Download and Install Android L’s Google Play Services version 5.0 and Google Play Store Velvet [APK]
With the new version of Android L receiving a developer preview, it has enabled the community to un-pack the contents and extract various components from the new Android update. Having already been treated to the entire library of Android L wallpapers to download, you can now also download and install the latest version of Google Play Services version 5.0 to unlock enhanced functionality of apps that hook into it.
You can download the Google Play Services 5.0 update .APK from this link and also the new Google Play Store Velvet APK from this link.
These may only work with certain devices, so drop us a comment in the section below if it worked on your device.
[XDA]
The post Download and Install Android L’s Google Play Services version 5.0 and Google Play Store Velvet [APK] appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Android L developer preview live now!
Android L was announced yesterday at Google I/O without a code name and without a version number. What was announced was a developer preview to be released the following day, which is today! The downloads are now available here. The downside is, you must have a developer device meaning you must have a Nexus 5 (hammerhead) or the Nexus 7 WiFi (razor). There is not a developer preview for the Nexus 4 or any other Nexus device.
This is a developer preview, so bugs are expected. Remember, ART is now full time and the only runtime on Android L. Dalvik is no longer an option, and some apps still do not work on ART. If you are okay with a few bugs and are determined to have bleeding edge technology, head on over to http://developer.android.com/preview/setup-sdk.html and download the system image now! Instructions to install the preview are available here.
An in-depth look at Android L will be coming in a few days after I have had some time to test it out on my Nexus 7 for those of you who do not have either Nexus device.
The post Android L developer preview live now! appeared first on AndroidGuys.
RAVPower Element 7800mAh Portable Charger Review
Up for review today is the RAVPower Element 7800mAh Portable Charger and my first impression of the camouflage device was “meh”. I have only seen a handful of portable chargers that looked decent, but looks are really not what matter here. What really matters is the juice this puppy packs and it packs a punch!
What’s Inside
- RAVPower 7800 Power Bank/Lantern Light
- Micro USB Cord
- Locking Carabineer (Not For Climbing)
Design
When I first received the RAVPower Element, it came in a nice, clean package. After opening the box I discovered my newest (and favorite) portable charger, but camouflage, really? I mean, maybe a subdued color like olive green or black, but I was caught off guard with the camo. However, looks aren’t everything, its what’s on the inside that counts right? Well that’s what my mother keeps telling me!
The charger has two ports, micro USB for charging and a USB port to charge your device. It has a power button for the handy built in LED light at the top and four blue lights that show you how charged the charger is. The device is a decent size reigning in at almost 4 inches tall and a diameter of about 2 inches. The charger weighs about 7 ounces so it isn’t going to weigh you down when you throw it in your backpack.
It also comes with a handy carabineer to attach to the outside of a pack as well. The charger is built well and I feel that if I dropped it, I wouldn’t have much to worry about.
Performance
The first thing I did when I received the charger was to plug it in and charge it all the way up. RAVPower says you can charge the device over 500 times before it kicks the bucket, but I will definitely get my moneys worth by that time. The output of the charger is 1.2a so it charges fairly quickly.
I have been using my HTC One M8 (2600 mAh) and Nexus 7 (4350 mAh) tablet to test the performance of the device. The best I gathered from testing the portable charger was to get my HTC One M8 and tablet as dead as possible in order to see just how fast and how much it could charge.
After playing videos on my devices and keeping the screen brightness cranked all the way up, I put the charger to the test. I first started with my HTC One with it at 10%, after an hour and a half, my phone was fully charged and then I slapped the Nexus 7 on it and did the same thing, now I know you’re thinking, “That Nexus is going to drain that charger dry”, but it didn’t. After plugging in both devices and charging them to 100%, I still had a single light on the charger.
Now simple math tells me that 2600 – 10% and 4350 – 10% = 2340 + 3,915 = 6255 mAh used so far. So far so good. I figured I still had about 1500 mAh of power left in charger. So, the next day I plugged my phone in at 10% again and I only got to 47% before it wouldn’t go anymore.
The test isn’t over yet. I continued to do the same thing over the past two weeks with the same results. I also charged the charger and let it sit for a week and it still held its charge without dropping a light. I have been thoroughly impressed with the performance of charger it has exceeded all my expectations.
