Android and Chrome OS will reportedly get ‘Better Together’ integration

The features are expected to launch next week.

As awesome as Android and Chrome OS are, there’s still one area where Apple dominates with iOS and macOS — a reason to use both of them together. Things like Universal Clipboard and Handoff make it clear why you should you use an iPhone and Mac together, and according to a new report, Google will soon offer something similar.

Spotted by Mishaal Rahman, the Chromium Gerrit has been updated with something called “Better Together.” Better Together is a new program that’ll allow your Android phone and Chromebook to talk to one another, and the latest nightly build for Chrome Canary already has a placeholder page for it.

It’s said that there will be three main features for Better Together at launch, including:

• SMS Connect — Syncing of your SMS messages built directly into Chrome OS (likely different than Android Messages’ new web client)
• Instant Tethering — Your phone will automatically pop up on your Chromebook’s Network page so you can tether to it without having to manually enable mobile hotspot (something the Pixel 2 already does with the Pixelbook)
• Smart Unlock — You can unlock your Chromebook without entering your password if your phone is nearby

The placeholder page currently live in Chrome Canary.

Along with today’s report, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard about proper integration across Android and Chrome OS. SMS Connect was actually first spotted way back in October shortly after Android 8.1 was released, and earlier this month, another commit in the Chromium Gerrit referenced “Android Messages integration.”

It’s expected that Better Together will first launch at some point next week, and as someone who’s only been using Chrome OS since earlier this year, I cannot wait for this to come out.

What Better Together feature are you most excited for?

How to set up Android Messages for web

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A Sonos sound bar, SSDs, smart locks, and more are all discounted today

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on the Sonos Playbar sound bar, Samsung’s 860 EVO SSDs, the August smart lock, and more! Time’s running out to take advantage of these prices, so hurry!

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If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

Samsung and Apple settle ongoing patent dispute from 2011

It’s unclear how much Samsung will need to pay under the settlement terms.

Samsung and Apple have been at each other’s throats for over seven years due to patent infringements, but on June 27, 2018, it was revealed that the two companies had finally reached a settlement.

A filing from the U.S. District Court for California’s Northern District confirmed this news, and while the exact details of what this settlement entails are still unclear, we can officially say that the lawsuit has been laid to rest.

If you recall, Samsung was first sued by Apple in 2011 for copying the iPhone’s design. The court previously ruled that Samsung did, in fact, infringe on Apple’s patents, but the two companies have been going back-and-forth over how much money Samsung owes.

The most recent development prior to this came in late-May when Samsung was ordered to pay $539 million in damages. We aren’t sure if more money will be owed now that the two have settled, but I expect those details will be released sooner or later.

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Samsung and Apple Settle Long-Running Design Patent Dispute

Apple and Samsung have settled an ongoing legal battle that has spanned seven years, according to court documents filed with the Northern District Court of California this morning.

In the document, Apple and Samsung said they have agreed to drop and settle the remaining claims and counter claims in the design patent legal battle that saw them back in court in May.

The terms of the settlement were not included in the court document, but Samsung had been ordered by the jury to pay Apple $539 million following the May damages retrial.

Plaintiff Apple Inc. and Defendants Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Samsung Electronics America, Inc., and Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC would like to inform the Court that they have agreed to drop and settle their remaining claims and counterclaims in this matter.

IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED, by and between the parties and subject to the approval of the Court, that pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 41(a) and 41(c), all remaining claims and counterclaims in this action are hereby dismissed with prejudice, to the extent such are still pending, and all parties shall bear their own attorneys’ fees and costs.

Apple and Samsung’s legal dispute has been ongoing since 2011, when Apple sued Samsung for violating Apple design patents with five Android devices sold between 2010 and 2011.

Samsung was found guilty of infringing on Apple’s patents back in 2012, but the two companies have spent the last six years duking it out over the total amount Samsung owes Apple for the violation.

Samsung has vehemently argued that it should have to pay damages only for the portion of the iPhone’s design that it copied, while Apple has continually asked for a payment based on the full value of the iPhone.

