Software

Redmi has launched its first wearable: a smart band quite like that of Realme's initial foray into this market. It will be only 99 yuan (~$US14) when it goes on sale in China - or even cheaper during a crowd-funding event to be held beforehand. By contrast, the Mi Band 4 is about $8 more in this country.

The big February update brought some internet connection problems for some users, especially when using a VPN. An unfavourable mistake in the age of the home office, in our opinion. Microsoft confirmed the bug and promised a quick update, which is now available to download.

Still waiting for a fixed Android 10 build on your Mi A2 Lite? Well, the device has lucked out once again, as Xiaomi has pushed a new frustrating update to the Android One handset. Android 10 may be on the horizon, but this certainly is not it.

Huawei's Atlas series is this OEM's take on the AI cluster, which delivers extremely high-volume processing for this area of computing. One of its latest variants, the 900, has just won a Red Dot Design Award for 2020. This group has conferred the prize on the cluster for its innovative form-factor and deployment mechanism.

The market for smartwatches is associated with an estimated 43.87 million unit shipments in 2018. However, this number is now thought to reach a possible total of 108.91 million by 2024. This growth may be driven by an increased demand for health- and fitness-management, as well as standalone connectivity, in these wearables.

Android 10-based One UI 2.0 update is now making its way to Galaxy Tab S6 owners. It brings forth all the standard One UI 2.0 and Android 10 features, and is bundled with the March 2020 Android security patch. Currently, it is only available in Germany for the LTE variant of Samsung's flagship tablet. A wider rollout should commence in the coming weeks.

Virtual private networks (VPNs) are popular tools among those who want to safeguard their internet usage and the data involved. The sudden and widespread need to work from home has given them a new dimension of necessity, however. Now, their uptake in the US and Canada has reportedly increased 35% in March 2020.

Sony has unveiled the WH-CH710N completely wireless headphones. They are equipped with Automatic Artificial Intelligence Noise Canceling (AINC), which excludes ambient sounds in a way that adapts to the wearer's environment. They are also NFC-enabled for rapid pairing with a mobile device.

The Mi Bands 3 and 4 have a new firmware update that fixes several UI-related bugs. It also introduces a first-party notebook-unlocking facility to these fitness trackers. They also now support Apple ID logins for the first time.

Asus announced the new ROG Keystone 2 today. The device, which is a proprietary NFC key, allows users to easily transfer system and game profiles between supported ROG machines. The Keystone 2 also includes a hidden encrypted storage drive, known as a Shadow Drive.

Asus' ROG Boost feature pushes more power to a compatible machine's GPU, bumping performance by a small but noticeable amount. In addition to covering this feature, Asus also shared demographic statistics showing how gaming is for everyone.

Sony has released the WF-XB700 earphones: TWS devices designed to incorporate this OEM's EXTRA BASS technology. They also have an IP4 rating against sweat and water-splashes and ergonomics that may help them stay in the user's ear. These new accessories will become available during April 2020.

OPPO has released 4G variants of its Reno3 series outside of its native China. Now, it seems it is letting the original, 5G versions of these phones out into the wider world too. It has been certified by the Federal Communications Commission for sale in the US, suggesting it will launch in this market soon.

Fitbit has unleashed its latest Charge 4 and 4 SE band-style wearables. These devices look much like their predecessors, but now pack advanced features such as on-board GPS. The OEM also claims that they are rated for up to 7 days' worth of battery life.

This year's April 1st special takes Gaijin's game to space, but also come with a special event that can end up with a very rare piece of military hardware, namely the Object 279 heavy tank. Back in 2016 and 2017, these special events involved ships and modern tanks, which were both added to the game since then.

Users will soon be able to use a single WhatsApp account across multiple devices. The feature was first spotted in the beta version of WhatsApp, and is expected to make its way to a stable release in the near future. The chances of cross-platform support, however, look grim.

Huawei has released its financial performance report for 2019, which outlines its takings worldwide from all its business, consumer electronics included. They show that overall revenues have increased year-on-year (YoY). However, the growth of its profits did not match those of previous years.

