Developers can test Android Auto apps without buying a Bentley
Android Auto developers now have way to try out their apps without spending lots on an actual head unit or entire car. The Android Auto Desktop Unit (DHU) runs on your Windows, OS X or Linux desktop and works in conjunction with the companion app on Android 5.0 (Lollipop) or higher. Installing it is a bit of a rigmarole and you’ll need to connect your Android device via a USB cable, but you probably already know that if you’re a developer. Once you’ve compiled and installed your app, it’ll “behave as if it’s connected to a car,” according to Google.
Android Auto apps naturally need to be minimally distracting, so porting a regular app straight across is out of the question. Google provided some rough simulation through its SDK before, but more or less expected you to “work from your car,” according to its blog. However, using the emulator is now tantamount to using an actual Android Auto device. And since you can use it on a PC, why not test it with a road simulator (like the one below) to make sure it’s truly driver-friendly?
Filed under:
Transportation, Google
Source:
Google
Tags: AndroidAuto, ConnectedCar, DesktopHeadUnit, Developers, DHU, Emulator, google
DeNA wants you to stream your Android phone to the world
Japanese mobile game company DeNA has launched an app called Mirrativ that lets you livestream anything and everything that’s happening on your phone. Think of the app as a mix of Periscope and Twitch — yes, there are plenty of ways to stream your face and your games to the world, but with Mirrativ you’re not limited to just either-or. DeNA is also targeting a broader range of uses than just gaming. What else might you like to stream? Speaking with The Wall Street Journal, DeNA’s Junichi Akagawa says that users could perhaps browse online stores while seeking “shopping advice” from followers, or read news articles and share their thoughts on the topics.
The app is is currently in public beta, and DeNA is restricting streaming to a few hours a day while it works stuff out. Viewing streams is akin to other services — you can comment or show appreciation and it’ll show up on the streamer’s end live, just like in Periscope. Unfortunately, there’s no archive for streams just yet, so once an event’s over it’s over.
“I think this is the first app that allows users to broadcast everything happening on the their smartphone device through the Internet,” Akagawa tells the Journal. He’s not right, as Sony added Twitch and YouTube streaming to its recent Xperia devices last month, but Mirrativ works across a wide range of Android devices. DeNA is also working on a similar app for iOS, although given the closed feature set Apple provides developers with it’s tough to imagine the experiences being identical cross-platform.
If you’re wondering where you’ve heard the name DeNA before, wonder no longer. It’s a big deal in Japan, where it’s behind some huge mobile titles, and also runs an online gaming platform called Mobage, which is a rough equivalent of Xbox Live or PlayStation Plus. It’s such a big deal that Nintendo has partnered with it to create mobile games and build its next-generation online services, taking a 10-percent stake in the company at the same time.
Mirrativ is available in the Google Play store now, and you can keep tabs on when the streaming starts each day over on the company’s Twitter.
Filed under:
Mobile, Google, Nintendo
Source:
Mirrativ (Google Play)
Tags: dena, google, mirrativ, mobilepostcross, nintendo, streaming, twitch, youtube
View the Earth from space with these satellite wallpapers Part II
Today we have the second set of wallpapers that are views of our beloved Earth from a satellite. We don’t know where exactly these images were taken, but regardless of that, they are absolutely beautiful and stunning.
If you see a wallpaper that belongs to you and you would like to receive credit, I would love to give it to you! Just drop a comment in the section provided below with some proof (You know, just so we don’t have people claiming things that are not theirs…) So, please choose those that you like and enjoy!
The post View the Earth from space with these satellite wallpapers Part II appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Here’s the list of Sasmung devices that will be upgraded to Marshmallow
With the announcement of every new software version, us Android users are always wondering if our device will be supported. Normally, there is some type of waiting period to find out whether our device that was purchased last year or two years ago would be supported. The same can be said for this year, after the announcement of Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
According to SlashGear, Samsung has a list of all the specific devices that will be updated to Marshmallow, and the list has a surprising omission.
- Galaxy Alpha
- Galaxy Tab A
- Galaxy S6
- Galaxy S6 Duos
- Galaxy S6 Edge
- Galaxy S6 Edge+
- Galaxy Note Edge
- Galaxy Note 4
- Galaxy Note 4 Duos
- Galaxy Note 5
The surprising omission here, is that the Galaxy S5 will not be getting Marshmallow. There are no statements as to why these devices were chosen while the year-old S5 will not be partaking in the fun.
Let us know what you think about the devices that Samsung will be supporting once they put a TouchWiz overlay on top of Android Marshmallow.
