANT, EXPRESSIVE, SPRITZ, RAINBOW, FRUIT_SALAD. (Although Google’s dynamic color engine was initially exclusive to Pixels on Android 12, it was added to AOSP in Android 12L and is thus now available by default for all OEM builds. The ThemePicker enhancements that Google made are going to be open source, so OEM devices should be able to surface the same style options that Pixels do.)

3. Themed Icons. The colors generated by Android’s dynamic color engine can be used to theme homescreen icons as well as in-app UI elements. If you enable the “themed icons” option in Wallpaper & Style (the location of this switch could be different on OEM devices), then apps with a monochromatic icon will have that icon be automatically themed according to the user’s wallpaper. Before versus After.

4. Bigger and bolder gesture nav bar. The gesture nav pill is bigger and bolder than before. This is one of the first things you’ll probably notice when booting up Android 13. I’m not sure if OEMs can/will tweak this, though. Before versus After.

5. Per-app language preferences. Finally, you can set the language of an app without changing the language system-wide in settings. You can access the new per-app language preferences in Settings > System > Languages & input > App Languages. Only apps that have opted-in, however, will appear in this list. Screenshot of App Language page for Google Calendar.

6. Photo Picker. There’s a new Photo Picker that will let you quickly pick images or videos to share with apps. Those apps then get temporary, read-only access to those media files. Apps have to add support for the Photo Picker, but this is quite easy to do and will be available through many libraries soon. Plus, the Photo Picker has already rolled out to Android 11-12L devices through a Google Play System Update, so expect to see a lot of apps add support for this in the near future. Screenshot.

7. Clipboard editor overlay. When you copy something to the clipboard, you’ll see an overlay in the bottom left corner, similar to when you take a screenshot. This overlay previews what you copied and can show smart actions based on the clip content (open a URL in Chrome, navigate to an address in Maps, etc.) You can also tap the clip preview to launch a text or image editor. Screenshots: 1, 2, 3

8. QR code scanner shortcut. Android 13 by default will show a Quick Setting tile to launch a QR code scanner. Which app provides the QR code scanner is technically configurable by OEMs, but I believe on devices with GMS, it will be set up to launch a QR code scanner provided by Google Play Services. Screenshot of QS tile. Screenshot of QR scanner.

9. Redesigned media player. Android 13 revamps the media player experience. You’ll notice the larger volume slider in the media output picker UI and the squiggly progress bar for all media sessions. There’s one other change that I’ll mention next. Do note that OEMs can customize the default style of notifications, so there’s no guarantee the media player will look exactly the same across devices.

10. New media controls UI. Apps that target Android 13 may show a different set of media controls when running on Android 13. This is because Android 13 derives what media controls to show from the PlaybackState rather than the MediaStyle notification. If you see headlines about apps being updated to support Android 13 media controls, this is what they’re referring to. Here’s a screenshot of media controls on a phone and tablet running Android 13. As you can see, this change unifies how media controls are rendered across Android platforms.

11. Better control over foreground services. There’s a new “active app” button in the notifications panel. Tap this and you’ll see which apps currently have a foreground service running. For example, music players and fitness trackers need to use foreground services so Android won’t kill them when they’re running in the background. Before Android 13, these foreground services took up space in your notifications panel. Now, you can swipe them away and manage them from the “active app” list. Screenshot of the “active app” button in the notifications panel. Screenshot of the “active app” list.

12. Game dashboard for more devices. The Game Dashboard that was originally exclusive to the Pixel 6 on Android 12 is coming to more devices on Android 13. Game Dashboard integrates achievements and leaderboards data from Play Games, has a shortcut to stream to YouTube, and has toggles to show a screenshot button, screen recorder button, DND button, and an FPS counter in the in-game floating overlay. You can also change the Game Mode to “battery saver” or “performance”, but this depends on the game. This feature is provided by Google Play Services on Android 13 and has rolled out to several Pixel devices already, but I believe it will come to non-Pixels in the future. Screenshot of Game Dashboard settings. Screenshot of Game Dashboard.

13. Game Mode improvements. When a game hasn’t added support for the Game Mode API, OEMs can apply game mode interventions to improve the performance of games. In Android 12, OEMs could use ANGLE instead of OpenGLES drivers or apply WindowManager backbuffer resize to reduce the GPU overload. In Android 13, there’s a new FPS override intervention, but this one is opt in. When games opt in, the system can limit the FPS that the game runs at.

14. Bluetooth LE Audio support. Bluetooth LE Audio is the next-gen Bluetooth standard that promises lower power consumption, higher quality audio (compared to Bluetooth Classic Audio with SBC) with the new LC3 codec, standardized support for hearing aids, location-based audio sharing, and support for broadcasting audio to many devices. Android 13 ships with a Bluetooth stack that’s certified for LE Audio Unicast support (Broadcast Audio is a WIP).

15. Spatial audio with head tracking support. Spatial audio provides an immersive audio experience by making it seem like the audio moves with your head. Android supports static spatial audio (where the sound seems to move as your head moves) and dynamic spatial audio (where the sound is stuck in space as your head moves). Static spatial audio works with any headphones, while dynamic spatial audio requires a headset with head tracking support. Android 12L added the audio spatializer API needed for integration with third-party apps, while Android 13 introduces the head tracking protocol needed for dynamic spatial audio.

16. Turn on dark mode at bedtime. Dark theme settings now has an option to have it turn on at bedtime. Your bedtime mode schedule is set by the Digital Wellbeing app. Screenshot.

17. Control smart home devices without unlocking the device. You can now control smart home devices from the Device Controls menu without unlocking your phone or tablet, but only if the app supports it. You first need to enable “control from locked device” in settings. Video demo.

18. 7-day view in privacy dashboard. The “Privacy dashboard” added in Android 12 only shows sensitive permissions accessed in the last 24 hours, but on Android 13, it’ll let you see that data from the last 7 days. This hasn’t rolled out yet, though. Screenshot of “show 7 days” option in privacy dashboard.

19. Clipboard auto clear. Android 13 will automatically clear any clipboard item that’s older than 1 hour. I know Gboard already does this, but not everyone uses Gboard.

20. X-axis transition animation. Any apps that don’t use a custom transition animation seem to now use this shared X-axis transition animation.

21. Flashlight brightness control. Android 13 has an API to control the flashlight brightness. Yes, OEMs like Samsung have offered this feature for years, but it wasn’t standardized. The only catch is that the OEM has to implement support for this feature in the device’s camera HAL. More info on this feature. Demo + sample app.

22. Unified Security & Privacy settings. Android has a lot of privacy and security features strewn about in settings. Android 13’s new unified Security & Privacy settings will make it easy to find each of these features. This is not exclusive to Pixel and will be coming to other devices via a Mainline update. Here’s what it looks like.

23. “Vibrant” theme is now actually vibrant. There was a bug that made the color palette generated from vibrant wallpapers less vibrant than they should be. This was fixed in Android 13, and now the Vibrant theme is actually vibrant! Before versus After.

24. App drawer in the taskbar. Android 12L introduced the taskbar, but it didn’t have an app drawer, so you had to go to the home screen or recent apps to switch apps. Android 13 fixes this by adding an app drawer in the taskbar. (Yes, I know the Z Fold4 on 12L has an app drawer in the taskbar. Kudos to Samsung for addressing that.) Screenshot of taskbar with app drawer.

25. Stylus handwriting. Keyboard apps can declare that they support stylus handwriting. If so, then other apps can send a request to launch the keyboard app in its stylus handwriting mode. This is currently in testing and requires flipping a developer option called “stylus handwriting”. You can see this in action with the S22 Ultra on Android 13 + Google Chrome.

26. File managers can no longer access /Android/data and /Android/obb. Do you use a third-party file manager? Do you ever access files in the /Android/obb or /Android/data folders? Well I have bad news for you. You won’t be able to use your favorite file managers to access those folders anymore, since the loophole they used to do was has been closed. Yes, this was only possible through a loophole, since Scoped Storage in Android 11 was designed to block apps from accessing those folders.

27. Android may block the user from enabling Accessibility and Notification Listeners for sideloaded apps. Android’s Accessibility and Notification Listener APIs are really powerful, and they’re often abused by malware. Google has been cracking down on apps misusing APIs, and in Android 13, you’ll be blocked from enabling an app’s Accessibility Service or Notification Listener if you sideloaded that app from outside an app store. (There is a way to unblock access, fortunately.) The exact details are more complicated, so I recommend reading this article for the full breakdown. Screenshot of the “Restricted Setting” dialog and the toggle to allow restricted settings.

28. Apps can now only request one-time access to device logs. If you grant an app the ability to read system logs (ie. logcat), then in Android 13, you’ll see a confirmation dialog every time that app tries to read those logs. If you use an automation app like Tasker, you might hate this change. Screenshot of the dialog.

29. More granular media file permissions. Scoped Storage changed how apps access files, making it so that the READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission doesn’t grant broad access to the external shared storage. Instead, it only let apps access media files (including audio, video, and image files) owned by other apps that reside in media store collections. In Android 13, apps targeting the release will have the request individual permissions to access audio files, video files, or image files owned by other apps, making media file access even more granular.

30. Revamped multi-user UI. There’s a couple of enhancements to the multi-user experience in Android 13. First of all, there’s a new fullscreen user profile switcher for large screen devices. There’s also a revamped UI for adding a new user that even uses the new Photo Picker to select the profile picture from your gallery. Next, there’s an optional user profile switcher shortcut that sits in the status bar, but it’s disabled by default and intended for large screen devices. Finally, there’s an optional user switcher shortcut on the keyguard, but again, this may only appear on tablets or other large screen devices.

31. Accessibility audio description. There’s a new toggle to enable audio descriptions globally. Instead of toggling audio descriptions on a per-app basis, media apps can read the status of this global toggle and enable audio descriptions accordingly. This is more aimed at Android TV but is also applicable to handhelds. Screenshot of the toggle.

32. Accessibility magnifier can now follow the text as you type. If you use the magnification feature to zoom in on text, you might like the new “follow typing” toggle that’s been added. Toggling this will make the magnification area automatically follow the text as you type. Here’s a demo of the feature.

33. Quick Settings tiles for color correction & one-handed mode. If you use Android’s color correction or one-handed mode feature and want quick access to toggle them, you can find new Quick Settings tiles to do so in Android 13.

34. Drag to launch multiple instances of an app in split-screen. Android 12 added multi-instance support, making it possible to launch two instances of the same activity. For example, you can launch two Chrome windows in split-screen mode. Android 13 builds on this by letting you drag to launch a second instance of an activity when in split-screen view, provided the activity supports it.

35. Take away an app’s ability to turn on the screen. There’s a new “turn screen on” permission that you can control in Settings > Apps > Special app access. It’s quite self-explanatory. Here’s a screenshot of the permission page.

36. Control background access of body sensors. Apps can access data from heart rate, temperature, and blood oxygen level sensors through the BODY_SENSORS permission. Prior to Android 13, apps that had this permission could access that data while running in the background. Android 13 changes this by making those apps request a new permission called BODY_SENSORS_BACKGROUND.

37. Apps no longer need location access to scan for nearby WiFi devices. It’s possible to track your location by collecting data on nearby Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices over time, which is why earlier versions of Android made it so apps had to hold location permissions to read Bluetooth and Wi-Fi scan results. That got annoying and confusing for users, so Android 12 decoupled Bluetooth APIs from the location permission. Android 13 follows up by decoupling Wi-Fi scanning from location permissions.

38. Virtualization support. This one is really complicated, but basically, Android 13 introduces a virtual machine framework through the new Virtualization module. Google is deploying a modified version of the Linux KVM feature (pKVM to be precise) as the hypervisor, with crosvm as the virtual machine manager. Google is using this for a fairly obscure purpose (isolated compilation), but devs have figured out how to boot Linux and even Windows VMs. You’ll need a device that supports pKVM, though.

39. Camera2 improvements. Camera2 is the underlying API used by camera apps, and it’s getting some welcome additions in Android 13. First, it has added HDR video capture support, so third-party camera apps can finally capture HDR video, provided the OEM exposed support for this in the camera HAL. There’s a new API for preview stabilization, and viewfinder jitter has been reduced as well. These are more developer-focused improvements, but I thought you should be aware of them in case you use a third-party camera app.

40. Faster hyphenation. Text wrapping will be better in Android 13, as many apps will insert hyphens at the end of a line in a text field. Hyphenation seems like a simple matter, but before Android 13, it was quite taxing on the CPU. Android 13 improves hyphenation performance by as much as 200%.

41. Improved Japanese text wrapping. Apps that support Japanese can now wrap text by “Bunsetsu”, which is the smallest unit of words that’s coherent, instead of by character. This will make text more readable by Japanese users.

42. Improved line heights for non-Latin scripts. Android 13 improves support for non-Latin scripts like Tamil, Burmese, Telugu, and Tibetan. The OS uses a line height that’s adapted for each language, preventing clipping and improving the positioning of characters.

43. MIDI 2.0 support. MIDI 2.0 was introduced in late 2020 and adds bi-directionality so devices can communicate with each other to auto-configure themselves or exchance info on available functionality. It also makes controllers easier to use and adds 32-bit resolution support.

44. DNS-over-HTTP/3 support. Android 9 added encrypted DNS (ie. Private DNS) support through the DNS-over-TLS protocol. Android 13 adds support for the DNS-over-HTTP/3 protocol. This implementation offers better performance and security. Right now, Android’s DNS-over-HTTP/3 implementation only allows using Google and Cloudflare as providers. This feature has been backported to all GMS Android devices running Android 11-12L and some Android 10 devices.

45. Android’s Bluetooth stack becomes a Mainline module. Bluetooth vulnerabilities are pretty common, so in an effort to improve security, Android 13 turns Android’s Bluetooth stack into an updatable Project Mainline module. This means it can be updated through Google Play like other modular system components. However, I’m not sure if this module will be mandatory yet for OEMs.

46. Android’s ultra-wideband stack becomes a Mainline module. In a similar vein, Android’s ultra-wide band stack that was just introduced in Android 12 has been turned into a modular system component in Android 13. There aren’t many devices yet with UWB hardware, but with this + the new UWB Jetpack library, we should start seeing more apps make use of this hardware and Google expand UWB functionality in Android outside of OS updates.

47. Binary transparency. If you care about security, then you may be curious whether or not the binaries installed on your device match what’s included in the official factory images. Android 13’s binary transparency manager lets you easily get the VBMeta digest and build fingerprints of the partitions and modules on your device, so you can compare them with the official images. Note that while Google’s the only one doing this so far (AFAIK), there’s nothing preventing other OEMs from publishing their own transparency logs.

48. Dynamic System Updates become a lot faster. Dynamic System Updates (DSU) makes it easy to install a Generic System Image (GSI) without overwriting your device’s original installation or wiping your data. All you have to do is send an intent or just go to Developer Options to install one of Google’s official GSIs through the “DSU Loader” setting. Android 13 makes GSI installation through DSU faster and more interactive.

49. ART improvements bring lower memory use and faster runtime performance. An update to the Android Runtime (ART) module will introduce a new garbage collection algorithm based on Linux’s userfaultd feature, which may reduce the chance of the OS killing off background processes.

50. Wallpaper dimming. There’s a new API to dim the wallpaper, and it’s being used by the Digital Wellbeing app to darken wallpapers at bedtime so bright/vibrant wallpapers will be less blinding. Before versus After.

51. Bonus: The Easter egg. Of course, we can’t forget this one. There’s a new Easter egg in Android 13, because of course there is! Like usual, you access it by tapping repeatedly on the “Android version” field in Settings > About phone. When the clock appears, turn it so the hands point at 1:00. Surrounding the Android 13 logo will be a bunch of bubbles. Long press those to make a bunch of emojis appear. Long press again to cycle through the various emoji combinations.

