The 10 best Google Doodles we’ve ever seen above the search bar

Google Doodles have become a staple of the modern search page. It’s a true delight whenever we can visit google.com and see a piece of beautiful art, or a fun game, or a tribute to someone we may not have known existed before. According to Google, the company has featured over 4,000 Doodles over the course of 21 years, but there have been some that are more memorable than others.

The original Doodle was the Google logo with the Burning Man stick figure behind it, a sort of wordless out-of-office message from Larry Page and Sergey Brin to indicate they were attending that Festival. That was in 1998. The first Doodle anyone actually saw on Google.com was on July 14, 2000, when Brin and Page asked an intern named Dennis Hwang to make a simple modification to the logo for Bastille Day.

This was so well-received by users that Google began incorporating more Doodles to commemorate more events, and thus Google Doodles took off. But some have been more memorable than others. Here are some of the best Google Doodles that have ever been put on the site, in chronological order.

Pac-Man 30th Anniversary May 21, 2010

The very first game that was ever incorporated into a Doodle, and of course it was Pac-Man. This tiny Pac-Man map, built around the Google logo, allowed users to relive that wonderful, frustrating arcade feeling of trying to evade Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde for just a little bit longer so you can reach that Power Pellet and turn the tables on them. 11 years later, it’s still a solid little distraction and fun to play.

Jules Verne’s birthday February 8, 2011

While Jules Verne wrote other books besides the deep-sea adventure Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, that is his most iconic work and one of the best books ever written. This Doodle honoring Verne’s birthday looks like a simple porthole Doodle until you start playing with the lever to the right of the logo. Doing so will let you descend further and further into the depths of the ocean, seeing beautifully illustrated sea creatures along the way.

Freddie Mercury’s birthday Sep 5, 2011

The late, great Freddie Mercury received a tribute on what would have been his 65th birthday, a video that honors his life and his music. You don’t really have to be a Queen fan to find this enjoyable, as the artwork is absolutely stunning. And if you are a fan, you’ll find this Google Doodle to be a joyous celebration of what Mercury created and his influence on music, fashion, and the world.

Valentine’s Day Ferris Wheel Feb 14, 2013

There have been a lot of Google Doodles acknowledging Valentine’s Day, with varying degrees of romance, but this one is both the silliest and sweetest. It simultaneously celebrates Valentine’s Day and the 154th birthday of George Ferris. Pressing the button makes the two Ferris wheels spin, and when they stop, it pairs together two characters from the separate wheels. It then shows a short comic that depicts how the two of them fell in love. If you’ve ever wanted to see an octopus holding up several boomboxes to woo a duck, you’ll see it here.

Mother’s Day May 12, 2013

This little interactive Google Doodle isn’t a showstopper like some of the others on this list, but it’s an adorable kid-friendly game. The Google logo is replaced with a little cartoon factory, and players can put together a little Mother’s Day card together using a variety of options. There’s really no purpose to this — it’s just really sweet.

Eiji Tsuburaya’s 114th birthday July 7, 2015

In case you don’t know who he is, Eiji Tsuburaya is the creator of Ultraman and the co-creator of Godzilla — you may not recognize his name, but he’s had an immeasurable impact on pop culture. This Google Doodle honors him by letting users play out the production of a short monster movie, from destroying small sets of towns to dressing the actor in a monster costume. It’s a fun tribute to this major figure in film history.

Halloween Magic Cat Game October 31, 2016

Halloween is one of the best holidays for Doodle, as it lets creators get a little crazy. This game stars a tiny, magical black cat named Momo, who must protect herself from attacking ghosts by casting spells against them. It’s not a tribute to anything in particular (although one of the creators does have an actual black cat named Momo), but it’s a fun game to play with adorable artwork.

Birth of Hip Hop August 11, 2017

There have been several tributes to music in Google Doodle history, from the Les Paul guitar Doodle to the Moog Synthesizer. But my favorite is this one that lets you honor the birth of hip hop by spinning your own sound on a turntable while Fab 5 Freddy gives you a history lesson about the art form’s genesis. The best Google Doodles are the ones that marry education with fun, and this one certainly does that.

Nicholas Winton’s 111th birthday May 19, 2020

To date, this is the only Google Doodle that has actually made me cry. For those who don’t know, Nicholas Winton was a British humanitarian who helped 669 children, most of them Jewish, escape from German-occupied Czechoslovakia before World War II began. This didn’t come to light until 1988, as he’d never told anyone he’d done it, but he spent the rest of his life meeting the now-grown children he’d helped rescue.

