Fire TV users lose access to the YouTube app earlier than expected

Amidst the ongoing disagreements between Google and Amazon, the version of YouTube currently accessible on Amazon Fire TVs was scheduled to be disabled starting January 1st. But TechCrunch reports that at least for some users, that appears to have happened a little earlier than expected. Quite a few Fire TV owners are reporting on Twitter and Reddit that launching the YouTube app now redirects you to a web browser.

Amazon and Google have butted heads quite a bit in recent years. Earlier this month, Google said it would pull support for YouTube on the Echo Show and Amazon Fire TV devices due to the fact that Amazon refuses to carry Google products or make Prime Video available on Google Cast and has implemented what amount to hacked versions of YouTube on the Echo Show and Fire TV devices. Shortly after that announcement, Amazon said it would be bringing Chromecast back to its retail lineup, which suggested a potential reconciliation between the two giants. But last week, Amazon added Firefox and its own Silk browser to all Fire TV devices, through which users can get to YouTube once Google pulls its app support, and reports surfaced that the company had filed multiple trademark requests for what appear to be rival YouTube sites — the less than charmingly named Amazontube and Opentube.

It appears that not every Fire TV user is getting the same redirect, however. Cord Cutter News reports that if you don’t have Silk or Firefox installed, you’re still able to get to the YouTube app. And AFTVNews.com says that if you keep your device from updating to the new version of YouTube or sideload the older version, you can still access the app.

We’ve reached out to both Google and Amazon for comment. We’ll update this post when we hear more.

Via: TechCrunch

Year in Review: Everything Apple Introduced in 2017

2017 was a big year for Apple, with the launch of the entirely revamped iPhone X, the iMac Pro, the first cellular-enabled Apple Watch, an iPad Pro with an amazing display, the Apple TV 4K, and new Macs, software, and other products.

In the video below, we highlighted some of the most well-received and notable Apple products of the year, and below that, you’ll find a quick overview of every major product Apple debuted or announced in 2017.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.

Fifth-Generation iPad (March)

March saw the launch of Apple’s most affordable iPad to date, the 5th-generation iPad, which Apple refers to as “iPad.” iPad is priced starting at $329 for the entry-level 32GB Wi-Fi only version, and despite its low price, the tablet is equipped with a speedy A9 processor, an 8-megapixel rear camera, Touch ID, and Apple Pay support.

It’s thicker than the 9.7-inch iPad Pro that came before it, but not by much, and while it doesn’t support Apple Pencil or have some of the impressive display features available in the iPad Pro, it’s an incredibly capable tablet that’s going hold up for years to come.

Read more about the iPad in our iPad roundup.

iPad Pro

Following the launch of the new low-cost “iPad,” Apple introduced two new iPad Pro models in June: an updated 12.9-inch model and an all-new 10.5-inch model that replaces the previous 9.7-inch iPad Pro. The 10.5-inch iPad Pro isn’t much bigger than the 9.7-inch model, but it has a much larger display thanks to thinner side bezels.

Both the 10.5 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro are amazingly powerful and can serve as PC replacements with A10X Fusion chips and 4GB RAM. New displays offer ProMotion display technology with a 120Hz refresh rate, and these are without a doubt the nicest displays we’ve seen in an iPad.

Unlike the fifth-generation iPad, the iPad Pro models support the Smart Keyboard and the Apple Pencil, but all of these features don’t come cheap – the 64GB 10.5-inch iPad Pro starts at $649, and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at $799. Luckily, sales are common, so you can often get these two tablets at lower prices.

Read more about the iPad Pro in our iPad Pro roundup.

MacBook Pro

Apple introduced the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar in October of 2016, so we weren’t expecting new MacBook Pro models until late 2017, but Apple surprised us with new MacBook Pro models equipped with Kaby Lake processors in June of 2017.

Aside from the upgraded processors, the MacBook Pro models from June of 2017 are identical to the October 2016 models, with Touch Bar and non Touch Bar options available.

The new MacBook Pro models are smaller, thinner, and lighter than 2015 models, with a larger trackpad, louder speakers, a much better display with bright colors, better contrast, and wide color gamut support, faster solid state drives, and support for Thunderbolt 3.

Pricing on the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar starts at $1,799, while 15-inch models start at $2,399. For customers who don’t need a Touch Bar and can sacrifice some processor and GPU speed, Apple sells a 13-inch non-Touch Bar MacBook Pro for $1,299.

Read more about the MacBook Pro in our MacBook Pro roundup.

MacBook Air

The MacBook Air is on its way to being retired, but until MacBook Pro and MacBook prices come down, Apple is keeping it around as a low-cost option.

In June, Apple bumped up the base MacBook Air Broadwell processor from 1.6GHz to 1.8GHz, but it otherwise has received no updates since 2015. The MacBook Air is falling further and further behind newer machines, but for customers who need a more affordable laptop that can still handle everyday tasks, it serves its purpose.

