The Google-less Huawei Mate 30 series is here

The Huawei's Mate 30 series is here, and it's the first device from the Chinese company affected by the US's decision to put it on the entity list. This ban prevents any US company from working with Huawei, making this is the first Huawei phone that doesn't ship with Google's apps and services (including the Play Store). 

In its place, Huawei is using its ecosystem of apps, which will be available through the Huawei AppGallery. And it'll ship with the Huawei Mobile Services core instead of Google's services. Huawei claims they have integrated over 45,000 apps with plans to invest US$1 billion into its software ecosystem. What that will mean for users and the company and their relationship with Google is something we will see as time goes by. 

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Instagram imposes stricter measures on diet and cosmetic surgery posts

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Instagram wants to protect teens from some of the damaging effects of the social internet and the impact of promoting diet products to younger people. The company is clamping down on "get thin quick" weight loss and cosmetic surgery posts. Some of the posts will be hidden from those under 18, while others promoting "miraculous" weight loss products will be taken out. This change will also be coming to Instagram's parent company, Facebook.

According to Emma Collins, Instagram's public policy manager, "We want Instagram to be a positive place for everyone that uses it and this policy is part of our ongoing work to reduce the pressure that people can sometimes feel as a result of social media." She said they sought advice from experts in the field of social media policy.

Source: BBC

You can order your Focal smart glasses on your iPhone

Focals just launched the Focals Showroom iOS app to make it easier for you to buy the smart glasses. Before shoppers needed to make an appointment online before heading to one of the two brick-and-mortar stores in Toronto or New York to get professionally measured. Now, the app can do the same for you. Using the iPhone's TrueDepth camera and its 3D fitting software, the Focals Showroom app can take your necessary measurements. But since it uses the TrueDepth camera, you will need an iPhone X or newer.

On top of taking your measurements, the app will let you try different glasses to see what styles you might like or what styles suit you. You have the option to customize the glasses with sun clips or upload your prescription before checking out. And if you buy through the app, North will ship the custom-built glasses your way—complete with instructions on how to make final adjustments.

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Google Assistant offers second voice option in nine countries

Unfortunately, it isn't available here yet. But it'll be coming to nine other countries for the first time. The US is the first country to get a second option. Now there are new voices available for Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Norwegian in their respective countries. India and the UK get new English voices. When a user sets up a new Android phone, the default voice will be chosen at random. But users do have the option to change that later.

The voices are built with DeepMind's WaveNet technology to help make these sound natural. Instead of making the traditional female-sounding voice the default, Google is moving away from assigning genders to the system. Alternatively, the new voices will be referred to by colours. One is called red, and another is called orange. And the order they will be presented in is randomized. Google started this last year in the US with Google Nest and Home devices. 

Source: The Verge + Engadget