Saturday, June 30, 2018

Xiaomi pulled the Mi A1’s Android 8.1 Oreo update

  • Xiaomi released, then pulled, the Android 8.1 Oreo update for the Mi A1.
  • Device owners complained of deleted text messages and tripped SafetyNet.

Even though updates for the Xiaomi Mi A1 have been sporadic for months, the company's first and only Android One smartphone received its Android 8.1 Oreo update. According to XDA Developers, however, the update also introduces a few headaches.

For starters, Android 8.1 introduces features like a battery icon for your Bluetooth devices, semi-transparent Quick Settings panel that also goes light or dark based on your wallpaper, refreshed Settings menu, fixed burger emoji, and more. The update also bumps the security patch level to June 5 and improves sound quality.

However, the update did not introduce Project Treble. Instead, it brought two nasty bugs that might give you reason to hold off for now.

Editor's Pick

The first bug is one that wipes your entire SMS history. This apparently happens when you swipe away the messages app from the recent apps screen, so make sure you backup your text messages if you are wary of this happening to you.

Another bug causes SafetyNet to fail, which is a bit worrying. SafetyNet provides APIs that allow developers to check whether a device was tampered with, runs a custom ROM, or infected with low-level malware.

Thankfully, Xiaomi pulled the OTA update for the Mi A1. We do not know when the company will issue the update again, though it might wait until it fixes the bugs. If you are a Mi A1 owner and downloaded the update, Xiaomi might release a smaller update to fix the bugs.



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What’s the best waterproof phone pouch you can buy?

It's summer and that means it's time to get in the water! If you want to enjoy your time in the water without leaving your phone behind, a waterproof phone pouch is a must-have. Even if you happen to have a phone with waterproofing built-in, a pouch adds a little extra assurance. For those without waterproofing, it's the difference between a water-damaged phone and a functioning one. 

A waterproof phone pouch keeps your phone protected by sealing out all the water in a system that's not too dissimilar from a Ziplock bag. Yeah, they are not pretty, but they will get the job done better than anything else. What's even better is that you can actually use your phone while underwater with them. They are transparent, so you can operate the touchscreen through them and even take underwater photos.

Want to get your own waterproof phone pouch? There's several options out there. Let's start with our top recommended pick, the CaliCase. 

CaliCase floating waterproof phone pouch

Promoted

CB3-Cali-Case-Shoot-107 (1)

CaliCase might just be the highest quality waterproof case on the market, it looks and feels resistant from the first time you hold it. It floats so you don't have to worry about your phone sinking and if you want to go underwater you can go up to 100 feet thanks to it's IPX8 Certification.

We like CaliCase pouches because the company seems to have really put effort into making this otherwise simple product one that is well thought out. While most competitors have a single layer of cheap plastic protecting your devices, CaliCase uses dual PVC protection, a strong carabiner and a high-quality lanyard.

The CaliCase fits every size phone and is available in 15 different stylish colors. The CaliCase costs $14.99 – but your are in luck, we have secured a $5 off coupon. Just enter: CALI5 at checkout on CaliCase.com

Buy CaliCase


JOTO cellphone dry bag

joto-pouch

This one is a little cheaper than CaliCase's and a great alternative. Though it may not feel as solid, the company promises the same functionality and they have a similar design language. Also rated IPX8, it can be submerged to 100 feet and does fit phones sized up to 6 inches.

It goes for $7.25-9.99 on Amazon. A small price to pay to keep your phone safe.

Buy at Amazon


3iArt floating waterproof phone pouch

3iArt-pouch

The 3iArt pouch is really nothing special, but it has a little something under its… sleeve. First, let's start by telling you it fits 7-inch phones and is rated IPX8, which means it can go down to 100 feet and survive. It does also float, but what makes it awesome is that you can listen to your music while rocking this pouch.

There's a 3.5 mm plug inside, which you can connect to your smartphone. This connects to an outside port you can use with any headphones. Of course, you should also find waterproof headphones, though. At $11.97, it's not a bad deal.

Buy at Amazon


FRiEQ Floating Waterproof Phone Pouch

If you need a case that floats and are looking for a fun colorful case then the Frieq Waterproof pouch might just be the case you are looking for.

