Quick Answer: Fast charging is generally safe for your battery when used with compatible devices and chargers. However, it may have a slight impact on battery health over time.

Fast charging tech for smartphones is insanely useful. I mean, who doesn’t want to be able to charge 50 percent of their battery in minutes? With speeds ever-increasing, you might have some questions about how a fast charger affects your battery health.

I mean, OnePlus has phones that come with a 150W charger. That’s full battery life in less than 15 minutes, and the company is working on an even faster 240W charger.

The Lithium-ion batteries in your smartphones are getting better all the time. Unlike NiCad, it’s not electrons that move between the positive and negative electrodes but ions.

In theory, this could work forever, but real-world usage means they start to degrade. The biggest killer? Heat.

So what do manufacturers do to mitigate fast charging issues?

Popular YouTuber MKBHD noticed that every video about advances in charging tech has the comments section littered with “I don’t want that on my phone, that’s definitely going to overheat,” to “good luck plugging that in for more than five minutes before it explodes.”

He decided to find out if that’s actually true, and it’s pretty cool what he discovered.

The first thing he found is that the rated speed of any charger typically only hits that speed for the first few minutes after plugging in.

A 65W charger goes at full for maybe 20 minutes before it drastically drops the power and trickle charges. That keeps the heat down, helping with battery longevity.

The other thing is that lithium-ion batteries don’t like being at 100 percent or 0 percent charge. They’re happier in the middle, which is why battery health algorithms stop the charge once they get to 80 percent.

He also found that there’s an industry standard for what actually counts as “ruining your battery.” That’s a target of 80 percent battery health after 800 charges. If you charge once a day, that’s over two years before your battery degrades below this point.

The biggest thing to take away from MKBHD’s video is that speedy charging doesn’t have to destroy your battery. They’re a convenient way to keep your battery topped up. The best thing to do is to keep using your phones as normal and try not to let them get hot.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Is iOS 15.4 draining your iPhone’s battery? You’re not alone
• Are Apple’s AirTags draining the battery life of nearby devices?
• The Galaxy S22 Ultra’s battery life drags behind the S21 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro Max
• 10 tips to improve your iPhone’s battery life

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Is fast charging actually bad for your battery? appeared first on KnowTechie.

The video is your standard phone teaser, and it shows multiple Motorola Razr phones folding open and closing, with the camera panning around each device.

Usually, we would just include the video here via Blass’ tweet, but since his Twitter account is private, Twitter embeds aren’t an option.

Instead, you can find the video below or via The Verge’s article here.

Motorola will call the Razr 40 Ultra the Razr+ in the US, while the base model will just be called the Razr 40. Additionally, the non-Ultra device will have a smaller display on the outside versus a larger display on the Ultra model. 

Users can customize the built-in software

Motorola has upgraded some of the UI elements for its Android-based launcher. Users can customize font, layout, color, theme, and wallpaper.

Motorola also offers other types of devices as well

The company used to offer budget devices for quite some time. Recently, Motorola re-entered the smartphone market with more mid-range and higher-end devices.

These include the G Stylus and the Edge series. Details-wise, the G Stylus offers a more affordable version compared to the Samsung Note line.

The Edge and Edge Plus series features high-end options like curved displays and faster processors. 

The G Stylus 2023 is now available and can be picked up at Motorola and Amazon for roughly $199. However, Motorola is currently offering $50 off.

Additionally, customers can find the most recent Edge on the company website or Amazon for $349, which is significantly cheaper than the original $599 price tag. 

Motorola says both models will launch on June 1.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Is Samsung faking your Moon photos?
• Review Roundup: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – a minor upgrade
• The Galaxy S23 is stuffed with a ridiculous amount of bloatware
• Amazon will pay you $2 a month to monitor your phone

The post Newly leaked Motorola ad reveals the Razr 40 in all its glory appeared first on KnowTechie.

It’s been a while since we last covered an Honor phone here at KnowTechie. And boy, it’s been a busy couple of years for the company.

Let’s recap: Honor was riding high, expanding its mid-range mobile business across Europe and Asia. Everything was going great. Until it wasn’t.

The erstwhile US President, Donald Trump, took aim at its parent company, Huawei. Suddenly, they couldn’t buy components from suppliers or even license Google’s Android apps.

For a moment, it looked like they were down and out. But then, Honor split from Huawei. As their own company, hoping to one day shine again.

Now, they’re again spreading their wings worldwide, selling phones people want to buy, and gradually reclaiming their place at the mobile table.

