We knew that the phone was coming but now it's finally here. Yes, we are talking about the much speculated Essential phone by Andy Rubin. In case you don't know yet, let us tell you that Andy Rubin is the original CEO and the main man behind the Android OS from days when Google didn't even own Android. Essential is his own start-up company and aka the Essential phone. Now that we have cleared that up, it's time to take a look and see what makes this phone special.

Top of the Line Specs

The phone truly doesn't hold back on any specs at all. Take a look at them below to see what we are talking about here.

Ceramic-glass build with Gorilla Glass 5 in front
5.7-inch LTPS bezel-less display with a resolution of 2560x1312 and an aspect ratio of 19:10
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
4GB RAM and 128GB internal storage
Bluetooth 5.0
Dual 13-megapixel rear cameras with a telephoto lens, Laser and Phase Detection Autofocus, dual LED flash and 4K recording
8-mp front camera with 4K recording
Unique Digital assistant
3,040mAh battery with fast charging
Price: $699

Modular Design

Essential has taken on modularity; something in which both LG and Google has failed previously. However, it has taken the Lenovo route in doing so by opting for a magnetic connector at its back to allow for accessories; much in the same way the Moto Z does it. At this time, there are only two accessories available; a 360-degree camera ($199) and a charging dock.

We cannot help but see a striking similarity between the Essential phone and the Xiaomi Mi Mix! What do you think?

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

Online gambling has never been more popular than it is today. People around the world love placing bets on sports events, play online poker or spend their time spinning reels and chase 21 in blackjack. One thing is for sure; more players will rely on their mobile phones to gamble on the Internet and further neglect their laptop or PC.

When it comes to mobile gambling, whether it's on Android or iOS, there are a few things to consider to ensure that you have a smooth experience with no drawbacks. Here is what you should look out for in 2020.

Avoid downloading casino and betting apps

When smartphones first became popular, it was all about the apps. Games, social networks, news; users started to download hundreds of apps to their phones because it was the thing to do. Quickly, though, it became apparent that there were some serious drawbacks with native applications. Buggy behaviour, large file sizes, missing features; apps didn't live up to the standard that users were used to from the web.

With online casinos and betting operators, it is very similar. In most instances, downloading such app only gives you limited access to games, and due to their complexity, you will quickly exhaust your phone's local storage.

Luckily, most gambling sites optimised their content for the mobile web, making it possible to sign-up, deposit, play games, and withdraw winning straight in your mobile web browser. If you register with a leading casino brand such as LeoVegas or one of their sister site, you can be sure to have a stellar experience wherever you are in the world.

Mobile slot games and more

Of course, the most important bit of your mobile gambling experience is games. Whether you're at home on the couch, on the bus to work or at the beach, you ideally want to have access to the full range of casino games at your operator of choice.

In 2020, there is nothing to worry about. All major games developers have made the shift to develop games for all platforms. Big Time Gaming, Play'n GO, or Quickspin all produce games with a mobile-first approach anyway. Still, even the industry's evergreens like Microgaming and NetEnt successfully adapted their strategy. They even relaunched older games with new technology to make them work seamlessly on Android and iOS smartphones. 

Making deposits and requesting withdrawals

One thing some users worry about - whether it's in gambling or online shopping - are transactions. Often customers start a purchase journey on their phone but complete it on their laptop. For some reason, they feel uncomfortable paying on their smartphone.

First and foremost; whether you deposit money on your phone or laptop, there is zero difference in terms of security. In both cases, your data is handled in the exact same way and protected by the same security standards modern banks use. What's more; payments on your smartphone might even that little bit more secure!

Many gambling websites now accept payments with Apple and Google Pay, making it possible to confirm transactions with your fingerprint. This is a technology that does not exist when making purchases or withdrawing money on your laptop or PC, so playing on your phone might be the way to go.