[Update: OTA halted] Some Pixel phones are bootlooping on Q Beta 4, but a factory reset fixes things - Android Police

Android Q Beta 4 came out earlier today, and though there don't seem to be as many new things as with prior Beta releases, it's nice to have notification swiping as God intended and the rotation lock button back. However, it's not all good news; some people are reporting issues with bootlooping when attempting to update to Q Beta 4, primarily those with Pixel 2 XLs.

We first noticed the bootlooping issue when a number of commenters in our Q Beta 4 announcement post brought it to light. All of the commenters seemed to be using Pixel 2 XLs, though others with P2XLs were able to update without any fuss. However, we also received a tip from a reader with a Pixel 3 that had the same problem, so this matter isn't exclusive to 2 XLs.

One user on the r/android_beta subreddit found that a factory reset would resolve things, though it obviously causes all of your data to be lost. Another user said that a factory reset isn't necessary and instructed those stuck in bootloops to restart, go to recovery mode, and reboot from there, though people seemed to have varying levels of success with that method.

Long story short: if you have a Pixel phone, especially a 2 XL, and plan to update to Android Q Beta 4, be aware that you may have to perform a factory reset.

Following these reports, the Android team has paused the OTA rollout of the Android Q Beta 4 to investigate the issue. I hadn't had the time to update my Pixel 2 XL yesterday and, sure enough, checking for updates now returns nothing to install. Thanks, Armando, Brenden!

• Thanks:
• Sean

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https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/06/06/some-pixel-phones-are-bootlooping-on-q-beta-4-but-a-factory-reset-fixes-things/

2019-06-06 08:35:00Z
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Apple explains the future of iTunes on macOS Catalina - Engadget

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At WWDC, Apple announced that its upcoming macOS will put an end to the iTunes you're familiar with and will divvy up its features between three new apps: Music, TV and podcasts. Now, the tech giant has explained how that will work exactly. The new Apple Music app will serve as home to all the music you've imported or purchased, to all the music and smart playlists you've created in iTunes, as well as to the iTunes Store itself.

You'll still be able to purchase music from the store on Mac, iOS, PC and Apple TV. Plus, you can still use your iTunes gift cards or credits with the new apps. Meanwhile, the new TV app will contain all the movies and TV shows you've purchased or rented from iTunes -- in the future, you can purchase or rent from within the app itself.

All your podcasts will live in the new Podcast app, of course, while your audiobooks will make their way to the updated Apple Books app. You'll also be able to purchase audiobooks from within the Books application. Finally, the abilities to back up, restore and sync iPhones, iPads and iPods, will move to Finder. Apple says that will make it easier to drag and drop files to your devices and that your previous back ups through iTunes won't be affected after you update to Catalina.

Via: 9to5mac

Source: Apple

In this article: apple, catalina, entertainment, gear, itunes, personal computing, personalcomputing

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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https://www.engadget.com/2019/06/06/apple-macos-catalina-itunes/

2019-06-06 07:11:55Z
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Pokemon Sword & Shield Channels Godzilla With New Dynamax Mechanic - GameSpot

Nintendo's latest Pokemon Direct on June 5 revealed a bunch of new details for the upcoming Pokemon Sword and Shield games. Among the titles' new features, one of the notable additions are Dynamax transformations, which increases the physical scale of Pokemon battles to gigantic sizes.

Similarly to Mega Evolutions and Z-Moves, Dynamax transformations are temporary moves you can activate in battle. Doing so grows your Pokemon to giant sizes and boosts their overall power, transforming all their moves into Max Moves. "Max Moves are powerful, and some can even trigger additional effects," Nintendo wrote in a press release. "For example, the Normal-type Max Move, Max Strike, has the additional effect of lowering the Speed stat of an opponent it hits. The Max Moves the player's Pokemon can use are determined by the kind and types of moves they knew before Dynamaxing."

Much like Mega Evolutions, Dynamax transformations can only be activated once per battle. The transformation only lasts for three turns as well, so you'll need to be strategic in deciding when to activate it. You're not the only one who can tap into Dynamax's power either. Gym Leaders will use the transformation on their strongest Pokemon, adding a challenging new hurdle to defeating them in battle. You can also encounter Dynamax Pokemon in Sword / Shield's new Wild Area--a location where you encounter wild Pokemon in the open world, much like in Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu / Eevee.

