Software

After months of promises and rumors, the Mi A3 is finally receiving the much-awaited Android 10 update. The OTA weighs in as a 1.3 GB download and brings all the typical Android 10 features. The update, however, appears to be a rather buggy one, as has become typical of Xiaomi's Android One OS updates.

Casio has announced the release of titanium-cased versions of its PRO TREK outdoor watch line-up. They are also Bluetooth devices that feature Smartphone Link, which allows them to connect to the wearer's mobile device. This allows the user to view information such as steps taken, route logs or altitude.

Realme has been connected with an inaugural wearable for a while. This product is, as it turns out, of the fitness-tracker variety. It is set to launch on March 5, 2020 in the Indian market. Accordingly, this smart device has 9 "sports modes", one of which is for cricket.

OnLeaks has just released a new set of renders for the (probably) upcoming Samsung Galaxy A41. They suggest that it may have a front panel much like that of its predecessor. However, with its triple cameras in a rectangular module, its other side is more up to date. This leak also hints at the retention of a 3.5mm jack in the A40's successor.

While Xiaomi is still yet to announce when the Mi A3 will receive Android 10, a build containing the OS upgrade has gone live. The update, which can be downloaded now, brings other optimisations besides Android 10 to the Mi A3 too.

Rejoice, Redmi Note 8 Pro owners around the world; Android 10 is here for you! The global Android 10-based MIUI 11 update is now rolling out to the Redmi Note 8 Pro. It doubles up as the February security patch and introduces Widevine DRM L1 certification for HD streaming.

Slowly but surely, Huawei is now rolling out the Android 10-based EMUI 10 update to Honor 8X owners around the globe, with users of the phone across Europe and Asia confirming receipt of the update. This will also be the last OS update the phone gets, making for a total of two.

While it has been almost two months since Xiaomi brought Android 10 to the Redmi Note 8 Pro, most handsets remain on Android 9.0 Pie. Now, the device that DxOMark described as having a limited dynamic range, has received another Android 10 update. The latest update is only available for select handsets again, though.

Originally sold by Google as providing "faster access to the latest Android OS updates", the Android One program is proving just as fragmented as the rest of the Android ecosystem. With multiple eligible devices still waiting for Android 10 and others having received Google's latest OS later than their custom-Android siblings, has the Android One program failed to live up to Google's ambitions?

AMD has announced the latest version of its Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition. This update (v20.2.2) is described as "optional", yet also purports to bring a long list of bug and issue fixes. They include problems such as hanging, crashes or black screens in apps and games that include Chrome, The Witcher 3 and GTA V.

Released yesterday, the latest Game Ready driver package from NVIDIA comes with optimizations for Apex Legends Season 4, Tom Clancy's The Division 2: Warlords of New York, ARK: Genesis, as well as support for two G-SYNC-compatible monitors by AOC (AG271FZ2 and AG271F1G2) and one by Asus (PG43U).

OPPO has already let it be known that it will launch its first ever smartwatch soon, and that it has taken profound design cues from Apple. However, the OEM has yet to mention anything about the new wearable's software. A well-known Weibo tipster purports to spoil this by posting a new image of what looks like the device running Google's Wear OS.

The Amps Air + are the latest TWS earbuds from SOL REPUBLIC. They are the brand's first such product with active noise cancellation (ANC). These new Amps also now feature a slimmer case with USB type C charging, which can deliver 2 hours of play-time in exchange for 15 minutes of being plugged in.

The Galaxy A50s and Galaxy A30 are currently receiving their Android 10-based One UI 2.0 updates. The update to both phones double up as the February security patch, and has now been confirmed by users in Asia.

After quite a long time since Google's mobile operating system got a Dark Mode, SwiftKey for Android gets to support it. The new update — released yesterday and labeled 7.4.9.11 — also comes with a redesigned Settings area that makes it even easier to customize your virtual keyboard.

Realme has unveiled the Android 10 update for Realme 5 Pro and Realme X. It is based on Realme UI and brings forth some new features such as Smart Sidebar, three-finger screenshot, Focus Mode, and more. Users can expect to receive the update in the coming week, as it is a staged rollout.

Although it has been confirmed that Android 10 will not hit the Mi A1 via any official channels, some users still hope that Xiaomi might release the third major update for this handset. However, this month's update is nothing more than the regular security patch, dated February 1 and based on Android Pie.

