Microsoft reveals SolarWinds hackers gained access to its source code

Microsoft recently revealed that it found found “malicious binaries” on its systems in the wake of the massive SolarWinds hack which targeted products such as Azure, but the company assured that no user data was compromised. However, it appears that the hackers went deeper into Microsoft’s systems than previously disclosed by the company. In an official blog post, the software giant has today divulged that the group behind the massive cybersecurity incident also got access to Microsoft source code.

Viewing source code isn’t tied to elevation of risk: Microsoft.

“We detected unusual activity with a small number of internal accounts and upon review, we discovered one account had been used to view source code in a number of source code repositories,”  the company said. Microsoft, however, assured that these accounts did not have the required privilege to be able to make changes to the source code, something that would have been catastrophic had it actually happened. “These accounts were investigated and remediated,” Microsoft adds. 

READ MORE: Microsoft reportedly working on self-designed chips for Surface PCs and servers

The company also noted that viewing its source code doesn’t pose any risk elevation threat, as the company is not dependent on how well the source code is protected for product security and that it already assumes that “attackers have knowledge of source code.” While Microsoft’s assurance might come as a sigh of relief, it also serves as a clear sign of how far-reaching the SolarWinds attack was which affected companies such as Intel, Nvidia, and VMWare to name a few. 

Microsoft assures no user data was compromised

Even though Microsoft has downplayed the risks, accessing the source code is no small thing in the world of cybersecurity. After all, it is the building block and a fundamental component of a program (or software), and having access to it makes it much easier to launch attacks.

READ MORE: Microsoft finally brings x64 emulation to Windows on ARM, but only for test channel

Microsoft President Brad Smith recently called the attack ‘a moment of reckoning’ and noted that it should serve as a catalyst for more effective collaboration between tech companies and the government to launch a stronger and more coordinated global cybersecurity response. 

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Apple’s latest iPad Air, HyperX gaming peripherals are also on sale today

We’re just about to say goodbye to 2020, but that doesn’t mean deals will stop coming. Right now, you can get your hands on a new 10.9-inch iPad Air with 64GB storage and WiFi-only connectivity for $570 after a $29 discount in Sky Blue or Space Gray. However, you can save $10 more if you go for the Green or the Rose Gold color option, which are currently selling for $559.

You can also get a new 10.2-inch iPad, as they’re still getting a $30 discount on its 32GB storage option with WiFi connectivity only, which leaves them at $299 in Space Gray, or get the Silver color option for $1 more.

We now move to gaming territory, as the HyperX Cloud II gaming headset is currently selling for $70 with almost $21 savings. The HyperX Cloud Stinger S is available for $50 after a $10 discount. If you want a headset to use with your Xbox, you can go for the HyperX CloudX, which is an official Xbox licensed gaming headset, and you can get it for just $60, after a $20 discount. Play Station users are also covered, as the HyperX Cloud Stinger Core is up for grabs at just $30 with $10 savings.

The HyperX Alloy Origins Core gaming keyboard is also on sale, and you can get yours for $70 with $20 savings. We also see that the HyperX Pulsefire Raid is getting a $15 discount, which leaves it at just under $45 or get the HyperX Pulsefire Core for $24 with $5 savings.


Now, moving on to gaming controllers, you can get The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild plus a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller for $109 with $21 savings. The controller alone is usually selling for $70, but it is also getting a $10 discount, which leaves it at $60. However, you can get a new PowerA Enhanced wireless controller for the Nintendo Switch for $50, and there are tons of color options to choose from.

Other deals incline the Moto 360 gen-3 for $180 with $120 savings at B&H. The Amazon Echo Dot gen3- is also on sale, and you can get one for $25 with $15 savings. And if you’re looking for extra storage space, you can get the G-Technology 10TB G-DRIVE USB-C desktop external hard drive for just under $300 with a $100 discount.

