Author: Feritter Owich

Apple announced a Sept. 19 release date for iOS 13 at its special event where it also launched the iPhone 11 series which will hit stores on Sept. 20. iOS 13, is the newest version of Apple’s iOS operating system for iPhones and iPads, announced on June 3 at the keynote event of the 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). It is a huge overhaul to iOS, with a long list of new and revamped features like a Dark Mode, a Find My app, a revamped Photos app, a new Siri voice, updated privacy features, a new street-level view for Maps, and…

Smart Screenshots essentially makes it easy for users to search using screenshots taken via the Google Lens. Google is working on a few abilities to bring to its upcoming Pixel phones, Google Assistant, and more. The search giant might be about to pair up two mobile screen-related features, “Edit & Share screenshots” and the AI-powered “What’s on my screen,” according to some APK digging by 9 to 5 Google. The latest Google app version 10.61 APK teardown has tipped a new interesting upcoming feature called “Smart Screenshots” with Google Lens integration. Just like before, you get to edit, share and the…

Lenovo-owned Motorola is set to launch its first smart TV today in India. It seems that Motorola has followed the example of other smartphone manufacturers with intentions of releasing its first smart TV perhaps making it the third smartphone maker in recent times to venture out in the smart TV space. OnePlus will be launching the OnePlus TV this month while Xiaomi is soon expected to refresh its Mi TV lineup. OnePlus has been teasing its upcoming OnePlus TV and has already revealed that the smart TV will be based on a customized version of Android and be offered with a 55-inch QLED 4K…

Huawei has been spotted selling its flagship laptop series MateBook preinstalled with Deepin Linux in China. Will it be coming to other countries? Amazingly, some of the best and affordable premium laptops on the market are now shipping with Linux pre-installed. To be specific they are shipping with Deepin, a beautiful and polished desktop Linux distribution. Just like Huawei, they are based in China. As we speak, Huawei is selling three models of MateBook systems with Deepin Linux preinstalled, available at the company’s Chinese shopping site. No one really knows if this is a result of the ongoing trade feud between the United States and China, but it seems…

The long-awaited 2019 iPhone 11 lineup After a year of Apple’s iPhone 11 rumors, supply chain chatter, mockups, and renders, at a special event on Tuesday, the company unveiled the long-awaited 2019 iPhone lineup; iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and iPhone 11. Apple being a producer of one of the most popular phones in the world, the new iPhones face a challenging market. As seen by iPhone sales falling 12% in the fiscal third quarter, profits expected to dip to $9.6 billion and more people trading in their iPhones for Androids. Apple’s new flagship phones need to be compelling enough to draw in…

Following the launch of Android 10 last week, many users have been waiting for all of Google’s apps to offer dark mode. The company teased the dark-themed Gmail app along with others on the Android website when Android 10 launched Sept. 3. But Reddit users were among the first to note that the app had been changed via a server-side update, XDADevelopers reported. A catch to this is that this is for the Android version of the app only, and you’ll need to be running Android 10. Android 10 will make its way to other Android phones besides the Google Pixel later this year. Although Android 10 has its…

Apple in early June this year announced plans to launch a new period-tracking app known as Cycle Tracking that will allow users to record their menstrual cycles and receive notifications when they are fertile. The new app will be live on September 16, when iOS 13 and WatchOS 6 (for Apple Watch Series 3 and later) will be available to the public. On the Apple Watch, it is a standalone app, while on the iPhone it is built into the Health app. Together with this new update, Apple is rolling out three health studies that tie into the company’s focus on health: Apple Hearing Study with the World Health…

The tech giant unveiled three new smartphones, a new Apple Watch and more. Apple unveiled its 2019 iPhone lineup: the iPhone 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max and, iPhone 11. At the Apple Event this year, which took place yesterday (Sept 10), Apple slightly reshuffled its phone lineup by having all three models called “iPhone 11”. The company refreshed its line of iPhones for 2019 announcing the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. These iPhone’s pricing starts at $699, $999 and $1,099, respectively and this is a unusual price in a world where we’re used to spending…

IFA 2019 is wrapping up and we can now drool over all the announcements from one of the world’s biggest annual tech events. A few new phones were announced from some of the biggest companies like Samsung, Nokia and Motorola, and a returning foldable device that we first saw for a minute almost five months ago. Europe’s biggest electronics show, IFA, isn’t big on phones, but that didn’t stop companies from talking about a major new wireless technology: 5G. However, unlike other trade shows such as Mobile World Congress (MWC), which is an annual show with more of the focus on smartphones, IFA’s 5G…

Apple’s next big event is happening on Tuesday, September 10 (Tomorrow), where the tech giant will finally reveal its iPhone 11 lineup. Like every year, Apple will be live streaming the iPhone event on its own website, but for the very first time, Apple will also live-stream this year’s keynote on YouTube. For the iPhone XS event last year, Apple offered live video on Twitter Chrome and Firefox, but as of now, it’s unclear whether that will be the case this year for this year’s iPhone 11 event. Although it is commendable that the company has gradually been growing the number of people able to view the event. Before…

