Thursday 28 February 2019

The Nokia 7.1 is the best phone you can buy for under $400

Not everyone wants, or is able to, spend upwards of $1,000 on a phone. That's why we continually test more affordable phones, that strike the best line between capabilities and price to provide excellent value.

The Nokia 7.1 is an extremely well-balanced phone that offers solid specs, hardware, and features with up-to-date software and an affordable price tag. It doesn't do much to catch headlines, but it does everything really well with very few shortcomings.

Our pick

Nokia 7.1

-$300 from Amazon

A great all-around phone with everything you need in an affordable package

Nokia knocked it out of the park with the new Nokia 7.1. It looks and feels like it belongs in a class above, and adds to that hardware with a gorgeous display, excellent battery life, and much more. Performance and camera quality can be a little questionable at times, but for just $300, you're getting far more than your money's worth.

Who should buy this phone?

The Nokia 7.1 feels the most complete and flagship-like of any of its phones, yet it's affordable at about $300. It has surprisingly solid metal hardware, plus a big HDR display on the front and strong battery life from a 3060mAh cell. The hardware also has all of the nice-to-have features: a fingerprint sensor, headphone jack, and an SD card slot.

A Snapdragon 636 processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage are stout for today's needs, and even into the future. And that's important because Nokia's Android One-based software will be updated frequently for the next couple of years.

Nokia's cameras have traditionally been weak, and that's no different with the 7.1. The 12MP + 5MP rear cameras get the job done, but this is one area that reminds you you're using a less expensive phone.

The only real caveat to take into consideration here is that the Nokia 7.1 will not work on Verizon or Sprint. We recommend looking at one of Motorola's recent affordable unlocked phones if you need compatibility with either one of those carriers.

Is it a good time to buy this phone?

Yes, it is. The Nokia 7.1 is the latest version of the phone and is only a few months old at this point. It's still new and fully supported by Nokia.

Reasons to buy

Fantastic build quality
Sharp, colorful display
Great battery life
Android One software
Android 9 Pie now, updates in the future

Reasons not to buy

No Verizon or Sprint compatibility

There are other great phones in this price range

You don't have to look far to find a bunch of great options under $400. While Nokia is the current leader, ever-present Motorola makes a few more great options and there are plenty of other competitors in this price bracket.

Runner-up

Moto Z3 Play

$340 from Amazon

A real competitor now that it's on sale

The Moto Z3 Play debuted at a far too high of a price, but with some price cuts that put it under $400, it's a worthy competitor. It has impressively good build quality, Motorola's little software touches, and a Mod ecosystem that's appealing to some people.

For the initial price of $499 the Moto Z3 Play didn't have a chance, but for well under $400 it's worth considering. The Mods may or may not be a huge draw for you, but even without them, this is a rock-solid phone with all of Motorola's typical improvements, a good screen, solid performance, and strong battery life.

Later on down the road, you could add a couple Mods to your collection and make it feel fresh all over again.

Best outside the U.S.

Honor 8X

£221 from Amazon UK

A fantastic value device with a huge battery

You'd be hard-pressed to find a phone with better value for your dollar (or pound, in this case) than the Honor 8X. Thanks to its massive 6.5-inch display, huge 3750mAh battery and 20MP camera, this is one heck of a phone.

Honor is a brand that often undercuts its competitors to gain market share, and you, the customer, benefits from that. The Honor 8X is a tremendous and powerful phone priced at just over £220, and you'll love using it.

For less

Moto G6

$170 from Amazon

Far better than its price tag would suggest

The Moto G6 is the best budget phone you can buy, and at $170 it's way below our $400 budget. With Gorilla Glass 3 on the front and back, a dual camera setup, and a spritely but power-efficient Snapdragon 450 processor, the Moto G6 is beautiful and capable.

Both the Moto G6 and the G6 Plus are cut from the same cloth, but because they are so similar, the G6 Plus is only sold in markets the Moto X4 isn't available. Yes, it's confusing, but that's fine: all you need to know is that you'll probably be happy with whichever model you like.

Bottom line

The sub-$400 market is both extremely competitive and a little confusing, but there have never been more great options readily available. With the emergence of Android One, you can finally count on getting consistent updates without having to buy a flagship phone straight from Google. The Nokia 7.1 is an excellent phone for less than $400, providing a great experience with strategic cutbacks to make it much more affordable than modern flagships.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Daniel Bader is the Managing Editor of Android Central. As he's writing this, a mountain of old Android phones is about to fall on his head, but his Great Dane will protect him. He drinks way too much coffee and sleeps too little. He wonders if there's a correlation.

Andrew Martonik is the Executive Editor, U.S. at Android Central. He has been a mobile enthusiast since the Windows Mobile days, and covering all things Android-related with a unique perspective at AC since 2012. For suggestions and updates, you can reach him at andrew.martonik@androidcentral.com or on Twitter at @andrewmartonik.

