These are the Best Weather Apps and Widgets for Android: Today Weather, AccuWeather, and more!

As smartphones have become ubiquitous, weather apps have taken the place of weather forecasters. Sure you can still find forecasts on TV news, but weather apps are like having a meteorologist in your own hand. There are a lot of weather apps and widgets available for Android, but not all of them are that good. So we’ve selected the best weather apps and widgets you can download right now on your new Android phone or tablet.

Weawow Weather

Weawow Weather is a beautiful weather app that’s free of advertisements. It provides detailed weather forecasts for up to 10 days. You’ll also find details about temperatures, probability of rain, humidity, dew point, air quality, wind speed, UV index, and a lot more. The app covers worldwide locations, and has seven weather data providers, including MET Norway, Weatherbit, Open Weather Map, AccuWeather, and Foreca. The last two are limited to the people who have donated to the app.

You can set up weather alerts and notifications to get timely information. Additionally, Weawow Weather supports dark mode, and there are 11 widgets options with different looks and sizes. Moreover, the app is completely free. You can however donate to support its development.

Weather & Widget - Weawow (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Today Weather

Today Weather is another beautiful and elegant weather app. It displays the weather information in a clean format that’s easy to read and understand. You get access to the same kind of weather data as most other apps in this list, like information about temperature, humidity, UV index, visibility, dew point, and pressure. Additionally, the app gives hourly forecasts for the next 24 hours and daily forecasts for 10 days.

Moreover, you can get information about air quality, sun and moon times, and wind. Weather maps are also available, but the detailed view is limited to premium subscribers. Today Weather has a lot of weather data sources to choose from, including its own weather data, and some of them are limited to premium subscribers. The app will also offer severe weather alerts as well as alerts for when rain and snow is approaching.

The Today Weather app is free to download and use, but it includes advertisements. You can get a premium subscription to remove ads, get all data sources, and full access to weather maps. The membership can be bought on a six-month, annual, or forever basis. There are over 20 widget options in Today Weather, with different functionality and size. The widget selection of the app is one of the best we’ve seen in a weather app.

Today Weather - Widget, Forecast, Radar & Alert (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Weather Underground

From the house of IBM, Weather Underground is a well-organized clean weather app that offers pretty much everything you would want from a weather app. It comes with features like maps with sophisticated weather visualizations, severe weather alerts, and hyper-local forecasts. The app provides hourly as well as daily forecasts for up to 15 days (10 days without the premium subscription). Additionally, you’ll get details about the air quality and sun and moon times.

Weather Underground supports dark mode as well as multiple map types. It also comes with a single widget. The app is free to download and use with ads, but you can get a premium subscription on a monthly or annual basis to remove ads and get forecasts for up to 15 days.

Weather data & microclimate : Weather Underground (Free⁺, Google Play) →

The Weather Channel

The Weather Channel is another great weather app from IBM, and it provides more features than the Weather Underground. It’s also one of the most downloaded weather apps in the Google Play store. With the app, you can see live radar updates, get severe weather alerts, weather maps, daily forecasts for up to 15 days, and hourly forecasts. You also get seasonal details like Heat Index, Mosquito Index, Sweat Index, Fog Index, and Umbrella Index, which can be very useful.

Additionally, the Weather Channel provides information about pollen and mold in your area, how the running conditions are, and the air quality details. You get six widget options with varying levels of detail. The Weather Channel is free to download and use but there are ads. You can get the premium pro subscription to remove ads and get 192 hours of detailed forecast information. There are monthly and annual subscription options.

Weather Radar & Live Widget: The Weather Channel (Free⁺, Google Play) →

YoWindow Awesome Weather

Awesome Weather from YoWindow is an interesting weather app for Android. It shows the weather at your location in a live landscape, complete with sounds. Ten landscape options are available in case you prefer one over the other. You can even create your own landscapes. In terms of the weather data, the app gets its information from a variety of sources, including the National Weather Service (NWS), Aeris weather, Foreca (nowcasting), yr.no (met.no), METAR, and Open Weather Map. You’ll able to check forecasts for up to 14 days.

The YoWindow Awesome Weather app offers six widget options as well as ten live wallpapers showing weather in your area. Additionally, you get an alarm clock that wakes you up to the sounds of nature, a weather screensaver, and weather maps. The radar and weather maps can be tried for five days, after which you’ll need to purchase the full version.

The app is free with advertisements; however, you can get the full version to get rid of the ads and remove all other limits. The full version can be purchased for a one time payment, monthly subscription, or yearly subscription.

Awesome weather YoWindow + live weather wallpaper (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Windy.com Weather

Windy’s official weather app offers far more detailed information than you’ll find on a typical weather app. For the same reason, it can also be overwhelming to regular people, who don’t need or want professional-grade data. However, if you’re a weather geek, this app will be right up your alley. The app offers forecast data, based on all leading models, including ECMWF, GFS, ICON, and NAM.

