Xiaomi’s MIUI Launcher is getting a horizontal recent apps screen

Xiaomi’s MIUI is one of the most popular custom UX present on Android devices, riding atop the sheer volume of sales of the company’s smartphones across varied price points. MIUI 10 brought along a new Launcher that further brought along a 2×2 app list to the Recents panel, scrolling vertically. Now, MIUI Launcher on MIUI 12 is getting an option that enables a horizontal recent apps screen.

Telegram channel @Xiaomiui shared a new version of the MIUI Launcher that brings along the new horizontal recent apps screen. MIUI Launcher Alpha v4.21.0.2425-10261728 comes with the following changelog:

1. Added new Horizontal Recents option
2. Fix the bug that some models reported incorrect points
3. Adjust the Gaussian blur scheme
4. Fix the bug that the icon disappears when dragging the folder icon
5. Optimize the problem of unloading application freeze
6. Adjust the animation in and out of the recent task

Telegram user @Deiki has managed to capture screenshots, showing the new horizontal recent apps UI in action:

As seen above, the Home Screen now gets an “Arrange Items in Recents” option, and you can choose to have either the 2×2 vertical scrolling option or the horizontal scrolling option. The horizontal scrolling option is reminiscent of what we see across other custom UX, such as OnePlus’ OxygenOS and Google’s Pixel Android UX. It’s fairly simple in usage, with a simple scroll sideways giving you access to recently opened apps. You can swipe up the app to close it and remove it from memory, and you can long-press to lock it in memory or access settings. While the 2×2 vertical scrolling Recents pane offered a lot more information at a glance, the horizontal scrolling Recents pane offers familiarity for users as this is much more widely adopted across the Android ecosystem.

While you can sideload the APK on your Xiaomi MIUI 12 device to get the feature toggle surfaced, note that it may not actually work. If everything goes well, you can expect to see the feature reach your device on a stable MIUI 12 update.

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Samsung’s Bixby voice assistant gets a big redesign

Although Samsung is dropping support for some of Bixby’s augmented reality features this month, the company doesn’t plan on giving up on its virtual assistant just yet. On the contrary, Samsung is now pushing an update for the voice assistant that introduces an updated icon and a complete visual refresh. The new Bixby redesign has already started rolling out to users, and it looks like a cross between the minimal Google Assistant UI that was introduced last year and Siri on iOS 14.

As you can see in the video shared by u/MehdiMa0507 on Reddit (linked below), the updated Bixby interface no longer takes up the entire page. Instead, the Bixby UI now only appears in a small section at the bottom of the page with a faded background like the Google Assistant. The old Bixby icon has also been replaced with a flatter alternative that switches to a horizontal bar when the voice assistant is listening for your command.

The Bixby page has also been updated with a bottom navigation bar that houses three icons — a keyboard icon to issue text-based commands, a microphone icon to issue voice commands, and a new home icon. The color scheme for the page has also been updated from different shades of blue to black/gray. The updated Bixby interface is likely part of the Bixby Voice 3.0 update, which is currently rolling out to users running both One UI 2.1 and One UI 2.5. However, the update doesn’t seem to be available for all users just yet. Sideloading the updated APK from APKMirror also doesn’t work on my Galaxy Note 20 Ultra running One UI 2.5 and Mishaal’s Galaxy S20 running One UI 3.0 beta.

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Via: Reddit

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The OPPO Find X2’s new ColorOS 11 beta update adds FlexDrop for multitasking

After releasing the first Android 11 beta build with ColorOS 7.2 for the Find X2 series in June this year, OPPO unveiled ColorOS 11 based on Android 11 last month. Our Editor-in-Chief, Mishaal Rahman, reviewed the beta update shortly after its release and went through all of the new features packed in OPPO’s latest Android skin. However, at the time, OPPO hadn’t released all new features planned for ColorOS 11. Mishaal had briefly talked about these features in his review of ColorOS 11, and now OPPO has finally started rolling out one of the new features in the latest ColorOS 11 beta update for the Find X2 series.

