Additional Details About Apple’s New MacBook and MacBook Pro Keyboard Service Program

Following a few years of anecdotal complaints, and no less than three lawsuits, Apple on Friday initiated a new worldwide service program offering free repairs of MacBook and MacBook models equipped with low-profile, butterfly mechanism keyboards, which have been a source of frustration for some customers.

We’ve already reported about the service program in more detail, but the gist is that Apple and Apple Authorized Service Providers are now offering free repairs of affected 2015-and-later MacBook and 2016-and-later MacBook Pro models with sticky, unresponsive, or inconsistently functioning keys.

Many questions have arisen since the program was announced, so we wanted to consolidate some additional information that we have gathered from Apple and other sources we have spoken with:

• Apple distributed an internal document on Friday with more information about the service program. It notes that keyboards damaged due to attempted repair by a customer are still eligible for free service under the program. If your MacBook or MacBook Pro has physical top case damage unrelated to the keyboard, it also remains eligible.
• As to be expected, if your MacBook or MacBook Pro keyboard has liquid damage, it is ineligible for the program.
• If a key press is not recognized, key presses feel abnormal or sticky, or keys are loose or missing, Apple has instructed Genius Bars and authorized service providers to clean or replace the affected keycaps if possible.
• Keycap replacement kits are available for English keyboards in ANSI and ISO layouts, along with British, French, German, Danish, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Chinese, and Japanese keyboards.
• If characters are repeating, or previous keycap replacements were ineffective, Apple has instructed Genius Bars and authorized service providers to replace the whole keyboard, which requires replacing the whole top case, including the trackpad and speaker grilles.
• Be prepared to go a week-plus without your MacBook. Apple quotes a turnaround time of five to seven business days for service to be completed at Apple’s off-site repair centers, but wait times may increase as an influx of customers take advantage of the program.
• If your MacBook or MacBook Pro experiences keyboard issues after being serviced under the program, Apple says customers can bring their unit back in to be looked at again. This suggests, but doesn’t explicitly state, that the program may be used more than once.
• Apple is offering refunds to customers who paid to have an eligible keyboard repaired prior to this program, but a Genius has advised us that refunds are not available in person at an Apple Store, and must be requested by contacting Apple Support by phone, online chat, or email.
• It’s still not entirely clear if the replacement keyboards have been slightly revised to address the issues that prompted the service program in the first place. Apple has been fairly communicative with me about this program, but has so far skipped right over this question when asked.
• We do know that Apple has been replacing 2016 MacBook Pro keyboards with the 2017 version, which has slightly different markings on the Control and Option keys, but a Genius we spoke with believes the 2016 and 2017 keyboards are functionally equivalent.
• iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens also told me he believes the keyboard design hasn’t changed at all in a few years.
• However, anecdotal reports from customers suggest the 2017 MacBook Pro keyboard “has a different feel to it,” with some calling it “better” and less prone to issues. Marco Arment, for example, said it is “more ‘damped’ in both feel and sound, as if there’s more rubber somewhere.”

We’ll share any further information as we come across it. In the meantime, if you are experiencing keyboard issues, read our article on How to Get a MacBook or MacBook Pro Keyboard Repaired Free Under Apple’s Service Program.

Related Roundups: MacBook Pro, MacBookTag: repair programBuyer’s Guide: MacBook Pro (Don’t Buy), MacBook (Don’t Buy)
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Facebook Confirms Development of Digital Health Time Tool for Mobile Apps

Facebook is working on its own in-house time usage insight dashboard, following in the footsteps of Apple’s iOS 12 keynote at WWDC, which included the announcement of a “Screen Time” digital health feature. Discovered by Jane Manchun Wong (via TechCrunch), “Your Time on Facebook” shows a list of of how long you’ve spent on the Facebook app over the last week.

This includes the average time you spent in the app per day, as well as the ability to set a limit to the amount of time you want to spend in the app, and an accompanying reminder about that limit. Confirming the feature is in testing, Facebook said, “We’re always working on new ways to help make sure people’s time on Facebook is time well spent.”

Image via @wongmjane
In the image shared by Wong on Twitter, the text in the dashboard reads, “Time spent is counted while you’re viewing the Facebook app on this phone,” so it appears this feature will not count Facebook web browsing. The dashboard also has a shortcut for users to jump to a page that allows them to change their notification settings and turn on do not disturb. Although discovered within the Android app for Facebook, once “Your Time on Facebook” rolls out to a wide audience it’s expected to launch across iOS and Android devices.

