The best game controllers for Android

We live and breathe Android, but we’re also gamers and love playing just about everything on our phones and tablets. Gaming controllers make a big difference, and we’ve use nearly every one to find the best picks for you.

The SteelSeries Stratus XL is regularly at the top of our list for the best controller you can use for just about everything, due in no small part to its familiar feel and superior build quality. These are great controllers, regularly beating the rival MOGA an others for the top spot.

Best Overall

SteelSeries Stratus XL

$44 at Amazon

The best gaming controller for your Android phone.

If you want a no-compromises controller, something that feels just like the controller you use when you’re sitting in front of your television, SteelSeries has what you need.

Who should buy this controller

If you spend most of your gaming time in front of a television, especially one with an PlayStation or an Xbox connected to it, you’re going to feel right at home with the SteelSeries Stratus XL controller. It borrows a lot from the Xbox design language, offers battery life for days, and has more than enough buttons for any game your phone can play.

Is it a good time to but this controller?

SteelSeries has had the Stratus XL out for quite a while now, and it remains our favorite. It has also seen several price drops in the last year, making now the perfect time to pick one of these controllers up. We’re not expecting anything to replace this model any time soon, and what it already offers is superior to the competition.

Reasons to buy

• Great build quality
• Familiar design
• Solid battery life

Reasons not to buy

• No color options
• Bulkier design makes portability an issue

Your mobile gaming should be as comfortable as possible

Plain and simple, most Bluetooth gaming controllers suck. They’re shrunk down versions of other controllers which sacrifice battery life and make my hands cramp up after using them for a while. If you’re on an airplane for a few hours and want to keep yourself distracted, you want that controller to feel good the whole time you are using it.

This is what makes the SteelSeries Stratus XL stand out. It’s built as though you were playing on a full console, and it sells very well for that very reason.

Alternatives to the SteelSeries Stratus XL

Nice as it is, there’s no such thing as one controller for everyone. If you’re on a train every day and want something more portable, or if you’re looking for something small on purpose so you don’t need a bag to carry it, there are options from MOGA and 8BitDo which deliver on everything you want.

Runner-up

Moga Hero Power

A simple controller designed to hold your phone.

$28 at Amazon

If portability is what you need, MOGA offers the best with the Hero Power controller.

Folks who dig the Xbox key layout and prefer the controller actually hold the phone while playing are going to love the Hero Power from MOGA. It’s a nice flat design with side grips for different hand sizes to enjoy, but best of all the phone mount handles just about every phone in existence with east. The battery life isn’t the best out there, but it’ll get you through a day or two of gameplay with no problem and is still great for commuters.

Top budget option

8BitDo Zero

It’s just so tiny, you can’t help but love it.

$17 at Amazon

Small enough to hang from your keys, this controller is an extremely portable barebones option for any wallet.

Can we all take a moment to stop and appreciate how small and functional this controller is? It’s a classic SNES format in a package small enough that you could hang it from your car keys. That’s damned impressive. 8BitDo has a history of making quality hardware that appeals to Nintendo nerds, and this latest version if no exception. The buttons are nice and tactile, the battery will last for several days of gaming, and it even comes with a wrist strap just in case.

Bottom line

There is no such thing as one kind of gamer. If you want a controller for your phone that feels like a console controller, get yourself the SteelSeries Stratus XL. If portability is the most important feature, the Moga Hero Power is what you need.

For those on a budget, or just want something pocketable, 8BitDo nails it with the Zero. Either way you win, because each of these are exceptional controllers delivering quality gaming experiences. Have fun!

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Russell Holly is a Contributing Editor at Android Central. He lives for the shiniest new thing, and loves explaining its potential to improve your life. Whatever you do, don’t tell his spouse about the drawer full of tech under the bed.

Updated August 2018: We’ve refreshed this page with our favorite gaming controllers for Android!

Chromebooks, microSD cards, and more are discounted today

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on the Samsung Evo microSD cards, an Acer Chromebook, an under-desk pedal exerciser, and more!

View the rest of the deals

If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

Instagram is opening up verification and finally supporting authenticators

Here’s your destination for all things Insta!

When you think of social media apps, one of the first that probably comes to mind in Instagram.

