Xiaomi Mi A2 vs. Honor Play: Game, set, match

If it’s sheer performance you’re after, you’ll love what the Honor Play has to offer.

Xiaomi became the largest handset manufacturer in India at the end of last year, and it was all because of a strong showing in the budget category. Xiaomi now accounts for one out of three sales in the country, and over 95% of its market share comes from the sub-₹15,000 ($215) segment.

It isn’t hard to see why Xiaomi is so dominant in this category. Earlier this year, the manufacturer launched the Redmi Note 5 Pro, offering robust hardware in the form of a Snapdragon 636, upgraded cameras, and a massive 4000mAh battery.

The Mi A2 builds on that by offering a Snapdragon 660 — normally featured on devices that cost twice as much — along with even better cameras and an 18:9 screen. The main draw, however, is the fact that the Mi A2 runs Android One, ensuring it receives timely updates.

Honor is also on the rise in India, with the company emulating Xiaomi’s strategy. Its latest phone — the Honor Play — is interesting for several reasons.The Honor Play is powered by the Kirin 970, the same chipset behind the Honor 10 and the Huawei P20 Pro.

The Kirin 970 is just as powerful as the Snapdragon 845, and it’s incredulous to think that the Honor Play is offering such enticing hardware for the equivalent of $290 (₹19,999). For gamers in particular, there isn’t a device that comes close to the Honor Play in this segment.

Xiaomi Mi A2 vs. Honor Play: Specs

What the Mi A2 does better

The $250 Mi A2 is all about delivering a user experience that’s devoid of clutter. Android One drives Google’s vision for Android and makes it more accessible across various price points, and the Mi A2 is one of the best examples the program has to offer. For its part, Xiaomi has done a masterful job with its 2018 Android One phone, and if clean software along with timely security updates is a key factor in your purchasing decision, the Mi A2 is one of the best options for under $300.

Neither device is particularly striking on the design front — but the Mi A2 has a slight edge in this area as its back is subtly curved, facilitating better in-hand feel.

That said, the camera sensor on the Mi A2 protrudes quite a bit from the body, making the phone wobble when using it on a flat surface. On the subject of camera, the dual 12MP + 20MP configuration at the back is one of the best in this category. The Mi A2 consistently takes great photos in daylight and low-light scenarios, and the front camera is leagues ahead of what the Honor Play has to offer.

Xiaomi Mi A2 to the left, Honor Play to the right.

While the Honor Play did outshine the Mi A2 in a few scenarios, mainly because of the AI, the Mi A2 is a more consistent shooter that delivers great images in any lighting condition.

What the Honor Play does better

The Honor Play is designed to do one thing, and one thing only: beat every other budget phone when it comes to performance. The Kirin 970 allows it to do just that, and although the Snapdragon 660 in the Mi A2 is plenty capable, it isn’t quite as fast as the Kirin 970. In synthetic scores, the Kirin 970 is closer to the Snapdragon 845.

As a result, gaming is a delight on the Honor Play. The phone handles visually demanding games with aplomb, and playing PUBG on the device is loads of fun. Honor is also offering custom haptics in titles like PUBG that enhances the gaming experience.

With a 3700mAh battery under the hood, the Honor Play also delivers much better battery life. The phone consistently delivered over a day’s worth of use, and it comes with Huawei’s fast charging tech that delivers up to a 50% charge from flat in just 30 minutes.

And unlike the Mi A2, the Honor Play has a 3.5mm jack and a microSD slot.

Which should you buy? Honor Play

With the latest batch of budget phones, it’s easy to see that manufacturers are positioning their devices in such a way that there’s a single marquee feature. The Mi A2 scores a double whammy as it comes with Android One and great cameras, but on the downside, it’s missing out on key features like the 3.5mm jack and the microSD slot.

The Honor Play, meanwhile, is all about sheer performance. You’re buying the device for the Kirin 970, and if you’re a gamer, there isn’t a phone that offers quite as much power. The Honor Play delivers performance that’s on par with the likes of the OnePlus 6 for half the cost. That’s a huge deal, but then again the camera isn’t quite as good as the Mi A2 and you have to deal with EMUI.

Honestly, with so many great options in this segment, it’s hard to go wrong with any one pick. Ultimately, it comes to what set of features you value over others. If you’re more interested in playing visually intensive games on your phone, then the Honor Play is an easy recommendation. But if you want a clean user interface and fast updates, then the Mi A2 is a better bet.

