There are plenty of times where you want to block calls from certain numbers. It could be an insurance company trying to make you claim compensation for an accident you never had, or a possessive ex-girlfriend or boyfriend. Whatever your reasons, we can show you how to block calls on your Android phone, whether it's an HTC, LG, Samsung, Sony or stock Android device.
Samsung (Galaxy S4, S5, S6, Note 4)
To block all calls from an individual on your Samsung Lollipop device:
Tap the Phone app, Call Log, then the number you want to block.
Next, tap More at the top right, then Add to auto reject list.
That's it! To reverse this, just go through the same process again but tap Remove from auto reject list at the end.
Oddly, neither stock Android Lollipop nor Marshmallow has an integrated call-blocking feature. Instead, whether or not you have call blocking will depend on your carrier. To check if you have it, open the Phone app, tap the number you want to block, then tap Details, and then the Menu button at the top right. If your carrier's included phone blocking, it will appear here as Add to blacklist or Reject call.
There is a workaround for Lollipop or Marshmallow users though, albeit not an ideal one (this process is essentially the same for KitKat too).
First, save the number you want to block as a contact.
Next, go to your Phone app, tap Contacts, then tap their name.
Tap the pencil icon next to the menu icon, then on the next screen tap the menu icon at the top right and All calls to voicemail.
Alternatively, you could install an app that lets you block calls and manage them. Calls Blacklist is a call-blocker with a good reputation, and will do the job stock Marshmallow can't.
HTC (One M7, One M8, One M9)
Like Samsung, HTC has made it super-easy to block calls, and easily manage your blocked numbers. To block calls from a specific number on your HTC phone:
Go to your Phone app, then go to Call History or tap the search icon to find the number you want to block.
Long-tap the number you want to block, then tap Block caller.
To manage your blocked contacts, tap the menu icon at the top right of your Phone app, then Blocked contacts.Here you can add or remove blocked contacts, and even see when your phone blocked messages and calls from this contact.
The Xperia Z series doesn't feature in-built call blocking, so you'll have to use the Lollipop solution to block numbers; either download Calls Blacklist or send unwanted numbers straight to voicemail. To do this:
Tap All apps > Contactsthen the name of the contact you want to block (if the number you want to block isn't already a contact, you'll have to make it one).
Once you've tapped the name of the contact, tap the Edit icon, then Menu, then All calls to voicemail.
LG phones have some nifty tools for blocking numbers – a little too nifty perhaps. If your LG is running on Lollipop and you receive a call from a number you want to block, rather than sliding your finger from the center towards the red phone icon, drag the red phone icon into the center instead. This will add the caller to your 'Call reject list'. To manage this list:
Go to Settings > Wireless and networks > Call.
Next, tap Call reject > Reject calls fromto see your list of blocked numbers. You can add numbers to this list by tapping the '+'icon at the top right, or remove them from this list. You can also reject all calls from unknown ('private') numbers here.
If you decide to get a Samsung Galaxy S7 next year, you’ll have to deal with what our friends with the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus had to earlier on this season. Samsung is said to only have production capacity for so many Exynos 8890 chipsets that it will only appear on half of all S7 units. The other half will get theSnapdragon 820.We’ve the former get benchmarked on GeekBench with some pretty outstanding results. But the Exynos 8890 has very little to stand on with a recent result from a Chinese test.
The comparable Kirin 950 put up an average score of 65,179 while the Exynos 7420 stood at 63,407. In fact, processor score jumps from generation to generation have never touched 10,000. We’re also looking at the SM-G3000, a Chinese variant that is likely to receive the Snapdragon 820 and not the Exynos.
While we have no specific evidence to be able to confirm that this one’s a fakie, we remind you that benchmark scores can definitely mean less than you think they do.
Deadly bushfires have swept across South Australia this week, destroying countless properties and natural spaces. One ingenious professor was able to save his rural home, however, by remotely activating sprinklers using a smartphone. Simon Maddocks, the President and Vice-Chancellor of Charles Darwin University, had been notified of the fires by friends and messages sent by the Country Fire Service (CFS). He was sitting comfortably in his Darwin office, far from danger, but knew his wheat farm on the other side of the country was at risk. Maddocks started tracking the flames from over 3,000 kilometers away using CFS maps on his phone before connecting to CCTV cameras at his house.
"All of a sudden everything went dark, then there was a red fireball...everything just turned in a split second," he told ABC News. The flames took his crops within minutes, before turning their attention to the farmhouse. Maddocks felt "helpless" but cleverly turned on the sprinklers, keeping the danger at bay. "The fire came up all around my house but my ability to turn on irrigation systems from my phone in Darwin, and the fact that I had neighbours patrolling with fire units...we're lucky we got away with a house," he added.
