Software

Nintendo Switch gamers can enjoy the third Torchlight game starting today just as promised. The new adventure "filled with hordes of goblins, undead and other dangerous Netherim creatures" is now live and early adopters also get the exclusive Ashen Glittersprite pet.

Huawei's major product launch of today (October 22, 2020) served to announce the Mate 40 phablet series and also several "companion" devices for it. They include the rumored FreeBuds Studio, the first ANC headphones from this line of audio products. In addition, a more compact version of the Sound X speaker made its debut.

Samsung has finally begun issuing fixes for the Galaxy S20 FE's touchscreen problems via a software update. It is roughly 174MB in size and is currently rolling out in Europe. A global release should follow suit in the coming days.

The Mi CC9e and Redmi Note 8 Pro have received new MIUI 12 upgrades spanning several branches of MIUI, but the Redmi 8 and Redmi Note 8 are in no such luck. Instead, the Redmi 8 and Redmi Note 8 have just received security updates in multiple regions, keeping the devices on MIUI 11 for the time being.

Huawei has introduced a new health feature to the Watch GT 2 Pro, despite its recent introduction. The update expands the capabilities of the company's latest smartwatch, specifically in relation to its SpO2 sensor.

The CXI4 is Acer's new Chromebox with up-to-date connectivity, featuring Wi-Fi 6, USB 3.2 Gen 2 and type C ports. Therefore, it may prove an option for the processing needed in retail or learning spaces. It also has the dimensions and VESA mount necessary to hide it behind nearly any screen paired with it in these environments.

Today (October 21, 2020), Acer has unveiled its latest gaming monitors. The Predator X34 GS is the likely headline here, as it combines a 34-inch 1900R panel, a UWQHD resolution and a new stand type in one. Then again, the 24.5-inch XB253Q GW is the one with the highest (280Hz) refresh rate here. There is also a new Nitro XV272U KV which offers some attractive specs for a decent price.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S and Mi Mix 3 users can enjoy the delights of the Android 11 operating system thanks to the release of the ArrowOS 11.0 custom ROMs for those devices. This will be especially handy for those with a Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S smartphone, which was originally released with the Android 8 Oreo software.

A new software tool from Parallels, the Parallels Desktop for Chromebook Enterprise, allows certain Chromebooks to natively run Windows apps alongside Chrome OS apps, no Internet required. The software seamlessly integrates Windows into Chrome OS, allowing shared use of system functions like the clipboard, network connections, and more.

The Covid-19 pandemic often has connotations of economic downturn and general consumption-insecurity. Nevertheless, the US consumer tech sector is now projected to grow by 18% year-on-year for the final quarter of 2020 (4Q2020), whereas this figure was 4% in 4Q2019. This increase is thought to be connected to the need for remote working and learning equipment, particularly laptops and monitors.

DxOMark is practically a household name for independent groups that release scores for smartphone prowess in areas such as their screens and cameras. It has announced that its system to test the former has been re-designed to reflect user experience in real-world and laboratory settings. Its procedures for cameras are also now more rigorous than ever.

The Mi Max 3 and Mi Mix 3 5G have received new MIUI 12 updates, bringing the two devices on Xiaomi's latest OS. The Mi Mix 3 5G still remains on Android 9.0 Pie in Europe on the Vodafone network, but the global and Russian versions of the Mi Max 3 have been upgraded to Android 10 builds of MIUI 12.

The Xiaomi Mi A1 was released back in September 2017 as Xiaomi's first Android One offering. The Android One program promises just three years of software updates, however, so the Mi A1 has finally reached the end of its official lifespan. "Official" is key, though, as life continues outside the confines of stock software.

OPPO has launched the latest addition to its Enco series of TWS earbuds. They are equipped with a dual-core chipset to control their active noise cancelling (ANC) features. The OEM also describes them as having been developed in partnership with the Danish sound specialist Dynaudio. These new Enco buds are Bluetooth 5.2 and have USB type C charging.

OPPO is a device OEM that has launched Apple Watch-clones in the past. Now, it has unveiled its first smartwatch with a circular face instead. The RX will also run ColorOS Watch 1.5, a new version of the OEM's software for wearables.

OPPO unveiled products new to this OEM during its October 19, 2020 Wisdom Life conference in China. They include its first-ever TVs, which run on a version of ColorOS developed specially for this new category. They have 4K panels, the highest-end of which is also QLED and has a 120Hz refresh rate.

iTouch is a wearables brand with a main presence in the United States. It has announced its second-gen Sport smartwatch, which has a new kind of sensor: one that tracks body temperature and alerts the user if it becomes elevated. It has been priced at US$95.99, but is also currently on sale for Black Friday 2020.

