The Android 12 developer preview is out, and the internet is busy poring over it to find any new features or hints at the OS’s future. So far, there have been a few interesting things discovered, such as an Emergency SOS feature, some redesigns, and other useful, if minor, finds:
The ability to prevent specific apps from showing media controls in quick settings
The ability to wirelessly share Wi-Fi passwords to people nearby with the tap of a button
An update to Markup that lets you put emoji (and text) on screenshots
Bluetooth pairing options are now included in the media picker
A reduce bright colors accessibility option
Improved gamepad rumble support
A toggle switch redesign (that looks really nice in my opinion)
As pointed out by Android Police, the Emergency SOS feature is also much easier to access now. Before, making an emergency call required you to hold the power button down, tap the emergency button, then tap twice on the Call 911 button. In Android 12, however, it can be activated by rapidly pressing the power button five times, which will trigger a countdown telling you that an emergency call is about to be placed.
Android Police notes that, by default, it calls 911. You can set it to call a different number, but if the number isn’t a government-run emergency line, your phone will have to be unlocked for the call to go through.
The process for accessing the Emergency Call feature in Android 11.Screenshots: Sean Hollister / The Verge
There have been a few minor redesigns of the Settings app search bar and the lock screen and notification media player, but Mishaal Rahman found a feature flag that “dramatically” changes the settings UI to be easier to use one-handed.
BIG change: If you enable the “Silky home” feature flag that I previously mentioned, you’ll get a DRAMATICALLY changed Settings UI that’s MUCH more one-handed friendly. Here are a few screenshots: pic.twitter.com/EcwqnU0LlB
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 18, 2021
9to5Google has also found that some screens in the settings app have blue-tinted backgrounds. It speculates that it could be part of a rumored theming system, but at the moment, it seems very unfinished.
Image: 9to5Google
Of course, notifications have also gotten a redesign, with 9to5Google noting that there’s a dedicated snooze button now, and the icon bubbles are now much larger. This looks like it reduces the density of notifications, but it’s still very early days for Android 12, so it’s possible changes could be made or toggles could be added to control whether you want to see the larger app icon.
The app icon bubbles are now larger.Image: 9to5Google
There are also a few features that are hinted at, or even have settings present, but currently don’t seem to work or aren’t enabled, including:
Scrolling screenshots
A Pixel 5 double-tap feature
A one-handed mode
Privacy toggles to turn cameras and microphones off system-wide
Given the early state of the developer preview, it’s not really meant for day-to-day use on your main phone. And as with all betas, these features and designs are subject to change in new releases. Still, it’s a tantalizing glimpse at the future of Android and the features Google is adding to an already feature-packed mature OS.
Some owners of previous-generation Pixel phones are having serious trouble with their cameras. Android Police has noticed a recent increase in one-star Play Store reviews for the camera app used by the Pixel, with frustrated owners saying the camera often crashes upon opening or no longer works at all. A thread in Google’s Pixel support forum features similar complaints. The Pixel 2 XL seems to be cited most often for experiencing the problem, but some posters say they’re having trouble with devices as recent as the 3 or 4A.
It’s not an entirely new problem. Android Police has been tracking camera issues that have plagued Pixel 2 phones primarily over the last year, and it notes more devices seem to be affected now. Owners say that Google’s suggested fixes don’t remedy the problem and that they experience the same problem when using third-party camera apps. The Pixel 2 series recently got its last security update, but there’s no logical reason why the camera should stop functioning as a result.
It’s an unfortunate bug, especially considering that many folks chose a Pixel phone because of its high-quality camera. While Pixel image quality has fallen behind other flagship competition recently, budget devices like the 4A and 4A 5G offer some of the best cameras in their class. But the best camera is the one that keeps functioning when you need it, so we hope to see Google address these user concerns. We’ve reached out to Google asking for confirmation of the issue and if a fix is on the way and will update this article with any information we get.
Update February 18th, 2:10PM ET: Google released the first of its Android 12 developer previews, so we’ve updated the info in this post to be relevant if you want to install it on your phone. The instructional photos might include a mention of Android 11, but we’ve ensured the steps are still accurate.
You can try out the Android 12 developer preview software right now if you have a Pixel 3 or later, but it’s understandable if the idea of flashing your device to install the OS is intimidating. It can be a tricky process, and the steps differ slightly depending on what phone you have and what kind of computer you’re going to use to download the software. But Google itself makes this process much more streamlined.
Google’s Android Flash Tool is a web application that handles most of the steps of flashing for you. There are a few steps that you’ll need to do yourself before the new software can be installed, which we’ll walk you through below, but Google’s tool basically eliminates most of the hassle and complexity that makes it easy to mess up.
There are a few important notes to make up here at the top. First, once you flash your phone with the developer preview, your device will get all future developer preview and beta updates over the air. In other words, you won’t need to flash your phone again when new builds of Android 12 are released. Just head to your system settings and fetch an update.
The second note is just your standard disclaimer that you do this at your own risk. This is unfinished software, and installing it could lead to malfunctions with your device or to software that you usually use. And depending on settings that you adjust in the Android Flash Tool, you might have to wipe all of the data from your phone. So proceed with caution.
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Is my phone compatible with Android 12?
The Android 12 developer preview is compatible with the Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3A, Pixel 3A XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4A, Pixel 4A 5G, and the Pixel 5. It’s possible that Google will broaden the list of devices supported by Android 12 in the upcoming beta, but for now, you’ll need one of those phones to get the software.
What browser do I need to use to flash my phone?
Google says that you can use any browser that supports the WebUSB API, which is supported by Chrome as well as Microsoft Edge version 79 and later. The Android Flash Tool works with all the major operating systems, including Linux, macOS, Chrome OS, and Windows 10, though browser compatibility may vary depending on your OS.
Step 1: Activate these three settings on your Android phone
Enable the Developer Options menu in your phone. First, open the Settings app. For phones running Android 8 (Oreo), click System. Otherwise, if your phone has Android 7 (Nougat) or later, scroll down to About Phone, then find Build Number. Tap Build Number seven times to enable Developer Options.
Turn on USB debugging (this lets your phone and computer communicate via USB) within the Developer Options menu. To do this, head to Settings > System > Advanced > Developer Options. You’ll find USB debugging with just a little scrolling down.
Enable OEM unlocking. This option is also part of the Developer Options menu, further up the page than where you found USB debugging. If that option isn’t available for you to enable, that might be because it’s already enabled.
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Step 2: Connect your phone to your computer and get started
If you use Windows 10, you’ll need to install this driver first for your phone to be recognized. People using macOS or Linux don’t need a driver.
Connect your phone to your computer with a USB cable. Then visit this page to proceed.
The Android Flash Tool will ask for permission to access ADB keys in a pop-up window, which is necessary to install software on your phone. You’ll need to tap “OK” to proceed with this process.
You’ll need to hit OK to proceed with the installation.
Click “Select device.” Your device should appear in a pop-up window on your computer, so go ahead and click it.
Once you do that, you should now see a request on your phone that says “Allow USB debugging?” You’ll also see a long string of numbers and letters that should match up with what your PC shows if you click the gear icon on the Android Flash Tool page. On your phone, check the box next to “Always allow from this computer,” then tap Allow.
After that, your device should show up on the Android Flash Tool as being connected. Click on the box with the name of your device to proceed.
Once your device shows up as being connected, click into it.
You’ll want to pay attention to what appears in the “Selected build” section of the Flash Tool (see below). It should say “Android 12 Developer Preview 1.” Before you hit the blue “Install” button at the bottom of the page, I recommend tapping the pencil icon next to “Selected build” and checking the “Lock Bootloader” box. This will lock the bootloader after this process is complete, leaving you with a more secure device than if it remained unlocked.
Select the “Lock Bootloader” option, which will lock your bootloader after the software installation is complete.
The next window basically tells you to stop interacting with your phone during the rest of this process unless asked to do so and to not unplug your device. If you’re in a position to proceed, go ahead.
Make sure your data is backed up before you proceed.
