Developers bring Android 10 and Project Treble to the HTC U11

HTC’s smartphone division might not be dead after all, but the whole software update situation around existing HTC phones is a big mess. The Taiwanese phone manufacturer is having a hard time delivering the Android 10 update to its phones, with the HTC U11 Life being an exception due to its Android One branding. The regular variant of the HTC U11, for example, is stuck with Android Pie. Thankfully, owners of this phone now have an opportunity to get the taste of Android 10. Courtesy of XDA’s brilliant development community, the HTC U11 can not only boot LineageOS 17.1, but the device has also become compliant with Project Treble.

HTC U11 XDA Forums

XDA Senior Member Golv, along with XDA Recognized Developer tomascus and XDA Recognized Developer Flinny, are currently maintaining the unofficial build of LineageOS 17.1 for the HTC U11. The ROM has SELinux in permissive mode and VOIP calling experience might be finicky, but otherwise, it’s quite stable to be a daily driver. Those running stock HTC Sense firmware have to format the data partition (which will delete the contents of the internal storage) before flashing this ROM, so do perform a complete backup.

Download unofficial LineageOS 17.1 for the HTC U11

The Snapdragon 835-powered HTC U11 was originally released with Android 7.1 Nougat on board, thus the phone is officially not compatible with Project Treble. In a mission to “Trebelize” it, XDA Recognized Developer mikalovtch and several other developers from Team Venom have decided to create a dedicated vendor partition for proper Project Treble & Generic System Image (GSI) support by altering the stock partition table. This mod essentially extends the lifetime of this phone, as future versions of Android can theoretically be ported to the smartphone with minimum effort.

Project Treble for the HTC U11 — XDA Download and Discussion Thread

Please keep in mind that repartitioning your device will wipe EVERYTHING, thus be prepared with adequate backups. Users are also advised to download the model-specific RUU package beforehand, in case you need to restore the old partition layout. Be advised that these mods are not for the average user and are recommended for experienced users only.

The post Developers bring Android 10 and Project Treble to the HTC U11 appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/3dtxL7z
via IFTTT

Lenovo’s P-series ThinkPads and ThinkStation PCs are getting Linux options

Earlier this year in January, Dell unveiled the 2020 refresh for its XPS series of laptops. As part of the lineup, Dell released the XPS 13 2020 with 10th Gen Intel Ice Lake chips. Along with the regular Windows-based variants of the notebook, Dell also released a Ubuntu-based Developer Edition of the XPS 13 2020 featuring Ubuntu 18.04LTS. Up until now, Dell was one of the only major PC OEMs to officially offer Linux distribution options for its notebooks. However, Lenovo will soon be joining Dell by offering Linux-based versions of its P-series ThinkPad notebooks and ThinkStation PCs.

In a recent press release, Rob Herman, General Manager, Executive Director Workstation and Client AI Group at Lenovo, has revealed that the company is moving to certify its entire workstation portfolio for top Linux distributions from Ubuntu and Red Hat. As part of the move, the company’s portfolio of ThinkStation PCs and ThinkPad P-series notebooks will be certified by both Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Ubuntu LTS, enabling end-to-end support for enterprise users. This will include regular security patches and updates to keep the systems secure, verified hardware drivers, along with firmware and BIOS optimizations. On top of that, the company will also upstream device drivers directly to the Linux kernel to ensure stability and compatibility throughout the system’s lifetime.

In the Red Hat ecosystem, Lenovo has also partnered with the Fedora project to offer a pilot program with a preloaded Fedora image on the ThinkPad P53 and P1 Gen 2 systems. By certifying its entire workstation portfolio, Lenovo aims to prioritize the needs of specialized end-users and provide the best possible out-of-the-box Linux experience. The certified portfolio of workstations will also be fully customizable and configured-to-order, based on the needs of the end-user. Additionally, Lenovo will be providing complete web support, dedicated Linux forums, configuration guidance, and more to prospective buyers. The new Linux-based workstation lineup will roll out over the summer, starting with the ThinkPad P-series notebooks this month.

---

Source: Lenovo StoryHub

The post Lenovo’s P-series ThinkPads and ThinkStation PCs are getting Linux options appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/3cvGPaq
via IFTTT

Google removes “Remove China Apps” from the Play Store, likely for violating policy on deceptive behavior

The anti-China sentiment in India has seen a steep rise in the last few weeks due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the India-China border stand-off. As a result, several call-to-action messages urging users to boycott Chinese products and uninstall Chinese apps have been circulating on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Capitalizing on the prevailing sentiment, Jaipur-based OneTouch AppLabs released an app called “Remove China Apps” on the Google Play Store on May 17th.

