Samsung has released a new software update for the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, which bumps up the Android security patch level on the flagship to May 1, 2021. Additionally, the new build improves the camera and enhances the Quick Share feature.
The new firmware carries version number G998BXXU3AUDA and requires a download of about 1.2GB. It’s currently seeding in Germany, and we expect the rollout to expand in other countries soon.
If you live in Germany and haven’t received the update yet, you can try checking for it manually by navigating to your smartphone’s Settings > Software update menu.
Huawei brought the ride-hailing app Bolt on its AppGallery back in summer 2020, and today Bolt Food joined the family as well. The food delivery service is an alternative to Uber Eats, as well as a direct competitor to Takeaway, Foodpanda, and other similar platforms.
Bolt Food on AppGallery
The Bolt Food app will be initially available across Europe, where the platform is more popular. Huawei prides itself in listening to fans and consumers about which apps should appear on AppGallery, and according to a press release, there was an “unprecedented demand” with over 2,000 requests.
Users generally prefer Bolt ahead of other delivery services due to the ability to embrace Huawei’s “glocal” strategy. Unlike other takeaway competitors, Bolt Food has the advantage of ensuring its deliveries are “predictable, faster, and reliable” – something the platform learned from its ride-hailing partner.
Bolt Food is present in twenty countries across Europe and Africa, as well as forty cities. The app has already been adapted to Huawei’s newest HMS devices like the P40, Mate 40, and Mate 30 series.
The application itself is just 39.51 MB in size, and virtually everyone can install it, even users with Google Mobile Services – after all, Huawei AppGallery is free to use for everyone on Android with or without a Huawei smartphone.
The Nokia 2.2 got the Android 11 update about two weeks ago, and now it’s the Nokia 2.4 that’s getting a taste of the latest version of Android.
— Nokia Mobile (@NokiaMobile) April 26, 2021
We don’t have the complete changelog of the Android 11 update for Nokia 2.4, but you can expect a new UI and Android 11 goodies such as chat bubbles and one-time permissions.
As is the case with Nokia, the update is rolling in waves, and the first wave includes a total of 35 countries listed below:
Algeria
Bahrain
Cambodia
Denmark
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
Hong Kong
Iceland
India
Iran
Iraq
Jordan
Kuwait
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Libya
Lithuania
Macau
Malaysia
Morocco
Nepal
Norway
Oman
Philippines
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Sri Lanka
Sweden
Tunisia
UAE
USA
Vietnam
Yemen
Android 11 is already seeding in 50% of these countries, and 100% rollout will commence by April 28.
Say hello to the Oppo Reno5 5G, a phone that Europeans can find at their local Amazon as the Find X3 Lite, and which aims to be provide the best value in the lineup.
It comes in a well-stocked box with a case, 65W charger, a sturdy USB cable and regular old 3.5mm earbuds.
Up front the Reno5 5G is one of the best reasons to buy it – the 6.43-inch 1080p AMOLED isn’t only high quality and high refresh rate at 90Hz, but it enables the phone’s compact form. At 172g the Oppo Reno5 5G is pleasingly light.
The Reno5 5G comes with Android 11 and Oppo’s fully-featured ColorOS 11.1, which adds niceties like pulling up your apps into a neat, accessible row near your fingertip when you can’t reach with your other hand. ColorOS is packed with other niceties – more on that in our full review.
The Oppo Reno5 5G has four imagers on the rear, but only two of real note – the 64MP main shooter and the 8MP ultrawide. The other two are a 2MP duo of depth and macro.
Front-side there’s a 32MP selfie camera, which features a bunch of smart shooting modes, but lacks autofocus.
Finally the 4,300mAh is capable of 65W fast charging, courtesy of SuperVOOC 2.0. All it takes for a full charge is 35 minutes.
We’ll test the charging speed as well as the battery endurance, along with just about everything else on the Oppo Reno5 5G in our full review. Stay tuned!
Matthew Wilson 1 day ago Featured Tech News, General Tech
As great as large-scale entertainment subscription services can be, over time, price hikes tend to occur. Those who use Spotify in the UK and Europe are about to be hit by one such price hike, raising the monthly fee across all tiers.
As reported by Android Police this afternoon, Spotify is currently sending emails out to subscribers in the UK and Europe revealing that the cost of its plans are going up. Interestingly, this is happening at the same time that Spotify founder, Daniel Ek, was revealed to be making a bid to buy Arsenal, the UK football team.
