‘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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• Nvidia’s mini supercomputer is the fastest single computer humanity has built
• Nvidia could debut GTX 11 Series graphics cards after September
• Nvidia’s next gaming cards could be the GTX 11 Series, pack GDDR6 memory

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.

Editors’ Recommendations

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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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Intel may debut a Core i9 desktop CPU for the general market in 2018

The summer is here, and that means Intel is gearing up to release high-end desktop processors for the mainstream market. These chips will essentially fall under Intel’s fourth wave of eighth-generation processors to be released during the third quarter of 2018. At the forefront of this desktop assault will supposedly be an eight-core chip currently listed as the Core i9-9900K.

This upcoming eight-core desktop CPU will be Intel’s second Core i9-branded processor released to the mainstream market, following the Core i9-8950HK six-core chip released for high-end laptops in April. Prior to these two processors, Intel released four seventh-generation super-high-end Core i9 processors in the third quarter of 2017 packing between 10 and 16 cores for PC gamers and enthusiasts.  

But here we see Intel pushing an eight-core chip into the mainstream market. When Intel launched its eighth-generation desktop processors in October 2017, the company boasted about how it brought a six-core chip to the mainstream market while AMD already topped that count with its eight-core Ryzen chips months prior. Intel now appears to be catching up with its upcoming Core i9-9900K desktop CPU. 

Here are the rumored processors in Intel’s next eighth-generation wave. Note that there currently is no Core i3 part listed with these CPUs, but Intel may stagger its launch similar to what it did with the Core i3-8130U for laptops in February: 

• Core i9-9900K — 8 cores — 16 threads 
• Core i7-9700K — 6 cores — 12 threads 
• Core i5-9600K — 6 cores — 6 threads 

Joining this trio will be the Z390 chipset for motherboards. Previous rumors indicated that the Z390 would be a rebranding of the Z370, but the latest information tagging along with the Core i9-9900K indicates otherwise. The Z390 chipset will be based on the current Z370 but supposedly add a few additional features such as Intel Wireless AC and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, support for up to six USB 3.1 Gen2 ports (10Gbps), and more. Other features include support for up to 10 USB 3.1 Gen1 ports (5Gbps), support for up to 24 PCI Express 3.0 lanes, support for six SATA 3 ports, and so on. 

Intel’s first wave of eighth-generation processors was actually based on a tweaked seventh-generation design. These four processors targeted ultra-thin laptops in August 2017 while Intel waited to release its true eighth-generation processor design in six desktop CPUs in late September 2017. Intel’s third wave focused on high-performance laptops in April and introduced the company’s first Core i9 product to the mainstream laptop audience. Now Intel is focusing on the mainstream desktop once more and will likely follow that fourth wave with super high-end X-Series chips for PC gamers and enthusiasts before the end of 2018. 

Meanwhile, AMD tweaked its Zen processor core design and released a second-generation batch of desktop processors in April. There are four in total: Two Ryzen 7 chips with eight cores and 16 threads, and two Ryzen 5 chips with six cores and 12 threads. AMD’s super high-end Ryzen Threadripper desktop processors for enthusiasts and PC gamers are expected to launch in the third quarter of 2018 packing up to 32 cores, if not more. 

Editors’ Recommendations

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• Intel’s Core i9 for laptops is great, but it’s not a true Core i9
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Samsung Galaxy Note 9 event set for August 9 in New York City

S Pen teaser tells us exactly what this is about.

Well, it’s official: the Galaxy Note 9 is coming on August 9, 2018. At least that’s what we’re expecting given the history of Samsung’s announcement schedule and the leaks we’ve seen. The company has just sent out invitations to a Galaxy Unpacked event, taking place on August 9 in New York City — which aligns closely with previous Note announcements. The timing is a little earlier than last year, but this August 9 date was also previously rumored. The Note 8 was announced on August 23, while the Note 7 actually announced earlier, on August 2.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 rumors: Release date, specs, price, and features!

In typical fashion the invitation has a relatively nondescript tight-in shot of some part of a device to let us all speculate about just what it could be. This time, it’s a very close-up shot — unlike previous teases we really don’t get any indication of what part of the phone we’re looking at or even what direction it’s facing. My best guess is that this is actually just the recessed pad portion of an S Pen. If you have a Note nearby, pull out the S Pen and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.

Now that we have a date set, is the Note 9 hype in full effect? Do you have any better theories about what the image above is showing? Let’s get this discussion going in the comments!

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 rumors: Release date, specs, price, and features!
• Is it best to buy the Galaxy S9 or wait for the Note 9?
• Do you plan on upgrading to the Note 9?
• Galaxy Note 8 review
• Join our Galaxy Note 9 forums

Samsung will stop giving out points for using Bixby

The service is officially ending on August 10.

One way that Samsung’s tried to encourage people to put up with Bixby’s various shortcomings and use it anyways has been through the My Bixby Level program. By using Bixby to ask about the weather, create new commands, send texts, etc., users can earn XP that can then be redeemed for new Bixby Home background colors and Samsung Pay points. Unfortunately, on August 10, the program will be shutting down for good.

Under the Notices tab in the Bixby app, Samsung recently issued the following statement:

We are sorry to inform you that My Bixby Level service and related contents will no longer be available as of August 10th, 2018. We appreciate your support for My Bixby Level service.

Any background colors you’ve already unlocked will still be available to use, and while it’s unclear at the moment, it’s expected that Samsung may open these up to everyone.

While those backgrounds are a nice touch, the real draw for a lot of people (including myself) are those Samsung Pay points. The points can be used to enter giveaways and redeem gift cards, and while earning them does take a bit of grinding, it’s a nice excuse to give Bixby a try every now and then.

Will you keep using Bixby once August 10 rolls around?

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Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

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Almost every capacity of the Samsung 860 EVO SSD is down to a new low price

Speed, stability, and fantastically low prices.

The Samsung 860 EVO 500GB solid state drive is down to its lowest price ever on Amazon at $113.89. This SSD was selling around $130 at the beginning of June and has been spiraling downward ever since.

The 500GB is just the start, though. The 1TB is down to $237.99 compared to the $250 deal we shared just a couple weeks ago. The 2TB is at $499.99, which is $30 off its street price, and the 4TB is at $999.99, which is $100 off. All of these prices are lows we haven’t seen from anyone else outside of rare one-time use eBay coupons.

At this price, the 860 EVO is actually cheaper than the older version, the 850 EVO. We’ve already outlined the major differences between the 860 lineup and the 850, so be sure to check that out. The 860 has read/write speeds of 550 MB/s and 520 MB/s respectively. It is powered by Samsung’s most advanced V-NAND technology. It is compatible with Mac, Windows, and Linux, and it comes with a five-year warranty. Users give it 4.7 stars based on 720 reviews.

See on Amazon

BlackBerry KEY2: Everything you need to know

Like the BlackBerry KEYone? You’re going to love the KEY2 😍

Following a heap of rumors and leaks, BlackBerry finally unveiled the highly-anticipated KEY2 on June 7, 2018. The KEY2 is a direct successor to last year’s KEYone and retains the same general design while offering upgraded specs across the board.

There’s a lot to unpack with the KEY2, so let’s go ahead and get into it.

Read our full review!

The KEY2 doesn’t do too much that’s different to the KEYone, but it improves everything in either minor or major ways. Three areas, in particular, get focus: performance, keyboard quality, and design.

There’s no doubt that the KEY2 is a faster, better-looking version of its predecessor, but how do things like the camera, battery, and typing experience hold up in day-to-day use?

For the full lowdown on the KEY2, check out Daniel’s review! 👇

BlackBerry KEY2 review: Just my type

See how it compares to the KEYone

The BlackBerry KEYone was no slouch of a phone, but with the KEY2, BlackBerry made upgrades in just about every area imaginable.

