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Thursday, April 30, 2020

Worldwide smartphone sales showed 'biggest decline ever' in Q1 2020

The impact of COVID-19 on smartphone sales was drastic, as market analysts noted shipments worldwide dropped by millions in the last few months. While manufacturers are typically nonspecific about sales numbers, IDC’s Quarterly Mobile Phone tracker n...

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Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier credit card review

Heads up! We share savvy shopping and personal finance tips to put extra cash in your wallet. Android Central may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network. Please note that the offers mentioned below are subject to change at any time and some may no longer be available.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card Overview

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is the middle of the pack when it comes to Southwest personal credit cards. While airline credit cards generally don't come with too many perks, the lack of foreign transaction fees and 6,000 anniversary bonus points should help offset this card's reasonable $99 annual fee. Card rating:*

*Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

Savvy TPG readers know that we generally don't recommend building your points strategy around a cobranded airline credit card, as they tend to offer fewer perks and less flexibility than a comparably-priced transferable points card. When it comes to the Southwest Rapid Rewards card portfolio in particular, you'll generally get better earning rates and flexible redemption options with cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which then transfer to Southwest at a 1:1 rate.

That being said, the Southwest credit cards have remained very popular among Southwest fans, especially those looking to earn the coveted Companion Pass and the year of free flights it bestows on their designated travel companion. The mid-tier version of the three personal Southwest cards — the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card — has a good balance of perks and annual fees that could make it worthy of a spot in your card collection, especially if you're aiming to pick up a Companion Pass this year. Let's take a look.

Who is this card for?

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is ideal for regular Southwest flyers, along with anyone looking to earn the Southwest Companion Pass. While all three Southwest personal credit cards — the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card — are currently offering identical sign-up bonuses of 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening, the Premier is a good choice for those looking for a cheaper annual fee than the Priority, while still enjoying perks such as no foreign transaction fees and a 6,000-point card anniversary bonus.

If you do fly with Southwest quite a bit throughout the year, the higher-tier Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card does offer a higher anniversary bonus and more perks for flying. But for most casual Southwest flyers, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier is a perfectly adequate option to supplement your other travel credit cards.

Do keep in mind that all of Southwest's cobranded cards are beholden to Chase's infamous 5/24 rule. If you've opened more than five new accounts over the past 24 months (across all issuers, not just Chase), you're almost certain to be denied for this card. Also note that because it's a personal card, it will count toward your 5/24 tally. If you are planning to apply for other Chase cards in the near future, make sure this card is worth the slot it will take up.

Current bonus

The current bonus on the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card (as well as on the Priority and Plus cards) is 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months. TPG values Rapid Rewards points at 1.5 cents each, meaning 40,000 points are worth $600.

This isn't the largest sign-up bonus we've ever seen, but it can be potentially combined with the current sign-up bonus on the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card, which is offering an up to 100,000-point sign-up bonus — 70,000 points after $5,000 in spending in the first three months and another 30,000 points after spending $25,000 with the firs six months of having the card.

The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Points from the sign-up bonuses on Southwest credit cards are Companion Pass-qualifying, meaning if you sign up for the Premier and the Performance together, you'll earn 140,000 points in bonuses, which will put you over the 125,000 points needed for the Companion Pass.

However, keep in mind that you can't earn a sign-up bonus on the Southwest Premier card if you currently have any personal Southwest card, nor are you eligible if you earned a sign-up bonus on a personal card in the past 24 months.

Main perks and benefits

While you don't expect an airline credit card with a $99 annual fee to come loaded with perks, there are a few on the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card worth mentioning. The first is the 6,000-point anniversary bonus you'll receive after renewing your card each year. Although the annual fee is not waived the first year, TPG values 6,000 Rapid Rewards points at $90, meaning that the anniversary bonus will almost entirely offset that fee from your second year on.

While the Companion Pass is technically a form of Southwest elite status, it doesn't carry most of the common airline elite perks such as bonus points, priority boarding and so on. So if you're taking the shortcut to earning the Companion Pass by combining sign-up bonuses, you may also be interested in earning Southwest A-List elite status to enhance your travels. Doing so requires 25 qualifying flights or 35,000 tier qualifying points (TQPs) in a calendar year. You can earn bonus TQPs by spending on the Premier card — 1,500 TQPs for every $10,000 spent per calendar year, up to $100,000 (or 15,000 TQPs).

While all Southwest flyers get two free checked bags, A-List status also comes with automatic priority boarding for you (Southwest recently expanded this to those traveling with you), a 25% points earning bonus, the ability do same-day standby flights, priority check-in and security lane access at participating airports, and a dedicated A-List phone line. Members of A-List Preferred, which kicks in after 50 one-way flights or 70,000 TQPs, receive all the benefits above, plus a 100% points bonus and free inflight Wi-Fi.

Like other U.S. carriers, Southwest not only extended status for A-List and A-List Preferred members through Dec. 31, 2021, but it also extended Companion Pass benefits through June 30, 2021 for eligible Rapid Rewards members.

Earning and redeeming

The earning rates on the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card follow the same standard as some other cobranded airline credit cards, although it's a standard that's slowly being usurped as other airlines improve their credit card offerings. You'll earn 2x miles on Southwest purchases (and when booking hotels or renting a car through a Southwest partner), and 1x on everything else. This gives you a return of 3% on Southwest purchases and 1.5% on everyday spending (based on TPG valuations), which isn't much to get excited about. This isn't the most rewarding card you can pick for long-term spending goals.

However, one of the best things about redeeming Southwest Rapid Rewards points is the simplicity of the process. Whether you select the cheapest Wanna Get Away fares or the most expensive Business Select tickets, the cost of your award ticket is tied to the cash price of the flight. This means you don't have to worry about getting the highest possible cent-per-point redemption value; if you have Rapid Rewards points, it's almost always a good idea to redeem them for Southwest flights — including options to Hawaii and international destinations.

Southwest also gives you the option to redeem your points for gift cards, merchandise, rental cars, hotels and experiences, although these redemption options offer a much worse value. Interestingly enough, Southwest also lets you redeem your Rapid Rewards points for international flights on other airlines. The exact redemption value varies, but it's generally worse than you would get redeeming directly for Southwest flights. And remember, with your Companion Pass, your points stretch twice as far using them on Southwest-operated trips, so there isn't much reason to be looking at redemption options other than on Southwest flights.

