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Armani Smartwatch 3 Review

Emporio Armani is back with a third smartwatch for its ‘Connected’ range of watches. The fashion house entered the smartwatch space back in 2017 and brought a beautiful redesign to the market last year. Last year’s model only added a few basic features to the watch; however, the new Armani Smartwatch 3 boasts more incremental changes and brings more to the table than ever before. The price, however, is non-competitive, which closes it off to an exclusive market.

For reference, the watch is just slightly cheaper than the latest Apple Watch and around $200 more expensive than the Apple Watch Series 3. In this review, we’ll help you decide if Armani’s new Smartwatch 3 is a convincing alternative to the best smartwatches currently available.

Armani Smartwatch 3 Design

The design remains to be the most critical aspect of these watches, since Wear OS lags behind in terms of UI, and offers little variance from watch to watch in terms of features. Each partner of the Fossil Group offers a unique take on the modern smartwatch, and Armani seems to have settled into a rhythm with its third iteration. At first glance, there aren’t many changes in the watch. However, as a whole, the few touch-ups make the design match the feature set much better than the last generation. The metal bands and casings are gone – replaced by an aluminium body (available in several accents) and silicone straps.

Armani Smartwatch 3

It retains some of the finer points of the 2018 edition. The gap in the casing between the strap and the bezel, as well as the Armani logo on the crown, remain the same. The design is now is less bulky and cumbersome, but it is still super stylish. The watch also features a screen similar to the last edition. It has the same 1.28-inch AMOLED display that has a 390 x 390 resolution and a 328 pixels-per-inch pixel density inside a 44mm body. The watch also retains the 12mm thickness, which makes it less of a burden on runs or daily wear.

Display

The screen can be set to be always-on, and tapping on the screen or raising your wrist will brighten the screen up. The great-looking always-on display is one of the things Wear watches beat rivals to the punch on. You can experiment with different Armani watch faces – some of them can take a couple of seconds to load from the dimmed, always-on mode to the full screen, while others load instantly. Something entirely new to the watch is the speaker on the left side of the bezel. While the device doesn’t have 4G/LTE capabilities, it does let you take calls from the watch.

Armani Smartwatch 3 Design

Considering that you will already have your phone nearby to use this feature, we’re not sure who would use it in this capacity. Your phone also needs to be connected to the watch via Bluetooth for it to work. Those who regularly use Google Assistant will love having a speaker on the watch. It’s a nice upgrade. With slight improvements on the already great looking design, the smartwatch’s look is undoubtedly its strongest selling point.

Wear OS

A smartwatch is generally only as good as the operating system it uses. Wear OS by Google does a decent job of turning a watch into a smartwatch; however, the operation is still mediocre. Its speed has improved after the Snapdragon 3100 chipset became available, but the bones of OS are still the same. Clunky menus and the inelegant app experience don’t offer as much depth as something like a Fitbit would.

To use the watch with an iPhone, you will have to download both Google Fit and Wear OS to get access to all the features of the watch. You will also have to link your Google account at every turn. Users are often overwhelmed by this, and you shouldn’t need three apps (Assistant, Wear OS, Google Fit) to operate one wearable. They’re not entirely useless as standalone apps; however, it does feel odd to be redirected to the Assistant app when you want to change your settings, for instance.

Armani Smartwatch 3 Side

Tracking

It is essential to learn whether the activity tracking features on the Smartwatch 3 outperform the last generations mediocre tracking performance.

GPS performance

The GPS on the 2018 version of the Emporio Armani Connected smartwatch refused to work, and fans were hoping that the performance would improve in this iteration. The Smartwatch 3 has no issues with using the GPS connection of the phone that is paired to it. However, if you leave the phone behind, you’ll encounter a never-ending “Acquiring GPS” tag.

Heart rate accuracy

Thankfully, the heart rate sensor located on the underside of the watch is more reliable than the GPS. While last year’s model overshot the heart rate slightly, the Smartwatch 3 is much more accurate and shows a heart right correctly consistently. Accuracy-wise, the watch is on par with fitness-oriented devices like the Fitbit Versa. Although the heart rate data you get from Google Fit isn’t as in-depth as the data you get from a Fitbit, the data is still reliable enough for you to gain insights about your workouts and your health.

