Google Clock app finds its way to the Play Store for Android 4.4+ devices
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Google has pulled the stock Clock app from stock Android and made it available in the Play Store today for everyone on Android 4.4+. This isn’t HUGE EARTH SHATTERING news, but for those who like stock Google apps on their devices will likely be happy to see it. Plus it gives Google the ability to update the app with new functions and features without having to roll out a whole software update OTA to do it. Like other standard clock apps you get Alarms, Timers, Stopwatch and can check to see what time it is anywhere in the world.
For many Motorola users, this will be an update tot he current clock on your device as it is the stock Android clock already, much like the stock clock on all Nexus devices. For Samsung, HTC and other users, it is just a different, but with same similar features, clock app as you already have. It gets the job done for me since I have to be up at 6 a.m. 7 days a week and don’t need to set odd ball bi-weekly alarms. I just set reminders for those one offs. If you want to get it on your device then hit up the Play Store link below.
Google Clock in the Play Store
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DASH A Bluetooth Soundbar Speaker
Do you find yourself doing the Goldilocks bit when choosing a Bluetooth speaker? “This one is too big but I like the sound quality and this one is small enough but sounds like an old man who smoked a pack a day for 50 years.” Well, you’re in luck. The DASH A Bluetooth Soundbar Speaker may be just right for you.
Ultra-thin but with a powerful sound and long-lasting battery life, this portable Bluetooth speaker is easy to bring along to any occasion. Boasting 10-hours of playback time and rare-earth neodymium drivers, the world’s flattest Bluetooth speaker is more than just a gimmick. At just $99 for smashing sound, the Dash A is worth adding to your audio repertoire.
See more at deals.androidguys.com
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Huawei Honor 7 makes appearance in new video
Huawei is going over the top to promote its new upcoming flagship the Huawei Honor 7. We have seen a number of leaks in the past few weeks speaking of the all metal Honor 7.
Huawei has already confirmed the Honor 7’s release date last week through a post on their official Weibo account. Also, it confirmed the presence of a fingerprint sensor for the same.
Now, in a new promo stunt, Huawei has uploaded a new teaser video for the Huawei Honor 7 which gives a glimpse of the actual device. The 15 second teaser briefly shows the device being used and hints at the all metal body.
http://player.youku.com/embed/XMTI2MzE5MzA3Mg==
Design wise the Honor 7 looks to be similar to the Huawei P8 which was released back in April. The device looks to be slim and beautiful with a very thin bezel, and also it looks very sturdy. The Honor 7 in the video matches the images on TENAA and supports that design.
Going over the specs quickly, the Honor 7 is reported to feature a 5-inch Full HD display, with 3 or 4GB RAM, and 16 or 64GB storage powered by a Kirin 935 chip octa-core 64-bit chipset fueled by a 3,280 mAh battery. It will also feature a 13MP camera with OIS.
This surely looks to be first of the many teasers to come until June 30 arrives. Check out the video below, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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Apple Watch 2 Said to Feature FaceTime Camera, Expanded Wi-Fi Capabilities and New Models
Apple is planning a second-generation Apple Watch with new features including a front-facing FaceTime video camera, expanded Wi-Fi capabilities and possibly additional models based on new materials, according to 9to5Mac. The report claims the so-called “Apple Watch 2″ is likely to be introduced in 2016 following the release of WatchOS 2 and native Apple Watch apps in the fall.
The new FaceTime camera will reportedly be built into the Apple Watch’s top bezel and enable users to make and receive FaceTime calls on their wrists. Apple previously announced at WWDC that WatchOS 2 will have a new FaceTime Audio feature for Wi-Fi-based calling, and the new software also enables Apple Watch users to answer or reject FaceTime video calls through a paired iPhone.
A new Wi-Fi chip inside the Apple Watch 2 will expand the wrist-worn device’s iPhone-free Wi-Fi capabilities for basic tasks, possibly including text messaging, emailing and up-to-date weather data. The new wireless chipset will also enable Find my Watch for tracking a lost, stolen or misplaced Apple Watch using Wi-Fi router triangulation technology as opposed to GPS.
Despite gaining several new features, the Apple Watch 2 will likely have similar battery life as the original model. The report claims that Apple has conducted market research and determined that, despite early concerns, most customers are satisfied with their Apple Watch’s battery life, allowing Apple engineers to focus their efforts on other areas besides battery improvements.
Apple is also said to be exploring different Apple Watch variations beyond the Sport, Watch and Edition models currently available, in an effort to attract customers at price points between $1,000 and $10,000. The report claims it is possible, but not certain, that Apple may release new Apple Watch models based on metals such as titanium, tungsten, palladium or platinum.
