Google rumoured to be concentrating on Battery Life and RAM optimisations in Android M
It isn’t long to go until its May 28th, the opening day of Google I/O 2015, and that means that we are getting closer to finding out what Android M will bring, and the surprises Google has in store for us.
Until then though, we have a new rumour to consider courtesy of AndroidPolice, who have heard that Google will (once again) be focusing on battery life and RAM usage in Android M (or Macadamia Nut Cookie or MNC). This is hardly a new focus, as Google has previously attempted to tackle battery life issues with Project Volta in the Android 5.0 Lollipop edition. Still, no one will ever say no to getting more efficient use of their smartphones battery life.
Google has apparently told its teams to concentrate on reducing location check-ins, cutting off-charger activities and optimising RAM usage. Google’s own Play Services app often heads the list of guilty parties when it comes to battery usage, so hopefully it will receive a check-up along the way as well.
The other part of the rumour is that Google plan to release a developer build of Android M, just like they did with Lollipop before it. Android M is alleged scheduled for a final release sometime in August. This date should be taken as a provisional date, rather than being set in stone due to possible delays in developing this latest version of Android.
Source: AndroidPolice
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Microsoft Announces Cortana For iPhone Available Later This Year
Microsoft today announced that its Cortana personal digital assistant will be available for iPhone and Android smartphones later this year, after multiple rumors hinting at cross-platform expansion of the service over the past year. Windows 10 will also feature a new “Phone Companion” app as a central place for PC users to install Cortana and other Windows-related apps for iPhone, Android and Windows Phone.
Microsoft unveiled Cortana on Windows Phone 8.1 last April as the company’s answer to Siri and Google Now, and the company is also bringing the personal digital assistant to the desktop as part of Windows 10 this summer. Cortana’s features include contextually-aware reminders, routing and mapping, current weather and traffic conditions, sports scores, biographies and more.
Some of Cortana’s features on Windows Phone won’t initially be available on iPhone and Android smartphones, including toggling settings, opening apps or “Hey Cortana” hands-free invoking of the personal digital assistant. Microsoft will also release an updated version of its Xbox Music app for iOS with free streaming playback of your music files and playlists from OneDrive.
Sony launches Xperia Z3+ with 1080p display, Snapdragon 810 SoC & 5MP front camera
Do you remember the Xperia Z4, the flagship device that Sony announced in Japan last month? Well, it turns out that Sony has decided to call its global version – the Xperia Z3+, and quite aptly so as the handset looks like a carbon copy of its predecessor.
While it may have the same Omni-Balance design as the Xperia Z3, the specifications of the Xperia Z3+ definitely make it capable enough to take on top-notch flagship devices launched this year. Talking of which, the Xperia Z3+ features a 1080p display, a 64-bit Snapdragon 810 processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB expandable storage. In the imaging department, it sports a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, which is an upgrade from the 2.1-megapixel of the Xperia Z3. The primary snapper is still a 20.7-megapixel one. It comes preloaded with Android 5.0 Lollipop and runs on a 2,930 mAh battery. Connectivity options include 4G/LTE Cat 6 (<300Mbps), Wi-Fi (<862Mbps) and what’s more – the device even has a dual SIM variant.
Available in Copper, Black, White and Aqua Green colors, the Xperia Z3+ is quite slim at 6.7mm. Although its USB port has lost its awkward cap, Sony has maintained that it will still be a water and dust proof device.
There is no word on the pricing of the device as yet, but it is expected to be up for grabs sometime later this summer. Its launch timing has placed it directly in competition against the Samsung Galaxy S6, the LG G4 and HTC’s One M9.
Source: Sony Mobile
The post Sony launches Xperia Z3+ with 1080p display, Snapdragon 810 SoC & 5MP front camera appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung debuts limited edition Iron Man variant for Galaxy S6 Edge
As we’ve come to expect over the last few weeks, Samsung has announced a limited edition of its Galaxy S6 Edge smartphone. Making its debut today, the Iron Man variant features a red and gold design with the titular Avenger etched into the back of the device. Additionally, the Iron Mad edition ships with a wireless charging pad that looks much like an arc reactor from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Those of you hoping to get your hands on the limited run Samsung smartphone might not want to hold your breath. Unfortunately, there’s no indication that we’ll see the device launched in the United States. As it stands now, the Galaxy S6 Edge Iron Man Limited Edition will be offered in Korea, China, and Hong Kong.
