Going overseas? 4 tech tips to save you time, money and headache when travelling post-pandemic

Now that international travel is a thing again, many of us can’t wait for a trip overseas to fulfill the wanderlust that’s been brewing throughout the pandemic. However, travelling in this post-pandemic era could be tough, especially with every country having a different set of Covid-19 rules.

If you’re yearning for a trip overseas but are worried that it could turn into a nightmare, fear not as we’ve got some travel tech tips that can help allay your concerns. So, if you’re bound for an overseas trip in the near future, make sure to follow these tips for a smooth and trouble-free international travel experience:

The first thing you need to do when travelling overseas is to read up on your destination’s Covid-19 rules and regulations. The last thing you’d want is to be denied entry upon arrival because you lack a certain requirement or to find out that the country you're visiting hasn't actually opened its border for tourism.

Speaking of which, one requirement that most countries are imposing on foreign tourists is to have their respective Covid-19 contact tracing app installed on your smartphone. In fact, the contact tracing app could be crucial while on your travels as most nations are using the app as a one stop centre for everything related to post-pandemic tourism, especially in making sure that tourists abide by Covid-19 restrictions.

Furthermore, you shouldn’t only have the app downloaded but do make sure that you explore the app’s features too. Some nations’ contact tracing app, such as Indonesia’s PeduliLindungi requires you to upload your vaccination certificates onto the app for you to check-in into premises and actually be allowed to enter them. So, make sure to familiarise yourself with the specific app okay!

Pro tip: The easiest way to find out a specific country’s latest Covid-19 travel regulations are from airlines websites such as AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines. You can even get links for the country’s customs declaration e-forms there, saving you valuable time when exiting the airport.

In this post-pandemic world, it is essential for tourists to always have with them their proof of Covid-19 vaccinations and travel documents such as travel insurance, visa and flight tickets. The best practice for this is to have both a physical and digital copy of each as some immigration checkpoints won’t accept if you show a PDF copy of these documents on your phone.

Furthermore, as someone who had lost his passport overseas, I personally know how important it is to have a scanned digital copy or even a photo of your passport saved safely somewhere online. Hence, make sure to save a digital copy of all relevant travel documents on either Google Drive, iCloud or any other online services that you can easily access.

This will definitely help should you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having lost your smartphone or baggage while travelling. These digital copies can then be used when lodging a police report for the loss. Lodging a police report itself is a mandatory step for you to get an emergency passport at the Malaysian Embassy of that country to get back home.

Pro tip: For iPhone users, you can easily store your vaccination certificates in either Apple Health and Apple Wallet for easy access.

The advent of e-hailing has definitely revolutionised travel as now, instead of haggling with taxi drivers for a fare rate that you’re not familiar with, you can just book car or even motorcycle rides at its actual price. However, do note that each region and country has different de facto e-hailing apps.

If you're just travelling within Southeast Asia, then you won't need to do anything as Grab is readily available in the region and would automatically work as per usual. Hence, study up on the e-hailing apps of that specific country you're visiting, whether it is Uber, Gojek, Careem, Lyft and others.

Furthermore, these apps normally allow for foreigners to sign up for an account, though certain features would be disabled if you're not registering using a local mobile number. For example, GrabPay and GoPay (Gojek's cashless payment platform) are disabled for those using a foreign mobile number in Indonesia.

Besides that, we'd also recommend you download other travel apps that could prove useful while travelling. These include Agoda, Traveloka, Klook, Airbnb, Booking.com and more.

Pro tip: For travel apps, always switch the price setting to the local currency as it is usually cheaper.

Given how important an internet connection is nowadays and how expensive roaming mobile data packages are, getting a local SIM card is a no brainer. In fact, having a local mobile number would also unlock certain features in specific local apps as I've mentioned previously. However, do note that most countries now only allow tourists to get a tourist SIM instead of a regular local mobile phone number.

The price and data rates for these tourist SIMs are also more expensive than regular local ones, though it is still way cheaper than roaming packages form our local telcos. Hence, make sure to specifically say that you're buying a tourist SIM at the telco booth before spending money on a regular SIM that you can't even use.

Besides that, certain telco operators overseas also allow tourists to book a tourist SIM in advance and pick it up at the airport, so do check up on their package offerings before your flight. It is also worth it to check on customer reviews of the telco's services so that you won't be stuck with an operator that has lacklustre coverage.

Pro tip: Even if you're planning to get a local SIM, do purchase the cheapest roaming data package for your current Malaysian number while overseas. This is so that you can still use internet to book an e-hailing ride at the airport instead of going around aimlessly searching for Wi-Fi.

Before I end this article, here are some other travel tips that may seem obvious but are still worth the mention:

There you have it, a few simple yet useful tech tips that can save you time, money and most importantly avoid stress when travelling overseas during this post-pandemic era. Do you have any other tips to share that we missed out on?

Do share your personal tips and experiences with us in the comments below as we'd love to hear from you. As always, do stay tuned to TechNave for more tech tips such as this as well as for the latest tech news!


Gojek, Dego Ride and more to conduct a six-month-long test in Malaysia

Malaysia’s transport minister has given the go-ahead allowing Motorcycle e-hailing services such as Gojek as well as local startup Dego Ride, to start a small scale test in the year 2020. The six-month-long test will allow the government, as well as partnering entities to collect data to determine the feasibility and demand for the services mentioned.

As for the area of operations, the tests will be conducted in the Klang Valley area for now due to the fact that it has a much higher population density with existing infrastructure. With that said, we can expect Gojek and similar motorcycle e-hailing services to expand their operations to other states after the test period.

Unsurprisingly, bike riders working under these motorcycle e-hailing services are required to sign up for a PSV license if they are keen on transporting passengers around. Would you be keen on trying out any of the motorcycle e-hailing services as soon as it is available in Malaysia? Let us know on our Facebook page, and for more updates like this stay tuned to TechNave.com.


A survey showed 54% of Malaysians WFH watch YouTube during online video meetings

These days, it seems that we have pretty much gone back to the working world outside but with a new mask fashion accessory. That said, it must have been a relief when meeting up with people in person when compared with online video meetings. Also, turned out that many Malaysians are fed up with it too for the past year.

A survey study was published by Uniphore revealed the challenges faced by each country in online video meetings. For the past 18 months, the survey showed that 74% of respondents felt engaged, followed by 68% feeling a meaningful connection. They noted that this applies in a wide area of fields such as education, training, sales meetings or counselling session.

You can view the entire infographics here

However, there are also many Malaysians finding themselves distracted or simply finding video calls boring. 54% of them admitted watching YouTube or streaming services while having an online conference, whereas 52% read social media/online news. Some also would just go to the bathroom (40%) or do online shopping (31%) in the middle of an online meeting.

There are many factors on why Malaysians dislike video calls increasingly throughout the months:

Despite these stats figures, 80% of Malaysians said they are still open to the idea of using automation or AI tools to help improve video conversations. If you would like to read the full report, you can visit the webpage here. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Gold LG G2 coming to Taiwan, maybe eventually Malaysia

Anodized (champagne) gold colour smartphones are not new, especially as there are versions for the Apple iPhone 5S and HTC One, but it appears that LG are also looking to do something similar as well. This time around a gold coloured version of the LG G2 will soon be available in Taiwan. Thankfully, the prices are still the same at 14900TWD (RM1628) for the standard 16GB version. Tech specs and features for the gold version remain the same though. No Malaysia release dates on when we'd get a gold LG G2 here in Malaysia but stay tuned and we'll keep you updated. In all likelihood, we'll probably see it with local sellers first before it comes officially from LG.


Gold Samsung Galaxy S4 coming soon?

Seemingly coming out of the blue, Samsung has confirmed that a gold (or gold coloured) version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 may be making it's way to consumer markets soon. Revealed as a tweet from the Middle East Samsung branch, the new version will come in Golden Brown and Golden Pink but there is yet any information if it will be just a a gold coloured plastic or actual gold plating. We're guessing that it could be actual gold plating because the colour looks about right as those from third-party chassis makers. We're also guessing that the tech specs or features should remain the same, if not as top range as possible to match the gold chassis. It may stop short of LTE-A considering that there aren't any LTE-A networks in the Middle East but again, these are still guesses and not confirmations. So far, no news on Malaysia release dates or pricing but a gold coloured metal chassis could just as likely get snapped up quite fast as well, considering the other "gold" coloured best selling smartphone that recently got launched.


Golden Screen Cinemas opens its third 4DX theatre hall at GSC IOI City Mall, Putrajaya

Today, Golden Screen Cinemas has officially launched another 4DX cinema hall. This would be the company's third one at GSC IOI City Mall, Putrajaya, following the other two that are currently playing in GSC Paradigm JB and GSC 1Utama, with the latter recently launched in December 2018.

Similar to the 4D Shrek Movie in Universal Studios, Singapore, the 4DX technology offers a new cinema experience with special motion effects such as wind, fog, rain, moving seats, lightning, snow, buddles and even scents. It was developed in South Kore by CJ 4DPLEX and a 4DX hall can seat 112 movie-goers at the same time.

Behind the seat, there's a bump that sprinkles out water

You can also choose to switch the water off

“As our partnership continues to expand, we are thrilled to share a new level of immersion and storytelling to Malaysian movie-goers. Our goal has always been to provide a genuine enhancement in movie-going, and we look forward to Golden Screen Cinema’s audiences experiencing the sensations of 4DX.” said JongRyul Kim (left), CEO of CJ 4DPLEX standing with Koh Mei Lee (right), Chief Executive Officer of GSC

In addition to that, there are plans to roll out more 4DX theatres this year, which will be available at GSC Mid Valley Southkey in Johor Bahru, as well as introducing another potential viewing experience called the ScreenX, which offers a 270-degrees panoramic view and that's intriguing. According to the presentation, ScreenX is expected to arrive at the end of the year.

