The Nothing Launcher made its debut last month. At the time, the beta release was only available for a select number of handsets — namely some Pixel devices, some OnePlus devices, and the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S22 series’. It looks like things have changed, with the launcher’s compatibility being expanded to all Android devices running Android 11 or higher.
So, what does the Nothing Launcher offer? At the moment, it’s more of a preview of what’s to come. You get to check out unique graphics and animations, along with what Nothing is calling Max Icons and Folders. These two features give users the ability to enlarge individual apps or app folders by using a tap and hold action. There is also a clock and weather widget, presented in Nothing’s dot-matrix style. Finally, the launcher has a custom wallpaper and a link to download additional wallpapers and three ringtones.
If you’ve never heard of Nothing, the company was founded by former OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei. Its initial backers included the likes of Tony Fadell (father of the iPod), Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, and more. Less than a year after its launch, the company would debut its first product, the ear (1). The earphones were unique in their design, created in partnership with Teenage Engineering, but turned out to be nothing special. Despite this, it gave a glimpse at the company’s direction and desired design aesthetic.
Nothing would go on to announce its next product, the phone (1), though didn’t give any additional information. It’s unclear exactly what kind of phone it will create, but the company did purchase Andy Rubin’s Essential brand and its trademarks. The Essential PH-1 was quite interesting for its time and it’s partially because of this that there is a heightened interest in the phone (1). For now, you’ll have to be content with the Nothing Launcher, but you won’t have to wait long, as the phone (1) is expected to launch in the summer of 2022.
The Nothing Launcher made its debut last month. At the time, the beta release was only available for a select number of handsets — namely some Pixel devices, some OnePlus devices, and the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S22 series’. It looks like things have changed, with the launcher’s compatibility being expanded to all Android devices running Android 11 or higher.
So, what does the Nothing Launcher offer? At the moment, it’s more of a preview of what’s to come. You get to check out unique graphics and animations, along with what Nothing is calling Max Icons and Folders. These two features give users the ability to enlarge individual apps or app folders by using a tap and hold action. There is also a clock and weather widget, presented in Nothing’s dot-matrix style. Finally, the launcher has a custom wallpaper and a link to download additional wallpapers and three ringtones.
If you’ve never heard of Nothing, the company was founded by former OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei. Its initial backers included the likes of Tony Fadell (father of the iPod), Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, and more. Less than a year after its launch, the company would debut its first product, the ear (1). The earphones were unique in their design, created in partnership with Teenage Engineering, but turned out to be nothing special. Despite this, it gave a glimpse at the company’s direction and desired design aesthetic.
Nothing would go on to announce its next product, the phone (1), though didn’t give any additional information. It’s unclear exactly what kind of phone it will create, but the company did purchase Andy Rubin’s Essential brand and its trademarks. The Essential PH-1 was quite interesting for its time and it’s partially because of this that there is a heightened interest in the phone (1). For now, you’ll have to be content with the Nothing Launcher, but you won’t have to wait long, as the phone (1) is expected to launch in the summer of 2022.
OnePlus is sweating it hard to improve its ColorOS-flavored OxygenOS 12 UI to be more user-friendly and less buggy. The stable version of the software is already available for users of the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 8 series. It’s also available as a closed beta for the OnePlus 9RT. However, if you’re among those who prefer a clean and minimal, stock Android interface, then you’ll be happy to know that the OnePlus 9RT has now got two great options.
You can now try out an unofficial build of the Pixel Experience ROM as well as an unofficial LineageOS 19 custom ROM on your OnePlus 9RT (code-name “martini”). Both of these ROMs are based on Android 12L and offer a near-stock experience, though Pixel Experience will give you a bunch of Google Pixel-like features out of the box.
The two custom ROMs are compatible with the Chinese and Indian variants of the OnePlus 9RT. Before starting, you must ensure that the bootloader on the phone is unlocked. Since there’s no TWRP build available for this device yet, you have to install the ROMs using the Fastboot interface. The developer of the ROMs, XDA Recognized Developer abhinavgupta371, has shared the work-in-progress kernel source as well, so that other developers can support this device.
