Google brings more Assistant features to non-Home/Nest smart devices

When most people think about Google Assistant smart speakers and displays they think of Google’s own devices. There’s no question that Google’s Nest Mini and Nest Hub are hot-sellers, but there are non-Google smart devices out there as well. These devices have typically lagged behind in getting the same features as Google’s products. 3rd-party Assistant speakers are finally getting a few more features.

Voice Match is a feature that allows people to get personalized responses when Google Assistant recognizes your voice. This is great for calendar events and reminders. You can add up to six people’s voices to a single speaker or display. Many Assistant devices already have this feature and have had it for quite some time. Google says it’s rolling out to more devices now.

Next up is a feature in the Google Home app that allows you to adjust “Hey Google” detection on specific speakers and displays. This feature was only formally announced a couple of months ago and it’s apparently available for more devices now.

Lastly, the ability to choose a default speaker is now available to more Google Assistant devices. This allows you to pick a preferred speaker for playing music/podcasts. You can ask for music on the kitchen speaker and have it play on your default speaker in the living room. This can be set up for any speaker in the Google Home app under “Device settings.”

Google is very vague about which devices are actually getting these features. Some of them have been around for a while and are already available on a variety of devices. Google loves to announce things several times and take their time to roll things out. All you can do is check your devices and hope.

Google Home (Free, Google Play) →

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Source: Google

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Android 11 adds 84 new mappings for Xbox, Razer, PDP, Mad Catz, and other gaming controllers

Something you may not know about your Android phone is that it can likely connect to a gaming controller that wasn’t designed for it. There are hundreds of different gaming controllers on the market from dozens of different peripheral makers, and not all of them will work with your Android device out-of-the-box. Google has slowly added support for more controllers in Android over the years, though. The first Android 11 Beta was just released and we found 84 new controller mappings for Xbox, Razer, PDP, Mad Catz, and other gaming controllers.

We’ve seen Google bring more support for controllers in recent versions of Android. Android Pie brought controller mapping support for the Xbox One S wireless controller and PlayStation DualShock 4, among others. Controller mapping eventually came to the Xbox Elite Controller (Series 1) over USB and the Nintendo Switch Pro controller. Now, we’ve spotted an additional 84 new controller mappings that are coming with Android 11.

What exactly is “controller mapping,” anyway? Essentially, it’s how Android maps the controller’s physical buttons to virtual inputs that the OS and games can react to. If you press “A” on the controller, Android’s controller mappings will ensure that the “A” translates to the “A” KeyEvent, and so on and so forth. We compiled the below list of new controller mappings based on the presence of new key layout files in Android 11 Beta 1 versus Android 10. Expand the toggle below to see the full list of 84 new controllers.

List of 84 new controller mappings in Android 11

• Afterglow AX.1 Gamepad for Xbox 360
• Afterglow Gamepad for Xbox 360
• Afterglow Prismatic Wired Controller
• Batarang Xbox 360 controller
• BigBen Interactive XBOX 360 Controller
• Elecom JC-U3613M
• FUS1ON Tournament Controller
• Gamestop Xbox 360 Controller
• GPD Win 2 X-Box Controller
• Harmonix Rock Band Guitar
• Harmonix Xbox 360 Controller
• Hori Co. DOA4 FightStick
• Hori GEM Xbox controller
• Hori PadEX Turbo
• Hori Real Arcade Pro VX-SA
• Hori Real Arcade Pro.EX Premium VLX
• Hori SOULCALIBUR V Stick
• Hori XBOX 360 EX 2 with Turbo
• HoriPad EX2 Turbo
• HORIPAD ONE
• Joytech Neo-Se Take2
• Keyboard map for the android virtual remote running as a gamepad
• Logic3 Controller
• Logitech Chillstream Controller
• Logitech Gamepad F510
• Mad Cats Ghost Recon FS GamePad
• Mad Catz Beat Pad
• Mad Catz Call Of Duty
• Mad Catz GamePad
• Mad Catz JOYTECH NEO SE Advanced GamePad
• Mad Catz MicroCon Gamepad
• Mad Catz Portable Drum
• Mad Catz Street Fighter IV FightStick SE
• Mad Catz Wired Xbox 360 Controller
• Mad Catz Xbox 360 Controller
• Mad Catz Xbox controller – MW2
• Mad Catz GamePad
• Microsoft X-Box 360 pad v2
• Nacon GC-100XF
• PDP AFTERGLOW AX.1
• PDP Afterglow AX.1
• PDP Battlefield One
• PDP Controller for Xbox One
• PDP EA Sports Controller
• PDP Marvel Xbox One Controller
• PDP Titanfall 2
• PDP Versus Fighting Pad
• PDP Wired Controller for Xbox One – Camo Series
• PDP Xbox 360 Controller
• PDP Xbox One Controller
• Pelican PL-3601 ‘TSZ’ Wired Xbox 360 Controller
• Power A Mini Pro Elite
• PowerA FUSION Controller
• PowerA FUSION Pro Controller
• PowerA MINI PROEX Controller
• PowerA Pro Ex
• PowerA Xbox One Mini Wired Controller
• PowerA Xbox One wired controller
• Razer Onza
• Razer Onza TE
• Razer Sabertooth
• Razer Wildcat
• RedOctane Controller
• RedOctane Guitar Hero X-plorer
• Rock Candy Gamepad for Xbox 360
• Rock Candy Gamepad for Xbox One 2015
• Rock Candy Gamepad for Xbox One 2016
• Rock Candy Gamepad Wired Controller
• Rock Candy Wired Controller for Xbox One
• Saitek Aviator Stick AV8R02
• Saitek Cyborg Rumble Pad – PC/Xbox 360
• Saitek P3200 Rumble Pad – PC/Xbox 360
• Saitek P3600
• SteelSeries Stratus Duo
• Street Fighter IV FightPad
• Street Fighter IV FightStick TE
• Super SFIV FightStick TE S
• Thrustmaster Gamepad GP XID
• Thrustmaster, Inc. GPX Controller
• Tron Xbox 360 controller
• Xbox 360 Pro EX Controller
• Xbox 360 Wired Controller
• Xbox Airflo wired controller
• Xbox ONE spectra

