Qualcomm’s NUVIA acquisition could mean faster Snapdragon mobile CPUs

Qualcomm has announced the acquisition of NUVIA, a startup that consists of some major industry veterans. The deal is valued at $1.4 billion before working capital and other adjustments, Qualcomm said.

The acquisition (via AnandTech) could have a big impact on Qualcomm’s future as it looks to further compete in the mobile, PC, and server spaces. NUVIA has been working on designing its own high-performance custom CPU cores for servers based on the ARM architecture, so the acquisition could also see Qualcomm re-enter the server market.

Qualcomm’s points to the imminent explosion of 5G as one of the biggest reasons for the acquisition. “5G is further accelerating the convergence of mobility and computing,” Qualcomm said. “The acquisition of NUVIA builds on Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon technology leadership, delivering step-function improvements in CPU performance and power efficiency to meet the demands of next-generation 5G computing.”

Originally founded in February 2019, NUVIA is staffed by well-known industry veterans, including Gerard Williams II, who was the chief architect of Apple’s CPU designs from the Lightning core to the A13, an ARM-based system on a chip introduced with the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE. Other industry veterans among NUVIA’s ranks include John Bruno and Manu Gulati.

“CPU performance leadership will be critical in defining and delivering on the next era of computing innovation,” said Gerard Williams CEO of NUVIA. “The combination of NUVIA and Qualcomm will bring the industry’s best engineering talent, technology and resources together to create a new class of high-performance computing platforms that set the bar for our industry. We couldn’t be more excited for the opportunities ahead.”

Qualcomm’s acquisition of NUVIA could potentially see the company develop future Snapdragon chipsets with custom CPU cores that approach the speeds achieved by Apple. Currently, most Android smartphones and tablets have chipsets with CPU cores based on ARM’s Cortex IP, a CPU microarchitecture design that ARM licenses out to chipset vendors. Qualcomm, Samsung, MediaTek, and also HiSilicon (Huawei) — meaning basically all the big mobile processor vendors apart from Apple — currently design chipsets that use ARM Cortex CPU cores instead of custom designs.

Apple’s custom CPU designs are industry-leading, and the company’s recent release of the M1 chip has turned the PC industry on its head. In contrast, the CPU performance offered by competitors like the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2, Snapdragon 888, Exynos 2100, Kirin 9000, etc. pales in comparison, even when using ARM’s latest and great Cortex-X1 CPU.

As pointed out by AnandTech’s Andrei Frumusanu on Twitter, Qualcomm may face difficulties integrating a custom CPU design into a big.LITTLE setup. big.LITTLE refers to the ARM computing architecture in which a cluster of high-performance cores offloads less demanding tasks to a cluster of lower-performance cores; this is crucial to improve battery life on smartphones which usually aren’t doing a lot of intensive processing all the time. This is less important to have on a device with a bigger battery like a laptop, though.

Qualcomm said that the acquisition will take computing performance to a new level “and drive new capabilities for products that serve multiple industries.” The deal is still subject to regulatory approval, but it’ll be exciting to see what Qualcomm and NUVIA come up with.

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Watch Samsung Unpacked for the Galaxy S21 Launch here!

The Samsung Galaxy S21 series will be one of the contenders for the best conventional Android flagships of the year, and we’re really excited to witness what Samsung has in store for customers and fans around the world. We’ve taken a trip down memory lane with a revisit of the Galaxy S through Galaxy S20, and now it’s time to look forward to Samsung Unpacked for 2021. Here’s where you can watch it.

What time is Samsung Galaxy Unpacked?

The Galaxy Unpacked event will take place on Thursday, January 14th, 2020. Here’s the kick-off time in your region:

• West Coast: 7:00 am Pacific
• East Coast: 10:00 am Eastern
• UK: 3:00 pm British Standard Time
• India: 8:00 pm Indian Standard Time
• China: 10:30 pm China Standard Time

The event will be live-streamed on Samsung’s website, Samsung’s YouTube channel, and their social media handles across Twitter and Facebook. We’ll also embed a feed in this post once that goes live. For the first time ever, the event will also be live-streamed through Twitch, TikTok, and Reddit as well, so you can comfortably watch on your platform of choice.

