Software

Chromebases may have fallen out of fashion years ago, but Acer is reviving the Chrome OS form factor with the Chromebase 24I2 and 24V2, two business-centric Chrome OS all-in-one desktops. Both devices will feature 24-inch Full HD touch displays, Intel 8th generation Core CPUs, and plenty of ports and hardware to support teleconferencing, business work, and more.

Wang Teng Thomas, Xiaomi’s product director, has written a post on Weibo indicating that a follow-up to the 2018 Black Shark Helo is on the way. The executive claimed to have seen this phone in the flesh, describing it as "too fast". However, no further details on this next-gen gaming device were discussed.

OnePlus has launched a new contest that could see the winning entry as a feature in a next-gen version of OxygenOS, the OEM's custom skin for its international Android phones. This competition is calling for entrants to find their inner software designer, and submit their ideas in the form of a full product requirements document. PMChallenge is open from now until Febrauary 22.

The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 will get Android 9.0 later this year, but those adventurous enough can already join the beta upgrade program. However, the beta testing comes with a catch: Asus will not provide downgrades and cannot be held liable for any potential damage or data loss that may occur during this stage.

Gerry Cotten, the founder of QuadrigaCX, a Canadian cryptocurrency exchange, recently passed away at the untimely age of 30. However, the company's woes quickly escalated as it became apparent that Cotten had not left the passwords to the company's cold wallet to his staff. They have reportedly been scrambling to recover the US$137 million stored in it ever since.

A post on Reddit allegedly contains a screenshot of a Gmail app interface that integrates many features taken from Inbox. They include a pinned-only toggle, per-subject bundling and Assistant-esque reminders. They may have been picked for preservation by Google before Inbox shuts down for good.

A new report by ResearchandMarkets.com has indicated that the mobile wallet market value could reach as much as US$9,352.15 billion by 2026. This is particularly impressive as it was worth about $880 billion in 2017. This growth may be driven by factors such as improved awareness of these products, and improvements in the services they provide.

A new report suggests that the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 will have 2 successors: the Mi Max 4 and a Pro variant of the same. Both of these may have 7.2-inch displays and 48MP rear camera sensors. The Mi Max 4 Pro may have an in-display fingerprint sensor and a slightly better processor.

In a recent interview, OPPO's CEO, Chen Mingyong, stated that the OEM would "strive" to release the first phone with 5G in 2019. This goal would follow on nicely from earlier reports that the company had conducted the world's first video call last year. Otherwise, OPPO plans to release at least one model with the Snapdragon 855 processor in 2019.

The Wii Shop Channel finally closed its doors today, marking the end of Nintendo's first digital distribution platform. The Shop Channel was home to the Virtual Console, Nintendo's massively successful digital storefront that housed a myriad of retro titles. The Shop Channel's closure also sounds the final death knell of Nintendo's most popular non-handheld console, the Wii.

A new phone, apparently made by Google, has appeared on the Geekbench 4 database. It is called the Pixel 3a XL, suggesting that it could be of the long-anticipated 'Pixel 3 Lite' line. This phone runs Android 9.0 and is powered by an unnamed Qualcomm processor that has given it distinctly mid-range scores.

The legal procedures were initiated by attorney Larry Williams II who claims that key persons were able to eavesdrop on his sworn testimony given during a client deposition via the FaceTime bug. Apple appears to have known about the problem since early last week, but it only issued a temporary fix on February 28, and a full patch is expected to be released later this week.

The Honor 7X was launched on Android Nougat and received the update to Oreo last year. The device is currently receiving the Pie beta in China, with other parts of the world billed to get theirs later this year. Pie would be the second major update the phone receives, which is impressive considering it launched with an MSRP of just US$200.

Released back in September 2012, Internet Explorer 10 still receives support from Microsoft, although it has been succeeded by Internet Explorer 11 and Microsoft Edge. However, Microsoft has finally made the official announcement: Internet Explorer 10 will be laid to rest in a year from now.

The mobile versions of Fortnite (those that work on the Android and Apple platforms) now allow the use of Bluetooth controllers rather than on-screen controls. This new level of support comes with the 7.30 patch update, which also adds the 60Hz support for select Android devices. It also offers the Chiller grenade, a new, seasonal, ranged weapon.

The Razer Phone 2 could be a solid option for fans of mobile gaming on Android. However, it may be less attractive to those who also like to have root access. This could lose them one of the Phone 2's main unique points: the Chroma LED logo. A senior XDA member has addressed this with his non-proprietary version of the app needed to control it.