PSA: Verizon’s experiencing a service outage in Michigan

You have a cut fiber optic cable to thank.

If you live in Michigan and rely on Verizon for your phone service, chances are you've noticed that things haven't been working that well today. You're not the only one.

Around 10:45 AM on February 27, Verizon customers started reporting they didn't have service on their phones. At 3:00 PM, Verizon still didn't have an ETA as to when things would go back to normal.

In a statement issued to WILX 10, Verizon said that the service outage is a result of a cut fiber optic cable.

Customers in mid-Michigan appear to be affected the most, ranging from Eaton Rapids through Hilsdale.

If you live in Michigan and use Verizon, are you experiencing any issues?

Dolby Atmos for Gaming: What it is, what it does, and how you can get it

Dolby's spatial audio engine brings a new level of immersion in your games.

There wasn't much fanfare for it, but the Samsung Galaxy S10 is one of the first devices ushering in Dolby Atmos for gaming. It's a spatial audio technology that enhances the listening experience to offer a new level of immersion.

But what even is Dolby Atmos? What does it do? How does it affect all the games you play and the movies you watch? We're glad you asked, because we have answers to give.

What is Dolby Atmos?

Dolby Atmos is the latest in spatial audio technology from the company that made its name on producing amazing sound at the cinema. Some might think the name is just a fancy veil for a glorified equalizer, but that would be wrong.

To hear Dolby tell it:

With Dolby Atmos, any sound can be rendered as a single audio element, an object, independent from the rest of the soundtrack. A child yelling, a helicopter taking off, a blaring car horn—the filmmaker can decide exactly where the sound should originate and where it should move as the scene develops.

This means that content you consume will be more immersive because the technology makes it easy for content creators to put you within a sound space that makes it feel as though you were in the middle of everything going down.

An ideal Dolby Atmos setup.

We've long had some level of audio manipulation in many of these blockbuster films over the years to simulate those effects, but many of those movies were using much simpler techniques and technology that would simply move audio back and forth between stereo or surround channels. It works to bring you a bit more into the show, but it never gave the sense that you are actually there.

With Dolby Atmos, however, you get a true spatial audio engine that can deliver on a 3D soundstage. Filmmakers can decide where in a scene audio should come from.

Dolby Atmos changes how (and where) you hear everything.

Think of a plane flying overhead or a car driving by in the real world — you could tell the exact direction they're going even if you close your eyes. And because they can manipulate the sound of up to 150 different objects in any given scene, they can be far more precise about what you hear.

Dolby Atmos isn't the first spatial audio engine out there — Google has been actively supporting one for Daydream and VR users — but as we've seen time and again in the cinematography industry, Dolby probably provides the most refined and robust of them all, so that's what everyone will flock to.

The downside to all of this is you need stuff that can handle Dolby Atmos, as it requires special audio processing. You also only get the full effect with the right home theater setup, and not a whole lot of those setups fit within most people's budget. As such, it's a pretty hefty series of upgrades to make, but ones that will be worth it in the long run if you want to get the most out of your movies and shows.

That said, Dolby has done extensive work to adapt Atmos for less-than-capable setups, such as stereo headphones or computer speakers. It uses a technique based heavily on psychoacoustics, which is the study of how the human ear can perceive audio. With it, they can simulate these 3D sound stages even when the sound is coming out of stereo equipment.

The end result is audio that feels more rich, spacious, and full of depth than a typical stereo audio implementation can provide. It's not quite as ideal as going for a full 5.1 surround sound setup, but Dolby Atmos for headphones and stereo speakers does enough on its own to upgrade your listening experience.

It's important to remember in all of this that it's up to the filmmakers to decide whether they want to incorporate this level of mastering in their content. Before long, most serious studios will be using Dolby Atmos for pretty much everything they do, so you're unlikely to run into situations where there's not enough compatible content out there for you to enjoy.

How does Dolby Atmos work for gaming?

While we mainly talked about films (since that's the most common type of content making use of Dolby Atmos right now), Dolby Atmos can also be used in gaming. It's not quite as impressive an effect when used in video games as many games already manage sound positioning for individual objects.

But Dolby Atmos does alter the soundstage enough that it enhances pretty much any game you play, even if that game wasn't mastered for it. It can often give you that concert hall or movie theater effect where the vibrations from the audio are being heard and felt throughout the room. You won't quite get the body vibrations, of course, but the idea is that you're not just hearing flat audio coming from one direction.

Dolby Atmos will enhance those little moments where you can hear some leaves rustling in the distance or hear individual insects buzzing around your character. And, of course, those big Michael Bay-esque explosions will be even more impactful than they already were.

Can Dolby Atmos work inside phones?

