Axon Phone International Giveaway
Welcome to the Sunday Giveaway, the place where we giveaway a new Android phone or tablet each and every Sunday!
We have no winner to announce this week as there are still 2 days left in our Opera Max giveaway where we are giving away 3 phones (LG G4/S6/S6 edge).
This week we are giving away the freshly announced Axon phone!
Just a few days ago we learned about the upcoming July 14 release of a mysterious new smartphone called the Axon phone.
More than an awesome new phone, it’s the nerve center of all things you.
Where the latest in style and the features you asked for come together to connect you with your life more intuitively than ever. From its Android operating system to its 4K video capabilities to its Hi-Fi audio performance, it’s the first phone made entirely with you in mind. It’s all you.
Beauty. And a total beast. Inspired by your suggestions, Axon’s super-simplified Android interface pairs full-bleed images with large, elegant type for a high-end look and feel. It also comes with a lightning-fast processor, 4GB memory and a large battery for all-around high performance under the hood.
Camera
Axon has all of the camera options you asked for, and some you never imagined. Take high-quality photos with its dual-lens camera, which gives you quick auto focus to capture the action as it happens. Shoot 4K HD videos. Or use the smile-activated front-facing camera to step up your selfie game.
- Dual-lens camera – Axon’s two separate camera lenses let you put twice the brilliance into every photo. Not only does it give you incredibly fast auto-focus, but you can also refocus pics after you take them. Then, blur backgrounds for a beautiful bokeh effect.
- 4K Resolution Video – When awesomeness happens, capture every detail in amazing 4K ultra Hi-Def for the most realistic video quality available.
Sound
You wanted it. You got it. Fall headphones over heels with the first true high-fidelity phone available in the U.S. that lets you hear music and record sound the way they were meant to be heard.
- Hi-Fi audio playback – Axon’s amazing high-fidelity sound playback gives your music fuller, louder and purer sound quality than ever before.
- Hi-Fi recording – Twin microphones, along with some of the best in noise suppression technology, help eliminate background and wind noise when recording concert videos and voice calls
Join Now!
Axon phone international giveaway
Terms & Conditions
- The giveaway is an international giveaway (Except when we can not ship to your Country.)
- If we can not ship to your country, you will be compensated with an online gift card of equal MSRP value to the prize.
- We are not responsible for lost shipments.
- You must be age of majority in your Country of residence.
- We are not responsible for any duties, import taxes that you may incur.
- Only 1 entry per person, do not enter multiple email addresses. We will verify all winners and if we detect multiple email addresses by the same person you will not be eligible to win.
- We reserve all rights to make any changes to this giveaway.
- The prize will ship when it is available to purchase.
Full terms & conditions and FAQ | Past giveaway winners [Gallery]
Good luck, everyone!
SPONSORED CONTENT
Ryan Seacrest’s iPad keyboard is surprisingly good, but expensive
It’s hard to expect much from Typo, a company that was co-founded by Ryan Seacrest and whose legal tango with BlackBerry has forced it to stop selling phone keyboards. But with its new iPad keyboard, Typo has at least proven it’s worth keeping an eye on. For $189, you get a Bluetooth keyboard that actually feels like a decent laptop keyboard, as well as a cover to protect your iPad. There’s no shortage of iPad keyboards on the market, but Typo’s offering might be compelling to anyone who wants a premium laptop-like experience with their iPad. The only problem? It’s far too expensive for what you get.
Typo’s keyboard is made up of two main components: a case that fits around your iPad Air or iPad Air 2 (there’s also one for the iPad Mini), and a keyboard unit. A magnetic latch hooks the two pieces together, and the kickstand on the iPad case stabilizes everything. They keyboard portion sports a comfortable soft plastic wrist rest and a matte bottom finish, while the iPad cover is made of tougher plastic, offering a decent amount of protection. Once everything’s put together, the Typo cover ends up making your iPad look like an ultra-thin laptop — at the expense of a bit more thickness and weight.
I didn’t have any trouble pairing the Typo keyboard with my iPad Air over Bluetooth, and, most importantly, reconnecting to the Typo after turning it off took just a few seconds. That’s been a source of frustration for me with other Bluetooth keyboards. The keyboard itself is reminiscent of Microsoft’s Surface Type Cover (which is a bit curious after Typo’s legal brawl with BlackBerry). The keys have a surprising amount of depth to them when pressed down, especially since the Typo is so thin. For the most part, it felt similar to typing on a mid-range chiclet laptop keyboard. Typo is rechargeable via USB, and it lasted me several days with intermittent usage.