You’ll also get weather maps for everything from wind and rain to CAPE Index and pressure. Additionally, the app provides weather data for over 1,500 paragliding spots as well as wind and wave forecasts for kiting and surf spots. Moreover, the app offers three widgets. All in all, there is plenty of weather data in the app.

The Windy app is free to download and use; however, you’ll need a premium subscription for some of the weather data. The premium subscription can be bought for just one year or as an annual subscription.

Windy.com - Weather Radar, Satellite and Forecast (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Geometric Weather

Geometric Weather is one of the relatively newer apps on Android, but it already has a lot of fans. The app sports a clean and elegant design. You get access to hourly and daily weather forecasts for up to 15 days. It gives users two global weather data source choices, and three for regional data. The usual weather data details like temperature, air quality, wind, UV index, humidity, atmospheric pressure, visibility, dew point, and cloud cover are available as well.

Additionally, Geometric Weather supports dark mode and comes with a weather live wallpaper as well as 11 widget options. It is free to download and use. There are no ads or in-app purchases.

Geometric Weather (Free, Google Play) →

Weather Widget by WeatherBug

If you don’t want a full weather app on your phone and will be happy with just a widget, this widget app from WeatherBug can help. It includes five widget options for different column and row sizes. Depending on which widget you choose, you can get information about time, date, alarm information, temperature, weather type, and forecast temperatures for five days. It can also send you severe weather alerts.

The widgets look fairly decent and utilitarian. Don’t expect an exceptional design. Also, as it is just a collection of widgets, it won’t show up in your app drawer but you’ll find the widgets in the ‘add widget’ section. The Weather Widget by WeatherBug is free to download and use.

Weather Widget by WeatherBug: Alerts & Forecast (Free, Google Play) →

1Weather

1Weather is another popular weather app with over 50 million downloads. It offers a lot of weather information in different tabs, but the most useful bit – today’s weather – is present right on the app’s homescreen. You’ll also get hourly forecasts for the next 48 hours as well as daily forecasts for the next ten days. Weather maps, as well as 1Weather’s own video content around the weather, are also available on the app. Moreover, you’ll get severe weather alerts and a number of theming options.

A total of 12 widget options are present with different designs and sizes. The only problem we noticed with the app was the full-page ads that randomly show up and can be annoying. The app is free to download and use with ads, but you can remove ads with the Pro subscription that’s a one-time purchase.

1Weather: Weather Forecast, Widget, Alerts & Radar (Free⁺, Google Play) →

RadarScope

If you are looking to delve deeper into the weather data, RadarScope is perfect. It provides specialized radar data that’ll be appreciated by the weather geeks and meteorologists. You can view NEXRAD Level 3 and super-resolution radar data. The app also offers warning information about tornados, severe thunderstorms, and flash floods, using data from the US National Weather Service.

It uses information from a number of radar sites around the world, including North America, Japan, Korea, Australia, and Germany. The app also keeps on adding new radar sites for more data. Frankly, there’s no better app for weather-related radar data on Android. It’s important to note here that RadarScope doesn’t offer your typical weather forecast unless you can use the radar data to forecast the weather yourself.

RadarScope is a paid app and comes with optional subscriptions for some of the data. It’s also only available in select markets.

RadarScope ($9.99⁺, Google Play) →

Weather & Clock Widget

The Weather & Clock Widget is another weather widget app for Android but unlike the WeatherBug widget, it comes as a barebones app. However, if you only want widgets, you can just ignore the app apart from the initial setup. There are a total of 25 widget options with different designs and sizes. You only get two weather data sources, which may not be enough to get accurate information for everyone around the world.

Additionally, the app offers weather alerts as well as the hourly weather forecast for the next 60 hours and daily forecasts for ten days. The app is free to download and use with ads. There’s also a premium version for those of you who want to remove ads but there’s no in-app purchase in the free app to remove the ads.

Weather & Clock Widget for Android (Free, Google Play) →

AccuWeather

AccuWeather is perhaps the most prominent name in this list and it’s even used as a weather data source by many of the aforementioned apps. It’s also one of the most downloaded weather apps on the Google Play store. Its new interface is clean and provides hyperlocal and accurate weather information in an easy-to-read manner.

You’ll get today’s weather data right on the app’s homepage. Additionally, hourly forecasts for the next 72 hours, daily forecasts for the next 45 days, and weather maps are also available in the app. Moreover, the AccuWeather app provides weather news to keep you appraised of the latest happenings. Four widgets options are also present with different designs.

AccuWeather is free to download and use with ads; however, you can remove the ads by making an in-app purchase for one year. The annual subscription doesn’t renew automatically.

