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4
Jul

Report: LG G2 to receive Android Lollipop 5.1.1 in the next two months


lg-g2-5

For reasons beyond our control, and at times in defiance of logic, flagships of the past are often doomed to live out their days with antiquated OS builds. Tech-savvy consumers have become progressively more upset as time has passed, and indeed several OEMs are now (mostly) listening. LG has been one of the most receptive, and users of its 2013 flagship, the G2, were no doubt thrilled when Lollipop arrived on their device’s digital doors. Now it seems, it’s time to move up, as a new report alleges the G2 will be receiving Android 5.1.1 in the near future.

LG-G2-Android-5-1-1-w782 Android PIT

The source of the story claims that an unnamed insider working inside LG’s software development division has supplied this information, along with an expected roll-out within the next couple of months. Along with the new version number, the update is also said to bring with it a new user interface along with some other features seen in the G4.

We will update this story in the event any new information is leaked within the next few weeks. Judging by the lead-up to Lollipop on the G3, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a video leak on YouTube, or some additional specifics. Please keep in mind that even if the unlocked G2 receives the update, there is no telling when – or if – your carrier will make the update happen, so please take this report with not only a pinch of salt, but also a dose of reality. Now if only another Korean company could decide what to do with its’ former flagship…

 

4
Jul

Holiday music exclusive battle: Apple & Eminem vs. Tidal & Lil Wayne


While many in the US are relaxing for the July 4th holiday, the folks at Apple Music and Tidal are hard at work trying to push their respective subscription music services. Apple has already announced plans for a Dr. Dre radio show on Beats 1 that will debut Saturday night, after airing shows hosted by artists Q-Tip and Run the Jewels on Friday. Just to add on, Apple Music revealed it nabbed the exclusive for Eminem’s “music film” Phenomenal. Not to be outdone, Tidal came through with a surprise exclusive drop of Lil Wayne’s new album, FWA, aka the Free Weezy Album. Whether or not those match your personal taste, it’s evident both are gunning hard for the current subscription streaming leader, Spotify, to power the playlist at your barbecue this weekend. As far as Spotify and the rest, well, at least they have AC/DC too.

Filed under: Internet, Apple

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Source: FWA – Tidal, Phenomenal – iTunes

4
Jul

The new Bubble Wrap is losing its pop


Macro of hands with bubble wrap

Bubble Wrap is one of mankind’s greatest inventions. It protects our online orders from becoming rubble in a delivery van, but more importantly, it doubles as pure, joyous entertainment. Pop, pop, pop. There’s nothing quite like it. That’s why we were shocked to hear that Sealed Air, the creator of Bubble Wrap, has developed a new version that doesn’t pop. But wait! Before you grab your digital pitchfork, understand that there’s some method to the madness. Bubble wrap, due to all that trapped air, takes up a ton of space in company warehouses and delivery trucks. iBubble Wrap, its potential successor, is sold in super-thin sheets and inflated later on with a pump. It takes up roughly one-fiftieth of the space, meaning more can be shipped to and stored by e-commerce companies.

The downside? The bubbles are formed from long, interconnected columns, so they won’t pop under normal pressure. We’re all for cost efficiencies and anything that reduces our carbon footprint, but can’t we have a version that keeps the addictive pop too?

[Image Credit: Shutterstock]

Filed under: Misc

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Source: WSJ

4
Jul

TextBlade Update: An Inside Look at Production Troubles and New Info on Shipping Estimates [iOS Blog]


In January, WayTools announced the TextBlade, a compact, collapsible keyboard for iOS devices and Macs that’s quite unlike anything else that’s available on the market. It replaces a full keyboard with eight large smart keys that take advantage of multilayering, giving users access to a complete set of keys and commands on a keyboard that fits into a pocket.

WayTools began accepting pre-orders for the TextBlade at that time, garnering a huge amount of interest from people who were excited about the promise of a better mobile keyboard. The company initially planned to ship in February, but as customers who pre-ordered know, the TextBlade has yet to ship, having faced unforeseen production problems that led to a series of design tweaks.


