Windows 10’s next major update arrives in October

Microsoft is officially unveiling the name for its next major Windows 10 update today. Previously codenamed Redstone 5, the “Windows 10 October 2018 Update” will arrive at some point in October. It will include a number of new features for devices, like a new cloud clipboard that syncs across machines, a dark File Explorer, an updated snipping tool, improvements to Microsoft Edge, and performance information in the Xbox Game Bar.
Microsoft’s naming follows the Windows 10 April 2018 Update that was released earlier this year. Microsoft is expected to conclude development of the October update by the end of September, and it should be available to Windows Insiders by early October followed by regular consumers.
Microsoft is now focusing on its next Windows 10 update, codenamed 19H1. This update will likely arrive in April 2019, and the company has not yet revealed which major features will be included. Testing for 19H1 begun in late July, and it’s possible we might see the return of the Sets feature that won’t be included in the Windows 10 October 2018 Update.

Sony’s latest speaker is a soccer ball-sized portable party machine with Google Assistant

Sony’s Extra Bass speakers are pretty easy to spot: they’re big speakers with lots of LED lights and flashing strobes, and they’re designed to make your next block party or backyard gathering extra lit. But at IFA 2018, Sony is announcing the XB501G. It puts all that fun into a smaller, roughly soccer ball-sized package that lets you bring the party with you wherever you go.
The XB501G isn’t just about partying, though. It also has Google Assistant built in, essentially making it a larger, better-sounding Google Home (with strobe lights). There’s also the option to sync up a pair for stereo audio, too.
That said, if you do want to party it up (like the overly happy folks in Sony’s PR images), the XB501G can do it. It’s rated IP65 against splashes and dust, has a built-in handle for easy carrying, and offers 16 hours of battery life, plus the signature colorful lights and strobes. There’s even USB-C!
The XB501G is set to release sometime in October for $299.99

This tilting kettle will make your coffee-loving friends livid

I’m a geek about a whole bunch of things, though coffee isn’t one of them. But, boy, do passions run hot when coffee preparation becomes the subject of a discussion. Take this recent Kickstarter, called The Automatica, as a good example. What I see is a cute gadget with a really appealing promo video. Set to a minimalist soundtrack of guitar strumming and engine rumbling, the video treats us to a view of the Salt Lake City skyline at sunset before moving on to pleasing closeups of bubbles foaming up as the coffee is filtered through the machine. The narration is calming and friendly. I kind of want to hang out with the makers of this gadget, they seem like good, chilled-out people.

Coffee-loving gadget nerds, though, they see through all of this facade and ask, “wait, isn’t this just a kettle that tilts?” To which the brief answer is “yes.” The longer answer, as per the Kickstarter pitch, is that the Automatica “controls temperature, flow rate, volume, pour pattern, and time so you don’t have to.” My colleagues are in uproar over this completely unnecessary design — engineered solutions for automated pour over coffee already exist and they’re self-contained little boxes — but, in all honesty, I like it exactly because it’s unnecessary. The tipping motion is like a one-step Rube Goldberg machine, and for me it triggers childhood memories of quirky inventions I’ve seen in comics and animated movies where the human is replaced by a clumsy mechanical concoction.

Google prepares for Pixel Watch with mandatory Wear OS app reviews and a rumored fitness coach

Google is making changes to its Wear OS app review process that could improve the quality of software on the platform. It’s also reportedly working on a fitness coach/assistant for wearables. Put together, it sure seems like the company is preparing for some sort of wearable release. Google said yesterday that Wear OS apps will have to go through a mandatory “light review process,” perhaps in an effort to improve the Play Store offerings ahead of announcing a rumored Pixel Watch in October. The reviews for new apps start on October 1st while reviews for existing apps will begin March 4, 2019.
Google already offers an optional review, which it rolled out with Android Wear 2.0, but it says this new process is designed to improve the app quality and presentation. The most common issue, it says, has to do with screen size because Wear OS apps are available for both square and round displays, which might also include various bezels.
VentureBeat reporter and frequent gadget leaker Evan Blass said to expect a new Google smartwatch this fall, and now, Android Police has published additional rumors about a feature called Google Coach.
The service would recommend workout routines, track your progress, and recommend alternatives if you miss a workout. It would also log your activity and maybe even suggest healthy meal options. It could create a meal plan, too, and a shopping list.

How to install Fortnite on Android

Epic Games launched its battle royale hit Fortnite on Android devices last week with a big catch: it was exclusive to Samsung-made phones for a few days as a way to help market the new Samsung Galaxy Note 9. Now, the exclusivity period appears to be over, and beta invite codes are going out to select users of non-Samsung phones like the Google Pixel 2 XL.
If you’re itching to dive off the battle bus on mobile, you might have to hold on just a little while longer: there appears to be a waiting list, just like there was when the game launched on iOS. There’s also a bit of trickiness involving exactly how you get the app because Epic announced it would be distributing the Android version of Fortnite on its own terms.
Last week, the app was distributed through Samsung’s app store, and Epic is using its own website and a Fortnite Installer program to distribute the game more widely on all compatible Android devices. (Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said this is basically to avoid paying Google’s 30 percent cut on in-app purchases.)
Given this unprecedented arrangement, here’s a step-by-step breakdown to make sure you’re prepared and understand the best way to start playing Fortnite on Android.

Google Play warns users it doesn’t carry Fortnite Battle Royale

Google is warning Android users that it doesn’t carry Fortnite Battle Royale in the Play Store. If you search for Fortnite in the Play Store, it will return a notice from Google. “Fortnite Battle Royal by Epic Games, Inc is not available on Google Play,” the sign says, likely as a clarification to users, as first spotted by 9to5Google.
By saying upfront that the Play Store doesn’t have Fortnite, Google is attempting to protect unknowing users who might download some malicious clone of the app.
Epic Games requires users who want to run Fortnite on Android to download an APK of the beta directly from its site. The decision essentially cuts Google out of potential revenue from app purchases, which would have been a 30 percent cut.
Android settings also usually dissuade users from downloading apps from “unknown sources,” likely as another safety mechanism and a way to maintain the importance of the Play Store as the main source for apps.

YouTube now recommends the best phones for video playback, and it doesn’t suggest an iPhone

At its Note 9 announcement today, Samsung boasted the new phablet is a “YouTube Signature Device” for 2019. If you haven’t heard of that certification before, that’s because it’s a brand-new program YouTube just launched. The YouTube Device Report recommends the best smartphones, which it calls “signature devices,” for watching YouTube. These phones feature the ability to watch 360-degree footage, support for high dynamic range, high frame rate, 4K decoding, next-generation codecs, and reliable DRM performance. Google says its team evaluates each device and works with manufacturers to fix video playback performance and capability issues.
The report launches with 18 devices, with the aforementioned Note 9 alongside other popular smartphones like the Pixel 2 XL, the OnePlus 6, and the HTC U12 Plus. Notably, none of the devices is an iPhone, which might make you feel sad (or understandably neutral since YouTube, Google, and Android are all part of the same company anyway). Apple also doesn’t support the VP9 video codec, which Google developed, which is why Safari users don’t have the option to watch footage in 4K.