Samsung‘s Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is receiving the One UI 5.1 update. According to SamMobile, the rollout began a few days back in India with the firmware build number T225XXU2CWB3. The company should release the update in more markets in the coming days.
The Galaxy Tab A7 Lite debuted in mid-2021 as an affordable Android tablet in Samsung’s lineup. The device came with Android 11 onboard. While Samsung kept it waiting for Android 12 until August last year, Android 13 reached it just a few months later. The latest Android version was pushed to the tablet in December 2022. Three months into its Android 13 life, the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is now grabbing another major feature update.
The One UI 5.1 update for this low-cost tablet comes bundled with the February 2023 Android security patch. It isn’t the latest one now that Samsung has released the April SMR (Security Maintenance Release) as well. However, it’s still a fairly recent one. After all, this update is more about new features than security enhancements. The Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is picking up plenty of goodies here.
One UI 5.1 brings a host of new features to the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite
With One UI 5.1, Samsung has added new selfie effects to its camera app. There’s a new shared family album in the Gallery for easy sharing of photos and videos between multiple family members. New and enhanced gestures make multitasking more efficient, and so do improvements to Modes and Routines. Samsung Internet, AR Emoji, and the weather widget also pick up a few nifty improvements that add to your user experience.
Overall, this update will elevate the functionality of the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite to a new level. Your tablet can do more than before, and more efficiently and in a better way too. Unfortunately, One UI 5.1 is probably the last major feature update for it. The device isn’t expected to receive the Android 14 update. We will surely let you know if things change course for good in the future.
Meanwhile, you might want to go grab the latest update as soon as you can. To check for new software releases manually, navigate to Settings > Software update and tap on Download and install. Your Galaxy Tab A7 Lite will not connect to the internet and look for new updates on Samsung’s servers. If an update is found, you will be prompted to download it. If not, wait a few days and check again.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is coming, and it’s expected to bring some notable design-related changes to the table. You’ll easily be able to tell this phone apart from its predecessor, as we’ll explain later in the article… well, at least if the rumors and leaks are true, of course. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 will be a direct successor to the Galaxy Z Flip 4 which launched in August last year.
In this article, we’ll try to fill in the gaps for you, and show you what you can expect out of this phone. Rumors and leaks did report some details, but a lot of info is still missing. So, we’ll combine some educated guesses with the info that surfaced in order to fill in the gaps. Having said that, let’s get started, shall we?
This article will be regularly updated with new information on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 (this is a preview article) — both official teasers and credible leaks, rumors, and insider claims — as it becomes available in the run-up to the release of the upcoming Android smartphone. The last update was made on DATE.
When will the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 be released?
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 will probably become official in August. That’s when the Galaxy Z Flip 4 landed, and is usually when Samsung intros its next-gen foldable smartphones. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is expected to launch alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 5. We still don’t know the exact launch date, but we’ll almost certainly see the phone launch in August. It will go on pre-order after the event, and then a couple of weeks later you’ll be able to grab it in a store.
What models are coming?
Only one Galaxy Z Flip 5 handset will launch, but it may offer different RAM and storage combos. All Galaxy Z Flip 4 models included 8GB of RAM, but the phone was available in three different storage options, depending on the region. Something similar may happen with the Galaxy Z Flip 5. We’re still not sure how much RAM will it offer, but the storage options did surface. The phone will launch in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage variants. We’re looking at LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage here, most probably.
How much will the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 cost?
Its pricing details didn’t appear just yet, but chances are we’ll see the same price as last year. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 was priced at $999 at launch, the same as its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Flip 3. Samsung almost certainly won’t cross the $1,000 threshold. The phone will either have the same price as its predecessor, or cost a bit less, we’ll see. Do note that this price tag applies to the 128GB storage model. More storage will equal a higher price tag, of course.
What will the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 look like?
The Galaxy Z Flip 4 is rather similar to its predecessor, but that won’t be the case with the Galaxy Z Flip 5. Based on what we’ve heard and seen thus far, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will see a major design change on the outside. To be more specific, it will have a much larger cover display. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 includes a 1.9-inch cover display, the Find N2 Flip has a 3.26-inch unit, and the one on the Flip 5 should be even larger than that. Based on rumors, it will even go around the cameras, and take up almost half of the phone’s back. A tipster actually claims it will look similar to what you can see below. Do note that narrower bezels are also tipped.
