Is Acer’s Predator 8 tablet a Shield-killer or just a nice try?
Does another promising device bite the dust?
At IFA 2015, it was quite obvious that Acer is aggressively pushing its Predator line of elite devices. There was a whole flashy area dedicated to it, surrounded with the brand’s industrial, red-accented theme. To recap, we were shown powerhouse gaming laptops, large curved monitors packed with Nvidia’s G-Sync technology, a smartphone with a 10-core CPU monstrosity, and a sweet-looking 8-inch gaming tablet – the Predator 8.
Acer’s new elite tablet brings some fresh features to the gaming tablet segment, a segment that previously existed by one other – the Nvidia Shield tablet. So does the Predator 8 stand a chance? Let’s check it out.
In picking up the device for the first time, you can tell one of Acer’s objectives for the Predator tablet was to wow the user with the design. This thing is flashy and totally not for someone who doesn’t want to draw attention. Everyone will know this tablet is special, a completely different take from the subtlety of the Nvidia SHIELD. I love it.
Unfortunately, the feel did not back up the awesome appearance. There’s no other way to break it down, it feels cheap. The chassis is mostly plastic. OEM’s sometimes make plastic work, but Acer just didn’t with the Predator 8. My word to Acer: You can’t skimp on build with a premium device.
Okay, so it’s apparent Acer cut some corners to make the Predator 8 a reality, but how far does that fact extend? Let’s go over the performance, but first, a breakdown of the specs:
In addition, one of the staples of the Predator 8 are four front-facing speakers. You read that correctly, four. Like many OEM’s are doing these days, the external audio is supported by some Dolby Audio software trickery.
So with all that said, how does it sound? It’s good, just not superb. It can get loud, but the quality leaves to be desired. It is treble-heavy, almost shrilly sometimes. It reminds me a lot of the Nexus 6 speakers, where Motorola obviously made loudness a priority over quality. On the Nexus 6, bass was almost non-existent. I would have to do a review of the Predator 8 before I can conclude the same, as Acer’s booth wasn’t the quietest environment.
Next up is the display. Unfortunately, it left to be desired as well. This is often my experience with Acer displays, but I was hoping a premium product of theirs would be of better quality. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not terrible. Looking at the screen straight-on it’s fine, and colors have particularly nice vibrancy. However, tilt the device and the image slightly (but noticeably) washes out. We should be past the days of washing-out displays. Maybe I’m just spoiled by Samsung’s fantastic S-AMOLED panels.
And last but not least is the gaming performance. Bear in mind that this is not a full review, and I give the Acer the benefit of the doubt of maybe not having finished software. Asphalt 8 was loaded up on the device, which serves as a good gaming benchmark.
For some reason the gameplay stuttered, too much for my taste. It was playable, and bits where it didn’t stutter were smooth, but every time action ramped up (i.e. crashing into a wall, because I suck at racing games), the performance struggled. On a normal tablet I could look past this occurrence, but not on a “gaming” tablet.
So can I recommend the Predator 8? It depends. Acer does bring some neat things to the tablet, that weren’t there before, such as quad, front-facing speakers and gaming-tuned haptic, vibrational feedback. Only, quality isn’t where it should be for a stand-out, elite device. It’s almost like a normal tablet in disguise.
If you can look past the cut-corners and really want a sweet-looking, gaming tablet, there’s no other that pulls it off like the Predator 8. If you want a better overall package, look to the Shield.
Both tablets have near-stock software, 8-inch 1920×1200 displays, front-facing speakers, and run $299 retail. However, Nvidia’s Tegra K1 chipset should have significantly more gaming power than Intel’s HD graphics.
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Latest ‘Game of War: Fire Age’ commercial features Mariah Carey
We see this a lot with Facebook and mobile games: tons of lofty advertising on the web or even the TV, but little substance when it comes to the actual game. Game of War: Fire Age does better in offering a good experience than most, with over 600,000 5 star ratings, but with around 160k 1-stars, it obviously is far from perfect. Where it really shines is in advertising.
