Category: Technologies

We gave Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro a CNET Editors’ Choice award for a variety of reasons, but one of the biggest was its awesome triple camera system. It can take beautiful photos that comfortably rival shots from the best camera phones out there, including Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra and Google’s recent Pixel 7 Pro. It takes great photos at night, too.

The iPhone’s powerful combination of gorgeous image quality, software processing and advanced features, such as Apple’s own ProRaw image format, means the iPhone’s images can look like they were taken on a professional-level camera.

Then there’s the wide array of amazing photo editing apps available on iOS that can help turn even a regular image into an eye-catching piece of digital art.

But simply having a great camera isn’t the only thing you need to take award-worthy images. Knowing the tricks of the trade will make the difference between coming home with some fun snaps and coming back with beautiful photos you can’t wait to print and frame for your wall.

Here, then, are my top tips for better images, techniques that I use every day as a professional photographer, from working with the light to using more-creative angles to polishing up your shots in editing apps. Many of these tips will apply on any recent phone you may have, including the base iPhone 14 or older models like the iPhone 13 and iPhone SE and even many Android phones. Looking for a new phone for taking photos? Check out our guide to the best camera phones.

Know when to use the different lenses

It’s easy to stand in front of a picturesque scene and flick between the normal, super wide and zoomed views on the phone, but it’s more difficult to understand exactly why one might be better than the other for a particular composition. To figure it out, you need to take an extra moment to look at what’s important in the scene in front of you.

Is there a particular subject — perhaps a statue or an impressive building — that’s surrounded by lots of other elements like trees, sign posts or street lights? Using the iPhone 14 Pro’s 3x telephoto zoom here is a great way of isolating your subject and eliminating all those distractions. You may need to move back a bit and then zoom in to keep it in frame, but simplifying your scene like this will help your subject stand out.

But perhaps it’s those extra surrounding elements that really add to the scene and provide context for where you are. In that case, using the standard zoom will allow you to keep those items in the shot. Switching to the super wide view will capture even more of the surroundings. So to avoid your subject getting lost in the frame, you might want to move closer and find interesting foreground objects (a patch of flowers, a cool-looking rock) to add to the composition.

Revisit at different times of day

The awesome low-light skills of the iPhone 14 Pro mean you’re not limited to only taking photos at midday when the sun is at its highest. Sunrises and sunsets will typically be darker, but may reward you with beautiful colors in the sky and great contrast in the light being cast. Landscape photographers know that getting up before dawn can often yield the best results and it’s something that’s always worth keeping in mind, if you can stomach the early rises.

If you’re willing to try a sunrise shoot at least once, visit the spots you’ve already shot and see how they’re transformed by the different light. It’s this that will separate your images from the hundreds of others on Instagram who just took a snap after their morning coffee.

Don’t be afraid of the dark

Don’t think that once the light goes altogether you need to stop shooting. The iPhone 14 Pro has one of the best night modes on any phone and can take astonishing night-time photos. City scenes, with car headlights, vibrant shop window displays and even festive holiday decorations can provide superb fodder for night shots. And don’t worry if it rains. Those wet streets will now reflect all of those lights, which can look amazing.

Check out our tutorial If you want to get even better results from your night-time phone photography.

Shoot in ProRaw, edit your shots later

A few careful tweaks in editing apps like Adobe Lightroom can make all the difference between an everyday snap and a beautiful piece of art. Thankfully, Apple has made this even better with the introduction of ProRaw.

ProRaw is much the same as shooting in raw on regular DSLRs; it doesn’t save all the image data, allowing you to change white balance and alter colors much more accurately after you’ve taken your shot.

It also captures more detail in the shadows and highlights of your images, giving more scope for rescuing those bright skies with the highlights slider or bringing back a bit more visible detail in the darker shadows. You’ll see the raw button in the top corner of your screen when you’re in the camera, so make sure it doesn’t have a line through it if you’re taking an image that you know you’ll want to polish up later to look its best. You can edit JPEG images too. I’s just that you won’t have quite the same level of flexibility.

