Motorola is allegedly preparing 2 new smartphones which have nothing to do with the Moto line
Alleged Motorola’s Moto G 2 image and specifications leaked recently. Motorola is also expected to release a Moto X refresh this summer, dubbed Moto X+1. We have yet another Motorola rumor, but this time it has nothing to do with the Moto line.
Known leaker @evleaks shared a rather interesting sentence/leak with the world:
Upcoming Motorola devices: Abbagoochie and Valocia — both run on Snapdragon 801s (former is allegedly next handset in Droid Maxx line, with latter the next Droid Mini).
As he said, these 2 devices are expected to be Droid devices, not Moto devices. They will allegedly both run Snapdragon 801 chipsets, which is a great thing. He didn’t give us any additional information, but this could be a rather interesting if you’re living in the U.S. and are interested in the Droid line. These devices are of course expected to be a part of Verizon’s line of Droid devices.
Anyone out there still carry a “Droid”?
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HTC’s official Sense keyboard reaches the Play Store
HTC already has a bunch of official applications released on the Google Play Store. Time has come to do the same for their Sense keyboard app which is now available over there.
The app will unfortunately work only with HTC compatible devices. This was to be expected though. We don’t have exact information which devices/OS variations exactly, but we’re going to assume HTC One (M7) and up along with a few older models such as One X and One X+. Newer devices from the Desire line are probably also in. Anyhow, you’ll never know until you try it, but rest assured you won’t be to run it if you don’t own a HTC device. This is a really good thing for HTC users considering they’ll be able to get timely updates even without the firmware update, which is a popular trend nowadays and a really good practice.
Don’t get scared off by what we assume are Chinese characters on Google Play Store image when you open the app info page, other languages are available as well.
Source: Google Play Store
Via: Android Police
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Accessory of the Day: Jackery Giant+ 12000mAh External Battery Pack [69% OFF]
Headed to the beach or an amusement park this summer? You’re going to want to ensure you’ve got enough juice to get your smartphone through the day or weekend. While this isn’t necessarily an issue for individual devices it can become a problem when you’ve got a family or friends to look out for. To solve that problem we often turn to external battery packs and power supplies.
The Jackery Giant+ is a 12000mAh rechargeable power pack that provides enough juice to fill up a number of smartphones multiple times over. Thanks to a pair of USB ports (5V/2.1A and 5V/1A), users can plug in two devices at once, including any combination of phones and/or tablets.
Small enough to fit into your pocket or purse, the Jackery Giant+ comes in four color options: black, silver, orange, and gold. Additional details for the battery pack include microUSB charging port, 3 LED indicators, a flashlight, and an aluminum case.
Normally priced at $129.95 you can scoop this guy up for only $39.95 right now. At a discount of 69% off it’s silly to resist the price. Our advice, buy one for yourself and one as a gift for your BFF.
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LG formally introduces G3 Cat 6
LG haven’t wasted any time building on their latest flagship LG G3 device by formally introducing the G3 Cat 6 – the companies latest flagship device. But fear not, it’s pretty much the same LG G3 you know and love but with LTE-A connectivity and a Snapdragon 805 processor.
The Adreno 420 GPU included in the Snapdragon 805 processor will offer a speed boost most noticeable in gaming, but the regular user probably won’t notice a difference.
The remaining specs stay the same – 5.5-inch QHD display, 3GB RAM, 13MP camera with OIS+, 3,000mAh battery, white/gold/black options, and Android 4.4.2.
Availability and pricing is not yet known, but it’ll probably launch in the companies home countries first.
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Kenu Prepares for Larger iPhones with Lightweight Airframe+ Car Vent Mount [iOS Blog]
Kenu’s Airframe smartphone car mount has proven popular with MacRumors readers, and with Apple all but certain to release larger iPhone models later this year Kenu has just released a new Airframe+ mount that accommodates thicker cases and devices with screen sizes up to six inches.
Airframe+ with iPhone 5s in Apple case
Like the original Airframe, much of the appeal of the Airframe+ comes from its simplicity and light weight, consisting of a simple spring-loaded clip to grip the device on the sides and a cone-shaped clip to attach to louvers of car vents. Weighing under an ounce and easily slipping into a pocket or remaining inconspicuously attached to the car vent when not in use, the Airframe+ is a remarkable change from the Garmin Active Mount I normally use, although the Airframe+ would need to be paired with a Lightning cable for charging purposes.
