The beginning of the end? Teens are abandoning Facebook for YouTube

Facebook and Twitter’s long run as the de facto social media services could be coming to an end. Pollster Pew Research Center says today’s teenagers are increasingly skipping over traditional text-based forms of social media in favor of photo and video services, with just 51 percent of those ages 13-17 say they use Facebook, down 20 percent from 2015. Meanwhile, services like Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat saw dramatic growth in that time.

“The social media landscape in which teens reside looks markedly different than it did as recently as three years ago,” study authors Monica Anderson and Jingjing Jiang wrote in Pew’s report.

Eighty-five percent of teens use YouTube, which came in first overall. This was more than any other social media service, including Instagram (72 percent), Snapchat (69 percent), Facebook (51 percent), and Twitter (32 percent). Use jumped in both Instagram and Snapchat by as much Facebook fell, and Twitter’s usage among teens stayed nearly the same.

Teens were also three times more likely to say they used either YouTube or Snapchat “most often” than they were with Facebook, providing further evidence that the social media giant’s reach is beginning to dwindle. While Pew does not speculate on the reasons why teens are shifting their social media habits, it does note that lower-income teens are more likely to use Facebook and more often than their more well-off counterparts.

The reasons for Facebook’s decline aren’t exactly clear, even despite an overall drop in trust of the company. Teens were fairly well split as to whether social media had a positive (31 percent) or negative (24 percent) effect on their lives and those of others their age, with the remainder saying it had neither effect.

Among those that said it had a positive effect, connecting with friends and family was the most common reason why, while those that said it had a negative effect pointed to bullying and rumor spreading on the social network.

Smartphone usage is nearly ubiquitous in this age group, with 95 percent having some kind of access to a device, up from 73 percent in 2015. Forty-five percent of teens say they are online on a near-constant basis.

The study was conducted with 743 teens between March 7 and April 10.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The way you listen to music is in jeopardy. Here’s how Pandora plans to survive
• South Korea fines Facebook $300K for allegedly throttling its services
• Which social media platform wins?
• Apple Music vs. Spotify: Which service is the streaming king?
• TeenSafe phone-monitoring app leaks ‘tens of thousands’ of accounts

Is the OnePlus 6 worth buying over the Galaxy S9?

That’s a tough call.

The OnePlus 6 offers one of the best value propositions in the smartphone space right now, providing customers a flagship-like phone experience for considerably less than a lot of the competition.

However, how does the phone hold up when paired against Samsung’s Galaxy S9 series? Specifically, the Galaxy S9+.

One of our AC forum members recently purchased the OnePlus 6, but with Best Buy currently selling the S9+ for $300 off its retail price, is considering jumping ship to team Samsung.

They reached out to the community for some advice, and this was the response.

Itsa_Me_Mario
05-30-2018 04:14 PM

“

S9+ is by FAR a better phone. If they’re even near each other in price, the OnePlus 6 would be the default loser.

Reply

digitalbreak
05-31-2018 11:56 AM

“

If you care about the camera, then S9+ is the best of the two.

If you care about software and updates,OnePlus 6 is the best of the two.

Reply

neil74
06-01-2018 02:44 AM

“

I have both and it is a really hard call. Ultimately it ends up that the OP takes the crown for speed and software but the S9+ IMO beats it on every other count.

I probably should have gone for the 256gb as that negates the SD expansion of the S9 but overall despite the cost difference I’d still pick the S9+ Actually in the UK the LG G7 is not a million miles away price wise from the OnePlus…

Reply

FutureMech
05-31-2018 04:37 PM

“

S9+ by far, unless op6 is 300$ cheaper, it offer nothing over s9 except more frequent updates

Reply

What do you say? Is the OnePlus 6 a better purchase over the Galaxy S9?

Join the conversation in the forums!

OnePlus 6

• OnePlus 6 review
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T: How much changes in six months?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• These are the official OnePlus 6 cases
• The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Verizon or Sprint
• Join the discussion in the forums

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

• Galaxy S9 and S9+: Everything you need to know!
• Galaxy S9 review: A great phone for the masses
• Complete Galaxy S9 and S9+ specs
• Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S8: Should you upgrade?
• Join our Galaxy S9 forums

Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint

Best Buy opens pre-orders for HP’s 2-in-1 Chromebook [Update]

The machine costs $599.

