Did you buy the updated Galaxy Fold now that it's finally available? You now have the posh support to go with it. Samsung has launched its Galaxy Fold Premiere Service in the US, offering all of the foldable phone's buyers dedicated support through video chat (through the Members app) or conventional voice calls. If you're in the right location, you can also get in-person tutorials.
Premiere Service also includes a discount on the first replacement for the folding screen, lowering it to $149 whether you visit specified service locations or get an expedited mail-in. You might need it, too, given that tests have suggested the inner screen might not last as long as Samsung estimates.
The extra support is, unofficially, an acknowledgment that the Fold is both experimental and very expensive tech. You'd likely expect Samsung to coddle you when you've spent $1,980 on a phone that will be just as obsolete as anything else in a few years. At the same time, it could make all the difference if you're willing to live on the cutting edge but want a stronger safety net if things go awry.
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Apple’s latest Mac update, macOS Catalina, was released earlier this week, and with it came a flurry of complications both minor and major.
For one, this update is the first for Apple to drop 32-bit application support, which is causing all sorts of headaches for users of smaller apps, plug-ins, and other software that may not be updated for quite some time or may have been created by a company that no longer exists. There are also a fair number of other issues with Catalina, like Adobe software incompatibility problems and unforeseen hurdles related to the removal of iTunes.
That leads us to a series of important questions for Mac users who may be at risk of having important workflows disrupted by Catalina. What exactly might go wrong if you do upgrade? Should you upgrade now, and what should you do before pulling the trigger? Or should you hold off for now, and if so, what’s the best way to do that and also monitor when it might be safe to make the jump?
What’s wrong with Catalina so far?
Apple first announced that it would ultimately wind down support for 32-bit apps more than a year and a half ago, when it began pushing alerts to macOS High Sierra users that 32-bit software was “unsupported.” The apps still worked, but with Catalina’s official unveiling back in June at WWDC, Apple made the eventual discontinuation official. With the launch of Catalina, 32-bit apps no longer function.
That has resulted in some understandably messy problems. For instance, legacy versions of Adobe products like Photoshop use some 32-bit licensing components and installers, meaning they won’t work after you upgrade. Not even Adobe’s uninstaller will work post-Catalina upgrade because that, too, is a 32-bit component.
Adobe recommends you not update your Mac if you rely on this older, pre-Creative Cloud version of Photoshop or Lightroom. It also says that, even if you do upgrade, you should probably uninstall that software first or else it will be difficult to get rid of once its rendered inoperable.
Other popular pieces of software ensnared by this 32- to 64-bit transition include older versions of Microsoft Office, numerous legacy versions of Mac apps like GarageBand, and discontinued apps like iPhoto. For those who do play games on a Mac, it’s likely quite a few are 32-bit and there’s no way to salvage them after upgrading to Catalina.
But the issues extend beyond the loss 32-bit app support. Due to incompatibility issues, even newer versions of Photoshop installed and managed using Creative Cloud are having file naming issues, plug-in verification problems, and video rendering hiccups. Adobe says on its support page for the issue that droplets, ExtendScript Toolkit, and Lens Profile Creator will flat-out fail to run.
Because Catalina marks the official end of iTunes as a standalone app, third-party apps that relied on iTunes as a repository for music files and for the features it offered for linking with other software are also running into issues. This has mainly affected DJ apps like Rekordbox and Traktor that offer the ability to sync XML files generated from iTunes, which breaks that link between the software and DJs’ music libraries, a feature crucial for live performances. For those who depend on that software, Apple is telling them not to upgrade to Catalina, either.
There are bound to be more issues that pop up as more users upgrade to Catalina and run into new, unforeseen issues. But for now, if any of the above mentioned pieces of software are vital to your job or your daily computer use, it’s likely a good idea to hold off on upgrading.
Should you upgrade now?
If you do want to upgrade, there are some easy ways to figure out if your machine will be hit hard by the loss of 32-bit support. Apple has gone out of its way to ensure that when you do choose to install the new OS, you’ll be made aware of the software installed on your machine that won’t be supported post-update.