The post Samsung debuts limited edition Iron Man variant for Galaxy S6 Edge appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Microsoft unveils Cortana voice assistant for Android and iPhone
Yes, it’s official: Microsoft is bringing Windows’ Cortana voice assistant to Android and iPhone. Both platforms will get a dedicated app that, much like you see on Windows Phone today, will let you dictate reminders, track flights and otherwise keep your life organized. Cortana’s Notebook, which remembers what you like, will also sync across all your platforms. This won’t be a one-for-one recreation of what you get right now, though — since Microsoft can’t tap directly into the operating system like it can on Windows devices, you won’t get hands-free activation through “hey Cortana” or options to launch apps or settings. Still, it’ll be worth seeing what this Halo-inspired helper can do when it reaches Android in late June, and iPhones sometime later this year — and we’d add that it’s not the only treat Microsoft has in store for your smartphone, either.
The Redmond crew is also unveiling Phone Companion, a Windows 10 app (due in the OS preview within a few weeks) that helps you sync your Android, iOS or Windows handset with your PC. It’ll mostly entail loading apps for Microsoft’s services if you’re using non-Windows hardware, but it should take the challenge out of accessing your computer’s content when you’re on the road. And yes, this includes music on all platforms. The company is promising an updated version of Xbox Music for Android and iOS that, like on Windows, will stream your OneDrive music for free. This doesn’t arrive in beta form until July, but it’ll be worthwhile if you thrive in Microsoft’s ecosystem.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Software, Mobile, Microsoft
Source: Blogging Windows
‘Mad Max’ the game lacks the charm and detail of ‘Fury Road’
Like any Mad Max fan thrilled by the film Fury Road, I approached Avalanche Studios’ new video game translation hoping to find echoes of the film’s anarchic spirit. And while the full game may deliver — we won’t know until review time — the current demo feels more like a mundane snapshot of Max’s offscreen life in that post-apocalyptic world than an adrenaline shot from Fury Road. Mad Max, due out this fall for PlayStation 4, PC and Xbox One, just doesn’t have the same level of enervating detail.
It couldn’t, though! Fury Road is a two-hour movie, while Mad Max is an open-world video game a la Grand Theft Auto that can be played for much longer. Fury Road‘s greatest strength is its specificity and that’s something Avalanche couldn’t possibly match. Every frame, every second of the blockbuster film’s full of fittingly mad detail. Take, for example, sinister despot Immortan Joe and his altars of individually designed steering wheels: each one fitted to a different car; each car fitted to a specific War Boy.
Mad Max is not lacking in the series’ ridiculous car fights.
Both new Mad Max entries sport similarities: The film and game share the same heroes and villains; they share the same physical components of action like crazy battle cars and mean fistfights. But the game requires variety on a scale the movie doesn’t. The movie’s heart is in its individual, spectacular stunts that last only a few minutes, whereas the game needs to give players a huge desert wasteland to explore at leisure, full of specific missions to complete. Otherwise, why would people play it for a dozen or more hours?
In the “Magnum Opus” demo I played at a pre-E3 event, much of the gameplay revolves around scavenging for spare parts and scrap metal to customize Max’s war car. As you drive around the game’s desert and canyons — the looks of which impressively evoke George Miller’s world even if they don’t quite match the fidelity of other WB games like Batman: Arkham Knight and Shadow of Mordor — you find fortresses and hideouts, and get in many fights with other cars and survivors. It’s these battles that reward you with new car parts.
On the road, Mad Max feels as desperate as it should.