AccuWeather: Weather alerts & live forecast info (Free⁺, Google Play) →

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These are some of the best weather apps and widgets on Android. Some of the honorable mentions include Overdrop, Flowx, Yahoo Weather, and Appy Weather. Which weather app do you use? Do you think we missed any great weather apps or widgets? Let us know in the comments section.

Meanwhile, if you are looking for more amazing apps for Android, we’ve selected the overall best Android apps, the best SMS apps, and the best apps for kids.

The post These are the Best Weather Apps and Widgets for Android: Today Weather, AccuWeather, and more! appeared first on xda-developers.

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EU paves the way for Wi-Fi 6E devices to hit Europe

In April last year, the FCC opened up 1200MHz of spectrum in the 6GHz band, paving the way for Wi-Fi 6E in the US. The European Union is now following suit and has opened up 480MHz spectrum in the 6GHz band for the implementation of wireless access systems.

For the unaware, Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 802.11ax is the latest Wi-Fi standard from the Wi-Fi Alliance. It supports transfer speeds of up to 9.6Gbps, which is more than double the maximum speed supported by Wi-Fi 5. However, since Wi-Fi 6 broadcasts over the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, it suffers from the same spectrum congestion issues that plagued the older generation. Government bodies in several regions are opening up spectrum in the 6GHz band for unlicensed use to address this issue. Wi-Fi 6 devices that support 6GHz operation are labeled as Wi-Fi 6E certified.

The EU’s decision to open up spectrum in the 6GHz band will likely improve real-world performance compared to 5GHz Wi-Fi 5. This is due to the fact that Wi-Fi signals at 5GHz are often not as large as they could be because of limited spectrum availability. With Wi-Fi 6E, supported routers will be able to broadcast at the current maximum allowable channel size, resulting in a faster connection.

In a statement regarding the EU’s decision, the Wi-Fi Alliance said, “This decision will advance Europe’s digital connectivity by enabling deployment of Wi-Fi 6E technologies. Wi-Fi Alliance is committed to continuing to work with the European regulators on developing regulatory framework and spectrum access that is necessary to support the expanding Wi-Fi ecosystem.”

As per the EU’s Official Journal, all member states will have to designate the 5,945-6,425MHz frequency band and make it available on a non-exclusive, non-interference, and non-protected basis by December 1, 2021. According to Wi-Fi Now, the decision only applies to LPI (Low Power Indoor) and VLP (Very Low Power portable) devices. Unlike the US and Canada, “standard power operation for indoor and outdoor devices (using AFC)” is not permitted within the EU, the report adds.

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These are the Best Cheap Android Phones in July 2021: Google, Motorola, Samsung, OnePlus & More

When flagship smartphones get better, the prices tend to go up. Fortunately for many of us, this is not the case with budget and mid-tier phones — they improve year on year but the prices stay mostly the same because there’s demand for phones at this sub-$400 price range. Sure, budget phones tend to omit some of the bells and whistles on offer from the best Android phones, but if you keep your expectations realistic, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much $200-$300 can get you in 2021.

We here at XDA have the luxury of testing almost every phone that comes out, so here’s our list of the best cheap Android phones you can buy right now.

Navigate this article:

• Best Overall: Google Pixel 4a
• Best Endurance: Moto G Power
• Best for Samsung fans: Galaxy A42 5G
• Best Newcomer: TCL 20S
• Best for Stylus users: Moto G Stylus
• Best Android One device: Nokia 5.3
• Best Features & Specs: OnePlus Nord N10
• Best Rugged Phone: Blackview BV5900
• Best Value (not sold in US): Poco X3 Pro

Best Overall: Google Pixel 4a

The Google Pixel is an easy selection for this “Best Overall” category because of two things — software and camera. Being a pure Google phone, the Pixel 4a will be first in line to upgrade to Android 12. While it doesn’t have the focal length versatility of more premium phones, the main camera here is flagship level and can go up against any four-digit phone from Samsung or Apple.

Despite the Pixel 4a’s modest pricing, the phone has a flagship-level screen-to-body aspect ratio and a large battery that will last all day. Sure, the plastic build and only black color option leave it looking a bit drab, and this particular model doesn’t support 5G. But this is a $350 phone with a photography and software experience that beat not just everything else on this list, but even phones that cost three times as much.

Google Pixel 4a

It's not the most exciting looking smartphone, but the Google Pixel 4a is the best budget smartphone. Flagship-level camera, guaranteed the cleanest and latest version of Android, and improved battery life over the Pixel 4 makes this an easy recommendation.

View at Amazon

Best Endurance: Moto G Power

Thanks to the absence of Chinese budget brands such as Redmi and Realme stateside, Motorola has enjoyed a relatively unrivaled run as a top option for reasonable budget Android phones, and the Moto G Power continues that trend — although Samsung is bringing good competition. For around $250, you get a 6.4 inch screen with decently thin bezels and a large 5,000 mAh battery. The processor (Snapdragon 665), RAM (4GB), and camera performances fall short of other phones on this list, but they’re all still serviceable. The lack of NFC support could be a dealbreaker for those who use Google Pay, however.

