On August 14, LG let loose the G Pad II 8.0 on its Korean website, and now it looks like the larger sibling of the tablets is getting its time in the limelight, too.

LG has officially introduced the G Pad II 10.1, which features a 10.1-inch display with a 19280×1080 resolution. The screen has a nifty trick, too, that will dim the blue lighting of the screen’s brightness in an effort to make reading whatever’s on the screen easier. There’s also the seemingly now-standard features, including Dual Window, which lets users run two apps side-by-side. There’s also QuickMemo+, which will allow owners to create and save a note from anywhere.

Under the hood, there’s a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor clocked at 2.26GHz. There’s 2GB of RAM, with 16GB of built-in storage, a microSD card slot, and a five-megapixel camera on the back with a 2MP front-facing shooter on the other side. The battery is measured in at 7400mAh, and the G Pad II 10.1 is running Android 5.1.1 Lollipop under LG’s proprietary user interface.

Unfortunately, this larger tablet doesn’t appear to have a full-size USB port like the G Pad II 8.0 does, which is interesting.

LG says that there will be both Wi-Fi and LTE models sold in “key markets” in North America, Europe, and Asia. When that will be, though, and how much the G Pad II 10.1 will cost still remains a mystery. The company plans on showing off the tablet at IFA in September, though, so if you’re interested in seeing more, stay tuned for that.

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We’ve gathered up a few great deals from around the web for you to peruse while you relax this weekend.

If you are considering picking up that new Asus ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition (or one of the other remaining phones with a microSD slot) and want to max out your storage then the PNY 128GB microSD is the cheapest way to achieve that goal that we’ve seen yet. Today on Amazon the Class 10 128GB microSD card from PNY is marked down to $51.98, which is $10-$20 cheaper than you will normally find it.

Bluetooth headphones are a real upgrade when working out or basically moving around at all. After years of having headphones yanked either out of my smartphone or my ears due to cords finding anything in range to wrap themselves around I have switched almost exclusively to BT models. The one downside to this policy is that they can get a bit expensive, so an inexpensive pair that actually works well always gets my attention. These sport headphones from Aukey are well reviewed and available for just $18 on Amazon today with the code GD3NRDSX. I doubt you’ll find a better price on reliable BT headphones than that.

This last deal is a bit of a pricey one, but since it’s for one of the best consumer quadcopters around I thought I’d post it anyway. The DJI Phantom 3 Advanced is the mid-range of the new Phantom 3 line from DJI with the same advanced controller, GPS and some other high-end features from the Pro model, but with 1080p rather than 4K video capture. For most of us that compromise is worth the several hundred dollars you could save by going with this deal versus the Pro model. The deal that is available on eBay at the moment gets you the DJI Phantom 3 Advanced along with a $150 Visa gift card for $999. That’s the same price as you would typically pay for the Phantom 3 Advanced and of course you will be saving yourself tax in most locations and picking up a $150 Visa gift card that is essentially cash. All in all it’s a solid deal on some of the latest and greatest from DJI.

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If storage space is one of your primary concerns then it will be hard to do better than the newly announced Asus ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition. It features a fairly crazy 256GB of internal storage and, like the other ZenFone 2 variants, offers an additional 128GB of potential via the microSD slot.

The downside is that the Asus ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition and it’s awesomely endless name will only be launching in Brazil, at least for now, and pricing is not yet available.

The rest of the features are mostly identical to the higher-end (Deluxe) version of the ZenFone 2 that launched in the U.S. and Canada back in May for $299. The one difference beyond the bump in storage capacity is a slightly higher clock speed on the CPU from 2.3GHz to 2.5GHz.

Here’s the full spec list as a quick refresher.

• Intel Atom quad-core 2.5GHz
• 4GB LPDDR3 RAM
• 256 GB ROM with microSD expansion
• 5.5-inch 1080p IPS display
• 13MP rear camera
• 5MP front facing camera
• 3000mAh battery
• 2.3GHz version includes 18W BoostMaster adapter for fast charging
• Android 5.0

There are a couple other additions for the special edition, including an exclusive version of Asphalt 8 and two new back covers.

