Kyle Wiggers is a writer, Web designer, and podcaster with an acute interest in all things tech. When not reviewing gadgets or apps, he enjoys reading the New Yorker, tinkering with computers, and playing the occasional game of Rock Me Archimedes.
Prior to the debut of Android 8.0 Oreo's Default Print Service, printing documents on Android was easier said than done. Google's mobile operating system didn't gain native printer support until Android 4.4 KitKat, and with the exception of third-party solutions from the likes of Samsung, setting up a printer required vendor-specific plugins and drivers. But...
By all accounts, the LG G7 ThinQ has had a troubled history. The Korean company's mobile division intended to launch the flagship at Mobile World Congress 2018 in March, reportedly, but put the breaks on plans after LG chief Jo Seong-jin ordered the team to "[start] from scratch" and find a "strong[er] selling point". For a...
If the rumors are to be believed, little about the upcoming LG G7 ThinQ remains a mystery. A series of leaked renders recently revealed that LG's flagship will have a dedicated button for the Google Assistant, a display notch (a la the Essential Phone) that can be hidden with a toggle, and high-end audio in...
Motorola, the Chicago-based subsidiary of Lenovo, stumbled upon a winning strategy with the Moto E and Moto G series. The mid-to-low-tier smartphones remain incredibly popular in developing markets such as India, where the company has shipped more than six million units to date. But they're also a top seller in the U.S., where they're subsidized...
Google Maps, the navigation app that's preloaded on most Android smartphones (at least, those which comply with Google's Mobile Application Distribution Agreement), is one of the most popular on the planet. It's the go-to source of directions, restaurant recommendations, photos, and business hours for more than a billion users worldwide, and it's no wonder; to...
What do Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Dogecoin have in common? They're cryptocurrencies -- digital currencies that use cryptography to secure users' holdings, control the creation of new currency units, and facilitate the transfer of existing units from one person or party to another. They're peer-to-peer and completely decentralized: When someone transacts with cryptocurrency, the transaction...
It goes without saying that the Galaxy Note 8, the newest in Samsung's long-running device lineup, is one of the best smartphones on the market -- especially if you've got a thing for styluses. The whopping 6.3-inch phablet sports a capable Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor paired with 6GB of RAM, dual 12MP rear cameras, and...
Chipmaker Qualcomm is undoubtedly best known for its Snapdragon series, but there's more to the company's portfolio than smartphone-optimized system-on-chips (SoCs). Take its Internet of Things lineup, for example: in January, it announced the Home Hub Platform, designed with smart home speakers, screens, and all-in-one devices in mind. And on Wednesday, it took the wraps...
The Google Pixel 2 is a fantastic smartphone by any measure. It's got a speedy Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 system-on-chip, premium materials, and one of the best smartphone cameras around. But as it turns out, you don't need to shell out for a new phone to get some of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL's...
When ZTE released the Axon M in late 2017, a smartphone with two identical displays and a hinge that folds shut like an inverse notebook, tech pundits dismissed it as gimmicky and uncompetitive. It isn’t the first dual-screen smartphone with a foldable form factor—the Kyocera Echo, Sony Tablet P, and the NEC Medias, the Axon...
Ever wonder how smartphones such as the Huawei Mate 9 respond to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant commands ("Alexa", "OK, Google") even when the screen is switched off and locked? It's thanks to a hardware component called a DSP, or digital signal processor, a dedicated audio chip that handles low-power, always-on phrase detection (and other...
Despite new regulatory hurdles and a market downturn, the adoption of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin shows no sign of slowing down. In fact, it has given rise to a cottage industry: cryptocurrency mining, or the process of validating transactions and obtaining cryptocurrency in return. Those transactions become more computationally intensive over time. These days, mining...
![[Update: Apps Banned] How to Mine Cryptocurrency From Your Phone](https://www.xda-developers.com/files/2017/06/bitcoin-symbol-390x390_c.jpg)
