Skip to content

Archive for

22
Sep

iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Capable of Faster Charging Using iPad 2.1A Adapter [iOS Blog]


Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus ship with higher capacity batteries that deliver exceptional battery life, but as pointed out by iLounge and MacRumors forum members, the two new iPhone models can also charge significantly faster when used with an iPad charging adapter rather than the smaller adapter included with the iPhones.

iphone6-charging
According to preliminary tests using a Kill-A-Watt device and OS X system information, the charging profile for the iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus match that of the iPad, allowing them to charge using 2.1A. Unlike earlier iPhone models which would only draw 5W regardless of the charger being used, the new phones are capable of drawing up to 12W, allowing them to charge at a faster rate. Early feedback from owners suggest the larger iPhone 6 Plus can charge fully in approximately two hours from an iPad adapter.

iphone6-chargingB

iPhone 5s (l) versus iPhone 6 Plus (r) charging profiles in OS X system report

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus include the standard square 1A/5W charging block that shipped with previous iPhone models. To obtain these faster charging rates, iPhone 6 and 6 Plus owners may use the 2.1A/12W charger from the iPad or the high-power USB port of a newer model Mac.




.CPlase_panel display:none;

22
Sep

China blocks DuckDuckGo’s privacy-minded web searching


DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg

If you’ve been using DuckDuckGo’s privacy-focused search engine to get around China’s stringent censorship while also hiding your tracks, you’d better start looking for an alternative. The company’s Gabriel Weinberg (above) has confirmed that China blocked DuckDuckGo at some point in recent memory; GreatFire suggests that the crackdown came on September 4th. No matter when it happened, the move makes it that much harder to search the full internet when you’re in the country. Given that Google is already blocked, you’re now largely relegated to censored versions of Bing, Yahoo and domestic sites like Baidu. That’s a particularly sore point if you’re traveling to China with an iPhone — Apple added DuckDuckGo as a default search choice in iOS 8, but you won’t get to use it while you’re sojourning in Shanghai.

Filed under:

Comments

Via: Tech in Asia

Source: Gabriel Weinberg (Twitter)

.CPlase_panel display:none;

22
Sep

BlackBerry’s one-of-a-kind Passport phone will cost $599


Over the past few months, BlackBerry has been putting a lot of effort into building some buzz around its newest, oddly-shaped smartphone, the Passport. Today, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, company CEO John Chen revealed one of the most important aspects of the device: the cost. Chen told the publication that the BlackBerry Passport will be hitting shelves in the US this Wednesday for $599, contract free, adding that such price tag is expected to vary from country to country — depending on sales tax and the like. Chen also said that BlackBerry’s new Passport is betting on reaching and appealing to people who need to be productive, pointing to the wider screen as an example of how the device could help users. “You really are seeing a more entire picture than seeing a sliver [of screen],” Chen stated to WSJ, likely in reference to some of the most popular phones out there at the moment, such as the iPhone 6, Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: The Wall Street Journal

.CPlase_panel display:none;

22
Sep

Samsung’s upscale Galaxy Alpha reaches AT&T on September 26th


Samsung Galaxy Alpha

Good news: if you want Samsung’s slimmer, ritzier Galaxy Alpha in the US, you won’t have to beg your Canadian friends to ship an unlocked unit across the border. AT&T has revealed plans to carry the Alpha starting on September 26th, the same day it launches up North. Be prepared to pay a premium for this compact yet speedy Android phone, though. The Alpha will cost $200 on a contract, or $613 contract-free. That’s not much different than what you’d pay for the larger, slightly more powerful Galaxy S5 — you’ll have to really value the Alpha’s metal-clad design for AT&T’s pricing to make sense.

