Snapdragon 810 v2.1 ships in most smartphones
More OnePlus shenanigans. In their announcement of the OnePlus Two, OnePlus claims that their phone will be running a Snapdragon 810 v2.1 in order to avoid the overheating issues that reportedly plague most smartphones.
“Although there have been reports that the 810 runs warmer than its predecessors, we assure you that we have taken all the necessary precautions and beyond to prevent this from occurring in the 2. We worked very closely with Qualcomm’s engineers to integrate an improved version of the chipset (v2.1) in the OnePlus 2, and fine-tuned both hardware and software. The 2 will be “cooler than ever”.“
Throughout the announcement of the OnePlus Two CPU, OnePlus refers to its processor as the ‘810 v2.1′ to differentiate itself from the other smartphones using the Snapdragon 801 SoC.
Unfortunately, this is all just a marketing ploy. According to HTC’s Jeff Gordon, Qualcomm has stated that virtually all OEMs with Snapdragon 810 devices are shipping their devices with the Snapdragon 810 v2.1.
Android Central has shared unconfirmed reports of the same 810 v2.1 processor is packed in the Xperia Z3+ and Z4 tablet.
While the HTC One M9 doesn’t overheat excessively in most peoples experiences, the Z3+ has had some serious issues.
All this amounts to is that almost all Snapdragon 810 SoC phones are shipping with the v2.1 of the chip, but only OnePlus is insecure enough about their device to make it abundantly clear that they are using the v2.1 810.
Now, this isn’t really a bad thing. Just be assured that your 810 phones are using the v2.1 chip and OnePlus isn’t the only manufacturer that is using the supposedly cooler version of the chip.
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The OnePlus 2 13MP f/2.0 Camera gets reviewed
Popular YouTuber Marques Brownlee was lucky enough to get his hands on an early release of the long-awaited OnePlus 2 and he’s taken to what he does best to give the camera on the device an early review before it’s even released.
Only pictures were released that were shot by the camera but they show a 13 Megapixel camera with a f/2.0 lens and are of a decent quality.
There is an automatic mode and also a clear shot, HDR, and beauty mode on the software behind the OnePlus 2 camera and the video mode also shoots in 4K.
The pictures look almost as good as the Galaxy S6 but not quite on par, which is down to the f/2.0 of the OnePlus 2, but certainly proves that the camera on the upcoming device will be up there with the best Android shooters on the market.
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Pay What You Want: Web Hacker Bundle
Today’s deal will see you steeped in expert knowledge on hacking web development. We’ve put together a collection of web-seminars, training, sample projects and guidance from some of the most trusted sources around. If you’re ready to build web apps, master HTML, CSS & JavaScript components and add high-quality projects to your resume, then this today’s Pay What You Want: Web Hacker Bundle is for you!
It’s very simple. You’ll pay any price you’d like and receive our “Learn Docker from Scratch” and “Learn Apache Cassandra from Scratch” courses. Beat the average price ($5.12 as of publication) and you’ll unlock 5 other courses that delve into Django, Python, Bootstrap Development, JavaScript, JQuery, PHP, MySQL, Ruby on Rails and more!
Plus, if you make the top contributor leader-board, you’ll automatically be entered for a chance to win a 50-inch 4K Samsung TV bundle. If that weren’t enough, you’ll be contributing to a good cause as 10% of proceeds will be donated to Creative Commons.
What are you waiting for? Grab this deal, now!
See more at deals.androidguys.com
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Easymind breaking boundaries
It’s not every day that you see a new kind of app. The Play Store seems flooded with just about every type of app you can get, almost like everything possible has already been thought of and made. The developers at Easymind saw an opportunity to make a tool that would bring convenience to the masses by allowing users to vote on polls, either private or public. The app is a small 23MB and requires an Internet connection.