Updated June 1, 2018: Although shipments for the Chromebook X2 weren’t supposed to go out until June 7 with a proper launch date of June 10, Best Buy appears to be jumping the gun. Some folks on Reddit first caught wind of Best Buy orders already shipping and the company offering in-store pickup, with one customer even sharing a video of their early purchase. Best Buy’s site still shows June 7 as the ship date for me in Michigan, but it’d be worth checking the site to see if it’s available early in your area.

Just a little over a month ago, HP announced the Chromebook x2 — a 2-in-1 Chromebook that can function as a traditional laptop or work as a 12.3-inch tablet thanks to a detachable keyboard.

The Chromebook x2 is looking like one of 2018’s best Chrome OS gadgets so far, and you can now pre-order it for yourself at Best Buy.

The x2 will set you back $599, and you’re getting a lot of computer for the price. That 12.3-inch display is an IPS panel and has a crisp resolution of 2400 x 1600. Intel’s Core m3 and 4GB RAM are used to power everything and are accompanied by 32GB of eMMC flash storage and Intel HD Graphics 615.

In addition to the detachable keyboard, the x2 also comes with an included stylus that can easily be housed on the side of the keyboard when you’re not using it. Even better, HP says its ultra-strong hinge makes typing on the x2 feel like a traditional laptop despite its convertible nature.

Best Buy’s website indicates that the Chromebook x2 will be available in-stores on June 7, but this could vary depending on which part of the country you live in.

See at Best Buy

Chromebooks

• The best Chromebooks
• Chromebooks in education: Everything you need to know
• Should you buy a Chromebook?
• Chromebook Buyers Guide
• Google Pixelbook review
• Join our Chromebook forums

Everything that’s new in OxygenOS

Have a OnePlus phone? Here’s what’s new with your latest update.

OxygenOS is the software that powers OnePlus phones, and even if you’re not enrolled in the Open Beta, it’s still frequently updated with new features and bug fixes to keep an eye out for.

It can be tough to keep track of what’s new, so we’ll be updating this guide with each new OxygenOS update that’s rolled out.

June 1, 2018 — May security patch comes to OnePlus 5 and 5T

OnePlus pushed out a small update to the OnePlus 5 and 5T on June 1 (OxygenOS 5.1.2), with one of the most notable changes being an upgrade to the May 2018 Android security patch.

OxygenOS 5.1.2 adds a few smaller fixes/features as well, including:

• Fixed auto-rotation stability issue
• Fixed Wi-Fi connection issue
• Fixed microphone not functioning issue for AKG earphones
• Added double-tap to lock screen
• Gallery app updated with Places (map view of where your photos were taken) and a Recently Deleted folder.

May 25, 2018 — Face Unlock comes to the OnePlus 3/3T with OxygenOS 5.0.3

The OnePlus 3 and 3T may be getting up in their age, but that doesn’t stop OnePlus from pushing new features to them. OxyenOS 5.0.3 is rolling out to the phones now, and the highlight here is easily the addition of Face Unlock.

This is the same technology introduced on the OnePlus 5T, allowing you to quickly unlock your 3 or 3T by just looking at it. Other items included with the update are as follows:

• Android security patch updated to May 2018
• Refined UI for the Shelf
• New app shortcuts design
• More options when long-pressing an app icon
• OnePlus Gallery gets Places menu, ability to share photos to Shot-On-OnePlus, and Recently Deleted collection
• Large Files category in File Manager
• OnePlus Weather app gets new widget, improved positioning accuracy, and refresh interval setting

OnePlus 6

• OnePlus 6 review
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T: How much changes in six months?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• These are the official OnePlus 6 cases
• The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Verizon or Sprint
• Join the discussion in the forums

How to stop streaming apps like Spotify from randomly shutting down

Changing a setting can keep streaming apps like Spotify up and running instead of cutting off your favorite song.

Modern Android phones make excellent devices for streaming media. Whether that means watching video on YouTube, listening to music through an app like Spotify, or indulging in an audiobook from Audible, your phone and a good set of headphones are all you need for a first-class experience.