In case you don’t wish to miss the live stream, you can also set a reminder on the company’s website and you’ll be notified when the live stream goes online.

Samsung Galaxy India Unpacked

India gets a special mention from Samsung with its own India Unpacked live stream, streaming alongside the global Galaxy Unpacked. This event will be live-streamed at the same time on Samsung India’s YouTube channel, Samsung India’s social media handles, Samsung.com, and Samsung Newsroom India.

In addition to the usual details flowing in from the global event, the Indian event is expected to have an appearance by several Indian YouTubers and influencers, as well as the Indian pricing and availability details.

Further, Samsung is also giving away 21 Galaxy S21 series smartphones to users who answer simple questions posed during the Indian event. So if you are tuning in from India, it might make sense to tune into the Indian stream.

What can we expect at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked?

As mentioned earlier, Samsung is expected to unveil the Samsung Galaxy S21 series, including the Galaxy S21, the Galaxy S21 Plus, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Further, we can also expect the company to launch the new Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro. We’re also expecting a relaunch of last year’s Galaxy Watch Active 2 in Rose Gold, matching the hero color on this year’s flagship smartphones. Samsung could also probably announce a few new wireless chargers, though we wouldn’t be surprised if these were scheduled for release later down the line.

Don’t forget, you can already save $50 off accessories for the next Galaxy with pre-registrations

Samsung has opened pre-order reservations for the Galaxy S21 series ahead of the official announcement. If you want to be one of the first people in the region to get your hands on the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, or Galaxy S21 Ultra, you can now register for a pre-order notification in the Samsung Shop app. You also get $50 in accessory credit when you reserve your pre-order. The ‘reserve’ wording may be a little confusing, but you don’t need to put any money down to make the reservation, nor are you even required to pre-order a Galaxy S21 when pre-orders do go live.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Reservation

Reserve your pre-order for the upcoming Galaxy S21 line of smartphones and save! A free and straightforward e-mail sign-up lets you save $50 on accessories on your new device.

Reserve at Samsung

Once you’ve registered, Samsung will notify you as soon as the devices are available for pre-order. All users who pre-order a Galaxy S21 series device via the app will receive $60 (vs. $50 through the website) in instant credits towards accessories for their new device.

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Are you tuning in to watch Galaxy Unpacked Live?

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These are the WiFi 6e routers announced at CES 2021

WiFi 6e has been one of the big talking points of this year’s CES. For the uninitiated, Wifi 6e marks a change in wireless networking that we’ve only seen once before: the use of a whole new band — 6GHz on top of 5GHz and the old faithful (but ridiculously congested) 2.4GHz.

If you’re thinking “I thought we had that already”, don’t be fooled — Wifi 6 has been around for a while now, and although it uses the same technology, only Wifi 6e actually utilises the new band. It’s worth noting that many countries have yet to license this part of the spectrum, though the WiFi Alliance, which recently launched a Wifi 6e certification program, says the USA, UK, Europe, Chile, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates have already opened 6GHz, with many other countries in the process of clearing it for use.

It’s also worth remembering that although Wifi 6e/6GHz has more than twice the throughput of 5GHz, ‘the star that burns twice as bright burns half as long’ — or to put it simply — signals can’t travel as far, so you’re more likely to need mesh nodes in a larger home or business. Oh — and one more thing — if your devices aren’t WiFi 6e enabled, having a WiFi 6e router won’t make a massive difference to you, yet — but it will futureproof your network for years to come.

With all that squared away, here are the WiFi 6e routers that have been announced this week during CES 2021. Where possible we’ve included pricing and availability, but this technology is so bleeding edge, in many cases that info won’t be available yet.