And it’s phones like the Honor 70 that are making this possible. As far as reunions go, this was a good one.

Honor 70

Quick Verdict

The Honor 70 is a great phone. But it's also in a fiercely-competitive market. But it's also hugely compelling, with some of the best photography chops in the mid-range segment. Overall, great camera but dated UI. Honor still has a long way to go.

See at Amazon See at Honor

The Honor 70 isn’t a perfect phone, but it’s also hugely compelling, with some of the best photography chops in the mid-range segment.

It’s a beautiful, potent bit of technology. And if you pull up a chair, I’ll tell you about it.

First Impressions

Honor and I have been around the block a few times.

I’ve covered their devices at almost every tech publication I’ve worked at, from The Next Web and The Register, to this humble outfit. And they’ve never let me down.

READ MORE: Review: Infinix Zero Ultra

Not once have they given me cause to hold my nose and give you a resounding thumbs-down, like Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator.

And my praise has always been the same: pretty phones, great cameras, and solid specs, all at a reasonable price.

CPU and storage

The same is true with the Honor 70. Sure, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ chipset isn’t the fastest in the world.

Still, it’s nimble enough, demolishing games and social media tasks with the enthusiasm of former Toronto mayor Rob Ford at a celestial buffet.

Where, among the Bloody Marys and bottomless omelets, they also serve Pablo’s finest marching powder.

They offer customers a dizzying array of RAM and storage configurations, ranging from a basic 8GB RAM and 128GB storage to a slightly extravagant 12GB RAM and 512GB storage.

The model you shipped this humble journalist sat toward the middle of that pack.

Looks aren’t everything, but I can’t fault the Honor 70’s design.

Display

I’m a big fan of the tall 6.67-inch display, which positively invites the owner to waste the afternoon in a flurry of PUBG Mobile gunfire.

READ MORE: Honor Magic Earbuds Review

Its 120Hz refresh rate makes it well-suited for mobile gamers, while its HDR10+ compatibility and OLED panel elevates the long hours spent watching Netflix in the office toilet.

Still, lacking a QHD resolution (just FHD+) feels like a missed opportunity.

The camera modules sit in two UFO-shaped bulges within the rear of the phone’s textured chassis. It’s an eye-catching design and surprisingly elegant.

Camera

The phone’s three rear-facing cameras are a 54MP wide-angle primary lens based on Sony’s new IMX800 sensor, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 2MP depth sensor.

Cameras have always been Honor’s bag. They were the first phone vendor to release a 48MP camera — a groundbreaking feat back in 2019.

So, it wasn’t a surprise to see how capable the Honor 70 was as a portable photography machine.

Exerting little effort, it produced rich and vibrant images, capturing the finer details of complicated compositions with startling accuracy.

This mural of Ringo Starr — the Beatles’ second-best drummer — demonstrates this.

And I was gratified to see its photography chops hold up even in the most adverse conditions, like nighttime or during the bleariest days of the English winter.

The Finer Touches

The Honor 70 is a solid phone. There’s a lot I like that I haven’t touched upon.

Fast charging

Its 66W fast charging gives you almost 60 percent of charge in around 20 minutes, and its 4,800mAh battery can handily last one-and-a-half days with moderate usage.

Some things to grumble about

Let’s start with the lack of an IP rating. On a basic level, it would be nice to have some reassurance about how this phone handles splashes and dust.

The bloatware. My god, the bloatware

I didn’t expect a pristine stock Android experience, Honor, but I also didn’t want the first ten minutes to be spent hunting down apps I have no desire to use or install.

Magic UI 6.1

The Honor 70 uses Magic UI 6.1, which itself is built upon Android 12.

There’s a lot to like about Magic UI, particularly regarding its support for gesture-based navigation, but it does look a touch dated.

Its lineage, which stretches back to Huawei’s EMUI, is still glaringly apparent.

Final Verdict: Great Camera, Dated UI

It’s been a lovely reunion, Honor. You’re still you. You still excel when it comes to design and imaging. But you still have a long way to go.

Magic UI. To quote the philosopher Fergie, it’s so 2000-and-late. It’s the carbuncle that betrays an otherwise spectacular piece of industrial design.

With no MicroSD slot or 3.5mm headphone jack, you have no excuse to leave out a proper dust- and water-proofing rating.

Given the starting price of £449 (or $695, when imported to the US), you need to get these details right.