The Honor Play is available for ₹19,999 ($290) for the variant with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. That’s ₹3,000 ($40) more than what the Mi A2 costs in the country, and the premium is justified when you look at the hardware on offer.

See at Amazon India

Moto P30 goes live with iPhone X design, Huawei P20 paint job

The Moto P30 is the latest Android phone to copy the iPhone X design.

We’ve reached a point where Android manufacturers aren’t trying to hide the fact that their designs are blatant iPhone X copies. The Moto P30 broke cover earlier this week with a design that looked more like an iPhone X than any of Motorola’s previous devices, and the company has formally launched the phone in China.

As the leaks indicated, the Moto P30 follows in the footsteps of the ASUS ZenFone 5Z and the Xiaomi Mi 8 in offering a design that’s essentially an iPhone X knockoff running Android. Whereas ASUS and Xiaomi were content with just ripping off Apple, Motorola went one step further and applied a gradient effect of the back of the P30 that’s eerily similar to what we’ve seen on the Huawei P20 series.

The Moto P30 features a 6.2-inch FHD+ 19:9 display with Gorilla Glass on the front and back, Snapdragon 636, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, MicroSD card slot, 16MP + 5MP rear cameras, 12MP front shooter, 3.5mm jack, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, and a 3000mAh battery with Motorola’s TurboPower fast charging.

On the software side of things, the Moto P30 is running Android 8.1 Oreo, and the company’s standard UI is being switched out for ZUI 4.0. We’ve seen Motorola go down a similar route in China in the past, but the phone should come with Motorola’s default interface in global markets.

There’s no mention if the Moto P30 will make its way outside of China, but the phone is set to go on sale in the country later this month for ¥2,099 ($305). That’s for the model with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage; the variant with 128GB of storage will be available for ¥2,499 ($360).

Would you be interested in the Moto P30 if it were made available outside of China? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

The Xiaomi Mi A2 is now up for sale in India for ₹16,999 ($250)

The Mi A2 is now available on Amazon India, but you’ll have to act fast to get your hands on a unit.

Xiaomi launched the Mi A2 earlier this month in India, and the 4GB/64GB model is now up for sale exclusively on Amazon India for ₹16,999 ($250).

As a refresher, the Mi A2 comes with a 5.99-inch FHD+ display, Snapdragon 660 chipset, the aforementioned 4GB of RAM along with 64GB of storage, dual 12MP + 20MP cameras at the back, front 20MP shooter with an LED flash module and AI-assisted portrait mode, and a 3000mAh battery with Quick Charge 4.0 for India.

The Mi A2 manages to deliver in a lot of areas, and the camera in particular is outstanding. That said, there is no MicroSD slot, and Xiaomi got rid of the 3.5mm jack as well. You do get two SIM card slots, but the phone doesn’t offer dual VoLTE just yet.

Xiaomi Mi A2 review: A great sequel with a fantastic camera

The Mi A2 is available in black and gold color options initially, but Xiaomi will introduce a Lake Blue color variant shortly. The model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage is also slated to arrive in the country at a later date, and if you’re worried about the lack of a MicroSD slot on the device, it makes sense to wait for the 128GB model to make its debut.

If you’d rather not wait, you can get your hands on the 64GB variant of the Mi A2 right away. Xiaomi is once again offering a flash sales model, so if you’re interested in getting your hands on the Mi A2, best act fast.

See at Amazon India

How to use Spotify for your alarm on Google Clock

Waking up to your favorite song is now easier than ever.

Trying to silence your phone while stock alarm tunes blare at max volume isn’t the most ideal way to wake up each morning, but for a lot of us, that’s a process we’re all too familiar with. Thankfully, as part of an update that started rolling out in late July, Google now allows you to wake up to your favorite song on Spotify with its official Clock app.

Starting your day off with Frank Sinatra or Twenty One Pilots is much more ideal than any old preset alarm tunes, so without further ado, here’s how to change your alarm sound to a Spotify song/playlist in Google Clock.

Before we get started, make sure you have Google Clock and Spotify installed on your phone and updated to the latest available version.

Open Google Clock and go to the Alarm page.
Tap on the alarm you want to edit.
Tap the alarm sound icon (the one that looks like a bell).

Tap/swipe over to the Spotify tab.

Here, you can choose to wake up to whatever Spotify song you’d like.

