Sony Xperia XZ, Xperia XZs, Xperia X Performance Now Receiving Android 8.0 Oreo Update

HIGHLIGHTS

• The new Android version comes as over-the-air (OTA) update
• It includes a build number 41.3.A.0.401
• There is Xperia Actions in addition to core Android Oreo features

A month after delivering the latest experience on the Xperia XZ Premium, Sony has started rolling out Android 8.0 Oreo update for its Xperia XZ and Xperia XZs. Both the handsets were debuted at IFA 2016 with Android 7.1 Nougat and were expected to receive the update to Android Oreo sometime before the end of this year. The Sony Xperia X Performance is also receiving its Oreo update.

The Android Oreo update for the Sony Xperia XZ and Xperia XZs is available as an over-the-air (OTA) firmware and is currently rolling out in phases. You can check its availability on your smartphone by visiting the System updates option from the Settings menu. You are recommended to back up your data before beginning the update process, and it is advisable to use a Wi-Fi connection to download the update package.

Sony has provided the Android Oreo update with a build version 41.3.A.0.401, as reported by XperiaBlog.net. There are certain tweaks in addition to core Android Oreo features. The update includes reminders that prompt you for unfinished tasks such as emails in draft and messages, redesigned app shortcuts with long-press access to actions, and smart text selection that contextually recognises and suggests options based on selected text. Also, the update has an enhanced Xperia Actions feature that suggests settings based on your usage and comes with all-new gaming and community features.

The Android Oreo update for the Xperia XZ and Xperia XZs additionally comes with Google's default Android Oreo features such as Picture in Picture (PiP) mode, new Quick Settings menu, and Google Play Protect integration. Similarly, the update is expected to uplift the experience with improvements like background limits, text autofill, and notification dots. There is also Android security update for November 2017 to fix some of the major existing vulnerabilities and bugs.

In the meanwhile, the Xperia X Performance is also said to be receiving its Android 8.0 Oreo update, reports Xperia Blog.

Last month, Sony released the Android Oreo update for the Xperia XZ Premium. That update brought features like a 3D Creator, which was originally available on the Xperia XZ1 and Xperia XZ1 Compact, to render a 3D avatar or a free-form image of users using the front-facing camera sensor of the smartphone in a short span of less than a minute. The update also included a predictive capture functionality and an autofocus burst mode. Also, it was touted to improve the sound quality of the top-end smartphone by tuning the front-firing stereo speakers and adding Qualcomm aptX HD audio support.

OnePlus 5T Open Sales Start in India, via Amazon and OnePlus Store

  

OnePlus 5T sports a new design and improved cameras compared to its predecessor

HIGHLIGHTS

• OnePlus 5T price in India starts at Rs. 32,999 for 6GB RAM, 64GB storage
• The 8GB RAM, 128GB storage model is priced at Rs. 37,999
• The smartphone is now available to buy via Amazon, OnePlus Store

OnePlus 5T (Review), the second 2017 flagship from OnePlus, was made available to buy in India on Tuesday, November 28. The smartphone, which features an 18:9 bezel-less display, has gone on sale via Amazon India and the OnePlus online store. Sales began at 12:01am IST. Both channels are offering similar launch offers to customers. To recall, the smartphone had been made available in two early access sales this month - on November 21 and November 24. 

OnePlus 5T price in India, launch offers

OnePlus 5T price in India starts at Rs. 32,999 for the 6GB RAM/ 64GB inbuilt storage variant, and goes up to Rs. 37,999 for the 8GB RAM/ 128GB inbuilt storage variant. It will only be available in a Midnight Black colour variant.

As we mentioned, both retail channels have OnePlus 5T launch offers. These include Rs. 1,500 cashback for HDFC Bank credit and debit card users; 1,008GB 4G mobile data offer from Idea (gives users access to a Rs. 357 per month pack with 2GB data per day, for 18 months); 1-year free membership to Zomato Gold; a complimentary 12-month Servify accidental damage insurance plan (requires installing Kotak 811 app and activating with a Rs. 1,000 deposit during introductory period); Rs. 500 credit on the Kindle store, and finally, Rs. 300 Amazon Pay balance cashback on new Amazon Prime customers, apart from Rs. 250 Amazon Pay balance when video is streamed via the Prime Video app.

The Chinese firm has also introduced a Referral Leaderboard, valid between November 21 and November 30, which provides Rs. 1,000 off on OnePlus accessories to referred OnePlus 5T buyers on the OnePlus online store, and 200 redeemable points to the referrer per referral.

OnePlus 5T specifications

OnePlus 5T supports dual-SIM cards and runs OxygenOS 4.7 based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat. It sports Face Unlock feature which the company says is based on advanced facial recognition algorithms. There's a fingerprint scanner at the back panel as well. Notably, the OnePlus 5T foregoes the hardware capacitive buttons that have been a staple on the offerings from the Chinese company.