Pricing on the MacBook Air starts at $999, but there are often deals on the machine that bring prices way down.

Read more about the MacBook Air in our MacBook Air roundup.

iMac

Apple refreshed its iMac lineup in June, introducing Kaby Lake chips, Thunderbolt 3 support, VR ready AMD Radeon Pro graphics, and faster solid state drives for 4K 21.5-inch and 5K 27-inch desktop models. For the first time, the 21.5-inch iMac models have discrete graphics.

Aside from the internal updates, the iMac models from June of 2017 are identical to earlier iMac models – the iMac line has not received a design update since 2012.

With the Mac mini having been ignored since 2014, the iMac is essentially Apple’s sole desktop designed for the average consumer. The iMac is powerful with a gorgeous Retina display, but it’s expensive.

Pricing on the 21.5-inch 4K iMac starts at $1,299, while the 27-inch 5K iMac starts at $1,799. For those looking for a more affordable desktop machine, there’s an entry-level 21.5-inch iMac for $1,099, but it has a slower processor, an integrated GPU, and a standard 2K display.

Read more about the iMac in our iMac roundup.

Apple TV 4K

September brought the long-awaited launch of the Apple TV 4K, the first set-top box Apple has introduced for 4K televisions.

The Apple TV 4K, in addition to supporting higher-resolution content, also supports HDR, introducing not only incredible detail, but also richer, more vibrant colors. Inside, there’s an A10X Fusion chip, the same chip in the 2017 iPad Pro.

4K content was added to the iTunes Store, and the Apple TV 4K supports 4K streaming from services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. That latter app was also one of the big announcements of 2017. Apple promised an Amazon Prime Video app for Apple TV in June, and then we waited all year for the app’s December 6 launch.

If you have a 4K TV and prefer the Apple ecosystem, the Apple TV 4K is a must have. In addition to 4K streaming content, there are thousands of apps and games to download, and it integrates perfectly with the TV app for a streamlined watching experience.

Read more about the Apple TV 4K in our Apple TV roundup.

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus

The iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus came in September ahead of the launch of the iPhone X. Though these devices don’t have some of the key iPhone X features like Face ID, they shine in their own right with sleek new glass bodies that support wireless charging, super fast A11 Bionic chips, a familiar design with Touch ID, and, most importantly, a more affordable price tag.

The iPhone 8 starts at $699, while the iPhone 8 Plus starts at $799, significantly cheaper than the $999 starting point for the iPhone X.

Both of these devices are ideal for customers who prefer Touch ID and don’t want to empty their wallets for nascent technology. They’re not sporting a fancy new design, but the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus are fast, reliable, and comfortable.

Read more about the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus in our iPhone 8 roundup.

Apple Watch Series 3

Introduced in September, Apple Watch Series 3 is the first Apple Watch that includes LTE support. LTE models, denoted by a red dot on the Digital Crown, are more expensive and require a monthly carrier fee, but they work even when an iPhone isn’t nearby.

Aside from LTE connectivity, a faster S3 processor, and a new W2 chip for faster and more efficient Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the Apple Watch Series 3 is identical to earlier Apple Watch models, aka there’s no new design here.

The LTE Apple Watch is limited to a handful of countries, but luckily Apple also sells a GPS-only version — and it’s cheaper. Like always, Apple offers aluminum sport models, stainless steel models, and ceramic models, with a gray ceramic option new this year.

Read more about Apple Watch Series 3 in our Apple Watch roundup.

New Software

September also brought new software, with Apple debuting iOS 11, tvOS 11, macOS High Sierra, and watchOS 4 after a beta testing period that started in June.

iOS 11 introduced a new Lock screen experience that incorporates the Notification Center, a customizable Control Center, a new more natural Siri voice, and dozens of other smaller design changes and tweaks to streamline the operating system.

On the iPad, Apple entirely overhauled the interface with major new features like a persistent Dock, a revamped App Switcher, a new Files app, and Drag and Drop functionality. iOS 11 also brought peer-to-peer Apple Pay payments (which came out in December), an entirely new App Store, and ARKit for augmented reality apps.

macOS High Sierra brought a lot of under-the-hood updates, like Metal 2, a new more efficient file system, new Safari features like autoplay video blocking, and support for HEVC and HEIF, new, more efficient image and video file formats. In 2018, macOS High Sierra will support VR and eGPUs.

watchOS 4 included new watch faces and even more focus on motivating people to move with animations, motivational notifications, and interface changes to make it quicker to start a workout. It also introduced GymKit for integrating with gym equipment, and for the Apple Watch Series 3 models, there’s a redesigned Apple Music app for listening without an iPhone.

tvOS 11, which runs on the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TVs, was a relatively minor update, but it brought a few notable features like better multi-Apple TV syncing, automatic switching between light and dark mode, and other under-the-hood improvements.

Read more in our roundups: iOS 11, macOS High Sierra, tvOS 11, and watchOS 4.

iPhone X

Introduced in September as a classic “One more thing…” announcement after the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, the iPhone X made its official debut on November 3.