Once again, I’d like to stress that this is NOT a comprehensive list of every feature in Android 13. I’ve intentionally left out things so as to not hit Reddit’s character limit for self-posts. If you want a comprehensive list of new features in Android 13, read my article over at Esper.io, which will continue to be updated in the coming days and weeks.

If I got anything wrong when summarizing these features, let me know! Also, if you know of something in Android 13 that I haven’t already documented in my deep dive (or that I got wrong in it), feel free to contact me! With how massive each Android OS update is, there’s bound to be some things I missed.

How do I stop pop-up ads on an Android/tablet?

 

There are a few ways to stop pop-up ads on an Android device or tablet:

1. Use an ad blocker: There are a variety of ad blocking apps available on the Google Play Store, such as AdBlock Plus, that can help block pop-up ads.

2. Adjust browser settings: Most browsers, such as Chrome and Firefox, have settings that allow you to block pop-up ads. You can usually find these settings in the browser’s settings or preferences menu.

3. Check for malware: Sometimes pop-up ads can be caused by malware on your device. Running a malware scan using an app such as Malwarebytes can help detect and remove any malware that may be causing the pop-ups.

4. Uninstall the suspicious apps: Sometimes apps that are installed on the device might be responsible for pop-ups. In that case, uninstalling the app might solve the problem.

5. Use the browser’s private mode: browsing in private mode can also help block pop-up ads

Please note that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to block pop-ups, you might have to try different options to find which one that works best for you.

How do I unblock a network blocked Spectrum LG phone?

To unblock a network blocked Spectrum LG phone, you may need to contact Spectrum customer support or your phone carrier. The exact steps to unblock the phone will depend on the specific reason why the phone has been blocked. Below are some general steps that may help you unblock a network blocked Spectrum LG phone:

1. Check the SIM card: Make sure the SIM card is properly inserted and that there are no visible signs of damage.
2. Check the network settings: Make sure that your phone is set to the correct network mode (e.g. GSM, CDMA, LTE) and that it is set to the correct network provider.
3. Check for a software update: Check if there is a software update available for your phone and if so, install it.
4. Check for a carrier update: Check if there is a carrier update available for your phone and if so, install it.
5. Contact Spectrum customer support: Contact Spectrum customer support and explain the issue. They will be able to check the status of your account and may be able to unblock your phone.
6. Factory reset: If the above steps didn’t help, you can try to factory reset your phone and set it up again.
7. Contact LG support: If the issue still persists, you can try to contact LG customer support for further assistance.

Please note that depending on the reason of the block, some steps may not be possible or effective. It is important to understand that some blocks can only be resolved by Spectrum or LG customer support.

What strategies can we use to protect our digital images and photos in our smartphone and online?

There are several strategies that can be used to protect digital images online:

1. Watermarking: Watermarking is the process of adding a logo, name, or other identifying information to an image. This makes it more difficult for someone to use your image without permission.
2. File encryption: File encryption is the process of converting an image file into a format that can only be read with a specific key or password. This makes it more difficult for someone to access your image without permission.
3. Copyright registration: Copyright registration is the process of registering your images with the copyright office. This can help establish your ownership of the image and make it easier to take legal action against someone who uses your image without permission.
4. Using metadata: Embedding metadata in an image can provide information about the image and the owner, such as the date the image was taken and the photographer’s name and contact information.
5. Using digital rights management (DRM): DRM is a set of technologies that control the usage and distribution of digital content, such as images. This can help restrict the use of an image to authorized parties, such as customers who have purchased a license to use the image.
6. Selective sharing: Share your images only with trusted people and on secure platforms, and limit the resolution of the shared images to discourage unauthorized use.
7. Use of third-party services: Use of third-party services like image hosting, image protection and image tracking services to protect your images online and track their usage.
8. Be aware of the terms of service: Be familiar with the terms of service of the websites and platforms you use to share your images. Some may have strict rules about what type of content is allowed, and may remove your images if they violate those rules.

It’s important to understand that no single strategy is foolproof, and a combination of these strategies may provide the best protection for your digital images. Also, it’s important to be aware of laws and regulations that may apply to your images and use of them.

What is the best way to ensure mobile device security while using office networks?

 

There are several ways to ensure mobile device security when using office networks:

1. Use a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt all data transmitted to and from the device, providing an additional layer of security.

2. Implement a mobile device management (MDM) solution to secure and monitor all devices connected to the network.

3. Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access to the device.

4. Keep the device’s operating system and all installed apps up-to-date to ensure that any security vulnerabilities are patched.

5. Use anti-virus and anti-malware software to protect the device against malicious software.

6. Educate employees on mobile device security best practices and the importance of being vigilant when using office networks.

By implementing these security measures, you can help to protect mobile devices and the sensitive data they contain while connected to office networks.

What new mobile phone features can we expect in 2023?

It’s difficult to say exactly what new features will be included in mobile phones that are set to release this year, as it can vary depending on the manufacturer and the device. However, some features that have been rumored or are expected to become more prevalent in the near future include:

 

• Foldable and rollable displays: We may see more manufacturers experimenting with foldable and rollable displays, which would allow for larger screens on smaller devices.
• Improved cameras: Many manufacturers are likely to continue to focus on improving the camera capabilities of their devices, with features such as larger sensors, multiple lenses, and advanced software for things like low-light photography and portrait mode.
• In-display fingerprint sensors: This technology allows you to unlock your phone by placing your finger on the screen, rather than a separate sensor.
• Increased battery life and fast charging: Battery life and fast charging will always be a priority for mobile phone manufacturers.
• Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) features: As technology for AR and VR continues to improve, we may see more mobile phones with built-in support for these features.
• ChatGPT:  There are a variety of ways that mobile devices can leverage the technology behind ChatGPT, which is a large language model trained by OpenAI. Some of the most common ways include:

  • Virtual personal assistants: Many mobile devices now come with virtual personal assistants that can understand and respond to voice commands. These assistants can leverage ChatGPT technology to understand natural language input and generate natural language output.

  • Text prediction and autocomplete: Some mobile devices use ChatGPT to predict what a user is going to type next, and automatically suggest words or phrases to complete the sentence. This can help users type faster and more accurately.

  • Chatbots and customer service: Some businesses are using ChatGPT to build chatbots that can interact with customers through their mobile devices. These chatbots can understand natural language input and generate natural language output, making it easier for customers to get the help they need.

  • Language Translation: Some mobile apps uses ChatGPT for real-time language translation, which can be useful for travellers or for people who need to communicate with people who speak different languages.

  • Content generation: ChatGPT can be used to generate a wide range of content, from text to images, and audio, some mobile apps are taking advantage of this feature to create personalized and unique content for their users.

Keep in mind this is a general expectations, final features may vary depending on the brand and model.

How can I earn money online through my cell phone in 2023?

There are several ways you can earn money online through your cell phone, some of the most popular methods include:

• Online surveys: There are a number of websites and apps that will pay you to take online surveys. These surveys can be completed on your cell phone and can pay anywhere from a few cents to a few dollars depending on the length of the survey.

• Online tutoring or teaching: If you have expertise in a specific subject, you can earn money by tutoring or teaching students online through your cell phone.

• Online freelancing: You can use your cell phone to find freelance work in areas such as writing, graphic design, web development, programming, and more. Websites such as Upwork and Fiverr are great places to find freelance work.

• Online selling: You can use your cell phone to sell items online through platforms such as Amazon, Etsy, and Ebay. You can sell items you no longer need or create your own products to sell.

• Online survey Jobs: You can use your cell phone to participate in market research studies, companies and organizations are willing to pay for your opinions and feedback on their products and services.

• Online Gigs: On apps such as TaskRabbit, you can find gigs that you can complete with your smartphone, from taking photos to delivery services.

• Online Investment: You can use your cell phone to invest in stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments through online brokerage apps.

• Online Content Creation: You can use your cell phone to create content such as videos, photos, and audio, and upload them to platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, where you can earn money through advertising and sponsored content.

Keep in mind, making money online takes time and effort, some of these methods may require a certain level of skill and experience. Be sure to research and read reviews before investing your time and money in any online earning opportunity.

How do I remove a virus from a SIM card on an Android tablet?

Removing a virus from a SIM card on an Android tablet can be a bit tricky, since the SIM card is not directly accessible through the tablet’s operating system. Here are some steps you can take to try to remove a virus from your SIM card:

1. Run a virus scan on your tablet: Make sure to run a full virus scan on your Android tablet using an antivirus app, this will help you detect and remove any malware or viruses on the device.

2. Remove the SIM card: Carefully remove the SIM card from your tablet, making sure not to damage it in the process.

3. Clean the SIM card: Use a soft-bristled brush or a clean, dry cloth to gently wipe the SIM card, removing any dust or debris that may be on it.

4. Insert the SIM card into a different device: Insert the SIM card into a different device, such as a smartphone or another tablet, and run a virus scan on that device as well. This will help you determine if the virus is on the SIM card or on the tablet itself.

5. If the virus is found on the SIM card: If a virus is found on the SIM card, you may need to contact your mobile service provider and ask them how to proceed. They may be able to provide you with a new SIM card or help you remove the virus from the current SIM card.

6. Keep your device and SIM card updated: Make sure to always keep your device and SIM card updated with the latest software and security updates, this will help protect your device against future viruses and malware.

7. If the issue persists: If the issue persists, or if you don’t feel comfortable performing these steps, it might be best to take your device to a professional for repair or to contact the tablet’s manufacturer for further assistance.

Please note, viruses on SIM cards are not common, but it’s always good to have a virus scanner running on your device and keep your system updated.

What type of smartphone accessories do you recommend for new tech users?

For new tech users, I recommend starting with the basics such as:

• A protective case and a screen protector for their smartphone. A protective case can help prevent damage to the device if it is dropped,
• A screen protector can help prevent scratches on the display.
• Other useful accessories for new tech users include a portable power bank for charging on-the-go,
• A set of headphones for listening to music or taking calls, and
• A USB cable for charging and transferring data.
• An external storage device can be useful for storing photos, videos, and other files.

• A phone holder for car: This can be helpful for using your phone as a GPS while you drive.

• A Selfie Stick : This can be helpful for taking group photos and selfies with friends and family.

• A phone mount : This can be helpful for watching videos or taking video calls.

These are just a few examples, but there are many other accessories available that can enhance the functionality and convenience of a smartphone.

What’s the list of all Samsung phone models for 2022-2023, all cheap and expensive?

Here is a list of a few popular models across different price ranges:

Cheap Samsung models:

• Samsung Galaxy A53: A budget-friendly device with a 6.5-inch display and a quad-camera setup.
• Samsung Galaxy A13: A budget-friendly device with a 6.5-inch display and a dual-camera setup.
• Samsung Galaxy A03: A budget-friendly device with a 6.5-inch display and a dual-camera setup.

Mid-range Samsung models:

• Samsung Galaxy M52: A mid-range device with a 6.7-inch display and a quad-camera setup.
• Samsung Galaxy M32: A mid-range device with a 6.4-inch display and a quad-camera setup.
• Samsung Galaxy M22: A mid-range device with a 6.4-inch display and a triple-camera setup.

Expensive Samsung models:

• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: A flagship foldable device with 7.6 inch Dynamic AMOLED main display
• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: A high-end device with a 6.8-inch display and a quad-camera setup.
• Samsung Galaxy S22+ : A high-end device with a 6.6-inch display and a quad-camera setup.
• Samsung Galaxy S22 : A high-end device with a 6.1-inch display and a quad-camera setup.
• Samsung Galaxy S21: A high-end device with a 6.2-inch display and a triple-camera setup.
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus: A high-end device with a 6.7-inch display and a triple-camera setup.
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra: A high-end device with a 6.8-inch display and a quad-camera setup.
• Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra: A high-end device with a 6.9-inch display and a triple-camera setup.

Please note that this is not a comprehensive list and Samsung does release new models and variations regularly. The prices of these models may also vary depending on the region, carrier or other factors.

What’s the list of all Xiaomi phone models for 2022-2023, all cheap and expensive?

Xiaomi has several phone models in different price ranges, including:

• Affordable/Mid-Range: Xiaomi Redmi Note 12, Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro, Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro, Xiaomi Redmi 10A, Xiaomi Redmi 10C
• Mid-Range: Xiaomi Mi 12 Lite, Xiaomi Mi 12T, Xiaomi Mi 12T Pro, Xiaomi Mi 11T Lite, Xiaomi Mi 10T
• High-End: Xiaomi Mi 12, Xiaomi Mi 12 Ultra, Xiaomi Mi 12i, Xiaomi Mi 12X

Please note that this list is not exhaustive and Xiaomi might have released new models after my knowledge cutoff. Additionally, the prices of the phones may vary depending on the region and market.

What’s the list of all Oppo phone models for 2022-2023, all cheap and expensive?

 

 Oppo has several phone models in different price ranges, including:

• Affordable/Mid-Range: Oppo A55, Oppo A17, Oppo A13, Oppo A55s
• Mid-Range: Oppo Find X3 Neo, Oppo F21 Pro, Oppo F21 Pro+, Oppo F21
• High-End: Oppo Find X5 Pro, Oppo Find X5, Oppo Find X5 Lite

Please note that this list is not exhaustive and Oppo might have released new models after 2022. Additionally, the prices of the phones may vary depending on the region and market.

What’s the list of all Motorola phone models for 2022-2023, all cheap and expensive?

Motorola has several phone models in different price ranges, including:

• Affordable/Mid-Range: Moto E7 Plus, Moto G Power (2021), Moto G Play (2021)
• Mid-Range: Moto G Stylus (2021), Moto G Pro, Moto G9 Power
• High-End: Moto Edge+, Moto Edge

Please note that this list is not exhaustive and Motorola might have released new models after 2022. Additionally, the prices of the phones may vary depending on the region and market.

What’s the list of all Apple iPhone models for 2022-2023 all cheap and expensive?

High-End:

• iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch all-screen Super Retina XDR display. The back is premium matte glass, and there’s a flat-edge stainless steel band around the frame.  There are three cameras on the back: Ultra Wide, Main, and Telephoto. There’s a LiDAR Scanner on the back. 
• iPhone 14 Pro has a 6.1-inch all-screen Super Retina XDR display. The back is premium matte glass, and there’s a flat-edge stainless steel band around the frame. There are three cameras on the back: Ultra Wide, Main, and Telephoto. There’s a LiDAR Scanner on the back. 
• The iPhone 14 Plus has a 6.7 inch all-screen Super Retina XDR display. The back is glass, and there’s a flat-edged anodized aluminum band around the frame. The side button is on the right side of the device. There are two cameras on the back: Ultra Wide and Main.iPhone 13 Pro Max:
• The iPhone 13 Pro Max features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display, a triple-camera system with 12MP ultra wide, wide, and telephoto lenses, and a LiDAR Scanner for improved augmented reality experiences. It also has A15 Bionic chip, 5G support, and Ceramic Shield front cover, which is said to offer four times better drop performance. It also has a ProMotion display which supports a 120Hz refresh rate, providing smooth scrolling and improved gaming experiences.
• The iPhone 13 is the standard model of the iPhone 13 series. It features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display, dual-camera system with 12MP ultra wide and wide lenses, and A15 Bionic chip, 5G support and Ceramic Shield front cover. It also has ProMotion display which supports a 120Hz refresh rate, providing smooth scrolling and improved gaming experiences.
• iPhone 13 mini: The iPhone 13 mini is the smaller model of the iPhone 13 series. It features a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR display, dual-camera system with 12MP ultra wide and wide lenses, and A15 Bionic chip, 5G support and Ceramic Shield front cover. It also has ProMotion display which supports a 120Hz refresh rate, providing smooth scrolling and improved gaming experiences.
   

