Report: Samsung Galaxy S4 receiving Lollipop 5.0.1 in Russia
As we now progress into the second month of 2015, word has it that Samsung is providing a Lollipop update to the Galaxy S4 in Russia. While it is neither the first Galaxy phone to receive Android 5.0, nor the first Galaxy S4 variant, it stands as an achievement for the fact that Samsung has brought the new OS build to hardware that is approaching the two year mark.
The device in question is the GT-I9500, Exynos-variant, and it is receiving 5.0.1 to be precise. The update is so large that several Google Applications (Books, Play Movies and others) need to be removed in order to facilitate the 1049.17MB download file. The Software Update screen also indicates that the OS will take up an additional 950MB beyond what was previously allocated to the OS, thus ensuring that users have less on-board storage space to work with.
Now with Lollipop, the S4 joins the Russian Galaxy Note 3 to round out 2013’s flagship updates. With this out of the way, it’s possible Samsung will begin working on its rumored Galaxy Note 2 Lollipop update, as well as disseminating the Note 3 and S4 OTA to other territories.
One can only wonder when Samsung will release Lollipop on any of its tablets.
While owners of handsets might be breathing a sigh of relief, the same can’t be said for anyone who owns a Samsung tablet, of which there were almost a dozen variants released last year alone, though not a single one has received an update to the new OS build. The most likely candidates are the two Galaxy Tab S variants given their flagship status, however it’s now going on a third month since the release of Lollipop and Samsung is still mum on any details. To be sure there is significantly more work to be done in updating the tablet OS given its unique Magazine UX scheme, although at the very least a timeline would be appreciated.
Casio’s new iOS app turns your whistling into full-length tunes
Apps have done wonders for music creation, and now there’s mobile software from Casio that aims to make it even easier. The Chordana Composer app for iPhone creates a track basked on a melody that you create by singing or whistling two bars of a tune. Casio’s handiwork records you, and then automatically builds the rest of the song based on your input. This means that anyone can construct a hit without in-depth music knowledge or the ability to play an instrument. After the base of the song is captured, there’s five genres and three melodic settings for the tweaking before hitting the Auto Compose button and putting the app to work.
In addition to the vocal input, Chordana Composer also has a keyboard interface, notation option and MIDI compatibility, so once the song is complete, that score can be fine-tuned. Don’t just take my word for it, though, have a listen at the track I composed down below. The results aren’t awesome by any means, at least on my first few attempts, but the process is certainly interesting. If you’re ready to give it your best Katy Perry impression, the $3 app is available now over at iTunes.
Source: Casio (PRNewswire), iTunes
Save 50% on these dual-layer hard cases for Lumia 521
This Lumia 521 hybrid case provides serious protection against drops and scratches while rocking a built-in kickstand that can be used for watching movies and more. The inner-most layer is made of a shock absorbing silicone that sits underneath a thick plastic exterior. Grab yours today for only $9.95!
Comic: Blue Screen Dearest
Happy Saturday, iMore! Because Rich is awesome, he’s letting us run some of his Mac-themed comics from the Diesel Sweeties archive on weekends. Bonus comics, woo! We hope you enjoy.
Read more comics from the Pixel Project on iMore.com.
VLC beta for Windows Phone picks up a small update with some UI improvements
The app was last updated just a few days ago, but that hasn’t halted the VLC developers from releasing yet another update. Today, version 1.0.11 hit the store, bringing with it some notable improvements.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 Intel graphics driver update for Surface Pro 3
Microsoft has rolled out an Intel graphics driver update for the Surface Pro 3, running Windows 10. The update affects the Intel graphics component installed on the tablet and is a bug fixing patch, meaning any related issues previously encountered with Windows 10 on the Surface Pro 3 should be eliminated post-updating.
Tweetium dev releases multiple updates overnight, implements a bunch of improvements
Tweetium is a popular, highly-rated Twitter app for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8.1, and the phone version of the app has today been bumped to version 3.2.3. Version 3.2 hit the store overnight, but due to bugs being spotted in the recent release, the developer rolled out a further three updates to sort everything out – talk about rapid updates.
#IDARB is now available on Xbox One and is free for Gold subscribers
#IDARB was originally slated to become available for free on February 1 part of Xbox Games with Gold. However, Microsoft has switched the flip early and it is now available to download for everyone on Xbox One to enjoy.
Get the Lumia 435 free when you buy the Lumia 535 in Italy for Valentine’s Day
The Lumia 435 and Lumia 535 were both unveiled by Microsoft earlier this month. The company is soon to hold a new promotion in Italy for the upcoming Valentine’s Day where you’ll be able to purchase the Lumia 535 and receive the Lumia 435 for free – a perfect gift for the loved one. The promotion will run between February 4-15.
Apple Pay review: 3 months later
Apple Pay — or Pay — launched in October of 2014 as part of iOS 8.1. It enabled the NFC-based tap-to-pay system in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, and the online payment system in both iPhones 6 and the iPad mini 3 and iPad Air 2. While it hasn’t yet rolled out internationally, Apple Pay has expanded to more banks, retailers, and apps in the U.S. We went in-store with it at launch, but how’s Apple Pay doing now, some three months later?
Apple Pay and banks
Peter: My bank was there on day one, and I had absolutely no problem signing up my debit card in Apple Pay. I know a lot of other people haven’t been as lucky. One of the few times I’ve been happy to be with my giant, monolithic, massively unfriendly and expensive bank.
