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Huawei, all new user interface on AppGallery: here are the news

The third app store in the world takes on a new user interface for the European market, offering greater interactivity and a simplified user experience

of Nino Grasso published on 18 January 2021 , at 12: 01 in the Telephony channel

Huawei

AppGallery is the third largest app store in the world, with 384 billions of downloads achieved in 2020 and 530 millions of monthly active users. Developed by Huawei for proprietary devices, but installable on any Android smartphone, the app store has been updated for the European market with a completely redesigned new UI “to improve the user experience for Huawei users”. The new interface is “more interactive through smoother browsing”, and provides localized content and a new way to discover and use thousands of apps and games on the store.

Le innovations introduced on AppGallery have given birth to a more harmonious design to make the latest news available in terms of apps and games stand out more than in the past. Huawei underlines that it has put the user experience in the foreground, developing an “interactive discovery”, which allows developers to present their apps through images and complementary digital content. This way fewer steps need to be taken when looking for a specific app, and at the same time developers have a way to showcase and promote their apps to a more targeted audience.

Huawei AppGallery, here is the new user interface

In the new section Recommended , for example, the apps are presented in the form of a card. This makes it easier for users to locate a selection of apps and games chosen by the AppGallery team, but also the ability to get much more relevant curated content, including articles, guides and reviews. By scrolling the screen from top to bottom, you can see that even the tabs in the foreground have been updated, while the articles are displayed through the new posts in evidence up to the older ones.

In addition to Recommended, we also have the sections Promotions and Gifts , the most popular among consumers. The first, adapted for each country, offers the possibility to participate in Lucky Draw, Cashback and Challenge and the possibility to win many prizes. The Gifts section, on the other hand, allows users to obtain rewards from developers in exchange for downloading or registering for the apps they have developed. Inside there are also premium services that can be used for free for a certain period, as well as extra credits to use in a game. A great way for users to discover the news available on the store.

Apps and Games now have two sections dedicated to them, and the app pages have also been updated, improving the section dedicated to reviews and ratings. This is how the news at launch commented Pier Giorgio Furcas , Deputy General Manager Huawei Consumer Business Group Italia: “The number of apps available on our platform, including Premium ones, is growing day by day. Our goal is to promptly inform the users as new applications are made available on the store. The new look of AppGallery allows users to easily navigate through all content , to discover the news and have fun “

Another important innovation introduced by the new design of Huawei AppGallery is l? Pay attention to editorial content : a dedicated team of editors will constantly publish articles to inspire users, from app and game reviews, to useful tips and collections, with l ? objective to intercept the latest trends eg especially the needs of different target groups.

Other useful information about Huawei AppGallery

Huawei has stated that the proprietary store is currently in constant growth, both in terms of apps available on the platform and in terms of the number of users. To date, AppGallery has approximately 530 millions of monthly active users worldwide and beyond 33 millions in Europe. The store is active in more than 170 countries and is the third in the world after the Google Play Store and Apple App Store: in 2020, in fact, they were completed 384 billions of downloads on the Huawei store. AppGallery currently offers 18 categories of apps, including games, social, entertainment, education , news and readings, photos and videos, food and drink, navigation and transport, shopping and tools.

Apple blocks the use of some mobile applications from the iOS platform on computers with the Apple M1 chip

With the premiere of the macOS Big Sur system and the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac mini computers equipped with Apple M1 chips, a novelty important for the entire ecosystem debuted. It is a function that allows you to run applications designed for smartphones and tablets running iOS and iPadOS on these devices. As you can guess, it significantly expanded the capabilities of Apple computers, but not all developers wanted to share their applications on the above-mentioned principles. Therefore, the giant from Cupertino allowed the creators to block this access. However, a fairly efficient workaround was quickly found. Unfortunately, it has just ceased to be effective.

Apple successfully blocks any application designed for iOS and iPadOS from running on computers with the Apple M1 chip. Everything is now in the hands of the developers.

Apple ecosystem and unhealthy attachment – confession of an addict

In theory, any computer equipped with the latest Apple M1 chip is able to run any program written for iOS and iPadOS platforms. Nevertheless, the giant from Cupertino gave developers the possibility to block this type of possibility for specific products. It was the creators who decided which solutions would be compatible with computers and which we would only run on smartphones and tablets. However, there was a relatively simple workaround that allowed MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini users with Apple M1 chips to enjoy whatever programs they wanted.

Apple iPhone test 12 – smartphone that cuts off from the past

The gate has just been closed. If the developer of a given solution did not provide it for macOS users, its installation will no longer be possible. At the moment, it seems impossible to work around the problem, but applications that have already been installed will not be removed fortunately. The question is whether macOS users really need programs written for the iOS and iPadOS mobile platforms. I understand that the App Store repository is bursting at the seams with useful tools, but in most cases we can find solid, if not better, desktop alternatives.

Photo. 9to5Mac

Source: 9to5Mac

Huawei, all new user interface on AppGallery: here is the new app

The third app store in the world takes on a new user interface for the European market, offering greater interactivity and a simplified user experience

of Nino Grasso published on 18 January 2021 , at 12: 01 in the Telephony channel

Huawei

Huawei AppGallery, here is the new user interface

Other useful information about Huawei AppGallery

Epic Games files lawsuit against Apple and Google in the UK

Mustafa Mahmoud
1 hour ago
Android, Apple, Featured Tech News, Software & Gaming

While talk surrounding the Epic Games and Apple situation may have appeared to quieten down, the Fortnite creator and iPhone inventor are still very much butting heads. As the companies wait to see how everything pans out in the US, Epic Games has now shifted its focus to the UK market, taking legal action against both Apple and Google in the United Kingdom.

As reported by Gamesindustry.biz, Epic Games has sued both Apple and Google in the UK for similar but different reasons. In the case of Apple, Epic is requesting that the Epic Games Store be allowed to be downloaded onto Apple devices, while also allowing apps to circumvent Apple’s payment handling through the App Store.

