Tuesday, 1 January 2019
The best January sales 2019: where to find the best deals right now
The best cheap Fitbit sale prices and deals in January 2019
Cheap Fitbit sale prices can save you a lot of money at this time of year as the number one name in fitness trackers are a popular pick to keep you inspired to nail those New Year Resolution fitness goals.
The competition in the fitness tracker world is ever-growing, which is actually good news for lower Fitbit prices as the brand has to push hard to remain competitive in price. And with each fresh iteration of its fitness trackers or smart watches we see further improvements, showing that corners aren't being cut to keep prices down either. New versions usually mean cheaper Fitbit prices on older models too, so there's always a bargain to be had somewhere.
This guide to the best cheapest Fitbit deals takes a look at the models still readily available and compares prices at a wide range of retailers. So if the newer ones are looking a bit pricey for your needs, keep scrolling down, and we're sure we'll be able to find you something.
The Fitbit Charge 3 is a marked improvement over the still-impressive Charge 2. The thinner design with softer angles on all sides make it a more comfortable wear. There's a proper touchscreen this time too rather than a tap-to-cycle one. The Charge 3 is waterproof up to 50m, meaning it's absolutely fine to wear while swimming and it has tracking features to use while you do. Add in a heart-rate tracker, multiple apps for loads of different sports and a seven-day charge time (two days longer than before) and the Fitbit Charge 3 prices start to look like excellent value for money. The prices below are for the standard version, if you want to see the special edition version with its woven or silicon straps and Fitbit pay functionality we've rounded up the prices for that one on this guide for every edition of the Fitbit Charge 3.
The Fitbit Alta is a fetching, form-fitting fitness tracker that looks more like a bracelet. But don't let its looks fool you too much. Underneath, it packs in the same Fitbit smarts, like step, exercise and sleep tracking functionalities.
To top it off, the battery life is astoundingly good. The display, while quite small offers much more feedback than the LED lights of the cheaper Fitbit Flex 2. For us, this is the best cheap Fitbit option if you don't want to spend a lot on one. The Flex 2 is just too basic on its own.
The Fitbit Alta HR takes the fetching formula of the original and adds heart rate monitoring into the mix. During use, we found it to be surprisingly accurate and the OLED display shows the metrics in a simple, easy-to-read fashion.
Much of this package is also available on the Alta, like the usual Fitbit smarts, including step, exercise and sleep tracking functionalities. To top it off, the battery life is astoundingly good.
Opt for this model if heart rate-based exercise is important to you. It's mostly the same as the original Alta, but the added functionality for not much extra cash down is a good thing in our book.
The Fitbit Ace is aimed at the kids' market, or more likely, fitness-conscious parents. Thankfully, Fitbit hasn't gone too far down the targeted design route and the Fitbit Ace actually looks very similar to the design of the Fitbit Alta rather than opting for zany colours or ugly armour casing.
The Fitbit Ace fitness apps inside have been simplified a little though to make it much more child-friendly and there are star badges to 'gamify' exercise a bit more and give them incentives to be more active. There's a decent level of waterproofing too as the Ace will withstand splashes, rain and even showers - although it won't stand for being submerged in the bath or the swimming pool. The smaller wrist-strap can be a better fit for smaller children too.
If your child is a bit older, tech-savvy or growing fast, it may be worth skipping the Fitbit Ace and looking at the regular Fitbit Alta as we find it's generally cheaper nowadays, although it's only water-resistant against mild splashes and rain.
Fitbit Charge 2, another modern spin on a Fitbit classic, is packed with improvements and thoughtful tweaks over the original to make it worth your consideration. First off, the screen has been blown out to display even more information than before, including smartphone notifications – even if the feature is a bit limited.
In addition, the Charge 2 features multi-sport tracking through the comprehensive Fitbit app that we know and love. This Fitbit isn't the cheapest model out there, but if it's multi-sport tracking data and on-screen information you seek, the Charge 2 will fit the bill. Better yet, with the Charge 3 out as well now, prices will start to fall on this version.
