Trends Today: the social media world of #hashtags (App Review)
In today’s world of technology, we are able to communicate faster than ever. A simple #hashtag, like, or comment can help keep us informed of all that is happening around us. Unfortunately, it can also mean we may miss something important we want to know. With the Trends Today app, you can now keep up with all the top stories in one spot.
Overview
Trends Today is an app that opens you up to a world of #hashtags. It allows you to see top trending stories on five of the most popular social sites: Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, and Vine, all in one location. Other social sites are planned to be added with future app updates.
You can also receive notifications of new trends, though I didn’t seem to have that happen too often. You can turn off notifications in the Settings menu if you prefer not to receive them. This is also the only settings option you will find. It would be nice to have different theme options and the ability to select what social sites you want to see in the app.
Features
Each site will have its own tab. I found this made it very easy to navigate between the different social sites. For Twitter and Facebook, lists are generated by trending topics. Once a topic has been selected, you will see the different tweets and posts on that topic, from which you can click on to read, comment, or share. You can also view posts by most recent or most popular. The Reddit tab will be organized by trending posts, instead of by topic,and Instagram and Vine will show thumbnails of the trending photos and videos.
Other features include a built-in web browser, so there is no jumping out of the app to view a post, and the ability to see what is popular worldwide, or by selecting a specific country. The current list of countries is USA, UK, Australia, Canada, and India.
Setup
When you first open the app, you will be asked to select which country you want to view posts from. You can change this, later, by clicking the menu button, at the top left of the screen, and selecting whichever location you prefer.
From the same menu, you can choose to create a profile as well. This is not required, nor is it clear as to what it’s for. Skipping the registration will not hinder your viewing experience, so I would just skip it.
When you select a post, you will be taken to the social media’s mobile site. To like, share, or comment, you will have to sign into your respective accounts. However, with Vine and Instagram, these will not open in the browser, instead, you’ll be taken to your default browser, or the app. You can view the pictures and videos, but there is no sign in option, so you cannot like or share within the Trends Today app. Hopefully, the developer will change this in future updates.
What we liked
- One app to view trending posts from multiple social sites
- Easy navigation
- Built-in browser
What could be better
- Needs more social sites, like Google+
- Sign in options for Instagram and Vine
- Options to select which sites you want to be displayed
Summary
For any of you who have multiple social media accounts, Trends Today is a great way to keep you up-to-date with the trends of each one. So, browse, comment, and #hashtag away with Trends Today.
The post Trends Today: the social media world of #hashtags (App Review) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung Wireless Charging Pad review
Since the dawn of smartphones, one area has remained a pain point for moderate and heavy users. I’m talking, of course, about batteries.
It seems that no matter how fast, big or powerful a device is, users tend to walk away wanting more from their smartphone as it pertains to battery life. Think back to the early days of Android and how were charging our phones up before lunch. It sucked. Period. Even as Android gets more efficient over time, and processors become ever more optimal, batteries still cause issues for people. But, it’s getting better.
There’s a big race today to see who can place the most battery inside the thinnest phone. Just about every handset maker is getting in on this, and it seems that nobody wants to add a millimeter or two to their device in the name of longer battery. Also, today’s battery technology is far more advanced. It’s not just about “how many mAh” any longer.
Indeed, we do have wireless charging capabilities in a number of smartphones. Additionally, we also have fast charge capabilities in many of today’s devices. The idea is that you can charge up your phone in a matter of 15 to 30 minutes and get more than enough juice to last you the rest of the day. Awesome, right?
Samsung, as part of its announcement for the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy S6 Edge+, revealed that the two new models offered internal batteries. But rather than any normal type of battery, these are designed for wireless charging out of the box.
And, as if that weren’t good enough, we are now able to charge them with a “fast charge” as well. This means that you can charge your new Samsung device up much quicker and without cables. To that end, Samsung now sells a Wireless Charging Pad which provides both a quick, cordless charge to your phone.
I’ve spent a few weeks playing with one of these and have been thoroughly impressed with it. The unit itself is round and looks not unlike a thick coaster that you might put a drink on. It plugs in via the micro USB port and provides a very efficient and handy way of charging your device.
On top you will find a semi sticky or non-slide material that ensures your device does not move around when locked in. Placing the phone on top of the platter yields a somewhat magnetic lock between the two. The phone itself will chime as if to indicate that it is charging and you can see that on the screen as well. You’ll also see both the phone and the charger light up — Samsung calls it a multi-colored halo — so you can see that you’re charging or full at a glance.
