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CyanogenMod 7.2 brings ICS features and more to CM (Android 2.3.7)

The CyanogenMod team has recently released a flowchart about which Android devices will receive their CM9 (Android 4.0) upgrade, which left a lot of Android owners disappointed. Nevertheless, if you’re one of those who ended up in the wrong side of the chart, there’s no need to despair. You might still be able to breathe some new life in that “old phone” of yours! Android device owners that have CM7 or Android 2.

Is your phone listening to your convos? Research says no, but that's not all

TL;DR A research team conducted a controlled experiment to prove if “phone listening” is actually a thing. The experiment showed that your phone is likely not listening to you, but it could be recording your screen and sending that data to remote servers. The methodology for the experiment is a bit flawed, so it still could be possible “phone listening” is happening. A new study conducted by academics at Northeastern University in Massachusetts attempted to answer one of the biggest conspiracy theory questions of our time: are our smartphones listening to our conversations?

Samsung Gear S2 has compatibility problems with encrypted Android devices

As a sophisticated smartphone somebody, it’s en vogue to be showcasing a worthwhile wearable while fidgeting with the latest flagship. To this end, I have found myself making use of two new note-worthies: the Samsung Gear S2 and the Huawei Nexus 6P. The brilliance of this unlikely portable paring is that Korea’s largest OEM has recently expanded support for its Tizen smartwatches to mostly any Android device. Unfortunately, there is one minor complication:

Futurama: Game of Drones is now available

Good news everyone! The Futurama game we first got a glimpse of back in November is now finally available in the Play Store worldwide! It’s called Futurama: Game of Drones, and it’s a match-4 puzzle game that incorporates all the classic animated humor that we all loved from the TV show. In this game, you’ll attempt to help Planet Express make deliveries by matching drones. Deliveries are completed once you line up four, but lining up larger numbers will create a special drone, which is really where the strategy begins to show.

Huawei Ascend Mate vs Google Nexus 7

Just in case you guys missed it, just the other day we have analyzed how well the Huawei Ascend Mate fares against the current Android phablet king, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. To no surprise for our regular readers, the Galaxy Note 2 is still the top phablet out there, but shortly after finalizing the previously mentioned article, I came to realize one interesting fact: the difference in size between Samsung’s and Huawei’s phablets is so big, that it actually made a comparison between the Huawei Ascend Mate and the Google Nexus 7 not only possible, but outright recommended.

LastPass free users now have big limit: PC or mobile?

Joe Hindy / Android Authority TL;DR A change in policy will affect LastPass free users starting in mid-March. If you don’t pay for the service, you’ll need to use it only on PC or mobile — you can pick only one. LastPass currently costs $36 each year for a single user, but there’s a discount to make the transition easier. LastPass is one of the most popular password management suites available.

Mira Android App: Another Siri Contender

Everyone’s been buzzing about how the iPhone 4S took one giant step up from the rest by tagging Siri into the ring. If you’ve been living under a rock, Siri is the iPhone 4S’s virtual assistant. Ask her a question, just like how you would ask a friend, and she’ll give you an answer. Imagine you’re driving and you need to keep your eyes on the road but need to send a message ASAP.

Nokia’s Here maps come to Android, but only to Samsung devices for now

How the times have changed – following the sale of its mobile unit to Microsoft, Nokia is now free to do whatever it pleases with its other assets, including the powerful Here maps service. Today Nokia announced that users of Samsung Galaxy devices will soon be able to download the free Here app for Android. The app will become available to other Android devices by the end of the year.

Realme hits number three for first time in Indian smartphone market

Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority TL;DR Realme secured third place in India during Q4 2021, a tracking firm found. The company achieved fourth place when looking at 2021 as a whole. Xiaomi was the top brand in both Q4 2021 and the full year. Realme has been a fixture in India since its 2018 debut, offering a variety of cut-price phones and taking the fight to Samsung and Xiaomi.

ASUS ZenFone 3 is getting the Android 8.0 Oreo update

TL;DR As promised, ASUS is rolling out the Android 8.0 Oreo update for the ZenFone 3. The update will remove some of the pre-installed apps, including Photo Collage and MiniMovie. You should see it on your phone in the coming days as it takes around a week for the system to roll out the update. ASUS promised that the ZenFone 3 would get the Oreo update by the second half of 2018, and that’s precisely what’s happening right now.