So what do you think about having another 4DX theatre? Have you gone to one? Stay tuned for more local tech news at TechNave.com.


GoldenGenie offers gold plated Apple iPhone 5S, priced up to $4400 (RM13928)

After previously doing their gold-plating thing with the HTC One, GoldenGenie are now offering the Apple iPhone 5S in 5 different styles using gold, platinum or rose gold. As mentioned in the title, the price can go all the way up to $4400 (RM13928) but there's no denying that the actual gold plated device looks much more stunning than the standard "champagne gold" anodized aluminum casing of the Apple iPhone 5S. Apart from the hefty price you can also expect the resulting Apple iPhone 5S to weigh a lot more as well. As usual, each gold plated version comes with it's own classy wooden box. Check out the pics below:


Goldgenie covers Apple iPhone 5S with crystal

Right after they made the 24-carat gold plated Apple iPad Air and Apple iPad mini with Retina Display, Goldgenie have come out with a 24-carat gold plated Apple iPhone 5S almost completely covered in Swarovski Crystals. This new bling covered version is called the Apple iPhone 5S Supernova with the 16GB versions costing RM20225. While it isn't the first time someone has come out with a crystal covered smartphone the sheer number of crystals on the Goldgenie Apple iPhone 5S Supernova is almost too much, but if you like a shiny disco ball smartphone then this is perfect for you. You can get the 32GB version for another RM500 or so and the 64GB for another RM1000 or so. As usual, Goldgenie will also include a nicely laquered Cherry Oak wooden box to put the bling encrusted gold Supernova Apple iPhone. Check out the pics for yourself in the article.


Goldgenie offering gold-plated Apple iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display

Fresh after their gold-plated Apple iPhone 5S, Goldgenie are now shifting to larger devices with gold-plated versions of the Apple iPad Air and Apple iPad mini with Retina Display. As usual, Goldgenie are offering the tablets in a choice of 24k gold, rose gold and platinum. Prices start from $2124 (RM6755) and can reach as high as $10000+ (RM31790) as you can further customize the device with crystals, diamonds and other precious bling. You can also expect the tablets to also weigh a fair bit more than the normal tablets. As usual, there was no Malaysia release dates or pricing but they'd probably ship here if you throw enough money at them. As a show of how much more premium the gold-plated iPads will be, Goldgenie are also offering premium black wooden boxes rather than the standard brown.

The Apple iPad Air in 24K gold, platinum and rose gold

The Apple iPad mini with Retina Display is also available in 24K gold, platinum and rose gold


Goldgenie offers gold plated HTC One (M8) from $2560.95 (RM8363)

Another flagship smartphone, another gold-plated or rare metal version from Goldgenie. This time around, the luxury company is offering the HTC One (M8) for a choice of either 24K gold, platinum or rose gold complete with the usual premium looking Cherry Oak box. The 24K plating HTC One (M8) comes in at $2560.95 (RM8363). Quite obviously, there isn't any Malaysia release date or local pricing for any of these versions, but if you have the money to get one of these precious metal plated HTC One (M8) smartphones then you certainly shouldn't have to worry about shipping one of these ultra luxury items. Tech specs and features for any of these versions should not differ from the original but you should expect them to be a lot heavier.


Goldgenie's Diamond Ecstasy iPhone 6 could cost up to $3.5 million (RM12.60m)

Goldgenie is famous for its customizations on flagship smartphones. The UK based company has gold plated many popular flagship devices like the Apple iPhone 6 to make the device a bit more unique. Now, the company has taken things to the next level. It has just announced the Diamond Ecstasy iPhone 6 edition which is probably the most you can spend on an iPhone. Customers are free to choose between three different coatings for their iPhone 6 – gold, platinum and rose gold. Once this is done, this special edition model gets studded with hundreds of diamonds around the edges. Even the Apple logo at the back is filled with this precious stone. If customers want something different, Goldgenie have them covered as they can choose between any other precious stone like rubies, emeralds, black diamond, pink diamond, sapphires and so forth for their device. But if someone really wants to take things to the highest level, then he or she can choose the precious stones and pretty much everything customizable on the phone. Goldgenie notes such a customization could cost up to $3.5 million which comes to around RM12.60 million. The company has already sold 5 such Diamond Ecstasy models which cost over $15200 (RM54727).


Gong Yoo officially revealed as ASUS ZenFone 4 ambassador

As most of you might already know, it is officially announced that South Korean superstar, Gong Yoo will be the brand ambassador for the ASUS ZenFone 4 lineup in the Asia Pacific region - Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. That being said, Gong Yoo will also make his appearance at the "We Love Photo" press event which will be held in Taipei on 17 August 2017.

“When the ASUS team showed me their ZenFone AR, I was completely stunned how such a small device could possess so much technological innovation and produce a whole new world of imagination and creativity with its AR and VR features,” said Gong Yoo.

“It was then that I realized I wanted to collaborate with ASUS to see what new possibilities we could discover together. I am looking forward to embarking on this adventure with the new ZenFone 4 family.”

Yup, we are also looking forward to the new ZenFone 4 with you too, Gong Yoo (and hopefully get his autograph). Stay tuned as we will be covering the event on that day at TechNave.com.


GooPhone makes World's first tri-SIM smartphone

While GooPhone is better known for making cheap clones of other smartphones and tablets, they have recently come up with surprise in the form of the World's first tri-SIM smartphone. Barely a week after MediaTek made their first announcement on their triple-SIM android platform, and GooPhone has already come out with a smartphone using this technology. The smartphone in question is called the GooPhone X1+ and has the following tech specs:

The specs look quite midrange and should offer reasonable performance. They should be enough to make the X1+ an interestingly tempting smartphone for those who think dual-SIM just isn't enough. The smartphone will be sold at $149.99 (RM489) but there is no news on actual availability just yet. However, we expect the GooPhone X1+ to be ready for purchase very soon, so keep an eye out on your local seller or some of the more exotic phone sellers in our sister site of Mobile Mega Mall.


A sweet holiday trip could be yours with a new Sharp AQUOS TV!

Sharp has been around for 110 years and is a top electronics brand today. Be it air-conditioners, washing machines or TVs, this brand has enough to meet a variety of needs.

If you're looking to get a high-quality TV for your living room, check out the AQUOS 8K and 4K TVs. To celebrate its 11th decade in existence, Sharp is offering the TVs at massive price cuts. You could also receive exclusive gifts, and stand a chance to win a Japanese vacation! More details can be found below.

Before we go on, let's take a look at what the Sharp AQUOS 8K and 4K TVs have to offer. According to Omdia, Sharp is Japan's number one TV brand and its TVs have the feature to back that claim. The company's TVs provide improved visual and audio experiences.

The Sharp AQUOS 8K TVs use a unique UV2A panel with a new backlight system and low-reflection surface. It features the Deep Chroma Display Pro technology, which delivers a colour gamut that exceeds 100% of the digital cinema colour gamut standard. It also has 167% more screen brightness than most TVs.

On top of that, the Sharp AQUOS 8K TVs are powered by the Z2 Revelation Processor that promises to deliver superior image quality and performance. Thanks to all these features, you can be sure that the TVs will deliver the most stunning visuals. Sure, there isn't much native 8K content at the moment. But that's not a problem thanks to the 8K AI Upconvert feature.

These TVs also promise high-quality audio via powerful speakers from the AQUOS The Scenes Sound Bar. It comes with independent speakers for highs, mids, and lows to deliver that thumping bass. It also has a 360-degree Immersive Sound feature for excellent surround sound quality.

Want something more mainstream? Check out the Sharp AQUOS 4K TVs instead. There are 4K variants of AQUOS The Scene TVs that use the same UV2A panels for enhanced colour purity and have features like Deep Chroma Display, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and more. Tying them all together is the X4 Revelation Processor, which is a more modest chipset that's not less capable.

Now that we have an overview of the AQUOS TVs, let's look at what's on offer. Below are some options you might want to consider.

The AQUOS THE SCENES 60" 8K TV is probably the best-for-buck 8K TV on the list. It's not only priced at just RM6999 (RRP RM11999) but also comes with a free Sharp AQUOS 42" 4K TV (worth RM2499). Pretty nice gift for those who live in a larger house and need the extra TV. You could also top up RM3000 for the 70" version.

If you absolutely must have a 70" TV but don't have that big of a budget, check out the AQUOS THE SCENES 70" 4K TV. It's not an 8K TV but is more affordable at RM4999 (RRP RM6799). Purchasing one gets you an AQUOS 42" Full HD Android TV (worth RM1499), making it two TVs for the price of one!

For those who are on a strict budget, the Sharp AQUOS 60" 4K UHD Android TV might be the choice for you. Its discounted price is just RM2999 (RRP RM3799) and purchasing it nets you a Plasmacluster Air Purifier, which might be more useful for you than another TV.

The promotional prices alone make these AQUOS TVs fantastic deals, but the free gifts are the cherry on top. Depending on your purchase, Sharp is giving away an AQUOS 42" Full HD TV, 23m2 Plasmacluster Air Purifier, and AQUOS 42" 4K UHD Android TV. If you need an extra screen for a laptop PC or your game console, we recommend picking an offer with the 4K TV.

