keyword: Android

tcl-c81-4k-qled-tv-review:-too-good-to-be-true?

TCL C81 4K QLED TV review: Too good to be true?

(Pocket-lint) – Despite being TCL’s current flagship 4K TV, the C81 costs under a grand in its 65-inch format. A price which becomes all the more eye-catching when a scan of its features uncovers such high-end attractions as QLED Quantum Dot colour technology, support for both of the premium Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range formats, and even a built-in soundbar designed by Japanese audio brand Onkyo.

The TCL C81 therefore has all the ingredients it should need to be just the sort of hit with consumers that might put it on the TV map. But what are the compromises to keep that cost down?

Design

  • 3x HDMI 2.0, 2x USB ports
  • LAN & Wi-Fi Multimedia

The C81 looks unusually premium for an affordable 65-inch TV. Its metal frame delivers robust build quality for starters, and it’s remarkably slender across much of its rear panel. Almost OLED-thin, in fact. Even the inevitable ‘chunky bit’ housing the processors, image drivers, connections and a bass speaker is pretty elegantly integrated.

The most striking thing about the C81’s design, though, hangs unusually boldly from the screen’s bottom edge: a built-in soundbar. As well as benefiting aesthetically from a mild blue tint and adding too rather than detracting from the TV’s aesthetic appeal, this forward-facing speaker enclosure looks big enough to potentially do some serious audio damage. 

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Unusually the TCL C81 sits on three feet rather than two. Two of these sit under the left and right corners facing forwards, while the third faces backwards from the middle of the bottom edge, counterbalancing the other two.

While the C81’s key connectivity of three HDMIs and two USBs falls short of the most high-end TVs, it’s good enough for its money. Gamers should note, though, that none of the HDMI ports can handle the 4K at 120Hz or variable refresh rate (VRR) features now being served up by the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and latest generation of Nvidia and AMD graphics cards. However, a provided game preset does get input lag down to a very respectable sub-17ms. 

  • What is ALLM and VRR? TV gaming tech explained

Picture Features

  • HDR Support: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision, HDR10+
  • Processing engine: Clear Motion and IPQ 2.0 Engine

Affordable 65-inch TVs tend to struggle with high dynamic range (HDR) sources, thanks to a lack of brightness colour range. The C81, however, is having none of that.

For starters, it can produce a peak brightness of 540 nits – that’s substantially higher than the figures possible with most LCD TVs in its price range. It also boasts Quantum Dot colour technology, which can produce wider and more accurate colour gamuts, but is still typically associated with more expensive TVs than this TCL.

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It further bolsters its HDR credentials by supporting both of the Dolby Vision and HDR10+ formats. These improve on the industry standard HDR10 system by providing extra scene-by-scene picture information, usually resulting in more dynamic-looking pictures. Most TVs only support one or other of these (or sometimes neither). Given that there’s plenty of content out there that’s only available in one or other of these formats, the C81’s format-neutral stance is very welcome. 

The TCL C81 uses a VA rather than IPS LCD panel type. This bodes well, since experience shows that VA panels typically produce significantly better contrast than IPS ones, even though it means less wide viewing angles are plausible.

Less promising, however, is the C81’s use of edge-based lighting. Direct lighting – i.e. where LEDs are placed directly behind the screen – typically provides better contrast, especially on screens as large as 65 inches.

However, a Micro Dimming feature raises hopes of some localised light control that might help enhance contrast. In fact, though, this feature merely refers to a system that breaks the image down into small sections for more accurate analysis.

Smart Features

  • Smart System: Android TV 9.0

TCL has turned to Google’s Android TV platform for the C81’s smart features. It’s version 9.0, meaning it benefits from improved stability and responsiveness, as well as enjoying the Android platform’s huge app support (backed up by Freeview Play to provide all the UK’s main terrestrial broadcaster catch up services).

As usual, using Android TV brings with it built-in Google Chromecast support, as well as the Google Assistant voice recognition system. There’s even a mic built into the TV’s main bodywork. 

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The full-screen Android TV interface, though, continues to feel a bit old-school and cluttered – especially given how few customisation options it offers. Android still doesn’t feel as clever as some rival platforms, especially when it comes to providing intelligent viewing recommendations based on viewing habit analysis.

At the time of writing there’s no support on the C81 for Apple TV app or Apple AirPlay. 

The 65C815K handily ships with two remote controls: a long, thin but still comfortable to hold ‘regular’ one; and a smaller, stripped back ‘smart’ one. Either works perfectly well, though most people will likely gravitate towards the smart remote after initial setup.

Picture Quality

The TCL C81 certainly stands out from the crowd. Out of the box its HDR pictures blaze off the screen with a level of brightness and, especially, colour intensity that just isn’t supposed to happen in this price bracket.

In fact, the richness of its colours leaves many way more expensive TVs looking flat and muted by comparison. Here for once, it seems, is an affordable TV that really can unlock the joys of the wide colour gamuts and volumes associated with HDR sources.

TCL

It doesn’t take long, though, before something starts to feel a bit off about the C81’s full-on colours: it starts to look overly aggressive rather than delivering a genuinely helpful, measured application of all the colour horsepower QLED technology has clearly put at the C81’s disposal. 

The boldest tones regularly look over-saturated, for instance, standing out unnaturally from the rest of the image. The QLED colours push brightness and saturation so hard that subtle shading gets lost in all the histrionics. Some shades – including skin tones – look pretty unnatural as well.

Fortunately, you can tame the C81’s most gaudy out-of-the-box HDR instincts. The best fix is to try and feed the set as much Dolby Vision or HDR10+ content as possible. The extra picture information supplied by these two HDR formats has a dramatic effect, reining in the TV’s excesses and balancing the tonal range to create a far more immersive, even-looking image. Colours don’t hit the same blistering extremes that they do with HDR10, but they’re still unusually vibrant for such an affordable LCD TV. With bright Dolby Vision and HDR10+ scenes, at least, the C81 can look really very good.

This suggests that the C81’s HDR10 problems are down to issues with its tone mapping engine – the processing it uses to map HDR to its screen capabilities. There are, though, settings that can at least calm the crazy default HDR10 images down. 

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Using the Movie or Low Power presets rather than the default one is a good start. But even with the relatively restrained settings of these presets it’s a good idea to also turn off the Dynamic Contrast and Black Stretch options, since whenever anything’s left in play that might enhance the dynamic range things tend to go off the rails again.

Brightness, too, plays a big part in how well the C81 holds up with HDR10 content. Only with the brightness level reduced by around a quarter from the default 540 nit level do the picture’s excesses really melt away. Which is a pity, of course, since with that much light removed from the picture, colours look less punchy, and the images start to look more typical of the ‘normal’ affordable TV market. 

There’s another issue with C81’s pictures that proves a more stubborn one to address: backlight clouding.

It’s always difficult for edge-lit TVs to control their light evenly across large screens – and the 65C815K proves this point. A number of pronounced areas of light inconsistency are routinely visible during dark scenes – a situation not helped by how they’re not restricted to the image’s edges. 

The extent to which the backlight clouding distracts depends to some extent on ambient light levels. In bright rooms it’s much less likely to be a major distraction than it is in dark rooms. But even the most casual users will likely want to dim the lights for a movie night from time to time, and when they do, as noted previously, there isn’t any setting in the TV’s menus that really fixes the clouding issue really satisfactorily.

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Despite these highlighted issues, with the right content and preset selection, the TCL C81 can deliver good images. As noted, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ images look vibrant and dynamic, plus baseline black levels can actually look pretty respectable for an edge-lit TV too – though ironically this fact arguably exaggerates the impact of the clouding problems.

While motion can cause a little softness to creep into the image, the TV’s native sharpness with relatively static 4K images is also very good. And finally, even though the C81’s processing engine is rather hit and miss, it scores a solid hit when it comes to upscaling HD sources to the screen’s native 4K resolution. 

Sound Quality

Working with Onkyo on the C81’s audio has paid off handsomely. The distinctive integrated soundbar proves to be powerful and expressive, casting sound a surprising distance left, right and forward of the screen. 

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The directness and scale of the sound is backed up by good dynamic range, too, so that punchy, tight bass is able to sit in effective opposition to crisp, clean treble details. High frequency sounds appear largely free of harshness, too, even at high volumes.

There is a limit to the available bass though, so don’t expect the rear-mounted subwoofer to deliver the same sort of rumble depths you’d expect from a good external soundbar. Heavy basslines can cause a little unwanted humming on occasion too, and voices sometimes sound slightly detached from the onscreen action. Overall, though, the C81’s sound is way above the affordable TV norm.

Verdict

At first glance the TCL C81 looks like it might rewrite the affordable LCD TV rulebook. Its QLED colours are explosively rich and dynamic for its price point, and it’s bright enough to give HDR real impact. It pushes the boat out sonically, too, with its impressive Onkyo-designed speaker system.

Unfortunately, closer examination uncovers some clouding issues from the edge-illumination, while many presets are overly punchy when it comes to colour and finesse. It’s a common issue at this price, really, and that’s the compromise.

Still, there are times when – with the right content and/or presets selected – that pictures can look pretty good. Find Dolby Vison or HDR10+ content and this is where the TCL finds its groove. But otherwise the C81 is a bit too out of control and high maintenance to deserve a whole-hearted recommendation.

Also consider

LG 65NANO906

A new power management system that counteracts most of the contrast issues associated with the 65NANO906’s IPS panel type, together with LG’s excellent Nanocell colour technology, results in LG’s most effective LCD TV to date. Though as with the 65C815K, it’s better suited to bright than dark rooms. score

  • Read our review

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Writing by John Archer. Editing by Mike Lowe.

kyocera-duraforce-ultra-5g-uw-review:-extreme-durability-for-an-extreme-price

Kyocera DuraForce Ultra 5G UW review: extreme durability for an extreme price

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The Kyocera DuraForce Ultra 5G is a rugged phone that doesn’t require you to give up too many modern conveniences to gain the benefits of extreme durability. It’s common for rugged phones to feature older processors and lack modern features — these phones often have specialized uses, like barcode scanning or taking payments, and more or less just need to keep working in harsh environments.

