Android - Page 14 of 116

Google announces Entertainment Space for Android tablets

Android tablets still exist, somehow. And people may still be buying them, for some reason. All of this in spite of Google’s best efforts to simply ignore the form factor completely for the past few years, and we don’t mean just by not releasing any more of its own tablets, but also in not adapting Android to the bigger screen sizes at all.

Today the search giant has suddenly remembered that Android tablets exist, and has thus announced a new feature, just for Android tablets. Can you believe it? Something in Android, tailor-made for tablets. Hell is freezing over, surely.

Anyway, that’s probably enough snark and you may be wondering what this is. It’s called Entertainment Space, and, well, the name is pretty descriptive. Google describes it as “a one-stop, personalized home for all your favorite movies, shows, videos, games, and books”.

It lets you not go through the trouble of hopping between apps to try and figure out what’s where, taking care of that for you by presenting an aggregate view of content from your apps, that’s grouped by type.

So you have the Watch tab with movies, TV shows, and YouTube videos. This includes a Continue Watching row, as well as personalized and trending recommendation rows from Google TV, Twitch, Hulu, “and many additional services”.

Then there’s the Games tab, which has a Continue Playing row (see the theme?), as well as recommendations. Select games are available to play instantly too, letting you try without having to download.

Finally, the Read tab is for your books, although it seems like this only plugs into Google Play Books. So if you’re a heavy Kindle user, you’ll still need to go to the app. Anyway, audiobooks are also to be found here, but there’s no sign of Audible. And of course, recommendations.

“Starting this month”, Entertainment Space will be available on Walmart onn. tablets and “later this year” it will roll out globally “on new and select existing Android tablets from Lenovo, Sharp, and more”. That’s about it for availability info, unfortunately.

But, on the plus side, Google says that it’s seen over 30% more people start using Android tablets in the last year, compared to the prior year. Maybe if more and more people start doing that, the company will give us more and more tablet-exclusive features? There’s a thought.

Source

Oppo Reno5 5G / Find X3 Lite review

Introduction and specs

The Oppo Reno5 lineup launched at the beginning of this year, but it’s only now that it’s getting a European release. Now, the most affordable of the bunch – the Reno5 is here and looks well-equipped too. An OLED panel with a high refresh rate, fast charging, capable SoC, lightweight build and plenty of base storage and memory.

And in a (not so) surprising move, Oppo is releasing this one under two names in Europe. The Reno5 is launching in Eastern Europe, whereas Western Europe is getting it as the Find X3 Lite. The two models are identical in specs as you can see.

Oppo Reno5 5G • Oppo Find X3 Lite

So even though we got specifically the Reno5 model for review, our review findings should apply to both devices in equal parts.

While the Oppo brand is well-known in Asia, and even though it’s yet to make a name for itself in Europe, it’s positioned as a premium brand elsewhere. So it’s no wonder that the company avoids undercutting the competition price-wise and yet focuses on making well-executed handsets with a premium look and feel.

The Reno5 (or Find X3 Lite, if you prefer) uses a bright, 90Hz OLED panel and a 64MP main camera and it also offers one of the fastest charging technologies. It’s also nicely compact and pocketable.

Probably the biggest selling point of this one is its size and ergonomics. In a market where behemoths rule, the Reno5 5G is a breath of fresh air with its compact 6.43-inch display and a weight of 172g.

Oppo Reno5 5G specs at a glance:
Body: 159.1×73.4×7.9mm, 172g; Gorilla Glass 5 front, plastic back and frame.
Display: 6.43″ AMOLED, 90Hz, 430 nits (typ), 750 nits (peak), 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 410ppi.
Chipset: Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm): Octa-core (1×2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1×2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6×1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver); Adreno 620.
Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM; UFS 2.1.
OS/Software: Android 11, ColorOS 11.1.
Rear camera: Wide (main): 64 MP, f/1.7, 26mm, 1/1.73″, 0.8µm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 119˚, 1/4.0″, 1.12µm; Macro: 2 MP, f/2.4; Depth: 2 MP, f/2.4.
Front camera: 32 MP, f/2.4, 24mm (wide), 1/2.8″, 0.8µm.
Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps; gyro-EIS, HDR; Front camera: 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS.
Battery: 4300mAh; Fast charging 65W, 100% in 35 min (advertised), Reverse charging, SuperVOOC 2.0.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); 3.5mm jack, The phone also comes with 128GB of base storage, and the Snapdragon 765G 5G is nothing to scoff at.

