LG and Huawei rumored with Nexus smartphones for 2015
It has been back and forth, but it may finally be set who is making the next Google Nexus device… or Nexus devices. Rumors are still swirling around and this time more than ever. Rumor has it there will be a 5.2 inch LG made Nexus and a 5.7 inch Huawei Nexus. The new information has the LG device code named Angler and the Huawei made device code named Bullhead. Fish aliases have always been a Google staple, that is why we think this latest stream of info is worth the time.
The LG Angler will feature a 5.2 inch display, most likely QHD being backed by a Snapdragon 808 processor and a 2,700 mAh battery. LG was quite pleased with the performance of the Snapdragon 808 on their flagship, the G4, so it’s understandable that they would lean this way for a Google device. It seems that the Nexus (2015) that everyone is beggine for will indeed be a reality.
The Huawei Bullhead will sport a 5.7 inch QHD display panel, backed by a massive 3.500 mAh battery. Current plans have Bullhead being powered by the Snapdragon 810 processor, which may or may not change. It all depends on if they can tune it to not overheat without throttling performance. Bullhead is essentially the successor to Nexus 6 and will keep Google in the phablet game.
Both devices are expected to be announced in October, which has become a norm for Google. That means it would most likely be a late October or early November release for the majority of the world. Prices are unknown, but it is assumed the LG Angler will be in the $400 price range whereas the Huawei Bullhead will be around $600.
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Twitter’s Periscope, live video streaming app is now available on Google Play
Twitter finally released its Android version of Periscope on Google Play. Periscope is Twitter’s response to Meerkat, which allows users to stream live video for others to login to watch. There were multiple reports of Periscope and Meerkat users who streamed the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight to thousands of users, so they could avoid the 100 dollar pay-per-view charge.
In order to take advantage of live streaming video through the Periscope app, users will need a device running Android 4.4 kit Kat at a minimum.
Download periscope here.
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LG and Huawei are reportedly making Google’s Nexus phones this year
If you were disappointed that your only choice for a new, official Google phone last year was the gargantuan Nexus 6, you’ll be glad to hear that 2015 could be very different. Android Police sources have elaborated on previous rumors with word that both LG and Huawei are working on Nexus handsets this year. The LG device, nicknamed Angler, would have a 5.2-inch screen and might borrow the G4’s six-core Snapdragon 808 processor — effectively, it’d be a modernized Nexus 5. Huawei’s phone, Bullhead, would pack a bigger 5.7-inch display and could step up to a Snapdragon 810 chip. Think of it as a not-so-ungainly Nexus 6.
Some of the specs of both devices are up in the air, so it’s not clear just how sophisticated they’ll be. They should show up around the typical Nexus release window for October, however, which suggests that they’ll both be poster children for Android M. Just don’t expect a new tablet. AP‘s tipsters don’t believe there’s a revised Nexus slate in the works, which could leave the Nexus 9 soldiering on for another year.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google, LG
Source: Android Police
Here’s how Apple’s Force Touch might work on the next iPhone
We’ve been hearing for months that Apple’s upcoming iPhone models will be force-sensitive, just like the Apple Watch and its newer MacBook trackpads. Now we have an idea of how the company’s “Force Touch” technology — which enables pressure sensitivity and haptic feedback — could work on future iPhones, courtesy of 9to5Mac. Sources say that it could be used to replace instances where you typically hold down your finger on the screen, for example, to highlight or paste text. Force Touch on iPhones will also resemble the way the technology is used on new MacBooks: You can press down on the display to drop new location pins in Apple Maps, or use pressure sensitive scrolling in media players. Not surprisingly, 9to5Mac notes that Apple has built in support for iPhone Force Touch on iOS 9, and it’s also working with developers to integrate it into their apps. The technology could also make its way into Apple’s next round of iPads, based on references in iOS 9.
Don’t expect any big changes for the next iPhone models, which will likely end up being called the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. Sources say that the smaller model looks pretty much like an iPhone 6. Apple likely won’t discuss the Force Touch features at WWDC next month, since its new iPhones probably won’t be announced until the fall.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple
Source: 9to5Mac
Researchers use an app to predict GPA based on smartphone use
What a person does on their phone call tell you a lot about them — including their GPA. Researchers from Dartmouth College and the University of Texas at Austin have developed an app that tracks smartphone activity to compute a grade point average that’s within 0.17 of a point. The software is called smartGPA and using it alongside “periodic self reports” keeps tabs on how hard a student is studying and partying — on top of physical activity, sleep, attendance and social interactions. Members of the research team were also responsible for the StudentLife app that kept up with mental health and its effect on grades, and this goes a step further by taking into account a broader picture of daily life. “We show that there are a number of important behavioral factors automatically inferred from smartphones that significantly correlate with term and cumulative GPA,” the study explains. Installing the app, which is built with cloud and machine learning algorithms, monitored a group of undergrads 24 hours a day for 10 weeks.
