Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy A53 5G, Galaxy A33 5G, and Galaxy A73 5G. It said that the Galaxy A53 5G will be available from April 1 and the other two devices will go on sale from April 22. All of the devices will be available in select markets so the ones available to you may vary.

With regards to the A53 5G and A33 5G, these devices include new processors, an AI camera, two-day battery life, defense-grade security, and deliver continuous One UI and Android OS upgrades and security updates. Commenting on the products, TM Roh, President and Head of Samsung Electronics’ Mobile eXperience Business, said:

“We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the positive impact mobile technology can have on their lives. With the latest Galaxy A series release, we’re making it easier than ever to enjoy Galaxy’s advanced, innovative mobile experience at a great value.”

The key specifications for the three devices are as follows:

The pricing details for these devices are a bit sporadic, The Galaxy A53 5G will start at $449.99 in the United States and GSM Arena says the A33 5G will cost around €390. It’s unclear right now how much the Galaxy A73 5G will cost but expect it to be a bit more than the A53 5G. If you’re in the United States, you can pre-order the Galaxy A53 5G today from Samsung.com.

Samsung unveils the Galaxy A53 5G, Galaxy A33 5G, and Galaxy A73 5G

As spotted by 9to5Google, the redesign of Google Home resembles the device control panel from Android 11 and beyond, which gives users more intuitive and familiar controls than the scores of menus and submenus present before. 

Just as you have been able to before, Google Home’s 2.49 update will allow you to control your music playback, adjust your compatible lights, and turn on or off your devices, albeit now with fewer taps required for each function. 

As Google explains in the patch notes for this update, the redesigned look should help you “quickly find what you’re looking for,” as you can now “tap to turn a device on or off, slide left or right to make adjustments, and long press for more controls.”

Unfortunately for those who can’t wait to get their hands on the new look of the Google Home app, you might have to wait a “few weeks,” until the update is completely rolled out and officially available to all users. Until then, it is technically possible to sideload the 2.49.1.8 version of the app, however, that doesn’t enable the new look by default, so it might just be best to wait. 

Google Home is getting a fresh new look in its next update

Google Play Store will promote tablet apps with “quality” ranking

How to use Vivaldi's Reading List on Android

Here's how it works on mobile devices. To add a page to the reading list on your phone, visit the article that you want to save, and tap on the Vivaldi icon to view the app's menu. You can access the Reading List from this drop-down panel. Tap on the "Add Current Page" button to save it to your Vivaldi Reading List.

Just like its desktop counterpart, the mobile version lists the titles of your saved pages along with the favicon of the site. Selecting a saved article from the list will open the corresponding page in the app. When a page is accessed, the browser will automatically mark the item as Read.

For reference, the links that appear blurry (grayed-out) in the Reading List panel indicate those that you are done with, these are listed in the Read Articles section, at the bottom. Your Unread pages will remain highlighted at the top of the list. You can manage the read status of the articles manually too, which can be helpful if you want to mark a page as unread or vice-versa. Tap the three-dot menu icon next to a saved item to mark the article as read, or if you no longer need it, you can choose to delete it from the list. You may select multiple items in the list and manage them at the same time.

Sync Reading List with Desktop

Vivaldi for Android allows you to synchronize your reading list with your desktop browser. Of course, to do this, you will need a valid Vivaldi account, and have to be signed in to it on both your phone and your PC.

This is completely optional, you don't need a Vivaldi account to use the Reading List. It is only required if you want to sync your data between your devices. Once you have signed in to your account, the app automatically syncs the data on a 2-way basis, and this includes the contents of your Reading List. So, the articles you save on your phone can be viewed on your computer, or the other way around. More importantly, this will also sync the read state of the page.

Download Vivaldi for Android Snapshot release from the Google Play Store, if you want to test the new feature before it is brought to the stable channel. The current Snapshot version is 5.2.2611.3, and is based on Chromium 100.0.4896.43. The release notes are available on the official site.

The Reading List has been a useful add-on for PCs, and now that it is also available for smartphones, it could prove to be handy if you prefer to read articles or watch videos on-the-go.

Note: You cannot disable the new button from Vivaldi's settings. Setting the value of the Reading List's value to Disabled in Vivaldi://flags, does not hide the menu item, and causes the app to crash.

Articles that have been added to Vivaldi's Reading List are listed in reverse chronological order. You can't rename the saved items in the list, or re-arrange their order, but I think that could be a cool way to improve it, at least on desktop.

Vivaldi's Reading List feature is now available in the latest snapshot for Android devices

Here are the highlights of the latest firmware update for the third-gen Surface Pro X:

• Improved overall system stability and fixed bugs causing bugchecks (BSOD).
• Improved camera performance.
• Improved Bluetooth performance.
• Improved trackpad accuracy (Type Cover).
• Improved integration with Surface Dock 2.
• Enabled support for the new Surface Type Cover.