Positioned as Apple’s new flagship device, the iPhone X introduces the most radical design changes we’ve seen in an iPhone since 2014. Apple did away with the Home button and Touch ID to introduce an edge-to-edge display with minimal bezels and a sleek glass back that enables wireless charging.

Instead of Touch ID, the iPhone X uses a facial recognition system called Face ID for biometric authentication, which is powered by a front-facing TrueDepth camera, located underneath the “notch” on the display. Though equipped with a 5.8-inch display, the iPhone X isn’t too much larger than the iPhone 8, and it’s smaller than the iPhone 8 Plus.

The iPhone X sets the path for the next decade of iPhone development, and Apple says its Face ID system is the future of biometrics. Inside, the iPhone X is equipped with an Apple-designed A11 Bionic processor, new rear cameras, and dozens of other small hardware improvements to make it the most impressive iPhone Apple has introduced since the original iPhone came out in 2007.

Read more about the iPhone X in our iPhone X roundup.

iMac Pro

Aimed at Apple’s professional users, the iMac Pro was announced in June but launched in December. Pricing on the iMac Pro starts at $4,999 and goes up to $13,199, but that price tag includes a lot of impressive high-end components to meet the needs of users with demanding workflows.

The iMac Pro is the most powerful desktop machine Apple has built yet. It features Intel’s Xeon W processors with 8 to 18 cores, along with Radeon Pro Vega graphics, up to 128GB of ECC RAM, and up to 4TB of solid state storage.

There’s also an Apple-designed T2 processor that integrates the SMC, image signal processor, audio control, SSD controller, a Secure Enclave, and the hardware encryption engine.

The iMac Pro looks like the iMac, but it comes in a new Space Gray color, and inside, it’s been redesigned with a new thermal architecture to support the upgraded components.

This isn’t a machine for everyone due to its high price tag, but it’s a welcome addition to Apple’s Mac lineup for pro users.

Read more about the iMac Pro in our iMac Pro roundup.

Mac Pro

The Mac Pro has gone four years without an update, and in late 2016 and early 2016, Apple’s pro-level customers started getting increasingly frustrated by their perceived abandonment by Apple.

To ease concerns, Apple in April shared Apple’s future Mac Pro plans, which includes a total overhaul of the Mac Pro. Apple is developing a high-end high-throughput modular Mac Pro system that will facilitate regular upgrades to meet all of the needs of Apple’s pro user base.

We don’t know when the new Mac Pro is coming, beyond “longer than this year,” but Apple in December reconfirmed its commitment to introducing a machine for pro customers. The new Mac Pro will accommodate VR and high-end cinema production, and it’ll ship alongside a new Apple-branded pro display.

Read more about Mac Pro in our Mac Pro roundup.

HomePod

Apple’s first smart speaker, HomePod, was announced in June. It was supposed to come out in December, but Apple ended up delaying it until early 2018 because work on the device could not be completed in time for a December launch.

HomePod is Apple’s answer to the Amazon Echo and the Google Home, but with a focus on better sound quality. It features an A8 chip to power some advanced features like spatial awareness for adjusting sound to fit a room’s design, and it includes Siri integration, so you can ask Siri to play music.

HomePod, which looks like a small mesh-covered Mac Pro, is 7 inches tall with a cylindrical body and a display at the top so you know when Siri’s listening. There are touch controls, and it’s able to do things like serve as a HomeKit hub.

Read more about HomePod in our HomePod roundup.

Wrap Up

What do you think of Apple’s 2017 product lineup? Was it a good year for the company, or were there misses? What was your top product for 2017? Let us know in the comments.

Also, make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors over the next week, because we’ll be delving into all of the products we’re expecting to see from Apple in 2018, ranging from a revamped iPad Pro to three new iPhones.

Related Roundups: iPad Pro, iMac, MacBook Air, Apple TV, MacBook Pro, Apple Watch, watchOS 4, MacBook, iPhone 8, iPad (2017), iMac Pro, iPhone XBuyer’s Guide: 10.5″ iPad Pro (Neutral), iMac (Neutral), MacBook Air (Neutral), Apple TV (Buy Now), MacBook Pro (Caution), Apple Watch (Buy Now), 12.9″ iPad Pro (Neutral), MacBook (Neutral), iPhone 8 (Buy Now), iPad (Caution), iMac Pro (Buy Now), iPhone X (Buy Now)
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Target’s End-of-the-Year iPad Deals: $250 for 32GB 9.7-inch iPad and $300 for 128GB iPad mini 4

Sales celebrating the end of 2017 are in full swing, and Target this week has priced the 32GB 9.7-inch iPad from early 2017 at $249.99, down from $329.99. Currently, that’s $30 cheaper than another sale on the same iPad that Best Buy is running, so if you’ve been looking to purchase one of the lower-end models of Apple’s iPad lineup this is a great opportunity. As of writing, the Space Gray and Silver models are in stock to ship while Gold models qualify for free order pickup depending on stock near your location.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Target is also beating many other retailers’ sale prices on the 128GB Wi-Fi only iPad mini 4 from 2015, with the tablet priced at $299.99, down from $399.99. Comparatively, the second cheapest options are at Amazon and MacMall where the iPad mini 4 is priced at $357.00 and $369.00, respectively. Both of the Target iPad sales will end around 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, December 30, and stock for each appears limited.

