Update: December 6, 2019 (5:15 PM ET): Google just added ten more games and apps to its Play Pass subscription, including KLWP and KWGT. These are some of the best widget, live wallpaper, and overall customization apps you can get on Android, so this is exciting news. We have updated the list below to include these latest additions.

Original Article: September 23, 2019 (12:19 PM ET): The long-awaited Google Play Pass is here and with it a new way to enjoy apps and games from the Google Play Store. With nearly 400 ad-free Play Pass games and apps available, there’s sure to be something that piques your interest.

The titles included will expand over the coming months, but we’ve made a list of all games and apps currently announced for Google Play Pass below. Titles in bold are ones we recommend.

Google Play Pass games

Google Play Pass has a solid list of launch games from a variety of genres and publishers. Most of them are premium (paid) titles, but there are a few free-to-play games with ads and in-app purchases removed. Here’s a full list of what’s on tap, separated by genre as best we could.

Note: To cut down on the number of items in the list, all generic games have been removed. Rest assured that there are tons of word search, sudoku, jigsaw puzzle, and chess games, but they’re not in the list below.

Adventure:

Action/sports:

RPG:

Puzzle: 

Strategy/simulation:

Music:

• Cytus II
• Melobeat

Children/educational:

Google Play Pass apps

The list of Google Play Pass apps is honestly pretty bloated, but there are a few useful productivity apps. Here’s the list for now, and we’ll update it as more apps are added to the service.

All apps:

What are your favorite Google Play Pass games and apps? Let us know in the comments below!

Android Authority

Google brought Focus Mode to its Digital Wellbeing suite back in August, giving you another way to stay productive. The function was initially available in beta, but it’s now available as a stable release and has gained a few new features too.

Focus Mode allows you to mark specific apps as distracting, preventing you from launching them when the mode is enabled. Need access to those apps for whatever reason? Then you can simply disable Focus Mode or remove it from the list of distracting apps.

Google announced Focus Mode’s stable release and detailed a few new additions in a press release. The first new feature is the ability to create a schedule for the mode. Check out the GIF below for an idea of what to expect:

“For example, we’ve added an option to automatically turn Focus Mode on and off for the days and times that you choose (e.g. from 9AM to 5PM on weekdays). This is especially handy for setting daily schedules; you can minimize distractions during the hours you’re at work, school or home,” the company explained.

Finished your work early and want to access those distracting apps? Google says you can end Focus Mode and it’ll resume in line with your schedule the next day.

Google also added the ability to take a break of up to 30 minutes without actually having to exit Focus Mode (seen below). This seems pretty handy if you’re on a lunch break or have any other downtime during work/school.

Supplied by Google

Google says Focus Mode is available for all Android 9 and Android 10 devices that already have Digital Wellbeing and parental controls. Do you use the Digital Wellbeing suite on your phone? Let us know in the comments section.

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Google rolled out the latest Android security patch today. As usual, along with the security patch, the update also brought in some new features for Pixel devices, including a much-awaited feature: gesture navigation support on third-party launchers (via 9to5Google).

This means you can now choose from any number of launchers on the Google Play Store and still use Google’s new gesture navigation system. This includes swiping in from either bottom corner of the display to activate Google Assistant.

Curiously, the new feature comes to every device in the Pixel line except for the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. The reason those devices don’t have the feature is that, for whatever reason, the update hasn’t rolled out for those two devices as of yet. However, every other Pixel device — including the OG Pixel and Pixel XL — should have gesture navigation support on third-party launchers now.

Related: December 2019 Android security patch is here, final update for OG Pixel included

For now, anyway, Pixel 4 users will be stuck using the Pixel Launcher if they want to use gesture navigation.

Additionally, the new update also brings some Pixel 4-exclusive features to older devices. These include Pixel Themes, clipboard suggestions, and Google’s Live Caption tool.

Finally, if you are using the Pixel Launcher you can now swipe down from anywhere on the home screen to pull down the navigation shade. This will be a welcome update when it lands on the Pixel 4, as users can’t easily drop down the shade since that device has no fingerprint sensor.

