Software

Cloud gaming allows PC gamers to stream their titles via any device rather than load them on a high-powered rig. AirConsole is a company that claims to do much the same for console games. However, in its case, the user's smartphone is used as the controller and a big screen is required. This service is now expanding to Android TVs for this purpose.

Google has indicated that it will launch new smart home products alongside the Pixels 5 and 4a (5G) at these smartphones' launch at the end of September. However, a leaks site may have spoiled any surprise left in conjunction with these devices. WinFuture purports to confirm that they will be a fresh take on the Nest speaker and Chromecast, and to have genuine product images of both.

The Pocophone F1 has started receiving MIUI 12, Xiaomi's latest OS. Based on Android 10, MIUI 12 for the Pocophone F1 is only being rolled out to Russian handsets for the time being, but it can be downloaded manually.

Xiaomi is now sending out new updates to some of its phones, with the Redmi Note 8 and Mi A2 Lite getting OTAs. For the Redmi Note 8, two updates have been sent, to the global and Indian models of the devices. Owners of the global model of the Mi A2 Lite should now also be getting the September patch.

The latest Game Ready driver package from NVIDIA arrived yesterday and comes with day-one optimizations for Halo 3: ODST and Mafia: Definitive Edition, ray tracing and DLSS support for Fortnite, NVIDIA Reflex latency optimization in Fortnite and Valorant, support for the new GeForce RTX 3080 and RTX 3090, and more.

The Xperia 1 II will not receive Android 11 until the Xperia 5 II launches, according to a new report. The Xperia 5 II has multiple launch dates, so it may not be until December before the Xperia 1 II sees Android 11.

Huawei has completed its EMUI 10.1 upgrade plan in two more regions. All Huawei devices in Africa and the Middle East should have now received EMUI 10.1, shortly before the company starts rolling out EMUI 11, its new in-house version of Android.

The Flex 5G is Lenovo's premium 2-in-1 with the Snapdragon 8cx platform that allows it the same standalone connectivity as most 2020 flagship phones. It has been on sale in the US before; however, those units were locked to the Verizon UW bands. The OEM now sells SKUs that may be used on any network.

Vecnos is a spin-off from Ricoh that is dedicated to making compact lifestyle cameras. It has finally unveiled its first 360-degree camera in full. The IQUI fits its 4 proprietary lenses and their controls into a laser-pointer form-factor. It can take 3840x1920 video at 30fps, and has its own app to send these shots to a smartphone.

JAM Audio has launched the Travel ANC wireless headphones. The OEM claims that they are rated for up to 24 hours of battery life, or 18 with active noise-cancelling (ANC) on. Their design also allows for folding up or folding flat

There are reports that the first MIUI 12 build for the Mi Mix 3 5G has removed 5G connectivity for the device. The EU variant is the only one to have received Xiaomi's latest too, albeit one still based on Android 9.0 Pie. All others remain on MIUI 10, over 18 months after being released.

Just days before its release, Super Mario 3D All-Stars leaked onto the Internet in full. While a leak of the game is bad enough, an intrepid data miner reports that the game uses emulators to play the three retro Mario games within. In other words, the games are not ports for the Switch but are rather original ROM/ISO files (with some patches applied) played in emulation.

After a few updates that failed to at least touch this area, Armored Warfare 0.33 comes with a major rebalance of the high-tier vehicles (tiers 7 to 10). In addition to these adjustments, the list of improvements also includes improved mobility of both wheeled and tracked vehicles, overhauled ammunition and ERA mechanics, a new Contract Mission, model updates, and more.

The latest Apple Watch is here...and so is the latest Apple Watch. The Cupertino giant has released 2 variants of its iconic wearable for the first time. The flagship Series 6 has the latest watchOS 7 features, a new always-on altimeter and the long-awaited blood oxygen sensor, whereas the SE has only some of these things.

Connected health devices are electronics that can provide links to organizations such as the Mayo Clinic or Electronic Caregiver so as to help monitor or even treat a patient in their own home. A new survey indicates that their adoption and use among US residents is growing. This is likely to be related to the fall-out from the Covid-19 pandemic and general trends in medical tech and its use.

The Razer Phone 2 has only received one OS upgrade since its release in October 2018. The former flagship smartphone may still receive security patch updates, but it remains stuck on Android 9.0 Pie with no upgrade to Android 10 in sight.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro has received a new update. The update, which is rolling out globally now, brings the device onto the August 2020 set of Android security patches.

