Software

Asus has a lot of new high-powered hardware to show off at Computex this year. But what is all that without the display tech to match? The 240Hz ROG Strix Scar III and Hero III are on show at the conference, as are some of the OEM's even newer, faster notebook displays.

The ZenScreen is a product that allows the user to take a monitor anywhere they might need to. This year, Asus has updated it with touch capability. This model is also just 9 millimeters deep, has micro-HDMI and Hybrid-Signal USB type C ports.

The Sprint TREBL with Magic Box is a small cell solution that also integrates Amazon Alexa voice-assistance and Harman Kardon sound quality. This combination makes it unique in its product category. Perhaps this is how it has won the Small Cell Forum's Judges' Choice Award for this year.

GoPro has a history of allowing its customers to trade their existing cameras in for something off the cost of a new model of this brand. However, this offer has never been available in the European Union's (EU) member-states before. This has now changed: customers in these 28 countries can now "trade-up" their cameras for €100 (about US$112) off a Fusion or Hero7 Black's price.

The Chatterbox is a DIY smart speaker that even children can build. The device has a chipboard case and is built around a Raspberry Pi 3B. The speaker can be taught new commands using the Chatterbox app too. The Chatterbox is currently available for US$119 on Kickstarter and ships worldwide in December.

The OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T were released three years ago, back in 2016. Both devices were launched running on Android Marshmallow but are now officially receiving the update to Android Pie. That means they have now received three major OS updates, which has to be a record in the Android space.

LG is notorious for being late with software updates and it's been the same story with the Pie rollout. The company is actually keeping to its promise this time around, though, as the LG V40 ThinQ begins to receive the Android Pie update. The V30 and V20 are expected to get theirs in the coming months.

BLU Products has released the G9, a smartphone with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. It also has AI-enhanced dual rear cameras and a decently large 4000mAh battery. It is sold via Amazon for a price of US$179.99.

We were big fans of the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 when it was released a year ago, mostly because of its high performance to price ratio. Asus is keeping it alive for one more year, too, with users of the device around the globe currently receiving the much-anticipated Android Pie update.

Casio has released the WSD-F30RG, its newest smartwatch from the PRO TREK line. It has an OLED display, but also has individual monochrome and color overlays. The OEM also asserts that it has an improved resolution for detailed legibility on its screen.

Although the deal does not cover the Steam or console versions of the game, those interested in taking RiME for a spin on their Windows PCs can grab it for free from the Epic Games Store. This offer will expire on May 30, when City of Brass will replace it as a new Epic Games Store freebie.

OxygenOS 9.0.2 comes to the OnePlus 3 and 3T with the April 2019 security patch from Google, a brand-new user interface, Google Duo support in the Dialer, a new gaming mode (3.0, with notification for third party calls and displaying the text content of the heads-up notifications), Google Lens support, as well as various bug fixes and tweaks.

Released for Windows in September 2014 and for macOS in February 2015, The Sims 4 received mixed reviews from both the press and the general public. Now, anyone can enjoy it for free thanks to Origin's generosity. Sadly, only the Windows and macOS variants of the game are part of this deal which will last until May 28.

A recent survey run by Blind shed some light on what various tech employees think of Apple and the App Store. Apple's own employees largely believe the company doesn't hold a monopoly on iOS app distribution, but other companies (namely Qualcomm and Spotify) believe that Apple's App Store constitutes a monopoly. The survey comes as a response to a recent Supreme Court ruling upholding the validity of a lawsuit filed against Apple for monopolistic practices.

Google is currently optimizing some of its core apps in order to comply with Android Q's system-wide dark mode. The latest of these spotted with such an update is Keep, a handy source of memos. Its new theme, while not available to all users, may appeal with its ease on the eyes and new custom colors.

The latest version of AIDA64 - v6.00 - has been released. It adds benchmarks for the Zen2-based Matisse processors. In addition, it now also has a SHA3-512 cryptographic hash benchmark.

Today (May 22, 2019), the carrier EE announced the launch of its 5G network in the UK, the first of its kind in this country. EE has also made some devices that are compatible with this network available. They include the OnePlus 7 Pro and the LG ThinQ V50.

