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The LG V20 was launched on Android 7.0 Nougat two years ago. (Source: Pocketnow)

Update | Two years after launch, the LG V20 receives its first major OS update

The LG V20, G6, and Q6 are finally receiving their Oreo updates. It's only taken the V20 two years to receive its first major update, so LG must be applauded. And yes, that is, indeed, sarcasm.

Ricci Rox, 29 Aug 2018 10:48

Bixby button remapping now works on the Galaxy Note 9

Those who want to remap the Bixby button of their Galaxy Note 9 can do it thanks to the latest update received by the bxActions - Bix Button Remapper app for Android, which now sports full support for Samsung's latest high-end pha...

Codrut Nistor, 27 Aug 2018 15:40

The Galaxy J5 (2017) is now associated with an update to 8.1. (Source: gadgets.ndtv.com)

Update to Android 8.1 available for Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) in some countries

Most of the Samsung Galaxy J5s of yesteryear run Android 7.0 (Nougat). However, new reports indicate that some of these phones are receiving an update. This software skips 8.0 Oreo and goes straight to 8.1 instead. So far, reports...

Deirdre O Donnell, 27 Aug 2018 15:21

3DMark will be getting a ray tracing update this September. (Source: TechSpot)

Updated | 3DMark to get a new ray tracing test in September

The next version of 3DMark, a popular graphics benchmarking tool, will feature support for NVIDIA's RTX tech allowing adopters to test the ray tracing abilities of their cards. UL Benchmarks, the developer behind 3DMark, is hopefu...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 27 Aug 2018 13:06

Chinese smartphone users (Source: The South China Morning Post)

China now has over 800 million internet users

The world's most populated economy continues its growth in the internet users department. According to a recent report backed by the China Internet Network Information Centre, the total number of internet users hit 802 million at ...

Codrut Nistor, 27 Aug 2018 10:58

Much of the speculation around the 6T envisages a phone with a new OPPO-style notch. (Source: GizChina)

Update | Purported EEC document may refer to OnePlus 6T

A document believed to have originated from the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) specifies a new model number associated with the smartphone maker OnePlus. Given the compatibility of the number with the company's naming scheme o...

Deirdre O Donnell, 26 Aug 2018 19:52

Epic Games has patched a major security flaw in the Fortnite Mobile installer for Android. (Source: APK Pure)

Fortnite Mobile installer for Android found to contain a Man-in-the-Disk exploit

Google disclosed a vulnerability in the Fortnite Mobile APK that allows a pre-installed malicious application to exploit the way the game installs for the first time in Samsung Galaxy devices. Thankfully, Epic has patched this vul...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 26 Aug 2018 12:36

Firefox 62 will feature a new Firefox Monitor add-on. (Source: Mozilla)

Firefox 62 comes with Firefox Monitor that notifies if you've been pwned

Version 62 of Firefox will integrate a new add-on called Firefox Monitor that basically informs users if their email accounts have been compromised. The add-on uses the popular Have I Been Pwned database backend to check if the ac...

25 Aug 2018 18:02

Intel has been releasing security patches since January, but this is the first time it banned testing them for performance discrepancies. (Source: MarketWatch)

Intel revises ban on benchmarking its newest microcode patch

When Intel banned testing the performance of its newest microcode patch for security vulnerabilities, many tech enthusiasts spoke out against the company. Finally, Intel has listened to the backlash and will soon be revising the r...

Matthew Connatser, 24 Aug 2018 23:24

Garmin Disney Princess vívofit jr. 2 fitness tracker for kids (Source: Garmin)

Garmin intros the Disney Princess vívofit jr. 2 fitness tracker for kids

The Garmin vivofit jr. 2 is a fitness tracker for kids that comes with Disney Princess-themed bands and a mobile app capable of offering an interactive experience which includes popular characters such as Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Mu...

