Skype 6.0 brings revamped design to both iOS and Android
Skype users have ridden a rollercoaster of different designs over the years, and the latest version promises yet more change. Version 6.0 has been completely redesigned for both iOS and Android apps, which are now in lockstep with each other. For Google’s ecosystem, the new layout took a page from the Android 5 “Material” playbook with circular icons and other touches. Other features include a floating action button to start new calls or chats (à la Facebook’s Messenger), enhanced search and improved messaging. There are also custom ringtones, photo sharing and web link reviews to bring the app in line with rival messaging products like Google’s Hangouts.
On the Apple side, Microsoft made similar visual tweaks and added swipe gestures for calls and messages. It’s also easier to post photos, links and emoticons when you’re on a video or voice call. Other tweaks include enhanced search, location info and other features you’d expect on a messaging system. The Skype iPad app has been completely revamped to take advantage of the larger screen, and now includes group calling to boot. Both the Android and iOS apps are now available, and as for Skype on Windows 10 Mobile, MIcrosoft said it’s working hard on the next version and “we’ll let you know when we have more to share.”
Filed under:
Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Microsoft
Source:
Skype
Tags: Android, iOS, iPhone, microsoft, mobilepostcross, Skype, Skype 6.0
Skype Updates iOS and Android Apps With New Design, Improved Messaging, and Enhanced Search
Skype today announced a new update for both its iOS and Android mobile apps that introduce a new design experience, a few tweaks to the service’s messaging functions, and some enhanced search functionality. The new update, version 6.0, promises to be a “simple, familiar” experience for Skype users, but with a bevy of new features and touch inputs that will help the service’s users get in and out of conversations with more ease.
The company has introduced swipe gestures to do just that, letting users quickly start calls and manage message threads with quick and easy right and left swipes. The message feature as a whole has been bolstered, with easier access to sharing photos, links, emoticons, and even location status while also on a video or voice call. Along with enhanced search and improvements to the iPad app, version 6.0 aims to be the most robust iOS Skype experience yet.
Here is what’s new:
Redesigned for iPhone and iPad – We’ve redesigned Skype for both iPhone and iPad to make the apps easier to use than ever before. The new navigation is simple, familiar and gets you to your conversations fast. With Skype 6.0 you can use swipe gestures to quickly make calls and easily manage your messages. We have also made it easier to share photos, web links, emoticons and your location while you’re on a voice or video call.
Enhanced search – We’ve made it easier to find things in Skype. Simply use the new recents tab to search your messages and find contacts and groups.
The features you love, now on iPad – All the features you love on Skype for iPhone are on your iPad too. We’ve made messaging on Skype for iPad a whole lot better – you can share your location, send large emoticons, see web link previews and easily send and receive photos. Skype for iPad also helps you stay in touch with your groups – now start a group chat or a group voice call straight from your iPad.
Skype for Android sees a handful of the same featured updates in its own overhaul, but has a few exclusive features — like an ever-present “floating action button” to instantly start a call from anywhere in the app — that Android users can check out here. For everyone else, the Skype for iPhone [Direct Link] and Skype for iPad [Direct Link] apps are available to download from the App Store for free.
[TA Deals] MOTA 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub for $18, save 35%
Continuing with some of the great deals that Talk Android is offering, the MOTA 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub is next on our list. So if you’re the kind of tech junkie that has tons of peripherals or likes to have a smart-device charging station at your computer desk, this hub would be perfect for you (or someone you know…).
On Talk Android Deals, you can purchase one for $18. And, as is customary for a lot of our deals, we throw in free shipping as well.
So let’s take a moment to look at some of the specs of this puppy:
- Hook up to 4 USB devices at once
- Enjoy a durable shell made of ABS plastic
- Carry anywhere: thin & compact design
- Know when devices are ready for use w/ 4 LED indicators
- Have just 1 power source at hand for all your devices
- Quickly transfer data w/ rapid-speed transfer capabilities
- Protect against power surges w/ built-in overcharge protection
- Connect different devices without rebooting your computer
- Data transfer rate: 4.8 GB/sec
- Package includes cable
As mentioned, this device ships free to buyers in the continental US. Normally, the MOTA hub costs $28, so this is a 35% discount on the device to bring it to $18. Check out the source link below to see our product page!