Filed under: , , ,

Comments

Source: AT&T (1), (2)

.CPlase_panel display:none;

22
Sep

California issues permits for self-driving car trials on public roads


Gov. Brown Signs Legislation At Google HQ That Allows Testing Of Autonomous Vehicles

The first trio of companies looking to test self-driving cars on California’s public roads got newly required permits from the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles last week. Google nabbed paperwork for taking a fleet of 25 Lexus SUVs to the streets, while Audi and Mercedes-Benz also secured written approval that’s now a must for trials amongst regular automobiles. The Guardian reports that other automakers are working on getting the proper approval for testing as well, so long as vehicles have a way for the driver to take control if needed. Of course, California has welcomed autonomous vehicles since 2012, but the state announced new rules for testing on public roads earlier this year that went into effect this month.

[Photo credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]

Filed under: ,

Comments

Source: The Guardian

.CPlase_panel display:none;

22
Sep

Heroes of Camelot


Heroes-of-Camelot-1

Heroes of Camelot is a card summoners game by Kabam. For those who do not know, a card summoners game is one where the player is given a hand of cards that act as their game characters. You build a deck or hand of these characters to fight against other decks or hands. The player generally has no control over the battles themselves. The game play consists of “exploring” game fields and leveling your cards by combining them together.

Heroes of Camelot is no different. You start off with a hand of cards and are sent off to “Reclaim Camelot from the Black Knight”. The game play is over simplified. You tap explore to advance your position in the dungeons. Occasionally, you are met by another group of characters who battle you. The player has no control over these battles as with most other card summoner games. All one can do is tap “Battle” and hope for the best.

While the player is given no control over the battles itself, they can manage their hand to ensure a higher chance of victory. To do this, one has to collect various cards with different stats and abilities. The player is left to build their deck with their various cards. The abilities are activated randomly during battle, so all you can do is make sure that you have useful abilities to ensure that whatever is activated will be useful.

6ILuTYA

Once a player has their hand built, they can also upgrade their cards. This is achieved by adding cards together to level up the base card, or merge two cards together to evolve the base card. This boosts the stats of the cards making your hand that much stronger.

unnamed

Although I find most card summoner games to be boring and never end up playing on for more than 3 hours, Kabam did something different with theirs. I can’t quite identify why I am more attached to this game over others, but I actually have logged in to the game for 8 days straight now. I have never had a streak of more than 3 days in a row before.

My best guess is that I like Heroes of Camelot more than others because of their resources system. While they do have stamina and mana limiting how long you can play, I have never found it to be as much of an annoyance as I have with other games.

Mana is used to let you field your chosen cards in battle. The better the card, the higher the mana costs. Every battle, the total mana required by all of your cards is subtracted from your mana pool. My current mana pool is only able to support my cards through a single battle.

Stamina is used when you explore the dungeons. Each time the player elects to progress in the dungeon, a predetermined amount of stamina is taken from your stamina pool.

Both, your mana pool and stamina pool, are replenished each time you level up. To enable myself to continue playing, I return to past dungeons in order to gain experience and level up. That way, I can refill my mana pool in order to fight a battle in my current dungeon. Most of your game play time is spent spamming the explore button in an attempt to level up.

While there are IAPs, they are actually not required to progress in the game or to avoid waiting between gaming sessions. I have not spent a single penny on this game, and I have a very respectable hand going along with plenty of gold to pay for my card upgrades. Basically, this is in no way a “pay to win” or “freemium” style game.

After you build up your hand to a reasonable level, you can participate in PvP. You could have done this just about the entire time, but you wouldn’t win a single battle. The PvP mechanics are the exact same. Click battle, watch the cards fight it out, repeat.

com.kabam.newcnhoc-2

Heroes of Camelot can be fun for a while, but after about two weeks to a month, I expect it to get really old really fast. There is nothing new or challenging. All I do now is tap the explore button. There is no challenges at all. It is repetitive and no real journey.

Keep in mind though, I am not a fan of card summoner games in the first place, and I have played this one for more than a week now. That is an amazing accomplishment by Kabam. For anyone who is into card summoner games, Heroes of Camelot should keep them entertained for a good while.


Deals, Discounts, Freebies, and More! Click here to save today!

The post Heroes of Camelot appeared first on AndroidGuys.