But if you want to do that ahead of time, before downloading Catalina and getting to the final stages of the install process, you can use Spotlight search on your Mac to open the System Information tool. From there, scroll down to “Software” and click on “Legacy Software.” At the top of the window you’ll find all the software that will become inoperable once Catalina is installed. On my work machine, it was only one app — an old piece of software for recording Skype calls. But on my home machine, a years-old Mac mini, I have loads of legacy software.
I have an old version of Microsoft Office on that machine, a 32-bit version of Valve’s Steam launcher I never uninstalled, and what appears to be old versions of iMovie and pre-Creative Cloud Adobe apps. I’m using my Creative Cloud subscription on this machine, so I can uninstall that Adobe software. But had I not heeded Adobe’s warning to do so pre-Catalina, the company says I would have had to resort to using its manual cleanup tool, which can be annoying to troubleshoot and time-consuming to perform.
The question of whether you should upgrade largely rests on whether you’re okay taking the risk that some apps might no longer function or you might run into issues you were unaware of even in supported 64-bit software.
If you’re like me, you don’t use highly specialized apps and you’re not using a four- or five-year-old Mac. You mostly use your newish laptop or desktop for web browsing, general productivity stuff (calendar, notes, file management, etc.), light media creation, and editing and writing. In that scenario, upgrading to Catalina is reasonable and likely won’t cause you too much trouble.
Why you might want to hold off
There are plenty of reasons not to upgrade to Catalina. Apple says the OS will run on computers from as far back as 2012, but that, of course, means you may have tons of 32-bit software lying around that you use from time to time without realizing it.
Forgoing those apps just to use Catalina is, in my option, not worth it when the upgrades you’re getting are mostly centered on new devices. For instance, you can’t use the new Sidecar mirroring feature without a Skylake Mac and a newer iPad.
Another reason why you may want to hold off on upgrading is if you’re a creative professional, someone who uses Photoshop or any of the above mentioned music software affected by the iTunes removal. It’s always safer to work on a machine that’s integrated into your existing workflow, instead of risking breaking something and hitting a roadblock on a project that has a due date.
As The Verge’s Dieter Bohn argues in an article aptly titled, “You don’t need to update your operating system right away,” consumers, and especially Apple fans, have been lulled into a sense of complacency over software updates because of how stable the mobile variety have typically been. He calls it a low-risk, high-reward decision to update a new app or move to the latest version of iOS because, while you might run into a bug here or there, you do get access to cool new features, nice wallpapers, and generally speedy third-party app adoption of new capabilities.
The same is not true for the Mac, which as a much more open platform, can involve more complications, and carries a higher risk in the event of a serious bug or incompatibility issue. “You probably depend on your Mac or PC for ‘real work,’ and so updating on day one could threaten that real work — literally threaten your livelihood,” Bohn writes. “It’s better to wait and see how things shake out, to let other people experience the problems and report them.”
In the event you do end up holding out, there is one thing you’ll want to do: head over to Settings, click Software Update, and uncheck the box for “Automatically keep my Mac up to date.” That will ensure that your Mac doesn’t try to sneakily install the update on your behalf. Most Mac users have this box checked by default, so you’ll have to manually turn off the setting to avoid a forced Catalina install.
Despite the official announcement being on Tuesday, Best Buy in Canada has already listed the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL for pre-order. A dedicated product page notes the key features and specs, while also allowing buyers to place a deposit.
The official marketing copy for the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL heavily emphasizes that this is a phone by Google:
Built around the helpful Google software you know and love, Pixel 4 is a phone made the Google way.
There are four “Pixel perfect” bullet points. Starting with the camera, Google touts the “software in Pixel 4” as helping you take “studio-like photos anywhere” in a point-and-shoot manner. The redesigned Google Camera 7.1 with a cleaner interface is shown off.
There’s nothing new to learn and no editing required. Just point at what you want to capture, and your Pixel will help you get a fantastic shot, every time.
The next photography highlight suggests unlimited “original quality” storage in Google Photos, but oddly shows a Pixel 3a that only offers “high quality” compressed backups not at full resolution.
