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mardi 4 octobre 2022

These are the best keyboard apps for Android in 2022: Gboard, Swiftkey, Chrooma, and more!

The keyboard is probably one of the most used apps on any Android device, and possibly also one of the most underappreciated ones. Most of the time, you’ll be perfectly content with the keyboard that comes pre-installed on your device. But that’s until you discover that there are so many awesome keyboards out there that can really take your typing experience to the next level. It’s easy to become complacent with what comes pre-installed and stick with it forever — even if it’s not the best option. But why settle for something mediocre?

We’ve compiled a list of the best keyboard apps Android has to offer to help you type faster, with less effort, and also look good while at it. These keyboards have years of experience and user feedback behind them. They know their job very well. Besides offering to correct your spelling mistakes, they also suggest the right words at the right time, and some of them even automatically fetch one-time-passwords from your SMS app and offer a wide range of customizations.

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Gboard

Gboard used to be a pretty vanilla keyboard, but steady feature additions and improvements over the past couple of years have made it one of the best in the business. Accurate word predictions, smooth glide typing, nifty gesture controls for cursor and deletion, Google Assistant and Google Translate integration, and multilingual typing are some of the main reasons why Gboard should be your default keyboard. Since it’s a Google app, it’s always getting better.

Using Gboard in Google Search app to search for the term XDA Gboard quick settings: theme, clipboard, text editing, One-handed mode, Floating keyboard Gboard stickers

There’s a neat Emoji Kitchen feature that lets you merge two emojis to create unique stickers, while on devices running Android 12 and above the keyboard can now sync its theme with your wallpaper. The sluggishness and laggy experience that many users had complained about are gone too. It’s now as fast and smooth as it can get.

Gboard - the Google Keyboard (Free, Google Play) →

Microsoft Swiftkey

Swiftkey — now Microsoft Swiftkey — has been around since the old days of Android and remains the most versatile and feature-packed keyboard you can get on the Google Play Store. Customization is the name of the game with Swiftkey, and there are tons of options and controls to really make your keyboard your very own.

Typing in Google Keep with Swiftkey Swiftkey's quick settings: themes, modes, incognito, resize, autocorrect, settings, etc. Swiftkey's various keyboard layouts

The thing I like the most about Swiftkey is that all essentials are accessible right from the keyboard. Like Gboard, it also has a quick access bar at the top with shortcuts for GIFs, stickers, clipboard, and translator. The word predictions and auto-correct is a little behind that of Gboard but hopefully this will continue to get better over time.

Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard (Free, Google Play) →

Chrooma

If there was ever an RGB equivalent of PC keyboards on Android, it would have to be Chrooma. Chrooma’s main attraction is that it adapts to the primary color scheme of the app you’re using. It turns green when texting in WhatsApp, orange while in Gmail, and so on. It comes with dozens of skins and color palettes, including a cool RGB theme. There’s never a dull moment while using this keyboard.

Typing "Pizza" in a food delivery app with Chrooma keyboard Various color skins and themes of Chrooma keyboard Chrooma's RGB theme

If you ever get bored of the monotonous look of Gboard or your stock keyboard, this is the one that will refresh your typing experience. Besides colors and adaptive themes, Chrooma also has an extensive set of useful features, including gesture typing, AI-powered contextual word predictions, One Hand Mode, split layout, Night Mode, and many more.

Chrooma is available for free on the Play Store. However many of the fancy features require a premium version. Give it a shot by hitting the link below.

Chrooma Keyboard - RGB & Emoji (Free, Google Play) →

Fleksy

Fleksy has everything and the kitchen sink. Its autocorrect game is solid, and the clean design will make you feel right at home if you’re coming from Gboard. Apart from offering all keyboard essentials, Fleksy has some unique add-on features, called Extensions, that you’ll not find in other keyboard apps. You can add a row of the most frequently used emoji, symbols, URLs, etc.; make the keyboard completely invisible; add cool typing effects; create shortcuts for words and phrases, and so on.

Setting up Fleksy keyboard Various themes of Fleksy keyboard Fleksy keyboard extensions

Fleksy also offers what it refers to it as mini-apps, which lets you browse and share GIFs, memes, stickers, YouTube videos, etc., right from the keyboard. Fleksy has over 100+ themes designed by popular artists, and you can also create your own using a photo from your gallery or Unsplash library.

