Rather than call an ambulance, rotten thief steals phone from barely conscious teen

Why it matters to you

Proof, as if it were needed, that we always need to be vigilant about phone thieves

Thieves, by definition, are unpleasant people; but some just take being scumbags to a whole new level, as proven by this story from Manchester in the United Kingdom. Even if you’re vigilant and protective of your shiny new smartphone — in this case a lovely Google Pixel XL — there’s nothing much you can do if someone wants to take it when you’re in the middle of an asthma attack. Yes, really.

18-year old Evie Merrygold was feeling short of breath at a nightclub in Manchester, and left the building to get some fresh air. However, she left her inhaler inside and subsequently collapsed own the ground as she tried to catch her breath. Merrygold estimates she was unconscious for five minutes, before waking to find a man next to her.

More: Beware of phone thieves on scooters

He told her he was about to call an ambulance, and picked up her phone. Except he didn’t call anyone. Instead, he stole the phone and walked away. A tweet from the Greater Manchester City Centre Police confirms the story, and calls the crime — in a typically understated British fashion — “pretty low.” Merrygold’s quoted as saying, “I just can’t find the words for how that feels. It’s the fact he said he was going to help me and then just went off with my phone.”

Pretty low. Woman on floor having asthma attack Deansgate Locks; man picks up her phone & says he will call ambulance but makes off with it

— GMP City Centre (@GMPCityCentre) February 11, 2017

She recovered from the asthma attack, and wasn’t hurt in the incident, but does wonder if the thief followed her from the club in the first place. Her friends found her a short while later, and although they searched for the phone, it wasn’t found. She later canceled her phone contract, but the thief had already made calls on the stolen device.

Normally, at this point we offer advice on keeping your phone safe, or activating a service like Find My iPhone, in stories like this. They all still apply, but it’s pretty much impossible to do anything about an unexpected asthma attack, and any opportunistic thief who happens to be nearby.

Samsung could reveal Galaxy S8 launch date at MWC

Samsung is likely to drop a few hints about the Galaxy S8 at MWC.

Samsung has already mentioned that it won’t unveil the Galaxy S8 at this year’s Mobile World Congress, with the official launch said to occur a month later — likely on March 29 — at an event in New York. A new report out of Korea suggests that Samsung will reveal the launch date for its upcoming flagship at its MWC event, which is being held on February 26.

The South Korean manufacturer could offer an early look at the Galaxy S8 in the form of a one-minute teaser at the end of its MWC press conference, where we’ll see the Galaxy Tab S3 make its debut. There’s plenty to talk about the device thanks to numerous leaks over the course of the last month, including dual-curved displays for both variants, thin bezels, lack of a home button at the front, rear-mounted fingerrint sensor, and a dedicated button for Samsung’s new AI assistant, Bixby.

Huge Pokémon Go update adds 80 new creatures from Pokémon Gold and Silver games

This is the Pokémon Go update we’ve been looking for.

Niantic is rolling out a sizeable content update to Pokémon Go later this week that will introduce over 80 new Johto Pokémon from the Pokémon Gold and Silver games, including Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, and others. The new Pokémon will be discoverable in the wild, and won’t just be limited to hatching from eggs, like those that debuted with the December update.

The update will also bring new avatars and added wardrobe options to customize the look of your trainer, new character evolutions, two new berries, and changes to the gameplay mechanics:

When you encounter Pokémon in the wild, don’t be surprised if they react in new ways as you’re trying to catch them. You’ll also notice the addition of new item carousels that allow you to select Berries and Poké Balls directly from the encounter screen. Hone your skills and catch those elusive Pokémon!

Niantic says that the update will be rolled out sometime later this week, following which you’ll be able to catch the new Pokémon. Who’s excited?

Pokémon Go

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Chromebook Diaries: How I learned to live with Chrome OS

I’m chronicling my journey with my first Chromebook, the Asus Chromebook Flip. Join me.

In spite of my obvious allegiance to Android, the truth is that I’ve never owned or operated a Chromebook. Between two MacBook Pros and a Windows PC, I hardly had a reason to adopt a not-quite-a-desktop laptop. But now that Android apps are a big part of Chrome OS, I’m ready to see what that Chromebook life is like.

I bought the 12.5-inch Asus CS02CA-DHM4 Chromebook Flip, based on a suggestion from my colleague, Android Central’s own Jerry Hildenbrand. I was initially planning to hop on the bandwagon and pre-order the Samsung Chromebook Pro before it was even out, but I’m grossly impatient, and thus is the story of my life.

