Google investigates issues with COVID-19 contact tracing apps on Android

Google confirmed on Wednesday it’s investigating issues with Android apps that use the Android Exposure Notifications System to track the spread of COVID-19. Apparently, there’s one issue in particular that’s causing apps to take longer to load or conduct exposure checks.

“We are aware of an issue affecting Android apps developed using the Android Exposure Notifications System,” a Google spokesperson told The Verge. “Our engineers are investigating the issue.”

In England and Wales, where approximately 10 million people have downloaded the NHS COVID-19 app, Google’s system is reportedly having difficulty loading notifications. But it’s not just in the U.K.; The Verge reports the issues are affecting all apps worldwide that use the Android Exposure Notifications System. Google apparently doesn’t know what’s causing the issue, but is urgently looking into addressing the matter.

Google first announced its system for tracking the spread of the new coronavirus back in April, saying its system would use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transmission to share data with approved apps from health organizations. The voluntary program aimed to use a contract-tracing method to help keep communities and health officials aware of where the virus is spreading.

“To help public officials slow the spread of COVID-19, Google and Apple are working on a contact tracing approach designed with strong controls and protections for user privacy,” said Google CEO Sundar Pichai following last year’s announcement.

A year after COVID-19 was first discovered and the virus continues to spread among countries all over the world. In places like the U.S., which is now beginning to distribute vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, cases and deaths continue to break record levels. Combine that with the wintery season, and you have a deadly cocktail that has required communities adhere to strict lockdown protocols.

Once Google fixes issues faced by its Android Exposure Notifications System, we’ll be sure to let you know.

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8 cheap VPN deals to help you stay secure in 2021

From social media sites to cybercriminals, it seems like everyone wants a piece of your data. Using a VPN is the best way to keep your browsing history private, and bypass restrictions.

Right now, you can save up to 96% on these highly-rated VPNs at the XDA Developers Depot.

FastestVPN: Lifetime Subscription

Optimized for P2P streaming, FastestVPN offers rapid connections and 99.9% uptime. You also get military-grade encryption, ad blocking, and built-in malware protection — covering five devices on one subscription.

Get a FastestVPN lifetime subscription for $19.99 (reg. $600), a saving of 96%. 

Ivacy VPN: 5-Year Subscription

Rated at 4.4 stars on iOS and Android, Ivacy VPN gives you over 1,000 masking servers to choose from. Winner of ProPrivacy’s BestVPN Award for Speed, this service is great for streaming, and it operates a strict no-logging policy.

Get five years of Ivacy VPN for $39.99 (reg. $597), a saving of 93%. 

Goose VPN: 2-Year Subscription

Covering unlimited devices with zero logging and strong encryption, Goose VPN is a great option for first-time VPN users. In the words of CNET, “With unlimited connections and a low yearly price, we think Goose VPN is something to honk about.”

Get two years of Goose VPN for $19.99 (reg. $349), a saving of 94%. 

The Ultimate KeepSolid Lifetime Subscription Bundle

This two-part bundle includes lifetime access to KeepSolid VPN Unlimited, described by MacWorld as “a great option for Netflix fans.” It covers unlimited devices, with high-speed connections and the option to deploy smartDNS for even faster streaming.

Get the Ultimate KeepSolid Lifetime Subscription Bundle for $59.99 (reg. $438), a saving of 86%. 

personalVPN Pro

Easy to use yet powerful under the hood, personalVPN Pro offers one-click protection with 256-bit AES encryption and support for most streaming platforms. You can expect “great speeds and excellent customer support” according to TechRadar.

Get one year of personalVPN Pro for $34.99 (reg. $69), a saving of 50%. 

MaxiVPN Premium Plan: 6 Month Subscription

Available on desktop, mobile, and streaming sticks, MaxiVPN is ideal for avid streamers. You can choose from over 300 speedy servers, with no logging, and military-grade encryption.

Get six months on the MaxiVPN Premium Plan for $12 (reg. $71), a saving of 83%. 

The Essential NordVPN & Password Manager 2-Year Subscription Bundle

Another great bundle, this one offers two years of service from NordVPN — winner of the rare “Outstanding” rating from PCMag. You get access to servers in over 5,500 locations around the world, and the protection of double data SSL-based 2048-bit encryption.

Get the Essential NordVPN & Password Manager 2-Year Subscription Bundle for $99.99 (reg. $406), a saving of 75%. 