Netgear

Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500

As you’d expect from a company that concentrates its efforts on networking, Netgear has wasted no time in getting in on the WiFi 6e action. Its first offering is the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 with its “Mandalorian spaceship” aesthetic. It offers a quad-core 1.8GHz processor, 5x gigabit ports, 2x USB 3.0 ports, and a bold promise of up to 10.8Gbps transfer speeds on supported devices. In total it can offer 12 streams — four on each of the three bandwidths, and the option of Netgear Armor cybersecurity developed alongside BitDefender. There’s no set date for this one beyond ‘Spring 2021’, but the pricing has been set at a not-unsubstantial $599.

There’s no news of any WiFi 6e mesh products in the popular Netgear Orbi range, but we’d expect they won’t be too far away.

TP-Link

TP-Link Deco X96

TP-Link is going all-in on WiFi 6e with routers in both its Deco mesh and stalwart Archer ranges. Starting with the Deco range, TP-Link is boasting speeds up to 7800Mbps from its Deco X96 whole-home system, which also offers a stronger backhaul which improves coverage, speed, and range. As with all the new devices, TP-Link is offering its newly launched HomeShield service, joining the trend for IoT-focused whole-network security products. The Deco X76 Plus isn’t quite as speedy, offering 5400Mbps speeds, but that ‘Plus’ refers to its onboard smart home hub, which supports a range of products from TP-Link and third parties, as well as supporting Zigbee. As pointed out by The Verge, though, you can’t actually connect your WiFi 6E gadgets over 6GHz to either of these Deco mesh routers since they use 6GHz to communicate with each other and not client devices.

TP-Link Archer AX96

If you do want to connect your WiFi 6E device over 6GHz WiFi, then you’ll be interested in TP-Link’s upcoming non-mesh routers in the Archer range. The flagship Archer range introduces the Archer AX96, which offers the higher 7800 Mbps throughput, and supports the TP-Link OneMesh protocol. But the big-router-on-campus is the Archer AX206 which offers wifi speeds up to 10Gbps, flanked by some of the most impressive ethernet options we’ve ever seen — a 10Gbps WAN/LAN SFP+ port and a second 10Gbps WAN/LAN port. TP-Link says its combination of OFDMA and UL/DL MU-MIMO eradicates latency and allows more devices to coexist comfortably on the home network.

TP-Link is being even more cagey on pricing and availability, simply stating that they’ll be available during 2021. We’ll keep you updated.

Linksys

Linksys AXE8400

Linksys has launched the AXE8400 at CES, a whole-home mesh system powered by the Qualcomm Networking Pro 1210 platform. It’s fully compatible with previous products in the range, though you won’t feel the benefit if you’re connected to a non-6e node. Linksys says the AXE8400 can comfortably allow more than 65 devices sharing the same bandwidth, plus the base unit offers 4x gigabit ethernet ports, and a USB 3.0 connector too. Each node is capable of covering up to 3000 square feet, though we’d venture that will drop quite significantly in real-world situations. TP-Link is committing to Spring/Summer 2021 for a US launch, with the rest of the world to follow later in the year. Pricing is set at $449.99 for a single node, $849.99 for 2, or $1199.99 for 3.

ASUS

ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000

Despite being last on this list, ASUS stakes a claim to being the first to release a WiFi 6e router in the form of the ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000. Developed in association with Skyworks, it supports speeds up to 11Gbps (the fastest on the list). It offers near-identical specs to the GT-AX11000 announced last year, but it adds access to the 6GHz spectrum. There’s a 1.8GHz quad-core processor with 4 gigabit LAN ports, a gigabit WAN port, and a 2.5Gbps multi-gig LAN/WAN port. Unlike the others, the GT-AXE11000 will be available at the end of January for $549.99, making it the only device on our list already on pre-order.

Where are the rest?