Which cards compete with the Southwest Premier?

The most obvious competitors to the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card are the other two personal cobranded Southwest cards — the higher-end Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card and the lower-end Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card. With all three cards offering identical sign-up bonuses, this competition comes down to which card offers the best perks in exchange for its annual fee. If you're struggling to pick between the three, you can check out our head-to-head comparison.

While the Plus card only costs $69 a year, it has a 3% foreign transaction fee and a small anniversary bonus of only 3,000 Rapid Rewards points (worth $45). The Priority card, on the other hand, has a $149 annual fee but includes a $75 annual Southwest travel credit. That immediately knocks the out-of-pocket cost down to $74 a year. But remember that the Companion Pass doubles the value of your points and spending with Southwest, so for many people who have a Companion Pass, that $75 credit is actually worth $150.

This makes the Priority card essentially cost nothing out of pocket while you still get a 7,500-point anniversary bonus, four upgraded A1-A15 boardings (when available), 20% back on inflight drinks and Wi-Fi, and no foreign transaction fees. Many people who travel on Southwest even just a few times a year will be better off opting for the Priority card over the Premier — even if you can't qualify for the Companion Pass, at $74 a year (after subtracting the annual Southwest credit), the upper-tier Priority card is cheaper than the $99 Premier card.

Another card that gives the Premier card a run for its money is an old-time favorite: the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. The CSP offers a sign-up bonus of 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 in three months. Those points are worth anywhere from $750 if you redeem them for travel through the Chase portal (with a 25% bonus) to $1,200 (according to TPG valuations) or more if you transfer them to Chase's incredible collection of 10 airline and three hotel partners, including Southwest. But keep in mind that transferred points do not count toward the Companion Pass, so if you're aiming to pick one up while you can combine sign-up bonuses, the Chase Sapphire Preferred isn't the way to go at the moment.

Bottom line

The airline with perhaps the best public perception in the U.S. offers sign-up bonuses on all three of its personal credit cards. If you're trying to earn the coveted Southwest Companion Pass, one of the fastest routes to get there is by combining the bonuses on a personal card such as the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card and a business card like the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card. Remember, that like most Chase cards, these are subject to the 5/24 rule, so if you've opened five or more cards in the last 24 months, your application will be automatically rejected.

If you decide to pursue the Companion Pass by combining sign-up bonuses, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card is a good avenue for doing so. Even though some people will come out ahead by opting for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card and the $75 annual Southwest travel credit it carries, the Premier offers a decent return with a lower upfront cost, and that's before you even factor in the added savings that come with the Companion Pass.

Apply for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card here.



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Walmart's two-hour Express Delivery is coming to thousands of stores

Walmart has introduced a faster delivery service called Express Delivery, which can get your orders to your door in less than two hours. In its announcement, the retail giant said it accelerated the service’s development in the wake of the coronaviru...

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Does Assassin's Creed Valhalla have co-op?

Best answer: No, there is no co-op in Assassin's Creed Valhalla. With that said, there is some online functionality that will allow you aid your friends in a somewhat indirect way.

Does Assassin's Creed Valhalla have co-op?

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a single-player action role-playing game (RPG), where you play as Eivor, a man or woman Viking of your choosing. Over the course of the game, you'll lead a village of Vikings in raids and battles against the Saxons. While the village can be expanded with new buildings over time and will change in response to your decisions, you'll always be playing by yourself.

Assassin's Creed Unity experimented with co-op, and other past Assassin's Creed games have had online PvP modes but Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a single-player game through and through, so you won't be playing with your friends here. You can, however, aid them in their battles with an online feature featuring mercenary Vikings.

How does the online mercenary Vikings feature work in Assassin's Creed Valhalla?

In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, you can customize a unique Viking warrior as a part of your village. You can then upload and share this Viking with your friends, who will be able to bring this fighter into their raiding parties. So you can help your friends conquer the Saxons, just not directly.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is set to release in Holiday 2020 on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC (Epic Games Store and Uplay), and Stadia.

Our pick

Assassin's Creed Valhalla

$60 at Amazon $60 at Best Buy $60 at GameStop

Conquer new lands for glory and honor

This new entry in the long-running franchise has you take control of Eivor, a man or woman of your choosing. While you can't play together with your friends, you can customize a mercenary Viking who can be recruited by your friends and aid in their battles.



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Netflix removes a 'Designated Survivor' episode in Turkey

Netflix has removed an episode of the political thriller Designated Survivor from its streaming service in Turkey following a demand from a regulator. It did so to comply with local law, it told Variety in a statement.The episode in question, the sev...

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Amazon details the war mechanics of its 'New World' MMO

Amazon’s New World MMO will apparently have an intricately detailed war system, based on the company’s latest post about the game. As part of New World’s Developer Diary Series, Amazon has revealed how players will be able to wage war against each ot...

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Epic cancels 2020 Fortnite World Cup

Epic is the next big game developer cutting physical esports tourneys from its schedule as it deals with the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company has canceled the 2020 Fortnite World Cup outright in addition to moving all other Fortnite ev...

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GDC Summer will go all-digital

Earlier this year, the annual Game Developer’s Conference that was set to occur in March was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Later, GDC 2020 organizers said that it would be postponed to August under the new moniker of “GDC Summer.” Now, it...

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Google will soon fix one of Duo's biggest problems, and we're thrilled

Duo will finally allow users to share invite links to add friends to a group call.

What you need to know

  • You may soon be able to share invite links for group video and audio calls in Google Duo.
  • People who receive an invite link will be able to tap on it to join a group call instantly.
  • There is currently no word on the feature's release timeline.

Unlike Google's previous communications apps, Duo has proved to be extremely popular and is currently among the best video calling services available. Google also adds new features to Duo regularly to make it more appealing to users. A teardown of the latest version of Duo by app researcher Jane Manchun Wong has now revealed that Google is working on group invite links for Duo calls.

With the new feature, users will be able to share invite links for group video or audio calls on Duo. Once you share a group call link with your friends, they can tap on the invite link to instantly join the group call. Fortunately, however, users will be able to view the member list for the group call before they join. Duo will also warn users in case any of their blocked contacts is in the group call.

