Shake It Up 3D: Seasons LWP review
Did you know that an average person checks their phone up to a 150 times a day? And what screen do you get when you unlock your phone? It’s your home screen most of the times. Well, the good thing for Android users is that there is no limit to the customization that you can do with your phones, which include some crazy home screen customizations.
Well, today we bring you something simple and beautiful. A live wallpaper app! Shake It Up 3D: Seasons LWP, an app by Screaming Snail Studios Inc., is a collection of different seasonal wallpapers that you can use to glorify your home screen. Seeing a static wallpaper does get boring for some people after a while. With Shake It Up 3D: Seasons LWP you get an option to choose from all four seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
Coming to the app, you can either choose one of the four seasons or just put it in Auto Season to choose one randomly. There are also options to choose and set your preferred background scene, gradient color, and the globe wood type. Using all these settings the app renders a beautiful snow globe on your home screen containing different kinds of scenery as per the options chosen in the app settings.
The wallpapers rendered are absolutely beautiful and display in amazing 3D quality using the Unity App Engine for Android. The transitions are very smooth as well. The snow falling or the animals dancing, the wind raking the leaves, all the little movements of the scenes worked flawlessly. A handy double tap shortcut is present that takes you to the settings directly from the home screen.
If that was not enough, you can also set if you want your snow globe to rotate and control its speed as well. I personally liked the bouncing snowman in the winter season setting. Made me smile every time I looked at it.
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There is also an experimental option to choose from for the view position of the live wallpaper. If having a live snow globe wallpaper was not enough, Shake It Up 3D: Seasons LWP also allows you to step inside the snow globe and keep that as the wallpaper. Its feels really amazing to have the view from inside the snow globe. The snow and the leaves feel like they are just at your fingertips whenever you swipe on the home screen.
I hate to say it, but there are some bugs as well. I encountered a black screen several times when trying to load a wallpaper preview in the settings. I had to quit and restart the app for it to disappear. I used a Nexus 4 and Moto G to test this. Also, the app force closed on me when trying to change the wallpaper while I was trying out all the options one by one. The app worked fine after I restarted my devices though. I think its a matter of optimization of the unity engine and I hope it will be fixed in the next update.
One more thing I would like to see is the introduction of a rainy season. Not to sound all gloomy but I do like when it rains, especially when it first rains after a long hot summer. It’s one thing I’ll be looking forward to in a future update.
To sum it up, Shake It Up 3D: Seasons LWP is an app that you can use all year long for every season. Its beautiful animations will have you loving your phone every time you unlock it and the cheerful scenery will bring a smile to adults and children alike.
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Shake It Up 3D: Seasons LWP is available as a paid app download in the Play Store for only $0.99 and I would recommend it, as it is surely worth the price. A nice way to spice up your home screen without using any special launcher.
Have you tried Shake It Up 3D: Seasons LWP ? Tell us your experience in the comments below.
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UK Indie Labels Say Apple Music Free Trial Could ‘Literally Put People Out of Business’ [iOS Blog]
Apple’s newly announced music streaming service, Apple Music, is upsetting a handful of independent United Kingdom-based music labels who house artists such as Adele and Arctic Monkeys (via The Telegraph). Under the terms being proposed by Apple, labels will receive no compensation during the three-month free trial given to Apple Music users. The labels argue that this trial period will “literally put people out of business,” and refuse to support the service, which launches in under two weeks on June 30.
According to Andy Heath, the chairman of industry lobby group UK Music, no British independent labels have agreed to Apple’s terms or plan to in the future. Most of the labels claim Apple hasn’t thoroughly prepared the labels for the launch, and that the time between its announcement and launch has left little time for contract negotiations.
“If you are running a small label on tight margins you literally can’t afford to do this free trial business,” Heath stated. “Their plan is clearly to move people over from downloads, which is fine, but it will mean us losing those revenues for three months.
Apple hasn’t thought this through at all and it’s not like them. They can’t spring a contract like this on us three weeks from release.”
Apple has attempted to reassure skeptical labels that once the three-month free trial ends, Apple Music will support a 71.5 percent revenue sharing contribution to labels backing the streaming service. The number will even be slightly higher — about 73 percent — outside of the United States to counterbalance the no royalty payment policy during the trial period. It’s still not enough for some labels, according to Heath.
“I think the dynamic here is nothing to do with the royalty rates but there are elements of these deals that are just too difficult for smaller labels to do. It will literally put people out of business.
