Our Meena Chatbot Better Than Others, Google Claims

Google has claimed that its new chatbot, called Meena, can chat just about anything and is better than other similar conversational agents.

At least one major U.S. carrier faces the wrath of the FCC for selling customers' location data

It appears that one or more unnamed U.S. wireless carriers have . The regulatory agency says that it will take action against these companies for selling its customers' real-time location data without permission. With this information, third party firms could track smartphone users. Pai and the FCC were referring specifically to a report last May . The latter collects real-time data from smartphones and the website glitch allowed location data to be obtained from any phone running on Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint.

, Pai wrote, "I am writing to follow up on ...

Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Narcos: Mexico, Homeland, and More: February 2020 TV Guide to Netflix, Amazon, and Hotstar

Brooklyn Nine-Nine season 7, Narcos: Mexico season 2, Altered Carbon season 2, Homeland season 8, Al Pacino’s Hunters, Taj Mahal 1989, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 7, Locke & Key — here’s our February 2020 TV guide to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hotstar, Apple TV+, and Comedy Central.

Valve's auto chess game arrives on iOS and Android in February

Last year, Valve released , its first-ever auto chess game based on the popular MOBA franchise. Since last summer, Valve rolled out a bunch of updates meant to fine-tune the game and make it ready for primetime.

Today, developers Dota Underlords is now getting its last major update before it leaves Early Access and kicks off Season 1. According to Valve, more new features and content, as well as UI improvements will be delivered when the game launches next month.

Speaking of launch, Valve confirmed that Dota Underlords will be released on PC, Android and iOS on February 25, so about ...

samsung patent super iso

A new patent filed by Samsung in the UK offers a glimpse at potential improvements in the company’s future devices.

Samsung has recently unveiled a number of impressive camera technologies, including the 108MP sensor (which may or may not live up to the hype), and the rumoured 10x optical zoom system expected to appear on the Galaxy S20.

More recently,  for what it calls ‘Super ISO’. As wrote, the patent is filed under Category 9, which covers imaging tech for smartphones. Though exact details of the patented technology aren’t clear, it seems that the S20 will have enhanced ...

Google tests new auto-printing subscription for Photos

Google Photos is always gaining new smart features to help organize and manage your pictures. Recently, the app has also expanded to offer canvas prints of photos or curated albums. Now, Google is trialing a new way to offer printed versions of your favorite photos.

As reported, some users are directed to a new option in Google Photos for a subscription program that will automatically select and ship prints of curated photos each month. The feature is currently in a trial phase, ostensibly prefacing a wider rollout in the future. 

The program offers three ...

Patent application reveals how Huawei will copy Samsung with the Mate X2

The foldable opens and closes around the vertical axis as the does. But unlike Sammy's model, the Mate X closes outward. That means it has a front and back display weighing in at 6.6-inches and 6.4-inches respectively. When the Mate X is open it forms an 8-inch tablet-sized screen with a nearly square resolution of 2200 x 2480. The next foldable from the world's second-largest phone manufacturer might be more like the Galaxy Fold with an inward folding design. (via ) that Huawei submitted to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the company's second foldable will copy ...

Coronavirus Outbreak: Google Launches New SOS Alert to Offer Accurate Information, Safety Tips

Google and WHO have collaborated to offer a new SOS alert that will offer information, news, and safety tips for all coronavirus related searches around the world.

Deal: Save up to $700 on the new Motorola razr (trade-in required)

Arguably one of the most interesting smartphones in recent years, the  will be officially . Verizon Wireless - the handset's exclusive carrier - is already taking pre-orders, asking $1,499.99 for the new razr. Alternatively, you can split the payment in $62.49 monthly installments over 24 months. 

At $1,499.99, this foldable Motorola razr is the most expensive phone in Verizon's current lineup. However, under certain conditions, you can save up to $700 on it. 

If you're a current Verizon customer and you add a new service line, ...

Microsoft Azure Security Flaws Found, Now Fixed: Check Point

As Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasised on keeping Azure Cloud secure with integrated end-to-end identity, security and compliance solutions, cybersecurity firm Check Point on Thursday revealed that it identified two major security flaws in Microsoft Azure last year which have now been fixed.

Avast Pulls Plug on Jumpshot After Data Privacy Scandal

Avast will close the Jumpshot analytics business at the centre of a data privacy scandal, it said on Thursday, putting hundreds of jobs at risk and deepening a slide in its shares.

Google Is Working on Yet Another Messaging App, but It Is for Enterprise Users: Report

Google is reportedly working on another communications app to fit in the G Suite for business users.

Emoji 13.0 Unveiled, Coming in 2020 With More Gender-Inclusive Options, Transgender Flag, Bottle-Feeding Parents

The Unicode Consortium has released a list of 117 new emoji that are releasing this year. The new set of emoji includes gender-inclusive options, transgender flag, and several interesting new emoji.

