Add Google Cast to your Fire TV with an $8 app
Buyers remorse can be a terrible thing as you always wonder if you’d have been better off picking the other device when stood in the aisle at Best Buy. Thankfully if you’ve got $7.99 lying around and kinda regret grabbing Amazon’s Fire TV, then help is at hand thanks to YouMap. The app enables you to trick the hardware into thinking that it’s a Chromecast, letting you mirror your Chrome browsing or push YouTube clips straight from your smartphone. The app works for both the Fire TV and the stick, and while it won’t give you all the functionality of Google’s video dongle, you’ll at least be able to see how the other half live.
Filed under:
Home Entertainment, HD, Mobile, Google, Amazon
Via:
Liliputing, AFTVNews
Source:
Amazon
Tags: Amazon, App, Chrome, Chromecast, FireTV, FireTVStick, google, hdpostcross, mobilepostcross, YouMap
ICYMI: Real wizard wands, another remote car hack and more
Today on In Case You Missed It: Another car hacking job, this one by the University of San Diego, is showing just how vulnerable our smart cars can be. And if you’re sick of people stealing things off your desk, check out this rubber-band shooting desktop sentry. And most importantly of all, a new Kickstarter is bringing wand dueling to life with a more complicated version of laser tag. And yes, it is the best thing to happen to me this year.
In case you hadn’t seen this epic fisherman moment: A drone hobbyist posted this video to shame the fisherman who cast at, then caught his drone. However I think it’s amazing.
If you come across any interesting videos, we’d love to see them. Just tweet us with the #ICYMI hashtag @engadget or @mskerryd.
Filed under:
Misc, Transportation, Wireless, Science, Internet
Tags: carhacking, drone, engadgetdailyshow, engadgetvideo, fishermen, HarryPotter, icymi, InCaseYouMissedIt, kickstarter, rubberbands, UAV, UniversityofSanDiego, video, wands, wizard
Qualcomm confirms we won’t see the Snapdragon 820 till H1 2016
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
There are plenty of rumours that would have us believe that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor is going to be powering out devices before the end of the year. Unfortunately for those rumours, Qualcomm has all but shot down any notion that this will happen after announcing its new generation of GPU architecture, the Adreno 5xx series. In its press release for the Adreno 5xx, Qualcomm says that the new GPU will debut in the Snapdragon 820 along with the new Spectra image signal processing unit, and that we won’t see the Snapdragon 820 till H1 2016 – or at least, we won’t be seeing devices with it inside till then.
That is probably a little bit of a bummer of some who were hoping that there would be a performance bump to look forward to before the end of the year, particularly seeing as devices with the outgoing Snapdragon 810 have been releasing right from the start of the year. Still, it’s not like we don’t have something to look forward to – Qualcomm talks about what improvements their new architecture is going to allow which include:
- up to 40% lower power consumption;
- 40% faster graphics performance compared to the Adreno 430;
- 64-bit virtual addressing for sharing virtual memory;
- 4K video recording at 60 frames-per-second;
- Spectra image signal processing unit, which allows for three simultaneous cameras and hybrid autofocus
H1 2016 can’t come soon enough. What do you think about not seeing the Snapdragon 820 till H1 2016? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Qualcomm via XperiaBlog
The post Qualcomm confirms we won’t see the Snapdragon 820 till H1 2016 appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
[Deal] Pre-order your own Mini Drone today for only $65
Drones are all the craze nowadays. From an annoyed fisherman casting the perfect line to grab one out of the sky, to them appearing during NFL pre-season practices, they are cropping up more and more. On a lower level, there are many of these “pocket” drones that are making it easy for just about anyone to grab one.
Today’s deal is a pre-order offer for one of those handheld drones. If you’re interested in getting a drone for yourself, this deal may be for you. The SKEYE Mini Drone not only fits in the palm of your hand, but also is equipped with an HD camera so that you can record everything that you’re flying over.
Here are some of the other features that can be found with the SKEYE Mini Drone:
- Embarks on night flights w/ included LED lights
- Flies w/ precision-controlled steering
- Performs flips, barrel rolls & aerobatic tricks
- Pulls off smooth maneuvers thanks to its high thrust & low weight
- Boasts outstanding stability w/ 6-axis stabilization
- Captures quality HD photos & video footage from high in the sky
- Features 4 coreless motors
- Includes beginner & advanced flight modes
Te pre-order the SKEYE Mini Drone for yourself, head on over to the AndroidGuys Deals page, and get your order in for only $64.99. Once released, this bad boy will cost about $100, so go ahead and save yourself some money by pre-ordering ahead of time.
You can find this, and many other great tech bargains through our Deals Page. Backed by Stack Commerce, there are daily promos, giveaways, freebies, and much more!
The post [Deal] Pre-order your own Mini Drone today for only $65 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Back to school tech guide 2015: the definitive gadget list for work and fun
Summer is coming to an end soon, and it’s that time of the year when young minds around the country mentally prepare for the change from lazy summer days to getting ready for that 8 AM course that you know you should not have taken. It is also the time to splurge on your essential, and not so essential, back to school shopping.
