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Android One was never really dead

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Earlier today, Xiaomi launched the Mi A1, which is the international version of the Mi 5X. Doesn’t sound so exciting at first, but the real story here is the reintroduction of Android One to the world.

As it turns out, Android One was never really dead. We questioned its existence a year ago after noticing a lack of smartphones with the pure operating system installed, and having witnessed only a few signs of life since then.

In a blog entry posted right after Xiaomi’s announcement, Google makes it seem like Android One was active all along, although they could barely name more than one manufacturer that has supported the platform in the past year. The search giant then mentioned its plans to work with “more partners” — notice the plural form there.

From our own database, the two most prominent backers of Android One have been General Mobile and Sharp, which aren’t exactly household names in the smartphone business, but were vital in keeping the ship afloat.

Android One is an excellent platform to build on, and shouldn’t have lost the momentum started by its initial launch in 2014. The first generations of smartphones under the program had the purest form of the operating system, as well as access to the latest Android updates and security patches.

Buying an Android One phone was like going for a Nexus (still remember those?) minus the added premium. The platform made a name for itself with affordable handsets without any bloatware from manufacturers or telcos, which is the true essence of open-sourced Android in the first place.

If Google’s partnership with Xiaomi is a sign of things to come, we’re in for a smooth ride. Xiaomi’s presence is well established in the two most populated consumer markets in the world: China and India. The two nations also have a strong preference toward products that are easy on the pockets — something that Google and Xiaomi can capitalize on with offerings like the Mi A1.

The questions that remain are: Is Xiaomi’s worldwide recognition enough to bring Android One back to prominence? And will this partnership lead to more opportunities for Android purists to get the latest updates without spending for a Pixel?

Google is well known for leaving projects in the dust — look no further than Project Ara and Google Glass as examples — but Android One is neither just a project or another operating system; it’s still the company’s gateway to the next five billion.

SEE ALSO: Xiaomi unveils Mi A1 with Android One and dual cameras

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3D printing made accessible: Bambu Lab enters Philippine market

Empowering consumers to create tangible objects

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Photos from Rodneil Quiteles

China-based brand Bambu Lab has officially entered the Philippine market in a bid to reshape how consumers perceive and use 3D printing technology.

Established in Shenzhen, China in 2020, Bambu Lab aims to make 3D printing more accessible, practical, and relevant to daily life through printers and other supplies.

The goal is to support practical home use, creative hobbies, product design, and even specialized tools, while putting emphasis on ease of use.

With such optics, Bambu Lab is trying to make consumers feel that there is less deep technical knowledge required and that they can actually create physical objects with 3D printing.

One of their products is the entry-level Bambu Lab A1 mini, which is compact enough to fit on a small desk.

The brand also has more advanced models which are capable of printing multiple colors and materials on a single run.

To complement the hardware ecosystem, Bambu Lab’s open platform MakerWorld lets users browse, select, and print from an extensive library of shared 3D designs directly from their own desktops.

The platform features a wide variety of objects across multiple categories. There’s household items, DIY tools, children’s toys, props, and educational materials.

In the Philippines, Bambu Lab will open its first concept store at One Ayala, Makati City. The concept corner will give mallgoers the opportunity to see the range of 3D printers and consumables firsthand.

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Samsung teases anti-shoulder surfing privacy feature

A “new layer of privacy” coming to Galaxy phones soon

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Samsung has teased a “new layer of privacy” to shield users’ phones primarily from shoulder surfing.

Although there haven’t been any specifics yet, this “new layer” could be quite literal, as in an added display technology on Samsung devices.

Samsung says users can customize it to raise their guard with specific apps, or when entering access details for more private areas of their phones.

Moreover, there are multiple settings for adjusting visibility. This way, users can limit what others can see based on the level of privacy protection they need.

They can likewise choose to protect specific parts of the experience, such as notification pop-ups. In a way, it’s a tailored approach that lets users fine-tune or switch off entirely, rather than a blanket one.

It also eliminates the need to go through apps one by one and adjust settings, as in the case of notifications.

Samsung adds that the process took five years of engineering, testing, and refining, hence the careful and deliberate roll-out instead of a sudden one.

This process included studying how individuals use their phones, what they consider private, and how security should feel in everyday life.

The result, Samsung says, is a fusion of hardware and software expertly calibrated to protect users while on their phones.

This latest development is part of a series of Galaxy innovations to keep users safe. Samsung has been introducing topnotch mobile protection with Knox Vault, Knox Matrix, and more features.

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Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold reveals US$ 2,899 price tag

It’s still cheaper than the Huawei Mate XT.

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Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold

Late last year, Samsung finally revealed the Galaxy Z TriFold, its official entry into the three-paneled market. Even only from its initial announcement, the Galaxy Z TriFold already looks mighty good, more so than its Android-less counterpart from Huawei. But, as with everything, it still depends on the price. How much will Samsung’s trifold phone cost? Now, we have an idea.

Today in the United States, Samsung has announced that the Galaxy Z TriFold will already be available in the country starting this week. From January 30, users can start trying out the phone for themselves in Samsung Experience Stores. They can also grab the device through Samsung.com.

Because the phone is already available, the price tag is out as well. In the United States, the Galaxy Z TriFold will set you back by at least US$ 2,899.

Despite how eye-watering that price is, it’s still a step below the Huawei Mate XT when that launched last year. (For reference, the Android-less Mate XT launched for a miserable EUR 3,499.)

Still, spending almost three thousand dollars on a phone might not be the most appealing decision for a lot of people. This price is also almost a full thousand dollars more than the Galaxy Z Fold7, which starts at US$ 1,999. On the bright side, the Galaxy Z TriFold is taking a big step in “democratizing” the trifold market before it takes over the industry.

If you’re interested in adding this to your cart, the Galaxy Z TriFold has a huge 10-inch screen, a custom Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage. It also has a 200-megapixel main camera and a 5600mAh battery.

All that in mind, is US$ 2,899 a justifiable price for the Galaxy Z TriFold?

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