T-Mobile is taking up to $750 off certain Apple iPhone models, up to $360 off certain Samsung phones

T-Mobile wants you to kick off the new year in grand fashion, sporting a new Apple iPhone or Samsung Galaxy handset. You'll be the envy of your social set, especially when they learn how much you saved with these deals. Keep in mind that both of these are limited time offers, although T-Mobile has yet to announce an expiration date for either one.

Here is how they work. Let's start first with the iPhone; You can get a free Apple iPhone 8 or Apple iPhone XR, or up to $750 off the price of the iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max. The device you buy ...

Google Duo reportedly will add group calling (up to seven at one time) and low-light mode

Now that Apple's FaceTime supports group video chats with up to 32 people, you might expect some sort of response from Google. And there is. According to Android Police, leaked screenshots show that such a feature is on the way to Google Duo. And more leaked screenshots reveal that Google's video chat app will also add a low-light mode that will allow you to video chat in low-light conditions and still be seen by those on the other side of the conversation.

The leaks show that Google Duo will limit a group video to seven people at the same time. But you will have to ...

As 2018 ends, Microsoft, not Apple, is the most valuable public company in the world

For most of 2018, there was a two-way battle between Apple and Amazon to see which of the two would be the first U.S. publicly traded company to be worth one trillion dollars. Though Apple was in the lead, becoming the most valuable exchange-traded company in the world, some analysts extrapolated Amazon's 300% move from its 2016 bottom and figured that the creator of the smart speaker category would hit the tape first.

But on August 2nd, just days after Apple reported a strong fiscal third quarter, the company's stock finally reached a market capitalization of $1 trillion. ...

How to turn off Facebook Messenger notification sounds (Android, iOS)

With over 1 billion monthly active users, Facebook Messenger is obviously one of the top messaging apps on Earth. It's so widely used that the default sound of receiving a Facebook message is often heard on the streets, in parks, cafes, and so on. Fortunately, if you don't like it, you can always turn off Messenger's notification sound on your smartphone, and we're now going to show you how to do it.

Android

To disable Facebook Messenger notification sounds on Android, you'll first need to open the app. When the application is open, you have to tap on your small Facebook ...

Apple and Samsung dominated premium smartphone sales during Q3

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and Apple iPhone XS Max

In the third quarter of 2018, global smartphone shipments declined 5% according to data gathered by Counterpoint Research. But as revealed by their newest report, the premium segment actually grew considerably.

Throughout the months of July, August, and September, sales of smartphones valued at $400 or higher accounted for 22% of the global market. This represents an increase of 19% over the year prior. Of the total, Apple's iPhone accounted for almost half of all sales during the quarter. ...

Epic Games to offer Android titles on its own store next year; company will take 12% of revenues

Fortnite creator Epic Games certainly hit a grand slam with the game. To date, Fortnite has brought in over $1 billion in revenue for the company while getting 200 million consumers to register. The Wall Street Journal said on Saturday that Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has decided to do something about his contention that Apple and Google both take too big a cut from their mobile app stores.

Sweeney has long been opposed to the 30% that the two tech giants keep from revenue generated by an app or game. That is why you won't find Fortnite in the Google Play Store. And now the ...

How to take photos of fireworks with a smartphone camera (iPhone and Android tutorial)

Being a photographer in the late 19th century was a job much more dangerous than one might think. Dealing with chemicals was heavily involved, the most spectacular of them being flash powder – the kind of stuff that was lit to illuminate low-light scenes, as you might have seen in movies from the silent era. And by "lit" we mean that the substance was literally set on fire, which resulted in a loud bang, a cloud of smoke, and a bright, fiery explosion. Flash powder is still in use today, but you'll only find it in fireworks. 

Speaking of fireworks, they can be ...