We determined that these controllers are now supported based on the key layout files in the Android 11 Beta 1 GSI, which is based on the Android Open Source Project. That means that these new controller mappings will be present on all devices running Android 11 and not just Google’s own Pixel phones. Android 10 only had around 50 controller mappings, so an additional 84 controllers is a considerable bump in support for third-party gaming controllers. Many controllers made for mobile devices simply use a generic mapping layout, but now many controllers that aren’t made specifically for Android should work better in the next Android release. This is exciting news for anyone who wants to use a controller they already own with their Android device.

Android 11 News on XDA

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Google Stadia adds mobile touch controls, per-device resolution settings, and now works on any Android device

Google Stadia is one of the hottest new cloud gaming services on the market. Google has already added popular games from series like Destiny and Assassin’s Creed with more titles being added each month. The best part of cloud gaming is that, with a simple server-side and app update, the user experience can be drastically enhanced. With today’s updates, Google has announced loads of anticipated features!

Mobile Touch Controls

In today’s “This Week on Stadia” blog post, Google announced a few new features for Stadia. The first and one of the more interesting ones are mobile touch controls. Google is adding a virtual controller overlay to the Stadia mobile app so you no longer need to use the Stadia controller connected with USB, third-party controller connected through USB or Bluetooth, or a hack like TouchStadia or Cloverplay. This on-screen controller makes the Android gaming experience more mobile rather than an extension of a console or PC.

Official Support for more OnePlus phones

With this update, Google has also added a few new OnePlus phones to the officially supported device list. These include the OnePlus 5/5T, OnePlus 6/6T, OnePlus 7, 7 Pro 5G, 7 Pro, 7T, 7T Pro, and 7T Pro 5G. These are added to the list of others including Samsung’s flagships from the Galaxy S8 to the Galaxy S20, the ASUS ROG Phone 1 and II, Google Pixel 2 through 4, and the Razer Phone 1 and 2.

…and experimental support for any Android device!

If your phone isn’t one of the 38 fully supported Android devices, then don’t worry. Google Stadia is adding a new “Experiments” section in settings that will allow you to enable support on any Android device that you can install the app on. Those with large phones like the Samsung Galaxy Fold or Huawei Mate 20 X will now be able to use Stadia on their phones. It is worth noting that Stadia still requires Wi-Fi to play. Mobile data through 5G NR or LTE are, unfortunately, still not supported yet.

If you’re daring, you can even install Google Stadia on an Android TV device! As @AndroidTV_rumor points out on Twitter, Stadia works after you sideload the app. The app runs in portrait mode, so you’ll need to plug a controller in and use a mouse or remote app to accept the prompts.

Google Stadia on Android TV. Credits: @AndroidTV_rumor

Per-Device Resolution Settings

Along with these changes on mobile, Google is also adding support for a per-device resolution setting. That means you can have a different resolution set on your Chromecast Ultra, PC with Google Chrome, and phone. Before this, whatever resolution setting you had set was synced across all devices. If you only had a 1080p TV but a 4K monitor, you would have needed to switch between 1080p and 4K every time you play the game on your TV and PC. Luckily, this is no longer an issue.

To learn more about this feature, check out the instructions here.

Bonus!