As can be seen in the screenshot shared by Wong above, users will even be able to copy the group invite link in the Duo mobile app. Web users, however, won't be allowed to join group calls using invite links, at least initially. The feature isn't currently functional in the latest stable version of Google Duo, so you will need to wait until the official rollout begins. Sadly, there is no word yet on exactly when that will happen.

Google Duo: What is it and how does it work?



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Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Microsoft Office for iPad tests multi-window support

Microsoft will soon make it easier to juggle multiple Word documents and PowerPoint presentations for iOS users. The tech giant has given Office Insiders the ability to open multiple Word and PowerPoint windows side-by-side on an iPad.Insiders can ac...

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Extreme E races will have male and female driver changeovers

The format for Extreme E, an off-road motorsport by the creators of Formula E, just got a little more interesting. Today, organizers revealed that each team will have two drivers — a man and a woman — competing in the same vehicle. They also confirme...

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Balmuda's $329 steam-based toaster finally arrives in the US

Just how much do you value your toast in the morning? Enough that you’d pay top dollar to have a near-ideal texture every time? You now have a chance to prove your commitment. Japanese brand Balmuda has released its fabled The Toaster in the US, maki...

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British Museum makes over half of its collection viewable online

You can’t visit museums in person during pandemic lockdowns, but you might not have to for one of the most prestigious institutions. The British Museum has made (via Motherboard) images of more than half its collection (4.5 million objects) available...

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Uber AI plays any Atari 2600 game with 'superhuman' skill

DeepMind isn’t the only one with an Atari-savvy AI. A team of Uber AI researchers has developed a set of algorithms, Go-Explore, that reportedly beats any Atari 2600 game with “superhuman” scores, including ones where AI previously had trouble bestin...

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Apex Legends PS5 upgrade possibly in development

Apex Legends is going to look even better!

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends is a first-person battle royale shooter.
  • The game is PS4 Pro Enhanced already.
  • The developer is looking to upgrade the game for next-generation consoles.
  • You can download Apex Legends for free through the PlayStation Store.

Apex Legends is a first-person battle royale shooter. The game took the world by storm because it was a stealth release. No one knew it was coming, and only a confusing map was ever leaked.

The game runs at 60 frames per second (FPS) on PS4 Pro, but the resolution is quite low, resulting in blurry image quality. Luckily, it seems like that's going to change when the PS5 launches. According to a report by GamesRadar+, a job listing for developer Respawn Entertainment says that they need a Senior Rendering Engineer to "push next-generation platforms and the PC to their limits on Apex Legends."

This seems to confirm that a next-generation upgrade for Apex Legends is in the works. Hopefully, the team will announce it soon. I hope that Respawn can push the visuals to 4K resolution at all times. We'll keep you posted as soon as we know more.



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Tesla's 'full self-driving' feature is coming in subscription form

During the Q1 2020 earnings call on Wednesday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that the company’s “Full Self-Driving” system will become available as a monthly subscription later this year.Tesla has been installing the necessary hardware for its autono...

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Dice is moving on from ‘Battlefield V’ and ‘Battlefront II’

Battlefield V may be slowly winding to a close, but developer DICE has assured players that a new Battlefield game is on the way, and will arrive in 2021. The company has revealed that this month’s The Battle on Scarif update will be the last for Sta...

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LG's Q1 2020 net profit jumps 21.1% YoY, despite weak smartphone sales

The company's smartphone sales decreased by 34% in the first quarter of the year.

What you need to know

  • LG's operating profit increased to KRW 1.09 trillion ($921.47 million) in Q1 2020.
  • The company's 7.4 percent operating margin during the quarter was the highest in its history for a first quarter.
  • Consolidated revenue, however, declined slightly compared to the same period a year earlier.

Just like its compatriot Samsung, LG today announced its financial results for the first quarter of the year. Despite the effect of COVID-19 towards the end of the quarter, LG posted an operating profit of KRW 1.09 trillion ($921.47 million) during the quarter, a 21.1 percent increase over the same period last year. LG also achieved a 7.4 percent operating margin in the first quarter of 2020, the highest in its history for a first quarter.

While operating profit increased year-on-year, LG's consolidated revenue of KRW 14.73 trillion ($12.45 billion) was slightly lower compared with the same period last year. The increase in net profit was driven mainly by strong sales of its home appliances and TVs. The Home Entertainment business saw operating income rise by 31.7 percent year-on-year due to expansions of premium products such as OLED and NanoCell TVs.

LG's smartphone division reported sales of KRW 998.6 billion ($843.9 million) in the first quarter, while operating loss narrowed down to KRW 237.8 billion ($200.96 million). Smartphone sales dipped by 34 percent compared to Q1 2019, mainly due to "supply disruptions from Chinese partners. To buffer the effect of COVID-19 on the business, LG is focusing on increasing production and marketing efficiencies to decrease costs. It remains to be seen if the new design philosophy that it will introduce with the Velvet 5G next month can help boost smartphone sales in the second half of the year.

Best LG Phones of 2020



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Apple will pay $18 million to settle broken FaceTime suit

Apple has agreed to pay $18 million to settle a case accusing the company of intentionally breaking FaceTime on iOS 6. The class action lawsuit, which was filed in 2017, argued that the tech giant disabled the video-calling applicationn on the iPhone...

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Samsung posts ‘solid’ Q1 results, forecasts weak Q2 profit due to COVID-19

The company's Q1 operating profit increased by KRW 0.2 trillion ($164 million) in Q1 2020.

What you need to know

  • Samsung Electronics has announced its Q1 2020 financial results.
  • The company reported quarterly operating profit of KRW 6.45 trillion ($5.3 billion) and sales of KRW 55.33 trillion ($45.4 billion).
  • It is anticipating a decline in revenue in Q2 2020 as COVID-19 will impact demand for its core products.

Samsung today announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2020. The company reported total revenue of 55.33 trillion ($45.4 billion) during the quarter, 7.6% lower from the previous quarter. When compared to the same period a year earlier, however, revenue rose 5.6% thanks to increased demand for the company's server and mobile components.

Operating profit, on the other hand, came in at KRW 6.45 trillion ($5.3 billion), down by KRW 0.7 trillion compared to the previous quarter. Samsung says the operating profit was affected by weak seasonality for some businesses such as consumer electronics and effects of COVID-19. It expects overall earnings for the second quarter to decline as demand for smartphones and consumer electronics is likely to decrease sharply because of the pandemic.