From top to bottom you’ll see a list of the five playlists you most recently listed to and a collection of morning-centric playlists ranging from Rise and Shine, Lazy Mornings, Right Side of the Bed, and Morning Workout. Alternatively, you can search for any specific song, album, artist, or playlist from Spotify’s entire catalog of music.

Once you’ve found the track you want, just tap it, tap the back button at the very top left, and you’re all set!

Good morning!

What song are you going to be waking up to? Let us know in the comments below!

Download: Google Clock (free)

The Echo Dot is just £35 at Amazon UK right now

A great time to add Alexa to your smart home set up.

Amazon’s second generation Echo Dot is available today for just £34.99, matching one of the best prices we’ve ever seen for the device. The Dot regularly sells for £49.99, making this offer a great opportunity to get into the Echo ecosystem or add Alexa to more rooms in your house.

Most will already be familiar with Amazon’s Echo line of products that add smart assistant functionality to rooms in your home. The hands-free, voice-controlled Dot is Amazon’s entry-level Echo, offering the ability to play music, control smart home devices, make calls, send and receive messages, answer queries, read the news, set alarms or timers, among other things.

Featuring an array of 7 mics, it can pick up your commands even when playing music and has a built-in speaker for output (and can be paired to other speakers via Bluetooth or 3.5mm stereo cable for a little extra volume). The Echo Dot is also down to £34.99 at Currys PC World if you prefer to click and collect.

For more UK deals coverage, be sure to keep an eye on Thrifter UK, sign up for the UK newsletter and follow the team on Twitter.

See at Amazon UK

Save big on the Galaxy Note 9 when you pre-order from Verizon or Sprint

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is now available for pre-order and that means some sweet deals to go along with it. Both Verizon and Sprint are offering some great discounts when you pre-order the Note 9.

Verizon

Buy a Samsung Galaxy Note 9 from Verizon and get one free (128GB model only). The second phone can also be switched out for a Galaxy S9 or S9+ if that’s more your speed. Both phones do require a new line of service with Verizon with monthly device payments — no trade-in required. The $999 discount will be applied as monthly bill credits over 24 months (within 2 billing cycles).

As an added bonus, if you pre-order by 8/23/2018 you can grab AKG noise-canceling headphone or the Fortnite Galaxy skin with 15,000 V-Bucks for free

See at Verizon

Sprint

Sprint customers can get 50% off a new Samsung Galaxy Note 9 when pre-ordering by 8/23/2018 and signing up for Flex Lease (18 months). The discount is applied as monthly bill credits of $20.84 (applied within 2 bills). The line must stay active for full 18 months to receive full discount. If you cancel your lease early, the remaining balance on the phone will be due.

Also from Sprint, get a bonus AKG noise-canceling headphone or Fortnite Galaxy skin with 15,000 V-Bucks for free!

See at Sprint

What does Android Pie mean for Chromebooks?

Android on a Chromebook is the same Android that runs on a phone or tablet. But not really.

The basics of Android on a phone and on a Chromebook are identical. App developers use the same tools to build the same apps and can then optimize things any way they like. You can already tell this by visiting Google Play with your Chromebook and downloading whatever you like.

Almost every app will open and run, though some will run better than others and some will be better optimized for a much bigger screen (this has always been Android’s curse), so Android is Android. But without the parts needed to control the hardware or make a phone call or talk to Verizon towers — Chrome handles all that without needing help from Android — it’s just a little different.

The current version of Android for Chrome OS (Chromeboxes are also a thing!) is Android 7.1 Nougat. Oreo never arrived for Chrome and instead, the Chrome team spent the time needed to make Nougat features like inline replies and stylized notifications fit in so that Android apps didn’t feel as out of place as they did in the beginning. But Android Pie will be coming to Chromebooks and Chromeboxes, and its arrival not only brings support for the new developer APIs but will also serve to bring the Android experience we already know to the bigger screen we already love.

Starting with Milestone 69 (expected sometime this fall for the stable channel), we’ll be seeing all sorts of goodies!

