10 more crème de la crème nature wallpapers to kickstart your summer
Summer has once again made its return to our blue, round planet. Now instead of the cold, dark skies taking over and making everything look dull, we have some great lush greenery greeting us every time we go outside. Well, that is if you don’t work in an office all day like I do. Well, for all those that have to remain inside when everyone else is getting to go out and explore our great planet, I have some more nature wallpapers to make your day a little bit better.
Today I present to you 10 more luscious wallpapers that have been dying to make themselves at home on your mobile devices. These wallpapers come from all over the interwebs and are part of my collection of wallpapers that I have gathered over the years. Due to the fact that they have been collected over such a long period of time, I no longer have the information associated with them to determine their creators. So, if you see a wallpaper that is yours and you would like to be recognized as the artist, please drop me a comment below with proof, as I would love to give it to you.
The post 10 more crème de la crème nature wallpapers to kickstart your summer appeared first on AndroidGuys.
T-Mobile’s ‘Never Settle Trial’ takes aim at Verizon
T-Mobile’s latest Un-carrier offering is going straight for Verizon’s jugular. It’s called the “Never Settle Trial,” and as you might have guessed, it specifically mocks Big Red’s #NeverSettle ad campaign. The trial, exclusively available to Verizon subscribers, will give you free access to a T-Mobile phone with an Un-carrier plan for two full weeks. You can even port your Verizon number without cutting your old line. If you decide to sign up for a Big Magenta Simple Choice plan by the end of the 14-day period, Legere and co. promise to shoulder any Early Termination Fee you incur worth up to $650. Actually, the company swears to pay for any service costs incurred due to the trial, even if you decide to stick with Verizon.
Take note that the offering does have a number of conditions, including having to trade in your old phone once you’ve decided to continue with T-Mobile and subjecting yourself to a credit check if needed. Also, you’ll have to sign up between May 13th and the 31st either through the company’s website or its stores in order to participate. For now, you can check T-Mo’s new ads that harshly criticize “an old carrier that penalizes you for using too much data, locks you into a two-year contract, makes you pay to leave, makes you wait to upgrade your phone, overcharges you outside the country or repossesses your unused data every month.” Whew. Your move, Verizon.
7/ Starting 5/13, @VerizonWireless customers can port your number to @TMobile and try the #uncarrier! No bullshit. http://t.co/efs7ZUIE5L
– John Legere (@JohnLegere) May 5, 2015
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Verizon, T-Mobile
Source: T-Mobile
GOG’s Galaxy platform is one step closer to taking on Steam
It seems like just yesterday Good Old Games was giving away copies of Aliens vs. Predator to get folks to try its (optional) PC gaming service, Galaxy. Times have changed and leading into The Witcher 3: WIld Hunt‘s release — the first major title debuting on the storefront — the platform is moving from closed alpha testing into an open beta. The constant that’s carrying over from the alpha is that you aren’t required to participate in anything within the software. Not into automatic updates that might fix some of your favorite glitches in a game? That’s totally cool; you can opt out and still keep playing. Steam and Origin aren’t quite as keen on that.
Let’s say that you’re going to go all in and allow Galaxy to perform the patches for you. If one breaks the game to the point of it being unplayable, you can roll back to the previous, working version supposedly without much of an issue. You can download a separate DRM-free backup copy of a game, too.
As the press release quotes tell it, the idea is to make the optional features — and the platform itself — enticing enough and to such a high quality that you’ll choose to use them; it’s a motivator for the development team to do its best work. Want to see what this so-called digital freedom “tastes like?” Head over to GOG.com and grab the beta for Mac or Windows.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Good Old Games
Vodafone pushes value with its latest own-brand 4G phone and tablet
‘Tis the season of own-brand device launches, it seems. A couple of weeks ago, EE announced its new range of in-house products, including two smartphones, and today it’s Vodafone’s turn to show what low-cost hardware it’s been cooking up of late. Joining last year’s Smart 4 power/turbo handsets and the more recent Smart 4 max is the new middle child: the Smart prime 6. With a 5-inch, 720p display, 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410, 1GB of RAM, 8 gigs of storage and 8-/2-megapixel cameras, it’s not the most exciting of devices. That said, it’s 4G-ready, loaded with Android 5.0 Lollipop and comes in at £79 on pay-as-you-go, or free on contracts from £17 per month.
That’s mighty cheap, but if our time with the Smart 4 power told us anything, it’s that you’ll want to check out the prime 6 in-store if its price has picqued your interest. The Smart 4 power was over-priced (though it’s dropped considerably post-launch), underwhelming, and cumbersome at 162g. The Smart prime 6 isn’t exactly light at 156g, but we’ll have to reserve judgement on what it’s actually like in use. Perhaps Vodafone has learnt some lessons from its previous own-brand devices, or maybe you’ll be getting exactly what you pay for: a cheap smartphone.
