Software

Valve has released Steam Deck OS 3.5 to its Preview software channel. While its version number suggests that it is a minor release, Valve has added numerous features, including APU undervolting, HDR support and VRR integration for external displays.

OnePlus has revealed plans to expand eligibility for its OxygenOS 14 Open Beta program. Previously open to just the OnePlus 11, the company's Android 14-based public beta builds will be available on another five devices from next month, with a further eleven following in November.

Huawei has announced that it will join the "giant screen" tablet fray later in September 2023. The new kind of MatePad is also touted to rock slim borders and pen support thus far. It will debut alongside other products such as the Watch Ultimate Gold Edition during the OEM's upcoming cross-device Autumn 2023 launch event.

Optoma asserts that its latest 4K projector offers just about all the advantages of its predecessor in a package reduced in size by 34%. These potential benefits include a 240Hz/1080p "ultra-low" latency Gaming Mode, "flexible" short-throw technology and HDMI 2.0. The UHZ35ST also boasts eco-friendly features such as the potential for energy-efficient use and a 50% post-consumer recyclable plastic chassis.

Blackmagic Design has developed a new Blackmagic Camera app that brings advanced professional video recording features to iOS devices for free without any in-app purchases or subscriptions. The Blackmagic Camera app fully mimics the Blackmagic Cinema Camera interface and works seamlessly with Blackmagic Cloud and Davinci Resolve. The app also supports Apple LOG color in the new iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Garmin is now rolling out Beta Version 14.66 to various smartwatches, including the Fenix 7 series. Also available on the Epix 2, Enduro 2, Quatix 7 and Marq Gen 2 series, the update brings various changes to eligible smartwatches as Garmin looks to build on Version 14.36.

Samsung's Galaxy Tab A9 Plus (or A9+) has found time to pop up in another new leak ahead of its official debut. It has brought its vanilla A9 sibling along in this case, which gives the upcoming Android tablet the impression of being even more affordable on its launch. It will, for example, have 4G/LTE as opposed to the 5G of the Plus model.

The Republic of Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) has concluded that TikTok has violated various aspects of GDPR as it relates to "child users". The social media giant faces a "reprimand" as well as a multi-million-euro fine for its apparent failure to close loopholes that might have allowed an unsafe level of access to those under 16 on its platform. It also has a three-month deadline to address these failings.

Apple has clarified that it will be issuing an OTA update to address the French government's high radiation concerns with the iPhone 12. This comes in the wake of France giving an ultimatum to the Cupertino-giant of banning iPhone 12 sales in the country if not rectified. Unlike most other countries that mandate SAR values for head and whole body, France performs SAR testing for limbs as well wherein the iPhone 12 had 43.5% higher RF emissions than permissible.

Infinix has now unleashed a new version of its Note 30 Android smartphone. The OEM has partnered with the BMW division Designworks to produce a motorsport-inspired finish for VIP Racing Edition. It incorporates 3D Lighting Leather for a new kind of notification light system.

Rivian R1T owners are reporting a drastic improvement in ride quality thanks to the latest 2023.34.0 software update. Aside from some handy new ADAS features, they say that their electric pickup trucks now handle small bumps and handling manoeuvres with much more composure.

Huawei has released another version of the new MatePad 11.5 of virtually the same specs - except for its PaperMatte display rated to eliminate glare for improved eye comfort. The OEM also asserts that it supports a realistic pen-on-paper writing experience thanks to some dedicated haptics effects. The tablet is also touted as thin and light with a "high-performance" processor.

Unity has found itself on the receiving end of a mountain of criticism after the company announced plans to charge a Unity Runtime Fee for every new game install for eligible titles. According to the company, the fee which is planned to come into effect on January 1, 2024, won’t effect more than 90% of the customers. However, this hasn’t stopped the company from getting blasted by developers and gamers alike.

Bose's new flagship TWS earbuds are now officially Ultra as well as QuietComfort-series flagships. They are rated for the same high-end specs as their Headphone counterparts - first-gen Immersive Audio included - just in a TWS IPX4-rated package. Then again, potential customers may find their battery life does not match up to their sky-high pricing.

Bose has finally confirmed that its new top-end QuietComfort headphones are Ultra for the first time. They have also launched with first-gen Immersive Audio, the iconic brand's take on spatial audio. The Ultra Headphones also boast noise cancellation and up-to-date internals.

Vivo is now said to have a new smartwatch to launch alongside its upcoming X100 series of Android smartphones. The two kinds of device is thought to have independent mobile data and OLED screens in common. The Watch 3, however, is more likely to have a circular display and to track health metrics, although it might also have something in common with the foldable X Flip.