When it came to typing, I saw around 80 to 90 percent of my typical touch-typing speed. That’s pretty similar to what I’ve seen from most other tablet keyboards, though it wasn’t nearly as comfortable as Microsoft’s larger Surface Pro 3 keyboard. Typo also takes some getting used to: It’s not truly full-sized, and plenty of lesser-used keys (like the colon/semi-colon key) have been shifted around to make up for the lack of space. The main thing that slowed me down with the Typo was figuring out where many of those keys were moved to.
Like many laptop keyboards today, Typo also includes several device-specific buttons along its top row, which also houses the traditional function keys. The very first of these keys on Typo replicates the iPad’s home button, and there are also keys for launching spotlight search, contacts, calendar and media controls. I also grew to enjoy having Siri instantly accessible on the F5 key, which was ever so slightly faster than holding down the home button.
I was able to type this entire article on the Typo keyboard in multiple orientations — on a desk, on a park bench and while sitting on my couch — without much fuss. Given its kickstand, Typo is best used on solid surfaces, but I was also surprised by how functional it was on my lap (as long as you keep your legs straight). Typo’s biggest issue is that the magnetic connection between the keyboard and case is incredibly weak. Simply holding up the iPad on its own is enough to disconnect the keyboard. My iPad screen also fell hard on my legs several times when I tried to readjust Typo (the metal kickstand was especially painful).
As useful as it is for typing, the Typo cover ends up being pretty cumbersome if you just want to read or play games on your iPad. It adds a noticeable amount of weight to the svelte iPad Air and Air 2, and the protruding kickstand hinge made the tablet harder to hold. I ended up just yanking the Typo cover off when I wanted to browse Twitter, read digital comics and do other typical iPad-y things. The company was clearly more focused on delivering a decent typing experience than anything else.
For the most part, Typo is going up against Logitech’s iPad keyboards, which offer similarly great typing and Bluetooth connectivity for almost half the price (Logitech’s latest Ultrathin keyboard is currently retailing for $100 or less). And if you don’t need a wireless keyboard, you can save a bit more and get Logitech’s wired keyboard for $60. While Typo’s offering feels a tad more premium than the competition, it’s definitely not enough of a difference to justify that high price.
The biggest issue for Typo? It’s betting pretty much everything on its iPad keyboards. And while that’s a potentially lucrative market, especially since iOS 9 will make iPads more PC-like, Typo’s keyboards are simply too expensive to compete with widely available competitors like Logitech. There are many people who might want an iPad keyboard, but I’d imagine there are fewer who would pay around half the price of their iPad for the privilege of physical keys.
Filed under: Peripherals, Mobile
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket breaks up shortly after launch
Today is not a good day for private spaceflight. SpaceX and NASA have confirmed that a Falcon 9 rocket broke up shortly after launching on a resupply mission for the International Space Station. It’s not clear what caused the failure at this stage, but the vehicle started smoking right before it fell apart. The destruction won’t create immediate problems for the Space Station. However, it comes at a very bad time for SpaceX. The company has lost yet another chance to land its reusable rocket on a sea barge, and it only just got clearance to launch valuable missions for both NASA and the US Air Force — Elon Musk and crew may have to work overtime assuring officials that this kind of disaster won’t happen again.
[Image credit: SpaceX, Flickr]
Filed under: Transportation, Science
14 best chess games for Android
Chess is one of the original logic games. A true, peaceful battle of wits and strategy that has one player beating another. There are thousands of activities that have been likened to playing chess but nothing really matches up to the real thing. Here are the best chess games for Android.
Chess – Analyze This
[Price: Free / $4.99]
Chess – Analyze This is mostly a chess game but it also contains features to help players improve their game. This includes support for PGN (not to be confused with PNG) files, FEN files, and the ability to comment and annotate on game replays. There is a pro version for $4.99 but you’ll be able to use a vast majority of the application on the free version if you don’t mind a little bit of advertising. There is no online mode so this is for local multiplayer or single player aficionados only.
Chess Free
[Price: Free / $0.99]
Chess Free, as the name implies, is a totally free game with no in-app purchases. The interface is a tad simplistic, but it’s a solid overall game. It features 12 play levels along with various modes, light analysis tools, ELO ratings, local multiplayer, and a host of chess boards and pieces to play with a bit of flair if you want. There is a paid version for $0.99US with the only defining difference being that the paid version has no advertising.
