Tag: Android

Categories
Mobile Syrup

New PS App beta lets Canadian PS5 users access PS5 game captures on mobile

PlayStation is now allowing Canadian PlayStation App users to access their PS5 game captures as part of a Canada- and Japan-exclusive beta.

With this functionality, players will be able to directly share their PS5 screenshots and clips through their mobile devices (either to social media or on PSN within the app) or save them to their camera rolls. Previously, you could only share game captures from your PS5. The official Xbox app has offered similar functionality for a few years now.

PlayStation notes that neither a PlayStation Plus membership nor any beta registration is required to access the feature; simply download the latest version of the PS App from your respective mobile storefront. The PS App will automatically upload non-4K screenshots and game clips under three minutes long to the cloud. These can then be accessed through the PS App for 14 days.

There are a few things to keep in mind, however. To start, you’ll have to enable the feature. Keep in mind that in order to auto-upload your game captures, your PS5 needs to be linked to the PS App and be left in rest mode with the ‘Stay Connected to the Internet’ setting turned on.

Once you’ve done all of this, the PS App will automatically upload non-4K screenshots and game clips under three minutes long to the cloud. These can then be accessed through the PS App for 14 days.

iOS users can download the update starting today, while the Android version of the app is getting the beta as part of a phased release. This means that users may have to wait up to one week for it to become available.

Source: PlayStation

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Do you bring your smartphone into the shower with you?

Thanks to everyone who didn’t make me feel weird about my last ‘Community Question‘ where I asked, “Am I weird for wanting to put a smart speaker in my bathroom?”

Most people seem to agree that this is a reasonable thing to do, and I really appreciate that. For my next question, I want to know: “do you bring your phone or tablet into the shower with you?”

To clarify, I don’t mean using your phone or tablet while taking a bath — I’m specifically talking about while you’re showering.

Modern smartphones and tablets typically feature IP68 water and dust resistance, so you can definitely bring most devices into the shower without fear of breaking them, but is anyone actually doing this?

I’ve taken my smartphone for a dip once just for fun to finish an episode of Fashion Photo Ruview because I already started it and didn’t want it to end.

However, I know MobileSyrup‘s Patrick O’Rouke and Bradley Bennett both regularly watch content and listen to music with devices in the shower. I think it’s a bit weird, but to each their own.

Do you guys ever bring your phone or tablet into the shower with you? Let us know in the comments below, and if the consensus is overwhelming, “yes,” I’ll try bringing the next phone I review into the shower with me to watch an episode of You.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

‘Nothing’s’ first smartphone could release in early 2022

It looks like ‘Nothing,’ the latest venture from OnePlus founder Carl Pei, might have plans to release a smartphone in early 2022.

According to a very vague leak from 91Mobiles, the startup is on track to release its first handset during the first part of next year. However, details on the device’s price, specs or even a glimpse at its design aren’t included in the report. That said, the story does feature information regarding a Power (1) power bank that could launch before the company’s rumoured smartphone.

Given Pei is Nothing’s founder, it’s not surprising to hear that the company has plans to delve into the smartphone space. The timing of this leak is also interesting given the company recently announced a new round of funding and a strategic partnership with Qualcomm related to “future tech products.”

Adding further fuel to rumours is the fact that Nothing purchased the remnants of ‘Essential‘ and the Essential Phone earlier this year.

Nothing’s first product is its recently released Ear (1) transparent wireless earbuds.

Source: 91Mobiles

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Twitter finally adds support for Android’s system dark mode toggle

I have been waiting for this to happen since 2019.

Twitter has finally, finally added support for Android’s system dark mode. That means I don’t have to manually switch between the app’s built-in light, ‘dim’ and dark options anymore. This is truly a ✨blessed✨ day.

For a bit of context, back in 2019, Apple and Google added official dark modes to their respective operating systems. These dark modes were, effectively, just a toggle that changed user interface (UI) elements from light colours (like bright white) to dark colours (like grey, dark blue or black). Both companies hyped up the toggle as a significant new feature, despite embarrassingly few apps supporting the toggle at launch.

That includes Twitter, which long had a built-in dark mode option but didn’t actually support the new toggles. What’s worse, users could also set the system dark mode to turn on and off automatically (such as at preset times or have it follow sunset/sunrise in their area). Apps that didn’t support the system toggle also didn’t support the automated transition.