A few other nice deals today include $10 off Twelve South’s HiRise 2 and HiRise 2 Deluxe stands on Amazon, as well as savings on multiple Bluetooth speaker brands on Best Buy. These include Ultimate Ears ($20 to $127 off), JBL ($30 to $100 off), and harman/kardon ($300 off).

Additionally, Flexibits recently launched a New Year sale of its own, with discounts hitting all of its apps for macOS and iOS devices. The company said that the savings run through the New Year, and are worth up to 25 percent off the Flexibit Mac apps and up to 50 percent off its iOS apps. Check out each app and how much it’s been discounted in the list below:

• Fantastical 2 for Mac – $39.99, down from $49.99 (20% off)

• Cardhop for Mac – $14.99, down from $19.99 (25% off)

• Chatology for Mac – $14.99, down from $19.99 (25% off)

• Fantastical 2 for iPhone – $2.99, down from (40% off)

• Fantastical 2 for iPad – $4.99, down from $9.99 (50% off)

For even more ongoing sales happening in the days before the New Year, head over to our full Deals Roundup.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals
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The best laptops under $1,000

Finding a laptop for less than $1,000 isn’t as hard as it used to be, but finding a good laptop for less than $1,000 is still tricky. In that price range you have to be careful, because each manufacturer prioritizes different features over others in order to keep costs down. Some might offer a powerful CPU on the cheap, but skimp on build quality. Others might spring for a sleek, solid chassis and settle for a sub-par processor. It’s about finding the right balance for your needs, and doing a lot of research. Luckily, we’ve done most of that research for you and compiled this list of the best laptops under $1,000:

Our Pick: Dell XPS 13

First up is, you guessed it, the XPS 13. One of our favorite laptops at any price, the XPS 13 offers an excellent balance of processing power, longevity, and build quality. Plus, there are two models under $1,000. One starts at just $800, and features an Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD. It’s not a bad choice, but for an extra $150 you get an Intel Core i5 and 8GB of RAM — an upgrade you should definitely consider. That extra horsepower will go a long way in a couple years when your XPS is starting to show its age.

Best Value: Asus ZenBook UX330UA

If you’re willing to compromise a bit on premium build quality, the Asus ZenBook UX330UA is an excellent choice, and our pick for best laptop way under $1,000. It starts at just $700, and for that price you still get a 7th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. That’s already a great deal, but you can get a hefty upgrade for just an extra $50. For $750, you’ll get an 8th-generation Intel Core i5 processor. That upgrade means your Zenbook will outclass nearly every other laptop in this price category. Those 8th-generation processors offer a substantial performance boost, even during everyday use. It’s definitely with the extra investment, and you’ll still end up saving money overall.

Best Chromebook: Samsung Chromebook Pro

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Speaking of saving money, maybe you don’t quite need all that extra horsepower. If you just need a device for checking email, writing papers, or just reading Reddit while on the go, the Samsung Chromebook Pro is a compelling little device. Starting at just $500, the Samsung Chromebook Pro is a 2-in-1 running Google’s Chrome OS. It’s a little limited, in that you’ll only be able to run web apps and the occasional Android app on it, but as a value is hard to beat. It performs well during everyday use, it has a battery that will see you through most of a workday, and it’s the thinnest, lightest laptop on this list.

Best Gaming Laptop: Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming

Dan Baker/Digital Trends

Maybe you’re looking for something with a bit more power. Just a few years ago it would’ve been unthinkable that you could find a laptop under $1,000 with graphics card powerful enough to run the latest games without turning the detail settings way, way down. The Inspiron 15 Gaming is something of a novelty in that regard. Starting at just $700, it features an Intel Core i5 processor, a 256GB SSD, and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card with Max-Q design. That last bit just means it’s quiet, and runs a little cooler. Still, during our time with the Inspiron 15 we were consistently impressed by its robust gaming performance — even if we were underwhelmed by its display quality.

At this price range though, you simply won’t find a better gaming laptop. The Inspiron 15 Gaming is without peer when it comes to gaming performance on a budget.