When it comes to your tech needs, we’ve got you covered! Ranging from devices that are a necessity to those that will help just to have some fun, here is our round up of the best back to school tech you can find.
Media streaming
Google Chromecast
The Google Chromecast HDMI streaming stick lets you stream your online video and music to your TV from your smartphone, tablet, or laptop, with support for Android and iOS devices and Chrome for Mac and Windows. Setup is very easy, and all you need to do is plug the device into the HDMI port of the TV, connect it to your Wi-Fi network and follow some very basic setup instructions. There’s also a number of great services that offer support for Chromecast, with tons of new apps and services adding support all the time, and it’s affordable price point of $29.99 currently makes it one of the best media streaming options available.
SEE ALSO: 22 best Chromecast apps for Android
Nexus Player
The Nexus Player is Google’s full-fledged Android-powered set-top box, going beyond what the Chromecast offers. Running the new Android TV platform, this device gives you access to movie, TV, and gaming recommendations based on your history. You can use the included remote to navigate through the menus, or simply voice search from the remote to find what you’re looking for. This device comes Google Cast ready, and if you don’t have your remote, you always have the option to just use your phone. Streaming content also syncs across your phone, tablet, and Nexus Player so you can start a movie on your TV, then finish it in bed on your phone or tablet later. The Nexus Player is currently priced at $69.99.
SEE ALSO: Nexus Player review
Roku 3 (2015 model)
Unlike the other media/gaming devices on the list, the Roku 3 isn’t Android-powered but it does integrate with services like Google Play Movies & TV and arguably provides the very best selection of streaming entertainment anywhere, including both popular premium services as well as free entertainment options. The Roku 3 features an enhanced remote with built-in headphone jack for those times when you want to listen to your shows without interrupting others around you. The Roku 3 enhanced remote also features motion-sensing technology that lets you play games with a simple flick of your wrist, along with game-ready buttons. The Roku Android app lets you use your smartphone or tablet as a remote, and with some devices, also stream local media. A new very useful addition with the 2015 model is voice search, to make navigating through everything much easier. The Roku 3 is priced at $99.
Smartphones
Moto G (3rd Generation)
The latest edition of the Motorola’s affordable smartphone retains some of what made its predecessor so popular, such as its very smooth software experience, while adding a few great extras, including its IPx7 rating for water resistance, better camera, slightly different design elements, and what will likely be its most popular aspect, the ability to customize the device using Moto Maker. The Moto G (3rd generation) is available in two iterations, with the cheaper $179.99 version coming with 8 GB of on-board storage and 1 GB of RAM, with the 16 GB version with 2 GB of RAM setting you back an additional $40, with an additional expense of you are hoping to add an engraving to the device.
SEE ALSO: Moto G (3rd generation) review
Buy now on Amazon
Customize using Moto Maker
Axon Phone by ZTE
Chinese OEMs are slowly but surely breaking into the competitive US market, with some great devices offering excellent bang for your buck. One such smartphone is the Axon Phone by ZTE. While its beautiful design, gorgeous Quad HD display, smooth performance, high-end specifications, fluid software experience, and decent camera isn’t above and beyond what is expected from a current generation high-end flagship, the fact that it is significantly cheaper than the devices it directly competes with, at a price point of $449.98, is what makes the Axon Phone by ZTE a no brainer.
SEE ALSO: Axon Phone by ZTE review
ASUS Zenfone 2
There has been a big focus in the Android world on affordability without compromise, and a great example of this is the ASUS Zenfone 2. The Zenfone 2 caught everyone’s attention with its beautiful Full HD display, solid specifications that offer a smooth and fluid experience, customizable software, and fantastic design and build quality, all at an extremely affordable price point. $199 will get you the version with 16 GB of on-board storage and 2 GB of RAM, but if you’re looking for more, the 64 GB version that packs a whopping 4 GB of RAM is priced at just $299.
SEE ALSO: ASUS Zenfone 2 review
Samsung Galaxy S6
Samsung introduced a major change in terms of design and build quality with its latest S series flagship smartphone, moving away from plastic and going to a beautiful metal and glass unibody design. The device is an absolute powerhouse with its in-house processing package, with the smooth performance helped along by the toned-down software experience. Everything Samsung is known for makes a return here, such as its fantastic Quad HD Super AMOLED display, and one of the best camera experiences around on a smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy S6 is certainly expensive, available at a full price of $599, but you do get to take advantage of the standard subsidized rates with a 2-year contract from the various network carriers in the US.
SEE ALSO:
Protective cases and covers
If you are paying a premium for your smartphone, it’s natural that you’ll want to keep it in a pristine condition for as long as possible, and regardless of what mobile device you have, an extra layer of security is never a bad idea to keep it safe from scratches, and accidental bumps and drops. If you decide to pick up any of the smartphones listed above, you can find great cases for them in the links below, and for any other device, don’t forget to check out our growing database of best cases currently available for a variety of smartphones and tablets, which you can find here.