Mid-Range:

• iPhone 12 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch all-screen Super Retina XDR display. The back is textured matte glass, and there’s a flat-edge stainless steel band around the frame. The side button is on the right side of the device. There are three 12 MP cameras on the back: Ultra Wide, Wide, and Telephoto. There’s a LiDAR Scanner on the back.
•  iPhone 12 Pro has a 6.1-inch all-screen Super Retina XDR display. The back is textured matte glass, and there’s a flat-edge stainless steel band around the frame. The side button is on the right side of the device. There are three 12 MP cameras on the back: Ultra Wide, Wide, and Telephoto. There’s a LiDAR Scanner on the back.
•  iPhone 12 has a 6.1-inch all-screen Super Retina XDR display. The back is glass, and there’s a flat-edged anodized aluminum band around the frame. The side button is on the right side of the device. There are two 12 MP cameras on the back: Ultra Wide and Wide

Low-End:

• iPhone SE (2nd generation): The display is 4.7 inches (diagonal). The glass front is flat with curved edges. The back is glass, and there’s an anodized aluminum band around the frame. The side button is on the right side of the device. The device has a solid-state Home button with Touch ID
• iPhone 11 Pro has a 5.8-inch¹ all-screen Super Retina XDR display. The back is textured matte glass, and there’s a stainless steel band around the frame. The side button is on the right side of the device. There are three 12 MP cameras on the back: Ultra Wide, Wide, and Telephoto.
•  iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 6.5-inch¹ all-screen Super Retina XDR display. The back is textured matte glass, and there’s a stainless steel band around the frame. The side button is on the right side of the device. There are three 12 MP cameras on the back: Ultra Wide, Wide, and Telephoto.
• iPhone 11 has a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina display. The back is glass, and there’s an anodized aluminum band around the frame. The side button is on the right side of the device. There are two 12 MP cameras on the back: Ultra Wide and Wide.
• For earlier iPhone models than 11, go to https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201296

What is the definition of Apple’s MDM?

 

MDM stands for Mobile Device Management. It is a technology used to secure, monitor, and manage mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, that are used in an organization. Apple’s MDM allows IT administrators to enroll devices into a mobile device management solution, configure and update settings, and monitor the compliance and security of the devices. With Apple’s MDM, IT administrators can also remotely lock or wipe a device if it’s lost or stolen, and prevent unauthorized access to corporate data.

It’s also a framework that allows third-party software vendors and IT administrators to create profiles that can be installed on an iOS device, in order to configure settings, security options, and access to resources.

This allows IT administrators to manage and secure a fleet of iOS devices, including iPhones and iPads, and ensure that they meet the organization’s security and compliance requirements.

What are the main differences between an iPhone and an Android phone?

The main differences between an iPhone and an Android phone are:

• iPhones are manufactured by Apple, while Android phones are made by a variety of manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, and Google, Xaomi, Huawei, Oppo, Motorola.
• iPhones only come in a few models, while there are hundreds of different Android phone models available.
• iPhones use Apple’s iOS operating system, while most Android phones use the Android operating system.
• iPhones have a closed system, meaning that users can only install apps from the App Store and are limited in terms of customizability, whereas Android phones have an open system, allowing users to install apps from other sources and more easily customize their device.
• iPhones tend to be more expensive than many Android phones.
• iPhones often have more consistent and timely software updates, but some Android phone also receive updates in a timely manner.

Which software can be used to track mobile phones?

 

There are several software options available for tracking mobile phones, including:

1. Mobile Device Management (MDM) software: MDM software allows businesses and organizations to track, manage, and secure mobile devices that are connected to their network. It can provide real-time location tracking and can be used to remotely lock or wipe a device if it is lost or stolen.

2. Parental control software: Parental control software allows parents to track their children’s mobile phone usage and location, set limits on the amount of time spent on certain apps, and block access to inappropriate content.

3. GPS tracking apps: GPS tracking apps can be installed on a mobile phone and used to track the device’s location in real-time. Some GPS tracking apps can also be used to set up geofencing alerts and receive notifications when the device enters or leaves a specific area.

4. Spyware software: spyware software can be installed on a mobile phone and used to track the device’s location, monitor text messages, and record phone calls.

5. Find My Device: It’s a built-in feature in Android and iOS devices that can be used to track a lost or stolen device, remotely lock or wipe the device, and display a message on the lock screen.

It’s important to note that installing software to track a mobile phone without the owner’s consent is illegal in most countries, and using such software for illegal purposes is a criminal offense.

What are the latest apps for smartphones to keep your data secure?

 

 

There are a number of apps available for smartphones that can help keep your data secure. Some of the latest include:

1. Signal: A messaging app that provides end-to-end encryption for all messages, calls, and media shared on the app.

2. ProtonMail: An email app that offers end-to-end encryption for emails and a built-in VPN to protect your online activities.

3. 1Password: A password manager app that generates and stores strong, unique passwords for all your accounts and keeps them secure behind a master password.

4. Norton Mobile Security: An app that provides real-time protection for your smartphone against malware, spyware, and other malicious software.

5. DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser: A browser app that blocks trackers and provides a private browsing experience.

6. LastPass: Another password manager app that creates, stores, and autofills passwords, as well as provides two-factor authentication options.

7. ExpressVPN: A VPN app that encrypts your internet connection and provides a secure and private browsing experience.

8. Bitwarden: A password manager app that stores and encrypts passwords, credit card information, and personal notes in the cloud, so you can access it from any device.

It’s worth to note that those apps can help to improve your security but they can’t guarantee to protect you from all cyber threats. Therefore, it’s important to use a combination of different security measures, including strong and unique passwords, two-factor authentication, and regular software updates.

What kind of data protection can users expect when using a smartphone?

 

 

When using a smartphone, users can expect a certain level of data protection, but it varies depending on the type of data and the methods used to protect it. Here are some examples of data protection that users can expect when using a smartphone:

1. Operating system security: Smartphones come with built-in security features to protect the device and the data stored on it. For example, Android and iOS devices have security features such as device encryption, secure boot, and biometric authentication.

2. App security: Many apps use encryption to protect the data that is transmitted and stored on the device. For example, messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal use end-to-end encryption to protect the messages and calls.

3. Network security: When using a smartphone on a cellular or Wi-Fi network, users can expect a certain level of security to protect their data from being intercepted by hackers. For example, using a virtual private network (VPN) can encrypt your internet connection and protect your online activities.

4. Cloud security: Many users store data in the cloud and can expect a certain level of security to protect their data. For example, cloud services such as Google Drive and iCloud use encryption to protect the data stored on their servers.

5. Malware protection: Smartphones can be vulnerable to malware and other malicious software, so it’s important to use an app or built-in feature that can help protect the device from malware.

It’s important to note that while these security measures can help protect your data, they are not foolproof and it’s important to be aware of the risks and take steps to minimize them. This can include being cautious about the apps you download, using a complex passcode, and keeping your software up to date.

What steps can I take to secure my mobile phone from hackers?

 

 

There are several steps you can take to secure your mobile phone from hackers:

1. Keep your operating system and apps up-to-date: Make sure your phone’s operating system and all installed apps are up-to-date with the latest security patches. This will help protect against known security vulnerabilities.

2. Use a strong passcode or PIN: Use a strong passcode or PIN to lock your phone. Avoid using easily guessable numbers like 1234 or 1111.

3. Use biometric authentication: Use biometric authentication such as fingerprint or facial recognition to lock your phone. It’s an extra layer of security that requires physical access to the device.

4. Be cautious of suspicious links and attachments: Be cautious when clicking on links or opening attachments in emails or text messages, as they could contain malware or phishing attempts.

5. Use anti-virus software: Use anti-virus software to protect your phone from malware, spyware, and other malicious software.

6. Use a VPN: Use a VPN to encrypt your internet connection and protect your online activities.

7. Be careful when connecting to public Wi-Fi: Be cautious when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks, as they may not be secure. Avoid accessing sensitive information, such as online banking or credit card information, when connected to public Wi-Fi.

8. Use two-factor authentication: Use two-factor authentication whenever it’s available, this will help to protect your accounts by requiring a second form of verification in addition to your password.

By following these steps, you can help to protect your mobile phone from hackers and keep your personal information and data secure. It’s important to remember that staying vigilant and informed about the latest security risks is important for keeping your device and data safe.

How can you increase phone signal strength?

 

 

There are several ways to increase phone signal strength:

1. Find a better location: Move to a different location, such as a higher floor or a location closer to a window, as this can help to improve the signal.

2. Remove obstructions: Remove any physical obstructions that may be blocking the signal, such as walls or large furniture.

3. Restart the device: Restarting your phone can help to reset the connection to the network and improve signal strength.

4. Put the phone in airplane mode: Putting the phone in airplane mode and then turning it off can help to reset the connection to the network and improve signal strength.

5. Check for a network outage: Check with your network provider to see if there is a network outage in your area that may be causing the poor signal strength.

6. Use a signal booster: Signal boosters can be used to amplify the signal and improve the signal strength, they can come in different forms, like a booster box, a case or an external antenna.

7. Use Wi-Fi calling: If signal strength is poor in a specific location, using Wi-Fi calling can help to improve call quality and reliability.

8. Update the phone’s software: Make sure your phone’s software is up-to-date. Sometimes phone manufacturers release updates that can improve signal strength.

It’s worth to note that many factors can affect signal strength, and some of them may be out of your control, such as distance from the nearest cell tower. However, by implementing these methods, you can increase your chances of having a stronger signal.

 

How has increased usage of smartphones changed user privacy and data security regulations?

 

 

The increased usage of smartphones has led to significant changes in user privacy and data security regulations. As more personal and sensitive information is stored on smartphones, the need for increased regulations to protect this data has grown.

1. Privacy policies: Companies that collect and store data from smartphones are now required to have clear and transparent privacy policies that explain how they collect, use, and protect user data.

2. Data breaches: Data breaches have become a major concern for smartphone users, and as a result, regulations have been put in place to protect user data in case of a breach. For example, companies must now disclose data breaches to authorities and affected users within a certain timeframe.

3. Encryption: Data encryption has become more common as a way to protect user data stored on smartphones. Regulations have been put in place to ensure that companies use encryption to protect user data.

4. Location tracking: The use of location tracking services on smartphones has led to regulations being put in place to protect users’ privacy. For example, companies must now obtain user consent before collecting location data.

5. GDPR and CCPA: The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States are examples of regulations that have been put in place to protect user data and give them more control over their personal information.

6. App permissions: App permissions have been established to protect user data from apps that are not transparent about the data they collect and share.

These regulations have been put in place to protect user privacy and data security in the face of the increased usage of smartphones. It’s important to note that regulations can vary depending on the jurisdiction and they are subject to change over time.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a mobile device management system?

 

 

Mobile Device Management (MDM) systems are designed to help businesses and organizations manage, secure, and monitor mobile devices that are connected to their network. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of using a MDM system:

Advantages:

1. Security: MDM systems can help to protect mobile devices from security threats such as malware, spyware, and other malicious software.

2. Remote management: MDM systems allow IT administrators to manage mobile devices remotely, which can help to improve efficiency and reduce the need for on-site support.

3. Compliance: MDM systems can help to ensure that mobile devices comply with organizational policies and regulations, such as data encryption and password requirements.

4. Tracking: MDM systems can track the location and usage of mobile devices, which can be useful for businesses and organizations with a mobile workforce.

5. Data protection: MDM systems can protect sensitive data stored on mobile devices, allowing to wipe out data remotely in case of lost or stolen devices.

Disadvantages:

1. Cost: Implementing and maintaining a MDM system can be costly, and it may require additional hardware and software.

2. Complexity: MDM systems can be complex to set up and manage, requiring specialized training and technical expertise.

3. Privacy concerns: Some users may be concerned about the level of access that MDM systems have to their personal data.

4. Dependence on connectivity: MDM systems require an internet connection to function properly, so it can fail if there’s no connection.

5. Limited control: MDM systems may not be able to control all aspects of a mobile device, such as apps that are downloaded and used.

Overall, MDM systems can be a valuable tool for businesses

What is the most secure smartphone out there in 2023?

 

There are a number of smartphones that are considered to be among the most secure on the market. The most secure smartphone will vary depending on the specific security features and measures that are important to you. Some smartphones that are known for their security include:

1. Blackberry KEYone and Motion: Blackberry devices are known for their strong security features, including built-in encryption, secure boot, and the BlackBerry DTEK security app.

2. iPhone: iPhones come with a number of security features such as Touch ID, Face ID, and Find My iPhone. They also have end-to-end encryption for iMessage and FaceTime.

3. Google Pixel: Pixel devices come with built-in encryption and the Google Titan M security chip that helps to protect against physical and firmware-based attacks.

4. Samsung Galaxy: Samsung Galaxy devices come with Samsung’s KNOX security platform, which includes features such as encryption, secure boot, and a secure folder for storing sensitive data.

5. Fairphone: The Fairphone is a modular smartphone that is designed to be more secure and privacy-friendly than most smartphones. It runs on a version of Android that is free of bloatware and comes with a number of security and privacy features.

What are some examples of mobile Apps using ChatGPT-3?

 

 

ChatGPT-3 is a state-of-the-art language generation model developed by OpenAI that can be used in a wide range of applications, including mobile apps. Some examples of mobile apps that use ChatGPT-3 include:

1. Virtual assistants: ChatGPT-3 can be used to create virtual assistants that can understand natural language inputs and provide helpful responses.

2. Language translation apps: ChatGPT-3 can be used to create mobile apps that can translate text from one language to another with high accuracy.

3. Chatbots: ChatGPT-3 can be used to create chatbots that can understand and respond to natural language inputs in a conversational manner.

4. Writing assistance apps: ChatGPT-3 can be used to create mobile apps that can assist users with writing tasks such as grammar checking, text completion, and text summarization.

5. Language learning apps: ChatGPT-3 can be used to create mobile apps that can assist users in learning a new language by providing translations, explanations, and examples of sentences.

6. Virtual personal shoppers: ChatGPT-3 can be used to create virtual personal shoppers that can understand natural language inputs and provide product recommendations based on user preferences.

7. Personalized news summaries: ChatGPT-3 can be used to create mobile apps that can provide personalized news summaries, by understanding the user’s interests and providing the news that matters to them.

It’s worth noting that the capabilities of ChatGPT-3 are constantly expanding, and new use cases are being explored. As the AI technology continues to evolve, it will be able to offer more sophisticated and accurate

What are some  apps to make legit side money from a mobile phone in 2023?

There are several apps that allow you to earn money from your mobile phone. Some popular options include:

1. Survey apps such as Survey Junkie, Swagbucks, and InboxDollars. These apps pay you to take surveys and provide feedback on products and services.
2. Cashback apps such as Rakuten and Dosh. These apps give you cashback for shopping at certain retailers through the app.
3. Gig apps such as TaskRabbit and Fiverr. These apps allow you to offer your skills and services, such as graphic design or writing, to people who need them.
4. Food delivery apps such as Uber Eats and DoorDash. These apps allow you to earn money by delivering food to customers.
5. Investing apps such as Robinhood and Stash. These apps allow you to invest in the stock market and earn money through stock market gains.
6. Rewards apps such as Ibotta and Checkout51. These apps give you cash back for scanning receipts from certain retailers.
7. Research apps such as UserTesting and Survey on the go. You get paid for providing feedback on website and apps.
8. Writing and Question Answering Apps such as Quora and Medium. You get paid for writing and answering questions.

