Samsung reveals Android 10 update roadmap for its smartphones

Samsung has revealed the Android 10 upgrade roadmap for its devices and turns out, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Note 8 are not a part of the upgrade plan. The news comes indirectly from Samsung themselves as the Android Q update roadmap issued by Samsung does not include the Samsung Galaxy S8 or the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

The updated roadmap was revealed through a software update pushed to a Samsung device in Israel and lists all the devices that will receive the Android 10 based updates along with their tentative timeline. While Samsung has prioritized the flagships in terms of how soon the update would be rolled out, the company has also included a healthy mix of their other product lines as well. Devices in the Galaxy M, A, On, J, and Galaxy Tab product lines are also included in the update roadmap and will be receiving the Android 10 based OS update in 2020. In case you’re wondering about the specific timeline, here’s the full update roadmap.

January

Galaxy S9 series Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Samsung Galaxy M20 Samsung Galaxy M30 Samsung Galaxy A30 Samsung Galaxy S10 series Samsung Galaxy Note 10 series

March

Samsung Galaxy M40

April

Samsung Galaxy A6 Samsung Galaxy A6+ Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) Samsung Galaxy A50 Samsung Galaxy A50s Samsung Galaxy A70 Samsung Galaxy A70s Samsung Galaxy A80 Samsung Galaxy M30s Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Samsung Galaxy Fold

May

Samsung Galaxy A8 Star Samsung Galaxy A10 Samsung Galaxy A10s Samsung Galaxy A20 Samsung Galaxy A30s Samsung Galaxy M10s

June

Samsung Galaxy On6 Samsung Galaxy J6 Samsung Galaxy A20s

July

Samsung Galaxy Galaxy S6+ Samsung Galaxy J7 Duo Samsung Galaxy On8 Samsung Galaxy J8 Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e

August

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8

September

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5 (2018) Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1

Interestingly, the Galaxy Fold has its Android 10 based update scheduled for the end of April. This is most likely due to the extensive work that is required on the OS in order to make the OS a seamless experience on a folding form-factor.

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New wireless skin for VR will give users actual feedback using wireless motors

It looks like VR gaming may get a new shot in the arm courtesy of a team of researchers from City University of Hong Kong and Northwestern University. They’ve developed a sort of ‘wearable skin’ that will give users a sense of touch and feeling through vibrations. Currently, it is being used in the rehabilitation of prosthetic users. The device is controlled wirelessly and powered using the same tech as well. 

This technology could be game changing in many ways. People who have lost the use of their limbs and require prosthetics can greatly benefit from such technology as well. Earlier, the technology to achieve this effect used actuators that required batteries and wires and was quite a bit of a headache to get working. Now, though, the technology has caught up and we’re finally at the stage where smaller actuators are able to be powered wirelessly. 

First reported on Medgadget.com, this new tech comes in a sort of skin-like material that is draped over a users skin. The device comes with a bunch of small chips and antennae that make it less cumbersome that its predecessor. A researcher on the team, Dr. Yo Xinge says,”The haptic actuators can harvest radio frequency power through the large flexible antenna within a certain distance, so the user wearing the device can move freely without the trouble of wires. Thus, we solved the difficult problem of transmission by low-power wireless function and significantly increased the distance of the operation for our system. This system not only saves power but also allows users to move more freely without the trouble of wires.”

This tech could make its way to VR gaming as well, giving gamers actual feedback when playing games. Imagine playing a shooter and feeling a small vibration whenever you’re shot. This would give gamers another layer of intense feedback, immersing us further. 

As of now, the tech is only being used in helping prosthetic users but the applications of something like this are truly unimaginable. Check out the video below for a more visual representation of how the technology actually works. 

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China introduces mandatory face scans for mobile users: Report

It looks like China will be implementing a new rule that will require users to have their faces scanned when registering for new mobile phone services. According to a report by the BBC, the new rules were announced in September, and came into effect from December 1 onwards. 