Moto G (3rd generation) cases
ZTE Axon Phone cases
ASUS Zenfone 2 cases
Samsung Galaxy S6 cases
Android Wear smartwatches
Sony Smartwatch 3
Sony decided to go with Android Wear with its latest smartwatch offering, the Smartwatch 3. What makes the Sony Smartwatch 3 stand out is its onboard GPS module, that lets you track your activities without needing a smartphone, its IP68 rating for resistance to dust and water, and the use of a transflective LCD display, which helps a lot with outdoor visibility. While the device maintains a sporty look and doesn’t try to be like a traditional watch like some other smartwatches out there, this device is ideal for active users who are looking for a simple way to keep a track of their fitness activities. Priced at $173 currently, the Smartwatch 3 is also one of the more affordable options available.
SEE ALSO: Sony Smartwatch 3 review
Moto 360
The Moto 360 was one of the first Android Wear smartwatches announced, and, while it took Motorola more than half a year to release it, the sleek circular device has been well received. Featuring a large circular screen, a sleek brushed metal build, and several replaceable bands, the Moto 360 will look good in just about any occasion. On the inside, the processor is older than the competitors’, while the battery is on the small side, but the device will last a day of usage for all but the most active users, and you get one of the better charging implementations around. The Moto 360 is a great choice if style is your biggest priority, and is currently priced at just $149.
SEE ALSO: Moto 360 review
LG Watch Urbane
LG has been at the forefront of the Android Wear smartwatch evolution, starting from the reference model-like nature of the LG G Watch, to its first round face smartwatch, the G Watch R, culminating to its latest, and most expensive, offering, the Watch Urbane. Featuring a premium design and build quality that gives this device a certain luxury appeal, the Watch Urbane also brings with it improvements in other key areas, like battery life. If you’re looking for a stylish device that is as close to a traditional watch as possible, the LG Watch Urbane is the one for you. The most expensive of the lot, the Watch Urbane is currently priced at $302.
SEE ALSO: LG Watch Urbane review
Fitness trackers
Fitbit Charge HR
The Fitbit brand is popular for a reason, and that’s because their products are extremely great quality. The Fitbit Charge HR is an accurate fitness tracker that gives you useful information like distance traveled, step counts, calories burned, stairs climbed, and much more, while also allowing for continuous, automatic, monitoring of your heart rate. It’s made of a high quality rubber material that won’t wear down over time. It features a small OLED display that gives you notifications, phone calls, and basically anything else that you need to see on your phone. Priced at under $150, the Fitness Charge HR is a great choice to help you stay on top of your fitness activities.
Tablets
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4
Most of us use tablets for watching movies, reading, and playing games. So it makes sense to go for the very best display you can get, and it’s hard to find anything better than the Galaxy Tab S 8.4. The Tab S 8.4 is one of the few tablets with an AMOLED screen and a super crisp Quad HD at that, with an excellent 359 ppi pixel density. Being AMOLED, the screen will show deep blacks and vivid colors, perfect for games and movies. The portable Tab S 8.4 combines the portability of smaller devices with the screen real estate afforded by larger tablets. If you’re looking for everything that Samsung has to offer in an affordable package, the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is the best choice for you.
SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 review
Nexus 9
The Nexus 9, from Google and HTC is an Android fanboy’s dream, with it running the purest, most recent version of Android, and always being one of the first to receive future software updates, for at least two years. There are no OEM additions (though stock Android may be a little too minimal for your taste) and therefore nothing to bog down the user experience.The Nexus 9 is just as impressive on the hardware side, featuring 64-bit Tegra processor, a beautiful 1536 x 2048 pixels screen, stereo front speakers (disguised under the protective glass) and a big battery. The device features a utilitarian, yet elegant design, with an aluminum frame that gives it rigidity without adding much heft. The Nexus 9 is still one of the best Android tablets currently available, and is currently priced starting at $349.
SEE ALSO: Nexus 9 review
All-new Kindle Paperwhite
The all-new Kindle Paperwhite may not offer as much terms of features and functionality as the other tablets on this list, but this e-reader lets you do one thing incredibly well, and that is read books. With features that include a higher resolution display with no screen glare, a built-in adjustable light for day and night time reading, and a battery that lasts for weeks instead of days, this is certainly one of the best if you’re in the market for an e-reader. The new Kindle Paperwhite is also priced starting at just $119, making it a very affordable option if all you really need a tablet for is to read books.
Chromebooks
Toshiba Chromebook 2
The successor to the original Toshiba Chromebook brought with it some refinements to the overall design with a sleeker look and a lighter body, a Full HD display, and 4 GB of RAM. The device Powered by a dual-core Intel Celeron processor (with fanless design), and other specs that include a battery rated for 9 hours use, 16 GB storage with 100 GB Google Drive space, and a Skullcandy-branded audio experience. The Toshiba Chromebook 2 may be considered expensive given its competition, but at $279, is still a very budget-friendly option.