Social Media Companies May Be Asked to Maintain Active Mobile Number Database of Their Users

The Information Technology (IT) ministry has proposed that significant social media companies should maintain a database of active mobile numbers of all their users for verification purpose under a revised set of rules, according to a source.

WhatsApp Pay to Be Rolled Out in More Countries in Next 6 Months, Says Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg

Despite a delay in launching WhatsApp pay in India owing to data compliance issues, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said that the peer-to-peer, UPI-based payments feature will be rolled out in several countries in the next six months.

Apple's iPhone Strength Is Back and Analysts Say It Is Here to Stay

Wall Street analysts were smitten by a rebound in sales of Apple's iPhones after a year of decline. So much, in fact, that they looked past a weaker-than-expected rise in services revenue, the company's growth driver.

Microsoft Posts Better-Than-Expected Profits on Cloud Business Growth

Microsoft on Wednesday reported quarterly sales and profit that beat Wall Street expectations, driven by the first acceleration of Azure cloud computing revenue growth in eight quarters.

If you pre-ordered a Pixel 4 your $100 store credit expires today, so don't forget to spend it now

If you were among those that pre-ordered Google's Pixel 4, then you should remember that $100 Google Store credit that you got when you did. What you probably don't remember is that the credit came with an expiration date set for January 31st, and that's today. If you haven't spent it yet, you've just got a few hours left to pick up some freebies.

Details from the original email, including the January 31st, 2020 expiration date. 

If you aren't sure whether or not you spent it, you can check your balance here, and it should show you when your next expiration is set for.

Read More

If you pre-ordered a Pixel 4 your $100 store credit expires today, so don't forget to spend it now was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Nintendo CEO Says No Plans to Launch New Switch Model in 2020

Nintendo CEO Shuntaro Furukawa said the gaming company has no plans to launch a new Switch model this year. Nintendo launched a handheld-only version of its hit console in September, driving demand for the hit device through the year-end shopping season.

Tangi Is Google’s New Short-Form Video App for DIY, How-Tos, More

Google has joined the race to launch short-video making apps with unveiling Tangi that is focused on creativity and Do It Yourself (DIY) space.

Here is how you can get 3 free months of Hulu and Pandora

Roku is making  to everyone looking to score a great deal on some of the biggest streaming services in the US. For a limited time, customers can get 3 months of free Hulu and Pandora if they buy one of the eligible Roku players from Walmart.

Before we detail the deal, it's worth mentioning that if you already have Hulu and/or Pandora, you won't be able to redeem these offers since they're available to new and eligible returning customers only. Assuming you qualify for the offer, you must purchase one of the Roku players below from Walmart until February 9 and activate it by February ...

How to download YouTube videos to watch offline

We can stay up from dawn till dusk and we will never run out of YouTube videos to watch, but what do you do when you have to stray from your faithful Wi-Fi? You download some YouTube videos for offline playback, of course. Here's how — and who — can download videos in YouTube for offline playback.

Products used in this guide

• Watch videos all day: Google Pixel 3a XL ($445 at Amazon)

Who can download videos to play offline

There are two categories of YouTube users that offline playback are available to: YouTube Premium members and YouTube users in select developing countries.

Now, Google knows that in many countries of the world, mobile data is a precious commodity — assuming mobile data is available at all in some places — but it still wants people in these countries to be able to enjoy YouTube. To that end, in over 120 countries/territories around the world, users can download YouTube videos for offline playback without a subscription. This includes most of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean, and in countries like India, YouTube's offline features are widely used and have some extra features that YouTube offline in YouTube Premium countries do not, like Smart Offline.

YouTube Premium is YouTube's subscription service that removes ads across YouTube's apps and enables premium features, including background playback and offline playback. YouTube Premium also give users premium service on YouTube Music (except in South Korea) and Google Play Music, which makes YouTube Premium the best deal in streaming today. Here's the full list of countries where YouTube Premium is available.

How to download a YouTube video to play offline

Should you be lucky enough to have the option of saving YouTube videos for offline viewing, here's how to start downloading videos.

1. Open YouTube from the app drawer or home screen.
2. Tap on a video you want to download for offline viewing.

3. Tap Download, between the Share and Save buttons below the video's title.

   

4. Choose the Video quality that you want to download in.
5. Hit Ok.

6. You'll see a blue Downloaded tick on the Download button, indicating the video is available for offline viewing.

   

How to download a YouTube playlist to play offline

If you've got an entire playlist you want to watch offline, you can download that playlist without having to individually download every single video.

1. Tap on a playlist you want to download for offline viewing.
2. Tap the Download button to get started. It's between the Share and Save buttons.
3. Choose the video quality.

4. Tap Ok.The playlist should begin downloading.

   

You'll also see a pop-up warning you that downloading a playlist can take a lot of time and data. Based on the number of videos in the playlists and your internet connection, the download may take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour.

How to change your YouTube video download quality

By default, after you pick the video quality for your first downloaded YouTube video, all other videos will download at the same quality. But you can change that quality — or tell YouTube to ask you the quality every time — by going into YouTube's settings. You can also tell YouTube to download on your SD card if your phone has one.