Facebook-owned Instagram is also developing a “Time Spent” usage insights feature so users can see how long they spend in the app. In May, Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom said, “Understanding how time online impacts people is important, and it’s the responsibility of all companies to be honest about this. We want to be part of the solution. I take that responsibility seriously.”

While the digital health trend continues on an app-by-app basis, it’s yet to be seen if any individual company will provide features that Apple doesn’t already have in its all-encompassing Screen Time area of Settings in iOS 12. Screen Time collects data on every app you open and use on your iPhone or iPad, breaking them down by different categories of apps, showing you exactly how much time you spend in each app, how often you pick up your iPhone, which apps send the most notifications, and more.

You can set up App Limits to reduce the amount of time you spend in any app, and view weekly reports to see an overall view of what you were doing on your iOS devices the last seven days. Improvements to digital health in iOS 12 also include Do Not Disturb during Bedtime, greater control over notifications, “Downtime,” and more.

Tag: Facebook
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‘China’s Hawaii’ plans to ease internet restrictions for foreign tourists

China looks set to lift parts of its “Great Firewall” in an effort to please foreign travelers and boost tourism.

But the easing of its tight internet restrictions would only affect a small part of the country, namely the southern island province of Hainan. Dubbed “China’s Hawaii” for its comfortable climate and miles of beaches, Hainan is receiving large amounts of government investment as part of plans to attract more travelers and to make the location a free-trade zone by 2020.

The so-called Great Firewall of China stops its citizens from accessing popular online services such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, as well as many overseas news websites. It was set up in a bid to limit Western influence in the country and to stop the spread of information that its leaders fear could lead to social unrest. The blocks can be circumvented by those who know how to use the relevant tools, though such action is taken at their own risk.

The Hainan plans were published on the local government’s website last Thursday, June 21, but, somewhat ironically, the content had disappeared by the following day, the South China Morning Post reported. Multiple news sites throughout China continued to report the development, however.

About three times larger than Hawaii’s Big Island, visitors to Hainan will be able to access many online services that are usually blocked, simply by heading to designated zones in its two main cities, Haikou and Sanya. But as Shanghaiist points out, the plans offered no information on the precise location or size of the proposed zones.

There’s also no information on whether other popular online services — among them Instagram and Snapchat, or indeed Google — would be unblocked as part of the initiative.

If Hainan does loosen the country’s internet restrictions, it won’t only please foreign tourists coming to the island. As part of its expansion efforts, local officials are looking to hire as many as 50,000 workers from overseas in the next two years and to increase the number of foreign students to 3,500, most of whom will be used to accessing internet services unrestricted.

The proposals may surprise some, as they come just over a year after the Chinese government vowed to crack down on unauthorized VPN services that many people use as a firewall workaround.

If the Great Firewall is taken down in parts of Hainan, expect the central government to keep a close eye on online activity there, and for it to quickly step in if it detects what it considers to be troublesome behavior.

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Blue Origin eyes a date for the sale of tourist spaceflight tickets

There are moneyed folks around the world right now with an eye on the ride of a lifetime with Blue Origin, the space tourism company led by Amazon boss Jeff Bezos. But to be at the front of the line, they’ll need to buy a ticket the moment they become available. But when’s that likely to be?

Well, news from those in the know indicates that Blue Origin will start selling seats for its suborbital space trips as early as next year.

Rob Meyerson, vice president at Blue Origin, revealed the tidbit during a recent presentation, Space News reported.

He added that the company also plans to begin flying its first test crews “soon,” though he didn’t offer a more specific time frame.
As for ticket prices, that’s also yet to be determined.

Bob Smith, chief executive of Blue Origin, said in April that once his team is confident about the safety and stability of the New Shepard rocket and crew capsule, “we’ll have the conversation internally about what prices are and what that whole process looks like.”

Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin’s main competitor in the space tourism race, has already taken around 700 bookings for its suborbital flights, with each one costing $250,000. It hopes to launch its service within the next 12 months. Virgin Galactic has said that the growing list of customers means anyone booking a ticket today will more than likely have to wait until at least 2021 before they’ll be able to hop aboard.

Blue Origin’s trip will take up to six passengers at a time to a point about 62 miles (100 km) above Earth. As they admire the stunning views, they’ll be permitted to unbelt for several minutes to enjoy floating about in a weightless environment.

“For the suborbital mission, training is going to be relatively simple,” Bezos said in a 2016 interview, adding that he wants people “to be able to get out, float around, do somersaults, enjoy the microgravity, look out of those beautiful windows.”

Blue Origin’s New Shepard has flown eight times so far, with the booster returning safely to terra firma all but one time. The company unveiled a revamped capsule at the end of last year with comfier seats and larger windows than the original design.

