Samsung Galaxy S5 and several other devices get security fixes

A number of devices including the three-year-old Samsung Galaxy S5 is getting an August patch that address some security issues. For the Galaxy S5, it’s getting version G900FXXS1CQH1, which comes in at 75MB and has been coming to S5 units in Europe. The Galaxy S6 line on AT&T is getting the update too as version G890AUCS6DQH1 for the S6 active, G920AUCS6EQH1 for the S6, G925AUCS6EQH1 for the S6 edge, and G928AUCS4EQH1 for the S6 edge+.

A non-Samsung device is also getting the update, too. The Nexus 6 on AT&T is getting the August patch as version N6F27I.

Source: GSMArena

Canadian Reviewer Weekly Roundup 08/20-08/26

Android 8.0 is officially called 'Oreo'

Google enables Bluetooth streaming for Home speaker

‘Tekken’ comes to mobile, preview available for iOS users in Canada

Canadian iHeart device said to calculate your body's Internal Age

There might be Google Assistant-powered headphones in our future

New Android 8.0 Oreo feature will help save your phone from bootlooping

Samsung's Bixby smart assistant finally comes to Canadian Galaxy S8 phones

SOUL launches affordable FLEX 2 sport earphones

HP launches most powerful Omen X gaming notebook

First Look at the Essential Phone

Dyson engineers take on Global Rapid Development Challenge

Carpool Karaoke: The Series features the Stark Sisters from GOT

Samsung stresses improved battery safety during Galaxy Note8 launch event

Square makes it easier to give customer feedback with new feature

Review: Tile Pro Sport smart tracker

How Netflix is turning everyone into an influencer

"Humans of New York" docuseries coming to Facebook

More than 30 community colleges in the US to offer Apple app development with Swift

Google Chrome will soon let you mute websites

Samsung is outing a more budget-friendly, dual camera-toting smartphone

There might be trouble looming in HTC’s future

OnePlus 3 & 3T gets Oxygen OS 4.1.7 update

While OnePlus has turned most of its focus to the OnePlus 5, it’s good to know they’re at least addressing some issues with the previous generation OnePlus 3 and 3T. The Oxygen OS 4.1.7 brings with it bug fixes and security patches for the two devices. One of the issues it’s fixed is one with the App Locker, which is meant to keep certain apps behind a PIN or password. They have fixed an exploit that bypasses the App Locker. The device doesn’t require Google Hangouts to be installed now either. On the security side, the patch is now updated to August 2017, bringing it up from the May 2017 patch. Other changes coming to the update include unspecified battery optimization as well as a quicker user experience with it. If you use either devices, keep your eyes peeled for the update, it should do you better.

Source: Android Central

There might be trouble looming in HTC’s future

The HTC U11 is the company's latest attempt at winning over the public

It looks like HTC is in enough trouble to want to consider strategic options. At least that’s what a new report from Bloomberg suggests. The Taiwanese company is supposedly looking at its strategic options, which, in business speak, is they’re looking to put the company up for sale because of financial issues. The options HTC is supposedly looking into is spinning off its VR arm or selling off the company itself. According to people familiar with the matter, HTC has supposedly held talks with companies including Alphabet Inc.’s Google.

Considered one of the pioneers of Android smartphones, HTC has been struggling in the current mobile market as Samsung and Apple dominate the premium market and its Chinese competitors like OnePlus and Xiaomi introducing budget-friendly yet spec-heavy smartphones. It also doesn’t seem to be doing so hot in the virtual reality space. The Vive VR system recently got a US$200 price cut to help improve sales. IDC estimates HTC has sold around 190,000 units in the first quarter of the year, putting it in third behind Samsung (489,000) and Sony (429,000 units) in the same period. Whether this deal pushes through, we can’t say yet. HTC and Google have declined to comment on this report.