Latest BBM update brings Material Design overhaul and new Privacy and Control Subscription
BlackBerry today is issuing a new update to its BBM app for Android devices that not only brings a complete Material Design overhaul, but also some new security features many people will enjoy.
If you take a look at the screenshots attached to this post, you’ll quickly be able to notice that the app looks much cleaner. Featuring a slide-out menu on the left side of the app, a new way to organize your sticker collection, and a new quote message feature, we’re sure many users out there will really enjoy the new changes. Aside from the visual improvements, though, the new update also brings a new Privacy and Control Subscription to the messaging service that replaces the existing Timed and Retracted Messages Subscription. With the new Privacy and Control Subscription, you get:
- Private Chat
- Timed messages and pictures
- Retract messages and pictures
- Edit Message (Which is also new to the subscription. Made a mistake? Now you can retract it, change it, and send your message again.)
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BlackBerry says that current Timed and Retracted Messages Subscription customers will automatically be updated to the new subscription service at no extra cost. If you’re interested, be sure to head to the Google Play Store link below to grab the latest version.
Yahoo’s redesigned mobile search looks a lot like Google’s
Yahoo has been pushing hard to be people’s default search engine on every device. Before it can make that happen, though, the company knows its product must be improved drastically. As part of these efforts, Yahoo Search is getting an overhaul on mobile, designed to put relevant results information front and center. For example, if you’re looking for sushi in Seattle, you now have the option to get directions to any restaurant, as well as read reviews and make reservations — so long as you’re in the US. It’s obvious that Yahoo took a cue from Google with these features, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?
Source: Yahoo
Deal: find out how fast your device is charging with the Smart Micro USB Charge Kit (32% off)
I’m sure you have a ton of external battery packs lying around your house to give your mobile devices that extra boost, but do you ever wonder just how well they’re holding up? That’s where the Smart Micro USB Charge Kit comes in. For only $16.99, this convenient kit will be able to tell you just how fast your mobile devices are charging.
Just like a standard Micro USB cable, this kit links up to your mobile device and conveniently displays the device’s charging speed in real time. You’ll be able to get instant charge speeds of your Android and other Micro USB devices, as well as save some time in the process by avoiding long wait times for slow chargers. The included USB cable measures three feet long and lays flat to help keep it from tangling.
Right now, you can purchase the Smart Micro USB Charge Kit from the Android Authority Deals Store for just $16.99, which is a whole 32% off the suggested retail price! If you’re interested in this awesome deal, be sure to head to the link below for more information.
AT&T and Cricket Wireless are now carrying the affordable ZTE Maven and Sonata 2
ZTE is launching two new inexpensive phones. The ZTE Maven will be heading to AT&T and the Sonata 2 which is heading to Cricket Wireless. Although everyone likes to hear about the crazy specs of current flagships these two phones are not bad for being budget friendly.
The ZTE maven is available online and in AT&T stores for only $59.99 with no contract. It has a 1.2GHz Qualcomm quad-core processor, 4G LTE connectivity, 8GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 32GB, a 5MP rear-facing camera and a VGA front-facing camera. It also has a 4.5-inch display and runs Android 5.1 Lollipop out of the box.
Cricket Wireless is carrying the ZTE Sonata 2 which has a 4.0-inch WVGA display, a 1.2GHz Qualcomm dual-core processor, 4G LTE connectivity, a 5MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera. It also has 1GB of RAM, 4GB of on-board storage (microSD expandable up to 32GB), a 1650mAh battery and runs Android 4.4 KitKat. This phone is even cheaper at only $29.99 on Cricket’s website with an upgrade or new activation.
Press Release
ZTE will announce the availability of the ZTE Maven with AT&T and the ZTE Sonata 2 with Cricket Wireless.
As more U.S. consumers seek affordable smartphone options, wireless carriers are turning to ZTE for devices such as the Maven and Sonata 2 that mix affordability with a more premium experience. In fact, ZTE’s smartphone shipments increased 43% year-over-year in the U.S. As the third largest Android manufacturer in the U.S., ZTE owns 9.1% postpaid Android market share and 12.3% prepaid Android market share (Strategy Analytics, 2015Q1).
ABOUT ZTE MAVEN
ZTE Maven will be available at www.att.com and in select AT&T retail stores nationwide for $59.99 with no annual commitment.
Compact in size, with voice-directed navigation and pre-installed Uber app, the Maven is the perfect phone for anyone or any family on-the-go this summer. With 4G LTE, a powerful 1.2 GHz Qualcomm quad-core processor, you get fast speeds streaming, downloading, and surfing.