I’ve been using mine in the office right next to the desk and it is quite convenient and very easy to get used to. For me, the weirdest part about having something like this is just grabbing the phone and walking away and when I’m ready. There’s something about seven years of conditioning of smartphones or Pocket PC devices that I’ve become trained subconsciously to reach for a cord.
I’ve also put this on the nightstand next to the bed and found it really refreshing to just lay the phone down at night. Getting up in the morning and grabbing it to go, again is quite a different feeling. It is a feeling that I have gotten used to quite easily. Now, I am looking at my other devices wondering why I cannot do the same for them.
The Samsung Wireless Charging Pad is available in either Black Sapphire or White Pearl; I have used the black one. It’s convenient it’s light, and it is a Godsend. The only quibble I have is that the non-slide ring on top picks up dust or lint somewhat easy. But, it’s a breeze to clean off.
If you have a phone that is capable (Qi-certified devices) of wireless charging, whether it is out of the box or something you’ve added via a replacement battery or case, then you should recommended to check one of these out. The Samsung Wireless Charging Pad runs $70 through Samsung’s website however Amazon has it for about $62 right now.
The post Samsung Wireless Charging Pad review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
OnePlus joins ‘Make in India’ project, partners with Foxconn to begin production in India
OnePlus has announced a new partnership with Foxconn to begin manufacturing handsets locally in India through the Make in India project. This will allow OnePlus to boost the amount of handsets it makes, which have been in severely short supply, in addition to expanding its global reach.
OnePlus announced the deal on Twitter via its OnePlus India account.
We’ve partnered with Foxconn to start local production in India. Special thanks to Andhra Pradesh Govt. @MakeInIndia#NextBigStep
— OnePlus India (@OnePlus_IN) October 12, 2015
The Make in India program was made “to transform India into a global manufacturing hub.” It’s been a successful initiative so far, with many smartphone manufacturers jumping on board, OnePlus obviously being the newest partnership.
There’s been no official statement on what OnePlus hopes to achieve, but hopefully this partnership will contribute in helping the company produce more smartphones and ship them out in a timely manner, which hasn’t been the case for OnePlus in some time.
source: OnePlus (Twitter)
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TuneIn Premium adds radio feeds for NFL games
The National Football League is must-watch television for about six months. Millions of people are watching the action on Thursdays, Sundays, and Mondays whether they have a favorite team or they need to keep track of their fantasy team’s players. But it’s unlikely to be glued to a screen for each game. So your next best option would be enjoying the sport solely by listening. Today, TuneIn announced a multi-year partnership with the NFL to provide TuneIn Premium subscribers with content that includes play-by-play coverage of every game from all thirty-two teams.
Touchdown! We’ve added #NFL to #TuneInPremium. Learn more: http://t.co/rjfWX76hwr pic.twitter.com/c12Xp6E05y
— TuneIn (@tunein) October 12, 2015
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In addition to having access to radio feeds for all NFL games, TuneIn Premium subscribers are getting a large amount of programming from NFL Media. Popular shows like NFL Total Access, Around the NFL, and NFL HQ will be offered on an NFL on TuneIn channel. Next month, a show airing for seven hours every Sunday will debut with live look-ins and analysis as games unfold.
TuneIn Premium costs $7.99 per year and, by comparison, the NFL offers the comparable Game Pass for $99 per year. TuneIn also gives subscribers content from Major League Baseball and the Barclays Premier League throughout their respective seasons. If audio-only works for you, then TuneIn Premium is the way to go.
TuneIn Partners with the National Football League
TuneIn Adds the NFL to New Premium Subscription Offering, Bringing Every Live NFL Game to Listeners Worldwide
SAN FRANCISCO – October 12, 2015 – TuneIn, the world’s largest audio network, today announced a multiyear partnership with the National Football League (NFL) that will bring live play-by-play coverage of all NFL games to TuneIn Premium subscribers. The partnership gives TuneIn Premium subscribers access to audio feeds for every single game – from the preseason throughout the entire regular season and postseason, including the Super Bowl.