Armani Smartwatch 3 Box

Armani Smartwatch 3 Battery Life

Since the beginning, the battery life has been a crucial part of the equation on Wear OS watches. While you still won’t get multiple days of use between charges, the battery efficiency has improved on the Smartwatch 3 when compared to the last year’s model. How long the battery lasts depends largely on how you use it. However, Wear OS uses the Snapdragon 3100 chip aptly and provides several battery modes that you can freely pick from.

You can configure the watch for a day of heavy use, or you can disable features like the heart rate tracking and the always-on display and use the device for a little longer. You can also create a custom battery mode that will help prolong battery life without compromising your unique needs. If you want to use the watch for weeks on a single charge, you can toggle the Time Only setting.

Verdict

The third Wear OS smartwatch from Armani is a decent improvement over the first two models in terms of both design and functionality. The multiple battery modes and the contemporary design tweaks make it a great watch overall, and it is worth the money if you love Armani products and are looking for a smartwatch.

January 30, 2020
TicToc To QuickTake Re-branding by Bloomberg As Focus On OTT News Heightens

Bloomberg Media is a consumer-facing media organization and is one of the leading global business and financial media companies that reach a premium audience of more than 80 million consumers. With over 2,700 analysts and journalists across 120 countries, Bloomberg Media Group connects audiences to news and ideas across every platform: TV, radio, digital, print, and live events. Bloomberg Media recently announced that it is rebranding TicToc, the social video news network, to “QuickTake by Bloomberg.” Bloomberg views this as a crucial step for the brand as a whole, as it evolves into a premium global news network that connects social and streaming aspects of modern news seamlessly.

In preparation for the launch of its streaming news channel later in 2020, the new brand will merge with Bloomberg’s existing digital video operations, and add a full team of producers and editors to the newsroom – becoming one editorial studio. Since it’s launch in 2017, TicToc has expanded onto various social screens and platforms, reaching over 90 million views monthly across platforms. The brand had managed to garner a truly global audience, with 46 per cent being international viewers.

TicToc’s Rebranding

TicToc has seen tremendous growth, with a 79% increase in audience size in the last year, and it has a primarily younger demographic. The new QuickTake by Bloomberg brand will significantly increase its robust video offering by combining the content TicToc furnishes with the expertise Bloomberg’s digital video operations team supplies. TicToc’s shorter, one- and two-minute immediate reactions to global news stories will be combined with Bloomberg’s digital video operations – which currently produces much longer five-to ten-minute narratives.

Bloomberg Rebrands TicToc

By reporting in real-time as news breaks, and providing greater context on more significant issues, QuickTake aims to furnish insights at every stage of a story – all while delivering the right forms of content on the right platforms at each point in the news cycle. TicToc’s rebranding is a strategic evolution of the existing Bloomberg QuickTake brand, and this next iteration of the brand will continue to build on TicToc’s success in delivering short-form videos optimized for social media platforms.

Bloomberg QuickTake

The younger generation of news consumers will have better and quicker access to the biggest breaking news stories, ideas, and issues across business, tech, and culture. John Micklethwait, Bloomberg’s Editor-in-Chief, firmly believes that TicToc’s content delivery model works well with Bloomberg QuickTake. He also believes that both brands deliver concise yet thorough content that explains world events.

He and his team believe that the newly aligned QuickTake studio will prove to be an influential asset in a world where the number of platforms that require high-quality video is multiplying. You can follow QuickTake by Bloomberg on every major social media platform – including Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. You can also subscribe to their newsletter.

January 30, 2020
Google Pixel4 Does Not Work With Some USB Cables | Fans are Dismayed

While the Google Pixel4 brings its share of cutting edge features to the smartphone market, there is already a long list of things people dislike about the phone. The small battery capacity is something users are griping about. However, not being able to charge the phone with every charger makes matters worse. The charger itself isn’t what poses the problem – it’s the cable. The Pixel4 does not charge or transfer data with some third-party USB cables. The phone’s reliance on USB Power Delivery enables all USB-C to USB-C cables to work just fine. However, it’s the USB-C to USB-A cables that pose problems with the phone

Google Pixel 4 Side

What Is USB Power Delivery And Why It Matters

Google’s Pixel range of smartphones relies on a technology called USB Power Delivery (PD) to charge the phones. You will find this technology in all of Google’s chargers. Since the tech is found on all of Google’s phones (the first Pixel too!), we know that all the phones in the series use the same technology to charge. However, the smartphone will not charge or transfer data when some specific cables are in use. The same wires work correctly with older devices like the Pixel 3. The technology works great and charges at about 15W. The Pixel4 charges fine with other charges that support USB Power Delivery (PD) over USB-C to USB-C connectors. Third-party USB PD products and older Pixel chargers work just as well.