Do you like lucky draws? Of course you do. There's just something exciting about that small chance to win something big! In conjunction with its grand celebration, Sharp is offering you the chance to win a free holiday to Osaka, Japan.

All you need to do is buy an AQUOS The Scene 8K TV (or selected 4K TVs) and you'll stand a chance to win the lucky draw! Sharp is also collaborating with Cuti-Cuti Malaysia to provide 10x local staycations.

So there you have it, some very sharply priced SHARP AQUOS TV deals. Thankfully, it's valid from 16 September 2022 till 31 October 2022 so there's plenty of time to think (but don't think too long!)

There are also plenty of choices to fit any of your size or budget needs below. Go check out their site for more details and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech deals like this.


Good-looking Vuzix Smart sunglasses coming in 2015

While smart glasses already exist, most don't really look that good. Vuzix are working on that though as they have just made a deal with a major electronics company which could result in smart glasses that have that "designer sunglasses" look. These sunglasses would utilize waveguide optics, allowing the display to be a bit more subtle than the standard crystal display overlaying the glasses lens. Unfortunately, Vuzix says that such good-looking smart glasses will only start prototyping by the end of 2014. This could mean some nice looking smart glasses in mid 2015 but if you can't wait (and don't mind the look) do check out the Vuzix site for a pair of less good-looking smart glasses. We want one that is affordable or at least on par with smartphone prices, which is what smartglasses actually are, but this is likely just wishful thinking on our part.[Source]


Good looking metal frame Microsoft Lumia 650 officially announced, lacks substance, enterprises only

Microsoft officially announced the Microsoft Lumia 650 recently. Going for about $199 (RM825), it is one of the few Lumia smartphones to pack in a good looking metal frame along with Windows 10. However, tech specs are decidedly entry-level which you can see below. This is because it is aimed at the enterprise with integrated Microsoft business applications, device encryption and more business related features. No Malaysia release dates yet but it is going out to Europe on 18 February 2016.


Good news for Instagram business owners!

Business owners that often use Instagram to make a post or promote their brand can now get new tools to help them do business with their Instagram App. Instagram says the new features will be available for those who have a business profile on the site.

A new "Contact" button will be added to the Instagram profile. Businesses can select call, text or email. Directions and maps can also be offered up to potential customers. With that being said, a company can also take an Instagram post and turn it into an ad to seek for further actions. The business will have the option to set their desired target audience.

To help business owners study about their consumers, Instagram also released an Insight analytical tool. Companies will be able to know the demographic breakdown of their audience. For those who has been using Facebook Business Page to promote their brand, they should be very similar with this function. The update will be available in coming months in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand.

As for Malaysia, it will be available globally by year's end. Until then, for all the business owners here in Malaysia, get good use of this coming 6 months and set up a great Instagram business profile in order to get the benefits out of these features.


Goodyear is teasing an idea of an airless tire for a flying car

Remember about the funny statement made by our Entrepreneur Development Minister of Malaysia about showcasing a flying car in Malaysia this year? Well, hold on to your seats - not that Goodyear has to do anything with this but they are actually designing an airless tire which could potentially be part of a flying car in the future.

Called as the Goodyear Aero, this airless tire is a new concept that acts like a propeller and a wheel at the same time. In a propeller mode, there are bladed fans spinning around the wheel to help the car to float and to make it happen, the wheels will need to flip upwards which requires a different mechanism. According to Goodyear Chief Technology Officer, Chris Helsel isn't really looking to release commercially but rather to "spark discussion about transportation options for the future".

"With mobility companies looking to the sky for the answer to the challenges of urban transport and congestion, our work on advanced tire architectures and materials led us to imagine a wheel that could serve both as a traditional tire on the road and as a propulsion system in the sky," Helsel said.

Honestly, it's hard to imagine Goodyear Aero would work. As aviation experts point out, it's tough to find the right balance between the car's weight for the airless tire and in turn, the rotation speed to lift the car floating in the air without damaging itself. We shall see, as Goodyear plans to showcase the concept airless tire at the Geneva Motor Show this year.

So what do you think? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more tech news only at TechNave.com.


Google ARCore SDK will bring AR to normal smartphones

In a not so surprise move after Apple brought out their ARKit, Google have announced their ARCore SDK for Android developers to create AR (Augmented Reality) experiences on normal smartphones without any special Google Tango hardware. It will be available with Google Pixel and the Samsung Galaxy S8 running Android 7.0 Nougat and above first, but will spread out to other manufacturers like ASUS, Huawei and LG.

There is no word on whether this means that Google will be killing off Tango as they've said that ARCore is built off of Tango, but it does mean that smooth Android AR is no longer the exclusive use for Google Tango phones like the ASUS ZenFone AR or Lenovo Phab 2 Pro. We expect that such Google Tango phones might provide a bit more accuracy over this software driven ARCore kit but you can see some ARCore AR Experiments for yourself below.


Google Assistant and Google Home introduced as new virtual home assistant

In just a few hours ago, Google I/O 2016 kicked off in California, USA and they didn't waste any time announcing several Android and Google features, on this topic, we will take a look at their first two announced features - Google Assistant and Google Home. But what are they?

There's no doubt that Google's search engine is the best in the world, it's hard to imagine another search engine to overthrow that. Well, Google just introduced Google Assistant and is described as the next generation of search.

How Google Assistant works is making "conversational understanding" applicable and more natural with voice support. For example, you could say something like "What time is X-Men: Apocalypse movie tonight in TGV Sunway Pyramid?", or even asking "Who's directing the movie?". In a way, it's sort of like a two-way conversation between you and the computer without skipping a beat. You could say this is Google's answer to rival Apple's Siri which is also capable of doing such feats.

Google Assistant will be available on Android, iOS, in the home and globally later this year but no Malaysia release dates just yet.

Next up, Google Home is a kind of device that you control at home and it'll be a portal service for the Google Assistant experience. It has multiple room support, remote control of Chromecast and can be connected to certain devices such as your TV, and you can command it to do things such as "Turn on HBO on my TV." and the TV will switch to that channel on your screen, all without your hands and just your voice.

Google Home also allows third-party services, such as calling Uber or booking a restaurant using OpenTable. Basically, the device lets you do anything from search enquiries, manage everyday tasks, entertainment, check flight statuses, turning on lights, appointments, and more.

There was no word on the price, but it will be available later this year.

Stay tuned for more news at Technave.com!


Google Assistant in Android TV could be getting Voice Match soon

A major reason why people use voice assistants is that it can often be tedious to type things out. It's even better when the device can recognise your voice and provide you with personalised results. That's what the Voice Match feature on Google Assistant does and it could be coming to Android TV soon.

According to 9to5Google, the Google Search app for Android TV has recently been updated to version 4.2, which brings more existing features of Google Assistant and Google Home. One of these features is Voice Match, a feature where you can link your voice to your Google account. Once you've done that, no one else will be able to access services linked to your personal account.

<string name=”voice_match_setup_screen_title”>Activate Voice Match on this TV</string>

<string name=”voice_match_setup_screen_description_1″>”Your Assistant can already recognize you by your voice, and tell you apart from others.

Voice Match allows your Assistant to identify you and tell you apart from others. The Assistant takes clips of your voice to form a unique voice model, which is only stored on your device(s). Your voice model may be sent temporarily to Google to better identify your voice.

If you decide later that Voice Match isn’t for you, simply remove it from Assistant Settings. To view or delete the audio clips you record during Voice Match setup, go to activity.google.com.”</string>

The code for Voice Match was found in the Google Search APK for Android TV

For example, you can use your voice to specifically login to your personal Netflix account just by using your voice. But another person will not be able to do so. Since Google is expected to launch a new Android TV dongle soon, the updated features may be added in anticipation for that. If nothing else, it's good that Google is looking at ways to add some form of security to voice AIs like these.

With that said, what other features or improvements does Google Assistant desperately need? Share your thoughts with us on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


Google Assistant will now help you do interpretations on Android and iOS smartphones

If there's one feature that many travellers want on their smartphones, it's language interpretation. Google first rolled this out for smart speaker or display with Google Assistant, which was a weird choice since those aren't as portable. But according to 9to5Google, we are finally getting the feature on Android and iOS smartphones.

So, how do you use Interpreter Mode? For example, you could say "Hey Google, translate Mandarin for me" (because you're a total banana). Google Assistant would then start to listen to what the Mandarin speaker is saying and show you the translated text on your phone. It could also suggest suitable responses for you using Smart Replies, which should help you with conversing with the person you are talking to.

Having this feature on smartphones is great since we almost always have our phones with us. With the addition of the Translate button for Google Maps as well, you should far fewer problems when going on a trip overseas. Of course, this is assuming you don't visit a country with unsupported language/dialect. For example, Cantonese is still not supported yet. You can check this link for the full list of supported languages.

Have you tried out the translation feature on your phone yet? Let us know how you find it so far on our Facebook page! For more news, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Google CEO hints at Pixel 6 with Android 12 and some "deep technology investments" for next major event

The Pixel 6 series's launch is getting nearer as it's supposed to happen in September. We can't wait to see what Google has prepared for us this time around after seeing all the rumours hinting at a major change for the Pixel smartphones. During the quarterly earnings call, CEO Sundar Pichai briefly talked about Android 12 and upcoming products, and the words he used are making us more eager to find out what the company has in store.

After a short recap of what has happened at previous Google I/O, Pichai brought up the fall hardware being "showcased" with the upcoming operating system update in a later speech. He also mentioned words like "deep technology investments", and they're possibly pointing to the company's first in-house chipset, Whitechapel.

