Author Archives: Derek Walter

The wait is finally over if you’ve been pining for your Chase cards to work with Android Pay.

Chase just launched a dedicated site that details which of the many different debit and credit cards can now can be plugged into your Android Pay app. The list includes Chase debit, business debit, Slate, Freedom, and and the various rewards cards the bank offers. To get started, grab your card and follow our guide to set-up Android Pay.

Even if you don’t use Chase, there’s some good news for you. Google announced that you’ll soon be able to use Android Pay to complete your purchase on sites like Groupon or 1-800-Flowers.com.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

So now that Samsung has issued a recall for the Galaxy Note 7, you’re probably wondering what to do with that potentially-combustible smartphone you’re holding. 

Your choice is going to depend on what carrier you’ve got. We have some more details on what each is doing, thanks to a series of official statements. Samsung has pledged to replace devices “over the coming weeks” once it determines the cause of the problem. To date, 35 phones worldwide have been identified by the company as suffering from the faulty battery. 

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

If there’s a feature that’s good for Snapchat, it’s bound to show up somewhere else. 

The latest piece of inspiration is a new feature for Facebook Messenger called Instant Video. It allows you to host a video chat inside of an existing chat conversation. 

This way, if you want to show off what you’re doing or just desire a more personal moment you don’t have to exit the chat and launch a separate video call.

The feature is rather similar to a capability found in Snapchat. This move by Facebook comes recently after Facebook-owned Instagram essentially built its own version of Snapchat inside of its social network, even calling it Instagram Stories.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Asus showed off a new smartwatch Wednesday that offers an elegant look and embraces the round design that’s become the norm in the world of Android Wear.

A major talking point for the ZenWatch 3 is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100 processor, a new processor aimed specifically at optimizing performance and battery life in wearables like this. This is the first round Android Wear watch from Asus, and it comes in three different configurations: gunmetal, silver, and rose gold. The ZenWatch 2 was well received in our review, though clearly the round look is where the company wants to go next.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Android Nougat dominated the news this week, as the software came first to Google’s line of Nexus phones. Yet there were some other updates worth paying attention to, such as AT&T expanding the Wi-Fi calling lineup and a minor bump to the OnePlus 3.

Each week, we compile all the major software updates to hit the ecosystem, including phones and tablets on U.S. carriers, unlocked phones, Android Wear smartwatches, and Android TV devices. Making sure your device is running the latest available software is a good housekeeping practice, ensuring you have the latest features with fewer bugs and gaping security holes.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Google giveth, and then it taketh away. The latest casualty to undergo the Mountain View culling is the Device Assist app, which was built to offer quick tips, troubleshooting suggestions, and quick access to Google support.

Now when you fire up the app you’ll see a notice that it’s going away under the Detected Issues section. Touch the card and you’ll get a link for more information. That’ll send you over to an official Google tips page, where ironically the current featured tip is for iPhone users.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Minor tweaks and bug fixes aren’t new for Android updates, but Google wants to make the process far less haphazard. 

A post on the Android Developers Blog details that Google is moving to a regular maintenance schedule “over the coming quarters,” with an eye towards a predictable process and more feedback from developers.

Vice president of engineering Dave Burke said Google has already started work on some issues that are on the list and will transition to a new schedule in the coming months. Just as it did with the Android N Preview, updates will come first to a Dev Preview before they’re sent out to everyone else. You’ll be able to download and flash the latest preview to try it out in advance of a final release.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

The promise of Android Pay is that all you’ll need is your phone when you reach the checkout counter.

While it works rather splendidly for NFC payments, integration with loyalty programs has been another matter. You still have to awkwardly scroll through your saved cards and have the clerk scan your phone or dictate your phone number, which serves as the ID for many programs.

Walgreens is the first retail store to fully embrace the vision of Android Pay by integrating its Balance Rewards program with the tap-to-pay function. This means when you use Android Pay, you’ll earn your rewards points and pay for your items with your phone all in one transaction.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

It can’t be long before Google’s forthcoming messaging app, Allo, hits the Play Store. Not only has there been a deluge of leaks from Android Police, which has been dishing out details of an internal preview build, but video chat app Duo launched last Tuesday.

That makes us feel like Tuesday, August 23rd may be a good day to release Allo into the wild. Here’s a roundup of everything we know so far about Google’s next bold leap into messaging.

The story behind the story: Google showed off Allo at its I/O conference in May, promising that the Google Assistant and a ton of new features would make it the must-have messaging app. Like Duo it will work on both Android and iOS, which may help ease the ease your green bubble problem with those iPhone-toting friends.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

T-Mobile is hoping to make a another splash by ditching traditional smartphone plans in favor of one, unlimited offer.

Called T-Mobile One, the new plan charges $70 per month for the first line, $50 per month for a second, and then $20 for additional lines (stopping with eight). The plan includes unlimited talk, text, and 4G LTE data.

Of course, there are caveats buried in the fine print. T-Mobile says video playback is limited to 480p, the same speed as you’d get with Binge On. Tethering is capped at 2G speeds, which makes it essentially worthless for all but emergency connectivity. To get around the video limitation you’ll need to pay $25 per month extra per line. It’ll cost you $15 for any month in which you want to add on 5GB of tethering.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here