Yodata VPN: Lifetime Subscription

With a choice of VPN protocols and industry-leading AES-256-GCM end-to-end encryption, Yodata VPN offers flexible protection. The service also keeps no logs, places no restrictions on traffic, and provides 99.9% uptime.

Get a Yodata VPN lifetime subscription for $17.99 (reg. $59), a saving of 69%. 

Prices subject to change 

 

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OnePlus 8/8 Pro receive OxygenOS 11.0.3.3 with keyboard height adjustment feature and bug fixes

Update 1 (01/13/2021 @ 06:43 AM ET): Download links added for EU builds. Scroll to the bottom for more information. The article as published on January 7, 2021, is preserved below.

Following the recent rollout of OxygenOS 11.0.6.7/8 for the OnePlus 8T, the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro are now receiving a similar major update over on the stable channel. The latest stable channel build — OxygenOS 11.0.3.3 for the OnePlus 8 series — brings a couple of new features and improvements to the devices. These include a handy keyboard height adjustment feature which allows you to raise or hide the bottom shortcut bar, a dedicated OnePlus Store app for the Indian market, fixes related to various stock apps, and more.

OnePlus 8 Forums  ||| OnePlus 8 Pro Forums

Here’s the complete changelog for OxygenOS 11.0.3.3 for the OnePlus 8/8 Pro:

• System
  • Newly added keyboard height adjustment where you can raise or hide the bottom shortcut bar for a better input experience (Go to Settings-System-Language & input-Keyboard height adjustment)
  • Fixed the issue of a small probability that the alarm clock starts abnormally
  • Fixed the failure to enable auto-rotate feature
• Gallery
  • Fixed a small probability issue that photos don’t display in the Gallery
• Bluetooth
  • Fixed the small probability issue that no pop-up window shows up when connecting Bluetooth headset
• Network
  • Fixed the issue that the WiFi connection failed in a specific situation
• OnePlus Store (IN only)
  • An intuitive and convenient way to manage your OnePlus account, get easy-to-access support, discover exciting members-only benefits, and shop for OnePlus products. (Please note that it can be uninstalled)

Thanks to OnePlus Community Member Breathout for the screenshot!

Download OxygenOS 11.0.3.3

As always, OxygenOS builds for current generation OnePlus smartphones are compiled separately for different regions. You can straightaway download the appropriate incremental OTA file or the full OTA package from the links below for your device model. For installing, just point the “Local upgrade” option in the System Update screen under Settings to the downloaded ZIP.

OnePlus 8

• India
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental OTA from 11.0.2.2
• Europe
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental OTA from 11.0.2.2
• Global
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental OTA from 11.0.2.2

OnePlus 8 Pro

• India
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental OTA from 11.0.2.2
• Europe
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental OTA from 11.0.2.2
• Global
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental OTA from 11.0.2.2

---

Thanks to XDA Senior Member Some_Random_Username for the download links!

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Download: MIUI 12.5 Closed Beta for Xiaomi and Redmi devices [Update: January 12 builds]

Update 90 (01/13/2021 @ 06:19 AM ET): Added download links for MIUI 12.5 beta builds, compiled on January 12, 2021. Also added Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite/Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G (gauguin) and Xiaomi Mi 11 (venus) to the tracker.

Previous Updates

Previous links have been moved to our archive page.

The latest version of Xiaomi’s custom Android skin – MIUI 12.5 – is finally here. The first incremental update over MIUI 12 has been unveiled at the Mi 11 launch event in China. Compared to MIUI 12, the stable version of which was released less than six months ago, MIUI 12.5 brings in a slew of improvements, visual overhauls, and a handful of new features. We have already extracted the new live wallpapers, and now we are presenting the downloading links of the first set of MIUI 12.5 beta firmware packages for a bunch of Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO devices.

It is worth mentioning that these closed beta builds are meant for the Chinese variants, as Xiaomi suspended the rollout of MIUI global beta since last year. As a consequence, you have to flash these recovery ROMs using TWRP to bypass the MIUI beta account whitelisting. Do not expect Google Play Services or any pre-installed Google apps in them. Language options are likely limited to English and Chinese only, too. Xiaomi has yet to launch MIUI 12.5 globally. Meanwhile, you can try out the closed betas from China.

The beta MIUI 12.5 builds listed below are based on either Android 10 or Android 11, depending on the device. If you are looking for MIUI 12 stable releases, you can find those here.