One more prompt before getting started: a license agreement. You need to agree to the terms of the Android Software Development Kit License Agreement, which you can find here.
After you hit “I accept,” your phone will reboot into its bootloader screen. If nothing happens for a few seconds, don’t worry. You may also see a window pop up on your computer that says “Reselect your device.” In that case, leave your phone alone and select “Reselect device” on the computer. According to Google, your phone might be renamed “Android,” though it might just be identified with the model name (e.g., Pixel 3).
If you haven’t flashed software before, Google will probably need to unlock your bootloader to proceed with the installation. Keep in mind that doing this will trigger a factory reset on your phone. If you haven’t backed up your data, you’ll lose everything. Once you agree, you’ll need to allow the bootloader to unlock on your phone. To do this, use the volume keys to navigate to the option that says “Unlock the bootloader,” then hit the power button once to confirm.
After that, the Android Flash Tool will begin to download and install the software. You can continue to watch along, but don’t touch your phone at this point, even though it will restart several times. Just keep an eye on the progress using the Android Flash Tool page on your computer.
At this point, you can just sit and wait for the Android Flash Tool to wrap things up.
Once you’re all done, the phone will reboot one last time, and over on your PC, you’ll be met with a celebratory screen. You’re all done! And thankfully, you won’t have to go through this process again for the next Android 12 update — easy as this was. You’ll automatically receive updates to the developer preview over the air.
Facebook is now rolling out multiuser support as an experimental feature for Oculus Quest 2 headsets, the company announced on Thursday. The primary account holder will be able to add up to three additional accounts to one device. Facebook is also rolling out app sharing as an experimental feature for the Quest 2, which will allow accounts on one device to access the apps owned by the primary account holder.
For now, the new features are exclusive to the Oculus Quest 2, but Facebook plans to bring them to all Quest users “eventually.”
There are a few other caveats to be aware of. Facebook began requiring people to log in to their Quest headsets with their Facebook accounts last year, and that controversial rule still applies to everyone who signs in to one headset. Apps can only be shared by the primary account holder to other accounts logged in to a Quest device.
And not all apps support app sharing just yet. It will work with all new apps in the Quest Store, but Facebook says “a limited number of existing games will not yet be available through App Sharing unless players purchase their own copy.”
Google is releasing a developer preview for the next version of Android, Android 12, for Pixel devices today. As is the norm for Google, the very first previews of Android are full of a lot of developer-facing changes. Android 12 has updates to how the OS handles images, video, and future security updates.
It’s also the norm for Google to hold some of the major UI changes in reserve for its Google I/O conference, typically held in May. Although this developer preview does include some changes to the UI for notifications, until we install it we won’t know how closely it will map to the leak we saw earlier this month.
It’s available for Pixel 3 and newer phones but needs to be manually installed by flashing your device. It’s likely nowhere near ready for day-to-day use, but Google is promising that it will continue its beta program for regular users later this year.
Although the point of this first preview is to give developers a jump-start on getting their apps ready for the new version of Android, there are still features that should make a tangible difference to users. Specifically, Android is going to become more adept at handling different types of media.
Google did not provide images of Android 12’s user interface ahead of time. We will update this post with more details and images as soon as we are able.
New media formats in Android 12
There will be a new transcoding layer that will automatically make the HEVC video format work in apps that don’t natively support them. Currently, choosing to shoot in HEVC on an Android phone may mean that third-party apps won’t be able to natively use that video. The new transcoding layer for those apps should let users make the switch with more confidence.
Android 12 will support spatial audio, support MPEG-H, and be optimized for up to 24 channels of audio (up from eight before). It will also make it easier for developers to tie rumble effects to audio.
Google appears to be throwing its weight behind the AV1 Image File Format — otherwise known as AVIF. AVIF is meant to replace JPGs as the de facto image format, offering much better and cleaner compression with fewer artifacts. Netflix in particular has been a big proponent of the format. If AV1 sounds familiar, that’s because it’s an offshoot of the AV1 video format that major tech companies proposed some years back and both Netflix and Google have partially adopted. AVIF also isn’t to be confused with the similar HEIF, which Apple’s cameras have been shooting for some time.
Google says that it does not intend to make AVIF the default image format for the camera app, so this is still just a first step.
Sticking with multimedia, Android 12 will simply do a better job moving different kinds of media between apps. It’s creating a new “Rich content insertion” API that will let you cut and paste or drag and drop multiple kinds of content, including “plain and styled text to markup, images, videos, audio files, and more.”
A leaked look at Android 12. As of publication we don’t know precisely how accurate this is, but it lines up with Google’s description in its blog post.Image: XDA-Developers
Android 12 interface changes
We will need to install the developer preview ourselves to get a closer look at the changes Google is introducing right now. Its blog post describes what’s new in somewhat general terms. It’s a safe bet that what Google is showing today will be a hint to larger changes due later in the year. Whether those changes really will match up with the leaked screenshots you see above remains to be seen.
Here’s how Google describes the changes it is making to notifications:
We’re refreshing notification designs to make them more modern, easier to use, and more functional. In this first preview you’ll notice changes from the drawer and controls to the templates themselves. We’re also optimizing transitions and animations across the system to make them more smooth. As part of the updates, for apps targeting Android 12 we’re decorating notifications with custom content with icon and expand affordances to match all other notifications.
The app icons do line up with the leaked screenshot above, though, again, that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what the final version will look like. The “expand affordances” also line up — the downward-pointing caret you can see in the screenshot above would be easier to tap than the current system. Google also notes that it is asking developers to use an API that makes apps open up more quickly in the right spot when a user taps a notification.
Finally, Google says that it is changing how Android 12 will behave when you’re in a full-screen app like a video, a Kindle book, or a video game. Currently, it often takes two gestures to exit out of those apps — one to bring up the UI, another to actually exit out. With Android 12, Google says that it is “changing the default to allow users to navigate their phone with one swipe.”
Changes under the hood
In 2019, Google started updating certain components deep inside the Android OS directly, rather than waiting for carriers to push through a major update. Dubbed “Project Mainline,” it meant Google could issue security updates for critical parts of Android using the Google Play infrastructure. Ever since, it’s been adding more pieces of Android to the Mainline system. Android 12’s big addition to this system is the Android Runtime (ART), a fundamental subsystem for making Android apps run. The aforementioned media transcoder will also become a Mainline module.
Android 12 will have a few privacy and security updates, but they won’t be as prominently visible to users. The WebView engine that third-party apps use will adopt one of Chrome’s more recent cookie settings called “SameSite,” which could help mitigate some tracking. Google says that “more privacy and security features [will be] coming in later preview releases.”
Android recently began requiring apps to pop a notification when it needs to run a background activity — which turns out to be really distracting. In Android 12, Google says it “will be blocking foreground service starts from the background,” redirecting developers to a new API. If one of these background activities can finish up in less than 10 seconds, it may not need to display a notification at all.
Google is also releasing an Android 12 preview for Android TV right away, including giving developers the chance to test their apps on Google’s own Google TV platform.
What’s next for Android 12
Google is releasing the developer preview today, but again, it requires that you flash your device’s system image, so really it’s meant for developers only right now. Google says it will work on a “Pixel 3 / 3 XL, Pixel 3a / 3a XL, Pixel 4 / 4 XL, Pixel 4a / 4a 5G, or Pixel 5 device” or developers can simply run it inside the Android emulator.
There will be a public beta at some point, but expect it to take a few months. And if Google follows its past habits, there will be a more comprehensive look at what’s coming in Android 12 in May (or possibly June).
Last year, Android’s “platform stability” release came in early July, but this year Google is targeting August — the official release usually comes shortly thereafter. That could mean that Android 12 will arrive just a little later in the year than usual.
In the meantime, we and others will be digging in to the developer preview to see what other details we can find. More often than not there are enough hints scattered throughout the code to give us a good idea of Google’s final plans for Android.
The Apple TV app is now available for Google’s 2020 Chromecast. It was announced in December that Apple’s streaming app, which offers access to its Apple TV Plus originals, would be coming to the awkwardly named Chromecast with Google TV. Starting today, owners of the excellent $50 device can download Apple TV and start using it.
