Motorola updates Moto G, Moto X, Moto X with Android 4.4.3
Motorola this week commenced the Android 4.4.3 KitKat update for a number of its smartphones.
This week we begin rolling out to:
- Moto X T-Mobile users
- Moto G users who bought online in the U.S. (includes Moto G 4G LTE) and at retail in Brazil
- Moto E users who bought online in the U.S. For Moto E users, you are still up for the next major Android update as well. Consider this the cherry on top.
According to the handset maker, the update includes a new dialer, multiple theme color options, security and stability enhancements, and more.
Motorola users will also enjoy:
- Improved camera image quality for Moto X including better consistency of exposure, more realistic flash coloring, and improved photos in low light conditions using front camera.
- For Moto X and Moto G, pausing for video recording with a convenient pause/resume button on the viewfinder.
- Motorola Alert in this update for Moto X and Moto G users. This new app helps give peace of mind by sending periodic messages to the contacts you choose.
Free to download and install, the update should also come to the other Moto X models in the near future.
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T-Mobile offering new tablets and $100 discounts
T-Mobile on Wednesday announced a promotion which will see the Un-carrier discounting tablets by $100 for a limited time. Available today, and running through June 15, customers can pick up models such as the 4G LTE-equipped Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition. The Samsung tablet can be had for $0 down and 24 equal monthly payments of $25, a total cost of $600.
Also joining the T-Mobile lineup is a new tablet, the 7-inch ALCATEL ONETOUCH POP 7. Priced at $168, it’s a budget tablet aimed at your everyday basic user. Exact availability is not clear, however it’s due later this month.
All tablets purchased through T-Mobile come with 200MB of 4G LTE data for the life of the device. A separate promotion sees the carrier offering an extra 1GB of data (through the end of 2014) at no extra cost.
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Create 3D live wallpapers with Depth Photo Live Wallpaper [App of the Day]
As seasoned Android users know, there are many live wallpaper apps on the Google Play Store. Recently a trend has emerged with blurred backgrounds as well as those that offer a parallax effect as your live wallpaper. iOS 7 introduced the effect for iPhones a while back, and HTC debuted a 3D depth effect for their duo camera which allows you to essentially take 3D photos based on the depth that the duo-camera detects.
Thanks to Opotech, this effect is now available for all phones now with Depth Photo Live Wallpaper on the Play Store. This app lets you use utilize the new Google Camera’s lens blur option to create photos that are compatible with creating a 3D effect and then using them as your live wallpaper. Once you have a lens blurred photo in your gallery, you can simply share it to the Depth Photo app to create a 3D affect, letting you use the phone’s gyroscope to see the different angles of the photo.
While the effect isn’t perfect, and certainly depends on your ability to take clean lens blurred photos, it’s a really cool thing to see and I’ve really enjoyed having some cool 3D nature scenery as my wallpaper. What’s even betrter, is this app let’s you share your lens blur photos on the Depth Photo Google+ page for others to have, and the page will serve as a nice hub for cool 3D photos.
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Download and install latest Google Play Store 4.8.20 APK
The Google Play Store is your gateway to the entire repository of applications that run on your Android phone and has been updated to version 4.8.20. Here’s what the update includes and how to get the APK to download the latest version of Google Play Store.
Included in the 4.8.20 update are new header images and also an action bar giving you a preview of the artwork or content displayed on the page. The action bar fades as you scroll down to give full screen content.
There’s also a new additional information section which lists the app version, install size, content rating, and permissions. You’ll also notice that the permissions list is collapsed to offer a simplified view, with various permissions now grouped into a category for easier understanding.
Further changes include bigger buttons in the Google Play Store, and also PayPal support for purchasing apps.
The latest Google Play Store 4.8.20 APK weighs in at 6.69MB and can be downloaded by clicking here.