If the Apple Watch and Android Wear (and now the Fitbit Ionic) smartwatches have caught your eye, but you don't want to sacrifice fitness know-how (or hundreds of dollars), the Fitbit Blaze may be the wearable for you. It boasts a vibrant display that showcases fitness metrics and a healthy share of smartphone notifications. This is one of the most versatile Fitbits that you can purchase at the moment. This model is splashproof, but not waterproof. But, the Fitbit Charge is much smarter than most and is one to consider if being connected is important to you. Connected GPS allows you to track run routes if you have your phone with you too.
The Fitbit Ionic marked Fitbit's move deeper into smartwatch territory. It combines the best Fitbit goal-tracking software with all of the major features of a smartwatch, and it's a little cheaper than an Apple Watch. Plus, it works with both iOS and Android.
The built-in GPS technology also means you don't have to take your smartphone out with you to track a route on a run either. You can also upload music to the device and pair it with some wireless headphones for tunes on the go.
Another of Fitbit's wearables is an update to one of its oldest: the Fitbit Flex. The latest Fitbit Flex 2 doesn't do a whole lot to change the familiar look, but the innards have been refreshed to make this the one worth buying over the original. It's smaller, more fashionable, and most importantly, it's water-resistant, which was a first for Fitbit at the time.
The lack of a screen might be a bother for some, but if you can adjust, this fitness tracker compensates by being remarkably low-profile. You don't even need to take it off before you hop in the shower. If a no-fuss tracker is on your list, this is your match. We'd give some serious though to spending a bit more and going for one of te alta models mentioned above though instead as the addition of a screen makes things much easier.
If you're someone who works out a ton, you'll want to know about the Fitbit Surge. Competing against Garmin's high-end trackers, the Surge is Fitbit's most robust offering, packing in a long 7-day battery inside, along with a GPS sensor that can track your run or walk for up to 10 consecutive hours.
It costs more than many other wearables in the Fitbit range, but it is generally better value than most smartwatches boasting similar specs. The inclusion of GPS, its splashproof design and a battery that can last up to 7 days makes it a smart option for workout enthusiasts.
While its feature set isn’t quite on par with that of its bigger brother the Ionic, the Fitbit Versa feels like the same watch but with a lighter and friendlier design and a much lower price point. It brings a clear, bright and beautiful screen, a new and improved heart rate sensor that will apparently be updated with even smarter functionality via a firmware update, smart notifications, contactless payment capabilities, and all the features Fitbit users will have come to know and love.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/cheap-fitbit
Best DSLR for beginners 2019: 10 cheap DSLRs perfect for new users
If you're ready to make the step-up from your smartphone or point-and-shot, then these are the best beginner DSLRs you can buy right now in 2019.
An entry-level, beginner DSLR is the natural progression when you feel like you've outgrown your point-and-shoot compact camera or are no longer satisfied with the snaps you get from your smartphone. If that's that case, you've come to the right place to find out what the the best entry-level DSLR is to help you take your photography to the next level.
DSLRs for beginners deliver a big step up in image quality over a compact camera or smartphone. They may share the same amount of megapixels, but the size of an entry-level DSLR's sensor is physically much larger in most cases, allowing for superior results with more detail and better low-light performance. That's not forgetting that entry-level DSLRs offer far more manual control and the ability to change lenses to tackle a huge variety of projects. Don't worry though – there are also a host of auto modes to help you out until you're comfortable with the more creative controls that a DSLR offers.
Obviously, the more features you want on your entry-level DSLR, the more you'll pay, but do you actually need them? Our top camera is one of the cheapest on the market, but still offers impressive performance and image quality, plus enough features to handle most photographic assignments, especially if you're still learning.