Apple TV originals like Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, and For All Mankind will appear in Google TV’s recommendations and search results. Of note, you’ll also be able to add Apple’s original shows and movies to Google TV’s universal Watchlist. Some bigger streaming services like Netflix have decided against participating in Watchlist in the months since the Chromecast’s release, as they seemingly prefer to keep that sort of functionality inside the app itself. As 9to5Google reported in November, the Google TV mobile app doesn’t even include Netflix recommendations anymore.
Apple TV is also getting Google Assistant integration on Chromecast; you can start watching any of Apple’s originals with a voice command.
In addition to being home to Apple’s original programming, the Apple TV app offers easy streaming of your movie / TV show rentals and purchases from Apple. And as on other platforms, any Apple TV Channel add-on subscriptions you might have — CBS All Access, Showtime, etc. — will be available in the app on Chromecast with Google TV.
Jonathan Zepp, Google’s director of media and entertainment, says that “in addition to Chromecast with Google TV, the Apple TV app will also be available on Google TVs from Sony and TCL.”
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Amazon’s new Fire TV Stick is a $39.99 streaming dongle that’s aimed at people who haven’t yet made the upgrade to a 4K TV — and don’t intend to anytime soon. It maxes out at 1080p video resolution, but offers support for modern tricks like HDR and Dolby Atmos surround sound. That’s a weird zone to be in when rival products like the Chromecast with Google TV go all-in on 4K for not much more money.
Even Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K, which works just fine with older TVs, is only 10 bucks more at $49.99. So the Fire TV Stick (and cheaper Fire TV Stick Lite) are really only recommended if you’re positive your HDTV isn’t going anywhere for a few years to come.
If that’s your situation, you’re definitely getting a more powerful streamer than before. Amazon says the new Fire TV Stick is 50 percent faster than the previous version — but it looks identical on the outside. It’s still a matte black stick that plugs into one of your TV’s HDMI ports. You attach a Micro USB cable to it for power, toss some batteries in the Alexa voice remote, and you’re off and running. This is the same full-fledged remote that comes with Amazon’s pricier streaming devices, so in addition to playback and navigation controls, you get some extra buttons (power and volume) for controlling your TV with it. The Fire TV Stick Lite’s remote doesn’t include those.
The Fire TV Stick’s remote has buttons for controlling your TV power and volume.
The improved performance is noticeable. Amazon’s older Fire TV Stick could sometimes get hung up or slow down when scrolling around or opening apps, but I rarely encountered anything of the sort with this new model. It feels on par with the more premium 4K-capable Fire TV products in terms of speed. Voice searches with the Alexa remote were similarly quick, whether I was searching for a certain show or asking about the weather.
Expect mixed results when it comes to HDR and Dolby Atmos support. In my tests, Prime Video and Disney Plus did a good job getting the most out of the Fire TV Stick’s video and audio specs and regularly delivered both HDR and Atmos, but you’ll find that not all services will serve those with a 1080p stream. Both HDR10 and HDR10+ are supported by the Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite, but Dolby Vision is not. Video frame rates of up to 60fps are supported now, compared to the 30fps ceiling on the prior hardware. That’s a nice upgrade for sports and watching video game streams on Twitch.
The Fire TV Stick plugs directly into any available HDMI port.
Amazon’s app selection is excellent, though there is one notable omission: NBCUniversal’s Peacock service still hasn’t been made available on the platform. Everything else, including Apple TV Plus, HBO Max, and other apps, can easily be downloaded. When you set up the Fire TV Stick, Amazon suggests a number of streaming apps to install right off the bat, though the list doesn’t include all the popular favorites. (Everything is easily downloadable after the fact.) Getting the remote configured with your TV’s volume and power controls is also a snap.
The new Fire TV experience
Perhaps more interesting than the new hardware is the overhauled software experience that’s first debuting on the Fire TV stick before arriving on the company’s other devices. Aside from cleaning up and simplifying the main menu navigation — there are now just four tabs to choose between, in addition to your favorite apps — it also introduces multiuser profiles. You can create up to six profiles, and it’s possible to designate them as kid profiles that are limited to age-appropriate streaming content. Each user gets their own personalized viewing history, recommendations, watch list, and live TV preferences. As for apps, you can choose which six apps appear on the main menu and easily get to your others with a click.
The new Fire TV experience still has ads that have nothing to do with streaming.
The Library tab is where you’ll find your purchases, rentals, and watch list. Home is essentially the same as before, giving heavy preference to all things Prime Video (and IMDb TV, which Amazon also owns). The order of rows will dynamically adjust based on your viewing habit, but not to the point where it makes things confusing: your “up next” and recent apps stay up near the top. With the new Find tab, you can dig deeper into dedicated areas for movies, TV, genres, or other categories like “free,” which highlights ad-sponsored streaming channels. (This section is also now where the app store is found.) The last tab is for live TV, which integrates with services like Hulu, Sling TV, and YouTube TV to show a traditional channel guide on-screen where you can quickly access live programming.
But the main frustration of the new Fire TV software remains the same as it was before: there’s an over-abundance of sponsored content. Within a few clicks down on the home tab, I saw a full-width ad banner for Honda trucks and SUVs. And as you progress down the carousels of content, it becomes clear that many of them are sponsored. These are a few I saw as I moved down the Home tab:
Pluto TV — free movies and TV shows — sponsored
Sponsored: Prime Video Cinema
Sponsored: This week on Fire TV
Sponsored: Apps and games
Amazon’s content still gets pushed heavily across the software.
This spon-con is interwoven with genuinely useful rows like “movies we think you’ll like” and “top-rated TV shows,” so it’s not egregious or enough to ruin the overall experience. You could also argue that Amazon is just being more transparent and obvious with its sponsored sections, versus competitors who might mix them in alongside general algorithm recommendations. But it still leaves you with the feeling that there’s a lot of advertising real estate for sale throughout the Fire TV experience.
The new Find tab does a better job than the Home tab at aggregating TV shows and films from your various subscriptions — not unlike what Google tries to accomplish with its Google TV software. Amazon was one of the first to push the idea of prioritizing content over a more app-centric layout (like what’s on a Roku or Apple TV), but in some ways Google has already pulled ahead. On Fire TV, it’s never clear which service you’ll be watching content through until you click into a title. Google does a better job making clear what’s coming from where right on the main menu. But to Amazon’s credit, there are helpful filters for things like “free to me” and “rent or buy” to help you whittle down the selection.
The all-new Find tab makes it quick to find content that’s free to watch.
When you’re browsing around, this new Fire TV experience all feels very familiar. Amazon might have switched up the home screen, but on the whole, this isn’t a drastic makeover. I like how on the title page for any show or movie, it’s very quick and convenient to scroll through other things that the cast has appeared in. And you still get the handy “more ways to watch” to see where else you can stream something, with existing subscriptions and ad-sponsored services given preference above paid options.
But some areas of the interface still need refinement. For example, I got a notification that said “some content is provided by Verizon” with a disclaimer that the company might collect viewing data — with no indication of which app the notification was actually for. I assume it was for one of the live news services, but there was no confirmation that it was.
The new Fire TV experience will come to other products in March. It’s definitely an improvement over what was there before, and the profile options will prove useful for parents and people with shared living spaces. It’s available first on the Fire TV Stick, but I don’t think that’s reason enough to get Amazon’s $40 player.
I’m sure Amazon has all the data in the world to show that this product makes sense, but buying a 1080p streaming device in 2021 seems ill-advised. This feels like something Amazon should just be giving away to Prime subscribers as a freebie. You’d be much better off in terms of future-proofing by spending extra — not much extra, really — for the Fire TV Stick 4K if you constantly stream from Prime Video and will put the remote’s Alexa capabilities to use. If you’re not big on Amazon’s ecosystem, then something like the new Chromecast or a Roku streamer would be a more sensible buy. The latest Fire TV Stick is faster than before and comes with sleeker software, but it’s still not cut out for a 4K streaming world.
