What was once a niche enthusiast brand, OnePlus has evolved into a heavy-lifting mainstream player that's all about packing absolute max performance and insane battery life into its hardware. Its main focus is on its Android-based OS, OxygenOS, and its native AI system, OnePlus AI. It is well known for its flagship phones, the sleek R series, and more affordable Nord devices.

Beyond phones, OnePlus has also established a sizable hardware portfolio that spans earbuds, smartwatches, and tablets. Given that OnePlus and OPPO share R&D resources, their products are often very similar, though they differ depending on the markets they serve. OnePlus was co-founded by Carl Pei, who is now the CEO of Nothing.

OPPO is a China-based tech giant that produces some of the most innovative and groundbreaking devices. Focusing on smart AI and camera technology, the company is known for its flagship Find X series, stylish Reno series, and foldable N series. The company uses heavy-duty on-device AI to completely reinvent how your phone takes photos.

The company also has its Android-based OS, ColorOS, which is the basis for OnePlus's Android software. However, despite the popularity of OPPO phones globally, the company has no presence in the United States, where its sister brand, OnePlus, currently operates. The two brands often share design aesthetics and hardware, but are targeted at different markets.

Nothing is a U.K.-based "anti-boring" tech brand founded by former OnePlus founder Carl Pei. The company entered the market to disrupt traditional smartphones with its transparent, retro-futuristic hardware and heavily customized software, inspired by Pei's mission to make consumer tech fun again. Nothing focuses on clean design and an "AI-native" future, a strategy that centers on moving away from a million different standalone apps toward smart, built-in features.

Nothing also carries its design philosophy across its other products, such as earbuds. Meanwhile, the company has a sub-brand, CMF, that takes a different, more colorful approach to design, while still offering affordable smartphones and audio products. However, the availability and carrier support for Nothing and CMF phones remain points of contention for fans as the brands continue to expand their presence.

Apple is Google's biggest competitor. The Cupertino, California-based company makes premium tech products, such as its iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and AirPods. Along with its premium hardware, the company also has its own operating system and chips to power its devices. Apple has focused on a primarily privacy-first ecosystem and, more recently, has introduced a host of AI capabilities powered by popular models such as Gemini and ChatGPT.

Beyond phones and traditional computing, Apple has also entered other markets to expand its device portfolio. More recently, the company introduced Apple Vision Pro, its premium XR headset, making it a direct competitor to Meta and, more recently, Google's Android XR. The company is also expected to introduce foldable devices and smart glasses to round out its hardware offerings.

What started as a social media company, Meta is now a major player in the tech industry, responsible for blending social media with AI and the virtual world with the physical one. The company owns Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook, and sells Quest VR headsets. The company has a strong focus on virtual reality, and while its VR focus has waned over the years, it's still one of the leading players in the market.

Behind many of its products is Meta AI, which is powered by the company's own Llama family of large language models, and the company leverages this foothold to compete with Google's Gemini. As a result, Meta has partnered with Ray-Ban and Oakley to create AI glasses for everyday use and workouts, which utilize Meta AI to visualize the world and provide users with contextual responses based on what it "sees."

What is Google I/O and when is it this year?

Google I/O is one of Google's most important conferences of the year and it is mostly geared towards software and hardware developers. There is typically a main keynote event where CEO Sundar Pichai reveals new developments in Android and sometimes even teases new product launches that might happen later in the year.

The conference spans a couple of days and during the times outside of the keynote, the company has multiple workshops and tutorials for coding practices. Developers are encouraged to attend the event as they will learn new tools, changes to how third parties can integrate with core features, and even updates on licensing and agreements you need to follow to develop for the Google ecosystem.

There are also multiple networking opportunities.

The event is usually hosted in May at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California and this year is set for May 19 and May 20.

Will Android Central be there and what can we expect from this year's event?

Yes, Managing Editor Derrek Lee is set to be Google I/O this year.

We expect a lot of announcements, especially regarding AI and Android 17. But make sure to keep an eye out on this page to learn about everything the event has to offer and all the news!

What is Mobile World Congress and when is it?

Mobile World Congress (MWC) is an annual gathering of the biggest companies in the mobile tech world. It's where companies show off their latest devices, software, and everything awesome in-between. Pretty much anything used to keep you connected to the world around you, you'll find here.

