News Weekly: Fitbit Ace LTE launches, Google experiences global outage, and more

This is Android Central’s News Weekly, your go-to source for a concise summary of the week’s most important tech news. This is where we take a look at the top titles that showcase the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.

This week, Google launched its child-safe Fitbit Ace LTE watch, some Google services suffered a massive outage, six new Chromebooks arrived, Android dropped its June update, and some Samsung Galaxy Ring features were dropped. disclosed.

Another kid-friendly watch is coming

Learn more here.

Earlier this week, Google launched another laptop, but this time, aimed at a different audience: children. The Fitbit Ace LTE is here, but the problem is that it comes with a subscription, like most gadgets these days. Although it looks like the Fitbit Versa 4 or Sense 2, the Ace LTE comes with similar features to the Pixel Watch 2.

This new wearable is waterproof up to 50 meters, while the screen uses Corning Gorilla Glass 3. As for connectivity, the watch has 4G LTE, 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 and even NFC, which will eventually allow access to paid functionality, probably via Google Wallet.

The watch comes with six ready-to-play games that will get kids moving. The goal is “at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day”, and children receive “rewards” for completing sets under the clock.

When it comes to safety, the new Fitbit Ace app lets parents control and monitor everything their kids do with the watch. This includes adding up to 20 trusted contacts that your kids can call or text, view their location, and more. Parents can configure School Time to limit apps/notifications on the watch to avoid distractions during school time.

This new smartwatch, priced at $229.95, will be available from Google and Amazon starting June 5. Additionally, for cellular connectivity, parents must sign up for “Ace Pass,” which costs $9.99 per month or $119.99 per year.

A day of “slow news” at Google

Learn more here.

Early Friday morning (May 31), users around the world began experiencing issues with the Google News service, which compiles news specific to each user.

The website Fault detector confirmed the outage, which was spotted by Android Central. When users visited the Google News page, upside-down ice cream cones were displayed with an error message: “Uh-oh, something went wrong. Please try again.”

It wasn’t just Google News that was down: creating new documents in Google Drive was also causing errors, and our staff was unable to bring up two-factor authentication dialogs on my phone, which also relies on Google. services.

However, after several hours of downtime, Google’s services began to stabilize. Eventually, the situation was resolved and users were able to return to their Google services.

Chromebooks galore from Acer, ASUS and HP

Learn more here.

On Tuesday, May 28, Acer, ASUS and HP announced six new Chromebooks, including five Chromebook Plus models and a ChromeOS tablet.

Acer is updating two of its offerings, including the Chromebook Plus moniker. The new Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 is powered by Intel’s Core Ultra 5. It sports a 14-inch touchscreen, a 1440p QHD webcam, and multiple ports.

The next model is the Chromebook Plus 516 GE. Just like its predecessor, the Chromebook 516 GE, it continues to include many of the same design choices and features. This can be used for cloud gaming thanks to the 16-inch, 2560 x 1600, 120 Hz screen. The Chromebook Plus 516 GE is powered by 13th generation Intel. Both of these Chromebooks will be available this month, with prices starting at $699 or $749.

Asus presents two new Chromebooks. The Chromebook Plus CX34 is the company’s flagship product. It has a traditional 14-inch display, is powered by a 13th generation Intel Core i5, and can be configured with or without a touchscreen.

Meanwhile, the Chromebook CM30 is the first consumer tablet powered by ChromeOS since Lenovo’s Chromebook Duet 3. The CM30 comes with a magnetic stand, keyboard and USI pen, ideal for multitasking and switching from gaming to writing notes. or using the CM30 as a graphics tablet.

HP also updated its Chromebook lineup with the Chromebook Plus x360, a 14-inch 2-in-1 touchscreen and long-lasting battery. It also revealed a budget option, the HP Chromebook 14, featuring a 14-inch screen, 1080p webcam, and more than 12 hours of battery life.

Additionally, Google announced that Chromebooks benefit from many GenAI features powered by Gemini and that anyone who purchases a new Chromebook Plus model will receive 12 months of Google One AI Premium for free.

June Android Feature Brings Everything Fun

Learn more here.

The June Android feature kicks off with an edit button finally arriving in Google Messages. If you send a text message in an RCS-supported message thread, users can now long-press and edit the text message within 15 minutes of sending it.

A pencil (edit) icon will appear on the top message bar. Tapping on it will restructure the writing field to say “edit message”, followed by the previously written text. Users can correct errors or add to them, then check the box.

While we’re talking about SMS, this feature update will also bring “Emoji Sticker Combinations”, which will merge two of your selected emojis for a unique new creation. For example, the company says users can choose the disco ball and headphones, which creates a new glitter emoji sticker.

Users of Wear OS devices, like the Pixel Watch or Pixel Watch 2, are getting an update to better manage their “favorite” smart home devices. Google Home Favorites tiles and complications will allow users to easily view and control device functions, such as unlocking your door, managing the lighting, or changing the temperature.

The June update ends with a quick look at the “Instant Hotspot” feature that lets users connect their Android tablets or Chromebooks to their phone’s hotspot, which will be “coming soon.”

The Precious Galaxy Ring May Never Go Away

Learn more here.

Unlike Sauron from “Lord of the Rings,” losing your Galaxy Ring won’t send you searching for it.

According to an in-depth analysis of the APK carried out by Android Authority, the Samsung Find app has a “Lost Mode” for the Galaxy Ring. Some strings in the code suggest that the Galaxy Ring will feature a flashing light on its body so users can find it.

Some example strings include “Press Start to flash your ring light” and “Ring light flashes.”

Another channel will appear if your phone cannot reach the Galaxy Ring. The example says: “Unable to connect to Ring to start flashing.”

The post’s APK results show that users must first enable “Lost Mode” via the Samsung Find app. The ring is also said to come with a secure lock feature which will come in handy in protecting user-specific data on the ring.

These are some of the biggest stories this week. In the meantime, here are some other stories worth telling: