Fitbit has quietly added a major feature to its Charge 5 activity tracker, and it’s all about tracking your phone, not you.
The latest firmware version, 57.20001.171.50, released on Tuesday, adds the ability to ping your paired smartphone and make it make a loud noise in order to find it. After using the Find Phone button, tapping the Cancel prompt on Fitbit Charge 5 will stop the noise.
The feature isn’t new to Fitbit, but it was previously exclusive to the company’s smartwatches, such as the Versa and Sense lines. Of course, using the feature requires the phone to be paired via Bluetooth, within close range of the watch, and the Fitbit app running in the background. The Find Phone feature should work on any phone that supports the Fitbit app.
Quietly add utilities
While it’s odd that Fitbit, now owned by Google, isn’t hyping the Charge 5’s newfound phone-finding feature, it’s the only notable feature in this firmware update. Fitbit’s own line of Versa smartwatches sell for similar prices, so the company may not have announced the feature loudly because it didn’t want to cannibalize Versa sales.
Still, the feature does add more utility to an already value-oriented fitness tracker (compared to finding a misplaced iPhone), and provides another option for those who don’t want a full-featured smartwatch A way to find a misplaced smartphone. Fitbit also has the benefit of not being locked into a particular ecosystem. Samsung and Apple Watches have similar features, but they only work with Samsung and Apple phones, respectively.
After teasing clues about the date of its next big hardware reveal on social media on Tuesday, Samsung confirmed that its next Unpacked event is set for August 10.
The event invite shown above shows a Z Flip foldable phone, which seems to back up what previous whistleblower Evan Blass had hinted at: the Unpacked event will focus on Samsung‘s foldable phone. Specifically, it may reveal the successor to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and clamshell-style Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, which will be launched in August 2021.
Don’t expect much progress from Samsung‘s next foldable. Rumors have suggested that the tablet-sized Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 could have a new hinge and slimmer construction, but a jury of leakers has yet to determine whether it will include an S Pen slot like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Other rumors predict a faster Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus chipset powering the foldable device, as well as an under-display camera appearing on the outer display to complement the one on the inner screen.
According to other rumors, the compact-looking Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 could get a larger cover display, which could make it more useful for reading notifications and previewing selfie photos.
Even if the new foldable has only incremental spec upgrades, the biggest improvement might be the price. The Galaxy Fold 3 starts at $1,800 (£1,599, AU$2,499) cheaper than its predecessor, still around double the price of most high-end smartphones. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 sells for a staggering $1,000 (£949, AU$1,499), or close to the price of the iPhone 13 Pro, making it the most affordable foldable to date and a viable alternative to standard phablet smartphones.
But analyst Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants, predicts that the upcoming Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 could be cheaper, tweeting that Samsung has ramped up production and the number of new foldables made That’s double what it was last year, which points to a possible price cut.
Regardless, we expect the new foldables to sell well, as the Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 sold more in their launch month than in all of 2020. With more than 7 million foldables sold in 2021, Samsung is in a strong position to continue to dominate the niche foldable market, which is expected to grow to over 27 million by 2025.
Samsung may have other products to go with the foldable, most likely the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5. Rumors suggest that the next-gen line of premium smartwatches could feature a body temperature sensor and longer battery life, as well as an updated design. Hopefully it also fixes a glaring flaw in the Galaxy Watch 4 — no iPhone support — and better integration with Wear OS 3, as we felt last year’s watch was pulled between Google and Samsung’s ecosystems.
There are other things Samsung could show off, like Galaxy Buds 2 earbuds, a tablet or a laptop successor, but we haven’t heard a lot of rumors suggesting that either of those could be coming. Still, it’s easy to be surprised by the long-awaited foldable.
Rumors about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S23 series are heating up. The future looks pretty bright for Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S23 Ultra flagship, which is ready to feature a massive 200MP camera. Now a new leak suggests that the specific camera sensor the phone will use has not been released by the company.
This differs from earlier rumors that Samsung may use its ISOCELL HP 1 or HP 3 sensor for the 200MP sensor. Samsung introduces ISOCELL HP 3 sensor. But recently, news broke that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra could skip this new camera.
Now, a tweet from reliable leaker Ice Universe claims that the S23 Ultra will feature a 200MP camera, but that sensor has yet to be announced.
This could be good news for the upcoming Samsung flagships. Samsung’s HP 3 is a mid-range sensor, while the HP 1 is a larger, more refined sensor expected to debut on Motorola’s X30 Pro or Motorola Edge 30 Ultra. In order to do better than the competition, Samsung may have another sensor planned for its own flagship. While it’s hard to guess the specs of the sensor, it could also mean the new sensor will outperform Motorola’s 200MP phone.
