Mike Viray, Author at Phandroid

Music Videos are Now Available on Spotify – Here’s How to Watch Them

Mike Viray — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:49:11 +0000

If listening to music, podcasts and audiobooks on Spotify wasn’t enough for you, then good news – Spotify recently announced that it’s began rolling out support for music video playback across select markets, which will be accessible to Spotify Premium users in countries including the U.K., Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Brazil, Colombia, Philippines, Indonesia, Netherlands, as well as Kenya.

Starting today, the beta version of music videos on Spotify will be available albeit with a limited catalog of music videos, including songs from artists like Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat, and Ice Spice, to name a few. As such, this is a much-welcome call back to the times when music videos dominated the airwaves, especially on channels like MTV.

With that in mind, watching videos on your Spotify app is pretty easy, given that you’re in one of the supported markets. Here’s how to watch videos:

Log into your Spotify app via iOS, Android, desktop, or TV device
Select the “Switch to Video” toggle for supported music tracks (the music video will start playing from the beginning within the Now Playing view).
To return to background listening, simply press “Switch to Audio”
Music videos will play in both portrait and landscape mode

With all that being said, we’re hoping that more music videos get added into the feature, especially from other genres and less mainstream artists, given Spotify’s rather large library.

Source: Spotify

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Lenovo’s Legion Gaming Tablet Harks Back to a Long-lost Era

Mike Viray — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 11:37:47 +0000

Perhaps it’s safe to say that the consumer electronics landscape has undergone a massive handheld gaming revival, with several major brands each offering their own premium gaming handheld devices. With that in mind, a lot of these are dedicated portables with physical controls and specially-designed user interfaces.

EDITORIAL: The Problem with Portable Gaming Handhelds in 2023

In a somewhat surprising move, Lenovo has just announced expanded availability for the Lenovo Legion Tab, an Android tablet which is designed for gaming performance. Originally launched in China, the tablet features an 8.8-inch display, and is powered by a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, in addition to 12GB of RAM, 256GB of expandable storage, and a 6550 mAh battery. The tablet also features Lenovo’s custom cooling system, as well as haptic feedback for gaming sessions.

In a way, the Legion tablet does remind us of the earlier days of dedicated gaming tablets such as the NVIDIA Shield Tablet, which also offered gaming-centric features. Although in a time when Android gaming portables have evolved to include physical controls and other such features, Lenovo’s decision to launch a tablet specifically made for gaming does leave us wondering what its strategy is here, especially when the company already has a portable gaming handheld.

In any case, the Lenovo Legion Tab will soon arrive for select markets in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia, for an SRP of €599.

Source: Lenovo

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Xiaomi Expands the POCO Family with the X6 Neo

Mike Viray — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 10:19:40 +0000

Xiaomi recently expanded its POCO X6 device range with the launch of the POCO X6 Neo, which follows in the footsteps of several other X6-series phones launched just a couple of months ago. Priced at around $180 (when converted), the device is now available for purchase primarily in India, although there’s no word yet on a global release.

READ: Poco X6, X6 Pro, and M6 Pro mid-range smartphones announced

Powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6080 chipset, the POCO X6 Neo also comes with a 6.67-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, a main dual-lens camera setup with a 108MP main sensor, 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage with an option for 12/256GB, as well as a 5,000 mAh battery with 33W fast charging. For software, the phone ships with Android 14 onboard, albeit bundled with a ton of Xiaomi-exclusive apps and software functions.

Surprisingly, the phone also features expandable micro SD storage support and a 3.5mm headphone jack, both of which are rare sights on most smartphones these days. The POCO X6 Neo is available in several colors including Astral Black, Horizon Blue, and Martian Orange.

Source: Flipkart

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Save $60 on the Amazon Fire Max Tablet!

Mike Viray — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 23:48:30 +0000

While most of Amazon’s Fire tablets are often geared towards buyers on a strict budget, its new Fire Max 11 model does add a bit more in the way of performance and overall quality, serving as somewhat of a flagship model in the company’s wide range of tablet offerings.

The Fire Max 11 features a large 11-inch display that comes with a 2000 x 1200 pixel resolution, and support for stylus input and split-screen multitasking. The large display and added input functionality should make the tablet suitable for both work and play, especially since it comes with access to Amazon’s suite of streaming apps, in addition to third-party apps from Netflix, Microsoft, and more.