As a nice bonus, Google is also giving all Stadia Pro subscribers, past and current, a $10 discount on their next game purchase, no matter the game. And anyone who signs up for Stadia will now receive one free month of Pro! This month’s free games include 5 titles: SUPERHOT, Get Packed, Little Nightmares, Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid, and Panzer Dragoon: Remake, so be sure to claim them!

These are all really great improvements and what Google Stadia needs to keep it in the minds of its subscribers and consumers in general. I should note that none of the improvements mentioned here has rolled out to my devices, but these features should be rolling out soon.

Stadia (Free, Google Play) →

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Light, the company behind the Nokia 9’s crazy penta-camera system, quits the smartphone industry

Smartphones with multi-camera arrays of 4 and even 5 lenses have become quite commonplace these days, but this is actually only a recent trend that’s come about. Light is a camera company that is one of the innovators in multi-camera smartphones, and their technology can be found in HMD Global’s Nokia 9 PureView. Unlike other penta-camera phones like the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 where each lens serves different purposes, the Nokia 9 PureView featured five 12MP lenses (three monochrome lenses and two color ones) that work in conjunction to produce a better photo. Before their entry into the smartphone space, Light made a name with the Light L16 camera which featured a crazy 16 lenses and was hyped as a threat to DSLRs. But now, Light has confirmed to Android Authority that it is quitting the smartphone industry.

Light L16 camera and Nokia 9 PureView. Credits: Light.co

We haven’t seen a lot of Light’s technology in the smartphone space. The only phone that we know of to release to the market with their technology was the Nokia 9 PureView. While the phone’s penta-camera array seemed incredible on paper, it didn’t quite deliver. It got a score of 85 from DxOMark when the phone was reviewed back in September, which is far below the current leader at 128, the Huawei P40 Pro, as well as dozens of other devices. The Nokia 9 PureView’s major selling point was its camera (hence the “PureView” in the phone’s name), so that’s where we start to run into problems.

Light’s confirmation to Android Authority means that we likely won’t be seeing any more of their camera technology in any future smartphones. Light says that they are “no longer operating in the smartphone industry,” but we don’t know exactly when they decided to call it quits. Interestingly, the front page of the company’s website promoted the use of its technology in smartphones until July 31, 2019, after which the front page was updated to promote automotive applications.

Besides HMD Global, Light also announced partnerships with Xiaomi and Sony in early 2019. The partnership with Xiaomi meant we would have seen Xiaomi smartphones with Light’s camera tech in the future, while Sony’s partnership would’ve meant the two companies would work to integrate Light’s technology with Sony sensors. But we haven’t yet seen anything actually come out of these partnerships, and today’s news mean that we probably never will.

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Source: Android Authority

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NVIDIA GeForce NOW adds 19 games, expands Highlights, and reopens Founders memberships

Cloud gaming services are becoming more popular and NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW has been at the forefront. Lately, we’ve been talking a lot about the service as it has been adding a lot of new games and is coming to more Android TV devices. Today, NVIDIA is announcing 19 new games along with expansion of the Highlights feature and reopening of Founders memberships in Europe.

First, let’s talk about games. NVIDIA added a bunch of games to GeForce NOW last month and they continue to be committed to bringing more to the platform. 19 games in total are coming to GeForce NOW this week. Satisfactory was already released on Monday and six games are being brought back to the platform after opting-in to streaming.

1. Satisfactory (released 6/8/20)
2. Black Squad (returning)
3. Farm Together (returning)
4. Minion Masters (returning)
5. SCUM (returning)
6. Terminator: Resistance (returning)
7. XERA: Survival (returning)
8. Anno 2070 (Uplay)
9. Cloudpunk
10. Far Cry 4 (Epic Games Store)
11. Far Cry 5 (Epic)
12. Left 4 Dead
13. Rayman Legends (Epic and Uplay)
14. Rules Of Survival
15. South Park: The Stick of Truth (Uplay)
16. South Park: Fractured But Whole (Uplay)
17. Tale of Wuxia
18. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist (Uplay)
19. Totally Reliable Delivery Service

“Highlights” is a GeForce Experience feature that many developers have implemented into their games. It makes it easy for players to capture and share moments from gameplay. The full list of GeForce NOW games that support Highlights can be found here. The latest update adds smart pattern and image recognition from NVIDIA’s cloud servers. It can now automatically detect and save key moments for you.

When GeForce NOW was made available to everyone in February, it launched with two tiers: Free and Founders. The Founders tier includes longer session lengths, front of the line access, and RTX ON for supported games. It was later paused in Europe, but now it’s back with a limited-time introductory price of £4.99/5,49€ per month for the first 12 months. You can register here.

