Google could launch custom CPUs for Chromebooks in 2023

Google recently teased that its upcoming Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will feature a custom-made CPU called Google Tensor. This will be the first time the company designs its own processors and moves away from Qualcomm. But the plans apparently don’t stop there, as Google is also readying custom CPUs to power Chrome OS-based laptops and tablets. According to a report by Nikkei Asia, we could see Chromebooks launch with custom Google CPUs as early as 2023.

The idea that Google is working on in-house processors for Chromebooks isn’t completely new. Back in April, initial reports came out about Google building custom CPUs for phones, tablets, and laptops. Sure enough, we saw part of that materialize when Google teased the Pixel 6 family a couple of weeks ago. If that’s any indication, there was already a good chance we’d see custom Google CPUs for Chromebooks at some point, too.

According to Nikkei‘s sources, Google’s transition to custom CPUs for laptops and tablets was inspired by Apple, which began a similar transition last year. After using Intel CPUs for over a decade, the Cupertino company began switching to Apple Silicon, starting with the Apple M1 that’s now inside the MacBook Air, the iPad Pro, the 24-inch Mac, and more. Devices with this new processor have proved successful, so Google wants to try something similar.

Much like Apple Silicon, Google’s custom processors will be based on technology from Arm, thanks to the company’s fairly open licensing scheme. Arm-based processors power pretty much every smartphone out there, and now, some PCs, too.

Custom processors like these are desirable for differentiation. For example, with the Pixel 6, Google’s Tensor processor is specifically designed to handle computational photography even better with AI processing, as well as things like HDR video. Plus, it’s also improving voice recognition, real-time translation, and more. The company can build a chipset that’s more tailored to the needs of their devices, which (hopefully) means more compelling products.

Of course, we have yet to see just how well the transition to custom CPUs turns out for Google, be it on Chromebooks or phones. We still don’t know everything about the Pixel 6, not even a release date we can look forward to. That will be the first time we can judge Google’s ability to design chips that offer a better experience on its devices. Then we’ll have to wait a while longer to see if they can do the same for laptops.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra: To fold or not to fold, that is the question

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 3 is now official, and if you’re planning to upgrade to a new Samsung phone, you’ve got some decisions to make. If you want the best, there’s actually a lot to choose from, including the brand-new Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy Z Flip 3, and Galaxy S21 Ultra. As you can probably guess, each one has its own unique advantages. As is always the case with consumer technology, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

When you’re looking at the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 vs the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, there are two main priorities you need to consider.

• Do you want a phone that folds into something more compact?
• Do you want the latest and greatest smartphone camera technology?

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 and S21 Ultra Specs

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 vs Galaxy S21 Ultra: Specifications

	Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3	Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
CPU	5nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor (2.84GHz + 2.4GHz + 1.8GHz)	5nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor (2.8GHz + 2.4GHz + 1.8GHz)
Body	Folded: 72.2×86.4×17.1mm Unfolded: 72.2x166x6.9mm Weight: 183g	165.1×75.6×8.9mm Weight: 227g
Display	Main screen: 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display (22:9) Infinity Flex Display 2,640×1,080, 425ppi, 120Hz adaptive refresh rate Cover screen: 1.9-inch Super AMOLED Display 260×512, 302ppi	6.8-inch Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O Display (3,200×1,440), 515ppi, 120Hz refresh rate
Camera	12MP f/1.8 wide (OIS, Dual Pixel AF) + 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide Front: 10MP f/2.4	108MP f/1.8 wide (1/1.33in, PDAF, OIS) + 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (Super Speed Dual Pixel AF) + 10MP f/2.4 3x telephoto (Dual Pixel AF) + 10MP f/4.9 10x telephoto (Dual Pixel AF) Front: 40MP f/2.2
Memory	8GB RAM, 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 storage	16GB RAM (LPDDR5) with 512GB internal storage 12GB RAM (LPDDR5) with 256GB internal storage 12GB RAM (LPDDR5) with 128GB internal storage
Battery	3,300mAh dual battery	5,000mAh
Network	LTE: Enhanced 4X4 MIMO, 7CA, LAA, LTE Cat. 20 5G: Non-Standalone (NSA), Standalone (SA), Sub6 / mmWave
Water Resistance	IPX8	IP68
Sensors	Capacitive fingerprint sensor (side), Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor (analog), Proximity sensor, Light sensor	Ultrasonic Fingerprint sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, Proximity sensor, Ambient Light sensor
OS	Android 11
Colors	Cream, Green, Lavender, Phantom Black, Gray, White, Pink	Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown
Price	Starts at $999.99	Starts at $1,199.99

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 vs Galaxy S21 Ultra: Design and Display

With the Galaxy Z Flip 3, the key-value indicator is you can fold it in half, making it more compact. Indeed, that’s the whole point of the device. With the original Galaxy Fold, the idea was to take a regular phone-sized device and unfold it into something larger. With the Galaxy Z Flip, you’d take a similarly-sized device and fold it down to something smaller.

