Here's how WhatsApp tailored its app for KaiOS

With tens of millions of users, WhatsApp is the marquee app on KaiOS — and it is steadily getting new features.

We haven't really talked about KaiOS a lot here, but the operating system is now installed on over 100 million phones, making it the third-largest mobile operating system in the world. KaiOS is a fork of Firefox OS that's designed for feature phones, and over the last three years it has seen a meteoric rise because of devices like the $15 JioPhone in India and Nokia's 8110.

While entry-level Android phones have gotten much better over the years — particularly with the introduction of Android Go — there are still tens of millions of users who turn to feature phones for their affordability. And with KaiOS, feature phones now come with a web browser, a dedicated app store, and even Google Assistant baked in.

Then there's WhatsApp. The Facebook-owned messaging platform made its debut on KaiOS last year, and is now pre-installed on KaiOS phones globally. WhatsApp already counts tens of millions of users on KaiOS, and that's not surprising when you consider that the service has 400 million users just in India. KaiOS phones are aimed at India and other emerging markets in the Middle East and Africa, and these are countries where WhatsApp usage is ubiquitous.

WhatsApp on KaiOS is very similar to what you'll find on Android. You get all the messaging features, including group chats, and a lot of extras. The best part is that the KaiOS version also has end-to-end encryption, just like the Android client. So I talked to Joe Grinstead, software engineering lead for WhatsApp on KaiOS, on how the service was tailored for KaiOS and what we can look forward to in the future.

WhatsApp has been built from the ground up for KaiOS.

KaiOS presents a unique challenge because of the fact that it is designed to run on low-cost hardware. Most features phones based on the operating system have 256MB or 512MB of RAM and internal storage up to 4GB. And because there's no touchscreen, all the navigation on the user interface is on a directional pad and text is entered via a T9 keyboard.

Grinstead mentioned that as KaiOS is built on Firefox OS, it is essentially a web browser that has HTML5 and JavaScript. So most of the time, an app for KaiOS is nothing more than a mobile version of a website that's stored locally on the device. But as WhatsApp does not have a mobile site, the app for KaiOS had to be built from scratch. And while WhatsApp looks simple and has a barebones interface, it has an exhaustive list of features on Android:

Grinstead said his team had to focus on features they could actually deliver on the platform and make them work reliably, settling on a "minimum viable product" that they could launch with and still call it WhatsApp. As such, there are a few features missing from WhatsApp on KaiOS, including voice and video calls, WhatsApp Web, chat backups, custom notification tones, and more.

That said, all the core features are here. You get one-on-one and group chats, the ability to share photos and videos, contact and location sharing, transferring money over UPI in India, and voice messages. Grinstead mentioned that the voice messaging feature in particular gets a lot of use on KaiOS because it is easier than the T9 keyboard.

WhatsApp's Status feature is rolling out to KaiOS shortly.

Grinstead and his team are working on adding more features to WhatsApp for KaiOS. The Status feature is at "Gold Master," meaning it is ready to roll out to the platform. It is a big deal that the feature is making its way to KaiOS, and Grinstead stated that his team is working on introducing more features to the platform over the coming months. It's unlikely we'll see feature parity with Android — that's just not possible given the constraints with KaiOS — but it is good to see WhatsApp actively working on new feature additions.

The fact that KaiOS phones run low-end hardware means WhatsApp had to optimize the app to ensure it didn't run into performance issues. Grinstead said the database structure had to be rewritten because the performance was terrible once the phone filled up with data. It would take around 20 seconds to open WhatsApp on KaiOS, and because there is no multitasking on the platform, every time you open the app, you need to wait for it to launch. The hardware just isn't robust enough to run apps in the background.

Optimizing the database structure allowed Grinstead and his team to bring down the launch time to three seconds. Further optimizations include showing a low-quality version of a photo instead of the original resolution to save on bandwidth, and there are limits for video sharing on the platform — 50MB on the JioPhone, and 35MB on other devices. KaiOS normally allows 1GB for apps, but because WhatsApp stores data locally, it gets an additional 1GB allocation for storing texts and media. The app also shows a low storage warning on KaiOS that gives you the option to free up space. Interestingly, there is also the ability to write natively to an SD card.