The DuraForce Ultra 5G includes both the durability of a rugged phone and modern features like 5G, wireless charging, a high-quality processor, and dual rear cameras. At $899, it’s an expensive phone — you can buy a very nice non-rugged phone for that much — but if durability is a must and you don’t want to sacrifice performance or convenient features, the DuraForce 5G is (quite literally) a solid choice.

Kyocera DuraForce Ultra 5G rugged features

Pick up the DuraForce Ultra 5G and you’ll know right away that you have a rugged device in your hands. The top and bottom of the phone are wrapped in thick plastic bumpers, the sides feature a texturized finish, and at 278g (9.8oz) it’s much heavier than your standard smartphone. The screen itself isn’t very big — just a 5.45-inch 1080p LCD panel — but the sizable bezels and thick chin make it a chunky device overall.

Despite its dimensions it’s actually easy to use one-handed, since the screen itself is relatively small. The phone will fit in a jacket pocket, but it’s too bulky for any of my jeans pockets. Haptics are aggressive, even at the “medium” default setting, which is a good thing in a phone you might be using with gloves. Otherwise, you can turn touch vibrations down to low or off.

The phone is both IP65 and IP68 rated, meaning there’s generous protection against water intrusion both from jets and immersion (up to 6.5 feet for up to 30 minutes). The DuraForce Ultra 5G meets the Military Standard 810H specifications and includes protection against vibration, blowing dust and sand, extreme temperatures, drops from five feet onto concrete, high altitudes, and plenty of other hostile conditions.

I couldn’t test it against all of those conditions, but I did subject the phone to plenty of abuse including an hourlong stay in the freezer, water immersion for 30 minutes in the kitchen sink, exposure to sand, and a drop from about five feet onto driveway asphalt. Aside from some minor scuffs acquired in the driveway test, the DuraForce Ultra 5G merely shrugged at my efforts and kept on working just fine. Kyocera does include a two-year warranty with purchase, so as long as you use the phone within the conditions it’s rated to withstand, you shouldn’t be putting your purchase at risk.

In addition to rugged features, the DuraForce Ultra 5G is just loaded with buttons. There’s a power button with embedded fingerprint sensor, three programmable keys, and a large volume rocker that’s easy to press with gloves on. I frequently pressed one of the programmable buttons accidentally when I grabbed the phone — they’re in easy reach when you’re using the phone, but that unfortunately means a lot of unintentional presses, too. These buttons do require a long press to bring up whatever shortcut function you’ve assigned to them, so a brief press won’t do anything. You can also assign any of them to “do nothing” when pressed if you’d rather not use them.

Kyocera DuraForce Ultra 5G screen, performance, and battery

Aside from the obvious difference in appearance and ergonomics, the DuraForce Ultra 5G handles pretty much the way any other Android device does. The screen looks a little low on contrast in comparison to your standard display — likely because the panel is optimized for viewability in bright sunlight. That’s probably more important to the phone’s target user than a rich multimedia viewing experience, and the panel is indeed usable even in very bright direct light.

The screen’s protective “Sapphire Shield” remained free of scratches during my testing, but it does pick up reflections easily outside, more so than other phones with Gorilla Glass. It wasn’t enough to bother me, but someone planning to use the phone outside in bright light often might find it distracting.

The DuraForce Ultra 5G ships with Android 10; Kyocera says it will provide an update to 11, but that the timeframe is still being determined. Android 10 is fine for now, but given that Google is readying Android 12 for the public, it’s definitely a step behind. Kyocera says it will provide a minimum of two years of security updates, which is a common if not terribly generous policy.

The DuraForce Ultra 5G uses a Snapdragon 765G processor with 6GB RAM, which puts overall performance on par with a midrange phone. There’s some slight stuttering when scrolling quickly through screens with lots of images and video, and a noticeable pause after taking a photo in the camera app, but other than that it keeps up well — especially considering the lower performance bar in the rugged class.

There’s a 4,500mAh battery built into the DuraForce Ultra 5G. It’s a comparatively large battery for the class, and it got me through a full day of moderate to heavy use. The phone supports Qi wireless charging, which is uncommon among rugged phones. The phone was a little finicky on my stand-style Belkin wireless charger, but it eventually worked when set on the charger in landscape orientation.

And of course, there’s one of the DuraForce Ultra 5G’s namesake features: 5G. This model works with both widely available sub-6GHz frequencies and hard-to-find but much faster mmWave spectrum (also called Ultra Wideband by Verizon, hence the UW in the phone’s name). It’s only sold through Verizon in the US, which makes sense: the company has been pushing mmWave much harder than the other major carriers and does offer more coverage, though it’s still relatively scarce. Verizon’s 5G network is kind of lackluster overall at this point, though it will improve over the next couple of years. It’s a good feature to have on a phone you’re going to hang onto for a while, but definitely don’t buy this (or any phone, really) just for mmWave since you’ll probably have a hard time finding a signal anyway.

