KeySmart 2.0: A better way to manage your keys, $16.99
There are often times when I feel like an old prison guard with a huge loop of keys at the hip weighing me down from one side. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got more keys than …
26
Mar
ZTE unveils Z9 Mini and Z9 Max
While likely to be overshadowed by today’s Galaxy S6-related announcements, ZTE has now taken the wraps off the Nubia Z9 Mini and Z9 Max at a special press event in Beijing.
The Mini model is a budget oriented offering powered by a Snapdragon 615 with 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, microSD support, a 5-inch 1080p display, LTE, and a 2,900 mAh battery. The larger 5.5-inch Max offers more upscale internals, such a Snapdragon 810 processor with 3GB RAM. The display is still just 1080p, with other specs including 16GB storage, microSD, LTE, and a 2,900 mAh battery.
Both phones share a few things in common, including reasonably attractive metal-framed designs with all-glass rears. The designs aren’t identical, but they are certainly similar. The camera experience on both phones is also quite similar, with both offering an 8MP front cam and a 16MP rear cam. That said, the Mini caps out a 1080p recording for the 16MP shooter, while the Max supports 4K. Both phones also include Android 5.0.2 Lollipop right out of the box.
The phones are expected to be priced at $240 (CNY 1,499) for the Z9 Mini and $400 (CNY 2,499) for the Z9 Max. It’s unclear what markets, outside of Asia, we can expect to see the Z9 Mini and Max arrive in. What do you think of ZTE’s latest? Impressed or not?
291
26
Mar
Final Fantasy: Record Keeper arrives to Google Play
After a soft launch in select markets including Canada, Square Enix’s Final Fantasy: Record Keeper has now landed on the Play store! Unlike most Final Fantasy titles, we’re not talking about a $15+ purchase, instead this is a free to play experience built in partnership with Japan-based DeNA.
For those that haven’t heard of the game, the story basically merges together the entire Final Fantasy universe, bringing back popular characters including heroes such as Cloud, and plenty of well-known villains too. Square-Enix says you’ll be able to battle through some of your favorite moments FF history, and “put your own twist on the tales”, building your own dream team of party members and so on.
Characters can be customized extensively through special gear, weapons, spells and more. This includes special items that were seen in past games. As for the storyline? While it’s based on the past events and characters of FF, the story itself is all new. Keep in mind that right now only “records” for Final Fantasy IV, V, VI, VII and X are available, though you can expect more through future updates (and likely in-app purchases too).
FF: Record Keeper certainly looks like a fun game, but it all depends on just how much in-app purchases are necessary in order to make the experience worthwhile. Anyone try this game out yet, if so, what do you think so far?
107
26
Mar
OPPO VOOC Flash Charge takes on Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0
Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 has proven to be fast at bringing your empty phone battery back to life, as the company demonstrated yesterday by charging an empty Nexus 6 to 50 percent in just 40 minutes. However, not every manufacturer is using Qualcomm’s technology. OPPO has its own VOOC Flash Charge 1.0 technology and has just released information explaining how it works. But it is any better than Qualcomm’s tech?
OPPO was working on its VOOC Flash Charge 1.0 technology for three years and brought the first iteration to market in its Find 7 smartphone. Now, the company is giving us a closer look at how its charging tech works.
According to OPPO, its technology can charge the OPPO Find 7’s 3,000mAh battery from empty to 75 percent in just 30 minutes. I don’t need to tell you that that is fast, but OPPO also claims that its technology is quick enough to give you 2 hours of call time following just a 5 minute charge. Perfect if your phone is on its last legs while you’re out and about.
VOOC Flash Charge 1.0 vs Quick Charge 2.0
Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 technology typically allows for a maximum power transfer of 15 watts between the charger and phone. This is split into a maximum of 3 amps at 5 volts, 1.67 amps at 9 volts, or 1.25 amps at 12 volts, depending on the configuration of the device, although some products will allow for even more power. The HTC Rapid Charger and Motorola Turbo Charger operate to these specifications.
For comparison, Quick Charge 1.0 allowed for 2 amps at 5 volts for 10 watts of power and most chargers these days come close to this specification. Older chargers operate at 5 volts and put out little more than 1 amp of current, if not less.
| Charging Technology | Typical Old Adaptor | Typical Modern Adaptor | Quick Charge 2.0 | VOOC Flash Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voltage | 5V | 5V | 5V / 9V / 12V | 5V |
| Current | 1A | 2A | 3A / 1.67A / 1.25A | 5A |
| Power | 5W | 10W | 15W | 25W |
Rather than scaling up the voltages for more power and a smaller transfer drop, OPPO’s VOOC Flash Charge aims to brute force more current over 5 volts. The standard peaks at 5 amps, allowing for a massive 25 watts of power to charge the battery with, in ideal operating conditions. That’s a 66 percent increase in power over Quick Charge 2.0 and explains why OPPO’s technology appears that much faster. However, long or poor quality charging cables will lower performance more noticeably than Qualcomm’s higher voltage technology.