Dolby Atmos can technically work on anything with speakers and the right audio processing hardware. That includes a handful of Android smartphones, some of which you might even already own.

The presence of the functionality is welcome, but don't expect the full Dolby Atmos experience if you're watching content directly over the phone. It will do what it can, but you're still going to be held back by the limitations of smaller speakers and fewer audio channels. It's best to use headphones to get the most out of it, and, of course, it'll work nicely for those times when you're using the phone to playback content on more capable hardware.

In some phones, Dolby Atmos also works closely with the Android system to reduce audio lag. Because advanced audio like Dolby Atmos has to be processed before being output to your ears, it can cause a delay between what you see on the screen and what you hear.

This side effect is easily covered in video content because the only element of the experience it needs to work with is something that you can't really interact with. In gaming, however, audio is unpredictable and can be triggered by user input, and this can create those weird situations where you're seeing something happen, but you don't hear any feedback until fractions of a second later.

It's a mild effect, but it has the potential to ruin your immersion and overall gaming experience if the lag is too severe. Dolby Atmos addresses this by working with Android's audio latency framework at the system level to ensure that you're not only hearing better sound, but more accurate sound that matches the action on your screen.

Are there any phones with Dolby Atmos for gaming?

While we already have a good amount of smartphones incorporating Dolby Atmos, there is only a handful confirmed to have the separate Dolby Atmos feature specifically meant for gaming.

We know that the Samsung Galaxy S10 family will have it out of the box and that the Galaxy Note 9 received the functionality in its One UI (Android Pie) update. Strangely enough, the feature was also present in the beta version of the Galaxy S9's One UI update but didn't make its way in for the final release.

Samsung users would be able to find it by heading to the Settings > Sounds and vibration > Advanced sound settings > Sound quality and effects menu on their phone. It exists as a separate "Dolby Atmos for gaming" toggle right beneath the regular "Dolby Atmos" option.

It's likely we'll see more phones support the feature proper in the near future. For now, however, here's a list of all the phones that support Dolby Atmos, which makes it the shortlist for phones that could eventually get Dolby Atmos for Gaming support (bolded phones already have it):

Samsung Galaxy S10
Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Samsung Galaxy S9
Samsung Galaxy S9+
Razer Phone
Nokia 6
Lenovo Vibe K5
Lenovo Phab 2
Huawei P20
Huawei P20 Pro
Huawei Porsche Design
ZTE Axon 7
General Mobile 9 Pro

Better sound is coming

If you're lucky enough to own a phone with Dolby Atmos for gaming, let us know in the comments how it's been treating you. Otherwise, sit tight — Dolby Atmos is still relatively new and it'll take a while for the technology to trickle into our devices and content. Those who want it for gaming and want it now, however, should think about grabbing a Samsung Galaxy S10.

Sign up to stream with Sling TV and save 40% on your first three months

All three of Sling's base packages are getting in on this offer.

Sling is offering 40% off three months of its live TV services for a limited time to help combat lower than expected tax refunds this filing season. Compared to 2018, people have received around $170 less on average according to IRS.gov, so Sling's deal comes at just the right time — especially if you end up owing money to the IRS this year.

There are three services at Sling to choose from: Sling Orange, Sling Blue, and Orange & Blue. The first two options feature some of the same channels, though the biggest difference between the two is that Sling Orange includes various ESPN channels, FreeForm, and Disney Channel while Sling Blue includes FX, SyFy, BET, and more. If you can live without one of those sets of channels, you can start your Sling TV membership for only $15 per month for the first three months. After that time, your membership will automatically renew at the service's full price of $25 per month unless you decide to cancel beforehand. You can cancel at any time and still use the remainder of the month you've paid for.

If both Sling Blue and Sling Orange have channels you want to watch, Sling's Orange & Blue package was made for you. With this 40% discount, you'll be paying just $25 per month as opposed to its regular price of $40. The deal is good for three months of service, though you can always choose to cancel during your first month if you decide this service isn't for you. There's really no better time to try it out than now.

A full list of Sling TV's channels can be found here; many of them come through add-ons of extra packages that come for an additional monthly fee, so you'll want to keep that in mind while browsing, as well as which devices Sling can be accessed on.

Alternatively, Sling is offering a free Roku Express when you pre-pay for two months of service at its regular price of either $25 for Sling Orange or Blue, or $40 for the combo package. That could be a better option for you if you don't currently have a streaming device or want another one.

These deals won't last for long, so sign up now at Sling to see what it's all about. If you're still unsure which streaming service is for you, CordCutters has a guide that should help you make a decision.

See at Sling

Monitor your vehicle's health with Nonda's discounted smart car charger

How's she lookin?

Amazon is offering the Nonda ZUS Smart Car Charger for $19.99, a price drop of $10. We haven't seen a discount like this since last fall.