More megapixels = better phone?
Motorola may be the first company to launch a phone with a 200MP camera. To get to 200MP, Motorola recently posted a photo taken on its X30 Pro. According to Ice Universe’s tweet, the Motorola 200MP photo was taken with pixel binning enabled.
Pixel binning is great for phones that are steadily climbing the megapixel ladder. This means that 200MP footage can easily be compressed into a super high resolution 20MP footage.
200MP in the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or Motorola X30 Pro is nothing new. Over the past few years, companies have been upping their megapixels. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has a 108MP main camera, the Pixel 6 has a 50MP main sensor, and the iPhone 14 Pro has a 48MP main camera. But while more megapixels might be great for marketing a new phone, does that necessarily mean better images?
The answer is – not necessarily. More megapixels means sharper images, not really “better” images. Pixel size is important because it determines how much data the sensor can receive, but other factors are equally important. This is why 108MP photos are not necessarily better than 12MP photos. After all, the 12MP iPhone 13 Pro Max currently tops our list of the best camera phones.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 has a top-notch 108MP camera that usually takes stunning photos — but there’s still some leeway for tweaking in terms of color and handling challenging photography scenarios. According to leaks, Samsung has a new sensor for a 200MP camera on the S23 Ultra, and it appears to have big plans for its flagship phone, which will be launched early next year.
Nothing Phone (1) is a powerful, good-looking mid-range Android phone. So how does it compare to Apple’s equivalent, the iPhone SE?
Nothing founder Carl Pei went head-to-head with Apple when it launched the first Nothing Phone, claiming that it and other tech giants are no longer innovating, and that Phone (1) is unique and unlike anything we’ve seen before. So, let’s put this claim to the test.
In this comparison, we compare Nothing Phone (1) to the iPhone SE 3. They’re nearly the same price; we’ll compare the two devices based on their build, cameras, memory, battery, performance, and display. Let’s have a look!
Dimensions and build quality
Without phone (1): 159.2 x 75.8 x 8.3 mm; 193.5 g; IP53 dust and water resistant
iPhone SE 3: 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm; 144 g; IP67 dust and water resistant
iPhone SE 3 is smaller, thinner and lighter than Nothing Phone (1). The former has the same design as the iPhone 8, which means it has curved edges, an aluminum frame, huge bezels, and weaker glass protection. But at least you get an excellent IP67 dust and water resistance rating.
The fan-favorite Glyph interface LED on the back looks cool, but isn’t necessary from a purely functional standpoint. Neither device has an audio jack.
iPhone SE 3: Apple A15 Bionic; 5nm manufacturing; Apple 4-core GPU
In terms of performance, the 5nm A15 Bionic chip on the iPhone SE 3 handily beats the 6nm Snapdragon 778+ chip on the Nothing Phone (1). For reference, the former scores over 700K on AnTuTu (v9), while the latter scores around 530K on the same benchmark.
Nothing Phone (1) won’t give you the same functionality, although it’s not a weak chip by any means. The Snapdragon 778G+ is well known among Android enthusiasts for its stable performance, high energy efficiency, and virtually no throttling.
camera
No phone (1): 50MP f/1.9 main resolution, 4K video with OIS, PDAF, and 30fps; 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (114-degree FoV); Front: 16MP f/2.5, 1080p video, 30fps.
iPhone SE 3: 12MP f/1.8 main, 4K video with OIS, PDAF, and 60fps; front: 7MP f/2.2, 1080p video, 120fps
Both phones feature optical image stabilization for crisp photos.
iPhone SE 3: 4.7 inches; Retina IPS LCD; 60Hz refresh rate; 750 x 1334 resolution; 16:9 aspect ratio; 326 PPI; 625 nits brightness; 65.4% screen-to-body ratio
If we compare the displays, Nothing Phone (1) is the clear winner. It has a 6.55-inch adaptive 120Hz FHD OLED display with HDR10+ color and 1200 nits of peak brightness. It also has uniform bezels we’ve never seen on even the best mid-range Android phones.
RAM and storage
No phone (1): 8/12GB RAM; 128GB/256GB storage
iPhone SE 3: 4GB RAM; 64GB/128GB/256GB storage
You probably already know that iPhones are more efficient at RAM management, so don’t need it like Android phones. While this is true, the 4GB RAM you get on the iPhone SE 3 will still be lower than the 8GB RAM you get on the Nothing Phone (1).
Software excellence can only mask hardware flaws for so long. Multitasking would be easier on the Nothing Phone (1); that phone also has 128GB of storage on the base model, but the iPhone SE 3 starts at 64GB, and the 128GB version costs $479.