What we can scoff at is the phone’s current pricing. The launch price of €450 is quite optimistic considering that the competition in the midrange is quite heated and this phone comes with a plastic back and frame.

But let’s not rush to any conclusions as this phone might offer more than what meets the eye at first glance. First, time for an unboxing.

Unboxing the Oppo Reno5 5G

The phone comes in a premium-looking box and fresh mint color. It contains the usual user manuals and the 65W-capable wall charger with a USB-A to USB-C cable.

Oppo has also thrown in a bonus case, too, along with a pair of 3.5mm headphones.

Samsung Galaxy A22 5G appears in TUV listing

Samsung is working on an entry-level 5G phone dubbed Galaxy A22 5G and it will be powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 700 chipset. We’ve previously seen renders of what to expect in terms of design and now the phone was spotted in the TUV database

The device bears the SM-A226B/DS model number and packs a 15W charger. Sadly, the listing does not reveal any additional information. Based on previous findings, the A22 5G will bring 6GB RAM and a 48MP primary camera alongside an 8MP ultrawide snapper two 2MP modules.

Samsung Galaxy A22 5G (renders by OnLeaks)

It will sport a V-shaped waterdrop notch with a 13MP selfie cam and should boot Android 11 with One UI 3.1 on top. The A22 will also be available in an 4G/LTE only model for regions where 5G proliferation is not up to par yet.

Via

Xiaomi is getting back into the premium tablet game, MIUI reveals

The premium Android tablet range for the past few years has been limited to say the least with Samsung and Huawei being the only viable options. According to new info uncovered in MIUI 12.5 system apps by Xiaomi tipster kacskrz and the XiaomiUI Telegram group, we’re in for at least three premium Snapdragon 8-series powered Xiaomi tablets.

The new info shows a hidden system navigation page for tablets inside MIUI Home alpha build. The source code reveals three distinct devices with the “nabu”, “enuma” and “elish” codenames.

Hidden system navigation page for tablets in MIUI Home (Credit: kacskrz)

Based on further research from tipster kacskrz, enuma’s model number ends in K81 while elish ends in K81A suggesting the two could be different variations of the same device. The former also appears to support voice calls which hints it will likely offer LTE or 5G connectivity.

The third device in the group – nabu has a model number ending in K82 which hints it’s an entirely different product. All three tablets are said to offer 2560×1600 pixel IPS LCDs with 120Hz refresh rates and 16:10 aspect ratios. The leaks claim nabu will come with a 10.97-inch diagonal.

It’s also hinted that nabu will be powered by Qualcomm’s sm8150 platform which leaves the possibility of Snapdragon 855, 855+ or 860 chipsets. The other two tablets are said to feature the sm8250 platform which corresponds to the Snapdragon 865, 865+ and 870 SoCs.

Via

Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite leaks again on Google Play Console

Samsung is ready to launch its Galaxy A7 Lite tablet soon as evident by the several certification listings and leaks that emerged in the past months. We now have another listing for the budget tablet straight from the Google Play Console which again confirms its key specs.

Galaxy Tab A7 Lite listings on Google Play Console

There are two listings for the Tab A7 Lite as it will be available in both LTE and Wi-Fi-only trims. The specs department matches previous listings with a Helio P22T chipset at the helm paired with 3GB RAM. The display will feature an 800×1340 pixel resolution though its size is not revealed. Based on previous leaks the panel is expected to come in between 8.4 and 8.7-inches.

