BLU Pure XL International Giveaway! [3 Phones!]
Welcome to the Sunday Giveaway, the place where we giveaway a new Android phone or tablet each and every Sunday!
A big congratulations to last week’s winner of the Nexus 5X International giveaway: Lasaro M. (USA). Enjoy your new smartphone!
This week we are giving away THREE brand new BLU Pure XL’s!
BLU’s Pure XL manages to offer features beyond what its price point would suggest, including a fantastic display, smooth and snappy performance, and an excellent camera, all packed in a beautiful, 6 inch form factor. There’s no denying that this device is BLU’s best smartphone offering to date.
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Enter Giveaway:
BLU Pure XL International Giveaway [3 Phones!]
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More Giveaways:
- JayBird X2 Bluetooth Earbuds giveaway at SoundGuys.com
- Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet giveaway at TabTimes.com
Winners Gallery
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Terms & Conditions
- The giveaway is an international giveaway (Except when we can not ship to your Country.)
- If we can not ship to your country, you will be compensated with an online gift card of equal MSRP value to the prize.
- We are not responsible for lost shipments.
- You must be age of majority in your Country of residence.
- We are not responsible for any duties, import taxes that you may incur.
- Only 1 entry per person, do not enter multiple email addresses. We will verify all winners and if we detect multiple email addresses by the same person you will not be eligible to win.
- We reserve all rights to make any changes to this giveaway.
- This giveaway is operated by Android Authority.
- The prize will ship when it is available to purchase.
The first big ‘Halo 5’ update brings 16-player vehicle battles
Whatever you think of Halo 5‘s solo component, 343 Industries is determined to keep you interested in the multiplayer part. As part of a first content drop due next week (Battle of Shadow and Light), the studio is introducing 16-player Big Team Battles where vehicles play a big role. If your favorite memories of Halo involve epic Warthog duels, you’ll likely get a kick out of the new mode and its four accompanying maps. You’ll also find dozens of armor, weapon and vehicle sets (such as the Tundra Mantis, below). It should all be good news if you’re a fan of the Halo series, although the real question is whether or not 343 will keep this up. Hopefully, you won’t run out of things to do in the Xbox One’s flagship title several months down the road.
Source: Halo Waypoint
The Big Picture: A psychedelic portrait of Pluto by New Horizons
No, you’re not tripping. This is really Pluto — it’s just dressed in hues much more exciting than its usual cream, white, gray and copper. Think of this color scheme as the dwarf planet’s mardi gras outfit, and the tamer ones as its office suits and classic dresses. The New Horizons team used a technique called principal component analysis to process the images taken on July 14th by its spacecraft’s Ralph/MVIC camera. Their goal is to amplify the subtle shade differences between Pluto’s regions, and seeing as the final product looks like a psychedelic world with several distinct colors, we’d say it was a success.
Source: NASA
Xposed framework now supports Android 6.0 Marshmallow – customize away!
Fans of the Xposed framework have something to celebrate today. After weeks of telling you support for Android 6.0 Marshmallow was getting closer and closer, developer rovo89 has finally released version 77, with full Marshmallow compatibility.
For those who have no idea what Xposed framework is: it’s a tool for root users, which allows them to customize individual parts of the system and UI. I find that it’s best for those who do not want a full-blown change of experience, but would prefer to tweak a few things here and there.
All the user would need to install Xposed is a custom recovery and a rooted phone (of course). As always, there are certain things to consider, though. Keep in mind that rooting and tinkering with your phone may harm your device and/or void its warranty, so be very careful and spend a good deal of time doing your research.
With that in mind, the developer does have some comments you should keep in mind. Here they are:
- I have only tested this with SuperSU installed, due to which dm-verity and some SELinux rules are disabled. Especially dm-verity would definitely conflict with the modifications of the system partition.
- Access to preferences files might be blocked by SELinux, and Xposed is currently not able to work around that. (*) Some modules might be affected by this, nevertheless I strongly recommend to keep SELinux enabled and enforcing to keep your device as safe as possible.
- I could not test all Xposed APIs. The system is booting without any error messages from Xposed, but some functions that the framework makes available might still need to be adjusted for Marshmallow.
- Obviously, modules themselves might need to be updated as well due to changes in AOSP. Please be patient and give module developers the time to make the required changes. If you absolutely “cannot live” without module X, don’t update to Marshmallow yet.
- Some issues might arise from JIT (disabled by default, even in AOSP) and the “optimizing” compiler (which rewrites apps’ code to be more efficient, due to which some calls might simply be skipped). Both of these are new in Marshmallow and might have various consequences in combination with Xposed, from hooks that silently don’t work to crashes. However, as it’s running stable for me, I decided not to disable them and will instead look into them in more detail if concrete issues are reported.
Also, some reports say a few Samsung and Sony phones on stock software are having issues with bootlooping. With that in mind, try to be careful and make a backup before doing anything. Happy flashing!
