These Kindle models will lose access to the Kindle Store starting August 17

This week, Amazon sent out a notice to several Kindle users who still have a few older Kindle models linked to their accounts. As per the notice, select models will lose access to the Kindle Store starting August 17, preventing users from browsing, purchasing, or borrowing books using the older devices. That might seem like the end of the road for those rocking one of the EoL e-readers, but there’s still some hope. Read on to learn which models are losing support for the Kindle Store and how you can still get new books on them after the August deadline.

Amazon is dropping support for the following Kindle e-readers starting August 17:

• Kindle (2nd-gen) International
• Kindle DX International
• Kindle Keyboard
• Kindle (4th-gen)
• Kindle (5th-gen)

If you own any of the Kindle models mentioned above, you won’t be able to browse, purchase, or borrow books from the Kindle Store starting August 17. However, according to Good e-Reader, you should still be able to access existing books and have new ones delivered to these models from Amazon’s website.

This is the first time Amazon is completely cutting off store access for older Kindle models. Sadly, the company has not provided a reason for this change. The announcement comes just weeks after Amazon announced ePub support for its modern lineup of Kindle e-readers.

Do you own any of the aforementioned Kindle models? What do you plan on doing after August 17? Will you purchase a new Kindle, or will you stick with your old faithful e-reader and purchase books from Amazon’s website? We highly recommend the new Kindle with a built-in front light, if it’s the former. The ad-supported version will only set you back $89.99, which is nothing short of a bargain. For those who don’t like its tiny 6-inch display, we recommend the brand new Kindle Paperwhite. It brings a larger 6.8-inch display to the table for a small premium of just $50.

---

Via: Good e-Reader

The post These Kindle models will lose access to the Kindle Store starting August 17 appeared first on XDA.

from XDA https://ift.tt/sNTn0om
via IFTTT

How to create a Stereo Speaker Pair with Amazon Echo

The Amazon Echo range makes up some of the best smart speakers you can buy, and they’re designed to be great on their own. But you don’t have to settle for just using one. They’re awesome for multi-room music. And likewise, you can pair two up and enjoy stereo audio. This is good for music and podcasts but also to give an Amazon Fire TV a bit more in the sound department. Echo smart speakers can be used to create an affordable, but good-quality home entertainment system. If the idea of using a stereo pair of Amazon Echo speakers appeals to you, here’s how to set it all up.

Before you begin

Before you begin, it goes without saying that you need two Amazon Echo speakers. You also need to have two of the same model for this to work. So, if you’re using a 3rd Gen and 4th Gen Echo Dot, like in the image above, you won’t be able to create a stereo pair.

You can create a stereo pair out of mostly whatever Echo speakers you currently have access to, it’s supported across the range. The only limitation is that the very oldest Amazon Echos don’t support the feature, but at present anything from the 2nd Gen onwards should be good to go.

As long as they’re set up and linked to your home network, you’re good. The two speakers will also need to be grouped together in the same room in your Alexa app, if they’re listed in different locations you won’t be able to select them. You’ll also need the Alexa app on your smartphone. The Windows app is more limited, so you’ll want your phone handy for this.

How to create a stereo pair with Amazon Echo

Assuming you have both Echos set up and connected to your home network the rest is easy. Grab your phone, open the Alexa app and follow these steps.

1. Select the Devices tab in the app.
2. Hit the + button in the top right-hand corner.
3. Tap on Combine speakers.
4. Choose the bottom option for Stereo pair/subwoofer.
5. Choose the two speakers you want to combine.
6. Tap Next.
7. Choose either the left or right channel for your first speaker, the app will automatically assign the other.

After a short wait, the two Echos will be paired together into a new group. Alternatively, you can instigate a stereo pair from within the settings for any of your existing Echo devices.

In this new group, you can tap on the individual speakers and change their channel if you need to. Sound will now come from both speakers at the same time. Likewise, if you ask Alexa to turn the volume up or down, once paired, both Echos will adjust in sync. But, not everything you do with your Echo supports stereo.

