MEElectronics will be announcing several new lines of audio products at CES 2015
As many of you know, we feature quite a few MEElectronics audio products in reviews here at AndroidSPIN. For us, they represent great value for money, and we’re excited to hear that they’ll be announcing a raft of new products at CES 2015. First cab off the rank is the Air-Fi Touch, which follows the […]
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Top stories from 2014, Google talks Title II and other stories you might’ve missed
Happy New Year, folks! To celebrate the start of 2015, we rounded up all stories that helped make the past 365 days so memorable — and they’re just a click away. Head on down to the gallery below for the stories that defined 2014 and more, including The Interview’s aftermath, why sitting will kill you and Google’s plan for Fiber under Title II. You know you want to.
Will it, won’t it: Samsung Galaxy S6 and variant will be at CES 2015, but only to select audience
We’ve been hearing a lot about the Samsung Galaxy S6 in the last few weeks and it seems we might be getting our first look at it sooner than expected. It’s been suggested that the Samsung Galaxy S6 and variant will be at CES 2015 this week, but it is also said to be viewable only […]
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7 popular cases to protect your Samsung Galaxy Note 4
The Galaxy Note 4 and every Galaxy Note before it has always had a huge support when it came to accessories. With so many to choose from it can be a little bit confusing and difficult to decide so we’re here to round up some of the best cases and accessories that you can get for your shiny Galaxy Note 4. Check them out below!
Spigen Tough Armor for Galaxy Note 4
As the name suggest the tough armor series is meant to protect and if protection is what you’re looking for then protection is what you’re going to get. The tough armor case is dual layer design consisting of a hard plastic outer shell and an inner layer made of TPU for extra protection. The corners of the case also features Spigen’s air cushion technology to help with shock absorption. The case is nice and thick but not overly so keeping the Note 4 to a manageable size. It also features an integrated kickstand which makes it great for consuming media but the stand itself feels quite flimsy making me question it’s durability. The rest of the case is very well constructed and fits the Note 4 perfectly. All the cutouts are nice and spacious and line up with extreme precision. The front lip is also very meaty giving you plenty of protection for the screen especially if you like to lay your phone face down. All in all this is solid case that will offer plenty of protection from a variety of different drops. Available colors include satin silver, metal slate, and electic red.
Spigen Strong Flex Ultra Capsule for Galaxy Note 4
The Strong Flex Ultra Capsule is similar to the tough armor minus the hard plastic shell. Because of this the case is much slimmer preventing the Note 4 from feeling bulky but you’re still going to get plenty of drop protection from the high quality TPU. The case is very easy to install slipping onto the phone in just a matter of seconds. Once it’s installed it feels great in the hand and the textured back provides plenty of grip giving you confidence that the Note 4 isn’t going to fall out of your hands. Cutouts and fitment is perfect but the best thing about this case is the attention to detail. Even though the case covers up the beautiful chamfered edges of the Note 4 Spigen did a great job of emulating those chamfers through the design of the case. This is one of the better cases to get if you want average drop protection while maintaining a slim and form-fitting design to preserve the shape of the Note 4. Available colors include metal slate, gray, clear, gunmetal, sherbert pink, and mint.
Spigen Fit Series Thin Fit for Galaxy Note 4
If you’re not too concerned about protection but you still want a little something to help from the occasional drop then this case serves exactly that purpose. It’s a thin case as the name suggest and like most thin cases it’s made from a single piece of polycarbonate that wraps around the sides keeping the top and bottom completely exposed. The best part about this particular style of case is that it adds very little bulk and doesn’t hide the design of your phone. The drawback is obviously the lack of protection especially on the top and bottom. Like many other cases from Spigen, the fitment and cutouts are perfect and the case doesn’t give off any creaking noises like you might find with cheaper alternatives. The case is coated in a soft touch finish for added grip and while this isn’t the most protective case in the world, holding onto your Note 4 with this case on shouldn’t be an issue. Available colors include black, white and mint.
i-Blason Armorbox for Galaxy Note 4
The Armoxbox case from i-Blason is another great option if you’re seeking maximum protection and you’re not too concerned hiding the design of your Note 4. The Armorbox case is a very thick case made of two separate layers. The outer layer is a hard plastic shell with TPU on the sides and the inner layer is a plastic frame with a built in screen protector providing for a full 360 degrees worth of protection. The case takes a little bit of time to install but it fits well with very precise cutouts for easy access to all the ports. It even features flaps for the 3.5 mm headset jack and micro USB to protect from dust and debris. The only problem I’ve had with this case is the coverings on the power and volume keys. They’re very easy to find by feel but they’re quite stiff and don’t provide a whole lot of travel or feedback. Otherwise the case is built like a tank and should provide for some of the best drop protection around if you don’t mind the added bulk. Available colors include black, blue, pink, green, and white.
