11 home products on sale that'll give your space a glow-up 2019

Getting in shape? Eating healthier? Psh. As 2019 rounds the bend, make a New Year's resolution you can actually stick to — like giving your home a much-needed makeover. 

We weren't able to track down Ty Pennington on your behalf, unfortunately, but we've done the next best thing: rounded up a list of 11 awesome, on-sale products that make it easy to revitalize one's space. Plus, you can combine them with another popular New Year's resolution — saving money — by entering the code NEWYEAR2019 at checkout and score an additional 19% off.

1. 6-Piece Bibb Home Cotton Towel Set 

Bring the luxury of a spa to your bathroom with these ultra-soft, ultra-absorbable, and ultra-durable two-ply cotton towels. Each set comes with two bath towels, two hand towels, and two washcloths, and comes in your choice of three shades: silver, coral, and white. Read more...

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from Mashable http://bit.ly/2EY2Ba0

Bangladesh elections: Sheikh Hasina’s return to power means less worries for India; New Delhi can focus more on western border

Daughter of Bangladesh's first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sunday's win has consolidated Sheikh Hasina's decade-long rule in the country where she is credited with boosting economic and promoting development

The post Bangladesh elections: Sheikh Hasina’s return to power means less worries for India; New Delhi can focus more on western border appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2AnbRkK

Petrol, diesel prices continue to fall; crude oil climbs more than 1%, but set for first yearly drop since 2015

Crude oil prices climbed on the final trading day of the year, mirroring gains in stock markets, but were on track for the first yearly decline in three years amid lingering concerns of a persistent supply glut.

The post Petrol, diesel prices continue to fall; crude oil climbs more than 1%, but set for first yearly drop since 2015 appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2Sp1LH3

Sony Xperia XZ4 leaked screen protector once again reveals a tall display

It has been almost a month since we heard anything about the Xperia XZ4. The device was rumored in early December to have an extremely tall display with a cinematic ratio of 21:9. We saw some CAD renders of the upcoming Sony flagship, and a screen protector appeared in Chinese social media during the holiday, giving solid ground to the rumor. Sony Xperia XZ4 screen protectors The panel matches the ratios we have seen in renders - extremely thin bezels, no notch, and cutout for the earpiece, camera and proximity sensor. There is also a tiny hole in the left end, probably for...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2rZpHVT

35 British tweets from 2018 that are guaranteed to make you chuckle

Britain may have been a wildly chaotic place in 2018 (you know, that whole Brexit thing) but that hasn't stopped us tweeting.

Quite the opposite. British Twitter is generally a glorious place filled with puns, sarcasm, and the kind of amusing day-to-day observations capable of bringing surprising levels of joy — and 2018 was no exception.

From kebab shop photoshoots to creative delivery methods, here are some of the most amusing British tweets of the year...

1.

More about Twitter, Uk, Jk Rowling, Gordon Ramsay, and James Blunt

from Mashable http://bit.ly/2EWhVnm

Microsoft Surface Go goes on sale in India starting at Rs 37,999 via Flipkart

Featuring a 10-inch display, the Microsoft Surface Go comes in the same size as the Apple iPad Pro.

The post Microsoft Surface Go goes on sale in India starting at Rs 37,999 via Flipkart appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2LGNPWf

Allu Arjun teams up with Trivikram Srinivas for third time; film likely to release on Dussehra 2019

Allu Arjun has previously worked with Trivikram Srinivas on two superhit films Julai and S/o Satyamurthy.

The post Allu Arjun teams up with Trivikram Srinivas for third time; film likely to release on Dussehra 2019 appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2s3iBQ6

Farm woes to take centrestage in the new year as poll battle looms

The agriculture sector, which remained in distress during 2018 as crop prices slumped due to bumper production, will be in the spotlight in the new year as the BJP-ruled central government is set to roll out a big package to assuage the angry farming community ahead of the general elections.

The post Farm woes to take centrestage in the new year as poll battle looms appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2StB3NA

Popular third-party apps sending personal user data to Facebook without asking: Study

In response to the report, Facebook said that it users should be aware on when an app sends data.

The post Popular third-party apps sending personal user data to Facebook without asking: Study appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2AnaZfY

Here’s how to play the video game from Black Mirror’s ‘Bandersnatch’ episode

To play Nohzdyve, simply download a ZX Spectrum emulator like Speccy on a PC or Android device.

The post Here’s how to play the video game from Black Mirror’s ‘Bandersnatch’ episode appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2SyHQWo

Harmanpreet Kaur named captain of ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year; Smriti Mandhana, Poonam Yadav included in both ODI, T20 sides

India's Harmanpreet Kaur was Monday named captain of the ICC Women's T20I Team of the Year, which also includes two of her compatriots Smriti Mandhana and Poonam Yadav.

The post Harmanpreet Kaur named captain of ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year; Smriti Mandhana, Poonam Yadav included in both ODI, T20 sides appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2Amfd7w

Captain Marvel: Brie Larson teases name of Jude Law’s character after makers’ goof-up

Disney and Marvel Studios had accidentally disclosed Jude Law's character's name from Captain Marvel on their official website.

The post Captain Marvel: Brie Larson teases name of Jude Law’s character after makers’ goof-up appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2SzpQex

#HawaBadlo does not require a hurricane but a gust of wind

The organisation has been supporting the HawaBadlo movement – an independent people’s movement for the last 3 years.

The post #HawaBadlo does not require a hurricane but a gust of wind appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2AxNlO7

AgustaWestland case: Former defence minister AK Antony says Sonia, Rahul Gandhi ‘never interfered’ in deals

AK Antony said Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in any defence deals and accused the BJP of "manufacturing" lies in the AgustaWestland case.

The post AgustaWestland case: Former defence minister AK Antony says Sonia, Rahul Gandhi ‘never interfered’ in deals appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2SoY9oh

Firstpost Spodcast Episode 111: India’s victory over Australia, Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Southampton and more

In today's podcast, we discuss India's victory over Australia at Melbourne, Manchester City and Chelsea's victories in the Sunday fixtures in Premier League and more.