The findings weren’t too shocking: higher performing students studied more as the term progressed, kept social interactions short in the evenings and experienced the most stress during midterms. However, by leveraging tech that keeps tabs on a student’s habits, the team says its findings “open the way for novel interventions to improve academic performance.” For example, an app that allows a student to check on their behavior to see if it leads to the desired GPA. If not, it’ll provide advice on how to get things back on track. Perhaps that’s a bit further down the road, but now that we track track fitness and more on a phone, why not academic performance?
[Image credit: Scott Eells/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Source: Dartmouth (PDF)
iOS 9 to Feature Force Touch With Haptic Feedback, New Keyboard and Group Read Receipts
Following a recent report suggesting that iOS 9 could feature “Rootless” security, “Trusted Wi-Fi” and support for legacy A5-based devices, today 9to5Mac reiterated on a few smaller-scale improvements to Apple’s next major software version that could have a big impact on the overall experience for iPhone and iPad users.
The next-generation iPhone will feature some form of Force Touch as one of the biggest new additions to the hardware, a rumor that has been circulating since the beginning of the year and only gaining forward momentum. The report today, however, specifically mentions that Apple has designed iOS 9 “to be Force Touch-ready” and is already hard at work with developers to integrate the technology into various apps.
Since Apple’s work on Force Touch runs the gamut of iOS devices, there’s also a possibility of updated Force Touch displays on new iPad models sometime this year. All iOS versions of Force Touch are also expected to provide the real-time haptic feedback buzz similar to that of the Apple Watch to provide users a physical response when their deep presses have been noticed. As 9to5Mac points out, however, since any new Force Touch on iOS announcement automatically requires the confirmation of new hardware, any iPhone and iPad support for the feature is unlikely to happen at WWDC.
Next, Apple is rumored to be working on a new keyboard experience for iOS 9, with the company experimenting on multiple designs, like one that is “slightly longer than the current keyboard” and provides users with a more robust suite of editing options while in portrait mode. Also in the works is a more accessible way to access the QuickType keyboard and a redesign to the unpopular Shift Key to provide an easier visual understanding of when shift or caps lock is engaged.
Today’s report also falls in line with previous rumors reporting that Canada will be the first country outside of the United States to support Apple Pay, with the report claiming that iOS 9’s Passbook app includes a “necessary foundation” to support various banks, credit and debit cards, and credit unions within the country. Although Canada is well-prepared for such a service, with many retailers and businesses across the country equipped with the contactless payment terminals needed for Apple Pay, such an expansion outside of the United States has proved difficult for Apple, especially in places like China, so a WWDC announcement yet again seems unlikely.
The final minor update to iOS 9 reported today includes the addition of read receipts to both group chats in iMessage as well as on a per-contact basis. Users will in turn be able to turn on the read receipt functionality for specific recipients while leaving the read status of a message in the dark for other contacts. The company also seems to be considering removing the little-used Game Center app altogether in iOS 9, and minor data points suggest a few additions and updates to the new Health app, as well.
Microsoft bringing digital assistant Cortana to Android and iOS
Microsoft is announcing that Phone Companion will be bringing Cortana to iOS and Android. The Redmond-based company plans on releasing separate apps for each mobile operating system, moving away from the digital assistant’s exclusivity to Microsoft products.
Cortana won’t be available on Android and iOS just yet, as Microsoft is only offering a sneak peak at the new apps today. But, we’ll see an official Android release come late June and an iOS release set for later this year.
Microsoft is attempting to make Cortana as seamless as possible on all mobile operating systems–you should be able to give it the same requests, whether you’re on Android or iOS. However, Microsoft does note that it won’t be nearly as powerful as it is on Windows because of the various integrations. Despite that, you will still be able to get notifications for all of your favorite content–sports, flights, weather, and more.
You can check out the full breakdown in the video below.
Click here to view the embedded video.
It’ll be interesting to see what Google brings to I/O this year in terms of Google Now, as this is a big shift from Microsoft. The real problem company’s are going to face is getting people to actively use these digital assistants. As of right now, people outside of the tech crowd aren’t “sold” that they need a digital assistant.
What do you think of Microsoft making Cortana cross-platform? It’s certainly one of the better moves Microsoft has made for its software. Let us know in the comments.
source: Windows Blog
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Get the LG G4 from T-Mobile, starting tomorrow
T-Mobile’s LG G4 will be launching through their online store tomorrow, May 26. If you can wait, T-Mobile should have the LG G4 in-stores come June 3. In either option, T-Mobile will be the first carrier in the US to offer the LG G4.
Pre-orders should begin shipping tomorrow, as well. If you’re just looking at getting the device through T-Mobile, you can pick up LG’s new flagship for $0 down, on a $25/mo payment plan for 24 months. There’s always the option of buying it outright for $599, too.
