Android 8.0 Oreo is rolling out to the LG V30 on Verizon

While we wait around for LG’s big flagship for 2018, the V30 remains the company’s best and most powerful phone currently on the market. The LG V30 shipped with Android 7.1.2 Nougat, but now it’s being updated to 8.0 Oreo — as long as you bought the phone from Verizon.

Multiple LG V30 owners who purchased the phone through Verizon Wireless are getting software updates that upgrades the phone to Oreo. The update weighs in at 1702.3 MB, and it brings all of the Oreo goodies you’ve come to expect.

Verizon appears to be the only carrier in the U.S. that’s pushed Oreo to the V30 so far, but I’d expect AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile to follow its footsteps soon.

If you’ve got a V30 on Verizon, have you gotten your Oreo update yet?

Thanks, Casey, Steve, and Bryon!

LG V30 + V30S ThinQ

• LG V30S hands-on: A 2017 phone with 2018’s buzzwords
• LG V30S specs
• LG V30 review: The no-BS flagship
• Top LG V30 camera features
• Full LG V30 specs
• Join our LG V30 forums

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Qualcomm and Broadcom make moves as the merger saga continues

Qualcomm and Broadcom, the world’s two largest chipmakers, have been in a will-they/won’t-they dance for quite awhile now in regards to a merger. Today, the companies made dueling announcements: Qualcomm brought in Jeffrey Henderson as an independent board chairman, while Broadcom sent Congress a letter proclaiming a possible hostile takeover isn’t a threat to US national security.

The Qualcomm news is significant because it signals that the company’s board is trying to make an independent decision in regard to the merger. While Henderson has been on Qualcomm’s board since 2016, he’s not tied to the company and can steer decision making in the direction that’s the best interest of Qualcomm and its shareholders.

Meanwhile, Broadcom is in defensive mode with its letter to Congress outlining why its proposed $117 billion acquisition of Qualcomm would be a good thing. According to The Wall Street Journal, Broadcom promised not to sell “any critical national security assets to any foreign companies,” which is probably a good thing.

The main issue that has long been in the way of the Broadcom-Qualcomm merger is pricing. The Qualcomm board believes that Broadcom’s offer of $79 per share severely undervalues the the company. It remains to be seen whether any movement will be made on this front.

Via: The Wall Street Journal

Source: Qualcomm, Reuters

Microsoft is selling customized Samsung Galaxy S9 phones

Remember those Microsoft-customized Samsung Galaxy S8 phones? Well, apparently it’s happening again. Microsoft is selling both a Samsung Galaxy S9 ($720) and the S9 Plus ($840) in its online store. Hardware-wise (and price-wise), these phones are identical to any other Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus. Where they differ is in the software. According to Trusted Reviews, the Microsoft version will have Excel, Skype, Corona, OneNote, PowerPoint, Word and Microsoft Launcher available after phone setup.

The apps won’t actually be pre-installed, however. “A Microsoft customization is applied to the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus Microsoft Edition when the devices are unboxed and connected to Wi-Fi,” a Microsoft representative said in a statement to Trusted Reviews.

If you’d like to reserve one of these phones, you can pre-order a unit starting today. Delivery will begin on March 16th, but Microsoft notes that quantities are limited.

Via: The Verge

Source: Microsoft, Trusted Reviews

Facebook inks deal with Warner Music for tunes in shared videos

Using background music that you don’t own or license the rights to in a video is enough to get it pulled from Facebook. That’s why the social network has been pursuing licensing deals with music labels. Now, Variety reports that Facebook has signed a deal with Warner Music Group that allows users to create, share and upload videos to Facebook containing the label’s music. This wraps up the “Big Three” music labels, as the social network signed deals with Universal and Sony in December and January, respectively.

We’re not sure what the terms of the deal were, but you can bet that all three licensing deals were probably very similar. Ole Obermann, the Chief Digital Officer of Warner Music Group said to *Variety*, “Fan-created video is one of the most personal, social and often viral ways that music is enjoyed, but its commercial potential is largely untapped.” It’s really a win-win for both Facebook and these music labels, as it presents a new revenue stream and opens up possibilities on both fronts.

Source: Variety

The best paper shredder

By Séamus Bellamy and Makula Dunbar

This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter’s independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here.

