Verizon’s price for the LG V20 may be the lowest yet

The LG V20 is about to go on sale, and Verizon Wireless will apparently have the lowest price yet for the Android 7.0 Nougat smartphone, at least in the US. The carrier will begin selling the phone  online on Thursday, October 20 for $28 per month, or $672 without a contract.

See also: LG V20: everything you need to know101

That's compared to AT&T's price of $830 and T-Mobile's price of $769 for the same phone, and even cheaper than the $799.99 price for the unlocked version offered by B&H Photo and Newegg. We have still not learned what Sprint will charge for its version of the LG V20.

Verizon adds it will begin selling the phone in its retail stores on October 25, a few days before other carriers. In addition, buying the phone on the monthly payment plan comes with a number of special offers, including a free pair of Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay H3 headphones, which are normally worth $149. It also allows buyers to get the lower-range LG Stylo 2 V, a 5.7-inch phone with an included stylus, for just $1 a month for 24 months. Verizon is also offering savings of up to $300 for customers who trade in their older smartphones.

What do you think of Verizon's efforts to undercut everyone else on the price for the LG V20?

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CBS reportedly joins Google’s upcoming internet TV service

Google's rumored internet TV service has reportedly signed up a major TV network. CBS is rumored to have signed on the dotted line to add its programming to "Unplugged", the name for Google's entry into the already crowded market.

See also: The best Android TV apps23

The Wall Street Journal reports that this new deal means that when Unplugged goes live, subscribers will be able to watch live TV from CBS, which has shows such as The Big Bang Theory, three (yes, three) CSI shows and more. CBS already has its own Netflix-like streaming service, CBS All Access, that is slowly going to offer original programming such as the upcoming Star Trek TV show revival. It's unknown if this new deal with Google will also include those CBS All Access originals.

The same report claims that Google is in advanced talks with Disney and 21st Century Fox to add its channels, including ABC and Fox, to Unplugged. When it goes live, which the story says is supposed to happen in early 2017, the service will be using Google's YouTube service and will be priced between $25 and $40 a month, depending on the package of TV channels. Google already has YouTube Red, which offers ad-free videos and original shows, for $9.99 a month. This new story says that Unplugged and YouTube Red will be marketed as separate services by Google.

Unplugged will already have some competition in the Internet TV space

Unplugged will already have some competition in the internet TV space. Dish has its Sling TV service firmly in place, as does Sony with PlayStation Vue. In addition, Hulu has already confirmed plans for its own internet TV service for a launch in early 2017.

Do you think Google has a chance of success with Unplugged? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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Google’s Pixel Launcher goes live in the Play Store for its new smartphones

Google has made its Pixel Launcher available to download in the Google Play Store. The launcher is specifically for the use of owners of the company's newest smartphones, the Pixel and Pixel XL, which will officially go on sale tomorrow, October 20.

• The best Android launchers

In case you're out of the loop, the Pixel Launcher is the new launcher app that comes pre-installed on the Pixel and Pixel XL. It leaked out a few months ago, and you can download an unofficial version at this link if you'd like.

So what does the Pixel Launcher bring to the table? For starters, you'll notice there's no Google search bar at the top of the home screen. Instead you'll find a redesigned Google "pill" widget and a weather/date shortcut on the right. It also brings circular folders and icons, along with a slide-out app drawer in lieu of a dedicated app drawer button.

It's possible that Google could allow the app to be made available one other Android phones, though we think it'll likely stay a Pixel-exclusive app for now. Still, the company has already released its Wallpapers picker for the Pixel phones as a stand alone app for all Android devices, so maybe there's hope that the Pixel Launcher will gain more device support down the road. Would you like to get the Pixel Launcher installed on your phone?

Get it at Google Play See also: Google Pixel XL initial review: first 48 hours149

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Deal: free Moto Projector with Moto Z or Moto Z Force purchase at Best Buy

For those of you who are looking to buy a Galaxy Note 7 alternative and are considering Lenovo (or Motorola), Best Buy's new deal might just tip you over. With any Moto Z Droid and Moto Z Force Droid purchase on Verizon, Best Buy is giving out a free Moto Insta-Share Projector. Yes, you heard that right. Normally priced at $299.99, the mini projector snaps onto your Moto Z device, and your phone becomes a 70-inch screen. Not bad, eh?

See also: Moto Z and Moto Z Force (DROID) review68

I guess Lenovo and Best Buy really want to sell these ultra-thin modular siblings – especially when the biggest competitor is now gone from the market. Just a week ago, we reported that Best Buy was offering a $250 gift card with every Moto Z Droid purchase. The next day, Best Buy announced that it'd be offering a $150 gift card for the more durable sibling of the two, the Moto Z Force Droid. Well, if you've missed your chance, don't worry because through October 22^nd, Best Buy has another deal going on for the Moto Z devices.

If you choose to buy a Moto Z Droid or a Moto Z Force Droid at Best Buy – on an installment plan or a two-year contract with Verizon – you will receive a free Moto Projector "Mod." This module can be snapped onto the back of your Moto Z device very easily. It projects up to 70 inches on any flat surface at any angle with its integrated kickstand. Not only that, it'll provide up to one extra hour of battery life for your phone. Given that this Mod will normally set you back $299.99, Best Buy's deal is quite a steal, I'd say.

It projects up to 70 inches on any flat surface at any angle with its integrated kickstand.

