These are the Best 5G Laptops that you can buy in Summer 2021: Lenovo, Dell, Samsung, and more

Having built-in mobile network connectivity on your laptop is bliss as it ensures seamless connectivity, even when you’re on the go. It’s true you can get Wi-Fi at most public places or just tether your smartphone to send that important email quickly. But what if you don’t want to mess around with complicated passwords, unreliable connectivity, and most of all, unsecured networks? We already have a variety of 4G LTE-enabled laptops on the market today, but if those aren’t fast enough for you, we have a handful of 5G-enabled laptops you can put your money on.

Navigate this guide:

• Best overall laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga
• Best business laptop: Dell Latitude 9520
• Best ARM laptop: HP Elite Folio
• Best budget laptop: Samsung Galaxy Book Go
• Best tablet: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold

Best overall: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga

A premium 2-in-1 notebook from Lenovo, the ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga is one of the sleekest notebooks you can get with 5G connectivity. The X1 Yoga has been around for a while, but this year the company gave it a new treatment with an ultralight chassis featuring carbon, magnesium, and titanium.

The 13.5-inch notebook weighs just 1.15kg with 11.5mm thickness but packs in the latest 11th-Gen Intel Core vPro processor, up to 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD and is Intel EVO certified. The notebook also supports an active stylus pen, while the 3:2 ratio display comes with a 2K (2256×1504) resolution. For 5G connectivity, the notebook can be configured with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 modem to provide fast 5G speeds.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga

The ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga is of the most premium 5G notebooks you can buy today featuring a high-quality design along with powerful hardware under the hood.

Buy from Lenovo.com

Best business laptop: Dell Latitude 9520

Dell introduced the new Latitude 9520 this year as its premium 15-inch notebook for professionals and business users. Available in a 2-in-1 or clamshell form factor, the notebook can be configured with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 5G chipset for high-speed mobile internet.

Loaded with the latest 11th-gen Intel Tiger Lake vPro processors, the Latitude 9520 comes with up to a Core i7-1185G7 processor, 32GB 4266MHz LPDDR4x RAM, 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD, and a 15-inch full-HD (1920 x 1080) touch or UHD (3840 x 2160) non-touch display. The notebook also comes with Thunderbolt 4 ports, and an optional 88WHr battery, and a fingerprint scanner.

Dell Latitude 9520

The Dell Latitude 9520 offers the latest Intel 11th-gen vPro processor options and can be configured with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 modem for 5G mobile connectivity.

Buy from Dell.com

Best ARM laptop: HP Elite Folio

A new entrant to the list of ARM-based Windows laptops, the HP Elite Folio is an excellent notebook featuring a premium design including a vegan leather folio-style cover. Since it’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2, it also comes with the option of a 5G modem which is limited to sub-6GHz speeds.

It’s a convertible notebook allowing you to easily switch between laptop and tablet form factors. Other notable features include HP’s Sure View Reflect privacy display, an excellent keyboard, and top-end specs including 16GB RAM and 512GB of storage which is rare on a Windows on ARM laptop.

HP Elite Folio

The HP Elite Folio is an ARM-based convertible laptop powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2, a premium vegan leather finish and the option of 5G mobile connectivity.

Buy from HP.com

Best budget laptop: Samsung Galaxy Book Go

Samsung announced its new range of Galaxy-branded laptops this year with the Galaxy Book Go being one of the most affordable ones from the lot. It’s one of the cheapest laptops starting at $350, although you’ll have to shell out extra for the 5G version. The standard Wi-Fi and LTE variants are powered by the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 chipset but if you go for the 5G model, it bumps up the processor to the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2.

We recently had a chance to check out the base variant of the laptop and we were quite impressed with what Samsung is offering for the asking price. Expect the price of the 5G variant of the Galaxy Book Go to be around $500.

Samsung Galaxy Book Go 5G

Samsung's newly launched Galaxy Book Go is an affordable ARM-based Windows laptop that will be offered in Wi-Fi only, 4G and 5G models.