Kyocera DuraForce Ultra 5G camera

The DuraForce Ultra’s rear camera array consists of a 24-megapixel f/1.8 standard wide and a 16-megapixel f/2.2 ultrawide, plus a time-of-flight sensor. Around front, there’s an 8-megapixel f/2.0 selfie camera. That’s a cut above what’s offered on many rugged phones. Picture-taking likely isn’t a high priority for prospective DuraForce Ultra owners, and image quality is certainly not up to what you’d find on conventional $900 phones, but it does the job.








  • Taken with ultrawide camera.




  • Taken with ultrawide camera.


Photos in good light look fine, if a bit on the low-contrast, washed-out side. Exposure and color can shift noticeably between two images taken with the same camera at slightly different angles, and I noticed some odd misses here and there, like a blurry shot of a static subject where it looked like the camera had tried to apply too much HDR. But most of the time in bright light, photos are perfectly fine, and a cut above what I’d expect from a rugged phone.

There’s also a mode that will overlay live information on your still image or video about whatever extreme situation you happen to be in, including location, altitude, speed, and G-force. Extreme activities are generally not recommended in your second trimester of pregnancy, so I didn’t really test this out. I imagine if you’re into something like mountain biking or climbing and you want to record that kind of information with your activity, you probably have a better way of doing so already. In any case, it’s there, and it’s definitely more of a casual, fun feature than it is practical.

If you’re merely curious about living a rugged phone lifestyle, the DuraForce Ultra 5G isn’t for you. The phone’s extremely hardy specifications would be appealing to anyone who’s nervous about dropping their phone or occasionally brings their phone to rough environments like beaches or backcountry camping. If that’s you, spend your $900 on a good standard phone (many are IP68 rated) and a rugged case. You’ll get better performance, a better camera, timelier software updates — basically, a lot more for the money.

If you need a rugged phone on the job as a frontline worker, first responder, or construction worker, for example, then the DuraForce Ultra 5G makes a lot more sense — especially if it’s going to be your primary phone off the job and you’d really like some extra bells and whistles. The inclusion of 5G, wireless charging, and processing power that’s a cut above the rest of the class makes it a good tool on and off the job site.

However, $900 is an awful lot to spend on a phone, and I think that very specific kind of customer for this phone is a pretty small group. You could buy a less expensive rugged phone with more limited functionality like Kyocera’s own DuraForce model from last year and a darn good midrange phone for around the same price. You probably can’t get mmWave 5G that way, but that’s no great loss.

Still, the DuraForce Ultra 5G represents a convenient option for a particular type of person if two phones feels like too much fuss. It certainly handled everything I threw it at, and functioned well as a daily companion for more pedestrian tasks like scrolling social media and navigating trips across town. If extreme durability is a must and you don’t want to give up too much to get it, then the DuraForce Ultra 5G is a good choice.

Photography by Allison Johnson / The Verge

lg-tone-free-hbs-fn7-true-wireless-review:-comfortable-and-clean

LG Tone Free HBS-FN7 true wireless review: Comfortable and clean

(Pocket-lint) – Make a list of things the world is crying out for. How far up your list does ‘another pair of true wireless in-ear headphones’ come? The answer may well be ‘not very’.

However, at least LG’s Tone Free HBS-FN7 aren’t just another ‘me-too!’ by-the-numbers attempt to steal market share from the likes of Apple’s AirPods Pro.

The HBS-FN7 have a feature or two that sets them apart from the majority, including ultraviolet (UV) cleaning. So while the world is all too familiar with products like this, might it find room in its heart for these LGs?

Design

  • Black or white finish
  • Weigh: 5.6g per earbud
  • Included charging/self-cleaning case

The wireless earbud arrangement pioneered by Apple, whereby a stem drops from the wearer’s ear like some hi-tec jewellery, is a bit of a ‘Marmite’ proposition, isn’t it? So whether you dig it or despise it, that’s the route LG has gone down with the HBS-FN7. The stem is pretty short here, mind you, though that’s counterbalanced (literally) by the fairly bulbous in-ear area of the FN7 design.

  • Best true wireless earbuds: Wire-free Bluetooth audio bests

At less than 6g per earbud, though, the LG are undeniably easy to get comfortable and to wear – even for hours on end. They’re provided with a selection of hypoallergenic eartips, too, so even the uncommonly sized ear should have no trouble finding a decent fit.

Pocket-lint

The options for earbud finish – it’s shiny white or shiny black – look good until they’re dulled by fingerprints. And that happens pretty much immediately.

The brilliantly compact charging case – which is less than 3cm deep, less than 6cm in diameter, and a mere 39g – is in a much more successful (and slightly grippy) matte finish. Fingerprints, therefore, are less of a bother here.



Best USB-C headphones for Android phones 2021


By Dan Grabham
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You won’t be staggered to learn, given that it’s LG we’re discussing here, that build quality is beyond criticism. Keep them safely in their case when you’re not using them and the HBS-FN7 will last a long time. 

Features

  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • IPX4 splash resistance
  • Ultraviolet (UV) cleaning
  • Sound tuned by Meridian
  • Active noise-cancellation (ANC)
  • Battery capacity: 390mAh (case), 55mAh (per ‘bud)

Having promised an unusual feature or two, that may as well be where we start – with LG’s UVnano technology. Pop the earbuds into their charging case, close the lid and wait for the little blue LED to illuminate – this indicates the case is scrubbing the earbuds free of bacteria using UV light. And in these ‘hand-sanitiser everywhere you turn’ times, that can only be a good thing, right?

