Category Archives: Technology

Technology

Google Pixel 7 preorder gifts could include the Pixel Watch, Pixel Buds Pro

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If you’re looking for reasons to buy the Google Pixel 7 or the Google Pixel 7 Pro when they’re launched next week, consider this: you might get a free Google Pixel Watch or some Google Pixel Buds Pro earbuds with your preorder.

That’s according to tipster Roland Quandt (opens in new tab), who is usually reliable with the information that he provides. The Pixel Watch will apparently be included with Pixel 7 Pro preorders, with the Pixel Buds Pro on offer for Pixel 7 buyers. There is a catch though – Quandt indicates that these offers will only be available in the UK.

Whether they end up appearing as deals in other international markets, or whether Google puts together different preorder packages, remains to be seen. The new phones would certainly be a more tempting proposition with a free gift thrown in.

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Price points

What we do know is that the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro will get unveiled on Thursday, October 6. As for the actual shipping and on-sale dates, Tuesday, October 18 has been mentioned as a possibility by those in the know.

The Pixel Watch is expected to make its debut on October 6 together with the Pixel 7 phones. Considering that the wearable is expected to retail for around $350 in the US and around £340 in the UK, that’s quite a freebie to be throwing in.

As for the Pixel Buds Pro, they’re already out and available to buy for $199 / £179 – not as expensive as the Pixel Watch is likely to be, but then again they’re being paired with the cheaper Pixel 7. All will be revealed next week.

Analysis: Google sweetens the deal

Google has form for putting some pretty decent preorder deals out there: you might remember that Google Pixel 6 preorders in the UK came with a free pair of Bose 700 wireless headphones, worth £300 (half as much as the phone itself).

Clearly preorder freebies sweeten the deal for potential buyers, and they’re likely to make a lot more people consider picking up a Pixel 7 smartphone – especially when it comes to the Pixel 7 Pro, if indeed a Pixel Watch will be bundled with it.

There’s going to be a hit in terms of finances for Google of course, but it might not be a bad idea to get as many people as possible wearing its new smartwatch. More users means more developer interest, which means more investment in Wear OS.

As always, pricing is going to be crucial – if the phones themselves are too expensive, then the preorder deals might not even matter. We will of course be bringing you all the news and announcements live on October 6, as they happen.



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Everything coming from Apple in October 2022

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Obviously, September is one of the biggest months on the Apple calendar. At its September 7 “Far Out” event, Apple introduced the iPhone 14 line, Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Ultra, and second-generation AirPods Pro. Plus, we got the release of iOS 16 and watchOS 9.

You might expect that October would pale in comparison, but Apple still has a lot going on. There’s still one iPhone 14 to come, and potentially a handful of iPads, Macs, and possibly more. We expect some really important operating system updates as well–especially as the iPad and Mac are a little behind the iPhone in getting their big yearly update.

New hardware

Apple’s still got some hardware to release this year. There could be an event in October, or perhaps none at all, just a steady stream of press-releases and website updates. Here’s what we think will be announced and released in October.

iPhone 14 Plus: The one product we are sure is releasing in October is the iPhone 14 Plus, the 6.7-inch version of the standard (non-Pro) iPhone. Already available for preorder, it hits shelves and mailboxes on Friday, October 7.

M2 Mac mini: The Mac mini hasn’t been updated since the M1 chip was launched in 2020, and for some reason Apple still sells the Intel version as well. It’s expected that new models are on the way with the M2 and M2 Pro, and possibly a slight redesign.

M2 MacBook Pros: The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros are only a year old, but those M1 Pro and M1 Max chips are expected to get the M2 treatment. Otherwise, the laptops should be similar.

M2 iPad Pros: The 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro still come with the M1 processor. Now that the M2 has been out for months, it’s time they were upgraded, which is expected to happen soon. Not much else about the iPad Pro models is expected to change, though, other than the possible addition of wireless charging.