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Apple pulls another batch of 39,000 games from the App Store in China

In the past few months, Apple has been clamping down aggressively on apps that were listed on the App Store in China without a valid license from the Chinese government. As per a Reuters report, the company has pulled down another batch of 39,000 games from its app repository in China, all of which were axed for not being licensed. This is reportedly the largest single-day purge of apps from the App Store.

Apple purged 46,000 apps in one go

The report adds that Apple removed a total of 46,000 in one go, and some of them were from big-name studios and developers. Among the apps that got axed in Apple’s latest swing are NBA 2K20 and Assassin’s Creed Identity by Ubisoft. Such was the severity of the action that merely 74 out of the top 1,500 games on the App Store in China were left unscathed, while the rest were pulled.

READ MORE: Apple removes app that promoted secret parties in the middle of a pandemic

“Apple initially gave game publishers an end-of-June deadline to submit a government-issued licence number enabling users to make in-app purchases in the world’s biggest games market. Apple later extended the deadline to Dec. 31,” the report adds. Earlier this year, Apple kicked out almost 30,000 apps – most of which were games – from the App Store in China as they weren’t approved by the National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA). 

Only 74 out of the top 1,500 games on the App Store in China survived

The deadline mentioned above had Apple telling developers that their games would be banned if they didn’t have the requisite NPPA license. Previously, Apple allowed developers to list their apps on the App Store while they waited for NPPA approval, but that is no longer the case. The Chinese government has reportedly been pushing for Apple to close this loophole for a while now. 

READ MORE: Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro might arrive in two sizes

However, the process of obtaining an NPPA license can be cumbersome for foreign developers, and in most cases, they join hands with a Chinese company as a publishing partner to clear the regulatory hurdles in order to get the government’s nod. As for Apple, China remains not only a key market, but also happens to be a hub of its manufacturing operations, which means a tussle with the Chinese government could end up hurting the Cupertino giant, especially in the wake of recent US-China tensions.

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The Google Pixel 4a 5G, Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and more on sale today

We start today’s deals with the latest Google Pixel 4a with 5G support, which is currently selling for $459 after a $40 discount over at Amazon. This unlocked device in Just Black features 6GB RAM and 128GB storage space, and a rear camera module equipped with a 12MP dual-pixel and a 16MP ultrawide camera lens.

However, you can also go for the Google Pixel 4 with 64GB storage in its Just Black color variant for $510.97 with $288 savings. If you’re more into white devices, you get the Clearly White version for just under $490 with the same 64GB storage or get the 128GB version for $799 with a $100 discount.

Go for the larger Google Pixel 4 XL and score $100 savings with the white color variant, or get the Just Black version for $930 with a $69 discount with 128GB storage. The Google Pixel 3a XL is also on sale, and you can get one for $339 with $140 savings.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Black Friday Deals Pocketnow

If you’re looking for more significant discounts, you should head over to Samsung.com, where you can find the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G for $450 and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra for $750, if you have an eligible trade-in device. These savings are also applied to the Samsung Galaxy S20 series, which starts at $500, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, and the Galaxy Z Fold 2, which can be yours starting at $700 and $1,000, respectively.

If you’re also looking for a new pair of headphones, the V-Moda Crossfade 2 with Qualcomm aptX and ACC are currently selling for $275 in Matte White. This means you get to save almost $75 from their $350 original price tag, or you can get the regular V-Moda Crossfade 2 wireless for $200.


If you’re more interested in earphones, the new Beats Flex wireless earphones with Apple’s W1 chip are currently available for $44.89 with $5 savings. The Samsung Galaxy Buds are also on sale, and you can get them for $79 with $50.99 savings, or get a pair of Jabra earphones, as the Elite 85t can be yours for $179, or get the Elite 75t for $123.60 with $51 and $56 savings, respectively.

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Brave browser goes native for M1 Macs

The number of apps getting native support for Macs powered by Apple’s M1 chip is slowly building up. The latest one to join the list is Brave browser, which now has separate builds targeting macOS running on Intel and ARM-based M1 machines. Now that the privacy-focused browser runs natively on the M1 Macs, you can expect a visible improvement in performance.