A spokesperson for OPPO has confirmed that the latest ColorOS 11 beta based on Android 11 is now rolling out for the global and Chinese Find X2 series. The update contains the new FlexDrop feature, which Mishaal had outlined in his review. FlexDrop is a new multitasking feature that’s activated by swiping up from the bottom of the screen. It lets you quickly launch any app into a floating window and move it anywhere on the screen by dragging the handlebar. XDA TV’s TK Bay recently received the update on his Find X2 Pro, and you can see the feature in action in the video attached below:

Excited for the new @colorosoppo #coloros11 #findx2pro feature called #flexdrop to make any app a floating application, check it out on @android #android11 #sabaho #صباحو pic.twitter.com/6bau0FxkZn

— TK Bay – طارق باي (@tkdsl8655) October 27, 2020

OPPO plans on rolling out a stable version of ColorOS 11 for the Find X2 series in 2 weeks. And the new FlexDrop feature should be available in the stable release when it reaches consumers. OPPO is scheduled to roll out a ColorOS 11 beta update for the Reno 4 Pro 5G later this month, with other Reno 4 series devices to follow next month. You can check out the full ColorOS 11 beta update release timeline by following this link.

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The Samsung Galaxy Note 20’s One UI 3.0 beta update is starting to roll out

After rolling out One UI 3.0 public beta builds for the Galaxy S20 series, Samsung started recruiting beta testers for the Galaxy Note 20’s One UI 3.0 beta update earlier this month. The company has now started rolling out the One UI 3.0 beta update for Galaxy Note 20 devices in the US. As per a recent tweet from @SamsungGaryB82, Galaxy Note 20 users in the US can now register for the One UI 3.0 public beta through the Samsung Members app, and the open beta is available for T-Mobile, Sprint, and unlocked Galaxy Note 20 devices.

Just letting everyone know if your on Tmobile and Sprint or have a Unlocked Samsung Note 20 you can now register for the android 11 beta @SamsungMobileUS @SamsungMobile @xdadevelopers #Note20Ultra #beta #android11 pic.twitter.com/1ephoZU65n

— Matt (@SamsungGaryB82) October 27, 2020

In case you have an eligible device, you can register for the One UI 3.0 open beta update by heading over to the Samsung Members app and tapping on the One UI beta banner. On the following screen, tap on the enroll button and then wait a few minutes for the app to process your enrollment. After that, head over to the Software update page on your device and tap on check for updates to download the open beta release.

Samsung has also set up a Galaxy Note 20/Note 20 Ultra One UI 3.0 (Android 11) update mega thread that you can visit to leave your feedback on the open beta release. The mega thread announcement post further reveals that some banking apps may not work on the beta update, and apps that rely on Safety Net will not be supported via the Google Play Store. While Samsung hasn’t revealed any information about the beta release, we expect that the build won’t be too different from the one released for the Galaxy S20 series.

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TWRP is now available for the Exynos Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, Redmi 8A, Moto Z2 Play, and POCO F1

TWRP is an excellent tool to have for enthusiasts. Even if you’re not a root user or you’re not normally the kind of person to constantly switch between ROMs, this custom recovery allows you to do anything from changing the emojis on your phone to installing a custom kernel for adding extra features to your device and improve the way it runs. TWRP is already available for dozens of devices, and now, a few others are joining the list, including the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G (Exynos), the Xiaomi Redmi 8A, and the Motorola Moto Z2 Play. Furthermore, a development champion, the POCO F1, is joining the list again as well.

Samsung Galaxy S10 5G (Exynos)

The Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, notable for being Samsung’s very first 5G device launched over a year ago, is getting some development love with an official TWRP build by developer corcisanu. If you have an Exynos device, then it might be worth giving it a look. Furthermore, the maintainer also now supports other Exynos variants of the Galaxy S10 series, including the S10e, the S10, and the S10+, and are supported in an unified cross-device thread.

