Category: news

Microsoft Surface Pro 9: What you might want to know

After a few years of minor upgrades, Microsoft is releasing the Windows 2-in-1 that many people want in 2021. The Surface Pro 8 features a host of upgrades over its predecessor, including a larger 120Hz display, narrow bezels, longer battery life, and an improved camera. We also got regular processor upgrades, while it was one of the first devices to run Windows 11 out of the box. But assuming Microsoft reverts to its traditional update cycle, we expect the Surface Pro 9 to launch by 2022.

When will the Surface Pro 9 be released?
Microsoft has yet to confirm the existence of a Surface Pro 8 successor, let alone any potential release date. No other rumors so far, our best guesses come from the release date or previous entries:
Surface Pro 8 – October 2021
Surface Pro 7+ (for business and education) – January 2021
Surface Pro 7 – October 2019
Surface Pro 6 – October 2018
Surface Pro 5 – June 2017

What specs and new features will Surface Pro 9 have?
Microsoft only launched the Surface Pro 8 for business in January 2021, with a new, slightly pricier 4G/LTE model. While the Pro 9 may be in development at the time of writing, there are no concrete rumors so far.

But unless Microsoft surprises us with bigger changes, we have a pretty good idea of ​​what to expect. The most likely upgrade is a move to Intel’s new 12th-gen CPUs — possibly again with a choice between an i5 and an i7. Given that the Ryzen 6000 series was also launched at CES 2022, it’s nice to see an option for AMD chips on the Surface Pro, but there’s no indication that’s happening anytime soon.

Assuming the Pro 8 moves to Alder Lake processors, its new hybrid architecture includes specific cores for performance and power efficiency. The latter should be good for battery life, so Microsoft can claim more than the “up to 16 hours” you’ll get from the Pro 8 from a single charge. If the battery capacity is also increased, we could see some significant improvements in battery life.

The Surface Pro is Microsoft’s most likely Windows device to move to 5G. The technology will be widely adopted across a range of mobile devices by the end of 2022, so it makes sense to see it make its way to Microsoft’s premium 2-in-1s.

Both USB-C ports on the Surface Pro 8 support Thunderbolt 4 for fast data transfers, but it still uses the proprietary Surface Connect. This magnetic charging system tends to be more frustrating than useful, so hopefully Microsoft will drop it in favor of USB-C charging on the Pro 9. You can’t go wrong with adding some extra ports.

The 13-inch, 2880×1920 display is unlikely to change, especially since Microsoft introduced a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate on the Pro 8. No need for higher resolutions, but if the PixelSense (LCD) screen is at a point. This will pave the way for the addition of an in-display fingerprint sensor, but there’s no indication it’ll make it to the Pro 9.

Surface Pro 9 previews so far have been largely based on speculation, but leaks and rumours may not be far off.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Microsoft battery

Phone not charging? It might help to try this simple toothpick trick first!

 There are many reasons why your iPhone or Android phone might no longer charge—from rusted charging ports to damaged cables. But a common problem is that your charging port, whether it’s Lightning on the iPhone 13 or USB-C on phones like the Google Pixel 6 Pro, gets clogged with dirt and the cable doesn’t plug all the way in. Let’s take a look at the reasons and solutions below!

Why is my charging port blocked?

The phone’s charging ports don’t have protective covers, which means they’re exposed to every bit of dust, grime, and debris they come across. But those tiny bits of dust and lint can build up over the months or years you own your phone, pressing together every time you plug in the charging cable until it forms a solid barrier to your charger from fully entering and allowing it to connect and Charge. If your phone is more than six months old and you’re gradually finding that the charger is becoming more and more unstable, there’s a good chance that dirt on your port is the culprit.

How to Clean Your Phone’s Charging Port

Unclogging your phone port is an easy task. You’ll need a cocktail stick, toothpick, or other small item that can be inserted into the port to scrape off grime. Wood or plastic is better because it’s less likely to scratch anything inside and possibly cause injury.

Insert the tool of your choice into the charging port until it goes no further, then gently start scraping away. With the iPhone’s Lightning port, you can scrape back and forth, but with USB-C, you’ll need to scrape the charging connector that sits in the middle of the port.

Eventually, you will start to loosen the compacted pieces and you will be able to drain the sloughed material out of the port. It’s a satisfying process, and you might be surprised how much stuff actually turns out. Work lightly on the sides of the port, but be careful not to scratch any metal charging connectors too hard.