HMD Global just announced that the Nokia 7.2 will receive the Android 10 update starting today. You may have to wait a few days to get it, though, as it is a staged rollout. Head over to your devices' Settings app to try and trigger the update manually.

Launched alongside the P40 series, Huawei has announced plans to upgrade over 30 devices to EMUI 10.1. While still based on Android 10, EMUI 10.1 refines upon EMUI 10 in many areas, including smoother animations, along with multi-window, multi-device control panel and multi-screen collaboration improvements. EMUI 10.1 introduces MeeTime too, Huawei's answer to FaceTime. Even an AI assistant is onboard, with Celia likely replacing Google Assistant as the default digital assistant.

Xiaomi is still sending out the stable global Android 10 update to the Redmi Note 8 Pro but the update appears to have removed Netflix HDR support. Complaints have also been made over the lack of HD streaming support on Amazon Prime Video in spite of the Android 10 update bringing Widevine DRM L1 certification.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 is thought to gain a Lite version soon. This appears to have been confirmed by reports that this device had appeared on Amazon Germany ahead of its launch on this platform. This possibly accidental listing may have just been removed, although alleged records of it show its specs and price.

Samsung has launched the AKG N400, a new pair of true-wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds. These accessories, unlike the Galaxy Buds+, have active noise cancellation (ANC). They also hold an IP rating and different color options over the pre-existing earphones.

Since almost 20 percent of computer users have been targeted by a malware attack in the last year and about the same percentage have never backed up their data, today is a great day to finally back up your files or refresh your existing backups. These being said, there's only one thing left to do - backup your files before it's too late.

Honor formally unveiled the 30S 5G online in China today. It was less expectedly joined by the Play 9a, a decidedly budget alternative. Quite unlike the new Kirin 820 device, it is a dual-rear-camera phone with 4GB of RAM.

CTL has unveiled the latest addition to its series of affordable Chrome OS devices. The VX11 is powered by the Intel Celeron N4020 chipset, thus boosting the Wi-Fi speeds and performance of this 11.6-inch convertible. It also has an anti-glare screen, a water-resistant keyboard and 2 USB type C ports.

A study conducted by a broadband internet research group has found that millennials are more likely to develop anxiety at the thought of a voice-call compared to boomers. 50% of the former group also reported getting their parents to make doctor's appointments over the phone for them. However, this aversion abates in those aged 35 or older.

Jabra has announced new editions to its collaboration- and co-working-focused Evolve series of headsets. They are compatible with the Unified Communications (UC) platforms typically used in offices, and may block a greater degree of distractions with new Digital Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) features.

Samsung's first phone to sport four rear cameras has just received its second major update. The Android 10/One UI 2.0 update arrives one year after the Galaxy A9 (2018) got the Android 9.0 Pie update. The changelog is not official yet, but all the One UI 2.0 and Android 10 goodies should be present.

Sony has announced a plan to take its existing Electronics Products & Solutions (EP&S) divisions, which includes its Mobile Communications business, and combine them into 1 intermediate holding entity. This new corporation is intended to streamline and optimize these areas for the Japanese giant.

The Pro variant of the upcoming OnePlus 8 series may already have been revealed to be a quad-camera flagship in prior leaks. Now, some eminent tipsters have teamed up to unleash the nature of all 4 sensors. The main shooter here is thought to be the new Sony IMX heretofore only found in the OPPO Find X2 Pro.

World War Z is currently available to be had for free at the Epic Games Store for a limited time only. Other games that are free at the moment include Drawful 2, Figment, and Tormentor x Punisher. If you paid full price for World War Z after February 13, 11:00 AM ET, then you can expect an automatic refund coming your way soon.

Apple is giving creative pros and others the opportunity to use the full versions of Final Cut Pro X and Logic Pro X to users for 90 days. Final Cut Pro X had previously been available for a 1-month trial period while this is the first time users have ever been able to give Logic Pro X a trial before buying.

Have you been waiting for Android 10 to reach your Redmi Note 8 Pro? Well, the wait should now be over as Xiaomi has issued new updates for three more variants. Released as OTAs, the updates are available to download manually too.