Pocket-lint

Elsewhere, it’s business slightly more as usual. The FN7 use Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless connectivity, and are compatible with SBC and AAC codecs. That’s more than good enough to access some hi-res audio from a top-tier streaming service subscription, but it would have been nice to see aptX Low Latency too – after all, we all like to consume a bit of video content on the move, don’t we? 

The sound, once it’s on board, is delivered by a couple of 6mm neodymium full-range drivers. And as another differentiator, LG has opted to give the FN7 a bit of hardcore hi-fi credibility by continuing its partnership with UK specialist Meridian. So there are some Meridian-derived equalisation (EQ) settings to be investigated. 

There’s active noise-cancellation (ANC) included here too, and while that’s hardly a revolutionary feature it’s not especially common down in lower price brackets. There are a couple of intensities to choose from – ‘high’ and ‘low’, naturally – as well as an ‘ambient sound’ setting that boosts external noise to keep you orientated. Noise-cancelling can be switched off, too.

Pocket-lint

Battery life is an OK-we-suppose 5 hours from the earbuds (with noise-cancelling switched on), with another three full charges available from the charging case. So 20 hours, all in, is plenty long enough to go between charges, but there are plenty of alternative earbuds that will go for longer. For recharging there’s USB-C or wireless Qi charging is available.

Interface

  • Raised touch-surface
  • Control app

There’s the tiniest little bump at the top of each FN7 stem – it’s a capacitive surface, and it proves extremely responsive. So you can instruct the earbuds to ‘play/pause’, ‘volume up/down’, ‘skip forwards/backwards’, ‘cycle through noise-cancelling options’ and ‘answer/end/reject call’ really easily and with confidence.

Pocket-lint

Alternatively, you can always avail yourself of LG’s impressive Tone Free control app. It’s very nicely rendered, is unswervingly stable and reliable, and has quite a breadth of functionality. Rearrange the way the touch-controls respond, explore Meridian’s EQ presets (‘natural’, ‘treble boost’, ‘bass boost’ and ‘immersive’ are pretty self-explanatory), control noise-cancelling intensity, or save a couple of EQ presets you’ve defined yourself.

It’s here where you can update software too, and where you can provoke the earbuds into emitting a piercing chirrup. ‘Find my earbuds’, that last feature is called – and they’d have to be quite a long way away for you to fail to hear them calling to you.  

Sound quality

As far as sound quality is concerned, what the HBS-FN7 do well they do very well indeed. Where they’re found wanting, though, they fall down quite heavily.

Pocket-lint

On the plus side, set the EQ to ‘natural’ and the balance of the sound is very nicely judged. The low frequencies have weight but plenty of momentum too – so a chunky tune like The Bug’s Poison Dart hits more than hard enough, but doesn’t get bogged down by its own heft.

The feverish vocal in the midrange of the same tune is detailed, packed with character and enjoys a lot of breathing space too, and as a consequence there are real powers of communication on display here.

And the top of the frequency range has ample crunch but doesn’t get particularly hard, even if you like to listen at oppressive volumes. 

The integration of the whole frequency range is smoothly achieved, too, so there’s convincing unity to the sound – nothing is overstated or underplayed. (Of course, mess with the EQs and you can undermine all of this good work. The choice, as always, is yours.)

The soundstage upon which all this happens is properly laid out and coherent. There’s more than enough space available for each individual strand of the recording to be identified, but that’s not at the expense of unity or integration – there’s proper confidence to the way the FN7 stage a song.

Pocket-lint

What there isn’t much of, though, is dynamism or attack. The LG just can’t summon the reserve to put much distance between the quietest and the loudest parts of a recording, and neither can these ‘buds shine much of a spotlight on the little harmonic variations that are so important to giving the listener the complete picture. Attack, of which in normal circumstances The Bug is far from short of, is of the mildest, politest type. And anyone who knows this recording knows ‘polite’ isn’t really what it’s aiming for.

The active noise-cancelling is only a qualified success, too. Set to ‘high’ it undoubtedly takes quite a lot of external noise out of the equation – but it introduces a slight-but-definite hiss at the bottom of the noise-floor as it does so. Set it to ‘low’ and it may as well be set to ‘off’.  

Verdict

We go out as we came in: by pointing out that you’re spoiled for choice where products of this type are concerned.

The LG HBS-FN7 have some real strengths, no doubt about it – the balance of their audio reproduction, the quality of their construction and the excellence of their control app, for instance, as well as the reassurance of their self-cleaning technology.

But if the reason you’re buying earbuds is to get as complete an account of the music you like as your budget will allow, they come up fractionally short. Still, the UV cleaning technology is undoubtedly a special attraction.

