Tim Cook: Chinese Consumer Tastes Fueling Gold Color Options, Apple Watch Developer Interest Strong
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently confirmed China’s integral part in the company’s decision to pursue a gold design option in many of its devices. Speaking with a Chinese-language version of Bloomberg Businessweek, Cook stated that the addition of a gold option within the iPhone 5s lineup in 2013 “reflects in part the popularity of that color among Chinese users.”
Apple Inc. takes Chinese consumer tastes into account when it designs many of its products, Chief Executive Tim Cook said, underscoring the country’s importance to the iPhone maker.
The decision to offer a gold iPhone last year reflects in part the popularity of that color among Chinese users, he added. Greater China, which includes Taiwan and Hong Kong, is now Apple’s second-largest market and has become a battleground for the company as it vies with Samsung Electronics Co. and Xiaomi Corp. for smartphone supremacy.
Apple’s decision to tailor major aspects of its devices to China makes sense, given the Greater China area has become the company’s second-largest market over the last few years. In the second quarterly earnings call of 2015, Cook detailed an all-time quarterly revenue record for the Greater China province, growing 71 percent year over year to a grand total of $16.8 billion. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, China accounted for a total of 29 percent of Apple’s revenue in the March quarter.
In the same interview, the Apple CEO reiterated strong developer support for the Apple Watch with over 3500 apps available for the new wrist-worn device. That compares to roughly 500 apps available for the iPhone at the 2008 debut of the App Store and 1000 for the iPad at its 2010 launch.
Cook finished the interview by noting Apple plans to begin more than 180 trial programs in various schools in China, with an aim to “transform traditional educational models and help students contribute to society.” Cook and Apple hope to do this through various Apple-inspired training programs, from helping kids learn the ins-and-outs of music composition with GarageBand to teaching hearing-impaired children how to use smartphones. The company hopes to see the program double in number by the end of 2015.
Sony Xperia Z3+ now available unlocked in the UK
If you’re in the market for a new waterproof smartphone, chances are you’ve come across the Xperia Z3+ and while it was previously listed for pre-order, the handset is now available to buy unlocked for £499 from retailers Clove Technology and Unlocked Mobiles. Both retailers had previously listed the handset as coming soon with an estimated shipping date of this month and now, the handset is in-stock in both black and white.
Here’s what’s new with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 v2.1
As a refresher, the Xperia Z3+ is the international sibling to the Xperia Z4, which was made for the Japanese market. The Xperia Z3+ has a 5.2-inch Triluminos Full HD IPS display offering 424 pixels per inch density, a 20.7MP G Lens rear camera with BIONZ image processing engine and a 2900mAh non-removable battery. Other notable specs include IP68 dust and water resistance meaning you can use it up to 1.5 metres underwater for up to 30 minutes, 32GB internal storage, a microSD card expansion slot, 3GB RAM and the usual array of connectivity options.
Sony Xperia in video:
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The key difference between the Xperia Z3+ and the Xperia Z3 is the all-new 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor but just like other handsets running on Qualcomm’s latest chipset, there have been reports of the handset overheating and in the case of the Xperia Z3+, this usually occurs when you’re trying to shoot 4K video or use some of the camera effects. Sony has said an update is due later this summer which will fix these concerns and even with these in mind, the Xperia Z3+ will still appeal to some users.
If you’re looking for the green Xperia Z3+, you’ll need to head over to Carphone Warehouse, who have an exclusive on the handset in the UK. The retailer is offering a free Hi-Res audio promotion worth £275 when you order the Xperia Z3+ or head over to Clove and Unlocked Mobiles at the links below.
Sony Xperia Z3+ at Clove Sony Xperia Z3+ at Unlocked Mobiles
Android 5.1.1 Lollipop making its way to international Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge variants
We’ve already seen the update to Android 5.1.1 Lollipop roll out to the T-Mobile Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, and now it’s looking like a few other variants are beginning to receive the update. According to French technology website Planete Galaxy, the update to Android 5.1.1 has started rolling out to the Galaxy S6 (SM-G920F) in France.
Android 5.1.1 comes in at around 623MB, which isn’t surprising considering that the update contains mostly bug fixes and performance improvements. While the changelog doesn’t list all of the changes specifically, users will now be able to remove both the S Finder and Quick Connect buttons from the notification shade after the update. To do so, simply pull down the notification shade, tap on the “Edit” button, uncheck the S Finder and Quick Connect options at the bottom, then click “Done”. Additionally, users can now rearrange apps in the app drawer alphabetically, which was oddly missing from the Galaxy S6.
Galaxy S6 owners in France aren’t the only ones that have access to the update, though. According to SamMobile, the update to Android 5.1.1 is now available through Kies for the international Galaxy S6 Edge (SM-G925F). Although an official OTA hasn’t been spotted yet, we can expect it to begin hitting devices sometime very soon.