Fleksy fast emoji keyboard app (Free, Google Play) →

Grammarly Keyboard

Many of us have the Grammarly extension installed in our PC browser to keep our emails and writing free from grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. The Grammarly Keyboard brings the same peace of mind to your phone. Sure, it’s not the most feature-packed keyboard out there, and you’ll miss out on stickers, GIFs, themes, etc. But that’s not the reason to use Grammarly Keyboard in the first place. Grammarly Keyboard is for those who care about language and grammar above anything else.

Grammarly Keyboard correcting a spelling mistake in a sentence Grammarly Keyboard language settings: Tone detection, Auto-correction, Auto-capitalization, Swipe to Type, Predictive Text, etc. Grammarly Keyboard settings: Theme, Key borders, Number row, Keyboard height etc.

Grammarly’s dead-accurate grammar and spell checker will catch most, if not all, of your embarrassing mistakes while also showing you the correct form and usage, so you learn from it and hopefully don’t repeat them. The free version of Grammarly Keyboard gets the job done for casual usage. There’s a premium subscription plan for more serious use cases that provides suggestions on more advanced grammatical issues, tone detection, word choice, fluency, and more.

Grammarly - Grammar Keyboard (Free, Google Play) →

Simple Keyboard

Simple Keyboard is, well, very simple. It’s a truism, but it’s worth stating because that’s what the Simple Keyboard is all about. It gives you a simple, clutter-free keyboard that doesn’t bombard you with gimmicky features or ask you to hand over your data to “improve your experience.” It weighs about 1MB in size and doesn’t ask for any sensitive permission — in fact, it only needs single permission: for haptic feedback.

Using Simple Keyboard in Google Keep Simple Keyboard Appearance & Layouts: Theme, Set custom keyboard color, keyboard height, etc. Simple Keyboard preferences: Auto capitalization, SHow seperate number row, Hide special characters, etc.

Since simplicity, privacy and speed are the main focus points here, the keyboard does away with features like emojis, GIFs, spell checker, and gesture typing. It’s not for mainstream users, but those who care deeply about privacy will certainly find this a great choice.

Simple Keyboard (Free, Google Play) →


These are the best Android keyboard apps that will help you type faster, better, and with less effort. Which keyboard you should pick from the list is your own personal decision. There’s no one size fits all — although some come quite close to it — we’re pretty sure you’ll definitely find your soul keyboard among our recommendations. My personal favorite is Gboard, and I use it on all my Android phones. When I get bored, I also take Chrooma and Fleksy for a spin from time to time.

Whatever keyboard app you end up picking, be sure to give your brain some time to adjust to a new keyboard, as it will take a few days to unlearn the old habits you developed with your old keyboard. If you’re looking for more recommendations, we also recommend these great Android apps, and these amazing Android games.

The post These are the best keyboard apps for Android in 2022: Gboard, Swiftkey, Chrooma, and more! appeared first on XDA.



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lundi 3 octobre 2022

Google debuts Pixel Collection design video ahead of October 6 event

Leading up to the release of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, Google has been teasing the world with its carefully crafted design videos, giving us a closer look at the devices it has in store for its Made by Google event. This time, Google is bringing the whole Pixel family into the mix, offering a video that shows off the design of its whole collection.

The video is a mishmash of products, showing off the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel Watch, and the Pixel Buds Pro. As for the Pixel 7 devices, we get to see the exclusive Lemongrass colorway of the Pixel 7 and exclusive Hazel variant of the Pixel 7 Pro. Plus, we get treated to extreme close-ups of the phone’s camera visors, and the refined bezel and digital crown of the Pixel Watch. Google also gives us a couple of shots of the Pixel Buds Pro, along with an x-ray view of its internals. Despite the video being short, it does give fans a lot to see, and certainly builds anticipation.

While Google has shown off pretty much everything about the phones, there are still some details about the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro that we know very little about. The Pixel series has never just been about hardware, with Google’s added features through software making it special, standing out amongst its peers. Hopefully, it will have some interesting surprises to share at its Made by Google event taking place on October 6. Luckily, we know that Google will offer pre-orders for the phones on the same day of the event. While we don’t have official pricing of the devices straight from Google, they should be comparable to last year’s models. Furthermore, there have been rumors and leaks suggesting some excellent promotional pushes will be involved, so we can look forward to that if they are true.


Source: Google (YouTube)

The post Google debuts Pixel Collection design video ahead of October 6 event appeared first on XDA.