The event happens in late February or early March and is always hosted in Barcelona, Spain. This year, it is from March 2 to 5.

Will Android Central be there — and what do we expect to see at MWC 2026?

Yes, Android Central is going this year! Managing Editor Derrek Lee, Senior Editor Harish Jonnalagadda, and senior contributors Brady Snyder and Sanuj Bhatia will all be present at MWC.

We expect a lot of announcements including some phone launches happening this year.

Here are a few of the companies we expect to be present at the event.

• AMD
• Arm
• AWS
• Meta
• Aurzen
• Clicks
• Fairphone
• Google
• Honor
• Lenovo
• MediaTek
• Nokia
• NVIDIA
• Qualcomm
• Samsung
• Samsung Display
• TCL
• Tecno
• TikTok
• Xiaomi

Keep checking this page, and check out our home page for all the news coming out of MWC 2026.

What is CES and when is it?

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is an annual gathering of the biggest companies in the technology space. It is known as the largest event that brings together companies from all categories to showcase new releases, concept products, and more. The event is hosted by the Consumer Technology Association. It's where companies show off their latest devices, software, and everything awesome in between. Pretty much anything used to keep you connected to the world around you, you'll find here.

The event happens every year during the first week of January in Las Vegas. This year, it will be held from January 6 to 8.

Will Android Central be there — and what do we expect to see at CES 2026?

Yes, Android Central is going this year! Senior Editor Harish Jonnalagadda will be present at CES and will be looking at all the cool technology companies intend to reveal.

We expect a lot of announcements, including some phone launches and potentially a closer look at the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold.

Here are a few of the companies we expect to be present at the event.

• Major Confirmed Attendees
  • Google
  • Samsung
  • Qualcomm
  • Arm
  • MediaTek
  • Motorola
  • Meta
  • TCL
  • Rokid
  • Magic Leap
  • Pico
  • Viture
  • Xreal
  • LG Innotek
• Very Likely Attendees
  • Xiaomi
  • Honor
• Possibly Attending (but not confirmed publicly yet)
  • Nothing
  • OPPO
  • ZTE / RedMagic
  • Huawei
  • TECNO

Keep checking this page, and check out our home page for all the news coming out of CES 2026.

What is Black Friday and when is it this year?

Black Friday is always the last Friday of the month of November and immediately follows Thanksgiving. It signals a weekend of deals from multiple retailers.

However, retailers never wait until the official date to launch their deals. For many retailers, deals start rolling out as early as October and continue on past the Black Friday day. You'll definitely want to pay attention to these deals as they are typically some of the hottest deals of the year.

How we are going to help you this year

The Android Central team is committed to check deals that come through and we will ensure that we are showcasing the best deals that are worth your money. We have multiple hubs and deals that go live daily prior to Black Friday, so don't wait for the weekend to start shopping.

While some deals are already happening, we can't guarantee that those prices will fall even more during the actual Black Friday weekend. However, if this ends up happening, we will always try to keep you informed.

Keep checking this page, and check out our home page for all the best deals that are available.

Don't forget, we'll also be sending daily newsletters so you never miss anything, so make sure you sign up.

When is Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday Is always the Monday that follows right after Black Friday. This year it falls on Monday, December 1, 2025.

Cyber Monday primarily focuses on digital online retailers rather than physical stores. Many of these discounts expire as Monday ends, but sometimes, these deals will extend further into the week.

The deals are often similar in price listed during the Black Friday discount, but some products might even see further discounts. We'll keep you posted on all the Cyber Monday deals as they come in.

When do students go back to school and when do the deals start this year?

Back to School in North America typically happens in the latter half of August and early September. It is the time of period when students of all ages head back to school, whether it's grade school, college, university, or any kind of place of learning.

Retailers have been putting out tons of deals for a while now and are going to ramp up as the weeks progress. So you'll definitely want to pay attention to these deals as they are typically some of the hottest deals especially as you or your kid head back to school

Don't forget, we'll also be sending daily newsletters so you never miss anything, so make sure you sign up.

