Linux kernel's long-term support releases now last for 6 years, and that's good for Android

In a recent presentation at Linaro Connect, it was revealed that the Linux kernel would be moving to a six-year LTS. Right now LTS kernels are only supported for two years, which can be a problem when a hardware design pipeline can take more than 12-18 months for a device to make it into a consumer's hands, and that's not even taking into account SoC development. This new change, combined with Google's Project Treble, could further extend device support for Android updates and might spell good news for consumers.

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Linux kernel's long-term support releases now last for 6 years, and that's good for Android was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Doogee's Mix 2 phone has 'minimal bezels, maximal views'

Just a week ago, Spain-based phone manufacturer Doogee announced the S60, a mostly-unremarkable durable phone. The best part about the device was the accompanying press release, which was filled to the brim with hilarious spelling errors. Doogee just unveiled the 'Mix 2,' and the announcement is almost as entertaining as the S60's.

With taglines such as 'To a wider world" and "Minimal bezels, maximal views," the Mix 2 is somewhere between an LG G6 and a Galaxy S8 in regards to design.

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Doogee's Mix 2 phone has 'minimal bezels, maximal views' was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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FrontRow review: An interesting concept, but not a great buy at $399

Cameras are absolutely essential to our lives these days. After all, what would we do without our Snapchat Stories and Instagram selfies? How else would we communicate with the outside world? There's a reason why cameras have been crammed into everything from smartwatches to quadcopters; the ability to capture our memories so easily and in such great detail, then share them with anyone we'd like to, is simply amazing.

Ubiquiti Networks, a company most famous for its WiFi equipment, thinks so too.

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FrontRow review: An interesting concept, but not a great buy at $399 was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Unofficial Google Camera port updated with RAW support and HDR+ customization

Perhaps the best aspect of last year's Google Pixel was the camera, partially thanks to Google's fantastic (but proprietary) HDR+ image processing technology. That feature was limited to Google's own devices, until a developer going by the name 'B-S-G' modified the app to run on most phones with a Snapdragon 820, 821 or 835 processor. For many devices, it was an upgrade over the included camera app, especially for the Essential phone.

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Unofficial Google Camera port updated with RAW support and HDR+ customization was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Anker SoundCore Boost review: A mediocre Bluetooth speaker with impressive bass

Anker is best known for its external battery packs, many of which we've featured here on Android Police. Lately, however, the company has been expanding into the Bluetooth speaker market; its mission is to provide quality sound at an affordable price. With this product, the SoundCore Boost, Anker is promising impressive bass performance. Guess what? This speaker does great in that regard, given its size and price.

Where the SoundCore Boost loses me, however, is the rest of its fidelity.

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Anker SoundCore Boost review: A mediocre Bluetooth speaker with impressive bass was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Polk MagniFi Mini review: Impressive sound in a compact and versatile Chromecast soundbar

You know how they say big things come in small packages? Never has that saying been as true as it is with the Polk MagniFi Mini. From the moment I opened the box to this very second, this soundbar keeps on blowing my mind with how good it is. Impressive sound? Check. Plethora of options? Check. Chromecast built-in and Google Home compatibility? Check. Small form factor that could fit in front of many/any TV?

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Polk MagniFi Mini review: Impressive sound in a compact and versatile Chromecast soundbar was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Guide: The best phones and tablets for LineageOS

The following post was written by Ryne Hager and Corbin Davenport.

The vast majority of Android device buyers don't know or care what a custom ROM is. And that's completely fine - a phone or tablet's stock ROM will be enough for 99.9% of potential users. But for the 0.1% that like to tinker, the development community surrounding a given device can drastically impact the value. Your purchase can become a much better deal if there is a wealth of custom ROM options available, extending its lifespan for possibly years (and nearly a decade for the HD2).

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Guide: The best phones and tablets for LineageOS was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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