All those improvements Microsoft brought to the first and second-gen Surface Pro X with SQ1 and SQ2 processors in late February. If you want to take a closer look at a detailed list of updated drivers in the March 2022 firmware update for Surface Pro X, go to the official Surface Support website.

Microsoft says there are no known issues in the latest patches for Surface Pro X, but you need to remember that firmware updates on Surface devices are one-way tickets. Unlike Windows updates, you cannot roll back firmware on any Windows-based Surface computer.

Surface Pro X's March 2022 firmware update is available via Windows Update on devices running Windows 11 21H2 (initial release) or higher. Navigate to Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates to download available patches.

Third-gen Surface Pro X receives numerous improvements in latest firmware update

The new Google News home screen, which looks reminiscent of Apple News, starts off with larger content before returning to a normal size as you scroll down, this is great if you’ve just gotten up and need a bit of time for your eyes to focus properly. Having checked the Google News widget, it appears that it still shows the top five stories from the old design that users can click through, hopefully, Google will get around to updating the widget to reflect better the way the app works now.

While the 'For you' page does kind of look how it used to, new coloured titles for ‘Local news’ and ‘Picks for you’ are more prominent. If you look through the rest of the app you won’t find much else that’s different.

Overall, the large headers at the top of the app are a nice change but people who have come to enjoy the top five stories will be a bit disappointed by the update. Hopefully, the Google News widget will also get a bit of attention so that the content better matches the refreshed design.

Google News for Android gets redesign scrapping top five stories

Face ID

We’ve been suffering from this horrible pandemic for two years now, and we have to admit that wearing masks outside diminishes the convenience of our Face ID. Well, that’s no longer an issue with iOS 15.4. Now, users can use it effortlessly, even when wearing masks. According to Apple, the system will now focus on scanning the unique features around the eye area for authentication.

This is an option you would need to set up when you get the update, which means you can still opt for a full-face recognition Face ID that Apple claims to be more accurate. This is available on the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Emoji

It is not one of the most significant parts of the update that will excite you, yet it is still something to appreciate. In this update, Apple users will get over 37 new emoji characters like Melting Face, Saluting Face, Heart Hands, Beans, Peaking Face, Tears of Joy, and so much more.

Universal Control

If you are using multiple iPads and Macs on your table when working, it is a piece of good news that Apple now offers the Universal Control feature in this update. Now, you can use just a single mouse, keyboard, and trackpad for multiple screens. In this update, the mouse cursor and keyboard can move smoothly between devices wherein the iCloud will make the necessary adjustments.

Shortcuts Automations

Personal automation is beneficial to let you be informed of the things happening on your phone and perform specific actions right away. However, the notifications about it can be truly exasperating. Thankfully, the new iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 offer a solution for that. Now, Apple users can use a toggle to disable those notifications. You can simply tap on the automation and switch off the “Notify When Run” toggle.

iPhone Tap to Pay

It is probably one of the most exciting and promising additions in this update for Apple devices. The iOS 15.4 includes the API to allow the Tap to Pay feature on iPhones that will enable flawless contactless payment transactions in the future. It is still unclear when this feature will be handy since it still needs support from third-party apps, and Apple is still in talks with Stripe and Shopify. But once everything is okay, expect the utmost convenience the next time you shop using just your Apple device.

Siri Voice

The update includes a new voice for Siri, which was recorded by a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Accordion to Apple, it gives “users more options to choose a voice that speaks to them.” For those who can’t wait to hear it, the gender-neutral voice still bears the natural inflection and smooth transitions heard in the other Siri voices.

Here the Minor and Major Changes iOS 15.4 Offers to You

Samsung has announced that One UI 4.1 which debuted on the Samsung Galaxy S22 series, is ready to start coming to more devices including the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Z Flip3. The update will also arrive on the Galaxy S21 series, Galaxy A series, Tab S7 FE, S20 series, Z Fold, Z Flip, Note (10 and up) series, S10 series, and Tab S series.

By upgrading to One UI 4.1, Samsung users get new features including live sharing on Google Duo, a new photo and video editing app called Expert RAW, a more enhanced object eraser to clean up photos, a simpler photo sharing experience, and Grammarly integrated into the Samsung Keyboard for more accurate typing.

“Samsung Electronics is committed to delivering the most up-to-date mobile experience to as many Galaxy users as possible,” the firm said in its statement. “That’s why Samsung today announced that One UI 4.1, which first debuted alongside the Samsung Galaxy S22 series, will be available on a wide range of Galaxy devices, bringing the latest Galaxy innovations to more users.”

While Samsung has outlined the devices which will be getting the update, it has not yet revealed the dates when each device will be updated – it’s likely that region and carrier will also affect when devices are updated, but Samsung didn’t say. All we know is that the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 are going to be among the first to be updated.

