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lundi 6 juillet 2020

Xiaomi is testing a Google Camera-like astrophotography mode in the MIUI 12 camera app

Xiaomi’s MIUI 12 adds many new flavors to the UX on Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO smartphones. Although the Android skin has already started rolling out to some devices globally, that doesn’t prevent Xiaomi from experimenting with and constantly adding new features. When it comes to cameras, Xiaomi has already added a bunch of nifty features such as “Magic Clone” and full-screen gesture support to the Camera app in MIUI 12 beta in China and has also been testing another feature similar to Google’s Top Shot. Now, we learn that Xiaomi may be testing another feature similar to Google Camera’s Astrophotography mode.

XDA tipsters kacskrz and @Deiki recently informed us that Xiaomi is working on a long exposure mode in the MIUI 12 Camera app. The feature will allow users to take images of a starry sky, moving crowds, light paintings, silky water, etc. by capturing trails of moving objects.

An APK teardown can often predict features that may arrive in a future update of an application, but it is possible that any of the features we mention here may not make it in a future release. This is because these features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by the developers in a future build.

These options for the Long Exposure feature were discovered by an APK teardown of the MIUI Camera app from the latest MIUI 12 China beta ROM. The following strings found in the Camera app’s code describe the different options in the long exposure mode:

<string name="ambilight_description_title">About long exposure</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_crowd_moving_part1">When shooting on a crowded street, ask your subject to stand still. Other people will appear as blurry trails.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_crowd_moving_part2">You can also take pictures of busy traffic and moving crowds. Long exposure will keep the buildings crisp, but all moving objects will be blurry.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_light_track">Use a light source to \"paint\" over a dark scene to bring all the lit pieces together in one image.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_magic_star">Use this mode in places with low light pollution. The exposure will be set to %d seconds, so using a tripod is a great idea.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_silky_water_part1">Use this mode when shooting moving clouds. It will give the sky an \"oil painting\" effect.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_silky_water_part2">This mode makes moving water (rivers, waterfalls, and lakes) look like satin.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_star_track">Shooting the starry sky for a long time can capture the trajectories of stars. Don\'t forget to use a tripod and shoot continuously for at least %d minutes.</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_star_track_2">对星空进行长时间的拍摄,可将星星的移动路径完整保留在画面中,请使用三脚架。拍摄%d分钟以上时,可同时获得星轨视频与照片。</string>
<string name="ambilight_intro_traffic_light">At night, you can capture the trajectory of bright moving lights (on cars and ships, for example). This mode allows to preview the final result on your screen in real time.</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_crowd_moving">Moving crowd</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_light_track">Light painting</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_magic_star">Starry sky</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_silky_water">Silky water</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_star_track">Star trails</string>
<string name="ambilight_scene_traffic_light">Neon trails</string>
<string name="ambilight_tips_for_longtime_using_tripod">Use a tripod to capture a longer exposure</string>
<string name="ambilight_tips_for_suggest_using_tripod">Use a tripod</string>
<string name="ambilight_tips_for_using_tripod">Use a tripod</string>

Interestingly, the feature is already live for MIUI 12 beta build for the POCO F2 Pro (Redmi K30 Pro). From the screenshot shared by Polish Telegram user @hardziol, we can see the feature can be used for light painting, silky water, starry sky using automated slow shutter speed. We can expect the feature to be available on other devices – unless Xiaomi is only selectively rolling it out for phones with specific camera sensors.

MIUI 12 camera long exposure starry night

Thanks to Telegram user @hardziol for the screenshot

We’ll share more updates when the feature is more widely available.

The post Xiaomi is testing a Google Camera-like astrophotography mode in the MIUI 12 camera app appeared first on xda-developers.



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Here’s your first look at the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in the flesh

Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Note 20 series later this year in August. However, we’ve already seen quite a few leaks about the upcoming flagship series that not only highlight their design but also give us a good look at their specifications. Earlier this month, we saw yet another leak of the top-of-the-line Galaxy Note 20 Ultra which showcased the mystic bronze color variant of the device but all the leaked images so far have been digital renders. Now, YouTuber Jimmy Is Promo (@jimmyispromo) has managed to procure a working unit of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra almost a month ahead of the launch and has shared live images that give us a clear look at the black color variant of the device.

As you can see in the attached images, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra packs in a triple-camera setup on the back enclosed within a rectangular camera module that we’ve seen in previous leaks.

The device features slim bezels around the display, with a slight curve on either side and a single hole-punch cutout in the center for the selfie camera. Both the power button and the volume rocker can be found on the right edge of the device.

