Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy A8 2018 receive new updates with March 2021 security patches

When it comes to pushing monthly security updates, Samsung as an Android OEM has been doing a terrific job over the last few months. The company’s update schedule has improved to the extent that it’s now pushing the latest Android security patches to some of its devices even before Google officially publishes the corresponding Android Security Bulletin. Look no further: The shortest month of the year isn’t over yet, but the Galaxy S10, Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy Fold, and the Galaxy Tab S7 have already received the March 2021 patches. Well, it doesn’t seem like Samsung is stopping anytime soon, as the Korean OEM has now started rolling out similar updates for the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy A8 2018.

Tagged with the version number G99x0ZHU1AUB7, the update for the Galaxy S21 series is intended for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888-powered China/Hong Kong variants. As reported by SamMobile, the size of the incremental update package is about 387MB. Apart from bumping the security patch level, the new firmware also brings overall performance improvements as well as camera improvements.

Galaxy S21 Forums ||| Galaxy S21 Plus Forums ||| Galaxy S21 Ultra Forums

Similarly, the company has started rolling out the March 2021 Android security patches for the Galaxy A8 2018 (model number SM-A530F) in the form of software version A530FXXSICUC1. The update is currently available in the XSG region, which is the Korean OEM’s internal code for the United Arab emirates.

Interestingly, the new build increments the underlying bootloader version from “H” to “I”. As a consequence, end-users can’t perform a downgrade and revert back to an older build after installing this update on their Galaxy A8 units.

Galaxy A8 2018 Forums

As always, the updates are rolling out in batches. You might have to wait a couple of days before the update notification pops up on your device. However, if you are no stranger to manual flashing, you can just skip the waiting queue and use one of our community-developed tools to download the appropriate firmware for your device variant right now from Samsung’s update server.

At the time of writing this article, Samsung’s Mobile Security portal has not been updated with the details of the March 2021 security bulletin.

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Sony will finally unlock the expandable SSD slot on the PlayStation 5 this summer

The Sony PlayStation 5 comes with an expandable internal M.2 SSD slot that is fairly easy to access. However, ever since the console launched last year, the ability to expand your storage has been locked via software, leaving users to rely on external storage via USB. The company is now reportedly planning to bring an upgrade that will finally allow users to add more storage.

Sony is expected to roll out a new firmware update for the console this summer, according to a report from Bloomberg. The report also suggests that this new update will unlock higher speeds for the cooling fan to make sure that the thermals inside the console are kept in check. This makes sense as powering two SSDs at the same time could generate some more heat. The PlayStation 5 comes with an 825GB internal SSD, but only 667GB is available to the user for storing games, apps, and media. This makes it difficult to manage a large library especially if you have used a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 4 Pro.

Once the secondary internal storage slot is unlocked, users will be able to add more storage to the console. Speaking of which, Sony is yet to clarify the list of compatible third-party SSDs. During the arrival of the PlayStation 5 in November last year, Western Digital was seen marketing the SN850 PCIe Gen 4 M.2 NVMe SSD to be compatible with the PS5. According to Sony, the drives should meet certain performance parameters so that it doesn’t hamper the new console’s experience. As per the specifications, the Sony PlayStation 5 comes with a PCIe Gen 4 based drive peaking at 5.5GB/s of bandwidth. This could mean that the secondary slot will also require a drive that complies with such fast speeds. Samsung, Western Digital, and various other brands are offering PCIe Gen 4 SSDs; however, we are still awaiting confirmation from Sony on what drives to use with the new console.

By using high-speed SSD storage, Sony offers substantially reduced load times even on the most resource-intensive games. This is similar to what Microsoft is offering with its new Xbox Series X and Series S consoles. However, the new Xbox consoles also offer a ‘Quick Resume’ feature that lets you jump back into a game without having you load the game all over again.

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Chromebooks may soon get a few nifty presentation tools

The pandemic refocused attention towards online learning and virtual classrooms, and we’re bound to see a lot of efforts in this direction even after the pandemic has passed. It makes sense for software companies targeting virtual learning use cases to build up features that make their products more appealing. Google appears to be doing just that, as Chromebooks may soon get a few tools that make presentations easier to conduct.

Google recently announced that Chrome OS will soon come with its own screen recording tool, making it easier for teachers and students to record lessons. Now, Android Police has spotted a new feature that will make conducting presentations easier on these devices.