Also consider

Pocket-lint

Sony WF-1000XM3

For a little less than the cost of the LG, Sony will sell you equally adept (and more attacking) sound, much better noise-cancelling and a different, but equally odd, physical form. You’ll have to clean the bacteria off them manually, mind you…

  • Read our review

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Writing by Simon Lucas. Editing by Mike Lowe.

android-surpasses-3-billion-active-devices-milestone

Android surpasses 3 billion active devices milestone

Android has been around for over a decade at this point and has grown tremendously during that time. Google’s mobile operating system has now set a new record, with Android being used on over 3 billion active devices.

Since Android is open source, smartphone makers have been free to adopt it and even make changes to help differentiate their devices. This has been a successful approach, with the vast majority of major smartphone makers using Android instead of their own custom operating system.

Back in 2014, Google reached 1 billion active Android devices for the first time and by 2019, that number had grown to 2.5 billion. Now, the number of active Android devices has surpassed the 3 billion milestone.

Google I/O returned this week after a break in 2020. During the event, Google’s Vice President of Product Management, Sameer Samat, announced the new milestone. With three billion devices actively used, Android’s user base now dwarfs Apple’s iOS platform, which has an active device base of 1 billion as of this year.

Breaking down the numbers, this means that an additional 500 million Android devices have been activated since 2019 and 1 billion since 2017.

KitGuru Says: Android has come a long way over the years. What was the first Android device that you owned?

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What’s the best student laptop? We asked students

Shopping for a laptop can be stressful — doubly stressful if you or your children will be learning online for the first time. Kids of different ages have a range of different laptop use cases and different needs. And as the choices for best laptop and best Chromebook evolve, so do students’ needs. So I spoke to some experts on the subject: students themselves.

My recommendations here are meant to accommodate a variety of preferences and price ranges. But they’re a jumping-off point rather than an exhaustive list: every student is different. Before making a decision, you’ll want to make sure you read reviews and try out devices yourself if you can. I’ll do my best to keep this article up to date with items that are in stock.

Best laptop for students

Google’s Pixelbook Go has solid battery life and a rippled base that’s easy to grip, making it a good choice for kids.
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Best laptop for elementary school

For younger students, a touchscreen device is easier to use than a keyboard and touchpad, says Michelle Glogovac. Glogovac’s five-year-old son uses an iPad for Webex meetings with his kindergarten class. He’s gotten the hang of it; Glogovac says he’s already learned how to mute and unmute himself, “a skill that many adults aren’t familiar with.”

That said, it may be worth investing in a keyboard case if you go the tablet route. Glogovac has to type her son’s meeting codes and passwords for him, which can be cumbersome on the iPad’s flat screen.

As kids get older, their best laptop choice will vary depending on their needs. As a parent, it’s important that you and your child are in sync about how they intend to use it and the size of the programs they want.

Kristin Wallace purchased a budget HP laptop for her daughter, Bella, but didn’t realize how quickly the nine-year-old would fill up 32GB of storage. “It is really slow and has no space for games. I need a computer with more storage space,” said Bella, who uses the laptop to Zoom with friends and take virtual guitar lessons and math enrichment classes. Wallace plans to buy Bella a better device in the next few weeks.

Audio quality is an important consideration for kids’ laptops. Lisa Mitchell, an elementary library media specialist, says her students use their devices to watch YouTube videos in addition to their online classes. Battery life is also a plus, even for distance learners who may not be far from a wall outlet. Bella likes to use her laptop all around the house and doesn’t want to bring the cord with her.

Durability is also worth paying for, according to Mitchell. If you’re using a tablet, get a protective case. “If a reasonably-priced insurance or replacement policy is available, it’s usually worth the extra expense.”

Check out:

  • Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition ($199): a colorful, fast tablet with kid-friendly content
  • Lenovo Chromebook Duet ($279): a tiny 10-inch Chromebook with a detachable keyboard
  • Apple 10.2-inch iPad ($329): a great budget tablet that supports the Apple Pencil
  • Microsoft Surface Go 2 ($399): a solid Windows tablet with a built-in kickstand
  • Google Pixelbook Go ($649): a sturdy touchscreen Chromebook

Lenovo’s Chromebook Duet is just $289, but it can run plenty of tabs and apps with no problem.
Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge

Best laptop for middle school

The middle school students I spoke to don’t use their laptops for much more than web-based schoolwork and browsing. Don’t be too concerned about power — prioritize a machine that’s comfortable and easy for your child to use.

“We just got the most basic Chromebook and it is totally perfect,” says Gabrielle Hartley, an attorney and mother of three children who take a mix of in-person and online classes. “The most basic Chromebook serves all the needs of the basic middle schooler.”

Chromebooks, like this one from Acer, are a good choice for students who use Google Classroom.
Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge

Hartley’s son Max, who is in eighth grade, agrees. “I would really like a gaming PC or gaming laptop that can plug into a monitor and run video games with 120fps, but I really don’t need that,” Max says. “Most eighth graders aren’t going to be running any video games on their laptops or any software that requires a lot of power.”

Max mostly uses his laptop for Google Classroom applications, including Gmail, Slides, Google Docs, and Google Sheets. They’re very easy to use on his device, which he describes as “a run-of-the-mill Samsung Chromebook.” That said, if your child is starting middle school this year, it could be worth checking with their teachers to see what operating system is most compatible with their workflow. Caspian Fischer Odén, a ninth grader from Sweden, told me he has trouble with his Chromebook because his school has blocked downloading apps from the Google Play Store.