So it’s time to buck up. I’m strapping myself into my boots and plugging the power adapter into my first Chromebook. I’ll be chronicling my days with the platform all this week. Tune in, ask me questions, give me advice — this is what makes technology so fun.

Setting up my first Chromebook

I have no doubts that I’ll soon be met with “back in my day!” comments after writing this column. I know that, like Android, Chrome OS’s nascent days ran like one long testing phase. But I also know that people love it precisely because it’s a pure implementation of Google’s services.

I expected that Chrome OS would be heavily centered around the Chrome Browser, but I didn’t expect it to feel so familiar. And though Chrome OS employs similar interface elements from other operating systems, like using an app dock that’s similar to Windows 10, it’s actually the nuances of the interface, the color palette, and the font style that keep me grounded in the notion that I’m using a Google product.

Sometimes that familiar feeling isn’t so welcome, however. The app launcher in Chrome OS, for instance, feels uninspired, and I’m curious why Google decided to keep it so simple as opposed to implementing a full blown application dock, akin to Windows’ Start menu. That’s the kind of experience I’m used to, and though it may seem antiquated, there’s an element of depth that comes across in the State menu that you don’t get from the Chrome OS app launcher. What’s behind my Chrome OS desktop? Is there a computer system waiting to be explored and unearthed? Or is it merely one big front for the Chrome Browser?

I plan to delve further into the Chrome OS app experience later this week. I spent the last few days setting up my Chromebook, but I’m still figuring out which apps are worth downloading, and whether most of the Android apps I enjoy using on my Galaxy Tab S2 would transfer over smoothly, at least in terms of usability.

Here are a few other items of note from the first few days with my new Chromebook.

• I’m incredibly pleased with the look and feel of Asus’ Chromebook hardware. It’s sleek, it’s light, and it feels just as durable and steady as the many, many MacBooks I’ve owned over the years. The handy fact that I can flip over the screen and immediately launch into tablet mode is neat, too, though this is not the only tablet device you want on you if you frequently use a tablet while traveling. The Chromebook Flip is not light enough to cuddle with in bed, and will require a bit more handling than a dedicated tablet device. But the ability to have more granular control over the interface, and compatibility with Android apps, adds more worth to the Chrome OS operating system as a whole.

• I’m also impressed with the Chromebook Flip’s battery life. It lasted through about three nights worth of usage, from Friday afternoon to Monday morning, where it was at about 19 percent. I’ve been using it mostly for correspondence and research thus far, though I plan to get a little more serious with it now that we’re back in the work week. Also, man, this thing charges fast.

• Does anyone else feel like Chrome OS is a really fancy looking Linux distro? Quite frankly, it acts like it, too.

• I’m finding that I continually default to the gestures and commands I’m so used to on Windows and macOS. I like that Chrome OS implements those longstanding ones, like copy and paste (obvi), but it took me an embarrassingly long while to figure out how to take a screenshot. And yes, that was even post Google search.

• The keyboard on this thing is great and offers a softer typing experience than that of my last-gen MacBook Pro. However, there’s something inherently finicky about where the CTRL button is placed. I feel unnatural holding it down to implement a command. Maybe it’s because it’s new and I haven’t gotten into the routine of typing long narratives on it, but it’s a humble reminder of how different the experience is between laptops based on the manufacturer.

• Jerry sent over this helpful extension that’s a text expander for Google Chrome. I’m setting it up to help me with work matters this week and it’ll be especially handy when I’m writing emails.

Next up, I’ll be exploring what it’s like working on Chrome OS, including editing the photos that you see here on Android Central. Stay tuned.

Chromebooks

• The best Chromebooks
• Should you buy a Chromebook?
• Google Play is coming to Chromebooks
• Acer Chromebook 14 review
• Join our Chromebook forums

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus: Release date, rumours and everything you need to know

Samsung is rumoured to announce the successors to its Galaxy S7 and S7 edge smartphones in the next couple of months in the form of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus. At least that’s what the rumours suggest they will be called.

This feature rounds up all the leaks relating to the larger of the two flagship devices, the Galaxy S8 Plus. You can read our separate feature on the Galaxy S8 if you want to know what is expected for the smaller smartphone, but for everything we know so far about the S8 Plus, keep reading.

• Samsung Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy S7: What’s the rumoured difference?

