Does the Apple iPad 10 support the Stage Manager feature?

As part of iPadOS 16, Apple introduced a handy Stage Manager feature. This allows users with certain recent iPads to use multiple, resizable apps simultaneously, taking multitasking to the next level. It also brings compatible models closer to becoming laptop replacements. If you plan to buy an iPad 10, the latest base-level iPad on the market, you might be wondering if it also supports Stage Manager. Here’s everything you need to know about this handy offering and its availability.

The iPad 10 misses out on the Stage Manager feature

Unfortunately, this feature is only supported on the iPad Air 5 and some recent iPad Pro models. So if you plan to use Stage Manager, don’t buy the iPad 10. The iPad 10 only supports the traditional iPadOS multitasking features, including Split View, Picture-in-Picture (PiP) video playback, and Slide Over. While many people find these offerings sufficient, it’s still a shame that the iPad 10 misses out on the advanced app window resizing capabilities.

You’ll still get a lot of new stuff with the iPad 10 (2022). The biggest is the all-new, modern design, which is the first this particular model has seen in many, many years. The entry-level tablet now has flat edges and rounded screen corners. Don’t let the flat edges fool you — the iPad 10 still doesn’t support the Apple Pencil 2. Instead, you must use a dongle to pair an Apple Pencil 1 with its refreshed USB Type-C port.

In terms of performance, this iPad packs the A14 Bionic chip found in the iPhone 12 series (2020), which is why the iPad 10 doesn’t support the Stage Manager feature. Apple is limiting this iPadOS utility to more powerful processors. Ultimately, this particular model doesn’t cater to power users. It’s mostly for those looking for a light note-taking device or a media streaming hub.

Apple iPad 10

The iPad 10 introduces a complete chassis overhaul and offers four bold colors. It packs the A14 Bionic chip and supports the Apple Pencil 1.

Buy from Best Buy

Do you plan on buying an iPad 10, or is the lack of Stage Manager support a dealbreaker? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Is the Apple iPad 10 waterproof? Does the tablet have an IP rating?

Apple launched the entry-level iPad 10 in October 2022, equipped with a completely refreshed chassis and an upgraded A14 Bionic processor. Thanks to the redesign, users now get to take advantage of flat edges and rounded display corners. Don’t let the flat edges fool you into believing it supports the Apple Pencil 2. The iPad 10, despite dropping the Lightning port, still only supports the Apple Pencil 1, and only through a dongle. Speaking of the redesign, the iPad 10 comes in four bold colors to pick from — Silver, Pink, Blue, and Yellow.

This is a lot, so you might be wondering if you should buy an iPad 10. There are other considerations as well, like if it’s waterproof. Do you need to buy a case for that protection? Here’s what you need to know.

The iPad 10 neither has an IP rating nor is it waterproof

Before diving in, let’s clear a common misconception. Most of the electronic devices you come across today are water-resistant, not waterproof. So no, the iPad 10 is not waterproof.

If you want to find out how water-resistant a device is, you have to look at the IP rating, which reflects the endurance against dust and water a certain product has. Apple includes an IP rating on some of its devices, such as recent iPhone models. Water resistance, like many things in life, wears down with time. So while a device might be water-resistant when it’s new, this could change down the road. So always treat your devices as if they’re not resistant to water. Leave the resistance as a Plan B, just in case you accidentally spill a liquid on it.

So now that you know about the iPad 10 not being waterproof, let’s see if it has an IP rating. As of 2022, Apple still hasn’t released a single iPad model with an IP rating. This doesn’t mean it’s completely unprotected from the elements, since most devices have some degree of protection, but it means submerging it in water or liquids will likely damage it. In short, keep it away from water.

To clean the screen, use a damp cloth that doesn’t actually soak the iPad with water. If you accidentally spill water on your iPad 10, shut it down and leave it alone for a few hours to dry.

You should always be careful with your devices though, regardless of the IP rating. You wouldn’t want to ruin your new great iPad just after buying it.

Apple iPad 10

The iPad 10 introduces a complete chassis overhaul and offers four bold colors. It packs the A14 Bionic chip and supports the Apple Pencil 1.

Buy from Best Buy

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How to unlock the bootloader and root the Google Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro with Magisk

Some people can’t imagine using Android without root access. While the Google Pixel smartphones are among the easiest devices to unlock the bootloader, root, and install aftermarket software, it might come as a surprise that the typical boot image patching technique is no longer applicable to the latest Pixel 7 series.

If you bought the Pixel 7 or the Pixel 7 Pro and want to learn how to root it, we’ll show you how in this tutorial. You’ll need to have your PC handy and know your way around ADB.

Google Pixel 7 XDA Forums || Google Pixel 7 Pro XDA Forums

• You need an unlocked bootloader to root the Google Pixel 7 or 7 Pro.
• Unlocking the bootloader will wipe your Pixel 7/7 Pro.
• Instead of the boot image, you have to patch the init_boot image with Magisk for root access.

Navigate this article:

• How to root the Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro
  • Step 1 – Get the stock init_boot image
  • Step 2 – Patch the stock init_boot image using Magisk
  • Step 3 – Enable OEM unlocking and unlock the bootloader
  • Step 4 – Flash Magisk-patched init_boot image
• What’s next?

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How to root the Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro

Before we get into how to root the Pixel 7, remember to take an off-device backup. That’s because the rooting process requires wiping all the data on your phone, including the files on the internal storage.

Step 1 – Get the stock init_boot image for the Pixel 7/7 Pro

For devices launching with Android 13 like the Pixel 7 series, the generic ramdisk is removed from the boot image and placed in a separate place called “init_boot.” The boot.img only holds the Generic Kernel Image (GKI).

