Articles by Derrek Lee

A few new Wear OS watches seem to be in the pipeline for Moto this year.

What you need to know

A new image suggests that the next Moto smartwatch could come equipped with the Snapdragon Wear 4100.
The unnamed Wear OS smartwatch appears to have wireless charging capabilities.
A few Moto-branded smartwatches are reportedly set to release this year.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 was launched last year as a drastic improvement over its predecessor. Yet despite the improvements to processing and battery efficiency, only one smartwatch has taken up the new chipset. Even the new Fossil Gen 5 LTE uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 from a few years ago. 2021 may be the year that Wear OS steps things up, with several new smartwatches reportedly planned from Moto, including one that was spotted with the latest chipset from Qualcomm.

A Reddit user recently pointed out that the back of this unnamed Moto smartwatch appears to be engraved text indicating the presence of the Snapdrag…

Google just revamped Profiles on Google Chrome.

What you need to know

Google is rolling out a new profile switcher for Chrome on desktop.
Starting up the Chrome browser will bring up the profile switcher to easily hop into your own account.
The new profile experience will roll out in the coming weeks.

Having a shared computer can be a bit of a hassle, especially for households with several members. While we all get used to working from home, it can be important to keep passwords, bookmarks, and other browsing information separate. The best Chromebooks have the ability to switch user accounts, and while the Google Chrome browser can also manage different user profiles, the feature is shoved off into a corner where not many people may know or take full advantage of it. Google wants to address this by putting profiles front and center.

Google announced its latest profile switcher in a blog post on Tuesday. With this new revamp arriving on Google Chrome, users will be met with a …

Samsung is pushing out the March security patch early.

What you need to know

Samsung is releasing the March security update for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy A8, and Galaxy Tab S7.
The Galaxy Tab S7 is receiving a few enhancements with the update, including more S Pen functionality.
The security update is rolling out in certain global regions.

Samsung has greatly improved the rate at which it pushes out updates, and it’s proving that by rolling out the March security update in February. According to reports, several devices have been receiving the update in different regions, including the Samsung Galaxy S21, Galaxy Tab S7, and surprisingly the Galaxy A8.

According to SamMobile, users in Taiwan are seeing the March update reaching the Galaxy S21, which apparently comes with a few device enhancements like improvements to the camera. Some older devices are also getting the update, including the Galaxy Fold, Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy S10, and surprisingly the Galaxy A8. That last one was re…

The LG V60 ThinQ is only the second LG smartphone to receive Android 11.

What you need to know

The LG V60 ThinQ is now receiving the Android 11 update on Verizon.
This makes it the first LG smartphone to receive the update in the United States.
The LG Velvet is the only other LG device to receive Android 11, but only in Korea.

While not historically good with timely updates, fans of LG smartphones should be happy to know that LG is starting to make some headway with the Android 11 update. The company recently began updating the LG Velvet, making it the only smartphone from the company to receive Android 11. Owners of LG’s other smartphones worried as the company did not indicate that any other devices would be updated this quarter, but it seems last year’s LG V60 ThinQ is next in line.

As indicated on Verizon’s support page for the LG V60 ThinQ, the device should be receiving the Android 11 update along with the January security patch. This essentially makes it the first LG sma…

Don’t fall for Vanessa’s challenge.

What you need to know

Users have started reporting spambots in the Samsung Health app.
The bots send users challenges while soliciting sexual favors through a website.
Changing your Samsung Health settings may prevent the issue.

Samsung is known for including ads in their smartphones which can often be annoying, especially if you own a premium smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. Fortunately, we can show you how to turn off ads on your Samsung phone, but even that isn’t a perfect solution. While Samsung’s ads are generally harmless, there appears to be a new kind of ad appearing on Samsung devices that is not as innocent, according to Reddit.

Some users on Reddit have been reporting spambots within the Samsung Health app. The bots appear as walking challenges in the Together tab, asking users to join their challenge. A shady link appears on the challenge card, and while it’s unclear what exactly happens when users accept the challe…

Twitter secures a new revenue stream with its latest announcements.