Sony has broken ground with its latest mirrorless unit, as the OEM has packed a full-frame sensor into dimensions normally reserved for APS-C cameras. The alpha 7c (or a7c) also offers a flip-out LCD touchscreen and in-body image stabilization (IBIS). It will start to become available in October 2020 for a surprisingly reasonable starting price.

The gaming headset maker ROCCAT has collaborated with its new parent, Turtle Beach, on its new Elo series. It comes in cross-platform stereo, USB and wireless varieties, all of which are rated for 7.1 surround sound. The Elos also have their brand's AIMO lighting system and self-regulating metal headbands.

We finally have our first look at what Samsung has in store for us with One UI 3.0. For the most part, it is an incremental upgrade that improves upon existing One UI and One UI 2.0 features. The One UI 3.0 beta is only available in the United States and South Korea and will expand to other regions soon.

The Snapdragon 460 is a new Qualcomm processor that has hit the headlines thanks to its putative role in OnePlus' first-ever entry-level smartphone. It seems the OEM Realme is also preparing a device based on the cost-effective chipset. According to a Geekbench leak, it has a surprisingly generous amount of RAM and runs Android 10.

After ending the second phase of its MIUI 12 rollout last week, Xiaomi is slated to set its sights towards the third phase, with phones like the Redmi Note 8, Redmi Note 9S, Redmi Note 9 Pro, and Redmi Note 9 Pro Max likely to finally receive the MIUI 12 update in the coming weeks.

The Realme Watch S Pro is a new product approved for use by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Unlike this OEM's first wearable, it has a circular AMOLED display and a relatively large 420mAh battery. These details are known thanks to its new official certification.

Tecno is a smartphone OEM that may be on the rise to challenge other, more readily recognizable names such as LG, OPPO or Realme. Its main brand is Infinix, which has been spotted on Geekbench 5 with a new phone called the Note 8. According to this leak, it rocks the Helio G80 SoC and has 6GB of RAM.

An earlier leak suggested that the increasingly popular wearables brand Amazfit had a second-gen GTR smartwatch in the works. Now, a device of this name has been approved to use Bluetooth 5.0. Therefore, it may not be far away from an official unveiling.

Network slicing refers to the process of sharing a single network (usually for mobile data) between different use-cases (e.g. IoT or VR) in a way that renders the same connectivity optimal for each one. Therefore, its market is likely to benefit from the rise of 5G. A new market research report estimates its value will grow to US$600 million or more by 2026.

Huawei unveiled its latest update to its Android skin, EMUI 11, at its 2020 Developer Conference. This involved a teaser video that contains a shot seeming to reference 66 watt (W) charging. This goes beyond the current upper limit of phone power-brick speeds for this OEM; therefore, this spec may be destined for the upcoming Mate 40 flagship series.

Mobile gaming is a growing industry as it can be a fun way to pass the time. However, the enjoyment titles made to be played on your phone can be curbed by the need to complete micro-transactions to proceed, or to watch ads to avoid paying for the same. The games-specific variant of the Google Play Store now has settings to help choose new apps without these drawbacks.

Although most Windows 10 users should be running at least the version labeled 1909 of Microsoft's operating system, those still stuck with the older version 1903 should be aware that the Redmond giant will stop supporting all its editions — including Enterprise and Education — on December 8.

2020 may go down as the year of truly everyday video-calling and video-conferencing. Google has decided to facilitate this by adding support for its Meet and Duo apps to Android TVs. Therefore, these smart screens will be able to act as the displays for video-chats and work calls, so long as they have a camera.

Huawei has also launched its latest hearables at its ongoing Developer Conference. The FreeBuds Pro have the AirPod form-factor; however, it is also claimed that they have "intelligent dynamic noise cancellation" and active noise cancelling features. The FreeLace Pro neckbuds also have supposedly best-in-class performance in this right, as well as a battery life of up to 24 hours.

Huawei has introduced the Watch Fit, its first smartwatch with a rounded rectangular fact, to more markets at its Developer Conference (HDC 2020). It has many features in common with the equally new Watch GT 2 Pro, but is much more affordable. The wearable is to be made available this month (September 2020),

Huawei has launched its new range of wearables at this OEM's own Developer Conference (HDC 2020). Its flagship is unarguably the Watch GT 2 Pro, which has titanium and ceramic in its casing, as well as a "sapphire" display crystal. It is rated for up to 2 weeks' worth of battery life and comes in Sport or Classic SKUs.

