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WhatsApp is dropping support for older smartphones

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WhatsApp
It might be time to get a new smartphone.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

WhatsApp is dropping support for older smartphones that aren’t compatible with its latest features. At least one generation of iPhone, alongside older versions of Android and Windows Phone, will no longer be able to use the service at the end of the year.

How to watch Netflix offline

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The new Netflix app reveals your internet speeds.
Finally, watching Stranger Things on the subway is a reality.
Photo: Photo: Shardayyy/Flickr CC

If you’ve been dying to watch Netflix offline, your life just got better. An update to the official Netflix app lets you download TV shows and movies so you can view them without munching through your data allowance.

Anyone who’s dreamed about watching Stranger Things or The Crown on the subway to work, or at 35,000 feet, this is your lucky day! Here’s how to get in on the action.

Google one-ups Apple Music with even longer free trial

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Screen Shot 2016-11-25 at 15.47.37
Now's the time to try Google Play Music.
Photo: Google

Apple generously gives new Apple Music subscribers a three-month free trial before demanding its monthly fee, and now Google is beating it.

For a limited time, the company is offering four months of free access to Play Music and YouTube Red for new customers.

Microsoft brings its greatest creation to iOS and Android

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Solitaire
2016 finally brings something good.
Screenshot: Cult of Mac

Bid goodbye to your free time because Microsoft just brought Solitaire, arguably its greatest creation, to Android and iOS.

The game has been a staple of the Windows operating system for 25 years and boasts 119 million players on Windows 8 and Windows 10 alone. Now it’s jumping to third-party platforms for the first time ever.

iPhone 7 adoption outpaces iPhone 6, Android switching on the rise

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people are switching from Android to iPhone than before.
people are switching from Android to iPhone than before.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If you thought people were getting tired of the iPhone, think again.

Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) released a new report today, suggesting that the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus launch marks an uptick in switchover of Android users over to Apple.

Samsung Galaxy S7 explodes in man’s face

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Galaxy Note 7 that exploded while charging.
Galaxy Note 7 that exploded while charging.
Photo: Mr Ni/Baidu

A Canadian man says he’s lucky to still have his eyes after a Samsung Galaxy S7 exploded in his hands.

Amarjit Mann told a local news station that he felt something in his pocket getting warm while he was driving. He pulled out his Galaxy S7 and says it exploded immediately. Sparks from the blast hit him in the cheek.

WhatsApp finally gets video calling

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WhatsApp
WhatsApp's 1 billion users can now video chat.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

We’ve been waiting for WhatsApp to offer video calling since the feature first leaked out last December — and now the wait is finally over.

The app’s latest update, which is available on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone, lets you video chat with other WhatsApp users for free.

Cheapo Androids erode iPhone market share globally

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iPhone
iPhones were a small part of the overall smartphone pie in Q3.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iPhones fell to just 12 percent of worldwide marketshare in Q3, claims a new report from Strategy Analytics — totting up the figures for what it claims was the fastest growth period for smartphones in one year.

Android phones, on the other hand, captured a record 88 percent of global smartphones shipments during the three month period. As for BlackBerry and Microsoft Windows Phone? Best not to ask, really!

Google Pixel review roundup: iPhone’s toughest Android competitor

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Google Pixel
Google's first phones are a hit.
Photo: Google

Google stepped up its fight against the iPhone with its new Pixel smartphone, but has it found a formula that’s good enough to worry Cupertino?

The Pixel looks pretty at first glance, and it’s the first handset to offer Google’s latest Android 7.1 Nougat software. It also promises a great display, stunning photos, and peak performance. Here’s what the first reviews have to say about it.

Facebook Messenger is getting a new Data Saver mode

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Facebook
Facebook Messenger is going on a data diet.
Photo: Rob LeFabvre/Cult of Mac

Facebook Messenger can be a real data hog if you’re a frequent user — especially if you send and receive a lot of GIFs, images, and videos. But that’s going to change thanks to a new Data Saver feature that’s currently being tested on Android.

Facebook’s new iOS app helps you find events

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Find stuff to do with Facebook Events.
Find stuff to do with Facebook Events.

Facebook is on a quest to cure your boredom with its newest standalone app that is focused solely on events.

