News

Latest iOS update addresses COVID-19 concerns

It can now prompt you exposure notification alerts

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As we all try to combat the coronavirus or COVID-19, tech companies are making sure that their consumers are getting reliable information in this pandemic. In the latest iOS 13.5 update, Apple has implemented a faster way to unlock your iPhone (or latest iPad Pro) by enabling Face ID even if you’re wearing a face mask. In the previous beta version released last April, the method was slow to some users.

Another new feature in this iOS update is the ability to show Apple and Google’s exposure notification. As recent as last month’s joint partnership made by the two tech giants, they started implementing better means of contact tracing by releasing APIs for app developers of public health agencies.

If you made contact with someone who possibly contracted COVID-19, a notification alert will pop-up. The feature is inactive not until you install an app that supports the API. Moreover, these two companies are consistently making efforts in pushing this as a built-in feature in future software versions, even if you don’t have an app installed.

Also, a minor FaceTime update lets the user switch off auto-resizing of video panes when someone is speaking. This way, users who get distracted have the ability to turn off the feature completely.

SEE ALSO: Apple donates 20M masks. will make 1M face shields a week

Entertainment

Neon Genesis Evangelion is getting another anime series

Nier’s Yoko Taro is helming the project.

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For an anime franchise that surely belongs in greatest-of-all-time lists, Neon Genesis Evangelion seems to thrive on controversy. From the polarizing ending of the original series to the controversial introduction of Mari Makinami in the Rebuild trilogy, there’s a lot to talk about between Evangelion fans. Now, the series has something new coming. Neon Genesis Evangelion is getting yet another series.

Most recently, the Rebuild of Evangelion completed its arc of rebooting the entire franchise with a more conclusive ending. It was a near conclusion, especially for those who grew dissatisfied with the previous attempts’ endings. Now, an upcoming series might take the franchise to new grounds.

To celebrate the franchise’s 30th anniversary, Neon Genesis Evangelion is getting a new series helmed by Nier’s Yoko Taro, which you might also know as the guy who wears a creepy moon on his head. Kazuya Tsurumaki, who directed the Rebuild films, will return to direct some episodes. Series creator Hideaki Anno is, unfortunately, not writing this story.

Right now, no one knows what story the series will tell. The franchise is notorious for retelling the same story over and over but with different endings. It’s unclear whether the upcoming series will do the same, tell an entirely new story, or pick up where the series left off.

SEE ALSO: Crunchyroll Winter 2026 anime season lineup and schedule

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News

Nothing releases first look at Phone (4a)

The phone is still scheduled to launch on March 5.

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Judging by their irreverent advertising as of late, Nothing wants to upstage Apple during the scheduled launch of the iPhone 17e. Specifically, the brand is launching the Nothing Phone (4a) a day after Apple’s event. Now, it looks like the wait got too long, even for the company itself. Ahead of the launch, Nothing has just revealed our first official look at the upcoming phone.

There is a lot riding on this phone. Earlier this year, Carl Pei confirmed that the brand will not launch the Phone (4) series this year. Instead, Nothing’s flagship spot for 2026 (or, at least, closest to it) will be reserved for the Phone (4a).

Like the previous years of the (a) series, the Phone (4a) is a notch below the flagship series but can still stand on its own. For one, it’s expected to launch with the latest Snapdragon 7 series chipset.

However, for the released photo, we got a look at the device’s rear. Like the Phone (3a), the Phone (4a) will have a center-aligned camera island.

There is a bit more going on with the phone, though. The photo teases the new Glyph Bars, the latest iteration of Nothing’s iconic lighting system. There’s also the red square usually prevalent in the flagship series.

As for aesthetic, the Phone (4a) looks simpler than its predecessors. We’re still getting the faux machinery designs, but there’s less lines and angles. It looks the closest to the flagship series than any of its predecessors.

Thankfully, the wait for the reveal isn’t long. Nothing is scheduled to launch the series on March 5.

SEE ALSO: Nothing confirms Phone (4a) launch by trolling Apple

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Gaming

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen are coming to the Switch

Both games will be available starting February 27.

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Millennials, prepare to have your nostalgia get hit right in the feels. Nintendo has officially announced that Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen are coming to the Switch.

This year, the Pokémon franchise is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Naturally, with Pokémon Day coming up, it’s only right to celebrate the event with something huge. Finally, two of the most prolific titles in the series are coming to a modern console.

Originally released in 2004, Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen were remakes of the original Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue. At the time, the two titles reimagined the older games for the Game Boy Advance. Additionally, they introduced new post-game content set in the Sevii Islands, where Ho-Oh, Lugia, and Deoxys reside in the Kanto region.

Based on the short teaser trailer, the upcoming Switch versions will feature all of both games’ content. It will likely be remastered for the Switch’s larger screen.

To showcase more of the Switch version, Nintendo is hosting a Pokémon Presents on February 27. The brand has not mentioned anything about a potential physical version yet. However, they do promise that both games will be available on the Nintendo eShop as soon as next week’s Pokémon Presents concludes. Each game will cost US$ 19.99.

SEE ALSO: A Pokémon leak reveals an MMO-style remake of Hoenn, Sinnoh

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