Samsung says One UI 4.1 is ready to arrive on more of its devices

iOS 15.4, the latest version of Apple’s iPhone operating system, has been released and should soon be available to download ahead of the Friday release of Apple’s new third-generation iPhone SE and green iPhone 13. The update includes big new features like the ability to use Face ID while wearing a mask, alongside smaller additions like a handful of new emoji. The new version of iOS launches alongside iPadOS 15.4 and macOS 12.3, which add support for Apple’s new Universal Control feature.

Universal Control allows you to use a Mac’s keyboard and mouse to control an iPad completely wirelessly, including the ability to drag and drop files from the tablet back to a computer. Universal Control requires your Mac to be running macOS Monterey 12.3, which was also released Monday, and iPad to be running iPadOS 15.4.

We already have a pretty good idea of how Apple’s new mask-friendly Face ID implementation should work after trying it out in beta. You can read our full thoughts here. In short, it does a decent job of recognizing faces even when the nose and mouth are covered with a mask but can still get tripped up by glasses, sunglasses, and floppy hats. Apple does warn that turning the new feature on could make Face ID less accurate overall.

Other features include new anti-stalking features for Apple’s AirTag trackers as well as a new, more gender-neutral Siri voice. There’s also support for a new Tap to Pay feature that lets iPhones accept contactless payments, though third-party providers like Stripe will have to add support to make it useful.

iOS 15.4 will be available for all iOS 15-compatible devices, which means anything from the iPhone 6S up is covered. iPadOS 15.4, meanwhile, is available for all iPad Pro models, the iPad Air second generation and up, the iPad mini fourth generation and up, and everything from the fifth generation of base iPad and later.

Finally, macOS Monterey 12.3 is supported on the following: iMac (late 2015 and newer), iMac Pro (2017 and newer), Mac Pro (late 2013 and newer), Mac Mini (late 2014 and newer), MacBook Pro (early 2015 and newer), MacBook Air (early 2015 and newer), MacBook (early 2016 and newer).

You can check for the update on your iPhone or iPad by going to Settings > General > Software Update. On Mac, you can go to System Preferences > Software Update.

Update March 14th, 1:15PM ET: Added information about macOS 12.3, which has also been released.

iOS 15.4 now live as Universal Control comes to iPads and Macs

The above screenshot shows stacked tabs (cascade view) in Brave Browser in an older version of the app.

And this is what the new Grid layout looks like in the browser's current version.

Firefox users may remember that the grid view was added to the mobile version of the browser in version 84, that was released in December 2020. As a Firefox user, I never really liked the grid layout or the idle tabs for that matter. It's an awful way to browse and manage tabs, which is why I use the List view. Though it does not look as good as stacked tabs, but it's better than the grid view.

Why do browser developers keep pushing Grid view as if it is the best option for tabs? Mobile devices have small screens, and hence can only display a limited number of cards at a time, which means the user has to scroll through a longer list of tabs than in stacked view.

This problem began about a year ago, when Google Chrome v88 introduced Grid View for tabs. Users had the option to disable it by changing a preference, that didn't last long, as Google removed the option to disable tab groups when Chrome 91 was rolled out.

Brave browser on the other hand, used to support it until the latest update. If you are still on an older version of the app, head to brave://flags and search for Tab Grid Layout, and Tab Groups. Tap on the drop-down menu and change the values for each flag from default to disabled. This used to turn off the grid view, and bring back the good old tab stack mode. But not anymore, even though the flags exist, modifying them does nothing.

The Chromium open source project is the reason for this change. I'm not defending Brave, I'm just pointing out where the change began. Since Brave Browser relies on the same source code, it too removed said feature from the latest version. The app's appearance page no longer has the option to disable Tab Groups either, which probably explains why editing the flag doesn't work, the old view mode doesn't exist.

Brave users are furious about the change, and have raised their pitchforks over at the app's GitHub repository, the official community forums, and also voiced their concerns about the Grid Layout on reddit.

In a way, I'm glad Firefox offers List View as a choice for the user. Vivaldi users can opt to use a tab bar, but it is not exactly as easy to use as a tab stack, and the app's tab switcher uses the same grid view as Chromium-based browsers.

If you really want to disable Tab Groups in Brave browser, there is a workaround. I don't really recommend it since it involves downgrading the browser to a previous version, as it could put your data at risk due to security issues that were patched in later builds. If you don't care about that, download a beta build APK of Brave Browser from a few weeks ago. e.g. Beta 1.36.104.

Install the app, open the app's settings page, and navigate to the Appearance section. Toggle the option labeled "Tab Groups", to disable it. You will need to restart the app to get the tab stacking feature back.

Do you like tab stacks or grid view in mobile browsers?

Brave Browser for Android removes support Tab Stack view, forcing users to use the Grid layout

Last week, Twitter introduced one of its worst product decisions in a while: the service would default to showing the algorithmically served Home feed while the reverse-chronological Latest feed was accessible in a separate tab. The change, which was available first on iOS and was set to arrive “soon” on Android and the web, made it more difficult to view tweets in chronological order. Following significant pushback, Twitter announced Monday that it would be reverting things to the way they used to be.

