Android Central Podcast (general)
The Android podcast for everyone. A weekly show about Android, Google, and the best of mobile technology.

Russell Holly, Alex Dobie, and Jerry Hildenbrand are here with tons of information to share about the new Snapdragon Wear 3100 chip and Wear OS. Even with the battery improvements being promised by Qualcomm, the world is not without some watch envy when it comes to Apple Watch Series 4.

Apple may have had their moment in the spotlight this week, but there are still many Android devices yet to come in 2018. The team dig into what we know so far about the LG V40, OnePlus 6T, and the throughly spoiled Pixel 3.

All that, and Russell raves about June. It's a smart oven with sensors out the wazoo, machine learning, and OTA updates that add more cooking features. It's a high steaks episode!

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Direct download: androidcentral397.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:09pm EDT

Andrew Martonik, Russell Holly, and Jerry Hildenbrand talk about Google's Pixel 3 event, which is officially set for October 9th. We have good idea of what to expect from the phones, but will there be additional product announcements during the presentation?

They also dig into the Galaxy Watch review along with comparisons to Samsung Gear Sport.

Plus, special shoutout to new dad, Daniel Bader, as he begins a journey of diaper changing and sleepless nights. Congratulations, Daniel!

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Direct download: androidcentral396.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:18am EDT

We're live from Berlin, Germany! Andrew Martonik, Alex Dobie, and Michael Fisher (aka Mr. Mobile) are here to bring you all best announcements from IFA 2018, including an all-new Wear OS interface with some very interesting smartwatches from Casio, Skagen Falster, and Diesel.

From there, it's a slew of new phones — BlackBerry KEY2 LE makes its debut at only $399, while the Sony Xperia XZ3 goes the opposite direction as a high-end device. And that's just the tip of the iceberg! To wrap things up, the gang talk about Lenovo's Yoga Chromebook. It's a whole lot of laptop for $599.

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Direct download: androidcentral395.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:37pm EDT

Daniel Bader, Andrew Martonik, and Jerry Hildenbrand are here for a detailed review of Galaxy Note 9. Here's the thing — it may be the best phone you can buy, but it's not a leader in any particular category. Not to mention the horribly annoying Bixby button!

The crew also talk about the massive leaks and pseudo-reviews of the Google Pixel 3 XL. It won't even be officially announced until October 4th, but Russian bloggers already have their hands on the device.

Last, but certainly not least, IFA is coming up in Berlin this week! They take a look at what to expect from the trade show floor. Check it out!

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Direct download: androidcentral394.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:47pm EDT

Daniel Bader, Andrew Martonik, and Jerry Hildenbrand unwrap all the details from "Samsung Unpacked 2018" event and discuss the flagship of the fleet: Galaxy Note 9! There were two other additions to the Galaxy product line as well — Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Home.

Galaxy Watch is mostly an evolution of the Samsung Gear smartwatches we're already familiar with, but Galaxy Home brings Bixby into the smart speaker market. Join us!

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  • Thrifter.com: All the best deals from Amazon, Best Buy, and more, fussily curated and constantly updated.

 

Direct download: androidcentral393.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:23am EDT

Daniel Bader, Andrew Martonik, and Russell Holly convene once again via a series of tubes to discuss lots of hot topics in Android news. First, Epic Games is bypassing the Google Play Store for the upcoming Android release of Fortnite — requiring users to side-load the game and pay for in-app purchases directly to Epic. Next, Android P finally has a name: Android 9 Pie! While not as catchy as 'petit four' or 'pumpkin spice latte', it's less controversial than the great 'New-git/New-gah' wars of 2016.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9? Never heard of it. But the Galaxy Tab S4 is here; with high end specs, build quality, and a price tag to match. A full review is still forthcoming, but comparisons to iPad and Chromebooks are plentiful.

In the home stretch, Moto Z3 is officially coming to Verizon on August 16th. It's the first "5G-upgradeable" smartphone thanks to a Moto Mod expected in 2019.

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  • Ziprecruiter: The smartest way to hire. Try ZipRecruiter for free. That’s right FREE!
  • LightStream LightStream rewards consumers who have good credit with a great interest rate and no fees!

 

Direct download: androidcentral392.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:15pm EDT

Daniel Bader, Andrew Martonik, and Jerry Hildenbrand receive a visit from the Modern Dad, Phil Nickinson! Android P has reached release candidate status and should be dropping to Pixel users soon. Next up, Phil has reviewed the Lenovo Smart Display and shares his thoughts. It does a lot already, and will have even greater functionality in the future.

Last, but certainly not least, the crew discuss Titan Key — Google's security dongle. And, yes, you almost certainly have been pwned. But you should visit the website haveibeenpwned.com to find out the details.

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  • Thrifter.com: All the best deals from Amazon, Best Buy, and more, fussily curated and constantly updated.

 

Direct download: androidcentral391.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:58pm EDT

Daniel Bader, Jerry Hildenbrand, and Russell Holly are joined by Marton Barcza of TechAltar to talk about Google's Fuchsia OS and its potential for replacing Android. They also have an in-depth discussion about the EU's Antitrust case against Google and the $5 billion fine levied against them. The ruling may be just, but it could be argued that the outcomes will negatively affect consumers.

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  • Thrifter.com: All the best deals from Amazon, Best Buy, and more, fussily curated and constantly updated.

 

Direct download: androidcentral390.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:38pm EDT

Daniel Bader and Russell Holly speak with Brian Mueller, founder of Carrot apps. Brian's apps have long been a mainstay of the iOS ecosystem, now he's brought his most popular app, CARROT Weather, to Android. CARROT Weather is in itself a terrific weather app, but wrapped in a hilariously snarky AI persona. He shares his experience developing for Android and his impression of the platform.

They also discuss the latest developments (pun intended) for AR/VR creation on Android. Listen carefully, meatbags!

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  • Thrifter.com: Thrifter uncovers the best deals on your favorite tech every day of the year and kicks into high-gear during special events like Prime Day. Make sure you sign up for the Thrifter Prime Day newsletter and follow them on Twitter (@ThrifterDaily) to receive breaking news, leaks and pro tips during the run-up to the big day and a curated selection of the best deals once they go live.

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Direct download: androidcentral389.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:35pm EDT

The prog rockers of Android expertise: Daniel Bader, Andrew Martonik, and Jerry Hildenbrand, discuss app permissions that allow developers to read your emails. More importantly, they provide information on how to prevent it from happening.

LG G7 ThinQ is a good phone that will appeal to relatively few people — and a big reason for that is lack of availability and carrier support. The crew also talk about Android P Beta 3. New features have been added as the OS marches closer to release.

In other news, ZTE is being temporarily operate in the U.S. until August 1st, although it's likely they'll reach a longer term agreement with the government before then. Plus, OxygenOS Open Beta brings Project Treble and an all-new UI to the OnePlus 5/5T. Additionally, the gang go hands-on with Moto Z3 Play, an affordable mid-range flagship most people will unfortunately ignore.

In the final act of this episode, Galaxy Note 9 is being teased for an August unveiling, while Galaxy 10 and Galaxy X rumored for 2019. So crack open an ice cold LaCriox and settle in for another packed show!

Show Notes and Links:

Sponsors:

  • Thrifter.com: All the best deals from Amazon, Best Buy, and more, fussily curated and constantly updated.

  • Ziprecruiter: The smartest way to hire. Try ZipRecruiter for free. That’s right FREE!

 

Direct download: androidcentral388.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:41pm EDT