Nvidia updates Shield Android TV console website with a 500GB option for just $300
NVIDIA’s Android TV-powered SHIELD console, which was announced back in March, aimed to offer users an affordable Android TV experience without making too many sacrifices. While the device was originally slated to only come with 16GB of on-board storage (with MicroSD expansion), NVIDIA may soon offer a model with much more memory than that.
The company is now showing a 500GB version of the SHIELD console on its website for just $299.99. That’s only $100 more than the company is asking for the 16GB model. NVIDIA hasn’t announced anything regarding the upgrade, and also hasn’t updated the specifications page found on the SHIELD website, so we should approach this news with a bit of caution.
The device is capable of handling 4K screen resolutions and features the new Tegra X1 processor, Maxwell 256-core GPU and 3GB of RAM. Due to the long list of high-end specs, you’re going to want to run a number of graphic-intensive games on this console, so it’s nice to see NVIDIA adding a much larger storage option for its users.
We’ll let you know if anything changes, but for now, assume that you’ll be able to get your hands on a 500GB NVIDIA SHIELD console when it comes to market in May.
[New Game] League of Evil devs launch Beatdown! in partnership with Noodlecake Games
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One of my favorite gaming studios has released another new title today that might just be up your alley called Beatdown! The new title is a classic side scrolling fighter titles, like Double Dragon and Battle Toads was, but offers a bit more of a real world feeling to the mix. The story is simple. Your character showed up at the office on Monday morning only to discover, via email mind you, that he was being fired after 10 years of service. Needless to say, he gets a little upset and goes into a rage and brings the hurt down on the whole office.
Beatdown! brings 20 levels of hand to hand beatings mixed with bats, golf clubs, axes and other random objects. You will battle your way through 30 various enemies, some with laser eyes, across 20 levels set in 5 environments. That also means you will battle 5 bosses along the way too. The controls offer three different playing styles.
If you are looking to give a Beatdown! today then you should bounce to the Play Store and pick it up for $0.99.
The post [New Game] League of Evil devs launch Beatdown! in partnership with Noodlecake Games appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Google Keep adds labels and expanded notes hit Android Wear
Google Keep, the company’s stock note-taking app, now displays entire notes on Android Wear devices. Users of Keep that have an Android Wear device can view their notes by swiping around and compose new ones with the “Ok Google, take a note” voice command. Reminders can also be applied through the Android Wear version of Keep.
Another option that Keep users on Android, Chrome, and the web have is applying labels to notes. It looks the same as labels do on Gmail and helps organize notes among a crowded field.
Source: Google
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The new SwiftKey beta has a redesigned settings and content menu
Sometimes a settings menu can be somewhat of a mess. Just look at the original settings menu on the Galaxy S4 if you want an example. Well SwiftKey in its effort to make its app as painless as possible to use, is introducing a “totally re-imagined” settings and content menu. The new menu also comes with a shiny new name.
SwiftKey Hub, as its called, is located in a new location and has all of SwiftKey’s most popular settings in what SwiftKey calls a sleek, modern look. It comes with three major sections: Personalize, which will include SwiftKey Cloud, typing stats, social options and SwiftKey support; the SwiftKey Store will let users browse and preview themes in a way that is said to be easier than the current iteration; and the settings menu that’s easily to navigate.
Those who use Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati and Marathi languages will now see adaptive new layouts for the very first time. The Dashlane collaboration is also present but only currently available to those who have the Dashlane app installed.
If you want to use the beta, you’ll have to sign up and go through the motions here. Beta testers, look for the update to hit you if it hasn’t already.
source: SwiftKey
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Qualcomm lowers expectations for the rest of 2015
This year has not started off pleasantly for Qualcomm and its second quarter report shows that the company is prepared for further struggles. Whether from losing Samsung as a customer or being slammed with regulatory fines (or both), Qualcomm has been damaged in 2015. Despite seeing increased revenue over last quarter and the same time last year, the company’s net income nosedived by nearly 50%.
With its struggles being quite evident, Qualcomm has lowered its expectations going into the second half of 2015. The expected revenue for the year has gone down by about $1 billion to $25-$27 billion. That amount of revenue still seems quite large but consider how much will translate to net income.
