Google Workspace plans get increments along with improvements

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All Google Workspace plans have seen an increase from their previous pricing. The new prices are now being implemented, a few weeks after Google announced them. So, if you use Google Workspace for collaboration with your team, you’d pay a slightly increased plan when your subscription renewal is due.

Regardless of the Business plan you subscribe to, your payment will see an increase. But, the increment varies from one plan to another, with the Business Plus plan seeing the highest increase. Well, if you subscribe to the Enterprise, Education, and annual payment, this price increment won’t affect you.

This price increment comes in light of the AI integrations coming to the Workspace services. For this reason, Google is stepping up the subscription plans on all tiers. Here is everything you need to know about this subscription price increment on Google Workspace.

Everything concerning the new Google Workspace plans

Google Workspace, previously known as G Suite, has undergone yet another change. This time the change alters the pricing of the Workspace subscription plans. If you aren’t already aware, Workspace is simply a productivity tool from Google for your business team.

Lots of businesses rely on this service for collaboration with their team on various projects. To make use of this feature, business owners need to pay for a subscription plan. This plan gives them access to collaboration tools on various Workspace apps like Google Mail, Meet, and other applications.

There are a total of five Google Workspace plans for prospective users to choose from. These plans are Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise, and Education. Users then get to pick what best suits their business and team needs.

All plans have got a subscription price increment, except the Enterprise and Education plans. The Business Starter plan previously priced at $6 is now $7.20 getting a $1.20 price increase. Next is the Business Standard, previously priced at $12, which is now $14.40 raising the plan by $2.40. Lastly, the Business Plus plan, which was $18 per month, is now $21.60 making it the highest increment.

For the businesses currently on the annual subscription, they won’t be affected by this increment. The main reason for this increment is a result of the new Google Generative AI feature that is being introduced to the Workspace platform. This marks a new era for AI and Google Workspace with a ton of tools to make cross-collaboration easier.


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TikTok CEO argues division from ByteDance won’t solve security concerns

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It’s no secret that TikTok’s mishandling of user data has put the company in a lot of trouble, including the US government’s push for the app to divest from its parent company, ByteDance, or face a national ban. However, TikTok CEO, Shou Zi Chew, has now claimed that even if they sell off the US division, concerns over data privacy and security would persist. Instead, the company aims to address the issues with the help of Project Texas.

“I do welcome feedback on what other risk we are talking about that is not addressed by this, and so far I haven’t heard anything that cannot actually be solved by this,” said Chew in a statement to The Wall Street Journal.

Chew’s remarks came in response to fears that China could gain access to user data through TikTok. Lawmakers worry that the Chinese government might compel ByteDance to share user data and demand changes to the content that TikTok’s algorithms show to Americans. Furthermore, the FBI’s recent investigation into ByteDance’s alleged access to the data of US journalists has added to the existing concerns and criticisms of the company’s data handling practices.

What is Project Texas?

While the company’s CEO has denied the US government’s request for divestiture, TikTok hopes to address the security concerns with Project Texas. The initiative aims to protect US user data by routing it through domestic Oracle servers and allowing third-party oversight of the app’s algorithms. TikTok claims they have invested billions of dollars in this project and are also looking forward to expanding the project in the EU.

Despite these safeguards, a former employee of TikTok’s trust and safety team has claimed there are significant flaws with Project Texas, as the Chinese government could still access US user data through TikTok. In response to these concerns, Chew argued that the project will prevent China from accessing US user data, regardless of any changes to Chinese law.

“The idea behind Project Texas is it won’t matter what the Chinese law or any law says, because we’re taking U.S. user data and we’re putting it out of their reach. You’re talking about real concerns, I think these are the real solutions,” said Chew.


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Google reveals 18 chip vulnerabilities threatening mobile, wearables, vehicles

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We take a look at multiple vulnerabilities highlighted by Google’s Project Zero team, and what you can do to ward off the threat of attack.

Google’s Project Zero is warning of multiple significant vulnerabilities found across many models of mobile devices including Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, Vivo, and several forms of wearable and vehicles using certain types of components.

Between late 2022 and early 2023, Project Zero reported 18 vulnerabilities in a chip powering those devices. Of those 18, a total of four vulnerabilities are tagged as “top-severity” which could allow for silent compromise over the network.

Which devices are affected?

The list of impacted technology is as follows:

  • Mobile devices from Samsung, including those in the S22, M33, M13, M12, A71, A53, A33, A21s, A13, A12 and A04 series
  • Mobile devices from Vivo, including those in the S16, S15, S6, X70, X60 and X30 series
  • The Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series of devices from Google
  • Any vehicles that use the Exynos Auto T5123 chipset

The four most severe vulnerabilities could allow attackers to remotely compromise a device, with no physical interaction required at any stage of the proceedings. The only thing an attacker requires for the compromise to take place is knowledge of the intended victim’s phone number.

