Xiaomi selects Leadcore to produce custom processor
Xiaomi continues to take control of what goes into its devices by partnering with Leadcore to develop a custom processor.
Marshal Cheng, Leadcore’s vice president, confirmed that the two Chinese companies are bringing together their products, technologies, and patents in order to produce a dedicated processor. These are moves that hardware manufacturers are looking to as differentiation becomes increasingly difficult. Samsung, LG, and Huawei are all companies that already produce their own processors. Some are even looking to create their own operating systems.
Producing an in-house processor also benefits companies in the long run. Costs are lowered because companies no longer have to pay fees to use processors developed by Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Intel.
Cheng also denied Xiaomi invested in the company, instead saying that Leadcore is still owned by the government.
Source: EE Times
Via: G for Games
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HomeUX seeks more beta testers for launcher
Launchers are always popular for Android fans who want to extend the customization of their interfaces. With Android 5.0 Lollipop expanding to more devices this year, some developers are seeing a new opportunity to create new launchers that are in keeping with the design principles of Google’s Material Design guidelines and that take advantage of new APIs in Lollipop. One of those developers is the group behind HomeUX that hopes to produce a launcher that is “simplistic, yet highly functional.” They are currently soliciting additional beta testers for the latest version of HomeUX that is in development.
HomeUX promises to give users a new take on folder integration and organization, an “ultra clean interface,” new color themes that change, intuitive controls via swipe gestures, and a variety of advanced functionality like tap-and-hold shortcuts and quick access buttons.
In order to participate as a beta tester, users must have a device running Android Lollipop. They will need to join the HomeUX Beta Testers Google+ community for more information. The development team is trying to exert some control over the beta testing process, thus the reason for approval being needed before users can join the beta testing program.
The developer, Dravite Ltd., has setup a placeholder in the Google Play Store if you want to check it out and go ahead and purchase the app knowing the final Pro version is still forthcoming.
Click here to view the embedded video.
source: reddit, HomeUX Beta Testers community
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Sony is working on a selfie-focused smartphone with a 13-megapixel shooter
On Saturday, renowned leaker @Upleaks took to his official blog to post a render and a purported set of specifications for an upcoming selfie-focused smartphone called the Sony Lavender.
The Japan-based manufacturer’s newest handset is rumored to sport a super-narrow bezel, a FHD display, 2GB of RAM, a 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek chipset, a 13-megapixel front/rear facing camera and include support for Dual SIM.
That’s all the information we have on the device for now, but @Upleaks has vowed to publish a picture of the back of the Lavender in the not-too-distant future — so be sure to check back for that!
Source: @Upleaks
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Facebook Messenger games coming to platform soon
Fans of games on Facebook will likely be interested in knowing that fun times could be coming to the Messenger app that Facebook makes available for users. Since the launch of Messenger, third party apps have mostly been limited to those that enhance the communication aspects of the platform, giving users things like emojis, the ability to send sound clips, gif support and similar functions. Reports indicate uptake has been slow for these apps, so Facebook is planning to start pushing for games to expand to the platform in hopes of giving developers something a little “stickier” and with higher revenue potential.
Facebook executive Ilya Sukhar has confirmed the social media giant has been in discussion with game developers about the Messenger platform. However, no timelines have been set for the introduction of games on Messenger. Outside of games, Facebook and its developer community will likely look to other types of apps to continue to try to expand the ecosystem and create new revenue generation opportunities.
source: The Information
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Google partners with the University of Washington to make stunning timelapses from public photos
Millions of images are uploaded to photo-sharing websites every day, but many go unseen by members of the public as it’s only those with a larger following that gain attention.
However, Google teamed up with the University of Washington to develop a fully automated way to make use of these unseen pictures by creating time-lapse videos of popular tourist landmarks using shots from Flickr, Picasa and other sites.
If you’d like to see some examples of the time-lapses created using the software, check out the breathtaking video below:
Come comment on this article: Google partners with the University of Washington to make stunning timelapses from public photos
LG Watch Urbane surfaces on Amazon in India at premium price
The LG Watch Urbane has shown up on the Indian site for Amazon at a sale price of 29,990 rupees ($471 USD), which is considerably higher than what the smartwatch sells for in other parts of the world. In the U.S. the LG Watch Urbane has been listing at around $349 with the different carriers and even the Google Play Store. Possibly even more disturbing for potential Indian buyers is that the normal price is listed as 35,000 rupees ($550 USD).