I use Adobe Lightroom Mobile for most of my phone editing. It’s a professional tool and has a lot of granular control over color and exposure, while also syncing my images to the cloud so I can pick up my edits later on my iPad or my desktop computer. If you don’t fancy the monthly fees, Google’s Snapseed is free and also has a lot of superb features for getting the best from your shots, including a variety of film effects that give some beautiful color toning to your photos.

If you want to get a bit more wild and creative, you should check out apps like Bazaart and PicsArt, which provide a variety of tools and effects for compositing images to turn them from photos into often bizarre pieces of modern art. Take a look at my roundup of image editing apps for more ideas.

Remember that there is no right or wrong way to edit your images, and applying creative effects doesn’t mean deleting the original file — so you can always go back and try again if you don’t like the result. My advice is to get a cup of tea, sit back in a comfy chair and spend some time playing with your editing app of choice and seeing what you can create. You may be surprised at what you can come up with, even from images you took some time ago.

There are plenty of pricey multi-speaker setups out there that can provide immersive surround sound for all your shows and movies. But you don’t have to rearrange your entire living room — or break the bank — to upgrade your TV’s audio. The LG Eclair is a compact all-in-one soundbar that packs a big punch, and for today only, you can pick it up for $200 off. That drops the price down to just $250. However, this deal is only available through 9:59 p.m. PT (12:59 a.m. ET) tonight, so be sure to get your order in before then if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.

This convenient single-piece LG soundbar provides powerful sound without taking up too much space. It’s a 3.0-channel soundbar, and it’s equipped with four passive radiators for rich sound and deep bass tones without needing a separate subwoofer. It also features Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support for immersive spatial audio that fills the entire room. Plus, it even allows you to play sound through the soundbar and your TV’s speakers simultaneously for a serious home theater experience. And it has Google Chromecast and Apple AirPlay 2 built-in, so you can easily stream music and other audio from your phone, tablet or laptop wirelessly.

And if you’re in the market for a different model or setup, you can check out our full roundup of all the best soundbar deals for even more bargains.

Whether you’re looking to promote yourself or your business, having a strong online presence is an absolute necessity. Fortunately, it’s never been easier to build yourself a website, and right now, it’s a lot cheaper too. WP Engine offers WordPress web and e-commerce hosting, and when you use the promo code WPE4FREE to sign up right now, you’ll get four months for free. You’ll have to pay for the entire year upfront to get this deal, but it could save you as much as $1,400 depending on your plan. There’s no set expiration for this offer, so get signed up soon if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.

WP Engine didn’t quite make our list of the best web-hosting services for 2023 because it only supports WordPress. But if that’s your preferred content management system, then this is a deal you won’t want to miss. The basic plan includes support for one website with up to 25,000 monthly visits, 10GB of storage and 50GB of bandwidth per month. Prices start at $240 for the year if you only want WordPress hosting, which is $120 off the usual price. If you want e-commerce support for your site as well, the price jumps up to $288 for the year, which saves you $144.

WP Engine also lets you customize your plan a bit, and you can upgrade all the way up to hosting for over 30 sites with more than 400,000 monthly visits, with prices starting at $2,320 for the most advanced plans. And all plans include 24/7 support, WordPress-specific security, daily backups, 10 premium WordPress themes and much more.

And if you want to check out some other web-hosting services, we’ve rounded up even more great bargains that you can take advantage of right now.

Cable and satellite can get expensive, but you don’t have to pay a huge monthly bill to watch TV. If you live in a city or town with good over-the-air reception, putting up a TV antenna is an easy way to cut the cord and get access to free TV. Pair an affordable antenna with an OTA recorder, and you’ll be able to pause live TV, save your shows for later and fast-forward through commercials. Many of the DVRs we’ve tested will even let you stream your recorded content to multiple TVs or when you’re away from home.