Doodle Champion July 23, 2021

This is a bit of a latecomer, but it deserves to be on this list. This Google Doodle was originally set to run with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but since those Olympics were delayed thanks to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the game was delayed as well. In that delay, it somehow became a full-blown Olympic RPG with dialogue, exploration, everything. This is a good example of Google Doodles getting better the longer they’ve been around and the more time Google has to experiment.

Which Google Doodles were your favorite? Let me know what gems I may have missed in the comments.

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Google Pixel Buds A-Series Review: Buy it for the convenience, not just for the sound

Google usually has a very neat and uncluttered portfolio, with just a few options. The company broke tradition when it introduced the A series with the Pixel 3A and it was essentially a more affordable, toned-down version of its flagship phone. The product was a success thanks to a lower price tag and the fact that it came with Google’s software. While the hardware wasn’t great, Google was handling the software directly which meant users would get Android updates for three years and the same sort of camera processing found on the more expensive sibling. Google continued this trend with the Pixel 4a, the Pixel 4a 5G, and now more recently, the Pixel 5a (5G).

Since this business strategy of launching an affordable product with a few thoughtful compromises seemed to work for Google, they carried it over to their earbuds as well. The Pixel Buds were launched alongside the Pixel 4 and were Google’s flagship pair of earbuds. They came with all the bells and whistles that you’d expect from a pair of premium TWS earbuds like ANC, Google Assistant integration, wireless charging, etc. They were quite pricey though at $179. In an attempt to make them more accessible and tap further into the audio accessory market, Google announced a cheaper version of the earbuds, the Pixel Buds A-series for $99.

The Pixel Buds A-series, much like the smartphones in this line-up, carry the same core features as their flagship counterparts with a few omissions and compromises that may not drastically impact the end-user experience. Or do they? That’s exactly what we tried to find out while using the Pixel Buds A-series. Are they worth the asking price? How do they compare to other options around the same price range?

Pixel Buds A-series: Specifications

Specification	Pixel Buds A-series
Dimensions & Weight	Earbuds 20.7mm x 29.3mm x 17.5mm 5g per earbud Charging Case 63mm x 47mm x 25mm 52g
Speaker and Mic	12 driver Dual-beamforming mics
ANC	No ANC
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.0 AAC Google Assistant Notifications access
Gestures	Auto-pause on removal Tap gestures
Battery	Earbuds 5 hours per charge Charging Case 24 hours playback with case
Compatibility	Works with both Android and iOS
Water resistance	IPX4
Price	$99 ₹9,999

About this review: Google India sent me a pair of the Pixel Buds A-series for review and the earbuds were used for about two weeks before this review was written. Google did not have any input into the contents of this review.

Build and Design

One look at the case of the Pixel Buds A-series and you can instantly see how it would camouflage in a tray of eggs. The white exterior of the case looks simple and feels good when held in the hand due to its matte texture. The case feels solid to hold and there’s no flex or wiggle on the lid or around the hinge. The Pixel Buds A-series are well built and feel premium, which is what you would expect from a product made by Google. The magnetic lid can be opened with just one finger which gives you easy access to the buds.

While the case is slightly on the chunky side, it’s still quite compact and can easily fit into your denim’s pockets. There’s an LED on the front that glows every time you open the case to indicate battery percentage. A USB-C port resides at the bottom and is the only way you can charge the case. The Pixel Buds had wireless charging but the A-series do not. There’s a solitary button on the rear of the case that can be used to pair the earbuds for the first time.

Fit and Comfort

Moving onto the earbuds, they’re slotted in at an angle inside the case which makes it easier to remove from their groove. The earbuds have a circular exterior with angled ear tips and are quite small compared to some other TWS earphones. The design is quite minimalistic and there’s no stem, which means they don’t protrude out of your ears as much as some other earbuds I’ve tried. The buds almost sit flush with your ears which is certainly a good thing.

The ear hooks are a game-changing addition as they make sure the earbuds sit comfortably in my ear.

The angled ear tips ensure that the Pixel Buds A-series stay put inside your ear canal but there’s one distinct addition to these earbuds that completely changed the way I perceive the fit on a pair of TWS earbuds. Each earbud has a rubber hook on the side that’s designed to rest inside your ear based on its natural shape. Personally, this little hook is a game-changing addition as it makes the earbuds sit comfortably in my ear and I know they’re not going anywhere even with the most rigorous of head shakes.

