Daily Authority: 📈 Android 12, Windows 11 📉 Facebook

Google yesterday released the new design-centric Android 12 with more of a whimper than a bang:

• That’s not because the now stable version of Android 12 is awful or anything; it’s just that it didn’t start at all.
• Google’s own pixels stay on an Android 12 beta, while usually getting the stable version on the same day.
• The delay is very likely related to the launch of the Pixel 6 series, which is slated to come with Android 12 on October 19th, so maybe the timing is everything.
• And to cover this completely, a Google spokesman told The Verge that there is “the finishing touches to a special version with Pixel-exclusive and Pixel-First experiences on Android 12”.
• What we got is that Google’s Android development team announced that they had given the source code to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), making it accessible to everyone.
• And Android 12 will be discussed in more detail at the Android Dev Summit 2021 from October 27-28.
• On the other hand, early Android 12 betas for proprietary software skins like OxygenOS 12 from OnePlus and ColorOS 12 from Oppo are, to quote my colleagues, “ridiculously flawed”. People on Reddit also complain, which in fairness isn’t uncommon, but hard crashes and system errors seem … problematic.
• No word on when Samsung devices will get Android 12.
• Regardless, there are reviews here: The edge gave Android 12 a 7/10 with props to the design changes (which are great) but indicates there isn’t a massive reason to upgrade, which is becoming the norm on both iOS and Android platforms: lots of small ones Improvements, don’t mind – blowing.

Meanwhile at Microsoft: Windows 11 is now officially out.

Directions 11:

• Microsoft has opened the doors for Windows users to upgrade to Windows 11.
• You might have to wait, maybe not: there are tools available to check whether or not you can upgrade depending on your version of Windows 10 or older, your license details, and the TPM 2.0 issue for older processors.
• Wired has a pretty solid look at how to find out everything, although the short version is that you can run a Windows 11 installation wizard to help you out if you don’t have an ISO. (If so, The Verge has a skip the line guide.)

There are long Reviews and insights already out:

• ArsTechnica: Attractive new design, a shame about the largest increase in Windows system requirements in 15 years.
• The edge: Microsoft’s new operating system is in the works (8/10).
• Anandtech suggests that you better wait while Windows 11 progresses as it introduces frustrations in new ways, such as: B. When setting a default browser that is not Edge. No Android app support yet!
• I’ll wait a while longer with me and my three-year-old Dell XPS.

⛔ Yes, Facebook and its various products like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram were offline yesterday with the problem being due to an “incorrect configuration change”. What fun we had for six or so hours.

🚪 My favorite story, which was at least a wild exaggeration and, at worst, a lie, is that Facebook’s systems engineers and admins were unable to physically access its server rooms due to the same problem, and So used an angle grinder. That story may have been withdrawn, with Facebook saying this didn’t happen, but there’s an air of truth that doors are stuck and somehow loosened!

👉 Anyway, other stories were shared about how other people had to break in doors due to similar IoT issues, including this good one: “Similar story at HP once – had to tear down a door with a car to get into the building without electricity, where the door computer had locked everyone out. ”(Twitter). No idea if that’s right…

😬 Less fun is this explanation of how much of the world runs on WhatsApp, even if it’s not that big in the States (WashPo, $).

📸 Pixel 6 Pro photo and video samples are leaking, and here are five things we learned in detail about the Pixel 6 Pro cameras (Android authority).

💊 You can get a 500GB Google One plan now, with the big caveat that it’s only with T-Mobile for some reason (Android authority).

🍎 Good news for Apple: The new A15 chip is faster than the company’s own claims, with Andrei Frumusanu doing an incredible job (again). (MacRumors / AnandTech).

🍏 Bad news for Apple: Siri turned 10. After a decade as an assistant to Apple, she still hasn’t figured out the job. Really good overview. (The edge).

🎮 Google gives you free Stadia hardware when you purchase a game (The edge).

📉 What happens when a drone light show fails (no injuries reported) (Vice).

🔥 House Of The Dragon has a first official teaser, with the Game of Thrones spin-off / prequel coming to HBO Max in 2022 (Youtube).

🤐 Revealed: The secret notes of the Blue Origin leaders trying to capture SpaceX (Ars-Technica).

🚀 Also: Blue Origin will officially send William Shatner (Captain Kirk !!) into space in a week (Place).

🤔 “What knowledge was kept secret for a good reason?” (R / askreddit)