Furthermore, Pichai also stated that "Pixel remains at the heart of that long-term strategy" and will continue to "push boundaries". Despite the lack of information about the upcoming Google smartphones, the phrases used by the CEO to describe the products are enough to hype us even more than before. It looks like Google is serious about the smartphone business this time to compete against brands like Samsung and even Apple.

Are you excited to see the upcoming Pixel 6 series? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more exciting smartphone news.


Google Camera app hints at 5x ultra-telephoto camera for Google Pixel 6

Recently, it was rumoured that the Google Pixel 6 series will launch in October 2021. Also, it's suggested that the Google Whitechapel chipset will come with the AMD GPU found in the Samsung chipset. Now, we have more details thanks to a mobile app.

According to XDA Developers, the Google Camera app reveals some new features for the Pixel 6 Pro. The new version 8.3.252 is expected to launch with Android 12 and will come with an 'ultratele' camera. Specifically, the APK has a line of code that reads "zoom_toggle_ultratele" with a 5x zoom option. If that's true, it would mean that the Pixel 6 Pro will feature a telephoto camera with 5x zoom.

In terms of cameras, it was previously rumoured the new device will have a 50MP main camera and an under-display front camera. Besides that, it's also going to have a custom chipset, an under-display fingerprint sensor, and a 6.67-inch AMOLED display. As you can tell, this is going to be a flagship smartphone packed with great features.

But will this be enough to sway more users to Google's Pixel smartphones? And will Google finally launch its devices in Malaysia? Stay tuned to TechNave for more updates on that!


A team of researchers just made the world's first 3200MP camera

Yup, it actually happened. Stanford researchers have invented a super a humongous 3200MP camera at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. But why? Well, apparently it's meant for the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) telescope in Chile so that the researchers can study dark energy, dark matter and create the “largest astronomical movie of all time”.

As you can see from the cover image above, that's the whole camera and it's big as a table. With that 3200MP sensor at hand, you won't be able to view a 3200MP photo on a 4K TV, but 378 of them to view them in full size. That's the equivalent of being able to see a golf ball perfectly from 24 kilometres away so in other words, the camera can capture objects 100 million times dimmer than our naked eye.

According to their blog post, the camera consists of 189 sensors dubbed as a charge-coupled device (CCD) with 16MP for each. Then, they packaged the CCDs into 21 rafts + 4 special rafts that turn it into the camera's focal plane. In translation, that effectively produce 3.2 billion pixels and each raft cost $3 million.

It took 6 months for the team to build the 3200MP camera and it's not even completed yet. However, being able to take a photo shot is probably the first important step and it will take them a few more months to build up the rest of the body. It is estimated that the final testing will commence in mid-2021, stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Google Camera with HDR+ from Google Pixel available for Snapdragon 820/821/835 phones

Still known as one of the best cameraphones around, the Google Pixel's photography prowess comes in part from the software algorithms of the HDR+ feature in its Google Camera app. Now, according to Android Authority, B-S-G from 4PDA, modified Google Camera 4.4 which can be sideloaded for any device using a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, Snapdragon 821 and Snapdragon 835 (these include the LG G6, OnePlus 3, OnePlus 3T, OnePlus 5, Samsung Galaxy S8 and more). While this may improve the quality of low-light shots, we expect this modified HDR+ to also increase processing requirements, making these phones hotter than previously. If that doesn't bother you, feel free to download the app and sideload it into your device.


Google Chrome Incognito tabs on Android can now be locked using biometric authentication

Last year, we reported that Google Chrome’s Incognito tabs can be put behind biometric authentication to protect your privacy, though it was only available as a full feature on iOS. Now, Google has finally expanded the feature’s availability to Android without the need to activate it via a flag.

Announced in a blog post, Goole said that the ability to lock Chrome Incognito sessions behind biometric authentication is being rolled out to Android users. When the feature first made its debut on Android, it was just an experimental feature that requires users to dig deep into the settings.

Now, all you have to do to turn the feature on is to tap on the 3-dot menu at the top right corner of Chrome, open Settings and then Privacy and Security. There, the feature can be turned on by toggling the “Lock Incognito tabs when you leave Chrome” option.

So, what do you guys think of this new feature? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news.


Google Chrome and Twitter has rolled out Dark Mode Updates for smartphones!

Since the launch of a system-wide dark mode on both iOS 13 and Android 10, it has brought attention to all the mobile apps developers. After Google Gmail app got updated for the dark mode on Android 10, Twitter has announced the dark mode called “Lights out” to be rolled out to all Android users starting today.

There will be two dark mode options in Twitter, “DIM” and “Lights Out”. The older version DIM mode turns the display into dark blue. As for the new Lights Out mode, it turns the app into a true black display which gives a better battery consumption towards the OLED display compared to the previous DIM mode.

On the left is "DIM" Mode, On the right is "Lights Out" Mode

To switch on the dark mode, your device must first be running on Android 10. After that, go to Settings and privacy, tap onto Display and sound menu, you will see the Dark mode appearance selection. There’s also a shortcut key to turn the dark mode on or off by tapping on the light bulb icon at the bottom of the slide-out menu from the home screen.

As for the Google Chrome app, it's finally updated to accommodate the system-wide dark mode on iOS 13. The new Chrome update also comes with a new card design for the different Tabs that gives a large bold title on top of each page.

Also, it makes things more convenient for online shopping using your mobile by having the option to add a credit card directly in Chrome. So are you a fan of the dark mode? Let us know at our Facebook page and stay tuned for more updates on TechNave.com!


Google Chrome faces class action lawsuit demanding compensation of more than ~RM20billion

Based on a statement by nytimes.com, it seems that Google was hit with a class-action lawsuit demanding more than USD 5 billion (~RM21.4 billion) in compensation. This is due to the fact that allegations were thrown at Google for tracking users, even while they are using incognito mode.

A statement by the plaintiff suggests that Google deceived their users into thinking that by using incognito mode, Google will not be able to monitor the user’s activity. With that said, the plaintiff requested that Google compensate around USD5000 (~RM21390) to all affected users.

With all that said, what are your thoughts on the class-action lawsuit filed against Google? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Google Chrome introduces two new modes that help save power and memory

Google's web browser will now help you save battery power and memory. Two new performance settings, Energy Saver Mode and Memory Saver Mode, will get rolled out with the upcoming Chrome 108 update for Windows, macOS and ChromeOS desktop users.

Energy Saver Mode will get triggered once your laptop's battery reaches 20%. It helps limit background activity and visual effects for websites that have complicated visuals, like animations and videos. By the time the update arrives, you'll see a leaf icon on the top right corner of the browser that allows you to activate Energy Saver mode.

Meanwhile, the Memory Saver Mode is made for those who like to open many tabs. With it enabled, Chrome will free up memory from the tabs you aren't currently using, but the inactive tabs will reload for you when you need them. Google claims it would use up to 30% less memory to make for a smoother or faster browsing experience. Like the Energy Saver mode, it also gets an icon indicating how much space has freed up.

These sound like some useful settings for us. What do you think about them? Leave a comment to share your thoughts, and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech news.


Google Chrome may be getting the dark mode soon!

Both iOS and Android started supporting dark mode at the system level last year and Google has rolled out dark modes for Gmail, Google Calendar, Google FIt as well as on its mobile app version over the past few months. Today, we found out that Google Chrome may finally be getting a dark mode soon.

According to the source, the dark mode on Chrome OS is spotted in its experimental Canary channel which is only accessible for Chromebooks that switched into a special developer mode. So if you want to try on the dark mode, you will need to install the Canary channel on your Chromebook but Google warns that Canary can be unstable.

Google Chrome Dark Mode on Canary channel

The dark mode on Google Chrome is still on developer mode so it’s unstable with some bugs. The dark mode tested by Android Central seems to apply to the whole UI interface but not just a dark background. Google has not confirmed the official roll out dates for the dark mode for all users yet by now.

Either way, the dark mode on Google Chrome is still not officially introduced by Google but will you be excited to get it? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned for more updates on TechNave.com


Google Chrome may not support Ad Block extensions in the future

Forbes reported that Google intends on ditching ad block extensions for Google Chrome and limit them only to enterprise users, leaving regular consumers exposed to advertisements scattered throughout the world wide web. The removal of ad block extensions is expected to be carried up based on a proposal called “Manifest V3”, which will drastically change the Google Chrome extension ecosystem.

That being said, many have speculated that Firefox will most likely be the browser of choice as the users will have more control over their browsing experience. We can expect to see “The Great Migration” larger than that of Chinese New Year when netizens begin to flock from Google Chrome to Firefox. For more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Google Chrome now alerts users of stolen login credentials

Google is looking to bolster security awareness by adding a new feature into the Chrome browser. Through the new feature, users will be alerted if their username and password has been stolen during a data breach. This feature was previously available separately through a Chrome extension.

In an official blog post, Abdel Karim Mardini (Google Senior Product Manager) explained that the new feature is basically a built-in version of the Password Checkup extension. Once you get the new update, Chrome will start to send you alerts whenever you are logging in to a website with saved login credentials that were stolen. It will then suggest that you change your login info, mainly the password.

In a way, it's similar to the 'Have I Been Pwned' website that checks if your email or password has been compromised. Many people have the habit of using the same login credentials for multiple sites, which is bad. If this is the case for you, you should start changing them before your accounts get hacked.

Currently, Google is rolling out the system to cover websites that are protected by Google's Safe Browsing. You can still manually check and update your passwords via Chrome Settings, or going to your Google account's Password Manager.