However, the hook may not fit the way it’s supposed to in everyone’s ears. It’s designed to be a one-size-fits-all, so if your ears are shaped differently, the hook may actually be a little bothersome. If it doesn’t rest in the area it’s supposed to, it may start to feel irritating after a while and may even cause your ears to hurt when worn for a prolonged period. ‘Fit’ is extremely subjective. I’m someone who isn’t really a fan of in-ear style earbuds solely because they don’t stay in my ear for longer than a minute. The Pixel Buds A-series, on the other hand, just failed to come off until I manually took them out of my ears.

I tweeted out my reaction after unboxing the PixelBuds A-series and wearing them for the first time, and it should give you an idea of how much I appreciate the ear hook on these earbuds.

If there’s an award for the best fit on a pair of TWS earphones, please give it to the Pixel Buds A already.

— Sumukh Rao (@RaoSumukh) August 24, 2021

You get three sizes of silicone ear tips inside the box and you can try all of them out to see which one suits you the best when paired with the ear hook. I wish the hook was removable to allow someone who didn’t find it comfortable to use the earbuds without them. For instance, the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ came with two sets of ear hooks: one small size and one plain/non-existent, and you could swap between the two. A situation like that on the Pixel Buds A would have been very much appreciated.

Pixel Buds A-series: Sound Quality

Alright, this is the main reason why you’re buying a pair of earbuds, so it ought to be good. Well, is it? For the most part, yes. The Pixel Buds A-series have a very balanced sound signature which is something I personally appreciate. If you’re someone who enjoys extra thumping bass in your music, these won’t make the cut for you, and you should probably look at the OnePlus Buds Pro instead. On the Pixel Buds A, the vocals are clear, but the instrument separation could have been slightly better. At times, the sound output felt slightly muddy especially in tracks with a lot of low frequencies. For the price though, the Pixel Buds A-series produce audio that most people are going to enjoy, purely because it’s so balanced.

For the price, the Pixel Buds A-series produce audio that most people are going to enjoy, purely because it's so balanced.

The clear vocals make it a great option for watching movies and videos as well. If your primary use case for earbuds is while you’re commuting, you might be slightly disappointed with the Pixel buds A-series due to one major reason — lack of ANC. Don’t get me wrong, the silicone ear tips provide a good amount of passive isolation, but the addition of ANC would have surely helped in cutting out the external noise while you’re on a train. If you’re taking a flight, ANC can help cancel out the sound of the engine or even a crying baby for that matter.

While you won’t be able to experience that with the Pixel Buds A-series, the passive isolation does a decent job. To give you a rough idea, the Pixel Buds A-series with music playing at about 80% volume was able to cut down the sound from my keyboard with Cherry MX Blue switches to about 10% of what it sounds like without the earbuds. Ideally, with a pair of earbuds with ANC, the sound should be completely muted.

If you take a lot of calls, the Pixel buds A-series are highly recommended. The beamforming mics are used to reduce background noise while you’re on a call and it works as advertised. The opposite party had no complaints hearing me with a fair bit of ambient noise from the kids playing around in the park when I went for a walk. I wore the Pixel Buds A-series for a Zoom meeting too and had no issues with them.

Smart Features and Gesture Controls

Upon reading the title of this review, you probably imagined that the Pixel Buds A-series don’t really sound good. That’s not the case though since I mentioned that most people would be happy with the way these earbuds sound. The point I was trying to make was that the key selling point for the Pixel buds A-series is the convenience that you get with all the smart features baked into it. Since this is Google’s product, the integration with Google’s software is done very well.

For starters, you get Google Fast Pair which means you just have to open the case of the earbuds for the first time and they will automatically connect to your phone and sync with your Google account. If you have a Pixel phone, the integration is even more seamless since all the customization options are built right into the UI. If you have a phone from a different OEM, you’ll have to download the Pixel Buds app from the Play Store to access these features.

I have a phone from Xiaomi that’s running the Pixel Experience custom ROM, so it behaved just like a Pixel phone when connected to the earbuds. The initial setup gives you a preview of all the features that are available on the earbuds. This includes tap gestures that can be used to play/pause your music, or even skip tracks. Unlike the more expensive Pixel Buds, the A-series doesn’t have swipe gestures to increase/decrease the volume. Instead, you’ll have to tap and hold the surface and ask Google Assistant to “turn up the volume” or “turn it down” based on your requirements.

