T-Mobile delivers iMessage-style texting, starting with Samsung phones
What if the default texting app on your phone offered some of the same handy features as iMessage or Hangouts? Well, if you’re a T-Mobile customer, you’ll soon be privy to more tools. The Uncarrier announced its Advanced Messaging tech today, delivering options like near real-time chat, larger images and more. Like iMessage, BBM and the like, you’ll be able to see when a message has been delivered, read and when the person you’re chatting with is tapping out a response. Those larger images? The size limit is bumped to 10MB for photos and videos, giving you more space to futz with if needed.
As you might expect, Advanced Messaging is only available on T-Mobile and Samsung’s Galaxy Grand Prime will be the first device to arrive with it on board. Galaxy S5 and S6 users can expect to nab via a software update and the company says “nearly a dozen more hot devices” will be included before the end of the year. As you might recall, T-Mo also offers VoLTE and WiFi calling, so it has a bit of a knack for developing new features. In fact, Advanced Messaging is built on the Rich Communication Services (RCS) standard that the company touted back when rolled out VoLTE. The new texting features are said “to work across all devices, makers and operating systems.” so we’ll be interested to see what other phones are on that list. T-Mobile is planning hopes to make this a standard option on all new phones, so we may not have to wait long to find out.
[Image credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, T-Mobile
Source: T-Mobile
Watch this: The Soyuz rocket launch
A Soyuz rocket carrying three astronauts — Kjell Lindgren of NASA, Oleg Kononenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency and Kimiya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency — launches out of Kazakhstan today at 5PM ET, but you can watch it from wherever you are, right here. Soyuz departs for the International Space Station and the crew will remain there through December. NASA TV’s coverage of today’s launch begins at 4PM ET. Check it out below.
The best of Public Access Vol. 6: Apple Watch edition
It’s unlikely we’ll get the real dirt on Apple Watch sales anytime soon, but that hasn’t stopped analysts, journalists and basically anyone with a pulse from speculating about the wearable’s potential success or failure. In the leadup to Apple’s latest earnings report, we heard news of declining adoption rates from Fast Company and developer disinterest from The New York Times. Since everyone seems to be watching the Watch, we asked you to weigh in on the future of the wrist-worn category and you delivered. Brandon Côté envisioned a wearable future that mirrors Ender’s Game while Carl Zetie suggested that it’s a largely a product category without a problem to solve.
While all eyes are on Apple today, next week we’ll be watching Motorola as it prepares to unveil its latest flagship smartphones. The Moto X is a far cry from the first commercially available mobile phone, the DynaTAC 8000x, but Motorola’s impact on the world of mobile technology is undeniable. What would the world look like without cellphones today? This week we want you to consider the biggest technological advancements of the last 50 years and imagine where we’d be without them today.
Selfie sticks anyone?
P.S. The homepage is coming soon! in the meantime you can check out the latest from Public Access right here. Not a member? Apply, and keep the weird alive.
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“So goodbye early 2000s with your clunky laptops, nice knowing you 2010s with your smartphones, but can’t wait to meet you 2020! The decade when my watch is my personal computer, and instead of capacitive glass as an input, I use my vocal chords and ear canal-no biohacking involved!”
Read the rest of What’s a wearable for? To augment yourself, of course by Brandon Côté
“The darkest view of all, though, is that the problem is neither the technology nor the app. The problem may be that wearables are a technology still looking for a problem to solve.”
Read the rest of The Unwearable Truth by Carl Zetie
Your Dose of Inspiration
A world without smartphones …
While all eyes are on Apple today, next week we’ll be watching Motorola as it prepares to unveil its latest flagship smartphones. The Moto X is a far cry from the first commercially available mobile phone, the DynaTAC 8000x, but Motorola’s impact on the world of mobile technology is undeniable. What would the world look like without cellphones today? This week we want you to consider the biggest technological advancement of the last 50 years — smartphones? the World Wide Web? online dating? — and imagine where we’d be without it today.
How-to: Stay secure online
With the recent hacking of infidelity enabler Ashley Madison, we’re reminded again of how precarious online privacy really is. Share your best tips and tricks for staying secure online.
