Google brings WatchESPN, MLS and more to Chromecast
The response Google’s received since opening up its Chromecast SDK has been phenomenal, as more and more services continue to bring support for the tiny streaming device. As of today, we can add some extra entertainment options to the list. WatchESPN, Major League Soccer, Crunchyroll and the search giant’s own Google+ are all welcoming Chromecast compatibility, thanks to updates to their respective apps on iOS and Android. WatchESPN and MLS Matchday join MLB.tv in letting you Cast live sports right from your smartphone or tablet — that’s assuming you have the right subscription, of course. Additionally, the Google+ iOS and Android applications now let you use the $35 dongle to display photos and videos on a TV near you; Crunchyroll, meanwhile, does the same, but with popular anime shows instead of your own media.
“We’re excited to bring more content to Chromecast and we’ll continue to work with major local content partners,” a Google representative said to Engadget. In other words, you can expect that more of your favorite services and apps will be friendly with Chromecast soon, making its small price tag seem that much better over time. (For example, we’re told Watch ABC and Watch Disney are up next.) The new versions of Crunchyroll, Google+, MLS Matchday and WatchESPN are rolling out as we speak, so be sure to keep an eye on the App Store and Google Play.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, Software, HD, Mobile, Google
Source: Google Chrome Blog
Life Pure XL by Blu is great, here are my first thoughts
The market right now is flooded with unexciting flagships. I’ve owned the entire Galaxy S line-up and the S5 has the same 2 GB of RAM that we saw in the US variants of the GS3. Aside from minor jumps in the processor, screen resolution, and camera, what’s really changing?
I say not enough, even with the understanding that there hasn’t been a ton of progress in processors, I feel that instead of manufacturers adding niche features that no one requested like a heart-rate monitor or dual-lens camera, if they can’t give us the a worthwhile increase in horsepower, they should focus more on lowering the cost of the device.
Life Pure XL By Blu Products
I had been looking forward to getting m hands on the Blu Life Pure XL since the day I first heard the specs. This beastly device has a 16 megapixel camera on the back, 8 megapixels on the front for truly epic selfies. At $399, this is the first sub $400 device with 3 GB of RAM, which is my favorite thing about the device as I’m so tired of the parade of run-of-the-mill 2 GB we’ve seen as of late.
The Life Pure XL has 32 GB of storage, (will also be available in a 2 GB RAM/16 GB storage variant for $349) and a 5.5 inch 1080p display which you can awaken with a double tap or activate the camera by simply drawing a “C” on the sleeping display. All of this is run by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.26 Ghz powered by a 2,500 mAh battery.
See below a size comparison between the Galaxy S 5 and the Blu Life Pure XL:
The Good, The Bad, And The Beautiful
This first look is going to go by quickly, so pay attention. The best things about the device are the GORGEOUS cameras, 3 GB of RAM, the 5.5 inch, full HD LCD, NFC, and the USB OTG capabilities right out of the box. I do also enjoy the fun features of the secondary camera app “CharmCam,” specifically the “PPT” mode which is Blu’s version of a document cam, you can take a photo of a piece of paper (or in their description a projected slide in a presentation) and it will automatically adjust the edges, contrast and brightness of the subject to produce a scanner quality copy, although in my experience the quality has been better than an actual scanner.
The only real drawback of the device is the lack of LTE. However it is also 9.5 mm thick, which while it isn’t that thick, aside from the lack of LTE it’s the only area about which I can complain. The device is perfectly rectangular, which means the corners are 90 degrees, which tends to make my palms itch when playing a game in landscape mode.
The dual speakers point out from the bottom of the device similar to iPhones and the Nexus 5. Blu has included a few features that I had, until now, only seen in customer ROMs, the ability to turn off the soft-key lights. Torch (flashlight) which you can activate from the lock screen. The Life Pure XL also has a system backup utility built right into the settings, however it appears that you can only backup contacts, SMS, call log, calender, and email, hopefully we’ll see application backups in the future.
Website: Blu Life Pure XL
Google+: Blu Products
Twitter: Blu Products
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Sony unveils the ultra-thin mid-range Xperia T3
Sony on Tuesday announced the Xperia T3, a mid-range Android 4.4 KitKat smartphone due before August. Featuring a 5.3-inch 720p LCD display, the phone offers users a 1.4GHz quad-core processor, 1*GB RAM, and 8GB internal storage. The rear has an 8-megapixel camera while the front side gets a 1.1-megapixel shooter; the main camera has image stabilization, red-eye reduction, HDR, panorama, and other touches.