Bezos in space?

It’s not clear if Jeff Bezos will be aboard Blue Origin’s maiden tourism flight.

“I want to go into space, but I want to do it in Blue Origin vehicles,” the CEO said, adding that while such a trip is a personal ambition, his main aim is to bring down the cost of space access with reusable rocket technology.

If Blue Origin can achieve that, Bezos believes the developing technology will pave the way for “millions” of people to one day live and work in space. “I want us to be a space-faring civilization,” he said.

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5 changes Apple needs to make in the next iPhone

The rumor mill is already grinding overtime on what Apple might have in store with the next iPhone release. We were impressed by the iPhone X, and the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus had plenty to offer people keen to save a few bucks or to stick with a familiar design.

Whether Apple will unveil a plus-sized version of the iPhone X, alongside a smaller sequel, and a more budget friendly device – as the rumors suggest – remains to be seen. A trio that hits different price points seems likely, but don’t hold your breath for the flagship to be any cheaper than the iPhone X.

Better performance, a more capable camera, and improvements to battery life are a given, just as we can be sure we won’t see the return of the headphone jack or Touch ID. But whatever does come out of Cupertino in September, there are a few things we’d like to see Apple do with the next iPhone.

Fast charging out of the box

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

As the purveyor of some of the most expensive mobile hardware around it’s an absolute joke that Apple doesn’t include a fast charging kit out of the box. While battery life hasn’t advanced as much as we would like in recent years, the ability to charge your battery up more quickly is a well-established feature.

Fast charging is a standard across the Android market now and not just in high end devices – you can buy a Moto G6 for $250 and get a TurboPower charger in the box with it that’ll give you 6 hours of use from a 15-minute charge.

You can actually get a 50 percent charge in 30 minutes with the iPhone X, 8, and 8 Plus, but you have to buy a USB-C to Lightning cable and a power brick that supports USB-C Power Delivery. If you buy them from Apple, that’s an extra $75. Shop around and you can get them a fair bit cheaper — though we would warn against buying anything that isn’t Apple certified – but you really shouldn’t have to do this.

If Apple expects us to pay $1,000 for the iPhone X, or even $700 for the iPhone 8, then it should be including a fast charger in the box. Gouging us for what is a standard feature now is unjustifiable and we’d really like to see Apple sort this out.

Adopt USB Type-C

Maurizio Pesce/Flickr

For a long time, Apple justified its proprietary ports by making them more capable than the popularly-adopted alternative standards, but now that USB-C is widespread that argument is dead. The Lightning port doesn’t do anything for the phone buying public that USB-C can’t do. If it’s good enough for a MacBook, it’s good enough for the iPhone, right?

It’s time Apple adopted the industry standard. MicroUSB is vanishing fast, and everyone is switching to USB-C. If Apple would get onboard, we could enjoy a utopic future of shared chargers where anyone can plug into any cable or charger that’s available. Families with a mix of Android devices and iPhones could cut their accessory clutter in half. You could take one cable with you to charge all your devices.

What proprietary ports allow Apple to do is include an authentication chip in Lightning cables that ensures any non-certified accessories won’t work with its devices. That means Apple can make sure the $3 cable you buy won’t charge your iPhone, but its $25 cable will.

Apple argues that this allows it to vet cable manufacturers and ensure quality. There’s no doubt that there are some terrible counterfeit products or just poorly made cheap options out there, but you know that it’s also partly because this system allows Apple to sell cables at a markup that would make the iPhone blush. And having used a lot of cables, we can say with confidence that Apple’s cables are not higher quality than cheaper alternatives that are Apple certified.

We don’t think there’s much hope that Apple will switch from Lightning port to USB-C port in the next iPhone, but what we can see happening is a move to include a USB-C to Lightning cable in the box. That would at least be a step in the right direction, but full adoption of USB-C would be much better.

Get rid of the side switch

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

We know Jony Ive and his design team favor minimalism. In his own words, they’re on a mission to “get rid of anything that isn’t absolutely essential.” To that end we’ve seen the death of the standard 3.5mm audio port in all iPhones and the Touch ID home button in the iPhone X.

Does it strike anyone else as weird that the side switch to put your iPhone on silent has survived this cull? Is Apple really suggesting that it’s absolutely essential? Because every Android phone we’ve ever used (apart from some OnePlus devices) lacks this switch and we’ve never missed it.

We’re sure there are some people who use this switch every day and love it, but honestly, it’s not an elegant solution to the problem. What makes it superior to just holding the volume down button for a second?