Huawei has launched EMUI 11, its latest in-house OS. EMUI 11 is currently based on Android 10, but features numerous changes from EMUI 10 and EMUI 10.1. Huawei has opened its beta program to ten devices too, albeit only those in China for the time being.

Android Auto is an app that throws Google services such as Maps and the Assistant up onto a car's display from a USB-connected phone. However, its compatibility or stability can be variable sometimes. To this end, the developer Emil Borconi-Szedressy has invented AAWireless, which is described as a plug-and-play method to take a cable out of the equation.

The second round of the MIUI 12 release schedule has been completed, Xiaomi has confirmed on Weibo. The second batch of OS upgrades has been completed ahead of schedule, but Xiaomi has not finished the rollout of MIUI 12 yet. Older Redmi handsets, like the Redmi Note 5, are still yet to receive the company's latest OS.

Motorola is scheduled to launch its refreshed Razr 2020 later today (September 9, 2020). However, it is already out there in the form of YouTube hands-on and first impressions by prominent tech influencers. Furthermore, Roland Quandt of WinFuture claims to have learned its entire spec list by now.

Xiaomi has now kickstarted the Android 11 rollout for its lineup, starting with its current flagship phones, the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro. Android 11 builds are now being rolled out to owners of the global Mi 10 model. There are some caveats, of course, however.

Microsoft has just introduced the concept of the Xbox Series S. Now, it has gone into greater detail on its upcoming, all-new digital-only console. The product also gets an AMD Zen 2-based CPU and an RDNA GPU, albeit not exactly the same as the one that will come in the Series X. The latter is rated for 4 TFLOPS' worth of performance, whereas the X is not.

The Huawei Mate 8 is still receiving software updates, nearly five years after its release in November 2015. The latest update brings the July 2020 set of security patches and a battery abnormality detection feature. The update is rolling out now to Chinese handsets but should make its way to global handsets, too.

Google has released the first stable build of Android 11 for the Pixel line of smartphones today (September 8, 2020). Now, OnePlus has announced that it too has such an update for its current flagships, the 8 and 8 Pro. They come in the form of OxygenOS Open Betas, the last step before a stable software version.

1More launched its first pair of true-wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC) in late 2019. Now, it has revealed that the same accessories have attained a certification from the audio authority THX. This is attributed to the brand's QuietMax technology and hybrid ANC techniques.

Sony has launched its new line of home theater- and enterprise-grade projectors. It comprises laser- and lamp-enabled SKUs, although its flagship has the SXRD tech necessary for a micro-display unit to throw images in 4K. Their maker also claims to have improved on their processing platforms and HDR capabilities.

Huawei has started teasing EMUI 11, with the company focusing on greater connectivity and usability for its next in-house OS. EMUI 11 will be unveiled on September 10 at HDC 2020 alongside HarmonyOS 2.0 and potentially some new hardware, too.

Samsung recently rolled out update G96xFXXSBETH2 for the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus. Unfortunately, while the latest software includes a security patch, owners of the 2018 flagship lineup are still waiting for One UI 2.5 to materialise.

Crysis Remastered, which is set to be released on September 19, will include a graphics setting called "Can It Run Crysis," which will max out every graphics option available. Interestingly, the original game still holds up compared to the remaster.

Vivaldi 3.3.2022.86 arrived earlier today for desktop users and it brings a Break Mode, a new default visual theme for private windows, clickable parts of URLs in the address bar, various improvements to the integrated tracker and ad blocker, base domain highlighting, and more.

Asus delighted fans of the flip camera with the launch of the ZenFone 7 series, which are mobile devices with the second generation of this display-sparing tech. Those in the US may have been disappointed when the OEM mentioned no availability for its new flagships in that market. A Reddit thread contains alleged evidence that may contradict this, however.

Now with a — let's hope — final launch date set to November 19, Cyberpunk 2077 is expected to feature even more downloadable content than The Witcher 3, revealed CD Projekt's president and joint-CEO during a recent conference call on the first half of the year. Sadly, the release timeline for the additional content is not available yet.

Realme rose to be a top 5 hearable (or audio wearables with a smart component) brand in research on the Indian sector of this market during the first quarter of 2020 (1Q2020). Now, a new Counterpoint Research report on the same space for 2Q2020 has found the OEM has taken the No.1 spot in its TWS earbud sub-sector. Its success is based on the increasing affordability of the devices in question.