Microsoft is shutting down the Cortana app on Android and iOS

The Cortana mobile app for Android and iOS is officially being axed by Microsoft today, March 31, 2021. Originally launched in November 2018, the voice assistant app was removed from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store in January last year. While it was still functional, starting today, Microsoft has confirmed that it will no longer offer support for the app.

As per a support page spotted by 9to5Mac, Microsoft says that reminders and lists will no longer be available to users within the app. however one can still have access to them through Cortana on Windows. Additionally, Cortana reminders, lists, and tasks are automatically synced to the Microsoft To-Do app which is available for both Android and iOS.

As we announced in July, we will soon be ending support for the Cortana app on Android and iOS, as Cortana continues its evolution as a productivity assistant.

As of March 31, 2021, the Cortana content you created–such as reminders and lists–will no longer function in the Cortana mobile app, but can still be accessed through Cortana in Windows. Also, Cortana reminders, lists, and tasks are automatically synced to the Microsoft To Do app, which you can download to your phone for free.  

After March 31, 2021, the Cortana mobile app on your phone will no longer be supported. 

The reason for Microsoft killing the mobile version of the app is due to a change in strategy. Cortana is being integrated within the Microsoft 365 suite of productivity apps and of course, it will continue to serve as the default voice assistant for Windows 10. With the integration of Cortana with Microsoft 365, the company has introduced personalized, actionable briefs in Outlook for Exchange users, and adding Cortana to the Teams mobile app to do things like manage calendars, email, and join meetings. The dedicated mobile app no longer figures into this vision.

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Stable One UI 3.1 update goes live for the Samsung Galaxy M21 in India

Samsung’s One UI 3.1 update train is running at full steam. Over the past weeks, the company has delivered the One UI 3.1-based update to more than a dozen Galaxy devices, including the Galaxy S10 Lite, Galaxy M51, Galaxy A50, Galaxy A70, Galaxy A80, and more. Having delivered the latest version of One UI to most of its premium flagships and mid-range lineup, the company has now turned its attention towards budget-friendly smartphones. Earlier this month we saw Samsung rolling out the stable One UI 3.1 update to the Galaxy M31 and now the Galaxy M21 is getting the same treatment.

Samsung has begun rolling out the stable One UI 3.1 Core update to the Galaxy M21. Several Galaxy M21 owners in India have confirmed receiving the update. The update carries build number M215FXXU2BUC8 and is 964.16MB in size. Besides bumping the One UI version, the software package also includes March 2021 security patches. There’s no change to the underlying Android version as the Galaxy M21 already received Android 11 via One UI 3.0 update back in January.

One UI 3.1 isn’t as massive a jump the way One UI 3.0 was from One UI 2.5. Still, the Galaxy M21 owners can look forward to many useful improvements, including the new Eye comfort shield, updated camera app, new editing tools, and more. To learn more about all the new features and improvements in One UI 3.1, check out our in-depth review.

Galaxy M21 XDA Forums

If you own a Galaxy M21 and reside in India, keep an eye out for the OTA notification. As is usually the case with staged software rollouts, however, it might take several days before the update is rolled out to everyone so don’t worry if you’re not seeing any update notification on your device just yet. You can also manually check for the update by heading to Settings > Software updates. So far, the One UI 3.1 software rollout has only gone live in India, but it’s only a matter of time before we see the new software making its way to other markets.

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Realme GT Neo offers a serious hardware punch at an affordable price

After launching the Realme GT earlier this month, Realme is back again with a new, cheaper model in the lineup. The company has just launched the Realme GT Neo in China. The latest entrant in the company’s GT series offers powerful hardware and unique design at an affordable price point.