Honor 70 alternatives to consider

The Basic Pick	Best Budget Pick	Editor's Pick
Nokia X30 5G	Nothing Phone1 5G	Google Pixel 7
4.3	4.7	4.6
Check Availability	Check Availability	Check Availability

The Basic Pick

Nokia X30 5G

4.3

Check Availability

Best Budget Pick

Nothing Phone1 5G

4.7

Check Availability

Editor's Pick

Google Pixel 7

4.6

Check Availability

The Honor 70 is a great phone. But it’s also in a fiercely-competitive market.

The Nokia X30 5G rivals you on the photography front but has the benefit of a three-year warranty and three years of software updates.

The Nothing Phone(1) and countless devices from OPPO and Realme all deliver compelling alternatives, but at the same or lower price as the Honor 70.

READ MORE: Bad news, the Nothing Phone 1 isn’t coming to America

And Google continues to impress with the Pixel line-up. The Google Pixel 7 is priced within reach of the Honor 70.

It touts a similarly-impressive camera setup and benefits from long-term OS support and a stock Android experience.

Pay attention, Honor. If you want to reclaim your rightful place at the smartphone table, these are the companies and devices you’ll need to beat.

Where to buy the Honor 70

US buyers can pick up the Honor 70 from Amazon’s third-party sellers. The base device costs around $700, shipping included.

At the time of writing, the Honor 70 is discounted to around £379 on Amazon UK’s Black Friday sale.

That’s a £100 discount from its usual price. You can also buy it directly from Honor’s site.

Review

HONOR 70 Mobile Phone 5G

The Honor 70 is a great phone. It looks great, feels great, and its camera takes amazing pictures. But Honor still has a long way to go if it intends to keep up with competing brands. Still, it’s not the worst phone, but it’s certainly not the best.

See at Amazon See at Honor

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Review: EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid wireless gaming earbuds
• Review: G Pen Hyer
• Review: HHOGene GPods light earbuds
• Review: AGM H5 Pro smartphone

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Review: Honor 70 appeared first on KnowTechie.

It can be a great tool for making calls without cell service. But it can also present some problems.

Call quality can be poor or even fail if you’re on a weak WiFi signal. And the feature could potentially use more battery than normal on your device.

For whatever reason, you might want to turn off the WiFi calling feature on your Samsung phone. But the feature is somewhat hard to find. Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered.

How to turn off WiFi calling on a Samsung phone

You can find the WiFi calling toggle in the settings of your Samsung phone. But you don’t get there through the traditional settings app. Instead, start by opening the Phone app on your phone.

That’s all there is to it. Samsung’s WiFi Calling option is on if it is green. If it’s toggled to the gray side, the feature is off.

Of course, if you ever want to turn WiFi calling back on, just reverse the process and you will get the feature again.

Turn off the feature when it’s not needed

Again, WiFi calling can be a useful feature when needed. It allows you to make phone calls without cell service, as long as you have internet access.

But if you don’t need the feature, it may cause some trouble. You may get a weak signal, or the feature could drain your battery faster than normal.

Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to toggle the feature on and off. As long as you know where to look. The process should be similar across all Samsung smartphones with updated operating systems.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to reset Samsung TV without a remote
• How to add emergency contacts on a Samsung Galaxy phone
• Samsung will finally let you repair your own Galaxy smartphone
• Is the Samsung Galaxy S21 waterproof?

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s but one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post How to turn off WiFi calling on Samsung phones appeared first on KnowTechie.

They feature some seriously impressive specs. Both phones come packing the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, with up to 18GB of RAM for the ROG Phone 6 Pro. The ROG Phone 6 is available in configurations up to 16GB of RAM. You can also grab configurations with up to 512GB of storage.

Each model features massive 6.78-inch OLED screens with 165Hz refresh and 720Hz touch-sampling rates. Those specs represent massive improvements over the ROG Phone 5S, though the screen size has not changed.

READ MORE: ASUS has a new 4K HDMI 2.1 monitor that’s perfect for gamers

Neither have the 6,000mAh batteries, though the triple-camera array has seen an improvement over the previous releases.

There is one major change to speak of, though. The ROG Phone 6 Pro features an OLED screen on the back of the device. While everyday users may not find that it serves much of a purpose for them, some gamers may find that a second screen could benefit them.

That’s who these phones were made for, anyway. Most of their features were added with gaming in mind. But the lower-end model could easily see daily use as a go-to phone. It also includes optimal cooling, through the ROG Aeroactive Cooler. It’s an additional clip-on fan that you can use as a controller, too.

