Searching on Windows Phone Store is currently down for some users
We have received a large number of tips stating that the search feature in the Windows Phone Store is currently not working on their smartphone. The store itself seems to be up and running, but searching for apps yields no results.
The Huawei Watch is shown in two official videos on their YouTube channel
The Huawei Watch, based on Android Wear, gets demoed in two official videos found on their YouTube channel .
New video compares the unreleased HTC One M9 to the HTC One M8 and M7
As the leadup to Mobile World Congress 2015 grows continues, the mother of all leaks has surfaced which gives an unrestricted look at the currently unreleased HTC One M9.
The leaked video comes courtesy of YouTube user Samia Lou and shows the new device lined up against the older HTC One M8 and M7.
The M9 keeps the same design as what we’ve seen in previous HTC handsets and is a very incremental upgrade as opposed to anything revolutionary. On the rear, HTC seem to have gone with a single 20-Megapixel camera instead of the duo-camera on the M8. The other significant hardware change is the move of the power button to the side.
Low-level technical details are still yet to be revealed, but a high-end Qualcomm processor and Android 5.0 seems a no-brainer.
What do you guys think of the ‘new; design of the HTC One M9?
The post New video compares the unreleased HTC One M9 to the HTC One M8 and M7 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Snapchat silences critics, removes ‘Support My Incompatible Device’ feedback form
In the ongoing race to win over support for Windows Phone, Snapchat is the top of the pack when it comes to companies snubbing the Microsoft platform.
Joining the likes of Pebble, Snapchat is evidently getting tired of pesky Windows Phone users requesting an app. As if it were not enough to get app stores to remove third-party apps and turn down developers willing to make an official Snapchat client, the company has now removed their feedback system for requesting device support.
The feature was found under the Snapchat website’s ‘feedback’ section that includes numerous areas like feature requests or just sending them praise for being so original (sarcasm level: high).
mono for cm12: An in-depth review
The mono family of CM12 themes is a tidy bundle. The themes are clean and effective giving your device a whole new look. Jacek Malinowski or YAdesign has made a big splash in the theming community with his “mono for cm12″.
What you get with mono for cm12
With mono, you are given five themes of varying colors: pink, blue, green, purple and red.
Each theme contains the following standard CM12 theme components:
- Style
- Wallpaper
- Lockscreen wallpaper
- Font
- Icons
- Bootanimation
Considering a single theme of high quality can easily run you more than two dollars, these five quality themes for under three bucks is a steal! Counting each individual theme, you could consider mono for cm12 to have a value of at least $10.
Font and Style
The foundation of the mono style isn’t really anything new. You get you standard dark background colors with a single color accent depending on the theme you apply.
The colored accents have an outlined feel about them that make the theme feel elegant and simplistic. Everything about the look of the theme is visually pleasing and a genuine joy to look at and use.
The font really adds to the style as well. Often times, I have seen CM themes that are packaged with a font that just look terrible with the font, but the font packaged with mono really helps emphasize the elegance of the outlined icons.
Plus, I am extremely partial to lighter font types, so that could be a factor.
Unfortunately, the designs aren’t without their flaws.
The unique WiFi status and cell status icons look great, but they can be a bit hard to judge. I can’t ever tell when there is something wrong with my connection or if my connection is just really low.
At my school, they use a log in system to verify the users on the network. If I am not actually logged in and have a limited connection, the stock indicator shows an exclamation point (!) to indicate this.
With mono, this indicator is non-existent and I will often find myself waiting for an app to load that will never load because my connection isn’t verified yet. Poor little me is just sitting there waiting patiently because I think I just have a bad connection.
Wallpapers
The wallpapers are also really nice complements for the theme as a hole. They are simple and bold. The colors match the respective theme perfectly as they should.
There really isn’t much to say here besides that I wish the mono app had a separate section so that I could download the wallpapers for use on other ROMs that don’t support the CM12 theme engine.
Icons
The icons are my biggest complaint excluding the issue with they style previously mentioned. The icons look amazing. They are unique and I could see myself using a mixture of the different colored icons to form home screens worthy of envy from others.