There’s a couple of notable omissions from this list. Although D-Link announced several new models at CES, they all top out at dual-band WiFi 6. We may see WiFi 6e devices from them later in the year, but this is one company that has decided not to play its hand yet. Equally, Ubiquiti has made no mention of WiFi 6e yet, though we’d expect that, too, is only a matter of time. Finally, although Xiaomi has announced a WiFi 6e router, we’ve not included it here as it doesn’t use the full benefits of WiFi 6e and is currently only available in China, (where 6GHz isn’t carved out for WiFi 6E yet anyway, weirdly).

As you can see, with so many specifications and release dates missing, WiFi 6e is still very much in its infancy. With very few devices actually capable of using the 6GHz frequency as of yet and a definite sense of “early adopter pricing” in operation, these products are not going to be of maximum benefit to most users right now. Though if you’re looking for an upgrade once they hit retail, they’re still worth considering to futureproof your network.

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Samsung Galaxy A32 5G is the company’s latest affordable 5G phone

It was just a few days ago when a leak revealed the Galaxy A32 5G. Now, the device is official, and Samsung confirmed it’ll be available beginning February 12 for €279 for the 64GB model and €299 for the 128GB model. The device comes in black, white, blue, and violet.

The low price point makes the Galaxy A32 5G one of the most affordable 5G devices on the market and fortifies Samsung’s commitment to offering devices at seemingly every imaginable price. But just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot to love. Samsung’s new device offers a sleek design, a triple-camera system, and an expansive 6.5-inch Infinity-V display.

“It all comes wrapped in a brand new soft-edge, iconic design with a minimal camera housing and seamless back that updates the Galaxy A series for the modern era,” Samsung said.

In addition, the Galaxy A32 5G offers up to 8GB of RAM, microSD card expansion, an Octa-Core processor (supposedly MediaTek’s Dimensity 720), and a 5,000mAh battery. The device also features a side-mounted fingerprint sensor—something that some people might find convenient when facial recognition is obstructed by face masks.

Ahead of today’s announcement, it was reported the Galaxy A32 5G would be available through AT&T and T-Mobile here in the U.S. However, there’s no mention of the device coming stateside yet. Instead, today’s announcement mentions imminent availability in the Samsung online shop and in German stores. The device won’t launch for another month, so perhaps we’ll learn about expanded availability before then.

If you’re uninterested in picking up an affordable 5G device, Samsung is on the verge of introducing a trio of premium devices on January 14. We know pretty much all there is about Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S21 series, along with the Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy SmartTag, but in case you need a refresher, you can read up on our extensive coverage.

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ASUS unveils new ZenBook Duo models, a ProArt Display, and a TUF Gaming laptop

ASUS unveiled a bunch of new products under its ROG gaming brand yesterday, and today we have some more announcements from the company’s main brand. The company has introduced an OLED version of its dual-screen ZenBook Pro Duo 15, the TUF Dash 15 gaming notebook, ZenBook Duo 14, VivoBook S14, ExpertBook B9450CEA (vPro), Chromebook Flip CX5/C536, Chromebook CX9, and ASUS BR1100 for education. ASUS also announced the ProArt Display PA148CTV and ZenBeam Latte projector.

ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED (UX582)

Yesterday, ASUS announced the new ZenBook Pro Duo 15 SE powered by AMD’s new Ryzen 5000-series mobile CPUs. Today, the company has announced yet another variant of the premium notebook that now comes with a 4K OLED HDR display alongside a wide 4K secondary touchscreen. The primary display offers a 93% screen-to-body ratio while the panel comes with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification, and Pantone validation.

ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED

As for performance, the notebook continues to rock Intel’s 10th-gen Core i9 notebook processor with up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM with a 1TB PCIe 3.0 X 4 SSD. It also comes with a healthy set of I/O ports including two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, along with WiFi 6 (802.11ax) for fast wireless speeds.