Galaxy Tab A7 Lite in black and silver

The tablet will pack a 5,100 mAh battery with 15W charging and boot Android 11. The Tab A7 Lite is expected to come in black and silver colors and we should see its debut as early as next month.

Via

UL’s Wild Life Extreme is a cross-platform benchmark for Apple, Android, and Windows

João Silva
15 hours ago
Featured Tech News, Software & Gaming

UL Benchmarks has recently announced the Wild Life Extreme benchmark, a more demanding version of the Wild Life benchmark. Unlike Wild Life, the Extreme version won’t be limited to smartphones and tablets, allowing users to run it on Apple computers with M1 CPUs and Windows 10 PCs, including those powered by Arm processors.

The new Wild Life Extreme benchmark is three times more demanding than the original Wild Life benchmark thanks to the addition of new effects, enhanced geometry, and more particles. Moreover, Wild Life Extreme can run at up to 4K resolution, making it even more demanding. On Windows and Android, the Wild Life Extreme benchmark uses the Vulkan API, but Windows 10 on Arm devices use DirectX 12. On Apple devices, the benchmark uses the Metal API.

With the Wild Life Extreme benchmark, users may compare the GPU performance across most of their devices. The higher the score, the better it performs. Users may choose the quick benchmark to measure peak performance or a longer one for testing sustained performance. Besides showing how your GPU performs against other machines and devices, the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme score can also predict the framerate your system will output in some games.

3DMark Advanced Edition includes the Wild Life Extreme as a free update. Customers with a valid annual license of 3DMark Professional Edition also have free access to the Wild Life Extreme benchmark.

Android users can now download Wild Life Extreme as a free update for the 3DMark Android benchmark app. To run it, your mobile device has to run Android 10 or later and support the Anisotropy feature level 16 and above.

As for Apple users, the Wild Life Extreme benchmark is available on the free 3DMark Wild Life iOS benchmark app. The iOS device compatibility list starts with the iPhone 7 Plus and beyond. Only Apple Mac computers powered by the M1 CPU are compatible with the benchmark.

KitGuru says: Have you already tried the Wild Life Extreme benchmark? What score did you get on your device?

Become a Patron!

Check Also

Gamescom 2021 will once again be an all-digital event

2020 saw many of the industries biggest events either get cancelled outright, or translated into …

Twitter is ruining the open for surprise meme with better image crops

Twitter is finally rolling out a long-awaited feature: bigger images that don’t crop in so darn much. Now, image previews should show way more of the image, giving you a better idea of what you’re actually looking at, and avoiding embarrassing situations where Twitter’s cropping algorithm picks the absolute wrong thing to focus on (sometimes with apparent racial bias).

Twitter announced it would be testing the improvement on iOS and Android back in March, and it should now be making its way to everyone.

Those pictures should also be clearer, given Twitter’s recent update to 4K images — because some art just needs to be seen as clear as possible.

Of course, Twitter giveth and Twitter taketh away — the change will, for the most part, make the “open for a surprise” tweets not so surprising. I suppose it’s a fair trade-off to avoid the sometimes wildly embarrassing crops that used to plague the platform. (Or at least it is for me, someone who follows a ton of artists and is tired of scrolling past poorly cropped drawings that actually end up being really good.)

And hey, if you want to see those memes, it seems like the web version of Twitter on desktops is still susceptible. Hide on, tiny cat.

I’m on my phone, you can’t fool me.

Tweet: @ademYz_

Twitter updates offensive tweet warnings, accepts that you like to swear at your friends

Twitter is updating its “be nice, think twice” system that prompts users to reconsider when they’re about to tweet a “potentially harmful or offensive” reply. The upgraded feature is now better at spotting “strong language,” claims Twitter; is more aware of vocabulary that has been “reclaimed by underrepresented communities” and is used in non-harmful ways; and also now takes into account your relationship with the person you’re messaging.

In other words, if you’re tweeting at a mutual who you interact with regularly, Twitter will assume “there’s a higher likelihood [you] have a better understanding of preferred tone of communication” and not show you a prompt. So, you can call your friend a **** or a ****-**** or even a ****-******* son of a ****-less ***** and Twitter won’t care. That’s freedom, folks.