Astronomers find evidence of oldest stars in ancient galaxy
For the longest time, Population III stars, which formed in the very early years of the universe, were nothing but a theory. Now, some astronomers led by David Sobral from the University of Lisbon in Portugal believe they’ve found evidence of these ancient, massive celestial bodies within an extremely bright (and old) galaxy. The team used ESO’s Very Large Telescope, along with the Hubble Telescope and Japan’s Subaru Telescope in Hawaii, to peer into an old part of the universe. There, they discovered several distant but luminous galaxies, including Cosmos Redshift 7 or CR7, which formed merely 800 million years after the Big Bang.
It just so happened that a couple of VLT instruments detected strong ionized helium emitting from within CR7, suggesting the presence of not one, but a cluster of stars. However, they didn’t find any heavy elements that ordinary stars have in abundance, such as oxygen, nitrogen, carbon and iron. Since those heavy elements are products of a star’s life cycle, scientists believe they won’t be found in the first ones that ever formed. That means the clusters in CR7 are most likely Population IIIs.
Population IIIs are hard to find, because these objects thousands of times bigger than our sun only live for a couple of million years — a blink of an eye when it comes to stellar objects — before they explode. In fact, the astronomers didn’t even expect to find them when they started the survey. “The discovery challenged our expectations from the start,” Sobral said, “as we didn’t expect to find such a bright galaxy. Then, by unveiling the nature of CR7 piece by piece, we understood that not only had we found by far the most luminous distant galaxy, but also started to realize that it had every single characteristic expected of Population III stars. Those stars were the ones that formed the first heavy atoms that ultimately allowed us to be here. It doesn’t really get any more exciting than this.”
[Image credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser]
Filed under: Science
Via: The Washington Post
Source: ESO
Tesla settles legal dispute to put its Superchargers on UK motorways
One of the perks of being a Tesla EV owner is having access to the company’s Supercharger free refueling stations. Knowing a widespread network of Supercharger sites will be key to getting British bums in leather seats, Tesla said late last year that within six months, you’d be able to drive the length of the UK on complimentary juice. While that may already be theoretically possible if you fancy chancing the journey from Leeds to Edinburgh on a single charge, we haven’t heard a peep out of Tesla since January, when it declared 20 Supercharger sites were now live. Expansion is back on the agenda, though, with Tesla announcing fresh plans to build seven Supercharger banks at motorway service stations “to enable routes to the West of Scotland and Eastern England.” These will join the 22 currently operating sites, with more additions to the network due to be revealed soon.
You may’ve noticed Tesla’s announcement is a little on the vague side. That’s because the timing of the news is almost as interesting as the plans themselves. It comes right at the conclusion of a drawn-out legal dispute between Tesla and green energy supplier Ecotricity; one that’s hampered the former’s Supercharger network expansion. And perhaps Ecotricity’s, too, since it’s also just announced new chargers being installed and Land’s End and John O’ Groats. As the story goes, Tesla approached Ecotricity prior to the launch of the right-hand drive Model S in the UK. With Ecotricity’s experience running over 150 brand-agnostic EV charging stations across the UK, it was the perfect partner to help plan and construct Tesla’s Supercharger network.
Ecotricity introduced Tesla to several of its partners and went about laying the groundwork for the UK’s first Supercharger sites. However, the relationship soon turned sour. Last May, Ecotricity filed a High Court injunction against Tesla for allegedly trying to strike its own deals with potential landlords, cutting Ecotricity out of the proceedings and breaking all manner of confidentiality agreements as a result. Tesla is also said to have emailed Ecotricity and revealed its plan to defame the company and encourage its partners break off existing agreements. Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity, defined Tesla’s actions a “smash and grab raid” on his company’s intellectual property, while Tesla’s Elon Musk said Vince’s “outrageous demands” led to the breakdown of the partnership.
The legal squabble intensified with Tesla countersuing Ecotricity for allegedly using its dominant position in the market and exclusivity agreements with motorway sites to arrest the development of Tesla’s Supercharger network. Then, in March this year, the overseeing court asked for additional documentation from both parties to move the case along. Unfortunately, we don’t have any dramatic closing statements to report, because rather anticlimactically, Ecotricity and Tesla reached an out-of-court settlement this week.
We can’t speculate on what went on behind closed doors, since the terms of the settlement are confidential and neither company is willing to elaborate any further. But, Tesla appears to have got what it wanted one way or another, as key to the latest Supercharger expansion news is where they’ll be installed: at motorway service stations. Or, in other words, the important strategic locations Tesla accused Ecotricity of monopolising through exclusivity agreements. Now the legal scuffle is over, though, both companies appear to have turned their attentions back to, ironically, a common goal: building expansive charging networks through the UK, and driving EV adoption in the process.
