The complaint asserts that YouTube collected “the location, viewing habits and preferences” of up to five million children.
The UK’s children’s code, introduced three years ago by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), is all about ensuring that companies make children’s privacy a primary consideration when creating sites and services, games, and toys. The code, also known as the Age Appropriate Design Code (AADC), may now be stepping into the digital privacy ring. Duncan McCann, who works for child advocacy group 5Rights, has lodged a complaint with the ICO about YouTube.
The Children’s code applies to UK-based companies and also companies outside the UK involved in processing the personal data of UK children. In short, if an app or website is likely to be accessed by children, then there’s a good chance the code applies.
The complaint focuses on how YouTube collects children’s data and alleges that it is being handled poorly. If the allegations are true we could see the ICO ordering Google to stop collecting the data, Google could by in line for a large fine.
McCann claims that YouTube has broken the law by collecting “the location, viewing habits and preferences” of anything up to five million children. He wants YouTube to change how the platform is designed, and to delete the data which it has gathered. The Guardian also mentions that another part of the complaint asks the ICO to consider ordering YouTube to rollback or delete any machine learning systems trained on this data.
Children uner 13 are, in theory, banned from using YouTube, and are supposed to use YouTube Kids instead, which is stricter about data collection. For example, there are no personalised ads on YouTube Kids, and no sensitive video categories. This is not the case on the main site. You may have seen for yourself how easy it is for videos on YouTube that are about one thing to autoplay their way into content which is about something quite different, including content that is not suitable for those under 13.
Block channels. If there’s some YouTube Kids approved content which you’re still not happy with, this is the way to go.
Enable specific content. If you want control over every aspect of viewing behaviour, you can force YouTube Kids to display only content which you’ve personally approved for viewing.
Turn off the search feature. Although in theory nothing bad should come up via search in YouTube Kids, you can still turn this off if needed. Do this by changing the “Allow Searching” option to “Off” in Settings.
Disable Autoplay. Again, this feature shouldn’t result in content you wouldn’t want randomly popping up. Even so, the option is there should you desire it. Change this setting by clicking your profile picture, selecting “Settings”, then “Parental Settings”. Select the child’s account, and then change “Disable autoplay” to “On”.
Review watch history. You can pull up a list of watched videos through the “Watch it Again” option at the top of the home screen on a tablet, or navigating to the option on desktop or laptop by selecting the child’s profile picture to view the relevant videos.
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YouTube is reportedly preparing some AI tools for its creators. These tools might be released in 2023.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing everything, and tech companies are striving to use it as a competitive advantage. After the unveiling of ChatGPT, the AI-driven efforts among Big Tech have been accelerated. Google, whose reign was in danger because of ChatGPT, immediately introduced its experimental conversational AI Bard. The search giant now wants to bring AI into its video-sharing platform YouTube.
Susan Wojcicki has recently left YouTube, and Neal Mohan is now officially behind the company wheels. The new CEO wrote a letter to YouTube communities and employees to highlight the platform’s focus for 2023. Among the promised horizons, Mohan has an emphasis on using AI for creators.
YouTube creators will soon have access to AI tools
Mohan says YouTube is currently offering the biggest creative canvas of any platform. He continues that the AI power is reinventing video, and creators can leverage AI to transform their storytelling and production value.
The new YouTube CEO suggests that creators can use AI to swap outfits to create a fantastical film setting. Mohan also adds that YouTube is currently busy developing such a feature, and new creator tools will be out in the coming months.
Given the copyright issues with AI, YouTube doesn’t want to take the risk and face backlash from artists. The platform has recently introduced a new marketplace for purchasing song licenses, and it might do the same for videos to solve AI copyright infringements.
Neal Mohan also alludes to YouTube’s vision for podcasting. As per the latest news, YouTube Music is adding podcasts to compete with Spotify. YouTube itself is also making it easier for podcasters to share their shows on the platform, thanks to new YouTube Studio tools. Mohan adds that podcasters can upload their shows on YouTube later this year with RSS integration.
Mohan’s vision for the future of YouTube seems promising, and the platform might go through big changes in 2023.
There seems to be no limit to what ChatGPT can do. So far, people have found a myriad of ways to use this AI chatbot (for better or worse), and we’re not sure if we’ve even come close to tapping its potential. You can use ChatGPT to summarize articles so that you can absorb the information faster. Here’s a handy guide to doing this along with some more useful information about ChatGPT.
What is ChatGPT?
So, before we dive into how to use ChatGPT, let’s talk about what it is. In late 2022, OpenAI, the company behind DALL-E, released an AI chatbot by the name of ChatGPT. Think of it as an artificially-intelligent human being that you can ask questions and make requests of.
You can ask it simple trivial questions such as “How far is Earth from the sun?” and it will tell you. This also goes for advice. You can ask it something like “How do I get my kid to read more?”, and it will give you a list of things to keep in mind.
This chatbot is so powerful that it gets into controversial territory, as it can make original written content. These pieces of content could be as short as short poems or as long as full novels. There are hundreds of books on the Amazon Kindle store that are authored by ChatGPT. Also, it can produce screenplays, pieces of code, and more.
What if you just want to chat? Well, you can also just have a conversation with the bot. It will respond to you and hold a conversation as though it were a human being. The sky’s the limit with ChatGPT.
If you want to know how to use it, click here. If you want even more information on what it can do, click here.
How to summarize articles with ChatGPT
Firstly, you’ll want to log in to ChatGPT and start a new conversation. Then, in the text field, simply type “Summarize this article”. ChatGPT recommends that you provide a link to the article, the title of the article, and the name of the author. You can do that if you want, but I found that it will still work the same with just a link.
Paste the link into the text field. ChatGPT will give you a paragraph typically between 80 and 150 words summarizing it. Depending on the nature of the article, the word count could vary.
Shorter answers
The summaries are already pretty short, but if you need an even shorter explanation, you can simply type in “TLDR” followed by the link for the article. I found that typing in TLDR gives shorter answers. Depending on the article, when you type in “Summarize this article” the chatbot will give you a more fleshed-out answer. It will introduce it by saying something like “This article is about…”.
When you type in TLDR, it will just start giving you the basic information in a clear and concise manner. In any case, you’ll receive a cut-down version of the article so that you can blaze through it.
The risks of using this feature
As impressive as ChatGPT is, it’s not perfect. There are certain limitations that it has which have a negative effect on the article summarization feature. Because of these, you’ll be summarizing articles at the risk of getting inaccurate information.
For starters, at the time of writing this article, ChatGPT’s reservoir of information only goes up to sometime in 2021. This means that more recent events, news, devices, people, etc. won’t be known to it. This could be an issue if you’re trying to sum up articles about recent events.
This is important because it appears that ChatGPT uses some contextual information outside of the article to help augment the answer. So, if you’re summing up an article about the Galaxy S22, it could pull information that points to it still being rumored.