Otterbox Commuter for Galaxy Note 4
The commuter series from Otterbox is another style of case that puts protection at the forefront but it still manages to be very stylish in appearance. It’s a two piece design with a plastic outer shell and a TPU layer on the inside for shock absorption. The case also comes with a screen protector that you can install separately if you want. The commuter does add quite a bit of heft but not so much that the Note 4 feels unwieldy. Cutouts are large and precise and like the Armorbox from i-Blason the commuter also features flaps for the 3.5 mm headset jack and micro USB. The coverings on the power and volume keys are soft, tactile, and responsive and the ridges on the sides of the case provide plenty of grip. This is a great case to go for if you want above average protection but still add a little bit of style to your Note 4. Available colors include white, black, aqua blue, ink blue, and pink.
Samsung Protective Cover for Galaxy Note 4
If you’re looking for something official from Samsung then the protective cover is worth a look. It’s a slim and lightweight case but it’s also very protective at the same time. It’s a single piece design with a hard plastic back and a soft grippy TPU on the sides to provide shock absorption against those corner drops. There’s also a nicely sized lip on the front to protect the screen from drops or just simply laying your phone face down. Since this is an official case from Samsung you won’t run into any problems with fitment or cutouts and it just feels great in the hand. The case is very snug to the Note 4 and the coverings on the power and volume keys have a very satisfying amount of travel and feedback. The case is sleek, stylish and protective and is certainly one of the few cases that does a great job at finding a middle ground between protection and style. Available colors include gray and blue.
Samsung S-View Flip Cover for Galaxy Note 4
Our final case is another official accessory from Samsung and if you love flip style cases this is probably the best one you can get for the Note 4. It’s very well designed and the faux leather material gives it a luxurious feel in the hand. The nice thing about this case is that it doesn’t pad on too much extra thickness to the Note 4 especially since you have to remove the stock battery cover in order to install it. On top of giving the Note 4 a very sleek and stylish appearance the flip cover brings a lot of additional functionality through the square window on the front. You can view weather information, messages, access the camera and flash, respond to incoming calls, and much more. All without having to open up the cover. As far as protection goes this case should protect against minor drops but don’t expect anything more especially with the sides of the phone being completely exposed. Available colors include black, white, mint, and pink.
And that concludes our list of cases and accessories for the Note 4. Which one is your favorite? Feel free to let us know in the comments below!
How to play iOS games on your TV
As much as I love playing games on my iPhone and iPad, I sometimes miss the big-screen experience of a console system. If you own a second-generation Apple TV or later, however, it’s a simple trick to send your iOS game to your television.
It’s true that bigger screens and bigger sounds can immerse you into a game the way a 4.7-inch or 10-inch screen with headphones can’t quite manage — heck, it’s one of the reasons I still own an Xbox. But you don’t have to settle for playing your iOS games on their original screen if you’d prefer something more exciting.
To do so, you just need to use Apple’s AirPlay Mirroring technology (available for the iPhone 4s or later, iPad 2 or later, first-generation iPad mini or later, or the fifth-generation iPod touch). AirPlay Mirroring lets you send the audio and video of whatever’s on your iOS device’s screen directly to your television — no wires needed.
How to use AirPlay Mirroring to play iOS games on your television
- Make sure your iOS device and Apple TV are on the same Wi-Fi network.
- Turn your Apple TV on.
- Open Control Center on your iOS device by swiping from the bottom of the screen, then tapping the AirPlay button and selecting the Apple TV.
- Turn on the Mirroring switch.
- Open the game of your choice.
Voilà! You can now play your game on the big screen, using your iOS device as a controller. Some games — group fun like SketchParty TV, for instance — even build in different views for the TV and for your controller, to make it easier to play.
Watch us play Defense Grid 2 on Twitch tonight for a chance to win your own copy!
Every weekend, Windows Central streams an Xbox One game or two on Twitch for 1-2 hours and gives out free games to the cool people who join us during the stream. Last week, we streamed Warframe and dished out prizes to 16 lucky viewers.