To battle against these giant wild Pokemon, you and up to three other players (or NPC-controlled trainers) join forces. These new types of battles are called Max Raid Battles, and they'll see your team of trainers take on a Dynamax Pokemon in a challenging fight that will require coordination. Only one of the trainers in your group will be able to Dynamax their Pokemon to match the wild giant Pokemon, so you'll have to choose wisely. These wild Dynamax Pokemon vary by area and weather, so you'll have to explore the entire region to beat and catch 'em all.

In case you missed the Nintendo Pokemon Direct, we've compiled all the information in a series of articles, which you can find listed below. Pokemon Sword / Shield is scheduled to release for Nintendo Switch on November 15.

Pokemon Sword / Shield Nintendo Direct Breakouts

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https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-sword-shield-goes-giant-with-new-dynamax-t/1100-6467392/

2019-06-06 07:06:00Z
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Pokemon Sword / Shield: Random Encounters Might Be A Thing Of The Past - GameSpot

The Pokemon Direct that aired on June 5 showed off a new trailer and more details for Pokemon Sword and Shield. One of those new details was a bit unclear; the trailer and subsequent clips showed Pokemon roaming the overworld, similar to Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee, but we also saw a random-style encounter in the tall grass. So, are there going to be random encounters or not?

From what we can tell so far, it seems like random encounters are mostly, if not totally, gone. The Direct showed a variety of Pokemon roaming the overworld, much like in the Let's Go games. You encounter these wild Pokemon in something called the Wild Area, which refers to the expanse of nature between cities; in the Wild Area, you'll encounter different Pokemon based on your specific location and the weather. You initiate battles with these Pokemon by running into them, though some will chase you down once they spot you.

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Pokemon Sword And Pokemon Shield - Official Reveal Trailer

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The Direct also showed a more typical wild Pokemon encounter in the tall grass. As it turns out, you have some control over these encounters as well. A small exclamation point will appear in the grass, indicating that a Pokemon is there, and then you can initiate the battle by running into it--just like with the Pokemon that physically appear in the overworld. It's unclear if there are any occasions where Pokemon will attack you totally at random and as a surprise, but it seems like that's unlikely. We've reached out for clarification and will update this story once we hear more.

For more news from the Pokemon Direct, see our explanation of the new Dynamax mechanic and all the new Galar Pokemon. Pokemon Sword and Shield are set to release on November 15; you can learn more about that in our pre-order guide.

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https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-sword-and-shield-random-encounters-may-be-/1100-6467394/

2019-06-06 06:52:00Z
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Pokemon Sword and Shield Direct May Have Proven an Old Leak to Be Accurate - IGN

A two-week-old leak may be more accurate than we thought after details in it matched today's Direct.

By Tom Marks

Today’s Pokemon Nintendo Direct gave us tons of official new details about Pokemon Sword and Shield, including 7 new Pokemon and a release date, but it possibly also seems to have shown an alleged leak with even more information from two weeks ago to potentially be accurate.

A thread posted on 4Chan on May 23 claimed to list loads of extra details not yet revealed about the next Pokemon games, but fake leaks are posted to anonymous forums all the time so there wasn’t much reason to believe it was real. But now many of the details officially revealed in today’s Direct match-up with some of what was claimed in that two-week-old leak, lending some weight to the rest of what was described.

Exit Theatre Mode

The leak details that matched the official reveal were your rival’s name, Hop, as well as the researcher Sonia being the granddaughter of Sword and Shield’s professor - Leon is also named though not described. The new Dynamaxing mechanic was also detailed accurately and the newly shown sheep Pokemon Wooloo was named, while both legendaries were accurately described but not named. Finally, the Wild Area was addressed by name, along with its open world nature and weather system, and the four-person Dynamax raids within it.

That’s a whole lot of specific names and information to get right by accident, but it’s always safe to remain skeptical with leaks like this regardless. Still, if you would prefer to stay spoiler-free then turn back now!