The other fourteen, while still bad, are nowhere near as severe, and for them to be successful requires either a malicious mobile network operator or an attacker with local access to the device.

Meanwhile, the Google Security research team believes that the most severe vulnerabilities would allow skilled attackers to create an operational exploit in a short space of time.

Patching and scope of threat

While Google mentions that patching will be dependent on manufacturer, PIxel phones (for example) have already been patched against CVE-2023-24033 in the March security update. If a patch isn’t forthcoming for your own device yet, Google has some suggestions to help keep your technology safe from harm. If your device allows you to, switch off two settings called:

  • Wi-Fi calling
  • Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE)

This will prevent the risk of exploitation. One potential ramification of disabling VoLTE is that in recent years it has become something of a necessity for some mobile networks. If you’re able to turn it off, then based on the information available you may experience poor call quality and lack of certain features and functionality. On the other hand, VoLTE is “not available everywhere on every network, or on every handset” so it may not matter too much anyway depending on your make and model.

As for scope, depending on where your device is from you may not be running the vulnerable type of chip needed for the exploit to be successful. The Verge notes that phones sold outside of Europe and some African countries” use something else altogether. In those instances, you should be fine.


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Samsung’s Galaxy S23 trade-in offer massively reduces the cost

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If you are trying to purchase any device in the Galaxy S23 series, then you might want to consider the new Samsung trade-in offer. The available offers can earn a buyer up to $700 to assist them with their purchase. But only a few buyers have access to these offers on the Samsung website and official retail stores.

Samsung fans will find these trade-in offers very interesting, as it rewards them for being loyal customers. So if you are a Samsung fan, head over to their official smartphone website and grab yourself a new Galaxy S23 series device. Two devices in the series are available for purchase with this new trade-in offer.

These devices are the S23 and the S23+ both of which are great flagship devices. In this article, we will take a look at the available trade-in offers for Samsung users. Which devices will be accepted, and which ones have the best trade-in value?

The new Samsung trade-in offer has a lot to offer existing Samsung users

The new Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23+ are both impressive devices that pack a ton of features. If you are into smaller yet powerful devices, then the S23 is the perfect choice for you. But, if you want something bigger with a larger battery, then the S23+ will suit your taste.

Both devices make use of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor for Galaxy devices and pack 8GB memory capacity. They also feature the same rear and front-facing camera setup, bringing similar imagery performance. The smaller S23 retails at $799 and the larger S23+ retails at $999 without the new trade-in offer.

If you already own a Samsung device (smartphone or tablet) purchasing either the Galaxy S23 or S23+ will be more affordable. Samsung’s new trade-in offer is a trade-in offer for these devices that can help you pay just $99 for the S23 and $299 for the S23+ (128GB option). To get this amazing deal, all you need to do is trade your current device back to Samsung while purchasing any of the S23 devices.

All Samsung devices from the Galaxy S7 down to the Z Fold 4 are on a trade-in promotion. With any device within this range, you can get a discount ranging from $110 to $700 on the Galaxy S23 series. This massive discount is courtesy of the new Samsung trade-in offer.

To Apple users, there is no need to feel left out as Samsung is also giving you a similar trade-in offer. From the iPhone 6s to the iPhone 14 Pro Max, this trading offer gives you a $30 to $700 discount. If you are considering switching over to Android, this is the best time for you. Simply trade in your iPhone and get the latest Samsung flagship devices.

Pixel, OnePlus, and LG users also get similar deals, with the Pixel 7 Pro having the highest trade-in offer. It is good to note that the new Samsung trade-in offer is exclusive to certain regions. Head over to the official website in your region to see if you can benefit from this trade-in offer. You also stand a chance to win the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra by clicking on this link.


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Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 yields much better AnTuTu score than its predecessor

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The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 got announced last week, and its AnTuTu score just surfaced. Abhishek Yadav, a tipster, shared the AnTuTu score of the SoC, and compared it to what its predecessors offered.

The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 offers a much better AnTuTu score than its predecessor

The tipster said that the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 managed to reach a score of 1,000,000, while the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 scored 600,000 on AnTuTu. The Snapdragon 778G managed to hit 555,000 points.

As you can see, the difference between the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 and Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 is much bigger than the difference between the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 778G.

That could be one of the main reasons why Qualcomm went with the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 name, instead of using the Snapdragon 7 Gen 2 name as everyone expected. The company completely skipped over the Snapdragon 7 Gen 2 naming.