How we are going to help you this year

The Android Central team is committed to check deals that come through and we will ensure that we are showcasing the best deals that are worth your money. We have many hubs that will help guide you towards the best deals from retailers. We also have an ultimate Back To School shopping guide we think will also help you

Keep checking this page, and check out our home page for all the best deals that are available.

What is Prime Day and when is it this year?

Prime Day 2026 is scheduled for June 23-26 this year. That gives you four full days to explore some of the best deals of the year at Amazon. The retailer starts rolling out early deals before the actual event so you'll definitely want to pay attention to the offers highlighted on this page.

Of course, most of the best Prime Day deals will be exclusive to Amazon Prime members. Not a member just yet? Consider signing up for Amazon's 30-day free trial so you can enjoy all of the benefits of a membership without paying a cent.

And don't forget: we'll be sending daily newsletters so you never miss any of the historic deals, so make sure you sign up.

How we are going to help you this year

The Android Central team is committed to check deals that come through and we will ensure that we are showcasing the best deals that are worth your money. We have multiple hubs and deals that go live daily prior to Prime Day, so don't wait for the event to start shopping.

While some deals are already happening, we can't guarantee that those prices will fall even more during the actual Prime Day event. However, if this ends up happening, we will always try to keep you informed.

Keep checking this page, and check out our home page for all the best deals that are available.

What is Google Gemini and what does it do?

Google Gemini is a large language model that was developed by Google. The AI is designed to process and understand various data like text, images, audio, and video.

Gemini has been trained by trillions of words from publicly available sources. When you use Gemini on Google Assistant, for example, it will mimic human responses while rewriting information from the internet to provide you with information in an easily digestible way.

Because Gemini is an AI model, it is important to note that it can't actually determine whether the sources it pulls information from are accurate or correct. That's why you may occasionally receive incorrect responses, and it's essential to conduct your own further research.

How much does Google Gemini cost?

You don't have to pay for Gemini if you are using it casually. However, if you are extensively using it and want some of the more advanced features, you must subscribe to Google AI Pro, which costs $19.99. You can subscribe to this via Google One, which offers various AI and non-AI plans starting at $1.99 per month.

However, if you're looking for even more from your AI subscription, you can sign up for Google AI Ultra, which costs $249.99 per month and provides access to the entire suite of Google AI features, including access to early preview prototypes and YouTube Premium.

What Gemini models are available?

You might be confused by all the different Gemini models and terms being thrown about. We don't blame you; after all, Google continuously rebrands them, so it can be hard to keep up. However, there are really only three that you need to pay attention to, and they each have their own purpose and function depending on the type of work you're doing.

• Gemini Nano: This is a lightweight model that runs on devices like smartphones, allowing them to process AI data on-device and without a connection to the cloud.
• Gemini Flash: Built for efficiency, speed, and lower costs, Gemini Flash is ideal for analyzing and creating content, such as image generation and text summarization. Flash is natively multimodality and thinks as needed. This model is what most users may interact with. This is free.
• Gemini Pro: This is Google's most powerful model and is built for more complex tasks, such as coding, research, and analyzing large databases. Deep Think gives Gemini Pro more advanced reasoning capabilities for improved accuracy. Access requires a Google AI Pro subscription.

You can easily switch between Gemini Flash, Pro, and other derivative models within the Gemini app, although you may be limited to preview versions of some models depending on your Google One plan.

What is Google I/O and when is it this year?

Google I/O is one of Google's most important conferences of the year and it is mostly geared towards software and hardware developers. There is typically a main keynote event where CEO Sundar Pichai reveals new developments in Android and sometimes even teases new product launches that might happen later in the year.

The conference spans a couple of days and during the times outside of the keynote, the company has multiple workshops and tutorials for coding practices. Developers are encouraged to attend the event as they will learn new tools, changes to how third parties can integrate with core features, and even updates on licensing and agreements you need to follow to develop for the Google ecosystem.

There are also multiple networking opportunities.

The event is usually hosted in May at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California and this year is set for May 20 and May 21.

Will Android Central be there and what can we expect from this year's event?

Yes, several Android Central staff will be going to Google I/O this year.

We expect a lot of announcements, especially regarding AI and Android 16. But make sure to keep an eye out on this page to learn about everything the event has to offer and all the news!