With regards to Google, Epic Games has asked that the prioritisation of the Google Play Store over other third party stores be removed on Android, while also allowing phone manufacturers to pre-install the Epic Games Store onto their devices without Google’s interference.

Speaking on the lawsuit, an Epic Games representative said “We believe that this is an important argument to make on behalf of consumers and developers in the UK and around the world who are impacted by Apple and Google’s misuse of market power.”

Apple swiftly followed with its own statement, saying “In ways a judge has described as deceptive and clandestine, Epic enabled a feature in its app which was not reviewed or approved by Apple, and they did so with the express intent of violating the App Store guidelines that apply equally to every developer and protect customers. Their reckless behavior made pawns of customers, and we look forward to making this clear to courts in the UK.”

Just as with the US case, the lawsuit is likely to go on for months as all parties believe they are in the right. Regardless of how long it takes, it’ll be interesting to see how the approaches differ between the US and UK cases, and who will ultimately come out on top.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the lawsuit? Who do you think is in the wrong? Who do you think will win the case? Let us know down below.

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heise + | Help with homeschooling: five iOS apps for elementary school mathematics put to the test

Dozens of iOS apps promise to have fun learning and practicing math. We looked at five interesting examples with clever concepts.

(Image: Shutterstock / MNStudio)

Help with homeschooling: Five iOS apps for elementary school maths tested One-to-one meetings Conclusion Test table Apple’s App Store houses numerous little programs with which children can learn math in a playful way. Especially in times of homeschooling, parallel home office and lockdown, these apps are worth a closer look. However, the offer is confusing and ranges from free to dozens of paid offers. The choice depends primarily on the child’s preferences: some apps are closely related to math lessons, others take a more playful approach.

This test is devoted to five examples, the pursue a different approach to play and learning. The test device was an iPad Pro 09. 5 with iPadOS 14. 3. and we got some help from a second grader every now and then. While Fiete Math and King of Mathematics 2 rely on a playful approach, Klett’s soberly designed MiniMax math App strongly on the tasks from school lessons and books. Math Master and Elementary school math grades 1-4 conceptually move between the former apps. They season their range of tasks with animations, but make sure that the focus is not on the playful, but on the maths. Instead, the two apps do without too much potentially distracting chi-chi: For example, there is no background music for Math Masters and elementary school math grades 1-4 offer no additional functions such as a game center connection or the management of different player profiles.

Elementary school math classes 1-4 is the only completely free app in the test, the other candidates offer additional content for a single purchase. All of them do without subscription models and separate registrations. The free scope of all apps is sufficient to be able to make an informed purchase decision. King of Mathematics 2 and math game apps from Fiete are also available for Android devices, but they can differ in terms of functionality. We have focused on the iOS versions for this article.

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Register and read Register now and read the article immediately More information about heise + Help with homeschooling: Five iOS apps for elementary school maths tested One-to-one meetings Conclusion Test table

CES: TP-Link focuses on Mesh with WiFi 6E

Idriz Velghe 16 January 2021 23: 29 16 Comments

Deco WiFi 6 Mesh & WiFi 6E TP-Link introduced its new products during the CES fair. The lineup consists of network equipment with and without mesh. The company has not shared any information regarding pricing and availability.

Deco WiFi 6 Mesh with Amazon Alexa The Deco Voice X 20 includes a mesh WiFi system with a built-in smart speaker. It covers up to 370 square meters and provides one network with one username and password . This gives the possibility to move freely around the house by means of fast roaming without losing the connection.

In addition, Amazon’s Alexa is integrated into the built-in smart speaker, allowing provides for managing smart home devices, voice control and music streaming.

AX 7800 Multiroom Mesh WiFi 6E System – Deco X 96 The manufacturer has shown several new WiFi 6E products. These devices use the 6GHz band, an unused frequency that provides more bandwidth and lower latency. The Deco X 96 delivers a maximum speed of 7. 800 Mbps with tri-band Wi-Fi. The mesh solution uses AI to get to know the network environment in order to provide optimal WiFi in and around the house.

AX 5400 Multiroom Mesh WiFi 6E System with Smart Hub – Deco X 76 Plus Then there is the Deco X 76 Plus. The tri-band system capable of speeds of 5. 400 Mbps . The built-in Smart Hub acts as a smart home hub and links your smart home devices together via the app.

AX 7800 Tri-Band WiFi 6E Router – Archer AX 96 The Archer AX 96 also achieves speeds of up to 7. 800 Mbps. On the 5GHz band, DL / UL MU-MIMO ensures simultaneous data transfer to and from connected devices, which should ensure lower latency. In addition to four regular Ethernet ports, it has a single 2.5GbE connection, followed by an extra gigabit port.

Singapore: Abuse of Trust in Corona Contact Tracking

In Singapore, the pandemic response has been largely technology-based – two systems to be precise. The first is a QR code that became ubiquitous across the country in April and May as part of the “SafeEntry” contact tracking system. SafeEntry meant that anyone who wants to enter a public place – restaurants, shops, malls – had to scan in and register with their name, ID or passport number and telephone number. If someone tests positive for COVID – 19, contact tracing authorities use the program to see who has gotten close to each other in the same place and potentially got infected. The second system is “TraceTogether”, an app that was released in March 2020.

It uses Bluetooth to record close contacts: If two users are in the vicinity, their devices exchange anonymized and encrypted user IDs. However, they can be deciphered by the Ministry of Health as soon as a person tests positive for the coronavirus. If you can’t (or don’t want to) use the smartphone app, the government will give you a TraceTogether token, small digital tags, so to speak, that serve the same purpose and that you should carry with you. Although TraceTogether is currently still voluntary, the government has already announced that they want to merge the system with SafeEntry – so it would be mandatory to either download the app or carry it with you for a day. Otherwise there would be nowhere to be in the public (closed) space, i.e. not even doing the weekly shopping.