If you are an Apple Music subscriber, at last, you can listen to Apple Music on the web, in your browser of choice, instead of needing an iOS or Android app, or iTunes app for Mac or Windows. While iPhone users have traditionally been locked into using iTunes, Apple has never really made a credible argument for why non-Apple customers should make use of their software services. But nearly four years after introducing its music streaming service, Apple Music, back in 2015, a public beta version of Apple Music’s web interface has been rolled out by the Cupertino, California based tech giant…

Same specs on the inside; new Pixel-like finish on the outside. Huawei Technologies has revealed a “new” redesigned P30 Pro as we await its Mate 30 launch later this month. This is a bit different from the existing P30 Pro as it comes in a two-tone matte and glossy finish. As much as the design is new, this P30 Pro also comes with Android 10 pre-installed; such a smart move for Huawei to launch a “new” device with Google’s latest Android operating system. The announcement of this “new” Huawei P30 Pro alongside the very latest Android software took place today at IFA…

TCL Communications, the company behind Alcatel’s smartphones and best known for making some of the Industry’s best looking and affordable 4K TVs has stepped out from behind the curtain with its own branded device, the TCL Plex. This is it’s first officially branded smartphone. TCL announced at IFA 2019 that it’s getting into smartphones unveiling the TCL Plex, a 6.53-inch Android phone that just like the company’s televisions, it’s heavily focused on giving users the best viewing experience possible for a price of $360 (about Ksh.36,000/-). The TCL Plex will be available in either Obsidian Black and Opal White. Running Android 9 Pie,…

Is Facebook equipped to handle far more intimate personal data after their previous privacy scandals? Facebook Dating, which has existed in other countries since last year, went live in the US Yesterday, September 5th. This is definitely in the hopes that Facebook can compete with existing dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and OKCupid. This announcement comes days after the company admitted to exposing more than 419m user IDs and phone numbers online, a glitch in June 2018 that made private posts of 14 million users public, and another breach in September 2018 which compromised the data of 50 million users. That not being all, in a…

Yahoo users this morning suffered some fairly spectacular outage, leaving them unable to access their Yahoo Mail accounts. This led to many threatening to shut down their accounts or even move to Gmail, an email client operated by Yahoo’s arch-rival Google. Reports of problems began this morning, as customers took to social media to say they were unable to log-in or read their mail. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the platform (Millenials!), Yahoo is a tech company now owned by Verizon Media, and it once operated a dominant search engine but found it difficult to compete in the era…

Following xenophobia attacks in Gauteng, South African businesses MTN, Multichoice, and Shoprite have closed shops in Nigeria and Zambia as their facilities are being targeted by protestors. That’s after days of riots in South Africa targeting foreign-owned businesses. These attacks against foreigners in South Africa flared up this week, with the attacks breaking out in Johannesburg on Sunday. This saw the destruction of more than 50 shops and business premises mainly owned by Africans from countries in the rest of the continent. Widespread looting took place as cars and properties were torched. The violence against African nationals may be a…

Internet giant Google has updated its Gmail app for iOS devices by adding a new image blocking feature to prevent email tracking from automatically loaded images that come as attachments. Numerous email tracking clients use small, invisible images as a means of tracking when an email has been opened and viewed, allowing for invasive features like read-receipts.  Users can choose to be asked each time whether or not to display external images in an email thanks to the new update. The new setting is meant to counteract the tracking services that embed small invisible images into emails. The update is now…

Google has now updated the Working Hours feature on its Calendar app making it easier for you to manage your work-life balance. In short, your boss will be reminded of when not to assign you tasks cos you’re out of office. Better yet colleagues will avoid scheduling meetings for you outside your regular office hours. The feature has been there for a while now, but it was necessary to activate it through the app’s settings and it let you set what times you were available every day for meetings. When scheduling a meeting in the app, Google will now note…

The latest version of Google’s mobile operating system has started rolling out. Here’s what you’ll see when you upgrade. Google has just released the latest version of its new operating system for Android phones, Android 10. The OS version has been available as a beta release under the name Android Q, but this makes it the first time in 10 years that the mobile operating system doesn’t have a dessert-themed name. Google made the switch in the name with an aim to be more globally inclusive and not because picking a Q-named dessert was too difficult. But there’s no doubt…

Facebook may soon start hiding like counts on News Feed posts to help improve the mental health of its users by protecting them from envy and dissuade them from self-censorship.  The company’s idea is to prevent users from destructively comparing themselves to their friends and possibly feeling worthless if their posts don’t get as many Likes. This could also stop users from deleting posts they think aren’t getting enough Likes or to the extent of not even not sharing on the platform. Facebook previously tested a similar move on Instagram as a way to help break users’ fixation with getting likes on…