ASUS ZenBook Duo 14 (UX482)

The new ZenBook Duo 14 offers a similar dual-screen setup to the ZenBook Pro Duo 15. It comes with Intel Evo-verification, meaning that you can expect this laptop to offer an excellent balance of performance, style, and battery life. The primary 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels) display offers a 93% screen-to-body ratio and up to 400-nits brightness; it is also Pantone-validated, covers 100% of the sRGB color gamut, and is TÜV Rheinland-certified for low blue light. It also comes with ScreenPad Plus, the secondary touchscreen that is tilted by 7° for improved readability and reduced potential glare. The notebook is powered by the latest 11th-Gen Intel Core processors and Intel Iris Xe graphics along with the option of NVIDIA GeForce MX450 for discrete graphics.

 

ASUS ZenBook Duo 14

 

The battery on the laptop is said to last up to 17-hours for all-day productivity, and with USB-C Easy Charge, you can charge the notebook using a USB-C Power Delivery-certified charger or any standard USB-C charger. The notebook can be hooked up to an external 8K display or two 4K UHD displays using the Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports. Other features include WiFi 6 (802.11ax) enhanced with ASUS WiFi Master Premium technology and ASUS Intelligent Performance Technology, the latter of which lets you control the CPU performance by giving a boost of up to 40% in Performance mode.

The secondary display on both the ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED and the ZenBook Duo 14 comes with ScreenXpert 2 software and ASUS Control Panel, a fully customizable app on the ScreenPad Plus for creative professionals. Control Panel can offer intuitive control of creative apps, including brush-size adjustment, saturation, layer opacity, and more in apps like Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, Premiere Pro, and After Effects, with more app support coming in the near future. Users will also be able to make use of the included stylus on the ScreenPad Plus that provides high-precision (4096 pressure levels) stylus support for writing or drawing.

TUF Dash F15

The TUF series of affordable gaming notebooks has a new member. The new TUF Dash F15 takes design inspiration from the ROG Zephyrus lineup to offer a really clean and slim aesthetic. It will be powered by the 11th-Gen Intel Core i7 processor and a GeForce RTX 3070 laptop GPU for great gaming performance. The notebook also comes with up to a 240Hz refresh rate display with a 3ms response time for reduced motion blur. For thermals, ASUS has added a large heat spreader and five copper heat pipes. There are also the new N-Blade fans that are designed specially to move more air by using a liquid crystal polymer allowing it to fit 83 blades per fan and ensuring strength to withstand high rpm speeds. It also comes with a self-cleaning cooling module for long-term stability and performance and updated anti-dust tunnels.

The notebook is rated to offer up to 16.6 hours of battery life while watching videos and it can be charged via the USB Type-C port. Speaking of which, this one also comes with a Thunderbolt 4 port, and just like the last-gen TUF notebooks, there is military-grade durability to make it resistant against everyday knocks and bumps to extreme temperatures.

ASUS VivoBook S14 (S435)

ASUS VivoBook S14

The new VivoBook S14 ultrabook also got Intel Evo certification and is said to be the lightest 14-inch VivoBook model. The notebook is powered by the latest 11th-Gen Intel Core i7 processor with Intel Iris Xe graphics, 16GB memory, and Intel Optane Memory H10. It also comes with a 1TB PCIe SSD alongside ASUS Intelligent Performance Technology. With a four-sided NanoEdge 14-inch display, you get a 90% screen-to-body ratio, and the display is TÜV Rheinland certified for low blue-light emissions. The notebook comes with a sleek design having a 15.9mm thickness and weight of 1.3kgs. The VivoBook S14 also comes with Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C ports that support fast charging, 40 Gbps data transfer speeds, and video output to a single external 8K or two 4K UHD monitors. The notebook also features USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A and USB 2.0 ports as well as a microSD card reader.

ASUS Chromebook CX9 (CX9400)

The new Chromebook CX9 is a premium offering from the company that meets MIL-STD 810H U.S. military test standards, has a durable magnesium-alloy chassis that is 16mm thin, and weighs just 1kg. Despite being an ultraslim notebook, it comes with up to an 11th-Gen Intel Core i7 processor with Intel Iris Xe graphics and an anti-glare 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels) display. In terms of connectivity, the CX9 comes with WiFi 6 as well as Thunderbolt 4, a standard USB Type-A, and HDMI output. The notebook also features Harman Kardon-certified dual-speaker audio, and for business-grade protection, there is Titan C security for storing sensitive information such as passwords and encryption keys. Furthermore, the Chromebook CX9 features a fingerprint sensor for password-free login and a webcam shield for added privacy.