As well as raw power, there are also some subtle differences between the ways each design detects compatible phones. Qualcomm’s charger design matches the maximum power output to the phone’s voltage, leaving the phone’s internal circuitry to draw the correct amount of current and dissipate the heat.
By comparison, OPPO has moved the current control circuit to the charger itself, resulting in less heat dissipation in the handset, which is good for component lifespans. The charger is able to detect whether or not the device is VOOC compatible, and will supply the correct current, either 5A or 1A, to the device to prevent damage. The trade-off here is a lack of flexibility with other products; you can’t optimally charge a 3 amp Quick Charge 2.0 phone with the VOOC adaptor for example, but a Quick Charge 2.0 adaptor is backwards compatible with handsets that don’t quite meet its maximum specifications.
As well as regular mains charging adaptors, OPPO has also worked its technology into its VOOC car charger, Power Bank, and a mini mains charger with a detachable USB cable.
With high performance smartphone and tablet specifications still putting a strain on our batteries, faster charging technology offers a way for power users to keep their devices topped up throughout the day. Hopefully we will see a lot of more Quick Charge 2.0 and OPPO’s VOOC Flash Charge in this year’s product line-ups.
1
26
Mar
Apple Hiring for Retail Store in São Paulo as Construction Nears Completion [Mac Blog]
Apple has posted several job listings in recent weeks to fill retail positions at an under-construction Apple Store in São Paulo, the most populous city in Brazil. The company is seeking to hire Creatives, Specialists, Geniuses, Managers and a number of other positions for the store, which appears to be nearing completion based on new photos published by Brazilian website Blog do iPhone.
Apple has placed its traditional large wooden tables throughout the store, while the lighting fixtures and interior panels have also been installed. This new location will be the second Apple Store in Brazil, alongside the Village Mall store in Rio de Janeiro that opened in February 2014. Apple now has over 450 retail stores in 16 countries, with aggressive plans to continue opening new stores in China and other emerging markets.
26
Mar
Report: Samsung to triple Galaxy S6 Edge production
The Galaxy S6 is looking to be a much needed early winner for Samsung this year. The need for additional Galaxy S6 production capacity was already been rumored earlier in the month, and this time sources are stating that the Galaxy S6 Edge in particular is seeing higher demand than expected from retail and carrier partners. Samsung is now expected to triple the originally planned production volume of the S6 Edge.
According to the Korean media, Samsung is looking for additional suppliers for the Galaxy S6 Edge’s touchscreen panel (TSP). Apparently, Alps Electronics, currently Samsung’s only supplier, does not have sufficient production capacity to keep up with demand. It is currently unclear which other suppliers Samsung may end up working with, but S-MAC has been rumored has one potential subcontractor.
The Galaxy S6 Edge’s curved display is more difficult and expensive to produce than the regular S6’s AMOLED display. Originally, it seems that Samsung may have planned a more limited supply of its Edge design for these reasons, just like with the Galaxy Note Edge, but there appears to be a strong appetite for Samsung’s more premium design. Analysts are anticipating strong demand and 20 million unit pre-orders have already been reported for Samsung’s latest flagship.
With US pre-orders scheduled to begin tomorrow and many regions already accepting early purchases, we will have to see if high demand leads to any Galaxy S6 Edge stock shortages following the global release on April 10th.
11
26
Mar
Report: Samsung to triple Galaxy S6 Edge production
The Galaxy S6 is looking to be a much needed early winner for Samsung this year. The need for additional Galaxy S6 production capacity was already been rumored earlier in the month, and this time sources are stating that the Galaxy S6 Edge in particular is seeing higher demand than expected from retail and carrier partners. Samsung is now expected to triple the originally planned production volume of the S6 Edge.
According to the Korean media, Samsung is looking for additional suppliers for the Galaxy S6 Edge’s touchscreen panel (TSP). Apparently, Alps Electronics, currently Samsung’s only supplier, does not have sufficient production capacity to keep up with demand. It is currently unclear which other suppliers Samsung may end up working with, but S-MAC has been rumored has one potential subcontractor.
The Galaxy S6 Edge’s curved display is more difficult and expensive to produce than the regular S6’s AMOLED display. Originally, it seems that Samsung may have planned a more limited supply of its Edge design for these reasons, just like with the Galaxy Note Edge, but there appears to be a strong appetite for Samsung’s more premium design. Analysts are anticipating strong demand and 20 million unit pre-orders have already been reported for Samsung’s latest flagship.
