Deal: Learn to create mobile games with the Zero to Hero Game Developer Bundle for just $49
Learning to make great mobile games can be difficult, especially when there are so many courses out there to choose from. So if you have a great idea for a mobile or desktop video game but aren’t sure where to begin, we’d suggest trying out the Zero to Hero Game Developer Bundle – currently just $49 in the AA Deals Store.
The bundle consists of seven different courses and more than 30 hours of training that will cover everything from Unity3D to HTML5. It will not only help you design great games, but also help you learn the basics in both Android and iOS development, which is something many of these bundles don’t offer. Check out the list below to see all of the courses included in the bundle.
- Beginner Unity3D Game Design Course – Create 3D games for iOS Devices & PC ($199 value)
- Create Your First Computer Game w/ Stencyl Course – Build Your Own 2D Game in Just Hours ($169 value)
- Beginner HTML5 Mobile Game Development Course – Code on Windows 8, iOS + Android ($149 value)
- ‘Build a Simplified iOS 7 Flappy Game’ Course – Create Your Own iOS Game w/ No Coding ($127 value)
- Create Your Own Match 3 Puzzle Game Course – A-Z Guide for Building Your Puzzle Game for iOS ($147 value)
- Beginner iOS Games Creation Course – Easily Create iPhone Games Using Cocos2d ($99 value)
- Learn Android App Development from Scratch Course – A Complete Guide to Learning Android Programming ($99 value)
If you’d like to jumpstart your career in mobile game development, you can purchase the Zero to Hero Game Developer Bundle for just $49 from the Android Authority Deals Store. If you’re interested, be sure to head to the link below for more information.
Leaked Galaxy S6/S6 edge Plus dimensions and battery size
Samsung is said to be making a “Plus” version of their S6 and S6 edge known as “Project Zero 2″. There are a lot of similarities between the regular and Plus models, but most notable changes are larger screen size and a different processor. We are not sure yet if the phones will indeed be named “S6 Plus” and “S6 edge Plus” or exactly when they will be announced, but we would imagine it will be in the coming weeks (possibly before the iPhone 6s launch?).
The Plus variants are expected to feature a 5.4-inch or 5.7-inch Super AMOLED dual-edge curved display, a hexa-core Snapdragon 808 processor, 32GB internal storage space, a 16-megapixel primary camera with OIS and 4K video recording, and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.
However we now have more leaked information about the two new models.
It is around 151 mm tall and around 73 mm wide, which makes it 9 mm taller and 3 mm wider than the Galaxy S6 edge. This means that it will most probably feature a display larger than 5.1 inches (as mentioned in previous reports), and necessary space for a larger battery that will accommodate for the larger display. According to the insider information that we’ve received, the device will house a 3,000 mAh battery.
Source: sammobile
Come comment on this article: Leaked Galaxy S6/S6 edge Plus dimensions and battery size
LG launches the G4 Stylus in Greece for €259
LG has now launched the latest variant of its flagship smartphone, the G4 Stylus in Greece. It’s available to purchase for €259 ($290) from online retailer E-Shop and will leave the warehouse on Tuesday, June 30.
The Stylus was announced by LG last month and packs a 5.7-inch Full HD IPS display, a 1.4GHz octa-core Snapdragon 410 chipset, 2GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, an integrated stylus and a 3,000mAh Li-Ion battery.
Out of the box, the handset runs the latest build of Android 5.0 Lollipop skinned with LG’s custom user interface, but is expected to receive the long-awaited Android 5.1.1 update in the not-too-distant future.
If you’re based in Greece, like the sound of the G4 Stylus and would like to pick one up — hit the source link below.
Source: E-Shop
Come comment on this article: LG launches the G4 Stylus in Greece for €259
Unannounced 4G-enabled HTC smartphone passes through the FFC
This weekend, an unannounced HTC-branded smartphone passed through the United States of America’s official certification authority — the FCC. Information included in the brief filing documentation reveals that we could be looking a brand new mid-range handset for the Desire lineup.
Unfortunately, the paperwork doesn’t reveal anything about the internals of the device, but we do know that the it’s set to pack a variety of different connectivity options, including support for 700MHz, 850MHz, 1700Mhz, 1900Mhz, and 2600 MHz frequency bands for the FDD-LTE 4G network, in addition to Bluetooth Class 1, 802.11b/802.11g/802.11n Wi-Fi, NFC and GPS.