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Qualcomm releases more info about upcoming Kyro architecture, Snapdragon 820
As top-tier smartphones equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 get closer to hitting the market, Qualcomm has released some new information on the capabilities and benefits their new chip will bring to the smartphone market. According to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 820 will offer two times the power efficiency and performance when compared to the Snapdragon 810 chipset. At least a part of that gain is due to Qualcomm switching to a 14nm manufacturing process for the Snapdragon 820.
Qualcomm points out that the new Kyro architecture, replacing the Krait CPU they have been using, was custom engineered by the company to meet the needs of consumers for both higher performance and longer battery life. Qualcomm also points out an ongoing challenge is managing heat as processors become more powerful and do more work while smartphone manufacturers make their devices thinner and out of lighter materials that do not soak up as much heat.
Although it was previously reported the Snapdragon 820 would run at up to 3.0GHz, and versions running that fast may yet be released, Qualcomm’s initial release is slated to run at 2.2GHz.
Qualcomm also announced that as part of the new Snapdragon 820 design, they are implementing a new Qualcomm Symphony System Manager. The system manager will manage the entire system-on-chip, both primary processors like the the Kyro CPU, the Adreno 530 GPU and the Hexagon 680 DSP, as well as smaller specialized cores like the Qualcomm Spectra ISP for the camera. This new system manager will help Qualcomm and smartphone manufacturers squeeze out better performance in response to customer use of their devices by ensuring appropriate computing resources are available.
source: Qualcomm
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CBS to stream selected NFL regular season and play-off games in lead up to Super Bowl
While it’s been known that CBS will stream the Super Bowl on February 7th, 2016, the US TV network has also announced it will also stream 2 regular season games, as well as 4 playoff games along the way on a slew of electronic devices.
The selected games include:
- New York Jets v Miami (October 9, London, UK)
- Carolina v Dallas (November 26th, Thanksgiving)
- 4 AFC playoff games in January (Wild Card, Divisional, and Championship)
Fans will be able to view the streamed action free-of-charge, without having to log in with cable subscription details, which makes things more convenient. As for how you can stream the action, well, you have the choice between viewing the CBS coverage on its web page, smartphones, tablets, Apple TV, Xbox One, Chromecast, Roku and connected TV’s. There’s a pretty good chance that you have at least one of the compatible devices to hand.
Full Press Release:
NFL ON CBS Streaming Coverage Will Be Available on Connected TVs, Laptops, Desktops, and Tablets for Two Regular Season Games, Four Playoff Games and Super Bowl 50
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Sept. 1, 2015 – CBS Sports will stream more NFL ON CBS game coverage than ever this season, including two regular season games, four playoff games and Super Bowl 50 from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Streaming coverage will be available on laptops, desktops and tablets at CBSSports.com and on televisions through select Connected TV devices, including Xbox One, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku® players and Roku TV™ models. All of the NFL ON CBS games that will be streamed live will be available online and on OTT devices for free with no authentication required.
Streaming coverage begins with the national broadcast of New York Jets-Miami in London (Oct. 4, 9:30 AM, ET), which will mark the first NFL ON CBS regular season game to be streamed live. CBS Sports will also stream Carolina-Dallas (Nov. 26, 4:30 PM, ET), which will mark the first time the CBS Sports broadcast of a Thanksgiving Day game is streamed live.
All AFC playoff coverage will again be streamed this year, including the Wild Card, Divisional, and Championship games. On Sunday, Feb. 7, CBS Sports will live stream the CBS Television Network’s exclusive broadcast of Super Bowl 50.
“We’re very excited to offer more NFL ON CBS streaming coverage across more digital platforms than ever before,” said Jeffrey Gerttula, Senior Vice President and General Manager of CBS Sports Digital. “All NFL fans will have access through their computers, tablets and now Connected TVs to two regular season games for the first time in addition to all of the AFC playoff action, culminating with a truly historic Super Bowl.”
Streaming coverage will also be available to Verizon customers on phones through NFL Mobile. Additional details of the streaming coverage for each game will be announced at a later date.