That alone will represent a major design change that is immediately noticeable. On top of that, however, Samsung is planning to utilize a different hinge here. It’s finally ready to ditch the ‘U’ hinge and switch to a waterdrop-style hinge that other OEMs have been using. That will allow the company to make a phone that folds flat. Oh, and offer a less pronounced crease than previous Galaxy Z Flip devices.
Samsung will combine a new hinge with water resistance
On almost all other foldables, except the Huawei Mate X3, such hinge style automatically means no water resistance. Well, Samsung will offer water resistance on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, if rumors are to be believed. That’s probably the reason the company has been holding off on including a different hinge in its foldables. It took Samsung time to figure out how to offer water resistance in combo with such a hinge.
Thanks to all that, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 should end up looking more modern, and in line with what other OEMs are offering. The phone will once again be made out of metal and glass, and feature two cameras on the back. There won’t be a dedicated camera island on the back of the phone, though, as each camera will protrude on its own.
What specs will the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 have?
Not much is known about the Galaxy Z Flip 5 specs at the moment, but we’ll try to fill in the gaps. What we do know, based on rumors, is that the phone should launch in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options. We’re looking at UFS 4.0 flash storage here, by the way. The phone will almost certainly be fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. That is the most powerful chip Qualcomm has to offer at the moment.
When it comes to RAM, the phone will most likely offer either 8GB or 12GB of RAM. It’s possible both variants will be available, but that’s just a guess. The company will hopefully include LPDDR5X RAM in all units. Android 13 will come pre-installed on the device, along with OneUI 5.X. Last year’s model included a 3,700mAh battery, but the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will come with a larger unit. It will include a much larger cover display, so that’s the only solid solution, as that 3,700mAh battery pack isn’t large to begin with. The good news is that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is good with power consumption. Both wired and wireless charging will be on offer, most likely the same offerings as in the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Samsung could bump up the wired charging to 45W, though. Wireless charging will still be capped at 15W, while reverse wireless charging will sit at 4.5W.
The main display size will probably be similar
Samsung will either include the same display size as in the Flip 4, a 6.7-inch panel, or bump that up to 6.8 inches. That main display will have a fullHD+ resolution, and a 120Hz refresh rate. We’re still not sure about the size of the cover display, but it will be a lot larger than the 1.9-inch panel on the Flip 4. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 will also include a set of stereo speakers, and some sort of water resistance. No camera info surfaced thus far, but we don’t expect major changes in that regard.
Should you wait to buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5?
There are not many clamshell foldables available in global markets at the moment. Other than Samsung, you do have the option to get the Huawei P50 Pocket, OPPO Find N2 Flip, or the Motorola Razr 2022. The thing is, the Find N2 Flip has limited availability region-wise, while the same goes for the P50 Pocket. Huawei’s foldable also comes without Google services. The Motorola Razr 2023 is right around the corner, so getting the Razr 2022 may also not be the best idea. If you really want a foldable this very second, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is also a solid choice. The same goes for the phones mentioned in the previous sentences. Still, waiting for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 may be the best option. Well, especially if it ends up costing the same as the Galaxy Z Flip 4. You’ll get a brand new hinge, less visible crease, gapless design when folded, and a much larger cover display, amongst other things.
If you’re looking for a new gaming laptop, then look no further than Best Buy’s current sale. Which has the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 laptop. This is currently on sale for $799, which is going to save you $280 off of its regular price. This does bring it down to an all-time low price, so it’s definitely worth picking up today.
Why should you buy the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 Laptop?
This is one of the cheapest gaming laptops that have an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti inside. Which makes it a pretty impressive gaming laptop to get, especially for this price.
Some of the other specs include a 15.6-inch FHD 144Hz display. It’s also powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 6800H, with 8GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 512GB PCI-E SSD. A lot of gaming laptops are pretty heavy, though this one is on the lighter side at about 4.58 lbs. And it is pretty thin at 0.88 inches.
It’s a gaming laptop, so it has to have a RGB Backlit Keyboard. Which you can control very easily. So you can keep it on, or turn it down and even completely off. So if you are looking to turn it off and concentrate on getting some work done, you can do so. The keyboard also has a full number-pad, making it easy to get Excel work done too.
ASUS did outfit this one with WiFi 6, which is nice, but we would have rather see WiFi 6E here. As that would make this laptop a bit more future-proof. But where a lot of gamers like to play with a wired connection, that’s probably not an issue.
Perhaps the most surprising part of this laptop is the fact that it does have Dolby Atmos included. Giving you a really good sound experience when you’re playing games or watching videos.
