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Qualcomm announces Snapdragon 855, promises 5G phones in 2019

Moving to 5G will be more seamless than 4G

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“5G is here.”

Chipmaker Qualcomm is making bold promises about the future of connectivity and computing on the first day of its Snapdragon Tech Summit in Maui. But unlike previous discussions on 5G, these claims are backed up by actual hardware.

Today the tech giant is showing off a 5G smartphone (reference device) running its new Snapdragon 855 system on a chip (SoC).

AT&T and Verizon have also set up actual 5G networks on the island, giving us our closest 5G hands-on experience to date.

The three-day summit brings together global mobile operators, infrastructure providers, and device makers, all of which have been working on expediting the rollout of 5G devices and services. Qualcomm says that unlike the transition to 4G, the switch to 5G will be faster and more seamless, “5G is so important that the whole industry is moving at the same pace.”

Qualcomm is also promising 5G smartphones in the first half of 2019. Sharing the stage with Qualcomm is Samsung, who is also showing off a 5G prototype at the event. Earlier this week, Samsung and Verizon announced plans to release a 5G phone in the US in the first half of next year.

Of course, this chip comes with a helping of advanced features. The most prominent one may be the fourth-generation multi-core AI Engine, which offers three times the AI performance compared to Qualcomm’s older SoCs.

Qualcomm also touts its use of the first-ever Computer Vision (CV) ISP to improve computational photography and video capture features. The gamer aspect isn’t left out either, thanks to Snapdragon Elite Gaming to boost performance on premium devices.

Most interestingly, Qualcomm’s 3D Sonic Sensor is part of the package. It’s the world’s first commercial ultrasonic fingerprint system that can be placed under the display. The company claims it’s more accurate and secure than anything else currently in the market.

The Snapdragon Tech Summit in Maui is still underway, so stay tuned for more details in the coming days.

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Samsung invites iPhone users to ‘install’ One UI

It’s a virtual try-on

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There are a few things more difficult than getting an iPhone user to try Android and vice versa. In a continued effort to grab some of the market from the other, Samsung has introduced a new way for iPhone users to take a gander at the other side of things.

Simply dubbed Try Galaxy, the new program allows users to virtually try One UI from the comforts of their device. Of course, it won’t replace the iPhone’s iOS software with Samsung’s own. It’s just a small web app.

The tool, installed through a website, simulates One UI 5.1. It includes the system’s suite of apps tailored for Samsung. It can even simulate a message thread and rifling through Samsung’s settings.

Whereas brick-and-mortar Samsung stores offer a way to try devices personally, Try Galaxy makes the process much easier. Unfortunately, pulling a user into another brand rarely relies on the user interface exclusively. If anything, the program might alleviate the worries of those scared to adopt a different system.

That said, Samsung has a very specific target in mind. The program does not work on any other device. Only Apple’s devices can access the new tool. If you try the new tool on, say, a Pixel 6, the website tells you that you’re already on an Android and prompts you to share the link with those who have an iPhone.

SEE ALSO: Samsung defends AI ‘faking’ moon photos

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Gaming

E3 2023 is cancelled

Both in-person and digital

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Throughout the past few months, E3 has suffered through devastating losses. Though the conference was still scheduled to push through later this year, the event’s biggest names — Nintendo, Sony, and Xbox — have pulled out of the event for their own exclusive launches. Now, the death knell is clear: E3 2023 is reportedly cancelled.

First dropped by IGN, the bombshell announcement supposedly comes from a leaked email sent by Entertainment Software Association. The email, which was verified by IGN, states that the event “simply did not garner the sustained interest necessary to execute it in a way that would showcase the size, strength, and impact of our industry.”

Back in February, Nintendo, Sony, and Xbox reportedly pulled out of the event. All three companies were still slated to hold separate events in some form during the conference. However, more recently, Ubisoft also pulled out, holding an in-person event in the Los Angeles area.

Now, it’s clear. A few minutes after IGN dropped the news, E3’s official Twitter account confirmed the news and announced the cancellation of the 2023 conference. Both in-person and digital conferences will no longer push through.

For the past few years, the annual E3 conference seesawed between outright cancellation and exclusively digital programs because of the pandemic. This year was supposed to be the glorious return of the conference to an in-person event. However, with the new digital zeitgeist and an increased interest in smaller events, the writing on the wall is clear: E3 is gone, at least for the time being.

SEE ALSO: Ubisoft pulls out of E3 2023

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Apps

Instagram announces collaborative collections feature

Share memes much more easily

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Though the platform was generally intended to share photos with your friends, Instagram can have its fair share of memes. However, sharing memes on Instagram can be as tedious as passing links from thread to thread. Today, the platform is introducing a better way to share content with one another.

Announced on Twitter, Instagram is launching collaborative collections. Starting today, users can bookmark posts into a new folder that other users can also see.

As with saving posts, the feature is accessible through the bookmark icon on the bottom-right corner of the post. However, users can now create a collaborative collection which can be toggled to allow friends to join and see what you saved. Once added to a collection, your friends can add and remove content from the collection themselves.

It’s not a completely public feature, though. If you share an image from a private account, collaborators must also be following that specific account to see the shared post. Likewise, if the post’s creator deletes the post, it also disappears from the collection. Besides the main feed, Instagram users can also create collaborative collections from chats.

Naturally, the feature has other uses besides sharing memes. Users who are collaborating on a project can also share their ideas and inspirations with one another. For example, a family designing their new home can share their ideas for rooms. A group of friends going on a road trip can share destination ideas.

SEE ALSO: Facebook, Instagram verification badge launches in the US

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