OneDrive for Windows Phone gets a small update
The OneDrive app for Windows Phone has received a small update. Now standing at version 4.6, you might notice some visual updates when looking at a file’s properties, as well as performance improvements.
Here’s what our readers think of the Moto X (2014)
In his review of the second-generation Moto X last September, our Senior Mobile Editor Chris Velazco called it “a huge step forward from last year’s model.” He complimented the seamless feel of the edges and thought its improved OLED screen was “one of the nicest smartphone screens I’ve seen in a while.” But not everything was pure love with the 2014 Moto X. The battery can squeeze out a day at most, and the front camera fails to be “consistently good” and is often slow to focus, with photos full of grain. But in spite of these flaws, Chris felt that the new Moto X “earned itself a spot in the pantheon of smartphone greats.”
That’s a pretty big proclamation to make; how well does it hold up? To find out, we turn to the discerning opinions of our loyal readers, who have taken to the product database page for the 2014 Moto X to share their own experiences with the phone. With a user average of 9.2, it was a definite improvement over the original Moto X (which averaged a score of 8.8), but would they agree with our reviewer’s assessments?
Readers like MrFancyPants certainly liked the way it looks, admiring its “premium feel,” while DownGoesFrazier noticed it “fits perfectly in my hand.” It also slipped into dicenzo‘s pocket quite easily, and WoodyH finds he can’t “go out in public without people wanting to fondle my phone.” Indeed, many users certainly thought it was worth the attention, with pramopu calling it “fabulous,” while WoodyH simply says it’s “the best-looking smartphone.”
Those best-in-class looks certainly extend to the display as well, with guigreg liking its “amazing colors and brightness” and BinZ was pleased to see that the color was “not noticeably oversaturated.” Pramopu says it’s “one of the best available.” The speakers are not too shabby either, with colonelpackage calling the audio quality excellent.
Sure, the phone looks and feels good, but how well does it work on a daily basis? Quite well, in fact, with WoodyH praising its “lightning fast and smooth” operation and useful software features. MrFancyPants likes how you don’t even need to touch the device at all thanks to the new voice commands, and thinks replacing the notification light with Moto Actions was “a great move.”
Unfortunately, not everything was sunshine and roses for our users. They agreed with our assessment of the camera, finding it suitable for instances like taking pictures of roses in the sunshine — but only barely. MrFancyPants says it’s “not good” in low light, and even just “okay” outdoors, while TheRydad found it “quite passable,” but still pretty “meh” overall. The battery life fared a little better, getting WoodyH through a full day “easily” and BinZ says it’s “OK for regular usage,” but DownGoesFrazier says that heavy users might be “better off” with the Droid Turbo.
If you’re not a heavy user, though, you’ll probably be perfectly happy with the Moto X. DownGoesFrazier says it’s a real “pleasure” and colonelpackage just appreciates using it, while TheRydad goes so far as calling it “the best phone I have owned.”
If you’re a Moto X owner, how has your experience been? If you agree — or disagree — with the reviews here, you can always contribute your own by heading over to the product page for the second-generation Moto X. In fact, you can review almost any product you find in the Engadget database, including the iPhone 6 Plus, the Amazon Fire TV or the Microsoft Band.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Cyanogenmod 12 has a new boot animation
Looks like users of the Cyanogenmod 12 nightlies can expect a new boot animation in the latest version, and it’s gone light.
You can check it out in the below video.
What do you think of the new boot animation for Cyanogenmod 12?
The post Cyanogenmod 12 has a new boot animation appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Android Authority this week

This week was all about rumors, as a steady stream of details about Samsung’s and HTC’s next flagships trickled out. We have a good idea of what to expect from the One M9/Hima, with key details including a 20MP camera, larger battery, and an iterative design. Samsung did a little better at keeping the Galaxy S6 under wraps, but we still got a few juicy tidbits about the phone’s design and specifications. In other news, the Snapdragon 810 was in the spotlight, WhatsApp launched its first desktop client and banned 3rd party clients, Google’s plan to become a carrier leaked, and Cyanogen’s CEO revealed his vision of a Google-free operating system.
Inside AA HQ
It was a quiet week behind the scenes at AA HQ, with few public-facing changes, but quite a lot of work going on in the background. We’ve made some changes to the AA homepage, replacing the “hero menu” with a carousel showcasing our most recent videos. Our YouTube team is doing such a great job churning out great videos, that we feel this change will bring you more value in the long run.
We’re also ramping up our sister sites SoundGuys.com and TabTimes.com, with more news coverage and featured pieces, and adding some team members to bring you great content. We still have a long way to go with these properties, but we’re confident we can make them reference websites in their respective niches, just like AA is your source for all things Android.
Today, we’re giving out a Nexus 6 in our weekly sweepstakes! Throw your name in the hat here. Good luck!