Buy from Samsung.com

Best tablet: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold

This is not your traditional laptop, but a large 13.3-inch Windows tablet that folds down the middle. Launched last year, the ThinkPad X1 Fold is an ambitious 2-in-1 folding device from Lenovo that’s unlike any device you might have used. If you don’t like the onscreen keyboard, you can also use the physical keyboard or just fold the display and slap it on the tablet for a regular laptop experience. This machine comes with an Intel Lakefield Core i5 processor with 8G of RAM and 1TB of storage with optional 5G connectivity. However, with pricing starting at $2,400, this doesn’t come cheap.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold

A unique 2-in-1 foldable tablet, the ThinkPad X1 Fold is meant for users who are looking for a futuristic device that can be your companion in various situations thanks to its various usability modes.

Buy from Lenovo.com

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From the above, our pick would be the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga as it offers one of the most premium and functional designs. With 5G rolling out to more regions, we’re expecting much wider coverage in 2021. This also means consumers will not only move to the faster network but are likely to invest in a notebook that offers support for next-gen connectivity.

If 5G connectivity isn’t your priority, and we do understand why it perhaps wouldn’t be, then check out our list of the best laptops for 2021.

The post These are the Best 5G Laptops that you can buy in Summer 2021: Lenovo, Dell, Samsung, and more appeared first on xda-developers.

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Leaked screenshots showcase Google’s upcoming medical records app

Google is working on a new app that will help users easily manage their medical records. While Google is yet to reveal any official information about the app, leaked screenshots of the app’s homescreen and Records tab have now surfaced online. The screenshots give us our first look at the upcoming app and reveal some crucial details.

In April this year, we first heard that Google was working on a new platform to help people access all their medical records in one place. At the time, a report from Stat News revealed that the company was recruiting Android users in Northern California, Atlanta, and Chicago to get feedback on a new consumer-facing medical records tool. Now, leaker Ishan Agarwal has shared screenshots (via 91mobiles) of this unreleased app that reveal a few more details.

(Images: 91mobiles)

The attached screenshots show that the app’s home tab will give users easy access to all their integrated medical records and healthcare contacts. Users will be able to add their medical records to the app on the Records tab, which will also display “a unified view of your health, pulling together info from your doctor’s visit, labs, and more.” The app will also include a Contacts tab that will probably give users access to all their healthcare contacts and a Sharing tab that might help them share their medical records with others.

As stated on the homescreen, the app is currently in the early stages of development. It also features a feedback link to help early testers share their feedback with Google. Since Google is yet to release any official information about the app, we’re not sure if and when it will roll out to users. We’ll update this post as soon as we learn more.

It’s worth noting that this is Google’s second attempt at making such a platform for medical records. The company launched Google Health back in 2008, which also aimed to help people view their medical records online. However, Google killed it off in 2012 due to limited adoption. Since Apple now also offers a similar solution on its iPhones, the upcoming app has a better chance of success.

The post Leaked screenshots showcase Google’s upcoming medical records app appeared first on xda-developers.

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Xiaomi phones and TVs in India just got more expensive, others may follow soon

Xiaomi’s smartphones and TVs have just gotten more expensive in India. Starting today, several Redmi phones and Mi smart TVs are seeing as much as a 10% and 6% increase in their prices, respectively.

The move comes after Xiaomi warned in March that the company was feeling the heat of the global chip shortage. At the time, Xiaomi President Wnag Xiang said that they were doing their best to optimize the cost of their devices but implied that if situations didn’t improve, the company would be left with no choice but to pass the increased cost onto customers.

“Since the last one year, we have witnessed shortages across the supply chain. Due to massive demand-supply mismatch, the majority of components used in smartphones, Smart TV and other electronics gadgets (chipsets, display panels, display driver, back panels, battery, etc.) have seen constant upward movement in their prices,” a company spokesperson told ET Telecom.

