Lenovo Mobile to merge with Motorola and then go away
Lenovo Mobile Group President, Chen Xudong, has went on to state that Lenovo Mobile will be incorporated into Motorola in the near future. Following the merge, Lenovo Mobile will no longer continue as an individual company.
In the future, Motorola will be designing all of Lenovo’s smartphones. Motorola plans to shift its own focus to high-end international markets. Do you think this is the right move? Motorola has already rolled out its Moto G handset in many countries around the world and plans to launch the Moto X Pure Edition (Moto X Style) in the United States next week. The company is now working with partners on its successor to the Droid Turbo.
Source: XiaomiToday
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Is the Moto G 2015 the King of mid-range devices?
As the last week has proven, the majority of everyone cares more about those high-priced, powerful phones that dominate headlines for weeks. Not only do those devices dominate headlines, but they also dominate our wallets. However, even with these high-profile devices taking our wallets hostage, there are more economical devices becoming more and more relevant.
The OnePlus One shocked everyone with flagship-like specs while only costing about $300 for the base 16GB version. Naturally, the OPO was dubbed the flagship killer of 2014, and OnePlus just released their sequel, the OnePlus 2. However, in 2013, Motorola started hitting our pockets in a different manner.
A few months after the release of the original Moto X in 2013, Motorola debuted the Moto G. The premise behind this device was to provide a very solid alternative to flagship devices which would be an easier hit on our wallets and make everyone think twice about getting those high-priced flagships. The past two years have been no different, and Motorola has really followed through on improving the Moto G since its inception.
Motorola is trying to combine these mid-range internals while still providing one of the best experiences for a mobile device, while hitting a sub-$200 price mark. Speaking of those internals, let’s take a quick peek.
The Moto G doesn’t have the most impressive spec sheet, but that’s the point. Since their remodeling, Motorola has been trying to drive the point home about software integration by showing everyone how well these devices can perform without having the top of the line specs. The Moto G is the epitome of this new initiative..
Design
I loved the feel of the original Moto X. I thought the smaller form factor, with the smooth back was a dream to hold and use. However, I have since switched to larger phones, and even though the Moto G 2015 is taller, this phone is feels really good in the hand as well. The back-plate has a textured feel to it, making it easier to grip, which in turn makes me worry less about dropping it. In fact, I never once felt that the Moto G was going to slip out of my hands and on to the ground, desk, or anything else.
The rest of the Moto G 2015 has the appearance of the Moto X 2014, with the slightly curved back and the metal sides. However, the sides of the Moto G are not made of metal, instead, they are plastic but maintain the appearance of the silver sides found on the Moto X. The back of the device has a silver strip going down the middle with the camera nestled at the top and the flash right below. The signature Moto dimple can be found at the bottom of this silver strip
The back-plate does come off, and while you can’t replace the battery, you can get access to the microSD card slot, and SIM card tray. Motorola also is allowing users to be able to swap the backs around to suit your personal style. Be careful through all the switching and such, because this device is IPX7 water-resistant, you don’t want to forget to snap the back all the way on and get water damage in your device.
Speaking of which, whenever the back plate is removed from your device you will get a notification stating that you need to ensure that the case is fully snapped on. This is to make sure that you won’t ever encounter any water damage on account of everything not being put back into place.
Software Integration
The 3rd Generation Moto G is rocking stock Android 5.1 Lollipop with a few of Motorola’s added features. The biggest addition to the Moto G was the introduction of Moto Display. Moto Display was already introduced back with the original Moto X and basically has turned into an extension of your device.
For those who are new to the Motorola game, Moto Display is a baked in replacement for your lock screen. Instead of having to turn your display on every time you get a notification, Moto Display takes care of that for you. Once you receive a new notification, you are presented with interactive icons. When pressed, you will see a preview of the message and either swipe up to open the application, or down to just unlock the device. Of course, you can just let the notifications pile up and view them one by one, without ever unlocking your device and wasting that precious battery life.
Out of the box, the Moto G is using Google’s stock launcher that was introduced with Android Lollipop. You don’t have to worry about any overlays or anything that is unnecessary while navigating through your home screens. What you do get is the goodies of stock software with SOME of the Moto Display features. You also get the gestures for quickly turning on the flash light (chop-chop) and activating the camera (flicka-da-wrist).
In my time with the Moto G, I never experienced any lag while navigating the home screens, scrolling through my apps, or switching quickly from one app to the next. I did experience a bit of stutter when I played Mountain Goat Mountain, but since that game has the ability to change the frame rate, I just bumped it down and kept going stutter free. However I did play hours worth of Riptide GP 2, which is graphically challenging, and never had a single issue. Even when I was playing for hours, the back of the phone only felt warm, and was never uncomfortable.