Filed under: Transportation
Source: Tesla, Ecotricity
Ricoh’s big-sensor compact gets more social with NFC and WiFi
Ricoh has just revealed a new version of its GR compact camera, and though it’s largely unchanged, why mess with a good thing? The GR II still has the same big 16.2-megapixel APS-C sensor, a fast f/2.8 28mm (35mm equivalent) fixed lens, built-in flash, 1080p video and 0.2 second autofocus speeds, all squeezed into a compact retro body. While that makes it an ideal grab-and-go street shooter, the last model unfortunately lacked any wireless functions to let you share those images. Luckily, Ricoh has finally rectified that.
You can now pair it quickly with your smartphone via NFC, then transfer files over WiFi, thanks to a new module in the top hump. The GR II also has a remote function so that you can frame up shots and fire the shutter with your phone or tablet. Other tweaks include a touch faster 1/2,500th shutter speed, autofocus that works in movie mode and 17 new Instagram-like effects. We’re not sure if the sparse range of new features is enough to convince you to pay a steep $800, but if you need a pocket-sized APS-C camera, you won’t find one for much less than that.
Filed under: Cameras
AlphaBetty Saga brings epic word-play to Android (review)
The Saga continues as the mobile game company that gave you such titles as Candy Crush, Farm Heroes, Pet Rescue and more is now offering a great new word game. AlphaBetty Saga ais a new engaging word-based title to their addictive gaming franchise and is now available for download in the Google Play Store.
“AlphaBetty Saga sets players off on a bold new quest as Betty, a young mouse living in the 1930s, along with some pals her grandfather, Professor Alpha, and his loyal assistant, Barney, to discover lost words to complete the “Encyclopedia of Everything”.
AlphaBetty is colorful and vibrant with a non-linear game-play. If I had to put it into words I’d describe it as a word find game concocted with a hint of Candy Crush. A word of caution (hehe I made a pun) to word-finder enthusiasts, AlphaBetty is NOT your “A” typical crossword puzzle. You have to be strategic, words can be connected adjacently including up, down and some of the words are utter nonsense. I am curious to know the definition of many of the 3 letter words that you get credit for connecting.
| Game Modes | |
|---|---|
| Scoring: | Simply create words and achieve the target score |
| Cheese Falls: | Bring cheese chunks down to the bottom of the game board to collect them |
| Bubble Pop: | Include a letter inside a bubble in a word to make it pop |
| Word Frenzy: | Create and collect the target number of words containing the target number of letters |
| Cheddar Spreader: | Spread the cheese under multiple tiles on the board |
To play Professor Alpha you will call on players to help him complete the legendary book. You are tasked with connecting adjacent letters to create words, score points and ultimately advance through a world very much like our own except for one small detail it’s inhabited by mice and much of it is made of cheese!
The game starts off simple, having you easily soaring through levels linking together 3-4 letter words. You’ll gain positive visual and audible feedback through green highlights, stars, and school-like grade school sticker text.
The game doesn’t stay simple though. You will begin staring at the beautiful word puzzle, debating should whether to search or tap the shuffle button at the bottom that will mix up the words giving them a fresh location on the board. In each level, you’re only allocated so many moves; once you surpass that be ready to reset or splash some cash.
The game is free but is equipped with in app-purchase ranging from $0.99- $59 that allow you to gain extra lives or moves.
In AlphaBetty Saga you will travel from London, Egypt, New York and more than 140 levels creating words.
AlphaBetty Saga is not game changing but does an excellent job at blending two different classic game styles cohesively together. This might be expected from the developers at King, the makers of Candy Crush Saga. I found the game to be ultra addictive, visually stimulating, and occasionally frustrating.
The only complaint that I have is at times I feel as if I am being timed when a green illuminated 3 letter hint pops up. If this game is meant to be a strategic puzzle game let me scan my board and make moves at my comfort level. I looked over the limited settings options and realized there is no way to eliminate the distracting hints.
To spell it out, if you enjoy strategy games that you can pick up and grab as needed and once you pick it up you can get immersed in game-play for hours. If spelling is your Kryptonite and you get easily frustrated looking at a word-search, you’re better off trying some of King’s other Saga titles.
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Nest announces several new products for your home
Ever since Google acquired Nest last year, there have been lot of developments taking place in the company. Earlier today at a press conference in San Francisco, Founder/CEO, Tony Fadell along with the rest of the product team have unveiled a revamped new product line for home security.
The new announcements include the new Nest Cam, 2nd generation Nest Protect, added features in the Nest Learning Thermostat and a brand new 5.0 companion application.
Nest Cam
The new Nest Cam is perfect for your home security needs. With clear 1080p high definition video and sound you can always be sure that your nothing will go unseen. It claims to offer motion detection and remote feed options that will make sure that you can monitor you home from anywhere and be at peace that your home is safe at all times be it night or day.