USB-C to USB-C works just fine. However, you will not be able to charge the Pixel4 with USB-A chargers. Quick Charge ports, power banks, and even the standard ports on your laptop or your PC will not work. However, swapping out to another cable may allow you to connect a Pixel 4 to these devices to charge it. If the cable has a purple identifier, it most certainly will not work with the Pixel4. The problem does not stop here.

Google Pixel4

Issue With USB Accessories

The Pixel 4 does not work with USB-C to 3.5mm adapters from other companies. In particular, the USB-C to 3.5mm adapters from Huawei and OnePlus do not work. Considering that Google no longer includes an audio adapter in the box, it is irritating. The smartphone does work with the Pixel 3’s audio adapter. The phone does not work with any USB-C HDMI dongle, whereas phones from competing brands like Samsung and Huawei do. However, only a few phones support wired HDMI screen mirroring these days, and it is a rare feature to come by. Regardless, Google is stern about what it does and doesn’t support over a Pixel’s USB-C connector.

Conclusion

Along with its own products, Google is also attempting to dictate stricter terms regarding the design of the chargers and cables on its Android partners’ smartphones. It looks like Google wants all Android devices to support USB-PD. Regardless, while most cables will work with the it, there is a subset of cables that won’t. To ensure that your Pixel 4 works with your power bank, head to Google’s store and grab the official USB-C to USB-A cable.

January 30, 2020
How To Resolve Unsupported Audio/Video Codec Error On Android

Phones are compact and have decently sized screens – making them the perfect portable media machines. However, downloading or transferring a video to your phone only to have Android throw the annoying “Can’t open file” or the “Unsupported audio/video codec” error can be super frustrating. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to resolve this error in seconds. In this post, we will go over codecs and containers and also discuss fixes for the errors.

What is a codec?

A codec is an abbreviation, and it means coder-decoder. The name explains it’s function: codecs are used to encode and decode data – specifically compressed data. Codecs take in data (in this case, video data) and either decompress it so it can be viewed or compress it so it can be saved or transferred. Codecs are different from containers. AVI, for example, is often mistaken for a codec when it actually is a container.

What is a container?

A container is also referred to as the file format. The container takes care of the packaging, transport, and presentation of the data, whereas the codec prepares the file for these actions. Containers are the software components that take care of synchronizing the audio and the video of a video file.

MX Player – Codec Error On Android

Why won’t the video play?

In most cases, the reason why Android throws that weird error message is that the operating system does not have the right tools to play the file you’re asking it to play. Media players are as sophisticated as the phones themselves – containers may have a codec that your media player does not support by default.

How do I fix Codec Error On Android?

As mentioned above, your media player most likely does not support the video or the audio codec of the file. The easiest way of fixing the error is by installing a different media player from the Google Play Store. Modern media players can play any video you pick. MX Player is one of the most robust media players available for Android.

MX Player

If you’re looking for a lightweight and easy to use Android media player, MX Player is perfect for you. MX Player supports multiple file-formats or containers and can play almost every kind of video you ask it to. The media player also supports a variety of subtitle formats, such as .sub, .srt, .txt, and .idx files. The gesture controls make the software easy to use – swiping up or down on the left or the right ends of the screen increases or decreases the brightness and the volume.

Swiping left and right will fast forward or rewind the video. The UI is relatively basic, which makes using the app simple. However, one downside is that the app has ads. If you dislike ads, you can get the ad-free paid version from the Google Play Store.

Resolving the “Can’t open file” error is super easy, and you can quickly fix it by downloading a robust media player like MX Player or VLC for Android. In just a few taps, your phone will be ready to play any video.

