Major update, possibly Android Marshmallow, in the works for Samsung flagships
Sources are indicating Samsung has a major update in the works that will be going out to the four flagship devices released this year – the Samsung Galaxy S6, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ and the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. According to individuals familiar with the update it is unusually large in size, especially when compared to the usual updates pushed out by Samsung. This has lead some to conclude Samsung may be preparing Android 6.0 Marshmallow to be issued to their devices and perhaps not too long after Google makes their official announcement.
According to some information on the firmware version numbers for the Galaxy S6 Edge, the device is being updated from G925FXXU2COH2 to G925FXXU3COI6. Sources indicate the change from “U2″ to “U3″ indicates significant changes to the user interface portion. However, that may not necessarily mean Android Marshmallow as significant user-facing changes could be part of some new features or improvements Samsung is rolling out for Android 5.1.1.
Sources have also mentioned the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will get Android Marshmallow, although there is no indication that the Note 4 is part of this pending update.
source: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: Major update, possibly Android Marshmallow, in the works for Samsung flagships
The CDMA network variant of the Nextbit Robin is now supported by Sprint
As mentioned last week, Nexbit was exploring Robin support for both Verizon and Sprint as the Robin was originally made for GSM networks only. In response, Nextbit quickly confirmed that a Verizon version was coming, without mentioning its plans for Sprint. Today however, Nextbit finally added Sprint support for the Robin, making it compatible with all four major U.S carriers
The Nextbit Robin cloud-based smartphone was previously only available for Verizon on the CDMA network, however Sprint support is now added giving you the option of a GSM or CDMA variant of the device. You can order the Robin on Kickstarter at the standard price of $349.
Here is the full set of bands the Nextbit Robin is available:
GSM (AT&T and T-Mobile):
- GSM 850/900/1800/1900
- WCDMA 850/900/1700/1800/1900/2100
- LTE Bands 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/17/20/28
CDMA (Verizon and Sprint):
- CDMA 800/1900
- GSM 850/900/1800/1900
- WCDMA 1700/1800/1900/2100
- LTE Bands 1/2/3/4/7/13/20/25/26/41
Source:Kickstarter
Come comment on this article: The CDMA network variant of the Nextbit Robin is now supported by Sprint
Vertu New Signature Touch: solid, elegant and silly expensive, but at least now you get good specs
If you are going to pay $10,000 for a smartphone, you may as well get some good specs on it, right? Well, it seems this is something Vertu didn’t quite understand before, but their newest smartphone brings forth all the power and performance wealthy techies have been hoping for. This new smartphone is called the Vertu New Signature Touch – what does it offer?
For starters, the device packs a 5.2-inch 1080p display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of internal storage, a 21 MP rear camera, a 2.1 MP front-facing shooter and a 3160 mAh battery. It also runs Android 5.1 Lollipop. It even supports Quick Charge 2.0 and Qi wireless charging.
This phone is for those with eccentric taste, something Vertu hasn’t forgotten. It is made with fine leather and grade 5 titanium. The Vertu New Signature Touch also comes in 8 versions: Jet Calf, Garnet Calf, Grape Lizard, Pure Jet Lizard, Jet Alligator, Pure Navy Alligator, Clous de Paris Alligator and Pure Jet Red Gold.
These all feature their own personalized engraving. Not to mention those new elegant cases, which come in two unique designs and multiple colors/materials. One is simply a holster, while the other is a wallet case with credit card slots. If you are wondering where the nanoSIM and microSD cards go, they are hidden behind the “dramatic gull-wings” on the back plate. These phones are truly snazzy!
And of course, what are these fancy phones without their luxurious services? It’s partly what Vertu is selling you, here. Vertu Concierge connects you with a single point of contact who can facilitate travel, accommodation, dining experiences, gift sourcing and even connect you to money-can’t-buy events. Vertu LIFE grants you exclusive privileges and unrestricted access to elite events. Meanwhile, Vertu CERTAINTY offers encrypted communications and Vertu Lost Phone can help you remotely lock, wipe find and ring your device.
Now, the real question is: how many of you are willing to pay about $10,000 for one of these?
Researchers use creepy robo-baby to figure out why infants smile
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have developed a robotic infant to test a hypothesis that babies can (and regularly do) manipulate their mothers into smiling on command. Turns out that your 4-month-old progeny is a lot craftier than you thought.
The team first observed the interaction between 13 mother-child pairs and analyzed them along four categories: how often just the kid smiled, how often just the mother smiled, how often both smiled and how often neither smiled. This initial study, which assumed that each party was attempting to influence the other, found that mothers most often tried to maximize the time both they and their kids were smiling. Their babies, on the other hand, most often smiled only as a means of getting their mothers to do the same. That is, moms were primarily motivated to make both parties smile while babies were almost exclusively in it just to be smiled at.
Using the statistical analysis from this initial study, the team then programmed this mechanical monstrosity, named Diego-San (what, was “nightmare fuel” already taken?), to smile like biological babies do. They then set Diego loose on 32 undergrad test subjects. According to the team’s study, which was recently published in the journal PLOS One, “the duration of participant-only smiling was significantly longer for the controller based on the inferred infant goals than for each of the other 3 control conditions.” Which is exactly what real babies are after. In fact, the study concluded that “infants exhibited sophisticated timing behaviors to achieve their goals.” In short, these kids are using all of their cunning to effectively trick their parental units into doing exactly what they want: smiling at them.
