LG: No overheating issues with Snapdragon 810 on G Flex 2
Yesterday, a report by Bloomberg stated that Samsung was ditching Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 in the Galaxy S6 due to overheating issues, with the manufacturer opting to go with its in-house Exynos processor instead. An LG executive has now come forward stating that the G Flex 2, which uses the same processor, does not suffer from any such issues.
Dead Zebra Series 5 Android mini collectibles coming soon, say hello to Panda and Sk8 Cop
Dead Zebra will be releasing the fifth installment the Android mini collectible designer series very soon. Designers include regulars, Andrew Bell, Gary Ham, Scott Tolleson and Kong Andri, and a few new ones, Devilrobots, Reactor-88, Jon Paul Kaiser and Lunabee.
Today they have unveiled two figurines from the set: Panda (pictured above) and Sk8 Cop (pictured below). Panda is designed by Google and Sk8 Cop was designed by Gary Ham. Sk8 is extra special since it includes a mini Android skateboard and stickers to slap on the board, himself, or his friends.
The entire set will start showing up in toy, comic, specialty and online retailers across the world in the coming weeks. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but you can expect each one to go for about $10 with a quantity discount of some sort.
Stay tuned because they will be previewing more minis from the series. There should be at least 12 in all.
source: Dead Zebra
Come comment on this article: Dead Zebra Series 5 Android mini collectibles coming soon, say hello to Panda and Sk8 Cop
ARM makes 15 predictions about 2015
ARM has tweeted about “15 things you need to know for 2015.” These predictions cover a wide range of topics and reflect all the different areas of technology that utilize ARM based processors. The areas covered include smartphones, wearables, IoT, security and servers.
The first prediction that is relevant to Android is that “50% smartphones shipped in 2015 will be 64-bit capable.” Of course we need to include non-Android smartphones in this, but however you slice it that is a mind-blowing trend. If you think back to just a few years ago, smartphones used single core 32-bit processors. Now we have entered an era where smartphones use 64-bit multi-core processors and include technologies like heterogeneous computing with big.LITTLE.
64-bit LTE smartphones will ship for under $70.
Another interesting aspect is that these 64-bit phones won’t just be flagship devices. ARM predicts that “64-bit LTE smartphones will ship for under $70″ in 2015. This shows the power of ARM’s business model. It has licensed its 64-bit tech to a variety of companies and some of these, like MediaTek, are producing inexpensive 64-bit, multi-core processors for low- and mid-range devices. Of course, a smartphone is more than just a SoC, but we are already seeing this trend. Earlier this year I reviewed the THL L969, a sub $140 4G smartphone.
When it comes to smartwatches, ARM has something quite interesting to say, namely that for wearables to become truly successful they must pass the ‘don’t leave home without me’ test. Most of us probably don’t leave home without three essentials: keys, money and a smartphone. When that list can be truly expanded to keys, money, smartphone, and a wearable (e.g. a smartwatch or whatever) then wearables will become a multi-billion dollar business.
Chinese semiconductor vendors’ focus on IoT will start to deliver significant design wins.
When it comes to China, ARM predicts that once the Chinese semiconductor makers start to focus on IoT they will deliver significant design wins. Although China is already a huge force in the smartphone market, it has yet to truly turn its attentions to IoT, including wearables. At the moment there are no Chinese companies which make Android Wear devices. Cheap production costs and innovative designs are the cornerstone of the fledgling IoT market. Once China enters the game, things will change.
The rest of ARM’s predictions are as follows:
- Biometrics will drive alternative user ID strategies
- Mobile operators will deploy smartphone services as de facto healthcare for rural areas
- IoT biggest revenues will be in cities and enterprises
- Increasing cyberattack concerns will drive hardware security from sensor to server
- More OEMs and internet companies will acquire semiconductor vendors to drive their USP into value chain
- Massive mobile payment surge with “Chip and Pin” and smartphones will make retail more efficient
- Benchmark data will shift end-user choice to purpose-optimized servers versus monolithic approaches
- Effort will turn to efficiency + form factor as wirelessly chargeable consumer devices enter market
- Latest IoT buzz will shift from wearables to robotics
- Diverse IoT standards groups will start to consolidate as industry begins maturing
- System Perf demands will move NFV from software on server to tightly coupled hardware accelerators
So what do you think, does ARM have it right? Do you have any predictions about smartphones, IoT or wearables for 2015?
WhatsApp announces WhatSIM that doesn’t require data plans
Are you someone who relies heavily on WhatsApp to communicate with your loved ones? Do you get annoyed when you are forced to buy costly data plans just to run WhatsApp while travelling abroad? Well, WhatsApp’s answer to your woes is WhatSIM, a SIM card that lets people use WhatsApp without a phone plan.
Costing merely €10, WhatSIM allows you to access WhatsApp without the fear of data charge or service expiration. WhatSIM is affiliated with 400 service providers in 150 countries and it uses their networks to operate seamlessly.
“Everyone now uses WhatsApp, even when traveling. But you need a data or Wi-Fi connection to chat for free. The most common problem is that the roaming data connection is usually expensive and Wi-Fi is not available everywhere and often it is not even free,” WhatsApp’s press release read.
Once you purchase WhatSIM, all you have to do is insert it into your phone and choose any network that is closest to you. Once you are connected to that network, you can start using WhatsApp app free of charge.
“Anywhere in the world it connects to the provider with the best coverage and signal right where you are. If you change your position, it automatically searches for a new provider. If a better one is available, it connects by itself without you even noticing it,” the release further read.
Currently, WhatSIM is not available for US residents, and there is no word on when it would be available for them.