This well-rated product has a bunch of uses. Plug it in to your car's cigarette lighter outlet and use it in conjunction with the ZUS app on your Android or iOS smartphone. It'll remember where you parked your car, record mileage, and alert you to parking meter timers. It also actively monitors your vehicle's battery health and alerts you if there's something wrong. The space won't be wasted as this gadget also has two USB-A ports that you can use to charge your phone and other gear. Your purchase comes backed by a one-year warranty.

See at Amazon

Nothing says luxury like a Galaxy S10+ and some leather

With its striking glass back, multitude of color options, and controversial hole-punch display, the Galaxy S10+ is a phone that makes a statement. It's big, powerful, and unashamed of its $1,000 starting price. If you plan on picking one up for yourself, you might as well go all out and "treat yo' self" to one of these leather cases.

Genuine leather

Samsung Leather Back Cover

Staff Favorite

Coming straight from Samsung, this case is made out of real, genuine leather that looks as great as it feels. You'll get good protection against drops and falls, but the real draw here is the color selection. In addition to the Navy option shown here, you can also get the case in Black, Green, Red, White, Gray, and Yellow.

$50 at Samsung

Classy wallet case

Snakehive Leather Wallet

If you prefer your phone cases to also be wallets, Snakehive has you covered. Made out of European full grain cowhide, the quality of this case is one of the best you'll find. The S10+ rests in a sturdy plastic holder to keep it safe, and when the wallet case is open, you'll find three individual card slots for holding your plastic.

$37 at Snakehive

Keep your cards safe

FYY Luxury Wallet Case

Another great wallet case option comes from FYY. Once again, real leather is used to make the case. In addition to two card slots, an ID holder, and a cash pocket, FYY's case also has RFID shielding technology baked in to protect your cards from scammers, but be mindful that this blocking material can also interfere with NFC, too.

$34 at Amazon

Double duty

GOOSPERY Protective Leather Case

Want a wallet case that doesn't look like one at first glance? This one from GOOSPERY is available in three colors and combines a protective and wallet case into one slim package. The back faux leather easily houses credit and ID cards while reinforced corners absorb the impact of accidental drops.

$14 at Amazon

Really affordable

Maxboost mWallet

This is another traditional wallet case, but it has one big advantage over the Snakehive and FYY options — it's a lot more affordable. There's room for three credit cards on the inside, a side pocket can store cash, and the magnetic lock serves as a kickstand. The PU leather may be a turn off for some, but it looks and feels fantastic for the price.

$11 at Amazon

Great in every way

TENDLIN Hybrid Slim Case

Last but not least, we have the Hybrid Slim Case from TENDLIN. Offered in black and brown finishes, this faux leather case looks like the real thing but has a much lower price tag. A shock-absorbent TPU material on the inside safeguards the S10+ from drops/falls, the camera cutout is precise, and the case adds very little bulk.

$11 at Amazon

Right now, your best bet for a good leather case lies with the official Samsung Leather Back Cover. It's not cheap, but the fantastic design and wide variety of available colors make it well, well worth the asking price. Alternatively, if you're trying to keep costs low but still want a great, high-quality case, the GOOSPERY Protective Leather Case is definitely worth a look.

Add this small-but-mighty Xcentz Power Bank to your daily carry at $12 off

Little but big.

This Xcentz 10000mAh Power Bank usually costs $32, but you can enter code XCENTZS14 during checkout at Amazon to get it for just $19.99 today. The code works on all the color options, which include black, blue, pink, sandstone black, and gray.

I have this power bank and I love it. It fits in my palm but can easily charge my phone, tablet, and other gadgets. It has a nice rubbery texture that keeps it stable without making it gunky, and I've used it regularly for the couple of weeks with no change in the battery life or charge time. It features a USB-C power delivery port and a Quick Charge 3.0 port, meaning it can charge almost all of your devices as quickly as possible. The itty-bitty footprint means it'll slip easily into a crossbody purse, waist pouch, or even a pocket if you don't have a bag on you. Your purchase includes a cable to charge the power bank, which takes a little over three hours.

For more discounts on daily essentials, be sure to check out Amazon's one-day storage sale.

See at Amazon

See what's behind you with $42 off the Auto-Vox wireless backup camera kit

Keep an eye out.

This Auto-Vox CS-2 digital wireless backup camera kit is down to $77.99 thanks to the 5% off on-page coupon and the code PO5W24LX. That's the lowest price we've ever seen on Amazon for a kit that regularly sells for around $120 and hardly drops from that price.