Then there's the issue of navigation itself: because there's limited screen real estate on a feature phone and the resolution is usually 320 x 240 pixels, WhatsApp's UI had to be pared down to fit the confines of the screen. The mockups below illustrate the point well:

Now, WhatsApp is different from most messaging platforms in that all your data is stored locally. Because it has end-to-end encryption, all associated data — including chats and multimedia — is stored on-device instead of a server. Then there's the issue of push notifications: because KaiOS is effectively a browser, WhatsApp has to manage push notifications over HTML5, with Grinstead noting, "I don't know if anyone else is doing HTML5 push notifications with anything as complicated as WhatsApp."

End-to-end encryption is a big deal, particularly on a feature phone.

As Grinstead explained, that's because the text that shows up in the notification has to be decrypted locally — the server doesn't provide a preview of the incoming text because of end-to-end encryption. WhatsApp relies on the Signal protocol for end-to-end encryption, and the libsignal protocol itself is now baked into KaiOS, making it that much easier to deliver fully encrypted chats.

One of the major issues with end-to-end encryption is group chats — your phone essentially has to create one-to-one handshakes with everyone in a group before a message is sent. Grinstead stated that the first message you send to a group is the most complicated, because that's when a lot of the initial handshakes occur. Because of the limited resources on offer, Grinstead and his team had to tweak delivery notifications so they wouldn't crash a phone. Instead of sending all the information at once, the delivery server now waits for the phone to acknowledge that there's enough RAM to handle incoming requests.

As for the features that are still missing, Grinstead said that voice calling has been "particularly challenging." There's no timeline for when (or if) the feature will be available on KaiOS. The other notable omission is WhatsApp Web, and similarly there's no update as to when it will show up on KaiOS.

WhatsApp launched on KaiOS in July 2019, and it racked up one million downloads in just under 24 hours. It had 10 million users in two weeks, and the company says it has "tens of millions" of users on KaiOS now. Mozilla is once again involved with KaiOS, and that should allow the platform to switch to a new engine with more modern web features baked in.

That should give WhatsApp more wiggle room to introduce new features. We may even get to see voice calling on the platform as a result.

WhatsApp: Everything you need to know

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With Arcadia, anyone can reduce their carbon footprint in 2020

You don't need to be a professional climate scientist to know that the Earth is in trouble, and reducing your home's carbon footprint should rank high on your 2020 resolution list if you want to do your part and help save the world.

The only problem is that making even minor changes to your energy consumption usually requires changes to your utility routine that are both costly and headache-inducing—until now.

Arcadia drastically reduces the barrier to entry when it comes to using and supporting clean energy sources, and when you sign up today you'll receive either a $20 Amazon gift card or four standard LED bulbs at no cost.

Unlike other clean energy platforms that require you to either switch utility companies or invest in expensive solar panels, Arcadia allows you to keep your existing utility plan while automatically connecting you to a variety of clean energy sources.

After scanning your area for a list of available clean energy companies, Arcadia gets to work connecting you with local community solar projects and purchases renewable energy certificates from wind farms on your behalf. Arcadia will also actively track the market and negotiate lower electricity rates so you can potentially spend less on your utility bill.

Your utility company sends Arcadia your electricity bill directly (so you won't have to make any changes to your existing service plan), and it's easy to track your usage with an intuitive dashboard that can be accessed on all of your devices.

Do your part to save the planet and maybe shave some money off your power bill in 2020 with Arcadia, and receive either a $20 Amazon gift card or four LED bulbs at no cost when you sign up today.

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The first Atari VCS units should be ready by mid-June

Atari’s repeatedly delayed VCS console is nearly ready two years after its announcement. The team has revealed that the first 500 (or so) Atari VCS production models should leave the factory by mid-June. That will still leave the majority of Atari’s...

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Apple Watch Series 5 is on sale for $300 at Amazon

Amazon just made it much easier to consider the Apple Watch Series 5 if you’re looking for a wearable to track your workouts or keep in touch with others. The internet retailer is selling the 40mm GPS model with a Sport Band for $300, or a solid $100...

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After Math: Playing around on the PS5 while Blizzcon goes bye-bye

We had a mixed bag in terms of gaming news this past week. On one hand, Sony announced an hour-long gameplay showcase for its upcoming PS5 console and the NFL reupped its licensing agreement with EA through the 2026 season. On the other hand, BLizzar...

