• I've dropped One Angry Gamer from my list of sources because I'm sick of the bullshit that goes on in the comments over there.  They may just be trolling, but I've had enough.  Looking for a site that covers that sort of news that isn't run by crazy people.
  
  
• Apple will be forced to open its NFC function to other payment processors.  (9to5Mac)
  
  The ruling comes from Germany, but there's an investigation going on in Australia over this as well.
  
  
• Dell's latest XPS 13 2-in-1 has an Ice Lake CPU.  (AnandTech)
  
  That means up to 4 cores (meh) but also up to 64 graphics cores (which I already have in my HP Spectre).
  
  It comes with a 13.4" 1920x1200 or optionally a 3840x2400 16:10 display, which is nice in a market full of 16:9 screens.  There's no GPU cache, but it uses LPDDR4X-3733 RAM, providing about 50% more bandwidth than the typical 2400 or 2666 DDR4 RAM.
  
  It has dedicated PgUp and PgDn keys, but Home and End double up with F11 and F12. There is literally no spare room available though, so I'll give them a pass on that.
  
  Ports are minimal, but it includes the essentials: Two Thunderbolt 3, microSD, and headphone jack.  Weight is 1.33kg - 2.9lb.
  
  It's not cheap - fully configured with the 4K screen, 32GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD it comes to A$3999 - but it is the closest I've seen to my ideal laptop.  The 2-in-1 thing is of no use to me personally - it's a 180° hinge, not a detachable keyboard - but doesn't really detract from the device either.
  
  
  
  
• The Supreme Court will hear the appeal over the stupid Google v. Oracle Java API case.  (TechDirt)
  
  The original decision from about ninety years ago was carefully reasoned and clearly correct, so naturally it got overturned by the Federal Circuit.  The Supreme Court loves smacking the Federal Circuit around, so there's a good chance the original correct ruling will be reinstated.
  
  
• RISE 2020 will take place in 2021.  (Tech Crunch)
  
  This is - or was - a huge annual tech conference held in Hong Kong.  Not any more.
  
  Thanks China.
  
  
• Facebook is busy working on its Libra blockchain platform thingy.  (Tech Crunch(
  
  Because all those bothersome regulations only apply to running a blockchain.  You can develop and release whatever the hell code you want.
  
  
• Amazon is a flea market of fake crap.  (Washington Post)
  
  No shit, Sherlock, says everyone who has ever gone shopping for an SD card.
  
  
• Google has cancelled its weekly all-hands meetings after discovering the company is run by idiots.  (CNBC)
  
  
  
  
• A new Chrome feature intended to save memory ran amok Tuesday and killed over five trillion people.  (ZDNet)
  
  More specifically, a lot of companies depending on internal web apps tested and deployed for Chrome discovered that the new feature would save memory by delivering them to the White Screen of Death.
  
  
• Don't charge that phone!  (ZDNet)
  
  Fake or hijacked public USB charging stations can hack your phone and send your private data off to Latveria in milliseconds.
  
  
• Most Americans correctly believe they are being constantly tracked.  (MIT Technology Review)
  
  I already used no shit, Sherlock, didn't I?
  
  
• Three executives from Apple's custom CPU division have left to start their own company.  (9to5Mac)
  
  They are planning to compete not with other mobile chip designers (tricky) but with Intel and AMD for the mainstream market (all but impossible).
  
  Within five years they'll be out of money and someone will buy them.
  
  
• A couple of days ago I said of the Realme 5 Pro that

  It would be even easier if Oppo would just ship stock Android and stop screwing things up

  Well.
  
  This is the Umidigi (formerly UMI) F1.
  
  
  
  It has a mid-range Helio P60 CPU (four A73 and four A53 cores), a 6.3" 2340x1080 screen with a teardrop notch, 4GB RAM, 128GB flash, 16MP front and rear cameras, dual SIM cards or one SIM and one microSD, a headphone jack, a fingerprint reader, and a USB-C connector.
  
  And stock Android.
  
  Android 9.0 at the time of this review in May, not sure if there's been an update yet.  (GadgetGuy)

  Setup is typical stock Android with no hint of a UI or other overlays, nor does it try to get you to create a UMIDIGI account at setup – good so far. And you can recover old apps by signing into Google Play or copy apps and data over from another Android phone.

  A$280 from Amazon Australia with free delivery.  (Or A$250 for the boring looking black version.)
  There is also an F1 Play model selling for A$300.
  
  The difference is a bit confusing: The Play is mostly the same, but is configured as 6/64GB rather than 4/128GB and has a 48MP main camera.  For just A$20 more, that's an interesting tradeoff, since with stock Android it should support adoptable storage and I can add another 200GB no problem.  (And even if that doesn't work 64GB for apps and 200GB for storage is fine.)
  
  Only catch is that model ships directly from Umidigi, rather than from Amazon, so another week for delivery, and if you need to return it you may have a problem.
  
  Now, the interesting thing is in between those two - yes, exactly splitting the A$20 price difference at A$290 - is the Umidigi X.  This is again a Helio P60 with a 6.3" 2340x1080 screen, 4GB RAM and 128GB storage, dual SIM or SIM plus microSD, a headphone jack, and an AMOLED screen with in-screen fingerprint sensor.
  
  Oh, found the catch.  That Amazon page lies.  The screen on the AMOLED model is actually 1548x720.  (Umidigi)
  
  That's not terrible, but I do want a 1080p display.  Because my next tablet might well be this phone and a new pair of reading glasses.
  
  Finally, if you've decided that you're not willing to compromise, the Umidigi S3 Pro at A$350 comes in a 6/128GB configuration with a 48MP main camera and a Helio P70...  Which is about 5% faster than the P60.
  
  But it's not available in shiny red.
  
  I think the F1 is the safest choice since it ships from Amazon themselves and includes an Australian fast charger.
  
  Really the only reason not to buy the Umidigi F1 is that they just announced the Umidigi F2.
  
  Upgrades include 6GB RAM, a 6.5" screen, room for two SIMs and a microSD card, Android 10, a quad-camera array with a 48MP main sensor, and a 32MP selfie camera.  It looks like it will be more expensive, and it's also not shipping yet.

Posted by: Wonderduck at Saturday, November 16 2019 09:24 PM (18xJF)

Posted by: Rick C at Sunday, November 17 2019 07:53 AM (Iwkd4)

Posted by: Rick C at Sunday, November 17 2019 07:55 AM (Iwkd4)

Posted by: Mauser at Sunday, November 17 2019 05:31 PM (Ix1l6)

Posted by: Mauser at Sunday, November 17 2019 05:36 PM (Ix1l6)

Posted by: Jay at Sunday, November 17 2019 11:34 PM (vuQH5)

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