This feature still needs work
In my usage of this feature, it was hard to count how many inaccurate details I had gotten. All of the results I’ve gotten are rife with inaccurate facts. I summed up a review about a 720p projector, and it stated that it was a 1080p projector.
I fed it an article about the Nothing speaker, and it said that it was about the Nothing Ear (1). What’s significant about this case was that it added additional information that was not present in the article. Nowhere in the article was Carl Pei mentioned. However, in the summary, he was mentioned.
This makes it seem like ChatGPT isn’t as much processing the information present in the article. Rather, it seems like it’s taking certain keywords, matching them to information in its data reserve, and constructing a paragraph based on it.
In the Nothing speaker article, it mentioned that the Nothing speaker was a speaker from Nothing. However, ChatGPT doesn’t have any information on the speaker to recall because it was developed after 2021.
However, it does have information about the Nothing Ear (1), so it used information on that. Also, the Nothing Ear (Stick), Nothing Phone (1), and the Nothing Ear (2) are listed in the article. Since those terms didn’t exist before 2022, ChatGPT doesn’t know anything about them. So, it only mentioned the Nothing Ear (1).
Should you use this feature?
My answer: not yet. ChatGPT is insanely powerful, but it’s still no human brain. While it’s powerful, it’s still miles (lightyears, even) away from reaching perfect human intelligence.
Reading, digesting, and summing up an article is pretty hardcore for an AI to do. Because of this, ChatGPT can’t properly summarize articles. The best thing to do is to wait for the technology to reach that point. In the meantime, don’t use this feature. With as many inaccurate details as I’ve gotten, there’s no way I’d use this for any practical purpose.
New Youtube lead, Neal Mohan, took to the Official Youtube blog a couple of days ago to share the company’s milestones as well as its priorities for 2023, which include ensuring the safety of the YouTube community, ensuring the success of YouTube creators, and building for the YouTube of the future.
Seeing YouTube’s potential
Mohan spoke about his beginnings at YouTube headquarters 15 years ago, when the company was just a small office on a second floor above pizza place, and how even then, he could see the platform’s potential to be great. As he transitioned into his new position as YouTube lead, replacing longtime friend and mentor Susan Wojcicki, he thought more and more about that moment.
In his new position, Mohan explains that he is very excited for the future of the platform and the part he will take in it. As the prior Chief Product Office, Mohan’s old responsibilities within the platform included making ad products that helped pay for people to make content that can be seen all over the internet. This is where his focus will continue to lie…making the platform an even better place for content creators.
When YouTube was just starting out, I saw its potential. Now, I’m very excited to be in charge of its future.
What will be YouTube’s focus?
Mohan reiterated that the focus at YouTube going forward will remain what is most important to both creators and viewers, and that includes helping creators do well, building the platform of the future, and to focus on keeping the community safe. He made sure to highlight that creators and artists are what make YouTube what it is, and that is what will be put first when it comes to building the YouTube of the future.
To support this, Mohan included some interesting statistics regarding the current state of the economy and how that hasn’t stopped the company from offering business opportunities on its platform. According to research by Oxford Economics, YouTube’s creative ecosystem supported more than two million jobs in 2021 in Brazil, Canada, the US, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, France, Australia, Germany, the UK, India, and Turkey. Here’s what YouTube has planned to do this year to help creators all over the platform do well:
Create more ways for creators to make money by giving them more tools, such as growing the subscriptions business, putting money into shopping, and always making paid digital goods better.
Expanding creator feedback via life help through chat or email to find out what the platform can do to help them. Creator feedback is a big part of how YouTube creates new products.
Expanding accessibility for people who are deaf or hard or hearing by putting money into machine learning over a long period of time. Because of this investment, YouTube can now offer automatic captions in more languages and machine-translated captions for mobile devices that can be changed to 16 different languages.
Growing creator communities by going mobile with gifted memberships, letting viewers remix clips into Shorts, and adding features that will make it easy to put together the best gaming content in a new way.
What’s in store for the YouTube of the future?
YouTube will be putting more money into the features and experiences that will make YouTube a better platform, such as doubling down on the streaming and connected TV experience and releasing the creative potential of YouTube in ways that have never been done before.
Mohan mentioned that more and more, viewers are watching YouTube content on their TVs, which is the biggest screen in most homes. As the fastest-growing screen on the platform, YouTube will be paying special attention to how it can improve this experience and help viewers connect with each other and creators.
We’re bringing the best of YouTube to the living room, including the creators people love, the streaming they want, and the useful features they’ve come to expect from YouTube.
YouTube has also recently added Primetime Channels to allow users to watch videos from their favorite streaming services, and announced that NFL Sunday Ticket will be making its way to the platform as well, in an attempt to make YouTube the best place to watch TV and football. There will also be features from YouTube TV that will be making their way to the main YouTube app, such as being able to watch key plays, along with the added ability to connect with creators and other fans by liking, commenting, etc.
However, the biggest accomplishment in the eyes of many will be the addition of proper podcasting. YouTube is already the second most popular place where people go to listen to podcasts, and this year YouTube will make it even easier for creators and artists to publish their podcasts through YouTube Studio. Youtube will start bringing both audio-first and video-first podcasts to the millions of people in the US who use YouTube Music, with more regions to come. Additionally, later this year, RSS integration will give podcasters another way to upload their shows to YouTube.In regards to shorts, YouTube will also be releasing a tool this year that will let creators record a Short next to other Shorts and YouTube videos. This similar to the Remix feature you can currently find on TikTok and Instagram that allows you to add your own take on a trend or join in with a reaction.
AI will also play a major role in the future of YouTube. Through AI’s generative abilities, creators will be able to add to their stories and improve the quality of their work. For example, YouTube is working on a tool that will allow creators to change characters’ clothes virtually or change the setting for a movie. These features are still not ready for prime time, and YouTube says they’re taking the time to make sure they are safe to use, but we should be hearing more about that over the next few months.
Making sure the YouTube community is safe
As new ideas flourish, protecting the YouTube community remains the company’s most important goal. Tools like YouTube Kids have allowed kids to explore their interests in a safe place and give parents the tools needed to make sure the platform works for their family’s needs. However, there is still work to be done.
YouTube is staying on top of new policies, bills, and laws being introduced all over the world that shape the digital environment. Because of this, YouTube will be having a debate about Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act in the U.S., which has helped creators and given the platform the power to take down harmful content. The company is also involved in similar efforts in Europe and Canada.
“All of these efforts are important, but as a parent, I care most about what we’re doing to keep kids safe on our platform.”
The latest release of Wireshark, version 4.0.4, has been launched by the Wireshark Team. This new version offers a host of improvements and updates that enhance protocol support, including several bug fixes.
