Amazon scores a deal with Marvel to offer comics directly to Kindle devices
A little while ago, one of the only ways to read digital copies of Marvel comics was through comiXology, but Amazon purchased it last year. Now Amazon is offering all the comics (up to 12,000 of them) without needing the comiXology app. The best part is the titles in the Kindle store or on comiXology will be available the same day they come out in brick and mortar stores. Some comics offered are Ultimate Spider-Man, Avengers, and Daredevil.
Peter Phillips, EVP of Interactive and Digital Distribution at Marvel Entertainment, said:
“After Amazon’s acquisition of comiXology in April of 2014, we collectively saw a great opportunity to expand our relationship and create more ways for fans to access Marvel’s vast library of characters as well as leverage comiXology’s technology, together with Amazon’s incredible consumer focus and reach.
Source: Marvel
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Spotify beta updated to v3.1, includes new start page and more
Spotify updated their iOS app to offer many new and improved features, but left their Android app out of luck. Today, they are bringing these new features to Android with its beta app.
Version 3.1 brings new UI changes, and general app fixes. The new “Now” start page which determines music based on the time of day, mood, and personal taste. Another new feature, “Running,” lets you listen to more upbeat music when you go for a run to keep you motivated.
The biggest change is video shows/podcasts from ABC, BBC, Comedy Central, Condé Nast Entertainment, ESPN, Fusion, Maker Studios, NBC, TED, Vice News, TWiT and more. These new features are however limited to Germany, Sweden, the UK, and the US at this time.
Join Spotify’s beta program to test the new features.,
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Asus’ ZenFone 2 now has an unlockable bootloader on the latest firmware version
The Asus ZenFone 2’s bootloader can now be unlocked, which means developers can begin developing custom ROMs for Asus’ most impressive flagship yet. It’ll certainly make the device more appealing to the development community.
There’s just one small hurdle about unlocking the bootloader–you need to be running the latest firmware version for the device. If you’ve got the latest firmware–2.19.40–you should be ready to go. It’s extremely easy to bust through the bootloader. According to XDA Developers, you’ll need root on the ZenFone 2, and then need to run the following ADB commands:
adb shell
su
getprop ro.isn > /factory/asuskey
reboot bootloader
After that, the ZenFone 2 should restart in recovery mode, and the ASUS splash screen will be white, indicating that the bootloader is unlocked. Originally, the splash screen was black, which indicated that the bootloader was still locked up tight.
Hopefully it’s not long before we see CyanogenMod on the device. CyanogenMod paired with the device’s 4GB of RAM will make the ZenFone 2 one hell of a smartphone.
source: XDA
via: Android Police
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Samsung Galaxy J5 and J7 are now official, front-facing flashes in tow
Samsung has just quietly launched two new mid-range smartphones, the Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J7, in China. Both handsets are now available for purchase from Samsung’s website and will be aimed at the younger crowd. Other than sporting the familiar Samsung design language, these two devices have another trick up their sleeves – both feature a front-facing 5MP camera along with an LED flash, also on the front of the device. Now that the selfie craze is in full force, this feature will likely bring a lot of younger users on board.
Aside from that, both devices have a 13MP rear-facing camera with an f/1.9 aperture lens, 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB of on-board storage, a MicroSD card slot, LTE and dual SIM capabilities. Both also run Android 5.1 Lollipop and are available in Black, White and Gold color options. As the name suggests, the J7 is a tad more powerful than the J5, offering up an octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor, a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 720, and a big 3000mAh battery.
The J5 on the other hand comes with a 5.0-inch 720p display, a 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor, and a smaller 2600mAh battery.
The J7 is now available in China for 1,798 CNY (~$289) and the J5 costs 1,398 CNY (~$225). We’re not sure if either phone will be available in markets outside of China, though we’ll let you know if we hear anything.
Sony Xperia Z3+ now available for purchase from Carphone Warehouse for £550
Sony’s recently-announced Xperia Z3+ handset is now available for purchase from Carphone Warehouse. Available unlocked for £549.99, the device is being offered in Black, White and a Carphone Warehouse-exclusive Ice Green color option. For those who’d like to pay monthly on their new device, prices start at £31.99 with an upfront fee of £59.99. Additionally, Carphone Warehouse is also throwing in a pretty nice audio bundle should you buy the phone through them, which includes a pair of Sony headphones, a free three-month subscription to the Tidal music streaming service, and six free high-res albums.