As a result, patching the boot.img for root access won’t work for these devices. Rather, we need to get our hands on the image corresponding to the init_boot partition that matches the current software build the phone is running.

Fortunately, we don’t need any specialized tool to rip the init_boot image from the target device. It can be easily extracted from the Google-published factory image for the Pixel 7/7 Pro.

To make sure you download the right factory image, you need to check which software version your phone is currently running. To check this, go to Settings > About phone. At the bottom, look for the Build number section. Find the matching build number on the factory image download page and download that file.

Download Android 13 for Google Pixel phones

Next, unpack the factory image ZIP file. Locate the image-[device codename]-[version].zip file (yes, there’s a ZIP within a ZIP) and extract the init_boot.img file from it. This is the file that you need to transfer to your phone’s internal storage for patching.

Step 2 – Patch the stock init_boot image using Magisk

Now that we have our hands on the init_boot image, we can easily patch it with Magisk. In fact, you can patch it on a different Android device than the Pixel 7, but you need to install the Magisk app on the secondary device as well.

While the current stable version of Magisk can patch the Pixel 7’s init_boot image, you might want to opt for the bleeding edge Canary build of Magisk for additional fixes.

Download Magisk: Stable || Canary

After installing the Magisk APK, open the app, and locate the Install button on the topmost card. Choose Select and Patch a File under Method, and select the stock init_boot image. This will open the Android file picker. Go ahead and find the init_boot.img you transferred from your PC and select that. The Magisk app will patch the image to the Download folder on the phone. You must transfer this patched file (should be named “magisk_patched_[random_strings].img”) back to your PC because next, we’re going to unlock the bootloader which will wipe all data as we warned previously.

Notably, if you browse the XDA Forums for the Pixel 7 or 7 Pro, you may be lucky enough to find a pre-patched init_boot image. That being so, we always recommend grabbing the official firmware and patching the stock boot image yourself to avoid unforeseen glitches due to image version mismatch.

Step 3 – Enable OEM unlocking and unlock the bootloader

In order to flash third-party software on the Pixel 7, we have to unlock the bootloader. To do so, go to Settings > About phone > Build number and tap on this entry 7 times to enable Developer options. After enabling it, go back to the main settings page and tap on System, then go to Developer options. From there, toggle the OEM unlocking option. Keep in mind that you need to enter your password/pattern/PIN to validate some of the actions.

It is important to note that some US carriers like Verizon don’t allow bootloader unlocking at all, making it impossible to root your phone. Sometimes, though, people find unofficial workarounds, and we’ll let you know if any are found.

After enabling OEM unlock, turn off your phone. Hold both the Volume down and Power buttons to turn your phone back on and boot into the bootloader menu. Assuming you have the latest ADB and Fastboot binaries installed already, you can also use the following command to reboot to the bootloader mode directly from Android.

adb reboot bootloader

Make sure to keep your phone plugged into your PC/Mac/Chromebook. Next, in a terminal window, type:

fastboot flashing unlock

You will see a screen telling you that you are about to initiate the bootloader unlocking process. Use the volume button to navigate and the power button to accept. Again, this will wipe all the data on your phone, so make sure you have your data backed up before proceeding.

Step 4 – Flash Magisk-patched init_boot image

After the bootloader of your Pixel 7 (or 7 Pro) is unlocked and the init_boot image is patched, you are just one step away from root.

As soon as the bootloader unlocking process completes, the phone will boot back up after a few minutes. Skip the setup wizard at this stage and turn off the phone. You now want to boot back into the bootloader by holding the volume down and power buttons again. Once you are there, connect the phone to your PC/Mac/Chromebook and execute the following command:

fastboot flash init_boot path/to/magisk_patched.img

As soon as you hit Enter, the patched init_boot image will be flashed to your phone. Next, reboot using fastboot reboot and the Magisk app should appear on your home screen and/or app drawer. If it doesn’t (e.g. you can only see a stub icon), just install the Magisk APK manually. You’re now rooted!

Screenshot courtesy: XDA Member edcsxz

Keep in mind that you’ll have to repeat steps 1, 2, and 4 every time you update your phone because the init_boot image changes with each update. To know more, take a look at our tutorial on how to install OTA updates and keep root on your Google Pixel phone.

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What’s next?

Once your Pixel 7 is rooted, you open up the device to some interesting modifications such as Magisk modules and Xposed modules. Of course, there are already a ton of things you can do without root on Google devices, but having root access is an added benefit nonetheless, especially if you consider the best root apps.

Google Pixel 7

The vanilla Google Pixel 7 is very similar to the high-end Pro model but it's $300 cheaper and offers more value for money.

Buy from Best Buy

Google Pixel 7 Pro

The high-end Pixel 7 Pro has a better display higher resolution and refresh rate, a bigger battery, and an additional telephoto lens at the back.

Buy from Best Buy

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Google Lock Screen widgets are now finally available for iOS 16

Today, Google announced its new Lock Screen widgets for iOS 16, which are now officially available. The widgets were announced last month and give quick access to some of its most popular apps. The widgets can also provide you with information at a glance. If you’ve never tried to customize your lock screen before, check out our in-depth guide on how to do it so that you can try some of the new widgets from Google.

One of the most significant benefits of having a Lock Screen is that you can set up different layouts for different times of the day. You can have one for work and one for personal use; it’s easy to switch between the two. As for the newly released Google Lock Screen widgets, several apps take advantage, like Search, Chrome, Drive, Google Maps, Gmail, and Google News.

Having access to Search straight from the Lock Screen allows you to search for something instantly using voice or typing it in. If you need to take things further, you can utilize the power of Google Lens and even do quick translations on the fly. With the Chrome Lock Screen widget, you can also initialize a search or use Incognito mode. Furthermore, if you want to play a quick game, pop into Chrome’s exclusive Dino Run game.

