Tech news

While the Samsung Galaxy S23 series is outpacing its predecessor with 22% more sales, the Galaxy Z line is not doing as well. http://dlvr.it/Sy9sqp

Huawei more than doubled its third-quarter earnings thanks to the shocking release of the 5G Mate 60 series. http://dlvr.it/Sy7K4G

The Motorola Razr (2023) is available at 14% off on Amazon and Motorola. Don't miss this chance to save on the most affordable foldable phone. http://dlvr.it/Sy5Wcv

Even though it's still October, our newest collection of the best tech deals around includes quite a few (actual) Black Friday discounts on products like the Google Pixel 7a, Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, and Microsoft Surface Pro 9. http://dlvr.it/Sy3mkJ

Samsung will soon let you back up your whole phone or tablet to unlimited cloud storage for free, but only for 30 days. The service, called Temporary Cloud Backup, is designed for users that are either upgrading to a new Samsung device or sending their Samsung device in for repairs. The service is only available from Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets running One UI 6 and requires a Samsung account. It will be available "globally this fall ... starting with Galaxy S and Z series smartphones in Korea." There is no total storage limit, but individual file sizes are capped at 100 GB, which could impact some longer and/or higher-quality videos. Users will receive alerts before a backup is automatically deleted at the end of 30 days. http://dlvr.it/Sy1Ngv

New report says iPhone users stick to their phones for longer than Android owners. http://dlvr.it/Sxymk5

T-Mobile reported another strong quarter adding 850,000 net new postpaid phone subscribers, more than AT&T and Verizon combined. http://dlvr.it/SxymSD

Qualcomm has a new technology that aims to make it easier to connect different devices. Snapdragon Seamless is designed to enable a variety of scenarios, including peripheral sharing (your PC keyboard working with your tablet and phone), dragging files and even windows between different types of devices, and earbuds that intelligently switch devices based on audio source priority. Seamless is a "connection-less" protocol that relies on Bluetooth LE and other existing wireless technologies. The technology is designed to be cross-platform, working across Android, Windows, and other platforms. Committed partners include Microsoft, Google, Dell, Lenovo, and Honor. New multi-device features enabled by Snapdragon Seamless are set to arrive on global device platforms starting as early as this year. Snapdragon Seamless is built in to the company's newest chips, including the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for phones, S7 for earbuds, and Snapdragon X Elite for laptops. http://dlvr.it/Sxw6WS

Apple iPhone 15 sales are weakening according to a J.P. Morgan analyst citing the drop in lead times for the handsets. http://dlvr.it/SxsSbb

Google is doing the cheaper Pixel 8 dirty by intentionally blocking several features found in the Pro model, and I hate it! http://dlvr.it/SxpwYQ

The phone has good performance and it's a true bang for your buck http://dlvr.it/Sxn3jv

The brand new $600 Galaxy S23 FE looks bad next to the Pixel 8 and Nothing Phone 2 right now, but you should buy it for this reason (only). http://dlvr.it/Sxn3TP

Google tightens workspace security by disabling "Nearby Share" in Android Work Profiles http://dlvr.it/SxlFSk

While Samsung may have some upgrades in the pipeline for the Z Fold 6, a new camera doesn't seem to be part of the plan. http://dlvr.it/SxlFGy

Google is adding a new feature to the Pixel's At A Glance widget called "At a store" that delivers shopping lists and Google Pay reward cards. http://dlvr.it/SxhnR8

Apple is not fixing an issue with iOS 17.1 that has kept some iPhone 15 series users from connecting to a Wi-Fi signal http://dlvr.it/SxfBTz

If the latest inside information purportedly revealed by a typically reliable analyst proves accurate, Samsung will sell the Galaxy S24, S24 Plus, and S24 Ultra in (at least) four color options next year including black, gray, violet, and yellow. http://dlvr.it/SxfBGx