You may also want to consider a mirrorless camera as an alternative. If so, you'll find our video above or Mirrorless vs DSLR cameras: 10 key differences guide very useful. Or, if you're not sure what kind of camera you need at all, then read our easy-to-follow guide to camera types: What camera should I buy?
Should you buy a mirrorless camera over a DSLR? Watch our guide video below to learn more:
Entry-level DSLR bundles
If you're buying your first DSLR, it makes sense to buy it as a kit, which generally includes the camera body along with an 18-55mm lens. Often referred to as a 'kit' lens, this covers a pretty broad zoom range, perfect for everything from landscapes to portraits, but that's just the start.
Look closely though and manufacturers will often offer two type of kit lens - one with image stabilization and one without. There's not much difference in price normally, so go for the kit with the image stabilised lens as it'll make it easier to sharper shoot images at slower shutter speeds.
They're more than adequate to get started, but the key advantage of DSLRs over compact cameras is that you can add to your kit with additional lenses. For example, wide-angle and telephoto zoom lenses, a flashgun, and other accessories, to make the most of whatever types of photography you're into.
Before we take a look at the best DSLRs for beginners, we wanted to highlight a great mirrorless alternative. The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III is styled like a DSLR, with a viewfinder mounted on the top, but this camera is so small it scarcely takes up more space than mirrorless cameras with no viewfinder at all. It has a Micro Four Thirds sensor a little smaller than the APS-C sensors used by DSLRs, and 16 megapixels rather than the usual 24, but the smaller sensor means smaller lenses, and you’re not likely to notice the difference in megapixels in real-world shooting, provided you're not expecting to print too large. What you will notice is this camera’s great build quality and finish, its responsiveness, its excellent built in Art Filters and the rather clever shooting options in its Advanced Photo mode. Olympus offers a good range of lenses, too.
- Read our in-depth Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III review
Best DSLRs for beginners in 2019
2018 saw a handful of beginner DSLRs launched, including the Canon EOS Rebel T7 (known as the EOS 2000D outside the US) and the Nikon D3500. In 2019, we expect to see replacements for Canon's EOS Rebel T7i (known as the EOS 800D outside the US) and Nikon's D5600, but these are likely to be minor upgrades rather than sweeping changes, so don't let that put you off buying either of these great entry-level DSLRs. For now, this is our pick of the best DSLRs for beginners in 2019.
Nikon's latest entry-level DSLR replaces the D3400 below, and while its shares a very similar specification on the inside, it benefits from a comfier handgrip and revised control layout at the rear. The new 24.2MP sensor delivers excellent levels of detail, while the D3500 is easy to get to grips with. This is helped by Nikon's clever Guide mode, that gives real-time explanations of key shooting features. If you're looking to get more creative with your photography, and looking for your first DSLR, the Nikon D3500 is hard to beat.
- Read our in-depth Nikon D3500 review
It's just been replaced by the D3500, but don't discount the D3400. Sporting a range of features perfect for the novice user, this is still a great camera to get started on the road to more creative photography. Sharing many of the same internal specs as the D3500, the battery life is brilliant, while the images won't disappoint. If you don't mind having the latest model and you can pick the D3400 for less than the D3500, then this is still a great buy.
- Read our in-depth Nikon D3400 review
The EOS Rebel T7i (known as the EOS 800D outside) sits at the top of Canon's entry-level EOS DSLR range. Sporting a newly designed 24.2MP sensor that delivers an improved high ISO performance over older models, the Rebel T7i's autofocus also gets a boost, now with a 45-point arrangement that's backed up by excellent live view AF system. There's also newly designed graphical interface that will certainly make this camera even more appealing to new users, but the absence of 4K video and the quality of the exterior materials disappoint. Perhaps the most expensive option out there, but definitely one of the best.
