☕ Good morning! Well, I had a rough weekend suffering symptoms of the COVID-19 vaccine! I was lucky enough to get the AstraZeneca shot on Friday afternoon, as I’m higher risk due to T1D, and had some flu-like symptoms and a sore arm as a result. Mostly better now! Progress and hope!

👉 It’s launch day for the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro, Mi 11 Ultra — and possibly, teasers suggest a glimpse at a Xiaomi foldable, too?

A new Google device is on the way: officially referred to as a “Wireless Streaming Device,” a description that Google has not previously used despite offering a few devices that wirelessly stream, the device certification went through the FCC on Sunday.

What could it be? 

• Join in the hunt — official FCC documentation(FCCID.io) is sparse, with testing certificates from third-party providers clearing the way for an eventual launch. There are no photos though, and the FCC confidentiality on G3AL9 ends September 24, 2021.
• But we do see the previously mentioned “Wireless Streaming Device,” we can also see that it gets model number G3AL9, part of the new model number scheme, the FCC logo is on the back, and it has a power supply via 3.65V rechargeable battery or from 5V AC/DC adapter.
• And the final clue: no cellular connectivity, though Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi connectivity are present.

So, it’s possible that this fits the bill for a few things:

• I initially guessed a portable Nest device, like a Nest Audio or Nest Mini but with battery power for portable speaker type activities.
• It doesn’t really fit the Chromecast style of device, I can’t see how that would be battery-powered apart from the remote.
• But the obvious contender is a new Nest Cam security camera — which fits the role of a streaming device, with the battery providing backup power during outages/emergencies.
• That would probably be the least interesting, so here’s hoping for something more innovative.

In any case, we’re looking at late 2021 for release following that confidentiality date, so no one’s exactly holding their breath.

⌚ OnePlus Nord SE reportedly canceled: moving on… (Android Authority).

🆚 OnePlus 9 vs older OnePlus phones: Should you upgrade? (Android Authority).

🔜 Samsung Galaxy S21 FE: 5 things we want to see (Android Authority).

🍎 Apple releases iPhone, iPad, and Watch security patches for zero-day bug under active attack (TechCrunch).

🔮 Graphene and beyond: The wonder 2D materials that could replace silicon in future tech (WSJ, $).

🔓 Activision releases online-only PC game without online content, cracked in one day (Ars Technica).

🔋 Uber adds all-electric vehicles to its list of ride options in London (Engadget).

📦 Amazon started a Twitter war because …Jeff Bezos was big mad? (Vox).

🌓 ‘Hamster ball’ robot could explore Moon caves (Engadget).

🌏 New data from ancient rocks reveal when Earth’s plate tectonics began (Wired).

🐶 Neighborhood hero builds an AI-powered device that automatically compliments dogs walking by (Gizmodo).

🍎 Interesting tweet and very interesting discussion on r/apple: New first-gen iPad prototype images detail how Apple considered a dual 30-pin port design — one story is Steve Jobs hated the look of the dual-dock, but people who actually used the prototype showed up in the comments (r/apple).

🛳️ The enormous Ever Given has been refloated and shifted from the shoreline in the Suez Canal, but the stern is still stuck for now (BBC).

💡 “Today I learned BMW charges extra for a ‘don’t blind other people’ software update.” Yikes, BMW (The Verge).

🤔 “Why do electrical appliances always hum/buzz at a g pitch?” (r/askscience).

Cheers,

Tristan Rayner, Senior Editor