The backup camera kit uses a unique point-to-point digital transmission so there's no interference from other devices or wavering screens. The kit's PC1058 sensor adds vivid and smooth imagery without over-saturating the colors so you can see exactly what's behind you with no distortion. The whole thing is completely wireless, so all you have to do is place the rear-view camera and the front screen and they will communicate with each other. If you already have a rear camera or don't feel you need one, use the CS-2 to help you avoid blind spots on the side or front of your vehicle. Users give it 4.2 stars based on 49 reviews.

See on Amazon

Keep your Galaxy S10 — and your hands — safe from damage with PopSockets

Best answer: If you value your fingers, you should at least consider getting some Swappable PopSockets for your Galaxy S10. This upgraded system allows you more — and more ergonomic — grip on the go, and the PopTop twists off to let you wirelessly charge. While Spigen's Style Rings have more stable kickstands and more gripping options, they're thicker and their metal construction interferes with wireless charging

PopSockets: Swappable PopGrips by PopSockets (From $10)

This is about more than cute kickstands

If you're thinking "I know how to hold a phone, I'm not some weak millennial always dropping their phone", you've kinda missed the main point of phone grips. Yes, holding a phone isn't hard, but holding your phone the wrong way can lead to significant damage to the joints and tendons in your hands over time.

Phone grips aren't just about protecting your phone; they're about protecting your hands.

Between years of heavy copy-pasting data entry and propping my phone up with my pinky at the bottom, my left pinky absolutely hates me. My thumb isn't much happier with the way I've strained it reaching for top-right menus on last year's Samsung Galaxy S9+, and the Galaxy S10 series is taller than ever. These kinds of injuries are called RSIs — Repetitive Stress Injuries — and while I can alleviate the soreness with rest, I will never get rid of it completely.

That's where phone grips, like PopSockets and Spigen Style Rings, come in. PopSockets aren't just for protecting your phone and looking cute; they're here to protect your hands from the way you use your phone. It allows a wider, more natural grip while also giving your thumb easy access to a wider portion of the screen. As a reminder, we check our phones dozens if not hundreds of times a day, so using a relaxed grip rather than straining your hands around the sides and bottom of the slim S10 really will add up, especially when using the phone one-handed.

After all, a PopSocket is $10, while an RSI is for life.

Get a grip without losing wireless charging

I love ring-style phone grips like the Spigen Style Ring, but the metal construction means that you can't use wireless charging while it's on your phone. As such, unless you want to take off your case every time you use your Galaxy S10 with a Qi chargers, you're better off buying PopSockets, especially with the new Swappable PopGrips that came out last fall.

Swappable PopSockets allow you to stick one PopGrip base to your phone — in one of six colors — and then you can swap between any PopTops you buy in a multitude of colors. Swappable PopGrips use a push-and-twist locking system that works exactly like a pharmacy prescription bottle, and because the metal pieces involved are in the PopTop rather than the base, you can remove the PopTop rather than your whole case when you want to use wireless charging.

You can also buy spare PopTops for a lower price than buying a whole new PopSocket because you don't need more than one PopGrip base, including delightful Swappable 3-packs like this delightfully retro Just Go Camping pack (seen right). Not every licensed PopSocket has been switched to the new Swappable design yet, but more and more are being added every week.

Our pick

Swappable PopGrips by PopSockets

From $10 at PopSockets

Ergonomic, fun, and dare I say cute

Swappable PopSockets support wireless charging when you twist off the PopTop while still allowing you a better grip, a larger range of motion, and a flash of style for your phone. This accessory isn't just a POP culture fad, it's an investment in your hands.

This coupon takes $14 off Aukey's multi-port USB-A and USB-C charger

Charge your old and new devices with one adapter.

You can pick up Aukey's multi-port desktop charger for just $35.99 at Amazon. It regularly sells for $50 but drops in price when you enter code AUKPD070 at checkout.

If you've got one foot in the USB-C future, but also have some older devices that still need USB-A, this charger is for you. It includes two standard USB-A ports that you know and love, and also includes a USB-C Power Delivery port for juicing your latest smartphone, tablet or laptop. The USB-C port has a 60W output meaning it can easily charge up your MacBook Pro, Nintendo Switch, iPad Pro, as well as all manner of other devices that have adopted USB-C. It's great for travelling as you don't need to bring multiple adapters to keep your devices topped up.

Existing owners give it 4.1 stars out of 5 and Aukey backs it with a 2-year warranty.

See at Amazon

Huawei P30 Pro will reportedly offer 10x optical zoom

Huawei has its work cut out for it with the P30 this year.

A lot of phones were released in 2018, but among all of them, one that stuck out as something special was the Huawei P20 Pro. Although not perfect, the P20 Pro is widely considered as having one of the very best camera packages we've ever seen on any smartphone. Add that together with a stunning design, fast performance, and greatly improved software, and it's easy to see why we were so enthralled with the phone.

We're now in 2019, and as such, it's time to look ahead to see what Huawei will do to improve upon last year. It's going to be a challenge, but if Huawei plays its cards right, the P30 Pro could very easily be one of the best phones of the year.

Without further ado, here's everything we know!

The latest P30 + P30 Pro news

February 27, 2019 — Huawei P30 Pro will reportedly offer 10x optical zoom

Just a day after the P30 Pro was shown-off in-person at MWC, WinFuture has provided all-new renders for both it and the regular P30.

Looking first at the P30 Pro, the renders shown here unsurprisingly looks a lot like the phone we saw yesterday. The back is home to three rear cameras, but unlike the hands-on photos, the LED flash is moved to the right of the lenses instead of being on the bottom. We can also see an additional sensor by the flash which is apparently a time-of-flight sensor that'll be able to capture real-time depth information WinFuture also notes that the P30 Pro will be capable of 10x optical zoom.

We're also expecting three rear cameras on the regular P30, sans the 10x zoom. Both phones also have nearly bezel-less displays with waterdrop notches, but the P30 Pro curves the edges of its screen while the P30 appears to keep them flat.

February 26, 2019 — Huawei P30 Pro shown off at MWC 2019

We're still a month out from the P30 series' official unveiling, but at MWC 2019, Huawei decided to give the folks at Digital Trends an early hands-on look at the P30 Pro before everyone else.

No specs, pricing details, or anything of that nature was revealed, but what we can now confirm is the P30 Pro's design. According to Digital Trends, the P30 Pro they got to use is "almost completely final, in terms of the way it looks."

We can see that there are three rear cameras, the same as the P20 Pro. One render from Spigen indicated that the phone would have four cameras, so it's unclear what's going on there (maybe a special 5G version of the phone?).

The body of the P30 Pro is described as being about the same footprint as the P20 Pro with the addition of the Mate 20 Pro's tapered edges. This apparently makes the phone more comfortable to hold. A USB-C port is also confirmed, as is the lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack.

February 19, 2019 — Huawei will unveil the P30 series on March 26

After weeks of leaks and rumors, Huawei has announced that it will formally unveil the P30 series on March 26 in Paris. The short video accompanying the tweet suggests the P30 series will feature a sizeable zoom lens.

Rules were made to be rewritten. Paris, 26.03.2019. #RewriteTheRules #HUAWEIP30 pic.twitter.com/hFzZI3pVYr
— Huawei Mobile (@HuaweiMobile) February 19, 2019

Earlier leaks revealed a waterdrop notch and three rear cameras, and on the hardware front we're looking at the Kirin 980 and a massive battery. With the launch just over a month away, we should hear more about the P30 series in the coming weeks.

February 8, 2019 — Huawei P30 and P30 Pro fully revealed in Spigen case renders

It's been a little over a month since the Huawei P30 was fully revealed in a batch of renders, and now thanks to popular case manufacturer Spigen, we have even more renders to feast our eyes upon.

Just as we saw before, the Huawei P30 features a waterdrop notch, three rear cameras, and a glass back. This time, however, we get to see the phone in a more subdued black color.

These renders also give us our first look at the more powerful Huawei P30 Pro. The P30 Pro looks nearly identical compared to the P30 from the front, but around back we see that it'll come equipped with four rear cameras instead of three.

January 4, 2019 — First Huawei P30 renders reveal a waterdrop notch and three rear cameras

2019's barely begun, but even so, we already have our first look at the Huawei P30. Thanks to a collaboration between @OnLeaks and 91 Mobiles, a new batch of device renders and a 360-degree video gives us a clear look at Huawei's upcoming handset.

Similar to last year, the P30 shown here is expected to be a more affordable, less powerful version of the flagship P30 Pro. Even so, it still looks like one heck of a device.

There are three big upgrades with the P30 over the P20, the first of which is its display. The notch at the top has been shrunk down to a waterdrop style and takes up far less space than the one we had last year. Furthermore, there's no longer a front-facing fingerprint sensor — allowing the chin to shrink considerably.

With no rear or side-mounted fingerprint sensor in sight, this means that the P30 more than likely has an in-display sensor.

Around back, you'll see a row of three rear cameras. That's one extra camera compared to the dual-lens setup on the P20 and should allow for much more variety with the shots you take.

Also pictured in these renders is a USB-C charging port, 3.5mm headphone jack, and Huawei's stunning Emerald Green color with what appears to be a texture on the back similar to what we saw with the Huawei Mate 20. As for the dimensions, those come in at 149.1 x 71.4 x 7.5mm.

All the big details

What will the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro look like?

Based on what we've seen so far, the Huawei P30 will look similar to the P20 with some welcome upgrades.

There's still a multi-colored glass back, but you'll now find three rear cameras instead of just two. Around front, there's a large 6-inch display with a small waterdrop notch and a much smaller chin compared to its predecessor.