Chess Fusion
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Chess Fusion is a more simplistic chess game for the more mainstream chess fan. It doesn’t have any analysis features but it does have pretty decent looking graphics, online play with no registration required, and an AI opponent with adjustable levels. Some of the more recent features include a view-replay feature, a ranked online server, and new designs for 2D chess boards. It’s a good option and free to download.
Chess – Play and Learn
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Chess – Play and Learn is a chess game that is geared toward those who are newer at the game but is still playable for well-learned chess players too. It features an online multiplayer mode, a single player mode, and perhaps its most unique feature are all of the chess oriented puzzles. There are over 50,000 of them designed to help you learn chess and think outside of the box. It’s definitely something a little different and if you’re totally new, it also has thousands of videos and interactive lessons for you to learn with.
Chess-presso
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Chess-presso is another chess game but this one orients itself toward an online experience. It allows you to play Postal Chess online against your friends or other online players. It features a live chat, a Holo-inspired interface, an ELO based rating system, ranks, and it doesn’t use a lot of data. The boards are a little low-def but that helps keep the data usage low. It’s one of the better online chess experiences.
Chess Puzzles
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Chess Puzzles is a sort of training tool and puzzle game where you must solve puzzles using chess moves. The idea is pretty simple and includes things like choosing the most efficient next move for your pieces. It supports PGN files, several chess engines including Stockfish, and it’s even been recently updated with a Material Design inspired interface. All puzzles are available offline so no internet is required and there’s actually very little real chess games. It’s kind of the time waster version of chess so you can play a little bit without being sucked into a game.
Chess Tactics Pro
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Chess Tactics Pro is a lot like Chess Puzzles in that it focuses more on puzzles rather than actual games. This one boasts a chess engine that tries to show you puzzles based on your ELO rating and you can also engage with offline puzzles, and daily puzzles. There is also a progressive system that gives you harder stuff to do when you improve. It also boasts a no-nonsense interface so you can play chess and not get lost.
Chess With Friends
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
If you’ve ever played other Zynga games “with friends” then you kind of know what you’re in for. It is a chess game that is played entirely online against random people or your friends. There is a practice mode with skill levels so you can learn the game a little better and you can view your stats like wins, losses, and even look at replays. You can play multiple games of chess at once against multiple people. It works by sending moves one at a time like the old school send-moves-in-the-mail method. It’s slow paced but fun nevertheless.
DroidFish Chess
[Price: Free]
DroidFish Chess is an Android port for the Stockfish chess engine with a GUI over top. It has a metric ton of features including analysis mode, adjustable player strength, themes, blindfold mode, clocks, local multiplayer mode, and a whole lot more. The graphics are nothing to write home about but let’s face it, that’s not why people play chess. It’s also open source and totally free with no in-app purchases.
Learn Chess
[Price: Free]
Learn Chess isn’t an actual chess game on the face of it, but more of a guide book of sorts. This is for absolute beginners and will introduce the concepts of chess to you with a little bit of reading, some inspirational quotes from chess masters, a few chess instruction videos, and around 50 puzzles. It’s nothing fancy or spectacular but it is totally free with no in-app purchases and it’s a great way to get into chess if you’ve never played before.
lichess
[Price: Free]
lichess is another chess game that focuses predominately on online play. It boasts 50,000 online users and it’s growing. You’ll be able to play multiple boards simultaneously, utilize live chatting, offline multiplayer, and it’s available in 80 languages. It supports various types of chess including King of the Hill and Antichess which is actually really interesting and a lot of fun to play. lichess is also free with no in-app purchases.
Chess by Mastersoft
[Price: Free]
Chess by Mastersoft is actually a newer chess game on Android. It boasts being 100% free with no in-app purchases and I know how much you guys and gals love that. The engine for the game reportedly finished in fourth place in the World Microcomputer Chess Championships so it’s definitely no slouch in that department. The game itself includes a training coach mode, local multiplayer mode, 100 graded levels, and ELO ratings.
Play Magnus Chess
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
This interesting chess game. Instead of a standard chess engine, this one uses one called the Magnus Carlsen “tuned” chess engine. For those who may not know, Magnus Carlsen is a world-renowned chess player and has been for pretty much this entire century so far. It’s a bit of fan service as it also has personal details and the developers promise that one lucky player will get to play against Magnus himself in a secret event once a year although we don’t have proof that this event actually happens.