This processor comes with a 1+3+4 architecture, and it’s a 4nm processor. The Kryo CPU included here offers a 50% performance improvement, claims Qualcomm, while the Adreno GPU also offers a performance boost.

This chip is also more power efficient

The chip is also more power efficient, as Qualcomm states a 13% improvement over its predecessor. The Auto Variable Rate Shading (VRS) is included here, and the same goes for Volumetric Rendering and Snapdragon Sound with Qualcomm aptX.

The Qualcomm AI Engine offers a 2x improved AI performance, while there’s also an 18-bit Triple ISP included. Qualcomm also included the Snapdragon X62 5G modem on the inside, and Bluetooth 5.3 support.

This chip has support for LPDDR5 RAM up to 3,200MHz, and Quick Charge 5 technology. It also supports displays up to QHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Qualcomm does expect quite a few phones to utilize this chip.


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Google Calendar will let you add custom birthday reminders

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Google Calendar is always here for you when you need to remember important dates like a birthday. Right now, Google is working on a new feature that will help you set up custom reminders so you can surprise that special someone on their special day.

Right now, this feature is not available to the public. We’re not even sure it’s in testing. According to Android Police, you can only access the feature in version 2023.08.2-511758217 of the app. Even then, you’ll need to enable several flags. So, you’ll want to take this information with a grain of salt.

Google Calendar will make setting birthday reminders better

If this feature comes out, you’ll see a popup appear when you open the app. It will give you the option to add a birthday when making a reminder. This might seem weird to some people because you’re able to get birthday reminders automatically. When you add a birthday to a contact, the calendar will automatically make a birthday reminder.

However, this feature will give you more options when setting up a reminder. You’ll have just as much control over it as if you’re making standard reminders. So, when adding a birthday reminder, you can choose what kind of notification to get. Also, you’re able to set what date you want it to go off.

So, if you want to get a reminder of the birthday beforehand or afterward, you can. This could be helpful if you’re bad at remembering birthdays. You could get an early reminder and make preparations.

At this point, we don’t know when the company plans on launching this feature. For all we know, Google could pull it before launch. If you’re excited about the feature, then you might want to keep an eye on your app. Make sure that it’s always up to date.


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iPhone 15 Pro Max to have the thinnest bezels on the market

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According to a well-known tipster, Ice Universe, the iPhone 15 Pro Max will have the thinnest bezels on the market. The tipster did share some specific info too, but it’s interesting he mentioned only the Pro Max, not the regular Pro. This could suggest the iPhone 15 Pro will have thicker bezels than its sibling.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max tipped to have the thinnest bezels on the market

In any case, the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s bezels will be 1.55mm thick, says the tipster. Thus far, out of the phones that are available, the Xiaomi 13 Pro holds the lead. Xiaomi’s latest flagship has bezels that are 1.81mm thick.

For comparison’s sake, the tipster did share the bezel thickness of the Galaxy S22, S23, and the iPhone 14 Pro. The bezels on those three phones measure 1.95mm (S22 & S23) and 2.17mm (14 Pro).

The upcoming iPhones will probably have uniform bezels, by the way, as we’re used to seeing from Apple. That means that every single bezel on the iPhone 15 Pro Max will measure 1.55mm.

The iPhone 15 Pro seemingly won’t have the same bezel thickness

We do hope that the iPhone 15 Pro won’t have noticeably thicker bezels than the Pro Max. Well, presumably that they’ll be thicker at all, as the tipster mentioned the ‘Pro Max’ model specifically.

The iPhone 15 series is expected to launch in September this year. This time around, all phones in the series will include a Dynamic Island, even the non-Pro models. That is a feature that was reserved for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max last year.

All phones will also include a Type-C port at the bottom, due to the new EU rule. The ‘Pro’ iPhones are tipped to include solid-state buttons this time around, and perhaps even some new materials for the frame, we’ll have to wait and see.


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Galaxy Z Fold 5 to be much thinner and lighter than Fold 4

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A recent leak revealed that Samsung is changing a lot of things on the Galaxy Z Flip 5. The new clamshell foldable will get a much bigger cover display and narrower bezels on the inside. The Galaxy Z Fold 5, on the other hand, may not look too different from its predecessor. That’s according to the same source Ice Universe.

The new Fold model will reportedly get the same 6.2-inch display on the outside. They don’t detail the aspect ratio but there’s little hope Samsung would make it any wider, something a few users and fans have asked for. With the handset itself not getting any dimension changes, the only way the company can make the cover display wider is by reducing the bezels. But that doesn’t seem to be its priority this year.