Samsung's Mobile Communications division posted KRW 26 trillion ($21.3 billion) in revenue and KRW 2.65 trillion ($2.15 billion) in operating profit for the quarter. Even though market demand dipped in the first quarter due to COVID-19, profits increased compared to the same period a year earlier, due to the launch of the Galaxy S20 series and more judicious management of marketing expenses.

In the second quarter, Samsung expects demand for smartphones to drop significantly in most markets due to the impact of COVID-19. The company has also confirmed that it will be launching new foldable and Note phones in the second half of the year to "offer differentiated products in the premium segment." At the same time, it will focus on bringing 5G to the masses and improve its operational efficiency.

Get More Galaxy S20

Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+ & S20 Ultra

From $1,000 at Samsung



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Universal's plans for more 'premium VOD' push AMC to drop its movies

Earlier today the Wall Street Journal reported that a direct-to-home release of Trolls World Tour earlier this month netted Universal more revenue than the box office release of the first Trolls film. According to its sources, the $20-per-rental sche...

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Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Here's when your Nokia phone will get the Android 10 update

Nokia is updating a lot of phones to Android 10 in April.

Nokia's commitment to Android One means all of its phones feature a clean interface with no bloatware. Nokia's devices make up a vast majority of Android One phones, and although one of the benefits of owning an Android One device is fast updates, that hasn't been the case so far.

While Nokia rolled out the Android 10 update to six devices by January 2020, a bulk of its phones are starting to get the update just now. Nokia revised its Android 10 update schedule earlier this year, delaying the update for several phones.

Overall, Nokia is updating 21 devices in its portfolio to Android 10. Here's the status of Nokia's Android 10 rollout:

List of Nokia phones already on Android 10

If you're on the Nokia 2.2, 2.3, 3.2, 4.2, 6.2, or the Nokia 8 Sirocco and don't see the Android 10 update just yet, hold tight. These updates are rolled out in phases, and it usually takes a few weeks for everyone to receive the OTA.

List of Nokia phones waiting to get the Android 10 update

Nokia has committed to delivering the Android 10 update to most of its older devices in Q2 2020 The update should be rolled out to the Nokia 5.1 Plus sometime in May, with other phones in this list set to follow shortly thereafter. There's no tentative timeline just yet, but if the April rollout is any indication, most of the devices on this list should be updated to Android 10 by June:

  • Nokia 5.1 Plus
  • Nokia 3.1 Plus
  • Nokia 2.1
  • Nokia 3.1
  • Nokia 5.1
  • Nokia 1
  • Nokia 1 Plus

Nokia had its share of issues during the rollout, with the Android 10 update causing a host of issues on the Nokia 7.1, with basic features like calling and Wi-Fi connectivity disrupted for several users. Nokia 6.1 users also saw Wi-Fi issues after making the switch to Android 10.

And while Nokia has done a decent job delivering platform updates to budget devices in its portfolio, it hasn't been as diligent when it comes to rolling out regular security updates. The manufacturer has committed to delivering quarterly updates for most phones, and although that's still better than most brands, it doesn't quite live up to the promises of Android One.

Still going great

Nokia 7.2

$349 at Amazon

Hitting all the right notes

The Nokia 7.2 has a vibrant 6.3-inch FHD+ panel with HDR, and there's a 48MP camera at the back that takes decent shots. There's also a 3500mAh battery, 20MP front camera, and a 3.5mm jack. The phone is now on Android 10, and continues to get regular updates.



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Google is killing its experimental social network Shoelace

Google’s experimental Area 120 unit launched Shoelace in mid-2019 as a way to help people get together in real life. Unfortunately, the fledgling social network won’t make it out of the experimental phase — the tech giant has announced that Shoelace...

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Daily Coronavirus updates: Facebook rolls out virtual graduation ceremony

The coronavirus has spread to 181 countries around the world, and it shows no signs of abating. The pandemic has proved particularly devastating in recent weeks, with total confirmed cases crossing 3.1 million and fatalities of over 217,000 globally.

The virus has effectively shut down all sporting leagues around the world, major gatherings including tech events and music festivals, and closed down restaurants and malls. It has transformed how we live and work, and how we connect with our friends and families. Tech brands are doing their part to assist, with Google teaming up with Apple to build a coronavirus tracking tool.

Here's the latest on the coronavirus and how it's affecting not only the tech industry, but also the world at large.

April 28, 2020: YouTube starts fact checking videos in the U.S., Facebook rolls out a virtual graduation party

  • YouTube started fact checking videos in Brazil and India earlier this year, and the video streaming platform is now doing the same in the U.S. to prevent COVID-19 hoaxes.
  • Facebook says it will stream a a virtual graduation ceremony to celebrate the class of 2020. The virtual event will feature a commencement address from Oprah Winfrey, and include the likes of Miley Cyrus, Lil Nas X, Awkwafina, and Jennifer Garner. The event kicks off on May 15 at 2pm ET.

April 27, 2020: Global COVID-19 cases inch closer to 3 million

  • Global COVID-19 cases saw another surge over the weekend, with 150,000 new confirmed cases. The global tally now stands at 2,982,933, with total fatalities of 206,833. The U.S. has registered 965,933 cases in total, four times as many as Spain.
  • Amazon is tackling fraud on its platform by screening third-party sellers via video calls.

April 24, 2020: Samsung and Google provide free phone repair services to frontline workers

  • Samsung and Google are teaming up with uBreakiFix to provide free phone repair services for healthcare workers on the front lines. The program will be in effect through June 30, and includes cracked screen issues as well as switching out faulty batteries.

April 22, 2020: Twitter takes action against misleading COVID-19 tweets

  • Global COVID-19 cases have crossed 2.6 million, with 74,000 new cases registered in the last 24 hours. With six times as many cases as any other country, the U.S. is in the unwelcome position of being in the lead with 842,000 confirmed cases and over 46,000 fatalities.
  • Twitter is now actively removing tweets that make unverified claims around COVID-19. The platform said it removed over 2,230 tweets, and that it will continue to do so if it finds tweets that "incite people to action and cause widespread panic, social unrest or large-scale disorder."

