XIaomi Mi Store to officially launch June 1st and 2nd
Earlier this month, Xiaomi ran a beta test of their online store, where they opened their online store to everyone for a short period of time. Today, Xiaomi announced that the Mi Store will officially launch in the US on June 1st at 7 PM PDT, and in the UK, Germany, and France on June 2nd at 1PM CEST.
Something that should be noted is that you will not be able to purchase Xiaomi devices from the Mi Store. Instead, you will be able to purchase Xiaomi accessories, as you were able to during the test run. The Mi Store will offer the following products at the official launch:
- 5000 mAh Mi Power Bank $9.99
- 10000 mAh Mi Power Bank $13.99
- Mi Band $14.99
- Mi Headphones $79.99
During the beta test run, the inventory of the Mi Store sold out almost instantaneously, which was a bummer to a lot of people. However, with the Mi Store going up, and presumable staying around for awhile, the inventory stock should be higher than what was available during the test run.
Sure you can grab headphones, and Power Banks from Amazon, but why would you pass up on these great prices, and get some quality products from a well known company? Did you register for the test run and were able to get anything before everything sold out? Let us know in the comments below.
The post XIaomi Mi Store to officially launch June 1st and 2nd appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Facebook Messenger’s pay-your-friends feature reaches New York City
Facebook has been cautious about rolling out Messenger payments in the US so far, but it just opened them up in a big way. The feature now works for anyone in New York City and the surrounding areas, so you can cover your share of that SoHo pizza when a chat buddy brings it up. The software itself is a little more helpful, too — it’ll automatically link dollar amounts to help you pay them faster, and you can pay individual friends within group discussions. It’ll be a while before you can sling cash to any Facebook user you like, but that day is at least getting closer.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile, Facebook
Via: VentureBeat
Source: Facebook Messenger
LG’s G4 arrives at T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon and US Cellular next week
Have you been eyeing LG’s latest flagship handset since it was announced last month? Well, it’s set to arrive in the US next week. T-Mobile began selling the G4 online today, for $0 down and $25/month for two years or $599.76 if you’re looking to part with a lump sum. The pink-hued carrier is looking to lure early adopters with an extra that’ll make good use of that microSD card slot. If you opt in “while supplies last,” you can expect a free 128GB card for free. And T-Mobile’s the spot to grab that dapper brown leather rear cover. The LG G4 won’t go on sale in stores until June 3rd, so nabbing one now means yours will ship before the phone hits retail. Not a fan of T-Mobile? Fret not.
Sprint announced last week that it would start selling the G4 on June 5th Metallic Gray and Leather Black. The carrier also has the same deal as T-Mobile ($0 down, $25/month for 24 months), on top of the two-year contract price of $200. And yes, you can still forgo the commitment for $600. Verizon’s version of G4 will be available June 4th, but it’s taking pre-orders starting tomorrow. Spacing out the payments over 24 months will set you back $22.91/month with Big Red and buying the handset outright with no contract costs $550. Opting to go with Verizon still gets you the phone in either Metallic Gray or Leather Black and there’s also a number of bundles that tack on an LG tablet or the LG Watch Urbane for some extra dough.
If you still aren’t happy with those options, US Cellular will have the G4 up for grabs on June 4th. Unfortunately, there’s no word on when the handset will be available from AT&T just yet. LG’s offering offering added perks to get you splurge for the device with an extra battery, charging cradle and 32GB microSD card available by mail — if you purchase before June 21st. What does opening up your wallet to any of these carriers get you? On top of the aforementioned expandable storage, there’s great battery life, a 5.5-inch vibrant IPS Quantum display, capable 16-megapixel camera and more.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, LG
Source: Verizon
Chevrolet’s 2016 models support both CarPlay and Android Auto
Apple’s and Google’s in-car efforts aren’t mainstream just yet, but manufacturers have given us a glimpse at how these features will work going forward. Soon enough, most automakers are expected to support CarPlay or Android Auto, even though others like Toyota won’t be playing along anytime soon. Chevrolet, meanwhile, announced today that 14 of its 2016 models, including cars, trucks and crossovers, will be compatible with CarPlay and Android Auto, making it easy for people to enjoy either platform based on which smartphone they own. What this means is that buyers don’t have to worry about choosing one over the other; instead, Chevy’s MyLink infotainment system is compatible with both simultaneously.