We’ll keep you posted as soon as the update lands for Pixel 4 devices. In the meantime, click here to get it on all other Pixels.

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Vector graphics are awesome. They’re useful in marketing, website design, social media, and pretty much everything in between. If you’ll need them at some point in your life, check out today’s deal from VectorGrove.

This is your opportunity to get lifetime access to the entire VectorGrove library of vector graphics for just $ 23 with our promo code.

Most of us don’t have the time or money to develop unique vector graphics every single time we start a new project. It’s so much easier to download them from the library on-demand.

Choose from over one million vector graphics in any size.

VectorGrove has over one million graphics that are completely royalty-free. You can use them as much as you want, wherever you want. It’s almost like having your own design team that’s done all of the hard work already.

VectorGrove has all of the graphics conveniently divided by category, and you can sort by any number of filters to find that just-right piece for your project. The library keeps growing each month with new designs.

VectorGrove highlights:

• Use for web design, social media, video advertising, and so much more.
• Download images an unlimited amount of times in any size.
• Resize all files indefinitely without the loss of image quality.

A VectorGrove subscription is usually $ 19 per month, but right now a lifetime subscription can be yours this Black Friday weekend for only $ 23.40. Use the coupon code BFSAVE40 at the checkout to get the lowest price.

There are deals on the one and three-year subscriptions too. The same coupon code also applies to those offers.

The promo code only applies this weekend, so hit the button below to get started.

Is this deal not quite right for you? To see all our hottest deals, head over to the DEALS HUB.

Android Authority

Pine64

It’s no secret that two operating systems hold the lion’s share of the mobile market — Android and iOS. This current duopoly doesn’t give users much choice in the way of OS offerings, even though there is no shortage of hardware. In the past, Microsoft tried to break into the market to no avail, and Huawei will release its own offering soon enough.

But what if there was another alternative, one that’s more privacy-respecting and encourages tinkering? Enter the PinePhone by Pine64. This device isn’t quite ready for the mass market yet, but if you are looking for a unique alternative to Android and iOS devices, you’ll want to keep an eye on this one.

The company behind the PinePhone

Pine64

Pine64 is a small, community-driven company that specializes in developing ARM devices. It began by producing single-board computers similar to the Raspberry Pi. Eventually, the company also started developing laptops that run on these single-board computers, and now the company is branching into the mobile phone market — hence the PinePhone. Pine64 also plans on releasing a smartwatch and a tablet in the future, but those are conversations for another day.

What exactly is the PinePhone?

Pine64

The PinePhone is a fully open-sourced smartphone, and it is Pine64’s most ambitious project to date. And unlike most devices you can get buy today, Pine64 didn’t design the PinePhone to run Android or iOS. The company developed the device to run Linux.

The PinePhone may be a little too complicated for the average consumer.

We don’t know for sure which specific operating system the consumer-ready device will ship with, but Pine64 says it supports all available major Linux phone projects. Some notable projects include Ubuntu Touch, Sailfish OS, and Plasma Mobile. Each OS comes with its own pros and cons, and that variety is one of the PinePhone’s competitive advantages.

Users can choose which platform best suits their needs instead of simply using the one manufacturers want them to use. That means, depending on what OS they choose, they may have a vastly different experience from someone else who chooses a different OS for their PinePhone. On the flip side, users may have to load these operating systems on the device themselves, making the PinePhone a little too complicated for the average consumer.

What about the PinePhone specs?

Pine64

The PinePhone will come in at a grand total of $ 150, and the specs match that price tag. It will come with the Allwinner A64 quad-core SoC, Mali 400 MP2 GPU, 2GB of RAM, and a 2,000mAh battery.

The display will be a 5.95-inch 1,440×720 LCD panel. The rear camera will tout a 5MP shooter, while the selfie camera sports a measly 2MP sensor.

You shouldn’t get this device if you are looking for high-end specs.

It will also include a USB-C charging port, a headphone jack, and a plastic chassis. Altogether, the device will weigh somewhere between 180 and 200 grams. Needless to say, you shouldn’t get this device if you are looking for high-end specs.

