Chrome OS 82 tests a Material Theme redesign of the Files app and a revamped Linux terminal with tab support

Chrome OS has evolved a lot over the last several years, and Google is not stopping any time soon with the changes to attract both regular users and developers. In Chrome OS 82, Google is testing two major UI changes to the Files app and the Terminal app. First, the Google Material Theme redesign looks to be finally coming to the oft-forgotten Files application. Second, the Linux terminal is getting a fresh design and some much-needed settings.

Let’s start with the Files app. Google has slowly added features to the default Chrome OS file manager over the years. It’s something you probably use a lot without thinking of it too much. Some of the major changes we’ve covered over the last few years include the ability to make Google Drive folders available for offline use, show Android app files, and add top-level folders other than “Downloads.” In Chrome OS 82, the Files app is getting a full-blown redesign in accordance with Google’s Material Theme design scheme. In summary, the top blue bar has been removed in favor of a more simplified white interface. We see the familiar Material Theme blue highlight in the sidebar and the fonts and icons have all been slightly altered as well. However, the functionality of the app itself hasn’t been changed in any major way. You can see how the design has changed for yourself in the before/after screenshots embedded below, courtesy of ChromeUnboxed.

Next up is the Linux terminal, which is the portal to issue commands to the Linux container in Chrome OS. In Chrome OS 80 and above, that container is Debian 10 “Buster” by default. The Linux terminal has been very barebones from the start, but it’s finally getting a much-needed facelift. The interface in Chrome OS 82 is now tabbed, allowing you to run multiple instances in the same window. It looks much more like a traditional Chrome OS Progressive Web App (PWA) now.

Perhaps even more important is the addition of a three-dot menu icon and Settings page. The new menu gives users the ability to customize the color scheme, change keyboard and mouse behavior, and adjust the way the terminal itself behaves. The keyboard and mouse options include shortcuts such as Ctrl+V to paste and Ctrl+T to open a new tab. Terminal behavior settings include notification bells, encoding, and more. Users will no longer have to know or look up terminal commands to adjust these settings. Here are screenshots of the new Terminal, again courtesy of ChromeUnboxed.

These changes were spotted in Chrome OS 82, which is expected to arrive to the stable channel in May 2020. We’re excited to see Google take the Material Theme further and expand the user-friendliness of the Linux terminal.

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Via 1: Chrome Unboxed | Via 2: Chrome Unboxed

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LG V60 ThinQ kernel source code is now available

The LG V60 ThinQ couldn’t appear at MWC 2020 as the company skipped the event due to COVID-19 fears. Thanks to a number of leaks, we had a pretty clear idea about the flagship much before the slated release. LG finally decided to unveil the V60 ThinQ through an online-only event. The phone features a Dual Screen accessory like the previously launched LG V50 ThinQ and LG G8X ThinQ. The factory-installed UX skin, aka LG UX 9.0, is based on Android 10.

The kernel sources for the LG V60 ThinQ are now available on the company’s open-source code distribution repository. The currently available package is meant for the Korean variant of the phone (LM-V600N) and corresponds to the software build version v10a.

LG V60 ThinQ XDA Forums || LG V60 ThinQ Kernel Sources

Releasing the GNU General Public License (GPL) compliant kernel source within a feasible timeframe is certainly appreciable. In theory, the availability of the kernel source allows aftermarket modders and developers to deep-dive into the code responsible to run the device and fine-tune it for themselves. They can get started on custom recoveries like TWRP, custom kernels, and AOSP-based custom ROMs such as LineageOS, as many users don’t prefer the skin that comes with the LG phones. An unlockable bootloader is, however, another prerequisite for such modding affairs.

LG has a love-hate relationship with the power users, as only a handful of phones manufactured by the company are whitelisted for bootloader unlocking. While the LG V60 ThinQ has yet to cement a place within that domain, we hope that the Korean OEM will soon allow bootloader unlocking for this phone.

The LG V60 ThinQ comes with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage with an additional microSD slot. Apart from supporting 5G connectivity, the phone is also equipped with cutting edge Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 support. In terms of photography, there is a 64MP main sensor, a 13MP wide-angle camera, and a dedicated ToF sensor. You can know more about the device in this hands-on by XDA TV‘s TK Bay.