Much like the mystic bronze variant, the black Galaxy Note 20 Ultra comes with a color matching stylus that has a silver accent on the click button at the top. Jimmy Is Promo has also shared a screenshot of the software information of the device and it reveals that Samsung will ship the Galaxy Note 20 series with One UI version 2.5 based on Android 10.

While the YouTuber has shared no information about the hardware specifications of the device, rumors suggest that the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra will feature a 108MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 13MP periscope zoom camera on the back, along with a laser autofocus module. The device is expected to feature a 6.9-inch WQHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and it might be powered by Samsung’s new Exynos 992 chipset.

The post Here’s your first look at the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in the flesh appeared first on xda-developers.



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Galaxy Watch 3 firmware analysis: Here’s what we found about Samsung’s new smartwatch

Samsung’s upcoming products tend to get a lot of attention because of how much of a splash they make on the scene. With the sorry state of Wear OS and Snapdragon Wear processors, it’s no surprise that many Android fans are holding out for the Tizen-based Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 to release. Thanks to a recent public firmware leak, we’ve learned a lot of information about Samsung’s upcoming smartwatch, including most of the specifications and features. Here’s everything we discovered so far about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3.

But first, a brief recap. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 will be the successor to the original Galaxy Watch, which was released in mid-2018. Samsung has released a few smartwatches in between the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Watch 3, including the Galaxy Watch Active and the Galaxy Watch Active 2, but they’re skipping over the “Galaxy Watch 2” branding. Make no mistake, though: This is a Galaxy Watch 2 in everything but name. Samsung’s Galaxy Wearable app confirmed the name as have several certification filings. We’ve seen photos of the smartwatch, high-quality (and even 3D) renders, and partial spec sheets. Now, we’re ready to add more fuel to the fire with our findings from the publicly available firmware for the unreleased Galaxy Watch 3 smartwatch.

Galaxy Watch 3 Specifications

Galaxy Watch 3 41mm Galaxy Watch 3 45mm
Model Number SM-R850 SM-R840
SoC Exynos 9110 Exynos 9110
Tizen Version 5.5.0.0 5.5.0.0
One UI Version 2.0 2.0
Charger Wattage 5W 5W
Battery Capacity 247 mAh 340 mAh
Speaker Yes Yes
NFC Yes Yes
Display Resolution 360×360 OLED 360×360 OLED
Health Sensor TI AFE4930 TI AFE4930

In the firmware dump we were sent for the Galaxy Watch 3, we were able to compile the above specification sheet for the two main variants of the Samsung smartwatch. We expect that both smartwatch variants will be powered by the Exynos 9110 SoC, which is the same 10nm chip as found on the original Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Watch Active, and Galaxy Watch Active 2.

The 41mm Galaxy Watch 3 should have a 247 mAh battery while the larger 45mm variant should have a 340 mAh battery. While there is a 4mm difference in display size, the display resolution will be the same for both smartwatches at 360×360. Of course, Samsung will be using their own OLED panels for the watches. Both watches will have speakers so you can make voice calls. Internally, both smartwatch models will support NFC but not MST for payments through Samsung Pay. The health sensor being used in the Galaxy Watch 3 is the AFE4930 from Texas Instruments. This is a minor upgrade over the TI AFE4920 sensor used in the Galaxy Watch Active 2.

Watch Faces

In the firmware, I was also able to find the new watch faces that will be included with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3. There are a few digital watch faces along with a few analog ones. There’s a style for everyone.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 watch face Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 watch face Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 watch face Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 watch face Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 watch face Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 watch face Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 watch face Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 watch face

With the watch faces on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3, we get new informative digital edges. In the first 3 images, you can see 4 rounded bars around the outside of the watch. These information edges can be customized with a lot of options. These options include world clock, voice memo, timer, stopwatch, schedule, reminder, PowerPoint controller, music, messages, email, phone call log, Bixby, barometer, alarm, recent apps, running, walking, cycling, hiking, swimming, swimming outside, treadmill, exercise bike, elliptical, other workouts, women’s health, water, food, breathe, stress, heart rate, sleep, calories, sleep, step count, daily activity, sunset, UV Index, air quality, rainfall probability, feel like temperature, date and weather, weather, monogram, calendar day, battery percentage, or nothing.

The informative edges will also get an option to have a digital suggestion. From what I understand in the watch face files, it will automatically switch between steps, battery, heart rate, calories, or weather depending on what the watch software decides is most important at the time.