Just to recap, the Moto Z Droid is an ultra-slim modular phone with a 5.5-inch Quad HD display protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass 4. It has a 13-megapixel low-light rear camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. And yes, for our selfie-enthusiasts, the front camera has an actual LED flash. The phone is powered by the good ole Snapdragon 820 chipset coupled with 4GB of RAM. Unfortunately, the battery capacity is on the lower end at 2,600 mAh. And perhaps even more unfortunate is the absence of the 3.5mm headphone jack. The Moto Z Force Droid is slightly thicker with a shatterproof display, a 21-megapixel camera, and a 3,500 mAh battery. Still no headphone jack though.

Are you interested in buying the Moto Z Droid or the Moto Z Force Droid? Head on over to Best Buy and get your free projector before this Saturday!

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Google reveals the winners of its 2016 Material Design Awards

Google has revealed the winners of the 2016 Material Design Awards, which honors applications that best use the company's Android app design style. This is the second year for these awards, which cover five different categories.

See also: The best Material Design apps for Android43

Asana: Team Tasks & Projects won the Brand Infusion category. Google stated:

With so much functionality built into the app, it would be easy for Asana's visual identity to become diluted. But Asana's design team thought through the brand experience at every turn. Subtle gradients are applied to the floating action button, as well as in moments of more casually paced user communication. The product logo is echoed in the circular outlines around icons that show up while editing a task.

Get it at Google Play

The winner in the Charming Engagement  category is the "happiness trainer" app Fabulous – Motivate Me! Google said:

The app's charming illustration style makes an immediate impression, inviting users into their first experience of goal-setting. The crisp state transitions and pleasing goal completion animations keep up motivation—even experiences beyond the in-app functionality are carefully considered, with bold notification styles, a well-developed soundscape, and email reminders that feel personal and direct.

Get it at Google Play

The Creative Navigation award went to the Japanese-based app C Channel, which offer "tips and tricks" videos. Google said:

C Channel organizes content into a series of tabs that can be traversed easily with a simple swipe. This engaging, gestural journey through the product continues even when videos are playing, allowing users to advance seamlessly between clips with a vertical fling. The overall positive vibe of the app—there's only a like button and no down voting—celebrates the ideas and trends within the community.

Get it at Google Play

The Expressive Layouts winner was the recipes app Kitchen Stories. Google stated:

Kitchen Stories excels at creating effective, easy-to-scan layouts for recipes across a variety of screens and sizes. Home cooks will be happy to have their tablets in the kitchen: content is organized smartly, minimizing the number of times you'll need to touch messy fingers to the screen. The attention to craft shines through at other moments in the app experience as well, from the precise positioning of type, to the playful use of the logo as a textural element on background surfaces.

Get it at Google Play

Finally, the Focused Efficiency winner went to the Airbnb Android app: Google said:

Essential tasks are satisfied through precise design, routing users clearly and briskly from sign in, to browsing, to booking a reservation. By neatly segmenting larger goals into smaller steps, Airbnb is able to sidestep the appearance of complexity, making the overall experience feel comfortable.

Get it at Google Play

All five app winners will be officially honored with their Material Design awards as part of the SPAN LA conference on October 27.

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LeEco Le Pro3 is headed to the US with a Snapdragon 821, 4GB of RAM for $399

At its big US launch event earlier today, LeEco announced that it's bringing the flagship Le Pro3 smartphone to the United States for just $399. The phone has been available internationally since September, but now folks in the US will be able to buy the affordable flagship without importing it.

The Le Pro3 sports a 5.5-inch Full HD display, Qualcomm's powerful Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of on-board storage, a fingerprint sensor and a rear-facing 16MP camera. It also has a big 4,070mAh battery that LeEco says will be able to charge to 33% in just 20 minutes. What's more, the device doesn't sport a 3.5mm headphone jack. Instead, it provides "Continual Digital Lossless Audio" through its USB Type-C port. The phone will be available in Gray and Gold color options on November 2.

In addition, LeEco is also bringing its mid-range Le S3 to the US for only $249. This device sports a 5.5-inch display, a Snapdragon 652 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of on-board storage and a 3,000mAh battery. It also has a 16MP rear camera, 8MP front camera and a fingerprint sensor on the back. This one will be available in Gray, Rose Gold and Gold on November 2.

For more details on these two new US-bound LeEco phones, head to the source links attached below.

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OneNote now supports Android 7.0 Nougat’s multi-window feature and more

The ability to view and operate two windows simultaneously is one of Android 7.0 Nougat's most helpful new features. The Nougat ingredient is particularly useful when multitasking with productivity apps. With that in mind, Microsoft has decided to take advantage of this feature by adding multi-window support to the OneNote app, alongside a few other changes in the latest update.

See also: Android 7.0 Nougat review: an Android version for Android fans350

The collaboration app now lets users open multiple windows at the same time to, for example, copy and transfer content from a webpage to your word processing app without switching apps. Or you can rummage through a day's worth of unread Twitter posts while concurrently waiting for your vacation photos to complete the upload process on Facebook. While this is obviously the biggest new feature, it's far from the only one.

Moving on, OneNote now allows Android users to access sections within documents that have been password protected on other devices. This is especially helpful when you need to access your personal data but you haven't brought your computer with you. Direct audio recording in the OneNote app has been added as well, with the ability to store the audio files in the cloud for access on the go. If typing and clipping from the internet would seem impractical for a given moment, this feature has you covered.

OneNote users can also now embed content in the OneNote canvas, including PDF, Office 365 Videos and YouTube clips. For more efficiency, Microsoft added the ability to view all of your embedded Office files with a single sign-on option. As if those features are not enough, the software giant plans to add the ability to edit and customize your section tabs in the Android app.

Don't miss: 10 best note taking apps for Android43

Check out these new OneNote features from the Google Play Store now. Once you've tried them for yourself, share your impression down in the comments.

Get it from Google Play Store

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