Tag: Rolling

News

Sonos Said Rolling Out Widely Criticized App Redesign Took ‘Courage’

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date May 10, 2024
No Comments on Sonos Said Rolling Out Widely Criticized App Redesign Took ‘Courage’

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Sonos this week released a major redesign for the Sonos app, introducing customizable home screen meant to deliver a personalized listening experience. The update was announced back in April, but just went live, and unfortunately, it removes a number of features while also introducing several bugs.

sonos redesigned app
Multiple complaints on social media have called the app a “step back” with missing features like editing a song queue, managing playlists, shuffling a music library, and setting alarms and timers, along with slow performance and hard-to-access system controls. There has also been feedback from users about missing accessibility features.

The Verge asked Sonos about the negative feedback, and in response, Sonos said that it’s aware of the complaints, but “it takes courage” to rebuild a core product.

Redesigning the Sonos app is an ambitious undertaking that represents just how seriously we are committed to invention and re-invention. It takes courage to rebuild a brand’s core product from the ground up, and to do so knowing it may require taking a few steps back to ultimately leap into the future.

The app’s revitalization not only aims to address what customers have been asking us for in the short-term, but is also critical for supporting the exciting innovations to come from Sonos in the years ahead.

We realize there are beloved features our listeners are eager to continue enjoying now. We are working diligently to reintroduce them in the coming months, alongside additional enhancements that will make for an even better app experience.

This is just the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Sonos as we continue to expand the way listeners can access and enjoy all the content they love in a more personalized and seamless way. We have always and will continue to listen to customer feedback so we can create sound experiences that well exceed both our standards and the standards of our listeners.

Sonos said that it is working to address the missing features “in the coming months,” and the update will ultimately lead to “exciting innovations” in the years to come. There is no way for iOS customers who have already upgraded their apps to go back to the prior version, though users are calling for Sonos to roll back the update until the new app is more fully fleshed out.

May 2024 update rolling out to the Galaxy S24 lineup

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date May 9, 2024
No Comments on May 2024 update rolling out to the Galaxy S24 lineup

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Samsung is rolling out a new software update for its latest flagship phone lineup. The Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra started getting the May 2024 security update earlier today.

Samsung is taking longer than usual to release the latest security update for eligible devices, possibly because it was busy with One UI 6.1. The Galaxy S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra are the first Galaxy devices to get the May security update, though we should see more phones joining the party in the coming days.

Story continues after the video

The latest update for the Galaxy S24 series is available in the USA at the time of writing, with T-Mobile seemingly the first carrier to roll it out to its users. Some users complained about poorer battery life after the previous update, but it doesn’t seem like the new update brings any improvements other than the latest security fixes.

It shouldn’t be long before the Galaxy S24’s May update goes live in other countries. Once it is available in your country, you will be automatically notified, but you can also manually check for the update by opening the Settings » Software update menu on your phone and selecting Download and install.

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Tags Galaxy, lineup, Rolling, S24, update

Business Industry

Google Messages rolling out new audio recorder and Voice Moods more widely

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date May 7, 2024
No Comments on Google Messages rolling out new audio recorder and Voice Moods more widely

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In October 2023, Google started rolling out a redesigned audio recording user interface in the beta version of Google Messages, and in November 2023, the company announced Voice Moods for the messaging platform. Well, Google has now started rolling out the new voice recording panel to the stable version of the app and is making Voice Moods available in the beta version of the messaging platform (via 9To5Google).

Redesigned audio recording interface

Up until now, to record audio in Google Messages to send it in a chat, you had to press and hold down the button with the microphone icon at the bottom-right corner of the conversation screen. Well, Google has now replaced the button with the microphone icon with a button that has a waveform icon. Just like the button with the microphone icon, you can hold down the button with the waveform icon to start recording audio and leave it to stop recording audio. But there’s a lot more the new button brings.

You can now single-press the button. Doing so will bring up an interface that says “Tap to record your voice” and has three buttons: Cancel, a button with a microphone icon, and Attach. Clicking the second button will make the app start recording audio. Once you do that, the button with the microphone icon gets replaced with a button to stop recording audio and the Cancel button gets replaced by the Restart button. After you record the audio, you can click on the Attach button to attach the clip to the message.

The new interface makes it easier to record audio for a long period as you don’t have to hold down any button during the entire time you are recording audio like before. It is also worth mentioning that the new audio recorder has a noise cancellation feature. It is turned on by default. You can tap on the feature in the new panel to turn it off. With the redesigned audio recording panel, Google says that it has also improved the “overall audio quality of voice messages by increasing the bitrate and sampling rate.“

Voice Moods

Once you are done recording audio using the new interface, Google Messages will provide you with nine themes that you can apply to the clip’s waveform: Smiling Face with Hearts, Rolling on the Floor Laughing, Partying Face, Loudly Crying Face, Slightly Smiling Face, Enraged Face, Face with Open Mouth, Face with Rolling Eyes, and Crying Face. These themes allow you to express to the other people in the conversation how you are feeling while recording the audio (or about the content in the clip).