Speaking of priority, Samsung is trying to make its foldables thinner. It has developed a new type of hinge that allows the devices to close shut when folded. According to the new leak, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will be just 0.2mm thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold 4 (6.3mm thick) when unfolded. However, thanks to the new hinge, it measures “13.x mm” when folded, down from 14.2-15.8 mm that last year’s model measured.

Another advantage of the new “waterdrop” hinge is its uniform thickness on folding. There is no gap on the hinge side like last year. The weight of the device will also come down from 263 grams to 254 grams. This change will reduce the crease on the inner folding display as well. What makes it all more impressive is that Samsung hasn’t compromised on waterproofing to achieve this. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 will boast an IPX8 rating for water resistance, the same as last year. The foldable will still lack protection against dust, though. The same goes for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 as well.

Samsung will use Galaxy S23’s processor inside the Galaxy Z Fold 5

Samsung will use the same Qualcomm chipset that powered the galaxy S23 series in its 2023 foldables. Both Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 will be powered by the overclocked version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. This chipset is only available to the Korean brand and features a faster CPU and GPU than the regular version. Reports are that this partnership between Qualcomm and Samsung will continue for at least one more year. The Galaxy S24 series will also use a special Qualcomm chip. Stay tuned for all the latest information about these upcoming Samsung devices.


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Apple’s Echo Show competitor gets delayed until next year

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Apple has been rumored to be working on a HomePod that has a screen. Basically a competitor to the Echo Show. The mock ups for it look pretty good. But apparently, it has been delayed. Due to a series of cost-cutting measures and belt-tightening efforts at Apple.

Bloomberg says that the delaying of this project will allow Apple to allocate its R&D budget to more pressing projects. Which includes its mixed reality headset, which many believe will launch at WWDC in June.

This is being done to contain costs and enable the company to maintain stability. Even in an unstable economy, as tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Meta are all laying off employees. While Apple has yet to do so.

Apple’s Echo Show

The HomePod with a display from Apple looks pretty nice actually, in the mock ups. And rumors point to it having a 7-inch display, that would arrive in the first half of 2024 at the earliest.

Basically, it looks like the HomePod Mini, but in a pill shape, with a screen angled on the front. There’s likely a camera hidden somewhere, as Apple would be fools to not make Facetime available on this product.

Of course, this would work with HomeKit. So you’d be able to control your smart home products from this display, a lot like the Echo Show from Amazon and the Nest Hub from Google. Currently, the HomePod doesn’t do a whole lot, other than sounding good and playing Apple Music. So hopefully with the HomePod with a screen, it’ll add more functionality.

It’s likely that Apple would also launch a few different sizes of this device, which Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman first mentioned back in 2021. Though a 7-inch model would likely come out first, as it would be cheaper, and easier to put into your home on a table in the living room or your bedroom.


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Galaxy Z Flip 5 to feature bigger cover display, narrower bezels

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Samsung‘s next-gen foldable smartphones may still be several months away, but leaks have already revealed plenty about the devices. Rumors are that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 will feature a new type of hinge that reduces the crease on the display and also allows the foldables to shut close when folded. The latter will get a bigger cover display as well. Reputed tipster Ice Universe has now shared more information about the upcoming clamshell foldable.

According to the tipster, the new waterdrop-type hinge will not affect the waterproofing of the Galaxy Z Flip 5. Samsung will still offer an IPX8 rating for water resistance, with no guaranteed protection against dust. There have been rumors about the Korean firm working on making its foldables dust resistant, but those efforts don’t seem to be bearing fruit just yet. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 will need extra care when used outdoors. Dust could cause issues with the hinge.

In line with earlier reports, the source says that the cover display on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 would be much bigger than on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. We are talking about a 3.4-inch panel here, up from 1.9 inches last year. But instead of a vertical display like on the Oppo Find N2 Flip (3.26-inch), Samsung is fitting its new foldable with a square screen on the outside. It reportedly has an aspect ratio of 1:1.038, which is almost a square.

The changes don’t limit to outside, though. The new report says that Samsung has reduced the display bezels on the inside as well. We don’t have visuals to tell you how different the Galaxy Z Flip 5 looks from its predecessor when unfolded. But narrower bezels are always a welcome change. The new foldable will also reportedly feature a new touchscreen technology. It’s unclear what advantages this new folding display will bring over the existing solution.

Galaxy Z Flip 5 will use the same processor as the Galaxy S23

Samsung used a special version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor in the Galaxy S23 series. Qualcomm made this chipset exclusively for Galaxy, and the Korean firm will now use it in its upcoming foldables as well. Both the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 will reportedly be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, which has an overclocked prime CPU core and GPU. You can expect to hear more about the upcoming foldable duo in the coming months. The devices will arrive in the second half of 2023, probably in August.


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