The court in May largely sided with Apple, ordering Samsung to pay $539 million, a decision Samsung was not happy with because it was over the $399 million Samsung had originally gotten the payment down to following multiple appeals, and more than the $28 million it insisted it owed. The South Korean company filed an another appeal demanding a new trial on June 11, but has now dropped all appeals since a settlement has been reached.

Apple declined to comment directly on the settlement, referring MacRumors back to the company’s statement following the May verdict.

We believe deeply in the value of design, and our teams work tirelessly to create innovative products that delight our customers. This case has always been about more than money. Apple ignited the smartphone revolution with iPhone and it is a fact that Samsung blatantly copied our design. It is important that we continue to protect the hard work and innovation of so many people at Apple.

Apple v. Samsung Notice of Settlement and Stipulation of Dismissal by MacRumors on Scribd

Apple v. Samsung Dismissal by MacRumors on Scribd

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iPad Pro Concept Imagines 11.9-Inch Display, Thin Bezels and Face ID

Rumors suggest new iPad Pro models coming in 2018 will feature slimmer bezels and no Home button, which will be removed in favor of the same Face ID system that’s available in the iPhone X.

A new iPad Pro concept shared by Álvaro Pabesio imagines what such an iPad Pro might look like, with detailed mockups of an iPad that features an 11.9-inch display with slim wraparound bezels, no notch (as the TrueDepth camera system is included in the top bezel), and no Home button.

Size wise, Pabesio’s imagined 11.9-inch iPad is the same physical size as the current 10.5-inch iPad Pro, which is in line with rumors suggesting the next iPad Pro will feature a bigger display. Those rumors, though, have suggested it won’t be quite as large as 11.9 inches.

The concept also includes a 12-megapixel dual-rear camera, a feature that has not been rumored for the next-generation iPad Pro but is possible, along with some imagined iOS enhancements, like Stacks, that are not coming in iOS 12.

While Pabesio’s mockups aren’t entirely true to rumors with some imagined features, it’s still an interesting look at the design decisions that Apple could opt to make in a next-generation iPad Pro with Face ID and a TrueDepth camera system. The full design can be seen over on Behance.

For a full and accurate list of all of the rumors we’ve heard about the iPad Pro models expected to be released in 2018, make sure to check out our iPad Pro roundup.

Related Roundup: iPad ProBuyer’s Guide: 10.5″ iPad Pro (Don’t Buy), 12.9″ iPad Pro (Caution)
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BlackBerry Key2 Review: Keyboard King

For years, BlackBerry was the best option for those in business. The physical keyboard and smart software made it a no-brainer for those who just needed to get the job done. But, as we all know, BlackBerry quickly began to fade. It stuck with its own operating system as Android and iOS dominated the landscape. A physical keyboard was no longer the draw that it once was.

BlackBerry was going the way of the dodo.

But, the Canadian company finally bottomed out and changed tactics. It made a great comeback with the Priv and KeyOne since late 2015 and it has embraced Android like few other companies. Using pure Android with some enterprise-focused features added on top made it a compelling option once again.

Now, BlackBerry is back with another installment, the Key2. The device isn’t the showstopper that the Priv or KeyOne were when they hit the market, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The KeyOne was pretty damn good and BlackBerry got the message that it just needed to build on that solid base. And that it did.

We’ve spent the last week with the BlackBerry Key2 and these are our thoughts.

Hardware

If you’ve ever used a BlackBerry device before, you’ll feel at home here. Holding the device in your hands will take you back several years to when BlackBerry dominated the landscape. I initially wondered how I’d take to using the Key2 since I’ve used nothing but metal and glass slabs for the past few years, but it just feels right.

The device is very solid. It features 7000 series aluminum around the edges, a soft touch rubber on the back and a display + keyboard on the front. Overall, it’s one of the best built phones I’ve ever used. It has a completely different feeling but reminds me a lot of the HTC One M7. Everything is where it should be, nothing moves, and I feel like it can take a beating if it needs to.