Our preferred silent mode trigger is placing the phone face down. It works perfectly in a meeting setting, even acting as a visual demonstration that you’re not going to be distracted by your phone during the conversation. Schedule Do Not Disturb for nights, where you can set any exceptions you need to and still be sure your alarm will go off.

What’s the situation that we need a mechanical silent switch for? Just get rid of it, Apple.

Reduce the camera bump

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

We understand that as camera technology has improved, and phones have been shaved down to be as svelte as possible, the camera module on the back inevitably protrudes. Apple’s iPhones have had increasingly large camera bumps over the last few years, but the camera bump in the iPhone X is big.

The problem is that it makes the design feel unbalanced. It’s the first thing that touches down on any surface and it causes the phone to wobble when placed on a flat table or desk. It makes the need for a protective case even clearer, but when a device feels this nice in hand, it’s annoying to have to dress it up in plastic. All the effort that went into making it so slim is lost anyway.

It’s a tradeoff that we accept, because we’d take a better camera over a slight bump in the design any day, but it would be nice if Apple could find a way to reduce or get rid of that bump. It’s an obvious compromise in something that has been designed so carefully.

Scrap the notch

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Speaking of design compromises, we come to the notch. Apple had to find a way to accommodate the tech for Face ID into the front of the iPhone X, and the inelegant solution it hit upon was a notch out of the top of the screen.

Yes, you get used to it. No, it doesn’t ruin the phone. But would we rather have an iPhone that was truly full edge-to-edge screen on the front? Of course, we would.

This compromise disappointingly prompted a bunch of Android manufacturers to follow suit, even though they really didn’t have to – the fact they don’t have the same FaceID tech to fit in and they all have bottom bezels rubbishes the idea they couldn’t have done things differently.

Let’s be honest here, the best thing we can say about the notch is that it isn’t that bad. You forget about it after a few days with a notch toting phone, but that doesn’t make it good.

If Apple could fit everything in without a notch, then the iPhone wouldn’t have one. Let’s hope it can figure out a way to do exactly that in the next iPhone.

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Is your 1440P monitor actually a downscaled 4K panel in disguise?

High-refresh rate 1440P displays like this PG279Q are one way to avoid downscaled 4K.

Some monitor manufacturers may be trying to save money when producing 1440P monitors by using downscaled 4K panels instead of native 2560 x 1440 panels. While that might seem like a free upgrade for those affected, there is no way for them to make full use of the increased resolution of the panel. Worse still, by downscaling away from the panel’s hardware-native resolution, the image quality is actually worse for it.

Whether we’re talking about the best monitor overall or the best gaming display, we almost always recommend a 1440P panel. They tend to have better feature sets like higher refresh rates, and even if it’s not always the case that they are more affordable by themselves, graphics card requirements are far lower with a 1440P display. That doesn’t mean 4K displays don’t have their uses, but when people buy a 1440P monitor, that’s what they want, not a downscaled 4K one.

But according to Prad.de, that’s exactly what some consumers have been stuck with. In its “Wolf in sheep’s clothing,” report, the German site suggests that the reason some of these (as yet unnamed) manufacturers take part in the practice, is because 4K panels have come down so much in price that they’re more affordable to manufacture. It does suggest this isn’t a common practice and one that typically only happens in times of high demand or low supply, but that some people with new “1440P” monitors may actually be running 4K panels instead.

The panels are said to be limited to the reduced resolution through a lock in the firmware, so it’s not possible to boost the resolution to its native. That’s unfortunate for users caught out like this too, as it can mean a worse image because of it.

For those potentially affected, one method for checking to see if you’ve been caught out by a downscaled panel is to look at text to see if it’s oddly blurry where it should be sharp and crisp. While larger visuals are said to be mostly unaffected, smaller icons and images may be noticeably blurry. Another method highlighted by TechSpot, is to look at the pixel size of your monitor. A true 2560 x 1440 display should have a pixel width of 0.23mm, while a 4K panel will have pixels that measure 0.16mm.

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Vivo X21 review: A bold leap forward

The Vivo X21 shows that in-display fingerprint sensors work reliably.

Even if you haven’t come across a Vivo phone, there’s a high possibility that you have heard of the brand: Vivo advertises heavily in the English Premier League, and has picked up the title rights for the FIFA World Cup. It also signed up with Marvel Studios to highlight its products in the MCU, so if you’ve seen any of the recent Avengers movies, you would’ve noticed the Vivo branding.