Unfortunately, the icons don’t really fit in with the theme. The theme is simple and outlined beauty. I find the included icons to be more defined then the rest of mono to the point where the icons actually clash with the theme in an unfaltering manner.
As an independent icon pack, I feel that the icons could go far. They are shockingly different from what is currently being offered by most icon packs (flat and colorful), yet they don’t feel like a step back in design like other icon packs that try to break the mold.
Another, smaller, complaint is that there are a little over 50 themed icons in mono. That amounts to less than a third of all my app icons themed.
This normally wouldn’t bother me, but with a two colored icon theme, the themed icons really stick out in an unsavory way. In order for me to really use an icon pack like this, my entire app drawer would have to be themed (highly unlikely) or I would apply them manually from directly from my launcher.
This can not be done because they aren’t a standalone icon pack, so I make do without using the icons. For now, I would be happy to revisit them later if they were to become a standalone or themed more of my installed apps.
Theme App / Installer
The app is relatively simple. You are greeted with an overflow menu and five bands of colors representing the five different color variations that come with mono.
All you have to do to install the theme is tap the band of color you want and hit install. After it installs, apply the theme through the CM theme engine in the device settings.
The overflow menu provides the following options
- Leave a rating
- Share with friends
- Visit community
- Catch up with designer
These are pretty self-explanatory, so I will leave it at that.
The only weird thing is that “Catch up with designer” will open up in the Google Plus app (if you have it installed of course), but the “Visit community” opens up in the browser no matter what. No harm here though.
Mono Overall
Jacek Malinowski has hit a home run with this theme. Everything is very pleasing aesthetically, and mono is definitely shaping up to be what seems to be on of the most popular CM12 theme out there so far.
Mono would definitely be worth your hard-earned $2.83.
Only thing is that I wish there was a RRO layer version of Mono. If you don’t know what RRO layers are, we will be making a post shortly about RRO layers and CM themes.
Basically, RRO layers is a new way to theme Android and it isn’t dependent on CM code. The beauty in RRO layers is that I can pick apart a complete theme and only pick the parts that I like.
For an example, I could grab the blue version of the framework and system ui so that my settings and status bar, notification drawer and quick-setting toggles would be blue, but I could use the red version of the Instagram app along with the green version of Google Plus and a purple Hangouts to top it all off.
This would probably result in a disgusting abomination, but it is just an example. With RRO layers, I would be able to pick and chose to make the perfect theme for me; however, the CM theme works just fine with me. I just end up changing colors multiple times every hour.
The post mono for cm12: An in-depth review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
How to fix a broken headphone jack in your iPhone 5c
If you’re experiencing issues with the headphone jack in your iPhone 5c and software troubleshooting just isn’t doing the trick, a DIY repair may be required. Symptoms of a defective or faulty headphone jack can include distorted sounds, crackling, sounds cutting in and out, and in some cases, no sound at all. In rare cases, a faulty headphone jack can also cause regular sounds to not work if iOS thinks headphones are plugged in when they’re not.
If any of these scenarios sounds like something you’re experiencing, follow along and we’ll walk you through where to get parts and tools and how to DIY replace the headphone jack in your iPhone 5c for a fraction of the cost of a new iPhone!
What you need to replace an iPhone 5c dock assembly
You’ll need some tools and parts in order to repair your iPhone 5c. If you’re in the United States or Canada, we highly recommend checking out eTech Parts as we’ve had lots of good experiences with them and know their customer service is out of this world. All the links below will route you to the direct item you need on eTech’s site.
- Replacement Lightning dock & headphone jack assembly – Buy now
- Suction cup – Buy now
- 5-point security screwdriver – Buy now
- Standard #000 Phillips screwdriver – Buy now
- Spudger tool – Buy now
- Razor blade – Buy Now
- iSesamo Opening tool (not necessary but awesome for prying up cables and getting under adhesive) – Buy Now
As you can see from the parts list above, we’ll be replacing the entire dock assembly since the headphone jack is connected to it.
1. Power off your iPhone 5c
Before performing any repair on any iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch you should always remember to power it off. Simply hold down on the Power button until you see Slide to Power off. One you’re sure your iPhone is turned off, proceed to the next section.
2. Remove the two security screws on both sides of the dock connector
There are two security screws that secure the screen to the frame and they sit on each side of the dock connector. Use your 5-point security screwdriver to remove them. They are both the same size so it’s okay if you mix them up.
3. Remove the display assembly
- Place your suction cup slightly above the Home button assembly and secure it to the screen.
- Holding the iPhone in place with one hand, gently pull upwards on the suction cup until you free the bottom of the screen. You should now be able to use your fingers to slowly raise up the screen and expose where the front assembly is connected to the logic board.
- Remove the four screws holding down the shield that covers the display cables. To do this, use your #000 screwdriver. These screws are different sizes so make sure you keep them organized in a way you can remember for re-assembly.
- Once all four screws are removed, carefully remove the shield and set it aside.
- Now use your spudger tool in order to remove the three cables shown in the image below.
- The display assembly should now be free from the body of the phone. Go ahead and set the display assembly aside.
4. Disconnect the battery
We don’t need to completely remove the battery for this repair but it’s always a good idea to disconnect the battery before removing and replacing internal components in order to prevent a short from occurring.
- Remove the two screws holding down the battery cable using your #000 Phillips screwdriver.
- Gently lift the battery shield out of your iPhone 5c and carefully set it aside.
- Use your spudger tool to carefully pry up the battery cable.
- That’s it. We don’t need to go any further. Just remember to keep track of the shield and what order the two screws came out.
5. Remove the loud speaker assembly
- Start by carefully peeling up the adhesive shown in the photos below using your pry tool or iSesamo opening tool taking care not to tear it. This cable works in conjunction with your home button. It does not come completely out. You only want it to be detached from the speaker enclosure.
- Now remove the three screws shown in the photo below using your #000 Phillips screwdriver.
- Disconnect the small circular gold connector using your spudger tool. This is located under where you disconnected the battery. Pay attention to the adhesive that is holding it down. It’s quite easy to break but take your time so you don’t break the cable itself.
- The speaker enclosure can now be lifted out of your iPhone 5c. Just take care not to snag the dock, logic board or any cables while removing it. The photo below shows the best way to grab hold of the speaker assembly.
6. Replace the Lightning dock & headphone jack assembly
- Start by using your spudger tool to disconnect the single cable that connects the dock to the logic board. It is above where the battery connector is located.
- Use your #000 Phillips screwdriver to remove the remaining 4 screws that hold the dock in place. They are outlined below.
- The dock assembly is now ready to be peeled out. The only thing holding it in now is adhesive. The easiest place to start is by peeling where the cable connects to the board. Once you get to the actual dock, use your spudger tool, or iSesamo opening tool which is what I prefer, in order to break the foam adhesive around the Lightning connector.
- Use your pry tool or any opening tool in order to pop off the rubber gasket that sits next to the headphone jack. It doesn’t come off completely. You just need to pop it away from the frame.
- Use your pry tool or iSesamo opening tool in order to break the adhesive around the headphone jack, which is also part of the dock assembly. You may need to use a finger on your other hand to work it up and around the battery.
- Now use your opening tool to remove the rest of the adhesive under the dock assembly, taking care not to tear anything. The dock should now come free from your iPhone 5c.
- Check out your old dock compared to your new one and make sure they look exactly the same. Peel off any adhesive backing on the new dock. This is also a good time to remove any old adhesive from inside the frame of your iPhone.
- Start by lining up the headphone jack and Lightning dock assembly with the screw holes. You can also lay the adhesive on the right side of the dock at this time and re-connect the cable to the logic board to ensure a good fit.
- Once you’re confident the dock is lined up, replace the four screws you removed earlier using your #000 Phillips screwdriver.
- Now is a good time to plug in a charging cable and a pair of headphones to ensure a good fit. If you can’t push one or the other in all the way (or both), the dock is lined up incorrectly and needs to be repositioned. Better to figure this out now instead of when you have reassembled your entire iPhone.