What is Cyber Monday and when is it this year?

Cyber Monday always follows Black Friday, and this year lands on December 1, 2025.

Cyber Monday primarily focuses on digital online retailers rather than physical stores. Many of these discounts expire as Monday ends, but sometimes, these deals will extend further into the week.

The deals are often similar in price listed during the Black Friday discount, but some products might even see further discounts. We'll keep you posted on all the Cyber Monday deals as they come in.

How we are going to help you this year

The Android Central team is committed to check deals that come through and we will ensure that we are showcasing the best deals that are worth your money. We have multiple hubs and deals that go live daily prior to Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

While some deals are already happening, we can't guarantee that those prices will fall even more during the actual Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend. However, if this ends up happening, we will always try to keep you informed.

Keep checking this page, and check out our home page for all the best deals that are available.

What is Black Friday and when is it this year?

Black Friday is always the last Friday of the month of November and immediately follows Thanksgiving. It signals a weekend of deals from multiple retailers. However, retailers never wait until the official date to launch their deals. For many retailers, deals start rolling out as early as October and continue on past the Black Friday day. You'll definitely want to pay attention to these deals as they are typically some of the hottest deals of the year.

How we are going to help you this year

The Android Central team is committed to check deals that come through and we will ensure that we are showcasing the best deals that are worth your money. We have multiple hubs and deals that go live daily prior to Black Friday, so don't wait for the weekend to start shopping.

While some deals are already happening, we can't guarantee that those prices will fall even more during the actual Black Friday weekend. However, if this ends up happening, we will always try to keep you informed.

Keep checking this page, and check out our home page for all the best deals that are available.

When is Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday always follows Black Friday, and this year lands on December 2, 2024.

Cyber Monday primarily focuses on digital online retailers rather than physical stores. Many of these discounts expire as Monday ends, but sometimes, these deals will extend further into the week.

The deals are often similar in price listed during the Black Friday discount, but some products might even see further discounts. We'll keep you posted on all the Cyber Monday deals as they come in.

When is IFA 2025?

The Internationale FunkAusstellung, also known as IFA, takes place annually during late summer, usually in early September. This year's IFA 2025 will kick off on September 5 and end on September 9. Doors open to the public at 9:30 a.m. local time and close at 6 p.m. each day. The event will be held in Messe Berlin in Germany.

You can purchase tickets to the exhibition at the official IFA Berlin website, with 1-day, 2-day, 5-day, and Platinum passes available.

What is IFA?

IFA is an annual consumer and electronics show where companies go to show off their latest products and innovations. While not focused on mobile devices like MWC, companies such as Google, TECNO, Lenovo, Samsung, TCL, and more will be present at the exhibit, where we expect to see new phones, smart home devices, IoT products, laptops, appliances, and much more.

There will be a multitude of brands at IFA. In 2024, the event featured over 1,800 exhibitors and drew more than 215,000 attendees, with trade visitors from 138 countries in attendance, so there's certainly a lot to see at IFA!

IFA began in 1924 as a radio exhibition, making last year's IFA 2024 the 100-year anniversary of the event since its inception.

Will Android Central be at IFA?

Yes, Android Central will have a presence at IFA, where we will experience many of the new tech reveals firsthand. Look out for our coverage of the show, including new announcements, features, and more.

Tune in each week to the Android Central podcast to listen to our panel of experts tech enthusiasts talk about all the latest news and headlines in the Android and Google ecosystem

Check out the latest episodes below, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Samsung is the largest Android device manufacturer worldwide.

The South Korean multinational company spans industries such as television sets, shipbuilding, semiconductors (like memory and processors), in addition to phones and tablets.

The company focuses on hardware and software, including its popular flagship S series and foldable Z series, and partners with Google to develop Wear OS and aspects of Android, such as Android XR.

Google Play, which was originally born and referred to by Google as the Android Market, is Google's official store and portal for Android apps, games and other content for your Android-powered phone, tablet or Android TV device. Just as Apple has its App Store, Google has the Google Play Store. It's a huge place and it offers a lot of content to its users, but don't worry, Android Central is here to help!

