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jeudi 6 mai 2021

Google Play Store’s new Safety section will show you how apps use your data

In December 2020, Apple put into place a somewhat controversial requirement for app listings in its App Store: Privacy Labels. These privacy labels essentially provide a quick rundown of the data that the app collects or has access to, and further, what the app does with it. Google now wants to walk along a similar path, as the company will be adding a new safety section in Google Play that will provide greater transparency into how apps use this data.

Google is pre-announcing a new safety section in Google Play, providing an overview of the data that an app collects or shares, if that data is secured, and any other additional details that would impact privacy and security. The latter bits include additional context that would explain data use and how safety practices could affect the app experience. In total, the safety section would highlight:

  • Data that the app collects or shares (for example, approximate or precise location, contacts, personal information (e.g. name, email address), photos & videos, audio files, and storage files)
  • Security practices used by the app, like data encryption
  • Whether the app follows the Google Play Families Policy
  • Whether the data is mandatorily needed for app functioning, or if the users can have a choice in sharing it
  • Whether the Safety Section has been verified by an independent third-party
  • Whether the app allows users to request for data deletion if the user decides to uninstall

This is a pre-announcement, a heads-up to developers if you may call it that, that Google Play will be seeing a renewed focus on such disclosures. The new Policy will be shared sometime in Q3 2021, with the Section becoming visible for users in Q1 2022, while Google will be imposing a deadline for new and existing apps to declare this information sometime in Q2 2022. This is a tentative timeline, with exact dates coming out closer to those goals.

Similar to app details like screenshots and descriptions, developers are responsible for the information disclosed in their app’s Safety section. The relevant Google Play policy will mandate accurate information within this section, and data misrepresentation by the developer will be treated as a Google Play policy violation.

And yes, Google’s own apps will also be required to share this information and provide a privacy policy. Hopefully, Google enthusiastically updates its app listings with this information to avoid a repeat of the App Store situation.

There’s still some time for the new Policy to be revealed with its details. In the meantime, Google has shared some other resources for developers:

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The HP EliteOne 800 All-in-One is made for hybrid work scenarios

Today, HP is announcing a range of new business desktop PCs. At the top of the lineup is the HP EliteOne 800 All-in-One. The firm says that it’s designed for hybrid work environments, and indeed, it makes some interesting choices.

For example, it actually comes with two 5MP cameras, one that’s front-facing and one that’s rear-facing. This is where it depends on what your work scenario is. If you’re in a cubicle, you’re probably not using that rear camera. On the other hand, in another kind of environment, you might. It’s also a pop-up camera, meaning that it serves as a privacy guard when you’re not using it.

HP EliteOne 800 G8 All-in-One top-down view

It comes with HP’s AI noise reduction feature too, something that was previously exclusive to the Elite 1000 series, which is the best that HP has to offer. This adjusts for both outbound and inbound noise. It’s key for just about any work environment, as it muffles sounds like a dog barking at home, or if you’re eating a snack.

Another AI feature is HP Presence Aware. This wakes the HP EliteOne 800 All-in-One when you’re in front of it, and locks it when you walk away. Being that it has an IR camera for facial recognition as well, it will wake the PC, light up the IR camera, and log you in without you ever having to touch anything.

HP EliteOne 800 G8 All-in-One on desk in work from home environment

As you’d expect, it comes with 11th-gen Intel processors. They’re from the 65W S-series, but you can get up to a Core i9-11900. The screen comes in 23.8- or 27-inch sizes, with FHD or QHD resolutions, respectively.

HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Desktop Mini mounted on monitor

HP has three other PCs that it’s announcing as well. There’s the EliteDesk 800 G8 Desktop Mini, the EliteDesk 800 G8 Small Form Factor, and the EliteDesk 800 G8 Tower. The Mini is seen above, mounted to a monitor. The Small Form Factor and Tower PCs come with 65W 11th-gen processors, while the Mini comes with an option for 35W or 65W processors.