The OnePlus 5T features a 6.01-inch full-HD+ (1080x1920 pixels) Full Optic AMOLED with an 18:9 aspect ratio, 401ppi pixel density, and 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The display also supports sRGB and DCI-P3 colour gamuts. Just like the OnePlus 5, the OnePlus 5T is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 835 SoC, clocked at up to 2.45GHz, paired with either 6GB or 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM.

The OnePlus 5T sports a primary sensor that is almost identical to the OnePlus 5, of 16-megapixel Sony IMX398 with 1.12-micron pixels, and an aperture of f/1.7. The secondary sensor is a 20-megapixel Sony IMX376K which replaces the 20-megapixel Sony IMX350 sensor which came paired with a telephoto lens. Both have the same focal length, of 27.22mm. Unlike OnePlus 5, the company is now targeting low-light conditions more than the portrait mode. OnePlus also claimed that the new 5T features 'Intelligent Pixel Technology' for capturing more light in low-light situations. At the front there's again a 16-megapixel Sony IMX371 sensor, also seen on the OnePlus 5. The OnePlus 5T is backed by a 3300mAh non-removable battery and supports the company's Dash Charge fast charging.

• REVIEW
• KEY SPECS
• NEWS

• Design
• Display
• Software
• Performance
• Battery Life
• Camera
• Value for Money

• Good
• Large, bright and clear screen
• Great battery life
• Useful software features
• Very good performance

• Bad
• Photo quality in daylight could be better
• No weatherproofing or wireless charging
• Android 8.0 update will take months

iOS 11 Reportedly Has a New Autocorrect Bug, Changes 'It' to 'I.T'

iOS 11 Reportedly Has a New Autocorrect Bug, Changes 'It' to 'I.T'

HIGHLIGHTS

• Apple has so far not acknowledged the issue
• It had suggested a workaround for the last 'autocorrect' bug
• Users have been complaining about the issue since September

A few iPhone users are reporting a new autocorrect bug that is thought to be a part of iOS 11. The word 'it' is reportedly being autocorrected to 'I.T' for some users, while others report a similar unwanted correction is occurring for the word 'is', changing it to 'I.S'. The bug has reportedly been around since the release of iOS 11, and hasn't been fixed by any of the six updates since issued, including another more widely affecting autocorrect bug in iOS 11.1 that was fixed in iOS 11.1.1. We weren't able to reproduce the bug over at Gadgets 360 however.

To recall, in the case of the iOS 11.1 autocorrect bug, the Text Replacement autocorrect feature was mistakenly correcting 'i' to 'A' and a symbol. Apple had acknowledged the bug and even provided a workaround until it issued a fix. So far, Apple has not done so for the 'it' autocorrect bug, and complaints have been pouring in since September, MacRumors reports. According to some users cited by the publication, Apple's workaround doesn't work this time around. The Cupertino giant had suggested users visit Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement, and save the correct word as both the phrase and the shortcut.

Photo Credit: @Sean_w_924/ Twitter

The only solution appears to be completely turning off autocorrect and if required, even predictive suggestions from Settings > General > Keyboard. Rebooting the iOS device reportedly doesn't help. We've reached out to Apple to comment on the issue, and will update this article if we hear back.

As we mentioned, the iOS 11 release has not been without its share of bugs, and six bug-fixing updates have been unveiled since its launch.

iOS 11.0.1 brought a fix for an Exchange mail issue; iOS 11.0.2 brought a fix for crackling sounds affecting iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus users, while iOS 11.0.3 brought a fix for audio and haptic issues on the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and more. The latest, iOS 11.1.2, fixed the cold weather screen responsiveness issue on the iPhone X, and a Live Photos issue.

Ashes Cricket for PC Is Delayed Due to Piracy: Big Ant Studios

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ashes Cricket is out for PS4 and Xbox One
• No PC release date has been announced yet
• Developer Big Ant claims it's due to piracy

Ashes Cricket is out for the PS4 and Xbox One. While developer Big Ant has previously stated that the PC version of the game would be out by the end of the year, that hasn’t stopped eager fans from asking the Australian studio why it’s been delayed. Unlike other companies that sugarcoat the their response, stating that PC gamers would get a better looking game, Big Ant’s approach was rather candid.

“Like many games, the PC is delayed after console as piracy is so rife on the platform. (Many publishers do not have their console games come to PC at all for this very reason, even GTA was a year later.),” tweeted Big Ant in response to a query on the game’s PC status.

While the comparison isn’t exactly accurate, and something fans brought to its attention, Big Ant stuck to its guns claiming “this game has far, far more content than just the Ashes. GTA was delayed because of piracy” in a follow up tweet.

