Universal Android Debloater helps you get rid of unwanted apps and bloatware on your phone

We’ve talked about pre-installed apps AKA “bloatware” on many occasions. It’s not a mystery that shipping such non-essential apps is a crucial part of the carrier/OEM business policy. Considering the amount of diagnostic and usage data these applications can collect on your phone, one can easily deduce that carriers and OEMs do this for both additional revenue and control of the platform. Admittedly, bloatware is a rather subjective term, but the inability to uninstall or even disable some of these pre-installed system applications by traditional means is certainly a deal-breaker for the Android user base.

Fortunately, there are some community-made debloater tools that can help get rid of these apps. We also wrote a guide a while back that taught you how to uninstall any pre-installed app from the primary user account of your Android smartphone or tablet using Android Debug Bridge (ADB). In case you don’t want to go through all the manual ADB commands, XDA Member w1nst0n_fr has put together a script to help users debloat their devices in a safer way. Meet Universal Android Debloater — a list-driven debloating project that will not only disable the unwanted bloatware installed by OEMs and carriers, but also make it possible to delete the APKs if you have root access.

Universal Android Debloater XDA Thread

The heart of the project is a Bash script named debloat_script.sh, which means it is compatible with Linux and macOS. Windows users, however, need to install a compatible Unix terminal first in order to utilize the tool. The script relies on crowdsourced debloat lists under the hood. You can find several OEM and carrier-specific lists out of the box, while the open-source nature of the project makes it super easy to contribute by submitting additional entries.

Here is a rundown of the features offered by Universal Android Debloater:

• Quick search among all the packages of an Android device
• Uninstallation of system/user packages (manually or with the debloat lists)
• Reinstallation of system packages (manually or with the debloat lists)
• ADB backup/restore
• Device brand detection and auto-selection of the appropriate manufacturer debloat list
• Logging: debloated_packages.txt, remaining_packages.txt, deleted_apks.txt (for root users)
• Root support (system and systemless with Magisk)

If you’re interested in trying out the debloater script, you can always find the latest version here. Those who want to take a look at the codebase and contribute can visit the project’s GitLab repository.

Universal Android Debloater XDA Thread

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OnePlus Nord N10 5G in Europe now supports hands-free Amazon Alexa

If you have a OnePlus Nord N10 5G, you can now fully ditch the Google Assistant in favor of Alexa. While you can set Alexa as the default voice assistant on pretty much any modern Android phone, the overall experience may not match up to that of Google Assitant. For example, you can’t use your voice to trigger Alexa while you’re outside the Alexa app or your screen is off. For that to work, your phone must support hands-free Alexa capabilities.

OnePlus Nord N10 5G XDA Forums

We recently received a tip that the OnePlus Nord N10 5G now supports hands-free access to Amazon Alexa. Our tipster received an email from Amazon UK stating that his phone now has the feature. Although we could not find the OnePlus Nord N10 5G listed on Amazon UK’s list of Alexa built-in-compatible phones, OnePlus has confirmed to XDA that the feature is indeed supported for devices sold in select European markets. We are told that those countries include the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain and that the integration works for any EU N10 SKUs. The phone also doesn’t have to be purchased through Amazon.

The OnePlus Nord N10 5G isn’t the first OnePlus device to support hands-free Alexa, though. The OnePlus 8 series and OnePlus Nord also have it.

The benefit of hands-free Alexa is that you’ll be able to invoke Alexa from any screen as well as while your phone’s screen is off, much like how you can trigger Google Assitant by saying “OK Google” from any screen. To take advantage of Alexa hand-free on your OnePlus N10 5G, you will first need to download the Alexa app from the Google Play Store and then change the default voice assistant service. To do so, head over to Settings > Apps & Notifications > Default apps > Digital assistant app. From there, tap on “Default digital assistant app” and set Alexa as default. Keep in mind that hands-free Alexa is currently available for the European variant only.

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Thanks to XDA Member Some_Random_Username for the tip!

