This week a device appeared on an auction site with the title "Xperia Play2". This device is not a PSP, nor is it a handheld gaming device made by Sony with any other name. Instead, this would appear to be a real prototype of a device that'd be a direct follow-up to the original PlayStation phone: Sony Xperia Play.
Google has announced a new layer of data that is rolling out in Google Maps, giving users information about COVID-19 case numbers for cities, states, and countries around the world. With this information, Google Maps users can readily see whether the area they're in or planning to visit currently a hot zone, ultimately helping users make more informed choices about their activities. The feature will be limited to mobile users.
Today the Google Pixel 4a 5G was revealed in an unofficial capacity in a manner similar to Tuesday's leak of the Pixel 5. This device may seem like a traditional bump from one iteration of a phone to a (5G) version - but it's not as simple as all that. Instead, we're getting a similar name, basically the same software, and the same amount of data storage - and a few kicks in the pants.
This week Pokemon GO is going a lot slower than normal, and Niantic knows it. Niantic's acknowledged the new speed of Pokemon GO in a note on September 22, 2020, entitled "Increased latency in Pokemon GO." This note suggests Niantic is looking into the matter "particularly on app version 0.187."
First, it was Chrome Apps. Now, it seems that Chrome browser extensions are the next targets of Google's Chrome Web Store cleanup. While extensions aren't going away completely, there might be a great culling in the coming months all the way to February next year when Google completely disables its built-in payment system that would force paid Chrome extensions to use their own payment system or, more likely, to disappear or die out.
There has recently been an undercurrent of new tools in the productivity and office space that are practically souped-up and prettified versions of the classic database management systems many love or love to hate or both. From Airtable to Monday.com to Notion, these new apps and services do more than give databases a fresh coat of paint, offering functionality that may have been unimaginable decades ago. Google, unsurprisingly, doesn't want to be left behind this revolution and it is working through its Area 120 incubator arm to deliver G Suite-integrated tool simply called Tables.
Even compared to Android Auto, Android's TV incarnation hasn't exactly been getting much attention, especially from Google itself. The past months, however, have been particularly interesting, especially with rumors around Google's first Android TV dongle. As if heralding the arrival of that "Sabrina" device, Google has now announced the Android 11 update for Android TV, promising to bring a handful of improvements that will hopefully prepare the platform for the future.
This morning the Google Pixel 5 was leaked in a big way. Per the leak, the Google Pixel 5 will be released with a 6-inch OLED display with 2340 x 1080 pixels across its face. With the flexible OLED tech and a 19:5 aspect ratio in play, this device works with a 432 PPI (pixels per inch) display density with a 90Hz image refresh rate. This device also sports HDR and 24 bit color depth.
AMD today announced a collection of Zen-based mobile processors destined for Chromebooks. The new batch of processors includes three Ryzen CPUs and two Athlon CPUs that seem to cover the mid and high-range pretty well. AMD promises some big improvements over previous generation AMD-based Chromebooks, and we should start seeing Chromebooks featuring these new processors launching by the end of the year.
The next few weeks will see what may be the last big push for new smartphones before the year ends or, more importantly, before the holiday season begins. Samsung is expected to unveil its idea of a more affordable flagship in a few days and OnePlus will get its turn next month. For some Android fans, however, Google's Pixel phones are still where it's at but the latest details about Google's upcoming 5G duo could leave some scratching their heads which one to pick.
If you're a Gmail user on iOS, then today is an exciting day. Google has pushed an update to the iOS version of Gmail with some exciting patch notes: Gmail can now be set as your default email app. It seems strange that it's taken until iOS 14 for this feature to roll out, but as the saying goes: better late than never.
Today we're taking a peek at the latest update to Pokemon GO, including the adding of Shiny Kricketot. With this update, Shiny Kricketot was added in a gold form - or perhaps orange, however you see it. This change modifies the majority of the Pokemon, save the collar, the cummerbund, and the shirt. That's assuming this bug is actually wearing a shirt, not a bug body.