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This wild $60 SBC supports Android 12 and runs a bunch of powerful AI models locally
The Orange Pi 5 Pro is here.
It's an exciting time to be a fan of SBCs. There is plenty of choice outside of Raspberry Pi boards, and these competitors are finding ways to squeeze AI processing onto something the size of a credit card. Such is the case of the BeagleBoard which was released with 4 TOPS of AI processing power. Now, the AI SBC competition is heating up, as the Orange Pi board releases with a theoretical 6 TOPS of performance, alongside other amazing features.
aCropalypse vulnerability can recover sensitive information previously removed from Pixel screenshots
A newly revealed vulnerability could reveal previously redacted details from screenshots if the edits were made using a Pixel device.
A new vulnerability was revealed by researchers Simon Aarons and David Buchanan that allows previously redacted details to be reclaimed, if the screenshots were taken and changes were made, using the markup editing tool found on Google Pixel devices. While the issue has been addressed in the latest March security patch, the problem still remains in all the images and screenshots that were shared over the years prior to this patch.
Android 14 is on the horizon, but there are still plenty of devices out there that need an upgrade to even Android 12. OnePlus, for example, has been ramping up its software rollout game lately, but the situation is not exactly the same for carrier variants. Owners of the T-Mobile OnePlus 7T have been waiting for an Android 12 upgrade almost since OxygenOS 12 was released for the unlocked models back in October. Well, the update has now gone live, albeit without a formal announcement from the OEM or the carrier, but it was spotted by a few users and confirmed to be working with a download.
The Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 have a Private Compute Core; here's what we know
The Google Pixel 6 series debuted the Private Compute Core, but what is it?
Android 12 brought with it a ton of new features, and one of the most mysterious is the Private Compute Core (PCC). It's essentially a place where sensitive data can be processed on-device, away from where everything else is happening. It powers Google Pixel 6 exclusive features such as Now Playing, Live Caption, and Smart Reply, but for a long time, there wasn't a lot of information about how it works. We were forced to guess and try to figure it out ourselves.
The Samsung Galaxy A01 and Galaxy A02s finally get updated to Android 12 in the US
Samsung has released an unexpected update in the US, rolling out an Android 12 update for the Galaxy A01 and Galaxy A02s.
Samsung has been doing a great job updating its wide catalog of smartphones to Android 13. While it has brought the new OS update to its latest flagship lineup, it has also managed to deliver the updates to some of its older smartphones, and lower-end units like the Galaxy A13 5G as well. While not the latest version of Android, Samsung has now delivered another set of OS updates to two handsets in the US, the Galaxy A01 and Galaxy A02s.
Material You's monet theme engine is the big highlight of Android 12, and here's how it works
Google's Material You isn't all that complicated to understand, though there isn't a lot of information in one place. Check it out here!
By far the biggest change in Android 12 is Material You, the latest version of Google’s Material design language. Material You, as Google describes, “seeks to create designs that are personal for every style, accessible for every need, alive and adaptive for every screen.” When developing Android 12, Google created a new theme engine code-named “monet” that generates a rich palette of pastel colors derived from the user’s wallpaper. These colors are then applied to various parts of the system and their values are made available through an API that the user’s applications can call, thus letting apps decide whether they also want to recolor their UI. Google has been going all-in on Material You, and the company has updated most of its apps to incorporate dynamic colors.
Google introduced several new privacy and security settings with Android 12, including new toggles to enable/disable the camera and microphone, indicators to show when the camera and microphone were in use, a new privacy dashboard, and more. Although the company provided detailed explanations for these features, it only offered a brief overview of Android's new Private Compute Core.
Windows PCs will soon act as an AirPlay-like audio receiver for your Android phone
Microsoft's Phone Link app on Windows is getting the ability to stream Android audio, just like how Macs can act as an Airplay receiver for iPhones.
The Phone Link app on Windows is getting an interesting new feature soon. Similar to the ability to use your Mac device as an Airplay receiver for an iOS device, it'll soon be possible for you to stream your Android phone's audio over to Windows 11 with Phone Link.
Android 13 proves that Android 12 was a half-baked OS
Android 12 was a hot mess. With Android 13, things have only gotten better.
Flashback to the lead-up to Android 12 — an exciting new redesign on the horizon for the largest operating system in the world, and a completely different set of smartphones were going to launch with it. Android 12's source code dropped just over a month before the new Pixel phones, which was a little weird, but nothing out of the ordinary. Then, the Google Pixel 6 series launched, and we realized that somewhere, somehow, something had gone wrong.
How to download Android 12 and 12L for Google Pixel and other Android devices
Google has just released the stable build of Android 12L for eligible Pixel devices. You can find the download links in this post.
The wait is finally over — Android 12L is here as Google has officially kicked off the update rollout via stable channel. If you’re the lucky owner of a Google Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 5a, Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 3a, or the Pixel 3a XL, then you can have the opportunity to try out the latest iteration of Android right now. During the beta phase, Generic System Images (GSI) are also available, which means the early builds can be booted on non-Google Project Treble compatible devices as well.
LineageOS 19 is now available for the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7T series
Upgrade your device to Android 12 without worrying about major bugs.