When the two systems were started, there wasn’t much room for the public to raise concerns: the tech was seen as necessary for pandemic control and the Singapore government behaved in its usual hierarchical manner. She tried to alleviate fears. However, it did so by assuring residents that the data collected using this technology would only be used to trace contacts in the context of the pandemic. And that was, as it now turns out, wrong.

Police use private data beginning of the During the year it became clear that the government’s allegation was incorrect. The Ministry of Interior confirmed that the data could be viewed by the police for criminal investigation; a day after the announcement, a minister revealed that the contact tracing information had in fact been used in a homicide investigation. It quickly became clear that – earlier allegations by the minister – Singapore law had allowed law enforcement agencies to use the TraceTogether data from the start. Not because people in Singapore are particularly careful about privacy – in fact, state surveillance is largely considered normal in the country – but because people had the impression that they were baited under the wrong conditions. Many raised concerns when TraceTogether was first released – and the app wasn’t widely adopted until the government indicated an imminent duty. (According to a statement by a CEO of the Corona Taskforce, almost 80 percent of the population have taken over TraceTogether.)

Meanwhile, the government has announced that it will introduce a new law to limit the use of contact tracing data by law enforcement agencies to specific offenses, including terrorism, murder, kidnapping and particularly serious cases of drug trafficking. “We acknowledge our error not to have indicated that the data from TraceTogether are not exempted from the law enforcement process,” said the “Smart Nation and Digital Governance” office in a statement. The new law, it says there, “will specify that personal data obtained through contact tracing … may only be used for these specific purposes of contact tracing, unless there is a clear and urgent need to use this data for criminal investigations to use serious crimes “.

The wind has turned There are no schedule stating when the proposed law will be presented to parliament and details are few. “In Singapore, where the law gives civil servants great executive and legislative power, I welcome any commitment to accountability and restraint,” said digital rights activist Lee Yi Ting. “It will have to be seen whether this law will be seriously mandatory in order to enforce these proposed restrictions. For example, the question arises of what happens if civil servants disregard these rules – which investigative bodies then come into play and what are the consequences for civil servants ? ”

Some have doubts about the usefulness of this data for police investigations and express concern that the proposed restrictions will now formally allow the use of the data beyond pandemic-related contact tracing. “We would like to reiterate that the expansion of police powers with a view to -Data does not correspond to the original request for which the data collection was intended, “said the opposition Progress Singapore Party in a statement.” The data on corona contact tracking may only and exclusively be used to fight the pandemic and for nothing else. ”

Trust is at stake This game of confusion turns into a delicate one Concerns that governments may abuse contact tracing systems have grown around the world, and some of the concerns have been found to be unjustified, especially in countries using Google and Apple’s warning system technology – which do not allow local authorities to do so The Singapore government had previously rejected Apple and Google’s system on the grounds that it was “less effective” in the case of Singapore, while digital systems can speed up contact tracing and help with that, i Fighting the virus – which will become more important than ever over time – has struggled many countries to implement it. One major problem: a lack of trust among the population.

Lee fears that the handling in Singapore could now have serious international repercussions, even if the law manages to appease the population. Because the country began using digital contact tracing early on, it has taken global leadership at this point. And the system on which TraceTogether is based is used in many other nations – although there is no evidence that the same legislative errors were committed elsewhere. Still: “It is very important to Singapore’s citizens to what extent the state encroaches on their private lives,” says Lee. And, she adds, the country is setting an international precedent “normalizing it for repressive governments to use contact tracing data for the purposes they define”.

The original version of this article was supported by the “Pandemic Technology Project” of the Rockefeller Foundation.

(bsc)

Android Automotive OS: Does Google Still Give Automakers A Chance?

Android is actually not particularly suitable as an operating system for the telematics unit of the center console, the infotainment system. It boots for ages, it struggles with security problems and the rampant hardware growth has always kept Google on its toes. But the first current and probably all cars in the future rely on virtualization, as in the server area: Individual components run in their own virtual machine (VM), each with their own requirements for security and reliability. A so-called “hypervisor” manages the VMs, all of which share high-performance hardware. In order to become more independent from this, Google uses VirtIO as the standard. And so Alphabet dares to enter the telematics systems, first in the Polestar 2, later with PSA (Opel!) And GM.

Android Automotive OS in the Polestar 2 It took a while due to the high level of interest in this vehicle, but now we were finally able to install the Polestar 2 with Google’s infotainment Try OS. Although the operation differs significantly from smartphones, there are hardly any questions. Android Automotive OS (AAOS) is self-explanatory. At the very bottom there is a home soft button, the home display sorts the display on tiles, everything is very clear. The latency is low, the animations fluid, and what is remarkable: Polestar does not use particularly powerful hardware. 4 GByte RAM, 83 GByte Flash-ROM, quad-core SoC with 2.4 GHz maximum clock and GPU , separate DSP, radio, cooling fan, the box below / behind the TFT does not contain much more. The performance is on the level of a cheap smartphone.

It is all the more remarkable how well it works. The Polestar 2 is one of the most pleasant driving experiences currently available. Nothing tinkles, nothing annoys, and when the driver says “Play me a little Classic Rock from Spotify!”, The assistant plays Classic Rock from Spotify. The only downer of the manageable hardware performance from the user’s point of view: There is no offline language processing. However, since even small bandwidths are sufficient, the question is how much the customer is bothered by the ongoing network expansion. Either way, a very strong competitor, even for many competitors with significantly more powerful hardware.

Android Automotive OS in the Polestar 2 (21 Pictures) Sun the car arrived: large radio station view, large touch-compatible buttons.