Unless that experience gets interrupted by the app randomly shutting down, that is.

Here’s a quick look at what’s going on and what you can do to try and prevent it from happening.

Why it happens

The reason that streaming apps can stop abruptly and shut down has good intentions behind it — to save your battery.

Android and the phone manufacturers that use it know you want your battery to last forever on a single charge. That’s not possible, but what can be done is to add tools inside the system that keep apps from chewing through battery when they are not in focus — particularly in the foreground.

Android itself can have an unlimited amount of applications running. When the software is built, engineers alter a bit of the code to match how many apps can run based on the hardware used to build the phone. It’s complicated, but those engineers can set parameters about how much memory apps can use while you’re looking at them, while they are running in the background, while they are “sleeping” in the background, and apps that support other apps. When that number is reached, the system will start closing apps based on how they are running, not when they were last used.

RAM: What it is and when do you need more?

An app that is on your screen and you’re interacting with is in focus. That means plenty of system resources are allowed to be used because it’s assumed that you want that app up and running and are OK with it using battery power.

But an app like Spotify doesn’t really need to be on your screen to work to its full potential, so it should be able to tell the system that it still needs to be “in focus” — and therefore kept alive — even when it’s not actually open on the screen. It should be able to use things like battery power or your network connection because you asked it to.

Every company involved with Android, including app developers, wants to conserve battery. The people developing the hardware and software are constantly tweaking things to get just a tiny bit more life from a charge because all those tiny tweaks will add up. Android itself has seen Google make plenty of changes between versions here and companies like Samsung also have done a lot to save battery power whenever it can. And sometimes, those tiny changes don’t work great with each other.

It’s not difficult for a tiny change to force your phone to think an app like Spotify isn’t in focus as described above when you’re streaming, and the rules about when and how apps that aren’t in focus should be shut down to save battery are very different from the rules for apps you’re using.

And that’s often the problem here. You start Spotify (or Audible or any other streaming app) then move on to check the weather or read your Twitter timeline, and your phone thinks Spotify isn’t something that should be eating up all the battery power it’s using.

And that is a simple fix.

How to fix it

There are plenty of other factors that could be shutting down an app, but most of the time this will fix Spotify when it wants to shut down all the time — change any extra battery-saving features.

These are tools added on top of those settings that decide how apps can use resources. They’re put in place by the company that made your phone and are a way to be more aggressive about closing apps that use battery power when you’re not actively looking at them on your screen. Different companies make these changes in different ways, but the result is the same — your phone slows down a tiny bit, your screen won’t get as bright, and apps that aren’t up front on your screen aren’t allowed to use your connection and chew up battery power the way they would normally do.

To fix the problem, you need to disable any battery-saving features associated with the app that’s shutting down. Different companies have slightly different methods, but in the end, the result is the same.

Samsung phones — Marshmallow (Android 6.x)

If your Samsung phone is stuck on Marshmallow, here’s a tried-and-tested solution that doesn’t involve battery optimization but rather access to background data.

Note: If your Samsung phone is running Android 7.0 or later, skip this step and go to the one below.

Open your Settings.
Tap the Data usage entry.
Tap on Background data.
Find the app that’s giving you trouble on the list.
Make sure the switch beside it is set to enabled.

Samsung phones — Android 7.0

On a Samsung phone running Android 7.x Nougat or later, the steps are simple.

Open your phone’s Settings menu.
Open Device Maintenance.
Tap Battery.
Tap Battery usage.
In the three-dot menu button (top right), tap Optimize battery usage.
In the drop-down menu, select All apps.
Find the app(s) you want to unoptimize, and deselect it.

Pixel and Nexus phones — Android 7.x or later

If you have a Pixel or Nexus phone running Android 7 (Nougat) or later, try this:

Open your Settings.
Find the entry for Battery and tap it.
Tap the menu button and choose Battery optimization.
At the top, you’ll see a drop-down menu. Open it and choose All apps.
In the list, find the app that’s giving you trouble and choose Don’t Optimize.