After performing 45 hours of research, conducting extensive testing with a PhD physicist, and interviewing a guy who made his living stealing other people’s discarded personal information, we feel confident recommending the AmazonBasics 8-Sheet Cross-Cut Shredder to most people who shred things a few times per month.

How we picked and tested

The basic goal of a paper shredder is to reduce a document, data disc, credit card, or whatever else you run through it into tiny bits, confounding any attempts to reassemble the physical data into something that a snoop can read and take advantage of.

To find the best tools for this job, we started by consulting editorial reviews, which helped us form a list of things to look for in a paper shredder:

• It should be a cross-cut shredder, which cuts documents into smaller, hard-to-recover pieces.
• Large storage bin — at least 4 gallons for home use or 8 gallons for small-business use.
• Shreds paper, credit cards, and CDs, and should be able to deal with paper clips or staples.
• Jams should be easy to correct—a reverse gear is very helpful, and automatic jam-clearing functions are excellent.
• Quieter is better, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of shredding power.
• Shuts down as soon as it encounters any objects other than what it was designed to shred.
• Comes with a warranty.

Once we had a basic list of features to look for, we called in all the hardware that met the requirements. Then, we turned the reins over to a frequent partner in crime, Jim Shapiro. Jim has a physics degree from MIT, as well as a Master of Science and a PhD in mathematical physics from UCLA. With his help, we tested how easily each shredder overheated, the maximum number of sheets of paper each model could shred without jamming, the noise level, and if it could destroy a CD or a credit card. We also measured the wastebasket size and how large the individual shreddings were, and we estimated how easy machine each was to maintain. To learn more about our testing procedure, please see our full guide to paper shredders.

An effective shredder for small jobs: AmazonBasics 8-Sheet Cross-Cut Shredder

Photo: Michael Hession

If you occasionally use a shredder to safely dispose of bills, tax papers, checkbooks, credit cards, data discs, or other sensitive personal materials, we found that the AmazonBasics 8-Sheet Cross-Cut Shredder is your best bet. It’s impossible to jam if you use it as advised, and it usually costs around $35.

This AmazonBasics shredder is a medium-duty cross-cut shredder that slices paper into numerous rectangles measuring about 1.8 by 0.22 inches. Its 4.1-gallon bin filled up about three-quarters of the way after we shredded 80 sheets of paper—10 sets of eight pages, one after another. It managed to shred them all in under two minutes.

Though it’s only rated to handle up to eight sheets of paper at once, we were able to successfully feed a stack of 10 sheets of standard letter-size printer paper at one time, but it was clearly a difficult task for the machine to handle. When we tested 12 sheets of paper at once, the shredder jammed and wouldn’t clear without our constantly running it in reverse mode for about a minute and enlisting the help of a small pair of tweezers. If you’re using this machine, be sure not to push it past its suggested capacity limit while also running it for minutes at a time. We’ve long recommended the AmazonBasics 12-Sheet Cross-Cut Shredder, which can handle up to 19 pages. But it’s been in and out of stock for over a year and is unavailable as of this writing, so the 8-Sheet model is the best option of those we’ve tested.

An upgrade for heavy shredder users: Fellowes Powershred 73Ci

If your shredding needs go beyond the typical and you’re willing to pay more for features that our AmazonBasics pick don’t offer, look to the Fellowes Powershred 73Ci. The extra cash you fork over for this model nets you quieter operation, a larger waste-storage bin, a longer run time before overheating, a superior warranty, and a number of features that all but guarantee a jam-free shredding experience.

In our tests, we were able to speed 120 sheets of paper through the Powershred 73Ci with no problems to speak of. This shredder also made short work of CDs and paper clips. It’ll do staples too, but as with all of the models we tested, the manufacturer recommends against attempting to do so if you can avoid it.

For a higher level of security: AmazonBasics 12-Sheet High-Security Micro-Cut Shredder

A cross-cut shredder makes it very difficult for an identity thief to steal your information, but you can opt for an even higher level of security: a micro-cut shredder like the AmazonBasics 12-Sheet High-Security Micro-Cut Shredder. This model can turn paper into 0.47-by-0.16-inch bits of confetti, 12 sheets at a time. The particles are roughly one-sixth the size of those from a cross-cut shredder, making it basically impossible for a thief to reassemble a readable document. This model also produced the least amount of operating noise of any machine we tested.