Those who are subscribed to Spotify can expect a price hike in the £1 to £2 range depending on tier. Below, you’ll find the price change for each tier on Spotify:
Student – £4.99 to £5.99
Individual – £9.99 to £10.99
Duo – £12.99 to £13.99
Family – £14.99 to £16.99
Some subscribers will get one more month at their regular price. For instance, if you have Spotify Premium Duo, the cost won’t change until June. We have not been able to confirm if this applies to subscribers on all tiers.
Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru Says: How many of you use Spotify regularly? Have you already had an email confirming the price changes?
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Microsoft is launching its Office and OneNote apps on Amazon’s Fire tablets today. Both apps are available in Amazon’s Appstore, with the Office app combining Word, Excel, and PowerPoint into a single tablet app.
Microsoft is no stranger to Amazon’s Appstore, having previously published apps like Outlook, Xbox, and Xbox Game Pass for Fire tablets. This is the first time Office has appeared on Amazon’s tablets, though. Microsoft has essentially taken its Android Office app that’s already available on the Google Play Store and modified it to work on Amazon’s Fire OS — a forked version of Android.
Both the Office and OneNote apps will be available on Amazon’s Appstore in regions where Fire tablets are currently sold. Microsoft says it has timed the release of these apps to coincide with Amazon’s new Fire HD 10 tablet. The $149.99 Fire HD 10 has a thinner design, slimmed-down bezels, and better specs, and Amazon is also offering a $219 bundle with a 12-month subscription to Microsoft 365 in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, and Japan.
The Android version of Google and Apple’s COVID-19 exposure notification app had a privacy flaw that let other preinstalled apps potentially see sensitive data, including if someone had been in contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19, privacy analysis firm AppCensus revealed on Tuesday. Google says it’s currently rolling out a fix to the bug.
The bug cuts against repeated promises from Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and numerous public health officials that the data collected by the exposure notification program could not be shared outside of a person’s device.
AppCensus first reported the vulnerability to Google in February, but the company failed to address it, The Markup reported. Fixing the issue would be as simple as deleting a few nonessential lines of code, Joel Reardon, co-founder and forensics lead of AppCensus, told The Markup. “It’s such an obvious fix, and I was flabbergasted that it wasn’t seen as that,” Reardon said.
Updates to address the issue are “ongoing,” Google spokesperson José Castañeda said in an emailed statement to The Markup. “We were notified of an issue where the Bluetooth identifiers were temporarily accessible to specific system level applications for debugging purposes, and we immediately started rolling out a fix to address this,” he said.
The exposure notification system works by pinging anonymized Bluetooth signals between a user’s phone and other phones that have the system activated. Then, if someone using the app tests positive for COVID-19, they can work with health authorities to send an alert to any phones with corresponding signals logged in the phone’s memory.
On Android phones, the contract tracing data is logged in privileged system memory, where it’s inaccessible to most software running on the phone. But apps that are preinstalled by manufacturers get special system privileges that would let them access those logs, putting sensitive contact-tracing data at risk. There is no indication any apps have actually collected that data at this point, Reardon said.
Preinstalled apps have taken advantage of their special permissions before — other investigations show that they sometimes harvest data like geolocation information and phone contacts.
The analysis did not find any similar issues with the exposure notification system on iPhone.
The problem is an implementation issue and not inherent to the exposure notification framework, Serge Egelman, the chief technology officer at AppCensus, said in a statement posted on Twitter. It should not erode trust in public health technologies. “We hope the lesson here is that getting privacy right is really hard, vulnerabilities will always be discovered in systems, but that it’s in everyone’s interest to work together to remediate these issues,” Egelman said.
SideQuest has launched an Android app that lets you do the same neat trick as its desktop app: sideload VR content from outside the official Oculus Store onto your Quest or Quest 2 VR headset. The free app, which releases today, lets you browse SideQuest’s offerings and transfer content over Wi-Fi or a USB cable. That means you don’t need a PC to install VR games, demos, and apps from SideQuest’s community.