Like the flagship Z2, the T3 has a metallic rim and thin, 7mm profile. It has all of Sony’s design language on the outside as well as the company’s apps and services. Users will find Xperia SociaLife, Stamina Mode, Xperia Care, Xperia Transfer, and Box.
While it might not be the most powerful of devices out this summer, we can’t knock Sony’s efforts in the lower price range. The Xperia T3 will be offered in white, black, and purple color options when it arrives later this summer.
The post Sony unveils the ultra-thin mid-range Xperia T3 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
HTC One (E8) announced
Following the launch of their flagship M8 smartphone, and some recent rumors, HTC has announced their new HTC One (E8) smartphone.
This follows a now-popular trend of ‘lower-end’ phones being built with a hefty set of features and/or specs and being both marketed and priced very aggressively to reach the masses.
This device is quite similar to the M8, with a few design revisions to keep it more accessible (read: affordable) than its flagship cousin. The body of the phone is polycarbonate in lieu of aluminum (but still is uni-body). The E8 loses the HTC “Duo Camera” (which included the “UltraPixel” camera and a 2nd lens, used for an increase in autofocus speed and accuracy), but does retain a more traditional 13MP rear and 5MP front cameras. Also still included is the HTC “BoomSound” speaker arrangement, MicroSD card slot, Android KitKat 4.4, Sense 6, LTE, 5″ screen, and “MotionLaunch” (gesture-based controls without having to wake up the device).
Also a now-popular move, HTC is offering the E8 in a variety of stylish colors, including Polar White, Electric Crimson, Maldives Blue, and Misty Gray.
The questions that remain are availability and price. It’s known that the E8 will initially launch in China, but we are unaware of HTC’s plans to extend the E8′s availability to further regions. Regarding price, that is still up in the air, but if this device is to follow the aforementioned trends, expect it to be much more appealing to the more every-man customer.
As more details and information emerge, we will keep you in the loop!
VIA: HTC
The post HTC One (E8) announced appeared first on AndroidGuys.
LG G3 outsells Samsung Galaxy S5 in Korea
I don’t know about you, but we certainly didn’t expect this to happen. About a week ago LG released its new flagship for this year and the G3′s sales are apparently going far better than anticipated, in Korea at least.
Korea media reports that the LG G3 is being sold like crazy over there. Reportedly they sell 25-30,000 units per day, which is crazy, that is approximately twice that of LG’s previous G2 flagship. This information is even more unbelievable if we take into consideration that Samsung’s Galaxy S5 sold 7-8,000 units per day in that same period after launch. The report also says that LG’s marketing expenses are a lot lower than Samsung’s. If we take all that into consideration this is quite significant, and it will be interesting to see what will happen to those sales in the coming time and also abroad, LG made a really good phone and apparently consumers realize that.
Do you think that LG G3 can continue outselling Samsung’s Galaxy S5 in Korea? How about on international stage? We do think it is unrealistic to expect that will happen (internationally), but we have no doubt the G3 will sell like crazy.
SOURCE: ETNews
VIA: PhoneArena
The post LG G3 outsells Samsung Galaxy S5 in Korea appeared first on AndroidGuys.
The LG G3 is outselling the Samsung Galaxy S5 in Korea
To nobody’s surprise, the Samsung Galaxy S5 has sold like hotcakes since it’s launch and shows no signs of abating anytime soon. However, while we expect sales figures of the Galaxy S5 to vary region to region, we never expected to hear that the LG G3 is outselling the Samsung Galaxy S5 in Korea. LG‘s flagship device is one of the first with a Quad HD display, so it’s not really a surprise to hear the large interest for the device. What is a surprise is that the LG G3 is selling between 25,000-30,000 units per day compared to the Galaxy S5′s daily sales which are somewhere closer to 7,000-8,000 units per day.
While this isn’t immediately indicative of the total number of devices sold for either smartphone, it’s nonetheless astonishing that the LG G3 is outselling the Galaxy S5 on some level. This is thanks in large part to LG’s strategy to launch flagship devices biannually to try and capitalize on technological advances during the year, and it looks like it has paid off. The 5.5-inch Quad HD smartphone is sitting pretty at the top of the Android food chain right now, but we’ll just have to see for how long.
What do you think about the news that the LG G3 is outselling the Samsung Galaxy S5 in Korea? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Source: ET News via Phone Arena
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Blumoo’s Universal Home Entertainment Device Finally Gets Universal with Android App
There are certainly a ton of devices out there to help simplify your digital life in one way or another. From Google TV set-top boxes, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and plenty others that you might use yourself that we haven’t even seen or thought about. One that might not be in your mind is Blumoo. Blumoo is a little bit different than the rest though. In simplest terms Blumoo is a universal receiver that can control all your home audio and video equipment from one app on your Android device. It is pretty cool.