“We heard you — some of you always want to see latest Tweets first,” Twitter said in a tweet on its support account. “We’ve switched the timeline back and removed the tabbed experience for now while we explore other options.”

Some users shared criticism of the change almost immediately after its March 10th announcement, as the Latest feed is preferred to the Home feed for many. The out-of-sequence Home feed can, at times, be confusing, especially for people who use Twitter for updates during a breaking news event like the war in Ukraine. However, two Twitter execs noted in replies to Verge contributing editor Casey Newton that they would be working on the problem, and it appears that the original change won’t be going through as planned.

“We take feedback seriously, and in this case, we heard the new pinned Home & Latest wasn’t giving you the level of control over your timeline that you want,” Twitter spokesperson Shaokyi Amdo said in a statement to The Verge.

However, based on what the execs said, it seems Twitter may be investigating other possible changes to the timeline in the future. “Giving people choice and control over their Twitter experience is super important,” Twitter’s newly named VP of consumer product, Jay Sullivan, said in a reply to Newton on March 12th. “I’ll be working on this. Stay tuned.” Sullivan added that he was hoping the platform could achieve “a nice balance for all.”

Twitter rolls back its decision to force you into the out-of-order timeline

I reviewed YouTube Vanced back in August 2020 here on this site. YouTube Vanced was never available on Google Play, which meant that its installation was not as straightforward. Once installed, it offered a number of features that improved the YouTube viewing and browsing experience.

Features like built-in blocking of ads, dark mode support, sponsor skipping in videos, more control over video resolutions and qualities, or disabling certain YouTube elements and features were what made it popular.

According to The Verge, Google sent the owners of Vanced a cease and desist letter. Details are not clear at this point, but the letter resulted in the discontinuation of YouTube Vanced. The app will continue to work according to the developers, but it will stop working eventually. Third-party YouTube apps (and others) need regular maintenance, especially when new changes are introduced that affect functionality on the official service.

YouTube Vanced Alternatives

YouTube Vanced users may continue to use the app for now on Android, but it will stop working eventually. The following list includes alternatives for Vanced that users may want to try out.

NewPipe

NewPipe is another open source client for YouTube that makes a lot of things better than the official YouTube app by Google. NewPipe is not available on Google Play, but Android users may download it from the developer website or through F-Droid.

NewPipe blocks video ads on YouTube, supports video downloads and background playback among other things. It is fast and efficient to use, and gives users a lot of options to customize the viewing experience on YouTube.

SkyTube

SkyTube is yet another open source third-party client for YouTube. The Android application is available via its own website and via F-Droid.

Like NewPipe, it is adding features that many users would call essential to the YouTube experience on Android. Videos play without advertisement and the option to download content is also provided. The app offers a view-experience only, which means that it does not support signing in to a YouTube account. Still, features such as channel subscriptions, bookmarks or reading comments are all supported by it.

LibreTube

LibreTube is an open source YouTube frontend that is currently available as a beta. It is updated regularly

The client, while in beta, supports major features such as an ad-free viewing experience and downloads.

Firefox for Android with uBlock Origin

Firefox for Android is one of the few browsers for Android that supports extensions. While it does not support all extensions available for Firefox anymore, it does support a few essential ones, including uBlock Origin.

All you need to do is download Firefox, select Menu > Add-ons, and enable uBlock Origin. When you visit YouTube in the browser, advertisement is blocked automatically.

Downside to this is that you don't get any extra features that third-party clients offer, such as the downloading of videos. Functionality is limited to what YouTube's web version is offering.

YouTube alternatives and other options

YouTube users and creators who are looking for alternatives, may want to check out the following services:

• DTube -- DTube is a decentralized platform that uses blockchain and P2P technology. The platform is ad-free and revenue is earned through crypto-currency earnings.
• Invidious -- Another open source frontend for YouTube that blocks ads, disables tracking and offers lots of customization features. Runs in any browser.
• Piped -- Piped is an open source frontend for YouTube that several clients and services use. Users can self-host a Piped instance to benefit from zero tracking, no ads and more.

Now You: have other YouTube options that work on Android?

YouTube Vanced alternatives for Android

The popular Vanced YouTube app is being discontinued, after a legal threat from Google. The creators of Vanced have revealed the project will be shut down in the coming days, with download links set to be removed. While the app will continue to work for anyone who currently has it installed on Android, without any future updates it’s likely to stop working at some point soon. The Vanced owners say they’ve had to discontinue the project “due to legal reasons.”

Google sent the Vanced owners a cease and desist letter recently, which has forced the developers to stop distributing and developing the app. “We were asked to remove all references to ‘YouTube’, change the logo, and remove all links related to YouTube products,” says an admin from the Vanced team in a Discord message to The Verge.