Were any of your login credentials compromised? Tell us on our Facebook page what preventive measures you took and what password manager you prefer to use! For more news like this, remember to stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Google Chrome version 84 for Android is currently unusable for some people

Is Google Chrome crashing and freezing constantly on your Android phone all of a sudden? Well, the browser doesn't seem to be very stable at the moment. Based on reports and reviews on the Google Play Store, the mobile browser has been giving problems lately and it all started to happen after the update.

According to Android Police, the update of Google Chrome to version 84.0.4147.111 may have brought stability issues to the app. It now freezes or crashes intermittently, with some users claiming that it happens most often when trying to close their last incognito tab. The stability issues don't seem to have a main culprit, however, as various users have reported it crashing or freezing for no apparent reason.

Thanks to crash reports from users, Google is already aware of the problem so we can expect a fix soon. For now, you can try installing a different browser or Chrome beta if you need your bookmarks synced. Do keep in mind that the beta version of Chrome may just be as unstable.

So, has anyone of you been experiencing problems with Google Chrome on Android or maybe even PC? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech news like this.


Google Chrome will hog less resources in the future

Based on a blog entry posted on the Chromium Blog, Google will remove ads that hogs too much of the device’s system resource, making the user experience much more enjoyable especially for those with limited internet data. This is due to the fact that Google recently discovered that some of the ads use up much more battery and bandwidth than usual, which can be a problem especially for those who signed up with telco that provides very limited internet data.

While there is no news on when they will release a feature that automatically removes ads that use up too much bandwidth, we can expect it to be made available to the public somewhere around August 2020. With all that said, what are your thoughts on Google Chrome removing ads that use up too much system resource of your device? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


A tech company got caught red-handed for using smart cushions to spy on employees

With another round of MCO on the way, we predict that people would be buying more ergonomic and better chairs to WFH. Meanwhile in the land of China, a Chinese company called Hebo Technology got flamed for using a "smart" cushion to sort of spy on employees.

If you're wondering what does the smart cushion do, basically it was designed to help monitor on a person's health conditions like sitting down too long, blood pressure and so on. It's also said to check the heart rate, breathing, posture and even fatigue levels! Sounds pretty good, right? Well, turns out that's not the case.

According to an employee named Wang, she posted about this discovery when approached by an HR colleague on why she was always away from her desk from 10 AM - 10.30 AM. Although the colleague also joked about cutting her bonus from her actions, Wang felt "naked at work" and believe all the employees were tricked. She also felt concerned that all the data collected are constantly checked by the HR and the employer

Obviously, the social post soon grabbed attention and went viral. In the company's defence, the spokesperson explained the smart cushions are meant to "collect trial data" before releasing them to the market. He also said the data collected wouldn't be included in any work performance and salary reviews. Despite this, a possible legal action could be taken as sharing collected data with the HR department violates the agreement of keeping the data secret.

A smart cushion that monitors our health condition is pretty cool, but spying on employees whether they are on their desks working is unethical. Might as well get replace them with robots to do the work. But what do you folks think? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Google Chrome will now display automatic captions on websites with Live Captions

It seems that the developers of Google Chrome have recently unveiled a new Live Caption feature that will automatically generate captions on webpages that are playing audio or video. Previously, a similar feature was initially available on devices such as Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

Since the feature is built into Google Chrome itself, any device that’s running the web browser will have access to the aforementioned feature. As of now, the feature is only able to generate captions for English. That being said, we won’t be surprised if it supports more languages in the future.

If you want to have a go at Live Caption, all you need to do is head over to the Settings Menu of your Google Chrome browser and across down all the way until you see the Accessibility section. Then, enable the Live Caption and give it a moment to finish loading.

With all that said, what are your thoughts on the Live Caption feature that’s now available on Google Chrome? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Google Chrome wipes data and cookies from all sites except its own

For most of us, Google Chrome is likely your Internet browser of choice. In fact, the latest data from Statcounter shows that over 66% of people with access to the Internet use Google Chrome as their browser. With that being the case, you may want to consider changing since some of its privacy features don't seem to work as intended.

For those who are unaware, there are multiple ways to clear the cookies and site data from Chrome. You could do use incognito mode, clear them manually, or set it to be deleted automatically when you close the browser. But according to TechSpot, iOS developer Jeff Johnson discovered that YouTube and Google search data cookies and site data are not removed when you enable the third option.

The reason for this is that the data for those two platforms are stored on the local drive using HTML5, which allows platforms to store anything the developer wants. You could blacklist both sites under the "Sites that can never use cookies", but then that means you won't be able to login to your YouTube account. Google claims that this is a bug and that it will be fixed soon, but many people have expressed doubt that it is a bug.

If you want to switch to another browser, the vastly improved Microsoft Edge could be an option for you. But with that said, what browser do you use and would recommend over Google Chrome? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news like this.


Google Chromecast Ultra replacement could come with remote controller and Android TV support

The Google I/O event may have been cancelled, but Google is still expected to launch some new products within summer 2020. One of the devices to be released is a new media streaming device. It's expected to be an Android TV dongle that will replace the Chromecast Ultra and its currently code-named 'Sabrina'.

The folks at XDA Developers managed to get their hands on a marketing video of the new device, which ditches the Chromecast Ultra's round body for an oblong one. No details were shared about the device, but you can see that it's going to be available in white, black, and beige-pink colours. A major upgrade to this upcoming Sabrina Android TV dongle is the remote control. The renders found included one with the remote, which has about 6 buttons and what seems to be a touch-sensitive panel.

Besides the hardware, the software support for the Sabrina is also expected to be better. The marketing video also showed a new Android TV UI, suggesting that the new dongle will come with Android TV out of the box. If you pay attention, you'll notice that there's a Google Assistant button on the remote as well, meaning that voice search will also be supported. As for the price, the new dongle is likely to cost more than the Chromecast Ultra did, courtesy of the extra remote and Android TV support. Currently, it's estimated to retail for about USD 80 (~RM341), which is a fair price for what it offers.

However, it should be noted that this marketing video is supposedly dated late 2019, which means that things like design and features could have changed since then. As usual, we advise you to take the new with a grain of salt for now. But with that said, what do you think of this new dongle? Is the predicted price increase worth it? Share your thoughts with us on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


Google Cloud Medical Imaging Suite is here to help medical staff diagnose illnesses with AI

Google has introduced something new to aid the healthcare field. Google Cloud Medical Imaging Suite is a tool that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) in diagnosing patients with various illnesses. The tech giant hopes this new tool will help to recognize a large proportion of sicknesses so that medical staff can shorten their time treating the patients.

According to Google, medical professionals have long utilized imaging to help them diagnose patients. However, specialist training is required to perform the task, plus it's time-consuming. Therefore, Google has identified the gap and stepped in with the tool.

The Google Cloud Medical Imaging Suite is integrated with Nvidia and Monai to assist in areas such as AI image annotation. It doesn't require the staff to label the images manually to teach the AI to identify the illnesses. Furthermore, it also features BigQuery and Looker, allowing the users to "view and search petabytes of imaging data to perform advanced analytics and create training datasets with zero operational overhead". Vertex AI access is included as well to help organizations create AI pipelines and build scalable machine learning models without extensive coding. Other features encompass DICOM file format support for x-rays, MRIs, and ultrasounds, "seamless" on-prem to cloud data management, and more.

What do you think about Google's latest technology solution? Drop a comment to let us know your thoughts, and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech news.


Google Daydream View headset announced, only for RM 327

With the Google Pixel, the company also announced several new accessories for the phone, which includes a new VR headset. The new Google Daydream View headset will work with the Daydream-compatible phone, and will only cost USD 79 (~RM 321).

VR is an important initiative for Google, as it enables visceral experiences that can impact the way we experience media and more. To realize this, Daydream View features solid specs like a “good field of view” and low latency and accurate head tracking (when combined with Pixel). It is also more comfortable than its peers/competitors – it is made of fabric and soft microfiber, and is 30% lighter than the nearest competitor. Happily, the view also works with eyeglasses.

Installing the phone into the viewer is as easy as unlatching the elastic band, and putting the phone into the cradle – the phone and the headset pair automatically and the device autoaligns thanks to the construction of the View. Controlling actions in VR is made possible by an included controller.

We have to wait until November for the View to be made available, and it will cost USD 79 (~RM 327) when it is made available for sale in three different colours. Stay tuned to TechNave as we bring more news on the new Google Daydream View headset.


Google DeepMind’s AlphaGO defeats Lee Sedol at Go in first game

Demis Hassabis, Co-Founder and CEO of DeepMind (left) shaking hands with Lee Sedol (right), the world's best Go player with his daughter

If you've never heard of Google DeepMind, then welcome to the right place to get yourself educated. DeepMind is an artifical intelligence designed by Demis Hassabis, Shane Legg and Mustafa Suleyman in London during the year 2010, its purpose it to solve intelligence and use it to make the world a better place and was acquired by Google in 2014.

And just yesterday, during its first game at the Google DeepMind Challenge match, the system, AlphaGO has defeated the world's best Go player, Lee Sedol after 186 moves. This is the first time in history that a computer program has bested a top-ranked human Go player on a full 19x19 board with no handicap.

Demis Hassabis, Co-Founder and CEO of DeepMind, said, “What an incredibly exciting game. Lee Sedol is a formidable opponent, famed for his fighting style, and AlphaGo decided to go toe-to-toe with him, which made for a tense, close-fought game. We still have four games to go, so anything can still happen. Whatever the outcome, we feel this match is a testament to the power of human ingenuity.”