In this case, building a smart home was a very smart move.
Numerous countries order their internet service providers block The Pirate Bay, but its home country of Sweden won't be one of them... at least, for now. A Stockholm court has ruled that Sweden can't make ISPs block the piracy site, since those companies aren't responsible for what their customers do. The networks aren't participating in any crimes, according to the ruling -- they're just the delivery medium.
The music and movie studios that pushed for the ban are likely to appeal the decision, and it's safe to say that Swedish police aren't happy. The Pirate Bay isn't out of the woods yet, then. However, this is still a rare win for a site that regularly finds itself on blacklists,especially in Europe. Copyright holders may have a good case against the Bay, but it's clear that they can't always use ISP-level restrictions to get what they want.
Apple's quest for ever-thinner, ever-smarter devices may produce another casualty: your iPhone's headphone jack. A rumor at MacOtakara claims that the next iPhone might drop the 3.5mm port and use the Lightning port for audio instead. The move would let Apple slim its phone even further (reportedly, over 1mm thinner than the iPhone 6s) and take advantage of Lightning's features, such as headphone-based DACs and app launching. You'd have to use an adapter for any conventional wired headphones, or else make the leap to Bluetooth.
You'll want to take this rumor with a big grain of salt. MacOtakara doesn't have the greatest track record, and a lot could change in the 10 months between now and the future iPhone's possible launch in September next year. We'd add that such a change-up might be a little beyond the pale -- only a handful of companies make Lightning-based headphones, and there's no guarantee that others will bend over backwards to join them.
With that said, there is precedent for moves like this. A few Chinese vendors already make super-thin smartphones that drop the headphone jack in favor of USB sound. Apple would just be expanding on that concept by giving you features that aren't possible with a simple USB audio passthrough.
How much of a Nintendo fan are you? Enough that you could spend as much as you would on a car, just to show the world where your allegiances lie? You'll want to talk to luxury watchmaker Romain Jerome, then. It just unveiled a limited edition Super Mario Bros. mechanical timepiece that marks the 30th anniversary of the plumber's adventures in style. And we do mean style: its 46mm case is made out of black titanium, and the three-layer dial is loaded with enamel-coated pixel figurines to remind you of Mario's early days. It's quite posh-looking, then, although the eye-watering $18,950 price will likely rule this out unless you're a high roller with some fond gaming memories. On the plus side, that ultra-rare Nintendo World Championship cartridge suddenly seems like a bargain.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is set to reveal a massive clean energy project on Monday, during the first day of the United Nations climate change summit in Paris.According to Reuters, which originally reported the news, the French government has confirmed that the ex-CEO-turned-philanthropist will launch the Clean Tech Initiative, a push to commit countries to double their budgets on clean energy tech research and developments by 2020. But Gates won't be working on this multibillion dollar fund alone: The US, Australia, Canada, France, India, Indonesia, Norway, Saudi Arabia and South Korea will all be backing the plan, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The Clean Tech Initiative is also said to involve private investors, such as Gates himself, where they're expected to boost their contributions to help the cause. While we won't know the full details of the project until Monday, last July Gates said in a personal blog post there are three key steps to build a strong foundation against the climate crisis: create incentives for innovation, develop markets that help get to zero and treat poor countries fairly. We'll know more about the Clean Tech Initiative early next week.
Every year there are phones that everybody talks about incessantly – the new Galaxy or LG, the new Nexus and so on – but there are always some really great phones that simply don't get the airplay they deserve. So we're going to try to set the record straight and count down what we think are the most underrated smartphones of 2015.
5. OnePlus X
The OnePlus X has certainly gotten a lot of attention. If OnePlus knows how to do anything, it's how to get people to pay attention. The OnePlus X is a great phone, and definitely deserves the attention it's getting in certain parts of the world, but sadly, it's not getting much play in the US because you can barely use it there, due to very limited LTE support (if you can even buy one). It looks as though the OnePlus X will only really be appreciated elsewhere.
It's hard being the less-sexy Nexus, for sure. We think the Nexus 5X is great: it's basically an updated Nexus 5 after all. That means all the goods that LG knows how to put in a Nexus with a fresh lease on update life. Plus, it shares the same finger scanner and camera module as the Nexus 6P. But the Nexus 5X has lived in the shadow of the Nexus 6P since day one.
When you bring out two phones at the same time the more expensive one with higher specs is always going to get more attention – just look at the Moto X Play living in the Moto X Pure's shadow. The Nexus 5X is largely being ignored compared to the Nexus 6P, and we think that's a shame.