While you’re traveling from point A to point B, the 5 MP rear-facing camera and VGA front-facing camera will capture any summer adventure. A large capacity battery and plenty of expandable storage space will ensure you don’t miss a beat. The latest Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system will keep you connected online, anytime.
The device can be activated on a new GoPhone account or used with an existing AT&T GoPhone or AT&T Wireless account.
ABOUT ZTE SONATA 2
ZTE Sonata 2 will be available with Cricket Wireless online at www.cricketwireless.com and in select Cricket Wireless retail stores nationwide for $29.99 with phone line activation or with an eligible upgrade.
Following the success of the original Sonata, the Sonata 2 has been upgraded with more battery power and new looks. Fun meets function with a selfie shortcut button, a 5 MP rear camera with LED flash and 4x zoom, and a 2 MP front-facing camera. With 32GB of expandable storage, 1.2GHz Qualcomm dual-core processor, 4G speeds, and plenty of battery, this phone won’t slow you down or hold you back this summer.
Come comment on this article: AT&T and Cricket Wireless are now carrying the affordable ZTE Maven and Sonata 2
Google is making mobile search even easier with carousel results
Google announced yesterday that they are rolling out carousel search results for mobile searches (see image). The new search results pull images from sites like Pinterest, Food Network, Houzz, etc. making it even easier for users to find what they are looking for.
In the past many large brands have been upset with Google for pulling snippet information with answers to users questions and putting them directly in the search results. Users no longer have to click a link to get the information they desire which is good for users, but bad for website owners since it results in less traffic to their site. Some brands have even accused Google of committing theft by doing this.
Since this new carousel search results in showing only images website owners should be fine with it as users will still have to click the link to find out more.
Google said on their Google+:
Whether you are looking for Pinterest pins, Vines, Houzz idea books or Food Network recipes, you can now browse through more content from your favorite websites within Google search results on your mobile device. Simply swipe through links within a carousel and tap any link to read or watch exactly what you are interested in.
Source: google
Via: 9to5google
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Beyond Android: A look at the Chevrolet Bolt prototype
We’re already deep into bringing you some in-depth coverage of Android Auto from the Chevrolet tech event in Detroit. We’ve gotten to take a close look at the all-new Chevrolet Spark running Android Auto, as well as the powerful Chevrolet Volt battery. Now we’re taking a look at the Chevrolet Bolt EV prototype – an all-electric vehicle that might come equipped with Android Auto when it comes to market, but more on that later. Our very own Darcy LaCouvee got the chance to interview the company about this new futuristic car and what we can expect to see from it in the coming months.
The new Chevrolet Bolt
The Chevrolet Bolt will be released to market sometime next year with the starting price of only $30,000. Now that may seem like a lot, but that’s roughly half of the price of the Tesla Model S electric car. The low price of the Bolt isn’t the only thing to look forward to, though. Chevy also just announced that the vehicle is capable of traveling over 200 miles on a single charge. For comparison’s sake, the Model S can travel somewhere between 208 and 270 miles on one charge. Chevrolet also says that the Bolt will be able to reach an 80% charge in just about 45 minutes.
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Before we go any further, we should clarify that we’re talking about the completely-electric Chevrolet Bolt EV, not the Chevrolet Volt that’s known for its electric and gas driving capabilities. And since the consumer-ready Bolt won’t be released until sometime next year, the Chevrolet representative tells us that the model we checked out is similar to the retail unit.
So, what about Android Auto?
One of the big announcements that we’re still waiting on is whether or not the Bolt will come with Android Auto. While we don’t have any exclusive information regarding the announcement, the Chevrolet representative explained that one of the aspects of the vehicle that’s most exciting is the level of connectivity that this car is going to bring. While Android Auto wasn’t specifically mentioned, it can be inferred that the Bolt might come to market running Android. The representative also says that the Bolt will bring some features to market that have “never been done before”, so we’ll have to wait and see just what the company plans to do in the future.
Looking ahead
Okay, so we don’t have any confirmation (yet) about Android Auto in the consumer-ready Bolt, but we did get to talk a little about the initial stages of Android Auto and how future Chevrolet vehicles might adapt to the ever-growing smartphone space. Looking back to the first versions of Android, iOS and Windows, we’ve seen an incredible amount of improvement in the way we use our mobile devices, and the same could be said for the current state of Android Auto.
