Google Photos newly updated with Chromecast support and other features
Google promised some new features for its Photos app, and today they delivered by updating the Android application.
The biggest new feature is Chromecast support for getting your photos on a television or other big screen. This seems like a long overdue feature, but it goes hand in hand with the announcement of Google’s new Chromecast devices yesterday.
Aside from casting support, the app also now has custom labels for people in your photos. You can tag certain people with a specific (private) tag that makes it easier to find pictures with that person easier in the future. It’s a step beyond the traditional tagging system that tons of photo backup options offer now.
This update also lays the groundwork for Google’s upcoming shared albums feature through Google Photos. Anyone with a smartphone and the app can add photos to these albums, which will be extremely useful for friends, families, and any group of people that typically share pictures around.
Hit the link below to grab the update.
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Google updates Android Studio to version 1.4 with new Nexus device emulators and a theme editor
Google has updated their Android Studio toolkit to version 1.4, bringing several new features on board. The biggest thing includes emulators to the recently unveiled Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, but there are a few other things that are worth updating for.
For app design, Google has included a Vector Assets Studio to make it a little easier to manage your app icons, and there’s a brand new theme editor for tweaking assets and colors in the user interface of your app.
Google is also leveraging its ownership of Firebase and integrating it directly into Android Studio as opposed to using it as a dependency for Gradle as they’ve done previously. This is very useful for anyone looking to use Firebase as a backend service in their applications.
Last but not least, there are also improved tools for monitoring GPU and network usage on your app, which will certainly be handy for fine tuning performance.
source: Android Developers
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Google’s commitment to Rich Communications Services (RCS) furthers with new acquisition
Today, Google acquired Jibe Mobile in an effort to keep up with the Rich Communications Services (RCS) standard for carrier messaging. The current state of carrier messaging around the world is outdated and unreliable, leaving many people without core features; therefore, Google acquiring Jibe Mobile, a leading provider of RCS, is meant to bring the updated standard to a global audience. This will bring group chatting, high resolution photos, and other features that are expected from messaging services to more people and devices.
Google commented on the future of messaging:
Many leaders in the wireless industry have already put great work into laying the foundation for RCS, and we’ve heard from many of them that there are ways Android can help. We’re excited to team up with mobile operators, device makers and the rest of the Android ecosystem to support RCS standards and help accelerate their deployment in a more consistent way. We’re already working closely with many of our partners on implementing RCS, and look forward to growing the RCS ecosystem together.
And here is some of what Jibe Mobile CEO Amir Sarhangi had to say:
“As a good friend once told me, if you want to do something big, start with something small — a single, singular challenge you can lead, and rally others to support.
For Jibe — a company we founded in 2006 — that lesson came true today with the announcement that we’ve been acquired by Google. The big opportunity we saw at the start: to change the way people communicate using their mobile phones.
The ‘small’ challenge we focused on: the future of messaging, the super simple mode for communication that’s favored by billions of people, all over the world.”
Mike Dodd, Android’s RCS Software Engineer, noted that it will “take time and collaboration throughout the wireless industry” to successfully deploy RCS on a grand scale.
Source: Google, Jibe Mobile
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LG’s V10 officially unveiled ahead of company’s October 1 New York event
Not long after some serious leaks, LG has taken the covers off of the LG V10, the first handset in the company’s new ‘V’ line of phones. The innards are identical the LG G4 in a lot of ways but offers something pretty unique: there are actually two screens on the front of the device.
You have your standard 5.7-inch Quad HD IPS Quantum display and then you have a secondary “always on” screen that works almost similar to the edge on the Galaxy S6 Edge. When the main display is off, the second screen is able to display quick information, such as weather, time and date, battery percentage, and so on.
That’s not all it does, though. When the main display is on, the secondary screen works as a hub for quick-launching apps, notifications, and even accessing contacts. It definitely shares some tendencies that the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Note Edge has, but without the, well, edge.
LG also decided to add two front-facing cameras to the device. Both are of 5MP, but one totes a 120 degree wide angle while the other a more standard 80 degree angle. Talk about some serious selfie action!
Click here to view the embedded video.
