First details for ZTE Blade S6 spill online
The first batch of rumors and details for a so-called ZTE Blade S6 have surfaced ahead of its launch expected later this month. According to sources at GearBest, and on twitter, the phone will run Android 5.0 Lollipop and feature a 5.0-inch display.
With specifications that closely mirror a previously leaked Q7 (PhoneArena), this one could be released in non-Chinese markets. Other hardware include a single LED flash on the camera, and may figure to include an octa-core processor, 8-megapixel rear camera, 2GB RAM, and 16GB internal storage.
While this isn’t necessarily a powerful smartphone by today’s standards it would certainly be an affordable one. Perhaps we’ll see one of the U.S. carriers offer this one as part of its entry-level line of handsets in early 2015.
GearBest | Twitter (leaksfly) via PhoneArena
The post First details for ZTE Blade S6 spill online appeared first on AndroidGuys.
YouTube Music Key not playing nice with Google Play Music
Subscribers of Google Play Music have access to YouTube Music Key at no additional cost. So it makes sense that users put them to work to see which works better for them in different situations. However, be careful when switching between the two because one user reported on Reddit that Play Music will experience technical difficulties if the YouTube Music Key tab is left open on a web browser. Play Music would not work properly and notified the user that another person was on the account. In the end, the user said “PSA – close that tab.”
Be sure to read our review of YouTube Music Key.
Source: /r/Android
Come comment on this article: YouTube Music Key not playing nice with Google Play Music
This undeletable Verizon cookie is being used by ad companies to track customers
It’s common knowledge that in today’s advertisement driven world, consumer data is literally worth its weight in gold to a wide variety of companies. Consumers are tracked in so many ways that it could literally make your head spin, with apps and services often tracking consumer behavior and reading personal data without them even knowing it. The responsible companies have an opt out option for this, which is why this special Verizon cookie being used by ad companies (that cannot be deleted) is a genuine cause for concern.
How it works
The unique cookie is known as a UIDH (Unique Identifier Header), with reports surfacing back in October of last year that both AT&T and Verizon were using them. AT&T stopped using them all together, but Verizon continues to use the cookie, which creates a permanent carrier level cookie that cannot be deleted.
The UIDH, which is used to track users based on location, interests and more, is something that Verizon doesn’t believe ad companies will use to send targeted ads to consumers due to the fact that it the identifier itself frequently changes. But a discovery by a Stanford computer scientist reveals that it’s not only possible, but is already being done.
Just delete the cookie? Not so fast
Jonathan Mayer made the discovery of a company called Turn using the cookie to reproduce their own tracking cookies when various websites like Twitter or Facebook are visited, meaning that if a customer clears their browser cookies, that a new cookie is created when the Verizon identifier shows up again. In simple terms, if you delete the cookie, it simply gets recreated, and tracking continues.
Turn doesn’t deny using the cookie, and argues that “clearing a cookie cache is not a widely recognized method of reliably expressing an opt-out preference”. But with no opt out service from Verizon or Turn available, there’s no way currently for Verizon subscribers to stop the tracking from taking place. Turn went on to say that if customers don’t want this happening, that they should use opt out tools from companies like the Network Advertising Initiative or the Digital Advertising Alliance, which is is hardly a consumer friendly option. At the same time, considering Turn does not recreate opt out cookies for consumers that do take action, it would seem that consumers have no choice in the matter.
Is there anything that can be done?
While using an ad blocker (which Google removed from the Play Store some time ago) could be a solution (it’s currently the only real solution), it certainly is disturbing that consumers have to resort to such measures in order to stop being tracked. Consumers should always be given a choice in opting out of tracking, and given that there currently is no permanent way to do that in this instance, it seems as if privacy rights are not something that Turn, and Verizon for that matter, are taking seriously.
I’m interested to hear from Verizon customers on this issue. Here in Europe, I imagine that consumers (and judges) would lose their mind if this happened, but it seems that US companies sometimes have a much easier time getting away with such practices.
What do you think about the situation? Should consumers legally have the right to opt out of tracking, or is tracking simply something we all need to accept in this day and age? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Official Limited Edition gold and black BlackBerry Passport looks to be arriving soon
While we’ve seen several luxury retailers hop into mix willing to customize your BlackBerry Passport with some gold trim, BlackBerry themselves have yet to offer such a thing but that might soon be changing. According to a new listing on the ShopBlackBerry Canada website, a limited edition gold and black BerryBerry Passport could be in the works. Here’s what the site has to say about it.