Smaller labels would be completely screwed. Apple just has to move on this.”
Apple Music was officially unveiled last week during WWDC as a three-tiered service with basic music streaming, a live global radio station, and a social media platform that allows fans to follow favorite artists. The long-awaited service will officially launch on June 30 with a three-month trial period that will allow everyone to try it out for the summer. Afterwards, Apple Music will cost $9.99 per month for users who want to stick around.
Hiku Mobile Shopping List
If you’re always forgetting items at the grocery store, Hiku is a perfect companion for your next trip. It easily scans barcodes, or listens to spoken direction, to create a comprehensive grocery list.
Hiku lives in your kitchen, lasts two months on a single charge and connects to your device to automatically sync your latest updates. You can snag this shopping companion, today, for just $59.
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Snappy by Appy Pie is a fantastic app creating service for non-coders
Let’s face it, not all of us have mad coding skills like Mark Zuckerberg or your nerdy next door neighbor that had been coding since he was 5. Which is okay, as most of us do not need to be able to code like a coding wizard. The only time that it would become a problem is if you are trying to start a small business and would like to off your customers a mobile app to better connect with you, only to find that creating an app would takes months and hiring someone would be too expense. Yes, this is where things start to become an issue but thankfully for us Appy Pie has come to the rescue (I don’t apologize for the cliche statement…)
Launched in 2013, Appy Pie took a completely different approach when it came to coding by offering the average business and consumer the ability to create apps using nothing but their browser. Users no longer had to spend months learning how to code, hours downloading IDES and setting them up, or the countless amount of dollars hiring someone to do it for them. Building an app had become as simple as logging into your computer, going to their website and creating an app using the simple on-screen prompts. Now you could create an app for your small Italian restaurant as to be able to better connect with your customers. Well, Appy Pie was not content with that service and today they have launched a brand new web service, Snappy, that makes it even easier to create apps!
“Computer science education cannot make anybody an expert programmer any more than studying brushes and pigment can make somebody an expert painter.“
Using nothing but drag and drop prompts, Snappy allows you to quickly create an app for your small business, be it a brand new restaurant or an up and coming shop. Let’s go back to the Italian example and let’s say that you want to be able to create an app so that customers can see what menu items you offer and their prices. Even better, you can add pages that allow your customers to order the food straight from the app and Social Sharing pages to share your app with their friends or like your page on social media.
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After using it myself and playing around with the service, I have to say that is much easier to use and faster than Appy Pie. Not to say that Appy Pie was super difficult, but you can tell that Snappy was built for those that don’t have too much on their hands.
Overall, Snappy is a great new service that any average consumer can take advantage of for whatever their app-building needs may be. While a picture ma speaks a thousand words, using the service to build your app will speak a million. So head on over to website using the link provided and play around with Snappy and start making apps today!
Source
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Next-Generation iPhone Again Rumored to Adopt 7000 Series Aluminum
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a note to investors, a copy of which was obtained by Japanese blog Mac Otakara, in which he corroborates rumors that the next-generation iPhone will adopt 7000 Series aluminum as used in the Apple Watch Sport. Kuo also claimed that Apple will retain the same design as the iPhone 6, although the smartphone may have slightly different dimensions.
The report claims that the next-generation iPhone could be wider and taller by about 0.15mm to account for the stronger 7000 Series aluminum design, while the smartphone may also be about 0.2mm thicker due to the addition of Force Touch. The new dimensions are marginal enough that most iPhone 6 users are unlikely to notice much of a difference with the so-called “iPhone 6s” design.
Apple explains the properties of 7000 Series aluminum on its Apple Watch website:
“For Apple Watch Sport, we started with 7000 Series aluminum — the same used in competition bicycles. We altered it to create a new alloy that’s just as light, yet even more durable — it’s 60 percent stronger than most aluminum, and one-third the density of stainless steel. It has a bright, lustrous colour and a uniform structure free of defects and impurities. Each case is machined and polished, then blasted with microscopic zirconia beads to achieve a consistent, satin texture. A special anodizing process creates a hard, clear outer layer that helps protect against scratches and corrosion.”
Kuo reiterated that the next-generation iPhone will be available in a new Rose Gold color option, similar to the rose gold Apple Watch Edition, and also claimed that the existing gold color could be changed to look more like the yellow gold Apple Watch Edition. The existing space gray iPhone is also expected to look slightly more black, possibly in line with the space black Apple Watch.