Game of War: Fire Age has previously featured a Super Bowl ad, a series of ads with Kate Upton, and now they are bringing Mariah Carey into the fray. It remains unseen whether or not this was a one-off ad or Carey plans to replace Upton in future ads. You can imagine the budget that went into producing this one, though.
Not only did Carey get a “seven-figure” payday (no exact amount has been specified), the advertisement was directed by Alan Taylor, the director behind Thor: The Dark World and Terminator Genisys. Does the ad actually tell us anything about the game? Not really, but the point is merely to pique curiosity, either through its action sequences or simply by leveraging celebrity appeal. For those who aren’t aware, the game is a strategy RPG that lets you build your own empire in a free-to-play multiplayer world.
Has anyone here been swayed by this ad, or former ads, to give the game a try? If so, did you actually enjoy the game, once they got you in the door?
Spotify lists for runners arrive to Android, months after iOS update
Back in May Spotify introduced a new feature to its app geared towards runners. Unfortunately, this feature only made its way to iPhone users initially, but a new update is bringing the same functionality over to Android.
Dubbed “Spotify Running”, this special mode will recommend multi-genre playlists based on your previous listening habits, as well as ready-made running lists that are based on moods like “Burn” or “Epic”. You can also have the lists catered around the tempo of your workout, too. Spotify’s tech should ensure that only genres and music types you enjoy will be played. So if you only listen to rock, odds are Britney Spears shouldn’t show up in any of the auto-generated playlists. Of course, the pre-made lists might be another story.
It seems a little strange that it took Spotify so long to bring this feature over to Camp Android, but better late than never. At the time of this writing, the update isn’t live just yet, but Spotify ensures it will be showing up sometime today.
Apple TV Games Must Work With Apple TV Remote, May Not Require External Controller
When creating games and apps for the new Apple TV, developers are required to build in support for the touch-based remote, making all content accessible to all users without the need for additional accessories like an MFi controller.
As noted by developer Dustin Westphal and shared by our sister site Touch Arcade, Apple’s App Programming Guide for the tvOS says the following: “Your game must support the Apple TV remote. Your game may not require the use of a controller.”
The new Apple TV works with third-party Bluetooth controllers, but because they are an optional accessory, they are not allowed to be the primary input method for a game. This requirement will force developers who want to build games around controller use to also include a touch or motion-based control scheme for use with the Apple TV remote.
As Touch Arcade points out, the requirement is bound to be a hassle for developers, especially those with games that have complicated control schemes.
There will be games that will have control schemes that are too complicated for the remote, for sure. What if Apple rejects apps that feature terrible controls for the remote, designed only to achieve the bare minimum functionality? Or developers with complicated controls decide to skip making their app compatible with the Apple TV because it won’t be worth it? Ideally, we don’t want to get to a point where games aren’t coming to the Apple TV, or being actively rejected, because they won’t fit the remote.
Apple appears to have originally planned to allow developers to require a game controller to play Apple TV games, but the company later nixed that policy and is now requiring all games to support the Apple TV remote in addition to a controller.
Apple’s choice to require support for the Apple TV is not surprising, as it also has the same requirements for iOS devices. Developers can build controller support into their iPhone and iPad apps, but apps must also include touch-based control schemes for users who do not have a controller.
Run The Joint with your old ball and chain (app review)
Every once in a while there are apps that surprise me. Run The Joint is one of those apps. When I first looked at the app I wasn’t really very excited to review it. After all it’s a side-scrolling running game and that’s been done several times over by several different developers. However, Run The Joint has a few tricks up its sleeve.
Run The Joint overview
The premise is simple. You are one of many convicts trying to escape prison. Your character is actually a disembodied head that moves by bouncing and jumping. Of course, because your character is an inmate, he is shackled to a ball and chain. It turns out that this ball and chain is also a playable character. While impossibly happy, he can jump independently of your character. Not only do you need to escape, but you must take your smiling ball and chain with you.