Keep in mind that earning money through these apps will likely be a small amount and may require a significant amount of time and effort to earn a significant income.

Why is my phone flickering in the sides and edges?

 

There are several reasons why your phone might be flickering in the sides and edges:

1. A loose or damaged screen: If the screen of your phone is loose or damaged, it can cause the edges and sides of the screen to flicker.

2. Display settings: If the display settings of your phone are not properly configured, it can cause the edges and sides of the screen to flicker.

3. Hardware issues: The flickering issue could be caused by hardware issues such as a malfunctioning display driver or a problem with the display connector.

4. Software issues: Sometimes, software bugs can also cause the edges and sides of the screen to flicker. An app running in the background could be causing the problem or a recent software update might have caused an issue with the display.

5. Overheating: If your phone is overheating, it can cause the edges and sides of the screen to flicker.

If the problem persists, it is recommended to contact the manufacturer or visit a professional technician. Try to check if it is covered by warranty or if there’s a software update available that could fix the issue.

Are AirPods compatible with all phones?

 

AirPods are compatible with most smartphones, but they are specifically designed to work with Apple devices such as iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers. They connect to these devices via Bluetooth and can be easily paired and controlled through the device’s settings.

AirPods will work with Android smartphones, but some features such as the automatic on/off and pausing when taking out of the ear may not work as well. However, the basic functionality such as audio playback and call making will work.

Additionally, AirPods can also be used with other Bluetooth-enabled devices such as laptops and gaming consoles, but the level of functionality may vary depending on the device.

It is also worth mentioning that AirPods Pro and AirPods Max can be used with any device that supports Bluetooth audio.

How has mobile device encryption evolved over recent years?

Mobile device encryption has evolved significantly over recent years, with improvements in both software and hardware. Some of the key ways in which mobile device encryption has evolved include:

1. Advancement in Encryption Algorithms: Encryption algorithms used in mobile devices have become more advanced and secure over time. For example, newer devices now use AES-256 encryption, which is considered to be one of the most secure encryption algorithms available.

2. Hardware-based Encryption: Many modern mobile devices now include hardware-based encryption, which is considered to be more secure than software-based encryption. This is because the encryption is performed on the device’s hardware rather than in software, making it more difficult to bypass.

3. Biometric Authentication: Many mobile devices now include biometric authentication methods, such as fingerprint or facial recognition, to provide an additional layer of security. This makes it more difficult for unauthorized individuals to access the device and its encrypted data.

4. Device Management: Mobile device management (MDM) solutions have evolved to provide more detailed and granular controls to IT admins, allowing them to remotely lock or wipe a device, enforce security policies, and monitor the device’s compliance with security standards.

5. Multi-layered Security: Mobile devices now typically include a combination of security measures, such as encryption, biometric authentication, and device management, to provide multiple layers of protection for the device and its data.

All of these advancements have helped to make mobile device encryption more secure and effective in protecting sensitive data on mobile devices.

 

 

WhatsApp on WearOS

This may have been posted before but i haven’t found a guide yet. I finally figured out how to do this so WhatsApp now runs natively on WearOS as a linked device thanks to the WhatsApp beta.

Steps:

1. Enable developer mode on watch
2. Enable adb wifi debugging
3. Sideload arm-v7a version of WhatsApp on watch
4. Using add debugging over WiFi change the dpi on the screen (this is so the qr code is visible) (‘adb shell wm density 180’ is the command and inchanged to 180 and it worked fine, then changed back using ‘adb shell wm density reset’) 5.Launched WhatsApp and it immediately asked to link to another device and presented qr code 6.Paired with primary WhatsApp device scanning qr code

Why? Now if I am away from my phone I can still send and receive WhatsApp messages, which is pretty much the default messaging app for all my contacts. I did reset my dpi back to stock and I can read the messages and compose replies OK on the screen.

Somebody else logged into my iCloud and reported my phone stolen, factory reset

 

That’s basically it. I got an email from Apple saying somebody logged into my Apple account with a different email. Then ten minutes later my phone factory reset and when I turned it on it said my phone had been reported stolen. I got this phone brand new, no previous owners. Any ideas? I thought I had a SIM card but when I went to take it out to try it in a different phone there was no SIM card..

Solution/Prevention: Always always use two factor authentication and use a strong password, makes this nearly impossible. Contact Apple ASAP and hope for the best at this point.

How to Change Clock Font on iOS

 

Clock font can be customized in the newly introduced iOS 16 in several ways. You can customize the time font in the home screen. Let’s discuss how to change the clock font on iOS.

Process for changing the iPhone Lock Screen font

You can change the lock screen font taking resort of two ways – one from the Settings app and another from the lock screen. Let’s discuss those ways. 

By using the Settings app

1. Initiate the Settings app. 
2. Find the Wallpaper option from the lower end in the Settings 

 

3. Swipe the screen to select a wallpaper pair to customize and after it, click on the Customize option under the lock screen 

4. Click on the clock. 

5. Now, there will be many fonts to be chosen from those 

6. You can change the color of the clock from the available color palette from the lower portion of the screen. You have to select the color from the palette by swiping the screen. 

7. After confirming the color, you have to select the X button to close the panel. 

8. Now, click on the Done button to conclude the process. 

By using the lock screen

Another process is through using the lock screen. Let’s get into the process. 

1. Tap and hold on the blank space of the screen to get the list of customization option 
2. Click on the Customize option 
3. Tap the Lock Screen 
4. Tap the clock button
5. There will be a number of fonts from which you can choose one

6. You can use the available palette of colors to change the color. In the first ends, you will get some ready-made colors but at the end of the string, you will get a chance to create custom color

7. Now, click on the X button to shut down the font panel 

8. Finally, click on the Done button to call the day on the customization

Little-known iPhone setting instantly upgrades how your voice sounds on calls

The feature can greatly improve the way you sound over Facetime or Phone calls but not many are fully aware of how to turn the iPhone setting on.

Apple brought Voice Isolation to the Phone App with iOS 16.4.

For this feature to work, you need to have an iPhone that’s running iOS 15 or later.

Also, you can only turn on Voice Isolation mode while you’re in the middle of a call.

First, be on a call with either FaceTime or the Phone App.

Second, swipe your down and open your Control Center.

Third, select “Mic Mode” in the top-right corner of the Control Center.

Fourth, select the Voice Isolation setting and go back to your call.

The feature will now be turned on.

There is a way to do the opposite of Voice Isolation which will pick up everything around during a call inside of focusing on your voice.

 

The opposite feature is called “Wide Spectrum” and it will show up in the same spot of Voice Isolation.

MORE IPHONE NEWS/TIPS 2023

First, rumor has it that the iPhone 15 will include a new battery port and will no longer use the original Apple charger.

Photos were allegedly leaked of the iPhone 15’s charging port which showed a USB-C port.

Second, another little-known secret shortcut has been revealed and it can help you be better notified when your phone has reached a 100 percent battery charge.

 

The Shortcuts App allows you to set up an automation that can trigger when certain things happen on your phone.

You can create personal automation for when your phone reaches 100 percent battery.

Third, you can save majorly save battery by using dark mode for your entire iPhone with iOS dark mode, and in-App dark mode.

How do I get iPhone 14 Pro Camera to Focus Broadly Rather than on Close Objects?

 

Hi, I have an iPhone 14 Pro, and I can never get it to focus on the objects far away that I want to take a picture of. For example, taking a picture of a rabbit through a window or back sliding door to my house, with the iPhone camera a few feet away OR with the camera close up, it focuses on the dirty window and nothing outside. OR, trying to take a picture of words on a label on a breaker panel, it focuses on literally everything but the words. OR, shining a flashlight through a floor joist to see the wall on the other side, my eyes and other phone took a perfect photo, and the iPhone takes photos (albeit very clear ones) of the fucking tiny spider webs.

Comparatively, my old non-iPhone has zero issues with still photos. It focuses “broadly” and gets everything in one shot without blurring or focusing on random objects.

Is there a setting that I can I make my iPhone just take a normal photo of a scene instead of focusing on literally the only stuff that I don’t want in the picture?

Solution:

1- Not sure if there is a native solution but there are camera Apps that let you pick the focus range

2- When in the camera, if it focuses on some small object in front of you, there will be a yellow flower icon in the bottom left corner of the frame. This is the macro camera setting. Go ahead and tap it so that it’s not yellow, that should turn it off and focus on a broader range.

How to Stop Android Notifications from Turning On the Screen

 

Sick of notifications lighting up your Android screen? You can prevent this in your app settings. This guide explains how.

Usually, a notification will buzz on your phone or beep at you while displaying on the screen to be noticed. However, this behavior can drain your battery faster and become annoying in general to deal with. You can turn off an app’s notification behavior in your device’s settings.

There isn’t a universal setting to prevent all apps from waking the lock screen, so you’ll need to manage them individually. Here’s how.

How to Disable App Wake Screen Settings on Android

Unless you enable Airplane Mode or turn on your device’s Do Not Disturb option, apps will continue to wake your screen by default. So, you need to manage each app you want to stop notifications from tediously.

To stop notifications from turning on the screen on Android:

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap Settings (gear icon) in the top-right corner.
2. Select the Notifications option from the Settings menu.
3. Tap the App notifications option to view your complete list of installed apps.
4. Select the app that you don’t want to wake your screen.
5. Tap the Silent option under the Alerts section.
6. You can also disable all app notifications by toggling off the Allow notifications switch. You won’t have access to the notification settings for all apps when you turn this off, however.
7. It’s also important to note that some apps will allow you to manage specific notifications by selecting the Notification categories option and toggling individual notification types on or off.

How to Use In-App Settings to Stop Apps Waking Your Android Screen

Depending on the app, you may be able to stop app notifications from turning on the screen from within the app itself. For example, in the Snapchat app’s settings menu, you can turn off the Wake Screen option for notifications that’s enabled by default.

 

Android 14 lets you easily check if an unknown object tracker is tracking you

Following last month’s announcement, Google is rolling out the ‘Unknown Tracker Alerts’ feature to Android users. Thanks to this alert notification, Android users will know if someone has placed an unknown tracker on them. Also, the unknown tracker alert will be sent when someone else’s tracking device is separated from them and is found to be traveling with another person.

 

iOS 17: how to create a Contact Poster on your iPhone

Contact Posters offer an engaging canvas to express creativity via otherwise mundane-looking contact cards. Here’s how to create them in iOS 17 on your iPhone.

he whole process of creating a Contact Poster is fairly easy. You can create a Contact Poster for your own number, or any other acquaintance in your contact list.

Another neat convenience that comes with Contact Posters is that you can share them by just bringing two iPhones close to each other. It also works if you tap your iPhone against an Apple Watch.

For this guide, we’ll go through the step-by-step process of creating a contact poster for fellow Digital Trends contributor Tushar Mehta. The process is identical if you are creating a contact poster for yourself. To do that, just tap on your name when it appears at the top of the contacts list in the Phone app.

Step 1: Open the Phone app on your iPhone and select the contact that needs a poster makeover. As you tap on a name, it will open the detailed contact page as shown in the image below.

Step 2: On the contact page, tap on the Edit button in the top-right corner of the screen. On the next page, either tap on the circle with the contact name initials, or the pill-shaped Add Photo button.

 

What is the best uncensored AI on android?

Hiwaifu

Moemate AI : All in one chat app

Import any 3d or 2d avatar akin to be your companion for the purpose of engaging in role play, uncensored AI conversation according to your personal inclinations. sharing selfies, code assistance, screen perception all in moemate app

Image generation models

• 32 Image generation models for selfies and generated images.

• custom 3D VRMs

• V2 card imports with prompt personality

Voice models

• azure (multilingual)

• elevenlabs

Conversation llms

• claude instant v1.1, V2, Gpt 4, gpt 4 function, gpt 3.5

• Wizard (Uncensored), Wizard Coder, Airoboros

• Added uncensored support. Including Roleplay Selfies, Image Generation, and Web Searches.

• New and improved conversation model. Much more accurately uses skills and role play

wizard coder

Code support in chat with wizard coder

Screen perception

Moemate will engage with your screen whenever you allow it to with toggle switch

Compatible

• Web app : All Windows & Android browser, macOS : chrome, Firefox

• Desktop app : windows, mac, Linux

What is PWM display flicker, how to deal with it

Have you ever looked at your phone and gotten a headache? Sometimes, it just means you’ve been on it too long and need to take a break. For some folks, however, it could mean you’ve developed PWM flicker sensitivity due to the way your phone’s display works.

 

PWM, or pulse width modulation, is a method of flickering a display to fool the human eye into seeing a brighter or dimmer display. It’s a tactic used by many of the best phones — including the Apple iPhone, Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, and many others — for a number of reasons and has only become more and more common as phones continue to switch to OLED displays.

The result is a phone that might make you feel nauseous, make your eyes hurt, give you a headache, or even make you want to curl up in a ball for hours. So what is PWM, why is it harmful to some people, and what can you do about it? Other than getting a new PWM-friendly phone, we’ve got several suggestions that will help make your current phone a little more eye-friendly.

PWM dimming works by flashing the screen on and off very quickly. Think of it a bit like watching a movie, which is comprised of pictures being shown back-to-back many times per second.

Your brain interprets this rapid progression of images as movement in a movie, but in the case of PWM-dimmed phones, your eyes see a brighter or dimmer image depending on how often your phone’s display is on or off per second.

 

PWM dimming works by flashing the screen on and off very quickly, which tricks your eyes into seeing a “brighter” or “dimmer” screen.

The reason this is different from a movie is that movie frames are evenly lit in progression from one to the next. PWM flashing, however, alternates between 100% brightness and 0% brightness, providing a harsh, stark contrast to your eyes and brain.

No matter which phone you use, being PWM or flicker-sensitive means you should take some precautions to ensure you’re not exposing yourself to too much flicker. Here are some tips and tricks to help make your phone easier on the eyes.

See an optometrist

First and foremost, if you’re experiencing any of the symptoms described above while looking at your phone, go see an optometrist. I personally dealt with increased sensitivity and harsher symptoms over a period of a few months before I went to an optometrist, and I couldn’t have been happier with my experience.

In my case, one eye had astigmatism, and my optometrist was able to give me a new reading glasses prescription to correct for that astigmatism. Many people who are sensitive to flickering light and flickering smartphone displays also have astigmatism, and correcting for this problem could very well solve your sensitivity issue.

In my case, I’m able to use flickering phones so long as I wear my glasses, but even this is within a limit. I don’t dare use any of these flickering phones below 50% brightness or in a dark room, and I generally cannot use them when I’m not wearing my glasses.

For me, that means I can’t use my phone to navigate while driving since my glasses are for reading only, and it means that it’s incredibly inconvenient (or impossible) to look at flickering phones for any length of time while doing physical activities away from home.

Don’t use automatic brightness

Automatic brightness is a great concept when a phone uses DC dimming. For phones that use PWM to dim, automatic brightness is a quick way to get a headache. Instead, manage the brightness yourself and keep it at a level that you feel is manageable and doesn’t give you eye strain.

That’s because PWM-dimmed phones flicker more harshly at lower brightness levels, increasing the potential for PWM sickness.

I recommend using this practice in conjunction with the next tip.

Try a screen-dimming app

Don’t use your phone’s brightness slider to adjust brightness. Instead, I would recommend keeping the system brightness slider at 100% to keep screen modulation as low as possible. Then, use a screen-dimming app to control brightness since it works differently.

First off, I would never recommend dimming most smartphone displays under 50% if you’re sensitive to light flicker. Even most of the most eye-friendly smartphone displays start to do funny things below 50% in order to maintain high image quality at low brightness values.