Sony has released a large update for the PlayStation 5. Rolling out now globally, the new update brings surround sound support to Dolby Atmos-compatible systems and allows you to upgrade your console's SSD to 8 TB. Sony has also introduced various new convenience features, including the option of disabling the console's beeping sound when you switch it off.

Google's in-car software suite just got a host of upgrades that add features like conference calling through WebEx and Zoom, as well as video streaming via Prime Video. For obvious reasons, Zoom and WebEx are both audio-only, and Prime Video is only accessible while parked.

Nvidia uncovered yesterday a new driver package, labeled 537.34. In addition to the usual minor tweaks and fixes, it comes with support for Lies of P and Mortal Kombat 1, as well as six new G-Sync Compatible gaming monitors alongside five GeForce Experience Optimal Settings presets for titles such as Starfield and Wayfinder.

Python, Java, JavaScript, and C family members are the world's most widely used programming languages as of September 2023, according to the IEEE and PYPL. The Rust language that is increasingly used by Microsoft is found closer to the bottom; PHP is not doing very well, either.

FREEDARE shot to prominence on the e-mobility Indiegogo scene with its "World's First Smart Fat Tire E-bike" in mid-2023. Now, the vehicles in question have gone to retail via the OEM's new online (US-only) retail store, which is currently holding a sale to mark this event. It supports codes that take as much as US$400 off the price of the bike's step-through and step-over variants for a limited time.

BBK Electronics' various subsidiaries have started offering Android 14 Beta builds to their recent flagship smartphones. First up are the OnePlus 11 and Vivo X90 Pro, which have received OxygenOS 14 and Funtouch OS 14, respectively.

According to a report, Xiaomi could offer MIUI 15 to over 100 devices throughout late 2023 and into 2024. Currently, the major software revision is expected to arrive this autumn during the launch of the Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Pro.

Google is now distributing version 9.0 of its camera app. Still restricted to Pixel devices, Google Camera 9.0 makes various UI changes from Google Camera 8.9 but is only available on Android 14.

Nothing is rolling out Nothing OS 2.0.3 to the Nothing Phone (2). Available to download now, Nothing OS 2.0.3 introduces several new features and bug fixes to the Nothing Phone (1) successor, including a Pocket Mode for turning off touch inputs when the Phone (2) is in not in use.

Nokia has unleashed the G42 5G as a new "So Fast, So Sleek" Android smartphone for the Indian market. Accordingly, the "3-day battery" device is pitched as offering the most novel, premium and "efficient" experience possible for its ~US$150 starting price - then again, its specs and software support might beg to differ.

Volkswagen describes its latest concept car as "an all-electric sports limousine" with nearly double the power of the current ID.7 Pro. Its Performance-oriented prototype counterpart also boasts a lot of carbon in its exterior and a lot of red in its trim and interior. The sedan's chassis has also been re-designed for extra agility and responsiveness on the road.

The Samsung Galaxy A24 5G has failed to emerge alongside its 4G/LTE counterpart in 2023 thus far. Despite that, it apparently has a successor lurking around on Geekbench already. Its model number definitely indicates membership of the upcoming A25 series, although its specs are those of a current mid-range smartphone - except for the upgrade to Android 14, of course.

BMW is canning the controversial subscription services that merely activated pre-installed hardware in its customers' vehicles, but the subscription model will stick around for other post-sales add-ons.

Rivian's latest internal software release indicates that R1S owners will soon see improvements to driver assistance systems, handling, and phantom drain. Among feature tweaks, Rivian is also patching a number of bugs.

1More has brought the proprietary ANC technology of its SonoFlow wireless headphones down to a new price-point with their new SE variant. Nevertheless, they are rated to retain the "cloud-like comfort" and potentially prolonged battery life of the original version. The SEs forgo some high-end perks for an improved starting price, however.

The Fit Open Earbuds S50 contain a number of signature 1More audio tech and tweaks despite their new non-in-ear design. They also offer appreciable battery life, which can be replenished via their wireless charging-enabled case. The Bluetooth 5.3-powered S50s have started at nearly US$150, although their introductory discount coupon brings that price down somewhat.

Amazfit has started pushing a new update to the T-Rex Ultra, one of its most recent smartwatches. With the device's latest update, it is now possible to track more activities and receive more data about others. Amazfit has overhauled its maps app too, among other changes.

Qualcomm has announced that the next generation of e-mobility and/or micro-mobility vehicles can now be powered by its silicon, thanks to the new Snapdragon Digital Chassis for 2-Wheelers and New Vehicle Class SoCs. They are rated to bring their OEM's Digital Cockpit features and services to EVs that are not cars for the first time, V2X, navigation, ARAS and wireless connectivity included.

