Daily News Roundup: Huawei Unveils HarmonyOS for IoT Devices, Not Phones

After being placed on the U.S. government’s Entity List, it wasn’t clear what Huawei would do without access to Android. The company claimed that it had an operating system in the works in case that day came.

Today, during its annual developer conference, Huawei officially unveiled HarmonyOS. The OS is built with a microkernel, supposedly making it faster and more secure than Android.

For now, HarmonyOS will only reside on IoT devices. We expect version 1.0 to power some of the company’s smart displays later this year, such as the Honor Vision TV. Huawei stated that it doesn’t plan to replace Android with HarmonyOS, but it could immediately switch if Google ever revoked access to the mobile OS. [Engadget]

In Other News:

• Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS Is Now Available with Linux Kernel 5.0: Canonical just released the third of five point releases for Ubuntu 18.04. In addition to bug fixes, this update brings with it a selection of color emoji options in the emoji picker, GNOME Shell and Mutter enhancements, and Linux Kernel 5.0. Just like in Ubuntu 19.04, the new kernel features improved hardware support and other performance improvements. Make sure to check out our guide on how to install the Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS update. [OMG Ubuntu]
• Tell Alexa to Speak Slower: Depending on what you use Amazon Alexa for, you might find that the voice assistant talks too fast to understand. Starting today, U.S. customers can ask their smart speakers to talk slower or quicker. To adjust Alexa’s speaking rates, say, “Alexa, speaker slower,” or “Alexa, speak faster.” To reset the smart assistant’s speech, say, “Alexa, speak at your default rate.” [Amazon]
• Sony’s New Laptop Includes All of the Ports Missing from Your Computer: Most modern laptops might include two or three USB-A or USB-C ports, but that’s basically it. Sony decided that wasn’t enough and instead released the SX12 with three USB-A ports, one USB-C, HDMI, SD card slot, ethernet port, VGA, and a 3.5mm headphone/mic jack. The VAIO SX12 starts at $1,119 in the U.S. with a U-series Core i5 CPU 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. [The Verge]

Jupiter recently entered a position called opposition, making its place in our solar system almost opposite the Sun from Earth. Its location makes it easier for scientists to view and study the planet. On June 27, the Hubble telescope captured a new photo of Jupiter with its Great Red Spot front and center.

According to the European Space Agency, the image provides further evidence that the Great Red Spot is shrinking. It’s still not clear why, but the storm—which has a diameter roughly equal to the Earth—has been raging for 150 to 350 years. Scientists hope these new pictures help them discover what is going on in Jupiter’s atmosphere. [Science Alert]