Twitter first started testing this system in May 2020, paused it a little later, then brought it back to life in February this year. It’s one of a number of prompts the company has been testing to try and shape user behavior, including its “read before you retweet” message.

A sample prompt shown to a user before sending an offensive reply.

Image: Twitter

Improvements to the offensive-tweets prompt will roll out to English users of the Twitter iOS app today and to Android users “in the next few days.” The company says it’s already making a difference to how people interact on the platform, though.

Twitter claims internal tests show 34 percent of people who were served such a prompt “revised their initial reply or decided to not send their reply at all.” After receiving such a prompt once, people composed, on average, 11 percent “fewer offensive replies.” And people who were prompted about a reply (and therefore may have toned down their language) were themselves “less likely to receive offensive and harmful replies back.”

These “statistics” are as opaque as you would expect from any major internet platform (how exactly has the company quantified “less likely” in that last example? How many people are included in any of these tests? How do we know that people who revised their reply made it less offensive, or did they just use offensive language the system didn’t recognize?). But the ongoing roll-out does suggest that the feature is, at least, not making things actively worse on Twitter. That’s probably the best we can hope for.

The Verge’s Father’s Day Gift Guide 2021

A bunch of traditional and not-so-traditional gift ideas

May 5th, 2021, 9:00am EDT

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Finding a good gift for Father’s Day can be really difficult — especially with all those “traditional” dad gifts out there that are just, well, boring. So this year, we’ve looked around for some special, interesting gifts for dad in a wide range of types and prices.

We’ve got a bunch of stuff for the do-it-yourselfer: a Leatherman multitool, the ultimate gardening tool, and a whiskey- and rum-making kit. For the tech enthusiast, we’ve got a VR device, a gaming mouse, and a mini electric screwdriver set. And for the lovers of quirk, we offer a New York City brunch, a desk toy that can form a dodecahedron, and a subscription for two vinyl records a month, among a load of other great gift ideas. Enjoy!

Apple TV 4K

The Apple TV 4K is a great TV box for sharing photos, watching videos, and playing music for a party. Sure, it’s a bit of an expensive gift, but this is a shiny new version, and it is on its way. And even better, it has a new remote.

$179 at APPLE

$164 at AMAZON

ABLY Mini Electric Screwdriver Set

This powered screwdriver with dozens of bits is an indispensable tool for anyone who likes taking apart gadgets or small electronics. This one also comes with a handy magnetic mat for organizing screws. It’s perfect for when dad wants to upgrade the RAM in his gaming laptop.

$46 at AMAZON

Apple Watch SE

A smartwatch is a great gift. If dad is an Apple person, the Apple Watch SE will help him track his exercise, keep in touch, listen to tunes — and even tell the time.

$279 at APPLE

$279 at AMAZON

Ticwatch Pro 3

If dad’s an Android user, the Ticwatch Pro 3 is a good-looking watch that should take care of everything he needs in a smartwatch. According to our reviewer, it takes Wear OS as far as it can go.

$300 at AMAZON

Oculus Quest 2 headset

It’s fun to game with others, but sometimes it’s even better to slip off into your own little virtual world. The Oculus Quest 2 is a smart purchase if dad wants to explore virtual environments or get sweaty moving to the music in Beat Saber.

$299 at OCULUS

Misto oil sprayer

This reusable spray bottle lets you evenly coat veggies, meats, and anything in between with oil, vinegar, lemon juice, sherry, or other liquids. It makes cooking easy and enjoyable for the foodie dad.

$10 at AMAZON

$10 at TARGET

Leatherman Free P2 multitool

This P2 multitool (pliers, scissors, screwdrivers, wire stripper, etc.) can flip in and out one-handed, thanks to a combination of lightly spring-loaded locks and magnetic clasps. If you need to quickly snip a zip tie on a kid’s new scooter or slice into a grilled chicken breast to test doneness, it’s a snap.