Sometimes it’s essential to have easy access to your files. With the Drive widget, you can access suggested files and folders and even continue working on a project from your computer. As for Maps, this widget is robust, offering real-time traffic updates, and can provide estimated travel times from home and work. As expected, the widget can also help navigate shops, restaurants, hotels, and more. With Gmail, the widget will show messages in your inbox and how many emails have arrived for each inbox category.

In addition, it has also implemented some entertainment widgets with YouTube and YouTube Music. You can tap to watch Shorts and new videos or search for a video right from the widget. You can also gain easy access to your favorite music, song, or artist with just one tap.  Finally, Google News will offer real-time headlines, allowing users quick access to daily news worldwide. If this sounds interesting, it might be worth trying it out, so be sure to take a look.

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Source: Google Blog

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VANKYO Performance V700W brings the cinema to your home with a truly immersive and massive display

Big screen TVs provide a lot of fun and great image quality, but imagine a TV the size of your entire wall. That’s precisely what VANKYO is offering with its latest Performance V700W projector. Movies can be enjoyed with a free 120-inch screen, providing excellent colors, a surround sound system, excellent connectivity features, a low price, and a compact form factor that’s easy to carry around, or mount anywhere you like. The projection size of the V700W is up to 224-inches, providing one of the largest areas that projectors can provide at this price range.

Big picture

The VANKYO Performance V700W has an immersive, and beautiful screen. The projector features the latest LCD technology, providing an extensive range of colors and a 1000:1 contrast ratio. The image always looks clear, sharp, and pixel-perfect, thanks to the 1080p high-resolution screen. 

The image will also always have the proper brightness, thanks to the 420 ANSI lumens that the projector can achieve. Your favorite movies, TV shows, and games will always stay crystal clear. The best thing is that the projector lets you set up just about everything you need using the remote, and it has several features to let you focus, change the keystone, and zoom features. 

VANKYO also uses a low blue light emission to optimize the color performance in accordance with EIC 62471-S, further reducing the eye strain that bright displays can cause. The projector is certified by TÜV Rheinland, a leading independent testing company, to ensure that it meets industry-wide standards and protects the eyes from harmful lights. 

VANKYO Performance V700W

The VANKYO Performance V700W comes with the latest LCD technology, providing an up to 120-inch visually immersive experience. If you’re looking for an ideal home cinema setup, the Performance V700W will bring a 360-degree Dolby surround sound system, and excellent connectivity options, all at an affordable price tag.

View at VANKYO

360-degree sound experience

The VANKYO Performance V700W is not only an excellent projector, but also a fantastic speaker. It comes equipped with a dual 5W speaker setup, supporting the Dolby Digital Plus standard, and providing an immersive 360-degree surround sound system. The built-in speakers are excellent for watching movies, your favorite TV shows, playing games, concerts, and listening to music. Action movies have never been more enjoyable than with the Performance V700W.

Of course, if you have a higher-end speaker setup, you’ll be able to hook them up and take advantage of the additional ports at your own convenience. Whether you prefer the AUX audio output or Bluetooth, VANKYO will have you covered. The device also supports Bidirectional Bluetooth 5.1, which enables you to connect your smartphones, iPad, extensive speakers setup, and just about any device you can think about. 

Environment-friendly

The VANKYO Performance V700W is also built from environment-friendly materials. The company uses recycled cardboard, and the ink is made from plant-based ink derived from soybeans. The company says that its eco-friendly plans save about 564.5 grams on carbon emissions, compared to standard packages. 

Price

The VANKYO Performance V700W can be yours for only $299.99, which is a massive bang for your buck, especially when you consider all the additional features and high-quality screen you’re getting for your money. The Performance V700W provides features that can often only be found in competing devices, costing multiple times the value of this product. 

If you’re looking for an excellent all-around projector that provides a 120-inch high-quality screen to enjoy your favorite movies, tv shows, and games, then you’re in luck. The VANKYO Performance V700W is one of the best devices in its price range. 

The VANKYO Performance V700W also makes for an excellent present this coming holiday season, and the low price means it’s an ideal gift to give to your family members and friends. If you’re looking to gift something unique and truly immersive, the Performance V700W is one of the best home cinema experiences you can give at a low price. 

VANKYO Performance V700W

The VANKYO Performance V700W comes with the latest LCD technology, providing an up to 120-inch visually immersive experience. If you’re looking for an ideal home cinema setup, the Performance V700W will bring a 360-degree Dolby surround sound system, and excellent connectivity options, all at an affordable price tag.

View at VANKYO

We thank VANKYO for sponsoring this post.

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What satellite navigation systems does the Google Pixel 7 series support?

Google’s newest Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro come packed with many notable upgrades, including a faster chipset, better cameras, and more software smarts. While the new Pixel 7 series feels like an iterative upgrade from the Pixel 6 series, it is the most refined Pixel lineup yet. Beyond excellent cameras and smart software features, the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro also offer a great navigation experience.

The Pixel 7 series supports dual-band GNSS

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro support all major global navigation satellite systems, including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, and QZSS. What’s more, both phones boast dual-band GNSS. That means they can lock on to two GNSS frequencies at the same time: L1 + L2 (GPS), G1 (Galileo), B1i + B1c + B2a (BeiDou), and L1 + L5 (QZSS). This enables the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro to compute their positioning with increased accuracy even in dense areas, delivering a faster and more reliable navigation experience.

With support for all major satellite navigation systems and dual-band GNSS, the Pixel 7 series provides smooth navigation in apps like Google Maps and Uber.