NVIDIA GeForce NOW (Free, Google Play) →

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The Galaxy S20 “Fan Edition” may arrive as the “Lite” S20 we’ve been waiting for

Samsung launched the Galaxy S10 Lite earlier this year as a slimmed-down version of the flagship with the same name (our review). The device was a bit of a surprise because even though Samsung offers tons of mid-range devices, it doesn’t typically use the “Lite” tag with flagship branding. Now that the Galaxy S20 series has been out for a while, people have been wondering about a “Lite” model. A new report claims one is in the works.

According to sources at SamMobile, Samsung is developing a Galaxy S20 variant with model number SM-G780 (Global) and SM-G781 (US). This numbering lines up with the Galaxy S10 Lite, which was model number SM-G770. Samsung is referring to the device as the Galaxy S20 “Fan Edition” internally.

Samsung Galaxy S20 XDA Forums

The report goes on to say there will be three versions of the device. The global model will be available with and without 5G, while the U.S. model will only be available with 5G. Specifications for the device Galaxy S20 Lite/Fan Edition are still mostly unknown, but it should have at least 128GB of storage and Android 10 with One UI 2.5. Assuming Samsung takes a similar approach as they did with the Galaxy S10 Lite, we could see the same processor as the regular Galaxy S20, the Snapdragon 865.

As for the name, “Galaxy S20 Lite” would seem like the obvious choice, but the report says there’s reason to believe it will maintain the “Fan Edition” moniker. That name doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense and Samsung would have to explain how it was designed for fans. Pricing would likely play a big role in that. The Galaxy S10 Lite cost around $800 so we could see similar pricing here. Are you interested in a Galaxy S20 Lite/Fan Edition?

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Source: SamMobile

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Download: OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro are getting the Android 11 Beta

Google released the first beta for Android 11 yesterday and, as usual, it was available for Pixel phones first. OPPO and Xiaomi already announced that their respective flagship devices will get the beta soon, but now OnePlus is releasing it today for the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro. You can find the download links below.

OnePlus 8 Forums ||| OnePlus 8 Pro Forums

OnePlus is releasing its first Android 11 Beta on top of OxygenOS as part of its Developer Preview Program. This allows app developers and early adopters to get started on creating software for the next version of Android and, ultimately, OxygenOS. OnePlus reiterates that this build is best suited for “developers and other advanced users,” as it’s still in early development. Don’t flash this on your daily driver unless you’re prepared to deal with a lot of bugs.

Here is the list of known issues with Android 11 on the OnePlus 8 series:

• All data will be cleared while flashing the build
• Face unlock is unavailable
• Google Assistant (“OK Google”) does not work
• Video calling does not work
• Certain UI screens look less than desirable
• Some apps may not function as expected
• System stability issues

OnePlus cautions that there is a risk of bricking your phone when flashing this build. Read the instructions carefully before proceeding. This build is only for the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro. Do not try to cross-flash this onto the OnePlus 6, OnePlus 6T, OnePlus 7, or OnePlus 7T series. Make sure your battery is at least above 30% and there is a minimum of 3GB of free space available before installing. OnePlus 8 devices from T-Mobile and Verizon are not compatible with the developer preview builds.

Visit OnePlus’ Android 11 Developer Preview portal for more information. Follow the instructions outlined in this forum post in order to install the beta. Since the forum post is down, here are the instructions:

OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro Android 11 Upgrade/Android 10 Downgrade Instructions

MP version = Stable official version

DP version = Developer Preview version

OBT Version = Open Beta version

MP and OBT to DP upgrade guide—via Local OTA Update

Note: This upgrade method will erase all the contents of the phone, please be sure to backup first.

1. Download the latest ROM upgrade zip package from the specified server.
2. Copy the ROM upgrade package to the phone storage.
3. Go to Settings -> System -> System Updates -> Click top right icon -> Local upgrade -> Click on the corresponding installation package -> Upgrade -> System upgrade completed to 100%.
4. After the upgrade is complete, click Restart.
5. Update successful.

DP to MP rollback guide – via Local OTA update

Note: This upgrade method will erase all the contents of the phone, please be sure to backup first.

1. Download the latest ROM upgrade zip package from the specified server.
2. Copy the Rollback package to the phone storage.
3. Go to Settings -> System -> System Updates -> Click top right icon -> Local upgrade -> Click on the corresponding installation package -> Upgrade -> System upgrade completed to 100%.
4. After the upgrade is complete, click Restart.
5. Update successful.

• Android 11 Beta Download Links
  • OnePlus 8
  • OnePlus 8 Pro
• Android 10 Downgrade Links
  • OnePlus 8
    • NA
    • IN
    • EU
  • OnePlus 8 Pro
    • NA
    • IN
    • EU

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