Hopefully it’s now safer to plug in and start charging. If not, go ahead and try to extract more dirt and test the charger again. If that still doesn’t solve the problem, it’s time to consider other solutions, like a new cable or charger.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>Phone battery

Thanks for reading, hope it helps!

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Apple releases 15.2.1 update for iOS and iPadOS to fix bugs

 Apple on Wednesday released a small update to iOS and iPadOS for iPhone and iPad users, fixing bugs and potential vulnerabilities in operating system security related to Apple’s Siri-powered smart home platform Homekit.

The iOS 15.2.1 update fixes an issue on iPhone that could prevent messages from loading or third-party CarPlay apps from responding to input when sending messages using an iCloud link.

The iOS 15.2.1 and iPadOS 15.2.1 updates also fix operating system vulnerabilities that could allow Homekit to be exploited by denial of service attacks.

For iPhone and iPad users, the update can be accessed by navigating to Settings from the device’s home screen. From settings, navigate to “General” and click “Software Update”.

The iOS and iPadOS 15.2 updates were recently released and include many updates and new features.

>>>>>>>>>>>Apple battery

Apple: Will Apple’s iMessage green bubble problem be fixed?

 Apple’s iMessage has a long history of separating users into “blue” and “green” bubbles based on whether they’re on an iPhone or an Android phone. But the question now goes way beyond looking cool in our group chats.

Over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal published an article detailing how the difference between green and blue chat bubbles can create social stress among teens and young adults. The blue-and-green bubble debate highlights a broader problem across the industry: There is no single modern texting standard that works on all phones.

Google has been supporting the messaging platform, which has iMessage-like features, by working with carriers to make it the default option on most Android phones. This is a step forward in making messaging more unified across the wide range of Android devices out there.

As one of the biggest players in the phone industry, Apple could certainly do more to help build a more consistent texting experience across devices. Apple has often touted its control of iOS as a selling point for consumers, and the move away from iMessage could jeopardize that.

Apple hasn’t responded to CNET’s request for comment, and Google pointed us to some tweets from its Android senior vice president, Hiroshi Lockheimer, in which he criticized Apple for using “pressure and bullying” to target users. However, Apple could make some changes to fix this, similar to how it brought a limited FaceTime experience to Android and Windows users in iOS 15.

Support RCS in Apple’s Messages app, even a little

Starting with the most obvious, it might be time for Apple to consider supporting RCS in iOS 16. In addition to the fact that RCS includes many iMessage-like features, Apple does have a history of adopting an open format.

Apple doesn’t even have to fully endorse RCS to make a difference. It keeps non-iPhone messages green and relies on an iPhone-exclusive feature that uses the iPhone’s Face ID to create facial animations to appeal to Apple loyalists. But supporting some key features will go a long way towards enabling a smoother communication experience while maintaining a level of Apple exclusivity.

It could also allow encryption between messages regardless of platform, especially since Apple has been a public defender of user privacy. Some would argue that this alone should get companies to embrace RCS.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Apple battery

Huawei: Everything you need to know about the P50 Pocket foldable

 The Huawei P50 Pocket is no longer a China exclusive and is now confirmed to be coming to Europe as well. Huawei has been focusing on its Mate X series of book-style foldable phones, but it’s finally time to see its first horizontally hinged phone, called the Huawei P50 Pocket.

When will the Huawei P50 Pocket launch?

Huawei officially released the P50 Pocket in China on December 23, 2021. The phone was initially thought to be a China exclusive, followed by pre-orders in Asia-Pacific markets including Malaysia on January 12, 2022.

What are the specifications of the Huawei P50 Pocket?

The best photos of the P50 Pocket before its release, oddly enough, came from the Chinese version of Harper’s Bazaar, which took photos with the phone and shared them on Weibo. The P50 Pocket Premium, which features a textured and polished gold finish, was designed in collaboration with haute couture designer Iris Van Herpen.

Aside from the obvious bling, another key difference between it and the standard model — its white diamond-shaped “3D micro-engraved design” — is the inclusion of 12GB of RAM instead of 8GB and 512GB of storage instead of 256GB.

Other than that, both phones have a similar external hardware layout and the same internal structure, with two circular elements on the outer surface: one hosts the Pocket’s main triple “hyperspectral camera matrix”, while the other features The circular 1.04 in the touchscreen display, like the Razr and Z Flip before it, can display things like time, notifications, and more, and it doubles as a camera viewfinder.

This unusual rear camera setup is led by a 40Mp ‘True-Chroma’ sensor, a 13Mp 120° ultra-wide sensor and a 32Mp ‘Hyperspectral camera’, the latter being paired with the unit’s ’10-channel multispectral sensor’ and “Hyperspectral illuminators” – which can capture and display wavelengths of light beyond the range of natural human vision through fluorescence mode.