Asus fans in Brazil should look for the phone to hit next month. Anyone hoping this thing sees a wider release in the future?

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I reviewed the TYLT VU Wireless Charging Car Mount in March and I’ll admit I was pretty hard on it. I wanted it to be magical and it wasn’t. The convenience of having wireless charging in the car was not enough to get excited about when my Nexus 5 would basically only charge if it wasn’t being used and asleep. But then I traded out my Nexus 5 for the Nexus 6 and everything changed. And yes, the it holds the Nexus 6 just fine.

Now my Nexus 6 charges with my display on, navigating via Google Maps, and streaming music via Bluetooth. If I leave my house in the morning with the battery level around 90 percent and use my phone pretty heavily while wireless charging in the car, I’ll get to work and it will be at 100 percent. If I’m on a phone call and navigating via Google Maps, it will still be losing charge, but not as fast as on my Nexus 5. It’s great now. It’s definitely not as quick as a 2.4 Amp charger through the micro-USB port, but like I’ve said before, the convenience of wireless charging is awesome and I’m thrilled that it’s working better now. I’m happy that the battery level is increasing rather than just decreasing more slowly than it would without the charger at all.

I’m speculating that the difference in my experience is due to the display technologies. The Nexus 5 has a 4.95-inch full HD IPS LCD display, while the Nexus 6 has a 5.96-inch AMOLED display. For an LCD display to be used, it needs to be backlit whether the pixels are black, white or any other color. This means it’s always using energy while the display is on. In contrast, the AMOLED technology does not need to be backlit. Individual pixels can be powered, meaning that a pixel isn’t on when it’s black, which can save on energy consumption. What I’ve read about AMOLED displays is that when they’re displaying something mostly white, they can actually use more energy than an LCD display. But in general, AMOLED is less power hungry than LCD. Also, when I’m commuting to and from work with Google Maps on, the display is mostly not white. Therefore, I think it’s completely plausible that the Nexus 6 is requiring less energy to power the AMOLED display compared to my old Nexus 5. So the Nexus 6 charges with the display on, and the Nexus 5 didn’t.

Two other things to note: First, I’m happy with the durability of the TYLT VU Wireless Charging Car Mount. It gets hot here in California, especially on my black dash. I’ve returned to my car on at least two occasions after a long, hot day of work to find the car charger on my seat or the floor. So it’s taken a few drops. If you read my original review, I somehow managed to break my original base while traveling back from Europe to the US. After being sent a new base, I haven’t had any issues, and this base is holding up great. So the issue I had previously may have just been a fluke. But these devices do come with a 1-year warranty if you run into the same issue.

Speaking of heat, another issue I ran into a few times with the Nexus 5 was phone overheating. The Nexus 5 overheated and shut itself off a few times after I threw the phone into the TYLT VU Wireless Charging Car Mount after it had been sitting in the sun and had the added heat from wireless charging. I found that if I blasted the AC with the front defrosters on when I first got in the car, I could keep the phone cool enough to avoid the issue. Ever since I started doing that, I haven’t had any issues. Just a little tip from me to you.

Overall, my experience with the TYLT VU wireless car charger has greatly improved with the Nexus 6. I’m not 100 percent certain my experience improved because of the AMOLED display technology on the Nexus 6, but I think it’s a good bet. Samsung is also using Super AMOLED technology with their Galaxy S6 phones that come with built-in wireless charging. So if you’re using a Samsung Galaxy S6, a Nexus 6, or another wireless charging device with AMOLED display technology and are thinking about getting a wireless car charger, I say go for it. Know that it won’t charge as fast as a high amp car charger, but the convenience is awesome and you’ll feel much cooler than your friends who have to plug in their phones.

The TYLT VU wireless car charger is available from TYLT’s website for $79.99, or you can find it on Amazon for a tad cheaper.

I’m curious if you have had similar experiences with a Qi wireless car charger and your LCD or AMOLED devices? Do you think my improved experience is because of the display technology? Or something else? Think wireless charging is for suckers? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below.