The post Firstpost Spodcast Episode 111: India’s victory over Australia, Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Southampton and more appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2LJ0ZC0

This is how Facebook is reportedly being misused by smugglers and migrants in UK

Smugglers and migrants are using Facebook to buy boats for crossing the Channel from the French port city of Calais to come to Britain, The Telegraph reported.

from Gadgets Now http://bit.ly/2BUY70K
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This is likely to be the most important smartphone segment in 2018, according to analysts

Snazzier phones with premium price tags are set to vie for Indian customers' wallets in 2019.

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MIT researchers are now 3D printing glass

While the thought of a machine that can squirt out endless ropes of molten glass is a bit frightening, the folks at MIT have just about perfected the process. In a paper published in 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing, researchers Chikara Inamura, Michael Stern, Daniel Lizardo, Peter Houk, and Neri Oxman describe a system for 3D printing glass that offers far more control over the hot material and the final product.

Their system, called G3DP2, “is a new AM platform for molten glass that combines digitally integrated three-zone thermal control system with four-axis motion control system, introducing industrial-scale production capabilities with enhanced production rate and reliability while ensuring product accuracy and repeatability, all previously unattainable for glass.”

The system uses a closed, heated box that holds the melted glass and another thermally controlled box where it prints the object. A moveable plate drops the object lower and lower as it is being printed and the print head moves above it. The system is interesting because it actually produces clear glass structures that can be used for decoration or building. The researchers take special care to control the glass extrusion system to ensure that it cools down and crystallizes without injecting impurities or structural problems.

“In the future, combining the advantages of this AM technology with the multitude of unique material properties of glass such as transparency, strength, and chemical stability, we may start to see new archetypes of multifunctional building blocks,” wrote the creators.

from TechCrunch https://tcrn.ch/2StjgG9

Nokia 9 PureViews leaked press render hints at in-display fingerprint sensor, reaffirms penta camera setup on the rear

Highlights: Press render of the Nokia 9 PureView smartphone has leaked online The image hints at an in-display fingerprint sensor There is also the alleged penta-camera setup on the back   Recently, images of the Nokia 9 PureView smartphone's cover were posted online, strengthening previous claims of the device featuring a penta-camera setup. Now, a new image leaked on Twitter (via Evan Blass) shows the device with the same camera setup, reaffirming the previous reports. The image also suggests that the smartphone might be launched with an in-display fingerprint sensor, and there is also the expected "Android One” branding on the device's back panel.   The render also suggests that the handset could sport noticeable bezels on the sides, and considerably thick bezel on the top and a noticeable chin. The phone seems to have just one selfie shooter and ambient light/proximity sensors on the front. There is a Nokia branding on the top bezel as well as on the rear, below the penta-camera setup. It can be seen equipped with five Zeiss lenses, a flash and an alleged optic sensor. Additionally, the renders show a mic hole above the camera setup. Till now, three Nokia phones with model numbers TA-1082, TA-1087, and TA-1094 have been spotted on Bluetooth certification websites. The TA-1094 variant of the phone was also seen on other certification websites like MIIT and 3C. The listings suggest that the smartphone might feature Bluetooth 5.0 and support 4G. Previously, reports claimed that the device would launch by the end of 2018 but later, a company executive said that the launch has been postponed. Rumours circulating the internet suggest that the handset might be launched at CES in January or MWC in February. The Nokia 9 PureView is speculated to feature a 4150mAh battery and could come equipped with a 5.9-inch, QHD resolution 3D glass OLED display. It is not known which processor this phone might be launched running on. It is rumoured to be the Snapdragon 845 or it could also be the newly-launched Snapdragon 855. The handset is said to sport a 41MP primary wide-angle camera, a 20MP secondary telephoto lens and a 9.7MP monochrome camera.   Related Read: Nokia 9 launch postponed Nokia 9 may sport a 4150 mAH battery

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2sahfU1

Here’s another look at the Nokia 9 PureView ahead of its imminent launch

Leaker Evan Blass (@evleaks) has posted a render of the supposed Nokia 9 PureView, giving us some clues as to what the device might look like on its anticipated launch in January. Blass posted the image yesterday and it once more suggests the phone will feature five rear cameras.

The handset depicted features the Android One branding — meaning it probably won’t have premium specs but should nonetheless perform well and come with snappy updates — and a curved glass rear.

There appears to be no notch on the Nokia 9, nor physical fingerprint sensor, though the fingerprint image on the screen suggests one will be built into the display like on the OnePlus 6T.

Nokia 9 PureView “Beholder.” HNY pic.twitter.com/x4Kh3anP46

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) December 31, 2018

The accompanying “Beholder” text in Blass’s tweet is possibly HMD Global’s codename for the Nokia 9. In Dungeons & Dragons lore, a Beholder is a many-eyed demon; it’s likely a reference to the cameras rear camera design. “HNY,” meanwhile, simply means Happy New Year.

We’ve now seen Nokia 9 leaks from @OnLeaks, @rquandt, and other sources, the majority of which have pointed to the same design as seen above. We’re pretty confident the Nokia 9 is in development and will look much like the recent @evleaks render when it’s released around the end of next month.

What do you think of how the Nokia 9 PureView is shaping up? Let us know in the comments.

from Android Authority http://bit.ly/2CG2Ogm

10 gadgets you should have while travelling, partying this New Year

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NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 to ship from January 15 for 349

Key Highlights: NVIDIA's new graphics card, GeForce RTX 2060, will go on sale from January 15, 2019 It's expected to cost $349 in the US   How about a last-minute leak before we wind up the year that's seen so many hardware leaks and rumours? According to a recent report by VideoCardz.com, NVIDIA is preparing to introduce its newest graphics card, the GeForce RTX 2060 on January 7. The base Turing model will be available for sale from January 15. It will come bundled with Anthem or Battlefield V for free. It's expected to retail for a price of $349 in the US, which is approximately Rs 24,385. Along with news about the launch, the VideoCardz.com report also proudly presents the confirmed specs of the new card. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 comes packed with 1920 CUDA cores, 240 Tensor cores, 30 ray tracing cores, 120 texture mapping units, and 48 render output units. The GeForce RTX 2060, with its boosted clock speed of 1680 MHz, is a mid-range model replacing the GeForce GTX 1060 from the Pascal architecture. According to NVIDIA, its performance will be comparable to that of the GeForce GTX 1070 Ti. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 will feature 6GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit memory interface with a total memory bandwidth of 336GB/s. Though it's only the base model in the GeForce RTX series of graphics cards, the GeForce RTX 2060 is capable of ray tracing even if its ray tracing performance sits below that of the GeForce RTX 2070. According to VideoCardz.com, the GeForce RTX 2060 will run Battlefield V with ray tracing disabled at 90 frames per second, with ray tracing enabled at 65 frames per second, and with ray tracing at deep learning super-sampling (DLSS) enabled at 88 frames per second. Just last week, Gigabyte, one of the producers of NVIDIA graphics cards, was seen filing for the certification of forty different SKUs of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 card. It's possible the Taiwanese company is filing for every possible configuration of the card, even if some of them may never actually see the light of day. The upcoming CES event will shed more light on NVIDIA's new card. Inline images courtesy: VideoCardz.com   Related Read: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 leaked by Gigabyte's EEC filings