SF Launcher 2 takes over your device with Material Design and cards
Forget about the original SF Launcher and look ahead to SF Launcher 2. Jack Thakar, the developer of the third-party launcher, has rewritten and redesigned his app to fit today’s recommended guidelines for Android. SF Launcher 2 features Android 5.0′s Material Design elements as well as cards that would generally be found when using Google Now. Apps, widgets, and shortcuts have places on cards embedded into the launcher. Colors and placements of these items can be adjusted. Everything about SF Launcher 2 makes it seem as if Google had created it. The themes and headers match Google’s software vision perfectly.
SF Launcher 2 is optimized for Android 5.0 devices; however, it will work with anything running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and higher. Users of the original SF Launcher can stick with that one, but moving over to SF Launcher 2 will not port identical settings. Select favorites and settings will move over, though, if the original is on version 0.5.7.
Hit the break for the gallery and download links.
Come comment on this article: SF Launcher 2 takes over your device with Material Design and cards
10 of the most popular apps this week (January 2)
Welcome back to the regular series aimed at helping Android users get more from their devices. If you’re looking for some new Android apps or games check it out: we have a handful of popular new titles to get you started. What you’ll find below are some of the hottest trending apps of the last seven days (or so). We’re certain you will find something fun to play with this weekend. Let’s get to it!
Business Calendar 2
The very popular Business Calendar app has a successor, Business Calendar 2. Rather than just updating their other app, they have rebuilt the it from the ground up, claiming to have made it better in the process. This app prides itself in allowing you to view your entire schedule in various ways, including the bird’s-eye view of the month seen above. It also helps you find open spots in your schedule to plan a meeting. They have a free version as well as a paid version that has more features. If your phone’s stock calendar isn’t doing it for you or doesn’t have enough features, this is the app for you.
Falcon Pro 3
Falcon Pro 3 is the same developer who made the popular Falcon and Falcon Pro 2 apps. They were both so popular in fact, that both times the apps had run out of Twitter tokens, and had to make a workaround for people to use it. Falcon Pro 3 is a totally new app, though, but brings a lot of neat features, and a design that you’ll drool over that has Material Design cues. It is also simple and quick, so it doesn’t require a lot of resources. The only downside is you have to pay for each Twitter account you add to the app, but this is likely the way to slow down the use of Twitter tokens. I have experience with this developer with his other Falcon apps and his Flyne app, and I’m always impressed. He also always updates quickly and frequently.
Looney Tunes Dash!
Endless runner games have endless possibilities to them, and Warner Brothers seems to agree as a new endless runner game has been released, Looney Tunes Dash! Looney Tunes Dash! allows you to play as several Looney Tunes such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird, and more. You can reenact episodes with the game, complete levels, and more. It has a 4.1 Star rating, so check it out.
Adobe Lightroom Mobile
Adobe has released a mobile version of Lightroom, allowing users to edit photos that are anything from a .jpg from a smartphone to a raw image from a DSLR. It has a lot of the functionality from the desktop version, but optimized for mobile use. The app itself is free, but you need a subscription in order to use it. However, there’s a free 30-day trial available for users who aren’t quite sure. Check it out with the widget below.
9GAG Redhead Redemption
I’ll leave it to the description to say this: “This is no ordinary zombie game! Well, maybe it is, but it is LOADED WITH FUN!” This is the first game from popular site 9GAG, and they released it on Android first, with an iOS version on the way. It looks like it is not only a fun zombie runner shooter game, but looks like it might be loaded with jokes along the way. Either way, it has 4.6 stars and over 100,000 downloads. Download it with the widget below.
Microsoft Word & Excel Preview
Microsoft has been very weird about their interaction with Google and Android, but recently they have been flooding the Play Store with their apps. Well, now they have Word and Excel apps that you can use on tablets with screens 7 inches are larger. If you want a better word document and spreadsheet editor, these might be for you.
Shift
Shift is for those who enjoy using Instagram and just taking photos in general and applying filters to them, but would like a little more freedom in what the filter is and adjusting it. You can use sliders to adjust colors and shades, and even favorite filters that you really like to use later on other photos. It looks like this is an app I am going to keep on my phone. Download it below.
Tales from the Borderlands
Tales from the Borderlands looks to continue where the story left off in Borderlands 2 in a 5 part episode game. Everything is there, from the graphics, to the humor, to some of the iconic characters. However, because of the high quality of the game, it is $4.99, and will cost more for each episode. There is also a minimum system requirements, listed below. Still, it looks like a lot of fun, and is sure to be entertaining.