When you go to the download page on the official Brave browser website, you’ll now see a new macOS ARM64 option. This is the version that has been tailored to run natively on the M1 Macs. So far, these machines have been running the x86-based version that used the Rosetta 2 emulation technology. Apple recently highlighted a selection of apps that run natively on M1 Macs, leveraging the full power offered by the company’s in-house silicon ticking inside the new wave of Mac hardware. 

In case you’re unfamiliar, Brave browser is a privacy-focused alternative to the likes of Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Mozilla Firefox. It is well-known for blocking ads and website trackers, and is also quite zippy as well. In case you’re thinking about making the switch, you’ll be glad to know that Brave offers a seamless transfer of your browsing data such as bookmarks, favorites, browsing history, passwords and cookies. And since it is based on the Chromium engine, you can transfer all your Chrome extensions without worrying about compatibility and performance issues. 

However, if you’re wondering about the big three of the browsing world – Chrome, Edge, and Mozilla – here’s some update. Google released an optimized version of Chrome that runs natively on M1 Macs back in November. Mozilla also rolled out a native version (v84.0) of its Firefox browser for the Macs powered by Apple’s in-house silicon. As for Microsoft’s Edge browser, native M1 Mac support is still in the testing phase and is limited to the experimental Canary channel as of now. 

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HUAWEI P50 Pro leak shows a waterfall display and fresh selfie camera design

HUAWEI is still months away from the launch of its next camera-centric flagships – the HUAWEI P50 family. However, tiny bits of information have already started to trickle. Now, prolific leakster Steve. H aka @OnLeaks has shared what he claims to be a render of the HUAWEI P50 Pro. At first glance, it appears that the Chinese smartphone maker is sticking with the design formula of the P40 series, and we’re not complaining either.

The waterfall display is here to stay

The leaked HUAWEI P50 Pro render shows a dramatically curved display – something that the company markets as a waterfall display. The bezels are stunningly thin on all sides, and there appears to be a metallic frame running around the edges. However, a couple of things have changed. The first one is the positioning of the selfie camera and the absence of a few sensors. The leakster mentions that the HUAWEI P40 Pro will feature a 6.6-inch display, however, details about its resolution, refresh rate, or other attributes are still a mystery.

READ MORE: HUAWEI releases HarmonyOS 2.0 beta for a handful of smartphones

On the HUAWEI P50 Pro, we see a single snapper on the front that is positioned in a circular hole punch in the middle alongside the top edge. The implementation is similar to Samsung’s Infinity-O design philosophy that we’ve seen on the likes of Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy S20 family. The HUAWEI P40 Pro, on the other hand, had a pill-shaped cutout on the top-left corner that housed a 32MP selfie camera and a depth camera that worked in tandem with an IR sensor to support 3D face unlock, somewhat like the Face ID system on iPhones.

The unique vibrating glass earpiece system is gone

Another change that will arrive with the HUAWEI P50 Pro, is a physical earpiece. “It is also worth noting that Huawei has seemingly axed another feature. The magnetic earpiece speaker system found within the P40 Series has been replaced by a standard earpiece,” the tipster claims. To recall, the HUAWEI P40 Pro had a magnet at the top of the phone that used the glass of the display as a vibrating speaker membrane. You can watch it in this teardown video.

As per another leak, the HUAWEI P50 Pro will offer a triple rear camera system that resembles the one we saw on the HUAWEI Mate 40 series. However, the P50 Pro will come armed with an upgraded main camera and ultra-wide cine camera.

READ MORE: HUAWEI FreeBuds Studio review: their first over-ear product offers first-class experience

The HUAWEI P-series has served as a showcase of the company’s expertise at smartphone cameras, and it was not surprising to see the HUAWEI P40 Pro+ winning the crown for the best smartphone camera in the Pocketnow Smartphone Awards of 2020. Keeping that in mind, we expect the HUAWEI P50 Pro to again wow us with some impressive camera chops.