Neither phone is cheap, exactly, but that is to be expected. You can grab the base model ROG Phone 6 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for around $999.

If you’re more interested in the base model of the ROG Phone 6 Pro, you’ll have to pony up about $1349. Both prices are based on European price announcements so far, with no US pricing confirmed at the time of writing.

Interested in picking up one of these portable powerhouses? Sit tight for now. There’s no release date just yet. That will likely change in the coming weeks, so we’ll update you when it does.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How much is the iPhone 14?
• Google’s folding Pixel suffers delays, but is that a surprise?
• The new Samsung Gaming Hub brings cloud gaming to your TV
• Apple Exec: Early Galaxy phones were a ‘poor copy’ of the iPhone

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Asus debuts souped-up ROG Phone 6 and 6 Pro gaming phones appeared first on KnowTechie.

This all came to light when the folks over at Anandtech were performing benchmark tests for an upcoming review of the smartphone. But when they found a large number of well-known apps slowing down more than usual, they knew something was off.

READ MORE: Watch the OnePlus 10 Pro get snapped in half in a basic durability test

Well, as it turns out, their hunch was right. OnePlus recently confirmed to XDA Developers that this is actually intentional and helps preserve the phone’s battery life. Here’s the full statement:

Our top priority is always delivering a great user experience with our products, based in part on acting quickly on important user feedback. Following the launch of the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro in March, some users told us about some areas where we could improve the devices’ battery life and heat management. As a result of this feedback, our R&D team has been working over the past few months to optimize the devices’ performance when using many of the most popular apps, including Chrome, by matching the app’s processor requirements with the most appropriate power. This has helped to provide a smooth experience while reducing power consumption. While this may impact the devices’ performance in some benchmarking apps, our focus as always is to do what we can to improve the performance of the device for our users.

What OnePlus is telling us here is that sure, apps are being slowed down, but the average smartphone user isn’t going to notice it. The only thing that’s going to catch it is benchmarking apps, which isn’t a thing most regular people use.

The gist of it is that OnePlus is trying to make their phones last longer for users and hold a bit more battery life. While I personally don’t see a huge issue with this, Apple did have to pay $500 million for similar issues, but Apple’s goal was to get people to upgrade to a new phone.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• The new OnePlus Watch is terrible – here’s what reviewers are saying
• OnePlus has unveiled the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro with Hasselblad cameras
• The new OnePlus 9 is coming on March 23 and should feature a killer camera
• OnePlus is releasing a cheap fitness band to help out with those New Year’s resolutions

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Yup, OnePlus is deliberately slowing down apps to preserve battery life appeared first on KnowTechie.

The court decided that it is within Customs and Border Protection agents’ purview to perform in-depth searches of laptops and smartphones without the use of a warrant. According to Judge Sandra Lynch’s ruling, CBP agents can copy and review data at their discretion. Furthermore, “in-depth” searches fall within the scope of “permissible constitutional grounds.”

Even more appalling, federal agents can conduct such searches within 100 miles of the US border. That area covers pretty much all metropolitan areas near the US border.

READ MORE: Google and Amazon let police see your video without a warrant

Esha Bhandari, a deputy director at the ACLU reacted to the ruling, saying searches can give federal agents and border officers “unfettered access” to a plethora of private information. She added that they are upset with the ruling and that they are considering other options. This way, civil and privacy rights are not jeopardized when traveling.

On the other side of the specter, Judge Lyn said that it is up to the White House and Congress to bring forth clearer rules to provide better protection than what the Constitution can offer at the moment.

Have any thoughts on this? Do you think the courts got it right or wrong on this ruling? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Patriot Act renewal now allows the FBI to access your browser history without a warrant
• If you’re entering the US, agents can search your phone with no warrant – Here’s what you can do
• Judge claps back at Epic Games, says Apple justified in banning Fortnite from the App Store
• A judge has ruled that Uber drivers are freelancers, not employees

The post U.S. border agents can now search laptops and smartphones without a warrant appeared first on KnowTechie.

According to this report, new iPhone models such as iPhone 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, and 12 Mini are the ones that perform the most. They calculated that those models accounted for around 56% of all US iPhone sales in fiscal Q1 of 2021. 

The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro Max outperformed all other models as each of them accounted for about 17% of all iPhone sales. Consequently, the US weighted average retail price increased to $873. For comparison, the weighted average retail price was $809 in the fiscal quarter before. That’s a $64 increase in just one fiscal quarter.