ProArt Display PA148CTV

A portable 14-inch FHD IPS, the ASUS ProArt Display PA148CTV can be quickly connected to a PC, laptop, or tablet for quick creative tasks. The display offers 100% sRGB and 100% Rec. 709 color spaces and is Calman Verified and factory pre-calibrated to provide Delta E < 2 color accuracy. The display also features a 10-point multi-touch panel and an anti-glare film. With the ASUS Dial, which is a physical dial at the back of the display, users can control compatible Adobe software and Microsoft Surface Dial features. The Virtual Control Panel provides adjustment dials, sliders, buttons, and wheels, delivering programmable hotkeys. There is also an integrated on-screen display (OSD) controller to quickly adjust the monitor to your liking, and the two USB-C ports can deliver audio, video, and power input over a single cable. Additionally, there is also a micro HDMI port, a tripod socket for mounting purposes, and an adjustable metal kickstand.

ASUS ExpertBook B9 B9450CEA

Claimed to be the world’s lightest 14-inch business laptop, the ExpertBook B9 also qualifies for the Intel Evo platform. It’s powered by the latest 11th-gen Intel Core i7 vPro processor and comes with built-in Intel Iris Xe graphics. It also comes with dual 2TB SSDs with support for RAID 0 and RAID 1 configurations. ASUS is offering two models: a 0.8kg model that comes with a 33Whr battery and a 0.99kg model with a 66Whr battery. The ExpertBook B9 also meets the MIL-STD 810H U.S. military standard and supports WiFi 6 and ASUS’ WiFi Master Premium technology. For security, there is a Kensington NanoSaver lock and an optional Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 chip to store passwords and encryption keys. Other features include an infrared camera and smart proximity sensor to enable fast biometric face logins. Also, expect AI-based noise-canceling features and Harman Kardon-certified speakers.

ASUS BR1100

Lastly, there is the 11-inch ASUS BR1100 built for education purposes. Powered by the Intel Celeron N4500 or the new Intel Pentium Silver processor, the notebook comes with 16GB of RAM and storage options of up to a 128 GB eMMC and a 1 TB M.2 SSD. This notebook also offers military-grade protection to withstand everyday knocks and drops with a rubber bumper surrounding all four exterior edges, and a spill-resistant keyboard. The notebook will be offered in a standard clamshell or convertible form factor. The BR1100 also comes with a TÜV Rheinland-certified display for eye protection, ASUS Two-Way AI Noise-Canceling Microphone, a noise-reducing camera, WiFi 6, webcam shield, and a microphone mute key for privacy. The battery is rated at 42Whr, and there is also an option for 4G LTE. There is also a full array of I/O ports including USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 and USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, HDMI, and a microSD card reader.

Model	Availability
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED (UX582)	April 2021
ASUS ZenBook Duo 14 (UX482)	January 2021
ASUS VivoBook S14 (S435)	February 2021
ASUS ExpertBook B9 B9450CEA	Q1 2021
ASUS Chromebook CX9 (CX9400)	Q2 2021
ASUS BR1100	Q1 2021
ASUS ProArt Display PA148CTV	Q2 2021
ASUS TUF Dash F15	Q1 2021

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Guest Mode is coming to Google Assistant smart displays and smart speakers

Google on Wednesday announced a Guest Mode is coming to Google Assistant-equipped smart displays and speakers. The new mode, which can be enabled by saying, “Hey Google, turn on Guest Mode,” won’t save interactions to your Google Account.

“While in Guest Mode, you can enjoy popular features, like asking questions, controlling smart home devices, setting timers and playing music,” Google said. “Your device won’t show personal results, like your calendar entries or contacts, until you turn the mode off.”