The Top 10 Android Smartphones To Buy This New Year [2019]

The year 2018 is about to end and it’s time to welcome the new year 2019 with new thoughts, ideas and gadgets. So, if you’re willing to buy a new Android smartphone this new year, this article is for you. Actually, I’ve picked up the top 10 Android smartphones of 2018 in this post to […]

How to make your own “Best 9 Pictures of the Year” Instagram post

If you are an avid Instagram user, you may have noticed that a lot of the people you follow have started posting their “top 9 photos of the year”, conveniently merged into a collage. You want one for yourself, but don't feel like going through the trouble of finding your most liked photos and manually stitching them together?
You don't need to. It's an app.
Top Nine launched two years ago and has become a popular app to download around the month of December. What it does is, it requests access to your account, finds your most popular photos for this year, and automatically makes ...

Essential Phone available for $210 with Sprint installments, get it while you can

While waiting for that mysterious “next mobile product” from Andy Rubin’s Essential company, some of you might be interested in buying one of the first handsets with a notch at the eleventh hour.

Unfortunately, the Essential Phone is listed as “out of stock” on its manufacturer’s official website, where no new inventory will ever be added, according to company statements. The unlocked mobile device has also vanished from Best Buy, while a couple of third-party Amazon sellers are currently charging around $430 a pop, which hardly feels like a bargain.

After all, this thing ...

Phones with highest SAR radiation value in 2018

Are our phones safe to use?

This is a question that is very hard to answer: linking cell phone radiation to health problems is no easy task and isolating radiation as the one decisive factor is even harder. And while the industry is quick to dismiss the dangers of cell phone radiation, it's worth taking some precaution. Especially considering that there are a bunch of studies linking the use of laptop computers in the lap with all sorts of problems, including male infertility.

In the case with phones, there is one measurement that you can look ...

Moto G6 Plus scores Android 9.0 Pie update, standard G6 could be next in line

Motorola hasn’t exactly been on a roll in terms of major software updates for the past couple of years, but after an unsurprisingly timid start in delivering Pie goodies for the likes of the Moto X4, Motorola One, and One Power, things are seemingly picking up.

The Moto X4 and Motorola One have slowly expanded their official Android 9.0 rollouts to include the US, and while Moto Z3 users are still waiting for their stable slice of Pie, the Moto G6 Plus just got a lengthy changelog on the company’s India-specific support webpage.

First noticed by an eagle-eyed Redditor, these ...

In-screen fingerprint scanners are not good enough yet

In-screen fingerprint scanners are the technology of the future... or are they?

In the past few years, fingerprint scanners have moved quite a lot. From their original – and probably most convenient – position below the display, manufacturers have started placing them more and more in different spots on the back of phones, then on the side of the phone, and finally, in late 2018, for the first time, we saw fingerprint scanners embedded inside the display.

These in-screen fingerprint scanners allowed phone makers to do away with big ...

Samsung Galaxy M10 gets certified with 6-inch display and 3,400mAh battery

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)

Following multiple reports and a number of other certifications, Samsung’s upcoming entry-level smartphone has now been granted approval for release by the FCC in the US.

Listed under the model number SM-M105F/DS, the certification reveals the presence of a large 6-inch display and dimensions of 155.7 x 75.8mm. This means that, in terms of size, it’ll be more or less on par with the Galaxy S9+, a pretty big departure for Samsung’s budget range. After all, in recent history, the South Korean brand has reserved ...

Some of Anker's best charging accessories are on sale today only on Amazon

It might be too late to order and actually receive discounted mobile gear and accessories before the year ends, but if you hurry, you can still save quite a bit of money on a number of sweet Anker peripherals on Amazon in 2018.

The self-proclaimed “global leader in charging technology” is running an end of the year sale today only, with its popular Qi wireless charger currently available for a whopping 48 percent off its usual list price.

You’re obviously looking at a cable-free charging accessory compatible with both iPhones (XS, XS Max, and XR included) and Android handsets, ...

Don't panic, Android One phones will get 2 years of software updates, Google reaffirms

Just yesterday, while doing some website updates, Google removed a line in its Android One page, which used to say that all Android One phones are guaranteed to get system updates for the next two years. This caused some speculation — could Google be backing off from that promise? Could the Android One program fail at what it set out to do, which is reduce fragmentation issues in Android land?
Turns out, there's no cause to panic. While Google did make the choice to get rid of that line of text for its website design purposes, this changes nothing. Having the Android One stamp on the back of ...

