Apple Seeds Second OS X 10.11 El Capitan Beta to Developers
Apple today released the second beta of OS X 10.11 El Capitan to developers for testing purposes, just over two weeks after unveiling the new operating system at its 2015 Worldwide Developers Conference. Any new changes found in the second El Capitan beta will be detailed below.
The update, build 15A204h, is available through the software update mechanism in the Mac App Store and through the Apple Developer Center. Apple has also released OS X Server 5.0 beta 2.
OS X El Capitan largely builds on the features introduced with OS X Yosemite, focusing on improving performance and user experience. Behind-the-scenes improvements in El Capitan have made a number of apps and processes on the Mac much faster, and the introduction of Metal makes system-level graphics rendering 40 percent more efficient.
Along with a new systemwide font, El Capitan includes a revamped Mission Control feature, a new Split View feature for using two full-screen apps at once, deeper functionality for Spotlight, and several new features for Safari, including Pinned Sites for housing frequently-visited websites and a universal mute button that quiets all tabs.
Mail’s been updated with new iOS-style gestures and Smart Suggestions, and Photos, Notes, and Maps have also gained small improvements.
OS X 10.11 El Capitan is currently only available to registered developers, but Apple plans to offer a public beta of the software in July. Following testing, El Capitan will see a final release in the fall of 2015.
Instagram Updates Explore Tab With Dynamic Content and Curated Collections [iOS Blog]
Instagram today began rolling out a small but noteworthy update to its iOS application, namely focusing on expanding and deepening the features of the “Explore” tab inside the app.
The first feature focuses on showcasing trending topics and places, with “dynamically updated content” that promises to give each user a real-time look at events and pictures happening nearby. Users will also be able to select from locations around the globe if they prefer to not be locked into local content.
Secondly, curated collections will let Instagram users explore a constantly rotating array of people and places — from topics like extreme athletes to national parks — all hand picked by the Instagram team. The new update will also allow users to search by location in “Places search,” to explore exotic destinations across the world, or even see what users in your local town are posting.
The new redesigned Explore tab is unfortunately only available for Instagram users in the United States, but the team has taken steps to improve basic search functionality for everyone else. These features include search by location and the traditional search all posts option.
Speaking with Wired, Instagram CEO and co-founder Kevin Systrom pointed toward the new update as a way for people to have instant visual updates on world news in one convenient place. It’s “what we’ve been shooting for all along,” Systrom said of the real-time spotlight focus on news and information.
Early on, he and cofounder Mike Krieger “had this vision that if we could grow large enough and have a system that allowed people to tag who they were with, they could see what is happening right now.” He used the example of Hurricane Sandy, a storm that decimated parts of New York City two-and-a-half years ago.
Even back then, traditional media outlets featured images from Instagram as part of their storm coverage. “But if you wanted to see photos, you had to know Sandy [was happening in the first place] and and to go look for that hashtag,” said Systrom. “We want to be the first place to cover it, and to have broad reach to cover the real things happening on the ground.”
Instagram‘s new update is rolling out now, and should be available to most users throughout the rest of the day, and the app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Android Auto coming to select 2016 GMC and Buick models
While Android Auto was actually announced back at Google I/O 2014, it has taken vehicle manufacturers a long time to get compatible equipment into their vehicles. One of the first companies to get out a working Android Auto model was Hyundai with the 2015 Sonata, a vehicle which we had the opportunity to get a better look at in our full review of the Android Auto platform. Now that we are heading into 2016, we can expect many more car manufacturers to jump on board the Android Auto train.
One of these brands is GMC, which had previously announced that Android Auto would be coming to select Cadillac and Chevrolet models. Today GMC has announced a bit more about its own Android Auto plans, revealing that Android Auto (and Apple Airplay) support will also be coming to select GMC and Buick 2016 models. For GMC, we’ll see support for the Sierra, Canyon, and Yukon. Buick will be bringing support to the LaCrosse and Regal lines. With all above mentioned models, Android Auto will be integrated with the existing GMC/Buick IntelliLink entertainment and connectivity system.
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The downside to Android Auto, at least in its current stage, is that it requires a newer device (5.0 Lollipop or later) and that means many Android devices will be left out of the fun. Android Auto also only works by a physical tether to your car, something that is a bit disappointing in an age full of wireless and Bluetooth solutions. Still, Android Auto is off to a great start and is only destined to get better with rumors continuing to suggest that future-gen models may eventually offer completely stand-alone Android Auto experiences with no phone tether required.
