What is Wi-Fi calling and how does it work?

Network coverage has been steadily improving, but there are still many people around the world who can’t get a decent phone signal in their homes. There are gaps in many networks, particularly in rural areas, as a quick glance at Open Signal’s coverage maps reveals. Wi-Fi calling could be the answer.

What is Wi-Fi calling?

Wi-Fi calling allows you to seamlessly use any Wi-Fi connection to make or receive calls when your network signal is weak. If you’re at home and there’s a dead spot in the back bedroom, or the bars on your smartphone drop down to one when you go into the bathroom, then your phone can automatically switch to your home Wi-Fi network and use that to make and receive calls.

The beauty of Wi-Fi calling is that it should work seamlessly. Assuming your carrier supports it, you’ve activated the appropriate setting on your phone, and you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network, then it should kick in automatically whenever you need it. All the calls you make and messages you send through Wi-Fi calling appear as normal in your usual messages app and call logs.

The icon in your notification bar might change to a small phone receiver with a Wi-Fi icon above it, or say VoLTE (short for voice over LTE), but, apart from that, you shouldn’t notice any difference between Wi-Fi calls and regular calls through your mobile network.

Bear in mind that, although Wi-Fi calling should be capable of handing over to the network if you move out of range of the Wi-Fi router, there’s a chance it will pause or drop the call. It depends on your carrier, network, and device.

Checking with your carrier

Different carriers have different policies regarding Wi-Fi calling, so your first port of call in trying to set it up is your carrier. In some cases, you might need to pay extra or jump through some hoops to activate Wi-Fi calling. Below are some pages on Wi-Fi calling from the four major U.S. carriers to help you get started:

• AT&T Wi-Fi Calling
• Sprint Wi-Fi Calling
• T-Mobile Wi-Fi Calling
• Verizon Wi-Fi Calling

Make sure that you read the terms and conditions carefully — calls and messages made using Wi-Fi calling are not necessarily free. In fact, carriers may charge their usual rates or subtract them from your plan allowance. Make sure you check to avoid any nasty surprises on your phone bill. You may also find that the feature doesn’t work overseas.

Carriers can also decide which devices they’ll support, so even if your phone is capable of Wi-Fi calling, you should confirm that the carrier allows it on your device.

Once you’ve confirmed that your carrier supports Wi-Fi calling for your phone and you’ve activated it on your account, you’ll need to make sure your phone has the right settings turned on.

How to turn on Wi-Fi calling on an iPhone

It’s easy to activate Wi-Fi calling on an iPhone, but you will need to have an iPhone 5C or later.

• Go to Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling and toggle it on.

How to turn on Wi-Fi calling on an Android phone

Activating Wi-Fi calling on an Android phone is just as easy, but the exact location of the setting may vary. For most Android phones:

• Open the Phone app and tap the menu icon (aka, the three vertical dots at the upper-right corner). Then, tap Settings and you should see a Wi-Fi calling option that you can toggle on.

For a Samsung Galaxy:

• Go to Settings > Connections > More connection settings and you should see a Wi-Fi calling option.

Just to complicate matters, some carriers put the setting elsewhere. For example, to activate the feature on Verizon:

• Go to Settings > Advanced Calling and you should find an Activate Wi-Fi Calling option.

If you’re having trouble getting Wi-Fi calling to work on your Android device, then refer to your carrier’s website for specific instructions.

You can test whether Wi-Fi calling is working by activating Airplane mode, then turning just Wi-Fi back on, and connecting to your home Wi-Fi network. The icon should appear in your notification bar and you’ll be able to make or receive calls.

Alternatives to Wi-Fi calling

If you find that your device doesn’t support Wi-Fi calling or there’s a problem with your carrier, then you can always opt for an alternative. Check out the best video chat apps and the best messaging apps for some ideas. The only problem is that you and the person you want to call will both need to have the app installed and your messages and calls will be contained within that app, so they won’t appear in the default messages app or call logs on your phone.

Best iOS app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time

Everyone likes Apple apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for free for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up while you have the chance. Here are the latest and greatest iOS app deals available from the iOS App Store.

These apps normally cost money and this sale lasts for a limited time only. If you go to the App Store and it says the app costs money, that means the deal has expired and you will be charged. 

ACT Prep

ACT Test Prep For Dummies gets you ready for one of the biggest tests of your high school years. This app features more than 950 practice questions covering critical English, reading, science, and math skills.