1. Open YouTube from the app drawer or home screen.
2. Tap your avatar in the top right corner.

3. Tap Settings.

   

4. Tap Background & downloads.
5. Select Download quality.

6. Choose Ask each time.

   

If you have a phone with a microSD card, you'll see a toggle on this same screen to Use SD card for YouTube downloads. If the toggle is blue, videos are downloading to the SD card. You can also see how much space your downloads are taking up by looking at the Available storage bar at the bottom of the screen.

How to schedule offline downloading for Wi-Fi

Not everyone can afford unlimited data plans, so if you want to download videos for offline viewing without burning precious mobile data, YouTube can wait to download that video until you're off paid data and onto Wi-Fi.

1. Open YouTube.
2. Tap your avatar in the top right corner.

3. Tap Settings.

   

4. Tap Background & downloads.

5. Under Download, tap Download over Wi-Fi only to toggle it on.

   

Downloaded videos remain on your device until you delete them, but YouTube requires that you go online once every 30 days. This is so that the service can see if there are any new videos in a playlist you've downloaded.

Watch videos all day

Google Pixel 3a XL

$445 at Amazon

Great mid-range phone that does it all.

The Pixel 3a XL is one of the best mid-range phones you can buy today. It has robust hardware combined with the best camera you'll find in this segment, and you get a vibrant screen that's great for playing YouTube videos. The battery life is pretty great as well, and you can stream videos for hours on end without any issues.

It's easy to use an Xbox One controller with your Android device

Did you know it's possible to use an Xbox One controller with your Android device? That's because, as of the release of the Xbox One S, Microsoft started outfitting its Xbox One controllers with Bluetooth radios. While this feature was made mostly for PC gaming, you'll be happy to know that it works surprisingly well with Android phones. While there may be more appropriate controllers for mobile gaming available, this is a nice trick to have in your back pocket if you already have a compatible Xbox One controller and don't want to spend money to buy something you'll only use for your phone.

Products used in this guide

• A simple, quality controller: Xbox One Wireless Controller ($45 at Amazon)

How to pair an Xbox One controller with your Android phone

For starters, you'll want to ensure the Xbox One controller you have uses Bluetooth. As a rule of thumb, newer versions of the Xbox One S and Xbox One X come with Bluetooth by default. If you're buying the controller new, Amazon has them for $50. Assuming the phone you have works just fine with the Xbox One controller, the pairing process is painless. Here's how to get connected:

1. On your Android phone, swipe down from the top to pull down the Notification Shade.
2. Long press the Bluetooth icon.
3. Tap Connection preferences.

4. Tap Bluetooth.

   

5. Turn on the Xbox One controller by holding the Xbox button.
6. Look for the sync button on the top left of the Xbox controller. Hold it for a few seconds until the Xbox button begins blinking.
7. On your Android phone, tap Pair new device.
8. After some time, you should see the Xbox One controller appear in the list of nearby devices. Tap it to pair.

9. If all goes well, your phone should show a connection to your Xbox One controller, and the Xbox button will stop blinking.

   

For some phones, you'll see evidence of the controller working right away, with the directional pad and buttons being used to navigate the system UI. To test further, fire up your favorite game with Bluetooth controller support to see how it all works out.

I've tried several games with the Xbox One controller, including Modern Combat 5, Riptide GP, and BombSquad. Not only did the games work with the controller flawlessly, they even show proper on-screen control prompts appropriate for the Xbox One controller. And for emulators, you should have no problem mapping the buttons however you prefer.

How can I make sure my Xbox controller has Bluetooth capability?

For those looking to use their existing controllers, the easiest way to check is to look at the controller itself. If the area around the Xbox button is part of the same piece of plastic as the rest of the controller, it has Bluetooth. If your Xbox button is recessed within a separate piece of plastic, it does not have Bluetooth. Reference the image below if you need help — if your controller has Bluetooth support, it should look like the bottom one.

The best thing to do for those who already own the controller is to simply try it. If you don't own it, be sure to search around for your specific phone to see if others have had success, as you don't want to be dropping cash for something that doesn't work. (Of course, Amazon's return policy is incredible, so if you're buying from them, then it may be worth the hassle.)

Our top equipment picks

Up your game

Xbox One Wireless Controller

$45 at Amazon $30 at Best Buy

Easy to use

The Xbox One controller is a solid option that, when using Bluetooth, can easily elevate your Android gaming experience.

Apple Completes Rollout of Redesigned Maps App in the US, Europe Next

Apple on Thursday said it has finished rolling out an overhauled map app in the US in another attempt to challenge Google's popular smartphone navigation software.

Verizon's 5G network goes live in three more cities

Verizon's 5G network covered 31 cities in the United States until recently but starting today, three more cities will benefit from Verizon's 5G mobility service. The carrier its 5G network is now live in three more cities: Little Rock, Kansas City, and Cincinnati.

