GameFly brings game streaming to Samsung smart TVs
Is it still soon for video game streaming services? Maybe. OnLive is gone and PlayStation Now has had a rocky launch, making GameFly’s entrance all the more surprising. After launching on Amazon’s Fire TV, the game rental company is bringing its new “GameFly Streaming” service to Samsung smart TVs in the US, Canada and eight new European markets. It means that with nothing but a controller and a stellar internet connection, you can turn on your TV and play some “AAA” console games. GameFly is pitching it as a “Netflix of Games,” but the pricing model isn’t quite that simple. Instead of a single fee, you’ll have to choose one of its monthly bundles that come with a small smattering of pre-selected titles. The other problem is that, like many of its rivals, the games on offer aren’t particularly fresh. To name but a few, there’s Sleeping Dogs, Dirt 3 and Batman: Arkham Origins — all good games, but nothing that’ll be vying for Game of the Year 2015.
Via:
Gamespot
Source:
GameFly Streaming
Tags: amazonfiretv, firetv, gamefly, gameflystreaming, gamestreaming, GameStreamingService, samsung, samsungsmarttv, smarttv
The best Bluetooth headset
This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a list of the best technology to buy. Read the full article here.
Not everyone needs a Bluetooth headset. But if you’re hopping on and off the phone throughout the day, or if you frequently—not that we recommend this—talk on the phone while driving, the $90 Plantronics Voyager Edge is the best Bluetooth headset for most people. After spending 20 hours on research and testing for this update, including real-world testing of 12 products, we’ve determined that the Voyager Edge is a top-notch headset with the right balance of stellar sound quality, long battery life, impressive Bluetooth range, and comfortable fit.
Who is this for?
A good mono (one-ear) Bluetooth headset is a great accessory if you speak on the phone frequently and want the convenience of having your hands free. It’s also an important item if you need to be sure that your voice sounds clear to the person on the other end, without too much wind or other background noise—a Bluetooth headset will make your voice sound much clearer, and be easier to understand, than using the speakerphone feature of your smartphone for hands-free calls.
How we tested
Here are some of the 12 headsets we tested.
To test comfort, we recruited six non-techie friends and gave each a box of the 12 headsets with each model’s included accessories; we asked each person to rank, on a scale of 1 to 10, the comfort of each headset. Then we ran battery tests, streaming stereo audio from an iPhone to each headset, recording how long we could do so before the headset’s battery gave out. An evaluation of the incoming audio quality cut our list of competitors in half.
To test for outgoing audio quality, we pitted those six top picks against one another. We called a designated voicemail number using each headset, leaving the same message with each. We then used the audio files of those voicemails to conduct a blind test of audio quality, with five Wirecutter editors and writers rating the sound of each.
Our pick
CThe Voyager Edge in action.
The Plantronics Voyager Edge is our top pick for a number of convincing reasons. For starters, a panel of Wirecutter staffers overwhelmingly preferred its loud-and-clear call quality over that of the competition. Call quality is the most important aspect of any Bluetooth headset, and the Voyager Edge excels here. Incoming-call audio quality is very good, and in our tests of outgoing audio quality, listeners preferred the quality of audio from the Voyager Edge over audio from the competition almost every time.
The Voyager Edge also offers longer battery life than many other Bluetooth headsets; a comfortable fit that works for many different ear shapes and sizes; simple pairing; good Bluetooth range; and easy-to-use controls. It’s a solid pick, all around.
Runner-up
A good alternative to the Voyager Edge is the $150 Sennheiser Presence Basic. You do get some benefits for the higher price, including longer battery life, but the Presence Basic doesn’t surpass the Voyager Edge in every regard—or as an overall package.
In our first round of audio testing, the Presence Basic essentially tied the Voyager Edge when talking in a quiet office; in the second round, however, the the Plantronics model was a bit better. Our panel generally liked the sound of this model, particularly in our quiet-office test, but it didn’t do as well as the Edge in noisy environments.
Budget pick
Plantronics’ newest headset is the Explorer 500 ($60), and it’s a good choice for people who don’t want to spend a ton. It was actually the top performer in one of our audio tests (outgoing audio when talking in a car), though it doesn’t best the Voyager Edge’s audio quality overall.
In closing
The Voyager Edge is the best-sounding Bluetooth headset we’ve yet found, and it’s equally strong when it comes to battery life and comfort. It’s the best pick for most people.
This guide may have been updated by The Wirecutter. To see the current recommendation, please go here.