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2VgxL1U

Healthcare sector may see further consolidation in 2019; more partnerships between public and private sector expected

Malaysia's IHH Healthcare has scalped 31.1 percent stake in Fortis for Rs 4,000 crore after months of intense competition and is in process of taking another 26 percent stake.

The post Healthcare sector may see further consolidation in 2019; more partnerships between public and private sector expected appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2Tja4Ea

Watch: Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Ram Charan, Jr NTR dance at sangeet ceremony of SS Rajamouli’s son

The wedding marked the reunion of Baahubali stars Prabhas and Rana Daggubati, and the stars of SS Rajamouli's next film, Jr NTR and Ram Charan.

The post Watch: Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Ram Charan, Jr NTR dance at sangeet ceremony of SS Rajamouli’s son appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2CGmjFo

RCom, Reliance Jio extend validity of wireless asset sale pact to 28 June

Reliance Communications and Reliance Jio announced on Monday that they have extended the terms of an agreement for sale of wireless assets of the Anil Ambani owned firm.

The post RCom, Reliance Jio extend validity of wireless asset sale pact to 28 June appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2ThLfZn

LISTEN: Full script of Episode 113 of Spodcast where we discuss India’s victory over Australia, Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Southampton and more

Here's the full script of today's Spodcast where we discuss India retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after winning the Melbourne Test against Australia, Manchester City's 3-1 win over Southampton and more.

The post LISTEN: Full script of Episode 113 of Spodcast where we discuss India’s victory over Australia, Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Southampton and more appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2CFPaKe

Rahul Gandhi should ask ‘who killed Sohrabuddin investigation’, says Arun Jaitley on Congress chief’s reaction to verdict

Arun Jaitley in his Facebook post titled: 'Who killed the Sohrabuddin Investigation' said that those who have recently shown a belated concern for institutional independence, "should seriously introspect as to what they did to the CBI when they were in power"

The post Rahul Gandhi should ask ‘who killed Sohrabuddin investigation’, says Arun Jaitley on Congress chief’s reaction to verdict appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2F18mUU

Satellite startup OneWeb says it did not offer Russian government a stake in project

OneWeb plans to create a network of 900 satellites, most of which it wants to send into orbit.

The post Satellite startup OneWeb says it did not offer Russian government a stake in project appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2EVr7Zf

Best iPhone XR cases - CNET

Need some protection for your new iPhone XR? Here's a bunch of top cases to check out, all of them compatible with wireless charging.

from CNET https://cnet.co/2EIbwgh

Best iPhone XS and XS Max cases - CNET

Need some protection for your new XS or XS Max? Here are bunch of top cases to check out, all of them compatible with wireless charging.

from CNET https://cnet.co/2EBgEC7

Best mobile games of 2018 - CNET

Looking for a new game to play on your phone or tablet? Here are our picks of the best mobile games.

from CNET https://cnet.co/2LsGauK

The 56 best Android games of 2018 - CNET

These are unequivocally the best Android games on the planet.

from CNET https://cnet.co/2V0Tj2r

Stan Lee's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse cameo will warm your heart - CNET

Spidey's co-creator offers some advice from beyond the grave.

from CNET https://cnet.co/2AmJljc

Google Doodle prepares to welcome 2019 with partying pachyderms - CNET

Google's traditional party animals show up for New Year's Eve.

from CNET https://cnet.co/2GN3mFp

The 60 best iPhone games of 2018 - CNET

If you're all about the iPhone, these are some of the best games you can play.

from CNET https://cnet.co/2o1i5SR

Amazon reportedly plans to build new Whole Foods Market stores - CNET

Expansion aims to expand reach of its speedy two-hour grocery delivery service.

from CNET https://cnet.co/2QYoSM5

2019 Hyundai Santa Fe can use a fingerprint instead of a key - Roadshow

Will the system work with a severed finger? Asking for some friends.

from CNET https://cnet.co/2CH3su3

The clock that will tick for 10 millennia video - CNET

This clock is supposed to work for 10,000 years and plays a unique chime that never repeats.

from CNET https://cnet.co/2TgYCsL

2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Class: Dusty, dirty and down-right delicious - Roadshow

There are plenty of galleries featuring a sparkling clean G-Class. This isn't one of them.

from CNET https://cnet.co/2TiPHqJ

iPhone 'X' names have nowhere to go in 2019 - CNET

Because what comes after iPhone XS?

from CNET https://cnet.co/2GK4YiU

Sruthi Hariharan on sexual harassment case against Arjun Sarja: You can judge intent by the touch

Sruthi Hariharan claimed the bad touch and good touch is a very individual, personal experience. "Intent plays a big role and it is something you can judge," she said.

The post Sruthi Hariharan on sexual harassment case against Arjun Sarja: You can judge intent by the touch appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2EXTkj0

Surging passenger numbers, policy promises dot turbulent skies in 2018; cut-throat competition pushes airlines into red

Despite high passenger growth, domestic airlines remained financially vulnerable as surge in oil prices, rupee depreciation and inability to raise fares amid intense competition crimped their earnings.

The post Surging passenger numbers, policy promises dot turbulent skies in 2018; cut-throat competition pushes airlines into red appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2AoICy2

‘Narendra Modi misleading nation for political gains’: HD Kumaraswamy on PM calling Karnataka farm loan waiver ‘cruel joke’

Reaffirming the JD(S)-Congress coalition government's commitment towards implementation of the massive farm loan waiver scheme announced by it, HD Kumaraswamy claimed that about 60,000 farmers have been benefitted by it so far

The post ‘Narendra Modi misleading nation for political gains’: HD Kumaraswamy on PM calling Karnataka farm loan waiver ‘cruel joke’ appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2SrWdeY

Samsung to reportedly launch a mini-version of the Galaxy Home smart speaker

Currently, the specs of this mini Galaxy Home smart speaker are not known.