Value
The RAVPower Element is also very affordable, coming in at $29.99. The device is super affordable and if you’re an Amazon shopper, you can pick it up with Prime shipping (Free 2-Day) as well!
I highly recommend anyone looking for a portable charger that packs a lot of power and comes at a great price. You can also check out all the other products RAVPower has to offer as well, here!
The post RAVPower Element 7800mAh Portable Charger Review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
ROM of the Week: MIUI
ROM of the Week is dedicated to highlighting our favorite custom ROMs and builds for Android users. If you’re the type who likes to tinker and push their device to new limits then this column is for you.
Note that this isn’t the sort of thing that every AndroidGuys reader will enjoy; however, it can be an eye opener. Our hope here is that we help you discover something new and exciting that you can do with your favorite smartphone. Enjoy!
This week’s ROM of the Week goes to MIUI, which is a different ROM as opposed to other ones that have made the cut. What makes MIUI unique is that it isn’t about all the tweaks you can do, but the appearance of how your Android OS looks. Now I’m not saying you can’t customize certain aspects, but if you’re really looking for unique themes and just want a change of pace, while still having a battery friendly and snappy ROM, MIUI should be first on your list!
MIUI kind of reminds me of how iOS would look on Android, however MIUI packs plently of unique features and you still have that feeling that you are the boss of your phone. MIUI is not just a beginners ROM just because it looks “Awesome”! It is a ROM built for the masses. When MIUI was developed, its creators main priority was to provide a ROM that contained features people truly wanted and that is what they have done. It truly is different!
Features
Here is a short list of features that can be found on OmniRom:
- Themes
- Storage Management
- Power Management
- App Permissions
- Tons of UI Changes
There are really so many UI changes that its hard to pick just even a few because they are all worth noting. However, in the slideshow below or the pictures on the next page really breaks down alot of the ROM’s functionality, so check them out!
Overall, the MIUI is smooth, fluid and something different! When people grab my phone they don’t even think its an Android device, but as they start going through they are really impressed with the fine details that make this ROM great!
Device Support
MIUI is a Chinese based developer so a lot of their device support goes to Chinese manufactured phones, but you can still find some popular devices here!
The features really speak for themselves and thanks to user @noodles90 for all the hard work in putting these together! Check out the features below or if you’re having JavaScript issues, you can check them out on the next page.
The post ROM of the Week: MIUI appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Black HTC One M8, yellow Nexus 5 on the horizon
OK, call me boring but I like my smartphones to look understated and elegant. So when it comes to choosing what colour I want my hardware to be I will always go for the black option, but lately we are seeing many manufactures turning towards bold or fancy colour schemes for their devices.
@eveleaks has uncovered some pic’s of a what could be a black HTC One M8 lurking out there, although no details of a black M8 have been leaked as yet. The photo shows the back of the One M8 with what looks like a metallic black finish which really works well with the silver HTC logo.
Following on from the release of a very Red Nexus 5 handset, Google may have let slip that their flagship Nexus phone could be making an appearance in yellow soon. Google already have a yellow bumper case so this could be the same colour yellow that we see the Nexus 5 sporting, as we saw with the red Nexus.
Could a yellow Nexus 5 be related to the possible name of “Lemon Pie” for the next version of Android, or am I just thinking too much into this !
Anyway, what’s your thoughts on the colours of these two phones ? let know us know in the comments below.
Source: @eveleaks Android Police
The post Black HTC One M8, yellow Nexus 5 on the horizon appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Amazon Appstore promo offers 30 free apps including Plex and AccuWeather
Whoever said “nothing in life is free” obviously doesn’t have Amazon’s Appstore installed on their Android device. The software marketplace already offers a different paid app for free each day, but for today and tomorrow only, it’s upped the number of discounted apps to 30. The “Epic Summer App Bundle” features over a $100/£100′s worth of popular apps for free, including the Plex mobile client, AccuWeather Platinum, games such as Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the 3D RPG Ravensword: Shadowlands and Kairosoft’s Dungeon Village, as well as some utility and productivity apps like Splashtop Remote Desktop HD and OfficeSuite Professional 7. The full selection can be found here, and if you have Amazon hardware you know where to head to get downloading. Anyone else with an Android smartphone or tablet can install the Appstore by following these instructions, and it’s going to be worth the small effort if you fancy even a couple of the apps gratis.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Amazon
Source: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK)
Germany’s green energy boom is leaving a ‘trail of blood’ on coal companies
Ever since it started, the commercial growth of renewable energy has been a laborious, often painful matter of government pushes, tax incentives and campaigning for greater awareness. In Germany, however, the energy market is on the cusp of evolving to the next step: An era in which the sun and the wind replace fossil fuels through the sheer, unstoppable force of the market.
