LineageOS 15.1, based on Android 8.1 Oreo, is slowly rolling out to more devices. Last month, Oreo builds for the OnePlus One, Galaxy S5 Plus, and other devices became available. Since then, more phones have been added to the LineageOS 15.1 build roster, including Motorola's 2017 flagship and the Sony Xperia XA2.
Before we get to the new devices, builds have stopped for two targets. LineageOS 15.1 is no longer available for the HTC One A9 (hiae), due to issues with calling.
At Google I/O, it was announced that camera apps from over 10 major manufacturers would be getting Google Lens integration. Since then, Sony's Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact and some newer Motorola phones have had this functionality added. Now, ASUS phones are being updated to support this as well.
Google Lens appeared in a reader's ZenFone 5 camera app after the phone had undergone a firmware update. It's not entirely clear whether or not the updated PixelMaster camera app is on the Play Store, but this updated camera app (v4.1.12.2_180604M) was included with the system update.
ASUS's latest generation of ZenFones was introduced at MWC in February, and three months later, we're finally starting to hear about US availability. The ZenFone 5Q, which is called the ZenFone 5 Lite in other markets, has arrived stateside for $299. It can be purchased from B&H, Best Buy, Newegg, and several other retailers.
The ZenFone 5Q is the lowest-end model of the bunch. It sports a 6.0" 1080p IPS display, a Snapdragon 630, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage with microSD expansion, a 16MP dual rear camera setup, a 20MP dual front camera setup, and a 3,300mAh battery.
Android gaming phones might not appeal to many people, but they must be selling well enough as companies continue to make them. The Razer Phone was last year's high-profile launch in the sector, and this year we've also seen efforts from Nubia and Xiaomi. Specialized ASUS brand Republic of Gamers (ROG) has just unveiled its own competitor at Computex 2018.
The ROG Phone boasts an exclusive Snapdragon 845 SoC with a higher clock speed (2.96GHz, Qualcomm's fastest ever), along with the world's first 3D vapor-chamber cooling system and an additional snap-on cooler.
Advertising can get pretty stale these days, so it's always nice to see something different. ASUS took "different" and ran with it, throwing 89 ZenFone 5s on dancer Ian Eastwood to advertise the ZenFone 5/5z. The result is... quite the spectacle.
With his suit of 89 ZenFone 5s, the dancer does his thing in front of a display that looks like it's composed of 1,139 ZenFone 5s (17 phones tall by 67 phones wide, though it's more likely just a large display with notches and gaps made to look like it's composed of all phones).
Back in late March, the lower-end version of the ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe (ZS550KL) began receiving its Android 8.0 Oreo update. Fast forward to a couple of days ago, and the more premium ZS570KL model of the ZenFone 3 Deluxe started to get Oreo as well. The ZenFone 3 Zoom (ZE553KL) has become the third phone in the ZF3 lineup to receive the update.
The ASUS ZenFone 3.0 Deluxe is getting Android 8.0 Oreo starting today, ASUS confirmed in a forum post. One of our tipsters gave us the heads-up that his device was downloading the update earlier this morning.
Google is going big on machine learning at this year's I/O—much of the keynote was about Assistant and Lens, both of which leverage neural networks to make magic happen on your phone. Now, Lens will be faster to use because it'll be right there in your camera app. This is coming to Google's phones, of course, but that's not all. Devices from Sony, Motorola, and others will also have Lens in the camera.
Chromebooks are continuing to become a very attractive product, but not everyone wants to drop $1000 or more on a Pixelbook. Asus is one of the better names in this space, especially with the Flip C302. If you're more interested in a smaller form factor, the C213SA-YS02-S has fallen to $319.85, which is a nice $79.15 off MSRP.
This ruggedized little convertible has an 11.6" HD touchscreen on a 360° hinge, a spillproof keyboard, and an Intel 3350 CPU, which isn't the best chip, as well as Android app support, USB-C, 32GB of flash storage, 4GB of DDR4 RAM, and a stylus.
The upcoming ASUS Chromebox 3 is now available to pre-order from a number of retailers ahead of its official release. Prices start at $249.99 for the most affordable model with an Intel Celeron chip, while a maxed-out Core i7 model is listed for a whopping $733.99. They’re expecting to start shipping in the coming weeks.
ASUS announced the Chromebox 3 at CES back in January. Alongside the Acer Chromebox CX13, it’s one of a number of Chrome OS devices with eighth-generation (Kaby Lake) Intel processors that are slated for release this spring, but ASUS did not provide us with an exact release date.