Stockfish Chess
[Price: Free]
Stockfish Chess is actually just the Stockfish engine that you’ve seen referenced several times already. This popular chess engine is an Android port of the Stockfish 4 engine. This is solely an engine which means you can’t actually play with just this. You’ll need a GUI app such as this one in order to actually use it. The features will depend heavily on which GUI you choose (there are several) but the Stockfish engine is trusted and powerful.
Wrap up
If we missed any great chess games, let us know in the comments! If you want to stay up to date on the latest and greatest Android apps and games news, don’t forget to subscribe to our app-centric newsletter using the button below!
To see our complete list of Android apps and games lists, click here!
Galaxy Note 5 leak shows some 6-appeal, sure to attract h8rs
Samsung’s Note series may be in for the biggest shake up of its existence.
In the second half of 2014, Samsung officially announced the Galaxy Alpha, the first device in the company’s stable with true metal, albeit just a frame. Shortly thereafter, the Galaxy Note 4 (and Galaxy Note Edge) launched and saw repeated use of the premium material. All these devices, however, shipped with a plastic rear that allowed for battery swapping and microSD card support.
This year however, Samsung has gone the full nine yards and produced a pair of products that have won over the media yet angered some longtime supporters. Both the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge feature a unibody design with two slabs of glass sandwiching an aluminum alloy frame, but sans the expandable memory and replaceable power cell. Rumors had initially pointed to a Galaxy S6 Active that would see the return of both, yet such would not come to pass. Now, it seems, the same might hold true of the much-vaulted Galaxy Note series…
Courtesy of the folks over at nowhereelse.fr, the same site that brought us early leaks of the Galaxy S6 and HTC One M9 among various other devices, we have what are -allegedly- the first pictures of the Galaxy Note 5. Suffice to say, some people aren’t going to be happy: the render above is missing any semblance of a removable back cover. In fact, it looks just like a larger Galaxy S6, or even the leaked Galaxy A8 but with a cut-out for the S-Pen.
In truth, this development isn’t exactly a surprise given Samsung’s clear focus on refining the design and recreating the very idea of what its flagship products are to consumers in 2015. The stiff competition in key markets like China and India, coupled with the fact that Apple has enjoyed fantastic sales with its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus means that the Korean giant’s A-game needs to be brought to the table this year. What’s more however, numerous OEMs around the world have taken to the phablet size and thus what was once a novel idea has gradually become a status-quo. This is all the more true for consumers who don’t actively make use of the S-Pen and who could just as well buy a Nexus 6 or even the rumored metal-clad “Note rival” LG is said to be releasing later this year.
This case render, published several days ago (originating from a source at nowhereelse.fr) would seemingly mesh well with the new, leaked press render.
Somewhat concerning however, is what this potential development might mean for Samsung’s bottom line. Chances are high that many customers will be outraged by the unibody design as the Note series has always been about business productivity, with heavy usage being off-set by a removable battery and on-the-go “plug-and play” type file access being facilitated by the presence of microSD. Whereas the Galaxy S-mainstay could more easily get away with the loss of such features, those actively seeking to buy the Note are looking for vastly different purchase points.
Granted, there are some potential caveats to be had. For one thing, there is technically nothing stopping Samsung from including microSD support on the Note 5, as it would require little more than a separate tray (like the HTC One M9) or even a double-sized single tray a la the Dual-SIM variants of the S6. Indeed an alleged conversation with a Samsung representative made reference to a specific decision to remove said feature to make its product more comparable to those of of its competitors in terms of design, storage options, and “core functionality.”
As for the battery issue however, while Forbes has imagined a scenario wherein the product could theoretically contain a removable glass rear, the chances of such an inclusion would seem to be extremely low. Also becoming increasingly unlikely: any hope of the device making use of USB Type-C, something that has been rumored for some time now along with a 4K screen and other lofty desires.
Waiting for the fall? Could the Galaxy Note 4 actually see a resurgence of sales pending the announcement of a “fractured feature” Galaxy Note 5?
The real question here is perhaps truly one of self-reflection: when Samsung takes a long, hard look in the mirror, does it see a collage of diverse users who all seek to use the Note series for work and play, or does it instead see a collection of individuals who really just want a big phone with a nice screen. In the event that the latter describes the majority of Note users, then perhaps there is nothing to worry about. On the other hand, if the former is true then there might be a great migration (or at the very least, a resurgence of Galaxy Note 4 sales).