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SpaceX Crew Dragon docks with the International Space Station

SpaceX just completed another milestone in Crew Dragon’s historic journey. Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley have successfully docked the capsule with the International Space Station just under 19 hours after launch from Cape Canaveral. The larg...

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Samsung's next Galaxy Watch gets spoiled by the FCC

If Samsung was hoping to keep plans for a Galaxy Watch sequel under wraps, it’s probably disappointed. Droid-Life (via 9to5Google) has discovered a series of FCC filings that not-so-subtly reveal the next version of Samsung’s flagship smartwatch. It’...

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Does Google Fi support 5G?

Best answer: Yes, if you have an unlocked phone that is compatible with T-Mobile's 5G network, you can access 5G with Google Fi where there is coverage.

• One of the best networks with 5G: Google Fi (From $20 per month at Google Fi)
• 5G out of the box: Samsung Galaxy S20 5G (From $800 at Samsung)

Flexible data and coverage

T-Mobile's nationwide 5G network on its low-band 600MHz spectrum has helped it shoot to the top in 5G available in the U.S. It has also allowed all of its customers including most MVNO users to get access for no additional cost.

Google Fi isn't fully a T-Mobile MVNO. It makes use of Sprint, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular for its network. You can bring two types of phones to Google Fi: Designed for Fi phones and Compatible with Fi phones. Designed for Fi phones will be able to access all of the available networks but currently, only work with 4G LTE connections. If you want to use 5G you will have to use a Compatible with Fi phone such as the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G. Compatible with Fi phones only use the T-Mobile network and will work with T-Mobile's 5G network.

While both Sprint and U.S. Cellular are also working on 5G networks, there is no compatibility with 5G network switching. Limited compatibility for Sprint and T-Mobile 5G for S20 users on Sprint and T-Mobile makes it seem likely for the future but so far nothing has been announced.

You can get an idea of how Google Fi's two network options stack up against each other on Google Fi's coverage page. To get an idea about how 5G coverage looks, check out T-Mobile's 5G coverage map, though should keep in mind that T-Mobile's map will contain 5G coverage on the 2.5GHz and mmWave network that your phone may not be compatible with.

Our pick

Google Fi

From $20 per month at Google Fi

Great coverage with flexible plans

Google Fi can use three networks in the U.S. on 4G or 5G on T-Mobile. International coverage for the same price is a great bonus.

Unlocked 5G

Samsung Galaxy S20 5G

$800 at Samsung

Fast and capable Android flagship

The Galaxy S20 is one of the most capable phones around with a large battery, great cameras, and 5G support on every model.

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Everything we know about Diablo Immortal (so far)

Blizzard is bringing the Diablo series to your mobile phone, and we cannot wait.

While Blizzard announced Diablo IV at Blizzcon this year, it also dropped a lot of information about Diablo Immortal. Immortal is set to combine the feel of a Diablo game with the added benefit of an MMO experience — all on mobile. Not only will the game be a fully-fledged Diablo game, but there will also be a ton of extras. It'll be also be the first full Diablo game designed from the ground up to be played on a mobile device.

Here is everything we know about the game so far.

• What is Diablo?
• What type of game is Diablo Immortal?
• What Classes are there?
• Is Diablo Immortal free to play?
• Are there microtransactions?
• What is the control system like?
• What is the release date for Diablo Immortal?

Hell unleashed

Diablo Immortal

See at Google Play

Diablo Immortal is a fully realized entry to the Diablo series. With the added benefit of an MMO experience, Immortal looks set to be amazing.

What is Diablo?

Diablo is a game franchise made by Blizzard and centered around the world of Sanctuary. In previous games, you had fought off hordes of demons to collect loot and defend the fragments of the destroyed Worldstone.

Diablo: Immortal takes place between the events of Diablo II and III and puts you in the role of a hero, joining forces with other factions and even other players to stem the tattered invasion force left behind from Diablo II. Skarn, one of Diablo's strongest lieutenants, is rallying the demons that invest the land, and it's your job to stop it.

What type of game is Diablo Immortal?

