Software

With a total of 11 new features and no less than 57 bugs squashed, Vivaldi 2.6 is a solid update to the browser that was created to be Opera 12's spiritual successor. This new release comes with a native content blocking mechanism, new customization options, multiple performance improvements, and more.

Although these are only the first preview builds to reach the public, those interested in trying Edge on Windows 7 and 8/8.1 can finally do so. Microsoft Edge now uses a Chromium core, the same that can be found inside Google Chrome, Vivaldi, Brave, and Opera. The downloads are available on the official Microsoft Edge Insider website.

A Lenovo device with the novel model number L78121 has posted several scores already on the Geekbench website. It is powered by a chipset also found on results for other phones with the Snapdragon 730 SoC. This new mid-ranger's scores measure up respectably against its probable competition.

PWM sensitive people rejoice! You now have one more OLED smartphone to choose from thanks to Huawei bringing DC dimming to the P30 Pro. The feature comes bundled in EMUI 9.1.0.178, which includes a host of other refinements too.

Cue terrible baked pastry related puns as LG has released Android 9.0 Pie to the unlocked version of the V40 ThinQ. The company has kept to its promise of delivering the system update within Q2 2019, just. The update is available to download over the air (OTA) or via the LG Bridge now.

The Nova 5 is the subject of Huawei's next smartphone release. It has been rumored to launch alongside a few variants, including a Pro version. The OEM has now issued a teaser for this device, which has also allegedly gained an Antutu benchmark score and several new leaked photos showing its screen, color options and (possible) fast-charging status.

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) is one of several functions that were amalgamated under the Google Pay name in 2018. It has still been available in the UK market, however, and allows users to send payments to others using a balance stored in a relevant account. Unfortunately, Google has announced that it is suspending this ability in September 2019.

The Nucleus Profile Plus is a freshly-approved hearing aid from Cochlear that can connect to an Android phone using Google's new, improved ASHA protocol for this purpose. It allows those with aural impairments to control, stream from and interact with their phone. Unlike others before it with the same, the Profile Plus is an actual implant, and one that can withstand certain MRI scans at that.

The Kirin 810 may be introduced with the upcoming Nova 5 phone from Huawei. Now, it appears that Honor also has access to this new, mid-range SoC. This brand is rumored to use it to make a new device, the 9X Pro.

Qualcomm claims that the audio codec integrated into its flagship mobile SoCs can rival DACs produced by dedicated manufacturers. Its latest iteration of these are found in the new Snapdragon 730 mid-range chipsets. They are called the WCD9370 and WCD9375 Aqstic codecs.

Several developers have been working to port Android to the Nintendo Switch since at least February 2019. Now, it appears that this work has paid off and the conversion is nearly fully-functional. The latest build for this console reportedly exhibits working WiFi, important apps, games and audio.

The Nova 5 is a new quasi-high-end smartphone destined for launch on June 21, 2019. Despite this, its leaks seem to keep coming. The latest is a device with a model number and specs that may match the upcoming device on Geekbench.

The NVIDIA SHIELD TV box may be among the best-known of all Android TV boxes. Now, there is evidence that it is finally seeing a refresh. However, it seems that the only difference between it and the existing model is a slightly updated SoC and the ability to run Android 9.0 out of the box.

Xiaomi has announced that its software division will stop releasing global betas of its OS, MIUI, on July 1, 2019. This applies not merely to older and slower devices, but to all phones of its brand. However, the OEM has also stated that this decision will not affect the frequency of security-related updates.

"Shot on OnePlus" is an initiative by which users can upload their shots via a smartphone app or online. This is done via an API, which, when analyzed, was found to be a ready source of user emails and IDs. The company's response to this situation currently includes an overhaul of this interface.

The POCO Launcher, originally designed for the Pocophone F1, has gained popularity due to its advanced customization options. Now, its makers at Xiaomi have released a 2nd version, which can be downloaded and tried out now. It mainly improves on the app drawer and dark theme of this interface.

Samsung has allegedly secured a trademark for a new product called the "Portable SSD T7 Plus". Should this leak prove true, it appears that a successor for the T5 is on its way. This putative product may at least maintain a trend towards max speeds of 540 MB/s, 256-bit AES encryption and a USB 3.1 Gen2 interface in a form weighing just 0.11 pounds.