The HP EliteOne 800 G8 All-in-One, EliteDesk 800 G8 Desktop Mini, EliteDesk 800 G8 Small Form Factor, and EliteDesk 800 G8 Tower are all set to arrive in select countries in May.

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How to change the SSD on the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4

One of the key features in all of Microsoft’s latest Surface PCs is removable storage. It debuted in the Surface Laptop 3, one of the best AMD Ryzen laptops around. That includes the Surface Laptop 4 of course, so you can swap out the SSD. It’s actually a pretty rare feature in modern ultrabooks. It’s mostly unique to Surface, as even some of the best laptops don’t give you an easy way to upgrade.

But before we start, there’s something that you need to know. Microsoft does not recommend doing this. The removable SSD is meant for trained professionals, and of course, it’s not designed so that users can get around the company’s exorbitant storage tier prices.

Prerequisites


Preparation: Get your Surface Laptop 4 ready

The very first thing you need to do is back up whatever you want to keep and create a recovery media.

  1. If there are any files that you want to keep, drop them in OneDrive.
  2. Head over to Microsoft’s site for Surface recovery images.
  3. Select your product from the dropdown list.
  4. Enter the serial number, which is found on the bottom of the Surface Laptop 4.
  5. After clicking continue, download the image that corresponds to the version of Windows 10 that you want.
    Screenshot to download a Surface recovery image
  6. After the ZIP file finishes downloading, extract it to the USB drive.
  7. Make sure that the ZIP file has finished extracting and OneDrive has finished syncing.
  8. Go to Settings -> Update & Security -> Recovery -> Get started. Note that this and the following steps are about how to reset your PC. They’re optional and not critical to replacing the SSD in your Surface Laptop 4, but they’re included because it’s assumed that you want to erase the existing SSD.
  9. Choose Remove Everything -> Local Reinstall.
  10. On the next screen, click the link to change settings.
    Windows 10 reset advanced settings
  11. Turn on the option to clean the drive.
    Windows 10 reset advanced settings
  12. Click confirm and follow the instructions to finish resetting your device.

Opening up the Surface Laptop 4

Opening the Surface Laptop 4 is a bit more complicated than the Surface Pro X or the Surface Pro 7+. Those devices just require a pin to pop open a lid.

  1. Remove the rubber feet. This is best done with an opening tool or tweezers, but keep in mind that these are glued into place. It’s going to take a bit of effort to remove them.
    Bottom of the Surface Laptop 4 with feet removed
  2. Note that there are two different kinds of feet. The two in the front have three plastic prongs, while the rear two don’t. The rear two are also deeper.
    Surface Laptop 4 with foot removed
  3. Using the T5 Torx screwdriver, remove the four screws.
  4. Next, turn the Surface Laptop 4 over and open it like you normally would. Do not try and remove the base.
  5. In the front, use an opening tool (fingernails work too) to pull the keyboard away from the base. It’s magnetically attached, so it doesn’t take too much effort. There’s a ribbon connecting the keyboard to the base. Take note of how it’s attached before removing it.
    Surface Laptop 4 with keyboard removed
  6. Using the T5 Torx screwdriver, remove the screw in front of the SSD. It will pop up a bit.
    Surface Laptop 4 with SSD unscrewed
  7. Slide the SSD out of its slot.
    Surface Laptop 4 with SSD removed

Installing the new SSD on the Surface Laptop 4

Now, it’s time to do the same thing, but in reverse.

  1. Take the new SSD and insert it into the same slot that you removed the old one from.
  2. Take the Torx screw and secure the new SSD.
  3. Secure the keyboard ribbon to the base. Make sure it snaps into place.
    Ribbon connecting keyboard to internals
  4. Place the keyboard back on the base. It will secure itself magnetically.
  5. Close the laptop and flip it over.
  6. Screw the four Torx screws back into place.
  7. Pop the four rubber feet back into place. Make sure to use the right ones for each hole. For the three-prong ones, make sure to align them properly.
    Surface Laptop 4 with foot removed

Reinstalling Windows 10

Now that you have a new SSD, you’ll need to install an operating system.