The LG 27GN750 is a CES Award-winning monitor of the UltraGear series. Its almost-bezelless IPS panel has a 1 millisecond (ms) response time, has HDR10 and is compatible with NVIDIA G-SYNC. The OEM has released it for sale at US$399.

Motorola introduced its latest entry- to mid-range One series of phones in late 2018 with an eponymous variant. Therefore, it may have disappointed many of its fans that it has taken it this long to get a build of Android 10. This update has been reported in the Brazilian market thus far.

Realme X2 owners will be pleased to know that they'll receive the much-awaited Android 10 update soon. It comes to the Realme X2 in the form of Realme UI and brings forth a host of new features such as a three-finger screenshot gesture, a 'smart sidebar', and more. The update is rolling out now and will be available to eligible devices in the coming days.

An always-on display is often a sought-after software feature in Android phones. The increasingly popular OEM OnePlus has classically resisted this trend, offering a less consistent Ambient mode instead. However, it has announced that they are finally working on one for the future of its devices.

Samsung's latest smartwatch has an electrocardiography (ECG) sensor, but it is deactivated at present. The OEM had projected that it would be working via a firmware update in the first quarter of 2020 (1Q2020). However, it now seems it's going to miss this deadline.

The Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite may be on the verge of receiving a new Android 10 update. Apparently also including the March security patch update, the update will redress the bugs that the first Android 10 update introduced to the device. Due "very soon", we would not recommend upgrading straightaway when it arrives, though.

Xiaomi has posted some exciting news on Chinese social media for owners of its Mi CC9 Pro smartphone. The manufacturer is planning on rolling out Android 10 for the device in April. As the Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro is known in other parts of the world as the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 or Mi Note 10 Pro, then owners of those latter smartphones can start feeling hopeful about an OS update.

A Samsung firmware-monitoring website now claims to have detected an update to OneUI 2.0 for the Galaxy Fold. Unfortunately, it appears to be for the 4G/LTE variants of this device only thus far. In addition, its OTA appears to be aimed at the French market, although users elsewhere could install it manually.

The Xiaomi sub-brand Black Shark has a new accessory: the FunCooler Pro. This, as it may sound, is a smartphone attachment with a fan intended to manage device temperatures while gaming. It has adjustable clamps, and may thus fit onto the backs of phones besides those of its own series.

Hopeful that Xiaomi is planning to fix Android 10 for the Mi A3? Well, the company has other plans. Unsurprisingly, people are unhappy by this latest curveball as the wait for a fixed version of Android 10 for the Mi A3 continues.

Qualcomm has introduced the QCC514X and QCC304X, 2 new audio SoCs that are "optimized for" true wireless (TWS) earbuds and other similar accessories. They are equipped with support for its Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and generally improved sound over low-energy Bluetooth.

According to a new Geekbench leak, Vivo has a phone with a 5G-as-standard SoC, 8GB of RAM and Android 10 on the way. However, the OEM already has released a phone of this description: the Z6. The only apparent differences between the 2 are their model numbers and processors.

Supposedly released to the device last month, it seems that hordes of people are yet EMUI 10 on their P20 Pro. If you are one of them, then you're not alone.

Huawei is set to announce EMUI 10.1 alongside the P40 series tomorrow, with the new flagships likely candidates as the first smartphones to run the latest version of Huawei's OS. The announcement has been met with considerable criticism from people still awaiting EMUI 10 and Android 10 on their Huawei smartphones, though.

It appears that Netflix is experiencing some kind of an outage in the United States. Reports coming in from various sources indicate that both the app and browser versions of the streaming service are affected. A Netflix spokesperson has acknowledged that the company is aware of the issue and is working on a fix.

OnePlus Pay is the latest smartphone OEM-provisioned digital wallet platform on the market. To date, it only works in China, although it could expand to other markets later. As with other similar services, it allows a user to store card details and pay for things like public transport.

Infrared Cameras Inc. is a Texas-based company that makes products that allow the assessment of a target's core temperature without touching them. For example, its HotSpot thermometer uses infrared (IR) technology to help assess symptoms such as fever. This useful device is now in the hands of more officials worldwide.