April 21, 2020: IFA 2020 set to go virtual as Germany extends social distancing guidelines

  • IFA 2020 is set to take on an "innovative" new format that will likely see the conference go virtual in the wake of the coronavirus. Germany has banned all events with more than 5,000 participants until 24 October, so it is possible the show will go online-only.

April 20, 2020: Facebook rolls out new COVID-19 tool, Amazon goes thermal

April 17, 2020: COVID-19 cases cross 2 million worldwide

  • COVID-19 cases have seen another surge in the last week, with the virus crossing 2 million cases globally. There have been 96,700 new cases in the last 24 hours, with the U.S. seeing 31,500 new infections. The U.S. has 671,500 confirmed cases and 33,286 fatalities, more than any other country.

April 16, 2020: Apple slowly starts reopening its retail stores

  • Apple will start reopening stores in select locations around the world, beginning with South Korea. The country has over 10,500 cases of the virus and has fared better than most regions in dealing with the pandemic. There's no mention of when U.S. retail stores will open, but it looks like the company will evaluate the situation in May.

April 15, 2020: Google fights COVID-19 malware, slows hiring

  • Google mentioned that it is seeing a surge of malware and phishing emails related to COVID-19, with the search giant noting that the number is as high as 18 million a day. That number doesn't include the 240 million spam messages a day about the virus. Google is relying on its AI smarts to filter out these messages automatically, but you should be more careful than usual when clicking through in an email.
  • Google is slowing down hiring and re-evaluating investments in marketing and data centers amid the COVID-19. Google initially planned to hire 20,000 workers over the course of the year, but that won't be the case anymore.

April 14, 2020: Nest reduces quality to ease bandwidth strain, Sony sets up $10 million fund

  • In addition to limiting video quality on YouTube, Google announced that it would reduce Nest camera quality to ease the strain on broadband lines.
  • Google has confirmed that it will deliver updates to its COVID-19 tracking tool directly from the Play Store.
  • Sony announced it is setting up a $10 million fund to assist indie devs impacted by COVID-19. PlayStation is also giving away two free games — Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection and Journey — starting April 15.
  • Apple is joining Google and Facebook in sharing aggregated data from Apple Maps to allow governments understand how social distancing guidelines are working.

April 13, 2020: Amazon is once again accepting non-essential items

  • Amazon is once again accepting shipments of non-essential items into its fulfillment centers. The site saw a huge spike in orders following the start of the outbreak, and it only allowed household goods and medical supplies into its warehouses over the course of the last month. The retailer already hired 100,000 workers to deal with the influx in orders, and is set to hire 75,000 more.
  • Microsoft is giving an additional $35 million worth of resources to non-profits on the front lines of COVID-19. The resources include Azure credits, free Windows upgrades, and free training services.

April 11, 2020: Google and Apple introduce coronavirus tracking system

  • Google and Apple are working together to assist governments in fighting COVID-19. The solution relies on Bluetooth to track the spread of the pandemic.

April 10, 2020: Amazon sets up COVID-19 testing lab, Microsoft delays Neo

  • COVID-19 cases have crossed 1.6 million, with the U.S. tally going up to 466,000. Global fatalities stand at 97,200, with the number in the U.S. at 16,703.
  • Amazon says it set up a dedicated team consisting of research scientists and program managers to create its own testing lab for COVID-19. The lab will provide testing kits for Amazon's front-line workers as the retailer tries to negotiate a balance between serving customer orders and ensuring the safety of its workforce.
  • Microsoft is delaying its dual-screen Surface Neo to 2021. Windows 10X devices will also not be debuting this year.
  • T-Mobile has shared interesting insights regarding traffic usage on its network. With everyone working from home and classes being held online, T-Mobile saw an increase of 167% in education apps, and a similar uptick in video collaboration services.

April 9, 2020: Google bans Zoom usage over security fears

  • Zoom has emerged as the go-to videoconferencing service over the last two months, but a spate of privacy and security issues have tarnished its image. According to BuzzFeed, Google is banning its workforce from using the service altogether over security issues.

April 8, 2020: Amazon halts third-party deliveries

  • Amazon announced it was halting its third-party delivery service to focus on its own packages. The retailer has seen a surge in orders in the wake of the pandemic.
  • Boutique PC manufacturer Maingear will use part of its production facilities to make ventilators for the New York region. New York City has been hit hardest by the pandemic, with the city already recording over 6,000 fatalities. Maingear says its ventilator is made from off-the-shelf parts — including an NVIDIA Shield tablet running custom software — and that it costs a quarter of a regular ventilator's manufacturing costs.

April 7, 2020: Microsoft asks all U.S. employees to work from home 'until further notice'

  • Microsoft is now urging all U.S. employees to work from home "until further notice." The tech giant mandated work from home for its U.S. workforce three weeks ago, and with the virus continuing its deadly spread, Microsoft is extending its remote work guidelines. Microsoft has also confirmed that all of its events will be digital-only until July 2021.

April 6, 2020: Amazon donates 8,200 laptops to Seattle students

  • Amazon has announced that it is donating 8,200 laptops to Seattle Public Schools families. The district shut down all schools nearly a month ago and switched to online classes, with Amazon's donation ensuring families have a device to access at home.
  • School districts around the U.S. have started banning Zoom after security issues were found in the videoconferencing service. The New York public school system is switching to Microsoft Teams.

April 4, 2020: 100,000 new COVID-19 cases registered in one day

  • COVID-19 cases surged over the weekend, with 101,500 new confirmed infections over the last 24 hours. The U.S. alone recorded one-third of those cases, with the country seeing 33,300 new infections.

April 3, 2020: COVID-19 has infected one million people globally

  • COVID-19 hit an unwelcome milestone, as global cases ticked over the one million mark. With a staggering 80,600 new cases registered globally, the total number of infected now stand at 1,015,709. Total recovered is 211,049, and the virus has claimed 53,069 lives.
  • The U.S. is now the country with the most number of COVID-19 infections, with 245,540 confirmed cases and 6,053 fatalities. The U.S. recorded 30,200 new cases in the last 24 hours, but what's truly astonishing is that the country still isn't in a nationwide lockdown.