Download: MIUI 12.5

You can download the latest beta of MIUI 12.5 for your device from the links below. You can also visit our linked forums in case you need further assistance. While all of these download links are directly from Xiaomi, users are advised to proceed at their own risk. We warn you once again, this is not intended for the average consumer and is recommended only for users comfortable with flashing ROMs.

Sr. No.	Device, Device Codename, XDA Forum Link	Android Version	Download Link (20.12.30)
1.	Redmi 10X 5G (atom)	Android 11	Download
2.	Mi 10T / Redmi K30S (apollo)	Android 11	Download
3.	Redmi Note 8 Pro (begonia)	Android 10	Download
4.	Redmi 10X Pro (bomb)	Android 11	Download
5.	Redmi Note 9 5G [China] (cannon)	Android 11	Download
6.	Mi 10 Ultra (cas)	Android 11	Download
7.	Mi 9 (cepheus)	Android 11	Download
8.	Redmi K30 Ultra (cezanne)	Android 11	Download
9.	Mi 10 Pro (cmi)	Android 11	Download
10.	Mi 9 Pro 5G (crux)	Android 11	Download
11.	Redmi K20/Mi 9T (davinci)	Android 11	Download
12.	Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite/Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G (gauguin)	Android 11	Download
13.	Redmi Note 8 (ginkgo)	Android 11	Download
14.	Mi 9 SE (grus)	Android 11	Download
15.	Redmi Note 7/7S (lavender)	Android 10	Download
16.	Mi CC9e (laurus)	Android 10	Download
17.	Redmi K30 Pro/POCO F2 Pro (lmi)	Android 11	Download
18.	POCO X2/Redmi K30 4G (phoenix)	Android 11	Download
19.	Redmi K30 5G (picasso)	Android 11	Download
20.	Redmi K30i 5G (picasso48m)	Android 11	Download
21.	Mi 9 Lite/Mi CC9 (pyxis)	Android 11	Download
22.	Redmi K20 Pro/Mi 9T Pro (raphael)	Android 11	Download
23.	Mi Note 10/Mi CC9 Pro (tucana)	Android 11	Download
24.	Mi 10 (umi)	Android 11	Download
25.	Mi 10 Youth Edition/Mi 10 Lite Zoom (vangogh)	Android 11	Download
26.	Mi CC9 Meitu Edition (vela)	Android 11	Download
27.	Xiaomi Mi 11 (venus)	Android 11	Download
28.	Redmi Note 7 Pro (violet)	Android 10	Download

Links for the previous beta builds of MIUI 12 are preserved as well:

Older builds archive — MIUI 12 China Closed Beta for Xiaomi and Redmi devices

---

Changelog

The full changelog for MIUI 12.5 beta, when updating from MIUI 12, is as follows:

MIUI 12.5 Full Changelog

• Highlights:
  • MIUI 12.5. Yours alone.
• System:
  • New: Response to gestures is now instant
  • New: With 20 times more rendering power, there are now few limited to what you can see on your screen.
  • New: With custom device model adjustments, any phone becomes faster after the upgrade.
  • Optimization: MIUI became lighter, faster, and more durable.
• System Animations:
  • New: A new animation framework renders movement more realistically.
  • New: New UI design is focused on visualization and making your interaction with the device more lifelike.
• System Sounds:
  • New: Nature mix is a new exciting way of creating your own notification sound system.
  • New: Hundreds of system sounds that represent animals from all around the world.
  • New: Stereo system sounds.
• Super Wallpapers:
  • New: Mount Siguniang super wallpaper.
• Privacy Protection:
  • New: Now you can see what apps access your clipboard and control access.
  • New: Using approximate location adds up points to privacy protection.
  • New: You can now manage sensitive permissions and related app behavior independently.
  • New: The behavior of web pages is also tracked now, which helps you to block unwanted and malicious actions.
  • New: Now it’s up to you who and when can track your online behavior.
  • New: All apps now come with a security statement from GetApps.
  • New: Privacy risk scanner.
  • New: Control which apps access and delete items from your Gallery.
  • New: A comprehensive overview of all sensitive permissions.
  • New: You’ll be notified whenever high-risk permissions are used and will be able to block the corresponding actions.
  • Optimization: An all-new privacy protection page.
• Notes:
  • New: Compose mind maps with complex structures.
  • New: New tools for doodling and sketching.
  • New: Press and hold a sketch to adjust the strokes automatically.
  • New: A gesture shortcut now allows you to create notes, tasks, and excerpts anywhere.
  • New: Excerpts save texts, URLs, and images to Notes in a few simple taps.
  • New: Dynamix layouts make bring the typography in Notes to a new level.
  • All-new Notes.
• MIUI+:
  • You can combine your phone and computer into a single working station.
  • You can view MIUI notifications and open phone apps on your computer.
  • Apps from your phone can be handed off to your computer.
  • The items copied on a phone can now be pasted on the computer and vice versa.
  • Photos and screenshots from a mobile device can be instantly used on a computer.
  • Web pages can be seamlessly handed over from one device to another.
  • You can transfer files to your mobile device using the “MIUI+” panel on your computer.
  • New “File Manager” and “Notes” for computers.
• Floating Windows:
  • New: Instant messengers now support floating windows.
  • New: Floating windows can be quickly replaced with fullscreen versions of the apps.
  • New: App flashcards show key info when apps are displayed as floating windows.
  • Learn more about new features in “Special features”/
• Xiaomi Health:
  • New: You can measure your heart rate using the camera now.
  • New: Start recording running, walking, and cycling workouts manually, and enjoy lots of online workout classes.
  • Optimization: Automatic workout recognition is much more accurate now.
• Home screen:
  • New: “Ripples” animation for downloading apps.
  • New: “Burst” animation for uninstalling apps.
  • New: New design for app folders.
  • New: A vertical layout for Recents.
• Casting:
  • New: The aspect ratio is adjusted to the external monitor automatically during casting.
  • New: The audio of the app that’s being cast in a floating window is separated from other audio.
• Xiaomi Cloud:
  • New: Password manager allows you to store passwords in the cloud.
  • New: You can share device location with other people in your family sharing group.
  • New: Location information can be recorded automatically before the device powers off.
  • New: Convert images to PDF.
• Mi Carrier Services:
  • New: You can manage multiple SIM cards now.
• IME:
  • New: A more convenient way to move a cursor using the scrollbar.
  • New: Function buttons support switching between languages and keyboards.
  • New: You can press and hold the function buttons to access more features.
  • New: Custom themes for keyboards.
• Themes:
  • New: Font weight adjustment options for third party fonts.
  • Optimization: Personalization features for system wallpapers, animations, and sounds.
• Browser:
  • New: Wallpaper customization in the lite mode.
  • Optimization: Redesigned Incognito mode.
  • Optimization: Pages load much faster now.
• Mi Family:
  • New: You can manage multiple SIM cards now.
  • Optimization: Revamped device control center.
• Search:
  • Optimization: Local search results are sorted automatically now.
  • Optimization: All-new design.

---

Thanks to XDA Recognized Developer yshalsager and XDA Member kacskrz for providing these download links!

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Amazon Prime Video Mobile Edition plan offers SD streaming in India for just ₹89 per month

The Indian market is a highly competitive space for most international streaming services, thanks to a boatload of domestic alternatives that offer similar products at a mere fraction of the price. To attract more users, services like Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify offer India-specific plans that fall in line with the plans offered by their desi counterparts. Amazon’s Prime membership is no different in this regard, as it offers more than one service at a very affordable price. However, it may seem like an unnecessary expenditure for those who don’t need Prime benefits for shopping or access to Prime Music. To expand its reach in the country, Amazon has now partnered with Airtel to launch a standalone Amazon Prime Video subscription for mobile users that starts at just ₹89 per month.

The new Amazon Prime Video mobile-only subscription plan is the first of its sort from the company, and it gives single-user access to the video streaming service for a period of 28 days. Airtel users can get the plan, called Prime Video Mobile Edition, through a pre-paid recharge available at an introductory price of ₹89. The plan also includes 6GB of data. If that isn’t enough for you, you can also opt for the ₹299 plan, which offers a validity of 28 days, unlimited calls, and 1.5GB of data per day. Both of these plans offer single-user access to stream SD quality content on the platform.

As part of the Prime Video Mobile Edition launch, Airtel is also offering a 30-day free trial of Prime Video to all pre-paid users. You can get this free trial by signing up for Amazon from within the Airtel Thanks app. Additionally, Amazon is also offering a new ₹131 Prime membership plan for Airtel users that will include all Prime benefits for a period of 30 days. Furthermore, a new ₹349 Airtel recharge plan will get you access to all of Amazon Prime benefits, unlimited calling, and 2GB of data per day for 28 days. Unlike the aforementioned Prime Video Mobile Edition plans, the ₹131 and ₹349 plans will come with multi-user access to Prime Video and support for HD/UHD streaming. All the aforementioned plans will be available in the Airtel Thanks app and at all of Airtel’s recharge points across the country.