TuneIn Premium subscribers worldwide will have access to play-by-play feeds for all 32 NFL teams, including both the home and away feeds, national radio broadcasts, and Spanish language broadcasts (where available). In addition to live play-by-play audio, other NFL programming on TuneIn will include:
- NFL on TuneIn Channel – Starting today, all TuneIn users will have access to an NFL channel featuring audio from select NFL Media programming, including popular NFL Network shows such as NFL Total Access, Around the NFL, and NFL HQ, as well as official NFL Media podcasts including Move the Sticks and the Dave Dameshek Football Program.
- Live Look-in Show – Starting in November, TuneIn Premium subscribers will have access to a seven-hour-long Sunday broadcast that will feature live analysis, stats, and drop-ins of local radio coverage for all Sunday games airing in-progress. The live look-in show will be live Sundays from 1pm ET – 8pm ET.
“TuneIn’s mission is to bring our global listeners the best content in the world,” said John Donham, Chief Executive Officer for TuneIn. “We couldn’t be more excited to be adding the #1 domestic sports league to our offering, and we are thrilled that the NFL has chosen us to be their global audio distribution platform.”
“Partnering with TuneIn offers us the ability to reach our fans on a fast-growing digital platform and provide them the NFL audio content they crave,” said Hans Schroeder, Senior Vice President, Media Strategy, Business Development & Sales for the NFL. “Whether you live overseas, across the country or just a few states away, our fans can get NFL audio, whether it’s games or additional programming, across their digital devices.”
In addition to the NFL, TuneIn Premium users will also have access to other top sports leagues, unlimited access to over 40,000 audiobooks, and access to 600+ commercial-free music stations. TuneIn Premium is available in the US ($7.99 USD/month), Canada ($8.99 CAD/month) and the UK (£5.99/month), with future plans to roll out to additional countries. TuneIn users will be able to access TuneIn Premium within the existing TuneIn Radio app, which will remain free and continues to offer over 100,000 streaming radio stations and 5.7 million on-demand programs and podcasts.
TuneIn Premium content is available on over 200+ connected devices, including mobile devices and vehicles. Listeners can subscribe to TuneIn Premiumor sign up for a free trial starting today via TuneIn.com and TuneIn’s mobile apps for iOS and Android.
About TuneIn
TuneIn is the most popular way to listen to real radio from around the world. With over 60 million monthly active users, TuneIn lets people listen to the world’s sports, news, talk, and music from wherever they are. TuneIn has over 100,000 radio stations and more than four million on-demand programs stemming from every continent, and is available for free across 200+ connected devices. TuneIn Premium lets subscribers listen to the NFL, MLB, over 40k audiobooks, and commercial-free music stations. TuneIn has venture funding from IVP, Sequoia Capital, Google Ventures, General Catalyst Partners, and Icon Ventures, and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
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ZTE adds the Axon Mini and Axon Watch to its device lineup
ZTE has made it clear that they want to be the world’s third largest smartphone vendor, and so far its working towards that goal extremely well with phenomenal devices like the ZTE Axon. Now, the Chinese-based manufacturer is adding a couple more devices to its Axon lineup.
Coming soon to the global market will be the ZTE Axon Mini, a smaller and cheaper version of its Axon flagship. The Axon Watch will also be coming to the market soon, but will be a China exclusive for the time being.
Despite the downgrade in specifications, the Axon Mini is still a powerful phone. It has a Snapdragon 616 Octa-core CPU, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, microSD support, and a massive 2,800mAh battery. As for imagery. you’ve got a 13-megapixel rear camera on the back and a 8-megapixel snapper on the front.
It has great visuals with its 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display as well. There’s a fingerprint scanner around the back, and according to the press release, it has a “body made from Boeing 787 aircraft-grade aluminum-titanium alloy,” meaning this is one of the toughest smartphones you can get your hands on.
ZTE will be selling the Axon Mini in a premium and and regular model. There’s no details on the differences just yet, but we imagine the regular model might have some less impressive specifications. The Premium model will cost $439 USD and the regular for $379 USD. The Axon Mini will be available in a few months time, but the Axon Watch, running Tencent OS (a operating system developed in conjunction with Tencent and ZTE) will launch on October 27 .
Full details in the press release below. What’re your thoughts on the Axon Mini?
SHENZHEN, China–(BUSINESS WIRE)–ZTE, a leading global mobile device maker, today held a conference for its AXON flagship device series, during which the company talked about its flagship device strategy for the first time. At the same event, ZTE confirmed the global availability of the AXON mini, including the pressure-sensitive touch and NBA versions, and the AXON Watch for China.