Just like every other city on the list, these three won't feature full 5G network coverage. If you live in one of these cities, here is where you should be able to take advantage of 5G blazing-fast data speeds.

Little Rock: parts of Midtown, University District, Birchwood, Otter Creek and near landmarks such as UAMS College ...

What’s on Netflix in February 2020: Locke and Key and more

Netflix in February 2020 will once again include a bunch of new and exclusive TV shows and movies. This includes the long-awaited TV series adaptation of the comic book horror-fantasy series Locke and Key. Also, February brings us the sequel to the hit teen rom-com movie To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and the second season to the sci-fi series Altered Carbon.

Let’s take a look at some of the highlights of what’s being added to Netflix in February 2020, plus a list of what’s leaving the service this month.

Locke and Key (First season – Feb. 7)

It’s been a long time coming for fans of this IDW comic book series, but now the first season of the Locke and Key adaptation is finally coming to Netflix. The original comics were written by novelist Joe Hill (son of Stephen King). The series takes place in a mysterious house that happens to be a historical estate of a single mother and her three children. They move in the house after the death of their father. However, they soon discover this is no ordinary structure. It contains a series of supernatural keys that can open doors to other dimensions and give people special powers.

Learn More about Locke and Key

To All the Boys 2: P.S. I Still Love You (Original movie – Feb. 12)

This is the long-awaited sequel to one of the most popular Netflix original movies of all time. The original 2018 film adapted the young adult romance novel, about a young girl named Lara Jean. She wrote secret letters to all of the boys she has fallen for in the past, only for those letters to become public. The sequel, again based on the second book in the series, has Lara Jean finally enjoying life with her boyfriend Peter. Complications set in when yet another former love of hers shows up.

Learn More about TO ALL THE BOYS 2: P.S. I Still Love You

Altered Carbon (Season 2 – Feb. 27)

We have yet another show on Netflix that’s taken a while to get its second season. The first season of this sci-fi series debuted in 2018, and introduced us to a far-future world where the rich could upload their consciousness into other human bodies called “Sleeves.” This season, Anthony Mackie plays the latest “sleeve” of Takeshi Kovacs (played by Joel Kinnaman and Will Yun Lee in season 1).  While plot details are still under wraps, we would suspect Kovacs to once again be solving some kind of murder or murders in this future.

Learn more about Altered Carbon

What’s coming to Netflix in February 2020

February 1

• Back to the Future Part III
• A Bad Moms Christmas
• Blade Runner: The Final Cut
• Center Stage
• Cookie’s Fortune
• Dear John
• The Dirty Dozen
• Dirty Harry
• Driving Miss Daisy
• Elizabeth
• Elizabeth: The Golden Age
• Fools Rush In
• Hancock
• A Little Princess
• Love Jacked
• The Notebook
• The Other Guys
• The Pianist
• Police Academy
• Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment
• Police Academy 3: Back in Training
• Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol
• Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach
• Police Academy 6: City Under Siege
• Police Academy 7: Mission to Moscow
• Purple Rain
• Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
• Scary Movie 2
• Sex and the City 2
• February 3
• Sordo (Netflix Film)
• Team Kaylie: Part 3 (Netflix Family)

February 4

• Faith, Hope & Love
• She Did That
• Tom Papa: You’re Doing Great! (Netflix Original Special)

February 5

• Black Hollywood: “They’ve Gotta Have Us”
• #cats_the_mewvie
• The Pharmacist (Netflix Documentary)
• Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story

February 6

• Cagaster of an Insect Cage (Netflix Anime)

February 7

• The Ballad of Lefty Brown
• Dragons: Rescue Riders: Season 2 (Netflix Family)
• Horse Girl (Netflix Film)
• Locke & Key (Netflix Original Series)
• My Holo Love (Netflix Original Series)
• Who Killed Malcolm X?

February 8

• The Coldest Game (Netflix Film)

February 9

• Better Call Saul: Season 4
• Captain Underpants Epic Choice-o-Rama (Netflix Family)
• Polaroid

February 11

• Good Time
• CAMINO A ROMA (Netflix Documentary)
• Q Ball

February 12

• Anna Karenina
• To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You (Netflix Film)

February 13

• Dragon Quest Your Story (Netflix Anime)
• Love is Blind (Netflix Original Series)
• Narcos: Mexico: Season 2 (Netflix Original Series)

February 14

• Cable Girls: Final Season (Netflix Original Series)
• Isi & Ossi (Netflix Film)
• A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (Netflix Family)

February 15

• Starship Troopers

February 17

• The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia (Netflix Family)

February 19

• Chef Show: Volume 3 (Netflix Original Series)

February 20

• Spectros (Netflix Original Series)

February 21

• A Haunted House
• Babies (Netflix Documentary)
• Gentefied (Netflix Original Series)
• Glitch Techs (Netflix Family)
• Puerta 7 (Netflix Original Series)
• System Crasher (Netflix Film)

February 22

• Girl On The Third Floor

February 23

• Full Count

February 25

• Every Time I Die

February 26

• I Am Not Okay With This (Netflix Original Series)

