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The Weekly Authority: đŸ“± Pixels pick up stable Android 13

Stable Android 13 drops for Pixels, Samsung's worries, Dead Island 2 news, the mystery of Roanoke, and more top tech news.
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Published onAugust 20, 2022

Android 13 Easter Egg
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority

⚡ Welcome to The Weekly Authority, the Android Authority newsletter that breaks down the top Android and tech news from the week. The 208th edition here, with the arrival of Android 13 for Pixels, Dead Island 2 news, Samsung’s market concerns, and the mystery of Roanoke.

📩 This week I’ve been surrounded by so many packing boxes for my upcoming move. Not kidding, I could (and might well) build a box fort!

Popular news this week

Samsung:

Motorola:

Xiaomi:

  • As well as revealing its new foldable last week, Xiaomi unveiled CyberOne, its new humanoid robot that’s 5.8 feet tall and likes to give out flowers.

Apple:

Space:

Elsewhere:

Movies/TV:

house of the dragon 1
HBO

Gaming:

Hogwarts Legacy featured

Reviews

razer kishi v2
Oliver Cragg / Android Authority
  • Razer Kishi V2 review: Still the best Android gamepad (for now) – “The Kishi V2 is a fantastic way to transform your phone into a handheld gaming machine, though the undercooked companion app and continued omission of a headphone jack leave the door open for new challengers to do better” (Android Authority).
  • Sony LinkBuds S review — “If you’re after a more affordable pair of true wireless buds with good sound, extensive smarts, and impressive noise cancellation, the LinkBuds S tick those boxes” (Trusted Reviews).
  • Samsung QE55QN85B review — “There’s lots to like about the Samsung QE55QN85B, but then again there’s a fair bit to be irritated by” (Trusted Reviews).

Features

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 open lying on a table showing hinge detail and app dock task bar
Kris Carlon / Android Authority

Weekly Wonder

Kelly Rowland sends a text in a spreadsheet in Nelly's music video.
YouTube

This edition’s wonder: Two things that happened this week in history, starting with texting on an Excel spreadsheet


Spreadsheet texting was never a thing

Cast your mind back to the summer of 2002. Twenty years ago this week, Nelly’s Dilemma hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100, after its June release. That means it’s also 20 years since we saw Kelly Rowland in the song’s video.

  • In the video, Rowland uses a Nokia 9210 Communicator to text her beau.
  • The phone flipped open lengthwise, revealing a color screen and full keyboard.
  • But instead of sending a regular text, Rowland appears to be typing a message into the phone’s spreadsheet app.
  • If you think that seems a bit weird, you’re not alone. How would the SMS actually reach anyone?
  • Apparently, Nelly explained in a 2016 interview that texting via spreadsheet “was the thing at the time.”

I might be showing my age here, but from what I remember, it most definitely was not “the thing.” If you’d like to weigh in on this (or if you actually remember it being a thing) I’d love to hear from you!

Also: The Roanoke mystery

On August 18, 1590, the governor of the Roanoke Island Colony returned from his supply trip to England to find his settlement deserted and no trace of the 100 or so colonists he’d left behind. There were no signs of violence.

  • The only clue was the word “CROATOAN,” carved into the palisade surrounding the settlement.
  • At first, it was thought the group may have moved to Croatoan Island, some 50 miles away, but a search of the island turned up nothing.
  • To this day, the fate of the settlers remains a mystery.
  • In 1998, archaeologists found evidence of extreme drought in the area from 1587-1589. Perhaps the settlers left the camp, but where did they go?
  • Other theories believe they were absorbed into a Native American tribe, the Croatans.

There are loads of fascinating podcast episodes about Roanoke, from true history deep dives to fictional horror shows like Roanoke Falls. You can listen on the best podcast apps for Android — and while you’re here, why not check out the best podcasts launched in 2021.

Tech Calendar

  • August 23-28: Gamescom annual computer and video game convention, Cologne, Germany
  • September 1: OnePlus 10T pre-orders open (US)
  • September 2-6: IFA Berlin
  • September 10 @ 9 PM CEST: Ubisoft Forward showcase
  • September 29: OnePlus 10T on sale
  • October 6: Pixel 7 launch? (TBC)
  • October 13: Pixel 7 on sale? (TBC)
  • November 8: Skull and Bones release date on Xbox Series S/X, PS5, PC, Stadia, and Luna
  • November 9: God of War: Ragnarok launches on PS4, PS5

Tech Tweet of the Week

Okay but who makes the machines that make these semiconductor making machines? They’re the real winners. https://t.co/XViBCp0R3Q
— RL (@RizWanKenobi_) August 18, 2022

Something extra: This could be the cutest thing you’ve seen all week — check out this squeaky red panda cub.

Have a fantastic week!

Paula Beaton, Copy Editor.

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