- If everything is lined up and looks good, you can move on to putting the loud speaker back in.
7. Put back the loud speaker assembly
- There are contacts on the dock assembly that must make contact with the loud speaker for it to function. Take note of those below and make sure you position your speaker accordingly.
- Once the speaker assembly is lined up, replace the three screws you removed earlier in order to secure it down.
- Replace the gold connector you removed earlier.
8. Re-connect the battery
- Re-connect the battery cable that you pried up earlier.
- Replace the battery cable shield.
- Replace the two screws holding the battery cable down using your #000 Phillips screwdriver.
9. Re-connect the display assembly
- Carefully reconnect the three cables running from the display assembly to the logic board.
- Reposition the metal shield that sits over the three cables and replace the four screws that hold it in place, remembering where each one came from — they are all different sizes.
- Line up the top of the screen carefully and make note of the teeth that line up to the top of your iPhone 5c’s frame. Once the top of the display is lined up, carefully snap down the remainder by moving your fingers along the edge.
10. Replace the security screws on each side of the dock connector
Once you are confident that the display is seated correctly again, use your security screwdriver in order to replace the two screws on either side of the dock connector.
11. Test the new Lightning dock & headphone jack assembly
After you’re iPhone 5c is fully assembled, turn it back on. Here’s some things you should do in order to fully test the new Lightning dock & headphone jack assembly:
- Ensure your iPhone 5c charges as it should
- Play music through the headphones
- Test volume control and skip track functions through headphones
- Test the loud speaker since we removed it by either taking a call on speaker phone or playing music over the loud speaker
- Ensure your iPhone 5c does not get too warm when charging it, if it does, remove the replacement dock immediately and have it replaced
If all of the above checks out okay, you’re good to go!
You’ll also want to check out:
The budget friendly Lumia 435, 530 and Lumia 535 can now use 6tag for Instagram
If you have managed to pick up one of those new ultra-cheap Lumias, you will be glad to know that you can now use the third-party Instagram client 6tag on those phones.
Huyn has pushed our version 4.0.2.0 of the popular Instagram app to all users, but only those with some new entry-level Lumia will be interested.
Darklings – a new dark adventure arrives in the Windows Phone Store
Darklings is a new Windows Phone game that was first released over on iOS last Fall. The game has had a fair amount of success over on iOS and after receiving support from the AppCampus, the developers have successfully ported the action game to Windows Phone. As an added bonus, the Windows Phone version includes exclusive content.
Available for low memory Windows Phones, Darklings is a game where the stars have been stolen from the sky by mysterious creatures known as Darklings. You play the role of Lum, a ghostly being, who has to defeat the Darklings and rescue the stars. Graphics are outstanding and play challenging.
The game has received high praise and in playing Darklings over the past few days, we can see why.
11 best new Android apps and Android games released in February 2015
We’re nearing the end of February and it’s been quite the month for Android apps and Android games. We saw some flops but we also saw some pretty impressive software. Let’s take a look at the best Android apps and Android games of February 2015.
Do Button by IFTTT
[Price: Free]
Do Button by IFTTT is a software button that allows you to customize your Android experience. You set up a button with a task to do something and that task gets done when you press the Do Button. Fans of IFTTT should definitely check this out and it’s a pretty nifty tool for just about everyone.
Draw Slasher
[Price: $2.99]
Draw Slasher is a hack-and-slash game where you use your finger to gesture your attacks. This was once a popular game on the PS Vita and the Android release is a pretty decent recreation. It features a fast pace, plenty of swiping, and ninjas. There are also no in app purchases.
Heavenstrike Rivals
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
Square Enix has released a new RPG called Heavenstrike Rivals. This is a tactical RPG similar in game play mechanics to Final Fantasy Tactics. The graphics are pretty decent and it is free to play with plenty of stuff to do. Beware, though, as the title is suffering from some launch day issues.
Limbo
[Price: $4.99]
Limbo is a monochrome horror game where you play as a kid who is looking for his lost sister. The game has already received praise for its interesting graphics and creepy, misty atmosphere. At its heart, it’s a 2D side-scrolling platform and puzzle game and it doesn’t have any in app purchases.