Codrut Nistor, 24 Aug 2018 21:45

VPNs have been a popular alternative for businesses unable to invest in WANs. (Source: bestvpnservice.com)

VPNs for business may not have much time, according to cloud services exec

Virtual private networks (VPNs) are not just for individuals trying to get around geo-restrictions. Companies may also use them to streamline their online connections. However, a managing director for a UK IT and networking compan...

Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Aug 2018 14:31

Microsoft is currently being probed for bribery over deals in Hungary. (Source: Value Investor)

Microsoft fires employees found involved in Hungarian Government bribes

Microsoft has confirmed that it has fired four employees and terminated business relationships with four partners in Hungary over ongoing probings for bribery and corruption. The investigation is on for sale of Microsoft software ...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 24 Aug 2018 09:58

PUBG will be available for the Xbox One soon. (Source: comicbook.com)

Gamescom 2018 | PUBG for Xbox One gains general access in September - and that's not all!

PUBG now has a version for Xbox One: however, it won't have an official release until September 4, 2018. Many fans may have to wait until then to play the Sanhok map with the console. On the other hand, there will be some new feat...

Deirdre O Donnell, 23 Aug 2018 12:46

Xiaomi Mi A1 with August 2018 security patch Oreo 8.1

The Xiaomi Mi A1 gets a new security patch which also fixes the notification LED bug

Xiaomi's popular mid-range Mi A1 smartphone continues to receive full software support, the latest update for this handset bringing the official security patch dated August 5. Even better, the new firmware also addresses the notif...

Codrut Nistor, 22 Aug 2018 20:41

Samsung Pay is now three years old and available in 24 markets (Source: Samsung Global Newsroom)

Samsung Pay celebrates its third anniversary, now available in six continents

Now available in 24 markets across six continents — the latest addition to the list of supported markets being South Africa — Samsung Pay was originally introduced in South Korea on August 20, 2015. This mobile payment service rec...

Codrut Nistor, 22 Aug 2018 12:15

Metaphorical representation of a smartphone without bootloader unlock support. (Source: SCOIRBLOG)

HMD patches bootloader unlock exploit, enthusiasts reply with petition

Before now, users of Nokia devices have been able to unlock their bootloaders via an unofficial channel. Sadly, that will no longer be possible, as a new update has closed off the vulnerability by changing the unlock algorithm.

Ricci Rox, 22 Aug 2018 09:19

OnePlus finally brings Treble support to the OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T

The new Oxygen OS 5.1.5 update sent out to the OnePlus 5 and 5T has finally granted the devices their very own Treble powers. The update weighs is a heavy 1.69 GB download and will be rolled out gradually.

Ricci Rox, 22 Aug 2018 09:13

A new certification is likely to pertain to the next Apple Watch. (Source: CNET)

Next-gen Apple Watch variants show up in new device certification

A number of variations on the same device are specified in a newly-secured approval from the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). The document's repeated references to "watchOS 5" increase the probability that the certification is ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Aug 2018 23:42

Siri, Apple's voice assistant, may be able to distinguish between user voices in the future. (Source: Sophos.com)

Recent Apple patent could allow Siri to recognize multiple different users

Apple has filed a patent that may contribute to the voice assistant Siri's functionality in the future. It may impart the ability to recognize different voices and attribute them to corresponding users on new versions of the softw...

Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Aug 2018 23:36

WhatsApp will no longer take up Google Drive space as of November 2018. (Source: Google Play Store)

WhatsApp backups will no longer take up Google cloud storage

WhatsApp has distinguished itself among messaging apps through its ability to eat your storage. However, a new agreement between the Facebook subsidiary and Google mean that WhatsAapp backups will no longer clog up space on the Dr...

Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Aug 2018 23:30

Nokia 7 Plus to get Android Pie in September 2018

The Nokia 7 Plus will get Android 9.0 Pie stable in September

Nokia remains a very reliable brand when it comes to software updates, since HMD Global's Chief Product Office, Juho Sarvikas, has just confirmed that the Nokia 7 Plus will get the Android 9.0 Pie stable update in September. Most ...