I’ve tried a lot of screen-dimming apps, but this screen and notification-dimming app is my all-time favorite. Not only does it feature a handy control panel that stays in your notification shade at all times and has a quick toggle button, but it actually dims notifications and system-level dialogs.

Many screen dimming apps will only dim apps by adding a grey overlay on top of the screen which isn’t allowed to be displayed over system-level UI elements. Worse yet, most of these apps don’t let you click “secure” buttons which means you regularly have to disable them just to do normal things on your phone.

The app I recommended has none of these problems and works as you would expect it to.

Don’t use your phone in a dark room

Using your phone in a dark room is one of the quickest ways to develop those awful feelings of PWM sickness. It doesn’t matter what brightness level your device is at — especially if you’re using a phone that uses PWM to dim the display. Sitting in a dark room looking at a bright phone just isn’t good for your eyes.

Instead, try to keep the ambient lighting in the room at about the same brightness level as your phone. Automatic brightness would do this already, but for us PWM-sensitive folks, automatic brightness isn’t usually an option since phones tend to flicker more at darker brightness levels.

Additionally, I would recommend using a flicker meter to test the lightbulbs in your home to ensure they don’t flicker. If you don’t have a specialized light meter, this flicker meter app is free and can help you detect light bulb flicker.

I wouldn’t use its measurements as an exact science, though. Rather, just use it to help detect bulbs that can be replaced with flicker-free versions like these Sylvania flicker-free LED bulbs. I use those in my home and love them.

Don’t use dark theme on some phones

It might sound weird, but OLED displays using PWM modulate more when displaying darker colors. That’s because color and light intensity are linked together in a single LED diode, as I explained in the section way above. Phones using OLED displays that use DC Dimming are just fine to use dark mode of any shade, as evidenced by the images below.

Most dark theme apps don’t use a black background, which would actually turn individual OLED pixels completely off. Instead, many developers and smartphone companies use a dark grey background which is more harmful to your eyes than a completely black or completely white background.

Lock the refresh rate

It might sound weird, but locking a phone’s display refresh rate is sometimes easier on the eyes than a dynamic refresh rate on phones that use PWM dimming. There are a lot of theories as to why this is the case, but I personally think it’s the variability of the refresh rate on LTPO OLED displays that’s playing the biggest part.

Since the refresh rate changes constantly on these displays depending on what app you’re using or what you’re using the phone for — but the PWM rate likely remains constant — your eyes are constantly bombarded with varying levels of unnatural display refresh patterns.

Go into your phone’s display settings and find the refresh rate option. Sometimes this is called “Smooth display” or something similar. Either turn it off or select a single refresh rate to test. Some phones allow you to select from several different rates to lock the display at. My personal eye-friendly favorite phone, the Motorola Edge Plus (2023), allows you to select from 60Hz, 120Hz, or 165Hz.

Depending on the display type, choosing the lowest possible refresh rate of 60Hz might actually be the most comfortable. Give it a shot and see how you feel!

Get a better phone

The reality is that our definition of “the best phones” often revolves around processor speeds, camera quality, or other factors but often neglects how bad these phones’ displays are for our eyes.

Thankfully, the best phones for PWM-sensitive people all offer great experiences, processing speeds, quality cameras, and, most importantly, displays that don’t hurt to look at.

Motorola Edge Plus (2023)

Motorola is back, baby. Sporting a gorgeous design, an eye-friendly OLED display, a blazing-fast processor, and 2-day battery life, the Motorola Edge Plus (2023) is the best phone Motorola has made in years.

From Galaxy S3 to Fold 5: My Journey Through Samsung’s Evolution and Why I Love the New Foldable Era!

 

Having been on the Samsung (and briefly Pixel) train for over a decade, I’ve just made the leap to the Galaxy Fold 5. And, let me tell you, it’s been a revelation.

Here’s why:
Durability: Contrary to popular belief, this foldable feels every bit as sturdy as my previous ‘slab’ phones. I was hesitant, but it’s holding up beautifully.

Inner Display Magic: Typing and watching content on that expansive inner screen is an absolute joy. It’s hard to go back once you’ve had a taste of this screen real estate.

The ‘Controversial’ Outer Display: Many have griped about the narrowness of the outer display, but I’m here to defend it. It’s perfect for quick tasks – be it music control, calls, or swift replies using the swipe gesture. And honestly, its slender form factor makes it easy to grip, reducing my age-old fear of the accidental drop.

Ergonomics: The narrow shape has its benefits, folks. It’s super comfortable in hand, and it feels secure, which is a big plus in my books.

In essence, the Fold 5feels like a culmination of all the mobile experiences I’ve had over the years, but elevated. It’s a brave new world, and I’m here for it! Anyone else loving their Fold 5 or have thoughts on the foldable future? Cheers!

Why are there scratches behind the X? Is this a bug or is it intentional?

It is intentional. Musk is an edgelord, and this is his edgelord aesthetic.

Winston: a new, beautiful Reddit client for iOS now in beta testing

 

There’s a new beautiful Reddit client in town. It’s called Winston and it’s a magnificent app that, following Apple’s design guidelines, makes Reddit feel right again on iOS. It is fast, convenient and, although still in beta, supports many useful features such as gestures, customization and a beautiful Apple-like UI. For me, at least, it is the real successor to Apollo.

It is developed by the team at lo-cafe, it’s a work in progress. Some things are still missing and it’s a little buggy, but development is incredibly fast.

The subs list in Winston

Here are more screenshots

For now it works using your own API key, it is very easy to configure and with very difficult limits for individual users to overcome. Despite this, being completely free and open-source, it does not violate Reddit’s API rules. The App Store version will not require your own key but will use the developer’s key. Since there is a limit on free API usage and using one key for all users would exceed it, the app will charge based on usage.

You can beta test it now via TestFlight at https://testflight.apple.com/join/3UF8bAUN

The stupidest iOS bug or oversight I’ve ever seen (ft. Face ID, notifications, screen wake)

 

This is pretty easy to reproduce, all you need is an iPhone using Face ID on the latest software.

1. Set up Face ID

2. Put phone down with screen facing up. (No user input required from now on)

3. Receive a notification

4. Phone screen turns on, prompting Face ID to scan a face

5. Face ID can’t find a face, so the phone vibrates due to face not matching

6. Repeat from step 3 a couple more times until Face ID locks itself prompting you to enter your passcode.

It’s genuinely so stupid that I can’t believe this slipped through testing. For the record I’m on iPhone 14 Pro but I recall the same issue used to happen all the way back on my iPhone X.

However recently it’s gotten so bad that if I forget to put my phone facing down before bed, I end up waking up to Face ID invalid face vibrations because of the notifications I receive. And of course Face ID is locked when I actually try to use it because of too many invalid attempts.

Is there anyway I can save iPhone text messages as a PDF ?

If you have a Mac,

• open Messages

• Open Conversation in separate window

• scroll up a lot to get the whole conversation downloaded

• File / Print

• Where it says “PDF”, click and select “Open in Preview”. It will make a PDF and open it in Preview.

In my 30-second test, it didn’t get all the images, but it got all the text and some images.

How to Hide Your Phone Number on Android and iPhone

Hide your number on your device

Both Android and iOS devices allow you to hide your Caller ID, though some carriers may override this function, requiring you to block your number through them directly. The basic steps vary depending on your type of device.

To block your phone number on your iPhone, navigate to Settings > Phone > Show My Caller ID, then disable the toggle for “Show My Caller ID.”

On Android, open the menu from the Phone app by pressing in the top-right corner. Now, scroll down to Settings, select Supplementary Services, and then look for Calls and Additional Settings. You should now see a Show Your Caller ID option, which you can toggle to “Never” to block your name and number when making phone calls.

Keep in mind the exact naming of the settings above may differ depending on your Android device.

Block your number using a star code

This method has been around for decades. Depending on where you live, you can press *67 on your phone’s keyboard before entering the phone number you want to hide your number from. When the other end receives your call, you’ll pop up as “Unknown Number” or “Unknown Caller.” This method is especially helpful for checking if someone has blocked your phone number, as it’ll bypass the block, allowing you to contact the person anyway.

However, if you’re in the United Kingdom or Ireland, you must type 141 before the phone number instead of *67.

 

Hide your phone number through your carrier

This method is the most complex, requiring you to reach out specifically to your carrier. Carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile will allow you to hide your number by simply calling Customer Service and having them activate a blocking setting in their system. They may ask why you want to hide your number, so think up a reason before giving them a call.

If you have your phone service with Verizon, you can hide your phone number and Caller ID by finding the Block Services setting on the Verizon website or in the MyVerizon app. My Verizon is available on Android and iOS, so you can easily manage your caller ID-blocking features wherever you are.

Alternatively, if you need your phone number to show up while using this particular method, you can always dial *82 before dialing the phone number you want to call, which will force your Caller ID to appear instead of Unknown Caller.

Unfortunately, you can’t block your number for everyone. Some organizations, businesses, and emergency services will still be able to see your phone number and name. If you want to lean into full anonymity, you can always use calling apps like Google Voice or Burner if you really want to reduce the risk of your phone number getting out.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs. Galaxy S23 Plus: To fold or not to fold

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: An extremely useful foldable

The Z Flip 5’s new, large outer display makes it a significantly more practical phone, since you can use its most critical functions without ever opening it. In other words, it might be the compact, highly versatile device that convinces tons of holdouts to make the jump into foldable phones.

Pros

 

• Incredibly useful outer display
• The hinge gap is finally gone
• Convenient and compact

Cons

 

• Battery life still less than ideal
• Camera quality lags behind competition

Galaxy S23 Plus: One of the top Android phones

The middle child in Samsung’s flagship family is, once again, the Goldilocks of high-end Samsung phones for most people. The combination of a slightly larger battery, notably improved SoC, and bigger base storage capacity make it a worthy successor to the S22+, although only an iterative upgrade.

Pros

 

• Unbeatable display quality
• Finally, acceptable battery life
• Great triple rear camera

Cons

 

• Doesn’t fold
• 45W wired charging isn’t actually much faster

This modular Android will outlive the latest iPhones and Pixels, but there’s a catch

The Fairphone 5 is designed to reduce e-waste, but it’s also a solid Android smartphone through and through.

 

Fairphone has unveiled the Fairphone 5, a smartphone designed for longevity with the longest software upgrade promise and the ability to replace 10 key components. Purchasing the Fairphone 5 means investing in a device that prioritizes both the environment and ethical practices.

Unlike many brands, Fairphone’s commitment to sustainability is unparalleled. They champion an industry-leading living wage program and have secured SA8000 certification, ensuring the Fairphone 5’s assembly takes place under safe, decent working conditions. The company prioritizes fair-mined materials and boasts the industry’s most ethically sourced battery. Additionally, they recycle old phones to counterbalance new sales and utilize recycled materials to minimize their carbon footprint.

 

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List of the biggest feature in each flagship iPhone model released

Here is my list of what I deemed the biggest feature announced for each iPhone generation.

• iPhone (1st Generation): Literally the device itself
• iPhone 3G: The App Store (also GPS and 3G Data)
• iPhone 3GS: Faster (also better camera)
• iPhone 4: Retina Display (also the new design, better rear camera (HD video + Flash) and front-facing camera (and therefore FaceTime))
• iPhone 4S: Faster (also better rear camera (Full HD video) and Siri))
• iPhone 5: Taller screen (also the new design, LTE support and Lightning connector)
• iPhone 5S: Touch ID
• iPhone 6: Size (also general redesign and better cameras)
• iPhone 6S: 3D Touch (also better cameras and updated Touch ID) LAST TO HAVE HEADPHONE JACK
• iPhone 7: Redesign (also new home button, water/dust resistance and 2x camera on 7 Plus)
• iPhone 7S: YES THIS PHONE WASN’T A THING IN CASE YOU WERE CONFUSED
• iPhone 8: Inductive Charging (also generally better across the board)
• iPhone X: Completely new design (also Super Retina HD Display, Face ID and Animojis)
• iPhone XS: New size available (also dual-sim support) LAST TO HAVE 3D TOUCH
• iPhone 11 Pro: Triple Rear Cameras
• iPhone 12 Pro: 5G Support (also LiDAR and MagSafe support)
• iPhone 13 Pro: ProMotion Display (also smaller notch and ProRes video) LAST TO HAVE SIM CARD SUPPORT (IN THE USA)
• iPhone 14 Pro: Dynamic Island (also satellite connectivity)
• iPhone 15 Pro: USB-C port

How to Blur Sensitive Content on Your iPhone

This new feature in iOS 17 allows you to choose the apps in which you want to blur sensitive content. You can choose to blur images and videos in Messages, received over AirDrop, shared in Contacts, or for video messages. You’ll need to be running iOS 17 or higher for this feature to be available.

To blur sensitive content on iPhone:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and select Privacy & Security.
   
3. Scroll to near the bottom of the screen and tap Sensitive Content Warning.
   
4. Toggle Sensitive Content Warning on.
   
5. Use the toggle switches to decide if you want the setting to apply to AirDrop, Contacts, Messages, and Video Messages.
   
6. If you’ve already received unsolicited sensitive images, you can tap View Safety Resources to see resources that may help.
   

What To Do if You Receive Unsolicited Sensitive Content on Your iPhone

When you receive sensitive content with this setting turned on, the image or video will be blurred out. You can opt to simply delete the content without viewing it, you can block the contact that sent you the sensitive information, or if you show the media that has been blurred if you were expecting it or want to see it.

To delete or view blurred sensitive content on iPhone:

1. If your iPhone detects the content as being sensitive, it will be blurred out.
   
2. If the media is unsolicited, you can opt to block the contact that sent it by tapping the Warning icon.
   
3. Select Block Contact.
   
4. To delete a sensitive image or video in Messages, tap and hold the image.
5. Select More.
   
6. Tap the Trash icon and the image will be deleted.
   
7. If you want to view the sensitive contact, tap Show.
   
8. Once you see the image, you still have the option of blocking the contact that sent it once you’ve seen the image, by tapping the Warning icon and selecting Block Contact.
9. If you would like access to resources that may help when receiving unsolicited sensitive content, tap the Warning icon.
   
10. Select Ways to Get Help and you’ll be taken to a resources web page.
    

How to Check Battery Health on Android (2 Ways)

Check Battery Health on Android 14 using aBattery

With Android 14, Google introduced and added new HAL APIs in the BatteryManager APIs which measure the battery health of an Android device. The feature was first announced almost a year ago during Android 14 Developer Preview and has finally made it to Android 14. The API is available to use for apps provided the permissions to access the API are granted using ADB.

We’re not sure if Google will add a Battery Health tab in Settings with the stable release of Android 14, but if you’re already on the said version of Android, here’s how to check the battery health on Android 14 using aBattery.

1. Download and install the aBattery app (free) and an app named Shizuku (free) from the Play Store. Shizuku is a modifying tool that allows apps to apps to interact with system APIs without rooting the device.

2. Enable your Android device’s Developer Options by going to settings and tapping on the Build Number seven times.

2. Open Shizuku and tap “Pairing” and then tap Developer options.

3. In the Developer options, scroll down and enable “USB Debugging” and Wireless Debugging. Once done, tap Wireless debugging > Pair device with pairing code.

4. Once the code appears, swipe down for quick notifications and enter the code in the Shizuku notification.

5. Once done, tap send and go to Shizuku from recents. You should now be connected.

6. Now that you’re connected, launch the aBattery app, tap “Manufacturing date,” and tap “Allow all time” in the pop-up

7. Once done, you should now be able to check your device’s battery health, battery’s manufacturing date, and Cycle count.