Leaked Nokia 9 PureView promo video details cameras and internals

Just hours after the very first marketing image of the Nokia 9 PureView leaked out online, the folks over at MySmartPrice have obtained an official promo video for the smartphone ahead of its unveiling in January 2019.

As previously suggested by the logo on the smartphone’s rear, the promo video confirms that the Nokia 9 PureView will become the latest device to join the Android One program when it launches next year. This means that, in addition to stock Android 9 Pie straight ...

Luxury Louis Vuitton smartwatch gets a new chip with improved battery life

Depending on how much you’re looking to spend on an Apple Watch alternative with both Android and iOS compatibility, you can pick up a $200 Mobvoi or Fitbit Versa, a $330 Samsung Galaxy Watch, $450 LG, $1,000 Montblanc, or $3,000 Louis Vuitton.

The 2017-released Tambour Horizon must have somehow found an audience at that absurdly high price, spawning a sequel that Louis Vuitton plans to commercially roll out in the near future.

We don’t know a great deal about the refreshed luxury smartwatch, but according to Engadget, the biggest internal upgrade will be the addition of a ...

Oukitel U25 Pro mixes trendy looks with classic design choices and costs only $100 right now

Advertorial by Oukitel: the opinions expressed in this story may not reflect the positions of PhoneArena

disclaimer     

 

While top-range smartphones have been getting more and more expensive, affordable smartphones have been busy getting better. A lot of companies now strive to give you as much bang for your buck as possible and, if you are on a budget, they are worth a look.

One such company is Oukitel, who has recently launched the budget-oriented Oukitel U25 Pro phone, available on Aliexpress for $99.99.

What ...

Google is reportedly working on a software update to fix the Pixel Slate's lagginess

Google's new Chrome OS powered Pixel Slate has some issues with lagging in the overview mode, which is the Chrome equivalent of task view. A post by an Google engineer in the Google Bugs page (via Chrome Unboxed, MSPoweruser) blames the sluggishness on "the use of Mask Layers to create rounded corners. This combined with background blur adds a lot of additional steps in the paint/rendering pipeline."

The same engineer says that once the rounded corners are removed on a device powered by a Celeron processor, the frames per second picks up and the memory improves. The ...

Press image of Nokia 9 PureView surfaces with 5 cameras, in-display fingerprint sensor

We've already seen renders of the Nokia 9 PureView, but today tipster extraordinaire Evan Blass posted press images of the phone (see image at the bottom of this article). We get to see the Zeiss branded penta camera setup on the back of the handset, the notchless display in front, and the in-screen fingerprint scanner that the device will be equipped with. Blass' tweet also reveals that the Nokia 9 has the code name of "Beholder."

The Android One branding on back means that the Nokia 9 will most likely launch with stock Android 9 Pie installed, and we expect to see ...

AT&T's Qi-compatible Power Drum is a portable wireless charger and power bank

FCC and Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) approval (via Zatz Not Funny) has just been received by an upcoming battery powered power bank and wireless charger that goes by the name of the AT&T Power Drum. On the wireless side, the device can charge an Apple iPhone (or any Qi-compatible handset) and an Apple Watch at the same time. Actually, the Power Drum will not work with the Series 4 Apple Watch, but will work with all other versions of the wearable. While the Qi charger will charge at 10W, it is limited to 7.5W for iPhone models. Apple Watch timepieces will charge at 5W.

As ...

Take $100 to $200 off the Sony Xperia XA2, XA2 Ultra, XZ2, XZ3 at Best Buy, B&H

Spotted by Android Police, B&H Photo and Best Buy have deals on several Sony Xperia handsets. Let's start with the Sony Xperia XA2. Featuring a 5.2-inch display with a 1080 x 1920 (FHD+) resolution, and powered by the Snapdragon 630 SoC, the Xperia XA2 comes with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of native storage (24GB available to the user). At B&H, the phone is available in Blue or Pink for $299.99. That is a $100 or 25% savings. Best Buy has even a better deal on the phone. Activate the handset today and you'll pay $149.99, which is half the device's usual price at Best Buy. Color options are ...