  1. Plug the USB drive that you made earlier into the USB port.
  2. Connect the Surface Laptop 4 to a charger.
  3. While holding the volume down key, press power. Continue holding volume down until you see recovery options.
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Windows 10.

That’s it. Now, you’ve got a fresh installation of Windows 10 running on your brand new SSD in your Surface Laptop 4. In fact, you probably got a storage upgrade for much less than Microsoft would charge. You can also check out our review of the Surface Laptop 4.

    Surface Laptop 4
    The Surface Laptop 4 has Intel's latest processors, and a removable SSD.

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These are the best true wireless earbuds you can buy in May 2021: Galaxy Buds Pro, AirPods Pro, and more!

If you’re an audiophile, or if you just enjoy listening to music in general, having good earbuds can be just as important as having an awesome smartphone. There’s a fine line between having cheap earbuds that just allow you to listen to your music, to using good ones that allow you to actually be able to enjoy your music to the fullest. But earbuds don’t necessarily have to be expensive for them to be good, and there are a lot of examples of this. So, if you want some good earbuds that actually give you the most out of your music, then you’ll want to give our list of the very best true wireless earbuds a good, close look.

From options for Android to options for iOS to the best overall, there’s plenty to see here, as well as options for specific use cases. Read on to know more!

Navigate this guide:

Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro

Phantom Black Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro in case

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro are Samsung’s latest earbuds, and while the fact that they don’t look like beans anymore makes them way better than their predecessors, there’s way more than meets the eye here. They feature active noise cancellation, AKG-tuned sound for a better listening experience, IPX7 water resistance so you can take them with you to the gym and anywhere you want, and if you own a Samsung phone, then you’re also in for a bunch of additional cool features, some of which resemble the ones that we’ve seen on the AirPods Pro.

With majority consensus amongst our team, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro is the best truly wireless earbuds available in the market right now, accessible to the widest net of users. They pack in a great combination of specifications, features, comfort, style, and pricing. And while they aren’t cheap, you do get a premium experience.

Specification Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro
Battery life 5 hours with ANC on (18 hours w/ charging case)
Water resistance IPX7
Colors Phantom Violet, Phantom Black, Phantom Silver
    Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro
    Samsung's new very best is already out and it's wild. The Galaxy Buds Pro feature a normal-ish shape with a proper seal as well as ANC and water resistance.

Honorable Mention for Best Earphones: Huawei FreeBuds Pro

FreeBuds Pro control from the stems

FreeBuds Pro

The Huawei FreeBuds Pro come very close to being the best TWS earbuds on the market. But their drawback is their availability, which can be a hindrance to users who want something easier to access and purchase right away. That being said, the Huawei FreeBuds Pro are the best earbuds if you do not care about the stem design.  The audio is fantastic, and so is the ANC. Huawei added a lot of features and gesture controls that you can use, and there are other noise cancellation modes such as awareness mode that can be enabled, too.

The FreeBuds Pro are a really great package at a price of €129 in Europe. If you’re looking for a pair of truly wireless earbuds and want to avoid the usual choices, the FreeBuds Pro will definitely surprise you.

Specification Huawei FreeBuds Pro
Battery life 4.5 hours with ANC on (20 hours w/ charging case)
Water resistance No IP rating
Colors Silver Frost, Ceramic White, Carbon Black
    Huawei FreeBuds Pro
    Huawei's FreeBuds Pro are fantastic-sounding truly wireless earbuds with incredible active noise cancellation, and a wireless charging case.

Best for iOS: Apple AirPods Pro

apple airpods pro without case on black background with logo

If you’re on iOS, it’s not that you can’t use other third-party options. You definitely can, as the iPhone does have Bluetooth like literally any other smartphone. But let’s be real here: Apple’s in-house options are made to work with your iPhone like a charm, and have features and tweaks that are actually exclusive to iOS. So, unless you’re actually looking for something specific on your earbuds, the AirPods Pro are gonna be the best of the bunch for most people. They have active noise cancellation and, while they are pretty pricey when you pit it against the competition, you just can’t beat the features if you’re on iOS: completely effortless pairing and switching between devices, Siri integration, and more.