April 2, 2020: Google donates Chromebooks to students in California, Amazon hires 80,000 workers, and Microsoft shifts to online-only events through 2021

  • COVID-19 continue to rise globally, with another 75,100 new cases registered over the last 24 hours. Over 25,200 cases were registered in the U.S. alone, with the country seeing a huge spike over the last seven days.
  • Google is donating 4,000 Chromebooks to students in rural California. With schools in the state closed for the rest of the year, Google is also contributing 100,000 Wi-Fi hotspots to households that deliver free access to the internet for three months.
  • Amazon said a few weeks ago that it planned to hire 100,000 new workers for its warehouses to meet the rising demand in orders. The retailer now announced that it filled 80,000 roles, and outlined safety measures to ensure its warehourse workers don't contract the virus.
  • Microsoft is planning on switching to online-only events for the foreseeable future. Microsoft has confirmed that all 2020 events are now digital, and that could extend to June 2021.

April 1, 2020: UN warns of global instability, and Bill Gates has the answers

  • COVID-19 cases saw another huge spike over the last 24 hours, with 76,400 new cases registered. The U.S. recorded 26,400 new cases in a single day. With 190,000 cases, the U.S. has nearly double the number of confirmed cases as Italy.
  • The United Nations has announced that the coronavirus pandemic will lead to enhanced instability around the globe, and that the current crisis is "unlike any in the 75-year history of the United Nations."
  • Bill Gates has outlined a 3-step plan for the U.S. government to curb the spread of COVID-19. The measures include a full shutdown, more testing with aggregated results, and data-based vaccine trials.

March 31, 2020: Ford starts making masks, and the CDC is now asking the general public to wear masks

  • Global COVID-19 cases continue to rise as countries test aggressively, with 62,200 cases registered over the last 24 hours. Over 20,900 cases are from the U.S. alone, with the country now seeing over 166,000 infections. The death toll for the U.S. has crossed 3,000.
  • The CDC is reviewing its guidelines around wearing masks in public. The agency initially said that the general public does not need to wear masks, but with asymptomatic spread increasing, it is changing its stance.
  • Masks continue to be in woefully short supply, with Ford announcing that it is working with 3M and GE to make respirators and ventilators.
  • Sony is delaying the release of most of its movies to 2021, with the likes of Uncharted, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and Peter Rabbit 2 affected. With movie theaters shut across the world, major studios have deferred the launch of their major titles.

March 30, 2020: Trump says U.S. death toll could be over 100,000, New York state records 1,000 fatalities

  • In a statement, U.S. president Donald Trump stated that the death toll from COVID-19 could go beyond 100,000, and if it stays within that number, "we all together have done a very good job." Trump also extended the nationwide social distancing guidelines until the end of April.
  • The death toll in New York has passed 1,000 as the state deals with the worst of the outbreak in the U.S. New York recorded 237 fatalities in a single day, the largest one-day increase yet.
  • New York City mayor Bill de Blasio has warned that the city will run out of medical supplies, including ventilators, in a week's time.

March 29, 2020: UK may go into lockdown for six months to curb COVID-19 spread

  • There have been another 59,400 COVID-19 cases around the globe in the last 24 hours, with 19,400 in just the U.S.
  • UK predicts that it may be another six months before thing return to normal. The UK government enforced a lockdown last week, but with cases on the rise, it is estimated that social distancing guidelines will be extended.
  • Russia announced a lockdown in parts of the country to prevent the virus from spreading.
  • Mexico is also enforcing a lockdown of its 130 million residents for a month starting this week.

March 28, 2020: COVID-9 cases see biggest single-day increase yet

  • A staggering 67,400 new COVID-19 cases were registered globally over the last 24 hours, making it the largest one-day increase yet. Governments around the world are enforcing out strict measures to control the spread of the virus.

March 27, 2020: Airbnb tries to provide 100,000 homes for front-line workers

  • COVID-19 cases surged over the last 24 hours as countries ramp up their testing efforts. There have been a total of 61,900 new cases, with 19,800 coming from the U.S. alone. The U.S. now has more COVID-19 cases than any other country, with New York alone recording 3,101 new cases and 365 fatalities.
  • Airbnb is asking 100,000 hosts to provide free accommodation to first responders.

March 26, 2020: U.S. pledges $1,200 in direct checks to Americans

  • COVID-19 cases see another huge uptick, with nearly 50,000 new infections in the last 24 hours. The virus has now claimed over 21,000 lives, with confirmed cases rising to 472,000.
  • The U.S. Senate has passed a $2 trillion stimulus package, the largest of its kind in American history. According to the bill, Americans earning up to $75,000 will receive $1,200 in direct checks, including an additional $500 per child. Anyone making over $99,000 will not be eligible to receive payment from the government. Joint filers netting under $150,000 will receive $2,400.
  • The U.S. government also set aside $350 billion in loans to small businesses, and $500 billion for a government lending program.

March 25, 2020: U.S. sets up $2 trillion stimulus package, Tokyo Olympics postponed to 2021, 1.3 billion people in India under lockdown

  • Global COVID-19 cases have skyrocketed in the last two days, with over 40,000 new cases in just the last 24 hours alone. Over 423,650 are now affected by the virus, with 18,900 deaths.
  • The White House and U.S. senators came to an agreement over a $2 trillion stimulus plan designed to provide much-needed financial assistance to businesses and American families. This is the biggest stimulus package in American history.
  • It's official: the Tokyo Olympics have been postponed because of the pandemic. They will be held in 2021 instead.
  • The Indian government ordered a country-wide lockdown for three weeks, with the move affecting 1.3 billion people. Social distancing is just not possible in such a dense country, so a lockdown is the only measure to prevent the spread of the outbreak. But with three weeks in isolation and essential utilities already running low, it doesn't look good for the subcontinent.
  • Warehouse workers in at least six Amazon fulfillment centers have tested positive for COVID-19: New York City; Shepherdsville, Kentucky.; Jacksonville, Florida.; Katy, Texas.; Brownstown, Michigan.; and Oklahoma City.
  • Facebook and Google stand to lose more than $44 billion in ad revenue as a result of the coronavirus.
  • WhatsApp is partnering with the WHO to create a new Health Alert service. It's aimed at sharing information on the latest numbers on covid-19 as well as tips to prevent spread and answers to FAQs. The service originally started in South Africa but is now going global.
  • Facebook is looking to limit the number of chats messages can be forwarded to over Messenger to fight the spread coronavirus hoaxes.
  • Snapchat is adding a coronavirus section to its Discover page. It will launch in both the U.S. and the UK, with more markets coming soon.