While the Xperia Z3+ is expected to be available through other UK retailers sometime next week, this may be your best bet if you’re looking to pick up the new handset.
If you need a refresher, the Xperia Z3+ features a 5.2-inch 1080p display, a Snapdragon 810 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of on-board storage and MicroSD expansion up to 128GB. With its 20.7MP rear camera, big 2930mAh battery and IP68 certification, this is actually a pretty respectable device. If you’d like some more information on the Z3+, head on over to the Carphone Warehouse website.
Cricket slashes phone prices in summer promo
Cricket Wireless has dropped the price for a number of its smartphones as we get ready to head into the summer season.
“Cricket wants to give customers something to smile about this summer by keeping more cash in their pockets, so we’ve dropped our prices on an array of smartphones“
Starting today you can pick up an Android device from the no-contract carrier for as low as $1. Yes, you can also grab some other stuff, too, like the iPhone 5c or a Nokia Lumia 635.
- Nokia Lumia 635 (LTE) – $0.99*
- ZTE Prelude II (4G) – $0.99*
- HTC Desire 510 (LTE) – $29.99
- ZTE Overture 2 (LTE) – FREE after $50 mail-in rebate Cricket Visa Promotion Card
- Moto E (LTE) – $79.99
- ZTE Grand X (4G) – $99.99
- Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime (LTE) – $129.99
- ZTE Grand X Max + (LTE) – $169.99
- Apple iPhone 5c 32GB (LTE) – $299.99
Note that the $.99 promo price for the Lumia 635 and ZTE Prelude II is limited to retail stores only and will be offered for a short time.
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OnePlus releases OxygenOS 1.01 for One owners with touch screen issues
If you like using OxygenOS on your OnePlus One, but have had to settle with those pesky touchscreen bugs, you’ll be glad to hear that OnePlus isn’t sitting on the issue. They have released v1.01 of OxygenOS, with a patch to straighten out that spazzy touchscreen.
There is a breakdown of the steps to flashing the latest build. If you want to achieve this without messing with your data, they’ve also suggested a migration tool developed with help of folks from Fastboot Mobile and XDA. It allows you to flash from Cyanogen OS 11 or 12 without losing your data. But as these things go, be aware that this tool is in beta.
It’s great to see that OnePlus is on top of these things, and now is a good time to try OxygenOS if it’s been on your mind. Hit up the source link for more detail and the download links.
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ASUS ZenFone 2 bootloader gets unofficially unlocked
For those of us who like tinkering with our devices – you know, rooting, custom ROM’s – then owners of the ASUS ZenFone 2 will be pleased to learn that the bootloader of the device has just been unofficially unlocked, opening up all kinds of fun possibilities.
Unlocking your bootloader allows for the flashing of custom ROM’s and kernels that can really change the look, feel, and performance of your handset. Doing so comes with a risk, and you should exercise caution if you’re not sure what you’re doing and be sure to follow instructions carefully.
With that said, if you want to unlock your ASUS ZenFone 2 bootloader, then check out the XDA Forums.
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HTC One Max Lollipop update starts rolling out in some regions
According to Pocketnow, the HTC One Max is beginning to receive an 760MB update to Lollipop in some European and Asian markets. This is in spite of HTC’s prior decision to get rid of its Lollipop plans, which were leaked in a document.
While the update is scheduled for T3 (the third trimester or Q3), Taiwanese, French, Italian, Polish, and Czech Republican citizens already are receiving and shortly will receive notifications for their One Maxes.
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OnePlus “mad” about OnePlus 2 speculation
In case you haven’t been keeping up with the developments over at OnePlus, they’ve recently acknowledged their upcoming OnePlus 2 and are occasionally giving away pieces of information about it. We’ve heard that the successor will have a Snapdragon 810 SoC, and with that, OnePlus straight up went to defending against the chip’s overheating reputation, stating that their 2.1 version of the chipset won’t have the problem.
Still, there appears to be clamoring over the decision, as OnePlus went on the defense again, displaying a humorous picture of an angry team.
They go on to justify why the top-end 810 is right for the OnePlus 2, strangely discussing the higher cost of the chipset versus the 801 in the argument, which attributes to that the “price of the 2 will certainly be higher than $322.”
“Before jumping to conclusions about the quality of the 2, we ask all of our fans and critics to just wait and see. We’re confident in our products, and we were careful to only choose components that are fit for the successor of the Flagship Killer.“
Do you have bother over the 2 using the Snapdragon 810, or do you think everyone just needs to chill and trust OnePlus?
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