Check out the Press release:
Blumoo™ Universal Home Entertainment Device Now Compatible with Android,
Updated iOS AppNew music streaming, universal remote device now compatible with Android
smartphones and tablets(Kansas City, MO – June 3, 2014) – Today, Flyover Innovations, LLC announces availability of
Blumoo for Android and updates to its iOS app for the universal home entertainment device.
With the launch of Blumoo for Android and the update of the iOS app to version 1.1, the device
and corresponding apps now allow both Android and iOS devices to replace all entertainment
remotes and stream music to existing home audio equipment.
Providing users with seamless control of the audio and visual equipment already installed in the
home, Blumoo uses an infrared transmitter, Bluetooth 4.0, and mobile app technology to allow
Android, iPad and iPhone users the ability to stream their favorite music to current surround
sound systems and outdoor speakers. By connecting the Blumoo HomeBase to existing audio
equipment, compatible music sources such as Google Play™, Pandora®, Spotify®, and
iTunes®, can be streamed throughout the home and outdoors creating superior sound.“With the release of Blumoo for Android, more consumers are able to customize their home
entertainment devices from just one mobile app,” said Flyover Innovations CEO Jason Carman.
“Now Android and iOS users alike will relish in the ability to untether and undock their mobile
device, giving them the added benefit of full control over their home entertainment systems via
their mobile devices.”As a universal remote for more than 200,000 TVs, Blu-ray players, cable provider boxes, and
home audio systems, Blumoo can remotely switch TV and receiver inputs, power devices on/off,
adjust volume and control nearly any existing home entertainment device. Both the Android and
iOS apps provide a simple interface to access media directories, channel guides and push
reminders for favorite shows and sports teams.The Blumoo hardware device retails for $129.99 and is currently available for purchase at
Blumoo.com. For more information on Blumoo, follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
To get a little better look at Blumoo, head over to their site. Keep a look out for our review as we have one and are currently giving it a run for its money. Of course if you just want to skip the pleasantries after see the video and checking out the press release, you can head to shop.blumoo.com and buy one now.
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Nitto Tire puts popular iPhone game Racing Rivals on Android
Racing Rivals is a name that will ring a bell to many people who have recently converted from iPhone. The game has been installed over 5 million times and still ranks as the top racing game in various markets around the world. Developer and publisher Cie Games and sponsor Nitto Tire have now put Racing Rivals on Android some 10 months after its iOS release, but you know what they say; better late than never. With the game not only now featuring real-time cross-platform multiplayer racing, the game also adds in a healthy amount of performance and cosmetic customization and a massive roster of officially licensed cars that is regularly updated. It’s basically a gearhead’s dream game.
In the game, you’ll be able to compete in weekly events as part of Turf Wars, or simply just race for gems and pink slips for control of your opponents’ rides. The game is available now on the Google Play Store for free, which means that there will be in-app purchases, most likely to cater for increased progression. If you’re interested in picking up Racing Rivals on Android, hit the Play Store links below and get ready to start your engines.
Press Release
Nitto® Tire’s Popular Racing Rivals Game is Now Available for Android Devices
The top-ranked mobile racing game that lets car enthusiasts race each other real-time in a high-stakes multiplayer environment is now available on the Google Play store.
Cypress, Calif. (June 3, 2014) – Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc., a leading manufacturer of off-road and street performance tires, has just announced that the Nitto-sponsored hit mobile game, Racing Rivals, is now available to Android users through the Google Play store. Created by Cie Games, this free-to-play mobile racing game, which has already seen more than 5 million installs and ranks as the top grossing racing game in more than 50 countries for the iPhone, brings high-stakes competitive racing to Android smartphones and tablets.
“Nitto Tire is a company that is Fueled by Enthusiasts, which definitely shows in the popularity of this game,” said Gloria Miyamoto, Manager, Brand Publishing for Nitto Tire. “We are excited to now be able to offer Racing Rivals to the massive Android community and connect even more enthusiasts to each other in a worldwide virtual community that spans all genres of automotive passion.”
With the launch of Racing Rivals on Google Play, Android users can now be part of a game that brings real-time racing against live opponents to their fingertips and, thanks to its cross-platform compatibility, join the already thriving and robust community that has been steadily growing since the game’s initial launch for iOS back in August, 2013. Racing Rivals delivers the real emotions of high-stakes racing to the Android market in a way that has never been seen before – allowing players to race for gems or even for the pink slips to their virtual rides. Competing in team challenges, users can also compete to control cities and earn gems or other exclusive prizes including special cars and liveries.