Codrut Nistor, 21 Aug 2018 18:51

Minecraft: Education Edition on Apple iPad tablet, launch scheduled for September 2018 (Source: Microsoft EDU)

Minecraft: Education Edition coming to iPads next month

The Minecraft: Education Edition community now consists of over 35 million licensed teachers and students in 115 countries, so it is not surprising that Microsoft is finally bringing this game to the iPad. Schools licensed through...

Codrut Nistor, 21 Aug 2018 13:25

H2OS is the Chinese version of OOS, the stock Oneplus firmware. Its latest version is based on non-preview Pie. (Source: XDA)

OnePlus 6: New Chinese-variant ROM release suggests official Pie on the way soon

The Chinese variants of OnePlus phones, which run Hydrogen OS rather than Oxygen OS, are typically first to see new updates and Android versions. The latest Hydrogen OS Open Beta is based on Pie. Therefore, OnePlus 6 units in othe...

Deirdre O Donnell, 20 Aug 2018 21:33

Alienware 15 R4 and 17 R5 get per-key RGB lighting

Gamescom 2018 | Alienware 15 R4 and 17 R5 refreshed with per-key RGB lighting and new Command Center software

Better late than never. Dell has updated its mainline 15.6-inch and 17.3-inch Alienware laptops from four-zone RGB lighting to per-key RGB lighting. The design and internal specifications are otherwise identical. Both systems will...

Allen Ngo, 20 Aug 2018 20:01

The XZ Premium will be one of the first devices to get the Android Pie update. (Source: Sony)

Sony releases Android Pie update roadmap

Sony has released its update roadmap for Android Pie. The company is set to continue its tradition of being one of the first OEMs to send out major updates to its devices.

Ricci Rox, 20 Aug 2018 16:34

Pie is currently being tested on the Honor 10. (Source: GSMArena)

Huawei is working on its Android Pie updates

Huawei is supposedly testing the new Android Pie on four of its devices. The company is likely to rollout out the Android P-based EMUI 9 in the near future.

Ricci Rox, 19 Aug 2018 15:17

CI Games announces Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts, launch scheduled for 2019 (Source: CI Games)

CI Games announces Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts, launch set for 2019

Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts is the next game in the popular tactical shooter series by CI Games that has just been confirmed to arrive on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in 2019. This new title is set in the Siberian wilderness...

Codrut Nistor, 16 Aug 2018 23:43

The Google Pixelbook could be dual-booting Windows 10 soon. (Source: Google)

Chromebooks likely to get Windows dual-boot support, but it might not be feasible for many devices

Earlier this year code commits showed up in ChromeOS that showed Google was adding support for 'AltOS.' New commits now show that the alternative operating system is likely to be Windows 10, but feasibility for the average Chromeb...

Craig Ward, 16 Aug 2018 13:36

Google wants increased market coverage of enterprise data needs. (Source: Google)

Edge TPUs revealed as the future of AI for Google at Next 2018

Google is aiming to bring its Cloud platform and AI solutions to the forefront of enterprise-level computing. The company outlined its plans to do so at its relevant Next '18 event in San Francisco this year. The Edge TPU, which c...

Deirdre O Donnell, 16 Aug 2018 12:37

Linux seems to do a better job of scaling up to the Threadripper 2990WX's 32 cores. (Source: Engadget)

The AMD Threadripper 2990WX shows even higher numbers when benchmarked on Linux

Phoronix has done a performance comparison of the AMD Threadripper 2990WX in Windows 10 Pro and Linux and the results show Threadripper numbers significantly lower under Windows 10 Pro than in Linux. In some tests such as 7-Zip Co...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 14 Aug 2018 23:59

Microsoft has introduced a dark theme to File Explorer. (Source: Microsoft)

Go exploring in the dark: Windows 10 File Explorer gets a dark theme

Microsoft has finally added the long-missing dark theme for File Explorer. While Windows 10 and many 'modern' apps have support for a dark theme, legacy framework used in File Explorer made this a more difficult task.