(Image: Clemens Gleich) The Play Store Google gives gradually freeing up the Play Store for new AAOS developments, partly overlapping with the well-known Android Auto under the collective name “Android for Cars” and with design guidelines for low-distraction apps. Currently there are mainly apps in the “Media” category: software that plays audio data. Many radio stations have their streaming apps ready for Polestar drivers to install. Not yet unlockable, but in the development phase: navigation apps, parking space search or charging station finder. The selection of apps will therefore grow rapidly. Just imagine: “Calimoto” and “A Better Route Planner” integrated on the center console! That will be tough for Volkswagen, who want to offer a German automotive alternative to the Play Store.

Hardly any car manufacturer will have to ask whether they can do it better (the bitter answer is likely to be most know). The only question that remains is whether Google’s offer is priced right for the vehicle manufacturer. Perhaps Volkswagen could offer the cheaper alternative with Here Maps, which can therefore be a little worse. For me these lines read just as bitterly as for you or any other car German. One thing is certain: there is currently no offer comparable to Android, especially when it comes to the app ecosystem. And it is unlikely that Volkswagen will bring about such an alternative as the Wolfsburg superiors would like.

Android Auto-ready Android is not a typical center console operating system. It takes a long time to get through. It’s notoriously unsafe. And some latency behavior is also better elsewhere (compare the audio latencies of Android with iOS). This contrasts with the many advantages that made the system the leading mobile OS. Fortunately, smart virtualization largely neutralizes Android’s disadvantages.

Parler resurfaces on Sunday with an update message, but nothing else

Social media platform Parler was all but wiped off the internet last week, but on Sunday, showed some signs of life. A message from Parler CEO John Matze, first noted by CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan- is now appearing at the site’s URL, with an image showing a “technical difficulties” banner, and a message.

“Now seems like the right time to remind you all — both lovers and haters — why we started this platform. We believe privacy is paramount and free speech essential, especially on social media,” the message reads, pledging to “welcome all of you back soon.”

Amazon dropped Parler from its hosting platform earlier this month, saying in a letter it “cannot provide services to a customer that is unable to effectively identify and remove content that encourages or incites violence against others.” Parler was identified as a site where people who participated in the deadly January 6th assault on the Capitol had planned the attack.

The site is now hosted by Epik, as CNN notes, a hosting company that also supports far-right sites such as Gab and 8chan. Amazon’s suspension followed Apple and Google removing Parler’s app from their respective app stores. Matze said even Parler’s lawyers had cut ties.

Parler sued Amazon for cutting off its hosting, and in a response, Amazon detailed some of the graphic, violent threats posted to the site that led to its removal, including posts that called for shooting police officers, killing Black and Jewish people, and assassinations.

Parler launched in 2018, and its user numbers soared after Election Day in the US, as other social platforms tightened their moderation policies. Parler’s its less-strict moderation policies were a draw for many new users.

Parler may have a tough road back to its former state, however, after researchers archived 99 percent of its posts, scraping videos and other data, some with GPS info. That archive was used to create an interactive map of the attack on the Capitol.

Messenger signal: servers are groaning under new load

The massive influx of new users has caused technical difficulties for the operators of the Signal messenger. This emerges from a series of tweets, and quite a few (new) users of the messenger will be able to understand this themselves. A few hours ago it finally said on Twitter: “Signal is back!”

Signal was initially confirmed on Friday “technical difficulties”, the service should be restored as soon as possible. Yesterday, Saturday, it was said that Signal would also bring additional capacities online as soon as possible in order to be able to handle the data traffic.

Error messages Now the service has been restored, but as a side effect of the server failures, users can see an error message: “invalid encrypted message”. Signal assures that the chats are still safe, but users may not have received a message from a contact. A future update of the app should fix the problem.

If you get the error message on Android, tap on the menu at the top right of the app and then on “Secure Session reset to default”. On iOS, click on the “Reset session” button under “Received message was not synchronized”.

At the moment, many smartphone users are switching from WhatsApp to Signal because the service enforces consent to its new privacy policy, which states that data will be passed on to other Facebook services. The possibility of passing on applies with the restriction that these may not be used for advertising, but for analysis purposes. WhatsApp originally gave its users the ultimatum to agree to the new terms of use by February 8, but the Facebook subsidiary has now postponed the date. (anw)