Before closing, it’s essential to mention that this is a leak, and thus until the device is formally and officially announced, we need to keep our aggression, outrage, or even excitement in-check. With that said, what do you make of this possible development?
(function ()
document.getElementsByTagName(‘body’)[0]).appendChild(opst);
());
Inhabitat’s Week in Green: hoverboards and a 3D-printed car
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week’s most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us — it’s the Week in Green.
A working hoverboard has been the elusive dream of Back to the Future fans and transportation nerds for decades. Now, Lexus claims that it has built a prototype. The company’s SLIDE hoverboard uses magnetic levitation technology, similar to high-speed bullet trains, and it is cooled by liquid nitrogen. In other transportation news, the US Department of Defense is working with Malloy Aeronautics to develop a hoverbike for the Army. Getting stuck behind a big truck isn’t just annoying — it can be very dangerous. So tech giant Samsung has designed “see-through” trucks with rear-mounted video panels that display the road ahead.
Elon Musk’s high-speed Hyperloop could completely revolutionize transportation, but what will it be like to actually ride in it? Argo Design recently released detailed renderings showing its vision for a Hyperloop pod. Tesla’s electric vehicles are obviously better for the environment than traditional internal-combustion cars, but how do they actually perform? A new video shows the Tesla Model S P85D squaring off against some of the world’s fastest drag racers, and it more than holds its own. Tesla also celebrated the fact that Model S drivers racked up 1 billion all-electric miles, which translates to 570,000 tons of CO2 saved. Fans of classic sports cars can now go electric, too: British car company Morgan just announced plans to produce an all-electric version of its classic, sporty 3-Wheeler. And startup Divergent Microfactories unveiled the world’s first 3D-printed supercar.
Evaporation moves vast quantities of water through the air every day. But could that process be harnessed to produce renewable energy? Researchers at Columbia University believe it can, and they’ve created two devices that generate renewable energy from evaporation. In other clean energy news, the Indian government recently announced plans to boost the country’s solar production from 4.5 gigawatts to 100 gigawatts by 2022. Tesla’s Powerwall home battery could be a game changer that disrupts the existing energy grid. Last week, Inhabitat rounded up the many ways the Powerwall will change the energy landscape. C.F. Møller Architects just unveiled plans to build a massive 25,000-square-meter school in Copenhagen that will be entirely solar-powered. As attached as we’ve all become to our smartphones, they all need a recharge sooner or later. Soofa, a woman-owned company, is currently in talks with the city of New York to launch a line of innovative solar-powered benches that double as charging stations.
Bionic hand technology has taken some major steps forward in recent years. A 26-year-old woman from London recently received the world’s most advanced bionic hand, which can make precise movements and is anatomically accurate. In other tech news, the Japanese company Aldebaran has created a robot named Pepper that’s designed to understand your feelings. The robot sold out online in less than 60 seconds. London’s Design Museum has selected an unusual new technology as the winner of its Design of the Year contest: microchips covered in human cells that are designed to imitate the complexity of human organ tissue. The designers hope the microchips will eventually replace animals for drug and cosmetic testing. Rhinos are critically endangered, largely because of horn poaching. In hopes of curbing poaching, a San Francisco-based biotech company is planning to flood the market with 3D-printed synthetic rhino horns that are genetically identical to the real thing. Lego recently announced plans to invest $150 million to develop sustainable manufacturing materials that could one day replace the plastic used in Lego bricks. The bindi is a common ornamental mark that Indian women wear on their foreheads, and now one NGO is producing bindis that deliver essential nutrients directly to the skin. And in other wearable tech news, researchers in Australia have created a new type of stretchy sensor that could be worn on clothing or even skin to alert people about exposure to toxic gases.
Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Household, Robots, Transportation, Wearables, Science
iOS 8.4 Launching at 8 AM Pacific Tuesday, Beats 1 Goes Live at 9 AM
Former Beats Music CEO and current Apple Music senior director Ian Rogers made a brief blog post yesterday summarizing some of his background in music leading up to this week’s debut of Apple Music while also revealing Apple’s launch schedule for iOS 8.4 and the new Beats 1 radio station.
According to Rogers, iOS 8.4 will go live at 8 AM Pacific this Tuesday, two hours earlier than Apple’s usual iOS update release window. Beats 1 will kick off programming an hour later, offering users around the world a 24/7 streaming music station led by former BBC DJ Zane Lowe and featuring a mixture of interviews and music sets from DJs interspersed with programming blocks from celebrities such as Elton John, Dr. Dre, Pharrell, and Drake.