What do you think of Android Auto in its current iteration? Would Android Auto support (or lack thereof) factor into your decision to buy a new vehicle? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Google Play Music now has free, ad-supported radio
One of the mechanics that made Spotify and Pandora so popular is that they can be entirely free to use as long as you don’t mind the occasional commercial. It’s a paradigm that has seen great success and is one of the few free ways to listen to music and support the artist. Now, you can get that same experience on Google Play Music without an All Access subscription.
Previously, those with an All Access pass could get access to curated playlists or “radio stations” based on what kind of stuff they wanted to listen to. These include playlists like Brand New Music and Driving Music. If you’ll recall, these were added to Google Play Music courtesy of Songza after Google acquired them in July of last year.
Starting today, people can listen in on these hand-crafted playlists anytime they want without the $9.99/month All Access subscription. Free listeners will be subjected to occasional commercials to help pay for the content. In the official announcement, they have even provided a list of the top 10 stations for you to try out if you haven’t yet. Aside from those, there are a metric ton of stations that run the gambit on genre, mood, feel, and atmosphere. Most of the stations are actually very well done.
There is no doubt that this is designed to get more people interested in Google Play Music. Despite having a very robust platform that includes some very unique features, Google Play Music hasn’t quite been able to pierce the mainstream veil like the powerhouse music streaming services such as Spotify and Pandora. With this, people will be able to get into Google Play Music without paying anything. We think it’s a good move.
Now for the bad news. It’s only available in the United States. Starting today, anyone in the US will be able to access the free radio stations on the web. Android and iOS support will be rolling out over the course of the next week or so. If you want to continue the discussion, feel free to do so in the comments! If you want to download Google Play Music in anticipation of the new feature rollout, you can do so using the button below.
Motorola Turbo Charger on sale for $9.99 re-certified or $14.99 new
Groupon is having another sale on Motorola’s Turbo Charger that ships with the Nexus 6.
Currently you can pick up the charger for $9.99 (re-certified) or $14.99 (new). This is a lot better than the $34.99 price tag that Motorola stuck on it.
There is only limited stock, so you better hurry! Over 700 units have already sold!
For your money, you get a charger equiped with Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 Technology. For a quick run down on Quick Charge 2.0, check out our post here.
Remember, in order to utilize the charger properly, you phone has to support Qualcomm’s Quck Charge 2.0 Technology as well. However, most flagships now have this feature.
Alternativly, if you miss out on the Turbo Charger sale, you can visit our deal.androidguys.com page and pick up the ZeroLemon Quick Charge 2.0 charger for $14.99 as well.
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Oneplus 2 will come with USB Type-C port
Oneplus announced that they are going to use modified version of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 processor in their next generation smartphone. Just today, leak by leak, OnePlus has announced that the OnePlus 2 will be ship with a USB Type-C port for data syncing and charging.
OnePlus 2 will be the first global smartphone sporting this breakthrough technology which is smaller and thinner than ever before. A USB Type-C port measures in at a meager 8.4mm by 2.6mm which means not only can it charge smartphones, but it can also charge the smaller devices like smartwatches and bluetooth headphones. One of the sweetest features of the USB Type-C plug is that both ends are symmetrical, which means the plug doesn’t have a wider side on the bottom of the connector like the micro-usb plug you use to charge your current Android smartphone, and can be inserted into your device in either direction.
USB Type-C it can carry up to 100 watts of power and also has a high data transfer rate at up to 10Gbits/s, doubling the previous generations USB 3.0 rate of 5Gbit/s. Most 15-inch laptops require far less power than what the Type-C can provide, which means in the future we can charge our smartphones, tablets, and laptops with the same charger. This will be great in minimizing the cables we have to carry around with us when we travel although it will make all of our current devices incompatible with the new standard.
“This year, we want to go one step further. Instead of merely being on par with the flagships of 2015, we want to show our industry buddies the way forward. We want to provide an amazing user experience that our competition won’t merely try and catch up to later this fall, but also throughout 2016 and beyond. The USB Type C port on the OnePlus 2 is just one of these details. “
We think that the OnePlus wants to make its smartphone future-proof and wants to give a tough hand to its competitors. So far, OnePlus is on track to build another flagship killer for 2015 with high-end hardware.
