Latest LG G6 leak shows off three color options

Yesterday we got a good look at the LG G6 in black, but that’s not the only color that LG’s next Android flagship will be offered in.

A new image has been shared by Evan Blass that shows the LG G6 in a trio of color options. There’s the “Astro Black” version that we saw yesterday as well as “Mystic White” and “Ice Platinum” models.

LG G6 in (left to right) mystic white, astro black, and ice platinum. pic.twitter.com/y0A4aeyvL6

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) February 25, 2017

When it comes to specs, the LG G6 is expected to feature a 5.7-inch 2880x1440 display __with an 18:9 aspect ratio, which will make the screen a bit taller than most of the smartphone displays currently on the market. Also rumored to be included is a Snapdragon 821 processor, 32GB of storage, 4GB of RAM, a 3,200mAh battery, and a dual rear camera setup __with a fingerprint reader below it.

Based on what we’ve seen of it so far, the LG G6 looks like a pretty nice piece of kit. While it doesn’t have quite as unique a feature as the LG G5’s modular support, it does have a premium design and a tall display that LG has already said will offer some special features. Now we just have to wait for LG to actually announce the G6 on Sunday so we can know when we’ll get to try a G6 for ourselves.

Source : phonedog[dot]com

Google renames Messenger app to Android Messages, signs up more companies for RCS

Google is making another big push for RCS (Rich Communications Services) messaging.

Google today announced that it’s renaming its Messenger for Android app to Android Messages. This app will be preloaded on Android phones from Orange, Deutsche Telekom, and Globe, as well as devices launched in 10 markets by Vodafone. These carriers are joining Sprint, Rogers, and Telenor is backing Google’s RCS initiative.

Several Android device makers have joined Google’s RCS effort, too. The following manufacturers have all agreed to preloaded Android Messages as the default messaging app on their devices:

LG, Motorola, Sony, HTC, ZTE, Micromax, HMD Global - Home of Nokia Phones, Archos, BQ, Cherry Mobile, Condor, Fly, General Mobile, Lanix, LeEco, Lava, Kyocera, MyPhone, QMobile, Symphony, and Wiko, along __with Pixel and Android One devices

Finally, Google says that it’s working __with businesses to help them use RCS to better serve customers. Google is creating an Early Access Program to help these business learn about RCS, build their services with it, and be the first to offer it to their customers.

The first businesses that’ll take part in the Early Access Program are:

Virgin Trains, Walgreens, Amber Alert Europe, Baskin-Robbins, BlaBlaCar, FICO, Gamestop, G2A.com, IHG, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Naturas, Papa Murphy’s, Philips, Porto Seguro, Sky, SONIC® Drive-In, Subway, and Time Inc.

With RCS, businesses can send rich and interactive messages to their customers. For example, an airline can send a boarding pass and a terminal map to a customer using RCS messaging.

RCS is a major update to the SMS messaging experience that most folks are used to. with RCS, you can get real-time chat with typing indicators, high-quality image sharing, group chat, and read receipts. The catch is that everyone participating in these chats must have RCS in order to take advantage of the features.

We’ve seen a few different RCS initiatives to date, so there hasn’t yet been one version that’s gained much traction. While Google’s effort is still missing some big name partners, including AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon in the US, the service does seem to be doing well so far. It’ll be interesting to see if Google can get those big names on board, too.

Source : phonedog[dot]com

LG X power2 official with 4,500mAh battery

LG may have a big reveal planned for MWC 2017, but the company is also announcing new hardware ahead of the show.

The LG X power2 is now official. Like the original X power, the X power2 is all about battery power, packing a 4,500mAh battery that LG says can “operate for an entire weekend without recharging.” To compare, the original X power came equipped __with a 4,100mAh battery.

Also included __with the LG X power2 is fast charging support so that you don’t have to wait long to refill that battery. A one-hour charge will refill the X power2’s battery by 50 percent, says LG.

LG is also touting the X power2’s display, which offers a Comfort View that promises to make it easier to read eBooks and comics. It does this by reducing the blue light that’s being emitted by the display.

The remainder of the LG X power2’s spec list includes a 5.5-inch HD display, octa-core processor, 13-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel front camera with wide angle lens and flash, 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and a microSD slot.