S10 5G TWRP | S10e TWRP | S10 TWRP | S10+ TWRP

S10 5G Forums | S10e Forums | S10 Forums | S10+ Forums

Xiaomi Redmi 8A

Xiaomi’s super-affordable Redmi 8A may have already been superseded by the Redmi 9A, but it’s still a very capable device with rare features for its price range, such as a USB-C port and a decent Snapdragon 439 processor. Sure, there’s a single camera on the back, no fingerprint scanner, and not a whole lot of features in its spec sheet, but it does its job very well. And due to its price point, it’s also a very capable phone for modding. You can download an official TWRP from AltsecDEV now.

Redmi 8A TWRP | Redmi 8A Forums

Motorola Moto Z2 Play

The Motorola Moto Z2 Play is still a very capable device even today, with good battery life, a Snapdragon 626 SoC, and more. Motorola devices are also fairly easy to tweak due to official bootloader unlock support without restrictions. The current TWRP official builds are maintained by EmaMaker, and you can check them out here.

Moto Z2 Play TWRP | Moto Z2 Play Forums

If you have another Motorola device, though, then you’re not getting left behind either. Official TWRP support has also been added for the Motorola Moto G Turbo, a variant of the 3rd generation Moto G 2015 with a Snapdragon 615 and fast charging support, and the Moto X Play, a mid-range Moto X launched back in 2015 with the same Snapdragon 615. Both of these devices are supported by althafvly, who has also become the new maintainer for the Moto E 2015 LTE and the regular Moto G 2015, two phones powered by the aging Snapdragon 410.

Moto G Turbo TWRP | Moto X Play TWRP | Moto E 2015 LTE TWRP | Moto G 2015 TWRP

Moto G 2015 Forums | Moto X Play Forums | Moto E 2015 Forums

POCO F1

Support for the POCO F1, a “flagship-killer” that’s very well still alive and kicking with ultra-cheap pricing and a Snapdragon 845 processor, was dropped a couple of months back. The phone was, however, kept alive with unofficial builds of TWRP, which worked just as well as the official ones. Now, though, official support is back thanks to maintainer althafvly, so check it out!

POCO F1 TWRP | POCO F1 Forums

Oukitel WP5

Finally, support has also been added for the Oukitel WP5, a phone with modest specifications such as a MediaTek Helio A22 processor, but also has a bonkers 8,000 mAh battery on it for monster levels of battery life. This device is maintained by dwastell.

Oukitel WP5 TWRP

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Here’s what dark mode in Chrome OS will look like

Chrome OS users have requested a dark theme for some time now, and it looks like they’re finally going to get it. Flags for a dark theme are currently live in the Chrome OS Canary channel, and thanks to AndroidPolice, we have screenshots to show you.

The arrival of a dark theme in Chrome OS has been a long time coming, and we’ve been waiting to check it out ever since we learned about Google creating a light theme last month, which would actually serve as a template for the software’s contrasting dark mode. If your Chromebook is in the Chrome OS Canary channel, you can open chrome://flags right now and search for #enable-force-dark and #enable-webui-dark-mode. You can also enable chrome://flags/#dark-light-mode for the full experience.

Enabling these flags should surface a dark theme in Settings, Chrome OS system apps, and websites that monitor the status of the OS default them, though we were unable to replicate this on an HP Chromebook X2 running the latest Canary build. Nonetheless, here are a few screenshots from an AndroidPolice author’s Chromebook that showcase the new dark theme.

Turning on the dark theme in Chrome OS results in a dramatically different experience, one that should be much easier on the eyes in situations with little to no light. Of course, the software will still function the same, but users will finally have the option to use the sleeker, more stealthy mode.