Airframe+
While the new Airframe+ accommodates devices with screens up to six inches, body size is really the determining factor and the device grip expands to approximately 3.25 inches. Apple’s rumored 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 models should, however, fit comfortably even with most cases. The Airframe+ also offers improved support for thicker cases compared to the original Airframe, allowing users of Mophie battery pack cases or thick Otterbox waterproof cases to use the mount.
Airframe+ with physical mockup of 5.5-inch iPhone 6
The Airframe+ vent clip is rotatable and includes two sets of slits to accommodate different sizes of vent louvers, and in general it works well. Kenu touts the Airframe+ as fitting “any vent type”, but I found this to not necessarily be the case.
In one of my cars, the Airframe+ worked well on all main vents within the driver’s area. On another car, however, the louvers of the center-dash vents were too thick and too close together to allow the clip to slip securely between them. The vent itself also freely rotates up and down to help direct airflow, and the weight of the phone simply pulled the vent downward. The Airframe+ worked much better on the dash vent to the left of the steering wheel, although vibrations of the device at highway speeds were noticeable, so sturdiness of louvers may be an issue on some cars.
Airframe+ vent clip
One other concern expressed by some users of the original Airframe and other vent mounts is the effect of cool air blowing directly on the device. Mounting a phone directly in front of the vent as the Airframe+ does definitely results in the device feeling cold after a few minutes of summer usage, which can be a benefit in terms of potentially overheating phones sitting in direct sun in a hot car, but also raises concerns of condensation once the cool phone is removed from the car and taken out into hot, humid air. I did not, however, experience any issues with visible condensation in these scenarios during my testing.
Kenu’s Airframe+ is available now for $29.95, while the original Airframe remains available for $24.95 through a variety of vendors including the Apple online store.
Images Depict Possible iPhone 6 Lightning/Headphone Flex Cable, Rear Shell
With the 4.7-inch iPhone entering mass production this month, part leaks and rumors surrounding the device are beginning to pick up. Several different internal and external parts said to be destined for the iPhone 6 have surfaced and today, Apple.club.tw [Google Translate] has shared images depicting the flex cable for the Lightning and headphone parts along with another image of the iPhone 6 rear shell.
The flex cable said to be for the iPhone 6 includes the headphone jack on the far left, a microphone next to that, and the Lightning port located on the middle of the part. It looks very similar to the Lightning/headphone flex cable designed for the iPhone 5s, but the headphone jack has dual screw holes towards the top of the part, a variation from the iPhone 5s design.
These two holes appear to accurately line up with the dual holes in the bottom left of the rear shell of the device, suggesting the headphone jack would fit correctly into the iPhone 6 rear shell and lending credence to the authenticity of the part.
As for the rear shell, it appears very similar to previously shared images of the iPhone 6 rear shell, including a near-completed rear shell with embedded Apple logo that surfaced yesterday. Like that shell, this one features an iPad-style embedded Apple logo, clear cutouts for the camera and flash, and very prominent antenna breaks.
Yellow circle indicates two holes that match the holes on the headphone jack of the flex cable, red circle indicates the difference in screw hole location between iPhone 5s/iPhone 6.
Some reports have speculated that the embedded Apple logo is designed to light up, but it is more likely that the embedded logo is for aesthetic and/or radio transparency purposes.
As we creep closer to the prospective September launch date of the iPhone 6, part leaks may grow even more frequent. Thus far all part leaks have centered around the 4.7-inch iPhone, and this is because it is believed to be entering mass production ahead of the 5.5-inch version. The 5.5-inch iPhone 6 may enter production in August or September according to rumors, which means 5.5-inch part leaks could pick up over the next month or two as well.
Wacom’s sketching app finally arrives on Android, Kindle Fire and Windows 8
Wacom loves doodlers almost as much as serious artists, but its Paper-esque sketching app was limited to iOS devices only. That changes from today, now that the company has launched Windows, Android and Kindle Fire versions of Bamboo Paper. Thanks to Wacom’s Ink Layer Language, your notes will seamlessly be shared between your devices — enabling you to sketch out a plan on your leisure tablet before passing it to your work one. The free app is available to download at the links below, and you’ll also be able to try out the various premium brushes for a limited time before you’re asked to open your wallet to keep them.