Once you start replying to your messages via your earbuds, it's kind of hard to go back.

Speaking of Google Assistant, you can trigger it with the wake word “Hey Google” since the mics on the earbuds are active all the time. If you grant notification access to the buds, they can even read out your incoming notifications while you’re wearing the earbuds which is extremely convenient.

Let’s say you’re working out with the Pixel Buds A-series and you don’t have your phone right next to you. If you get an incoming notification, the earbuds can read it out to you, including the name of the sender and the content of the notification. You can then decide whether you want to reply to it or not.

If you want to reply, all you have to do is tap and hold one of the earbuds, speak out your reply and the message will be sent. It’s that simple. This is the sort of convenience I was referring to. There are very few pairs of TWS earbuds that offer features like these which make the Pixel Buds A-series a fantastic option if you’re all about making your life smarter. Trust me, once you start replying to your messages via your earbuds, it’s kind of hard to go back to a pair that doesn’t have this feature. The text-to-speech detection is on point and I had very few instances where the earbuds couldn’t detect exactly what I was saying.

Google Pixel Buds (Free, Google Play) →

The way all of these features work together is a big plus for the Pixel Buds A-series and they’re what differentiates these earbuds from other pairs of TWS earphones in the flooded market.

Battery Life

The earbuds are quite small and don’t have a stem, but despite that, the Pixel Buds A-series last about five hours at a stretch when listening to music at about 80% volume. This can be attributed to the fact that these earbuds don’t have ANC. Five hours isn’t a lot considering some earbuds touch that mark with ANC and the Galaxy Buds+ could achieve an unbelievable 10 hours on a single charge. It’s nothing to complain about either since the case adds an additional 20 hours of usage.

When out of charge, placing the buds inside the case for 15 minutes will give you an approximate playback time of three hours, which is pretty sweet. Given that the microphones are always active and listening for the wake word, the battery life is acceptable.

Verdict: Should you buy the Pixel Buds A-series?

In the US, the Pixel Buds A-series retail for $99, and for the given set of features and the balanced sound signature, you won’t be disappointed if you pick up a pair. Of course, the lack of ANC and the slight struggle with lower frequencies might put some people off, but most general consumers would be more than satisfied with the Pixel Buds A-series.

If you’re open to slightly pricier options and don’t really care about the features and the smart aspect of these earbuds, the new OnePlus Buds Pro or even the Galaxy Buds 2 are better options. They sound better and have ANC for $50 more.

In India, the Pixel buds A-series have been launched recently on Flipkart for a price of ₹9,999. That’s slightly on the expensive side especially when you consider the fact that the previously mentioned OnePlus Buds Pro are available in India for the exact same price. The Oppo Enco X is also priced similarly and has better sound quality as well as ANC. The only two reasons why someone should consider the Pixel Buds A-series are the fit and the convenience that you get with Google Assistant. If your priority is better sound, the OnePlus Buds Pro is the way to go.

Google Pixel Buds A-series

The Pixel Buds A-series are Google's affordable pair of earbuds that have the same core functionality as the Pixel Buds but miss out on some additional features like ANC and wireless charging.

Features:

Pros: Cons:

View at Amazon

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Best Foldable Phones: The Top Folding Smartphones that you can buy in September

The foldable smartphone has seen its fair share of supporters and detractors, with the latter mostly bemoaning their high prices and supposed fragility. Samsung’s taken a major first step in addressing those concerns with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, two foldables that are priced lower than previous generations and more durable to boot — with official water resistance rating!

This means now may be a good time for skeptics to consider giving foldables a chance. For those who were already on board, Samsung’s recent releases only further confirm that the foldable form factor is here to stay.

But Samsung’s not the only one making foldables — Xiaomi, Motorola, Huawei, and even an obscure brand named Royole has functional foldables out on the market now. Granted, all but Motorola’s are officially sold in China only, but importing is possible. Besides, other brands such as Google, OPPO, OnePlus and Vivo will likely release foldables of their own soon.

The point is, while 2021 has given us some excellent slab smartphones, the industry all believes the future of mobile is foldable. If you’re interested in trying now, or considering it down the line, we here at XDA are here to help. We’ve tested every foldable released so far, and here’s our in-depth breakdown of what each foldable has to offer. Of course, if you want to stick with a slab phone, we have a guide on the best Android phones to consider too.