Qualcomm is working on a new Snapdragon Wear platform based on the open-source RISC-V architecture instead of Arm. The new chips are intended for smartwatches running Google's Wear OS and Google is working to get Wear OS running on the new RISC-V-based chips. The two companies announced that they plan to commercialize Wear OS wearables based on RISC-V globally, including the US. The planned timeline for commercialization was not revealed. The partnership "will help pave the way for more products within the ecosystem to take advantage" of non-Arm CPUs. Google announced in January that it plans to get Android running on RISC-V chips as a "tier 1" supported platform. Qualcomm invested in a new RISC-V joint venture in August. http://dlvr.it/SxbbSQ

Ookla is once again examining T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T's 5G network experience and performance across a number of areas, as well as Apple and Samsung's battle for the titles of fastest smartphone and smartphone maker in the US. http://dlvr.it/SxXzgP

EA Sports FC Tactical is EA’s new mobile game that blends interactive simulation with strategic, turn-based gameplay. http://dlvr.it/SxVNWh

Leaked Galaxy S24 flagships cement the theory that Samsung now does business just like Apple. But is this a good/bad thing? http://dlvr.it/SxSX1P

T-Mobile is using an unusual strategy to nudge customers on older plans into paying more money. Customers on One, Simple Choice, Magenta and Magenta 55 Plus plans will soon receive a notice that they are being moved to an equivalent newer plan priced at approximately $10 more per line. Customers will have the choice to opt out of the change and keep their old plan, but must call customers service before a certain date (not yet announced) to do so. The plan changes take effect by default starting with the November bill cycle. http://dlvr.it/SxQjp1

The highly anticipated and long-in-the-works OnePlus Open foldable is finally officially set for an October 19 announcement mere hours after the virtually identical Oppo Find N3. http://dlvr.it/SxNJFX

One of the best budget smartwatches around. http://dlvr.it/SxKkRG

Data from CIRP shows that 70% of iPhone users buy a case for their phones, but Apple has only a small percentage of the case market. http://dlvr.it/SxKkKg

Motorola has announced the edge (2023), a more affordable version of the flagship edge+ (2023) it announced earlier this year. This new mid-range phone keeps the most important features of the edge+, including a large, curved-edge display with HDR10+ and fast refresh. The phone also supports up to blistering 68-watt fast charging, (although the 68-watt charger is sold separately). There's also a 50 megapixel main camera, wide camera, waterproof body, and two-way wireless charging. Also notable is auto-focus on the the front camera, still an unusual spec. Other specs include a 4,400 mAh battery, MediaTek Dimensity 7030 processor, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB storage, NFC, and very good support for all major US 5G and 4G networks. Motorola is selling this model unlocked in the US starting today for $600. http://dlvr.it/SxH6z2

In a new video, we get a good look at the OnePlus Open's (aka OPPO Find N3) display crease vs the one found on the Samsung Galaxy ZFold 5 http://dlvr.it/SxDTwC

A report out of South Korea says that Qualcomm will not use Samsung Foundry to produce its Snapdragon chips until it can achieve a 70% yield. http://dlvr.it/SxB1kv

Pixel Watch app gets update with UI tweaks and DND & Bedtime Mode mirroring, but only for the new model http://dlvr.it/Sx8Dll

People who bought last year’s Pro iPhone might feel robbed. In historic event for Apple, the cheapest new iPhone (15) is better than last year's Pro model. http://dlvr.it/Sx8DWs

Introduced last year, Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile was supposed to make its debut later this year, but that’s not going to happen. http://dlvr.it/Sx8DJh

If the Apple Watch Series 9 feels a little underwhelming, you might want to consider last year's Apple Watch Series 8 at an unprecedented $175 discount in a 41mm 4G LTE-enabled variant... before the deal inevitably goes away. http://dlvr.it/Sx6SRv

Recently superseded by the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, Samsung's still-impressive Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is on sale at Best Buy for an undoubtedly limited time only at a massive $300 discount. http://dlvr.it/Sx4RRl

Google has announced its Pixel 8 series flagship phones with many expected upgrades, but most of the headline-grabbing new features are exclusive to the larger, more expensive Pixel 8 Pro. In a major shift, Google is promising seven years of full OS updates and Feature Drops for the 8 series. Both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro sport Google's new Tensor G3 chip, which upgrades all aspects and supports twice as many machine learning (ML) models. Upgraded ML performance enables new features like Audio Magic Eraser, which sharply reduces unwanted background noise in already-captured videos. Another new ML feature is Best Take, which captures a series of photos of a group of people, then lets you combine them with each person's best take. Despite using the same Tensor G3 processor, the Pixel 8 Pro is capable of running more powerful "foundation" generative AI models on-device. At launch, this includes an upgraded Magic Eraser tool for photos. A Feature Drop due in December w...