- Read our in-depth Canon EOS Rebel T7i / EOS 800D review
The D5600 competes directly with Canon's EOS Rebel T7i / EOS 800D at the upper end of the entry-level DSLR market. Where Nikon's D3000-series cameras are designed as cost-conscious introductory DSLRs, the D5000-series is preferable if you want to get more creative. The D5600 sports a large 3.2-inch vari-angle touchscreen, and while the live view focusing speed could be quicker, the 39-point AF system is the best you'll find in a entry-level DSLR. There isn't much wrong with the D5600's 24.2MP sensor either, delivering excellent results, while the logical control layout of the D5600 makes it easy to use.
- Read our in-depth Nikon D5600 review
The EOS Rebel T6i (Called the EOS 750D outside the US) may have just been by the EOS Rebel T7i / 800D last year, but is still a great option if the price of the newer model puts you off. While the sensor isn't quite as good as the one in the newer T7i despite sharing the same resolution, it's still very good, while the vari-angle touchscreen is still one of the best around. AF performance could be better though, but overall this is still a very capable entry-level DSLR.
- Read our in-depth Canon EOS Rebel T6i / EOS 750D review
The D5300 was around for little more than a year before the D5500 technically replaced it (which has in turn be replaced by the D5600). It shares the same 24.2MP sensor with an identical maximum ISO25,600 sensitivity as the D5500, whilst the D5300's EXPEED 4 image processor and 39-point autofocus system have also been carried over to its replacement. The D5300 doesn't sporta fancy touchscreen control, you do get GPS instead, while the D5300's 600-shot battery life will still outlast a Canon EOS Rebel T6i / EOS 750D. All in all, it may not be the latest entry-level DSLR, but the D5300 is still a smart buy.
- Read our in-depth Nikon D5300 review
Canon introduced the EOS Rebel SL1 (EOS 100D outside the US) to compete with the influx of mirrorless cameras and it was the smallest DSLR available when it was introduced in March 2013. Now replaced by the EOS Rebel SL2 (EOS 200D), its slightly bulkier proportions make it feel more like a slightly pared-down Rebel T7i / 800D than anything unique. It's not a bad option for new users, but there are better-value alternatives available at the moment.
- Read our in-depth Canon EOS Rebel SL2 / EOS 200D review
The EOS Rebel T7 (known as the EOS 2000D outside the US) is Canon's cheap and cheerful entry-level DSLR. While not featuring quite the same impressive spec as pricier models up the Canon range, you still get a pretty solid set of features for the beginner including Wi-Fi and NFC technology built-in. This means you can transfer images to your smartphone for super-quick sharing. Images from the 24.1MP sensor are more and adequate, but not quite a match for those from the EOS Rebel T7i / EOS 800D. The 9-point autofocus system, as well as the Live View AF system is disappointing, while there's no touchscreen either.
- Read our in-depth Canon EOS Rebel T7 / EOS 2000D review
Replaced by the D3400 last year, the D3300 and D3400 share a very similar set of features (and design for that matter). The biggest difference between the two though is the D3300's lack of connectivity - if you want to transfer your images to your smartphone or tablet, you'll need to invest in Nikon's cheap plug-in Wi-Fi adapter that plugs into one of the ports on the D3300. With stocks running down as the D3400 takes hold, the D3300 is becoming less easy to come by, but if you do track one down at a good price, then you'll get yourself a great beginner DSLR.
- Read our in-depth Nikon D3300 review
It's just been replaced by the EOS Rebel T7 / EOS 2000D (above), but that does mean that the EOS Rebel T6 (known as the EOS 1300D outside the US) should now be even cheaper. In many ways the specification is very similar to the newer camera, with the key difference being the Rebel T6 features a 18MP sensor, which compared to rivals, is starting to show its age against rivals with higher pixel counts. Canon's just announced its replacement, the EOS Rebel T7 / EOS 2000D, so you might be able to track this down at an even more tempting price before it disappears for good.
- Read our in-depth Canon EOS Rebel T6 / EOS 1300D review
- Best camera
- Best DSLR
- Best mirrorless camera
- Best 4K camera
- Best full-frame camera
- Best compact camera
- What camera should I buy?