Suit against Google's use of facial recognition on stored photos is tossed by judge

On Saturday, a U.S. District Judge in Chicago tossed a lawsuit against Google that had originally been filed in March 2016. According to Reuters, the suit claimed that Google violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act by using facial recognition software to collect and store biometric data from photographs without permission. Google was allegedly doing the illegal activity through the Google Photos app.

The plaintiffs had asked for a total of $5 million to cover the "hundreds of thousands" of Illinois residents affected. The filing requested that Google ...

Now Wi-Fi doesn't work for several Apple iPhone users following iOS 12.1.2 update

Alright, so the update to iOS 12.1.2 broke cellular data connectivity on various iPhone models around the globe. But those affected can still get their daily Twitter fix via Wi-Fi, right? Uh, not so fast. According to Forbes, it appears that the iOS 12.1.2 update also prevents several iPhone users from connecting to a Wi-Fi signal. 

One Twitter user had a workaround for the loss of Wi-Fi connectivity. He says that disabling Wi-Fi calling and changing the settings from voice and data to data only might help. If your iPhone has lost Wi-Fi connectivity, it doesn't ...

How to Quickly Fix Laptop Shutdown Caused After Fan Error Message

A few days back I went through a question asked on a forum by someone that “how to fix sudden laptop shutdown after fan error message?” and that time I didn’t actually know any quick solution for the issue and suggested him to try cleaning the laptop’s cooling fan or go to service center. But, […]

Save $65 on a 256GB Samsung microSD card, other capacities discounted as well!

Looking for some additional storage, be it for a smartphone, tablet, or a camera? We recently told you about this sweet deal on PNY's massive 512GB Elite microSD card, but if you missed it (or aren't in need of that much storage), then we have some offers to share on various Samsung microSD cards.

Currently, Amazon is running a sale on Samsung microSD cards in various capacities, ranging from a measly 32 gigs, all the way to 256. Best of all, of them are discounted by no less than 30 percent. In the case of the 256GB card, you're getting a 54 percent discount! Here's ...

Android Pie for the Galaxy S9 and S9+ may come with its own battery drain issues

Samsung as of late has been on a bit of a negative roll when it comes to OS updates and battery life. As we've noted numerous times over the past months, firmware updates for Samsung's Tizen-based Gear smartwatches have caused many woes to users due to excessive battery drain that wasn't there before. Samsung has openly acknowledged the problem, and after months of working on a fix, in November the company released yet another update that supposedly corrects energy consumption on the Samsung Gear S3 and S2.

However, this worrisome trend of updates causing battery issues ...

MediaTek wants to use AI to get its chips inside high-end smartphones

According to Digitimes, MediaTek is looking to get its chips inside high-end smartphones. A report published yesterday says that the Taiwan based chip designer has been talking to smartphone manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi in an attempt to find "business cooperation opportunities." MediaTek is known for offering high-end components for lower-end products, which has kept it out of the flagship market.

Digitimes says that offering such high performance chips for lower end handsets usually works when a "latecomer" enters a market seeking immediate market ...

We round up the best smartphones of 2018 on TV

You've read our reviews on our site, watched several of our videos on YouTube, and meticulously compared the specs through our database, but if you happened to live in the greater tri-state area (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut), then you may have seen us on your TV! Recently, we stopped by the New12 New Jersey studio to shoot a couple of segments with news anchor Eric Landskroner, talking about some of the best smartphones of 2018!

There were quite a few notable ones that were sprawled out on the news table to talk about, but the focus was largely reserved for ...