Although cricket game fans are understandably livid at Big Ant’s response, it’s fair when you consider the state of the largest marketplace for PC games — Steam.

In light of Steam Direct replacing Steam Greenlight, Valve’s burgeoning platform has seen the number of games release in 2017 surpass the sum total of games from 2005 to 2015.

Discoverability for game makers is a cause for concern. So much so that big publishers like Square Enix have stated that a link to their game’s Steam page on their own website sees more traction than Steam’s own recommendation and curation systems.

Nonetheless, if you like cricket and own a PS4 or Xbox One, there’s no reason not to play Ashes Cricket. In our Ashes Cricket review we stated it’s the best representation of the sport yet, making us optimistic of what to expect in the years to come. Will the PC version be as good? Won’t be long before we find out.

We spoke about Ashes Cricket and Big Ant Studios' concerns around piracy on our weekly gaming podcast Transition. You can subscribe to it via Apple Podcasts or RSS or just listen to this episode by hitting the play button below. 

Tumblr CEO and Founder David Karp Is Leaving the Yahoo-Owned Blogging Platform

Tumblr founder and chief David Karp on Monday announced he is leaving the nearly 11-year-old blogging platform - with his departure coming in the wake of Verizon buying parent-company Yahoo.

Karp said that he will leave by the end of this year and chief operating officer Jeff D'Onofrio will take his place at the helm of Tumblr.

"I beg you to understand that my decision comes after months of reflection on my personal ambitions, and at no cost to my hopefulness for Tumblr's future or the impact I know it can have," he said in a copy of a letter to employees that he posted online.

Karp founded Tumblr in New York in early 2007 as a platform where people could share writing and short-form media. Now, Tumblr hosts some 380 million different blogs.

"We made it really, really simple for people to make a blog and put whatever they want on it. Stories, photos, GIFs, TV shows, links, quips, dumb jokes, smart jokes, Spotify tracks, mp3s, videos, fashion, art, deep stuff," reads a self-description on the website.

Yahoo acquired Tumblr in May 2013 for $1.1 billion (roughly 7,087 crores), as part of an effort to better connect with younger online users.

Meanwhile, Verizon's online unit Oath - which includes the AOL and recently acquired Yahoo brands - is cutting several hundred jobs as part of a reorganisation, a source familiar with the move said earlier this month.

The reductions represent "less than four percent" of the Oath global workforce of an estimated 12,000, according to the source.

The move represents a second round of cuts at Oath since the $4.5 billion acquisition of Yahoo in June.

"We're about four months post-close of Verizon's acquisition of Yahoo, and we've made these changes to our team to further align our global organization to our 2018 roadmap," Oath said in a statement at the time.

Media reports said the move would eliminate an estimated 560 jobs in different Oath business units such as advertising and engineering.

Verizon has so far maintained the Yahoo brand, which has some one billion users worldwide for its email, news and other services.

Yahoo's sale capped a long decline from when it had a peak market value of some $125 billion (roughly Rs. 8,05,441 crores) in 2000.

Android 8.1 Developer Preview 2 Now Available, Enables Pixel Visual Core SoC

Android 8.1 Developer Preview 2 Now Available, Enables Pixel Visual Core SoC

HIGHLIGHTS

• Android 8.1 Developer Preview 2 is available for compatible devices
• Update enables Pixel Visual Core on Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL
• Android 8.1 public release due for December

Google on Monday started rolling out Android 8.1 Developer Preview 2 for compatible Pixel and Nexus devices. The final preview is available for the entire hardware range that received the original Android Oreo update earlier this year, including Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Pixel C, Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, and Pixel 2 XL. Amongst other features, the new version enables the Pixel Visual Core coprocessor, which boosts the image signal processing on the smartphone.

Following the launch of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL back in October, Google revealed the smartphones featured a Pixel Visual Core chip that it had designed in partnership with Intel. The new chip is specifically designed to enhance the existing image-taking experience on the new Pixel handsets using machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) efforts. Although the chip has existed on the Pixel 2 models since their arrival, the Mountain View, California-headquartered has finally enabled its experience through the new developer preview build.

Developers will be able to leverage to the presence of Pixel Visual Core to offer HDR+ shots on their apps, using the Android Camera API. This means that third-party apps would be able to deliver an experience close to the default camera app on the Pixel 2 models.

In addition to the Pixel Visual Core advancement, the Android 8.1 Developer Preview 2 includes "near-final" Android 8.1 system images for Pixel and Nexus devices along with official APIs (API level 27), latest optimisations and bug fixes, and the November 2017 security updates. There is also Neural Networks API that accelerates computation and inference for on-device machine learning frameworks like TensorFlow Lite and Caffe2 among others. Additionally, the new developer preview includes a Shared Memory API for lower-end hardware with 1GB or less RAM.