Another watch face not listed above is a new weather watch face. The background of the watch will show an animation mimicking the weather. If it’s snowing, the background will show snow. On a sunny day, you’ll see the sun. Another watch face just shows an animated flower or bubbles (the choice is up to the user) whenever you look at the Galaxy Watch 3’s display.

App Updates

One major change is with the email app on the Galaxy Watch 3. Samsung Email will no longer be included on the smartwatch. Instead, there will be Microsoft Outlook. With Microsoft and Samsung having a long partnership going back years, this should come as no surprise. While I can see the app is preinstalled on the watch, it may require the user to use the Outlook app on their device instead of the Samsung Email app. For Galaxy owners, it will require another app to be installed but for other Android owners, it will allow for the email function to work.

Things Not From The Firmware

We’ve seen a few different leaks about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 that don’t originate from the firmware. Evan Blass recently tweeted that there will be 9 distinct versions of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3: a 41mm Bluetooth model in Bronze and Silver, a 41mm LTE model in Bronze and Silver, a 45mm Bluetooth model in Silver and Black, a 45mm LTE model in Silver and Black, and a 45mm Bluetooth model in Black Titanium. You can find images of these specific models in this previous article we wrote.


A recent report from Gizmodo UK also talks about a few new interesting gestures that we haven’t found evidence for in the firmware yet. Samsung will apparently be introducing wrist gestures to control different aspects of the watch. According to the leaked images obtained by Gizmodo, performing a fist pump will accept a phone call while shaking your fist will reject the call. There may also be a gesture letting you bring the smartwatch to your mouth to activate Bixby, similar to one way you can activate Siri on the Apple Watch. The report also mentions fall detection and ECG monitoring support are included. For now, it seems that ECG and blood pressure monitoring will be available in South Korea only with a launch in more countries later, which is unsurprising considering they’re already in testing on the Galaxy Watch Active 2 in Korea. The report lastly mentions that there will be a running trainer that can help with your pace as you run, with more information after you finish.

Image credits: Gizmodo UK

There’s some evidence the Galaxy Watch 3 could launch later this month. Evan Blass has previously stated that he believes the date of release, which is usually the date shown on press renders, is July 22nd. This means we could see Samsung’s new smartwatch be released fairly soon. There is still a chance this date is wrong, though, and the Galaxy Watch 3 actually gets announced at the online-only Samsung Unpacked alongside the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Z Fold 2 on August 5th. In any case, we’ll be keeping an eye out for more information on the Galaxy Watch 3 and other Samsung products, so we’ll let you know if we learn anything new.

The post Galaxy Watch 3 firmware analysis: Here’s what we found about Samsung’s new smartwatch appeared first on xda-developers.



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Google+ is now dead as Google Currents for G Suite takes over with apps for iOS and Android

It’s been a while since Google+ was in tech headlines, but today may be the last time we’ll be hearing of the service. In 2018, Google announced the failed social network would be shutting down for consumers after a data breach was disclosed, and the company made good on that promise in early 2019. However, the service was kept alive in the form of “Currents” for enterprise customers, which now has Android and iOS apps.

Google has rebranded the old Google+ apps for Android and iOS under the new “Currents” name. The Currents rebrand started back in April of 2019 when Google+ was shut down for consumers. Unsurprisingly, it’s not the first Google product with the “Currents” name. The service is essentially the same social network as before, but it’s for enterprise customers only. It’s common for businesses to have internal communication platforms, and Currents can fill that need for businesses without their own platforms.

The Currents app itself is very similar to the Google+ app it replaces. The UI is mostly unchanged, and many of Google+’s features are still present. There are a few new business-y features for content moderation and administrative privileges. The app is currently being bombarded by 1-star reviews of people not happy about a sudden rebrand to an app that has been useless for over a year. If your employer uses Google Currents, be sure to download the Android or iOS app.

Currents by G Suite allows you to connect with your colleagues while you’re in the office or on the go.

  • Exchange ideas and documents, and have meaningful discussions with your colleagues — all without flooding your inbox.
  • Enjoy the most important content first, with the ability to order your home stream by relevance or time.
  • Connect with like-minded colleagues and find communities that match your interests.
  • Follow tags on topics. Learn more about what is happening in other departments and across the organization with trending tags.
  • Highlighted posts from your leadership keep you up-to-date on what’s important across your organization.
  • Use Google’s advanced search to find topics and conversations that matter to you.

Currents is available for G Suite customers only. Check with your G Suite IT Administrator to learn more.