• A new (and hopefully improved) Tablet Mode is on the way, which is great since Chrome tablets are already a thing. In Tablet Mode all apps will still start in full-screen, but we’ll see better controls in the Chrome shelf and much-improved animations. Chrome tablets are awesome, so let’s hope Tablet Mode gets awesome soon.
• A better split-screen experience will allow for more sizing options and Chrome will be able to know an Android app is running in split-screen instead of “just” running.
• Picture-in-Picture is finally arriving for Android apps and Chrome apps. You’ll be able to resize and move the picture window and all the features available for Android phones for PiP will also work on Chrome.
• Version 69 will bring the full Android IME virtual keyboard to Chrome. You’ll be able to replace the current Chrome virtual keyboard, and even emojis are supported. It’s the full GBoard experience.
• Chrome will support App Shortcuts just like your phone running Android Pie. And developers won’t have to do anything special for that to happen — if they build an App Shortcut, it will work.
• Vulkan 1.1 support is coming and that means kick-ass 3D graphics! Some Chromebooks with the latest Intel architecture, like the Pixelbook, already support Vulkan 1.0 but support for more models comes with the newer version.
• Better Pro Audio support is on the way. Version 65 of Chrome brought MIDI support for the Pixelbook and other models, but starting with Milestone 69 we’ll see support for Multi-channel USB audio and the AAudio API complete with MMAP buffer direct writing. Applications that need low-latency audio (think GarageBand) will have everything they need in place.

The best part of all this is that Google has control over when and how these new features arrive. There are slight differences between models, but once a feature is tdon’t and stable it usually comes to every Chromebook at the same time without any manufacturer involvement. That means your Chromebook will get every feature it can support as soon as possible so you don;t have to have a Pixelbook to enjoy them!

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

Do you love or hate Android Pie’s gestures?

Change is never easy, friends.

If there’s one thing we’ve talked about a lot here on AC over the past few months, it’s Android Pie’s navigation gestures.

This new method of navigating Android is one of the biggest changes to the operating system that we’ve seen in quite some time, and as with any big change, it’s been faced with a mixed bag of reactions.

Pie’s gestures have certainly improved a lot compared to the earlier days of the first public beta, but even so, there are still a few users that aren’t sold on Google’s decision here.

longtime44
08-09-2018 12:40 PM

“

Awful, the gestures are terrible so I switched back to the old way (hope Google doesn’t do away with the three buttons in the future). The new swipe up to end apps is the worst thing in the world of Android mostly because if you don’t go 90° straight up then you have to keep trying to close the apps. Straight garbage. Never been so disappointed before in an Android OS before. I may try and go…

Reply

B. Diddy
08-09-2018 12:55 PM

“

Gosh, I don’t really see it as that much of a dealbreaker. After doing it for half a day, it’s pretty much second nature for me. I agree it’s nice that we can still use the old method, though.

Also, why are you trying to close apps? Let the system handle when apps are closed out of RAM.

Reply

Almeuit
08-09-2018 01:29 PM

“

I personally don’t have that issue. Flick, flick, app closed.

Reply

Morty2264
08-12-2018 11:02 AM

“

I am loving the gestures! Sometimes I aim the wrong way by a hair when I swipe up and have to try again; but I’m absolutely loving them and the lack of virtual keys.

Reply

What about you? Do you love or hate Android Pie’s gestures?

Join the conversation in the forums!

Android 9 Pie

• Android 9 Pie review: Greater than the sum of its slices
• Everything you need to know about Android 9 Pie!
• Will my phone get Android Pie?
• How to get Android 9 Pie on your Pixel right now
• Join the Discussion

Augmented Empire review: Your daily dose of quick thinking and heartbreak

It was so much better than I was expecting

AC
Score
4

Usually when you go to get a new virtual reality (VR) game you either get a good story or amazing gameplay, and you rarely get both. When you grab your Oculus Go and head into the store you see a whole boatload of options for mini-games, experiences, and so forth.

But what if you’re looking for more content on your headset? We all want a story that captivates our attention and sucks us into the lore of the world we’re experiencing. Then, we want that game to be fun to play and not just two mechanics complimented by a good story.

Well, VR people, let me tell you about Augmented Empire.

See on Oculus Store

A whole world of a crumbling society awaits

This is a strategy roleplaying game with choices that affect the environment around you. None of the choices you make will change how the story ends. I’ve done two playthroughs, each making the opposite decisions, and always ended up in the same place. That isn’t to be discouraging, as the reactions to your actions still make the story that much more immersive. The creators over at Coatsink did a phenomenal job giving the story a slow build up and then slamming you with a feels train (within the first 20 minutes of gameplay) that causes the entire game to do a 180. I mean, seriously, I live for a great story and this title surely delivers.

