Author: Clinton

OnePlus has begun the rollout of OxygenOS 5.1.2 for the OnePlus 5 and 5T today, bringing a number of fixes and improvements to the devices.  The update is just over 1.6GB in size so it will be one that you will need to download via WiFi.  Also keep in mind that the update was released over the weekend and it is being phased out to users as OnePlus normally does.  If you don’t see the update on your 5 or 5T yet, it is just a matter of when it gets to your device.

The OxygenOS 5.1.2 update, from a feature perspective, brings a couple of new features according to the release notes.  First, in the Gallery app, you will now find a “Recently Deleted” collection of photos you have deleted from your phone.  This makes it easier to find them should you want to recover them (I still recommend using Google Photos).

About a week after the second Chrome 67 beta build arrived, the Chrome for Android Beta app in the Play Store has been updated with an updated build of the next version of the browser.  Build 67.0.3396.59 is now the version you will find when you install the Beta app for Chrome in the Store.  Unlike other beta programs, anyone can get the beta app by simply downloading it and you can use it side-by-side with the stable version of the browser.

There isn’t a lot to report as far as new features go in this build.  In reviewing the change log, most of the items mentioned are bug fixes or performance improvement updates.

Good news this morning for readers who have the Samsung Galaxy S8 or one of the Galaxy Note8 phones on T-Mobile.  The May Android Security Update patches for these devices is now rolling out from the carrier.  Samsung isn’t exactly known for getting updates out fast so it is certainly positive that the company has got the May patches ready and T-Mobile is comfortable enough with them to drop them to customers.

For the Galaxy S8, you are looking for firmware G950USQS3CRE2 while for the S8+, you are getting G955USQS3CRE2.  For those of you who have the Galaxy Note8, firmware N950USQU4CRE1 is what you will be getting once the update rolls out to your phone.

The new look YouTube PiP (Picture in Picture feature is now rolling out broadly to everyone this morning.  The new design of the PiP is aimed at providing a bit more information about the video you have in the smaller view window such as the name of the video, not just a thumbnail of the video itself.

Now when you are viewing a video on YouTube and swipe down to put it into the PiP view, you will not only see the video but will see the title of the video as well as the creator of the content in a white panel next to it.

After making their debut earlier this year at Mobile World Congress, the redesigned Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact are now available to order from Sony’s Amazon storefront.  The 5.7″ XZ2 is priced starting at $736 for the Ash Pink color while the XZ2 Compact is priced at $649 for any color variant of the 5″ phone.

For those that don’t remember, the Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 compact are virtually identical from an internals perspective.  They are powered by the Snapdragon 845 SoC, have 4GB of RAM and have 64GB of storage built-in.  That storage can be expanded up to 400GB thanks to the MicroSD card slot.  Both have a 19MP f/2.0 rear camera that can shoot an incredible 960 fps slow motion video, and a 5MP f/2.2 selfie camera on the front.

HTC has pulled back the covers on their latest flagship device, the HTC U12+.  The first phone from the Taiwanese company for 2018 has all the specs you would expect from a flagship phone and has the price to go along with it.

Powering the U12+ is the 2.8GHz Snapdragon 845 SoC which is a 64-bit, octa-core architecture.  This is coupled with 6GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of onboard storage.  That storage can be expanded thanks to the MicroSD slot.  Display wise, you have a 6″ QHD LCD display which renders at 2880×1440.  It provides an eye-popping 537ppi on the 18:9 ratio display.  All this comes in a phone that is 156.6 x 73.9 x 8.7-9.7mm and weighs 188g.