Beginning June 1, Verizon is changing their upgrade program, Edge, so that the number of monthly payments for a device changes from 24 months to 20 months. Verizon is also changing the percentage of a device's costs that a customer will need to pay off before they can upgrade from 50% to 60%. ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7orrDq6ainJGqwam70aKrsmaTpLpwwsSroLOnnmK6orfErGScoJGjtKa%2FjJ6boJ1dqr2ovsCdnGaooqS0s63MZmpxcWBuf3A%3D

On May 15, 2019, the US government added Huawei to its now-infamous “Entity List” of companies that are barred from buying American products. Ostensibly, the reason is a vaguely defined, but hard-to-dismiss risk to national security. This was no mere bureaucratic nuisance. Within days, all hell broke loose: Google confirmed it had suspended Huawei’s license, and in quick succession, many other companies and organizations cut ties with Huawei, the world’s top telecom company.

Google’s Chrome for Android has been receiving a few updates in the closing quarter of the year and the browser is now boasting tougher security features as well. Coming (almost) straight from the company’s desktop software, Chrome Safe Browsing is now built into version 46 of Chrome for Android. The updated security features are designed to offer additional protection against malware, unwanted software and social engineering websites. If you accidentally stumble onto a suspicious page, Chrome will now offer up a big red warning page and to let you have another think about the site.

Reverse wireless charging has always been a weird feature. Ever since we first saw it in the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, it was clear that, while convenient, you usually lost way more power than you transferred to the other phone. But when Samsung first launched the Galaxy Buds with the Samsung Galaxy S10 series, it became clear to me that this feature was way more useful for accessories, which tend to have much smaller batteries.

Planning to root your Galaxy Note 3? Unfortunately, doing so is easier said than done,thanks to Samsung’s KNOX security. The problem is that rooting the Note 3 apparently triggers a response from the KNOX security software that will effectively mess up your phone, setting its status to unofficial and voiding your warranty. The good news is that a solution has now been found. The so-called Root de la Vega method has now been released, thanks to the efforts of XDA developers designgears and Chainfire.

If DayZ was a bit too serious for you, and you are a fan of furry animals, then GoatZ, from the developers of the massively buggy Goat Simulator, may be the game for you. TodayGoatZ has invaded Steam as an expansion pack to Goat Simulator, and iOS and Android as a stand alone game. On the Google Play store, GoatZ is priced at $4.99, the same as Goat Simulator, and ships with more bugs than we prefer to count.

Google knows what you shop for online, where you go, and (sometimes) what you buy. If you’re looking for something, Google is often the go-to source for finding it. Somehow, some way, Google seems to have all the answers. Google is now intent on actually knowing what you’re looking for — or at. A new patent filed by the Mountain View company wishes to track your eyeball, a bit like Samsung’s new devices do.

Update: July 31 2020 (2:26AM ET): Canalys reported yesterday that Huawei managed to pass Samsung as the number one smartphone maker in the world in Q2 2020. Now, two more tracking firms have corroborated the change at the top. “Huawei was able to attain this feat due to a unique market scenario created because of COVID-19. China, Huawei’s largest market, is now recovering from the pandemic compared to other markets like Europe, LATAM, and North America,” the firm’s associate director Tarun Pathak noted, while saying China accounted for 71% of Huawei’s shipments.

Update #2 (2/24): Telltale Games has finally released the first episode its much anticipated Michonne mini-series to the Google Play Store. It's available now at the download link below for $4.99. If you're positive that you're going to be purchasing episodes 2 and 3, you can save 20% by buying a season pass via the game's in-app menu. Interested? Follow the link below for the download! [aa_button text="Download The Walking Dead: Michonne from Google Play"

TL;DR Mint Mobile will increase the data allotments for all its subscription tiers starting next week. This jump in data comes at no extra cost for new or current users. Actor Ryan Reynolds, who owns a major stake in the company, announced the change in another silly video. Today, MVNO carrier Mint Mobile announced a restructuring of its data plans. Bucking the usual trend of companies asking for more money for less value, MM is giving customers more.