Vanced is a popular third-party YouTube app for Android, particularly because it allows YouTube users to block all video ads on YouTube without a Premium subscription. Vanced also includes a true black theme, and customizations not offered in the official YouTube for Android app.

Vanced is the latest casualty in Google’s action against third-party apps that access YouTube. Google-owned YouTube forced two popular Discord music bots offline last year, before starting to test ad-supported YouTube integration into Discord just weeks later. The popular Rythm and Groovy Discord music bots also avoided ads on the service, allowing Discord users to listen to music together.

“Vanced has been discontinued,” reads a Telegram message from the Vanced owners. “We know this is not something you wanted to hear, but it’s something we need to do.” We’ve reached out to Google to comment on the discontinuation of Vanced, and we’ll update you accordingly.

“DISCONTINUATION OF THE VANCED PROJECT

Vanced has been discontinued. In the coming days, the download links will be taken down. The Discord server, Telegram chat and subreddit will stay for the time being. We know this is not something you wanted to hear, but it’s something we had to do. We want to thank you all for the support over the years.

Edit (1): The existing version will continue to work.
Edit (2): It was done due to legal reasons.”

Update, March 13th 9PM ET: Article updated with comment from the Vanced team on Google’s cease and desist letter.

Google forces YouTube Vanced to shut down ‘due to legal reasons’

The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max may be the only models in the upcoming lineup to carry a new A16 chip, according to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via 9to5Mac). In a tweet, Kuo indicates that the standard iPhone 14 and 14 Max will be left with the A15 chipset that comes in all models of the iPhone 13.

Additionally, Kuo claims every iPhone 14 model will come with 6GB of RAM, with both higher-end devices featuring the upgraded LPDDR5 memory, while the less expensive versions retain the LPDDR 4X present in the iPhone 13. As 9to5Mac points out, Apple has, in the past, given its more expensive models a processor with more cores or memory, but hasn’t used two entirely different processors to draw a line between standard and premium since the release of the iPhone 5S and 5C in 2013.

Kuo also predicts the iPhone 14 Max will have a 6.7-inch display, which would mark the first time that a Pro-size display is available in a cheaper, non-Pro phone. Kuo made a similar prediction back in June when he said Apple may be working on an iPhone with a bigger display that would cost under $900. Notably, the 5.4-inch display size is absent from Kuo’s list, a potential sign that Apple may be discontinuing the “mini” size.

Apple still hasn’t formally announced the iPhone 14 lineup, but it’s expected to make its debut at an upcoming iPhone event that’s typically held in the fall. This obviously hasn’t stopped rumors from swirling, with Kuo already forecasting a notch-less iPhone 14 with a hole-punch camera and Face ID hardware hidden under its screen.

On the Mac side of things, Apple watcher Mark Gurman has once again reiterated his prediction that the MacBook Air (along with three other MacBooks) will come with a new M2 chip, which 9to5Mac reports could be based on the iPhone 13’s A15 chip — not the rumored A16.

iPhone 14 Pro models may be the only devices to get the new A16 chip

Instagram is finally letting Live creators appoint moderators during their streams. Mods will have the ability to report comments, remove viewers from the stream, as well as turn off comments for a specific viewer.

Instagram notes that creators can assign a moderator by tapping the three dots in the comment bar during a Live. From there, they can choose a moderator from a list of suggested accounts, or use the search bar to search for a specific account.

Live has been around since 2016, and with that in mind, it comes as a bit of shock that Instagram has only just now started supporting moderators for its streams. Moderation has become a much-needed staple on other livestreaming platforms, like Twitch and YouTube, where comments can quickly get ugly. Even Instagram’s sister company, Facebook, gives users the ability to add mods to their streams and also added tools to remove trolls — just like the moderation features Instagram just launched.

As Instagram attempts to attract more creators to Live with the ability to monetize streams, the availability of chat moderators should hopefully make the streaming experience a lot more pleasant for creators.

Instagram is finally letting livestreamers add moderators

Google Translate Widget

Google hopes to make things easier for iOS users who always need a translator function. With this update, the new Google Translate widget can be easily accessed on the Home Screen. Now, you can take a photo to translate text, use conversation mode to chat in two languages, and translate the copied text with just a single tap.

XL Widget

According to Google, the new XL widget for Google Drive will be available next week, and it promises great help for those who constantly deal with their cloud-based files on iPad. More files on the Home Screen will be shown together with more shortcuts for the Priority files and Shared drives in this feature. There will also be other widget sizes to choose from, allowing iPad users to personalize the arrangement of their files.

Gmail and Chat Apps Update

The Gmail and Chat apps will be getting some updates from Google later this month. According to Google, it will add the sender’s profile photo on the chat notification for faster and easier identification.

Moreover, Google says that the update will help users determine which Chat and Gmail chat notifications can only break through Focus on their iPhone or iPad. The setting will allow users to select specific contacts they want to exempt from the Focus mode.

