Google today announced several efforts to aid COVID-19 vaccine distribution in the US. CEO Sundar Pichai announced $150 million in ad grants, while various Google products will soon display local information.
Google Search and Maps will soon show COVID-19 vaccination locations near you. This information will be collated from government agencies, retail pharmacies, and other authoritative…
Google offering up its US offices as COVID-19 vaccination sites
January 25, 2021
CEO Sundar Pichai on Monday detailed a handful of initiatives to help boost vaccine distribution amid the ongoing pandemic. One physical effort involves offering Google offices as COVID-19 vaccination sites.
To help with vaccination efforts, starting in the United States…
Netflix on Android adds support for ‘studio-quality audio’ codec
January 25, 2021
Watching movies when using Netflix on Android is about to get better thanks to a new audio codec that supposedly brings “studio-quality” auditory experiences on mobile.
Netflix confirmed in a recent blog post that support has been added for the Extended HE-AAC with…
Google ramping up Privacy Sandbox testing, preps ‘FLoC’ to replace 3rd-party cookies used for ads
January 25, 2021
Back in 2019, Google announced an initiative to build a more private web through open standards. The most ambitious aspect of the Privacy Sandbox is phasing out support for third-party cookies, with the Google Chrome team providing a road map for 2021 today.
Calling the last year an “incubation” period, Google says “2021 will be a year of testing with continued opportunities for the web…
Google Assistant prepares to show fitness, health data w/ ‘proactive’ results on smart displays
January 25, 2021
In a quiet update to Google Assistant, a new “wellness” section has been added which prepares the ability for Assistant to show your health and fitness data on smart displays and more.
Rolling out now to users, the “Wellness” section of Google Assistant’s…
Galaxy Tab S7 series gets Android 11 w/ better phone integration, ‘Second Screen’ on Windows [U]
January 25, 2021
Samsung’s One UI 3.0 rollout has expanded to quite a few different smartphones at this point, and now it’s heading to tablets. The Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+ are now getting Android 11.
In its home country of South Korea, Samsung has started rolling out the Android 11…
You probably don’t need someone to tell you that magnets and life-saving medical devices don’t mix, but Apple wants to make that patently clear. MacRumors has learned that Apple recently updated a support document to warn against keeping the iPhone 12 and MagSafe accessories too close to pacemakers, defibrillators and other implants that might respond to magnets and radios. You should keep…
Don’t be surprised if Netflix sounds nicer the next time you marathon a show on your Android phone. Netflix has upgraded its Android app to stream audio in xHE-AAC (Extended HE-AAC with MPEG-D DRC; yes, it’s a mouthful), promising “studio-quality” sound that’s also…
Apple support document adds new details on how iPhone 12 and MagSafe can impact pacemakers
January 25, 2021
Earlier this month, a study from the Heart Rhythm Journal indicated that the iPhone 12’s new MagSafe technology can deactivate pacemakers in certain situations. Apple has responded to these claims by updating a support document on its website with new advice for iPhone 12…
Sony is apparently bringing back the Xperia Compact this year
January 25, 2021
Small phones are likely making a comeback thanks to Apple’s iPhone 12 Mini, and as it turns out, one of the most popular is being revived, too. According to the reliable @OnLeaks, Sony is bringing back the Xperia Compact for 2021.
In a post on Voice, we get a first look at the still-unnamed 2021 revival of the Sony Xperia Compact. The design is practically identical to Sony’s last collection…