Realme GT Neo: Specifications

Specification	Realme GT Neo
Dimensions and Weight	158.5mm x 73.33mm x 8.4mm 179g
Display	6.43-inch Super AMOLED 2400 x 1080 (Full HD+) 120Hz screen refresh rate 360Hz touch sampling rate 100% DCI-P3 wide color gamut coverage
SoC	MediaTek Dimensity 1200: Octa-core (Up to 2.0GHz) 6nm ARM G77 MC9 GPU
RAM and Storage	RAM: 6GB/8GB/12GB Storage: 128GB/256GB
Battery & Charging	4,500 mAh battery 50W fast charging (a 65W charger comes inside the box)
Rear Camera	Primary: 64MP Quad Pixel f/1.79 Secondary: 8MP f/2.3 ultra-wide angle Tertiary: 2MP f/2.4 macro
Front Camera	16MP f/2.5
Ports	USB Type-C port 3.5mm headphone jack
Connectivity	5G NFC Bluetooth 5.1 Wi-Fi 6 Type-C port WiFi 802.11.b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz) Dual-band GPS
Others	In-display fingerprint scanner Dual speakers Dolby Panorama sound effects Hi-Res Audio certification
Software	Realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11

The Realme GT Neo sports a 6.43-inch Super AMOLED panel with a 120Hz screen refresh rate and 360Hz touch sampling rate. The phone is powered by MediaTek’s top-tier Dimensity 1200 SoC, paired with either 6GB / 8GB / 12GB RAM and 64GB/128GB UFS 3.1 flash storage. In the camera department, we have a 64MP primary shooter, an 8MP ultra-wide shooter, a 2MP macro lens, and a 16MP front camera.

The 4,500mAh battery of the Realme GT Neo is the same as its Snapdragon 888-powered sibling with support for 50W fast charging (although the company ships a 65W charger inside the box).

Similar to the standard Realme GT, the Neo model also aims to offer a superior gaming performance and comes with stainless steel and copper sheets to keep the thermals in check.

The rest of the highlights include 5G support, NFC, WiFi 6, stereo speakers, dual-band GPS, a 3.5mm audio jack, dual SIM support, and Realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11.

Pricing & Availability

The Realme GT Neo will go on sale in China starting April  7 at a starting price of CNY 1,799 (~$274) for the base model. Meanwhile, the 8GB + 128GB and 12GB + 256GB models are priced CNY 1,899 (~$290) and CNY 2,399 (~$366), respectively. There’s no official word on when, if ever, the phone will make its way to global markets.

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Samsung rolls out April 2021 security patches to the Galaxy A52, Galaxy S20 FE, Galaxy S10, and Galaxy Tab S6

Samsung recently pushed out the April 2021 security patches to the Galaxy S21, Galazy Z Fold 2, and the Galaxy Note 10 in some regions. The 4G variant of the Galaxy A51 has also received a similar bump on the Android security patch level (SPL) through its One UI 3.1 update. Such an early security patch release is possible because of the fact that Google notifies Android Partners about the Android framework and Linux kernel issues listed in a particular Android Security Bulletin (ASB) at least 30 days before the public release. Now, four more devices from the Korean OEM’s portfolio – the Galaxy A52, the Galaxy S20 FE, Galaxy S10, and the Galaxy Tab S6 – have picked up new updates with the April 2021 patchset.

Galaxy A52

As reported by SamMobile, the April 2021 security update for the Galaxy A52 4G (model number SM-A525F) with the firmware version A525FXXU1AUC5 is now rolling out in several European countries. Judging from the version number, the new build brings a handful of feature improvements alongside the obvious bump in the Android security patch level.

Samsung Galaxy A52 4G XDA Forums || Samsung Galaxy A52 5G XDA Forums

Samsung Galaxy A52 4G

The Galaxy A52 4G is the latest mid-ranger from Samsung, which packs features like a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, the Snapdragon 720G SoC, a 64MP quad camera setup, IP67 water and dust resistance, and more, in an easy-to-handle polycarbonate body.

Buy from Samsung France

Samsung Galaxy A52 5G

The Galaxy A52 5G is the latest mid-ranger from Samsung, bringing along features like a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, the Snapdragon 750G SoC, a 64MP quad camera setup, IP67 water and dust resistance, and more, in an easy-to-handle polycarbonate body.

Buy from Samsung UK

Galaxy S20 FE

Just like the Galaxy A52, the 4G variant of the Galaxy S20 FE (model number SM-780F) is also receiving the April 2021 security patch update. The new build is tagged as G780FXXS2CUC8 and it is currently available across Europe.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE XDA Forums

Galaxy S10

Last but not least, the April 2021 security update is rolling out for the Exynos-powered Galaxy S10 lineup (model number SM-G97xF) in the form of firmware version G97xxXXU9FUCD. This particular build has gone live in several regions, including countries in Europe and Asia.