It can be used for a wide range of purposes, including the analysis, development, education, and troubleshooting of networks.
This tool has become an essential part of many organizations’ daily operations, as it provides valuable assistance in managing their business activities. Its extensive functionality and versatility have made it a popular choice for a wide range of businesses, regardless of their size or industry.
Compatibility
If you are looking for a packet analyzer that is compatible with various operating systems, then Wireshark is the tool for you. It supports a wide range of operating systems, making it accessible to users with different system preferences.
Here below we have mentioned the supported platforms:-
What’s New in Wireshark 4.0.4
The following is a list of the major changes that have been made in Wireshark 4.0.4 since the previous version. The Wireshark Team has recently made changes to their packaging policy for Windows users.
As of version 4.0 and later, official 32-bit Windows packages for Wireshark are no longer available. Instead, users are advised to use the latest 3.6 release if they need to use Wireshark on that platform.
Updated Protocol Support
Here below we have mentioned all the updated protocol support:-
ASTERIX
BGP
DHCP
ERF
F5 Ethernet trailer
GMR-1 RR
Gryphon
GSM SMS
H.261
H.450
ISO 10681
ISO 15765
MIPv6
NAS-5gs
NR RRC
NS Trace
OptoMMP
PDCP-LTE
PDCP-NR
QSIG
ROHC
RSVP
RTCP
SCTP
SIP
TCP
TECMP
TWAMP
UDS
UMTS RLC
Bug Fixes in Wireshark 4.0.4
The latest version of this software includes a number of new fixes that address vulnerabilities and bugs discovered in earlier versions.
These fixes were developed in response to user feedback and ongoing testing to ensure that the software is as reliable and secure as possible.
By addressing these issues, the new version of the software delivers enhanced stability and improved security, providing a better user experience overall.
Here below we have mentioned all the bug fixes:-
wnpa-sec-2023-08 ISO 15765 and ISO 10681 dissector crash.
UTF-8 characters end up escaped in PSML output.
Export filtered displayed packets won’t save IP fragments of SCTP fragments needed to reassemble a displayed frame.
DICOM dissection in reassembled PDV goes wrong.
“Export Objects – IMF” produces incorrect file, TCP reassembly fails with retransmissions that have additional data.
The intelligent scroll bar or minimap is not predictable on locating and scrolling.
If you mark (or unmark) the currently-selected frame, the packet details still say it’s not marked (or it is marked).
An out-of-order packet incorrectly detected as retransmission breaks desegmentation of TCP stream.
Sorting Packet Loss Column is not sorting correct.
Some HTTPS packets cannot be decrypted.
SIP TCP decoding regression from Wireshark 1.99.0 to 3.6.8.
Frame comments not preserved when using filter to write new pcap from tshark.
ChmodBPF not working on macOS Ventura 13.1.
Wireshark GUI and window manager stuck after setting display filter.
Dissector bug, protocol H.261.
File extension heuristics are case-sensitive.
Symbolic links to packages in macOS dmg can’t be double-clicked to install on macOS 13.2.
The lines in the intelligent scrollbar are off by one.
Wireshark crashes on invalid UDS packet in Lua context.
TECMP dissector shows the wrong Voltage in Vendor Data.
UDS: Names of RDTCI subfunctions 0x0b … 0x0e are not correct.
To ensure optimal performance and security, it is strongly recommended that all users of this software upgrade to the latest version, which is now available as version 4.0.4. This version includes critical updates that address various issues and vulnerabilities discovered in earlier versions.
However, to get started with the latest version of this application, you can download it by clicking on this link.
The ransomware group LockBit is offering data stolen from a Washington state public transit operator on the dark web.
The Pierce County Public Transportation Benefit Area Corporation (Pierce Transit) has fallen victim to a cyberattack using LockBit ransomware. Pierce Transit is a public transit operator in Washington state.
The attack began on February 14, 2023, and required Pierce Transit to implement temporary workarounds, to maintain the service of the transit system which transports around 18,000 people every day.
Based on the number of known attacks, Lockbit has been the most widely used ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) for some time now. It accounted for almost a third of all known RaaS attacks last year, peaking at almost half of all known ransomware attacks in September 2022. The largest ransom demand it made in 2022 was a staggering $50 million. And it hasn’t tempered its ambitions in 2023—last month it tried to get $80 million out of UK’s Royal Mail, but was politely shown the door by its negotiator.
On February 28, the LockBit ransomware group published details of the attack on Pierce Transit, along with a public demand for just shy of $2 million in return for the stolen data. Publishing data like this is normally a sign that negotiations have broken down or that the victim does not intend to pay. The ransomware group claims to have stolen contracts, client information, non-disclosure agreements, correspondence, and more, all of which are now on sale.
The eye-watering ransom demand is just one of the costs of an attack like this. Even if a ransomware victim pays for a decryption key, it takes time to restore systems and the total damages are almost always a multiple of the ransom.
According to The Record, The incident has been reported to law enforcement agencies, and forensic experts were brought in to investigate the nature and scope of the event. If it turns out that LockBit managed to steal and leak client information, the company intends to let them know. A spokeswoman stated:
“We are dedicated to informing our community, as appropriate, as our inquiry progresses.”
The majority of its operations have now been fully restored and Pierce Transit says it plans to implement new cybersecurity monitoring tools and security measures.
Public transportation is an essential service and any long-term disruption of its internal networks could have a devastating effect on the people who rely on it to get to school, their work, or medical appointments.
Thankfully, Pierce Transit managed to keep operations going, but undoubtedly there will be financial losses resulting from system failure and damage restoration in the short- and long-term.
Ransomware-as-a-service is the most lucrative and dangerous form of cybercrime. Individual attacks can bring entire organizations to a halt and raise multi-million-dollar ransoms. You can learn more about LockBit and the danger it poses to your organization in our 2023 State of Malware report.
Detect intrusions. Make it harder for intruders to operate inside your organization by segmenting networks and assigning access rights prudently. Use EDR or MDR to detect unusual activity before an attack occurs.
Stop malicious encryption. Deploy Endpoint Detection and Response software like Malwarebytes EDR that uses multiple different detection techniques to identify ransomware.
Create offsite, offline backups. Keep backups offsite and offline, beyond the reach of attackers. Test them regularly to make sure you can restore essential business functions swiftly.
Write an incident response plan. The period after a ransomware attack can be chaotic. Make a plan that outlines how you’ll isolate an outbreak, communicate with stakeholders, and restore your systems.
Have a burning question or want to learn more about our cyberprotection? Get a free business trial below.
The Google Pixel Watch is official. Like, officially official. Yes Google showed it off at Google I/O back in May. But that was merely a teaser. This morning Google officially announced the Pixel Watch at its Fall Pixel event. And while we still have to put in some time with it for a proper review, we now know all there is (basically) to know about the ‘Google Pixel Watch.’
