Google activates Pixel Visual Core for third-party apps

When Android 8.1 rolled out to the Pixel 2, it enabled the Pixel Visual Core image processing chip, a hidden chip that promises better processing speed and efficiency for the phone’s main camera app. Now, Google is activating this chip for third-party apps that use relevant Google APIs. This could mean your Instagram photos and Snapchat snaps will get the same improvements as the main Pixel camera gets. As The Verge’s Vlad Savov explains these apps can take advantage of the proprietary HDR+ algorithm and improve photo quality. The update is rolling out over the next few days.

Here's the first official teaser for 'Solo: A Star Wars Story'

It feels like forever for us to get the first official footage from the upcoming standalone Star Wars film about “the galaxy’s greatest scoundrel” but it’s here and we’re extra stoked for the movie. Disney and Lucasfilm gave us the first trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story at the Super Bowl and it’s looking pretty amazing. We definitely got goosebumps watching it. The film comes out in May 2018 and is directed by Ron Howard and stars Alden Ehrenreich with Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Woody Harrelson, Paul Bettany, and Joonas Suotamo.

Netflix debuts ‘Cloverfield Paradox’ right after Super Bowl

Netflix has done something no streaming service has done before, drop a title it hasn’t promoted right after releasing its first trailer. It was reported before that the streaming service acquired Paramount and Bad Robot’s Cloverfield sequel and a Super Bowl spot promoting the film would come out. What hasn’t been announced was that Netflix will be making the film available for streaming right after the end of the Big Game. No other promotions have been done for the film ahead of this announcement. It’s a bold move but with a big audience it can be considered a wise move, too. The Super Bowl drew an average of 111.3M people in 2017.

As Deadline points out, this unusual marketing strategy complements the non-traditional marketing campaigns the original Cloverfield has done. Netflix describes the film’s plot as such: “In the near future, a group of international astronauts on a space station are working to solve a massive energy crisis on Earth. The experimental technology aboard the station has an unexpected result, leaving the team isolated and fighting for their survival.” It’s directed by Julius Onah and produced by J.J. Abrams and Lindsey Weber and stars Daniel Brühl, Roger Davies, Elizabeth Debicki, Aksel Hennie, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Chris O’Dowd, John Ortiz, David Oyelowo, and Zhang Ziyi.

You’ll need Apple devices to use HomePod

If you thought Apple would allow for cross-platform use of its HomePod speaker, we’re sad to report that this won’t be the case. The company posted the official specs of the HomePod speakers on its site and it shows the current limitations of the device if you’re not using Apple products. While it supports Bluetooth 5.0, if you want to stream from third-party apps like Spotify you can only do so via AirPlay, which means you need Apple devices to stream (even using Apple Music app on Android won’t work). And if you are using an Apple product to stream Spotify on the speaker, it doesn’t support voice commands using Siri. You’ll need to be using Apple’s own music services for that. On top of this, you can only set up the HomePod with devices running iOS 11 or higher. Of course, Apple could later on change their minds and add support for non-Apple devices but we’re thinking that won’t happen anytime soon. The HomePod is coming to the US, Australia, and UK starting February 9.

Source: Android Authority