Nest Protect
The new Nest Protect is an industrial grade smoke sensor which stays connected with your phone all the time. Its a talking smoke alarm that informs you about any smoke emergencies. And a smart one at that, so that you can know in which room the smoke’s been coming from.
Nest Learning Thermostat
The Nest Thermostat with improved learning features. You don’t even have to program it, it learns automatically while you use it. And with all these products you can access it from anywhere via your mobile app. The improved power saving features will keep your costs down even when you are away from home.
And finally, the companion, One Home One app which links all these devices together so you can control them from one single app right from your mobile phone.
All of these new products really look promising and open up a new world of technology for home security and safety.
The company is also partnering with some home insurance companies and offering certain discounts to eligible customers for Nest Protect.
What do you think about these new products? How excited are you to install them in your home? Let us know in the comments below.
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Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 coming to Canada on June 30
The Idol 3, which we reviewed last month, will be available in a new market later this month. On June 30, Alcatel OneTouch will begin selling its flagship phone in Canada. The carriers in Canada offering the Idol 3 to customers on that date are Bell, TELUS, and Videotron. Pricing from any of those carriers has yet to be provided.
Hit the break for the full press release.
ALCATEL ONETOUCH ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF THE AWARD-WINNING IDOL 3 FOR CANADA BEGINNING JUNE 30
IDOL 3 5.5-inch smartphone will be available in Canada both in-store and online at Bell, TELUS and Videotron beginning on June 30, 2015
IRVINE, Calif. – June 18, 2015 – ALCATEL ONETOUCH – the fifth largest smartphone manufacturer in North America* – has announced the Canadian availability of the award-winning IDOL 3 at Bell, TELUS and Videotron as of June 30. Winner of the Android Authority Editors’ Choice and Mashable Choice awards, among others, the IDOL 3 was one of the big surprises at this year’s Mobile World Congress; challenging the convention of an affordable flagship smartphone.
“IDOL 3 is changing customer expectations by redefining the flagship smartphone experience,” said Steve Cistulli, Senior Vice President & General Manager of North America for ALCATEL ONETOUCH. “With IDOL 3, we’ve partnered with top brands like Qualcomm, JBL and Technicolor to deliver the best in class experience for our customers at a price that’s considerably less than other flagship smartphones in the market. Others try to justify outrageous prices for their top devices and we’re out to show our customers they can get a device with the high-end features they want, at a price that won’t empty their wallet.”
Offering dual-front facing speakers featuring JBL Audio, a 5.5-inch Full-HD display with technicolor enhance technology and a 2910mAh battery to power through a full days use, the IDOL 3 offers consumers the best experience for their money. The IDOL 3 also comes packed with other unique features, such as a fully reversible user interface that makes the screen adaptive to be right side up even if the phone itself is upside down. You’ll never miss any of life’s moment either, thanks to IDOL 3’s 13MP main camera and 8MP wide-angle front camera. IDOL 3 is also the first smartphone in North America to include the innovative security feature Eye-D – a biometric technology that uses eye print verification for secure authentication to unlock a user’s device with a simple selfie.
IDOL 3 is the first globally released flagship from ALCATEL ONETOUCH and is the latest in the company’s award-winning IDOL line of smartphones, known for combining the best of high-end design and features; following last year’s IDOL X+ and IDOL 2S.
IDOL 3 Key Features:
DISPLAY 5.5-inch Full-HD IPS Display (1920×1080), with Technicolor Color Enhance for greater viewing angles – even in direct sunlight + Fully Reversible UI PROCESSOR Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 615 MSM8939 Octa-Core 1.7GHz (64-bit),Adreno 405 @ 550MHz CONNECTIVITY LTE FDD: B2/4/5/7/12/17, 150Mbps Downlink, 50Mbps Uplink + VoLTE OPERATING SYSTEM Android Lollipop 5.0.2 CAMERA 13MP Main Camera + 8MP Wide-Angle Front Camera SOUND Dual 1.2 Watt Front-Facing JBL Stereo Speakers MEMORY 16GB ROM + 2GB RAM (LP-DDR3); Expandable Memory Via MicroSD (up to 128GB) BATTERY 2910mAh With Up To 13 Hours Talk Time and Up to 600 Hours Standby Time To learn more about the IDOL 3, please visit www.alcatelonetouch.ca.
*Strategy Analytics – North America Smartphone Vendor & OS Market Share by Country: Q1 2015
About ALCATEL ONETOUCH
ALCATEL ONETOUCH is a brand within TCL Communication, an international multicultural company which designs, develops, and markets globally a growing range of mobile and Internet devices. TCL Communication is a public company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (2618.HK) and part of TCL Corporation one of the largest consumer electronics companies in the world.
Come comment on this article: Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 coming to Canada on June 30
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