Reddit kills one of its easiest revenue streams after switching to paid API
The company is getting rid of useless awards that Redditors were happy to throw money at
Reddit recently caused turmoil when it introduced steep prices for access to its API, effectively killing many excellent third-party Reddit apps out there that augmented the core experience in often significant ways. The company cited its desire to become profitable and cut off GPT scrapers as a reason why it took this step. It previously all but lost money on providing and updating the API. Reddit’s next move then could strike you as odd, as the business has announced that it will discontinue coins and awards, which likely provided the company with a small but steady stream of revenue.
Proton Drive is finally becoming a viable alternative to Google Drive
The company now offers a Windows app for easier file syncing
Proton is a privacy-first company that promises to take good care of your data. It all started with its email client Proton Mail, but the company has since expanded its portfolio with a VPN, a calendar, one of many excellent password managers out there, and a cloud storage solution. The latter lacked an option to sync local files for a long time, though, which is something the company is now finally fixing for Windows users.
Bluetooth hearing aid compatibility: Which phones have it
When you buy hearing aids, make sure you have a compatible phone to get the most out of them
More and more people have some form of hearing impairment in this increasingly loud day and age. Chances are your hearing also isn't the best if you stumbled upon this guide. You may remember hearing aids as bulky devices sitting behind your ears that are barely good enough to make people hear again, but this is far from the truth today. Most hearing aids support some form of audio streaming. Still, for most of them, you must have a compatible phone.
What’s new in Chrome 115: Google’s Reading Mode is here
Plus work on visual improvements for Memory Saver
Google Chrome 115 has been released in early stable on July 12, 2023, with the broader rollout beginning on July 18. The new release is just a tad late, but it makes this up with some choice improvements to the browsing experience, particularly on desktop computers. There are a few new features to dive into, such as the new Reading mode or improvements to the Memory Saver.
Google Bard enters the EU as it gains Google Lens support
The company left out the bloc initially due to privacy concerns
With the rising popularity of OpenAI’s ChatGPT language model, Google saw itself forced to react quickly with a similar product, Google Bard. The large language model was launched at a dedicated event and expanded to many regions of the world after Google I/O, leaving out one significant area citing privacy concerns: the EU. Google is now fixing this oversight along with launching some hotly anticipated features.
The Google app is getting a snazzy new At a Glance widget
Prepare for a much-needed redesign on third-party Android devices
Google’s At a Glance widget is a staple feature on Pixel phones that has evolved a lot over the years. On Google devices, it shows you all kinds of timely information, upcoming calendar events, and even lets you turn off your flashlight. This same widget is also available on virtually all other great Android phones, but it’s a lot more rudimentary and looks outdated, still sporting the look and feel it had on Android 11 with its centered style. That’s about to change, with a completely novel design different from what Pixel users get.
Android 13 review: The update we need, not the one we want
Iterative improvements refine the big update that was Android 12
As we all look forward to this year's big next release, Android 14, we shouldn't forget about what's currently running on our phones in a stable version. Android 13 came out in August 2022, and only shortly after, the Google Pixel 7 Pro and the smaller Google Pixel 7 were the first phones to launch with the new OS.
How to easily install the Android 14 Beta on your Pixel
The Android 14 Beta Program is almost over, so here is your last shot to install it on your Pixel
The Android 14 Beta Program is currently underway, with at least one more release full of fun, testing, and discovering ahead of us, no matter if you have the Pixel 7 Pro or another Google device. It won't take long until it goes stable, and the last beta before the big release seems to be as good as ready for everyone out there. If you're curious to give it a try on your Pixel device just before it launches, there is an easy way to install the pre-release version of Android 14 on your phone that feels almost like getting a regular system update. In this guide, we'll also walk you through the manual installation process, though. Just keep in mind that if you have another great Android phone that isn't a Google Pixel phone, you might have to wait a little longer.
Android 14: News, features, leaks, and what's new in Beta 4
All the details we have on Android 14 so far
The Android 14 beta program is well underway, with Google preparing for its big release at the end of summer in 2023. Right now, we're looking at Android 14 Beta 4, which is the latest available release. We're still at least one month away from the final version, and in the meantime, there are tons of new features to dig through and discover before the stable version will come to all the latest and greatest Android phones. If you want a full rundown of what's new and what's to be expected in Android 14, read on — there is a lot, and it's certainly a bigger update than Android 13, though it still doesn't compare to Android 12, which introduced Google whole new Material You design language.
13 best Prime Day tech deals under $50
Amazon Prime Day is in full swing, and these are our favorite affordable tech deals
Amazon’s annual shopping event Prime Day is in full swing, and there are tons of ways to save money on some of the best tech out there. In fact, Prime Day doesn’t even have to break the bank with some super affordable deals. To make it easier for you to navigate all the hundreds of sub-$50 offers out there, we’ve created this list to highlight just the crème de la crème of cheap and quick grabs, relating to smart home, entertainment, storage, fitness, and charging.