Available only on iOS (for now), the new app dubbed Events from Facebook helps you find things to do in your area by giving you a filtered feed of what your friends are up to.

Replacement Galaxy Note 7 catches fire on a plane

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Galaxy Note 7 water wet
Galaxy Note 7 owners should keep a bucket of water nearby, just in case.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Southwest Airlines was forced to evacuate a flight from Louisville to Baltimore this morning before it hit the runway, thanks to a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone that caught fire.

Explosive Note 7 units have been reported around the globe thanks to faulty lithium-ion batteries. In this instance though, the Galaxy Note 7 in question was a replacement unit that the owner received after Samsung issued its global recall.

iPhone 7 smashes Pixel in early benchmark tests

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Google Pixel
It's in talks to buy HTC, maker of the Pixel lineup.
Photo: Google

Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL may pack the fastest smartphone camera, but when it comes to raw processing power the iPhone 7 leaves the new handsets in the dust.

Early benchmarks for the Pixel have already leaked for the device, which was unveiled Tuesday. And according to the tests, Google’s phone can’t even top the performance of the iPhone 6s and iPhone SE.

Google Pixel first impressions: Solid build, fugly back

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Google Pixel
It's in talks to buy HTC, maker of the Pixel lineup.
Photo: Google

Google’s new Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones are ready to do battle with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus and based on the first hands-on reviews, Apple could learn a few things from the new devices.

Apple’s shadow loomed large during today’s Google event. Exec from the search engine giant threw plenty of shade at the iPhone-maker for its lack of a headphone jack and storage limitations. Even though Google’s new devices look like total iPhone ripoffs the initial reaction has been mostly positive.

We’ll have to test Pixel in the wild before making our final judgement but here are some of the first reactions to the device from people that got to play with it:

Pixel phones are Google’s chance to out-innovate Apple

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Pixel by Google
Will Google deliver?
Photo: Google

The twin phones Google will launch Tuesday will show the company is finally serious about tackling the iPhone head-on. And they couldn’t be arriving at a better time.

With iPhone demand falling and many fans disappointed with the improvements Apple has made with the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, it’s a perfect opportunity for Google to prove it can out-innovate its biggest rival in the smartphone industry.

AOL’s new Alto Dashboard makes your email easier to manage

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Alto-Dashboard-iOS
Alto Dashboard in action on iOS.
Photo: AOL

Don’t you just hate getting bombarded with emails? Our inboxes can be filled with junk every day, and half the time, you might not know what’s spam and what’s worth reading. Now there’s a new tool from AOL called Alto Dashboard that can help.

Alto Dashboard, which is integrated into the do-it-all Alto mail client, intelligently scans, analyzes, and restructures your emails to present you with the most valuable content right away. It then makes that content actionable so you can deal with email faster.

Retro Apple iOS game controller works with Apple II

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retro apple controller
The AP40 is designed with a silicon "leaf" plug for the USB port.
Photo: 8bitdo

The Apple II and IIc weren’t exactly known as gaming machines when they launched 40 years ago, but that’s not stopping 8bitdo from creating a new wireless gaming controller that comes with an adapter for the PC that put Apple on the map.

The new AP40 Bluetooth controller comes in the shape of a retro Apple logo, allowing you to wirelessly play any old school game on the Apple II.

Google plans MacBook rival with new ‘Andromeda’ OS

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Chromebook Pixel
Google's next Pixel could be much more exciting.
Photo: Google

Google is expected to announce to new Pixel phones that will step up Android’s fight against the iPhone next month — and its assault on Apple won’t stop there.

According to a new report, the company is also planning a Pixel laptop powered by a new “Andromeda” operating system that will do battle with the MacBook. It could also steal some of its features, including the pressure-sensitive trackpad.

Google’s mesh router might fix your Wi-Fi problems

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eero
Google Wifi will be a lot like Eero.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Your home’s Wi-Fi could soon be powered by Google, according to a new report that claims the search engine giant plans to get into the router business next month.

Instead of competing head-on with Apple’s AirPort Express, the new Google router will supposedly bring a slew of smart features to the home, allowing users to pair two or more routers together to fix your home’s shoddy Wi-Fi coverage.