Wear OS developer preview update re-enables alarms and jobs for background apps

Google is pushing out a new developers preview built to Wear OS and this update re-enables alarms and jobs for background apps that were disabled in the previous build with battery life as a major focus. This change will be reflected in all connected Wear OS preview devices. After collecting the feedback, it saw that a strict on/off setting prevents reasonable usage and promotes anti-patterns. It is also planning to leverage the App Standby Buckets feature in Android P to fine-tune a suitable setting for Wear OS devices. However, the exact setting for alarms and jobs for background apps is still being iterated on. According to Google, another area that developers should pay attention to is the strengthening of input and data privacy for background apps in Android P. This depending on an app's requirements, developers may need to use a foreground service to enable access to the device sensor throughout the day. Google says that it is expecting to push out more updates to this preview before the final production release. Source

Samsung appeals against $539 million Apple patent case verdict

Samsung is not stopping its fight against Apple, the company has asked the court last Thursday to either dismiss the judgment in its phone patent fight with Apple or retry the case in which the damages were decided. Samsung has filed a 34-page post-trial motion filed with the US District Court in San Jose, California suggesting that the jury's $539 million verdict is "excessive" and not supported by the evidence. This move doesn't come as a surprise by any means, to remind you, the verdict was given against Samsung last month and the jury has ordered Samsung to pay $539 million to Apple over patent infringement with Android phones it sold in 2010 and 2011. Samsung in a response to the verdict: "We will consider all options to obtain an outcome that does not hinder creativity and fair competition for all companies and consumers." The overall verdict was a whopping $140 million steeper than the amount earlier trials had determined it owed, so it was a big step backward for the company. In a separate motion, Samsung said that it wants to be reimbursed for the $146 million, plus interest, that it already paid over an invalidated touchscreen patent. Source

Android Messages V3.3 hints at GIF search, favourited stickers, search filters, fight text spam and more

Android Messages seems to have picked up a new version over the weekend and like before, there aren't any noticeable visual changes, but there are things going on behind hinting the preparation of new features. Some of the Gif search and  Sticker related features of Allo might be coming to Android Messages. Apart from these, we might also be getting helpful search filters that bring attachments into view. It also features some new text that suggests Google is working on an active role in fighting text spam. Android Messages might soon get a native GIF search, ensuring that users may have a way to share Gifs even if they're not using a keyboard with built-in GIF support. It might look and behave just like the GIF search previously found in Gboard. The latest Android Messages update suggest that the sticker interface is going to gain a dedicated space for your favorite stickers or sticker packs. It will let you mark stickers that you want to readily use while texting. It is unclear if the Favorites section is reserved for individual stickers or entire sticker packs. It looks like a double-tap will be used to mark and unmark favorites. Finally, Android Messages might be getting search functionality where you can ...

Xiaomi Redmi 6 with 5.45-inch 18:9 display, Helio P22 12nm Octa-Core SoC, AI dual rear cameras and Redmi 6A with Helio A22 12nm SoC announced

Xiaomi just announced the Redmi 6, the company's latest smartphone in the Redmi series and the successor of Redmi 5 that was announced back in December last year, as it had promised. It has a 5.45-inch HD+ display 18:9 aspect ratio display with 80.7% screen-to-body ratio, is powered by MediaTek Helio P22 12nm processor and runs Android 8.1 (Oreo) with MIUI 9 on top, which will be upgraded to MIUI 10. It packs a 12-megapixel rear camera with LED flash along with a secondary 5-megapixel camera for AI portrait shots. It has a 5-megapixel front camera with face unlock and AI portrait. There is also Redmi 6A with the first MediaTek Helio A22 12nm Quad-Core SoC, single 13-megapixel rear camera, and a 5-megapixel front camera both with AI Portrait mode, but it doesn't have a fingerprint sensor. Both the phones have a polycarbonate back panel has a brushed metal surface. Xiaomi Redmi 6 specifications 5.45-inch (1440 × 720 pixels) HD+ 18:9 2.5D curved glass display, 1000:1 contrast ratio, 2GHz Octa-Core MediaTek Helio P22 (MT6762) 12nm processor with 650MHz IMG PowerVR GE8320 GPU 3GB RAM with 32GB storage, 4GB RAM with 64GB storage, expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD Android 8.1 (Oreo) with MIUI 9 Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano / microSD) 12MP rear camera ...

Snapchat introduces ads for Snappables AR games, brings the ability to delete sent messages

Two months after introducing the Snappables; its social AR offering the company is now working with companies to create and sell branded versions of Snappables games and the new offering is part its effort to make it easier for advertisers to purchase AR ads. The first  Snappables will go live on Thursday, according to Snap spokesperson. King; the maker of Candy Crush; Dunkin’ Donuts, and Bud Light are among some of the first companies who will be partnering with Snap on the games at launch. Snappables are multiplayer and high score games that users can play with each other. On another note, starting today its Lenses ad format will now be available to purchase on its self-serve ad manager tool. Snapchat introduced the sponsored Lenses back in October 2015,  Snap sells them on an effective CPM basis for $8 to $20, which means that companies pay $8 to $20 per 1,000 impressions. Snap is also testing out new shoppable formats for Snap Ads and Story ads which will now include a tappable product catalog that can take users to the web pages for multiple products for one company. The company said that this new ad format will roll out more widely later summer. The company is also introducing ...