Google Pixel 7

The Pixel 7 packs the second-gen Tensor SoC, a brighter display, and improved cameras.

Buy from Best Buy

Google Pixel 7 Pro

The Pixel 7 Pro is Google's top-of-the-line flagship of the year, featuring the second-gen Tensor SoC, a 120Hz LTPO display, a telephoto sensor, and a bigger battery.

Buy from Best Buy

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are powered by Google’s new Tensor G2 chipset and deliver excellent camera performance. The Pixel 7 Pro is the most premium offering, packing a 6.7-inch curved OLED QHD+ display with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. It also gets a more advanced camera system, featuring a 50MP main shooter, a 48MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultra-wide shooter. The standard Pixel 7, on the other hand, flaunts a 6.3-inch OLED FHD+ panel with a 90Hz refresh rate and has a dual camera setup consisting of a 50MP main shooter and a 12MP ultra-wide shooter.

If you’re thinking of getting the latest Google flagship, check out the best Pixel 7 deals to see how much you can save on your purchase. And don’t forget to grab a protective case from our best Pixel 7 case collection.

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SpaceX Starlink will now provide high-speed internet for planes, but it won’t be cheap

Today, SpaceX announced that it is expanding its satellite internet service to cover airplanes. The new service, Starlink Aviation, will launch next year and will offer speeds up to 350Mbps, which is quite a bit faster than what we currently see on commercial flights.

Starlink Aviation states on its website that it will be able to provide high-speed, low-latency, in-flight internet, something that is not all that common. With speeds up to 350Mbps, those traveling would be able to do a lot more than just check email and could easily use the service to watch streaming video, make video calls, and maybe even do some online gaming. At least that last one is what Starlink thinks could be accomplished with its service.

Since this is a satellite-based internet service, it states that it would be able to provide coverage anywhere around the world. Starlink’s   low-profile Aero Terminal would be able to maximize its network with its “electronically steered phased array antenna,” which provides “new levels of reliability, redundancy, and performance.” Of course, this specialized antenna needs to be installed on the plane but the company states that it doesn’t require too much time. The kit will include the aforementioned terminal, a power supply, two wireless access points, and a harness.

While all of this sounds great, the kicker is that the service will cost anywhere from $12,500 to $25,000 per month. In addition to the monthly service fee, there will also be a one-time charge for hardware that will cost $150,000. I guess the silver lining here is that there are no long-term contracts involved, and all the plans offered include unlimited data. Furthermore, the company will guarantee the equipment for as long as you are subscribed to its service. Starlink is currently taking reservations, stating that it will launch in 2023.

Satellite service has been getting quite popular lately, with Amazon getting closer to launching its own satellites. T-Mobile has also partnered with SpaceX to launch its own service in 2023. Apple has also utilized the service in its latest iPhone 14 devices, making it possible to communicate with emergency services if in a remote area.

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Source: SpaceX Starlink
Via: The Verge

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These are the best USB PD fast chargers for phones and laptops in 2022

Fast chargers are very useful in certain situations. If you’re ready to leave the house but your smartphone or laptop battery is low, a compatible fast charger will be able to add a decent amount of charge in a short period of time. While some device makers bundle a compatible fast charger in the box, others either don’t pack any kind of fast charger or bundle a lower-powered charging brick. Also, it’s becoming a trend not to bundle any kind of charger in the box for smartphones. You can safely blame Apple for that.

So whatever the reason, if you’re in the market for a fast charger that supports USB Power Delivery (USB PD), we can help. In this article, we’ve selected some of the best USB PD Fast Chargers on the market. You can pick one that matches the supported wattage in your budget.

Navigate this article:

• What is USB PD?
• How to choose the right charger?
• Best USB PD fast chargers with a single port
• Best USB PD fast chargers with two ports
• Best multi-port USB-PD fast chargers

What is USB PD?

USB PD (Power Delivery) is a specification used by manufacturers to deliver increased power over USB to their devices. It works with USB Battery Charging implementations to provide a robust fast charging solution. USB PD was originally introduced back in 2012 and has since been revised multiple times. The latest revision — USB Power Delivery Specification Revision 3.1 — was announced in May 2021, and it supports delivering up to 240W of power over USB Type-C. The USB PD 3.1 chargers are already here and we’ve added a few of them to this collection below.

In terms of cross-compatibility, Qualcomm’s QuickCharge 4.0, 4+, and 5 are compatible with the USB PD specification. Similarly, Huawei and Samsung’s fast charging standards also work with USB PD. So if you have a device with QuickCharge 4 or Huawei SuperCharge support, it can be charged faster with USB PD chargers as well. Notably, some of Samsung’s devices use Programmable Power Supply (PPS), so unless your USB PD charger also supports PPS, you won’t get the top charging speed. Your device will still charge faster than normal though.

If you want to know more about various fast-charging standards and fast charging in general, make sure to read our detailed explainer on fast charging.

How to choose the right charger?