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Samsung Sleepsense tracker coming to Korea
The Gear S2 isn’t the only Samsung device to go around at IFA 2015. Samsung’s new Sleepsense tracker is a disk-like device for tracking your sleep.
The device should be placed under your mattress and will record your activity during the night. The device will automatically sync the data to your connected Samsung smartphone using a new application in the Play Store. It will track details like your heart rate, breathing, movement, total sleep time, the number of times you woke up and the percentage of REM sleep. Samsung has proven the results to be 97% accurate therefore making it great product that you can trust with your data.
In addition, the device can give users tips on how to sleep better and how to maintain a better diet. It also acts as a home automation tool by allowing users to turn the TV off at night, adjust the AC, turn off the lights and more.
Samsung Sleepsense will be launching in Korea shortly, with hopefully more countries to come. The company hasn’t announced pricing for the device yet, but we should find out more in the coming weeks. Is this something you would buy?
Source: Samsung Tomorrow
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Samsung reveals pricing details for its new Gear S2 smartwatches
Samsung recently unveiled the Gear S2 smartwatch aimed at bringing functionality in a beautiful style right at your wrist. The company is currently showcasing the new device at IFA 2015 in Berlin. Today, we received information regarding the device’s pricing and availability.
Samsung has officially confirmed the pricing for the Gear S2 and Gear S2 classic in Finland and Denmark. In Finland it will cost 349 euros for the Gear S2 and 399 euros for the Gear S2 classic. In Denmark the Gear S2 is priced at 2,599kr and the Gear S2 classic is listed at 2,999kr. Both variants of the smartwatch will arrive in early October all over the world.
The Gear S2 includes an all-new rotating bezel for easy navigating, a refreshed Tizen interface, a full round display, a metal design and many options for different bands. It will support Samsung Pay and include an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. Samsung promises the smartwatch will last a near 3 days on a single charge. It will include a bunch of Samsung’s apps pre-installed such as S Health, Nike+ Running, Music player, Maps and Weather. Here are some pictures of the company’s all-new Gear S2 smartwatch.
Source: Sammyhub
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Rumour: LG’s Nexus 5X coming September 29th with $400 price tag
While news from IFA 2015 is still filtering through, it seems that the one topic that makes the hearts of many Android purists skip-a-beat has reared its head again. Yesterday we learned that Google will announce both the LG and Huawei Nexus devices on September 29th, in San Francisco, and now some new details about LG’s latest Nexus device have emerged.
The details come courtesy of Android Authority, whose unnamed source has informed them that LG’s Nexus handset will probably be known as the Nexus 5X.
While the Nexus 5X will be more affordable than the Nexus 6 initially was, according to the source, it will still be around $50 more expensive than the original Nexus 5. To be honest, if the price tag is accurate, the relatively small increase in cost would be what most people would expect to see, especially considering the bump in specifications. The 16GB version of the Nexus 5X is expected to retail for $399, with the 32GB variant running to $449. It should be noted, none of the leaked factoids have been officially confirmed at this point, thus, a normal sized pinch of salt should accompany these details for the time being.
The same unnamed source dropped other interesting tidbits, including that, as long suspected, and alluded to with the tons of leaked renders, LG’s Nexus 5X carries a fingerprint scanner on the plastic rear panel, with a raised camera sensor and dual-LED flash accompanying it. Colour options include white, black, and light blue. A USB Type-C port is also said to be present, which, I’m sure we all hope, will be the full-featured product, and not the stripped down version that is present in the OnePlus 2.
If, and it is an if, these leaked details all come to pass, the Nexus 5X is bound to find its way onto the want lists of many Nexus fans. Especially considering that, for many, the 6-inch Nexus 6 handset was simply too big and costly. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: AndroidAuthority
Come comment on this article: Rumour: LG’s Nexus 5X coming September 29th with $400 price tag
Griffin Expands Survivor Lineup With Two New iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Cases
Griffin today announced an expansion of its popular Survivor case lineup for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, introducing the new Survivor Summit and the Survivor Journey. Like its existing Survivor cases, both the Summit and the Journey offer military grade protection for Apple’s iPhones.