Google has announced Google Assistant with Bard, a new version of its voice assistant that integrates the company's Bard large language model generative AI technology, allowing it to act more like an intelligent assistant. Assistant with Bard takes both speech and visual input, can access your personal data, and can take action on your behalf. It is also conversational, allowing follow-up questions that consider the context of the whole conversation. Google previewed several examples, such as "catch me up on important emails this week" and "make me a grocery list for the weekend, heavy on snacks, with smoothies." It can also consider anything visual shown on your phone's screen, such as "create a cute social caption for this photo" or, viewing a photo you just snapped of a sign, "which way should I go?". Google says it will invite select users to test the feature soon, with select Pixel phone users able to access the feature in the coming...

Google's new Pixel Watch 2 brings a long list of small upgrades to company's round smartwatch. These include more durable Gorilla Glass 5 cover glass, a new quad-core Qualcomm 5100 processor, better battery life (up to 24 hours with always-on display), faster charging, and new health sensors. The upgraded heart rate sensor is 40% more accurate. It can also now measure skin temperature and skin conductance (cEDA), in addition to oxygen saturation (SpO2). The recycled aluminum housing keeps the same round design and is compatible with bands for the original Pixel watch. The Wear OS 4.0 software gains Safety Check, where you set a timer to check in, and your emergency contacts are notified of your location if you fail to check in. On the LTE version, this feature will work over the cellular connection even if you haven't activated a cellular plan for the watch. Color options are Polished Silver (with Bay Blue or Porcelain band), Champagne Gold (with Hazel band), or Matte Black...

After skipping a year last year, Samsung has brought back the "Fan Edition" of its flagship phone with the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE. As with previous Fan Edition devices, this is effectively Samsung's "affordable flagship" device at $600, filling out the lineup just above the top end of the company's A-series phones. The S23 FE has a 50 megapixel main camera, 12 megapixel ultra-wide camera, and 3x telephoto camera with 8 megapixel resolution. The 6.4-inch AMOLED display has adaptive refresh up to 120 Hz. The 4,500 mAh battery can be charged up to 50% in around 30 minutes with 25W charging. It also supports fast and reverse wireless charging. It's powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor paired with 8 GB RAM and either 128 or 256 GB of storage. Other features include an IP68 rating for dust and water, Bluetooth 5.3, and Wi-Fi 6E. It will be available in several colors, including Mint, Cream, Graphite, and Purple. (The 256 GB storage option is only available...

The Galaxy A54 5G is now available at a lower price on Walmart. Don't miss out on this deal and pull the trigger while you can. http://dlvr.it/Sx1XJ1

On Wednesday, October 4th at 2:20pm Eastern / 11:20am Pacific time, the FCC will send an emergency alert test message to all consumer mobile phones in the US. In the event there is any actual significant emergency, the test could be postponed (to avoid confusion) to the back-up date of October 11th. The message will read "THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed." It should automatically display in either English or Spanish depending on the language settings of the phone receiving the message. The cell phone alert is one part of a full test of the country's emergency alert system by FEMA and the FCC; TV and radio broadcasts will be interrupted for a similar test at the same time. http://dlvr.it/SwyvpW

The OnePlus Open has been confirmed to be the same device as the OPPO Find N3 http://dlvr.it/SwwL6d

In a new leak, we now see full sized images of the official Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro cases expected to be officially unveiled during the event. http://dlvr.it/SwwKv1

Apple went all in with the USB-C port on iPhone iPhone 15, which can now replace your gaming console, pro video camera, and let you record podcasts. http://dlvr.it/Swsp7c

Apple announced that it has identified the cause of the iPhone 15 series overheating problem and is working on an update. http://dlvr.it/SwqypZ