On the software front, Motorola’s software is about as close to the Pixel 4a’s clean Android experience as you can get, aside from some additional Moto software features like arguably the best Always-On Display on the market. Overall, the Moto G Power is a worthy option for those who value battery life and clean software above all else.

Moto G Power

Don't stress about battery life with the Moto G Power -- its 5,000 mAh battery will surely power you through the day. Sure, the RAM and processor are not the greatest, but its low price tag and clean Moto software make the whole package worth it.

View at Amazon

Best for Samsung fans: Samsung Galaxy A42 5G

The benefit of buying a mid-tier phone from a big brand like Samsung is it has the resources to pass down premium components from higher-tier phones. Case in point — the $280 Galaxy A42 5G sports a gorgeous large 6.6-inch AMOLED panel with the trademark vibrant, punchy colors Samsung’s known for, and it managed to cram in a 48-megapixel main camera plus a sizable 5,000 mAh battery.

There’s a Snapdragon 750G that can handle all your daily tasks without issues plus give you 5G connectivity, and while the 60Hz refresh rate is a tad disappointing, we can’t complain too much at this price. Ultimately, the Galaxy A42 5G is for those loyal Samsung fans who love either the Samsung brand or One UI but can’t stomach paying over $1,000 for a Galaxy S or Note flagship.

Samsung Galaxy A42 5G

The Galaxy A42 5G is one of the most affordable 5G phones around, with a large screen and battery to boot.

View at Samsung

Best newcomer: TCL 20S

Best known for its televisions, TCL officially entered the Android space last year with the solid TCL 10 series, and now the 2021 update brings an updated TCL 20 series, including the middle device, TCL 20S

The TCL 20S offers a large 6.7-inch punchy AMOLED panel with thin bezels and a large 5,000 mAh battery with 18W fast charging. Such a large battery for a 60Hz AMOLED panel means you can expect all-day battery life easily. Under the hood, the phone is powered by a Snapdragon 665 with 4GB of RAM. For optics, you have a 64MP main shooter flanked by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera (plus a pair of sensors for depth and macro photography).

Despite its plastic back, the construction of the phone is above average, considering its price tag and the somewhat newcomer status of TCL.

TCL 20S

TCL's second smartphone series brings a big screen and capable Qualcomm processor at a low price.

View at Amazon

Best for Stylus users: Moto G Stylus

If you want a phone with a stylus, but find the Galaxy Note series and Galaxy S21 Ultra to be too expensive, the Moto G Stylus is one of the very few viable options. This $300 phone may pack just 4GB RAM and doesn’t support NFC, but you do get Snapdragon 665, a clean UI, a headphone jack, and of course, that stylus.

It works mostly well if you’re not comparing it to the S-Pen of the Galaxy Note 20 or Galaxy Note 10. There’s no Bluetooth connectivity nor palm rejection when the stylus tip touches the screen. Still, latency is relatively low, and the software adapts to the input well. For example, if you pull the stylus out from the bottom of the phone while the screen is off, the screen jumps to a dark notepad — just like the off-screen memo of the Note series.

The 4,000 mAh battery can also power this thing all day, the screen looks pretty nice, and you have a strong pair of stereo speakers. The cameras, however, are just decent.

Moto G Stylus

Who said the Galaxy Note is the only phone in town with a stylus? The Moto G Stylus, with its 6.4-inch near the all-screen front and a stylus of its own, is a great option for those who like to jot down notes or make the occasional sketch.

View at Amazon

Best Android One device: Nokia 5.3

For those who want their software as light as possible, the Nokia 5.3 is a worthy option running Android One, a near-stock version of Android guaranteed to get timely Google software updates for at least two years.

You also get a 4,000 mAh battery, 6.5-inch 720 x 1600 screen (both large at this price range), and a reliable 13-megapixel primary camera. The 5-megapixel ultrawide camera and 3GB of RAM will probably leave you wanting, but at its $199 price, it’s hard to fault.

Nokia 5.3

One of the original big mobile phone brands is back with a $200 smartphone. None of the specs will pop off the spec sheet but its affordable price, near-stock Android software, and a 4,000 mAh battery give it plenty of appeal.

View at Amazon

Best Features and Specs: OnePlus Nord N10

Last year, OnePlus released the OnePlus Nord, a mid-range phone with upper mid-tier specs, for the European market. For North Americans waiting their turn, they have the Nord N10, which is even cheaper at $299. The Nord N10 features a 6.49-inch FHD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 4,300mAh battery that supports OnePlus’ fast 30W charging.

The Snapdragon 690 processor here isn’t going to blow anyone’s socks off, but it’s pretty serviceable and 5G ready. The main 64MP camera produces sharp and vibrant images, and there’s a decent ultra-wide lens as well. Oh, and you get a headphone jack too.

OnePlus Nord N10 5G

The OnePlus Nord N10 is a 5G device with a high-refresh display on a budget. The overall hardware package is modest yes, but it'll work out for average consumers on a tighter budget.

View at Best Buy

Best Rugged Phone: Blackview BV5900

If you constantly drop your phone or if you work in rough environments like construction sites, the Blackview BV5900 may be worth a look. Costing less than $200, it offers a large 5,580 mAh battery, a 5.7-inch 720p LCD screen, NFC functionality, and IP68 water and dust resistance. The phone is also wrapped in aluminum and rubber, so while it’s not the sleekest design, it will be able to take drops better than any other phone on this list.

The single 13MP main camera leaves a lot to be desired, but at this price point, it’s hard to gripe too much. This is a heavy-duty, workman-like phone for those who just need something that won’t break easily.

Blackview BV5900

The Blackview BV5900 is a heavy-duty rugged phone that should be able to survive a drop or two -- or six.

View at Amazon

Best Value (not sold in US): Poco X3 Pro

Here’s an open secret among Android fans — the US phone scene is relatively limited due to the fact that most Chinese brands don’t sell stateside. If you’re willing to import, Xiaomi’s Poco X3 NFC has hands-down the best dollar-for-dollar value of any phone released in recent memory. Here’s what you get for a starting price of 199 euro ($234) — a 6.7-inch 120Hz screen; a 5,160 mAh battery that can go two full days for all but the heaviest of users, the very capable and new Snapdragon 860 chip, and a solid main 64-megapixel main camera.

The display is just an LCD panel instead of the OLED seen in phones like the Google Pixel 4a and OnePlus Nord, but it refreshes at 120Hz. The stereo speaker system and haptic engine are better than anything we’ve seen at this $200-ish price range too.

The caveat is, of course, the fact this phone doesn’t sell officially in the US. So there’s no guarantee it’ll work on all carriers, and importing will likely drive up the price a bit.

POCO X3 Pro

The POCO X3 Pro is possibly the best value in the smartphone space right now bar none -- the catch is the phone doesn't sell officially in North America so readers in the US and Canada will have to import if they want one.

View at Amazon UK

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None of the phones listed here are going to be confused for premium flagships, but they’re more than serviceable and offer a lot for the money. The OnePlus Nord N10 and the POCO X3 Pro, in our opinion, offer the best bang for your dollar. But photography lovers or those who want the most hassle-free software experience should go for the Pixel 4a.

The post These are the Best Cheap Android Phones in July 2021: Google, Motorola, Samsung, OnePlus & More appeared first on xda-developers.

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These are the Best 5G Laptops that you can buy in Summer 2021: Lenovo, Dell, Samsung, and more

Having built-in mobile network connectivity on your laptop is bliss as it ensures seamless connectivity, even when you’re on the go. It’s true you can get Wi-Fi at most public places or just tether your smartphone to send that important email quickly. But what if you don’t want to mess around with complicated passwords, unreliable connectivity, and most of all, unsecured networks? We already have a variety of 4G LTE-enabled laptops on the market today, but if those aren’t fast enough for you, we have a handful of 5G-enabled laptops you can put your money on.

Navigate this guide:

• Best overall laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga
• Best business laptop: Dell Latitude 9520
• Best ARM laptop: HP Elite Folio
• Best budget laptop: Samsung Galaxy Book Go
• Best tablet: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold

Best overall: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga

A premium 2-in-1 notebook from Lenovo, the ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga is one of the sleekest notebooks you can get with 5G connectivity. The X1 Yoga has been around for a while, but this year the company gave it a new treatment with an ultralight chassis featuring carbon, magnesium, and titanium.

The 13.5-inch notebook weighs just 1.15kg with 11.5mm thickness but packs in the latest 11th-Gen Intel Core vPro processor, up to 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD and is Intel EVO certified. The notebook also supports an active stylus pen, while the 3:2 ratio display comes with a 2K (2256×1504) resolution. For 5G connectivity, the notebook can be configured with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 modem to provide fast 5G speeds.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga

The ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga is of the most premium 5G notebooks you can buy today featuring a high-quality design along with powerful hardware under the hood.

Buy from Lenovo.com

Best business laptop: Dell Latitude 9520

Dell introduced the new Latitude 9520 this year as its premium 15-inch notebook for professionals and business users. Available in a 2-in-1 or clamshell form factor, the notebook can be configured with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 5G chipset for high-speed mobile internet.

Loaded with the latest 11th-gen Intel Tiger Lake vPro processors, the Latitude 9520 comes with up to a Core i7-1185G7 processor, 32GB 4266MHz LPDDR4x RAM, 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD, and a 15-inch full-HD (1920 x 1080) touch or UHD (3840 x 2160) non-touch display. The notebook also comes with Thunderbolt 4 ports, and an optional 88WHr battery, and a fingerprint scanner.

