Samsung confirms Lollipop for Galaxy Note 2 in some markets
Despite recent confirmation that Galaxy Note 2 wouldn’t be receiving Lollipop, Samsung Danmark took to Twitter that some variants of the device would be getting it.
Samsung Galaxy Note 2’s out of Denmark (CSC code: NEE) will get the update. In another tweet, Samsung Danmark said both the Galaxy Note 2 (GT-N7100) and the Galaxy Note 2 4G (G5-N7105) will get Lollipop. However, the updates will occur at different times, and there is currently no info as to which one will come first.
Updates to these devices are based on different markets, so it’s entirely possible that other models could get the firmware upgrade in the near future. After all, before the confirmation that the Note 2 wouldn’t be receiving Lollipop, the device was on an official update list for it. Samsung definitely had plans to upgrade at least a few of the models out there.
Galaxy Note 2 users aren’t left behind just yet. Let’s hope Samsung gets the ball rolling and we’ll see a larger rollout across markets. Of course, there’s always the option of rooting and flashing your smartphone with the updated firmware, if you’re comfortable with that.
Source: Twitter
Come comment on this article: Samsung confirms Lollipop for Galaxy Note 2 in some markets
Straight Talk now offering 5GB data in $45 rate plan
Wireless provider Straight Talk is now offering customers more data for the same low rate.Effective immediately, the $45 rate plan includes 5GB of monthly data which is up considerably from the previous allotment of 3GB per month.
The deal is available to both new and existing subscribers and does not require any sort of changes on the user’s behalf. Simply enjoy the extra data that shows up the next time you refill!
Straight Talk offers customers two no-contract rate plans: $45 and $60 per month. As a joint venture between TracFone and Walmart, Straight Talk is an MVNO that utilizes Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T networks. Operating as a BYOD (bring your own device) provider, it also allows for tablets, too.
The post Straight Talk now offering 5GB data in $45 rate plan appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Nintendo: Expect five smartphone games by 2017
The first smartphone game from Nintendo should arrive in 2015
Nintendo plans to release at least five smartphone games by March 2017, the first of which should debut later this year. Speaking during the recent 2014 earnings Nintendo CEO and president Satoru Iwata said we should expect more than a simple port of existing titles. Given that smartphones are an entirely different animal than something that’s controller-based it takes some juggling.
“You may think it is a small number but when we aim to make each title a hit, and because we want to thoroughly operate every one of them for a significant amount of time after their releases, this is not a small number at all and should demonstrate our serious commitment to the smart device business.“
It is not clear what titles Nintendo plans to offer nor do we know for certain that all five will be for Android. We might hope and assume that this is the case but it has not been confirmed as of yet.
What sort of games would you like to see come to mobile devices? Is there a specific character or series you’d like to play on your Android handset? Leave a comment below!
The post Nintendo: Expect five smartphone games by 2017 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Some Galaxy S6 owners are seeing a purple speck on photos taken with the front-facing camera
The new Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge handsets have certainly made a good impression on many folks out there. Along with a premium build and revamped software, these two handsets arguably feature two of the best cameras available on a smartphone to date. However, it looks like for some users, the experience the camera brings to the table is far from perfect. According to a recent thread on Reddit, some Galaxy S6 owners are seeing a purple speck on all photos taken with the front-facing camera. It’s not exactly clear why this is happening, though the thread lists numerous people who have had similar issues.
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The first user in the thread reported that the purple speck began showing up out of the blue since they have photos taken with the same camera from a few weeks prior. And so far, no one has been able to find out whether this defect is due to a software or hardware issue.
Some users who experienced the same problem claim that the issue can be fixed by switching the front-facing camera’s resolution to 3.8MP from the standard 5MP resolution. While that may be true, if you experience the problem with your handset, either Samsung or your mobile provider will be happy to send you a new device in exchange for the defective unit.
If you’re interested, more examples can be found at the Reddit link below. Have you experienced this issue with your Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge? If so, be sure to let us know in the comment section below.
Samsung Gear VR for Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge now available online
The first virtual reality headset for the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge is now available online. Owners of those two Samsung devices can head over to Samsung or Best Buy’s sites to purchase the Gear VR Innovator Edition headset. Both are selling the virtual reality headset for $199. If choosing Best Buy’s in-store pickup, the wait is about 3-5 days. The electronics retailer will start selling the Gear VR Innovator Edition in its stores on May 15.
Come comment on this article: Samsung Gear VR for Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge now available online
Android 5.0 update for the T-Mobile Sony Xperia Z3 gets certified
The T-Mobile Sony Xperia Z3 is all set to get the Android 5.0 update as it has just been certified by the PTCRB. It’s common for updates to be certified by the PTCRB before it’s ready for a commercial release, so the rollout seems to be on track as of now.
The Android 5.0 update for Sony flagships from 2014 have started rolling out recently, so it was only a matter of time before T-Mobile sent out the update. Verizon also has a variant of the Xperia Z3 (known as the Xperia Z3v), so those users should expect an update sometime soon as well.