As per the report, citizens signing up for new mobile or mobile data contracts are already required to show their National ID card. But with the new rules, they will have to have their faces scanned in order to verify that they match the ID that they have provided. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of People’s Republic of China has also posted the notice on its official website. 

Jeffrey Ding, a researcher on Chinese artificial intelligence at Oxford University told the BBC that one of the reasons why China wants to apply face scanning is to get rid of anonymous phone numbers and internet accounts, thereby boosting cyber-security and reduce internet fraud. However, he also noted that it could also be in place to better track the population.

This news comes about a month after China announced that its was imposing restrictions on minors playing online games. The notice issued by the government noted that minors were not allowed to play from 10pm to 8am and they can only play for 90 minutes during weekdays and three hours during weekends. There were also restrictions made on the amount minors were allowed to spend on microtransactions. Those under the age of 16 were no longer allowed to spend over CNY 200 (about Rs 2,000) in a single month and no more than CNY 50 (about Rs 500) on a single transactions. Those aged between 16 and 18 were not allowed to spend over CNT 400 (about Rs 4000) a month and over CNY 100 (about Rs 1,000) on a single transaction.

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Image of two PS5 devkits makes an appearance on Twitter

The PS5 launch is one year away and we have more information about the devkit of the upcoming console. Twitter user The Drunk Cat (@Alcoholikaust) has tweeted an image of two PS5 devkits placed side by side. One of the dev kits has a controller connected via a cable. It isn't confirmed whether this is the new controller, but there is no glowing light bar in the front which leads us to believe that it probably is the new PS5 controller. A recent patent revealed a PlayStation controller with a DualShock 4 like design but without the lightbar. The patent also showcased slightly chunkier grips and USB-C charging. You can read more about the controller here. 

Coming to the images revealed on Twitter, it looks a lot like a patent that was filed by Sony. The devkit looks chunky, big and has a big V-shaped gap in the middle. Before you freak out and think that this is the final version of the console, we’d say hold your horses. Sony’s PlayStation devkit has always been different from the final unit released to the consumer. Besides, with how 'hush hush' Sony is being, releasing only tidbits via Exclusive Wired interviews, we think Sony has something grand planned for its next console. 

Tom Warren, Senior Editor at the Verge took to Twitter and said, “Yes, this is the PlayStation 5 devkit. The reason it's large and v-shaped is to make them more easily stackable for devs who are running multiple stress tests. The cooling is optimized to push air out of the sides and center.” All of a sudden, the design makes sense, doesn't it? With vents that blow air and enough space for the air to circulate, developers can conveniently stack the devkit one on top of the other without worrying about overheating. How this practically works is something we will only know when more information about it is officially released. 

While images of the PS5 devkit are making its way around the internet, there is little information on what the devkit for the Xbox Scarlett looks like. Some specs of both the consoles have been confirmed and you can check them out here. Both the PS5 and Xbox Scarlett are targeting a Holiday 2020 release date.

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Tata Nexon EV to be announced globally on December 17

Roughly two months after the announcement of its new Ziptron EV powertrain technology, Tata Motors has revealed the global announcement date of its upcoming electric SUV, the Nexon EV. According to a recent report by Autocar India, Tata Motors will host the world premiere event for the Nexon EV in Mumbai on December 17. The Tata Nexon EV will be based on a facelifted version of the existing Nexon SUV and employ Tata's Ziptron technology under the bonnet. The Nexon EV is expected to go on sale sometime in the first quarter of 2020.

Though we know that the Nexon EV is one of the first cars to use Tata's new Ziptron EV powertrain technology, we don't have any details about the SUV's motor and battery setup. That said, it's expected to deliver a driving range of around 300 kilometres on a single charge. We'll learn more about Tata's new EV as we approach the global announcement date. Tata Motors is expected to price the new Nexon EV at around Rs 15 lakh. The top-end variant of the SUV could go up to Rs 17 lakh.