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The best screen protectors for your Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite — Winter 2021

When you drop a few hundred dollars on a new piece of tech, you’re probably going to want to protect your purchase from scratches and dings. The Nintendo Switch is no exception! Since Nintendo has abandoned the clamshell design of the Nintendo DS line, Switches are prone to their screens getting scratched up if you carry them with you on the go. Actually, they can even be scratched when they are simply sitting in the dock!

Screen protectors are an easy, and often cheap, way to protect the Switch’s screen. But, with a deluge of options available on Amazon, it quickly becomes difficult to tell the difference between quality protectors and ones that won’t fit the screen or peel after a few months. We have you, and your screen, covered, though! Check out our picks for the best Nintendo Switch screen protectors below!

Before we get started, there is something important to note: You need to buy the right screen protectors based on if you have the Nintendo Switch, or the Nintendo Switch Lite! The two Switch models have different screen sizes, so protectors will not be compatible with one another.

Nintendo Switch Screen Protectors

If you have an original Nintendo Switch, you know that the screen can easily get scratched or scuffed moving it in and out of the dock. Help prevent damage to your console with these Nintendo Switch screen protectors:

Hori Nintendo Switch Protective Filter

Official Nintendo Protection

You can't skimp on quality when it comes to screen protectors. A bad screen protector can actually damage your screen with faulty glue! Skip the frustration with the officially licensed Nintendo Switch screen protectors by Hori, specifically designed to fit the Switch's screen and backed by the Nintendo Seal of Quality.

Buy from Amazon

Spigen Tempered Glass Nintendo Switch Screen Protector

Spigen Quality Screen Protection

If you're not happy with Hori brand products, you can't go wrong with a Spigen screen protector! Spigen is a well-known brand for mobile cases and screen protectors, and they bring that same quality to the Nintendo Switch with their easy-to-apply tempered screen protector. Check it out!

Buy from Amazon

BRHE Dockable Switch Protective Case Cover for Nintendo Switch

All Around Switch Protection

Sure, you could get just a set of screen protectors, or you can protect the entirety of your Switch in one go!The bundle comes with a quality screen protector, as well as a thing cover for the Switch and Joy-Cons themselves, and grip covers for the analog sticks. It's all dock-friendly, too!

Buy from Amazon

eXtremeRate Border Screen Protector

A bit of color

If you want to add just a bit of color to your Switch, you can pick up these special screen protectors! This will cover the normal black border with something a little different looking, without overwhelming you like a case or skin.

Buy from Amazon

Nintendo Switch Lite Screen Protectors

Portable devices are prone to being jostled around a bag, and that means the screens can get scratched simply from coming into contact with some keys, or a sharp corner. These Nintendo Switch Lite screen protectors will make sure to keep your screen in pristine condition:

Hori Nintendo Switch Lite Protective Filter

Official Nintendo Protection

A bad screen protector can damage your screen with faulty glue! Skip the frustration with the officially licensed Nintendo Switch screen protectors by Hori, specifically designed to fit the Switch Lite's screen and backed by the Nintendo Seal of Quality.

Buy from Amazon

Kiwihome Screen Protector Bundle

Screen Protectors and Analog Grips

Kiwihome's Nintendo Switch Lite screen protector bundle has both a screen protector, as well as analog grips. This screen protector is an easy install too, offering helpful guides to make sure the protector is placed properly. Check it out!

Buy from Amazon

ProCase Nintendo Switch Lite and Flip Case Bundle

For Nintendo DS Fans

Miss the protection of the clamshell Nintendo DS? Well, this screen protector and case combo will be your best bet. Get two screen protectors and a thin flip case that matches the color of your Switch Lite for just $20!

Buy from Amazon

eXtremeRate Border Screen Protector

A bit of color

If you want to add just a bit of color to your Switch, you can pick up these special screen protectors! This will cover the normal black border with something a little different looking, without overwhelming you like a case or skin.

Buy from Amazon

Which Nintendo Switch screen protector should you grab? Of course, it depends on whether you have the original Switch or the Switch Lite, but you really can’t go wrong with Hori’s official screen protectors for both the original Switch and Switch Lite. You can be absolutely sure these screen protectors will fit the screen properly because it has the Nintendo Seal of Quality. Nintendo doesn’t just give those out to anyone! The Switch also has touch controls, and Hori’s screen protector is guaranteed to work with the touch screen.

