New HTC INK program will bring body art-inspired engravings to the One M9
The HTC One M9 is one of the most beautiful smartphones ever produced, even though it has only changed slightly over the past few years. If you aren’t quite happy with the overall design of the phone, or want a more custom version of the handset, HTC has you covered. HTC INK is a new program launched by the company, which will offer limited edition One M9 handsets that feature custom-designed, body art-inspired engravings on the back of the smartphone.
To kickstart this new program, HTC has partnered with none other than worldwide fashion icon Jourdan Dunn to come up with the design. Dunn partnered with celebrity “ink-er” Cally-Jo Pothecary to create the design attached above. Here’s how HTC describes the first image:
The open hand and eye symbolize the need for protection and strength while still being open and approachable in personality and style. The natural leaf elements and patterns around the outside of each visual reflect the growth in creativity that Jourdan is feeling at this time, and the sun and moon together represent balance and harmony in her character.
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If you’re not too keen on this first design, HTC says it will have more information for us about the INK program in the near future. What are your thoughts? Would you be more willing to buy a One M9 if it featured an interesting design? Let us know what you think.
13 best new Android apps and games from April 2015
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We’re approaching the end of April and with it came very exciting Android apps and games. It was arguably the most exciting month yet with big name releases from Google, Blizzard, and other big name titles. Let’s take a look at the best new Android apps and games from April 2015. If you want to see the freshest releases every week, don’t forget to subscribe to the Android Apps Weekly newsletter to catch the big names as they come out!
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Amazon Prime Instant Video
[Price: Free with Amazon Prime Subscription]
Amazon has officially added tablet support to Amazon Instant Video. It’s a little wonky to use because it’ll redirect you to the Instant Video website in your mobile browser where you then pick a video and then it’ll come back and stream in the app. It’s not the most ergonomic solution and there’s still no Chromecast support, but if you have Amazon Prime, it’s worth a shot.
Android for Work
[Price: Free]
Android for Work is a platform for companies to manage work flow. Earlier this month, Google released the platform on Android devices. Included is admin control support along with dedicated Android for Works apps such as Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Docs, and Chrome. You can also password lock it to prevent access and admins can remote wipe if need be. The only issue right now is a lack of supported devices.
Adventures of Poco Eco
[Price: $1.98]
Adventures of Poco Eco is an adventure puzzle game that revolves around looks and music. The premise is that you’re to help Poco and his tribe find the sounds that they lost. The design is pretty good and the music isn’t half bad for a mobile game. Some have lamented that the puzzles are a bit easy but the general consensus is that this is a pretty decent game. It costs just shy of two bucks and it has no in-app purchases.
Google Handwriting Input
[Price: Free]
Google Handwriting Input is a keyboard that allows you to actually write out your messages instead of typing them on a keyboard or speaking them out loud. It works pretty well even if your handwriting is pretty bad. It’s also totally free to use with no in-app purchases and could be a fun keyboard to use if your device has a stylus although finger writing does work too.
Heartstone Heroes of Warcraft
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
It’s true that Hearthstone was actually releases several months ago but back then it had one glaring issue: there was no support for mobile phones. Earlier this month, Blizzard updated the application to work on phones and all rejoiced. There were ways to surpass the prior 6-inch limit but it’s much nicer to have official support for smaller screens. If you haven’t tried it yet, it’s available for download right now.
Hello Caller ID and Blocking
[Price: Free]
Hello is a new app from Facebook that acts as a dialer replacement app. It not only replaces your stock dialer and lets you make actual phone calls, but it integrates very closely with the Facebook Messenger service so you can make calls over that as well when you want to. It’ll also help organize your contacts based on their Facebook info. It’s very similar to Hangouts Dialer but for Facebook.
Joe Danger
[Price: $2.86 with in-app purchases]
Joe Danger was a hit game on iOS before making its way to Android where it’s had limited success so far. It’s a stunt game where you must pull off tricks and navigate obstacle courses to get the highest score. It has okay graphics, easy-to-use controls, and around 20 hours of game play according to the developers. It’s a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously and it’s also relatively inexpensive.
KX Music Player
[Price: Free]
KX Music Player is a music player with an equalizer. It supports a wide range of codecs and includes bass boost, virtualizer effects, reverb, presets, and more. In terms of UI, it’s a fairly simple and new users shouldn’t have any problems navigating the interface. There are a few bugs here and it is a bit simple compared to something like Poweramp or N7Player. However, it’s a solid option for those who don’t need a lot of flashy features.
Magica X Magica
[Price: $0.99 with in-app purchases]
Magica X Magica is a 2D infinite runner style game with an actual story line. You play as a girl who is looking for her kidnapped friends and you must defeat a bunch of bad guys in order to do it. The game features okay graphics and soundtrack and easy controls. The game also includes boss fights and some good artwork as well. It calls itself the saddest game in this genre although there are a few bugs here and there so beware.