Let’s say you have an iPhone 6, for instance. All you have to do is plug it in via USB and, in a matter of seconds, the console will automatically recognize it as a CarPlay device, after which you’ll have access to select core applications. The same goes for drivers who own an Android handset (running Lollipop or above), but with Android Auto showing up on the 7- or 8-inch screen, depending on the vehicle. Obviously, one of the concerns here is data usage, so Chevrolet is letting users pick between what’s being provided by their carrier or one of its OnStar 4G LTE plans — if the latter option is chosen, you’d simply need to connect your smartphone to the car’s WiFi hotspot.
Chevrolet won’t be limiting the functionality to its cars in the US, either. The company says it will be available in the same places as Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto — great news for everyone who’s a fan of the recently introduced Spark or Malibu. Unfortunately, there’s no backward compatibility, so you’ll need one of the 2016 models if you want to have this on your Chevy.
Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Transportation, Apple, Google
Castrol makes a driver burn rubber while wearing a VR headset
You’d think that blinding a professional driver with a custom Oculus Rift headset as they drift around a live track would be a crazy way to promote anything. And you’d be right. But, well, Castrol really wants you to know about its new EDGE Titanium Strong motor oil. So much so that it strapped a VR headset on racer Matt Powers and turned a Roush Stage 3 Mustang into a VR controller for its Virtual Drift Trial. From his perspective he’s navigating through an apocalyptic VR landscape with crumbling roads and tidal waves of volcanic rock. From ours, it’s as if he’s got a death wish like an extra from Mad Max: Fury Road.
Sure, the final product looks like an orgy of Adobe After Effects and Michael Bay’s action movie aesthetic. But after sitting through a brief demo of the VR experience on Samsung’s Gear VR, it’s pretty clear that Virtual Drift is more than just special effects. The VR demo put me in the passenger seat as Powers made his way around the track, constantly switching between the VR and real-world view. (You can get a similar experience with this 360-degree video clip.) Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to switch between the two views on the fly, but Castrol reps said they might have something like that in the works for later this year.
Castrol tapped technologists Adam Amaral (he’s the guy in the passenger seat) and Glenn Snyder to build a new experience to show off its Titanium Strong oil back in November. By December, they were committed to the idea of combining a real-world racing and VR experience. And come February, they were ready to film. That’s a pretty fast turnaround for any tech project, let alone one that has drivers drifting around tracks at high speeds while blind to the real world. “It’s a big trust exercise,” Snyder said.
To power the whole experience, Snyder and Amaral combined an Oculus Rift DK2 headset with a traditional racing helmet and built a server filled with NVIDIA GTX 980 video cards, which sat in the trunk of the car. They developed Virtual Drift in Unreal Engine 4, relying heavily on NVIDIA’s PhysX engine to get the physics just right. There were also a plethora of sensors all around the car feeding into the PhysX engine. Testing involved plenty of long nights in abandoned parking lots with a rented Mustang (just try explaining that to the cops).
At the end of the day, Castrol and crew ended up making a cool film trailer to sell their fancy new oil. But the only way they can show off the full extent of the Virtual Drift experience is by giving people a chance to see it in VR. Castrol says it plans to put it on the Oculus Store eventually (which is also accessible on the Gear VR), but for now you can check out the 360-degree video to get a taste.
Xiaomi officially launches its US and European stores in early June
After a brief dry run, Xiaomi is just about ready to officially launch its online store in both the US and Europe. The Chinese tech firm has announced that the Mi Store will be available in the US on June 1st, and will reach France, Germany and the UK on June 2nd. As before, you’re not about to score phones like the Mi Note Pro or Mi4 through this shop — it’s all about mobile-oriented accessories, such as the Mi Band activity tracker, Mi Headphones and Mi Power Bank. If you’re only interested in scoring a deal on a wearable or power pack, though, you won’t have long to wait.
Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Mobile
Via: Xiaomi (Facebook)
Source: Mi Store
Xiaomi Mi Store officially launches on June 1st in the UK, Germany, France, and the US
Last week Xiaomi kicked off a test of its Mi store for the UK, Germany, France, and the United States. The initial test saw the sell of a few select accessories in limited batches. The good news is the test phase apparently went well, as Xiaomi has now announced it is fully launching its store in these markets starting June 1st.
