Amazon’s Echo now up for purchase, costs $179.99 and ships July 14th
Amazon has finally decided to open up sales of its unique Echo speaker to everyone, no more invite necessary. When the Echo originally launched a few months ago, it was essentially in a closed beta, so not everyone could get their hands on one. Amazon has apparently decided that it’s done testing the device and it’s ready for public use, so if you’re interested, you can now purchase one for $179.99.
The device will start shipping July 14th, which is less than a month off. Since its launch, Amazon has added support for several different apps to work with Echo, and that list keeps getting bigger and bigger. With more people being able to purchase the speaker, it’s pretty likely that we’ll see more big apps jump on board with Echo, too.
source: Business Wire
via: Android Central
Come comment on this article: Amazon’s Echo now up for purchase, costs $179.99 and ships July 14th
Undo Send feature finally officially comes to Gmail
Google has officially brought a Gmail Labs feature into the standard Gmail service after several years of testing. The Undo Send function will now be available to everyone who uses Gmail on the web and will give you a short time frame to undo sending an email. Pretty cool new feature.
The function basically delays sending your email by a user defined number of seconds, so at any time during that short period you can cancel an email. The option is turned off by default, but it should be appearing for everyone who uses Gmail in a web browser soon.
source: Google
via: The Next Web
Come comment on this article: Undo Send feature finally officially comes to Gmail
MediaTek’s deca-core X20 CPU set to launch in October
MediaTek’s latest high-end mobile processor, the deca-core Helio X20, will make its official debut sometime this October. It’s expected to launch in the Chinese Elephone P9000 on October 20th, which will run around $500.
The X20 will be the first processor to use three core groups, utilizing two Cortex-A72 cores clocked at 2.5 GHz for high performance, four Cortex-A53 cores at 2 GHz for a balance between speed and power consumption, and four more Cortex-A53 at a lower clock speed for battery efficiency. It’s paired with a Mali-T800 GPU, making for a very powerful processor.
The Elephone P9000 is expected to use the Helio X20 with 4 GB of RAM, a 5.5-inch 1080p screen, and 32 GB of internal storage.
source: MyDrivers
via: GSM Arena
Come comment on this article: MediaTek’s deca-core X20 CPU set to launch in October
Sonic Dash and Angry Birds Epic Celebration (review)
S
onic. Just saying the name reminds me how cool it was visiting my cousin who had that matte black Sega console. I was a Nintendo kid and thought the world of Mario. Although any kid growing up in the 90’s knew it was a showdown between Mario and Sonic. I could never possess myself to pick a victor.
Sonic sped onto the game scene as a blue hedgehog with lighting speed. He was an instant fan favorite with cult classics like Sonic the Hedgehog, 1-3. There was also a self-entitled tv series aptly named Sonic the Hedgehog, which lasted 2 seasons and had 26 episodes. Sonic was voiced by the talented Jaleel White a.k.a. Steve Urkel. Eventually getting spin-offs such as Sonic Underground and Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Sonics extensively outstanding body of work from games, tv, comics, etc. speaks for itself. This is why I can’t help but scratch my head. AngryBirds Sonic Dash Epic what a jumbled mess of a title.
What is AngryBirds Sonic Dash Epic?
Game titans Sega and Rovio collaborated for a 3-week celebration of Sonic Dash’s 100 Million Downloads. Sonic Dash, available for download on the Google Play Store, gets angry with a little help from his friends, AngryBirds popular trio, Red, Chuck, and Bomb for a celebration of epic proportions. Epic characters will be appearing in Sonic Dash for a limited time however.
In this endless runner you’ll see flashes out of what made Sonic Great. Blurring through your screen collecting coins whilst avoiding traps and posing for the frame when he powers up. Straight awesomeness, although the date is now 2015 it’s no longer 1995.
So back to scratching my head. Sonic has had his share of time in the bright lights and unfortunately has had a decade of unsuccessful titles that Sega wished they had a time machine to delete from all our memories.
In theaters watching Disney’s Wreck it Ralph observing the cool blue hedgehogs cameo decked out in 3D was incredible as a fan-now-father. With today’s youth thinking all colored characters belong to the Sesame street gang. It’s tough on an aged hero who has had trouble transitioning platforms and time.
AngryBirds has been a monumental success on the mobile gaming platform. So I understand the collaboration on Rovio’s end wanting a classic hero to help regain the stronghold that has been slipping from their birds beaks.