Launched back in October 2010 as an iOS exclusive, Instagram has quickly grown up to be the most popular platform for sharing photos and videos with people around the world.

Whether you need a refresher of the app or want to stay on top of the latest news surround it, here’s everything you need to know about Instagram.

The latest Instagram news

August 28, 2018 — Instagram users can request verification and finally use code-based 2FA

The verified checkmark has always been a sought-after badge in social media, and starting today, Instagram is making it easier to get your own. While there was previously no way to initiate verification — you basically had to wait and hope Instagram randomly gifted you with the badge — users can finally request verification through the settings.

As with most new Instagram features, this will be a slow rollout, presumably hitting iOS users first and coming to Android users a few days or even weeks later. In case you’re curious to check, it should appear near the bottom of the Settings list in its own menu titled Request Verification.

In addition, Instagram accounts with large followings will begin to show an Account Info tab, which displays when the user first joined Instagram, the account’s country of origin, any previous usernames, and even any ads the user is currently running, among other details. This is all in the name of transparency and helping flush out fake or misleading accounts.

As far as secure sign-ins go, Instagram has offered two-factor authentication for a while, but until now the only way to receive a code was through SMS, rather than the much more secure method of generating a code through an app like Google Authenticator or Authy.

Starting today and rolling out to users over the coming weeks, you’ll soon be able to generate your sign-in code through your app of choice by going to the two-factor authentication menu in the Settings.

August 14, 2018 – Instagram users are reporting a strange hack that locks them out of their accounts

Since the beginning of August, Instagram users have reported a bizarre hack: users will be ‘logged out’ of their account, and once they go to log back in, their username will no longer exist. Their handle will be changed, along with their profile picture, as well as the email and phone number that’s connected to the account, making it impossible to access their information.

On Twitter, there have been more than 100 of these types of anecdotal reports in the last 24 hours alone. According to data from analytics platform Talkwalker, there have been more than 5,000 tweets from 899 accounts mentioning Instagram hacks just in the last seven days. Many of these users have been desperately tweeting at Instagram’s Twitter account for help. (Mashable)

Once the accounts have been hacked, the picture is typically set to a Disney or Pixar character. The email associated with the accounts is switched to a Russian .ru email address. Their bios and personal information are also deleted.

To prevent things like this from happening to your Instagram account, we recommend turning on two-factor authentication. Plenty of users who have been affected by the hack didn’t have two-factor authentication turned on — however, it is worth noting that even having this extra security step might not fully keep your IG profile safe.

The extra security measure didn’t protect Chris Woznicki, who was using two-factor authentication at the time his account was hacked 10 days ago. Woznicki says Instagram sent him security emails notifying him the email address on his account had been changed (once again, to a .ru address) and 2FA had been disabled. But by the time he saw the messages, it was too late and he had already lost access to his account, which had 660 followers. Others have reported similar occurrences. (Mashable)

July 19, 2018 — Instagram now shows you when your friends are online

If you frequently send direct messages to other Instagram users, you’ll now that there’s never been a way to know if your friends/followers are online and actively using the app. Thankfully, this changes today!

As part of a new update, Instagram will now show you when other people are online. On your inbox page for DMs and when browsing your friends list to share a post from your main feed, you’ll begin to see a green indicator next to profile pictures of other users if they’re on the app at that time. With this, it’ll be much easier to know if you’ll get an immediate response from someone if you send them a private message.

June 28, 2018 — A lite version of Instagram is now available in Mexico

Over the years, companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Spotify have released “lite” versions of their apps that offer all of the core features/experiences while being easier to run on slower hardware, taking up less storage space, and using less data.

Following this idea, Instagram Lite was just launched in Mexico and aims to offer all of Instagram’s best features while being much more accessible for people in developing markets.

Instagram Lite weighs in at just 573KB and allows you to post and view photos on your feed, use Instagram Stories, use all of the regular photo-editing tools, and more. There’s no way to send direct messages quite yet, but that’s something that’ll be coming soon.

Also, while Instagram Lite is currently limited to users in Mexico, there are plans to expand it to other markets in the near future.

Download: Instagram Lite (free)

June 20, 2018 ― IGTV has landed!