The Google Pixel Watch has been very popular since its launch in October of 2022. And now, you can get it for $50 less. Amazon is currently selling the WiFi and the LTE models for $50 off. That brings them down to $299 and $349 respectively. That does bring them back down to their all-time lowest prices.
Google’s first smartwatch, the Pixel Watch, debuted in October 2022 to much fanfare. This is because it had been rumored for literally years. And Google had finally gotten Wear OS to a good spot, and it owns Fitbit. So the Pixel Watch was met with high expectations, and it mostly met them. The Pixel Watch is a stunning smartwatch from Google, and comes in a variety of colors.
Google sells the Pixel Watch in a matte black case, champaign gold case, or polished silver case. It is also available with a ton of different watch band materials and colors. So you can really customize it to your liking.
So, as mentioned, the Pixel Watch does run on Wear OS. Which is Google’s own wearable platform. It also has Fitbit integrated, so if you’re looking for a replacement for your Fitbit, this might be the one. Like with other Fitbit’s, it is able to track your activity, your workouts, your sleep and so much more. Pixel Watch owners also get Fitbit Premium free for 6 months with your purchase.
Now, the elephant in the room. Battery life. It’s not the best. In fact, it’s really not that great. But depending on your usage, you can probably get a full day out of it. You will want to do some optimizing of the settings, like turning off notifications from some apps and such. If you’re coming from a Fitbit fitness tracker, you definitely won’t like this aspect. So keep that in mind.
Netflix is still making a hard push into the gaming market despite its round of layoffs last year. There are still Netflix-exclusive games coming to the mobile market, and the latest one is called Terra Nil, according to Android Police.
In case you don’t know, Netflix has a library of games on the Google Play Store and the iOS App Store. These are developed by several companies and they’re typically high-quality. If you want to play these games, you need an active Netflix subscription on the device.
Terra Nil is like SimCity in reverse
We’re all used to city builder games where you start off in wooded areas and construct a metropolis. They’re fun, but the issue is that you’re always intruding on nature. Well, what if you can do the opposite of that? You can in Terra Nil.
This is a city builder… or nature builder where you take barren wastelands and convert them into flourishing environments. Just like in SimCity, you’ll start off by generating electricity. You won’t be surprised to know that the source of electricity is a wind turbine.
Then, you’ll use the electricity to create machines that will clean the soil. This is essential for planting plant life. You’ll build irrigators, to expand the grasslands and machines to rehydrate rivers. As you further expand the grass, you’ll gather resources to purchase more machines. As you progress, you’ll have access to more machines that perform different tasks.
What’s neat is that you’ll be able to create different types of environments as you progress. You can create environments like wetlands, flowers, etc. The game lets you place these environments pretty much wherever you want. So, you’ll be able to craft the ecosystem to your liking.
The game plays well on devices like the Pixel 6 with some moderate stutters. So, the game will be able to run on most devices. If you’re using a mid-range device, you will see some stutters, but it won’t be too bad.
Samsung launched its Galaxy S23 phones earlier in the year. They’re great, but what if you can’t quite afford one? Well, you can pre-order the cheaper Galaxy A54 5G today. This is the next best thing to the S23, and it cost notably less.
The Galaxy A series of phones has always been a popular line of devices. They still give you an amazing media-watching experience with gorgeous displays and great speakers. They’re the best phones to buy if you want to have a full One UI experience at an affordable price.
You can pre-order the Galaxy A54 5G today
So, let’s go over this phone’s specs. This phone has a moderately-sized 6.4-inch AMOLED display. It has a 1080P+ resolution (1080 x 2340) and it runs at a 120Hz refresh rate.
As for the internals, we’re looking at the Exynos 1380 that’s backed up by 6GB/8GB of RAM and 128GB/256GB of onboard storage. Those are decent specs for an upper-tier mid-range phone.
Keeping the lights on is a large 5,000mAh battery. This phone supports 25W fast charging, so you won’t get the fastest charging speeds.
Moving onto the camera, we’re looking at a 50MP main camera. Accompanying it is a 12MP ultrawide camera with a 5MP macro camera.
How to put in your pre-order
If you want to pre-order the Galaxy A54 5G, go to this page on the Samsung website. On this page, you’ll see more information about it along with the colors that it comes in.
You can look through all of the perks that the phone brings. If you’re convinced that you want this phone, you can go ahead and put in your order.
First things first, don’t be fooled by the first price. This is the price if you have a qualifying trade-in. Scroll down and select which storage configuration you want and the color.