.CPlase_panel display:none;

22
Sep

Accessory of the Day: RAVPower dual USB power bank $34.99


71sUU9szarL._SL1500_

Need a little portable power? The RAVPower Dual USB Charging Bank refills your battery at a speed of up to 3 amps and can fill a Galaxy S5 over three times on just one charge. There are plenty of power supply options floating around online but not many are #1 best-sellers with 5 star reviews. With a built-in flashlight and LED’s rounding out the feature set, this is a great buy at just $34.99 (Prime eligible).

http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=acc-of-day-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00MPIGPUY&asins=B00MPIGPUY&linkId=MDEOPZW2SSYW3KY4&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true


Deals, Discounts, Freebies, and More! Click here to save today!

The post Accessory of the Day: RAVPower dual USB power bank $34.99 appeared first on AndroidGuys.

.CPlase_panel display:none;

22
Sep

AT&T rings up Samsung Galaxy Alpha for September 26


att-galaxy-alpha

AT&T on Monday kicked off the week with a new smartphone announcement. Arriving later this week, the Galaxy Alpha brings Samsung’s new design language to the United States.

Pricing for the smartphone is listed at $612.99 outright or $199.99 with a two-year service agreement. Those who opt for an AT&T NEXT plan can scoop it up for $30.65 per month over 20 months or $25.55 per month over 24 months.

Available in Charcoal Black, Dazzling White or Frosted Gold colors, the Galaxy Alpha runs Android 4.4 KitKat. Key features include a 4.7-inch, display, 2.5 GHz quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a 12-megapixel rear/ 2-megapixel front facing camera duo. As is the case with other recent Samsung smartphones, the handset features a hear-rate sensor, S-Health, and Ultra Power Saving mode.

AT&T is still running its limited time promotion which offers $100 bill credit for signing a new line of service; the deal is good for new and existing customers.

AT&T


Deals, Discounts, Freebies, and More! Click here to save today!

The post AT&T rings up Samsung Galaxy Alpha for September 26 appeared first on AndroidGuys.

.CPlase_panel display:none;

22
Sep

Spotlight Watch Face [‘Watch’ This App]



If you want a simple analog watch face, but sometimes have trouble reading one with small numbers, then the Spotlight Watch Face may just be the app to solve that problem for you. All it is is a watch face that is a huge close up of the hour hand with a red line going… Read more »

The post Spotlight Watch Face [‘Watch’ This App] appeared first on SmarterWatching.


Deals, Discounts, Freebies, and More! Click here to save today!

Read the rest at SmarterWatching.com!

The post Spotlight Watch Face ['Watch' This App] appeared first on AndroidGuys.

.CPlase_panel display:none;

22
Sep

Google employees are running Android L on the Nexus 4


Render of Nexus 4 running Android L

When Google released a developer preview for Android L at its I/O event this summer, owners of Nexus devices were excited. However, this excitement was short lived for owners of the Nexus 4. Google only released the preview for the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 (2013). Many believed that this meant the Nexus 4 was not going to receive the next big Android update.

Recently, it appears that a few Google employees are testing a version of Android L on their Nexus 4′s. Some Google+ users have spotted two different users claiming to be running “L” on their Nexus 4′s on code.google.com. One even specifies he or she is running build number LRW52G. This has gotten Nexus 4 owners excited because it could mean that Google will update the N4 to the latest Android version. Unfortunately, just because there are employees running “L” on a Nexus 4 does not at all mean that it will receive the update; although, the Nexus 4 has hardware that could easily run Android L considering that it will be running on the lesser-powered Android One devices that recently launched. Only time will tell if Google will update it’s two year old Nexus, but these recent findings do give N4 owners more hope.

Do you think Google will update the Nexus 4 to Android L? Tell us in the comments!

Source: Chromium post 1 and 2 ; Via: Android Police


Deals, Discounts, Freebies, and More! Click here to save today!

The post Google employees are running Android L on the Nexus 4 appeared first on AndroidGuys.

.CPlase_panel display:none;