Called “Projector”, this feature essentially adds native slideshow tools to Chrome OS that would be easily accessible from the Chrome OS quick settings. Once “Projector” is selected, a bar holding a button for the screen recorder tool (very likely the same one that Google announced) and a button for a “Key idea” will appear on the left side of the display. The screen recorder’s functionality is self-explanatory, but Android Police is not sure what the “Key idea” button would do as the feature is not functional yet. Probable guesses include an ability to emphasize a specific word, or perhaps a bullet point or slide.

The Chromium Gerrit has commits that indicate that more presentation tools will be added to Projector, like a laser pointer, speech recognition, and markers. The pointer and marker will be for pointing to a specific part of the slide and marking specific content. The speech recognition feature, on the other hand, will likely be similar to Android 10 and Chrome’s Live Caption feature, making it an invaluable addition for situations when the audio is not properly audible. The commits for the speech recognition have been merged, while those for the other features are still a work-in-progress.

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NVIDIA’s Resizable BAR rolls out with support for new AMD and Intel processors

With the launch of its latest and most affordable graphics card, the GeForce RTX 3060, NVIDIA also introduced Resizable BAR. The PCIe-based technology allows users with a compatible motherboard to enable all of the GPU memory to be accessed by the CPU at once. This allows for faster transfer of data, including textures, shaders, and geometry, thereby providing small 10-20% gains in gaming performance.

The new RTX 3060 will be the first card that is going to come with a pre-installed Resizable BAR-ready VBIOS. For the rest of the RTX 30 series, including the RTX 3090, RTX 3080, RTX 3070, and the RTX 3060 Ti, NVIDIA will be releasing downloadable VBIOS updates for all the Founders Edition cards while board partners are also expected to release VBIOS updates for their custom models as well.

Apart from getting the GPUs ready, one also needs a compatible motherboard and CPU. NVIDIA has confirmed in a press note that AMD’s new Zen 3 based Ryzen 5000 series CPUs will be compatible with Resizable BAR as well as Intel’s current 10th-gen and upcoming 11th-gen processors will also be compatible. “Intel has been working with NVIDIA to enable Resizable BAR, an advanced PCI-Express technology, across the PC ecosystem. This feature can give gamers an extra boost in gameplay FPS on Intel’s new 11th generation H/S and select 10th generation systems when paired with supported graphics cards, including NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series GPUs,” said Fredrik Hamberger, GM of Premium & Enthusiast Laptop Segments at Intel.

As for motherboard support, NVIDIA says that it is working with motherboard manufacturers to bring Resizable BAR support to a wider range of products. As of 25 February 2021, top manufacturers including ASUS, MSI, ASRock, Colorful, EVGA, Gigabyte, and MSI will be offering SBIOS updates for select motherboards to enable Resizable BAR with GeForce RTX 30 Series desktop graphics cards.

Here’s a list shared by NVIDIA that includes all the CPU and motherboards that will support Resizable BAR:

Motherboards:

• AMD 400 Series
• AMD 500 Series
• Intel Z490
• Intel H470
• Intel B460
• Intel H410
• All motherboards that support 11th-gen Intel processors

CPUs:

• AMD Ryzen 3 5xxx
• AMD Ryzen 5 5xxx
• AMD Ryzen 7 5xxx
• AMD Ryzen 9 5xxx
• Intel Core i9-10xxx
• Intel Core i7-10xxx
• Intel Core i5-10xxx
• Intel Core i3-10xxx
• Intel Core i9-11xxx
• Intel Core i7-11xxx
• Intel Core i5-11xxx

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The Best Android VPN apps: ExpressVPN, Surfshark, NordVPN, and more!

If you’re an Android user looking to improve your online privacy and access lots more great content on the web, you should definitely download a virtual private network. By installing a VPN service on your Android smartphone or tablet, you can then browse the web privately, encrypt your online data, secure all Wi-Fi connections, prevent bandwidth throttling, unblock geo-restricted websites, and lots more. You can check out our guide of the Best VPNs, but if you’re looking for a mobile-centric solution for Android, then this one is for you.

On the Google Play Store, you’ll find hundreds of VPN apps. Therefore, choosing the best Android VPN app can be a little tricky. But in this article, we’ve ranked the best Android VPNs of 2021. Read on to find out which one best suits your needs and budget.