Battery
Speaking of the battery, it’s amazing. While testing the Moto G, I never once ran out of battery, and there would be times I would take it off the charger at 530AM and would still have about 20-30% of battery left at midnight. The battery really impressed me, and I’m not sure if it’s a combination of the lower-res display with the Snapdragon 410, but I couldn’t get over how much I could use the G without it running out of juice.
I would deliberately try and run the battery out, and only succeeded after using the Moto G for tethering capabilities with my laptop while I was out and about. There also were never any issues encountered with random battery loss from standby time. The Moto G is a beast in just about every manner when it comes to the battery.
One thing to take note of with the 2015 Moto G: there is no quick charge capability built-in, so you can’t get that extra fast charging when you’re low on power. However, with the stunning battery life on this device, the chances of you needing quick charge, is slim-to-none.
Camera
I wanted the camera to be better than the one found in the Moto X 2014, but it seems that it’s more on par with that camera. The camera is definitely nothing spectacular, and you can tell as soon as you try and take your first picture. The built-in camera software is still a little off when it comes to focusing, and unless you try a different app, you’ll have to just hope you can get the picture to focus at the right time.
It definitely felt like I was playing a game of cat and mouse when it came to trying to focus, but we knew that going in. Hopefully, Motorola can get their stuff together and make the app better while removing the focusing issues.
As stated above, the camera is nothing to write home about, but for what you get in an 13MP camera, you can’t really expect too much. This will do just fine with your run-of-the-mill pictures, but they won’t be “featured” in anything important. I would say that the camera is perfect for the price range that the Moto G is set in.
Moto Maker
When Motorola was generous enough to shock the world with Moto Maker for the Moto X everyone was super stoked about it. You mean to tell me I can customize my device to the T, and don’t have to settle for just black or just white? Well Motorola did something pretty awesome with the Moto G 2015. After bringing Moto Maker to the Moto 360, and the Moto X, you can now customize your Moto G on Moto Maker.
With a slew of different combinations, Motorola really has taken customizing your device to a whole new level. There are two color options for the front, 10 different options for the back-plate, and 10 different options for your accent color, the possibilities are endless.
Conclusion
The Moto G 2015 follows in the steps of its predecessor and big brother, by offering a great combination of specs, decent camera, and customization options to bring one of the best mid-range devices to the forefront. Now, just as a note, there are two different variants of the 2015 Moto G. The first is one that features 8GB of storage with 1GB of RAM for $179, or the version that was reviewed today with 16GB of storage and 2GB of RAM for $219.
If you can afford the extra 50 dollars, I would definitely opt for the extra storage and extra RAM so you can have that extra boost when you need it. No lag is always a good thing, and you won’t have that issue when it comes to the 2GB variant of the Moto G 2015.
With the introduction of these mid-range specs, addition of Moto display features, and the inclusion of the Moto G to Moto Maker, the Moto G really deserves a chance. Let us know what you think about this awesome device from the folks at Motorola in the comments below.
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Pocket gains a handy new Recommendations feature in version 6.0 update
Pocket, one of the most popular read-it-later services available on Android, is receiving an update today that brings a handy new feature to the application. The new feature is called Recommendations, and it aims to deliver content that’s geared specifically to your interests. Recommendations will be based entirely on what you save, read and watch in Pocket.
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To access Recommendations, simply tap on the new tab located in the main page of the app. Your own Recommendations will change throughout the day, so if you don’t find anything that interests you, just check back later and you might find something new.
Version 6.0 of the app is rolling out now, so head to the Play Store link below to try it out.
[TA Deals] Name your own price for this game developer bundle
Want to learn how to develop games? Head over to Talk Android Deals and name your price for the Game Developer Bundle.
The bundle’s courses are meant to take you from a starter without experience to a person that can use HTML/HTML5 and Unity 3D to produce games.
What’s included:
- Unity 3D Game Development & Design 4-Course Bundle — $225 value
- HTML5 App & Game Development 6-Course Bundle — $186 value
- ‘Game Development for Non-Coders’ 5-Course Bundle — $128 value
You’ll save a ton of money since this is a ‘Pay What You Want’ deal. That obviously means that you pay what you want! By paying above the average price, you get all three items. Anything less will only give you access to the third item. Want to be the Giving Leader? Then pay more than the current one and you’ll have the top spot on the leaderboard.