Here are the bigger unrevealed details that this alleged leak claims are true:

• Sword and Shield’s enemy team will be called Team Yell.
• There will be an “evil” legendary Pokemon named Eternatus.
• In addition to Dynamaxing, there will also be the similar Gigantimaxing, which changes a Pokemon’s appearance in addition to growing its size. Three examples given are Meowth looking like “long cat,” Lapras getting “layers like musical bars to its shell and musical notes,” and Pikachu looking like “retro fat Pikachu.”
• “Regional evolutions” will be a thing, with Farfetch’d turning into Sirfetch’d, and Meowth looking like “a ball of spiky grey fur.” It’s unclear if this literally means evolutions or if it actually refers to regional variants like Alola.
• Chipmunk Pokemon potentially named “Skwovet and Greedunt” will hide in berry trees, attacking players if they shake them too many times, which will cause you to lose half the berries that fell.
• To challenge a gym leader, you need to get an endorsement (not explained), which will then let you take on a gym challenge that needs to be completed before fighting them.
• Three gym challenges are described, including one where you have to herd Wooloo while avoiding a new Electric corgi Pokemon called Pamper, one where you navigate a maze with water blocking your path, and one where you have to catch Pokemon and “get 5 points” while in a team battle with another trainer who is also trying to catch them at the same time.
• While in the Wild Area, you will “randomly see nearby players and interact with them to get their league cards and items.”
• Camping will be a mechanic, and is where you will play with Pokemon. It will also let you make curry to raise stats and use toys to raise friendship.
• Grookey’s final evolution is a giant gorilla that uses a wood drum to attack.
• Sobble’s evolutions are called Sizzile and then Intelleon, and will have a spy-theme to them.
• “Scorbunny will have fighting moves, but is pure fighter.” (There could be a typo in here, it reads as if it meant to say "but is pure fire" or "but isn't pure fighter.") Its second evolution is called Raboot, and its final evolution looks like a humanoid fighter.
• A blue seagull Pokemon was described that will get either a “barracuda or a Pikachu” in its mouth when it dives, which it then throws at the enemy.

Again, it’s important to note that this is still all rumor and nothing in the above list is even close to guaranteed to be accurate, so take it all with a grain of salt. It could be that someone was able to see the info that would be revealed in the Direct and simply made up extra details beyond that to mess with people, or that they or misreporting or misremembering details even if they do have inside information.

Personally, it seems unlikely that this doesn’t have some degree of accuracy to it, but it’s still crucial not to take this as official until it comes straight from the Mudsdale’s mouth. We’ve reached out to The Pokemon Company for comment in the meantime. Update: The Pokemon Company responded to our request simply with “we do not comment on rumors or speculation.”

For more on Pokemon Sword and Shield, here’s everything officially revealed today, a look at 111 new Pokemon images, and the full Dynamax trailer.

Tom Marks is IGN's Deputy Reviews Editor and resident pie maker, and he hopes this is all real for the corgi Pokemon alone. You can follow him on Twitter.

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https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/06/05/pokemon-sword-and-shield-direct-may-have-proven-an-old-leak-to-be-accurate

2019-06-05 18:45:16Z
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Pokemon Sword & Shield Direct Stream (June 2019): Rewatch And News Recap - GameSpot

E3 2019 may be just around the corner, but for Pokemon fans, the most exciting news arrived today during a special Pokemon Direct. Unlike the broader E3 Direct set for next week, which will show off a number of Switch games releasing in 2019, the presentation focused exclusively on the highly anticipated Pokemon Sword and Shield. During the Direct, Nintendo confirmed a release date, showed off new Pokemon, and detailed exciting new multiplayer features and open-world elements, among many other gameplay details.

If you missed it, don't despair, you can catch a video recap above or rewatch the entire stream through the embed below. It's roughly 15 minutes long and packed with new Pokemon details, so get yourself some snacks and settle in. We've also included all the biggest news that came out of the stream for you to read below. Once you've made your way to the end of this article, you'll be an expert on everything that has happened with Pokemon Sword and Shield so far.

Pokemon Sword And Shield Release Date Confirmed

During the Nintendo Direct, Pokemon developer Game Freak confirmed that Pokemon Sword / Shield's release date is set for November 15. Better yet, it's a global release date, so no one will be feeling left out when Poke-fever hits later this year. You can pre-order Sword and Shield now; in addition to the two standalone versions, a dual pack including both games will also be available.

New Legendaries

Nintendo introduced us to Pokemon Sword and Shield's new Legendary Pokemon. As you might expect, the two new Legendaries embody the "Sword" and "Shield" titles, with Zamazenta having a shield-like design and Zacian holding a sword-like item in its mouth.