Available on:

iOS

Ashy Bines Ab Challenge

Discover your personal belly blueprint and fast track your journey to achieving the flat, sexy stomach you have always wanted.

Available on:

iOS

Voice4u AAC

Voice4u is picture-based communication app for those who have speech challenges. With Voice4u, you can easily bridge the communication gap.

Available on:

iOS

Life Hacks

Lifehacks brings you thousands of useful life-hacking tips that are aimed at improving your productivity and bringing calm to your life — an attempt to reclaim some leisure time and autonomy from the heavy demands of our busy lifestyles.

Available on:

iOS

ListBox

The most important thing about this reminder app is that it won’t leave you alone until you notice the reminder, and when you do, it suggests an action.

Available on:

iOS

Train Conductor

Directly control trains with your finger. Send them to their destinations by creating track connections with a quick swipe.

Available on:

iOS

Canon’s versatile new Pixma inkjet printers can handle any print job at home

Why it matters to you

Canon’s new multifunction inkjet printers are making printing more relevant, thanks to improved photo quality and a “hidden message” feature.

Canon announced seven new inkjet printers across two different product lines designed for personal and home office use. For general and creative in-home print jobs, the five new TS-series printers present upgrades over current models and add several features. The most novel is the new “Message in Print” ability that hides a message embedded in a printed image. The message can be viewed by anyone using the Message in Print app on an iOS device (coming fall 2017) by simply holding the phone’s camera over the printed image to scan it, much like a QR code or the Prynt pocket printer.

In a statement, Canon said Message in Print will help make photos and at-home projects “even more memorable.” It is also seems to be an attempt to keep prints relevant in an increasingly paperless, all-digital world. Such a feature could reignite some excitement for the medium (printing is seeing a resurgence, of sorts), or it could fizzle out quickly as just another gimmick.

Hidden messages aside, the new TS printers appear to be capable machines. Each model includes Bluetooth connectivity and offers improved ink quality — both new features. The range-topping TS9120 and TS8120 boast even greater print quality thanks to a six-way premium color system that uses a new photo blue ink to reduce graininess in bright and vibrant prints (replacing a gray tank). Those models also offer direct printing from an SD memory card or camera, and can even print to CD/DVD labels because apparently that’s still a thing people need to do. We found the TS9120’s predecessor, the TS9020, to be an excellent printer, and we expect the same from the new entry.

While the lower range TS6120, TS5120, and TS3120 models won don’t offer as many features and use a five-ink system instead of six, they do still have all the general abilities of a multifunction printer, including scanning and cloud-based printing. The TS9120 features a 5-inch LCD screen, is available in gray, gold, or red, and goes for $200. The TS8120 has a 4.3-inch screen, is available in black, gray, or red, and sells for $180. The TS6120 and TS5120 are available in black or white and sell for $150 and $100, respectively, while the TS3120 is available in white only for just $80.

Two more printers, specifically for the home office

Canon also introduced two models in its Pixma TR-series aimed at the busy work-from-home warrior. The new models offer wireless printing, scanning, copying, and faxing, and are about 35-percent smaller than the outgoing MX-series models they replace. They both feature a new industrial design, five-way color ink system, revamped user interface, automatic document feeders, and auto duplex printing. Like the new TS-series models, they also gain Bluetooth connectivity.

The TR8520 comes with a 4.3-inch LCD screen for $200, while the TR7520 offers the same feature set but makes due with a smaller 3-inch screen for $180. If you’re in the market for a new printer, you can learn more about these new models on Canon’s website, or check out some of our other favorite inkjet printers.

Canon’s versatile new Pixma inkjet printers can handle any print job at home

Why it matters to you

Canon’s new multifunction inkjet printers are making printing more relevant, thanks to improved photo quality and a “hidden message” feature.

Canon announced seven new inkjet printers across two different product lines designed for personal and home office use. For general and creative in-home print jobs, the five new TS-series printers present upgrades over current models and add several features. The most novel is the new “Message in Print” ability that hides a message embedded in a printed image. The message can be viewed by anyone using the Message in Print app on an iOS device (coming fall 2017) by simply holding the phone’s camera over the printed image to scan it, much like a QR code or the Prynt pocket printer.