Android uses a system tool called Doze to control how apps use power in the background. With Android 7.0, Doze became much more aggressive and there have been a few problems with streaming apps when the screen shuts off. Selecting the Don’t Optimize option tells Doze not to try and control how the app behaves when not in focus.

Battery optimization is important, and you should leave the feature enabled for most apps. We only recommend disabling it for streaming apps on phones where memory and battery management is just a bit too aggressive.

And these solutions aren’t perfect. And while it rarely happens, a glitch could allow an app like Spotify to run constantly and use all of your battery. App developers and companies that make Android phones know this, too, and are constantly working to fix issues like this with minor updates so it’s important you make sure you’re accepting system updates and app updates from Google Play.

In the meantime, these tweaks will get you back up and running with your favorite sounds still playing in the background!

Android P

• Android P: Everything you need to know
• Android P Beta hands-on: The best and worst features
• All the big Android announcements from Google I/O 2018
• Will my phone get Android P?
• How to manually update your Pixel to Android P
• Join the Discussion

These are all the Moto phones Motorola is releasing in 2018

2018 is shaping up to be a big year for Motorola.

Ever since its acquisition by Lenovo, Motorola’s turned into a company that’s not shy about releasing a lot of different phones each year. This allows for a lot of choices, but it can also make trying to pick the perfect phone a bit headache-inducing. No matter your opinion on Motorola’s release cycle, however, there’s no denying that 2018 is already shaping up to be an exciting year for the company.

We’ve seen a ton of leaks, rumors, renders and more for Motorola’s lineup of phones for 2018 ever since the beginning of the year, and this is everything we know so far.

The phones that are still on their way

Motorola One Power

The wildcard on this list easily goes to the Motorola One Power. We didn’t have any idea such a phone existed until late May, and based on what we know so far, it looks quite a bit different from the rest of Motorola’s 2018 handsets.

First off, the overall design language isn’t anything like the rest of this year’s Moto phones. There’s a giant notch at the top of the screen, vertical dual cameras on the back, and what appears to be a metal unibody.

Android One branding suggests that this phone will be among the first Motorola phones to get software updates and new security patches, and the full-on “Motorola” branding is unique from the short-hand “Moto” tag on the rest of the company’s products.

Shortly after the phone broke cover for the first time, even more press renders and a hands-on photo surfaced along with alleged specs. According to Andri Yatim on Twitter, the One Power will come equipped with the Snapdragon 636 processor, 6GB RAM, 64GB of storage, a large 3,780 mAh battery, and NFC for Google Pay support.

As for the camera situation, the two sensors on the back include a primary 16MP shooter with f/1.5 aperture and a seondary 5MP f/1.9 one. As for the front-facing camera, its 16MP with f/1.9.

Moto Z3/Z3 Play

Next, let’s talk about Motorola’s highest-end and most premium phones for 2018 – the Moto Z3 and Z3 Play.

Just like last year, we’re expecting Motorola to release two entries in its Z-series in 2018. The regular Moto Z3 will be the most powerful of the two, whereas the Z3 Play will come with slightly lower specs and a more affordable price tag. Specifications for these two phones are mostly up in the air, but what does seem like a sure bet is slimmer bezels.

Both the Moto Z3 and Z3 Play will supposedly come with 6-inch FHD+ displays, and like we saw through a lot of 2017, bezels surrounding these panels are going to be cut down considerably. The Z3 (pictured below) has the slimmest bezels of the two, but the Z3 Play still looks a lot more modern when compared to the Z2 Play.

Something that’s got our attention with these two renders is the lack of a physical fingerprint sensor. It’s possible that Motorola will be opting for one that lies underneath the display like we saw with Vivo at CES 2018, a facial recognition system, or a combination of the two. It’s too early to say for certain, but we’ll likely see at least one of these things make an appearance.

Along with showing off the phone itself, the image of the Z3 also reveals a new Moto Mod. It may not look like anything at first glance, but the “5G” branding near the bottom suggests that this Mod will allow the Z3 to get 5G data speeds. Furthermore, the monthly data allotment page is taken right from the Project Fi app and could be a hint that more Moto phones will find their way to Google’s MVNO.

