Oswaldo Royett

  Quick settings that are actually quick Android 12 is Google's most significant transformation to its mobile operating system since Material Design first debuted in 2014. Unfortunately, not every change has been for the better. The quick settings menu got a new Internet tile, combining all of Android's various Wi-Fi and mobile data options into a single place. Of course, that requires additional taps not found in previous versions, forcing some users to push ADB commands to their phones to restore the previous layout. If you happen to have one of Sony's recent phones, you'll be glad to know its take on Android 12 undoes this change — though, it seems, not entirely on purpose. The Xperia 1 III and Xperia 5 III started getting their respective software updates a couple of weeks ago, with some eagle-eyed users over at the Xperia subreddit managing to spot a big improvement (via XDA Developers). Unlike Pixel devices, Sony's Android 12 update includes separate toggles f...

 A minor QoL imporvement Google has been improving GPay to offer a more comprehensive digital wallet. The company launched a redesigned app last year and recently expanded its support to more countries. Now, users are getting a new update that makes accessing their NFC payment cards easier. The change delivers a more prominent button for contactless cards at the top of the interface. These cards are commonly used at NFC terminals, so the adjustment makes it more obvious where you can access them. Before now, the button took the form of a tiny and subtle icon that was easier to miss. However, the new one will ensure you find the function at a glance and change things quickly before making an NFC payment. The new GPay design went live in January but has since gained wider adoption, with more users getting the update. To get in on the look, you need to install the latest version of Google Pay. If you have a card already set up, you’ll see a “Ready to pay” button along with icons for N...

Later this year, US merchants will be able to accept Apple Pay and other contactless payments simply by using iPhone and a partner-enabled iOS app Apple today announced plans to introduce Tap to Pay on iPhone. The new capability will empower millions of merchants across the US, from small businesses to large retailers, to use their iPhone to seamlessly and securely accept Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets through a simple tap to their iPhone — no additional hardware or payment terminal needed. Tap to Pay on iPhone will be available for payment platforms and app developers to integrate into their iOS apps and offer as a payment option to their business customers. Stripe will be the first payment platform to offer Tap to Pay on iPhone to their business customers, including the Shopify Point of Sale app this spring. Additional payment platforms and apps will follow later this year. “As more and more consumers are tapping to pay with digital wallets a...

With new features, a touchscreen and beefier battery life, the Fenix 7 range is a decent upgrade on the 6 The Garmin Fenix 6 Pro has been the best sports watch since it launched, with the only possible pretender to its crown in the £500-plus bracket being the lighter Garmin Forerunner 945. With the launch of the Fenix 7 range, Garmin has tightened its grip on the top spot, improving the battery life and the accuracy of the GPS, while debuting some interesting features and a touchscreen. I’ve spent several weeks testing the Fenix 7X and Garmin’s other new device the Epix 2, which is essentially a Fenix 7 with an AMOLED screen, and can say that if you’re shopping in this money-no-object bracket and want the very best, then your choice is simple: either opt for the longer battery life of the Fenix, or the brighter screen of the Epix 2. Garmin Fenix 7X: Release Date And Price The Garmin Fenix 7 range launched on 18th January 2022 and the watches cost from £599.99 up to £1,049.99, depending...

Sales of real estate in the metaverse topped $500 million last year and could double this year, according to investors and analytics firms. “There are big risks, but potentially big rewards,” said Janine Yorio, CEO of Republic Realm, a metaverse real estate investor and advisory firm. So far, real estate sales have been concentrated on the “Big Four” — Sandbox, Decentraland, Cryptovoxels and Somnium. Sales of real estate in the metaverse topped $500 million last year and could double this year, according to investors and analytics firms. Real estate sales on the four major metaverse platforms reached $501 million in 2021, according to MetaMetric Solutions. Sales in January topped $85 million, the metaverse data provider said. It projects that at this pace sales could reach nearly $1 billion in 2022. The recent surge in sales was sparked by Facebook’s Oct. 28 announcement that it was rebranding as Meta to focus on the metaverse. Real estate sales surged nearly ninefold, to $133 million,...

  As we spotted in November and following the latest push for RCS support on iPhone earlier this month, Google Messages is starting to roll out iMessage reactions in beta for Android users. Once rolled out to your Android phone, Google Messages will convert iMessage reactions (officially referred to as “Tapbacks“) sent by iPhone users in response to SMS/MMS. Instead of them appearing as an annoying text version (e.g., Loved “Testing”), the response on your device will appear in the bottom-right corner of the message bubble you sent, similar to the iOS-to-iOS experience. That said, Google made some interesting choices in the translation process. The iMessage “Heart” becomes the “Smiling Face with Heart-Eyes” emoji. Similarly, “Haha” is “Face with Tears of Joy.” The “exclamation marks” become “Face with Open Mouth” and the question mark is “Thinking Face.” Thumbs up/down remains faithful to their iMessage counterparts. Google’s decision to use face emojis rather than symbols might se...

Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the company sees a lot of potential in the metaverse, which he related to the company's current AR/VR endeavors, and added that the company is investing in the space. Leaks and rumors point to Apple taking on a major role in the virtual reality future dubbed "metaverse" by some. During an Apple earnings call, Apple's CEO Tim Cook confirmed that the company is interested in this development and is already invested with a commitment to augmented reality. Specifically, Cook said that "we're a company in the business of innovation," and "we have over 14,000 AR apps in the App Store" when asked about the metaverse. This response has been the general go-to for the CEO when pressed about AR/VR or other items in that realm. However, Cook added that Apple sees "a lot of potential" in the space and is "investing accordingly." Notably, cook never said the word "metaverse" in his answer. The metave...