The Google Pixel 4a 5G gets its first custom ROM and kernel

Last year, Google announced the Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL smartphones to bring their flagship camera experience to mid-range smartphones. This year, they diversified the range a bit by announcing a 4G and a 5G model of the Pixel 3a successors instead of two different sizes of the same phone. Calling the Pixel 4a 5G an XL-sized Pixel 4a only scratches the surface as it also comes with a better processor, bigger display, bigger battery, and an additional wide-angle camera on the back. While the Android experience remains consistent on both the 4G and the 5G variants, we are now seeing the first custom ROM for 5G variant — just like for the 4G one did back in September. An unofficial build of LineageOS 18.0 based on Android 11 is now available for the Pixel 4a 5G.

XDA Forum Threads: LineageOS 18.0 for Google Pixel 4a 5G || Proton Kernel for Pixel 4a 5G

There are numerous reasons why XDA loves LineageOS. Very recently, XDA even launched a phone that comes pre-loaded with LineageOS out-of-the-box.

LineageOS 18.0 has been ported to the Pixel 4a 5G by XDA Senior Member dic1911. This is currently an unofficial version of the LineageOS for the smartphone. This means that the ROM is neither developed nor maintained officially by the LineageOS team. This is possible since LineageOS — just like Android — is open source and can be modified and ported to a variety of devices without any intervention or any approval from the team.

XDA Forums: Pixel 4a 5G || LineageOS

In addition to the LineageOS port, a custom kernel — Proton Kernel — is also available for the smartphone by XDA Senior Member kdrag0n. The kernel allows for CPU tuning and unlocks some extra RAM for better performance. It also improves the response time, battery life, and wake times on the Pixel 4a 5G. It comes with Magisk support and is pre-activated to bypass SafetyNet restrictions.

Note that the ROM and the kernel are currently in the testing phase, which means you can expect to experience some bugs or instability on the device.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G and Z Flip 5G now available in new Red and White colors

Samsung has introduced new colors for its flagship smartphones, the Galaxy Note 20, and the Galaxy Z Flip in the US. Customers can now grab the Galaxy Note 20 in a new ‘Mystic Red’ hue while the Galaxy Z Flip is now available in a new ‘Mystic White’ color. Notably, the new colors are available only on the 5G variants of both the devices. Up until now, the Galaxy Note 20 was available in three colors including Mystic Green, Mystic Copper, and Mystic Gray. The Galaxy Z Flip 5G on the other hand was available in Mystic Copper and Mystic Gray while the 4G version came in Mirror Black, Mirror Purple, and Mirror Gold color options.

Don’t expect anything special apart from the new colors since Samsung has confirmed that they are pretty much the same devices in terms of specs and features. The new color options will also be available at the same price but will be limited in quantities. Notably, the Mystic Red color was announced as an exclusive option alongside Mystic Blue for consumers in South Korea. Samsung had also started offering the regular 4G version of the Galaxy Note 20 in Mystic Blue for consumers in India.

Samsung had launched the Galaxy Note 20 5G alongside the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G back in August 2020. The flagships were launched with the powerful flagship Snapdragon 865 Plus processor, however, the regular Note 20 5G was criticized for having a plastic back panel and other limitations. The smartphone is available with a maximum of 8GB of RAM with up to 256GB of storage. There is a 4,300mAh battery with 25W fast charging and support for USB PD 3.0 as well, giving consumers a wider choice when picking a charger. The smartphone also features wireless charging with support for Qi as well as reverse wireless charging. As for cameras, the Galaxy Note 20 packs a 12MP primary sensor, a 64MP telephoto camera, and a 12MP camera for ultra-wide shots. At the front, the phone includes a 10MP camera for taking selfies. The smartphone is currently selling for $850 on the official Samsung store.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5G was introduced a few months after the launch of the regular 4G variant of the Galaxy Z Flip in February. This was Samsung’s second attempt at making a foldable phone but in a more conventional flip form-factor. It was launched at a time when Motorola had just announced the return of the Moto Razr in a new foldable avatar. The Galaxy Z Flip 5G features a tall 6.7-inch display when unfolded and a tiny notifications screen on the outside. It packs a Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage along with dual 12MP cameras on the outside and a 10MP selfie camera on the inside. The battery is rated at 3,300mAh with support for standard fast 15W fast wired charging and 9W wireless charging. The Galaxy Z Flip 5G can be purchased for $1350 from the Samsung store.

