HMD Global is struggling to update Nokia phones to Android 11

HMD Global released the first batch of Nokia-branded Android phones as affordable devices with frequent and fast Android OS updates. The company delivered on that promise for a few years, but as its product lineup has ballooned in size (there are already seven phones for 2021), HMD has struggled to maintain a speedy update cycle. Now the company is delaying Android 11 updates for most of its phones.

HMD originally announced its timeline to deliver Android 11 updates in October of last year. At the time, three Nokia phones were expected to receive Android 11 before the start of 2021, with the rest of the recent product lineup to follow in the first half of 2021. That timeline was already a bit slow, considering HMD Global doesn’t make many significant changes to the Android operating system, but HMD couldn’t even maintain that schedule. The Nokia 8.3 5G was the company’s first device to get Android 11, and its update came in February instead of Q4 2020.

HMD Global has now published an updated Android 11 roadmap, reflecting the delayed timelines. Updates for most Nokia phones have been pushed forward by a quarter — for example, the Nokia 6.2 is now estimated to get Android 11 in the third quarter of 2021, instead of the previous Q2 ETA. Meanwhile, the Nokia 5.3 (picture above) was expected to get the update sometime in Q4 2020 to Q1 2021 but is now expected to get the update sometime later this quarter.

HMD didn’t mention why its timeline for updates is slipping, but a possible reason is that the company itself doesn’t control most of the hardware and software for its phones. Most Nokia-branded phones are developed and manufactured by external ODMs, which are responsible for maintaining software support. A report from Omdia in 2020 pointed out that the majority of Nokia-branded smartphones were designed by ODMs, with Lenovo, OPPO, and Xiaomi also selling large numbers of ODM-designed phones.

No matter where the fault lies, it’s not a promising sign that HMD Global’s Android phones are struggling to receive system updates, especially when its original promises weren’t spectacular to begin with. HMD’s 2020 Android flagship for the United States, the Nokia 8.3 5G UW, is only guaranteed to receive one more update after Android 11. Meanwhile, Samsung is delivering three years of OS updates and four years of security patches for most of its phones.

Featured image: the Nokia 5.3

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Amazon’s new Echo Dot now on sale for just $30 ($20 off)

Amazon released a bunch of new Echo smart speakers last year, including an updated Echo Dot with a new ball-like design. Now there’s an excellent Echo Dot deal available: the speaker is now just $29.99 on Amazon. That’s a savings of $20 from the original price, and it’s the lowest price we’ve seen for the speaker since last year’s Black Friday sale (when the speaker was $1 cheaper).

Previous Echo Dots resembled a hockey puck in design, but this 4th-generation model looks more like a ball, matching the new Echo. It uses Amazon’s AZ1 Neural Edge processor, which speeds up Alexa’s responses by processing some commands on-device. It doesn’t do all the voice pressing on its own, like the more expensive Echo and Echo Show 10, but it’s still a bit faster than older Echo Dot speakers.

Echo Dot 4th Gen

Amazon's latest Echo Dot smart speaker is $20 off the usual price right now. It's available in three colors: blue, white, and black.

Buy at Amazon

The updated Echo Dot has a 1.6-inch speaker and the Alexa virtual assistant. It can do all the usual smart speaker features: tell you the weather, stream music, control smart home devices, and so on. There are physical buttons for volume and muting the microphone. Unlike Google’s smart speakers, the Echo Dot has a 3.5mm audio output on the back, so you can plug in your own speakers if you’d like.

Amazon sells the Echo Dot in three color choices: Twilight Blue, Glacier White, and Charcoal. It’s not clear when the current sale will end.

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Anker’s portable batteries, chargers, and cables are up to 38% off today only

Anker produces some of the best charging accessories available today. I’ve purchased a few of their wall adapters for family members who needed more charging ports, and I use Anker’s 60W PowerPort Atom III wall charger constantly with my laptop and phones. Today the company is discounting a handful of its products for Amazon’s ‘Deal of the Day,’ with some as much as 38% off the typical prices.

All the worthwhile items are listed below, and the collection is a mix of batteries, wall adapters, and cables. The best deal of the bunch is likely the 10,000mAh portable battery, since it supports both USB Type-A and Type-C (and charges itself with the latter). The 3-in-1 station is also a good buy if you need to charge several devices at once, like a smartwatch and earbuds alongside your phone.

Anker PowerCore 13000

This is a 13,000mAh portable battery. However, there's no quick charging support (only two USB Type-A).