Best 2-in-1: Surface Pro

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Sometimes a typical laptop just doesn’t cut it. If you need a reliable stylus or a mobile workstation with a creative side, the Surface Pro is your best bet under $1,000. Starting at $800, the latest Surface Pro features an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage space. It’s a modest performer, but the touchscreen and stylus — which will run you an extra $100 — more than makes up for it. As a 2-in-1 with best-in-class handwriting recognition and Windows Ink, it’s a versatile mobile workstation with features you won’t find elsewhere, at least not at this price. For that reason, it’s hard to beat if you’re looking for something ultra-mobile and stylus-friendly.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The best budget laptop you can buy
• Asus Zenbook UX330UA review
• The best laptops you can buy
• The Best Laptops for College You Can Buy
• Dell Inspiron 13 5000 2-in-1 review

From Oreo to Jelly Bean, here’s how to turn off notifications in Android

One of the main strengths of the Android platform has always been the notifications system. Sadly, some app developers seem to abuse it in order to spam you with promotional messages, enticements to fire up their app, and plain old pointless updates. The obvious answer is to uninstall the offending software, but what if it’s an app or a game that you enjoy using? There must be another way, right? Let’s find out.

Google continues to tweak the way notifications are handled with every new version of Android, and some manufacturers make their own changes, but these instructions should help you get a handle on those incoming alerts. We’re going to look at how to block notifications for individual apps in different Android versions, but there is a way to block everything and set exceptions that will still get through. In Android 6.0 Marshmallow we got a new mode to handle notifications and set times when they should be muted. Check out how to use Do Not Disturb mode to find out more about that.

How to turn off notifications in Android 8.0 Oreo

In Android 8.0 Oreo you get more fine-tuned control of your notifications than ever before. Tapping a notification in Android 8.0 Oreo will still open the app that sent it, but you can also swipe from right to left to close the notification.

If you swipe just part of the way from right to left you’ll reveal two icons. The gear icon gives you the option to block notifications from that app or game. You might see a simple toggle to turn notifications off for that app, with the option to tap More settings to jump to the app’s notifications page. Or you might get the option to tap All categories to see exactly what notifications that app or service sends and toggle them off individually. The clock icon allows you to snooze the notification and choose a time period to snooze it for.

To review and set notifications the way you want them for all apps go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Notifications > App notifications, then tap the individual apps and decide what notifications you want them to send.

You can also turn off all lock screen notifications via Settings > Apps & notifications > Notifications > On the lock screen and then Don’t show notifications at all.

Check out our Android 8.0 Oreo tips to find out more about this version of Google’s platform.

How to turn off notifications in Android 7.0 Nougat

In Android 7.0 Nougat tapping a notification will open the app or game that sent it, but you can also swipe right to left to close a notification. If you just swipe slightly from right to left, then you’ll reveal a gear icon on the right. Tap the gear icon and you’ll find the option to silence or block notifications from that app or game. You can also tap More settings at the bottom to jump to the app’s notification page and make further changes.

If you want to run through your apps and games and set notification rules all at once, then head into Settings > Notifications and choose All apps from the drop down menu. Tap on each individual app to access its notification settings.

You might want to delve into our Android 7.0 Nougat tips to find out what else it can do.

How to turn off notifications in Android 5.0 Lollipop and above

Google made some changes in Android 5.0 Lollipop to offer you a lot more control over the notifications you see. For the first time you had a dedicated notification section, and some real power to discern what you do and don’t get bothered by.

When a notification pops up in your notification shade you can simply long press on it to bring up a link to the notification page for that app via the “i” icon. It’s a shortcut to the app notification page, which you’ll also find listed at Settings > Sound & notification > App notifications. Every app is listed here and you can decide if you want to turn notifications off by toggling the Block option.

You can also use the Priority option to ensure that notifications gravitate to the top of your notification list and still come through when you’ve turned on Allow only priority interruptions via Settings > Sound & notification > Interruptions > When notifications arrive.

If you use a PIN, pattern, or password for screen lock then you can also set notifications as Sensitive, which will prevent the notification content showing up on your lock screen. For example, you’ll get a notification about a new email, but it won’t display any of the content in the email.

How to turn off notifications in Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and above

If you’re rocking Jelly Bean or KitKat on your Android device, then feel free to dance round the room in celebration. Your task is easy. The fact that Google worked in a system for identifying the app responsible and turning notifications off forevermore is a pretty clear sign that notification spam is becoming a problem.

When an offending notification pops up, simply long press on it and App info will pop up. Tap on that and you’ll be taken straight to the app management screen where you can uncheck the Show notifications box and free yourself from spam. It does mean that all notifications from that app will be turned off. As the warning states “If you turn off notifications for this app, you may miss important alerts and updates.”

You can also go to Settings > Apps and slide over the All tab and run through each app, unchecking that Show notifications box for anything you don’t want bothering you.

How to turn off notifications in older versions of Android

The horrible truth with older versions of Android is that you are at the mercy of the app developer. Each individual app handles its own notification system. To see whether you can turn off or customize your notifications you need to fire up the app in question and hit the Menu button. You should find a notifications option in Settings. There is no standard, so it could be anywhere, or it might not be an option at all.

Big apps like Facebook have a whole range of notification options so you can decide on alerts, vibrations, and choose ringtones, as well as dictating exactly what should trigger an alert. Some apps don’t have any notification options at all.