SideQuest’s storefront is full of games and apps that are worth trying. Some that I’ve enjoyed recently include Gorilla Tag, a free game that launched on SideQuest (now available via Oculus’ App Lab for early access titles) that’s gotten some well-deserved attention. You play as a gorilla, and you play tag, but the controls and graphical style make it unique and hilarious. Also, there’s a free, fan-made mod that moves your Doom 3 install in its entirety from your Steam folder to the Quest headset, with excellent VR controls and graphics that seem to rival what my colleague Sam Byford experienced in the PSVR version.
If you want to get started, this YouTube video below from the Cas and Chary VR channel walks through all of the steps. I highly recommend following along with the video, as the process is easy but not exactly cut-and-dry.
Compared to Oculus’ highly curated Store, SideQuest provides developers an alternative to seeking app approval from Oculus so they can more easily release free projects or list paid ones that link out to a third-party store like Itch.io or Patreon. Recently, Oculus launched App Lab, which lets developers distribute games through its platform but without a public store listing. You’ll find several of those linked within SideQuest as well.
If you have an Android phone and a Quest headset, this is a must-try and an easy way to get more use out of your VR headset.
(Pocket-lint) – The Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL were announced in October 2019, succeeded by the Google Pixel 5 in September 2021. There’s also the Pixel 4a and the Pixel 4a 5G to consider. If you’re choosing between the Pixel 4 and 4 XL and you want to know which might be the right choice for you though, you’re in the right place.
This is a comparison of the Pixel 4 against the Pixel 4 XL. You can also read our Pixel 4 vs Pixel 3 feature to find out how they compare to their predecessors and our Pixel 5 vs Pixel 4 feature to see how they compare to their successors.
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What’s the same?
Design
Rear and front camera
Processor/RAM/Storage
Software and features
The Google Pixel 4 and 4 XL both feature the same design – aside from physical footprint – with a contrasting power button and three colour options. They both have a black frame, a glass front and rear and a rear camera system within a square housing. They also both have gesture controls and Face unlock thanks to Google’s Soli motion-sensing radar chip.
The two devices also feature a bezel at the top of their displays and they both run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 platform. Neither offers microSD support, as has been the case on all Pixel devices, and neither has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The software experience is identical, with both launching with Android 10.
What’s different between the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL?
Plenty transfers between little and large in the case of the Pixel 4 devices, but there are a few differences too.
Physical size
Pixel 4: 147.1 x 68.8 x 8.2mm
Pixel 4 XL: 160.4 x 75.1 x 8.2mm
Unsurprisingly, Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL differ in terms of physical size.
The Google Pixel 4 measures 147.1 x 68.8 x 8.2mm and weighs 162g, while the Google Pixel 4 XL measures 160.4 x 75.1 x 8.2mm and weighs 193g.
Display
Pixel 4: 5.7-inches, Full HD+, 90Hz
Pixel 4 XL: 6.3-inches, Quad HD+, 90Hz
As with the physical footprint, the display size differs between the Pixel 4 and 4 XL. The Pixel 4 has a 5.7-inch screen, while the Pixel 4 XL offers a 6.3-inch screen.
The Pixel 4 has a Full HD+ resolution, while the Pixel 4 XL has a Quad HD+ resolution, meaning the larger device offers a sharper screen. Both have a 90Hz refresh rate though, both are OLED panels and both support HDR.
Battery
Pixel 4: 2800mAh
Pixel 4 XL: 3700mAh
The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL offer different battery capacities, like the older the Pixel 3 and 3 XL. The Pixel 4 has a 2800mAh battery, while the Pixel 4 XL has a 3700mAh battery.
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Conclusion
The Google Pixel 4 and 4 XL offer identical designs, hardware and software experiences, though there are differences in battery capacities, price, displays and footprint sizes.
You don’t compromise much by opting for the smaller device though, and you save a few pennies too – especially now these models have been succeeded. Some will want the higher resolution display and larger battery capacity offered by the XL model, but if you aren’t bothered by those, the Pixel 4 is a great option.
(Pocket-lint) – The Xiaomi Mi 11 range spans a significant spectrum from top-tier flagship, in the Mi 11 Ultra, to the standard Mi 11, down to the more entry level – which is where this, the Mi 11 Lite 5G, finds itself.
Despite plonking ‘Lite’ into its name, however, the Mi 11 Lite 5G really is not a low-power phone by any means. It’s just not as crazy-powerful as the upper echelons in the range. The second clue to that regard is the ‘5G’ aspect of the name – because, yes, there’s also speedy connectivity.
