Best Android phones for taking gorgeous photos [June 2015]
As much as we tell ourselves that smartphone cameras aren’t suitable for professional photography, manufacturers seem to be adamant on proving that wrong every year. Manufacturers up the ante with their smartphone cameras, bringing professional grade quality to your fingertips.
HTC Desire EYE
This one gets an honorable mention in our list for packing an insanely large 13MP camera on the front. The back is also accompanied by the same sensor, but with some added software customization. If you’re one for selfies, the Desire EYE has to be an instant choice given the kind of hardware on offer. It also has LED flash paired with both the rear and front-facing cameras, so you can take selfies even in a dimly lit room.
Samsung Galaxy Note 4
It’s no secret that the Galaxy Note 4 from Samsung is an excellent multi-featured device as the company has covered all its bases with this 2014 device. There’s a beautiful Quad HD AMOLED display, plenty of storage and the gorgeous 16-megapixel camera sensor on the back which can take incredible pictures and video.
Samsung has used a dedicated optical image stabilization sensor on the smartphone to provide better images even when you’re slightly rushed. Ultimately, the Galaxy Note 4 is an incredible handset and is well worth a look if you want a high-end phone with a camera to rival the best in the market.
Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge
Currently rated as the best smartphone(s) camera in the world, the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge offers the best experience as far as mobile cameras are concerned.
The exposure level and the autofocus speed have been praised by the experts, which are some of the most crucial aspects of a mobile camera as most of the images are taken in a hurry. Low light images on the handset are very capable too.
Video quality of the handset has received significant praise as well, so the cameras on the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge have scored very good points overall.
LG G4
This might be a bit of a surprise inclusion for many, but from what we’ve seen, the 16-megapixel camera on the LG G4 trumps the competition by a fair margin. In our camera shootout with the Galaxy S6, it was revealed that the sensor on the G4 allows for more manual controls, with the ability to take RAW images by default available as well.
The larger sensor allows for more light to make its way in the images, which is always a good thing, especially in a low light setting. With an aperture size of f/1.8, it is the best mobile camera sensor (at least one paper) to have launched to date.
What do you make of this list? Let us know in the comments.
Come comment on this article: Best Android phones for taking gorgeous photos [June 2015]
Jameis Winston will use VR to prepare for his first season in the NFL
Jameis Winston, the NFL’s top draft pick, will have a number of tools at his disposal as he prepares for his first professional season. According to a report from Fox Sports, virtual reality is on that list. His team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, plans to purchase a VR system to use for quarterback development. Among other things, the tech allows simulations to be rewound and watched as many times as needed to understand how to perfect each play. This isn’t the first time an NFL team dipped its toe in the VR waters. The Dallas Cowboys already implemented a system for QBs that gives them a 360-degree view of the line of scrimmage. Players can get extra practice reading defenses and making pre-snap calls to teammates. Virtual reality also offers backups who generally get less time at practice another opportunity to prep in case they’re needed, and a number of college teams are using it, too. As for Winston and Tampa Bay, the team is meeting with vendors to find the right fit, and more importantly, tech that’s ready to be put through its paces.
[Image credit: Don Juan Moore/Getty Images]
Via: Bleacher Report
Source: Fox Sports
All the news you need to know from the final day of E3 2015
From Day Minus-1 to now, it’s been one of the most exciting E3s in recent memory. No new consoles, but lots of actually exciting sequels, ideas, games and cos-players. As we rub lotion into our lanyard rashes, we present our picks from the last day of madness. We’ll be delivering our final doses of gaming news today from LA, but we’ll all be talking about what was announced this week for at least the next year. Check out everything that game from our LA stint right here. Thanks for following along — now hit it!
Filed under: Gaming
How to Use Your iPhone With HomeKit-Enabled Devices [iOS Blog]
Now that HomeKit-enabled accessories are hitting the market, you may be wondering what you can do with your new connected devices. Whether you are controlling the temperature, turning off lights, or locking the front door, you will be able to use your iPhone to take care of various activities around the house.