For an initial release, the ROMs appear to be relatively stable. The developer says the only noticeable bug is that the touchscreen gestures are not working. If you’re interested in flashing either of these ROMs, then check out the forum links below.
OnePlus is sweating it hard to improve its ColorOS-flavored OxygenOS 12 UI to be more user-friendly and less buggy. The stable version of the software is already available for users of the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 8 series. It’s also available as a closed beta for the OnePlus 9RT. However, if you’re among those who prefer a clean and minimal, stock Android interface, then you’ll be happy to know that the OnePlus 9RT has now got two great options.
You can now try out an unofficial build of the Pixel Experience ROM as well as an unofficial LineageOS 19 custom ROM on your OnePlus 9RT (code-name “martini”). Both of these ROMs are based on Android 12L and offer a near-stock experience, though Pixel Experience will give you a bunch of Google Pixel-like features out of the box.
The two custom ROMs are compatible with the Chinese and Indian variants of the OnePlus 9RT. Before starting, you must ensure that the bootloader on the phone is unlocked. Since there’s no TWRP build available for this device yet, you have to install the ROMs using the Fastboot interface. The developer of the ROMs, XDA Recognized Developer abhinavgupta371, has shared the work-in-progress kernel source as well, so that other developers can support this device.
For an initial release, the ROMs appear to be relatively stable. The developer says the only noticeable bug is that the touchscreen gestures are not working. If you’re interested in flashing either of these ROMs, then check out the forum links below.
Back in January, we exclusively reported what we believed to be the upcoming specifications of the Motorola Razr 3, internally codenamed “maven”. While we’ve known what to expect on the specifications side as a result, we weren’t so sure when it came to the design. Now, we’re getting our first look at both the device’s exterior display and inner foldable display, thanks to an exclusive report from 91Mobiles.
According to images shared by the site, “maven” will shed its predecessor’s more nostalgic look, losing its chin, and featuring a more squared-off design instead. Its FHD+ display with a hole-punch camera remains the same, and it seems the phone will retain its proportionally-large external display. There look to be some quality of life improvements as well, as the fingerprint reader will be relocated from the back to the power button.
As for its camera setup, the Motorola Razr 3 will have a primary camera featuring a 50MP f/1.8 sensor that will be coupled with a 13MP sensor for macro photography. The front-facing camera also comes in at 13MP in the form of a hole punch in the display. When it comes to internals, it will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. The report states that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus (SM8475) SoC could also be offered as a higher-tier option, though delays in the production of that particular chipset may result in those plans not coming to fruition. Finally, there will be an 8GB RAM or 12GB RAM option, with internal storage coming in at 256GB or 512GB configurations.
As per the specifications we reported earlier this year, we also expect that the inner display will be a 120Hz AMOLED panel, and the phone will support both UWB and NFC. DSCC CEO Ross Young also reached out to us to tell us that the display size was 6.7-inches.
According to the report from 91Mobiles, the Motorola Razr 3 will come in two colors: Quartz Black and Tranquil Blue. The smartphone is set to arrive in Asia sometime towards the tail-end of July or early August, with a global release to follow shortly after. While the price of the device is unknown, judging from its specifications, we’re expecting it to have a flagship price to match. It will be interesting how well the next generation is received, considering that the foldable smartphones segment has become quite crowded since the firm’s first launch of the Motorola Razr in 2020.
Back in January, we exclusively reported what we believed to be the upcoming specifications of the Motorola Razr 3, internally codenamed “maven”. While we’ve known what to expect on the specifications side as a result, we weren’t so sure when it came to the design. Now, we’re getting our first look at both the device’s exterior display and inner foldable display, thanks to an exclusive report from 91Mobiles.
According to images shared by the site, “maven” will shed its predecessor’s more nostalgic look, losing its chin, and featuring a more squared-off design instead. Its FHD+ display with a hole-punch camera remains the same, and it seems the phone will retain its proportionally-large external display. There look to be some quality of life improvements as well, as the fingerprint reader will be relocated from the back to the power button.