Bear in mind that the app returns the stats from the API and the stats may not be accurate. We tested it out on a Pixel 6 and compared the battery health side-by-side with AccuBattery’s statistics as a point of comparison and the numbers were surprisingly close. Which brings us to:

Check Battery Health on Android using AccuBattery

AccuBattery (Free, in-app purchases) is a handy Android app for monitoring everything battery-related, including battery health on Android. It gives you battery charging, discharging, and battery health (which we’ll get into in a bit), although it takes at least 4-5 complete charge cycles and a week to give out the numbers by understanding your usage patterns and calculating future data. Here’s an example of the data that it collected on my Pixel 6.

As you can see in the image above, my device’s battery has charged 338,691 mAh / 7,478% and has done 78 charge cycles from May to September. The data before that is unavailable because I had to reset my device and AccuBattery doesn’t support backing up and restoring this data. The battery health shown by AccuBattery is 95% which is quite close to the response from the Battery API.

Once you install AccuBattery, launch it, give it all the permission it needs, and wait for at least a week.

Check Battery Drain on Android

If you’re unbothered about your device’s battery health and just want to check things such as screen-on time and per-app battery stats.

1. Go to Settings > Battery.

2. Tap Battery usage to check the graph and Screen time since the last full charge.

3. Do note that the way this menu looks depends on the manufacturer of the device.

How to turn on predictive back navigation on Android 14

 

 

 

Android 14 is full of new features, and most are behind the scenes. A couple of years after Google gave us a new look for our favorite smartphones with Material You, the last two upgrades have focused on upgrading elements you might not think about every day. Security, privacy, and speed are three aspects that Android 14 and Android 13 excel at, but they aren’t alone. A new addition to gestures could change how you think about swiping between apps, but you need to activate predictive back gestures to see it in action.

What is predictive back navigation in Android 14?

Predictive back navigation dates to Android 13’s beta period. It’s a simple concept that is surprisingly complex behind the scenes. It’s taken over a year of testing to become a finished version of Google’s operating system. The idea is easy. Rather than showing a back arrow when you swipe back in an application, predictive back gestures show you what you’ll return to before you finish the swipe.

 

It’s meant to solve a problem that’s plagued Android since before the company made the full-time switch to its current gesture system with Android 10 in 2019. Although the back gesture (or button, on older, legacy smartphones) is useful for returning to previous screens in a flash, it can be confusing. Sometimes, the back button sends you to a page you didn’t expect. Sometimes it sends you to your homescreen without an explanation as to why.

Source: Google

Predictive back gestures change that. When you swipe backward in an app that supports predictive animations, you’ll see what you’re about to enter, whether that’s another menu or your homescreen. It’s taken a long time for Google to get these ready for primetime, but in Android 14, they’re finally here for all to see.

 

How to activate predictive back animation on Android 14

By default, predictive back animations are turned off in Android 14. Or they were in the beta program, which is still active as we prepare this guide. That’s not to say it’ll remain this way forever, but it’s clear that, between hiding the setting from view and taking more than a year to launch it, these gestures are here to stay.

If you want to try out the future of gesture navigation on Android 14, here’s how to turn it on in developer settings.

1. Grab a smartphone or tablet running Android 14. We use screenshots from a Pixel 7a, but we also tested this on One UI 6 on a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. The steps should be similar regardless of the device. You’ll also need to use gesture navigation.
2. Open your settings menu. If you haven’t activated the developer options on your phone, you’ll need to do so.
3. Find the About phone section of your settings menu, then scroll down to find your build number.
4. Tap your build number several times until a prompt alerts you that developer options are unlocked.
5. Return to the main settings menu.
6. Select Developer options from this list.

    

    
7. Predictive back animations are turned off by default, but you can activate them from this list. Either search for predictive back animations from this list or scroll to the bottom of the list. It’s a few options above the Autofill category.
8. Toggle it on, then tap OK on the prompt. This warning alerts you that this feature only works with software where their respective devs have included a specific option in their app’s manifest file.

   

    

 

And that’s it! The settings menu is a great example of predictive back gestures in action, as swiping back from this menu flashes a preview of what’s to come on screen.

 

What apps support predictive back gestures on Android?

 

It’s early days for this tool, and few apps support it. We mentioned Android’s settings menu, but because Google is the team behind Android, it doesn’t mean all or most of its apps have activated this option. Photos, Chrome, Wallet, and many more don’t support this animation, but you’ll notice it in many system apps, including Phone and Clock.

Even a handful of third-party apps have activated it. Spotify and Reddit, for example, both show a preview of the homescreen, preventing a potential mis-swipe if you’re looking to stay within the app. That said, neither can show previous menus within the app, which contrasts the way Google’s Clock app can. Look for this to change once Android 14 becomes widely adopted.

 

 

A massive leap forward for the back gesture on Android

It might sound small, but this is a huge quality-of-life improvement for Android. Never again will you swipe back, only to realize you’ve been led to your homescreen without an explanation as to why. Predictive back navigation, once more apps adopt it, will likely be seen as one of the bigger changes found in Android 14, though only time will tell

 

 

• BE CAUTIOUS WITH INTERNET DOWNLOADS

Downloading files and images from the internet can consume a significant amount of data, especially if done regularly. Unless it’s absolutely necessary, consider avoiding such downloads when you’re using mobile data.

• OPT FOR OFFLINE MEDIA CONSUMPTION

If you’re accustomed to streaming music, podcasts, or video content on platforms like Netflix or HBO Max while on the go, it’s wise to download this content while you’re connected to Wi-Fi. Most streaming services offer the option to download content for offline viewing, reducing your reliance on mobile data. Remember to download content in advance to ensure you have entertainment readily available when you need it.

• ADJUST STREAMING QUALITY

While high-quality streaming enhances your viewing or listening experience, it also consumes more data. Check the quality settings in your streaming apps for videos, music, and even video games. Many apps allow you to adjust the streaming quality to minimize data usage. You can opt for lower quality or a balanced setting to strike a compromise between data conservation and satisfactory quality.

• MANAGE WHATSAPP DOWNLOADS

WhatsApp, and similar messaging apps, typically have default settings for automatic download of photos, videos, and audio files. While these settings can be convenient, they can also deplete your mobile data if you’re not on Wi-Fi. To avoid this, access the app’s settings, usually found by tapping the three dots in the top right corner, then navigate to Settings > Storage and data. Adjust the “Download with mobile data” settings by unchecking all options or limiting downloads to Wi-Fi only. This not only saves data but also conserves storage space on your device.

 

iOS 17: From NameDrop To StandBy, 7 Must-Try Features

StandBy: Glance And Go, While Charging

With iOS 17, Apple has introduced a StandBy mode, which makes the iPhone useful even when it is on charge (a time when we generally do not use it). StandBy is essentially a screen with some basic information which can be seen and processed at a glance from a distance. 

 

It is designed for the times when your iPhone is sitting idle and being charged. You have to activate the mode from Settings and also place your iPhone on its side (in landscape mode) for it to work. In default mode, it shows a large clock and calendar information, but you can also look at widgets, photographs and other clock faces by swiping right and left. The StandBy mode comes on automatically on iPhones with an always-on display, while in the case of the others, you just have to nudge the iPhone to see it. It even adjusts to night mode. Suddenly we want to charge our iPhones more often. Make it a regular feature, Apple, and not limited to charging scenarios. 

NameDrop: AirDrop For Contacts 

Apple never let users share media via Bluetooth on the iPhone for security reasons and later introduced AirDrop which was an iOS alternative for sharing media files from one Apple device to another. With iOS 17, Apple has introduced something similar to AirDrop but for sharing contact information, called NameDrop. 

It is a feature that allows you to share contact information by simply bringing two iPhones together. Apple has also introduced a new feature called Contact Posters which can also be shared along with name, phone number and email address while sharing the contact. 

Interactive Widgets: Don’t Just Look, Do More Without Opening Apps

Widgets have been present on iOS for a few years now but with iOS 17 Apple has added another layer of functionality to them.  Widgets are more interactive now and they will be accessible everywhere — Home Screen, Lock Screen, and even the new StandBy screen. Earlier,  Home Screen widgets did not offer much functionality but with iOS 17, users will be able to carry out actions from within the widgets without having to open the actual app. 

Messages: AI-ming For Better Words

The Messages app has also received quite a few new features with the iOS 17 update. You can now swipe right on any message. No, it’s not a dating thing. You can simply swipe right to send an inline reply to a message.  

The messages app gets a new and improved language model and better word predictions. With the help of machine learning the app will keep learning the language and pattern of the user and will keep improving word predictions and provide greater accuracy. 

This will also work with other third-party apps that make use of your keyboard. 

Siri: No Need To Say ‘Hey’ Anymore 

With new and updated software comes a new and updated Siri. The virtual assistant has become more powerful and interactive with iOS 17. It is also now even easier to summon Siri to get a task done. You do not have to say “Hey Siri” to wake up Siri anymore, but simply say “Siri,” and the virtual assistant will be at your service. 

This feature will work similarly on the iPad, Mac, HomePod and the latest AirPods Pro. To top this you will also be able to use Siri to carry out multiple commands in a single summon in succession and would not have to keep saying Hey Siri over and over again. Easy, hey? 

Offline Maps: Watch Out, Google Maps 

We all know that Google Maps is the OG navigation tool on any phone regardless of whether it is an iPhone or an Android. But Apple is trying to change that, one software update at a time. With the latest iOS update, Apple has added another layer of functionality to its Maps app. Apple has now added the ability to download maps on iPhone for offline use. 

This means users will now be able to download the map of a specific area in advance and will be able to use turn-by-turn navigation, find locations, get an estimated time of arrival and more, even if they do not have access to a cellular network or Wi-Fi. This will be thoroughly helpful on trips and places where one usually struggles to get good network reception. 

Live Voicemail: Read Live And Decide 

There are times when you are busy at home and get an office call. Deciding whether to attend the call or let it go to voicemail can be quite a dilemma. To find a solution to this problem, Apple has introduced a feature called Live voicemail with iOS 17.

This offers real-time transcription of a voicemail. This means while someone is leaving you a voicemail, you can choose to get a live transcription of what the caller is saying, and then decide whether to take the call if it is important or let it go to voicemail and respond later. As per Apple, the feature can also identify spam carrier calls and decline them instantly. 

For instance, you can play/ pause a song, get additional weather details, check off your reminder list when a task is complete and more. Apple will also be extending interactive widgets support to third-party apps which means once the apps get updated users will also be able to do much more with this feature.

How To Download iPhone Games On Android

Method 1: Using Emulators

If you want to enjoy iPhone games on your Android device, you can use software programs called emulators. Emulators let you run apps and games that are made for a different operating system, such as iOS, on your device. One of the best iOS emulators for Android is “Cider,” which creates a virtual iOS environment on your device.

However, using emulators is not very easy and may require some technical skills and settings. Here are the steps you need to follow to use emulators to play iPhone games on your Android device:

First, you need to download the iOS emulator that you want from a reliable source. You can usually find the emulator apk file on the internet. Next, you need to go to your device’s settings and turn on the “Unknown Sources” option to allow the installation of apps from sources other than the Play Store. Then, you need to find the downloaded apk file using a file manager app and install the iOS emulator on your Android phone. After the installation is done, you need to open the emulator and set up the iOS environment by following the instructions on the screen. This may include downloading more files or changing some settings. Finally, you can download and install iPhone games on your Android device, just like you would on a real iPhone.

However, you should know that not all games may work well on emulators, as they may have some problems or need some features that are not available on all Android devices. Also, emulators may not support the newest iOS versions, so you may not be able to play some of the latest iPhone games.

But, using emulators can still be a fun way to experience the iOS gaming on your Android device. It lets you try out many iPhone games and see what iPhone users have been playing all this time.

1. Start by downloading the iOS emulator of your choice from a trusted source. You can usually find the emulator apk file on the internet.
2. Once the apk file is downloaded, go to your device’s settings and enable the “Unknown Sources” option to allow the installation of applications from sources other than the Play Store.
3. Locate the downloaded apk file using a file manager app and install the iOS emulator on your Android phone.
4. After the installation is complete, open the emulator and set up the iOS environment by following the on-screen instructions. This may include downloading additional files or configuring certain settings.
5. Once the iOS environment is set up, you can now download and install iPhone games on your Android device, just like you would on an actual iPhone.

Keep in mind that not all games may work perfectly on emulators, as they may have compatibility issues or require specific hardware features that aren’t available on all Android devices. Additionally, emulators may not support the latest iOS versions, limiting your access to some newer iPhone games.

Despite these limitations, using emulators can be a great way to enjoy the iOS gaming experience on your Android device. It allows you to explore a wide range of iPhone games and get a taste of what iPhone users have been enjoying all along.

Method 2: Sideloading the Game Files

If using emulators isn’t your cup of tea or if you’re looking for an alternative method to play iPhone games on your Android device, you can consider sideloading the game files. Sideloading refers to the process of manually installing an app or game on your device, bypassing the official app store.

Here are the steps to sideload iPhone games on your Android phone:

1. Start by finding the game files for the iPhone game you want to play. You can typically find these files on websites that specialize in providing game APKs or on file-sharing platforms.
2. Before you proceed, make sure that your Android phone allows the installation of apps from unknown sources. To enable this, go to your device’s settings, navigate to “Security” or “Privacy,” and enable the “Unknown Sources” option.
3. Once you have the game files and have enabled the installation of apps from unknown sources, use a file manager app to locate the game file on your device and tap on it to start the installation process.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the game on your Android phone. Once the installation is complete, you should be able to find and play the iPhone game on your device.

It’s worth noting that sideloading games comes with certain risks. Since you’re installing the game files from unofficial sources, there is a chance that the files may contain malware or viruses. To minimize these risks, only download game files from trusted sources and make sure to have a reliable antivirus app installed on your device.

Furthermore, similar to using emulators, not all iPhone games may work perfectly when sideloaded on Android. Some games may have compatibility issues or rely on specific iOS features that are not available on Android devices. Ensure that you read user reviews and check for compatibility before attempting to sideload a game.

If you’re willing to take the risk and explore a wider range of iPhone games on your Android device, sideloading can be a viable option. It allows you to enjoy games that are not officially available on the Android platform and expand your gaming collection.

 

Method 3: Using App Stores that Offer Cross-Platform Support

If you’re hesitant about using emulators or sideloading games on your Android device, another option to download iPhone games is by using app stores that offer cross-platform support. Some app stores provide a wide range of apps and games that are compatible with both iOS and Android devices.

Here are the steps to use app stores with cross-platform support to download iPhone games on your Android phone:

1. First, identify app stores that offer cross-platform support. One popular option is Amazon Appstore. You can download and install the Amazon Appstore app on your Android device.
2. Once the app store is installed, launch it and create an account if you don’t already have one.
3. Use the search function within the app store to find the iPhone game you want to download. Many popular iPhone games are available on app stores like Amazon Appstore, and they can be downloaded directly to your Android device.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the game on your device. The installation process may vary depending on the app store you’re using.

Using app stores with cross-platform support provides a more convenient and reliable way to download and play iPhone games on your Android phone. These app stores ensure compatibility and often offer a seamless experience without the need for additional configuration or technical expertise.

However, it’s important to note that not all iPhone games may be available on app stores with cross-platform support. Some games may still remain exclusive to the iOS platform. Additionally, the availability of games may vary depending on your region.

Despite these limitations, utilizing app stores that offer cross-platform support is a great option for Android users who want to enjoy iPhone games without the complexity of emulators or the risks associated with sideloading.

Smartphone 101: Google Pixel 8/8 Pro Impressions: Software Magic!