Microsoft has just begun to roll out the feature update for Windows 10 with the version number 1903. The list of changes is quite long and includes the "reserved storage" feature, a new light desktop theme option, Windows Sandbox (it does exactly what the name says), the long-awaited unified Search box, and much more.

Adobe Premiere Rush is now fully optimized for the Galaxy S9, Galaxy Note 9, and Galaxy S10 devices. This piece of code provides multiple features such as AI-powered audio clean up, graphics creation and audio mixing, customizable Motion Graphics templates, HDR10+ and Samsung DeX support, and more.

The full gamut of Honor 20 and 20 Pro details is now available. The brand's new flagships are quad-camera devices, although only the 20 Pro has a telephoto lens among its sensors. They will start at about US$557 on their release for sale.

The OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro have only been official since May 14, 2019. Despite this, the OEM has already rolled a new Android Q beta out for the phones. The build may offer insights as to what software updates of the future will be like on the 2 devices, but not much else at this point.

The Quest is Oculus' first all-in-one virtual reality (VR) headset. It is available for sale from today (May 21, 2019). It is also a truly wireless VR set, and uses the company's imaging and touch-sensor technology to deliver this. The Quest starts at US$399 for a model with 64GB of on-board memory.

Although apparently not available in this moment, Firefox 67 is scheduled to arrive today all over the world. The new release of Mozilla's browser comes with private browsing mode extension controls, WebRender enabled for 5 percent of compatible systems, as well as various performance improvements and fixes.

A recently discovered hack has exposed the personal contact information of millions of Instagram users, including some prominent influencers and celebrities. The hackers attacked an Amazon Web Services-hosted database owned by Chtrbox, a Mumbai-based marketing firm. Chtrbox had built out the database to broaden their network of potential contract marketers on Instagram. The worst part? The database didn't even have a password.

Given the trouble that Huawei has been having lately, it is not surprising to find out that the Chinese giant is already working on a Google Android replacement. Media reports confirm that HongMeng OS is in the trial phase already and if the Android ban stays in place, this will become the firmware of choice for new Huawei handsets.

A new report by SAI Global shows that the number of consumers aware of issues such as privacy, and who value them in their buying choices, is on the rise. It indicates that 2/3 of these individuals surveyed would make a trade-off in favor of a brand known for user-privacy protection over another offering a lower price.

The trailer of F1 2019 — the official videogame of the 2019 FIA Formula One World Championship — is now live. The trailer shows a "stunning visual uplift" and features the official F1 theme music written by Brian Tyler. The list of cars present in the game starts with the 1972 Lotus 72D and goes all the way to the 2010 Red Bull RB6, McLaren MP4-25, and Ferrari F10.

Cherubi, Gible, Hippopotas, and other Pokemon originally discovered in the Sinnoh region are now coming to other areas. The latest Pokemon GO update also comes with a new Ground-type move (Earth Power), as well as Glacial Lure Modules, Mossy Lure Modules, and Magnetic Lure Modules.

The Honor 20 line is (still) set to launch tomorrow (May 21, 2019) in London. A new poster showing the brand's logo alongside a treatment for the next upcoming X-Men movie, "Dark Phoenix" has been released via official Weibo channels. It shows the probable outline of at least one new phone.

The latest software update for the Galaxy Watch, Gear S3, and Gear Sport is now rolling out over-the-air. The new One UI firmware comes with improved sleep and workout tracking, an updated settings menu, the ability to turn on and off the sleeping mode, as well as various minor tweaks and fixes.

The recently unveiled Minecraft Earth is a free-to-play, augmented reality Minecraft title to be added to the Minecraft universe. However, those interested can only sign up for a chance to play the limited beta — which is scheduled to arrive this summer — for now. Signing up will also get them a free Earth skin for Minecraft Bedrock.

The BV9700 Pro is a phone described as "beyond rugged" by its manufacturer, Blackview. This OEM has put its new device on Indiegogo, as part of a campaign in which it was looking for about US$20,000 to help make it. However, its backers have contributed $119,275 - in the first day alone.