Josh Lowitz, co-founder and CIRP Partner, said that this is the highest level of a US Weighted Average Retail Price (US-WARP) that they have seen in the last decade. 

CIRP’s report further disclosed that Apple recorded a significant penetration in the service department. Apple Music, Apple TV, and paid iCloud Storage showed a vastly improved penetration among buyers that purchased an Apple product in the fiscal Q1 of 2021. All other services were at the same level as in the previous fiscal quarter.  

Mike Levin also commented on this segment of Apple’s business. He pointed out that more than half of buyers opted for paid iCloud storage, and more than a third of Apple buyers use their streaming service. Then he explained how paid news and podcasts are still at their early stages and that they remain stable.

On the other side of the specter, he pointed to Apple Care and Apple TV, whose performances are far from pleasing and that it will take a while they show significant improvements.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Apple is bringing back the SD card slot to the new MacBook Pro along with some other big updates
• Apple just pushed out a major security update for the iPhone, download it now
• How to stop Apple Watch from automatically downloading Fitness+ workouts
• Apple just tapped its senior VP of engineering to head up a mysterious new secret project

The post The average price of an iPhone in the U.S. is now up to $873 appeared first on KnowTechie.

Though all iPhone 12 models contain more magnets than prior iPhone models, they’re not expected to pose a greater risk of magnetic interference to medical devices than prior iPhone models.

Apple admits the fact that the iPhone features components and magnets that emit electromagnetic fields. They also acknowledge that electromagnetic fields and magnets may disrupt the work of medical devices like defibrillators and pacemakers.

However, they did mention that the new iPhone 12 lineup contains more magnets than its predecessors. Even despite that, they are adamant and stick to their official stance on the matter – “iPhone 12/MagSafe wouldn’t interfere more than previous iPhones.”

Simultaneously, another study shows that a pacemaker deactivated by an iPhone placed right next to it will not cause any significant disruption. Some experts believe that additional data and research are needed, and this one study opens the doors to that. Plus, it’s not just the iPhones that contain magnets that can interfere with medical devices.

Practically, all other smartphones contain magnets and emit electromagnetic fields too. Yet, there aren’t any significant studies that examine the effects of smartphone induced electromagnetic fields over medical devices. 

The fix to this issue is seen in using ultrasonic receiver-emitter pair. That tech builds on basic 40 kHz carrier waves and uses relatively simple code that prevents interference from other sources. 

Until companies start using safer technology, it’s safe to keep smartphones away from defibrillators and pacemakers. According to some unconfirmed reports, Medtronic and other companies are actively working to make their technology safer by getting rid of magnets.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Apple might get rid of the infamous TouchBar on the next MacBook Pro
• Here’s how to use the walkie-talkie feature on Apple Watch
• Samsung is coming for Apple with the new Galaxy Buds Pro
• This new Apple patent unlocks your Apple Watch just by wearing it

The post A new study claims Apple’s iPhone 12 with MagSafe can interfere with people’s pacemakers appeared first on KnowTechie.

Some of the newer additions include a plunger, ninja, logs, piñata, a transgender flag, and a whole lot more. The full list of all the new emojis being added to iOS 14.2 can be found here. Our favorite new addition, without a doubt, is the new “pinched finger” emoji. If you haven’t seen the “frustrated Italian hand gesture” meme, here’s a good example of it in action below:

https://twitter.com/stevekovach/status/1324450297402544128

Obviously, Apple included more in the update than just emojis. These improvements include eight new wallpapers, bug fixes, and a new AirPlay menu. HomePod users also get some updates too included in the iOS 14 update. These include Apple’s new intercom feature and the ability to link a HomePod speaker to an Apple TV 4K for stereo, surround, and Dolby Atmos.

But yeah, the main ticket here seems to be the new emojis. Most people aren’t too concerned with bug fixes and stuff being done under the hood. But it’s nice to see Apple pushing these sorts of updates out. If you haven’t downloaded the new update, just know it’s there whenever you’re ready for it.

Have you updated? Have any thoughts on the new emoji? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to hide photos on your iPhone in iOS 14
• How to create a custom Smart Stack widget in iOS 14
• iOS 14 can check if your passwords were breached – here’s how to use it
• Can you edit the App Library in iOS 14?

The post iPhone users: Download the new iOS 14.2 update, it has 100 new emojis appeared first on KnowTechie.