Apps
Google rolls out Android Oreo (Go edition) for budget phones
The launch of a new Android version is a thrill often enjoyed only by Android aficionados. With the new Android Oreo (Go edition), Google hopes to bring the excitement back to a wider audience — the entry-level segment.
Google is bundling the new Android Oreo (Go edition) with the impending Android 8.1 update. The Go edition will be pushed to lower-end phones.
The Go edition optimizes the Android experience for limited hardware by fine-tuning the phone’s performance, storage, and security.
Since entry-level phones have lower-end hardware, performance is always an issue. Even with just 512MB of RAM, the Go edition improves these phones’ memory usage to run apps more efficiently. Google boasts that the average app will run 15 percent faster on the Go edition.
The Go edition also comes with a flurry of new optimized Google apps that are light on both memory and storage. These include Google Go, Google Assistant Go, and Files Go, among many others.
Google Go redesigns Google Search, reducing the search-as-you-type app to its bare essentials; this Lite version weighs in at less than 5MB in size. Meanwhile, Assistant Go brings the voice-activated assistant to the budget phone. As reported previously, the new Files Go app manages your files and saves up to 1GB of storage every month.
The Go edition comes bundled with an optimized Play Store, which recommends apps that run most efficiently on the device. It also comes with Google Play Protect, which scans apps on your device even when you’re offline.
The launch of the Android Oreo (Go edition) comes at the forefront of Google’s push for its “next billion users.” It maximizes the ASEAN region’s potential as an internet hub. India, for example, has already crossed the 400-million internet users mark.
The Go edition will bring Android Oreo to more users in more regions. Starting 2018, entry-level smartphones will ship with the special version installed.
SEE ALSO: 8 things you must know about Android 8.0 Oreo
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Apps
Firefox ad reunites all your favorite memes from decades ago
The Numa Numa Guy, Annoying Orange, and Chocolate Rain are back!
Before Tung Tung Tung Sahur and Skibidi Toilet, the early internet was populated by charismatic personalities looking to make their presences felt in a land that didn’t have a lot of rules yet. As early users, we danced to “Dragostea din tei,” belted out “Chocolate Rain,” and copied “Shoes” word-for-word. Today, Firefox is bringing all those good memories back for a grand reunion.
In a new ad, the web browser featured ten of the biggest stars of the early internet including the aforementioned Numa Numa Guy, Tay Zonday, and Shoes’ Kelly. You can also see Annoying Orange, Chuck Testa, Overly Attached Girlfriend, Bad Luck Brian, Where the Hell is Matt?, the Apparently Kid, and the Success Kid.
Now, this isn’t just a reunion. The ad has a clear message about today’s most concerning issue: AI. Everything has “built-in AI, always asking, asking, asking,” as the Annoying Orange said.
“They make money by following us, and somehow, I’m the creepy one?” the Overly Attached Girlfriend asked.
All these famous personalities are asking what happened to the internet today. Obviously, the big takeaway is that we should all go back to Firefox.
Compared to other browsers, Firefox has a lot of built-in features that offer a lot of control for users. For one, it has its own VPN for privacy. Secondly, reflecting the ad’s message against AI, the browser has a toggle to minimize AI features.
SEE ALSO: Google illegally destroys 250,000 trees for a single AI data center
Apps
Salesforce introduces Slack Frontline for deskless workers
Simple, secure, mobile-first way for deskless teams across retail, healthcare, manufacturing, field service
Salesforce is bridging the massive divide between corporate headquarters and deskless workers with the launch of Slack Frontline.
This new solution is designed specifically for retail associates, healthcare providers, factory workers, and field crews.
The mobile-first workspace brings communication, data, role-specific tools, and AI together in a single clutter-free app.
While frontline employees make up about 80 percent of the global workforce, they have historically been left out of workplace transformation, often relying on paper checklists, group texts, and broken communication loops.
Slack Frontline addresses these challenges by giving mobile workers up to 10 role-relevant channels, instant Huddles with headquarters, on-demand AI agents, and automated workflows.
Backed by Salesforce data and enterprise-grade security, the platform lets IT teams govern the entire workforce under one secure layer with employee ID sign-ins, multifactor authentication, and compliance configurations like HIPAA.
This ensures that critical updates, training materials, and shift handoffs reach workers directly in their pockets without needing corporate email addresses or shared terminals.
Moreover, the platform is tailored to transform operations across multiple industries, including retail, home healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality, and field services.
For instance, retail teams can instantly sync promotions and monitor inventory, while healthcare professionals can securely review patient histories and coordinate care on the go.
Manufacturing and hospitality teams benefit from drastically reduced downtime and faster issue resolution, cutting response times significantly.
Slack Frontline is available now as an add-on for businesses on the Slack Enterprise+ plan.
Apple Music is getting a revamp. In one of the tamer things going on with the brand today, Apple has introduced a new design language for its native music streaming platform.
In the midst of all the hubbub surrounding the iPhone Duo, Apple released a change in the visual identity of Apple Music. Rather than a static logo, the platform’s newest evolution offers a dynamic look that melds Liquid Glass and the power of sound together.
Confirmed through a behind-the-scenes video, Apple says that the new aesthetic was made with practical effects. Music producer Fred Again and NEST Acoustics submerged the platform’s logo in a tank of mineral oil and creating ripples with sound. The new language matches well with the chrome aesthetic typical of today’s trends and… well, Liquid Glass, of course.
Apple says that the more ripple-filled version will play before longer content like concert recordings (similar to Netflix’s startup stinger). Meanwhile, a black-and-white version will replace the app’s icon currently colored red and white. Current previews show off a simple logo, but it’s unknown whether Apple is adding a but more elements when the final version drops.
The updated version will debut for users after next week’s iOS 27.2 and macOS 27.2 updates.
SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone Duo Unboxing and Hands-on
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