Around 5,000 bundles have been sold already and 10% of the proceeds go to Creative Commons, a nonprofit organization promoting legal use of digital properties.
Come comment on this article: [TA Deals] Name your own price for this game developer bundle
Samsung hints at two upcoming smartphones likely to be included in the new ‘O’ series
According to a new report from Sam Mobile, mobile tech giant Samsung is prepping yet another line of smartphones. Today we get details on two smartphones to come in the previously reported O lineup.
The Samsung Galaxy Grand On and the Galaxy Mega On are expected to include budget specs and Android 5.1. These will be the first smartphones in Samsung’s new O series. O being short for “On” in this case. Today we received some rumored specs of the two handsets.
The Galaxy Mega On has model umber SM-G600 and will be the larger of the two handsets. It will feature a 5.5-inch 720p display, powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor with 1.5GB of RAM. On the back you can expect to see a 13MP rear-facing camera and a 5MP snapper will be included at the front. The handset will have 8GB of expandable storage space, a 3000mAh battery and weigh in at a near 145 grams. The Galaxy Mega On has dimensions of 151.8 x 77.5 x 8.2mm. No word on pricing and availability.
The smaller of the two handsets will be the Galaxy Grand On or SM-G550. It will include a 5-inch 720p display, a quad-core 1.3 GHz Exynos 3475 chipset, 1GB of RAM, an 8MP rear-facing camera, a 5MP front-facing camera and 8GB of internal storage space. A 2600 mAh battery is expected to be removable from the back. So far there is no word on when and where the handset will be launched nor its pricing details.
Source: Sam Mobile
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Huawei teases Force Touch technology for the Huawei Mate S
Earlier this week the Huawei Mate S was mistakenly listed on Oppomart which revealed all of its specifications and an all-new Force Touch technology. Today, Huawei has began teasing the upcoming Force Touch sensor as ‘Incredible Touch.’
Huawei is racing to release a smartphone with an integrated Force Touch sensor before competitors. Huawei teased two images today revealing the upcoming Force Touch technology. The company will release the Mate S at IFA 2015 according to the teaser pictured above. The saying translates to “Can pressing be different?” This indicates the technology can tell the different between a hard tap and a light tap.
The second teaser shows us an image of a persons finger drawing the letter “C.” It reads, “Now, camera really starts with a “C.” It also notes ‘Incredible Touch’, thus further indicating Force Touch is on its way. Maybe we’ll see a feature that allows users to open apps by simply drawing the first letter of an apps name. Only time will tell.
Source: Weibo
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NASA crashes a third airplane for science on live TV
If you’ve ever wanted to see a “severe but survivable plane accident” (without worrying about actual lives at stake), tune into NASA TV today between 1 and 2pm ET. The site will be broadcasting live coverage of a simulated crash conducted by the agency’s Search and Rescue Mission Office.
The crash test, which involves dropping a 1974 Cessna 172 tail-down from 100 feet onto soil, is intended to test emergency locator transmitters (ELTs) used by search and rescue teams. The ELTs installed in commercial planes and general aviation need to work even in the extreme conditions of an accident, which can include excessive vibrations, fire and impact. ELTs that survive a crash can send signals to orbiting satellites, which relay the data to search and rescue teams on the ground.
The Cessna 172 being dropped in today’s test is fitted with five ELTs, two crash test dummies (mmm mmm mmm), cameras and sensors to collect data which will be used to improve the ELT system. This will be the third Cessna that NASA has crashed; the first was dropped from 80 feet at nose level on concrete, and the second was dropped at 100 feet at nose level on soil. Visit NASA TV or this Ustream link to watch live.
Source:
PR Newswire
Tags: accident, aircraft, airplane, cessna, Cessna 172, ELT, nasa, NasaTv, planes, space
Amazon Underground gives you really, truly free apps
Free apps sometimes try to rope you into in-app purchases to make a profit. Not so with Amazon’s new approach to free software, though, as the online retailer is offering over $10,000 in apps, games and even those in-app add-ons at no cost. Yes, it sounds too good to be true on the surface, but Bezos & Co. will compensate developers based on how long you use their apps. Amazon will shell out per-minute payments in exchange for developers nixing any fees, which means for the software is free to download and use. GdgtSpot reports that the company’s “Free App of the Day” promotion is no more, so it looks like Underground will replace it. Since Google Play’s rules don’t allow for apps that serve up other apps or games, you’ll have to download the Underground app directly from Amazon. And when you do, look for the “Actually Free” designation for items that are included in the new initiative.