Just like before, Xiaomi is only offering the Mi Band ($14.99), a 5000 mAh power bank ($9.99), a 10500 mAh power bank ($13.99) and a high-end headphone set ($79.99). The only difference is that quantities should be less restricted, and likely Xiaomi will add several other accessories in the weeks and months to come.
Of course what most of us are really waiting for are their phones and tablets. We imagine patents relating to software and hardware design are at least part of what’s holding back this expansion, but then there’s also considerations like the need for global support centers if they were to bring their phones to new markets, changes in the software to make it more ‘western’ friendly, and the list goes on.
For now we’ll have to be content with this small baby step, knowing that if all goes well, the Mi store’s full launch could just be the beginning of bigger things for the company in the U.S. and Europe. If Xiaomi did bring its phones and tablets to your market, would you consider making a purchase?
13 best new Android apps and games from May of 2015
We’re reaching the end of May and a lot of exciting things are about to happen, including Google I/O which usually brings about a lot of big Android things. We’re heading into the lull of summer but there were still some amazing apps and games released this month. Let’s take a look at the best Android apps and games from May of 2015.
Bleep
[Price: Free]
Bleep is a free messaging service from, believe it or not, BitTorrent. The premise of the app is very simple, it stores all of the encryption keys and messages on your device instead of the cloud. This helps prevent hackers from intercepting and decoding your messages and gives you a very secure, private way of messaging other people. The interface is also pretty nice.
Broken Age
[Price: $9.99]
Broken Age is a game from Double Fine Productions that has you playing the stories of two teenagers and you can switch between their stories at will. The game includes gorgeous hand-drawn graphics and an all-star cast of voice actors including Elijah Wood, Jack Black, and many others. It’s a bit expensive at $9.99 but there are no in-app purchases and it’s a good looking game.
Chrome Dev
[Price: Free]
Chrome Dev is the developer channel release of the Google Chrome Browser. This is very popular with the tech nerd community because it gives you a glimpse of the latest features that could be coming to Google Chrome. If you like living on the bleeding edge of development, this app is for you but do beware that there will be bugs because this is essentially the Chrome Browser test bed.
GoatZ
[Price: $4.99]
GoatZ is a parody of the popular DayZ game that is based on the popular Goat Simulator game. You play as a goat as you take out zombies, get hit by cars, and cause other, goat-related mayhem. The graphics are good and the game is buggy but it’s kind of meant to be. It’s pretty funny and there’s a lot to do. There are also no in-app purchases and plenty of zombies.
Google I/O 2015
[Price: Free]
This year’s Google I/O is fast approaching and those interested in keeping up will need the official Google I/O app in order to do it. The app is done completely in Material Design and features the ability to live stream sessions, see what’s going on, check events, and engage with the event. Everyone who is going will have this app but it’s still useful for everyone.
Layout from Instagram
[Price: Free]
Layout from Instagram is a new photo manipulation application that allows you to turn your photos into collages. Despite its origins, you don’t actually need an Instagram account to use it and you can post the collages you make almost anywhere. It’s a fun little app for those who like collages and it even comes with a variety of effects. It’s also totally free to use.
Meerkat
[Price: Free]
Meerkat is one of two new streaming applications out this month that allow you to live stream footage from your smartphone camera. Meerkat allows you to stream footage to your Twitter followers straight from your camera. People can only watch it live and video doesn’t get saved afterward. It’s a fun concept that’s already seen some controversy but it’s fun to play with.
MixRadio
[Price: Free]
MixRadio finally released an Android app this last month. The UK-based streaming service is kind of like Pandora in that you can subscribe to stations and listen to music. It also takes the music you listen to and tries to guess what kind of music you might like. It’s good for music discovery and radio-style streaming. It’s also free to use and it has a decent interface.
Periscope
[Price: Free]
Periscope is the other video streaming application that was released this month alongside Meerkat. Unlike Meerkat, Periscope allows for video replaying so people can watch your streams over and over. Otherwise, the concepts are pretty much the same. Both rely on Twitter integration and both stream live from your phone camera. Also like Meerkat, Periscope has already seen some controversy.