Apps and software updates

Everyone’s iPhone got a huge upgrade with iOS 16, which was accompanied by watchOS 9 and tvOS 16. But the iPadOS release, which typically comes at the same time, was skipped–iPadOS 16.1 will be the first release for that hardware. It’s not uncommon for macOS to be a little behind the mobile devices, and we expect macOS Ventura to land this month, too.

The iPhone’s first big update, iOS 16.1, will have a number of important features when it comes this month, too.

iOS 16.1: The first big iOS update after iOS 16 will add some significant features, like Live Activities, improvements to the battery percentage indicator, a “Clean Energy Charging” feature, support for the Matter smart home standard (maybe), and more. It’s in beta now, and will probably release in October.

‌tvOS 16.1: There’s not a lot of big new stuff in tvOS 16.1, other than maybe support for the Matter smart home standard, but it will update to keep on pace with iOS.

iPadOS 16.1: This will be the first public release in the iPadOS 16 cycle–Apple is skipping iPadOS 16.0. The biggest feature is the new Stage Manager feature, which Apple keeps making major changes to in the hopes of getting it into good shape for launch.

macOS Ventura: Also known as macOS 13, “Ventura” brings a bunch of welcome features like using your iPhone as a wireless webcam, Passkey, shared iCloud Photo Library, lifting subjects from photos like on iOS 16, a new Settings app (which needs work), and more. We think it will launch together with iPadOS 16.1.

Services

Apple TV+

Here are the shows, series, and movies we expect to release on Apple TV+ in October. If you want to know what’s coming later, check our full guide to upcoming Apple TV+ content.

Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show: Season 2 of this live-action kids show is back with Jack McBrayer. October 7

Shantaram: A fugitive pursuing redemption in 1980s Bombay will do whatever it takes to get it, even if it means letting his past seep back into his present. October 14

Ghostwriter (season 3): When a ghost haunts a bookstore and releases fictional characters into the real world, a group of friends works to solve a mystery surrounding the ghost’s unfinished business. Season 3 features an all-new cast. October 21

Acapulco (season 2): Season two picks up right on the heels of season one, telling the story of 20-something Máximo Gallardo, whose dream comes true when he scores the job of a lifetime as a cabana boy at the hottest resort in Acapulco, Las Colinas. October 21

Raymond & Ray: A film about two half-brothers living in the shadow of a terrible father. Starring Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke. October 21

Apple Arcade

Apple releases new games to Apple Arcade on Fridays, but not every Friday is marked by a new game or significant update. Check our Apple Arcade FAQ for a full list of Apple Arcade games and more details on the service. Some games are released with no forewarning, but you’ll often see several projects listed in the Coming Soon section.

NBA 2K23 Arcade Edition: As it did last year, developer 2K is bringing a mobile version of its popular basketball franchise to Apple Arcade. October 18

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Debian Choose A Reasonable, Common Sense Solution To Dealing With Non-Free Firmware

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Debian developers have been figuring out an updated stance to take on non-free firmware considering the increasing number of devices now having open-source Linux drivers but requiring closed-source firmware for any level of functionality. The voting on the non-free firmware matter has now concluded and the votes tallied…

The debian votes option 5 as winning: “Change SC for non-free firmware in installer, one installer”

Per the Debian Wiki, that option amounts to:

The Debian Social Contract is replaced with a new version that is identical to the current version in all respects except that it adds the following sentence to the end of point 5:

“The Debian official media may include firmware that is otherwise not part of the Debian system to enable use of Debian with hardware that requires such firmware.”

The Debian Project also makes the following statement on an issue of the day:

We will include non-free firmware packages from the “non-free-firmware” section of the Debian archive on our official media (installer images and live images). The included firmware binaries will normally be enabled by default where the system determines that they are required, but where possible we will include ways for users to disable this at boot (boot menu option, kernel command line etc.).