Facebook launches new standalone ‘Memories’ page

Facebook today announced that it is launching new standalone 'Memories' page to easily access the moments you’ve shared with family and friends, including posts and photos, friends you’ve made, and major life events. The company says that more than 90 million users use On This Day. Facebook further said that the research suggests this kind of reflection can have a positive impact on people’s mood and overall well-being and for this exact reason it is updating the experience to ensure all of your memories are easy to find. The new Memories page includes On This Day, Friends Made On This Day, Recaps of Memories, Memories You May Have Missed. In the 'On This day' section, you will see the content you love, showing your past posts and major life events from this date. In the 'Friends Made On This Day' section, it will include a list of friends you made on this date in the past, including special videos or collages that. Next on the list is the 'Recaps of Memories' where it features seasonal or monthly recaps of memories. Finally, the Memories section will show you the posts that you might have missed from the past week. You can access the Facebook Memories from here. Source

Apple bans cryptocurrency mining on iPhone and iPad

Apple today has updated its app guidelines to stop developers from sneaking any functionality into the apps within the company's ecosystem. The company now says that "apps, including any third party advertisements displayed within them, should not run any unrelated background processes; cryptocurrency mining. According to May guidelines, Apple allowed apps to facilitate crypto transactions given that they do so in compliance with all state and federal laws making the ICO language nearly identical as well. Apple says that Wallet apps are fine, but the developer is enrolled as an organisation. Apple won't allow apps to mine crypto, unless they process off the device, like in cloud-based mining. It will also allow exchanges as long as they are offering transactions of currency. Apps that facilitate ICOs, futures trading or other securities must be provided by established banks, securities firms and futures commission merchants (FCMs). The company won't allow apps to offer currency as a reward for downloading other apps. The company is also against posting to social networks or encouraging other users to download apps. Going back in time, back in 2013 and 2014, Apple banned Coinbase and other crypto-related apps from the App Store. Source | Via

Honor 10 vs OnePlus 6 Comparison

London saw a lot of action when both Honor and OnePlus decided to launch their latest flagships back to back. Priced under the incredibly hot, sub Rs. 35,000 ‘value flagship’ segment, the Honor 10 and OnePlus 6 both bring killer specifications at a very similar price point. So obviously, one can’t help but compare the two to see which one is better. And that’s just what we’re going to do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2JzmmaoiKc Design [gallery link="file" columns="2" size="large" ids="255479,255477"] Up front, the Honor 10 jumps onboard trend and manages to have reduced bezels on all sides. The phone is really comfortable to hold with excellent ergonomics thanks to the rounded edges, smaller display. Flip the Honor 10 over and you’ll see the glass back featuring a reflective pattern made up of 15 layers of glass. The phone comes with a nano-scale optical coating and design alternates between various hues of blue and purple depending on how light strikes the back panel. The end result is visually stunning and unlike anything on the market. The phone measures 7.7mm in thickness and weigh around 153 grams. [gallery link="file" columns="2" size="large" ids="255488,255487,255486,255489"] The OnePlus 6 is the company’s first flagship with a glass back and it has Corning Gorilla Glass 5 ...

1More Dual Driver In-Ear Headphones Review

Audiophiles on a budget have never had it better. From Soundmagic to MEE Audio, 1More, FiiO and more, there's an option for every sound preference and every budget. We've previously reviewed a range of 1More products and found them to be excellent value for their price point. In the case of the 1More Triple Driver earphones,we found them to deliver sound quality that punches well above its weight. For someone with a lower budget though, 1More has a dual driver variant. We've been testing out the 1More Dual Driver In-Ear Headphones over the last few weeks and here's our review.  Design The 1More Dual Driver earphones have a design that is very similar to the one on the company's Triple Driver Earphones. Aluminum enclosures lead to rubberised cables with an in-line microphone and remote. The cables are reasonably thick and we didn't observe any significant amount of microphonics. The remote is made of plastic and isn't the highest quality but it gets the job done. Beyond the Y-Splitter though is a braided nylon cable that feels pretty good though it isn't exactly tangle free. At the end is an L shaped connector. The earbuds themselves are on the larger side and have an angled ...

Moto G6 Review

Motorola launched the  Moto G6, successor of last year’s Moto G5  in India last week. It comes with an improved display, new design, better cameras and lots more compared to the predecessor. Since this is a major upgrade, the launch price is also Rs. 2000 more compared to the predecessor. Is this worth the price? Let us find out in the review. We unboxed the Moto G6 recently, check out the video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxclGf38zYs Box Contents Moto G6 4GB RAM + 64GB storage version in Indigo Black color In-ear headset with set of earbuds 2-pin Turbo charger (5V-3A|9V-1.6A|12V-1.2A) USB Type-C cable SIM ejector tool User manual and warranty information Display, Hardware and Design The Moto G6 has a 5.7-inch Full HD+ display with a resolution of 2160 by 1920 with 18:9 aspect ratio, pixel density of about 423 ppi (pixels per inch) and also has a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection.  The display is bright, colors are vibrant, viewing angles and the sunlight legibility are good as well. There are Standard and Vibrant color modes in the display settings. It has bezels above and below the screen so the screen-to-body ratio of the phone is about 75%, which is similar to some of the full-screen displays. Since this has a 18:9 ...