OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7T series get OxygenOS Open Beta 19/9 with October 2020 patches and front camera flashback fix

OnePlus is back again with a new Open Beta version of OxygenOS for both the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7T series, specifically Open Beta 19 for the OnePlus 7/7 Pro and Open Beta 9 for the OnePlus 7T/7T Pro. The last stable channel update for these phones rolled out a few days ago, featuring September 2020 security patches and a few other changes. The newest beta builds, on the other hand, finally brings in the October 2020 security patch.

XDA Forums: OnePlus 7 ||| OnePlus 7 Pro ||| OnePlus 7T ||| OnePlus 7T Pro

There really isn’t much else to report with this update, other than a fix related to the front camera. You can read the full changelog below:

• System
  • Improved system stability and fixed general issues
  • Updated Android Security Patch to 2020.10
• Camera
  • Fixed the flashback issue when switched to the front camera in particular cases

While the new beta is still based on Android 10, those looking for the Android 11 update for the OnePlus 7 and 7T series won’t have to wait much longer. The Chinese variants of these smartphones have recently picked up a new set of HydrogenOS beta builds with a similar changelog, which are apparently the final Android 10-based updates on the beta channel. According to the release note, the first public beta version based on Android 11 for the 7/7T lineup will be launched by the end of the year. The declaration is indeed in line with the previous claim made by the company.

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Download Links – OxygenOS Open Beta 19 (OnePlus 7 series), Open Beta 9 (OnePlus 7T series)

OnePlus 7 – Open Beta 19

• Global:
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental OTA from Beta 18

OnePlus 7 Pro – Open Beta 19

• Global:
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental OTA from Beta 18

OnePlus 7T – Open Beta 9

•  Global:
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental OTA from Beta 8
• India:
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental OTA from Beta 8

OnePlus 7T Pro – Open Beta 9

•  Global:
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental OTA from Beta 8
• India:
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental OTA from Beta 8

Thanks to XDA Senior Member Some_Random_Username for the download links!

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Microsoft reportedly plans a big UI overhaul for Windows 10 next year

Microsoft is allegedly planning a major visual overhaul for Windows 10 next year. The UI refresh project, known internally as ‘Sun Valley’, has been rumored for the last couple of years. Screenshots of an improved Microsoft Groove (which ages it!) leaked some time ago but amounted to nothing. Now it looks like Microsoft has Q4 2021 in its sights for an update which will form part of the wider Windows 10 ‘Cobalt’ build (21H2).

According to Windows Central, we should expect to see a change in the Start Menu (which only just got updated), Action Centre, Taskbar, and a reskinned UI for File Explorer. Since the tiled revolution in Windows 8, there haven’t been any massive changes to the look and feel of Windows, so it’s certainly overdue for what one source describes as “reinvigorating”. Expect to see more use of the WinUI throughout the Windows Shell and bundled apps, which should see the end of those last few jarring moments where the switch between UWP and Win32 is less than seamless. The challenge for the team will be finding how to successfully apply Fluent Design to the creaky old Windows desktop, parts of which still look almost identical to how they did 30 years ago.

Given Microsoft’s track record for inflicting change on users who aren’t ready or aren’t interested, it’s refreshing to hear that Sun Valley may be, to some degree, completely optional, with a toggle back to the current UI on the cards, where possible. Of course, with any project, let alone one as big as this, timings can slip, and we may not see Sun Valley until 2022, but Microsoft is apparently keen to get it out next year if it all possible. In the old days, we’d have been using Windows 11 by now, so it’s not surprising that Windows 10 is overdue a new lick of paint.

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The LG K92 launches in the U.S. as a cheap 5G phone for $359

LG has joined the gold rush of affordable 5G phones with the LG K92 5G, which the Korean brand says is “designed to bring the benefits of 5G to a larger audience.” With a form of 5G now active in most major U.S. cities, the next stage will be persuading buyers to adopt it, which is where phones like the new K92 come in.

 

Boasting a four-lens camera array firing at 64MP, backed up with a 16MP camera on the front underneath the hole-punch cutout, there’s little compromise on the photo credentials, and given that the whole thing is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 chipset, it should be no slouch at processing either, especially given the 6GB of RAM on-board.

The near-bezel-less screen measures a whopping 6.7-inches, so it’s good to know it’s an FHD+ panel, not to mention it has stereo speakers with ‘3D’ sound. Power comes with a 4000mAh battery which can be recharged via a Qualcomm QuickCharge 4 adapter. 5G can be a massive battery drain, so we’ll be curious to see if this can add stamina to its list of qualities.