Seabeard
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Seabeard is a puzzle adventure game where you walk around, solving puzzles, and beating up bad guys. The graphics and design are reminiscent of a Nintendo game and there is quite a bit of stuff to do. The main premise is to build a trading empire and most missions revolve around that idea. It’s great for kids and adults, is free to play with in-app purchases, and it looks nice.
Snake Rewind
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Snake Rewind is the long awaited spiritual sequel to the hit game Snake that we used to play on the mobile phones of old. The mechanics remain largely untouched and while some may not like the controls, I didn’t think they were that bad. The graphics are decent and the game is free to download. It’s a Snake game through and through and it’s a good burst of nostalgic joy.
SNL Official Apps
[Price: Free]
Saturday Night Live is one of the best sketch comedy shows of all time and they released their official application this last month. Included is the upcoming line up of hosts so you know who is doing what and when. There is also access to archival footage from years past so you can relive the hilarity over and over again. It’ll even eventually recommend sketches the app thinks you might like.
Sunburn
[Price: $2.99]
Last up this month is Sunburn, a new game out of Noodlecake Studios. This retro style game has you exploring the harshness of space as you attempt to save your crew mates after a space ship wreck. You have to find them all without dying and without running out of oxygen. In includes 50 levels and Google Play Games services. It’s a fun little game and there are no in-app purchases.
Wrap up
If we missed any great new Android apps and games from this last month, let us know in the comments! If you want to stay up to date on the latest and greatest Android apps and games news, don’t forget to subscribe to our app-centric newsletter using the button below!
To see our complete list of Android apps and games lists, click here!
iOS 9 to Gain New ‘Proactive’ Lifestyle Management Feature With Augmented Reality Maps
Apple’s Siri and search features may expand significantly in iOS 9, letting Apple better compete with Google’s feature rich voice-based search component, Google Now. As detailed in a lengthy report from 9to5Mac, Apple is said to be working on an iOS initiative called “Proactive,” integrating features like Siri, Maps, Contacts, Calendar, Passbook, and third-party apps into an expanded Spotlight search.
Proactive will reportedly function as a search feature that’s built deeply into iOS, replacing the existing Spotlight search menu (shown to the right). It may be accessed either from the top of the screen home screen as Spotlight is, or from the left of the home screen. Taking advantage of several Apple acquisitions like Spotsetter and Cue, Proactive is positioned as a lifestyle management tool.
Proactive is said to include a dedicated search bar much like Spotlight, so the design will be instantly familiar to iOS users, and it will continue to allow searches for email content, apps, music, and more. Below the search bar, a new user interface will display unique content from apps, Contacts, and Maps, providing easily accessible information to help iOS users navigate through their daily activities.
For example, if a user has a flight listed in her Calendar application and a boarding pass stored in Passbook, a bubble within the new Proactive screen will appear around flight time to provide quick access to the boarding pass. If a user has a calendar appointment coming up, a map view could appear with an estimated arrival time, directions, and a time to leave indicator based on traffic. Proactive will also be able to trigger push notifications to help the user avoid missing calendar events. Even with these new notifications, however, the existing Notification Center apparently isn’t likely to see major changes.
Proactive is able to integrate with third-party apps as well, and it will learn which apps to display based on usage habits. Someone who checks their email right after waking up might have the email app displayed on the screen for quick access, while someone who makes a phone call at a regular time might see the Phone app pop up. Around dinner time, the feature may display restaurant suggestions and ratings for nearby eateries.
Maps will be an important part of Proactive, helping people navigate through their days with quick access to routes and information on the places they need to be. Maps is said to be gaining transit routing features in iOS 9, and it may also be updated with a revamped in-house Points of Interest system that includes an augmented reality view for local listings and a feature called “Browse Around Me.”
With the augmented reality feature, which may or may not be ready for iOS 9, a user will potentially be able to hold up an iPhone, point it at a location on the street, and see information about the location. Pointed at a restaurant, Maps might display a menu. Pointed at a street, Maps would show the businesses located there with a virtual outline of each store. “Browse Around Me,” meanwhile, is a simpler feature that may show all local points of interest on an overhead map.
Apple’s upcoming Proactive feature will integrate with third-party apps, and in iOS 9, developers may be able to access a limited Siri API called “Breadcrumbs.” This feature will let Proactive and Siri index apps, but full Siri access will not be permitted due to privacy concerns.
Today’s report warns that the above mentioned features might not make it into iOS 9, or that the features listed above could be introduced as scaled-down enhancements that will improve over time.
