Google completes Fitbit buyout after months of scrutiny

Google has confirmed that its buyout of wearables maker Fitbit has completed, bringing to an end 13 months of investigations in the US and European Union. The deal is said to have cost Google $2.1bn, where it will sit as a Google subsidiary, not an Alphabet division.

The biggest prize for Google is the estimated 29m Fitbit users it has acquired as part of the deal, however, under EU scrutiny, it was decided that this data must be kept completely separated from the main Google databases.

Rick Osterloh said in his announcement: “Technology can change the way people manage their health and wellness, and that’s especially important these days. We’ll work closely to create new devices and services that help you enhance your knowledge, success, health and happiness. Your privacy and security are paramount to achieving this and we are committed to protecting your health information and putting you in control of your data.” adding “This deal has always been about devices, not data”.

The deal had cleared US Department of Justice scrutiny, but a full probe by EU officials was only completed less than a month ago and came with caveats including the aforementioned data separation which means that Google will not be able to target advertising through Fitbit data. It has also agreed to maintain all APIs and third-party connections, so Fitbit users cannot be tied to the Google ecosystem.

Fitbit’s CEO James Park wrote to customers on the announcement, assuring them, “[I] want you to know that many of the things you know and love about Fitbit will remain the same. We’ll stay committed to doing what’s right, to putting your health and wellness at the center of everything we do and to offering a no-one-size-fits-all approach with choices that work across both Android and iOS.”

It’s not entirely clear what, if anything, Fitbit and Google will be able to produce as a joint venture, under the limitations set out by regulators, but now the deal has been officially closed, we can expect to get more details in the coming months.

 

 

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The Astro Slide is a 5G phone from Planet Computers with a physical keyboard

Planet Computers, the company which has carved a name for itself in creating QWERTY phones with old school PDA credentials and a choice of operating systems, has announced a revised specification and release date for its third creation, the Astro 5G Slide Transformer.

As the name suggests, it will be the UK company’s first 5G model (and more than likely the very first 5G QWERTY device) and follows a successful Indiegogo campaign. It follows on from the Gemini PDA and the Cosmo Communicator, and like those devices, is fully unlocked and open, allowing users to install multiple operating systems, either alongside, or instead of Android, including SailfishOS and several Linux distros.

Lilliputing reports that following pandemic related delays, the Astro will be released in June 2021, later than billed, but with a 13MP front-facing camera replacing the 5MP advertised to crowdfunders, and a RAM boost from 6GB to 8GB.

Unfortunately, it will also see a chipset downgrade from the MediaTek Dimensity 1000 to the slightly less feature-rich 800, after MediaTek said it would not be able to meet the order, hinting that it was focusing on fulfilling larger-scale orders. Though there won’t be a significant performance dip, it will mean losing Wifi 6e support, and BLE audio streaming (standard Bluetooth streaming will remain). The new specs will also see the battery drop from 4000MAh to 3500MAh, but Planet says that this will be offset by the reduced power consumption of the 800.

Crowdfunders have been informed of the changes and given the option to take a refund if they’re not happy. Planet has confirmed that demo units will be announced next week, and we hope to take a closer look then. In the meantime, here’s the full, revised spec sheet. If you want to get in early, you can still preorder via Indiegogo for around $644 (exchange rates permitting).

Planet Astro 5G Slide Transformer

Display:	6.53 inch, 2340 x 1080 pixel
Processor:	MediaTek Dimensity 800 (4 x Cortex-A76 + 4 X Cortex-A55)
GPU:	ARM Mali-G57 MC4
RAM:	8GB LPDDR4x
Storage:	128GB
Cameras:	48MP rear, 13MP front
Speakers:	Stereo
Ports:	2 x USB-C, 3.5m audio, microSD card slot
Wireless:	5G (global), WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, FM radio, GPS, GLONASS
Battery:	3,500 mAh
Charging:	10W Wireless + fast charging (wired)
Biometrics:	Fingerprint sensor (on side of phone)
Keyboard:	Backlit, slide-out, mechanical, with support for 24 language layouts
Dimensions:	164mm x 76.6mm x 15mm
Weight:	300 grams

 

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HTC launches the Desire 21 Pro 5G with the Snapdragon 690

HTC today unveiled the new Desire 21 Pro 5G, just a few days after leaked live images of the device first surfaced online. As seen in the previous leak, the device features a hole-punch display with a centered cutout for the selfie camera and a rectangular camera module on the back with a quad-camera setup.

HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G: Specifications

Specification	DEVICE FULL NAME HERE
Dimensions & Weight	167.1 x 78.1 x 9.4mm 205g
Display	6.7-inch IPS LCD FHD+ (2400 x 1080p) 20:9 90Hz refresh rate
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 690
RAM & Storage	8GB RAM 128GB storage microSD card slot
Battery & Charging	5,000mAh QC 4.0+ fast charging (18W)
Security	Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
Rear Camera(s)	48MP f/1.8 primary camera 8MP f/2.2 wide-angle camera 2MP f/2.4 macro camera 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor
Front Camera(s)	16MP
Port(s)	USB Type-C
Audio	Single bottom firing speaker
Connectivity	5G SA & NSA Bluetooth 5.1 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac dual-band Wi-Fi NFC
Software	Android 10

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According to a recent report from GSMArena, the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G features a 6.7-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels, a 90Hz peak refresh rate, and HDR10 support. It packs Qualcomm’s 5G-enabled mid-range Snapdragon 690 SoC, coupled with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.

On the back panel, the Desire 21 Pro 5G has a rectangular camera island in the top right corner, which houses a 48MP f/1.8 primary camera, an 8MP f/2.2 wide-angle camera, a 2MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. For selfies, the device features a single 16MP sensor.

Unlike its predecessor, the HTD Desire 21 Pro 5G doesn’t have a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. Instead, the fingerprint scanner is embedded within the recessed power button on its right edge. The device has a volume rocker right above the power button and a USB Type-C port on the bottom edge for charging and data transfers.

Rounding off the hardware is a substantial 5,000mAh battery that supports QC 4.0+ fast charging up to 18W. On the software front, the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G runs Android 10 out of the box.

Pricing & Availability

The HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G is priced at TWD 11,990 (~$428), and it’s already up for pre-order in Taiwan. The device is currently available in two color options — blue and purple — but we expect to see a white variant sometime in the near future, as it’s already showcased in the product images on HTC’s website. As of now, HTC hasn’t released any information about international availability.

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MSI revamps its gaming laptop lineup with NVIDIA RTX 30-series GPU and Wi-Fi 6

We are not quite done with new laptop announcements yet, as MSI is bringing its entire updated portfolio of gaming notebooks to CES 2021. While the new lineup continues to be powered by the 10th-gen Intel H-series processors, the Stealth 15M is the only model that will make use of Intel’s new 11th-gen H35 gaming CPU. MSI is however updating all of its gaming notebooks with the latest NVIDIA RTX 30-series mobile GPUs alongside Wi-Fi 6e for faster and more stable connectivity.

MSI Raider

Taking charge of the MSI Raider lineup is the GE76 Raider that features a 17.3-inch display that can be configured in FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels) 240Hz or 300Hz refresh rate or a UHD (3840 x 2160 pixel) resolution at standard 60Hz. The notebook can be configured with up to a 10th-gen Intel Core i9 processor, and for graphics, NVIDIA’s new GeForce RTX 3080 GPU with 16GB GDDR6 memory. The notebook also supports DDR4 3200Mhz RAM which can be configured to up to 64GB, while storage options include two M.2 SSD slots with support for NVMe PCIe Gen3. There is a backlit keyboard with per-key RGB illumination, Killer Wi-Fi 6E with Bluetooth v5.2, and a massive 99.9Whr battery. There is a wide range of port selection including RJ45 ethernet, an SD (XC/HC) card reader, HDMI, Mini-DisplayPort, 2x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen1, USB Type-A 3.2 Gen2, USB Type-C (3.2 Gen2 and DisplayPort), USB Type-C 3.2 Gen2x2 and a 3.5mm headphone and mic combo jack. The same set of specifications will also be available on the GE66 Raider, which is a 15.6-inch variant.

MSI has also launched the GE76 ‘Tiamat’ Dragon Edition that includes the same hardware as the regular GE76 but with a premium chassis design. The entire laptop is covered in an etched pattern inspired by Babylonian mythology, with a focus on the company’s dragon logo. The special edition notebook also comes with a lot of RGB lighting and a SteelSeries keyboard with a 17.3-inch 300Hz refresh rate display.