At this time, LG has not issued an official announcement regarding the availability of the Watch Urbane in India, so the official price could be more in line with other countries and this could be a case of a retailer banking on early access and limited supply to try to charge a premium. The retailer in India is listing both the gold and silver version of the Watch Urbane as available and in stock.
source: Amazon India
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Leaked photo shows the Meizu Note 2 running Android 5.1
Hot on the heals of its official announcement, a leaked snap of the Meizu Note 2 has appeared online, revealing that the handset is set to ship running Flyme — a highly-adapted version of Android 5.1 Lollipop.
The image also allows us to see a bit more of the device’s design. From what we can tell, the Notes 2’s home button has been redesigned to be more rounded and visually more appealing than Meizu’s usual rectangular one.
Check it out on the image below:
Source: MyDrivers
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Asus Zenfone 2 will be available in the US tomorrow through online retailers only
At Asus’ press event in New York today, the company announced that its Zenfone 2 would be available in the US, starting tomorrow.
The Zenfone 2 features a gorgeous 5.5-inch 1080p display, and it’s running Android 5.0 Lollipop with Asus’ new Zen UI overtop. Beginning tomorrow, you can pick yourself one up for $299. There will be a lower spec’d version for $199 available, as well.
What’s interesting is that Asus will not be selling the device through carriers, opting to sell it unlocked through online retailers, such as Amazon, instead. The benefit to doing this is that users of the smartphone will get updates a lot faster than waiting for a carrier to push it out.
The Asus Zenfone 2 features a 5.5-inch 1080p display, an Intel 2.3GHz quad-core processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 3,000mAh battery. Quick Charge is a coveted feature, and Asus has thrown their own version into the smartphone, touting a charge from dead to 60 percent in just 39 minutes.
Do you plan on picking up an Asus Zenfone 2 from Amazon tomorrow? Let us know in the comments.
Come comment on this article: Asus Zenfone 2 will be available in the US tomorrow through online retailers only
SONOS announces limited time 2 Room Starter Set
The $349 bundle includes two Play;1 speakers
Sonos has bundled together a two-room speaker setup for customers might be looking to dip their toes into pool that is connected speakers. Available for a limited time, the 2 Room Starter Set includes a pair of Play: 1 speakers at a discounted price of $350. A savings of $50, it’s more than enough sound to fill your rooms with music.
We’re huge fans of Sonos here and love that there is always something new being added to the system. If you’re at all into music and podcasts you’ll want to consider a Sonos setup.
Not only can you play the same music in both room but you can split them up with unique songs, playlists or sources. And, because it’s controllable via your smartphone or tablet, you’ll never have to get up to adjust volume or skip songs.
While we normally recommend Sonos any day of the year we’re twice as happy to do so with the limited time promotion.
The post SONOS announces limited time 2 Room Starter Set appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Leak hints at the first round of Apple Watch upgrades
There hasn’t been much talk of software upgrades for the Apple Watch now that it’s a real product you can (sort of) buy, but sources for 9to5Mac understand that there are some important tweaks in the pipeline. To start with, you’ll reportedly see third-party “complications” (those elements that show calendars, the weather and more) on watch faces. This sadly wouldn’t bring true third-party watch faces, but it’d give you a quick way to check information from other apps. You could see if you have any Twitter mentions just by looking at your wrist, for example.
Apple would also tackle concerns that you’re left high and dry if you lose the Watch. It’s believed to be working on a “Find my Watch” feature that, like Find My iPhone, would help you track, lock and wipe the wristwear. Since the device can’t easily connect to the internet on its own, it’d use its wireless signals to determine its location relative to the iPhone and ping you if it thinks you’ve forgotten your timepiece. This feature might depend on newer wireless hardware to work properly, though, so there’s no guarantee that you’ll see it this year.
The rest of Cupertino’s rumored plans are definitely dependent on new hardware. The company supposedly plans to add health features (such as blood pressure monitoring and sleep tracking) over the next “several years,” some of which likely didn’t make the cut the first time around. Also, the Watch would be marketed as a “primary input device” for the next-generation Apple TV. You wouldn’t need it (there would still be that more advanced remote), but it’d play an important role. And unlike many of the features mentioned in the leak, you may not have to wait long to see what the Watch can do with Apple’s new set-top box — Tim Cook and crew are still expected to unveil the new Apple TV at WWDC in June.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Wearables, HD, Mobile, Apple
Source: 9to5Mac
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