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OPPO Reno 4 4G and Reno 4 Pro 4G get their first ColorOS 11 beta based on Android 11

OPPO’s ColorOS 11 update is the latest update coming to smartphones from the Chinese OEM. Along with a rebase onto Android 11, the ColorOS 11 update also adds in new features such as dark mode customizability, three-finger translation with Google Lens, FlexDrop, Super Power Saving Mode, Private System, and more. Of course, you also get the changes that Google has added in with Android 11, so you do have a whole lot to look forward to in the newest UX update. Now, the update is on its way to more phones, with ColorOS 11 beta announced for the OPPO Reno 4 4G and OPPO Reno 4 Pro 4G in some regions.

As OPPO had promised in its rollout timeline, the OPPO Reno 4 Pro 4G is getting its update in November 2020, while the OPPO Reno 4 4G is also joining in a day before its December 2020 deadline. This update is still in Beta and will be rolled out batch-wise to users in India, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Unlike other OEMs that operate Open Betas, this is a closed beta, so you need to apply and get selected for the update to arrive on your phone.

To apply for the ColorOS 11 beta on your Reno 4 4G (India and Vietnam) or Reno 4 Pro 4G (India, Indonesia, and Vietnam), ensure that you are on either the A.21 or A.23 update. Then, head on over to Settings > Software Update > Settings Icon > Apply for Beta, and then follow the guide to apply. There is a quota in place, so act quickly if you are interested.

As is the deal with betas, it is highly recommended that you apply only if you know what you are doing — betas are unstable by definition, so expect unintended bugs and other hindrances. Further, back up all your data before proceeding, as data loss is a good probability when testing out these updates. OPPO also notes a known bug at this stage: the Ultra Steady Pro Mode for video recording has some lag, so if you rely on this feature a lot, it’s best to wait out till the update rolls out to stable with the bugs fixed.

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OnePlus 9E allegedly coming alongside the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro

Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen several leaks and rumors about OnePlus’ upcoming flagships. As per the rumors, OnePlus will unveil the OnePlus 9 series in March next year, four weeks earlier than the company’s usual launch schedule, and it will include two devices — the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9 Pro. However, the latest leak about OnePlus’ upcoming flagship series suggests that the company may launch another device called the OnePlus 9E.

According to a recent Voice post from renowned OnePlus tipster Max J. (@MaxJmb), the OnePlus 9 series will feature three new devices — the regular OnePlus 9, the top-of-the-line OnePlus 9 Pro, and the OnePlus 9E. The post states:

“Everyone is talking about the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro but there is a third device no one has talked about yet. The OnePlus 9E.” 

While the post doesn’t reveal any information about this alleged third device, it claims that the OnePlus 9E is a result of OnePlus’ attempt to mimic Samsung’s smartphone portfolio and offer a device at every possible price range. We have no further information about the device at the moment, and our own sources, like the ever-reliable Some_Random_Username, are yet to spot any hints of the OnePlus 9E in existing firmware. So far, we’ve only spotted evidence of the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro, but that might change soon if the latest leak is to be believed.

In case you’ve not been keeping up with our coverage of the OnePlus 9 series, here’s a quick rundown of all that we know about the devices so far:

• OnePlus 9
  • It will feature the same design as the OnePlus 8T, with a  rectangular camera module on the back and a hole-punch display over at the front.
  • The device will allegedly feature a larger 6.55-inch flat AMOLED 120Hz high refresh rate panel.
  • It will likely include 3 camera sensors on the back, with two of the sensors larger in size than the third.
  • It is rumored to sport a 48MP primary camera module with a focal length of 6mm and a 48MP ultra-wide sensor.
  • It will go by the model numbers LE2110, LE2117, and LE2119.
  • It may be launched on Verizon and T-Mobile in the US.
• OnePlus 9 Pro
  • The device will also feature the same design as the OnePlus 8T, with a much larger display and camera module.
  • It will sport a 6.7-inch curved AMOLED 120Hz high refresh rate panel with a hole punch cutout in the top left corner.
  • Unlike the OnePlus 9, the Pro variant will feature 4 camera sensors on the back, including two large sensors and two small sensors.
  • It will go by the model numbers LE2120 and LE2127.
  • It may be launched on T-Mobile in the US.
• Both devices are expected to feature Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 875 chip.

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Huawei starts rolling out EMUI 11 stable update to the P40 series

The U.S. administration’s trade restrictions on Huawei has limited how the Chinese giant employs Android on its devices. But, that has not disturbed their schedule of incremental updates to their custom Android skin — EMUI — due every year. Back in September, Huawei introduced EMUI 11 with improvement to the user experience and privacy. Then early on in November, some users started reporting about receiving the stable EMUI 11 update on the Huawei Mate 30 Pro. Now, there are reports about the stable update reaching Huawei P40 and the P40 Pro smartphones.