- Mirrorless vs DSLR: 10 key differences
- Camera rumors
source http://www.techradar.com/news/best-entry-level-dslr-camera
Monday, 31 December 2018
Android through the ages: the history of Google’s smartphone OS
In the beginning there was Cupcake
2008, when pinch-to-zoom was a right reserved for iPhones and BlackBerrys were still the business, a new kind of smartphone hit the scene: the Android smartphone.
Starting at version 1.5 for public consumption, Android was launched on the HTC Dream (known as the T-Mobile G1 in the US), a QWERTY keyboard-packing slider phone. Based on a modified version of Linux, Android offered something very different to the iPhone: freedom.
An open source Cupcake
Unlike iOS’s heavily policed, locked-down operating system, Android arrived with the promise of open source everything. Google made access to the Android Market (now called the Google Play Store) freely available, and users could even customize their home screens with widgets, offering in-app functionality from said home screen, no app opening needed.
With Android 1.5, codenamed Cupcake, a new way was born.
Android 1.6: Donut
Is it an albatross? Is it a jumbo jet? No! It’s the Dell Streak!
Version 1.6 of Android, Doughnut was announced in 2009, and it’s the update we have to blame for today’s giant phones that don’t quite fit in normal-sized pockets.
While Android tablets hadn’t quite taken off by this point, Donut was a step ahead, laying the foundations for the ‘phablet’, and introducing support for more screen sizes than Cupcake.
Big screens ahoy!
The aforementioned 5-inch Dell Streak, for example, despite being small by today’s standards, was a veritable beast when it was launched, and it owed its big screen to advances Donut introduced.
Other innovative features introduced in Android 1.6 included a text-to-speech engine, universal search and a more complete battery usage screen, so you knew which apps were draining your smartphone dry.
Android 2.0: Eclair
Who knew there was ever a time when you couldn’t have multiple Google accounts on your Android smartphone? We did!
Eclair, named for the choux pastry French patisserie staple, remedied account limitations and more.
Multi-touch me
But multiple accounts wasn’t the highlight feature of Android 2.0 – oh no. Eclair finally introduced multi-touch to smartphones that weren’t made by Apple (although that created something of a hoo-ha in itself.)
Take a picture, open it up, pinch to zoom… Android and iOS were in a two-horse race now, and Android was catching up.
Eclair also introduced Google Maps navigation, as well as additional camera modes, live wallpapers and Bluetooth 2.1 support.
Android 2.2: Froyo
Froyo, aka frozen yoghurt, is confectionary number four, and Android version 2.2. Loaded up on classic phones like the Samsung Galaxy S2 and the HTC Incredible S, it marked the point at which Android hardware started to feel more premium, finally doing justice to the OS inside – from Super AMOLED screens bettering the LCDs of iPhones through to excellent industrial design from the likes of HTC.
Get some Froyo on that hotspot
Version 2.2 also introduced a feature that could make Android phones more attractive than iPhones for the everyday user – Froyo’s most practical highlight was most definitely mobile Wi-Fi hotspotting.
While Windows phones had Bluetooth and USB hotspot tools before, the idea of using high-speed Wi-Fi tethering to share your phone’s (then blazingly fast) 3G data with a laptop or even another smartphone was vindication for Android fans the world over.
Apple would take a full year to get the feature onto iPhones, with many carriers still blocking iPhone tethering for some time to come.
Android 2.3: Gingerbread
Android Gingerbread didn’t get a new look or feel compared to Froyo, but it did get a host of new features, including support for new sensors, including NFC. Other highlights included internet calling and a new download manager – but none of those were our highlights.
Copy, paste, catch up with Apple
Oh no – our highlight was the seemingly rudimentary and long-overdue copy and paste feature that was giving iPhones the text-editing edge over Androids for over a year: single word selection.
Before Gingerbread, Android copying was clumsy, given the fact that only entire text boxes could be selected. 2010 saw Google closing the gap, with a long press over a word selecting just that word, and displaying a pop-up menu that included copy and paste options, just like we have on Android phones today.
Android 3.0: Honeycomb
Remember the Motorola Xoom? No, not the Microsoft Zune – we’re talking about the Motorola tablet that introduced Google’s tablet version of Android, codenamed Honeycomb.
The most striking difference between it and any version of Android we'd seen before was the interface. Introducing ‘Holographic’ UI elements, Google went a bit Tron here – all illuminated lines, gradient halo highlights around objects – and while it didn’t look timeless, it did look cool.
On-screen navigation, the shape of things to come...
Android phones today seldom sport hardware navigation buttons; that’s to say, the back, home and recent apps buttons are in a navigation bar at the bottom of the screen on the biggest phones out now – the Google Pixel 3, Samsung Galaxy S9 and Huawei Mate 20 for example.
Funnily enough, we don’t have a mobile OS to thank for this – it was first introduced in Honeycomb, with the back, home and recent apps buttons displayed in the bottom-left of the home screen.
Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich
So long physical buttons, hello unified Android typeface!
Ice Cream Sandwich was probably one of the richest updates Android has seen. Available on the Galaxy Nexus and HTC One X, it brought an excellent in-gallery photo editor to the table, as well as a data limiter within the settings.
The whole look and feel was refined, in line with Honeycomb’s design direction, and it delivered a much richer experience than Android 2.3..
Swipe to dismiss
In hindsight, probably the most pervasive feature introduced in this version was the swipe to dismiss gesture.
While it had been used by other smartphone manufacturers before, getting Android users comfortable with this little swipe gesture ensured its rise to ubiquity.
Swipe to dismiss interaction has since, for example, shaped email and text message handling, influenced Windows 10’s touchscreen notification management, and is a fundamental component of everyone’s favorite dating app, Tinder.
Android 4.1: Jelly Bean
Jelly Bean was a tale of three parts: 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3.
4.1 was all about refinements. It took Ice Cream Sandwich and made it smoother, introduced improved support for multiple languages, and automatically resized widgets to fit your home screen.
Android 4.2 was a further refinement, this time polishing the look and feel, making for an excellent-looking tablet UI, showcased well on the Nexus 10, complete with Miracast wireless display projection support.
The final episode – Return of the Jelly Bean, if you will – was a corker for developers, giving them tools to improve UI smoothness, use the latest version of Bluetooth and restrict profiles on devices with multiple user accounts – handy for parents and businesses alike.
Expandable notifications
Our Jelly Bean highlight? Dragging down with two fingers for expanded notifications. This feature gave users a peak into the details of their most recent updates. So, if your notification read '3 new tweets', a two-finger drag down would expand the notification and showcase who those tweets were from, with a snippet of the message itself.
Simple, and still in Android today.
Android 4.4: KitKat
Emojis on the Google Keyboard, lower RAM requirements paving the way for budget Android phones, and NFC security being bumped up to help make mobile payments a reality – all this and more was loaded inside the Android 4.4 KitKat update.
'Okay Google, will this ever catch on?'
But it was Google Now becoming a voice assistant that blazed the trail for today’s world of talkative phone assistants and smart speakers.
The always-on microphone and 'OK Google' command were introduced alongside KitKat in October 2013, harnessing the power of Google Search.
It paved the way for Apple's Siri, set to follow in June 2014, and the two-horse mobile OS race was about to splinter into separate smartphone and a voice assistant contests, with Google making the early running.
Android 5.0: Lollipop
Material Design, Google’s flatter interface that features fewer gradients and a cleaner look than Jelly Bean, debuted on Android 5.0.
Support for 64-bit architecture was also introduced, helping Android achieve near-parity with desktop operating systems when it came to power potential, as was improved notification handling on lock screens.
Setting the scene for wearables
But the hidden gem within Android Lollipop was support for Bluetooth LE, or low energy.