Like almost all Diablo games, Immortal is an isometric, top-down, hack-and-slash MMO where you battle hordes of minions and use magic and might to win the day. What's different about Immortal, though, is that it's fully designed to run on phones, and will also include a large multiplayer compotent, making Diablo Immortal more of an MMORPG than a typical mobile experience.

Blizzard assures us that the game will still have a substantial single-player story, but Diablo Immortal is also aimed to be a true MMORPG, with features like shared social spaces, four-player dungeons, legendary loot, and even guilds. Blizzard seems to be hoping that this approach will make monetizing the game easier as the content will continue to grow over time.

What classes are there?

Like all good games of its kind, there are a lot of classes to choose from. As of right now, Blizzard has revealed that there will be six classes in Diablo Immortal:

Barbarian: The likeliest first class for many players, Barbarians will likely be a strength-based class, and use brutal and powerful weapons to take down foes. Attacks like the Hammer of the Ancients and Ancient Spear will help clear enemies quickly and efficiently.

Monk: Monks will focus on precision in Diablo Immortal, and use lightning-fast attacks that focus heavily on mobility and swiftness.

Wizard: Wizards are all about magic, and will have a wide-range of arcane abilities, including a meteor attack, a lightning blast, and the power to teleport on the battlefield.

Demon Hunter: The Demon Hunter is another class that will take advantage of long-range attacks, utilizing a crossbow to take down enemies. Players can expect to learn a ton of crossbow-based attacks, including abilities that can stun and knock back enemies.

Crusader: This class seems like the closest thing to a Paladin that might exist in the game. Crusaders are clad in armor and look to take down whatever evil might exist. Blizzard hasn't revealed exactly what types of attacks to expect for this class just yet.

Necromancer: This was the final class announced for Diablo Immortal, so there's not a lot of information available yet. According to Blizzard, they will "use their powers over life and death" to take the fight to whatever enemy they may have.

Each class has four abilities, which will be different and unique across each class. Classes will also be able to use Ultimate Abilities, which will augment certain powers that the characters already have. According to the company, the current plan is for each class to get 12 unlockable skills, with players allowed to use five at the same time while they play.

Is Diablo Immortal free-to-play?

It's currently unknown if Diablo Immortal is going to be free-to-play, although it does look like it. Blizzard has yet to formally reveal how Diablo Immortal will be available to players, so it's unclear whether it'll be free-to-play, free-to-play with microtransactions, or cost a one-time fee. Given the initial response to the game and how other mobile games operate, it's highly likely that Diablo Immortal will be free to play when it launches.

However, during BlizzCon 2019, Blizzard said that it still hadn't exactly figured out how to monetize the game, so you'll have to wait just a little longer to find out how much (if anything) it'll officially cost.

Are there microtransactions?

We're focused on building a great Diablo game first. That said, we know the business model is top of mind for lots of people out there, and we're taking the time to get it right.

Judging from the above quote regarding microtransactions in Diablo Immortal, it's pretty clear that Blizzard is very aware of how having a bad IAP ecosystem can negatively impact your game performance in the long term. At the moment, Blizzard is saying all the right things to make us feel like these microtransactions won't be terrible, but it's important to wait to see just how Diablo Immortal handles microtransactions when the time comes.

Microtransactions have to walk the fine line of being attractive enough for you as a player to want to buy and not bring inbalance by adding a pay-to-win scenario. Just being able to drop a load of cash and become the most powerful hero around can ruin multiplayer games, so hopefully, Blizzard will consider that when deciding how to implement them into the game.

What is the control system like?

Because Diablo Immortal is a mobile game, it naturally has on-screen buttons for its control scheme. You can see in the GIF above that they aren't too obtrusive, which is nice if you're using a smaller phone, although they may get in the way of the action. You can see that the right thumbstick almost disappears completely when not in use, which is a nice touch, though it's all the attack icons that take up the most space.

Hopefully, Blizzard will add controller support as well as on-screen buttons. Most phones these days are compatible with various controllers, and the game experience will be much better if you can see more of the game rather than the icons.

What is the release date for Diablo Immortal?