Customizing notifications

If you have the option to set a ringtone for your notifications within an individual app’s settings, then you can get around the main annoyance they cause, which is making you think something important has popped up on your phone. Set the same ringtone for nonessential updates and you don’t need to turn notifications off, but you’ll instantly know it isn’t that text you’re waiting for.

It is also a good idea to set different ringtones and vibrations for different things so you have a good idea whether it’s something you need to check or not. Most people have ringtone and vibrate for calls, and maybe just vibrate for texts and emails. You might find additional options depending on the phone you have.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Google kicks off the Android Wear beta program with Android 8.0 Oreo
• Google to add Android-like in-line notification replies to Chrome OS
• Top 5 Android security apps: The best antivirus protection for Android
• How to install Android apps on a Chromebook
• Stop those unwanted phone calls and learn how to block a number in Android

Your Sonos or Bose speaker (probably) isn’t haunted, but it could be hacked

The idea of your internet-connected speakers and other smart devices talking to each other might sound crazy, but it’s more likely than you think. At least it is now that hackers have found a way to play any sound they want on certain speakers from Sonos and Bose, as Wired reports.

Cybersecurity company Trend Micro has found that models from Sonos, including the Sonos One and Sonos Play:1, as well as some Bose SoundTouch speakers, can be found relatively easily by remote attackers. Trend Micro found that between 2,000 and 5,000 Sonos devices could be found online, depending on the time of day, while 400 to 500 Bose systems could be found. Once the speaker is found, an attacker can play any audio of their choice through the speaker without much work.

While playing audio doesn’t sound like much of a threat — especially when compared to your smart home devices being made part of a botnet — it isn’t as innocuous as it sounds. Attackers could, for example, use a compromised speaker to play Alexa or Google Home commands. With our homes increasingly hosting these types of devices, and in the case of the Sonos One, having Alexa built in, this could give an attacker free reign over your smart devices.

Despite the potential consequences that this vulnerability could lead to, for the time being, there don’t seem to be reports of much beyond simple pranks. Earlier this year, a post by a Sonos owner on the company’s community forum complained of a series of spooky sounds emanating from their speaker — first the sound of a door opening, then glass breaking, then a baby crying. Eventually the customer pulled the plug to stop the sound.

Fortunately, this shouldn’t pose a problem for the average Sonos or Bose owner. Most home networks are secure enough to prevent the access needed for this type of attack. If, on the other hand, you’re running a game server or allowing other types of access to your home network from the internet, you might want to tighten up your security settings.

Sonos has issued a patch aimed at fixing this issue, and while Bose has yet to comment on the issue, it’s likely that a similar fix is on the way.

Editors’ Recommendations

• New Sonos One smart speaker supports Alexa and Google Assistant
• Amazon Echo Spot review
• Sonos One review
• You can now control Sonos smart speakers directly from the Pandora app
• Amazon Echo Plus review

What’s so great about stock Android?

Our forum users talk about whether or not stock Android is truly better than custom OEM skins.

If you’ve been in the Android space for any amount of time, you’ve likely heard people talk about how much better stock Android is when compared to custom skins created by OEMs. This is a debate that’s been going on for years now, and while the general consensus among a lot of folks has been that stock is king, some of our forum users recently got to talking about why exactly this is.

While Android skins have gotten a lot lighter and less cluttered recently, there’s still no denying that there are certain software advantages you get with a phone like Google Pixel 2 over the Galaxy S8. Stock Android really shines when it comes to things like smooth performance and reliability, but I’ll let our forum users do the talking now.

MooMooPrincess
12-24-2017 10:08 PM

“

There’s really no stock Android anymore. Even the pixel comes with Google’s own launcher now.

But I get what you mean and for me it’s just way smoother and everything to me is just clean and minimalist like I try to live my life.

Reply

digitalbreak
12-24-2017 10:17 PM

“

It’s the duplicate apps. If only all these OEMs stop investing in building their own dialers, messages and many more and just use Google apps. They could have those in the Play Store as an optional download but baking it into the firmware is where it gets problematic.

This is the biggest reason folks choose Pixel over other Android phones. However you can now see many companies actually use…

Reply

AustinTech
12-25-2017 09:05 AM

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I fell in love with stock Android with the Nexus 6P. Such a smooth and liberating experience! Other phones at the time had janky software and some pretty bad color accents plus updates (particularly security) were very slow. The 6P has a great camera, the first for a Nexus device.

Well, things have changed now. A lot of the jank has disappeared and at least with Samsung, security updates are…

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donm527
12-25-2017 06:16 PM

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In the past the difference between Stock Android and the rest was much clearer to see… Companies like Samsung and HTC and LG created crap like TouchWiz and WebSense that were just terrible and with TouchWiz for example you have the infamous lag in their OS after owning it for a short time.