IGTV, Instagram’s next big project, is all about bringing long-form video content to the platform to try and compete with the likes of YouTube.

You can access IGTV through the main Instagram app or through the standalone IGTV one, and once you’re there, you can browse through videos by For You, Following, Popular, and Continue Watching.

All video content on IGTV is meant to be shared/created vertically, and while that might sound bonkers at first, Instagram says that “IGTV is built for how you actually use your phone: vertical and full screen.”

Anyone can create IGTV content and upload videos through the Instagram app on your phone or through a web client.

Download: IGTV (free)

All the big details

The Home tab is where you’ll spend most of your time

When you’re using Instagram, most of your time will likely be spent on the Home tab. This is the page you’re taken to each time you open the app, and it acts as a central hub for everything Instagram has to offer.

At the very top, you’ll see three icons. From left to right, these are for taking a photo for Instagram Stories, opening IGTV, and going to your inbox for direct messages. Below that are circles for people you follow so you can view any of their Instagram Stories posts.

Underneath all of this is your main feed. Here, you’ll be able to endlessly browse through posts from people and hashtags you follow. On each post there are buttons for liking it, leaving a comment, privately sending it to one of your contacts, and adding it to your Saved page (more on that later).

Find new stuff on the Explore page

If you tap on the magnifying glass icon at the very bottom, you’ll be redirected to the Explore page.

On Explore, you can scroll through photos/videos from people and hashtags you might not be following but that Instagram thinks you’ll be interested in nonetheless.

You can search for a specific person or hashtag at the very top, and below that are recommended categories to filter the page by — including things like Humor, Animals, TV & Movies, and more. By default, this is set to For You.

Play around with the editing tools

Editing photos has been a big part of Instagram for years, and in 2018, that hasn’t changed one bit.

After selecting a photo you want to post, you can browse through a list of numerous filters. As you tap each one, you’ll instantly see how it’s going to affect the look of your picture. If you don’t like any of the filters you’re seeing, keep swiping to the left until you see the Manage button. Tap on this and you can add even more to your collection.

In addition to filters, tapping the Edit button at the bottom will allow you to fine-tune your photos even more with controls for the brightness, contrast, fade, highlights, etc. And, if all else fails, tapping the sunshine icon at the top-middle will enable you to control the Lux for your post and instantly ramp up the saturation and brightness for a much more vibrant-looking photo.

Take advantage of the Saved feature

If you come across a post on Instagram that you particularly like, it’s easy to save it for later without notifying anyone.

When looking at the post you want to save, tap the bookmark icon at the very right. Once you do this, head over to your profile,tap that same icon once again, and it’ll be right there for your viewing pleasure.

No one is notified when you add their photos to the Saved section, and if you want to go a step further, you can create a Collection to categorize the posts you add here.

Be sure to check out IGTV

This past June, Instagram added one of the biggest new features to its app in years — IGTV.

IGTV is Instagram’s take on long-form video, and unlike something such as YouTube, is designed around having people create and share vertical video content.

You can access IGTV through the main Instagram app or by downloading the standalone IGTV one, and upon opening it, you’re able to browse through videos from people you follow and what’s currently trending/popular.

IGTV clearly has a long ways to go before it’s on the same level as YouTube, but even this early on in its life has a lot going for it. The interface is easy to understand, it’s integrated nicely into an app that billions of people are already using, and anyone can make their own IGTV content and manage it through their phone or a web client.

Download: IGTV (free)

There’s more to see with Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories is basically Instagram’s way of taking Snapchat head-on, and while I briefly mentioned it in this guide, there’s not enough time to dive into everything it has to offer.

Thankfully, Hayato already put together a fantastic guide going through absolutely everything you could want to know about Stories. Check it out below!

Instagram Stories on Android: Everything you need to know!

This $52 RAVPower 26800mAh portable charger can power up everything you own

Stay powered up for days!

The RAVPower 26800mAh PD portable charger is down to $51.99 with code THRIFTER058. This code actually brings it down to a dollar or two better than outside deals, and we’ve only seen it go this low once before.