Source: SlashGear
The post Here’s the list of Sasmung devices that will be upgraded to Marshmallow appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung teases IoT goodies for IFA
IFA will no doubt be brimming with new handsets for us to get our hands on, but Samsung has already announced latest flagships. Instead, the tech giant is planning to unveil the “future of IoT”, according to its latest teaser video.
Unfortunately, the teaser doesn’t give us any hints about exactly what Samsung has planned. The company has already announced that it has a new SmartThings Hub is on the way in September, so we may see some more products focused around home automation. Alternatively, Samsung may have something entirely new to show off.
The teaser also reveals that customers be able to watch Samsung’s IFA event using its VR headset. The rest of us will also be able to follow along with our smartphones or tablets online. Samsung says that it will bring IFA to us “through a new and exciting IoT experience”. Interesting.
Samsung is also expected to unveil the final details about its Gear S2 smartwatch at the event. We have already seen numerous pictures of the smartwatch, but we still don’t know too much about any new hardware or software features that Samsung has in developed for the Gear S2.
Will you be tuning in to Samsung’s IFA announcements next week?
MIUI 7 already ported to 69 smartphones
Xiaomi may only have released its MIUI 7 operating system a couple of weeks ago, but eager developers have already ported the ROM to a number of handsets from other brands. 69 different devices to be exact, which is quite an accomplishment.
I won’t post the entire list here, as it would be far too long, but there are a range of popular flagship and mid-range handsets on the list. You will find support for the Nexus 4 and 5, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 and S4, the LG G Pro, G2 and G3, a number of Sony Xperia Z handsets, the HTC One M8, X and Desire 816, and the OnePlus One, along with a selection of smartphones from Huawei, OPPO and ZTE.
The ROMs are all based on the Chinese version of MIUI 7 and were created using the Patchrom tool, which was only released last Thursday. As usual with these early build types, there are likely to be some bugs and not all features are guaranteed to work, so you’ll have to weigh up the pros and cons if you’re thinking about trying out MIUI 7.
Read more: Xiaomi announces MIUI 7: here’s what’s new
You can find downloads and a complete list of all supported handsets so far over at the MIUI Forum. The forum also contains a flashing guide for each of the smartphones, to help guide you through the process of installing the custom ROM. As always, make full backups and proceed at your own risk.
If anyone out there tries out MIUI 7 for themselves, please share your experiences in the comments below.
LG’s Nexus 5 (2015) could be available from September 29, claims Korean website
Fans of LG’s work on previous Nexus phones are anxiously looking forward to the so-called Nexus 5 (2015), a device that has leaked extensively over the past few weeks.
One detail that has eluded us so far is the LG Nexus’ release date, but if this report from Korean website MKPost is accurate, we’re only a month away from the phone’s grand entrance.
MKPost claims that the Nexus 5 (2015) will hit the Google Store on September 29. Reportedly, this information comes from an anonymous source who has correctly predicted the release date of the original Nexus 5, back in 2013. The LG Nexus will be made available through the Google Store in South Korea, says the report, but it’s not clear whether September 29 is when the phone launches internationally or in Korea.
The source didn’t know whether Huawei’s Nexus would launch at the same date.
To be perfectly clear, this is a story from a source that isn’t known for tech rumors reporting. That considered, September 29 makes sense for the release of the Nexus 5 (2015). Google appears ready to introduce Android 6.0 Marshmallow (with the recent release of the final SDK) and Android Pay is right around the corner. Google typically launches Nexus smartphones around October, and late September fits that timeline.
What else do we know about the LG-made Nexus? Provided the body of reports is not hopelessly flawed, we know quite a lot: just earlier this week we’ve seen a purported spec sheet, and hands-on images and renders based on CAD schematics of the device give us a pretty good idea of what to expect. Check out our rumor roundup for more on the LG Nexus (and its “Made in China” counterpart).
Thoughts on this potential release date?
Google adds some visual flair to Android app searches
Google has transformed Android search for apps and now displays the results in a pictorial, grid-like fashion. For instance, searching for “music apps” (either in Now or a browser) brings up the above grid, and clicking on a given app will take you straight to Google Play, as you’d expect. The feature, spotted by Android Police, appears to have rolled out over the last few days. Regular search results are still displayed below, but the grid images take up the entire first page, in much the same way as Google’s Knowledge Graph. It only works on Android, so far — doing a similar search on iOS yields a regular app list with the option to install.