February 27

• Altered Carbon: Season 2 (Netflix Original Series)
• The Angry Birds Movie 2
• Followers (Netflix Original Series)

February 28

• All The Bright Places (Netflix Film)
• Babylon Berlin: Season 3 (Netflix Original Series)
• Formula 1: Drive to Survive: Season 2 (Netflix Original Series)
• Jeopardy!: Celebrate Alex Collection
• Jeopardy!: Cindy Stowell Collection
• Jeopardy!: Seth Wilson Collection
• La trinchera infinita (Netflix Film)
• Queen Sono (Netflix Original Series)
• Restaurants on the Edge (Netflix Original Series)
• Unstoppable (Netflix Original Series)

February 29

• Jerry Maguire

February TBA

• Amit Tandon: Family Tandoncies (Netflix Original Special)
• Taj Mahal 1989 (Netflix Original Series)

Leaving Netflix in February 2020

February 11

• Clouds of Sils Maria

February 14

• District 9

February 15

• Milk
• Operator
• Peter Rabbit

February 18

• The 2000s: Season 1

February 19

• Charlotte’s Web
• Gangs of New York
• The Eighties: Season 1
• The Nineties: Season 1
• The Seventies: Season 1

February 20

• Lincoln

February 21

• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

February 26

• Our Idiot Brother

February 27

• Jeopardy!: Buzzy Cohen Collection
• Jeopardy!: College Championship II
• Jeopardy!: Teachers’ Tournament II
• Jeopardy!: Teen Tournament III
• Jeopardy!: Tournament of Champions III

February 28

• My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks
• Primal Fear
• Trainspotting

February 29

• 50/50
• American Beauty
• Anger Management
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
• Free Willy
• Hustle & Flow
• Igor
• Layer Cake
• The Matrix
• The Matrix Reloaded
• The Matrix Revolutions
• The Mind of a Chef: Season 1-5
• Rachel Getting Married
• Stripes
• The Taking of Pelham 123
• Up in the Air

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Android Auto update adds option to disable notification sounds

Google has been trying to for years, but there's still a lot of features missing or not working as intended. The latest Android Auto app update doesn't fix anything but adds a new feature that should have been there a long time ago.

A new option added after the latest update lets Android Auto users disable notification sounds while they're driving. Spotted by a , the option to disable notification sound is not really new, as Google added and removed the feature a few times before.

This time, however, Google opted for a toggle, so it's now much easier to completely ...

Motorola celebrates 100 million Moto G sales with special offers and discounts

Motorola revealed today that its Moto G series has just reached 100 million units sold. To mark this important milestone, the US company is running a sale across all its Moto family, including the Moto G7 series, , Moto Z4, , and Motorola One Action.

The most important thing to highlight is that Motorola offers a free smartphone with the purchase of select devices. For example, customers who choose to buy the , Moto G7 Power, , Motorola One Zoom or will get a free 32GB Deep Indigo Moto G6 or Moto G6 Play.

Aside from getting a free phone, all the smartphones mentioned above are getting ...

The EU may push iPhones to adopt the USB-C that Androids prefer

It is finally time to end the tyranny of the Lightning connector.

What you need to know

• The European Parliament voted to force phone manufacturers to use a common charging standard.
• Apple is the lone manufacturer not using USB-C for phone charging.
• The European Commission must now write the laws that would be enforcable in the EU.

The European Union has officially encouraged phone manufacturers to use a common standard for ports and charging cords, but one major manufacturer never seemed to get the message. Now Reuters reports that the European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly, 582-40, to encourage the European Commission, the law-making body for the EU, to adopt new regulations to force the issue. European lawmakers say that the Commission should adopt the new regulations by the summer.

Of course, this leaves much undetermined, and that singular manufacturer is sure to raise a legal stink. Android manufactuers have almost entirely adopted the USB-C port standard on flagship devices and most other smarphones. Even before USB-C, all of the Android manufacturers had settled on microUSB, so the lone holdout to voluntarily following the European Union preference has long been Apple. This is especially ironic as Apple has seen fit to include USB-C on its high-end Macbook Pro laptops, as well as on its newest iPad Pro tablets. Only the iPhone and some related accessories still rely on the lighting connector.

The European Parliamenrt also encourages manufacturers to move to a common standard for wireless charging, which is a much more realistic goal as most manufacturers use some technology that is compatible with the Qi standard from the Wireless Power Consortium. Even Apple uses wireless charging that is Qi compatible, though like some other manufacturers it also has a proprietary faster wireless charging feature available.

Apple hits back at EU charger proposals, says it would create "unprecedented volume" of waste

Apple launches redesigned Maps app for users in the US

Apple has just that Maps users in the United States now have access to a redesigned app that integrates a lot of social elements, but also important under-the-hood improvements. Apple's new Maps app is faster and more accurate thanks to the many new features introduced by iOS 13 not long ago.