Acer Chromebook 15
It is quite difficult to find a Chromebook with a large display, but that search has become a lot easier with the Acer Chromebook 15, with its large 15.6-inch display. The base model, priced at just $219.99 is powered by an Intel Celeron processor and comes with 2 GB RAM, a battery that is rated for 11 hours of use, but the display experience is also hindered by a relatively low 1366 x 768 resolution. You also have the choice to upgrade the processor, and the RAM to 4 GB, which also bumps up the display resolution to Full HD, which would be the better way to go, but will of course, cost more money.
ASUS Chromebook Flip
Finding an inexpensive, capable Chromebook isn’t too difficult nowadays, but if you’re looking for a little more functionality, the ASUS Chromebok Flip could be the device for you. The Flip sports a 10.1-inch IPS LCD display with a 1280 x 800 resolution, a quad-core processor clocked at 1.8GHz, 2 or 4GB of RAM, an aluminum chassis, and a battery that’s supposed to last up to nine hours on a single charge. It also weighs under 2 pounds, measures just 0.6-inches thin and comes with 16GB of on-board storage, which is quite standard fare. The big story with this Chromebook is its ability to be used as a notebook computer or a tablet just by flipping the keyboard around. If you’d like to use it as a tablet, flipping the keyboard around to the back will automatically pull up the on-screen navigation buttons. It’s small display size may not be for everyone, but if you’re looking for an affordable 2-in-1 device, the $229 price of this chromebook is ideal.
Bluetooth speakers
Bose SoundLink 3
While it doesn’t offer the bells and whistles that many of its competitors do, the SoundLink 3 seems to adhere to the philosophy of doing one thing well, when it comes to sheer volume and sound quality, this one is tough to beat. While lack of bass is a common complaint when looking at Bluetooth speakers, that isn’t the case here. This isn’t going to blow a full hi-fi system or car stereo out of the water, but given the size, the depth and presence of the bass is impressive. If you’re looking for a speaker to fill the room at a party, this is going to be your best bet. The only downside here is the price, with the device priced at $299.95.
SEE ALSO: Bose SoundLink 3 review
Creative Sound Blaster Roar
Not only is the Creative Sound Blaster Roar SR20 cheaper than the Bose SoundLink 3, it is absolutely packed with features as well. Apart from just playing music over Bluetooth but it also has a built-in microSD card slot that allows it to function as a standalone music player, a 6,000 mAh battery that can charge your mobile devices, and a voice recorder function. Even with this feature set, the Creative Sound Blaster can be found for a somewhat reasonable price of $149.99.
SEE ALSO: Creative Sound Blaster Roar review
Anker MP141
While Anker is a fairly recognizable brand name, the company has its hands in so many areas that you might not know them for the audio products. It may not stand toe to toe with the other Bluetooth speakers on this list, when it comes to sound quality, given the tiny size and low price, the Anker MP141 is definitely worth a mention. While the heavy-duty look and small size might not be for everyone, the price certainly is, and the 20 hour battery life is another plus, and priced at just $39.99, it’s a no-brainer.
SEE ALSO: Anker MP141 review
Headphones
Bose Quiet Comfort 25
One of the best features of the Bose Quiet Comfort 25 is the active noise cancellation that it offers, and Bose finds the perfect mark between it not working that well, or otherwise resulting in a hissing sound when the noise cancellation is too overbearing. In terms of sound quality and comfort, the QuietComfort 25 is on par with other Bose headphones, which is to say their fairly well balanced, but they don’t go overboard on bass. One common complaint about Bose products is that they’re expensive, and that is certainly the case here with its price tag of $299, but you certainly get what you pay for.
SEE ALSO: Bose Quiet Comfort 25 review
Audio Technica ATH-M50X
Audio Technica is the first name that comes up if you’re looking for precision sound that doesn’t sacrifice an enjoyable listening experience for the sake of accuracy. While some color choices run more expensive, the base models of the ATH-M50x clock in at under $200, and the combination of price, sound quality, and build quality come together in a pair of headphones that are more than the sum of their parts. If you’re looking for some more features, like active noise collection, the headphones listed above may be the better way to go.
SEE ALSO: Audio Technica ATH-M50X review
Monoprice 8323
Like the ATH-M50x headphones, the Monoprice 8323 doesn’t offer much in the way of features, but what they lack in fancy looks or included remotes, they make up for in sound quality. Obviously, to keep the price low some sacrifices had to be made. For example, the build quality isn’t exactly rock solid, but given its price point of of just $33, this is an absolutely great deal for the audio quality you get to enjoy.