At the time of publishing this article, Xiaomi’s India website wasn’t reflecting the price increase for any device. However, listings for several Redmi phones on Flipkart now reflect the increased price. For instance, the Redmi Note 10 base model is now available at ₹13,815, a ₹816 hike from its previous price. Meanwhile, the Redmi Note 10 Pro 6GB/128GB is now sold at ₹17,536, which is ₹1463 more than its previous price. Xiaomi’s Mi Store app still shows the old pricing for the Redmi Note 10 series. Check out the table below for more details.

Device	New price	Old price	Increase
Redmi Note 10 (4GB + 64GB)	₹13,815	₹12,999	₹816
Redmi Note 10 (6GB + 128GB)	₹16,989	₹14,999	₹1990
Redmi Note 10 Pro (6GB + 64GB)	₹17,536	₹15,999	₹1463
Redmi Note 10 Pro (6GB + 128GB)	₹19,122	₹17,499	₹1623
Redmi Note 10 Pro (8GB + 128GB)	₹20,837	₹18,999	₹1838
Redmi Note 10 Pro Max (6GB + 128GB)	₹19,999	₹20,925	₹926
Redmi Note 10 Pro Max (8GB + 128GB)	₹23,979 / ₹24,990 (Glacial Blue)	₹21,999	₹1980 / ₹2991
Redmi Note 10S (6GB + 64GB)	₹16,388	₹14,999	₹1389
Redmi Note 10S (6GB + 128GB)	₹17,399	₹15,999	₹1400
Mi 11X Pro (8GB + 128GB)	₹40,990	₹39,999	₹1389
Mi TV 4A (32-inch)	₹15,999	₹15,499	₹500
Mi TV 4A (43-inch)	₹26,999	₹25,999	₹1000
Mi TV 4A Horizon (40-inch)	₹24,999	₹23,999	₹1000
Mi TV 4A Horizon (43-inch)	₹27,999	₹25,999	₹2000
Mi TV 4X (43-inch)	₹29,999	₹28,999	₹1000
Mi TV 4X (55-inch)	₹43,999	₹41,999	₹2000
Redmi TV (55-inch)	₹42,999	₹40,999	₹2000
Redmi TV (50-inch)	₹36,999	₹34,999	₹2000
Redmi TV (65-inch)	₹59,999	₹58,999	₹1000
Mi QLED TV (55-inch)	₹59,999	₹57,999	₹2000

 

The post Xiaomi phones and TVs in India just got more expensive, others may follow soon appeared first on xda-developers.

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These are the Best VPN providers in July 2021: Mullvad, ExpressVPN, IVPN, and more!

In this day and age, we spend a great deal of time on the internet. But despite all the great things you can do online, the web can also be an unpleasant place. It presents many growing threats, from web tracking to cybercrime. There’s a way to clamp down on these issues, though — installing a virtual private network — or VPN for short. A VPN will not only hide your internet protocol (IP) address but also encrypt your internet connection. You can then access the internet anonymously, protect your data with end-to-end encryption, and ensure cybercriminals can’t compromise your connection.

VPNs are capable of much more than merely keeping you safe online. When you connect to global VPN servers, it’s possible to bypass troublesome geographic restrictions and unblock content across the world. These services can also prevent internet service providers from throttling your internet speeds, as well as improving streaming and gaming performance.

The thing is, you can do far more online by downloading a VPN service on your smartphone, tablet, PC, and other connected devices. With so many VPN providers in the market claiming to be the best in the business, you might be having a hard time picking one. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve ranked the best VPN services of 2021.

Navigate this article:

• Best Overall VPN: Mullvad
  • Also Great: ExpressVPN
  • Also Great: IVPN
• Best Affordable VPN: Surfshark
• Best Free VPN: Windscribe Free
• Best VPN with most servers: Private Internet Access

Best Overall VPN: Mullvad

Mullvad has topped our list of the best VPNs in June 2021, thanks to its security practices, transparency, and wide range of servers. You get access to 771 servers across 37 countries. The service also claims to not keep any user-activity logs, and even accepts cash as payment for its services, so you can remain anonymous if you want. Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Wire Transfer, PayPal, and others payment modes are also available.

