Running the old Google Pay app? Here’s why you should switch, and how to do it
If you’re still using the old Google Pay app, you should consider switching to the new version by April 5. Here’s why you should and how.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE from Mobile Phone Direct is one of the best phone deals of the moment
This exclusive iPhone 12 deal is the best on the market…but it ends on Sunday
This iPhone 12 deal is the best on the market due to its low costs, unlimited data plan and 128GB of storage.
Apple now shows repairability score for iPhones and MacBooks on its website in France
Apple has slapped a repairability score badge to iPhones and MacBook models listed on its official website in France, in compliance with a new law that asks companies (especially consumer electronics makers) to reveal the important score. As per rules drafted by France’s Ministere De La Transition Ecologique, the country is targeting a net repairability of 60% for all electronics and electric appliances sold in the country within the next five years. This rule is part of a broader environmental initiative that targets everything from a ban on single-use plastic and more effective recycling of e-waste to telling consumers how much their data usage and digital consumption is contributing to greenhouse gas emission.
The move aims to boost the practice of repairing products, rather than throwing them in a bin
Coming to the repairability score for Apple devices, it is shown as a green label towards the bottom right corner as you scroll down on the shop page. For example, as you can see in the image above, the iPhone 12 Pro has been awarded a repairability score of 6/10. You can find the complete list of iPhones and MacBook models for which repairability scores have been calculated and are now shown on the Apple website here.
Interestingly, the iPhone 11 has been given a repairability score of 4.6/10, while the older iPhone X sits above it with a repairability score of 4.8/10. The MacBook Pro (13-inch, A2338) stands at 5.6/10, while the MacBook Pro (16-inch, A2141) ranked significantly higher with a repairability score of 6.3/10. Apple’s support page says that these repairability scores have been created for the standard configuration of products to align with a French law that aims to reduce e-waste.
The process of awarding a repairability score might be a tad skewed
However, the process by which repairability index is awarded to a product can’t be called 100% non-biased, as certain parameters that go into calculating the final score are rated by manufacturers themselves. As per the official manual that details the whole process of calculating repairability index, it depends on factors such as availability of detailed and easy to understand documentation, ease (of disassembly, accessibility, tools, fasteners), availability of spare parts, pricing of spare parts, and certain product-specific criterion.
The post Apple now shows repairability score for iPhones and MacBooks on its website in France appeared first on Pocketnow.
What are Android One phones?
Android One features a refined interface and no bloatware - does it make things easier?
Three expands 5G coverage and boosts 4G speeds
Three 5G now reaches 193 towns and cities across the UK.
Five items that every techie will want in their lives
From door monitors to a home VPN, these are must-have items for the techie in your life
There’s more to technology than smartphones and laptops. Here are a variety of items that you or the techie in your life will wonder how they ever lived without. And as an added bonus, they’re all on sale at very special prices.
Prima 1080p HD Pocket Projector
The Prima 1080p HD Pocket Projector casts a 200-inch, cinema-quality image onto any surface. Prima features 200 lumens, four times the brightness of other portable projectors, delivering a sharp picture in any lighting condition. Connect it via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, or use plug-in cables to the projector’s ports. Get it on sale for just $199.99.
This compact accessory organizer combines a charge cover, Type-C hub, and a storage compartment, all in one stackable case. The Type-C hub comes with eight ports, plus a magnetic Apple Pencil holder on top, while the storage compartment has three custom spaces for smaller accessories. Get it on sale for just $99.99.
Apple Powerbeats3 Wireless Earphones
Get up to 12 hours of battery life from single charge, or get one hour of life after just a five-minute charge. These earphones deliver dynamic sound and are sweat- and water-resistant, making them perfect for working out. They pair easily with any IOS or Android device. Get it on sale for just $77.99.
Deeper Connect Nano Decentralized VPN Cybersecurity Hardware
Keep your information private, really private with this decentralized VPN and firewall that works even without a subscription. It is serverless and distributed, meaning user data isn’t logged, leaked or hacked. It features a seven-layer firewall that secures your entire home or business network. It blocks ads and trackers while monitoring web traffic. Get it on sale for just $199.99.
Keep an eye on your home, whether you’re inside or away with the most advanced Ring unit yet. It features a high-powered 1080P HD camera, two-way audio and a motion sensor to detect any movement outside your home. It has infrared night vision, allowing you to see activity in the dark, and allows you to answer your door from anywhere. Get it on sale for just $224.99.
Prices subject to change
The post Five items that every techie will want in their lives appeared first on Pocketnow.
PlayStation VR 2 and Disney Plus Star: Noise Cancelling podcast episode 53
The best tech podcast you've never heard, pumped straight into your ears.
Samsung Galaxy A32 4G announced, and it might be better than the 5G version
Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy A32 4G, and it's very different to the Galaxy A32 5G.
Samsung unveils Galaxy A32 4G variant with 90Hz AMOLED display
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy A32 5G in January this year. Now, the company has taken wraps off its 4G variant. While Samsung has revealed Galaxy A32 specifications, its price and availability remain unknown. Notably, the Galaxy A32’s 4G variant is Galaxy A-series’ first phone to come with a 90Hz refresh rate. It is different than the 5G variant in more than one way.