Whether you’re looking to move away from Apple or just another Wear OS option, Google is giving you another choice. And as a consumer that’s a good thing. Especially if you like the smooth domed glass design Google is offering. It’s also potentially the best smartwatch option for Pixel owners. Even more so for those looking to upgrade to the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro.
So let’s break down the Google Pixel Watch and all its nitty gritty details. Or at the very least, the most important parts of the device that you may be wondering about.
What is the Google Pixel Watch?
It’s Google’s first actual smartwatch. It was designed in-house and like the company’s Pixel phones, the Pixel Watch is meant to be the flagship device. It’s the posterchild for Wear OS and is a showcase of how seamless, feature-rich, stylish, and functional Google wants the platform to be.
The watch has actually been rumored for years but nothing of substance ever came up. That is not until earlier this year when Google teased it. Now Pixel fans have something tangible they can wrap around their wrists. As soon as it ships, of course. Speaking of shipping…
When does the Google Pixel Watch launch?
Technically, it launches today if you want to think about it like that. But in reality it launches later this month, officially on October 13. You can pre-order the watch starting today and as it stands it shows that deliveries will be made between October 14 and October 19. Although that all depends on the color you choose. Some seem to be shipping out earlier than others. We would say don’t let that sway your decision. But we get it if it does. When you’re excited about a product you tend to want it as soon as possible.
Update: November 9, 2022
The Google Pixel Watch officially launched on October 13, 2022.
How much does the Google Pixel Watch cost?
This will depend on which you model you buy. There are two available models of the watch. A Bluetooth/Wi-Fi-only model, and one that will connect through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or LTE. The Bluetooth/Wi-Fi model retails for $349.99, and the LTE model retails for $399.99. The color you choose has no impact on the cost. Keep in mind though that if you go with the LTE model, you might as well consider the additional cost of adding an LTE data plan to it. Which will be a recurring monthly fee you need to pay for as long as you want to use the LTE feature.
You can buy it directly from Google or from third-party retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.
Where will it be available?
For starters it will be available in 9 different counties. This includes the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, and the UK. Google may launch the watch in other regions in the future, but it doesn’t confirm this. As for what stores or retailers you can buy it at, in the US you can grab the watch directly from Google, or from retailers like Amazon and Best Buy as we’ve linked above. It will probably be available from carriers as well in the LTE model.
Outside of the US, availability may vary and you’ll need to check with your local retailers.
What are the available colors?
Google will offer the Pixel Watch in three colors. Matte Black, Polished Silver, and Champagne Gold. And then the bands will come in a multitude of colors and styles, made from various materials. The band that comes with the watch is called the Active Band. This is essentially the Infinity Band that comes with the Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Sense 2. It has infinity-shaped loops and is made from a soft-touch silicone/rubber material. It’ll be available in Hazel with the Champagne Gold case, Obsidian with the Matte Black case, and either Chalk or Charcoal with the Polished Silver case.
You can also pick it up in Lemongrass as a standalone band option.
Additional band styles, you say?
Yep. Google has actually designed and is releasing a handful of different band options for Pixel Watch owners. The one big downside is that you can’t use the Pixel Watch with third-party bands or straps. Due to the Pixel Watch’s unique twist and click locking mechanism for the bands. This means you’ll have to buy the bands from Google. At least for now, unless Google ends up working with partners to allow officially licensed bands for the watch. Though we don’t see that happening unless the watch is popular enough and other brands want to make accessories for it.
As for the official Google options, right now there’s the Active Band, a Stretch Band, a Woven Band, a Crafted Leather Band, and a Two-Tone Leather Band. As for colors, you can find them listed below.
Google Pixel Watch Band colors
Active Band – Charcoal, Chalk, Obsidian, Lemongrass, Hazel (Price: $49.99)
Stretch Band – Linen, Rose, Obsidian (Price: $59.99)
Woven Band – Lemongrass, Coral, Ivy (Price: $59.99)
Crafted Leather Band – Obsidian, Ivy (Price: $79.99)
Two-Tone Leather Band – Linen, Charcoal, Chalk (Price: $79.99)
Metal Mesh Band – Matte Black, Polished Silver, Champagne Gold (Price: $129.99)
Metal Links Band – Matte Black, Brushed Silver (Price: $199.99)
That’s all of the officially available Pixel Watch bands for now. But it is worth mentioning that Google will offer both a metal link band and a metal mesh band at some point next year. They’re expensive though, so be prepared to spend a lot. They aren’t available to purchase yet, but Google does show them off in an official photo and they were shown off during today’s event.
What are the biggest features?
There are two big feature categories we’ll split things up into. Help features, and Health features. The help features include everything you’ve come to know and love from Google. Including Google Assistant, Maps, Calendar, Wallet and more. The watch also has an Emergency SOS for fall detection coming in 2023.
The Health features are everything that revolves around your health and fitness. And it’s all handled by Fitbit. The big features on the health side of things include Fitbit’s famous Active Zone Minutes, an ECG app for AFib detection, Sleep Score and Sleep Stages, Mindfulness Sessions and a whole lot more. In fact there’s a good bet that a lot of the features available on the Sense 2, are available on the Pixel Watch also.
Google does own Fitbit now after all. Users will also get third-party app support from Adidas, MyFitnessPal, Calm, Strava, Spotify and others. And when you buy a Pixel Watch from Google you get 3 months free of YouTube Premium, and 6 months free of Fitbit Premium.
How big is the watch?
It’s not a massive chunky boi if that’s what you’re wondering. It measures 41mm in diameter which is actually kind of small. Though certainly not the smallest smartwatch on the market. It’s also 12.3mm in height, and without the band it weighs 36g. Obviously, the band you choose will change the weight. And each band is going to alter that slightly based on the material.
For example, the leather and metal bands probably weigh the most. So with those on the watch likely weighs more than when you use the Active Band, Stretch Band, or Woven Band.
How long is the battery life?
Ah yes, the point of contention for literally every smartwatch on the planet. How long is going to last me? It’s an important question to ask. Because you definitely need to know if you’re going to have to charge the watch up every night. Or in the morning if it charges quickly enough to be done before you need to jet off to work or school. Or anywhere else you need to go during the day when you finally leave the house.
Unfortunately, the Pixel Watch battery life isn’t great. Google’s official statement and spec sheet lists that it lasts up to 24 hours on a single charge. Which, is quite honestly very disappointing. Especially when you consider the competition. The Galaxy Watch 5 lasts for up to 50 hours on a single charge. And the Pro model boosts that up to a surprisingly long 80 hours. Though we never experienced times that long ourselves.