3. Honor 7
We're big fans of the Honor 7 here at AndroidPIT. It's a crazy cheap phone that looks equally as good as any premium flagship that costs two or three times as much. It's rocking a great finger scanner from Huawei too and even has a front-facing flash.
But it's specs sheet isn't quite up there, it's running Huawei's EMUI and you can't even buy it officially in the US. It's widely regarded as a solid phone, but it's probably not getting the attention it really deserves,
2. Xiaomi Mi 4c
Another phone you can't get in the US, the Xiaomi Mi 4c, is an incredibly impressive phone for next to no money. It's small, powerful and pretty much awesome everywhere you look. But again, you won't see it getting much attention outside China or India, even if everyone has gone on about it a bit already.
Most Xiaomi devices seem a little underrated outside China, but the Mi 4c is something special. It won't get talked about much in the Western media but if you ever get a chance to play around with one, take that opportunity. You'll be eagerly waiting for Xiaomi to hit the US market like the rest of us.
1. Asus Zenfone 2
This is it. The phone that no one really paid attention to all year is also our pick for the most under-rated smartphone of 2015. The Zenfone 2 was a surprise at CES 2015 because no one was expecting a phone at the US$200 mark to be anywhere near this good looking or impressive in terms of features. But what really caught everyone's attention – albeit only very briefly – was that the US$300 version was the first phone to appear rocking 4 GB of RAM.
With a 64-bit Intel processor, microSD card and dual-SIM slots, fast-charging, 3,000 mAh battery, good camera and low-light performance, the Zenfone 2 really deserved more attention than it received. It's specs are pretty impressive now, and it came out way back in January. And did we mention how much it costs?
Every Black Friday weekend there seems to be one deal that draws my attention by shining brighter than all the other flickering lights of lesser bargains floating around the dark confines of the internet. This year, this is the deal that burns brightest in my eyes.
A deal involving one of the hottest Android phones of the year, a killer price, a bonus gift card, no sales tax for most buyers, and free shipping makes for the magic pentacta (It's like a trifecta but with five things. Don't look it up, it's not a real word) of Black Friday deals.
That's what we have here. The LG Nexus 5x is $80 off on B&H with an extra $25 gift card thrown in for good measure.That means that the 16GB 5X is $299 and the 32GB is $349. No sales tax will be charged (unless you live in New York) and expedited shipping is free. All colors, including black, white, and mint, are available in both the 16 and 32GB capacities. Whoa, that is a crazy sweet deal on a device that we found to be quite delightful in our full review.
If you've wanted a Nexus 5X, there has never been a better time to buy one than now. The sale ends 11/30 or when stock runs out. Links are below. Happy Thanksgiving!
HTC is at something of a crossroads right now. After the disappointing performance of the One M9 earlier this year and steadily declining revenue, the company is launching the HTC Preview program. It's a way for users to test unreleased devices and software in order to help HTC improve them before they see the light of day. The HTC Preview team also did an AMA on Reddit to talk about the program, though they shied away from some of the tougher questions.
If you sign up for HTC Preview, there's no guarantee you'll get a super-secret new OTA or phone to test, but it's possible. Registering takes 5-10 minutes and involves telling HTC what sort of things you use your phone for and what phone you currently have. If it's an HTC device, you'll be asked for the IMEI and carrier so you can potentially test software updates.
The AMA on Reddit wasn't the most productive I've ever seen, but there were a few interesting tidbits. You'll have to agree to an NDA to join the Preview program, and HTC will be taking it seriously. So, you know, be careful. You'll also be asked to use any devices or software provided to you in HTC Preview as a daily driver in order to provide feedback.
HTC Preview is available in the US, Europe, and Asia. In the US, you need to be on one of the big four carriers to participate in HTC Preview. There might be rules in other regions, but the AMA was run by the US team, so that's what we've got the most info about right now.
Google engineer Benson Leung recently started a crusade against bad USB Type-C cables, and one of the cables he warned people to stay away from is the one sold by OnePlus. Now OnePlus has responded to the uproar, saying that it will offer refunds to customers who purchased these cables. Well, you can apply for a refund. It's not clear how long it'll take.
If you bought cables from OnePlus to use with other devices, the company is offering a refund. Note, this doesn't cover cables that came with a OnePlus 2, just those you purchased separately. Customers in North America and Europe can head to the refund page on OP's website and submit their order number and email. Someone from OnePlus will review the claim (at some point) and send a refund via PayPal if it's approved. Customers in China and India will have to hoof it to the nearest OnePlus service center and turn in the cable to get a refund.