On this page you'll find a list of featured stories that should help answer all your questions about the Play Store and get you well on your way to discovering all the great content — and how to best find it and get it on your Android devices. Scroll down further and you'll find the latest Google Play-related discussions from our community members, and scroll down further still and you'll find the latest news and content related to the Play Store.

The Play Store has Apps, Games, Music, Movies and more!

Google Play is the big Googley umbrella that covers the Android app store (including games), Google Play Music, Google Play Books, Google Play Movies & TV and Google Play Newsstand. You'll find each of these apps installed individually on your phone, tablet or Android TV device (minus Books and Newsstand), along with the stand alone Google Play application where you can download and purchase apps and media. Not every service is available in every country, so you might be missing one or more of the items. That's something Google is constantly working on, and we hope all the services roll out across the globe soon.

What is Google Play

Google Play, which was originally born and referred to by Google as the Android Market, is Google's official store and portal for Android apps, games, books, music and other content for your Android-powered phone or tablet. Just as Apple has its App Store, Google has the Google Play Store. It's a huge place and it offers a lot of content to its users, but don't worry, though. Android Central is here to help!

On this page you'll find a list of featured stories that should help answer all your questions about the Play Store and get you well on your way to discovering all the great content — and how to best find it and get it on your Android device. Scroll down further and you'll find the latest Google Play-related discussions from our community members, and scroll down further store and you'll find the latest news and content related to the Play Store.

Ultimate Guide to Google Play

Before we get to the meat, let's talk a few minutes about the Google Play Store and cover some basic settings. Google Play is the big Googly umbrella that covers the Android app store, Play Music, Play Books, Play Magazines and Play Movies and TV. You'll find each of these apps installed individually on your phone or tablet, along with the stand alone Google Play application where you can download and purchase apps and media. Not every service is available in every country, so you might be missing one or more of the items. That's something Google is constantly working on, and we hope all the services roll out across the globe soon.

Why do I need it?

If you plan on downloading any new apps, games, or other content on your Android device, you’ll want to get to know Google Play. Yes, there are other ways to install apps on your device (like the Amazon App Store) but Google play is the official store, and truly the best way to safely get what you want onto your Android device. There are thousands of games, apps, books, music, TV shows, movies and more at your disposal, so you shouldn’t have to look much further to satisfy your needs.

Getting started with Google Play

There are a few general settings in the Google Play app you'll want to set before you get started.

Open the Google Play application on your phone or tablet —and you'll need to be logged in with a Google account at this point —and either with the menu button if your phone has one, or the action overflow indicator (three dots in the upper right) look for the line item that says "Settings" and tap it. You'll be faced with a few things you can set, and most of them are geared towards Android applications. We'll talk about those all in turn, but for now we want to look at the portion labeled "User Controls."

These are global settings for all areas of the store, and you'll want to make sure you have them set the way you like. Under Content filtering you can select whether or not to show apps that may have adult material. Google doesn't allow porn or hate-speech in the Play Store, but there are quite a few apps with subject matter you might not be comfortable seeing, or not suitable for the kids. Be sure to set this accordingly.

The next item is marked Password, and having it checked means that you'll need to enter your Google account password to make in-app purchases. This can be pretty important, especially if you let youngsters or a smartphone novice play games on your phone and they aren't aware that these can cost real money. If the box is unchecked, you can make those purchases without having to enter your credentials each time.

Once you have those settings to your liking, you're ready to tackle the Play store.

• Ultimate Guide to Google Play
• Android 101: Getting Started with Google Play
• Managing your apps through Google Play
• How to find the apps you're looking for in Google Play
• Google Play no longer is the Wild West, and that's good for developers and users

All you need to get started in Google Play is your Google Account, and if you want to buy apps and media you'll need to have a credit card or Google Play Gift Card balance. Once that's set up, you'll be off and discovering millions of great apps and content choices in seconds. Come back to this page for all of the latest news, help and how-to's relating to Google Play.

Xiaomi is a China-based phone brand. What started out as a budget-phone brand turned into a massive tech empire. Their major focus is on phones with high AI performance and Camera capabilities.

The company regularly partners with Google to provide slick features and improve its phone performance. It also partners with chip manufacturer Qualcomm and is often the first to launch a new phone on Qualcomm's latest flagship Snapdragon chip.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 was unveiled on August 9, 2018 at a Samsung Unpacked event in New York City. It's the successor to the Galaxy Note 8, and bears more than a passing resemblance to its predecessor.