Battery
No phone (1): 4500mAh battery; 33W fast wired charging, 15W wireless charging; 5W reverse wireless charging
iPhone SE 3: 2018mAh battery; 20W fast wired charging; 7.5W Qi wireless charging
Similar to the last point, iPhones consume less battery than Android phones, but the 2018mAh battery you get on the iPhone SE 3 will drain quickly, despite its efficiency, especially when you’re gaming. Thankfully, you get fast 20W wired and 7.5W wireless charging support.
In comparison, the 4500mAh battery on the Nothing Phone (1) lasts significantly longer and supports faster 33W wired and 15W wireless charging, as well as 5W reverse wireless charging.
iPadOS 16 brings some new features, especially for M1 iPad users. The public beta is now available, and if you’re wondering how to get the most out of the upcoming operating system and whether it’s worth upgrading to the M1 iPad Air or M1 iPad Pro, here’s what’s exclusive to them on iPadOS 16.
Stage manager stars as iPadOS 16 and M1 iPad users
Stage Manager will only work with M1 iPad Air and M1 iPad Pro. Here’s what you can do with this iPadOS 16 feature:
1. Resizable windows: Resize windows so they fit your task;
2. Center app: focus on the app you’re using without going full screen;
3. Quick access to windows and applications: the window of the application you are working on is highlighted in the center, and other applications are listed on the left in order of most recent use;
4. Overlapping windows: Create overlapping windows of different sizes in a single view, giving you control over arranging the ideal workspace;
5. Group apps together: Drag and drop windows from the side or open apps from the Dock to create sets of apps you can go back to at any time.
External monitor support for M1 iPad users running iPadOS 16
Another great feature for M1 iPad users running iPadOS 16 is the ability to get proper external display support.
As Apple explains, the iPad Pro with the M1 chip fully supports external displays with resolutions up to 6K, which means you can use different apps on the iPad and the external display. Running iPadOS 16, you can also:
Access apps on an external display: Access your favorite apps and your recent apps from the Dock, or use the App Library to find the apps you want faster;
Drag and drop between iPad and external display: M1 iPad users running iPadOS 16 can drag and drop files and windows from their iPad Pro to an external display and vice versa.
The 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro gets its own exclusive features on iPadOS 16
Even if you own an M1 iPad, that doesn’t mean you’ll have every feature available on iPadOS 16, as Apple saved one feature to the larger iPad with the new display mode:
Reference Mode: Enables the 12.9-inch iPad Pro with Liquid Retina XDR display to provide reference colors for popular color standards and video formats;
Reference Mode with Sidecar: Use your iPad Pro as a secondary reference display for your Mac.
The 2020 iPad Pro and iPad Air 4 could have their spotlight time too
Exclusive accessibility features for Magnifier on 2020 iPad Pro users or newer iPadOS 16 only:
Detection Mode in Magnifier: Get rich descriptions of your surroundings with a new Magnifier mode that includes door detection, person detection, and image description;
Door Detection in Magnifier: Find a door, read signs or labels around it, and get instructions on how to open the door.
Last but not least, if you have an iPad Air 4 or M1 iPad Pro with 256GB of storage, you can take advantage of this feature on iPadOS 16:
Virtual Memory Swap: iPad storage can be used to expand the available memory for all apps and provide up to 16 GB of memory for the most demanding apps.
These are the features available to M1 iPad users on iPadOS 16. The upcoming iPad OS will be available to everyone in a few months, but you can take advantage of the public beta right now.
Google’s Pixel 6A is coming, and it puts the best of Google’s Pixel 6 into a smaller, cheaper phone. Google’s $449 (£399, AU$749) Pixel 6A, which launches on July 28, will be a step up from Apple’s $429 iPhone SE. The cheaper Android 12 phone will keep the same Tensor chip as the $599 Pixel 6 — just like the iPhone SE contains Apple’s latest A15 Bionic chip — and put it in a slightly smaller phone with a camera Older Pixel phones, like the 2020 Pixel 5A.
The Pixel 6A still includes many of the exclusive features offered by Google‘s Tensor chip, including a magic eraser that lets you remove people or objects from your photos. Let’s take a look at some of its key differences, including its screen, design, camera, and software.
screen and design
When it comes to what the Pixel 6A looks like, you might confuse it with the more expensive Pixel 6. Both phones feature a dual-tone design on the back, flanked by a camera bar. The camera bar on the 6A is as striking as the Pixel 6 was when it debuted in November.