Filed under: Tablets, Software, Microsoft, Google, Amazon
Source: MarketWatch, Google Play, Windows Store, Amazon Store
Apple TV now auto-plays the next episode of whatever you’re watching on Netflix
When you start chugging a series, it’s hard to stop, even for trips to the bathroom, or going to work, or catching up on sleep. It’s a problem that Netflix loves to exploit, only giving you a few seconds before offering up the next episode of whatever series you’re currently immersed in. For some reason, however, this post-play feature didn’t work on the Apple TV, until it suddenly did a few days ago, without warning. The Roku-rival has even popped up on Netflix’s list of supported devices, so never again will you have the option of stopping House of Cards after a single episode. Well, unless you disable it, of course.
Via: Cult of Mac
Source: Netflix
Hearthstone Expansion ‘Curse of Naxxramas’ Now Available on iOS and Mac [iOS Blog]
Curse of Naxxramas, the first expansion for Blizzard’s popular Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft collectible card game, is now available for download on PCs, Macs, and iPads.
Like Naxxramas in World of Warcraft, Curse of Naxxramas in Hearthstone is a floating necropolis organized into five different wings, including the Arachnid Quarter, Plague Quarter, Military Quarter, Construct Quarter, and Frostwyrm Lair.
Blizzard’s Curse of Naxxramas launch event will see one new wing opening each week for approximately a month, beginning with the Arachnid Quarter. Every wing contains enemies and bosses that must be eliminated, and successfully defeating bosses will add new cards to a user’s collection. Naxxramas introduces 30 new cards to Hearthstone.
The ancient necropolis Naxxramas, a base of operations for the powerful archlich Kel’Thuzad and his plague-bearing undead host, comes to Hearthstone in a single-player Adventure that anyone can undertake.
Progress through each of the five unique wings of the dungeon and gain new cards for your Hearthstone collection by defeating the iconic bosses you’ll face along the way: the oversized arachnid Maexxna, the fungal horror Loatheb, and the shambling abomination Patchwerk are just a few of the horrors awaiting you. Each boss has its own unique cards and hero powers at its disposal to challenge even the most seasoned of card-slinging adventurers.
Curse of Naxxramas includes a unique game board with interactive corners and there are also nine different class challenges to complete.
New cards in Curse of Naxxramas
Players can permanently unlock the Arachnid Quarter for free on all platforms by downloading Naxxramas on any platform, completing the tutorial, and completing a game in the Naxxramas area.
While the Arachnid Quarter is free, subsequent expansions will cost in-game gold or real money to unlock. Each wing is priced at 700 gold or $6.99, but users who participate in the launch event can unlock the full expansion for $19.99. Pricing goes up after the event and there are also various packages available for users who want to purchase content using a combination of in-game gold and money.
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft for the iPad can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft for Mac can be downloaded from Blizzard’s website for free.
Apple ‘iTime’ patent details a modular smartwatch with sensors in the band
A new Apple patent for smartwatch designs and features is bound to fuel more speculation about an incoming “iWatch,” even though such claims often amount to nothing. Still, the patent is interesting on its own merits. One version shows a receptacle band that could accept an external “iTime” module as shown above — not unlike the iPod Nano watch craze from 2010. However, Apple’s band has built-in electronics like Bluetooth transceivers, along with accelerometers and GPS modules — sensors rumored to be built-in to Apple’s upcoming wearable. According to the document, that would enable smartphone or computer notifications that you could see, hear or feel. You’d also be able to dismiss notifications or perform other actions by shaking your wrist once or several times, according to another claim.
While all of this is interesting, it could be largely unrelated to any products planned by Apple, since it was filed in 2011 — and similar Apple patents have amount to nothing thus far. However, the issue date of today (July 22nd) is intriguing, since rumors are gathering steam over a smartwatch launch at Apple’s next event, possibly in September. Either way, we hope that wearables don’t become the next patent battlefield — only lawyers get excited by a prospect like that.
Via: Apple Insider
Source: USPTO
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