I personally never cared for TouchWiz and wouldnt never buy a Samsung because of it. The Note 7 was the…

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Aquila
12-26-2017 10:14 AM

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Less bloat, faster, smoother, visually better (IMO), apparently easier to update in a timely manner + this is Android, not iOS. The vast majority of a normal user experience comes from the Play Store, not from the OEM.

Also, giving Samsung (or LG, etc) access to user data means being subjected to their privacy policies, etc. – which, if data privacy and security are important to that user,…

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What about you – Do you prefer stock Android over manufacturer skins?

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10 quick things you can do to make your Android phone run faster

Give your phone a tune-up this holiday season.

So you bought a shiny new phone, and a few months later you realize it isn’t as fast as it used to be. We’ve all been there, and the issue isn’t limited to budget phones either — devices like the Galaxy S8 are also prone to the occasional slowdown after several months of usage.

Thankfully, you can try a few things to get your phone running back at full speed. We’ve also listed a few battery optimizations that should help you get the most out of your phone’s battery.

Use Files Go to clean up your storage

Google’s file management app is great. It not only analyzes your phone for unused files and apps, but also lets you easily transfer files.

The app has a minimalist design with two tabs: Storage and Files. From the Storage tab, you get an overview of the amount of storage you have left on your phone, as well as tips on how to free up space. You’ll also be able to easily clear apps’ cached data from within Files Go.

It does a great job when it comes to finding unnecessary files on your phone, which is very useful if you’re using a phone with 16GB or even 8GB of internal storage. The app is particularly useful if you’ve ever used Lenovo’s ShareIt to transfer content to another device.

Download: Files Go (Free)

Disable (or uninstall) bloatware and unused apps

Most phones aside from the Pixels and Android One devices come with some form of bloatware. Thankfully, you can disable — or in some cases uninstall — most of the apps that come pre-installed on your phone if you’re not going to use them.

Just go to Settings > Apps to see all the apps installed on your phone. When you find an app that you don’t recognize, uninstall or disable it. You can also use Files Go to identify unused apps on your phone, and delete them as needed.

Install lightweight versions of apps

If you’re using a phone with limited memory and storage, using a poorly-optimized app can cause a lot of frustrations. Facebook is the perfect example, as the app tends to feel sluggish even on a brand new Pixel 2 XL. On a budget phone like the Moto G5 Plus, the overall experience can be summed up as

Thankfully, Facebook has a lightweight version of its app that works just as well while utilizing a fraction of the resources of the full-fledged app. Facebook Lite was initially designed to run on entry-level devices in emerging markets, but the app soon became available globally.

You can easily find lightweight versions of your favorite apps.

Facebook Lite is optimized to work on 2G connections, and on devices with as low as 1GB of RAM. It has a tiny footprint — coming in at under 5MB — and offers a similar set of features as the regular app. You’ll still be able to scroll through your news feed, post status updates, comment on your friends’ posts, find local events, and more.

If you’re an avid Facebook user and are tired of the full-fledged app bringing your phone to a crawl, you should definitely give Facebook Lite a go. Facebook also has a lightweight version of Messenger called Messenger Lite.

Twitter has a lightweight client as well, and while it’s not an app, you can access your timeline, send tweets, and more by heading to the mobile Twitter site. If you use Skype to communicate with your friends and family, then there’s Skype Lite. This particular app is designed for India, and may not be available in all markets.

Google also has lightweight versions of YouTube and Search available.

See if you have the latest update installed

It’s good practice to make sure your phone is up to date, as manufacturers tend to roll out regular updates containing bug fixes and stability improvements. Google also issues monthly security updates, which are crucial as they offer fixes for security vulnerabilities. While you may not see a huge difference in the overall user experience when installing a security patch, major platform updates and maintenance releases tend to feature a laundry list of fixes that significantly improve the performance of your phone.

However, far too few companies deliver monthly updates consistently, and more often than not your phone is likely to get one security patch once every three months. A lot of this is down to the way these updates are structured, and without going into the weeds too much, the update situation is a problem that needs fixing. That said, even when an update is available, there’s a percentage of users just don’t take the effort to install it.

For instance, if your phone is still on Marshmallow (29.7% of all Android devices currently are on Android 6.0), there’s a high likelihood that the Nougat update is available for your device. Just head into Settings -> About phone -> System update to check. If there is an update waiting, install it.

Clean up your home screen

Using a live wallpaper tends to slow things to a crawl, particularly if you’re using a budget phone. If you’re seeing a lot of lag when switching between apps or when exiting an app to go back to the home screen, try switching to a static background and see if it helps.

If you’re looking for lightweight live wallpapers that don’t consume a lot of resources, you can try out Google’s Wallpapers app, as well as Minima.

Try another launcher

OnePlus and Motorola offer a user interface that’s close to “pure” Android, and in recent years HTC and Sony have also dialed back on the customizations. Samsung has also opted for a clean and modern interface with its latest version of Samsung Experience, but its South Korean compatriot LG has a long way to go in this area. The same goes for Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo, which see their custom skin as a differentiator.