If you’d like to check for the update manually, head to Settings>About device>Software updates>Check now. If you happen receive the update on either of these devices, be sure to let us know in the comments below!
T-Mobile could be bringing Android 5.1.1 to the Galaxy S5 soon
T-Mobile could be rolling out Android 5.1.1 for the Samsung Galaxy S5 soon, according to a recent leak. There’s been no official announcement, but firmware details, touting a build date of June 10, is showing Android 5.1.1 running on T-Mobile’s Galaxy S5.
Since there’s no official announcement yet, we’re not sure what T-Mobile plans on including in the update, but like most carriers have done in the past, it will probably comes with improved notifications and Factory Reset Protection. As per the norm, there should be some performance updates and possibly support for RAW photos.
SamMobile says the update should be rolling out today and over the coming few days. If so, it shouldn’t be long before we hear something more official from T-Mobile.
If you’re in a rush to get Android 5.1.1, SamMobile has the downloadable firmware available on its website. Additionally, there’s the option of retrieving the update through Samsung Kies.
source: SamMobile
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[Deal] Google’s Nexus Player only $68 through Amazon
Amazon has Google’s Nexus Player on sale for $68, if you’re looking to get yourself set up with an Android TV.
Of course, there are much better options out there as far as Android TV set-top boxes go. For instance, the NVIDIA Shield TV and Forge TV are excellent solutions, but can be a lot pricier than what the Nexus Player is running for right now.
The Nexus Player usually runs at about $100, but at $68, you’re getting about a $32 discount, and that’s hard to pass up. If you’re looking to outfit your TV with Android on a budget, this is your best bet.
If you’re interested, just hit the source link below!
source: Amazon
Come comment on this article: [Deal] Google’s Nexus Player only $68 through Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime Value Edition surfaces on GeekBench
The Value Edition of the popular budget device, the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime, had surfaced a few weeks ago. And now the handset, which is powered by a Spreadtrum chipset, has appeared on benchmark app, GeekBench.
Before getting into how it fared against the Galaxy Grand Prime on the benchmark test, let’s find out what makes the Value Edition different from its regular variant. Well, it runs Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box instead of Android 4.4 KitKat. And it is powered by a quad core Spreadtrum SC8830 SoC based on Cortex-A7, while the regular version sports Snapdragon 410 processor.
According to a GSMArena user’s tip, the CPU of the handset – Codenamed SGGPVE – is clocked at 1.3 GHz. Paired with 1GB of RAM, the processor doesn’t measure up to the performance of the regular Galaxy Grand Prime (Check the result below). Don’t let the slightly worse performance disappoint you, as the handset could be priced slightly cheaper as well.
Source: GSMArena
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Crayola DJ: Let your kids create music (app review)
Every one of us has had a desire to become a DJ at some point in time, as kids, as teenagers or even as adults. Trying out some DJ software on the desktop, making random tunes and spinning it up. But these software applications can be very complex and not exactly suited for your little ones (who might also be aspiring DJ’s). Enter Crayola DJ!
Leading mobile game developer Legacy Games has partnered with Crayola, famously known for making kids crayons, to develop a kid-friendly music production app called Crayola DJ. Made for kids aged 6-10, it’s a fun and simple music mixing app that will make your kids feel like they’re the next Calvin Harris.
“I wanted to design an app that gave kids creative control while also producing great sound“
It doesn’t require any special musical skill to make the tracks sound good. Crayola DJ is a very well designed app that turns all musical combinations into an absolute melody. There are real DJ controls as well like crossfaders, tempo slider, and a track mixer. Its fun is not just for kids though as adults can make some interesting beats as well. I ripped up several tunes for hours before I put it down. Crayola DJ also lets you record the tracks that you have made. It has a cool crowd play interface that will make you feel you are actually playing at a party. The controls are very simple to understand and kids can start playing DJ almost instantly.
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To keep the interest of kids going in the app, there is also a two player option which brings up a turn based DJ game which your kids can play with their friends or siblings. There are hundreds of musical combinations that your kids can try out and have fun for hours.
Moving on to the cons. Well, there are none! The app is so well designed, my kid brother had no problem in understanding the interface and was spinning tunes in no time. What I would like to see in future updates is the option to purchase some additional tracks or maybe add some tracks of your own as well. I don’t think it can get complicated, however, even with the addition of these two features.
