Android screen mirroring tool scrcpy’s latest update brings keyboard and mouse passthrough without USB debugging

The scrcpy (short for “screen copy“) tool allows you to mirror your Android device’s screen to a PC or Mac. The popular open source project has been steadily gaining new features and functionalities over the past months. Back in July last year, the app brought support for Android 12, introduced the ability to use the video stream as a webcam on Linux, and more. Now the development team behind scrcpy has released a fresh update that adds support for OTG mode, improves the overall user experience, and fixes multiple annoying bugs.

The main highlight of the scrcpy v1.22 release is the introduction of physical keyboard and mouse simulation, dubbed as OTG mode. While HID keyboard simulation has been supported by this tool since the v1.20 build, the latest update finally enables HID mouse support. As a result, you can now use your PC’s keyboard and mouse to control an Android smartphone as if they are plugged directly to the target device via an OTG cable.

The screen mirroring feature will not be available under the OTG mode. Instead, you will see a window with the scrcpy logo, which will forward the keyboard and mouse events to the remote device when focused. Notably, this feature only works under Linux for now.

The OTG mode window of scrcpy

Perhaps the most interesting part of scrcpy’s keyboard and mouse passthrough implementation is that it doesn’t require ADB access. It means you can even use this feature on a device with USB debugging disabled. This is particularly useful when you need to deal with a smartphone with a broken touchscreen, as you can simulate the input events and enable USB debugging. Next, you can backup your personal files, or can run scrcpy normally in order to remotely control the device.

The full changelog for the scrcpy v1.22 is as follows:

• Add HID mouse support
• Add OTG mode (HID only)
• Enable DPI awareness by default on Windows
• Automatically retry with a lower definition on MediaCodec error
• Add a shortcut “open a terminal here” on Windows
• Add icon to scrcpy.exe
• Add server options to send raw H.264 video stream
• Fix process execution (mainly) on Windows 7
• Fix adb server hang due to signal masking
• Fix input injection on some custom ROMs
• Fix possible overflow on copy-paste
• Upgrade SDL to 2.0.20 in Windows releases
• Upgrade FFmpeg to 5.0 in Windows 64-bit releases
• Various technical refactors and fixes

If you already have scrcpy installed through a package manager, you can check for updates through it. If you do not have an older build installed, you can grab the latest release from the project’s GitHub repo.

Download scrcpy

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Have you used scrcpy? What do you think of it? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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How to switch off or restart the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

While you can simply press and hold the power button on most Android devices to bring up the power menu, things aren’t as simple when it comes to newer Samsung devices. By default, if you press and hold the power button (or Side Key, as Samsung likes to call it) on a Galaxy smartphone, it brings up Bixby — Samsung’s virtual assistant. This means you can’t actually switch off newer Samsung devices by simply pressing or holding down the Power button. So, how on Earth do you power off your Galaxy smartphone then? It’s still rather simple, albeit not as intuitive anymore. The newer generation of Samsung phones support four methods to help you switch off or restart your device and, in this post, I’ll demonstrate all four using the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3.

How to switch off the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

As stated earlier, you can switch off your Galaxy Z Flip 3 using four unique methods. Three of these methods don’t require you to make any changes to the settings, so let’s take a look at those first.

Method 1: Switch off your Galaxy Z Flip 3 using the side key and volume down button

On most Android devices, you can press the power button and volume down button together to take a screenshot and the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is no different in that regard. But, did you know that you can also use the same button combination to bring up the power menu? The only difference between the two shortcuts boils down to the duration you hold the buttons.

If you press and hold the side key and volume down button on your Galaxy Z Flip 3 for two to three seconds, the power menu should pop up. You can then tap on the gray Power off button to switch off the device or tap on the green Restart button to reboot it. Simple, isn’t it?

Now, let’s move on to the next method, which will let you turn off your Galaxy Z Flip 3 using a voice command.

Method 2: Switch off your Galaxy Z Flip 3 using Bixby

As mentioned earlier, when you press and hold the power button on your Galaxy Z Flip 3, it triggers Bixby instead of bringing up the power menu. You can use this to your advantage and ask Bixby to switch off your device for you. Simply trigger Bixby using the power button and say “Switch off” or “Turn off my phone.”

Bixby will then bring up a confirmation prompt with two buttons — Power off and Reboot. You can then tap on the former to switch off your device or the latter to reboot.

In case you’re not fond of either of these methods, you can also switch off your Galaxy Z Flip 3 from the Quick Settings menu. Read on to find out how you can do that.

Method 3: Switch off your Galaxy Z Flip 3 from the Quick Settings menu

To turn off your Galaxy Z Flip 3 using the power off button in the Quick Settings menu, swipe down on the home screen twice to open Quick Settings. Then, tap on the power icon that appears next to the settings cog in the top right corner. This will open up the same power menu shown in the first method.

You can then tap on the gray Power off button to switch off the device or tap on the green Restart button to reboot it.