Filed under:
Software, Mobile, Amazon
Source:
Amazon
Tags: amazon, amazonunderground, app, apps, mobilepostcross, software, underground
Squeeze more juice from your battery with DU Battery Saver (app review)
Before reviewing this app, I have never used a battery saving app. In the early days of Android, I used task managers, but that eventually went to the wayside as Android eventually became fairly efficient at managing the phones memory. I ended up in the school of thought that Android itself was better at managing its memory than a 3rd party app. Battery savers have generally been in that same category for me until now.
Sometimes you have to give something a try before you can change your mind. DU Battery Saver was that shot for me.
DU Battery Saver overview
DU Battery Saver is a free app on Google Play. It has one mission and one mission only, to save your battery life. When you fire up the app you are greeted by a screen that displays some battery stats and a single button that says “OPTIMIZE”. When you select optimize it will go through and kill apps that are draining your battery.
There are three saving modes that you can utilize free of charge, Phone Cooler, Advanced Saving, and Notification Saving. There are other modes that you can unlock with coins. The coins are awarded by installing other free apps. You can also unlock them by purchasing the PRO version of the app for $2.99.
| Unlockable Features | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Lock Auto-Clear | Automatically clears apps when the screen is locked | 380 |
| Auto-Clear Apps | Clears out apps that drain your battery in the background | 360 |
| Schedule by Time | Allows power saving modes to be changed automatically on a schedule | 340 |
| Schedule by Power | Allows power saving modes to be changed automatically when power is low | 320 |
| Network Control | Automatically disables the network when the screen is turned off | 300 |
| Lower CPU Frequency | Lowers the CPU frequency when the screen is locked (root) | 400 |
Phone Cooler will allow you to isolate apps that are causing your phone’s CPU to heat up. One identified the app will close the apps that are heating up your phone.
Advanced Saving will allow you to kill apps that are running in the background that you don’t need.
Notification Saving will close out apps and notifications that are draining your battery.
DU Battery Saver also has the ability to whitelist apps. So if you’re waiting for that important email, you don’t have to worry about it getting closed by the app.
There is also a game booster feature that allows you to speed up your game loading times. I noticed that this worked marginally better. In fact, I didn’t notice a very big difference at all.
DU Battery Saver setup
The setup on this app starts off easy. Just download the app from Google Play and install it on your device. After that, it’s pretty easy if you know what you’re doing. If you watch the embedded video in the previous section, you’ll see just about everything that you need to see with this app.
Who will enjoy DU Battery Saver
Anyone with battery life issues will enjoy this app. Not only does it have some great features, it has some beautiful animations and transitions. This gives it a very high end feel. it’s obvious that this app was professionally done.
What we liked
- Slick UI and animations
- It actually works
- Price
What could use some work
- Ads can be a little obnoxious
- Tablet UI
DU Battery Saver summary
In short, I came into this a skeptic and leave a believer. I have a 1st generation Moto G that I initially installed the app on. During the day and all day, I use the Moto G to stream audio. Usually by the time 6pm rolls around the battery is in the red. However, after installing the app I was able to have over 50% charge left at the same time. I was thoroughly impressed and would recommend the app to anyone.
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Pad & Quill Review: Classic Apple Watch Band Is Attractive and Affordable
Those looking for a classic leather look on their Apple Watch can find a few options ranging in price from $149 to $249 in the Apple store. With a handful of third-party manufacturers getting into the Apple Watch band game, quality accessory designer Pad & Quill has introduced its own line of Classic Apple Watch Bands for a cheaper entry cost of $89.95 that hews most closely to Apple’s Classic Buckle.
The big difference with Pad & Quill’s option is an array of color options — Galloper Black, Chocolate, Whiskey, and British Tan — that let customers keep a traditional watch aesthetic with added customization. The company provides the option to purchase any color with either stainless steel or polished black finishes, to successfully match each user’s Apple Watch face (Sport editions will support the accessory, but the same visual and corrosive warnings from Apple’s own bands still apply).
Design
The Pad & Quill bands are created in an Italian leather tannery using a “soft-tumble method” that results in what the company aims to be a comfortable watch band with added durability. Designed in both the 38mm and 42mm Apple Watch sizes, the Classic Apple Watch Band will fit wrist sizes from 130mm to 210mm in diameter.
Unlike some other third-party companies, and Apple itself, Pad & Quill is making every leather color option of its band line available in both Apple Watch sizes, lending each band a unisex universality that looks good on any wrist. The company even lets users mix-and-match the color of the leather with the metal finishing in such a way that ranges from traditional (British Tan with stainless steel) to bordering on unattractive (Chocolate with polished black).
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