Mortal Kombat X
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Mortal Kombat X has finally been released to the Play Store after months of leaks and announcements. Unfortunately it’s currently in the midst of a soft-launch so it’s not available for all markets yet. The classic fighting game features many of your old MK favorites, a familiar battle system, fatalities, and other odes to the franchise. When it’s released to everyone, it’ll be free with in-app purchases but until then, patience.
Riff
[Price: Free]
Riff is a new video platform released by Facebook (they’ve been busy this month). The idea is pretty simple. You upload a video of something you’re doing, then someone on your friends list can add some video of their own. Then their friends can add even more. It continues this way until the post dies. There are some bugs and compatibility issues early on but this is actually kind of a fun idea if you have friends that aren’t terrible people.
Servicely
[Price: Free / $2.16]
Servicely is a root-only application that helps you manage the processes on your device. The idea is to keep processes from running when you don’t want them to run and to help save battery life by closing down apps that keep waking your device up. You can get all the pro features without paying for the pro version although we recommend that you do to support development. If you have root, you should try this out.
Tomb Raider I
[Price: $0.99]
The original Tomb Raider has been remastered and re-released to Android by Square Enix. Those who enjoyed the good old days of Lara Croft can do it again. For those who have never played Tomb Raider, this is an action adventure game with some puzzle elements. The controls aren’t the best but you do get used to them after a while and there are a few device compatability issues. Otherwise, this is a classic and quite cheap for a Square Enix game.
Wrap up
If we missed any great Android apps and games that were releases this last month, let us know about them in the comments!
To see our complete list of Android apps and games lists, click here!
The nexpaq modular smartphone case will help you turn your phone into a Project Ara device
The idea of a modular smartphone has been around for years, and we’re finally getting to see these ideas come to fruition thanks to Google’s Project Ara. But when those smartphones come to select markets later this year, they may be tough to get your hands on, at least at the start. So if you want to experience what it would be like to own a Project Ara device before its official launch, you might want to head over to Kickstarter to back the nexpaq modular phone case.
Available originally for the Samsung Galaxy S5, S6 Edge and Apple iPhone 6, the nexpaq is a modular case for your smartphone that allows you to add and remove physical modules directly from the back of the case without powering down. The team behind this case has created 12 modules so far, including an extra battery, amplified speaker, LED flashlight, SD card reader, temperature and humidity gauges, hotkeys, USB flash drive, an air quality gauge, a breathalyzer, laser, backup 64GB SD card and a module to simply fill empty slots. Each nexpaq case also features 1000mAh of additional battery capacity, which powers all of the modules.
The cases are fully compatible with both Android offerings and the iPhone 6 case, so you can swap modules between the two if you’d like. While these cases may seem a bit too bulky for some, the added functionality is certainly going to make up for the added size.
Want to get your hands on your very own nexpaq? If you take advantage of the early bird deal, each case with four modules will run you $89. After that, the cases jump up to their normal price of $109. The Kickstarter campaign is going on until May 30th, and the company has already raised $15,000 of its $50,000 goal. Head to the source link below if you’d like some more information.
Your Apple Watch is late because of bad haptic feedback parts
Wondering why your Apple Watch won’t ship for weeks, even though you ordered as soon as humanly possible? The Wall Street Journal might know why. Its sources claim that some Taptic Engines (the haptic feedback unit that vibrates your wrist) broke down in early testing, prompting Cupertino to switch suppliers and create a massive-but-necessary logistical headache. From all indications, Apple is pushing many orders to June simply because it expects to get up to speed by then. That won’t be much consolation if you’re staring at a bare arm for the next month or more, but you’ll at least know why you’re missing out.
[Image credit: iFixit]
Source: Wall Street Journal
Gmail ditches a web view built to highlight ads
Gmail on the web is getting a little more drab… and arguably, that’s a good thing. Google has confirmed to Marketing Land that it’s no longer testing a grid view in Gmail’s promotions tab that showed you images rather than plain old text. It was meant to help email advertisers showcase their offerings in a more alluring way, but people clearly didn’t bite — they preferred the old-school subject lines. Visit now and you should see the same text view that you’d get for the primary and social tabs that you’re much more likely to use. The ‘new’ layout won’t be nearly as colorful, but it should help you clear out spam that much faster.
Source: Marketing Land
Time Warner CEO ‘Pretty Confident’ Apple Will Launch Streaming TV Service
During a recent earnings call relayed by CNET, Time Warner CEO Jeffrey Bewkes said he believes Apple will launch an Internet-based television service and that Apple is “very forward-thinking” when it comes to TV.
“We think Apple is very forward-thinking about television,” he said, noting the computer maker’s deal with Time Warner as the launch partner of streaming service HBO Now. “It’s no surprise to anyone that Apple would be interested in launching a TV product.”