The latest in the Mi Watch series of wearables has a round face and a blood-oxygen sensor. An official Xiaomi Weibo account has hinted that it is set for launch very soon in its domestic market. It is slated to come with various additional sports-focused features at this event.

Prior leaks had indicated that Samsung had a new version of the Galaxy Fit wearable with Bluetooth 5.1 in the works. Now, this new device in on sale in India. It has a 1.1-inch color AMOLED display, can track a user's heart-rate and stress levels, and has a battery life rated for up to 21 days between charges.

It appears Redmi Note 8T owners are going to find themselves in the same boat as those with the very similar Redmi Note 8 smartphone in regard to a MIUI 12 update. While it seemed the Android 10-based overlay was winging its way to the Redmi Note 8T (Global, Europe, Russia) this month, Xiaomi has now warned that a delay is possible.

Xiaomi has debuted the Mi Air 2 Pro, which may also become known as the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Pro in markets besides its initial Chinese region. These TWS earbuds boast a high-end matte finish and house specs such as active noise cancellation (ANC), 12mm drivers and wireless charging. They are available for pre-order for a price of close to $104.

Infinix has thrown its hat in the 2020 low- to mid-tier ring with its new Note 8 series. It offers big screens and quad rear cameras. Both the 8 and 8i also have large 5200mAh batteries. Can they really compete with other MediaTek Helio G80-powered devices such as the Redmi 9/Poco M2?

Intel's latest Celeron 6305 and 6305E processors have a number of up-to-date features and specs that may make devices based on them particularly worthy of consideration. There may have a lower base clock here compared to its immediate forebear, but it also supports double the cache, as well as faster memory and graphics. And, of course, Thunderbolt 4 is here in these newer models.

Intel has launched the Pentium Gold 7505 processor, which, unlike its immediate predecessor, has a 10 nanometer (nm) architecture thanks to its place in the Tiger Lake series. It also now has double the cache and supports faster integrated graphics compared to its closest 2019 counterpart - with Thunderbolt 4 on top of that.

Following months of delays, Xiaomi has now started sending out the MIUI 12 update to the Redmi Note 9S. The rollout begins in Europe, with updates for owners of the Russian and Turkish models of the device. Meanwhile, Xiaomi is supposedly also set to expand the MIUI 12 rollout for the Redmi Note 9 Pro.

TCL now sells its 4-series smart TVs in the US. These 4K Android devices support Google's Assistant and have Chromecast functionality. They are available in 50-, 55- and 75-inch variants, some of which are already on sale for 2020's Black Friday.

The Kokoon NightBuds are, like the Amazfit ZenBuds or Bose Sleepbuds II, designed to be worn in bed so as to help the user fall asleep. To this end, they measure just 5.4 millimeters in depth, although they are not TWS. They have launched via Kickstarter, where they have amassed nearly 15 times their goal.

Nokia has secured a contract from NASA to provide it with a 4G/LTE network - for a lunar base. The US' space administration has plans to have such a structure on the moon and operational by 2028, and the Finnish brand is the one to supply the astronauts who will work there with a telecommunications infrastructure based on a common terrestrial mobile data standard.

OnePlus is a smartphone brand that has leveraged hype around "alternative" flagships into a market-leading position over the years, and Carl Pei has been there from the start as its co-founder. However, he has just posted a goodbye message to its official community website, thereby affirming he is stepping down from this position and leaving the OEM.

Redmi Note 8 users around the globe are going to be disappointed by the latest MIUI 12-related messages issuing from Xiaomi HQ. While there seemed to be a few signs pointing to an October update for users of the Global or Indian Redmi Note 8, it now appears to be more likely that nothing will arrive before November.

Updated across all platforms — including mobile — Vivaldi 3.4 comes with an arcade game inspired by the Future Noir and Cyberpunk genres. This easy-going title is named Vivaldia and it comes along various features such as the very useful periodic reload, configurable context menus, and much more.

Canon has updated the EOS M50 with a Mark II model. This new camera has a 24.1MP APS-C sensor with the OEM's DIGIC 8 image processor. It also has on-board Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which helps with its new ability to livestream directly to YouTube wirelessly. It should be available in late November 2020 as a single unit or bundled with compatible EF lenses.

The Xiaomi Mi Smart Speaker is a Google Assistant-enabled device that was launched in India recently alongside the Mi Band 5 and Mi Watch Revolve. It has a 63.5 millimeter (mm) driver rated for 12 watt (W) audio and has an LED accent that indicates when it is active. According to a new leak, it may also have European availability in its future.