It also supports the WireGuard protocol. In terms of applications, Mullvad provides official apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. If the Mullvad app is not available for your platform, or you don’t want to use it, you can always use the compatible OpenVPN or WireGuard clients with the downloaded configuration files.

Mullvad also keeps it pretty straightforward in terms of pricing — a flat rate of 5 euros per month ($6). You may however be able to score a deal by buying it from a supported reseller, or by using Mozilla VPN or MalwareBytes Privacy, both of which use Mullvad’s network.

Mullvad

Mullvad is a trustworthy, fast, and easy-to-use VPN. It also comes with a lot of server locations.

Visit website

Also Great: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a good VPN service due to its ease-of-use, exceptional performance, and wide server network. Simply put, the British Virgin Islands-based company has all the bells and whistles of a top-class VPN service.

With ExpressVPN, you have over 3,000 servers in 160 global locations at your fingertips. Using ExpressVPN’s fast servers, you can access pretty much any streaming service from any part of the world. It’s available on all platforms such as Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux. Its user interface is super easy to navigate, letting you connect to the best available VPN server or choose from a list of global VPN servers.

There are lots of other great features offered by ExpressVPN, including a built-in kill switch, TrustedServer technology, private DNS, VPN split tunneling, a no-logging policy, 256-bit encryption, a speed test, and more. But something to keep in mind is ExpressVPN has a somewhat stringent 5-device limit.

ExpressVPN

If you’re looking for a good overall VPN, look no further than Express. It offers lots of great features, outstanding performance, a large global server network, access to top streaming websites, and much more.

Visit website

Also Great: IVPN

IVPN is another great VPN provider due to its security practices and transparency. The service also claims to not keep any user activity logs. It however falls behind on the number of servers, as it only offers around 75 servers across over 30 countries. IVPN offers the choice of WireGuard, OpenVPN, or IPSec protocols, and it can be used with its own apps or with any compatible clients.

IVPN offers two plans – Standard and Pro. While the Standard plan is limited to just two devices, the Pro plan includes support for up to seven devices, and gets extra features like port-forwarding, multi-hop, and anti-tracker support. For payments, you can use cash, Monero, or Bitcoin for anonymity. Credit cards and PayPal are also supported. The service provides official apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

IVPN

IVPN is a great VPN service with transparent policies and no user-activity logs.

Visit website

Best Affordable VPN: Surfshark

VPNs can do some pretty great things, whether it’s making public Wi-Fi networks more secure or letting you access restricted online content. You may automatically assume these tools are going to be expensive. But Surfshark is an excellent example of a VPN service that can do all these great things (and lots more) at a cheap price.

For less than $3 per month, Surfshark gives you access to a network of over 3,200 servers spread across 65 countries. Each of these servers is not just fast but also protected by private DNS and a strict no-logging policy. Surfshark claims its servers are also “P2P friendly”, a must-have if you’re planning to use your VPN for torrenting or similar activities.

When connecting to one of Surfshark’s speedy servers, you can access streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and more, even if they’re not officially available in your country. Surfshark is also unique in that it lets you connect as many devices as you want from one account. That’s very useful if you want to stream content on a wide range of devices.

But Surfshark isn’t just a great streaming VPN; it’s also excellent for all your security and privacy needs. In fact, it’ll stop malware, phishing, web trackers, and spammy ads in their tracks. Furthermore, there’s strong 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, a no borders mode, a no-logging policy, private DNS and leak protection, a camouflage mode, and secure protocols.

Surfshark

For anyone who wants a cheap but effective VPN, your best option is Surfshark. Costing less than $3 per month, it provides an excellent range of features, easy-to-use apps, and impressive performance.

Visit website

Best Free VPN: Windscribe Free

WindScribe is a popular VPN service that provides a pretty decent free option. Unlike most free VPNs, it gives 10GB monthly bandwidth, access to servers in ten countries, and unlimited connections. WindScribe also claims that it doesn’t keep any logs that can be used to identify you. Meaning, it only records when you last used their service and the total amount of bandwidth used in the last 30 days.