Tuesday morning we’ll be unveiling the next chapter. Please make a note to upgrade to iOS 8.4 at 8am PT Tuesday, June 30th and listen to the first Beats 1 broadcast at 9am PT. Here’s a Facebook invite to make it easy for you to say yes, you’ll be there, and invite all your friends. See you there.
Aside from Beats 1, which is free to all users signed in with an Apple ID, Apple Music also includes a paid streaming component priced at $9.99 per month for a single user or $14.99 for a family of up to six people. Subscribers will have streaming access to the full Apple Music catalog of over 30 million tracks, with Apple offering a three-month free trial to give users an extended opportunity to test out the new service.
Top 10 accessories for Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge
style=”display:block”
data-ad-client=”ca-pub-8150504804865896″
data-ad-slot=”8461248232″
data-ad-format=”auto”>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
With the launch of every new flagship smartphone from Apple, Samsung, and HTC, a bunch of accessory manufacturers come out with brand new products that people generally tend to buy, be it something as simple as screen protectors or as niche as battery cases. Some of such popular flagship smartphones form current generation are the Samsung Galaxy S6/S6 edge, LG G4, HTC One M9, and the Apple iPhone 6/6 Plus. I’ve been using the Galaxy S6 edge as my primary smartphone since the past couple of months, and since I bought it, I’ve been regularly searching for the best accessories for my device.
I’ve put down a list of top 10 accessories for Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, and if you are planning to buy the device, or have done that already, have a look at these accessories for your day-to-day needs. This list contains essentials such as a screen protector, a battery pack, a car charger, and some protective cases for the Galaxy S6 edge. Generally, people are not choosy when it comes to things like car chargers and screen protectors, but everyone likes to choose a case that reflects their needs and their fashion preferences, so I’ve selected some of the best cases for each use case.
1. Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Wireless Charging Pad
The Galaxy S6 comes with wireless charging, and it supports two biggest wireless charging standards; Qi and PMA. Samsung has released its official wireless charging pad, that is very easy to set up and use. It comes in circular shape, and in two colours; black and white. It displays blue light when the device is charging, and a green light when it is completely charged. If you don’t place the device properly, the built-in LED light notifies you, and it even comes with over charge protection. I’ve been using it personally, and it takes around 3 hours to charge the device fully, almost double the time when compared to charging with the provided wired wall charger.
Buy Official Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Wireless Charging Pad – $52.99
2. Official Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Charging Desktop Dock
If you want something that not only charges faster, but is also stylish and functional, have a look at the official desktop charging dock for the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge. You can dock your Galaxy S6/S6 edge at an optimum angle on this charger. It not only fast charges the device, there’s even a line-out port, so you can hook up a speaker system to it and enjoy music or videos in better sound quality. This charging dock looks really nice, and will definitely up the charm of your otherwise boring desk.
Buy Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Charging Desktop Dock – $33.49
3. Samsung Portable Battery Charging Pack – 9000 mAh
The Galaxy S6 and the S6 edge lack removable backs, so there’s no chance for you to swap batteries, but you can always carry a portable power bank to charge up the device when the battery is low. The official portable battery charging pack from has a capacity of 9,000 mAh, a microUSB port for charging the battery pack, a USB port for charging the smartphone, four LED lights to indicate the charge level, and an on/off button. It has output current of 1.8A and output voltage of 5.2V, making it to nearly 10W of power, making it faster than usual run-of-the-mill wall chargers with 1A current output. This will not charge your Galaxy S6/S6 edge as fast as the supplied wall charger, but definitely faster than normal chargers. A fully charged portable battery charger is enough to juice up your Galaxy S6/S6 edge at least three times, good enough for a weekend trip away from the wall socket.
Buy Samsung Portable Battery Charging Pack 9000 mAh – $79.49
4. Olixar Dual USB Samsung Galaxy S6 / S6 Edge Fast Car Charger
If you use your smartphone as your GPS device, you must have experienced that the battery drains pretty quickly while doing so. To help you with that, I’ve selected this car charger that supports Quick Charge 2.0, which is compatible with the Samsung’s Fast Charge technology. This means that the Olixar Dual USB Fast Car Charger outputs 15W of power, charging your Galaxy S6/S6 edge within an hour and a half. As it comes with two USB outputs, you can charge two devices at once, but make note that fast charging won’t be available when charging two devices at the same time.