Google has mixed feelings about Android app discovery, having recently published a study decrying full-page, “interstitial” app ads. However, Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman criticized its methods, saying “Google’s Web search team has a conflict of interest… (when) you download the Yelp app, you’re less likely to do another search for a local business on Google.” As for the new app search grid, the results I checked showed a good mix of results, but if there’s a Google app in a given category, it does seem to come up first.
Filed under:
Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Google
Via:
Android Police
Source:
Google (Android devices only)
Tags: apps, google, GooglePlay, KnowledgeGraph, search
Waiting for a OnePlus 2 invite? OnePlus says “aggressive invite rollout” is coming
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
Have you been waiting for a OnePlus 2 invite? Well, hopefully you’ll be seeing one soon as co-founder Carl Pei today tweeted that they are getting ready to start an “aggressive invite rollout” next weekend – just to clarify, that’s not the weekend starting on the 29th; it will be the first weekend of September.
Apologies for the wait. We were set back by almost a month, but finally our aggressive invite rollout starts next weekend. Pretty stoked. 
— Carl Pei (@getpeid) August 27, 2015
http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
It’s not clear whether the delay has been caused by the device itself or some website-based issues, but the main point is that the invites are coming. And it better be aggressive as there were 2 million invites registered for in the first week and who knows how many million more have been registered since then. No surprise for a device that is the self proclaimed “2016 Flagship Killer” – although the OnePlus 2 has future proofed itself with features like a USB Type-C port, we’ll have to see if that name holds up at the end of 2015 with the imminent release of two Nexus smartphones.
What do you think about OnePlus’ “aggressive invite rollout” for OnePlus invites? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Twitter via TalkAndroid
The post Waiting for a OnePlus 2 invite? OnePlus says “aggressive invite rollout” is coming appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Xperia Z5 press renders leaked, 23-megapixel camera on-board
Sony fans eager for some new news with on the upcoming Xperia Z5 will be pleased to know that a new set of leaks has dripped from the faucet. This time, the offerings are literally of an official nature, despite the fact the phone itself is still on the DL. According to Xperia Blog, Sony Mobile made a bit of a snafu earlier today when it posted a series of images seemingly set for press purposes.
The highlight for all those camera aficionados out there, is that it now seems all but officially confirmed by Sony that the Z5 will feature an impressive 23-megapixel rear shooter. Take a look:
The prospect of an improved camera will no doubt be a major boon to all those who were disappointed with the Xperia Z4/Z3+, which actually made use of the same one found in last year’s Xperia Z3. Given the stunning images that photographers -both amateur and professional alike- have been able to take with the existing unit, the potential for an even better one will no doubt make the wait for next week’s IFA 2015, where the device is allegedly going to launch, all the more difficult.
At the same time however, those hoping for some semblance of a new design might be left out in the cold:
The device, as pictured above, looks remarkably similar to those that came before it. The phone still retains the same rectangular shape Sony has used since its origin, though again with the newer rounded edges. Ports can also be seen along the bottom end of the device, sans flap, which looks like the smartphone will once again achieve its waterproofing primarily through sealing them rather than covering.
Indeed it looks to match up perfectly with the leaked images that had been circulating the internet:
As can be found in the above image, though not visible from today’s cache, the Xperia Z5 is expected to have a fingerprint sensor built into the power button. The button, in turn, will now be flat as opposed to the circular protrusion that had graced the previous models in the series.
It’s that time again
Given that Xperia Z4/Z3+ is only a few months old, and Verizon’s variant hasn’t even released yet, the idea of another Xperia flagship hitting the pavement might be a bit much to take in, though presumably many opted to skip the latest iteration in favor of whatever this one might bring. Clearly the wait for a new design appears to require some additional patience.
In terms of specs, the rumors are all over the place. Some have actually suggested the Z5 will feature a 4K display, a claim that seems without any merit whatsoever. The General Manager of Sony Mobile Taiwan was literally quoted, stating there were no plans to release even a QHD smartphone panel. Even the Verizon-altered Z4v is just the first smartphone in the OEM’s entire history to make use of QHD. To imagine a bump up to 4K would seemingly be defiant of the very product that would allegedly have it.
Given that the Snapdragon 820 is not yet ready, it’s possible the Z5 could once again go with the 810, or else step down to the 808 like LG did with the G4. Other rumors also indicate it will have 3GB or 4GB of RAM and an 8-megapixel front camera, along with 4K upscaling software and a seemingly impossible 4500mAh battery.
Ultimately we need to wait until next week to see if the phone will be officially unveiled or not, but things are definitely looking like a photo finish to be sure! The real question though: is this the phone Made for Bond?
AIVAnet 