Xiaomi has issued a recall of its Mi Electric Scooter (or M365) product. This request to return items does not apply to all units of the personal transport accessory, however, but to a subset of the same sold in certain countries. These devices have a hardware fault that could affect their function and the safety of their users.

Once considered something impossible, Microsoft Edge's availability for Linux is now in sight. According to the developer team behind it, Microsoft's browser is not ready for Linux yet, but there is no technical difficulty that can keep this piece of code away from the Unix-based open source operating system.

After applying the latest Wear OS update, those using compatible smart wearables will be able to manage the tiles from the connected smartphones, as well as from the smartwatches themselves. The list of tiles that can be added includes Google News Headlines, Google Fit Goals, Google Calendar Next event, and so on.

KaiOS is the most prominent alternative to either iOS or Android on mobile devices. Its CEO, Sebastien Codeville, has just given an interview outlining this platform's directions and goals for the immediate future. They include greater functionality, more form factors and new markets.

The Samsung Galaxy S10 phones debuted with Samsung's new night mode feature, Bright Night. That feature is now making its way to the Galaxy S9 phones and it apparently performs just as well as the newer S10 phones.

Huawei is pulling out all the stops to ensure that can continue to sell its smartphones. The latest indications are that the embattled Chinese technology giant is partnering with fellow Chinese smartphone makers to test its HongMeng OS while there are also suggestions it be exploring Russian Sailfish OS fork Aurora OS.

A micro-display is a panel that may be made of conventional materials such as OLED or LCD, yet are 2 inches at most on the diagonal. They are incorporated into everyday devices such as digital cameras, and in emerging categories such as heads-up or head-mounted displays. The latest research suggests that their market will be worth US$3.42 billion in the next 6 years.

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is not here yet, but a closed Steam beta test is set to start on June 18, when 1,500 eligible users will be chosen to join the battle. A larger wave of Age Insiders will be invited to take this 4K Ultra HD remake — which also features remastered audio — for a spin on June 24.

HTC has released new phones for 2019, albeit not flagship-level and only for the OEM's home market. They are the U19e, as projected earlier, and a new Desire-line device. They have 6.0- and 6.2-inch displays, and have double and triple rear cameras, respectively. The U19e will be sold at a price of approximately US$474, whereas the Desire 19+ will cost about $318.

OnePlus has released a new colorway for the 7 Pro. This SKU (Almond) is available in the US or Canada so far. In addition, development leaks indicate that the OEM is preparing the new 'back' gesture, which consists of swiping inward from the side of the screen and is also found in the latest Q betas.

The Samsung Galaxy M40 is available in India as of today (June 11, 2019). It offers a full-HD+ screen with a punch-hole camera, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage for INR19,990 ($US288). The M40 also features triple rear cameras, 15-watt charging and a 3500mAh battery.

Despite massive business embargoes levied against it by the United States Government, Huawei seems to be rolling along. The Chinese company has reportedly shipped one million smartphones running its custom HongMeng OS to testers through China and Asia. The OS is slated for public release this fall.

Xiaomi is adopting a new policy for the delivery of beta MIUI ROMs. Henceforth, devices that are more than a year older will be gradually withdrawn from participating in the beta program. Entry-level Redmi devices are also exempted from enrolling for MIUI beta. That being said, this does not affect the eligibility of the aforementioned devices from getting stable MIUI updates.

Bethesda is asking gamers to sign up for a beta test program for DOOM 2016 on iOS. The program is designed to test Bethesda's new Orion framework for game streaming. Selected users will be able to stream DOOM 2016 on their iOS devices free of charge later this year.

Redmi released a ~US$160 5.99-inch device with the Snapdragon 625 SoC and dual rear cameras in 2018. It is known as the S2 in China and as the Y2 in India. Of these, the S2 has started to exhibit an update to Android 9.0 (Pie).

