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It's Friday, March 27, 2020. Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.  I spent the last few days talking with Huawei, listening to Huawei and (briefly) playing with its new flagship P40 Pro phone. If you’ve been following the company’s progress over recent years, you’ll know it really hit its groove making aggressively high-specced smartphones with incredible cameras and imaging tricks. But hopes of becoming the de facto Android phone maker (and kicking Samsung aside) were crushed when the US government took aim at Huawei, and Google had to stop providing Android services (as you know ‘em) for Huawei devices. The P40 is its first P series phone since that bombshell, and it doesn’t have the Google Play app store, Chrome or Google Maps. Making things worse, Huawei’s app store is still severely lacking, despite huge teams of software engineers and an outreach program to the biggest app developers both globally and in specific countries. So, what do I think of the P40? It feels like a Galaxy phone, to be honest, all curves and sloping sides. It comes with a 5X optical zoom, backed by a huge imaging sensor that would be more at home in a compact camera than a phone. The specs are to die for, but the reality of using it is a dull one. I’ll be carrying around the P40 for a little longer -- even if there’s really not many places to go at this moment in time. Hey, at least Nintendo is ensuring there’s no shortage of games for me to play. -- Mat (View in browser.) Virtual escape.  This week on the show, Devindra and Cherlynn dive into the deserted island life of Animal Crossing and how games can help us all survive being stuck at home. Also, Senior Editor Jessica Conditt describes how Doom Eternal -- a literal romp through hell on Earth -- serves a similarly relaxing role for her. And producer Ben Ellman nerds out about Cities Skylines. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Pocket Casts or Stitcher. | | Trackpad support, LiDAR and a (slightly) better GPU, but...  In his review, Chris Velazco says the 2020 iPad Pro is a terrific tablet that comes closer than ever to feeling like a traditional computer. It doesn't quite get there due to some inherent iPadOS limitations, but there's enough performance and flexibility here. Apart from its new ultra-wide camera and LiDAR sensor, though, the hardware hasn't changed much compared to the 2018 model. This year's iPad Pro is a great starting point for people who want a more premium tablet experience, but existing Pro owners shouldn't feel like they’re missing out. | | Chrome 83 is now due in mid-May. After pausing Chrome updates while working out adjustments due to the coronavirus pandemic, Google is resuming releases for Chrome and Chrome OS on an altered schedule. Security fixes and other crucial patches will come back to stable releases next week, with Chrome 81 arriving the week of April 7th. Google is still skipping Chrome 82, but Chrome 83 is now due to arrive three weeks earlier than planned, in mid-May -- it'll include all the work from version 82. | | Sponsored Content by Stack Commerce | | They’re for the new rhythm action game.  Nintendo's Ring Fit Adventure might turn into your new gym as we all stick indoors. Fortunate timing, then, for the company to add a new rhythm game mode which will let you move to the beat of a dozen tracks from Ring Fit Adventure. In addition, music from Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2 and Breath of the Wild will be available, which, c’mon, is better. | | But still no Google services.  It’s the same story as the Mate 30 Pro from last year. Wow, these cameras sound impressive (50-megapixel cameras with sensors that take in 40 percent more light): better zoom features, faster biometric scanning and a selfie cam with autofocus. When it comes to hardware, it’s all good news. Both the P40 (€799, roughly $875) and P40 Pro (€999, roughly $1,095) will launch on April 7th. Step up to the premium P40 Pro Plus, you'll have to wait till June, with an estimated price tag of €1,399 -- a smidge over $1,500. Oh, and no US launch for the foreseeable future. | | But wait, there's more... | | | |
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