So if you’re not looking to spend a fortune on a phone, want 5G connectivity, and having a slimmer and easier-to-manage handset is high up your list of appeals, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G ticks a lot of boxes. But then so do a bunch of competitors. So can this entry-level 5Ger deliver?
Design & Display
Display: 6.55-inch AMOLED panel, 90Hz refresh, 1080 x 2400 resolution
Finish options: Truffle Black, Mint Green, Citrus Yellow
Dimensions: 160.5 x 75.7 x 6.8mm / Weight: 157g
Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
No 3.5mm jack
Upon pulling the Mi 11 Lite 5G from its box we let out a rare gasp. Because, shown here in its apparent ‘Mint Green’ finish – it looks more ‘Bubblegum’ to us, which is the name for the non-5G variant – this handset looks really fresh and standout. Very dapper indeed.
That’s partly because Xiaomi has redesigned the range, so the Mi 11 Lite looks way more evolved than the previous 10T Lite version. Look at those side-by-side and the older model looks rather dated – it’s quite a stark difference. Yet there’s mere months between them in terms of release cycle.
That said, the Mi 11 Lite 5G is only a little like other Mi 11 handsets in terms of design. The cameras are far different to the Ultra’s “megabump”, arranged in a really neat format that, although similar to the Mi 11, doesn’t protrude to the same degree from the rear.
The rear finish is good at resisting fingerprints too, which is a breath of fresh air (minty fresh, eh!), while the branding is subtle and nicely integrated.
Motorola’s new Moto G9 Plus is a stunner of a phone – find out why, right here
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But above all else, it’s the Mi 11 Lite 5G’s thickness that’s its biggest take-away point. By which we mean thinness: because this handset is far slimmer than, well, pretty much anything we’ve used for months and months. We can’t think of a slimmer 5G smartphone. That, for us, has bags of appeal – it’s been really refreshing not carting a brick around in the pocket for the couple of weeks we’ve been using this phone.
Such a svelte design means the 3.5mm headphone jack has been binned, though, so it’s wireless connectivity only in that regard. But we can take that – it makes the design look more enclosed and complete anyway. There’s also no under-display fingerprint scanner here, with a side-mounted one in the power button a perfectly acceptable alternative – that operates speedily and we’ve got very much used to using it.
The display, at 6.55-inches, is still large despite the phone’s overall trim frame. It’s flat, with the phone body curving gently at the edges to make it really comfortable to hold. And there’s no teardrop notch to cry about this time around either – it’s a single punch-hole one to the upper corner, which is fairly inconspicuous.
That screen, an AMOLED panel, delivers on colour, brightness and verve, while a 90Hz refresh rate can deliver a little added smoothness to proceedings. There’s not a 120Hz option here – kind-of odd, as the 10T Lite did have that – but, really, most eyes aren’t going to tell the difference. We’d take the battery life gains every time instead, thanks.
Performance & Battery
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 780G, 8GB RAM
Software: MIUI 12 over Google Android 11 OS
Battery: 4250mAh, 33W fast-charging
Storage: 128GB/256GB, microSD
Speaking of battery, that’s the first thing we assumed would be poor in the Mi 11 Lite 5G – because of how slim it is. But how wrong we were. For starters the 4,250mAh capacity cell is pretty capacious – and in our hands was easily able to deliver 16 hours a day with around 25 per cent battery or more remaining.
That’s been irrelevant of what we’ve asked the phone to do in a given day. Strava tracking for an hour and an hour of gaming in the evening, in addition to hours of screen time, calls and so forth. It’s no problem for this device. Note, however, that we’ve been unable to locate a 5G signal area during testing – lockdown and all that – so whether that would adversely affect battery life is for debate. What we do see in the settings, however, is a 5G option to toggle the connectivity off when it’s not needed, to further extend battery life.
However, while battery life ticks along just fine, part of the reason is down to the rather hardcore software approach. Xiaomi’s MIUI 12 – skinned over the top of Google’s Android 11 operating system – by default has a lot of “off” switches selected. Seriously, MIUI is hell-bent on ensuring battery lasts and lasts – sometimes to the detriment of the experience and use of apps.