Navigate this article: 

• Best overall Android VPN: ExpressVPN
• Best affordable Android VPN: Surfshark
• Best Android VPN for most people: NordVPN
• Best Android VPN for international servers: CyberGhost
• Best Android VPN for shared IP addresses: IPVanish
• Best free Android VPN: Hotspot Shield

Best overall Android VPN: ExpressVPN

The British Virgin Islands-based provider isn’t just our favorite VPN service overall, but we also think it’s the best VPN app for Android users.

ExpressVPN - #1 Trusted VPN - Secure Private Fast (Free⁺, Google Play) →

What stands out about the ExpressVPN Android app is how easy it is to use. By pressing the large power button, you can connect to the fastest available server instantly. Or you can choose an international server via the location bar.

ExpressVPN provides more than 3,000 servers across 94 countries. With them, you can unblock streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney Plus, Sky Go, Kodi, and many others. Thanks to unlimited bandwidth, you should enjoy a smooth streaming experience. But it only allows five device connections.

Although this service is great for streaming, it’ll also keep you secure and private online thanks to AES-256 encryption, an internet kill switch, VPN split tunneling, TrustedServer technology, private DNS, a strict no-logging policy, and IP address masking. Other features include a built-in speed test, privacy guides, sports streaming guides, and a 24/7 live chat.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN offers everything you’d want in the best Android VPN, including a large server network, an easy-to-use app, a wide variety of features, access to top streaming sites, and so much more.

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Best affordable Android VPN: Surfshark

When it comes to value for money, most VPN providers struggle to beat Surfshark. It offers one of the best Android VPN apps and charges $2.49 per month for its cheapest premium subscription.

Surfshark’s Android app is easy-to-use, allowing users to connect to the fastest available VPN server or choose from a list of international server locations. Globally, it has a network of over 3200 servers in 65 countries.

Surfshark VPN - Secure VPN for privacy & security (Free⁺, Google Play) →

With Surfshark, you can unblock streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Go, YouTube, and more. What’s more, because Surfshark provides an unlimited device policy, you’ll be able to stream TV shows and movies on all your devices.

Another impressive feature offered by Surfshark is CleanWeb, which blocks malware, phishing, web trackers, and unwanted adverts. Plus, there’s a whitelister, a kill switch, a no-logging policy, private DNS and leak protection, a camouflage mode, 256-bit encryption, secure protocols, multihop, and more. All users get 24/7 customer support and a 30-day money-back guarantee, too.

Surfshark

If you’re looking for a top-rate premium Android VPN that doesn’t cost a ridiculous amount of money, check out Surfshark. For only $2.49 a month, you’ll get access to over 3200 servers, an unlimited device policy, malware protection, a kill switch, and many more great features.

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Best Android VPN for most people: NordVPN

NordVPN has developed a solid reputation for being one of the best VPN services thanks to an extensive server network, a comprehensive suite of features, impressive performance, and easy-to-use apps.

With NordVPN for Android, you’ll be able to connect to 5548 servers in 59 countries across the globe. You can use them for unblocking streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus, DAZN, and many others. What’s more, they offer fast speeds.

The NordVPN app sports a sleek and user-friendly interface, offering a quick-connect button that lets you choose the best available server. You can also easily connect to an international VPN server by navigating a world map or browsing a global location list.

NordVPN – fast VPN app for privacy & security (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Overall, NordVPN is one of the most secure providers on the market due to a strict no-logging policy, strong encryption, a built-in kill switch, obfuscated servers, split tunneling, double VPN, a malware and advert blocker, a DNS leak test, dedicated IP, and Onion Over VPN. Its six-device policy is larger than the one that ExpressVPN offers, but falls short of the unlimited connections on Surfshark. Every customer has access to 24/7 support and a 30-day money-back guarantee, though.

NordVPN

NordVPN is another well-known VPN provider with one of the best Android apps available on the market. It provides over 5500 servers, malware and advert blocking, obfuscated servers, split tunneling, a built-in DNS leak test, 24/7 customer support, and more.

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Best Android VPN for international servers: CyberGhost

If you’re looking for an Android VPN app that offers an extensive range of international servers, look no further than CyberGhost. The provider has 6809 servers in 89 countries all over the world.