Ew

The soft touch backing makes life easy. The Key2 isn’t the most ergonomically perfect device, but it’s still pretty easy to hold onto because of that surface. Not only does it make it easier to hold onto but it looks and feels great too. Sure, it’ll still pick up some oils from your fingers, but it is far better than a glass-backed phone in that regard. Plus you don’t need to worry about it shattering if it takes a fall.

The buttons on the side of the device are satisfyingly clicky. BlackBerry is following the trend of adding some texture to the power button and we love it here. Just under the volume rocker and power buttons is a quick action button. This allows you to open an app or perform an action with a simple press. I have mine set to open the camera, but the phone also supports double pressing the power button to open up the camera.

Because it’s 2018 and we have to mention this now, yes, the Key2 does come with a headphone jack. It sits at the top of the device, the perfect place for such a thing. The bottom of the phone holds the USB type-C port and two machined speaker grills. Unfortunately only one of them puts out any sound.

That brings us to one of the big disadvantages of the Key2. It’s just not great for consuming media. The 4.5-inch display is just fine with okay colors and decent brightness. It gets very dark on occasion and can really take you out of what you’re watching. Combined with a just okay display with subpar speakers and this isn’t the first phone we’d grab to watch a TV show or movie on a long flight. We know that this phone is designed for business people in mind, but we’d imagine that those who work in an office like to watch YouTube from time to time too.

Keyboard

So, let’s quit beating around the bush. How’s the keyboard? Well, I wish I could give you a one-word answer but it’s not that simple. What you need to know is that the keyboard is larger on the Key2 than it was on the KeyOne. This makes much more comfortable to type on while only adding a small bit of height to the device. It was a great change.

The keys are clicky and easy to press. We’d understand if they were a little stiffer out of the box, but were pleasantly surprised at how the device already felt broken in the moment we set it up.

You have the full set of keys that you’d expect. But, you also have a Speed Key in the bottom right corner that lets you launch apps or actions by pressing it then a letter. It’s a really smart addition and I’ve found myself using it more and more as time goes on. No longer do I need to hit the multitasking button or go back to the homescreen to find my favorite apps. Two buttons presses and I’m there.

The smart features don’t stop there. There’s a fingerprint scanner in the space bar that gets the job done. It’s not as good as something you’d find on a Huawei device, but it reads accurately and quickly most of the time. You can also set the currency key to perform actions like dropping the notification shade- something that can be quite the task if you have smaller hands.

BlackBerry brought back some of its best keyboard features from the KeyOne too. You can easily scroll through web pages or lists by sliding your thumb up and down the keys in the middle of the keyboard. You can also double tap a key to open up directional keys and scroll through symbol keyboards on screen by tapping the SYM button next to the keyboard.

I was initially annoyed with the onscreen keyboard when I started using the device, but I can see its usefulness. You’re not going to be able to pack everything you need into the physical keyboard even with long presses and alt keys. BlackBerry captured the best of both worlds here.

Specs

In a previous discussion in our Hot Take podcast, I made the point that it was going to be really hard to recommend the Key2 based on specs alone. The phone is supposed to be priced around $650 but runs a mid-range processor, a 1080p LCD display with an odd aspect ratio, and just didn’t seem very premium. When you have devices like the OnePlus 6 out there for cheaper, it just doesn’t seem like a good buy.

But then I actually used the phone and I’m pretty blown away. We constantly ask ourselves here if we need flagship level processors and the Key2 proves that you don’t. It rocks a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, a sold midrange processor. I’ve never once had this phone lag on me. Granted, I’ve only had it for about a week, but I’ve certainly put it through its paces in that week. I am in love with the performance.

What I’m not in love with is the display. We touched on this a little bit earlier, but it’s just not great. BlackBerry stuck with the same panel as last year and I’m wondering why. It gets just bright enough to use on cloudy days and it feels like it stays too dark too long indoors. It also has an odd 3:2 aspect ratio to fit in the physical keyboard. Watching videos and playing games just aren’t satisfying like on other devices. It just gets the job done and is probably my least favorite thing about the device.