As such, you’ll need to investigate individual apps within the settings and permit them to self wake as and when they need, removing any automated battery restrictions from the important ones that you have and would, say, expect push notifications from. In the past we’ve had MIUI cause delays with notifications in other Xiaomi phones. In the Mi 11 Lite 5G, however, that’s been no problem whatsoever – perhaps because we’re so used to it and in setting the software in how we want to conduct our business; or, perhaps, because Xiaomi has sorted that issue out in an incremental update!
Otherwise the software is pretty robust. There are some oddities, such as an additional Xiaomi store as an addition to Google Play, but the two hardly interfere too much. And having copied over a bumper crop of apps, it’s clear to see that there are Xiaomi pre-install favourites and various not-needed staples – browsers, calendars, that kind of stuff – that just clogs up the home screen to start with, but is easily replaced with Chrome and your other favourites.
Regarding the phone’s innards, there’s a Qualcomm Snapdragon 780G platform handling proceedings, putting the Mi 11 Lite 5G one step down from the top-tier 800 series platform. Does that really matter? We’ve not found it to at all. From general user interface use, to app opening time, fluidity has been high throughout.
Besides, a 700 series chipset is more than good enough to run your more demanding favourites too. We’ve been plugging away at South Park: Phone Destroyer and PUBG: Mobile without hindrance, showing just how good the balance of power and battery life can be in devices such as this.
Wide-angle (0.5x): 8MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm, 119-degree angle of view
Macro: 5MP, f/2.4
Single front-facing punch-hole selfie camera: 20MP, f/2.2
Buy a ‘Lite’ phone and you’re never going to expect too much from the cameras, right? However, Xiaomi has done a reasonable job here of balancing things out. For starters all three lenses are actually useful – there’s not a lens here for the sake of number count, like with so much of the competition.
The main 64-megapixel sensor uses four-in-one processing to output 16-megapixel shots as standard, which hold enough colour and detail. Even in low-light conditions we’ve found the quality to hold up fairly well, too, so this sensor delivers the goods.
It’s a shame that there’s no optical stabilisation on the main lens, because holding it steady – especially when shooting Night Mode shots – is tricky and can result in a little softeness in dim conditions if you’re not careful.
Pocket-lint
: Wide-angle – full shotWide-angle – full shot
The wide-angle, however, is a weaker sensor. It’s just 8-megapixels in resolution, can’t deliver the fidelity of the main one by any means, and displays some blur to the edges. That’s pretty common for wide-angle cameras, sure, but there are better iterations around. Still, there’s practical use from a sensor such as this, so it’s a positive to have it rather than not.
Last up out of the trio is a macro sensor. Now, typically, these are throwaway afterthoughts. But, actually, the one on this Mi handset is acceptable – probably because it’s a 5-megapixel sensor, not the 2-megapixel type that too many other budget handsets opt for. That means images are of a usable scale, and you’ll get a little extra something out of super close-up shots from this sensor. We doubt you’ll use it a lot, though, as it’s hardly a practical everydayer, plus its activation is tucked away in settings – but there’s fun to be had from it nonetheless.
What we like about the Mi 11 Lite 5G’s camera setup is that it’s not trying to oversell you a bunch of pointless lenses. It doesn’t protrude five miles from the back of the phone, either, delivering a neat-looking handset that, while hardly reaching for the stars in what it can do, is perfectly capable. And, compared to the likes of the Moto G100, for example, the Xiaomi actually has the upper hand in its image quality delivery.
Verdict
Although the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G looks and feels different to the rest of the Mi 11 family, there’s something refreshing about its design. It’s really slim, light, and that colour finish looks super. We can’t think of a slimmer, tidier-looking 5G handset – which makes this something of a unique proposition.
Despite being called a ‘Lite’ phone, it shouldn’t be seen entirely in that regard either. With the Qualcomm Snapdragon 780G handling everything, there’s ample power to keep that 90Hz AMOLED screen ticking along, for battery life to last surprisingly long – we didn’t expect it, given the trim design – and software that, if you tend to it with a bit of pruning from the off, has been more robust here than many other Xiaomi handsets we’ve seen in the recent past.
However, forego the 5G need, and there are lots of cheaper competitors that might also appeal, such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro. Similar grade handsets, such as the Moto G100, may also appeal – but, as far as we understand it, the Xiaomi undercuts that device’s price point, asserting its position as one of the top dogs in the affordable 5G market.
Also consider
Moto G100
A near-ish comparison in that there’s 5G and gaming-capable power for less than a flagship price. We prefer the Moto’s software, but the Xiaomi’s design has the upper hand in our view.