TechStage | Ikea Symfonisk table lamp in the test: Sonos with lamp

Testing Tests overview Smartphone Motorola Moto G 5G Plus test: A lot of battery for little money Huawei P Smart 2021: Budget model with room for improvement Asus Zenfone 7 Pro: Turbo smartphone with flip camera Samsung Galaxy Xcover Pro in the test: hard but slow Oneplus Nord N 09 5G in the test: Galloped up in price Oppo Find X2 Pro in the test: performance bargain Asus ROG Phone 3 in the test: Perfect gaming smartphone Smartwatch Oppo Watch in the test: Great AMOLED Smartwatch from 221 € Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 in the test: competition for Apple? Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro in the test: Smartwatch with cross-country battery Apple Watch: Smartwatch with contract from 15 € per month Buy Apple Watch 6: All generations in the price check Skagen Falster 3 im Test: Smartwatch with Wear OS Test Huawei Watch GT 2: Noble fitness tracker in watch form Multiroom Ikea Symfonisk table lamp in the Tes t: Sonos with lamp Ikea Symfonisk in the test: Sonos speakers under 100 Euro Bose Portable Home Speaker in the test: battery , WLAN, Airplay 2 Sonos Move in the test: The robust all-rounder Musiccast: Multiroom from Yamaha in the test Denon Heos in the test: versatile multiroom system Flat soundbar Teufel Sounddeck Streaming in the test Keyfinder Tile Slim (2019): Key finder in credit card format Bluetooth key finder Tile Pro in the test: 122 m range! Key finder Tile Pro in the test: the range champion Orbit Bluetooth tracker in the test: looking for wallet and keys Nonda iHere 3.0 : smart key finder under test Chipolo Classic and Plus: Bluetooth key finder under test Musegear finder 2: Keyfinder without mandatory registration Action-Cam DJI Pocket 2 in the test: Zoom and 64 – Megapixel sensor Actioncam Insta 360 One R: 1-inch image sensor in the test Gopro Hero 8 Black in the test: Back to the top Insta 360 One R in the test: The modular action cam Motorola Moto G8 Plus test: Great smartphone, but … Insta 360 Go: Micro-GoPro in the test Motorola One Action Test: Good hardware, bad camera microSD In the test: Kingston UHS-I U3 microSDXC Kit MicroSD card for smartphone: Samsung Evo Plus 2017 Test report: Lexar Professional 1800 x microSDXC Kit Test report: Intenso Premium microSDXC card with 64 GByte Android Sonos Move in the test: The robust all-rounder Honor 19: Inexpensive high-end smartphone in the test Xiaomi Mi 9: Top technology at a bargain price Doogee S 90 in the test: modular outdoor smartphone ZTE Axon 10 Pro in the test: High -End-Phone at a competitive price Motorola Moto G7 Power in the test: large battery, small price Sony Xperia 09: Smartphone with 21: 9 display in the test Adviser Advisor overview Purchase advice The right cordless screwdriver for the home workshop Bargain: Which Fire TV Stick from 19 € is the right one? Purchase advice: What good is a leaf blower with a battery for 45 Euro? True wireless -Headphones: How much do you have to invest? Buying advice water cooling: High-end PCs cool better Adviser: Air conditioning and fan against the heat wave Sony shows the Xperia 1: Is the predecessor XZ3 worth it now? Practice Caution, money away: Kickstarter & Co. are not shops Android -Switch off notifications from annoying apps Here’s how: Install the new Android L keyboard now Tip: Use “Ok Google everywhere” in Germany In the test: Does the Jail break for iOS 7.1? Goderma and mobile medicine: The doctor apps are coming! Instructions: Jailbreak for iOS 7 on iPhone 5S, 5, 4S and 4 Technology Importing technology from China, part 2: Customs , Taxes and tricks Drones & copters: From toys to FPV racers What does the end of an ecosystem mean? Smartphones with a flexible display: What does that bring me ? Smartphone processors at a glance: Everything Snapdragon? Evolutionary dead ends: the very worst cell phones mpass: Pay with the NFC mobile phone – or the NFC toilet roll Display calculator Calculate pixel density, number and display proportion Best list Test winner Price comparison Price comparison overview Smartphones from Android 7.0 Phablets with stylus Fitness tracker with GPS Bluetooth headphones with ANR Drones with GPS Video TechStage Test Ikea Symfonisk table lamp in the test: Sonos with lamp Start Technical data Facility sound price Conclusion Comments Sonos loudspeakers combined with a table lamp, and the Ikea Symfonisk is ready. TechStage tests the multi-room loudspeaker and says who should strike and for whom other Sonos products are worthwhile.

In addition to the simple symphonic Speakers (test report) Ikea has developed a second device with Sonos. The big difference: There is an E on the speaker 14 – version, next to music it also emits light. Nevertheless, the idea is not bad and the price of the Symfonisk table lamp is on par with a Sonos One SL.

We test the network loudspeaker as part of our Multiroom theme world. Not only other tests on Sonos products appeared there, such as the Sonos Arc (test report), the Sonos One (test report) or the battery-powered Sonos Move (test report). We also take a look at other multiroom systems there, such as Denon Heos (test report), Yamaha Musiccast (test report), Teufel Raumfeld (test report) or speakers that connect directly via Spotify Connect.

Design and technical data The symfonisk light consists of three parts: A wide, plate-like base with the three control elements volume up, volume down and start / pause. The loudspeaker sits on top of it in a cylindrical shape, which is interrupted by the rotary switch for the light on the side. Finally, at the top is the lampshade. It has a broad base and tapers towards the top, reminiscent of a classic floor lamp. The lamp takes bulbs with an E 13 – socket with a maximum of 7W. This makes it bright enough to be used as a reading lamp. Opinions are likely to differ on design. In the editorial team and among friends, opinion fluctuates between “cool” and “looks like a toilet paper holder”. However, the device does its job well, both as a lamp and as a loudspeaker.

Left the Symfonisk light, right the Symfonisk loudspeaker. It is important to know that the lighting function is completely separated from the Sonos and Multiroom features. The audio is played back in the classic way via the Sonos app for Android, iOS, Windows or Mac OS. The lamp can be switched on or off using the rotary switch on the side. Smart functions or automatisms for light are missing. However, this can be retrofitted with smart lamps.

On the back, next to the power connection, is the typical Sonos network connector, but in most cases you will probably use the WLAN for access to the network use.

Setup and Sonos integration As with the Symfonisk loudspeaker, there is a complete Sonos system in the multiroom lamp from Ikea . In other words, the luminaire can be completely controlled via the Sonos app and is compatible with all of the manufacturer’s other products. Whether as a multiroom group, as a stereo pair or in combination with a soundbar, on the app side there is no difference between Sonos directly from the manufacturer and Sonos from Ikea.

The setup is accordingly simple. In the Sonos app, go to “Add system” via the settings and then follow the instructions in the app. It’s easy and done in a few minutes. Then you can choose the name and / or the location. If available, a firmware update will be installed.

The buttons for the typical Sonos commands are on the wide coaster. sound The sound body of the Symfonisk lamp creates a surprisingly good sound, especially in the bass range. Here the Symfonisk lamp even creates a little more bass than the comparable Sonos One SL. However, it lacks protection against splash water or the Alexa microphones of the Sonos One (test report). Still, the sound is very good, as you would expect from a Sonos device. In other words, streaming is not a problem, but anyone who prefers to listen to vinyl or is one of the particularly audiophiles will have to resort to another solution.

In addition, there is an equalizer in the apps for Android and iPhone, with which you can, for example, turn down the bass a little. Users of iPhone and iPad or other Sonos products such as the Sonos Arc (test report) can also use the Trueplay features to automatically measure the loudspeaker. This is particularly useful if you use the lights as back speakers for the Sonos soundbars to transform the virtual 5.1 into real surround sound.