Amazon says that the octa-core chipset and 4GB of RAM inside should be enough to provide “powerful” performance. There’s also a choice of either 64 or 128GB of internal storage, although both models come with the same battery capacity – you can check it out using the link below.

Sale

Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet, vivid 11” display, all-in-one for streaming,...

BIGGER, BRILLIANT, BEAUTIFUL — Vivid 11“ screen with 2.4 million pixels (2000 x 1200 resolution) lets you see every...
MAX PERFORMANCE — Built with a powerful octa-core processor, 4 GB memory, and Wi-Fi 6 for fast streaming, responsive...

Note: this article may contain affiliate links that help support our authors and keep the Phandroid servers running.

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Grab the Galaxy Tab A9 Plus for 15% Less!

Mike Viray — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 23:37:12 +0000

While Samsung’s premium Galaxy Tab S-series devices are the must-have Android tablets for buyers after a premium tablet experience, the company’s lower-tier A-series Galaxy Tabs are undoubtedly a more wallet-friendly alternative, especially for users after the bare essentials. As such, the new Galaxy Tab A9+ is currently on sale at the moment, with up to 15% off its usual retail price.

In terms of hardware, the Tab A9+ features an 11-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate and 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution, making it ideal for web browsing, social media apps, and content streaming. The tablet is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor aided by up to 128GB of expandable storage, all wrapped up in a sleek body with an aluminum casing. You can check it out using the link below.

Sale

SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab A9+ 11” 128GB Android Tablet, Big Screen, Quad...

BIG SCREEN. FAMILY-SIZED FUN: Bring fun home to everyone with a bright, engaging 11" screen¹ ; A refresh rate of up to 90Hz...
RICH SOUND ALL AROUND: Your music; Your shows; Your games; Hear them all loud and clear, thanks to quad speakers powered by...

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Leaks Show Supposed Xperia VI Series Memory Configurations

Mike Viray — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 23:21:54 +0000

While Sony still hasn’t announced its lineup of Android phones for 2024, there’s been some rumors and speculation surrounding the Japanese electronic giant’s VI series smartphones. With that in mind, an online leak claims that the upcoming Xperia phones will come with some rather familiar hardware configurations.

More specifically, it’s suspected that Sony’s Xperia VI line will come with RAM configurations that don’t stray too much from last year’s Xperia V series. As such, the Xperia 1 VI is expected to come with a 12/16GB configuration, while the Xperia 5 VI will come with 8GB memory, and the Xperia 10 VI with 6/8GB variants.

If true, then Xperia fans hoping for a significant upgrade – particularly in the case of the 10 VI – might be disappointed. On the other hand, a Sony premium flagship with 16GB is a much-welcome upgrade, given that the Xperia 1 V currently comes with 12GB RAM at most.

Of course at this point in time this is all speculation, and we probably won’t get a clearer picture of things until Sony announces a teaser of sorts, or someone else manages to get a full leak of things to come.

Source: Sumahodigest

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Monster Hunter Makes the Jump from Mobile to Switch this June

Mike Viray — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 22:32:31 +0000

A while back, we got word that Capcom’s Monster Hunter Stories – an Android port of a 3DS game – will soon make its way to the Nintendo Switch. While Capcom didn’t give an exact date as to when we can expect the game to debut on Nintendo’s console, the company finally confirmed the game’s release date for consoles.

READ: 5 Amazing Console-Quality RPGs for Android!

As such, the remastered version of Monster Hunter Stories will arrive on June 14th, and will be available as a digital purchase, although players can opt for a physical copy. The game will also be available as part of the “Monster Hunter Stories Collection,” which will also feature Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin.

Aside from the Nintendo Switch, the game will be available on Steam and PlayStation as well (sorry, Microsoft).

A spin-off title of the main Monster Hunter series, MH Stories features a different take on Capcom’s MH universe, and incorporates turn-based combat as well as monster collecting in addition to a new story-driven solo campaign. The game was first released on the Nintendo 3DS back in 2016, and later on mobile devices in 2017.

Source: Capcom

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Nothing Sells a Whopping Amount of 2a Units in Just an Hour

Mike Viray — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 21:34:45 +0000

It looks like all the marketing paid off – Nothing’s much-anticipated Phone 2a has now launched for several markets including the US, and it looks like the phone has already hit some big numbers, at least for a company of Nothing’s size. Posting on Twitter, Nothing says that 60,000 units of the Phone 2a have been sold in just under an hour, marking a new milestone for the brand.