The LG X power2 will launch in Latin America this March with Android 7.0 Nougat in tow. That’ll be followed by releases in the US, Asia, Europe, and other regions.

Source : phonedog[dot]com

LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8 launch dates reportedly leak

The LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8 are sure to be two of the biggest smartphones of 2017, and today a new report claims to know when you’ll be able to get your hands on them.

LG is planning to launch the G6 on March 10, claims a report from Korea’s ETNews, following a pre-order period from March 2-9. Meanwhile, Samsung will reportedly announce the Galaxy S8 on March 29 and launch it on April 21.

We already know that LG is planning to announce the G6 on February 26, but it’s exciting to hear that we may not have to wait long before actually having the chance to buy one. That’s a smart move by LG, because having a long wait between announcement and launch could dampen consumer interest in the G6, especially __with the Galaxy S8 on its heels.

As for the Galaxy S8 launch, it’s coming a bit later than previous Galaxy S releases. That may be so Samsung can take extra time to test the GS8’s battery and make sure that it doesn’t have a repeat of the Galaxy Note 7 disaster. Whatever the reason behind the later-than-usual launch, at least now we’ve got a possible date to circle on our calendar for the GS8 release.

Source : phonedog[dot]com

T-Mobile planning to increase LTE capacity with launch of LTE-U this spring

T-Mobile today announced some major network news.

T-Mobile plans to launch LTE-U (LTE for unlicensed) this spring. The network equipment and devices will utilize the first 20 MHz of spectrum on the 5GHz band and give T-Mo additional LTE capacity, helping it to boost speeds. LTE-U will also aid in T-Mobile’s upcoming Gigabit LTE efforts, the carrier says.

As for how LTE-U works, here’s T-Mobile’s explanation:

“LTE-U devices and equipment intelligently tap into and share underutilized unlicensed spectrum without affecting other users on the same band, including those using conventional Wi-Fi. LTE-U constantly seeks the least utilized channels to maximize efficiency and performance for everyone. As demand on the Wi-Fi network increases, LTE-U backs off, and as Wi-Fi demand wanes, customers can tap into that unused capacity for LTE.”

More LTE capacity is always a good thing, as it enables you to get faster speeds while you’re out and about. Just keep in mind that you’re going to need a device that supports LTE-U in order to take advantage of its benefits. T-Mobile hasn’t said which devices it plans to offer __with LTE-U support.

Source : phonedog[dot]com

Samsung Galaxy J7 V leaks as new Verizon-bound Android phone

After launching the Galaxy J3 V last year, Verizon will reportedly soon add another Galaxy J handset to its roster.

The Samsung Galaxy J7 V is coming soon to Verizon, says prolific leaker Evan Blass. The device you see below is the SM-J727, and you should probably expect it to carry some Verizon branding when it launches at the big red carrier. The SM-J727 is also expected to launch at TracFone as the Galaxy J7 Sky Pro “among others,” says Blass.

Samsung SM-J727, coming to Verizon as the Galaxy J7 V and Tracfone as the J7 Sky Pro, among others. pic.twitter.com/nNa2ciniLE

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) February 21, 2017

No spec details for the Galaxy J7 V have leaked, but it’s possible that this device is a variant of the Galaxy J7 (2017), which is rumored to feature a 5.5-inch 1280x720 display, 2GB of RAM, 8-megapixel rear and 5-megapixel front cameras, and Android 7.0 Nougat. If the Galaxy J7 V’s spec list is similar, expect Verizon’s pricing to be pretty easy on the wallet.

Source : phonedog[dot]com

New LG G6 teasers hint at water and dust resistance

Another day, another G6 teaser from LG.

LG today dropped a couple of new video teasers for the G6. Both clips are short, clocking in at 12 seconds and 8 seconds, and they hint that the LG G6 will be able to stand up to the elements.

The first clip is dubbed “Pool” and suggests that the LG G6 will offer some level of water resistance. The second video is called “Flour” and it hints that the G6 will be able to resist dust, too.

LG has previously teased that the G6 will have water resistance, and so __with today’s new videos, that feature now looks like a pretty safe bet. What we still don’t know is what kind of water resistance the G6 will offer, whether it’ll be able to withstand full-on submersion or if the resistance will be slightly less. Whatever it is, it’s still good to see that the LG G6 will offer some sort of water resistance, which is becoming a must-have feature for flagship smartphones.