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Source: LG Open Source Code

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10 Online Training Bundles to Take Your Tech Career to the Next Level

If you want a career that’s in-demand, lucrative, and sure to stick around in the future, you can’t go wrong with tech. But, whether you opted for a non-technical major in school or didn’t go to school at all, you might be lacking the requisite skills to get your foot in the door. We’re here to help. Below, we’ve rounded up 10 training resources that can help you start a career in data, development, cybersecurity, and more of tech’s hottest fields without having to set foot in a classroom.

The 2020 All-in-One Data Scientist Mega Bundle

According to Forbes, data literacy is one of the top skills recruiters are looking for this year. This bundle offers 141 hours of education, with courses on analytics, big data, business intelligence, machine learning, and more. The training is worth $6,000, but it’s now only $39.99.

The 2020 Premium Ethical Hacking Certification Bundle

Through 60 hours of training, this bundle shows you how to find the weaknesses in any system. You learn from instructors with thousands of positive reviews, such as Joe Parys, and the lessons work towards preparing you for vital CompTIA certification exams. Worth $1,600, the bundle is now only $59.99.

The Complete IT for Beginners Bundle

Most well-paid jobs in IT require at least some certification. This Beginners Bundle helps you fly through CompTIA and Microsoft certification exams, with 110 hours of video tutorials on basic IT concepts, cybersecurity, networking, troubleshooting, and more. Normally priced at $999, the training is now $49.99.

The Master CompTIA Training Bundle

A recent survey by Global Knowledge found that CompTIA Security+ and Linux+ are two of the most valuable IT certificates to possess. This bundle prepares you to get both, plus more valuable CompTIA certificates. You get over 200 hours of training in total. Worth $1,188, the training is now $49.99.

The Complete 2020 Microsoft Azure Certification Prep Bundle

Azure is one of the most popular cloud computing solutions, and many companies use it for handling big data. Comprising 10 courses, this bundle helps you master the platform and work towards official Microsoft exams. Order now for $39 to get the training, worth $1,839.99.

The Complete AWS Dev & Ops Certification Training Bundle

Last year, a global survey found that AWS-certified professionals earn $129,868 on average. This bundle helps you join this exclusive club, with nine hours of training on Amazon DevOps. The courses provide full prep for the Engineer Professional exam, and you can get them now for $29.96 (worth $796). 

The Ultimate Guide to Lean Six Sigma Certification Bundle

Combining two different methods, Lean Six Sigma is a popular project management framework used in many industries. This bundle helps you become a certified practitioner, with 50 hours of training delivered by an online school that has 4.5 stars on Indeed. Worth $1,248, the courses are now $49.99.

The Complete 2020 PMP Training Bundle

This bundle provides the ultimate education for any aspiring project manager. You get 150 hours of content in total, including 10 courses that cover PMP, Agile, Scrum, Six Sigma, ITIL, and more. Normally priced at $999, the courses are now $59.99.

The Ultimate Lean Certification Prep Bundle

Covering both Lean and Six Sigma, this bundle helps you master 25 tools through 66 hours of training. You work towards official Lean certification, along with Six Sigma White and Yellow Belts, and the content is provided by a top-rated online school. Worth $1,697, the bundle is now just $69.99.

The Lean Six Sigma Expert Training Bundle

If you want to take your project management skills further, this bundle of four courses can help. The training helps you prep for the Six Sigma Green and Black belt exams, along with Lean certification. It also teaches you how to use Minitab. It’s normally $2,096, but the training is currently $49.

Prices subject to change

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Here’s how Google designed the Soli RADAR gestures on the Pixel 4

Google introduced the revolutionary “Motion Sense” technology on the Google Pixel 4 devices. The feature uses a tiny Soli RADAR chip which detects hand gestures and uses them to interact with the phone even without touching it. The Pixel 4’s Soli motion gestures can be used to change tracks on a long list of music apps, silence calls and alarms, or activate the screen when you’re reaching out for your phone. The RADAR technology was conceptualized by Google’s ATAP team and while we saw initial prototypes as early as in 2014, there is still some uncertainty about how the Motion Sense tech actually works. To elaborate on it, Google has released a detailed blog on the working of Soli gestures.