T-Mobile is making buying the LG G4 from them even sweeter, though. Purchasers will receive a free 128GB microSD card, while supplies last. This is a drastic upgrade from the 32GB solution LG is offering to US buyers. Not sure about the LG G4 just yet? Be sure to check out our hands-on video below.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Is anyone picking up the new LG G4 from T-Mobile tomorrow? Let us know in the comments.
source: T-Mobile
Come comment on this article: Get the LG G4 from T-Mobile, starting tomorrow
Samsung patent application describes unique, dual-booting hardware
Samsung has filed a patent application for a new piece of hardware that would provide a dock for a “Phablet” that would then power the larger device in the form of a laptop computer. In the application, Samsung specifically mentions the device might be capable of booting to Android when the phablet is operated standalone, but to a different operating system like Windows 10 when in the companion device. Sources think this may represent a sign that Samsung has strengthened their partnership with Microsoft in an effort to compete against the Apple iPad in the enterprise market.
The device described in the Samsung patent contains several features which could make it appealing to business users. The first most obvious one is the form factor of a laptop giving users access to a built-in keyboard. Depending on how extensively the mobile device supplies computing power, the device may not have its own CPU or hard drive, meaning it could be built with a very thin and light profile.
In the patent application, Samsung notes that it may be possible for the device to display two operating systems at once when docked, with the smart phone displaying Android and the laptop screen displaying a Windows operating system. Samsung also leaves open the possibility that other operating systems could be combined on the device.
When not displaying dual operating systems, Samsung notes the mobile device could be set to operate as a touchpad when docked.
Is anyone going to keep their eyes open and jump on this device if Samsung brings this idea to market?
source: Patently Mobile
Come comment on this article: Samsung patent application describes unique, dual-booting hardware
T-Mobile shipping LG G4 online orders from tomorrow, with free 128GB card for early buyers
There seems to be a growing trend these days with online availability and advance releases. Both the Nexus 6 and the Galaxy S6/Edge were shipped out to those ordering online before their retail availability hit. T-Mobile is continuing this trend with the newly announced (and slightly controversial) LG G4. The latest and greatest smartphone staple from LG will begin its journey to customer’s hands this Wednesday, May 27th, a full week before the official in-store release date of June 3rd.
LG G4
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On top of this early access, there is some extra icing in the form of the Un-carrier’s decision to include a special bonus with the device. As we covered a few days earlier, LG is offering T-Mobile customers some sweet swag, as early adopters will receive a spare battery, a portable charging dock for said extra battery, and a 32GB microSD card via mail after registering their device. The deal is even more delicious, however, for those who order before June 21st will have their 32GB card upgraded to a whopping 128GB. As the press release indicates, said 128GB card needs to be applied for online, and will take 4-6 weeks to arrive just like the other bonus items.
It would seem as if Korean OEMs have become quite interested in offering extra value propositions to early adopters, as Samsung was giving a free Qi Wireless Charging Pad with the Galaxy S6, and last year (in select markets) had given away a free Wallet Case with the Galaxy Note Edge to pre-orders. With respect to the spare battery and charger however, there is some irony to be had, as both are included as standard accessories (free of charge) with LG and Samsung devices in their home market. Still, it never hurts to share the love.
The LG G4 will cost $0 up-front to “well qualified customers” and can be paid off in 24 installments of $24.99 per month. That works out to a retail price of $599.76. The complete press release follows below.
T-Mobile Opens Up Online Sales for LG G4 Tomorrow
128GB SD Card Offer Details: Ltd offer; expires 6/21/15. Subject to change. Participating locations; while supplies last. Card, redeem online by 7/6/15 at www.lgg4t-mobilepromo.com and enter the required information. Allow 4–6 weeks for fulfillment. Limit one (1) 128 GB SD card per person/per household. Sponsor: LG Electronics.
Device pricing for well-qualified customers. LG G4 $0 down + $24.99/mo x 24, Total: $599.76; if you cancel wireless service remaining balance on phone becomes due. 0% APR; O.A.C. Taxes & fees additional; total device tax due at sale.
Qualifying postpaid Simple Choice plan required. Music Freedom; song downloads, video content, and non-music audio content excluded. Operating system and preloaded content use a portion of the internal memory. Wi-Fi Calling: Capable phone & Wi-Fi connection req’d; may decrement plan minutes. Most devices will not transition between Wi-Fi and the wireless network. See your device’s User Manual &T-Mobile.com for service and device details. Data Stash: Unused high-speed data rolls up to 12 months. See T-Mobile.com for service and device details. T-Mobile and the magenta color are registered trademarks of Deutsche Telekom AG. Un-carrier, Music Freedom, and Data Stash are trademarks of T-Mobile USA, Inc. © 2015 T-Mobile USA, Inc.
AIVAnet 