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Tuesday, 1 December 2020

Tile trackers: The best way to keep your important things findable https://ift.tt/37rrLdp

We’ve all had that momentary panic from misplacing something important, and it only gets worse over the holiday season. If you’re rushing to get over the river or through the woods, the last thing you need to do is spend time looking for your wallet or keys. Luckily, Tile’s ingenious little trackers take the guesswork out of your search.

Perfectly portable sizes

You could always attach a balloon or something to your keys to keep track of them, but that’s hardly convenient. Tile’s trackers come in a number of sizes, each meant for a specific job in your daily life.

If you want all-around flexibility, the classic Tile Mate is a great companion for your keys. You can simply pop it onto your keyring like any other keychain and carry on with your day. On the other hand, the Tile Slim is just right if you tend to misplace your wallet. It’s designed just like a credit card and you can pop it right into a slot and go.

See also: Tile Slim review

One more Tile that’s sized to move is the Sticker. It’s a great pick if you tend to lose your remote — especially when it’s time for a holiday movie marathon. The Sticker adheres to most flat surfaces so you’ll never lose your TV remote again.

You can even check out a number of limited edition Tile patterns right here in the gift guide. We like Midnight Luxe for its sleek look, and Holiday Luxe is a classic holly red that’s super to keep the season merry and bright.

Smart for its size

Credit: Ryan Haines / Android Authority

Now, the Tile Mate and Tile Slim are tiny little devices, so how smart can they be? Very smart, actually. They work perfectly with Android, iOS, and even Amazon products. All you need is a reliable Bluetooth connection and the free Tile app on your phone to get started.

When the day comes where you misplace your keys or wallet, simply hop into the app and press the Find button. Your tracker will ring to guide you right to where you left it. If you happen to be out of earshot, your Tile also tracks the last known location so you can hunt down your device on a map. It’s almost like a high-tech treasure hunt for your own valuables.

The app is essential, but one of Tile’s best features comes when you misplace your phone instead. You can double press the Tile button on your Mate and your phone will ring instead. You’re pretty much out of excuses when it comes to misplacing your devices with a Tile Mate or Slim.

Durable and packed with style

If you’re going to tote around a Tile every day, then it may as well look cool. Luckily for you, Tile has more than a dozen limited-edition patterns to choose from this holiday season. You can hook up your favorite sneakerhead with the Nice Kicks design or tap into a love of sushi with the Oishii version.

Don’t worry about replacing your Tile every few months, either. Each one is built to last up to three years or comes with a three year replaceable battery, and you might find yourself adding Tiles to your collection as you buy more devices.

No matter which pattern you choose, all the trackers are perfectly priced for the holidays. You can grab a set as stocking stuffers or pick up a fun pattern as a Secret Santa gift. Honestly, the Tile Mate and Slim are even great impulse buys if you just want to treat yourself for making it this far into 2020.

We can talk about Tile all day, but it really comes down to giving the trackers a try. Give the holiday gift guide another look and pick up your stocking stuffer secret weapon at the button below:

check out the tile holiday guide

Credit: Ryan Haines / Android Authority

from Android Authority https://ift.tt/3fTfYbG

Apple fined $10M because water is wet in different ways, and more tech news https://ift.tt/3oe943W

Your tech news digest, by way of the DGiT Daily tech newsletter, for Tuesday, 1 December 2020.

1. iPhone water resistance vs marketing promises: Italy says no

Apple iPhone in water

Apple is in hot water with Italy’s competition authority, which fined the company €10M ($12M) over iPhone water-resistance claims.

What’s interesting here is that Italy’s AGCM, in a report only in Italian but likely to be officially translated in the coming days, intends to fine Apple for concerns over water-resistance marketing, and warranty.

All iPhone models since October 2017, including the iPhone 8 through to the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models, are included in the report. Apple has 60 days to appeal.

(In case you were concerned: According to the report, Apple’s Italian business between September 2018 and September 2019, recorded revenues of €58,652,628; and an operating profit of €26,918,658. So, Apple Italy should survive!)

The machine-translated AGCM report says two commercial practices were unfair:

First, “the characteristic of being water resistant for a maximum depth varying between 4 meters and 1 meter depending on the model and up to 30 minutes,” which is part of Apple’s marketing.
According to the Authority, however:

“…the messages did not clarify that this property is found only in the presence of specific conditions, for example during specific and controlled laboratory tests with the use of static and pure water, and not in the normal conditions of use of the devices by consumers.”

Then, on top of that, Apple’s “aggressive commercial practice” in post-sales warranty assistance for those with an iPhone that suffered water damage.