That 26800mAh battery carries a lot of juice for one charger, and it shows. Because of the Power Delivery functionality, the RAVPower can charge a Nintendo Switch while you play it. The port can reach 30W, which means it can charge an Apple MacBook, too. It only takes 4 to 5 hours to completely recharge. The large capacity and multiple outputs means you can charge multiple devices to full at the same time, and it will probably last through several charges for most gear. Users give it 4.4 stars based on 542 reviews.

See on Amazon

Apple Offering 30-Minute One-on-One Phone Lessons on Editing Images With Photos App

Apple recently started offering customers one-on-one phone-based tutorial sessions with a “Photos expert,” allowing them to receive training on using the image editing tools built into the Photos app.

According to a new support document, Apple users in the United States can sign up for a 30 minute session with an Apple Support Advisor that’s an expert in “using Photos to transform pictures from good to amazing.”

It’s not clear how useful these sessions will be for customers as they seem to be conducted over the phone with no visual aid included.

You’ll have 30 minutes one-on-one with a Photos expert who’ll describe how to edit pictures from your own collection. They’ll tailor the session to your skill level and show you how to get the results you want.

The support document instructs customers to update their Macs and iOS devices to the latest versions and call using speakerphone or headphones for hands-free access to editing tools while talking to an advisor.

Apple says that customers will learn about all of the editing tools that Photos offers, from Auto Enhance to detailed color and light adjustments. The lesson will also cover editing Live Photos and images taken in Portrait mode along with tools like cropping, filters, and more.

While phone-based Photos app tutorials appear to be a new offering, Apple has long offered online lessons for new device purchasers.

The Personal Setup feature, for example, lets new device owners get help from Apple in store or online, with Apple support staff helping users find apps, personalize their devices, and discover key features.

On the iPhone, for example, Personal Setup covers details like transferring contacts, setting up email accounts, and using Find My iPhone, plus it includes “handy camera tips” and App Store suggestions.

Apple also hosts many “Today at Apple” training sessions in its online stores on topics like editing videos, getting started with coding, shooting photos on iPhone, photo walks that focus on photography tips, and more.

Apple’s new online Photos session appears to be something of an online extension of Today at Apple and the Personal Setup process, with Apple perhaps planning to extend these online tutorials to other topics in the future.

Tags: Photos, Today at Apple
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Apple Releases Firmware Update for AirPort Express With AirPlay 2 Support

Apple today released updated 7.8 firmware for 2012 802.11n AirPort Express models, introducing support for AirPlay 2.

The new software can be downloaded onto compatible AirPort Express devices using the AirPort Utility app for iOS devices.

After downloading the firmware update, AirPort Express users have reported being able to target the AirPort Express right alongside other AirPlay 2 devices when running iOS 11.4.1 or iOS 12. With the AirPlay 2 update, 2012 AirPort Express models offer support for multi-room audio and are able to work with other AirPlay 2 devices such as the HomePod, the Apple TV, and Sonos speakers.

There has been speculation that the AirPort Express would be updated to include AirPlay 2 support after the accessory started showing up in the Home app as an AirPlay 2 accessory in the iOS 12 beta.

Apple in April announced that its entire AirPort wireless router lineup, AirPort Express included, had been discontinued. Apple sold the AirPort Express until available stock ran out, but it is no longer available for purchase at this time.

Because the AirPort Express was discontinued, it wasn’t clear if it would indeed gain AirPlay 2 support because Apple’s AirPort unit was disbanded, but Apple did indeed opt to introduce support for customers who are still using the AirPort Express units.

Apple plans to provide service and parts for current AirPort Base stations for the next five years.

Related Roundup: AirPortTag: AirPlay 2
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Intel Announces 8th-Generation Whiskey Lake and Amber Lake Processors Suitable for MacBook and MacBook Air

Intel this afternoon officially debuted its new eighth-generation U-series “Whiskey Lake” and Y-series “Amber Lake” chips, which are designed for use in thin, light notebooks like the MacBook and the MacBook Air.

The new “Amber Lake” Y-series processors, which include the i7-8500Y, i5-8200Y, and the m3-8100Y, are successors to the current chips that Apple uses in the 12-inch MacBook lineup. Apple is working on updated 12-inch MacBook models set to come out this fall that could use the new Amber Lake processors.

