Soon after the Galaxy Note 20 series launch in August this year, Samsung started rolling out One UI 2.5 to older Galaxy devices. Over the last few months, the update has reached quite a few of Samsung’s older flagships, tablets, and mid-range devices. However, the budget-centric Galaxy M series has been deprived of the One UI 2.5 update up until now. Instead of rolling out the latest One UI update to the Galaxy M series devices, Samsung recently pushed a One UI 2.1 update to the Galaxy M21 and Galaxy M31. Thankfully, the company is now finally getting around to pushing the One UI 2.5 update to the Galaxy M Series.
The Galaxy M21 is the first M series device from the company to receive the One UI 2.5 update. The update has the firmware version M215FXXU2ATJ5/M215FODM2ATJ5/M215FDDU2ATJ5 and it measures around 650MB. It brings Android security patches for October 2020, along with a couple of new features for the Samsung keyboard and the stock Messages app.
As you can see in the screenshots above, the One UI 2.5 update introduces split keyboard functionality in landscape mode and an updated search function for input languages for the Galaxy M21. It also includes a new feature for the Messages app that allows users to send SOS location-sharing messages every 30 minutes for 24 hours. Furthermore, the update includes improvements for the quality and stability of the camera app.
As with the previous One UI 2.5 releases for other devices, the update for the Galaxy M21 will be rolled out in a staged fashion. As such, it may take a few days before it reaches users in all regions. In case you don’t wish to wait, you can download the new firmware packages from the Samsung update server using Frija or Samloader.
Thanks to Telegram user @PM_The_Angry for the tip and screenshots!
Soon after the Galaxy Note 20 series launch in August this year, Samsung started rolling out One UI 2.5 to older Galaxy devices. Over the last few months, the update has reached quite a few of Samsung’s older flagships, tablets, and mid-range devices. However, the budget-centric Galaxy M series has been deprived of the One UI 2.5 update up until now. Instead of rolling out the latest One UI update to the Galaxy M series devices, Samsung recently pushed a One UI 2.1 update to the Galaxy M21 and Galaxy M31. Thankfully, the company is now finally getting around to pushing the One UI 2.5 update to the Galaxy M Series.
The Galaxy M21 is the first M series device from the company to receive the One UI 2.5 update. The update has the firmware version M215FXXU2ATJ5/M215FODM2ATJ5/M215FDDU2ATJ5 and it measures around 650MB. It brings Android security patches for October 2020, along with a couple of new features for the Samsung keyboard and the stock Messages app.
As you can see in the screenshots above, the One UI 2.5 update introduces split keyboard functionality in landscape mode and an updated search function for input languages for the Galaxy M21. It also includes a new feature for the Messages app that allows users to send SOS location-sharing messages every 30 minutes for 24 hours. Furthermore, the update includes improvements for the quality and stability of the camera app.
As with the previous One UI 2.5 releases for other devices, the update for the Galaxy M21 will be rolled out in a staged fashion. As such, it may take a few days before it reaches users in all regions. In case you don’t wish to wait, you can download the new firmware packages from the Samsung update server using Frija or Samloader.
Thanks to Telegram user @PM_The_Angry for the tip and screenshots!
Oppo has started a stable roll-out of Colors 11, the skinned Android 11 based update for its Find X2 series. After being announced in September before a lengthy customer beta, the first variants and territories have started reporting availability today. Our XDA forum users in Switzerland, Germany, and the UK are among those who have confirmed the arrival of the OTA update, but it does seem to be a controlled trickle so your results may vary at the time of writing.
Colors 11, which follows on from Colors 7, in order to tally with the corresponding Android version brings a number of unique extras. The dark mode is more customizable, offering multiple color schemes (all including black, of course), while an always-on display option similar to that seen recently on the OnePlus 8T is available to models with AMOLED screens while at the other end of the spectrum, a new “Super Power Saving” mode reduces the screen to a minimum along with other resources. If used at 5% battery, Oppo says it will allow you an hour of talk time – great for those ‘stuck in the middle of nowhere’ moments.