As its name suggests, the app is designed to help users uninstall apps from Chinese developers, which includes popular names like TikTok, ShareIt, CamScanner, and more. The app quickly rose to popularity soon after its release, reaching over one million downloads in less than two weeks and securing the second spot in the Google Play Store’s list of top free apps in India. However, the app’s popularity was quite shortlived as it has now been removed from the Play Store for allegedly violating the platform’s policy on deceptive behavior.

According to a recent report from Reuters, a Google spokesperson has confirmed that the “Remove China App” has been removed from the Play Store as it violated the app store’s policies. While the company itself hasn’t revealed exactly which policies were being violated by the app, a person familiar with the matter claims that the app violated policies that mislead users into removing or disabling third-party apps or modifying device settings or features.

As a report from TechCrunch points out, the app was likely violating the Play Store’s Deceptive Behavior Policy. This policy states that the Play Store doesn’t allow “Apps that encourage or incentivize users into removing or disabling third-party apps or modifying device settings or features unless it is part of a verifiable security service.” Since the app was just riding on the anti-China sentiment and wasn’t a part of a verifiable security service, Google ended up taking it down from the Play Store. The app was very likely matching the list of installed apps on the phone against a repository of popular apps with Chinese origin — unsurprisingly, the app failed to identify less popular apps, indicating that there was no real effort put into even towards its core purpose.

“Remove China App” developer OneTouch AppLabs has released a statement regarding the takedown on its website, thanking users for their support. The company hasn’t shed any light on the reason behind the takedown and did not respond to Reuters’ request for a comment on the matter.

---

Sources: Reuters, TechCrunch

The post Google removes “Remove China Apps” from the Play Store, likely for violating policy on deceptive behavior appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/3ctbrJK
via IFTTT

Vivo X50, X50 Pro, and X50 Pro+ forums are now open

Vivo recently unveiled its latest flagship series, Vivo X50, in China. Succeeding the Vivo X30 and X30 Pro that launched in December last year, the new X50 series brings many notable updates to the table, ranging from a new gimbal camera system to higher refresh display panels.

We have opened XDA Forums for all three devices to let users discourse, share their experience, and engage in custom development activities.

Vivo X50

The base Vivo X50 offers a 6.56-inch AMOLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate, a big step up from the 60Hz panel of the X30. Where Vivo settled for Samsung’s Exynos 980 SoC on the X30 series, the X50 has gone back to Qualcomm, featuring the Snapdragon 765G chipset coupled with Adreno 620 GPU, 8GB LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB storage. On the camera front, the phone has a 48MP Sony IMX598 primary shooter, 13MP portrait camera, 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and 5MP macro lens.

Vivo X50 XDA Forums

Vivo X50 Pro

The Vivo X50 Pro is perhaps the most interesting of the bunch. The main highlight of the device is the gimbal camera system, which promises improved stabilization and an 8MP periscope lens that offers up to 60x hybrid zoom. The X50 Pro features the same 6.56-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, but it has a curved panel as opposed to the flat one on the standard variant. Just like the base model, the X50 Pro is also powered by the Snapdragon 765G SoC.

Vivo X50 XDA Forums

Vivo X50 Pro+

Finally, the Vivo X50 Pro+ is the real flagship and packs top of the line specifications. It features a curved AMOLED display, which is the same size as the base and Pro models but offers a higher 120Hz screen refresh rate. The phone is powered by the cutting edge Snapdragon 865 SoC and packs up to 12GB RAM and 256GB of storage. It also offers a faster 44W charging solution compared to 33W fast charging on the X50 and X50 Pro.

Vivo X50 Pro+ XDA Forums

The post Vivo X50, X50 Pro, and X50 Pro+ forums are now open appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/2U6nuX9
via IFTTT

Facebook launches a tool to let you easily hide old embarrassing posts

Most of us have probably had our Facebook accounts for several years. It’s probably the place where some of us, counting myself as well, have spent our teenage years. But most importantly, though, we have all changed radically since we first opened our account. And everything we posted back then might seem highly embarrassing by now. The “memories” feature of Facebook has only made this worse: while it can bring back nice memories of your past, it also reminds you of the existence of these embarrassing posts. You’re able to delete them but it’s a chore. Facebook wants to make it easier, though.

A new tool called “Manage Activity” can help you manage these old, embarrassing posts more quickly and more efficiently. It introduces both an “Archive” feature that helps you hide, but not completely delete, these posts (exactly like the Archive feature on Instagram), and a “Trash” feature which allows you to throw posts to the “trash”: they will stay there for 30 days and if you don’t want to bring them back in that timeframe, they will be completely deleted. You can also manage these posts in bulk and filter them by date, or posts with specific people, so that you don’t have to look through all your 2010 posts and delete them one by one.

This feature is not rolling out yet, but according to Facebook, it will be rolling out first to mobile devices, and it will become available on the web version in the future. It is even making its way to Facebook Lite, Facebook’s lightweight app, as well in the long run. Facebook also says that they will continue building new functionality into the feature so that you can manage your personal identity online a little better.