$120 at LEATHERMAN

$120 at AMAZON

Custom money clip

If dad is still into cash, this money clip offers a way to carry bills around with convenience and class. You can personalize it with initials, a name, or any message up to 100 characters.

$16 at ETSY

Speks Geode desk toy

This fidget toy is made up of magnetic pentagons that can form a dodecahedron or be built up into a variety of weird constructions. It’s a great way to keep hands busy during boring Zoom meetings or for quick work breaks.

$20 at AMAZON

Vintage ballcaps

Dads look cool in these vintage baseball caps from Ebbets Field Flannels. There’s a whole variety of styles representing teams from long-closed leagues to choose from.

$49 at EBBETS FLANNEL

Zyllion Shiatsu back and neck massager

If your favorite parent has a sore back or sore muscles from chasing after toddlers, this home massager can help. According to The Strategist, this is the best model to get — and it’s way cheaper than going to a massage therapist.

$50.00 at AMAZON

La-Z-Boy recliner

This gift is on the expensive side, but it’s worth it. It is actually the most comfortable chair ever, especially if dad has back pain. And even if he doesn’t, it’s great for working from home and relaxing.

$399 at LA-Z-BOY

Mpix framed prints

Framed prints of the family photos that are currently languishing on your phone always make terrific gifts. Mpix is the consumer imprint for Millers, a longtime professional photo lab, and it excels at both quality and speed.

$40 at MPIX

WPA-era National Park posters

Commemorate a favorite family vacation with a faithful reproduction of one of the Works Progress Administration’s National Park serigraphed posters, designed between 1935 and 1943. (Frame not included.)

$45 at RANGER DOUG

Apple TV 4K

$179 at APPLE

$164 at AMAZON

ABLY Mini Electric Screwdriver Set

$46 at AMAZON

Apple Watch SE

A smartwatch is a great gift. If dad is an Apple person, the Apple Watch SE will help him track his exercise, keep in touch, listen to tunes — and even tell the time.

$279 at APPLE

$279 at AMAZON

Ticwatch Pro 3

If dad’s an Android user, the Ticwatch Pro 3 is a good-looking watch that should take care of everything he needs in a smartwatch. According to our reviewer, it takes Wear OS as far as it can go.

$300 at AMAZON

Oculus Quest 2 headset

$299 at OCULUS

Misto oil sprayer

$10 at AMAZON

$10 at TARGET

Leatherman Free P2 multitool

$120 at LEATHERMAN

$120 at AMAZON

Custom money clip

If dad is still into cash, this money clip offers a way to carry bills around with convenience and class. You can personalize it with initials, a name, or any message up to 100 characters.

$16 at ETSY

Speks Geode desk toy

$20 at AMAZON

Vintage ballcaps

Dads look cool in these vintage baseball caps from Ebbets Field Flannels. There’s a whole variety of styles representing teams from long-closed leagues to choose from.

$49 at EBBETS FLANNEL

Zyllion Shiatsu back and neck massager

$50.00 at AMAZON

La-Z-Boy recliner

$399 at LA-Z-BOY

Mpix framed prints

$40 at MPIX

WPA-era National Park posters

$45 at RANGER DOUG

Updating an Apple Watch Series 3 is a nightmare in 2021

The Apple Watch Series 3 was first released in September 2017, bringing fitness improvements and a faster processor. Nearly four years later, in 2021, Apple is still selling the Series 3 as its entry-level Apple Watch model starting at $199, an $80 savings compared to the more recent Apple Watch SE. Only, as I’ve recently learned, “still selling” and “supporting in a reasonable manner” are two very different things, and updating an Apple Watch Series 3 in 2021 is a nightmare of infuriating technological hoops to jump through.

Normally, updating an Apple Watch is an annoyingly long but straightforward process: you charge your Watch up to 50 percent, plug it in, and wait for the slow process of the update transferring and installing to your smartwatch.