In an attempt to compete with , Apple's own navigation app promises to offer extensive views of roads, buildings, parks, airports, and malls. Also, Maps now includes support for popular apps like Photos, Messages, Calendar, Weather and more.

An important addition to the app is the new interactive ...

OS shocker: Android phones said to be harder to crack open than the Apple iPhone

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Plugged into an iPhone's Lightning port, these machines use technology that allows them to override the limit on the number of passcode attempts a user ...

WhatsApp Reported a Dozen Security Vulnerabilities in 2019, US Database Reveals

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Google Announces $1 Million Grant for Promoting News Literacy in India

Google on Wednesday announced a $1 million grant for global non-profit organization Internews that will launch a new initiative to promote news literacy among the Indian public.

Saif Ali Khan: A Star in Bollywood — and on Netflix

Saif Ali Khan, bonafide Bollywood royalty and star of Netflix hit Sacred Games, says India's massive film industry does not need international audiences to thrive. But that may not be a good thing, he cautions.

Amazon, Flipkart Need to Establish System for Collecting Plastic Waste: CPCB to NGT

Amazon and Flipkart need to fulfil their extended producer responsibility under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 and need to establish a system for collecting back the plastic waste generated due to the packaging of their products, the Central Pollution Control Board told the NGT on Tuesday.

Amazon-Owned Ring App Sending User Data to Third Parties: EFF

US-based digital rights group the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EEF) has found that Amazon-owned Ring doorbell app is "packed" with third-party tracking, sending out a plethora of customers' personally identifiable information.

India vs New Zealand Third T20I Cricket Match Today: How to Watch Live, Follow Scores Online

India vs New Zealand T20I cricket match is set to begin at 12:20pm today. India is currently leading the series 2-0 and will be looking to seal the series with another win over New Zealand in the ongoing T20I series.

iPhone Sales Rise for the First Time in a Year as Apple Braces for Coronavirus Impact

Apple on Tuesday reported sales and profits for the holiday shopping quarter above Wall Street expectations, thanks to rising iPhone sales for the first time in a year and soaring demand for add-ons like AirPods wireless headphones.

Deal: Big savings or BOGO on Moto G phones from Motorola

Motorola has just hit a landmark of selling 100 million Moto G phones. It’s celebrating this milestone with some great deals, many of which give you the choice of big savings or a free second phone when you buy one.

One of the deals, in particular, is a genuine two-for-one. If you’re interested in the Moto G6 or Moto G6 Play, then purchasing one gets you a second 32GB model for free.

Most of the other deals on more expensive phones offer you the choice between a free G6 or G6 play, or cash savings on your device of choice.

For example, if you want to pick up the sleek Moto G7, you have two options: If you want the savings, you can knock $100 off the asking price and pay just $199.99. Alternatively, you can get a free 32GB Moto G6 or G6 Play thrown in.

There are many other offers, including a 10% sitewide discount for students and military personnel.

We’re not sure how long this Motorola promotion lasts, so check out the deals via any of the widgets below. Remember, instead of the savings listed, you could pick up a free Moto G6 when you buy any of these phones!

Moto G7

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As expected, the handset maker has opened Galaxy S20 reservations in the United States and even revealed the release date. Five carriers allow customers to reserve their Galaxy S20 flagships through Samsung – AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon, but you can also reserve an unlocked model.

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Google releases open-source 2FA security key platform called OpenSK was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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YouTube Music gains option to explore new releases on Android and iOS

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The best smart doorbells on the market right now

Whether you're in a house or apartment, making sure your home is safe while you're away is a key priority. One of the best ways to deter thieves while providing yourself with peace of mind is with a quality smart doorbell like the Nest Hello. We've done the research and made a list of the best smart doorbell cameras for any home. See which one works for you.

Best Overall: Nest Hello

I love this smart doorbell. It costs a little more than average, but you get plenty of features that make the price worth it. For one thing, you can set it up to give you alerts whenever it detects motion in specific areas of your yard. What's more, it has facial recognition abilities, so it can tell you if a particular friend is approaching before they even ring the bell. The camera operates at 1600x1200 with HDR for clear video quality. When the camera senses that it gets dark, it automatically switches to night vision. It's in grayscale, but it's clearer than many other cameras on the market.

When I was trying to decide between doorbell cameras for my home, I landed on this one. Unlike some others, it's always recording. Doorbell cams that only turn on when they detect motion sometimes turn on too late, making it so owners can't see the faces of those who've stolen packages from their porch. With the Nest Hello, I can go through the log and see everything that happened within the past few days. The app even allows me to zoom in for a closer look.

There are a few things that might give people pause when buying this device. For one thing, it requires a hardwired connection. It needs to work with the proper transformer so some folks, especially those in older houses, might need to purchase one of those as well.

Finally, like many other smart doorbells, this one requires a subscription if you want to view recordings, and you'll need to pay per camera (though you do get the service at a discount if you have multiple cameras). The service is called Nest Aware and you have the option of paying $5 per month for a five-day plan, $10 per month for a 10-day plan, or $30 a month for a 30-day plan. On the plus side, Google announced that it's will be moving to a whole-house pricing plan in early 2020, to keep the subscriptions more competitive.