I visited WayTools in Santa Monica in March and was able to be one of the first people to see the TextBlade in person, give it a try, and watch it in action. The post that I shared of my experience garnered a huge amount of interest from MacRumors readers and other people curious about the TextBlade, and since then, I’ve been asked by readers on multiple occasions to share an update about what’s going on behind the scenes at WayTools to cause the shipment delays.

As of today, I’m able to provide an update, following multiple conversations with WayTools’ CEO Mark Knighton, where we walked through the delays and went over some of the new features that have been added to the TextBlade since January. WayTools will be publishing an in-depth blog post that goes into even more detail on the problems the company faced with production, and I’ll update this post to add a direct link as soon as it’s live.

Production Issues

Before launching pre-orders, WayTools did production runs and quality tests on the TextBlade and the parts ready to go, but transitioning from testing runs to mass production can expose unforeseen issues. With mass production, a product that might have been assembled by a small team is now put together in parts by a huge number of workers and if the production process isn’t streamlined to the minutest detail, you’re not always going to get a consistent product.
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4
Jul

Apple Music Debuts Eminem’s New Music Video, Announces Dr. Dre’s Beats 1 Radio Show [iOS Blog]


In late June, it was revealed that Apple had rounded up celebrity partners to host radio shows on its Beats 1 programming schedule, including Elton John, Pharrell and Dr. Dre. Today, the company announced that Dre’s show, The Pharmacy, will premiere Saturday, July 4 at 3 PM PST and will broadcast every week thereafter at the same time.

beats1dre
The hour-long show will be co-hosted by Dre and Eddie Francis and feature recording artists Wyann Vaughn and DJ Pooh with music from DJ Jus Incredible, according to Billboard. Apple debuted the premiere date with a trailer for the program on Twitter.

Additionally, Apple Music today exclusively debuted the new music video for Eminem’s latest single, “Phenomenal”, promoting the event with a tease on the service’s Instagram. The 7-minute video, which is referred to as a “music film” by Apple, features cameos from actors John Malkovich and Randall Park, Dr. Dre and both the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch. Previously, Eminem was the subject of the first Beats 1 guest interview with DJ Zane Lowe.

The Cupertino company has been trying to secure a wealth of exclusive content for Apple Music in hopes of luring customers to its service rather than competing music streaming services. Most recently, Pharrell’s new single “Freedom” has been exclusive to the service as well as Dre’s album The Chronic. It’s likely Apple will continue to leverage its music industry contacts for future exclusives in the coming weeks and months.


4
Jul

Xiaomi’s next low-cost wearable will monitor your heart rate


Mi Band 1S

Chinese phone maker Xiaomi has made a name for itself by delivering premium devices at budget prices. As well as phones and tablets, Xiaomi also sells accessories, including the Mi Band fitness tracker. After almost a year on sale, China’s biggest mobile manufacturer feels the time is right to update its popular wearable, and thanks to Taiwan’s National Communications Commission, we now know that it will come with its very own heart-rate monitor. The Mi Band 1S retains the same design as its predecessor, complete with aluminum cap, but features a new sensor on the back that’s designed to stay in constant contact with a user’s skin.

Xiaomi’s low-margin business model is paying off: it sold a record 34.7 million smartphones in the first half of 2015 alone (although it fell way short of its 100 million target). The tracker has also fared well: it accounted for a quarter of all wearables sold in the first quarter of this year. At just $13, it can log your steps, track sleep and even unlock your (Android) phone.

Given Xiaomi’s commitment to affordability, it’s very likely that the Mi Band 1S will cost a lot less than other pulse-tracking wearables. And as it’s already passed the necessary certifications in Taiwan, we probably won’t have too long to wait for an official launch. You never know, Xiaomi might even sell it via its new US and European stores.

Filed under: Wearables, Mobile

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Via: Engadget China

Source: Sogi

4
Jul

Solar-powered plane completes five-day journey across the Pacific


The Solar Impulse 2 is a solar-powered plane that has been flying around the world since March. Back in May, it was set to make its most ambitious journey yet, a 5,061-mile trip from Japan to Hawaii. Unfortunately, though, Pilot Andre Borschberg’s initial attempt was unexpectedly cut short (as has happened before), this time due to inclement weather. Now, several weeks later, he’s finally accomplished his mission. Borschberg landed in Kapolei, Hawaii on Friday, following a five-day, 118-hour flight from Nagoya — the longest-ever solo nonstop flight. The previous record was 76 hours.