Meanwhile, Quick Gestures through Soli are touted as a “new way to control your phone.”
Pixel 4 has Quick Gestures, letting you get things done without having to touch your phone. Which is actually pretty great for when you’re cooking or enjoying your favourite tacos.
The last point is Assistant, which is accessible via Active Edge or the Hey Google hotword. There is no explicit reference to the next-generation Assistant, though the functionality is referenced: “Send texts, get directions, and even plan your day, all from the palm of your hand.”
Full specifications are listed with a direct comparison to the Google Pixel 3 XL. The dual-rear cameras come in at 12 and 16MP with 4K video capture, while there is a 8MP front-facer for 1080p. The 90Hz “Smooth Display” is found on the 5.7-inch Full HD+ or 6.3-inch Quad HD+ OLED. There is a 900 mAh difference between the 2,800 mAh Pixel 4 and 3,700 mAh 4 XL. Also confirmed is the Snapdragon 855 with 6GB of RAM, though only the 64GB capacity is available for pre-order. It should also be available in 128GB.
This Pixel 4 specs leak by Best Buy will likely be removed, but customers this evening are able to place a CAD$50 deposit to reserve a unit at a local store from six different carriers. The Canadian retailer offers Just Black and Clearly White, but not Oh So Orange. While the full price is not listed here, details have previously leaked.
Dyson won't make an EV, but Toyota's adding a plug to its hybrid RAV4 and has given the fuel cell-powered Mirai a stylish makeover. Also, there's an upgraded OnePlus smartphone coming to some of you, and ESPN is finally jumping into 4K. It's Friday.
OnePlus' mid-year smartphone update takes the impressive OnePlus 7 Pro and adds an even more powerful processor and faster charging -- de rigueur for 2019 phone updates, it seems. The new OnePlus 7T Pro features Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 855 Plus mobile chip and comes with a new 30T Warp Charge power adapter. According to OnePlus, that can get the 7T Pro to approximately 68 percent charge in 30 minutes.
There's the same triple camera array, made of a 48-megapixel f/1.7 main camera (with optical stabilization), 8-megapixel f/2.4 3x-zoom telephoto camera and a 16-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide camera. The selfie cam is in a pop-up unit to keep the phone pretty much all screen. Alas, there are no plans for the OnePlus 7T Pro or its 12GB/256GB McLaren Edition variant to come to the US. Instead, they're headed to the EU, China and India. The OnePlus 7T Pro will be available in the UK starting on October 17th for £699, roughly $870.
Ahead of the LA Auto Show, Toyota announced that the RAV4 would get the plug-in hybrid treatment. Like most automotive teases ahead of a major event, it didn't tell us much about the upcoming vehicle. There's no word on price, range, battery size, etc. The automaker also announced that all 2020 models and beyond -- hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles -- would get a battery warranty upgrade from eight years/100,000 miles (whichever comes first).
Sure, this combo-device version of Dell's XPS 13 could do with a few more ports, but according to Devindra Hardawar, it's even better than the standard version. Packed with a 10th-generation Intel CPU and graphics, it's even powerful enough to handle some 3D gaming. The revamped Maglev keyboard fits in its skinny frame without being frustrating to use (we're talking about you, Apple, and your butterfly keys), and the battery kept it running for 14 hours in our test.
Our review unit featured a 10th-gen Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM and a 1080p screen for $1,597. That's around $200 more than a similarly specced XPS 13, but the sophisticated design and option for use as a tablet might be worth it.
ESPN confirmed that Saturday night's college football matchup between Florida and LSU will be the first one it ever broadcasts live in native 4K resolution. It's planned at least six games to air that way, sponsored by Samsung, but unfortunately it's not streaming them through the ESPN or Samsung apps. TV providers need to sign up for them, and so far the only one with a deal is DirecTV. Hopefully that list grows soon so more of us can watch the BCS National Championship Game in January using the 4K feed ESPN has planned.