As for charging speeds, Google says the Pixel Watch can charge up to 50% in just 30 minutes. A full 100% will take about 80 minutes. Or if you don’t need quite the full amount, 80% will take about 55 minutes. All things considered, the charge times are quick enough. So even if the battery only lasts a day on a single charge, if you’re not averse to either brining your watch charger with you or buying a second one for travel, you can easily give it some juice when needed.
What are the specs?
We did a full breakdown post of all the Google Pixel Watch specs and you can find that here. But the key highlights are as follows. It has a 292mAh battery, 32GB of storage, 2GB of RAM, and it runs on the Exynos 9110 System On Chip with a Cortex M33 co-processor. It also has an altimeter, a compass, an optical heart rate sensor, a blood oxygen sensor, a multi-purpose electrical sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and an ambient light sensor. It also comes running on Wear OS 3.5.
Is it waterproof?
It has a 5ATM rating, so, no. It’s not waterproof. It’s water-resistant. It can withstand being in up to 50 meters of water. Though not for more than 24 hours. So you can probably take it swimming, it’ll be fine in the rain, and it should hold up nicely to sweat. If you drop it in a shallow pool, it should be ok there too. But Google does recommend keeping it away from soapy water or other liquids. It also states that the watch shouldn’t be used during high-speed or high-impact water sports.
What about scratches?
The Pixel Watch comes with custom 3D Corning Gorilla Glass. Which is scratch-resistant. So it should be just fine if you stick it in a pocket with things like keys, coins, or accidentally bump it against stuff from time to time. That being said there’s no guarantee that continuously bumping it against walls or other hard surfaces won’t damage the display. So treat it like you would any other piece of electronic equipment you own. With care.
This isn’t the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro or the Apple Watch Ultra. Or any of the numerous watches from Garmin. All of which are built to withstand harsher conditions.
How long will Google support the Pixel Watch with updates?
At least three years. Google has officially guaranteed that the Pixel Watch will receive software support for three years. That means you can expect it to go from Wear OS 3.5 to how ever many versions Google can stuff into a three-year time frame. After that, there’s no more guarantees that the watch will be updated with newer versions of the OS. Or that it will receive any updates at all after that point.
Can you customize the watch face?
Of course. This is a Wear OS watch after all. Out of the box though, it will have 19 customizable watch face options. And it supports Google Photos for watch faces too. And don’t forget, you could just install Facer on it. Which has endless options for you.
Will it support the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro only?
Nope. It will support those phones, and Google does highlight that it will “work seamlessly with the Pixel portfolio.” But it will also work with any Android phone that runs on Android 8.0 or later. That should be most phones by now. Regardless of manufacturer. That being said, it wouldn’t be surprising if it worked best with a Pixel phone. Just as the Galaxy watches work best with Samsung Galaxy phones.
Microsoft’s next version of Windows, Windows 11, is fast approaching, and the company has already put out a ton of detail about the latest version of its OS. As Windows is one of the most-used operating systems for personal computers around the globe, there’s a lot of reasons to brush up on what’s coming. From new features to security, and even a refreshed design, Windows 11 is poised to be a notable upgrade.
While it won’t look entirely different from Windows 10, it will look different enough to be eye catching. And if you’re a Windows user yourself, it’s important to know what to expect. That’s why we’ve put together this handy guide. Which details all the notable and important aspects of the operating system changes on the horizon.
If you want to learn more about Windows 11, from price to features to release date, check out the guide below.
When is Windows 11 releasing?
Windows 11 is releasing in 2021. More specifically, Microsoft has now announced that the Windows 11 software upgrade will begin rolling out on October 5. The update will start with new eligible Windows 10 PCs, and then continue on from there. Microsoft says PCs shipping with Windows 11 will also begin hitting the market on the same day.
So instead of upgrading, you could buy a Windows 11 PC if you wanted to. The update is also not hitting all devices at the same time. Instead, Microsoft is handling this as a phased and measured rollout. Though it does expect all eligible PCs to receive the update by mid-2022.
Update: October 5, 2021
As of October 4, Microsoft released Windows 11 one day earlier than planned. Some users have already received the upgrade to the new software, while others will be getting access to it as part of a phased rollout, continuing into 2022. Consumers should also start seeing laptops and prebuilt PCs with Windows 11 pre-installed hitting the market.
For example, Razer just announced the new Razer Book and Razer Blade 15 Advanced now come with Windows 11 out of the box.
Update: May 12, 2022
Microsoft has now begun selling physical USB key copies of Windows 11 through Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailers.
For everyone, the upgrade will be free. That is if you’re upgrading from Windows 10. If you’re on an older version of Windows, then you may have to buy Windows 10 to get the free upgrade to Windows 11.
If you’re already on Windows 10, then the upgrade won’t cost you anything, and your PC will need to meet the requirements for the software. Microsoft has a PC Health Check app that you can use to see if your machine is compatible. So you’ll want to do that before the software comes out down the road.
Having said that, the PC Health Check app is not currently available to download. As Microsoft pulled it offline a little bit earlier this year. The company will however be putting it back up sometime before Windows 11 launches this Fall. So you should still have plenty of time to use it and see if your PC meets the requirements, before the software arrives.
What are the biggest features and changes in Windows 11?
Windows 11 promises to bring more than a few new features and changes to the table. But not all of them are going to matter to everyone. And heck, some of them people likely won’t even notice unless they’re told that they’re there. Here are some of the biggest changes that you can expect with the upgrade when Microsoft releases it.
A refreshed look
The first thing you’ll notice is of course the design changes. Since the visual component is literally the first thing you’ll see when you boot up the OS for the first time. Microsoft didn’t drastically change the design this time around. In fact a lot of things still look similar enough that you might think there weren’t any changes at all.
But there definitely are. Even if they’re more subtle. For starters, the corners of windows will now have rounded edges. Some windows and the task bar will also now have more of a frosted glass look. Similar to the Aero design from Windows Vista. So you’ll be able to see through them slightly. It won’t necessarily look like this for every single window you have opened though. And it may depend on the theme you choose.
The new design also includes a new home for the start menu. The Start button will now live in the center of the task bar (which Microsoft is now calling the Dock) and the menu will pop up just above it. This new centralized location is meant to deliver ease of use.
New, more dynamic themes
Themes are nothing new but the themes in Windows 11 will be more dynamic and they appear to have more of an impact on the style and overall look of your own personal Windows experience. Some of these themes will apply the Aero look mentioned above. And in addition to each one having a specific color associated with it, there will be themes for both light and dark modes.
Android apps on PC
This is definitely one of the biggest changes with Windows 11, though really only if you’re an Android user. Microsoft has confirmed that Android apps (some of them) will work on Windows 11 devices. So you’ll be able to launch Android apps on your PC and use them natively without the need for any additional software. Such as Bluestacks.
