Spotify helps you create a personalized workout playlist

A sample Spotify workout playlist we created using the new generator

Spotify has a new playlist generator to help curate your next workout playlist. It combines your taste and your quiz answers to build the playlist for you. It asks you how long your workout session is, with the selection ranging from 15 minutes to two hours; whether you want it to be a mix of music and podcasts or not; and if you're okay with adding explicit content.  

You need to put what kind of workout you're going to do. There are options like yoga, cardio, biking, lifting, dance, and more. It'll then inquire if you're working out by yourself, with a partner, with kids, and the like. The quiz generator will then ask for the "workout vibe" you're going for, options include "Totally Zen," "Get Movin'," "Pumped Up," and more. You then need to pick one to two genres you'd like to listen to. 

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Android 11 Beta 2 introduces platform stability milestone

Google has just launched Android 11 Beta 2, which brings with it a new platform stability milestone. For the first time, this new milestone has been implemented to let developers know that the way their apps work in this beta will be how their apps will behave when Android 11's stable version is released. This second beta is now available for the Google Pixel 2, Pixel 3, Pixel 3a, or Pixel 4.

For this seventh official release of the platform, it was done in response to developers' requests. Before this, Google could make changes to APIs and other app-facing parts of Android up to the stable launch. But now, with Beta 2, everything that would affect developers' apps will be final, giving them the confidence to anticipate how their apps will work when the new OS is released. It gives developers time to work out details of their apps and tweak things without worrying that Android 11 will change again before the stable launch.

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OnePlus Nord will reportedly sport a quad-camera setup

While the teaser video for the OnePlus Nord makes it look like there are only three rear cameras on this handset, reports suggest otherwise. The Nord will reportedly come with four sensors at the back, with a 48-megapixel primary lens, an 8-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 5-megapixel macro sensor, and a 2-megapixel portrait lens. This will supposedly be paired with a 32-megapixel + 8-megapixel dual camera setup in front. It's a decent setup for a midrange phone that's expected to be priced around US$350. But, of course, real-world performance is still something that needs to be proven. Camera performance hasn't been a strong suit for OnePlus, but let's see if they change the tide here.

Source: 9to5Google

Samsung might not ship future phones with chargers, too

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It looks like Apple might not be the only one considering getting rid of smartphone chargers in its retail boxes. A new report from South Korea claims Samsung handsets that will come out next year might not ship with chargers either. With hundreds of millions of smartphone units shipped each year, getting rid of chargers, even half of its lineup, could mean a substantial cost reduction for Samsung. It might also allow the company to price its devices more aggressively. And if you look at it from an environmental standpoint, it helps lessen e-waste, too.

The company is reportedly discussing plans to take out chargers for some of its devices, but not all. As SamMobile points out, we've come a long way from when manufacturers used to have proprietary charging slots. All Android manufacturers use standard USB connectors, with Type-C standard trickling down to mid- and even entry-level devices, allowing you to swap out chargers. Of course, we'd expect Samsung will still sell chargers separately, but now it's just going to be an additional purchase if you need it. If the reports are accurate, and this becomes a bigger industry trend, you might have to hold on to those charging cables and power bricks you have on hand.