If you are away from home, you’ll even be able to use Apple TV (third-generation or newer running Apple TV OS 7.0 or later) to control some functions while away from home. We’ve got a tutorial for getting your HomeKit-enabled accessories ready for use.
Insteon’s app for HomeKit-enabled lights
Download the App
HomeKit is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch running iOS 8.1 or later. When you get your device, be sure to download the compatible app from the App Store and pair your device using the special code that comes with your new HomeKit accessory.
Setup
Once paired, use Siri to take control of your electronics. You can tell the virtual assistant to set the temperature or turn off the lights in the kitchen. There are some commands that will require you to unlock your iPhone before Siri will comply. For example, you won’t be able to unlock your door until you unlock your iPhone.
Some apps allow you to group multiple accessories together, letting them be controlled with a single Siri command. Groupings need to be set up in third-party accessory apps, and the settings may be called “homes, rooms, or scenes.” Third-party apps that offer HomeKit groupings can often incorporate HomeKit devices they’re not even designed to control. Lutron’s app, for example, can also control a Nest thermostat.
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Deal: Pick up a refurbished Verizon Moto X (2nd Gen.) for only $210
If you’re looking for a solid Android smartphone that won’t break the bank, a new promotion on eBay might be exactly what you’re looking for. Right now, you can pick up a refurbished Verizon Motorola Moto X (2nd Gen.) for just $209.99. According to the eBay page, the phone is available in Black, Red and White color options, though the images shown of the devices suggest that this deal includes the standard Black, football leather and bamboo variants. Just be sure to keep that in mind before you place your order.
While the device may or may not come in its original packaging, the term “manufacturer refurbished” isn’t really anything to worry about. It just means that the device has been restored by Motorola itself or a Motorola-approved vendor, so it should work properly. If it doesn’t, however, a 30-day money back guarantee comes with smartphone.
Not only has the 2014 Moto X made our Best Android Phones list, we also told you in our full review that the combination of Motorola’s simplistic, yet functional software, premium build quality and decent specifications make for one heck of a smartphone. And for just over $200, this is a really great deal if you’re looking for something inexpensive.
If you’re interested in checking it out, be sure to head to the link below.
Oppo’s Mirror 5 mid-ranger leaks out ahead of official unveiling
Although Oppo just recently released the Mirror 3 smartphone back in January, it looks like the Chinese manufacturer is already well on its way to releasing a followup device. According to a recent set of leaked press images obtained by the folks over at GSMArena, we may have just gotten our first look at Oppo’s upcoming mid-ranger, the Mirror 5.
As the name suggests, the Mirror 5 will feature a mirrored back panel with a unique diamond pattern. While details are somewhat scarce when it comes to the phone’s specifications, GSMArena says the phone will feature 2GB of RAM, 16GB of on-board storage, a rear-facing camera with Oppo’s Pure Image 2.0+ interface, as well as a 5MP front-facing camera with Beautify 3.0 enhancements. The device will supposedly also run Android 5.1 Lollipop out of the box. As is the case with other Oppo devices, we can expect the Mirror 5 to run Oppo’s custom Color OS software.
Judging from the images attached above, not much really stands out about the phone, aside from the back panel of course. It looks to be a relatively thin device, though the dimensions have yet to be revealed. We can see three capacitive buttons on the front, a single rear-facing speaker and a simple camera module on the top-left of the phone’s backside. Even though the device looks to feature a premium metal aesthetic, judging from other mid-rangers released by the company, the device will probably be made of plastic.
The leak also states that the device will launch in both 3G and LTE variants in 20 different markets by late June or early July, and Taiwan will be the first market to have access to the phone. The report mentions that it should launch sometime relatively soon, so we’ll be sure to keep an eye out for an official release.