WindScribe is easy to use, and provides decent speeds. It also has apps for pretty much all major platforms, and extensions for browsers. Moreover, it works great with Netflix and other streaming services to bypass the geo-restrictions. Windscribe’s paid service is also great, and if you aren’t concerned about its presence in a Five-Eyes country and the minimal logs they keep, it’s worth considering.

Windscribe

Windscribe offers a great free VPN option with a decent amount of servers and good monthly bandwidth.

Visit website

Best VPN with loads of servers: Private Internet Access

When it comes to choosing a VPN service, one of the important things to consider is the number of servers it offers. Usually, the best VPN services provide large server networks, and Private Internet Access has a jaw-dropping 24,364 servers in 77 countries.

Thanks to such a large selection of global servers, you should find it really easy to bypass restricted websites and unblock services like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and lots of other streaming platforms.

By installing Private Internet Access on your devices, you’ll be able to protect yourself from malware, web trackers, and unwanted advertisements. You also get a wide variety of VPN protocols, including WireGuard, OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP/IPSec.

Other great features provided by Private Internet Access include P2P support, the ability to use up to ten devices under one subscription, unlimited bandwidth, a no traffic logging policy, a SOCKS5 proxy, and a native app for every major operating system. Premium subscriptions are reasonably priced, with the two-year plan working out at just $2.69 per month.

Private Internet Access

There’s a lot you can do with a large VPN server network, and Private Internet Access offers a huge 24,000 servers around the world.

Visit website

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As you can see, there are great VPN services for all needs and budgets. Regardless of the provider, a VPN service will give you an extra layer of security and provide uninterrupted access to online content. If we had to choose one provider, it’d definitely be Mullvad, thanks to its wide variety of international servers, easy-to-use apps, transparent policies, and good security practices.

Which VPN service are you planning to get? Do you think we missed any great VPNs? Let us know in the comments section.

The post These are the Best VPN providers in July 2021: Mullvad, ExpressVPN, IVPN, and more! appeared first on xda-developers.

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These are the Best Android Launchers in July 2021: Lawnchair, Lynx, Niagara, Nova, and More!

Android is one of the more customizable operating systems, especially considering all the limitations imposed on its Apple counterpart, iOS. You don’t need to root your Android device or flash a custom recovery and ROM to spice up your homescreen. If you’re mainly concerned about the pre-installed user interface (UI) from your device maker and wish to change its look, all you need to do is download one of the best Android launchers.

Android launchers provide an easy way for you to change the look of your Android smartphones in a cinch – avoiding all the technical side of things. Need something near to stock Android? There’s a launcher for it. Something minimal? Very customizable? There’s an Android launcher for that. If you’ve just grabbed a new device and want to add more aesthetics to your device or are just bored with your current homescreen, you can pick one of these Android launchers. Even if you have one of the best Android phones out there, there’s always a chance to soup things up without much overhead.

For new smartphone owners, be sure to check out our comprehensive list of the best Android apps, which includes apps in various categories from social media, music, to dating, to podcasting apps.

Here’s our list of the best Android launchers you can install today to change your device’s homescreen layout in just seconds.

Nova Launcher

Nova Launcher has become synonymous with the best Android launchers for quite some time. It’s heavily customizable, letting you change different things from app icon style, icon size, app drawer, and much more. Add in support for icon and theme packs, and you open up a whole new world of customization possibilities. Nova is light and fast as well, despite its wide array of customization options.

The premium version gives you even more ways to customize the launcher to your preferred look and feel. It’s also one of the most supported Android launchers, with new versions coming out fast, and there’s a vibrant customization community. Also, you can back up your customization settings for an easy restoration when you switch phones or reset your Android device.

Nova Launcher (Free, Google Play) →

Lawnchair 2

If you fancy minimal Android launchers, you should go for Lawnchair 2. The UI is clean and sleek, much like Google’s Pixel launcher. Lawnchair 2 features icon pack support, which allows you to use other custom icon packs of your choosing.

