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The Tech Weekender: Android 11 beta launch, Apple admits to a flaw and the customer Jeff Bezos is happy to lose

Here are the biggest developments from the world of tech from the week ending June 12

June 13, 2020 / 05:49 PM IST
android 11 logo
1/9
Google rolled out the first Android 11 beta update for Pixel smartphones. The new Android 11 update introduces new features while improving the existing ones. For example, users can set One-time permission for apps asking for the microphone, camera, or location access. To make communication easier and simpler, Android 11 will move all of your conversations across multiple messaging apps to a dedicated space in the notification section. Google may have borrowed a feature or two from Apple iOS like the new media controls, screenshots preview, etc. Here's how you can install Android 11 beta update on your Pixel device and also get more details on the new features.
2/9
After a long, long wait, Sony finally introduced the PlayStation 5 along with a ton of new games at “The Future of Gaming” event. The new PS5 comes in two models -- a standard model with a 4K Blu-ray drive and a Digital Edition without an optical drive. Sony’s event did not place much focus on hardware as the company already revealed details about the PlayStation 5’s specifications earlier this year. PS5 owners will get GTA V online for free upon its launch in 2021. Other titles like Sackboy, Hitman III, Spiderman, etc., will make their way to PS5. How does the PS5 fare against the XBOX? Find out here.
3/9
Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos responded to a customer's email on Amazon's stance on the ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests in the US. Bezos, in his Instagram post, called the email sickening and further went on to say that this is the kind of customer he would be happy to lose. The customer had criticised Bezos and stated that Amazon’s decision of standing in solidarity with the protesters will ruin the company.
4/9
Microsoft has become the third big tech company this week to say it won't sell its facial recognition software to police, following similar moves by Amazon and IBM. "We've decided we will not sell facial recognition technology to police departments in the United States until we have a national law in place, grounded in human rights, that will govern this technology,” Microsoft's president and chief counsel, Brad Smith said.
5/9
Xiaomi has entered the laptop market in India with the launch of Mi Notebook 14. The Chinese tech giant has unveiled two new Mi Notebooks - Mi Notebook 14 and Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition - aimed to offer a power-packed performance in a thin and light form factor. Mi Notebook 14 comes with a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor with integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620, 256GB/ 512GB SATA SSDs, etc. The laptop comes in three variants, with the top-end model offering Nvidia MX250 graphics. Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition can be configured with a 10th Gen Intel Core i5-10210U and Intel Core i7-10510U processor. Both models are equipped with discrete graphics in the form of Nvidia GeForce MX350 GPU. Both laptops feature a 14-inch display and start at Rs 41,999. More details here.
6/9
Apple has reportedly acknowledged a flaw in the iPhone display which was triggered following the recent iOS update. The issue appeared on some iPhones after users update their devices to iOS 13.4.1 and later. Apple iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max models appear to be primarily affected. However, some users using the iPhone X have also reported the issue after updating to iOS 13.4.1, iOS 13.5, and iOS 13.5.1. The green tint issue may be a combination of software and hardware issues with faulty OLED displays that are being impacted in recent iOS updates. The company has acknowledged the problem and Forbes claims that Apple has approved the display replacement in some cases. More details here.
Fleets (Image: Kayvon Beykpour @kayvz - Twitter)
7/9
Twitter has officially announced that it is testing a new feature called "Fleets" in India. Fleets will allow users to post content on their profile that will disappear after 24 hours. Apart from the tweets vanishing in 24 hours, other options like Likes, Retweets or public replies to these tweets will not be available. Users can share texts, photos, GIFs, and videos through Fleets. To see someone’s Fleet, users can head directly to their profile and view the content. However, it will not be displayed on Twitter’s public feed and cannot be embedded on other websites. Fleets will be available for everyone in India on Twitter for iOS and Android. Here's how you can create a Fleet.
8/9
Google is adding features on its Maps service to alert users about COVID-19-related travel restrictions to help them plan their trips better. It would allow users to check how crowded a train station might be at a particular time, or if buses on a certain route are running on a limited schedule. The new update would also include details on COVID-19 checkpoints and restrictions on crossing national borders, starting with Canada, Mexico and the United States. Transit alerts would be rolled out in Argentina, France, India, Netherlands, the United States and the United Kingdom among other countries.
9/9
Facebook has rolled out its dedicated News section in the US. Facebook News will show users news stories, topics, publishers, depending on the user’s engagement. There will be four main categories — general, topical, diverse and local news. The team that helps select these stories is made up of journalists with experience in a diverse range of newsrooms. This team will sort through what news organisations are reporting, and select stories according to the guidelines to give people an overview of the day’s news. Users can also hide publishers or topics they do not want to see. The company is developing additional tools that will let users add their sources and location, which will help Facebook show them more relevant local news, as well as tie their paid subscriptions to Facebook News. More details here.
Pranav Hegde

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