Provided they fit, Panasonic’s most premium true wireless earbuds prove classy options
For
Expansive detailed presentation
Excellent noise cancelling
Superb touch controls
Against
Fit could be an issue
Panasonic is a name more readily associated with quality TVs and Blu-ray players, but the firm has finally moved into the highly competitive true wireless earbuds market with two pairs. The more expensive of those, the Panasonic RZ-S500W, feature noise-cancelling technology (unlike the other, more affordable RZ-S300W) and are the model we have on test here.
As you might expect from a product by a major consumer electronics brand like Panasonic, the RZ-S500W’s spec sheet is pretty comprehensive. It includes Dual Hybrid Noise Cancelling Technology achieved through use of feedback coupled to analog and digital processing; an Ambient Mode to amplify surrounding noise when the time is right; twin beamforming microphones to increase the clarity of voices and reduce noise during calls; and a total of 19.5 hours of playtime with noise-cancelling activated (6.5 hours from the buds, 13 from the charging case).
The RZ-S500W initially launched at £169 ($199), but already that asking price has been reduced so it now hovers around the £100 ($150) mark. Should the competition be worried? We’re about to find out.
Comfort
(Image credit: Panasonic)
The smooth, matte plastic earpieces and their case resist smudges from our fingerprints well. The case is pocketable and features a premium-feel set of three white LEDs for battery life. The magnets to keep the lid shut are perhaps a little weaker than we’d like, but provided you keep it in your bag or your pocket the earbuds should be fine.
Inside each earpiece is an 8mm Neodymium driver, and the housings feature metallic accents around the circular top surface of each unit. Part of this visual flourish is a blue LED light, which flashes periodically when the headphones are paired and red when the buds are charging. At 21mm across and 31mm long, the housings are on the larger side, protruding a little from the ears when worn. The neck of each is angled ergonomically, but it is also fairly long – a consideration for those who aren’t used to more intrusive in-ears.
Five sizes of good-quality ear tips are supplied and easy to switch. However, even after downsizing from the standard size, the RZ-S500W aren’t the most secure pair of in-ears we’ve come across – even a brusque walk can be enough to knock one of the earpieces loose. Obviously, not getting a good seal will affect the sound presentation for dynamics, bass and detail, too, so it’s worth spending the time to get the fit right.
Build
(Image credit: Panasonic)
We download the Panasonic Audio Connect app, which offers initial prompts to help pair the headphones for the first time. Although the app doesn’t look particularly slick or new, it functions well and never crashes during testing.
On the app’s homepage, you can view your headphones and the battery life remaining in each earpiece. Below this are two tabs labelled ‘Ambient Sound Control’ and ‘Sound Enhancement’. Click on the former and you get two sliding controls to select the noise cancelling and ambient sound levels, plus a toggle to turn them off entirely. The latter pulls up four options: ‘Bass Enhancer’ and ‘Clear Voice’ sound profile presets, an ‘Equaliser’ tab with five sliders to tweak the sound, and an ‘Off’ toggle to listen at neutral.
Along the bottom of the screen, you can see the current listening volume, which is a useful touch, and in the top right is an Alexa icon. Tap it and, provided you’ve downloaded the Alexa app, you can add the RZ-S500W as accessories. Doing this means that long-touching the left bud now offers a direct line to Alexa, rather than the Siri default on our iPhone.
Other neat features include a USB-C quick-charge so that a 15-minute re-juice can deliver 70 minutes of playback, even with noise cancelling deployed. An IPX4 rating means that the earpieces should be able to handle a rainy day, too.
The twin beamforming mics ensure clear calls throughout our tests. The Bluetooth 5.0 connection is solid, though it’s worth noting that the superior aptX and aptX HD Bluetooth codecs aren’t supported.
(Image credit: Panasonic)
Touch capacitive panels on each bud are possibly the most responsive and intuitive we’ve tested within an in-ear design. They never fail to respond to our touch, but they also seem to realise when we’re simply adjusting them in our ears rather than pressing for a response.
Play, pause and volume control are done with the left earpiece; track skipping with the right. Touching the right earpiece for two seconds scrolls between the three main noise cancelling profiles (ambient sound, noise cancelling and off), but these can be further customised in the app depending on the amount of noise-cancelling or background noise you’d prefer. It’s refreshing to find on-device controls as reliable and user-friendly as these.
The noise cancelling is exceptionally good, too – so good in fact that with the noise cancelling slider set to max, we actually feel a little disorientated when standing outside near a busy road. This isn’t a criticism of the RZ-S500W – some people experience low-level balance issues when using noise-cancelling headphones – but it’s a sure sign that consistent external sounds are being largely eliminated, especially at lower frequencies.
We find the ambient sound profile just as effective, and because the touch capacitive controls are so good it is quick to deploy them without reaching for your phone. There’s no auto-off wearer detection, but at this level and with these notable talents, the RZ-S500W look impressive value for money.
Sound
(Image credit: Panasonic)
Setting all sound enhancements to neutral, we stream Eric Clapton’s Cocaine on Tidal. Slowhand’s bassy guitar riffs have ample space to shine within the spacious and cohesive mix. This particular track always makes us think that Clapton didn’t want his vocal to take centre stage, and the RZ-S500W oblige, paying his lyrics just enough attention to resonate without any hint of muddying the guitar. Before You Accuse Me is a greater test of the Panasonics’ treble frequencies and it’s a clear, agile and sparkling performance.
Switching to DJ Snake’s Taki Taki (a Tidal Master), we find agility through the low end and textured vocals across the frequencies. In direct comparison, even the Award-winning Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 suffer marginally for detail. The reggaeton track starts off quietly, almost as if played in a tunnel, and the Panasonics easily match the Cambridge Audios for the nuanced build through the intro.
Our playlist continues to Daddy Yankee and Snow’s Con Calma and the Panasonics continue to time well, with a sensible dollop of energy through the rise and fall of each beat. The sound is refined, clear, agile and never harsh. If we’re really nitpicking, it might err on the side of subtlety over fun – but it never underplays our music’s meatiness and excitement.
We stream Lascia Ch’io Pianga from Handel’s opera Rinaldo, and the piano feels nicely three dimensional beside a clear bass with plenty of depth. When the emotive build of the keys comes in – the kind of musical passage that heightens our emotions – we hear that marginal cautiousness in terms of dynamic build. Again, at this price, it almost feels churlish to mention it.
As we move on to Fractals (Truth 4) by Jessica Moss, the snaking, skulking build of the strings is as impactful through the RZ-S500W as it can be at this level. We sample the same track through the more affordable, also Award-winning Earfun Air, and there is plenty of difference in terms of nuance and detail. The Earfuns present a zealous sound with plenty of snap, but the Panasonics offer an extra ounce of detail and transparency. At this level, spending just a little more can often pay dividends, and that’s certainly the case here.
Verdict
At their original asking price, these Panasonic true wireless earbuds faced plenty of tough competition in the true wireless market. However, with the price having dropped considerably, their noise-cancelling, performance, touch-capacitive controls, in-app features and general build quality are nothing short of superb for the money.
The Panasonic RZ-S500W feel like a far more expensive product, because it is. The bottom line is that the sound here is as detailed, accurate and transparent as this money can currently buy in a true wireless design. Just make sure they suit your ears.
YouTube has announced a new “add-on” package for YouTube TV that lets viewers stream shows in 4K or save them to their DVR for offline viewing.
In a blog post today, YouTube’s Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan also told investors the new features would bring “unlimited concurrent streams at home, so the whole family can enjoy YouTube TV on different screens at once.”
Currently, YouTube TV users are limited to three concurrent streams whereas rival streaming service Netflix allows 4K streaming on up to four devices – provided you subscribe to itspremium tier, of course.
YouTube TV subscribers currently pay $65 per month for 85+ live TV channels, plus a host of on-demand movies and TV shows. It’s thought the upcoming 4K “add-on” will trigger a price hike, though YouTube has yet to confirm anything.
There’s also no word on what 4K content will be make available. YouTube already offers a handful of 4K movies to buy or rent but there’s talk of the company offering major live sporting events – such as the Olympics and the Super Bowl – in 4K, too.
The blog post does make it clear why YouTube TV is raising its game: while most YouTube videos are watched on mobile, TV is the company’s “fastest area of growth”.
There’s no official release date for the new features, but 9to5Google has spotted that the latest version of the YouTube TV app offers offline viewing on selected Android devices.
MORE:
Our pick of the best streaming services for TV and movies
YouTube TV offers free Chromecast
Stream on: the best TV streaming devices for every budget
(Pocket-lint) – The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 has been around long enough to be considered an evergreen laptop series. It’s an XPS 13 with a full fold-out hinge. You can prop it up in a “tent” position, set it up as an in-bed mini TV, or use it like a laptop.
Big real-world upgrades for 2021 are all about the progress Intel has made. The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 has one of Intel’s Xe graphics chipsets. It lets you play games that just weren’t in the conversation for integrated graphics a while back, like The Witcher 3.
There are a couple of problems though: the latest XPS 13 2-in-1 costs a small fortune. And it has an extremely shallow keyboard that we don’t find all that comfortable for typing. You’ll have to decide how much these points matter to you, because the XPS 13 2-in-1 is otherwise hard to criticise in other respects.
Design
Dimensions: 297 x 207 x 14.35mm
Weight: 1.32 kg (1.29kg measured)
CNC machined aluminium casing
The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is like a regular XPS 13 subjected to several dozen yoga retreats. It has the familiar carbon fibre keyboard rest, an ultra-stiff aluminium lid, and a metal underside. But the hinge folds all the way around until the back of the lid meets the bottom.
These hybrid laptops were more popular years ago. Real hot stuff, y’know. But it’s a good idea to have a think about whether you’ll actually appreciate the flexibility on offer for the added price premium.
Pocket-lint
That hinge obviously doesn’t come for free. But it is decent, avoiding much of the wobble often seen in less well-designed hybrid laptops. There’s also no glaring sign this 2-in-1 is actually a hybrid. The hinge isn’t big or built-up, there’s just a little more clearance around its main bits.
Real talk: we think the standard XPS 13’s minimalist keyboard plate is more attractive, but there’s not much in it.
Best laptop 2021: Top general and premium notebooks for working from home and more
By Dan Grabham
·
You buy an XPS 13 series laptop for its distinctive carbon fibre style and excellent build, not for show-off weight and thickness stats. However, Dell has done its best to minimise the 2-in-1’s footprint. Screen borders on all sides are slim, if not class-leading, and the display has a 16:10 aspect ratio rather than the usual 16:9 – making a laptop that’s less wide per inch of display diagonal.
Screen
13.4-inch 1920 x 1200 IPS LCD screen
500-nit brightens (550 nits measured)
Flexi-hinge touchscreen
The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 has a 13.4-inch IPS LCD touchscreen, which is available in two resolutions: more affordable versions have a Full HD+ (1920 x 1200 pixel) display; pricier ones have a UHD+ (3840 x 2400) one.
Ours has the lower resolution display. Your Windows 10 home screen icons and document fonts won’t look as sharp as they would on the 4K version, but the choice here isn’t simple as price versus quality.
Pocket-lint
The high-res XPS 13 2-in-1 will last significantly less long between charges. And, resolution aside, the low-res display is a top performer anyway. It is searingly bright – 10 per cent brighter than Dell’s own claim, we found – and about 50 per cent brighter than the average laptop at this price point.
This is great news if you want to work outdoors. And while the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 has a glossy screen, it is much less affected by reflection than most as Dell uses a very good anti-reflective layer. This dulls the white block reflections so they are not so distracting.
Colour is excellent, fit for imaging work. Contrast is great – and once again around 10 per cent better than Dell’s own claim of 1500:1.
The XPS 13 2-in-1 may be Dell’s lower-end option with this FHD+ resolution, but this is no low-end screen. It’s a high-end one without the extra pixel density. This is a good excuse for the Dell’s high price.
There are just a couple of caveats to note. This is a 60Hz screen, not the high refresh-rate kind you see in gaming laptops. And despite Dell’s claim of HDR 400 support, Windows 10 recognises it as a standard dynamic range screen. HDR in laptops is only really worthwhile with OLED screens anyway.
Pocket-lint
The XPS 13 2-in-1 also supports a Dell active pen stylus – one with a graphics tablet-like 4096 pressure sensitivity levels – but you don’t get one in the box. Companies like HP and Lenovo tend to bundle their stylii.
Keyboard & Touchpad
MagLev keyboard
Textured glass touchpad
Integrated fingerprint scanner
The keyboard is the part of the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 we like the least. It is very shallow and clicky, lacking the mellow “clonk” key actuation of the best laptop keyboards.
Pocket-lint
There’s very little weight to the XPS 13 2-in-1’s keys, and we enjoy typing on almost all of the non-Dell alternatives more.
HP Envy and Spectre, Acer Swift, Lenovo Yoga and ThinkPad: all have meatier key setups. Apple started this trend for shallow, feather-light keyboards, even it has begun to step back by putting a chunkier mechanism in the MacBook Pro 16.
This isn’t a mistake, of course. Dell deliberately uses this keyboard. And just because it’s thin, high pitch and clicky, it doesn’t mean it’s low-quality hardware. We just don’t like its style much.
The XPS 13 2-in-1 does have a solid two-level key backlight, and a clever fingerprint scanner that’s built into the power button above the backspace key.
Pocket-lint
Dell’s touchpad has little in common with the keyboard. Which is a good thing. Its clicker has a darker character with a nice amount of resistance, and the surface uses exemplary textured glass. The pad is large too, just not MacBook large. So no major complaints here.
Performance
Intel Core i7-1165G7 CPU, Intel Xe graphics
16GB 4267MHz LPDDR4x RAM
New Dell XPS models tend to arrive at a rhythm set by Intel’s processor releases. Most of these are not that easy to get excited about. A 12 per cent performance increase year-on-year when the predecessor already had enough power isn’t going to change lives.
For 2021 it’s a bit different, because of two little letters: Xe. The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1’s Core i7i1167G7 has an Xe graphics chipset, which is Intel’s response to AMD having soundly beaten its integrated graphics performance for years.
Intel Xe is miles better than the UHD 620 and Iris Plus chipsets seen in older thin and light laptops. It genuinely changes how some might use this 2-in-1.
Pocket-lint
For example, you can comfortably play Euro Truck Simulator 2 at High graphics, with frame rates of around 30-40fps. Skyrim runs fine at Ultra settings. You can even play The Witcher 3, at 1200p, using the Low preset (or head down to 720p resolution for acceptable results at High graphics). Yes, The Witcher 3 hasn’t been a benchmark for gaming performance for some time now. But for a laptop with no dedicated graphics hardware, we think that’s pretty good.
There’s less change in the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1’s 11th Gen CPU side in real terms. It’s not because there is no performance boost compared to the last 10th Gen computers – there is, and quite a big one – but it is not the sort of jump that should make you want to upgrade if you already own a 10th, 9th or 8th Gen Intel-powered laptop. More exciting things are happening over at AMD’s and Apple’s processor labs right now.
Much of the pleasant smoothness of the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is down to its very fast SSD storage, which helps minimise app load times.
Pocket-lint
We’re also pleased by how little noise the laptop makes, even under strain. The XPS 13 2-in-1 has two fans, with a vapour chamber between. And while their tone is pretty high-pitch, which can be distracting, the noise never seems to get remotely loud in decibel terms.
Battery Life & Ports
51Wh battery capacity, 45W charger
2x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports
The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 has a 51Wh battery, a mid-size power source used to balance the size of the laptop with stamina. And it seems to have worked pretty well.
Setting the laptop to stream at YouTube video at 1080p resolution the XPS 13 2-in-1 lasts 12 hours 15 minutes. This is the longest you can reasonably expect it to last in any realistic use scenario, but means there’s plenty of headroom to stay above eight hours of all-day use.