Intel’s new 15W U-series “Whiskey Lake” chips, which include the i7-8565U, i5-8265U, and i3-8145U, would be appropriate for a refreshed MacBook Air, and rumors have suggested that such a machine is perhaps in the works.

While details haven’t been entirely clear, Apple is working on a followup to the MacBook Air that features a 13-inch Retina display, and if this machine uses chips similar to the chips that MacBook Air models have used for years, the new Whiskey Lake chips are suitable.

According to Intel, its new Whiskey Lake and Amber Lake chips “raise the bar for connectivity, performance, entertainment, and productivity.” The U-series chips introduce support for integrated Gigabit Wi-Fi for up to 12-times faster connectivity speeds, support for USB 3.1 Gen 2 transfer speeds, and built-in support for voice services like Alexa and Cortana.

Intel says that compared to a 5-year-old PC, the new U-series processors offer two times better performance and double-digit gains in office productivity for everyday web browsing and content creation over previous-generation chips.

The high-end Intel Core i7 8565U processor enables Intel Thermal Velocity Boost for additional single core performance, while all the U-series chips offer 16 PCIe lanes, up from 12.

Using these new chips, 2 in 1 machines can last up to 16 hours on a single charge, while power optimized systems can last as long as 19 hours. Intel says “many systems” using the U-series chips will offer over 10 hours of battery life.

Intel’s Y-series chips offer faster Wi-Fi and LTE capabilities and double-digit gains in performance compared to the previous-generation, enabling new, compact notebook designs with better battery life. The chips offer Gen 3 PCIe support for higher data transfer rates, along with NVMe PCIe x4 solid state drives.

Both the new Y-series and U-series chips are considered 8th-Generation, a designation that also includes Intel’s previously-announced Kaby Lake Refresh processors.

Intel says that laptops and 2 in 1s powered by the new chips will be available starting this fall.

Related Roundups: MacBook Air, MacBookTag: IntelBuyer’s Guide: MacBook Air (Don’t Buy), MacBook (Don’t Buy)
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LG reveals its first Android One phone and a cheaper LG G7

You might think that LG has a pretty good spread of devices across price ranges, but apparently LG wouldn’t agree. LG is launching two new versions of the LG G7 ThinQ at IFA 2018 — the LG G7 One and the LG G7 Fit. These two models will supposedly bridge a gap between flagships and midrange phones, and at first glance, they’re looking pretty tasty.

Both the G7 One and the G7 Fit use the same glass-and-metal shell and look as the LG G7 ThinQ, but there are some key differences between the two models and the flagship phone that you need to know about before you put your money down. LG hasn’t announced the prices of these two models yet, but here’s everything you need to know about the Android One powered LG G7 One and the LG G7 Fit.

LG G7 One

The LG G7 One is the phone that’s a step below the flagship G7 ThinQ, and while it looks similar to the flagship phone, there are some key differences that mark it out as a lower-powered version of the G7 ThinQ.

The G7 One comes with LG’s stunning 6.1-inch FullVision Super Bright Display, running a 3,120 x 1,440 resolution in a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. It’ll feel as good as the G7 ThinQ, too, with the same build materials and design as its bigger brother, as well as IP68 water resistance, the dedicated Google Assistant button, and the hefty 3,000mAh battery.

The hardware on the inside has seen a slight change — instead of the Snapdragon 845 in the G7 ThinQ, the G7 One comes with last year’s Snapdragon 835, as well as 4GB of RAM and just 32GB of onboard storage. But don’t let that put you off — the Snapdragon 835 is still a powerful chip, being the chip that still runs the snappy and powerful Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. MicroSD card support of up to 2TB also means that onboard storage shouldn’t be too much of an issue either.

There’s a difference in the camera suite on offer, too — the G7 One drops a camera lens, leaving just a single 16-megapixel camera lens with an f/1.6 aperture on the back of the phone — though the front gets the same 8-megapixel wide-angle lens as the G7 ThinQ. While this will probably mean a slightly weaker camera on the G7 One, it comes with Google Lens built into the camera’s software. LG’s A.I. Cam software that changes camera settings based on your subject will be added at a later date.