Turkey blocks Reddit through its internet censorship law
The Turkish government’s eagerness to censor the internet isn’t letting up any time soon. The country’s officials have blocked Reddit under the guise of Internet Law 5651, which lets Turkey ban sites it suspects of hosting ‘scandalous’ content like piracy, porn or criticism of first President Mustafa Ataturk. It’s relatively easy to circumvent the block (you just have to switch your DNS settings), but there’s no hint that the government is about to have a change of heart.
Via: The Verge
Source: Reddit
UFC doesn’t want you posting Ronda Rousey fights on Instagram
The running joke about a Ronda Rousey fight is that you can fit the whole thing into a 15-second Instagram video, if not a 6-second Vine — she’s so good that her opponents usually crumble in seconds. You may not see many of those bite-sized clips from her title bout this weekend, though. In a first, UFC is discouraging the press (not just the general public) from sharing unauthorized footage of the fight on the internet, whether it’s a GIF animation or a looping video. There’s no official explanation, but it’s easy to see the concern: the league is worried that you’ll skip that pay-per-view purchase knowing that a fan site could recap everything in a tweet.
Source: Motherboard
Translogic 188: Defiant EV3
Translogic drives the Defiant EV3, a boutique three-wheeled electric roadster designed by Shockwave Motors founder John McMillian.Host Jonathon Buckley hops behind the wheel of the Defiant EV3 on this episode of Translogic. This three-wheeled roadster pairs retro looks and a modern electric powertrain, for a truly unique package. The Defiant EV3 is different, just as Shockwave Motors founder and designer John McMillian intended.
Android Wear can do a whole lot more using your wrist
That big Android Wear update isn’t just about allowing cellular data on smartwatches — it’s also really helpful if you don’t have a hand free. Google has quietly revealed that Android Wear 1.4 has a ton of new wrist gestures beyond the usual flicks to navigate cards. You can take action on a card by pushing your arm down, for instance, or go back to your watch face by wriggling your wrist. You’re probably going to look silly if you use nothing but wrist gestures, but this beats dropping a bag (or freezing your hands) just to touch your watch for a brief moment.
Via: 9to5Google
Source: Google
LG Urbane Watch 2nd Edition first look: This is the best Android Wear watch of 2015
The LG Urbane Watch 2nd Edition was announced just over a week ago, and what makes this watch unique is, it is the first Android Wear device to get LTE support. I haven’t always been a fan of smartwatches mainly because I always have my phone with me, and I don’t find it difficult to pull out my smartphone when I need it.
LG G watch
But as I am increasingly becoming aware of the sometimes inconsiderateness of pulling out my large and bright Nexus 6P in places like church, movie theaters, in meetings, or at dinner, I am finding the need for a smartwatch more and more. Last year I gave the LG G Watch, Moto 360 and Samsung Galaxy Gear watch all a shot, but the first generation devices just didn’t appeal to me. The LG G Watch was unbearably ugly to me, the Moto 360 was uncomfortable and had that flat tire that disturbed me, and as much as I love Samsung, I absolutely hated the Tizen software that drove the Samsung Galaxy Gear watch.
Being a fan of tech, I still have been waiting on the perfect smartwatch. Google sent me an ASUS Zenwatch 2 a few weeks ago, and it was the first Android Wear device I actually liked. The price of $150 was appealing, as most other smartwatches like the Huawei Watch and the Moto 360 2nd gen. both cost over $300 and run as high as $450. The ASUS Zenwatch 2 actually looks great, although it is a rectangle which isn’t super appealing to me. It runs Android software which makes it super useful and means there are many compatible apps. I find it hard to justify $350 for a smartwatch that just looks good while still performing the same as the Zenwatch 2. Although that’s a weak argument for not spending money on a watch, because watches have been fashion statement pieces for a couple of centuries now.
When LG announced the LG Urbane Watch 2nd Edition I became super excited because it was the first Android Wear watch to have LTE support. That means I could text, make phone calls, and have updates all without carrying my large phone with me. I’m usually pretty active on the weekends – I love to hike, take my dog to the beach, go on bike rides and so on. My dog and I always walk for a couple of miles before bed, so having a watch that could replace my phone is something that has always appealed to me.
The LG Urbane Watch 2nd Edition became my first actual purchase of an Android device, with my own money, in over a year. The images of it looked stunning as it actually looked like a real watch, and it had a rubberized band that could keep up with my lifestyle.
Display in full San Diego sunlight.
Pricing
So I stopped by the AT&T store last night as they have begun receiving in actual shipments of the LG Urbane Watch 2nd Edition. The three stores I called only got in two of the black models each, so I made an effort to get to the AT&T store as soon as I could. I bought mine outright for $299, which is $200 cheaper than the identical Verizon model. There hasn’t been an explanation as to why Verizon charges a full $200 more, but at $299 from AT&T I had nothing to complain about. In order to use LTE on my 2nd generation Urbane, I needed to add a smartwatch to my mobile share plan at $10 dollars a month which can be cancelled at anytime. If you want to save $100 upfront you can sign up at AT&T for a 2-year contract, or you could pay $15 per month for 20 months on AT&T Next as well.
If you do happen to sign up for a 2-year contract, you are obligated to pay $10 per month for 24 months. And if you sign up for the Next financing plan, you are obligated to pay $10 for a connection to a Share plan as long as you still owe payments.