We can confirm that the new audio recording panel is live in version 20240422_05_RC01 of the Google Messages app on our Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S24+. So, to get the new feature, make sure that you are running that or a newer version of the messaging platform. As for Voice Moods, Google is currently making it available in the beta version of Google Messages to select users. So, depending on your luck, you could or could not get this feature even if you get the latest beta version of the app.

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Tags audio, Google, messages, Moods, Recorder, Rolling, Voice, widely

Business Industry

One UI 6.1 update rolling out to the Galaxy Z Flip 3

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date May 2, 2024
No Comments on One UI 6.1 update rolling out to the Galaxy Z Flip 3

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The floodgates are open, and One UI 6.1 is now making its way to several Galaxy devices launched prior to 2023. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is getting the much anticipated update alongside the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S21, Galaxy Z Fold 4, and Galaxy Z Flip 4.

Korean users are the first to get One UI 6.1 and can download it by navigating to the phone’s Settings » Software update menu and hitting the Download and install button. It may take some time for the update to reach other countries, but you can rest assured that we will let you know once the update’s availability expands outside Korea.

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 One UI 6.1 update is a boring one, as it lacks most of the Galaxy S24’s features, as expected. Circle to Search seems to be the only major AI feature that’s coming to devices launched in 2021. Generative wallpapers, advanced photo editing, summarization, and other fancy AI functionality is available only on devices from the last two years.

AI is not the only new thing in One UI 6.1. It brings many other changes and improvements that you can learn about in the full One UI 6.1 changelog, though it’s likely that not all of those non-AI changes are included in the update for the Flip 3.

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Tags Flip, Galaxy, Rolling, update

News

iPhone’s New AirPlay Feature for Hotel Room TVs Begins Rolling Out

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date April 18, 2024
No Comments on iPhone’s New AirPlay Feature for Hotel Room TVs Begins Rolling Out

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Apple has announced that iPhone and iPad users can wirelessly stream videos, music, and photos from their device to their hotel room TV via AirPlay at select IHG Hotels & Resorts properties in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico starting today, including select Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, Candlewood Suites, and InterContinental locations.

IHG Hotel AirPlay
Apple says IHG has made AirPlay available at more than 60 hotels so far, and additional hotels will support the feature “in the coming months.”

The feature allows you to scan a unique QR code on the hotel room TV to establish an AirPlay connection, allowing you to wirelessly stream content from your iPhone or iPad to the TV. After the pairing process, your device will also automatically be connected to the hotel’s Wi-Fi network. The device must be updated to iOS 17.3 or iPadOS 17.3 or later.

airplay hotels
In addition to services like Apple TV+ and Apple Music, AirPlay on hotel room TVs works with Apple Arcade for gaming and Apple Fitness+ for workouts.

Apple emphasized the privacy and security of the AirPlay feature. When a guest checks out of the hotel, the company says their connection to the TV is erased, preventing future guests and hotel staff from accessing the user’s activity.

Apple first announced this feature at WWDC 2023 last June, in partnership with LG. Google already offers a similar Chromecast streaming feature on many hotel TVs that works with both iPhones and Android devices, so Apple has a lot of catching up to do on this front, but AirPlay support is certainly a useful addition for iPhone users.

Refurbished Apple Watch Ultra 2 Begins Rolling Out Outside U.S.

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date April 18, 2024
No Comments on Refurbished Apple Watch Ultra 2 Begins Rolling Out Outside U.S.

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Refurbished Apple Watch Ultra 2 units are now on sale in China – the first and only country in which the device is available refurbished directly from Apple.

apple watch ultra 2 purple
The refurbished models are discounted by approximately 15 percent compared to equivalent brand new configurations. Apple tests, inspects, cleans, and repackages all refurbished devices to ensure they are fully functional and in good condition, and they are covered by a one-year limited warranty and eligible for AppleCare+ coverage.

The ‌Apple Watch Ultra 2‌ launched in September 2023, featuring the S9 chip, a brighter display, and the double-tap gesture. Apple is highly likely to soon begin selling refurbished ‌‌Apple Watch Ultra 2‌‌ models in other countries now that it has started to do so in China, but it is unclear if availability will expand to the U.S. due to Apple’s ongoing legal battle with medical tech company Masimo over the Blood Oxygen app.