As for its camera setup, the Motorola Razr 3 will have a primary camera featuring a 50MP f/1.8 sensor that will be coupled with a 13MP sensor for macro photography. The front-facing camera also comes in at 13MP in the form of a hole punch in the display. When it comes to internals, it will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. The report states that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus (SM8475) SoC could also be offered as a higher-tier option, though delays in the production of that particular chipset may result in those plans not coming to fruition. Finally, there will be an 8GB RAM or 12GB RAM option, with internal storage coming in at 256GB or 512GB configurations.
As per the specifications we reported earlier this year, we also expect that the inner display will be a 120Hz AMOLED panel, and the phone will support both UWB and NFC. DSCC CEO Ross Young also reached out to us to tell us that the display size was 6.7-inches.
According to the report from 91Mobiles, the Motorola Razr 3 will come in two colors: Quartz Black and Tranquil Blue. The smartphone is set to arrive in Asia sometime towards the tail-end of July or early August, with a global release to follow shortly after. While the price of the device is unknown, judging from its specifications, we’re expecting it to have a flagship price to match. It will be interesting how well the next generation is received, considering that the foldable smartphones segment has become quite crowded since the firm’s first launch of the Motorola Razr in 2020.
The Amazon Echo family is bigger today than ever. There really is something for everyone, from the tiny speaker to the massive display and everything in-between. It’s the former we’re looking at here, the smallest, most affordable member of the Amazon Echo family. Well strictly, that’s not quite true, the Echo Flex exists, but the Echo Dot is the smallest, most affordable smart speaker you would actually want to use from Amazon.
To look at it’s just a shrunken down version of its sibling, and in some regards that’s accurate. With the loss in size, there are naturally compromises to make, but it’s really not as bad as you might first think. The Echo Dot even has one feature on its side that the bigger one doesn’t have. The Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) has been out for a while. But with no sign of a replacement on the horizon, what is this little sphere like to live with in 2022?
Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen): Pricing and Availability
The Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) is available to buy from Amazon and selected resellers such as Best Buy. It comes in three versions, with the base version having a regular retail price of $50.
For $10 more you can get either the Echo Dot with Clock, which adds an LED clock display, or the Kids Edition, which comes with content from Amazon Kids and a bulletproof two-year warranty.
The real magic about shopping for an Amazon Echo Dot is grabbing one at one of the regular discount events. The biggest ones are Prime Day and Black Friday every year, but there will also be sporadic sales throughout the year and Amazon isn’t shy about providing big price cuts on them.
Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen): Specifications
Specification
Amazon Echo Dot 4th Generation
Audio
Single 1.6-inch driver
Connectivity
802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz)
Bluetooth
Amazon Sidewalk
Ports
3.5mm audio jack (output only)
Controls
Voice-activated
Play/pause
Volume
Microphone mute
Dimensions
100 x 100 x 89mm
Weight
338g
Colors
Charcoal
White
Blue
Price
From $50
About this review: This review was written after testing an Amazon Echo Dot with Clock, purchased by XDA, over a period of two weeks. Amazon did not have any input in this article.
Design and features: Close to the big Amazon Echo
The older Echo Dot looked like someone had cut a slice from the regular model. It was a little hockey puck next to a big(ish) old cylinder. With the 4th Gen, Amazon brought some family unity with its design. The regular model is a big sphere, the Echo Dot is a little sphere. The physical controls are in the same place on the top, and the power is joined on the rear by the 3.5mm jack. Though on the Echo Dot, it’s only an audio output, not an input. The LED ring lighting is around the base here, too.
The Echo Dot is basically a smaller Echo but without a Zigbee smart home hub.
The Echo Dot is even available in the same exact three colors as the bigger one; Charcoal, Blue, and White. And if you want a recommendation on which to get, grab the white one, it looks the best in most locations in the house I think. The blue is a little disappointing as it’s not as nice in reality as the renders would have you believe.