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Rumour says that Sony Xperia Z3 will be here in September and will be 7mm thick, and no new Z Ultra
Very soon after the announcement of the Sony Xperia Z2, Creative Director of Sony Mobile, Kurozumi Yoshiro, went on record to say that they were hoping to adopt a biannual flagship cycle, not-so-obviously dropping the hint that a probably Sony Xperia Z3 might be due sometime in the latter half of 2014. Now that we’re on the cusp of that second half of the year, Sony leaker, DooMLoRD, has come out of the woodwork to give some new info on the Xperia Z3. According to DooMLoRD, the Xperia Z3 will be here in September but not have the elusive Snapdragon 805 processor that everybody in the Android community has been hoping for. He mentions that the Xperia Z3 will have a new design, though we would expect Sony not to stray too far from the Xperia formula, and also that the bezels will be slimmer (a sticking point for some) and will be 7mm thin. That’s more than a millimetre thinner than the Xperia Z2, and only a hair thicker than its form factor cousin, the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet.
While the lack of a Snapdragon 805 is probably bad news for some enthusiasts holding out for the Xperia Z3, the news that took me by surprise the most is the suggestion that there won’t be an Xperia Z Ultra successor. Just a few days ago, we thought Sony was teasing a new device that would succeed the Z Ultra, however it turned out to be a teaser for the Xperia T3. Even so, the Z Ultra was critically acclaimed as a brilliant device despite its size and if this is true, then that is truly disappointing.
What do you think about the rumours about the Sony Xperia Z3? Are you disappointed it might not be powered by the Snapdragon 805? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Source: Twitter via Phone Arena
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Leak suggests Samsung Galaxy F will be the name of the S5 Prime, could have brushed aluminium Back
Rumours of the Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime have somewhat died out the last few weeks, however many of us have still held onto the slim chance that this upgraded Galaxy S5 might actually exist. And from the latest leak from evleaks, its existence now seems entirely likely. The leaked photo shows what is likely a press render of the device which is allegedly named the Samsung Galaxy F which seems to line up with some previous rumours regarding the name and the back cover finish.
As the photo shows, the Galaxy F makes a departure from the dimpled back of the Galaxy S5 and instead goes for a brushed aluminium finish, which would be a nice change for a Samsung device, however if the LG G3 has taught us anything, it’s entirely possible that this is actually a faux metal back made of plastic. The Galaxy F, for which the F allegedly stands for “fashion”, is said to have a 5.2-inch Quad HD display paired with either a Snapdragon 801 or 805, 3GB RAM and 16MP camera. The device is said to be launched very soon, either this month or July, in order to counter the popularity that the Quad HD LG G3 has been seeing.
We won’t have long to see whether these rumours are true or not, but the real question is: would you be interested in the Samsung Galaxy F? Do you think Samsung’s strategy of challenging LG is correct? Let us know your opinion in the comments.
Source: Twitter via Phone Arena
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Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Gear 3 to launch this September?
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 should arrive this September, if Samsung sticks to its release cycle that is. This new report says that Samsung’s new phablet won’t come alone though.
We haven’t seen many leaks which regard the Note 4. All we’ve had thus far are possible display details leak and a possible design leak. A report by Korea Herald suggests that a Gear 3 smartwatch will come bundled with the Note 4. Allegedly the smartwatch won’t be the rumored Gear Solo, but the new iteration of the Samsung’s Gear smartwatch, while the Gear Solo should come before the two, probably this summer. We’ll just have to wait for IFA 2014 to see if any of the two will show up there.
Many people are looking forward to the Note 4, how about you? Do you think we’ll see a new Gear smartwatch alongside Samsung’s new phablet offering?
SOURCE: Korea Herald
VIA: TechnoBuffalo
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A metal LG G3 would’ve costed $300 more
With the much anticipated LG G3 announced last week, some people were a bit let down by the fact that the phone isn’t made of metal like rumors suggested. With the teaser videos making it sure seem like it would be, this phone could’ve taken the spotlight off of HTC’s One M8 for good with a truly premium build. The phone instead went with a plastic material like the G2 but with a metallic design finish.