Ikea Symfonisk table lamp (6 pictures) The Ikea Symfonisk table lamp combines Sonos speakers with a lamp.

Price The Sonos Symfonisk table lamp is available in two versions: one in white and gray, one in black.

Ikea Symfonisk table lamp , White

Ikea Symfonisk table lamp, black

Ikea loudspeaker, white

Ikea speakers , black

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Conclusion Unlike the Symfonisk speakers, the Symfonisk table lamp has direct competition in the Sonos One SL, both cost about 181 Euro. Accordingly, you have to decide what you want. The Symfonisk table lamp is significantly larger than the loudspeaker, but has the great advantage that, thanks to its light, it is not only a loudspeaker but also a piece of furniture. If you want that, you can get a good table lamp with a very good multiroom speaker and one of the best apps for control.

If you are looking for a cheaper Sonos speaker, we definitely recommend the Symfonisk speaker (test report), which is less than 100 Euro costs. Otherwise, we recommend taking a look at the guide to multiroom systems: Sound in every room.

Permalink: https://techstage.de/-5025898

Signal is back after an outage that lasted more than 24 hours

After experiencing technical difficulties Friday, the Signal messaging app appears to be back up and running. The company tweeted Saturday night that it was “back,” although added that some users may still see error messages in their chats. The company didn’t explain what caused the outage.

Signal is back! Like an underdog going through a training montage, we’ve learned a lot since yesterday — and we did it together. Thanks to the millions of new Signal users around the world for your patience. Your capacity for understanding inspired us while we expanded capacity. pic.twitter.com/cRNV8kVtdF

— Signal (@signalapp) January 17, 2021

For users still be seeing error messages in their chats — which the company said was a “side effect” of the outage that began around 11:30AM ET Friday— Signal tweeted that those messages do not affect security, rather that you may have missed a message from another user. This will be fixed in the next app updates, the company said.

It offered two fixes if users want to clear the error messages manually: On Android, tap the menu in the top-right corner and choose “reset secure session.” For iOS users of Signal tap the “reset session” button located below “received message was out of sync.”

On Android if you see “Bad encrypted message,” tap the menu in the top-right & tap “Reset secure session.” On iOS tap the “Reset Session” button below “Received message was out of sync.” The errors do not affect chat security & will be automatically fixed in the next app update. pic.twitter.com/dgLGLZS3zB

— Signal (@signalapp) January 17, 2021

Signal allows secure and encrypted video, voice, and text communication, and in the past weeks has seen a surge of new users to its app, after CEO Elon Musk tweeted his recommendation, and as rival service WhatsApp unveiled a confusing new privacy policy, which it’s now pushed back several months.

During the outage, the Signal tweeted that it was “working as quickly as possible to bring additional capacity online to handle peak traffic levels.”

The company did not immediately reply to an request from The Verge for further comment on Sunday.

Apple invests in black entrepreneurs' projects to combat racism

An investment of 60 millions of dollars in favor of black entrepreneurs and a new venture capital firm aiming to finance 1,000 companies in 20 years.

by Rosario Grasso published 17 January 2021 , at 12: 01 in the Apple channel

Apple

Apple announced new investments for 60 millions of dollars addressed to challenge systemic racism . Among these, the first foray of the Cupertino company into venture capital financing in order to support black entrepreneurs . Reuters reported the news.

About 10 millions will be donated to the fund Harlem Capital , just established with headquarters in New York. The fund will aim to support a thousand new companies in the next 20 years. Others 25 millions will then be allocated to Clear Vision Impact Fund of Siebert Williams Shank , which grants loans to small and medium-sized enterprises.

With 25 million dollars Apple will also support the Propel Center in Atlanta , a campus that provides training and support for the future business activities of people of color. The iPhone company will launch two grant programs to help structure the curriculum in silicon engineering and hardware .

A Detroit , on the other hand, will contribute to the creation of an academy for app development . One thousand students will benefit from a free course with a duration ranging from 10 to 12 months addressed to programming, design and marketing. The Michigan State University will also collaborate on the project. “We tried to invest where we thought there was an opportunity to do good things” , Lisa Jackson , Apple’s vice president for the environment, policies and social initiatives.

This is a support plan that will provide overall 100 million dollars as Apple has made the last year following the brutal killings Breonna Taylor and ) George Floyd from which the wave of protests was born Black Lives Matter .

Electric car with solar modules: Sono Motors shows another prototype of the Sion

Sono Motors has further developed its electric car with Sion solar modules and presented it at the virtual CES. The second generation of prototypes differs from the first in that all straight and curved outer parts of the vehicle are equipped with solar panels, the company announced. High-quality surface materials and the near-series dashboard should give the vehicle a modern look.

The Sion should be for 25. 500 Euro come onto the market. The solar modules should extend the range of the battery (71 km according to the WLTP standard) in favorable weather by up to 34 km per day.

” We found a way to provide sustainable, free energy across various forms of transport by replacing the traditional painting process with integrated solar technology, “explains Sono Motors CEO Jona Christians. The solar technology from Sono is cheaper, lighter and more efficient than conventional glass solar cells.

Parts for series production Overall, Sono Motors built into the current Sion prototype parts that are intended for series production. These either come from series suppliers or are near-series components. This includes the electric drive unit, the chassis and the MPPT Central Unit (MCU) successfully implemented.

Series design of the Sion electric solar car (36 Pictures) In January 2021 Sono Motors presents the second generation of prototypes, …

The control units in the car now communicate with the app and the infotainment, for example for live tracking of solar energy, keyless entry, opening the loading flap or checking the temperature and lighting mood in the interior. Sono Motors has also presented the first prototype of a photovoltaic trailer for trucks, which it produced together with the Finnish solar manufacturer Valoe.