The Smart prime 6 isn’t the only new in-house handset from Vodafone. The Smart first 6 is also fresh off the production line, with low-end specifications in tow. Granted, it’s only £40 on pay-as-you-go, but with no 4G radio, it might be one to avoid. More interesting is the Smart Tab prime 6, Vodafone’s latest own-brand tablet since the Smart Tab 4G. The slate’s 4G-ready itself, of course, and sports a large, 9.6-inch 1280 x 800 display. Other key features of the tablet, which runs Android 5.0 Lollipop, include a 1.3GHz quad-core processor, 16GB of on-board storage and a 4,600mAh battery. It’s available now for free on contracts starting at £21 per month, or for a relatively reasonable £150 lump sum on pay-as-you-go.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile
Source: Vodafone
ZTE will bring its impressive voice control feature to its entire range
One of the distinctive features of ZTE’s Star 2 smartphone is its voice control functionality, which lets the user accomplish a variety of tasks with simple spoken commands. ZTE revealed it will be bringing the feature to its other devices, as a “core focus” for the company moving forward.
In a memo sent out to staff yesterday, ZTE Mobile Devices CEO Adam Zeng said the Star 2’s voice functionality has been garnering positive reactions since its release in December. This warm reception prompted ZTE to include voice recognition in its long-term mobile strategy:
Over the next few years, we will implement our voice control technology across all ZTE devices. While we will continue to develop our Star series and voice control technology in unison, we will no longer limit our competitive strength to this series alone. Stay tuned for more exciting updates over the next few months.
Zeng said that the experience, mature technology, and partner relationships are ZTE’s advantages over competitors developing similar products. The Chinese giant has been working on voice recognition for the past four years, collaborating with big names like Audience, Nuance, Alibaba, and Baidu.
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Our Gary Sims was impressed with the Voice Assistant feature of the ZTE Star 2 in his in-depth review. The phone listens for commands like “call mom” or “open Twitter” and it works even when the phone is offline and sleeping. Unlike in some other implementations, you can train your phone to listen to any wake-up phrase and you can even set “magic words,” which are commands that don’t need a wake-up phrase to work.
It remains to be seen if ZTE will be able to differentiate its solution and turn it into a real selling point. Users already have an excellent alternative in Google Now, but, thanks to its control over hardware and software, ZTE may be able to offer a superior experience.
U.S. Cellular offers the LG Logo for $99 on its Simple Connect Prepaid plans
With all the flagship smartphones being released recently, it’s easy to forget that not everyone is in the market for such high-end devices. With that in mind, U.S. Cellular are offering its prepaid customers the wallet-friendly LG Logos handset for $99.
While the LG Logos is a fairly low-end handset, it still sports some impressive features that can be seen on the recently announced G4 such as Gesture Shot and Glance view. The LG logos runs Android version 5.0 Lollipop and is available on U.S. Cellular’s Simple Connect Prepaid plans.
Specifications:
- 4.7-Inch HD IPS Display
- 1.2GHz Quad-Core processor
- 8GB Internal Storage
- MicroSD card support (up to 32GB)
- 5MP HD rear camera with AutoFocus and Flash
- 1MP Front camera
- WiFi Capable
- 4G/LTE connectivity
- Bluetooth 4.1
- Battery: 2,100mAh (Removable)
Source: U.S. Cellular
Come comment on this article: U.S. Cellular offers the LG Logo for $99 on its Simple Connect Prepaid plans
Belkin Partners with Cree to Bring WeMo Support to Connected Cree Bulb [iOS Blog]
Belkin today announced that it’s partnering with lighting company Cree to add the Connected Cree lightbulb to the Belkin WeMo connected-home ecosystem. In the summer of 2015, Connected Cree bulbs will be compatible with the ZigBee-to-WiFi WeMo Link bridge and will be able to be controlled with the WeMo app that’s used to control all of Belkin’s WeMo devices.
The Connected Cree bulb’s integration into the WeMo system will allow it to work with several of Belkin’s other WeMo products through the WeMo app, including the WeMo Light Switch, the WeMo Insight Switch, the WeMo Maker, WeMo’s Smart LED bulbs, and the NetCam HD+.
Integrating fully with the WeMo ecosystem will allow Cree customers to easily create a fully integrated smart home customized to their needs and schedule. For example, the NetCam HD+ can act as a motion sensor to automatically turn on the bulbs as soon as motion is triggered by opening the door or just walking into the room.
Using the WeMo app and Cree bulbs, users can create a variety of rules and actions that make home life easier and more comfortable.
Cree’s Connected Cree bulb is one of the more affordable smart bulbs available on the market and can be purchased for $15 from Home Depot. Introduced in January of this year, the bulb is compatible with Wink and ZigBee platforms thanks to the addition of a Cree4Flow Filament, and it integrates with SmartThings and the Philips hue lighting system in addition to its new WeMo integration. The 60-watt 2,700K single-color bulbs have a brightness of 815 lumens and use 11.5 watts of power.