The update brings the build number 23.1.C.0.381 from 23.0.D.1.123. The update should begin rolling out in a few days from now, so don’t expect an OTA notification to hit your device right away.
Via: Xperia Blog
Come comment on this article: Android 5.0 update for the T-Mobile Sony Xperia Z3 gets certified
Patent for Amazon Prime Air drone reveals user tracking for delivery
The upcoming Amazon Prime Air service will deliver goods from the online retailer to locations specified by customers. A patent filed last September, though, reveals that the service could actually deliver to customers wherever they are. It would be done by utilizing GPS technology found in practically every smartphone on the market today. Even when a customer changes his or her location, the Prime Air drone will adapt and reroute itself. The filing also reveals that Prime Air drones will communicate with each other to trade information relating to traffic and weather.
Amazon is still working on bringing Prime Air to the public despite pushback from the government.
Source: USPTO
Via: TechnoBuffalo
Come comment on this article: Patent for Amazon Prime Air drone reveals user tracking for delivery
Motorola confirms that the Verizon Droid Turbo will be updated directly to Android 5.1
According to a tweet sent out by Motorola’s official Twitter page, the Motorola Droid Turbo smartphone will directly be updated to Android 5.1.
The handset was launched in September last year with Android 4.4.4 on board, and is yet to receive the Android 5.0 update. Motorola makes it clear that the smartphone will skip Android 5.0 altogether and make the jump to 5.1.
The company however hasn’t given out a release timeframe for the update, so we don’t know when the carrier will start the rollout of the update. But it’s good to know that an update is on the horizon for Droid Turbo customers.
A switch from Android 4.4 to Android 5.1 would mean that users will be treated to Device Protection, better notifications handling and the plethora of Material Design features in one update rather than waiting for two separate Android updates. Verizon is yet to speak on the matter, but we expect a word from the carrier soon.
Source: @Motorola – Twitter
Come comment on this article: Motorola confirms that the Verizon Droid Turbo will be updated directly to Android 5.1
US SKYNET program marks Al Jazeera journalist as Al Qaeda
The US government has marked Ahmad Zaidan, an influential journalist and Al Jazeera‘s longtime Islamabad bureau chief, as a member of Al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood, according to NSA documents unearthed by whistleblower Edward Snowden (via The Intercept). Zaidan has been embedded in Afghanistan and Pakistan throughout his career, and he’s had unique access to top Taliban and Al Qaeda leadership, including Osama bin Laden. In 2011, Zaidan and Al Jazeera released a documentary about bin Laden, including interviews with Taliban fighters, government workers and journalists who knew him. Zaidan has, in the course of his job, regularly traveled across the Middle East and communicated with Al Qaeda officials — which is why the US government’s SKYNET program marked him as a member of Al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Zaidan’s file was singled out as an example of the power of SKYNET, the US program that attempts to find suspicious patterns within location and communication information gathered from bulk call records. SKYNET recognized Zaidan as a likely Al Qaeda courier, though it appears the NSA had an existing file on the journalist, The Intercept reports. A 2012 presentation describes some ways SKYNET marks terrorists: It notes behaviors such as “excessive SIM or handset swapping,” “visits to airports” and “overnight trips,” and tracks travel to specific locations. The program then asks, “Who does the traveler call when he arrives?” the site reports. The call data comes from major Pakistani telecom providers, according to the presentation — for the experiment that marked Zaidan, SKYNET analyzed 55 million Pakistani cell phone records.
In a statement provided via Al Jazeera, Zaidan wrote the following:
For us to be able to inform the world, we have to be able to freely contact relevant figures in the public discourse, speak with people on the ground, and gather critical information. Any hint of government surveillance that hinders this process is a violation of press freedom and harms the public’s right to know.
The US court of appeals ruled yesterday that the NSA’s bulk collection of phone data is illegal and “exceeds the scope of what Congress has authorized,” according to one judge. Congress is currently debating the future of the NSA’s surveillance program. Whistleblower Snowden says he’s pleased with the federal court’s ruling.
Filed under: Cellphones, Misc
Source: The Intercept (1), (2), (3)
JXE Training Day: Picking the right ‘League of Legends’ Champion
We covered League of Legends basics in Training Day Episode 1, and in Episode 2 we took a long look at how to actually play through your first match. Today Loc Tran, he of San Jose State University’s rising League team, will be teaching us how to select the right Champion. What’s a Champion, you ask? That’s precisely what Training Day is here to answer! Join us as we take an in-depth look at the many different characters and roles they can play in League of Legends.
Our third episode of Training Day will go live at 3:30PM ET today on Twitch.tv/Joystiq, Engadget.com/gaming and right here in this post.
Dig Training Day and all of our streams? Follow us on Twitch.tv/Joystiq. You can also follow Loc on Twitter, Twitch, and Facebook.
[We’re playing League of Legends streamed via OBS at 720p.]
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