The downside is that “free” can turn into, well, not free, especially if your DVR charges a monthly fee. For example, a basic DVR like the AirTV 2 starts around $100, before you add a hard drive, while a TiVo Edge with all the bells and whistles is currently $499 (with lifetime subscription). Yet, compared with the cost of cable TV and live TV-streaming services such as Hulu Plus Live TV or YouTube TV, even the most expensive antenna DVR will pay for itself in due time.

It’s worth mentioning that the next version of the ATSC broadcast standard, called NextGen TV, is now available in over 60% of homes. NextGenTV promises visuals in up to 4K resolution in the future, as well as interactive features not possible with standard broadcast. Some TVs have onboard NextGen tuners, and while there’s at least one DVR available for it — the HDHomeRun Flex 4K — it’s currently uncertain if that device will be able to meet the newest DRM requirements. Meanwhile, the competitive Tablo ATSC 3.0 Quad HDMI OTA DVR has been delayed for the foreseeable future. As NextGen TV isn’t expected to come online fully till at least 2024, we’ll cover such DVRs in a future update.

There are three standout OTA DVR products to consider when buying a cord-cutting digital video recorder: the AirTV 2 and the TiVo Edge for antenna, and the Nuvyyo Tablo Quad. Each has its own unique features, tuner and capabilities, but there’s one I’d recommend to beginners and old hands alike. Sadly, our previous recommendation, the Amazon FireTV Recast, has been discontinued. Let’s dive in and take a look at the best OTA DVR options.

Types of OTA DVR: Set top vs. networked TV streamer?

There are two main types of DVR options: a traditional set top, which connects directly to a single TV via an HDMI output; or a networked TV streamer, which streams to your devices over the internet. The TiVo Edge for antenna is a traditional set-top (which also has in-home streaming) while the AirTV 2 and Tablo Quad are straight networked TV streamers.

A set-top is best for people who usually watch on one TV, while a network device is for people who want to watch on multiple devices — a streamer like a Roku or other devices like phones and tablets. In general a networked TV streamer is the more flexible OTA DVR option, and can better complement live TV streaming apps or services like Netflix.

Other features to look for

Regardless of which style of OTA DVR you choose, there are some features common to both that you should look for.

• Two or more HD tuners: One tuner is just not enough. When it comes to HD (or eventually 4K) tuners, the more your device has the merrier. The bare minimum is two so you can record two channels at the same time, or watch one while you record another, but heavy antenna heads might appreciate even more.

• 1TB or more of storage: Depending on the device you have, a terabyte of built-in storage space should offer about 150 hours of program content. But if you choose a device such as the TiVo, which automatically records shows it “thinks you like,” you could run out very quickly. Which is why you also need…

• The ability to add extra storage via USB or SD card: An external hard drive is an excellent option, providing your DVR doesn’t need a proprietary model. Generally, a 1TB external hard drive is cheap at about 50 bucks.

• 14 days of guide data: While seven days is really the minimum useful amount, two weeks gives you more flexibility.

• No ongoing fees: Most people cut the cord to save money, so paying yet another monthly fee doesn’t make a ton of sense. TiVo does offer a lifetime service option so you pay for the device and guide data upfront.

Running out of storage space on a console is a common occurrence. Time and time again I see a game I’m interested in available on Xbox Game Pass and when I try to download it, my console says it’s running out of space and I’ll need to make room by deleting games I’ve already installed. What makes things easier, and cheaper, is plugging in the WD Black C50 Expansion Card, starting at 512GB for $80.

When Microsoft launched the Xbox Series X and S in 2020, the company gushed over how easy it was to upgrade the consoles’ storage and load games directly from the card. No more opening up the Xbox or using an external drive: You can double the built-in storage just by plugging a memory card into a slot. At the time, though, only Seagate had the rights to make the cards, and they weren’t cheap at $220 for 1TB. Microsoft dropped the price of those cards back in May, making them and the C50 the same price.