Source: WhatSIM
The post WhatsApp announces WhatSIM that doesn’t require data plans appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google Play edition devices are no longer available
Never got around to purchasing a Google Play edition device? Then it is likely safe to say you never will. Slowly but surely, we have seen Google Play edition devices vanish online. A warning was never issued by Google and the company has proceeded to pull the devices from the Play Store. Most recently, the Samsung Galaxy S 4 Google Play edition was removed after months of being out of stock. Then, today, the HTC One (M8) Google Play edition was shown the door. It left the Google Play edition section with nothing to show; therefore, the initiative that pushed a stock Android experience on flagship devices is presumably gone.
Have you ever purchased a Google Play edition device? Let us know in the comments.
Source: Google Play
Come comment on this article: Google Play edition devices are no longer available
WhatsApp back again, this time with a web client
Yesterday WhatsApp hit the news after it was discovered they were banning the use of third-party apps with their platform, going so far as to temporarily ban users who were using other channels to access WhatsApp. While the WhatsApp team may have annoyed some users with that move, today’s news is much better. WhatsApp has finally launched a web client for their messaging platform that works with the desktop Chrome browser.
Being a company focused on mobile platforms, they make sure potential desktop WhatsApp users have a smartphone by requiring the scanning of a QR code in order to unlock and install the Chrome extension. If you have the latest version of WhatsApp running on your smartphone, you should have a “Web” menu option that is used to scan the QR code and launch the install process. There do seem to be a few versions of WhatsApp floating around out there that lack this option as some users with HTC One M8 devices have discovered. While that may be a problem for some Android users, WhatsApp really messed with iOS users – this new feature is not available to them at all due to “platform limitations.” Apparently WhatsApp needs a gate in the wall to the garden in order to work. Meanwhile, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 10 and Windows Phone users can join in the fun with the Android users.
Once installed, the WhatsApp Web extension works as you would expect and in a manner similar to other multi-platform, multi-device messaging applications. You can use the web interface to type out and send your message and almost instantaneously the message will show up on your smartphone in the WhatsApp app. The process works in the opposite fashion as well – type out something on your phone and then see the conversation update almost simultaneously in the web client.
If you are a WhatsApp user and want to check it out, just hit the source link below to find the QR code you will need to get started.
source: WhatsApp
via: Engadget
Come comment on this article: WhatsApp back again, this time with a web client
Google adds screen reader support to Docs, Sheets and Slides apps
Google’s Docs, Sheets and Slides apps aren’t easy to use on a phone’s small screen at all, but this set of updates could make things just a bit more convenient for both iOS and Android users. Documents now come with real-time spell check, spreadsheets are now able to hide rows and columns, and presentations can lump similar shapes together. Even better, they all now work with Android TalkBack and iOS VoiceOver — screen readers that will make the apps friendlier to the visually impaired — though those who only need just a bit of help reading on a small screen can use the magnification tool instead. Finally, if you’re using an iPhone or an iPad, you can start using your fingerprint to unlock the apps if you want to make sure no nosy workmate can get into your files. The updates are now rolling out for both mobile platforms and are now available on Google Play and iTunes.
[image credit: shutterstock]
Filed under: Misc, Mobile, Google
Via: Google Drive, Google Play, iTunes (Docs), iTunes (Sheets), iTunes (Slides)
Source: Google Docs Blog
All modern Windows Phones can get Windows 10, flagship ‘later this summer’
With Windows 10 for phones around the corner, at least in a preview, the question still on many people’s minds is ‘What about my phone?’
The issue is both simple and complicated. Let’s break it down.
Leaked images show purple variant of Sony Xperia Z3
There is a good news for Sony Xperia Z3 lovers! A purple variant of the flagship device has surfaced in leaked images on a Chinese website. Isn’t it better to have more color options to choose from when you are going to buy a top notch smartphone? So far, the handset is available in white, black, green and copper colors.
The leak further claimed that the purple Xperia Z3 will be launched in Taiwan by the month’s end, and it will feature similar specifications under the hood as the original Z3. There is still no word on when the purple Z3 will be available outside Taiwan.
The original Z3 features a 5.2-inch 1080p screen, a Snapdragon 801 chipset and Adreno 330 GPU. The phone offers one of the best battery life with a 3100mAh power backup. In terms of memory, the original Z3 has 3GB of RAM and two variants of inbuilt storage including 16GB and 32GB, further expandable up to 128GB via microSD card. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and 4G LTE. The smartphone sports a 20.7-megapixel rear camera and of course it is IP68 certified water resistant.
Source: ePrice
The post Leaked images show purple variant of Sony Xperia Z3 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google Files new Polaroid-ish Patent
If you weren’t born yesterday, you probably remember when Polaroids were all the rage. The ability to take a photo and have it develop right before your eyes was a luxury in the days before smartphones, digital cloud storage, and nearly constant internet access. However, Google apparently thinks that this ability is once again necessary. The filing of the Polaroid-reminiscent camera patent has caused many in the tech community to scratch their heads and turn a confused face.
While it;s important to keep in mind that a patent doesn’t necessarily mean there is an upcoming product, it will be interesting to wait and see what the tech giant will do with its new patent. Interesting features on the camera include the ability to print double sided photos, print a photo whenever you want instead of immediately after capture, and print a postcard layout with prepaid postage stamps.
Google has never been one to back down from a challenge, so keep your eyes peeled to see what becomes of its latest patent. Do you think instant print cameras are past their prime and a foolish business idea? OR does Google have a master plan in mind? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think!
Source: Quartz
Via: Android Headlines
Come comment on this article: Google Files new Polaroid-ish Patent
AIVAnet 