Xbox Music ditches free desktop streaming on December 1st
If you’re hooked on Xbox Music’s free desktop-based listening, you’re going to have make some backup plans very shortly. Microsoft has announced that it’s dropping the no-cost web and Windows streaming option as of December 1st; after that, you’ll have to pay for a Music Pass if you want all-you-can-eat tunes beyond the 30-day trial period. The company claims that it’s refocusing Xbox Music to make it the “ultimate music purchase and subscription service,” although it’s not elaborating on what that entails. Suffice it to say that Microsoft has a lot of competition in the free music space. Its main rival, Spotify, has over 30 million free users worldwide on a wider range of platforms — it wouldn’t be easy for Microsoft to challenge that lead using the free tier you know today.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Microsoft
Source: Xbox Support (sign-in required)
Engadget Daily: New iPad and Retina iMac reviews, the do’s and don’ts of social media, and more!
Want to upgrade to an iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 3? Maybe you’re just drooling over the new Retina iMac. We reviewed them all, so you’re covered either way. But that’s not all we have on deck — read on for Engadget’s news highlights from the last 24 hours, including a discussion on video game violence, Google’s new email app, and the do’s and don’ts of social media.
AT&T’s focus on connected cars is beginning to pay off
It’s no secret that the US wireless market is saturated, and that most people who want a mobile device have already purchased one by now. Naturally, this means that the national players in the industry are looking for other points of revenue to aid future growth. AT&T is proving that it’s one of the most successful in this venture by announcing today that it’s activated a heap of connected devices last quarter — to the tune of 1.3 million. That’s a healthy number, especially since the company accumulated only a tenth of that in the previous quarter. This genre refers to a wide range of gadgets that come with an AT&T SIM card inside, but the most interesting part of this announcement is that over 500,000 of those activated devices come from connected cars.
This is huge news for AT&T, which has worked hard to forge partnerships with car makers like General Motors and Audi, as well as establish a developer platform called AT&T Drive. The company says that this brings the total number of AT&T-connected vehicles to two million, which means that it increased its fleet by roughly thirty percent. This is no small growth, and as more and more new cars come out with built-in connectivity, that growth isn’t going to slow down anytime soon; in an SEC document filed three weeks ago, AT&T says it expects to connect over 10 million vehicles by the end of 2017. To achieve that goal, it’ll have to activate 650,000 cars each quarter, but given the massive growth we’ve already seen in the past year or two, it’s hard to believe that the company wouldn’t exceed its initial estimate. And since AT&T is now breaking out connected cars into its own sub-category in the earnings reports, it’s obvious that the wireless operator is starting to see its efforts pay off in dividends.
[Image credit: Getty Images]
Source: AT&T
Microsoft Android Wear app lets you search Bing by twisting your wrist
Slightly irked that you have to say “OK Google” whenever you want to use voice search on your Android Wear smartwatch? Microsoft, of all companies, is coming to your rescue. The developer is leading a trio of experimental Android releases with Torque, an app that lets you start a Bing search just by twisting your wrist; you only have to speak when you’re asking your question. You’ll get optimized output for certain kinds of search results, including maps, stocks and weather.
The other apps are meant solely for your phone, but they could be equally handy. Next Lock Screen puts important at the top level of your phone, including missed calls and frequently used apps; you can also change the lock screen’s background depending on your location. Journeys & Notes, meanwhile, lets you write notes to share with anyone else who visits nearby, such as tips about what to eat. All three of Microsoft’s latest Android apps are free, so it probably won’t hurt to give them a try.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wearables, Mobile, Microsoft
Via: Droid-Life, Microsoft
Source: Google Play (Torque), (Next Lock Screen), (Journeys & Notes)
Android 5.0 Lollipop ROM for Nexus 4
Android Lollipop is coming, and everyone is excited. However, if you can’t wait and are willing to tinker with your Nexus 4, then you can get an early taste before the official release.
The thread on XDA (link below) gives some tips on how to flash the Android Lollipop ROM on your Nexus 4, along with some general tips you should follow if you’re going to do this.
A quote from the post says “This is an enhanced version of the developer preview that google released.”
Head over to the thread to get started. If you like the ROM, consider donating to the developer for his work.
Are you going to try this out?
via XDA-Developers
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The post Android 5.0 Lollipop ROM for Nexus 4 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Yahoo Mail update adds travel and event notifications
Although Google made an announcement today with its currently beta Inbox app, that hasn’t stopped Yahoo from releasing a Yahoo Mail update for its Android and iOS apps that brings travel and event notifications right into the app.
According to Yahoo’s blog, if you visit the “Today” section in the app, it will let you know if your flight is on-time, delayed or cancelled, then a single tap can either yet you directions to the airport, help you call the airline or take you directly to their website. You can also share your flight info with friends and family just as quickly.
As for the other features in the updated app, it will give you restaurant and attraction suggestions in the area, all with reviews and photos from Yelp, plus users of or Evite, Eventbrite and Ticketmaster events can get their event details as well as directions to the venue right from the Yahoo Mail app.