Last month, Kuo shared a long list of predictions for the next-generation iPhone, including an A9 processor with 2GB of RAM, Force Touch, an improved 12-megapixel rear-facing camera, new Rose Gold color option, improved Touch ID recognition, gesture control support and more. Apple will likely retain 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screen sizes akin to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
TigerVPN: 2-Yr VPN Subscription, $49
Surfing the internet can be a dangerous proposition, especially when freedoms are being eroded and privacy is a rare concept. If you’re looking for an additional layer of protection, TigerVPN is considered by many to be the most comprehensive VPN offered on the market.
This two-year subscription to TigerVPN allows you to connect to any website over any internet connection, encrypted by 256bit SSL protection. Employing 55 nodes in 40 countries, these high-speed servers have no data caps and maintain performance even through the peak hours.
This level of privacy, security and customization is a great buy at the regular price of $!80, but AndroidGuys readers can claim this deal, today, for just $49!
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Motorola kicks off its UK summer sale with sweet deals on the Nexus 6 and Moto X
Motorola is offering some hefty discounts on the Nexus 6 and Moto X to kick off its UK summer sale. You can save a steep £166 on the Moto X and £80 on the Nexus 6, which converts to $261 and $126 USD.
During this sale, you can pick up a 16GB Moto X for £229 or £269 for the 32GB solution, or $360 and $423 USD, respectively. The Nexus 6 is discounted to £399 with 32GB of internal storage or £469 for the 64GB model. That converts to $627 or $737 USD, respectively.
The sale is running from June 17 to June 30, so there’s plenty of time to get your hands on one of these devices. And if you’re in the market for a Moto X, keep in mind that Motorola will be revealing a refresh for the device this summer.
source: Motorola
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Possible Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 picture leaks
After Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun announced the launch date of the next Redmi Note device to be revealed on June 29th and released a screenshot of the device’s home screen, the yet-to-be released Redmi Note 2 has seen a design render leaked on Twitter. The images show the rear panel of the device, which now seems to opt for a circular fingerprint scanner located below the camera. In addition, another significant change that the image shows is the build material of the handset. Instead of the all-plastic design that its predecessor has, the Redmi Note 2 will now apparently sport a metal body along with two plastic strips on the top and bottom of the device which have been said to house the antennas.
The specs of the device have not been mentioned in the leak, but the device passed through China’s QCC and provided us with an idea of what the Redmi Note 2 should feature.
Potential Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 specs:
- 5.5-inch, Full HD (1920×1080) display
- MediaTek Helio X10 (MT6795) octa-core processor
- OS Android (5.0.2 or v5.1) with MIUI
- 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- 3000mAh battery
- 4G LTE network support
This leak confirms that the new device should be released on the market soon; however, just like any other leak, specs and design are subject to change.
Source: Leaksfly (Twitter)
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California labor commission rules Uber drivers are employees
The California labor commission has ruled that an Uber driver qualifies as an employee, not a contractor, of the company. As a result Uber will have to reimburse a driver for expenses accumulated in the line of duty. That includes $256 in tolls and the IRS rate of $0.56 per mile for use of a personal vehicle for business purposes. But the total award of $4,152.20 is not what scares the company, that’s pocket change seeing as how it was recently valued at roughly $50 billion. No, the king of cars-for-hire is afraid of the broader implications. If their current network of over one million drivers suddenly became employees, running the business could get a lot more expensive. For one, companies need to pay social security, payroll and medicare taxes for their employees. And it could have implications for the expectation of health or retirement benefits and even leave Uber vulnerable to renewed pressure from taxi unions.
Of course, Uber is appealing the ruling and could keep this issue tied up in court for sometime. Plus, this ruling only applies in California for the time being, but it could be an omen of more trouble waiting on the horizon.
[image credit: AP Photo/Eric Risberg]
Filed under: Transportation
Via: Dan Levine (Twitter)
Source: Uber vs. Berwick (scribd)
Dropbox File Requests makes getting files from friends way easier
If you’ve ever tried to collect files from multiple people you know it can be a train wreck of emails with random subject lines and links to various online storage. Dropbox announced a simpler way to aggregate files from multiple people called File Requests. Dropbox users send out a link to a group of people and all their uploaded files (up to 2GB) end up in a single Dropbox folder with the sender’s first name in the file name. The senders don’t even need to be Dropbox users. The feature launches today for Pro (paid) and Basic (free) accounts. Business accounts will receive the new feature in a few weeks.
Filed under: Storage, Internet, Software
Source: Dropbox
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