Today, Samsung added a fourth member to its 5G Smartphone portfolio, the Samsung Galaxy A90 5G making it the first premium mid-range smartphone from the South Korean tech giant that supports the next-gen network. This is the latest addition to the Galaxy A family with 5G connectivity. “We’re excited about the success of the Galaxy A Series – a generation of smartphones built for the new Era of Live that focuses on essential features people want the most, including a high-quality camera, long-lasting battery, and immersive display,” said DJ Koh, President and CEO of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung…

Huawei Mobile has confirmed that its next Mate series, the Huawei Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro devices, will be arriving on 19th September in Munich, Germany.   This is just over a week after Apple will release its new iPhones to the world, and after Samsung also releases it’s first foldable device the Samsung Galaxy Fold. In a short teaser video posted to Twitter, the company’s tagline for the event is “Rethink Possibilities.” The teaser states that it’s “going full circle” with the Mate 30, it’s no doubt that the reference here is the Mate 30’s cameras. The image leaks we’ve seen so far feature…

The redesigned folding phone will launch in South Korea on Friday, as IFA kicks off in Berlin. Samsung Galaxy Fold is set to relaunch in Korea within a week according to a new report from Yonhap News Agency; September 6 to be precise. Surprisingly, this is the same date as the opening day of the IFA 2019 trade show in Berlin. Although at this stage it’s unclear if IFA will provide the platform for Samsung to show off the updated Galaxy Fold. Initially, we were led to believe that the Galaxy Fold would launch in late September, but Samsung appears to…

Huawei launched its Global Industry Vision (GIV) report, continuing its predictions for technology and industry development up to 2025. Huawei‘s “10 Trends for 2025 report” released on 8 Aug, described the 10 exciting trends that are shaping the future. Drawing from Huawei’s own quantitative data and real-world use cases of how intelligent technology is permeating every industry, this year’s report identifies 10 megatrends currently shaping how we live and work. These trends described in the report include living and working with bots, super sight, zero search, tailored streets, augmented creativity, frictionless communication, symbiotic economy, 5G’s rapid rollout and global digital governance. The…

Samsung unveils its largest 2019 QLED line-up ever featuring 4K and 8K TV Leading electronics manufacturer, Samsung has introduced 8K QLED Televisions in the Kenyan market. 8K QLED TV is a more superior type of QLED with unrivaled picture quality with a greater sense of realism and depth. Further, the company yesterday announced that its 2019 QLED 8K TV line is now available at selected stores in Nairobi. Powered by Samsung’s proprietary Quantum Processor, the 2019 QLED TV lineup features more screen size options, stunning picture quality enhancements, dazzling colors from every angle, exciting new design elements and intuitive smart…

Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 8 Pro is the first officially announced smartphone in the world with a 64 MP camera. The Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 8 Pro have just been announced as the successors of the impressive Redmi Note 7 series, and the Note 8 Pro is the first officially announced smartphone in the world with a 64 MP camera. A couple of days ago Realme kind-of-revealed its XT with the same sensor, but Xiaomi has taken the lead by now making a full announcement. This should be fun to debate on who was truly first to come up, announce or reveal…

Google says that Huawei’s next flagship, the Mate 30 can’t launch with official Google apps. Huawei’s upcoming flagships, the Mate 30 and the Mate 30 Pro, will be released without official Google apps on board, this is according to a report by Reuters. It looks like the Chinese company’s troubles are not over despite President Trump’s approval to allow Huawei to resume trade with US companies and the extension of its temporary license. A Google spokesperson informed Reuters that due to the US ban, the Mate 30, Mate 30 Pro, and presumably, other upcoming devices like the now-delayed foldable Mate X could be severely limited at…

Google is shutting down its job search site Google Hire a little over two years after the product officially was launched. This was mentioned by the company in a support article on Tuesday, adding that the decision was difficult but will allow them to better focus their resources on other products. Hire by Google was launched back in 2017 in an effort to make hiring easier for applicants and companies alike. Built into G Suite, it made it possible for other tools such as Docs and Calendar to be used to help book meeting rooms, schedule appointments and share feedback on candidates. Built…

Facebook on Wednesday announced it would tighten some of its rules around political advertising ahead of the 2020 presidential election by adding new requirements for political ad buyers, requiring those who purchase ads promoting candidates or hot-button issues to provide more information about who actually paid for them. This is part of the company’s efforts to make the platform more secure in the run-up to the US 2020 election. Advertisers will need to provide more information about their organization, including government-issued identification numbers before buying a political ad. This move comes in response to some advertisers using misleading names in their disclaimers in…

Vivo NEX 3 is set to launch in September and will feature 120W SuperFlash Charge Vivo, the Chinese smartphone maker has confirmed that its upcoming smartphone NEX 3 5G will be launched in China in September. A GSMArena report has suggested that Vivo will most likely patch in a 5G modem in the device and that the Vivo NEX 3 will be powered by Qualcomm’s flagship-grade Snapdragon 855 SoC that will be accompanied by the Qualcomm X50 5G modem. The device is also presumed to bear the fruits of Vivo’s extensive research in charging technology and is expected to come…