Dell Latitude 9520

The Dell Latitude 9520 offers the latest Intel 11th-gen vPro processor options and can be configured with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 modem for 5G mobile connectivity.

Buy from Dell.com

Best ARM laptop: HP Elite Folio

A new entrant to the list of ARM-based Windows laptops, the HP Elite Folio is an excellent notebook featuring a premium design including a vegan leather folio-style cover. Since it’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2, it also comes with the option of a 5G modem which is limited to sub-6GHz speeds.

It’s a convertible notebook allowing you to easily switch between laptop and tablet form factors. Other notable features include HP’s Sure View Reflect privacy display, an excellent keyboard, and top-end specs including 16GB RAM and 512GB of storage which is rare on a Windows on ARM laptop.

HP Elite Folio

The HP Elite Folio is an ARM-based convertible laptop powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2, a premium vegan leather finish and the option of 5G mobile connectivity.

Buy from HP.com

Best budget laptop: Samsung Galaxy Book Go

Samsung announced its new range of Galaxy-branded laptops this year with the Galaxy Book Go being one of the most affordable ones from the lot. It’s one of the cheapest laptops starting at $350, although you’ll have to shell out extra for the 5G version. The standard Wi-Fi and LTE variants are powered by the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 chipset but if you go for the 5G model, it bumps up the processor to the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2.

We recently had a chance to check out the base variant of the laptop and we were quite impressed with what Samsung is offering for the asking price. Expect the price of the 5G variant of the Galaxy Book Go to be around $500.

Samsung Galaxy Book Go 5G

Samsung's newly launched Galaxy Book Go is an affordable ARM-based Windows laptop that will be offered in Wi-Fi only, 4G and 5G models.

Buy from Samsung.com

Best tablet: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold

This is not your traditional laptop, but a large 13.3-inch Windows tablet that folds down the middle. Launched last year, the ThinkPad X1 Fold is an ambitious 2-in-1 folding device from Lenovo that’s unlike any device you might have used. If you don’t like the onscreen keyboard, you can also use the physical keyboard or just fold the display and slap it on the tablet for a regular laptop experience. This machine comes with an Intel Lakefield Core i5 processor with 8G of RAM and 1TB of storage with optional 5G connectivity. However, with pricing starting at $2,400, this doesn’t come cheap.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold

A unique 2-in-1 foldable tablet, the ThinkPad X1 Fold is meant for users who are looking for a futuristic device that can be your companion in various situations thanks to its various usability modes.

Buy from Lenovo.com

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From the above, our pick would be the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga as it offers one of the most premium and functional designs. With 5G rolling out to more regions, we’re expecting much wider coverage in 2021. This also means consumers will not only move to the faster network but are likely to invest in a notebook that offers support for next-gen connectivity.

If 5G connectivity isn’t your priority, and we do understand why it perhaps wouldn’t be, then check out our list of the best laptops for 2021.

The post These are the Best 5G Laptops that you can buy in Summer 2021: Lenovo, Dell, Samsung, and more appeared first on xda-developers.

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Leaked screenshots showcase Google’s upcoming medical records app

Google is working on a new app that will help users easily manage their medical records. While Google is yet to reveal any official information about the app, leaked screenshots of the app’s homescreen and Records tab have now surfaced online. The screenshots give us our first look at the upcoming app and reveal some crucial details.

In April this year, we first heard that Google was working on a new platform to help people access all their medical records in one place. At the time, a report from Stat News revealed that the company was recruiting Android users in Northern California, Atlanta, and Chicago to get feedback on a new consumer-facing medical records tool. Now, leaker Ishan Agarwal has shared screenshots (via 91mobiles) of this unreleased app that reveal a few more details.

(Images: 91mobiles)

The attached screenshots show that the app’s home tab will give users easy access to all their integrated medical records and healthcare contacts. Users will be able to add their medical records to the app on the Records tab, which will also display “a unified view of your health, pulling together info from your doctor’s visit, labs, and more.” The app will also include a Contacts tab that will probably give users access to all their healthcare contacts and a Sharing tab that might help them share their medical records with others.

As stated on the homescreen, the app is currently in the early stages of development. It also features a feedback link to help early testers share their feedback with Google. Since Google is yet to release any official information about the app, we’re not sure if and when it will roll out to users. We’ll update this post as soon as we learn more.

It’s worth noting that this is Google’s second attempt at making such a platform for medical records. The company launched Google Health back in 2008, which also aimed to help people view their medical records online. However, Google killed it off in 2012 due to limited adoption. Since Apple now also offers a similar solution on its iPhones, the upcoming app has a better chance of success.

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Xiaomi phones and TVs in India just got more expensive, others may follow soon

Xiaomi’s smartphones and TVs have just gotten more expensive in India. Starting today, several Redmi phones and Mi smart TVs are seeing as much as a 10% increase in their price.