Kami - YI Technology's new home-security brand - has released its new Wire-Free Outdoor Camera. As it lacks the need for connectivity hubs and has batteries that can be recharged in a USB-powered holder, it can be installed anywhere the user wants. It has a 165-degree wide-angle camera that supports FHD video at 20 frames per second (fps).

The MediaTek MT3620 is the first microcontroller unit (MCU) to directly integrate the Azure Sphere security platform from Microsoft. This solution is used to connect a business' internet-of-things (IoT) system with Azure's cloud services. MediaTek has now detailed the MT3620's success, which include its uptake by global corporations and brands.

Qualcomm has launched the Snapdragon XR2 Reference Design headset, the first such XR (as in, virtual, mixed or augmented reality) device that supports 5G. It does so via its in-built X55 modem, which is part of its latest hardware platform for this category of media. Therefore, OEMs may now start building their own headsets based on this new "boundless" artificial-reality tech.

NVIDIA has issued its TV devices with a new update. This version of SHIELD Experience (8.1.1) includes a host of new features and bug-fixes. The most prominent of these may be the limited-time opportunity to upgrade the free GeForce Now subscription to a Founder's membership instead. The upgrade also adds XBOX Elite 2 controller support, as well as improved multiple Bluetooth device connections.

Xiaomi is at it again, and has dropped more hints that Android 10 is almost ready for the Mi A2 Lite. Now, the company has published the device's Android 10 kernel source code, a sure sign that the OS upgrade is on its way. The progress of Android 10 for the Mi A3 would suggest otherwise, though.

While the Mi 9 SE may be one of the last in the Mi 9 series to receive Android 10 builds of MIUI 11, the wait for the OS upgrade is over. The update is available to download now, although it will only appear as an OTA for select handsets pending a wider rollout.

Samsung has definitively confirmed that neither the Galaxy S8 nor the Galaxy Note 8 will receive an update for Android 10 and One UI 2.0. There was some confusion in regard to whether these devices would receive the latest operating software upgrades, but it’s now official that they will not. Both the Galaxy S8 and the Note 8 were released in 2017.

Kazuhisa Hashimoto, the creator of the famous Konami Code, has passed away at the age of 61. Today, the world mourns his death and honors his life with memories of the most famous code in gaming culture.

The games distribution platform GOG updated its refund policy today, expanding it to a flat 30-day refund period. This even applies to games that have been played, though GOG has stated it retains the right to review individual refund requests and deny them should it find a reason to.

LG has announced that the latest generation of its Gram notebook line is now available to buy from itself and from its official retailers in the US. This new line-up includes 17- and 15-inch models, as well as the 2-in-1 showcased at CES this year. They have 10th-gen Intel SoCs with Iris Plus graphics.

The latest headphone and earphone market research projects that this compound device category will "generate revenues of over US$45 Billion" between now and 2025. This growth is thought to be driven by several factors, which include the rise of the TWS earbud, the demand for "smart" features, as well as noise isolation, in this category.

MediaTek has made the Helio P95's page on its website live. By its name, this chipset sound like an iterative upgrade over its current 4G/LTE flagship. However, it boasts the AI Processing Unit (APU) 2.0, which, as the OEM claims, will improve its benchmarking in this area compared to its predecessor. Otherwise, the CPU has 8 cores with a max clock of 2.2GHz.

The wait for Android 10 on the Mi A3 drags on. Xiaomi continues with its vagaries, having originally claimed that the Mi A3 would be on the first smartphones to receive Android 10. Blaming the coronavirus for delays, the company has managed to push out a security patch update. Unsurprisingly, fans are not buying Xiaomi's excuses.

Although many of those who loved it until the legendary version 12 consider it to be a dead horse nowadays, Opera 67 might be a step in the right direction. The latest release of this troubled web browser — available for Windows, Linux, and macOS — comes with Workspaces, tab cycling, a Sidebar setup panel, and more.

While LG may have earned its reputation for being one of the slowest Android OEMs to deliver software updates, an honourable mention should go to Huawei. While the company claims to have upgraded the P30 Pro to EMUI 10, for example, multiple handsets remain on EMUI 9.1 for no apparent reason.

Samsung is apparently testing out an Android 11 update for the Galaxy S10+. An S10+ running on the new operating system was recently spotted on Geekbench. While Android 11 won't even be released until May 2020, this indicates that Samsung's making a strong push to get the OS on the Galaxy S10 series as early as possible.

