Google is exiting the video game making business, shifting its focus to providing its Stadia platform to gamers and game publishers. The company owned two game studios in the US, but neither had released any exclusive game yet. But Google’s Stadia will continue to operate as a platform that connects users and game publishers. Stadia was launched in late 2019, enabling users to play the most graphic-intense games on PC, android, and iOS without necessary hardware by playing via the cloud. Google’s exit from the game-making business is linked to sustainability. The company said: “Creating best-in-class games from the ground…
Author: Alvin Wanjala
Alvin Wanjala
Alvin Wanjala has been writing about technology for over 2 years(and counting). He writes about different topics in the consumer tech space. He loves streaming music, programming, and gaming during downtimes.
Streaming giant Netflix has started testing a feature that allows users to set a viewing timer, after which the app will stop. The time feature will allow users to choose between four timer options, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, or at the end of whatever episode or movie they are currently watching. To set a timer on Netflix, play any movie or TV Show, tap on the timer button (labelled Timer) on the top right corner of your device, and select the different options available. The feature is handy in several ways. One, it will help users conserve their…
It’s been over a month since Xiaomi launched its latest iteration of its custom ROM, MIUI 12.5, in its home market China. Xiaomi plans to take MIUI 12.5 global next week, on February 8th. MIUI 12.5, although named as a new iteration to MIUI 12, is an entirely new version, according to Xiaomi. The ROM is lighter, faster, power-efficient, and sports iOS-like transitions. There will be more than just a software update, though. The company will also launch Mi 11, among the first smartphones to run Qualcomm’s 5nm Snapdragon 888 flagship chipset. Xiaomi Mi 11 sports a 120Hz 6.81-inch AMOLED…
WhatsApp’s controversial privacy policy update has proved handy to alternative platforms with Telegram among the forefront. Telegram says it has added over 100 million users in January alone. A few weeks ago, the app’s Russian founder, Parel Durov, said they added 25 million users in just 72 hours. Besides Telegram just reached a new milestone of half a billion active users, which was announced few weeks ago. In a move to make life easier for incoming users, Telegram will now allow users to export their Chat history from other messaging apps, including WhatsApp, and move it to Telegram. The new…
Xiaomi has announced its new truly wireless charging technology dubbed Mi Air Charge Technology, which can juice a supported device from a distance. The company says Mi Air Charge Technology can work “within a radius of several meters.” “Revolutionizing the current wireless charging methods, Mi Air Charge Technology enables users to remotely charge electronic devices without any cables or wireless charging stands,” the company says. Besides, the technology can charge multiple devices, each at 5W simultaneously. And probably the best about the new tech is that it isn’t affected by physical objects, at least according to the company. For now,…
1 Billion is a lot of devices, and Apple is proud to have achieved the magic number. In an earning’s call, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook said there are over 1 billion active iPhones globally, a milestone that was a long time coming after the company sold its one billionth iPhone in 2016. The last time apple provided an update of its iPhone usage numbers was in January 2019. At the time, the company reported it had surpassed the 900 million mark. According to a company spokesperson, the company’s number includes the number of iPhones that have interacted with its servers…
The use of biometric authentication to secure applications on Android and iOS is increasingly becoming popular. WhatsApp is among the few apps with a built-in biometric-dependant privacy feature that ensures only you can open the messaging app. Until this point, the platform had not added a similar security feature when logging in on its browser-based desktop application. Now, WhatsApp has added that feature adding more security to your chats. As long as your phone has biometric authentication – fingerprint or face – WhatsApp can help secure your private conversations by asking for verification before logging in on the desktop app.…
Google Lens packs the best of Google’s image recognition technology. Text translation is one of the handy features provided by Google Lens, and with the recent update, it’s getting even better. Since last year, after working hard to add support for offline translation, the feature is now live on Android. Google Lens’ latest Android update now supports offline translation with one catch – you must manually download the language packs. After opening the app, go to the Translate tab and select the language pair from the hanging language pairing pill that takes you to the Select Language page. On this…
WhatsApp has debuted a new Status account, which will be used to broadcast new features and updates rolled out on the messaging app. The app started sending Status updates to Android users today. I noticed the company’s official status atop of updates from my contacts after opening the app this morning. The first update provided via the feature is the app’s commitment to user privacy. WhatsApp clarified that it couldn’t read or listen to users’ conversations because it leverages end-to-end encryption technology. Check the platform’s four-part update in the pictures below: The use of the platform’s Status feature is timely. It…
The frenzy around the short video sharing platform TikTok has made American tech companies quickly jump on the train by launching look-alike features on their respective platforms. Instagram added Reels, and YouTube launched Shorts, which has been under beta testing in India. Like other look-alike features, Shorts enables you to create short videos and edit them using the nifty editing tools built inside. A new update from the Google-owned video platform indicates Shorts is getting as much love in the populous South Asian country, which is also the world’s fastest-growing smartphone market. YouTube’s TikTok competitor is getting 3.5 billion daily…