Those fights, at the very least, feel pretty awesome. My jalopy, kitted out with some stock parts provided at the beginning of the demo, looked like a bruiser straight out of an Ed Roth Rat Fink trading card. It rumbled as I tore over the flat roads in the sandy wasteland, and when going off-road to outrun attacks from enemy cars, it chugged. On the road, Mad Max feels as desperate as it should; resources are used up quickly and you have to be smart in how you use them. When I had ammo to fight back, I could blast the baddies with explosives or flamethrowers, but my bombs were in short supply and the flames used up precious fuel. I could collect more of both, sure, but only if I could find them on felled enemies or in some rough shanty.
Unlike the lonely wasteland of the movies, Max is always meeting new people in the game.
That driving desperation is profoundly affecting, and it’s something that’s helped Max’s world endure these past few decades. He’s a lone, honorable toughie driven to survive on his own in a dying world! In the game, though, that stoical badassery doesn’t last. One thing that dilutes the Mad Max-ness of your trip is Chumbucket, Max’s scavenger partner who goes everywhere with him in the demo. Chum functions as both comic relief and Mr. Fix It, repairing your car if you need it and endlessly commenting on what’s happening. But by my third random fight against roadsters, I just wanted to abandon him out in the desert so he’d stop with the incessant quips. [I’m trying to have a lone adventure here. Mad Max needs to keep it down to maintain the flow.]
The thrill of the open, and lonely road also fades a bit when Max gets out of his car. When you’re driving around, running away from marauding convoys, it feels like you can do anything as long as your car doesn’t explode. When you get out of it and start throwing punches against Scrotus’ armies (Yes, as in all Max stories, the big, bad evil guy has an absurd name), Max feels slow and trapped in the landscape. Fighting Scrotus involves taking out other smaller warlords in their ramshackle fortresses and weakening his overall power, then stealing their resources to power up yourself and your car. Drive up to a base, wrench off its doors with a harpoon attached to your car and then wander in and just beat up all the War Boys inside.
The thrill of the open, and lonely road also fades a bit when Max gets out of his car.
Speaking of which, the War Boys are about as varied as those in a ’90s arcade game like Final Fight. Some I fought were bald and pasty just like the War Boys in Fury Road, but the ones employed by old Stank Gum (the warlords are at least awesomely named) were purple. Why? Just to differentiate themselves from the other, nearly identical thugs from before. Max beats them up with a combination of heavy punches and “fury” finishing moves. The brawling’s repetitive, but ultimately satisfying, which isn’t surprising as it mimics the flow of the fights in WB’s Batman: Arkham City and Shadow of Mordor identically.
Is it a bad thing that WB seems to have a house style for these games? Not necessarily. Mad Max is especially well-suited to the Arkham City-style open world structure that sends you around collecting stuff and beating people up. Amusing as it can be at times, though, that rote gameplay eventually became numbing during my half-hour demo. When I drove past a wanderer who informed me of the warlord Gut Noose and his weaknesses, I found myself wondering which primary-colored dudes I’d have to beat up next.
There is something satisfying about souping up your own war machine.
In its translation to an open-world video game, Mad Max: Fury Road’s unique charm’s been traded in for monotony. This is, indeed, what it must be like when Max wakes up and just goes about his everyday business. For fans addicted to the steampunk world of Mad Max, this game may be exactly what they want: more time with Max, and an opportunity to tinker with his war car. Who knows? Maybe with some extended playtime, I’ll discover that I’m that guy; that I just want to fill Max’s dusty shoes.
After this demo session, though, I still wanted to live in Max’s world, albeit the one with the stark, propulsive detail of Fury Road and not the game’s cycle of purple people to punch.
[Images credit: WBIE]
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Twitter finally launches Periscope for Android
Periscope for Android is here. Twitter’s new streaming app contains many of the same features found in the iOS version, but with a few Android exclusives. In addition to more granular notification controls than found in the iPhone version, there’s a new “return to broadcast” feature that helps get viewers back to a stream after being interrupted by a phone call, text or other pesky distraction.
The notification setting includes the ability to opt in or out of alerts when a followed user goes live, shares a broadcast or when a user gets a new follower. The alert settings are global instead of on an individual user basis. So if you turn off alert for when followed users go live, you won’t be alerted if any of the folks you follow start broadcasting.
