Posts From Brandon Russell

Brandon Russell
Brandon Russell

Brandon's love of technology can be traced back to his childhood, when he would obsessively watch Back to the Future. Since then he's followed the industry and its many innovations, from handheld consoles to powerful smartphones. He's still waiting on a hoverboard.

Google testing presence detection for invoking the Assistant on smart displays

Google testing presence detection for invoking the Assistant on smart displays

October 21, 2020
Google is making its smart displays more receptive to touch, and it appears the update may be part of a larger initiative to make these devices less reliant on voice interaction. According to a new video from Jan Boromeusz (via AndroidPolice), the same person that brought us an early look at the new smart display...
New Windows 10 Insider Build adds theme-aware splash screens for UWP apps

New Windows 10 Insider Build adds theme-aware splash screens for UWP apps

October 21, 2020
Microsoft on Wednesday introduced a new Windows 10 Insider Preview Build, and it includes some visual flair to its Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps. The latest build is available now to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. The most notable change is the introduction of theme-aware splash screens for UWP apps. When a compatible UWP app...
The iPhone 12’s new MagSafe wireless charger works with some Android devices

The iPhone 12’s new MagSafe wireless charger works with some Android devices

October 20, 2020
Apple this month held a digital event to announce four new iPhone models, including the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. As part of the announcement, Apple introduced a new MagSafe charger – alongside other MagSafe accessories – which the company says is an improvement over traditional Qi wireless charging mats. Featuring an array...
uBreakiFix now offers nationwide at-home repair services for Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones

uBreakiFix now offers nationwide at-home repair services for Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones

October 20, 2020
uBreakiFix will now come to you if you need a device repair. The company on Tuesday announced a nationwide mobile repair program called We Come to You, which will deploy more than 640 vehicles. The on-demand repair program is currently available in the U.S., with plans to expand to Canada by the end of 2020. Customers...
Google and Parallels bring full Windows app support to enterprise Chromebooks

Google and Parallels bring full Windows app support to enterprise Chromebooks

October 20, 2020
Earlier this year, Google announced a partnership with Parallels that would bring full Windows app support to Chromebooks. Those efforts are now going live today, with enterprise customers able to purchase the solution for $69.99 annually per user. As we explained earlier this year, Parallels is integrated natively into Chrome OS with full offline support. That...
Google Photos introduces a monthly print service for $6.99

Google Photos introduces a monthly print service for $6.99

October 20, 2020
Google Photos is a great service for backing up the images you take every day. Because it holds so many of our memories, it's also a good place for finding your favorite photos to print out. Google capitalized on this fact by launching a same-day print service in conjunction with Walmart and CVS. In the...
[Update: Rolling out] Samsung brings Galaxy Z Fold 2 features to Galaxy Fold in new update

[Update: Rolling out] Samsung brings Galaxy Z Fold 2 features to Galaxy Fold in new update

October 20, 2020
Samsung is rolling out an update that will bring the latest features from the Galaxy Z Fold 2 to the original Galaxy Fold, including new productivity capabilities and camera experiences. Previously, Samsung updated its original foldable to Android 10 with One UI 2.1. One of the biggest new features in the update is App Pair, which...
WhatsApp Web prepares to add support for making voice and video calls

WhatsApp Web prepares to add support for making voice and video calls

October 19, 2020
WhatsApp will soon add support for making voice and video calls on the web, two features that have existed for years on mobile clients. WABetaInfo tore into a recent update to the web/desktop client (version 2.2043.7) and enabled the feature while it's still in-development.Image credits: WABetaInfo As of now, voice and videos calls on WhatsApp Web...
Samsung Reminder app update makes it easy to sync with Microsoft To Do

Samsung Reminder app update makes it easy to sync with Microsoft To Do

October 19, 2020
If you frequently use Samsung’s Reminder app to get things done, we have some good news: You can now sync up your tasks with Microsoft’s To Do app, making it easy to sync reminders across multiple devices. The new functionality is available in an update to version 11.6 of Samsung’s Reminder app, which enables syncing with...
BMW is rolling out wireless Android Auto support with Operating System 7 update

BMW is rolling out wireless Android Auto support with Operating System 7 update

October 19, 2020
BMW last week unveiled its free Operating System 7 update, which the automaker is calling the biggest remote software upgrade in the company’s history. In addition to enhanced features such as BMW Maps, Connected Parking, and eDrive Zones, the update also brings support for Android Auto via a wireless connection. According to AndroidPolice, BMW owners with...
Samsung Home Up update adds convenient share sheet customization

Samsung Home Up update adds convenient share sheet customization

October 16, 2020
Samsung on Friday released an update to its Home Up app, which is available as part of the company’s fantastic Good Lock experience (via AndroidPolice). The update includes a handful of new features, including a Share Manager, which gives users the ability to customize the share sheet. “You can place apps that you use often to...
Trusted Contacts is joining the Google graveyard

Trusted Contacts is joining the Google graveyard

October 16, 2020
If you rely on Trusted Contacts to keep track of friends and family, we have some bad news: Google on Friday announced the app is joining the company’s graveyard. It’s another service in a long list of services that have gone way too soon. Announced at the end of 2016, Trusted Contacts was a location sharing...