January 30, 2020
Galaxy Note 10 Plus vs. Mi Note 10 | Which is Better?
The Mi Note 10 and the Galaxy Note 10 Plus are an odd match-up – comparing a decidedly mid-range phone with a full-fledged flagship does not seem fair. The similarity in their names has nothing to do with the reason we’re comparing the two phones. The upcoming Galaxy S20 will reportedly feature a 108MP primary camera as a part of a multi-module setup – which is a massive upgrade from the 12MP camera setup.

Galaxy Note 10 Plus

A Quick Comparision

Comparing the two phones will give us a clear picture of how much better the cameras on the S20 will be. First things first, the 108MP camera is not nine times better than a 12MP one. Camera systems are complicated – and since the two cameras come from two different generations of sensors, a direct comparison of area, size, or megapixels is not practical. Regardless, getting the numbers out of the way will help.

The 108MP sensor has roughly three times the area of the 12MP sensor. There are 2.25x more pixels on the Xiaomi Mi Note 10‘s camera. When you combine four adjacent pixels into one, the resulting pixel is about 30% larger than the average pixel on the Galaxy phone. Modern mobile camera systems boast not only stellar hardware, but they also make use of cleverly designed software. Multiple photos are stacked seamlessly in the background, which helps reduce noise, enhance dynamic range, and capture better night shots.

Galaxy Note 10 Plus Display

You would guess that a photo by a 108MP camera would be much, much better than a photo captured by a 12MP camera that has been around for several years now. In general, yes, the pictures have more detail; however, the greater detail does not necessarily make the photos better. Let us first look into both the phone’s hardware before drawing any conclusions.

Camera Hardware Overview

Xiaomi’s Mi Note 10 is the first phone to come out with a 108MP primary camera. The camera sensor is an extension of a lineup that comprises of a widely used 48MP model, a 64MP model that’s getting increasingly more popular, and a robust 32MP model primarily utilized in front-facing camera applications. All of these sensors have different sizes, but they work on the same concept – they use a Quad Bayer filter array (and not the Bayer filter).

Mi Note 10 Features

The semantics of why it’s called ‘Quad’ are a bit murky; however, the essence of it is that the filter groups four neighbouring pixels under the same Red, Green or Blue colour filter. The grouping allows the four of them to capture the same primary colour at different exposures.

In this way, a 48MP Quad Bayer sensor ends up capturing a 12MP image that has a better dynamic range, lesser noise, and a little extra detail that the conventional 12MP sensor would capture. Applying the same principles to the 108MP sensor in the Mi Note 10, we get a resultant 27MP image in the default camera mode. The hardware specifics of both the cameras are consequential to the images we capture from the two.

Mi Note 10 Imaging

Camera

First up, the Mi Note 10’s primary camera sensor is adequately large – coming in at 1/1.33″, it is the largest camera sensor found on a phone’s camera in modern times. When you couple that with a bright f/1.7 aperture lens, the result is the thinnest depth of field on a phone camera. It can mean different things – either a nicely blurred background in portraits you shoot or a loss of sharpness in the scenes with varying depth. The loss of sharpness is particularly apparent with nearby subjects since the depth of field gets even shallower.

On the other hand, the Galaxy Note 10 Plus features a dual aperture mechanism on its primary camera setup, and hence, can stop down to f/2.4 in a good light. In good lighting, you will get some extra sharpness and extra depth of field in the images you shoot, but the camera is capable of opening up to f/1.5 to gather more light (when the scene calls for it).

Mi Note 10 Fingerprint

Even though it is a smaller sensor, it is no match the Mi Note 10’s light gathering capability. Technically, the Mi Note 10 should have the edge over the Galaxy phone, on the grounds of sensor size and optics rather than mere resolution. However, looking at the samples themselves before concluding makes it much more apparent why exactly the 108MP camera is better than the 12MP camera.