In a statement, Canon said Message in Print will help make photos and at-home projects “even more memorable.” It is also seems to be an attempt to keep prints relevant in an increasingly paperless, all-digital world. Such a feature could reignite some excitement for the medium (printing is seeing a resurgence, of sorts), or it could fizzle out quickly as just another gimmick.

Hidden messages aside, the new TS printers appear to be capable machines. Each model includes Bluetooth connectivity and offers improved ink quality — both new features. The range-topping TS9120 and TS8120 boast even greater print quality thanks to a six-way premium color system that uses a new photo blue ink to reduce graininess in bright and vibrant prints (replacing a gray tank). Those models also offer direct printing from an SD memory card or camera, and can even print to CD/DVD labels because apparently that’s still a thing people need to do. We found the TS9120’s predecessor, the TS9020, to be an excellent printer, and we expect the same from the new entry.

While the lower range TS6120, TS5120, and TS3120 models won don’t offer as many features and use a five-ink system instead of six, they do still have all the general abilities of a multifunction printer, including scanning and cloud-based printing. The TS9120 features a 5-inch LCD screen, is available in gray, gold, or red, and goes for $200. The TS8120 has a 4.3-inch screen, is available in black, gray, or red, and sells for $180. The TS6120 and TS5120 are available in black or white and sell for $150 and $100, respectively, while the TS3120 is available in white only for just $80.

Two more printers, specifically for the home office

Canon also introduced two models in its Pixma TR-series aimed at the busy work-from-home warrior. The new models offer wireless printing, scanning, copying, and faxing, and are about 35-percent smaller than the outgoing MX-series models they replace. They both feature a new industrial design, five-way color ink system, revamped user interface, automatic document feeders, and auto duplex printing. Like the new TS-series models, they also gain Bluetooth connectivity.

The TR8520 comes with a 4.3-inch LCD screen for $200, while the TR7520 offers the same feature set but makes due with a smaller 3-inch screen for $180. If you’re in the market for a new printer, you can learn more about these new models on Canon’s website, or check out some of our other favorite inkjet printers.

FreedomPop asks just $50 for a year’s worth of mobile service. Really

Why it matters to you

If you don’t use more than 1GB of data each month on your phone contract, FreedomPop’s $50 annual service will save you money.

Instead of paying $50 or more each month for your mobile service, how does paying $50 per year sound? That’s how much FreedomPop is charging for its brand-new annual service plan in the U.S., potentially saving you hundreds of dollars over a yearly, monthly-paid plan. We know what you’re thinking. For such a low cost — it works out to about $4 each month — there surely can’t be any data, calls, or messages included, right? Wrong.

The FreedomPop $50 plan includes 1,000 minutes, 1,000 SMS, and 1GB of 4G LTE data provided by AT&T or Sprint. Hardcore mobile users will blow through the 1GB data cap quickly, but a third of smartphone owners in the U.S. don’t come close to using that much data according to FreedomPop, and are therefore overpaying with traditional service agreements.

It’s very difficult to argue against a year’s worth of smartphone use for less than the price of a single month’s use on many other networks. However, if you don’t have a smartphone, or need a new one, you’ll likely be concerned about the firm’s price for a new one. Wrong again, because FreedomPop sells two smartphones with a year’s worth of service included. The LG Tribute is just $80, and the Samsung Galaxy S5 is $150. Those prices are all-in, meaning you pay once for the phone and a year of service. That’s it. Our recommendation? Spend the extra for the Galaxy S5.

Digital Trends asked FreedomPop how it was able to offer such a deal. To put your mind at rest, there’s no restriction on data speed, and the annual service will perform in the same way as any other plan. FreedomPop says an annual plan, “eliminates credit risk,” and that it’s counting on you spending out on additional services with the network to break the zero profits it takes from the annual plan. These extras include a second number, international calling, or a virtual private network (VPN) service. Also, if you go over the allotted minutes and data, expect further charges to apply, just like with any other mobile plan.

If you know 1GB of data won’t be enough, FreedomPop has two other new, reasonably priced options, which it calls semi-annual plans. The first gives 5GB of data with unlimited calls and texts for $114 per year, or $19 per month, while the second is $78 per year or $13 per month for 2GB of data and unlimited calls and texts.

FreedomPop has a history of good value plans and services, including a no-cost Wi-Fi calling phone and a SIM card where all WhatsApp data is free. Visit FreedomPop’s website to sign up for the new annual plan.