Currents (Free, Google Play) →


Via: 9to5Google

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Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides now support a dark theme on Android

Last month, it was discovered that Google was working on bringing a dark theme to its suite of office apps. Not just for the front page of the apps either, but full dark themes that extend to the editing view. Today, Google officially announced the dark themes are rolling out to Docs, Sheets, and Slides on Android.

As was previously revealed, the dark theme applies to the document browser front page and the actual editing view. The dark theme in the editing view only applies to Docs and Sheets, though, as Slides already supports changing background colors. The dark theme itself is the typical dark gray that Google uses and the apps all maintain their respective accent colors.

The theme for Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides respects Android’s system-wide setting. Users can also adjust the theme in the apps individually by going to Menu > Settings > Theme > Dark. If you’re using the dark theme you can always quickly preview a document in the light theme by using More > View in light theme.

Google has begun rolling out the dark theme today for all G Suite customers and anyone with a personal account. Users should see the new theme in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides over the next couple of weeks. It’s likely that this will be enabled via a server-side switch like many of Google’s past dark themes. Regardless, editing and browsing documents at night is about to get a lot easier on the eyes.

Google Docs (Free, Google Play) →

Google Sheets (Free, Google Play) →

Google Slides (Free, Google Play) →


Source: Google

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July 2020 security update goes live for the Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy S20

We’re already 6 days into July, but since today is the first Monday of the month, that means it’s time for the latest batch of Android security patches. Google has published the latest Android Security Bulletin for the month of July and is also rolling out the update to the Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 2, and Pixel 2 XL. Samsung is also rolling out a new update bringing this same Security Patch Level (SPL) to the Galaxy S20 series in the U.S.

Unlike last month’s Android security update, this update does not arrive alongside a Pixel Feature Drop. Furthermore, Google did not outline any “notable fixes” for the Pixel series. This is a security update through and through, and 7 issues were resolved this month. As per usual, the vulnerabilities range from high to critical, with the most severe relating to our old friend: “media framework and a remote attacker possibly executing arbitrary code through a crafted file.”

  • Build Numbers (Global):

    • Pixel 2 (XL): QQ3A.200705.002
    • Pixel 3 (XL): QQ3A.200705.002
    • Pixel 3a (XL): QQ3A.200705.002
    • Pixel 4 (XL): QQ3A.200705.002

Pixel 2 Forums ||| Pixel 2 XL Forums ||| Pixel 3 Forums ||| Pixel 3 XL Forums

Pixel 3a Forums ||| Pixel 3a XL Forums ||| Pixel 4 Forums ||| Pixel 4 XL Forums

Download Factory Images ||| Download OTA Images

Along with the Pixel devices mentioned above, Samsung is rolling out the July 2020 Android security update to the Galaxy S20 series. Samsung hasn’t shared many details about the update, but the build numbers are G981U1UES1ATFB (S20), G986U1UES1ATFB (S20+), and G988U1UES1ATFB (S20 Ultra) for the U.S. unlocked models.


Source 1: Android Bulletin, Pixel Bulletin | Source 2: Droid-Life

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Google Chrome may soon get biometric authentication for payments on Android

A couple of months ago, it was discovered that Google Chrome for the desktop supported “Windows Hello.” That means people can use their fingerprint or face unlock to authenticate payments on a Windows device. Not many people have computers with fingerprint/face unlock yet, but most of us have those security methods on our phones. Chrome may soon bring this feature to Android as well.

A new Chrome flag titled “Allow using platform authenticators to retrieve server cards” has appeared. When enabled, the flag will allow people to “use a platform authenticator” when verifying cards from Google Pay. Essentially, you’ll use our fingerprint/face to verify a card rather than typing in the CVC number. The flag says it is for Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome OS, and Android.

When the flag is enabled, there is a new option in the Chrome for Android payment settings. People can select “Screen lock” as an additional payment confirmation method. The next time a pop up asks for a CVC, there will be a checkbox to “Use screen lock to confirm cards from now on.” From that point on, you won’t be asked to enter your CVC. Unfortunately, the feature isn’t completely functional yet, and checking that box doesn’t do anything.

We should also note that the setting is called “Screen lock,” so it may not even require fingerprint or face unlock. As with any Chrome flag, there’s the possibility that this never rolls out fully, but with Chrome supporting Windows Hello, it would make sense to see this on other platforms. With so many smartphones supporting these biometric authentication systems, it’s great to see more apps take advantage of them.


Source: Android Police

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