Category Archives: Smartphones

Smartphones

The Forgotten Android Mascot You Didn’t Know Existed

The Android mascot has become an iconic symbol of the operating system, but there’s a lesser-known version that many people are unaware of. This information comes from a post by Dan Morrill, a member of the Android team at Google. Interestingly, Morrill also revealed that the mascot does not have an official name, but it is commonly referred to as the bugdroid.

The design of the green Android logo we are familiar with today was created by Irina Blok, a graphic designer at Google. According to The New York Times, Blok and her team were tasked with creating a logo that would be easily recognizable and represent the Android operating system. Blok drew inspiration from science fiction, space opera, and restroom door pictograms of the universal man and woman.

While the Android mascot has maintained its basic identity over the years, it differs from typical marketing strategies in one important aspect. Just like the operating system itself, the design of the Android mascot is open source. Google states that the bugdroid can be freely used, reproduced, and modified in marketing materials as long as proper attribution is given, as outlined in their brand guidelines.

The openness of the Android mascot has contributed to the brand’s popularity, and Google has embraced its mascot in various ways. In 2011, they introduced Androidify, a tool that allowed users to create personalized Android avatars. However, in 2020, the project was discontinued. Additionally, Google has a lawn at their Mountainview campus dedicated to displaying statues representing different Android versions released over the years. Unfortunately, the Dandroids mascot is not among them.

Smartphones, Tablets, Wearables

Samsung Galaxy S23 FE And Tab S9 FE Offer High-end Features At Affordable Prices

The Fan Edition (FE) lineup from Samsung provides many flagship features that users typically expect, while making a few necessary sacrifices to offer these devices at lower price points. However, Samsung has also included some upgrades with their latest handset. The Galaxy S23 FE boasts a larger 6.4-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, slightly smaller than the S23 Plus (6.6 inches). In addition, the FE version has a larger battery capacity of 4,500 mAh compared to the regular S23’s 3,900 mAh.

Despite these slight downgrades, the Galaxy S23 FE includes all the essential features found in flagship devices. It comes equipped with a 50-megapixel wide-angle camera, an 8-megapixel telephoto camera, and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera. On the front, there is a 10-megapixel module. For comparison, the non-FE version of the S23 has a 10-megapixel telephoto camera and a 12-megapixel front camera.

The device also offers support for fast wireless charging, wireless powersharing, and fast wired charging. Connectivity options include Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi 6E, and 5G. Users can enjoy the Samsung Knox security platform along with the Knox Vault, an IP68 water-resistant build, and Android 13 out of the box.

The Galaxy S23 FE will be available in purple, graphite, cream, mint, tangerine, and indigo colors, and will be priced at $599. This is $200 lower than the base non-FE version of the S23. The device will be released on October 10th, and customers can purchase it at that time.

Smartphones

How to Add Website Shortcuts to Your Android Phone’s Home Screen

Most Android browsers allow you to add a shortcut to a website on your home screen. This can be done through the browser’s menu options and is similar for most browsers. If you use Google Chrome as your main browser, follow these steps to add a website shortcut to your phone’s home screen:

  1. Open a website in Google Chrome.
  2. Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner.
  3. Select “Add to Home screen”.
  4. If needed, you can change the name of the shortcut.
  5. Tap “Add”.
  6. The shortcut will now appear on your home screen with the website logo (if available) and a small Chrome logo.

You can move the shortcut to any position on your home screen or tap on it to open the website in Chrome. If you’re using Firefox on your Android phone, the steps to add a website shortcut are the same. For Microsoft Edge, tap the three horizontal lines in the toolbar at the bottom of the screen to open the menu and select “Add to phone”. In both Firefox and Microsoft Edge, you can also rename the website shortcut.

Smartphones

5 Secret Features of the iPhone 15 That Every Owner Should Know

The iPhone 15 series comes with a 48-megapixel camera, unlike the previous iPhone 14 series. This opens up a hidden feature that allows you to switch between three different camera resolution modes: 12-megapixel, 24-megapixel, and 48-megapixel.

By default, the camera captures images at 24 megapixels, providing more detail and texture in your photos. However, if you’re running out of storage space or want to take full advantage of the 48-megapixel capability, you can change the camera resolution in your iPhone’s settings.

To do this, go to Settings > Camera > Formats. In the Photo Mode section, you can choose between 12-megapixel and 24-megapixel modes. To enable the 48-megapixel resolution, go to Settings > Camera > Formats and turn on Resolution Control for the iPhone 15 or ProRAW & Resolution Control for the iPhone 15 Pro.

Once you’ve made these changes, you’ll see an option to take 48-megapixel photos on the top right corner of the camera app. Regular iPhones will have a “HEIF Max” button, while the Pro models will have a RAW Max button. Keep in mind that HEIF Max images take up less storage space than ProRAW Max images.

Smartphones

5 Of The Best Free Document Scanner Apps For Android

If you’re in need of a document scanner app for your Android device, there are plenty of options to choose from. In this article, we will explore five of the best free document scanner apps available on the Google Play Store.

One of the heavy hitters in the tech world, Microsoft, offers a free document scanner app called Microsoft Lens. Unlike some other apps, Microsoft Lens is completely free and doesn’t have any ads or paid features. With a high user rating and millions of downloads, it’s considered one of the best apps in its category.