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The first update for the OnePlus 2, the “2016 flagship killer,” is now being rolled out to active devices, and there’s at least one big piece of the new software that should make owners plenty happy.

With the new update, the OnePlus 2 will get bumped to OxeygenOS 2.0.1, with the main attraction of the new software being the inclusion of a patch for the Stagefright vulnerability. On top of that, OnePlus says the new software also features improvements to battery performance while also improving the “user interface logic and coherence.” There are some other changes, as listed by OnePlus:

• Added a patch for the Stagefright security exploit
• Improves battery performance
• Improves user interface logic and coherence
• Fixed an issue with pinch-to-zoom in Google Photos
• Fixed an issue where Dark Mode would cause instability in certain apps
• Fixed an issue related to import/export of contacts stored on SIM card
• Additional support for global carrier APNs
• Other improvements and bug fixes

It may not be a huge update, but considering the Stagefright patch is in there, and also some improvements to the battery life, it should be a welcomed update from OnePlus 2 owners.

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As it stands, the next-generation Moto 360 has been teased a couple of times. The first by the CEO of Lenovo several months ago, and most recently by the official Motorola Twitter account, which tweeted out a render showcasing the upcoming wearable. Still, Motorola hasn’t made the newest Moto 360 official by any means, so spotting it out in the wild is pretty exciting.

According to several eye witnesses, the 2015 edition of the Moto 360 is currently being tested out in the wilds of Chicago, Illinois, where Motorola’s headquarters reside. As noted in the images, put together by Droid-Life, the Moto 360 (2015) has been seen with a cognac band and a Rose Gold casing, along with an all-black collection, with a black band and a black case.

In the images, we can see that the physical button has been repositioned to the 2 o’clock slot, and the lugs have also been redesigned in an effort to make band switching even easier. The “flat tire” is still present on the round watch face, though, for better or worse.

Now that you’ve seen the watch put together and on a few wrists, what do you think of the new Moto 360?

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Welcome back to our weekly Top 10 Android App Updates column, where we take a look at the most frequently upgraded apps for the week. We’ve found that one of the best ways to discover useful apps is to find the ones that are actually being updated by the developers rather than selecting the apps with the most installs. As in the past, we’re going to filter out minor updates for the super-popular apps that have over 10 million installs, but we’ll make exceptions for apps that have had significant updates. We hope you enjoy this weekly feature and that you discover some apps that end up being useful.

Project Fi – Version E3.0

What’s new in this version:

• In-app set up of your voicemail PIN
• In-app set up of call forwarding
• In-app cancellation of service and port-out of your number
• Bug fixes to improve accessibility

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Google Photos – Version 1.3.0

What’s new in this version:

• Google Photos can recognize collages/animations that Google Camera creates
• You are now able to login to Google Photos as a Plus Page
• You can reorder content in albums
• You can now trim videos to be included in movies
• You can see a new timeline user interface for Movie editing

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Pocket Casts – Version 5.2.0

What’s new in this version:

• Open the Discover section, tap on Nearby, get them to do the same and find out.
• Animation issues with the play/pause button in the mini player
• You can now download an episode that is streaming from the episode overflow menu
• Fixed issue with grid and missing artwork
• Download issues

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Bing Search – Version 5.4.2515

What’s new in this version:

• Bing snapshots in other apps are available in US in English, on Android v4.4 and above.

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Yahoo Weather – Version 1.4.5

What’s new in this version:

• Introducing new weather alerts around the world!
• Yahoo Weather, our beautiful and intuitive weather app, will alert you 15 minutes before rain or snow is expected so you can grab your jacket, boots and umbrella!

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Android Auto – Version 1.2.0

What’s new in this version:

• Improved home screen, allowing you to see ongoing activites like music and navigation at a glance.
• Various bug fixes and improvements.

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Trello – Version 3.4.0.988

What’s new in this version:

• That’s right, search has arrived for Trello for Android.