The post Samsung to reportedly launch a mini-version of the Galaxy Home smart speaker appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2Ao5Wfb

Parliament LIVE updates: Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha to meet at 2 pm; Lower Hour adjourned amid chants of ‘we want JPC’ over Rafale

Parliament LIVE updates: Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan conducted the Zero Hour in the Lower House despite sloganeering by Opposition MPs. After matters of urgent public importance were taken up amid chants of "we want JPC" over the Rafale deal and "chowkidaar chor hain", she adjourned the House till 2 pm. The Rajya Sabha will also meet at 2 pm.

The post Parliament LIVE updates: Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha to meet at 2 pm; Lower Hour adjourned amid chants of ‘we want JPC’ over Rafale appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2SvXPEs

CII says India’s robust economic growth to continue in 2019; better demand conditions, GST, general polls strong drivers

CII believes the government will continue to place high priority on simplifying business procedures in 2019, especially in terms of working with states for grassroots improvements.

The post CII says India’s robust economic growth to continue in 2019; better demand conditions, GST, general polls strong drivers appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2AliSCE

India vs Australia: Rohit Sharma flies back to Mumbai after birth of baby girl, to miss New Year’s Test at Sydney

India batsman Rohit Sharma will miss the fourth Test against Australia in Sydney to be with his wife, who gave birth to a baby girl in Mumbai on Sunday.

The post India vs Australia: Rohit Sharma flies back to Mumbai after birth of baby girl, to miss New Year’s Test at Sydney appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2GPDGru

Apple’s iPhone low-cost battery replacement program ends in India on 31 December

The programme covers all out-of-warranty iPhones after iPhone 6, reduces replacement cost by 30%.

The post Apple’s iPhone low-cost battery replacement program ends in India on 31 December appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2GLdv5a

NASA spaceship New Horizons zooms toward Ultima Thule: How to watch it LIVE

NASA will ring in the New Year with a live online broadcast to mark flyby of the Ultima Thule.

The post NASA spaceship New Horizons zooms toward Ultima Thule: How to watch it LIVE appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2RhVQ9B

Songs my mother never taught me and how that became my meal ticket in 2018

The valuable lesson I learnt in 2018 was that we must always take pride in and talk about the great work women silently put into making us

The post Songs my mother never taught me and how that became my meal ticket in 2018 appeared first on Firstpost.

from Firstpost http://bit.ly/2GKqrbC

Huawei Y7 Pro (2019) is official with Snapdragon 450

Huawei is going strong in the quest for becoming the second biggest smartphone maker in the world. Just days after the launch of Huawei P Smart (2019) on the European market, its more affordable sibling called Huawei Y7 Pro (2019) made an appearance in Vietnam. Looking at the Y7 Pro (2019) you might think it is visually the same as the P Smart (2019). After a detailed inspection of specs, we notice plenty of differences. The chipset is Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, while the screen is 6.26" LCD panel with HD+ resolution, waterdrop notch and a 19:9 ratio. The phone has only 3 GB RAM and...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2CGtf5v

These were our most popular videos of 2018

In the last days of 2018 we take a look back and see what we have accomplished in the past 12 months. A lot of thought and hard work went into our YouTube channel, so we decided to share the most popular videos of the year. Samsung introduced the Galaxy A8 (2018) early in the year and it has been watched and liked plenty of times. No wonder it gathered over a million views with its tall Infinity Display and properly-placed fingerprint scanner. The Galaxy S9+ flagship is a massive improvement over the Galaxy S8+ with its dual camera - one shooter with variable aperture and another...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2GN5vRt

Counterclockwise: the touchscreen evolution

The human-computer interface has been a problem since the dawn of computers. As far as smartphones are concerned, the clear winner is the touchscreen. But how did we get here? The proto-touchscreen was the light pen, which was first developed in the 50s and 60s and was available to consumers as an accessory for 8-bit computers in the 80s. The light pen is a simple but clever solution that works only with CRT monitors - it senses the electron beam as it scans across the phosphor drawing the image line by line, pixel by pixel. When the beam is sensed by the pen, the computer just makes a...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2QYGSG3

Camera test: The phone with the best Portrait mode

We've lined up the industry's cameraphone heavyweights - iPhone XS Max, Galaxy Note9, Huawei Mate 20 Pro, LG V40 ThinQ, OnePlus 6T, Galaxy S9, Google Pixel 3 to see how good phones have become in capturing portrait photos with defocused backgrounds. We'll also be taking some shots with a full-frame DSLR - the Nikon D750 - just to put things into perspective.

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2EXFvRB

Top 10 fan favorite phones of 2018

The year is almost over and it's time to reset the counter. But before we do that, let's take a look at which Android and iOS devices won the hearts of our readers. Note that we are not talking sheer popularity here, but number of likes - that is we only count The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro leads the pack and we can see why. It was the best mid-ranger for a large chunk of the year. It checks a lot of boxes while keeping the price reasonable and that helped it win more love than any other phone introduced in 2018. The next one is the OnPlus 6 - the first of the two most controversial...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2AmdaQM

The punch hole screen camera is the way forward

My job at GSMArena is getting to the office early in the morning, usually before sunrise, to cover the latest news, leaks and rumors. I've been following design trends from their development stage all the way to the final products. One of the sadder solutions among smartphone manufacturers is the notch, popularized by Apple and the iPhone X back in 2017. I never got the hate it received as the cutout was just bound to happen. The notch eventually got smaller by the middle of 2018, when we saw the Oppo F9 with the new fashionable waterdrop notch, but by the end of 2018 we already have...