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OnePlus Band leak gives us our first look at its ‘not so original’ design

Well, look what do we have here! Merely a day after rumors emerged that OnePlus might have a fitness band in the pipeline, another major leak has surfaced online. And this one claims to give us our first look at the OnePlus Band. The ever-reliable tipster Mukul Sharma (aka @stufflistings) has shared renders of the upcoming fitness band from OnePlus, and it looks quite appealing.

I dig that sweet dual-tone finish

The leaked renders show us the upcoming OnePlus wearable in three color options, all of which appear to rock a dual-tone finish. The first one has a black band with a light grey underside, and on the other one, you also get a light grey trim with an appealing orange finish on the inner side. But the best one, in my opinion, is the navy blue band with a contrasting lighter shade on the inner side. 

The black bezels surrounding the display and the overall assembly rock a uniform design across the three color options. There is also a fairly large OnePlus branding on the bottom bezel, which looks quite garish. As for features, the OnePlus offering will reportedly feature an OLED display, while the features it offers include water resistance and multi-day battery life. 

READ MORE: OnePlus CEO Pete Lau confirms a smartwatch is coming early next year

A possible January 11 debut is on the cards?

As per a recent report, OnePlus will first launch its fitness band in India and will reportedly sell it for around the $40 mark. And if all things fall in place, it might debut in February or even in January. However, if you look closely at the leaked renders, the date on the display says January 11, which actually falls in line with rumors circulating on the internet. 

Now, where have I seen the OnePlus Band before?

Oppo Band (Left) vs the upcoming fitness band from OnePlus (Right)

Given the recent history of OnePlus phones taking a generous dose of inspiration from Oppo smartphones, I was a tad skeptical about the design. I did a little digging into Oppo’s product portfolio and guess what? The OnePlus Band looks identical to the Oppo Band that was launched in June this year. Save for the branding and color scheme, the whole design and form factor shares an uncanny resemblance. I see what you did there, OnePlus!

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120Hz LTPO display will remain limited to iPhone 13 ‘Pro’ models: Report

One of the signature features of recent flagship devices has been high refresh rate displays. Apple was rumored to bring 120Hz to iPhone 12 but at the end of the day, that didn’t happen. Now, a report claims that iPhone 13 will get the 120Hz refresh rate, but there is a twist. It sheds light on the display tech of the supposed ‘Pro’ variants. It goes on to say that the 120Hz LTPO display will remain limited to the Pro models in the iPhone 13 series.

As per a Korean report, Apple is working on bringing a 120Hz refresh rate to the OLED displays of the top 2 models of its next iPhone lineup. It is likely referring to the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max – both ‘Pro’ variants. Moreover, it goes on to say that Samsung and LG will be the supplier for its displays. The latter is said to be housed on all the models except the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

The new report clashes with the previous report that claimed all the models will have high refresh rate displays. Further, the base variants(iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13) will reportedly have LTPS while the Pro variants with 120Hz will feature the LTPO display. For the unaware, LTPS is Low-Temperature Polysilicon while the LTPO is Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide.

What is LTPO, anyway?

The latter, LTPO-TFT backplane could be used to evade the power consumption caused due to the 120Hz refresh rate. This will enable Apple to bring the best of both worlds- advantages of LTPS and limited power consumption. These new LTPO displays will help the new iPhone 13 lineup be more power-efficient, and it is rumored that they would also allow them to feature always-on displays. 

In a nutshell, you can expect:

  • iPhone 13 mini- 5.4-inch LTPS display, 60Hz refresh rate.
  • iPhone 13- 6.1-inch LTPS display, 60Hz refresh rate.
  • iPhone 13 Pro- 6.1-inch LTPO display, 120Hz refresh rate.
  • iPhone 13 Pro Max- 6.7-inch LTPO display, 120Hz refresh rate.