For example, if you ask Alexa a question, only one speaker will answer, usually the one that’s physically closest to you. Some skills are also restricted to just one speaker for audio. But mostly you would be doing this for music anyway, and in that instance, you’ll now get glorious stereo sound.

Amazon Echo (4th Gen)

The Amazon Echo is the best all-around smart speaker for most people with a nice design, great sound and the immense power of the Alexa ecosystem at its disposal.

See at Amazon

The post How to create a Stereo Speaker Pair with Amazon Echo appeared first on XDA.

from XDA https://ift.tt/IRxBDKz
via IFTTT

How to create a Stereo Speaker Pair with Amazon Echo

The Amazon Echo range makes up some of the best smart speakers you can buy, and they’re designed to be great on their own. But you don’t have to settle for just using one. They’re awesome for multi-room music. And likewise, you can pair two up and enjoy stereo audio. This is good for music and podcasts but also to give an Amazon Fire TV a bit more in the sound department. Echo smart speakers can be used to create an affordable, but good-quality home entertainment system. If the idea of using a stereo pair of Amazon Echo speakers appeals to you, here’s how to set it all up.

Before you begin

Before you begin, it goes without saying that you need two Amazon Echo speakers. You also need to have two of the same model for this to work. So, if you’re using a 3rd Gen and 4th Gen Echo Dot, like in the image above, you won’t be able to create a stereo pair.

You can create a stereo pair out of mostly whatever Echo speakers you currently have access to, it’s supported across the range. The only limitation is that the very oldest Amazon Echos don’t support the feature, but at present anything from the 2nd Gen onwards should be good to go.

As long as they’re set up and linked to your home network, you’re good. The two speakers will also need to be grouped together in the same room in your Alexa app, if they’re listed in different locations you won’t be able to select them. You’ll also need the Alexa app on your smartphone. The Windows app is more limited, so you’ll want your phone handy for this.

How to create a stereo pair with Amazon Echo

Assuming you have both Echos set up and connected to your home network the rest is easy. Grab your phone, open the Alexa app and follow these steps.

1. Select the Devices tab in the app.
2. Hit the + button in the top right-hand corner.
3. Tap on Combine speakers.
4. Choose the bottom option for Stereo pair/subwoofer.
5. Choose the two speakers you want to combine.
6. Tap Next.
7. Choose either the left or right channel for your first speaker, the app will automatically assign the other.

After a short wait, the two Echos will be paired together into a new group. Alternatively, you can instigate a stereo pair from within the settings for any of your existing Echo devices.

In this new group, you can tap on the individual speakers and change their channel if you need to. Sound will now come from both speakers at the same time. Likewise, if you ask Alexa to turn the volume up or down, once paired, both Echos will adjust in sync. But, not everything you do with your Echo supports stereo.

For example, if you ask Alexa a question, only one speaker will answer, usually the one that’s physically closest to you. Some skills are also restricted to just one speaker for audio. But mostly you would be doing this for music anyway, and in that instance, you’ll now get glorious stereo sound.

Amazon Echo (4th Gen)

The Amazon Echo is the best all-around smart speaker for most people with a nice design, great sound and the immense power of the Alexa ecosystem at its disposal.

See at Amazon

The post How to create a Stereo Speaker Pair with Amazon Echo appeared first on XDA.

from XDA https://ift.tt/IRxBDKz
via IFTTT

LineageOS 19 adds support for the OnePlus 5/5T, and Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite LTE

Want to breathe new life into an old phone you have lying around? Sick of the dated OEM skin on your device and want to try something new? If you have a OnePlus 5, OnePlus 5T, or the LTE variant of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, then you’re in luck. The owners of these devices can now install official LineageOS 19 builds, the latest version of LineageOS based on Android 12.

OnePlus 5 and 5T

The OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T are nearly five years old, hence you may be itching to try a custom ROM out to expand functionality anyway. The official LineageOS builds for the device duo come courtesy of developers trautamaki and snc.

