Certain Microsoft apps won’t be preloaded on the AT&T and Verizon Galaxy S6
Surprise, surprise. AT&T and Verizon are altering what software ships on the Galaxy S6, limiting some of the preloaded Microsoft apps available. When it was first announced, the S6 was supposed to ship with Skype, OneNote, and OneDrive pre-installed. No one likes bloatware, but Skype and OneNote are actually pretty useful apps, and Samsung and Microsoft were tossing in 100 GB of free space of OneDrive storage, so it wasn’t an awful deal. In fact, it was probably one of the better app/service partnerships we’ve seen on a device.
Unfortunately, Verizon has removed all three of those apps from their variant of the device, while AT&T has removed the OneDrive app. This means that S6 users on the two biggest networks in the US won’t get that free OneDrive space, and Microsoft loses a ton of visibility. The carriers said if customers wanted the apps, they were free to download them from the Play Store on their devices. Too bad that policy doesn’t apply to carrier apps, too.
Any AT&T or Verizon customers disappointed with their carrier’s decisions?
source: Wall Street Journal
Come comment on this article: Certain Microsoft apps won’t be preloaded on the AT&T and Verizon Galaxy S6
App indexing could help with driving app installs
With the amount of time and effort developers put into their apps, it would be a shame to have it not reach it’s full potential with installs. Google understands this and has your back as the company announced today that App Indexing will help bolster the number of people that may install an app by making it visible directly on Google.
When a developer uses App Indexing, his or her app will pop up to install when Google users search something on Google on Android devices and the app has relevant indexed content. From there, users are directed to the Play Store where they can download your app. If and when they do, that content they were searching for will load in the app.
To get started, developers should head here. After that, your app may just start popping up during relevant searches.
source: Google
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Recon Instruments’ Jet smart glasses starts shipping this week
This week, consumers that ordered the Recon Instruments Jet smart glasses are receiving shipping confirmations in their inboxes. Recon Instruments confirmed that their smart glasses have started to ship and will arrive on consumers’ doorsteps within the next few days. The Jet is built for those with active lifestyles and only displays information when necessary. It has a decent amount of useful features including point-of-view recording and navigation. Since the Jet will likely be used by cyclists and other people who move with great speed, Recon Instruments used durable materials to maintain its quality.
The Recon Instruments Jet is available in black or white for $699.
Source: Recon Instruments
Come comment on this article: Recon Instruments’ Jet smart glasses starts shipping this week
New Samsung Push Service update could help with S6 battery complaints
While the Galaxy S6 has been coveted as one of the best Samsung phones to date, there have been some complaints regarding the battery being less than awesome. Samsung seems to have pinpointed the issue has the company has rolled out an update to one of its apps.
The Samsung Push Service is now receiving an update that will reduce data usage and power consumption. Not only that, the update has fixed bugs reporter in previous versions. So, if all goes well, this update should give your S6 a bit more battery life. If you have a Galaxy S5, or a Note device, you should see the update as well.
Whether or not the update helps is up in the air. If you’re seen improvements, let us know. So far I haven’t seen much of a difference on my Note 4.
source: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: New Samsung Push Service update could help with S6 battery complaints
LG G4 shows its leather back in new teaser image
Now the cat is out of the bag. On Facebook, LG Mobile posted a teaser image (seen above) that confirms the upcoming LG G4 will be available with a leather back. The leather material spans across the entire back panel with stitching going down the center vertically. The camera trim and rear button setup are highlighted with gold.
The copy of the Facebook post reads the following:
Always have authentic luxury in hand.
The brand new LG G4 with vegetable-tanned leather cover.
See the great, feel the great.
The LG G4 will be announced on April 28.
Source: LG Mobile (Facebook)
Come comment on this article: LG G4 shows its leather back in new teaser image
Apple Watch Accessibility Features: VoiceOver, Mono Audio, Grayscale, Taptic Engine and More [iOS Blog]
Apple has outlined the Apple Watch’s built-in accessibility features for vision and hearing on its website, with four of the primary assisitive technologies being VoiceOver, font adjustment, mono audio and the Taptic Engine. The accessibility features can be accessed using the Apple Watch directly or through the Settings app on a paired iPhone.
For the visually impaired, the Apple Watch features VoiceOver, a gesture-based tool that uses the device’s built-in speaker to communicate what is appearing on the screen. VoiceOver is compatible with built-in apps and available in 14 supported languages. Apple Watch users can also activate Larger Dynamic Type to adjust the size of the font or choose Bold Text to make the text heavier.
Apple outlines six other assistive technologies for the visually impaired: zoom, grayscale, extra large watch face, reduce transparency, on/off labels and reduce motion. Zoom is controlled using the Digital Crown on the side of the Apple Watch, while the other accessibility features must be enabled through settings.
Apple Watch also supports mono audio for people that are deaf or have hearing loss in one ear, enabling users to play both audio channels in both ears and adjust the balance for greater volume in either ear. Apple Watch also features the Taptic Engine for haptic feedback, giving your wrist a gentle tap every time a notification comes in.