EMUI and MIUI in particular are heavily skinned, and more often than not you’ll feel like the interface is cumbersome to navigate thanks to the overt customizations. Thankfully, you can get around this by switching to a third-party launcher. Apps like Nova Launcher and Action Launcher let you customize every facet of the user interface, giving you the ability to personalize your phone.

Nova Launcher is one of the best options available, and it’s on sale right now for just 99 cents, down from its usual price of $4.99. If your phone’s default interface is starting to get bloated, you should consider a third-party launcher.

Best Android launchers

See what’s running in the background

If you notice your phone’s battery draining faster than usual, it’s usually down to an errant app hogging up the CPU cycles. Apps running in the background also tend to use up the battery, so it’s a good bet to regularly monitor your phone’s battery usage from the settings.

Head into Settings > Battery to track down the misbehaving app, and hit Force stop to remove it from running in the background.

Disable ambient screen

An always-on display comes in handy if you want to take a quick look at the incoming notifications without having to unlock your phone, but the feature comes at the cost of battery life. If you’re seeing a drop-off in your device’s battery life, turning off the ambient display mode is one way to fix the issue.

Turn Bluetooth off when not needed

Turning off unused radios will allow you to extend your phone’s battery life. The difference may not amount to much, but for every little bit helps, and for things you’re not going to use all the time, like Bluetooth, it makes sense to switch it off when when not in use.

It isn’t advisable to turn off location services, as most apps need some sort of location information to run.

Don’t install a battery optimizer

This may seem counter-intuitive, but most “battery fixer” apps are pure garbage. These “utilities” do nothing more than remove the apps running in the background and clear your phone’s cache, but you often have to deal with intrusive ads and even malware.

If you’re seeing constant slowdowns and apps take a long time to load, it’s a better idea to remove apps running in the background by hitting the overview button and clearing them individually. And for clearing the cache, you can always rely on Google’s Files Go.

Your turn

What workarounds do you use to speed up your phone? Let us know in the comments below.

Pixel 2 leads smartphone activations in U.S., Samsung sees growth worldwide

Google dominated holiday activations in the U.S., but it’s nowhere to be seen on a global scale.

During this holiday season, there’s a good chance you either got a new phone or purchased one for someone else. Smartphones are excellent gifts to both give and receive, and now that the holiday rush is starting to die down, it’s time to take a look at activations of new phones to see which companies owned the market this year.

On the global front, Samsung saw a strong second place position in the week leading up to Christmas. The company accounted for 26% of all smartphone activations, creating a 5% year-over-year growth compared to this time in 2016. Huawei followed up in third place with 5% of all activations, with Xiaomi, Motorola, and LG making up the rest of the top five at 3% each. As for first place, Apple saw a big win at the number one spot with 44% of all activations.

Holiday smartphone activations around the world.

As you can see from the graph above, Google’s nowhere to be seen despite releasing the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL back in October. Google still has a lot of work to do when it comes to establishing a strong global presence, but when we look at smartphone activations during the Christmas weekend in the U.S. only, we end up with a different story.

In this scenario, Google took both first and second place with the Pixel 2 seeing a 38.61% increase in sales during the Christmas weekend compared to weeks prior. As for the Pixel 2 XL, it followed up with 31.41%. Localytics attributes this strong performance to the various promotions that were offered by Best Buy, Verizon, and the Google Store, and considering that you could get up to $300 off a Pixel 2 by simply activating it on Verizon with a monthly installment plan, that makes perfectly good sense.

Holiday smartphone activations in the U.S.

Apple snatched up third through eighth places with its myriad of phones and tablets, and Samsung took the ninth and tenth spots with its Note 8 and S8, respectively.

If you got a new smartphone or bought one for someone else, what did you buy and why?

The FCC just approved the first over the air charging system

Snapchat wants you to watch Stories outside of its app

Get ready to see Snapchat Stories everywhere you go.

Ever since Snapchat launched its Stories feature, we’ve seen endless clones from the likes of Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, etc. Stories has become the bread and butter of Snapchat for a lot of users, and according to a new report, we could soon start seeing them outside of the Snapchat app for the first time ever.

Per sources that have spoken to Cheddar, “Stories Everywhere” is a new product Snapchat is developing that’ll allow Stories to be shared online and on other social networks. The idea is similar to how Twitter and YouTube allow you to embed tweets/videos on other sites, and it’d enable Snapchat’s content to be shared on a much broader scale than ever before.

Snapchat is said to be developing Stories Everywhere with Rahul Chopra (former Senior Vice President and Global Head of Video at News Corp), and while Stories Everywhere is still in its early stages, it’s already suspected that you’ll be able to view Stories with a web player that’ll ask you to also download the Snapchat app and sign up if you haven’t already at some point while watching them.

This news follows just about a month after Snapchat announced the redesigned UI for its app, and with competition in the social space never letting up, big moves like this just might be what Snapchat needs in order to stay alive and well.

Custom Snapchat Lenses can now be made on Windows and Mac with Lens Studio