Daylight Samples

On comparing the daylight samples of both the phones, here are the differences you will notice:
- The Xiaomi phone has resolved the dotted pattern on the balcony blinds. Meanwhile, the Note 10+’s lower resolution camera combined with Samsung’s sharpening algorithms results in a ‘made-up’ rendition of the patterns.
- All 12MP cameras fail at this in one way or another, so the revelation is not shocking by any means.
- The Mi Note 10’s higher resolution benefits in this case.
- There is also finer detail and crispness in the image captured by the Xiaomi phone – and you
  Mi Note 10 Vlog and Night Mode
  
  will begin to notice some of the details the Samsung phone did not capture.
- The Galaxy Note 10+’s rendition of random detail like the grass looks particularly artificial, while the Mi Note 10 captures a much more natural photo.
- The Mi Note 10’s images could use post-processing tweaks, and a little sharpening and contrast/ adjustment will go a long way and bring some more pop in the photos.
Galaxy Note 10 plus Imaging

Verdict

The Xiaomi Mi Note 10 offers meaningful resolution benefits over the Galaxy Note 10 Plus; however, the increase in detail is visible when viewing the images up close only. On the other hand, for social media sharing purposes and at standard magnifications, other aspects of the image’s quality take centre stage.

Galaxy Note 10+ Storage

These include colour renditions and HDR processing, which is where the lower resolution Galaxy Note 10 Plus still reigns supreme. The highly anticipated Galaxy S20 will likely feature a 108MP sensor, and it will be interesting to see how well Samsung uses the sensor to bring ultra-high resolution cameras to the mainstream smartphone market.
January 30, 2020
OnePlus Concept One Smartphone To Use ‘Invisible Camera’ Tech

The OnePlus Concept One impressed crowd with its ‘Invisible Camera’ technology at CES 2020. And the same tech is coming to a future OnePlus smartphone. Pete Lau, OnePlus’ CEO, confirmed this during a recent podcast with The Verge. Mr. Lau made his first-ever appearance on a podcast as a guest at The Verge. During the half-hour podcast, he confirmed that the OnePlus Concept One’s ‘Invisible Camera’ technology would come to a production smartphone in the future.

He did not say exactly when, though, and no further details have been revealed. Mr. Lau did say that it will happen soon. In the same podcast, the CEO also confirmed that OnePlus doesn’t plan on releasing a foldable smartphone anytime soon.

OnePlus Invisible Camera

OnePlus Concept One: Invisible Camera

Now, if you’ve been out of the loop, the ‘Invisible Camera’ technology is quite impressive. OnePlus implemented an electrochromic glass in the back panel of the OnePlus Concept One. This electrochromic glass turns opaque when a current passes through it. The glass turns opaque, causing the camera lenses behind the glass to disappear – giving the phone a modern and sleek look.

Once you turn off the current by opening the Camera app, the glass becomes transparent, and the cameras work normally. The glass is not just a cosmetic feature since the lenses also use the glass as an ND filter. The ND filter can be activated via the Concept One’s ‘Pro mode’ option in the Camera app. The ND filter offers a ton of benefits. The filter enables you to have longer shutter speeds, which blocks excessive light from reaching the lens.

OnePlus Concept One

ND filters are a technology that digital cameras on the market have been using for quite some time now. It is possible that OnePlus will release the Concept One smartphone at some point, and not create another phone as a whole. Mr. Lau did not clarify whether this will happen, or the tech will come packed in an entirely new phone. We can assume that the OnePlus 8 series phones will not come with the electrochromic glass. Nothing suggested that it will, at least till now. Plus, the Concept One wouldn’t have featured it if the were to come with the OnePlus 8 series.

The OnePlus 8 series is expected to arrive in April or May of 2020. The company is expected to announce the series in May, although the phones may even come sooner than expected. If OnePlus sticks to the release cycle, the OnePlus 8 series will launch in May. However, since rumours and leaks have begun to circulate a lot earlier than before, the handsets could arrive in March or April. The OnePlus 8 series will have three phones – the OnePlus 8, the OnePlus 8 Pro, and the OnePlus 8 Lite.

January 30, 2020
Top 10 New Action Adventure Games Of 2020

If you enjoy playing video games with a narrative, action adventure games are perfect for you. 2020 is a big year for video games with highly anticipated new titles and sequels in all genres set to launch around the year.

In this list, we will cover the most anticipated Action Adventure Games due to make their release this year.

#1 The Last of Us Part 2

Ellie and Joel left a mark on many hearts in The Last of Us back in 2013. A new instalment of The Last of Us series is coming out in 2020. The game follows Ellie several years after the events of the first instalment – but the adventure is pivoting away from the zombie-virus. A cult group has killed Ellie’s love interest, causing Ellie to decide to get rid of the group once and for all. The game’s story revolves around Ellie’s revenge. Fans will likely see Joel appear on her journey, but it is unclear how he will be involved.