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AirPods Max users report sweat build-up after extended usage issue

Apple launched its first-ever over-the-ear wireless headphones at a surprising price point of $549 recently. Early reviews have been positive for the device. However, AirPods Max users are now reporting condensation build-up inside the headphones. As per a user, water collected inside their AirPods Max ear cups after using the device for an extended period.

Donald Filimon from Tampa, Florida, raised his concerns on Twitter. “AirPods Max form condensation after extended use,” warned Filimon. “Warm ears and roughly 12 hours of consistent use mostly. Literally just sitting at my desk listening to music. Cold room as well which added to this.” On the other hand, Filimon mentioned the problem on Reddit as well, said it’s worrisome because “the water gets inside the drivers and has caused ear detection problems.” “Have experienced this too,” replied Reddit user koocachoo. “Not to this extent, but have seen some condensation when I take the ear cup off.”

Condensation is not an uncommon phenomenon for devices with metal earcups, coupled with a tight fit. These could be the reasons for the increased amount of water. That said, the premium design could potentially exacerbate the condensation problem.Not to forget, AirPods Max is much heavier than the competition. It weighs 384.8 grams, which is even more than the competitors like Sony WH-1000XM4 that weighs 253 grams. 

The most premium AirPods from Apple don’t offer any sort of water or sweat resistance, which is quite surprising. It isn’t one of the usual offerings with touch controls. Apple decided to bring its Watch’s Digital Crown to its latest product. The headphones have this crown and a dedicated Noise Cancelation button to switch between ANC on/off and transparency modes. The device is equipped with a wide range of features including Active Noise Cancelation, Spatial audio, top-class audio quality, and more. 

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Motorola Nio Geekbench listing reveals Snapdragon 865 SoC, 8GB RAM, Android 11

Motorola made a return to the Android flagship arena by launching a no-compromises device called the Motorola Edge+. Recently, it was rumored to be working on its successor, Motorola Nio. Later, it was revealed that Nio was a G-series device with high-end specifications, including a flagship chipset. Now, the Motorola Nio has been spotted on Geekbench, which reveals several specifications of the device.

As per the Geekbench listing (via), the device will be powered by last year’s Qualcomm’s flagship chipset, the Snapdragon 865. It is said to be paired with 8GB of RAM. Plus, it will run Android 11. These features go in line with the initial specs leak. The device scored 958 points and 2969 points in single-core and multi-core tests respectively.

As per previous reports, the Motorola Nio could feature an FHD+ (2520 x 1080 pixels) panel that offers a 90Hz refresh rate. According to the leaked image, it will come equipped with dual punch-hole cutouts to house the selfie shooters. This is not something new though, as we’ve seen this implementation on a few smartphones having two selfie cameras. The main camera uses the 16MP OV16A1Q sensor and is assisted by an 8MP secondary camera that uses Samsung’s S5K4H7 sensor. 

Other leaked details include a triple rear camera setup that consists of a 64MP main camera, a 16MP wide-angle shooter and a 2MP depth sensor. Previous reports have also said that the Motorola Nio reportedly carrier the model number XT2125 and will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC. It is also rumored to have 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It will run Android 11 out-of-the-box, with the UI being an almost stock Android affair. 

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Another Redmi Note 9 series phone is on its way for a global launch

There are two things at the moment that seem never-ending. First, the number of quarantine days. Second, the number of Redmi Note 9 series smartphones. Early this year, Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 9 series in India with three models. Soon after, it introduced a few budget offerings in the same series. Later in the year, it announced the Redmi Note 9 5G series in China that also included three phones. Now, another Redmi 9 series phone with the moniker Redmi Note 9T is on its way for a global launch.

The Redmi Note 9T has been spotted on the Geekbench listing, which hints that the phone is a rehashed version of the Redmi Note 9 5G launched in China. The listing also suggests that the supposed Global variant will come with an older version of Android. As per Geekbench, the upcoming phone has a model number M2007J22G. A device with the same model number has already passed Thailand’s NBTC and Malaysia’s SIRIM certifications. The former revealed that the device could debut as Redmi Note 9T 5G.