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Crayola DJ is available for just $4.99 in the Google Play Store and is totally worth the buy! I would really recommend it for all parents to get it for their kids. A fun way to keep your kids busy for hours. Click on the Playboard link to download it and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post Crayola DJ: Let your kids create music (app review) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
AirDroid update brings quick reply support
AirDroid is a cross-platform application which allows you to access and manage your Android phone or tablet from Windows, MAC or Web, wirelessly, for free. Today, the developer SAND STUDIO has released a new update which includes quick reply support for various instant messaging services, addition of two new languages, various bug fixes and performance improvements.
After including the quick reply support for Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger, the developer put a poll on its blog for users to vote on which instant messaging service they should include and it was Telegram who won the poll. Well, if you use Kik, Facebook messenger or Telegram application on your smartphone, then you can now respond to the messages directly from your Windows PC or MAC. You can also hide the content of your messages for keeping up your privacy and OS X users can also mute notifications while using other apps in full screen mode.
AirDroid v3.1.3 Changelog:
New Features:
- Reply to Kik, Telegram messages from notifications directly. (Android 5.0+)
- New languages: Русский, Português (Portugal)
Bug fixes and improvements:
- Optimized connection interruption alert to be more friendly.
- Mute all notifications by default when running full-screen program. (Can be disabled in Settings)
- Added an option in Settings to hide SMS notification content.
- Other bug fixes and improvements.
Overall, Airdroid is a little handy app that can be useful in various scenarios. And, We definitely recommend you to try out this app.
The post AirDroid update brings quick reply support appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung Galaxy A8 officially passes through FCC
Samsung has been very busy launching its A series phones this year. After the launch of the Galaxy A3, A5 and A7 few months back now the new Samsung Galaxy A8 has been doing the rounds recently.
Few days back, we saw the Galaxy A8 in all its glory in China. Now, we have a fresh report of the device passing through the FCC. The FCC filing doesn’t give any special details about the handset but only confirms the standard connectivity details like LTE and dual-band WiFi.
Specs of the Samsung Galaxy A8 have already been confirmed through the TENAA listing in China. It boasts a 5.7-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, an octa-core 64-bit Snapdragon 615 processor, 16-megapixel rear shooter and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, fueled by a 3,050 mAh battery. The Galaxy A8 (SM-A800) will also feature a fingerprint sensor like the Galaxy S6, running on Android 5.0 Lollipop, all encased in an extremely thin 5.9 mm metallic frame.
Several pictures of the Samsung Galaxy A8 were also leaked last week along with the TENAA listing. All this coupled with the FCC listing, brings the Galaxy A8 very much closer to launch and we hope to hear some official announcement very soon.
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Mikme is a wireless microphone and audio recorder like no other
Recording random bits of sound these days is easy — but recording audio that sounds good enough to be used in professional environments still requires plenty of work. Enter Mikme, a portable audio recorder that can capture high-quality 24-bit/96 kHz audio with the press of a button and, most distinctively, it can also stream recordings over Bluetooth. Mikme’s iPhone app captures those wireless streams, or you can set it up as a Bluetooth microphone on your computer. Mikme is kicking off an Indiegogo campaign today with the hopes of raising $25,000, which follows a failed Kickstarter campaign from last fall in which it tried to raise an ambitious $217,000 (it got up to $85,615 from backers). You can snag a Mikme of your own for $169 from its Indiegogo page, and the company expects to ship the microphone later this fall.
Founder Philipp Sonnleitner, formerly an engineer at the audio giant AKG, says he was inspired to create Mikme while playing the piano. He was frustrated by how difficult it was to capture high-quality audio and get it online. Typically, that involved recording it with some complex setup, editing it on desktop software, and then uploading it. Mikme, on the other hand, is all about simplicity. While it works just fine as a standalone audio recorder, its most compelling feature is its ability to send recording streams to its app or your computer. You can edit multiple audio tracks from Mikme’s iPhone app (which is headed to Android soon), or just treat it as another audio source in your recording software of choice. It can store up to 180 hours of audio on 8GB of storage and its battery should last around 7 hours.
You can take a look (and listen) to Mikme in action below. I’ve included a portion of audio recorded by Mikme, which sounds much more rich than the onboard microphone on my Sony Alpha 6000. In an off-camera demonstration, I also saw the device wirelessly send audio to Sonnleitner’s iPhone. It’s hard to get excited for anything recorded over Bluetooth, but Sonnleitner says he’s developed a patent-pending wireless link that performs better than standard Bluetooth profiles like A2DP.
Like most specialized audio gear, Mikme isn’t for everyone. But it could be incredibly useful to musicians who want to record their work on the go, or for journalists and podcasters who need something more capable than their iPhone’s microphone. Based on what I’ve heard, it sounded as good as a typical audio recorder when it came to voice. And, judging from the video below, it can also handle music pretty well. Right now we’re just hearing recordings from prototype Mikme hardware, so we’ll reserve full judgement until we get our hands on a more final version.
Filed under: Misc
AIVAnet 