beta

The Galaxy Note 20 series might be Samsung's latest "normal" flagships but it wasn't the first to get the beta version of its upcoming One UI 3.0. That privilege, naturally, belongs to the Galaxy S20 from earlier this year which got their Android 11 appetizer just a few weeks ago. Now Samsung is opening the doors a bit to owners of the Galaxy Note 20 in the US to take the beta version of the software for a spin, presuming their particular model is actually eligible for the beta program.

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Today we're taking a peek at how you'll get in on the Microsoft xCloud game streaming beta, starting on the 11th of August, 2020. If you're an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriber, you'll be among the first people to gain access to this system - if you WANT access, that is to say. It'll still be in beta, which means you'll effectively be play-testing Microsoft's system for them.

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Today you'll be able to access the next big update to Apple's desktop operating system. This is macOS Big Sur, an update to the desktop space for users that wish to check said major changes out before they're sent to all Apple computers post-beta. For now, we're in Public Beta, which means it's probably OK to give the software a whirl, but it's still BETA - which can mean there MAY be issues.

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There is an ongoing debate on how difficult certain action-oriented games should be. Should they be easy enough so as not to scare off new players or should they be punishing to challenge veterans? For a certain class of games that take after the popular yet notorious Dark Souls franchise, that's not really a question. And based on the demand that Mortal Shells' developer said flooded their systems, there is no question about the existence of a market catering to the hardest of hardcore action RPG players.

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Some big iPhone software changes are in the making now with WWDC 2020 and iOS 14's big reveal for 2020. This update will be released to Public Beta in July and is out for developers in an early Beta now - and will be available to everyone by the end of the year. But if you don't want to change the way your iPhone looks, you don't need to - pretty much everything is optional.

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A beta release, though closer to the final version, doesn't mean it's bug-free. In fact, it's actually more of a call for developers and adventurous users to put the software through the wringer to uncover those bugs before it finally lands in the wider public's hands. Unfortunately, some nasty bugs do manage to sneak in from time to time, like some rather serious that have discouraged some users from even trying out the first beta for this year's Android 11 release.

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This afternoon Google released Android 11 Beta for Pixel 2, 3, and 4, with a very obvious upgrade to Voice Access. This is a feature in Android that allows the user to make commands - it's part of the "OK Google" and Google Assistant family. This feature now, far more accurately than ever before, understands screen context and content, so you can ACTUALLY control your phone without touching your phone.

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Today a leak tipped a changed date for a phone Google's not yet confirmed actually exists. The Google Pixel 4a, an essentials-only smartphone that'll likely act as the perfect jumping-off point for the Android 11 Beta launch - that's what's coming soon. The original assumed launch date (inside May, 2020), will now more likely be pushed to early June of 2020, right in time for the public Beta of Android 11.

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Today Google revealed the release date for the first public release (in beta format) of the next major version of Android. That'll be Android 11, the Android 11 public beta, and it'll be revealed during a live stream that'll take place on June 3rd, 2020, at 11AM ET. That's 10AM Central Time, 9AM Mountain Time, and 8AM Pacific Time.

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If you're in the mood to test the latest software from Apple for your iPhone or iPad, today's the day. Today Apple released their fourth betas of iOS and iPadOS 13.4 to developers and the public. Developer Beta 4 was released earlier today at 1PM EST - that's 10AM Pacific - and the public beta's been released at 4PM EST, 1PM Pacific. Indications appear to be that this release comes just before a full standard release - past Beta, that is to say.

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Samsung Galaxy S20 headed up the line of devices added to Stadia functionality in an update released this week. Starting February 20th, a wider variety of Android smartphones will be able to play Stadia with the Stadia app. This includes the ASUS ROG Phone 1, ASUS ROG Phone 2, Razer Phone, Razer Phone 2, and a variety of other Samsung smartphones.

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A new iteration of the Gboard Beta app for Android - made by Google - appeared today with a new concept in the emoji universe. They look like emoji images, but they're stickers. Because they're not emoji, they don't need to be cross-compatible to appear - because they're stickers, everyone who can see images in any app can see these new emoji stickers sent via chat. That includes chatrooms and messaging apps the same!

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