Craig Ward, 14 Aug 2018 14:40

A team of researchers has found that it is possible to compromise a Mac during its initial boot. (Source: CGTrader)

Black Hat USA briefing indicates possible set-up exploits in enterprise-level Macs

Macs are more or less impervious to hacking, right? Not any more, according to two cybersecurity researchers during a briefing at the Black Hat USA Conference 2018. However, the attacks involved are difficult to achieve and need t...

Deirdre O Donnell, 14 Aug 2018 11:59

Android Pie coming to the HTC U11 series and the U12+, release date yet to be confirmed as of mid-August 2018

Android 9.0 Pie confirmed for the HTC U12+ and U11 series, launch date still unknown

Although the release date is not public yet, HTC has just confirmed that Android Pie will reach the U12+, U11+, U11, and U11 Life (Android One) handsets. The company also revealed that the timeframes will be announced in a timely ...

Codrut Nistor, 13 Aug 2018 17:58

Google's Project Zero was set up to research improved data security. (Source: SteemKR)

The head of Google's Project Zero sees no future for blockchain in security

Parisa Tabriz is a director of engineering and also leads Project Zero, a cybersecurity research core, at Google. Tabriz delivered the opening keynote at a recent conference in Las Vegas, in which she dismissed blockchain's potent...

Deirdre O Donnell, 11 Aug 2018 15:55

PUBG Mobile Lite now available (Source: Google Play)

PUBG Mobile Lite 0.5.0 launches in some markets, others should follow soon

This light version of the PUBG Mobile game received an update to version 0.5.0 and now features a new sniper rifle, clans, and a new War Mode. Sadly, this title is still not available in many markets, although it made its debut on...

Codrut Nistor, 10 Aug 2018 23:25

Future Google phones will only feature a gesture-based navigation UI. (Source: Liliputing)

Android Pie gesture navigation will be a mandatory feature on the Pixel 3

Android 9 brings support for gesture-based navigation but current phones can choose to retain the conventional navigation buttons. While OEMs making Android One devices are still free to choose whatever navigation UI they deem fit...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 10 Aug 2018 09:24

Meltdown alongside Spectre was originally reported as a hardware level exploit on Intel CPUs (Source: meltdownattack.com)

Qualcomm CPUs have been shown to be unprotected against the Meltdown exploit, researchers say

Earlier this year two large security exploits known as Spectre and Meltdown were reported to exist on modern day CPUs. While Spectre has been confirmed to be exploitable on AMD, Intel, IBM, and ARM, it was previously believed only...

Matthew Connatser, 09 Aug 2018 19:43

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 failure has an Android Oreo update follow-up

Samsung did it again: Android Oreo for mid-range and budget phones delayed to 2019

A week ago, we heard that Samsung is pushing the Oreo update for the Galaxy A, J, and C handsets to December. Sadly, it can get even worse: the new Oreo roadmap says that most of those devices are scheduled to get Oreo — not Andro...

Codrut Nistor, 09 Aug 2018 16:40

Vivo X21 to get Android P later this year

Android Pie coming to Vivo handsets in Q4, X21 apparently the first on the list

Android 9.0 Pie has just arrived, and Vivo is one of the first brands to reveal its update plans. According to the Chinese company, its handsets will get the update in Q4 2018. Insiders familiar with the matter claim that the Vivo...