You see, even though car manufacturers are on a tight schedule to get cars ready for market, a smartphone’s standard development time is significantly shorter. In turn, expecting that an auto maker would be able to stay on top the latest and greatest smartphone tech would be near impossible. Chevrolet says it’s working with both Google and Apple to be able to quickly adopt this shorter timeframe into its vehicles. Again, we didn’t get any specifics about Chevy’s advancements, so we’ll have to stay tuned to see what the company says in the future.
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“We want to be the leaders in connectivity”, says the Chevrolet representative, “We understand how important that is and how easy it makes your car life, and that’s what we’re set out to do. Make it effortless.”
Signing off
Before you head out, be sure to check out our full interview at the top of this page. Have you considered purchasing an electric car? If so, have you looked into any of Chevrolet’s offerings? Also be sure to check out more videos form the Chevrolet tech event, which are attached below.
Google offers a way to check your Project Fi invite status
If you signed up for Google’s Project Fi phone service, Mountain View now offers a way to check your invite status. TechCrunch reports the company alerted those who signed up via email about the new feature that displays an estimated wait time after you log-in on the Project Fi site. Its usefulness seems to vary, though, as some folks are seeing 3-4 weeks or 4-8 weeks while others are told to check back later for an estimate. Google said it would take until the middle of the summer to get all of the invites sorted, so those folks may see an update soon. Looking for a quick refresher on the service? We’ve got you covered right here.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google
Hidden Features in iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan
iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan have been available to developers for two weeks now, giving us time to discover all of the little features in both operating systems that weren’t discussed during the keynote event. We’ve created two videos that highlight some of the small but neat additions to iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan, which you can watch below.
Apple’s introduced a wide range of feature additions and minor tweaks in iOS 9 that make some very useful improvements to iOS. For example, there’s now a Notification Center widget that displays the battery life of connected devices like the Apple Watch, and there’s a search bar in the Settings app that lets you find a specific setting very quickly.
A “Back to App” feature lets you swap between apps quickly when you click a notification or a link, and some keyboard changes on the iPad make editing documents a whole lot easier.
OS X 10.11 El Capitan has fewer small feature additions, but there are some improvements worth pointing out. The famous rainbow wheel pointer or “beachball,” which spins when a program is loading has brighter, more defined colors, and the cursor is now easier to find when waking a Mac from sleep. There’s also a revamped Disk Utility window and a dedicated Find My Friends widget for the Notification Center.
If you want to see an overview of all of the features in the new operating systems, make sure to check out our roundups: iOS 9 and OS X 10.11 El Capitan. Our dedicated iOS 9 and El Capitan forums are also an excellent resource for learning more about the software we’ll all be using in the fall.
NHL 2K, WWE 2K, Minuum Keyboard and more on sale in Google Play for a limited time
If you’re looking for a handful of great apps and games to play over the weekend, the Google Play Store has a few awesome deals going on right now. For starters, developer 2K Games is holding a sale on some of their most popular games to celebrate Independence Day. From now until Monday, July 6th, you’ll be able to pick up NHL 2K, WWE 2K and XCOM: Enemy Within at a steep discount. We’ve also found a few other apps and games that are on sale this week, including Minuum Keyboard, Super Backup Pro and the addictive endless runner FOTONICA.
Take a look at the discounts below:
- NHL 2K – $2.99 (normally $7.99)
- WWE 2K – $5.99 (normally $7.99)
- XCOM: Enemy Within – $4.99 (normally $9.99)
- Minuum Keyboard – $1.99 (normally $3.20)
- FOTONICA – $0.99 (normally $2.99)
- Super Backup Pro – $0.99 (normally $1.99)
We’re not sure how long Minuum Keyboard, FOTONICA and Super Backup Pro will be discounted, so you might want to download them sooner rather than later. Do you see anything else on sale today? If so, let us know and we’ll add it to our list!
Microsoft’s OneDrive for Android updated with Chromecast support
Microsoft has just updated its OneDrive cloud storage app to version 3.2.0. The new update brings with it Chromecast support, allowing users to stream still images and video from their cloud storage.
The Redmond-based company has been promising Chromecast for support for awhile now, and they’ve finally made do on that promise today. If you use OneDrive, it’s really simple to start streaming content. Just jump into the app, and on the top right of the taskbar, to the left of the search button is a Chromecast option. Select it, and you can start casting!
Chromecast support seems to be the only change in this update, as that’s all that’s listed in the changelog, and I can’t seem to find any other changes in the app.
Has anyone gotten the update and taken it for a spin yet? If you haven’t gotten the update just yet, scan the QR code or hit the download link below!
Come comment on this article: Microsoft’s OneDrive for Android updated with Chromecast support
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