If you wish to view the full FCC filing – just click the source link below.
Source: FCC
Come comment on this article: Unannounced 4G-enabled HTC smartphone passes through the FFC
Google uses a robot to check for lag on Android and Chrome OS devices
Testing for input lag on a smart device seems like something only a human would be able to do, but Google apparently uses a giant robot to handle the task. Is there anything we can’t develop a giant robot to do?
The machine is called TouchBot and it tests Android and Chrome OS devices by tapping the screen in different places, then recording what’s going on. It’s a pretty cool automated concept, and apparently works well for Google. Hit the video below to see it in action.
source: François Beaufort (Google+)
Click here to view the embedded video.
Come comment on this article: Google uses a robot to check for lag on Android and Chrome OS devices
Facebook launches 2G-friendly Lite application in India and the Philippines
Following its announcement last month, Facebook today launched the 2G-friendly Lite version of its mobile application in India and the Philippines. It weighs in at just 430KB and is available to download directly from the Google Play Store.
For those unfamiliar with Facebook Lite, the app was designed to be a data-efficient alternative to the standard mobile client, which is great for users with low resources or an intermittent data connection.
Despite being created to save on data consumption, this application is crammed full of lots of great features, including News Feed, status updates, photos and notifications. Video support is also expected to be added in the very near future.
If you’d like to download the Facebook Lte, hit the link below. Alternatively, you can scan the QR code to initiate the installation immediately.
Come comment on this article: Facebook launches 2G-friendly Lite application in India and the Philippines
Sky uses stats to explain why BT and Openreach should split
It’s no secret that Sky wants BT and Openreach split up. When Ofcom announced its new review of the UK telecommunications industry, the broadcaster said “structural separation” was vital to address what it perceives as a conflict of interest. Now that the investigation is underway, Sky has published its submission in full with a crucial recommendation: to upgrade the case to a “market investigation reference” with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The company argues that the relationship between BT and Openreach is reducing competition and limiting providers like Sky with its inadequate service. Were the CMA to set up its own inquiry, it could, depending on the outcome, lead to a forced separation of BT and Openreach — something both parties are keen to avoid.
Sky uses the network infrastructure owned by BT and Openreach to offer its own broadband services across the UK. However, Sky says Openreach “falls far short of an acceptable standard,” which gives customers a poor impression of its business. For instance, the company claims that Openreach engineers, in 90 percent of cases, take 10 days or longer to install a new line for Sky. In addition, it says that Openreach changes its agreed installation dates 36,000 times a month, while missing over 5,000 appointments and failing to complete 4,000 jobs over the same period. Sky also claims that faults across the Openreach network are increasing and that they’re not being fixed fast enough.
Unsurprisingly, BT is disputing the claims. A spokesperson said Sky was “engaging in selective spin rather than constructive dialogue.” The company admitted that Openreach’s customer service could be improved, but maintained that a break up wasn’t the answer. “It would lead to huge uncertainty and fundamentally undermine the case for future investment,” the spokesperson added. Sky is pushing hard for change, but it’ll be a while before we know if its efforts have paid off. Ofcom will release a “discussion document” later this summer, but its initial conclusions won’t be published until the end of the year. Even if Ofcom were to side with Sky, that would mean another long and arduous wait while the CMA conducts its own review. In the broadband wars, it’s all about the long game.
[Image Credit: Paul Avis / Alamy]
Filed under: Internet
Source: Sky
Sprint expands in-home sales and support to New York and L.A.
Since not everybody loves going to a phone store, Sprint recently launched Direct 2 You to help you buy or update a handset from pretty much anywhere you want. It must have been on to something, as it just expanded it to four new cities: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Denver. In addition, the service is now available to anybody, rather than just existing Sprint clients as before. Essentially, it lets you buy a new device, upgrade from an old one or get customer service from any location you want — like your home or a ball field — for free.
The service is also in the carrier’s home market of Kansas City and 28 other cities, including Chicago and Miami. It’ll soon hit Detroit, Dallas and Washington, D.C., and by the end of the year, the carrier wants to blanket the US with around 5,000 roving support staff. If you’re interested, you can call Sprint or visit a special website, then get them to come to your “home, office or coffee shop,” according to the company.