$22 at Amazon ($14 off)

Anker PowerCore Slim 10000 PD

This portable battery has a slim design, 18W fast charging, and both USB Type-A and Type-C connectors.

$22 at Amazon ($8 off)

Anker 3-in-1 Charging Station

This is a 10W wireless charging stand with two USB Type-A ports on the back for charging other devices.

$30 at Amazon ($13 off)

Anker PowerCore Fusion III

This wall charger can deliver 18W of power over USB Type-C, and it has an internal 5,000mAh battery too.

$28 at Amazon ($12 off)

Anker 45W Fast Charger

If the typical brick-shaped USB wall adapters don't work for you, this flat 45W charger might be a good alternative.

$24 at Amazon ($14 off)

USB-C to Lightning cables (2-pack)

These 3-ft cables will give you the fastest-possible charging speeds with any devices using a Lightning power connector.

$17 at Amazon ($7 off)

The deals are only live for today, so if you’re interested in something, don’t wait too long.

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Google is scaring TiVo away from Android TV

TiVo started as a DVR box for over-the-air television, but the brand is now used for various TV products under its current owner, Xperi. The TiVo Stream 4K was released last year as a $50 Android TV player, though most excitement around the product faded once the Chromecast with Google TV arrived later that year. Now it appears that TiVo is already looking to ditch the platform, according to a recent Xperi investors meeting.

The TiVo Stream 4K is more or less your standard streaming stick — you plug it into your TV and use the included remote to play content from various streaming services. The player is built on top of Android TV, so it can install TV apps from the Google Play Store, but the stick also has a ‘TiVo Stream’ app intended to be the primary destination for live TV (through Sling TV) and some on-demand content.

However, it seems like Xperi’s interest in Android TV might already be over. The company held an earnings call with investors on May 6th, where Xperi mentioned plans to turn the TiVo Stream interface into “a smart TV OS platform” (via ZatzNotFunny).

Credit: Xperi

 

Credit: Xperi

Xperi originally planned for the TiVo Stream experience to use Android TV as the core OS, similar to the Stream 4K Stick’s software, but now the company is looking to move away from Google’s platform. Xperi’s CEO Jon Kirchner said this when asked about the roadmap for streaming:

We have done a lot of planning around kind of a three phase approach, starting with the Stream 4K product, which is a dongle that attaches to TVs, moving into an embedded application, where we’ll be let’s say the preferred user interface choice on a broader platform but originally around the notion that it would live on top of Android TV.

And then thirdly, going all the way into a much deeper embedded solution, embedded OS where we’re a bigger provider, where we’re really the sole primary interface for the broader content search and discovery and engagement. What has changed is last fall, Google came out and said that they intend to go beyond their core OS level offering and really get into the UX business, and in so doing it eclipses one’s ability to I think reasonably be an alternative that might otherwise live on their lower level platform.

And so we’ve really jumped to from Phase 1 which is Stream 4K directly into working aggressively on getting our solutions embedded in TVs in a deeper level.

Shortly after the Chromecast with Google TV was released last year, Google revealed that its custom interface would eventually be available to other manufacturers. More importantly, Google said that all Android TV devices will be required to use the Google TV UI sometime around 2023. Since the TiVo Stream app is essentially competing with the Google TV interface (and Fire TV OS, and Roku OS, and so on), it makes sense that Xperi is now looking to jump ship.

Google likely won’t feel much of an impact from only Xperi leaving Android TV behind, but Xperi could end up being one of many companies building their own smart TV platforms in the wake of Google’s future requirements. OnePlus is also selling Android TV-based products with custom software on top, though OnePlus hasn’t revealed its long-term TV plans.

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XDA Basics: Can I use Apple’s Magic Keyboard with Touch ID with other computers?

Apple’s new M1-powered 24-inch iMac is here. It comes with an all-new Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, which actually isn’t sold separately, at least for now. If you picked one up, you’re probably wondering if you can use the new Bluetooth keyboard with other devices. The answer is, kind of. Yes, it works as a keyboard, but whether Touch ID will work depends on your hardware.

Here’s the deal. The Touch ID sensor requires the secure enclave that’s found in Apple’s custom M1 processor. This keyboard will be fully functional with any M1 Mac (presumably any Apple Silicon Mac when more arrive). If you’ve got the M1 Mac mini, you’re good to go. The same goes for if you’ve got the MacBook Air or 13-inch MacBook Pro hooked up to a larger rig with monitors and a keyboard.