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PlayStation 5 jailbreak for older firmware released

After nearly two years on the market, modders have been able to jailbreak the PlayStation 5. While this is exciting news for some, the exploit is still in its infancy which means there is still a lot of work to be done to make it stable. The news was announced by security researcher SpecterDev, who has, in the past, released firmware exploits for the PlayStation 4. The new experimental WebKit-based kernel exploit currently works with firmware version 4.03 for the PlayStation 5. It is not compatible with newer firmware versions, though it is possible that it will be backported to older ones.

According to the GitHub page, the exploit was created using previous work by the TheFloW, otherwise known as Andy Nguyen, who has in the past contributed to exploits for the PlayStation 4 and is better know for his contributions to the PlayStation Vita community. The new exploit will grant users root access and also to the console’s debug menu. With both of these options unlocked, those that are curious are now free to tinker with the console’s inner workings. For the time being, due to the limitations of the exploit, users will be able to install but not run PKG files.

If you’re curious about the exploit, but you don’t have a PlayStation 5 to test it on, you can check out the video above. Modder Lance McDonald showcases the exploit by going through the installation process, showing off the debug menu, and installing a PKG file for a game. But the video concludes prior to the modder running the game because, as mentioned before, that is not possible at this time. But, this is just the first step, and now, with the gates open and the research available to the public, it will only be a matter of time before more and more exploits for the console start surfacing. Sony will no doubt be keeping an eye on this. There are still a number of limitations though, according to SpecterDev:

  • The exploit is unstable and doesn’t work all of the time. It will take several attempts to get it to run properly, and once it does, make sure you exit using the circle button instead of the PlayStation button.
  • The exploit provides read and write access, but no execution access. This means it’s not possible to run applications currently, though memory manipulation is currently possible.

In light of this news, it might be an interesting time to pick up the new console, but Sony has recently announced that it was raising the price of its consoles in some regions. While this was a surprise to many, the company stated that it was a “necessity” due to global inflation and currency fluctuations having to do with exchange rates.

XDA Senior Technical Editor Adam Conway‘s take: While this exploit is currently limited in nature, it is often the case that this additional access gained on an older firmware version can open the door for exploits in later versions of the firmware, or can at least show modders some of the secrets of how things work under the hood. The same happened on the Nintendo 3DS, where exploits found in older firmware versions allowed modders better access to the inner workings of the system. From there, the floodgates were opened, even if it took some time.

If you have a PlayStation 5 on a newer firmware version and you want to emulate games or run homebrew, don’t lose hope just yet. As the PlayStation 5 scene advances, efforts on older versions will help further an overall understanding of the console’s inner workings. There are still things that modders don’t understand about the system yet, which is why even this exploit is so limited. With time, understanding of the system will only grow.


Source: GitHub
Via: Lance McDonald (Twitter)

The post PlayStation 5 jailbreak for older firmware released appeared first on XDA.



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PlayStation 5 jailbreak for older firmware released

After nearly two years on the market, modders have been able to jailbreak the PlayStation 5. While this is exciting news for some, the exploit is still in its infancy which means there is still a lot of work to be done to make it stable. The news was announced by security researcher SpecterDev, who has, in the past, released firmware exploits for the PlayStation 4. The new experimental WebKit-based kernel exploit currently works with firmware version 4.03 for the PlayStation 5. It is not compatible with newer firmware versions, though it is possible that it will be backported to older ones.

According to the GitHub page, the exploit was created using previous work by the TheFloW, otherwise known as Andy Nguyen, who has in the past contributed to exploits for the PlayStation 4 and is better know for his contributions to the PlayStation Vita community. The new exploit will grant users root access and also to the console’s debug menu. With both of these options unlocked, those that are curious are now free to tinker with the console’s inner workings. For the time being, due to the limitations of the exploit, users will be able to install but not run PKG files.

If you’re curious about the exploit, but you don’t have a PlayStation 5 to test it on, you can check out the video above. Modder Lance McDonald showcases the exploit by going through the installation process, showing off the debug menu, and installing a PKG file for a game. But the video concludes prior to the modder running the game because, as mentioned before, that is not possible at this time. But, this is just the first step, and now, with the gates open and the research available to the public, it will only be a matter of time before more and more exploits for the console start surfacing. Sony will no doubt be keeping an eye on this. There are still a number of limitations though, according to SpecterDev:

  • The exploit is unstable and doesn’t work all of the time. It will take several attempts to get it to run properly, and once it does, make sure you exit using the circle button instead of the PlayStation button.
  • The exploit provides read and write access, but no execution access. This means it’s not possible to run applications currently, though memory manipulation is currently possible.

In light of this news, it might be an interesting time to pick up the new console, but Sony has recently announced that it was raising the price of its consoles in some regions. While this was a surprise to many, the company stated that it was a “necessity” due to global inflation and currency fluctuations having to do with exchange rates.