Choosing the right charger for your smartphone or laptop can be a struggle due to the presence of various charging protocols, power requirements, and more. Let’s take a quick look at some of the most important things you need to consider while picking the right charger for your device:

• Supported charging protocol: This is an important factor to consider mainly because not all smartphones and laptops support the universal charging protocol such as USB Power Delivery. OnePlus smartphones, for instance, uses OnePlus’ proprietary Warp charge tech, thereby forcing you to opt out of third-party options. So, figure out what charging protocol your smartphone supports. Apple iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones, and Google Pixels all support USB Power Delivery, albeit at lower wattages only.
• Power requirement of your device: The next step is to make sure how much your device needs in watts (W). Apple’s new iPhone 14 Pro Max requires 27W, so you’ll need a charger that supports at least 27W or higher to charge this phone at its maximum supported speed. Typically, most smartphones vary between 18-80W, whereas laptops can easily go up to 140W.
• Chargers with multiple USB ports: You may come across a lot of chargers with multiple USB-C or USB-A ports. While these are great for charging multiple devices, they may not provide the fastest speeds when all ports are used simultaneously due to power sharing. So it’s important to understand how much power a particular charger can deliver through each of its ports individually and simultaneously, and figure if you need all ports to be working at maximum speed all through the day. For instance, a port usually reserved for charging a smartwatch or earbuds will only be active for a couple of hours in a day, allowing you to get away with a lower-powered multi-port charger.
• GaN chargers: Simply put, Gallium Nitride a.k.a GaN chargers are physically smaller in size and are efficient at transferring current as they lose less energy to heat. The pricing for them is a bit on the higher side as the technology is fairly new. We recommend picking up GaN chargers over others if your budget allows for it.

With all these factors in mind, a typical purchase decision will count the number of devices you need to simultaneously charge and how quick you need the charger to be. For example, if you have a Macbook Air and an iPhone charging for most parts of the day, you can get away with a 65W USB Power Delivery charger with two ports. But if you have a more power-hungry laptop and more devices to charge simultaneously, you may need to look at 100W multi-port chargers. If you just have an iPhone to charge, you can get by with a single-port 18W or 30W charger, depending on how recent your phone is.

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Best USB PD fast chargers with a single port

If you only have one device to charge, then you should consider buying a charger with a single USB-C port. These chargers tend to be the most portable and affordable ones on the market.

UGREEN 20W USB-C PD charger

Budget 20W USB-C charger

This simple USB-C charger from UGREEN is one of the most affordable USB-PD chargers you'll find in this collection. This particular charger supports a number of charging protocols including PD 3.0, QC 4.0, PPS, BC1.2, etc., so it works well with phones that need 20W of power or less. This 20W charger isn't as compact as some other premium GaN chargers out there, but it's thinner than a lot of other bulky wall adapters out there.

Buy from Amazon

Anker 511 Nano 3 Charger

30W USB-C GaN charger

The Anker 511 Nano 3 charger is perfect for those who want a simple charger with a single USB Type-C port. This compact GaN charger, as you can see, is smaller than a lot of other 30W chargers out there. It also comes with foldable prongs that make it easier to carry around. It is available to purchase in a bunch of different colors, but you'll have to buy a cable separately as you don't get one with the charger itself.

Buy from Amazon

Buy from Anker

Nekteck 60W GaN charger

60W USB-C GaN charger

The Nekteck 60W is one of the fastest single-port USB-PD chargers you can buy on the market right now. It uses Gallium Nitrate (GaN) instead of Silicon for a compact design and cooler performance. One of the best things about this particular USB-PD charger is that it comes with a 2-meter USB Type-C cable in the box. It also has an LED light at the bottom of the USB-C port to indicate the charging status of the connected device.

Buy from Amazon

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Best USB PD fast chargers with two ports

The USB PD chargers mentioned in this section have two USB ports, so they’re perfect for those who want to charge more than one device simultaneously.

Baseus 30W Dual port

USB-C (18W) + USB-A (12W)

This Baseus Dual port charger, as the name implies, comes with two USB ports with which you can charge two devices simultaneously. If you're charging two devices simultaneously, then you can get up to 18W power from USB-C port and up to 12W power from the USB-A port. This particular charger is available to purchase in two colors and it also comes with a foldable plug that makes it easier to carry around.

Buy from Amazon

Spigen ArcStation Pro 40W

USB-C (20W) + USB-C (20W)

The Spigen ArcStation 40W charger, as you can see, comes with two USB Type-C ports. You can get up to 30W of power when only one of the two ports is in use for charging. You can also use both ports to charge two devices simultaneously, but you'll only get 20W power in each port in that case. The ArcStation 40W charger also uses GaN tech, so it's compact and is more reliable with its power delivery.

Buy from Amazon

Amazon Basics 60W charger

USB-C (50W) + USB-C (18W)

This Amazon Basics USB-PD charger may not be the most portable option out there on the market, but it can deliver the fastest speeds out of the bunch in this section. You can get up to 60W charging speeds while using a single port, meaning you can even use it to charge laptops with PD support. It's only available in one color and you don't get a charging cable with it, so keep that in mind.

Buy from Amazon

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Best multi-port USB-PD fast chargers

We recommend picking up a multi-port USB-PD charger if you want to charge more than two devices simultaneously. We’ve included

Baseus 100W 4-Port GaN II Fast Charging Station

2 USB-C + 2 USB-A

The Baseus 100W 4-Port GaN II Charging Station comes with four ports - two Type-C and two Type-A. This particular charger can deliver up to 100W of power when you're only using a single port. But if you want to use all ports simultaneously to charge multiple devices, then it uses BPS II (Baseus Power Split) tech to intelligently allocate power for all devices. Unlike a lot of other chargers out there, this one comes with a 100W USB-C to USB-C cable.

Buy from Amazon

UGREEN Four port charger

3 USB-C + 1 USB-A

The Ugreen four-port PD charger is an excellent option if you want to charge more than two devices. It has three Type-C ports, all of which are USB PD-compatible, and one Type-A port. As for the charging speeds, you can get a maximum of 100W power while using a single port, and up to 45W power while using all the ports simultaneously. This compact charger also uses GaN tech for reliable power output.

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UGREEN Nexode 140W

GaN PD 3.1 charger

We're wrapping up the list with the UGREEN Nexode charger which is the only USB PD 3.1 charger in this collection. The USB-PD 3.1 chargers are still relatively new to the market and they tend to be on the expensive side. You can get up to 140W of power via one of the USB-C ports, so it's even capable of charging powerful and demanding machines like the new MacBook Pro 16 with M1 Pro or M1 Max chip.