SEE ALSO: Monoprice 8323 review
Earphones (Sports)
Jaybird Bluebuds X
One big issue with all earbuds is getting a good fit and this earphone aims to fix that by including a couple of different sized ear tips and wing tips for you to mess around with until you get the fit that’s most comfortable for you. Since their release, the Jaybird Bluebuds X have been the standard for what Bluetooth earbuds should do. They offer about 8 hours of battery life, and on the wire connecting the two buds are the buttons that control everything from answering calls to skipping tracks. With its price point of $143, these earphones are certainly expensive, but worth it, helped along by the lifetime warranty that is available.
SEE ALSO: Jaybird Bluebuds X review
Jabra Sport Pulse
While the other earphones listed are ideal for wearing at the gym, they don’t have any exercise-specific features outside of not falling out of your ears. This pair of earbuds on the other hand, take sport-focused earbuds to a whole new level. Starting with the sound, the Jabra Sport Pulse offers great audio quality – it goes a step beyond, however, in that not only are they sweat-resistant, but they actually have a built-in heart rate meter to track your workouts as you wear them. While on the more expensive side, with its price point of $199, the additional fitness tracking feature may be what you are looking for.
SEE ALSO: Jabra Sport Pulse review
Sol Republic Shadow Wireless
The Sol Republic Shadow Wireless is another great choice if you’re looking for Bluetooth earphones, and along with the availability of 8 hours of battery life, they also sound really good. The Shadow Wireless have Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX which enables them to stream high quality music from your device from up to 30 feet away. Sol offers free ear tip replacement for life. The earphones have three buttons for volume up, volume down, and play/pause/answering phone calls right on the neckband as well. The Sol Republic Shadow Wireless earphones are priced at $99.99.
USB chargers and cables
Aukey Quick Charge 2.0 charger
Officially licensed and certified to use Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 Technology applied to one out of the 5 available ports, the Aukey Quick Charge 2.0 USB Wall Charger allows you the option to charge compatible devices up to 75% faster than a standard charger. Multiple built-in safeguards are available to fully protect against over-current, overcharging, and overheating for safe and fast charging. Of course, this charger can be used to charge older devices as well. While the version with 5 ports is priced at $29.99, and 3 port iteration is also available for a cheaper $22.99.
Aukey Quick Charge 2.0 car charger
Like the wallcharger, the Aukey Quick Charge 2.0 car charger is also officially licensed and certified to use Qualcomm’s fast charging technology, if you do have a device that can take advantage of it, and an additional port is also available two charge two devices simultaneously. Once again, multiple built-in safeguards are available to fully protect against over-current, overcharging, and overheating for safe and fast charging. This car charger is currently priced at $16.99.
Anker tangle free USB cable
This Anker USB cable addresses a few issues users generally have with such cables, keeping them tangle free, and offering some durability, with its nylon braided cord. Anker also claims that this cable allows for charging by up to 7% faster than standard cables, as well as allowing for transfer data speeds up to 480 Mbps. The Anker tangle free USB cable is priced at $5.99.
External Battery
Lumsing 10,400 mAh battery bank
The Lumsing battery bank offers a very high 10,400 mAh capacity, which should be enough to charge your smartphone multiple times, and you can charge two devices simultaneously as well. 4 LED indicators are present to show how much charge the device still holds, and there are protections available to avoid overcharge, overvoltage, overcurrent, and short circuits. Despite the capacity this device offers, the Lumsing battery bank is currently priced at just $19.99.
Anker 2nd generation Astro Mini
The Anker Astro Mini is a very portable, lipstick-sized, battery pack, and is the perfect device to have when in a pinch. It doesn’t offer the highest capacity, but 3,350 mAh should be more than enough to get at least close to a full charge with most smartphones. The Anker Astro Mini is also available with a great deal right now, with the black version of the device priced at just $9.99, with the other color options setting you back an additional $10.
Expandable storage
SanDisk Extreme
The SanDisk Extreme is the USB flash drive for you if you’re device has a USB 3.0 port, allowing you to enjoy fast read and write speeds, ideal for any big file transfers. While the write speeds seem to vary from 55 Mbps to 190 Mbps depending on the capacity, you do get read speed of 245 Mbps across the board. The Extreme is certainly a bit pricey when it comes to flash drives, with the device priced starting at $16.99 for the 16 GB variant, but it is worth it for the extra speed.
SanDisk Cruzer Blade
The SanDisk Cruzer Blade is the cheaper option, if you’re looking for lower capacity options, or if you don’t have a USB 3.0 port to take advantage of. The read and write speeds are admittedly slow, but that is understandable. Starting at just $5.95 for the 4 GB variant, the Cruzer Blade is a great flash drive choice, and with a hole for a keychain ring, you won’t have to worry much about losing it.
Lexar microSD card
The Lexar high-performance microSD card is the premium memory solution for sports camcorders, tablets, and smartphones. It quickly captures, stores, plays back, and transfers media files, including 1080p full HD, 3D, and 4K video, with a transfer speed up to 95 Mbps. While comparatively a bit pricey, with the 32 GB version priced at $24.99, this is ideal for use with devices like GoPro Hero 3 and others.