March 2022 Google Updates on iOS

Messaging

• The new update will allow Android users to see iPhone message reactions as emoji on text messages.
• The resolution of the videos you will send will be maintained when you send them as Google Photos links right inside the conversation. Google promises to have this same update for photos soon.
• It is now allowed to arrange your messages into Personal and Business tabs. This can help Android users to find essential conversations faster.
• One-time password messages can now be automatically deleted after 24 hours of use.
• Android users will get reminders about the messages they forgot to reply to or update.
• You will also receive reminders about a friend’s or a contact’s birthdays.
• The new Gboard grammar correction feature will detect grammatical errors and offer suggestions across your device system.
• The Emoji Kitchen now features more than 2,000 new emoji mashups available as stickers via Gboard. Pixel users can also enjoy this new update more as Gboard can convert words into stickers built with the exact text when typing in messaging apps in English (U.S.).
• Live Transcribe, which is preinstalled on Pixel and Samsung and available as a free download to all devices, is now functional even you’re offline. The Offline Mode of the app will continuously provide real-time speech-to-text captions wherever you are.

Photo Editing

• The Portrait Blur in Google Photos available for Google One member or a Pixel user will let anyone edit all kinds of photos into a subject-centered portrait. Google promises to bring it to the Photos app on Android soon.

Google TV

• Google TV now offers a personalized feed consisting of entertainment news, reviews, and more based on your preferences and activities.

Google Assistant

• Using voice, users can now give commands to Google Assistant to pay for parking via Google Pay. To give a command in paying the parking, just say “Hey Google, pay for parking” and follow Assistant prompts to pay from your phone. This new feature will also enable one to check parking status and extend it effortlessly by saying “Hey Google, parking status” and “Hey Google, extend parking,” respectively. This is available in ParkMobile street parking zones in over 400 cities in the US.

Screen Time Widget

• The widget collection now includes a new screen time widget that will show you the number of hours you consumed using your top 3 apps. The new feature will also offer a Focus mode to pause specific apps during your selected hours and Bedtime mode to silence the device and change the screen to black and white at bedtime.

Nearby Share

• The new update of the Nearby Share can now handle multiple receivers when sending files. Just tap to add more recipients during a transfer. According to Google, it is now rolling out on all Android 6+ devices.

Google Presents New Android Features and Updates for March 2022

Today, Gustave Monce (@gus33000) published the early results of their efforts to bring Windows to the Surface Duo. If you own the 128GB variant of the first-gen Surface Duo, you can try installing Windows on ARM alongside the original Android (the UEFI also allows booting Linux).

A little spoiler: the result will be barely usable.

Installing Windows on the Surface Duo is not the easiest procedure, so you need to be prepared for the unexpected and ready for troubleshooting. Still, developers took care to provide an easy-to-understand guide with detailed steps. As usual for such a project, make sure to backup all mission-critical data before proceeding.

Although the idea of running Windows on the Surface Duo sounds exciting, the project is currently in its infancy, which means almost nothing works. The system boots, but touch, network, cellular, cameras, and other essential hardware bits and pieces do not work. In other words, you cannot use the Surface Duo with Windows as your daily driver. Keep those limitations in mind before experimenting with your smartphone.

The project is compatible with the first-gen Surface Duo 128 GB (unlocked and AT&T) running Android 10 and 11. You can also try installing Windows on the 256 GB variant, but the developer says they currently target only 128 GB models. Finally, it is worth noting that you cannot use the guide to install Windows on the second-gen Surface Duo. That smartphone is not supported.

You can find everything you need to install Windows 11 on the Surface Duo here.

You can now dual-boot Windows 11 and Android on the original Surface Duo

Twitter is rolling out a change that, frustratingly, makes it a bit more difficult to see your chronological feed.

The design change, which lets you swipe between your Home (algorithmically served) and Latest (reverse chronological) timelines, was announced Thursday. To set it up, you tap the sparkle icon in the top right corner, and you’ll see the option to pin your “Latest timeline,” and if you select that, you’ll see both “Home” and “Latest Tweets” tabs at the top of the iOS app. If you use pinned lists on the iOS app, the layout might look familiar. The feature is available first on iOS, and it’s coming “soon” to Android and the web, Twitter says. (The company began testing the feature in October.)

To my great disappointment, however, I’ve found that after testing the feature, now I can’t make the chronological feed the default. Instead, I can only have Home as my default or set up the two Home and Latest Tweets tabs and swap between them as needed.

It’s not all bad. When jumping between Twitter and other apps on my phone, if Latest Tweets was the column I was looking at, it will be the focus when I return to Twitter. But when I force close and re-open the app when looking at the Latest Tweets column, the Home feed is what Twitter shows first. Twitter spokesperson Shaokyi Amdo said that the Home feed will be pinned first by default “for now” and confirmed there is no way to pin Latest first by default.