Patent on body parts with solar panels Sono Motors explains the principle of its technology in a September 2019 published patent. In a classic body construction, cladding elements on a structurally load-bearing frame, it can be complex to integrate solar cells. If solar cells were attached to the outside of the trim parts, they could protrude from the outer contour and adversely affect the aerodynamics of the vehicle. In addition, it is usually expensive to integrate solar cells into the body and it may be difficult to replace them, for example if they have been damaged.

The patent relates to a body part with a frame component and a trim part arranged on it with an airtight and watertight recess and a solar cell embedded in it. In this case, the outside of the cladding part has, in addition to the solar cell, a three-dimensionally curved external shape, which in turn forms part of a vehicle external contour. The cladding part can have a comparatively much smaller structurally load-bearing portion. With an appropriate connection of the cladding part to the frame component or an appropriate selection of material for the cladding part, the cladding part could possibly take higher structural loads.

(anw)

Alienware AW2521H 360Hz Monitor Review: Motion Blur Be Gone

Our Verdict

Though priced at the premium level, the Alienware AW2521H delivers something almost no other monitor can: 360 Hz with a 3 ms screen draw time. That means there’s no motion blur, period. If you have an equally premium gaming PC to go with it, you can’t get better performance from any other display that doesn’t run at 360 Hz.

For

Fastest refresh rate you can get
Nvidia Reflex performance analyzer
Excellent HDR
AlienFX RGB
Low input lag
Usable ULMB

Against

Average SDR contrast
No FreeSync
Expensive

Go to page:

Features and Specifications

Is the best gaming monitor about resolution, color saturation, contrast or speed? If you picked speed, then a 360 Hz monitor is for you. The 360 Hz refresh rate is the current pinnacle of smooth response and the lowest available input lag.

LCD technology has spent its entire life working to overcome one major flaw, motion blur. Because each frame remains on the screen while the next one is drawn, it has been termed “sample and hold.” Self-illuminant panels, like plasma and OLED, redraw the image hundreds of times per refresh cycle, which means there is no blur, even at frame rates as low as 60 fps.

LCD has two ways to combat this, higher refresh rates and backlight strobing. Better known as ULMB (ultra low motion blur), backlight strobing inserts black frames in order to mimic the action of OLED and plasma. It is effective but it reduces brightness and, in most cases, prevents the use of FreeSync or G-Sync. The better option is to raise the refresh rate and that’s exactly what the Alienware AW2521H does. Running at 360 Hz, it not only eliminates motion blur, it delivers super low input lag.

(Image credit: Dell)

Alienware AW2521H Specs

Panel Type / Backlight	IPS / W-LED, edge array
Screen Size / Aspect Ratio	25 inches / 16:9
Max Resolution & Refresh Rate	1920 x 1080 @ 360 Hz
	G-Sync: 48-360 Hz
Native Color Depth & Gamut	8-bit / sRGB
	HDR10
	DisplayHDR 400
Response Time (GTG)	1 ms
Brightness (mfr)	400 nits
Contrast (mfr)	1,000:1
Speakers	None
Video Inputs	1x DisplayPort 1.4
	2x HDMI 2.0
Audio	3.5mm headphone output
	3.5mm line output
USB 3.2	1x up, 4x down
Power Consumption	21w, brightness @ 200 nits
Panel Dimensions (WxHxD w/base)	21.9 x 15.5-20.5 x 9.9 inches (556 x 394-521 x 251mm)
Panel Thickness	2.9 inches (73.7mm)
Bezel Width	Top/sides: 0.3 inch (7mm)
	Bottom: 0.6 inch (15mm)
Bottom: 0.6 inch (15mm)	10 pounds (4.6kg)
Warranty	3 years

Fast flat panels used to rely on TN technology for their speed, but that is no more. Now, we have fast IPS, which brings back good viewing angles and better color saturation. The AW2521H uses one of these, along with a white LED edge-array backlight. HDR10 signals are supported with an effective dynamic contrast feature that broadens dynamic range to almost 8000:1 for HDR using a variable backlight option.

Video processing is cutting edge, of course, with 360 Hz and G-Sync. There is no FreeSync support, which is a bit unusual in today’s market. The AW2521H also includes ULMB up to 240 Hz. It won’t work in concert with G-Sync but does make a visible difference in motion resolution. Alienware makes a 240 Hz FreeSync version of this monitor, the AW2521HF.

Assembly and Accessories of Alienware AW2521H

You’ll notice the gold-plated contacts in the stand when snapping it onto the panel. That enables the lighting. You can still use an aftermarket arm with the included 100mm VESA mount if you wish. The cable bundle includes two DisplayPorts, one with a mini connector, and a USB 3.0 wire. The power supply is internal and fed by an IEC power cord. You also get a snap on cover to tidy up the input panel.

Alienware AW2521H: Product 360

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Because it is a premium monitor, we expect top-level build quality and a long feature list. The Alienware AW2521H has both. Not only is the AW2521H well-made, it has a glowing Alienware logo on the back and a long LED bar on the stand that mimics the shape seen on Alienware’s gaming PCs.

The AW2521H features the same small bezel look as most of today’s gaming monitors. The bezel is visible when the power’s on, but is only 7mm wide at the top and sides. The bottom trim is 15mm wide and features the Alienware logo and a label proudly announcing “360 Hz.” A tiny LED at the lower right glows white and doubles as the power button. Behind the right edge are four more keys and an on-screen display (OSD) joystick. They click like a high-end monitor should and make short work of menu navigation and control. On the panel’s top edge is an ambient light sensor. Turning it on allows the image to vary in brightness with your room’s lighting.

Styling is minimalist but distinctly Alienware. The long oval shape is a theme that appears on the back of the upright, ringed by LEDs. You’ll see the same element on an Alienware gaming PC which we currently have in the lab. The RGB is coordinated once you make a USB connection and is controllable in the OSD and by the Alienware Command Center app using AlienFX. You can set different colors and effects for particular games or just to your liking.