But the non-cellular Apple Watch Series 3 has a tiny 8GB of internal storage, a fair chunk of which is taken up by the operating system and other critical software. So installing a major update — like the recently released watchOS 7.4 — goes something like this:

Unpair and wipe your Apple Watch to factory settings
Set up the Apple Watch again and restore from backup
Realize you weren’t supposed to restore from your backup yet
Watch an episode or two of Brooklyn Nine-Nine while you wait for the backup to finish restoring
Start from step one again — but as a brand-new Apple Watch, without restoring from an existing backup
Update completely fresh Apple Watch, which now has enough free memory to update
Consider how much you actually want to use this face unlocking feature everyone keeps hyping up in the first place
Unpair and wipe the Apple Watch a third time
Restore from your backup and finally use normally

And the issue seems to apply whether you’ve installed a pile of apps or not. Apple’s support website doesn’t even recommend that Series 3 owners bother trying to clear up space — it just advocates that they go straight to the aforementioned reset cycle.

It’s clear that the current process is untenable.

I’m an editor at a technology news site and willing to put in the comical amount of time and energy to manage this, frustrating as it might be. But if you’re a more casual user — the same one who is likely to own an older, outdated Watch in the first place — why on earth would you bother with the worst update mechanism since GE’s instructions for resetting a smart bulb? And being able to update your hardware’s software is important: the just-released watchOS 7.4.1, for example, patches a critical security flaw. But with it being so difficult to install, there’s a good chance that plenty of Series 3 owners won’t bother.

I know that Apple loves to claim support for as many older hardware generations as it can with each new update. It’s one of the biggest appeals of Apple products, compared to the lackluster pace of updates on competing Android phones (like the just-deprecated Galaxy S8).

But the miserable update process for the Series 3 is a strong argument that Apple is being a little too generous with what it considers “current” hardware. Keeping the Series 3 around this long was always a money grab, a way for Apple to clear out old inventory and take advantage of mature manufacturing processes that have long since broken even in order to appeal to users who really can’t afford the extra $80 for the markedly better Apple Watch SE. It’s a similar trend to the inexplicably still-on-sale Apple TV HD, which is almost six years old and costs just $30 less than the brand-new 4K model. (Much like the Series 3, don’t buy a new Apple TV HD in 2021 either.)

But hopefully, with the announcement of watchOS 8 almost assuredly around the corner at WWDC this June, the company takes into account the basic functionality of its hardware when considering what it does and doesn’t offer support for. Because if Apple is going to insist on selling a product this old in the future, it’s going to need to be a lot more mindful of just how it actually handles its software support.

Google prematurely announces ‘Pixel Buds A-Series’ with now-deleted tweet

Google seems to be getting a little ahead of itself. This afternoon, as noticed by 9to5Google and others, the official Android account on Twitter tweeted a photo of the “Pixel Buds A-Series” and said the earbuds “have arrived.” Except… they definitely haven’t. Google has yet to properly announce the Pixel Buds A-Series, which are expected to be sold at a lower price than the standard $179 model.

The tweet, which also mentioned the “quality sound and quick Bluetooth pairing” of Google’s latest buds, has since been deleted. Google has a history of, well, just tweeting out future products, but this does seem to have been an error.

Google I/O 2021 is scheduled to start in two weeks on May 18th. But based on the mistaken scheduled tweet, it looks like the Pixel Buds A-Series are very much ready to go. Maybe they’ll end up being introduced before the developer conference gets underway.

The earbuds have already appeared in a marketing email to customers. They look largely identical to the 2020 Pixel Buds, so we’ll have to see where the company has possibly cut corners to bring the cost down.

Pixel Buds A-Series. Pixel Buds A-Series. It really just rolls right off the tongue, huh?

Tim Sweeney emailed Tim Cook personally to call for open app sales after WWDC in 2015

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney was asking Apple to open its phones to other app stores as early as 2015, according to new emails made public as part of the companies’ antitrust trial. Under the subject line “iOS as an open platform,” Sweeney emailed Apple CEO Tim Cook directly to make the case for allowing other app stores to distribute software on iOS.

