Software

The version labeled 5.0 of the popular open-source software compatibility layer known as Wine has just surfaced as both source code and binary for multiple operating systems, including Android, macOS, and various Linux distros. The list of major changes includes Vulkan 1.1 and multi-monitor support, built-in modules in PE format, and more.

A picture of what is claimed to be the first look at the PlayStation 5’s user interface has been posted on a well-known imageboard. The poster of the image states that they work at a game studio that is currently utilizing PS5 devkits. Comments in regard to the possible PS5 UI have focused on its similarity to the PS4’s revamped UI.

Ubuntu 20.04 LTS "Focal Fossa" will finally kill the pre-installed Amazon Web App. The move comes in the wake of Canonical's eliminations of the Ubuntu web launcher dependency. Many users hated the Amazon Web App, which was introduced as a pre-installed link in Ubuntu 12.10.

Yet another list has surfaced revealing Huawei's plans for its global EMUI 10 rollout. A total of twenty-two phones are billed to receive the update, with Kirin 980-powered devices like the Mate 20 Pro and P30 Pro leading the way.

HMD Global has announced that the Nokia 2.3 is now available on the US market, starting with pre-sales at Best Buy. This device has a 6.2-inch screen and a polycarbonate build. Its price definitely puts it in the budget category; however, for all that, it offers 2 years of Android updates.

Phone addiction or dependency is becoming an increasingly prevalent problem in the developed world. Google has set up its Creative Lab for users who want to address this. Its latest experiments consist of 3 apps which may act as digital detox aids, while helping users visualize their screen-on time.

A new leak posted to the Geekbench 5 database purports to spill some of the upcoming Google Pixel 4a's specs. However, this "leak" is particularly unreliable, not the least as it makes the bold claim that the OEM will switch from Qualcomm to Samsung for this phone's processor. Furthermore, the SoC in question also belongs to the Galaxy S8 flagship line.

Fancy trying out Android 10 on the Pocophone F1 early? Well now, you can courtesy of a new beta build of MIUI 11. The Pocophone F1 is the last of Xiaomi's Snapdragon 845-powered smartphones to receive Android 10, despite having been upgraded to MIUI 11 last year.

ASRock has a new mini-PC board ready to go. As it appears to be designed for the Intel Pentium Silver J5040 chipset, it may be pitched at the lower end of this market. It can drive up to 3 displays and has an HDMI port that supports 4K at 60 fps, but no USB type-C ports.

At the turn of the year, it seemed that Xiaomi would be bringing Android 10 to all its eligible Android One handsets. The Mi A3, A2 and A2 Lite were all due to receive Android 10 this month, but only one has so far. Worse still, the January update has started hitting the other two, and not as promised.

Samsung's next upcoming foldable phone may be called the Galaxy Z Flip. The prolific leaker Ishan Agarwal claims to have uncovered some more of its specs. It will apparently have a main screen measuring 6.7 inches. Furthermore, it may have a 12MP rear camera rather than the next-gen sensors predicted for the Galaxy S20 series.

The first developer preview for Android 10 went live in March last year. We expect the same release timeframe for Android 11 this year, and the fact that a Pixel 4 has been found running Android 11 on a benchmark supports that notion.

Hao Ran, a OnePlus employee, has shared one of its designs for its early 2018 flagship. It exchanges the glass rear panel normally found on this phone (the 6) for a more original backing made of wood. This render's non-optical fingerprint sensor and logo were also picked out in gold, which went well with the phone's alternative finish.

An Indian electronics authority has approved a new device from Realme described as being part of the "Smart Watches" category. Therefore, it seems this brand is preparing to launch its first wearable of this type in India. If so, it will compete with other OEMs such as Huawei and Garmin in this market.

A study published in The Lancet has concluded that Fitbit use was associated with significant improvements in a technique used to detect influenza and similar conditions. This is due to the heart rate- and activity-monitoring features in these wearables. Therefore, fitness trackers may play a greater role in public health in the future.

Samsara is a company that harnesses the trend towards tech-enhanced luggage. Its latest product is of the newly-expanded 23-inch carry-on size. It is the first from its OEM to have its own Wi-Fi hotspot. The suitcase also supports wireless charging for phones and has GPS for "more accurate" tracking should it get lost.