The volume rocker and power button are both on the right, the bottom frame is home to a USB-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack, and with no fingerprint sensor in sight, we're assuming that Huawei's embedded it underneath the display.

The P30 Pro looks nearly identical to the regular P30, with the biggest difference being its rear camera setup. Rather than a measly three cameras, the P30 Pro is expected to come with a total of four.

What specs are we anticipating?

While no specs for the Huawei P30 have been confirmed, here's what we're currently expecting according to the rumor mill.

Category	Spec
Operating System	Android 9 Pie EMUI 9.0
Display	6-inch OLED 2340 x 1080
Processor	Kirin 980
Rear Camera 1	40MP
Rear Camera 2	20MP
Rear Camera 3	5MP
RAM	6GB
Battery	4,000 mAh

The P30 Pro will likely have similar specs, with a few upgrades here and there. As we learn more, we'll update the spec list accordingly.

How much will the phones cost?

In the UK, the Huawei P20 has a retail price of £600 while the P20 Pro goes for £800.

No pricing information for the P30 or P30 Pro has been made available yet, but we can likely expect them to cost around £50 to £100 more than last year's phones.

When will they be released?

The Huawei P20 series was announced on March 27, 2018, and then released on April 6.

With the P30, we could be faced with a similar release window, or it could be moved up a bit sooner seeing as how Huawei is confirmed to attend Mobile World Congress in February and could make an announcement as soon as then.

Add some speed and space with SanDisk's SSD Plus 1TB on sale for $100

Time for an upgrade.

The SanDisk SSD Plus 1TB solid state drive is down to $99.99 on Amazon. This drive normally sells for around $125 with brief jumps up to $140. Today's price is the lowest we have ever seen and its first drop to $100.

If you need an upgrade in speed and capacity, SanDisk's Ultra 3D NAND 2TB solid state drive is also on sale for $223.99. Its regular price is $280 and it has never dropped this low.

The SSD Plus is SanDisk's entry-level SSD. It's built using SanDisk's MLC NAND, which is unusual for an inexpensive SSD like this. You'd expect it to be built with TLC, which is usually cheaper. MLC is also more reliable than TLC and can withstand more read/write cycles. That's all good stuff for anyone interested in this device. SanDisk says this drive has read and write speeds of 535 MB/s and 450 MB/s. It is also shock and vibration resistant and comes with a three-year warranty.

This deal is part of a larger sale on memory and storage devices at Amazon going on today only, which includes some great microSD card prices as well.

See on Amazon

Samsung now offering $130 gift certificate with Galaxy S10 pre-orders

Samsung's 10th year of Galaxy flagships is something to behold.

Every year, Samsung kicks off the year with its Galaxy S devices. These serve as a showcase of the very best that the company has to offer, and this year, we were treated to a total of three new devices with the Galaxy S10, S10+, and S10e.

Whether you're looking for the latest news, want to know how the phones compare to other gadgets, need help finding a good case, or anything else in between, you're in the right place.

The latest Galaxy S10 news

February 27, 2019 — Samsung now offering $130 gift certificate with Galaxy S10 pre-orders

Since pre-orders for the Galaxy S10 opened on February 21, Samsung's been offering a promotion that allows you to grab a free pair of Galaxy Buds with your purchase. As of February 27, things have changed a bit.

Citing "high interest" in Galaxy S10 pre-orders, Samsung's actually run out of Galaxy Buds supply and is now offering a $130 gift certificate when you buy the phone. The $130 credit can be used towards "select products" on Samsung.com and via the Shop Samsung app, and for some people, this may be an even more appealing deal. You can buy Galaxy Buds when they get back in stock, or put that $130 towards whatever else you want. Not too shabby.

See at Samsung

February 21, 2019 — Galaxy S10 pre-orders are now live!

Eager to buy the Galaxy S10 for yourself? Good news — pre-orders are now live at Samsung and go through March 7. If you buy the phone before then, you'll also be able to snag a pair of Samsung's new Galaxy Buds completely free (a $130 value).

AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon are all selling the phone, too.

On top of Samsung's website and through carriers, you'll also be able to purchase the Galaxy S10 from:

Regular sales open up on March 8, and as expected, you'll be able to buy the S10 pretty much anywhere and everywhere.

See at Samsung

All the big details

Check out our hands-on preview

We need a bit more time before sharing our full review of the Galaxy S10 series, but in the meantime, make sure you take a look at our in-depth hands-on preview of the S10, S10+, and S10e.

As expected, Samsung absolutely knocks it out of the park when it comes to hardware. The glass and aluminum builds are top-of-the-line, the AMOLED displays are the best they've ever been, and Samsung's going all out with its camera game by including a total of three rear cameras on the more expensive S10 and S10+.