Pocket-lint
However, we can’t ignore that we’ve seen much better results recently from some AMD CPU-powered laptops like the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7. That lasted almost 17 hours in the same test, while Apple’s MacBook Air and MacBook Pro last substantially longer, particularly under strain.
Still, if we’re at the point we can half-complain about 12-hour battery life, that’s a good place to be.
The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 uses a USB-C socket to charge, and the adapter is tiny. That’s a bonus for travel use.
A complete lack of traditional USB ports is not, though, so you may need to pack an adapter. A simple USB-C (the ‘small port) to USB-A (the ‘big’ port) comes in the box. Actual on-board connections are minimal: there’s get a headphone jack, a microSD slot, and two USB-C ports – one of which will be used during charging.
Pocket-lint
However, both of these USB ports are Thunderbolt 4, meaning they are very, very quick. Top specs aren’t too different from the older Thunderbolt 3, but you’re guaranteed to be able to plug in two 4K monitors. Handy for home use.
The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 also has reasonably good speakers. Their tone is relatively even and they have a small serving of bass, essential for games and movies. We’re not at MacBook level, as the max volume isn’t that great and higher volumes can cause ugly-sounding vibrations inside the chassis, but they do their job well enough.
Verdict
The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is a top-quality laptop that makes you ask the question “do you need this upgrade?” in a couple of ways.
First, do you need the high-res UHD+ version? Probably not. The FHD+ resolution – as tested here – has excellent colour, brightness and contrast, and most likely significantly better battery life.
Do you need the flexible hinge? Consider that carefully, because you do pay a bit for it here. If not, the ‘standard’ Dell XPS 13 will suit your needs wonderfully.
Our favourite upgrade for the 2021 Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is Intel’s Xe graphic chipset. It makes this laptop more ready for fun than any XPS convertible to date.
However, we do wish the XPS 13 2-in-1 had a deeper keyboard. This flat and clicky one is no friend to those who spend much of the day typing.
All in all, the XPS 2-in-1 is a well-rounded convertible with some serious plus points.
Also consider
Pocket-lint
Dell XPS 13
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How about the downgrade to the non 360-degree hinge XPS 13? The main differences are that it’s a bit cheaper and the footprint is less deep – the latter thanks to its use of a standard hinge. It also has deeper key travel, one of the best reasons to choose the non-convertible if you do a lot of typing.
Read our review
Pocket-lint
HP Spectre x360 13
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HP’s latest convertible is the 13-inch Spectre x360 (ok, so there’s a newer 14-inch model too). Benefits include a larger battery capacity and a lower starting price. It also includes a smart stylus. However, it is a little thicker and doesn’t have the Dell’s supremo display brightness.
Read our review
Pocket-lint
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (Gen 5)
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Head to Lenovo’s answer to the XPS 13 2-in-1 if you want a convertible with a deeper-dish keyboard. It also comes with a stylus that slots into the laptop body. However, at the time of review you can only get the X1 Yoga Gen 5 with 10th generation processors. And that means worse gaming performance.
Google has announced that a built-in screen recorder is coming to Chrome OS in March. Google hopes the tool will make it easier for students and teachers to record virtual lessons. “Teachers have long recorded lessons to help students do homework and study for tests, but in the past year it’s become downright critical for virtual learning,” reads Google’s blog post.
It looks pretty simple. Once you’ve pressed the appropriate button on your Chromebook, you’ll see a countdown in the center of your screen. While your Chromebook is recording, a red circle will appear on the right side of the shelf.
A few other tools for Chromebook learners are in the works as well, and some have already arrived. Chrome OS’s screen reader, ChromeVox, has some new features: The voice now changes based on the language of the text it’s reading, and you can now search its menus.
Additionally, parents can now use Family Link (Google’s parental-control app) to manage their children’s school accounts in addition to their personal accounts. This means screen-time limits, bedtimes, and other restrictions parents place on their children’s personal accounts can apply to their school accounts as well.
On the hardware side, Google has announced that it’s launching over 40 new Chromebooks this year. It claims every model is “equipped to deliver exceptional Google Meet and Zoom experiences”.
To help schools navigate the new releases, the company has put out a list of available Chromebooks, which includes configurations from Samsung, Lenovo, HP, Dell, Asus, and Acer, and tips for selecting the right one. The company recommends a number of basic models, such as Acer’s Chromebook Spin 511 and Lenovo’s 300e, as well as fancier devices like the Chromebook Spin 713 (The Verge’s top Chromebook pick) and Samsung’s $1,000 Galaxy Chromebook.
A number of these units include LTE connectivity — Google is referring to these as “Always Connected” devices, and emphasizes their importance for students with limited internet access (though buying a device with LTE can bump the price up).
Chromebooks are big sellers in the education market, due in part to their affordability and districts’ widespread use of Google Classroom, Google’s online education portal. 2020 was the Chromebook’s best year ever, due largely to increased demand from schools providing at-home instruction for the first time.
Google has been building out its services for remote school and meetings since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the early months of remote schooling, Google made Meet meetings with up to 100 participants available to anyone with a Google account. It’s added a number of features to Meet as well, in an effort to keep up with large competitors Zoom and Microsoft Teams. The company has rolled out custom backgrounds, blur effects, real-time captioning, low-light mode, and hand-raising in recent months.
Zillow’s 3D Home app can now generate home floor plans based on scans a user uploads, the company announced today. The new feature, powered by the company’s artificial intelligence technology, is available today in the Zillow 3D Home app and could prove useful for people looking to relocate during the pandemic — or just anyone fantasizing about living in a mansion in Nebraska.
Zillow 3D Home was originally launched in 2019 as a way to offer customers a more immersive way to view listings on its site and real estate agents and property managers an easier way to create them. Using a phone or a 360° camera and the Zillow 3D Home app, you can upload a series of photographs that the app can stitch into a 3D tour. It’s not quite the same as wandering through an open house, but it could tell you more about a space than photo or video tours can.
The new AI-generated floor plans add another layer of information to that equation. Anyone viewing a listing on Zillow’s site or app with a 3D Home tour and floor plan available can click on a specific room in the floor plan to jump to that part of the tour. Zillow says the floor plans can be uploaded for use in industry-standard sites like an MLS (multiple listing service).
Beyond just generating a map of your home, Zillow also says the AI can predict the dimensions and square footage of rooms based on the photos you upload. It’s hard to say without testing just how accurate the AI is at guessing these measurements, but with the feature available now in 25 markets, with more coming over the course of the year, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to try for yourself soon.
Expanding 3D Home’s features makes sense for people looking to relocate during the pandemic without the ability to necessarily view a home safely, but it could also speak to Zillow’s awareness of its use as a source of entertainment for millions of people stuck at home. The whole idea is captured pretty succinctly in a recent Saturday Night Live skit featuring actor and writer Dan Levy, focused on using Zillow to “spice up” people’s love lives.
Zillow knows it’s used for escapism, Zillow CEO Rich Barton admitted as much in a CNBCinterview where he acknowledge the skit. Capturing people who enjoy “Zillow Surfing,” as TheNew York Times’ Taylor Lorenz explored, could be improved by making Zillow more engaging, and piling on different ways to “experience” homes is a good way to do that.
Whether those people ever get funneled into buying or renting a home is a whole other problem, but if Zillow remains popular, there’s a good chance they’ll head there first when they’re ready to move.
Google is announcing a swath of new features for its education-focused products today, including that G Suite for Education is being rebranded to Google Workspace for Education. The company first unveiled the Workspace branding for its office apps suite in October, but the education-focused suite had retained the G Suite branding until now.
Among other changes to the different tiers, the free edition of G Suite for Education is being renamed to Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals and G Suite Enterprise for Education is being renamed to Google Workspace for Education Plus. If you’re already a G Suite Enterprise for Education customer, you’ll automatically roll over to Google Workspace for Education Plus.