Nokia has certified a new phone for use in the United States. Based on the specs leaked as a result of this new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) documentation, it may have a relatively small screen - about 5.6 inches at most. Therefore, it may most likely be a 1-series device for this new year.

LG may still be rolling out Android 9.0 Pie to the LG G6, but the company has already started moving the V50 ThinQ onto Android 10. Better yet, the South Korean company has done so ahead of schedule. Shocked? So are we.

Facebook has encountered serious opposition to its intentions to use WhatsApp for ad revenue-building purposes. Now, a new report has indicated that the social media giant has ultimately dropped its efforts to achieve this aim, which apparently included disbanding a corporate team that was dedicated to this contentious task.

The Realme 3 Pro's latest software update moves it from ColorOS to its OEM's new UI. This OS skin is also based on Android 10. However, it also offers a very different esthetic, as well as potentially improved performance.

Microsoft's president, Ben Smith, has publicly acknowledged the scientific consensus that is anthropogenic climate change. Accordingly, the executive has announced an initiative by which the company aims to throw its carbon emissions into reverse. This will include reducing them to negative values by 2030.

The wait goes on for the Pocophone F1. The device is the last in Xiaomi's Snapdragon 845 arsenal to receive Android 10 builds of MIUI 11, and the company has been cagey about when the device will see Google's latest OS too. However, now a representative has tentatively set a date, and it might not be another month, at least.

After announcing that Cyberpunk 2077 would be delayed until September, CD Projekt Red later disclosed on an investment call that the multiplayer component of the game likely won't be ready until after 2021. While the wait is disappointing, CDPR should be lauded for its transparency about the game's development.

Once, long ago, Blu-ray was touted as the gold standard in media playback. Now, however, it has sunk into obscurity among a world's worth of streaming services compatible with high-res displays. The format's market value is now thought to fall considerably until 2025.

Xiaomi only announced last week that it would be releasing a new colour variant of the Redmi Note 8 Pro, but people have already started posting hands-on pictures of their new devices. Twilight Orange comes with 128 GB of storage and 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM, but its release has not coincided with anything new software-wise. Instead, the move to Android 10 appears to be on hold, as Xiaomi has issued an iterative update for the device.

Mobius Final Fantasy, a popular mobile spin-off of the Final Fantasy franchise, will end services in the United States on June 30. The game garnered fairly positive reviews over its 4-year tenure on iOS, Android, and Steam.

The new, Chromium-based version of Microsoft's Edge browser is now available for download. While the browser is similar to other Chromium browsers, there are a few sync features that are missing. Microsoft plans to update Windows with the new browser with a rolling release method, but interested users can manually install it now.

AMD has just announced the release of the latest version of Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition (20.1.2). It confers support for Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, as well as Vulkan 1.2. It also fixes a problem for some UE4-based games in which they could not load under its predecessor.

Microsoft has ended official support for Windows 7 on January 14, but many home users and businesses still use it as their primary operating system. Enterprise customers can still avail the option of paying for extended support leaving other users reluctant to upgrade in a lurch. This article describes a workaround that non-enterprise users can use to make them eligible for extended security releases.

Realme has revealed more information about its upcoming update, the Realme UI that is built with user feedback in mind. Realme UI is still based on Oppo's ColorOS 7 and offers features such as Personal Information Protection, Smart Gestures, Dual Earphone Connection, and more. Realme has also detailed the timeline for the rollout of the new update.

OnePlus recently announced the release of OxygenOS Open Beta 4 for the OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T. The new beta upgrade offers incremental bug fixes as well as new Reading Mode functionality.

A number of newer Fibit wearables were shipped with SpO2 (or estimated blood oxygen) sensors, which may not have been activated within their systems. However, the OEM has addressed this in a new update. Therefore, compatible devices can now track this additional health metric for their users.

The Mi 8 Lite was one of the first devices that Xiaomi updated to MIUI 11 last year, with it being in the first phase of its release schedule. While most devices in Phase 1 have since received Android 10, the Mi 8 Lite remained on the older base of Android 9.0 Pie. A recently released Android 10 beta build hinted at that changing, but a new stable build may leave people feeling underwhelmed.