According to the Geekbench listing, the Redmi Note 9T 5G will have 4GB of RAM and run on an ARM MT6853T processor. Gizmochina reports that a similar Geekbench listing of Redmi Note 9 5G before its launch revealed that the processor is MediaTek’s Dimensity 800U 5G. However, the 4GB variant doesn’t exist in China. It is only selling in 6GB and 8GB RAM variants in the home market. In the listing, the device scored 598 points and 1760 points in single-core and multi-core scores respectively. Plus, it runs Android 10. The phone is said to be launched in January 2021.

The Redmi Note 9T is likely to feature a .53-inch FHD+ LCD display with a top-left punch-hole upfront. It could have a triple rear camera setup with a 48MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP sensor. It could pack a 5,000mAh battery with support for 22.5W fast charging.

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POCO M2 starts receiving MIUI 12 update in India

POCO raised back from the ashes and re-entered the Indian smartphone market this year. It launched budget and mid-range devices. Now, one of its phones, POCO M2 is receiving a UI update. MIUI 12 has started rolling out for the device. It also brings the December 2020 Android security patch as well. The version number of the latest update is MIUI 12.0.1.0.QJRINXM. For reference, other POCO phones including the Poco X2, Poco M2 Pro, and Poco F1 have already received the MIUI 12 update.

As per the tweets from some users, the latest update has a size of 504MB. It brings MIUI 12.0.1.0.QJRINXM version number to the POCO M2. The device is also getting optimized system stability and reduced system lag. We suggest you have a sufficient battery charge and a good Wi-Fi connection to download and install the update. If you haven’t received a notification, you can manually check for the update by going to Settings. Moreover, you are advised to have a backup of your data before beginning the installation process as a safety measure.

POCO M2 with MIUI 12 is receiving a new UI experience with reworked system-wide animations and visualizations. You also get an App Drawer that sorts apps by categories. The update brings an ultra-battery saver mode that can extend the phone’s standby time and reduce power consumption. It also introduces the ability to adjust screen brightness automatically according to ambient light. The Dark Mode has been update to provide an improved system-wide UI, covering system apps as well as third-party apps.

For the unaware, POCO M2 was launched in September this year. The company had already announced that it will be rolling out MIUI 12 for its device soon. Now, within three months of launch, POCO M2 has started receiving the update. It is a budget device that starts at INR 9,999.

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Android 11 for Galaxy Note 10 series with One UI 3.0 starts rolling out

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After testing it for two months, Samsung is finally updating its previous-gen Galaxy Note series to the latest Android version. The Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ have started receiving the Android 11-based One UI 3.0 update. The update also brings the December 2020 Android security patch. As per a report, the One UI 3.0 update is currently rolling out to Galaxy Note 10 handsets in Germany, and to Galaxy Note 10+ models in Germany, Spain, and Switzerland. We expect it to be rolled out in other markets soon.

The latest development comes from SamMobile, which reports the Android 11-based One UI 3.0 is now rolling out for last year’s Galaxy Note series. The Galaxy Note 10+ and Note 10 are getting firmware version N97xFXXU6ETLL. We suggest you have a sufficient battery charge and a good Wi-Fi connection to download and install the update. If you haven’t received a notification can manually check for the availability of update by going to Settings > System updates > Check for system updates > Download now > Install update.

Android 11-based One UI 3.0 for Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ brings a refreshed user interface. It is designed to provide a simpler, more convenient experience for users. The devices are also receiving an improved dynamic lock screen, updated stock apps, a feature-rich keyboard as well as lock screen widgets. Plus, the devices get a security and performance boost. You also get Android 11 goodies like chat bubbles, one-time permissions, media playback widget, and conversations section in the notifications shade. The latest update, Android 11-based One UI 3.0 for Galaxy Note 10 series is only rolling out to select regions right now, but is likely to have a wider rollout in the coming weeks.