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LG G7 ThinQ to get Android Pie update in Q1 2019: Report

Highlights: LG G7 ThinQ will get the Android Pie update in Q1 2019 in South Korea The update may come to other countries in the Q2 It will bring performance-related upgrades   LG has announced that it is working on an Android Pie update for the LG G7 ThinQ and according to a report, will start rolling out the stable version of the update in the first quarter of 2019 in South Korea. The report in mylgphones.com says that it assumed that it would release for other markets in the second quarter of the next year. The news comes after LG officially launched the Android 9 beta programme for the G7 ThinQ in November in South Korea. The update seems to be very important as LG has listed a number of performance-related issues that will be addressed with this update. This includes an improvement that rectifies the screen freezes when the FPS setting is repeatedly changed in the professional video mode of the camera app. It will also address an issue in which fingerprints are not recognised in some financial apps and pay apps after software update.   So far, LG has not announced the Android Pie update plan for the LG V40 ThinQ, though, it said that the upcoming update for the flagship would bring PentaShot feature on camera and parking assistant function and subway notification function in the context awareness setting, among others. According to the report, LG is also testing the firmware for LM-G820N, which is said to be the model number of the LG G8. The LG G8 is expected to launch with Android Pie out-of-the-box. LG G7 ThinQ Specifications The LG G7 ThinQ comes wrapped inside a glass with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 display protection. The handset features a 6.1-inch QHD+ FullVision Super Bright Display. The display is said to have a maximum brightness of up to 1,000 nits. It offers a 19.5:9 screen to body ratio. The smartphone is IP68 dust and water resistant. The LG G7 ThinQ comes with a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and there is also a dedicated Google Assistant button on the device. Tapping the button once will launch the Google Assistant, while tapping it twice will bring up Google Lens. The phone includes Super Far-Field Voice Recognition (SFFVR) technology and is also equipped with “Boombox Speakers”, which are said to deliver 10 times louder audio, in comparison with standard phones. The LG G7 ThinQ is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. Storage on the phone can be expanded up to 2TB. The phone is backed by a 3,000mAh battery and runs Android 8.0 Oreo. In terms of optics, the LG G7 ThinQ is equipped with a dual 16MP rear-camera setup with one standard lens of f/1.6 aperture and another 16MP Super Wide Angle sensor with f/1.9 aperture. On the front, it is equipped with an 8MP wide-angle camera with f/1.9 aperture and an 80-degree lens. The LG G7 ThinQ is equipped with a Hi-Fi Quad DAC and also supports DTS:X to deliver virtual 3D sound for delivering up to 7.1 channel audio with earphones, has a face recognition and HDR10 support on the device.   Related Read: LG G7 Plus ThinQ Review LG G7 ThinQ, G7+ ThinQ launched  

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2Ap41ac

Google clarifies Android One promise of guaranteed updates for 2 years

Key Highlights: A Reddit user had earlier spotted Google's promise of 2-year regular updates was missing from the Android One official website Google then reclarified that a website design change doesn't affect the promise of the program The Android One program by Google has come to replace the Nexus devices. In 2017, Google jumpstarted the program globally with the Xiaomi Mi A1. When earlier it was to make entry-level phones more responsive and usable, Android One became an embodiment of devices that would run a vanilla flavour of Android (always the latest), and offer two years of version upgrades and security patches. At that time, the promise of regular updates was a big selling point and a year down the line, we had quite a few Android One certified devices in the Indian market. On the landing page of the official Android One website, the promise of regular updates was highlighted explicitly — 2 years of guaranteed updates. However, a couple of days back, Reddit user anshumanpati6 spotted the mention of that same promise of regular updates missing from the landing page. This led many to believe that Android One no longer came with the compulsion of regular updates. However, Google denied there had been any change in the program; the promise of regular updates still holds. In a response to India Today, Google said, “We confirm that our promise to provide 2 years of updates on Android One devices still stands and our website design does not impact the promise of this program.” The Android One program was initially tailored for developing markets that demanded affordable devices with timely updates. Google enforced this with stringent minimum hardware requirements, but smartphone vendors couldn’t make much money on them. As a result, the present form of Android One is more flexible in terms of the hardware under the hood. For the entry-level phones, Google designed Android Go. Android One, on the other hand focused on offering affordable, mid-range devices with regular update cycles high-end Pixel phones user enjoy, with an user experience that seemed better than most skinned Android phones. There was no reason to think Google would abandon this crucial element of the program, save for the missing feature in the official website. In fact, there’s still no mention of the feature in the homepage. We are still waiting for Google to release an official response on the matter. It could just be a website redesign highlighting the security features, unlimited storage and the wide portfolio of Android One devices available in the market. Or, there could be more to the story than what meets the eye. Related Links: Top 5 Android One phones to buy in India  

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2SufBrR

Googles Messages app is reportedly getting new spam protection feature

Key Highlights: Google is said to be activating Spam protection feature on its Messages app The new feature is reportedly being enabled via a server-side update The spam protection feature could be rolled out soon for everyone   Google is reportedly enabling a new spam protection feature on its Messages app for some users. Android Police reports that some users who launched the app were greeted with a notification stating, “New! Spam protection” and it seems that the new feature, which is said to have been under development for more than a year, is finally being made available. As of writing this article, Google has not posted anything regarding the spam protection rollout and the feature is reportedly being enabled via a server-side update and only for a few people. We checked for the option on some of our devices but they have not received it yet.  As per the report, those who have received the spam protection feature on their Messages app will see a new “Spam protection" option under the Advanced tab of the app’s Settings. Earlier, Android Police reported a section on Google’s Support website that detailed how the new feature works. “When the setting is enabled, some information about the messages you receive (such as inbound phone numbers) is sent to Google, though stripped of identifying content like your phone number or the actual message itself. The inner machinations are undescribed, but presumably, it looks at that data statistically to determine commonalities between spam messages to detect them,” the report reads. In case one sends a spam report manually, the feature still submits the entire message to Google, which is said to include phone numbers of both, the sender, the recipient, along with the message's contents. Speaking of the Messages app, new commits found in Chromium’s Gerrit source code management site suggest that the web interface of the app could be moved from Messages.Android.com to Messages.Google.com. While the URL change might not seem like a big deal for the average user, the change is said to tell Chromebooks to stop using the Android.com URL and instead use the Google.com URL in versions 72 or 73 of Chrome OS. These versions are also said to include the ‘Better Together’ features for integrating Android and Chrome OS. This change should not affect the web interface of the app.    Related Reads: Android Messages web app now lives in Google.com, not Android.com  