Vivo has a huge presence in China and India, and is slowly making its way to Western markets. The brand is credited with several firsts in the smartphone segment — it was one of the first brands to use high-fidelity chips to deliver a great audio experience on its phones, and it started prioritizing selfie cameras early on. Earlier this year, Vivo became the first smartphone manufacturer to roll out a phone with an in-display fingerprint reader. More recently, Vivo made headlines for the NEX, which comes with a retractable front camera that stays hidden when not in use.

The NEX isn’t going to be available outside of China anytime soon, but the Vivo X21 is retailing in India and a host of other Asian markets. Does the in-display fingerprint tech work reliably on a day-to-day basis? Let’s find out.

Vivo X21

Price: ₹35,990 ($530)

Bottom line: The Vivo X21 is one of the best phones the company has launched to date. The in-display scanner isn’t quite as fast as fingerprint readers available today — but it certainly is a novel feature, and one that allows Vivo to easily push units at its retail stores.

Pros:

• In-display fingerprint sensor is great
• Fantastic display
• All-day battery life
• Face unlock
• Great camera

Cons:

• MicroUSB charging port
• Software is an iOS clone

See at Flipkart

About this review

I (Harish Jonnalagadda) am writing this review after using the Vivo X21 for over three weeks in Hyderabad, India. The phone was connected to Jio’s 4G network for the duration of the review, and was running Funtouch OS 4.0 build 1.7.11. The device was provided to Android Central for review by Vivo India.

Vivo X21 Design and display

I switched to the Vivo X21 from the OnePlus 6, and in a lot of ways, both devices are very similar. Both feature glass backs, and the design aesthetic is near-identical, as are the dimensions — although the X21 isn’t as wide. The X21 is thinner and lighter (due to a smaller battery), but the phone shares a lot of design traits with its sister brand.

There are a few differences, however — the Vivo X21 features the power and volume buttons on the right side, leaving the left side of the device bare. And there’s no alert slider, as that’s still a feature limited to OnePlus phones. The 3.5mm jack is now located at the top of the phone, and there’s also an IR blaster. Oddly enough, the SIM card tray — which has slots for two SIM cards or a SIM card and a microSD card — is located at the bottom of the device, next to the MicroUSB charging port. Yes, Vivo is still using a MicroUSB port on a flagship.

The fit and finish at the back is also similar to that of the Mirror Black variant of the OnePlus 6, and while Vivo doesn’t specify what version of Gorilla Glass is on the device, it’s likely offering the same Gorilla Glass 5 protection as most other phones with glass backs.

Vivo is quoting a 90.3% screen-to-body ratio for the X21, and while it may not be as extreme as the Find X, it’s better than most phones you can buy today.

Both the OnePlus 6 and the Vivo X21 have a similar-sized notch, and they also feature the same 6.28-inch 19:9 FHD+ Super AMOLED display. In fact, even the R15 Pro features an identical display size and notch, so it’s safe to assume that all three BBK Electronics-owned brands are using the same Samsung panel.

That’s a good thing, because the Super AMOLED display on the OnePlus 6 is one of the best in this category. The Vivo X21 also offers the same great color accuracy and deep contrast levels, but you miss out on the ability to tweak the color profile to your needs — DCI-P3 and sRGB modes are missing on this device. You do get a blue light filter and the ability to adjust color temperature to cooler or warmer hues.

If you’ve used a OnePlus 6, you’ll be immediately familiar with the Vivo X21.

The X21 comes with a factory-installed screen protector, and while I usually recommend removing that as soon as you start using the device, things are a little different for this particular phone. As the X21 has an in-display fingerprint sensor (which is basically an optical scanner), Vivo warns against using third-party screen protectors as they may interfere with the performance of the fingerprint reader.

One of the main drawbacks on the design front is that the X21 comes with a MicroUSB port and not USB-C. That’s particularly annoying when you consider that this phone retails for over $500, and there are budget phones that cost less than half as much that offer USB-C. Vivo is one of the few manufacturers that’s yet to make the switch to USB-C, but in 2018 it’s inexcusable for a company to not include the port on a $530 phone.

In-display fingerprint sensor

The in-display fingerprint reader is the marquee feature on the X21, and it works reliably enough that I haven’t had any issues with it. It isn’t quite as fast as the fingerprint sensor you have on your phone today, but it is a paradigm shift in biometrics and a preview of what’s to come.

There’s an activation zone in the lower third of the screen where you have to place your finger, and it takes just under a second to unlock the phone. You can customize the animation that activates whenever the sensor is authenticating your fingerprint, and until the NEX comes along with its retractable camera, this is the coolest way to unlock your phone.

In addition to the in-display fingerprint sensor, the X21 offers a face unlock feature as well. While it isn’t quite as fast as the OnePlus 6, it’s unerringly accurate and works well even in low-light scenarios.