On that point, Italy’s authorities say:

“Furthermore, the contextual indication of the disclaimer “The guarantee does not cover damage caused by liquids”, given the emphatic advertising boast of water resistance, was considered suitable to deceive consumers by not clarifying which type of guarantee it referred,” and “the refusal by Apple, in the post-sales phase, to provide warranty assistance when those iPhone models were damaged due to the introduction of water or other liquids, thus hindering the exercise of the rights recognized to them by the law regarding the guarantee or by the Consumer Code.”

So, in short:

Water-resistance tests in labs in perfect conditions using pure water do not mimic real-world performance or usage.
And, despite the marketing of water-resistance in many recent iPhones, Apple won’t help if a new iPhone suffers water damage, noting it’s not waterproof.
Apple has also has used water damage indicators for years.

Apple’s not alone:

Specifically on water resistance problems, the same sort of case against Samsung was made in Australia about a year ago (ACCC), and that case went on for more than a year at minimum. I can’t find a resolution to that case either, so maybe it’s continuing.
And while Italy’s regulator made its case against Apple this time around, it had fined both Apple and Samsung $15M two years ago for forced updates that may slow or make devices unusable.
Sony, back in 2015, massively wound back its water-resistance claims after initially talking up water-proofing, including an underwater store in Brazil and Dubai. That wasn’t in response to a fine or order, but supposedly due to warranty claims being made by people using the phone in water, as Sony was demonstrating in its marketing, which then Sony refused to cover.
The likes of OnePlus, on the other hand, have resisted any claims of water resistance until its 2020 flagship OnePlus 8 models finally adding IP68-rated water resistance.

What it means:

Italy’s AGCM didn’t outright ban Apple from marketing its products in this way, but did order Apple to publish information on links to consumer protection information on Apple’s Italian homepage.
And it’s a bit of a weird area for smartphones, and for regulators.
The problem for regulators is that these matters can then go to courts, and last years, like in the Samsung vs Australia case.
And no one reasonably expects Apple (or Samsung) to fix a smartphone that you left on the bottom of a pool for a few hours by mistake, but it’s impossible to differentiate between that and an accidental drop into a sink of water that should’ve survived.
Hence, most companies now hesitate to go beyond a mention of water resistance for smartphones, and plenty don’t offer any guarantees.
In any case, I’d stick with keeping your phone well away from any water, no matter what the marketing says.

2. Leak: OnePlus 9E could be a thing, joining OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9 Pro. A real lack of detail here but this could be appealing, given the popularity of the Samsung Galaxy S10e (Android Authority).

3. Samsung confirms it’s working on a ‘slimmer and lighter’ foldable phone. Naturally, yes, but the Galaxy Z Fold 2 was called a massive brick in our review this year so that may be a useful upgrade (Android Authority).

4. Renders of the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G have apparently leaked, and it doesn’t have the bog-standard dedicated camera housing for the rear shooters, a little like the LG Velvet? (Android Authority).

5. Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro: Everything we know so far about the new TWS earbuds, which surfaced at the FCC (Android Authority).

6. FCC chairman Ajit Pai out on Jan. 20, net neutrality back in (ZDNet).

7. Alphabet’s DeepMind achieves historic new milestone in AI-based protein structure prediction, using Alpha Fold (TechCrunch).

8. I’m really not across the biology here but a peer-reviewed paper on AlphaFold is coming. DeepMind’s blog post explains more. This is at least partly what Stanford’s Folding@Home project was trying to achieve for years, I think?

9. It looks like Apple Fitness+ is launching soon (Gizmodo).

10. Facebook is buying Kustomer, which specializes in customer service tools and chatbots, reportedly for $1B+ (Reuters).

11. All the social media giants are becoming the same: news feed, disappearing posts, private messaging, and a live broadcasting feature… yep, that’s all of them (Wired).

12. Instagram has totally changed how watches are designed in “an aesthetic arms-race” (Wired).

13. Zoom almost quadrupled its revenue year over year, again. Investors want more, though (The Verge).

14. “What’s the go with sonic toothbrushes? Do they make any noticeable difference?” This one gets into if electric toothbrushes are worth it over manual, and people who say they’re dentists agree (r/askscience).

The DGiT Daily delivers a daily email that keeps you ahead of the curve for all tech news, opinions, and links to what’s going down in the planet’s most important field. You get all the context and insight you need, and all with a touch of fun. Plus! Rotating daily fun for each day of the week, like Wednesday Weirdness. Join in!

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It’s now looking more likely that there won’t be a Galaxy Note in 2021 https://ift.tt/359VUhG

Credit: Oliver Cragg / Android Authority

Reuters has reported that Samsung has no plans to develop a new Galaxy Note.
It’s believed Samsung will focus its efforts on foldable phones instead.