XDA Senior Technical Editor Adam Conway‘s take: While this exploit is currently limited in nature, it is often the case that this additional access gained on an older firmware version can open the door for exploits in later versions of the firmware, or can at least show modders some of the secrets of how things work under the hood. The same happened on the Nintendo 3DS, where exploits found in older firmware versions allowed modders better access to the inner workings of the system. From there, the floodgates were opened, even if it took some time.

If you have a PlayStation 5 on a newer firmware version and you want to emulate games or run homebrew, don’t lose hope just yet. As the PlayStation 5 scene advances, efforts on older versions will help further an overall understanding of the console’s inner workings. There are still things that modders don’t understand about the system yet, which is why even this exploit is so limited. With time, understanding of the system will only grow.


Source: GitHub
Via: Lance McDonald (Twitter)

The post PlayStation 5 jailbreak for older firmware released appeared first on XDA.



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YouTube is requiring some users to pay for 4K streaming

YouTube has been adding a lot of new features over the past few months, giving users new ways to watch and also create. The firm has also been expanding YouTube Shorts, giving creators a new way to earn starting next year. While these have all been excellent additions, a recent change for some, that has popped over the past couple of weeks, has caused concerns. It looks like YouTube is requiring some users to have a Premium subscription if they want to watch content in 4K.

It is currently unknown if this is some kind of test or a slow roll out of a new feature. There could also be restriction for certain kinds of devices. Unfortunately, these details are unknown at the moment, but there are a number of reports that have been growing over the past couple of weeks through online communities like Reddit and Twitter. Most folks that seem concerned about 4K are those that watch YouTube on their TVs, while smartphone users seemed okay with 1440p or 1080p quality. Other users voiced their concerns about YouTube putting other resolutions behind a paywall sometime in the future. YouTube has not made a public statement about this change, but it is understandable.

So what do you get with YouTube Premium? Most importantly, you get ad-free videos, along with the ability to download videos for offline play. You also get the ability to play videos in the background or while the screen is off, picture-in-picture support, access to YouTube Originals, and YouTube Music Premium. Now, all of this doesn’t come cheap, costing $11.99 per month or $119.99 annually. While some would agree that gaining all of these features is worth the price, others would argue that there are other ways to get an ad-free experience. It will be interesting to see what happens when this rolls out to the general public and if there will be new alternative ways of watching YouTube in 4K.


Source: Reddit
Via: Nils Ahrensmeier (Twitter)

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These are the best T-Mobile phones you can buy in 2022

T-Mobile is one of the biggest wireless carriers in the United States and it offers an impressive lineup of smartphones across different price points. From the latest foldable phones to some of the most feature-rich 5G phones, T-Mobile subscribers have a variety of options to choose from. Having to pick one from a laundry list of phones can be challenging though. Well, that’s exactly why we decided to comb through the best T-Mobile phones and highlight the ones that are worth considering. Let’s dive in!

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Best overall phone: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra in Phantom White color held in hand against a foliage of green leaves in a garden

Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra sits on the top of this particular collection as one of the best T-Mobile phones overall. It combines the best of both the Galaxy S as well as the Galaxy Note series to offer a power-packed device with the best specs and features. It also comes with the S Pen to unlock a plethora of productivity tools that are unmatched in the Android space.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra borrows its design elements from some existing Samsung phones. It has the basic fit and finish of the Galaxy Note 20 but it also looks a lot like the Galaxy S21 Ultra from last year. It’s a massive metal and glass slab phone but the rounded side edges make it easier to hold. It’s built like a tank and Samsung has left no stones unturned when it comes to durability. The Galaxy S22 Ultra comes with Gorilla Glass Victus Plus and uses Armor Aluminum metal frames to hold everything together.

This particular phone sports a rather big 6.8-inch 120Hz QHD+ AMOLED panel and it’s easily one of the highlight features. It doesn’t get as bright as the iPhone 14 Pro’s display, but it gets brighter than most other smartphone screens on the market right now. It’s also one of the best AMOLED panels out there with vibrant colors and crisp visuals.

