Samsung will discontinue its S Voice assistant on June 1, 2020

If you've been a Samsung smartphone user for a while, then you will be familiar with S Voice. Well, it's time to say goodbye to the voice assistant as the company plans to discontinue it on June 1, 2020. Samsung has since replaced S Voice with Bixby. It isn't as conversational as Bixby, Google Assistant, or Siri. Still, S Voice was able to perform a few tasks when you issue voice commands like asking it to call someone, remind you of an appointment, run an internet search, or launch navigation apps with directions to your desired location. 

S Voice was replaced by Bixby back when Samsung launched the Galaxy S8, so you probably don't even have to think about this assistant going away. It will affect devices like the Galaxy A3, A5, A7, A8, A9, Galaxy Note FE, Galaxy Note 2, 3, 4, 5, Galaxy S3, 4, S5, S6, S6 edge, as well as the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2, Galaxy W, Galaxy Tab 4, Galaxy Tab 4 8.0/10.1, Galaxy Tab S8.4, and S10.5. If you own one of these devices and surprisingly used S Voice, your only alternative is using Google Assistant, which isn't an inadequate substitute considering Bixby has its problems, too.

Source: SamMobile

Nintendo warns you against using alcohol to clean your Switch Joy-Cons

Photo courtesy of Nintendo

In the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's a necessity to clean devices you use frequently. And we know a lot of Nintendo Switch users are making the most out of their game consoles. Naturally, the first instinct is to disinfect the Switch with alcohol or disinfecting wipes. But Nintendo warns against doing so. 

Kotaku translated a tweet from Nintendo Customer Service that alcohol shouldn't be used with Joy-Cons. "Recently, customers have been asking whether they can disinfect their Nintendo Switch consoles and Joy-Cons with alcohol," the tweet said. "We're very sorry to say please avoid using alcohol as it may cause the plastic parts to fade in colour or deform."

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Google Play Services will be used to deploy COVID-19 contact tracing system to Android devices

Photo by Tofros.com from Pexels

One of the critical questions Google needed to answer about the COVID-19 contact tracing system it was co-developing with Apple is how it would deploy the technology to its devices. The company has since confirmed that it will use Google Play Services infrastructure to make this happen. 

It guarantees that more Android phones will receive the capability promptly since full operating system updates are unfortunately fraught with delays from both carriers and manufacturers. Releasing the system on Google Play Services also means it will be available on handsets running Android 6.0 Marshmallow or above.

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Samsung Canada offers door-to-door service support during COVID-19

Photo by Roberto Nickson from Unsplash

Samsung Canada has announced its "Door to Door" service to support their customers and their service needs as COVID-19 self-isolation recommendations continue.

Customers that require service support for their Samsung phone, tablet or wearable, can arrange convenient pick up through FedEx to collect the device and bring it back once any needed repairs have been made—with all shipping costs covered by Samsung Canada.

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