The move comes after Xiaomi warned in March that the company was feeling the heat of the global chip shortage. At the time, Xiaomi President Wnag Xiang said that they were doing their best to optimize the cost of their devices but implied that if situations didn’t improve, the company would be left with no choice but to pass the increased cost onto customers.

“Since the last one year, we have witnessed shortages across the supply chain. Due to massive demand-supply mismatch, the majority of components used in smartphones, Smart TV and other electronics gadgets (chipsets, display panels, display driver, back panels, battery, etc.) have seen constant upward movement in their prices,” a company spokesperson told ET Telecom.

At the time of publishing this article, Xiaomi’s India website wasn’t reflecting the price increase for any device. However, listings for several Redmi phones on Flipkart now reflect the increased price. For instance, the Redmi Note 10 base model is now available at ₹13,815, a ₹816 hike from its previous price. Meanwhile, the Redmi Note 10 Pro 6GB/128GB is now sold at ₹17,536, which is ₹1463 more than its previous price. Xiaomi’s Mi Store app still shows the old pricing for the Redmi Note 10 series. Check out the table below for more details.

Device	New price	Old price	Increase
Redmi Note 10 (4GB + 64GB)	₹13,815	₹12,999	₹816
Redmi Note 10 (6GB + 128GB)	₹16,989	₹14,999	₹1990
Redmi Note 10 Pro (6GB + 64GB)	₹17,536	₹15,999	₹1463
Redmi Note 10 Pro (6GB + 128GB)	₹19,122	₹17,499	₹1623
Redmi Note 10 Pro (8GB + 128GB)	₹20,837	₹18,999	₹1838
Redmi Note 10 Pro Max (6GB + 128GB)	₹19,999	₹20,925	₹926
Redmi Note 10 Pro Max (8GB + 128GB)	₹23,979 / ₹24,990 (Glacial Blue)	₹21,999	₹1980 / ₹2991
Redmi Note 10S (6GB + 64GB)	₹16,388	₹14,999	₹1389
Redmi Note 10S (6GB + 128GB)	₹17,399	₹15,999	₹1400

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These are the Best VPN providers in July 2021: Mullvad, ExpressVPN, IVPN, and more!

In this day and age, we spend a great deal of time on the internet. But despite all the great things you can do online, the web can also be an unpleasant place. It presents many growing threats, from web tracking to cybercrime. There’s a way to clamp down on these issues, though — installing a virtual private network — or VPN for short. A VPN will not only hide your internet protocol (IP) address but also encrypt your internet connection. You can then access the internet anonymously, protect your data with end-to-end encryption, and ensure cybercriminals can’t compromise your connection.

VPNs are capable of much more than merely keeping you safe online. When you connect to global VPN servers, it’s possible to bypass troublesome geographic restrictions and unblock content across the world. These services can also prevent internet service providers from throttling your internet speeds, as well as improving streaming and gaming performance.

The thing is, you can do far more online by downloading a VPN service on your smartphone, tablet, PC, and other connected devices. With so many VPN providers in the market claiming to be the best in the business, you might be having a hard time picking one. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve ranked the best VPN services of 2021.

Navigate this article:

• Best Overall VPN: Mullvad
  • Also Great: ExpressVPN
  • Also Great: IVPN
• Best Affordable VPN: Surfshark
• Best Free VPN: Windscribe Free
• Best VPN with most servers: Private Internet Access

Best Overall VPN: Mullvad

Mullvad has topped our list of the best VPNs in June 2021, thanks to its security practices, transparency, and wide range of servers. You get access to 771 servers across 37 countries. The service also claims to not keep any user-activity logs, and even accepts cash as payment for its services, so you can remain anonymous if you want. Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Wire Transfer, PayPal, and others payment modes are also available.

It also supports the WireGuard protocol. In terms of applications, Mullvad provides official apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. If the Mullvad app is not available for your platform, or you don’t want to use it, you can always use the compatible OpenVPN or WireGuard clients with the downloaded configuration files.

Mullvad also keeps it pretty straightforward in terms of pricing — a flat rate of 5 euros per month ($6). You may however be able to score a deal by buying it from a supported reseller, or by using Mozilla VPN or MalwareBytes Privacy, both of which use Mullvad’s network.

Mullvad

Mullvad is a trustworthy, fast, and easy-to-use VPN. It also comes with a lot of server locations.

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Also Great: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a good VPN service due to its ease-of-use, exceptional performance, and wide server network. Simply put, the British Virgin Islands-based company has all the bells and whistles of a top-class VPN service.

With ExpressVPN, you have over 3,000 servers in 160 global locations at your fingertips. Using ExpressVPN’s fast servers, you can access pretty much any streaming service from any part of the world. It’s available on all platforms such as Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux. Its user interface is super easy to navigate, letting you connect to the best available VPN server or choose from a list of global VPN servers.