However there is one big caveat to this. Apps can be found in the Microsoft Store, but downloading them will actually happen via the Amazon App Store. So the Android apps you want to use on your PC will have to be listed in the Amazon App Store. If they’re not, then you won’t be able to use them on Windows 11 natively. In which case, a third-party software like Bluestacks would still be extremely useful.
Snap Groups
Snap groups is another cool new feature to look forward to. While you can already snap windows in Windows 10, In Windows 11 they’re getting even more usability. This is because Microsoft is making it possible to switch back and forth to different currently running apps without having to snap them to their location again.
You can move back to your snapped windows from the dock, and they’ll snap back into place as if you never left. So everything more or less happens automatically. For multitaskers, or those that just always have a lot of apps open all the time, this will be a major benefit to productivity and efficiency.
A revamped Microsoft Store with improved content curation
Windows 11 will introduce an improved experience with the Microsoft Store that includes better curated content. It will also now include improvements to managing purchased content like movies and TV shows, games, apps and more.
Microsoft says all apps, books, movies, games, etc. will be easier to search for because of the curated stories and collections. So finding more of what you really want to download will be easier than it’s ever been.
Get fast information through the new personalized ‘Widgets’ Feed
Microsoft is introducing a new information feed with Windows 11 called ‘Widgets.’ Which the company is hailing as a personalized feed that brings you more of the news you care about and less of what you don’t. Widgets will live in the dock and be accessible from there at all times.
Microsoft also designed it to be non-obtrusive. So as soon as you open it it’ll slide to the left or right of the screen so it’s out of the way. Microsoft says it “slides across the screen like a sheet of glass,” which gives it a slick and elegant design. Widgets is also powered by artificial intelligence and the “best-in-class browser performance from Microsoft Edge.” So expect it to get smarter at delivering relevant content to you while also performing rather smoothly. You can also add widgets on your own for an even more personalized feel.
Connect much more quickly with the new Chat feature
Microsoft has integrated a new ‘Chat’ feature right into the dock so people can more quickly access all of their most important connections. This will let you access text, chat, video calls, and voice calls with all of your personal contacts. And it’s more or less platform agnostic.
So if you’re on Windows 11 and they’re on Android, iOS, or Windows, it won’t matter as you’ll still be able to contact them.
Will Windows 11 be good for gaming?
Naturally. In fact, Microsoft is confident that Windows 11 will deliver the best PC gaming experience to date. Though how that actually works in real-world scenarios with everyday users remains to be seen. On paper, things seem pretty impressive. And as someone who plays a lot of games on PC, that sounds all too enticing.
According to Microsoft, the PC gaming experience on Windows 11 will include awesome features like Direct X 12 Ultimate. Which is supposed to enhance gaming with things like support for super high frame rate. While also delivering visuals that are amazing and immersive.
Microsoft is also touting faster load times thanks to DirectStorage. So you can spend less time waiting for your games to boot up and more time actually playing and enjoying them. Of course there’s also the newly revamped Xbox Game Pass app. Which has a more streamlined design and user interface navigation system so all of your favorite games are at your fingertips. And new ones that are waiting to be discovered are never more than a click or two away.
The new app will also have better game management. So you can buy games right from this app. And also easily remove titles you no longer want to play from your library and uninstall them with ease if you need to open up some space. While you have to currently download the Xbox app on Windows 10, Windows 11 will have it baked in. So if it’s not already on your PC now, it will be once you upgrade.
Improved experience for touch and multiple methods for input
Microsoft has made some big improvements to touch support in Windows 11. Making it even easier to navigate the UI. Not to mention all of the apps or tools you might use on a daily basis.
Input methods have been improved too. Allowing you to input anything you want typed up by actually typing. Or by using voice, or touch inputs with new keyboard themes and touch typing actions, like swipe typing.
In regards to the touch experience, it will now be easier to drag and expand or drag and shrink your windows while using touch input. There are even multi-finger gestures for swiping away apps and opening Task View.
What are the minimum specs required for Windows 11?
Chances are, if you’re on a device that’s already running on Windows 10, it’ll be compatible with Windows 11. That being said, Microsoft does have a list of minimum specs that are going to be required. Which should be no surprise to anyone that’s already a Windows user, or a user of any computing platform for that matter.
For Windows 11 to work on your machine, it will need to meet the minimum required specs listed below.
Processor: 1GHz or faster with a minimum of 2 cores. Must also be a compatible 64-bit processor or SoC, as 32-bit processors will not be supported
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64GB
System Firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable
TPM: Trusted Platform Module 2.0
Graphics Card: Direct X 12 or later with a WDDM 2.0 driver
Display: 720p, 8-bit per color channel, and a minimum of 9-inches diagonal
Internet Connection/Microsoft Account: You will need to be connected to the internet and have a Microsoft account for the initial setup. This means the first time you boot your PC up after the upgrade, make sure it’s connected to the internet and sign into your Microsoft account to finalize setting up your Windows 11 PC experience. You won’t need an active internet connection for future use, unless you want to use apps or tools that require the internet to function.
Where will Windows 11 be available?
Windows 11 should be available anywhere that Windows 10 is currently available. Regardless of region, if you’re already running a PC where Windows 10 is installed, then it should have an upgrade to Windows 11 at some point. Keep in mind that Windows 11 is only supposed to start being rolled out to users this holiday. Roll outs will continue into 2022. So some users may not get to upgrade until next year.
Microsoft doesn’t really give a clear explanation of how this will all work. So some regions may get the upgrade later than others.
There will be a single annual major update
Microsoft is cutting down the amount of major updates it pushes out to users each year. Starting with Windows 11, there will now be a single annual major update that rolls out. As opposed to two like Microsoft is currently pushing.
This should help the company maintain a more stable release each year for users. At least that’s likely what Microsoft is hoping. And it should work, as the development team should have more time to focus on the one major update.
Is there a Windows 11 Insider program?
As mentioned above, you can try Windows 11 out for yourself by downloading the Insider Preview build. Though again, it isn’t recommended unless you have a secondary Windows 10 PC to install it on. As you shouldn’t be installing it on your main PC just in case there are issues that impact your usage.
So in short, yes. There is an Insider Program for Windows 11 and you can participate in it if you like. You will need to register to become a Windows Insider, which is the only way to currently test Windows 11.
Android Auto recently got a spiffy new Carplay-inspired layout that gave the UI separate panes for maps, music, and other tasks. This new look may now be getting another update where these dedicated panes can be switched around.
The new layout was unveiled at CES 2023 and has since then rolled out to the majority of Android Auto users in the United States. This improved split-screen user interface has been received by users with positive feedback as it allows you to juggle media playback and navigation duties without having to switch screens. When you divide the screen in this manner, it is much simpler to keep track of both what is being played and where you are going at the same time.