If you do have a trade-in, select the phone you’re trading in and the condition. If you don’t have one, then click the No Trade-in option. When you do that, you’ll see the price jump to $449.99.
Under that section, you can choose to use any current promotions, select a protection plan, and/or set up financing. Once you’re finished, you’ll then click the Pre-order now button on the bottom. After that, you’ll put in your payment information and place your order.
Not too long ago, we got the news that YouTube Music was going to bring Podcasts. This is a move to compete with Spotify on that front. According to 9To5Google, people are seeing the new UI when listening to podcasts on YouTube Music.
YouTube has been working on its presence in the podcast market for a while. Back in 2021, the company appointed Kai Chuk to head the podcasting endeavors. Since then, we’ve seen Podcasts on YouTube getting a dedicated section.
Now, the company is finally bringing podcasts to YouTube Music. This was a long time coming. As you can remember, YouTube Music replaced Google Play Music. However, it didn’t inherit the podcast feature, which frustrated users.
Here’s the UI for podcasts on YouTube Music
This is still in the process of rolling out, so there’s a chance that you won’t see it. The general aesthetic for the UI will stay the same, but some of the buttons will be changed around. Let’s start with the basic Now playing UI. The previous and next track buttons will be replaced with a rewind 10 seconds and skip forward 30 seconds button.
On the far left of the screen, you’ll see a speed control button. This will adjust the speed just like you’re watching a YouTube video. So, it’s between .25x and 2x speed with .25x intervals.
On the far right of the screen, you’ll see a sleep timer. This will pause the playback after a certain amount of time passes.
Looking at the bottom bar (where you’d see Up next, lyrics, and related) the Lyrics button is replaced with a Details button. When you tap on that button, you’ll see a description of what the Podcast is all about. On the Details page, you’ll see a Play button along with the option to bookmark the podcast.
When you’re on the Up next page, it will show you the queue of podcasts that you’re going to hear. Just like with music, the app will show you a list of episodes from related podcasts.
When you’re on a podcast’s page, you’ll see some of the show’s description along with the most recent episodes listed below. You’ll also see the option to play, download, and bookmark the podcast.
Right now, YouTube is rolling this out to a handful of people, so you most likely won’t see it just yet. You’ll need to wait a bit before it reaches you.
The OnePlus 11 5G is set to be one of the cheapest flagship smartphones on the market. It’s complete with a 6.7-inch QHD+ display, which is also curved. So you’ll want to protect that phone with a case. So we have rounded up the very best cases that you can pick up for the OnePlus 11.
Now, if you have not yet picked up the OnePlus 11 5G, you can do so by clicking here. It’s available for $699 for the 8GB/128GB model and $799 for the 16GB/256GB model.
Best OnePlus 11 5G Cases
The cases on this list include a few first-party cases from OnePlus. Keep in mind that first-party cases are generally a bit more expensive, but they also fit the phone a whole lot better. And also feel more premium. But there are some cheaper options available too here.
The Aramid Fiber Bumper Case is one of the best cases you can pick up for the OnePlus 11 5G. This case is made of carbon fiber, which makes it look incredibly sleek, while also adding some texture to the back of the phone. Which makes it a really great case for the OnePlus 11 5G. It does have all of the necessary cut outs for the camera, charging port and so on.
Those looking for a clear case, there is a really great one from Cresee that is also fairly inexpensive. It comes in at under $10, which is not bad at all for a clear case. It also has the exact fit and cut outs that you’d need for the OnePlus 11 5G. It also has anti-yellowing so that it should not change colors over time. And you can still show off the design of OnePlus 11 5G.
This bumper leather case for the OnePlus 11 5G is a really good case for the phone. It’s stylish and elegant and comes in a number of different colors. It also has the precise cutouts and buttons, so you can use the phone without any issues with this case on it. The 0.5mm raised front edge recesses the phone screen to protect it when placed face down. The frame is designed 0.3mm higher than the camera lens for your For OnePlus 11 5G, offering it maximum anti-scratch and drop protection.
This case for the OnePlus 11 5G is a pretty good option, because you’re getting a case and a screen protector. So it does come in a few colors, that are for the back of the case. Then the front has a tempered glass screen protector. Which does really well for keeping your display covered and scratch free. Upgraded double-sided cold-carved tempered glass, drop proof, explosion proof.