In fact, it’s the software that’s the real draw here. Unlike regular LG phones, which ship with LG’s own spin on Android, the G7 One will come with the stripped-down Android One experience. This is LG’s first ever Android One phone, and means that Android 8.1 Oreo on the G7 One will be free of any additional apps and features from LG. This should make it quick and snappy, thanks to the lighter load on the hardware.

The G7 One will also be packing the same extremely impressive sound as the G7 ThinQ, with the Boombox resonance chamber, 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC, and DTS:X for supreme audio quality.

LG G7 Fit

The LG G7 Fit fills the space between the G7 One and the midrange market. As such, while it’s still equipped with the same stunning display as the G7 ThinQ and G7 One, it’s packing less powerful innards and further downgraded camera tech.

It’s powered by the Snapdragon 821 — the same chip that powered the LG G6 and original Google Pixel range — as well as 4GB of RAM, so the G7 Fit should provide good performance. Storage is split across two models — the standard G7 Fit that comes with 32GB of onboard storage, or the G7 Fit Plus which comes with a larger 64GB hard drive. However, with whichever one you pick, you’ll get to expand that storage by up to 2TB with a MicroSD card.

Like the G7 One, there’s only one camera lens on the back of the G7 Fit — a 16-megapixel lens with an f/2.2 aperture. Thankfully for selfie fans, the G7 Fit will get the same 8-megapixel wide-angle selfie lens as its bigger, more powerful brethren.

The G7 Fit isn’t an Android One phone though, so you’ll find LG’s usual brand of Android on here, with access to A.I. Cam, Google Lens, and the dedicated Google Assistant button on Android 8.1 Oreo. The G7 ThinQ’s amazing sound is still present, too, with the Boombox resonance chamber, 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC, and DTS:X.

Editors’ Recommendations

• LG V35 ThinQ hands-on review
• LG V35 ThinQ vs. LG G7 ThinQ: Which phone prevails in stablemate showdown?
• Hear everything: Get the best from the LG G7 ThinQ’s brilliant audio system
• How to buy the LG G7 ThinQ
• Take control of your LG G7 ThinQ with these helpful tips and tricks

A tweet suggests the midrange HTC U12 Life could launch this week

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Last year’s HTC U11 Life was a midrange phone with it all — an affordable phone with an attractive design, good performance, and even a nice level of water resistance thrown in for good measure. We liked it enough to choose it as the best phone under $400 in our list of the best cheap phones.

But nothing lasts forever, and the U11 Life’s time in the spotlight is nearly up. The HTC U12 Life is on the way, and we’re hoping it’s as good as its predecessor. Here’s everything we know about the HTC U12 Life.

Release date

Beauty and power meet on August 30th 2018. pic.twitter.com/pOVKlEzSGY

— HTC (@htc) August 23, 2018

Nothing about the HTC U12 Life has been confirmed yet, but it seems likely that we’ll be seeing it at HTC’s event on August 30. Previously leaked promotional materials concern a device known internally as “Imagine Life,” so while it’s not confirmed that the U12 Life will be launching at this event, it seems fairly likely.

Design

Not much has been leaked regarding the HTC U12 Life’s looks, but it’s a safe bet that the U12 Life will broadly follow the HTC U12 Plus‘s design.

On the plus side that means we’re likely to see a bezel-less design and a display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. Leaks support this, suggesting the U12 Life will come with a 6-inch, 2,160 x 1,080 display. According to rumors, the shrunken bezels will also mean the fingerprint scanner moves behind the phone, likely beneath the camera.

It’s less likely that we’ll see the same translucent glass on the HTC U12 Life as we saw on the U12 Plus — but it’s possible that HTC will attempt to replicate that see-through design with plastic on the U12 Life. Unfortunately, we might also see the HTC U12 Plus’s terrible digital buttons on the U12 Life.

Specs

The latest spec leaks come from Geekbench, and show a HTC device with the Snapdragon 660 processor and 4GB of RAM. That should put the device on par with some of the midrange offerings this year, and bodes well for the device’s relative power.