Buy Olixar Dual USB Samsung Galaxy S6 / S6 edge Fast Car Charger – $26.49
5. Official Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Protective Cover Case
If you want body coloured protective case for your Galaxy S6 or S6 edge, do check out the official protective cases from Samsung. They come in almost all the colours that the S6 and S6 edge are being sold in – blue, black, gold, green. Priced at $33.49, these cases are perfect if you want no non-sense protection for your Galaxy S6 and S6 edge. I’ve been using the gold coloured variant, and I am pretty happy with it. It gives me that extra amount of grip to the otherwise thin and slippery Galaxy S6, and its sturdy.
Buy Official Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Protective Cover Case – $33.49
6. Spigen Neo Hybrid Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Case
Spigen is one of the best smartphone case makers out there, because it has been consistently churning out high-quality and well-designed smartphone cases since its launch in 2004. The Neo Hybrid case is one of its best as it provides good design and quality protection at a decent price. It’s a two-piece protective case, and the first protection layer is a soft TPU back cover, while the second polycarbonate frame adds rigidity and strength to the device. Unlike other cases that might scratch the device itself over the extended period of usage, the soft inner cover makes sure that the device stays free from such scratches. This two tone case comes in three colour variants – Champagne gold, Gunmetal, and Satin Silver –, and has a slim build that helps keeping the device light and easy to carry.
Buy Spigen Neo Hybrid Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Case – $26.49
7. Spigen Ultra Hybrid Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Case
One more case for Spigen, the Ultra Hybrid Case for Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, it comes with a clear back and coloured bumper. If you want to show off the sexy glass back of your smartphone without exposing it to damages, this is the case to go with. It comes in five colour variants – Crystal Clear, Gunmetal, Metal Slate, Mint, and Space Crystal –, so you can pick up the one that looks better with your device. I personally used this case on my Galaxy S6 edge, and was quite satisfied with it, but don’t forget to apply a protector film on the back to save the glass back from scratches.
Buy Spigen Ultra Hybrid Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Case – $18.99
8. OtterBox Symmetry Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Case
The OtterBox Symmetry case for the Galaxy S6 and the S6 edge is one of the most rugged cases, and competes with the likes of UAG Protective Case, Spigen Tough Armor, Ballistic Urbanite, Verus Thor, and ArmourDillo. I liked this better than all the other competitors due to its sensible and easy to use design as well as non-weird looks. A tough protective case doesn’t need to look like a suitcase or a bomb defusing kit, and that’s what the OtterBox Symmetry case offers. It comes in three colours – Aqua Sky, Black, and Glacier –, and has a one-piece design, making it hassle free experience to use. It has two layers, a hard polycarbonate outer shell, and a soft synthetic rubber skin on the inside. The raised edges protects the display from bumps and drops, and all the ports can be accessed without removing the case.
Buy OtterBox Symmetry Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Case – $31.99
9. Mophie Juice Pack Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Battery Case
Mophie is the most well-known charging case manufacturer, and has earned its right to be listed here. The Mophie Juice Pack Battery Case for the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge not only protects from drops, bumps, and scratches, it also provides one full charge when in need, thanks to a 3,300 mAh battery inside it. Mophie has managed to keep the whole package slim and manageable. There are opening for all the ports as well as the camera, LED flash, and the heart-rate sensor. When your battery is about to die, you just need to press a button at the back to use the inbuilt battery to recharge the Galaxy S6/S6 edge.
Buy Mophie Juice Pack Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Battery Case – $119.49
10. Amzer Kristal Tempered Glass HD Edge2Edge Clear Screen Protector For Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
Screen protector is one of the most important accessories for a smartphone or a tablet. Even with the toughest glass protectors, be it the Corning Gorilla Glass 4 or the DragonTrail glass, can’t protect the display from minute scratches and scuffs that are bound to appear with day-to-day usage. You can either buy the Spigen Steinheil dry screen protector for the Galaxy S6 edge, or pick up the Amzer Kristal Tempered Glass HD Edge2Edge Clear Screen Protector (quite a mouthful, isn’t it?) that will give you a feeling that you a smooth touch feeling. It covers the whole front area of the device, including the part below the home button as well as the dual-edge curved part of the display. It is not out for sale yet, but you can pre-order it from Amazon or Amzer’s official website right away and get it delivered sometime after July 17.
So here were my picks for the best accessories for the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge, and chances are that most of you will be happy with the accessories listed here. If you’ve come across some better options, don’t forget to share them here with us and other readers. If you already own the accessories listed here, do let us know your thoughts about them and how they performed over time.