From there, you can’t go wrong with Spigen. They make quality phone cases and screen protectors, and this will definitely be the case with the Nintendo Switch, too. The Spigen Nintendo Switch screen protector is just a little more expensive than the official Hori one, but Spigen has plenty of experience creating tempered glass screen protectors, so you know you’re getting quality.

You can always take a look through Amazon’s selection and try some other screen protectors, too. Is there one that isn’t on this list that you’d recommend? Let us know in the comments!

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OPPO’s Wireless Air Charging tech will let you charge your devices over-the-air

At MWC Shanghai, OPPO launched its flash charging project: The Flash Initiative. As part of this project, other companies can license OPPO’s proprietary VOOC fast charging technology and incorporate it into their own products. Along with the flash charging project, the company demoed a new wireless charging tech at the event, called Wireless Air Charging.

OPPO showcased the new Wireless Air Charging tech in a short video using its innovative rollable concept smartphone, the OPPO X 2021. The video shows the OPPO X 2021 charging wirelessly while kept on what seems to be a normal wireless charging mat. However, as you’d expect, the wireless charging mat in the video isn’t all that ordinary, as it keeps charging the phone even when the device is lifted a couple of inches above the surface.

The video further demonstrates how OPPO’s new Wireless Air Charging tech will let you charge your phone while using it a few inches above the innovative wireless charging mat. As of now, the company hasn’t shared any details about this new wireless charging technology, but we expect to learn more in the coming days.

It’s worth noting that OPPO isn’t the first smartphone OEM to demonstrate such a remote wireless charging solution. That title goes to Xiaomi, who showcased its Mi Air Charge technology earlier this year in January. Unlike OPPO, Xiaomi has released a few key details about its remote wireless charging solution, claiming that it’s capable of delivering 5W of power to a single device over a distance of a couple of meters.

Xiaomi’s solution uses a “self-developed isolated charging pile,” which features 5 phase interference antennas that can accurately determine a phone’s position and transmit power to it via a phase control array composed of 144 antennas. The phase control array directionally transmits millimeter-wide waves through beamforming, and the receiving device requires specialized hardware to convert the millimeter-wide wave signal into electrical energy. Additionally, Motorola has also demonstrated a similar contactless wireless charging technology, but the company hasn’t released any details about it so far.

We’ll update this post as soon as we learn more technical details about OPPO’s Wireless Air Charging solution.

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Microsoft Word to soon bring predictive text for users on Windows

A new update for Microsoft Word arriving next month is bringing a feature that has been long due. Predictive typing or the ‘Text Prediction’ feature will automatically suggest new words as you are typing a sentence. While it may be new to Microsoft Word, this isn’t a revolutionary feature and it should be somewhat similar to what Google offers on its suite of office apps as well as Gmail.

Microsoft had announced text predictions for Microsoft Word last year which uses a machine learning model to offer suggestions based on what the user is typing. This essentially means that over time it will improve its suggestions to predict what you are planning to type based on your previous documents. The feature is expected to help users type more efficiently and accurately by reducing spelling and grammar errors. Notably, the feature was introduced to Office Insiders program users back in September 2020. Now it seems that Microsoft is finally ready to roll out the feature for all users next month as confirmed by a recent entry to the Microsoft 365 roadmap as spotted by Neowin.

Once the feature rolls out, users should see grayed-out work predictions that can be quickly acknowledged by hitting the Tab key or rejected using the Esc key. There will be an option to completely turn off word prediction in case you don’t find it useful or find it distracting. Microsoft also notes that all the data that is being collected to train the machine learning model will not “leave the tenant boundary” and will only be accessed by other humans if the user allows them as part of the feedback feature.

Just last week, Microsoft announced that it will be launching Office 2021 for personal users and Office LTSC (Long Term Servicing Channel) for commercial purposes later this year. Office 2021 will be an update to Office 2019 and will be available at a one-time cost without requiring a Microsoft 365 subscription. A commercial preview of Office LTSC will be available this April. The company has confirmed that Office LTSC will be getting support for at least 5 years. It is also expected to bring accessibility improvements, a new dark mode, Dynamic Arrays, and XLOOKUP in Excel, as well as other smaller changes across all the popular apps, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. These features are also expected to be adopted by Office 2021.