According to LG Vice President of Mobile Design Chul Bae Lee, there were a few reasons behind the choice for plastic. “If you could charge $300 more for a phone, maybe we could make it metal.” He said to TrustedReviews.
He also mentioned the fact that metal would’ve made the phone bulkier and much less thin then what they have achieved with the G3. If I had applied metal to the G3 is would be much bulkier in the bezels and in all four directions. It would be very big and very heavy. It would be really slippery as well.”
He added: “What would be the best material for this phone? I don’t think metal would be the answer for that.”
The G3 is expected to hit markets soon, and is expected to be around $100 cheaper than other flagships, inclding the One M8 and Galaxy S5, despite having its new QHD 1440p display.
SOURCE: TrustedReviews
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Get This Look: Google Now Homescreen
We’re huge fans of changing the home screen around a bit and creating a new user experience for our Android. So much so that we present our ongoing series of Get This Look posts. In a nutshell we show you a new layout, app, widget, or icon set for your Android handset and tell you which apps you’ll need to mimic the feel.
Some of these are a little easier to create than others and many of them can be tweaked to no end. The following details are but the ingredients to which you can create your own delicious Android dish; your results will vary. Which is awesome! If nothing else, this is a great way to discover new apps, widgets, icons, and more!
Google Now
Why we love this look:
Google Now has become very integrated with the Android operating system since it was introduced in Jelly Bean, and the future is looking like it will play a bigger part in the UI than ever, so why not get a step ahead and change it yourself?
The launcher used in this is the new Inspire Launcher, a contender looking to take the throne from Nova as it embraces KitKat’s updated look to Android with brighter colors and lots of customization. The icon theme used is Moonshine, the icon pack created after the leaked images of Google’s upcoming icon refresh, code named “Moonshine”. The widgets you see are Clock Now widgets, and the wallpaper is Mountains Now Full Wallpaper, a live wallpaper that shares the same art as Google Now’s background and changes weather throughout the times of the day.
What you’ll need:
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Razer Unveils ‘Junglecat’ Gaming Controller with Slide-Out Design, Companion App [iOS Blog]
Razer has unveiled its Junglecat iOS gaming controller for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5, bringing a number of hardware features that attempt to make games easier and more natural to play on a mobile device.
The accessory features a slide-out unibody design that contains a Lightning connected upper enclosure for the iPhone, and boasts console-style controls such as a D-Pad, ABXY face buttons, and shoulder bumpers. The Junglecat includes open access to the iPhone’s hardware features including the sleep/wake button, volume buttons, home button, headphone jack, and front/rear cameras.
Razer is also shipping a companion app with the Junglecat, allowing users to remap face buttons and adjust sensitivity on the controller. The app will also include a list of games optimized for controller play, as the app’s interface displays both purchased apps and featured games.
It is unknown if Razer’s Junglecat is a more final version of the company’s “Kazuyo” controller that was leaked earlier this year, however the latter featured a slim hard-shell case design and was rumored to come with full-sized analog sticks. A previous report also indicated that Razer would be shipping a companion app for the Kazuyo as well, perhaps indicating that the company chose a different design for its first iOS controller.
The Razer Junglecat joins a growing market of iOS game controllers, which includes the SteelSeries Stratus, Logitech PowerShell, MOGA Ace Power and Mad Catz’s C.T.R.L.i controller. While all current controllers have attempted to impress consumers with unique designs and buttons, it has been reported that Apple’s strict guidelines have hampered product quality.
Currently, an increasing number of games are offering iOS 7 controller support, including titles like 2K Drive, Dead Trigger 2, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The number of iOS games supporting controllers is expected to grow as more accessories become available to consumers.
Razer’s Junglecat controller will be available in white and black for $99 when it ships this summer.
AIVAnet 