When the installer/live system is running we will provide information to the user about what firmware has been loaded (both free and non-free), and we will also store that information on the target system such that users will be able to find it later. Where non-free firmware is found to be necessary, the target system will also be configured to use the non-free-firmware component by default in the apt sources.list file. Our users should receive security updates and important fixes to firmware binaries just like any other installed software.

We will publish these images as official Debian media, replacing the current media sets that do not include non-free firmware packages.

Basically the Debian Installer media will now be allowed to include non-free firmware and to automatically load/use it where necessary while informing the user of it, etc. Considering the state of the hardware ecosystem these days, it’s reasonable and common sense since at least users will be able to easily make use of their graphics cards, network adapters, and more. Plus a number of modern CPU security mitigations also requiring the updated closed-source microcode. So all in, I am personally happy with this decision as it will allow for a more pleasant experience for Debian on modern systems and one akin to what is found with other Linux distributions.

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Check if Edge is silently running in the background

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Microsoft keeps its Windows operating system running relatively smoothly by releasing regular updates. In its monthly Patch Tuesday update, many vulnerabilities get fixed.




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However, in one of the latest updates, Microsoft enabled its Edge browser to launch automatically when your computer starts up. If Edge isn’t your default browser, this is annoying. But simply closing it from the desktop won’t shut it down.

Load Error

Read on to see what you must do to free up some valuable memory and kill the process entirely.

Here’s the backstory

While it isn’t clear when the problems started or with which update, many Windows 10 and 11 users reported over the last few weeks that Edge starts up automatically when you log into your computer.

This means Microsoft added Edge to the startup applications without your knowledge. The company has been facing an uphill battle to get more users, as millions prefer Google’s Chrome or Mozilla’s Firefox.

You could close Edge every time it launches, but that will quickly become annoying. Sure, it’s out of sight, but it’s not out of memory. So closing Edge, in theory, only minimizes it, but the process still runs in the background. This eats up valuable internal memory, which can slow down your computer.

You’re also out of luck if you are fed up and want to get rid of Edge. The company explains on a support page that Edge is the default browser for Windows, and you can’t delete it from your PC.

What you can do about it

So, what can you do if you can’t uninstall Edge and closing the app doesn’t get the job done? There are a few options. The easiest way is to disable Edge as the default browser.

How to choose the default browser in Windows:

  • Right-click on the Start button and select Settings.
  • Click on Apps, then click Default apps on the left panel.
  • Scroll down and click on Web browser. Then, choose your preferred browser.

Another option is to disable Edge from launching at startup. Here’s how:

  • Right-click on the Start button and select Settings.
  • Click on Apps, then click Startup.
  • Scroll down until you see Microsoft Edge and toggle the slider next to it to the off position.

If Edge is already running in the background, you can stop the process through the task manager.

  • Right-click on the taskbar at the bottom of your screen and select Task Manager.
  • Scroll down under the Processes tab until you see Microsoft Edge, then right-click on the process and click End task. You might have to do this several times, depending on the number of times it’s running.

Keep reading

Update your browser! Chrome, Edge and Safari patched against zero-day flaw

Update your browser! Major issue hits Edge

Continue Reading

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Technology

Toree 3D Developer Brings Super Kiwi 64 To Switch eShop This December

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Earlier this year during a Nintendo Life indie spotlight, Toree 3D and Toree 2 developer Siactro revealed it would be bringing its new 3D platformer and collect-a-thon Super Kiwi 64 to the Nintendo Switch at some point this year.

It’s now locked in a release window – revealing this new N64-inspired 3D game will be launching on the Switch eShop at some point in December 2022. Players can look forward to “low poly late 90s retro looks”, plenty of cool platforming abilities and levels that can be completed in any order.

As part of this, it will also be bringing Beeny to the Nintendo Switch on October 14th. This is a prelude to Super Kiwi 64 and is described as a vertical 2D platfomer, with a pre-rendered early 90s look. Here’s a look at it in action:

While you wait for both of these games to arrive – Toree 3D and Toree 2 are well worth a look, if you haven’t already played them. And they also offer up some retro-style platforming that’s actually quite good.