Display
When I opened the box and turned on the Urbane, I could instantly tell how gorgeous the 480×480 P-OLED display was. At 348ppi the Urbane LTE is super clear and reminds me of why I love OLED displays. The rich colors and true blacks in combination with the high resolution display actually make this look like it is an actual watch with the display always on. LG supplies quite a few well designed watch faces, and my personal favorites are the “Hiking” and “Sports” watch faces. The “hiking” watch face has a functioning compass and altimeter and it looks great. When the watch face goes into the always on mode, when it is sitting on your wrist at your side, the compass and altimeter disappear only to reappear when you bring your watch up to look at it.
This feature not only saves battery, but it also gives the watch a classic watch look and I love it. LCD displays simply don’t have the viewing angles that OLED displays have and if you have a Samsung Galaxy device or Nexus 6 or 6P, you know what I am talking about. This is the best display you can get on an Android Wear device today.
Hiking watch face in active mode.
Hiking watch face in passive mode.
Performance
It’s hard to truly test the performance of any device in 24-hours, but so far everything has been great. There hasn’t been any odd stutters and Android performs brilliantly on this watch. I streamed music to by Jabra Sport Pace wireless earbuds last night and this morning for my workouts.
I called my mom last night from my watch and it gets really loud. She also had no issues hearing me loud and clear, although I did find it awkward holding my watch up to my mouth to talk. That was a first for me, and it made me feel a little like Dick Tracy, but after a few minutes the weird feeling wore off. I grew up watching old Dick Tracy cartoons, and it is kind of mind boggling that watches can now serve as phones. That was always a fantasy to me as a kid.
Feel and comfort
My only hesitation when I read a bit about the 2nd gen. Urbane was that it was going to be really big. To my pleasant surprise it is no bigger than the Moto 360, but with the rubberized watch band it is really comfortable. I definitely like decent sized watches though, as I have a Rolex Submariner which is pretty weighty and a couple other watches with watch faces over 44mm. The Urbane watch face measures at 45.5mm which is a normal size for a men’s sports watch these days. It really does feel like a real watch which is very important to me.
Real watches feel comfortable as you wear them all day. If you’ve ever worn a G-Shock, the Urbane LTE feels very similar to that. It might look big but it is definitely comfortable.
Moto 360 on the left and LG Urbane 2nd gen. on the right. Almost identical size.
Summary
It’s been less than 24 hours that I have been using the LG Urbane 2nd Edition watch, but I am already head over heels for it. First and foremost it is super comfortable to wear. Second it looks absolutely stunning. Third, for $300 it is cheaper than other Android wear watches without LTE support. Fourth, it runs Android Marshmallow and can make phone calls, stream Bluetooth music to my Jabra earbuds, send text messages and can give me directions via Google Maps.Fifth, the 2nd generation Urbane can look classy or sporty. If I want a classy look I just have to switch the watch face to the Classic look, and if I want something sporty I just have to change the face to the Sports look.
What was once a fantasy with Dick Tracy is now a reality and I love it. If you’re on T-Mobile you are out of luck, but if you’re a Verizon customer you can click here to learn more. If you’re an AT&T customer, click here. If you want to check out the official website at LG, click here.
Specs
| OS | Android Wear |
|---|---|
| Case | Stainless Steel 316L, Brushed Metal Finish 45.5 mm Diameter; 14.2 mm Thickness |
| Chipset | 1.2 GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 400 |
| Display | 1.38″ Full Circle P-OLED (480×480, 348 ppi) |
| Memory | 768 MB / 4 GB eMMC |
| Battery | 570 mAh |
| Connectivity | LTE / 3G, Bluetooth® Version 4.1; Wi-Fi® Connectivity and Offline Music Play |
| Sensor | 9-Axis (Gyro/Accelerometer/Compass) / Barometer / PPG (Heart Rate Sensor) |
| Protection | IP67 Certified; Waterproof for up to 1 meter for 30 minutes |
The post LG Urbane Watch 2nd Edition first look: This is the best Android Wear watch of 2015 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Man survives Paris attacks thanks to his Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
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Yesterday’s Paris attacks have once again underlined the intentions of Islamic State militants to disrupt the sanctity of Western nations, and while the atrocities will not be soon forgotten, there was at least one small bright spot in all this. The number of people who were tragically killed has yet to be confirmed, but that number might have been one more had one man not been carrying his Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge in his jacket pocket. The man, identified only as “Sylvester”, was outside the Stade de France where some of the shooting and explosions occured. Sylvester was hit by shrapnel from the bomb, but thankfully, his Galaxy S6 Edge took the brunt of the attack.
http://www.vgtv.no/embed/?id=120925While the video above isn’t in English, it’s clear that had Sylvester not had his Galaxy S6 Edge in his jacket, his night might have ended a very different way. And for anyone doubting the structural integrity of the Galaxy S6 Edge, this seems like pretty good evidence that it can take a beating. Our thoughts and prays remain with those who have been affected by these attacks.
What do you think about this Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge saving a man’s life? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: VGTV via Phone Arena
The post Man survives Paris attacks thanks to his Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
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