MSI Stealth

Next is the Stealth series that includes the GS66 featuring a 15.6-inch display available with FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution at 300Hz refresh rate or UHD (3840 x 2160 pixel) resolution at standard 60Hz refresh rate. This notebook also comes with up to a 10th-gen Intel Core i9 processor, and NVIDIA’s new GeForce RTX 3080 GPU with 16GB GDDR6 memory. You get the same RAM and storage options as the GE76 and GE66 along with a backlit per-key RGB keyboard.

The notebook also comes with a healthy set of I/O ports include a USB Type-C (3.2 Gen2 / DisplayPort / Thunderbolt 3) with PD charging, a USB Type-C 3.2 Gen2, 3x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen2, an RJ45, an HDMI port along with a standard 3.5mm headphone and mic combo jack. The GS66 also comes with the large 99.9Whr battery with a 230W adapter.

The only notebook featuring the new Intel Core i7-11375H Special Edition Tiger Lake-H35 CPU, the Stealth 15M targets users who are looking for a lightweight machine. This laptop will arrive with a 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution panel with a 144Hz refresh rate. Users will be able to configure it with up to 64GB of DDR4 memory and a single M.2 SSD slot with support for NVMe PCIe Gen3. Since the notebook comes with the new Intel processor, there is also r a Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 port along with two standard USB Type-A 3.2 Gen1 ports, a USB Type-C (3.2 Gen2 with DisplayPort), a Micro SD card slot, HDMI and 3.5mm headphone and mic combo jack. The notebook will also come with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, RGB backlit keyboard and a 52Whr battery with a 150W adapter.

MSI Leopard

Next is the GP Leopard series featuring the GP76 and GP66. Just like the Raider series these come with similar hardware features except that the GP76 is a 17.3-inch model while the GP66 features a 15.6-inch display, both available in FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution at 144Hz refresh rate. The new GP Leopard series will be available with Intel’s 10th-gen Core i7 processor, with the new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30-series mobile GPUs available from the RTX 3060 to the RTX 3080. These also come with support for DDR4 3200Mhz RAM which can be configured to up to 64GB, and storage options of two M.2 SSD slots with support for NVMe PCIe Gen3. Connectivity and I/O options include Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, USB Type-C (3.2 Gen2 with DisplayPort), 3x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen1, HDMI, RJ45 and a 3.5mm headphone and mic combo jack. As for battery, both GP76 and GP66 feature 65Whr batteries with 230W adapter as standard, anda 280W charger if opting for the RTX 3080 GPU on the larger GP76 model.

MSI Thin

Lastly, there is the GF Thin series, which is the entry-level gaming notebook options from MSI. This series is also available in 17.3-inch (GF75) and 15.6-inch (GF65) display options. The GF75 is available with a FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution at 144Hz refresh rate while the smaller version is available with FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution at 144Hz or standard 60Hz refresh rates. Rest of the hardware features are pretty much the same including the option of a 10th-gen Intel Core i7 processor, up to 64GB of DDR4 3200Mhz RAM and a dual-storage option of M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 3 SSD with a SATA HDD. Connectivity and I/O options include Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, USB Type-C (3.2 Gen1), 3x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen1, HDMI, RJ45 and dedicated mic and headphone jacks.

Pricing and Availability

Model	Price	Availability
MSI GE76/GE66 Raider	Starting $2,199/$1,499	February 2021
MSI GE 76 Raider Dragon Edition	NA	February 2021
MSI GS66/15M Stealth	NA /$1,499	March 2021
MSI GP76/GP66 Leopard	Starting at $1,799 /$2,299	February 2021
MSI GF75/GF65 Thin	NA	NA

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Google Play cracks down on predatory personal loan apps in India

Although Google has a strict set of guidelines for personal loan apps on the Play Store, the app store is chock full of shady money lending apps that prey on unwitting users. Most of these apps not only violate local lending laws, but they also go to extreme lengths to recover their money. In response to a string of reports from both users and government agencies, Google has now finally taken down some offending apps from the Play Store in India.

According to a recent blog post from the company, the Google Play Developer Policy requires personal loan apps to clearly disclose key information such as the minimum and maximum periods of repayment, the maximum Annual Percentage Rate, and a representative example of the total loan costs. However, quite a few personal loan apps on the Play Store aren’t transparent about this information. On top of that, some offending apps provide misleading information in an attempt to trap users in absurd loan agreements.