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2StVSbB

China to land on the dark side of the moon: Report

In what will soon become another first for all of humanity, China is planning to land its lunar probe Chang'e 4 on the dark side of the moon. According to a recent report by the state-owned Xinhua News Agecny, the unmanned spacecraft was launched on a Long March-3B rocket on December 7. Chang'e 4 reached lunar orbit five days later and deployed its landing craft and surface rover in preparation for descent. The planned landing site is Von Kármán, a 180-kilometre crater in the South Pole–Aitken basin. The spacecraft reportedly entered an elliptical orbit around the moon on December 12 at 6:25 AM IST (12:55 AM GMT). From the pericenter, the point of closest approach for any celestial body in an elliptical orbit, the spacecraft is only 14.4 kilometres from the moon's rocky surface. The China National Space Administration reportedly announced that it would soon "prepare for the first-ever soft landing on the far side of the moon".  From the dark side of the moon direct communication with Earth is not possible as the moon itself blocks all transmissions. For this reason, the Chinese National Space Administration set up a communications relay satellite called Queqiao (meaning Magpie Bridge) back in May this year in a halo orbit around the moon. Two other microsatellites, Longjiang-1 and Longjiang-2 (meaning Dragon River), were launched along with Queqiao for additional relay support. Chang'e 4's payload includes a landing camera (LCAM), a terrain camera (TCAM), and a low-frequency spectrometer (LFS) to study solar bursts, among other equipment. Chang'e 4's mission on the dark side of the moon is to measure the surface temperature, chemical compositions of lunar rocks and soils, study cosmic rays, observe the solar corona, and carry out low-frequency radio astronomical research.

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2GNesdu

Netflix cancels in-app subscription option for iOS users

Key Highlghts: Netflix will no longer allow users to pay for their plans on iPhone or iPad New Users will have to go to the Netflix website to pay and login to the app in their iOS devices The move is presumably a backlash against Apple's claim of a high 30 percent revenue cut from in-app purchases You can no longer renew your Netflix subscription from your iPhone or iPad. Along with other prominent app developers, Netflix will no longer allow customers to subscribe via iTunes by way of an in-app purchase on iOS devices. While the change was spotted earlier in November, Netflix delved deep into the move in a VentureBeat article on Friday. The report explained users who are already paying via iTunes may continue to do so. However, users renewing after a month or new sign ups will have to bill their purchase in the Netflix website and then login into the iOS app. Netflix is not the only streaming service to do so. Presumably done against Apple’s move to take a larger revenue share from in-app purchases, streaming apps like Spotify and Soundcloud had to charge extra for iOS users. Later, Spotify stopped in-app purchases altogether and iOS users can only pay for their plans via the website. Apple normally takes 30 percent of the revenues made via in-app purchases by an app. This may shrink down to 15 percent for long-term subscribers, but even then, many developers have argued that it takes away a substantial amount of their revenue. It’s partly the reason why most apps on iOS are more expensive as compared to their Android counterparts. Many have argued that the decision to cut away from developer’s profits gives Apple an unfair advantage. For Spotify, where Apple Music is present omnipotently across iOS devices, it is indeed so. It’s also somewhat unfair for Apple to make money out of content it doesn’t produce or even host. Related Links: App developers want better revenue cut from Apple

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2BPdHuz

New Year deal: Stay alert on the road with Ridy

The holiday season can involve long or late-night driving, which is always a risk. Even the safest of drivers sometimes feel sleepy at the wheel. It only takes a moment of nodding off to risk your life and others.

Well, a high-tech solution was successfully funded on Indiegogo. Ridy is a distracted driving alert device that uses AI and machine learning to check that you’re concentrating on driving. Using face-tracking technology, it can tell if you might be dozing or reading your phone.

If Ridy spots any danger it sounds an alert to snap you out of it. It’s clever stuff, and it’s perfect for late-night drivers, those who drive for a living, and so on. In fact, it’s worth having in just about any vehicle.

Ridy works day or night, whether you have glasses on or not, and it doesn’t need an internet connection. It’s not logging your whereabouts for some government database either, before you ask. It’s just checking that your eyes are on the road.

Ridy at a glance:

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Ridy has a retail value of $129, but we can do a lot better than that for you. Tech Deals is promoting Ridy as part of a big sale, and we also have a promo code to save you a bit more.

Just add Ridy to your cart and then use the promo code NEWYEAR2019. You’ll pay just over $80.

The deal is this week only, so don’t miss it. It could save your life. Hit the button below to find it.

The AAPicks team writes about things we think you’ll like, and we may see a share of revenue from any purchases made through affiliate links. To see all our hottest deals, head over to the AAPICKS HUB.

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Looking for a new phone or plan? Start here with the Android Authority Plan Tool:

from Android Authority http://bit.ly/2Tjr9hj

This week in Android: Punch hole screens are here!

It’s the end of 2018, and you might hear a collective sigh from smartphone pundits. This year was celebrated almost universally by incremental increases to already great hardware. But we also got new form factors — sliders and pop-out cameras — in our quest to eliminate the bezel. Those designs and more will be further refined in 2019, and we’re excited to see it!

Speaking of refined designs for 2019, we got our first hands-on look at a phone with a punch-hole camera. The Honor View 20 is coming in early 2019, and our reviewer David Imel got some time with the phone. What does he think of the hole? Is it better than the notch?

Plus, we have two new phones from Xiaomi, two possible new phones from Google, and two OEMs who may once again be in hot water with the White House. Oh, and Samsung’s new One UI is coming to your Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus as we speak!

Here are your top stories for the week

Android in 2018 is the opening act for Android in 2019

2018 may have been a little bit of a yawner, but it was mostly just getting things ready for an epic 2019. We think. Probably.

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Honor View 20 hands-on: Are holes better than notches?

The Honor View 20 sports a punch hole display. It’s tiny and in a sensible place, but we’re still not convinced.

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5 most controversial Android apps and games from 2018!

Who would have thought that apps could be controversial. Turns out they can, and in a pretty big way too!

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2018 was the smartphone camera’s biggest year yet

2018 set the stage for what we’ll see in 2019 in terms of cameras, and that’s a bright future indeed.

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Samsung to show off sound-producing display tech at CES 2019?

Why put a speaker in a phone when you can have your display do it for you? That’s what Samsung is thinking.

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Stable Android Pie with One UI is now rolling out to Samsung Galaxy S9/S9 Plus!

Do you like Pie? Do you like One UI? Well then Samsung has some really good news for Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus owners.