This guide may have been updated by Wirecutter. To see the current recommendation, please go here.

Note from Wirecutter: When readers choose to buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn affiliate commissions that support our work.

Twitter may open up verification to everyone

During a Periscope livestream yesterday, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said that the company is working on making verification an option for everybody. He and David Gasca, Twitter’s director of product, said that the company is currently rethinking and reworking its verification process because they believe it’s broken as it exists now. “The intention is to open verification to everyone,” Dorsey said. “And to do it in a way that’s scalable, [so] we’re not in the way and people can verify more facts about themselves and we don’t have to be the judge or imply any bias on our part.”

Gasca said that a small team has been tasked to review verification and that because of how it began and how it has changed in recent years, verification is confusing and interpreted differently than what the company intends it to be. “The main problem is, we use [the checkmark] to mean identity,” he said. “But in user research, users think of it as credibility, [that] Twitter stands behind this person and what they’re saying is great and authentic, which is not what we meant.”

A conversation on #health https://t.co/Il8Mtx1JOs

— jack (@jack) March 8, 2018

Both verification and bots are ongoing issues for Twitter. In 2016, the company opened up its verification process so that anyone could apply for its blue checkmark but last year, it came under fire for verifying white supremacists. Because its verification process has been pretty opaque and because the earliest iteration of verification was reserved for celebrities, verification has been linked to both status and endorsement. Twitter acknowledged the issues with its verification process last year when it halted public applications for a brief period while it reviewed how it handled its verifications. As for bots, they became a particular issue following the most recent presidential election and Twitter found Russian-backed bots on its platform during its investigation into how its site was used by Russian groups aiming to sow political discord during the election.

The video was a bit of a departure from how Twitter typically functions. Dorsey along with a handful of other Twitter leaders spent the video answering questions submitted by viewers and Dorsey said that it’s something they would like to do more of in the future. The conversation was a follow-up to last week’s announcement that the company was seeking ideas from outside experts on how to better measure and promote healthy, open and civil conversations on its platform.

Via: Fortune

Source: Jack Dorsey

Senate set to approve bill that would make credit freezes free

In the aftermath of last year’s Equifax data breach, a handful of Senators led by Elizabeth Warren introduced a bill that would allow consumers to freeze their credit at any time for free. Now the Senate appears to be set to approve a broader banking bill that includes that stipulation, the Wall Street Journal reports. Currently, eight states and Washington DC require credit-reporting agencies like Equifax, Experian and TransUnion to provide credit freezes at no cost to the consumer while the other 42 states allow those companies to charge fees in most cases. But this bill, on track to be approved by the Senate next week, would make it so all consumers across the country could request and end a credit freeze without having to pay any fees to do so.

Under the proposed law, credit-reporting agencies would have to institute a freeze within three days of a consumer requesting one and they would have to unfreeze their credit within an hour if requested to do so electronically. If done by mail, the companies would have three days to unfreeze a consumer’s credit.

Some are concerned that implementing this bill will prevent states from enacting stricter regulations going forward. “It’s stopping the states from doing anything better in the future, and that’s a problem,” Mike Litt, a director at consumer-rights group US PIRG, told the Wall Street Journal. Stricter requirements could include, for example, making credit freezes the default rather than an opt-in setting. And along with concerns over what the credit freeze portion of the bill doesn’t cover, many are also wary of what else will come with the banking bill — namely, rollbacks of banking reforms implemented after the 2008 financial crisis.

Equifax is being investigated by numerous agencies in multiple countries. Though recent reports suggested that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau had stalled its probe into the Equifax breach — which led dozens of Senators to send a letter asking if that was the case and if so, why — Equifax claimed in an SEC filing last week that the CFPB was still investigating the breach. It said that along with the CFPB, the SEC, FTC, Justice Department, a number of state attorneys general and regulators in the UK and Canada were looking into the incident. Last week, Equifax announced that an additional 2.4 million, previously unreported, individuals had been affected by last year’s hack.