If you’re interested in editing your profile so it accurately reflects who you are today, this might be the tool for you.

The post Facebook launches a tool to let you easily hide old embarrassing posts appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/36XgFfM
via IFTTT

OnePlus TV update improves Netflix connectivity and adds support for third party AirPlay service apps

At the OnePlus 7T (review) launch event late last year, the company officially unveiled its first Android-powered QLED 4K smart TV lineup. In our review, we found the new OnePlus TV to be a great premium offering in the Android TV space, however, it lacked a couple of software features that were available in TVs from other manufacturers. Soon after the launch, OnePlus rolled out a couple of updates for the TVs with new lighting effects for the soundbar and official Netflix support, along with a new remote with a dedicated Netflix button.

Earlier this year in February, the company rolled out another major update for the TVs which added Spotify, MX Player, Voot, and other content integrations to the software. Now, according to a recent post on the OnePlus forums, the company has started rolling out OnePlus TV OTA4, which brings improvements to Netflix connectivity and adds support for third-party AirPlay service apps.

Here’s the complete changelog for the latest OnePlus TV OTA update:

• Match the setting value of Color Space, Brightness and MEMC with actual display effect more accurately.
• Enhanced Ultra Smooth effect to make it more obvious in display.
• Corrected the version rollback issues of certain downloaded apps after OTA upgrade.
• Improved the experience around Netflix server connectivity.
• Fixed the MX Player installation error.
• Added support for third party AirPlay service apps.

Much like previous OTA updates for the OnePlus TV, the latest update is being rolled out in an incremental fashion and will only reach a small percentage of users initially. The OTA update should be available for all users over the next few days after OnePlus confirms that there aren’t any major bugs in the update. In case you don’t wish to wait for the broader rollout or want to help OnePlus test the latest release, you can share your TV’s serial number with Catherine W. from the OnePlus TV team to receive an early version of the OTA.

---

Source: OnePlus forums

The post OnePlus TV update improves Netflix connectivity and adds support for third party AirPlay service apps appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/36Y7JXj
via IFTTT

Download: Xiaomi rolls out MIUI 12 beta stable update to the Mi 9, Redmi K20/Mi 9T, and Redmi K20 Pro/Mi 9T Pro

Xiaomi unveiled MIUI 12 in their home country more than a month ago. Since then, the company has been conducting a closed beta testing of its latest custom Android skin on a number of Mi and Redmi smartphones in China, but those builds don’t come with Google Play Services or any pre-installed Google apps. The global version of MIUI 12 was announced on May 19, while Xiaomi also published a tentative roadmap regarding the update rollout plan. The Mi 9, Redmi K20/Mi 9T, and the Redmi K20 Pro/Mi 9T Pro are the front liners, as these phones are scheduled to receive the stable OTA sometime in June 2020.

The MIUI global beta program doesn’t exist anymore, so the OEM started recruiting volunteers through the “Mi Pilot” initiative to evaluate the quality of the freshly baked MIUI 12 builds before the broadscale rollout. The first set of “beta stable” updates for the round one devices are now live, and you can download the appropriate package for your model using the following links. It is worth mentioning that the builds assigned for the Mi Pilot group may or may not end up as the final stable release, so stay away from flashing them on your daily driver.

Download: MIUI 12 Beta Stable

Unlike the Chinese closed beta builds, the global beta stable MIUI 12 packages linked below are multilingual. Xiaomi even ships them with a full set of Google services, which makes them somewhat equivalent to the existing MIUI 12-based Xiaomi.EU ROM. An authorized Mi Account might still be required to sideload them, but users can bypass that restriction by flashing via TWRP.

Sr. No.	Device, Device Codename, XDA Forum Link	Build Number and Region	Recovery ROM
1.	Mi 9 (cepheus)	V12.0.0.8.QFAMIXM (Global)	Download Recovery ROM
		V12.0.0.9.QFAEUXM (Europe)	Download Recovery ROM
2.	Redmi K20/Mi 9T (davinci)	V12.0.0.11.QFJMIXM (Global)	Download Recovery ROM
3.	Redmi K20 Pro/Mi 9T Pro (raphael)	V12.0.0.8.QFKMIXM (Global)	Download Recovery ROM

Once Xiaomi deems these builds to be stable enough, it will flip a server-side switch that will remove the need for an “Authorized Mi Account” to flash the build. Alternatively, they could also release new updates with bug fixes.

---

Source: Mi Community (1, 2, 3, 4)

The post Download: Xiaomi rolls out MIUI 12 beta stable update to the Mi 9, Redmi K20/Mi 9T, and Redmi K20 Pro/Mi 9T Pro appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/302XcZK
via IFTTT