What do you think of the latest trailer for Super Kiwi 64? How about the prelude? Comment below.



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Random: Great Scott! These Splatoon 3 Rewards Sure Look Familiar

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Image: Universal Pictures

Splatoon 3 channels all sorts of young and hip themes, but it seems the third entry has also taken some inspiration from a number of popular movies from the 1980s. Warning: potential spoilers ahead!

As noticed by a number of Inklings and Octolings across multiple social media platforms, the latest outing has some items and rewards that seemingly pay tribute to movies like Back to the Future, Star Wars and perhaps even Ghostbusters.

Apart from Marty McFly’s visor and the Doc’s glasses, it seems Splatoon 3 may also have a reference to the ‘Keymaster helmet’ from Ghostbusters (known in-game as the Brain Strainer) and the Rebel pilot helmets featured in Star Wars (known as the “Astro helmet” in-game). Below are some more images of this Grizzco gear:

What do you think of these items? Will you be wearing them in battle? Comment below.



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Google Japan debuts the Gboard Bar, a keyboard you can actually own

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Google Japan is having a bit of fun this weekend with the announcement of the Gboard Bar, a physical keyboard that has all of its keys lined up in one row. Google Japan states that there are a number of benefits to its new keyboard, with the most important being that it allows users to find the key that they are looking for faster than ever before.

Like any good product, it all starts with inspiration. For Google Japan, that inspiration came from the fact that for years, many had focused on just the word “key” in the word “keyboard” and never really went further. In Japanese, the word keyboard translates to キーボード (kii-bou-do), so with キー (kii (key)) getting so much attention, it decided to focus on the ボー (bou) portion, which on its own translates to bow (staff/bar). Using this, it was able to come up with a new design, improving navigation when compared to a traditional keyboard by placing all of the keys in a straight line. According to the firm, this minimizes the need to look in all directions like on a traditional keyboard. You can just start at the beginning and just go through each key until you find what you are looking for.

It also states that there are ergonomic and health benefits associated with the new keyboard, allowing the arms and legs to stretch naturally when typing. The device even has added features, like becoming a physical extension of your limbs, making it easier to press buttons that might just be out of arms reach. You can also use it on hiking excursions as a trekking pole or a ruler to measure objects, and it’s even easy to clean, requiring just one long wipe. For now, Google only has plans for a standard layout but is considering a version with emoji and also a gaming model with LEDs

If by now it wasn’t clear, this is somewhat of a joke, and Google Japan has no plans to mass produce this and make it available for sale. But, it does have a Github page set up where it has uploaded all of the necessary data files so that you can make your own if you choose. While this might sound like a fun project, be warned this thing will be long, measuring in at 1650mm or around 5 feet and 5 inches. If that’s just too much, Google reminds us that there is also a perfectly good Gboard app that can be downloaded to iOS and Android devices, offering an impressive set of features that can improve your typing experience in new ways.



Source: Google Japan Blog, Gboard Bar website

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More Super Mario Movie Jakks Pacific Toy Listings Surface On Amazon

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Image: Nintendo, Ubisoft

Back in February, it was discovered Illumination’s Super Mario Bros. movie would be getting a toy line created by Jakks Pacific.

At the time, Amazon Canada listed a 5-inch Toad figure and a ‘Mini-World’ van playset, but no other details were attached. Now, months later – Amazon has some new listings for Mario, Luigi and Bowser. It seems the Bowser figure will be slightly different in size and weight.

There are still no images, but according to each description, these action figures will contain “premium details and textures”, “up to 12 points of hidden articulation”, a “movie accessory” and come in collectors packaging. Mattel also appears to be working on Super Mario movie products – with an Amazon listing in August suggesting a Mario movie UNO set is on the way. Learn more in our previous story.

