Google acquires Neverware, will now support Chrome OS running on old PCs

Over the last five years, Neverware has turned old PCs and Macs into a Chromebook with its CloudReady software, allowing you to extend the life of machines that would be rendered obsolete. Now, Google has acquired Neverware and plans to make its software into an official Chrome OS release. Existing users will be able to transition to the updated software. And once the transition is complete, Google will support CloudReady in the same way it does Chrome OS.

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Samsung rolls out second One UI 3.0 beta for the Galaxy S10

While One UI 3.0 is being finalized for the Samsung Galaxy S20, some work needs to be done with the Galaxy S10 series. The Korean company has rolled out the second beta of One UI 3.0 for the Galaxy S10 series. It was initially supposed to come out last week, but it got delayed. The countries getting the update first are Korea, India, and the UK. If you're part of the beta and have an S10 device, you can check the update by heading to Settings > Software update and download it from there.

This update (version ZTL8) brings fixes to problems like those found in the Members app and Home UI being stuck in a restart loop. It offers a better camera experience, and unlocking using a fingerprint is finally possible. The stable version is expected to roll out in January, at least in some regions. The Galaxy Note10 series' One UI 3.0 beta is also coming soon. It was supposed to roll out last week as well, but it got delayed.

Source: GSMArena

Google officially retires Home Max speaker

Source: Google

Google's original large smart speaker is going away. The company confirmed with Engadget that it would no longer manufacture the Home Max, and the last few units on the Google Store have already been sold. But existing users can still expect to see support for the foreseeable future. Google doesn't plan to end support for the Home Max or the original Google Home speaker. The company said, "We're committed to delivering great sound and whole home audio features across all of our Assistant-enabled products."

It makes sense for Google to halt manufacturing for its old speaker as the new Nest Audio speakers are similarly priced and deliver similar, if not, better audio quality.

Google Messages on web get emoji reactions

If you want to send emoji reactions to someone you're chatting with on Google's Messages app, it's now possible to do that, even when you're on the web. Google updated its web client to allow you to send emoji feedback. You simply need to hover over any message you want to reply to, and two new icons will appear. One with an emoji, and another is an overflow options button. 

You can choose from seven reactions: thumbs-up, heart eyes, laughing with tears, surprised, sad, angry, and thumbs-down. It works on your messages and anyone else you're talking to, including group chats. But you can only send one reaction per message. The feature is rolling out to everyone, so it should make its way to you soon.

Source: Android Police