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This week’s top stories: Nvidia Shield TV revamp, See-through Pixel wallpapers, more

Kyle Bradshaw | Jul 27 2019 - 8:00 am PT

In this week’s top stories: evidence of a revamped Nvidia Shield TV appears, three Google Pixel phones get see-through wallpapers, the Google Assistant can now quietly turn down the lights, and more.

Without a doubt, the best Android TV device on the market has been the Nvidia Shield TV, with its continuous software improvements and Nvidia-exclusive features, like GeForce Now. The latest enhancement seemingly coming soon to the Nvidia Shield TV is an update to Android Pie, spotted in the Google Play Developer Console.

With the current generation having released in 2017, the Nvidia Shield TV is poised for a revamp, and evidence points to such a rework already being in the works. A new, revamped model of Nvidia Shield TV was spotted in an FCC listing, alongside a new remote (one of the few complaints with the current model).

The Nvidia-made Tegra processor under the hood is listed as the “Tegra X1 T210 B01,” differing from the “Tegra X1 A2” which is used in the 2017 Nvidia Shield TV (via CordCuttersNews). It’s unclear what other changes could be made to the specification list, but an updated processor is certainly a welcome update.

If you’ve ever wondered what your phone looks like on the inside, you’ve probably viewed an iFixit teardown. For more hardcore fans of the internal chips and boards, the company offers free wallpapers that give your device a “see-through” look, simulating the classic clear GameBoy cases. This week, iFixit has released see-through wallpapers for the Google Pixel XL, Pixel 3a, and Pixel 3a XL, and needless to say, they look stunning.

Google Pixel XL and Pixel 3a get ‘see-through’ wallpapers courtesy of iFixit

With more and more of our homes being converted into smart homes, there are still some rough edges. Asking the Assistant to turn off the lights and having it respond by loudly narrating what it’s doing is certainly a frustrating experience. Thankfully, Google is now replacing this verbal narration from the Assistant with a pleasant chime to acknowledge your request to turn off the lights.

Other commands that return the simple tone include increasing the brightness, dimming lights, and “much more.” In terms of connected devices, this change is not limited to smart bulbs. It applies to switches and plugs that are identified as lighting appliances in the Google Home app.

On the weirder side of news, Google reportedly paid various people on the street to scan their face using a modified Pixel phone. The leading theory is that Google will use the data collected to improve the “Face authentication” capabilities of the Pixel 4.

After accepting the offer, the Google employees gave the man a phone in a “large case” and had his face scanned by the software on the device from different angles. At that point, the Googlers offered up a $5 gift card to either Amazon or Starbucks and they went on their way to find another willing participant.

In Samsung news, this week saw the largest dump of information on the Galaxy Note 10 yet. We now have precise specs on at least one “lower-tier,” European model of the phone, indicating a massive 8GB of RAM, along with 256GB of storage space. One thing that still hasn’t been made 100% clear, between conflicting reports, is whether or not the Note 10 will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855+ in the US.

Samsung’s signature S-Pen stylus is also apparently getting an upgrade with the Note 10. Both sources report that the device will offer “air gestures” to control the device. WinFuture describes these gestures as being able to navigate through the OS “without touching the screen itself.” Apparently, this will be available on both devices, and the S-Pen itself will still support 4096 pressure levels as well as being IP68 rated.