Some alarming reports of a serious error in Group FaceTime associated with iOS 12.1 or later, have emerged. This bug allows an iPhone user to activate the call microphone of a second iPhone, whether its own user is aware of this or not. Apple has announced that they are working on a solution, and has also addressed it in the interim by shutting the video-call service down on their end.

The iPhone has had a bumpy couple of months. iOS 12.1.2, released last month, broke cellular connectivity for some users. The problem got so bad that Sprint issued a warning to its customers to wait on updating. There doesn't seem to be any relief in sight; not only does iOS 12.1.3 not bring a fix for the cellular issues, but the latest update has actually broken WiFi for several users in addition to cellular connectivity.

Artificial Intelligence is getting better, but can humans stay ahead of the machines? Unity thinks so and is offering $100,000 in prizes to any developers that can code an AI to beat Obstacle Tower, a new game designed to specifically test AIs. The game features procedurally generated levels that change with each playthrough, presenting a major challenge for programs that thrive on repetition.

The Nokia 1 Plus is a potential refresh or successor to the 1, an ultra-budget Android Go device. Images and specs purportedly associated with this new phone have surfaced online. According to them, the 1 Plus may gain a faster SoC and a more modern design compared to the 1. However, the two may remain similar in many aspects.

Huawei had previously outlined plans to update its late-2016 and early-2017 flagships - the P10 and Mate 9 series - to Android 9.0 (Pie) by March 2019. It appears the OEM is finally ready to make a start on these commitments with an update for Mate 9 users in China. This version of Pie includes new features such as Huawei HiVision.

Casio has updated its line of digital pianos with the Privia PX-S1000 and PX-S3000, 2 variants of what the company claims is the "world's slimmest grand piano". The new models use Smart Scaled Hammer Action to replicate the tactile feedback of real grand piano keys. This up-to-date type of digital keyboard also has Bluetooth and an iOS/Android app.

Further leaks of Android Q, which can be run on devices such as the Pixel 3 line, may have uncovered more detail on the coming OS upgrade. It appears that Google has prepared a new font, called Arvolato, for the update. In addition, users may be able to roll back apps after they update, as well as block them from reading the contents of a clipboard.

Cricket Wireless can now offer the Nokia 3.1 Plus as a result of a new deal made with HMD Global. The budget smartphone will be sold at US$159.99 in its stores. However, it will have competition from the Alcatel Onyx, an equally budget device available at $119.99 through the same carrier.

Motorola released the Moto G4 Plus back in 2016 and promised it would receive two major updates. A while later, the company went back on its word and claimed the mid-range phone would not get the update, prompting a media outcry which forced it to once again promise to deliver Oreo. It's been 16 months since then, though, and the G4 Plus is still on Nougat.

The next Google I/O event is scheduled for May 7 to 9 2019, at the Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, California. These details were uncovered as part of some code relating to a cryptic Tweet on the subject. This conference may focus on the release of Android 10 (Q).

Facebook has just announced an initiative in which messages from its own Messenger, as well as from its acquisitions Instagram and WhatsApp, will be integrated using a singular infrastructure. This contravenes an earlier commitment on the part of the parent company that these 3 services would remain independent. This plan has also raised alarm among privacy experts and WhatsApp staff.

Xiaomi sent out the January update to the Android One Mi A2 earlier this week, and there have now been multiple reports of bricked devices after installing the OTA. Unpolished updates may be becoming a theme of Xiaomi's Android One phones.

A new Geekbench listing has revealed what appears to be Google's Pixel 4, running on Android Q and sporting both 6 GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 855.

Notorious financier and philanthropist George Soros thinks that China's push in the AI field — which involves the plan to overtake the US by 2030 — is a severe threat to open societies. He also said that the social credit system "would give Xi Jinping total control over the people" if it became operational.

Thanks to its arrival on the Mac App Store, Microsoft Office 365 can now be downloaded and installed by Mac users with a single click. This cloud-connected office suite includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and OneDrive. Office 365 for macOS supports Dark Mode, Continuity Camera, OneDrive Files on Demand, and more.

Citus Data was founded eight years ago, and now this Turkish company that focuses on building upon PostgreSQL and its open and extensible ecosystem is joining Microsoft. Unsurprisingly, neither of the two parties involved bothered to reveal the financial terms of the deal to the public.