The system also offers a sunscreen mode that more clearly highlights the sunscreened and unprotected areas of your face.

Below is the full Huawei P50 Pocket spec sheet, based on the device released in China:

Folding 6.9in 21:9 Full HD+OLED display

120Hz refresh rate

1440Hz high frequency PWM dimming

300Hz touch sampling rate

442ppi pixel density

Circular 1.04″ 340×340 60Hz OLED overlay display

Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 4G SoC

8GB or 12GB RAM

256GB or 512GB storage

rear camera:

40Mp f/1.8 “True Chroma” main camera

13Mp f/ 2.2 120° ultra wide-angle camera

32Mp f/1.8 “Hyperspectral” camera

“10-Channel Multispectral Sensor”

Laser autofocus

10.7Mp f/ 2.2 punch-hole selfie camera

EMUI 12

Side-mounted fingerprint sensor

face unlock

USB-C

Dual SIM

Bluetooth 5.2

NFC

4000mAh battery

40W fast charging

190 grams

170mm(unfolded)/87.3mm(folded) x 75.5mm x 7.2mm(unfolded)/15.2mm(folded)

Color: White, Premium Gold

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Huawei battery

7 Things Fitbit Can Do, Did You Know?

 Fitbit is best known as one of the first popular fitness trackers. But today’s Fitbits can do more than monitor activity and log workouts. Fitbit, now owned by Google, has loaded its devices with some features, and these tips and tricks below will help you get the most out of your device.

Check the time even when the screen is off

By enabling always-on mode, you can more easily check the time at a glance without lifting your wrist or tapping the screen. As the name suggests, this allows the screen to show the time even when the monitor is asleep.

Instructions for enabling this feature vary depending on which Fitbit you have.

On the Charge 5 and Luxe, swipe down from the clock face, tap Settings, select Display settings, and then select Always-on display.

On Sense and Versa 3, swipe right from the clock face and tap the always-on symbol that looks like a clock.

On Versa 2, swipe down from the top of the screen to view your notifications. Then, swipe down again to access Control Center. Tap the Quick Settings icon, then press the Always-on icon.

Just bring your Fitbit close to your phone to pair it with your Android

Fitbit and Google want to make setting up your new device almost effortless. Google’s Quick Pair feature speeds up the pairing process by connecting your new Fitbit to your Android phone when the two devices are in close proximity to each other. All you need to do is turn on your Fitbit device and make sure your phone’s Bluetooth is enabled to get started. It works on models like the Luxe, Charge 5, and Inspire 2.

Get your lost Fitbit Inspire 2 back with the Tile app

You must download Tile’s app and make sure your fitness tracker’s software is up to date before using it. But once set up and registered in the Tile app, you can call the Inspire 2 if it’s within Bluetooth range or see its last location on a map.

Find your phone with Fitbit

Just open the app on your watch and Fitbit will prompt your phone to ring and vibrate until it finds it. The Fitbit app must be running on your phone to use this feature, and it’s available on Fitbit Sense, Versa 2, and Versa 3.

Pay for Starbucks with your wrist

You can install the Starbucks Card app on Fitbit through the Fitbit mobile app, but keep in mind that, according to the app listing, it only works with the company’s smartwatches, including the Sense, Versa series, and older Ionic watches.

Fitbit also has its own contactless payment system called Fitbit Pay that lets you store your credit card on your wrist. It works with contactless card readers similar to Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay.

Listen to your workout stats during your workout

Open the Fitbit iPhone app, tap your profile picture and scroll down to the Activity & Health category under Settings. Tap Workout and scroll down to see the “Play During Workout” option below the list of automatically recognized workouts. If you’re using the Android app, tap the workout tile in the Today feed, then press the stopwatch icon in the upper right corner. Then, toggle the switch next to Use voice prompts to enable or disable this option.

Turn off those mobile reminders

We can all use reminders to get up and move around, especially when working from home. But these little nudges may not help everyone, and some may find them annoying. To turn mobile reminders on or off, open the Fitbit app on your phone and tap the photo in the upper left corner. Select your Fitbit device from the list, then scroll down to the Move reminder option.

>>>>>>>>>>>>Watch battery

Thanks for reading, hope it helps!

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MacOS Monterey: Download Apple’s latest Mac update in 3 easy steps

 Whether you own a MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, or another Apple computer, we’ll show you how to get all the new features of MacOS Monterey.