On the rear, you have the same 16MP sensor the LG G4 had, but with a whole lot more software features. LG has given full manual control of shutter speed, ISO, focus, white balance, and frame rate to its users in the V10.
Here’s a quick rundown of the specs the V10 is sporting:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa-core processor
- 5.7-inch Quad HD (2560×1440) IPS Quantum display with a secondary 2.1-inch (160x 1040) IPS Quantum display
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa-core processor
- 4GB of RAM
- 64GB of internal storage with microSD card slot for up to an additional 2TB
- 16MP rear camera with F1.8 Aperture and OIS 2.0 / 5MP front dual-lens camera
- 3000mAh removable battery
- Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
- 6 x 79.3 x 8.6mm, 192g
- LTE-A Cat. 6 support
- Colors: Space Black / Luxe White / Modern Beige / Ocean Blue / Opal Blue
All in all, this device is essentially an LG G4, only with a bunch of extra software bonuses and the two screens. There were no details on pricing, but the LG V10 will be available in South Korea sometime this month with United States, China, and other markets to follow soon after.
We’ll no doubt hear more during tomorrow morning’s LG event in New York. Stay tuned!
source: LG
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LG reveals the new Watch Urbane, the first Android Wear smartwatch to go tether-free
LG’s full of surprises tonight, announcing the V10 ahead of the company’s New York event tomorrow and now a refresh of the Watch Urbane. The device sports a bigger screen, smaller form factor, and is the first Android Wear smartwatch to sport a cellular radio, making it tether-free.
Normally you’d need to tether your smartwatch to your Android device by way of the Android Wear application, but it seems that the new Watch Urbane can work as a standalone device, thanks to the newly added cellular radio. Interestingly, it has LTE capabilities as well.
It can also take calls, which is an intriguing feature to add. Either way, receiving calls is there for those who’ll use it. There’s also now two new buttons above and below the main button the Watch Urbane. These new buttons will help users get quick access to things like contacts, LG Health, the apps list, and so on.
Click here to view the embedded video.
It also has the aforementioned bigger display, toting a 1.38-inch 480 x 480 circular P-OLED panel with 348ppi along with the standard built-in GPS. Included is a 570mAh battery and a new Power Saving Mode to get you through the day and beyond.
As with the LG V10, the company hasn’t provided any pricing details. They haven’t offered any information on availability either, indicating that we won’t see it at least for a couple months, as was similar to Samsung’s Gear S2.
Probably the most disappointing thing about the new LG Watch Urbane so far is that the bands can no longer be swapped, which is largely due to building some of the hardware into the bands in order to get the smaller form factor.
Android and iPhone owners alike will be able to enjoy this new smartwatch when it arrives. We’ll for certain hear more details on it tomorrow.
source: LG
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Sony Xperia Z5 has the best mobile camera ever
DxOMark has reviewed all the latest smartphones out today and has said the Sony Xperia Z5 has the greatest camera of them all. This bumps the previous best smartphone camera ever, the Samsung Galaxy S6/S6 Edge, down to the second spot.
The Xperia Z5 scored an 87 while the S6 Edge scored an 86. These results are extremely close and quite amazing. I own the S6 Edge and the camera blows me away every time I use it, so to hear the Z5 camera is just as good is very impressive.
DxOMark gave the Z5 camera such high scores because of it’s fast autofocus, good exposure, accurate white balance and more. It actually tied the S6 Edge in ability to take great photos, but just pulled ahead when it came to videos. Sony’s impressive SteadyShot technology with Intelligent Active mode really helped the Z5 beat the S6 Edge when it came to videos and let it walk away with the title of best mobile camera ever.
Congratulations to Sony and their Z5, but at the end of the day, we are all winners. Just look at the graph picture to see all the amazing Android cameras that beat out Apple’s iPhone 6S/6S Plus. I guess that new 12MP camera isn’t as good as they claimed.
