Lilbits: Pixel 8 Pro's temperature sensor, Anbernic's keychain

When the first pictures of the upcoming Google Pixel 8 Pro started to leak earlier this year, folks noticed that it had an extra sensor in the camera strip, but it wasn't clear what that sensor did. Now we (probably know): it's an IR temperature sensor that lets your phone as thermometer.

Here's a roundup of recent tech news from around the web.

It looks like the Pixel 8 Pro could have a temperature sensor when it launches later this fall, according to a leaked demo video that shows how it can be used to detect fevers when waved over your forehead. The video has been removed, but Ars Technica has screenshots.

This keychain-sized game console has a 1,050 mAh battery, a USB-C port, and what looks like barely-bigger-than-a-thumbnail sized display. More details, including pricing, should be available closer to launch.

Huawei's new MateBook E (2023) is a 2-in-1 Windows tablet with a 12.6 inch, 2560 x 1600 pixel 120 Hz OLED display, an Intel Raptor Lake-U processor, up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, and a 42 Wh battery. Available first in China for $1070 and up.

Google is updating its inactive account policy – if you haven't used or logged into a personal Google Account in at least two years, Google "may delete the account and its content" starting in December, 2023. You should get "multiple notifcations over the months leading up to deletion" before that happens though.

Amazon's new Echo Buds are its cheapest true wireless earbuds yet ($50 list, $40 during a pre-launch promotion). They lack active noise cancellation, but offer 5 hour battery life, come with a charging case, and support Alexa (if that's a selling point for you). There's also a new entry-level $40 Echo Pop smart speaker, plus a couple other Alexa-enabled products.

The latest update to Microsoft's software for running Android apps on Windows 11 PCs includes virus scanning for packages before installation, support for configuring how much RAM is available to Android, and other improvements.

Seems like Framework managed to deliver on its promise of longer battery life with the new Framework Laptop. A bigger battery, new chipset and better BIOS, helped one reviewer consistently got 9+ hours on the new model (up from 6+ hours last year).

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