The Last of Us Part 2

#2 Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 is easily one of the most highly anticipated video games of all time. Although it was set to come out in April 2020, the launch has been pushed to September 2020. The game is under development by CD Projekt Red, the creators of The Witcher series.

Cyberpunk 2077

The open-world RPG game highlights a futuristic world where crime and greed flourishes. You take on the role of a mercenary who must take up odd jobs and earn street cred to gain respect and get higher-paying gigs.

#3 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Sequel)

In a surprise announcement at the end of E3 2019, Nintendo revealed that it is bringing out a sequel to their hit release, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The game’s story will revolve around a new foe that Link and Zelda discover living under the surface. No other specifics have been revealed, and all we know is that the sequel is in the works.

The Legend of Zelda

#4 Marvel’s Avengers

The Marvel cinematic universe saw a massive boost in popularity after the release of Endgame. A gorgeous-looking video game instalment from the Marvel universe is in the works over at Crystal Dynamics with Eidos Montreal.

Marvel’s Avengers

Titled “Marvel’s Avengers,” fans got a glimpse of the game and what it will be about at E3 2019. You will play as theEarth’s mightiest heroes that fight for the survival of humanity when it is caught in extreme peril.

#5 Twin Mirror

Dontnod Entertainment revealed that they have a new episodic adventure title in development. The development studio is best known for its Life is Strange series, but their next game is not a sequel to it. Twin Mirror is an upcoming psychological thriller game that follows Sam, who returns to his old hometown to attend his best friend’s funeral service.

Twin Mirror

Things take a turn for the worse when he wakes up with no memories of the previous day, and he also happens to be covered in blood.

#6 Final Fantasy VII Remake

Final Fantasy VII was a massive hit when it first launched on the original PlayStation. For years, fans have been pleading Square Enix to re-make the game for current-generation platforms. Square Enix finally obliged and unveiled that Final Fantasy VII is under development and would receive a remake for the PlayStation 4.

Final Fantasy VII Remake

The game will follow the same premise of Cloud, the protagonist, joining the Avalanche group as they fight against the Shinra corporation. Square Enix decided to alter the direction of the game a little bit, and instead of featuring the old-school turn-based combat, the game will feature action-RPG style gameplay.

#7 Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

Developed by Ninja Theory, Hellblade II is a hack-and-slash psychological horror title that follows Senua, a warrior, venturing her way into Helheim. Seeking to rescue her deceased lover’s soul, Senua will battle a series of otherworldly entities – but since the protagonist has psychosis, her venture into Helheim may be too much to handle.

Senua’s Saga Hellblade II

The sequel was announced during The Game Awards 2019, and the game will be released on the new Xbox Series X. The trailer looks fantastic, and fans are hyped for the game’s launch later this year.

#8 Gods & Monsters

Ubisoft unveiled their brand new IP during the press conference at E3 2019. Gods & Monsters is a title that visually mimics Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild; however, it does have a twist. The game is set in a Greek fantasy world, where players must save the gods fallen from a monstrous creature called the Typhon.

Gods Monsters

Our hero must embark on a journey to defeat dangerous monsters and solve a series of puzzles along the way. Gods & Monsters is being worked on from the team that created Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, and hence, fans have high expectations for the game.

#9 Tales of Arise

After Tales Berseria first hit shelves back in 2016, a new instalment to the Tales game franchise is finally coming out in 2020. Bandai Namco Entertainment is working on Tales of Arise, an RPG game that will launch on current-generation consoles.

Tales of Arise

If you’re familiar with the series, you will know that there are several instalments, but they are not always connected. Fans hope that this game will shed some more light on the lore and tie some loose ends.

#10 Beyond Good & Evil 2

The game will follow the protagonist from a struggling pirate to a captain of a massive vessel. If the upcoming Beyond Good & Evil game is anything like the first title, we can expect an entertaining narrative full of adventure. It will be an open-world video game, but it’s uncertain how engaging the world will be and if there will be enough events to keep players occupied as they explore the world.

Beyond Good _ Evil 2

Wrapping Up: Action Adventure Games Of 2020

2020 will leave its mark as one of the best years for Action Adventure Games, with new, stunning-looking titles coming out every other month. We are also likely to see more and more glimpses of the next generation consoles and the games coming out for them. The year will end on a high note, with the release of the PlayStation 5 and the new Xbox.