If you've already enrolled in the Android Beta Program, you'll soon receive an update notification to download the new preview through an over-the-air (OTA) package. However, you can also flash your Pixel or Nexus device manually by installing a compatible factory image. Factory images for all supported devices are available for download on Android Developers' site.

In case you don't want to install the developer preview, anticipating the public release of Android 8.1, you will need to wait for few weeks. The official launch of the new Android version is due in December, Google says. It will include all the features of the first and second developer previews as well as enhancements such as an 'SMS Connect' for Chromebooks and a space-saving tweak.

Waymo Seeks Delay of Uber Trade Secrets Trial Over New Evidence

Alphabet's Waymo self-driving car unit asked a US judge on Monday to postpone an upcoming trade secrets trial against Uber Technologies, so Waymo could investigate whether Uber withheld important evidence in the case.

The trial is currently scheduled to begin on December 4 in San Francisco federal court. Waymo said it learned of new evidence last week after the US Department of Justice shared it with the judge overseeing the case.

The two companies are battling to dominate the fast-growing field of self-driving cars.

In its court filing on Monday, Waymo said it recently learned that a former Uber security analyst sent a letter to an Uber in-house lawyer more than six months ago, which contained important facts about the case.

Waymo's court filing is partially redacted from public view, so the details of the analyst's letter are unclear. However, Waymo said Uber concealed the letter despite demands from Waymo and the judge to disclose all relevant evidence.

Representatives for Uber could not immediately be reached for comment.

Waymo sued Uber in February, claiming that former Waymo executive Anthony Levandowski downloaded more than 14,000 confidential files before leaving to set up a self-driving truck company, called Otto, which Uber acquired soon after.

Uber denied using any of Waymo's trade secrets. Levandowski has declined to answer questions about the allegations, citing constitutional protections against self-incrimination.

Earlier this year US District Judge William Alsup, who is hearing the civil action brought by Waymo, asked federal prosecutors to investigate whether criminal theft of trade secrets had occurred. That probe is being handled by the intellectual property unit of the Northern California US Attorney's office, sources familiar with the situation said. No charges have been filed.

Alsup disclosed last week that he had received a letter from prosecutors, which he did not reveal. However, Alsup ordered the former Uber security analyst, the Uber in-house lawyer and another witness to appear in court on Tuesday at a final pretrial conference.

It is unusual for prosecutors to share information with a judge days before a civil case is set to begin.

Alsup already delayed the trial once before, in October, citing Waymo's need to probe separate evidence Uber had not promptly disclosed.

US Internet Firms Urge FCC to Keep Net Neutrality Rules

Airbnb, Reddit, Shutterstock, Inc, Tumblr, Etsy, Twitterand a long list of small internet companies urged the Federal Communications Commission on Monday to scrap a plan to roll back net neutrality rules.

In a letter dated on Monday, the companies urged FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to reverse course and vote against changing the rules.

Pai, a Republican appointed by President Donald Trumpin January, unveiled plans last week to scrap landmark 2015 rules intended to ensure a free and open Internet, moving to give broadband service providers sweeping power over what content consumers can access. The FCC is set to vote on December 14.

The move was seen as a victory for big Internet service providers such as AT&T, Comcast Corp, and Verizon Communications, which favoured a repeal.

The companies, which sent the letter on Cyber Monday to coincide with the biggest online shopping day of the year, argued that slowing access to content, called "throttling," or blocking it altogether, would hurt the US economy.

"This would put small and medium-sized businesses at a disadvantage and prevent innovative new ones from even getting off the ground," the companies said in the letter.

Pai defended the change as a way to remove heavy-handed Internet regulations.

"The Internet and companies like Twitter, which signed the letter, thrived under the pre-2015 light-touch regulatory framework that governed Internet access. Chairman Pai wants to return to that framework so that we can increase investment in broadband networks and connect more Americans to the services that these companies offer online," FCC spokesman Mark Wigfield said in a statement.

SoftBank Said to Offer to Buy Uber Stock at 30 Percent Discount

Japan's SoftBank Group Corp is offering to purchase shares of Uber Technologies at a valuation of $48 billion, a 30 percent discount to its most recent valuation of $68.5 billion, a person familiar with the matter said on Monday.

The investment, which has been approved by the Uber board, would give the Japanese investor up to 17 percent of the ride services company. The offer comes as Uber is trying to improve corporate governance and cut the influence of former Chief Executive Travis Kalanick.

A second person said the offer price was in line with what investors had been expecting. SoftBank is also expected to make a separate $1 billion investment in the company at the $68.5 billion valuation.

SoftBank is making the tender offer on Monday, the sources said. Even at the discounted price, Uber is one of the world's most valuable companies, and the offer is a chance for early investors to lock in substantial profits.

Bloomberg reported the offer price earlier on Monday.