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Spotify for Android starts testing a redesigned library UI

After announcing a HiFi lossless streaming tier earlier this week, Spotify has now started testing a redesigned library UI for its Android app. The updated design has already started rolling out to some users via a server-side update, and it seems to be much more intuitive than the current interface.

According to a recent report from Android Police, the updated library UI is available for select users running version 8.6.2.774 of the Spotify app on Android. As you can see in the attached screenshots, it features several changes, including a new landing page that displays playlists, artists, and albums in one feed.

Redesigned Library UI (Images: Android Police)

The new landing page is a significant improvement over the existing library UI, as it gives you quick access to all categories, including podcasts, rather than limiting you to the Playlists tab by default. The consolidated list also improves the search function, letting you search across all categories right from the main library page.

Current Library UI (Images: Android Police)

Along with the consolidated list, the updated library UI now features an easy-to-access “Create playlist” button in the top right corner, new category buttons at the top of the feed to quickly filter through Playlists, Artists, Albums, and Podcasts, and a new option to display everything in a grid layout. As mentioned earlier, the redesigned library UI is only live for a handful of users at the moment, and we have no information regarding a broader rollout.

Redesigned Now Playing interface

Additionally, Spotify is also testing a new “Now playing” interface. The updated interface is also only available for a small fraction of users, and it’s likely part of a server-side test. We don’t know much about the updated interface other than what you see in the image attached above. We’ll update this post as soon as the new Library UI and redesigned Now Playing interface start rolling out to more Spotify users on Android.

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Samsung’s new 50MP ISOCELL GN2 sensor offers faster autofocus and better low-light performance

Samsung has been giving some tough competition to Sony in the mobile image sensor space lately. Samsung was quick to sense the renewed consumer demand for high megapixel count sensors and swiftly rolled out sensors ranging from 32MP going all the way up to 108MP. As it set its eye to reach the top spot and displace Sony, Samsung is expanding its portfolio with one more sensor in the form of 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN2.

The Samsung ISOCELL GN2 is a direct successor to the last year’s ISOCELL GN1 and comes with several notable improvements, including increased pixel size, improved autofocus performance, better HDR capture, and more. The megapixel count remains the same at 50MP, but Samsung is pairing it with a larger 1/1.2 sensor and bigger 1.4-micron pixel size, which should help improve low-light performance. Moreover, when used in a 4-in-1 pixel binning configuration, the sensor doubles the pixel size (2.4-micron) to output brighter images with increased light sensitivity. Samsung also offers a hybrid 100MP mode that employs a re-mosaic algorithm to create three individual layers of 50MP frames in green, red, and blue and then upscales and merges them to produce a final high-res 100MP shot.

One of the important upgrades on the ISOCELL GN2 is the new Dual Pixel Pro technology for phase detection autofocus (PDAF). Samsung says the new technology allows all-directional focusing by splitting the pixels both vertically and diagonally, contributing to quicker focus in low-light and improved tracking of moving objects. This sounds a lot like OmniVision’s Quad phase-detection technology on its new OV50A sensor and Sony’s 2×2 On-chip Lens solution.

HDR performance also sees an upgrade as the ISOCELL GN2 is now able to capture high-contrast scenes with an increased dynamic range through the staggered-HDR feature. The staggered-HDR captures multiple frames in short, middle, and long exposures using rolling shutters to strike an optimal balance between highlights and shadows.

The Smart ISO is another new addition to the ISOCELL GN2, allowing the camera to take both high and low ISO values to quickly create a high dynamic range image while keeping the motion artifacts down. The Smart ISO Pro also promises good results in extreme low-light conditions by quickly taking and processing multiple frames in high ISO.

Finally, the sensor can shoot 8K videos, 1080p at 480fps, or 4K at 120fps.

The Samsung ISOCELL GN2 is in mass production. Samsung did not detail when we can expect the sensor to make its way on commercial phones. If we had to guess, it could be featured on the upcoming Mi 11 Ultra, which is reportedly packing a 50MP primary camera.

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