Buy from Amazon

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These are the best USB PD fast chargers you can buy on the market right now. As you can see, there are a number of options with different wattages and port selections. You can choose one depending on your requirements. We’ll continue to update this post with newer and better options in the future, so be sure to explore those options too.

Still confused? Choose this charger

If you just need a simple charger for your phone, the Anker 511 charger is a good option to consider. Those wanting to charge more than one device can buy the Baseus 30W dual port or the Spigen Arcstation Pro charger. More advanced users with multi-devices, on the other hand, can go with the Baseus fast charging station.

So which USB PD charger are you planning to get? Let us know in the comments section. Also, check out our recommendations on the Best USB Cables to go along with your new charger.

The post These are the best USB PD fast chargers for phones and laptops in 2022 appeared first on XDA.

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How to install OTA updates and keep root on your Google Pixel phone

Part of the beauty of owning a Google Pixel phone comes through the proper availability of firmware images that can be used to return the device to a factory state. Even if you unlock the bootloader, root the phone, or tinker a bit too much, you may find yourself looking for a last resort to restore the stock configuration before taking the monthly security updates. While many hardcore Android fans will know exactly what to do, not everyone is as adept at getting their phone updated without losing root.

If you have access to a PC/Mac and are happy to take matters into your own hands, you can easily keep root access by performing a few extra steps in addition to sideloading the OTA update on your Google Pixel. In this tutorial, we’re going to show you how.

Navigate this article:

• How rooting affects the capability of installing OTA updates
• How to keep root and take OTA updates on your Pixel
  • Recommended method
  • Quick method
• Verification

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How rooting affects the capability of installing OTA updates

Rooting involves modifying parts of the Android boot image so as to gain superuser access. A regular monthly OTA or “over-the-air” update is incremental in nature, which means it can’t apply the delta patch to upgrade the stock boot image due to an obvious binary mismatch in a rooted environment. While opting for the full update package is a viable solution to this problem, it will eventually overwrite the bits and pieces required for root access from the boot partition.

So for those of you who plan to get dirty with your Pixel and may need a savior down the road, we thought we’d make sure you know how to keep root access across monthly security updates. The process isn’t difficult, but it does require a few ADB and Fastboot commands.

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How to keep root and take OTA updates on your Pixel

Before starting, note that this tutorial assumes you have an unlocked bootloader and are already rooted with Magisk. Moreover, make sure that you have the latest ADB and Fastboot binaries installed on your PC/Mac and that the target device can be detected by these tools.

There are a few ways to get your Pixel update to the latest official Android build while keeping root. You can restore the stock boot image of the base version, wait until your phone gets a notification that will prompt you to download any waiting updates to your phone (or sideload the update manually), then patch the updated boot image and flash it. This is a bit slower but recommended method for beginners.

A relatively quicker method to get the very latest update on your Google Pixel while keeping root is to flash the official factory image with a pre-patched boot image. Keep in mind that both methods rely on access to a PC or Mac. None of them requires you to wipe the device, but it’s good practice to backup any irreplaceable data in case something goes wrong.

Note that the Google Pixel 7 series (and devices launching with Android 13), the generic ramdisk is removed from the boot image and placed in a separate partition called “init_boot.” As a result, you need to patch the init_boot image instead of the regular boot image in order to root these devices. If you have the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro, replace every occurrence of boot.img with init_boot.img for the tutorial below.

Recommended method

1. Locate the exact version number of the currently installed software on your Google Pixel phone. Navigate to Settings > About phone and note down the text under the Build number section.
2. Now we need to restore the untouched boot image corresponding to the installed build. As a precautionary measure, open Magisk, switch to the Modules tab, disable the active modules, and restart once before doing so.
   • Depending on the method of patching, the Magisk app might keep a backup of the stock boot image. In that case, you should be able to restore them through the Restore Images option under the after the Uninstall menu of the Magisk app. Nonetheless, we recommend flashing the untouched boot.img from the factory image to avoid any unforeseen issue.
3. Download the fastboot-flashable factory image corresponding to the current Android build number for your Google Pixel phone on your PC/Mac. It should be named as <device codename>-<build number>-factory-<hash value snippet>.zip.
   • Google hosts all of the official builds for each Pixel on its download portal. You can also take a look at our Android 13 download index for easy navigation.
4. Open the factory image using your favorite archive manager, locate the image-<device codename>-<build number>.zip file (yes, there’s a ZIP within a ZIP), and extract the boot.img file from it.
   
5. Install the stock boot.img for the current Android build number:
   1. Make sure USB debugging is enabled on the phone and the adb devices command on the computer returns the phone’s serial number.
   2. Reboot to the phone to the bootloader mode: adb reboot bootloader
   3. Flash the stock boot image: fastboot flash boot <full patch of the stock boot.img>
   4. Reboot: fastboot reboot
6. You can now force your phone to pull any waiting updates by heading to Settings > System > System update > Check for updates. Alternatively, download the latest recovery-flashable full OTA image for your model and sideload it manually.
   • Don’t choose the latest factory image for upgrading, as the inbox flashing script will wipe the device by default.
7. Now that you’re on the latest build, it’s time to patch the boot image with Magisk for regaining root access. We have a dedicated tutorial for how to install Magisk, so take a look at it if you need any help.
8. Once your phone has rebooted after flashing back the patched boot image, you should be safely updated with the very latest OTA with root access.