Motorola has announced several low-cost devices with big batteries and fast-refreshing displays this year, and now it’s offering its least expensive model yet: the Moto G20. Launching in Europe this week for €149 (about $180), it includes a 6.5-inch 720p LCD with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 5,000mAh battery. It’s the latest in a series of budget devices from Motorola targeting slightly different price points in the budget range, and it would likely have a place in the US market if the company chose to offer it in the States.
The G20 features a 48-megapixel main camera, 8-megapixel ultrawide, 2-megapixel macro and depth-sensing cameras, and a 13-megapixel selfie camera. Unlike other Moto G-series phones launched this year, the G20 does not use a Snapdragon chipset, offering instead a Unisoc T700 processor with 4GB of RAM. The device’s built-in storage of 64GB or 128GB can be expanded via microSD, and it will ship with Android 11.
The Moto G20 includes a 48-megapixel main camera along with an ultrawide.Photo: Motorola
There’s no indication whether the G20 will be sold in the US — the G100, G50, and G30 introduced earlier this year haven’t been offered stateside as of yet either. Motorola’s current US offerings are largely situated above the $200 mark, and there are rumblings that high-end Edge devices may be coming next. But with the void LG is leaving at the budget end of the market, Motorola certainly has a full portfolio of devices it could offer if it wanted to try to fill the gap.
Twitter is adding a new prompt to users’ timelines to help promote the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination effort, providing users around the world with the “latest vaccine info” in their particular country.
The new notice appears as a massive unmissable box at the top of users’ Twitter feeds on the iOS and Android apps, prompting users to “make sure you have the most up-to-date information on the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations.” (The prompt is so large that on my iPhone 12 Pro, it obscured all but a single tweet when I opened the app.)
Tapping that link takes you to a new Twitter event page with information about the vaccines, shown as a series of collected tweets from organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least in the US. The guide is broken up into several sections, into details on vaccine efficacy, potential side effects, advice for pregnant people, and more.
As COVID-19 vaccinations become more widely available, we want you to have access to the latest vaccine info in your country.
This week you’ll see a prompt in your timeline that links to sources about vaccine safety, efficacy, and news from public health experts.
— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) April 26, 2021
It’s the latest effort by a major tech company to help promote the COVID-19 vaccines and provide useful and accurate information to users. Facebook has recently added state-by-state vaccination information to its News Feed for US users, for example, while YouTube is running an ad campaign of PSAs to encourage people to get their shots.
Being able to play your PlayStation 4 and 5 games all around your house via Remote Play streaming is a neat feature, but the small number of officially supported devices means you’re stuck with Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, or another PlayStation. Enterprising coders determined to get an open-source Remote Play client running on a wider selection of devices have had it happily streaming on Linux for a while, and the humble Raspberry Pi, with its Debian-based OS, is the latest target, as shown in this video from Philippines-based Evoneg Tech.
To get it going you’ll need a Raspberry Pi 4, and a fork of the Chiaki streaming app from Github. Remote Play needs to be activated on your PS5, and you should pair a Bluetooth controller with your Pi (a DualShock will work fine, but make sure it’s not still paired with, and within range of, your console).
You’ll need to install a few dependencies first, then build the app on your Pi, so don’t jump in unless you’re comfortable with typing console commands. There’s a full guide to Pi installation on the project’s Github wiki. You’ll also need your PSN account ID, which can be extracted by following the steps here.
It works on both wired and wireless connections, and with a good connection you’ll get a 1080p/60fps connection. The devs say it also works on the PS4 Pro, but there’s no mention of the original PS4 console. Nintendo Switch owners should note that there’s a build of the app for their console too, but it has some very specific installation instructions.
Facebook is making it easier to never leave its app. The company’s partnership with Spotify is coming to fruition today in the form of a miniplayer for the News Feed that’ll allow people to play music and podcasts from within Facebook. Audio content can be shared from Spotify to Facebook, and once on Facebook, listeners can press play and listen to it even as they scroll around. It’ll be available on both iOS and Android and in 27 markets, including the US, at first. More will follow in the coming months. Users will also see the miniplayer on shared videos that have music in the background. A play button will surface after the video finishes where people can play the song.