The C50 is available in two options: the 512GB at $80 ( 90) or 1TB at $150 ( 150). Both are the same physical size and all-black design.

Seeing the card reminded me of the memory cards from back in the days of the original PlayStation and PS2. And like those cards, the upgrade was just as easy.

It took me more time to turn around my Xbox Series X without unplugging any cables than it did to insert the card into the slot on the back.

Once installed, the console will immediately recognize the increase in storage and you’re done. If you want to move games to the card, you’ll need to press a few extra buttons to begin the transfer, an operation I think could be streamlined a bit. Games launched from the card might take a little longer to start, but it’s not noticeable compared to the overall load time.

Upgrading your Xbox Series console’s storage may not be required for most gamers, but if you’re like me and like having a collection of games available without having to redownload them, you should consider Western Digital’s Black C50 Expansion Card.

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 series has really impressed us, from the entry-level model, with its solid all-round performance, to the top-end S23 Ultra, with its incredible camera system and S-Pen stylus.

But the tech world doesn’t sit still for long, and already we’re seeing rumors about Samsung’s next generation of phones, the Galaxy S24 line. We’ve sifted through the output from the rumor mill to try to figure out just what Samsung’s next superphones will offer, when they’ll be announced, and how much they might cost.

All rumors should be taken with a pinch of salt. And they’re unlikely to stop rolling in, so we’ll keep this article updated as we hear more.

When will the Samsung Galaxy S24 launch?

Samsung took the wraps off the S23 line and S22 line at Galaxy Unpacked events in February 2023 and 2022, respectively. We strongly expect the company to follow the same timeline for the next models, with a February 2024 launch event and the phones going on sale within the following weeks.

How much will the Galaxy S24 cost?

There aren’t any firm details on pricing, but we don’t expect any significant changes from the S23 lineup. For reference, the base S23 model starts at $800, the Plus at $1,000 and the Ultra at $1,200. The Galaxy S lineup has different models for people shopping on different budgets and it’s a tactic Samsung has used for most generations of its phones.

The new Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 both maintained their prices from last year, so it doesn’t generally appear that Samsung is looking to shake up its pricing strategy.

Will there be multiple Galaxy S24 versions?

Almost certainly, yes. As mentioned, the multiple models strategy is one that Samsung has used for some time, and all current rumors suggest the company will launch at least two versions of the S24: a base model and an Ultra version. Some industry analysts have suggested that the Plus model might be scrapped to create more separation between the base and Ultra, but other sources disagree.

What about the Galaxy S24 series design and display?

Tipster @Tech_Reve suggests Samsung will be sticking to much the same design as this year, at least for the base S24 and S24 Plus. Both phones are expected to maintain the floating camera lenses, rather than the solid camera unit seen on the earlier S22 and S22 Plus.

The S24 Ultra may get some more-noticeable tweaks, if only in the reduction of the number of camera lenses visible on the back. Tech_Reve predicts that the S24 Ultra will lose the 3x camera lens, which will mean fewer lenses in the camera cluster — though that may not be the case, as we’ll discuss later. Other rumors suggest the Ultra model will be made with a lighter, stronger titanium frame, but whether that’s visually noticeable remains to be seen.

Most rumors suggest that the display sizes will remain pretty much the same as last year, meaning we expect a 6.1-inch base Galaxy S24, a 6.6-inch S24 Plus and a 6.8-inch S24 Ultra.

And the Galaxy S24 series cameras?

Rumors aren’t clear about what exactly to expect when it comes to the cameras in the S24 range, with some earlier reports saying we’ll see a much larger main camera sensor, and other more recent rumors suggesting the camera specs will remain essentially the same.