The Frieq case fits all phones up to 5.7″ and comes with IPX8 certified to 100 feet underwater. The case is available at Amazon for $11.99

BUY AT AMAZON


There are a ton of waterproof phone pouch cases out there, and so this list could go on forever but the ones above represent our favorites. The rest really all mostly look the same and perform the same job in a very similar fashion. For the most part, you can't go wrong regardless of what you pick, as long as you do your research to ensure they are as waterproof as they claim to be.

Do you have any options you prefer? Have you had any experience with pouch cases? Hit the comments to let us know!

Affiliate disclosure: We may receive compensation in connection with your purchase of products via links on this page. The compensation received will never influence the content, topics or posts made in this blog. See our disclosure policy for more details.


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The 3 best and worst things about the Moto G6

I'll be the first to admit that the Moto G6 is not the most exciting phone in the world. The days of being wowed by sub-$300 phones simply on the basis of not being terrible are long gone, but Motorola still rolls new budget devices out every year. The new Moto G6 is probably at the top of the list for many budget phone shoppers. Our full review includes ample details, but here are the three best and worst things about the G6.

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The 3 best and worst things about the Moto G6 was written by the awesome team at Android Police.



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Google app v8.10 beta prepares image search from screenshots, Routines to lock doors, and much more [APK Teardown]

The Google devs are at it again with another late-night rollout of the Google app. Like most others, this update doesn't appear to bring any specific live changes, but it does include clues for a lot of the upcoming changes. There's plenty here to talk about, so let's just jump into it.

Teardown

Disclaimer: Teardowns are based on evidence found inside of apks (Android's application package) and are necessarily speculative and usually based on incomplete information.
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Google app v8.10 beta prepares image search from screenshots, Routines to lock doors, and much more [APK Teardown] was written by the awesome team at Android Police.



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3 camera lenses? Psh, Light might be bringing 9 lenses to a new smartphone

Huawei P20 Pro camera detail 3

  • Camera company Light is developing a smartphone that could have up to nine camera lenses.
  • Light created the L16, a DSLR-replacement camera with 16 lenses.
  • Light says its new smartphone could launch this year, but it will likely be very expensive.

Remember the Light L16 camera? In 2015, a company with the very un-Googleable name Light announced a new type of camera that has 16 lenses working simultaneously to create DSLR-quality photos.

You may not remember the story, but you probably remember the way the L16 looked:

An image of the Light L16, showing its 16 lenses. Light

In 2015, the L16 seemed pretty crazy. But today, with smartphones like the Huawei P20 Pro (pictured at the top of this article) sporting three lenses working together to create high-quality images, it seems much less insane.

Light might have just been ahead of the curve with its product idea, but now that we're getting more used to the concept of multiple-lensed cameras, the company is working to bring a new smartphone to the world that will sport anywhere from five to nine lenses.

Editor's Pick

According to an article in The Washington Post, Light has multiple prototypes in the pipeline it is testing for launch sometime this year. Light claims that with its multiple-lenses on a phone, users could capture 64MP shots. Wow.

However, to get that technology you'd better be ready to pay up, as the Light L16 starts at nearly $2,000. While these prototype smartphones have a fewer number of lenses – and will thus likely be less expensive than the L16 – you probably won't be buying one of these future Light smartphones for less than a grand.

What do you think? Would you buy an ultra-expensive smartphone that could very well replace your DSLR? Let us know in the comments!

NEXT: The LG V40 might pack five cameras



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[Update: APK download] Uber is piloting a Lite version of its rider app in India

  • We've now got the Uber Lite APK over at APK Mirror. We also have its Play Store link, though it's not live to the public yet. If you're

Scaled down versions of apps are nothing new; Google has made plenty of "Go" apps made specifically for emerging markets where internet connections are unreliable, phones are generally less capable, and plans offer less data. Uber is now getting in on the act, too.

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[Update: APK download] Uber is piloting a Lite version of its rider app in India was written by the awesome team at Android Police.



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Some Android developers see huge drops in app installs after Google 'enhances' Play Store algorithms

Last August, Google announced an enhancement to its Play Store search and discovery algorithms, all in the pursuit of a better consumer experience. This was a natural next step after the company said it began tuning its algorithms "to optimize for user engagement, not just downloads" at its Developer Day at the Game Developers Conference in February 2017. In part, these moves appeared to be shots across the bow aimed at getting developers in line.

Read More

Some Android developers see huge drops in app installs after Google 'enhances' Play Store algorithms was written by the awesome team at Android Police.



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