Lee Sedol said at the post-game press conference, “I would like to express my respect to Demis and his team for making such an amazing program like AlphaGo. I am surprised by this result. But I did enjoy the game and am looking forward to the next one.”

The Google DeepMind Challenge match is a best of five series and it's still on-going, second match is today at 1PM Korea Standard Time, followed by the rest of the games on 12 March (Saturday), 13 March (Sunday), and finally 15 March (Tuesday). If you want to check them battle it out, visit the challenge match press site.


Google Deepmind announced their collaboration with Blizzard Entertainment using StarCraft II for A.I. research

If you've grown up playing StarCraft, you'd remember how terrible the A.I. is back in the 90's, with their units hilariously walking in a straight line and not knowing what to do after the first two waves of attack; or retreating their entire army back to their base in StarCraft II if one of their workers is harassed, despite the improved A.I.. Well, that could be all changed in the future, now that Google Deepmind has announced their collaboration with Blizzard Entertainment to incorporate A.I. and Machine Learning in StarCraft II with researchers around the world.

To refresh your memory, Google Deepmind is an artificial intelligence designed by Demis Hassabis, Shane Legg and Mustafa Suleyman in London during the year 2010, to solve complex problem by itself and use it to make the world a better place. And just a few months ago, Google Deepmind's AlphaGo defeated the world's best Go player, Lee Sedol by a 4-1 score, oh boy...Terminator-vibe much?

It only seems natural for Google Deepmind to move on to this next phase, after all, StarCraft (along with Counter-Strike) is the pioneer of competitive eSports thanks to the South Korean pro-gamers, that requires swift strategies and tactics to win in real-time with barely any breathing room, from managing resources efficiently to controlling your army's position at the same time; this is probably why the Deepmind team picked StarCraft because they see the game as a potential testing environment for their current A.I. research,

Both parties are now working closely "to develop an API that supports something similar to previous bots written with a 'scripted' interface," according to Deepmind team, this is "allowing programmatic control of individual units and access to the full game state (with some new options as well). Ultimately agents will play directly from pixels, so to get us there, we’ve developed a new image-based interface that outputs a simplified low resolution RGB image data for map & minimap, and the option to break out features into separate “layers”, like terrain heightfield, unit type, unit health etc."

In addition, some "curriculum" exercises will be created by Blizzard to allow you (yes, you) to challenge the agent in various tasks and benchmark different algorithms and advances. Furthermore, researchers around the world have the freedom to control and create their own tasks with the help of StarCraft II Galaxy editor tool.

We are quite intrigued on where will this bring Deepmind to, in the name of science, this is an exciting time to be alive to see the progress of next level A.I. in gaming, but let's just hope they won't overtake our world and start launching nukes (#touchwood).

If you're interested to participate the research, visit this link to check it out and stay tuned for more news at Technave.com.


Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides on Android will be getting dark mode very soon

Those who frequently utilize Google Docs, Sheets and Slides on Android, will be pleased to know that Google plans to introduce dark mode to those features in the near future. While there is not much known in regards to the exact dates the dark mode will be available, we do know that it could be available most probably in a few weeks.

Unfortunately, there is no news on whether dark mode will be available on the web browser for now. With all that said, what are your thoughts on Google introducing dark mode to Google Docs, Sheets and Slides? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Google Docs is finally making it easier to edit tablets

Editing documents can be a pain for those of us who don't have Microsoft Office. You either use free software that doesn't work as well or the functionally still-lacking Google Docs. Fortunately, Google has been working on improving the platform.

According to a recent announcement, Google Docs is planning to add new ways to customise tables. This is important because tables make it easier for people to present information, especially if they're in the form of numbers. Several features related to tables will be added with the update, and one of them is a new sidebar to manage them.

Besides that, you will be able to pin a row as a header for each page. This is useful if you plan to have a tablet that spans multiple pages. Similarly, you can set a particular row's contents to 'overflow' into the next page if necessary. Lastly, Google Docs will let you easily move columns and rows around, as well as quickly add new ones or sort them. This is very useful when you need to organise your data.

If you write a lot of documents that involve tables and data, this upcoming update will be incredibly useful for you. Having said that, what else do you think Google Docs needs to add so that it's as useful as Microsoft Word? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news like this.


Google Docs now supports emoji reactions for a less formal alternative to comments

If you’ve ever been lost for words at what to comment on a document by your colleague, then this new feature coming to Google Docs is made just for you. Currently rolling out to users, Google Docs now supports emoji reactions!

Announced via its Google Workspace Updates blog, Google said that the new feature provides users with a less formal alternative to comments when expressing their opinions. Furthermore, Google also confirmed that the feature supports all emojis available in the latest Emoji 14.0 release.

The emoji reactions feature also supports gender-neutral option for gender-modifiable emojis. As for emoji skin tone and gender, it is set based on the preferences saved per individual emoji.

It is believed that this new feature is part of Google reshaping Google Docs into becoming more than just a word processor service, but also a remote working collaboration tool. Previously, we reported how you can now seamlessly draft emails from you Google Docs document.

According to Google, emoji reactions will be on by default and cannot be disabled. Most users can expect the feature to be present in their Google Docs some time after 20 April 2022.

What do you guys think of the emoji reactions feature on Google Docs? Will it help with productivity or is the feature just an unwanted distraction?

Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. As always, make sure to stay tuned to TechNave for all the latest trending tech news.


13th Gen Intel Core processor announced, supports PCIe Gen 5.0, up to 5.8GHz clocking & more

Today at Intel Innovation, Intel revealed the 13th Gen Intel Core processor family. Led by the 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13900K, it includes six new unlocked desktop processors with up to 24 cores and 32 threads and blazing clock speeds up to 5.8 GHz for the best gaming, streaming and recording experience.

Led by the launch of the Intel Core “K” processors, the 13th Gen Intel Core desktop family will consist of 22 processors and more than 125 partner system designs. With the existing Intel 600 or new Intel 700 series chipset motherboards, combined with both the latest DDR5 memory support and continued DDR4 memory support, users can enjoy the benefits of 13th Gen Intel Core while customizing their setup based on their own features and budget preferences.

Building on a matured Intel 7 process and x86 performance hybrid architecture, 13th Gen Intel Core desktop processors enable better system performance. This includes up to 15% better single-threaded performance and up to 41% better multi-threaded performance. Intel said that this generation's hybrid architecture brings together the fastest Performance-cores (P-core) ever built along with up to double the number of Efficient-cores (E-core).

In addition, here is the summary of what Intel showcased:

Last but not least, Intel also launched the new Intel 700 Series chipset with advanced features. It features eight additional PCIe Gen 4.0 lanes combined with PCIe Gen 3.0 providing 28 total lanes off the chipset, increased USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20Gbps) ports provide improved USB connectivity speed, and DMI Gen 4.0 increases the chipset-to-CPU throughput for fast access to peripheral devices and networking. Additionally, Intel is bringing forward and backward compatibility. Take advantage of 13th Gen Intel Core processor performance improvements with existing Intel 600 chipset-based motherboards.

The 13th Gen Intel Core desktop “K” processors and the Intel Z790 chipset will be available starting 20 October 2022, including boxed processors, motherboards and desktop system sales. Additional details on the rest of the 13th Gen Intel Core processor family will be shared at a later date.


A test report from FCC shows that the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra will support S Pen

Last week, Samsung Mobile President TM Roh has hinted that a popular feature from the Galaxy Note series will be landing on other Samsung devices in 2021. As you know, it was rumoured that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra will have S Pen support, so we can guess the President is talking about that. Today, we have other evidence claiming that the Galaxy S21 Ultra is indeed going to support S Pen.

An FCC (Federal Communications Commission) listing has appeared showing that a device with model number SMG998B (Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra) can be used with an S Pen in both hover and click modes. In the test report, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is described as EUT (Equipment Under Test), and "it can operate with the S Pen in two different inductive coupling modes of S Pen motion detection (Hover and Click) operating in the range of 0.53 –0.6MHz."

Besides the S Pen support, the listing has also mentioned other connectivity features like wireless power transfer, Wi-Fi 6E, and UWB (Ultra-wideband). The UWB is aiming to help users locate objects, pets, cars, and even open doors. For now, we could only wait until the rumoured launch date which is 14 January for Samsung to reveal everything else about the upcoming flagship.

Let us know what you think about this news on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more exciting smartphone updates.


Google Docs will now allow users to draft emails and send them via Gmail

Google is rolling out a handy feature to its Microsoft Word alternative, Google Docs. As part of the "smart canvas" initiative, the platform will provide users with an email template by allowing them directly draft emails to be sent out via Gmail.

Users can just input the @ symbol and select "Email draft" from the context menu to access the feature. A template will then show up for drafting the email, including defining recipients, a subject line, and the body text. After everything has been typed out, click on the Gmail icon at the side, and it will direct you to the email service.

The feature is said to be useful when users want to collaborate on editing an email. In Google Docs, they are also allowed to insert comments and suggestions. However, there's no harm for you to follow the traditional copy and paste method, but doesn't this make things simpler? The feature is gradually making its way to all Google Workspace customers and those on legacy G Suite Basic and Business plans.

What do you think about it? Leave a comment to let us know your opinion, and stay tuned to techNave.com for the latest tech report.


Google Drive may lock your files if they violate abuse program policies and what to do about it

Google recently revealed that you may get a notification that your files in Google Drive are restricted or locked if they violate their abuse program policies. According to them, the filename will be flagged and “you won’t be able to share it, and your file will no longer be publicly accessible, even to people who have the link”.