Chevrolet Bringing CarPlay and Android Auto to 14 New 2016 Models Later This Year
General Motors and its Chevrolet brand are announcing today expansive plans to bring support for both CarPlay and Android Auto to fourteen vehicle models for the 2016 model year, a move that will mark a significant step forward for the availability of enhanced in-car smartphone experiences. The first Chevy vehicles with CarPlay support will be the Tahoe, Suburban, and Volt, all of which are scheduled to enter production in July, with the remainder of the CarPlay lineup rolling out as the new models launch in subsequent months.
GM chief infotainment officer Phil Abram introducing CarPlay and Android Auto support for Chevrolet
MacRumors attended a media event with Chevrolet marketing director Steve Majoros and GM chief infotainment officer Phil Abram yesterday where the company discussed its commitment to giving customers the flexibility to use both iPhones and Android phones responsibly while in the car and its desire to make a splash with a broad set of models that represented over half of Chevrolet’s global sales in 2014.
For the 2016 model year, Chevrolet will offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility in more models than any automotive brand. The 14 Chevrolet models include the all-new 2016 Cruze, which will debut on June 24. Cruze is Chevrolet’s best-selling passenger car, with more than 3 million sold since launch.
Among the 14 models, CarPlay and Android Auto will be supported on all vehicles with 7-inch or 8-inch MyLink screens, which will include most trim lines. CarPlay support will be available as all of these new models hit the dealerships, while Android Auto support will initially be limited to those with 7-inch screens while 8-inch screen support is planned for later in the model year.
Supported 2016 Vehicles
– 7-inch Screens: Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Camaro, Camaro Convertible, Silverado, Silverado HD
– 8-inch Screens: Cruze, Malibu, Impala, Volt, Camaro, Camaro Convertible, Corvette, Corvette Convertible, Colorado, Silverado, Silverado HD, Tahoe, Suburban
Staff from Apple and Chevrolet were on hand at the event to answer questions about CarPlay integration, with Apple staff emphasizing the company’s desire to make CarPlay available to as many users as possible by opening up the specification to all interested auto manufacturers. Apple also believes it is key for CarPlay to integrate with automakers’ own in-dash systems rather than pushing for something like an dash-mounted iPad, giving the car companies flexibility to leverage CarPlay as they see it best fitting with their systems.
“For most of us, our smartphones are essential,” said Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors. “Partnering with Apple and Google to offer CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility across the widest range of models in the industry is a great example of how Chevrolet continues to democratize technology that’s important to our customers.”
Apple’s representatives also highlighted the company’s early focus on support for third-party audio apps due to the clear demand for such functionality in the car. The company may open up APIs for other functionalities to let additional third-party apps gain CarPlay support in the future, but Apple is being conservative considering the duty it and the automakers have to minimizing driver distraction.
With the recent addition of the Apple Watch, Apple also highlighted the way the watch and CarPlay can work together through the linked iPhone to minimize driver distractions, such as with fewer notifications being passed to the Apple Watch and less mapping information available on the wrist when the user’s iPhone is in CarPlay mode. With some information already being made available through the dashboard, there is less need for it to appear on the Apple Watch, and with everything being linked through
We asked Apple and GM about the potential for wireless CarPlay support, which became available as part of iOS 8.3 last month, but the companies had no announcements to make on that front. Chevrolet’s initial CarPlay support will require the user’s iPhone to be connected via a Lightning cable, but that will likely change in the years to come as future models gain Wi-Fi support for their in-dash systems.
Chevrolet was one of the first brands to offer support for Siri Eyes Free mode in select vehicles, and has been one of the more highly visible CarPlay partners as Apple and auto manufacturers have demoed the technology over the past year. Earlier this year, the 2016 Volt was spotted carrying CarPlay support on the floor at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Announced over a year ago, CarPlay has taken a fair bit of time to come to market given vehicle development cycles and other factors, although a host of car manufacturers have committed to supporting the technology. Ferrari was the first to bring CarPlay-compatible systems to market late last year, followed quickly by aftermarket solutions from Pioneer and Alpine. Apple CEO Tim Cook noted at the company’s “Spring Forward” event in early March that there will be over 40 car models offering CarPlay support by the end of this year.
AIVAnet 