The Return to Broadcasts feature places a notification on the Android home screen when viewing a feed is interrupted by a call or other item. When the viewer is done doing what ever it is that stopped them from watching a feed, they tap the alert and the app loads the feed they were previously watching.
The development of the Android app was led by former Secret and Twitter Android lead, Sara Haider. Haider returned to the flock in March and immediately started building the Periscope for Android app. The team had to deal with the usual fragmentation issues that comes with dealing with the multitude of screen sizes out there. “It’s been a jam packed last couple of months,” said Haider. “I dealt with a lot of those challenges on Vine, so I’m not a stranger to them.”
The app supports KitKat 4.4 and later which made development “significantly easier” since it surfaces more of the hardware encoding and video APIs. It also has Material Design elements of Lollipop 5.0 including a dedicated broadcast button instead of a the broadcast tab found in iOS. In fact, on the Android version of the app you can swipe back and forth between tabs.
While the two apps are similar and will continue to work towards parity, Haider said, “we also have the opportunity to do some experiments on both platforms.”
Filed under: Software
Source: Periscope
Sony’s Xperia Z3+ to launch globally from June 15th
When Sony announced the Xperia Z4 in Japan last month, many of us were sceptical as to whether the minimal upgrade in specifications merited using the Z4 moniker. More recently it was rumoured that this ‘Z4‘ handset would be marketed to the rest of the world as the Z3+. And so this has come to pass, with Sony releasing a press release announcing that the Xperia Z3+ will be globally available from June 15th.
So, if it isn’t the Z4, what does the Xperia Z3+ have to offer over its Z3 predecessor? Apart from changing from the Snapdragon 801 CPU to the much-maligned Snapdragon 810 Octa-core processor with 64-bit capability, the rest of the changes aren’t going to rock your world.
Externally, the Z3+ looks the same as the outgoing model, carrying the same 146mm height and 72mm width although its 6.9mm thinness means the Z3+ is 0.4mm slimmer. Weighing just 144 grams, the Z3+ is also 8g lighter.
One difference you will notice is that the MicroUSB port has been moved to the bottom of the device, where it should be. Sony has also managed to do away with the annoying flap that used to protect the Z3 from water and dust ingress. Unlike Samsung with the Galaxy S6 handsets, the Xperia Z3+ carries on the tradition of boasting XPX5/8, IP6X protection.
The Xperia Z3+ is available with 32GB of internal storage with MicroSD card support, there is no 16GB version this time round.
Another small change you may or may not notice is that while the Z3’s battery had a 3,100mAh capacity, the Z3+’s battery has been trimmed down to 2.900mAh. Sony claims that the Z3+ has an ‘up to 2-day battery life’, so perhaps the phone has been optimised for frugal power consumption, something that the Xperia Z2 was renowned for.
The Z3+ has the same 20.7MP rear camera that was on the Z3, but the front camera has been upgraded from a 2.2MP sensor to a 5MP sensor with a wide-angle lens for taking better quality selfies.
The Xperia Z3+ will be available in 4 colours – black, white, aqua green and copper. No doubt the Xperia Z3+ will be a little more expensive than the outgoing Z3 handset, is the minimal upgrade worth the cost? Or are you better off sticking with the original Xperia Z3 and waiting for the Z4 to arrive with (hopefully) all-round better specifications?
Specifications:
- 5.2-Inch TRILUMINOS™ Display with 1920 x 1080 resolution (Full HD)
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 Octa-Core processor 4 x cores @2.0GHz + 4 x cores @ 1.5GHz (64-bit)
- 3GB RAM
- 32GB Internal storage
- 20.7MP Rear-camera, Exmor RS for mobile, Flash
- 5.1MP Front-facing camera with wide angle lens
- MicroSD card support (up to 128GB)
- Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, WiFi
- Dimensions: 146 x 72 x 6.9mm
- Weight: 144 grams
- Battery: 2,900mAh
- Waterproof/Dustproof: XPX5/8, IP6X
- Cap-less MicroUSB port
Click here to view the embedded video.