Watch the Galaxy Note 8 launch live — 11:00 a.m. ET Aug 23!

Samsung’s biggest device of the year is about to take center stage.

The moment is finally upon us — it’s time to watch the Galaxy Note 8 be unveiled officially. The stage is set in New York City for yet another Samsung Unpacked event, where the company pulls out all of the stops to launch its devices with as much style as possible. Samsung is going to be livestreaming the event, and we’ll have that video stream for you right here as soon as it’s available.

Just bookmark this page, and we’ll do the rest!

It all gets going officially at 11:00 a.m. ET, which translates to 8 a.m. on the U.S. West Coast, 4 p.m. in the UK and 5 p.m. in Europe. And of course Android Central will be there live, covering everything that comes out of the event. Join us here for the whole experience!

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

• Galaxy Note 8: Everything we know so far
• Rumored Galaxy Note 8 specs
• All Galaxy Note 8 news
• Should you buy the Galaxy S8+ or wait for the Note 8?
• The buttonless future of Samsung phones
• Join our Galaxy Note 8 forums

Android Oreo features you’ll love: Notification badges and previews

Keeping up with notifications is a constant struggle.

Notifications. It’s the first thing most of us deal with in the morning, and no matter what time of day, there’s probably three or four of them sitting just waiting there. Unread badges have existed on mobile home screens since before Android to help remind us of things we need to take care of. Up until this year, they’ve mostly just been these awkward blobs in the corner of an app icon with an ever-growing number inside.

Android Oreo is looking to upgrade things with two new paired features: notification badges and notification previews.

Goodbye unread counts, hello notification badges

Notification badges work with notification channels to prevent “dot overload.”

Notification badges or dots on an Android launcher use a notification access permission to see what notifications are in the notification shade at the moment and display a small dot in the corner of the app icon to let you know that you have a notification. Badges pull colors from the app icon in order to avoid looking too garish next to the app, which is useful.

Notification badges can be disabled on a per-app basis using notification badges, and app developers have the option of selecting what will and won’t trigger a notification badge, or leaving the option up to users (this can be accessed by holding down on the app icon and tapping on the little i). Google Play Music has a litany of categories you can turn notification dots on and off for, should you desire. If a developer doesn’t target Android Oreo in its code, that app will display a notification badge for every notification from that app.

Notification previews: bringing notification content to the home screen

When you long-press on an app with a notification badge in Android Oreo, we get another new Android Oreo feature: notification previews. Notification previews put a condensed notification on your home screen in the same menu as your App Shortcuts. Notification Previews aren’t meant to let you read a whole email or lengthy message, but they’ll give you titles and senders, or a quick message and senders for messaging apps.

You can tap a notification preview to open the app and act on the preview, but there are no buttons or actions that display on a notification preview the way they do for the actual notification. You can’t hit play or pause for your music like you can from the actual notification shade. So notifications let you look from the home screen, but if you actually want to do something with them, you have to swipe down from the top of the screen.

Which launchers support notification badges and notification previews?

Notification badges are a function of Android Oreo, but the biggest requirement here is launcher support. Google’s Pixel Launcher supports notification badges, as does Lawnchair, the XDA born-and-bred launcher that tries to make a Pixel Launcher that’s more customizable and awesome. A few of the more popular customization-geared third-party launchers, Nova Launcher and Action Launcher have added support for notification badges, and even backported it back as far as Android Lollipop.

Notification previews are likewise available on the Pixel Launcher on Android Oreo, Lawnchair, and on Action Launcher back to Android Lollipop, with Action Launcher allowing you to theme the preview backgrounds with Quicktheme. Nova Launcher has not implemented Notification previews yet. It’s worth noting that while notification badges are relatively consistent among launchers and Android versions, notification previews do vary by launcher. For instance, Google Play Music will show up as both a notification badge and a notification preview for Action Launcher only when Play Music is paused, whereas on the Pixel Launcher Play Music’s media controls notification won’t appear as a notification badge or notification preview at all unless you turn it on inside the App notifications menu for Play Music inside the Settings app, which will allow you to see the dot and the preview whether it’s paused or playing.

When can you play with them?