They’re also pretty good as regular Bluetooth earbuds and yes, you can use them on Android, but if you’re on iOS, they’re really a no-brainer just for the system integration that comes with them. They’re definitely one of the best true wireless earbuds currently available.

Specification Apple AirPods Pro
Battery life 5 hours with ANC on (24 hours w/ charging case)
Water resistance IPX4
Colors White
    Apple AirPods Pro
    The Apple AirPods Pro are as good as they get right now when it comes to Apple's in house offerings for iOS devices, but they also have excellent audio and noise cancellation.

Best for Most People: Samsung Galaxy Buds+

Samsung Galaxy Buds+

The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ may not be the latest generation of earbuds in the market right now, but they are the ones that should suit the widest set of audiences right now. Yes, the earphones lack ANC and do not feature any type of water ingress protection — but other than that, they are an excellent pair of earphones. They feature great audio performance, a very comfortable fit, amazing microphone performance for calls, great battery life, and a lot more.

What makes the Galaxy Buds+ suitable for a wider set of audience? The fact that you can get them at some amazing prices. We’ve seen the variant go down for as low as $110, which is quite a steal for the product that you are getting.

Specification Samsung Galaxy Buds+
Battery life 11 hours (22 hours w/ charging case)
Water resistance IPX2
Colors White, Aura Blue, Cloud Blue, Black, Red, Pink, Ultra Violet (BTS edition)
    Samsung Galaxy Buds=
    The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ are some of the better and cheaper earphones out there, with a pretty loaded feature set. They lack ANC and IP rating, but other than that, they offer a complete experience that is made sweeter by the various deals and discounts that you can get along the way.

Best for Working Out: Jabra Elite Active 75t

Having a good pair of earbuds is essential if you’re the kind of person that gets pumped up by a nice playlist on Spotify while working out, and the Jabra Elite Active 75t is a pair of earbuds that are specifically engineered for this use-case. The Jabra Elite Active 75t belongs to the “Active” lineup of Jabra earbuds, and this means that they’re as good as they get for running and hitting the gym. They come with active noise cancellation so you never miss a beat, and they’re protected from sweat, water, and dust, coming with an IP57 rating, so they’ll keep up with you no matter how harsh the environment is.

At their price point, they’re not the most expensive earbuds out there, but also not the cheapest, trading bouts with a lot of options on our list. They also enjoy decent user reviews on Amazon, and Jabra is a company that has made a name for itself in the audio space over the years. They’re one of the best true wireless earbuds out there if you’re someone who works out a lot.

Specification Jabra Elite Active 75t
Battery life 5.5 hours with ANC on (24 hours w/ charging case)
Water resistance IP57
Colors Mint, Copper Black, Navy, Sienna, Gold Beige, Titanium Black
    Sony WF-1000XM3
    The Sony WF-1000XM3 are among the best earbuds out there, with world class sound and noise cancellation as well as Sony's decades-long experience in audio.

Best Premium: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2

These Sennheiser earbuds also come at a pretty penny as well, but Sennheiser is a name that’s known for greatness in the audio space, and the Momentum True Wireless 2 will definitely not let you down in this regard. The 7 mm dynamic drivers on these bad boys can, according to Sennheiser, deliver “deep bass, natural mids, and clear, detailed treble”. And the reviews on these all seem to agree that the listening experience on these earbuds is godly. Battery life is also a plus, with 7 hours of listening as well as a total 28 hours with the charging case. There’s also an app available on both Android and iOS that allows you to use the earbuds’ built-in equalizer and tweak some of their other settings.

They are definitely worth a look if you’re looking for the best true wireless earbuds and you have $250 burning in your pocket.