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus: Release date and price

• 29 March launch expected
• Reportedly on sale from mid-April
• S8 Plus rumoured to cost around €900

The next Galaxy S flagship smartphones should launch at Mobile World Congress 2017 if previous launch patterns were to be followed. The show was suggested by Ricciolo on Twitter and Phone Arena but its now confirmed this won’t be the case, with Barcelona expected to offer the platform for the Tab S3 tablet instead.

Instead, Samsung is claimed to be heading for New York City for the launch of its next Galaxy S devices. Several dates have been thrown around, including two reports claiming 29 March, with a couple of others suggesting 15 April and 18 April. It has been claimed the official launch date will be revealed at MWC.

VentureBeat has said the S8 Plus will cost €899 in Europe and go on sale on 21 April.

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S3: What’s the story so far?

Veniamin Geskin

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus: Design

• Curved design rumoured
• No home button and minimal bezels rumoured
• Similar dimensions to S7 edge rumoured, despite screen increase

Rumours claim that instead of releasing two devices, one with a flat bezel, the other curved, Samsung will break from tradition and stick with just the latter this time around, hence the name S8 Plus rather than S8 edge. After all, with two curved devices, there would be no need to differentiate one as “edge”. A leak of front panels suggested two curved handsets and SamMobile, the Guardian, The Bell and VentureBeat have all supported the idea too.

Like the Galaxy S8, it has also been reported that a dedicated side-mounted button which will launch Viv, the personal assistant developed by Siri founder Dag Kittlaus, will make its way onto the S8 devices. VentureBeat has also suggested this button will appear and official cases have leaked with what looks like a cutout for this button.

Weibo

The physical home button is also reported to be saying goodbye for the new S8 devices, suggesting an “all-screen front”. A number of renders have been created by Veniamin Geskin and shared on Twitter, showing what the S8 might look like based on recent rumours and the device pictured in the renders has no physical home button. It is thought the Plus will share the same design, but in a larger format.

These renders were then followed by a leak on Weibo showing a physical device claimed to be a gold S8 and almost an exact match to the renders, as well as a number of case leaks which have been followed by further renders from SamMobile. The Guardian report claims the new S8 devices won’t even have a logo on the front however, with all the space used for a nearly bezel-less infinity display, which is something the VentureBeat report and image leak supports, as well as another Weibo leak.

Based on the Guardian and VentureBeat reports, the fingerprint sensor has been moved to the rear of the new S8 devices and the iris scanner from the Note 7 will also be on board. A report from CNET Korea also claims the fingerprint sensor will be situated on the rear, to the right of the camera lens, which is something the official case leak also appears to confirm. The CNET report also claimed a Samsung official said the screen will have “soft keys” within it for navigating.

VentureBeat

Two videos posted on Samsung Display’s Korean YouTube channel further supported the idea of an all-screen device with slim bezels, as do the front panels leaked more recently.

Despite the increase in screen size reported, the S8 Plus is rumoured to have similar dimensions to the S7 edge, suggesting a good screen-to-body ratio. This has also been supported by the Guardian report and a tweet from David Ruddock, who said the aspect ratio of the new flagships mean the S8 and S8 Plus will be “no wider at all than the S7 and S7 edge. Exact match”.

The CNET Korea report suggests the screen dimensions of the S8 Plus will be 143.05mm diagonally, 131.58mm tall and 64.94mm wide but it doesn’t provide the dimensions of the device itself.

• LG G6: What’s the story so far?

Sammobile

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus: Display

• Size increase rumoured
• Screen-to-body ratio expected to improve
• Resolution could to remain the same but technology improve

The Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus has been rumoured to increase its display size compared to their predecessor. Most reports have claimed the S8 Plus will have a 6.2-inch screen, which is quite a bit larger than the 5.5-inch screen of the S7 edge it is set to replace.

Due to the size increase but not footprint increase, the screen-to-body ratio is also expected to improve. A Samsung Display spokesperson was quoted saying the company would roll out a full screen display with a ratio of more than 90 per cent this year, though it is not clear if this will be on the S8 devices. The Guardian has said both devices will offer an infinity edge-to-edge display though so a high screen-to-body ratio is definitely on the cards.

A Bloomberg report also supports this idea, with its claim of an all-screen front, as we briefly mentioned earlier. The report claims the display will be wraparound and there will be a virtual home button buried into the lower section of the glass, which is something the VentureBeat report also suggests.

It doesn’t look like resolution will increase though, despite 5.5-inch 4K AMOLED and 5.2-inch 4096 x 2160 pixel resolution both rumoured originally for the smaller S8. The S8 Plus has not had any specific rumours detailed for its resolution but it is thought Samsung will stick with a Quad HD Super AMOLED display like the S7 edge. The S8 is reported to be coming with improvements for VR so no doubt the S8 Plus will also offer this.