In the most recent beta release, a new configuration option has been added that gives users the ability to shift the media pane in the split-screen layout to be positioned either closer to the driver or closer to the passenger, depending on the user’s preference. The new option was spotted by a user who promptly shared the information on Reddit. The choice is available on the display of the car itself as well as in the settings for Android Auto on your phone.
Gianfcal (Reddit)
Unfortunately, installing the beta version of Android Auto is almost impossible at this point unless you got in on the beta at the right time. Right now, all spots are taken and no new signups are being accepted. Furthermore, as reported by Android Police, installing an APK of the beta version doesn’t necessarily enable this feature for you, as it seems that it’s controlled service-side.
This hopefully means that the feature will be properly tested and will eventually make it to the production version of Android Auto for all of us to enjoy. I would definitely appreciate having the choice of which panel is closest to me when reaching out to control or view my Android Auto screen.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold lineup doesn’t really have many competition out there. There are many great foldable phones in the market, but the vast majority of them are limited to China. That’s why I’m always excited when an interesting foldable device appears in global markets, a device like the HONOR Magic Vs. I got the chance to check out the Chinese variant of the HONOR Magic Vs a while back, for a couple of days. HONOR did promise that the device will launch globally, and I was waiting to use it. HONOR did send it out early. I’ve been using the global HONOR Magic Vs unit for a while now, and below you can check out my review.
This device does feel different compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, even though it comes sporting a similar form factor. Both phones are quite large, and both are book-style foldables which lean towards a portrait orientation. That being said, there are quite a few differences between them, and the HONOR Magic Vs does have some advantages. Let’s see what the phone has to offer.
Table of contents
HONOR Magic Vs Review: Hardware / Design
The HONOR Magic Vs has a similar profile to Samsung’s handset. It’s quite tall, and yet quite narrow for its display size, when folded. It is 72.6mm wide, and it weighs 261 or 267 grams, depending on whether we’re talking about the glass model, or a vegan leather variant. The phone actually feels really nice in the hand, better than most other foldables of its size. It is only 12.9mm thick when folded, and only the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 beats it in that regard. That phone is not available globally, though. When unfolded, it’s only 6.1mm thick. This basically feels like a large phone with a case on it, and it’s a foldable, which is great.
It has a 4-component hinge which should be extremely durable
The phone feels like it’s a quality product, but quite frankly I’m not a fan of its folding mechanism, even though HONOR bets on durability. HONOR did wonders here with the hinge, it utilizes a 4-component hinge design, down from 92 components. Thanks to this, there are way less moving parts on the inside, and the phone can be folded flat. The thing is, the feeling when you’re folding the device is not as confident as with the OPPO Find N2, for example. When fully unfolded, the phone locks into place, basically, with confidence. The whole experience feels quite sturdy. That’s not really the case here. It actually feels closer to what I experienced on the Huawei Mate Xs 2, actually. When I unfold it, it stays in that position, but when you hold it, it feels like the phone is not really locked into place for 10-20 seconds. It has a small give when you try to move its sides forward, even with the slightest movement. It’s kind of difficult to explain, but it’s there. I experienced that on both units I used, actually. Once it does settle, it’s all good.
It feels different to use thanks to that hinge, though
Now, that doesn’t have to be a bad thing at all, that won’t damage the phone, or anything of the sort. It’s just a different implementation, and it feels different. I prefer what OPPO delivered, but this works really well too, so I can’t really complain. Plus this hinge seems to have less chances of breaking, at least on paper, so… there you go. And yes, you can fold the HONOR Magic Vs honor to certain angles, you’re not getting just folded and unfolded state here. You can prop it up to take a picture or something like that, no problem. It works well. I’ll talk about the crease in the display section.
Overall, it’s a nicely-designed phone
Overall, I enjoyed using the phone. When folded, it felt much better to me than the Galaxy Z Fold 4. It folds flat, and it’s quite noticeably thinner than Samsung’s offering, which is a huge plus in my book. Other than the folding mechanism I talked about, I really don’t have any complaints on this design. Everything worked well, and I had a feeling like I’m using a premium device. Design-wise, it’s definitely a nice contrast to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, it’s a shame it doesn’t offer water resistance, though.
A really nice, thin, soft-touch case is included
The HONOR Magic Vs does include a case in the box, and a really good, minimal one. This seems to be a plastic case, but with a soft feeling. It’s difficult to explain, it actually almost feels like soft vegan leather. It’s very thin, and it attaches to the back of the phone. There is a stick pad on the inside as well, for added protection. This is one of the best cases I’ve seen for foldables thus far. It’s quite grippy, and extremely thin, so it doesn’t add any bulk to the device. Foldable phones are bulky as it is, so the least they need is added bulk. You’ll be able to confidently place the phone on a table thanks to this case.
HONOR Magic Vs Review: Display
The HONOR Magic Vs has a 7.9-inch 2272 x 1984 Foldable OLED display. This panel can project up to 1 billion colors, supports HDR10+ content, and it has a 90Hz refresh rate. It gets up to 800 nits of peak brightness. The cover display, on the other hand, measures 6.45 inches, and it’s a 2560 x 1080 OLED panel. It also can project up to 1 billion colors, and supports HDR10+ content. This panel, however, has a 120Hz refresh rate. This display gets up to 1,200 nits of peak brightness.
Both displays are nice, though the main one could be brighter
During my usage, I didn’t really miss 120Hz refresh rate on the main panel. Its 90Hz refresh rate is plenty for everything to feel smooth, and the vast majority of people won’t really notice the difference. I’m just glad HONOR avoided using a 60Hz panel. The display feels good to use, it doesn’t feel plasticky like on some other foldables. The colors are good, and the display is vivid, but I’ve seen better foldable panels thus far. The main thing that managed to irk me is the brightness. Its 800 nits peak brightness wasn’t exactly enough outdoors, and sunny days started early in my region, so it’s definitely something I’ve noticed. Another thing that I noticed is that the crease isn’t exactly as minimal as on the OPPO Find N2. Truth be said, I didn’t expect it to be, but it is less noticeable than on the Galaxy Z Fold 4, which is a good thing.
The cover panel is really good, and wide enough
The phone’s second panel is really good, actually. It’s very responsive, and its high refresh rate does improve the overall feel. This panel does get a bit brighter at 1,200 nits, and that is a difference you do notice when you’re using the phone outdoors, especially on sunny days. This display is curved on the right side for the ease of use, as is one many other foldable phones that feature this style. The viewing angles on this panel are also really good. I don’t have any major complaints here, I enjoyed using this display.
HONOR Magic Vs Review: Performance
The HONOR Magic Vs is fueled by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC. That is no longer Qualcomm’s flagship SoC, but it’s not far behind. It’s an excellent SoC, and paired with 12GB of RAM, and HONOR’s software, it performs great. HONOR did a really good job polishing out this software, when it comes to performance. It’s a bit different to what you’re used to, but we’ll talk more about that in the software section.