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Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro review: Pro ambitions, amateur mistakes

Xiaomi’s latest flagship hits a lot of high notes, but misses on a few of the basics like battery life.

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Xiaomi Black Shark review: A blast for your buck

Meanwhile, Xiaomi’s gaming entry, the Black Shark, has a slick design and an “Extreme Mode” that takes things up to 11.

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Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL Lite tipped to land on Verizon this Spring

If the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL were too rich for your blood, Verizon thinks you might be tempted with some less expensive options.

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Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 review: What’s old is new again

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 takes an old form factor and makes it feel fresh and new. This is our full Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 review.

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2019 will be a great year for smartwatches and fitness trackers — here’s why

It’s a great time to invest in a fitness tracker right now. Smartwatches? Not unless you’re buying an Apple Watch.

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Who wants to win a Huawei Mate 20 Pro?

This week, we’re giving away a brand new Huawei Mate 20 Pro. Enter this week’s Sunday giveaway for your chance to win!

Don’t miss these videos

That’s it, folks! We’ll have another giveaway and more top Android stories for you next week. To stay up to date on all things Android Authority in the meantime, be sure to subscribe to our newsletters at the link below.

from Android Authority http://bit.ly/2LFAfTb

Huawei Mate 20 Pro international giveaway!

It’s time for the Sunday giveaway! Like every week, we’re giving away another a brand new Android phone to one lucky Android Authority reader.

A big congratulations to the winner of last week’s Google Pixel 3 international giveaway, Aleksander V. from Bosnia.

This week we’re giving away a brand new Huawei Mate 20 Pro, courtesy of the AA Deals Store!

The AA Deals Store is running a big discount on the XtremePro Action Cam. Capable of shooting 4K, this action camera would normally cost around $90, but right now you can get it for $69.99 (22% off). What’s more, if you order before January 3 and use the promo code NEWYEAR2019 at checkout, you’ll get to take another 19% off the already-discounted price, bringing your grand total to just $56.70!

The Huawei Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro are two of the most-anticipated phones of the year, and for good reason. The Mate 10 Pro won Android Authority’s Best of Android 2017 award, and the Mate 20 Pro came very close to claiming that title again if it weren’t for the Galaxy Note 9.

The Mate 20 Pro features an all-glass design and comes with Huawei’s gradient color scheme. You have your choice of five color options, but we really prefer the emerald green model.

Elsewhere, the device comes with the Kirin 980 SoC, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a fancy new Nano Memory slot for expandable storage. Oh yeah, and it has three rear-facing cameras — one 40MP standard sensor, one 8MP telephoto lens, and one 20MP ultra wide-angle sensor.

One of the biggest downsides of this phone (aside from the lack of a headphone jack) is its price — it starts at almost $1,000. But you don’t have to worry about that, because we’re giving one away to one lucky AA reader!

To learn more about the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, check out our other coverage below:

• Huawei Mate 20 Pro review: The phone for power users
• Huawei Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro specs: There’s a clear winner
• Google Pixel 3 Night Sight vs Huawei Mate 20 Pro Night Mode
• Do AI cameras matter? Huawei Mate 20 Pro vs LG V40 vs Pixel 3
• Huawei Mate 20 Pro vs Galaxy Note 9, Pixel 3 XL, LG V40

Enter the giveaway here

Don’t miss: JBL Charge 4 giveaway

Winners gallery

Terms & conditions

• This is an international giveaway (except when we can not ship to your country).
• If we can not ship to your country, you will be compensated with an online gift card of equal MSRP value to the prize.
• We are not responsible for lost shipments.
• We are not responsible if your giveaway prize malfunctions.
• You must be age of majority in your country of residence.
• We are not responsible for any duties or import fees that you may incur.
• Only one entry per person; please do not enter multiple email addresses. We will verify all winners and if we detect multiple email addresses by the same person you will not be eligible to win.
• We reserve all rights to make any changes to this giveaway.
• This giveaway is operated by Android Authority.
• The prize will ship when it is available to purchase.

More: Android Authority international giveaway FAQs

from Android Authority http://bit.ly/2TocO3x

10 tech predictions from the staff of Android Authority

2018 is almost at an end and it’s undoubtedly been an excellent year for smartphones. We’re already quickly gearing up for 2019’s early high profile releases, and — leaks aside — we’re pretty confident that our veteran industry status gives us a pretty good idea about what to expect.

Here are ten of the Android Authority staff’s best and most out-there predictions for what 2019 will hold.

Gaming phones become more competitive

If you hadn’t noticed, mobile gaming is a big thing, especially in China. So big in fact that we now have a number of dedicated gaming smartphones on the market, including the Razer Phone 2, Asus ROG Phone, and Xiaomi Black Shark.

Cutting-edge processor specs alone aren’t going to be enough next year though, predicts our Luka Mlinar. Gaming phones need to offer more. That’s certainly true when you consider that every other flagship smartphone will be using the same chipset next year: the Snapdragon 855.

We could see better cooling systems, but gimmicks like “speed boost” gaming modes aren’t fooling anyone. Instead, gaming phones may morph to offer superior controllers, even higher screen refresh rates, better audio and feedback features, and perhaps even some more useful gaming software and ecosystem tools. Personally, I’m still waiting on a Sony Xperia Play reboot to gift us an awesome PlayStation phone.

Facebook will (unfortunately) be fine

2018 hasn’t been a good year for Facebook, nor for the privacy of its users. Scandal after scandal has hit the social network throughout 2018, yet it’s still standing firm. Facebook will keep on doing creepy things in 2019, so foresees Sam Moore.

I probably don’t need to remind you about the Cambridge Analytica scandal, the U.S. Senate hearing, 50 million accounts hacked, the further data theft of 29 million users, exposing private photos, and recent revelations about granting message access to third-party companies. But I will. Honestly, it’s miraculous that the company hasn’t succumbed to any of this. I can only fathom that Facebook is so deeply integrated into people’s lives that they can’t bring themselves to rid of it.

If you’re looking for a healthy New Year’s resolution, at least give less of your precious personal data to Mark.

Also read: The biggest tech and mobile blunders of 2018

MOAR CAMERAS

91Mobiles/OnLeaks

If 2018 was the year of the triple camera, 2019 will be the year of the quad or even quintuple camera monster. Or so Android Authority’s Joe Hindy and Williams Pelegrin predict.