An updated version of ambient soundscape app Oppo Relax lets you mix together sounds of nature into your own personal relaxation nirvana. Colors 11 also integrates a Google Lens-based instant translation feature accessed by taking a screenshot with 3-fingers and swiping upward. Flexdrop is Oppo’s new “windowed app” environment, which lets you shrink any app into a floating window, making it easier to multitask, while the Private System feature allows you to keep two different systems, making it easier to switch between work and play with just a scan of your fingerprint.
As ever, if you don’t have the new firmware on offer yet, you can try and force an update in the menus, and failing that, clear cache and try again. If neither works, and you don’t feel like sideloading it, hang in there, it shouldn’t be long now. Once the Find X2 series rollout is underway, the Reno 3 range is next on the list.
Github, the open-source repository has issued a warning to users who are still redistributing the recently outlawed YouTube-DL app. After being banned under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA) last month, the court ordered all instances of it to be taken down, which led to a so-called “Streisand Effect” – a term given to attempts to ban something, triggering even wider-spread sharing as a form of protest.
In a notice left on the Youtube-DL repository, users were warned: “If you are looking to file or dispute a takedown notice by posting to this repository, please STOP because we do not accept Pull Requests or other contributions to this repository”, adding: “Please note that re-posting the exact same content that was the subject of a takedown notice without following the proper process is a violation of GitHub’s Policy and Terms of Service. If you commit or post content to this repository that violates our Terms of Service, we will delete that content and may suspend access to your account as well.”
Github has something of a fight on its hands. It was estimated at the time of the ban that YouTube-DL was one of the most popular repositories on the entire platform, with 72,000 stars and 1.43k dependent repositories. Reaction to the decision to remove Youtube-DL on copyright grounds was met with protests, with many arguing that there were plenty of legitimate use cases for the software which didn’t justify the ban.
At first, Microsoft-owned Github was keen to work with its users, with an attitude of helping them fix their orphaned code, whilst keeping a “Don’t shoot the messenger” attitude.
However, as it has become clear that the quest to subvert the ruling, Github has been left with no choice but to move from ally to enforcer. It won’t have been their first choice, but rather a necessity to avoid being branded enablers to illegal activity – something which could prove more damaging in the long-term than upsetting its user base.
Github, the open-source repository has issued a warning to users who are still redistributing the recently outlawed YouTube-DL app. After being banned under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA) last month, the court ordered all instances of it to be taken down, which led to a so-called “Streisand Effect” – a term given to attempts to ban something, triggering even wider-spread sharing as a form of protest.
In a notice left on the Youtube-DL repository, users were warned: “If you are looking to file or dispute a takedown notice by posting to this repository, please STOP because we do not accept Pull Requests or other contributions to this repository”, adding: “Please note that re-posting the exact same content that was the subject of a takedown notice without following the proper process is a violation of GitHub’s Policy and Terms of Service. If you commit or post content to this repository that violates our Terms of Service, we will delete that content and may suspend access to your account as well.”
Github has something of a fight on its hands. It was estimated at the time of the ban that YouTube-DL was one of the most popular repositories on the entire platform, with 72,000 stars and 1.43k dependent repositories. Reaction to the decision to remove Youtube-DL on copyright grounds was met with protests, with many arguing that there were plenty of legitimate use cases for the software which didn’t justify the ban.
At first, Microsoft-owned Github was keen to work with its users, with an attitude of helping them fix their orphaned code, whilst keeping a “Don’t shoot the messenger” attitude.
However, as it has become clear that the quest to subvert the ruling, Github has been left with no choice but to move from ally to enforcer. It won’t have been their first choice, but rather a necessity to avoid being branded enablers to illegal activity – something which could prove more damaging in the long-term than upsetting its user base.
Ever since Apple announced the iPhone 12, tech writers — including yours truly — have been busy comparing it against the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE and Google Pixel 5. They’re the obvious comparisons — since Samsung and Google are respectively Apple’s biggest rivals in hardware and software. But what if I told you the OnePlus 8T is an even more apt comparison against the iPhone 12? It’s closer in price to the iPhone 12 than the Galaxy S20 FE or Pixel 5, and unlike the Pixel 5’s mid-tier SoC or the Galaxy S20 FE’s plasticky build, the OnePlus 8T doesn’t have any noticeable hardware compromise that gives Apple an instant landslide win in that category.
Let’s see how these two phones stack up against one another.
