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• How the LG V30 seduced me
  

  I don’t normally like devices that are too big, but I have to admit I’ve fallen head-over-heels for the LG V30. This is my story.(This is a preview – click here to read the entire entry.)

• Verizon Total Mobile Protection drops screen repair deductible to $29, introduces month-long open enrollment for phones less than two years old
  

  Most carriers offer some sort of monthly insurance plan for your phone when you buy a new phone from them, and Verizon is no exception. But to make its Total Mobile Protection plans more appealing, Big Red has made a few changes, including a price red…

• You can now purchase Google’s updated Daydream View VR headset for $99
  

  Available in Fog, Charcoal, and Coral.

  Google announced quite a few new toys at its October 4 event, one of which being an updated Daydream View headset. An exact release date wasn’t announced at the time of the announcement, but that day is now upon us.

  There are three colors of the Daydream View to choose from, including Fog, Charcoal, and Coral. Fog is expected to ship within two to three weeks, with Charcoal and the gorgeous Coral option expected to ship by October 22.

  The updated headset costs $99 with free shipping, and while that is more than the $79 asking price for the first-generation model, there are a lot of improvements this time around that make the added cost worth it – especially if you held out last year.

  We won’t go through all of the improvements here, but the highlights for 2017’s Daydream View include an added head strap for more comfortable VR experiences, improved fabric material and padding, a new heat sink system, and plenty more.

  If you’re interes…

• Alphabet’s CapitalG is leading Lyft’s $1 billion investment run
  

  Lyft’s total evaluation is now up to $11 billion.

  Although Uber might have been first to market, Lyft is rapidly making a name for itself in the ride-sharing industry. The company announced through its official blog that Alphabet’s CapitalG investment arm is leading the company’s latest $1 billion investing run, and because of this, Lyft is now valued at a total of $11 billion.

  This is a huge step for Lyft, and the fact that it’s working this closely with Alphabet is truly fascinating. Lyft and Waymo (Alphabet’s self-driving car division) struck up a partnership earlier in May, and Alphabet choosing to lead Lyft’s campaign in raising $1 billion reiterates Alphabet’s dedication to remaining on as much of Lyft’s good side as it can.

  What’s also interesting about this deal is that CapitalG was a backer for Uber early on in the company’s life. However, with Uber and Waymo currently at each others’ necks, the relationship between Uber and Alphabet is likely pretty shaky.

  Along with th…

• [Hands-on] PUSH, a minimal puzzle game that offers a beautiful and relaxing experience
  

  Rainbow Train, the makers of the hardcore minimal “dodge-em-up” oO, has released an all-new minimal puzzle game experience on the Play Store that is simply known as PUSH. A fitting name for a puzzler where the central mechanic has you pushing button a…

• The Google Play Security Rewards Program will pay security researchers who find vulnerabilities in third-party apps
  

  

  Google has long maintained various reward programs for its own apps and services like Chrome and Android. However, most independent developers can’t afford to run a similar program. Today, Google is stepping in to support Android app security with the Google Play Security Rewards Program. It’s like Google’s bug bounties, but for third-party apps.

  Under the program, security researchers will be encouraged to hunt for vulnerabilities in popular Android apps on the Play Store.

  Read More

  The Google Play Security Rewards Program will pay security researchers who find vulnerabilities in third-party apps was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

• Google now lets you try out apps before downloading them in the Play Store
  

  An unexpected, but welcome, move.

  Back at Google I/O 2016, Google announced something called “Android Instant Apps.” Android Instant Apps is a system that allows app developers to shrink down their applications into smaller packages that can be used without having to download them locally onto your phone, and the initial use case for this tech was to allow you to jump into an app via a Google Search even if you didn’t have said app downloaded. However, Google has since announced another use for the platform.

  “Apps to Try Now” was recently rolled out to the Play Store, and as you might expect, it allows you to instantly use an application without having to first download it onto your phone. If you like it, download the full version and keep on being you. If you don’t like what you see, simply stop using the app and go about your day – no need to then find the application and uninstall it from your device.

  Android Instant Apps has had a pretty slow rollout, with the platform…

• The new Daydream View can now be purchased for $99 from the Google Store
  

  Google announced a new Daydream View VR headset alongside the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, but it’s been a few weeks since then and you still haven’t been able to pre-order or even purchase one – until now, that is. The Google Store is now offering up thes…

• F-Droid, the open-source app repository, has been updated to v1.0
  

  If you are a big Android enthusiast, then you’re probably familiar with the name F-Droid. If not, it’s an extensive repository of open source apps, as well as the name of its accompanying client. Today that client has been updated to v1.0.
  If you reme…

• HTC U11 Plus shown off in renders, official announcement coming Nov 2
  

  The U11 Plus could come with an 18:9 display, rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, and a familiar design.

  The HTC U11 might not have been the most popular phone of the year, but it certainly wasn’t the worst. The U11 offered solid performance, great camera, snappy software, and a gorgeous design. The U11 got people talking about HTC again, and the company is looking to kick things up an extra notch next month.

  Earlier this week, renders for what is supposedly the HTC U11 Plus appeared online with clear looks at virtually every angle of the phone. There’s still the iconic glass black that shimmers and shifts colors depending on how light hits it, but there are a couple nice visual changes. The fingerprint scanner has been moved from the front to the back below the camera, and as a result, the front of the device features considerably smaller bezels. They aren’t quite as slim as what we’ve got with the Galaxy S8 or Essential Phone, but it’s an improvement nonetheless.

  Speaking of the d…

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