Omnivision has announced its new high-end mobile camera sensor, the OV64A. It is 64MP, which is nothing new to this manufacturer; however, this one has pixels of a ground-breaking 1.0 micron in size. This may enhance its sensitivity compared to its predecessors.

The OnePlus 7 and 7T series will begin receiving Android 11 and OxygenOS 11 from December, according to a company spokesperson. It is unclear whether these will be beta or stable builds, but the likes of the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7T Pro will at least get a taste of Android 11 before the year is out.

Xiaomi has brought the Mi CC9 Pro, Mi Note 10 and Mi Note 10 Pro onto Android 11, courtesy of a new closed beta update. The update can be downloaded on an unlocked handset via TWRP and is an encouraging sign of development for Xiaomi's 108 MP smartphone.

ASUS has begun issuing Android 11 beta builds to the ZenFone 7 Pro, stealing a march on other Android OEMs. The first beta build for the recently released flagship introduces a host of changes, not just Android 11.

Samsung has started beta testing One UI 3.0 in Europe. Testing began in South Korea and the US last month and remains limited to the Galaxy S20 series. The S20 FE is not eligible for One UI 3.0 beta yet though, and you must have an unlocked S20, S20 Plus or S20 Ultra to participate.

Android 11 may be slowing down smartphones like the Pixel 4a and Pixel 4 XL, HotHardware has discovered. The two Google smartphones perform demonstrably worse in benchmarks running Android 11 than they do on Android 10; the website is not the only one to be complaining of slowdowns on Android 11, either.

The first MIUI 12 update has arrived for the global version of the Redmi Note 9 Pro. Currently rolling out to Turkish handsets, the arrival of V12.0.1.0.QJZTRXM should predate equivalent updates for the global and European branches of MIUI by a few days. The inaugural MIUI 12 update has formally landed for the Redmi Note 7 Pro, too.

On its way to the scheduled November 19 release, Cyberpunk 2077 has a script that will hit — and surpass — the one-million-word barrier. Last week, CD Projekt RED’s localization manager Yuki Nishio posted an image on Twitter that shows the entire script printed out and it looks insane.

The Beats by Dre brand has launched its latest pair of wireless earphones. Like the Powerbeats Pro before them, they are of the neckbud variety, but are also much cheaper this time. Nevertheless, they are rated for potentially superior audio quality and connectivity thanks to their Apple audio tech.

MIUI 12 is rolling out more widely for the global version of the Pocophone F1, according to multiple reports. V12.0.2.0.QEJMIXM is rolling out now as an OTA, while the Redmi 8A Dual has been upgraded to Android 10, sans MIUI 12.

Just as promised, the third installment in the Torchlight series is now available for Windows PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 gamers. The piece of news that makes today's launch even better is the launch date of the Nintendo Switch version, which is no longer a secret: October 22.

Fake MIUI 12 builds for the Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 7/7S have been discovered. The software versions apply to both the Global and India variants of the Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 7/7S. Owners of these smartphones are advised to disregard false information about these particular MIUI 12 forgeries.

Puro Sound Labs makes personal audio products that, as it asserts, provide a high-end listening experience while protecting the user's aural health. It is known for its PuroGamer headset, and has also just launched the PuroPro active noise cancelling (ANC) "adult" headphones. It has also released UK and US pricing for Amazon's 2020 Prime Day sale.

MIUI 12 will be arriving on the Redmi Note 8T later this month, according to an official Xiaomi timeline. The commencement of the update may coincide with the release of MIUI 12 to the likes of the Redmi Note 7, Redmi Note 8 and the global version of the Redmi Note 9 Pro. There are reports of MIUI 12 finally reaching more Redmi Note 7 Pro handsets, too.

The OnePlus 7 series only launched last year, but the devices have reputedly been relegated to second-tier software support. While the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro have already received Android 11, the new version of OxygenOS will not be arriving on the OnePlus 7 series until 2021.

Earlier, Huawei confirmed that the Mate 40 flagship series was on the way, but neglected to say when exactly. Now, its official Twitter channel has revealed that this will indeed occur on October 22, 2020. The company is already making impressive claims for its new phablets in its latest teaser.

The global version of MIUI 12 has reached the Mi Mix 2, but there is a catch. Unlike many other devices, the Mi Mix 2 remains on Android 9.0 Pie, despite the existence of Android 10 and Android 11 versions of MIUI 12 being in circulation.