Moving on to the optics, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is known to have the most versatile camera system out there right now. The main 108MP camera sensor runs the show alongside a 12MP ultra-wide camera, a 10MP telephoto lens with 3X optical zoom, and a 10MP telephoto periscope lens with 10X optical zoom. You also get a 40MP front camera for selfies and video calling. All these camera sensors come together to capture some impressive photos and videos. You can check out all the camera samples and also learn more about these cameras in our Galaxy S22 Ultra review.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset in the US and it can connect to T-Mobile’s 5G network without a hitch. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 isn’t the most powerful chipset out there right now, but it’s capable of handling all the day-to-day workloads without any issues. Some other noteworthy features of the phone include an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, a massive 5,000mAh battery with support for 45W charging, and more.

T-Mobile is currently offering some good deals for the Galaxy S22 Ultra. You can get up to $800 off with a new line on Magenta MAX. Additionally, you can also get up to $400 when you trade in an eligible device on a qualifying rate plan. It’s available to purchase in Phantom Black, Burgundy, and Green colors and you can choose between 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage variants. You can also choose to pay for the phone in full or finance it for 24 months to get up to $800 off with a new Magenta MAX line.

    Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
    The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is simply the most complete smartphone offering the best screen, most versatile camera system, best SoC in Android, and a stylus too.

Alternate best: Apple iPhone 14 Pro

Apple iPhone 14 Pro in front of plants

Apple’s new iPhone 14 Pro is easily one of the best smartphones we’ve seen this year. It may not look a lot different from its predecessor but there are quite a few changes this year. In fact, the Pro models are packed with some awesome features this year, making them stand out from the regular iPhone 14 models. From an updated SoC to an improved “Pro” camera system, there’s a lot to like about the iPhone 14 Pro and we think it deserves a spot in this collection as one of the best T-Mobile phones you can buy right now.

One of the biggest changes to the Pro models this year is the cutout. The notch on top of the display has been replaced by a pill-shaped cutout. Apple is using some software tricks to turn this particular cutout into an interactive element on the screen. It’s called Dynamic Island, and it’s exclusive to just the Pro models for now. This particular cutout/interactive software element isn’t going to change the way you use the iPhone, but it brings a nice flair of useful glanceable info to the main screen.

Also new to the iPhone 14 Pro is the new “Pro” camera system. The main camera now has a larger sensor and a faster aperture. It’s also a higher 48MP sensor that uses pixel binning to produce 12MP shots. We’ve already tested the new camera and added a bunch of samples to our iPhone 14 Pro Max review, so be sure to check it out. Apple has also improved the video recording capabilities of the iPhone 14 Pro. In addition to an improved cinematic mode, there’s also a new Action mode that helps you capture stabilized footage of moving objects.

On the silicon side, Apple is using an A16 Bionic chip to power the new Pro models. It’s currently the most powerful mobile chipset on the market and we think it outperforms anything available on the Android side. Some other noteworthy features of the iPhone 14 Pro include a new always-on display feature, peak brightness of up to 2,000 nits outdoors, and more. There are some mixed opinions when it comes to the battery life of the smaller iPhone 14 Pro model, so you might want to spend an additional $100 to get the Pro Max model for better battery life.

Apple hasn’t increased the charging speed to catch up with Android phone makers. This means you’re still limited to a maximum of just 25W charging speed. It supports MagSafe and Qi wireless charging too, but you’ll have to bring your own chargers in each case.

T-Mobile is carrying all four colors of the iPhone 14 Pro and you can choose between 128GB, 256GB, 521GB, and 1TB storage. The carrier is offering a couple of interesting deals with the iPhone 14 Pro including up to $500 off a trade-in deal. You can also get up to $700 off a second iPhone 14 or iPhone 13 series device via 24 monthly bill credits.

    Apple iPhone 14 Pro
    The iPhone 14 Pro brings a new front design, upgraded cameras, and a new all powerful Apple silicon for the most premium iPhone yet.

Best Android experience: Google Pixel 6 Pro

Pixel 6 Pro on table with blurred background.

The Pixel 6 Pro is getting replaced by the new Pixel 7 Pro very soon, but this is the best Pixel device out there, and we wanted to include it in our post. It also works well with T-Mobile’s network in the United States, making it a solid addition to this collection. It may be getting a successor very soon but we think the Pixel 6 Pro will remain one of the best Google phones that’ll be first in line to get the latest Android updates.

One of the best things about the Google Pixel 6 Pro is its design. Both Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro look decidedly different from the previous generation Pixel phones. The highlight of the design is obviously the camera visor at the back which houses the triple camera setup. The phone also comes with a bunch of fun colorways like Stormy Black, Cloudy White, and Sorta Sunny. Google is using Gorilla Glass Victus on both the front as well as the back, and it’s finished with a metallic frame on the sides.