Less than a day after Apple sparked controversy by removing a Hong Kong protest app, the company's CEO Tim Cook has defended the decision. At least, internally. In a letter posted internally, Cook said that the app was being used "maliciously to target individual officers for violence". Such behavior violates Apple's App Store guidelines.
However, it's not so clear cut. Critics argue that the app does not actually show the location of individual officers and apps like Waze, which crowdsources information about police locations, remain on the App Store.
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Microsoft has been through a saga with its Windows 10 updates, with problems ranging from files being inadvertently deleted to wiping user data being reported. With the newest update, the company is testing out a less intrusive approach for installing new features, requiring fewer restarts and making the update process faster.
Windows 10 version 1909, also known as 19H2, will be releasing later this year. We already know what it will include though thanks to its limited release as part of the Windows Insider program.
As we previously reported, the update is pretty small. The biggest changes are to notifications, with a "Manage notifications" option added to the Action Center and notification management now displaying the list of notifications sorted by most recently shown instead of by sender. You can also configure or mute notifications from a specific app with the Action Center.
There are changes too, such as the ability to quickly create a Calendar event from the taskbar. In the File Explorer, the search box will now be powered by Windows Search so you can search through your OneDrive content along with all your other files. Finally, there are some improvements to battery life and a change to a more even distribution of load between multiple processor cores.
The update will be delivered in a more seamless fashion, meaning it installs like a monthly update. If you are running the May 2019 Update, the new release will install much more quickly than previous updates because it is so small. It also won't require a restart. If you're using an earlier version of Windows, the release will install like previous Windows 10 feature updates so it will take a little longer.
If you can't wait to get your hands on the new release, you can join the Windows Insider program to get early access. Then, to check for new updates on your system, open the start menu and go to Settings, then to Update & Security and hit the "Check for updates" button.
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The Sigma fp, which the company claims is the “world’s smallest and lightest” full-frame mirrorless camera, is now available to pre-order for $1,900 with a release date of October 25th. The 112.6 × 69.9 × 45.3 mm camera weighs just 370g, resulting in what Sigma calls a “pocketable” full-frame camera.
The Sigma fp is compatible with a wide range of accessories, which can increase its size and weight significantly when attached. The camera’s use of the L-Mount standard means that it’s compatible with a range of lenses from Leica, Panasonic, and of course Sigma itself.
The Sigma fp also comes equipped with an HDMI port, and the company says it supports external flash sync, mic, headphone, and remote shutter accessories. You can get an idea of the range of accessories supported in this Sigma video, which shows just how massive the setups for this “pocketable” camera can get:
In terms of specs, the Sigma fp supports an ISO range of 100-25600, has a 49-point autofocus system, can film in 4K, and includes electronic image stabilization. There’s a 3.2-inch touchscreen on the camera, but no viewfinder, and the camera also has a quiet electronic shutter in front of its Bayer sensor. Its limited amount of physical controls won’t be for everyone, but compromises are inevitable when you’re trying to produce a camera this small.
That’s not to say there aren’t any new features, however. The November update’s major additions include the fact that the File Explorer’s search bar can now search within your OneDrive account online, and voice assistants other than Cortana being able to run on the Windows 10 lock screen. The update also adds the ability for new calendar entries to be created directly from the task bar, and Microsoft is introducing new notification management options. A complete list of features can be found on Microsoft’s site.
Thankfully, the update should be fairly painless to install, because Microsoft says it’s using similar technology to what it normally uses to deliver its monthly service updates. A small, non-disruptive update is likely to be music to the ears of anyone who was burned by Windows 10’s October 2018 update, which Microsoft was forced to pull after reports emerged that it was deleting files from its users’ PCs. It wasn’t until December that the “October” update was finally released for everyone, after which Microsoft pledged to focus on quality improvements for its future Windows 10 updates.
If you want to install the new update, then you’ll need to first sign up to be a Windows Insider. Microsoft has provided step-by-step instructions on how to do this in the blog post announcing the name of the new update. Meanwhile, the company is also taking steps towards its next update. It says that testers on its slightly less stable “Slow Ring” insider program will soon be moved on to Windows 10’s 20H1 update, currently due for release in the first half of 2020.
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