“Devices in our ZTE AXON product lines are designed entirely with consumers in mind and to be the nerve center of everything they do”
“Devices in our ZTE AXON product lines are designed entirely with consumers in mind and to be the nerve center of everything they do,” said Adam Zeng, CEO, ZTE Mobile Devices. “Our high-end flagship strategy is now in full swing and we believe we have all of the ingredients to become a leading consumer electronics brand globally.”
For the first time, ZTE discussed its AXON flagship device product line-up, which consists of: AXON, AXON mini, AXON MAX, and the AXON Watch.
In addition to availability announcements for the AXON mini versions and the AXON Watch, ZTE also unveiled the AXON MAX – a larger-screen smartphone device with a bigger battery.
ZTE AXON mini
First unveiled in July 2015, ZTE’s AXON mini became the world’s first smartphone to come with a pressure-sensitive touch screen that recognizes different levels of touch pressure for enhanced functions and experience, such as interactive gaming, passwords and more.
ZTE’s AXON mini boasts a Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 octa-core processor and Adreno 405 GPU, a 2800mAh battery, 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM, and support for up to 128GB SD card expansion. AXON mini sports a 13 megapixel camera at the back with phase detection autofocus (PDAF) that offers a focus time of just 0.1 seconds. At the front, AXON mini features an 8 megapixel camera with a 5P aspherical lens. AXON mini’s dual microphones are supported by an AKM4961 Hi-Fi audio chipset, delivering 32 bit high-fidelity (Hi-Fi) audio playback, as well as high quality sound recording.
With a body made from Boeing 787 aircraft-grade aluminum-titanium alloy, the AXON mini has both a premium look and feel and is just 3.5mm thin. At just 70mm wide, the AXON mini’s 0.85mm thin bezels allow the device to feature a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED FHD 2.5D curved-edge screen.
AXON mini’s voice search function can be activated within 1.2 seconds. It also comes with voice translation support for English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean, offering real-time voice translation. In addition, the AXON mini supports voice messaging and chat functions.
AXON mini supports three different biometric authentication options: fingerprint, voice control and eye-scan.
The ZTE AXON mini NBA version comes in a number of design options, featuring NBA images, and are loaded with a number of NBA services. The AXON mini NBA version is a result of a partnership between ZTE, the NBA and Tencent.
All versions of the ZTE AXON mini will be available to purchase in China online from ZTE’s own MyZTE store and JD.com, as well as offline from major retail outlets. In the coming months, the ZTE AXON mini will also be made available in Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Russia, Japan, India, Australia, France, Germany, Turkey, Spain and Italy.
AXON mini will be available in three color options: Ion Gold, Chromium Silver and Rose Gold.
AXON mini (Premium Edition)
China: 2699 CNY
Asia-Pacific: 439 USD
Europe: 389 EUR
AXON mini
China: 2299 CNY (Ion Gold and Chromium Silver); 2399 CNY (Rose Gold)
Asia-Pacific: 379 USD (Ion Gold and Chromium Silver); 399 USD (Rose Gold)
Europe: 329 EUR (Ion Gold and Chromium Silver); 349 EUR (Rose Gold)
ZTE AXON Watch
Unveiled in July 2015, the ZTE AXON Watch features a 1.4-inch Gorilla Glass screen with sapphire coating and is IP67 certified. It comes with a 300 mAh battery, 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB storage and Bluetooth 4.1. Developed by ZTE and Tencent, the smart watch runs on Tencent OS and supports both voice and gesture control.
The ZTE AXON Watch can be used for both fitness and health monitoring, and supports a range of other applications, from phone calls to messaging, including the popular instant messaging and social media platforms WeChat and QQ.
The ZTE AXON Watch will be available for purchase in China via ZTE’s own MyZTE store from 27 October.
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Google Now on Tap not working with some Google Apps accounts
As Android Marshmallow starts to roll out to user’s Nexus devices, there are some finding one of the benefits of the updated operating system is not available to them. Users who have older, free versions of Google Apps are not able to turn on Now on Tap. The dialog box where users normally configure their devices to use Now on Tap displays the option, even for users who log in with their legacy Google Apps account. However, the system will turn Now on Tap back off as soon as a user tries to turn it on. At present, the only workaround appears to be signing up for a regular Gmail account, but that means giving up apps that a user may have paid for and trying to coordinate a transfer of all old account data.
Source: Google Product Forms – Thanks Ed!