Recently, a phone called the "Xiaomi POCO X2" has appeared on the Geekbench 5 database. It is listed as having 8GB of RAM, a 1.8GHz processor and as running on Android 10. However, suspiciously enough, there is another device with the exact same specs out there: the Redmi K30.

With a rear panel that boasted its own display, the Nubia Z20 remains one of 2019's most innovative premium smartphones. It originally launched at a price of US$549 (or the equivalent in other currencies). Now, however, its OEM has just issued a discount for the Snapdragon 855+ device.

The Disney+ mobile app has been downloaded more than 31 million times since its release in mid-November, giving a hint as to the early success of Disney's streaming service. The controversial video-sharing app TikTok came in second amid continuing discussion over the app's potential security and privacy risks.

A crisis of its own making? Last year, Xiaomi had promised that the Mi A3 would be one of the first devices in the world to receive Android 10, but even its predecessor has been graced by Google's latest OS before it has. There has at least been confirmation of when the Mi A3 will receive Android 10 now, but the date has left a sour taste in some people's mouths.

According to developer statements, both Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Marvel's Avengers will be delayed. Final Fantasy 7 Remake is now slated to arrive on 10th April, while Marvel's Avengers will only launch on 4th December.

Sources told Krebs on Security that Microsoft is working to patch an "extraordinarily serious" vulnerability, potentially affecting every Windows system released in the last 20 years.

It has been over two months since Xiaomi last updated the Pocophone F1, with the device rocking the October 2019 Android security patch. While some people are rightfully dismayed by the lack of updates for the handsets, the next update for the Pocophone F1 looks likely to bring it onto Android 10.

Chrome OS' next update will add the option of gesture-based navigation. If this feature sounds familiar, it is because it is also found on many phones running Android 10. Chromebooks will also have a greater panel of quick settings as a result of this new software version.

MediaTek has announced the Helio G70 and G70T, a pair of processors that, like the G90s before them, are aimed at gaming-phone OEMs. However, the new chipsets are also intended for a lower tier of that market compared to their predecessors. They have 8 cores made of ARM Cortex-A75 and A55 cores, 4G connectivity and "HyperEngine game" technology.

A source over at XDA Developers shared a number of official preloaded wallpapers and videos for the Galaxy S20. The phone hasn't even been confirmed officially by Samsung yet. However, these wallpapers may tide Galaxy fans over until the likely official announcement in February.

The One UI 2.0 rollout for the Note 9 is well underway, with the Android 10 update slowly making its way around the world. The update is likely the last that the Note 9 will receive besides security patch updates.

Samsung only just rolled out a fifth One UI 2.0 beta update to the Galaxy S9, but the company has already pressed ahead onto a sixth. The new update contains a host of fixes in what may be a final push before releasing stable One UI 2.0 updates to its former flagships.

The popular Indie platformer VVVVVV is now open source and available on GitHub. Terry Cavanagh, the creator of the game, detailed the process of porting the original Adobe Flash release to C++ for release on PC on his blog. It's an entertaining read, especially for fans of the game.

The TicPods 2 and 2 Pro are Mobvoi's new TWS earbuds. They look much like their predecessor: however, this series is the first to feature the OEM's new, proprietary assistant Tico. They also respond to gestures for call answering or dismissal.

Apple has reportedly certified 2 new PCs with the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). They both run Catalina (the latest version of macOS). One may be the next 13-inch MacBook Pro, whereas the other could be the Mac Pro rackable SKU. Some previously-released Apple TV devices also appear to have been approved alongside them.

The Red Magic 3 was one of the most interesting gaming phones of 2019. Now, its OEM's president Ni Fei has posted an image on Weibo suggesting that this device's successor's refresh rate could be cranked up to 144 hertz (Hz). However, the spec apparently needs to complete testing before it finds its way to a Nubia display.

It has been almost two years since LG opened a Software Upgrade Center to speed up the release of software upgrades. However, the South Korean company has still yet to finish bringing the LG G6 onto Android 9.0 Pie, with some people rightfully questioning whether their handset will forever remain stuck on Android Oreo, instead.