Setup
You need to create an account upon opening Easymind. It is indeed a bit of a nuisance, however it is certainly necessary as users can create private polls and share it with their friends. This becomes particularly handy when you have a group chat. There are quite a few Settings but few of them are actually toggles, most of them are for account settings. There is a tutorial to help you in the beginning, so you’re not left in the dark
Function
I’m sure you’ve experienced the moment when everyone wants to eat at a different restaurant or watch a different movie. So, now someone can be assigned to create a poll and the rest of you go to his account and, granted that the poll creator has granted you access to his poll, vote for your option. It is easy to create a poll. You can add different voting options and set a time for how long the poll is open for. Unfortunately the results are only displayed when the time runs out, so you have to wait until the end to get any idea of the results. Easymind has added a nice feature here that shows you the demographics of voters (Age, Sex) on each option available. It knows your age and sex from when you signed up. A handy feature is that you can limit who can vote, if you feel it’s necessary. So if you only want females to vote, just change it when you create a poll!
The user interface is decent, however at times I found myself confused at where the previous screens could be found. You can follow people an easily view their public polls.
Is it for me?
Almost certainly! Unless you don’t text that often or aren’t that kind of person who would go have a picnic, you should definitely try it out. It might be a nuisance setting up, but that’t the only hurdle.
What we liked
- Its applicability in real life
- Easy to use
- For private and global use
And not so much…
- Confusing user interface
- Independent of any messaging apps
Easymind should try integrate it better with social messaging, as the work between inviting new users and having to use two apps may seem a bit demanding for some users. They have certainly created something that has the opportunity to be big, constant work and improvements on it should insure that the “possibilities are infinite”, as they say in the app description.
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Marshall created an audiophile smartphone
We always love when random companies decide to produce a smartphone. Today we have a new one, by Marshall, who’s name is most associated with their historically successful pro-audio amplifier business. It is called the London and you’ve guessed it, puts audio in front of everything else.
Let’s review what the London will do for your pricey set of cans, beginning with the on-board audio chipset. The London uses a Wolfson WM8281 ‘Audio Hub’. Wolfson has always been a highly regarded audio solution for smartphones (often found in Galaxy phones), so it’s a great choice. The WM8281 is capable of high resolution 24-bit 192 KHz playback and probably the best solution for a smartphone at the moment.
Looking at the top of the device, we see a couple unique features.
First, those dual headphone jacks are sadly not for a balanced dual-channel setup. They are two headphone sources, so another person can share your audio experience. A neat thing is that each source has independent volume control. Thus, your ears don’t have to be blasted due to your friend’s hearing loss. Though I do wonder, can you watch a movie while the other listens to music? That’d be rad.
Another thing you might’ve noticed on the top is a gold button, with Marshall’s signature ‘M’ on it. This is a dedicated button to launch you into your music or the Global Equalizer that Marshall has developed for the phone.
Since you’re going to be rockin’ out frequently, there is also a gold scroll wheel for ‘tactile precision’ control of the volume.
With all this said, you’re probably expecting mediocre specs elsewhere? You’d be right, they’re fairly yesteryear:
- Display: 4.7″ 720P IPS LCD, with Gorilla Glass 3 protection
- SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 410, quad-core @ 1.2 GHz
- Memory: 2 GB of Ram
- Storage: 16 GB on-board, with microSD support
- Cameras: 8 MP rear and 2 MP front
- Battery: 2,500 mAh, removable
- OS: Android Lollipop 5.0.2
A couple other notable mentions is that the London houses front-firing stereo speakers, contains the high quality Bluetooth aptX, and comes with Marshall’s Mode earphones.
The price of the London is quoted at 4,995 Swedish Krona, which translates to roughly $585 USD. It is expected to begin delivery on August 17th. Are you swayed to push specs to the side for a better audio experience?
Source: Marshall Headphones
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SanDisk launches new wireless flash drive
If you’re one of the many who values phone storage and upset over the disappearing microSD card slots, SanDisk may have a viable alternative for you. They have just reinvented the flash drive, that works in our wireless era.
The SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick comes in 4 different capacities, starting at 16GB and doubling up to 128GB. Prices range from $30-$100, respectively. It communicates with any Wifi-enabled device via 802.11 b/g/n connectivity (up to three devices simultaneously), but can also plug in a USB port the traditional way.
The Connect Wireless Stick of course has a battery, which is rated to support a ‘single stream’ of transfer for up to 4.5 hours on a single charge. To manage all the content zipping around, SanDisk has developed a Connect app, compatible with Android, iOS, Mac, and PC platforms. You can find the Connect Wireless Stick right now on Amazon
Are you open to this solution for your deteriorating on-board storage space? I can see it being a double-edge sword. It’s super nice that you can access files and media from a distance, but what if you forgot to charge it? Also, it’s another device that you have to remember to carry around.
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Unknown LG device visits Geekbench with flagship specs
An unknown LG device was spotted running through Geekbench. Dubbed the LGE LG-F600L, Geekbench tells us that it is running a Snapdragon 808 with 4 GB of RAM.
With two flagship devices expected to be released from LG in the coming months, it is uncertain as to what this device could be.
Could it be the revival of the Nexus 5 that is to expected to release along side a Huawei Nexus phablet? Or maybe it is the LG G4 Pro in accordance to LG’s promise of a new flagship in the second half of 2015.
I am leaning more towards the LG G4 Pro as Geekbench also identifies the device as running Android 5.1.1 where we all know that the new Nexus will be launching with Android M.
However, it is not impossible for the new Nexus to be tested using Android 5.1.1, and the LG G4 Pro is expected to come with a Snapdragon 820.
The naming, LG-F600L, also follows in line with the LG G4’s model number (LG-F500L) adding even more uncertainty.
Then again, why would the Nexus phone launch with a Snapdragon 808 while the Nexus phablet launches with a Snapdragon 820?
Which do you think this phone is? The Nexus 5 that everyone is dying to see, or the more powerful G4 Pro?
As always, this is all speculation. Take it with a grain of salt.
Source: Geekbench via: Phone Arena
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1byone pocket sized folding mini Bluetooth keyboard [Review]
1byone’s foldable keyboard is a grand little device. With portability in mind, the keyboard connects to a wide variety of devices including most Android, iOS and Windows devices. In fact, the keyboard has three dedicated modes for these three popular operating systems.
Setup
The keyboard is really simple to set up. By unfolding the keyboard, the keyboard will automatically turn on.
Once the keyboard is on, you just have to hit Fn + c to enter pairing mode. You will know that you have successfully entered pairing mode when the left light on the top of the keyboard flashes blue.
After you enter pairing mode, you just have to enter the Bluetooth menu on the device you want to pair and complete the pairing by selecting the 1byone keyboard.
Functionality
The keyboard has buttons that allow the user to switch between three modes, Android, Windows and iOS.
These modes provide functionality specific to these systems. For an example, the Android mode gives you a home button and media controls via the ‘Fn’ key.
The same key combinations would provide function keys when you are in the Windows mode.
Usability (Typing)
The keyboard layout is smaller than a standard keyboard. This was most likely in an attempt to keep the keyboard as small and portable as possible.
The result is a compact keyboard with slightly unnatural feeling keys. I often find myself hitting the wrong key or hitting the up arrow instead of the right shift button.
While this does cause some frustration, it is a lot better than trying to type a lot in one sitting with an on-screen keyboard.
Ignoring the smaller keyboard size, the keyboard has a nice feeling when typing. The keyboard reminds me of the keyboard on the HP Chromebook 11, one of my favorite keyboards on a laptop.
There is a bit of a learning curve as you get used to the condensed layout, but the keys are nice and responsive and have a lovely sound to go along with they typing.
Portability
The small form factor and the ability to fold the keyboard um into a third of its full size allows for unparalleled portability.
The folded up size of the keyboard allows you to just slip it into a backpack or any other bag. There really are no limitations to where you can take this keyboard.