According to reports from users, this only happens if you share stuff like unlicensed ebooks or movies and people access them, which then activates the locking algorithm. The owner or shared admin of the Google Drive will get an email or notification for “Your file violates Google Drive’s Terms of Service” and the file will essentially get locked. It doesn’t appear to affect other files in your Google Drive though.

You can then Request a review to show that Google’s algorithm made a mistake again or you can delete the file in question. There doesn’t appear to be any lasting effect on your overall Google Drive usability if you do get such messages or delete such files though, but these policies may change again in the future.

It's not happened to us but as such we’d recommend you delete anything illegal in your Google Drive for now before something happens. Likewise, if you’re the actual owner of the file and you have legal rights to it, be prepared to defend it during the request review with suitable proof. Hopefully this helps and for more such articles stay tuned to TechNave.com


Google Drive widget now available for iPhones, Google News and Gmail widgets coming soon

As more Widgets for the iOS 16 Lockscreen get introduced, Google is the latest player to launch not one, not two but three new ones. At the moment of this post, only the Google Drive widget is available whereas Gmail and Google News are coming soon too.

As you can see in the image below, Gmail will show how many new messages you have in your primary, social and promotion sections. If you put it alongside the date and time, it will only show the number of new messages. Additionally, you can also use Gmail in different widget formats.

We also assume that Google News would do more or less the same. As for Google Drive, the widget format is only available as an icon, and not for the date and time. At the moment, we know that the next iOS 16 updates will bring Live Activities that show a live score from matches. It will also work for the Dynamic Island.

We hope to see more widgets from other developers coming, but what kind of widgets would you love to see on your iPhone? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Google Duo adds 4 new features, including support for up to 12-person video calls

With the rise in popularity of video conferencing apps, companies have been making efforts to promote and improve their services. Google Duo is one of them and it's just seen some new improvements to it that users will appreciate. In the latest update, Google added four new features to the platform to help people stay connected.

According to an official post, Google will soon be introducing a new video codec that will boost both the quality and reliability of video calls, even if you're using a low-bandwidth connection. The other feature that many will appreciate is the increase in video call participants from 8 to 12. Google is also aiming to increase this number in the coming weeks, so it's a good way for groups to get in touch.

New AOMedia Video 1 codec in action (left)

Up to 12 participants can now join calls

Besides that, Google Duo will add more ways for you to share with one another. For example, you'll now be able to take photos during video calls that will be shared to all call participants automatically. Also, Google has added more ways to share important moments through the apps, including extra AR filters.

Due to having end-to-end encryption, Google Duo is a great app to use since it ensures privacy and security. With that said, what video calling app are you currently using and why? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news like this.


Google Duo adds new Family Mode, group video call via Google Chrome coming soon

Now that video calls have become the norm for many people, more companies have begun to beef up the features of their services. For Google Duo, new features were announced about 2 weeks ago, allowing more people to join calls. Now, Google has announced two more updates for Google Duo.

One of the new features announced is the Family Mode, which lets users draw on the screen while a call is on-going. You'll also be able to add special effects and 'masks' on yourself, adding that little bit of flair to your video calls. Of course, Google Duo employs end-to-end encryption, so you don't have to worry about people 'bombing' your private video calls.

The other interesting feature that was announced was the ability to access Google Duo through the Google Chrome browser. Some users should already be able to preview the online version but may not be able to use it yet, as it is a feature that's still being tested. However, Google has said that we can expect the online version to be available in the coming weeks.

Hopefully, Google Duo will continue to improve as competition will pressure all the other services to keep innovating. With that said, which of the video call platforms do you use the more these days? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


Google Duo beta will be added to Android TV soon

With how things have changed this year, video calling is probably a trend that won't go away. That's why we're seeing more of such services popping up and developers making great efforts to expand and improve them. Google is doing the same and with Google Duo by adding support for the service to other devices.

According to 9to5Google, Google will be rolling out a Beta version of Google Duo to Android TV in the coming weeks. This will allow users to make video calls directly from Android smart TVs. You will be able to make both one-to-one calls and group meetings from the TV, but you'll need to plug in a USB camera if your smart TV doesn't have one built-in.

Besides that, Google also briefly mentioned the Acer Chromebase and ASUS Remote Meet Kit. These are new hardware that is similar to enterprise video conferencing equipment and can be used with Google Meet. The hardware is relatively small, so it's portable enough that you can conduct meetings at any time and anywhere, without spending too much time setting up.

If you use either Google Meet or Google Duo, these new changes could be useful for you. But how useful are these changes and would it convince you to buy new hardware for it? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


Google Edition Android Camera App Has New Features, Ready for Download

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition and HTC One Google Edition recently went on sale on the US Google Play Store. Both run Android 4.2.2, however, both of them also seem to be carrying new versions of the camera app, some different boot animation and wallpapers. The camera app in particlar enables these features:

While the different menu is interesting, what really got us was the volume rocker feature, which could mean an easier time at taking photos for some people, especially those with smartphones or tablets that can go underwater. While you can download the ripped camera here, it does come with side effects. For some Nexus devices (or those running stock Android) it replaces the existing Camera and Gallery apps but for some other devices it installs as another separate app (and installs a separate gallery). Some users have reported that the Photo Sphere is missing though as they are installing on devices other than the Samsung Galaxy S4 or HTC One.


Google Family Link is now available in Malaysia, lets you create and manage below 13 years child accounts

It's no secret that many apps available in the US are sometimes not available here in Malaysia but an app that I've been watching for personally, Family Link has finally become available here in Malaysia. Offering the option to create and manage Google child accounts for users below 13 years of age, Family Link also allows you to see the history, set time limits of device usage, what your kids can or cannot open, track what your kids are doing and even check their location according to their devices.

Previously, most of the time parents had to create an adult Google account or have their kids use theirs (which results in all sorts of surprise toy unboxings and so forth to appear in YOUR YouTube feed). To use it, you'll have to download it to both your device and your child's device and set them up. While Family Link is free to download and set up, it does require you to pay about 1 USD (~RM4) via your credit/debit card to prove you're an adult per child account, so if you have 2 children that will be RM8 in total.

We've reached out to Google Malaysia and they've told us that Family Link is not temporary or will be closed any time soon, but in our own explorations of the app, it still seems a bit buggy (doesn't detect sometimes, tracking isn't always refreshed, doesn't work with Google Play etc). We expect it is related to our Internet speeds somewhat as well, but if you're a parent worrying about the safety of your kids online, then you should definitely give Family Link a try.


Google Glass Gets Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, CNN and Evernote Apps

While many have dismissed Google Glass as being just another fad, the likelihood of it staying on and growing just got bigger as a number of big names have announced apps (or Glassware as Google wants to call them) for the wearable computer glasses. These include Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, CNN and Evernote covering a range of social media, news and note taking applications. Granted, what you can do with each app is still rather limited but this should grow as the developers mature the apps even further.

For Facebook the Glassware apps allows you to take a picture and post it to your Facebook wall, while the Twitter Glassware app lets you transcribe or dictate a tweet using voice. The Tumblr Glassware app lets you view full feeds or check out updates while the CNN app provides news. The Evernote Glassware app is similarly limited in that you get access to read stuff like shopping lists and the like but not much just yet. If you need a bit more info or want to catch up on Google Glass, check out our Google Glass article that started it all.


Google Glass Shows Why It's Perfect for the Masses

If you had Google Glass what would you do with it? Jump out of a plane and skydive to a rooftop below? If it were us, probably not, which is exactly what Google are thinking with their latest promo video showing off Google Glass. Rather than do something amazing or outstanding, it shows what most people in real life would end up using Google Glass for. We have to admit that it certainly looks fun and useful, especially to ask whatever question that pops up in your head, like are there any good Thai restaurants nearby? Check out the video for yourself below:


A throwback of the saddest and the worst tech news of 2020

With the year coming to a close, we start to look back on all the things that have happened this year. Pandemic aside, there were plenty of things that many would consider dumbfounding or just sad, and that applies to tech as well.

In that vein, we decided to look back at some of the saddest and worst tech news for 2020. Maybe you'll find it just as dumb as we did, but without further ado let's take a look!

Way back in May last year, then US President Donald Trump declared a ban on Huawei, citing national security risk of the companies telecommunications equipment. This trade ban eventually included Huawei's smartphone business as well, with access to key technologies like Google Mobile Services and Qualcomm chipsets being cut off. While some companies have secured licenses to sell certain things to Huawei, things don't seem to be looking up for Huawei just yet. In addition to that, the ban was extended to 2021 in May this year.

Besides telecommunications companies like Huawei and ZTE, even app developers like ByteDance got on the bad side of the US government. Once more citing national security risk, ByteDance's highly popular TikTok app was on the verge of being banned in the US. The alternative was for ByteDance to sell it to a US company like Microsoft, but after weeks of negotiations nothing turned up. In the end, Trump losing the US election caused a delay in things and TikTok's prospect in the US remains in question.

If you've never heard of Quibi, you won't be the only one. Founded by film producer Jeffrey Katzenberg, Quibi was a company that aimed to deliver short-form (less than 10 minutes) videos for news and entertainment. The company even raised a start-up capital of USD 1.75 billion (~RM7.1 billion) before it launched in April. But a few months after it launched, CNBC reported Quibi's confirmation that it would be shutting down as it failed to attract the numbers it needed to keep the business sustainable.