Stuffed inside a single-seat aircraft, Borschberg survived on 17,000 solar cells, using stored energy to continue flying after dark. As relieved as he must be, his work isn’t done: In order to complete a round-the-world trip, the Solar Impulse must make it to back to Abu Dhabi. Next up: a flight to Phoenix, followed by a longer one to New York and then an even longer one across the Atlantic. Fortunately, Borschberg doesn’t have to do it alone; he’s been trading off flying duty with Swiss co-pilot Bertrand Piccard, who greeted Borschberg on the ground in Hawaii when he landed.

Filed under: Transportation

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Source: New York Times, Andre Borschberg (Twitter), Solar Impulse (Twitter)

4
Jul

Yet another render shows more of the Blackberry Venice






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It seems @evleaks wasn’t done with leaking the rumoured Android-powered Blackberry device, the Blackberry Venice. One more render image popped up on evleaks’ Twitter account, this time showing the whole device from head to toe. We’re a bit confused as to how the device picture here fits in with the other image he leaked earlier in the day, as that device shows a physical keyboard whereas today’s has no hide nor hair of a keyboard. It’s possible though that evleaks has been leaking two different Blackberry devices at the same time, the first being a new separate Blackberry device with physical keyboard and the Blackberry Venice pictured here. We’re inclined to go with that understanding.

If that turns out to be true, the Blackberry Venice is going to be quite the looker as it incorporates nicely curved display – not quite to the degree of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, but nice nonetheless. The speaker at the bottom of the device looks a bit unusual given that it’s not the same thickness as the display, but we’ll have to see if this is actually the case. And of course, the device appears to be very obviously running Android Lollipop, which is why we’re talking about this at all.


What do you think about the Blackberry Venice? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: Twitter via Phone Arena

The post Yet another render shows more of the Blackberry Venice appeared first on AndroidSPIN.

4
Jul

Rumour: LG Nexus 5 2015 won’t be based off the LG G4






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The rumoured LG Nexus 5 2015 is getting its fair share of news lately, and the latest one deals with the expected design of the device. While previous Nexus devices made by LG have been wholly or loosely based on equivalent LG devices – LG Optimus G became the LG Nexus 4, the LG G2 became the LG Nexus 5 – it’s expected that the Nexus 5 2015 is going to be built from the ground up as a new device and won’t be based on this year’s LG G4 at all.

This is the same strategy that Google and Motorola took with the Nexus 6, with mixed success – the device itself was breathtaking, but its premium price tag and size was just a little too much for some to swallow. Only time will tell whether this all-new Nexus 5 2015 (name is only indicative at this point) is going to be like the Nexus 6 or more of a budget offering that people are clearly a fan of.


What do you think about the LG Nexus 5 2015 not being based on the LG G4? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: AndroidPit.de via Phone Arena

The post Rumour: LG Nexus 5 2015 won’t be based off the LG G4 appeared first on AndroidSPIN.

4
Jul

CPU Spy Reloaded: Your Material Design CPU monitor has arrived






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It can be so transfixing to debug devices sometimes – investigating pretty looking graphs that tell you whether your device is performing optimally or sub-optimally. No, just me? Either way, there are uses for apps like this on Android, namely CPU monitors which can help you tell whether your CPU is busy performing actions when you’re not expecting it to. One of these apps is CPU Spy Reloaded, and brings all of this functionality, but adds Material Design too. Check out how it looks in action:

It’s a very simple app, but manages to tell you quite a lot, including your CPU stats and details. There are two versions of CPU Spy Reloaded available: there’s a free version and a pro version, with the only difference between the two is that the pro version gives you the added option of choosing a light theme while the free version only has the dark theme. If the app sounds like it takes your fancy, you can hit the Play Store links below to pick it up:

CPU Spy Reloaded Free Monitor (Playboard) | CPU Spy Reloaded Free Monitor (Play Store)
CPU Spy Reloaded (Playboard) | CPU Spy Reloaded (Play Store)


What do you think about CPU Spy Reloaded? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

The post CPU Spy Reloaded: Your Material Design CPU monitor has arrived appeared first on AndroidSPIN.

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