Moto X5

If you’re not about the Moto Mod life but still want a quality phone from Motorola, the X series has proven to be the way to go. Our first look at the Moto X5 shows a very similar design compared to the X4, but there are a couple key differences.

Just like the Z3/Z3 Play, we’re looking at a tall display with slim bezels on all sides. However, unlike those two phones, the X5 appears to have a notch near the top just like another phone with an X in its name. This is one trend I was really hoping wouldn’t catch on, but if it has to make its way into one Moto phone, so be it.

The screen on the X5 is said to measure in at 5.9-inches with a FHD+ resolution, there are dual cameras on the front and back, and there’s also mention of “Moto’s Smart AI.”

Unfortunately, it’s possible none of this will mean anything. A report surfaced in early March suggesting that Motorola had canceled the Moto X5, meaning it won’t be released at all. As a big fan of the X4, this would be incredibly disappointing if it turns out to be true.

The phones that have been released

Moto G6/G6 Plus/G6 Play

Motorola’s Moto G series has been its most popular (and profitable) since the very first Moto G that came out in 2013, and this year’s entries have proven to be some of the best so far.

For 2018, Motorola released three G phones — the Moto G6, G6 Play, and G6 Plus. The Play is the most affordable of the bunch, with the G6 Plus being the flagship entry and the regular G6 finding home in between the two.

While the G6 Play is made out of a shiny plastic, the G6 and G6 Plus both have glass bodies that look and feel much nicer than their asking prices. Add that together with dual cameras, 18:9 screens, and Snapdragon processors, and there’s a lot to like here.

Moto G6, G6 Play, and G6 Plus: Everything you need to know!

Moto E5/E5 Plus/E5 Play

Similar to the G series, Motorola released three entries in its E5 series this year in the forms of the Moto E5, Moto E5 Plus, and Moto E5 Play.

The E5 Play is the cheapest phone in Motorola’s 2018 portfolio, touting a plastic body, 16:9 display, removable battery, and pretty low specs.

The E5 and E5 Plus still won’t blow your socks off, but they’re a bit more modern with glass designs, big, 18:9 screens, and respectable specs across the board. Oh, and did we mention the E5 Plus has a gigantic 5,000 mAh battery? 😳

If this year’s G6 phones are too rich for your blood, the E5 models are absolutely worth a look.

Moto E5, E5 Plus and E5 Play: Everything you need to know!

Updated June 2018: Added rumored specs for the Motorola One Power.

LG G7 ThinQ now available in the U.S. for $750

On sale at Amazon, Best Buy, Project Fi, and many others.

It’s been nearly a month since LG introduced the world to the G7 ThinQ and its – interesting – name, and now the company’s confirmed that the phone is available for purchase in the United States.

So, where will you be able to buy the thing? If carriers are your cup of tea, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, and U.S. Cellular will all be selling the handset. You won’t see the G7 on AT&T, but it is one of the two exclusive carriers of the recently announced LG V35 ThinQ.

You’ll even find the G7 on Project Fi. It’s one of the first LG phones to be officially supported by Google’s service, and I certainly hope it’s not the last.

If you prefer to buy your phones unlocked, you’ll also be able to get the G7 at Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H.

The LG G7 ThinQ has a retail price of $750, but you can help to spread that cost out over the course of a few months thanks to installment plans offered by almost all of the retailers/carriers selling it.

Do you plan on buying the G7?

LG G7 ThinQ hands-on preview: All about that bass

LG G7

• LG G7 hands-on preview: All about that bass
• LG G7 Specifications: Everything you need to know
• Join the LG G7 forums

What YouTube Music means for the future of Google Play Music

Slow your roll and let’s think practically for a minute here.

Ever since YouTube Music and YouTube Premium were announced, I’ve seen Google Play Music subscribers freaking out about whether to cancel their subscriptions. I’ve seen YouTube Red subscribers users kicking and screaming about not getting the new YouTube Music yet and then kicking and screaming about it being broken. I’ve seen a whole, whole lot of people who are even more confused about this than they ever were about YouTube Red’s introduction.

Let’s get to the bottom of this whole messy situation.