Ally: I have lots of different cards in Apple Pay and for the most part I’ve had zero problem. Everything works as I’d expect it to. However, a month or so ago I restored my iPhone 6 Plus and since then I haven’t been able to get one of my cards added back. The recent iOS update that was supposed to address that particular Apple Pay issue unfortunately hasn’t worked for me either. Calls to my issuer haven’t helped either.
Ren: I’m with Peter — I was lucky in that my major debit and credit cards all supported Apple Pay at launch, and I’ve had no real problems with them. (Though the initial add process did require a couple of random steps, including sending confirmation codes to a phone number I haven’t had on file in four years.)
Apple Pay at retail
Peter: I’ve used Apple Pay a precious few times and it’s worked out quite well, but I have to be frank: I don’t shop at most of the places it’s taken. The places I do shop most frequently, including my grocery store and my pharmacy, aren’t yet signed up. So Apple Pay has, for me anyway, been an interesting curiosity. But it really hasn’t moved into a daily use for me yet.
Ally: When actually using Apple Pay, the process is painless. Just tap and done. The only time I’ve found the process slightly odd is when using self checkouts. The ones are our local grocery stores are a little finicky and don’t always seem to activate tap payments. Other than that, the experience has been pleasant.
Ren: I used Apple Pay a lot when it first launched, in part for novelty, but I’ve really grown to love using it. My pharmacy and three grocery stores in my area take it, and I keep on running into other places that take it. (For awhile, I’d tap my iPhone at any register that looked like it might take contactless payments… just in case.)
Apple Pay in-apps
Peter: I actually haven’t used Apple Pay in apps once. I admit I’m on a limited budget to begin with, so I don’t do a lot of in-app shopping anyway, but it really hasn’t come up for me even as a possibility.
Ally: I’ve only used Apple Pay with the Apple Store app when purchasing a case for my iPhone 6 Plus. It was a heck of a lot easier than entering all my details or having to change them from what is in my iTunes account. I’m sure I’ll end up using it more and more as different merchants start supporting the functionality.
Ren: I’ve actually started using Panera’s in-app Apple Pay to place advance orders rather than wait in line — it’s much faster, and there’s no hassle about finding a payment option to input into my iPhone, since my credit card info is already stored. (It’s also an easy way for my purchases to count toward Panera’s loyalty program, as in-store Apple Pay doesn’t register that you’re a member without flashing your MyPanera card.)
I’ve used the Apple Store’s app to buy things while in the store, as well, but it feels a lot weirder to use than Panera’s or Target’s; I’m guessing that’s because I’m actually in the store, but not dealing with people.
Apple Pay evolution
Rene: Canada! (You expected nothing less, and I would not disappoint!). Seriously, though. International rollout feels inevitable. So does support for loyalty programs. I don’t know if there would ever be Apple Point, redeemable for iTunes credit, but I’d love to my Lego VIP card in there. Also, there’s the whole world of consumer-to-consumer transactions to get into. People have been begging for a PayPal alternative for years. Maybe Apple Pay could be just that?
Ren: Though I haven’t spent much time abroad in the last three months, I would love for Apple Pay to take hold in Canada and the UK; I’m planning trips to both in the near future, and it would be swell to not have to worry about my wallet while traveling.
And though I don’t think the company’s “Year of Apple Pay” will be doomed without loyalty cards or frequent customer attachments, I’d really like to be able to connect things like my Panera card to my purchases there — right now, it’s easier to order in advance through the app than pay in-store with Apple Pay and then pull out my Panera card.
Finally, more merchants supporting it. I wish CurrentC would die in a fiery pit, but at the least, some of its supporters are aging out of their original exclusivity contracts — hopefully that means we’ll see retailers like Target (who already support Apple Pay in-app) using the in-store kiosks, as well.
Peter: MOAR VENDORS. Apple Pay has already succeeded where other digital payment systems have failed, but it’s nothing approaching critical mass. Major retailers still don’t have support for Apple Pay, and many banks don’t either. It’s also a complete non-entity outside the United States.
Bottom line
Peter: Apple Pay is everything I wanted in a mobile payment system: Elegant, fast, secure. If Apple can get the entire world using it, more the better. In the interim, Apple Pay is still squarely a novelty for me. I use it whenever I can, but for what I’ve been spending money on since it was introduced, that’s not that much.
Rene: I share Tim Cook’s bullishness on the future of Apple Pay. It does so many things right that, given enough time, adoption, and propagation, I think it could fundamentally transform how I pay for things on a daily basis. It could end up being a bigger deal than even the current crop of devices because it’s not just another device — it’s another service for all devices.
Ren: Using Apple Pay is awesome and keeps me from pulling out my credit card all the time, but it’s not so widespread that I can just leave my wallet at home. I’m hoping 2015 is the year enough of my merchants begin accepting Apple Pay that I can consider actually going phone-only and saving some of that pocket space for, say, an extra battery for my iPhone. I also wouldn’t mind some sort of loyalty program integration. (Fingers crossed!)
Ally: I love the idea of Apple Pay and what it offers. The only barrier is merchants adopting it within the United States. It’s kind of ironic since it’s only available in the the US yet our country is pathetically behind when it comes to NFC and payment technology in general. Let’s hope the next year or so changes that.
AIVAnet 