Blizzard has yet to release any information surrounding a release date for Diablo Immortal. However, during Activision Blizzard's 2019 Fourth Quarter earnings call, the company revealed that Diablo Immortal is set to enter regional testing in the middle of 2020. Combined with the fact that the game is already available to pre-register on Android devices, it wouldn't be too shocking to see a release date get announced sooner rather than later.

Earlier this year, during a recent investors call, Activision announced that an alpha test for Diablo Immortal is being planned for sometime this year. While no concrete information was given regarding when it might take place, but since we're just about to enter the middle of the year, they might be coming sooner rather than later. The company also stated that "good progress" is being made on the game, and even though BlizzCon 2020 is cancelled, it's likely we'll see some information on the game in the coming months.

Due to this being the first mobile title to feature the world of Diablo, and a quite ambitious venture on its own, Blizzard will likely spend some extra time making sure everything works as intended by the time the launch actually occurs. With phones becoming more and more powerful, and the money that can be made by doing mobile games right, Blizzard will want to cash in as hard as possible.

Hell unleashed

Diablo Immortal

See at Google Play

Diablo Immortal is a fully realized entry to the Diablo series. With the added benefit of an MMO experience, Immortal looks set to be amazing.

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Amazon sellers use 'collectible' label to dodge price gouging rules

Amazon’s measures to prevent price gouging have a relatively simple workaround. The Verge has learned that some third-party sellers are marking products as “collectible” to evade Amazon’s automated price controls. The internet retailer reportedly has...

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OnePlus and McLaren have ended their phone partnership

OnePlus will no longer release McLaren editions of its phones in the future. The phonemaker and the British auto manufacturer have ended their partnership, a McLaren spokesperson has confirmed to Android Authority after reports about their split came...

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Amazon UK headphone listings defaced with racist images

Amazon's search algorithm has been hijacked by bad actors.

What you need to know

• Earbud product listings on Amazon's online storefront have been hijacked and vandalized.
• Product images have been replaced with images displaying strong racist language.
• The results are believed to be the result of a security breach playing off of current political tensions.

Searching for AirPods right now on Amazon? Don't. Product listings for search results related to Apple's popular earbuds have been hijacked, with product images replaced by banners showing off strongly racist language.

While we have chosen not to embed images of the language used, the message can be seen in screenshots on social media (which we have been able to verify independently).

It's not clear exactly how this happened, but all signs point to a security breach aimed at exacerbating current racial tensions in the United States.

At the time of writing, Amazon has yet to speak about the breach publicly. We have reached out to Amazon for comment on this story and will update when we get a response.

Update: Amazon comment

An Amazon spokesperson gave Android Central the following comment: "We are removing the images in question and have taken action on the bad actor."

Thankfully for everyone, Trump's misguided attack on social networks faces many roadblocks

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'Sign in with Apple' flaw let attackers take over accounts

‘Sign in with Apple’ is potentially more private than other login options, but it apparently included a serious security flaw. Researcher Bhavuk Jain recently received a $100,000 bug bounty for discovering (via Hacker News) a flaw in the sign-in serv...

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Best Buy is selling the Lenovo Smart Clock for half of its launch price

If you’re looking for an affordable Google-powered smart speaker, you may want to check out the Lenovo Smart Clock that’s currently on sale for $40 on Best Buy. That’s down $20 from its $60 retail price, and that’s also half of the device’s original...

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Save $70 on Jabra's Elite 85h noise-cancelling headphones at Best Buy

If you're looking for a pair of noise-cancelling headphones to give you some peace and quiet while working from home, Best Buy has a compelling offer on one of the better pairs you can buy at the moment. The Jabra Elite 85h are currently $180, down f...

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Zoom users must update the desktop app to continue joining meetings

Zoom is rolling out new GCM encryption, beginning May 30.

What you need to know

• Zoom is rolling out GCM encryption across its platform this weekend.
• That means if you want to keep using Zoom and joining meetings, you need to update.
• If you can't update the desktop client, you can use the mobile app or the web client instead

Popular video-conferencing app Zoom has announced that users must update their desktop client after this weekend in order to continue joining meetings, as it rolls out GCM encryption for all Zoom meetings.

