The Banner Saga is coming to mobile in Summer 2014
There are many beautiful, unique games out there they strive to differentiate themselves in an increasingly saturated market, but The Banner Saga is one of those games that stands above most with its gorgeous animated visuals. For those who have never heard of The Banner Saga, the RPG/strategy game follows the journey of your Viking caravan […]
Keep track of World Cup 2014 on your Pebble thanks to Kimono Labs
The round of 16 is about the start at the World Cup 2014 in Brazil so it’s all about to get very serious in the world of soccer. If you’re the type of person who can’t be watching the television every minute of the day to keep track of the scores, maybe having the World Cup […]
Sony marries glowsticks and wearables for an unnecessary concert accessory
Remember FreFlow? Sony tested the concept of synchronized glow pens a couple of years ago at a few concerts in Japan, turning the audience into the spectacle (see the video below). Judging by a recent entry at the FCC, it looks like it’s set to go from prototype to product. Here’s how it works: when performers on stage wave the master pen around, concert-goers’ pens light up and change color in unison. There’s a master transmitter/controller to manage the works. We’re not sure how Sony would distribute them if they came to the US, given that concert venues and groups would have to support the devices. Either way, if you’re into that sort of thing it’s a lot easier than whipping out a smartphone — and less hazardous than a Zippo.
Source: FCC
United States planning legislation to offer Europeans the same privacy rights as US citizens
The United States government intends to offer European citizens the same privacy rights extended to US citizens. Exactly how it will do that is yet to be determined, but US attorney general Eric Holder this week told European leaders of the Obama administration’s intention to create legislation offering EU citizens “the same right to seek judicial redress for intentional or willful disclosures of protected information and for refusal to grant access or to rectify any errors in that information.” Holder made the announcement at a US-EU home affairs and justice ministers meeting in Greece this past Wednesday.
The news comes in the wake of a strained 12 months in US-EU relations; information revealed by former security/cryptography expert Edward Snowden showed that the US government spied on a variety of EU leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Holder’s lack of specificity left EU leaders wanting for more. “Words only matter if put into law,” EU justice commissioner Viviane Reding told The Guardian. “We are waiting for the legislative step.”
The legislation that Holder and the Obama administration seek would offer European citizens the same rights that American citizens are afforded under the 1974 Privacy Act. The US Department of Justice explains the act as such: “The Privacy Act prohibits the disclosure of a record about an individual from a system of records absent the written consent of the individual, unless the disclosure is pursuant to one of twelve statutory exceptions.” Those “twelve statutory exceptions” are what you might expect, from statistical analysis (the census, for instance) to law enforcement, to credit bureau reporting.
Regardless, none of this is meaningful just yet — as Viviane Reding put it, “Words only matter if put into law.” We’ll have to wait and see what the Obama administration’s next steps are, as the announcement is little more than a more direct version of the same story we’ve been hearing for months.
[Image credit: AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris]
Source: The Guardian
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]
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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.
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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.
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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
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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)
AIVAnet 