How to clean your phone’s speaker grille

It doesn’t take long for dust, dirt, and debris to find their way into all of the nooks and crannies of your phone, irrespective of whether it is an Android flagship or an iPhone. If your phone speaker has started to sound a bit muffled, or the grille is looking a bit furry around the edges, then it’s probably time to give it a clean. Here’s how to clean your phone’s speaker grille.

How to clean your phone’s speaker grille with things around the house

While there are definitely advantages to having the right tools to clean your phone, you can also get good results using things you probably already have lying around the house. 

Sticky Tape

Sticky tape is surprisingly versatile and is great for getting surface dust and dirt off your phone’s speaker grille. Simply tear a piece off and loop it around your finger and then gently dab your phone’s speaker grille.

Blu Tack

Blu Tack or any other non-branded adhesive putty is also a pretty good way to get the dust out of your phone speaker grille. While sticky tape fails to get inside the tiny holes of the grille, adhesive putty will morph into the right shape, allowing it to lift dirt from deeper within the speaker.

Be very careful when using Blu Tack or putty to clean your phone as pushing it in too deep can end up causing more harm than good –  especially if it breaks off inside!

Cotton Buds

Image Credit: Pexels

While they may not be very good at cleaning your ears, cotton buds make a good alternative to the sponges found in professional phone cleaning kits. Use a dry cotton bud to lift surface dust, and apply a spritz of alcohol cleaner to lift away more stubborn grime. 

Toothbrush/Interdental Brush

Image Credit: Unsplash

Last but not least, when it comes to getting dust and dirt out of your phone’s speaker grille, a toothbrush or interdental brush can get into the smallest of spaces. Angle the bristles into the tiny holes of your speaker grille and carefully brush the dirt away. Be careful not to force the bristles too hard, and remember you’re trying to lift the dirt away, not jam it in further. Interdental brushes can also come in handy for cleaning deep down between the keys of your mechanical keyboard.

How to clean your phone’s speaker grille the professional way

If you’re looking to do things in a more professional way, then there’s no shortage of phone cleaning kits available on the internet. Generally speaking, these contain a combination of the following:

Compressed Air

Image Credit: Flikr

Compressed air is one of the safest ways to remove dust from hard-to-reach or delicate places such as your phone’s speaker grille. Some cleaning kits come with a squeezy rubber air duster, while others may come with a can of pressurized air. Whichever you choose, place the nozzle near your speaker grille and blast the dust away.

Cleaning Sponges

Professional cleaning sponges come in a wide range of sizes and shapes because they’re designed to fit into all of your phone’s hard-to-reach places. While cotton buds can shed lint, cleaning sponges are static-free which makes them a better choice if you don’t mind buying some.

You can use dry sponges to wipe away any build-up of dust, and then gently spritz them with alcohol-based cleaning spray to remove any more stubborn grime.

Cleaning Brushes

As with cleaning sponges, cleaning brushes are the professional version of your toothbrush or an interdental brush. They’re designed to be stiff enough to work without causing damage and come in lots of different sizes to ensure they fit into all of the small spaces on your phone.

Cleaning Putty

Lastly, if you want to use the professional version of Blu Tack, then invest in some cleaning putty. Cleaning putty is designed to be flexible and sticky while leaving no residue. It’s also reusable and can be used to clean your Macbook or other laptops and to remove dust and debris from your keyboard too.

Removing dust from your phone speaker

For best results, you’ll want to use a combination of the above to remove the dust and dirt from your phone’s speaker grille. Start by blowing or brushing away the loose fibers, then go in for a deeper clean with some putty before sponging away any remaining residue. If you’re looking to clean deeper still then consider taking your device to a professional who can open it up and clean the speaker grille from the inside out.

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Why I might never buy a graphics card for gaming ever again

The newest, hottest, best graphics cards are remarkable. Even five years ago, were we really expecting the sort of performance we can get right now? PC gamers and custom builders have never had it better. Well, assuming you can even buy one. But I’m looking at the current landscape and thinking I might never buy a new graphics card for gaming ever again and be happy.