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Pocket Agent® – Version 5.0.0

What’s new in this version:

Opera Max – Version 1.2.27

What’s new in this version:

• Support for data savings for YouTube and Netflix (New feature)
• New VPN control functionality (Disconnect VPN without closing Max UI)
• Various UI modifications
• Bug fixes and improvements

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SoundCloud – Version 15.08.14

What’s new in this version:

//playboard.me/widgets/pb-app-box/1/pb_load_app_box.js

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While smartphone displays have been steadily increasing in size over the years, tablets have managed to avoid this, thanks in part to already having big-enough screens for most. But, if a new report pans out, Samsung could be looking to give the tablet market its injection of gigantic screens, just like it did with smartphones all those years ago.

According to SamMobile, Samsung is currently in the process of putting together an Android-based tablet that boasts a ridiculous 18.4-inch display. The device is reportedly codenamed “Tahoe,” and that display is said to feature a resolution of 1920×1080, with an 8-megapixel camera on the back, and a 2.1-megapixel camera on the front. It will also reportedly feature 32GB of built-in storage, and offer 2GB of RAM. There’s a microSD card slot for expandable storage, a Samsung Exynos 7580 octa-core processor clocked at 1.6GHz, and the battery is said to be measured in at 5700mAh.

Breaking it down further, this tablet is said to measure in at 451.8mm wide, 275.8mm tall, and 11.9mm thick.

With a display that big, it’s hard to imagine Samsung would promote something like this as a mobile device, so it will be interesting to see just what type of marketing they put behind it. Would they honestly aim to promote it as a “PC kiiller” or even a “PC replacement?” Then again, Samsung might not launch the thing at all, so we may be waiting to see how they’d market an 18.4-inch tablet for a long time.

Would you buy a tablet that big?

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Samsung decided to make August its month in an effort to give its two newest flagships, the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 edge+, plenty of time in the limelight before Apple launched its own newest phones. Now, Samsung isn’t content on just announcing the devices: It wants iPhone owners to actually use them, too.

In this case, that comes with “no obligation,” other than just a single dollar and the current use of an iPhone as your primary device. Samsung is calling it the “Ultimate Test Drive,” and it will allow iPhone owners to try out either the Galaxy Note 5 or Galaxy S6 edge+ for 30 days for just $1. The promo also includes the regular Galaxy S6 edge. Those interested just need to visit SamsungPromotions.com from their iPhone’s Web browser, then follow the onscreen instructions to pick a carrier and device.

Unfortunately, as of this writing, it would appear that most of the test devices have already been picked up. Selecting any one of the AT&T-branded models only provides a “that device is not available right now.” However, some are having luck getting devices with Verizon or Sprint, so it’s at least worth trying. It’s always possible Samsung adds more devices, too.

It should be pointed out that Samsung will charge you either $720 or $820 for the full price of the device if you don’t return it within 30 days and skip the 5-day grace period, too. And, if you return the handset you test drove with a broken screen, water damage, or other major issues, Samsung will charge your credit card you put on file $100. So, keep the test drive clean.

Do you plan on trying out a Galaxy Note 5 or Galaxy S6 edge+?

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Less than two weeks after ZUK revealed its Z1 smartphone and said that an international release would happen “soon,” we’ve gotten a bit of a better idea of what exactly “soon” means.

Today Cyanogen announced that it is partnering with ZUK on the international release of the Z1. The phone will be released in mid-October, and when it becomes available, it’ll come pre-loaded with Cyanogen OS 12.1, based on Android 5.1.1.

One detail that we’re still missing is how much the ZUK Z1 will cost at its international launch. When it debuted in China, it was priced at RMB 1799, or around $281 USD.

The Z1 features a couple of noteworthy features. The first is a USB Type-C port that’s of the USB 3.0 variety, boasting transfer speeds of 500MB per second. Also included is a fingerprint reader build into the home button. The rest of the Z1’s spec list includes a 5.5-inch 1920×1080 display, 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 13-megapixel rear and 8-megapixel front cameras, 3GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a 4100mAh battery.

Now that we know the international model of the Z1 will run Cyanogen OS 12.1, will you consider picking one up when it launches in October?

Sources: +Cyanogen, ZUK (1), (2)

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