January 29, 2020
Will my phone get Android 9 Pie in 2020?
While Android 9 Pie is not exactly new, not every device is running on it. Many devices from different manufacturers are slated to receive Android 9 Pie update in 2020. Since your smartphone is expected to be more secure and functional, this update is an important piece of news. Let’s take a look at all the smartphones that are getting the Pie update this year.

While most smartphones are either included in an updated plan or have already received the update, there are some unfortunate models that were promised with the Pie update but have not received it yet. BlackBerry KEY2 is among them. Most of Google devices are now running on Android 10. Google’s Pixel phones already have received Android 10 updates.

LG V30 will receive its update this year. Other popular devices by LG, including LG G7 ThinQ, LG V30, and LG V20 have already got the update. OnePlus devices scheduled for the Pie update include OnePlus 6, OnePlus 5/5T, and OnePlus 3/3T.

Samsung: Android 9 Pie Update

Looking at Samsung’s update schedule, the phones that are expected to receive the update in 2020 are below.
- Galaxy S9/S9+
- Galaxy Note 9
- Galaxy Note 8
- Galaxy S8/S8+
- Galaxy A6/A6+
- Galaxy A7 (2018)
- Galaxy A8 (2018)/A8+ (2018)/A8 Star
- Galaxy A9 2018
- Galaxy J2 2018/J2 Core
- Galaxy J4
- Galaxy J6+
- Galaxy On7
- Galaxy Tab S4 10.5
- Galaxy J4+
- Galaxy J6
- Galaxy J7 (2017)/J7 Duo/J7 Neo
- Galaxy Tab S3 9.7
- Galaxy Tab A 2017
- Galaxy Tab A 10.5
Huawei

Huawei is counted to be one of the largest and most popular manufacturers. The official announcement for Pie update includes the following devices.
- Huawei Mate 10
- Huawei Mate 10 Pro
- Huawei Mate 10 Porsche Design
- Huawei Mate RS Porsche Design
- Huawei P20
- Huawei P20 Pro
- Honor 10
- Honor View 10
- Honor Play
Sony

While Sony too has not gained popularity in the Android smartphone sector, it still provided its Pie updates
- Sony Xperia XZ2
- Sony Xperia XZ2
- Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact
- Sony Xperia XZ Premium
- Sony Xperia XZ1
- Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
- Sony Xperia XA2
- Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra
- Sony Xperia XA2 Plus
Motorola

Coming to Motorola, the following phone will get the Android 9 Pie update. In fact, some of them have already received it.
- Moto Z3
- Moto Z3 Play
- Moto Z2 Force
- Moto Z2 Play
- Moto X4
- Moto G6 Plus
- Moto G6
- Moto G6 Play
Nokia Android 9 Pie Update

Nokia, for its part, is working on releasing an update for the following devices.
- Nokia 3
- Nokia 5
- Nokia 5.1 Plus
- Nokia 6
- Nokia 6.1
- Nokia 7 Plus
- Nokia 7.1
- Nokia 8
- Nokia 8 Sirocco
HTC

HTC has not really been doing well in the last few months. However, the company is updating the smartphones mentioned below.
- HTC U12+
- HTC U11
- HTC U11+
- HTC U11 Life
With almost all the leading smartphone device manufacturers planning on Android 9 Pie update, we hope you receive the update soon. The exact dates of these updates are not known. Since the roll-out has already started, you should probably receive it soon enough. Keep an eye out!
January 29, 2020
Wireless TV – Samsung Plans World’s First Of Its Kind

Reports suggest that Samsung is currently working on a wireless TV. If it is successful, it would be the first of its kind. A patent has been submitted for the same. If Samsung comes through, there would no longer the need for the messy wires that come with the TV. The television will receive its energy from a wireless power transceiver in the form of a soundbar. This could be placed anywhere nearby. It will work remotely, eliminating the need for wires.

LetsGoDigital is a Dutch tech blog that first noticed the patent filed by Samsung for the wireless smart television. It was first submitted in 2018, but only recently became public. Among the multiple patents the company is working on, this was one of them. It looks like Samsung is working on plenty of options, including a smart mirror TV and even a roll-up TV!