Friday Debate podcast
The stuff you shouldn’t miss
Here are some interesting posts for your Sunday reading:
- Review: Lanh does his best to break the rugged Sonim XP7
- Review: How is Samsung’s new batch of metal mid-rangers? We review the Galaxy A5
- Feature: Microsoft announced some cool things this week. We look at how Android is impacted
- Review: Jewels from Asia: we review the Meizu MX4 Pro
- Feature: Andrew ponders the implications of Google entering the wireless industry
- Feature: Simon weighs the pros and cons of a potential Samsung-Blackberry marriage
- Opinion: Bogdan looks at HTC’s year ahead and why it’s time for the company to grow again
Top news of the week
And here are the top news in the Android world this week:
HTC One M9 rumors
- Alleged HTC One M9 “Hima” pics leak, possibly prototype version
- Bloomberg: One M9 to feature 20MP rear camera, smartwatch coming along
- Alleged HTC M9 “Hima” cases leaked (updated)
- More details about the HTC One M9/Hima emerge
Nowhereelse.fr Render
Snapdragon overheating
- Samsung drops Snapdragon 810 in favor of Exynos for Galaxy S6 – Bloomberg
- Qualcomm’s 2015 roadmap reportedly outed, rumored to bring Snapdragon 820
- LG denies G Flex 2 and Snapdragon 810 overheating issues
Whatsapp news
- (Updated) WhatsApp begins crackdown on unlicensed 3rd party clients
- WhatsApp comes to the desktop, with a catch
Galaxy S6 rumors
- Rumor: Samsung Galaxy S6 to launch at MWC 2015, but no LG G4
- More details about Galaxy S6 edge’s special features surface
- Rumor: Galaxy S6 could feature glass back panel and non-removable battery

Google going wireless
Cyanogen’s fighting words
Sound off
We always want to hear your feedback. Whether it’s criticism or praise, feel free to tell us what you think about Android Authority’s content, design, and community. Comment here or get in touch with us on our social channels:
Happy Sunday!
Rocket Cars: 8 tips, hints, and cheats to race faster!
Rocket Cars is a new racing game that lets you play through over 50 tracks in 5 different game modes. Strap rockets to your car or blast dynamite at your opponents in order to conquer each challenge. Along the way you’ll have to decide what equipment and cars to upgrade. To do so you’ll have to use your in-game coins, or shell out some real money to compensate. If the last part just isn’t how you race, follow along for some Rocket Cars tips, hints, and cheats that won’t leave you grabbing for your wallet!
- Free + IAP – Download now
1. Don’t pay for boosts, get them free!
Like so many other games, Rocket Cars is susceptible to the time cheat. When you run out of boosts or want to reload them, just change the time in your Settings app accordingly. Relaunch Rocket Cards and voila, your boosts are all replenished. Just be sure to return the time to normal when you’re done playing or you may run into issues with iMessage.
2. Upgrade speed and boost duration often
The two upgrades you want to make as often as possible are speed and boost duration. Speed is obvious. Boost duration is what makes the difference between inching out the guy in front or behind you. It costs a few more coins than the other upgrades but concentrate on these two first. You’ll be glad you did.
3. Test out tap control
While the default method of swiping to control your car may work, some find it awkward. In settings or before each level, you can switch to tap control. You need to be comfortable to win. So, give it a try and see if you like it better.
4. Hold your finger down to start each level
Instead of tapping the screen to start, hold your finger down so you take off as fast as possible. I made this mistake the first few levels and quickly realized I holding down gives you a jump start.
5. Pay for double coins if you can
Double coins is available as an in-app purchase and if you can, get it. You’ll have it for life and every coin you collect will count as two. Instead of buying coins for upgrades when you need them, pay for double coins once and you shouldn’t need to purchase coin packs ever again (as long as you can exercise a little patience).
6. Blast through unforeseen obstacles
Sometimes rocks or obstacles come tumbling your way and you can’t help it. Swipe back and use boost power if you have any to spare. You’ll blast right through the object instead of being derailed by it.
7. Don’t forget to upgrade your equipment in the store
The Store section of Rocket Cars contains all the equipment upgrades for the weapons you find on the race track. They are super easy to overlook so don’t forget about them.
8. Skip ramps to get ahead
The fastest route from one point to another is a straight line. While it’s always tempting to hit a ramp and spin out into a bunch of neat tricks, sometimes skipping a ramp in favor of inching ahead of the guy in front of you is a better decision.
Your tips, hints, and cheats?
If you’ve been playing Rocket Cars, do you have any useful tips, hints, and cheats? If so, be sure let us know in the comments!
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Inhabitat’s Week in Green: solar-powered planes, bamboo bikes and mud houses
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week’s most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us — it’s the Week in Green.

