Daily Authority: 📱 Pick your phone of the year

🌞 Good morning! Today, our intro is written by ChatGPT, the new AI chatbot everyone’s talking about (more on that below). Interesting, but I don’t think we’re at risk of being replaced by AI quite yet…

“Hello, Daily Authority readers! Here’s something you might not know: The first mobile phone call was made in 1973, by Motorola engineer Martin Cooper, who used a prototype of the Motorola DynaTAC phone. The call was made to Bell Labs, and it marked the beginning of the mobile phone revolution.”

Phone of the year: Pick your favorite

It’s hard to believe that the end of 2022 is nigh — in all honesty, it feels like it was just summer. But with a few weeks left until 2023 is upon us, it’s time to vote in our Reader’s Choice awards for the best smartphone of 2022. Which phone will get your vote?

• At Android Authority, we generally crown an Editor’s Choice, the phone chosen by our team of testers and editors.
• We also award Reader’s Choice to a device chosen by you, our readers.
• Voting opens today for the Reader’s Choice award, and it’s your opportunity to tell us which phone should take the prize.
• This year we have 32 phones in the running, including phones like the Google Pixel 7 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, and the OnePlus 10 Pro.
• Some of the year’s best foldable phones are also up for the vote, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4.
• And you’ll find some of the best cheap phones, like the Google Pixel 6a and the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G, also on the list.
• Even the Apple iPhone 14 and 14 Pro make the shortlist, just to keep things fair!

Cast your vote now

Right now we’re in the opening round, so there are still a few hours left to vote. Later today we’ll be tallying the votes and shortlisting the four phones that made the cut.

• The semi-final kicks off later today (Tuesday), so if you miss out on the opening round, there’s still time to cast your vote for the winner.
• You can vote for your choice of semi-finalist on the site, as well as over on our Twitter and YouTube pages.
• The final round takes place on Wednesday, when two phones will go head to head. On this day, you’ll have 24 hours to pick your winner, and you can vote on the site or over on our Instagram and Facebook stories.
• Voting closes on Thursday, so there’s still plenty of time to tell us which phone should take the crown.
• We’ll announce the Reader’s Choice winner for the best smartphone of 2022 on Friday!
• You can only cast one vote, and there are no backsies — once you’ve voted, you can’t undo your choice, so select your winner wisely.

We won’t spoil things for you, but right now, there are two phones going head to head and taking a clear lead. Will either of them be your best smartphone of the year?

Roundup

📷 Google Photos tests new search function to let you find people by their face (Android Authority).

👀 An official OnePlus 11 render leaked online, and it’s looking increasingly likely the Pro moniker’s been dropped (Android Authority).

💻 OnePlus announces it’s making a ‘fully customizable’ mechanical keyboard — more details coming December 15 (Android Authority).

💲 Apple and Amazon resume advertising on Twitter, according to reports (Reuters).

📺 Google TV mobile app starts rolling out Material You redesign (9to5Google).

📱 Nothing says it’s in talks with US carriers for a future smartphone, but don’t expect the Phone 2 anytime soon (Android Authority).

🎵 Here’s everything you need to know about music on the Pixel Watch (Android Authority).

🤖 New AI chatbot is scary good: ChatGPT is causing jaws to drop, creating articles and poems that sound scarily human, but what are the risks? Right now you can create an account and try ChatGPT for free (Axios).

🎮 Microsoft is raising its Xbox game prices: New, first-party Xbox Series X|S games will cost $70 at launch in 2023 (IGN).

🚀 After the Artemis I mission’s brilliant success, why is an encore two years away? (Ars Technica).

❓ “How did the WASD keys become the norm for movement on pc games? Couldn’t it have been ESDF or some other set of keys?” (r/explainlikeimfive).

Tuesday Thing

If you’re in the market for a new job, this could be the most entertaining job description ever written.

• The role’s for a “Citywide Director of RØDEnt Mitigation” in New York City.
• The description starts off with an imaginative “About the role” section: “Do you have what it takes to do the impossible? A virulent vehemence for vermin? A background in urban planning, project management, or government? And most importantly, the drive, determination, and killer instinct needed to fight the real enemy — New York City’s relentless rat population?”
• It continues, “Despite their successful public engagement strategy and cheeky social media presence, rats are not our friends — they are enemies that must be vanquished by the combined forces of our city government. RØDEnts spread disease, damage homes and wiring, and even attempt to control the movements of kitchen staffers in an effort to take over human jobs. Cunning, voracious, and prolific, New York City’s rats are legendary for their survival skills, but they don’t run this city — we do.” 😂
• There’s no shortage of rat puns either: ” As leader of the ‘Rat Pack,’ you will work with your colleagues from across city government, traveling throughout the five burrows, educating, evaluating, and eradicating in equal measure.”
• Qualifications listed include: “Swashbuckling attitude, crafty humor, and general aura of badassery.”

Have a badass day!

Paula Beaton, Copy Editor.