#android_features

Looks like big problems The other day, a rather curious event happened on the market quite quietly. Nothing has introduced the Nothing Chats application , which could be called just another instant messenger, but the point is that this application actually allows Android owners to exchange messages with iPhone owners via iMessage. And a few days later, this application was removed from the Google Store. [caption id="attachment_83323" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Android[/caption] Nothing initially stated that this was done due to the discovery of several bugs that simply needed to be fixed. However, it seems that the real reason is something else, and it is worse. Let us remind you that the interaction between the Android messenger and iMessage occurs on a third party. She is represented by the Sunbird company, which provides its platform through which the magic happens. However, it turned out that in terms of data security, this platform is apparently much worse than Sunbird itself stated. In particular, there is no end-to-end encryption. iMessage for Android only lasted a few days. The Sunbird platform, and therefore the Nothing Chats app, requires a new user of the app to submit their Apple ID credentials to set up syncing. This data is then authenticated on your behalf using a virtual machine running MacOS. The main problem is that the request containing user credentials occurs over an unencrypted channel (HTTP). [caption id="attachment_83324" align="alignnone" width="670"] Android[/caption] The situation as a whole is more complex and is fully described on the Text.Blog website, where several specialists explain how they discovered the problem and what it is. Among other things, they show that they can obtain users’ personal data. Thus, in fact, Nothing may not be to blame for the situation, but whether the application will now return to the Google Store is an open question.

Such models were popular about 20 years ago, but they were not smartphones The Japanese company P-UP World presented a rather interesting smartphone – Mode 1 Retro II. This model is made like a classic “clamshell” from the 2000s - there is even a button block, but only Mode 1 Retro II is a full-fledged smartphone, as it runs Android 13. [caption id="attachment_68792" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Android 13[/caption] The clamshell has a 3.5-inch screen with an impressive resolution of 1440 x 720 pixels for such a diagonal. A push-button clamshell Mode 1 Retro II with Android 13 and a 48-megapixel camera is presented [caption id="attachment_68793" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Android 13[/caption] The hardware platform is based on SoC MediaTek Helio G85, the volumes of RAM and flash memory are 4 and 64 GB. The front camera is 13 megapixels, and the main one has a 48-megapixel sensor. The battery capacity is 2500 mAh, and it is charged via the USB-C port. The price of the new product is quite reasonable - $200.

New firmware is spreading over the air Almost simultaneously with yesterday’s release of the final version of Android 14, Xiaomi released a beta version of MIUI 14 firmware based on Android 14 for its flagships Xiaomi 12T, Xiaomi 13, and Xiaomi 13 Pro. [caption id="attachment_63759" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Android 14[/caption] The global beta version of Android 14 has been released for Xiaomi 12T, Xiaomi 13, and Xiaomi 13 Pro The software is distributed over the air in many countries (including Europe) and is available to those who take part in the company's beta testing program. Since the new firmware is not built on the final version of Android 14, it may contain various kinds of bugs and shortcomings - this should be kept in mind during installation.

Initially only on Pixel Yesterday Google released the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, and along with the new smartphones, the public version of Android 14 was released, which has many features, including a new artificial intelligence wallpaper generator. The new AI-powered wallpaper feature makes it easy to create a new background on your Pixel device using our proprietary text-to-image model. You choose a category, such as "classical art," and then play with the text description to display different results. According to The Verge, you can select the Dreamscape category, then describe the structure, material, and color - and end up with something like "Indigo Plant House", which produces several images of greenery-covered buildings with a front door. [caption id="attachment_63735" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Android 14[/caption] Android 14 introduces an AI wallpaper generator Google says generative AI wallpapers will initially appear on the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, so most won't be able to use them at launch. However, the wording suggests that availability will expand in the future. Generative AI wallpapers are just one of many new features in Android 14, along with lock screen customizations that let you choose different fonts and colors, situational widgets like a prominent weather widget during a thunderstorm, and even a monochrome theme. [caption id="attachment_63736" align="aligncenter" width="238"] Android 14[/caption] Android 14 is rolling out to supported Pixel devices now and will arrive on select devices from Samsung, Nothing, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, Vivo, and Xiaomi later this year.