March 24, 2020: Amazon tackles price gouging, Verizon gives free data, and Big Tech turns to supercomputers

March 23, 2020: Coronavirus cases see meteoric rise over the weekend

  • There was a huge uptick in the number of coronavirus cases globally, with the virus now affecting 343,000 and claiming over 14,500 lives. Those numbers have doubled from just a week ago, with the U.S. tally at over 35,000. New York City now accounts for 5% of global cases, and the U.S. government is taking harsh measures to contain the spread.
  • Google's coronavirus website is now live, and it gives useful information on preventative measures and real-time metrics at the global level.
  • Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced that the company will donate millions of masks to healthcare professionals in the US and Europe.
  • Best Buy is switching to curbside pickup for all orders as the retailer tries to contain the spread of the outbreak.
  • After refusing to shut its stores last week, GameStop has announced that it will be closing its retail locations temporarily.
  • The CDC has released a new self-checker bot to allow people to make healthcare decisions if they think they have coronavirus symptoms.
  • Non-essential Amazon orders in March will slip into late April and early May as the company prioritizes household items.
  • T-Mobile is offering users two months of YouTube Premium for subscribers to reward users for staying in during the quarantine. The company will also be offering users a four-week subscription at Shaw Academy.

March 20, 2020: Netflix and YouTube reduce video quality in Europe, Amazon shuts down Prime Pantry

  • At the EU's urging, Netflix has reduced its streaming video quality in the region. With everyone self-isolating and working from home, ISPs are under a lot of strain. Netflix has announced that it will reduce the bitrate for 30 days, with the service noting that it should free up 25% more traffic.
  • YouTube has also mentioned that it will reduce video quality in Europe to free up bandwidth. At this point, the restriction is only for the region and doesn't affect the U.S.
  • The FCC has signed off on U.S. carriers using additional spectrum in the 600MHz channel for the next 60 days. The move is possible by leveraging unused spectrum from the likes of Dish, Comcast, NewLevel, and others.
  • Amazon is shutting down Prime Pantry for the time being as the retailer deals with "high order volumes" because of the coronavirus outbreak.
  • Google I/O 2020 is officially no more. Google had planned to host a livestream in place of a physical event, but even that has been axed.
  • Now an information hotspot, Twitter is focusing on verifying user accounts that are providing credible updates around the pandemic. The company has directed experts to update their bio with relevant information and link their accounts to the email address of their associated public institutions.

March 19, 2020: U.S. government plans $500 billion in direct checks, Amazon shuts down NY warehouse, Google pauses Chrome OS development

March 18, 2020: U.S. government closes Canada border for non-essential travel

  • The U.S. government is readying a massive $1 trillion stimulus, including $250 billion in direct checks to Americans. A government plan to combat the coronavirus suggests the pandemic could last 18 months.
  • The U.S. is also closing its border with Canada for non-essential travel, and while trade will not be affected, it's clear that countries are locking down to prevent the spread of the virus.
  • Google was set to conduct an online-only version of its Cloud Next event, but the search giant has mentioned that it is delaying the event indefinitely.

March 17, 2020: Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, and Reddit are working together to fight coronavirus misinformation

  • Major tech companies — including the likes of Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit — are uniting to fight misinformation on the coronavirus. Google in particular has been very proactive in taking down coronavirus-related hoaxes and fraudulent posts, and the move further strengthens collaboration between various platforms.
  • Verily's coronavirus testing site has hit full capacity in just a day, and it is now not taking on any more users. Google has also mentioned that its informational site on the virus will be going live later this week.
  • Mint Mobile is providing all customers with unlimited high-speed data between now and April 14. Furthermore, anyone that purchases high-speed data add-ons will be 100% reimbursed by the company.
  • Uber is getting rid of its carpooling feature in the U.S. and Canada as the ride-sharing service tries to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Lyft is also temporarily stopping its carpooling option, but this extends to all markets that it's offered in.

March 16, 2020: Verily's coronavirus screening website goes live in San Francisco Bay Area, fake texts, and Android malware

  • Verily's coronavirus testing website is now live for residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. The move comes after the Trump administration inadvertently announced that Google is building a nationwide testing site for COVID-19.
  • Google was caught off-guard when Trump announced the details of the site and mentioned that 1,700 engineers were on the task. Over the last two days the Google provided more insight into what's actually going on. Verily — another organization under the Alphabet umbrella — is the one that's building the coronavirus testing site, and for now it is limited to residents of the Bay Area.
  • Google, for its part, is rolling out a website that provides more information on the coronavirus by pulling in details from the likes of the CDC and WHO. The search giant is already promoting advice like "Do The Five", which includes public guidelines on how to limit the spread of the virus.
  • Today, the White House National Security Council tweeted the text circulating about the president declaring a two-week national quarantine is fake. Instead, the WHNSC advises people follow the CDC for the latest information regarding the novel coronavirus.
  • Security researchers DomainTools discovered there is a ransomware app for Android disguised as a coronavirus tracker. The app will lock your device with a password threatening to erase everything and leak your social media accounts online if you don't pay the ransom. The CovidLock app should only affect phones running older versions of Android because Google has added protections against the flaw starting with Nougat. If you get locked out by the ransomware, using the password "4865083501" without the quotes should get you back into your phone.

March 13, 2020: Amazon asks all employees to work from home, Microsoft Build goes online, and sports leagues shut down

  • Microsoft's annual developer event will now be held online. Microsoft Build was scheduled to take place in Seattle, but with the city becoming a hotbed for the virus, Microsoft is putting the safety of the community first.
  • Amazon is asking over 750,000 employees around the world to work from home. The move doesn't target its fulfilment division, and the retailer set up a $25 million fund to meet the needs of its fulfilment staff.
  • NCAA cancels March Madness over coronavirus fears. NHL followed suit, and MLB will delay Opening Day by at least two weeks. The PGA Tour has also been called off.
  • Formula 1 and the FIA have decided to pull out of the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne over coronavirus fears. The sporting body waited until the last minute to make a decision, even as a team member from McLaren was tested positive, leading the team to withdraw from the event. The Bahrain Grand Prix will go along as planned, but will be held without any fans in attendance.
  • IPVanish has launched a promotion on its VPN service offering 63% off for 3 months plus 250GB of free SugarSync cloud storage. This could come in handy for streaming media from other regions to stay entertained at home and for file sharing if you now have to work remotely.
  • Google warns that customers needing to access support may have longer wait times due to "operating with a limited team." This applies to hardware platforms like Pixel and Pixelbook, as well as software like Google Drive.
  • Google and the U.S. government are collaborating on a new coronavirus screening site. President Donald Trump says Google has "1, 700 engineers" working on it.