The Google Pixel 6 Pro also comes with the biggest camera updates we’ve seen from Google in years. Google finally upgraded the main camera sensor on a Pixel phone and we now have the 50MP, 1/1.31-inch sensor which can pull in a lot more light. The Pixel 6 Pro also comes with a Periscope zoom lens with support for up to 4X optical zoom. Notably, there’s also a 12MP ultra-wide shooter to capture some stunning wide-angle shots.

Also new to the Pixel lineup is Google’s new Tensor chip. It’s one of the best-performing chips we saw last year and it puts up some respectable scores against the best chips from the likes of Apple and Qualcomm. It’s not the most technically-capable chipset on the market, but it’s designed to prioritize Google’s machine learning and it’s quite smart. It comes with some incredibly smart features such as Magic Eraser which can intelligently highlight and remove unwanted objects and even humans from images.

The battery life of the Pixel 6 Pro is also quite commendable. The 5,000mAh battery unit inside this phone can last for a long time between charges. It doesn’t support the fastest charging speeds, but it keeps up with other modern flagships on the market. There’s also the software, which comes directly from Google. The Pixel 6 Pro also ships with a handful of software features that are enabled by Google’s Tensor chip. All things considered, we think the Pixel 6 Pro is a well-rounded smartphone that brings a lot of value to the table.

And if those aren’t enough reasons to purchase the Pixel 6 Pro, then it’s currently down to just $400 at Best Buy, meaning you can save as much as $500 on your purchase. You can choose to pay for the phone upfront or get it financed for 24 months with T-Mobile Monthly installments. Best Buy is also bundling the phone with three months of YouTube Premium, so we think it’s a pretty sweet deal.

    Google Pixel 6 Pro
    The Pixel 6 Pro will remain one of the best Android phones with the first in line to receive new OS updates.

Best value for money: Google Pixel 6a

Android 13 on the Google Pixel 6a

If you end up missing the incredible, limited-time deal on the Pixel 6 Pro on Best Buy and don’t want to spend $899 on it, then we think you should consider the Pixel 6a. You can literally get a free unit of Pixel 6a from T-Mobile by opting for a new line, which is a fantastic deal if you don’t mind sticking with T-Mobile for 24 months. The phone itself offers great value, even at its full $449 asking price in the US.

One of the best things about the Google Pixel 6a is that it brings a lot of great features Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro features at an affordable price. The Pixel 6a, for instance, is powered by the same Google Tensor SoC as the other two phones in the series. It’s a highly capable chipset that can keep up with more powerful silicon from the likes of Qualcomm, Apple, and more. Google’s Tensor chip also prioritizes machine learning and AI to offer some smart features.

The Google Pixel 6a, as you can see, also brings the same design as the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro. It features the same camera visor at the back that runs across the body of the phone. You can also have a two-tone finish with some fun colorways like Charcoal, Sage, and Chalk. All these interesting design elements make the Pixel 6a stand out in the sea of mid-range phones on the market. It’s definitely a more premium-looking device that we would recommend in a heartbeat over a bunch of similar-looking budget phones.

Google has cut some corners on the Pixel 6a to keep the price low though. The lack of a high refresh rate panel is probably the one that sticks out the most. The Pixel 6a only features a 60Hz display, which makes it a little less exciting than some other phones that come with 90Hz or even 120Hz refresh rate in the budget space. It has some redeeming qualities for being an OLED panel like accurate colors, higher peak brightness, and more, so it’s not necessarily a terrible smartphone display.

The camera on the Google Pixel 6a also makes it arguably the best camera phone in its segment. Google is using a relatively old sensor on the Pixel 6a, but it has managed to do wonders with its software prowess. It definitely captures better photos than almost all the other phones at its price point. It also packs a relatively big 4,410 mAh battery which we think should be enough to last you through an entire day with moderate usage. Some other noteworthy features of the phone include an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, Google’s best-in-class software support, and more.

The Google Pixel 6a, as we mentioned earlier in this section, can be had for free if you choose to get a new line from T-Mobile for 24 months. But even at its full $449 asking price, we think the Pixel 6a stands as a better option overall compared to a lot of other similarly priced phones.

    Google Pixel 6a
    The Google Pixel 6a keeps many of what made the Pixel 6 so great, at a lower price point.

Alternate best value: Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

galaxy a53

The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G has earned our recommendation many times in the past and rightfully so. It’s easily one of the best mid-range phones in the US that offers a lot of value for your money. It costs the same as Google’s affordable Pixel and we think it’s a solid alternative that, in fact, fixes a lot of issues that we have with the Pixel 6a. The Galaxy A53 5G also works well with the T-Mobile network in the US, meaning it’s good to be a part of this collection too.

