Author: Alvin Wanjala

Samsung Electronics has expanded its Galaxy S20 range of phones with a new model dubbed Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition). The Galaxy S20 FE continues the Galaxy S Series premium specs and design legacy – but with a few compromises from its peers to make it $699. Important features borrowed from the S20 series include the high 120Hz refresh rate display, the potent Snapdragon 865 processor, and 5G support. On the design front, the FE has a flat 6.5-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED panel, unlike the curved high-resolution panel on the rest of the S20 family. Galaxy S20 FE’s back is…

YouTube is stepping up its efforts on ensuring viewers watch content appropriate to them on the platform. The platform will soon rely on more machine learning technology to apply age-restriction labels on videos uploaded on the site. The Google-owned video platform anticipates more content to be age-restricted as a result, and they are already preparing for that. “Because our use of technology will result in more videos being age-restricted, our policy team took this opportunity to revisit where we draw the line for age-restricted content,” YouTube says. “After consulting with experts and comparing ourselves against other global content rating frameworks,…

Google is finally pulling the trigger on paid browser extensions listed in the Chrome Web Store. In an update, the company says its laying to rest the Chrome Web Store payments system for good in the coming months. So if you’re an extension developer, it’s high time you considered other monetization ways for your products. The new announcement follows the temporary disabling of adding paid extensions to the Chrome Web Store that has been in effect since March this year. However, moving forward, that change is now permanent. Google reported an influx in the number of fraudulent transactions involving paid…

Microsoft is steadily carving out a new direction for its gaming business, which has been proved by the tremendous efforts invested in Xbox Game Pass and xCloud. Xbox Game Pass is a solution to gamers who prefer paying a subscription fee and playing a wide variety of games. Xbox Game Pass currently has over 100 games under its library, with new titles added whenever possible. And it only costs $9.99 a month. Speaking about Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft says the service now has 15million subscribers, a 50 percent increase from the April figures. Xbox Game Pass is growing faster, which…

Ahead of its upcoming Adobe Max conference, Adobe has provided a sneak peek at one of the upcoming features in Photoshop. The new tool is an AI-powered sky replacement tool which makes it easy to change the default sky in any picture. You don’t need to know anything about masks, Photoshop’s core feature. Adobe’s Machine learning engine, Sensei, is what does the masking and blending under the hood for you. There are a couple of presets already provided by Adobe, and the AI will adjust the photo to try and give it a natural look after sky swapping. For additional…

WhatsApp continues to work on different features to ensure a better messaging experience for users and stand out from its peers. According to a report by WABetainfo, WhatsApp’s latest beta for Android has been added with a feature that lets you send expiring media files. The new feature is called Expiring Media. According to the website, “When the user decides to send an expiring media (images, videos, and GIFs), the media will disappear in the recipient’s phone, once he leaves the chat.” That means you don’t have to set an expiry timeline for media files. They will disappear once the…

Emojis changed the way we communicate via the now ubiquitous messaging and social media apps. Over the years, new Emojis have continuously been added on our smartphone keyboards. In 2021, the expansion of the emoji library continues, with 217 new faces slated to launch. Few will be new, but most are new skin variations to ensure there’s something for everyone. Of the 217, 210 are skin tone variations, and only seven are new. The new emojis include a heart on fire, a woman with a beard, a mending heart, a face hidden in clouds, a bearded man, an exhaling face,…

Apple acquired Shazam in 2018 for $400million but has not been able to add deep integration in iOS since. In contrast, Shazam does work better on Android. In the recent developer beta, iOS 14.2, the company has added built-in music recognition using Shazam on iPhones. On iOS 14.2 beta, Apple has added the much needed built-in Shazam integration to the iPhone. The latest beta has added support music recognition from both internal and external sources, a feature that was already on Android since 2019. Shazam is also now available as a toggle easily accessible from the Control Center. With the…

PS5 is almost here upon us, thanks to Sony’s recently held event that saw the next-gen console receive a price tag and launch date. Unfortunately, if you can’t wait to play those PS3, or older games, on the new powerful console, chances are you will be disappointed. According to Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO and President Jim Ryan, PS5 will be compatible with most PS4 games – 99 percent. It’s a message Sony has reiterated several times. But in a recent interview, Ryan revealed that PS5 would not be compatible with PS3, PS2, and PS1 titles. Ryan says the team engineered…

The next-generation software for Apple’s portfolio of devices is now available for download. The iPhones get iOS 14, while the iPad gets iPad OS 14. In retrospect, from Apple’s WWDC event, iOS 14 and iPad OS 14 bring a slew of new features. Starting with iOS 14, it delivers a new redesigned Home Screen, now with widgets (following its Android counterpart), and the so-called App Library, a feature that brings all your apps in one place. Picture-in-picture support is finally available to the iPhone, while the Messages app now has pinned conversations, mentions, and in-line replies. Included in the changelog is…