Zoom announced that it would begin enabling GCM encryption on May 30, at 01:00 PDT. The update is a really welcome boost to Zoom's security, which was found to be lacking following the app's meteoric rise thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst not as good as end-to-end encryption, GCM, or (Galois/Counter Mode) is a higher-quality security system, perfect for video conferencing, because it uses a stream cipher, rather than a block cipher. Zoom's update note states:

We will be enabling GCM encryption across the entire Zoom platform, providing increased protection for meeting data. This will be deployed as a rolling update over the release window. Once this is enabled for your account, all users are required to be on Zoom 5.0 or higher to join a meeting. If you have not updated your desktop or mobile client, you will have the choice to update or join via a browser.

Zoom's support page confirms that all users must upgrade to version 5.0+ from May 30 "in order to join any meeting" as GCM encryption will be fully enabled for all Zoom meetings.

There are two ways to do this via Zoom's Download Center, or when prompted the next time you join a meeting, just follow the instructions on the screen. If you can't update your app, you can still join a meeting from Zoom's web client, or on mobile. Zoom has confirmed users cannot opt-out of GMC stating:

No, this is a required change for all accounts on the Zoom backend.

For a full brief on the update and answers to more support questions, visit Zoom's website.

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Android 11 event and beta postponed: 'Now is not the time to celebrate'

"We'll be back with more on Android 11, soon."

What you need to know

• Android 11 has been delayed.
• An event and beta release were scheduled for June 3.
• The development team says "now is not the time to celebrate", and says more information will be available "soon."

This morning, Android Developers has announced via Twitter that the beta of Android 11, along with a June 3rd reveal event, has been postponed.

Likely in a display of solidarity, and mindful of the current social climate (it did not mention any specific subject), the developer team tweeted:

We are excited to tell you more about Android 11, but now is not the time to celebrate. We are postponing the June 3rd event and beta release. We'll be back with more on Android 11, soon.

We are excited to tell you more about Android 11, but now is not the time to celebrate. We are postponing the June 3rd event and beta release. We'll be back with more on Android 11, soon.

— Android Developers (@AndroidDev) May 30, 2020

Google had already been forced to realign its release timeline for Android 11, in part because Google I/O was canceled due to COVID-19. When Google first announced its roadmap, it had scheduled beta releases for May, platform stability testing through June and beyond, and a final release in Q3 of 2020.

A revised timeline pushed all this back by a month, the beta was rescheduled for June but a Q3 release window remained.

As noted, Google had previously planned to release the first beta of Android 11 next week, on June 3. That launch was supposed to be accompanied by an all-digital, live-streamed 'Beta Launch Show' on June 3. As per the announcement this morning, this is no longer scheduled to take place. Given the announcement was only a few hours ago, there is no further indication as to any revised plans or a timetable, the team simply said it would be back with more info soon.

Android 11 promises a swathe of new updates for messaging, one-time permissions, built-in screen recording, adaptation for the diverse range of displays now offered by Android (folding displays, etc.), and preparation for 5G. The first public beta usually brings a host of stability updates, more significant features, and best of all, easy-enrollment for your Pixel online, as opposed to updating via manual flash.

You can read our Everything you need to know rundown of Android 11 here.

Best enjoyed on Google Pixel

Google Pixel 4 XL

From $599 at Amazon $900 at Best Buy

Great now, better with Android 11

If you want to be among the first to use Android 11 when it comes out later this year, the Pixel 4 is for you (specifically the larger XL model). The big draw is its guaranteed software updates and being first-in-line for them as they're released. You're also getting a 90Hz AMOLED display, outstanding cameras, OK battery life, and a sleek design with a matte glass back.

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'Call of Duty: Warzone' adds Duos mode in Battle Royale

Call of Duty: Warzone has a new mode for Battle Royale that could make or break friendships. In Duos mode, you play as a two-person team to battle enemies in Verdansk, complete contracts and beat other squads to be the last pair standing at the end....

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The Android 11 beta launch event has been postponed

The launch of the Android 11 beta had already been delayed after Google I/O was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, and now it’s getting pushed back again. A virtual launch event for the start of the beta release was scheduled for Wednesday, bu...

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Sony exec touts PS5 exclusive games while Xbox pushes 'choice, value'

A new console generation is just around the corner, and with it comes a new battle over whose strategy is better, and which one better serves gamers. Earlier, Sony announced an event next week where it will show off “the future of gaming on PlayStati...