Filed under: Announcements, Wearables, Apple
T-Mobile’s new Advanced Messaging feature aims to make texting much better
If you think about it, over the years services like Facebook, Skype and Snapchat have done a great job at pushing mobile messaging forward with the constant addition of new features, applications and more. During this time, wireless service providers haven’t really done much to enhance their subscribers’ text messaging experience. With that said, T-Mobile has just announced a new messaging feature that will hopefully change that for the better.
The new feature is called T-Mobile Advanced Messaging, and it’s built on a standard called Rich Communications Services (RCS). Advanced Messaging will come with a slew of messaging enhancements such as real-time group chatting, typing confirmation, 10MB file sharing in text messages and much more.
Here is a list of features Advanced Messaging will bring to the table:
- Rich 1 on 1 and group messaging, including near real-time chat
- See when others are typing, when your message is delivered and even read
- Share high-res photos and videos up to 10 MB just as you would a regular text message
Since this is based off of the RCS standard, Advanced Messaging will be able to work across all platform ecosystems, smartphones and even wireless carriers. The Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime is the first smartphone that comes with this feature built-in, and T-Mobile says the Galaxy S5 and S6 will both get Advanced Messaging via a software update later this year. More than a dozen additional phones will get this feature in the coming year, as well.
Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime, Core Prime, HTC Desire 626s and more now available from T-Mobile
About a week ago we told you that T-Mobile would soon begin selling a few budget-friendly Android smartphones, and that day has finally come. Starting today, customers will be able to purchase the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime, Galaxy Core Prime and HTC Desire 626s, all for $0 down. The Alcatel OneTouch Pixi 7 Tablet and Kyocera Hydro WAVE smartphone are both launching on the Un-carrier as well, but not for another week or so.
The Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime, which is the first phone to ship with T-Mobile’s new Advanced Messaging feature, is available for $189.99 off-contract or for $7.92 per month for 24 months. The Samsung Galaxy Core Prime is available for $139.99 outright or $5.84 per month for 24 months. The HTC Desire 626s is available for $169.99 outright or $7.09 per month with a 24-month payment plan. The Alcatel OneTouch Pixi 7 Tablet will be available on T-Mobile from July 29th for just $168 off-contract or for $7 per month for 24 months. Last but not least, we have the waterproof Kyocera Hydro WAVE, which we wrote about a bit earlier today. This device is available from T-Mobile for $149.99, and will launch on MetroPCS on July 27th for $39 with an instant rebate.
Read more: Best Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime cases
The Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime, originally released in October of last year and currently available on Sprint, features a 5-inch qHD (540X960) screen, a Snapdragon 410 SoC, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of on-board storage. This is a decent option for anyone looking for a capable mid-ranger but doesn’t want to break the bank. The Galaxy Core Prime features a 4.5-inch WVGA display, a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage.
The HTC Desire 626s brings along with it the iconic HTC design language, along with a 5.0-inch HD display, 1.5GB of RAM, 8GB of storage and microSD expansion up to 200GB. Lastly, the Hydro WAVE comes with a 5.0-inch qHD LCD display, a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of on-board storage (expandable via microSD up to 32GB) and IPX5 and IPX7 waterproofing certifications.
To learn more about these devices, head to the links below.
OnePlus 2 gets certified by Chinese agency, showing what the phone looks like
OnePlus is set to announce its next flagship on July 27, but information regarding the OnePlus 2 has trickled in well before that date. Today, the device received certification by the TENAA in China. The pictures expose the front, rear, and sides of the device. The only new takeaway here seems to be the rear camera setup. It is positioned rather low and features dual-LED flash above the camera with a mysterious component below.
OnePlus has already shared select specifications belonging to its next phone:
- USB Type-C port for charging, data transfer
- Fingerprint sensor that is “done right”
- Newer version of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 processor
- Fast, efficient 4GB of RAM
- Large 3300mAh battery
- StyleSwap covers
The invite system that everyone has grown to hate about OnePlus will return, despite increasing production, and the company promises to keep the OnePlus 2’s price under $450. Is that price high? Sure, but the OnePlus 2 will apparently be the “Flagship Killer” carrying the company into the next year.
Come comment on this article: OnePlus 2 gets certified by Chinese agency, showing what the phone looks like
T-Mobile bringing ‘Advanced Messaging’ on its VoLTE network
Today, T-Mobile’s Chief Technology Officer Neville Ray announced that the carrier is bringing new messaging capabilities on its Rich Communications Services (RCS) standard. The new service is called T-Mobile Advanced Messaging and will deliver messaging capabilities previously available only on third-party apps.