One UI 6.1 update rolling out for the Galaxy Tab S9 series

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date March 28, 2024
No Comments on One UI 6.1 update rolling out for the Galaxy Tab S9 series

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Samsung is rolling out One UI 6.1 to the Galaxy Tab S9 series. The Galaxy Tab S9, Galaxy Tab S9+, and Tab S9 Ultra are the only tablets included in the initial rollout, with no word from Samsung on when other tablets will get the update.

They are also the only tablets that the company says will receive the Galaxy AI features through the One UI 6.1 update. Samsung is reviewing the possibility of bringing Galaxy AI to older flagships, but right now, only flagship phones and tablets launched in 2023 are on the eligibility list.

Europe is the first region to get the Galaxy Tab S9 update. Only the 5G variants are being updated at this time, and it could be a few days before the Wi-Fi variants join the party. However, in some regions, the Wi-Fi variants may receive the update before the 5G variants.

Once the One UI 6.1 update reaches your country/region, you will be able to download it by tapping the Download and install option in the tablet’s Settings » Software update menu. There’s also the option to upgrade your tablet using firmware available in the SamMobile firmware archive, though you will need a Windows PC for this.

One UI 6.1 is already coming later than we had hoped, but depending on your region, you can expect to wait a few more days for it to arrive on your Tab S9, S9+, or S9 Ultra as these updates are rolled out in phases and gradually expand to all regions.

While we haven’t tested One UI 6.1 on a Galaxy Tab S9 at the time of publication, our video showing One UI 6.1 running on a Galaxy Z Fold 5 should give you a good idea of what to expect. You can also read the full One UI 6.1 changelog here to learn about all of its features and improvements.

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Tags Galaxy, Rolling, series, Tab, update

Featured

Google Search is rolling out its AI-generated answers – whether you want them or not

Post author By lisa nichols
Post date March 27, 2024
No Comments on Google Search is rolling out its AI-generated answers – whether you want them or not

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Google is reportedly experimenting with its search results and looking to add AI overviews for more users. Previously, the feature was being tested for people who had opted into the Google Search Generative Experience (SGE), which would allow them to try Google’s latest innovations with generative AI. Google claims that this update will give users more information and context to users’ searches.

Users can sign up to try search features that Google is testing and looking to receive feedback on via Search Labs. The Google Search Experience that Google has been working on displays an AI-generated answer which would be followed by the usual search result listings we’re used to. The AI-generated answer would be pre-empted by a very explicit ‘Generative AI is experimental’ disclaimer, and would be indicated visually by being sectioned off with a differently-colored background.

Google will also show citations for where its AI model would source its information to give you your answer. You could then follow those citations and check out the sources for yourself, continue your search with another query or by perusing the other results, or toggle the AI-generated answer with options that Google provided at the bottom of it.

A screenshot from Google's announcement video of its new AI-aided search results — (Image credit: Google)

The experiment is going outside the Search Labs

Search Engine Land reports that Google is expanding AI-generated answers to more users, even if they haven’t opted into the Search Labs program. A Google spokesperson told Search Engine Land that this is being trialed on a “subset of queries, on a small percentage of search traffic in the U.S.”

The experimental search experience was announced in a Google Keyword blog post in May 2023, encouraging users to embrace the newer AI-powered features of search. These include searching visually with Google Lens and using multiple modalities, meaning different types of data, namely using text and images, to make search queries. Google claims it’s making progress in the way we can search, and now will be able to answer queries that it claims weren’t possible to answer earlier.

The spokesperson continued that Google wants “feedback from searchers who have not opted into SGE specifically,” to get a sense of users’ impressions from a more general population of searchers.

A young woman sitting at a desk with a laptop and using headphones

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Ground Picture)

A major twist to a classic – big risk, big reward?

I can see why Google is pushing hard for this. Microsoft is going ahead at full steam to inject its AI tools into multiple apps, including many beloved classic applications. Google is still very much in the AI race with its recent release of the generative AI model, Gemini.

Right now, it still seems like a very limited run of testing, but I expect that Google will expand this to more and more users. Now, I’ve found generative AI answers useful, especially for longer queries with more context, and having the sources there is a huge plus. That said, I’ve used it probably only a handful of times so far in place of when I maybe would have used a search engine. The way that legacy search engines, particularly Google Search, currently display results has become the industry standard, and it’s pretty clear and straightforward.

A change like this would be a pretty considerable shakeup to the status quo, and some industry observers are already concerned that Google is being too persistent with its efforts to integrate AI into existing products like Google Search. This could also affect how news and media sites operate in a significant way, as they largely depend on traffic from Google Search results, which would likely end up much further down the page.

Changes to things that have become staples of our day-to-day lives are almost always controversial, but maybe the proof is in the pudding and Google might be right that this will be a preferable way to search. The only way to know is to test it, which it’s doing, but I would be wary of making it a default search results format. Perhaps it would be better for Google to make it an opt-in change, even if prominently displayed, as that would give users the choice of whether they’d like to try the new format. If users aren’t even willing to try it after being offered, that’s also valuable feedback that Google should take on board.