The Samsung Galaxy A32 4G features a 6.5-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. It supports a Full HD+ resolution. The display has an integrated fingerprint sensor. Instead of the 48MP primary camera found on the 5G variant, the 4G Galaxy A32 is led by a 64MP camera. It is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, a 5MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front lies a 20MP selfie shooter.
The Galaxy A32 is powered by an unspecified octa-core processor that clocks at 2.0GHz. While the rumors claim it could be the Helio G85 SoC, there is no official information yet. The device will be made available in multiple configurations including RAM options like 4 GB, 6 GB, and 8GB. It will come in two storage models of 64GB and 128GB. Additionally, it has support for a microSD card. The smartphone packs a 5,000mAh battery that supports 15W fast charging. It will come in Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Blue, and Awesome Violet color options.
As compared to the 5G variant, the Galaxy A32 4G has a bigger display, a 64MP main camera instead of a 48MP one, a higher refresh rate, and more pixels on the selfie shooter. The 5G variant costs €279 (~340) for the European market. That said, pricing and availability of the 4G model hasn’t been announced yet.
The post Samsung unveils Galaxy A32 4G variant with 90Hz AMOLED display appeared first on Pocketnow.
Samsung Galaxy M12 could be the cheapest 90Hz phone in India
Samsung Galaxy M12 will launch in India soon and is expected to be the cheapest 90Hz phone in India. The device will also come with an 8nm chipset and will be launched under Rs 12,000.
Realme 8 series teaser confirms 108MP quad-camera setup
The Realme 8 Pro in India will come with a quad-camera array with a 108MP primary sensor, which will be a first for the brand.
FB wants to make “Hey Facebook” a thing
As hands-free tech has grown, people have become accustomed to trigger their voice assistants with the “Hey (Voice Assistant Name)” hotword. Apple and Google both offer “Hey Siri” and “Hey Google” hot wards to trigger their voice assistants. This allows people to use their voice assistants hands-free. Now, Facebook is jumping on the bandwagon to enable users to operate its products hands-free with the “Hey Facebook” hotword.
Facebook has announced that Oculus Quest users can say, “Hey Facebook” to interact with the device hands-free. “Our goal is to make Voice Commands a truly hands-free experience—and make it easier to take screenshots, cast, group up with your friends, and more,” Facebook said in a blog post. Users can say “Hey Facebook” wake word to Quest 2. The company plans to release it to all Quest devices in the future. This will allow users to take screenshots, cast, group up with their friends, and more.
Facebook will begin rolling out the new experience to people using Quest 2 starting this week. It will be a gradual rollout. Users can enable the wake word via FB’s Experimental Features settings—and then say “Hey Facebook, take a screenshot,” “Hey Facebook, show me who’s online,” “Hey Facebook, open Supernatural,” or any of the other voice commands to get started. That said, the Quest won’t listen for the “Hey Facebook” wake word when the microphone is turned off, or when the headset is asleep or powered down.
Quest users can still use Voice Commands without the wake word, via the existing button in the Home menu or by double-pressing the Oculus controller button. The hotword is an opt-in experience. You can opt-in or turn it off in the same Experimental Features panel. Further, you can easily view, hear, and delete your voice commands activity at any time.
The post FB wants to make “Hey Facebook” a thing appeared first on Pocketnow.
Redmi K40 could launch globally as a Poco smartphone
Redmi launched its K40 trio yesterday, February 25 in China. The smartphones feature Snapdragon 8-series SoCs, offer a high refresh rate, and come with a triple and quad rear camera setup. While we are waiting for a global debut of these devices, speculations about launch have already started coming in. If the rumors are to be believed, the Redmi K40 will launch globally under the Poco brand. A phone carrying a model number associated with the Redmi K40 has been listed with Poco branding on the certification site.
As per a listing on Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), a phone with model number M2012K11AG will launch under the Poco brand. The model number is said to be associated with the Redmi K40, which was recently launched in China. The latest development indicates that the device could launch outside of China as a Poco phone. This won’t be the first time Xiaomi will be rebranding one of its Redmi phones as a Poco phone if this happens. However, the details surrounding the global launch are still pretty vague.
The Redmi K40 features a 6.67-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,400 pixels) display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 360Hz touch sampling rate. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC, paired with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. The device runs Android 11 with MIUI 12 out of the box.
On the optics front, the Redmi K40 sports a triple rear camera setup of 48MP primary + an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens + a 5MP macro sensor. On the front lies a 20MP selfie shooter. Connectivity options on the Redmi K40 include 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.1, GPS/ A-GPS, NFC, Infrared (IR), and a USB Type-C port. Iy packs a 4,520mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging. You also get an in-display fingerprint sensor.
The Snapdragon 870-equipped Redmi K40 starts at CNY 1,999, which roughly translates to $310 based on the current conversion rates. This is a bang for the buck.
The post Redmi K40 could launch globally as a Poco smartphone appeared first on Pocketnow.
The Google Pixel ‘Fold’ could be real, and coming this year
The Google Pixel Fold is real, claims a leaker, and that it’s coming either at the end of 2021 or early 2022.