“The App Store has done much good for the industry,” Sweeney wrote to Cook, “but it doesn’t seem tenable for Apple to be the sole arbiter of expression and commerce over an app platform approaching a billion users.”

In particular, Sweeney asked to “separate iOS App Store curation from compliance review and app distribution,” essentially suggesting that Apple could maintain its security features across the platform without routing all downloads through the central App Store.

It’s a powerful distinction for the ongoing trial, in which Apple is arguing that App Store exclusivity is necessary to maintain the existing security and privacy features on iOS. These are part of the compliance process referenced by Sweeney in the email, and other ecosystems have been successful in implementing them across multiple app stores. Most recently, Google introduced a similar system on Android under the name Play Protect, guarding against malicious downloads even from side-loaded software.

Cook responded by forwarding the message to Phil Schiller with a question: “Is this the guy that was at one of our rehearsals?”

It’s likely that he was: a few weeks earlier, Epic Games had made an appearance at Apple’s WWDC event, touting the company’s work using Apple’s Metal API, although Sweeney did not appear onstage.

Other emails show Sweeney continuing to push Apple behind the scenes, asking Epic co-founder Mark Rein to push for a meeting with Greg Joswiak in January 2018. “If the App Store [were] merely the premier way for consumers to install software and not the sole way, then Apple could curate higher quality software overall, without acting as a censor on free expression,” Sweeney argued.

Rein was ultimately able to arrange a hearing for the idea through Apple’s Tim Kirby and expressed enthusiasm. “He was definitely receptive to the idea,” Rein wrote, “which doesn’t mean it will go anywhere, but does mean he’ll line up people who will listen and not shoot it down like Phil Schiller would…. so maybe there’s a smallest little crack on the very outer surface of the many feet of ice covering the frozen lake that is the Apple store.”

Six years later, the ice has yet to thaw.

One of Samsung’s best phones ever is now officially retired

Four years after its launch, the Samsung Galaxy S8 has received its last security update. The Galaxy S8 was a well-timed success story for Samsung, launching in the spring of 2017 with a bold design that drew attention away from the well-documented Galaxy Note 7 battery problems of the previous six months.

The S8 marked a design shift for Galaxy devices, with a wider-aspect edge-to-edge screen with minimal bezels that made it one of the best-looking phones we’d seen at that point. It wasn’t just a good-looking device, either; it offered excellent hardware and a great camera, combined with a remarkably restrained software implementation. Best of all, the batteries did not catch fire.

Samsung recently introduced a formal policy of providing Galaxy devices with four years of security updates, including both S-series flagships and even budget-oriented A-series models. Premium devices tend to get monthly updates, at least for the first couple of years, with the cadence slowing down to quarterly or biannual updates toward end of life. It’s one of the best support policies in the industry — certainly for Android, and roughly on par with Apple’s typically lengthy device support schedule.

While the S8 and S8 Plus have reached the end of that support period, the S8 Active is still on the schedule for quarterly updates and the S8 Lite is on the biannual schedule.

Walmart’s unannounced cloud gaming service detailed in confidential Epic emails

Walmart’s unannounced cloud gaming service, codenamed Project Storm, has been detailed in new confidential emails. An exhibit in the Epic Games v. Apple trial reveals Walmart’s efforts to pitch its cloud gaming service to Epic Games and get Fortnite on board.

“I played Walmart’s demo on an Android phone (with an Xbox controller) and the experience felt like playing on PS4 and superior to playing on Android or iOS,” said Epic Games co-founder Mark Rein in an email thread from April 2019. Rein also excitedly shares a photo of a game clip with the rest of the Epic Games executive team, showing how Walmart was planning to sell this in stores to let a phone attach to a controller. “They’re going to sell the clip for a crazy low amount, they were saying something like $2,” said Rein.

How Walmart was building its cloud streaming service.

A presentation attached to the emails shows how Walmart had been pitching its cloud gaming service to publishers like Epic Games. The company was planning to run the service on Windows, with third-party game launchers like Steam, Uplay, Origin, Epic Games Store, Battle.net, and Bethesda Launcher supported.