• Samsung Galaxy S8 vs S8 Plus: What’s the rumoured difference?

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus: Camera

• New 1/2.3-inch sensor with f/1.4 aperture rumoured
• 8MP front camera rumoured with iris scanner
• 12MP rear sensor with visual search feature suggested

There has been a rumour to suggest the company is working on a new 1/2.3-inch sensor that will be combined with a f/1.4 aperture. This would deliver even better low-light capabilities than the current flagships but whether it will appear on the S8 or S8 Plus is unclear yet. The rumours also claim Samsung’s goal is to deliver a 1/1.7-inch sensor eventually, suggesting it has no intention of stopping improvements in the camera department.

There have been several other rumours surrounding the Galaxy S8’s camera and although none have been confirmed, it is likely the S8 Plus will have the same like the S7 and S7 edge did. A dual rear camera has been reported with two different sensors – one at 12-megapixels, one at 13-megapixels, while the same tipster also claimed the front camera will be 8-megapixels, which ET News has also suggested.

Contradicting these rumours however, is another leak from a different source claiming the Galaxy S8 will have a 30-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilisation, coupled with a 9-megapixel front-facing snapper. There has also been a claim that the S8 will have the same Duo Pixel camera of the S7 and S7 edge, which is something that the VentureBeat report also suggests.

According to VentureBeat, the rear camera will be 12-megapixels with an f/1.7 aperture and a new visual search feature, while the front camera will have an 8-megapixel sensor, also with an f/1.7 aperture. The site also claimed the front camera will have iris scanning capabilities. ET News has also reported that the front-facing snapper of the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus could have auto-focus rather than fixed.

Weibo

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus: Hardware

• Qualcomm SD835 chip rumoured with 4GB or 6GB RAM
• USB Type-C and 3.5mm headphone jack
• 3500mAh suggested 

The Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are not only likely to share the same design and features, but they are also likely to share the same hardware, except battery capacity. Ice Universe claims we will see 8GB of RAM, while another leak says can expect a 3.2GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chip, supported by 6GB of RAM. A Phone Arena leak lists two processors – Exynos 8895 chip and the Snapdragon 835 – and 6GB and 8GB of RAM, suggesting there could be different versions for different regions again and it has also been claimed the new Samsung flagships will be the first device to receive the SD835 chip.

VentureBeat supports the idea of two processors, but it claims the S8 and therefore presumably the S8 Plus will stick with 4GB of RAM with internal storage options starting from 64GB with microSD support. The site also says the S8 Plus will have a 3500mAh capacity which is the same as what a report from News1 Korea also claims. 

In other reports, SamMobile has reported there will be a USB Type-C port on board for charging and audio and it’s also been claimed the 3.5mm headphone jack will be ditched, like the iPhone 7, though the latter point has been contradicted by the Guardian and VentureBeat, as well as many of the more recent image leaks.

That said, SamMobile leaked some Samsung-made in-ear wireless earbuds like Apple’s AirPods, supporting the removal of the headphone jack. A report from Fone Arena also adds fuel to this fire, claiming the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus will offer dual speakers and they may be Harman branded, though the VentureBeat image leak and the Weibo leak suggests dual-speakers won’t be the case.

Samsung acquired Harman in November 2016 so the claim of Harman branded speakers, even if not dual, is a reasonable one, especially as both LG, HTC and Apple have made moves in audio in their recent handsets so it’s an obvious area for Samsung to focus on to keep in line with competition.

• Samsung Galaxy S8 vs LG G6: What’s the rumoured difference?

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus: Software

• Viv personal assistant confirmed
• Android Nougat base software expected
• Could connect to monitor for desktop view of Android

Samsung’s Galaxy S7 and S7 edge both feature Android 6.0 Marshmallow, overlaid with the TouchWiz software. There are some handy features with TouchWiz, but we would still like to see some more refinement for the new Galaxy S smartphones.

As we mentioned earlier, we can expect to see Viv on the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. Details are thin on the ground as to what Viv will be able to do, other than provide answers and actions, but it has been confirmed by Samsung that it will appear on the new flagships.

Sam Mobile has said the Bixby voice assistant, powered by Viv, will feature in all native apps on the S8 and S8 Plus. In other software news, the site also claimed the S8 and S8 Plus would have an always-visible status bar and it has also been claimed that the handsets will be able to connect to a monitor for a desktop view of Android.