Full Press Release
London, 26th May 2015 – Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today introduces a premium addition to the Xperia™ Z3 series flagship smartphones with Xperia Z3+, a slim, sleek and stylish high-performing premium smartphone.
Xperia Z3+ helps you get the best pictures with Sony’s superior camera technology that is now packed into both the main and front cameras. Impressive smartphone battery stamina and performance keeps you connected faster and longer, whether for work or play. And Sony’s unique signature waterproof1 design ensures you can do it, whatever the weather.
Beautiful design, better than ever
Slimmer (6.9mm), lighter (144g) and expertly crafted, Xperia Z3+ continues the Sony design story with discreet, but impressive improvements. Not only is it waterproof and dust-tight (IP65/68) ideal for use in all situations, as a further design refinement Z3+ features a capless USB port making it easier and more convenient to charge your phone. In addition the magnetic charging pin has been removed, resulting in an overall more seamless and minimalist design. With a shiny finish on the metal frames, tempered glass and rounded edges, Xperia Z3+ is beautiful to look at from any angle and comfortable to hold.
Z3+ comes available in a choice of four sophisticated colour options to meet your individual taste and style – classic Black and White are joined by a new interpretation of Copper and Aqua Green.
Great pictures anywhere
Z3+ continues to offer the best of Sony’s Cyber-shot & Handycam technologies, to ensure a superior camera performance, and extends the camera evolution not just to the main camera, but the front camera too. Now you can enjoy superior photos, even in low light, with both the front and rear camera. From sceneries to selfies, capture the best shots in any light.
The main camera features the 20.7MP camera with Exmor RS™ for mobile image sensor, BIONZ™ for mobile processing engine, and a 25mm wide-angle G lens. Create the best shots first time, every time with improved Superior Auto – it automatically optimises settings to give you the best possible picture and can recognize up to 52 different scenes. And with new Gourmet mode, even your food pictures will be looking their very best. Add some fun and creativity to your photos with the latest Xperia camera apps including Style portrait and AR mask. Capture impressive detail even in low light conditions, thanks to the ISO12800 sensitivity and large 1/ 2.3 image sensor. Get great shots even when there is strong backlight, with HDR for photos and videos. Preserve and enjoy your precious moments in high quality with 4K video recording and output.
The new 5MP front camera with Exmor R™ for mobile image sensor means you can now get better selfies in any light. And the 25mm wide-angle lens is perfect for group selfies. Superior Auto analyses the photographic environment and automatically adjusts settings to make you look great every time. Full HD 1080p is ideal for video chat and when you are shooting selfie videos, SteadyShot™ with Intelligent Active Mode estimates movements to produce smoother videos.
Powerful performance and up to two-day battery life
Xperia Z3+ comes packed with the ultra fast Snapdragon 810 octa-core 64 bit processor2 that lets you browse faster than ever and get the optimal graphics experience. Whether you’re multi-tasking over Wi-Fi or the latest 4G network, Xperia Z3+ delivers the speed you need. LTE Cat 6 and Wi-Fi MIMO support enable faster connection speeds for a rich, connected experience with up to 300 Mbps LTE data download speeds on the move (actual speed may differ according to operator networks) 3. Download email with attachments in seconds and enjoy video streaming with no delays or unwanted buffering.
Powerful smartphone features demand smart power management. Xperia Z3+ is equipped to let you enjoy whatever you like doing for as long as you want. Sony’s incredible up to two-day battery stamina and innovative power-saving technology combine to give you superior long-lasting battery performance. And now you can get one day usage with just 45 minutes of charging when using a Qualcomm® Quick Charge™ 2.0 certified charger, such as the UCH10(Single SIM variant only).
Keeping you entertained
Xperia Z3+ features an ultra-bright 5.2” Full HD smart adaptive display that provides increased brightness and contrast, without losing stamina. Sony’s TRILUMINOS™ Display for mobile with Live Colour LED and X-Reality for mobile ensure sharper and more vivid colours. Intuitive contrast enhancement delivers the most optimized viewing experience, even in bright sunlight.