The latter rumors come chiefly from known leakster Ice Universe, a source with an excellent track record, so the talk of a bigger main camera sensor is arguably less exciting. That’s a shame, because the S23 Ultra’s cameras haven’t really changed that much for a few generations, while competition from both Apple and Google has remained fierce. A larger camera sensor could make a significant difference in improving image quality. That said, Ice Universe has also suggested that the S24 Ultra’s 3x zoom may get a resolution bump up to 50 megapixels.

Other rumors suggest the Ultra will lose the dedicated 3x optical zoom lens and instead go all in with the 10x optical zoom, upgrading it to allow for different zoom levels. A continuous optical zoom has been rumored for some time, but if Ice Universe is to be believed, we may have to wait another generation to see it in use.

How about the Galaxy S24 series specs?

Though it’s almost certain some S24 models will use the upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, expected to be launched later this year, reports suggest Samsung may revert to using its own Exynos chips in certain regions.

In earlier generations, including the S22 line, Samsung used Qualcomm chips in some regions (including the US) but opted for its own Exynos processors in other areas (including the UK). The reasoning wasn’t always clear, but it was notable that the S23 line used Qualcomm silicon in all regions, with no hint of Exynos.

Rumors about Samsung’s S23 FE, the more affordable version of the range, expected later this year, suggest it’ll use Exynos chips. And it’s possible Samsung will again opt for a mix of chips for the S24 range when it launches next year.

Other leaks suggest that the base S24 and S24 Plus could get a bump up to 12GB of RAM, with the Ultra going up to 16GB.

Anything else?

At this point there aren’t many other credible rumors. We do, however, expect Samsung to stick with the S Pen stylus in the S24 Ultra, as well as introduce a new range of colors throughout the whole series. We’d love to see a return to expandable storage (but that won’t happen), and you can expect features like IP68 water resistance, in-screen fingerprint scanners and high refresh rate displays on all models.

There will be a first-time World Cup winner in 2023. Spain will meet England in the Women’s World Cup final with both squads hoping to bring home their first World Cup.

England is expected to be the favorite in the game, having had a dominant tournament. They won Group D, survived Nigeria in the round of 16 and won the last two games without their new star, Lauren James, who was suspended for stomping on a player’s butt. She will back in uniform on Sunday, when England looks to win its second major tournament following its win in the European Championship last summer. England beat Spain in the quarterfinals of that tournament by a score of 2-1.

Spain has yet to win a major tournament, but has looked strong in this World Cup. They placed second in Group C, but dominated Switzerland in the round of 16. They beat the Netherlands 2-1 in extra time in the quarterfinals and secured their place in the final by besting Sweden in the semifinals by the same score.

Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch Spain vs. England, no matter where you are in the world.

Spain vs. England: When and where?

This Women’s World Cup final takes place at Stadium Australia in Sydney on Sunday, Aug. 20.

Kick-off is set for 8 p.m. AEST local time in Australia, which makes it a 6 a.m. ET or 2 a.m. PT start in the US and Canada, a 10 p.m. NZST start in New Zealand and an 11 a.m. BST kick-off in the UK.

How to watch the FIFA Women’s World Cup final 2023 online from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to view the final locally, you may need a different way to watch this match — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.

Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Australia, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.

Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.

Livestream Spain vs. England in the US

The Women’s World Cup final is being broadcast on Fox in the US. If you’re already a subscriber, you can livestream the game via the Fox website. if you’re not, you’ll need a live TV streaming service that carries Fox, the least expensive being Sling TV Blue.

Numerous other live TV streaming services carry local Fox as well, namely YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, DirecTV Stream and FuboTV. They all cost more than Sling TV, but they also carry more channels. Check out our live TV streaming channel guide for details.

NBC-owned Telemundo, meanwhile, offers coverage of the final in Spanish, which can also be viewed via NBC’s streaming platform Peacock Premium.

One further option in the US for watching the match comes from Tubi TV, which is offering a full-length replay of the game in English, minutes it ends on the free ad-supported streaming service. You’ll have to sign up for a Tubi account in order to get the game, but you won’t need a credit card or subscription.