Even kids with more demanding hobbies think a budget device can get the job done. Sam Hickman, an eighth grader from the UK who uses his laptop for photo and video editing, says, “For most middle schoolers, any processor developed within the last two years will be able to handle any tasks they can throw at it.”

So, what is worth paying for? A comfortable keyboard, several students told me. Many middle school kids aren’t used to typing for long periods of time. You should also look for a device that’s compact and easy for them to carry around, particularly if they’re preparing for in-person school. Shoot for an 11- to 13-inch model — certainly nothing larger than 15 inches.

Check out:

  • HP Chromebook x360 ($279): an affordable Chromebook with great battery life
  • Lenovo Flex 3 Chromebook ($350): a small but sturdy laptop made for students
  • Lenovo 300e ($378): a durable 2-in-1 with a stylus
  • Acer Aspire 5 ($466): a portable option for kids who need a 15-inch screen
  • Microsoft Surface Laptop Go ($549): an attractive, light Windows laptop

The Surface Laptop 4 is a capable, no-nonsense laptop — just what many high schoolers want.
Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge

Best laptop for high school

High schoolers’ laptop needs can vary based on their interests, but most don’t need powerful machines with lots of bells and whistles — especially if they come with glitches or serious downsides that could interfere with schoolwork. Miles Riehle, a student at Laguna Beach High School, has a high-end Surface Pro 7 but finds it overwhelming. “There is so much other stuff that I don’t use very often,” he said. “Something simpler might be a little more straightforward.”

The best operating system may depend on what your child is used to. Aryan Nambiar, a student at Barrington High School in Illinois, has an iMac at home and enjoys using an iPad for his schoolwork. Riehle says he would prefer a Chromebook because he has an Android phone and often uses Google services.

But almost every student I spoke to agreed that the most important feature of a high school laptop is portability. Kids attending in-person classes may be carrying their device around for much of the day with a stack of other books. Look for a 13- or 14-inch screen, or a lighter 15- to 17-inch model.

Students also recommend something sturdy. “Most high schoolers I’ve seen will throw their laptop in their bag without too much care,” says Moses Buckwalter, a student at Penn Manor High School. Backpacks can be jostled in the hallway as well. Distance learners can still run into trouble at home. “Anything can happen,” says Aadit Agrawal, a high school student from India. “My own brother scratched my laptop with his nails.”

Battery life is another key feature. “It can be a real struggle to find a place to charge while in class,” says Cas Heemskerk, a sophomore from the Netherlands. Unlike college students, many high schoolers don’t have frequent breaks to juice up their devices, so try to find something that can last a full day.

Many students recommend a touchscreen with stylus support. Nambiar uses the feature for his biology class, where he does a lot of visual modeling. “The touchscreen is always a bonus for drawing diagrams, whereas if you’re using a laptop it’d be a whole process to submit a diagram you drew,” Nambiar says. Riehle uses a Surface Pen to fill out school forms and annotate PDFs. Agrawal finds it useful to take notes on the same screen as his online lessons.

Depending on the broadband situation in your area, you may also want a laptop with multiple connectivity options. Agrawal’s online classes are sometimes interrupted by powercuts, so he recommends an LTE model. Matej Plavevski, a junior at Yahya Kemal College in North Macedonia, recommends looking for an Ethernet port in case slower connections disrupt meetings. That’s hard to find on smaller laptops, but there’s a slew of affordable dongles and docks to consider.

Check out:

  • Acer Chromebook Spin 513 ($349): a convertible Chromebook with all-day battery
  • Apple iPad Air ($599): a powerful tablet with a great screen
  • Acer Chromebook Spin 713 ($629): a fantastic Chromebook that’s not too pricey
  • Dell XPS 13 ($931): a solid clamshell Windows laptop
  • Surface Laptop 4 ($999): an excellent, light laptop that’s comfortable to use

For college students seeking an affordable laptop, HP’s Envy x360 performs just as well as some expensive competitors.
Photography by Monica Chin / The Verge

Best laptop for college

College kids are justified in spending a bit more money than other age groups. Some (especially in STEM courses) can expect to do some fairly demanding work. Assad Abid, an electrical engineering undergrad from Pakistan, needs to run simulation software for his assignments. Aakash Chandra, a student at New Horizon College of Engineering in India, does a lot of coding, in addition to creative work in Premiere Pro and Photoshop, and gaming. Students also noted that it’s worthwhile to pay for a laptop that will last for a few years after graduation. That means you won’t have to worry about finding and financing your next device until you’re (hopefully) settled into a job.

But among high-end, capable devices there’s still a wide range of options. Students stressed that a college laptop should be light. Expect to bring it between classes, meals, meetings, the library, and other locations on campus. “It’s a boon that I can carry my laptop as well as some notebooks without feeling like I’m carrying too much for six hours a day,” says Haseeb Waseem, a senior at Villanova University.

