ANALYSIS

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 XDA Review: A Capable Flagship and a Solid First Step Onto the World Stage
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Xiaomi Mi Note 2 XDA Review: A Capable Flagship and a Solid First Step Onto the World Stage

July 24, 2017
Xiaomi’s worldwide launch has been heralded for years, and with the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 it looks like the final pieces are falling into place. As Xiaomi’s first flagship phone to offer a model with worldwide frequency band support, the Mi Note 2 offers an exciting look into what we can expect from Xiaomi as...
Case Study Shows Progressive Web Apps Reduce Load Time, Improves UX, and More
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Case Study Shows Progressive Web Apps Reduce Load Time, Improves UX, and More

July 19, 2017
Google is doing a lot of work on multiple ends to improve the user experience of the web when someone is on a mobile device. They're seeing a trend where over half of Google searches are now done on a mobile device and this started the company's mobile-first approach to their business. Google's work to...
What’s Your Favorite Trend or Feature from 2017 Smartphones?
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What’s Your Favorite Trend or Feature from 2017 Smartphones?

July 4, 2017
We've already seen a substantial chunk of what 2017 has to offer, and with a new year and new smartphone generations came a bunch of new trends, features, design elements and general advancements. While the core Android experience remains as strong as it was in 2016, manufacturers and Google are toying with some interesting ideas. Bezel-less...
Android Wear 2.0 Expected to Arrive for ZenWatch 3 This Month; ZenWatch 2 OTA Coming Next Month
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Android Wear 2.0 Expected to Arrive for ZenWatch 3 This Month; ZenWatch 2 OTA Coming Next Month

July 4, 2017
Google dropped Android Wear 2.0 back in February along with two new smartwatches, the LG Watch Style and Watch Sport. At the time, Google promised that the new update would soon start rolling out to all supported hardware. Not only that, it even released a list of compatible smartwatches that would be receiving the jump...
Vivo’s Prototype Device Showcases New Under-display Fingerprint Scanner
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Vivo’s Prototype Device Showcases New Under-display Fingerprint Scanner

July 3, 2017
Last month at MWC Shanghai 2017, Qualcomm announced a new range of ultrasonic fingerprint solutions with the introduction of "Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensors". The new solution allows OEMs to implement a fingerprint sensor under display, glass, or metal. At the time, Qualcomm said that it would be collaborating with Vivo to demonstrate its Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensor...
Microsoft, Qualcomm and Intel: The Windows 10 ARM Dustup
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Microsoft, Qualcomm and Intel: The Windows 10 ARM Dustup

June 16, 2017
In December 2016 Qualcomm and Microsoft released news that they were going to do something many in mobile didn't expect: Another attempt to get Windows to run on an ARM processor. But the similarities between this new attempt and previous ones marred by the Windows RT release were quickly put to bed. During the same announcement...
Computex 2017: Intel and AMD Bring Former Server Territory To Consumers
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Computex 2017: Intel and AMD Bring Former Server Territory To Consumers

June 6, 2017
It wasn't but a few weeks ago when XDA finally got an extended look at AMD's Ryzen processors and the associated AM4 platform. The response I heard from many of our readers was that it was finally time for them to upgrade, especially open source teams that were looking to change out their 6 and...
HTC Asks its Fan Community to Combat Online Criticism, Offers Merchandise in Return
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HTC Asks its Fan Community to Combat Online Criticism, Offers Merchandise in Return

June 5, 2017
HTC’s latest U11 has been received with mixed reactions by the Android community. With good audio but no headphone jack and a new-ish design that scraps years of HTC’s expertise with metal, many fans and spectators threw quite a bit of skepticism its way. There are many arguments one could make to discredit or devalue HTC’s...
No, Google Isn’t Eavesdropping on You for Those Crazy Ads and Predictions
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No, Google Isn’t Eavesdropping on You for Those Crazy Ads and Predictions

June 3, 2017
«My phone was in my pocket as I was talking to my friend about XYZ. I had never heard of XYZ before (my friend brought it up), and I didn't google it or anything. Yet when I opened an app a day later, I saw ads related to XYZ! Is Google listening in on my...
Google’s Royalty-Free Answer to HEVC: A Look at AV1 and the Future of Video Codecs
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Google’s Royalty-Free Answer to HEVC: A Look at AV1 and the Future of Video Codecs

May 15, 2017
Almost 5 years ago Google first released VP9, the royalty free video codec that aimed to replace H.264 as the primary codec for online streaming and media consumption. While VP9 was not completely successful in that task, it has laid the foundation for Google’s next generation codec, AOMedia Video 1 (AV1), which is looking extremely...
Android Dev Weekly 03: What’s new in the world of Themes, ROMs, and Mods
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Android Dev Weekly 03: What’s new in the world of Themes, ROMs, and Mods

May 10, 2017
In this Android Dev Weekly, we'll cover updates from many areas of the Android enthusiast world including substratum, team GroundZero's new application, the Bliss family of ROMs, and the Arise Family Feud. substratum Space integration management The stock option letting users clearing substratum's app data has now been disabled. This particular integration is currently under development. However, users can...
Samsung Using Facial Recognition for Mobile Payments is Years Away
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Samsung Using Facial Recognition for Mobile Payments is Years Away

April 26, 2017
Android has had their own version of facial recognition for a while. You can generally find this feature tucked away in the Smart Lock section of the setting's security page under the Trusted Face label. It's a very early version of facial recognition but it works well enough for a number of people to be...