The post Top 10 accessories for Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Fitbit tracking data comes up in another court case
When you wear Fitbit or any other fitness tracker and smartwatch, you not only monitor your physical activities, you also collect data about yourself — data that can apparently be used against you in investigations. In Lancaster, Pennsylvania cops responded to a 911 call by a woman who claimed she was raped by a home invader. The woman told the police she woke up around midnight with the stranger on top of her, and that she lost her tracker while struggling against her assailant. Unfortunately authorities found her Fitbit, and the device recorded her as active, awake and walking around all night. Combined with the evidence that was missing (tracks outside in the snow from boots she said the attacker was wearing, or any sign of them inside), an investigation led to her facing misdemeanor charges.
This isn’t the first time authorities used Fitbit data as evidence: last year, a Canadian law firm presented the plaintiff’s tracker info in court to show reduced physical activity for an injury lawsuit.As we know however, wearable data isn’t always 100 percent accurate, so we hope it isn’t used as a sole source of evidence. In this case, the evidence of a staged scene and testimony from the owner of the home are also reasons why the wearer is being charged with three misdemeanor counts. The case is headed to trial, but we already have enough evidence to suggest making sure the stories we tell match up with the ever-ubiquitous tracking devices on our wrists and in our pockets.
Filed under: Wearables
Via: Trusted Reviews
Source: Lancaster Online
Android Authority this week – June 28, 2015
Hello Android fans! This week brought us a look at the technology powering the next generation of cars –Android Auto and more; we checked out the new stock-like theme and the new RAW mode of the Galaxy S6; OnePlus continued to reveal key specs of the OnePlus 2; Google launched an ad-supported version of Play Music; BlackBerry’s CEO hinted at a possible Android release in the future; we got a look at the third-gen Moto G; Amazon opened up its Alexa platform to all; and Samsung claimed a major breakthrough in battery technology.
News of the week video
Inside AA HQ
We’re experimenting and branching out in new areas all the time, and this week’s new avenues are Twitch and Periscope.
Game streaming is exploding and Twitch is the biggest channel, even if Google is mounting a strong offensive with its YouTube Gaming initiative. And now we’re a part of it! Join our Joe Hindy on the Android Authority Twitch channel for a dose of mobile gaming and witty commentary.
Periscope seems to be the hot new trend in social media and it’s easy to see why. A simple smartphone and a wireless connection lets you stream anything, in real time, to thousands of followers. We’re applying this powerful concept to the world of Android: follow us on Periscope for live impressions of new devices, Q&A sessions, event impressions, and much more!
Our special Opera Max giveaway is still open: enter for your chance to win three hot Android phones: Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 and LG G4. The sweepstakes end June 30 11:59PM EST. Good luck!
The stuff you shouldn’t miss
- Tech talk: Curious how a modern octa-core processor works? Gary takes a close look
- Feature: Google needs to break inside mobile apps – Simon explains how and why
- Feature: Rob goes through the trends and companies driving the close future of Android
- Feature: The debate rages on: metal, plastic, or glass?
- Hands-on: What is like to use a Note 4 without Google services? Matt goes hands-on
- Review: Josh reviews the sleek Oppo R7? Worth it’s price tag?
Top news of the week
Android Auto event
- Android Auto coming to select 2016 GMC and Buick models
- Interview with Chevrolet: Android Auto plans
- Chevrolet Spark running Android Auto: hands-on first look
- Beyond Android: A look at the Chevrolet Bolt prototype
Galaxy S6 news
- Android 5.1 update brings RAW and lower ISO to Galaxy S6
- Hands-on: Galaxy S6 Edge gets stock Android-like theme
- Galaxy S6 ranks first in a “real world” speed test
OnePlus unveiling
- OnePlus confirms next flagship will come with a USB Type-C port
- OnePlus is loud and unashamed of it
- The OnePlus 2 will be officially unveiled on July 27th in virtual reality
Play Music goes free
BlackBerry and Android
- BlackBerry is not against building a secure Android phone, says CEO
- 4 ways BlackBerry can be unique on Android
Moto G 2015
Echo & Alexa
- Amazon Echo now available for everyone, without an invite
- Amazon making its voice technology available for all, announces $100M in funding for devs
Samsung’s battery breakthrough
Sound off
We always want to hear your feedback. Whether it’s criticism or praise, feel free to tell us what you think about Android Authority’s content, design, and community. Comment here or get in touch with us on our social channels:
Happy Sunday!
AIVAnet 