The main screen hasn’t changed on the Galaxy Z Flip 3, but the external screen has, and it’s bigger. The external screen is now 1.9 inches instead of 1.1 inches, maintaining a similar 302ppi pixel density. This is for a quick view of the time, notifications, and so on.

The main screen is 6.7 inches with a 2,640 x 1,080 resolution, giving it a very tall 22:9 aspect ratio. The screen on the Galaxy S21 Ultra is actually much bigger, coming in at 6.8 inches with a 20:9 aspect ratio. Remember, screen sizes are measured diagonally, and as the aspect ratio gets closer to being square, the more surface area there is with the same diagonal size. A difference of 0.1 inches is more than it sounds like in this case.

It’s also got a higher resolution, coming in at 3,200 x 1,440, although they both offer 120Hz refresh rates. The pixel density on the S21 Ultra is 515ppi, compared to 425ppi on the Galaxy Z Flip 3.

When looking at the screen in this comparison, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the better one. That’s as it should be too. When you stick to an industry standard that’s been used for 15 years — meaning a rectangular device — it’s easy to make the rest of it the best possible. On the other hand, the Galaxy Z Flip has a form factor that might win you over.

Let’s talk about the design too though, because the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is lighter, and when opened, it’s thinner. It comes in at 183g, which is 44g lighter than the Galaxy S21 Ultra. The fact it’s lighter fits in with the idea of it being more compact. It’s just easier to carry around. While the Galaxy S21 Ultra has held its ground as one of the best smartphones on the market, it must be considered that it’s fairly big, bulky, and heavy. Most people find that impractical for daily, prolonged use.

The Galaxy Z Flip is 17.1mm thick when folded, however, while the Galaxy S21 Ultra is 8.9mm. Keep in mind the dimensions of the Z Fold 3 are 72.2 x 86.4mm when it’s folded, while the dimensions of the Galaxy S21 Ultra are 165.1 x 75.6mm. That means if you have smaller pockets or bags that you carry a device in, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is the way to go.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 vs Galaxy S21 Ultra: Camera

All of the Samsung Galaxy S21 series was pretty great, but one thing made the Galaxy S21 Ultra really stand out from the pack, and indeed the rest of the market. I’m talking about the camera. The hardware on the Galaxy S21 Ultra camera is some of the best around, and no, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 doesn’t even come close.

But before we look at specs, let’s keep in mind it’s not supposed to come close. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra camera is what I’d call an enthusiast camera. It’s for people that want the best of the best, and you don’t need to come close to it in order to have a phenomenal camera experience.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has a 108MP f/1.8 1/1.33-inch main sensor. That’s about as good as it gets. The larger sensor means it lets in a lot of light for great low-light performance. On top of that, the 108MP resolution uses 9:1 pixel binning for even better low-light performance in a 12MP image.

That’s not all though, because it has both a 3x and a 10x telephoto lens. Think of it this way. If you have a single lens on your camera, it can see a specific field of view, and that field of view is divided into a specific amount of pixels. If you digitally zoom in with that lens, the effect — aside from some software tricks — is essentially the same as if you took the picture without zooming at all, and you simply cropped it.

With dedicated zoom lenses, you’re pretty much using something that has a smaller field of view, but a similar resolution. This allows for lossless zoom at those ranges. There are other issues this presents, such as the telephoto lens not working as well in low light, since it’s smaller by definition, but there are software tricks for that too.

With a 3x zoom and a 10x zoom lens, this opens up a lot of possibilities, the least of which is 10x lossless zoom. But those lenses can work together to do some cool things. Of course, the higher you go, the more loss you’ll see. The camera actually goes up to 100x, although you probably wouldn’t want to use it like that.

Now that we’ve talked about the capabilities of the Galaxy S21 Ultra, let’s talk about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3. It’s just got two 12MP sensors, the main one of which also has an f/1.8 aperture. It’s a fine camera, although way more mainstream. In fact, even compared to high-end cameras, there’s still no telephoto lens. If you’re looking for a camera that will get the job done for social media and family photos, this will do that very well. But there’s not as much overhead room to play here, as the bells and whistles from the Ultra are missing here.

Finally, they both have 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide sensors, which seem to be the same across the board.

Conclusion: Which one should you get?

Like I said earlier, both of these are great phones in their own way. There’s no simple, one-size-fits-all solution where I can say one is better than the other. But we’re back to where we started. Are you looking for a screen that can fold, or are you looking for the latest and greatest in smartphone camera technology?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is all about having a compact device. If you’re looking for something that won’t take up a lot of space in your pocket, look no further. In fact, if you’re not looking for that compact form factor, you’d probably be better off with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. It also comes in prettier colors, including Cream, Green, Lavender, Phantom Black, Gray, White, and Pink, so it’s more fun. The main colors of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra are Phantom Black and Phantom Silver, although there are some exclusive colors if you buy directly from Samsung.com.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 takes the flip phone form factor and takes it to the next level.