While you are trying to escape, the guards and their dogs will try to capture you. The guards will remain stationary and can be easily evaded. The dogs, however, will chase you down. Meanwhile, there are missiles shooting at you. The world can also rotate to add an additional level of difficulty.
There are 10 different levels to escape before you are finally free.
- Drop-off point
- Old town
- The street
- Pig farm
- Bridge
- Oil fields
- Manor house
- Car dealership
- Motel Gorman
- Docklands
There are 7 different characters that you can unlock to aid you in your escape
- Highway Bob
- Voodoo Kid
- Penguin Boy
- Funny Man
- Mutant Beast
- Goldie
- Big Tash
Run The Joint setup
It’s super easy. All that is required is to download it from Google Play.
Run The Joint gameplay
I was pleasantly surprised at how fun this game actually turned out to be. I liked that there were defined levels and that it wasn’t just another endless runner. The ads were also minimal and nonintrusive. The double runner element with the ball and chain added a unique element to the game.
What we liked
- Double runner element
- Unlockable characters
- Defined levels
What could be better
- More unlockable characters
- More levels
Run The Joint summary
Overall it’s a fun game and an entertaining way to kill a few minutes here and there. Indie developer Naked Penguin Boy did a great job of making the game feel polished.
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Ultimate Ears announces the UE Boom 2 360-degree waterproof speaker
Ultimate Ears, a leader in consumer audio, is releasing the second generation UE BOOM bluetooth speaker. Building upon the success for the UE Boom, the UE BOOM 2 will feature a similar 360-degree design, completely-waterproof design, as well as 100-feet of wireless range. The range is absolutely incredible at 100-feet, as similar priced bluetooth speakers such as the Bose Soundlink II and the newest generation Beats Pill only offer 30-feet of wireless distance. The UE BOOM 2 was clearly designed to be used anywhere.
With a 15-hour battery life, rugged design, and IPX 7 rating(to withstand drops up to five feet), the UE BOOM 2 is designed to go anywhere no matter what you’re doing. Take it to the beach, on a mountain bike ride, or listen to it in the peace of your own home – the UE BOOM 2 was designed for everywhere. In addition, the speaker can be paired with any other Ultimate Ears bluetooth speaker through the UE BOOm 2 app giving you double the sound.
The UE BOOM 2 is due out this month in the US and select countries in Europe and Asia for $199.00.
Press Release
UE Introduces New Anywhere-You-Go-Proof Mobile Speaker
NEWARK, Calif. — Sept. 15, 2015 — Today Ultimate Ears once again dares you to take the party anywhere by adding UE BOOM 2 to its colorful lineup of beach-, snow- and anywhere-you-go-proof wireless mobile speakers. Starting first with UE BOOM and now turning things up again with UE BOOM 2, Ultimate Ears is continuing to transform the way people experience music, together, out in the world by completely redefining the Bluetooth® speaker category.
Designed to get wet, muddy and beat up, UE BOOM 2 blasts insanely great sound in every direction. Using the same high-quality materials you have come to expect from Ultimate Ears, UE BOOM 2 is waterproof (IPX 7), drop-proof (from up to five feet high), disruptive and bold, plus a whole lot of fun. It’s the size of a water bottle, so stick it in your bike’s water bottle holder or clip it to your bag, turn up life and add dimension to any moment.
Building from the award-winning UE BOOM 360-degree speaker that Ultimate Ears introduced in 2013, UE BOOM 2 is 25 percent louder with a longer wireless range of 100-feet and a completely waterproof design, so your music can be shared no matter where you are or what you’re doing. It has a 15-hour all-day, all-night battery life, plus, new and innovative tap controls that allows you to skip songs, without needing to have your phone in-hand.
“Music is about making good moments great moments,” said Rory Dooley, general manager of Ultimate Ears. “And by taking your music with you, those great moments are now shareable, anywhere. That’s why every speaker Ultimate Ears designs is durable and adventure-proof with 360-degree sound, including UE BOOM 2. We’ve been leading the category in a new direction, and we’re breaking the mold yet again with UE BOOM 2.”