The country is currently experiencing a glut of energy, thanks to the recent openings of new coal power stations (which were commissioned back when electricity was in short supply) as well as record levels of renewable generation — especially solar. On sunny and windy days, the excess of electricity (which on average stands at 117 percent of peak demand) gets so big that energy prices are pushed downwards and traditional power stations are forced to cut down their running hours. A decade ago, fossil companies enjoyed a 15 percent margin on their sales, but today they make just five percent. An energy trader has informed Bloomberg that he believes that the latest coal stations to come online will make “much less money than originally thought” and “won’t cover their costs.”
Regulation is still at the heart of Germany’s predicament, because green generators have preferential access to the grid on days when there’s an overload. In other words, they’re allowed to run and run, while coal-fired stations have to switch themselves off in response to the excess. However, the consequence — which we’re already seeing — is to sap investors’ interest in financing the coal industry. In turn, this means that when the country’s older coal stations reach their end of life over the next decade, there’s a much greater chance that they’ll be replaced by green sources. Renewable energy’s contribution to the grid is on target to rise to 45 percent by 2025, while coal companies are left with what one chief financial officer described as a “trail of blood” on their balance sheets. In the US, meanwhile, the birth of solar on an industrial scale is only just getting started.
Filed under: Misc
Source: Bloomberg
Did Google show us HTC Nexus 9 render on Google I/O?
There were plenty of rumors suggesting that HTC is working on a new Nexus tablet, dubbed Nexus 9. We’ve even had a detailed leak regarding the device which included not only a render of the device but its specifications as well. Well, something interesting happened on Google I/O which might suggest that the leak was true, to some extent at least.
If you look at the picture Google used at this year’s I/O, you’ll notice a weird look tablet in the middle which is not the Nexus 7 (2013) (it is not Samsung’s Nexus 10 either, you can tell that on a first glance). I’ll tell you why:
- The camera is on the middle of the tablet (from portrait perspective), while the one on the Nexus 7 is on the right side of it, not completely, but still, it’s not centered.
- You’ll notice the front facing speaker on the render, next to a front facing camera. Well, Nexus 7 doesn’t have a front facing speaker. On the other hand the leaked HTC Volantis doesn’t either, as far as we can tell by the render linked above at least.
- The tablet on this render is in landscape while the Nexus 5 (on the right) is in portrait. You can see that the tablet is taller in landscape than Nexus 5 is in portrait, which also doesn’t match up to Nexus 7′s proportions. Nexus 5 is 137.9mm tall while the Nexus 7 (2013) is 114mm wide.
This really doesn’t have to mean anything, maybe Google is playing with us. Be it as it may, we do think this is for real and that Google wanted to tease us a bit, in other words we don’t think it’s their way of trolling us or that it was an accident. What do you think?
Source: Google
The post Did Google show us HTC Nexus 9 render on Google I/O? appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google released a promo video showing off Android “L” on various devices and situation as a part of Google I/O
Google really had lots to say at this year’s Google I/O. We definitely expected a promo video for it and Google delivered.
Video runtime is around 2 minutes and it shows most of what Google has been talking about, or better, presenting at Google I/O this year. This promo video is tracking a guy and his dog in different situations, from waking up and running to a dog show and chillin’ in the living room. Throughout the video you can see Google’s new Android Wear in action on a LG G Watch and Android “L” on a Nexus 5 and Nexus 7, they even included Android TV and Android Auto in the story. Oh well, see it for yourself:
Source: Google (YouTube)
The post Google released a promo video showing off Android “L” on various devices and situation as a part of Google I/O appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Download all the new Android L wallpapers
Now the new Android L Developer Preview is available, the guys over at XDA have extracted the wallpapers used on the latest version of Android, so not only can you now enjoy the main homescreen demonstrated at Google I/O, but you can now have them all.
If you want to download all the Android L wallpapers in one hit, then you can do so using this link.
The post Download all the new Android L wallpapers appeared first on AndroidGuys.
AIVAnet 