This isn’t a sudden realization, it’s actually a thought that first entered my mind a few years ago. A number of different things have all come together and I’m finally ready to commit. I think.

2022 might well be the time to call it a day chasing graphics cards.

The price is offputting

Almost five years ago I spent a not insignificant £670 on a new Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti. I was so excited to get that thing hooked up inside my Alienware Aurora gaming PC and it didn’t disappoint. Even upgrading from a GTX 1070 there was a tangible increase in performance and the visual quality I could enjoy. It was expensive, but it was worth it.

Graphics cards are getting really expensive even without recent shortages.

Fast forward five years and we’re only just starting to see stocks of graphics cards come back. A combination of global chip shortages and crypto bros scalping every available unit left gamers frustrated. Those you could buy were sold at a premium. But even those that aren’t are still expensive.

In the UK where I live you’re looking at about £400 for an RTX 3060 right now. It’s a fantastic graphics card, I have one in my collection of PC parts. But it’s not even technically the “mid-range” anymore and it’s that price. The last graphics card I bought at launch was an AMD RX 5700 and that was £370 at the time. But even AMD cards don’t really have price on their side anymore.

I want to focus on the Nvidia RTX 3080, specifically. I don’t have one, right now they’re at least £800, and not even the highest performer in the Team Green stable. But it’s an important card to me, because thanks to the cloud, I can now play my games with one.

The cloud is the answer?

When I first started dabbling in cloud gaming I wondered if it really could replace PC gaming in the future. It’s not exactly the same – I’m not going to pretend it is – but right now, it’s close enough. The technology has come on so far in the last few years that I think I’m about ready.

I’ve written previously about how good Google Stadia is, and more recently about playing Fortnite on a smartphone with the power of an RTX 3080. The latter is what has started to make me seriously consider this as a reality, not just a dream.

Nvidia GeForce Now has a tier that offers its players the chance to play games on an RTX 3080. It’s the most expensive tier, sure, but compared to actually buying an RTX 3080 you would get about five years’ use from it for the same money. And Nvidia is bound to keep upgrading it. But the simple fact is this: My cloud gaming PC is more powerful than my local gaming PC.

Rise of the Tomb Raider on the RTX 3080 tier of Nvidia GeForce Now

I’m currently using an RTX 2080 inside my personal gaming PC and it’s still absolutely fine. But there will come a time it won’t be, even if it’s a number of years away. Nvidia provides RTX 2080 power on its regular tiers, so even on that, my cloud gaming PC is on par with my own.

Getting fiber helped but the requirements are within reach of many.

For me, the killer feature I was waiting on is fiber. Finally, I’m in a position to jump fully into the cloud. But it’s also why I’m won’t diminish the importance of local hardware. Previously I had fairly slow broadband. Enough to enjoy a spot of cloud gaming, but only if nobody else was home. So for everyone, it’s definitely not the answer. Though I have to say, the 40mbps base requirement for the RTX 3080 tier is pleasantly surprising. And for that, you get to play at up to 120 FPS. In most cases, higher than I can play locally. And every month more and more of my PC library finds its way into GeForce Now.

GeForce Now is certainly the most alluring cloud platform for PC gamers. I play games everywhere, but I see the appeal. The fact your library comes from Steam, Epic, or Ubisoft, all titles you’ve bought but use someone else’s PC to play. Or your phone. TV, iPad, Chromebook, web browser, there have never been more ways to play PC games. Stadia and GeForce Now both support keyboard and mouse, too.

How I game has changed

As I’ve grown older so to have my gaming habits. I’ve never locked myself into one platform, and that’ll never change, but I have fallen out of love with certain types of games. I rarely bother with competitive multiplayer titles anymore, I’m playing games that my young son can enjoy with me and I’m playing more casually, picking up for a short period and then going to do something else.

But the other big change has been getting a Steam Deck. I really do think it’s a game-changer.