Facebook listeners will hear the shared track, and once it ends, Spotify will continue to play music on shuffle, as it usually does. Free users will hear ads, too. The ads will come directly from Spotify, but Facebook will receive “limited data” about users trying the integration, including subscription type and metrics to assess the miniplayer’s performance. It won’t use this information to target ads, Spotify says, and listeners will have to consent to the data sharing when they first start the player.
This partnership comes along with a larger audio push from Facebook. The company announced multiple new features last week, including its Clubhouse competitor Live Audio Rooms as well as shareable, short sound clips called Soundbites. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg also emphasized an interest in podcasts, and this partnership is one way people will be able to listen to shows without sacrificing any Facebook time.
(Pocket-lint) – Flick your eyes over the Skoda Enyaq fast enough and, shocker, you might kind-of mistake it for a Tesla Model X from certain angles. No, there’s no crazy gullwing doors here. No, there’s not quite as much real-world range either (it’s not far off, on paper, at least). But, heck, the Skoda doesn’t half offer a whole lot for a lot less cash.
That’s where the Enyaq is going to really appeal. On top of that, despite being built upon the same platform as the Volkswagen ID.4 – VW Group owns Skoda, so that’s a given – the Skoda brings a little extra room for a little less money. It flips Audi Q5 grade costs on its head.
Even so, the Enyaq doesn’t really scrimp on its feature set, with a large infotainment screen included as standard, decent real-world range, and enough of the current must-have high-ride SUV appeal to be seen as a sensible option to a wide audience.
In many respects this could be the most sensible electric car option. But is being too sensible simply off-putting, or does Skoda have the appeal balanced just right?
Design & Interior
Trim levels (80 model): Loft, Lodge, Lounge, Suite, Ecosuite, Sportline
It’s all angles and elevated lines with the Enyaq – not quite to Tesla Cybertruck levels, mind – giving a distinctive look that’s still identifiably Skoda, as the various badges attached to the car will assert.
Pocket-lint
If you’re looking for an EV with decent real-world range, though, its comparable competition – such as the Kia e-Niro – go with overall gentler stylings. By comparison the Enyaq doesn’t blend into the background, while not being so obscure that it’s a head-turner for the wrong reasons – well, unless you add the optional light-up LED grille, perhaps, which’ll probably make it look like a birthday cake on wheels.
In many respects we prefer the Enyaq’s exterior aesthetic to the Volkswagen ID.4, as the Skoda just has more poise and less warbly roundedness about it. There are LED lights as standard, further adding to the visual prowess, while 19-inch alloys as the entry level (20- and 21-inch upgrades are available) add to the overall package.
Inside, it’s generally a treat too. There’s plenty of space, both front and back, with the driver and front passenger in particular getting access to most of the goodies. The seats are comfortable, the materials and plastics soft to the touch, and there’s ample space to store your various kit – from cubby holes to centre bins and cup-holders.
In terms of space the 585 litre boot is large, especially for an electric vehicle where batteries have to be hidden away (in the floor on this platform). Not that you get secondary space in the front under the bonnet – you might expect it, given the lack of an engine – but there’s still a good amount of family room in here. Enough even for a dog crate in the back, should you have a canine companion to cart around.
Comfort acquired, it’s less the sensation of the seats that’ll catch your eye, though, and more the 13-inch touch display that sits proudly off the centre of the dash. That’s a big screen to get as standard (there’s no larger option, not that one’s needed), which is great for seeing navigation and infotainment – whether you’re running with what Skoda offers or linking up Android Auto or Apple CarPlay to take care of things (side note: our Android phone took multiple attempts to function via MirrorLink, so it seems a tad glitchy right now).
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TECH IN ABUNDANCE
Good as the large screen is, it’s positioned a bit of a reach away – especially for a high-riding SUV seating position such as this. And you’ll need to reach numerous times because Skoda, just like VW, is super-keen on touchscreen controls. We had issues with that in the VW ID.3, and while the Enyaq has some remnants of that experience it’s otherwise a bit more polished and has some more sensible physical shortcut keys on the dash and rotational shortcut dials on the steering wheel – which is all for the better.
Realistically, we suspect it’s more a case of getting used to the fact that volume is controlled by a slider mechanism to the bottom of the screen, or that climate control – which can be quick-selected by a physical button – will require a quick tap of your desired mode, or an up/down adjustment of the always-on-display temperature. It’s not totally taxing, but still a whisker off the mark as to where this system could get to.
