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Category: #Updates (Page 1 of 14)

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Google’s New Family Broadcast Feature Sends Messages From Speakers to Smartphones

May 6, 2021 /
The Google Nest Hub on a white deskCameron Summerson

Today, Google is announcing a bunch of new tools on Google Assistant smart speakers, displays, and even smartphones. The hook is that these are great tools for moms on Mother’s Day, but between you and me, they seem pretty legit for everyone, all year round. 😉

To start, the Broadcast feature is getting a supercharged feature that it’s needed for a long time: integration with smartphones. You could always broadcast from your smartphone to smart speakers and displays, but now you’ll also be able to broadcast from your smart speakers or displays to smartphones in your Google Family Group. The best part? It will work with both Android phones and iPhones. Dope.


Google

When you broadcast to your family group, the message will hit all the smart speakers and displays in your Google Home, plus send a notification to all the phones in your Family Group. Phone users can then respond to the notification with voice or text. This is a fantastic update to a great feature. Love it.

Beyond Broadcast, Assistant speakers and displays are also getting new stories from partners like Pottermore Publishing and Penguin Random House. For example, you’ll be able to ask Assistant to “tell a Quiddich story” or “talk to Who Was” for stories from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter or stories from PRH’s Who Was series, respectively.

New games are also on deck here, too. Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader will be available on Nest Hub, which should help you keep your pride in check. Apparently, you can even win fake money, which is…something, I guess?

"Who Was" integration in Google Assistant on a Nest HubGoogle

Finally, Family Bell is getting a few new reminder options for things like watering plants and cleaning up. There are even new songs to help—just say “Hey Google, sing the clean up song” to get a little jingle similar to the handwashing song. More songs will also be available, like the “brush your teeth song” and “go to sleep song.”

These features should begin rolling out today, though there’s no word on when they’ll be available to everyone.

Google

Source: https://www.reviewgeek.com/81456/googles-new-family-broadcast-feature-sends-messages-from-speakers-to-smartphones/
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Cameron Summerson

Dell Patched a Critical Driver Flaw from 2009 Affecting Hundreds of PC Models

May 5, 2021 /
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If you or anyone you know has a Dell computer, old or new, they should probably update it right away. Dell just released a security patch that addresses multiple vulnerabilities in hundreds of its computers dating back to 2009.

Read This Article on Review Geek ›

Source: https://www.reviewgeek.com/81176/dell-patched-a-critical-driver-flaw-from-2009-affecting-hundreds-of-pc-models/
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Cory Gunther

Goodbye again, Flash—Microsoft makes removal from Windows 10 mandatory

May 4, 2021 /
Microsoft rings yet another bell in the dirge for Flash—the KB that removes it from Windows 10 will become mandatory this July.

Microsoft rings yet another bell in the dirge for Flash—the KB that removes it from Windows 10 will become mandatory this July. (credit: Adobe)

Microsoft, Apple, Google, Mozilla, and even Adobe itself have all deprecated Adobe Flash technology, which reached end of life on January 1 of this year. This July, Microsoft is taking things one step further—KB4577586, aka Update for Removal of Adobe Flash Player, will become mandatory for all versions of Windows 10.

The update in question won’t remove third-party installations of the Flash player—only versions that have been bundled with Windows itself. The change seems unlikely to significantly impact most people—Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari each ended Flash support by January 1, 2021.

Although Internet Explorer 11 (and the IE mode in Microsoft Edge) supports direct installation of downloaded Flash players as a plug-in, the Adobe Flash Player itself has a built-in “kill-switch” causing it to refuse to play Flash content if the system date is later than January 12, 2021.

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Source: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/05/microsoft-will-remove-adobe-flash-from-windows-10-this-summer/
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Jim Salter

Google Photos’ Revamped Video Editor Arrives on Android

April 13, 2021 /
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Back in February, Google announced that the revamped video editor for its Photos app would arrive on Android devices after months of being iOS-exclusive. Now, Google Photos users on Android finally have access to the powerful new video editor through a server-side rollout.

Read This Article on Review Geek ›

Source: https://www.reviewgeek.com/77628/google-photos-revamped-video-editor-arrives-on-android/
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Andrew Heinzman

Google’s April Software Update Just Gave the Pixel 5 and 4a 5G a Big Performance Boost

April 6, 2021 /
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The Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 weren’t exactly slouches when it came to processing power, but now a recent software update from Google has just given those phones a big boost in performance.

Read more…

Source: https://gizmodo.com/googles-april-software-update-just-gave-the-pixel-5-and-1846627652
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Sam Rutherford

PSA: Update Your Apple iOS Devices Right Now to Patch an Active Vulnerability

March 27, 2021 /
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You know that age-old advice of waiting before you update a device, just in case? Ignore that. Update your iPad right now. Update your Apple Watch right now. Update your iPhone right now. Don’t even finish reading this article; go update your stuff, then come back. Apple just patched a big problem.

Read This Article on Review Geek ›

Source: https://www.reviewgeek.com/75436/psa-update-your-apple-ios-devices-right-now-to-patch-an-active-vulnerability/
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Josh Hendrickson

AirPods Max Battery Drain Issue Fixed With New Firmware Update

March 15, 2021 /
AirPods Max with a full battery icon.Apple

On March 9th, Apple quietly pushed an AirPods Max firmware update to fix the headphones’ frustrating battery drain issue. While Apple is yet to acknowledge that the battery drain issue exists, user reports on Twitter and a test by the Review Geek staff confirms that updated AirPods Max no longer lose their charge while sitting in the Smart Case.

AirPods Max, which don’t have a power button, enter a low power mode to preserve battery while resting in their Smart Case. But according to Apple Support documentation, it takes 18 hours of non-use for the AirPods Max to enter an “ultra-low” power mode, which disables Bluetooth and Find My communications—two of the AirPods Max’s most power-hungry features.

First reported by 9to5Mac, the 3C39 firmware update appears to force AirPods Max into ultra-low power mode after just 30 minutes in their smart case. That’s a lot faster than the original 18-hour wait time! AirPods Max users who experienced significant battery drain while charging or using the headphones also report that their problems are resolved, a sign that the 3C39 update may include some bug fixes on top of the improved ultra-low power mode.

AirPods Max battery usage in the Smart Case before and after the latest firmware update. I think they’ve fixed it. pic.twitter.com/upFLBw85Oq

— Guilherme Rambo (@_inside) March 12, 2021

Your AirPods Max should automatically update to the 3C39 firmware when connected to a charger and in the same room as your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. To check your AirPods Max firmware version, open your iPhone’s Settings, go to the Bluetooth menu, find your AirPods Max in the list of devices, and press the “i” icon. If you don’t have the 3C39 firmware yet, try listening to music on the headphones for a few minutes and connecting them to their charger.

Back in February, we suggested that people avoid buying AirPods Max until Apple resolve the headphones’ battery drain problems. Now, thanks to the 3C39 firmware update, we can confidently recommend Apple’s premium headphones to people who want a premium listening experience (and don’t mind the $550 price tag).

Source: Apple via 9to5Mac

Source: https://www.reviewgeek.com/74017/airpods-max-battery-drain-issue-fixed-with-new-firmware-update/
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Andrew Heinzman

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