It also supports adaptive icons, adjustable icon sizes, and, most importantly, is an easy Android launcher to customize. Lawnchair 2 is entirely free and is a go-to app if you’re looking for a Pixel launcher-like UI but with customization options for the homescreen.

Lawnchair 2 (Free, Google Play) →

Niagara Launcher

Niagara is a new launcher, but its novel approach has made it climb the ranks to become one of the best Android launchers. Niagara has a modern minimal UI, sleek animations and is very clean. You choose your favorite apps that will reside on the homescreen and navigate to any other hidden app by tapping the vertical alphabet-style navigation menu. Notifications from your favorite apps are integrated into the launcher allowing you to reply without opening an app.

Niagara is customizable, but your options are limited given its minimalistic nature. It supports widgets, embedded notifications, gestures, and a couple of options to customize the look and feel of the launcher. Most extras like calendar and weather widgets, advanced customization options, pop-up widgets are locked away behind a paywall. To balance it out, Niagara is totally ad-free.

Niagara Launcher fresh & clean (Free⁺, Google Play) →

AIO Launcher

AIO Launcher does things differently than typical Android launchers. Most notably, instead of a standard homescreen, it features an information-packed layout in one screen. It includes several categories covering everything from your frequent apps, notifications, dialer, mailbox, a control panel, and other helpful information. All your apps are just a swipe away – you can swipe forward or backward.

You tap the button to launch an app. Atop the list is a system information section. A search button resides on the bottom left, with which you can search other apps, contacts, and even information on the internet. Holding the search button opens the settings, and swiping it will open the quick launch menu.

The premium version unlocks Android widget support, themes and UI tuner, icon packs, and custom font size, to name a few.

AIO Launcher (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Microsoft Launcher

Microsoft Launcher is majorly focused on productivity which makes it a commoner in the list of best Android launchers. Swipe left, and you find a smart card composed of several sections, including tasks, sticky notes, a calendar, frequently used apps, screen time usage, and recent activities.

The smart card can be a handy way to keep up with your latest tasks if you’re into the Microsoft ecosystem. You can also modify to add or remove widgets. Customization is also available on the launcher, with options to customize your homescreen, gestures, app drawer, icon shape, and visibility of the status bar, to name a few.

Microsoft Launcher (Free, Google Play) →

Smart Launcher

Smart Launcher has a sorted app folder that categorizes all your apps into six major categories, communication, internet, games, media, utilities, and settings. This categorization, plus the available search button atop every section, makes it easy to search for apps.

It also has a so-called smart search bar at the bottom of the homescreen that offers a one-stop-shop to search your contacts, apps, the web, and even Google Play apps. Smart Launcher provides several customization options from font styles, themes, icon appearance, colors, and more.

The premium version includes the ability to customize app categories, an ultra-immersive mode, multiple home page widgets, custom icon sorting, and pop-up widgets.

Smart Launcher 5 (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Poco Launcher

Poco Launcher from Xiaomi includes a slightly customizable homescreen. The launcher thrives for its effortless yet familiar UI. It consists of an app drawer that’s just a swipe away, and you can easily find apps by swiping through the different categories. Poco Launcher allows you to customize the background, app transparency, icon size, app drawer, and manage app categories.

It does support icon packs, so you can use custom icons if you prefer those over Xiaomi’s icon style. Poco Launcher is free to download and is ad-free.

POCO Launcher 2.0 - Customize, Fresh & Clean (Free, Google Play) →

BIG Launcher

BIG Launcher is a simple to use android launcher for seniors. Icons are large and have distinctive colors that ensure it’s easier to differentiate between a handful of apps featured on the grid-style homescreen. It also prioritizes essential apps for seniors, including the dialer app, messages, gallery, camera, and an SOS button. There’s a button that takes you to the app drawer as well.

The heavily contrasty homescreen is also ideal for users with eyesight issues. BIG Launcher offers a handful of customization options, including text size, full-screen display, navigation bar, safe borders size, and others. It keeps it simple, so it doesn’t get overwhelming for the elderly. A one-time fee unlocks additional ways to customize the launcher.

