Google's Android 11 public beta is now available

Conversations take centre stage with Android 11

Google usually announces Android 11 during its annual I/O developer conference, but with COVID-19, that plan went out the door. Instead, the company quietly rolled out the public beta of the next version of Android. It's coming to the Pixel 2, 2 XL, 3, 3 XL, 3a, 3a XL, 4, and 4 XL. To access the public beta, you can enroll in the Android Beta program here. Now, if you're running the Android 11 Developer Preview, you'll get an over-the-air update. Factory images, as well as Google's Android Flash tool, are also available.

When it comes to new features, Google said it's focusing on three key themes: People, Controls, and Privacy. We'll take a look at some of the useful functions under the cut. 

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Apple to reportedly launch in-store, trade-in program for the Mac

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If the new Bloomberg report is accurate, you might be able to trade-in your old Mac computers in stores, which is a first for this product segment. Apple already offers in-store trade-ins for the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. The company also provides trade-ins for the Mac on Apple's site, but now this will be an offline option. It'll supposedly be available in Canada starting June 18, while US retail stores will offer this starting June 15.

Customers can exchange their machines for credit towards a new Mac or an Apple gift card. The move can help boost sales for Macs, especially with rumours that a new Mac is coming out soon. But as Bloomberg points out, the impact of this program might take weeks to be realized, with around 200 retail stores still closed because of COVID-19 precautions.

Travel safely during COVID-19 with Google Maps' safety features

Google Maps is introducing a slew of features to help you navigate through a world with the COVID-19 pandemic. The company gets its data from local, state, and federal governments and their sites to provide more accurate information for its users. Let's take a look at some of these features under the cut:

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Telus brings back $75/20GB promo as an online offer

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Telus has reintroduced its $75/20GB Peace of Mind promotional plan as an online-only offer. This plan includes the said 20GB of high-speed data (and if exceeded an unlimited data at a throttled speed of 512Kbps), unlimited nationwide calls, text, and picture and video messaging. It also comes with voicemail, call display, call waiting, and conference calling.

On top of that, Telus is offering an $85/20GB Peace of Mind Connect offer on a limited basis. Aside from providing the same conditions as the regular Peace of Mind plan, the Connect plans allow subscribers to give "connected" devices access to your plans' unlimited data. That said, you can use the Peace of Mind plan and tether your other mobile devices to it. You can find out more about both offers in this link.