Sony’s rich expertise in audio technologies lets you enjoy sound in incredible detail and clarity. High-Res Audio reproduces high frequency sound for a studio quality experience. DSEE HXTMupscales the audio fidelity of your existing MP3 or AAC tracks to near High-Res Audio quality. And for high quality wireless music listening, Sony’s new LDACTM codec transmits data three times more efficiently than legacy codec over Bluetooth.
For those times when you need to block out background noise, Xperia Z3+ supports digital noise cancelling and pairs with the MDR-NC31EM headset, reducing ambient noise by up to 98%. And now you can enjoy optimal audio settings when connecting any headphones, as Z3+ senses both the type and style of headset and automatically adjusts the audio settings accordingly for best sound experience.
Keep playing your favourite PlayStation®4 (PS4™) games wherever you are in the home with PS4 Remote Play2. Simply connect your Xperia Z3+ to your PS4 via home Wi-Fi and use the DUALSHOCK®4 Wireless Controller to ensure you never miss a minute of the action – whatever room you are in.
And to ensure you continue to enjoy the best experiences that Sony has to offer, all Xperia Z3+ users will benefit from access to Xperia Lounge Gold – delivering the world of Sony entertainment at your fingertips. Get access to exclusive competitions and offers; be among the first to try out new apps; and enjoy the latest movies, TV episodes and music included with your device.
Availability and specifications
Xperia Z3+ will launch globally from June 2015 in both Single SIM and Dual SIM3 variants.
Come comment on this article: Sony’s Xperia Z3+ to launch globally from June 15th
Sony launches the Xperia M4 Aqua with Dual SIM’s in India for Rs. 24,990
It was just the other day that Valerie wrote about the possibility of Sony’s Xperia M4 Aqua smartphone being launched in India this week, and now it’s confirmed. The Xperia M4 Aqua will support Dual-SIMs and is priced at Rs. 24,990 ($390).
Specifications:
- 5-inch HD IPS display with 1280 x 720 resolution
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 Octa-core 64-bit processor (Quad-core 1.5GHz + Quad-core 1GHz)
- Adreno 405 GPU
- 2GB RAM
- 16GB internal storage
- MicroSD card support (up to 32GB)
- 13MP Rear camera with flash with image stabiliser
- 5MP Front camera with wide angle lens
- 4G/
- A-GPS/ Bluetooth/ NFC/ WiFi/ USB 2.0
- Dimensions: 145.5 x 72.6 x 7.3mm
- IP65/68 rating (Water and dust tight)
- Weight: 140grams
- 2,400mAh battery
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
Let us know your thoughts on Sony’s Xperia M4 Aqua smartphone in the comments below.
Source: Sony India
Come comment on this article: Sony launches the Xperia M4 Aqua with Dual SIM’s in India for Rs. 24,990
Samsung patented a laptop-smartphone dock with dual OSes
Combination laptop-tablet not enough? Want even more gadget overlap? Then try ASUS’ still incoming Windows laptop/Android phone hybrid. We (half) joke, because Samsung’s patented something along those very lines. In the Korean manufacturer’s case, a docking area between the keyboard and the display would be where your phablet would call home. The laptop dock itself would be pretty much only that: all the processing and thinking would be done on the phone, which would run Android until it docks, where Windows would burst onto the bigger screen. Your phone, while charging, could also double up as the touchpad while in laptop mode.
Would such a multitalented (possibly confusing) device ever appear? The ASUS hybrid we mentioned at the start still hasn’t gone on sale — both the phone and laptop can function independently, it’s worth noting — and Samsung’s own Windows-Android hybrid, the ATIV Q, didn’t quite set the world on fire. However, as Windows 10 continues to bring Microsoft’s mobile and PC vision into a single whole, there might not be a better time for this flavor of Swiss Army knife-styled gadget.
Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops
Via: SlashGear
Source: Patently Mobile
AIVAnet 