SanDisk Ultra microSD card
The SanDisk Ultra microSD card is a cheaper alternative to the option above, and is ideal for smartphones and tablets. You get p to 80 Mbps transfer speeds, and it allows for Full HD video recording and playback. The microSD card is temperature proof, shock proof, X-ray proof, and magnet proof, and there is also the Memory Zone app, that lets you auto-manage media and memory for peak phone performance. The SanDisk Ultra microSD card starts at price point of $6.51 for the 8 GB version.
There you go! Our definitive list of gadgets for a great back to school season! Have some suggestions? Drop us a line.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 is official, comes with new Adreno 530 GPU
Many have been keenly looking to the arrival of Qualcomm’s next flagship Snapdragon SoC after the trouble with this generation’s Snapdragon 810. This week, Qualcomm has finally begun officially talking about its upcoming Snapdragon 820. However, the company has just started by talking about its latest Adreno 530 GPU and Spectra ISP that will appear in the chip. We are going to have to wait for details on its new custom ARMv8 CPU design and other components.
As the name implies, the Adreno 530 comes from a new series of GPUs and is the highest entry in the range. Qualcomm also has an Adreno 510 in the works, which will ship with its Snapdragon 618 and 620 SoCs.
Starting with performance, Qualcomm states that the Adreno 530 boasts a 40 percent improvement in an average of graphics benchmarks over the Adreno 430. The design is also able to reduce energy consumption by 40 percent at the same time. Much of these benefits are likely to come from the move over to a 14nm or 16nm FinFET manufacturing process with the Snapdragon 820, which will match Samsung’s Exynos 7420. Qualcomm has also introduced a new feature called the “standalone GPU Power Manager”, which can gate parts of the GPU more quickly for improved power savings when idle.
On the API side, the Adreno 530 remains compatible with OpenGL ES 3.1 and the Android Extension Pack which was introduced with Lollipop, as you would expect. The GPU is also said to support OpenGL ES 3.2 on certain platforms, meaning that the upcoming Vulkan API, and all of its benefits, will be supported in the future as well.
See also: OpenGL ES 3.2 and Vulkan – everything you need to know
The chip is also OpenGL 2.0 and Renderscript compatible, allowing for improved GPGPU heterogeneous processing solutions. Qualcomm is boasting big boosts to certain compute applications, such as video processing.
As part of the GPU package, the Snapdragon 820 will also now support external 4K displays with a 60fps output, thanks to compliance with the HDMI 2.0 standard. Wireless display streaming is also now possible at 4K, albeit with a reduced 30fps frame rate.
Qualcomm has also been sharing details about its new Spectra image signal processor. The ISP boasts support for higher resolution multi-camera setups and will now work with up to three camera sensors simultaneously. The ISP supports resolutions up to 25 megapixels and 30fps video capture at full resolution.
The Spectra ISP also boats some new software improvements. Spectra offers improved noise reduction and color correction capabilities, along with enhanced de-mosaicing for 1.0u image sensors, resulting in better color reproduction. There’s also mention of a GPGPU optical zoom capability, which can simulate optical zoom rather than digital zoom using data from multiple camera sensors. We’ll have to see how well that works out in the real world, if any more multi-camera smartphones show up in the future.
The first Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 powered smartphones are not expected to land on the market until sometime in the first half of 2016. Until then, we will probably hear more details about Qualcomm’s custom Kryo CPU cores and the other features inside its new flagship mobile SoC.
Several Retailers to Begin Testing Apple Pay Rival CurrentC
Nearly three years after the Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX) was founded in August 2012, several U.S. retailers and restaurants belonging to the consortium will begin publicly testing their Apple Pay rival CurrentC in Columbus, Ohio over the coming weeks, according to The Wall Street Journal.
CurrentC is a mobile payments solution that requires scanning a QR code with a smartphone for contactless payment from a checking account, gift card or private label debit or credit card. The service does not currently accept major bank-issued credit cards such as Visa or MasterCard as retailers look to avoid costly fees.
Public testing of CurrentC is set to begin just as MCX’s three-year exclusivity window expires this week, allowing retailers to explore other mobile payment solutions. Yesterday, MCX member Rite Aid reversed course and will begin accepting Apple Pay and Google Wallet on August 15, in addition to Android Pay when available.
Best Buy, a founding member of MCX, also began accepting Apple Pay for in-app purchases in April and announced that full Apple Pay support is coming to Best Buy stores in the U.S. later in 2015. The electronics retailer will be monitoring CurrentC’s limited trial run but has not confirmed that it will be implementing the platform in stores.
Other MCX members include 7-Eleven, Alon Brands, CVS, Darden Restaurants, HMSHost, Hy-Vee, Lowe’s, Michaels, Publix, Sears, Shell, Sunoco, Target and Walmart, some of which have confirmed plans to launch CurrentC in the future. Other retailers remain in the process of exploring contactless payment solutions or installing the necessary infrastructure to support smartphone-based transactions.