One of the best things about the Galaxy A53 5G is its display. We’re looking at a 6.5-inch 120Hz Samsung Super AMOLED panel, which is clearly better than the Pixel 6a’s 60Hz OLED panel. And as we mentioned in our Galaxy A53 5G review, it’s a typical Samsung AMOLED panel with vibrant colors, inky blacks, and high peak brightness. Also, the 120Hz refresh rate makes it a superior option in a market that’s flooded with budget phones with a basic display.

Another thing we like about the Galaxy A53 5G is its design. The phone looks very basic overall but we like how the camera bump looks at the back. The camera island, as you can see, eases and melts into the rest of the phone’s back. It looks very similar to the back design of the OPPO Find X5 Pro. The overall fit and finish of the Galaxy A53 5G are also great for the price. It’s also worth highlighting that the Galaxy A53 5G comes with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance along with a microSD card slot for expandable storage.

Moving over to the optics, the Galaxy A53 sports a triple camera setup which includes a 64MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide, and a pair of 5MP sensors for macro and depth in the main system. These may not be the best camera sensors to work with, but we managed to capture some pretty good shots. You can learn more about the camera and find more samples in our review (linked earlier in this section), so be sure to check it out. The selfies are handled by a 32MP front camera, which is pretty good for selfies and video calling.

Lastly, it’s also worth noting that the Galaxy A53 5G comes with Samsung’s incredible software support. The company is promising up to four years of Android updates and up to five years of security updates for the Galaxy A53 5G, making it better than a lot of other phones in this segment. So if you want to buy a phone that’ll continue to stay relevant for a long time with the latest software then you definitely buy the Galaxy A53 5G.

This particular phone works well with the T-Mobile network in the US and it’s also readily available to purchase right now. You can either choose to pay the full price for it or get it financed for 24 months with T-Mobile’s monthly finance service.

    Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
    The Galaxy A53 offers a modern design, large screen and battery at an affordable price

Also great: TCL Stylus 5G

TCL Stylus 5G on a white table with the stylus on the screen.

The TCL Stylus 5G is one of the more exciting phones on this list. It’s a budget phone that costs the cheapest in this collection, yet it brings a stylus to the mix to help you do more things on a smartphone. As we mentioned in our TCL Stylus 5G review, it’s a good budget phone that offers a great value for its $258 asking price in the US. It works very well on T-Mobile, which means it’s also a good addition to this collection of the best T-Mobile phones.

One of the best things about the TCL Stylus 5G is obviously the stylus. The phone also has a space to store the stylus in it, unlike some other phones that make you carry them separately like an accessory. It’s a passive stylus though, meaning it doesn’t have a battery and it doesn’t rely on Bluetooth to function. We found that it works well with the phone and has minimal latency while writing and taking notes. And just like the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the TCL Stylus 5G also lets you start a quick note without first unlocking the phone.

We also like how TCL built some custom apps that let you take advantage of the stylus on the device. The phone is bundled with Nebo for TCL and MyScript Calculator 2. Nebo, in case you don’t know, is a handwriting recognition tool that can transcribe your notes into copyable text. MyScript Calculator 2 is an app that takes your handwritten calculations and computes them for you. Both of these apps worked well during our time with the device.

The TCL Stylus 5G also comes with a 6.81-inch display. It’s a simple-looking display with a notch towards the top and a sizable bezel at the bottom. You don’t get the darkest blacks, super contrasty colors, or even features like an always-on display with this one, but it’s a decent-looking display that’s suitable for day-to-day usage. We just wish it was a bit brighter as the 500 nits brightness makes it hard to read in direct sunlight.

As for the internals, the TCL Stylus 5G comes with a Mediatek Dimensity 700 SoC and 4GB of RAM. The performance of the phone is on par with what you’d expect from other phones in this price range. It’s not going to win any awards but it’ll get the job done without any issues. The 4,000mAh battery should also comfortably last you for a day without any issues. The phone also comes with four camera sensors at the back which include a 50MP PDAF sensor, 5MP wide-angle sensor, 2MP macro sensor, and 2MP depth sensor.

All things considered, the TCL Stylus 5G is a great phone to consider if you don’t mind sticking with T-Mobile. The carrier is literally handing out a free unit of TCL Stylus 5G if you get a new line and stay locked in for 24 months. It’s only available in black color and has a single storage option, so keep that in mind.

