Articles by Derrek Lee

Meng may be freed, but Huawei is still in hot water.

What you need to know

Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou could soon be released from custody.
Wanzhou has been detained in Canada for three years on charges of bank fraud.
As per the potential agreement, Meng would not have to plead guilty to the charges.

The case against Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou may soon come to a close as the U.S. Justice Department and Huawei reportedly come to an agreement to have her released from custody, sources told The New York Times.

Meng, the daughter of Huawei founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei, was detained in Canada in 2018 on behalf of the U.S. over allegations of bank fraud. She allegedly misled banks about Huwei’s dealings with Iran, although the company denies these charges.

The case against Wanzhou only exacerbated tensions between the U.S. and Huawei, which seemed to come to a head during President Trump’s time in office, blocking U.S. companies like Qualcomm and notably Google from working with the …

S is the new Note.

What you need to know

The first renders of the Galaxy S22 Ultra have appeared online.
The renders show a device that looks strikingly similar to the Galaxy Note 20.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra will reportedly feature a built-in S Pen slot.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has appeared for the first time in a series of CAD renders, showing a device that looks strikingly similar to the Note 20.

The images were posted in collaboration with Digit and known leaker @Onleaks, showing the Galaxy S22 Ultra with a similar chassis to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, from its rounded edges to its boxy frame, but with a slightly different camera hump on the back with a quad-camera array.

However, the most exciting part is that the renders show that the device will include a dedicated slot for an S Pen, suggesting that Samsung is preparing to merge the S and Note lineup.

According to Digit/Onleaks, the device will feature a 6.8-inch curved display with a significantly im…

Google is making a few changes on the phone and car.

What you need to know

Google is launching several new features for Android Auto on phones and cars.
Users will be able to pay for gas using Google Assistant and Google Pay.
Assistant Driving mode gets a new layout, while Android Auto brings music suggestions for easy access to your favorite tunes.

Google is announcing several changes to Android Auto that aim to improve the driving experience for users, whether on your phone or in your car.

As for the phone experience, Google Assistant Driving Mode is now rolling out with a new layout. Some users have already noticed this; the new dashboard features large, glanceable cards aimed at making it easier to access features during a drive, whether its music, navigation, the phone, and more.

Users will be able to access the new layout by saying, “Hey Google, let’s drive,” or by connecting to their car Bluetooth. Additionally, users will be able to say, “Hey Google, turn on auto-read,…

What you need to know

The Google Pixel 6 Pro appears to have been spotted in a short hands-on video.
The device appears to be a pre-production unit, as indicated by the logo.
The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro may be less than a month from launch.

Google has shown off the Pixel 6 in official press videos, but this may be the first time we see Google’s upcoming flagship hands-on thanks to a leaked video.

The video was uploaded by Brandon Lee from This is Tech Today and shows what appears to be the Pixel 6 Pro in grey with its curved 6.7-inch QHD+ display showing “Welcome to your Pixel” and some Android 12 Material You-style animations.

I think this may be the first hands on video leak of a Google Pixel 6 Pro. FYI: The logo would indicate that this is likely an early production test unit, so that means there may be some differences between what you see here and the actual production device. #teampixel pic.twitter.com/4QSvdktqA7— M. Brandon Lee | THIS IS TECH TODAY (@thisistechtoday) Septemb…

Facebook’s new Portal Go can go wherever you want it to.

What you need to know

Facebook has announced its latest video device, the Portal Go.
The new Portal Go features a 12MP camera, a rechargeable battery, and a handle for easy portability.
Facebook also announced a redesigned Portal+ with a higher resolution tilting display.
Portal Go and new Portal+ are available for preorder and will ship in October for $199 and $349, respectively.

Facebook has launched a pair of new Portal video-calling devices on Tuesday, designed to take on some of the best smart displays from Google and Amazon. The new devices include the 10-inch Portal Go and the redesigned Portal+.

The new Portal Go could almost be mistaken for the Amazon Echo 8 with its simple design and fabric chassis. However, the Portal Go has a leg up over its Amazon competitor thanks to the rechargeable battery and rear handle, allowing you to take the smart display almost anywhere you want.