Pros:

• Non-stop recording
• Great video quality
• Smart home integration
• Facial recognition
• Can set motion zones
• Zoom ability

Cons:

• Hardwired connection
• Subscription costs
• More expensive than others

Best Overall

Nest Hello

$230 at Best Buy

An excellent doorbell camera

Monitor live feeds at any time and set specific motion zones for camera alerts. It also distinguishes between humans and cars and records 24/7.

Best Budget: Ring Video Doorbell

If you're looking for a way to monitor your home without spending too much, you should consider the Ring Video Doorbell. It doesn't have as many features as other smart doorbells, but it does an excellent job with the things it can do. It only uses a 720p camera. but the 180-degree field of view can capture a wider area than some other doorbell cameras. You can also set it to monitor specific areas of your yard. That way, it will only send alerts if it sees people in your yard rather than cars driving past on the street.

Perhaps one of the biggest reasons to get this doorbell is the incredibly easy installation. It comes with all the tools you need to install it, and it's designed to either function using a battery or by being hardwired to your home. It even has interchangeable faceplates so you can select a design that looks best with your door. When the battery life gets low, it will send you a notification so you can recharge it. It typically takes 10 hours to reach a full charge and should last roughly 12 months.

This little device connects to your Wi-Fi, allowing you to monitor and control it using the Ring app or smart home services like Amazon Alexa or IFTTT. Link it to your accounts, and you can use it to talk with those on your porch via two-way communication, or simply to view motion detection alerts.

The biggest downside to this doorbell is that it only records when it detects motion. Some users complain about how the camera didn't start recording until after someone had already made off with their packages. As with the other doorbell cameras on this list, you'll need to pay a subscription to access videos. You can pay $10 per month for a Protect Plus Plan or $3 per month for a Protect Basic Plan.

Pros:

• Inexpensive
• Can set motion zones
• Interchangeable faceplates
• Works with smart home services
• Alerts you to motion detection
• 180-degree field of view

Cons:

• Only 720p video
• Only records when it detects motion

Best Budget

Ring Video Doorbell

• $100 at Amazon $100 at Walmart

An inexpensive smart doorbell

This is one of the cheapest doorbells you can find. You can either power it with a hardwired connection or rely on the rechargeable battery for power.

Best August Smart Lock Integration: August Doorbell Cam Pro (2nd Gen)

August is best known for its smart locks and keypads, but it also makes video doorbells to complete the whole smart door experience. If you already own an August smart lock, you should consider getting this doorbell. It works as a Wi-Fi bridge for the August Smart Lock Pro, which on its own can only be controlled via Bluetooth. When used together the Doorbell Cam Pro lets you control the Smart Lock Pro from anywhere on your smartphone as long as you have an internet connection.

This doorbell can also be controlled with Amazon Alexa, so you can use an Echo device to interact with it or talk with people on your porch. Something to note is that the square-shaped casing is broader than many other doorbells. You'll want to make sure you measure out the space of your existing doorbell to make sure it can fit. It does require a wired connection, so it takes more work to install than the battery operated options. The app is well organized and even includes step by step installation instructions to get you started.

This camera has an unusual resolution of 960x1280, which means the camera records vertically with a 120-degree field of view. While this does make it easier to use on a smartphone without turning the screen sideways, it makes it so you see less of your yard. Of course, if you have a long, narrow entryway, this won't be a problem. Unlike other doorbells that we looked at, you cannot set motion zones. This flaw means you'll be getting alerts whenever a car drives by instead of just when someone happens to be on your front yard. It comes with a free subscription plan that allows you to see 24 hours-worth of saved recordings. If you want a longer record, you'll have to pay more. There's the Premium Plan, which gives 15-days of recordings for $3 a month, or the Premium Plus Plan for 30-days of records at $5 per month.

Pros:

• Good app design
• Pairs with August smart lock and keypad
• Two-way audio

Cons:

• Vertical 120-degree field of view
• Requires hardwired installation
• Wide square design
• Can't set motion zones

Best Smart Lock Integration

August Doorbell Cam Pro

$198 at Amazon

Pairs perfectly to August smart locks

This camera doorbell works with August smart locks to help protect you and your home. Use it to monitor your porch more conveniently.

Best for Apartments or Condos: Ring Video Doorbell 2

Ring is a home security company owned by Amazon. As such it's not surprising to learn that Ring devices work super well with the Echo Show (2nd Gen), the Echo Show 8, or the Echo Show 5 to help you monitor your front yard or engage in two-way conversations with those on your porch. If your smart home is already primarily made up of Alexa devices, this is an excellent doorbell for you.

This camera offers better video quality than the original Ring Video Doorbell at an improved 1080p. Something I appreciate is that it's super easy to install since it can be either battery-powered or hardwired into your home. Since the hardwiring is optional, it's a great option to use on apartments and condos where permanent changes might not be allowed.