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Xiaomi plans to launch the next generation of products on October 19
Xiaomi is preparing to launch a batch of new products, according to a post on the company’s official forums and a promotional teaser on its Weibo account. More recently, the company launched the Redmi 2 and the Mi 4c. Now, expect to see more great products from Xiaomi on October 19.
There’s no telling what we’ll see on October 19, but the image teaser hints at the next generation of products. There’s been many rumors circulating around the company’s next flagship device, the Mi 5. A recent leak claimed a December launch for the device, so a mid-October announcement would only make sense.
Anyone use an Xiaomi device? What would you like to see come October 19?
Come comment on this article: Xiaomi plans to launch the next generation of products on October 19
HotelTonight app updated for Android
HotelTonight announced the release of version 7.7 of their app for Android devices. The latest version adds the Aces feature to the Android platform. Aces is HotelTonight’s online concierge-type service. Once a user completes a hotel booking in an eligible city, they will receive a message in the app letting them know an Ace is available. Aces are actual people who can provide them with local tips and information.
The Aces feature originally launched with coverage in Washington, DC, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco and San Diego. In conjunction with the addition of the feature to the Android app, HotelTonight has added Brooklyn, Chicago, Denver, Miami, Boston, Seattle, Philadelphia, Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, Portland (OR), the Phoenix/Scottsdale area, and San Juan, Puerto Rico as covered locations.
The update to HotelTonight 7.7 includes new hotel options in Dubai and the usual assortment of bug fixes and performance improvements. If you want to give HotelTonight a try, you can hit the download link below for the Google Play Store entry.
Come comment on this article: HotelTonight app updated for Android
iHeartRadio launches their own personalized station option for listeners
iHeartRadio has joined the ranks of other streaming music services in making a customized station or playlist available to users based on what the user enjoys listening to. The “My Favorites Radio” station is powered by all of the songs a user has favorited during the past few years. Owen Grover, senior vice president with iHeartRadio, says the platform has been tracking user input “for four years, and we have an extraordinary amount of actionable data.” That data is combined with iHeartRadio’s programming expertise to produce customized radio stations for listeners.
iHeartRadio says users will be able to give their stations a unique name and they can share them with friends through a variety of channels, including social media. The content on the My Favorites Radio channel can be modified by the user in case they want to delete something or manually add a track. iHeartRadio says the content will continue to evolve as users continue to favorite or thumbs up songs, artists and stations. They will also throw in some bonus tracks every now and then to help keep things fresh.
source: iHeartRadio
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New OnePlus X / Mini rumors hint at SideTouch screen tech, dual front-facing speakers and more
We’ve known for months now that OnePlus has been interested in launching two smartphones for 2015, and we got a first look at the company’s upcoming handset as it passed through the FCC just a few days ago. Potentially launching under the name OnePlus X, this new ‘mini’ handset is rumored to feature a 5.0-inch Full HD LCD display, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of on-board storage, a 13MP rear camera, a 5MP front camera and a 3000mAh battery. And thanks to a new set of leaked specs, we’re now getting some more information on the X’s display, processor and more.
Rumors have already been floating around that the device will feature a 5.0-inch LCD display with 1920 x 1080 resolution. According to this new report, the X will come with the Synaptics S3708 touchscreen controller, which can also be found in the Xiaomi Mi 4c. What’s so special about the S3708 is that it comes with something called SideTouch technology that lets the user touch the side of the phone to initiate a shortcut. This touchscreen controller also makes use of ClearForce technology, which is similar to Apple’s 3D Touch tech. The report claims that since the OnePlus X is slated to be a mid-ranger, though, there’s a good chance the new device won’t implement the ClearForce feature.
See also: OnePlus to start building phones in India, open sale tomorrow
It should also be noted that the first set of rumors (that happened to come from the same source), originally claimed that the device could be powered by the MediaTek Helio X10 (MT6795T) SoC. Now we’re hearing that it might launch with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 801 processor. The 801 is a great chipset, but from a marketing standpoint, the move to include a processor that launched in early 2014 would be be an odd one.
The report also claims that the OnePlus X will feature two front-facing 1.2W stereo speakers, similar to the speakers found on Alcatel OneTouch’s Idol 3.
So far, many things are uncertain regarding this new handset. But from what you’ve heard so far, would you be interested in a OnePlus X/Mini if it came with all of the features listed above? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
More from OnePlus
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