I haven't played anything on my gaming PC since the Steam Deck arrived.

It might take a generation or two of hardware, but Valve has built a winner. I’m playing games in my catalog finally that I’d ignored for years. Sat on the sofa, in a coffee shop, and even in the car while I wait to pick up my kids. That falling out of love with PC gaming because I didn’t want to sit at my desk after work, reversed somewhat with the arrival of the Steam Deck.

The cloud is also a solid companion to the Steam Deck, too. Linux gaming is superb these days, but there are still those titles that just don’t work. If I want to play a little Destiny 2 on the couch, I can do so through the browser.

Performance on the Steam Deck has proved that you don’t need a stupidly powerful, stupidly expensive graphics card to have a good time. You could say the same about the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. PC gaming used to feel like the absolute best way to play, now, it just feels like a massive money pit. And I’m not sure it’s worth it anymore.

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I’m enjoying gaming again, more than ever before, and it has nothing to do with having splurged on a new, insanely powerful graphics card. By embracing the cloud I can play amazing-looking, high-frame-rate games on a Chromebook. Or my iPad. Or there’s the Steam Deck, which is the only way I’ve played local PC games since it arrived at the end of March.

As rumors begin to swirl about Nvidia’s next stupidly powerful graphics cards, I’m not really interested anymore. At least not beyond a professional capacity. I admit that my situation lends well to this and that not everyone is in a position to rely on the cloud or a handheld PC yet.

But I’m actually really excited. Much like buying an EV, it feels like I’m taking a step into the future. All the big players are getting into streaming and Valve has made handhelds exciting again. Nvidia can keep making crazy powerful graphics cards and filling their server cabinets with them while they’re at it. All this awesome technology is making gaming accessible to wider audiences, and that’s alright by me.

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These Kindle models will lose access to the Kindle Store starting August 17

This week, Amazon sent out a notice to several Kindle users who still have a few older Kindle models linked to their accounts. As per the notice, select models will lose access to the Kindle Store starting August 17, preventing users from browsing, purchasing, or borrowing books using the older devices. That might seem like the end of the road for those rocking one of the EoL e-readers, but there’s still some hope. Read on to learn which models are losing support for the Kindle Store and how you can still get new books on them after the August deadline.

Amazon is dropping support for the following Kindle e-readers starting August 17:

• Kindle (2nd-gen) International
• Kindle DX International
• Kindle Keyboard
• Kindle (4th-gen)
• Kindle (5th-gen)

If you own any of the Kindle models mentioned above, you won’t be able to browse, purchase, or borrow books from the Kindle Store starting August 17. However, according to Good e-Reader, you should still be able to access existing books and have new ones delivered to these models from Amazon’s website.

This is the first time Amazon is completely cutting off store access for older Kindle models. Sadly, the company has not provided a reason for this change. The announcement comes just weeks after Amazon announced ePub support for its modern lineup of Kindle e-readers.

Do you own any of the aforementioned Kindle models? What do you plan on doing after August 17? Will you purchase a new Kindle, or will you stick with your old faithful e-reader and purchase books from Amazon’s website? We highly recommend the new Kindle with a built-in front light, if it’s the former. The ad-supported version will only set you back $89.99, which is nothing short of a bargain. For those who don’t like its tiny 6-inch display, we recommend the brand new Kindle Paperwhite. It brings a larger 6.8-inch display to the table for a small premium of just $50.

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Via: Good e-Reader

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How to create a Stereo Speaker Pair with Amazon Echo

The Amazon Echo range makes up some of the best smart speakers you can buy, and they’re designed to be great on their own. But you don’t have to settle for just using one. They’re awesome for multi-room music. And likewise, you can pair two up and enjoy stereo audio. This is good for music and podcasts but also to give an Amazon Fire TV a bit more in the sound department. Echo smart speakers can be used to create an affordable, but good-quality home entertainment system. If the idea of using a stereo pair of Amazon Echo speakers appeals to you, here’s how to set it all up.

Before you begin

Before you begin, it goes without saying that you need two Amazon Echo speakers. You also need to have two of the same model for this to work. So, if you’re using a 3rd Gen and 4th Gen Echo Dot, like in the image above, you won’t be able to create a stereo pair.

You can create a stereo pair out of mostly whatever Echo speakers you currently have access to, it’s supported across the range. The only limitation is that the very oldest Amazon Echos don’t support the feature, but at present anything from the 2nd Gen onwards should be good to go.

As long as they’re set up and linked to your home network, you’re good. The two speakers will also need to be grouped together in the same room in your Alexa app, if they’re listed in different locations you won’t be able to select them. You’ll also need the Alexa app on your smartphone. The Windows app is more limited, so you’ll want your phone handy for this.

How to create a stereo pair with Amazon Echo

Assuming you have both Echos set up and connected to your home network the rest is easy. Grab your phone, open the Alexa app and follow these steps.

1. Select the Devices tab in the app.
2. Hit the + button in the top right-hand corner.
3. Tap on Combine speakers.
4. Choose the bottom option for Stereo pair/subwoofer.
5. Choose the two speakers you want to combine.
6. Tap Next.
7. Choose either the left or right channel for your first speaker, the app will automatically assign the other.

After a short wait, the two Echos will be paired together into a new group. Alternatively, you can instigate a stereo pair from within the settings for any of your existing Echo devices.

In this new group, you can tap on the individual speakers and change their channel if you need to. Sound will now come from both speakers at the same time. Likewise, if you ask Alexa to turn the volume up or down, once paired, both Echos will adjust in sync. But, not everything you do with your Echo supports stereo.

For example, if you ask Alexa a question, only one speaker will answer, usually the one that’s physically closest to you. Some skills are also restricted to just one speaker for audio. But mostly you would be doing this for music anyway, and in that instance, you’ll now get glorious stereo sound.

Amazon Echo (4th Gen)

The Amazon Echo is the best all-around smart speaker for most people with a nice design, great sound and the immense power of the Alexa ecosystem at its disposal.

See at Amazon

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LineageOS 19 adds support for the OnePlus 5/5T, and Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite LTE

Want to breathe new life into an old phone you have lying around? Sick of the dated OEM skin on your device and want to try something new? If you have a OnePlus 5, OnePlus 5T, or the LTE variant of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, then you’re in luck. The owners of these devices can now install official LineageOS 19 builds, the latest version of LineageOS based on Android 12.

OnePlus 5 and 5T

The OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T are nearly five years old, hence you may be itching to try a custom ROM out to expand functionality anyway. The official LineageOS builds for the device duo come courtesy of developers trautamaki and snc.

Download LineageOS 19 for OnePlus 5 || Download LineageOS 19 for OnePlus 5T

Before you proceed to install the ROM, make sure your phone has the latest OxygenOS 10 firmware installed. For more details, head over to the thread linked below.

LineageOS 19 for OnePlus 5 and 5T — XDA Discussion Thread

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite LTE

The Wi-Fi-only variant of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite recently received official support from LineageOS, and now it’s the time for the LTE model. Notably, you must update to the One UI 4.1 OTA release (or manually flash the firmware) before installing the LineageOS release.

Download LineageOS 19 for Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite LTE

Gaining support for the latest version of LineageOS will no doubt inject some new life into this Samsung tablet. This build is maintained by developers haggertk and Linux4.

LineageOS 19 for Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite — XDA Discussion Thread

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To install LineageOS 19, you’ll need an unlocked bootloader and a custom recovery installed on your device. Matter of fact, the LineageOS team does provide a recovery image to make the transition as seamless as possible. Remember to take a backup of your data before starting the process or you may lose it during the installation.

Next, you’ll also need to flash a Google apps (GApps) package since it’s not bundled with the ROM. If you’re not sure, check out our guide on how to pick and install the right GApps package for your device. To learn more about what the latest version of LineageOS brings to the table, be sure to check out our hands-on review of LineageOS 19.

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OnePlus Nord 2 gets OxygenOS 12 Open Beta 2 with May 2022 patches, Fortnite crash fix, and more

Towards the end of last month, OnePlus rolled out the first OxygenOS 12 Open Beta based on Android 12 for the OnePlus Nord 2. The update came with a UI refresh, new Canvas AOD features, and more for the OEM’s first MediaTek device. The company is now rolling out OxygenOS 12 Open Beta 2 for the Nord 2, featuring several system optimizations, camera improvements, and an updated security patch.

The second Android 12-based Open Beta release has started rolling out to the OnePlus Nord 2 in the form of software version C.04. According to the changelog, the new build includes the following changes:

• System
  • Fixed the issue that the lock screen interface displayed abnormally when charging
  • Fixed the issue that the screen brightness displayed abnormally in certain scenarios
  • Fixed the occasional issue that the desktop text displayed abnormally in certain scenarios
• Camera
  • Optimized the anti-shake effect when shooting videos
  • Optimized the speed of enabling Camera in certain scenarios
• Others
  • Fixed the issue of abnormal crash when enabling Fortnite

Although not explicitly mentioned in the changelog, OnePlus also bumps the underlying Android security patch level to May 2022 with this update. At the time of reporting, there is no official announcement thread for the release, hence we can’t list the known issues present in this build.

OnePlus Nord 2 XDA Forums

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Download OxygenOS 12 Open Beta 2 for the OnePlus Nord 2

If you’re already running the Open Beta 1 release on your device, you should receive the OTA update notification soon. Keep in mind that the Indian edition of the Nord 2 is the only eligible variant for the beta.

Notably, OnePlus is utilizing a feature called “component OTA” for delivering the new build. There is no single ZIP anymore, as the incremental update package is being delivered as a set of partition-specific deltas. Although we have the download links, we have yet to come across a simplified manual installation process.

• OnePlus Nord 2
  • India
    • Open Beta 2 (DN2101_11.C.04)
      • Component (my_manifest)
      • Component (my_product)
      • Component (my_bigball)
      • Component (my_stock)
      • Component (my_heytap)
      • Component (my_carrier)
      • Component (system_vendor)
      • Component (my_region)

Thanks to XDA Recognized Developer mlgmxyysd for the download links!

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Source: OnePlus Community Forums

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Play Store app listings start showing a new ‘Compatibility for your active devices’ section

Google is reportedly rolling out a new ‘Compatibility for your active devices’ section on app listings on the Play Store, which highlights whether an app is compatible with your active devices or not. This new section is currently available for a handful of users running version 30.6.16-21 of the Play Store app.

According to 9to5Google, the new ‘Compatible for your active devices’ section appears within the ‘About this app’ section on app listings. As shown in the attached screenshots, it can be found right at the bottom of the app info section. A description for the section states that it “shows you whether this app works on your devices. You’ll only see devices that are linked to your Google Account and that have been active in the last 30 days.”

Screenshots: 9to5Google

The new section should list your current phone at the top, followed by any active Wear OS watches and Android/Google TV devices. The section shows Compatibility, Version, Download Size, and Required OS for each active device. It’s worth mentioning that the Required OS section first appeared as ‘Android OS’ within the App info section in February this year. Google has now renamed it and moved it to the new ‘Compatibility for your active devices’ section.

As mentioned earlier, the new ‘Compatibility for your active devices’ section is only available for a handful of users at the moment. It is available on my Galaxy S22 Ultra running Play Store version 30.6.16-21, but not on any of my other devices. This leads us to believe that Google could be rolling it out in a phased manner. However, we have no official confirmation from the company on the matter. We’ll make sure to let you know as soon as we have more information.

What do you think of the new ‘Compatibility for your active devices’ section? Do you think it’s a helpful addition for users who have multiple phones, Wear OS smartwatches, and Google/Android TV devices connected to their Google account? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Via: 9to5Google

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