T-Mobile will be the first US carrier to offer this new technology, and will bring new messaging enhancements such as;
- Rich 1 on 1 and group messaging, including near real-time chat
- See when others are typing, when your message is delivered and even read
- Share high-res photos and videos up to 10 MB just as you would a regular text message
- T-Mobile Advanced Messaging is built to work across all devices, makers and operating systems and wireless operators (as soon as they upgrade their networks)
User will have access to all these new capabilities without having to download a new app, and will come to smartphones through updates. The Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime (available for $189.99) is the first device that will take advantage of this new service. T-Mobile Advanced Messaging will shortly come to Galaxy S5 and S6 through a software update, and a dozen other devices are expected to get the update this year.
T-Mobile’s VoLTE has brought HD Voice calling capability nationwide and is now bringing the messaging standard to set the carrier aside from its competitors.
Source: T-Mobile
Come comment on this article: T-Mobile bringing ‘Advanced Messaging’ on its VoLTE network
CHOETECH Qi Wireless Charging Pad Review
One of the features I was most looking forward to when purchasing my Samsung Galaxy S6 was the wireless charging capabilities. It’s so convenient being able to just place the device down on a charging mat and have it charge. That also enables me to neatly hide the connecting USB cable permanently and not have it wave about when I’m trying to locate it in the dark.
One such charger is that from CHOETECH and their Qi Wireless Charging Pad; of course, it does support more devices than the Galaxy S6 – any with Qi actually – but this review was written with the experience of a Galaxy S6.
The charging pad itself is black in color and is a very neat oval shape with a micro-USB port on the rear shorter edge. This sets the charging pad up at a nice angle to place your device on the nightstand next to you and be able to conceal the cable behind it. The CHOETECH Qi Wireless Charging Pad also has a blue LED light to indicate when a device has been successfully placed on the pad and a charge is being sent to the battery. This is a nice way of subtlety indicating that the charging pad is actually working. Unfortunately, this blue LED light and the way it sits on your side table does mean that you have a bright blue light shining in your eye all night long.
One other issue, as shown from the image above, is that it does pick up dusts and marks quite easily. In the two weeks I reviewed the product, with it sat on my side table, it managed to pick up all kinds of prints and marks from the various things placed near it, as well as excess dirt on the phone. It’s not too hard to clean, so really not a huge problem in the wider picture.
I would have liked the CHOETECH Qi Wireless Charging Pad to support Samsung’s FastCharge technology to mimic the charging time I can get out of the official Samsung charger, but understand this is very vendor and device specific.
Otherwise, the charging pad is a very solid, capable, and nice looking device that will reliably charge your Qi-enabled device without any issues. Just be sure to clean it once in a while.
The post CHOETECH Qi Wireless Charging Pad Review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Microsoft Garage debuts ‘Send’ messaging and email client
Microsoft Garage, the developmental team behind a number of Android apps, is back with another one. Well, not just yet for Android, at least.
Called “Send”, the app is some sort of strange messenger and email hybrid supported by Microsoft Outlook. Because sometimes it’s easier to send off a quick message to check if someone’s back from lunch, Send is designed to work in lieu of traditional emails.
“With Send, there are no signatures, subject lines or salutations required. Our design principle for the app was to make conversations fast and fluid while keeping the people who are important to you at its core. Send connects to Office 365 business and school email accounts to surface your frequent and recent contacts. “
Send was created with the in-and-out user in mind, meaning it’s not going to replace your more detailed emails. It will, however, sync up with Office 365 and Outlook. Should you need to pick up a work-related conversation outside of the office, Send can work on mobile.
Send is currently available to corporate and education iPhone owners but the Android and Windows Phone versions are coming soon.
The post Microsoft Garage debuts ‘Send’ messaging and email client appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Spotify boosts its dance music cred with a Beatport deal
The Spotify pact is arguably the biggest yet for Beatport, which is trying to expand beyond its one-stop shop reputation to create a whole distribution network. It’s also important for Spotify, which could use Beatport as a counter to Apple Music’s discovery features. The Apple service already has both legions of its own electronic music playlists as well as curators like DJ Mag — this wouldn’t be a direct equivalent, but it would give you an incentive to come back and explore music you otherwise wouldn’t have heard.
Filed under: Internet
Source: SFX (BusinessWire)
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