Based on the aforementioned reports, Google has identified several apps that violate its user safety policies, local laws, and regulations. The company has already taken down apps that violate its policies, and it has notified the developers of the remaining apps to “demonstrate that they comply with applicable local laws and regulations.” In case the developers fail to do so, their apps will be removed from the Play Store without any further notice.

While Google hasn’t named any of the offending apps, a report from TechCrunch mentions apps like 10MinuteLoan and Ex-Money. These apps offer small-ticket loans for short tenures and charge absurdly high processing fees. If borrowers cannot repay their debt in the stipulated time, collection agents from such apps harass them until the amount is repaid. To prevent such predatory tactics, Google has now said that the Play Store will only host apps that give borrowers at least 60 days of time to repay their loans.

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Realme Link app confirms the Realme Watch 2 and 2 Pro

After launching the Realme Watch S and Watch S Pro (review) late last year, Realme is now gearing up to launch the second-gen versions of the original Realme Watch. Evidence pointing towards the successors was recently spotted in a teardown of the Realme Link app, which has revealed the marketing name for the upcoming products — Realme Watch 2 and Realme Watch 2 Pro.

The new strings were first spotted by Twitter user @the_tech_guy, who shared the following screenshot:

As you can see, the strings clearly mention the names of the two upcoming smartwatches. However, they reveal no further information about the Realme Watch 2 or the Watch 2 Pro. If the upcoming smartwatches are direct successors of the first-gen Realme Watch, we expect them to be souped-up fitness trackers with large displays and cheap price tags. They might feature a refreshed design and some minor hardware upgrades, and the new “Pro” variant could be a slightly more premium version with an AMOLED display instead of an LCD panel. But we can’t be sure of any of these changes at the moment.

For the unaware, the original Realme Watch featured a 1.4-inch LCD panel with a resolution of 320 x 320 pixels and a max brightness of 380 nits. It included support for a wide range of fitness tracking features, like continuous heart rate monitoring, SpO2 monitoring, 14 sports modes, activity tracking, and more. The budget-friendly smartwatch also offered a bunch of additional features like notification previews, camera shutter control, a bunch of custom watch faces, and music playback controls. The watch was launched for ₹3,999 in the Indian market, and the upcoming Realme Watch 2 and Watch 2 Pro may be priced similarly.

We expect to learn more about the upcoming Realme Watch 2 and Watch 2 Pro in the coming weeks. We’ll update this post as soon as more information pops up.

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Featured image: Realme Watch

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This could be our first look at Microsoft’s Windows 10X for single screen PCs

Windows 10X, a special version of Windows 10, was originally designed for foldable PCs like the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold. However, because of COVID-19 dramatically increasing demand for traditional laptops and PCs, Windows shifted its focus to bringing Windows 10X to single screen PCs. Thanks to a new leak, we may have our first look at what that will look like.

Windows Central’s Zac Bowden on Wednesday shared a screenshot of what’s claimed to be Windows 10X for single-screen PCs. The image appears to show the software’s Start Menu and a center-aligned taskbar with large icons that look very touch-friendly. The taskbar also features shortcuts for Microsoft Edge, Files, Outlook, and spaces.

Here's your first look at Windows 10X for single-screen PCs. I should hopefully have more to share very soon pic.twitter.com/irkbMC5w5n

— Zac Bowden (@zacbowden) January 13, 2021

Meanwhile, the Start Menu includes all kinds of shortcuts, from helpful productivity tools to services like Microsoft Teams, Skype, and Spotify. The latter of which is not a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app, so it could be a Progressive Web App (PWA) that was pinned. Apparently, the Start Menu won’t support folders, but it will show apps and websites, according to the screenshot.

Windows 10X | Build 20279.1002 pic.twitter.com/hrQmWm4Sz4

— Aggiornamenti Lumia (@ALumia_Italia) January 13, 2021

In addition to the image shared by Bowden, Alumia Italia shared what is allegedly Windows 10X’s startup animation. The animation apparently comes from Windows 10X | Build 20279.1002. More leaks are being promised, so we could soon have a much better idea of what Windows 10X will look like on single-screen PCs.

The arrival of Windows 10X could shakeup business and education circles, offering access to Microsoft’s most well-known services while featuring things like instant-on and access to UWP apps and PWAs. The first devices equipped with Windows 10X will reportedly arrive in spring 2021, so it may not be much longer before we see the software running in full.

For now, we’ll keep our eyes peeled for whatever leaks are sure to come in the coming days and weeks.

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