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Quick method

1. Download the factory image corresponding to the latest update for your Pixel phone on your PC/Mac. You can either do it from Google’s download portal or from our Android 13 download index.
2. Unpack the factory image using your favorite archive manager, locate the image-<device codename>-<build number>.zip file, and extract the boot.img file from it.
3. Patch the stock boot image using Magisk, but don’t flash it on your phone yet.
4. Copy the Magisk-patched boot image from your phone to your PC/Mac and rename it to boot.img.
5. Open the image-<device codename>-<build number>.zip file from step 2 with the archive manager of your choice and replace the stock boot image file in it with the one from step 4.
   • Windows users are suggested to use 7-Zip, so that a simple drag-and-drop should be enough to push the patched file into the archive.
   • Linux and macOS users can use the built-in zip utility to replace the stock boot image with the patched boot image in the factory firmware:

     zip image-<device codename>-<build number>.zip boot.img

6. In order to remove the data wipe routine, modify the flashing script like the following:
   • If you’re on Windows, then open the file named “flash-all.bat” with Notepad (or your favorite text editor), remove the “-w” parameter from the fastboot flashing segment, and save the file.
     
   • For Linux and macOS, open the file named “flash-all.sh” with your favorite text editor, remove the “-w” parameter from the fastboot flashing segment, and save the file.
7. Reboot your Pixel phone to the bootloader mode and perform the flashing operation using Fastboot.
8. If everything goes right, the phone should reboot automatically into the latest OS version — that too with a pre-rooted boot image.

Don’t have access to a computer? While it is possible to direct Magisk to install itself to the inactive slot before taking an incremental OTA and keep root after the update, you might stumble on some unexpected roadblocks in this process. Thus, we recommend patching the boot image yourself and flashing it using a PC.

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Verification

A simple way to check if you have followed all of these steps correctly is to head to Settings > About phone > Android version. You should see the exact patch and build number that you have sideloaded on your Google Pixel device.

Next, open the Magisk app from app drawer and the Magisk build number should be listed beside the “Installed” parameter, indicating that you’ve successfully managed to complete the process.

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If you have any questions regarding rooting your Google Pixel phone, make sure to leave them in the comment section below.

The post How to install OTA updates and keep root on your Google Pixel phone appeared first on XDA.

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How to install Android 12 and 12L on Google Pixel and other Android devices

It’s that time of year again! Android 12, i.e. the next major release of Android is now available via stable channel. Google has also started rolling out Android 12L as a feature drop that brings several optimizations and improvements for large screen devices. For lucky owners of the Google Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, or Pixel 6 Pro, you’ll be among the first users to see what new OS update has to offer.

If you have any of the aforementioned Pixel smartphones running and older stable build and wondering how you can install Android 12 or 12L, just scroll down as we have a tutorial ready for you. Keep in mind that Google will be providing an incremental OTA for existing beta users to move to the stable release, but they can also opt for a manual flashing. You will need a PC/Mac with ADB and Fastboot installed to successfully execute the installation process, once you have downloaded the relevant Android 12 release packages.

Alongside supported Google Pixel devices, Android 12/12L is also made available in the form of a GSI that can be flashed on a much wider range of devices. OEMs have joined in on the party as well, and you can flash Beta 1 on the following phones:

• ASUS ZenFone 8
• iQOO 7 Legend
• Lenovo P12 Pro (12L)
• Nokia X20
• OnePlus 9
• OnePlus 9 Pro
• OPPO Find X3 Pro
• Realme GT
• TCL 20 Pro 5G
• Tecno Camon 17
• Xiaomi Mi 11
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
• Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro
• Xiaomi Mi 11X Pro / Mi 11i / Redmi K40 Pro+
• ZTE Axon 30 Ultra 5G

Warning: The updates are intended for developers only, so don’t install them on your daily-driver. These builds are early releases and contain bugs and other system instabilities. Even if the flashing process doesn’t necessarily wipe your device, it is highly recommended that you back up your data before proceeding. Users are advised to exercise caution.

The three methods to install the update are:

• For supported Google Pixels: Sideload Android 12/12L via Recovery and ADB
• For supported Google Pixels: Flashing full Factory Image via Fastboot
• Any Project Treble-compatible Android device: Install Android 12/12L GSI

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Method 1: Sideload Android 12/12L via Recovery and ADB

To install the stable build, you need to sideload the appropriate OTA package for your device from Recovery through ADB. This method will also work for Google Pixel devices with a locked bootloader.

1. Download the update .zip file on your computer from here. For convenience, you can rename this file to a simpler name and place the file in the directory where ADB is located on your computer.
2. Optional but recommended: Verify the SHA-256 checksum of the file you have downloaded to ensure that the file has been downloaded completely and correctly.
3. Enable USB Debugging on your phone — Go to Settings > About Phone > Tap “Build Number” 7 times, (optionally) enter your pattern, PIN or password to enable Developer Options, and then navigate to Settings > Developer Options > Enable “USB Debugging”.
4. Connect your phone to your computer. Authorize your computer connection on your phone when the prompt comes up on your phone, if this is the first time you are connecting with this ADB computer.
5. On your computer, run the command:

   adb reboot recovery

6. You should see “No command” on your phone screen. Now press and hold the Power button of your phone. While you hold Power, press the Volume Up button and let go of both buttons quickly. You should the Android recovery menu.
7. Select the option Apply Update from ADB from the recovery menu.
8. On your phone, select the option “Apply Update from ADB”
9. On your computer, run the command:

   adb devices

   This should return a device serial with the “sideload” next to its name, indicating that your device is connected to the computer in sideload mode.

10. On your computer, run the command:

    adb sideload "filename".zip

    Where “filename” is to be replaced with the name of the file downloaded in Step 1

11. The update should install on your phone. Once the installation is complete, choose “Reboot system now” on your phone to reboot into Android 12.