Latest EMUI update on Huawei P40 Pro via HuaweiAilesi

The news was shared by Turkish Huawei-focusses blog HuaweiAilesi which also shared screenshots of the OTA update and changelog for the EMUI build 11.0.0.151. The update has seemingly started to roll out a few days ahead of the rollout plan. Last week, Huawei announced the EMUI 11 rollout schedule for its devices, as per which the P40 series is due for receiving the update in the month of December. At the same time, it must be noted that the update may take up to two months to reach all of the devices, so Huawei’s promptness is justified yet worth appreciating.

Among the most highlighted changes with the EMUI 11 update is the Smart Always-On-Display that allows users to choose from a number of themes and animations for the AOD. It also allows users to show any image, video, or GIF on the Always On Display. In addition, the update also brings smart multi-window functionality that allows open apps to be resized into floating windows for convenient multi-app usage and further resized and stacked into the sidebar for easy access.

EMUI 11 allows users to share their smartphones’ screen on a connected PC as well as control the app from that screen itself. Further, for privacy, EMUI 11 displays icons to notify users when an app is using the camera, microphone, or location.

Huawei Mate 30 Pro Forums

For more information and a detailed look at the other features, you can check out our EMUI 11 hands-on.

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Spotify is testing Artist-created Stories on Playlists

It seems that almost every platform is introducing an Instagram Stories-like feature on its app. The latest one to join the party is Spotify as it is reportedly working on a similar feature. With the holiday season approaching quickly, the music streaming giant has been updating its ‘Christmas Hits’ playlist and along with that, it is testing its own Stories feature. Certain Spotify users on Android and iOS have confirmed that a new Stories feature has popped up on the app.

The feature, in a way, works similar to how the Stories feature works on Instagram or Facebook, but there is a slight difference. It seems that these Stories can only be pinned on top of playlists and currently you can only see artists posting short clips of themselves on the corresponding playlist. For instance, the stories on the Christmas Hits playlist includes videos from artists like Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Lopez, Pentatonix, and more.

Spotify has stories now….

S P O T I F Y

This has got to stop pic.twitter.com/xsurbrJblx

— TmarTn (@TmarTn) November 27, 2020

According to Engadget, Spotify has confirmed that it is currently testing this feature. “At Spotify, we routinely conduct a number of tests in an effort to improve our user experience. Some of those tests end up paving the path for our broader user experience and others serve only as an important learning. We have no further news to share on future plans at this time,” said a Spotify spokesperson.

Spotify is working on rolling out Stories pic.twitter.com/UlOHVbVB8K

— Chris Cantino (@chriscantino) November 27, 2020

This doesn’t really come as a surprise since popular apps like Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and more recently, even LinkedIn include the stories feature. Spotify has not confirmed when these Stories will be made visible to all users or whether one can add them to their own playlists in the future.

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Jabra Elite 85t TWS with ANC launched in India for ₹18,999

After unveiling the Elite 85t in the US and Europe earlier this year in September, Danish audio equipment manufacturer Jabra has now launched its latest TWS earbuds in the Indian market. The all-new Jabra Elite 85t feature the same semi-open design as the Elite 75t, with some minor tweaks to make the new earbuds more comfortable. But while the design isn’t all that new, Jabra has included one noteworthy feature in the latest model — active noise cancellation support.

Jabra claims that the new Elite 85t comes equipped with a dedicated ANC chip to offer “the most cutting-edge noise-cancellation technology on the market.” Jabra has updated its companion app with the new ANC feature, which now gives users access to 11 levels of controls — from full ANC to full HearThrough (Jabra’s marketing term for transparency mode).

The Jabra Elite 85t pack in 12mm drivers that offer “big sound and powerful bass” and a six microphone array (three on each ear, two on the outside, one on the inside) with improved wind noise protection for calls, along with Siri and Google Assistant support. The Elite 85t comes with oval-shaped silicone ear gels that offer a better seal and improved passive noise isolation.

The Jabra Elite 85t offers up to 5.5 hours of playback with ANC turned on and an additional 25 hours with the Qi-certified wireless charging case. With ANC turned off, the earbuds are rated for up to 31 hours of total playback. Other features include an IPX4 rating for water and sweat resistance and customizable playback controls using the Sound+ companion app.

Pricing and Availability

The Jabra Elite 85t is priced at ₹18,999 and it will be available in the Titanium Black colorway on Amazon from December 1st. Jabra plans to offer other colorways in the country by January next year.

It’s worth noting that while the Jabra Elite 75t didn’t launch with active noise cancellation support, Jabra released a firmware update earlier this year to bring the feature to the earbuds. The Elite 75t is currently available on Amazon for ₹10,999, which is ₹3,000 lower than its usual sale price of ₹13,999.

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