Source: Qualcomm (PDF)
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Push directions right to your Android phone right from your desktop in Chrome
In an a move a la Pushbullet style, Google has added a pretty handy feature for those wanting to get directions on their phone. As many know sometimes its just easier to do something on your computer then push it to your phone. Well Google’s added the ability to push map directions from your desktop to your phone.
That’s right. Like the GIF above all you have to do is type send directions and hit enter. From there it’ll tell you to type in where you want to go. Click the “Send directions to my phone” and with a little vibrate action the map will pop up ready for you to navigate. Good if you’re ever in a place you’re unfamiliar with.
source: Google+
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Buyer’s Guide: Deals on MacBook Air, Retina MacBook Pro, Apple Accessories, and More [Mac Blog]
Tomorrow is the launch of the Apple Watch, so we’re doing our deals post a day early this week. On the eve of the Apple Watch release, deals are similar to last week’s — good, but not great. If you’re looking to buy an iPad Air 2, you might want to wait a week, but it’s an okay time to pull the trigger on a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, new or old.
Along with the standard discounts on Macs and iOS devices, we’ve also rounded up this week’s app deals and a few deals on some useful Apple accessories.
iPad Air 2
Best Buy continues to offer the lowest prices we’ve seen on a single iPad Air 2: the 16GB Cellular iPad Air 2 in silver is available for $499.99, $130 off its regular price.
B&H Photo is offering a small discount on all of its iPad Air 2 models, dropping prices by $30 to $50. With the discount, the 16GB WiFi only iPad Air 2 is priced at $469 and the 64GB model is priced at $569.
MacMall is also offering some discounts on iPad Air 2 models, dropping the prices by $30 to $50. With the discount, the 16GB entry-level Wi-Fi only iPad Air 2 is priced at $459, while the Wi-Fi-only 64GB iPad Air 2 is available for $539. Discounts are higher on cellular models, with the 64GB Cellular iPads priced at $669. The deals are applicable to all three iPad colors.
iPad Air
Best Buy has a couple of original iPad Air cellular models available at low prices. The 16GB Verizon iPad Air is available for $379.99, and the 32GB Verizon iPad Air is available for $429.99.
Both Best Buy and B&HPhoto have deep discounts on some remaining stock of now-discontinued higher-capacity iPad Air models, as listed below.
– iPad Air Cellular Space Gray 128GB (AT&T) – $549
– iPad Air Cellular Silver 128GB (AT&T) – $499.99
– iPad Air Cellular Silver 64GB (AT&T) – $499.99
– iPad Air Cellular Space Gray 64GB (AT&T) – $449
– iPad Air Cellular Silver 64GB (Verizon) – $566.99
– iPad Air Cellular Space Gray 64GB (Verizon) – $449
– iPad Air Cellular Silver 128GB (Verizon) – $579
– iPad Air Cellular Space Gray 128GB (Verizon) – $559
iPad mini 3
B&H Photo is offering some modest discounts on various Wi-Fi only iPad mini 3 models, dropping the price by up to $50. The 128GB iPad mini 3 in silver is available for $549, while the silver 64GB model is available for $439. The 16GB space gray model is priced at $349.
iPad mini 2
Amazon has a few iPad mini 2 models available at discounted prices. The 16GB Cellular Verizon iPad mini 2 in Silver is available for $323.50. The 16GB Cellular Verizon iPad mini 2 in Space Gray is available for $359.89.
Best Buy, B&H Photo, and Amazon also have remaining stock of now-discontinued higher-capacity iPad mini 2 models, which are a good deal if you’re looking for an iPad mini. Compared to the iPad mini 3, the iPad mini 2 only lacks Touch ID.
