Achim Maier
Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 introduced in Korea
Unveiled earlier this month, the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 made its debut in Korea. It comes in white and black colors and is priced at KRW 36,300 (€25/$26/INR 2,230). However, there is also a 4-pack priced at KRW 129,800 (€90/$95/INR 7,980).
The Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 will go on sale in Korea on October 18th. Anyone who purchases the object tracker via Samsung’s official Korean website by October 31, 2023 will receive a free silicone or robust case. The silicone case is available in five colors and normally costs KRW 22,000 (€15/$16/INR 1,350), while the rugged case is priced at KRW 19,800 (€13/$14/INR 1,215) in three colors.
Samsung also announced that customers who write a review for the Galaxy SmartTag2 on the Naver Smart Store will receive free Naver Pay points. Our Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 announcement coverage includes all the specs of the smart tracker.
X / Twitter cancels free version for new customers
X / Twitter / Elon Musk has unveiled his latest plan to squeeze more profit out of the platform. With the Not-A-Bot subscription, all new X users must pay the equivalent of $1 annually to verify their account before they can start posting. The program will start testing in New Zealand (1.43 NZD) and in the Philippines (42.51 PHP). Other regions are to follow, but existing X users are not affected by the new program.
Setting up a new X account requires telephone verification first, followed by payment for one of the subscription models. According to the press release, new users of the web version can post, like and repost, as well as quote and bookmark posts. Once you unsubscribe from your subscription, you can only read posts, watch videos and follow other users.
Google Messages can now send voice messages through Wear OS smartwatches
Google has uploaded a new update to its Messages Wear OS app that allows you to record, send and listen to voice messages directly from a smartwatch. The feature is long overdue not only on Google smartwatches but in various messaging services, as most modern Wear OS watches have built-in speakers and microphones. You could receive calls, but for some reason you couldn’t send voice messages.
That’s over now – Google has pushed a new update for its app on the Wear OS platform. The app also features a new design to match Android 14. Once you tap on the message you want to reply to, you’ll be greeted with three icons: emoji, keyboard and microphone. By tapping the microphone you can record messages up to 59 seconds long and send them as a reply. Previously, only predefined, short answers were available if you didn’t want to bother with the watch’s on-screen keyboard.
It is noteworthy that WhatsApp also has a Wear OS app. But Google’s Messages implementation could now trigger a wave of further Messenger integrations. However, we’ll have to wait and see.