Between higher-end specs, the addition of dual cameras, improved keyboard, and more, the KEY2 is a better gadget in just about every regard.

However, if you already shelled out $550 for the KEYone last year, is it really worth spending another $650 this year? Let Daniel help you out with that dilemma in the comparison below 👇

BlackBerry KEY2 vs. BlackBerry KEYone: Should you upgrade?

The design is mostly the same

One of the main reasons the KEYone stood out so much was thanks to its productivity-focused design. Instead of releasing a glass, all-screen slab like so many other companies, BlackBerry kicked out a chunky, physical keyboard-touting phone.

With the KEY2, that theme is present once again.

The KEY2 measures in at 151.4 mm x 71.8mm x 8.5mm, making it taller, yet thinner, than the KEYone. The screen is once again a 4.5-inch panel with a 1620 x 1080 resolution, and the 3:2 aspect ratio makes a return, too.

You’ve got access to 35 backlit keys on the physical keyboard, and similar to the KEYone, the spacebar doubles as an integrated fingerprint sensor.

It’s got more RAM and a faster processor, but the battery is slightly smaller

Although the KEY2 may look similar to the KEYone on the outside, it’s got a lot of improvements under the hood.

Last year’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor and measly 3GB RAM have been replaced with a Snapdragon 660 and impressive 6GB RAM. You also have your choice between 64 or 128GB of internal storage, both of which can be upgraded to 256GB via a microSD card.

The battery is ever-so-slightly smaller at 3,500 mAh compared to the KEYone’s 3,505 mAh unit, but thanks to the power-sipping nature of the 660, the KEY2 should still be a battery champ.

BlackBerry KEY2 and 6GB of RAM: Why it’s a big deal

BlackBerry steps up to dual cameras

The single 12MP rear camera on the KEYone was fine. It had the capacity to take decent photos, but often struggled in low-light and produced very shakey 4K video.

You don’t buy BlackBerry phones for their excellent cameras, but this is another area where the KEY2 should offer some serious improvements.

Around back, BlackBerry’s outfitted the KEY2 with dual 12MP sensors. The primary one features a large 1.28um pixel size with f/1.8 aperture while the secondary one touts a 1.0um pixel size and f/2.6 aperture. You can record video in 4K at 30 FPS, dual-tone flash helps to brighten dark scenes, and there’s Phase Detection Autofocus.

In regards to the selfie camera, you’re looking at an 8MP sensor that’s capable of recording 1080p video at 30 FPS.

You’ll need to cough up $650 to own one

As you’d expect, the KEY2’s many enhancements have resulted in a steeper price tag compared to last year’s model.

While the KEYone started out at $550 in the U.S., the KEY2 is $100 more expensive at $650. Elsewhere, the KEY2 will cost €649 EU, £579 GB, and $829 CDN.

Specifics on the U.S. release are still up in the air, but BlackBerry’s since confirmed that the KEY2 is coming to Canadian retailers and carriers in July.

Where to buy the BlackBerry KEY2

BlackBerry KEY2

• BlackBerry KEY2 review
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• Join our BlackBerry KEY2 forums!

BlackBerry

Updated June 27, 2018: Added our full review of the KEY2.

The tendrils of media control [#acpodcast]

Android Central’s resident music streaming expert, Ara Wagoner, joins Daniel Bader and Jerry Hildenbrand to talk about YouTube Premium, YouTube Music, and what features they provide.

They also discuss AT&T’s purchase of Time Warner for $85 billion and the potential for abuse by controlling the content and the pipe.

Listen now

• Subscribe in iTunes: Audio
• Subscribe in RSS: Audio
• Download directly: Audio

Show Notes and Links:

• What is YouTube Premium?
• YouTube Music review: A mixtape full of promise
• YouTube Music: Everything you need to know
• YouTube Music vs. Google Play Music: Which should you use?
• Here’s are all the features YouTube Music is still missing
• AT&T has officially purchased Time Warner for $85 billion
• AT&T’s new ‘WatchTV’ skinny bundle is available — here’s what you need to know

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