Let the sun shine on, ’cause it’s all alright…

Google Play Music’s development merged with the YouTube Music team a while ago, and some YouTube executives keep slipping out bits and pieces about Google Play Music being replaced by YouTube Music. There’s a lot of misinformation, incomplete information, and outright panic among Google Play Music users today. Here’s what you need to know:

• Google Play Music is not going anywhere this year and more than likely will not be going anywhere until at least 2020. Given that it’s how Google lets people download their music purchases, they aren’t going to think of touching it until they’re 110% sure of its replacement.
• Yes, your Google Play Music library will eventually migrate to YouTube Music, but that isn’t happening this year. Do not expect your library to magically appear in YouTube Music tomorrow; the libraries for YouTube Music and Google Play Music are currently separate and will remain separate for the time being.
• Yes, the music locker will eventually come to YouTube Music, too, but it’s not there yet and we don’t have a timetable. If you’re that hard up to upload songs to YouTube Music, upload them in the main YouTube app as private videos and add them to playlists as desired.
• Do not panic and do not cancel your subscriptions right now. Your Google Play Music subscription is getting grandfathered into YouTube Premium; canceling right now will throw away that discount and force you to rebuild on a new platform.

It is called Early Access for a reason.

Google Play Music being absorbed into YouTube Music is too far down the road to think seriously about right now.

YouTube Music was majorly hyped up ahead of its release, and to be sure, there’s a lot in it to like… but YouTube Music is essentially a beta right now. Some albums aren’t populating in search and artist pages correctly. Casting is a complete disaster. Library management is bordering on non-existent. Downloaded content is fickle, especially on phones with SD cards and which menu you play downloaded content from.

There is no proper Android Auto integration, no gapless playback, no integration with Google Play Music yet. Yes, the official library on YouTube Music is smaller than Google Play Music. I don’t know when that’s going to change, but Google Play Music still has it, so just listen to it there! Google Play Music is not dead. YouTube Music is not finished yet.

If this is what you think things look like right now, you’re wrong.

Can we let YouTube Music get its act together before we go projecting the expectations of a decade-old, legacy music service onto it? And can we let YouTube Music roll out beyond five countries before we start ringing the death bells for Google Play Music? Can we find it within ourselves to let Google work out the bugs before it gets on to the metric ton of insanity it needs to do before it can prepare to absorb Google Play Music?

And if you’re using the new YouTube Music, submit feedback so Google knows what they need to fix, and then go listen to something that will help you chill out.

YouTube Music: Everything you need to know!

Where to buy the LG G7 ThinQ

Your guide for buying the G7 in the U.S. and Canada.

LG’s playing it safe this year with the G7 ThinQ, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad phone. In fact, the G7 is one heck of a smartphone that’s at least worth a look.

If you live in the United States or Canada and are interested in picking up the G7 ThinQ for yourself, here’s everything you need to know.

United States

AT&T

Although LG devices usually show up on AT&T like clockwork, this year appears to be slightly different.

Instead of carrying the G7, AT&T is instead selling the V35 — a phone that has the design of last year’s V30 and the modern specs of the G7. It’s an interesting mashup, to say the least, and one that’ll cost you a pretty penny at $900.

See at AT&T

Sprint

If Sprint’s your carrier of choice, you’re going to pay more than most to own the G7.

On Sprint, the phone will cost you $33/month for an 18-month lease, and if you decide to keep paying for six more months to actually own the G7, you’ll be looking at a final price of $792 — $42 more than T-Mobile and Verizon.

Sprint is offering a lease one, get another for free deal, but you’re required to either add two new lines or upgrade two existing ones.

See at Sprint

T-Mobile

Jumping over to T-Mobile, the G7 costs $30 down and then $30/month afterward, resulting in a final retail price of $750 ($30 more than the Galaxy S9). To help offset the cost, T-Mobile is running a BOGO promo that allows you to get two G7s for the price of one via monthly bill credits.

See at T-Mobile

U.S. Cellular

The LG G7 is also available at U.S. Cellular. It costs $749.70 if you buy it with a prepaid plan, but if you purchase it on an installment setup, you can save $300 by paying just $14.99/month for 30 months after monthly bill credits.

