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Friday, 30 November 2018

New Call of Duty Android game soft launches in certain countries https://ift.tt/2DQiWwC

The new Android game Call of Duty: Global Operations is live now in select countries.
It appears the new MMO tactical warfare game is in the middle of a soft launch.
Call of Duty: Siege soft-launched in October 2016 but was canceled before release, so there’s no guarantee this game will get a global launch.

If you’ve been hankering for a new Call of Duty game to play on your Android device, you might be in luck. It appears Call of Duty: Global Operations is available now to download from the Google Play Store in select countries, via VentureBeat.

So far, it seems the game is only live in Australia and the Philippines. This suggests Call of Duty: Global Operations is in the middle of a soft launch.

The official description of the game from its Play Store listing describes it as a “tactical MMO PvP game” in which you “control armies and wage global conflict.” The gameplay video below gives you a better idea of what to expect:

The plot of the game is described as such:

The discovery of a highly toxic and weaponizable element Nuclium NM (72) threatens to upset global order. As governments and private operators fight to control the limited Nuclium supply, the world begins to descend into anarchy. At the center of the conflict is GLOBUS, a malicious corporation hell bent on using weaponized Nuclium to bring the world under its dominion.

The only thing standing in the way is YOU.

10 best Strategy RPGs and Tactical RPGs on Android

Strategy RPGs and Tactical RPGs are an admittedly niche market. The game play tends to be slower because it focuses more on strategy than it does on sheer action. They operate with a turn-based style …

This isn’t the first time a Call of Duty game has soft-launched on Google Play — the sci-fi game Call of Duty: Siege soft-launched in October 2016. However, that game never left the soft-launch phase and thus never received a global release. It’s possible Call of Duty: Global Operations could suffer the same fate.

If you live in Australia or the Philippines, give the game a try by clicking the button below. For those of us in the rest of the world, we’ll have to wait for a wide rollout!

Call of Duty: Global Operations

from Android Authority https://ift.tt/2SnnTRU

Price drop! Save 70% on a Qi wireless car charger https://ift.tt/2SgrIYI

It’s not the most glamorous of smartphone accessories, but a wireless car charger is pretty damn useful. No one owns a sat nav anymore, so you need to be able to see your phone and keep it juiced while on the road.

This Qi wireless fast charging car charger from Neva Tech is a handy option, and it’s on offer over at Tech Deals this week. It’s compatible with all Qi-enabled devices, and features a 360-degree rotatable head for easy access.

Just don't be tempted to turn on Netflix.

If you’re forced to slam on the breaks, you needn’t fear your phone being catapulted into your face. Adjustable arms automatically hold your device securely.

There’s also a charging wire included, for your buddies with more stone-age handsets of course.

The QI wireless car charger at a glance:

Compatible with Qi wireless charging devices
Attaches easily in the car
Features a 180 degree telescopic arm that is ideal for use on flat surfaces
Comes with a charging cable to adapt to non-wireless charging devices

You might not be tempted to invest in this car charger at the full $100 retail value, but it’s always deal day at AA Picks. This week only you can pick up this handy device for just $29.99. If you’re buying for a friend, it delivers in time for Christmas.

To take advantage of this offer while you can hit the button below.

Check it out!

The AA Picks team writes about things we think you’ll like, and we may see a share of revenue from any purchases made through affiliate links. To see all our hottest deals, head over to the AAPICKS HUB.

Looking for a new phone or plan? Start here with the Android Authority Plan Tool:

This smart tool lets you filter plans by phone, price, data tiers, and regional availability. Stop overpaying for cell service you hate and a phone that you’re tired of. Use our Compare Phones & Plans tool to fully customize your mobile experience and painlessly transition from one carrier to another!

from Android Authority https://ift.tt/2PaHtP9

Why does Google get so much hate for the design of the Pixel 3? https://ift.tt/2NxC7Nd

The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL by Google are tricky smartphones. The Pixels have always been well-rounded devices with arguably the best cameras on a smartphone riding on the company’s brilliant work in computational photography. Yet, in its third generation now, they’ve not been flying off the selves either.