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LG’s rollable phone is a real product launching this year

During the LG Wing launch event in September last year, LG teased an upcoming device with a rollable display. Soon after that, we saw reports suggesting that the company had already started work on a prototype called Project B. At CES just a few days ago, LG then showcased the device, giving us our first look at the innovative rollable display tech. However, since the smartphone showed off during the trade show was in the concept stage, there were some doubts about LG’s plans to bring it to market later this year. Now, a spokesperson from the South Korean OEM has confirmed that the device will make its way to consumers this year.

Ken Hong, a spokesman for LG, recently told Nikkie Asia that LG management “wanted to show that it is a real product, as there were many rumors around the rollable phone.” He further added that since the device has already been showcased during CES 2021, “it will be launching this year.” Additionally, the report reveals that the company has contracted China’s BOE Technology Group to produce the rollable displays. As of now, neither LG nor BOE have revealed any official information about this partnership.

It’s worth noting that LG isn’t the only company working on a smartphone with a rollable display. Chinese OEM OPPO has already showcased a concept smartphone, called the OPPO X 2021, which features a rollable display. The device uses OPPO’s proprietary Roll Motoro powertrain to expand the display from 6.7-inches to a maximum of 7.4-inches. Along with LG and OPPO, TCL is also working on rollable display tech. The company shared a video during its CES presentation, showcasing a smartphone with a rollable display. At the moment, we have no further information about TCL’s rollable smartphone.

What’s your take on phones with rollable displays? Do you think they have the potential to replace foldable smartphones in the near future? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Skagen’s new hybrid smartwatch has an always-on e-ink display

Skagen’s Falster 3 smartwatch from last year is easily among the best WearOS-powered smartwatches that you can buy today. However, priced at around $300, the smartwatch isn’t the best option for the budget-conscious. This is why Skagen has now unveiled a new hybrid smartwatch, called the Jorn Hybrid HR, which offers most of the crucial fitness tracking features found on the Falster 3 at a more affordable price.

The new Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR is a great combination of classic design and smart technology, thanks to its 1.09-inch always-on e-ink display that lets you view all your fitness tracking information at a glance. Speaking of fitness tracking, the Jorn Hybrid HR offers pretty much all the basic features that you’d look for in a smartwatch, including continuous heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, step tracking, workout detection, and more.

The watch comes in two case sizes — 38mm and 42mm — both of which offer up to 2 weeks of battery life on a single charge. Despite the e-ink display, the watch offers several custom watch faces that you can use to customize the watch to your liking. And it comes with a bunch of additional features like GPS, music control, notification alerts, alarm, timer, stopwatch, etc. The watch is also water-resistant up to 3ATM, and it uses a standard 22mm strap.

The Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR is priced starting at $195, and it will go on sale in the US from January 26th. In India, the watch will be available for a starting price of ₹14,495, and it will go on sale much later in April this year.

Along with the Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR, Michael Kors has also released two new Access Gen 5E smartwatches — the Access Gen 5E Darci and the Access Gen 5E MKGO. The new Michael Kors watches are based on the Fossil Gen 5E smartwatches that were released last year, and they feature a slightly updated design with several embellishments to justify the premium price.

Unlike the Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR, both the new Michael Kors smartwatches run Wear OS, and they’re based on the Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform. The watches offer the same feature set as the Fossil Gen 5E, including a 1.19-inch OLED display, activity tracking, sleep monitoring, and continuous heart rate monitoring. The watches will also let you make or receive phone calls, talk to the Google Assistant, and they even come with NFC support for quick payments via Google Pay.

The Michael Kors Access Gen 5E Darci and Access Gen 5E MKGO pack 1GB of RAM, 4GB of onboard storage, a 300mAh battery, and they’re water-resistant at 5ATM. As you’d expect, the Michael Kors watches are priced at a significant premium over the regular Fossil Gen 5E smartwatches because of their premium design. The Access Gen 5E Darci is priced starting at $350, while the Access Gen 5E MKGO starts at $250. Both watches will go on sale in the US this spring. The watches will also be making their way to the Indian market in March, and the Access Gen 5E Darci will retail for ₹25,995. As of now, Michael Kors hasn’t shared pricing information for the Access Gen 5E MKGO for India.

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