Google is also announcing data storage policy changes for its education customers. Previously, Google offered unlimited storage to qualifying institutions, but starting next year, the company will move schools toward a pooled storage model, offering a baseline of 100TB of pooled storage shared among an institution. The policy will go into effect for all existing Google Workspace for Education customers in July 2022 and will be in place for new customers that sign up in 2022.
There are also new features on the way for Google’s Meet videoconferencing service to make it better for virtual learning, and some of those features are coming to non-education customers as well. The new features include:
The ability to mute everyone on a call and end a call for everyone attending. This is rolling out soon and will come to education customers first
Emoji reactions, which will launch by August for all Meet users
Meeting transcripts, which are launching for education and enterprise Meet customers later this year
In addition, Google is integrating Meet and its Google Classroom product more tightly. Students won’t be able to join Meet calls created from Classroom before the teacher does, and Meet will be able to restrict meetings to just students and teachers in a class based on a Classroom roster. These features, and others, will launch later this year.
There are also new features in the works for Google Classroom, including support for add-ons from third-party services (available for Google Workspace for Education Plus or Teaching and Learning Upgrade customers) and offline support for the Classroom Android app.
The HP Spectre x360 14 is a beautifully constructed 2-in-1 laptop with a vibrant 3:2 OLED touch screen to showcase your work. It has an excellent keyboard and a variety of ports for all of your accessories. Those who prioritize battery life may want to consider a non-OLED configuration, however.
For
Sleek, attractive design
Vivid 3:2 display shows more of your work
Clicky, responsive keyboard
Thunderbolt 4 and USB Type-A ports
Against
OLED model doesn’t last all day
Difficult to upgrade SSD
There’s no need to beat around the bush: the HP Spectre x360 14 ($1,219.99 to start; $1,699.99 as tested) is one of the best ultrabooks we’ve tested in the last several months. It’s exquisitely designed with a 13.5-inch, 3:2 display that showcases more of your work, whether it be words, numbers, or code.
You’ll pay a premium price for it, but it sure feels premium, with a sleek chassis, clicky keyboard and both USB Type-C and Type-A ports, as well as a microSD card reader.
The model we reviewed had an impressive
OLED
screen with a 3,000 x 2,000 resolution. It looks great, but if you want all-day battery life, you may consider alternative configurations.
Design of the HP Spectre x360 14
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HP makes a handsome laptop. The Spectre x360 doesn’t make a ton of changes to what has largely become a tried and true design. It’s an aluminum notebook with solid construction. Ours came in “nightfall black” with copper accents, which I think is a bit showy for my tastes these days, but you can also get in “Poseidon blue” or my likely choice, “natural silver.”
The back two edges near the 360-degree hinge are chopped off, one of which makes room for a Thunderbolt 4 port. It’s a divisive choice, but it’s grown on me. That placement lets you flip from a laptop into a tablet while it’s charging and barely move the cable at all.
When you unfold the laptop for the first time, you’ll notice the big difference with this Spectre: a 13.5-inch, 3:2 display that feels incredibly luxurious compared to the 16:9 screen on the smaller
Spectre x360 13
that we recently reviewed. There’s minimal bezel around it, putting the focus on your work. It also creates a slightly longer profile for the whole device.
Unlike many 2-in-1s, the power button is on the keyboard, rather than the side of the device. As a person using it primarily as a laptop, I prefer this choice, though tablet-heavy users might be annoyed. There’s also a fingerprint reader next to the arrow keys, this, combined with the IR camera, allows for security options beyond a password whether in tablet or laptop mode, which I appreciate. The speaker grilles above the function keys make for a nice accent.
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There aren’t a ton of ports on the Spectre x360 14, but there’s enough for most people’s everyday use. Most of the action is on the right side, where you’ll find two Thunderbolt 4 ports (one on the right corner), a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a microSD card. On the right, there is one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port. The rest of that side of the notebook is magnetized to fit the included HP Tilt Pen.
At 2.95 pounds with an 11.75 x 8.67 x 0.67-inch footprint, the Spectre is fairly compact. The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 is 2.9 pounds and 11.69 x 8.15 x 0.56 inches — a bit smaller — but also has a 13.4-inch screen in a 16:10 aspect ratio. The MacBook Pro is a 3 pound clamshell and measures 11.95 x 8.36 x 0.61 inches, and the Asus ZenBook Flip S UX371 is 2.7 pounds and 12 x 8.3 x 0.6 inches.
HP Spectre x360 14 Specifications
CPU
Intel Core i7-1165G7
Graphics
Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Memory
16GB LPDDR4-3733
Storage
1TB PCIe NVMe SSD with 32GB Intel Optane
Display
13.5-inch, 3000 x 2000 OLED touchscreen
Networking
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX 201 (2×2) and Bluetooth 5
Ports
2x Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, Headphone/microphone jack, microSD card reader
Camera
720p IR
Battery
66 WHr
Power Adapter
65 W
Operating System
Windows 10 Home
Other
HP Rechargeable MPP2.0 Tilt Pen
Dimensions(WxDxH)
11.75 x 8.67 x 0.67 inches / 298.45 x 220.22 x 17.02 mm
Weight
2.95 pounds / 1.34 kg
Price (as configured)
$1,699.99
Productivity Performance on the HP Spectre x360 14
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Our HP Spectre x360 14 review unit came with an Intel Core i7-1165G7, 16GB of LPDDR4 RAM and a 1TB PCIe
NVMe SSD
with 32GB of Intel Optane memory. In my use, it could handle plenty of browser tabs and streaming video without an issue.
On the Geekbench 5 overall performance benchmark, the Spectre earned a single-core score of 1,462 and a multi-core score of 4,904. The ZenBook Flip S was in a similar range. The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 had a higher score in multi-core performance (5,639). The MacBook Pro, too, had a higher multi-core score when emulated through Rosetta 2 to run the same version of the test (5,925).
The Spectre transferred 25GB of files at a rate of 533.61 MBps, faster than the XPS 13 2-in-1, but slower than the ZenBook Flip S (979.37 MBps).
In our Handbrake test, which transcodes a 4K video to 1080p, the Spectre x360 14 finished the task in 18 minutes and 5 seconds. While this was four minutes faster than the ZenBook, the XPS 13 2-in-1 was speedier and the MacBook Pro led the whole pack, even while emulating x86 instructions.
To stress the Spectre, we ran it through 20 runs of Cinebench R23. It was fairly consistent in the low 4,000’s, though there were some peaks up to around 4,300. The CPU ran at an average of 2.61 GHz and an average temperature of 74.07 degrees Celsius (165.33 degrees Fahrenheit).
Display on the HP Spectre x360 14
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The 13.5-inch touchscreen on the Spectre x360 has a 3:2 aspect ratio, making it taller than it is wide. It’s an opulent amount of space, especially for doing work. You’ll see more text, code, spreadsheet cells or whatever else you’re working on because the screen is taller. It’s a big improvement over 16:9 displays, and makes for a more natural shape as a tablet, as it’s similar in shape to a piece of paper.
Our main review configuration was an OLED model with a 3,000 x 2,000 resolution. It looked incredible, with deep blacks and vibrant colors, as has been the case on most OLED monitors we’ve seen to date. Of course, most videos are still 16:9, so when I watched the trailer for Godzilla vs. Kong, it was letterboxed on the top and bottom. The beginning of the trailer features the titular ape on a barge during a sunset, and its blue and orange hues were beautiful as jets flew overhead.
The OLED screen covers 139.7% of the DCI-P3 color gamut (the non-OLED, 1920 x 1280 screen covered 74.6%). The next best was the ZenBook Flip S, also with an OLED display, at 113.1%. The MacBook Pro measured 78.3% and the XPS 13 2-in-1 covered 70%.
The Spectre’s display measured an average of 339 nits on our light meter. This never seemed like an issue in regular use, though the ZenBook, XPS 13 2-in-1 and MacBook Pro all got far brighter.
Keyboard, Touchpad and Stylus on the HP Spectre x360 14
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The keyboard on the Spectre takes up as much room as possible, moving from edge to edge of the
chassis
. This gave HP room to include a full keyboard, including an extra column for home, page up, page down and end keys. The tilde key is a little squeezed, but not enough for me to be inconvenienced.