XDA Forums: Galaxy S10e || Galaxy S10 || Galaxy S10 Plus

Galaxy Tab S6

Just a few weeks ago, the Galaxy Tab S6 received its Android 11 update with One UI 3.1. The LTE variant of the tablet (model number SM-T865) is now getting the April 2021 patches in the DBT region, which is Samsung’s code name for Germany.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 XDA Forums

As always, the updates are 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 no stranger to manual flashing, you can just skip the waiting queue and download the firmware package directly from the company’s update server using tools like Samsung Firmware Downloader. There is just one caveat: You need a PC to flash the downloaded firmware on your phone.

At the time of writing this article, Samsung’s Mobile Security portal has not been updated with the details of the April 2021 security bulletin.

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Sony Bravia X80J and Bravia XR A90J are the first TVs with Google TV that you can buy right away

With the launch of the new Chromecast last year, Google introduced a special version of Android TV called Google TV. Google had stressed that it is a custom UX solution that would focus on content discovery and content aggregation that is built on top of Android TV, kind of like an alternative to PatchWall and OxygenPlay. To date, Google TV was only available with the latest Chromecast device, but it is finally expanding to television sets. As promised, Sony’s new Bravia series with Google TV are now available for purchase in the US.

The new Sony Bravia X80J comes at a starting price of $749 for the 43-inch model and goes to $1699 for the 75-inch model (via 9to5Google). There is also the high-end Bravia A90J series that comes with an OLED panel available in 55-inch, 65-inch, and 83-inch models. Pricing for these starts at $2,999 although Sony hasn’t confirmed how much the 83-inch model would cost.

The Bravia X80J series features standard LCD panels with 4K resolution, with support for HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision. They feature Sony’s 4K HDR Processor X1 along with 4K X-Reality PRO clarity enhancement. These TVs come with a standard 60Hz refresh rate and for audio, there are two 10W speakers with support for Dolby Audio and Dolby Atmos.

The Bravia A90J series on the other hand comes with OLED panels which means you can expect better contrast and punchier colors. Alongside all the enhancements available on the X80J, the A90J supports a 120Hz refresh rate along with HDMI 2.1, making it the perfect companion for the Sony PlayStation 5 or the Xbox Series X|S. This series also offers better audio thanks to the dual actuators and subwoofers.

Only limited models under the Bravia X80J and Bravia A90J are currently available for purchase online via Best Buy. But we are expecting more models to arrive soon. Orders are expected to start shipping as soon as April 1.

Sony Bravia X80J

The new Sony Bravia X80J series comes with a 4K LCD panel and runs on the new Google TV platform.

Buy at Best Buy

Sony Bravia A90J

The Sony Bravia X80J series features a 120Hz OLED panel and comes with the latest Google TV platform.

Buy at Best Buy

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Twitter for Android is starting to let some users host their own Spaces

Twitter’s Clubhouse equivalent feature, Spaces, has been in development for a while now. Twitter began testing the feature publicly back in December with a select test group on iOS. The company then expanded the availability of the feature to Android users earlier this month, with the feature first going live for Twitter beta users. At the time, the feature was a little rough around the edges and didn’t offer a fully working experience similar to iOS. For example, Android users could join Spaces created by other users but didn’t have the option to create their own. But looks like the company is now allowing some users on Android to create their own Space.

As spotted by several users, Twitter has begun rolling out the ability to host Spaces on Android, bringing the experience finally in parity with its iOS counterpart.

Finally you can host a Space on @android @TwitterSpaces @IAMSHE6 @sergeyszest @Palolis_R @GreenShades9 @LBPHeretic @joeysquares @oihamza pic.twitter.com/S2SCZxJLmF

— Hani Mohamed Bioud (@HANI_4k) March 31, 2021

When clicking on the FAB button at the bottom right corner, users will now see a new “Spaces” option right above “Gif” and “Photos”. When you tap on it, you’ll see a small window with a blue “Start your space” button at the bottom. Clicking on the blue button will create a public space that anyone can join it. You can also turn on or off your microphone, enable captions, turn on sound effects, react using emoji and invite other people via DM or a shareable link.