Google engineer Benson Leung recently tested the OnePlus 2's USB Type-C cable and said it "may cause damage to your charger, hub or PC USB port" if used on a fast-charging device. OnePlus has now admitted that it doesn't conform to the USB Type-C 1.1 spec, and has agreed to give refunds to its customers. There's one large caveat, however. Since the cable can't cause problems with the OnePlus 2 itself (it's not a fast-charging phone), the company won't give refunds or replacement cables to buyers of the handset. Instead, it will only refund customers who purchased the cable separately.
The company's logic is that the cable works fine for its intended mission, charging the OnePlus 2. However, someone unaware of the issue could grab the cable (it's bright red!) and use it to charge another phone or a laptop like Google's Chromebook Pixel. Since it has the wrong resistor for the USB Type-C 1.1 specification (10 k-ohms instead of 56 k-ohms), the device could draw more power than the charger itself is able to support. A good USB charger will cut off without damage, but a bad one (and there are many out there) could fry, or worse, cause an electrical fire. A better solution might be to recall and replace all the cables out there, but if you're planning to keep it, Leung recommends that you "mark it with a tag so you don't forget it's special."
For many years, Firefox's survival was tied into how generous the folks over at Google were feeling, since the company effectively bankrolled the browser. Times have changed, and in an interview with CNET, Mozilla's Denelle Dixon-Thayer said that its financial future is looking better than ever. Back in the day, Google paid to be the search engine of choice within Firefox, but Mozilla now prefers not to put all of its cash-based eggs in a single basket. That's why it's signed separate deals with Yahoo, Baidu and Yandex so that each one gets prominence in the US, China and Russia, respectively.
Firefox's continued existence is important, since it's the only browser with any sort of clout that isn't owned and operated by a major tech company. Chrome, which is controlled by Google, has more than 50 percent of the desktop browsing market in the most recent figures pushed out by StatCounter. Microsoft's Internet Explorer may have dwindled in influence, but it's still neck-and-neck with Firefox for that coveted second spot with roughly 15 percent of the market. Rounding out that top five is Safari, made by Apple, while the only other independent on the list, Opera, has less than two percent of the market.
Of course, Mozilla's claims that its future is secure, but we do feel compelled to raise a wary eyebrow at the sentiment. After all, Yahoo is rapidly becoming an also-ran as itstruggles to reinvent itself and remain relevant in the face of Google. Even worse, is that some of Yahoo's search queries are now being provided by Google, so the folks in Mountain View are still getting access to Firefox's users, they just don't have to pay for the privilege any more.
T-Mobile's ongoing feud with Sprint continues to have some benefits for your bottom line... and this time, T-Mobile is trying to tempt you with cold, hard cash. As of November 26th, the carrier is running a month-long promo that promises an extra $200 (on top of the existing credit) for every phone line you bring over from one of Sprint's networks, whether it's a prepaid Boost plan or a full-fledged subscription. You don't need to trade in your old gear, either. The move is a bit sneaky given that T-Mobile just hiked its unlimited data rates -- you may well be paying more per month if you truly need unlimited access. If you're already interested in jumping ship, though, this should make the transition that much easier.
[Image credit: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Every November, people in the US (and other parts of the world) spend millions of dollars during the biggest shopping day of the year: Black Friday. This tradition is only growing too, as retailers broaden their limited-time deals from the physical world to the internet. Whether you're looking for an e-reader or a fancy 4K TV, you won't have trouble finding deep discounts on Black Friday. Luckily we're breaking down the best deals available in 2015 to help you navigate the endless sales. So get your wallets ready and bookmark the links we're sharing with you here. And if, for whatever crazy reason, you end up lining up outside a brick-and-mortar store, be careful -- it's going to be madness.
Keep an eye out for the promos starting today, November 25th, since some online stores are beginning their sale ahead of Friday. In the meantime, dig into our list and start planning how you're going to spend your hard-earned cash.
NASA announced on Wednesday that it had successfully installed the first of 18 mirrors on the new James Webb space telescope. The work took place at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland earlier this week.
These 4-foot wide hexagonal mirrors will unfold once the telescope reaches orbit and and operate like a single 21-foot wide reflector. Each mirror is comprised of super-lightweight beryllium (though they still tip the scales at 88 pounds apiece). Plus, they will have to withstand negative 400 degree temperatures while shifting less than 38 nanometers over the life of the telescope, otherwise they might throw the delicate optics out of phase.
"After a tremendous amount of work by an incredibly dedicated team across the country, it is very exciting to start the primary mirror segment installation process" Lee Feinberg, James Webb Space Telescope optical telescope element manager at Goddard, said in a statement. "This starts the final assembly phase of the telescope." The Goddard team expects to have the rest of the mirrors installed by the end of next year.