Download LineageOS 19 for OnePlus 5 || Download LineageOS 19 for OnePlus 5T

Before you proceed to install the ROM, make sure your phone has the latest OxygenOS 10 firmware installed. For more details, head over to the thread linked below.

LineageOS 19 for OnePlus 5 and 5T — XDA Discussion Thread

---

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite LTE

The Wi-Fi-only variant of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite recently received official support from LineageOS, and now it’s the time for the LTE model. Notably, you must update to the One UI 4.1 OTA release (or manually flash the firmware) before installing the LineageOS release.

Download LineageOS 19 for Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite LTE

Gaining support for the latest version of LineageOS will no doubt inject some new life into this Samsung tablet. This build is maintained by developers haggertk and Linux4.

LineageOS 19 for Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite — XDA Discussion Thread

---

To install LineageOS 19, you’ll need an unlocked bootloader and a custom recovery installed on your device. Matter of fact, the LineageOS team does provide a recovery image to make the transition as seamless as possible. Remember to take a backup of your data before starting the process or you may lose it during the installation.

Next, you’ll also need to flash a Google apps (GApps) package since it’s not bundled with the ROM. If you’re not sure, check out our guide on how to pick and install the right GApps package for your device. To learn more about what the latest version of LineageOS brings to the table, be sure to check out our hands-on review of LineageOS 19.

The post LineageOS 19 adds support for the OnePlus 5/5T, and Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite LTE appeared first on XDA.

from XDA https://ift.tt/r8EIqVs
via IFTTT

LineageOS 19 adds support for the OnePlus 5/5T, and Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite LTE

Want to breathe new life into an old phone you have lying around? Sick of the dated OEM skin on your device and want to try something new? If you have a OnePlus 5, OnePlus 5T, or the LTE variant of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, then you’re in luck. The owners of these devices can now install official LineageOS 19 builds, the latest version of LineageOS based on Android 12.

OnePlus 5 and 5T

The OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 5T are nearly five years old, hence you may be itching to try a custom ROM out to expand functionality anyway. The official LineageOS builds for the device duo come courtesy of developers trautamaki and snc.

Download LineageOS 19 for OnePlus 5 || Download LineageOS 19 for OnePlus 5T

Before you proceed to install the ROM, make sure your phone has the latest OxygenOS 10 firmware installed. For more details, head over to the thread linked below.

LineageOS 19 for OnePlus 5 and 5T — XDA Discussion Thread

---

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite LTE

The Wi-Fi-only variant of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite recently received official support from LineageOS, and now it’s the time for the LTE model. Notably, you must update to the One UI 4.1 OTA release (or manually flash the firmware) before installing the LineageOS release.

Download LineageOS 19 for Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite LTE

Gaining support for the latest version of LineageOS will no doubt inject some new life into this Samsung tablet. This build is maintained by developers haggertk and Linux4.

LineageOS 19 for Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite — XDA Discussion Thread

---

To install LineageOS 19, you’ll need an unlocked bootloader and a custom recovery installed on your device. Matter of fact, the LineageOS team does provide a recovery image to make the transition as seamless as possible. Remember to take a backup of your data before starting the process or you may lose it during the installation.

Next, you’ll also need to flash a Google apps (GApps) package since it’s not bundled with the ROM. If you’re not sure, check out our guide on how to pick and install the right GApps package for your device. To learn more about what the latest version of LineageOS brings to the table, be sure to check out our hands-on review of LineageOS 19.

The post LineageOS 19 adds support for the OnePlus 5/5T, and Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite LTE appeared first on XDA.

from XDA https://ift.tt/r8EIqVs
via IFTTT

Google Assistant ‘Personalized speech recognition’ in the works

Sometimes, having a digital assistant can be life-saving, but at other times, it can be a complete nightmare. While things have come a long way in that regard since their inception on smartphones, Google is hoping to accelerate things further by introducing a new feature called “personalized speech recognition”, according to a report from 9to5Google. Essentially, it can store audio recordings of you on your phone to help with recognizing what you say, which is a similar technique to how the company already improved speech recognition on its smart hubs.