The design of the Google Pixel 3 (and I’ll use that to imply both Pixel 3 and Pixel 3XL through the article) is one aspect of the phone that caused the most controversy. A lot of our readers and friends on Twitter were underwhelmed and called the design as “boring”, “not premium enough”, and even “lame”.

Unlike everything on the specifications sheet, design is a subjective thing (along with camera, I guess, where one may prefer a more saturated photo over another one with true-to-life colors or vice versa). There are some absolutely gorgeous devices – like the Huawei Mate 20 Pro – but mostly design is a personal choice and a matter of individual taste.

The Pixel 3 continues with the Pixel DNA with its unassuming two-tone design.

Of course, the most contentious design aspect of the larger Pixel 3 XL was the notch – the largest notch ever on a smartphone. It’s like a bathtub placed in your office – huge and intrusive. Yet, most us eventually end up tuning it out, like we do for notches, of all shapes and sizes, on all other phones. Notches are a design abomination that we have to live with, and not celebrate. This too shall pass, one hopes. Or you could pick the smaller Pixel 3, which is also my pick because I’m a big fan of smaller phones.

That apart, the Pixel 3 is the best-looking smartphone ever from Google. The shift to an all-glass back with a soft-touch matte finish looks great and feels very assuring in the hand. Of course, there’s Gorilla Glass 5 on the back and fingerprints are not much of a problem. The rounded aluminum rails replace the blocky edges and make for a nicer grip.

The Pixel 3 is for everyone who prefer an understated design.

While most of the changes are quite subtle, the Pixel 3 looks a lot more like a contemporary product. The colored buttons on the white and pink variants are a nice touch.

The Pixel 3 might be quotidian for a few, but is quite organically pleasing to me. There’s a sense of comfort and class with this one and Google has clearly withheld any temptation of jazzing it up. The Pixel 3 is for everyone who prefer an understated design, like this old writer.

from Android Authority https://ift.tt/2rg8HKJ

Look outside if you need weather info, because Google’s service is down https://ift.tt/2JwznCp

An image of dark clouds behind some trees. Max Pixel

The Google weather service is currently down.
If you ask Google Assistant for weather information, you get zero-degree forecasts everywhere — even Hawaii.
Google Home hardware suggests you use third-party services if you ask for weather info.

If you ask Google Assistant for weather information right now, you might be surprised by the answer. Google’s weather service must be down, because no matter which location you ask about for weather info, you get a zero-degree forecast.

I find it hard to believe that it’s zero degrees in Hawaii at the moment. It’s certainly not zero degrees in my backyard.

If you use traditional Google Search in your browser, you still get weather info but it comes from a third-party service, most likely Weather.com. Usually, Google would show its own formatted forecast.

10 best Android clock widgets and weather clock widgets for your home screen

Clock widgets are some of the most popular widgets on Android. It really puts a home screen together. Plus, it's easier to see than the tiny time placement on the status bar. The most popular …

If you try to ask about the weather on Google Home hardware, such as the Google Home Hub, you don’t get an answer. Instead, Assistant will offer to use a third-party service instead and asks if you would like to do that. If you say no, Assistant drops the conversation.

As with most outages involving Google services, it’s likely this will be rectified soon. In the meantime, don’t believe what Google tells you: I’m sure it’s plenty warm in Phoenix, AZ, and not a sub-freezing temperature.

NEXT: 15 best weather apps and weather widgets for Android

from Android Authority https://ift.tt/2Qsupcy

Vivo Nex could cost 849 euros, much more expensive than in China and India https://ift.tt/2Qy8voa

A new pricing leak suggests the Vivo Nex will cost 849 euros (~$967) when it eventually launches in Europe.
That price is significantly more than what the device currently costs in India and China.
There is still no launch date for the Vivo Nex in Europe (or the U.S.), but this pricing leak suggests a launch could come soon.