Plus, UE BOOM 2 gets better with time. Using the UE BOOM 2 app for iOS® and Android™, you can double the sound by pairing UE BOOM 2 with any other Ultimate Ears speaker, remotely turn the speaker on from your phone and even wake up to your favorite music. New updates are sent to UE speakers wirelessly through the app, so you can easily continue to expand features, making each speaker future-proof and even more awesome over time.
UE BOOM 2 comes in six new vibrant color variations: Cherrybomb, Yeti, Phantom, GreenMachine, Tropical and BrainFreeze.
Pricing and Availability
UE BOOM 2 is expected to be available in the U.S. and in select countries in Europe and Asia in September 2015, for a suggested retail price of $199.99. For more information, please visit _www.ultimateears.com.
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WRIO keyboard app hopes to revolutionize typing from a smartphone
From Swiftkey to Swype, Fleksy to Minuum, there are hundreds of keyboards both on Android and recently iOS that look to make typing on a small screen an easier and snappier experience. Each have their benefits, and each have their takeaways. WRIO Keyboard is a new entry into this world of symbols and keys, and they’re looking for support on Kickstarter to get the app to you.
WRIO keyboard wants to make typing on a phone easier and faster by combining the use of large keys with gestures. The video above demonstrates how it works, but here’s an image of what the keyboard looks like compared to a typical keyboard:
It is certainly a unique keyboard! But it seems like a keyboard that will become quick once your thumbs are used to the unique layout. What’s great is they want to build this based off of user feedback, which is a good thing to hear. However, they hope the honeycomb-style of the keys and the layout will help make typing on a smartphone easier. The layout is based off the idea that those dark spaces is the natural place your thumbs go when at rest, so that no key is far from either thumb. What’s neat is that WRIO will learn your typing habits, and they say that the keyboard will adjust its virtual layer based on your usage. It also gets rid of some of the format keys by replacing them with gestures:
I guess we’ll have to wait and see what the secret feature is. In the meantime, check out the Kickstarter page to see what perks you’ll receive for supporting them, and the timeline they have outlined, which claims launch for Android in early 2016.
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Facebook enables notifications from mobile site via Chrome for Android
Although many people use the Facebook app to access the social media platform, there are still lots of people who access Facebook through a mobile browser. If they happen to use Chrome on Android, those Facebook users will find that they can now receive Facebook notifications. This new option is partly due to a new API that Google released this past spring for Android enabling notifications to be pushed by web sites to mobile devices through a browser app like Chrome.
Facebook product manager Jonathan McKay has noted, “we’ve already seen an increase in visitation from launching push notifications.” The ability to push a notification to a mobile device is a tool web site operators can use to try to keep visitors engaged and returning to the site. For some site operators that do not need a dedicated app, this may be a good alternative as well.
Google hopes to see more browsers implement the new push notification API along with web sites adding support. Chrome joins the Opera browser in supporting push notifications and Firefox is expected to roll out support in November. The Chinese made UC Browser also supports Google’s new API and is reaching emerging markets. Those markets are part of the impetus for the feature as accessing sites like Facebook with a mobile browser typically uses less data than a dedicated app.
The next hurdle to be addressed will involve ways to limit duplicate notifications for users who happen to have a dedicated app installed along with accessing a site through their mobile browser.
Members of both the Google and Facebook teams reported the effort to support push notifications was beneficial for both sides. Facebook got assistance with making sure the user experience was done right while Google got insight into bugs and issues that a huge service like Facebook faces.
source: TechCrunch
via: Engadget
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Samsung takes new shot at Apple in latest video
Samsung’s marketing execs seem to really enjoy taking digs at Apple. They recently took on the iPhone’s lack of wireless charging capabilities. Now they are going after one of the biggest differences between the iOS operating system and Google’s Android that powers Samsung’s TouchWiz interface – customization.