The Weeknd, Drake and Disclosure Among Most Played Artists on Beats 1
Quartz yesterday published an article which analyzed data from Apple Music’s Beats 1 radio station, in an attempt to get a feel for the station’s most played songs and artists throughout the month of July. The company took data collected from 12,445 songs specifically from “early July to early August,” and discovered that artists The Weeknd, Drake, and Disclosure were the top three most-played musicians for the month.
The Weeknd was also on top of the most played song chart, with the song “Can’t Feel My Face” — which he performed live at WWDC in June — played a total of 107 times in July. Artists including Rachel Platten, Beck, and Selena Gomez, amongst others, round out the rest of the list thanks to the popularity of their current chart-topping songs “Fight Song,” “Dreams,” and “Good for You,” respectively.
Beats 1 has something that is rare in the world of digital music: scarcity. Listeners can’t choose a song and play it over and over. (They can do that elsewhere on Apple Music.) But curation doesn’t mean songs aren’t repeated. We counted 12,445 tracks but only 3,371 unique songs, meaning each track was played an average of 3.7 times. Eighteen of the 20 songs in the table above were played over 50 times.
Quartz also found the top genre on Beats 1 to be hip-hop (1,726 plays), with alternative (1,506 plays) and electronic (802 plays) rounding out the top three spots. Still, “a quarter of the songs in the dataset” that Quartz measured were only played one time, so Beats 1 is still managing to present a few diverse tracks into the mix every once in a while.
The response to Apple Music has been mixed, with the service’s detractors pointing to the initial speed bumps syncing with iTunes and an over-reliance on specific musical genres in Beats 1, the latter of which Quartz has now detailed. The rest of Quartz‘s report on Beats 1 is definitely worth checking out, with charts analyzing the volume of songs played on weekdays versus the weekend and even one highlighting songs played most frequently in pairs.
Using Android with Mac OS X: tips and recommendations
One of the principal reasons that many Apple Mac users opt for an iPhone over an Android smartphone is the ability to seamlessly work with their primary computer. As a Mac user who uses Android devices, I’ve often been left frustrated with the inability of my computer and smartphone to work together easily, especially as we live in a digital age and it should be relatively simple.
For iPhone users, synchronising music, data, files, contacts, calendars and more is as simple as connecting to iTunes and hitting sync but if you have an Android device and have tried to use it coherently with a Mac, you’ll know that the process is anything but simple. Luckily, there is a way to make syncing with your Mac as easy as the iPhone, so read on to find out more.
Across the team, we have some Mac users and between us, we have some recommended applications that can make using Android and Mac as easy as the iPhone. Below, we’ll look at different things you might like to sync and the applications we recommend while also mentioning any official Android apps.
Backing up your phone
#gallery-1
margin: auto;
#gallery-1 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-1 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Our recommendation: Helium
If you’re interested in backing up the data on your phone, look no further than Helium Backup as the best way to backup your non-rooted smartphone.
Enabling Helium requires downloading the Helium app for Mac and connecting your phone but once enabled, you can backup entire applications or just application data either locally to your phone’s storage or wirelessly (once you buy the Premium add-on) to Google Drive, Box or Dropbox.
It’s worth noting that if you restart your phone, you’ll need to enable Helium again (unless you have root) but it’s a small inconvenience for what is a very powerful and best of all, FREE, application.
Transferring files
The biggest difference between Android and iOS is that while the latter is limited to syncing files through iTunes, you can add files to an Android phone’s storage just by dragging and dropping them. For those who want to just drag and drop files, this section has the steps to follow but if you’d rather sync your music, photos and videos into apps on your Mac, follow the steps in the section that follows.
Official solution: Android File Transfer
An application provided by Google itself, Android File Transfer (ATF) is pretty much hopeless on Mac OS X. Complete with errors when connecting to most Android devices and time outs when transferring large files, ATF has the potential to make you very frustrated. But when it does work, the app has a clean interface that is very simple to use.
Our solution: AirDroid
When you return to your home or office, you don’t want to fumble around looking for a USB cable to connect your phone to your computer and with the new Macbook only sporting one USB port, do you really want to waste it on connecting your phone?
Introducing AirDroid, which does what the name suggests: it allows you to connect your phone either over a mobile connection or via the same Wi-Fi network. The exact feature set depends on how you connect your device but includes transferring files to and from your Mac, installing of apps and tethering your phone to your computer for data.
The most compelling reason to use AirDroid however, is the notification sync, which is perfect for times when checking a notification on your phone is a no-no. AirDroid allows you to read and view your phone’s notifications on your Mac.
Related: AirDroid: Remotely manage your Android from a Web browser
Whether you’re at work or in a meeting taking notes, you can now discretely view and reply to notifications without anyone knowing. The best thing about these notifications is that you can use Android’s notification responses (such as archiving an email) directly from your computer screen.