The phone sits on the front of the 6A and includes a 6.1-inch OLED 1080p screen with a locked 60Hz refresh rate. That’s slightly smaller than the Pixel 6’s 6.4-inch OLED 1080p screen, which can run at 60Hz or 90Hz. In terms of materials, the Pixel 6A’s screen will cover Corning’s legacy Gorilla Glass 3 instead of Corning’s new Gorilla Glass Victus on the Pixel 6.
The phone also includes an in-screen fingerprint reader, and while we haven’t gotten our hands on the phone yet, it’s rumored to be faster than the Pixel 6’s. While it doesn’t affect the look of the phone, the Pixel 6A doesn’t have wireless charging on its body, and the Pixel 6 does include it.
camera
Perhaps the biggest difference between the Pixel 6A and the Pixel 6 is its camera. While the Pixel 6 featured a 50-megapixel wide camera and a 12.2-megapixel ultra-wide camera, the Pixel 6A will include a 12-megapixel wide camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera. That’s not a bad thing, as this setup largely mirrors the cameras included in the Pixel 5A. Both the Pixel 6A and Pixel 6 include the same 8-megapixel front-facing camera
The Pixel 6A will also take advantage of its Tensor chip to enhance photos, including its Real Tone skin tone feature, Face Unblur to sharpen otherwise blurry images, Night Sight for photography in darker locations, and Magic Eraser, which will be an update to allow the color of objects within the photo to be adjusted.
The Android 12 implementation of the Pixel 6A will come with many of these camera features, which will largely mirror the Pixel 6.
software
The Pixel 6A and Pixel 6 will be largely identical in terms of software, with both phones running Android 12 and its Material You color customization. The Pixel 6A will also join the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro as one of the first phones to be updated to Android 13, which will be released publicly later this year.
One hardware-related note that can affect multitasking: The Pixel 6A includes 6GB of RAM, while the Pixel 6 includes 8GB. For most people, 6GB will be plenty of memory for everyday tasks, but it’s worth mentioning that the Pixel 6 should be able to handle a little more.
A sudden PC shutdown is often a symptom of a power problem and can be very frustrating. This could cause you to lose whatever you were working on, but it could also be a sign of damage to the computer itself. Usually, when a computer shuts down on its own, it’s due to power, malware, overheating, or driver issues. Let’s take a look at the specific reasons that may appear below!
tip
Usually, when a computer shuts down on its own, it’s due to power, malware, overheating, or driver issues.
power supply
Behind the case where the power cord actually connects to the computer is the power supply, which is a small box with a fan. When the power supply goes bad, it causes your computer to shut down. While you can replace the power supply yourself, do not attempt to turn it on. Even if it’s unplugged or fails, it can still carry a lethal charge.
overheat
Computers have heat sinks and fans to keep the central processing unit (CPU) cool, but if the CPU overheats, the computer will shut down to prevent further damage. Adding thermal paste between the CPU and its heatsink helps prevent overheating, just like cooling systems like fans or water cooling. Dust and pet hair can be drawn into the computer case and block airflow, causing the CPU to overheat. Keep the inside of the computer clean by blowing out any foreign objects with compressed air.
malicious software
Viruses, Trojan horses, and worms operate exactly according to their program, and some are created to shut down your computer, like the Sasser worm, which initiates a shutdown sequence of an infected computer every time you start your computer. A severe malware infection can cause a computer to shut down due to overworked CPU. Malware that causes the shutdown sequence to start may require professional cleaning, as traditional virus scans are interrupted by computer shutdowns.
mistake
Software bugs and hardware driver issues are also causes of computer shutdowns. Depending on the type of error, the computer may have to reset itself to recover, or you may need to update hardware drivers. Starting your computer in Safe Mode will allow you to determine if this is the cause, as Safe Mode runs only the core hardware and software loaded at startup. If the computer is running in safe mode, a software application or driver might be the culprit.
Hardware components can also fail, such as memory (RAM), motherboard, or video card.
Apple’s AirPods Pro are one of the best wireless earbuds you can buy. With great sound quality, excellent active noise cancellation, and a compact design, AirPods Pro set the tone for premium wireless earbuds that quickly evolved into the everyday device of many Apple enthusiasts. But even great headphones are prone to issues, and if you’ve been using them for a while, sometimes your AirPods might have some issues.
Knowing how to reset your AirPods is a useful tip, whether you want to restart your AirPods or sell them before a deal. good news? It’s an easy process that you can learn in just a few minutes, and the same steps apply whether you have the original AirPods, AirPods 2, AirPods 3, or noise-cancelling AirPods Pro.