Racing Rivals bridges the gap between reality and fantasy, allowing users to choose from over 60 officially licensed cars from the world’s most popular manufacturers like BMW, Honda, McLaren, RWB, Ford and more. But users aren’t just stuck racing each other in factory cars. In Racing Rivals, users can tune their cars with a whole catalog of performance parts including everything from air filters to crankshafts, turbochargers, superchargers, nitrous oxide, custom wheels and, of course, real world tires from Nitto.
Developed and published by Cie Games, Racing Rivals is free for Android on Google Play. The game is available in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese and Korean. For more information on Racing Rivals, please visit www.racingrivals.com. To learn more about Nitto tires, please visit www.nittotire.com. Join Nitto Tire on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/NittoTire and on Twitter at @NittoTire.
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Drop opens pre-orders for its smart kitchen scale, early-bird price is $80
Hey, not all of us are Marissa Mayer — most of us don’t have the time to make a spreadsheet outlining the optimal ratio of cupcake ingredients. If you never know which recipe to trust — or you’re simply afraid of screwing things up — a startup called Drop hopes to take the pain out of baking. The company just launched pre-orders for its connected kitchen scale, which not only weighs ingredients, but works with an iPad app to serve up curated recipes, complete with photos of what the food should like after you complete the different steps.
As you’re looking through recipes, you’ll notice difficulty ratings, along with a time estimate and a warning should the instructions call for something potentially dangerous like nuts (by the way, there aren’t just baked goods here, but also pastas, pizza dough and other savory items). When you’re weighing ingredients, the scale will of course tell you if you have enough of a given item. If you don’t, though, there’s a “substitute” feature that helps you make do without (210g of buttermilk, for example, is equivalent to 15g of lemon juice and 87g of milk). Once you’ve made your way through the whole list of steps, there’s even a timer built into the app so that you don’t end up having to wing it.
Throughout, the app automatically moves to the next step once it detects you’ve added the right amount of a given ingredient. The beauty there is that you don’t have to touch the screen. And in the event that the app doesn’t advance through the recipe on its own, there’s a button on the scale you can press instead of having to touch your iPad with sticky fingers. Speaking of the scale, it has a fairly small footprint, as our hands-on photos can attest, and it’s coated in a non-stick finish.
Pre-orders begin today, though it won’t actually be available until the fall. Even so, you might want to get in on this now if you’re interested — the price is currently $80, but it’ll rise to $99 once the thing actually starts shipping.
Filed under: Wearables
Source: Drop
With seven different use modes, Toshiba’s Kirabook is a Lenovo Yoga on steroids
Lately, Toshiba’s all about multitasking laptops — at CES the company showed off a “5-in-1″ laptop concept with a detachable keyboard, and here at Computex we’re getting a look at the “7-in-1″ Kirabook L93. Like Toshiba’s Satellite Click, the L93 includes a detachable keyboard base, so it works in standard laptop and tablet modes. The L93′s flexible hinge also lets you use the device in display mode, with the base either attached or separated. While it’s arguably another iteration of Toshiba’s Lenovo Yoga-style devices, you do have more modes than ever to flip through.
Even with a perfectly made laptop, the ability to fold it in so many ways is part-gimmick, part-useful (how important is it to use the display propped up without the keyboard attached, really?), and the Kirabook L93′s design is a tad too complicated to be convenient. Re-attaching the keyboard base required the help of two Intel spokespeople in the booth, and in the process one rep’s shirt got caught in the latch mechanism. It’s definitely the sort of thing that would get easier the more you use the device, though, so that design quirk isn’t reason enough to write the product off.
There are a few other strange features, though: there’s a somewhat sticky pointing stick in place of a trackpad, so you’ll definitely want to take advantage of the 13-inch touchscreen. Below the keyboard, there are small right- and left-click buttons, which felt a little stiff when clicking around Windows 8.1. Hey, at least it has a full chiclet-style layout instead of shallow keys with no travel.
The L93 is very thin, and the 2,560 x 1,440, 13.3-inch display looks crisp, though even the maximum brightness seemed a bit dark on the bright showroom floor. Specs aren’t particularly high-end, but they’re enough to get some work done: there’s a 128GB SSD, 8 gigs of RAM and a Core i5 Haswell processor.
Overall, the L93 is an interesting take on the convertible laptop, and those looking for a versatile machine might want to give it a once-over. That said, it’s priced at €1,900 (about $2,600), and so far availability has only been announced for Japan. For now, take a look at our hands-on gallery to get a closer look at the laptop’s many modes.
Filed under: Laptops
AIVAnet 