CyberGhost’s large server network is a handy asset for anyone who spends a lot of their time streaming TV shows, movies, and sports. It’ll enable you to unblock Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney Plus, HBO Now, and many other streaming platforms in all corners of the world.

VPN by CyberGhost - Fast & Secure WiFi Protection (Free⁺, Google Play) →

As well as being one of the best streaming VPNs, CyberGhost is also great for torrenting. It offers a variety of servers optimized for peer-to-peer services and torrents. Other features include AES-256 encryption, DNS and IP leak protection, a kill switch, various protocols, a strict no-logging policy, unlimited bandwidth, and unlimited traffic.

CyberGhost doesn’t offer an unlimited devices policy like Surfshark, but you can use it on up to seven devices under a single subscription. There’s also 24/7 customer support and a big 45-day money-back guarantee, which gives you plenty of time to purchase a subscription and ask for a refund if circumstances change.

CyberGhost

CyberGhost is a well-rounded VPN service that offers a great Android app. Its headline feature is a large network of 6809 servers in 89 countries. But this provider also offers seven device connections, a kill switch, a plethora of secure protocols, strong encryption, and more.

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Best Android VPN for shared IP addresses: IPVanish

IPVanish is another highly acclaimed VPN provider that’s available on Android. With this app, you can connect to over 1600 VPN servers and over 40,000 shared IP addresses globally.

IPVanish VPN: The Fastest VPN (Free⁺, Google Play) →

What sets IPVanish apart from other VPNs is the fact that, like Surfshark, it offers an unlimited devices policy. So, you can use it to secure your Android phone and all the other connected devices in your home.

On top of this, it provides an easy-to-use Android app, AES-256 encryption, a range of protocols (IKEv2, OpenVPN, and L2TP/IPsec VPN), a SOCKS5 web proxy, a no-logging policy, and 24/7 customer support.

Although you can use IPVanish for unblocking Netflix, YouTube, Kodi, Disney plus, and many other popular streaming platforms, lots of users have reported problems accessing BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video via this provider. So, if you use either platform, it’s worth picking another Android VPN. Fortunately, there’s a 30-day money-back period if you sign up for an IPVanish subscription and cancel it.

IPVanish

Overall, IPVanish is an excellent Android VPN app. It provides over 1600 international VPN servers, more than 40,000 shared IP addresses, an easy-to-use Android app, strong encryption, a SOCKS5 web proxy, and more.

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Best free Android VPN: Hotspot Shield

For those who want a great Android VPN but don’t want to spend a penny, it’s worth checking out Hotspot Shield because this provider has one of the best free versions available.

A free Hotspot Shield account will provide you with 500MB of daily data, one device connection, a single server location, an internet kill switch, military-grade encryption, a range of VPN protocols, and access to a support center. To unlock more features, you’d need to purchase a premium subscription for either $7.99 per month or $11.99 per month.

Hotspot Shield Free VPN Proxy & Secure VPN (Free⁺, Google Play) →

With a premium account, you’ll get unlimited bandwidth, the ability to unblock top streaming sites like Netflix, multi-platform apps, five or 25 device connections (depending on the plan), access to more than 3200 servers, malware and phishing protection, the super-fast Hydra protocol, 24/7 customer support, a 45-day money-back guarantee, and lots more.

Hotspot Shield

If you’re looking for the best free Android VPN, you should definitely check out Hotspot Shield. Its free plan includes a 500MB daily data allowance, an internet kill switch, military-grade encryption, a range of protocols, and more.

Visit website

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If you own an Android device and want to stay secure online 24/7, you should download a virtual private network as it’ll allow you to browse the web privately, encrypt your personal data, improve the security of your Wi-Fi connection, and so much more. Luckily, there are loads of great VPN apps available for phones and tablets running on the Android operating system. Out of these, the best overall is ExpressVPN.

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Twitter announces new features to help you make money and fight trolls

We recently heard rumors that Twitter was exploring alternate ways to generate revenue, including a subscription model, a tipping feature, advanced profile customization options, and more. Although Twitter neither confirmed nor denied these rumors at the time, it has now announced a host of new features that will help you make money on the platform and, in turn, give the company a juicy cut. But that’s not the only new feature coming to the micro-blogging platform. Read on to find on more about all the upcoming features that Twitter announced during its Virtual Analyst Day event:

Twitter Communities

Twitter is working on a new Communities feature for the platform, which will let users create groups with people who share similar interests. The feature will essentially work like Facebook Groups, and it will let you share tweets exclusively with your community members.