Those that are hardcore OnePlus fans know all about Sandstone. It’s the material that they used on their first couple of phones. It’s got a nice texture to it, making it easier to hold onto your phone. It feels a bit softer than sandpaper, so it’s definitely not for everyone. But if you are worried about the OnePlus 11 5G being slippery and falling out of your hands, this will let you rest easy.
This is one of the cheapest cases we’ve ever put on a best cases list. It comes in at $4.97. It is a TPU case, that has some carbon fiber on it, making it look really nice. It comes in three colors, black, navy and red. So it’ll look really good on the OnePlus 11 5G. It’s ultra lightweight carbon fiber and Polycarbonate material,flexible ,shock absorbing, offers soft comfortable touch feel and no-bulk.
The Vivo X Fold 2 has once again surfaced online, this time around in an actual unboxing video which details its design. This video has been uploaded by a user called ‘Flypig’, it has been uploaded to Weibo. Some screenshots were reshared by a tipster on Twitter, in case you prefer those over a video.
The Vivo X Fold 2 design gets shown in detail thanks to first unboxing video
We’ve seen the phone for the very first time yesterday. From the 2023 Boao Forum in China. These new images give us a much better look at the device, as there are quite a few of them. Check out the gallery below the article if you’d like to check them out.
This is Vivo’s second-gen book-style foldable smartphone, and third overall. It follows the Vivo X Fold and Vivo X Fold+. It does have a circular camera island on the back, which houses three cameras. ZEISS branding is also visible on the back.
The phone features a display camera hole on both the main display, and a cover display. This phone is quite large overall, as are most book-style foldables. That’s not surprising at all.
It will be considerably thinner and lighter than its predecessors
It is expected to be quite a bit thinner and lighter than its predecessors, though. That won’t be all that difficult as the Vivo X Fold+ weighs 311 grams, which is considerably more than its competitors.
Once again, the red variant of the phone is shown here, and it seems to combine vegan leather and glass on the back. It actually looks very nice in the provided images.
Vivo confirmed that new devices will launch next month, and it’s quite obvious this one will be included in that batch. It’s expected to launch side-by-side with the company’s first clamshell foldable, the Vivo X Flip.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC is expected to fuel the device, while you can expect to see LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 included here. A 50-megapixel main camera is tipped, along with a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera.
The phone will also feature a 4,800mAh battery, and support 120W wired charging. Well, based on rumors, at least.
It seems that the iOS 16.4 update has broken a widget belonging to one of the platform’s native apps. Ironically, the app that is under the weather is the Weather app. A tweet from former hockey broadcaster Mark Kennedy (via iPhone in Canada) reads, “Anyone else having constant issues with the weather widget on @Apple #iPhone not loading? It’s happening all the time and needs to be opened to make it work. I’m on #iPhone14Pro fully updated.”
The widget for the iPhone home screen simply states “No weather data.” Other Twitter subscribers replied to Kennedy’s tweet with screenshots of their own showing that the widget for the native Weather app has been incapacitated although others are not having any issues. But Apple confirmed that there is a cloud over the native Weather widget as the System Status page shows that there clearly is a performance issue with the Weather app. In this case, it is the widget that is not working.
Twitter subscriber KN also has a problem with the native Weather app widget
Apple says that the issue began on Thursday evening, March 30th, and is still affecting some users. The tech giant states that the Weather widget “may be slow or unavailable” and suggests that users having this problem with the Weather widget turn off their device and restart it. If having a weather widget is important to you, there are plenty of apps out there that you can use until Apple fixes the Weather widget which they most certainly will do soon.
Apple’s System Status page shows an issue with the native Weather app
For example, there is The Weather Channel and AccuWeather apps. Both not only have widgets, the apps both offer free radar. The Weather Channel can be downloaded from the App Store by tapping on this link. The AccuWeather app can be installed by pressing on this link. To put either app’s widget on your home screen, long-press an empty spot on your iPhone home screen until the apps go into “jiggle mode.” Tap on the “+” button on the top left of the display and type in the name of the weather app you installed in the Search Widgets field.
Tap on the appropriate app listing and by swiping to the left, you’ll see all of the widgets you can choose from. For example, AccuWeather has six different widgets with some giving hourly forecasts, some giving you daily forecasts, and some showing current conditions (a few require a premium subscription). Tap on the blue “Add Widget” button and the widget will be added to your home screen. Hit the “Done” button at the top right of the display and you are all done.
The issue with the Weather widget after installing iOS 16.4 appears to be widespread judging by the number of “me too” tweets we’ve seen. If this bug does affect you, keep checking in and we will let you know when an update becomes available.
