Pioneer’s Latest Aftermarket In-Dash Systems With CarPlay Support Now Available [iOS Blog]
Pioneer on Monday announced that its second-generation aftermarket systems with support for CarPlay and Android Auto are now available at select retailers in the United States. The company’s refreshed lineup of Networked Entertainment eXperience (NEX) in-dash multimedia receivers, which debuted at CES 2015 in Las Vegas, are the first to offer customers the flexibility of choosing between CarPlay and Android Auto.
The 2015 NEX lineup includes the AVIC-8100NEX, AVIC-7100NEX and AVH-4100NEX systems with CarPlay and Android Auto support, while the AVIC-6100NEX and AVIC-5100NEX are compatible with CarPlay only. The in-dash receivers also feature advanced Bluetooth capabilities, an AppRadio mode, MirrorLink compatibility, iDatalink Maestro support, the ability to stream Pandora and SiriusXM, and FLAC file playback.
Pioneer and Alpine Electronics are the official providers of aftermarket in-dash CarPlay systems. The second-generation NEX aftermarket systems are available at authorized Pioneer resellers across the United States, ranging in price between $700 to $1,400 depending on the model. CarPlay brings Maps, Phone, Messages, Music and more to your dashboard when paired with an iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus.
Windows 10 SDK Preview tools released to help developers make universal apps
Microsoft has released the first version of its SDK tools for the Windows 10 Technical Preview. This first release will allow developers to create apps that fit with Microsoft’s universal app platform for the operating system.
Report: LG G4 to forgo metal in favor of plastic
These days were a seeing a great number of Android OEMs adopt more ‘premium’ designs, forgoing the simple plastic builds of yesteryear. Samsung was the latest manufacturer to jump on the premium bandwagon, starting with the Galaxy Alpha and Note 4, and most recently with the glass and metal bodied Galaxy S6. With most of the major players out of the way, all eyes have shifted to LG, especially now leaks of the G4 have been making rounds.
The alleged early G4 renders showcase a back cover that is clearly removable. While this doesn’t mean anything concrete (the Japanese HTC One M7 had a removable back cover for reference), given the company’s history of metal-esque plastics, as well as the G Flex 2 sporting such, hope for an all-metal make has dwindled. Now a new report unofficially confirms that LG will likely not be shifting away from a plastic build with the LG G4.
While this early mock-up shows a metal-like design, odds are we are still looking a plastic
According to ZDNET Korea, the logistics aren’t in place yet that would allow for such a construction and thus the G4 will definitely be of a disappointingly plastic premise. The report does offer some hope, however, in that the upcoming (rumored) G4 Note may, in fact, use metal. Given LG’s claims of a new product that exists above the G series, it seems fairly likely that LG would consider adopting a more premium metal design in order to help justify such a high-end status … and price tag.
Assuming this report is true, it might also follow that the G4 features a removable battery, something that ironically could help LG out this year, given that Samsung has opted to forgo such a feature. There have been a small but significant minority of smartphone enthusiasts who have expressed outrage at the Galaxy S6’s lack of removable power supply and storage, and thus theoretically it’s possible they could jump ship to LG, especially given the G4 will inevitably be no slouch when it comes to specs.
Assuming this report is true, will this affect your decision to purchase the G4? Will you hold off for the G4 Note instead, or perhaps shift to Samsung?
Samsung is planning to manufacture the S6 and S6 Edge in India
Samsung has today announced that it will begin manufacturing the recently-announced Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge in India as early as next month. This move presumably is an effort to combat the nasty import fees the company has to pay annually and leave more room for profit.
Although both flagship smartphones will be manufactured in India, they won’t face a price drop just yet. The Galaxy S6 units produced there will merely be used to meet the rapidly-growing local demand, and, seeing as Samsung will need to hire more workers, it should also receive a TNC (Transnational Company) tax reduction.
So, as it stands, this decision looks like an effort on Samsung’s part to reduce its expenditure when producing smartphones to send to the Asian market, by simply manufacturing them there. This results in higher profit margins, which the company needs desperately as it didn’t do as well as it hoped last year.
Samsung is scheduled to release the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge in India on April 10.
Source: TechPP
Come comment on this article: Samsung is planning to manufacture the S6 and S6 Edge in India
iFixit publishes the first teardown video of the Galaxy S6
In what’s now become its usual fashion, the folks over at iFixit have managed to get their hands on another smartphone prior to its official release to disassemble and show us just how easy or difficult it is to fix and rebuild. This time we’re looking at the Galaxy S6, which can be taken apart in just 12 steps, but due to incredibly small parts would be somewhat tedious to repair at home.
Hit the break to see the full teardown video.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Source: iFixit
Come comment on this article: iFixit publishes the first teardown video of the Galaxy S6
Galaxy S6 axes bloatware; most apps can be removed
Over the years, phone manufacturers have put more and more pre-installed applications on every new device with no ability to remove them. It got to the point where it would not only take up precious space, but it would hurt performance. Most notably, Samsung was dubbed the bloatware kings as their phone featured every Google app alongside their in-house apps which did the same functions. The good news with the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge is that Samsung seems to have changed their approach and most of the pre-installed applications will be removable.
The Galaxy S6 has brought a radical new approach from Samsung in every aspect of the phone from design, hardware, and even software. Long ago, it was rumored this would be true and it seems as if an XDA user got his hands on a pre-release version of a Galaxy S6 edge to confirm those rumors.
While not every app is removable, such as the Galaxy app store and other phone specific applications, a good chunk are. Apps from Samsung that are removable include S-Health, Calculator, and even the ever annoying S-Voice app. It also seems as if every pre-installed Google app is removable and so are the new Microsoft apps.
Now that the Galaxy S6 features a radically different design and software combination, is that enough to tip your opinion over the edge (no pun intended)? Will you be picking up Samsung’s next device? Let us know!
The post Galaxy S6 axes bloatware; most apps can be removed appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Five things to know about the HTC One M9
Now that we’ve got our massive HTC One M9 review out the door, it’s time to step back and take a top-down view. Because for as much as we care about the details, we get that it can be a bit much. And there are few important things about the M9 that help define it as a smartphone, as well as help put it in context with everything else that’s out there — and with what’s to come.
So here, now, are the top five things you need to know about the HTC One M9.
Nintendo quashes talk of a live-action ‘Legend of Zelda’ series
We hope you weren’t planning your Netflix viewing schedule around that rumored Legend of Zelda live-action series… you’re about to have your hopes dashed. Nintendo chief Satoru Iwata tells Time that talk of the game-based show is “not based on correct information.” There’s “nothing new to share” about any Nintendo brands showing up in movies or TV, he says. The executive isn’t outright denying things, but you probably don’t want to count on seeing a gritty portrayal of Link’s adventures any time soon. It’s probably just as well if the series never comes to pass — the last time Zelda got a series, it didn’t get a warm reception.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, Internet, HD, Nintendo
Source: Time
Apple Seeds Fifth OS X 10.10.3 Yosemite Beta to Developers, Public Beta Testers
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of OS X Yosemite to developers, almost a month after seeding the first OS X 10.10.3 beta and just a week after releasing the fourth beta to developers.
The new beta, build 14D113c, is available for registered developers through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store and through the Mac Dev Center. Yosemite Recovery Update 3.0 is also available.
Earlier betas of OS X 10.10.3 have brought several new features to Yosemite, including the new Photos for OS X app. Designed to integrate with iCloud Photo Library, Photos for OS X is a replacement for both iPhoto and Aperture and is on track to see an early 2015 public launch. Reviews have suggested that while Photos is a suitable replacement for iPhoto, with more advanced tools and performance optimizations, it may leave professional users disappointed.
Along with the new Photos for OS X app, the first two OS X 10.10.3 betas introduced a redesigned emoji picker that consolidates emoji into a single page with clear labels, new diversified emoji and emoji skin tone modifiers, new flag emoji and updated emoji for the iPhone, iMac, and Apple Watch, and support for Google 2-step verification when setting up accounts in System Preferences.
Microsoft apps coming to more Samsung devices this year
Samsung and Microsoft are extending their software partnership this year, in a bid to improve productivity services for regular customers and business users alike. To wit, Samsung will pre-install additional Microsoft services and apps on its upcoming Android devices.
The Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge already come with Microsoft’s OneNote, OneDrive and Skype applications pre-installed and upcoming Samsung tablets, scheduled for a H1 2015 release, will come pre-packaged with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint in addition to the S6’s software.
The aim appears to be to make Samsung’s products more appealing to the enterprise market, but general consumers may not take as kindly to the pre-installed “bloat” that they may never use. Businesses that purchase devices through Samsung’s business-to-business sales channels will be offered Business, Business Premium, and Enterprise Office 365 packages, coupled with Samsung’s KNOX security solution.
“Our goal is to meet the ever-evolving needs of both consumers and business customers and give them more power to discover new mobile experiences.” – SangChul Lee, Samsung Electronics
Microsoft appears to be increasingly receptive to opening up its software to competing operating systems and hardware, most likely in a bid to keeps its name relevant and to potentially lure customers back around to its operating system. Microsoft is currently a small player in the mobile market and risks losing software sales to unsupported platforms. Earlier in the year, Microsoft released its office software suite for Android tablets along with an Excel optimized keyboard. Rumors are also pointing to Cortana heading to Android in the future, not to mention the planned Windows 10 support for Xiaomi products.
Along with the Microsoft deal, Samsung also has an arrangement with BlackBerry to enhance its enterprise software suite. Samsung is looking to make itself stand out above the crowd in the business segment this year, with an extended range of applications and security features tailored to that market.
What do you think about the partnership?
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