The Survivor Summit is Griffin’s most protective Survivor case yet, featuring a sealed weatherproof design that’s resistant to dust, rain, mud, and snow. It includes a screen shield that both serves as a stand and protects the touchscreen and home button from grime.
With rubber bumpers and a built-in impact resistance system that suspends and cushions the iPhone within the case, the Summit can survive 10-foot drops onto concrete. According to Griffin, despite the high level of protection, the Summit is “slim enough to easily slide into pockets.”
The Survivor Journey is not as protective as the Survivor Summit, but it’s thinner and sleeker. Described by Griffin as “ultra-thin, ultra-tough,” the Journey is a one piece snap-on shell that deflects and absorbs impacts to survive a 6.6 foot drop onto concrete.
The Journey includes Griffin’s “Impact Dispersion System” that includes multiple layers, housing the iPhone inside a rigid, shatterproof shell coated in a material that’s easy to grip.
Survivor Summit and Journey take our best-selling case line to a whole new level with sleek, slim designs that continue to offer the extreme protection users have grown to love from our Survivor cases,” said Aaron Jones, Survivor Category Manager at Griffin Technology.
The Survivor Summit is available from Griffin.com in black/blue, black/clear, black, and pink/gray. It’s priced at $49.99 for the iPhone 6 and $59.99 for the iPhone 6 Plus.
The Survivor Journey is available from Griffin.com in black/blue, black/white, black/gray, and pink/gray. It’s priced at $29.99 for the iPhone 6 and $39.99 for the iPhone 6 Plus.
Samsung introduces new SmartThings portfolio
IFA is always full of new and exciting products, but Samsung is taking a different approach with their newly-acquired SmartThings brand. Samsung announced an updated version of the SmartThings Hub at IFA, along with some new devices — called “things,” of course — that can be paired with the hub. The new hub, which is available now direct from Samsung, is sporting an ARM Cortex-A9 processor clocked at 1GHz, a faster chip than we found in the older hub. The new processor means the hub can now handle video streaming, so users can view live feeds on their smartphone from a connected camera. The hub will also send users event-based notifications when smoke, fire, leaks, or floods are detected. New features also include a battery backup that allows the hub to continue functioning for up to 10 hours on its own, in the event of a power outage.
Samsung isn’t stopping with the SmartThings family, as it introduced a few new devices at IFA as well. SleepSense, a flat disk that users place under their mattress, monitors sleep patterns, heart rate, and respiration. It also recognizes when a user falls asleep, turning off a connected TV and adjusting the heating or air conditioning.
Along with SleepSense, Samsung is bringing more content to users via partnerships with Netflix, VoD, Amazon, and even GameFly. The push is to get users to buy more Samsung televisions, so they have access to such great content and features. Along with digital content, Samsung also announced a new Blu-Ray player, which is supposedly capable of upscaling content to UHD resolution. This will be a nice addition to the Samsung family for Blu-Ray fans.
Appliances also made an appearance at Samsung’s IFA showcase, with the announcement of AddWash, a new line of washing machines from Samsung that aims to make laundry a little less frustrating for users. The WW8500 AddWash is the first washing machine in the line, and Samsung claims that it’s the first washing machine that allows users to add laundry at any point in the wash cycle with the push of a button that unlocks the door. It also pairs with a companion smartphone app that gives users notifications and allows them to monitor laundry during the cycle.
Finally, Samsung is teaming with BMW to integrate the SmartThings hub into cars. This will enable drivers to lock and unlock the car via their smartphone, as well as check the technical status of their BMW. Volkswagon is also working with Samsung, creating the Car Mode for Galaxy app, a competitor to Android Auto. The app essentially does many of the things that Android Auto does (navigation, music playback, etc), but connects to cars that support MirrorLink. Users can then control functions in the app through steering wheel controls or their on-board display. The companies are also introducing an app for the newly announced Gear S2, which will allow owners of certain Volkswagon cars to control some functions from their watch.
Samsung is definitely investing in the Internet of Things with these new and updated devices, which makes sense given the company’s desire to have all their devices integrated with the SmartThings hub within the next five years. We’ll keep an eye on Samsung’s new products, which hopefully bring a new level of functionality to homes (and cars).
Source: Android Central (1), (2), 9to5 Google
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