News

Android 12 Beta: Everything you need to know

Published

May 19, 2021

Rodneil Quiteles

Android’s redesign over the years, while helpful, hasn’t been too striking. Ever since the implementation of Material Design, Google’s mobile OS has largely looked the same. That changes with Android 12 Beta.

With Android 12, Google has revamped everything from the overall experience, colors, shapes, lights, and motion.

Material You

Google’s approach to Android 12 is to make sure it’s designed for you, for us, the users. In that vein, they’re calling this new design language Material You. This means a deeper integration of hardware and software.

In a separate media session, a Google representative pointed out that when Material Design first came out, Google wasn’t making their own hardware yet. That has since changed, and Material You is their answer to a more harmonious hardware and software.

Custom Color Palette

A Pixel-only feature, Custom Color Palette lets users completely personalize Android 12 with their color of choice along with redesigned widgets.

Based on your wallpaper, it will use color extraction to identify which colors are dominant, which are complimentary and will then apply these colors throughout the entire OS. That’s everything from the widgets, notification shade, lock screen, and more.

Redesigned System Spaces

This is perhaps one of the most different-looking aspects of Android 12 Beta. Instead of tiny icons, the Quick Settings area now provides more information on each setting. This makes it easier for the user to control pretty much the primary settings of the entire OS by just swiping and tapping.

The Google Pay and Home controls have also been added to Quick Settings for faster access and easier customization.

These also sit nicely with your notifications that also look extra clean and is very much in line with the look of the Quick Settings.

Private and Secure

While we’re in Quick Settings, a new addition gives you access to the Privacy Dashboard. Here you can toggle permissions like mic and camera usage per app. Google says this is almost akin to physically covering the cameras on your phone.

The Privacy Dashboard also gives you granular control as to what data is being accessed and tracked. If you don’t want an app track a certain thing, you can easily revoke the permission from this dashboard.

Location tracking is also even deeper now as you get to choose whether you share your precise location or just your general one. Or perhaps not at all. The idea is that you have full control.

Google is also introducing Android Private Compute Core to Android 12. They say it helps them show features that are private by design while keeping the users’ personal information safe, private, and local to the phone.

Fluid Motions and Animations

Naturally, with any OS update, comes the promises of better and smoother overall animation. Google says Android 12 will feel alive with every tap, swipe, and scroll. Performance improvements include reducing the CPU time needed for core system services by up to 22% and reducing the use of big cores by the system server by up to 15%.

Compatible Devices

As of writing these are the devices that we know will be compatible with Android 12 Beta:

All Google Pixel phones
ASUS Zenfone 8
OPPO Find X3 Pro
OnePlus 9
OnePlus 9 Pro
realme (devices not yet specified)
Sharp (devices not yet specified)
Nokia X20
Xiaomi Mi 11
Xiaomi Mi Ultra
Mi 11i/ Mi 11XPro
iQOO 7 Legend
TCL 20 Pro 5G
Tecno Camon 17
ZTE Axon 30 Ultra 5G (China only)

Interested testers can download the firmware here.

Related Topics:Android Android 12 Android 12 Beta Google Google Pixel Pixel

Gaming

2026’s The Game Awards will stream live on Disney+

Published

November 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Annually, The Game Awards have become a sort of second Christmas for gamers. Besides a celebration of the past year in the world of videogames, the event hosts trailers for games of the upcoming year and beyond. Though it’s already free on several platforms, viewers can now tune in to Disney+ to watch this year’s Game Awards.

Hosted as always by Geoff Keighley, 2026’s The Game Awards will happen on December 10 at 7:30pm ET. Most of the event will award the best titles of various categories for the year. Several publishers and developers also use the event to announce their upcoming titles. It’s for these reasons that a lot of gamers catch the event every year.

This year, The Game Awards is streaming live on Disney+. This is in addition to its usual platforms including Twitch and YouTube. The Disney+ stream will be available in the United States and select territories internationally.

For now, gamers can also vote on their picks for various categories via the event’s website.

On the other hand, Disney+ has been pushing live events more adamantly. In the Philippines, for example, the platform is the home for live NBA coverage. Though it’s not as strong as Netflix’s gaming push with its assortment of free games, Disney+’s addition of the annual awards show is a worthy go for gamers.

Enterprise

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang resigns after scandals

Published

November 12, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

NVIDIA’s week is finally and mercifully coming to an end. After being implicated in two extramarital affairs, now-former NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has resigned from his position.

It’s been a terrible week for Huang’s personal life. Last weekend, a bombshell report revealed that Huang engaged in an affair with Alice Huang, who is reportedly involved with Chinese intelligence. Quickly realizing the heaviness of the allegations, the CEO admitted quickly to the affair.

However, barely 24 hours ago, another report revealed that Huang had a second extramarital affair. Though he was clear of any more espionage allegations, his romantic affair of choice was another executive within the company. NVIDIA’s board of directors quickly debated whether Huang should be fired for his actions.

Now, Huang has voluntarily resigned from his position. The former CEO leaves behind his spot at the head of the table since cofounding NVIDIA in 1993.

In his stead, the board of directors have named incumbent CFO Colette Kress as the company’s interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent replacement. Despite her interim role, Kress will continue her duties as CFO.

Additionally, the board has named Harvey C. Jones, a member of board since its founding, as its first chair of the board.

Though the company will leave most of the controversy behind with Huang’s departure, its next chapter is about to begin. Will its new direction maintain the company’s tenuous balance between AI and gaming, or tip the scales towards one segment?

News

St. Peter reunited people with their deceased loved ones through tech

The new “If Heaven Could Write” campaign generates letters from the imagined perspectives of loved ones.

Published

November 11, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Grieving can take many forms. Sometimes, it manifests through a desire to hear a loved one again. We look at their old clothing, a gust of wind, or a butterfly, and imagine them talking to us one more time. This year, St. Peter, through the power of technology, gave 11,000 people that chance through its new “If Heaven Could Write” campaign.

During St. Peter Deathcare Week, which ran from October 27 through November 2, the deathcare provider started the “If Heaven Could Write” campaign, an interactive digital experience that offered participants a chance to reunite with their deceased loved ones. It was available in 37 St. Peter Chapels and 76 cemeteries nationwide.

Upon scanning a QR code which took them to a portal, participants answered questions about their loved ones. Then, the portal generates a personal letter from the imagined perspective of the participant’s loved one, giving them one more chance to converse.

Of course, an imagined letter can’t replace someone who passed away. Still, the experience affords us a way to grieve and process the loss. No, the letter isn’t really from your loved one, but you can imagine what they would have said while reading through it. And sometimes, that’s all we need.

Though St. Peter Deathcare Week has already come and gone for the year, those interested can still participate in the campaign through its link.