• What is Bixby? Everything you need to know about Samsung’s assistant

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus: Conclusion

We still have a couple of months of waiting before we know what the S8 Plus will officially feature, but based on the amount of image leaks and rumours, it looks like there will be a change up in design, more improvements in camera capabilities and software refinements. A more powerful processor and more RAM are also likely.

We will update this feature as new rumours appear, as well as when the official specs are announced so keep checking back.

This is what FIFA on Nintendo Switch looks like

Electronic Arts might have pulled out of Nintendo Wii U development soon into its lifespan but it is one of the publishers committed to supporting Switch.

We learned early doors that FIFA would be coming to the platform and now we’ve had a chance to see a fleeting glimpse of it in action.

A Japanese trailer for the Nintendo Switch shows some of the game being played and by all accounts it looks good – not quite the Frostbite Engine levels of the Xbox One or PS4 versions of FIFA 17 but far better than the current mobile editions.

Considering you can take it with you when travelling, that’ll be of great interest to many fans.

The Nintendo Switch will be released globally on 3 March for £279.99. FIFA is currently listed as coming in “2017” so an actual release date is currently unknown.

• Nintendo Switch preview: Return of the king?
• Nintendo Switch: Release date, price, specs and everything you need to know
• All the Nintendo Switch games: Launch titles and every game for 2017 revealed

The Switch version doesn’t have a yearly designation, which suggests it might come out before FIFA 18, the next annual release. It also means it might not have some of the features found in FIFA 17 – Ultimate Team, for example.

You can pre-order it from Amazon.co.uk for £59.99. That way you’ll get it as soon as it comes out and we’ll keep you informed as we find out more.

The Morning After: Wednesday February 15 2017

Welcome to hump day. Expect new Facebook apps on your TVs, home security cameras that just know where your doors are, and the return of the Nokia 3310 — for some reason.

You’ll have to subscribe for Nest’s latest features.Nest cams can detect your doors automatically

Over the next few weeks, Nest Aware customers will see automatic door detection appear on both their indoor and outdoor Nest Cam feeds. The cameras will attempt to recognize motion patterns over time, feeding the data into deep learning algorithms to make it all automated, creating “activity zones” around the doors it picks up.

‘Gran Turismo’ passed $1 billion in 2013‘Forza’ franchise tops $1 billion in sales

Microsoft’s flagship racing nameplate has yet to displace Gran Turismo from the throne, but thanks to Forza’ popularity and consistency, it’s officially the “best-selling racing franchise of this console generation.” With nine titles to its credit, Forza has transitioned to a well-received annual release schedule, while GT’s last full-fledged game was Gran Turismo 6 in 2013 for the PS3.

Amazon, Apple and Samsung are up firstFacebook apps are coming to your TV

Facebook’s video push means a new frontier for its apps too. The social network announced its TV apps will exist for lean-back viewing of videos shared by your friends, pages you follow or popular live streams. Even if you’re not watching on TV, Facebook is changing mobile access so videos autoplay with audio on — good to know if you’re browsing during a meeting.

But it won’t make you a better player‘Rocket League’ update will add 4K support on PS4 Pro

When the PS4 gets its 4.50 update, Pro owners will be able to play more games with extra enhancements. But one existing title getting some love from its developers will be Rocket League, since Psyonix is working on an upgrade that will push that game to 4K on the Pro, in all arenas in single or two-player splitscreen mode. It will still run at 60fps, and standard PS4 owners can also expect fewer framerate dips. With 3 or 4 players you’ll see 60fps in “most” arenas, but not all.

Get your loved one a gift that lastsThe Nokia 3310 will reportedly return this month

You read that right. The hardy Nokia brick is rumored to be relaunching at the company’s MWC showcase later this month. Why? How? What? All questions that still need answering.

Goodby Xfinity TV, hello StreamComcast customers are getting a new app for their mobile devices

Comcast’s new all-in-one video app launches February 28th. Coming as a replacement for the Xfinity TV app on Android and iOS, it does the job of in-home remote control, out-of-home live streaming, DVR recording downloads and more. Oh, and Comcast’s existing Stream internet TV service? It can access that too, but the service will get a new name soon to reduce confusion.

Takedown requests have included a ton of online pirating sites and The White House.Google has been asked to take down over a million websites

After years spent attempting to clean the internet’s murky waters, Google’s latest transparency report reveals it has now received takedown requests for over a million different sites. With its individual URL removal request count now reaching the billions, these new figures suggest that pirates now have more options than ever when it comes to stealing digital cargo. The number of takedown requests are up significantly from last year, thanks in part to copyright-holders’ increasingly widespread use of algorithms that automatically inform Google of copyright-infringing content.