This feature meant that wearable technology could finally exist without draining your phone’s battery dry. With lower battery demands, Bluetooth LE also enabled manufacturers to create smartwatches and fitness trackers with low-capacity batteries, small enough to fit inside a device that looked good and which could be worn comfortably.
Android 6.0: Marshmallow
Launching on the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, these Marshmallow devices introduced USB-C ports and fingerprint scanners to the Nexus line.
As for the software, app security was tightened up with element-specific permissions prompting users to grant access to apps that needed to use things like their camera, phone etc.
Android 6.0 also supported MicroSD card integration into internal storage - handy for phones with under 16GB storage, though this feature has since been removed.
Doze mode
For a second time in a row, a battery saving feature is our Android highlight.
If you left your Marshmallow phone unplugged and stationary for a period of time with the screen off, apps go into standby and Doze mode is activated
This saved battery power and cemented Android as the operating system to go for if you wanted the battery edge, with Android hardware packing higher capacity batteries than iPhones, and its software optimised to take advantage of them.
Android 7.0: Nougat
Quick app switching by double-tapping the recent apps key, gender and race-specific emojis, separate home and lock screen wallpapers… Android Nougat made things both more functional and more attractive, but it also borrowed something from Samsung.
Split-screen multitasking
Having introduced split-screen multitasking on its Note line, Samsung was ahead of the curve. Google lifted the experience, and made it part of stock Android 7 over a year later, allowing one half of the screen to be used for one app, and the other half for another.
Google did do some cool stuff with the feature – Android 7 offered split-screen handling of two Chrome tabs for example, and even supported dragging and dropping of an image file across tabs.
Android 8.0: Oreo
Shiny new battery menus and notification dots on app icons – Android Oreo brought with it a slew of refinements to the UI, not to mention better storage management, with a new file browser and more granular storage control within the settings.
Floating videos are cool, right?
But the highlight feature everybody wanted, and never ended up using when it launched, was picture-in-picture, another feature introduced by Samsung and later adopted by Google for stock Android.
This little floating video window showcases a video in your UI, so you can get on with Twitter scrolling without having to stop watching your favorite show.
While initially it was awkward to activate and, frankly, a bit useless, now it’s reaching fruition, with apps like Netflix, WhatsApp and YouTube having adopted support for it.
Android 9.0: Pie
We’re finally all caught up. Google’s 2018/19 build of Android, Android 9.0, aka Pie, is the freshest version shipping on the latest and greatest hardware, including the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL.
Loaded up with notch support, improved battery smarts and a revamped UI, complete with iPhone X-esque navigations, Android Pie is gearing Google smartphones up for their impending all-screen, bezel-free futures.
A side serving of social responsibility
Digital Wellbeing is a suite of services available in Beta right now as part of the Android P update. Including elements like a dashboard to help you better understand your app usage, it’s all about using your phone a bit less, or at least a bit more mindfully.
Additional tools range from app limiters through to a grayscale mode to give your eyes a break, as well as a wind-down feature, to help you disconnect at the end of a working day.
With Google having iterated over 14 versions of Android, servicing more than two billion users, it’s a fitting conclusion to the current chapter that the big G has shifted focus to Digital Wellbeing, given the operating system’s vast reach.
Q is for… ?
But what about the shape of things to come? Android 10 will likely drop in the second half of 2019, and we already know it’s coming to the new Essential Phone.
As for its name, the distinct lack of confectionaries beginning with the letter ‘Q’ is keeping everyone guessing. Keep checking in with TechRadar throughout 2019 for the latest updates on Android Q, and to find out more about Pie, read our Android 9.0 overview.
- Brought to you in association with Nokia and Android One, helping you to make more of your smartphone. You can learn more about the new Nokia 7.1 here, and you'll find more great advice on getting the most from your phone here.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/android-through-the-ages-the-history-of-googles-smartphone-os