 

Livestream: #MadeByGoogle ‘23: Keynote

Preorder deals:

Amazon

Google Store

BestBuy

Videos:

Google Pixel 8/8 Pro Impressions: Software Magic! – Marques Brownlee

Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro hands – on Engadget

Pixel 8/8 Pro Hands-On! | EVERYTHING New! – 9to5Google

Google Pixel 8 Pro – Early Thoughts! – Dave2D Articles:

The Pixel 8 Pro has better cameras, a brighter screen, and a lot of new AI tricks -Verge

Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro hands-on: Generative AI and a temperature sensor on your phone – Engadget

Android 14 info:

gen ai wallpaper – Mishaal

clock/weather update – Mishaal

VPN info Mishaal

FREE built-in VPM on Google Pixel 8

 

Google started offering free VPN by Google One access starting with the Pixel 7, but they’re taking things a bit further with the Pixel 8 series!

VPN by Google One will now appear as a “built-in” VPN under Settings > Network & Internet > VPN. This will improve discoverability of the VPN that Google provides freely to Pixel 8 users and also make controlling its settings feel more native.

 

 

 

Google Pixel 8 Pro’s video boost feature is a game changer

The Google Clock app on the Pixel 8 can show weather info for different cities on the home screen! You have to go to settings to enable “local weather on clock” after which you’ll see weather info in the Clock tab as well as when using the “World” clock widget.

 

 

The Pixel 8’s generative AI wallpaper feature is SO COOL!

You can create brand new wallpapers that nobody else has ever seen just by choosing a few topics and colors from some preset options. While you can’t go wild with custom prompts, you still have a ton of choice!

The Pixel 8’s generative AI wallpaper feature is SO COOL!

You can create brand new wallpapers that nobody else has ever seen just by choosing a few topics and colors from some preset options. While you can’t go wild with custom prompts, you still have a ton of choice! pic.twitter.com/Ev8p5Dq9Hu

— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) October 4, 2023

Pixel 8 Pro review—The best Android phone

Google is still making steady improvements to the design that started with the Pixel 6, and the Pixel 8 Pro feels like one of the best hardware designs out there. First up, Google is finally dumping the years-long failed experiment of curved displays. Samsung started the curved display trend back in 2014 when it figured out how to bend OLED displays. Thanks to the huge influence of Samsung’s display division, from then on most flagship Android phones had the long edges of their displays curve into the bodies.

Get Your Google Pixel at discounted price now

Samsung’s scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could bend a display that they didn’t stop to think if they should. There was never a good argument for doing this when all the content in the world—apps, websites, photos, and videos—was meant to be displayed on a flat surface. The only thing the curved display accomplished was making the sides of an Android phone distorted and unusable for content, necessitating bigger margins on the sides of the display. It made the display more likely to capture glare, and it made it easier to accidentally touch the sides of the display while holding it, which can stop touchscreens from responding correctly.

The flat display on the Pixel 8 Pro marks the healing of this self-inflicted wound. The entire surface area of the Pixel 8 Pro display is usable now, so full-screen videos and photos look great. The sides of the phone get to be bigger and flatter in a thinner device, and that greater surface area results in a better grip. It’s easier to hold the phone without touching the screen. I hope other manufactures follow suit.

The back panel is a soft-touch glass material that we previously saw on the Pixel Fold. We were big fans of that finish, and it’s great on the Pixel 8, too. The soft-touch glass is grippier than a normal glass back and hides fingerprints a bit better, so we’re glad to see it return. Instead of the ultra-shiny glass back, this material has a matte or satiny finish, and it looks gorgeous on our black review unit.

I wish I could say that the aluminum sides and camera bar also had a great finish, but the aluminum still has a mirror polish. The mirror polish is extremely prone to scratches just from normal use. I can already see some after a few days, and the Pixel 6 Pro and 7 Pro, with similar finishes, have not aged well. The mirror polish is also slippery and prone to catching fingerprints. It doesn’t have to be this way. A better answer exists if you just look at the cheaper Pixel 8, which has a brushed, matte aluminum finish that is grippier, doesn’t show fingerprints, and is more durable. Just as with the curved-screen fiasco, Google seems to think that a flagship phone has to look this way and doesn’t appear to consider usability concerns.

Face unlock: Now usable

Another big thing we’ve complained about in the past that has been fixed: face unlock. The iPhone does face unlock with a bevy of purpose-built sensors that can create a 3D map of your face, while the Pixel 7 has a dubiously secure face unlock system that works only via the front selfie cam. We’re not the only ones who questioned the security of a camera-only face unlock—Google did, too, and it set up the OS so that a face-unlocking phone would not grant the same amount of access as unlocking with a fingerprint. The result was that doing a face unlock and then opening a secure app like Google Pay would bring up another lock screen because face unlock wasn’t good enough.

The real problem is that face unlock overrode the fingerprint reader lock screen, so if the phone recognized your face, it would immediately do a weak-security unlock, disable the fingerprint reader, and then you would need to open a secure app to really unlock the phone. As a heavy user of Google Pay (or whatever it’s called this week), that led me to just disable face unlock completely because it would open the phone at checkout but not open Google Pay—and I would fail the payment.

Behind the scenes, Android has multiple security tiers for biometrics, with fingerprint readers hitting the highest Class 3 “biometric strong” security tier, which will unlock the phone and grant access to high-security apps. The face unlock on the Pixel 7 was the Class 1 “convenience” tier, which only unlocks the phone and doesn’t grant access to Android’s cryptographic keystore, so opening a high-security app would make a second lock screen appear. This year face unlock is a Class 3 biometric, just like the fingerprint reader, so logging in with your face is just as good as your finger.

Assuming that the new face unlock is actually secure, this is a huge improvement! Face unlock and the fingerprint reader can now complement each other. Face unlock is great if your fingerprint read fails due to misplacement or having a wet finger or the million other things that can go wrong. Similarly, there are plenty of times when face unlock doesn’t work—when wearing sunglasses, masks, hats, or when you just aren’t looking directly at the phone. You unlock your phone many, many times a day, so having multiple, redundant ways to get in on the first try makes sense. I’m often not sure which method works when I try to log in; all I know is that I get in, and it feels fast and convenient.

The good

• Seven years of updates allows Google and the Pixel phones to finally stand up to the iPhone.
• The flat display fixes the years-long mistake of flagships with distorted, curved screens.
• The soft-touch glass back looks and feels great.
• Google’s software is still the fastest, lightest, most cohesive build of Android out there.
• Face unlock is a big improvement now that it fully unlocks the phone, and it’s a great complement to the fingerprint reader.

The bad

• The polished aluminum finish is still easily scratched and slippery and quickly gets greasy. The cheaper Pixel 8 finish, with a matte, brushed aluminum, is way nicer.
• mmWave is expensive and not worth the price.
• The $100 more expensive price tag is not appreciated.

The ugly

• The temperature sensor isn’t useful and doesn’t belong on what is an otherwise polished device.

Read more at Pixel 8 Pro review—The best Android phone | Ars Technica

I opened an app and surfed the internet via Android WebView. Will that app know my activity in WebView?

When you use an Android WebView to surf the internet, the app that contains the WebView can track your activity within the WebView. This is because the WebView is a part of the app and runs within it.

However, if you have turned off Web & App Activity in your Google account settings, your activity in WebView will not be saved to your Google account .

Learn more:

1. developer.android.com

2. support.google.com

3. docs.datadoghq.com

4. tatvic.com5. example.com

PSA: Instructions on how to copy your data to your Pixel 8 using a USB cable

I read the entire r/GooglePixel thread about transferring your data from your old phone to your new phone and lots of people had issues using WiFi (incomplete transfers) and were complaining that the USB cable method to transfer your data no longer exists/is no longer an option. I did a Google search and found Google’s article detailing how to transfer your data using a USB cable and not Wi-Fi on the official Google support article which provides full instructions for the Pixel 8. I created this PSA due to the sheer volume of people complaining that the USB data transfer method isn’t possible anymore and all of that people who had issues using Wi-Fi complaining about missing data and having incomplete/interrupted transfers over WiFi. See below for details:

Transfer data on Pixel 8 & Pixel 8 Pro

You can pair your Android phone with your new Pixel phone to transfer data wirelessly.

Tip: If you want to transfer data with a USB cable instead of Wi-Fi, tap 5 times on the image on the “Copy apps & data” screen. You can do this even if you have not yet paired your phones. u/cleare7‘s NOTE: The image you have to tap 5 times is the two phones near the middle of the screen. Photo containing the image of two phones that you have to tap 5 times: https://imgur.com/a/s4y3ntn

Official Google support article with all of these details and additional steps to take prior to the data transfer: https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/7129955?hl=en#zippy=%2Ctransfer-data-on-pixel-pixel-pro

Full instructions:

Copy data from your old phone with a cable:

1. On your Pixel phone:

Tap Start.

Connect to a Wi-Fi network or mobile carrier.

2. When asked to “Copy Apps & Data,” tap Next > Copy your data.

3. When asked to “Use your old device,” tap Next.

4. Turn on and unlock your Android device.

5. Plug one end of your Android charging cable into your Android device.

6. Plug the cable’s other end into your Pixel phone or into the Quick Switch Adapter and plug the adapter into your Pixel phone.

Tip: Don’t have a cable? You can transfer some of your data wirelessly.

7. On your Android device, tap Trust.

8. On your Pixel phone, a list of your data appears.

To copy all your data, tap Copy.

To copy only some data:

Turn off what you don’t want.

Tap Copy.

9. When your transfer is finished, you can use your phone.

Tip: Some apps need time to download and install and may take time to show up.

Copy data with Wi-Fi (Android 12 or later)

Tip: Your apps may need time to load after you transfer your data.

Edit: I recommend people go through the entire Google support article I linked because it has various steps prior to the instructions I provided (detailed in Step 4), such as:

Step 1: Get both phones ready to set up

Step 2: Pair your phones

Step 3: Prepare your Pixel phone

Step 4: Copy apps & data

Edit 2: I want to point out that some people were prompted to plug in their USB cable to transfer their data during the setup process but many people never received this prompt and had no way to initiate a USB data transfer. This post clarifies how users can initiate the data transfer over USB on their own (the fact Google hid this is extremely disappointing, in the past they let you choose how you wanted to transfer your data to your new device).

Edit 3: Photo containing the image of two phones that you have to tap 5 times (thanks to u/DrClaw77, taken from his comment, I drew a red circle to point out the image of the two phones you have to tap 5 times): https://imgur.com/a/s4y3ntn

Mishaal Rahman: Android is adding native support for repair mode, a feature that “creates a secure environment to protect the user’s privacy when the device is being repaired.”

twitter.com/Mishaa…

 

 

Pixel 8 Pro Vs Galaxy S23 Ultra Vs iPhone 15 Pro Max Camera Comparison

Confirmed: Pixel 8 supports display output.

Confirmed: Pixel 8 supports display output. Here’s a first look! | Patreon

Android 14: What’s new for developers

 

What’s new in Android 14 for app developers? A lot of things, actually. Here’s a summary of some of the more impactful Android 14 changes:

• Bigger fonts with non-linear scaling: Users can now scale the font size to 200% (up from 130%). Android 14 will use a non-linear font scaling curve to ensure that larger text doesn’t increase in size at the same rate as smaller text.

• Per-app language preferences: Android 13 introduced per-app language preferences, but you previously had to manually configure your app to support this feature. Now you can not only dynamically update your app’s localeConfig with LocaleManager.setOverrideLocaleConfig to customize the set of languages displayed in the per-app language list, but you can also configure your app to support per-app languages automatically (if you’re using Android Studio Giraffe and Android Gradle Plugin 8.1).

• Regional preferences: In Android 14, users can now go to Settings to set their regional preferences for things like temperature units, the first day of the week, and numbering systems. You can read the user’s regional preferences to personalize your app for them.

• Grammatical Inflection: The Grammatical Inflection API makes it easier to add support for languages that have grammatical gender. To show personalized translations, just add translations inflected for each grammatical gender for impacted languages and integrate the API.

• Ultra HDR for images: Android 14 adds support for the Ultra HDR image format, which stores HDR gainmap as metadata in a JPEG file, allowing the image to be displayed on both SDR displays and HDR displays.

• Improved Camera Extensions: Android 14 improves the Camera2 Extensions API. By allowing apps to handle longer processing times, apps can take advantage of the more compute-intensive algorithms like low-light photography on devices whose vendors provide the requisite extension. Apps can also now get a list of the postview sizes supported for a still capture, retrieve capture progress callbacks, and more.

• Lossless USB audio: Android 14 now supports lossless audio formats over USB wired headsets.

• Custom meshes with vertex and fragment shaders: Android 14 adds support for custom meshes that can be defined as triangles or triangle strips and optionally be indexed. These meshes are “specified with custom attributes, vertex strides, varying, and vertex/fragment shaders written in AGSL [Android Graphics Shading Language]”.

• Hardware buffer renderer for Canvas: Android 14 introduces HardwareBufferRenderer to assist in using Android’s Canvas API to draw with hardware acceleration into a HardwareBuffer. This is particularly helpful if your use case involves communication with the system compositor through SurfaceControl for low-latency drawing.

• OpenJDK 17 support: The latest ART 14 release included in a recent Google Play System Update to the ART Mainline module brings support for new Java language features. “Over 600M devices” running Android 12 and later will receive this update.

• Credential Manager and Passkeys support: Credential Manager is a new Jetpack API that supports multiple sign-in methods like username & password, passkeys, and federated sign-in solutions in a single API. Credential Manager supports passwords and federated sign-in on Android 4.4+ and passkeys on Android 9+. On Android 13 and lower, Credential Manager is backed by Google Password Manager which is part of Play Services. On Android 14, Credential Manager is part of a system app and is able to support multiple (including third-party) password managers. 3P password managers that implement Credential Manager are able to save and retrieve passkeys in Android 14.

• Health Connect in Mainline: Health Connect is an app and framework that simplifies sharing health and fitness data across apps. Previously, most users had to download the Health Connect app from Google Play, but this app is now integrated into Android 14 through a new Project Mainline module. Users who previously installed the Play Store version of the app will be migrated over to the system version after they update to Android 14.

• Superior system sharesheets: Android 14 introduces a revamped system sharesheet with image previews and the ability to include/exclude text with images, but it’s also adding a new API that lets apps add custom app actions to the top row and allow users to reselect items.

• More consistent and reliable foreground services: Google announced a collaboration with Samsung earlier this year to guarantee that foreground services of apps targeting Android 14 will work as expected on Galaxy devices running One UI 6.0. To take advantage of this, though, apps will need to abide by Android 14’s new foreground service API policy, which requires apps to declare foreground service types and request type-specific permissions. Google Play has new policies to enforce the use of these APIs. Android 14 also adds a “new user-initiated data transfer job type, making the experience of managing large user-initiated uploads and downloads smoother by leveraging JobScheduler’s constraints.”

• Data sharing updates: Users will see a new section in the location runtime permission dialog that highlights when an app shares location data with third-parties. The information in this section is pulled from your app’s data safety section on Google Play, which is self-reported.

• Partial access to photos and videos: When an app requests one of the visual media permissions introduced in Android 13 (READ_MEDIA_IMAGES/READ_MEDIA_VIDEO), Android 14 allows users to grant the app partial access to only selected photos and videos, using the system photo picker. Apps should optimize the user experience using the new READ_MEDIA_VISUAL_USER_SELECTED permission.

• Background activity launching: Apps targeting Android 14 need to grant privileges to start activities in the background when sending a PendingIntent or when binding a service.