It is not clear if Bewkes’ has insider knowledge regarding Apple’s television plans, but Apple and Time Warner have been entwined in deals several times in the past, most recently with the HBO Now deal. Apple and Time Warner, HBO’s parent company, partnered up for the HBO Now launch, with Apple’s Apple TV and iOS devices being some of the first to offer the HBO Now service.
Aimed at cord cutters, HBO Now is priced at $14.99 and offers all of HBO’s content without a cable subscription. Beyond HBO Now, Apple and Time Warner have discussed television many times in the past and have attempted to establish service deals, but those have yet to materialize.
In mid-2013, rumors suggested the two were in talks about a streaming video deal that would potentially see Time Warner cable content available on the Apple TV, but though rumors suggested that deal was nearing completion, a comprehensive TWC channel with access to all TWC content did not make its way to the Apple TV.
Later rumors suggested Comcast’s impending purchase of Time Warner had delayed deals between Apple and Time Warner, but that potential buyout fell apart earlier this week. Apple was also said to have had trouble establishing deals with other cable companies and content providers, delaying some of its television plans.
Those issues may have been worked out, however, as recent rumors have indeed pointed towards the imminent launch of a streaming television service and possibly a new set-top box. Apple’s new service may include content from CBS, Fox, Walt Disney, and more, with approximately 25 channels available at a cost between $30 and $40 per month.
Apple’s rumored streaming television service may make an appearance in June at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference.
Apple Watch in Short Supply Due to Taptic Engine Bottlenecks
The Apple Watch has been available in extremely limited quantities since pre-orders for the device launched on April 10, and a new report from The Wall Street Journal sheds some light on why supplies have been low. A key component of the Apple Watch, the Taptic Engine, was made by two separate suppliers, and the devices created by one of Apple’s suppliers was “found to be defective.”
After mass production began in February, reliability testing revealed that some taptic engines supplied by AAC Technologies Holdings Inc., of Shenzhen, China, started to break down over time, the people familiar with the matter said. One of those people said Apple scrapped some completed watches as a result.
Apple was unable to use the Taptic Engines from the supplier in Shenzhen, China, but a those produced by a second supplier in Japan did not have the same issue. The majority of Taptic Engine production is now being done in Japan, but with a single supplier making the component, it takes time for production to ramp up.
To resolve some of the supply constraints on the Apple Watch, Apple is said to be planning to add Foxconn as a second assembler of the Apple Watch, alongside Quanta Computer. Foxconn may begin manufacturing the Apple Watch in late 2015 at the earliest, so according to The Wall Street Journal, it may take several months for Apple Watch supplies to improve significantly.
Google’s Digital News Initiative aims to improve digital journalism in Europe
The European Union and Google are not exactly getting along at the moment. In an unofficial effort to improve their relationship, Google has launched the Digital News Initiative with an investment of $150 million. The partnership puts the company with eight publishers in Europe to improve digital journalism. The Digital News Initiative has programs covering product development, innovation support, and training and research to make digital journalism sustainable.
Founding partners include the following newspapers and journalism/publishing organizations:
- Les Echos (France)
- FAZ (Germany)
- The Financial Times (UK)
- The Guardian (UK)
- NRC Group (Netherlands)
- El Pais (Spain)
- La Stampa (Italy)
- Die Zeit (Germany)
- The European Journalism Centre (EJC)
- The Global Editors Network (GEN)
- The International News Media Association (INMA)
Google should just remember that the European Union has nothing personal against them.
Source: Digital News Initiative
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Guest Mode debuts on the Samsung Galaxy S6 with Android 5.1
While Android 5.0 Lollipop introduced Guest Mode for phones, Samsung chose not to include the feature when implementing the software. The next software update to hit Samsung devices, Android 5.1, will mark the return of Guest Mode and users will be able to create dedicated spaces for multiple profiles. Each profile gets their own choice of apps to install, homescreen design, and stored fingerprint.
It is unknown how many devices will receive Android 5.1 from Samsung; however, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge are guaranteed to be among the first.
Source: SamMobile
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Quick reply functionality comes to the Google Messenger app in new update
The newest update to Google’s Messenger application brings a new feature that will make your texting experience much easier. After installing the latest update, you’ll be able to quickly respond to text messages from your friends and family using the new quick reply functionality that’s now built-in to the app.
Once you receive the update and someone sends you a text message, all you need to do is simply click on the reply prompt that pops up on your screen. This will pull up a quick reply screen, allowing you to respond to the text without the need to jump into the application. You won’t be able to reply to messages with photos or videos when using the quick reply feature. But if you need to attach a file to your text, you can click on the shortcut Google has provided below the text box to jump right into the full application.
The new update to Messenger is rolling out now in the Google Play Store, so follow the link below to grab the newest version!
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