The introduction of telephoto, wide-angle, monochrome, and depth sensor camera combinations pushed smartphone photography capabilities up another notch this year. It certainly wouldn’t be a surprise to see manufacturers throw everything they can at both front and rear camera setups in 2019. Samsung already has a quad-camera phone with its Galaxy A9 2018 edition, and flagship models could go even further.

Heck, if that crazy Nokia 9 leak turns out to be true we could be looking at our first penta-camera sometime next year. That would make triple cameras look positively pedestrian. But will it be better than a Pixel?

Farewell bezels, hello holes

Display holes (is that seriously what we’re calling them?) are a safe bet for 2019, so it’s not surprising that a few of our staff suggested this one. We all know Samsung’s Infinity-O display is in production and have already had our first look at the Honor View 20 and its display hole. Expect a number of 2019 smartphones to come sporting this new look.

These advances in display slicing technology open the door for some cool new technological tricks to replace the notch. In-display cameras are a given, but manufacturers could also hide many more sensors, such as 3D facial scanning, into these holes.

We’ve also seen our first in-display fingerprint scanners hit the market this year and Samsung’s UPS display technology suggests it has found a way to embed cameras inside panels too. Perhaps manufacturers will hide other bits of front-facing technology seamlessly into the display in 2019. All in all, these trends probably mean even thinner bezels for 2019’s smartphones too.

Cryptocurrency finally gets a useful dApp, or it dies

I think this was a serious suggestion from Tristan Rayner, but who can be sure when it comes to the apparently infinite, reality-defying possibilities of blockchain?

Despite this year’s major setbacks for the valuations of popular cryptocurrencies, the fundamentals of secure open ledgers and decentralized applications remain appealing. 2019 could finally be the year that a breakthrough application (dApp) that relies on blockchain appears. Perhaps complete with its own currency to keep the data crunching ticking over.

Luka isn’t so optimistic about cryptocurrencies, and who can blame him after the Bitcoin bubble appeared to burst early last year. $17.1k to just $3.7k over the last twelve months certainly looks like curtains for the coin’s mainstream popularity. 2019 could well be the year that decides the fate of cryptocurrencies. Either a breakthrough dApp appears to renew faith, or the idea continues its gradual decline into irrelevance.

Just please, no more attempts at a blockchain phone. OK, everyone?

Battery life won’t get any better (sadly)

Adam Molina points out that we’re probably not looking at longer battery life next year. A disappointing prediction given that this is consistently one of the most requested updates to phones each year.

But with battery sizes gradually increasing and smartphone processors moving on to more efficiency 7nm processes, you’re probably wondering why we’re not predicting a revolution in battery life.

First is that manufacturers keep finding new ways to consume these power savings. Be that a higher performing processor and higher quality gaming, brighter and higher resolution displays, new power consuming content like HDR video, more power hungry multi-camera setups, and 5G. Secondly, because even a generous 20-percent boost to battery life might only add an hour of screen on time to many phones. That’s obviously a good thing, but even for the best phones that last a whole day that extra hour or even two isn’t going to make up the difference to the next milestone: multi-day battery life.

Sorry about this one.

We’ll still be waiting for Android Pie updates

Hadlee Simons is similarly pessimistic in his expectations for 2019 — many of us are going to be sat hammering that refresh button for our Android Pie update.

Hadlee has a pretty good point. Despite the introduction of Project Treble for Oreo-based devices, we haven’t seen the biggest manufacturers offer vastly faster update times to Android Pie. Huawei might just squeeze in its updates before the end of the year, but Samsung, LG, HTC, and others haven’t pushed out their updates to many customers yet, with the exception of a few preview programs.

Instead, the lesser known OEMs with a smaller number of handsets to support have been doing a better job. Essential and OnePlus being notably quick adopters, along with other stock-like OS manufacturers. Unfortunately even Treble doesn’t appear to have encouraged big manufacturers to put the necessary resources into pushing out faster software updates for their phones. Mid-range handsets also appear to still be forgotten about too.

We’ll find at least two more ways to complain about the notch

Hopefully, 2018 won’t be remembered as the year of the notch. Although not universally loathed, it’s definitely one of the more contentious adoptions in the smartphone space this year — so much so that the notch has spawned more than its share of memes and jokes over the last year and a bit.

We’ve heard it all this year, from it’s downright ugly (I’m looking at you Pixel 3 XL) to that it makes phones look like shameless iPhone clones. There have also been plenty of complaints about some of the software the tweaks made to Android Pie, such as the clock position, to accommodate the notch. You folks certainly know what you don’t like.

Our Executive Editor Kris Carlon reckons that we’ll find at least two new things to hate about the notch next year. Better get cracking.

Phones with 16GB of RAM

Our own Feliks Mangus predicts that we could see smartphones packing in a whopping 16GB of RAM hit shelves in 2019. This would undoubtedly be overkill, but is it possible?

The swanky OnePlus 6T McLaren edition comes in a crazy 10GB RAM variant. The newly announced Lenovo Z5 Pro GT already promises 12GB of RAM paired up with a brand new Snapdragon 855 SoC and we’re still not even into 2019’s major smartphone announcements.

While 8GB probably seems like a sensible limit for most flagship smartphones, we’ll surely see some manufacturers push the RAM count even higher. If only to grab headlines rather than offer up revolutionary performance.

5G doesn’t live up to the hype

Both Tristan and I are calling this one now: 5G isn’t going to be the game changer for smartphones that many companies are eagerly hyping up.

If you recall the rollout of 4G LTE, you already know what to expect. Only certain cities will see the technology first and even then coverage will be spotty at best. Couple this with the unknowns about smartphone form factors and, more importantly, battery life and those first 5G smartphones might not be so appealing either.

That said, 5G works. It’s going to have some interesting use cases for home and business internet access, and eventually mass IoT and all that other jargon too. But for smartphones, 2019’s 5G wireless rollout will probably be a muted experience for most of us. Unless you’re that crazy person streaming 4K HDR video to your tiny 6-inch display outside a mmWave base station in downtown New York.

What about your predictions?

That’s enough from us, what are your biggest predictions for smartphones, and tech in general, in 2019?

Next: 2019 will be a great year for smartwatches and fitness trackers — here’s why

from Android Authority http://bit.ly/2CEMk86