It appear that Yahoo is trying to add almost a Google Now experience right into their mail app, which exactly a bad thing, right?
If you’re a Yahoo Mail user, the updates are now available in both the Android and IOS app stores, so get downloading!
Via Yahoo!
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The post Yahoo Mail update adds travel and event notifications appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Olloclip Debuts New 4-in-1 Photo Lens for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus [iOS Blog]
Popular photography accessory maker Olloclip today unveiled an all new 4-in-1 photo lens designed for the iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus. The 4-in-1 Photo Lens has been completely revamped for Apple’s iPhone 6 devices and has gained several new features.
For the first time, the Olloclip lens is designed to work with both the front and rear-facing cameras, letting users take both traditional photos and selfies with the four lenses. Like previous Olloclip accessories, the newest version includes fisheye, wide-angle, 10x and 15x macro lenses.
Both the fisheye and the wide-angle lenses provide a wider field of view for iPhone photos, while the two macro lenses are designed for ultra close-up photos.
A single 4-in-1 Photo Lens is able to fit both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and its new customizable pendant design allows it to be clipped to a backpack, lanyard, key ring, and more for easy access.
For enhanced portability, this new photo lens is now wearable through an included customizable pendant (package includes three colored pendants) and can be clipped to a backpack, lanyard, key ring or just about anything. Easily accessible, your olloclip is always ready when that incredible photographic moment arises.
Olloclip’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus lens will be available beginning in late November, but it can be preordered today from the company’s website for $79.99.
iFixit Tears Down iPad Air 2, Confirms Smaller Battery, A8X Chip, and 2GB RAM
Now that the iPad Air 2 is being delivered to customers and showing up in retail Apple Stores, iFixit has acquired one of the new tablets and has begun one of its traditional teardowns to see just what’s inside Apple’s thinner, more powerful iPad Air 2.
According to iFixit, the “gapless” front panel is more rigid than previous iPad models, and feels sturdier when it’s being pried up with the company’s proprietary iOpener. As with all iPads, the glued down display is the only access point to the tablet.
As noted in reviews, the iPad Air 2 has a smaller battery than the original iPad Air, coming in at 27.62 Whr and 7,340 mAh. The first generation tablet had a 8,827 mAh/32.9 Whr battery life.
iFixit’s teardown confirms the existence of both the more powerful A8X processor and 2GB of Elpida F8164A3MD RAM. The iPad Air 2’s logic board includes two separate 1GB RAM chips located in on either side of the A8X processor.
The iPad Air 2’s Touch ID sensor cable appears to be very similar to the sensor cable found in the new iPhones, and the Touch ID sensor itself was made by NXP Semiconductors. The 8-megapixel camera is similar to the camera in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus as well, but they are not identical. The iPad Air 2’s ambient light sensor has been split into two sensors, with one now located on the headphone jack, possibly for improved accuracy.
Along with the repositioning of several internal microphone and camera components, the Wi-Fi model’s antennas, previously located at the bottom of the tablet, have been moved to the top of the iPad.
Apple’s iPad Air 2 is currently available for order online, with new orders shipping in two to four days. Wi-Fi only models are also available in retail stores as of today, with Wi-Fi + Cellular models coming at a later date. Prices for the new iPad Air 2 start at $499.
iFixit’s teardown is still ongoing and we will add any additional information here.
T-Mobile launches annual Postseason sale
T-Mobile has today got its annual Postseason sale under way over on its online store. There you’ll find a selection of Samsung’s latest devices with $30 slashed off their respective price tags until Tuesday, October 28. All you need to do is enter the following promotional code: BASEBALL30, at the checkout to receive the deduction.
Hit the break for the full list of devices included in this promotion together with their individual discounted prices.
- Galaxy Note 4 – $719.76
- Galaxy Note 3 – $486.96
- Galaxy S5 – $579.60
- Galaxy S4 – $408
- Galaxy Avant – $200.40
- Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition – $569.28
- Galaxy Tab 4 8.0 – $330
- LTE Mobile Hotspot PRO – $138
To find out more about T-Mobile’s Postseason sale — hit the source link below.
Source: T-Mobile
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Humble Bundle’s spooky Halloween deal is now live
The folks over at Humble Bundle have just launched another “pay what you want” deal, this time with the Halloween season very much in mind. The new “Mo-Boo!-ile Bundle” contains six spooky games together with a free bonus one entitled “The Spookening”.
Whilst users can pay any price they want to get their hands on the latest Humble Bundle deal, they will have to beat the average price of $2.82 to gain access to all six games. If they choose to give a donation lower than the medium, they will only get access to the following three titles: Rebuild, Oscura: Second Shadow and Containment: The Zombie Puzzler.
The full list of games included in “Mo-Boo!-ile Bundle” can be seen below:
- Rebuild
- Oscura: Second Shadow
- Containment: The Zombie Puzzler
- Five Nights at Freddy’s
- Dead Effect
- The Walking Dead: Assault
If you wish to download the Humble Bundle application for Android — click the download link below. Alternatively, you can scan the QR code.
Come comment on this article: Humble Bundle’s spooky Halloween deal is now live
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