Filed under:
Peripherals
Tags: bluetooth, BluetoothHeadset, explorer500, partner, plantronics, plantronicsexplorer500, plantronicsvoyageredge, presencebasic, sennheiser, sennheiserpresencebasic, syndicated, thewirecutter, voyageredge, wirecutter
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact spotted in promo image leak
The announcement of the Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact is rapidly approaching. Sony typically launches their new flagship duo at IFA in Berlin (beginning of September). As promotional materials are ramped up, it often happens that they slip through the cracks and into the sight of leakers.
That’s exactly what we have today, regarding the little brother flagship. Courtesy of tech site Techtastic.nl, the Xperia Z5 Compact was caught sight of in the following promo image.
Now, I know this doesn’t look like much (and how an Xperia phone should look), but we can make note of a couple details.
Firstly, the side button placement. We can tell that there is a shorter and longer button paired on the bottom-right of the phone. Per the leak we’ve seen previously, this is more evidence that Sony is going with an odd placement for the volume buttons (if that’s what the longer button in fact is).
The shorter button is the expected return of the physical camera shutter button. We also don’t see a power button. Again, this is in line with the previous leak, which showed a flush power button (supposedly because it will double-up as the fingerprint scanner).
Lastly, the LED flash placement matches previous Compact models, to the right of the camera module. The larger brother typically has the flash under the camera.
This isn’t much for now, but hang tight. It isn’t too much longer until we know the full scoop. We don’t really know what the specs will be. Sony is allegedly sizing up the Z5, so it could be the same story for the Z5 Compact (the previous model had a 4.7″ screen and 720p resolution). It was also tipped that Sony may be using the Snapdragon 810 again, and the new ExmorRS sensor.
The post Sony Xperia Z5 Compact spotted in promo image leak appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Deal: Complete Arduino Starter Kit & Course Bundle prepares you to build robots, light sensors and more!
Are you looking to build your own circuits and gets started on building your own robots and IoT devices using Arduino? The AA Deals Store has something for you today. The Complete Arduino Starter Kit & Course Bundle offers everything a beginner needs to begin controlling light, buzzers and more. You can then move up to making basic robots, mood lights and instruments!
Don’t worry about previous experience, soldering, and other factors that may stop you from jumping on your own electronic projects. This bundle has everything you need, including a board and everything you need to build your own circuits. It requires no experience and is ready to go, full with step-by-step instructions and helpful tips.
Interested? You have only seen part of the awesomeness that this deal offers. The bundle comes with plenty of goodies, including the starter kit, and a few great courses. Let’s take a look at them.
- ARDX Arduino Starter Kit – Tackle 13 different projects with this fully-stocked beginner’s toolkit ($69.90 value)
- Arduino Step-by-Step ‘Your Guide to the Internet of Things’ Course – Explore the world’s friendliest electronics Prototyping Platform ($200 value)
- Arduino ‘Make a Remote-Controlled Car’ Course – Advance your skills & build a full-featured remote-controlled car ($150 value)
- Beginning Arduino ‘Make Your Own Environment Monitor System’ Course – Create a gadget that posts your environment data to a web logging service ($100 value)
#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 */
Want in on the action? This whole bundle is now available for only $75.99, which is chump change compared to the original $520 price point. This is an 85% discount! Go get it before the deal ends.
Buy the Complete Arduino Starter Kit & Course Bundle
Huge 18 inch tablet in the works from Samsung?
A new report indicates Samsung has a new tablet device codenamed Tahoe that is in the works that will be equipped with an 18.4-inch HD display. Unlike 2014 when Samsung made it a point to work on the tablet market, they have quietly been working on new models in 2015 like the Galaxy Tab E, the Galaxy Tab A, and the Galaxy Tab S2. This new super-sized tablet could join the ranks in Samsung’s portfolio this year.
The Tahoe tablet appears to have the model number SM-T670 and will have a TFT LCD screen running at a 1920 x 1080 resolution. Helping keep things running will be an Exynos 7580 processor running at 1.6 GHz, 2GB of RAM, and at least 32GB of internal storage. Available information indicates Samsung is equipping the tablet with an 8MP rear camera, which should not be used in the middle of a crowd, and 2.1MP front-facing camera.
No information has leaked about a potential release date, a final model name or pricing. Let us know in the comments if you would be interested in a tablet with such a large screen.
source: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: Huge 18 inch tablet in the works from Samsung?
Samsung offering free 30-day trial of Galaxy S6 Edge, Edge+ and Note 5 to iPhone owners
In what can be considered a great customer poaching ploy, Samsung is now offering a free trial of its Galaxy S6 Edge range as well as the Galaxy Note 5 to iPhone owners for a month. Yeah, you heard it right – if you happen to be a not so proud iPhone owner, you can consider this 30-day Samsung-promoted test drive to see whether you are ready to switch to Android or not.
