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The new Google Pay app is out of beta
The old version is still on the Play Store, but won't appear in search results
Google has been working on a new beta version of Pay since November, but the old app has been available on the Play Store for users who aren't ready to transition. At least it was until today: anyone searching the Play Store now will be greeted with only the new app, which is out of testing. The old version is still functional, but should start to disappear as users update.
Ruggedized Samsung Galaxy Xcover 5 shows off its armor in spec-filled leak
It's smaller and presumably cheaper than the last one, and hopefully running much more current software
You gotta love a phone that can take a beating. Samsung has made a few, from the Galaxy Active series to the more recent Xcover Field Pro. That last one made a splash with its high price and ancient software, but an updated Xcover 5 was leaked in a software update schedule earlier today. Just a few hours later, both photos and specs are available.
The Brave Browser people bought a search engine
Brave Search will focus on privacy and openness, with a paid ad-free option
Brave, the desktop and mobile browser based on Chromium code, is gaining a lot of steam. Its stated mission of protecting privacy and blocking malicious advertising resonates with a lot of users, particularly those who are growing weary of Google's track record on both. Brave's latest move is an acquisition of Tailcat, a small open source search engine out of Europe.
Google Maps may soon help you avoid railroad crossings along your route
The alerts show where the crossings are, not live train positions
Living in a small town crisscrossed by train tracks is a recipe frustration if you need to get anywhere in a hurry. Google knows this, and is starting to integrate railroad crossing info into Google Maps navigation. The feature isn't official yet, but it's showing up for a few users.
Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G dual SIM support has been improved in March update
You can now use 5G on both a physical SIM and eSIM at once
Monday's feature drop for the Pixel phones included a fun nugget that wasn't in the official changelog: it appears you can now use both a physical SIM card and an eSIM on 5G networks at the same time. Previously users who had both installed and operational were limited to LTE speeds, even if their carrier had 5G service in the area.
Google doubles down on its commitment to get rid of targeted tracking in Chrome
The company pinkie swears it won't use alternate methods of targeting users once third-party cookies are gone
Google's Privacy Sandbox is a program that aims to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome entirely over the next year, making the web a more secure and private place without completely destroying the way that targeted advertising works. And, you know, wrecking the business model for most of the web's free content, including the words you're reading now.
Update your Shield's Plex Media Server app through the Play Store to get it working again
A lot of users seem confused after the latest version didn't automatically install
One of the NVIDIA SHIELD's most impressive capabilities is running a Plex media server, something that isn't usually possible on a streaming set-top box. But some users have had issues with it for the last couple of months, complaining that a lack of updates has broken their home-built video streaming server. There's a straightforward solution: update the Plex server app on the Play Store, since the server won't update itself automatically.
This company will sell you a modified Galaxy S9 without any proprietary Google software
Previously available in Europe, two refurbished models running /e/ OS are now shipping to the US and Canada.
We're big fans of Google, obviously. But we also live in the real world, where Google does a lot of stuff that's unambiguously bad. If you want to use open source Android without getting its parent company involved, then you have a few options. Previously only available in Europe, the eSolutions shop is now selling versions of the Galaxy S9 scrubbed clean of all proprietary Google software to the US and Canada.
Updated Philips Hue Dimmer Switch now available for $25
It's a lot like the old one, plus a dedicated Hue button for changing scenes and new timing options
Smart home owners looking for a new and improved way to access their lights will want to check out Philips' latest dimmer switch. Announced in January at the same time as the retrofit switch module, the new model is now available to buy from the Hue shop, and should be hitting the usual retailers soon. It's going for $24.99.The new Dimmer Switch looks a lot like the old one, which can be installed into a standard light switch plate or stuck on anywhere else, since it's wireless and battery operated. This model retains the option to snap the button pad off the magnetic plate and use it as a remote, but the two center brightness buttons have been replaced with a rocker. Instead of on and off at the top and bottom respectively, there's a power button on top and a "Hue" button below for manually switching between customized scenes.The included cover is slightly larger, so it should more reliably cover a single-switch plate without any kind of additional adapter. It has a modified battery cover, which can be changed out with a coin or key instead of needing a screwdriver. There are new options in the Hue app: you can change the behavior of the Hue button between times of day.You'll need a Hue Hub in order to use the switch, as with almost all Hue hardware, and it can control up to ten connected lights at once. The Amarant linear outdoor light that was announced along with the new dimmer switch is also up on the Philips site, but it's unavailable to purchase at the moment.Source: Philips Hue
Flipboard's all about connecting you with local news in latest app update
1000 major cities are highlighted as of now
The next time you launch Flipboard, it'll ask you for a location permission. The developers have been working on creating more focused content for specific cities, seen through the app's lens of impeccable layout and interface. It should be live in the Play Store now, or swiftly coming to you in the form of an app update.