Twitter users with iPhones didn’t have to worry about this particular problem for long. 9to5Mac reported that Twitter rolled out support for the iOS 13 system dark mode toggle on September 17th, 2019. (I think it may have come to Canadian Twitter users later, because I wrote on the 25th of that month that Twitter still didn’t support the dark mode toggle). Twitter’s support was a new ‘Use device settings’ toggle that told the app to follow iOS.

Android users, however, just started to get that toggle on October 14th, 2021. Not everyone has it yet, however, but it appears to be rolling out quickly.

How to make Twitter for Android follow your device theme

To access it, open Twitter on your Android phone, tap your profile picture in the top-left corner, then tap the lightbulb icon in the bottom-left corner. A menu will slide up from the bottom of the screen with options to turn dark mode ‘Off,’ ‘On,’ or ‘Use device settings.’ Twitter users can still select the ‘Dim’ blue or ‘Lights out’ black dark theme. The option to have Twitter follow sunset/sunrise is gone, which is fine by me since it didn’t work on any phone that tried it on.

Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that Twitter could do a lot more to improve usability and accessibility on its platform. As ecstatic as I am about support for system dark mode, Twitter has glaring accessibility issues that have only gotten worse with the platform’s recent changes to the font and other elements. And don’t get me started on the widespread harassment and other problems.

But, at least now Twitter will match my phone theme.

Source: Lifehacker

Categories
Mobile Syrup

You can buy a ‘like-new’ Pixel 4 XL at Public Mobile for $540

I doubt this is a device many people are looking to purchase in 2021, but if you want a Pixel 4 XL, Google’s smartphone is currently available at Public Mobile.

Public Mobile sells used “like-new” Google Pixel 4 XLs in ‘Clearly White’ for $539. However, only the 64GB of storage variant is available.

If you’re worried about a ‘Certified Pre-Owned’ phone, below is how Public Mobiel describes its ‘Like New’ smartphones:

“Someone opened the box on these phones and then changed their mind: it’s as close to perfect as you can get with a pre-owned phone.”

I reviewed the Pixel 4 XL back in 2019 and felt it was a relatively incremental update over the Pixel 3 XL. It’s also worth noting that the smartphone is almost two years old and that Google will reveal the Pixel 6 series next week.

Still, it’s cool Public Mobile is still selling Pixel 4 XL, especially considering Google stopped selling the device a year ago.

Source: Public Mobile 

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Samsung announces another Unpacked event for October 20

In what seems like a concerted effort on the part of tech giants to ensure next week will forever be remembered as one of the most exhausting weeks in tech blogging history, Samsung has confirmed that it’s holding an event on October 20th at 10am.

For those keeping track, Apple’s event is on Monday, Google’s event is on Tuesday and now, we have Samsung’s Unpacked Part 2.

It’s unclear when the event will take place, with Samsung only stating that it features “self-expression through technology. A teaser image for the event features Samsung’s Health and SmartThings icons as well as several coloured boxes.

Leaks suggest we might see the often-rumoured Galaxy S21 FE at the event or possible new mid-range devices. That said, there are rumours that Samsung has cancelled the S21 FE entirely due to chip shortages.

There’s also a possibility the stream could be entirely focused on software, including One UI 4.0/Android 12 and the South Korean tech giant’s broader app ecosystem.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

New video shows how Samsung tests its Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3

Samsung has posted a video showing off the tests the company puts its latest duo of foldable handsets, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3, through to ensure that they’re durable.

Samsung’s durability tests include an environmental chamber, water resistance, S Pen usability and a folding test. The folding test aims to make sure that the devices can survive 200,000 folds, and the environmental chamber test ensures that the foldable devices’ video playback, cameras, components and more work in a variety of climates.

The video’s release follows reports from some users that their Z Flip 3’s displays are cracking down the middle. 9to5Google outlines an issue where the smartphone’s foldable screen cracked at the fold after days of no use.

A Reddit user also claims the same thing happened to them after three days of owning the Z Flip 3. In a Reddit post, they mention how they were able to get the phone replaced under warranty.

I used both the Z Fold 3 and the Z Flip 3 for a few weeks and I didn’t have any issues with durability. In fact, I found that the two devices felt a lot more durable than their predecessors.