There’s 128GB storage, expandable up to 2TB with microSD, WiFi 5 support (but not 6), NFC, Bluetooth 5.1, and a fingerprint sensor on the side, while the two-tone Titan Grey shell back lends the device an individual, quirky air.

Of course, there are a few compromises—no wireless charging, and no Android 11 at launch, for example, but it’s an impressive offering for as little as $359, depending on your carrier. That means the LG K92 5G is competing against other budget 5G offerings, such as the OnePlus Nord N10 5G (U.S. pricing not announced yet), the Pixel 4a 5G ($499), and the TCL 10 5G UW ($399).

The LG K92 5G will be available in the U.S. from AT&T, Cricket Wireless, and US Cellular, with pricing and availability to be announced on a carrier-by-carrier basis, but some are already taking pre-orders with a November 6th release date. Whether that applies across the board, time will tell.

Specification	LG K92 5G
Build	Plastic
Dimensions & Weight	6.55″ x 3.04″ x 0.33″ 7.14oz
Display	6.7-inch hole-punch 2400 x 1080 resolution
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 690
RAM & Storage	6GB RAM 128GB storage Expandable storage up to 2TB via microSD
Battery & Charging	4000mAh Qualcomm Quick Charge 4.0
Security	Fingerprint Sensor, side-mounted
Rear Camera(s)	64MP (main) 5MP (ultra wide) 2MP (depth) 2MP (macro)
Front Camera(s)	16MP
Port(s)	USB-C 3.5mm audio jack
Audio	Stereo Speakers with LG 3D Sound Engine
Connectivity	5G (Sub-6GHz) NFC WiFi 5 Bluetooth 5.1
Software	Android 10 with LG UI overlay

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Google App preps “Assistant Memory” and At A Glance media recommendations

It looks like Google is preparing to introduce new features to its Google App, with new strings pointing to an “Assistant Memory” feature and media recommendations in the At A Glance widget.

An APK teardown can often predict features that may arrive in a future update of an application, but it is possible that any of the features we mention here may not make it in a future release. This is because these features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by the developers in a future build.

The new strings were discovered in Google App 11.34.7.29. First up is an “Assistant Memory” feature, which the strings describe as an easy way to save and find your stuff. It’s a little unclear how it’ll work, but it sounds like you’ll be able to save notes and reminders here alongside an image to help jog your memory. Speaking of memory, this feature may be related to a “Memory Aid Locker” feature that’s been in the works for some time now. When strings for that feature first appeared in the Google App, we weren’t really sure what it was for. It’s possible that Google tabled the feature and is now finally returning to it, or they started from scratch on a new feature.

<string name="opa_memory_card_attach_photo_promotion_subtitle">"If you want to delete the screen capture and replace it with a photo, tap the little 'X' button."</string>
<string name="opa_memory_card_attach_photo_promotion_title">Did you know you can attach photos?</string>
<string name="opa_memory_card_first_use_promotion_subtitle">"Add a note or reminder below, or tap the 'Open Memory' button to learn more."</string>
<string name="opa_memory_card_first_use_promotion_title">Assistant Memory is an easy way to save and find your stuff!</string>

Whatever the case may be, Assistant Memory looks to join one of the many note-taking and reminder features that Google offers, from the dedicated Google Keep app to the reminders/lists that Google Assistant already lets you create.

Strings for another new feature relate to media recommendations in the At A Glance widget. According to the new strings, the widget may surface media recommendations based on context, like when you connect headphones to your device. So, let’s say you often connect your headphones, launch your preferred music service, and play a workout playlist. The At A Glance widget could seemingly learn this behavior and make a recommendation to launch your most frequently used media player as soon as your headphones are connected.

<string name="smartspace_media_recommendation_summary">Media suggestions when headphones connected</string>
<string name="smartspace_media_recommendation_title">Media suggestions</string>

It’s unclear when/if these features will go live for users of the Google App. It could take days, weeks, or even months. We’ll try and activate these features to show them off, but in the meanwhile, we’ll keep an eye out for their official rollout.

Google (Free, Google Play) →

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Get the WD easystore 5TB external HHD for just $90 and back up everything

It’s always a good idea to have your data backed up somewhere physically. Cloud services are wonderful, but if the service of your choice goes down or starts charging a subscription that you don’t want to pay, all of that data is gone. It’s no different than if your internal HHD or SSD was to burn out! With this Best Buy Black Friday Ad item, you can protect all of your data for just $90.