Whatsapp hits fast forward (and rewind) with a new video feature, rolling out to iOS and Android users very soon

Post author By lisa nichols
Post date March 27, 2024
No Comments on Whatsapp hits fast forward (and rewind) with a new video feature, rolling out to iOS and Android users very soon

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WhatsApp has been busy developing a video fast-forward and rewind feature, with the new feature arriving for iOS devices soon. The feature will apply to videos sent and received within the instant messaging app, with users able to double-tap the right side of the screen to fast forward and the left side of the screen to rewind the video currently playing by ten seconds.

According to Neowin, the feature has been in testing since last year, and works similarly to analogous features in mobile streaming apps like YouTube or Netflix. This feature will come included in Whatsapp by default once users update to the latest version via the App Store. You can read the full changelog for yourself if you’d like more details on what Whatsapp has changed for iOS users, but this is the headline item.

Some other standout features arriving in the popular messaging app are the ability to instantly record videos while in chats by long-pressing the camera icon next to the chat’s text field, and a revised design of the chat attachment tray.

Woman smiling widely and looking at her phone, while holding her hand up — (Image credit: Shutterstock/Ground Picture)

A whole bushel of new features, with more to come

The changelog’s full list of features will reportedly roll out to all users in the coming weeks, although it doesn’t make mention of Google Play – only iOS. Fortunately, Whatsapp users with Android can apparently already make use of the new quick forward/rewind feature, which tracks since the beta testing that was being done by Whatsapp took place on Android. All users can also skip forward or backward by opening the video and dragging the progress bar within the video player by the amount of time they’d like to skip.

The Video Messages instant video recording and messaging feature entered testing last year for iOS and Android, allowing users to instantly record and send videos up to a minute long. Previously it was somewhat hidden, located confusingly within the microphone instant record feature.

Neowin notes that there are more features in Whatsapp’s pipeline too, like Favorites for the Calls tab, allowing users to set the default media upload quality, the ability to filter group chats, enabling users to share status updates from companion devices, and more.

These are all interesting potential additions to the popular messaging app, although it seems that Whatsapp is currently not focusing on some issues around privacy that have users turning to competing encrypted messaging apps such as Telegram. That said, for existing users who are happy enough with Whatsapp’s performance and functionality, these sound like useful additions and I can see users positively receiving them.

YouTube TV’s sports-friendly Multiview mode is rolling out to iPad and iPhone

Post author By lisa nichols
Post date March 20, 2024
No Comments on YouTube TV’s sports-friendly Multiview mode is rolling out to iPad and iPhone

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YouTube TV’s Multiview feature is reportedly rolling out to iOS devices, giving iPhone owners a new, more immersive way to watch sports.

News of this update comes from multiple users on the YouTubeTV subreddit claiming that they had just received the option on their smartphones. One person even shared a short video of their iPhone playing four different basketball games at once – well, one’s a commercial, but you can tell it’s basketball due to the ESPN banner.

We don’t know the full capabilities of Multiview on YouTube for iOS. According to 9To5Google it can be activated from the app’s Home tab, however it “only works with select games,” and it doesn’t have all of the same features as the smart TV version.

Multiview on iOS apparently can’t show sports scores alongside a broadcast, nor does it have the Last Channel Shortcut to hop between recently viewed channels. There is a gap in performance, but regardless of what it can’t do, Multiview on mobile is still very useful to have, especially now during March Madness.

Availability

It appears this isn’t a limited roll out as a company representative told Reddit users the feature will appear in a patch that will be available on all iOS devices. You need to have YouTube version 8.11 installed to see the option.

The feature is also coming to iPadOS, as another user claims to have the patch on their iPad Pro 12.9. Admittedly, it’s difficult to watch four sports games on their iPhone since the small screen shrinks each window considerably, but iPad owners should have a better viewing experience.

An Android version is apparently in the works, however it won’t be out for a while. The same representative said that the update will arrive within “the coming months” although it may arrive sooner than expected. One user claims to have received a notification after opening the YouTube app on their Android informing them of Multiview. But, when they checked, it wasn’t actually there.

We reached out to Google asking them to confirm whether or not the iOS release will reach everyone or just a select few. We’ll update this story if we learn anything new.

Until then, check out TechRadar’s list of the best iPhone for 2024 if you’re looking to upgrade.

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Tags iPad, iPhone, mode, multiview, Rolling, sportsfriendly, TVs, YouTube

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Redesigned audio recording interface

Voice Moods

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The experiment is going outside the Search Labs

A whole bushel of new features, with more to come