Picturesque
[Price: Free]
Picturesque is a free lock screen app that came out of Microsoft’s Garage project. It grabs beautiful wallpapers from Bing frequently to keep things fresh and also shows things like weather, news, notifications, calendar events, and more. They’re still working out some issues but it’s still pretty solid.
ScreenPop Lockscreen Messenger
[Price: Free]
ScreenPop Lockscreen Messenger is a picture sharing service similar to Snapchat and others. The catch is that instead of opening an app, ScreenPop puts the photos right on your lock screen so you can view and respond without ever unlocking your phone. The app is going through some release day issues but it can be fun for people who are into that.
SlingTV
[Price: Free app / $20/month subscription]
SlingTV turned a lot of heads in February by allowing people to get some decent TV channels streamed over the Internet for only $20/month. The app is having a few issues here and there but nothing too serious. It’s a great deal for cord cutters even if the channel lineup is rather limited.
Smart Weather Wallpaper
[Price: $1.99]
Smart Weather Wallpaper is a live wallpaper that changes based on the weather. So if it’s rainy, you’ll have a rainy wallpaper. It also changes based on seasons and the time of day. Overall, it’s an attractive option even though there are some bugs to work out.
SoundHUD
[Price: Free with in app purchases]
SoundHUD is a customizable volume panel where you can control things like your system volume, ringtone volume, etc and one of the few that doesn’t require root access. Its claim to fame is the ability to put Lollipop devices into silent mode which is something that is tedious and confusing to do without it. It also has a few other nifty and unique features.
theScore eSports
[Price: Free]
theScore eSports app is a sports app that covers predominately eSports, such as DOTA 2 and other video games. It represents a monumental shift in mainstream sports coverage because this was the first major sports media company to officially cover eSports. The app itself is actually very good too.
YouTube Kids
[Price: Free]
YouTube Kids was released late in February and it’s a YouTube experience that caters to young minds. It’s full of playlists that show kids educational and entertaining content that caters specifically to their age range. Every parent should have this app without a shadow of a doubt.
Wrap up
If we missed any awesome Android apps or Android games that were released in February 2015, let us know in the comments! Also, don’t forget to subscribe to the Android Apps Weekly newsletter for more new releases and Android apps news!
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Walmart vs. Netflix DVD battle snags $12 each for 1.2 million people
Ready for a blast from the past? Ten years ago, Walmart’s plan to undercut Netflix on DVD-by-mail rental pricing failed, and the retail giant turned that part of its business over to the movie service in exchange for a cut of the revenue, referral bonuses and Netflix promoting Walmart’s DVD sales to rental customers. A class action lawsuit against the two followed in 2009, with customers alleging they illegally restrained trade and kept prices high. Walmart settled the case for $27 million in 2011, which will turn into about $12 (paid out in gift cards or cash) for the 1.2 million people who filed claims. While the deadline to file has long passed, the payout has been held up due to appeals in the 9th Circuit Court in San Francisco against Walmart and Netflix — until now.
This week judges ruled on a few items (PDF, via Courthouse News Service), including that the settlement was fair — that the nine named plaintiffs get $5,000 each and a large portion went to lawyer’s fees upset a few class action members. At the time even Netflix had objections, worrying that Walmart was simply buying access to its customer list. Another factor in the ruling is that Netflix never considered Walmart a true competitor (it actually raised prices at the time, and didn’t lower them for competition, even from the much larger Blockbuster) the original ruling was correct, and subscribers could not prove they were injured by the tie-up.
It’s not all good news for Netflix though, as the appeals court trimmed the $710k it was awarded for attorney fees, and turned down its request for $21,000 to cover B&W Powerpoint documents. Of course, soon a million or so people will probably be making it rain drizzle with their $12 payouts, Netflix is now primarily a streaming company with over 57 million customers that just delivered season three of House of Cards, and Walmart, well Walmart has the Vudu Spark dongle. All’s well that ends well.
[Image credit: Associated Press]
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Online DVD Class, Courthouse News Service, The Hollywood Reporter
AIVAnet 