Can you fix hardware problems with a software update? LG certainly thinks so. The company is currently rolling out a patch for the G Watch that promises to eliminate charging pin corrosion. It comes amid mounting complaints from disgruntled users whose watches have literally been wasting away on their wrists.
Samsung has confirmed that it’s aware of the unwelcome ‘bug’, which jumped on board the latest Android 4.4 KitKat update for the Galaxy Note 3, that prevents owners from using third-party S-View covers on their smartphones. According to the South Korean company, the source of the software compatibility issue has now been identified, and a software update incorporating a patch for the error will start rolling out shortly.
A pesky multitouch bug affecting the new Nexus 7 is no more, thanks to a new software update that is being rolled out by Google this week. There were concerns that the problem may have been related to hardware — given that it didn’t affect all Nexus 7 tablets — but the “JSS15J” release that’s being issued over-the-air promises to eliminate it.
It also addresses an issue with GPS sensitivity, too.
A new update is making its way to Samsung Galaxy S III handsets on Sprint this week. In addition to fixing a lock screen flaw that allows users to bypass any security locks you have set — exactly one week after it was fixed on the Galaxy Note II — it also introduces Samsung’s excellent Multi-View feature, and more.
For those unfamiliar with Multi-View, it’s a TouchWiz feature that was first introduced to the Galaxy Note II, and it allows you to run two apps side-by-side simultaneously. So you can watch YouTube videos while you chat to friends on Facebook, or keep an eye on the sports scores while you reply to emails.
It’s true multitasking on a smartphone, and Samsung’s the only smartphone manufacturer that provides it — for now, at least.
The update also makes improvements to the built-in Gallery, Camera, and Paper Artist apps, and addresses the lock screen security flaw that was discovered on a number of popular Samsung smartphones earlier this year.
The update is rolling out over-the-air to Sprint users as I write this, so if you haven’t seen it yet, you should do fairly soon.
HTC doesn’t normally update devices once they’ve reached a certain age — usually because they’re not powerful enough for the latest Android software — but it appears to be making an exception for the 2010 Verizon Droid Incredible. Don’t get too excited, it’s not getting Jelly Bean, but it is getting a much-needed fix to kill a random reboot issue.