What an entrance for Phone (2a)! Just 1 hour in and already sold over 60,000 units. pic.twitter.com/QMA8LYpuyo

— Nothing (@nothing) March 12, 2024

With that being said, the Nothing Phone 2a – is now available for purchase in the United States and comes priced at $349 for a memory configuration that features 12GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

In terms of specs, the phone comes with a custom MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset, a dual 50MP camera array complemented by a 32 MP front camera that uses the same sensor as the Phone 2, a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, as well as a 5,000 mAh battery with support for 45W fast charging.

One standout feature is the phone’s updated camera design, which now features the dual camera array on the rear panel, rather than the upper left corner as on earlier Nothing phone models. It does retain the Glyph Interface, albeit with a new design this time around.

The post Nothing Sells a Whopping Amount of 2a Units in Just an Hour appeared first on Phandroid.

These DXOMARK Scores Show that Oppo’s Still a Force to be Reckoned With

Mike Viray — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 19:57:15 +0000

When talking about smartphone camera performance, we usually hear the same names year after year – there’s Apple, Google, and Samsung, which are essentially the “big three” brands; of course, these names are very relevant in North America, where the smartphone scene is but dominated by a select number of brands and manufacturers.

Go out into the world however, and it’s apparent that a lot of manufacturers are doing great things when it comes to mobile photography. One great example is Oppo, whose latest Find X7 Ultra has proven to be one of the best-performing smartphone cameras on the international market. Recently, smartphone benchmarking authority DXOMARK published its scores on the Find X7 Ultra’s camera performance, and the results are impressive.

In fact, the Find X7 Ultra was able to place 1st in DXOMARK’s global rankings, tying with the Huawei Mate 60 Pro+, and beating rivals including the iPhone 15 Pro and Pixel 8 Pro.

According to DXOMARK, the phone was able to gain a high score thanks to factors including good color rendering and white balance in photo and video, excellent bokeh effects with good subject isolation and high levels of detail, as well as accurate exposure and wide dynamic range on portraits and landscape shots, to name a few.

It isn’t perfect of course, and DXOMARK’s tests revealed some weaknesses, including a slight loss of detail at close range tele and in ultra-wide shots, exposure and tone mapping instabilities in video during high-contrast indoor scenes, occasional unnatural texture rendering, and occasional slight overexposure in low-light photos.

With that being said, Oppo’s flagship handsets remain some of the best options for folks looking for capable smartphone cameras, and the Find X7 Ultra is a great consideration in this regard.

Source: DXOMARK

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Nothing Announces US Availability for Phone 2a, Teams up with Perplexity AI

Mike Viray — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 19:20:00 +0000

Following its launch not too long ago, Nothing’s latest smartphone – the Nothing Phone 2a – is now available for purchase in the United States. The handset comes priced at $349 for a memory configuration that features 12GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

One catch however is that the Phone 2a’s availability will depend if a buyer purchases the phone exclusively through Nothing’s US Developer Program, which does require users to play their part and give back feedback regarding the device on a regular basis.

Nothing has also announced its first-ever partnership in the AI space with Perplexity, an AI-powered engine that provides users with a smarter way to access online search tasks. Eligible buyers that purchase the Nothing Phone 2a via nothing.tech up until March 19 are able to receive up to a year of Perplexity Pro for free. Speaking on the partnership, Perplexity Co-Founder and CEO, Aravind Srinivas comments:

“Perplexity and Nothing are united in a shared commitment to user-centricity, delivering a great product, and the belief that finding information should be simple and efficient. Perplexity is a beautifully designed answer engine and Nothing Phone (2a) is a beautifully designed device, and we are excited to bring Perplexity Pro to Phone (2a) users.”

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The Pixel Series Could Get a DeX-Like Feature Soon

Mike Viray — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 22:48:13 +0000

Perhaps one of the biggest head-scratchers surrounding the Pixel device line is Google’s unexplained reluctance to allow users a display-out feature, something similar to what you’d get on Samsung’s DeX feature. For those unfamiliar, this would consist of directly plugging in your smartphone via a cable to an external display, allowing you to view your content on a larger screen.

Of course, this limitation could be bypassed using third-party methods, although Google “officially” does not provide this feature on its Pixel phones.