And I mean everything, too – this is the WD easystore 5TB external hard drive. 5 terabytes of space is a LOT of room for your files and data. My desktop only has about 600GB used up, and most of that consists of game downloads that I don’t necessarily need to save. For me, I can easily back up everything on my computer, laptop, and any other device I could think of, with plenty of room to spare.

But if you’re the type to collect lossless music or 4K movies digitally, though, you know that you can fill up space fast. The WD easystore 5TB hard drive is the perfect way to store those types of collections, giving you peace of mind with WD quality and freeing up a lot of space on your computer so you can do more than just store the latest Dolby Digital, 4K Marvel movie. You can save a bunch of them!

You might think 5TB of storage space is too much room, even. But, when an external HDD like this is on sale, there’s no reason not to get it. Right now, at Best Buy, the 4TB model is $95. Why pay $5 more for less space?

WD easystore 5TB External Hard Drive

Save big on a really big external hard drive! The WD easy store 5TB hard drive is just $90, and you can backup all of your files, from all of your devices. This much storage from a trusted company for less than $100? You really can't beat that price.

$90 at Best Buy

This deal is a part of Best Buy’s Black Friday Ad sale, which lasts until Sunday. But, they warn that these items can sell out, so don’t delay on picking this hard drive up – if you wait too long, you may be out of luck!

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Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 update adds voice guidance when exercising

Samsung has started rolling out a firmware update for the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 which adds voice guidance when you’re exercising. The update, spotted by one of our forum members, Galaxea, is version R820XXU1CTJ5 or R82O0XA1CTJ5 depending on what variant you have.

The new firmware, clocking in at 61.39MB, sticks with Tizen version 5.5.0.1, but adds voice guidance to exercise routines through a headset, even if that headset is connected to your phone handset and not directly to the watch. The addition will be a boost to runners, for example, who can now get information on how they are doing without having to touch their watch or phone, leaving them to stay “in the zone”. In addition, there’s a new option to get a voice prompt about cumulative data and your heart rate at the start of each lap.

Adding this feature reflects well on Samsung’s commitment to improving feature sets for its watches without a paid premium tier for end users. The voice coaching feature was baked into the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 but has been backported to the Active 2, as the company promised earlier in the year.

The only other notable change is for users of the Always On Display (AOD). Samsung has removed the second-hand sweep from the AOD, presumably in order to conserve battery life by a factor of 60. This could lure back some users who have turned off AOD in the past to save the constant battle to stay charged.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Forums

Other than that, it’s the usual “Improved system stability and reliability” – which is a nice way of saying “bug fixes”, but as it’s the second major update in as many months, there’s still much to smile about for owners.

Credits: XDA Senior Member Galaxea

At present, the update is only available in South Korea, and only for the Bluetooth variant, but other territories and the LTE version are seemingly incoming, too. Just keep checking the update screen on your device.

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Samsung rolls out the November 2020 security update to the Galaxy Z Fold 2

Besides Google’s generic Android Security Bulletin (ASB), Samsung also maintains a separate bulletin for assessing the impact of any actual or potential security vulnerability in the context of their ecosystem. A quick look at Samsung’s Mobile Security portal reveals all the disclosed security vulnerabilities affecting closed-source vendor components, the underlying Linux kernel in Android, and various OS frameworks that have been fixed by the company till date. At the time of writing this article, the latest monthly security patch level (SPL) is still listed as October 2020 on both Google’s and Samsung’s bulletin, but the Korean OEM has already started rolling out the November 2020 security patchset to the Galaxy Z Fold 2 in some regions.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 XDA Forums

The version number of the new build is F916BXXU1BTJB, which is meant for the global variant of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 (model number SM-F916B). The size of the incremental update package is about 350MB, and the FOTA is currently available across a number of European countries, including but not limited to Germany and the Nordic region.

Credit to XDA Senior Member henklbr for the screenshot!

Other than bumping the Android Security Patch Level, the new build also updates the stock camera app of the Galaxy Z Fold 2. The bootloader version remains unchanged, though. As a result, users can theoretically perform a downgrade and revert back to older builds even after installing this update. We would still advise caution before doing so.

As always, the OTA update is rolling out in batches. You might have to wait a couple of days before the update notification pops up on your device. However, if you are accustomed with manual flashing, you can skip the queue and use tools like Frija or Samloader to download the appropriate firmware for your device variant directly from Samsung update server.

Samsung continues to impressively roll out security updates in a fairly quick manner, often before Google. For more information about monthly security patches, be sure to read our overview of how the monthly patch process works.

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