A motorless flat antenna could solve horrible in-flight WiFi
The only thing worse than no WiFi on a plane is horrible WiFi on a plane. You cautiously throw down a few bucks hoping you’ll be able to surf the internet without seeing a “page not available” message in your browser. According to Kymeta CEO Dr. Nathan Kundtz, the reason your in-flight internet connection is so crappy is bandwidth allocation and antenna design. Kundtz told Wired that the FCC needs to open up more spectrum in the less crowded higher frequencies. While we wait for that to happen, Kymeta introduced a new low-profile antenna to take advantage of the spectrum that’s already available and actively track satellites for a speedier connection.
Unlike other tracking antennas that use a motor to track communications satellites, the mTenna uses “a holographic approach to electronically acquire, steer and lock a beam to any satellite, with no moving parts.” Because the device is thinner than similar antennas on the market, it produces less drag when mounted on the fuselage of airplanes. The drag reduction means less gas consumption, which would make airlines happy. The antenna is still in the testing phase, but if it works, in-flight WiFi might actually become useful.
Filed under: Misc, Networking
Via: Wired
Source: Kymeta
Apple Watch Brings Your TV’s Remote Control to Your Wrist [iOS Blog]
While the Apple Watch is marketed as “the most advanced timepiece ever created, a revolutionary new way to connect with others, and a comprehensive health and fitness companion,” the wrist-worn device has a number of other use cases that should prove convenient for many day-to-day tasks. The apps and accessories below, for example, will turn the Apple Watch into a remote control for controlling a TV from your wrist.
SamMote for Apple Watch
SamMote was recently updated to allow Apple Watch users to control supported Samsung TVs using their wrist. The third-party app, created by developer Eric Degrange and noted by A-Watch.fr, is compatible with most Samsung Smart TVs manufactured between 2011 and 2014 (Series D through Series H models). SamMote is free on the App Store [Direct Link] and also supports iPhone and iPad, so it is worth testing the remote control app works with your own Samsung television.
Roomie Remote for Apple Watch
Roomie Remote is a Wi-Fi-based universal remote app for home theater and automation that controls thousands of devices like TVs, cable and satellite boxes, receivers, Blu-ray players, lights and thermostats. The app also allows you to control Apple TV. iPhone and iPad versions of the app have been available since February 2012, and earlier this week the app was updated with Apple Watch support as well. Roomie Remote works with a wide variety of devices, but is $9.99 on the App Store [Direct Link] and may require additional in-app purchases depending on what devices you want to control.
Peel Pronto for Apple Watch
Peel Pronto is a 360-degree infrared remote receiver and blaster that will enable Apple Watch users to control their TV using the smartwatch. The cylindrical-like accessory was created through a partnership between Philips and Peel and can be placed anywhere in your living room to control TVs, set-top boxes, DVD and Blu-ray players, and more. Peel Pronto will also be compatible with iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air 2 and other iOS devices that support low-energy Bluetooth.
The device must be paired with the Peel Smart Remote & TV Guide app on the App Store [Direct Link] and gets approximately one year of battery life. Pronto is listed for $49.99 at Best Buy and is also available at NewEgg in the United States, and Staples in Canada. Included in the box is 1 IR extension cable and 4 AA alkaline batteries.
Adorable new ‘Star Wars’ droid proves it’s not CGI
When the first trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released, the internet lost its collective mind. Not only were people up in arms over the fact that a stormtrooper could be *gasp* black, but also nobody could believe that this incredible rolling droid, dubbed the BB-8, was actually real. It must be CGI, right? Well, during today’s Star Wars Celebration convention in Anaheim, California, the BB-8 made its first real-life debut by rolling onstage to riotous applause from the crowd. Check out the video below to see the BB-8 and the venerable R2-D2 engage in a beeping, tweeting chirp battle.
Filed under: Internet
Source: Polygon
Indian firms back out of Facebook’s free internet program
Facebook’s Internet.org effort is supposed to democratize the internet by providing free access to key websites, but some Indian companies don’t think it’s quite so altruistic — and they want out. Cleartrip, NewsHunt, NDTV and the Times Group have all announced that they’re withdrawing some or all of their sites from Internet.org because they believe it violates net neutrality. They argue that Facebook’s program unfairly favors certain sites over others — why should it cost you to use some sites, and not others? As the Times Group explains, a site shouldn’t be punished for taking a “principled stand.”
There are still numerous services involved, such as AccuWeather and Reuters Market Lite. However, these departures are definitely going to be noticeable — both for users and for Facebook, whose reputation is taking a bruising. The move could have other sites thinking twice about signing up, and may pressure Facebook into changing its strategy.
[Image credit: AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.]
Filed under: Internet, Facebook
Via: Huffington Post, PandoDaily
Source: Cleartrip, Times Internet, Prannoy Roy (Twitter)
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