Several publications and tipsters claimed earlier this year that Samsung could be dropping the Galaxy Note range in 2021 in favor of the Galaxy Z Fold series. Now, yet another report has alleged that the phablet range could be ditched next year.

Reuters claims that Samsung doesn’t have plans to develop a new Galaxy Note in 2021, citing three sources with knowledge of the matter. The sources also echo previous claims that Samsung is bringing the Galaxy Note’s S-Pen to the Galaxy S21 range and an upcoming Galaxy foldable (presumably the Galaxy Z Fold 3). A source added that the foldable’s S-Pen will be sold separately.

One of the newswire’s sources also alleged that Samsung’s “development efforts” that would’ve been devoted to the Galaxy Note range will now be focused on its foldable phones. This would be a sensible move by Samsung, as it means the full brunt of its vast resources would be focused on making its foldables a success.

This clearly isn’t the first time we’ve heard that the Galaxy Note line won’t make an appearance in 2021, but Reuters is perhaps the most authoritative outlet to report this claim. So it’s looking increasingly likely that unless Samsung’s latest foldables flop, we won’t be seeing the Note family next year.

The news also comes after the Korean manufacturer revealed that it’s working on a “slimmer and lighter” foldable (ostensibly the Galaxy Z Fold 3). So it looks like Samsung might be going almost all-in on the product category in 2021.

Next: The best foldable phones you can buy right now

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You told us: Here’s what you care about most when it comes to phone displays https://ift.tt/37q6GAk

Oppo Find X2 Pro being used in hand

Smartphone screens aren’t made equal, as there’s a major difference in quality between an entry-level device and a premium flagship phone. Between resolution, screen type, and color reproduction, there are plenty of factors that help make a good mobile display.

2020 has arguably been the year of the high refresh rate, as brands opt for this technology to enable a smoother experience. But Oppo also made headlines when it announced that its Find X3 flagship will offer comprehensive 10-bit color support when it launches in 2021.

So that got us wondering what Android Authority readers care about most when it comes to mobile screens. We posted the poll last month, and there was definitely a clear winner.

What do you care about most when it comes to smartphone displays?

Results

We published the poll on November 18, accruing 1,415 votes at the time of writing. And just under 39% of respondents said that refresh rate was the most important display-related feature to them. We’ve seen loads of phones sporting the feature, enabling smoother gameplay in supported titles and smoother scrolling in general. It’s an understandable choice then, but a high refresh rate can come at the expense of increased power consumption.

Display tech (e.g. OLED or LCD) was in second place with 28.3% of the vote. This is another understandable pick, as there are definitely major differences between OLED and LCD screens. In fact, a previous Android Authority survey found that over two thirds of respondents would pick a 60Hz OLED panel over a high refresh rate LCD screen.

Resolution and color reproduction/color gamut were in distant third and fourth places respectively. The former is pretty interesting, as it suggests that screens are generally sharp enough for most users these days. We also wonder whether color reproduction will gain more steam among users in 2021, as it’s likely that Oppo won’t be the only Android OEM pursuing this tech.

Finally, dimensions and “other” were in fifth and last places respectively. Only 6.4% of respondents voted for the former factor, which might not bode well for those wanting a compact smartphone.

Thank you for voting in this poll! What do you think of the results? What’s the most important feature for you when looking at a smartphone screen? Let us know in the comments below!

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Leak: Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus render arrives in shiny silver colorway https://ift.tt/3obrPF1

New Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus renders have leaked.
The renders contain a number of design cues we’ve seen in earlier leaks.
These include the redesigned rear camera array and the punch hole selfie camera.

More alleged renders of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus have broken cover, echoing design cues that were present on previous mockups.

Arriving via a collab between Twitter tipster @Xleaks7 and Italian site Pigtou, the renders feature design elements seen in earlier leaks. The major difference here is the polished silver colorway used. It’s unclear if Samsung is poised to brighten the S20’s current gray livery, or if it’s a choice made by the designers. Either way, it’s pretty hot.

Let’s get into the actual design. The render includes a reworked rear camera array which occupies much of the phone’s top-left corner. There’s not quite enough space to include the LED flash though, so it’s mounted to the right of the three large lenses. One of those lenses reportedly hides a 64MP primary sensor with two additional 12MP sensors playing support.