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ExpressVPN Review

ExpressVPN

Why choose ExpressVPN

It's one of the biggest names in VPN services out there with wide coverage, superb customer support, and fast speeds. Honestly, it's the one to beat.

Works with

Mac

Windows

Android

iPhone & iPad

Linux

Routers

Best VPN for

Netflix, Hulu, and streaming

Gaming

Torrenting and downloading

Security and privacy

See at ExpressVPN

Pros

• Superb 24/7 live chat customer service
• Fast connections
• Lots of international locations
• Netflix unblocking

Cons

• Not the cheapest
• Limited to five devices simultaneously

ExpressVPN is one of the longest standing virtual private network services out there and is widely regarded as one of the best VPN services. Based in the British Virgin Islands, the company started back in 2009 and prides itself on operating a no logging policy meaning data is kept super secure.

In 2017, one of the company's servers was used to delete information related to a Russian ambassador assasination. Despite the server being seized and searched, no information was found. The company used this as an example to show that its level of privacy was superb. It did recognise that it can be used negatively but also stated it still stands for our right to privacy and freedom online.

At the time of publishing ExpressVPN sports an impressive 3,000 servers that span 94 countries and 160 locations across the planet.

Pricing and plans

ExpressVPN keeps pricing pretty easy to understand with three tiers. The least commitment required of these starts at $12.95 per month and rolls month to month.

If you want to make a saving and are willing to commit to a longer term contract then you can pay for six months at $9.99 per month. This is billed every six months at $59.94.

Save even more by going for a full annual plan which pushes the price down to $8.32 per month. That's a 35 percent discount helping you make a big saving over the year. You will be billed once a year for the amount of $99.84.

If you're not sure which to go for and that one month is too much then you can download the iOS or Android client and give it a seven day free trial. Of course if you do want to try that month even that's technically free as you have a 30-day money-back guarantee. You don't need a reason to cancel, there isn't any smallprint and all you need to do is tell ExpressVPN and you'll get your money back.

Testing and performance

One of the best ways to test a VPN is on performance, which means speed. This is easily done using a speed test site – even Google has one right there on its search site now. We used this and other speed test sites to assess just how fast the servers are running.

Our tests initially run across two locations – the U.S. and the UK. We then test other locations, like Asia, Australia and Africa, with benchmarking sites to see how fast they run over longer distances.

For the US we used a 400MB line and ran multiple tests using different locations. To start, we ran a speed test with no VPN enabled. That's the top result shown on the right. The second one is using the "Smart Server" location, and the third one was a server based in Singapore. As you can see, the speeds do drop off the further away the connections are, but they are still reasonable, and are actually some of the best we've experienced in our testing.

In the UK the testing line was a 75Mbps connection. The results were 60 to 65Mbps which was very impressive when you consider how near the top-end of that line's capacity this reached.

From the UK as a base, connecting to the likes of Hong Kong, India or Australia we were getting speeds of a decent 60Mbps. Go to Brazil or Kenya and the results suffered with the top-end hitting nearer to the 20Mbps mark.

Features

The mighty 3,000 servers of ExpressVPN, spanning those 94 countries and 160 locations worldwide mean you can appear to be from virtually anywhere you need. The key with this many server locations is that you should always be relatively close to one so you can enjoy a fast and consistent connection speed.

This VPN masking applies to lots of devices as well as locations. This is thanks to the clients available which span the likes of Mac, Windows, iOS, Linux, Android Chromebooks, Kindle Fire, PlayStation, Apple TV, Fire TV and more. You can also setup the VPN on a router using custom firmware. So, despite ExpressVPN limiting you to five devices used at one time, if one of them is a router that means you can connect as many devices to that as you need.

Getting the apps up and running is super easy. It takes just a few minutes to install ExpressVPN on your Android device. The interface is very simple to understand and makes it something you'll actually want to use regularly instead of something you uninstall quickly.

ExpressVPN uses all its own secure servers meaning you can enjoy that no-logging as well as encryption storage so your data is safe in transit too. The company's relatively new TrustedServer Technology uses RAM to process information meaning none of your data is stored on hard drives at any time, making it even more difficult to get hold of. Also, everytime you connect to a new network, that's not trusted, ExpressVPN will fire up automatically to offer protection. Connect to a secure network again and ExpressVPN will close down so you can get top speeds as your priority.