Minimum specs:
GPU: Adreno 300 series, Mali-T600 series, PowerVR SGX544, or Tegra 4
CPU: Dual core 1.2GHz
Memory: 1GB
SimplePlanes
SimplePlanes allows you to design, build, and fly your own planes. The graphics are retro-looking, but done well. You can also do dogfights, complete challenges, and more. It is $4.99, and requires 512MB of RAM and a 1GHz processor. It already has 4.5 stars, and looks like a lot of fun. Download it with the widget below.
Hidely
Hidely is a camera and photo gallery that looks to encrypt and password protect your photos. With it you can keep your pictures in a vault, and share it securely so that they are only shared with those you desire. For those who remember the celebrity photo leak that happened earlier this year and are nervous about it might take this into consideration.
FEATURED POSTS
The post 10 of the most popular apps this week (January 2) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Steve Jobs Biopic Filming Begins at Jobs’ Childhood Home in Los Altos [iOS Blog]
The upcoming Steve Jobs biopic penned by Aaron Sorkin has entered production, with film crews setting up at Steve Jobs’ childhood home in Los Altos ahead of filming that’s set to take place on Friday afternoon.
CNET‘s Shara Tibken was on scene at the house Friday morning, watching as the film’s production team finished transforming the garage into what it might have looked like back in 1976, when Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were working on the original Apple I computers.
The garage of Steve Jobs’ childhood home, via CNET’s James Martin
The biopic, which is based on Walter Isaacson’s best selling Steve Jobs biography, is said to cover three of Jobs’ most important product launches — the Macintosh computer in 1984, the NeXT computer in 1988, and the release of the iPod in 2001. Filming is starting at Jobs’ childhood home, but later, film crews are expected to move on to areas in San Jose and Berkeley.
Directed by Danny Boyle, famous for Slumdog Millionaire, the biopic will star Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs and Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak. Fassbender has had high-profile roles in movie like 12 Years a Slave and Inglourious Basterds, but he is perhaps most well-known in recent years for his role as Magneto in X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Days of Future Past. Rogen recently starred in The Interview and is also known for Neighbors, Pineapple Express, Knocked Up, and This is the End. Though mostly known for his comedic roles, Rogen has also had roles in more serious movies like 50/50 and Take This Waltz.
Kate Winslet, known for Titanic and Divergent, will take on a leading female role, and Jeff Daniels of The Newsroom will play former Apple CEO John Sculley. Steve Jobs’ former girlfriend Chrisann Brennan will be played by Katherine Waterston, and Michael Stuhlbarg will play early Apple employee Andy Hertzfeld.
A full gallery of photos of early production on the Steve Jobs biopic in Los Altos can be found over at CNET.
Get $100 off a red BlackBerry Passport for a limited time!
Looking for a good deal on a red BlackBerry Passport? Head on over to ShopBlackBerry and pick one up for $100 off, bringing the cost down to $599. This deal is only running today from now until midnight EST. That’s right, this sale ends just a little under 6 hours from now so if you’re interested you’re going to want to hurry.
Please note, if you take advantage of special pricing offer for Passport, you will not be able to participate in Trade Up Program, as this offer may not be combined with other offers.
Android Central 218: Andrew Central
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We’re rested and recovered after a successful CES 2015 in Las Vegas. On tap for this week’s podcast: HTC is first out the gate for Mobile World Congress teasing, we get to the bottom of this WebView security non-scandal, and we answer your questions live on air. Join us!
Our thanks to this week’s sponsors
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- Harrys.com: Shave smarter, and for a fraction of the cost of your current setup. Use coupon code AC to save $5 off your first month.
Defect watch: Some Nexus 6 owners reporting back cover coming unglued
If you’ve been lucky enough to get your hands on Google’s Nexus 6, be weary of a defect that’s been happening to a few owners of the handset. Multiple users around the web have been reporting that the Nexus 6’s back cover is coming unglued. Under further investigation, a Reddit user experiencing this problem checked under the back cover to find that the battery was expanding, causing the cover to come undone. Motorola commented on one Twitter user’s post saying that they’ve been “seeing a few” devices come unglued. Some users are commenting that the battery is, in fact, expanding over a few weeks’ time, while others are saying that they’ve noticed it right when they take the device out of the box.
Since this is obviously a manufacturing defect, if you or anyone you know have been experiencing this problem, we suggest you contact Motorola’s Customer Care team to get the device replaced. But be careful if you’ve been seeing this problem on your handset, as defective batteries are a big safety hazard. If it helps at all, it seems as though Motorola and the carriers involved have been very good about replacing the defective units so far. So, you’ll likely have your new replacement phone up and running in no time.
Do you know anyone who’s been experiencing this defect? Let us know if you’ve had any problems.
AIVAnet 