But wait, there’s more…

• Jaguar and Shell partner for in-car fuel payments
• Kellyanne Conway is ‘unclear’ who retweeted a racist from her account
• ‘Outlast 2’ is all about documenting your own mental breakdown
• YouTube cancels PewDiePie’s original series after anti-Semitic jokes
• Daimler is going all-electric with ‘Smart’ cars in North America

Amazon UK is reportedly developing its own clothing lines

Amazon may have become the defacto place to buy electronics, books and associated forms of media, but a number of other product categories are quietly booming. Clothing sales, for instance, have grown so much in the last year that investment bank UBS put the company second to only Marks & Spencer. With more and more people choosing to buy garments online, Amazon has begun looking to bypass brands and is reported to be close to launching its own-label fashion range in the UK.

According to fashion trade publication Drapers, Amazon UK recently snapped up senior design and buying experts from leading high street retailers as part of an ongoing recruitment drive for its fashion business. Karen Peacock, former head of design for womenswear and accessories at M&S, and Primark’s menswear buying director Glen George recently joined the company, heaping further pressure its high street competition.

Amazon’s own-label clothing is now said to be in production and could launch in the UK as soon as this spring. To be clear, Amazon UK already sells women’s underwear under its Iris & Lilly brand, while Amazon US has at least seven trademarked brands, including: James & Erin, Franklin & Freeman, Franklin Tailored, Lark & Ro, North Eleven, Scout + Ro, and Society New York. Amazon is no stranger to fashion, but the company has only recently begun looking to increase its presence in the market.

As we’ve reported before, many high-fashion labels are reluctant to sell clothing via Amazon because it doesn’t fit with or might devalue their brand. Some companies, like footwear designer Birkenstock, have also pulled their products citing a rise in counterfeit goods and “a constant stream of unidentifiable unauthorized resellers.”

By taking matters into its own hands, Amazon may choose to list thousands of its own products alongside other labels, giving customers a choice between low-to-middle priced items and more valuable garments marketed by brands themselves. Free next-day Prime deliveries might help, too.

Source: Drapers Online

‘Pokémon Go’ adds creatures from ‘Gold’ and ‘Silver’ this week

If the seasonal events Niantic Labs has added to Pokemon Go haven’t been enough to keep you playing, maybe 80 new pocket monsters will. Specifically, those from the Johto region from Pokemon Gold and Silver. These additions were rumored prior, but now they’re official. More than just offering monsters like Chikorita, Cyndaquil and Totodile for capture, the game’s latest update refreshes a few other bits as well.

For starters, how encounters work is getting a tweak. You’ll also have access to new evolution items, two new berries (Nanab slows your quarry while Pinap doubles the amount of candy you’ll snag after a successful capture) and some new hats and other clothing for your avatar.

If you missed out on the Valentine’s Day event and its abundance of Clefables because your sweetheart had other plans for you, well, maybe some new duds (and creatures for your Pokedex) can help with the pain.

Amazon’s Alexa Gets Expanded Calendar Support and Tap Speaker Hands-Free Mode

Amazon has silently updated its Alexa assistant to include Outlook.com calendar support, reports The Verge.

Amazon’s Echo family of connected smart speakers have always supported Google calendars, but now Outlook users can ask Alexa to add or review upcoming events in their schedule using voice commands like “What’s on my calendar?” or “Add an event to my calendar.”

Outlook.com calendars can be added via the iOS Alexa app under Settings -> Calendar, which will activate the support on any connected Alexa-powered devices. Alexa still doesn’t officially offer support for Apple Calendar, but a basic skill has recently been developed and made available on Github that allows the assistant to read upcoming events from the native Apple app.

In related news, Amazon has added hands-free Alexa support to its Tap portable speakers via an over-the-air software update. Originally, Amazon Tap users wishing to activate Alexa had to press a physical button on the Bluetooth speakers, but the latest update means Alexa can now be invoked via voice alone.

Amazon says that even with the hands-free function, Tap speakers should retain about eight hours of battery life, while the “listening” mode of the devices can be put to sleep with a press of the power button. Tap speakers now also support Amazon’s “echo spatial perception”, which enables the closest Alexa device to respond to commands when two or more are in proximity.

Tags: Microsoft Outlook, Amazon Echo
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