With that in mind, it looks like things might change soon, and we could see such a feature make its way to the Pixel series. According to recent findings from tech reporter Mishaal Rahman, it looks like Google has enabled DisplayPort Alternate Mode on the Pixel 8 devices. The feature was spotted on Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.

Photo by Mishaal Rahman/Android Authority

How does this work then? According to the report, when a user connects their Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro to an external screen with USB-C to USB-C or USB-C to HDMI adapter, they’ll be given an option to “mirror display.” Proceeding with this option will mirror a phone’s screen onto the external display, although if a user has “force desktop mode” enabled on their phone, then their device will instead show Android’s built-in desktop mode.

Photo by Mishaal Rahman/Android Authority

READ: Here’s What the Google Pixel 9 Might Look Like

It’s noted that this feature might be officially included with Android 15, alongside the launch of the Pixel 9 series. As such, we might be getting one step closer to seeing Google’s own version of DeX mode, which should no doubt add a new level of functionality to its Pixel devices.

Source: Android Authority

The post The Pixel Series Could Get a DeX-Like Feature Soon appeared first on Phandroid.

Grab these Awesome Deals from Anker Audio Gear, Vacuums, and More!

Mike Viray — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 19:34:17 +0000

If you were on the lookout for new audio gear to add to your collection, or maybe you’re in the market for a new vacuum cleaner, then you might want to check out what Anker has to offer. The home electronics company is currently holding a sale right now on several of its many product categories including those under its Eufy and Soundcore brands, and there’s a lot of tasty deals on offer at the moment.

With that being said, we’ve compiled a quick list of deals that you can check out, ranging from Bluetooth speakers all the way to robot vacuums (Anker has a lot of tech going on). They’re going for less than their usual retail price, so folks looking to grab some good deals might want to check these out.

Sale

Soundcore Motion Boom Plus IP67 Portable Speaker, 80W Stereo Sound, Custom...

Epic Outdoor Sound: 80W stereo sound is delivered by two 30W woofers and 10W tweeters, while real-time intensified bass can...
Lightweight and Ultra-Portable: Take your tunes everywhere you go with the Motion Boom Plus portable speaker's built-in...

Sale

Upgraded, Anker Soundcore Bluetooth Speaker with IPX5 Waterproof, Stereo...

ASTONISHING SOUND: Breathtaking stereo sound with deep bass is delivered with exceptional clarity and zero distortion by two...
24H WORRY-FREE BATTERY LIFE: Anker's exclusive, long-life battery technology provides the Bluetooth speaker 24 hours of...

Sale

eufy by Anker N930 Pet Grooming Kit with Vacuum, 5-in-1, Strong Suction,...

【5-in-1 Pro Pet Grooming Kit】Comes with 5 professional tools to handle pet hair removal, trimming, and grooming in...
【Vacuum Suctions 99% of Pet Hair】 Equipped with a 400W powerful vacuum to suction 99% of pet hair into the dust box...

eufy by Anker, HomeVac H30 Mate, Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner, 80 AW,...

CORDLESS SUCTION POWER: Incredible 80 AW / 16kPa suction power delivers extra strength to effectively clean up. Switch...
ULTRA-LIGHTWEIGHT: At 1.78 lbs (808 g), you can effortlessly clean places that you haven't been able to before—like air...

Sale

eufy X8 Pro Robot Vacuum, Twin-Turbine 2× 4,000 Pa Powerful Suction,...

Hair-Free Cleaning: X8 Pro's powerful 2× 4,000 Pa Twin-Turbine suction easily removes pet hair from deep within carpets,...
Tangle-Free Cleaning: The patented Active Detangling Roller Brush detangles hair automatically. No more need to manually...

Sale

eufy RoboVac G30 Hybrid SES, 2-in-1 Sweep and mop, Self-Emptying Robot...

- [Two Chores Covered]: With both vacuuming and mopping capabilities, RoboVac G30 Hybrid SES gives you two fewer chores to...
- [Enjoy Up to 8 Weeks* Hassle-Free Cleaning] : Equipped with a sizable 3.2-liter dust bag, you're free from manually...

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Gamesir’s New Controller Packs USB-C Support and Costs Less than 50 Bucks

Mike Viray — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:25:02 +0000

Mobile gaming accessory brand Gamesir recently announced that it’s launched a new mobile game controller in the form of the GameSir X2S, which features USB-C functionality for both Android phones and iPhone 15 series model handsets. With that in mind, the controller also comes with a ton of new features that should come in handy, all for less than $50.