When Guest Mode is activated on a Smart Display, users will hear a special chime and also see a persistent guest icon on the screen. If you’re unsure about whether the mode is enabled, you can simply ask Google Assistant. Once it is activated, it will stay on until you tell Google Assistant to turn it off, so it can presumably be kept on indefinitely.

According to Google, the feature is part of the company’s push for improved privacy. “We want to make sure it’s easy to control how Google Assistant works with your data as it is to play your favorite song,” Google said.

Guest Mode might come in handy when you have someone staying over and don’t want them to access previous searches or see what’s on your calendar. As we understand it, they’ll still be able to access some of your personal integrations, such as music streaming and custom routines, so it’s not like a true incognito mode. Guest Mode can be turned off by saying a simple phrase, so it’s not exactly difficult to circumvent.

Guest Mode is available on Assistant-enabled speakers and displays in English, and will roll out support for more languages and devices over the next few months. We already see it on all of our Google Assistant smart speakers and displays, including the Lenovo smart display. To learn more about the new mode, just ask, “Hey Google, tell me about Guest Mode.”

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The latest Samsung Galaxy S21 leak leaves nothing to the imagination

Just hours before Samsung is set to unveil its Galaxy S21 series, and seemingly every last detail has been revealed. The leaks over the past few weeks have been absolutely relentless, and now Evan Blass has shared more key details about tomorrow’s launch.

pic.twitter.com/I5GIyCPFvY

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) January 13, 2021

pic.twitter.com/d6Ty9sW2RS

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) January 13, 2021

The images shared by Blass on Twitter appear to be of a landing page for the Galaxy S21 Ultra, along with other marketing material. The device will be the top of the line in Samsung’s Galaxy S21 series, featuring a quad-camera setup highlighted by a 108MP sensor. Blass also reiterates those who preorder the Galaxy S21 Ultra will receive the Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy SmartTag for free.

Here are some of the major details revealed by Blass:

• Galaxy S21 Ultra pre-orders will get you a free Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy SmartTag. Galaxy S21 and S21+ pre-orders will get you a free Galaxy Buds Live and Galaxy SmartTag.
• Galaxy S21 Ultra has a QHD display with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate while S21 and S21+ have Full HD displays with 120Hz refresh rates.
• Galaxy S21 Ultra has a 108MP main sensor, 12MP wide-angle sensor, 10MP 3X optical zoom telephoto lens, and 10MP 10X optical zoom telephoto lens. S21 and S21+ have a 12MP wide-angle main, a 64MP telephoto, and a 12MP ultra wide-angle. S21 Ultra has a 40MP main camera, while S21 and S21+ have 10MP front cameras.
• Galaxy S21 Ultra supports 100X and 20X zoom lock, Single Take, 8K Video Snap, multi-camera shooting (Director’s View), and 12-bit raw recording.
• Galaxy S21 Ultra has a layer of Gorilla Glass Victus for protection and an AL7s10 metal frame.
• Galaxy S21 series features the 5nm Exynos 2100 processor (but likely only in Europe and India), up to 16GB of RAM, and 128/256/512GB of storage.
• Galaxy S21 Ultra supports WiFi 6E.
• Galaxy S21 Ultra has IP68 water and dust resistance.
• Galaxy S21 series comes with Type-C cable, SIM ejection pin, and Quick Start Guide in the box – no charging adapter or earphones included.
• Available covers include Smart Clear View, Silicone Cover, Protective Standing Cover, and some with S Pen slots for S21 Ultra.
• All Galaxy S21 series devices support 25W Super Fast Charging, 15W Fast Wireless Charging, and Wireless PowerShare.
• S21 Ultra has a 5000mAh battery while S21 and S21+ have 4000mAh and 4800mAh respectively.

Samsung’s Unpacked event will kick off on Thursday, January 14, so it won’t be long before these details are confirmed. You can find even more Galaxy S21 series details and coverage right here.

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