See at Samsung.com

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is really what you’d get if you want the top-end camera. If you want the traditional form factor without needing this camera, you can go for something like an S21 or an S21+.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is known for its camera chops, but it has it all.

See at Samsung.com

As far as performance goes, both of these devices are the same. Pricing is technically a bit higher on the Galaxy S21 Ultra, but you can usually find deals that mark it down to about the same as the Galaxy Z Flip 3.

In other words, it’s all pretty simple. You just have to break it down to which of the two key-value indicators you want.

If you decide on a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, you can find the best deals here, or you can pick up a case here.

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Nintendo Switch Online may be adding Game Boy games

There’s a rumor in the gaming industry that Nintendo may soon bring another of its extensive libraries to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers — specifically, the libraries of the Game Boy and the Game Boy Color. There’s a chance this could be a gateway to bring other Nintendo gameplay libraries to the Switch… at least, so one hopes.

This rumor was first mentioned on the “Nate the Hate” podcast by insider “NateDrake.” Up to now, Nintendo has reserved the Switch Online library of free games for NES and SNES titles. However, in 2019, a dataminer called OatmealDome discovered that there are four emulators referenced in the Nintendo Switch Online app, codenamed “Kachikachi, Canoe, Hiyoko and Count.” Kachikachi and Canoe are the names of the emulators that were used in the NES Classic and SNES Classic mini consoles.

Hiyoko and Count, assuming they exist, have yet to be accounted for. There’s a chance one or both of them could be Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators that will bring the Game Boy titles to the Nintendo Switch. Sources supposedly confirmed these upcoming games to Nintendo Life, lending credence to the rumor. Game Boy games that could be coming to Nintendo Switch Online include the likes of Kirby’s Dream Land, Metroid II, and any of the Wario Land titles. There are lots of games for both the Game Boy and the Game Boy Color that have yet to be launched on Nintendo’s latest console.

Assuming that only one of the emulators was used to emulate Game Boy titles, that means that the other could be used for other purposes. One console that fans have been crying out for games from is the Nintendo 64. For some reason, Nintendo seems reluctant to revisit that part of its history so far. Given that there are several excellent games that made their original appearance on the N64, adding them would be a huge boon to Nintendo Switch Online. There’s also a chance that Nintendo could come out with other Classic miniature consoles if it wanted to bolster its holiday sales.

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Apple Watch Series 7 will bring a new design, and that could cause a delay

Apple is reportedly facing production delays with the next-gen Apple Watch. According to Nikkie Asia, the company is dealing with quality issues with the Apple Watch Series 7 as it features a new design that has added various complexities. A report from Bloomberg corroborates this claim and further adds that Apple Watch Series 7 manufacturers are also experiencing delays due to supply constraints.

Recent leaks suggest that Apple will unveil the new iPhone 13 lineup, the Apple Watch Series 7, and a new version of the AirPods later this month. While the company hasn’t shared any official details so far, leaked renders reveal that the Apple Watch Series 7 will feature a new design with flat edges, upgraded screen technology (via Bloomberg), a faster processor, and various new health and fitness features. If that’s the case, the next-gen Apple Watch will be a significant upgrade over its predecessor.

One of the people with direct knowledge of the production delays told Nikkie Asia that all “assemblers are facing similar problems reaching satisfactory production performance based on the current industrial designs.” “Apple and its suppliers are working around the clock trying to solve the issues, but currently it is hard to tell when the mass production could begin,” another person added.

Although the production delays probably won’t affect Apple’s plans to unveil the next-gen smartwatch at the upcoming launch event, the company might have to postpone the launch date by a couple of weeks. We’ll make sure to let you know in case we learn more about the situation.

For more information about the new features we expect to see on the Apple Watch Series 7, check out our WatchOS 8 coverage.

Featured image: Apple Watch Series 7 leaked render (Courtesy: Jon Prosser)

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Galaxy Buds Pro update brings some features from the Galaxy Buds 2

Samsung recently rolled out a new software update to its newly released Galaxy Buds 2 that added two new Active Noise Cancellation features, the double-tap gesture, and fixed some bugs and improved stability. Now the company is rolling out a new update to the Galaxy Buds Pro that brings along some of the Galaxy Buds 2 features.

The latest Galaxy Buds Pro update adds a slew of new features including Ambient sound support during calls, noise controls features, and the ability to customize the Ambient sound.