The Reolink Go is a possibly worthwhile innovation in the security-cam industry: it is a truly stand-alone product that does not require external power or cables of any sort. Therefore, it can be installed so as to surveil anything the user wants. However, its need for 4G connectivity could be a drawback in some circumstances.

WeChat claims to have over 1.1 billion users per month, 800 million of who also use WeChat Pay. Now, the company intends to make the use of this aspect of the service easier to use abroad. This involves improving on its existing payments systems in Europe.

Nikon announces a new firmware update for the mirrorless Z 7 and Z 6 full-frame cameras. It upgrades the products with eye-detection autofocus (AF) for still-image shooting. The update also enhances the cameras' low-light AF detection range, and adds an auto-exposure tracking capability to their 'burst' modes.

Today (May 17, 2019), Sprint has begun taking pre-orders for its first 5g devices. They are the LG V50 ThinQ and HTC's 5G hub. These products are only available in certain regional markets, however.

A flaw discovered in Google's Bluetooth Low Energy Titan Security Keys leaves a hole open for potential attackers. Under certain circumstances and with proper timing, an attacker could potentially hijack the Bluetooth pairing process used by the Titan to log into a user's account. Google has offered to replace affected Titan Security Keys free of charge.

The OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro were recently released alongside some new features for their Android skin, OxygenOS. They include new camera modes, including a second-generation NightScape for low-light shots. However, the OEM has indicated that older flagships may not be in line for the same.

According to a new report, the virtual reality (VR) gaming market will grow from its most recent US$10.3 billion valuation to one of $40.2 billion in 2024. This is likely to be driven by advancements in VR equipment design and function. However, the cost of the same is also thought to be what is holding this market back at present.

Today (May 16, 2019), the corporations Microsoft and Sony unveiled plans to collaborate on the development of new technology. This partnership will see the 2 electronics giants team up on new image sensors and cloud computing applications. This may enhance platforms such as PlayStation and Azure AI in the future.

During the OnePlus 7 Series launch event (on May 14, 2019), the OEM announced that the flagship of this line scored 111 in its DxOMark review. This puts it behind just 2 other premium devices in the benchmark's rankings.

A Huawei device with the model number YAL-L21 has arrived on Geekbench. As it rocks the Kirin 980 processor, it is possible that this phone is the Honor 20 or 20 Pro. The phone has 6GB of RAM, which is consistent with the middle-road Honor 10 SKUs of last year.

The OnePlus 7 series has just been announced today (May 14, 2019). The marquee device of this event was decidedly not the 7, as it is a direct upgrade for 2018-looking hardware. The Pro variant, on the other hand, may be a quantum leap in terms of screen quality produced by the OEM.

OnePlus has launched its latest flagship series. As expected, it includes the 7 Pro and the base 7. The 4G variant will go on sale on May 21, 2019; however, there will be some special events prior to that.

We already know that the Huawei Mate 20 Pro will be updated to Android Q. Now, its maker has announced that 5 more of its fellow flagships, in addition to 2 from Honor, will join it. However, these phones will have to wait until the stable form of this OS is released.

Google's head and director of its Android and Chrome division took part in a media outlet's podcast during the I/O event this year. In the course of the interview in question, the two executives confirmed openly for the first time that Fuchsia OS does in fact exist. However, it was also subsequently dismissed as an 'experiment'.

The Australian smartphone market could benefit from more choices as much as any other. Accordingly, the OEM UMIDIGI is now selling its devices in this country, via its eBay and Amazon sites. They will include the new A5 Pro, a budget option with a triple camera.

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is one of 21 devices certified for the latest beta for Android Q. The OEM has now made places on a program to test it available to users of the 2018 flagship. It appears that this program is best suited to developers or those used to testing potentially unstable ROMs.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has reportedly launched a full-scale probe into Google's business practices. It is doing so based on allegations of anti-trust behaviors on the part of the Mountain View giant. Should the CCI find a basis for these complaints, the target could be liable for potentially sizable penalties.

The HTC U11+ was released over eighteen months ago and has yet to receive a single major OS update. In fact, the company's 2018 flagship, the U12+, hasn't received a major update either. The Taiwanese company has finally published concrete information on its plans to update those devices, though.