Tonight, we’ll be playing Defense Grid 2 from Hidden Path Entertainment and 505 Games. We want you guys there, chatting along. So we’re giving out Xbox One, Playstation 4, and Steam codes for the game!
Just follow me on Twitch.tv/Eastxtwitch, watch along, and participate in chat for your chance to win. You can also watch the event right here live or after the fact.
Netflix clamps down on attempts to dodge its regional restrictions (updated)
Netflix can only stream the videos that studios make available in a given country, which has led to a booming business in workarounds (such as proxies and virtual private networks) that let you see the company’s catalogs in other nations. Heck, one New Zealand internet provider practically built a service around it. However, you might not get to count on that unofficial solution for much longer. VPN operators claim to TorrentFreak that Netflix recently started blocking some users who use these technological loopholes to watch videos that would normally be verboten. The effort isn’t widespread and mostly appears to focus on connections with many simultaneous Netflix sign-ins (that is, they’re obviously being used for circumvention), but it’s a surprise to viewers who were used to having unfettered access.
We’ve reached out to Netflix to verify what it’s doing, and whether or not you expect these blocks to persist or expand in the future. However, the online media firm might not have much of a choice. As TorrentFreak notes, movie and TV producers want Netflix to stop “VPN-pirates” who they believe are depriving them of a livelihood. The company may have to prove that it’s at least trying to prevent you from watching out-of-region content in order to maintain deals with nervous media giants, even if those restrictions aren’t really effective. We’d argue that the best solution would be to offer that content worldwide (imagine that!), but you probably shouldn’t expect that to happen any time soon.
Update: Netflix tells us that there’s been “no change” in the way it handles VPNs, so you shouldn’t have to worry about the company getting tough any time soon. With that said, these blocking errors started showing up in the past few weeks, so it’s not clear what would have prompted them.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
Source: TorrentFreak
Funb3rs review: a fun, challenging math game
There are hundreds of math games found in the Play Store, but Funb3rs brings a challenge that I have not seen in those other games. Funb3rs in a 2-player math game where your addition, critical thinking, and quick judgement skills are put to the ultimate test. You are presented with a 4×4 grid of numbers ranging from 1 to 9. At the top, you are given a target number that you need to reach. Dragging your finger across each digit will add up all the numbers, and your goal is to add up numbers to reach the target number. After reaching the target number, another number for you to reach is generated. Each game has three rounds and the scores from each round are added up to determine a final winner. The concept is simple, but the two minute time limit and often large target numbers cause you to have to think several numbers ahead. Similar to Scrabble, there are some numbers that increase the value of numbers and chains. Also, you are given different power-ups that can really help you get ahead of your opponent.
After playing Funb3rs for a few days, I have really enjoyed it. The graphics are okay, it is nothing spectacular to look at but it does not detract for the game at all. The gameplay is challenging which was a welcome surprise since I thought the game would be simple. The competition from other players is also very intense. I have only won a few times and almost every game has been extremely close. However, since the game is relatively small, there are not many active users. So I constantly find myself playing the same people over and over again. This is a minor quirk because the game is still fun and more people will join as the game grows. Another dislike I have with Funb3rs is that there is no option to play as a guest and you are required to sign in to play with other users. This would not be too bad if I could sign in with my Google account. Unfortunately, you are only given the option of signing in with Facebook or creating a Mixel account. I am one of the few people who does not have a Facebook and creating a Mixel account just gives me another username and password to memorize. My last complaint is with in app purchases. This is by no means a pay to win game, but I do not like the way IAPs are handled in Funb3rs. Each one costs $1.11 and does a different thing. There are several that give you in-game power-ups, but there are others that remove ads and add features to the app itself. Buying all the non-powerups would cost you $7.77 and there is no option to make a one time purchase at a discounted price.
With all this in mind, Funb3rs is still a fun game that gives a challenge I have yet to encounter with other games. If you want to check Funb3rs out, you can grab it for free in the Play Store.
What I liked:
- challenging gameplay
- unique idea
- intense competition
What I did not like:
- small number of users
- no option to play as a guest
- no Google account integration
- In app purchases can get expensive.
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ICYMI: January 3, 2015
A lot can happen in a week. New apps join the Windows Phone Store or Windows Store. Your favorite apps can get a big update with a new look or new features. Device rumors come and go. Seven days might not seem like much, but it can be an eternity in the tech news cycle. Every week we’re going to compile the biggest stories into one post, so you never fall behind – In Case You Missed It (ICYMI).
AIVAnet 