Articles by Derrek Lee

Something ultra is coming.

What you need to know

The upcoming Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra has been confirmed by a recent tweet.
Mobvoi is conducting a giveaway in the lead-up to the device’s launch.
The TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra is expected to come with minor hardware upgrades over its predecessor.

Not long after a hands-on video spilled the beans about the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 GPS successor, the company has officially started teasing its upcoming smartwatch.

Mobvoi has taken to Twitter to announce a giveaway for the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra, where 20 lucky winners will get their hands on a free smartwatch between October 8 and October 13.

?TICWATCH PRO 3 ULTRA GPS, 6-day countdown to release! ?From Oct. 8th to 13th, join our #giveaways by completing daily tasks on Twitter to win 20 FREE #TicWatchPro3Ultra GPS and unlimited single 20 USD Mobvoi Gift Cards! ?Learn more details: https://t.co/w9h5NGvodl pic.twitter.com/pNiy043g0v— Mobvoi_Official (@Mobvoi_Official) October 7, …

If you can’t handle the heat, stay out of Twitter’s kitchen.

What you need to know

Twitter is testing a new feature that will warn users when a conversation might get intense.
The prompt will remind users to communicate respectfully within a potentially headed topic.
It will appear for Twitter users on iOS and Android, and the company will continuously update criteria.

Twitter’s latest move to help encourage better engagement on the app involves warning users against engaging with certain conversations.

The company announced the new feature for iOS and the best Android phones on Wednesday. The prompt will warn users when a certain conversation might lead to a heated or intense discussion.

When clicking on the prompt, it will pull up guidelines to help users navigate the conversation respectfully.

Ever want to know the vibe of a conversation before you join in? We’re testing prompts on Android and iOS that give you a heads up if the convo you’re about to enter could get heated…

Nothing wrong with talking to yourself.

What you need to know

Google takes to Twitter to hype up the Pixel 6 launch.
Google’s various Twitter accounts join in to prepare for this month’s launch.
The Pixel 6 will be officially unveiled on October 19, less than two weeks from now.

After weeks of teasers and ad campaigns, we finally know when Google’s next flagship will be fully unveiled. Now that Google has announced the official launch date for the Pixel 6 series, the company has taken to Twitter to have a little fun with itself.

#Pixel6, the new Google Phone. Tune in October 19th at 10 am PT: https://t.co/zmp5byVq1y#Pixel6Launch pic.twitter.com/v3wwySE5gs— Made By Google (@madebygoogle) October 5, 2021

Following yesterday’s announcement, Google’s various Twitter accounts joined in on the conversation (via Reddit) to show how they’re getting ready for the launch.

Even the Android account chimes in, suggesting that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will run Android 12 at launch, …

The Galaxy S21 FE is coming, after all, but at the expense of the Galaxy S22.

What you need to know

Samsung is reportedly still preparing to launch the Galaxy S21 FE.
The launch could take place in January, which would lead to Samsung delaying the Galaxy S22 launch.
If true, the Galaxy S22 series could launch in February, sometime around Mobile World Congress.

Apparently, the Galaxy S21 FE is still on. According to the latest from SamMobile, the device is still set to be launched, although it may arrive later than expected, which could affect the Galaxy S22 launch.

SamMobile says that the Galaxy S21 FE could launch in January, meaning it’ll miss the holiday season, a crucial time for companies to promote and sell their best Android phones.

This would be around the time the Galaxy S22 series was expected to launch, which would likely conflict. Instead of following the Galaxy S21 series with a January launch, Samsung could then delay the S22 series to February to give the S21 FE…

All of your videos are getting their own tab.

What you need to know

Facebook is getting rid of IGTV and merging it with feed videos.
The new “Instagram Video” combines the app’s media efforts into one tab.
Instagram is also introducing new video editing features for videos.

After Facebook’s outage took Instagram down for a good portion of the day, the app is making some changes to put videos into one place.

The new video tab will host Instagram Video, which will consist of both IGTV and feed videos, the former of which is being phased out almost entirely.

Facebook says it’s combining its video efforts into one format “to make it easier for people to discover new video content.” Reels will apparently remain in a separate tab.