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 keeps the performance at a high level
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is an outstanding SoC, and I really had no issues with performance here. The device was quite snappy regardless of what I was doing. Even when I was switching between the main and cover display frequently, it managed to keep up without a problem. You’ll also find out that running apps on this phone feels great. The phone’s performance only emphasizes that fact. HONOR did include some gaming-related features here too, which only helps with the experience. I was able to run basically anything without a hiccup. Even Genshin Impact ran really well, and that is the game that I use to make phones lag, basically. There’s really nothing to worry about here.
HONOR Magic Vs Review: Battery
HONOR included a 5,000mAh battery pack on the inside here, and that battery will provide you with enough juice… well, at least most of you. I, personally, was able to get around 6 hours of screen-on-time with around 15-20% of battery left in the tank. Now, those are not bad results, especially if you consider that my usage was about 50:50. I cannot be sure, of course, but I was using the main display a lot. Of course, some days were stronger than others, and on some days I landed below that point. Those days were mostly when I used 5G more, instead of being connected to a WiFi network. Do note that gaming will likely decrease your battery life numbers as well. Also, your mileage will likely vary based on a number of factors.
66W charging can charge the phone in only 45 minutes
Having said that, HONOR does include a charger in the box, and the phone supports 66W charging. Yes, you do get a 66W charger, so you can take full advantage of the charging speeds. You will charge up this phone’s 5,000mAh battery rather fast, as it will take you only 45-46 minutes to do so. At least that was the case with our unit. Wireless charging is not supported, however, so keep that in mind.
HONOR Magic Vs Review: Camera
From the hardware standpoint, the HONOR Magic Vs has a really compelling camera setup. The device includes a 50.4-megapixel main camera (IMX800 sensor), a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera (122-degree FoV), and an 8-megapixel telephoto camera (3x optical zoom). Those cameras do perform well in general, and can go head-to-head with what Samsung is offering on its foldable. They’re not on the same level as what the best camera smartphones have to offer, though.
The camera is not perfect, but it’s good enough
In any case, let’s talk about the main camera. Most of the time the pictures looked very nice. At times, I’ve noticed, the focus is a bit soft when you’re taking indoor shots of objects. The same goes if you’re taking macro shots of objects, especially if it’s an overcast outside or something of the sort. As far as the negatives go, I’ve also noticed some oversharpening, but only in specific cases. When I was taking pictures of my cat, for example. It did not happen that often, though. In general, it handles photos well, even in low light. The consistency is not the best, though, and that’s what bothered me the most.
The ultrawide camera keeps up with the main camera when it comes to the color profile. What I didn’t like all that much is the telephoto shooter. It did a good job when the light was good, but I just wish HONOR opted for a bigger sensor here. It can be useful, though, far from it. The video recording is good, but nothing to write home about. It’s a bit janky at times, especially when there’s not plenty of light in the shot.
HONOR Magic Vs Review: Software
This phone does sound really nice thus far, doesn’t it? Well, it is nice, but it could use better software, in all honesty. Don’t get me wrong, the software works fine, aside from a tiny bug here and there, but the problem are the features. It feels like HONOR didn’t have time to implement everything it wanted to implement here. I tried asking HONOR about this, and they said that more features are coming in future updates, but I didn’t get any specifics. Also, MagicOS, which comes pre-installed here, work a bit differently than what you’re used to.
The software does feel a bit iPhone-ish
Let me give you an example. When you swipe top-down across the display, HONOR Search will activate. Which is basically a powerful search feature baked into the phone. You can disable it, but you cannot assign anything instead of it. So, you cannot call upon the notification shade, for example, as you can on other phones. HONOR said that they’re trying to do things differently, and I can see that, but this just felt a bit iPhone-ish, and the fact there’s not alternative option is not that great. HONOR may introduce something soon, though, who knows.
The app drawer is not here, but it’s coming soon
Also, MagicOS, by default, doesn’t give you an app drawer. You can usually change that via the settings, but this phone doesn’t offer that option. I have confirmed with HONOR that the feature will be rolling out very soon, so that won’t be a problem for much longer. At the moment, you’re stuck with all your apps across various home screens, without the ability to alphabetize them. That may change by the time the phone ends up in your hands, though.
Some features are missing, but they’ll hopefully be added
There are some other issues I’ve spotted. For example, you cannot swap the two apps if you’re running them side-by-side. HONOR also decided not to take advantage of the app bar for foldables/tablets that Google offers in Android. It does have its own offering which is a bit different, though. There’s no camera shortcut for when the phone is off (double-tap the power button, or something like that), there’s also no gesture to take a selfie with the main camera. You also can’t quickly swipe from right-to-left to dismiss a notification, only the other way around, and so forth. These are just rather noticeable annoyances if you’re used to some of those features. Some are easy to ignore, others not so much. The good news is, HONOR can fix this, easily, if it deems it wants to, that is. The company obviously wants to do things differently, but some of these features are truly required, to say the least.
The UI does looks a bit dated, but some of you may like it
I’m also not a fan of the design of the UI, to be quite honest, but you may like it. There’s nothing especially wrong with it, but after using it across a number of devices, it feels a bit dated. Truth be said, HONOR usually caters its phones towards the younger generations, so this somewhat cartoonish UI may be what appeals to some people. The bottom line is, Magic OS does work really well, I’ve only had one or two bugs when I tried to launch apps, but other than that, it works fine. So as long as HONOR tweaks some things, and introduces a couple of new features, it could actually become a lot better.
The upsides
There are upsides to this software, of course. It’s immensely fluid, some of you may actually like the style, even though it feels a bit disconnected in some places. The phone comes with an excellent image and video editor built-in, the knuckle gestures are immensely useful, and so forth. There’s a lot to like here as well, but with some changes, MagicOS could be so much better. That goes for both foldable-related and non-foldable-related features.
HONOR Magic Vs Review: Should you buy it?
So, with all that being said, should you buy the HONOR Magic Vs? Well, only you can answer that question, but we can help you come to a conclusion. This is a very good phone. It does have some advantages over the Galaxy Z Fold 4, its direct competitor, but HONOR has to offer more software-wise. If you’re annoyed by the gap on the Galaxy Z Fold 4, or simply want a thinner foldable, this could be the phone for you. It offers great performance, really good battery life, solid cameras, good audio, and has good displays. There’s really not much to complain about here. Well, the price is quite high, so that may put some of you off. If that’s not a problem, however, do consider the Magic Vs.
You should buy the HONOR Magic Vs if:
You want a gapless foldable phone experience
You want fast charging in a Galaxy Z Fold 4 competitor
You’ve been waiting for a global book-style foldable that is of a larger format
You want a rather durable hinge
You want good battery life in a large foldable
You waited for a non-Samsung large format foldable