As for everything else, you’ll lose Touch ID. That includes the new M1-powered iPad Pro, strangely enough. It’s unclear why the iPad Pro doesn’t support it, but it’s possible that iPadOS simply doesn’t support external Touch ID devices. If support gets added later, it’s also unclear if older iPads will get support. For now, you should plan on it just being a Bluetooth keyboard.

The same goes for Intel-powered Macs. They don’t have the secure enclave found on the M1, so with those PCs, it’s also just going to be a regular Bluetooth keyboard. This is something that’s not likely to change.

So yes, this keyboard will also work with any good Windows PC, any good Android phone or tablet, and anything else that supports Bluetooth keyboards as well. You’ll just be using the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, but without Touch ID functionality.

24-inch iMac with 4.5K display

Apple's new all-in-one has a 4.5K display, an M1 chipset, and comes in pretty colors. It also comes with a matching Magic Keyboard with Touch ID

See at Amazon

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Surface Laptop 4 vs Surface Book 3: Showdown of the Microsoft notebooks!

Microsoft makes two different laptops — the Surface Laptop 4 and the Surface Book 3. Moreover, they both come in 13.5- and 15-inch sizes with 3:2 screens. They’re both premium PCs, and it’s hard to say one is better than the other. As usual, Microsoft makes different PCs for different use cases, and we’re here to compare and get to a conclusion on which device suits which needs better!

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 and Surface Book 3: Specifications

	Surface Laptop 4 13.5	Surface Laptop 4 15	Surface Book 3 13.5	Surface Laptop 3 15
CPU	Intel Core i5-1135G7 Intel Core i7-1185G7 AMD Ryzen 5 4680U Surface Edition	Intel Core i7-1185G7 AMD Ryzen 7 4980U Surface Edition	Intel Core i5-1035G7 Intel Core i7-1065G7	Intel Core i7-1065G7
GPU	Intel Iris Xe AMD Radeon		Intel Iris Plus Graphics Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design 4GB GDDR5	Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design 6GB GDDR6
Body	12.1×8.8×0.57” (308x223x14.5mm)	13.4×9.6×0.58” (339.5x244x14.7mm)	Core i5: 12.3×9.14×0.51-0.90″ (312x232x13-23 mm) Intel Core i7: 12.3×9.14×0.59-0.9″ (312x232x15-23mm)	13.5×9.87×0.568-0.90″ (343x251x15-23mm)
Weight	Alcantara – 2.79 pounds (1,265g) Aluminum – 2.84 pounds (1,288g)	Aluminum – 3.4 pounds (1,542g)	Core i5: 3.38 pounds (1,534g) Core i7: 3.62 pounds (1,642g)	4.2 pounds (1,905g)
Display	Screen: 13.5” PixelSense Display Resolution: 2256 x 1504 (201 PPI) Aspect ratio: 3:2 Surface Pen enabled Touch: 10 point multi-touch	Screen: 15” PixelSense Display Resolution: 2496 x 1664 (201 PPI) Aspect ratio: 3:2 Surface Pen enabled Touch: 10 point multi-touch	Screen: 13.5” PixelSense Display Resolution: 3000 x 2000 (267 PPI) Aspect ratio: 3:2 Contrast ratio: 1600:1 Touch: 10 point multi-touch G5	Screen: 15” PixelSense Display Resolution: 3240 x 2160, (260 PPI) 10 point multi-touch G5 Aspect ratio: 3:2 Contrast ratio: 1600:1
Memory	8GB, 16GB or 32GB LPDDR4x RAM			16GB or 32GB LPDDR4x
Storage	Removable SSD: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB		256GB, 512GB, or 1TB PCIe SSD	256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB PCIe SSD
Battery	Battery Capacity Nominal (WH) 47.4 Battery Capacity Min (WH) 45.8		55WHr in base 18WHr in tablet	59.9WHr in base 22.8WHr in tablet
Cameras, video, and audio	Windows Hello face authentication camera (front-facing) 720p HD f2.0 camera (front-facing) Dual far-field Studio Mics Omnisonic Speakers with Dolby Atmos		Windows Hello face authentication camera (front-facing) 5.0MP front-facing camera with 1080p HD video 8.0MP rear-facing autofocus camera with 1080p HD video Dual far-field Studio Mics Front-facing stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos
Ports	(1) USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (1) USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (1) Surface Connect (1) 3.5mm audio		(2) USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (1) USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (1) 3.5mm audio SDXC card reader Surface Connect port on base and on tablet
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6: 802.11ax compatible Bluetooth Wireless 5.0 technology
Security	TPM 2.0 chip for enterprise security and BitLocker support Enterprise-grade protection with Windows Hello face sign-in
Colors	Platinum, Matte Black, Sandstone, Ice Blue	Platinum, Matte Black	Platinum
Material	Aluminum		Magnesium
OS	Windows 10 Home
Price	Starts at $999.99	Starts at $1,299.99	Starts at $1,599.99	Starts at $2,299.99