Apple iPhone 12 vs OnePlus 8T: Specification Comparison
Both the iPhone 12 and OnePlus 8T sport glass-and-aluminum sandwich designs. The OnePlus 8T is quite a bit taller, with a 6.55-inch screen to the iPhone 12’s 6.1-inch. But as OnePlus is using a longer 20:9 aspect ratio compared to the iPhone 12’s 19.5:9, the OnePlus 8T is only marginally wider from left-to-right. Both phones are comfy to hold with sturdy construction.
The similarities carry over to the physical buttons. Both devices have a power button, a volume rocker, and also a physical switch to quickly toggle between silent or sound on. OnePlus’s slider even has a third option, for vibrate.
While smartphone looks are mostly subjective, I must say I’m partial to the iPhone 12’s backside, with a striking large lens camera module, and just a single branding mark — that iconic Apple logo. OnePlus’s camera module looks quite generic to my eyes, and I’ve always disliked that recent OnePlus phones have two branding marks on their back: a logo and the words “OnePlus.”
Apple iPhone 12 vs OnePlus 8T: Display
I know I just said that whether a smartphone looks good is usually subjective, but when it comes to the screens of these two phones, I think it’s safe to say the OnePlus 8T objectively looks better. Both of these OLED panels offer punchy colors and great max brightness levels, but the iPhone 12 screen has a giant notch while the OnePlus 8T only has a small hole-punch cutout. What’s more, the OnePlus 8T screen refreshes at 120Hz, and it’s ultra-smooth (I find OnePlus’s UI better optimized for high refresh rates than, say, Samsung’s or Vivo’s UI). I know part of this is visual trickery — OnePlus purposely makes animations go faster to exude a feeling of speed, but OnePlus phones consistently feel faster than everything else on the market.
Apple iPhone 12 and OnePlus 8T’s screen
The iPhone’s UI is fluid and well-optimized in its own right, and I’ve argued that iPhones running at 60Hz feel smoother than Android phones running at 60Hz. But OnePlus’ entire branding and philosophy the last few years have been speed, and the 120Hz really shows itself.
Apple iPhone 12 vs OnePlus 8T: Processor (Benchmarks)
The OnePlus 8T’s Snapdragon 865 is very powerful, but it loses to Apple’s 5nm A14 Bionic that’s powering the iPhone 12 in literally every benchmark. However, benchmarks aren’t the end-all, be-all. In real life usage, it’s hard to quantify where that extra Apple horsepower kicks in except handling videos. The iPhone 12 can shoot in Dolby Vision in real-time, and it also allows instant editing said clip within the native camera app. Exporting 4K videos in LumaFusion on the iPhone 12 also moves at blazing fast speeds — which no Android video editing app can match.
Still, we’re reaching nitpicking territory here. The reality is if you’re using your phone like a normal person, say opening Instagram, Twitter, Gmail, streaming music, and playing games, it’s impossible to say one can feel the A14 Bionic’s extra power. In fact, as I said in the last section, OnePlus’ UI consistently feels “faster.”
Software
Comparing iOS to Android is an apples and oranges affair, so it’s impossible to say which OS is better. However, it is more than fair to say OnePlus’ OxygenOS 11 software is far more customizable than the iPhone 12’s iOS 14. From the look and shape of app icons to the color scheme of the UI, to shortcut gestures, OxygenOS just allows you to do so much more than iOS 14 if we’re just focusing on the smartphone user experience. Apple wins, obviously, if we take into account an entire ecosystem of products that seamlessly work together.
I am of the belief that OxygenOS is the best version of Android around — better than Google’s own version that runs on the Pixel — so for me, it’s a clear choice on which software I prefer.
Apple iPhone 12 vs OnePlus 8T: Camera Performance
The iPhone 12’s camera sensor has a wider aperture of f/1.7 compared to last year, allowing it to take in more light. The OnePlus 8T, on the other hand, has kept the same 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor as its predecessor, the OnePlus 8. But because it is a 48MP sensor that shoots pixel binned 12MP shots, OnePlus is able to pack in more image information into a shot. And the results mostly mirror these hardware decisions. Both phone cameras are very good, with the OnePlus 8T producing sharper and cleaner shots if you really pixel peep, but the iPhone 12 tends to keep more natural colors and does a better job of bringing some light into really dark areas (like the fourth set of shots taken at the patio).