Belkin’s also announcing an updated WeMo app with IFTTT support for its WeMo LED bulbs and WeMo-enabled lighting solutions from Osram Sylvania, allowing its lightbulbs to be incorporated into various IFTTT recipes. The new app should be available this week.
Belkin has also lowered the price of its WeMo LED Starter Set to $49.99 and dropped the price of a single WeMo Smart LED bulb to $24.99.
HTC posts worst April in 6 years, following poor One M9 demand
HTC has just released financial figures for the month of April, which, unlike earlier Q1 figures, takes into account the launch window for the new flagship HTC One M9. Unfortunately for the company, the results are actually the worst revenue figures for April that the company has posted in the last 6 years.
Consolidated revenue reached NT$13.5 billion (US$440 million) in April, down a substantial 33 percent compared with the promising figures posted in March and down 39 percent from the same period last year. This is HTC’s lowest monthly revenue for April since 2009’s figure of NT$11.4 billion.
Typically, April is a strong month for HTC as its new flagship smartphone boosts sales. Therefore, the blame for this poor performance is being pointed squarely at the HTC One M9, which doesn’t seem to have grabbed consumer attention following its launch last month.http://embed.chartblocks.com/1.0/?c=5548a453c9a61d6353f43e0f&t=bf6f3828ebc731eIndustry observers have already amassed a wide range of theories as to why the One M9 has not met initial expectations. Speculation ranges from a lack of defining features compared with the One M8, to Snapdragon 810 performance issues, and the announcement of the HTC One M9+ overshadowing some of the handset’s features.
“Revenue for last month was weaker than expected, which was due to poor M9 demand,” – anonymous Yuanta Securities Investment Consulting Co analyst
At the end of April, HTC published promising Q1 2015 earnings, posting revenues that were up 25 percent over the previous year. This suggested that the company’s broader product portfolio was having some success. However, HTC is now downgrading its Q2 2015 revenue target to NT$46 billion to NT$51 billion and is expected to miss its yearly sales targets. BNP Paribas has forecast that HTC’s total smartphone shipments will reach 18 million units this year, a decline of 13 percent compared with 2014.
2015 looks set to be another testing year for HTC, which has been attempting to turn its financial fortunes around for quite some time. Can you put the finger on the company’s problems?
Samsung begins rolling out the Lollipop update to the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 LTE
It was only a couple of weeks ago that Samsung began rolling out the Android 5.0 update to the WiFi variant of the Galaxy Tab S 8.4, and now we have news that the LTE version is also receiving some Lollipop goodness, in Hong Kong of all places.
At present the update is only available via the Samsung Kies software, although an OTA (Over-The-Air) version should be on the way as well. The update is based on Android version 5.0.2 and has build number T705ZHU1BOD3 and a changelog number of 4716872 for what it’s worth. Hopefully, it shouldn’t be too long before SM-T705 owners begin seeing the update in other regions.
If you are the adventurous-slash-impatient type you can always install the update manually by downloading the firmware from SamMobile and then following the accompanying instructions. It should be noted that the firmware is only compatible with the SM-T705 model that has the Exynos processor. If you are in any doubt about which model you own just go to Settings/ About Phone and check the model number. Flashing firmware manually can be risky, sometimes ending in a bricked device, which is why we would advise you to wait until the update becomes available to your region.
Instructions:
- Download the firmware (From the source link below)
- Extract (unzip/unrar) the firmware file
- Download Odin v3.10.6 (Here)
- Extract the Odin zip file
- Open Odin v3.10.6
- Reboot tablet in download mode (press Home + Power + Volume Down buttons simultaneously)
- Connect tablet to computer via USB and make sure you see the blue sign in Odin before proceeding
- Add the firmware to AP/PDA section
- Important: Make sure re-partition is NOT ticked
- Click the start button, wait a few minutes until the tablet reboots
Source: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: Samsung begins rolling out the Lollipop update to the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 LTE
Android Lollipop for the Sony Xperia Z should start rolling out next week
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Of all the phone manufacturers, Sony has been one of the most consistent with releasing updates for its aging devices. The Sony Xperia Z, the first of its Xperia Z devices, is yet to get its long awaited Android Lollipop update, but has been confirmed to be getting it almost as long as the software has been out in the wild. And for owners anxiously waiting for that day, you’ll be delighted to know that Android Lollipop for the Sony Xperia Z will be ready as early as next week after Sony Philippines dropped the news today.
@JVNML13 sorry please disregard our tweet before, Lollipop update for Xperia Z will start rolling out by next week
— Sony Philippines (@SonyPHinc) May 4, 2015
Of course, don’t necessarily be expecting that Android 5.0 will magically appear on your device by the end of the week – there will likely be a delay for the update to reach your device, wherever you are in the world – but it shouldn’t be long after that the update will be available. If we’re not mistaken, that will make the Xperia Z the oldest device to get a official software update, for now anyway.
What do you think about Android Lollipop for the Sony Xperia Z releasing next week? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post Android Lollipop for the Sony Xperia Z should start rolling out next week appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
AIVAnet 