Pixel 4 XDA Forums || Pixel 4 XL XDA Forums

Unlike typical RADAR systems, Soli detects motion instead of sensing the spatial portioning of a solid object. The Soli RADAR chip, which measures only 5 mm x 6.5 mm x 0.873 mm, emits a 60GHz signal with frequency modulation (FM). When that signal strikes the surface of a hand, it is reflected back to the receiver. The Soli chip detects displacements smaller than a millimeter in the user’s hand based on the reflected signal and determines the gesture of the hand and the velocity of the movement after taking Doppler Effect into account.

An early Soli prototype by Google ATAP

The Soli receiver intricately maps the energy received in the reflected signal and this information is plotted against the object’s velocity, with different indicators to determine whether the object is moving closer to the signal or moving away from it. It can also measure the distance of the object from the sensor. The distance and the velocity of the moving body part or hand can be used to estimate its spatial position in 3D. Google has also optimized the signal chain to improve the signal-to-noise ratio and the chip’s power efficiency.

To effectively tackle the multitude of signal reflections and draw meaningful patterns out of it, Google uses machine learning. These ML algorithms have been trained using TensorFlow by means of “millions of gestures recorded from thousands of Google volunteers.” With the Android 11 developer preview, we also witnessed improvements in Motion Sense’s accuracy on Google Pixel 4, and the same can be expected from future updates.

Early Soli prototype vs the final RADAR chip (rightmost)

Google ATAP worked closely with Google’s Pixel and other hardware design teams to ensure that other signals don’t interfere with Soli’s working. This ensures that signals like audio from the speakers don’t distort or impede on the Pixel 4’s Motion Sense abilities. Not only that, the bigger challenge was to reduce the size of the apparatus so it can fit in the forehead of the Pixel 4 and the 4 XL.

While this is the first noted instance of a RADAR being used on a consumer device, the teams shall endeavor to work on the technology in the future – although there are no promises for support for any device in the future.

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Source: Google AI Blog

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[Update: Rolling Out] Microsoft Your Phone brings RCS and cross-device copy and paste to Windows if you have the Galaxy S20 or Z Flip

Update (3/13/20 @ 9:30 AM ET): Microsoft Your Phone’s cross-device copy and paste and RCS is rolling out to some Samsung phones.

 Microsoft has seemingly held a growing love for the Android platform in recent months, instigating a relationship with Samsung and integrating the company’s Your Phone app into Samsung smartphones. The premise is simple – link your Samsung smartphone to your computer and share notifications, make phone calls, and more between your phone and computer. The app was first launched alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 but later made its way to other devices too. Now there are more exclusive Samsung features for the Galaxy S20 series and the Galaxy Z Flip – cross-device copy and paste, and RCS via Windows.

In the case of cross-device copy and paste as part of the Your Phone app, there’s no word as to whether or not that will always remain a Samsung exclusive, though it’s very likely to be. The support page for cross-device copy-paste is already live and it is available for Samsung Galaxy S20, Samsung Galaxy S20+, Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip devices only. It’s likely to remain a Samsung exclusive for some time, as the clipboard can only be read in Android 10 if the app is the active foreground application.

As for RCS, that technology has had somewhat of a rocky history, though carriers are finally beginning to implement it. Through the Your Phone app on the Galaxy S20 series of smartphones, you’ll be able to send RCS messages from your PC through your phone, with no word on there being an exclusivity time period or not. The feature was announced by Roberto Bojorquez on Twitter, a group program manager at Microsoft. You’ll need to use the default Samsung Messages app though, and there’s no word on whether or not this will also be available for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. You can download the Your Phone app below.

Proud to announce that we have partnered with the Samsung Messages team to bring RCS messaging support to #yourphone app via #linktowindows. Starting with the #galaxys20series you will be able to send and receive RCS texts from PC if your default SMS app is Samsung Messages!

— Roberto Bojorquez [Microsoft] (@bojorchess) February 15, 2020

Via: Windows Latest | Via 1: Android Police | Via 3: Android Police

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Update: Rolling Out

Announced last month, cross-device copy and paste and RCS support is now rolling out to Microsoft Your Phone for some Samsung devices. Copy and paste can be found in the Your Phone app on your PC running Windows 10 April 2018 update or higher. RCS support works if you use Samsung Messages as your default SMS app on your Galaxy S20 series and run the aforementioned Windows version (assuming your carrier supports it).