– iPad mini Cellular Silver 128GB (AT&T) – $445
– iPad mini Cellular Space Gray 128GB (AT&T) – $429
– iPad mini Cellular Silver 64GB (AT&T) – $399.99
– iPad mini Cellular Space Gray 64GB (AT&T) – $399.99
– iPad mini Cellular Silver 128GB (Verizon) – $434.97
– iPad mini Cellular Space Gray 128GB (Verizon) – $534.99
– iPad mini Cellular Space Gray 64GB (Verizon) – $429.99
iMac
– 21.5-inch 2.7GHz/8GB/1TB (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $1,189, $110 off
– 21.5-inch 2.9GHz/8GB/1TB (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $1,389, $120 off
– 27-inch 3.2GHz/8GB/1TB (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $1,689, $110 off
– 27-inch 3.4GHz/8GB/1TB (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $1,794, $205 off
– 27-inch 3.5Ghz/8GB/1TB Retina iMac (B&H Photo) (MacMall) (Amazon) – $2,349, $150 off
Mac mini
– 1.4GHz/4GB/500GB (Amazon) (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $464.99, $34 off
– 2.8GHz/8GB/1TB (MacMall) – $934.99, $64 off
MacBook Air
– 2015 11-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB – (B&H Photo) (Adorama) $824.99, $70 off
– 2015 11-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/256GB – (Best Buy) (Amazon) (B&H Photo) (Adorama) $1044.99, $50 off
– 2015 13-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (B&H Photo) (Adorama) – $949.99, $50 off
– 2015 13-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (B&H Photo) (Adorama) – $1,139.99 $60 off
– 2014 11-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/128GB (Adorama) – $719.99, $180 off
– 2014 11-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/256GB (Amazon) (B&H Photo) – $899, $200 off
– 2014 13-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/128GB (Amazon) (B&H Photo) – $819, $180 off
– 2014 13-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/256GB (Amazon) (Adorama) (B&H Photo)- $1,029, $170 off
Retina MacBook Pro
– 2015 13-inch 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB (Best Buy) (B&H Photo) – $1,424.99, $74 off
– 2015 13-inch 2.9GHz/8GB/512GB (Best Buy) (B&H Photo) – $1709.99, $90 off
– 2014 15-inch 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB (B&H Photo) (MacMall) – $1,799, $200 off
– 2014 15-inch 2.5GHz/16GB/512GB (Adorama) –$2,249, $250 off
– 2014 13-inch 2.6GHz/8GB/128GB (B&H Photo) – $1,129, $170 off
– 2014 13-inch 2.6GHz/8GB/256GB (Adorama) – $1,249, $239 off
– 2014 13-inch 2.8GHz/8GB/512GB (Amazon) (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $1,549 $250 off
Apps
There are quite a few apps that are on sale at discounted prices or available for free for a limited time. We’ll highlight a few here, but make sure to check out our sister site AppShopper for a complete list.
Half Marathon Trainer Pro is available for free, down from $9.99. 10K Trainer Pro is also available for free, down from $1.99. Board game Bang! is available for free, down from $1.99. Pandemic is available for $4.99, down from $6.99.
djay 2 for iPhone is available for free this week, down from $2.99, and djay for iPad is also free, down from $9.99.
Apple Accessories
Groupon is selling the Griffin Survivor Case for iPhone 5/5s for $11.99, down from $49.99. The MyCharge Hub 9000 Power Bank is available for $64.99 from Amazon, down from $139.99. Incase is offering a free Portable Power 2500 USB battery pack with a $150 purchase using the code POWERONUS15.
DailySteals has a 3-pack of Apple Lightning cables for $26, a decent deal as a single cable usually costs $19. Woot has the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Folio for the iPad Air 1 and 2 for $59.99, down from $99.
Groupon’s running a big Apple event and selling a range of Apple products and accessories at discounted prices, including the LifeProof Fre case for the iPad Air, Apple EarPods, Speck MacBook cases, MagSafe chargers, Mophie battery cases, and more. Totallee is offering MacRumors readers 25 percent off all iPhone case orders with the promo code MACRUMORS.
LivingSocial is offering customized iPhone photo cases for $6.99 to $11.99, a significant discount off the regular $29.99 to $59.98 price tag. Woot has the Lifeproof Fre case for the iPad Air 1 for $49.99, down from $129.
MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors.
SwiftKey Beta will soon automatically insert passwords, thanks to Dashlane integration
SwiftKey, ‘the Android keyboard that learns from you’, will be getting smarter this week. No longer will you have to open a separate app to view your forgotten passwords because with version 5.3, SwiftKey beta users will be able to utilize the power and security of password manager Dashlane.