The right-hand flank of the Galaxy S21 Plus will seemingly house the volume rocker (which seems to be pretty far up the phone) and power button. Samsung’s likely to retain the in-display fingerprint sensor, too.

samsung galaxy s21 plus render silver 2

Credit: Pigtou

Upfront, the selfie camera cutout is mounted pretty close to the top bezel. As for bezels, they’re razor-thin on this particular render. Earlier hardware leaks point to a 6.8-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate. A 4,000mAh battery will reportedly keep either an Exynos 2100 or Snapdragon 875 chipset alive in the various global models.

Next: Samsung Galaxy S series – A history of the biggest name in Android

While not much is provided specs-wise in this leak, exact dimensions are provided. The Galaxy S21 Plus is said to measure 161.55mm long, 75.6mm wide, and just 7.86mm thick. This would make it slightly shorter and a little wider than the Galaxy S20 Plus. Any larger, and Samsung could ruin the flagship’s usability.

It’s still believed that Samsung will launch the Galaxy S21 series in January 2021 — we’ve seen no evidence to the contrary thus far. But no concrete date has been given by the Korean firm just yet.

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Looks like the Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G is headed to India with a new name https://ift.tt/3l2JHQA

Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G official

Credit: Supplied by Xiaomi

Xiaomi could launch the Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G in India as the Mi 10i.
The company may also launch the new Redmi Note 9 as the Redmi 9 Power in the country.

Xiaomi recently revealed a new set of phones under its Redmi Note 9 series in China. The biggest difference between these Redmi Note 9s and the previous models is 5G connectivity, 120Hz displays, and better cameras. Now it looks like at least one or two new Redmi devices are headed to India with a new name.

According to a Google Play Console listing spotted by XDA Developers and tipster Mukul Sharma, Xiaomi will launch the Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G in India as the Mi 10i. The phone carries the codename Gauguininpro, wherein the second “in” denotes an India launch.

The listing also confirms the presence of the Snapdragon 750G — another strong indicator that the Mi 10i is indeed a rebranded Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G.

The launch of the phone comes on the heels of the Moto G 5G launch in India. The Rs 20,999 (~$285) Motorola device also features the Snapdragon 750G chipset and perhaps Xiaomi wants to compete with it by bringing an even cheaper 5G phone to the Indian market.

Also read: The best Xiaomi phones you can buy

In another case of curious rebranding, a phone called the Redmi 9 Power has also appeared on the Google Play Console. The listing shows that it mimics the Snapdragon 662 chipset of the Chinese Redmi Note 9 4G model, which in turn seems to be a rebranded and visually tweaked Poco M3. Folks over at XDA have also confirmed that it’s an Indian variant of the Chinese phone.

Xiaomi already sells a 4G-enabled Redmi Note 9 in India with the MediaTek Helio G85, so it’s obvious why the company is going the rebranding route. It’s also not the first time we’ve seen the company rebrand phones but to be honest, we’re getting a little tired of keeping up with all these new names. Do you agree?

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Samsung confirms it’s working on a ‘slimmer and lighter’ foldable phone https://ift.tt/2HWi0LR

Credit: Eric Zeman / Android Authority

Samsung has confirmed that it’s working on a slimmer and lighter foldable.
The device in question could be the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3.

After a shaky start last year, Samsung has managed to dominate the foldable phone segment with its Z Flip range and Galaxy Fold devices. We’ve already heard rumors regarding the firm’s foldable offerings in 2021, and now Samsung has confirmed a key detail.

Samsung noted at the company’s 2020 investor forum (h/t: The Elec via SamMobile) that it’s working on a new foldable phone with a “slimmer and lighter design.” The company didn’t say this new phone is the Galaxy Z Fold 3 though, and an accompanying graphic includes both the Z Flip and Fold lines. Check it out below.

Samsung Investor Forum The Elec

Credit: The Elec

Nevertheless, it stands to reason that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the slimmer and lighter device in question, as the Z Flip wasn’t exactly thick and hefty. Meanwhile, our own Eric Zeman criticized the Galaxy Z Fold 2 for its bulkiness, saying it was a “massive brick.”

More specifically, the Z Fold 2 weighs in at 282 grams compared to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra’s 208 grams — a significant difference. So it would make sense for Samsung to bring a slimmer and lighter design to the Z Fold lineup.

Samsung’s graphic also points to the upcoming foldable packing “differentiated technology,” although we’re not quite sure what to expect in this regard. But one persistent Galaxy Z Fold 3 rumor is that it could pack an S-Pen. This form of input would require the Galaxy Z Fold 3 to have a tougher screen as well, which would be a bonus even if you don’t care for the S-Pen.

It’s also interesting to see Samsung saying it intends to make foldables a “mainstream product,” suggesting that we can expect lower pricing of some sort in 2021.

Next: Everything we know so far about the Galaxy S21 series

from Android Authority https://ift.tt/37nn3NR