Microsoft files patent application for a magnetic USB-C system to be used on Surface tablets

Microsoft has filed a patent application for a magnetic USB-C system using a magnetic plug and magnetic receptacle that would make it it easier to charge future Surface tablets (and transfer data). Yes, it is true that the Surface Pro 6 uses the proprietary Surface Connect, but the Surface Go tablets employ USB-C, and we have to believe that eventually so will the Surface Pro line. The patent application was filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO, via Patently Mobile) last May 23rd. Titled Magnetically Activated Latch Mechanism, the application was given the number US20180375251.

The ...

Seven years after trading his kidney for an Apple iPhone 4, Xiao Wang is permanently disabled

Back in 2011, a young man in China was dying for an Apple iPhone 4, which was the company's hot new phone at the time. 17-year old Xiao Wang made a deal that gave him enough cash to purchase the device, but at a very high cost. Wang sold one of his kidneys for the equivalent of $3,200 USD, which was more than enough for him to purchase the iPhone 4. The handset had become a status symbol at Wang's school, which is why he wanted one so badly.

According to Asia Online (translated, via iDrop News), the operation was performed at an underground hospital; Wang was told ...

Despite U.S. warnings to allies, Huawei expects revenue to rise 21% this year to over $100 biillion

Huawei has already announced that it has exceeded its target and shipped more than 200 million handsets in 2018. But how does this achievement translate into top line growth for the beleaguered Chinese manufacturer? According to Reuters, Huawei's rotating chairman, currently Guo Ping, says that the company's revenue will hit $109 billion this year. That is a 21% hike from last year and is the highest growth rate for the firm in two years. This year also marks the first time that Huawei has surpassed $100 billion in revenue.

The high growth is occurring despite ...

Zuckerberg says Facebook may never fully rid itself of hate speech and election interference

2018 was very challenging year for Facebook with data breaches, the Cambridge Analytica scandal, fake news and more. In a lengthy post on Facebook (via Bloomberg), CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg said that the company is working hard to make sure that subscribers have control of their own information, and that Facebook's services contribute to the well-being of others.

The executive said that he is proud of the progress made by Facebook, and stated that the company is a lot different than it was in 2016 or 2017. Still, Zuckerberg notes that fixing Facebook ...

Deal: Save $110 on this 512GB microSD card!

As storage capacity in smartphones has increased to where 64 GB has become the de-facto base model option in the high-end segment, more and more smartphone makers have opted to omit the inclusion of expandable storage. However, there are companies still offering phones with microSD card slots, which grants users the freedom to expand the memory of their devices to their hearts' content. Or, at least, to the limits of what is possible with consumer-grade flash memory at this point.

Speaking of 'limits,' you can't push them much further than with PNY's Elite 512GB microSD ...

AT&T's mobile 5G service not off to an impressive start

AT&T launched its 5G mobile service on December 21st when it offered a 90 day free trial to certain consumers and businesses in 12 markets. What the carrier was offering to this select group was its Netgear Nighthawk mobile 5G hotspot, and 5G service. Next spring, the former will be priced at $499 while 15GB of 5G data will cost $70 a month. But for now, AT&T was giving both to trial participants as they tested the service.

Posts on Reddit (via PCMag) from some of those involved in the trial show that the results have not been impressive thus far. One Indianapolis ...

First-ever iPhone XS Max explosion reported in Ohio, victim weighing legal action

Plenty of things can go wrong for the owner of a hot new phone like Apple’s latest flagships, from simply changing your mind and seeking to return the pricey device to the occasional minor malfunction, various types of software issues, or accidental damage causing the world to come crashing down on you.

But it’s certainly unusual, not to mention incredibly scary, for a three-week-old handset to spontaneously combust, inflicting bodily harm on an unsuspecting user. Fortunately, an Ohio man that purportedly went through the nightmare scenario recently escaped the incident (largely) safe and ...

The Essential Phone may have been discontinued, but a sequel is already in the works

What started as a guess proved to be 100% accurate, as Essential announced it will not adding any new Essential Phone inventory going forward. But that's not the only thing that Essential revealed to its fans, as the statement mentions plans to another mobile product.

An Essential spokesperson told The Verge that while the Essential Phone won't be sold through the company's store any longer, accessories will still be available for purchase for the time being. On top of that, the Essential Phone will continue to receive software updates in a timely manner.