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Method 2: Flashing full Factory Image via Fastboot

If you have an unlocked bootloader on a Google Pixel device, you need to flash the full factory image of the Android 12 or 12L via Fastboot. Usually, this is done through a flash-all.sh or flash-all.bat script file that is included in the downloaded file, but its default configuration also wipes the device completely. You can, however, retain your data by deleting the “-w” wipe attribute from the command within the script.

1. Download the factory image .zip file on your computer from here.
2. Optional but recommended: Verify the SHA-256 checksum of the file you have downloaded to ensure that the file has been downloaded completely and correctly.
3. Extract the .zip file, and copy and paste the resultant files onto your ADB and fastboot folder on your computer for convenience.
4. Optional: The resultant files would contain a flash-all.sh or flash-all.bat script file. Using a text editor, open the flash-all.sh if you’re on macOS/Linux or the flash-all.bat script file if you’re on Windows. Find and remove/delete the -w flag in the fastboot update command. This will skip the data wipe for your phone. To avoid compatibility issues, a data wipe is recommended though.
5. Enable USB Debugging on your phone — Go to Settings > About Phone > Tap “Build Number” 7 times, (optionally) enter your pattern, PIN or password to enable Developer Options, and then navigate to Settings > Developer Options > Enable “USB Debugging”.
6. Connect your phone to your computer. Authorize your computer connection on your phone when the prompt comes up on your phone, if this is the first time you are connecting with this ADB computer.
7. On your computer, run:

   adb reboot bootloader

   This will reboot your phone into Fastboot mode.

8. On your Mac/Linux PC, run:

   flash-all

   This command executes the flash-all.sh script file, which will then install the necessary bootloader, baseband firmware, and operating system. If you are on Windows, you can simply double click the flash-all.bat file.

9. Once the script finishes, your device will reboot into the new OS.

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Method 3: Install Android 12/12L GSI

Even if you don’t own a compatible Pixel smartphone, you can still install Google’s official GSI binaries to test Android 12 or 12L, provided your device is compatible with Project Treble. You also need an unlocked bootloader. The last thing that we need to say is that flashing a GSI will require you to factory reset your device, so be sure you’re prepared to lose app data before you proceed with this! We recommend you make an off-device backup (such as on your PC or an SD Card) in case anything goes wrong.

1. Download links for the official Android 12/12L Beta GSIs can be found here. Google has yet to publish GSIs based on the stable release. You should download the appropriate version based on your device’s architecture. To see which architecture your device has, run the following command:

   adb shell getprop ro.product.cpu.abi

2. Optional but recommended: Verify the SHA-256 checksum of the file you have downloaded to ensure that the file has been downloaded completely and correctly.
3. Extract the .zip file, and copy and paste the resultant files (system.img and vbmeta.img) onto your ADB and fastboot folder on your computer for convenience.
4. Enable USB Debugging on your phone — Go to Settings > About Phone > Tap “Build Number” 7 times, (optionally) enter your pattern, PIN or password to enable Developer Options, and then navigate to Settings > Developer Options > Enable “USB Debugging”.
5. Connect your phone to your computer. Authorize your computer connection on your phone when the prompt comes up on your phone, if this is the first time you are connecting with this ADB computer.
6. On your computer, run:

   adb reboot bootloader

   This will reboot your phone into Fastboot mode.

7. As mentioned earlier, the bootloader of the target device must be unlocked beforehand.
8. Next, we need to disable Android Verified Boot (AVB). To do that, run the following command:

   fastboot flash vbmeta vbmeta.img

9. Optional but recommended: Enter the following to wipe the system partition:

   fastboot erase system

10. Flash the Android 12/12L GSI:

    fastboot flash system system.img

11. Allow the image to flash, it could take a few minutes. Once that’s done, wipe the userdata partition:

    fastboot -w

12. Finally, reboot your device:

    fastboot reboot

13. Hopefully, your device should boot into the new build of Android.

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Be sure to follow our Android 12 and Android 12L tags for all the latest news on the new Android version!

The post How to install Android 12 and 12L on Google Pixel and other Android devices appeared first on XDA.

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Google is reportedly bolstering its hardware division by shifting resources away from its Assistant

Google has warned employees about impending changes for months, and it has more recently started cutting costs across the company. In September, the firm canceled projects and began winding down its internal incubation project Area 120, and perhaps the biggest story was it shutting down Stadia, its online game streaming service. While more changes are undoubtedly on the horizon, a new report states that Google is shifting its strategy so that it can double down on its hardware division.

The Information by way of Ars Technica reports that while there have been sizeable cuts within the company, but it looks like most of the hardware divisions are safe. In fact, Google has recognized that the tide is turning in the Android market, with even its top competitor, Samsung, slowly losing market share to Apple. Furthermore, Google thinks that it can occupy this space by leveraging its own hardware and doubling down on its Pixel hardware lineup.

Apparently, in order to accomplish this, the firm will shift labor from non-Google devices to focus more on its own products. As for what areas are seeing shifts internally, the report states that there might be adjustments with staff working on Google TV, reassigning them to work on Wear OS and the Pixel Tablet. Furthermore, the report also seems to discuss cuts to teams working on Google Assistant for devices such as TVs, headphones, speakers, and more. As stated before, the bulk of the change will have to do with third-party manufacturers of these kinds of devices.

While this certainly looks bad for manufacturers, some will apparently be supported, like Samsung, Xiaomi, and OnePlus. Unfortunately, that’s a really small number when compared to all of the manufacturers around the world that produce Android products. Of course, these are just reports, so it remains to be seen whether we will see the ramifications of these actions in the near future.

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Source: The Information
Via: Ars Technica

The post Google is reportedly bolstering its hardware division by shifting resources away from its Assistant appeared first on XDA.

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