The device features a 10-inch HD di…

Get some insight about a book from Reese Witherspoon herself.

What you need to know

Google has partnered with Reese Witherspoon to bring her book club to the Assistant.
Reese’s Book Club will bring personalized reading recommendations to Google Assistant devices.
Users can access the feature by saying, “Hey Google, read with Reese’s Book Club.”
The feature will work even if you’re not a member.

Google and Reese Whitherspoon have come together to bring hands-free, personalized reading recommendations to your Google Assistant-enabled devices.

Starting today, users in English-speaking countries can access Reese’s Book Club from their phone, smart display, or the best Google Assistant speakers just by saying, “Hey Google, read with Reese’s Book Club.” First-time users will be greeted with an introduction about the service from Reese herself and jump right into learning about this month’s book pick.

With Reese’s Book Club, users can gain insight about monthly book picks with video …

Evidence is mounting for an October 19 launch date.

What you need to know

A Telstra site may have hinted at an October 19 launch date for the Pixel 6.
That date has also been called out in previous leaks from device renders and leakers.
The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro recently his the FCC, suggesting an imminent launch.

Google has yet to provide a specific launch date for the Google Pixel 6, only giving us the vague, corporate-speak of “later this fall.” However, evidence continues to point to a specific day in October as the launch date.

A Reddit user has spotted (via Droid-Life) a Telstra promotion for “the latest Google product news and offers” where users can sign up to indicate their interest and possibly win a prize. However, the fine print at the bottom states that users must sign up to learn about Google’s latest product before October 19, suggesting that the information may be available on that date.

This wouldn’t be the first time October 19 was hinted at as the launch date …

Google follows the iOS 15 update with updates of its own.

What you need to know

Google is updating several of its apps for better iOS/iPadOS 15 compatibility.
Google apps will take better advantage of Apple’s Focus Mode.
Users will be able to jump straight into YouTube Music from Spotlight search.

Right on the heels of Apple releasing iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 to the masses, Google is updating several of its apps to take better advantage of the iPhone and iPad’s capabilities.

One of the “bigger” updates comes to iPadOS 15, with the launch of new, larger widgets for Google Photos and YouTube Music. With the new widgets, users will be able to highlight their photos and jump straight into their Memories. With YouTube Music, iPad users will have a view of albums and playlists to easily access tunes from the home screen.

The new widgets will arrive in the coming weeks.

Another update coming to YouTube Music, which users can try out now, is the ability to jump into the app from the Sp…

The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are one step closer to launch.

What you need to know

A device purported to be the Pixel 6 was spotted in FCC documents.
The documents reveal connectivity options for the device, including Wi-Fi 6E and mmWave 5G.
Wireless power transfer and UWB support are also listed in the filings.

The Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro have likely been spotted passing through the FCC as the device nears its fall launch window.

While the documents don’t specifically name the Pixel 6, Android Police points out that devices are listed as “phone,” suggesting that they’re likely Google’s upcoming flagships. Additionally, the documents show support for both the new Wi-Fi 6E standard with mmWave 5G support found on a few of the models.

For comparison, the Google Pixel 5a does not support either connectivity option, so it’s fairly safe to assume that we’re looking at the Pixel 6.

In recent promotional material for the Pixel 6, Google has made sure to note that the device “has not been…

Google Meet makes it easier to see more people.

Update, Sept 20 (12:15 p.m. ET): Google rolls out low-light detection for web

What you need to know

Google Meet is rolling out with an updated design and new features.
Participants will have the ability to pin presentations or speaker tiles with more room to show everyone on the call.
Google is also rolling out low-light mode for the web application, a new data saver, and the ability to hide your own video from your view.

Google Meet has been a big focus since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic since many people transitioned to work-from-home lifestyles. Google has continuously rolled out updates to the video conferencing application, making it easier to manage while working from home. For instance, now you can use Google Meet’s virtual green room to check yourself before a call. The latest update adds some useful tools thanks to the power of AI and more efficient design tools to keep users engaged with everyone on the call.

In…