Specification Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
Battery life 4 hours with ANC on (20 hours w/ charging case)
Water resistance IPX4
Colors White/Grey, Black
    Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
    The Jabra Elite Active 75t are one of Jabra's premium options for people living a fit lifestyle. They have water resistance, good battery life, ANC, and they sound great.

Best Budget: OnePlus Buds Z

OnePlus isn’t a brand that’s known for making quality earbuds. They’re known for making phones, and while their phones are pretty alright, they don’t have much of a name for themselves when it comes to earbuds. The OnePlus Buds Z, though? They’re not bad for their price tag. Now, you won’t find active noise cancellation or anything like that here. But fancy features are not the point of them. The point of them is delivering a listening experience that doesn’t suck for a pretty affordable price, and once you take that mission into account, they start to look better. And have you looked at that battery life? 5 hours of continuous listening and 20 hours of total battery life is not too shabby for $50 earbuds.

If you want to keep your budget low, this is among the best picks for the best true wireless earbuds you can get for your money.

Specification OnePlus Buds Z
Battery life 5 hours (20 hours w/ charging case)
Water resistance IP55
Colors White, Grey, Steven Harrington Edition
    OnePlus Buds Z
    The OnePlus Buds Z are really some of the best true wireless earbuds that you can get on the budget, delivering great audio and great battery life.

Honorable Mention: Google Pixel Buds (2nd gen)

google pixel buds 2

The Google Pixel Buds didn’t really fit as a top pick in any of these categories, but it gets a shout-out nonetheless because they managed to actually improve on a lot of stuff since the first generation. I was actually one of those crazy people that owned the first-gen Pixel Buds and actually liked them a lot despite all of the (probably well deserved) criticism about them, so any improvement on them is a big plus in my book. The second-gen Pixel Buds gets rid of the wire between the two buds while also improving on a lot of things that were criticized about the originals, like the gestures, the audio quality, and more. There’s no active noise cancellation on these, but hey, they actually have a rubber seal this time!

They won’t disappoint one bit, and they’re one of the best true wireless earbuds on this list.

Specification Google Pixel Buds
Battery life 5 hours (24 hours w/ charging case)
Water resistance IPX4
Colors Clearly White, Oh So Orange, Quite Mint, Almost Black
    Google Pixel Buds (2020)
    The new Google Pixel Buds fix many of the flaws the original version had while also making them truly wireless, adding a bunch of features, and keeping everything under a not-so-high price increase.

These were our top picks for the best true wireless earbuds currently on the market. The best of the best right now, if you ask me, would be the Sony WF-1000XM3 as it’s a very decently performing middle ground on every aspect that is definitely worth its asking price. Of course, it’s all going to come down to your personal preferences and which aspect you value the most: value, price, or overall experience. Some options out here will keep your wallet mostly intact, while others will make a dent on it, but also give you an amazing sound experience.

Which do you like the most?

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Twitter rolls out improved image cropping on iOS and Android

Twitter started testing improved image cropping and 4K image viewing on its mobile app earlier this year in March. Out of the two new features, Twitter rolled out 4K image support on iOS and Android late last month. Now, the company is finally rolling out improved image cropping on its mobile apps.

The company announced the rollout in a recent tweet, which states: “no bird too tall, no crop too short…introducing bigger and better images on iOS and Android, now available to everyone.” In response to a query on the tweet, Twitter also revealed that its mobile apps now support images with 2:1 and 3:4 aspect ratios, and it won’t crop such images in the preview.

For the unaware, Twitter uses an automated solution to generate previews for tall or wide images. The solution crops extra wide or extra tall images at the center for the preview, which often results in a poor result. It also landed Twitter in a tough spot last year when users discovered that the photo previews showed white people’s faces more frequently than Black faces.

Since Twitter’s mobile apps won’t crop tall or wide images with 2:1 and 3:4 aspect ratios any longer, users should now see more appropriate results. While Twitter claims that the improved image cropping support is now available to all users, a few replies on the original tweet still show cropped images. This suggests that improved image cropping support may not be available for all users at the moment.