In terms of actual features, the Echo Dot is only lacking one major thing over the larger model. There’s no built-in Zigbee hub here, so all your connected smart home devices will need to run through Alexa. Is that a big deal, especially considering the size and price of the Echo Dot? Not really. Zigbee is one of those features that you’re more likely to be purposely looking for rather than using just because it’s there.
The Echo Dot does add in an overall more useful feature, though. If you spend an additional $10 you can get the Echo Dot with Clock, which is the one we have here. It’s exactly the same speaker but you get a neat LED display baked into the front that tells you the time. I can’t tell you how many times in my life I’ve said “Alexa, what time is it?” With this, I don’t have to. This makes it a perfect addition to the nightstand, and if you have an alarm set you’ll see a period after the time. It’s a shame you can only tap the top of the Echo Dot to snooze an alarm rather than cancel it entirely, but an “Alexa, stop!” is enough to turn it off.
The third option is the Kids Edition, and this follows Amazon’s tradition of offering its first-party hardware in a child-friendly form. You can access the same content from Amazon Kids and other third-party skills on any Echo, but those don’t look like a tiger or a panda. More importantly for the parents, these versions come with a bulletproof warranty. If anything at all happens to the Echo Dot Kids Edition, Amazon will replace it.
It’s worth pointing out the ease of setup as well. Amazon has done some really great work here over the years and it’s almost Apple-esque in its simplicity. When you plug it in and open up the Alexa app on your smartphone and it will automatically see the new speaker and begin the setup process. It helps that you can have it pre-linked to your Amazon account if you buy from Amazon directly, and the whole process takes only a few moments and is an absolute breeze.
Audio: Better than you think
Despite its size, the Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) packs a punch in the sound department. It’s only a single driver in the Echo Dot, unlike the larger speaker, but it’s pretty powerful. The volume is incredible for something so small, there’s no distortion as you turn it up and it’s perfectly capable of filling smaller rooms with sound. Despite the speaker being the same size inside as the last generation Echo Dot, the added volume of the product overall has a positive effect on the sound delivery.
It is only front-firing sound on the Echo Dot, though, so you do need to be mindful of where you position it in the room.
The Echo Dot sounds fantastic for such a small speaker.
Perspective is key, but the Echo Dot really does sound excellent all things considered. There’s a surprising amount of bass without being overpowering and a warm tone to the sound. It’s not necessarily the choice to pair with the Echo Sub, but you could. Likewise, you can get two and create a stereo pair which would create an affordable, but surprisingly powerful system. Especially when you can pair Echo speakers to a Fire TV to create a true multiroom audio setup.
The audio quality also makes the Echo Dot a superb alarm clock. All you have to do is tell Alexa to wake you up with music at your chosen time and you’ll be delivered a wake-up call you won’t be able to ignore.
Like all Echo devices, microphones are of utmost importance. The Echo Dot has four of them to locate the direction your voice is coming from and to help isolate it against background noise. And they work very well. Alexa can hear me above two under-8 aged children making the sort of noises children make, and the range is excellent. With the Echo Dot on my nightstand, I can still activate it from the bathroom about 20 feet and a thick wall away without needing to shout.
Should you buy the Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen)?
There are a number of reasons to say yes to buying an Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen). The first is simply that it’s more affordable by a good amount than the regular model. If you like the idea of the Amazon Echo but you wish it were smaller or less expensive, here’s your solution. Apart from the Zigbee hub which you may have never even used, functionally the two are essentially identical.
But the Echo Dot is also arguably the best way to get into a hands-free smart home. Alexa is the real star of the show and, really, always has been. Amazon has done great work in making the smart speaker around it better and better over the years, but ultimately it’s the voice assistant that makes this as good as it is.
Alexa is compatible with a simply mind-boggling array of third-party services. Using the Echo Dot with your other devices either through your voice or through creating routines is simple, and extremely powerful. This little tiny speaker can wake you up in the morning then tap into Alexa to open your blinds, turn on your heating, play your favorite radio station and turn on your coffee maker. The only limit is your imagination.
If you’ve never had an Amazon Echo before, you’re not sure if it’s really for you or you want to start small with a smart home, then this is the device to get.