The Nexon SUV, which has been around in the market since 2017, is scheduled to get a facelift early next year. The facelift will reportedly include compliance for BS6 emission norms and new pedestrian safety norms that will come into effect in October 2020. In addition, it will receive a physical makeover in the form of a new bonnet, front bumper, and thinner front grille along with a new pair of headlamps that incorporate daytime running lamps. The Nexon EV that will be announced later this month will be based heavily on this upcoming Nexon SUV facelift.

Tata first announced its Ziptron EV tech in September by releasing a couple of teaser videos on YouTube. Revealing very few technical details about the new EV powertrain, Tata Motors said that the Ziptron would consist of “a highly efficient permanent magnet AC motor” and an IP67-rated battery system that's resistant to water and dust. The tech will incorporate regenerative braking and support for fast-charging. In addition, the battery will come with an eight-year warranty.

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Windows 10 free upgrade still works for users and you could be one of them

When Microsoft released Windows 10, there was a window of time during which users with a legitimate copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8 could upgrade to Windows 10 for free.  Microsoft ended the free upgrade program a long time ago, however, With the end of life for Windows 7 round the corner, users have once again found a way to get a free upgrade to Windows 10.

According to a post by WindowsLatest, the process of getting a free upgrade to Windows 10 is surprisingly simple. All you need to do is download the Windows Media Creation Tool on the system running a genuine copy of Windows 7, 8 or 8.1. Run the tool to download a copy of Windows 10 and start the installation. Enter your license key for the copy of Windows you are running and you should be able to install Windows 10 without paying for the upgrade. According to the website, a reddit user claiming to be a former Microsoft employee has also confirmed that he free upgrade continues to work.

In the event that you plan to do a clean install, you apparently won't have to worry. On performing a clean install, Windows 10 should activate on its own. During the install, just don’t enter your older license key as the 7-character keys are converted to a 10 character key that gets linked to your Microsoft account.

The alleged former Microsoft employee states in his reddit post that “WDG didn’t care pretty much at all because Terry Meyerson at the time cared more about his upgrade stats than license revenue as Windows isn’t Microsoft’s cash cow anymore. It’s the same stance back in the day where Microsoft would allow Windows Updates on pirated copies of Windows 7 as the bigger picture was to thwart security threats based from those copies.”

Microsoft had terminated the original upgrade program back in July of 2016. Users were still able to get an upgrade thanks to the “assistive upgrade program,” which was officially closed on December 31, 2017, marking the end to all the ways of getting a free upgrade to Windows 10. Turns out, users can still get their system upgraded to Windows 10 as long as you’re running a genuine copy of Windows 7, 8 or 8.1. IF you’re still in need of an upgrade, this might be a good time to start before Microsoft plugs this loophole.

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Apple AirPod Pro production being doubled amidst unprecedented demand

Apple introduced the AirPods originally in 2016, with a refresh being announced in 2019. In the three years of their existence, the AirPods have become a “must-have” accessory for iPhone users. However in 2019, people expected more than just a refresh. They expected ANC, perhaps a new design. Then Apple went ahead and launched the AirPods Pro, a pair of in-ear monitors with active noise cancellation and for sure, a brand new design. Apple had finally replaced the hard plastic you’d have to put in your ears with soft silicon tips, making the AirPods Pro a lot more comfortable to use. Turns out, the new iems from the Cupertino company have been wildly popular.

A recent report by Bloomberg is now claiming that Apple is doubling its production, from 1 million units to 2 million. The report is further substantiated by a secondary report by Nikkei that has followed the supply-chain has also confirmed the doubling of the production. The report added how the wait times for the new AirPods Pro is much higher than for the regular AirPods, which are available for next day delivery.

The AirPods Pro offer all the features that are expected from a modern-day truly wireless IEM. Featuring active noise cancellation and a battery life of 4.5 hours with noise cancellation turned on. In conjunction with the battery case, Apple says users can expect up to 24 hours of use, which is impressive whichever way you look at it. For comparison sake, the Sony WH-1000XM3 have a claimed battery life of up to 30 hours.

The Apple AirPods Pro have a price tag of Rs 24,900 in India, but they are not yet available in India.

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