We are sold out of Essential ...

Asus ZenFone 5Z starts getting Android 9 Pie in some countries

The ZenFone 5Z is not the first Asus smartphone to receive the long-awaited Android 9 Pie update, but that's not entirely Asus' fault. The official Android 9 Pie update for the regular ZenFone 5 leaked earlier this month, thus forcing Asus to publish it on its official website.

One week later, the company announces Asus ZenFone 5Z owners in Taiwan are eligible for the Android 9 Pie update. The latest security patch and some camera improvements are included in the update as well, according to the changelog published on Asus' forum.

As per Asus' statement, the update should reach all ...

Google Photos "High quality" vs "Original": What's the difference and should you care

What happens to your pictures in Google Photos when you choose "High quality," instead of "Original?"

Google Photos is a very convenient platform that lets you share all your photos, and whatever other types of images, between all your devices. And we do mean all your images, because Google Photos offers every one of its users unlimited cloud storage. But there's a catch, a small one, but a catch nonetheless.

Unlimited storage is available to everyone, but the free tier lets you upload only “High quality” images, while “Original quality” is reserved ...

Android Messages will try to protect you from spam messages but at what cost?

Following the call screening feature Google introduced to Pixel 3 phones earlier this year, similar functionality is now being implemented in Android Messages in the form of a new spam protection filter.

There is no official announcement from Google as yet, meaning that like most new features the company rolls out, it is a server-side change that is going to gradually go live for users, depending on device and geographical location. The spam filter was first spotted by Android Police and is located in the Android Messages Settings menu. It is accessible by tapping ...

LG G7 ThinQ confirmed to receive Android 9 Pie update in Q1 2019

LG G7 ThinQ is one of the many smartphones that haven't yet been updated to the latest version of Android. On the bright side, LG has been testing the G7 ThinQ Android Pie update for more than a month and announced the final build will come next year.

Just like it did with many of its previous flagships, LG has only made its G7 ThinQ beta program available in South Korea, at least in the beginning. More recently, the handset maker confirmed that the final version of the update will be available for LG G7 ThinQ owners in South Korea in Q1 2019.

We know the timeframe is a bit vague ...

Netflix cuts Apple out of its cut of subscription fees for new and rejoining subscribers

According to the Netflix billing FAQ page for iTunes (via Venture Beat), new and rejoining members of the streaming video app for iOS will no longer be allowed to pay their subscription fees inside the app. This decision comes after Netflix removed the in-app subscription option for the iOS app in over two-dozen markets as a test. Late last month, the streaming content provider quietly made this change globally. A Netflix spokesman said, "We no longer support iTunes as a method of payment for new members."

Existing iOS subscribers will still be allowed to make in-app ...

Citi Research says Apple will cut fiscal Q2 production of the iPhone XS Max in half

For perhaps the first time since the late Steve Jobs held up the original Apple iPhone for the world to see, the device is experiencing a serious sales slowdown. Apple has had to cut the price of both the iPhone XR and the iPhone XS. By trading in an older iPhone model, consumers globally can save some decent money on the purchase of one of those two 2018 iPhone models.

Now this doesn't mean that the iPhone XS Max has avoided the sales slowdown. In fact, a report issued today by Citi Research (via CNBC) forecasts that Apple will cut production of its top-of-the-line ...

Massive 2K sale offers big discounts on Android games, including Borderlands, NBA 2K19, XCOM

Some of the most popular 2K franchises are now on sale on Google Play Store. Cult games like XCOM and Borderlands are heavily discounted on Android until the end of the year, so act quickly if you have a powerful smartphone or tablet and prefer to play these games on smaller screens rather than on PC.

We believe 2K's sale is available worldwide, but some titles may have different discounts in some countries. Long story short, here some of the most appealing deals on Android games offered by 2K for a few more days.

NBA 2K19 - $4.99 (usually $7.99)WWE 2K - $1.99 (usually $5.99)Borderlands ...