What you need to know

Twitter has just announced that it plans to introduce two new features to the platform.
Super Follows will allow influencers to charge followers for access to perks like exclusive content.
Communities will allow users to join groups around their favorite topics.

Earlier this month, it was rumored that Twitter had been considering a subscription model and “tipping” to bolster the platform, which has often lagged far behind its closest competitor in terms of revenue. Other possible revenue streams that were reportedly being considered, included charging for TweetDeck or to use more advanced features like higher-quality video. During Twitter’s virtual Analyst Day on Thursday, the company announced that it is, in fact, developing some of these products.

The first is Super Follows, which is a paid subscription model that charges members for exclusive content from accounts they follow. For examp…

Power outages in Texas shined a new light on the internet situation in the U.S.

What you need to know

California is now free to enforce its net neutrality law that it tried to enact in 2018 to counter the Trump administration.
This would make California the first state to enforce its own net neutrality law in the U.S.
The move could open the door for other states to do the same if the FCC doesn’t act first.

Net neutrality has just scored a major win thanks to a recent federal ruling against the injunction to block the California Internet Consumer Protection and Net Neutrality Act of 2018. The bill, also known as SB-822, was first drafted in 2018 after the Trump administration rolled back net neutrality protections a year prior. It was initially blocked by the Department of Justice, which dropped the lawsuit just this month, removing one major hurdle to get the bill passed. This recent ruling was another.

The decision is a blow to some of the best 5G carriers and major telecom c…

The Pixel 5a looks a lot like the Pixel 5… or maybe the Pixel 4a 5G?

What you need to know

The first renders of the Google Pixel 5a have appeared with a similar design to its predecessors.
The Google Pixel 5a will reportedly feature a 6.2″ OLED FHD+ display with a punch-hole selfie camera and rear fingerprint sensor.
Google is likely to announce the Pixel 5a later this year around the launch of the Google Pixel 6.

Last year, Google went with a fairly confusing launch pattern for its Pixel smartphones, which was only intensified by the naming scheme and similar designs. The Google Pixel 4a launched just a month before the Google Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G and all three devices look largely the same. The situation doesn’t seem to look any better if these leaked images of the Pixel 5a are legit, which is likely the case.

Steve Hemmerstoffer aka Onleaks just broke out the first renders of the Google Pixel 5a, and you won’t be blamed for thinking it’s the Pixel 5 or 4a 5G.

Th…

Spotify Clips is Snapchat Stories but exclusively for artists.

What you need to know

Spotify officially announced its Clips feature, which was first tested over the holiday season.
Clips allows artists to post Snapchat-style videos to curated playlists.
Spotify Clips was announced as part of Spotify’s Stream On event.

Spotify had quite a bit to announce during its virtual Stream On event. The platform is finally initiating a wider global launch, expanding to more than 80 countries in the coming days, and later this year, Spotify is launching a new HiFi streaming tier for CD-quality, lossless audio. One feature managed to fall a bit under the radar, and that’s the new Clips feature that Spotify is bringing to its playlists.

We’re introducing new ways for artists to use playlists to share their stories with fans ✨ Spotify Clips will debut on even more Spotify playlists, featuring artists in short videos that let them put their own stamp on a playlist experience ? #SpotifyStr…

The successor to the popular Sony WF-1000XM3 could come with a more streamlined design.

What you need to know

A leaked image shows what is reportedly Sony’s next flagship wireless earbuds.
The WF-1000XM4 may receive a design overhaul for an easier fit.
Available details include a battery life of 24-hours with the charging case as well as active noise cancellation.

Sony makes some of the best wireless headphones in the industry, and for a while you couldn’t have that conversation without bringing up the Sony WF-1000XM3, assuming you could remember the name. Launching in mid-2019, the earbuds are still a great option for those of you looking for a great pair of ANC earbuds, but as the competition heats up, it’s time for a follow-up.

A leaked image has appeared from a user on Reddit of what reportedly could be the WF-1000XM4, showing a new design that looks more like the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro. That’s definitely not a bad thing, and while the current model offers a great design, …