    TCL Stylus 5G
    The TCL Stylus 5G is a budget smartphone with a garaged stylus. It also has a nice screen, great software, and a decent camera. It is exactly $258 of smartphone.

Best foldable phone: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is currently the only folding phone that’s readily available in the US, which is why it gets our recommendation for the best foldable phone. It also works well with all the major carriers in the US including T-Mobile, so it’s a solid addition to this collection of the best T-Mobile phones. T-Mobile also seems to be offering the best deals for this phone in the US right now, which is great because the phone can be quite expensive otherwise.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is largely similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 3 from last year and that’s mainly because the overall chassis remains more or less the same. Even while holding both phones side-by-side, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the two unless you look at the minute details. Even the small changes, however, make the Galaxy Z Fold 4 significantly better to hold and use in real life. The new and upgraded hinge also makes the device feels more premium. It’s still not going to be as durable as a traditional phone, but Samsung’s foldables have come a long way.

Samsung has also improved the camera system on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 to bring it more in line with other flagship phones on the market. The company has borrowed the main 50MP shooter and the 10MP telephoto lens with 3X optical zoom from its Galaxy S22. It’s still using the same 12MP ultra-wide sensor from the Galaxy Z Fold 3, but they all work well together to deliver some really good-looking results overall. We have a lot more camera details and samples in our Galaxy Z Fold 4 review, so be sure to check it out before making a purchase decision.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 also comes with upgraded internals for better performance overall. You get the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor that’s backed by 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. Samsung has also put more effort to improve the overall software experience of the phone. There’s now a persistent taskbar at the bottom of the screen to help you multitask better. The new OneUI software on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is packed with some great features like Flex mode to improve your productivity. You can also use an S Pen with the Galaxy Z Fold 4, but it’s worth mentioning that there’s no place to store the stylus within the device. You’ll have to carry it separately or buy one of those fancy cases to secure it in place.

T-Mobile is also offering some incredible deals for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 in the US. You can get up to $800 off with a new line on Magenta MAX. If not, you can also get up to $400 off when you bring an eligible device to trade in for a new Galaxy Z Fold 4. T-Mobile is carrying the Galaxy Z Fold 4 in Phantom Black, Beige, and Graygreen colors, and you also get to choose between 256GB and 512GB storage variants.

    Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
    The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is at once a smartphone and a mini tablet, and Samsung's polished the hardware and software enough that transition is seamless. If you want to flex with your personal device -- this is the phone to get.

Closing Thoughts

There’s no shortage of phones that work with T-Mobile in the US, but these are the only ones that we think are worth considering in 2022. From the most expensive Galaxy Z Fold 4 to more budget options like the TCL Stylus 5G, we’ve managed to put together a healthy list of phones that work with T-Mobile in the US. This is an ever-evolving list that we’ll update frequently to add more options that are relevant, so be sure to check back for newer and potentially better phones.

So which T-Mobile phone are you planning to buy? Let us know by dropping a line in the comments below.

The post These are the best T-Mobile phones you can buy in 2022 appeared first on XDA.



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Pixel Watch’s Google Photos watch face shows up early in Play Store listing

We recently learned that Google was prepping a Google Photos watch face integration for Wear OS devices. This new integration will likely debut with the Pixel Watch in a few days. But Google has already updated the Play Store listing of the Google Photos app for Wear OS with screenshots showcasing the new watch face.

The screenshots reveal that the new watch face will show a circular crop of images from your Google Photos library with two configurations for the date and time. In addition, a screenshot of the on-device watch face picker showcases a new ‘Pilot’ watch face and reveals the names of two additional watch faces — ‘Ink’ and ‘Pacific.’ Although the listing doesn’t show how the new Google Photos watch face will work, strings from a recent Google Photos teardown suggest that it might allow users to select multiple images that cycle automatically.

Along with Google Photos for Wear OS, Google has also updated the Play Store listings for the Google Home and Personal Safety apps for Wear OS. Screenshots shared in the Google Home listing give us another look at the smart home device controls that Google announced at I/O this May. Similarly, screenshots in the Personal Safety app listing show the emergency calling UI on Wear OS devices.

While the Play Store listings for these Wear OS apps are live already, the updates are not yet available for download on Wear OS 3 devices. This leads us to believe that they will likely debut with the Pixel Watch later this week. At the moment, we’ve not seen any evidence to suggest that these features would be exclusive to the Pixel Watch. But we’ll have to wait until the launch event to know for sure.

The post Pixel Watch’s Google Photos watch face shows up early in Play Store listing appeared first on XDA.



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