One of the most stand out ExpressVPN features is the 24/7 live chat support. This means you can get help with literally any issues you have – presuming it's ExpressVPN related, of course. Say you're trying to connect to Netflix while abroad but can't, the experts are there to help you find the best server so you not only get access but can enjoy the fastest speeds for what you're doing too.

Since you can access most locations, that means you can get to most content too. For streaming the likes of Netflix, Hulu or even BBC iPlayer, this is a really decent VPN. We even got the chance to test this while in China. Initially we struggled to get access to US Netflix so we got on the 24/7 live chat. We were told exactly what server to connect to and right away we were up and running at great speed.

Privacy and security

ExpressVPN runs an encryption service across its offerings meaning 4096-bit SHA-512 RAS certificate level cover. This uses AES-256-CBC to encrypt and HMAC protection too. There's also support for Perfect Forward Secrecy meaning you get a new secret key every time you connect.

All that is complicated tech-speak for a super encryption. It's as good as, if not better than most other VPN options out there with a few exceptions that offer double hop encryption for yet another layer of protection.

Another highlight is DNS support in the form of DNS leak protection to stop information leaking from the tunnel while in transit. Lots of VPNs offer this but ExpressVPN goes further by running its own zero-knowledge, 256-bit encrypted DNS on all of its servers too. That essentially means you don't have to worry about attackers getting to you or your data.

You also get a kill switch so, should you lose connection, you'll automatically be protected and hidden then too.

The clear lack of logging is also a great way to leave your mind at ease. The company clearly states on its site: "ExpressVPN does not and will never log traffic data, DNS queries, or anything that could be used to identify you."

The British Virgin Island location helps since, despite its small size, the country regulates its own affairs. That means the UK and US don't have jurisdiction to automatically compel ExpressVPN to release any data.

Should you sign up?

ExpressVPN has a lot to like. Beyond the wide spread servers across the world there are the layers and layers of security and encryption backed by a clear no logging policy which combine to give you peace of mind security, anonymity and safety when online.

The pricing is competitive, support is superb and performance speeds are excellent. The only downside is that you're limited to five devices, but with the ability to install this on routers that can be worked around.

This is a tough VPN to fault. If you want even more security there are other double hop options out there and some with more servers but it's hard to find a service with a track record like ExpressVPN. Keep an eye out on our best VPN deals post to ensure you're getting the best price when signing up.

ExpressVPN

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ExpressVPN is a top pick in our eyes for many reasons. Sign up today and see how it works for yourself!

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Here’s what the canceled Google Pixel 4a XL would have looked like

Unlike the Pixel 4a, the canceled 4a XL would have featured two rear cameras.

What you need to know

• New renders showing what the Google Pixel 4a XL would have looked like have surfaced.
• The renders reveal a hole-punch display and a dual-camera setup on the back.
• Google is expected to unveil the Pixel 4a on July 13.

Unlike the Pixel 3a series, Google's upcoming Pixel 4a series is expected to be available in just a single size. The bigger Pixel 4a XL is said to have been canceled, so a successor to the Pixel 3a XL will not arrive this year. Despite the fact that the phone has been canceled, a replacement back cover for the Pixel 4a XL had leaked online last month, revealing a slightly different design compared to the Pixel 4a. Tech accessories store Pigtou has now teamed up with leaker @xleaks7 to publish renders showing the canceled the phone from nearly every angle.

Unsurprisingly, the renders show the Pixel 4a XL would have looked fairly similar to the Pixel 4a. The phone would have featured a hole-punch cutout on the top-left corner of the display for the selfie camera and dual cameras on the back. These renders also show a fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone and a USB Type-C port on the bottom. A 3.5mm headphone jack can be seen on the top of the phone.

In terms of physical size, Pigtou claims the Pixel 4a XL would have measured 154.3 x 73.9 x 8.2mm. Thanks to the hole-punch display, the Pixel 4a XL would have been a lot more compact than the Pixel 3a XL and only slightly bigger than the Pixel 3a.

Google Pixel 4a: News, Leaks, Release Date, Specs, and Rumors!

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