Notable improvements include a slightly bigger 6.4-inch screen, a larger 4,000mAh battery, a Bluetooth-powered S Pen, upgraded cameras, and a redesigned camera sensor. The phone also comes standard with 128GB of storage and 6GB of RAM.

It went on sale August 24 starting at $999 USD.

See at Samsung

The HTC U11 (originally codenamed HTC Ocean) is both the year-on successor to the HTC 10 and also the highest-end member of the HTC U family alongside the U Ultra and U Play. The HTC U11 takes on most of the design characteristics of the U phones released a couple months before it, but with subtle refinements to the glass back and metal frame.

Internally the U11 makes the important upgrade of moving to a top-of-the-line Snapdragon 835 processor, which matches the Galaxy S8. The rest of the specs round out appropriately with a 5.5-inch QHD display, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage (plus SDcard slot) and IP67 waterproofing. The camera has also improved from the U Ultra with a fresh 12MP sensor and f/1.7 lens that uses phase-detect auto focus instead of laser.

While the U11 may have a rather traditional layout compared to the more advanced design of the Galaxy S8, it still has a handful of advanced features. HTC has introduced an "Edge Sense" feature that lets you squeeze the sides of the phone to perform actions, which are fully customizable. It also has a refined dual speaker setup, four high-quality microphones and active noise cancelling headphones included in the box.

In the U.S., the HTC U11 is available unlocked directly from HTC and Amazon, but if you want to get it from a carrier your only choice will be Sprint.

Announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Samsung has an awesome 360-degree camera that goes by the name Samsung Gear 360. The camera lets users capture, view and share 360-degree photos and video for everything from vacations to birthday parties to sports events. The footage can be edited with select Galaxy phones, and shared via social media or even viewed through the Gear VR. 360 videos are all over the place, and with VR becoming more and more popular, Samsung has now given users a simple way to create, edit and share 360-degree video anytime, anywhere.

Samsung Gear 360 Video Review

Samsung Gear 360 Specs

• Dual 15MP CMOS sensor
• Dual f/2.0 fisheye lens
• 2560x1440 resolution (564ppi)
• Video: dual cam (2840x1920), single cam (2560x1440)
• Still: dual cam (7776x3888), single cam (3072x1728)
• 1350 mAh capacity (removable)
• Charges via microUSB
• DRIMe5s image processor
• microSD card storage up to 200GB
• 1GB RAM
• Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2.4/5 GHz)
• Bluetooth 4.1
• USB 2.0
• 32-64GB internal storage
• microSD slot with adoptable storage

Taking a screenshot on an Android smartphone or tablet is one of the simplest things you can do, but that's not to say it's the most consistent. Because hardware varies — we're looking at you, Samsung, with your aging hardware buttons — the methods by which you take an Android screenshot may vary.

So here is where we're rounding up the varies ways for various phones. Some phones use a combination of pressing the power button and one of the volume buttons. Others use the power button and home button. Every now and then you get a phone with a dedicated software button for taking screenshots. You can even use Google Now on Tap on some phones. It's just one of those crazy things that makes Android so much fun — and occasionally frustrating.

Announced during Computex 2016 in Taipei, ASUS is following up with another series of zen — the ZenFone 3. Looking very much like the ZenFone 2, the ZenFone 3 comes in three variants, each with their own flavor. The ZenFone 3 sports a glass back with metal trim. The ZenFone 3 Deluxe kicks it up a bit with a full aluminum design. The ZenFone 3 Ultra carries this out, adding flatter profile and rounded corners.

Inside the hardware varies from bottom to top. All three designs feature a 1080p display, with the ZenFone 3 at 5.5-inches and the Deluxe at 5.7-inches. The Ultra rings in at a wild 6.8-inches. The ZenFone 3 is running an octa-core Snapdragon 625 with 4GB of RAM. The Ultra is kicking it with a Snapdragon 652 and 4GB of RAM. The Deluxe sports a Snapdragon 820 with a crazy 6GB of RAM. A 4,600mAh battery powers the Ultra, while the ZenFone 3 and Deluxe get a more humble 3,000mAh battery.