In Sonic Dash, he is still Sonic running, jumping off springs collecting gold hoops. The addition of AngryBirds did come at a price. Unfortunately, you’re unable play with the birds without first unlocking them individually by collecting 100 coins. I failed to mention you also can purchase them conveniently with in-app purchases. The game is solid and at times extremely fun. I am not sure this game resurrects Sonic or benefits AngryBirds but it does provide for at least an entertaining use of time.
| What We Liked | What Needs Improvement |
|---|---|
| Fun and Entertaining | Weird collaboration |
| Classic Sonic | Unable to Play with at least one AngryBird without Unlocking him |
| Smooth game-play | Nothing new or buzzworthy |
| Beautiful visuals |
This endless runner is a must play as the graphics are stunning and the fun is real! Remember this offer lasts for a limited time!
Have you played AngryBirds Sonic Dash Epic? Tell us what you thought in the comments below!
The post Sonic Dash and Angry Birds Epic Celebration (review) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Pebble Time up for pre-order at Best Buy
Pebble’s newest smartwatch, the Pebble Time, made its way to Kickstarter.
Boasting a colored e-paper screen, microphone and smart strap capabilities, the Pebble Time absolutely killed it in its Kickstarter campaign.
In a blog post, Pebble informs us that Kickstarter order shipments are wrapping up, and they are ready for pre-orders to begin.
Now is your chance to get the Pebble Time if you missed out on that Kickstarter. Best Buy has the Pebble up for pre-order in all three colors. It will run you $199.99.
Pebble promises to provide dates for shipment of the pre-orders as well as when the highly sought after smartwatch will be available in stores. Best Buy’s site says that you should be able to get your Pebble Time by July 20th!
The post Pebble Time up for pre-order at Best Buy appeared first on AndroidGuys.
PureGear Bluetooth selfie stick review
Selfies are self-portraits typically taken by a photographer with a digital camera or camera phone. The term “selfie” originated from self-portrait circa late 1800’s where the first known self-portrait took place.
Selfies are a huge part of pop culture today, being in pop songs, music videos, and part of valedictorian speeches. Although if you have ever attempted to take a selfie it can be difficult to get the right angle and height.
PureGear Selfie Stick has solved your selfie problems. Make it picture perfect with Pure Gear’s compact Bluetooth selfie stick.
Features
- 270 degrees rotating phone clip
- Foldable monopod
- Extendable from 7.8in to 2.8ft.
- Bluetooth one-button operation
- Lightweight compact design
- Built-in rechargeable battery (charge cable included)
- Fits all devices between 2.1in to 3.3in wide
- Works with both iOS and Android devices
Presentation
The selfie stick comes cleanly packaged in white and green cardboard packing material with a plastic insert to keep the selfie stick protected. The packaging highlights all the features of the selfie stick and it is sure to let you know it is equipped with Bluetooth capability. Also included is a charging cable to recharge the device.
After playing with the selfie stick, I initially thought it was going to be a gimmick. I have a Galaxy Note 4 with a 10,000mah extended battery which case dimensions are 6.43×3.51×0.81 inches. In other words, my phone is a brick. I was eager to try and see if the selfie stick would expand to hold my device. Not only did it support my device, it did so with ease.
The selfie stick has a comfortable rubber handle that feels great in your hand and it also has a lanyard strap to wrap around your wrist for extra ease. I was able to adjust the selfie stick to my liking by extending it outwards to make it longer and achieve a higher angle. With my device being so heavy and being held at a higher distance, the selfie stick still supported my device without issue.
What’s great about the selfie stick is that you can use it easily with one hand. The Bluetooth setup to my device was effortless. All I had to do is long-press the selfie stick camera button for 3 seconds until it turned blue and pair it with my device.
The Bluetooth button allows you to take pictures without ever having to touch your device once you have enabled the camera app. You can adjust the stick to get a higher angle, also the selfie stick has an adjustable bracket to allow you to rotate your device forward and backward up to 270 degrees.
The only thing that the selfie stick didn’t do that I wish it did was being able to pause and resume video recordings. Unfortunately since it will not control a selfie or regular video recording, you will have to touch your device to start and stop. Although the selfie stick is a great monopod I was able to get sharp blurry free photos and while I did record video it eliminated camera shaking.
You can grab one of these from Amazon for less than $30 right now, a price of which I feel is great buy. If you ever want to take a selfie and need the right angle or taking a wefie and don’t want to ask a stranger to take the groups photo, this is perfect for you.
The post PureGear Bluetooth selfie stick review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Buick and GMC Announce CarPlay Coming to Select 2016 Vehicles
General Motors today announced that select 2016 model year Buick and GMC vehicles will support CarPlay and Android Auto through the IntelliLink system, including the 2016 Buick LaCrosse and Regal and 2016 GMC Canyon, Yukon and Sierra. Buick and GMC will support CarPlay at the beginning of the model year and add Android Auto compatibility to select vehicles later in the model year.