Vivo X21 Performance

Screen	6.28-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED
Chipset	Snapdragon 660
RAM	6GB
Storage	128GB
Rear Camera 1	12MP, ƒ/1.8
Rear Camera 2	5MP, ƒ/2.4
Front Camera	12MP, ƒ/2.0
Battery	3200mAh
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, BT 5.0, FM radio
Security	In-display fingerprint
Colors	Black
Dimensions	154.5 x 74.8 x 7.4 mm
Weight	156.2grams
Price	₹35,990

When it comes to the hardware side of things, there’s plenty to like on the Vivo X21. It is powered by a Qualcomm’s mid-range workhorse, the Snapdragon 660, and comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage as standard. I’ve used several phones powered by the Snapdragon 660 over the last 15 months — including the OPPO R11, Xiaomi Mi Note 3, and Nokia 7 Plus — and have come away impressed with just how good it is when it comes to day-to-day usage.

For 90% of everyday tasks, it holds its own next to the flagship-tier Snapdragon 845, and in general is one of the best mid-range chipsets I’ve seen in a long time. As you’d expect, the X21 powers through day-to-day tasks with nary an effort, and to its credit Vivo has done a great job optimizing Funtouch OS.

The X21 comes with a dedicated game mode that blocks incoming calls and notifications, allowing you to experience distraction-free gaming sessions. As stated earlier, Vivo built its brand around two pillars: audio and camera quality. As such, the X21 features an AK4376A DAC that leverages Vivo’s Deepfield tech to offer a wider soundstage when listening to music. Vivo bundles a set of decent earbuds in the box, along with an 18W charger and a clear case.

You’re not going to see any slowdowns on the X21.

Call quality on the X21 is decent, as is the built-in speaker. It’s not going to be on the same level as phones with stereo speakers, but you won’t notice any distortion at high volumes. I haven’t faced any issues with Wi-Fi or cellular data connectivity as well.

The X21 comes with a 3200mAh battery that easily manages to deliver a day’s worth of usage. I never had to worry about the phone running out of juice before the end of the day, and I averaged five hours of screen-on-time spread over the course of 20 hours. When you do need to top up, there’s Quick Charge 3.0.

Vivo X21 Software

The Vivo X21 is the first Vivo device I’ve used for an extended period in the last two years. The only other Vivo product I tried out was the V3 Max, and at that time my take on the software was that it was a blatant iOS ripoff.

I figured things would’ve changed over the last two years as Vivo made its foray into more and more global markets, but that isn’t the case. Funtouch OS 4.0 is still heavily inspired by iOS, and you even get a Control Center that pulls up from the bottom of the screen. You’ll have to use the Control Center for accessing toggles for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and brightness, and the notification pane itself is identical to what you’d find on iOS.

Even EMUI and MIUI offer quick relies and actionable notifications, and to use a skin that doesn’t have those features — which have been present in Android for a few years now — feels prohibitive. Everything from the icons to the default backgrounds, animations, multitasking pane, and stock apps is “borrowed” from iOS, and while there’s plenty of customization options on offer, the interface itself does little to distinguish itself in any meaningful way.

Like most other manufacturer skins, you’ll be able to change the orientation of the back and overview buttons, and even select between Marshmallow-style navigation icons or the older Lollipop-era icons. You can also get rid of the nav bar entirely and switch to a gesture-driven interface.

Doing so will create three zones that you can interact with to control navigation: swipe up from the bottom of the screen to exit to the home screen, and swipe up and hold to access the overview menu. To go back in an app, you’ll have to swipe up from the bottom left corner of the screen, and a swipe up from the bottom right launches the Control Center. There’s no gesture to pull up the app drawer as Funtouch OS doesn’t have a provision for one. Talking about missing features, there’s no option to disable the notch either.

Funtouch OS is an iOS clone that has a ton of customizability.

Funtouch OS also comes with its share of bloatware. There’s everything from UC Browser to Facebook, WhatsApp, NewsPoint, and WPS Office among others, and Vivo has its own app store dubbed V-Appstore that lets you manage these apps and download more. The custom app store feels like a vestige of the Chinese ROM that made its way into the global ROM, because Funtouch OS outside of China comes with Google services — Play Store, Chrome, Maps, YouTube, Drive, and others — installed out of the box.

The one saving grace for Funtouch OS is that the latest version is based on Android 8.1 Oreo. The systemwide autofill API is present, as is the ability to snooze notifications, and while notification dots aren’t available, you do get Vivo’s own take on the feature. The skin also offers gestures similar to what you’d find on Motorola devices — you can twist the phone to toggle the flashlight, and there’s a feature similar to Moto Display that lets you view incoming notifications without switching on the screen.