The new update adds the following features:

• “Ambient sound” is now available during calls as well.
• Added a “Noise controls” feature.
• Added a “Noise controls with one earbud” feature.
• Added a “Customize ambient sound” feature.

The Ambient Sound mode is a feature on the Galaxy Buds Pro that lets you hear surrounding voices and sounds while listening to music. It also has a Detect conversations feature that makes it easier to hear nearby conversations without having to take off your earbuds. With the latest update, you’ll be able to turn on Ambient sound during calls as well. Furthermore, you can now enable ANC on either one bud or both — similar to the Galaxy Buds 2 — and can also customize Ambient Sound.

The Galaxy Buds Pro are the best earbuds that aren’t an AirPods clone

To install the new firmware on your Galaxy Buds Pro, you’ll need to update the Galaxy Buds Plugin, a component of the Galaxy Wearable app. After updating the Galaxy Buds plugin, put the earbuds into the case and keep the lid open. Now on your phone, open the Galaxy Wearable app and tap earbuds software update, tap download and install and then update. Wait for the update process to be finished. Once the update is finished, the earbuds will automatically reconnect to your phone.

Galaxy Buds Pro Plugin (Free, Google Play) →

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WinZip 26 adds poductivity tools along with better cloud support

Remember WinZip? It was a relatively popular tool for compressing and extracting compressed files in a variety of formats back in the day. As it turns out, it still exists, and Corel – the company that owns the software – recently announced the launch of WinZip 26 for Windows. Now, in addition to the known file compression tools, WinZip includes a suite of productivity-focused apps.

The main WinZip app does have some improvements, though. You can connect the app to your cloud services like Google Drive and OneDrive, and with this version, it supports shared files. That means you can access files shared with you on these platforms through WinZip, not just files saved on your own account. Plus, you can also access your cloud NAS storage thanks to integration with Western Digital’s My Cloud service.

There are also other new and improved features in WinZip 26, like a new ribbon design for the interface, automated cleaning for your computer, the ability to quickly switch from Windows Explorer to WinZip for managing files, and more. Compression has also been improved for Zipx files, with a new ZSTD method for making files smaller, as well as duplicate detection to avoid adding unnecessary files to a compressed folder. Instead, duplicate files are stored as links to save space.

Aside from the zipping-related tools, WinZip 26 also includes other productivity apps for the first time. There’s a new WinZip PDF Express app that lets users convert or merge different kinds of files into a single PDF, or export a PDF file into a Word document or image. A new WinZip Image Manager app so users can convert, resize or crop images, as well as remove EXIF data, geotagging, and other sensitive information from images. WinZip Secure Backup does pretty much what the name suggests, backing up your data locally or in the cloud. Finally, WinZip Share Express is a tool for sharing files to different places with features like self-destructing files and encryption.

All those new productivity apps require a Pro or Enterprise license of WinZip 26, which costs $49.95. Many of us would probably consider freeware zipping tools to do the job just fine, but if you find the new features compelling, you can buy WinZip 26.

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Chrome 93 rolls out on Android, iOS, and desktop: Here’s what’s new

Towards the end of July, Google rolled out Chrome 92 for desktop, Android, and iOS. The update introduced improved site safety controls to help you easily track website permissions and support for Chrome Actions. In addition, the update brought improved site isolation and phishing detection, along with Face ID/Touch ID support for incognito tabs on iOS. Google has now started rolling out Chrome 93 on the stable channel, and it brings a couple of minor changes.

According to 9to5Google, Chrome 93 brings a small change for the Recently Closed menu that lets you view all the sites in a recently closed collection and open them individually. You can try this feature by enabling the chrome://flags/#tab-restore-sub-menus flag.

(Image: 9to5Google)

The update also brings an experimental change that replaces the lock icon in front of URLs with an inverted chevron icon. As you can see in the attached GIF, you can click on this icon to see a website’s security details. Before you can do that, though, you’ll need to enable the chrome://flags/#page-info-version-2-desktop flag.

Additionally, Chrome 93 will now also show Google Drive documents on the New Tab page. The suggested documents will appear in a card underneath the search bar, allowing you to easily access recently edited Google Docs or Sheets. 9to5Google notes that this feature started rolling out with the previous release, but it should be more widely available with Chrome 93.

With Chrome 93, Google is also bringing WebOTP API support to the desktop version of the browser. This will let you copy one-time passwords sent over SMS from your phone to your PC. To do so, you’ll have to sign in to the same Google account on both your desktop and phone. Then, you’ll have to tap on the “Submit” button in the OTP text message notification, and Chrome will automatically transfer the password to your PC.

Along with the changes mentioned above, Google Chrome 93 has dropped Ubuntu 16.04 as standard support has ended. The iOS version of the browser now has a new, more compact context menu and a few account-related changes. On top of all that, the update brings several security fixes. You can read more about them by following this link.

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