March 12, 2020: Twitter asks employees to work from home, U.S. bans travel from Europe as coronavirus becomes a pandemic

March 11, 2020: E3 won't be taking place this year

  • Owing to the "alarming levels of spread and severity" of the outbreak, the World Health Organisation has officially classified COVID-19 as a pandemic.
  • One of the gaming industry's biggest events won't be taking place this year. E3 has been officially canceled over coronavirus fears, with the three-day event originally scheduled to take place from June 9 - 11. It's a big blow to the gaming industry, and it is possible we'll see brands announce new games in dedicated virtual events.
  • Google is now recommending that all of its North American staff work from home. The search giant previously told full-time staff in San Francisco, Dublin, and Seattle offices to work remotely, but that is now being extended to cover all of North America.
  • The Mountain View giant has now expanded that recommendation to include all staff in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, as well.

March 10, 2020: U.S. stock market plummets, China's phone segment sees a massive 54.7% YoY decline

  • Phone shipments in China have taken a massive hit in February because of the coronavirus outbreak. South China Morning Post notes that year-on-year figures were down by a staggering 54.7%, with the likes of Huawei and Xiaomi significantly affected. Apple's shipments were also down by over 50% last month.
  • Huawei will now unveil the P40 series in an online-only event. The manufacturer planned an event in Paris on March 26, but has switched to a virtual event because of the coronavirus.
  • Major tech companies took a massive hit as the stock market witnessed its worst day since the 2008 meltdown. Alphabet, Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon cumulatively lost over $300 billion worth of value in one day.

March 9, 2020: Tech companies recommend remote work as COVID-19 spreads in the U.S.

  • The U.S. now has over 500 cases of COVID-19, with 21 confirmed deaths. Major tech companies — including Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook — are encouraging their employees to work from home to limit the spread of the outbreak.
  • Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, and Twitter have also committed to paying hourly wage workers during the outbreak. With these companies switching to remote work for full-time staff, hourly workers like security guards and janitors will be paid in full even if they're asked to stay home.
  • Stanford University, University of Washington, Seattle University and Northeastern University's Seattle campus have all switched to online-only classes for the rest of the semester.
  • Xiaomi has donated thousands of masks to the Italian government in a show of solidarity. The tech firm included a quote from Roman Philosopher Seneca to drive the sentiment home: "We are waves of the same sea, leaves of the same tree, flowers of the same garden."

Get real-time global data on COVID-19

The best resource for real-time information on COVID-19 infection rates globally is the dashboard maintained by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins. It provides a real-time view of the virus' spread around the globe, and has a country-wise breakdown of infection rates and total deaths/recoveries.

You also get a city-wise breakdown of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. The dashboard plugs into several data sources, including the World Health Organisation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, China's National Health Commission, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and local government data. You can also head to the WHO and CDC to know more about the virus and how you can stay safe:

List of cancellations/online-only events because of COVID-19

COVID-19 has caused several cancellations, including Mobile World Congress, the largest mobile-related event in the world. With the rising risk of infection and restrictions on global travel, most brands are rescheduling, canceling, or switching to virtual events to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

  • Google I/O (May 12 - 14): Google's annual I/O event is where the search giant shows off its latest developments. This year's event won't take place at all.
  • Google Cloud Next (April 6 - 8): Google's Cloud Next event has been delayed indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic. The search giant initially planned on a "free, global, digital-first, multi-day event" with hundreds of sessions set to broadcast digitally, but that won't be the case.
  • E3 2020 (June 9 - 11): The annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) has been canceled over coronavirus fears. The event was scheduled to take place in LA, and with the city in a state of emergency, the organizers of E3 decided to cancel the three-day event. This is the first time since 1996 the event won't take place.
  • Coachella (April 10 - 19): Coachella has been postponed until October. The music event will now run from October 9 to 18 instead of April 10 - 19.
  • SXSW 2020 (March 13 - 22):: SXSW 2020 has been canceled a week before its scheduled start. This is the first time the event has been canceled, and its fate was sealed when tech companies — including Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Facebook, and Intel — pulled out along with major record labels.
  • Game Developers Conference (GDC): Originally scheduled to run from March 16 to 20, the event has been postponed to a date later in the summer. We don't have details on dates just yet, but will update once we hear more.
  • Mobile World Congress (February 24 - 27): The biggest mobile-related event of the year was one of the first to be canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak. With major brands like Intel, LG, Ericsson, Vivo, and others pulling out, GSMA had to pull the plug on this year's installment of MWC.

A lot of tech events are still going on as planned, but will now be held online to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. That includes Google's annual I/O, where the tech giant usually showcases its latest software efforts. These are the events that will now be conducted over the internet:

  • Microsoft Build (May 19 - 21): Micorosoft's biggest annual event will now be held online. The event was slated to be held in Seattle, but with the coronavirus posing a significant threat to the city and Washington state, Microsoft has switched to a virtual event.
  • Facebook F8 (May 5 - 6): Facebook pulled the plug on its annual developer event, and the company says it will instead rely on a combination of "locally hosted events, videos and live streamed content." More details will be forthcoming leading up to the event date.

Product delays due to the coronavirus

The coronavirus effectively shut down China's manufacturing industry for several weeks, and that will have long-term effects for tech brands. It's business as usual for the industry for now as most manufacturers stockpile products months in advance, but we're already seeing the likes of Apple and Microsoft slashing their earnings forecast for Q1 2020.

The real effect of the coronavirus will be felt in the coming weeks as components run into shortages. Although companies like Samsung don't rely on China for manufacturing anymore, the individual components that go into your phone are still manufactured predominantly in the country. We'll be monitoring the situation closely, but for now there have not been any major product delays because of the virus.

COVID-19's effect on the tech industry



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