The three foldables phones from Xiaomi, Samsung and Huawei

Navigate this guide:

• Best Overall Foldable: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
  • Also Great Overall Foldable: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2
• Foldable Phone with the Best Camera: Huawei Mate X2
• Best Compact Foldable Phone: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
• Best Value Foldable Phone: Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold
• Best Foldable for Clamshell Nostalgia: Motorola Razr 5G
• Most Obscure Foldable Phone for Collectors: Royole FlexPai 2

Best Overall Foldable: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

The brand new Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the best overall foldable phone money can buy right now because it takes everything great about the already excellent Galaxy Z Fold 2 and improves in several key areas. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is more durable, with stronger materials making up the frame and screen, IPX8 water resistance, a newer Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC, increased screen brightness, a bleeding-edge under-screen camera, and S-Pen support.

When folded, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a compact, TV-remote shaped (long and narrow) smartphone, but unfold it and you get a large 7.6 inch screen that looks stunning. You can simply do so much more with a larger screen.

Now there are other foldables on the market that offer the same “large screen in a pocketable package” use case, but no other foldable phone from rival brands can do what Samsung’s foldables can do — “Flex Mode”, a.k.a. the ability to leave the phone half folded, so its screen can stay upright on its own.

Flex Mode essentially allows the Galaxy Z Fold 3 to stand on its own and shoot pictures or videos with either the selfie or the main cameras without the need for a tripod or other props. I’ve used it to do hands-free video calls, film myself at the gym, and capture time-lapse on a whim. It’s truly an ingenious design and a feature I miss when I use other rival foldables.

S-Pen support is also a potential game-changer, at least for people who like to sketch or jot notes. Note the S-Pen requires a separate purchase, however.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the culmination of Samsung's foldable efforts so far, bringing improved durability and S Pen support to the foldable lineup.

View at Samsung

S-Pen Fold Edition

The S-Pen Fold Edition is specifically designed to work with the Z Fold 3.

View at Samsung

Also Great Overall Foldable: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

If you really want to try the Galaxy Z Fold 3 but find the price a bit high, the one year-old Galaxy Z Fold 2 is a good alternative. Even though it lacks the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s water resistance and S-Pen support, it’s still a very capable and impressive piece of hardware, with a 120Hz, 7.6 inch inside folding screen and a 6.2 inch outside cover display. The processor here, a Snapdragon 865, isn’t the newest on the block but still very capable even in late 2021.

Truth be told, if you don’t need the water resistance rating or S-Pen support, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 will offer a very similar usage experience as the Galaxy Z Fold 3. So it really might be worth considering getting this and saving several hundred dollars.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is still a very capable foldable phone even if it's been replaced by a newer version.

View at Amazon

Foldable Phone with the Best Camera: Huawei Mate X2

As great as the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is as an overall product, its camera system can’t match the one in the Huawei Mate X2. That’s because the latter features a 50MP large-sensor main camera and a Periscope zoom lens that can produce a 10x optical zoom image. The Galaxy Z Fold 3’s cameras are solid, but their sensor sizes are smaller and the zoom lens maxes out at 2x optical.

There are other areas in which the Mate X2 one-up’s the Galaxy Z Fold 3 too, including the fact the Mate X2 can fold completely flat without a noticeable gap. The screen hinge is also less noticeable.

But it comes down to the camera — the Mate X2’s system is in a class of its own in the foldable category.

Unfortunately, there are two major obstacles that prevent the Mate X2 from being a viable purchase for most readers. The first is that due to the ongoing US sanctions, the Huawei Mate X2 can’t run Google Mobile Services. The second is the Mate X2 has a whopping retail price of $2,700 and is only sold in China.

But if you have the money to spare, the means to ship it out to you, and don’t mind not being able to run YouTube or Google Docs (among other Google apps), the Huawei Mate X2 is the foldable with the best camera around.

Best Compact Foldable Phone: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

While large foldables like the phones above are essentially tablets that can fold into a smaller smartphone-sized form factor, there are these clamshell ones that are smartphones that fold up into a compact little square no bigger than a stack of coasters or a wallet. If you find your pockets constantly cramped due to slab smartphones being too big, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 will be music to your ears.