MacOS Monterey launched last year with an update to Apple’s MacBook lineup, but if you haven’t updated your Mac yet, don’t worry. Installing the latest version of Apple’s Mac operating system is a fairly straightforward process that only takes a few steps. When sorting out your device for the new year, you might want to consider updating your iPhone or iPad to iOS 15.2, the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system.

Monterey OS, also known as MacOS 12, adds some of the new features in iOS 15, such as spatial audio in FaceTime and Apple’s Focus feature, although we’re still waiting on Universal Control.

How to download and install MacOS Monterey?

1. Make sure your Mac is compatible with MacOS Monterey.

2. Backup your Mac for safety. You don’t want to risk losing everything when you upgrade.

3. On your Mac, go to System Preferences > Software Update and find MacOS Big Monterey. Click Upgrade Now. The download will begin immediately, but may take a while.

After downloading and installing the update and restarting your computer, you will be running on MacOS Monterey.

How do I download and install future MacOS public betas?

You no longer need to follow these steps to run MacOS Monterey. However, if you prefer to experience it for yourself, here’s how to get future MacOS public betas on your computer.

Note: You should never download beta builds on your main device as they are often buggy – we recommend that you only do this if a separate test device is available.

1. Backup your Mac for safety.

2. On a Mac, go to beta.apple.com.

3. Sign in with your Apple ID and select MacOS from the list of programs.

4. In the Getting Started section, click Register Your Mac.

5. On the next page, click the blue button with the beta version you’re looking for.

6. Open the downloaded file and follow the prompts.

7. After installing the utility, use the Update tool in System Preferences to check for software updates, then follow the prompts to download and install it.

After restarting your computer, you will be running the latest beta version.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Apple battery

Thanks for reading, hope it helps!

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Honor: Honor Magic V Everything you need to know

 Foldable devices really took off in the last year or so, with models released by the likes of Samsung, Motorola, Oppo and Huawei proving that the format is more than a novelty. Now the Chinese brand Honor, which debuted its foldable product, the Honor Magic V, also happens to be the first of its kind to feature the latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.

Honor officially launched the Honor Magic V via a streaming event on January 10, with pre-orders starting at the same time, and retail starting January 18.

So what functions will Honor Magic V provide? Let’s take a look below!

With specs like a 50Mp main camera and 66W wired charging leaked along with official teaser images of the Honor itself, we already have a pretty good idea of ​​what the Magic V will bring, but for now it’s all in focus.

One of the big moves the Honor Magic V is making is that it’s the first foldable chip to show off the latest Qualcomm-made Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset: silicon likely to power most flagship Android phones in 2022, already in the Mi 12, Found on phones like the Realme GT 2 Pro and Motorola Edge X30.

Paired with 12GB of RAM, this should immediately give it an edge over other recent foldables like the Huawei P50 Pocket and Oppo Find N, both of which run on variants of Qualcomm’s previous Snapdragon 888 SoC, although They both only went on sale last month (December 2021).

Following the Honor Magic 3 Pro+, the Magic V is also the first foldable phone to receive IMAX Enhanced certification, which according to Honor means better image quality and optimizations to enjoy native content, as well as DTS’ X Ultra audio algorithm. In addition to supporting multitasking and floating windows on the phone’s 7.9-inch internal “no crease” OLED display, the Honor Magic V also showcased Honor’s Magic UI 6 user experience, which the company says uses artificial intelligence to intelligently predict users demand.

Here is the full spec sheet of the Honor Magic V:

6.45-inch 21.3:9 curved OLED overlay display

2560×1080 resolution

120 Hz

431ppi

HDR10+

DCI-P3

1920Hz PWM

7.9-inch “no crease” foldable main OLED display

2272×1984 resolution

90 Hz

381ppi

HDR10+

DCI-P3

Stylus support

1920Hz PWM

IMAX Enhanced Certification

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset

12GB RAM

256GB or 512GB storage

rear camera:

50Mp f/ 1.9 23mm main sensor

50Mp f/ 2.2 13mm 122° ultra-wide sensor

50Mp f/2.0 20mm “spectral enhancement” sensor

8×8 dTOF laser focusing system

42Mp f/2.4 front punch-hole camera (internal and external displays)

Side-mounted fingerprint sensor

Aluminum alloy frame

Foldable dynamic glass front

glass back

Titanium, zirconium liquid metal and carbon fibre floating drop hinge made from 213 parts