Watch Spain vs. England for free in the UK

Football fans in the UK are among the luckiest in the world, as the FIFA Women’s World Cup final is being shown live on two free-to-air channels, with BBC1 and ITV1 sharing broadcast duties. This means viewers in the region will be able to stream the game for free on BBC iPlayer as well as ITVX. Coverage starts at 10 a.m. BST on BBC One and at 10:15 a.m. BST on ITV1 on Sunday morning.

Stream Spain vs. England for free in Australia

Stream Spain vs. England in Canada

Comprehensive live coverage of the 2023 Women’s World Cup final will be available in Canada via TSN. Cord cutters can watch via the network’s streaming service TSN Plus.

Stream Spain vs. England for free in New Zealand

Live coverage of 2023 Women’s World Cup for the co-host nation is with free-to-air channel Prime. Kick-off for the final is at 10 p.m. NZST.

Quick tips for streaming the 2023 Women’s World Cup final using a VPN

• With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming the Women’s World Cup final live may vary.
• If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
• If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
• All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
• And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.

If you’re tired of high airfare prices decimating your travel budget, you won’t want to miss this deal. There are a number of ways to cash in on cheaper flights without having to put in the time and effort to research the best deals yourself. Investing in a Dollar Flight Club subscription can help save you hundreds of dollars in airfare — plus the company does the work for you, sending email alerts for low fares directly to your inbox so you aren’t stuck comparing prices and hunting for bargains. And right now you can nab two memberships at a big discount.

Get two lifetime Dollar Flight Club Premium Plus memberships at StackSocial for just $100 — this offer will knock hundreds off the price when compared with the $14-a-month subscription. This was already a pretty fine bargain when it included only one membership for this price, so getting two, which of course brings the cost to $50 each, is definitely an opportunity. We don’t know how long this offer will last, so we recommend making your purchase sooner rather than later if you don’t want to miss this deal.

It’s hard to catch a break these days. Between many of us staying busy and living on a budget, saving both time and money is important. Instead of having to hunt down the best fares yourself, Dollar Flight Club will do it for you, making it much easier to book your dream vacation, prepare for a visit to see loved ones or find an excuse to take off for a last-minute weekend getaway.

The Dollar Flight Club Premium Plus plan gives you access to savings on flights in business, premium economy and economy seating, and includes both domestic and international deals. Once you sign up and add your home airports, you’ll get instant alerts via email and can book whenever and wherever using the web or the app, which is available for iOS and Android devices.

Plus, you can get perks and discounts of up to 50% off from various partners, including Babbel, Acanela Expeditions and Huckberry, as well as access to a variety of travel tips from DFC experts to help you plan your next adventure.

If high flight prices have been stopping you from booking the vacation of your dreams, now’s a great time to invest in a service that can help you find the best discounts, curated and delivered directly to you. Again, there’s no set expiration for this offer, so we’d recommend getting your order in sooner rather than later if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.

Read more: Best Luggage Deals

When I reviewed the Pixel 7A back in May, I praised it for its sleek design, great cameras and resemblance to the pricier Pixel 7. Revisiting the phone three months later has only reinforced those impressions — along with reiterating other pros and cons about the device.

Google has a strong track record for updating the software on its Pixel phones years after their release with new features and functionality, which keeps its devices feeling fresh. And the same should hold true for the Pixel 7A. But since we’re likely just a couple of months away from Google announcing its Pixel 8 lineup, the big question is whether it’s worth buying the Pixel 7A now or whether you should wait for the Pixel 8.

Read more: Pixel 8: All the Major Rumors About Google’s Next Phone

While we don’t know what to expect from Google’s next-generation phone, the answer will largely depend on the Pixel 8’s price, and whether it comes with any compelling new features. Google typically announces its next Pixel line in October, and may drastically markdown the Pixel 7 series in the lead up which could make it a better buy than the 7A.