Skip the Pixel 7a — a $250 Pixel 6a is the only Prime Day phone deal to consider
Google is eating every other sub-$300 phone’s lunch
This Prime Day, the new Google Pixel 7a is finally discounted to the price it should have launched at, $450. This is the same price that its predecessor, the Pixel 6a, was released at. The Pixel 7a is an excellent phone, even more so with its $50 rebate. However, a killer deal on the Pixel 6a is changing this equation once more, with Amazon offering last year’s a-series phone for just $250. If you’ve ever wanted to get the Pixel experience on the cheap, now is your chance. Heck, even if you’re shopping for a new phone this Prime Day, this is the one to get.
Why Anker’s 2-in-1 charger and battery pack is a must-buy this Prime Day
I have a charger and battery combo just like that, and it makes traveling so much easier
Two-in-one devices often offer a poor compromise rather than a good solution for all use cases they want to hit. Dual-purpose devices like the Microsoft Surface and other tablet-laptop hybrids are a good example, especially with Windows on them. There is one category where I’m convinced that, if executed correctly, they offer the best of both worlds: 2-in-1 chargers and battery packs. One such device is currently on sale for Prime Day: The Anker 521 PowerCore Fusion, down to $35 for a limited time, perfect if you are planning a vacation this year.
Skip the Pixel 7 and grab a Pixel 7 Pro with this huge Prime Day discount
At $650, the Pixel 7 Pro costs just as much as the Pixel 8 is rumored to be launched at
The Google Pixel 7 Pro is one of our favorite phones, and it only got better in recent months thanks to three big feature drops that came as part of Android 13. With its predecessor waiting to be released in the fall, Prime Day 2023 sees the Pixel 7 Pro at its lowest price yet — $650, which is $250 off with no strings attached. At that price, it's almost down to the Pixel 7's MSRP, which is $600.
Prime Day steal: Google Pixel 7a costs as little as Pixel 6a’s launch price
$450 is more clearly budget territory than $500
The Google Pixel 7a is one of our favorite budget phones, even if we experienced some problems with our review unit. It brings the most important features to the table and then some. It’s just a bummer that Google decided to raise the price by $50 compared to its predecessor, which pushes the Pixel 7a way too close to the regular Pixel 7. For Prime Day 2023, Amazon is fixing Google’s oversight with a $50 discount, bringing the Pixel 7a down to $450.
The Google Pixel 8 might get more expensive
A leaker pins the launch to early October at a starting price of $650
Google launched the Pixel 7a with a small $50 price hike compared to its predecessor, so one of the first questions asked was: What will this mean for the rest of the lineup? If the latest rumors are to be believed, the Google Pixel 8 will see a similar price adjustment, becoming just a tad pricier than its predecessor at launch.
I tested the Honor 90 and it cements Honor's place as an upper midrange champion
Going hands-on with Honor's latest offering
Honor started out as a humble Huawei subsidiary, but it has since proven that it can stand on its own two feet following the 2020 split-up. The company is on a path to growth in all the markets it sells its products in. From all I can say about the Honor 90, the company’s latest midrange flagship phone, this positive trajectory should only continue.
These are the best Reddit alternatives
Build your communities elsewhere now that most Reddit third-party clients are dead
Despite protests and community blackouts amidst Reddit's controversial new API pricing that killed many of the best Reddit clients, the social network is alive and well. Many people are still unhappy enough with the way the platform is run now that they're looking for alternatives. While it will be hard to replicate the Reddit experience and community by any new upstart, a few contesters offer an alternative to the self-proclaimed front page of the internet. Here are a few of them.
The Honor 90 is here, packing a 200MP camera and intricate colorways
Honor's new budget flagship, sharing the stage with the Honor Pad X9, looks like it's making all the right tradeoffs
Honor has announced its latest budget flagship smartphone at a launch event in Paris, the Honor 90. The new phone is the successor to the Honor 80 and the Honor 70. It packs almost all the goodies you could want in a great budget smartphone, with a big 120Hz screen, a 200MP camera, and fast 66W charging, complete with unique designs on some of its colorways. It’s joined by the Honor Pad X9, the company’s latest entertainment and education-focused tablet.
Android’s July security patch is live with battery improvements for the Pixel Tablet
A small update following the big June Feature Drop
Google only published the big June Feature Drop with tons of new capabilities a few weeks ago, and now, the company is back on track with the regular security patch schedule. The July security update has been published, and it’ll roll out to Pixel phones soon. We’re looking at the usual few bug fixes, but don’t expect any big new additions until Android 14 launches in stable later this year.
Honor teases its ultra-slim Magic V2 foldable ahead of next week’s big launch
This should be one of the thinnest foldable phones ever
During MWC Shanghai, Honor announced that it's launching its next foldable on July 12. Just a few days later, the company is giving us a first hint at what to expect, with a new teaser image showing some outlines and parts of what could be one of the best competitors to the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Google Pixel Fold — even if it may never be released in the US.