Measuring just 86.4 x 72.2 x 17.1 mm when folded, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 should fit into not just pants pockets (both men’s and women’s), but even the smaller breast pockets in jackets or button-down shirts. It’s also petite enough to fit into most women’s purses. Unfold the device and you have a vivid 6.7 inch OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate; close it up and the 1.9 inch screen allows you to keep up to date with notifications.

We adore the two-tone finish and find the Galaxy Z Flip 3 to be one of the best looking phones of the year so far. Of course, Flex Mode is here too for easy hands-free selfies.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is perfect for those who want a stylish foldable that won't take up much pocket space and has a wider mass-market appeal.

View at Samsung

Best Value Foldable Phone: Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold

Xiaomi has always offered very similar spec’ed products as Samsung and Huawei but at lower prices, and its first foldable, the Mi Mix Fold, follows that strategy. While the Huawei Mate X2 retails for a whopping $2,700 and the Galaxy Z Fold 2 started at $2,000 before dropping to $1,800 recently, the Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold starts at about the equivalent of $1,500.

I say “equivalent of” because Xiaomi’s foldable is only sold officially in China, although importing one isn’t too hard (and unlike Huawei’s Mate X2, the Mi Mix Fold can run Google apps just fine). While not as technologically advanced as the Huawei Mate X2, the Mi Mix Fold still packs impressive hardware, including the world’s first “liquid lens” which allows one camera sensor to double both as a 3x telephoto and a macro sensor.

Powering the phone are all the latest 2021 components such as a Snapdragon 888, which gives it a leg up over Samsung’s foldables which are running on 2020 Qualcomm silicon.

When folded, the Mi Mix Fold is a bit awkward, with a 6.5 inch screen that stretches even taller and narrower than the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s. But unfolded, the Mi Mix Fold screen becomes 8 inches with a 4:3 aspect ratio, which I personally prefer over the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Mate X2’s wider aspect ratio. The narrower aspect ratio makes it easier to hold with one hand, and the on-screen keyboard doesn’t have to split just to offer a comfortable typing experience.

The Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold (left) and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 (middle) and the Huawei Mate X2 (right).

The Mi Mix Fold also packs a 108MP camera that produces natural bokeh and very sharp photos — even if color science tends to lag behind Samsung and Huawei. Another major selling point of the Mi Mix Fold is “PC Mode” which turns the UI into one that resembles a desktop computer interface with support for resizable windows.

Best Foldable for Clamshell Nostalgia: Motorola Razr 5G

If you’re in your mid-30s or older, the chances are you have fond memories using cell phones before they became personal computers and selfie machines — when a phone was just used for calling people. Back in the late 90s and early 2000s, cell phones came in all shapes and sizes, but one of the first phone models to really catch on as a status symbol and style icon was the Motorola Razr, a clamshell flip phone with metallic trims and an at-the-time impossibly thin design when unfolded.

For those of us who lined up to buy the original Razr in 2004, Motorola’s recent relaunch of the line — but as a foldable phone — likely resonated with our nostalgic side.

Like the original, the Motorola Razr 5G features a prominent chin, a thin body when unfolded, and a small outside screen that offers basic functionality like taking selfies or seeing notifications.

The Razr 5G’s 6.2 inch OLED screen isn’t the brightest or sharpest screen on this list, but it doesn’t have much sign of a crease thanks to some clever engineering. Motorola’s software is also a joy to use, with many useful shortcut gestures and the ability to interact with notifications while the device is folded, something the Galaxy Z Flip can’t do.

There’s however just one main camera, a 48MP camera that’s just serviceable, with an additional 20MP selfie camera on the inside of the phone that’s housed in a notch. The Snapdragon 765G here isn’t a flagship SoC, but performance hasn’t been an issue at all.

Motorola Razr 5G

The Motorola Razr 5G brings retro vibes to a cutting-edge foldable device.

View at Amazon

Most Obscure Foldable Phone for Collectors: Royole FlexPai 2

Most people shouldn’t buy the Royole FlexPai 2. It’s sold only in China, it’s made by a smaller company without the track record and reputation of a Huawei or Xiaomi, it’s got a more fragile design than everything else on this list, and the phone can’t run Google Mobile Services.

But if you’re a diehard tech enthusiast — let’s say you’re a collector, or maybe a foldable phone historian — the FlexPai 2 may be of interest because Royole actually beat Samsung and Huawei to the market with a foldable phone (the original FlexPai), and the company has said it will keep making foldable phones.