Still not satisfied with these alternatives? You’d be glad to know that Samsung also lets you remap the Side key to open the power menu by default, instead of triggering Bixby. Check out the following method to learn how you can remap the Side key on your Galaxy Z Flip 3.

Method 4: Switch off your Galaxy Z Flip 3 by remapping the Side key to open the power menu

In order to remap the Side key to open the power menu instead of triggering Bixby, you’ll have to jump into the Settings. You can do so by either tapping on the Settings icon in the app drawer or by tapping on the settings cog in the Quick Settings menu.

Once you’re in the Settings menu, head over to the Advanced features section and tap on the Side key option. On the following page, tap on the Power off menu option under the Press and hold section to remap the Side key.

Your Galaxy Z Flip 3 will now open the Power menu instead of Bixby when you press and hold the side key, letting you easily switch off or reboot the device. If you want to skip a couple of steps, you can also search for the Side key setting by tapping on the search icon in the top right corner of the settings menu.

Now that you’re familiar with these methods, let’s take a look at another alternative that will come in handy when your phone is unresponsive and none of these options seem to work.

Bonus: Switch off your unresponsive Galaxy Z Flip 3

In case your Galaxy Z Flip 3 just froze and none of the methods mentioned above seem to work, you can try one more alternative method to reboot it. This method to force reboot the phone uses the same power button and volume down button combination. However, this time around, you need to hold the buttons for around fifteen seconds. Doing so will force restart your device and whatever issues you were facing before the reboot should clear up.

That pretty much sums it up. You now know all the ways in which you can switch off your Galaxy Z Flip 3. If you just purchased your device and are looking for cases, we have some case recommendations for the Galaxy Z Flip 3.

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Latest Philips Hue update adds some cool new scenes

Those of you who own Philips smart LED lights would probably be familiar with the Philips Hue mobile app. The companion app lets you organize, control, and customize your smart lights and accessories. The app received a big visual overhaul last year that greatly simplified the user interface by bringing quick access to scenes, brightness, controls, and toggles on the home screen. Now it’s picking up a new update that adds a couple of new features.

Philips Hue app version 4.11 is rolling out (via Android Police) on the Google Play Store and App Store and it introduces two new scene categories: “Futuristic” and “Lush.” The Futuristic category has six scenes: Soho, Magneto, Disturbia, Vapor, wave, Tyrell, and Hal. Meanwhile, under the Lush category, you’ll find seven scenes: Amber bloom, Painted sky, Orange fields, Blue planet, Lily, Winter Beauty, and Forest adventure.

Philips Hue app v4.11 brings the following changes:

• Futuristic: Get an otherworldly look with scenes that flood your space with rich, saturated colors.
• Lush: Vibrant, lively and bright. These scenes look great outside, but you can use them anywhere you like.

Philips Hue app version 4.11 is live on the Google Play Store and App Store. If you’re an Android user, you can follow the link below to grab the latest update, while iOS users can get it from here.

Philips Hue (Free, Google Play) →

In September last year, Philips expanded its Hue product range with a bunch of new products, including new gradient lighting strips and tubes, new floor and table lamps, and brighter bulbs that can output up to 1,100 lumens. Philips has also teamed up with Spotify to develop a new algorithm that allows Hue owners to sync their smart lights to music. You can try out the feature by linking your Philips Hue account with Spotify from within the companion app.

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Thanks to the Pixel 6, Google is finally seeing some real sales

The Pixel 6 is one of the best Android phones around. Although the buggy software experience has been giving us second thoughts as of late, there’s no denying that the Pixel 6 is the best phone Google has ever produced. And it’s doing pretty good in terms of sales as well, according to Google.

During Alphabet’s Q4 2021 earning call on Tuesday (via ArsTechnica), Sundar Pichai described the Pixel 6 as a commercial success, stating that the latest Pixel phones “set an all-time quarterly sales record.”

“In Q4, we set an all time quarterly sales record for Pixel. This came in spite of an extremely challenging supply chain environment. The response to Pixel 6 from our customers and carrier partners was incredibly positive,” said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google.

Unfortunately, the company didn’t share any sales figures so we don’t know exactly how many units of the Pixel 6 series Google was able to ship. In any case, it’s unlikely these numbers would be anywhere close to those of Samsung’s and Apple’s. This is mainly because the new series was only launched in nine markets, with most of Asia and a large chunk of Europe left out. It’s also unclear whether the Pixel 6 was able to surpass sales records of prior Pixel models. Considering it went on sale just in October, it’s less likely it would have been able to pull off that feat in such a short time.

The Pixel 6 series marks Google’s return to the flagship segment, with both the regular Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro featuring premium designs, gorgeous displays, and top-of-the-line internals. The new phones also pack Google’s first in-house Tensor SoC.

While a Pixel 7 isn’t coming out any time soon, Google is reportedly gearing up to launch an affordable smartphone in the Pixel 6a. As per leaks, the phone will feature a design similar to the vanilla Pixel 6 and will be powered by the Tensor GS101 chipset.