Other major desktop operating systems from Microsoft and Apple have offered dark themes for some time, so Google is a little behind in implementing a dark mode of its own. Google has, however, been working to bring a dark theme to the other devices and OSes across its portfolio, including on Google Assistant Smart Displays and, of course, on Android.

Seeing a dark theme appear in the Chrome OS Canary channel bodes well for a wider release, although it’s unclear when that may be. AndroidPolice notes that there are a few rough edges with the current implementation such as a white title bar still showing in many apps, some icons not being adapted, and support for Android apps not being added, so these issues will need to be addressed before the feature is enabled by default. If you’re not up for testing out the dark theme for yourself in Chrome OS, check out the gallery above for an idea of what it will look like.

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Google adds WireGuard VPN to Android 12’s Linux Kernel

Update 1 (10/26/2020 @ 06:11 PM ET): Native kernel support for the WireGuard VPN protocol has also been added to Android’s Linux Kernel 4.19 tree. Scroll to the bottom for more information. The article as published on October 13, 2020, is preserved below.

With remote work becoming the norm at many businesses thanks to COVID-19, it’s more important than ever to secure network connections with a virtual private network, or VPN. There are multiple VPN tunneling protocols that services can make use of, but a relatively new implementation called WireGuard has taken the tech world by storm. As we’ve explained before, WireGuard is a next-gen VPN protocol that embraces modern cryptography standards and has a secure, auditable code base. After its inclusion in Linux Kernel 5.6, Google is now adding support for the protocol to Android 12’s Linux Kernel 5.4 tree.

Google forks each Linux Kernel release to include “patches of interest to the Android community that haven’t been merged onto mainline or Long Term Supported (LTS) kernels.” These kernels are called Android Common Kernels and they form the basis of the Linux kernel release that ships on each and every Android device on the market today. For each Android release, Google supports a handful of Linux kernel releases; for Android 11, that’s currently Linux Kernel versions 4.14 and 4.19, while for Android 12, it’ll be versions 4.19 and 5.4.

The typical flagship Android device today runs on top of a fork of Linux Kernel 4.19, but that’s expected to change once new silicon from Qualcomm and other SoC vendors ships on next-gen Android devices. Many of these upcoming devices will be running the next version of Android—Android 12—in late 2021 on top of Linux Kernel 5.4, and these devices may be the first to natively support WireGuard VPN on Android.

Earlier today, we spotted a flurry of new commits to the android12-5.4 tree of the Android Common Kernel. Among these new commits was the WireGuard VPN protocol itself, alongside a config option enabling this on Android kernels. This was added by veteran stable kernel developer Greg KH, who described the change as, “add[ing] native kernel support for a sane VPN.”

Before users can natively enable a VPN using the WireGuard protocol on Android 12, though, Google needs to add APIs to interface with the kernel module. One might expect that that’s exactly what Google will be working on next, and we’ll be keeping an eye out on AOSP to track the progress of WireGuard support in next year’s Android release.

Interested Pixel users can take advantage of this kernel acceleration right now by rooting their device and installing the prebuilt kernel module. On other devices, you can flash a custom kernel that advertises WireGuard support from the XDA forums. For users without root, the WireGuard app still works great and remains the fastest VPN out there. To learn more, download the WireGuard app from Google Play on your Android smartphone or Android TV device. And if you’re interested in contributing to the project, you can reach out to the WireGuard development team—they’re actively seeking a new maintainer for the Android app.

WireGuard (Free, Google Play) →

Update 1: Enabled in android-4.19-stable tree

WireGuard VPN will be supported by all Linux kernel versions supported by Android 12. Following its merger to the android12-5.4 tree of the Android Common Kernel, native kernel support for WireGuard has been added to the android-4.19-stable tree. This means that kernel acceleration for WireGuard will be supported in Android 12 on devices with Linux Kernel 4.19 as well as 5.4, though it remains to be seen whether or not Google will add APIs to interface with the kernel module in time for the stable release of Android 12.

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