Source : phonedog[dot]com

Samsung Galaxy S8 on-screen navigation buttons, rear fingerprint reader leak again

Hot on the heels of a leak that gave us our first glimpse at the Samsung Galaxy S8’s on-screen navigation buttons, a new leak has surfaced that gives us our second look at the feature.

A system dump from the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 has leaked out, and it appears to include illustrations of a couple of new features of the Galaxy S8. First up, you can see in the image above a smartphone __with on-screen Recent Apps, Home, and Back keys, which are exactly the same order as the physical keys that Samsung has used in the past. That is, the Recent Apps and Back buttons are flipped when compared to most other Android phones.

A second image shows the back of a smartphone __with a large squircle for its rear camera, a flash to its left, and then a fingerprint reader to its right. That’s the exact same layout that we’ve seen on leaked Galaxy S8 units.

Finally, a third image shows off the DeX dock, which rumors have suggested is a dock accessory that’ll let you connect your GS8 to a keyboard, mouse, and monitor and use it like a desktop computer.

Nothing is official until Samsung says it is, but these leaks that hint at on-screen buttons and a rear fingerprint reader for the GS8 are starting to add up. The rear fingerprint reader looks like it’ll be the much more controversial change here, as Samsung is apparently planning to place it to the right of the rear camera instead of below it like most other fingerprint readers. That could lead to a whole lot of folks placing their finger on their phone’s rear camera thinking that it’s the fingerprint reader, but we’ll just have to wait until the GS8 launches before we make any final judgments about this fingerprint reader placement.

Source : phonedog[dot]com

Verizon launching new 2GB prepaid plan

One week after announcing a new unlimited data plan for postpaid customers, Verizon has revealed a new prepaid data plan.

Starting tomorrow, February 21, Verizon will offer a new prepaid plan __with unlimited talk and text as well as 2GB of high-speed data. After you use 2GB, you’ll stay connected __with 128kbps data speeds for the remainder of your billing cycle.

If you don’t use all of your data in one month, your unused data will carry over to the next month, so long as you pay your bill on time.

This new plan also include unlimited texting from the US to more than 200 countries.

Verizon’s new 2GB prepaid plan will cost $40 per month. If you need more data, Verizon offers prepaid plans with 5GB and 10GB of high-speed data for $50 and $70 per month, respectively.

Source : phonedog[dot]com

Google's Project Fi testing VoLTE calling with select customers

Many wireless carriers offer Voice over LTE, or VoLTE, a feature that’ll get you higher quality voice calls and other improvements over traditional voice calls. And now we can add Google’s Project Fi to the list of services that offer VoLTE.

Google has confirmed that it’s now testing VoLTE calls on Project Fi. Only a “subset” of Project Fi customers currently have the feature, though. To tell if you have VoLTE, check your signal indicator when you’re on a phone call; if it shows LTE instead of H, you’re on a VoLTE call.

Project Fi customers __with VoLTE will get higher quality calls as well as a faster call setup. These customers will also enjoy faster data speeds if they’re browsing the web while on a call.

VoLTE offers several improvements over normal phone calls, so it’s good to see that Google is now testing the feature __with Project Fi. There’s no word yet on when the feature might launch to all Project Fi customers, though, so if you’re on Fi and without VoLTE, you’ll just have to sit tight while Google continues its testing.

Source : phonedog[dot]com

T-Mobile Galaxy S7 and S7 edge update to Android 7.0 rolling out, starting with beta testers

There’s some good news and some bad news tonight for T-Mobile Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge owners.

The good news is that T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are receiving their official updates to Android 7.0 Nougat. These updates include UX and performance improvements, Multi-window improvements, the February 1, 2017 security patches, and more.

The bad news is that the update is only hitting GS7 and GS7 edge owners that took part in Samsung’s Nougat beta program. Samsung sent an announcement to its beta testers that says “Android 7.0 Nougat official software version (T-Mobile) has been distributed hence we are opening the new version first __with the customers who participated in the Beta program.”