One particularly nifty feature in Funtouch OS is the ability to get easy access to after-sales service. You can view your phone’s warranty information from the settings, and also locate a service center that’s closest to your location. There’s also a manual tucked away in the settings that lets new users get acclimated with all the features on offer.

Vivo has maintained a lackadaisical attitude when it comes to updates, and there have been several devices from the manufacturer that haven’t received a single platform update. Thankfully, that doesn’t seem to be the case with the X21, as the device is one of seven third-party phones eligible for the Android P beta. The entry into the beta program suggests an Android P build will make its way to the device at some point.

Vivo X21 Camera

Vivo’s tagline is “Camera & Music”, so it should be safe to assume that the brand cares about the cameras on its phones. The X21 offers dual 12MP + 5MP cameras at the back, and a 12MP shooter up front. There are a ton of shooting modes to choose from, and you get the usual portrait mode and panorama along with an option to use AR stickers. Unlike the Pixel 2, which lets you add elements like Stormtroopers and dinosaurs to a photo or video, AR stickers on the X21 let you add facial filters, much like what you’d find on Instagram.

There’s also a manual mode that lets you adjust the white balance, autofocus, exposure, shutter speed, and ISO. Like most other Chinese brands, Vivo offers a beautify option called Face Beauty that automatically removes blemishes. You’ll be able to adjust the intensity of the beautify mode, or use an AI option that tailors settings based on your facial features. There’s even a document scanner mode that lets scans text and saves it in an easily-readable format.

The X21 takes excellent photos in daylight conditions, with images offering accurate colors and wide dynamic range. Portrait mode also works reliably enough most of the time, but there were a few instances where edge detection was way too aggressive. The X21 also holds its own in low-light scenarios.

The camera on the X21 is fast to focus and locks into subjects with ease, and the same is true when shooting 4K video. Handheld videos tend to be jittery as there’s no stabilization, but aside from that the overall video quality was very decent. Vivo is known for its selfie cameras, and the 12MP front shooter is one of the best in this category.

Should you buy it? Yes

The Vivo X21 has a lot to offer, and the in-display scanner makes it stand out in this segment. That said, the device loses out to the likes of the OP6 when it comes to value for money. The OP6 comes with beefier hardware, a USB-C port, and significantly better software.

But with the X21, you’re getting a feature that isn’t available on any other phone. And that more than makes up for the odd design choices, like the reliance on MicroUSB for a product in this category. With smartphones becoming increasingly commoditized, it’s getting harder for brands to differentiate their products, and having an in-display fingerprint reader certainly pushes things in Vivo’s favor.

Furthermore, Vivo’s sales model doesn’t rely on having an online presence. In fact, the main reason for the brand’s meteoric rise is because of its strong offline network: Vivo has thousands of retail stores spread across India.

Vivo’s strategy hinges on offline sales, and the X21 is the ideal device to cater to that market.

Vivo devices haven’t been known to offer great value for money, as evidenced by the fact that the brand launched a device powered by the Snapdragon 450 for the equivalent of $300 earlier this year. Instead of playing the specs game, Vivo focuses on selling an experience — the focus is not on the hardware, but the day-to-day usage, and a few marquees features, like the front camera. Vivo was one of the first brands to roll out an LED light for the front camera, and it used that feature to sell millions of phones.

With the X21, that standout feature is the in-display scanner, which works perfectly into Vivo’s sales strategy. After all, it’s easy to wow customers walking into its retail stores with a demo of the feature, and while I don’t like the current state of Funtouch OS, there’s clearly a sizeable market that wants an iOS-lookalike at this price point.

Having used the X21, I’m beginning to understand how Vivo was able to rise through the ranks over the last two years. The phone is very well optimized, and Vivo nails the basics: I never noticed any slowdowns or lag, battery life is great, the camera is one of the better options in this category, and the display is fantastic.

4
out of 5

If you’re in the market for a device with an in-display scanner, the X21 is still your best bet. The NEX has a faster scanner, but it’s unlikely the phone will make its way outside of China. The X21 has its drawbacks — the lack of USB-C is particularly annoying — but as an overall package it has plenty to offer, if you don’t mind the user interface.

See at Flipkart

How to synchronize podcasts between Google Podcasts and Google Home

Google Podcasts and Google Home are a match made in heaven.

There are a lot of reasons to use Google Podcasts, with one of the main ones being its direct tie-in with Google Home / Google Assistant.