Cameras are a thing in the ZenFone 3 as well, with the base model rocking a 16MP Sony sensor with OIS and EIS, laser autofocus and dual-tone flash. The Deluxe and Ultra go up to a 23MP IMX318 sensor with OIS & EIS.

All three models feature USB-C, QuickCharge 3.0, and fingerprint scanners.

Photo Sphere is a 360-degree panorama feature Google added in Android 4.2 (and originally with the Nexus 4) that lets you take immersive pictures with your phone, then share them online. You can pan and zoom, much like you can with the Street View feature we've all come to know on Google Maps. Only, these are our images.

Photo Sphere started on the Nexus, but it didn't stay there for long. LG for a time had its own version, called VR Panorama. Samsung's got one as an optional download, and HTC has included a "Pan 360" mode in its latest camera software. And Google has released its own camera app that includes Photo Sphere functionality. In August 2014, Google released a Photo Sphere app for iOS.

Photo Spheres can be uploaded to Google Maps or Google+ to be shared with the world. They also can be embedded onto Websites with the same sort of code you'd use to embed a YouTube video.

The trick to making a Photo Sphere really is in the embedded metadata. That also means that traditional cameras can take a series of images, stitch them together in a photo editing program and then present them as Photo Spheres. There is a budding Photo Sphere community on Google+ that shows off all sorts of remarkable work.

Android 4.4 — nicknamed KitKat — is the 10th major version of Android. For devices running vanilla Android (such as Google's Nexus line) it was the most significant change to the look and feel of the OS since 2011's Ice Cream Sandwich release.

Android 4.4 was announced in September 2013 with the unveiling of an oversized Android KitKat statue outside Google's Building 44 in Mountain View, and a promotional tie-in with candy maker Nestle. But it wasn't until October of that year that we learned exactly what was new in this Android version.

KitKat brought a new, lighter color scheme to Android, with flatter icons and (on the Nexus 5 only, at least at first) a redesigned home screen launcher incorporating Google Now. There was a new dialer app for vanilla Android devices that drew on the Google Maps business directory. Apps could make the notification bar atop the screen transparent, and the new Immersive mMode got rid of any software borders, to let you view your content full-screen. Under-the-hood changes included improved wireless payment support through HCE (host card emulation), support for low-powered sensors such as pedometers and optimizations to help the OS run on devices with as little as 512MB of RAM. (Important with the emergence of Android Wear in 2014.)

The first device to ship with Android 4.4 was the LG-made Nexus 5, launched alongside KitKat and available from the day of announcement. The Nexus 4, 2012 and 2013 Nexus 7s and the Nexus 10 were all updated in the following weeks, along with Google Play edition devices. In early 2014 some third-party devices, such as the Moto X and developer edition HTC One, had already been updated to KitKat — at the same time, new devices began to ship with KitKat throughout the first quarter of the year.

Throughout most of its development Android 4.4 was known internally at Google as "Key Lime Pie," however this unofficial nickname was dropped after the Nestle tie-in.

Android 4.4 KitKat was followed by 5.0 Lollipop in late 2014.

Announced at CES 2016, the Fitbit Blaze is a high-end fitness-focused smartwatch. The Blaze is sporting a high-resolution, color touchscreen display, along with bands of leather, stainless steel or elastomer. The Blaze is also a modular device, meaning users can easily insert the tracker into a new frame instantly. Fitbit has been migrating their fitness trackers into more smartwatch-oriented devices over the last few years, and the Blaze is the perfect example of both fitness and functionality.

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The Fitbit Blaze has a number of fitness-based features:

• FitStar Personal Trainer on-screen workouts deliver guided instructions and animated images to three of the most popular personal trainer workouts from FitStar: Warm It Up (8 minutes), 7 Minute Workout, and 10 Minute Abs. Each workout is free and can be accessed at any time with no app or smartphone required, offering a fast, effective workout you can do anywhere.
• Connected GPS helps you train smarter by delivering real-time exercise stats like distance, pace and minute-mile split times when connected to a smartphone's GPS. After each workout, stats sync wirelessly to the Fitbit dashboard to let you review your route, speed and elevation in more detail.
• PurePulse continuous, wrist-based heart rate tracking helps maximize any training routine with simplified heart rate zones to help you maintain workout intensity and better track calories burned during each workout. PurePulse also provides all-day insights into overall health, including resting heart rate and heart rate trends over time, all without an uncomfortable chest strap.
• Multi-sport mode lets you record specific activities like biking, cardio, running, weights, yoga and more while providing relevant, real-time performance stats to help you get the most out of each workout. PurePulse is enhanced while in Multi-sport mode for even better heart rate tracking, especially during high intensity workouts.
• SmartTrack automatic exercise recognition automatically recognizes and records continuous movement activities like biking, hiking and running, with general categories for aerobic workouts (i.e., Zumba®, cardio-kickboxing and other dance classes) and sports (i.e., tennis, basketball and soccer). It gives you more ways to stay motivated and get credit for your workouts by effortlessly recording them in the Fitbit app and automatically adding them toward weekly exercise goals.
• In addition, the Fitbit Blaze will offer "call, text and calendar notifications" along with music controls and automatic sleep tracking. The battery life is supposed to last up to five days and the watch is compatible with over 200 Android, iOS and Windows applications.

The Blaze is available from Amazon, Best Buy, Target and other retailers. The optional elastomer bands are $29.95 each in black, blue and plum, and the smartwatch's leather bands and stainless steel frames sell for $99.95 each in black, mist grey and camel. Finally, the Luxe stainless steel link band paired with a stainless steel frames will run you $129.99.

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Amazon Prime is a service from Amazon that offers perks for members. By signing up for the yearly Prime service, members are entitled to added features that may cost extra or even be unavailable to regular Amazon customers. Prime features include free two-day shipping on Amazon Prime items, access to the Kindle Lending Library, and access to Prime Music & Prime Video services.

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T-Mobile Coverage Map | T-Mobile Website

T-Mobile is a wireless carrier in the U.S. that is currently the fourth-largest in the country by number of subscribers. Known for its token commercial jingle and magenta color scheme, T-Mobile drives itself on the message of being an "Uncarrier" that does things the other carriers just won't do. It's well known as a value-based option to the other three major carriers, with lower prices for data and fewer restrictions on usage than its competitors. Though it is no longer a wholly-owned subsidiary of Germany's Deutsche Telekom, DT now holds a majority of the now-public T-Mobile U.S. stock.

Following a failed attempt to be acquired by AT&T at the end of 2011, T-Mobile gained a huge sum of money and spectrum holdings as part of the deal to the tune of $4 billion. Using this money and a change in leadership at the carrier, T-Mobile quickly turned itself around to start gaining customers and posting small profits for the first time in years. From 2012 to 2014 it launched and rapidly deployed an LTE network, quickly bringing it up to speed in terms of technology and coverage with the other carriers. Part of that expansion came with the purchase of MetroPCS, a smaller regional carrier, which brought in more customers, new spectrum and subsequently made T-Mobile a publicly-held company through the merger.

In terms of network technology, T-Mobile operates a GSM and LTE network across 700MHz, 1900MHz and the combined 1700/2100MHz (also known as AWS) frequencies. During its vast expansion of LTE throughout 2013, T-Mobile shifted its spectrum holdings in a way that better aligned itself with the network map of AT&T, making it easier for customers of that carrier to bring their phones over to T-Mobile without issue. Though it has made huge strides in terms of coverage in recent years, T-Mobile is often dinged — both by customers and competing carriers — for its lack of extensive rural coverage around the country.

Fitbit is a company based out of San Francisco, California United States that focuses on fitness and activity trackers. Many of the trackers are worn on the wrist like a bracelet. However, earlier models like the Fitbit One can clip onto pants or shirt lapels.

The trackers can sync to a Fitbit mobile app found on iOS, Android, Windows, and Windows Phone.

Fitbit trackers keep count of steps taken, length of nightly sleep, floors climbed, and distance traveled. Heart rate monitoring is also available in two models, the Charge HR and Surge. The range or products include the Zip, One, Flex, Charge, Charge HR, and Surge and range in price from $59 to $249. Fitbit also makes a 'smart scale' called Aria for keeping track of your weight (it syncs over Wi-Fi).