There are lots of other great features offered by ExpressVPN, including a built-in kill switch, TrustedServer technology, private DNS, VPN split tunneling, a no-logging policy, 256-bit encryption, a speed test, and more. But something to keep in mind is ExpressVPN has a somewhat stringent 5-device limit.

ExpressVPN

If you’re looking for a good overall VPN, look no further than Express. It offers lots of great features, outstanding performance, a large global server network, access to top streaming websites, and much more.

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Also Great: IVPN

IVPN is another great VPN provider due to its security practices and transparency. The service also claims to not keep any user activity logs. It however falls behind on the number of servers, as it only offers around 75 servers across over 30 countries. IVPN offers the choice of WireGuard, OpenVPN, or IPSec protocols, and it can be used with its own apps or with any compatible clients.

IVPN offers two plans – Standard and Pro. While the Standard plan is limited to just two devices, the Pro plan includes support for up to seven devices, and gets extra features like port-forwarding, multi-hop, and anti-tracker support. For payments, you can use cash, Monero, or Bitcoin for anonymity. Credit cards and PayPal are also supported. The service provides official apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

IVPN

IVPN is a great VPN service with transparent policies and no user-activity logs.

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Best Affordable VPN: Surfshark

VPNs can do some pretty great things, whether it’s making public Wi-Fi networks more secure or letting you access restricted online content. You may automatically assume these tools are going to be expensive. But Surfshark is an excellent example of a VPN service that can do all these great things (and lots more) at a cheap price.

For less than $3 per month, Surfshark gives you access to a network of over 3,200 servers spread across 65 countries. Each of these servers is not just fast but also protected by private DNS and a strict no-logging policy. Surfshark claims its servers are also “P2P friendly”, a must-have if you’re planning to use your VPN for torrenting or similar activities.

When connecting to one of Surfshark’s speedy servers, you can access streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and more, even if they’re not officially available in your country. Surfshark is also unique in that it lets you connect as many devices as you want from one account. That’s very useful if you want to stream content on a wide range of devices.

But Surfshark isn’t just a great streaming VPN; it’s also excellent for all your security and privacy needs. In fact, it’ll stop malware, phishing, web trackers, and spammy ads in their tracks. Furthermore, there’s strong 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, a no borders mode, a no-logging policy, private DNS and leak protection, a camouflage mode, and secure protocols.

Surfshark

For anyone who wants a cheap but effective VPN, your best option is Surfshark. Costing less than $3 per month, it provides an excellent range of features, easy-to-use apps, and impressive performance.

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Best Free VPN: Windscribe Free

WindScribe is a popular VPN service that provides a pretty decent free option. Unlike most free VPNs, it gives 10GB monthly bandwidth, access to servers in ten countries, and unlimited connections. WindScribe also claims that it doesn’t keep any logs that can be used to identify you. Meaning, it only records when you last used their service and the total amount of bandwidth used in the last 30 days.

WindScribe is easy to use, and provides decent speeds. It also has apps for pretty much all major platforms, and extensions for browsers. Moreover, it works great with Netflix and other streaming services to bypass the geo-restrictions. Windscribe’s paid service is also great, and if you aren’t concerned about its presence in a Five-Eyes country and the minimal logs they keep, it’s worth considering.

Windscribe

Windscribe offers a great free VPN option with a decent amount of servers and good monthly bandwidth.

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Best VPN with loads of servers: Private Internet Access

When it comes to choosing a VPN service, one of the important things to consider is the number of servers it offers. Usually, the best VPN services provide large server networks, and Private Internet Access has a jaw-dropping 24,364 servers in 77 countries.

Thanks to such a large selection of global servers, you should find it really easy to bypass restricted websites and unblock services like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and lots of other streaming platforms.

By installing Private Internet Access on your devices, you’ll be able to protect yourself from malware, web trackers, and unwanted advertisements. You also get a wide variety of VPN protocols, including WireGuard, OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP/IPSec.

Other great features provided by Private Internet Access include P2P support, the ability to use up to ten devices under one subscription, unlimited bandwidth, a no traffic logging policy, a SOCKS5 proxy, and a native app for every major operating system. Premium subscriptions are reasonably priced, with the two-year plan working out at just $2.69 per month.

Private Internet Access

There’s a lot you can do with a large VPN server network, and Private Internet Access offers a huge 24,000 servers around the world.

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As you can see, there are great VPN services for all needs and budgets. Regardless of the provider, a VPN service will give you an extra layer of security and provide uninterrupted access to online content. If we had to choose one provider, it’d definitely be Mullvad, thanks to its wide variety of international servers, easy-to-use apps, transparent policies, and good security practices.

Which VPN service are you planning to get? Do you think we missed any great VPNs? Let us know in the comments section.

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