In addition to the Google Podcasts app on your phone, you can also tune-in to your favorite shows by simply asking Google Home. And, because everything is tied into your Google account, your Home speaker will pick up where you stopped listening on your phone.

The best part of this integration is that it just happens in the background for you.

For example, let’s say you started listening to the Android Central Podcast on Google Podcasts on your phone. You listen for a few minutes on the way to work, but have to stop before heading into the office.

When you get home, just say “Hey, Google, play the Android Central Podcast” and your Google Home will say “Sure, Android Central Podcast, here’s where you left off.”

Alternatively, if you start listening to a podcast on your Google Home, the episode should resume in the Google Podcasts app right where you stopped listening.

The kicker to all this? You don’t have to manually set anything up in order for this to work! All of the synchronization is done in the background for you, meaning that all you have to worry about is which podcast you’re going to listen to.

Download: Google Podcasts (free)

Apple News App Gains ‘2018 Midterm Elections’ Section in the U.S.

Apple has announced a new section in the Apple News app dedicated to providing coverage of the U.S. midterm elections from now through to November.

Apple says the new section is designed to help readers follow the latest on the 2018 Midterm Elections with breaking news, exclusive highlights and analysis from trusted sources curated by Apple News’ team of experienced editors.

Special features will include “The Conversation”, a collection of opinion columns about hot-button issues from sources they may not already follow, and “On the Ground”, which highlights issues that matter to local constituents on the most important races.

“Today more than ever people want information from reliable sources, especially when it comes to making voting decisions,” said Lauren Kern, editor-in-chief of Apple News. “An election is not just a contest; it should raise conversations and spark national discourse. By presenting quality news from trustworthy sources and curating a diverse range of opinions, Apple News aims to be a responsible steward of those conversations and help readers understand the candidates and the issues.”

In addition to presenting coverage from Fox News, Vox, and other publishers, Apple says its News app will offer exclusive features, including:

• The Washington Post’s “Election Now,” a dashboard that brings to life important primary races by contextualizing key data like current polling, what pundits are saying and survey data on voter enthusiasm.
• A weekly briefing from Axios, featuring analysis of the most important developments as the primaries unfold.
• Politico’s “Races to Watch,” which looks at a collection of races offering important themes and trends to voters.

The new section is available to readers in the U.S. only, and can be accessed within the News app from a banner across the top of the For You tab, as well as through Top Stories and the Spotlight tab.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

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Gurman: Higher-End AirPods to Launch in 2019, New HomePod and Over-Ear Headphones Also Likely Next Year

Apple’s audio device strategy has been highlighted today in a new report by Bloomberg, which looked forward to 2019 and the launch of the “higher-end” third-generation AirPods, next HomePod, and previously rumored over-ear headphones from Apple.

For the AirPods, next year’s model is believed to bring a form of noise cancellation and water resistance, which Bloomberg previously reported in February. In the new report, Mark Gurman and Debby Wu add that Apple is also working to increase the range that the AirPods can work away from iPhone or iPad, citing people familiar with Apple’s plans.

Apple Inc. is about to pump up the volume on its audio-device strategy, planning higher-end AirPods, a new HomePod and studio-quality over-ear headphones for as early as next year, according to people familiar with the matter.

Additionally, the third-generation AirPods — coming after this fall’s expected second-generation update — are expected to cost “more than the existing $159 pair.” This is believed to cause Apple to “segment” the AirPods line like it does with iPhones, with a lower-cost model and a higher-cost model that has more features. One of these advanced features could also be a biometric sensor “like a heart-rate monitor.”

Continuing its audio device push, Apple is eyeing an early 2019 launch for its over-ear headphones, after facing “development challenges” during its original late 2018 launch schedule. Bloomberg described the device as a “higher-end alternative to the company’s Beats line,” but otherwise didn’t give any new details on features that could be coming to the headphones.

Lastly, the report quickly mentions that the second version of the HomePod is set to debut “as early as next year.” Apple may also switch production on the smart speaker away from Inventec for the new model, in an overall shakeup of Apple’s supply chain in regards to its audio devices. Sources said the company is looking to expand its partnership with Foxconn, which mainly helps manufacture the iPhone, and simultaneously lessen its reliance on Inventec, which helped supply AirPods and HomePod.

While updates to AirPods and HomePod have been expected, rumors first appeared for Apple’s “own-branded” over-ear headphones back in February from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The audio accessory is expected to be “as convenient as AirPods” but with superior sound quality, active noise cancellation technology, and a price tag aimed at the high-end market.

Related Roundups: HomePod, AirPodsBuyer’s Guide: HomePod (Buy Now), AirPods (Caution)
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