Add that together with new tech like an in-display fingerprint sensor, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 processor, and the best software experience we've ever seen from Samsung, and you end up with something that's pretty special.

Samsung Galaxy S10 hands-on preview: The trouble with triples

There are three phones this year

Samsung typically releases two Galaxy S phones each year, including its base model and a Plus one with slightly improved specs and a larger screen.

For 2019, we have the base Galaxy S10, the upgraded Galaxy S10+, and a completely new entry with the Galaxy S10e.

While the S10 and S10+ are being marketed as Samsung's two main flagships for the year, the S10e is a device that aims to offer a lot of that same experience but for less money (think of it as Samsung's answer to the iPhone XR).

This is a big change to the usual Galaxy S lineup, and while it could cause for some confusion, it gives customers more choice than before. If you want the best that Samsung has to offer, you get the S10. Want a larger screen, a bigger battery, and two front-facing cameras? The S10+ has you covered. If money's a bit tighter but you still want an excellent Android phone, the S10e is ready to serve you.

Galaxy S10 vs. Galaxy S10e: Which should you buy?

Should you upgrade from an older Samsung device?

Samsung's been making really great phones for the last few years, so if you already own an older Galaxy S flagship, is it worth upgrading to the new S10?

If you're still rocking a Galaxy S8 or anything older, getting the S10 just makes sense. It'll be a vastly better experience compared to what you're using right now, and if you've held onto your current phone for two or more years, you've definitely gotten your money's worth.

And honestly, even if you have last year's Galaxy S9, the S10 still delivers meaningful improvements on a few different areas that could make it worth splurging for.

Get familiar with the specs

With three different phones being offered this year, that means you have three different spec sheets to familiarize yourself with this year.

The S10 sits in the middle-ground, the S10+ has the very best specs you can find, and the S10e cuts a few corners to get its price down to where it is.

It's a pretty simple way to think about things, but if you really want to understand the minute similarities and differences between the three phones, we recommend checking out the full spec list below 👇.

Galaxy S10 Specifications: S10, S10+, S10e, S10 5G specs in one place

What's up with those hole-punch displays?

Yep. The rumors were right. Despite its resilience to the notch over the last couple of years, Samsung caved in with the S10 series by using its Infinity-O display that features a hole-punch cutout/notch in the upper-left corner.

While there are a lot of mixed feelings about this decision, we're glad Samsung made this move.

For starters, this allows for even more screen real-estate than before. The top and bottom bezels have shrunk quite a bit compared to the S9, giving you even more viewing area for your movies, games, etc.

As for the displays themselves, they're still rocking Samsung's phenomenal Super AMOLED panels. This year, however, they get a nice upgrade with official support for HDR10+. In other words, if you're watching a video that supports HDR10+, you'll see it with even punchier colors and deeper contrasts.

What is HDR10+ and why does it make the Galaxy S10 screen better?

The fingerprint sensor is underneath the screen

Speaking of the display, the S10 and S10+ have their fingerprint sensors hidden underneath it.

Similar to what we've seen on devices like the OnePlus 6T, there's a designated area in the bottom middle of the screen where you can place your finger to unlock the phone. The S10 and S10+ are the first devices to use Qualcomm's ultrasonic sensing technology which essentially creates a 3D model of your fingerprint. Compared to other in-screen sensors that just capture a 2D image of it, this should allow the S10 to be faster and more secure in these regards.

What is an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and why do you want it?

Does the Galaxy S10 fingerprint sensor work with screen protectors?

A 5G model is coming at a later date

You know how we've been saying that Samsung has three S10 models to choose from? Yeah, there's a fourth one, too.

At some point later this year, Samsung will launch the Galaxy S10 5G. We know that it'll connect to 5G networks in the U.S., has a gigantic 6.7-inch display, 4,500 mAh battery, and 25W Super Fast Charging, but that's about it.

We have no clue what other specs it'll include, when it'll be released, or how much Samsung's going to charge for the privilege of owning one (spoiler alert, it's definitely not going to be cheap).

Samsung has a lot of colors to choose from

The Galaxy S10 devices are designed incredibly well, and to compliment that craftsmanship that went into them, Samsung's offering the phones in a variety of gorgeous colors.

What kind of colors?

The S10, S10+, and S10e are all available in Prism Black, Prism White, Prism Blue, Flamingo Pink, and Prism Green. The S10+ has two premium Ceramic Black and Ceramic White finishes, whereas the S10e gets a gorgeous Canary Yellow colorway.

Which color Galaxy S10 should I buy?

Make sure to pick up some accessories, too

If you do plan on buying any version of the S10, do yourself a favor and also make sure that you grab a few accessories to go along with it.

Cases and screen protectors can go a long way in ensuring how well your phone holds up over time, so do the right thing and spend a few extra dollars now to protect yourself from ending up with a broken and shattered device a few months down the road.