While OnePlus has rolled out stable builds of OxygenOS 12 based on Android 12 for the OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro, OnePlus 7T, and OnePlus 7T Pro, most users are yet to receive the update on their devices. If you've been itching to upgrade your device to Android 12 and don't want to wait for the official software update, you'd be glad to know that the LineageOS team has added all four devices to the LineageOS 19 build roster.
Android 12L begins rolling out to Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 devices
Android 12L is rolling out for both the Surface Duo and the Surface Duo 2. Users can now upgrade from Android 11.
If you're one of the few who owns a Microsoft Surface Duo or a Surface Duo 2, then you'll obviously realize that you've been a bit behind the times on updates. We're already on Android 13, and up until today, those devices were only able to update as far as Android 11. That's no longer the case though, as Microsoft has announced that Android 12L is finally available for both of them.
OnePlus 7 and 7T series receive another stable OxygenOS 12 update
OnePlus is rolling out another stable OxygenOS 12 update for the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7T series. The latest update is available for EU and Global variants.
After a long hiatus, OnePlus rolled out the first stable OxygenOS 12 update for the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7T series earlier this month. The update brought all the new features Google introduced in Android 12 to the devices, along with a couple of OnePlus' own additions. Interestingly, the first OxygenOS 12 stable update for the OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro, OnePlus 7T, and OnePlus 7T Pro was only available for the Indian variants, which left many users disgruntled. OnePlus is now setting things right with a fresh update on the stable channel.
LineageOS 19 is now available for the Moto G7 Play, Sony Xperia 1 II, Xiaomi Mi 5, and Mi 5s Plus
The LineageOS team has extended LineageOS 19 support to the Moto G7 Play, Sony Xperia 1 II, Xiaomi Mi 5, and Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus.
Earlier this month, the LineageOS team added five new devices to the LineageOS 19 build roster -- the Motorola Edge 30, Edge 20 Pro, Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro, Mi 8 Explorer Edition, and Mi Mix 2S. The team has now extended support to four more devices, including the Moto G7 Play, Sony Xperia 1 II, Xiaomi Mi 5, and Mi 5s Plus. If you own one of these devices, you can now install the Android 12-based custom ROM by following the links below.
Chromecast with Google TV (4K) gets Android 12 with latest update
Google has started rolling out a fresh update for the Chromecast with Google TV (4K), bringing Android 12 to the streaming dongle. Read on to learn more.
Shortly after Google announced the Chromecast with Google TV (HD) last month, Google confirmed that it would soon update the older 4K Model to Android 12. The company has now started rolling out an update to the 4K model, upgrading the streaming dongle from Android 10 to Android 12.
TWRP 3.7.0 lands with long-awaited Android 12 support and various other fixes
The Team Win Recovery Project (TWRP) has been updated to version 3.7.0 with Android 12 support and many other improvements. Read on!
TeamWin Recovery Project, or TWRP for short, is by far the most popular custom recovery solution in the Android aftermarket development scene. With it, you can flash new custom ROMs, take full data backups, modify protected files, and do much more with your device. The project has been around for years now and supports a wide variety of devices.
Download: OnePlus 7 and 7T series finally receive stable Android 12 update with OxygenOS 12
OnePlus has started rolling out the long-awaited stable OxygenOS 12 update to the OnePlus 7 and 7T series. Read on to know more!
If you've got a OnePlus flagship from 2019, prepare to download a fresh new software update. The company waited until July to announce the OxygenOS 12 Open Beta initiative for the 7 and 7T series, more than eight full months after Android 12 went public. Following the usual round of beta testing, a stable build of OxygenOS 12 is now available for the OnePlus 7, 7 Pro, 7T, and 7T Pro, bringing several enhancements to the phones.
Android 13 has been out for a while now. As a major version upgrade, it’s tempting to jump on the bandwagon -- especially for Google Pixel users. But what if you just updated to Android 13 but don’t like it very much? The big question is, can you downgrade your Pixel smartphone, including the latest Pixel 6 lineup, from Android 13 to 12?
LineageOS 19 is now available for the Xiaomi Mi 8 SE, Mi 9 Lite, and Mi 9 SE
The LineageOS team has extended LineageOS 19 support to a few more Xiaomi devices, including the Mi 8 SE, Mi 9 SE, and Mi 9 Lite.
The LineageOS team added three new devices to the LineageOS 19 build roster last week, including the Moto Edge 20, the Google ADT-3 Android TV developer kit, and the Dynalink 4K TV Box. The Android 12-based custom ROM is now available for a few more devices. The latest devices to receive official LineageOS 19 builds include the Xiaomi Mi 8 SE, Mi 9 Lite, Mi 9 SE, and the Redmi Note 9S.
Google's "Developer Support" images allow Pixel 6 series to downgrade to Android 12 without bricking their device
Google has released new "Developer Support" images for users with Pixel 6 devices running Android 13, so they can rollback to Android 12.
A couple of weeks ago, there was excitement in the air for Android fans. After months of betas, Google finally released Android 13 for Pixel devices. It wouldn't take long for the community to realize something was wrong. Although a PSA quickly went out, it was too late for some, as multiple reports were coming in of bricked Pixel 6 devices after attempting to roll back to Android 12. It appeared that going from Android 13 to Android 12 would trip the phone’s anti-rollback protection. Unfortunately, those wanting to do a bit of tinkering were forced to stick with Android 13. Luckily, Google has issued "Developer Support Images" for Pixel 6 owners, now giving users the possibility to roll back to Android 12.