In terms of image quality, Microsoft Lens falls between Adobe Scan and CamScanner. While not perfect, it provides decent results for a mobile scanning app. It offers presets for different types of documents and even includes features like text extraction and text-to-speech for users with vision issues.

One downside of Microsoft Lens is that it may struggle to distinguish columns in documents. However, overall, it has a solid feature set and can quickly and efficiently read printed pages to you. If you’re looking for a document scanner app that doesn’t require a premium version, Microsoft Lens is a great choice.

Smartphones

Google Reveals Prices for Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro Before October Release

The standard Pixel phone, known as the vanilla Pixel, is expected to come with a higher price tag this year. The Pixel 8 will reportedly start at $699, compared to the previous Pixel 7’s price of $599. This increase in price is due to the various hardware changes both internally and externally.

Unlike its predecessor, the Pixel 8 will feature a 120Hz display instead of a 90Hz screen. It will also come with an upgraded processor, thanks to the third-generation Tensor chip. The rear camera setup will consist of a 50-megapixel primary camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide snapper, which is now capable of capturing macro photography.

Other specifications for the Pixel 8 include a slightly smaller 6.17-inch FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) OLED screen, 8GB of RAM, a choice between 128GB and 256GB of storage, and a slightly larger 4,485mAh battery with 45W charging support. This year’s model will be available in Grey, Peony Rose, and Obsidian Black colors.

Smartphones

The iPhone Feature That Protects Your Lock Screen Notifications from Snooping

While each app on your iPhone has its own notification settings that can be customized within the app itself, these settings are all influenced by the global settings established in your iPhone’s options. You have the ability to customize how notification bubbles appear on your lock screen, allowing you to limit the information displayed for privacy reasons.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone’s home screen.

  2. Tap on Notifications.

  3. Under the Display as section, choose one of the notification display options.

  4. Select Count to have all your notifications displayed as a single bubble count at the bottom of your lock screen.

  5. Choose Stack to have your notifications stacked based on the time they were received, with the newest notification on top of the stack.

  6. Opt for List to display all your notifications in a traditional vertical list.

If you value maximum privacy, the Count mode is recommended as it will only show the number of notifications you have, without revealing their specific content. To view the actual contents of your notifications, simply unlock your phone in a secure environment.

In addition to the Display as settings, you can also utilize the Show Previews option to control when notifications are accompanied by previews. You can choose to have previews appear always, only when the phone is unlocked, or never. If you want to ensure that no one can gather any information from your notifications, you can disable previews. This way, you will still be alerted to app notifications, but the actual details of the notifications will not be visible.

Smartphones

Secret Google Maps Features Every Traveler Should Know

If you’re looking to create a custom map with landmarks, places you’ve visited, or cities you’d like to explore, you can do so using My Maps on a computer. Open My Maps and sign in with your Google account, then select “Create a new map.” You can then drop and label pins on the map, group them into categories, and add layers. There’s also an option to plot routes using the “Add directions” icon: enter your start location and destination, and then the route will appear on your map. You can then change the mode of transport the route will use to either walking, cycling, or driving.

My Maps isn’t officially supported for Android or iOS devices, but there’s a workaround you can use to view custom maps on mobile once you’ve first created them on a computer. Custom maps are stored in your Google Drive, so to view them on smartphones, open the Drive app, and then tap the saved map. Assuming you have Google Chrome or another supported web browser installed, an option will appear to open the map in the browser. When it’s opened, the map can be viewed and edited, and any changes you make will be automatically saved.

Smartphones

This iPhone Feature Allows You to Easily Redial the Last Phone Number

Did you know that the iPhone has a hidden feature that lets you quickly redial the last phone number you called? Instead of scrolling through your contact list to find the number again, you can bring it up instantly using the manual dialer.

Here’s how it works: Open the Phone app on your iPhone, go to the manual dialer, and simply tap the green call button without entering any numbers. The first tap will automatically paste the last number you called or dialed into the number entry. If you tap the call button again, you’ll call that number.

In comparison to scrolling through your contact list and selecting the number, this method only requires three quick taps: open the dialer, tap the call button, and tap it again. This is especially useful if you have a lengthy contacts list. Just make sure to double-check the number before redialing, especially if you’ve been making multiple calls.

Additionally, if you use Siri on your iPhone, you can also redial a number quickly using a voice command. Activate Siri and say “redial that last number” to immediately call the most recent number you dialed. Similarly, if you want to quickly call back a number that called you, say “return my last call.”

Smartphones

Missed A Message? Here’s How To Access Your Android’s Notification Log

Notification history has been available on Android phones for several years now. However, the method to access this setting may vary depending on the smartphone you’re using. Some phones, like the Google Pixel, have a stock version of Android, while others, like OnePlus and Samsung, use their own user interface on top of Android. Regardless of which version of Android your phone is running, here’s how you can find and enable this feature:

  1. Open the Settings app on your Android phone.
  2. Select the Notifications option.
  3. Look for either Advanced settings or More settings and tap on it.
  4. Tap on Notification history.
  5. Enable the toggle switch on the next page.

If you own a Google Pixel phone, you can find the Notification history option within the main Notifications settings menu. If you can’t locate this option on your Android phone, you can use the search bar in the Settings app. Simply search for Notification history, tap on the option, and enable the toggle switch next to it.