Codrut Nistor, 08 Aug 2018 22:35

Android 9.0 Pie is now being seeded to Pixel phones. (Source: Google)

Android 9.0 P is now officially Android Pie

Android 9 is now available for all Pixel phones and is officially being christened Android Pie. This is the initial release of the OS and some of the features announced during Google I/O such as a Digital Wellbeing dashboard, and ...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 06 Aug 2018 21:56

IT admins are clearly not happy with the quality of Windows 10's monthly updates. (Source: Microsoft)

Microsoft in denial about concerns regarding shoddy Windows 10 patches

Microsoft MVP Susan Bradley has written an open letter to top management at Microsoft about the quality of Windows 10 patches. She has also pointed to results of her survey of IT admins who are admittedly not very happy with shodd...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 05 Aug 2018 16:33

Contact number of the UIDAI was discovered in Indian Android phones. (Source India TV)

Google admits to 'inadvertently coding' Aadhaar helpline number in Indian Android phones

Smartphone users in India are reporting seeing an entry for a contact in their phonebook that purportedly belongs to a Government authority. The number apparently was added without users' consent and Google has now issued a clarif...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 05 Aug 2018 08:44

The Asus Zenfone 5Z. (Source: Gadgets360)

Asus Zenfone 5Z OTA update brings RAW support and other camera improvements

A new OTA update is rolling out to Asus Zenfone 5Z, which focuses on improving the camera capabilities of the smartphone. This update adds support for RAW capture, Panorama mode, and a host of other camera-related improvements, im...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 04 Aug 2018 20:41

Fortnite's Android app will only be available via Epic Games' site. (Image source: Epic Games)

Fortnite's Android port won't be available in the Google Play Store

Fortnite for Android is coming (eventually), but when it does, you won't be able to find it on the Google Play Store. Instead, Epic (the developer of the game) will distribute the APK on their own website in an effort to both re-e...

Sam Medley, 03 Aug 2018 22:03

Samsung Headquarters. (Source: Social Barrel)

Samsung Galaxy A, J, C devices may not be getting the Oreo update till December

Samsung may be the biggest smartphone brand in the world but the company's policy on software updates is far from the best. According to a notice sent to users of Galaxy devices, a number of Galaxy A, J, and C smartphones will not...

Ricci Rox, 03 Aug 2018 17:35

Armored Warfare launches today on Xbox One

Almost three years since its launch as a closed beta game for Windows PCs, Armored Warfare is finally available for Xbox consoles. The Xbox One version succeeds the PlayStation 4 variant by only a few months and joins World of Tan...

Codrut Nistor, 02 Aug 2018 19:10

Recommended GPUs for World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth at 60 fps and High detail level (Source: NVIDIA)

You need the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 to play World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth in 1080p at 60 fps

Although World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth is not going to bring any major changes in the graphics department, NVIDA recommends a GeForce GTX 1060 to fully enjoy the game in high detail and 60 frames per second at 1,920 x 1,08...

Codrut Nistor, 02 Aug 2018 16:00

The Oneplus 3 and 3T had the same chassis but slightly different internals. (Source: wikipedia)

OnePlus 3 and 3T will now not get 8.1 – but they will get 9.0

The 3 and 3T were the OnePlus flagships two years ago. Despite this, their manufacturer appears to have committed to update them to the latest version of Android. The phones currently run stock Oxygen OS (OOS) based on Oreo 8.0.

Deirdre O Donnell, 01 Aug 2018 14:25

Fortnite Mobile for Android now available for a limited number of devices, Xiaomi and HTC not included

Fortnite Mobile for Android lacks support for HTC and Xiaomi handsets, as well as most Nokia smartphones

Although Fortnite Mobile is still available only for iOS-powered devices, it looks like the launch of the Android variant is near. For now, we know that the list of supported handsets does not include quite a few popular brands, s...

Codrut Nistor, 30 Jul 2018 20:55

Ron Wyden wants all US Government sites to remove Adobe Flash content by next year. (Source: Fossbytes)

US Government agencies asked to stop using Adobe Flash

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has instructed Government agencies to come up with procedures to remove Adobe Flash from all US Government sites and PCs by August 1, 2019 citing Adobe's end of Flash support by end of 2020. This move is b...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 29 Jul 2018 19:33