Places and Things

How to find your phone's expiration date and make it last as long as possible Your phone is dying as you’re reading this. Like milk, bike helmets and condoms, phones are sold with a built-in expiration date. At the low end, we’re talking just a couple of years, but most are supported for three to four. Continue Reading . . . https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/komando/2024/06/13/how-to-find-phone-expiration-date/74003192007/

Man who unlocked 1.9 million AT&T phones sentenced to 12 years in prison A US district court has sentenced a man who unlocked 1.9 million AT&T phones to 12 years in prison. Muhammad Fahd continued the seven-year scheme to defraud the company even after learning of an investigation against him, according to the Department of Justice. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/att-phones-unlocked-fraud-prison-sentence-194554103.html

Sony Announces New Xperia Flagship Models With Powerful Photo & Video Capabilities New 5G Capable Models Feature World’s First Variable Smartphone Telephoto Lens with a Dual PD Sensor1, World’s First 4K HDR OLED 120Hz Refresh Rate Display2 and more Sony Xperia 1 III Sony Xperia 5 III Key Features World's first smartphone with a Variable telephoto lens paired with a Dual PD s Continue Reading . . . https://alphauniverse.com/stories/sony-announces-new-xperia-flagship-models-with-powerful-photo-and-video-capabilities/

Google's Phone app can automatically record calls from unknown numbers Google quietly added call recording to its Phone app last year with a bunch of restrictions based on your device and region. Now, it's expanding the feature to let you record calls automatically from unknown numbers. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/google-phone-app-automatically-record-calls-133949592.html

Oppo demos true wireless charging on its rollable phone Apparently Xiaomi isn't the only mobile company working on over-the-air wireless charging. At MWC Shanghai 2021 earlier today, Oppo unveiled its own take on this futuristic tech, which is aptly dubbed "Wireless Air Charging" for now. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/oppo-wireless-charging-rollable-phone-142049648.html

The Morning After: Google's $350 Pixel 4a is the best midrange phone you can buy Google’s Pixel 4a will cost $350 and launches at the end of the month. After suffering from very detailed leaks as well as the company’s own preamble and teases, there wasn’t much left to the imagination — or press release, for that matter. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/pixel-4a-review-morning-after-111504208.html

Our readers think the Pixel 3a is a first-rate budget phone Senior Editor Chris Velazco was skeptical when he got some time with Google’s Pixel 3a last May. The company’s high-end flagship for 2018, the Pixel 3, scored well on the basis of its brilliant display, impressive camera algorithms and solid software upgrades. Continue Reading . . . https://www.engadget.com/google-pixel-3a-user-reviews-140011750.html

Research confirms Apple dominates the US teenage smartphone market Android may dominate the smartphone industry globally, but Apple maintains a stranglehold in North America, particularly amongst adolescents – a fact new consumer research has confirmed. Android is the most popular operating system on the planet. Continue Reading . . . https://www.talkandroid.com/351621-research-confirms-apple-dominates-the-us-teenage-smartphone-market/

Latest iPhone 12 leak showcases screen sizes, LiDAR sensor, camera setup, and more It's a bit too early to talk about the iPhone 12, considering that we won't be seeing it until much later in the year. Rumors indicate that the usual September release date could even be pushed back a little, given the recent supply chain disruptions. Continue Reading . . . https://www.notebookcheck.net/Latest-iPhone-12-leak-showcases-screen-sizes-LiDAR-sensor-camera-setup-and-more.460046.0.html

It's almost a cliché to say that Apple and Samsung dictate the tempo of the smartphone market, but there's now more evidence to support that claim. from https://www.engadget.com/2020/02/29/top-selling-smartphones-2019-apple-samsung/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D1600%252C1067%252C0%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1067%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2020-02%252F5fdd99c0-5b49-11ea-bf59-786289738b03%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D21d6bcfec659c4154a527f0c6aa42d6c9ccda455&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=ed23f5f3dcc56ddf95390a59f4f6d483c10b4629

Whether it folds or it's just the size of a microhome, high-end smartphones are hitting an all-time high many of us aren't exactly loving: price. Now, this isn't a post about singling out Samsung in particular—they're merely on the cutting edge of what is a larger and growing trend. from https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/02/17/the-march-toward-the-2000-smartphone-isnt-sustainable/ http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

from https://turbofuture.com/cell-phones/Telemarketers-Are-Using-My-Number-How-I-Stopped-Them http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Google got a lot right with the Pixel 3a. It has excellent cameras, reliable performance, respectable battery life and clever software. Best of all, at $400, the Pixel 3a costs half the original price of the flagship Pixel 3. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/07/26/google-pixel-3a-sales-doubled-important/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?crop=980%2C619%2C0%2C0&quality=85&format=jpg&resize=1600%2C1011&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fos%2Fcreatr-uploaded-images%2F2019-07%2Fe6eb0f90-afca-11e9-83ee-94f064814c1e&client=a1acac3e1b3290917d92&signature=cc9c3ebabf12289e629067b563f5b7943c4f34c5

It’s called Stadia. Time, Time Go ahead – name some big companies offering cellular service. AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint probably came to mind. Now you can add Google to that list. from https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/2019/04/11/google-fi-cellular-service-pros-and-cons/3415577002/ https://www.gannett-cdn.com/uxstatic/usatoday/usat-web-static-5005.13.0/images/sprites/icon_close.png

With support for High Dynamic Range (HDR), you’ll see videos that are richer in detail, with true-to-life colors. HDR capabilities allow a phone to display greater contrast, so you can see details of a videos, whether that scene is shot in the dark, or bright light. from https://devicereport.youtube.com/ http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Phones are more expensive than ever. Flagship devices from Apple, Samsung, Google, and other top manufacturers can now cost hundreds of dollars more than they did just a couple of years ago. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/18/18263584/why-phones-are-so-expensive-price-apple-samsung-google http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

The patent details how a potential future foldable device will be selectively heated where the screen bends in order to prevent damage when it’s flexed. The patent essentially suggests that foldable displays are at risk of damage when they're flexed at certain temperatures. from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaymcgregor/2019/03/05/new-apple-foldable-details-suggest-different-approach/ http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Samsung’s Galaxy Fold announcement isn’t even a week old yet, and we already have a competitor that is thinner, has a bigger screen, and folds flatter. Say hello to the Huawei Mate X. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/24/18238269/huawei-foldable-phone-mate-x-price-release-date-specs-mwc-2019 https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/14420437/huawei_matex_mwc19_vsavov7.jpg

If you haven’t already soaked up the leaks about it, the new LG V50 introduced today is a souped-up V40 with the new Snapdragon 855 processor, improved cooling, bigger battery, and the futuristic addition of 5G. from https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/24/18238437/lg-v50-dual-screen-second-display-mwc-2019 https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63112233/vpavic_190223_LG_DUAL_SCREEN_0001.0.jpg