This feels like a big step back to me. Now, on iOS, any time I want to scroll through a reverse-ordered feed like I always did before, I’ll have to check first to see if I’m looking at the right feed. Fortunately, at least for now, Latest can still be the default on the web for me — including on my iPhone’s Safari.

Twitter first began rolling out its algorithmic timeline in 2016 (to some high-profile uproar) and introduced the sparkle icon to let you toggle between the algorithmic and reverse chronological feeds in 2018. To me, the sparkle always felt like a decent-enough way to let the Home and Latest timelines co-exist, but with the change announced Thursday, Twitter seems to be pushing users toward the algorithmic feed. Instagram, on the other hand, is testing bringing back its chronological feed.

Twitter makes it harder to choose the old reverse-chronological feed

The Messages app uses a standard called RCS (Rich Communication Services) as a replacement for SMS and allows for modern secure conversations. Unfortunately, things don’t always go to plan when you message your iMessage-using friends but this update hopes to fix some of the issues. With the latest updates, you’ll receive actual emojis from iPhone users, additionally, videos will no longer be blurry when sent because Google is integrating Google Photos to send links, preserving a video’s clarity.

Google said that while these updates improve the experience, it needs Apple to do some of the work by joining the rest of the industry and adopting RCS. Google says by doing this, Apple will make messaging more engaging and more secure, no matter the device people are using.

Another change coming to Messages is the introduction of the Personal and Business tabs to help you separate your messages. There will also be an option to automatically delete your one-time password messages after 24 hours to help keep your inbox clean. Google said that these changes launched in India initially and that they’re now coming to the United States. Hopefully, everyone else can get this update soon.

Finally, the Messages app is introducing two types of nudges. One of the nudges will remind you to say happy birthday to your friends and family and the other will remind you to reply to messages that you could have missed or need to follow up on so that nothing important is ignored.

Google reveals several new features coming to its Messages app

Google is working on a tool that should let you “archive” certain apps to help free up space on your device. In a blog post, Google explains any app with the feature will let you partially uninstall it, shrinking the app down by about 60 percent without removing it completely.

It does this by creating a new type of APK (Android Package) — otherwise known as the guts that make an app functional on your device — that it calls archived APKs. As Google points out, archived APKs are much smaller and save all your data until you restore it, bringing it back to its original size. The feature will become available to developers with the Bundletool 1.10 release, but it won’t be functional until Google launches the feature to the general public “later in the year.” Developers can also choose to opt-out of archived APKs, which Google also goes over in the blog post.

There still aren’t any details on how the feature will present itself on Android — perhaps it will appear alongside the uninstall option when you long-press an app’s icon. Either way, archived APKs seem like they could be great for anyone (specifically, me) who has a graveyard of seldom used apps and isn’t fully committed to letting go of them just yet (but also doesn’t want them to take up tons of storage space). Archiving and then restoring them should be much quicker than reinstalling an app, and will likely consume a lot less mobile data when you’re not on Wi-Fi.

Android’s archive feature will partially uninstall apps until you need them again

Apple’s rolling out its highly anticipated iOS 15.4 update next week. The update, which has been in beta since January, comes packed with an array of exciting new features offering improvements to the overall user experience.

Apple doesn’t pinpoint an exact release date, but it may become available as an update starting on March 18th. This is the same day Apple’s new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro with sleek green finishes become available. As noted on the press release, each phone will ship with iOS 15.4, so it would only make sense to launch the update on the same day.

iOS 15.4 brings a mask-friendly Face ID that makes it possible to unlock your phone while wearing a face mask, a feature that works surprisingly well (in the beta, at least). Apple previously tried to address the face mask issue by creating a feature that bypasses Face ID and instead verifies your identity using your Apple Watch — that is, if you even have one. The new update should make the process of unlocking your phone a lot smoother while wearing a mask and shouldn’t require you to repeatedly type in your passcode or have an Apple Watch strapped to your wrist.

Apple’s new Tap to Pay feature is also rolling out with iOS 15.4, transforming compatible iPhones into terminals for contactless payments. This means you might see more merchants using their iPhones as a sort of digital cash register, potentially replacing Square’s card readers that plug directly into iPhones. The feature supports payments using Apple Pay, NFC-enabled credit and debit cards, as well as other digital wallets.

Moving along, iOS 15.4 introduces a new safety feature for AirTags, Apple’s item-tracking device that, unfortunately, has been used to stalk people. The update includes a notification that warns users against using AirTags to track someone’s location without their consent, building upon the anti-stalking features Apple released in February.