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Pocketnow Daily: Galaxy S21+ Hands On Leaks: THIS Is It? (video)

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Samsung Galaxy S20+, Alienware monitors and more on sale today 

M1 13-inch MacBook Pro, the latest iPad Air and more deals are live

As expected, let’s begin today with deals, beginning with some devices that are about to get a refresh. Yes, they’re still the Samsung trade-in deals but don’t act like they’re still not crazy. Starting with the Galaxy S20 Series as, you can currently get the S20+ at $500 and the S20 Ultra for $600. The Z Fold 2 is still available for $1000 bucks, and the Note 20 Series still start at $450. Then again, you still need an eligible device to trade-in so keep that in mind. Staying with Samsung but moving ion to Amazon, the Galaxy Watch 3 is currently $130 off, leaving it at $350 and the Galaxy Buds are $51 off, leaving those at $79. The M1 MacBook Pro is $60 off, leaving the 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage model for $1240. Finally, the Platinum Surface Pro 7 and a Black Type Cover is $230 off, meaning you can get it for $800 at the Microsoft Store. We have more deals on the 16-inch MacBook Pro, other Surfaces and more Samsung products, in the links in the description.

Amazon buys podcast maker Wondery as battle against Spotify and Apple heats up

Let’s stay on Amazon for another segment and we know you want more deals but that’s not the case. It seems podcasts are the new major bet from giants like Spotify and Amazon wasn’t gonna trail behind. Back in September, Amazon Music introduced a new Podcasts feature for the US, the UK, Germany and Japan. Well, less than three months later, the company just announced that they are acquiring Wondery, which is a podcast network that launched back in 2016 backed by 20th Century Fox. The statement says that “when this deal closes, nothing will change for the listeners and they’ll continue to access Wondery podcasts through a variety of provers. With Amazon Music, Wondery will be able to provide more high-quality, innovative content and continue their mission of bringing knowledge and entertainment to their listeners”. The deal is reportedly valued at $300M and is Amazon’s way of letting Apple and Spotify know that they’re taking podcasts seriously.

3, 2, 1, and sold! A prototype OnePlus 9 5G has exchanged hands for $3,000 on eBay

Let’s talk about OnePlus for a second as, something very interesting just went down when it comes to all the leaks plaguing it. We’re currently gearing up for the OnePlus 9 Series and if you remember, about a month ago we got some hands on images revealing the design. Well, apparently that was a prototype and that same prototype was just sold on eBay for $3000. It was originally listed last week for $6000 as a OnePlus 9 5G prototype, unlocked for all GSM carriers. This device is running a test build of Oxygen OS, meaning it probably has a crazy amount of bugs and it’ll most likely not get a software update. So yeah, so far we’ve gotten multiple leaks, including some specifications that show the Snapdragon 888 5G, a 120Hz display, 65W wired charging and 30W wireless charging. We’ll most likely get around 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and a triple camera array at the back, we just hope that even the regular model brings that rumored Leica sensor. If OnePlus finally takes the leap to a trusted brand like Leica, this could change everything, though that includes the price.

Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro might arrive in two sizes

We’ve been covering a good amount of rumors of the upcoming AirPods and AirPods Pro and it looks like we’re getting more than what we expected. According to some new leaks from Mr. White, we might be getting the second-gen AirPods Pro in 2 different sizes. He tweeted some pictures of the flat connection relays for them, showing that there are two sizes for them. However, there is a possibility that one of them might be for the “AirPods Pro Lite” which will simply be dubbed as the 3rd generation AirPods and it makes sense as all of the rumors hint to these adopting the current AirPods Pro design language. The tweet also mentions that they will be using W2 chips which will be a successor to the W1 chip we get in AirPods and some Beats headphones, that’s what enables the seamless pairing and it apparently also plays a role in conserving battery life. We’ll see if at the end we end up getting two different sizes for the AirPods Pro which would be pretty cool or, if these are just the 3rd Gen AirPods and the 2nd Gen AirPods Pro. Whatever the case may be, let’s just hope they don’t bring AirPods Max prices.