Google Maps is reportedly rolling out a new feature intended to benefit users taking taxis or ride-shares in unfamiliar locations. It starts to send alerts if the vehicle in question starts to deviate from a given route by 500 meters or more. This new setting has only been observed in the Indian market so far, however.

In a recent interview, Mozilla CEO Chris Beard confirmed that premium services are coming soon. A VPN service and cloud capabilities could be bundled in a premium browser for those interested in paying for such features. The VPN and online storage services would be offered by Mozilla and its partners.

Chrome 75 is the latest version of this app for Android. It is the one to finally add a password generator to the browser. This update also offers a clearer path to its dark mode, may improve on in-app animations and allow users to send more things to other native apps.

The US$100-250 price category is a competitive place for smartphones these days, particularly in the Indian market. Nevertheless, this is where LG reportedly intends to wade in with its new W-series smartphones. These devices have triple cameras, notched screens and "pocket-worthy" price tags.

Dr. Guy Leschziner, a prominent neurologist and consultant in London's sleep-medicine arena, has recently indicated his belief that sleep-tracking apps and similar technology may backfire on the user. This is apparently due to a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to sleep metrics employed by these apps.

One could be forgiven for completely forgetting about HTC. The Taiwanese company's mobile division has been in quite the quagmire and looks certain to not even release a flagship phone this year. The company has something in the works, though, and we'll be getting it this week.

RISC-V chip designer SiFive it has been revealed to have some pretty interesting investors. A recent filing shows that it has raised US$65.4 million in its latest funding round including a cash injection from Qualcomm that sees it join fellow heavyweights in Samsung and Intel as investors.

Nvidia has released a remastered version of the classic FPS Quake II designed to take advantage of its RTX series graphics cards. The new version of the game is the first in the world that is fully path-traced giving it unprecedented levels of lighting realism.

A popular blog has analyzed the new Google app beta. It has found that this potential update could turn a phone's lockscreen into something more like Pixel Stand mode with auto-generated suggestions from the user's Assistant. Besides this, the beta can add a Google One status symbol to a profile picture.

OnePlus has announced a new update for OxygenOS (OOS, the OEM's Android skin) on its new flagship, the 7 Pro. It contains a long list of potential camera optimizations which, as the company claims, have been developed as a result of user feedback. This OOS 9.5.7 update may also enhance some non-camera aspects of the phone.

Samsung's Galaxy Tab S4 was at the higher end of tablets on its release in 2018. Now, there are hints that it is getting a successor this year. A device possibly matching this description has been spotted on Geekbench, although it has subsequently disappeared.

Motorola is now rolling out its Pie update to users of the Moto Z3 Play, including those located in the US. In addition, some Moto Z2 Force owners have reported an OTA for the same upgrade. These devices are now 1 and 2 years old respectively.

A "global" new outlet has tweeted that HongMeng OS, Huawei's new rumored official ROM for its mobile devices, will be known as Oak OS in non-Chinese markets. Furthermore, this putative new system will be unveiled in the first fall months of 2019. Therefore, this OEM's phones could have as little as 2 more months on Android.

Reolink, a company already known for well-spec'd wireless security cameras, now launches the E1 Pro. This new option offers a wide range of coverage for an affordable price. It will also gain Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility in the near future.

Broadcasts over 4G/LTE are common these days. The technology behind them is used for TV feeds, on-demand video, notifications and data-feeds. Their market will soon also be augmented by 5G analogs, which could push its value to about US$800 million over the next 5 years.

To celebrate an event in which more information on its first cloud gaming platform was released, Google has prepared a "Stadia Founder's Edition". It consists of a Stadia Controller in an exclusive Night Blue colorway and a Chromecast Ultra. It may help play the range of Stadia titles that were confirmed today.

The latest Insider's Preview version of Windows 10 (Build 18912) has updated from 19H1 to 20H1. This preliminary OS fixes some bugs found in its predecessor, but may also be associated with some new ones. It also adds a new ability for Windows Narrator: the ability to read and relay the URLs behind click me-type links.

Android Q's latest preview build was released yesterday (June 5, 2019). It has some interesting new aspects, such as a re-brand for Smart Unlock. However, Google has now stopped pushing its OTAs to phones as it has been found to cause bootloops in some cases.