Author: batteryforpc

The Core i7 processor is no longer the top dog in Intel’s CPU family but it remains a formidable component even if the Core i5 models have been upgraded to quad-core status. Even compared to the i9, It packs a powerful punch, as it shares plenty of higher end features with its more expensive brethren.

The most affordable laptop that carries an Intel Core i7 processor right now is the HP Laptop 15T (7fq32av) and it’s a great choice for those that are currently remote working. Other than the fact HP should have chosen a more memorable name, there’s not much to dislike about it.

At the heart of this laptop is an Intel Core i7-10510U CPU and, at $520 direct from HP, it costs less than most Core i5 devices we’ve seen but will likely deliver a far smoother computing experience.

The Laptop 15T is equipped with 8GB of DDR4 memory (upgradable) and a 128GB M.2 SATA SSD. Bluetooth 4.2 and 802.11ac connectivity are supplied by Realtek, while the operating system is Windows 10 Home.

There are two microphones to enhance calls and video conferencing (thanks to advanced noise reduction software), plus a card reader, a GbE port, three USB ports, an HDMI connector and an HD video camera.

Note, despite the machine’s entry level status, it comes with HP’s fast charge which allows its 41WHr battery to reach 50% charge in 45 minutes.

The screen remains its weak point; it’s HD only rather than full HD, and uses SVA technology rather than the superior IPS. On a 15.6-inch display, that is likely to be a sub-optimal experience.

At 3.84 pounds, it is not the lightest laptop around and its natural silver finish will certainly not turn heads.

Over the weekend, I received a message from a reader who was desperately trying to get Viber working on his Chromebook. What is Viber you ask? Yeah, I wasn’t exactly familiar with it either but over 1 billion people around the globe depend on Rakuten’s messaging platform for chat, calls and even video conferencing. The app itself looks really inviting and it appears to offer similar features to WhatsApp and many other chat apps.

Where Viber stands out is its ability to make voice calls internationally for quite less than standard phone plans and calling cards. You can chat with people on the Viber app or you can make calls that are referred to as “Viber Out” by adding money to your account balance and dialing just as you would with most applications. The one shortfall of Viber is that it does not offer a web-based interface like WhatsApp, Android Messages, Hangouts and the list goes on. I don’t know the reason for this but it is likely due to the fact that Viber prides itself as the “most secure” messenger on the planet.

That’s not to say Viber isn’t cross-platform. In order to use Viber, you will have to install the Android or iPhone application, link your phone number and then, you can install the desktop client on your Mac, PC or Linux device and sync them with a QR Code. Sadly, that does not include Chrome OS because there isn’t a web client. If your go-to device is mobile, this is really a non-issue but with so many people now working from home, installing Viber on a desktop can be a big productivity boost for tan eams using the messaging app.

That brings me back to my weekend conversation with the user of an HP Chromebook x360 14. After a little back and forth about the specifics of his situation, he told me he needed Viber for work and really wanted to use it on his Chromebook. My initial question was “why not use the Android app?” After installing and attempting I confirmed what was told to me by my inquisitor. The Viber Android app installs just fine. It even works just as you’d expect. The problems arise when you attempt to minimize the app. My poor Pixelbook Go immediately started freaking out and Viber went into an endless loop of opening and closing from which there was no recovery. My only option was to power down my Chromebook. Not a great experience especially if you’re multitasking and using the app for business purposes.

While I’d love to tell you that the Linux approach is a quick fix for this problem, it’s not quite that straightforward. If you absolutely need Viber on your Chromebook, you can do so and I will gladly walk you through the steps. (It’s super simple, really) The caveat is that you will only be able to use the Linux version of Viber for messaging. Crostini has yet to active microphone access by default (even though you can turn it on with a crosh command, it still doesn’t work for Viber) and camera access isn’t a thing either. Still, if you know this going in and you still want the desktop Viber chat experience, let’s get down to business.

There is a .deb file available for Viber but unfortunately, it throws an error when you try to install it on a Chromebook. Thankfully, we know that Linux on Chrome OS plays fairly well with Flatpaks. To get started, you will need to make sure you have Linux apps enabled and that your container is up-to-date. You can find those steps here. Now we will install Flatpak, the Flathub repo and the Viber Flatpak. You can do so by inputting the following three commands into the Linux terminal.