---

Design: The Surface Book 3 has an extra USB port and a detachable display

When the original Surface Book was introduced in 2015, it came on the heels of people asking for a Surface laptop. At that time, Microsoft’s only PC was its Surface tablets. Panos Panay showed the sizzle video at an event in New York City, and when the video ended, he actually had the whole crowd watch it again. This time, the top popped off the base. It was a magical product introduction.

But that’s key to what the Surface Book 3 is. It’s a computer with a detachable display, as opposed to the Surface Pro 7, which is a tablet with an attachable keyboard. The Surface Book 3 is very top-heavy. That’s because all of the guts are in the display. That includes the CPU, RAM, storage, and one of two batteries. When you take the display off, it has to remain fully functional.

The Surface Laptop 4 is simply a notebook. The screen doesn’t detach at all, and there are still pros and cons to this. The Laptop isn’t so top-heavy. All of the guts of the Laptop 4 are in the base, as they tend to be on most laptops.

This is where the two key use cases come in. If you’re planning to simply use it as a laptop, you’re better off with the Surface Laptop 4. If you need to detach the display and use it as a tablet, that’s when you go for the Surface Book 3. In fact, that’s one of the few reasons to buy the Surface Book 3 over the Surface Laptop 4.

The Surface Laptop 4 also comes in more colors. The aluminum notebook comes in Platinum, Matte Black, Ice Blue, and Sandstone, although the 15-inch version only comes in the former two colors. The Surface Book 3 comes in any color you want, as long as it’s Platinum (for those that didn’t get the sarcasm — it comes in only one color).

Display: The Surface Laptop 4 has a lower pixel density

One of the reasons I wanted to put these two laptops side-by-side is that they both have the same sized displays. They’re both offered in 13.5- and 15-inch flavors, which is fine. One thing which we’ll talk more about in a bit, is that you get more power with the larger Surface Book 3. That’s not the case with the Surface Laptop 4.

The key difference between the two screens is the pixel density. The Surface Laptop 4 is 201ppi, while the Surface Book 3 is 267ppi. I don’t think that Microsoft has ever given a proper reason why the Laptop has a lower pixel density, but I suspect it thinks that you may end up holding a tablet closer to your eyes. In general, screens that we hold closer to our eyes tend to have higher pixel densities.

For the general use cases, I really think either one is fine. I’ve never observed the Surface Laptop’s screen to be pixelated while I was using it. If it’s a matter of holding a tablet, that’s not something that matters with the Laptop. Once again, it comes down to how you plan on using it.

Keyboard: The Surface Laptop 4 comes with Alcantara if you want it

As far as the differences between the keyboards themselves go, there’s not much of a story to tell. They’re both backlit, and they both feel similar to type on. The keys on the Surface Laptop 4 are more plasticky, but that’s about it.

The touchpad is actually significantly larger on the Surface Laptop 4. Microsoft tends to redesign or refine Surface products in the third generation, and that’s when the touchpad was enlarged on the Surface Laptop. The Surface Book 3 didn’t get the same treatment.

The other key difference is that the Surface Laptop 4 is available with an Alcantara keyboard on the 13.5-inch model. It’s only on the Ice Blue and Platinum versions. The rest are straight-up aluminum.

Personally, I really like the Alcantara, but it requires additional maintenance. You’ll need to keep it clean so it doesn’t stain.

Performance: The Surface Book 3 has a dedicated GPU

Aside from the form factor, performance is the biggest differentiator between the Surface Laptop 4 and the Surface Book 3. The Surface Book 3 actually includes a dedicated GPU in the base. It’s an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 with 4GB GDDR5 in the 13.5-inch model and a GTX 1660 Ti in the 15-inch variant.

That’s a big power boost, especially in the larger Surface Book 3. Being that the GPU is in the base, you lose that extra power if you detach the screen. Once that happens, it relies on the integrated Iris Plus Graphics.

Yes, the Surface Book 3 still has 10th-generation Intel processors. They’re U-series as well. Since it’s marketed as a powerhouse, you might be assuming that it has a 45W processor or something. It doesn’t. The 13.5-inch model has a 15W U-series processor, while the 15-inch version has the same processor but with the TDP boosted to 20W.