Well, both notification badges and notification previews are already live for Action Launcher users and Lawnchair users on older version of Android, and Pixel Launcher on Android Oreo. Considering how much notification previews rely on launcher compatibility, it may take a while for that to trickle out to every launcher on the market, but they’ll come to well-supported launchers sooner than Android Oreo will come to well-supported devices.

Which notification feature are you more excited to see? Or is this just one more notification feature you’ll be turning off when you get Android Oreo? Shout out in the comments below!

Android Oreo

• Android Oreo review!
• Everything new in Android Oreo
• How to get Android Oreo on your Pixel or Nexus
• Oreo will make you love notifications again
• Will my phone get Android Oreo?
• Join the Discussion

Android Oreo features you’ll love: Picture-in-Picture mode

We all love things we can see when we get an update, and that’s why Picture-in-Picture mode is so cool!

Android Oreo allows developers to build apps that launch in a new Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode. PIP is a special kind of multi-window mode that’s most commonly used for video playback. You might have PIP on your television or through your cable box. It’s been available for Android TV since the release of Android Nougat, but Oreo brings it to every device that runs Android 8 or higher.

Apps that support PIP will have a setting to disable it for people who don’t want it.

Using PIP is easy, though apps have to be updated and use some new code for it to work properly. We used the Duo app running on Google Pixels that has been updated to Android Oreo as our example. In the app’s settings, you’ll see an entry for Picture-in-Picture, and you toggle it on or off. Make sure it’s enabled.

When in a Duo call, hitting the home button sends the Duo app to the background but leaves a small picture window of the video chat opens on your home screen. You can switch to another app and it stays there, but some games and other apps that shut everything else down will kill Duo completely. Other apps should behave the same way, and switching focus through the app switcher should bring the PIP window to the front.

You can move the window anywhere on the screen and the other party sees no interruption. A couple of taps makes the window larger, and you can use the app switcher to go back to full screen. The PIP window uses your phone’s accelerometer so it can display in landscape or portrait, depending on how you’ve rotated your phone. Overall, it’s really simple and works great!

PIP mode isn’t automatic. Developers have some work to do.

Developers will have to do some work here. For starters, they have to make sure their app doesn’t stop the video stream when the “paused” event is sent. This is different than what happens when you hit a pause button, it’s about how apps run in the background.

Developers will also have to tell their app how to behave when it’s put in PIP mode and make sure support for the new activity is added. While not too difficult, these changes mean we’ll have to depend on developers who want to add the feature. Adoption of Oreo will be slow so that might not happen for a while.

We’ll be on the lookout for apps that use Picture-in-Picture, and we hope you will be, too! As you come across them, be sure to give a shout-out in the comments below.

Android Oreo

• Android Oreo review!
• Everything new in Android Oreo
• How to get Android Oreo on your Pixel or Nexus
• Oreo will make you love notifications again
• Will my phone get Android Oreo?
• Join the Discussion

Grab a year of IPVanish for just $39 for a very limited time, a 50% savings

VPNs are way more common now than they were even just one year ago. People who care about their privacy (which should be everyone) have begun connecting to a VPN everytime they use the internet, but picking the right VPN provider can be a hard task. There are a ton of services out there, and they range in price from free to $100 or more a year. If you haven’t already settled into a VPN, today may be the day that you do that.

Are you using a VPN? Here’s why you might consider it!

New customers to IPVanish’s service can score a 50% discount on its one-year plan with the coupon code PRIVACYFIRST. This discount drops the price down to just $39 for the first year, meaning you are only paying just over $3 a month to keep your browsing more secure.

From our review of the service:

Not only is IPVanish’s Quick Connect menu suitable for novice users, there’s also a host of settings in the background that advanced users will love. There are over 850 servers in more than 60 countries, and you’ll be using one of 40,000 shared IP addresses. Tack on a lack of log keeping and secure connection protocols, and you have a very strong option.

This deal is only good through August 23, so you won’t want to wait too long to make the purchase. Be sure to check it out today, and add that extra layer of security while connecting to the internet.

See at IPVanish

How to watch Netflix on Google Cardboard

Netflix is now accessible in VR on more than Gear VR.

Plenty of people enjoy spending a few hours binging Netflix to catch up on their favorite show before the new season kicks off. If you have roommates or distractions then you might have considered watching your shows in VR. Not everybody has access to Gear VR, the only VR headset with the app available. Have no fear though, we’ve got the details for you on how to watch Netflix using Google Cardboard

Read more at VR Heads!