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Here’s what message reactions on WhatsApp could look like on release

WhatsApp has been working on iMessage/Instagram-style message reactions for a while now. We first learned about it all the way back in August last year. At the time, the feature was in early development. A few months later, WhatsApp rolled out a half-baked version of the feature to some users, only to remove it later on. But it appears message reactions will finally be making their way to WhatsApp users soon.

WABetainfo has shared some screenshots of WhatsApp reactions, giving us an early preview of what the feature would look like once it goes live. As you can see in the images attached below, WhatsApp users will see a row of emoji just above the message. It’s unclear whether users will have to long-press on a message or there will be a dedicated button next to the message to add a reaction. In any case, it looks like you’ll be able to choose from up to six emoji reactions. The reaction you choose will be attached at the bottom of the message.

WhatsApp is readying message reactions (secured by end-to-end encryption) in a new upcoming update of WhatsApp beta for Android and iOS. pic.twitter.com/o9CMW6pnsN

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) February 2, 2022

According to WABetainfo, WhatsApp plans to add message reactions in an upcoming WhatsApp beta update for iOS and Android. It also notes that reactions will be end-to-end encrypted, just like text messages and backups.

Meta’s other messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger and Instagram already support message reactions. So it’s only natural that the feature is now making its way to WhatsApp.

As mentioned above, the feature hasn’t rolled out to WhatsApp users just yet. If you want to be one of the first to try it out, you can sign for WhatsApp beta program here.

WhatsApp is also readying a new transfer tool that will finally allow Android users to transfer their chats to iOS.

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Instagram may soon let you create longer Reels

If you think Instagram’s 60-sec time cap on Reels is a bit limiting, you would be glad to know that the company is reportedly planning to increase the video length for its TikTok rival.

According to the frequent Instagram tipster Alessandro Paluzzi, Instagram is exploring the possibility of creating longer Reels. Right now Instagram users can create Reels that are up to 60 seconds long. But in the near future users may be able to shoot 90-second or one and a half minute long Reels.

#Instagram is working on the possibility of creating #Reels lasting 90 seconds pic.twitter.com/M0KgJzQ90O

— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) February 1, 2022

The screenshot shared by the tipster shows there’ll be a toggle within the Reels video shooting mode that will quickly allow users to set the video limit to 90 seconds.

Note that the 90-sec option hasn’t rolled out to users yet nor Instagram has officially confirmed any plans to extend the Reels video length.

Instagram Reels originally launched with a 15-sec time cap, which was doubled to 30 seconds. This length was doubled once again in July last year, allowing users to create minute-long Reels.

Should Instagram increase the video length limit for Reels, it wouldn’t come as surprise. Instagram’s archrival TikTok already allows users to shoot much longer videos. The service increased the limit from 60 seconds to three minutes back in July last year.

We don’t know when Instagram plans to increase the video length for Reels. We’ll keep an eye out and let you know if we learn any new details.

Reels has gained a lot of traction since its launch in 2020. The service has especially become quite popular in India, where the ban on TikTok allowed it to quickly emerge as the perfect alternative.

Instagram recently added support for “Avatars” to compete with Snap’s Bitmoji feature. The feature, which allows users to share their 3D Avataras in Stories and DMs, is currently available in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

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Netflix subscribers can now play Riot Games’ Hextech Mayhem and Dungeon Dwarves for free

After rolling out its gaming service worldwide late last year, Netflix is now focusing on expanding its game catalog. Today, the company has added two new titles from Riot Games — Dungeon Dwarves and Hextech Mayhem — to its lineup. If you’re a League of Legends fan, you should definitely check them out and kill some time while you’re waiting in queue for your next match.

According to The Verge, Dungeon Dwarves is an idle dungeon crawler that surprisingly doesn’t feature any familiar characters. In the game, you control a team of five dwarves whose main task is to keep digging to advance to the next dungeon. The Dwarves also have special abilities that you can use to clear out your path faster or take down bosses.

The abilities range from heavy weapon strikes that take down all objects in your way to area-of-effect attacks that are great for multiple enemies. You can even level up your team of dwarves as the game progresses to take on increasingly treacherous terrain and powerful monsters. Interestingly, the dwarves keep digging even when you’re not playing the game and reward you with new gear whenever you return.

Unlike Dungeon Dwarves, Hextech Mayhem features two champions from the League of Legends universe — Ziggs and Heimerdinger. It’s a rhythm runner in which you control Ziggs as he runs through the streets of Piltover while causing musical explosions and collecting gears to create the biggest bomb ever. Heimerdinger doesn’t really play an active part in the game and he only serves as a foil to Ziggs.

Hextech Mayhem first launched on the Nintendo Switch and PC back in November last year, and you can now enjoy it on mobile if you have a Netflix subscription. Both games are completely free to play and ad-free. You can download them by following the Play Store links below.

Dungeon Dwarves (Free, Google Play) →

Hextech Mayhem Netflix Edition (Free, Google Play) →

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