The Surface Laptop 4 uses the same class of processors but from a newer family. It comes with Intel’s 11th-gen chips, which come with the much more powerful Iris Xe graphics. In other words, it won’t match the dedicated GTX 1660 Ti in the 15-inch Surface Book 3, but it will smoke the integrated graphics when you detach the screen.

It’s also worth noting that the Surface Laptop 4 is offered with AMD Ryzen 4000 processors as well. They’re built on a 7nm process, and they’re pretty great. But while Ryzen 4000 easily beat out Intel’s 10th-gen chips last year, AMD is up to Ryzen 5000 now.

Conclusion: Should you buy a Surface Laptop 4 or a Surface Book 3?

The Surface Laptop 4 is something that we’ve already recommended in our review. We’ve praised its predecessor, as it made out best laptops with Windows Hello list and best AMD Ryzen laptops list. It’s a great all-around laptop, as long as you don’t need Thunderbolt.

The Surface Book 3, on the other hand, is a bit of a weird egg. In order for it to be worth the exceptionally high price that Microsoft sells it for, you really have to need what it offers. The two key things are the detachable display and the dedicated GPU. If you don’t need either one of those, there are better options in the vast Windows hardware ecosystem.

That doesn’t make the Surface Book 3 a bad choice. In fact, it’s still a very good choice. That just makes it an expensive choice. But when choosing between the two PCs, you should be clear on what you need. If you need a clamshell laptop, that’s when you get the Surface Laptop 4. If you want a convertible with a lot of power, go for the Surface Book 3.

Surface Laptop 4

The Surface Laptop 4 comes with a choice of Intel and AMD processors, four colors, and an Alcantara keyboard.

See at Amazon

Surface Book 3

The Surface Book 3 has Intel Ice Lake processors, Nvidia graphics, and a detachable screen.

See at Amazon

Surface Pen

The Surface Pen is an add-on accessory for Microsoft Surface devices, proving to be a valuable stylus for precision touch input.

See at Amazon

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Here are all the Keyboard Shortcuts for WhatsApp Web and Desktop on Windows and Mac

Despite privacy concerns by some users and the existence of other great IM app alternatives, WhatsApp has remained the most widely-used messaging platform in the world. If you have a smartphone with an internet connection, you can use WhatsApp, and in the long run, you can save yourself a ton of money in regular SMS fees. There is also a web & desktop version of WhatsApp, and the company has now revealed the ninja keyboard shortcuts that will make it even more convenient to use the service from your computer than from your phone.

Action	Windows Browser	Windows Desktop	Mac Browser	Mac Desktop
Mark as Unread	CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + U	CTRL + SHIFT + U	CMD + CTRL + SHIFT + U	CMD + CTRL + U
Archive Chat	CTRL + ALT + E	CTRL + E	CMD + CTRL + E	CMD + E
Pin / Unpin	CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + P	CTRL + SHIFT + P	CMD + CTRL + SHIFT + P	CMD + SHIFT + P
Search in Chat	CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + F	CTRL + SHIFT + F	CMD + CTRL + SHIFT + F	CMD + SHIFT + F
New Group	CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + N	CTRL + SHIFT + N	CMD + CTRL + SHIFT + N	CMD + SHIFT + N
Settings	CTRL + ALT + ,	CTRL + ,	CMD + CTRL + ,	CMD + ,
Mute Chat	CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + M	CTRL + SHIFT + M	CMD + CTRL + SHIFT + M	CMD + SHIFT + M
Delete Chat	CTRL + ALT + BACKSPACE	CTRL + SHIFT + D	CMD + CTRL + BACKSPACE	CMD + SHIFT + D
Search in Chat List	CTRL + ALT + /	CTRL + F	CMD + CTRL + /	CMD + F
New Chat	CTRL + ALT + N	CTRL + N	CMD + CTRL + N	CMD + N
Open Profile	CTRL + ALT + P	CTRL + P	CMD + CTRL + P	CMD + P
Return Space	SHIFT + ENTER	SHIFT + ENTER	SHIFT + ENTER	SHIFT + ENTER

If you’re a power user of WhatsApp, I strongly recommend using the web and desktop versions. It will seriously be a game-changer for you as you can use your keyboard to type messages much faster. These keyboard shortcuts will help as well. Obviously, it will take time to memorize the shortcuts but when you do, you’ll find yourself catching up on your message backlog like a real boss.

To make it easier to share along, we also have a handy image that you can download and print, if you prefer going that way. You can even share the image on WhatsApp!

We hope this helps you make the best use of WhatsApp on a computer!

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