The stand is of high quality and offers a 5 inch height adjustment along with 20 degree swivel left and right, 5/21 degrees of tilt and a 90 degree portrait mode. Inside the upright, visible from the front, is a convenient graduated number scale so you can remember your height setting when moving the AW2521H from place to place.

The input panel is recessed deeply underneath, so much so that cables with large connectors will be difficult to use. Luckily, two of the USB ports and the headphone jack are under the panel edge in a more accessible position. Video inputs include two HDMI 2.0, limited to 240 Hz, and a DisplayPort 1.4, which is the one to use for G-Sync and 360 Hz (see our DisplayPort vs HDMI article for more). You also get two more USB 3.2 downstream ports and an upstream, for a total of one up and four down.

There’s a second 3.5mm jack for external audio but no internal speakers in the AW2521H.

OSD Features of Alienware AW2521H

The AW2521H’s OSD is extensive and features everything needed for performance-oriented gaming.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

There are nine picture presets, mostly game-type specific, three gaming modes and Custom Color if you want to calibrate grayscale. The gaming modes allow changes to color saturation only and let you set different overdrive speeds depending on game type. Performance Tip: use the Fast overdrive setting for everything; it works the best.

Game Enhance mode includes a frame counter, countdown timers and multi-screen alignment marks but no aiming points. Response time is the overdrive control. Again, we suggest you use Fast for best results. Dark Stabilizer raises the black level to make shadow detail more visible. And Variable Backlight is an effective dynamic contrast feature. It has three modes, and Mode 0 is the most responsive. Each higher level delivers the same dynamic range but at a slower rate of change.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The AlienFX Lighting menu lets you change color, brightness and effect for the upright and panel’s LEDs. You can also create custom scenarios linked to specific games in the Alienware Command Center app.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The G-Sync Processor menu accesses the Nvidia Reflex Latency Analyzer, which shows control lag in real time in an on-screen window. It requires a USB connection and that you plug your mouse into the special USB port on the panel’s bottom edge.

ULMB is the backlight strobe feature that reduces motion blur. You’ll have to turn off G-Sync and reduce the refresh rate to 240 Hz to use it. It automatically sets the brightness to 100% to compensate for the loss in light output. Equalizing the brightness setting showed us a 12% reduction when starting at 200 nits. But if you max the backlight with G-Sync, it’s 48% dimmer with ULMB, so the change isn’t constant. With independent brightness settings though, it’s easy to equalize the output level, as long as you don’t want more than 238 nits.

Alienware AW2521H Calibration Settings

There are two ways to calibrate the AW2521H. In the three Game modes, color saturation controls are available, but there are no gamma or grayscale adjustments. The better choice is Custom color, where there are RGB sliders but no gamma options. We achieved accurate color with this option for both SDR and HDR content. Our recommended settings are below.

Picture Mode	Custom Color
Brightness 200 nits	73
Brightness 120 nits	37
Brightness 100 nits	29
Brightness 80 nits	20
Brightness 50 nits	7 (min. 39 nits)
Contrast	75
Color Temp User	Red 100, Green 99, Blue 90

When an HDR10 signal is detected, the AW2521H switches over automatically. You can still adjust the RGB sliders in Custom Color mode, but we were able to use our SDR settings for HDR.

Gaming & Hands-on with Alienware AW2521H

The AW2521H also includes Nvidia’s Reflex performance analyzer that shows real time information on screen with input lag and frame rates and is said to help reduce input latency (for more see Nvidia Reflex tested).

Though its focus is premium gaming, the AW2521H is a decent all-around monitor for everyday use. At 25 inches, its 1080p resolution provides enough pixel density to render small fonts and fine details well. An extra bit of sRGB gamut volume means bright and vibrant color for photo editing or video watching. The IPS screen provides decent viewing angles with little color shift or light reduction when viewed up to 45 degrees off center.

We engaged the variable backlight feature on Mode 0 for a little extra SDR contrast. Black levels aren’t all that deep, so shadow areas looked more like dark gray. It’s not that different than typical IPS screens in this regard.

Quickly we noticed how smooth any kind of motion looked. 360 Hz is seriously fast, and even just moving dialog boxes around the desktop looked almost other-worldly. Indeed, the difference between 240 Hz and 360 Hz can be seen with casual observation.

ULMB reduces brightness by around 12% if you start at 200 nits. Brightness can be raised to compensate. It only works up to 240 Hz, but it really makes a visible improvement to motion resolution. We thought there was no blur when watching BlurBusters test patterns at 360 Hz, but engaging ULMB at 240 Hz made it look even smoother. That means that if you don’t care about G-Sync, it’s actually better to do 240 Hz with ULMB than 360 Hz. It’s a shame ULMB can’t be used with G-Sync. But at 240 fps, tearing is barely noticeable, so some users might prefer to use ULMB.

For SDR gaming, we played a few hours of Tomb Raider. We left the variable backlight on Mode 0, which upped contrast slightly. Color was rich and saturated with natural hues, but shadows were still more gray than black. The AW2521H is reasonably accurate without calibration but our adjustments (see our calibration settings on page 1) are well worth doing, since they make a visible improvement.

Motion processing is simply the best there around. However, we saw no advantage to the AW2521H over the Asus ROG Swift PG259QN 360Hz monitor. Overall, response is on another level, and motion clarity is superior to any 240 Hz screen we’ve encountered. G-Sync worked perfectly as we often hit the 360 Hz maximum, thanks to the GeForce RTX 3090 graphics card in our Alienware gaming PC.

We enjoyed the same experience in Call of Duty WWII, which definitely looked better with HDR engaged. There was more pop and sharper detail in both highlight and shadow areas of the image. HDR processing cost us about 20 fps, but the game still hit 360 fps on occasion. Playing at 300 fps most of the time was no burden. Gameplay this responsive and smooth is truly addictive.

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