How to factory reset AirPods or AirPods Pro
1. Put your AirPods in the charging case and make sure the lid is closed.
2. After 30 seconds, open the cover to connect your iPhone or iPad. On either device, go to Settings > Bluetooth , then tap the blue i icon next to AirPods. (If you don’t see your AirPods in Settings > Bluetooth, go to the next step.)
3. Tap Forget this device, then tap Confirm again.
4. Now that your AirPods are forgotten, open the lid, press and hold the button on the back of the case for about 15 seconds, or until the status light flashes amber, then turns white.
If you are using an Android phone, the first two steps are the same, then:
3. Go to Settings, then Connected Devices and tap the gear icon next to AirPods or AirPods Pro.
4. Now, tap Forget and then Forget Device to confirm.
After resetting your AirPods, the earbuds will no longer automatically recognize the device associated with your iCloud account. Opening the AirPods case near your iOS device will start the setup process as if you were using it for the first time.
We’ve been hearing rumors of iPads with OLED screens for quite some time now, and the rumors are likely to persist for a while, with a new report suggesting we won’t see an OLED iPad until at least 2024.
While this isn’t the first time we’ve heard of that year, its persistence in rumors and leaks has led people to believe it’s an accurate time frame. However, according to ETNews, which sounds like progress is being made – the latest source to claim that OLED iPads will arrive in 2024 – Apple has already started producing final prototypes of these devices.
If accurate, Apple could potentially have an OLED iPad on the market by 2024, however, the company is reportedly conducting more stringent than usual display testing on the unannounced device; Strict quality standards.
ETNews also claims that Apple is using a dry etching process on these OLED panels to make them as thin and light as possible, which in turn should help make the entire iPad lighter than the current model.
If you’re worried about the thin screen being fragile, don’t worry, Apple has apparently taken that into consideration as well. The company is said to be developing “special coatings” to improve the durability of the display. Those are two upgrades we’re likely to see from an OLED iPad, the other one expected to improve image quality.
Analysis: Why switch to OLED?
The ability to make screens thinner and devices lighter isn’t OLED’s main advantage, but an upgrade in image quality.
ETNews mentions image improvement as one of Apple’s areas of focus, but doesn’t elaborate. Thankfully, there are already plenty of existing OLED devices on the market — including the iPhone 13 lineup — which gives us a glimpse into the OLED iPad‘s improvements over existing models.
These include better contrast, improved viewing angles, and reduced battery drain when paired with dark wallpapers and themes; because pixels are lit individually.
On paper, using LCD technology has some advantages over OLED, such as better overall brightness, but in practice most of the brightest smartphone screens happen to take advantage of OLED technology.
For now, the standout exception in the mobile space is the mini-LED-based panel used by the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021), which offers close to OLED benefits but no downsides.
It does mean that Apple will likely continue to use mini-LED displays on its best iPads, while models that currently rely on IPS LCD panels will benefit from the OLED upgrade.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 will get some new features in the coming months, including a full QWERTY keyboard similar to the Apple Watch Series 7. The company said Tuesday that the upgrades are part of Samsung’s One UI Watch 4.5 software, which will be available in the third quarter of this year. It will work on the Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, and upcoming Galaxy Watch models.
The biggest addition appears to be the new QWERTY keyboard, which Samsung says will be an option to work with the current dictation and handwriting capabilities. You can also switch between different types of input methods when writing sentences, just like with Apple Watch Series 7.
Samsung also added more accessibility features to the Galaxy Watch 4. Updates will include expanded options to adjust display colors and contrast, as well as options to reduce blurring effects and remove animations. Hearing Aid can balance the sound between the left and right ears when using headphones.
More watch face customization options are also coming to the Galaxy Watch. Samsung says you’ll be able to duplicate the watch face and adjust its color, allowing you to basically wear different versions of the same watch face. Dual SIM support will also be available when the update is released, and Samsung says more features will be announced.
According to the International Data Corporation, as of the first quarter of 2022, Samsung was the second largest wearable device maker in the world. During this period, it captured 10.3% of the global market, but Apple took the top spot with a 30.5% share.
Samsung‘s announcement comes as the company is expected to unveil its next-generation Galaxy Watch in August. Rumor has it that Samsung will release two versions of the watch: the Galaxy Watch 5 and the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which will replace the current “classic” model. The addition of a body temperature sensor and a larger battery are expected to be the biggest improvements.
Apple also just launched a public beta of its upcoming Apple Watch WatchOS 9 software this week. The update, due to be officially released in the fall, will bring improved sleep monitoring, more in-depth runner metrics, and a new app for tracking medications. Like Samsung, Apple is also expected to release a new version of the Apple Watch called the Series 8 in the coming months.