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The second notable screen is the driver’s Virtual Cockpit. This is far smaller scale, but therefore not distracting, and displays all the relevant at-a-glance information that you’ll want to see. Far more distracting, however, is the HUD (head-up display) with its optional augmented reality navigation system – which throws directional curves and arrows onto the panel to try and tell you where you’re turning. It’s a bit too videogame-overlay-like and we can’t really see why it’s useful – it’s more just distracting (just like it is in the original Mercedes implementation).
Additional safety and convenience features can be built into the Enyaq, too, with lane-keep, adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, and rear parking sensors all available – you’ll just have to pay extra for these add-on features. The more you opt for, the more complete the experience, which can be rather helpful for cruise driving over those longer motorway distances.
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So the interior is comfortable, packed with screens and useful information that you’ll learn to live with in little time. All we’d like is better integration with touchscreen options and a more driver-oriented screen to cut back on the arm-extended reach a little. Otherwise, as standard interiors go, this one is accomplished and kitted out.
Drive & Range
60 model: 58kWh battery, 256 mile range quoted
80 model: 77kWh battery, 333 mile range quoted
Regenerative braking paddle adjustment
Selectable drive modes
Rear-wheel drive only
So onto the big one: electric range, recharging and, well, battery anxiety. It’s all too common – especially given the UK’s lack of not only well-maintained, but fast-charging infrastructure – that the prospect of buying an EV can cause a bit of a lump in the throat. “Will it get me there and back no troubles?”
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Fortunately, the Skoda Enyaq is well equipped with potential range and the way in which that translates to real-world driving. We drove the ’80’ model, which has a 77kWh battery capacity; there’s also the ’60’ model, which is more affordable and has a smaller 58kWh battery capacity.
We can’t speak of the 60, having not driven it, but the 80 is claimed to deliver up to 333 miles (that’s 535km) according to WLTP standards. As ever, those figures are a bit of a reach – upon getting into our fully-charged Enyaq it told us 210 miles were at our disposal (admittedly in 10C temperatures, which always affects these things). That’s quite the discrepancy though.
Really, we think, WLTP standards should be changed to better reflect real-world conditions. Because, actually, we’ve been impressed by the Enyaq’s range – and, in particular, consistency in delivering feedback on that available range.
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Having driven away with 210 miles ‘on the clock’, some 16 miles in and the car was telling us we had 206 miles remaining, its regenerative braking clearly being top-drawer at clawing back the miles. Those figures continued to fluctuate a little – but, at the end of our three hours of driving, the distance travelled reflected the change in available range very accurately.
All in all, the car was telling us we’d get about 3.4 miles per kW, so a 250 mile range (420km) is genuinely achievable by our assessment – across all kinds of driving styles and speeds.
You’re not going to buy an Enyaq for thrills and spills, as that’s not the point of such a car, but with instant torque from that rear-wheel drive electric motor there’s immediacy to pulling away, while overtakes won’t be a problem with 0-60mph speeds of around 8 seconds. Given this car is over 2.3 tonnes, that’s not bad going for a mid-size SUV.
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Behind the wheel, irrelevant of drive mode selected (there’s marginal differences between whether you’re in eco or sport), everything feels rather serene and quiet. The Enyaq presses on, not quite as spritely as some EVs we’ve driven, but in a refined manner. It’s a real smooth operator in all kinds of driving conditions.
So not only is the real-world range admirable, the interior comfortable, the standard tech kit commendable, but this EV is a total breeze to drive too. It hits a whole lot of sweetspots, that’s for sure.
Verdict
That’s the sum of it: the Skoda Enyaq, as the marque’s first dedicated all-electric vehicle, is a sound and sensible investment. It undercuts the VW ID.4 in most regards, without really compromising on what you get. It’s got the Tesla Model X appeal – but for those who could never afford such a car.
Sure, there’s some foibles – the infotainment screen has its VW-owed irks, a lot is excessively touch-based, and it’s a bit of a reach to get to physically – but for a spacious, comfortable, decent real-world ranged EV, the Enyaq hits a lot of those (not virtual) buttons.
It’s a breeze to drive, is sensible without erring towards being too boring and, crucially, its asking price is enough to make you ponder the near competition. As mid-size electric SUVs go, the Skoda Enyaq is one smooth operator.
Writing by Mike Lowe.
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