As with other Ring doorbells, this one only starts recording when it detects motion. Just be aware that several users have reported that their doorbell has only started recording once someone has already stolen a package or stolen the doorbell itself. Others have reported that the doorbell helped them see intruders or even scare them off before they did anything. It will just depend on how quickly your doorbell decides to turn on. As with other Ring doorbells, you'll need to pay a subscription if you want to view recordings.

Pros

• Battery or hardwired connection
• Easy installation
• 1080p video quality
• Motion detection

Cons

• Triggered recording
• Must pay subscription to view recordings

Best for Apartments or Condos

Ring Video Doorbell 2

$199 at Amazon

A sleek doorbell with quality video

It gives you 1080p of video resolution and works with Amazon Alexa. You can choose between a battery or a wired connection for power.

Best Amazon Doorbell: Ring Video Doorbell Pro

Of all of Ring's video doorbells, I like the shape of this one the most. Since it's smaller and slimmer than the others, it's more likely to fit on the door frame or wherever else your current doorbell resides. It's the most expensive unit on this list, but it also offers some features you won't find elsewhere. For one thing, it supports both a 5GHz and a 2.4GHz wireless connection, so you're more likely to get it to work on your Wi-Fi without connectivity issues.

Within the app, you can draw your own motion zones. I love this since it makes it, so you only get notifications if someone is on your property rather than every time a car passes by. The resolution is a beautiful 1080p, which will give you a clearer view of porch guests than many other doorbell cameras do.

This doorbell does require a hardwired connection so you'll need to do the wiring work to make that possible. Additionally, this Ring doorbell comes with a Pro Power Kit, that must be installed inside your home for the doorbell to work correctly. The thing with this kit is that it needs the right kind of transformer to work correctly, so you might need to go out and purchase a new one. As with other Ring doorbells, you'll need to pay a subscription to view recordings.

Pros:

• Detects motion better than other Rings
• 1080p video resolution
• Allows for 5GHz connection
• Can draw your own motion zones

Cons:

• Expensive
• Requires hardwired connection
• Pro Power Kit installation required
• Might need to upgrade transformer

Best Amazon Doorbell

Ring Video Doorbell Pro

$249 at Amazon $250 at Best Buy

A powerful doorbell that supports 5GHz

This premium Ring doorbell features a sleek design, offers 1080p video quality, and allows you to draw your own motion zones.

Best Peephole Upgrade: Ring Peephole Cam

Sometimes pulling out your phone to check to see who's on your front porch feels a little slow or even a little silly, especially when you're standing right behind the door. In these situations, it would be nice to just have something that worked as both a door camera and a peephole. Enter the Ring Peephole Cam. It's small and installs in place of your existing peephole to give you both an in-person and digital view of porch guests.

You can also set motion zones and make it so that the Ring device only alerts you if it sees movement in specified areas of your yard. One of the reasons this device is so easy to install is because it's battery-powered. You don't have to do any wiring to make it function. Now, if you don't already have a peephole in your door, the installation will be more of a challenge. In that case, you'll either need to drill a hole into your door or hire someone to do it for you.

As far as doorbells go, this one has a decent camera. It features a 1080p video for a clearer viewing experience. Additionally, the device features both a camera and a microphone. Using the app, you'll be able to talk with porch guests and hear their responses from anywhere. However, while some other buzzers feature HDR video, that's not something you'll find with this unit. Since this is an Amazon product, the camera only works with one smart home service: Amazon Alexa. If you prefer a different smart home assistant, this won't be the ideal option for you.

Pros:

• Physical peephole
• 1080p HD video quality
• Can set motion zones
• Battery-powered
• Two-way communication

Cons:

• Only works with Alexa
• Drilling a peephole might be daunting.
• No HDR video

Best Peephole Upgrade

Ring Peephole Cam

$199 at Amazon

A smart doorbell with a keyhole view

This doorbell is easy to install in doors that already have a peephole. It's also battery-powered, so you don't have to worry about wiring anything.

Ding dong

When you're looking to protect your home and deliveries, a smart doorbell is the way to go. There are several options on the market to choose from. We did the research and collected the best of the best for a variety of uses. When you go to purchase a smart doorbell, you'll want to consider a few things. Things like whether or not you want a wired connection, what kind of subscription plan you're willing to pay for, the size of the smart doorbell, and of course the price of the device itself.

We highly recommend the Nest Hello as it records non-stop instead of only recording when it detects motion. It also features 1080p of HDR video quality for a clearer view of guests and trespassers. Best of all, you can set detection zones and make it so the device can tell if a human is approaching rather than a car or animal. It even offers facial recognition to let you know if a friend is approaching your door.

Credits

Rebecca Spear loves keeping up-to-date with the latest and greatest electronics. She is a life-long gamer and a writer who has written hundreds of online articles over the past four years. On any given day you'll find her drawing with her Wacom tablet, playing video games, or reading a good book.