iPhones dominate US smartphone activations on Christmas Day 2020

Now how about if we discuss statistics. Take a whild guess over which was the phone that was most activated this holiday season?. Well, we have some new numbers from Flurry Analytics on the Top 10 US Smartphone Activations that happened on Christmas Day. Believe it or not, the graph shows that 9 out of the 10 phones were iPhones, with the LG K30 at number 10, doing some Michael Jordan-like Numbers for LG and the whole Android market for that matter. What’s crazy is that the iPhone 11 and the XR keep being Apple’s top drivers at number 1 and number 2, followed by the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the 12. The iPhone SE also made the cut at number 6, with the other phones being the 12 Pro, 11 Pro Max, the 8 and the 8 Plus. Now, according to them, this is a normal trend as, the newer higher end devices generally surge around to the early adopters, with the rest of the consumers adopting it later. They also mentioned that it doesn’t mean they sold more, it was just a more popular phone at this time. Now an interesting tidbit is that smartphone activations also went down 23% when compared to last year for obvious reasons, this has been a really tough year. We just wonder what demographics bought less this year, and hope 2021 sees a more even distribution.

Story of the day:

Samsung Galaxy S21+ looks hot in new leaked images

Here’s your first look at the official protective cases for Samsung Galaxy S21 series

And finally, when it comes to the hottest news today, don’t act like you weren’t expecting the Galaxy S21 Leaks, because they’re here. Like we mentioned on the previous Daily, most of the leaks have been focused around the Ultra but, now the other devices are getting some love from tipsters. Back on Monday, we got a full list of specs for the S21 and the S21+ and now, we have some IRL hands on images for the S21+. These images come from a tipster on Twitter showing almost everything you need to see. This is the lilac variant for the phone which brings a rose goldish triple camera array, and we also get to see the flat display with the punch hole that still comes in the center. We also have the usual dose of case leaks from MySmartPrice that confirm all of the design elements we’ve seen for the past couple of months, from the colors to the camera arrays. As a recap of the specs, the S21+ is expected to bring a 6.7in AMOLED display running at 120Hz, it’ll be powered by the Snapdragon 888 or the Exynos 2100, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and a 4800 mAh battery. At the back you should expect three cameras which consist of a 12MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra wide and a 64MP telephoto. We just wonder what Samsung’s new design language is gonna be called this year

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The post Pocketnow Daily: Galaxy S21+ Hands On Leaks: THIS Is It? (video) appeared first on Pocketnow.

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LG Wing update aims to solve multitasking woes of its swiveling dual-screen design

The wildly-designed LG Wing with a swiveling dual-screen design made its debut earlier this year. While the hardware was unique and the internals were fairly powerful, one area where the phone couldn’t deliver was an underwhelming software experience that couldn’t fully exploit its swiveling form factor. To resolve some of those issues, the company has started the rollout of a new software update for the Verizon-locked LG Wing that intends “to help optimize device performance, resolve known issues and apply the latest security patches.” 

The update, which carries the build number F100VM10d, also brings the November Android security patch. Starting with the UI changes, the secondary display now shows the names of apps (widgets and folders), something that was previously absent due to spacing limitations on the small display. A few other aesthetic tweaks have also made their way to the LG Wing courtesy of the latest software update. The biggest change, however, is the way in which apps transition between the two screens. 

Moving apps between the two screens of LG Wing is now easier

Now, users can move an app from the smaller screen to the larger swiveling display with ease by using the Fetch or Send buttons from the quick settings panel or by swiping up with three fingers. There is also a restart button that will be visible on the bottom right to relaunch an app in case it acts erratically when moved between the two screens. Also, media controls will now be accessible on the LG Wing’s secondary screen as well

Additionally, the camera app can now directly identify and scan a QR code without having to open a dedicated mode for it. However, users will first have to enable the “Scan QR Code” option in the Settings menu. Moreover, a guide has also been added that prompts users to see a quick preview of the image they’ve just captured by holding the thumbnail icon in the camera app.

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