Posts From Chris Merriman

Chris Merriman
Chris Merriman

Five reasons XDA loves LineageOS

Five reasons XDA loves LineageOS

October 31, 2020
LineageOS is one of the most popular custom ROMs available for Android devices, if not the most popular custom ROM out there. Evolving from the halcyon days of the CyanogenMod project, LineageOS is now known for being a lightweight ROM with the bare minimum in additional features resulting in a high-performance, high versatility Android variant....
Honor 10X Lite is a new mid-range smartphone coming to Saudi Arabia, Europe, and Russia

Honor 10X Lite is a new mid-range smartphone coming to Saudi Arabia, Europe, and Russia

October 31, 2020
Honor, the millennial sub-brand of Huawei has announced the Honor 10X Lite, launching in Saudi Arabia with a wider European rollout expected. The lower mid-range handset comes at a knockdown price, but of course, won’t come with Google Mobile Services (GMS) out-of-the-box. It's a more affordable version of the Honor 10X and 10X Max phablet,...
Telegram’s latest update allows multiple pinned messages, distance alerts on live locations, and more

Telegram’s latest update allows multiple pinned messages, distance alerts on live locations, and more

October 30, 2020
Messaging app Telegram has announced a new raft of features for Android users, including some that you’re unlikely to find in other messenger apps. It's the second tranch of updates to Telegram in the past few months, as the battle between competing platforms continues. The Pinned Messages feature now lets you pin a number of threads...
Google is finally considering adding controller rumble support to Android

Google is finally considering adding controller rumble support to Android

October 29, 2020
Google has reignited hopes of support for rumble-enabled controllers in Android, many months after the issue was first raised on the Google Issue Tracker. In the early days of Android, interest in gaming with the platform was expected to be limited mostly to “casual” titles played on handsets, and so the idea of enabling controllers...
Microsoft reportedly plans a big UI overhaul for Windows 10 next year

Microsoft reportedly plans a big UI overhaul for Windows 10 next year

October 29, 2020
Microsoft is allegedly planning a major visual overhaul for Windows 10 next year. The UI refresh project, known internally as ‘Sun Valley’, has been rumored for the last couple of years. Screenshots of an improved Microsoft Groove (which ages it!) leaked some time ago but amounted to nothing. Now it looks like Microsoft has Q4...
The LG K92 launches in the U.S. as a cheap 5G phone for $359

The LG K92 launches in the U.S. as a cheap 5G phone for $359

October 29, 2020
LG has joined the gold rush of affordable 5G phones with the LG K92 5G, which the Korean brand says is “designed to bring the benefits of 5G to a larger audience.” With a form of 5G now active in most major U.S. cities, the next stage will be persuading buyers to adopt it, which...
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 update adds voice guidance when exercising

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 update adds voice guidance when exercising

October 29, 2020
Samsung has started rolling out a firmware update for the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 which adds voice guidance when you’re exercising. The update, spotted by one of our forum members, Galaxea, is version R820XXU1CTJ5 or R82O0XA1CTJ5 depending on what variant you have. The new firmware, clocking in at 61.39MB, sticks with Tizen version 5.5.0.1, but...
[Update: Continued Support] Google has discontinued the Nest Secure alarm system

[Update: Continued Support] Google has discontinued the Nest Secure alarm system

October 28, 2020
Google has confirmed to AndroidPolice that the Nest Secure alarm system it launched in 2017 has been discontinued. The product, made up of a combination keypad and siren called the Nest Guard and a series of sensors has been unavailable on the Google Store for a week or so, and now we have confirmation that...
Android TV Data Saver app lands on the Google Play Store

Android TV Data Saver app lands on the Google Play Store

October 28, 2020
Android TV doesn't get nearly as much attention from Google as Android for smartphones, but that doesn't mean it isn't still getting updates and new apps. Last year, Google added a Data Saver mode for Android TV users in India. This feature is intended for users who don't have WiFi at home and instead connect...
Google Workspace now opens Microsoft Office files directly into edit mode

Google Workspace now opens Microsoft Office files directly into edit mode

October 28, 2020
Google has announced changes to the way it deals with Microsoft Office-formatted documents within the newly-rebranded Google Workspace. Until now, opening a .docx, .xlsx, or .pptx file would have brought up a preview of the contents within Chrome, with a dropdown to select what web app you want to open it with. That’s all changed,...
Apple accelerates efforts towards building its own search engine to replace Google

Apple accelerates efforts towards building its own search engine to replace Google

October 28, 2020
Apple is said to be accelerating efforts towards its own search engine, to be rolled out on its products instead of Google. Reports suggest that Apple is moving quickly to avoid being mired in the upcoming anti-trust action being taken against Google by the US Government. There’s already early evidence of the move in iOS14, launched...
These are the best OnePlus 8T cases

These are the best OnePlus 8T cases

October 28, 2020
If you just pre-ordered a sweet new OnePlus 8T (and if not, check out our OnePlus 8T review) you’ll want to make sure you can prevent fingerprints, scratches, and dust. There are literally hundreds of phone cases on the market, but how do you know if you’re buying a delight or a duffer? Allow us...