The Honor nX line of smartphones has only just been updated worldwide. Now, it seems its series' 2018 flagship will finally get a stable build of EMUI 10 based on Android 10. This may be confirmed by some new Geekbench 5 benchmarking results.

Huawei recently delisted the Mate 10 Pro from its security update schedule page. The old flagship is set for one last hurrah, however, in the form of the EMUI 10 update, and the OTA has now been officially confirmed to start rolling out globally in March.

The Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro have only been out for a few days, but they have already started receiving their first software update. Xiaomi has addressed a host of issues, not least of which GPU performance. While its GPU performance was by no means bad before, the Mi 10 Pro can now exceed 610,000 points in AnTuTu v8. V11.0.7.0 will appear as an OTA for Mi 10 series handsets.

Huawei unveiled its vision for a complete, connected ecosystem of devices at its latest product launch. This involves the new AX3 series of routers, which is powered by this OEM's Gigahome SoCs for Wi-Fi 6 support (and more besides). The company also unveiled second-gen "Pro" 5G consumer premises equipment (CPE).

The Asian-themed Spirithaven season that comes with Armored Warfare 0.31 is accompanied by quite a few noticeable changes, including a major interface overhaul for both for the in-battle and settings areas of the game, new Asian vehicles, new operations and missions, overall graphics improvements, and more.

Huawei held a virtual product launch today (February 24, 2020) in lieu of its planned pre-MWC press conference. This event saw many new notebooks and other products. It also introduced the MatePad Pro 5G, a new variant of this OEM's flagship tablet.

Sony held a virtual press conference today in order to unveil its latest premium mobile device. However, it also made references to an intriguing device that was not the Xperia 1 II. The Pro is to have the same display and camera quality as this phone, but will also support mmWave 5G and have an HDMI port. However, there are no images or further specs for this product at present.

Sony has formally revealed its 2020 flagship smartphone, and that it really is called the Xperia 1 II. This device has a 21:9 4K OLED display with the Motion Blur Reduction technology developed to step in for an up-to-date refresh rate. Its rear cameras support various, often own-branded, advanced features, but not 8K.

A new video of an iPhone claimed to run iOS 14 shows off a new grid-style multitasking view similar to the one running on iPadOS. Ben Geskin, the tipster behind this video, claims that this multitasking view is one of four options that will be available on iOS 14.

Google is now officially warning against sideloading Google services, the Play Store and other well-known Google apps on newer Honor and Huawei smartphones. While the announcement only affects those handsets that Google has not certified because of ongoing US sanctions, like the Mate 30 Pro, Honor and Huawei are planning to announce new smartphones in the coming days and weeks. Hence, you should be aware that Google is probably not an option on these upcoming handsets.

WhatsApp sets a lot of store by the privacy in messaging it supposedly offers. However, allegations that links that invite new users to private groups are searchable online have recently emerged. This is due to the fact Google has indexed them, meaning appropriate terms can bring them up.

Samsung has filed a patent with the US Patent and Trademarks Office (USPTO) for a kind of display that, despite curving down around the sides of the phone, can also have physical buttons. This, in effect, is a new kind of punch-hole that could reconcile many buyers to waterfall displays and their potential drawbacks. Furthermore, the button could also be replaced by other modules or sensors.

Casio has announced the Bruce Lee Collaboration Model, a specially-designed version of its high-end G-SHOCK MR-G watch series. It features a band and case colored to match the martial arts cinema legend's hallmark tracksuit, as well as a case with detailing inspired by the same. There will be only 300 of its units available when it goes on sale.

Mobvoi has launched the TicWatch Pro 2020 on Amazon.com. It has a RAM upgrade, but sticks with the same SoC, design and battery life. Then again, as it still includes a dual display, it should still offer impressive longevity as a wearable.

The Galaxy A71 may be a convincing upper-mid range device; however, several leaks suggest Samsung has decided it would be improved with a 5G variant. This phone - the SM-A7160 - has now appeared on the Wi-Fi Alliance certification database. It shows that the A71 5G has much of the same relevant specs as its 4G counterpart.

While the Mi A3 continues its wait for Android 10, its predecessor received its final OS upgrade last month. The upgrade path to Android 10 for the Mi A2 has not proven straightforward though, with it being possible that Xiaomi has pulled the OS upgrade for the second time because of bugs.

Huawei released the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro over two years ago and the phones may just have reached the end of their support lifespans. While EMUI 10 will eventually be released for the flagships, Huawei has now removed them from its official security update page.