Twitter will also give communities the option to set their own moderation rules, which will give community moderators more control over the kind of content shared within the community. The communities feature is currently in development and it will roll out sometime later this year.

Super Follows

Instead of introducing a subscription plan for the platform as a whole, Twitter has announced a new feature called Super Follows which will help it generate some revenue. The feature will let users subscribe to exclusive content from other users, and it will likely give influencers more incentive to engage with their audiences on the platform.

Users who Super Follow an account on the platform could get a badge on their profile to indicate their support of the account. As you’d expect, they will also get access to all paywalled content offered by the account. It’s likely that Twitter will take a cut out of the amount users pay to Super Follow another account, which will help the company generate revenue. As of now, Twitter hasn’t shared any further details about the feature. We’ll update this post as soon as we learn more.

Safety mode

Since the Communities and Super Follows feature will increase engagement on the platform, Twitter is also going to introduce a new auto-moderation feature to help community leaders and influencers fight off trolls on the platform. This feature, called Safety mode, will let give users the option to “automatically block accounts that appear to break the Twitter Rules, and mute accounts that might be using insults, name-calling, strong language, or hateful remarks.”

The safety mode will likely work alongside the aforementioned community moderation features, and help moderators easily tackle trolls on the platform. While Twitter didn’t elaborate on the feature’s capabilities during the event, screenshots showcased during the event reveal that Safety mode will limit users’ ability to tweet at people for seven days and limit their reach on the platform. the screenshots also suggest that Twitter will send you a notification every time the feature blocks another account.

Tune in to Twitter’s 2021 Virtual Analyst Day. Watch it here: https://t.co/wzifGrS0WJ or @TwitterIR https://t.co/6FIv8trZjP #TWTRAnalystDay

— Twitter Investor Relations (@TwitterIR) February 25, 2021

The new features mentioned above are still in development and Twitter hasn’t shared an exact release timeline for the same. The features are expected to roll out to users sometime later this year. To learn more about everything that was discussed during Twitter’s 2021 Analyst Day event, watch the video attached above.

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Google’s Sleep API helps developers build better sleep tracking apps

Google has introduced a new Sleep API that developers can use to surface information about a user’s sleep, resulting in more advanced sleep tracking apps. The Sleep API is available now as part of the latest version of Google Play Services.

According to Google, the Sleep API is a “simple API that centralizes sleep detection processing in a battery-efficient manner.” It’s part of Google’s Android Activity Recognition API, which can be used to detect a user’s activities like if they’re biking or walking.

“So much of what we do relies on a good night’s rest,” Google said. “Our phones have become great tools for making more informed decisions about our sleep. And by being informed about sleep habits, people can make better decisions throughout the day about sleep, which affects things like concentration and mental health.”

The Sleep API will use an on-device machine learning model to infer the user’s sleep state based on input from your phone’s light and motion sensors. Google said its new API will save developers from having to spend time developing their own methods to determine when a user has started or ended sleep. In addition, using Google’s API has other advantages over other sleep tracking APIs, including needing less power to use and offering more reliability in data collection. The latter is especially important as Google Play Services is less affected by Doze and other battery management services than third-party apps.

Once information is collected, it’s reported in two ways:

1. A ‘sleep confidence’, which is reported at a regular interval (up to 10 minutes)
2. A daily sleep segment which is reported after a wakeup is detected

In its blog post, Google highlights an app called Sleep as Android that uses the new Sleep API. The app can track things like sleep duration, regularity, phases, snoring, and more, with less power and more reliability than before thanks to switching over to the Sleep API. “Sleep Duration is one of the most important parameters to watch for ensuring a good night’s rest,” the Sleep as Android team said. “The new Sleep API gives us a fantastic opportunity to track it automatically in the most battery efficient way imaginable.”

(As an aside, the Sleep as Android team created the DontKillMyApp website to highlight how aggressive OEM power management services kept killing their app’s sleep tracking services.)

Third-party apps use Google’s new Sleep API today but will be required to prompt the user to grant the ACTIVITY_RECOGNITION permission. This ensures that users will have control over which apps can track their sleep. Interested developers can learn more about the Sleep API by checking out Google’s API Documentation.

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