Syncing music, photos and videos
Our recommendation: doubleTwist (the iTunes of Android)
Syncing your music, photos and videos into the applications you use on your Mac used to be incredibly difficult as connecting to iTunes and extracting data with the same fluency as the iPhone was a challenge for developers. As the saying goes – if you can’t beat them, then join them – and so doubleTwist was born.
Android Authority On Air – Live with doubleTwist Magic Radio
There’s a reason that doubleTwist is dubbed as the iTunes of Android and it’s simple; it looks like a mini version of Android and does everything that iTunes does with the iPhone but for Android devices. For syncing music, photos or videos, this is definitely the easiest way to sync your data into the apps you use on OS X.
Syncing media with iTunes or Apple Photos is simple enough (especially if you’ve previously used iTunes) and if you really want to make your iPhone friends jealous, you can sync wirelessly through your Wi-Fi network. It’s free to sync doubleTwist using a USB cable but the wireless sync add-on costs $4.99 (or £4.99 in the UK) and you can set it to automatically sync in the background as well.
#gallery-2
margin: auto;
#gallery-2 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-2 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-2 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Whether you go wireless or sync using a cable, you need to look no further than doubleTwist if you want to sync media between your Android phone and your Mac.
Syncing contacts, calendars and mail
Official solution & our recommendation: Google Services
A key reason to sync your contacts, calendars and notes to your Mac is so they are all backed up but rather than manually sync, you can take advantage of Google’s own services to wirelessly keep your contacts, calendars and Mail in sync across all your devices.
See also: Android customization – Gmail and SMS message counts on your Homescreen
Top Phones of 2015:
.rvs_wrapper
width: 350px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;
.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
font-size: 24px !important;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;
.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;
@media only screen and (min-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
width: 100% !important;
@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos
width: 100%;
float: none !important;
overflow-x: auto;
overflow-y: hidden;
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
overflow: auto;
max-height: none;
body .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: left !important;
clear: none !important;
Your phone is already set to sync with Google Services and it’s baked into the core OS so why not take advantage of it? I’ve been using Google Services for both my Gmail and own domain email services for nearly a decade and I wouldn’t change it at all; rather than have to manually sync items, everything is synced in the background for you and changes appear on other devices very quickly as well!
To sync your Gmail contacts, calendar and Gmail to your Mac, exact implementation depends on which programs you decide to use. Some people will prefer to use Microsoft Office, which has its own set of instructions, while others will use Apple’s own rival suite, which you can find instructions for here.
Whatever programs you use to access your data on your Mac, we definitely recommend using Google’s own suite. You can alternatively use other mail clients but these are not as integrated into Android as Google Services, which is a key element in the seamless exchange between devices.
What do YOU use?
These are just a few of our personal recommendations but there may be others that are more suitable for your needs (although the set above should cover most use cases). As we progress towards a more cloud-based society in a wireless world, the ability to connect and sync without needing a cable may become a necessity and where possible, we’d recommend using wireless solutions over a physical cable.
Are you a Mac user? Do you use any of the applications we’ve mentioned or recommend some that we’ve not mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below!
Details on the next Nexuses leaked
New news on the next Nexuses everybody. @OnLeaks has just shared a bunch of details about the anticipated Nexus handsets from LG and Huawei.
Starting with the Huawei model, this appears to be the next super-sized handset in the Nexus line-up, with a 5.7-inch display and measurements coming in at 159.4 x 87.3 x 6.6/8.5mm. The smartphone will apparently feature a metal body, front facing speakers, a fingerprint scanner on the back in typical Huawei fashion and a USB Type-C port.
#Huawei‘s #NEXUS: Metal Body,roughly 159.4×78.3×6.6/8.5mm,likely 5.7″ Screen,Front Facing Speakers,Fingerprint Sensor on the Back,USB Type-C
— OnLeaks (@OnLeaks) August 12, 2015
The rumored LG Nexus is a more moderate size at 5.2-inches, which matches up with previous rumors about a Nexus 5 successor. The LG Nexus is also likely to feature a metal body, along with front facing speakers, a fingerprint scanner on the back and a USB Type-C port. The phone will measure 146.9 x 72.9 x 8/9.8mm. The shared hardware extras between the Huawei and LG handsets is intriguing, but Google is likely keen to showcase the latest Android M features too, which includes native support for fingerprint authentication.
However, all of these extra features raise the question of price once again. The Motorola Nexus 6 was quite a bit more expensive than its predecessors, which didn’t go down too well with some potential customers, and these two Nexus devices sound like they could end up in a similar price bracket.
See also: Google Nexus 2015 rumor roundup
Previous rumors also point to a QHD display and Snapdragon 810 or 820 chipset for the Huawei handset, rather than the company’s own Kirin chipset. The LG version is rumored to come with a Snapdragon 808, like the G4, and a reasonable 2,700mAh battery.
What do you think about packing these high-end features in a Nexus phone? Are you concerned about the potential price tags?
AIVAnet 