The built-in IntelliLink screen will indicate when a CarPlay or Android Auto compatible smartphone is connected via USB, enabling quick and easy access to Maps, Phone, Messages, Music, Podcasts and third-party apps such as Spotify, Rdio, iHeartRadio, CBS Radio and MLB At Bat. CarPlay also uses Siri voice control and interfaces with your vehicle’s knobs, dials and buttons for hands-free or eyes-free control of your iPhone.
GM announced in late May that it is adding CarPlay and Android Auto support to 14 new 2016 Chevrolet models later this year, with the 650 HP Corvette Z06 the first vehicle to roll off the assembly line and head to dealerships. GM’s luxury car brand Cadillac will also be adding CarPlay and Android Auto support to its 2016 model vehicles equipped with a CUE 8-inch multi-touch screen, excluding the SRX Crossover.
Amazon’s voice control speaker is now available for all
While not every gadget Amazon throws to the wall sticks (cough Fire Phone), the Echo voice-controlled wireless speaker was a surprising smash. Though it’s been on sale for quite awhile by invitation only, Amazon’s now put it up on pre-order for anyone who wants it. As a reminder, here’s how it works: you activate it by saying “Alexa” or whatever else you want to call it, then ask questions or give commands much like you would with Siri or Google Now. From there, the always-on device will hit Amazon’s cloud and give you the weather, sports scores, Spotify songs and more.
At first, it just did basic chores like web search and (duh) helping you order more stuff from Amazon. But Bezos & Co. later added apps, and you can now control WiFi devices like Philips Hue lights, or even get it to read you a book. Pre-orders are now open for the $180 device (in the US only), with shipping set to commence on July 14th.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Wireless, Amazon
Source: Amazon
As the NFL gets sued over Sunday Ticket, NBA offers à la carte games
If you’re tired of bundles that force you to pay hundreds of dollars for games you’ll never watch, two new developments might make you happy. First off, the NBA has announced that you can now buy individual games and team packages on its League Pass subscription, a fairly radical move that’s likely to irk cable operators. On another front, DirecTV and the NFL have been slapped with a class-action suit claiming that the NFL Sunday Ticket violates antitrust laws.
By offering games à la carte, the NBA is trying to woo fans who don’t want to pay $200 for an all-or-nothing bundle of 1,000 games. Since matches can be purchased over the internet, however, cable operators like Time Warner — which paid the NBA $3.6 billion for cable rights — may fear more cord-cutting. Cable companies have been mum so far on the news, but none have signed on with the NBA’s new plan so far, according to Bloomberg. Many observers think that the move to game unbundling is inevitable, similar to how streaming from Netflix, HBO Now and others have put pay-per-view movies on life support.
Meanwhile, the NFL and partner DirecTV are battling an NFL Sunday Ticket lawsuit that may have significant ramifications. The antitrust suit alleges that “a Cleveland Browns fan living in California cannot watch the Browns play, except occasional games on network television, unless he purchases the entire package of League games from NFL Sunday Ticket.” As such, it’s seeking unspecified damages on behalf of affected fans who sign up for the class action. The NHL and MLB are embroiled in similar suits, and depending on the results, every major US league might be forced to take the same tack as the NBA.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Via: Fierce Cable (1), (2)
Source: Sunday Ticket Lawsuit (Scribd), NBA
Trick Spotify into paying bands more with Eternify’s 30-second loops
Want to help your favorite unknown artist make a little extra dough from Spotify? Eternify can lend a hand. The website games the streaming service’s payouts by streaming 30-second clips from the artist of your choosing on an endless loop. Thanks to the band Ohm and Sport, you can boost an artist’s royalties by keeping its catalog going for as long as you can stand it.
“We’re launching Eternify in the wake of numerous false promises of a better future for streaming: not a single one of these announcements or apparent victories have had any meaningful impact on the vast number of small artists on whom these services depend,” the band told The Verge.
For reference, I’m about 25 minutes in on my Steph Stewart & the Boyfriends stream which tallies a full 25 cents, as each 30-second loop earn the artist $.005. Last spring, a band called Vulfpeck released a full album of silent tracks on Spotify and asked its fans to keep it playing at night. The stunt earned the artists quite a bit extra cash before the streaming service pulled the plug. Of course, if you’re willing to leave Eternify running in the background, you’ll want to make sure you do so in a browser with a tab-muting feature.
Filed under: Portable Audio/Video
Via: The Verge
Source: Eternify
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