Super Mario fans will finally get a first look at the Super Mario Bros. animated movie in a special teaser trailer premiering at New York Comic-Con on October 6th (aka next week). Mario’s voice actor Chris Pratt has already seen it and said he was “blown away”. Earlier this week, a blank but verified Super Mario Movie Twitter account was also spotted, and it’s already got more than 15K followers.

Would you be interested in Super Mario movie toys and action figures? What do you think they’ll look like? Comment below.



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Here’s the Pixel Watch Photos face and Google Home for Wear OS

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We now know what the Google Photos watch face we spotted last month looks like, with Play Store listings today also showing off more of Google Home and Personal Safety for the Pixel Watch.

Given the popularity of watch faces that show family and friends, it’s not surprising that Google has one ready for the Pixel Watch on day one. 

Named “Photos” (via Mishaal Rahman on Twitter), you get a circular crop with two possible configurations for the date (displayed as day + date) and time (one or two lines). It’s rather reminiscent of the Android 12 lockscreen. There might also be the ability to have images change and automatically cycle throughout a set period. 

Meanwhile, the screenshot of the on-device watch face picker reveals “Pilot” – an homage to mechanical watches with enlarged 6/9/12 – in full, while we see names like “Ink” and “Pacific.” 

We then have Google Home for Wear OS again and its straightforward card list design. Smart home devices (thermostat, lights, etc) are housed in a rounded rectangle that includes an icon, background color, device name, and/or room. There’s plus and minus buttons for temperature, while you’ll presumably be able to swipe to adjust brightness, like on Android and the phone app. We also get an example of the “Person seen” notification.

Like with Google Photos, there’s nothing that suggests Google Home will be exclusive to the Pixel Watch. That said, it’s most likely launching first on Google’s wearable. 

Lastly, we have the Personal Safety app, which was shown off at I/O 2022 to quickly call predefined contacts or emergency services.

More on Pixel Watch:

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Leaked Pixel Watch images show band designs, watch faces and Fitbit integration

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It’s only a few days until , where the company will show off the Pixel 7 lineup as well as the first flagship smartwatch it designed in-house (outside of Fitbit, anyway). Leaks and rumors have provided some hints about ‘s features and specs. The latest leak might be the biggest one to date. It seems an Amazon listing for the Pixel Watch — the Pixel Watch is set to go on sale just after Google’s October 6th event.

Images and details shared by leaker on the forum (as spotted by ) indicate there will be at least four band designs in a number of colors. They appear to include a silicon design in black, gray, eggshell white and green and silver (the images aren’t super high-res), as well as a braided one that comes in orange, green and black. It seems there are two leather designs as well.

@OnLeaks via SlashLeaks

Beyond that, the images offer a look at some of the Pixel Watch faces. These include an analog-style watch face that includes the wearer’s heart rate, ones with artistic landscape designs and another that spells out the time in words. Other images offer peeks at the Pixel Watch’s Fitbit integration, a step counter, electrocardiogram (ECG) readings, an emergency call function and .

@OnLeaks via SlashLeaks

In addition, the Amazon listing, which has since been removed, suggested that users will receive six months of free Fitbit Premium access. Fitbit typically gives buyers of its smartwatches the same perk, but it’s not yet clear whether Google will do the same with the Pixel Watch in all regions. The listing also indicated that the Pixel Watch will connect to the Google Home app, and have 5ATM water resistance and a Corning Gorilla Glass display. The device is also said to have an Exynos 9110 processor and a day-long battery life.

Screenshots of the listing indicate that a WiFi version of the Pixel Watch costs €356.79 (around $349) in Germany. Previous reports suggested the WiFi model would start at $350 in the US, while the cellular version may start at $400. In any case, we’ll get more official details about the smartwatch this Thursday. We’ll have full coverage of the Pixel event, including everything you need to know about the Pixel Watch and the lineup.

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