‘Minecraft’ meets ‘Grand Theft Auto V’ in space
Imagine: Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors and SpaceX, reclines behind a desk built out of spare rocket ship parts. A gleaming saber rests to his right. Sean Murray, founder of the independent game development studio Hello Games, sits across from him, chatting about Hello’s new title, No Man’s Sky. There’s a break in the conversation and an awkward silence threatens to stretch between the two, but then: “What do you think is the percentage chance that we’re living in a simulation?” Musk asks. Murray hardly has time to answer — he’s running late for an appointment with Steven Spielberg and his communications director is getting antsy. At this rate, they won’t have time to meet up with Kanye.
This is the true story of E3 2015 for Murray and Hello Games. No Man’s Sky claimed stratospheric fame with its announcement video during the 2013 VGX awards and again with a formal reveal during Sony’s E3 2014 press conference. It’s a neon-tinged, 3D, first-person exploration game on a massive, interstellar scale. No Man’s Sky is “infinite,” by all reasonable measures: There are 264 planets to explore, each of which features unique resources, animals, colors and landscapes. The game mimics a real-life clear night sky — each point of light that appears on the screen is a planet or a star, most likely undiscovered by any other player, prime for exploration and mining.
No Man’s Sky is as mind-bogglingly big as the conceivable universe. It seems like an impossible game, one that would take billions of years for a single player to complete. Yet, so far, it fits just fine on a PlayStation 4 and it’s also coming to PC. No Man’s Sky is made possible through the magic of generated content: Everywhere a player goes, the game crafts the universe directly around that character. The second a player leaves an area, it disappears on a processing-power level, though you can of course return to it at any time by walking or flying back that way. It’s a tricky, dense and time-consuming game to develop. “There’s a reason no one is making a game like this,” Murray says.
I got my hands on No Man’s Sky for PS4 yesterday, as part of a private guided tour provided by Murray. For a game so large, innovative and, frankly, unbelievable, it feels oddly familiar. It mimics Minecraft in terms of starting from scratch and mining a planet for resources, building on each new element to craft bigger and better weapons and gadgets. It also includes a “wanted” meter that calls in deadly robotic security forces if you murder any of the native wildlife on any planet – similar to Grand Theft Auto. And, there’s something that Murray equates to a complicated Pokedex, though I like to think of it as a new kind of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: Every creature, element, planet or cool thing that you find gets placed in a grid in your own digital encyclopedia. When you discover new items, you’ll have to upload them to a Beacon to ensure they’re stored for the life of your game, even if you get pummeled to death by an irate, zebra-striped slug creature with four legs and horns.
There’s an excess of things to discover in No Man’s Sky, especially considering it’s not just the game itself that’s gigantic: Each planet is also huge. The worlds are legitimately planet-sized, meaning players can walk for days, weeks, months or years across their surfaces, discovering (and maybe blowing up) new animals, elements and technologies.
For example, I directed my ship toward a swirling red solar system and ended up on a neon green world largely populated by tiny goat-like animals that bayed like whiny, electronic toddlers if I got too close. (The sound effects are procedurally generated too, it’s worth noting.) When I landed, I immediately started walking, vaguely exploring the flora and fauna without paying much attention to landmarks or navigational tools. After roughly two minutes, I had completely, absolutely, without a doubt, lost my ship. I asked Murray how to find it: Press square on the DualShock 4 to send out a golden arc that sweeps over the planet and provides markers on your top-side compass, including the location of your ship. The golden ray also is your exploration tool, picking up and cataloging the animals and elements directly around you.
I hardly scratched the surface of No Man’s Sky during my 10-minute hands-on demo — but even if I play it every day for 80 years, I’ll be able to say the same thing.
Amazon launches Fire OS 5 dev preview, based on Android Lollipop
Amazon is still trucking along with its customized version of Android — though we’d imagine updates are more focused on the company’s Kindle Fire tablets and TV hardware, rather than the disastrous Fire Phone. Developers can get their hands on a preview version of Fire OS 5 today, while the final version is coming later this fall. The new OS finally brings Android Lollipop to the company’s devices, though you likely won’t see many of Google’s interface improvements under Amazon’s skin. The addition of Lollipop should also make Fire OS 5 compatible with more Android apps than before. Amazon’s also updated its online testing service to tell developers if their apps are compatible with the new OS in 90 seconds.