Source: DxOMark
Via: Xperia Blog
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LG announces the LG V10, a smartphone with a second screen and two front cameras
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We knew that LG was going to announce something on October 1st, and as it turns out, it’s October 1st in Korea where LG is based. Right on schedule, LG has announced the LG V10 which boasts a second screen and two front cameras. According to LG, the “Second Screen” is designed as an “always on” display that can show the time, date, weather and battery status even when the main display isn’t in use. When the LG V10’s main display is in use, the second screen displays shortcuts to your favourite apps – we’re assuming you’ll be able to customize these. As for the two front cameras, LG wants to essentially solve the conundrum of the selfie stick and not being able to get everyone in on a selfie – by having two cameras, the LG V10 allows for extra wide photos to be taken (120 degrees), and a piece of software they designed with stitch these together on the fly.
The overall device actually looks quite rugged and vaguely based off the LG G4 from earlier this year. Eagle-eyed readers will notice that the camera module design on the LG V10 looks very similar to the LG Nexus 5 from several years back, which is kind of a nice easter egg. As for the rest of the specs, the LG V10 is basically an updated version of the LG G4, upgrading to 4GB RAM and minus the leather. Here are the full list of specs that LG provided:
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 808 Processor
- Display: Main) 5.7-inch QHD IPS Quantum Display (2560 x 1440 / 513ppi) Secondary) 2.1-inch IPS Quantum Display (160 x 1040 / 513ppi)
- Memory: 4GB LPDDR3 RAM / 64GB eMMC ROM / microSD (up to 2TB)
- Camera: Rear) 16MP with F1.8 Aperture / OIS 2.0 Front) 5MP Dual Lens (80o Standard Angle / 120o Wide Angle)
- Battery: 3,000mAh (removable)
- OS: Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
- Size: 159.6 x 79.3 x 8.6mm
- Weight: 192g
- Network: LTE-A Cat. 6
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a, b, g, n, ac / Bluetooth 4.1 / NFC / USB 2.0
- Colors: Space Black / Luxe White / Modern Beige / Ocean Blue / Opal Blue
The LG V10 is going to become available in Korea this month with availability in the US, China, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East to follow soon. No pricing was revealed today.
What do you think about the LG V10?
The post LG announces the LG V10, a smartphone with a second screen and two front cameras appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
‘Splosion Man’ developer Twisted Pixel is leaving Microsoft
Twisted Pixel may have gotten into Microsoft’s good graces (and the company itself) through games like Splosion Man and The Maw, but it didn’t stay there for very long. The developer has revealed that it’s being spun out from Microsoft Studios roughly four years after it joined the fold. The reasons behind the departure aren’t immediately apparent. However, it’s safe to say that Twisted Pixel’s most recent game, LocoCycle, didn’t do it any favors — the Xbox One launch title was so terrible that even the intro movie was hard to bear. Hopefully, the team’s departure from Microsoft leads to bigger and better efforts.
Source: Twisted Pixel
NASA’s trippy Ceres map shows what the dwarf planet is made of
No, you’re not looking at an artist’s watercolor impression of the Moon. That’s NASA’s false-color map of Ceres, generated using a mix of infrared and visible light filters onboard the Dawn spacecraft currently orbiting the dwarf planet. The resulting psychedelic freakout isn’t just for show, of course. The surface temperatures reflected in those colors give scientists an idea of both Ceres’ mineral contents and the age of its many craters and ridges. Reddish hues reveal materials that reflect infrared light, while green highlights spots that are much brighter than usual. Even if humanity never touches down on the planet’s surface, you’ll eventually know what you could expect from a first-hand visit.
[Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA]
Source: NASA JPL
LG’s 2nd Watch Urbane is the first Android Wear device with LTE
Tonight LG took the wraps off of its new V10 phone and its latest smartwatch, the Watch Urbane 2nd Edition. Like the first model, it has a circular display but one-ups its predecessor by arriving as the first device to combine Android Wear with a built-in cellular connection for calls and data, so you can leave your phone at home — something even the upgraded Apple Watch can’t do. LG already had a webOS-powered Watch Urbane LTE that could go it alone, while Samsung’s Gear S ran Tizen. Packing Android Wear means this watch should have more apps ready for internet-connected use even when your phone and WiFi are out of range. Behind its 1.38-inch 480×480 res P-OLED display there’s a 570mAh battery that LG claims can still last through the day with the help of a Power Saving Mode. There’s no word on price or exact release date yet, but it’s coming to the US and Korea first.
Source: LG
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