Dashlane’s app uses the world’s leading encryption (AES-256) to securely store your passwords and will soon be able to link with SwiftKey to autofill your passwords, making the tedious task of remembering, then successfully entering, your passwords a breeze. You may be concerned about storing all your passwords in one place, but Dashlane’s security model includes multiple levels of security to ensure the highest level of privacy for your data. It is also important to note that SwiftKey will not have access to your data but will act merely as an intermediary between the website you are visiting and Dashlane’s memory.
If you are a SwiftKey Beta user on Android, then this new update should be available for you within the week, and you will have the option to opt-in or out for this feature. If you are not currently a beta user, fear not. You can easily become one by clicking here, which will take you to the signup page.
In the massive sea of 3rd party Android keyboards, perhaps this is what SwiftKey needs to reassert their dominance. Do you welcome this update, or are you still a bit weary about your keyboard suggesting your passwords? Let us know in the comments.
Post by Stuart Lombard
Which is the better gaming device, the Galaxy S6 or the iPhone 6?
There’s no denying that the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Apple iPhone 6 are two of the best smartphones on the market right now – not only when it comes to aesthetics, but also performance. Samsung’s Exynos 7420 processor backed by 3GB of RAM definitely gives Apple’s A8 processor with 1GB of RAM a run for its money. But when it comes to gaming, which device comes out on top? The folks over at GameBench put the Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6 to the test to find out which device is the better gaming smartphone.
The GameBench team picked a series of ten high-end games to run on each device in hopes to find out which smartphone would run the smoothest while achieving the highest average frame rate. The games used in this test consisted of Boom Beach, Kill Shot, Marvel: Contest of Champions, Modern Combat 5, Dead Trigger 2, Real Racing 3, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Asphalt 8, XCOM: Enemy Within and Monument Valley. For a bit more context, they also included performance results for the Nexus 6 and HTC One M9.
As you can see from the graphic above, Apple’s iPhone 6 was the clear winner in this test when it came to performance and stability overall. GameBench explains:
The iPhone 6 tended to run games more smoothly, with a higher average frame rate that was very stable and rarely dropped below 30fps. The Galaxy S6 came a pretty close second, with a greater frequency of performance bottlenecks that pushed the framerate below the 30fps threshold.
The HTC One M9 and Nexus 6 came in third and forth place, respectively. Both of these devices showed serious performance slow-downs in some games.
Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Apple iPhone 6
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It’s worth noting that these types of tests should be taken lightly. Each device performs differently under separate circumstances, and even the slightest outlier can throw off the entire test. While these specific tests don’t explain exactly why the iPhone 6 outperformed the Galaxy S6, they still give us a good idea as to how exactly these devices will perform in everyday life. GameBench notes that due to the Galaxy S6 running games at a higher resolution than the iPhone 6 (1080p versus roughly 720p), that could cause the Galaxy S6 to produce lower scores. Additionally, a game has the potential to be better optimized for one platform over the other.
If you invest your hard earned cash into any one of these devices, odds are you probably won’t be too upset when it comes to gaming performance. If you’re interested in learning more about these tests, head to the source link below for some more information.
Microsoft offers schools a discount on Surface 3 and a cheaper model
Microsoft is sweetening the pot for schools looking to adopt its new hybrid tablet by giving them a 10 percent discount on the Surface 3, Type Cover and stylus. Normally, they cost $500, $130 and $50, respectively. On top of that, it’s also offering a slightly cheaper Surface 3 model with just 32GB of memory and 2GB of RAM (the base Surface 3 has 64GB of storage). We don’t yet know the price of that cheaper model, but expect it to be well below the $450 for the newly discounted 64GB Surface 3. Educational discounts aren’t anything new — it’s already offering them for the Surface Pro 3, and it’s something most other computer makers do — but Microsoft is clearly trying to position the Surface 3 as an alternative to Chromebooks. Those cheaper Google-powered machines have been a huge hit in schools, thanks to their low prices and easy maintenance, but they can’t run all of the software a full-fledged Windows machine can.
Filed under: Mobile, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
AIVAnet 