Plus, the FlexPai 2’s hardware isn’t bad at all. The phone utilizes an outside fold design in which the flexible OLED screen wraps around the device when folded, the device folds completely flat, and is noticeably thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold 2.

When unfolded, you get a 7.8 inch OLED display that looks good, but not great. It refreshes only at 60Hz and feels more plasticky than other foldables. The 64MP main camera does a surprisingly decent job, but the other cameras, including the 16MP ultra-wide and 8MP telephoto, fall apart in less-than-ideal lighting conditions. The cameras aren’t terrible per se, they’re just the worse on this list. Software is also below par, with a wonky split-screen mode, though the Snapdragon 865 keeps things running zippily.

I’m also not sure about the outside fold design that sees the screen exposed at all times. This is the route Huawei went for a couple of years before completely backtracking and going with the inward-folding route. Still, the FlexPai 2 looks really cool — I like the silver aluminum metallic finish.

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More foldables are coming soon — Here’s what to expect

As we said at the beginning, foldables are the future of the mobile industry. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 do an excellent job of addressing some of those concerns from foldable skeptics.

Personally, we love both the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, as well as the Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold. With Apple and other Android brands like OPPO rumored to be working on a foldable, we’ll only have more of these exciting devices to choose from. Check back here regularly for updates as we are always among the first to test the latest foldables.

The post Best Foldable Phones: The Top Folding Smartphones that you can buy in September appeared first on xda-developers.

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Google’s note taking web app, Cursive, can be used on any Chromebook

Cursive is a brand new app from Google that allows Chromebook users to take handwritten notes. The app debuted on the recently released HP Chromebook X2 11. While the app will come pre-installed on upcoming stylus-equipped Chromebooks, you can install it on any Chromebook device right now.

Cursive is a pretty straightforward Progressive Web App (PWA) that lets you draw and scribble down notes using your stylus (via 9to5Google). If you have a Chromebook and want to give this new app a try, head over to https://cursive.apps.chrome/notebook/. Then click on the download icon located in the left corner of the address bar to install the app.

When you open Cursive for the first time, it gives you a short tour of various features and things you can do with the app. On the homepage, a “New note” button appears in the top left corner, with a list of notebooks with different themes appearing just below it. Similar to Google Docs, recently created and modified notes appear as big cards.

When creating a note, you get access to various tools, including pen, highlighter, eraser, image insertion, and select. You can also adjust pen width and undo or redo changes.

The app also supports various nifty gestures. For example, you can scribble over the content to delete it or draw a circle around it to move it across the page.

While anyone with a Chromebook or a Chrome OS-powered device can access Cursive, the app is specifically designed for devices with stylus support. However, there’s a touch mode option that lets users use their fingers to write and draw.

For now, Cursive remains exclusive to Chromebooks. Although the app is accessible on other platforms like Windows and Mac, most features are inaccessible. For example, you can’t create a new note or edit existing ones if you don’t have a Chrome OS-powered device.

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Screenshots courtesy: 9to5Google

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Here’s how to run any app on the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s cover screen

Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a big step up from previous Galaxy Z Flip models. Not only is the device much more durable than its predecessors, but it also comes with a significantly better SoC, a 120Hz high refresh rate display, and a bigger cover display. To make better use of the outer display, Samsung has also packed a couple of additional software features on the device that let you do various things without even opening the phone.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 Review: It’s so good, I bought two

However, while the outer display on the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is leagues better than the one on older models, it still has some limitations. For instance, Samsung only offers a small selection of widgets for the cover display that let you control music playback, access Samsung Health data, check weather info, read notifications, and use it as a viewfinder. The company doesn’t let you access all installed apps on the cover screen, which is definitely a bummer. Thankfully, developers on our Galaxy Z Flip 3 forums have already come up with workarounds.

How to run any app on the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s cover screen

XDA Member CarudiBu has discovered a useful exploit that lets you load a custom widget on the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s cover screen. The exploit essentially lets you open a GeckoView-based browser on the cover screen that lets you browse the web, and it also lets you add custom widgets. The best part about this exploit is that it doesn’t require root access. XDA Recognized Developer twistedumbrella has released a WIP launcher based on this exploit that lets you run any installed app on the cover screen.

You can try the GeckoView-based browser on your Galaxy Z Flip 3 by following the instructions given on this GitHub page. Do note that you’ll need to uninstall Samsung Health before you can start with the installation process. It’s also worth noting that since it is just a proof of concept at the moment, you might encounter some issues. CarudiBu’s post notes that while you can use the custom widget and browse the web on the cover screen using the exploit, you can’t access the on-screen keyboard or save the current session at the moment.