Users will still be able to upload from their gallery and post the videos to their stories and direct messages. However, now video previews are being increased to 60 seconds, and the app is getting some new video editing tools and the ability to tag peo…

Google calendar is shaping up to be the ultimate work-from-home app.

What you need to know

Google Calendar adds the option to create notes directly from an event.
The document will automatically populate with the meeting/event information.
Meeting notes will be automatically viewable to other meeting attendees depending on how you start them.

Google is updating the Calendar app that will make it easy to create and share meeting notes straight from an event entry.

A new option to “Take meeting notes” will appear on a Calendar event. Selecting the option will automatically populate the Google Doc with the relevant meeting information for easy organization.

Upon saving, the document will not automatically share with the other event members, but a prompt will ask if you want to make it available. However, if you create or edit an existing event and select “Create meeting note,” the saved document will be available to other members of that event.

This distinction is likely to se…

Get it while the deal lasts!

Every so often, Amazon will have a deal so good that you just can’t pass it up, and today is that day for the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5. For today only, the online retailer is offering the best Chromebook you can buy at its lowest price ever. That means for just $300, you’re getting a 13.5-inch 1080p display, loud front-facing speakers, Wi-Fi 6 support, and excellent battery life, all powered by a 10th-gen Intel Core i3.

The Flex 5 was initially offered at $410 and normally sees discounts down to $380 or $350, so $300 is probably the lowest price you’ll find for this fantastic device, at least for a while.

Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5

$300 at Amazon $425 at Walmart

The Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 is a great device for anyone looking for a sleek, easy-to-use laptop with the power of Google’s apps and services running everything in the cloud. At its lowest price ever, this laptop is practically a steal.

There’s a lot to like about the Flex 5. Our Ara Wago…

The October 19 launch for the Pixel 6 was apparently on the money.

What you need to know

Google has set a date for the Pixel 6 launch.
The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are set to be fully unveiled on Tuesday, October 19.
The event site features a transitional theme that can be changed by holding the space bar.

Google has finally unveiled the launch date for the Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, both of which are set to be fully revealed on October 19 at 10 am PT/1 pm ET.

That means the Pixel 6 is two weeks away from launch, and it likely won’t reach consumers until later in the month.

On October 19, we’re officially introducing you to Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro—the completely reimagined Google phones.

Powered by Tensor, Google’s first custom mobile chip, they’re fast, smart and secure. And they adapt to you.

The event site features interactive elements to highlight dynamic theming with Material You. Holding the space bar will “change moods,” and hovering your cursor over the Pixel…

Telegram says it should be more stable than its competitors.

What you need to know

Telegram is currently facing slowdowns.
The app is likely receiving an influx of users while WhatsApp deals with worldwide outages.
It’s unclear when service will return to normal for WhatsApp or Telegram.

Facebook’s ongoing outage is apparently more far-reaching than its own platforms, as it seems Telegram is also facing slowdowns of its own.

The messaging app’s Twitter account has been informing users on Monday that while it should remain more stable than its competitors, some users may be experiencing problems.

Users in some regions may be experiencing issues with loading contacts/chats or receiving notifications – I apologize for any inconveniences you may have at the moment ?— Telegram Messenger (@telegram) October 4, 2021

The statement was provided to more than a few followers, meaning the slowdown is affecting many Telegram users.

Given the timing, it could be an effect of user…

Available first to YouTube Music users in Canada.

What you need to know

YouTube Music’s free tier now has access to background listening.
The feature was previously reserved for YouTube Premium subscribers.
Background listening is rolling out to Canadian users first before reaching other countries and regions.

YouTube Music may be one of the best music streaming services around, but there’s one particular limitation that has left it lagging behind other platforms. Google is now getting rid of that limitation as it finally lets free YouTube Music users listen to music in the background.

Now, users on the ad-supported free tier will be able to continue jamming to their favorite tunes or listen to podcasts while their screen is turned off or while they’re doing other things on their phones.

Within this, you can engage with the YouTube Music app through an exciting ad-supported, radio-like experience featuring the artists, songs, and albums you love, plus personalized mixes on …