The Vivo Nex wowed us all at Mobile World Congress 2018. Then known as the Vivo Apex, the smartphone featured a notch-less display with extremely small bezels, an in-display fingerprint scanner, and a unique pop-up selfie cam.

Vivo announced shortly thereafter that it would commercially release the Nex in select countries, which ended up being mostly focused on China and India with a few other countries thrown in the mix. However, the company promised the Nex would eventually launch in Europe, but we haven’t seen it there yet.

Vivo Nex review: Frustratingly imperfect, undeniably desirable (Update: Video added)

Buy now on eBay The best part of the move to truly bezel-less phones is the weird and wacky solutions to the question of where to put everything that used to live above and below the …

Today, a new leak gives us an idea of what the Vivo Nex might cost when it finally does land in European countries (via MySmartPrice). According to the leak, the Vivo Nex might cost 849 euros (~$967) when it launches.

If this seems pricey, that’s because it is. In India, the Nex currently retails for 44,990 rupees (~$652), and in China sells for 3,898 yuan (~$609). One would assume the Nex would cost around 650 euros (~$739), give or take — more expensive, yes, but not an enormous jump. However you slice it, 849 euros is a huge price jump.

Granted, this is leaked information and could be wildly incorrect. If it is legit, though, that’s an unfortunate pricing strategy from Vivo.

Since we don’t have any official word on a price or launch date in Europe for the Vivo Nex, we’ll have to wait until Vivo makes an announcement. In the meantime, what do you think? Would you pay 849 euros for the Nex? Here in the U.S., would you pay nearly $1,000 for the device? Let us know your opinions in the comments!

NEXT: Best Vivo Nex cases

from Android Authority https://ift.tt/2r9DCbA

Deal: Get a SanDisk 128GB microSD card for $18 https://ift.tt/2rcL2uJ

If you’re lucky enough to own a smartphone with expandable storage, this SanDisk deal is for you. For a limited time, Amazon is offering the SanDisk 128GB microSD card for only $18. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you get free Prime shipping, too.

Usually, this SanDisk 128GB card would set you back $29, so you’re saving over $11 with this deal, or 38 percent off. Not bad!

If you want to go bigger, the 256GB microSD card is also on sale for $45, which is about 34 percent cheaper than usual. However, $45 is still quite a bit to pay for a memory card, and the 128GB card is the real steal.

Whichever one you choose, the microSD card comes with a free adapter which allows you to use it in normal SD card slots. This is perfect if you want to transfer files from your smartphone or tablet to your laptop or desktop computer.

We’re not sure how long this deal will last, so click the button below to grab yours!

Get this SanDisk deal

from Android Authority https://ift.tt/2DTKqle

Speed Test G: Pocophone F1 vs OnePlus 6T https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

When it comes to competitively priced devices with flagship-like specifications, there are only two devices everyone talks about: the Pocophone F1 and the OnePlus 6T. Both devices sport the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and both have oodles of RAM. But do the specs on paper translate to real-world performance?

Starting with the Pocophone F1 (or the Poco F1, as it is known in some parts), Xiaomi’s new sub-brand outprices every other Snapdragon 845 phone on the market. But, when you consider the full package and what you get, is it actually better value for money? That is a tough question, but you can found out in our Pocophone F1 review.

The longtime hero of those seeking flagship-like specs without the high price tag has been OnePlus. Although prices have been increasing year-on-year, the 6T is still cheaper than the majority of flagship devices. The OnePlus 6T is a minor upgrade over its predecessor, the OnePlus 6, but according to our review, “the overall experience is still miles ahead of the competition.”

When it comes to the overall performance, is it true that “you get what you pay for?” Find out in this Speed Test G video where the Pocophone F1 goes up against the OnePlus 6T.

from Android Authority https://ift.tt/2RrDqQo