Via: Spectrum IEEE
Source: PLOS One
Apple fixes an iOS 9 bug that kept you from upgrading
The launch of iOS 9 was supposed to be a joyous occasion if you own an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch, but it didn’t always work out that way. A bug left some stuck on the “slide to upgrade” screen, preventing them from using their gear unless they rolled back to iOS 8 or started fresh. If you’re one of those glitch victims, you’ll be glad to hear that relief is in sight: Apple has released an iOS 9.0.1 update that (you guessed it) makes sure you get past that upgrade screen. It also tackles a few other hiccups that could sour your initial experience, including one that prevented some alarms and timers from playing. As such, you’ll probably want to check for the update right away. And if it’s too late to avoid the worst, Apple’s support site (linked above) has a guide to getting your device back to normal.
Via: Computerworld
Source: Apple
Chevy’s Android Auto update will reach cars in March
Buying a brand new Chevy with the hopes of using Android Auto during your daily commute? You’ll have to sit tight for a while before that dream becomes reality. The car maker has announced that an Android Auto software update will only reach its 2016 model year vehicles this March, starting with those which have 8-inch MyLink touchscreen systems. That’s going to be a long half-year wait if you’re eager to get Google Maps directions through the center stack. The good news? Chevy is promising that all vehicles with 7- and 8-inch MyLink displays (ranging from the Spark to the Corvette) will eventually have Android Auto, so you won’t have to drive one of the brand’s swankier machines to get a smartphone-powered infotainment deck.
Source: Chevrolet
[APK inside] Get the Note 5’s Screen-Off Memo feature for your Note 3 or 4
For some, the Screen-Off Memo feature is one of the biggest selling points of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. I personally have a friend who was sold on the device after hearing how he could eject the S-Pen, take a quick note, re-insert the pen and the phone just saved it for future viewing. It’s one of the most simple and useful features on any phone out there.
But if you had a Note 3 or a Note 4, you were out of luck. Until now.
Both the Note 3 and Note 4 have the famous S-Pen but the feature didn’t exist for the two phones. Now user xperiacle from XDA Developers has released an APK you can download and install to gain the feature. Xperiacle is a “Recognized Developer” on XDA who has made many contributions to the community. Note that this isn’t a port of the feature from the Note 5, it’s an app the developer wrote themselves to emulate the functionality.
If you’re interested in obtaining the Screen-Off Memo feature for your Note, head on over to XDA developers. Make sure you read the entire post before installing anything. The app is easy to use but please make sure you’re informed before you decide to make the leap and use any app you can install from outside the Play Store.
Source: SamMobile
The post [APK inside] Get the Note 5’s Screen-Off Memo feature for your Note 3 or 4 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Deal: Kmashi 15,000 mAh external battery pack only $13.50!
Battery, battery, battery. This little block inside every mobile device out there has us going crazy on the daily. There’s nothing worse than running out of juice in the middle of the day, especially during those times when you can’t simply tether yourself to a wall and charge up. It is these times when you realize a portable battery pack is more necessary than we wish it was – these things are life savers!
Looking to get a portable charger? There’s plenty of options out there, but we must say you would be hard pressed to find a deal that beats today’s offer on the Kmashi 15,000 mAh portable battery pack. Usually priced at $59.99, the battery is currently on sale for $19.99. On top of that, customers can use coupon code “YURUURCO” to get an extra $6.49 off, effectively bringing the price down to $13.50! Shipping is free for Prime users or if you spend over $35 in your order.
That is a lot of battery for the price, guys. Just to put it into perspective, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 has a 3,000 mAh battery. This Kmashi battery has 5 times more battery than the latest Samsung phablet! The battery comes fully packed with a microUSB energy input, a couple full size USB ports (2A and 1A) a switch and a battery indicator light.
You really can’t go wrong with this one, so go ahead and buy one if you are on the search for a good battery pack. Who is signing up?
The Big Picture: Los Angeles’ light pollution, as seen from space
What you see above is a stunning image of California (and surrounding areas), captured from space by astronaut Scott Kelly. But what quickly stands out is Los Angeles, with its bright lights shining through and morphing into one massive, glowing spot. As Quartz points out, this shows the city’s massive light pollution problem — which, in the past, has been subject to countless research pieces and even a Kickstarter book/video series. City of Angels? More like City of Lights.
#California, your bright lights invite this morning. #GoodMorning from @Space_Station! #YearInSpace pic.twitter.com/g3zN9TaYUf
— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) September 23, 2015
Via: Quartz
Source: Scott Kelly (Twitter)
Microsoft teams up with Baidu to push Windows 10 in China
Microsoft has struck a partnership with Chinese internet giant Baidu, as it continues to focus on getting people on Windows 10. Via blog post, the Redmond-based firm said the idea behind this business alliance is to make it easy for Baidu customers to upgrade to its new OS, as well as offer personalized browsing and searching experiences for users in China. For example, Baidu.com — which has more than 600 million active users — will become the default homepage and search engine for Microsoft’s Edge browser. In return, Baidu is expected to bring standalone, universal apps for cloud, search, maps and video over to Windows 10. Microsoft adds there are currently 10 million devices running the fresh operating system in that country, a huge chunk of the reported 45 million-plus total number.
Source: Microsoft
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