The GameSir x2s comes with support for a ton for different functions including Apple MFi, Android games, Cloud gaming services, emulators, XboxGame PASS, remote play functionality, making it a versatile piece of kit for different situations. As for hardware, the controller comes with hall effect triggers for smoother handling, in addition to the microswitch design in the LB and RB buttons for a more mechanical feel.

The controller also features added personalization, as players can use the GameSir App to adjust sticks and triggers dead zones, change A/B, X/Y layout, and toggle between analog or hair trigger mode. You can check out the controller using the link below.

GameSir X2S Type-C Mobile Gaming Controller for Android and iPhone 15...

Wide Compatibility - New upgraded version in 2024 ! Gamesir X2s Type-C is designed to work seamlessly with iPhone 15 series,...
Multiple game options - GameSir x2s Phone Controller supports Apple MFi, Android games, Cloud gaming, game emulators,...

Note: this article may contain affiliate links that help support our authors and keep the Phandroid servers running.

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The Samsung Galaxy A55 and A35 are Finally Official

Mike Viray — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 14:47:44 +0000

After several weeks and months of rumors, leaks and whatnot, Samsung has finally taken the wraps off its newest pair of midrange smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy A55 and A35. While both devices share some similar specs, there are some minor differences once you take a closer look.

Take for example the design – at first glance, the Galaxy A55 and A35 look very identical, although the A55 uses a metal frame and Gorilla Glass Victus panels on both the front and rear, while the A35 is built with a plastic frame and back. Both phones do feature a 6.6-inch AMOLED display with a 1080 x 2340 resolution and 120Hz though.

The similarities also extend to the newly-designed frame around the power and volume buttons, which now features a raised section and does make for a unique design. Additionally, both phones ship with Android 14 alongside the latest One UI 6.1 platform version from Samsung, with a promised four generations of Android OS and One UI upgrades and five years of security updates.

This year, Samsung has decided to equip the Galaxy A55 and A35 with different chipsets – the A55 comes with the newer Exynos 1480 chipset, while the A35 comes with last year’s 1380 chip, which was also used on other A-series handsets. The Galaxy A55 starts with a base storage configuration of 8GB + 128GB, while the A35 comes with a slightly lower 6GB + 12GB setup.

For camera hardware, the Galaxy A55 comes with a 50MP primary lens, 12MP ultrawide, 5MP macro, and 32MP front camera; meanwhile, the A35 features a 50MP primary, 8MP ultrawide, 5MP macro, and 13MP front camera. Powering both phones are 5,000 mAh capacity batteries.

In terms of pricing, the Samsung Galaxy A55 starts at around $530 for the base storage model, while the A35 starts at around $415.

Source: Samsung

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Fairphone’s Subscription Service is Under “Indefinite Suspension”

Mike Viray — Sat, 09 Mar 2024 21:27:35 +0000

If you’re familiar with Fairphone, then there’s a big chance that you might have heard of the brand’s “Fairphone Easy” subscription service, which served as a way to provide Fairphone users with devices in a sustainable manner, and the added benefit of after-sales service, repairs, and such. However, it seems that the program wasn’t as profitable as expected, according to Fairphone. Part of the company’s post reads:

“It is with a heavy heart that we have taken the not-so-easy decision to discontinue Fairphone Easy… at the moment, at least.”

“Fairphone Easy’s phone-as-a-service subscription model reaffirmed our commitment to a circular economy. When we launched the program in the Netherlands in 2022, the idea was that it would provide a more sustainable alternative to the rather linear market approach of produce-sell-dispose that we see at play today. Unfortunately, due to various reasons, we cannot continue with the service right now.”

Based on customer feedback, Fairphone notes that customers were more likely to buy their devices outright rather than subscribe to a rental service of sorts, citing reasons including privacy, as well as “personal attachment” given that smartphones are a very personal device. Additionally, the Fairphone 5’s delayed inclusion under the Fairphone Easy service was another reason as well.

“While we did have plans to eventually add the Fairphone 5 to our Fairphone Easy bouquet, we couldn’t do it fast enough. And while a majority of our subscribers were willing to wait, we did see a few cancellations pouring in, signalling a proclivity for the latest and greatest.”

At the moment, the service will no longer exist in the Netherlands, although the company states that users can opt to lease a Fairphone in other parts of Europe via Everphone in Germany and Commown.

Source: Fairphone

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