Do you see a cropped image preview in the tweet linked above or do you see the entire roller coaster? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Google Chrome’s media player is getting several new features and improvements

Google rolled out new media playback controls for Chrome in January last year. The feature added a new icon next to the address bar for easy access to media playback controls. Recently, Google rolled out an update for the media controls on the Chrome Canary channel, which added a progress bar and dynamic backgrounds to the interface. The company is now working on bringing even more features and improvements to the media player, including an output picker, artwork adjustments, volume controls, and more.

Reddit user u/Leopeva64-2 recently shared a post highlighting all the upcoming changes for Google Chrome’s media player. Here’s what you can expect to see when the changes roll out on the stable channel:

Output picker

Google Chrome media player's new output picker button

As you can see in the attached screenshot, Chromium developers are working on adding a new button to the media player that will help users easily change the output device. The button will appear right underneath the song title, and tapping on it will open a drop-down list of all available output devices.

Artwork adjustments

Artwork adjustments in Google Chrome's media player

If the album art for a song is too big to fit in the small square window on the media player, Google Chrome currently crops the artwork. More often than not, this results in the artwork becoming unintelligible. Developers are working on fixing this issue by automatically shrinking the artwork down to fit in the square. In case shrinking leaves empty space, Chrome will also fill the space with a complementary background color. Additionally, if a song doesn’t have any artwork or favicon, Chrome will display a blank square.

Google Chrome will display a blank squre if album art or favicon is not available

Along with these two changes, Chromium developers are also working on adding new volume controls to Google Chrome’s media player. Once this feature rolls out, the media player will include a volume slider and a mute button. The developers are also testing minor changes to the button layout, which removes the next song/previous song buttons from the top of the media player.

Next/previous track buttons removed from Google Chrome's media player

At the moment, we’re not sure when these changes will roll out on the stable channel. We’ll update this post as soon as they’re available on a future Google Chrome release.

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Android Studio 4.2 brings IntelliJ upgrade, Safe Args support, and more

In October last year, Google rolled out Android Studio 4.1 with support for foldables in the Android Emulator, a few style updates, TensorFlow Lite enhancements, and more. Over the last few months, the company has been working on the next major Android Studio update, and it’s now finally available on the stable channel.

Android Studio 4.2 is a major release that brings several new features and improvements. As per the Android Studio release notes, the update includes Android Gradle plugin 4.2.0, an offline mode for the Database Inspector, Safe Args support, an IntelliJ platform update, a visual refresh for the New Project wizard, and much more. In this post, we’ll highlight some of the major changes introduced in the update.

IntelliJ Platform Update

Android Studio 4.2 comes with all the major features and updates found in IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition 2020.2, including an updated GitHub UI for pull requests, a new centralized problems window, and more. The release also brings a new Inspections Widget that displays the number of warnings and errors in the current file and lets developers easily navigate between them, a new Problems tool window, a new Shared Indexes plugin to cut indexing time on large projects by around 60-75%, etc. Check out the IntelliJ IDEA 2020.2 release post for more details.

Project Wizard & Module Wizard Updates

Updated New Project Wizard in Android Studio 4.2 Updated New Module Wizard in Android Studio 4.2

The update also includes a visual refresh for the New Project wizard and the Module Wizard. The updated UI will help developers easily discover Android device types and understand the variety of module types they can add to their app. Google has also added a ViewBinding to each of the templates.

Database Inspector Improvements

Database Inspector improvements in Android Studio 4.2

Android Studio 4.2 brings several enhancements for the Database Inspector. It now has a new offline mode that will let developers inspect their app’s database after a process disconnects, making it easier to diagnose issues after a crash. The update also brings a handy query history option that will help developers view all previous queries.


Along with the changes mentioned above, Android Studio 4.2 also brings improvements for features like System Trace, Safe Args support, multiple device deployment, and more. You can watch the video embedded below for more details on these changes.

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