• Block installation of apps targeting older SDK versions: Android 14 blocks the installation of apps with a targetSdkVersion lower than 23. This is to protect against malicious apps that intentionally target older versions to get around security and privacy protections like runtime permissions (introduced in API level 23).

• Runtime receivers: Apps targeting Android 14 have to indicate if dynamic Context.registerReceiver() usage should be treated as “exported” or “unexported”.

• Secure full screen Intent notifications: Android 14 limits what kinds of apps can send full-screen intents. Only apps that provide calling or alarm functionality should request the USE_FULL_SCREEN_INTENT permission to send full-screen intents as they can be highly disruptive to the user. If your app needs the permission, you can launch the settings page to request it from the user.

• Safer dynamic code loading: To improve security, apps targeting Android 14 are required to mark dynamically loaded files as read-only.

• Safer implicit intents: For apps targeting Android 14, creating a mutable pending intent with an implicit intent will throw an exception. This is to prevent them from being able to be used to trigger unexpected code paths. Apps have to either make the pending intent immutable or make the intent explicit.

• Predictive back: Android 14 introduced new system animations for the predictive back navigation system. The cross-activity and cross-task animations join the back-to-home animation introduced in Android 13. However, these system animations remain gated behind a developer option so that developers have more time to prepare for these changes.

• Schedule exact alarms are denied by default: Android 14 now denies the SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM permission by default for most newly installed apps targeting Android 13 and higher. Only apps that really need this functionality, like alarms or calendar apps, should be requesting this permission.

Google recommends using the latest release of Android Studio Hedgehog if you’re going to update your app to support Android 14. Android Studio Hedgehog now “filters and identifies the specific Android 14 API changes that are relevant to your app” and walks you through the steps to upgrade your targetSdkVersion with the Android SDK Upgrade Assistant.

There are, of course, lots of other Android 14 changes that are relevant to app developers. Here’s a few more that Google didn’t mention in their blog post:

• Android 14 adds new APIs to improve the experience of using a third-party app store, including “update ownership”, “gentle updates”, “install pre-approval” and more.

• Android 14 changes the behavior of the ActivityManager.killBackgroundProcesses(…) API to no longer let apps kill the background processes of other apps. This is part of Google’s crackdown on task killers that misleadingly claim to improve performance.

• Android 14 adds a new attribute that lets apps block non-accessibility tools from interacting with them.

• Android 14 removes the 3-minute “adb screenrecord” limit so you can capture videos for longer.

• Android 14 adds a new “Notes” role and AppClips API that lets notetaking apps be launched from the lock screen and receive screenshots from SystemUI.

• A new NFC antenna location API lets apps determine where exactly the NFC antenna is on a device, though this requires the OEM to define the location.

• Android 14 adds a screenshot detection API that notifies apps when the user takes a screenshot.

Best Android Apps that you should definitely try!

So these are some of my personal favourite apps that I use and absolutely need in my Android Phone always….

Password Manger:

• Bitwarden – open source password manager

Notepad:

• Standard Notes – Encrypted Notes that get sync cross all your devices

• Quillpad – a complete offline notepad that saves all notes on your device

Browser:

• Brave – Open source chromium browser with built-in adblocker

• Mull – Firefox based browser with telemetry/blobs removed and more privacy enhanced featured enabled right out of the box

File Manager:

• Mixplorer – the best file manager along with multiple cloud storage support

VPN & Blocker

• Proton VPN – VPN that respects your privacy

• Adguard – a system wide content blocker that blocks ads, tracking & malware

Keyboard:

• OpenBoard – Open Source privacy respecting keyboard app that also has a clipboard history feature. Its basically an Openboard fork with active updates

Wallpaper app:

• WallYou – Beautiful wallpapers from multiple sources

Launchers:

• Niagara Launcher – a minimal launcher that focuses on productivity & minimalist aesthetic looks

• Nova Launcher – a powerful & well customizable launcher

Multimedia/Entertainment related apps:

• Aniyomi – to watch anime, movies & series and also to read manga, comics, manhwa, nsfw stuff etc

• Cloudstream – to watch movies, series & anime from multiple sources…you need to install repositories by using codes…the links are available in the “guides” section of their discord channel

• Showly – best trakt tv client with a really beautiful ui. Track all of your movies, series & anime along with all other information, be updated with upcoming stuff and maintain your watchlists and custom lists

• DAL – the best looking myanimelist client

App Store:

• Droid-ify – Beautiful F-droid client with all repositories pre-loaded in it…you just need to tick all the repositories

• Aurora Store – unofficial foss client for google play store that lets you download without signing-in

Music apps:

• X-Manager – for ad-free spotify

• Namida Music App – A Beautiful and Feature-rich Music & Video Player that has Youtube Support and many other features

• ViMusic – ad-free YouTube Music with a beautiful UI

• BlackHole – Uses Jio Savan’s api for music and can also play music from YouTube and can also play offline songs

• Musicolet – An offline music player which is ad-free and has a good UI

Video Players:

• Nplayer – a powerful video/audio player along with cloud storage streaming support

• MPV – an open source offline video player

• VLC Player – FOSS Video player

Download Manager:

• 1DM – download torrent files and videos from websites

• Seal – open source video/audio downloader

Music identifier:

• Shazam – identifies any songs for you

• Ambient Music Mod – its Foss and shows the song playing nearby directly on your lockscreen just like pixel devices…. But doesn’t have that much of a big database as shazam

Patcher:

• Revanced Manager – to apply ad-free patches to YouTube, YouTube Music, Reddit, Spotify, Instagram etc.

Other apps:

• App Manager – a fully-featured open source app package manager that lets you see the trackers of every app package and also lets you see the permissions and services used by those apps and many more detailed things related to apps

• Warden – an app that shows trackers & loggers of all your apps

• Send files to tv – to share files with your tv over a wifi network

• Web Video Cast – to directly cast videos onto your tv from a website or your device

• Aftership – to seamlessly track your online orders from their tracking id

• Vanced Microg – to sign in your Google account in YouTube Revanced

Reader, Speech Synthesizer,  Translator without being Tracked:

• Read Aloud For Me PRO: Read Aloud for Me is the perfect app for anyone who wants to hear their text, documents, or images read aloud without any ads or data tracking.
• Read Aloud For Me

Smartphone Security & Privacy – VPN vs Tor: what’s the distinction between?

Hey there. Ever got into a conversation where people drop ‘VPN’ and ‘Tor’ and you just nod pretending you get the difference? Let’s cut the gibberish and let me simply break it down for you.

Summary of key points for the ones who find this too long to read:

What is Tor?

Tor (The Onion Router) is like the mysterious vigilante of the internet. Backed by The Tor Project (a non-profit organization) and even Google, it offers a free network for folks to surf incognito. Imagine your request, dressed in multiple encryption layers, hopping through three random servers. With about 7,000 such servers, it’s like playing ‘Where’s Waldo?’ on the web. But what’s nice with Tor is that you can still use it for regular browsing too.

Tor Advantages & Disadvantages

So, with Tor, you’re getting a free ride, anonymity like a ghost, and a ticket to the Dark Web (.onion sites). But here’s the catch: the exit node isn’t as encrypted as you’d like. So, the government or any bored hacker could potentially listen in. Also, it’s grandma-slow, and getting an IP from a specific country is just pure luck. This is a big bummer once you want to choose your preferred Netflix library from abroad.

What is a VPN?

A VPN is like a tunnel for your traffic – encrypted and secret. No ISP, government, or your neighbor can peep into your activity. Some VPNs even swear they don’t log what you’re up to online but just know that only top-notch ones can prove themselves with independent audits. With servers in so many countries, it’s like the United Nations of browsing. Plus, they offer cool protocol options.

Still, the quality varies between providers but some major ones are compared here: VPN Comparison Table.

Conclusion

Decision time. If you’re looking for speed, reliability, and features, throw some bucks and get a VPN. But if you want to dive into the .onion pool? Tor’s your friend.

---

source: r/VPN

Qualcomm’s New Chips Excel at AI Processing, Boast 4.5x Faster Performance than Rivals

Qualcomm has unveiled two powerful processors optimized specifically for GenAI applications. 4.5 times faster than competitors, the Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 come with enhanced image generation capabilities, text processing, and on-device security features.

To stay up to date on AI developments, look here first.

AI-centric Optimizations

• Qualcomm has geared these processors to ace GenAI models, outperforming the competition by 4.5 times on INT4 AI benchmark tests.

• The chips can handle GenAI models with 13 billion parameters (X Elite) and 10 billion parameters (8 Gen 3), ensuring robust on-device processing capabilities.

On-device Security

• Qualcomm’s on-device AI processing protects users’ queries and results, enhancing security and privacy.

• On-device processing limits potential risks tied to biometric and personal data upload to cloud-based AI.

Implications and Prospective Applications

• The ability to run AI directly on devices could transform a range of tasks, including meeting/document summarization, email drafting, code/music generation, and photo editing.

• By integrating AI features directly on the device, users can enjoy better personalization, faster processing, and improved device interaction.

• Qualcomm is planning iterations of these chips with greater parameters to support more sophisticated AI models, such as those for ADAS systems.

(src-8gen3) (src-xelite)

How can I turn safe search off in Google when it is locked?

SafeSearch is a Google feature that filters out explicit content in Google’s search results. If SafeSearch has been locked by someone with administrator access to your network or device, you may not be able to turn it off without administrator privileges. Here are some general steps you might consider, but remember that these actions should comply with the policies of your organization or the owner of the device:

1. Administrator Account: You need to be logged in to the Google account that has administrator access to change SafeSearch settings.
2. Change Settings: Go to google.com.Click on “Settings” at the bottom right corner.Click on “Search settings”. Find the “SafeSearch filters” section.Turn off “Turn on SafeSearch” by clicking on the box.Scroll down and click on “Save” at the bottom of the page.
3. Unlock SafeSearch: If SafeSearch is locked, you’ll see a colored ball icon at the top of the search results page. Only someone with the password to the Google account that enabled the SafeSearch lock can unlock it.
4. Network Restrictions: If SafeSearch settings are enforced by network administrators (such as in schools or workplaces), you would need to contact the administrator to request the change.
5. Browser or Device Restrictions: If parental controls or family safety software are installed on your device, these may override your ability to change SafeSearch settings.
6. Legal and Compliance Issues: Be aware that some regions may have legal restrictions that affect the availability of SafeSearch settings.

If you believe that SafeSearch has been locked by mistake or due to an error, you might need to clear your browser cookies or check for any unauthorized activity on your account that could have changed your settings.

Android and iPhone Breaking News News – Top Stories

• Architecture ≠ Layers
  by Nickolas (Android on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 1:01 pm

  It’s about how your code will live, die, and sufferContinue reading on Medium »

• What Your Firebase SDK Isn’t Telling You: The Real Flow of FCM
  by Swatiomar (Android on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 12:34 pm

  Most developers trust the Firebase SDK to ‘just work,’ but beneath the surface lies a complex web of system broadcasts, app signatures…Continue reading on Medium »

• EPISODE 10: Callie’s Return
  by Nayaz Ahmed (Android on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 12:32 pm

  Continue reading on Medium »

• EPISODE 8: Ghost Author
  by Nayaz Ahmed (Android on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 12:31 pm

  Marcus returned to the Archive — not as a visitor, but as someone being watched. Not by cameras. Not by people. By stories.Continue reading on Medium »

• ✍️ EPISODE 6: The Rewrite
  by Nayaz Ahmed (Android on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 12:30 pm

  Continue reading on Medium »

• How US Companies Make Billions Vanish in Ireland — Tax Me If You Can
  by Andrew Wood (Apple on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 12:28 pm

  In the UK, you can easily hand over 40–45% of your income in taxes once you cross into higher earnings, which starts at just $65,000. In…Continue reading on Medium »

• Navigation 3 -
  by ZenXplains (Android on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 12:13 pm

  Jetpack Navigation 3 is here — rebuilt from the ground up to be Compose-first, state-driven, and adaptive-friendly. Let’s explore why it…Continue reading on Medium »

• Jetpack Compose + Kotlin: Patterns, Pitfalls, and Best Practices
  by Jamshidbek Boynazarov (Android on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 11:57 am

  Jetpack Compose, paired with Kotlin, has transformed Android UI development with its declarative, reactive approach. By 2025, Compose is…Continue reading on Medium »

• Kotlin Multiplatform in 2025: What Works and What Still Hurts
  by Jamshidbek Boynazarov (Android on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 11:57 am

  Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP) has matured into a production-ready technology by 2025, enabling developers to share code across Android, iOS…Continue reading on Medium »

• Your iPhone Isn’t Supposed to Last Forever — Here’s Why
  by Corrine (Apple on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 11:42 am

  Once, the magic was:Continue reading on Medium »

• Your iPhone Isn’t Supposed to Last Forever — Here’s Why
  by Corrine (Android on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 11:42 am

  Once, the magic was:Continue reading on Medium »

• Apple to launch AirTag 2 with longer range and stronger privacy
  by Umarsohailhum (Apple on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 11:38 am

  Apple is set to release a new version of its AirTag tracking device later this year. Called AirTag 2, the updated model will offer better…Continue reading on Medium »

• What is Platform SSO on macOS? Complete breakdown
  by Sagar Bagde (Apple on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 11:35 am

  Learn what Platform SSO on macOS is, how it enhances enterprise authentication, and how to configure it.Continue reading on Medium »

• Claude vs GPT-4o vs Gemini vs Open Source Models: Best AI for Mobile App Integration
  by Shishir (Android on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 11:24 am

  As mobile developers and architects, the rise of AI-powered assistants opens exciting possibilities for building intelligent mobile apps…Continue reading on Medium »

• What Apple Park’s Design Says About Structural Engineering Services
  by Silicon Engineering Consultants (Apple on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 11:19 am

  Lessons in scale, strength, and precision from Apple Park’s engineering story.Continue reading on Medium »

• Brain Music
  by Bob Dotson (Apple on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 10:49 am

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• Google confirms plans to merge ChromeOS into Android
  by GSMArena.com - Latest articles on July 14, 2025 at 10:27 am

  A Google executive officially confirmed the rumors that Android and ChromeOS are merging into a single operating system. Sameer Samat who is the President of Android Ecosystem at Google acknowledged that Android and ChromeOS will be combined into a single platform. … we’re going to be combining ChromeOS and Android into a single platform, and I am very interested in how people are using their laptops these days and what they’re getting done.” - Sameer Samat, President of Android Ecosystem This is not the first time we’ve heard about Google’s plan to merge Chrome OS into Android, but...

• iPhone 16e Review: Apple’s Budget Beast with Flagship Power
  by Teerth Busa (Apple on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 8:52 am

  The iPhone 16e is Apple’s affordable variant introduced as a successor to the iPhone SE line. It blends elements of the standard iPhone 16…Continue reading on Medium »

• 15+ Apple Products Expected in the Fall 2025
  by Zeeshan Saghir (Apple on Medium) on July 14, 2025 at 8:32 am

  lineup Apple’s Second Half of 2025 Is Absolutely Stacked — And I Can’t Believe Some of These Products Are Finally HappeningContinue reading on Medium »

• Latest iPhone 17 series leak also hints at updated color palette
  by GSMArena.com - Latest articles on July 14, 2025 at 8:21 am

  We’ve already seen several leaks for the iPhone 17 and 17 Air’s color options and Sonny Dickson has now shared a collective look at them alongside the iPhone 17 Pro series. The new images showcase the different colored lens protection covers for the upcoming phones, which will match the phone’s color. It seems Apple will finally bring more color to its iPhones with bold new colors across the vanilla, Air and Pro models. iPhone 17 will feature the largest pool of color options, including black, gray, silver, light blue, green and purple. iPhone 17 camera lens protectors This is...