With US pre-orders scheduled to begin tomorrow and many regions already accepting early purchases, we will have to see if high demand leads to any Galaxy S6 Edge stock shortages following the global release on April 10th.
11
26
Mar
AT&T’s Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge up for pre-sale tomorrow
The pre-order wars are getting underway. Starting tomorrow, March 27th, AT&T will be putting the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge up for official pre-order. The carrier Will be offering the two new flagship devices in Black Saphire, White Pearl and Gold Platinum. They will also offer 32GB, 64GB and 128GB variants. The pre-orders will […]
The post AT&T’s Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge up for pre-sale tomorrow appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
26
Mar
KeySmart 2.0: A better way to manage your keys, $16.99
There are often times when I feel like an old prison guard with a huge loop of keys at the hip weighing me down from one side. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got more keys than you’d care for but can’t quite leave the house without all of them. This means carrying around a hunk of jingling metal everywhere you go. It can be quite embarrassing trying to go for a jog when you alarm every fellow runner you approach with the sound of Santa’s sleigh at their heels. How about the awkwardness of wearing a pair of slim-fit pants with this unsightly amorphous protrusion jutting from the pocket? Good news, KeySmart will solve all of these problems.
KeySmart 2.0 is designed to organize your keys in a compact form factor yet still provides fast and reliable access. With a lightweight body, KeySmart can hold double your amount of keys in just half the space. This eliminates the bulk, noise and inconvenience of unkempt gobs of metal. Sleek, practical and minimal, KeySmart 2.0 is available to AndroidGuys readers for just $16.99. Definitely a great buy!
See more at deals.androidguys.com
Do Not Miss These Other Deals!
Last chance for our 50″ LG TV & Sound Bar Giveaway
We’re giving away a FREE 50″ LG TV and throwing in a sound bar speaker to boot! There’s no purchase necessary and you can enhance your chances of winning by sharing the giveaway …
SKEYE Nano Drone: The smallest quadcopter you’ve ever seen, $34.99
If big things come in small packages, the SKEYE Nano Drone is a titan. At first glance most will fawn over the cuteness of the tiny quadcopter but make no mistake, this baby can move! Ready to …
Last chance for 3-year Anonymizer VPN, $55
There are plenty of reasons for one to want to keep their internet connection private. It’s possible that you have a dose of distrust for your government and want to ensure your sense of …
The post KeySmart 2.0: A better way to manage your keys, $16.99 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
26
Mar
New factory image of Android 5.1 LMY47I for Nexus 5 and Nexus 6 now available to flash
It looks like a new version of Android 5.1 (LMY47I) is going out as Google posted factory images for both the Nexus 5 and Nexus 6 yesterday. We don’t know what has been changed, but we expect it to be minor bug squashing, which is never a bad thing.
We also know that you guys don’t like waiting around for updates so flashing the image might be your best bet to get it now. There is no reason to be afraid of flashing. You don’t even have to lose your data if your bootloader is unlocked. We have the most complete and easy to follow instructions anywhere, so if you want to have the latest and greatest update up and running in less than a few minutes, make sure you follow this link.
source: Google Developers
Come comment on this article: New factory image of Android 5.1 LMY47I for Nexus 5 and Nexus 6 now available to flash
Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!
26
Mar
U.S. Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge pre-orders start March 27th, sales begin April 10
We’ve known for a while that the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge were coming to select markets on April 10th, but now Samsung has confirmed this timeframe will also apply to those in the United States. If you’re wishing to pre-order, you’ll have your chance on March 27th.
If these dates sound pretty familiar, that’s because HTC is opening pre-orders up tomorrow as well, with plans to ship the phone on April 10th. Coincidence? We think not. When you consider that the HTC One M9 is already being met with mixed reception, and add the fact Samsung is generally better at marketing, things don’t look so great for HTC here.
.rvs_wrapper
width: 335px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;
.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;
.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;
@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
.rvs_wrapper
width: 100%;
text-align: center;
#page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;
display: inline-block;
float: none;
vertical-align: top;
In addition to confirming the pre-order and shipping dates, Samsung also has revealed that the 32, 64 and 128GB models will be made available in the United States, and in the color choices of black, white and gold. That means bright blue and green will not be coming to the states. Keep in mind these are just general dates, and so actual carrier pre-order/shipping dates (and even colors) may vary a little. That said, all four major carriers are signed on to offer the Galaxy S6 and Edge from day one.
Not sure what to expect from the Galaxy S6, check out our full review.
AIVAnet 