The keys are clicky (they even have a bit of a clicky sound!), and I really enjoyed typing on them. On the 10fastfingers typing test, I reached 105 words per minute with my usual 2% error rate.
There’s a fingerprint reader built into the keyboard on the right side, next to the arrow keys. On the function row, there’s a key to kill the camera. The F1 key is sort of wasted, though, in that it is programmed exclusively to open the browser and search for “how to get help in
Windows 10
.”
HP has equipped the Spectre x360 with a 4.5 x 2.8-inch touchpad. It’s slightly smaller than the MacBook Pro (5.1 x 32 inches), but is still plenty spacious. With Windows 10 precision drivers, it responded immediately to every gesture.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
A rechargeable stylus is included with the laptop, the “HP Rechargeable MPP2.0 Tilt Pen.” (MPP is short for Microsoft Pen Protocol.) It’s round with one flat edge that connects to the left side of the laptop with magnets. That flat side also has two customizable buttons
The Spectre’s palm rejection worked pretty well, and the stylus worked well with both tilting and shading in supported applications. In Paint 3D, using the crayon tool required extra pressure for a deep hue, just like the real thing. I do wish, like some of Microsoft’s styluses, that HP would add an eraser to the end.
HP claims it lasts 30 hours on a charge. When you slide up the top of the stylus, a USB-C port is revealed, which is a neat addition. A ring light on the very top tells you its charging status.
Audio on the HP Spectre x360 14
HP’s collaboration with Bang & Olufsen has produced winning laptop audio for a while now, and the Spectre x360 14 is no exception.
These things get loud — too loud, even. As I listened to Spotify, I turned the volume down as Fall Out Boy’s “Bob Dylan” stormed through my apartment. The drums, vocals and guitars were clear. Bass was a bit quiet. I tried changing that manually in the Bang & Olufsen control center, but to a little effect. There are presets in that app, but I found most of them to be overkill.
Upgrading the HP Spectre x360 14
Unfortunately, HP has made upgrades and repairs to the Spectre x360 14 more difficult for the average person than they need to be.
There are two visible Torx screws on the underside of the laptop, but underneath the rear rubber foot, there are four more Phillips head screws. The feet are applied with adhesive and could rip when you remove them. HP makes extras available to authorized repair shops.
If you did get into the laptop, per
the maintenance manual
, you would find that while the RAM is soldered down, the SSD, WI-Fi module and battery are user replaceable.
Battery Life on the HP Spectre x360 14
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Like most laptops with OLED screens, the Spectre x360 14’s battery life isn’t exceptional. It will last you most of the day, but you’ll want to bring the braided USB Type-C charger with you.
On our test, which continuously has laptops browse the web, run OpenGL tests and stream video over Wi-Fi at 150 nits, the Spectre ran for 7 hours and 14 minutes. A non-OLED version with a 1920 x 1280 screen ran for 12:11, should you value battery life over image quality.
The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 lasted 10:52, while the ZenBook Flip S (also with OLED) ran for 8:11. The MacBook Pro with Apple’s M1 processor lasted the longest at a whopping 16:32.
Heat on the HP Spectre x360 14
We took skin temperature measurements on the 14-inch Spectre x360 while running our Cinebench R23 stress test.
Image 1 of 2
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 2 of 2
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The center of the keyboard measured 34.8 degrees Celsius (94.64 degrees Fahrenheit), while the touchpad was a cooler 29.4 degrees Celsius (84.92 degrees Fahrenheit).
The hottest point on the bottom was 47.1 degrees Celsius (116.78 degrees Fahrenheit).
Webcam on the HP Spectre x360 14
It’s a shame this beautiful, high-resolution screen wasn’t paired with a beautiful, high-resolution
webcam
. Like most laptop cameras, the Spectre x360’s is still stuck at
720p
.
An image I took at my well-lit desk was color accurate, catching my navy shirt, blue eyes and the mixed shades of brown in my hair and blue. But overall, the picture was grainy, and light coming in from some nearby windows was blown out.
On the bright side, it works with Windows Hello for facial login. While there’s also a fingerprint reader on the keyboard, this is better for logging in when it’s a tablet.
Software and Warranty on the HP Spectre x360 14
While the Spectre x360 is undoubtedly a premium device, it has the kind of bloat you would expect from some budget machines.
HP has a lot of its own software. I wish it would combine more of these disparate programs into the main app, HP Command Center, which lets you make performance adjustments based on temperature and sound and also lets you decide which software gets network priority.
There are separate pieces of software for choosing among different display modes, switching between headphone and speakers, changing HP telemetry settings and adjusting the buttons on the stylus. There’s also HP Quick Drop to move files between your phone and the laptop.
On top of all that, there is MyHP, which gives you your serial number and is otherwise filled in with some fairly vapid tips for using your PC. HP has also added LastPass, ExpressVPN, Netflix, trials of Adobe software and a promotion with Dropbox for new users to get 25GB of free space. There’s also a suite of McAfee software, including McAfee LiveSafe, Personal Security and File Lock.
Amazon Alexa is also preinstalled, which may be divisive. It sure is more useful than Cortana. Either way, it’s not actively listening. Instead, you have to sign in to your Amazon account.
Of course, there’s also some bloatware that’s included in most Windows 10 installs, like Hulu, Roblox and Hidden City: Hidden Object Adventure.
HP sells the Spectre x360 14 with a 1-year warranty.
HP Spectre x360 14 Configurations
We tested the Spectre x360 14 with an Intel Core i7-1165G7, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD with 32GB of Intel Optane memory, a 3000 x 2000 OLED display. It comes in black and costs $1,699.99 at Best Buy as of this writing.
HP sells other configurations on its own website, starting at $1,219.99 with an Intel Core i5-1135G7, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD with16GB of Intel Optane memory and a 1920 x 1280 touchscreen. Changing to black or blue adds $10 to the price, and for more money, you can go up to 2TB of storage (up to an extra $320).
Bottom Line
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The HP Spectre x360 14 is the best 2-in-1 laptop you can get right now. The 3:2 display highlights your work in laptop mode and is more natural than 16:9 or 16:10 screens in tablet mode. It offers solid performance, has a variety of ports, includes a stylus and has an excellent keyboard.
If battery life is your priority, the OLED screen won’t do you any favors, but the 1920 x 1280 model might be more your speed. The
MacBook Pro with M1
, a clamshell alternative, is top of the class in endurance. If you prefer a smaller footprint, the
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310
is still very good, though it has fewer ports and a 16:10 screen rather than 3:2.
But the Spectre x360 14 largely has it all, making this one easy to recommend if you’re willing to pay a premium price.
Today, Epic Games announced the expansion of its #FreeFortnite initiative, which alleges that App Store policies are anti-competitive, with an antitrust complaint against Apple to the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition.
#FreeFortnite started in August 2020 when Epic Games offered Fortnite players a 20% discount for purchasing V-Bucks, the in-game currency used to buy cosmetic items, directly through its website instead of via the App Store or Google Play.
That discount made sense for Epic Games because Apple and Google both take a 30% cut of transactions made via their marketplaces. Both also prohibit efforts to bypass those cuts, however, and Fortnite was promptly removed from their stores.
Epic Games responded with a U.S. lawsuit against both companies that, according to a CNN interview with chief executive Tim Sweeney, was months in the making. Similar complaints have been made in Australia, the UK, and now the EU.
The company said in today’s announcement that “through a series of carefully designed anti-competitive restrictions, Apple has not just harmed but completely eliminated competition in app distribution and payment processes.”
Epic Games said it’s not seeking damages in any of the cases it’s brought against Apple; instead, it’s “simply seeking fair access and competition that will benefit consumers and developers.” It just wants more of those sweet, sweet V-Bucks sales.
CNBC reported that the European Commission said it “has received the complaint and will assess it based on its standard procedures.” Don’t expect any of these proceedings — in the U.S., UK, Australia, or EU — to be resolved any time soon.
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