[Photo credit: AP Photo/Reed Saxon]
Filed under: Software, Mobile, Amazon
Source: Amazon
Google further embraces custom Android with standalone clock app
Google released a standalone clock in the Play Store this week. While Mountain View has been keen on serving up pieces of the Nexus experience (read: unskinned Android) for a while now, this latest release provides more evidence that the company is going all-in on a la carte apps. For users of devices other than a Nexus or Moto X — which also offers a nearly bloat-free OS — this means they can take advantage of the core pieces of Android and the larger Google ecosystem. In other words, you can customize a Samsung or HTC device how you see fit. It’s like Google is making what we commonly refer to as “stock” Android another skin, but in separate apps so that users can choose exactly what they want. Since last April, users have been able to install a standalone Camera app built by Google, while Gmail, Maps, Messenger and Calendar have their own individual software, too.
In addition, there’s a standalone Google Now launcher available for download. That piece of software puts the handy card-based virtual assistant a swipe away and brings “OK Google” voice controls to the device of your choosing. Other handset and tablet manufacturers are set on draping Android in a custom cloak, but Google is making sure users have a choice. Don’t like the way the clock looks on your Samsung Galaxy S6? Want easy access to Google Now on that HTC One M9? The idea of these separate add-ons, especially the Google Now launcher, gives you a way to ditch Sense or TouchWiz for Google’s own vision. Mountain View is giving you the means to swap in its Nexus-style tools by releasing key pieces of the operating system through its app store. This also means that the company can update the core experience without having to wait for the next version of Android to push big changes.
Google isn’t limiting itself to Android’s features, either. It’s also breaking it core services up into individual apps. For example, Drive had the tools for editing Docs, Sheets and Slides before Google turned them into separate apps. This gives users direct access to what’s needed to create a spreadsheet or tweak a presentation without having to dive through Drive’s menus. More importantly, it also means that if you only plan to use Sheets, you don’t have to Slides as well. And most recently Google separated Photos from its home within Google+. Obviously, it still ties into Google’s web services, but it’s another step in building a Google Experience that’s no longer anchored to “stock” Android.
See, Google realizes that the ability to skin and customize Android is part of what makes it so appealing to phone manufacturers. But, it’s also what makes it so appealing to users. And the company wants to make sure that if you want a “pure” Google experience you can get it, even if you buy your phone from Samsung.
Filed under: Software, Mobile, Google
Via: Android Police
Source: Google Play
The Navy is testing out a bigger, badder Fire Scout UAV
The Department of Defense is reportedly readying it’s larger and more capable iteration of the MQ-8 Fire Scout UAV for use aboard its Littoral Combat Ships beginning in 2018. Military.com reports that after two years of flight tests, the Navy is prepping its new MQ-8C Fire Scout for operational testing ahead of its eventual deployment. It’s predecessor, the MQ-8B, entered service last November aboard the USS Fort Worth.
At 31 feet in length, the MQ-8C isn’t just larger than the 24-foot MQ-8B, it offers longer endurance, greater range and larger payloads as well. As Capt. Jeff Dodge, program manager, Multi-mission Technical Unmanned Air System Office, told Military.com, the MQ-8C can remain aloft for more than twice as long as its earlier version and carry more than 700 pounds of equipment — 100 pounds more than the MQ-8B. This added capacity will allow the new Fire Scout to carry a new maritime search radar array with a range of more than 80 nautical miles. Once the new version passes operational testing, it’s expected to be incorporated into the LCS surface warfare mission package as a reconnaissance device. The Navy has already placed orders for 17 of the anticipated 40 total MQ-8Cs it thinks it will need.
Filed under: Misc
Source: Defense Tech
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