Other notable features include a fifth American voice for Siri, which Apple has confirmed belongs to a member of the LGBTQ+ community. iOS 15.4 also serves up a platter full of 36 new emoji that you can use to spice up your messages, including a melting face, a person peering through their fingers, and an awkward biting lip icon that’s fated to achieve the same notoriety as the eggplant emoji.

iOS 15.4 will be compatible with any device that supports iOS 15, ranging from the first generation iPhone 6S to the iPhone 13. You can view the full list of compatible devices here.

iOS 15.4 is set to release next week

The main upgrade in the third-gen iPhone SE is the A15 CPU that replaces A13 in the 2020 model. Still, Apple does not compare it apples to apples with the previous model. Instead, the company says the latest iPhone SE is 1.8x faster than iPhone 8 with its A11 CPU. You can expect less impressive performance uplifts when compared with the A13 or A14 chip.

Apart from upping the performance in the most affordable iPhone, the A15 CPU enables 5G support.

iPhone SE 2022 also received “an all-new camera system” with the same 12-megapixel sensor and f/1.8 aperture. It supports Smart HDR 4, Photographic Styles, Deep Fusion, and Portrait Mode. Like the 2020 model, iPhone SE 2022 offers a single-lens camera system. Wide and telephoto cameras are available in more expensive models.

Besides a new CPU and refreshed cameras, iPhone SE 2022 remains the same budget iPhone Apple introduced in 2020. The screen still has a somewhat tiny 4.7-inch diagonal with a 1334x750 resolution. The only difference is that it is now covered with Ceramic Shield glass, which is more resistant to cracks.

Apple says the latest iPhone SE has a better battery life thanks to the more efficient CPU and “the latest generation battery chemistry.” Still, you probably should not expect this phone to become a new battery champ.

iPhone SE 2022 will be available for preorder on March 11, 2022, in 30 countries. Sales start on March 18, 2022. Customers can choose from three colors (Starlight, Black, and Product Red), and storage options include 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB. Prices start at $429.

Apple unveils third-gen iPhone SE with A15 CPU and eight-year-old design

The scientists at the University of Surrey are hitting two birds with one stone in the invention they unveiled earlier this March: a recycled wearable device that can be powered by the wearer’s movement.

According to Dr. Bhaskar Dudem, project lead and Research Fellow at the University of Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute, the wrist device the team has unveiled is made from recycled materials – discarded paper wipes and plastic cups.

“It won’t be long until we have to ask ourselves which of the items we own are not connected to the internet,” Dr. Dudem said. “However, the current internet-of-things (IoT) revolution highlights the simple fact that our planet doesn’t have the raw resources to continue to make these devices which are in such high demand. Our research demonstrates that there is a path to creating sustainable technology that runs on electricity powered by us, the users of that technology.”

The prototype device can send Morse code and runs through the energy harvested from the wearer’s movements. It works using the materials called “Triboelectric Nanogenerators” that become electrically charged after coming into contact with one another. The materials generally use static charge to gather energy from the movements via the electrostatic induction process.

Due to its promising capability, the scientists realized the technology’s potential to change the smartwatch industry. Now, the team is focusing on plans to use it on the said wearable device, believing that it is a future game-changer for the consumer, medical and security sectors. 

“The core mission of the Advanced Technology Institute is to help build a world where clean energy is available to all,” said Professor Ravi Silva, Director of ATI at the University of Surrey. “Our energy-harvesting technology embodies this key mission, and we stand ready to work with industry to ensure this technology reaches its full potential.”

UNIS Scientists Develops Energy-harvesting Wearable Device Made From Recycled Materials

In a rather short blog post, Andrei Popescu, VP of Engineering for Android, confirmed that Microsoft Surface Duo will get Android 12L "later this year". The foldable device recently became eligible for Android 11. Although the development of Android 12L for Surface Duo seems to be going quickly, Google hasn’t committed to a concrete roadmap yet.

Android 12L seems to be the first iteration of Android since Honeycomb that has been intentionally optimized for large-screen devices such as tablets as well as foldable devices. However, Popescu has categorically noted that Android 12L is not a fork or another parallel version:

Starting later this year, we'll bring 12L to your favorite tablets and foldables with planned updates from Samsung, Lenovo and Microsoft. And we'll continue to build more features and functionalities to help you make the most of your larger screen devices in Android 13 and beyond.

It basically means Android 12L merely focuses on new form factors. Its core features will be baked into Android 13 and beyond. Google has previously demonstrated how Android 12L users can "drag-and-drop any app from the taskbar to enter split-screen mode so you can do two things at once". Last year, the company had revealed how the dual-paned notification screen also offers quick controls on one side and notifications on the other.

Microsoft Surface Duo arrived in late 2019 with Android 10. After waiting for more than two years, users started receiving Android 11. Moving ahead, it seems Microsoft will skip Android 12 development and deployment for Surface Duo/Surface Duo 2, and instead, jump straight to Android 12L.

It is interesting to note that Microsoft Launcher already offers several of the functions and UI elements that Android 12L promises. However, there’s a lot more to the OS. The APIs that Google will offer for Android 12L should help developers optimize their apps for foldables, dual-screen devices, and tablets.

Microsoft Surface Duo will get Android 12L confirms Google, and it's not a fork