Just from the trailer, you can see this game has a very cyber-punk utopia feeling to it, and that was the first thing that caught my attention. You can also see a bit of the gameplay, but this trailer doesn’t show the full extent of it. In this game, you are a man named Craven – who mysteriously can’t talk. When you activate on the table in the center of your office it turns into a 3D map of the world outside. This device will also serve as your main menu. So, why a 3D map of the world? Well, my friend, it’s because you’re in charge of making sure your partner Ashley is going to be okay, and this table can hack any piece of the environment inside of it.

That’s right, they put augmented reality into your virtual reality game. Then they slammed a strategy system on top of it and completed the whole look with a heart-wrenching story. Are you sold yet?

Spectacular gameplay to boot

For each of your turns, you get two actions to either attack, move or use a special ability. When you’re being attacked, you have a chance to evade the hit by either taking less damage or temporarily turning into pixels to avoid the shot altogether. If you hit the sweet spot during an enemy attack you’ll give them a critical hit and take significantly more damage. This game will not only test your ability for quick thinking but your reflexes as well. While the tutorial might be forgiving, by allowing you to try again if you don’t press a button, the rest of the game will not allow any do-overs. This means if a shot comes in you need to be prepared to hit the button while the meter is in the safe zone or you miss your chance to evade.

One of my favorite parts of the gameplay system with Augmented Empire is the fact you don’t have to use all of your turns, and they don’t go to waste either. You can choose to end your turn early, and your character will instead attack the next enemy in their sites during the opponent’s turn. This gives you so many more means for logistical battle plans than your average strategy game.

Found yourself up against a Big Bad? No sweat. Get into a hiding position and end your turn. When he comes around to shoot you try just your best to avoid the attack and your partner will take a shot whenever she gets the chance to. No bullets are wasted here.

Build a team. Hit the vault. Make the trade.

You can find Augmented Empire on the Oculus Store for $9.99, which is an absolute steal considering how much great this game is. There are only two reasons why this game isn’t a 5 out of 5 for me. The first is that I wish your words and actions had more of an impact on the story. I was really hoping to unlock something special in my second playthrough and was kind of sad to get the same ending. The other reason is that I wish there was more content to play. You can complete the entire game in 4-6 hours, depending on your dedication, and it just doesn’t feel like enough. I know there can’t be much done with the memory options on the Oculus Go, but I would love a game with the same lore as Augmented Empire that had some optional side quests to extend the gameplay as well. Instead, I’ll be waiting with baited breath for a sequel, Coatsink.

Tell me what you think of Augmented Empire! Have you tried playing it, or do you intend on trying it out now? Drop a comment below or shoot me a Tweet @OriginalSluggo.

See on Oculus Store

Oculus Go

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Oculus Go 32GB
Oculus Go 64GB

Google Coach is reportedly Google’s new health/wellness service for Wear OS

Coach will track your workouts, suggest exercises to do, plan healthy dinners, etc.

Way back in March of this year, I wrote an editorial titled “Android Wear needs way more than just a Wear OS rebrand.” In that piece, one of my main talking points was about how Google desperately needs to overhaul Google Fit if it was any shot at success in the wearable field.

Well, according to a new report from Android Police, it looks like my wish may soon be answered.

Google’s reportedly working on a brand-new health/wellness platform for Wear OS called “Google Coach.” Coach will likely replace Google Fit, as part of its focus will be on tracking your workouts, steps, calories-burned etc.

All the makings are here for an excellent fitness + health platform.

However, Google Coach will go the extra mile by gathering all of the relevant data Google collects about you and use that to help you make better decisions. Some examples of this include:

• Recommending certain workouts to do
• Offer an alternative exercise if you missed your day at the gym
• Track your food intake
• Create a weekly meal plan and build a shopping list based on it
• Use your calendar info to determine how many meals it should plan

It’s said that Google Coach will interact with users via “conversational notifications” as to not bombard people with too many alerts throughout the day. As Android Police notes, “Rather than individual alerts telling you to take medication, get your daily steps, and drink more water, you might get a single notification that incorporates all three suggestions.”

Google Coach will primarily live on Wear OS, but users will also have the option of interacting with it via their phones. Down the road, it’s possible that Coach could expand to things like Google Home, Android TV, and other gadgets.

Based on what we know so far, does it sound like Google Coach has what it takes to make Google a serious contender in the health/wellness/fitness field? Let us know in the comments below!

Android Wear needs way more than just a Wear OS rebrand

Google Wear OS

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