Will it run my favorite mobile apps?

The answer to this question is not as simple as we might hope. Depending on which OS you choose, you will get access to vastly different application libraries. Some of the supported operating systems aim to include full Linux app support. Others want to develop their own mobile app ecosystem.

Expect to make some sacrifices as far as mobile app selection is concerned.

Thanks to Ubuntu Touch’s emphasis on web apps, it probably offers the most complete mobile app ecosystem out of the box. Sailfish OS’ native apps leave much to be desired, but it allows users to install some Android apps on specific devices. Hopefully, the PinePhone will get this ability too.

Other than that, app options are limited with the other offerings. If you are thinking about purchasing this device, expect to make some sacrifices as far as mobile app selection is concerned.

What is the PinePhone’s launch date, price, and availability?

Pine64

Right now, you can preorder a version of the device called the BraveHeart Edition, though I wouldn’t recommend you buy one. Pine64 made this version of the PinePhone solely for developers and early adopters, and it is not daily driver material.

The consumer-ready version will retail for $ 150, and Pine64 says it will launch sometime in Spring 2020. The device will ship worldwide, but some markets may be subject to extra shipping costs.

I don’t know about you, but I am pumped about this device. The idea of a completely open-source smartphone that is designed to be tinkered with excites me like none other.

Am I expecting the Pinephone to replace everyone’s Android device? Absolutely not. But do I think you should purchase one anyway? I do. It will only cost about as much as the average smart display, and it has the potential to expand our imaginations into what mobile computing could look like, not just what it is.

What about you? Are you excited about this device? Let us know in the poll below, and tell us why or why not in the comments section.

Loading poll

Android Authority

When it comes to the biggest shopping period of the year, there’s not a ton of love when it comes to Apple Black Friday sales. The folks in Cupertino do offer a few deals and discounts on some products, but for the most part they don’t go quite as nuts on the price cuts as other companies do this time of year.

However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some great deals to be found on the interwebs. Here’s what we know will be available for Apple Black Friday deals this week, with more upcoming price cuts that will go live during the week.

Apple Black Friday gift card offer

Officially, the only Apple Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal the company is offering directly is giving out Apple Store gift cards. From Friday, November 29 to Monday, December 2, Apple will give out Apple Store gift cards of up to $ 200 with sales of “select products’. Apple has yet to reveal just which products you will have to buy to get those gift cards. We will update this post when that information is revealed.

Apple Black Friday iPhone deals

The iPhone remains the top-selling smartphone brand. For the Black Friday holiday week, wireless carriers and retailers are offering discounts on various iPhone models.

Apple Watch Black Friday deals

If you want to get your hands on an Apple Watch, there are a few deals available for people who want to save some cash on Apple’s popular smartwatch and fitness tracker.

There are many more Apple Watch Series 4 deals through Best Buy, and you can check them all out here.

iPad Deals

Apple remains the king of the tablet market with its various versions of the iPad. Let’s look at some of the Black Friday deals on versions of the iPad

MacBook Deals

Yes, Apple still makes Mac OS notebooks. Here’s a look at some of the Black Friday deals on MacBooks that are currently available.

Apple TV, headphones and other deals

Want to buy an Apple TV set-top box to watch Apple TV Plus? How about a set of Beats headphones or Apple Airpods for your ears? Black Friday shopping week has some deals to check out right now.

Android Authority

How many power banks do you take with you on trips? If the answer isn’t one, it really should be. The Swisstek 40,000mAh Power Bar holds all of the charging power you could possibly need. You can pick one up for $ 106 with our promo code and save over 50% off retail.

This is the Federal Reserve of power banks, with an incredible 40,000mAh storage capacity. I could charge my Galaxy S10 more than ten times without ever having to find an outlet. Heck, it’s enough to power your Christmas tree if a blizzard were to come along in time for the holidays.

Your current power bank might only have a couple of USB or USB-C ports. It’s great for charging your phone or your wireless headphones, but it could be doing so much more. The Swisstek has a full AC outlet so you can charge anything you can think of. Laptop? Yep. Kitchen mixer? You can charge that too.