Filed under: Cellphones, Sprint
Uber France CEO taken into custody in wake of protests
After days of violent protests and defiance on the part of Uber’s French management, two of the company’s employees were taken into custody for “illicit activity” today. Uber France CEO Thibaut Simphal and Uber European GM Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty were arrested for running the company’s ride-sharing service illegally. TechCrunch reports the pair is also being held under suspicion of “concealing digital documents.” Last week, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve began legal action to shut down UberPOP, the service that employs non-professional drivers to provide rides, in response to protests that blocked key transportation hubs.
At that time Cazeneuve noted that Uber’s defiance in telling its driver’s to ignore the ban was “a criminal offense.” Uber’s local general manager said that it would continue to operate in France until the country’s high court forbid it from doing so, even after police were given the order to seize vehicles if necessary. While UberPOP was banned in France earlier this year, an appeals court said it could continue to operate until the final decision was handed down in September. Today’s arrests don’t appear to be directly linked to the protests, but are reportedly part of France’s on-going investigation. However, the last week’s events may have provided a reason to expedite the proceedings.
Filed under: Transportation
Via: AFP (Twitter)
Source: The Local
Xiaomi Mi 4i review: not a flagship, but definitely a great buy
Xiaomi’s latest addition to their ever-expanding smartphone portfolio is a revised, mid-range edition of the company’s flagship Mi 4. With India being the target market for what Xiaomi is calling an “affordable flagship,” will the Mi 4i be able to hold ts own against the slew of similar products that fall in the price segment? We find out, in this Xiaomi Mi 4i review!
Design
While the Mi 4i may share the name of its flagship counterpart, the differences between the two are obvious right off the bat, starting with the design. Gone are the aluminium frame and glossy plastic back cover of the Mi 4, with Xiaomi favoring a matte polycarbonate design instead for the Mi 4i. The overall design language is quite similar to previous Xiaomi smartphones though, and the Mi 4i manages to look and feel great.
Going around the device, the power button and volume rocker are found on the right side, both within easy reach, and offering a good tactile feedback. The dual SIM card slot is found on the left side, with the headphone jack and microUSB port at the top and bottom respectively. Up front, below the display are the three capacitive buttons, and above the display is the 5 MP front-facing camera and a notification LED to the right of it. As is the case with all Xiaomi devices, you can choose between seven different LED colors based on notification type, accessible from the Settings menu.
The Mi 4i is both thinner and lighter than its flagship namesake, with a thickness of just 7.8 mm, and weighing 130 grams. The finish of the side edges makes the phone very easy to grip, and its relatively compact size makes for a very comfortable handling experience, even when it comes to one-handed use.
Display
Even with significant differences in other key areas, the Xiaomi Mi 4i retains the display of its more powerful sibling, featuring a 5-inch IPS LCD display with a 1080p resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 441 ppi.
This display proves to be excellent, and certainly goes beyond what the price point of this device would suggest. Color reproduction is accurate, color temperatures are neutral, and viewing angles are fantastic. Outdoor visibility in bright sunlight is also very good, courtesy of Xiaomi’s technology that makes hardware level adjustments to improve visibility while in bright environments. Overall, the display of the Xiaomi Mi 4i looks really good, and will be pleasing to anyone, whether you use it for work or play.
Performance and hardware
Under the hood, the Xiaomi Mi 4i packs a second generation 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, clocked at 1.7 GHz, and backed by the Adreno 405 GPU and 2 GB of RAM. While this processing package is decidedly mid-range, it has proven to be very capable, and that remains the case here.
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Performance is as smooth as expected, but understandably not as fast as what you’d get with far more expensive flagships. The device handles gaming very well, and multi-tasking is also a breeze. The MIUI 6 OS is quite memory-intensive though, leaving users with just over 1 GB of memory on boot. Xiaomi said that they worked closely with Qualcomm to ensure that the device doesn’t overheat, and luckily, there were no issues with this review unit. It does get warm when performing processor-intensive tasks for a long time, but not uncomfortably so, or any more than what would happen with any other smartphone out there.