Apple iPhone 12 vs OnePlus 8T
In terms of ultra-wide-angle photos, the iPhone 12 and the OnePlus 8T both offer a very wide field-of-view. This results in some distortion, and for the most part, the photos are very similar, except Apple does a better job of maintaining consistent details across the whole image. Notice in the fourth set, taken on a gloomy day, the color science looks completely different between the two phones. OnePlus artificially made the shot look less blue, while the iPhone 12 kept the sky looking closer to what my eyes could see at the time. Which one is a better shot is subjective: Do you value realism or some post-shot touchups?
When it comes to zoom shots, the OnePlus 8T wins handily despite neither phone sporting zoom cameras. That’s because the OnePlus 8T can rely on that pixel-dense 48MP sensor for additional information, while the iPhone is pretty much stuck with a pure digital zoom of 12 million pixels.
The iPhone 12 retakes the lead in video, with better dynamic range and stabilization across the board. The difference is noticeable during the day and grows wider at night.
Apple iPhone 12 vs OnePlus 8T: Battery life
Despite having a more power-hungry screen, the OnePlus 8T offers better battery life thanks to simply having a larger 4,500mAh cell. From my heavy usage, the OnePlus 8T, with 5G connected, can just about eke out a full 12-hour day of out and about (barely — the OnePlus 8T would be under 5% at the end) whereas the iPhone 12 can’t make it past ten hours if I’m using 5G. Disabling 5G and reverting back to LTE connectivity, the battery life between the two devices becomes much closer, with both being able to make it through a 12-hour day with over 20% battery left to spare.
One area that's a key win for the OnePlus 8T is wired charging
One area that’s a key win for the OnePlus 8T is wired charging. OnePlus includes a 65W “Warp Charge” charging brick that can top up the phone from 0-100 in 35 minutes. The same 0-100 top up with the iPhone 12 takes an hour and a half using an 18W USB-C PD brick — which Apple doesn’t include in the box, by the way.
Conclusion
In terms of software, camera, and screen, the OnePlus 8T is highly polished and very close to premium territory. However, the phone lacks wireless charging and IP water resistance rating, which the iPhone 12 offer.
Ultimately, the decision may come down to whether you want to use iOS or Android
You really can’t go wrong with either device — ultimately, the decision may come down to whether you want to use iOS or Android and which ecosystem you are more invested into.
A highly polished smartphone with arguably the most powerful processor around, with an improved camera system that closes the lead built by Google and Huawei. Arguably the best iPhone for most people right now and the first iPhone that's tempted me to switch from Android.
When you’re looking at headphones, it’s well worth it to pay for quality. Cheaper headphones might work… for a year, if you’re lucky. Then you’re back to square one, spending another $50 on another pair that won’t last. Instead, put a bit of extra money down for some quality, well-regarded headphones, and they’ll last for years. Consider them an investment!
Of course, paying for quality doesn’t mean paying full price for them. Some of the best Bluetooth headphones regularly see discounts, especially during this time of the year. Take the Bose QC 35 IIs, for example. The QuietComfort 35 II headphones are some of the most highly regarded headphones around, but even then, $299 at MSRP is a hard pill to swallow. But right now at Amazon, all colors of the QC 35 IIs are $100 off, bringing these headphones down to just $199.
This is the same price they had at Prime Day 2020, but this time around, you don’t need to rush to take advantage of it! Well, you still shouldn’t wait around, as who knows if these will sell out, but this isn’t a Lightning Deal that you’ll miss out of at the blink of an eye!
Trust me, the Bose QC 35 II is worth every penny. These comfortable headphones have three different levels of noise-canceling, so you can decide just how much of the world around you that you hear. With the Bose Connect app, you can customize your audio experience as much as you need to, and you’ll never be disappointed. With up to 20 hours of battery life, the Bose QC 35 IIs will not quit until you’re done with your day.
This sale extends to all three of the QuietComfort 35 IIs colors–Silver, Black, and the limited-edition Triple Midnight. The Triple Midnight headphones originally went for $349, but are also down to $199.
Why settle for less when you can save on the best? The Bose QC 35 II headphones are on sale at Amazon for just $199, and they're worth the price. With adjustable audio settings and three levels of noise-canceling, these are some of the best headphones you can get on the market.