One of America’s most innovative solar power plants officially opened in the Mojave Desert this past week, and it’s expected to provide enough energy to power nearly 90,000 homes. The Mojave Solar Project is a concentrated solar plant that uses parabolic troughs to create steam, which produces energy when passed through a turbine generator. In other renewable energy news, the folks at Solight have developed a compact solar-powered lantern that provides off-grid light to communities that lack electricity. The flat-pack, LED lantern was inspired by the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and it’s designed to replace kerosene lanterns. Swiss aviators Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg are preparing for the first-ever flight around the world in a solar-powered aircraft. With the flight, the two pilots hope to gain broad support for solar energy. On the green transportation front, self-driving cars are widely believed to represent the future of transportation, but scientists at NASA are already looking further into the future. NASA and Nissan are partnering to research how autonomous vehicles could be used not only here on Earth, but also in space. And in Mexico, a company has produced a bamboo bicycle that generates energy as you pedal around town. The BambooTec bike captures and converts the kinetic energy into electricity, using that energy to charge mobile devices. Best of all, the designs are simple enough to be built by hand.
President Barack Obama has no more campaigns to run, so is he finally ready to get tough on the environment? Obama didn’t make any promises in his State of the Union address last week, but he did acknowledge that climate change is the biggest threat we face. In other environmental news, a new report released by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization says that climate change is threatening global food diversity and could cause crop extinctions. A new photo gallery produced by NASA shows just how much climate change is transforming the planet. The 300 photos and satellite images show everything from receding glaciers to shrinking lakes and disappearing forests.
In preparation for increasingly powerful storms that are brought on at least in part by climate change, New York City is taking small steps to implement storm-resilient green infrastructure in lower Manhattan. In other Big Apple news, NYC’s largest wind turbine was recently erected in Brooklyn. The 160-foot-tall turbine is expected to generate up to 100 kilowatts of clean energy for a recycling center in Sunset Park. And in a quest to learn about the many edible plants that surround us, Inhabitat caught up with “Wildman” Steve Brill for a foraging tutorial in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Watch the video to see which medicinal plants, nuts and even edible flowers are hiding in plain sight in your local park.
In another example of nature-inspired ingenuity, designer Massimo Moretti has developed a way to create 3D-printed mud houses, and he hopes to use the technology to produce affordable housing from one of the planet’s most abundant resources. A new 12,000-square-foot mansion in China was recently 3D-printed from recycled stone and construction waste. The printer used to build the house was 20 feet high, and spans 4,000 feet. In other green architecture news, Dutch design firm MVRDV won its bid to design a twisting, hourglass-shaped skyscraper in Vienna. The tower’s unique shape will decrease the effect of shadows on surrounding buildings, and it will connect the building with the plaza below. Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta has been tapped to design the new Le Monde headquarters in Paris. One of the most distinctive new buildings to be unveiled this past week was the Amethyst Hotel, a tower that resembles an enormous amethyst cathedral geode. The shimmering hotel will be built — where else? — on the man-made Ocean Flower Island in China.
From the Editor’s Desk: Narrowing our focus
Let’s keep things a little light for this week’s column, shall we? Probably the biggest news of note is that we’re going to start doing more series work. That is, we’ll take a specific topic and do more cohesive coverage of it, instead of shotgunning stories here and there throughout the year. It’s the right way to do it, and so that’s how we’re going to do things going forward, especially when it comes to non-device content.
That said, we’re starting with a device this week, though not in the traditional phone-or-tablet sense. Any guesses as to what it might be?
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It’s great to see that folks are enjoying Shen Ye’s Futurology series. (Check out Part 1 on batteries and Part 2 on displays. We’re hoping to have Part 3 ready later this week. (Anyone still want to complain that we only focus on the folks new to Android?) We’ve got some more cool series on the way as well. Stay tuned.
And, of course, we’re going to get way in deep on all the new phones that are about to hit. Nothing’s going to get in the way of that.
So with that, a few other thoughts on the week that was.
OnePlus tweaks name of next device, feeds the Snapdragon 810 monster
Although OnePlus may have annoyed some buyers with their invite system and some marketing gaffes for their inaugural smartphone during 2014, the company succeeded in creating quite a bit of demand for their OnePlus One. That success has led many to watch the company to see what 2015 will hold for a successor. Sources have revealed some information about the name for the next device and some release schedule projections that feed into the issues swirling around the Snapdragon 810 processor.
On the naming front, OnePlus has apparently decided to switch from a text-based naming convention to one that uses digits. This means the next version of their smartphone will be the “OnePlus 2″ instead of “OnePlus Two”.
The bigger news that sources have revealed is that OnePlus is pushing the release date for the new OnePlus 2 into the third quarter of 2015. That in itself may not be considered a major change in an industry which has seen devices delayed, but the reason is sure to stir things up a bit. According to the sources, OnePlus is delaying the new smartphone while Qualcomm works on “manufacturing challenges with the Snapdragon 810.”