Samsung Wireless TV

At CES 2020, Samsung exhibited their zero-bezel TV. It offers an incredibly immersive viewing experience on different models. While the number of models has not been mentioned yet, the company is expected to release the zero-bezel TVs with displays measuring 65 inches and larger. Instead of the display panel being welded along the frame, it is welded only to the main body. While may have expressed concerns, Samsung seems assured about the structural integrity of this model. Manufacturing partners are Shinsegye Engineering and Taehwa Precision.

Samsung TVs

Samsung, the South Korean electronics giant, has started focusing on television sets over the last couple of years. They are working to find a way to seamlessly integrate TV sets into our homes. Last year, the company added a new featured called Ambient Mode to its QLED TVs. This feature enabled the screen to blend into the wall behind it.

First Wireless TV

According to a statement issued by the company, “TVs are turns on for only five hours a day on average, yet they occupy a large space on the wall in the living room. This means TVs hang on the wall just as a black screen for more than 19 hours every day. With a TV turned off, it is easier to see dust or fingerprints on the screen – especially when the screen is large.”

The visual impact is always spoilt by the numerous wires behind the TV that sticks out like a sore thumb. Many efforts have been taken to minimise the visual impact, with high-end models now shipping with Samsung’s OneConnect box. Here, all the wires are bunched up into a single cable that can be then connected to the TV. While it is not the ideal solution, it is relatively better than the untidy collection of wires that is always present.

Samsung has already started using wireless power technology in some of its products, such as its flagship device, the Galaxy S10 range. So far, there has been no comment on when we will see the wireless television in the market. Samsung has not hinted at any potential releases.

January 29, 2020
Galaxy Z Flip May Use Bendable ‘Ultra-Thin Glass’ Instead Of Plastic

There was a lot of speculations about the Samsung foldable glass display for its the Galaxy Z Flip. This device is the direct answer to the Razr by the company. Older reports suggested that Samsung’s upcoming clamshell smartphone, named the Galaxy Z Flip, will boast of a foldable glass display. The source of the leak was a popular tipster called the Ice Universe. He tweeted, “It can be confirmed that the Galaxy Fold2 leaked not long ago will use an ultra-thin glass cover for the first time in the world, replacing plastic materials.” Put in simple words, this means that Samsung has found something that is basically glass that can be folded. This is quite an achievement since almost all manufacturers of foldable displays use plastic since naturally, who can get a glass to fold?!

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

The New Innovation

The new glass cover is said to be flatter than plastic. It even has lesser ’wrinkles’ compared to regular plastic display covers generally used in foldable phones. Even the Galaxy Fold which is known for the crease on the screen used the latter option. Following this, another leak emerged from XDA Developers where Max Weinbach says that the Z Flip will use glass instead of plastic for its folding display. He is an XDA TV host who claimed that Samsung’s upcoming device will have the Samsung Ultra-Thin Glass on a Dynamic AMOLED display panel.

While glass will make sure that the display is likely to last longer and is more resistant to scratches, the use of glass makes it more vulnerable to breakage. As always, we are presented with two vices, forcing us to choose one. Samsung has apparently chosen to go ahead with glass, giving us better durability factor. It is up to us now to keep our devices safe and sound.

Features of Galaxy Z Flip

According to the leaks, we believe that the Galaxy Z Flip smartphone will support a 6.7-inch dynamic AMOLED screen and have either a 3,300 mAh or 3,500 mAh battery. The device is expected to have a 12MP camera as the main shooter and a 10MP sensor for selfies. Older reports tell us that the Z Flip model will run on Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC and feature 256GB internal storage. In addition to this, the phone will have Samsung’s One UI 2.1 on it.

Galaxy Z Flip

Weinbach also mentioned that the smartphone will come with a capacitive fingerprint reader on the side. The phone will feature a wide angle and ultra wide angle lens. With regards to the battery, the phone will have 15W fast charging. Users would be able to charge it via both wired and wireless charging options. In terms of looks, the Galaxy Z Flip is pretty similar to a foldable Galaxy S10e.

Compared to Motorola’s Razr, the pricing is expected to be quite competitive and could possibly make Samsung fans very happy. However, the company is yet to officially launch the Galaxy Z Flip. While the day is not far off, fans are eagerly awaiting its release.

January 29, 2020