The Swisstek Power Bar at a glance:

• The AC outlet provides a great power supply on-the-go.
• Compatible with a wide variety of laptops and other devices that require an AC outlet.
• Perfect for travel and business trips.
• It includes USB and USB-C outputs.
• Designed to the highest safety and quality standards, ensuring reliability and performance.

The Swisstek Power Bar has a retail value of $ 230, but this deal and the promo code BFSAVE15 knock the price down to just $ 106. It’s an incredible deal for a massive amount of charging and convenience.

Don’t let the deal or your battery die. Hit the button below to find it.

Is this deal not quite right for you? To see all our hottest deals, head over to the DEALS HUB.

Android Authority

This is an excerpt from our full post on Drone Rush. Get all the specs and read all about the Mavic 2 Pro over on Drone Rush!

When it comes to drones, one of the best you can get your hands on is the DJI Mavic 2 Pro. Launched in 2018 along with the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom, the two are the same airframe, just with different cameras. DJI called them iterative updates to the original DJI Mavic Pro, but they offer significant improvements in almost every way.

Be sure to head over to Drone Rush for our full DJI Mavic 2 series review, for now, let’s explore some of the best features of the DJI Mavic 2 Pro.

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DJI Mavic 2 Pro: A superb camera drone

DJI Mavic 2 Pro overview

The Mavic 2 Pro rocks a 1-inch camera sensor for 4K video capture at 100Mbps, multi-direction obstacle avoidance sensors for some of the safest drone flight possible, and much more. OcuSync 2.0 enhances connectivity to the remote control and other accessories, now able to transmit 1080p live stream video well beyond the legal line-of-sight.

The Mavic 2 Pro exemplifies the best that DJI has to offer.

As a folding drone, you get the best of a medium-size flying machine, with the portability of a large water bottle. DJI has mastered a number of flight features that we should all be able to take for granted, including self-piloted flight modes and a reliable RTH (Return to Home) failsafe. These features are exemplified in the Mavic 2 Pro.

To express our true feelings on the Mavic 2 Pro, we must discuss the camera. Equipped with a 1-inch Hasselblad sensor, attached to a 3-axis stabilized gimbal, the camera on this drone is hard to beat. We venture to call this the best camera drone under $ 2000, a crown previously held by the DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0. These two machines are similarly priced, and produce similar camera results, but the portability of the Mavic 2 Pro makes it an obvious choice for many pilots, as long as they do not need the payload capacity of the larger drone.

Mavic 2 Pro camera

Getting specific, the Mavic 2 Pro has a 1-inch CMOS sensor that shoots at 20MP with 4K video recording. The lens is a 28mm focal length with 77 degree field of view and variable f/2.8 – f/11 aperture.

Video capture offers up 4K resolution at 24, 25 and 30 frames per second (fps), 2.7K resolution at 24, 25, 30, 48, 50 and 60 fps, then 1080p resolution at 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, 60 and 120 fps. Video is recorded at 100Mbps data rate and saved in either mp4 or mov formats with H.264 or H.265 codecs. Further, you can choose Dlog-M or HLG 10-bit HDR mode.

Capturing photos is done at that 20MP resolution, that’s 5472 x 3648 pixels. You’ll be saving files in jpg, the DNG raw format, or both. The available modes tell more of the story than the hard specs. You can shoot in single shot mode, which is the default, or choose from HDR, Burst shot, AEB mode, which takes 3 or 5 bracket frames or there is Interval shooting at two up to sixty seconds.

With all that data being captured, it’s fantastic that the Mavic series has both internal storage and a microSD card slot.

Photo and video samples over at Drone Rush.

Do we like the Mavic 2 Pro?

Oh yes, we certainly do. It is just as important to look at the series than anything. The Mavic 2 Pro may be our favorite, but the Mavic 2 Zoom and Mavic 2 Enterprise are compelling offerings as well. Only the Pro is equipped with the larger Hasselblad camera, but the zoom functionality, as well as the optional infrared camera on the Enterprise model, offer a set of tools and options that anyone can use. We do wish the consumer grade machines offered the same data encryption as the Enterprise model, but that is truly a niche need for many.