For as little as a dollar, you can choose either the Galaxy S6 Edge, the S6 Edge+ or the Galaxy Note 5, which will come with an activated sim card and a help guide. Although you are not obligated to buy the device after the trial period gets over, if you choose to do so, Samsung is promising an even more tempting offer for you.
“Your test drive kit will come with the phone of your choice, an activated sim card, and a step-by-step guide to help you start your test drive. After 30 days, if you buy a qualifying Samsung device, there’s even more love in store for you,” the promotion reads.
If you decide to participate in “Samsung’s Ultimate Test Drive,” make sure to return the handset within a month, because if you fail to return it after a grace period of five days, the Korean company will put a bill of $820 on your card. It goes without saying that you should try not to damage your phone, otherwise you may have to pay $100 or more depending on the damage. The offer is only available for the residents of the Unites States currently.
This promotion drive can be seen as a step to improve the profit margin of the company, whose financial health is anything but optimum going by its last quarter’s earnings. Samsung’s overall earnings fell by 8% year on year, while its mobility department suffered a decline of 37.6% from the past year.
Source: Samsung
Come comment on this article: Samsung offering free 30-day trial of Galaxy S6 Edge, Edge+ and Note 5 to iPhone owners
Google updates official AdSense app in the Play Store with Material Design makeover
Google has begun rolling out an update for its official AdSense application. In terms of added functionality, this upgrade brings compatibility for custom date ranges, as well a complete visual overhaul complying with the search engine giant’s Material Design guidelines,
Check out the clean, new interface in the gallery below:
To install the update on your smartphone, simply open up the Play Store, toggle the hamburger menu by swiping in from the left-hand side of the screen, select ‘My Apps’ and click on ‘AdSense’. Then all that’s left for you to do is hit the update button.
Come comment on this article: Google updates official AdSense app in the Play Store with Material Design makeover
Verizon starts rolling out Android 5.1.1 update with Stagefright fix for the HTC One M9
Verizon has at last started pushing out the long-awaited Android 5.1.1 update to its carrier-branded variant of the HTC One (M9). In addition to the latest build of the open-source operating system, this upgrade also transports a much-needed patch for the Stagefright security vulnerability.
All the changes you’d expect to find in the Lollipop software are bundled into this upgrade, including support for multiple accounts, improved notifications, stronger 256-bit encryption, a smoother multitasking experience, a new recent screen, personal unlocking and Material Design.
As you’d expect, the update is being rolled out in stages, but if you don’t feel like waiting for a notification confirming that it’s ready for your device to hit your unit, you could always search for the upgrade manually. To do so, open the Settings app, scroll to the bottom and tap on “About Device”, hit “System Updates”, then select “Check for updates”.
Source: Twitter
Come comment on this article: Verizon starts rolling out Android 5.1.1 update with Stagefright fix for the HTC One M9
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Active may be released in November
The latest tip to surface about the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 involves an Active version of the smartphone that among other changes, will come with a beefier 4,100 mAh battery. Although the new Galaxy Note 5 comes with a 3,000 mAh battery that has been found to provide plenty of usage thanks to Samsung’s optimizations, there has been some criticism about why Samsung did not bump up the size. Packing in a 4,100 mAh in this new version of the stylus-equipped smartphone might help address some of those concerns.
Along with a larger battery, the Galaxy Note 5 Active will come with IP68 certification for water resistance. Sources have not indicated whether Samsung will do anything to help prevent the glass screen from shattering when the device is dropped or otherwise improving durability. However, some additional resistance to damage would be consistent with Samsung’s recent move to release an Active version of the Galaxy S6.
Sources indicate the Galaxy Note 5 Active is slated to be released the week of November 8th, although it is not clear what pricing, markets, or carrier availability may be like.
source: phoneArena
Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Active may be released in November
See the Galaxy Note 5 or Galaxy S6 Edge+ in action on any device
Samsung has just released to new “experience” apps on the Play Store. These apps aim to give you a visual of how the Galaxy S6 Edge+ and Galaxy Note 5 will work.
Dubbed the “Galaxy Note 5 Experience,” the app demonstrates the display, S-Pen features, Live Broadcast, and so on. On the other hand, the “Galaxy S6 Edge+ Experience” will virtually showcase the curved edge display, the People Edge feature, swipe-to-wake functionality, and much more.
These are all demonstrated through live and interactive demos, giving you just a glimpse of the experience these two premium devices will offer.
Keep in mind that to download and use these applications, your device will need to be running Android 4.1 or higher, have a 720p display, 1GB of RAM, and a 1.4GHz CPU.
Be sure to hit one of the source links below to get your hands on the two new Experience applications from Samsung.
source: Samsung (1), (2)
via: Phone Arena
Come comment on this article: See the Galaxy Note 5 or Galaxy S6 Edge+ in action on any device
AIVAnet 