The Mi 4i comes with 16 GB of on-board storage, but there is no microSD card slot available for any expandable storage. The device also comes with a standard suite of connectivity options, with a Dual SIM slot (dual standby) with 4G LTE supported with both. That said, while the device is compatible with 4G LTE networks in India, and a few other markets around the world, in the US, it is limited to HSPA+ connectivity on the T-Mobile and AT&T network.
The call quality was really good, with the sound loud and clear at both ends of the call. The device comes with a single speaker unit at the back, and while the speaker isn’t as large as the grill may suggest, it still sounds pretty good. Unlike most budget-friendly smartphones, the audio output isn’t distorted at the highest volume, and thanks to the small bump on the back, the sound isn’t muffled as much when the phone is placed on a flat surface, something that is usually a big issue with rear speaker setups.
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The device packs a non-removable 3,120 mAh battery, that allows for some impressive battery life. While being connected to the AT&T network, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on, and with the display brightness set to 90%, the device lasted from 7 AM to around 11:30 PM, with just over 4 hours of screen-on time. Most users shouldn’t have any difficulty comfortably getting a full day of use out of this device. If you do manage to drain the battery completely, the Mi 4i also comes with quick charging, that allows for the device to charge from 0 to 40% within an hour.
Camera
The Xiaomi Mi 4i comes with a 13 MP rear camera with a dual LED flash, and 5 MP front-facing unit, and the device takes some great photos, especially when considering its price point.
Images appear to be sharp and crisp, and even more so when using Xiaomi’s advanced HDR mode. When it comes to the software, the MIUI camera application hasn’t changed from any other Xiaomi devices, and continues to offer just the right amount of manual control, without getting too overwhelming. There also some very useful additions, like the ability to use the focus ring to adjust exposure, even while in the auto mode.
Software
The Xiaomi Mi 4i ships with the latest MIUI 6, based on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, even if you will be hard-pressed to find a lot of material design elements in the user interface. MIUI is certainly one of the heavier Android skins, but does add quite a lot to the overall software experience.
MIUI allows for a very high level of control and customization throughout, something that isn’t easily available with other Android skins. Features like lockscreen notifications, heads up notifications, Do Not Disturb, and card style multi-tasking were all a part of MIUI before the release of Lollipop. In addition to Xiaomi’s unique take on those, you also get access to a robust theme store, more powerful data usage management tools, battery saving profiles that can automatically be activated based on the time, app permissions, in-call recording, and so much more.
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There are some aspects of the software experience that can take some getting used to though, including, but not limited to, the fact that an app drawer isn’t available, leaving users dependent on folders to keep things organized. The Settings menu can also be a little overwhelming, and is quite unorganized when compared to the stock Android version. Another unfortunate issue is that Xiaomi hasn’t been very good with Android version updates as of late, so an upcoming update to Android M, if any, could take a while.
Specifications
| Display | 5-inch IPS LCD, 1920 x 1080 resolution, 441 ppi |
| Processor | 1.7 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 Adreno 405 GPU |
| RAM | 2 GB |
| Storage | 16 GB, not expandable |
| Camera | 13 MP rear camera with dual LED flash 5 MP front camera |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.1, FM Radio |
| Battery | 3,120 mAh |
| OS | MIUI OS 6 based on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop |
| Colors | white, yellow, pink, grey, blue |
| Dimensions | 138.1 x 69.6 x 7.8 mm 130 grams |
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Pricing and Final Thoughts
The Xiaomi Mi 4i is priced at Rs 12,999 (approx. $220) in India, with only the white version available for now, and other color options, including grey, pink, blue, and yellow, launching soon. This is a very competitive price tag, that’s cheaper than any other device that offers similar specifications.
So there you have it, for this closer look at the Xiaomi Mi 4i! There’s no denying that this is a really good phone that features an unbeatable price tag, but Xiaomi’s marketing of the Mi 4i being an “affordable flagship” is quite misleading. Affordable, definitely, but flagship, not quite. While you do get excellent design and build quality, great display, impressive battery life, and a good software experience, its processing package, and the availability of just 16 GB of non-expandable storage puts this device in the mid-range. That said, while there are quite a lot of devices that offer similar specifications, the Xiaomi Mi 4i is certainly the cheapest of the lot, and is a great choice for anyone.
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