The small size makes it perfect for times when you just want to grab a tablet and keyboard without having to lug around a full sized laptop.
You don’t even have to grab a tablet. It works great for typing up something on a phone/phablet if the need arises.
Build Quality
They keyboard is very well built. The folding feature is really nice, but I was afraid that it would result in a flimsy keyboard that wouldn’t be able to withstand the demands of portability.
The two hinges that allow the keyboard to fold up are sturdier than I expected.
While they are made out of plastic (just like the rest of the keyboard), the hinges don’t leave anything to be desired. Except for the fact that they squeak and creak quite a bit.
The entire rest of the keyboard feels nice and strong. It is a gadget that I wouldn’t mind throwing into a bag and dragging around town for those cases when I just need a physical keyboard.
Wrap Up
The 1byone Bluetooth keyboard is a great little device for on the go typing. For those who prefer tablets over laptops, this keyboard would be a great typing solution for you.
The keyboard offers great portability and works really well. It is great for me because I can now just throw it into my bag without worrying about damaging it and use it with my tablet to get work done on the go.
If you are looking for a way to be more productive on the go, this keyboard is a great way to do it by pairing it to your tablet. Boom, instant workstation on the run!
For under $40 on Amazon, I would go ahead and give this guy a go if you are in the market for a similar type product!
Be sure to check out 1by0ne’s other products like the 4 port USB 3.0 hub that I reviewed earlier this week or check them out on Amazon.
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Moto X ’15 and Moto G ’15 leaked in the wild
There is yet more supposed leaks of the upcoming Moto X 2015 and Moto G 2015. This time, they were spotted in Brazil and Mexico, where photos of each device were taken.
First up is the Moto X 2015. There’s only one photo and of the back, no less, which appears to have the Kevlar Motorola is known for using in its other flagships, like the Droid Turbo and Droid Razr Maxx. Phandroid noticed a small hole at the bottom, which suggests that the back could be removable and replaceable.
Lastly, we have three photos of the Moto G 2015, one of the back, another of the top, and one more of the front of the alleged device. It appears to be made of plastic on the sides with textured finish on the back. The phone’s front shows a screenshot of it running Android 5.1.1.
Whether these devices are genuine remains to be seen. However, there are plenty of rumors of either device. Some of these include a sport version of the Moto X and leaked press renders and images. Still, Motorola does have an event on July 28th, and Lenovo’s CEO hinted the new Moto G would be released this month. In no more than two weeks, we’ll know exactly what the company plans to unveil.
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Fallout Shelter puts $5.1M in Bethesda’s vaults in just 2 weeks
Half of all the Fallout fans around the world were ecstatic when Todd Howard, Game Director at Bethesda Game Studios, announced that along with Fallout 4, Bethesda had developed a free mobile Fallout game called Fallout Shelter. The other half were bummed to find out that the game was only available on iOS devices. Of course, he also announced that an Android version was coming, and later Pete Hines, Vice President of PR/Marketing at Bethesda tweeted that the Android version should be out next month.
@kolos_kovacs coming along nice. haven’t announced a date, but should be out next month. we’ll let you know when we have specifics
— Pete Hines (@DCDeacon) July 1, 2015
No one could have imagined at that point that this free game, originally developed as a way to market Fallout 4, would become such a cash cow, but according to Superdata Research, Bethesda’s Fallout Shelter has made $5.1 million in it’s first 2 weeks on Apple’s App Store. This is especially impressive when you consider that the only things you can buy in the game are lunchboxes. The lunchboxes contain upgrades, weapons, and various items to use in the game.
Superdata speculates on the reason for its strong success.
“The game’s success further underscores the value of a strong franchise in the otherwise crowded mobile games market.“
Hopefully, this open cash register will encourage Bethesda to hurry up and finish the release of the Android version. We want the opportunity to buy lunchboxes as well. Are you excited for Fallout Shelter? Let us know in the comments.
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AIVAnet 