Via: Wall Street Journal

PS4 zombie survival game ‘Days Gone’ delayed until 2019

Kotaku UK has confirmed that Days Gone, the PS4-exclusive peripatetic post-apocalypse game from SIE Bend Studio, has been delayed until 2019. The title was announced in mid-2016 but we first got our hands on it at E3 2017, where a gameplay demo showcased a bit of the the not-zombie (they’re “freakers”) game’s open world and sneaky survival action. It’s unclear how far into 2019 Days Gone’s release window has shifted, as its website simply lists its launch date as next year.

Via: Kotaku UK

Source: Days Gone (Sony website)

Google Assistant now gives you more control over connected devices

Google Assistant has already had control over appliances and other not-so-typical connected devices for a while, but it’s been clunky and limited. You could turn your oven on with a simple command, but setting the temperature required that you launch an app first. That won’t be a problem from now on: Google has enabled Custom Device Actions, or commands that let you perform hardware-specific tasks. LG’s appliances, for example, no longer require that you start with “talk to LG” — you can set your fridge temperature with a single, simple phrase like “set the refrigerator temperature to 35 degrees.”

There are further Assistant updates regardless of how connected your home might be. Actions now include more advanced media playback for formats beyond music and podcasts. You can listen to clips from TV shows or a white noise generator, for instance, and get control over it like you would any other media format. You can also subscribe to daily updates and other notifications on your phone if you always want the latest news, and there’s now a browsing carousel when you have a plethora of visual choices (clearly, this only works on screen-equipped devices).

While all these updates are helpful, Custom Device Actions may hold the most potential. It’s not just that it gives you the straightforward smart home control you expect. This should open the door to voice control over devices where it wasn’t practical before, including gadgets designed primarily for spoken commands.

Source: Google, Google Developers

eBay Launches Limited Time 20% Off Coupon: Get HomePod, Apple TV, and More Discounted

eBay today launched a pre-daylight savings coupon that takes 20 percent off “everything” on the online reseller’s storefront, with a few exclusions including gift cards, coupons, coins and paper money, and real estate. Outside of these categories, you’re free to apply the 20 percent off coupon to any other items today, including Apple products like the HomePod.

eBay explained that the coupon PSPRING20 is valid until 8 p.m. PST tonight, March 9, and it applies to the purchase price of eligible item/items, not including shipping, handling, and taxes. That purchase price has to be $25 or more, and the 20 percent discount will be capped at a value of $100. You’ll need to be an eBay member with a registered address located in the United States or Canada to take advantage of the coupon as well.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with eBay. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

If you meet the criteria, you can essentially shop in any category (barring exclusions) on eBay to find something that might interest you for the discount. Once you find the item you want and it exceeds $25, click “Buy it Now,” and before you complete your order type in PSPRING20 in the “Gift cards, coupons, eBay Bucks” section of the checkout process and hit Apply.

For Apple-related items, the Daily Deals tech section is a good place to browse, and one notable savings compatible with the coupon today is a HomePod in brand new condition, sold by alldayzip. With the 20 percent discount applied and free shipping, the HomePod comes to $271.99, compared to its $350 price tag at all other major retailers. For some shopping ideas, we listed the HomePod and a few other Apple products and related accessories below:

• HomePod (Silver and Space Gray, brand new) – $271.99, down from $339.99, sold by alldayzip (100% positive feedback)
• 32GB Apple TV 4K (seller refurbished) – $115.99, down from $144.99, sold by goldstar_tech (99.5%)
• 32GB Apple TV 4th gen (seller refurbished) – $91.99, down from $114.99, sold by goldstar_tech (99.5%)
• Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones – $135.99, down from $169.99, sold by Newegg
• BeatsX (new, open box item) – $66.79, down from $83.49, sold by realdealstar (99.7%)
• 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (new, 2016, 256GB) – $1,149.99, down from $1,799.99, sold by always.deals (97.8%)
• 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (new, 2017, 256GB) – $1,439.99, down from $1,799.00, sold by electronicsvalley (99.2%)

As with any eBay reseller purchase, the savings come with the caveat of buying a device that might not be in brand new condition. Still, today’s promo code is compatible across all of eBay, not just its Daily Deals section, so there are many brand new, new, or like new products that you could nab at a discounted price today.

Head over to eBay to shop, and if you’re interested make sure to place your order by tonight at 8 p.m. PST. For more sales information, be sure to visit our Deals Roundup.

Related Roundup: Apple DealsTag: eBay
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