Most underrated smartphones of 2018

The barrage of smartphones released throughout the year can be inundating to the average consumer. The frequency is just relentless, with many of the heavy hitters announcing not just one flagship device during the year, but two! It gets overwhelming – to the point that many good devices fly under the radar after release.

Maybe their release coincided with that of an even better smartphone? Or maybe because a particular phone wasn’t deemed flagship-worthy? Whatever the reason, these are smartphones we love to classify as underrated – the ones that ...

Samsung may launch a Google Home smart speaker competitor in 2019

It's hard to believe that Samsung may be successful on the smart speaker market with a device powered by Bixby, but the South Korean company plans to launch a new product in this category next year.

Many of you probably don't know that Samsung showcased a premium smart speaker called Galaxy Home several months ago, but that's probably because the smart speaker hasn't yet made it to market.

Although Samsung didn't announce how much the Galaxy Home will cost, it's more likely that the smart speaker would be direct Apple HomePod competitor rather than a Google Home or Amazon Echo rival.

In ...

T-Mobile will ring in the new year with killer Samsung Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch deals

We’ve seen plenty of discounts offered for Samsung’s newest Apple Watch rival these past couple of months by the device manufacturer itself, as well as various eBay sellers, Walmart, B&H Photo Video, and a number of other third-party retailers.

But because nothing beats free stuff, we’re happy to report T-Mobile is gearing up to run a killer BOGO deal on the Samsung Galaxy Watch starting January 2. You’ll obviously only be able to buy one Galaxy Watch unit and get a second one free of charge for a limited time and under certain conditions, which doesn’t make this any less of an irresistible ...

Essential Phone is getting closer to meeting the grim reaper

Nearly two years ago, word first leaked that Andy Rubin, the man known for fathering Android, would be making a new flagship phone. This device was expected to have an edge-to-edge display, and would challenge the Apple iPhone and other high-end handsets. That device was the Essential Phone, which launched in August 2017. And while it did feature an edge-to-edge display and a small notch, the phone never was able to compete with other high-end handsets.

Now, it appears as though the Essential Phone is on life support. As spotted by Droid Life, the phone is now listed ...

Deal: Amazon running multiple year-end deals on its Fire tablets

Amazon is running a sale on its Fire tablets with discounts of more than 30% on many models. The only tablet doesn't seem to be on sale yet is the cheapest one – the Fire 7, which costs $50. However, if you're looking to buy an Amazon Fire tablet, there are plenty of options to choose from.

The Fire HD 8, Fire HD 10, Fire 7 Kids Edition, Fire HD 8 Kids Edition, Fire HD 10 Kids Edition, and the “All-New” Fire HD 8 are now on sale at Amazon until the end of the year. Many of these tablets come with different memory sizes, so make sure to check each variant before placing your order.

amzn_assoc_tracking_id ...

Verizon deal: Get Apple iPhone XR and 9.7-inch iPad (2018) together starting at $30 a month

For those of you who are immersed in the iOS ecosystem, or would like to be, Verizon has a great deal on the 64GB Apple iPhone XR combined with the 32GB 9.7-inch Apple iPad (2018). Buy the phone for $749.99 and the tablet for $459.99 using the Device Payment plan, add a new line for the smartphone and one for the tablet, and Verizon will credit you $489.98 over 24 months. That comes out to a bill credit of $20.42 each month.

After computing the bill credit, those taking Verizon up on the deal will end up making 24 monthly payments of $30 that covers the cost of both ...

T-Mobile CEO Legere makes his annual predictions for the upcoming year

T-Mobile CEO John Legere traditionally makes a forecast for the upcoming year. While some of the predictions are real, they are mixed in with tongue-in-cheek insults hurled at T-Mobile's rivals. So what does the outspoken executive see happening in 2019? As you might expect, Legere expects 5G to be the big story next year. He says T-Mobile will be the only company with a real plan for nationwide mobile 5G. He adds that if the Sprint deal is approved "buckle up." The firm created by the proposed merger, the New T-Mobile, "will bring 5G to everyone, everywhere!"

The ...