The latest Your Phone update also allows the phone screen to go black when mirroring to your PC to save battery life. Make sure you’re on the latest Windows 10 Insiders build and Your Phone version with a Galaxy S20 or Galaxy Z Flip to try these features.

Your Phone Companion - Link to Windows (Free, Google Play) →

Source: Microsoft | Via: Android Police

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Motorola Moto Z4 starts receiving official Android 10 update

Long before the rise of the Android One program, Motorola decided to ship a close-to-stock version of Android under the management of Google. After being acquired by Lenovo, the situation deteriorated over the years. No more blazing fast updates from Motorola anymore, along with the fact that the Moto Z lineup does not carry a true and proper flagship anymore. To rub salt on wounds, the Motorola Moto Z4 will reportedly get only one major Android OS version update.

Moto Z4 XDA Forums

A bunch of Motorola phones recently received the Android 10 update over the air, and looks like the Moto Z4 becomes the newest member of that club. The OTA is hitting US retail Moto Z4 units and carrying the version number QPF30.130-15-7. The included security patch level is January 2020. Owners of the phone can now enjoy features like system-wide dark mode and the new gesture-based navigation.

Motorola’s US-specific website does not mention anything about this particular build as of yet. Moreover, we can’t spot any reference of the Android 10 related kernel source code for the Moto Z4 (codename: foles) inside the official repository of Motorola. It could be possible that the current build is part of a soak test conducted by the OEM, while a full-scale rollout may be in the works. On the flip side, the Verizon variant of this phone got the January 2020 patches in the form of Android Pie-based PDFS29.105-74-10 build just last month, thus it might take a few more weeks (or months) for the new firmware to reach to the carrier-specific model.

The fourth-generation Moto Z was initially speculated to be a high-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 device, but it turned out to be a mid-ranger with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 SoC. The phone runs Android Pie out of the box, as well as has the ability to use Verizon’s 5G network via the 5G Moto Mod. Thanks to Motorola’s decision, the official Android 11 based firmware will not land on this otherwise capable device. So users will have to stay content with their Android 10 update.

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Source: /r/MotoZ

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ASUS releases the Android 10 firmware and kernel source code for the ROG Phone II

ASUS took a major step last year and switched to a much cleaner, almost stock user interface. On certain devices such as the gaming beast ASUS ROG Phone II, the company gave owners the option to choose between a heavily skinned ROG UI and an almost stock ZenUI. While the ROG UI comes with distinctive icons and wallpapers well suited for a gaming-centric phone, ZenUI is for those who’d rather obsess over the phone’s performance than its interface. It also allows users to switch between the two themes as per their mood but to enable other customizations, ASUS has been supportive of the independent developer community.

ASUS ROG Phone II XDA Forums
Buy carrier unlocked: $599 on Amazon || ₹37,999 on Flipkart (India only)

Earlier this week, ASUS started rolling out the Android 10 update for the ROG Phone II. With the update, the phone received the Android 10’s native Dark Theme controls, new navigation gestures, latest security update, along with some bug fixes. Swiftly after the update, ASUS has also released the updated ROG Phone II kernel source code based on its Android 10 update.

Android manufacturers using or modifying the AOSP kernel source code are compelled under the GNU General Public License (GPL) to share kernel sources. This sharing allows further modification of the code by other manufacturers or the community to reap the benefits and it helps spur custom development. ASUS has been committed to custom development and sent ROG Phone II units to some reputed developers in the XDA community.

The release of the latest kernel sources means that we should soon see custom resources including custom ROMs, kernels, etc. based on Android 10 for the gaming smartphone. The updated kernel sources can be downloaded from the link below. You can also download the latest firmware ZIP but note that it is only suited for the “WW” variants of the smartphone.

Download Android 10 for the ASUS ROG Phone II
ASUS ROG Phone II Android 10 kernel source code

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ mobile platform and up to 12GB of RAM, and rocking a smooth 120Hz refresh rate AMOLED display, the ASUS ROG Phone II is capable of crushing the competition with its gaming performance. Over that, ASUS also sells a variety of gaming peripherals such as dedicated air cooler, secondary display, desktop docking solution, and much more.

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