By decompiling a recent version of the Google app, parts of the code revealed a new feature that could be a game-changer for Google’s digital assistant. “Personalized speech recognition” will reportedly enhance the digital assistant’s ability so that it can get “better at recognizing your frequent words and names.” The following string was found.

Store audio recordings on this device to help Google Assistant get better at recognizing what you say. Audio stays on this device and can be deleted any time by turning off personalized speech recognition. Learn more

Although the “learn more” portion doesn’t have a hyperlink associated with it, the 9to5Google team thinks it could link up to an existing support article. The support article discusses Google’s use of federated learning, which “learns how to adjust the model from the voice data, and sends a summary of the model changes to Google servers. These summaries are aggregated across many users to provide a better model for everyone.” If this comes to fruition it could be quite interesting, as having Google Assistant learn a user’s speech pattern could vastly improve the experience.

As mentioned previously, this information was found by looking through the decompiled code of the latest update. In other words, just because these strings have been added doesn’t mean the feature will be added anytime soon. APK Teardowns offer mere glimpses of features that could arrive at some point. As a result, the feature may never see the light of day. You might have to wait a while to gain the aforementioned advanced features in Google Assistant.

---

Source: 9to5Google

The post Google Assistant ‘Personalized speech recognition’ in the works appeared first on XDA.

from XDA https://ift.tt/6dkAI54
via IFTTT

Several OnePlus phones are getting the May 2022 security update

Just a few days ago, OnePlus rolled out new OxygenOS updates to the OnePlus 9 series and OnePlus 10 Pro, complete with the latest security patches. The company is now giving a similar treatment to a bunch of other phones in its lineup.

The OnePlus 8, OnePlus 8 Pro, Nord CE, and Nord N20 have started receiving a new software update, which brings the latest May 2022 security patches. It’s strictly a security update, with no new features or visual changes part of the package. The OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro are receiving the C.20 build, and it includes new security patches and system stability improvements.

Screenshot credit: OnePlus Community member AMALVPILLAI

Changelog:

• System
  • [Improved] system stability
  • [Updated] Android security patch to 2022.05

OnePlus Nord CE

The OnePlus Nord CE is receiving OxygenOS 11.0.17, and it’s currently rolling out in India, Europe, and North America.

Changelog:

• System
  • [Updated] Android security patch to 2022.05

OnePlus Nord N20

Finally, the affordable OnePlus Nord N20 is getting the May 2022 patch with OxygenOS A.05. OnePlus’ latest budget phone offers a solid hardware package, including a 6.43-inch AMOLED display, a great design, Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset, a 64MP primary shooter, and a 4,500mAh battery with 33W fast charging support. You can read more about the phone in Rich’s hands-on review.

As always, the new updates are rolling out in a staged manner. That means only a handful of devices will get the latest software initially, with a wider rollout happening over the next few days. You can manually check for the update by heading to Settings > System > System updates. If you don’t want to wait, we have provided direct OTA links below to let you manually install the new update. Once you have downloaded the appropriate OTA package, transfer it to the internal storage and use the Local Upgrade option in the System Updates menu to initiate the installation.

Download OxygenOS builds for OnePlus 8, 8 Pro, Nord CE, and Nord N20

OnePlus 8

• India
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental from C.17

OnePlus 8 Pro

• India
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental from C.17

OnePlus Nord CE

• Europe
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental from 11.0.16.16
• India
  • Full OTA
  • Incremental from 11.0.16.16

OnePlus Nord N20

• Awaiting links

Thanks to XDA Recognized Developer mlgmxyysd and XDA Senior Member Some_Random_Username for the download links!

---

Source: OnePlus Forums (1), (2), (3)

The post Several OnePlus phones are getting the May 2022 security update appeared first on XDA.

from XDA https://ift.tt/6f1yQkC
via IFTTT