I generally recommend waiting until Google holds its next major product launch before making a purchasing decision. But if you need a new Android phone now and are eyeballing the Pixel 7A, rest assured that you’ll get a great camera and useful software features in a package that feels just right: Not too big and not too small.

Screen is just the right size, but too dim

The Pixel 7A’s 6.1-inch size feels like the perfect balance between portability and spaciousness. It’s big enough to comfortably read news stories, make video calls and scroll through social media, but doesn’t feel like a burden when I hold it.

Samsung does a better job at cramming a giant screen into a compact design. Take the Galaxy S23 as an example which has the same-sized screen but feels smaller to hold — although at $800 it’s significantly more expensive than the Pixel 7A.

While I appreciate the Pixel 7A’s size, the screen looks too dim outdoors. When I used the Pixel 7A outside, even on an overcast day, I had to boost the screen’s brightness all the way up to comfortably view it. The $449 Galaxy A54 5G has a 6.4-inch display that can get brighter than the Pixel 7A’s, but it’s worth noting that my colleague Andrew Lanxon found the Samsung phone compared less favorably to Google’s Pixel phones in most other respects.

Three months later, I still enjoy the Pixel 7A’s sharp design. I’ve courageously been using it without a case, and the “snow” white model has stayed surprisingly clean. After years of experimenting with the Pixel’s design language, I think Google finally found the right look for its phones. Google introduced the Pixel’s current aesthetic, which is sleek and minimalist but draws attention to the camera, with the Pixel 6, and I hope it sticks with this direction.

Battery life is OK

The Pixel 7A’s battery life is adequate but not noteworthy, although it’s about on par with the more expensive Galaxy S23 series. On a full charge, the Pixel 7A was able to get me through a full day with some breathing room in the evening. On a typical work day, which for me involves taking my phone off its charger at around 8 or 8:30 a.m. and going to bed between 11 and 11:30 p.m., the Pixel 7A had 46 to 56% of its battery left by the time I turned out the lights.

That’s enough to make me feel at ease if I was going out after work and didn’t have time to plug in my phone at my desk. But like most phones, you wouldn’t want to forget to charge it overnight.

The Pixel 7A also performed better than the entire Galaxy S23 lineup on CNET’s three-hour battery test, which involves streaming the same video on YouTube continuously and measuring the battery level at each hour. The Pixel 7A had 85% of its battery left after the third hour, while the Galaxy S23 had 81%, the S23 Plus had 84% and the S23 Ultra had 82%.

That may sound impressive for a phone that’s so much cheaper than Samsung’s flagship lineup. But there are a few important caveats to consider. Samsung’s phones have brighter displays with higher refresh rates compared to the Pixel 7A.

Google’s phone also performed slightly worse than the Galaxy S23 Plus and Ultra, and about the same as the Galaxy S23, on a separate battery test meant to simulate real-world usage. After this 45-minute test, which involves playing games, streaming video, browsing social media and making a video call for 10 minutes, the Pixel 7A had 92% of its battery left. The Galaxy S23 had 91%, while the Plus model had 95% and the Ultra had 94%.

All told, the Pixel 7A has about average battery life, which more or less lines up with my findings when I reviewed it in May.

The camera takes great photos for the price

The Pixel 7A’s 64-megapixel main camera takes sharp and colorful photos, as I noted in my original review. There’s also a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera for capturing shots from a broader field of view.

It doesn’t compare to the camera you’d get on a high-end phone like the Pixel 7 Pro or Galaxy S23 Ultra, and it shouldn’t since those phones are significantly more expensive. But the Pixel 7A’s photos still included an impressive amount of detail and contrast. In the photo below, you can even spot grains of salt on the shishito peppers.

And in the photo below, the shadows visible in the flower petals really makes the image pop.