The Dell XPS 13 has a variety of configurations. Students with light workloads may prefer the base model, while gamers and creatives can add a GPU.
Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge

Another universally-lauded feature: battery life. Waseem, who uses an HP Spectre, says the all-day juice gives him “the flexibility to study in a bunch of different locations, and even outside.”

Speakers and webcams are often overlooked, even in top-end devices. But students say it’s worth looking for good ones if you’re starting college this year. Zoom will be a large part of university life this semester: many kids will be attending virtual classes, while others will still be meeting with clubs, study groups, and professors as well as hanging out with friends online. Waseem isn’t satisfied with his laptop’s audio and picture quality, which he says has made it difficult to pay attention in class and to engage with other students.

Many students will need to invest more in areas tailored to their interests and schoolwork needs. Chandra’s dream laptop would include a stylus and touchscreen for his creative work as well as a high-end GPU. Waseem, who uses his laptop for a hodgepodge of activities, including streaming, coding, social media, video chatting, and Microsoft Office work, would prefer to prioritize a large screen to keep track of his multitasking.

Check out:

  • Acer Swift 3 ($613): a super light laptop that performs well
  • HP Envy x360 13 ($689): a fast and stylish 2-in-1
  • Dell XPS 13 ($930): a solid clamshell Windows laptop
  • Surface Laptop 4 ($999): an excellent, light laptop that’s comfortable to use
  • HP Spectre x360 14 ($1,269): a premium convertible with standout battery life
how-to-create-an-instagram-carousel

How to create an Instagram carousel

Whenever we use an app continuously, any change to the UI of that app can cause stress — and during these stressful times, who needs more? For example, in a recent update, Instagram tweaked the way it asks its users to create carousels (groups of up to 10 photos or videos that rotate through a single post), and this is apparently causing a bit of confusion.

This new method was pointed out in the Instagram account Digital Mums, where you can find some great tips on how to use various features of Instagram.

If you’d prefer some text instructions on how to navigate the change, here you go:

  • In your Instagram app (iOS or Android), select the “Add Post” icon (the plus icon on the top line)
  • You’ll see a selection of your photos. You can change the source of your photos if you wish by clicking on the source name (Recents, Videos, etc.) and then choosing a different one.
  • Press and hold the first photo or video you want to include in your carousel until the number 1 appears in the corner of the photo.
  • If you’re using Android, there will be a “Select Multiple” icon above your photo gallery. If you want, you can perform the same task by tapping on the first image you want to include, and then tapping on the “Select Multiple” icon. (The iOS version doesn’t include that icon, so you’re stuck with “press and hold.”)

Press and hold the first image you want to include, and then select the rest

In the Android version, there is also a “Select Multiple” icon you can use

  • Continue to select the images you want to include. They will be numbered in the order in which you select them. In order to change the order, you’ll have to tap on the numbers on the images you want to re-order, and then add them back in their correct order.
  • Once you’ve got all your photos selected and in the correct order, choose the “Next” arrow in the top right
  • Now you can edit or apply a filter to one or all of your photos. You can then go on to the final “New Post” screen that lets you write a caption, tag people, post to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc.

Easy-peasy — until, of course, the next time Instagram decides to alter its interface…

google-pixel-6-pro-pictured-with-curved-oled-screen-and-three-rear-cameras

Google Pixel 6 Pro pictured with curved OLED screen and three rear cameras

(Image credit: OnLeaks)

Google’s Pixel range of smartphones looks set for a major refresh. Not only will Google bring back a high-end model missing from last year’s line-up (instead of ‘XL’ it should be called the Pixel 6 Pro), it’s also giving it a curved OLED screen.

That’s according to new renders that come courtesy of reliable leaker OnLeaks (via digit.in). They show the Pixel 6 Pro sporting a curved, 6.67in OLED screen, along with the first triple camera array in Pixel history. There’s no word on what refresh rate the OLED panel will have, but this being a high-end model, we would expect 90Hz or 120Hz.

The cameras include a wide-angle snapper, a periscope telephoto camera and one unknown camera, all arranged next to an LED flash. They are lined up horizontally across the upper rear of the Pixel 6, which is another change for the range. The colour strip across the top is also a new design element.

Top and bottom speakers should provide stereo sound when watching in landscape, while wireless charging should come as standard, as it did on the Pixel 5. And the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro could be the first phones powered by Google’s own chips – the search giant is rumoured to be working on an SoC (system on a chip) codenamed Whitechapel. Controlling both the hardware and Android software on the phone would ape Apple’s approach to its iPhones, and give Google greater control, which could lead to gains in performance and battery life.

Other renders from OnLeaks and @91Mobiles show the Pixel 6 looking like a smaller version of the 6 Pro, but with a flat screen instead of curved.

(Image credit: OnLeaks/@91Mobiles)

The Pixel 6 will have a dual camera set-up instead of a triple, and its screen is smaller – 6.4in to the Pro’s 6.67in. But it has the same wireless charging and in-display fingerprint scanner. This squares with previous Pixel 6 renders, which suggests this latest leak is on the money.

We’re expecting an official announcement sometime in the autumn/fall, but we’ll keep you up to date with all the latest Pixel 6 news, leaks and rumours as they emerge over the coming weeks.

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