Bethesda's Starfield offers AMD FSR 2 upscaling out-of-the-box, but modders PureDark and LukeFZ have been successful in getting the game to use DLSS 3 and Frame Generation for an even smoother gameplay and better-quality visuals. While LukeFZ's implementation is free, PureDark's requires a Patreon subscription.

GoPro has announced that its Quik mobile app for video and photo editing, will soon be available as a desktop application for those with a GoPro subscription. The application will be released for Mac on November 1 and for Windows in Summer 2024.

The Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch4 Classic are finally eligible for One UI 5 Watch, Samsung's spin-off of Wear OS 4. Arriving as HWH3 for both devices, One UI 5 Watch introduces various changes for the Galaxy Watch4 series and is available to download now.

Xiaomi has now jumped the train of offering four Android OS updates and a fifth year of security patch updates. The commitment will start with the Xiaomi 13T series and will match the China-only Redmi K60 Ultra. Unfortunately, it appears that the Xiaomi 13T and Xiaomi 13T Pro will receive OS updates from Android 13 onwards, not Android 14.

The Galaxy Watch5 and Watch5 Pro are some of the first smartwatches that support 'Watch Unlock', a long-awaited feature that Google originally debuted with Wear OS 3 as Smart Lock. While the feature is not live yet, it has already reached Galaxy Watch5 series models that have been updated to One UI 5 Watch and Wear OS 4.

Google has unveiled updated branding for Android before the autumn release of Android 14. Android's bugdroid has also been overhauled with the aim of being as 'dynamic as Android itself'. The new styling is joined by various tweaks to Android as a whole, including the distribution of the 'At a Glance' widget to all devices, which was previously a Google Pixel exclusive.

With the jump to the new Redshift rendering engine, the memory footprint is increased by three times and the compute workload is six times more intensive compared to the R23 release. The GPU test is back after more than 10 years and features the same rendering scene as the CPU tests.

Now only available for Poco phone users, Poco Launcher 4.0 has just received an update that brings its version number from 4.39.7.6055-04271116 to 4.39.7.6141-06021747. Unfortunately, the latest version does not bring any new features, but packs quite a few bug fixes and tweaks instead.

Redmi has announced that it has sold more than 1 million units of its 12 and 12 5G Android 13-powered smartphones in India since their launch about a month ago in the market. The OEM hails the achievement of its "5G Revolution" in the same country, and attributes its success to the loyalty and support of its fans. Then again, the devices' reasonable prices and more or less up-to-date specs.

Garmin has started rolling out one of its biggest updates this year. Available across the Enduro 2, Fenix 7, Forerunner 265, Forerunner 965 and Venu 2, the update brings several new features, such as new Activity Profiles, Muscle Maps for cardio, pilates and HIIT, as well as its proprietary Gaming Activity.

Infinix pitches its latest Zero-series device as the ideal Android smartphone for those most interested in front-facing camera footage, thanks to an unusually high-res selfie camera. It is touted as capable of "flagship"-grade 4K recording, and is set into a "unique" and "beautifully curved" AMOLED display with a competitive 144Hz refresh rate. The 30 5G is also rated to extend its RAM to as much as 21GB thanks to its Android 13-based, ChatGPT-capable UI.

Ulefone has now set more details on its upcoming Armor 23 Ultra out on the IFA 2023 show floor. It is touted as its OEM's first-gen satellite messaging-capable Android device - however, it is now also slated to pack three 50MP cameras in total, not to mention a 120Hz display and the same "Super Fast" charging specs as the Xiaomi 13 Pro. Nevertheless, Ulefone has now also revealed that it will not cost nearly as much on its release to the European market.

HTC Vive's XR Elite is a flagship virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR) headset that goes for well over US$1,000. However, the OEM has decided to sweeten that deal for a limited time with its new PC VR Bundle offers. It purports to help the user "save over US$280" by throwing the accessories and titles possibly needed to get into headset gaming in for free.

AGM has come to IFA 2023 to reveal that it has broken out of its normal rugged, feature-rich smartphone mold into tablets for the first time. The Pad P1 still has IP68 and IP69K ratings for potentially advanced water-resistance, as well as a "powerful" enough MediaTek chipset for independent connectivity in its 4G/LTE variant. The new "all-in-one" slate launches today (September 1, 2023) on the European market.

OxygenOS 14 (or OOS 14) will become the latest software for OnePlus mobile devices soon. The OEM has announced that it will pack a new Trinity Engine system performance suite as well as one of the first official upgrades to Android 14. It is touted to deliver a next-gen "fast and smooth" UX

Samsung is now distributing One UI 5 Watch to the Galaxy Watch5 and Galaxy Watch5 Pro. Rolling out with build numbers ending in BWH3, the update brings Wear OS 4 to the Galaxy Watch5 series with various performance improvements and new features.