It’s not clear from Walmart’s presentation when the company planned to launch the service, with a beta period originally set to launch in July 2019. An early mock-up of the user experience looks very similar to other cloud gaming services, with a list of games, genres, and a search function.

An early look at Walmart’s Project Storm service.

Walmart was planning what it describes as an “open ecosystem,” with the ability to stream from the cloud or download and play games locally. The technology behind Walmart’s cloud gaming service is LiquidSky, a service Walmart acquired. LiquidSky was previously powered by IBM Cloud’s bare metal servers and Nvidia GPUs, and it appears to offer a powerful Windows PC for cloud gaming.

Epic Games was one of many publishers to which Walmart pitched. Reports originally surfaced about Walmart’s plans in 2019, but the company has still not officially announced any cloud gaming service. Sources familiar with Walmart’s plans tell The Verge that some publishers and developers had signed up to produce or host games on Walmart’s service, but that the launch had been put on hold once the pandemic began last year.

It’s not clear if Walmart’s cloud gaming service will still launch. We reached out to Walmart to comment on Project Storm, but the company did not respond in time for publication.

Either way, Mark Rein seemed interested in Walmart’s pitch and exploring services like Google Stadia and Nvidia GeForce Now. “Walmart is open to exploring all kinds of business models, but I expect their service will be the least expensive of all of these because they’re Walmart and that’s their gig.”

Epic Games ultimately partnered with Nvidia to launch Fortnite on GeForce Now last year. It’s currently the only way to play Fortnite on iOS, after the Epic dispute with Apple led to the removal of Fortnite from the App Store.

Twitter will now let anyone with 600 or more followers host its audio Spaces on mobile

Beginning Monday, Twitter will bring the ability for accounts with 600 or more followers to host Spaces, its Clubhouse-like social audio rooms. Although this is a bit later than the company’s hoped-for April launch, users on iOS and Android devices will be included in the update.

The company said it landed on the 600 followers number after feedback from readers and what it’s learned since it introduced Spaces late last year. “These accounts are likely to have a good experience hosting live conversations because of their existing audience,” the company said in a blog post announcing the changes. “Before bringing the ability to create a Space to everyone, we’re focused on learning more, making it easier to discover Spaces, and helping people enjoy them with a great audience.”

If you’ve used Clubhouse, Discord’s Stage Channels, or another social audio product, you should feel right at home in a space, which is designed to let groups of people talk among themselves as others listen in. The format is very good for things like interviews or panel discussions, but on Clubhouse, social audio rooms have also been used as comedy venues, pitch rooms, and more.

Twitter also revealed a feature that Clubhouse doesn’t have: Twitter plans to offer a way for users to monetize Spaces through ticketing. The company says hosts will be able to set ticket prices and the number of tickets sold, which could let people create exclusive events and earn some money for their efforts. (Twitter says it will take “a small amount” of revenue from ticket sales.) The feature will be available to “a limited group” in the coming months, according to the company.

Clubhouse offers a way to earn money on its platform, too, through direct payments, though the ability to receive payments is only available to a small test group at the moment. With ticketed Spaces, the forthcoming Super Follows that will let you charge for extra content, and a rumored “tip jar” for profiles and Spaces, it seems Twitter is ramping up its efforts to let people monetize their followings right from its platform instead of pushing people to places like Clubhouse, Substack, and Patreon.

Twitter also announced that scheduled Spaces and co-hosting are in the works, though the company didn’t provide a timeline for when those features might become available. We also asked Twitter when Spaces will launch on the web, and while a spokesperson confirmed the feature is still in the works, they didn’t say when it may roll out.

One big advantage Spaces already has over Clubhouse is live captioning, which will also get an upgrade soon. Twitter plans to add the ability to pause captions, scroll back, and customize fonts. To date, Clubhouse has no captioning options, and the company didn’t respond to an email asking if the feature would be added to future updates.