What do you think? Will USB Type-C make any difference? Let us know in the comment section down below.
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Google Play Music introduces free ad-supported Radio
No need to worry if you’re not a Google Play Music subscriber but want to listen to some music, since a free ad-supported radio feature has just been introduced to the service in the US.
No matter what you want to listen to, Google Play Music can now be listened to without an active subscription, just like Spotify.
The feature utilises the technology acquired from Songza to create stations personalised to something specific, whether that be an occasion, mood, or genre.
To help you get started, check out the top 10 most popular activities on Google Play Music, with each offering several radio stations to choose from based on what you like:
- Brand New Music
- Driving
- Working Out
- Boosting Your Energy
- Having Friends Over
- Having Fun at Work
- Entering Beast Mode
- Waking Up Happy
- Unwinding
- Bedtime
Of course, to store offline music and access the entire library on any device, you’ll need to sign up as a subscriber to Google Play Music for $9.99 per month.
The new free service is launching first in the U.S and is available right now on the web version of Google Play Music, and will be rolling out to Android and iOS later this week.
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Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge expected to sell 45 million units in 2015
Despite many not agreeing with the changes Samsung made to the Galaxy S6 over the previous Galaxy S5, the thing seems to be selling faster than ever. So it didn’t have a MicroSD card slot and included a smaller non-removable battery – that doesn’t seem to have mattered at all.
A report released by Deutsche Bank estimates that Samsung are on track to sell around 45 million units of the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge combined, whilst Counterpoint believes the number to be around 50 million.
These are all estimates until Samsung releases some solid numbers, but all we know is the sales have performed better than internal targets were set at, surprising the Samsung execs.
Do you tend to see many Galaxy S6 or Galaxy S6 Edge devices on your travels? Drop us a comment below.
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Todoist for Android update brings Material Design to the forefront
Todoist has gotten a colourful makeover, bringing the device up to code as far as Material Design guidelines go. The productivity app originally launched in 2012, and the developer has been hard at work with the Material Design overhaul for the past year.
In its blog post, Todoist says they “left no screen interaction untouched” with the Material Design overhaul. As far as design goes, the developer made sure that Todoist for Android is one of the most beautiful and inspiring apps you’ll get your hands on. Material Design isn’t the only thing that happened in this new update, though.
The developer included a handful of new features with it. Todoist now has an “intelligent” quick-add feature, allowing you to quickly and seamlessly add new tasks. They’ve also included start and end dates in the update, along with a way to change the colours of Todoist with 10 different theme options. You can also break down those monstrous projects into small chunks with sub-tasks.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Finally, Todoist now lets you add collaborators, upload larger file sizes in the premium version, and lets you swipe left to schedule a task and right to complete one. Overall, this is a huge update, and if you haven’t gotten it yet, be sure to scan the QR code or hit the download link below.
source: Todoist
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GMC, Buick bringing Android Auto to some models this year
At the C3 Connected Car Conference being held in New York City, GM announced several models from two of their brands will be receiving Android Auto capabilities in 2016 models scheduled for release later this year. Both GMC and Buick will see models equipped to support both Android Auto and Apple’s CarPlay platforms as part of the company’s efforts to expand support for consumer technology.
For GMC, the company is starting out slowly with only some GMC Sierra models getting Android Auto capability to start with. However, GMC plans to expand that support to cover all Sierra models as well as all Canyon and Yukon models later in the year. On the Buick side, all 2016 Regal and LaCrosse models are scheduled to get support for Android Auto later in the year. Initially the Android Auto systems will come on 7-inch displays built into the vehicle dashes, but will eventually be supported on the 8-inch displays being used for Apple CarPlay.
Both Buick and GMC note that the support for Android Auto, as well as Apple CarPlay, is being designed to integrate smoothly with the company’s OnStar 4G LTE connectivity which creates a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot whenever a vehicle is turned on and can support up to seven connected devices. Buyers will get a free three-month, 3 GB per month trial period before having to make an optional purchase to keep the service.
Duncan Aldred, a vice president with both the GMC and Buick divisions, says each company “understands the importance of connectivity integration in everyday life and this new connection technology provides drivers with a smart and simple way to have all the conveniences of their mobile devices safely at their fingertips.”
sources: Buick press release, GMC press release
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