Get all the specs and read all about the Mavic 2 Pro over on Drone Rush!

The DJI Mavic Mini is a new breed of capable, for the consumer pilots out there, but allow us to make this very simple: The DJI Mavic Mini is a fantastic beginner’s drone, when you are ready to upgrade, you’ll want something like the DJI Mavic 2 Pro.

The DJI Mavic 2 Pro was $ 1449 at launch, but can be found for as low as $ 1349 during holiday sales.

Android Authority

Google released the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL just over two years ago. The company has since updated the devices with each new iteration of Android since. Unfortunately, the platform’s most recent update, Android 10, seems to break Wi-Fi functionality on many Pixel 2 devices.

Thanks to a tip from Android Authority reader LW Rozanski, we’ve been notified of a Google support thread where hundreds of users are claiming Android’s latest update renders Wi-Fi nearly useless on their devices. Interestingly, though, it seems no two cases are the same.

Some users claim their devices can connect to Wi-Fi networks, but internet access is not available. Others say Wi-Fi connectivity will drop sporadically. Some also claim that even their devices’ Bluetooth functionality is inconsistent and unreliable after receiving the Android 10 update.

Related: Google confirms that Pixel 2 camera won’t get Top Shot feature

Google has yet to formally address the issue at large, though some users have received replacement devices running Android 9. This is not a proper solution since many devices could still suffer the same problems if and when users upgrade them to Android 10.

So far, the only potential fix is to factory reset the device, and even that isn’t guaranteed. And even if it was, users shouldn’t be required to reset their devices just to reclaim its basic functionality.

Fortunately, we have not had this Wi-Fi issue on any of our Pixel 2 devices after receiving the Android 10 update, so we cannot replicate the problem. But what about you? Have you had any of these issues with your devices, and have you had any luck sorting them out? Let us know in the comments below.

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While using your smartphone as your sole internet source is not preferable, there are times when turning your Android phone into a hotspot can really come in handy. Learning how to set up a mobile hotspot on Android may be helpful when your main internet connection goes down, for example.

In this post we will show you the ins and outs of setting up a mobile hotspot on Android, so let’s get started.

How to set up a mobile hotspot on Android

You have likely seen the hotspot button in your device’s quick settings drawer. While that is the fastest and easiest way to turn your mobile hotspot on and off, you are going to want to take a moment to configure things first.

Here’s how you configure a hotspot connection on Android:

1. Open the Settings app;
2. Select the Network & internet option;
3. Select Hotspot & tethering;
4. Tap on Wi-Fi hotspot;
5. This page has options for turning the hotspot feature on and off. Additionally, you can change the network name, security type, password, and more;
6. Follow instructions to customize the hotspot feature to your liking.

The hard part is over. All there is left to do is to turn on the hotspot feature. There is a handy toggle to do so in the settings, or you can use the notification shade’s quick settings.

Keep in mind that smartphone manufacturers often add their own UI elements to the experience. This often means moving settings and options around. We based these instructions on the stock Android settings menu in a Google Pixel 3 XL. Things might be slightly different depending on which device you own, but it should be relatively similar.

Set up mobile hotspot with a third-party app

Any recent smartphone should come with hotspot capabilities built-in. This wasn’t the norm in the past, though. Those of you using older smartphones might not have a tethering/hotspot option at your disposal, in which case you might depend on using a third-party app.

Two of our favorite options are PdaNet+ and Portable Wi-Fi hotspot.

What’s next?

There are a bunch of great apps in the Google Play Store that provide these and similar services for hotspot and tethering. Keep in mind that your best bet is to use the default Android or carrier tool. Third-party options are for the few users left who still need such services.

It is also important to keep security in mind when using a mobile hotspot. You should be able to trust the hotspot that you’ve created for yourself, but if you are connecting to other networks, you may consider a VPN Proxy service. We’ve looked at a number before, including Hotspot Shield.

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Wrapping up

That’s how you setup hotspot on Android. Do any of you have other methods you prefer to use? Let us know in the comments!

Android Authority