The full-fledged Spaces experience with the ability to create your own space is rolling widely on Android. It was available for me on the latest stable version of Twitter, v8.87.0-release.01 to be precise.

Popularized by Clubhouse, the drop-in audio chats feature has quickly become the hottest trend among social media companies. Apart from Twitter, Facebook, Telegram, Slack, Spotify, and Linkedin are also working on their own take on Clubhouse-style audio room features.

Twitter (Free, Google Play) →

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NVIDIA Resizable BAR rolls-out for all RTX 30-series GPUs, and here’s how to enable it on your own

During the launch of the new GeForce RTX 30-series desktop graphics cards, NVIDIA had announced that it will be introducing Resizable BAR, a PCIe-based technology that would allow users with a compatible motherboard to enable all of the GPU memory to be accessed by the CPU at once. Similar to AMD’s Smart Access Memory, this meant faster transfer of data, including textures, shaders, and geometry, thereby providing gains of about 10-20% while gaming.

The tech was initially enabled in February 2021 when NVIDIA started shipping the GeForce RTX 3060, its most affordable option in the series. Now the company has officially enabled support for all of the RTX 30-series that includes the RTX 3090, RTX 3080, RTX 3070, and the RTX 3060 Ti. Apart from a supported motherboard, NVIDIA has also shared a list of CPUs that will support Resizable BAR, so unless you have the right combination of GPU, CPU, and motherboard, you cannot take advantage of this technology.

Additionally, only a handful of games can make use of Resizable BAR, these include:

• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
• Battlefield V
• Borderlands 3
• Control
• Cyberpunk 2077
• Death Stranding
• DIRT 5
• F1 2020
• Forza Horizon 4
• Gears 5
• Godfall
• Hitman 2
• Hitman 3
• Horizon Zero Dawn
• Metro Exodus
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Watch Dogs Legion

How to enable Resizable BAR on your PC?

1. As mentioned, you first need to check whether you have a compatible CPU and motherboard chipset combination. Here are all the supported ones shared by NVIDIA:
   1. Motherboards:
      1. AMD 400 Series
      2. AMD 500 Series
      3. Intel Z490
      4. Intel H470
      5. Intel B460
      6. Intel H410
      7. All motherboards that support 11th-gen Intel processors
   2. CPUs:
      1. AMD Ryzen 3 5xxx
      2. AMD Ryzen 5 5xxx
      3. AMD Ryzen 7 5xxx
      4. AMD Ryzen 9 5xxx
      5. Intel Core i9-10xxx
      6. Intel Core i7-10xxx
      7. Intel Core i5-10xxx
      8. Intel Core i3-10xxx
      9. Intel Core i9-11xxx
      10. Intel Core i7-11xxx
      11. Intel Core i5-11xxx
2. Next, make sure that you have updated to the latest motherboard BIOS, if required, by installing an update from the manufacturer. Then head to the BIOS interface and enable Resizable BAR support.
3. Update to the latest GeForce Game Ready Driver (version 465.89 WHQL or above).
4. If you own a GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, 3070, 3080, or 3090, then you may require an updated VBIOS. Owners of the Founders Edition graphics card can update using NVIDIA’s tool directly from their website.
5. If you own a custom partner card, firmware updates for each graphics card can be downloaded by heading to the particular manufacturer’s website.
   1. ASUS: Select GeForce RTX 30 Series –> Model –> Support –> Driver & Utility
   2. COLORFUL
   3. EVGA
   4. Gainward: Select GPU –> Tool
   5. Galax
   6. GIGABYTE
   7. INNO3D
   8. MSI: Select GPU –> Support –> Utility –> choose MSI Dragon Center or MSI Live Update
   9. Palit: Select GPU –> Tool
   10. PNY
   11. Zotac

To verify if Resizable BAR is enabled, open the NVIDIA Control Panel. On the bottom left of the NVIDIA Control Panel, click “System Information”, and in the new window look for “Resizable BAR” on the right. If it says “Yes”, you’re good to go.

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