This move by OnePlus is only going to feed the controversy surrounding the Snapdragon 810 and whether it suffers from an overheating problem. Already Samsung has reportedly dropped the Snapdragon 810 for use in their Galaxy S 6 smartphone, opting to go with their in-house Exynos chip. The move by OnePlus appears to support the theory that there is a problem with the Snapdragon 810.
On the other hand, both LG and Xiaomi have announced devices using the Snapdragon 810 and in the case of LG, the company has come out and said overheating is not an issue.
source: Forbes
Come comment on this article: OnePlus tweaks name of next device, feeds the Snapdragon 810 monster
These transparent hybrid cases for Galaxy Note 4 are only $7.95 today
Featuring a see-through, impact resistant hybrid casing with a durable TPU bumper, this SlimGrip Cover shields your Galaxy Note 4 from impacts while retaining a low-profile design. Available in both black and white bumpers, you can save 47% while supplies last!
Comics and columns and podcasts, oh hi!
The only constant at iMore is change. Go ahead, make your name jokes. I’ll wait. All done? Okay. So the new year means new features here. Some of them you’ve seen already and some more are coming in February and beyond. So what’s here and what’s near?
The Pixel Project is the working name for a new weekly comic series by the ridiculously talented 8-bit pixel artist, Rich Stevens. It runs every Tuesday and pokes loving fun at Apple and those of us in the Apple community. Rich has also been generous enough to let us re-run some of his older Apple-centric work on Saturdays for some extra fun. It’s all gorgeous stuff, so we really hope you’re enjoying it — and sharing it! — as well.
Peter and Ally have been doing how-to articles on iMore for a long time now but this year we wanted to do something a little more community focused and a little more personal. So, they’ve both started new help columns: Mac Help and iOS Help. They’ll be taking your questions and helping solve your problems — or the questions and problems of anyone you send their way — on Tuesdays and Thursdays respectively. To send in a question or problem you can email machelp@imore.com or ioshelp@imore.com, or ask a question via the web. Please do make use of them!
I’m still doing the Editor’s Desk every Sunday, Serenity is still doing At the Core on Mondays, Peter is still doing NSFW on Fridays, and Ally is not only still doing DIY on Saturdays but she’s diversifying. She’ll still do iOS device repair guides, but she’ll be mixing in other fun projects as well, like making and Instagram collage IRL.
We’ve got a couple of new columns heading your way soon as well. We’re not going to announce them just yet — we want to make sure we have enough done that, once they launch, they keep going smoothly — but you’ll be hearing all about them soon!
Now, podcasts. The iMore show just hit episode 440. In terms of iTunes rankings it’s never done better. Having Serenity, Peter, and Ally on every week has really let us stabilize the show and round out the discussions. It’s gotten to the point where we feel safe in changing things up a bit.
So, starting sometime in February, we’ll be moving the iMore show to Wednesdays. We’ll likely keep it at 11am PT/2pm ET — let us know how that time works for you — and keep the same format. That’s the four of us, with occasional guests when someone can’t make it.
We’ll also be spinning off a couple of new shows. Again, I don’t want to give away too much until they actually launch, but they’re going to complement what we’re already doing and hopefully give you more of what you’ve been asking for in a way that makes it easy for you to choose exactly what you want to watch and listen to. Those shows will likely air on Fridays and Mondays.
There’s more to touch on, but this has already gone on longer than I expected, so I’ll save the rest for future columns. Before heading off to build with blocks, however, I want to take a moment to introduce you to our terrific new video intro (above, and sneak previous in iMore show 440 yesterday!). It was put together by Jose Negron and our supremely talented Mobile Nations design team. We all hope you love it as much as we do.
In case you missed it:
- Serenity’s spirit has been split between iPad and sketchpad but rumors of an Apple Pen are making things more complicated.
- Daniel was out covering the Windows 10 event this week while Peter was telling you how to install Windows 10 on your Mac for cheap
- Ally declared her love for selfie sticks and Serenity retaliated by telling everyone how to take better selfies.
- I spent the week wondering about the future of smaller iPhones, bigger RAM, and why the press use MacBooks so very always and everywhere
- Peter took a look at the controversy that is MacKeeper and all of us took a look back at the iPad Air 2 review, three months later.
From around the web:
- Illinois seems to have passed a law that requires students and parents to hand over social media logins. Bullying is absolutely a thing, but this appears to fly in the face of long-established constitutional protections.
- Sports Illustrated has canned their photographers. Make all the swimsuit jokes you must, but traditional photojournalism looks like it’s facing an extinction level event.
- I think I want to learn practical archery
- Brittney Cooper’s piece for Salon was a hard but incredibly enlightening read.
- I preferred the Age of Ultron teaser to the Age of Ultron trailer. There, I said it.



