But, my favorite thing about the device is how good the battery life is. Again, we’re taking this with a grain of salt due to our short testing period, but so far it has been fantastic. We’re getting about two days of usage with seven to eight hours of screen on time.

The Key2 has an embedded 3,500 mAh battery that supports Quick Charge 3.0. That means you should get about 50% of your battery back from dead in 35 minutes or so. We’ve yet to be able to test this but will update this section when we’re able to.

Camera

Cameras are another area where we haven’t had enough time to accurately access. We’ll continue our testing as time goes on and update this post as we come to a conclusion.

But for now, we’ll tell you that the Key2 is the first BlackBerry device to feature a dual camera setup. The rear of the device sees a dual 12 MP (f/1.8) + 12 MP (f/2.6) setup. The second lens is used to zoom instead of a monochrome or wide-angle lens as we’ve seen on other devices.

Early picture samples are just okay. There’s nothing too spectacular about the pictures here and we’d suggest looking elsewhere if you really want an out of this world camera. This will get the job done for those quick snaps you put up on social media or snapping a business card. Any more than that might be a bit of a struggle.

Software

The build quality is great and we enjoy the keyboard a lot, but where we really fall in love with the Key2 is the software. It ships with Android 8.1 out of the box with a planned upgrade to Android P. But, there’s no skin to be found. You just get stock Android 8.1 Oreo with a ton of really smart additions.

My favorite of which is the Hub. I monitor a ton of email addresses and social media accounts here at AndroidGuys and I’m now able to keep those separate from my personal emails and messages through the hub. I can switch between Work and Personal profiles to get notifications from email, Slack, Facebook Messenger, Hangouts, and pretty much any other communications app you can imagine.

BlackBerry also added two features I love to keep your content secure: Private Locker and Privacy Shade. Private Locker only works with a few apps like the camera or Firefox focus, and we’d love to see more added soon. Firefox Focus, for example, can only be accessed by using your fingerprint or password and then deletes your browsing history once you exit. You can also use the locker to store pictures you don’t want to be seen or downloaded files.

Privacy Shade blacks out most of the screen except for where you’re scrolling. This keeps prying eyes off your important content and makes sure your work stays your work. The shade is great, but BlackBerry was smart enough to add quick access to it too. All you have to do is pull down your notification shade and click on the Privacy Shade icon. It’s a really smart implementation that saves time when it counts.

Conclusion

And that’s the story of BlackBerry’s software on the Key2. It’s just smart. You can tell engineers and designers actually sat down and thought about what they were doing here. BB didn’t cram in every single feature it could think of just to sell a few more phones. It picked what it thought would make life easier for someone who doesn’t have time to screw around with their phone during the day.

I liken BlackBerry’s software to poker. It takes a minute to learn and forever to master. There are an insane amount of tricks and shortcuts that I’m still getting used to after a week of use and a reviewer’s guide sitting in front of me with all of them listed. Some are pretty standard like double clicking the power button to open the camera, but others aren’t. You can assign pretty much any physical key a shortcut. The notification shade drops with a press of the currency key. You can open up app widgets with just a swipe of an icon. And that’s just scratching the surface.

The BlackBerry Key2 isn’t going to be the phone for everyone. BlackBerry knows this and it’s not trying to be. It is targetting a small segment of Android users that want a physical keyboard and smart software features to make their jobs easier. I love the laser focus on that goal. If you work in sales, marketing, or other related jobs, this is absolutely the phone for you.

If you’re not that person, you might want to pass. The software additions will largely be lost on you and the media viewing experience is just not great. As we grow more and more attached to our phones each day, it’s important to have one that matches what you really want to do with it. If Netflix or YouTube are among your most used apps, maybe grab something else.

But it’s a powerful too for those its designed for. I’m still asking myself if I’m a faster typer with a physical keyboard. While that’s up for debate, what isn’t is that I’m much more accurate. The feeling of physical keys is so satisfying that I absolutely love to type here. I will intentionally pick up my phone to respond to messages instead of using the keyboard on my desk. It’s that much fun.