Neither Samsung nor T-Mobile have said when this Android 7.0 update will start hitting all T-Mo Galaxy S7 and S7 edge models. Now that the update is complete, though, it shouldn’t be too long before all GS7 and GS7 edge owners on T-Mobile get to sink their teeth into a Nougat treat.

Source : phonedog[dot]com

AT&T unlimited data plan will be available to everyone starting February 17

And now it’s AT&T’s turn to make an unlimited data plan announcement.

AT&T says that starting tomorrow, February 17, its Unlimited Plan will be available to all customers. The plan will include unlimited data, talk, and text, and customers __with the plan will also be able to travel to Canada or Mexico and use their plan just as they would at home, __with zero roaming charges.

AT&T’s Unlimited Plan also includes Stream Saver, which will optimize video streams to 480p. However, Stream Saver can be disabled if you’d like.

One feature that’s missing from AT&T’s Unlimited Plan is mobile hotspot usage, which is notable because the unlimited plans from the other three major US carriers do include some mobile hotspot usage.

Finally, it’s worth noting that after 22GB of usage, AT&T Unlimited Plan customers may have their speeds slowed during times of network congestion. This policy is also in place at the other three major US carriers, with Verizon’s threshold being 22GB, Sprint’s 23GB, and T-Mobile’s 26GB.

A single line on the AT&T Unlimited Plan will cost $100 per month. Each additional line will cost $40, but AT&T will offer the fourth line free, making the cost for a family of four $180 per month.

AT&T has actually been offering an unlimited plan for more than one year now, but you’ve only been able to sign up if you’re also a DirecTV customer. After the launch of Verizon’s unlimited data plan and T-Mobile and Sprint’s unlimited data plan updates, though, AT&T has decided to make its unlimited data plan available to all, which is a welcome sight.

Source : phonedog[dot]com

5 of the best Android apps for speed camera and road hazard alerts

Having the intent to drive safely and responsibly is crucial, but it can only go so far if you aren't aware of the road's challenges. Ignorance or outright failure to obey speed cameras, traffic jams, dangerous curves, and driving limits can make you lose valuable time, money, and the pleasure of driving.

Luckily, those smart little computers in our pockets can do a fantastic job at alerting you about such "traps" on time, so that you can act accordingly and don't fall into their clutches. Grab any of these Android apps and give yourself peace of mind while behind the wheel. They cover roads and hazards all around the world and are kept up-to-date by communities of users in the millions.

CamSam

CamSam turns your smartphone into a speed camera alert system. The app boasts features such as real-time alerts for mobile radar "traps," a database of over 60.000 fixed speedcams worldwide, directional alerts for all fixed speed cams, visual and sound warnings, online/offline mode, distance and direction indications, and much more.

Download for Android

CamSam

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CamSam

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Radardroid Lite

Radardroid gives visual and audible warnings when any fixed or mobile speed camera in the app database is approached. The app's Pro version works as a background service, letting you use your favorite navigation app or listen to music on your phone while receiving alerts.

Download for Android

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TomTom Speed Cameras

This app delivers timely alerts for all types of speed cameras (including fixed, mobile, and average speed) and traffic jams. The data is shared between and actualized by a community of over 5 million drivers. Fixed speed camera locations are verified by the TomTom moderation team as users deliver real-time mobile speed camera updates. The app does average speed calculation when driving in an average speed zone and issues warnings for slower-moving traffic on your route so you can brake safely.  As the app is powered by TomTom Maps, it knows which road you are driving on, so it issues relevant alerts and accurate traffic information.

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Sygic Speed Cameras & Traffic

Speed Cameras by Sygic covers all bases and then some. It tells the speed limit for the road you are traveling on, gives real-time alerts for mobile radar traps and fixed speed cameras location, tracks your mileage with useful driving stats, does trip logs, and it offers tons more driving functionality – courtesy of Sygic.
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Speed Camera Radar Pro

SCR Pro detects road hazards, such as speed cameras (mobile ambush, static speed cameras, red light cameras, etc), speed bumps, and bad roads. You can make use of Map and Radar view modes, map auto-zoom and rotation, and a database of over 140 000 active hazards around the world. The app supports voice alerts and is able to keep working in background, or alongside other Navigation APPs.

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Speed Camera Radar Pro

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