Source: Samsung

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Here are the Pixel 6 and Galaxy Flex Note leaks from this past week

Images, renders and videos of upcoming smartphones continuously leak. These leaks can be challenging to follow, so we compiled a list of the past week’s hottest rumours.

From October 4th to October 10th, we saw a couple of leaks about the Pixel 6, and more.

Below are all the major smartphone leaks from October 4th to October 10th:

Google

Rumours first shared by AI (@AppleLE257) on Twitter indicate that Google’s fall Pixel 6 series event will also include the reveal of the often-rumoured Pixel Watch, Pixel Fold, and several new Nest smart speakers.

For more on the Pixel event leak, click here.

The new Pixel devices will reportedly support 23W wireless charging.

Evan Blass, who obtained several Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro marketing images — including a handful that show off the new Google Pixel Stand — uploaded the renders to Twitter. The photos show the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro on a new Pixel Stand, implying that both devices will support Qi wireless charging.

For more on this leak, click here.

Samsung

The patent, which outlines a smartphone called the ‘Galaxy Flex Note,’ showcases a foldable device with a wrap-around display and a stylus dock.

Graphic designer Technizo Concept created a 3D product rendering based on the patent in collaboration with LetsGoDigital.

According to the report, the Flex Note offers an expansive screen size when unfolded. However, there’s no separate front display like with Samsung’s recently released Galaxy Z Fold 3. Instead, the phone sports a wrap-round screen that runs across the smartphone’s body.

For more on this leak, click here.

Huawei

Huawei recently patented a new foldable smartphone with the codename ‘Mate V,’ and now it seems like the handset is getting its own stylus called the V-Pencil, according to LetsGoDigital.

The stylus was patented at the European Union Intellectual Property Office with the description “electronic pen, computer stylus, touchscreen stylus.” This patent goes hand in hand with the Mate V device spotted on Weibo and first reported by @Panda.

For more on this leak, click here. 

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Leaked Pixel 6 Pro teardown videos show off the smartphone’s insides

Even though Google’s Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro haven’t yet officially been revealed, we know nearly everything about the pair of upcoming smartphones.

Taking things a step further, two videos posted to YouTube today go so far as to show off what the Pixel 6 Pro looks like inside, how to take it apart and how to put it back together.

The images, which likely were never intended to be released publically and seem to be related to manufacturing at a warehouse, don’t include voiceovers and feature low-quality text, graphics and music (those are some sick royalty-free guitar riffs though). Still, they give an unpreceded look at the inside of Google’s upcoming flagship smartphone well before iFixit inevitably tears it to pieces in a few weeks.

The videos also reveal a few facts about the smartphones that Google hasn’t confirmed yet, including that there are mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G versions of the device. We’ll likely get the sub-6GHz version of the Pixel 6 Pro in Canada given mmWave 5G isn’t available here. The videos also reveal that the Pixel 6 Pro features an Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip connector.

So far, we know Google will include a custom ‘Tensor’ processor in the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro and that each phone will come in three colour options.

Further, the Pixel 6 Pro will feature three cameras, including a telephoto lens with 4x optical zoom. On the other hand, the Pixel 6 will only include two cameras and no telephoto lens.

Google will reveal the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro during an October 19th event.

Source: Zeus Olympus (YouTube) (2) Via: 9to5Google

Categories
Mobile Syrup

OnePlus 9RT leaks, likely not coming to Canada

The latest OnePlus device might be a successor to the OnePlus 9R that launched in India and China called the OnePlus 9RT.

The 9R itself seemed like a minor refresh of the OnePlus 8T from 2019, but placed into a body of a phone that looked more in-line with OnePlus’ latest hardware design language. The leaked OnePlus 9RT seems very similar, but reportedly features minor camera improvements that bump some of its sensors up to 50-megapixels.

I’m expecting OnePlus to reveal this phone on October 13th, but since the first 9R never came to Canada, this one likely also won’t. With that in mind, if you’re looking for a deal on a OnePlus phone in Canada, the OnePlus 8T is down to $679 right now.

I’d expect North American OnePlus fans will need to wait until the spring to see a new OnePlus smartphone make its way here given the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro launched back in March 2021.

Source: @evleaks