‘Hey, Google, what’s your deal?’ Bugs are plaguing Google Home users worldwide

If you’ve woken up to find your Google Home device isn’t working properly, then you’re not alone — users are being prevented from interacting with their Google-based smart devices, and no amount of resetting and tinkering with options is fixing the problem.

The problem seemingly began a few hours ago, and stops the user from completing any interaction with the device. According to a thread on the r/GoogleHome subreddit, Google Home, Google Home Mini, and Chromecast devices are affected, and the issues seem to extend worldwide, with problems having been reported in the United States, Brazil, and Indonesia, as well as other countries.

It’s pretty obvious if any of your devices are suffering from the problem. If using a Google Home, “hey, Google” commands are being followed by messages that the Home device is not yet set up, that a problem has been encountered, or a glitch occurred. If you’re using a Chromecast, you may find that it can no longer be found for streaming — as per numerous early complaints — or that it simply refuses to boot up.

The fact that the issue is worldwide and not linked to a specific region implies that something’s gone wrong on Google’s end. We can confirm that some of our Google Home devices have fallen prey to the bug, but it’s important to note that not all of them have been affected. One Reddit commenter suspects that a recent update to add Spanish may have caused the issue, and notes that their units were fine until the update dropped earlier.

The Made By Google Twitter account is currently being inundated with questions about the issue, and has put out the following statement that a fix is being worked on:

Hey there, thanks for reaching out ― we're already aware of this and are working on it. We'll keep you posted once we get a fix.

— Made by Google (@madebygoogle) June 27, 2018

The interconnectivity of various smart devices is something of an Achilles’ heel for many companies, as their nature means that one issue can ripple all the way through the ecosystem before anyone has the chance to notice it. Still, Google’s smart home devices have been relatively stable compared to Amazon’s Alexa, which recently told users “every time I close my eyes, all I see is people dying,” and has previously burst out laughing for no discernible reason.

We reached out to Google on this issue, and received the following from a Googe spokesperson: “We’re aware of an issue affecting some Google Home and Chromecast users. We’re investigating the issue and working on a solution.”

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Nvidia prototype graphics card sports 12GB of GDDR6 memory

Reddit

An image of what appears to be an Nvidia prototype graphics card has thrown more fuel on the fire of gamers everywhere who are still hoping for a next-generation Nvidia GPU before the end of the year. While it lacks a graphics processing core, the card does further back up earlier rumors that suggested GDDR6 memory would play a big role in whatever Nvidia has planned next.

The leaked image of the prototype Nvidia card showed up on Reddit from a user named “dustinbrooks.” While that original post has been deleted, it claimed that the board was an in-development Nvidia graphics card that was undergoing testing. It certainly appears to be a very-much unfinished product with several key aspects of a complete graphics card missing. What it does have though, gives us some intriguing hints about the future.

There are a total of 12 GDDR6 memory chips located around the missing GPU core. TechPowerUp translated their product codes to name them as Micron 8Gbit GDDR6 modules which are rated at a 14Gbps data rate. At 1GB per chip, that would suggest this card has 12GB of GDDR6 memory, though it’s certainly possible that the reverse side also has chips on for an expanded amount. The memory-bus is said to be 384-bit, which is a little wider than the current top-tier GTX 1080 Ti’s 352-bit bus. That, combined with the higher rated-speed of the GDDR6 memory would suggest that this card has a total memory bandwidth of 672 GBps — substantially more than the 1080Ti’s 484GBps.

Speculation about the size of the missing graphics chip suggests it is more likely to be a successor to the GP102 core found in the 1080Ti graphics card than the GV100 which is found in Nvidia’s Titan V and Quadro business-orientated cards.

Other details about the board are interesting, though less likely to make it through to a final card. There are three eight-pin power connectors, which as TechPowerUP highlights, suggests that this is a testing board with a much higher power draw than any kind of consumer card would have. The outcome of tests with this board, could provide the basis for whatever the eventual commercial card ends up being.

If you can’t wait for whatever Nvidia is working on, these are the best graphics cards you can buy right now.