Samsung’s new video says users should be able to enjoy a phone that reflects themselves. One way to achieve this is through the customization of themes and icons amongst other settings. Samsung encourages users to figure out how to make their Galaxy devices unique and in the process points out how Apple’s users do not get this ability.
You can check out the video below. Notice that Samsung includes a new #OptionsIncluded hashtag in this ad.
Click here to view the embedded video.
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Three UK rolls out its 4G Super-Voice ‘VoLTE’ technology for improved network coverage
Three has just announced it has begun to roll out its 4G Super-Voice technology in the UK making it easier for customers to make calls, send texts or go online in places that had previously had poor or no signal reception at all. While Three is calling the technology 4G Super-Voice, US readers may be more familiar with it under the VoLTE moniker.
Three’s 4G Super-Voice already covers most of Edinburgh, Birmingham, Exeter and most of London, with the continued rollout of the low frequency 800MHz signal allowing for improved indoor coverage, fewer blackspots and better quality call connections.
The technology is busy rolling out in Manchester, Liverpool, Cardiff and Bristol, with the aim of covering 65% of the UK by the end of 2015. By 2017, Three hope that upto 5.5 million customers will have access to the 4G Super-Voice technology.
Full Press Release:
Three UK tackles indoor blackspots with latest network enhancement
In the latest enhancements to its network, Three is introducing a new technology, named 4G Super-Voice.
- One million customers to benefit from increased indoor and rural coverage by end of year
- Up to 5.5 million customers with access to 4G Super-Voice by 2017
- Three UK first UK operator to launch VoLTE – (4G Super-Voice)
In the latest enhancement to its network, Three is introducing a new technology, named 4G Super-Voice.
Based on a roll-out of low frequency 800 MHz spectrum it allows a mobile signal to travel much further into buildings and extends its reach to more rural areas, removing many of the current coverage ‘blackspots’ across the country.
Customers will be able to make calls, send texts and get online in places that previously had poor or no signal.
4G Super-Voice is made possible by the addition of the low frequency spectrum to the Three network, that will enable its 4G network to carry voice calls using VoLTE technology as well as texts and data. Three is the first UK operator to launch VoLTE technology.
The combination of both lower and the higher frequency spectrum (1800MHz) which Three currently uses means customers will benefit from the advantages of each, meaning improved indoor coverage, less blackspots and better call connections.
The enhancement is the latest initiative in our drive to improve indoor coverage which includes adding new sites to the network and launching our WiFi calling application, Three InTouch, last year.
4G Super-Voice already covers 50% of the UK population for indoor coverage and more than three quarters of London, Edinburgh, Exeter and Birmingham. This is combined with our 3G network which already offers 98% outdoor UK population coverage.
Three has also begun rolling out the technology in many other towns and cities across the country including Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool and Bristol.
By the end of the year it will extend to 65% nationwide, meaning millions of our customers will soon benefit from improved coverage indoors, in rural areas, and on public transport.
By 2017, we expect up to 5.5 million Three customers could have access to 4G Super Voice, subject to device compatibility and take up.
Director of customer strategy, Danny Dixon, said: “Not being able to use your phone as and when you want, no matter where you are, is one of the biggest pain points for customers. Today’s announcement is the latest step in our efforts to offer customers a quality experience on what is already the UK’s most reliable network.”
Bryn Jones, chief technology officer at Three, added: “By the end of the year, one million of our customers will have access to better indoor coverage and be able to use their phones in more places than ever before. We are proud to be the first network to roll this out across the country.”
Customers require a compatible handset to access the new technology which will be available on the Samsung Galaxy S5 at launch. New devices will be added regularly including recent iPhone models later this year.
The customer simply needs to update the software on their compatible device to the latest version to access 4G Super-Voice completely free of charge. When the update is ready for a customer’s handset an alert will be sent, notifying them to update their operating system, by following the on-screen instructions.
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