BIG Launcher (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Launcher iOS 14

If you want your Android to mimic iOS 14’s UI, this launcher will help you. Launcher iOS 14 features an iOS 14-esque design from the lock screen to the control center, animations, wallpapers, and widgets. You can hide apps and customize several aspects of the layout, similar to what is available on OS 14 to some extent.

Launcher iOS 15 (Free, Google Play) →

Lynx Launcher

Lynx Launcher is a relatively new launcher in the Android world. With over 50,000 downloads, it may be still finding its feet but that hasn’t stopped it from already gaining a fan following. The Lynx Launcher offers a clean-looking homescreen with easy-to-remember gestures to navigate around it. According to its developers, the launcher has been inspired by Gnome Desktop Environment, which is quite clear from the dock on the homescreen.

It comes with lots of customization options, including the ability to download new themes from the launcher’s website, although I only found four themes to be currently available. Additionally, you can get custom icon packs from the Google Play store, change the location of the dock, select dark mode, and more. Gesture-based navigation is quite quick and smooth and can be tweaked as per your liking.

Lynx Launcher is free to download and use; however, there’s a Pro version that gives you access to screen transitions, more desktop pages, advanced theming options, and a lot more.

Lynx Launcher (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Wide Launcher

The Wide Launcher is another interesting home-screen replacement app. It’s attempting to be different from other launchers by offering a 3-times wider homescreen, so you’re not limited to your typical homescreen size and grid. You also get lots of customization options, including the ability to select icon styles, themes, decor stickers, and more. Moreover, the Decorate mode allows your creativity to run wild.

It also comes with its own mini-apps called Applets that provide a variety of functions and can be added to the homescreen. Overall, if you’re really planning to try something different, you should give it a spin. The Wide Launcher is free to download and use.

Wide Launcher - 3x wider home screen (Free⁺, Google Play) →

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Customizing your Android homescreen is a no-brainer with the best Android launchers. Want a minimalist launcher? Try Niagara. Something that mimics iOS 14? Go for Launcher for iOS 14. BIG launcher is excellent for the elderly, and Lawnchair 2 gives you a Pixel launcher-like experience. Microsoft Launcher is your go-to for productivity and Nova is for those looking for a heavily customizable Android launcher. While you’re freshening things up, check out the best wallpaper apps for Android too.

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Samsung’s Galaxy S21 FE may not just be delayed, it could also be changing SoCs

Over the last several months, we’ve seen a ton of leaks about the upcoming Galaxy S21 FE. The leaks have given us a good look at the affordable flagship’s design and an overview of its specifications. We’ve also learned that Samsung might unveil the device alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy Z Flip 3, and the Galaxy Watch 4 series in August. However, recent reports suggest that Samsung might not launch the Fan Edition device in August due to supply constraints.

According to South Korean publications Financial News and Maekyeong, Samsung initially planned to launch the Galaxy S21 FE in August this year. However, due to the global semiconductor shortage, the company has pushed the launch to the fourth quarter. The reports further reveal that Samsung may also switch the Snapdragon 888 on the phone with an Exynos chip because Qualcomm is facing production setbacks.

Early last month reports alleged that Samsung had shelved the hotly anticipated affordable flagship altogether. But the company later released a statement claiming that it hadn’t decided to suspend production of the Galaxy S21 FE. It now seems like the company will go ahead with the launch, albeit a bit later in the year. Currently, it’s believed that the device will hit the market sometime in October, but we have no official word from Samsung yet.

While the reports don’t specify the Exynos SoC Samsung will use on the Galaxy S21 FE, we believe it could be the Exynos 2100. The reports further add that Samsung might end up launching the phone in the US and Europe only, with a limited number of units on offer.

At the moment, we have no further details about Samsung’s plans regarding the Galaxy S21 FE. We’ll make sure to let you know as soon as we learn more.

Featured image: Leaked render of the Galaxy S21 FE

The post Samsung’s Galaxy S21 FE may not just be delayed, it could also be changing SoCs appeared first on xda-developers.

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