Should you choose to go the installment route, you’ll pay $0 down and have 0% APR. Not too shabby!

See at U.S. Cellular

Verizon

Last but not least for U.S. carriers, pricing for the G7 at Verizon is similar to that of T-Mobile, including a payment of $31.25/month for 24 months for a final price of $750.

In honor of the G7’s launch, Verizon’s offering an instant $100 off discount just for buying it on an installment plan. Better yet, that deal can be combined with Verizon’s other trade-in promotions.

See at Verizon

B&H

If you prefer buying your phones unlocked, B&H is selling the G7 for $749.99. The phone’s available in Platinum and Black colors, expedited shipping is free, and no tax is collected if you live outside of New York and New Jersey.

See at B&H

Canada

Bell

At Bell, you can purchase the G7 between $199.99 and $399.99 depending on what kind of two-year plan you sign up for. If you prefer to purchase it outright, it’ll set you back $1,049.99.

If there’s a Bell store nearby, you can go there, trade-in an eligible phone, sign up for a two-year Premium Plus plan with data, and get the G7 for as little as $0.

See at Bell

Freedom Mobile

If Freedom Mobile is your Canadian carrier of choice, there are four main ways you can buy the G7:

• Pay $0 down + $20/month MyTab Boost for 24 months on current $50+ plans (save $480)
• Pay $250 down + $25/month MyTab Boost for 24 months on current $40+ plans (save $110)
• Pay $480 down + $20/month MyTab Boost for 24 months on current $30+ plans
• Pay $960 to buy the G7 outright

See at Freedom Mobile

Rogers

Rogers is also selling the G7 in The Great White North, with pricing working out as follows:

• $199 on two-year Premium+ Tab
• $399 on two-year Premium Tab
• $549 on two-year Smart Tab
• $699 on two-year Talk & Text Tab
• $999 with outright with No Tab

See at Rogers

SaskTel

For SaskTel customers, the carrier’s running a promotion through June 30 that lets you get a $200 bonus credit on top of the trade-in value of your existing phone when you upgrade to the G7.

Along with that, pricing works out as follows:

• Pay $0 down + $20/month with Plus Pricing on a two-year $20/month+ plan
• Pay $199.99 down + $10/month with Plus Pricing on a two-year $10/month+ plan
• Pay $399.99 with a two-year voice and data plan
• Pay $99.99 with a monthly, device only, or prepaid plan

See at SaskTel

Telus

Last but not least, Telus is also selling the LG G7 ThinQ.

You’ll pay between $200 and $400 down depending on which plan you choose, and if you prefer to buy the phone outright, you’ll need to hand over $980.

See at Telus

Updated June, 2018: Now that the G7’s launched, we’ve refreshed this guide to include final pricing at all U.S. and Canadian carriers/retailers.

LG G7

• LG G7 hands-on preview: All about that bass
• LG G7 Specifications: Everything you need to know
• Join the LG G7 forums

Lenovo is working on a new version of its unique Yoga Book 2-in-1

It looks like Lenovo is taking another shot at the Yoga Book.

The Lenovo Yoga Book was certainly one of the most unique computers to come out of 2016, largely thanks to its futuristic-looking touch keyboard that can operate as an inking surface as well. But while it garnered plenty of eyeballs due to its strange design, Lenovo never followed it up with another version in 2017. It looks like the company may be remedying that, however.

According to a new regulatory filing with Bluetooth SIG (via Liliputing), Lenovo is working on a second generation digital pen that works with an unannounced Yoga Book Pro 2. The filing provides no details other than confirmation that a Yoga Book Pro 2 apparently exists, but it’s an interesting development.

The original Yoga Book was available with either Windows 10 or Android on board. A Chrome OS version was expected to launch later, but that version never made it to market.

It’s hard to predict what to expect from a successor, but it’s not unrealistic to expect a that a processor update is in the cards, potentially with Intel’s latest 8th Gen lineup. The Yoga Book’s highlight feature, its touch surface, is likely to return as well. It’ll be interesting to see if Lenovo has managed to figure out a way to make what is essentially a Wacom tablet connected to the display easier to use.

See at Lenovo