New Characters And Story Details Revealed

Pokemon Sword and Shield's story and characters were a key focus of the Direct event. We got to meet the Galar region's Pokemon professor, your rival, and the Champion, and we learn that those giant stadiums we saw previously are Pokemon Gyms.

New Gen 8 Pokemon Revealed

Naturally, we got a look at some of the new Gen 8 Pokemon we'll be able to catch, befriend, and battle in Sword and Shield. We also got a look at a variety of returning favorites from past generations.

Dynamax

One of the new battle elements we learned about involves something called Dynamax. This is an option you can activate once per battle to grow your Pokemon to incredible size, allowing them to utilize more powerful versions of their abilities.

Raid Battles

Tied into Dyanmaxing is a new type of encounter that is clearly inspired by Pokemon Go: Raid Battles. These pit four trainers against a single enemy that will be Dynamaxed for the entire fight. Defeat it, and you'll have a chance to catch it. Your fellow trainers can be actual players, but if you don't have a group of four, the AI will fill in as needed.

Smartphone Pokedex

Rather than the standard Pokedex, Sword and Shield gives players a Rotom Phone. This not only is used to track your collection, but it also fulfills other functions, including apparently serving as a replacement for HMs from past games.

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https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-sword-and-shield-direct-stream-june-2019-r/1100-6467311/

2019-06-05 17:07:00Z
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Pokemon Sword & Shield June 2019 Direct Stream: Rewatch And News Recap - GameSpot

E3 2019 may be just around the corner, but for Pokemon fans, the most exciting news arrived today during a special Pokemon Direct. Unlike the broader E3 Direct set for next week, which will show off a number of Switch games releasing in 2019, the presentation focused exclusively on the highly anticipated Pokemon Sword and Shield. During the Direct, Nintendo confirmed a release date, showed off new Pokemon, and detailed exciting new multiplayer features and open-world elements, among many other gameplay details.

If you missed it, don't despair, you can rewatch the entire stream through the video below. It's roughly 15 minutes long and packed with new information, so get yourself some snacks and settle in. We've also included all the biggest news that came out of the stream for you to read below. Once you've made your way to the end of this article, you'll be an expert on everything that has happened with Pokemon Sword and Shield so far.

Pokemon Sword And Shield Release Date Confirmed

During the Nintendo Direct, Pokemon developer Game Freak confirmed that Pokemon Sword / Shield's release date is set for November 15. Better yet, it's a global release date, so no one will be feeling left out when Poke-fever hits later this year. You can pre-order Sword and Shield now; in addition to the two standalone versions, a dual pack including both games will also be available.

New Legendaries

Nintendo introduced us to Pokemon Sword and Shield's new Legendary Pokemon. As you might expect, the two new Legendaries embody the "Sword" and "Shield" titles, with Zamazenta having a shield-like design and Zacian holding a sword-like item in its mouth.

New Characters And Story Details Revealed

Pokemon Sword and Shield's story and characters were a key focus of the Direct event. We got to meet the Galar region's Pokemon professor, your rival, and the Champion, and we learn that those giant stadiums we saw previously are Pokemon Gyms.

New Gen 8 Pokemon Revealed

Naturally, we got a look at some of the new Gen 8 Pokemon we'll be able to catch, befriend, and battle in Sword and Shield. We also got a look at a variety of returning favorites from past generations.

Dynamax

One of the new battle elements we learned about involves something called Dynamax. This is an option you can activate once per battle to grow your Pokemon to incredible size, allowing them to utilize more powerful versions of their abilities.

Raid Battles

Tied into Dyanmaxing is a new type of encounter that is clearly inspired by Pokemon Go: Battle Raids. These pit four trainers against a single enemy that will be Dynamaxed for the entire fight. Defeat it, and you'll have a chance to catch it. Your fellow trainers can be actual players, but if you don't have a group of four, the AI will fill in as needed.

Smartphone Pokedex

Rather than the standard Pokedex, Sword and Shield gives players a Rotom Phone. This not only is used to track your collection, but it also fulfills other functions, including apparently serving as a replacement for HMs from past games.

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https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-sword-and-shield-june-2019-direct-stream-r/1100-6467311/

2019-06-05 16:21:00Z
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