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Googlebooks now features physical F1, F2, and F3 keys displaying Android’s classic back, home, and app switcher icons, reminiscent of Android 5.0 Lollipop devices. These keys perform familiar navigation functions, providing a tactile alternative to gesture controls. The update aims to improve usability, especially for Android apps that are less optimized for desktop interfaces.
A Reddit leak attributed to u/desterpot details how many 'picks' T-Mobile's upcoming T-Mix plans will charge for each add-on perk. Items like DashPass, Sirius XM, Delta SkyMiles and YouTube Premium Lite cost one pick, while Google AI Pro, Xbox Game Pass Premium and YouTube Premium cost two, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs three, and ESPN Unlimited costs four. Founder members reportedly get Apple TV, Hulu with Ads, and Netflix Premium for one pick through mid-2027.
WIRED has published a roundup of Amazon Prime Day deals covering phone cases, chargers, storage, batteries and other mobile accessories. The outlet notes that although discounts are live, overall electronics prices have risen, so savings are generally smaller than in previous years.
Amazon has cut the price of the TCL TAB A1 NXTPAPER 11-inch Android tablet to $189.99, down from its $299.99 list price, a $110 reduction described as an all-time low. The model on sale includes 6GB RAM, 128GB storage, a MediaTek Helio G100 chip, and an 8,000mAh battery, and requires Amazon Prime membership to access the discount.
Amazon is selling the 256GB Nothing Phone 3 for $549, down from its $799 retail price, a 31% discount. The unlocked model includes 12GB RAM, a 6.67-inch 120Hz OLED display, a Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip, a triple 50MP camera system with OIS, and a 5,150mAh silicon-carbon battery with fast and wireless charging.
Android Authority released its weekly Wallpaper Wednesday roundup for October 7, featuring six reader-submitted images and three from its own team. The free, watermark-free wallpapers are available in both JPG and PNG formats, optimized for phones, tablets and PCs, with full-resolution downloads offered via a linked Google Drive folder.
XREAL has revealed pricing for its first Android XR glasses, the Aura, which start at $1,279 for a 12GB/256GB model and $1,499 for 16GB/512GB. The glasses come in medium and large sizes, feature dual built-in displays with a 70-degree field of view, a trackpad, hand-tracking, and are powered via a tethered puck with a Snapdragon Reality Elite chip. Pre-orders are currently limited to those who paid a reservation deposit, with wider availability opening in the coming weeks and shipping beginning mid-November.
Xreal has begun taking pre-orders for its Aura smartglasses, first shown at Google I/O, with prices starting at $1,279 for a 12GB/256GB configuration and $1,499 for a 16GB/512GB version. The under-95-gram glasses tether to a separate compute puck running Android XR with Google Play and Gemini, powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon Reality Elite chip, with hand tracking, a 70-degree field of view, see-through lenses and Bose-engineered audio. Shipping begins soon in the US, Canada, Japan and South Korea, with wider availability planned for 2027.
Meta demonstrated its $1,299 VR Glasses at Connect in September, while Xreal, partnering with Google on the Android XR platform, has priced its competing Aura glasses at $1,279 for a 12GB/256GB model. Xreal's Aura is open for preorder to existing paid reservation holders, with wider public preorders coming in weeks and shipping to the US, Canada, Japan and South Korea this year, ahead of Meta's device.
An Android Authority writer who previously paid about $10 a month for ExitLag switched to Mudfish, a VPN-like service that uses a credit system rather than monthly subscriptions. Credits start at $5 for roughly 40GB of data and do not expire, letting infrequent gamers pay only when they actually play. Mudfish also recommends optimal servers based on a game's listed regions, such as Albion Online's North America and Europe options.
Android Authority polled over 1,800 readers about how they sideload apps now that Google has rolled out new sideloading restrictions, including advanced warnings and a 24-hour wait timer. More than 63% said they manually download APK installation files from sources like GitHub, while only 20.7% use third-party app stores such as F-Droid or Obtainium.
An Android Authority writer lays out personal reasons for favoring Google's Pixel 11 Pro over rival Android flagships, citing a cleaner software experience with fewer duplicate or bloatware apps compared to phones like Samsung's. The piece also highlights Pixel's position as first in line for software updates as a key advantage.