The Nuki Box is bringing smart-lock convenience to apartment dwellers across Europe
The system is cheap, easy to install, and doesn't need a building-wide network
Nuki has quickly become a popular smart home brand for budget-minded buyers, offering smart connected locks that work with European-style door mechanisms. While it makes the Nuki Opener for individual apartment door buzzers, the company is expanding its support for apartment dwellers and owners with the Nuki Box.
Phony 'Google Home App For PC' Chrome extension suckers in thousands of users
It just redirects to a page that tells you to install Bluestacks
There's no way to control a Google Assistant-powered smart home from a Windows PC, at least not yet. That's a problem, not just from the perspective of users, but for Google's ecosystem as a whole. Take this "Google Home App For PC" Chrome extension as an example—while it brazenly uses the official Google Home logo and has generic Google Home screenshots, it's merely a link to a sketchy website instructing you to install the Bluestacks emulator and then the Home app for Android.
Samsung SMS Messaging app for Windows spotted in the Microsoft Store
It's in a closed test for now, and might be limited to Samsung-branded laptops
There are a bunch of ways to access text messages from a desktop, including solutions from Google and Microsoft. And you know Samsung: once lots of other companies do something, it just has to have its own proprietary solution, too. Now we're getting early signs of a Samsung Messaging app hanging out in the Microsoft Store, which describes itself as a way to send and receive texts from your phone in Windows.
Google details how Workspace (formerly G Suite) is getting new features for remote workers
Google Assistant voice actions for Workspace Gmail and Calendar are out of beta, too
Google Workspace, nee G Suite, has some very cool new options incoming in the near future. If you use Workspace at your company (and/or you have some Google-branded hardware around your home), you'll soon be getting access to interesting new ways to work remotely.
Oppo Find X3 Pro, X3 Neo, and X3 Lite photos and full specs leak ahead of formal debut
All three get quad cameras, fast screens, and 5G, with an expected launch of March 11th
Oppo isn't a household name in the US, but in Europe and other territories it's a common sight for buyers of budget and midrange devices alike. The company's Find flagship line (its equivalent to the Galaxy S) is being updated at an event in a couple of weeks, but a new leak is already managing to reveal pretty much all the info you could want on these upcoming phones.
Tasker Beta adds condition for Google's newest sleep tracking tools
Less than a week after the Sleep API was released---Tasker don't waste time
Tasker, one of Android's most beloved power user apps, is taking a bit of a snooze. Or at the very least, it's helping you to. Less than a week ago, Google announced new tools for the Sleep API, focused on letting apps that detect sleep duration run more efficiently. The latest beta, version 5.12.3, adds in the Sleeping state to Tasker's workflow.
Chrome might automatically use desktop mode on Android tablets soon
Android-powered slates with large enough displays won't have to manually tap the 'Desktop Site' button
There aren't many big, high-powered Android tablets coming out these days. But if you're one of the happy few who have one, you could soon see the Chrome browser default to the "Desktop site" version of web browsing. That's the little button in the menu that allows you to force the page to render as if it were on a laptop or desktop PC.
Finally, Bethesda's storied Elder Scrolls series is available on Android! Sort of. If you were hoping to romp through Skyrim or one of the older open world RPGs that PC and console players love, well, keep hoping. The Elder Scrolls: Legends is a card battle game, like Magic: The Gathering, Hearthstone, or any of the hundreds of similar titles in the Play Store. At the moment it's in pre-release (beta), but it's listed as compatible with both phones and tablets running Android 4.0 and higher.
Google likes to adjust the Play Store more or less continuously, changing things in big or small ways for a small subset of users before rolling things out (or not) to Android at large. The latest updates to the app seem to be appearing for only a few people, presumably via server-side changes. It's nothing particularly huge - you might not even notice them if you're not looking for them - but it's the sort of tweak we live for.
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- Boomerang has released the Android app in an early access form in the Play Store. Subscribers can get a 7-day free trial if they sign up for the $4.99/month plan or 30 free days if they sign up for the $39.99 annual membership. If you're itching for some classic cartoons, then download the app and get started.
If were lucky enough to have cable TV back in the 90s (and you were around the right age and/or state of mind) you probably remember countless hours of Cartoon Network. The fledgling channel was nothing less than a classical education in the golden age of Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera shows. Eventually Cartoon Network filled up with its own original programming, but the classic shorts and Saturday morning cartoons moved over to a sister channel, Boomerang, which is still showing off the good stuff. Cord cutters don't get access to Boomerang, but that's about to change.