As for the custom cover screen launch, you can download its APK from this GitHub page and install it on your device. Since it, too, is an early release, it has some limitations. The cover screen launcher in its current state requires you to set the Screen Lock type to none. It also doesn’t offer on-screen keyboard support. Furthermore, switching apps on the cover screen requires you to tap the power button to close the widget and then relaunch it with a different app. But you can close the app list with a swipe gesture.

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Nokia rolls out first Android 12 developer preview release for the Nokia X20

Soon after Google rolled out the first Android 12 beta build, several smartphone OEMs announced Android 12 developer preview programs for their devices. Nokia was among the first few manufacturers to announce a developer preview program for the Nokia X20 back in May this year. The company has now finally rolled out the first Android 12 developer preview build for the device.

Android 12: Everything we know so far about Google’s next big update

If you’re a Nokia X20 user, you can now install the Android 12 developer preview build on your device and experience the upcoming software release ahead of the stable rollout. To enroll in the developer preview program, download the latest version of the My Phone app on your Nokia X20. In the app, scroll down to the bottom and tap on the Support banner. Then, scroll down to “Android developer preview” and allow the app to check your IMEI.

Once Nokia confirms that your device is eligible to receive the update, agree to the software license terms and conditions, check the Important Notes, and tap on Confirm to continue. You should then receive the Android 12 developer preview build on your phone via an OTA update within the next 12 hours. Alternatively, you can try and get the Android 12 developer preview build sooner by pushing a manual update request on your phone from Settings > About phone > System Updates.

Nokia has highlighted a couple of points that you should note before proceeding with the registrations. These include:

• Android 12 developer preview program builds (ADP) are early Android OS releases and are intended for application developers only – they are not recommended for general use.
• Although strenuously tested by our development team, the builds may exhibit performance and/or stability issues in some cases.
• Some applications downloaded from the Google Play Store may not be supported (either in full or in part) and may show signs of instability.
• Upgrading from Android 11 to the Android 12 developer preview program and rollback from the Android 12 developer preview program to the Official Android 11 build will result in loss of user data. As such, we recommended that you back up any user data to avoid loss.
• Online support is limited and may not be available to help users who experience difficulties with flashing the device.

After installing the update, you can provide feedback on the release using the pre-installed Customer Feedback app. If you encounter too many issues, you can also roll back to the Android 11 release by requesting a rollback through the My Phone app.

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New OnePlus Nord Beta brings along features already available on the stable channel

OnePlus has announced a new Open Beta for the OnePlus Nord. Usually, a new OxygenOS beta update gives users early access to new features before they arrive on the stable channel. But that’s not the case with the OxygenOS Open Beta 6 that OnePlus has just released for the OnePlus Nord.

The new OnePlus Nord beta update instead brings features that have already been available on the stable channel for two weeks now. OnePlus rolled out a new stable update to the OnePlus Nord last month, and it included the August 2021 security patches, the Bitmoji ambient display feature, and the ability to take screenshots of the ambient display. The changelog for the latest beta update for the OnePlus Nord is exactly the same.

The full changelog for OxygenOS Open Beta 6 is as follows:

• System
  • Updated Android security patch to 2021.08
  • Improved system stability
• Ambient Display
  • Newly added the screenshot feature for ambient display
  • Newly added Bitmoji ambient display, co-designed with Snapchat, which will liven up the ambient display with your personal Bitmoji avatar. Your avatar will update throughout the day based on your activity and things happening around you ( Path: Settings – Customization – Clock on ambient display – Bitmoji )

As you can see, the update changelog for the OxygenOS Open Beta 6 for the OnePlus Nord is identical to the stable OxygenOS 11.1.5.5 update that OnePlus rolled out late last month. Hopefully, this is just a one-off thing and doesn’t become a norm going forward, as it eliminates the need for a beta program. In any case, if you have a OnePlus Nord running OxygenOS Open Beta 5, you should receive the new beta build soon. As always, we have provided incremental and full OTA download links below.

OnePlus Nord XDA Forums

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Download OxygenOS Open Beta 6 for the OnePlus Nord

• India:
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental update from Beta 5
• Europe
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental update from Beta 5
• Global:
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental update from Beta 5

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