Still, the Pixel 7A struggled with sharpness and clarity when photographing groups of people in a dim indoor setting. Take a look at the photo below, which was taken in Barcade in New York. The glowing neon sign and Ninja Turtles logo on the screen of an arcade cabinet are impressively sharp, but all the people in the scene look blurry.

Software updates bring new features

I’ve come to appreciate Google’s tendency to release new features for its Pixel phones over time. Google calls these updates Feature Drops, and the Pixel 7A (along with Google’s other phones) received one in June, about a month after its launch. The update brought new cinematic and emoji-themed wallpapers, the ability to use safety features through the Google Assistant, real-time location sharing with emergency contacts, and a new timer feature for the camera app that lets you start a countdown by raising your palm. The Recorder app also received some updates, including support for exporting transcripts to Google Drive and the ability to create speaker-labeled video clips.

Thankfully, I haven’t had to use any of the safety features, although it’s nice to see Google expanding those capabilities. The new cinematic wallpaper option, which applies an effect to your photos that emphasizes the subject in the foreground, is fun to play around with. However, I noticed it sometimes crops in on subjects too closely. It turned a selfie of my husband and I in Seoul into a close-up photo of just his face.

These features aren’t as impactful as what you might expect from a full Android update, or even Samsung’s One UI upgrades for its Galaxy phones. But it shows that Google is thinking about how to keep its phones feeling fresh and relevant over time. I’m hoping to see even more in this regard as Google’s in-house Tensor processors grow more advanced.

When Google announced its Tensor chip in 2021 with the Pixel 6 series, it talked about how the processor would improve features that rely on machine learning. That includes tasks such as photo editing and voice-powered features like language translation and dictation. Continuing to add new features like this over time would be another way for Google to make good on that pledge.

Is it worth buying the Pixel 7A right now?

That answer depends on a few things. First, it might be worth waiting to see what Google has in store for the Pixel 8. That answer all depends on the Pixel 8. Google usually announces new Pixel phones in the fall, and the new model will likely have a new Tensor processor, some camera upgrades and a larger screen than the Pixel 7A.

However, the gap between Google’s A-series phones and standard flagships is getting slimmer, as the Pixel 7A proved. It feels like Google is targeting the same audience with its Pixel 7A and its standard non-Pro Pixels: Shoppers who want an affordable Android phone with a great camera. If the Pixel 8 ends up being an iterative update to the Pixel 7, the cheaper Pixel 7A could end up being the better choice.

If you need a phone right now, the Pixel 7 is also currently on sale for $449 making it roughly the same price as the Pixel 7A which is discounted to $444. The Pixel 7 has a larger screen and a more advanced camera (although truthfully I couldn’t see much of a difference between photos taken on the Pixel 7 and 7A). There’s a chance Google could be clearing out inventory of the Pixel 7 in advance of the Pixel 8, but we’ll have to wait to know for sure.

iPhone owners who were part of a class action lawsuit against Apple, alleging it deliberately slowed down its old iPhones to get people to upgrade to the latest model, will finally be getting their payout. A judge has cleared the way for the payments to proceed, as reported last week by SiliconValley.com.

The settlement received preliminary approval in March 2020. The window for being part of the settlement has long passed, but according to SiliconValley.com, there were around 3 million claims. Those people are now awaiting their $65 check, more than three years later.

The payouts were slowed down by two iPhone owners who objected to some of the terms of the settlement but who have just lost their appeal in the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, according to the report.

See Also: Does the iPhone Have a Battery Aging Problem?

Apple had faced the lawsuit after admitting in 2017 that its iOS software had slowed down older iPhone performance. At the time, the tech giant apologized and updated its software, also offering replacement batteries.

However, Apple has always denied any wrongdoing and said the slowdown was only designed to protect iPhones from automatically shutting down during some tasks if it was old, very cold or on low power.

The iPhones included in the settlement were the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus or SE running iOS 12.2.1 or later. It also covers the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus running iOS 11.2 or later before Dec. 21, 2017.

Apple didn’t respond to a request for comment.