When Apple first removed audio jacks a few years ago, others mocked Apple only to soon follow suit. This time around, Apple decided that there was no longer a need to include charging adapters in the boxes of the iPhone 12 series phones. This is because it is considered more eco-friendly and "saves the environment". At this rate, we might even lose the free cable and user manuals in a few more years (lol). Regardless of whether we agree with it, Apple is unlikely to go back on its decision. Fortunately, you can still get some third-party ones. Find out more here!

On some days, you see some news that really makes you question the intelligence of humans in general. In April this year, three 5G towers went up in flames in the UK because of conspiracy theories that claimed 5G helped spread COVID-19. Obviously, this is not possible since COVID-19 is a biological virus, so it's impossible to transmit it via radio waves. However, increasingly more 5G towers were set aflame by arsonists that believed in the conspiracy theory in the weeks to come. Some people are actually just that dumb...

On a similar topic of human behaviour, some game companies are quite notorious for being greedy. Epic Games displayed this sometime in August when it decided to create its own in-app payment system for the mobile version of Fortnite. This allowed the company to bypass the payment systems for the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, thus avoiding the 30% cut on all in-app purchases. The two companies were quick to respond by removing the game from the respective stores, but Epic Games hit back with antitrust lawsuits. Things continued to escalate from then on, with Apple suspending Epic Games' developer account and other companies deciding to support Epic Games.

Many Android users love snapping endless amounts of photos and uploading them to Google Photos. This is great for travellers, as photos and videos uploaded don't count towards the free 15GB limit imposed by Google. But Google is pulling the plug on that feature and announced a policy change that will go into effect on 1 June 2021. Basically, all subsequent images and videos uploaded in high-quality mode will now count towards your storage capacity. So if you exceed your total and want to upload more, you're going to have to fork out the money for it. This also applies to files from Gmail and Google Drive (Docs, Sheets, etc).

That's all we have this time, but we're sure there were a lot more facepalm-inducing tech news in 2020. Do you have any of your own to share? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more articles like this.


Google Glass users Get back to the rest of us

All those pre-order Google Glass users who bought the Google Glass Explorer Edition for $1500 are starting to talk about their experiences with the wearable computer. Brandon Allgood, CTO of Numerate said that it was very lightweight and changed many of his habits. He no longer needs a clock or watch as just tilting his head back displays the time. According to him, his favourite feature remains Google Now as with it he is able to keep track of sports all night. His complaints for the device include the fact that low light shots aren't very good and while you can say "ok glass, take a picture" to take a shot it does not in fact allow you to frame a picture beforehand. The bone-conduction system on the other hand is great as he can now hear and feel sounds through his bones.Dan McLaughlin of Agilent Technologies said that Google Glass becomes a part of you. According to him email messaging has never been easier but his complaint is that it does not work well prescription eyeglasses (something which Google have already said they are working on). In related news, one early Google Glass recipient called Ed placed his device up for auction on Ebay. His starting price was $5000 but this soon rose up until $95000 before he cancelled the auction. Apparently Google will have the right to shut down any Google Glass device sold to a third party, which forced Ed to cancel the auction. A new nickname for these early Google Glass wearers has also surfaced in the form of Glassholes, which you can take either way.


Google Home, Chromecast Ultra and Google WiFi ready to hit the selves this year

(left to right) Google Pixel, Google WiFi, Google Home and Chromecast Ultra

As the new Google Pixel series was just announced a few hours ago, Google also showcased other products namely Google Home, Chromecast Ultra, and Google WiFi. Let's check out what the products offer below!

First revealed at the I/0 2016 event back in May, the Google Home is a hands-free device that's meant for putting it at your home (hence the name), with Google Assistant integrated inside the system, it can assist you with various tasks such as playing any song you want to hear with precise volume control, entertainment, controlling other IoT/Chromecast devices, and even arrange appointments without having the touch your smartphone.

Design-wise, it has not changed much since its introduction, but it was announced that owners can optionally change the bottom half speaker with a different colour material in either fabric or metal, as displayed in the image above. To recap the top half functionalities, it retains a diagonal face with four LEDs Google lights in red, blue, green and yellow; what's more, it also acts as a capacitive touch panel for manual control. There's even a button behind Home for turning off the microphone and disable "always listening".

Available now for $129 (around RM533), it will be available in Google Store on 4 November with pre-orders starting today in the USA.

Chromecast Ultra, is an updated Google device product that now supports 4K streaming services from YouTube, other partner apps such as Netflix and Google Play Movies, HDR and Dolby Vision are also supported, and smartphones that record video at that quality. It can load 1.8 times faster.

The design is fairly simple, with the previous streaming dongles dropped in favour of the Google Cast, the "G" logo is the same as the Google Pixel and Pixel XL, and the USB port is at the bottom for power with a physical button, along with an indicator light on the right side, and an attach HDMI cable that magnetically sticks to the backside when unplugged.

The price tag is $69 (around RM285) and it will be available in November on the Google Store and at other retailers, in the USA.

Last but not least, the Google WiFi which was also revealed at the I/O 2016 event, made its appearance as the new option for the OnHub. Priced at $129 a piece (around RM534) or $299 (around RM948) for a 3-pack, the Google WiFi can create a larger "mesh network" around your home environment with multiple access points easy to create, resulting in a stronger network.

Owners can use their smartphone to control the device, "pausing access" for certain users. The company even went on to claim that a single Google WiFi router is stronger than most standard consumer-grade routers.

Pre-order will start in November, customers (presumably American citizens) can also join the wait list on the Google Store page.


Google I/O 2021 scheduled to start from 18 May for Android 12, Pixel 5a, and a big upgrade for Wear OS

Google I/O 2021 has been scheduled to take place starting from 18 to 20 May. At the event, the tech giant could be announcing Android 12, Pixel 5a smartphone, and more. However, a session titled "Create your first Tile in Wear" has caught attention by signaling that the Wear OS could be getting a big update.

It is worth mentioning that Google's smartwatch operating system rarely gets updates and that upsets the fans a lot. Therefore, many are anticipating the changes that Google will bring to the Wear OS at the event. Tiles are the smartwatch faces that come with specific functions and they were announced back in 2019. Judging by the title, it looks like Google is letting third-party apps get tiles as well.

Besides that, there are also other talks covering Google Assistant, Google Play, Firebase, Google Play Services, Android TV, Google Search, Google Pay, Chrome, Flutter, and more. We can't wait for all the surprises that Google will bring at the Google I/O this year.

Let us know if you're excited about the event on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave for more tech news.


Google I/O event cancelled this year to prevent COVID-19 spread

The COVID-19 virus is sure doing a "good job", but not so much for the tech industry as it has forced another big company to cancel out an event. This time, the Google I/O won't be happening followed by their Cloud Next event in San Francisco. The Google I/O was supposed to be held in mid-May 2020.

In a simple statement by a Google spokesperson, the cancellation was "due to concerns around the coronavirus (COVID-19), and in accordance with health guidance from the CDC, WHO, and other health authorities, we have decided to cancel the physical Google I/O event at Shoreline Amphitheatre”. All of the attendees who bought the 2020 Google I/O tickets will have a refund by 13 March. Also, they will also have the option to purchase the 2021 Google I/O ticket.

For those who don't know, Google I/O is one of the biggest tech events for tech fans. The company would announce new Android OS updates, new Google devices, as well as new Google services (like Gmail, Google Maps, etc) features. Although the event has been cancelled this year, the company is actually looking into “other ways to evolve Google I/O to best connect with and continue to build our developer community”. Perhaps they could try live streaming the event just like how Huawei and HONOR did.

Prior to the Google I/O cancellation, the 2020 Mobile World Congress and Facebook F8 developer conference were also cancelled because of the COVID-19 outbreak. We will keep an eye if Google decides to have a live stream event or not, so stay tuned for more Google news at TechNave.com.


Google Lens is getting an update and it's coming soon in your Chrome web browser

For those who don't know, Google Lens is a feature that is available on some Android smartphones. Thought to be an exclusive tech for Android phones, Google just announced that this technology is coming soon to the Google Chrome web browser.

To refresh your memory, you can use Google Lens in the camera to identify real-world objects then search them online. Not only that, but you can also highlight some texts and copy or translate them on the spot. How does that work on Chrome, though? Well, they provided a demo of how it functions and it also allows you to select the text, images and video contents without having to open another window tab.

To add on, Google also said that the team is improving Google Lens on Android phones further. One new feature is called the Multitask Unified Model (MUM) which lets you type questions about what you see on the viewfinder. This feature will be released in English first.

According to Google, Google Lens in Chrome is currently in development and will be available "in the coming months". This goes the same for the next Google Lens update for Android phones so we think they may be released at the same time together. What do you think about this? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Google Lens now recognizes over a billion items by reading product labels

Google Lens is probably smarter than you as it now can recognize over a billion items. The AI-powered tool is trained to read more product labels in order to recognise names and products. In addition, it gains data from photos taken on various smartphones.

The 1 billion figure is just a rough number of items that can be recognized by the app. Google Lens also gains information from a billion items listed in Google Shopping. There is a drawback to this, however, as it means that objects that aren’t too mainstream or widely known may slip by the app. Personally, I don’t think it would be too much of a bother as it casts a wide net on things that consumers mostly want to know.

Google Lens can already recognize people, Wi-Fi names and more thus far. In only a year, the app’s item repertoire grew from a mere 250000 items when it first launched to over a billion now. I’m excited to see how much more Google Lens could grow and what other functions would be able to be born from it. I’ll make sure you’ll be the first to know when you follow TechNave.com!