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Samsung’s redesigned smartphone camera snaps better in low light

Building a camera sensor is a balance between resolution and low-light performance — too much of one, and the other suffers. But Samsung and Fujifilm recently worked together to develop a smartphone sensor that will allow for higher resolutions without suppressing low-light performance. On Tuesday, June 26, Samsung shared the ISOCELL Plus, a new CMOS sensor that the company says offers better low light performance with better color reproduction.

More megapixels means a higher resolution, but at the cost of low-light performance. Cramming so many pixels on a sensor that didn’t increase in size only makes each pixel smaller. Smaller pixels can’t gather as much light, so these high-resolution sensors tend to have lower quality low-light images.

To create a high resolution without having such a drastic effect on low light images, the ISOCELL Plus instead separates each pixel with a barrier. Containing that light within each pixel helps each one hold more light, increasing light sensitivity overall. Samsung says this results in a 15 percent improvement in capturing low-light shots. Bordering each pixel also helps prevent color bleed, creating better color in the image along with that improved sensitivity.

Earlier ISOCELL sensors, originally developed in 2013, also separated each pixel, but with a metal grid. The update uses a new material developed by Fujifilm. Unlike metal, this unnamed material doesn’t reflect or absorb light, leading to that improved low-light performance, better color, and sharper images.

Fujifilm cameras are known for the colors created from the company’s film simulation, but the technology isn’t a direct copy of the technology company’s existing mirrorless cameras. Fujifilm says the ISOCELL Plus is the first time the new material dividing each pixel has been commercialized. 

The new sensor design, Samsung says, will help improve the image quality coming from smartphones, including both high-resolution options and designs with larger pixels. “Through close collaboration with Fujifilm, an industry leader in imaging and information technology, we have pushed the boundaries of CMOS image sensor technology even further,” Ben Hur, vice president of System LSI marketing at Samsung Electronics, said in a press release. “The ISOCELL Plus will not only enable the development of ultra-high-resolution sensors with incredibly small pixel dimensions, but also bring performance advancements for sensors with larger pixel designs.”

The new sensor was unveiled just ahead of Mobile World Congress Shanghai, which runs from Wednesday, June 27, through Friday, June 29.

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Learn about the roots of the modern computing with the BBC’s free archive

The Computer Literacy Project archive offers full programs and pre-made clips for those with less time on their hands.

From an early ’80s look at 20th-century automation, to the ’90s perspective on the growth of computers in society, the BBC’s archive of several hundred classic documentaries is now free for anyone to access. Including interviews with visionary pioneers of the time like Bill Gates and Steve Wozniak, it’s hoped that the retro programming can help inspire future innovators and teach people young and old about where some of their most used modern technology came from.

The BBC has been a major component in driving digital innovation for decades, not only in its programming, but in encouraging home hardware hackers with the release of the BBC Micro in 1981 and more recently, the ARM-powered Micro Bit in 2016. The purpose of these programs was to encourage computer literacy among school-age children and to foster an interest in programming and electronics. The release of the archives of the BBC’s “Computer Literacy Project,” is another step on that road.

A total of 267 programs make up the archive and are freely available to stream online. Programs were originally broadcast between 1980 and 1992 and run the gamut from interviews with industry leaders, to insights into specific hardware like the BBC’s own Micro computer.

“This archive offers a fascinating and nostalgic glimpse into an important milestone in the history of computing,” said Matthew Postgate, the BBC’s chief technology and product officer, via BBC News. “The hardware may have changed, but the principles still apply — which also makes it a unique resource for teaching and learning that will hopefully encourage a new generation of computer users.”

To give modern viewers a better look at some of the software that was used on that particular platform, the new archive also allows visitors to run a number of BBC Micro programs within their browser. They are, understandably, basic by modern standards, but they include inputs to progress graphical interfaces, a breakdown of the chip manufacturing process from the time, and an outline of basic encryption algorithms. There are more than 160 in total to play around with and they are a great example of just how far we have come in the past four decades of computing.

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