OnePlus' co-founder, Carl Pei, has made a rare appearance on the company's fan community website. Pei created a post asking for feedback on a new possible initiative in which the OEM would pre-load stubs for apps that support HDR streaming. On one hand, this may improve content consumption on future OnePlus devices; on the other, it may compromize their current low-bloatware appeal.

Opera 58 is the first new build of the year, but there are no big changes inside it. The new version comes with a warning when trying to close a window with multiple tabs open, as well as Yandex Zen news recommendation service integration into the start page for those using the browser in Russian.

In development since 2017 and available for PC gamers since December 2018, the Vikendi winter map for PUBG is now available on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The new map is accompanied by the Survivor Pass: Vikendi that rewards players of all levels for completing more than 200 missions over a multi-week season.

A recent leak-heavy video by the YouTuber Mrwhosetheboss alleges that OPPO's latest camera technology, the 10X optical zoom lens, will be integrated into the next generation of its Find X flagship. This phone may also contain a TOF sensor, an in-display fingerprint reader and the Snapdragon 855 chipset. However, the device may also drop the mechanical slider from last year.

Android Q is the hotly-anticipated next generation of the widely-distributed mobile device platform. Tech correspondents have found a potentially unwelcome piece of code in this new OS. It would allow the SIMs of one carrier to block those of a specific counterpart from operating on a locked phone.

The Honor Play 8A is a budget smartphone that resembles the Xiaomi Mi Play in numerous ways. However, at an approximate price of US$124, the 8A may be the cheaper of the two, although this may make it the more attractive option for some. A new report alleges that this phone will be launched in India soon.

The latest software update for the Samsung Gear S3 smartwatch pushes the Tizen version up to 4.0.0.2, weighs around 300 MB, and comes with sleep stages info support for the Health widget, more indoor workouts and back-to-back workout for Samsung Health, improved Quick Panel UI, and more. Sadly, it is only available in the US for now.

Ren Zhengfei, the CEO of Huawei, has written an email warning his colleagues of the possibility of "hard times" in the future. They may include reductions in the size of the company's various regional subsidiaries. These comments may be related to Huawei's recent loss of business in the 5G infrastructure area.

Although some customers received protection from spam and robocalling in the past, now Verizon is ready to provide these useful security features to all its customers. These two treats will be offered for free starting in March, revealed Joe Russo, senior vice president of network operations for Verizon.

Bixby is Samsung's own in-house virtual assistant, and is installed on all new flagships by default since the Galaxy S8 line's launch in 2017. Since then, Bixby (in its 1.0 iteration) lost compatibility with more and more Google apps. However, the latest update to Bixby 2.0 allows it to control YouTube, Google Maps and Gmail.

Assistant is an interface for the Google app that flashes helpful cards up throughout the UI at (ideallly) oppportune times. The latest Google Assistant beta brings marked changes to its design with a new dark mode. However, it is clear that this new option is still firnly in development.

A short while ago, it was revealed that LG had ended future software support for the V20, ensuring that the flagship would be stuck on the only major OS update it received: Oreo. It would appear that LG has made a U-turn on that decision, and the V20 could receive Pie after all.

The LG G7 ThinQ was launched back in May and now has the honor of being the first LG device to receive the stable Pie update. The update download weighs in at 1.35 GB, and a global rollout is expected soon.

It's the season of new Qualcomm flagship benchmarks, ahead of the processor's official release in the form of 2019 premium mobile devices. Some of them have claimed that it does better than the A12 Bionic found in the most recent iPhones. However, Antutu has released what may be the definitive benchmark for the new chipset.

The Windows Mobile platform is all but dead at this point. Microsoft will finally let it rest forever this year. The company will withdrawing support for the latest version of its OS, as well as the second-latest, by December 2019. It is recommended that their remaining users switch to another ecosystem that will have continual support, like iOS or Android.

The question of how to generate as much attention as possible on social media has become a whole field of studies nowadays. However, it turns out once again the simplest thing can attract the most attention, in this case a simple picture and the will to break a record is enough to mobilize millions of people.

The alpha A6400 is Sony's most recent mirrorless offering. This camera boasts a 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor, as well as "the world's fastest autofocus" of 0.02 seconds. The A6400 also features a state-of-the-art BIONZ X image processor. However, its most outstanding feature may be the LCD touchscreen, which is adjustable through 180 degrees.

Project Ara had once been hotly anticipated as the future of mobile devices with enhanced future-proofing and general upgradeability. The prototype produced through this Google initiative was a basic frame to which various interchangeable modules could be attached. The project's public profile had dwindled since; however, it seems its makers haven't forgotten about it yet.