Once the installation is complete, you should have a Viber desktop icon in your launcher and you’re all set. Just open the app and sync it to your mobile device. Honestly, I’m very impressed with Viber and I think I’m going to take it for a test-drive for a few weeks. If you’re interested in trying it out with me, head over to Viber and download whatever versions are applicable to your devices. Stay tuned for more installments of the Command Line. We’ve got a lot more Linux stuff to cover.

If you have an older iOS device and were feeling left out when all the newer stuff got iOS 13.4, don’t worry as Apple hasn’t forgotten about you.

No, you’re not getting 13.4 but you will still get a security update. Apple also rolled out iOS 12.4.6 alongside 13.4 for older iOS devices that don’t support iOS or iPadOS 13. This includes the iPhone 5s, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, iPod touch (6th generation), iPad Air (1st generation), iPad mini 2 and iPad mini 3.

As mentioned before, the update merely includes security patches against any new exploits and doesn’t add any new features. That is understandable, however, as some of these devices are quite old at this point. The oldest device here, the iPhone 5s, was released back in 2013. The fact that it is still getting software updates at all is probably a record of some sort.

So for those still holding on to these devices, we suggest you go to Settings and install the update. It might seem trivial but Apple wouldn’t have released it if it wasn’t necessary.

A leaked presentation for the Honor 30 shows that its main camera will have a large Sony sensor – 1/1.3″, essentially the same size as the 1/1.33″ sensor of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra.

However, the Sony sensor will have larger pixels, 1.2µm (up from 0.8µm on the Samsung). This should give the Honor the edge in low-light shooting. And it should have an advantage over the Oppo Find X2 Pro too, which uses a Sony-made 1/1.43″ sensor (48MP resolution, 1.12µm).

The resolution is not listed, but it should be 48MP as the sensor and pixel sizes match up with this 48MP sensor from OmniVision. However, the unnamed Sony IMX chip might have some advantages, e.g. the new 2×2 OCL autofocus system (which Oppo calls “omni-directional AF”).

Note that this is for the Honor 30, not the 30S that is coming on March 30 with the fast Kirin 820 5G chipset. Looking at the Honor 20 vs. 20S, the chipset and camera were the main differences and this 1/1.3″ sensor may be one of the things that separate the Honor 30 and the 30S.

In addition to iOS 13.4 and iPadOS 13.4, Apple is also releasing watchOS 6.2 to the public today. The update brings in-app purchase support to Apple Watch apps, ECG features to more countries, and more. Read on for the full details.

Apple says that watchOS 6.2 finally brings support for in-app purchases to Apple Watch applications. This means you can make in-app purchases directly from your Apple Watch, which is excellent news for the growing number of completely independent Apple Watch apps.

watchOS 6.2 also brings the ECG app to three new countries: Chile, New Zealand, and Turkey. Irregular heart rhythm notifications are also now available in those three countries.

The ECG application allows users to take an electrocardiogram, measuring the electrical pulses of your heart. Irregular heart rate notifications do not require an active ECG to be taken. The watch will analyze heart rate readings continuously in the background and trigger an alert if something seems off.

Finally, Apple says watchOS 6.2 includes a bug fix that could affect music playback when switching from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth connectivity.

Here are the full release notes for watchOS 6.2, which is rolling out now:

watchOS 6.2 includes new features, improvements, and bug fixes:

Introduces in-app purchases for Apple Watch apps

Fixes an issue where music playback could pause when switching from Wi-Fi to

Bluetooth connectivity

ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4 or later now available in Chile, New Zealand, and Turkey

Irregular heart rhythm notifications now available in Chile, New Zealand, and Turkey

To update your Apple Watch to watchOS 6.2, you can open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and tap General then Software Update. You can also update directly from your Apple Watch by opening the Settings app and tapping General then Software Update.

Apple is also releasing watchOS 5.3.6 today for people using an Apple Watch with an iPhone not capable of running iOS 13.

What new watchOS 6.2 feature are you most excited to try out? Let us know down in the comments!