MySmartPrice

However, leaked promotional materials show the presumed HTC U12 Life equipped with the Snapdragon 636 — which would be a significant downgrade in power from the 660, putting the U12 Life more in line with the power of the U11 Life. However, the battery is apparently set to see a huge upgrade, jumping from 2,600mAh on the U11 Life to 3,600mAh on the U12 Life.

Other rumors put the device’s onboard storage at 64GB — though if that’s true, we expect there will also be a 32GB option available — with the option to expand storage by up to 256GB with a MicroSD card.

Camera

We haven’t seen much regarding the HTC U12 Life’s camera at this stage, but what we do know comes from the leaked promotional materials presumably made for the U12 Life’s launch. According to those, the HTC U12 Life will be packing a dual-lens arrangement on the rear, with a 16-megapixel and 5-megapixel lens, along with phase detection autofocus and 4K video recording capabilities. There’s a 13-megapixel selfie lens around the front, along with a flash and beauty mode.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Say hello to the U12 Plus: Everything you need to know about HTC’s latest phone
• HTC U12 Plus vs. OnePlus 6: The new kids battle for supremacy
• LG V35 ThinQ vs. HTC U12 Plus: Which big beauty should you buy?
• HTC U12 Plus review
• HTC U12 Plus vs. LG G7 ThinQ: Which powerful flagship prevails?

Google responds to Trump’s tweet-rage: We didn’t rig search against you!

Google categorically rejected President Donald J. Trump’s claim that the search engine giant is using its position to manipulate search results in a politically biased manner. In a fiery tweet Tuesday morning, August 28, Trump slammed Google, claiming that the search engine favored news sources from sites that publish negative views on him in its search results.

Google search results for “Trump News” shows only the viewing/reporting of Fake News Media. In other words, they have it RIGGED, for me & others, so that almost all stories & news is BAD. Fake CNN is prominent. Republican/Conservative & Fair Media is shut out. Illegal? 96% of….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 28, 2018

“Google search results for ‘Trump News’ shows only the viewing/reporting of Fake New Media,” the President said in an initial tweet. “In other words, they have it RIGGED, for me & others, so that almost all stories & news is BAD. Fake CNN is prominent. Republican/Conservative & Fair Media is shut out. Illegal? 96% of…”

….results on “Trump News” are from National Left-Wing Media, very dangerous. Google & others are suppressing voices of Conservatives and hiding information and news that is good. They are controlling what we can & cannot see. This is a very serious situation-will be addressed!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 28, 2018

Trump continued his rant in a second tweet: “….results on “Trump News” are from National Left-Wing Media, very dangerous. Google & others are suppressing voices of Conservatives and hiding information and news that is good. They are controlling what we can & cannot see. This is a very serious situation – will be addressed!”

Trump did not provide evidence to support his claims, and the president is likely referencing a recent news story published by conservative media outlet PJ Media bearing the headline, “96 Percent of Google Search Results for ‘Trump’ News Are from Liberal Media Outlets.” The claims made by Trump and PJ Media have since been refuted by Twitter users and reports on CNN, Gizmodo, and The Washington Post. These sites reported that one of the top search results for “Trump News” this morning comes from conservative Fox News, a fact that we can confirm in our own search for the same terms.

“When users type queries into the Google Search bar, our goal is to make sure they receive the most relevant answers in a matter of seconds,” Google said in statement. “Search is not used to set a political agenda and we don’t bias our results toward any political ideology. Every year, we issue hundreds of improvements to our algorithms to ensure they surface high-quality content in response to users’ queries. We continually work to improve Google Search and we never rank search results to manipulate political sentiment.”

Trump’s administration will investigate whether Google is showing bias in its search results. The president’s tweet prompted Larry Kudlow, Trump’s chief economic adviser, to issue a statement saying that the administration is investigating Google. “We’re just gonna do some investigations, some analysis, that’s what we do,” he said. The White House has not issued an official statement on the president’s latest tweet-rage.

Google isn’t the first tech company to be in Trump’s crosshairs. Last month, Trump blasted Twitter for shadow banning conservatives. Like Google, Twitter denied Trump’s claim. Separately, lawmakers are also looking into social media and election interference, with the Senate Intelligence Committee set to hear testimony from Facebook, Twitter, and Google on September 5.

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