AI-Managed Graphene Cooling System

stereo speakers

3 microphones

DTS: X Ultra

H-TEE and Q-TEE Security

Honor Magic UI 6.0 (Android 12 based) w/Honor Magic Live

Bluetooth 5.2

NFC

Dual SIM

5G

Infrared remote control

USB-C

4750mAh battery

66W wired charging Honor SuperCharge (50% in 15 minutes, 100% in 40 minutes)

Finishes: Titanium Silver, Black, Burnt Orange (Leather)

288g (titanium silver, black), 293g (burnt orange)

160.4mm x 72.7mm x 14.3mm (folded)

160.4mm x 141.1mm x 6.7mm (unfolded)

While Honor doesn’t mention the Magic V’s markets outside of China, the company’s newfound autonomy does free itself from the restrictions it imposed on its former parent company, Huawei, meaning Honor could bring the Magic V to international markets, and Features like 5G, Android and Google Mobile Services.

>>>>>>>>>>>>Honor battery

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Apple: iPhones can ditch Apple’s Mail and Safari apps

Have you also been stuck with Apple’s default mail and web browsing apps for a long time, no matter what default you prefer.

But luckily, Apple has loosened its grip on iPhones and iPads by adding options for placing widgets on the iPhone’s home screen, creating custom app icons, and changing default apps for email and web browsing. That also means you can use Gmail or Google Chrome (or other app of your choice) on your new iPhone and finally leave Safari and Apple Mail behind. This is a huge win for iPhone and iPad users.

The process of changing your default mail and browser apps is simple, but also somewhat insidious. Apple didn’t make it as easy as Android, which has a dedicated section for setting default apps in settings. You have to know where to look, and below, we’ll tell you where. Let’s have a look!

Set your default mail or browser

In order to use another application as an email or web browser replacement, developers need to update the application to support the new functionality. Be sure to check the App Store for any updates before trying to change your default apps.

Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad. Scroll down until you find the app you want to use. For example, if you want it to be your primary browser, look for Google Chrome. Or Outlook if you want to use it as your email application and tap it. Select the appropriate option, Default Browser Application or Default Email Application. Select from the list of available applications on the next screen, then exit Setup.

With the new default set of apps, whenever you click a link, your preferred browser will open. Or as soon as you click on an email address, your email application will launch.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>iPhone battery

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Regularly clearing your iPhone “Other” storage will do your iPhone well!

 The mysterious other storage part of the iPhone can take up a lot of memory. If you’ve run out of storage space before and tried to free it up manually, you’re probably already familiar with other storage spaces. If not, let’s see what it is before we dive into how to narrow down this pesky category. Let’s take a look below!

Think of it as a place to store things like system files and Siri voice. But it can be the main cause of memory consumption due to caching: your cache stores elements of your app or website so they load faster the next time you use them. The cache is collected when you browse the web, stream videos or movies, and send text messages with pictures or videos. In apps like Google Maps and Chrome, cached data can quickly start eating up the available storage space on your device.

Well, to check, you need to go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. After a few moments of calculation, you’ll see a bar graph of categories taking up iPhone storage.

A surefire way to dump a lot of junk contained in other storage is to reset your iPhone, but in my experience, you can’t completely empty it. If backing up, erasing, and restoring your iPhone sounds daunting right now, here are some alternatives for you to try.

Uninstall the app

Not to be confused with deleting an app, uninstalling an app means the app has been removed from your device, but all data will remain in case you decide to reinstall it. Take advantage of this trick, especially if you have an app like Google Maps. To uninstall an app, go back to iPhone storage in Settings > General, tap the app you want to uninstall, and then tap Uninstall app.

Here’s a hint: In the iPhone storage section, there’s a list of apps, and each name has a number next to it, indicating how much storage it’s using. You can instantly see which apps are taking up memory or just a little bit. This will help you decide which to uninstall.

Clear Safari cache and close tabs

To clear Safari’s browser cache, go to Settings > Safari and Clear History and Website Data. If you’re a Chrome user, here’s how to clear Google Chrome’s cache.

Closing tabs can also help free up storage space and keep your device running smoothly. You can manage how often Safari closes open tabs by going to Settings > Safari > Close Tabs. You can close tabs manually, or have Safari close tabs you haven’t viewed in a day, week, or month.

stop storing text forever

By default, your iPhone permanently stores all text messages you send and receive. This is handy if you need to find 15-month-old conversations, but not so handy if you need that storage space. To stop your phone from saving texts forever, open Settings and tap Messages. Scroll down until you find Message History, then tap Keep Messages. Change Forever to 30 Days or 1 Year. A popup will ask if you want to delete old messages; click Delete to continue.

>>>>>>>>>>>>iPhone battery

Thanks for reading, hope it helps!

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